Extraordinary Complexity Defined

In our latest collaboration, we threw down the gauntlet to one of the most technically advanced and luxurious timepiece creators in the world – URWERK.

The challenge was to take the ubiquitous whisky flask and transform it far beyond the expected.

The result? An extraordinary masterpiece in luxury design and one of the most intricate and technical whisky flasks ever made. A statement of what can be achieved when whisky mastery meets obsessively engineered horology.

Intricately composed of over 150 individual parts, The Macallan x URWERK Flask brings together the art and science of both whisky making and horology.

A machined aluminium, titanium and stainless steel work of art, features include dual chambers which allow you to carry two of your favourite whiskies, switching easily between them.

Limited to 500 worldwide, each flask embodies an exquisitely creative and technical process, where the obsessive pursuit of perfection is evident in the final product.

 

Hey folks, me again.

I have wrestled back control of the Society mailing list from Mairi P although this message isn’t really from me either; I’m writing on behalf of the Cadenhead Campbeltown shop.

As many of you will have seen by now through our Social Media accounts, we have announced that the new Local Barley will be available soon.

And the last word of that sentence is important – soon.

Remember folks, when the Springbank Local Barley 11yo is actually released the Society will receive a newsletter (a proper one this time) telling you when it is available for purchase.

I’m afraid it is not yet available but Donald (Campbeltown Shop Manager) has asked me to drop you all a message because he is getting a lot of enquiries into the Campbeltown Shop about the LB. He cannot reserve any bottles and it will be sold on a first come first serve basis by telephone order (and will be one per person). All of this information will be stressed again in the future newsletter I referenced above.

Some of you are anxious to find out more information on this release and I promise you will have it in good time. I know you are all excited, we are too, but this highly anticipated release will be available soon, very soon. But not just yet. Slainte Nathan For the Springbank Society

Please contact Nathan if you wish to join the Society Society

FRESH CATCH

February’s First Friday brings a bountiful catch of new single casks that are crisp, fresh and mouth-watering.  Cast you net wide and discover the perfect whisky for you, there are 19 unique whiskies to hook from a broad range of flavour profiles.  Need some help reeling in?  Read this month’s reviews on our blog »

READ THE NEW OUTTURN ONLINE

19 fresh and mouth-watering single casks.

OUTTURN

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Scotch Tasting Sunday 2/12/17

Sample Scotch Whisky from the Northern Highlands.

Call 402-553-9501 for reservations.

info@dundeedell.com

5007 Underwood Avenue, Omaha Nebraska

 dundeedell.com

Wyoming Whiskey Releases Double Cask Sherry-Finished Bourbon 

Kirby, WY (Jan. 31, 2017) – Wyoming Whiskey is releasing a limited edition, sherry-finished bourbon this month. Wyoming Whiskey Double Cask is the first barrel-finished product from the Wyoming-based distiller. Pedro Ximenez barrels were chosen to compliment the flavor profile of specifically chosen barrels of five-year-old Wyoming Whiskey bourbon.

Wyoming Whiskey Head Distiller, Sam Mead, developed the creation with the tasting input of industry specialist and master blender, Nancy Fraley.

Fraley gave the Double Cask excellent marks. According to Fraley, the Sherry-Finished Bourbon features dark, autumnal notes of dried apricot and fig, stewed prune, black currant and toasted nuts. There are hints of candied orange peel, vanilla butter cream, and molasses underneath. The finish is comprised of dark, dried fruit followed by warm, brown baking spices.

“While traditional bourbon continues to be our focus, it is important to show that a variety of great whiskies can be made in Wyoming,” said Co-Founder, David DeFazio. “Both our recent Outryder Straight American Whiskey and Double Cask Sherry-Finished Bourbon are outstanding. We decided to finish our five year-old bourbon in Pedro Ximenez barrels because they complement our base spirit perfectly. We may experiment with other finishes in the future, but we’re really pleased with Double Cask’s flavor profile.”

A limited release of 110 cases of Double Cask will be available for purchase in Wyoming, New York, New Jersey, Colorado, Illinois, Texas and California. Double Cask retails for $59.99 per 750 ml bottle. The first state to receive this unique whiskey will be Wyoming.

Wyoming Whiskey is holding fast to their western heritage, producing whiskey the right way, not the easy way: from the ground up. Using all regionally sourced, non-GMO ingredients, Wyoming Whiskey respects the maxims of great bourbon, yet also reflects the feel and taste of the place it was made.

About Wyoming Whiskey
Wyoming Whiskey has a simple goal: to create America’s next great bourbon. Based in Kirby, Wyoming, the company and product is a collaboration between its partners and 97,818 square miles of Wyoming. The Mead family first came to Wyoming as ranchers in 1890 and the state defines them, and their whiskey. They use the finest corn, wheat, barley, and water from the Big Horn Basin and promote Wyoming’s natural and human resources. Every drop of this bourbon is 100% Wyoming. To learn more, visit wyomingwhiskey.com.

What makes a great whisky tasting?

I’ve been lucky to attend plenty of whisky tastings. The latest was a tour through the new batch of Diageo’s Special Releases hosted by whisky educator Colin Dunn – and it was superb. But as it came to an end, it got me thinking: what are the key elements for a great whisky tasting?

Diageo whisky ambassador Colin Dunn (‘Everywhere you look, whisky is coming at you’)

1. Get the audience involved

The best tastings go beyond the standard teacher-pupil set-up, because the audience aren’t sat in a classroom waiting to be lectured to. They are as much a part of the event as the host, something Colin is aware of. The whiskies were all lined up from one to seven. Which one did we start with? Number four, naturally. Colin picked an audience member at random, they chose the first whisky, and off we went.

2. Pour great whisky

We tried seven of the 2016 Special Releases, including bottlings from Auchroisk, Brora, Cambus, Cragganmore, Lagavulin, Linkwood and Port Ellen. The highlight for me was the Linkwood, an exceptionally classy 37-year-old bottling that oozed notes of oranges, cloves and black pepper. It was subtle and elegant; a real standout. My other pick was the Cambus, a 40-year-old that was impossible to dislike with its rich, toffee-like character and notes of cinnamon, nutmeg and toast.

3. Throw in some memorable one-liners

Soundbites and gags are always a safe bet for a whisky educator, and Colin had a few up his sleeve. Here are five of his best one-liners on the night:

‘I used to use Rosebank as air freshener in my house… ah, those heady days!’

‘The Lagavulin warehouse is the eighth wonder of the world!’

‘This Port Ellen is full of minerally peat. It’s the kind of whisky I’d clean my teeth with’

‘The Cambus is almost like perfume’

‘Laphroaig is dirty peat; Ardbeg is sweet peat; Lagavulin is oily peat’

4. Share your knowledge

Colin talked about the last days of Port Ellen, which was mothballed in 1983 (never to reopen). To illustrate how differently it was viewed at that time, he explained that on the day before Port Ellen closed, Andrew Symington of independent bottler Signatory Vintage went to the distillery and snapped up five casks. In hindsight, this looks a smart move. But was it a get-rich-quick plan? Not exactly – Andrew sold them the following year for just £35 a bottle…

5. Don’t just talk about your own products

At the end of the tasting, Colin revealed his four desert-island whiskies. Refreshingly, he didn’t toe the party line, as three of them were not from his employer, Diageo: ‘I’d have a 5-year-old Clynelish from the 1960s,’ he said, ‘as well as a 1965 Auchentoshan, a 1965 Springbank and a bottle of Black Bowmore.’

This was a great whisky tasting, upbeat and engaging, and packed full of delicious drams. It even ended with a song courtesy of Colin’s friend Tim Hain. Colin has hosted Whisky Exchange events for us many times in the past, and it’s obvious why we keep asking him back. If you’ve never seen the man in action, you’ll find him at our Whisky Show in the autumn.

Originally published on The Whisky Exchange Blog

Malt of the Month

Our Malt of the Month for February is the superb Springbank 10 year old. A great introduction to the Springbank range, created from whisky matured in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, bottled at 46% vol.

Springbank 10 Year Old Tasting Notes

Nose: Orchard fruit (pear) with a hint of peat, vanilla and malt.

Palate: Malt, oak, spice, nutmeg and cinnamon, vanilla essence.

Finish: Sweet, with a lingering salty tingle.

BUY NOW!

SPRINGBANK 15 Year Old  Exclusive Web price £58.45!

Springbank 15 year old has an almost bewildering array of flavours: dark chocolate, figs, marzipan, brazil nuts and vanilla are just some of the notes on show. Absolutely top-class! Take advantage of our web exclusive price while stocks last.

BUY NOW

Milroy’s of Soho
Milroy’s of Soho
3 Greek Street
London, England W1D 4NX
United Kingdom

Meet Kindred Spirit Iain Burnett, The Highland Chocolatier

Highland Perthshire: it’s about as close as you can get to Scotland’s bounty of natural ingredients. So where better for Iain Burnett to spend years perfecting his truffles – and win his reputation as one of the world’s finest chocolatiers? A true Kindred Spirit, his pursuit of exceptional flavour has earned him some of the highest accolades a master chocolatier could wish for – including the World’s Best Dark Chocolate Truffle.

It’s not only Iain’s guiding principles that make him a Kindred Spirit. His chocolates and our whisky are a perfect match: just ask anyone who’s been on our whisky and chocolate tasting tour.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Personalised whisky. Exceptional chocolates. Valentine’s Day, sorted.

Forget bashful teddy bears. Leave out the heart-shaped balloons. Nothing quite says ‘I love you’ like a bottle of Glengoyne and a box of perfectly matched chocolates. It’s quite a romance: a sip of single malt, a bite of Dark Velvet Truffle. An intensity of flavour rolling across on the palate. How do you make it happen? Order a bottle of the Glengoyne 15 Year Old or 21 Year Old, and we’ll include award-winning chocolates from the Highland Chocolatier. You can even add something a little special to the label with a personalised bottle of Glengoyne 15 Year Old. Slàinte! Free UK delivery. Just order in time for Valentine’s Day.

Last order date for UK delivery: 9 February

Last order date for international delivery: 6 February

BUY THE PERSONALISED 15 YEAR OLD

Dear Society Members,

Mairi has given me the following information to pass onto you. It is regarding details of the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2017 which I’m sure you will be extremely excited about.

Please make sure you read to the end of this before contacting Mairi with your bookings. There is a separate PDF attached which lists the available tastings in a simple table to save you having to scroll too much. Enjoy!

———-

We are pleased to announce the first details of the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2017. As you may know, the Campbeltown Malts Festival will take place from Wednesday 24th – Friday 26th May 2017 and once again we will host events in celebration of the whiskies produced here in Campbeltown.

Please find details below which includes an outline of our events on each day of the festival and information on booking the various events. All booking enquiries should be sent to Mairi Paterson who can be contacted by email to mairi@springbank.scot (please note this is a new email address) or by phone call to +44 (0) 1586 552009.

Wednesday 24th May 2017

On the first day of the festival, there will be a range of events taking place including an exclusive Springbank Society Tasting and a special dinner at Springbank Distillery. Additional events to be confirmed.

Springbank Society Tasting

To kick off the festival, we will be holding an exclusive tasting for our lovely Springbank Society Members. The tasting will take place on Wednesday 24th May at 11:30am in the Malt Barns at Springbank Distillery and will be free for members to attend. Please note that we cannot allow any non-members into this tasting.

The tasting will involve choosing the next Society bottling (due for release in Autumn) but will take a slightly different format to previous years which we are very excited about. That’s all we can say at the moment but we promise it will be a fun way to start the festivities.

The Society Tasting will be limited to a maximum of 60 people and places are likely to fill up very quickly so please email mairi@springbank.scot or call +44 (0) 1586 552009 asap to book your spot and make sure you don’t miss out.

The Springbank Distillery Dinner

For the fifth year running, we will be hosting an exclusive dinner at the distillery on the eve of our Open Day. This year, guests will be treated to dinner in the surroundings of our unique Bottling Hall. This will take place on Wednesday 24th May 2017 at 7pm.

On arrival to Springbank Distillery, you will be greeted with a champagne reception which will also feature a range of locally sourced canapés. 

Following this, you will sample a selection of whiskies, hand drawn from the cask by a member of our senior production team. The most popular choice will be bottled for you to take home on the night. 

You will then be led to your table to enjoy a four course meal with a specially selected wine to accompany each course. 

To end your unique experience, each attendee will be presented with their own exclusive 70cl hand drawn bottle, chosen earlier in the evening. 

Throughout the evening, staff from J. & A. Mitchell & Co. Ltd. will be present to chat to and share some drams with. 

The cost of the dinner is £250.00 per person and payment is required upon booking to secure your place.

Numbers are limited to 50 people so please book as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

There will be a set menu so please advise us of any dietary requirements you have when booking.

To book your place, please email mairi@springbank.scot or call +44 (0) 1586 552009.

Thursday 25th May 2017

Springbank Open Day

The Springbank Open Day will take place on the second day of the Campbeltown Malts Festival. The day will start at 11am and will include a wide variety of activities such as free distillery tours, a range of tastings and masterclasses, local craft and food stalls, exclusive bottlings, the famous warehouse whisky bar and much more. In the evening, look out your dancing shoes as we will move into the Malt Barns for live music.

The tastings and masterclasses for the Springbank Open Day are now available to book and details of each can be found below:

11:30am: Kilkerran Masterclass: It’s come of age, now get to know it a bit better 

Familiarise yourself with the house style of Kilkerran, some of our bottlings to date and perhaps one or two of the early experiments from Glengyle Distillery. We’ve got lots to talk about and taste so why not join in?

(1 hour  /  65 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

11:30am: The ‘uber-geek’ Tasting

Explore the technicalities and science behind our production process. “What’s the flow rate of your spirit? What is the effect of your fermentation time? Why don’t you buy a computer to do that for you?” Warning – this could be very detailed but we’ll provide plenty of drams to help get your brain cells running! All production-related questions welcome, especially if you want to submit them in advance…

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

12:30pm: Springbank Warehouse Tasting 

Sample a selection of the finest whiskies from Springbank, hand drawn from the cask in one of our traditional warehouses.

(45 mins  /  30 people max  /  £20 per person)

1pm: Springbank Masterclass: New and recent releases 

A chance to try some of the most recent limited release bottlings from Springbank Distillers. February, March and April will see a number of new whiskies appearing and this may be your best chance to try them all in one place, unless you’ve got a very nice bar at home.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

1:30pm: Springbank Masterclass: New and recent releases

A chance to try some of the most recent limited release bottlings from Springbank Distillers. February, March and April will see a number of new whiskies appearing and this may be your best chance to try them all in one place, unless you’ve got a very nice bar at home.

(1 hour  /  65 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

2:30pm: Springbank & Fyne Ales Tasting: Beer and whisky gang thegither

We’ve been working pretty closely with our neighbours Fyne Ales (they’re only 75 miles away) on various projects over the last few years so it seemed only natural to pair the fruits of some those projects with the whiskies that influenced them. Representatives of both Springbank and Fyne Ales will take you through a joint beer and whisky tasting and will be happy to answer any questions.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

2:30pm: Springbank Warehouse Tasting

Sample a selection of the finest whiskies from Springbank, hand drawn from the cask in one of our traditional warehouses.

(45 mins  /  30 people max  /  £20 per person)

3:30pm: Cadenhead Masterclass: Current bottlings and future releases

A chance to try some current releases from Cadenhead’s along with samples of upcoming releases.  As has become tradition, a cask will be rolled into the Malt Barns to be sampled straight from the cask – this whisky will only be available at this tasting.

(1 hour  /  65 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

4:30pm: Springbank Warehouse Tasting

Sample a selection of the finest whiskies from Springbank, hand drawn from the cask in one of our traditional warehouses.

(45 mins  /  30 people max  /  £20 per person)

6:30pm: An Introduction to J&A Mitchell Tasting

Get to know our company and our core products a bit better – these are the drams, from Springbank, Glengyle and Wm Cadenhead, that provide the foundation to our business. Perfect for those just getting into whisky or who want to go back to basics.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £15 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

The 11:30am Kilkerran Masterclass, 1:30pm Springbank Masterclass and 3:30pm Cadenhead Masterclass will take place in the Springbank Malt Barns at Springbank Distillery (meet at the Springbank Malt Barns 10 minutes before tasting begins).

The 11:30am Springbank ‘Uber-geek’ Tasting, 1pm Springbank Masterclass and 2:30pm Springbank & Fyne Ales Combo Tasting will take place in Warehouse 10 (meet at the Springbank Distillery Office 10 minutes before tasting begins).

The 12:30pm, 2:30pm and 4:30pm Springbank Warehouse Tastings will take place in Warehouse 3 at Springbank Distillery (meet at the Springbank Distillery Office 10 minutes before tasting begins).

The 6:30pm Introduction to J & A Tasting will take place in the Bottling Hall at Springbank Distillery (meet at the door of the Bottling Hall 10 minutes before tasting begins).

To book any of the above tastings or masterclasses or for more information, please email mairi@springbank.scot or call +44 (0) 1586 552009. Please note that payment will be required to confirm booking.

Friday 26th May 2017

The final day of the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2016 will be dedicated to Mitchell’s Glengyle Distillery and Cadenhead’s Independent Bottler.

Our Friday events will be centered around Mitchell’s Glengyle Distillery where there will be hourly free tours of the distillery, local stalls and the return of the popular Cadenhead Lucky Dip Bar which was a huge hit last year.

As 2017 marks the 175th anniversary of Cadenhead’s, most of our tastings will be focused on celebrating this as well as one main Kilkerran Masterclass on the day.

The tastings and masterclasses for Friday 26th May are now available to book and details of each can be found below:

10am: Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting 

Sample a selection of the finest Cadenhead whiskies, hand drawn from the cask in one of Springbank’s traditional warehouses.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £30 per person, includes Cadenhead glass)

10:15am: Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting 

Sample a selection of the finest Cadenhead whiskies, hand drawn from the cask in one of Springbank’s traditional warehouses.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £30 per person, includes Cadenhead glass)

10:30am: The Cadenhead Alternative Tasting

Cadenhead’s for the last 175 years have bottled more than just excellent whisky – this is a chance to try some of our alternative spirits. The tasting will include a selection of Gin, Rum and Cognac from current bottlings and possibly some surprises.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £20 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

12pm: Kilkerran Masterclass: It’s come of age, now get to know it a bit better

Familiarise yourself with the house style of Kilkerran, some of our bottlings to date and perhaps one or two of the early experiments from Glengyle Distillery. We’ve got lots to talk about and taste so why not join in?

(1 hour  /  60 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

1:45pm: Cadenhead 175th Anniversary Tasting

A first chance to try several casks of whisky bottled to celebrate Cadenhead’s 175th Anniversary – you will be the first people in the world to try these releases along with an extra release only available at the tasting.

(1 hour  /  60 people max  /  £25 per person, includes Glencairn glass)

3:30pm: Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting

Sample a selection of the finest Cadenhead whiskies, hand drawn from the cask in one of Springbank’s traditional warehouses.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £30 per person, includes Cadenhead glass)

3:45pm: Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting

Sample a selection of the finest Cadenhead whiskies, hand drawn from the cask in one of Springbank’s traditional warehouses.

(1 hour  /  30 people max  /  £30 per person, includes Cadenhead glass)

The 10am, 10:15am, 3:30pm and 3:45pm Cadenhead Warehouse Tastings will take place in various warehouses at Springbank Distillery (meet at the Springbank Distillery Office 10 minutes before tasting begins).

The 10:30am Cadenhead Alternative Tasting will take place in The Tasting Room at Cadenhead’s Whisky Shop (meet at Cadenhead’s Whisky Shop 10 minutes before tasting begins).

The 12pm Kilkerran Masterclass and 1:45pm Cadenhead 175th Anniversary Tasting will take place in Warehouse 10 (meet at the main gate to Glengyle Distillery 10 minutes before tasting begins).

Events at Glengyle Distillery, including the Cadenhead Lucky Dip Bar will conclude at 4pm.

Cadenhead 175th Anniversary Dinner

To conclude the 2017 festival, we will be hosting a dinner in Campbeltown Town Hall to celebrate the 175th Anniversary of Cadenhead’s.

The evening will begin at 7pm where guests will be greeted with a champagne reception before being seated for dinner. There will be a delicious 2 course meal provided by local catering company Argyll Bakeries followed by live music to dance the night away.

There will be a licensed bar throughout the evening and guests will also be treated to a couple of whiskies and wine during the evening.

Tickets are priced at £55.00 per person and the event is limited to 100 people.

If you would like to book onto any of the tastings or events listed above then please let Mairi know as soon as possible. There has been extremely high interest in this years festival and we imagine the events will sell out in record time. It would be best to initially email Mairi at mairi@springbank.scot and she will get back to you as soon as possible. Please note that it could take a couple of days for a reply but she will be working through all enquiries as quickly as possible. You can also call Mairi on +44 (0) 1586 552009 to make your bookings.

Payment will be required upon booking any of the above events so please be aware of this when emailing or calling.

If you are making a group booking on behalf of your friends then we will require the name of each person you are booking for. Please include this information when making your booking.

In addition to the events which we are hosting, we are delighted to announce that local business Whisky Impressions will be hosting 3 exciting events during the festival. Please see attached poster for more details and contact Kate by emailing info@whiskyimpressions.com to make your bookings.

More information on the festival will be released in due course – less than 4 months to go!