FEBRUARY AUCTION NOW LIVE (ends Sunday 26th February)
…place your bids at http://www.whiskyhammer.co.uk/
With an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits there is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest, enjoy!
Featured in today’s Whisk(e)y News are a pair of Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbons from Belle Meade. Produced by Charles and Andy Nelson of Green Brier Distillery these bottlings are thoroughly steeped in tradition. The Nelson Brothers’ story is a unique one and well worth delving into as its a significant part of what makes these whiskies so special. Read on to learn more about these brothers’ efforts to forge a link with their family’s past to craft whiskey the way it used to be.
THE BIRTH OF A DISTILLERY
Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery is the culmination of over 150 years of the Nelson Family’s relationship with Sour Mash Whiskey. Charles Nelson and his brothers came to the States in 1850 from Northern Germany with next to nothing. The son of a chandler, he eventually moved to Nashville where he started a successful grocery business -selling coffee, meat and, of course, whiskey. Seeing that the demand for whiskey was far outpacing supply, Charles eventually bought the local distillery in Green Brier Tennessee. By 1885, Charles had logged nearly 380K gallons in sales across North America and Europe. Charles continued to grow the business until his death in 1891 when his wife Louisa took over. Louisa ran the distillery, one of the few female distillery heads in this era for nearly 20 more years. Finally, the distillery closed in 1909 when statewide prohibition forced the Nelson’s out of business. Robertson County’s largest distillery was closed and the Nelson name would not adorn another bottle of Whisky for over 100 years.
REKINDLING A FAMILY TRADITION
In 2006, when brother’s Charles and Andy Nelson visited their great-great-great grandfather’s old distillery, now preserved by the Greenbrier Historical Society in the Tennessee town of the same name, they had what might be described as a spiritual awakening. Both brothers are proud southern gentlemen, with a reverence for their family history and that of their home. Their love of Tennessee, whiskey, and history had come together in this special place producing what can only be described as an epiphany. Their path forward seemed clear. They would recreate the special whiskies of their forefathers and renew the Green Brier name which had made the Nelson name synonymous with great whiskey. Indeed, Nelson’s Greenbrier is one of the few craft distillery with an actual family history of distilling and bottling Tennessee Whiskey. Their mission was clear, but not taken lightly and indeed they’ve been very deliberate and thoughtful in achieving that goal. After years of research and planning, the brothers broke ground on a new distillery and began buying whiskey from the excellent MGP, Indiana. Using their grandfather’s old merchant label they re-launched Green Brier’s Belle Meade Bourbon brand and now have some of the oldest stocks of bourbon of any craft distillery around. Smooth Ambler and High West both source their whiskey from this same distillery, but neither of them will sell us 10 Year Old Cask Strength Single Barrel Bourbon any longer.
WHISKEY BORN OF A SIMPLER TIME
The Nelson Brothers are super down to earth, fun loving, and kind. They’re a pleasure to do business with and even more fun to share a few pints and a glass of whiskey with. When Charles came by the store last year, they had just launched one of their wine barrel aged expressions, which has definitely been their focus, and we discussed the possibility for single casks. Indeed, Charles was ready to start bottling some of his choicest barrels for their favorite customers. I was surprised when our samples arrived and were all above 10 years old, priced exactly where their standard 9 year casks strength would be. One of the few casks strength we’re getting from MPG any longer, indeed one of the few true casks strength bourbons in the store at all. We’re lucky to have the Nelson Brothers bottling bourbon like this because all around us, our independent suppliers are getting gobbled up by giant multinational companies. While they’ll remain our close partners, it becomes less and less likely that they’ll see the value in spending extra time and money marketing single casks to retailers when demand for their standard bourbons is so high. While we wait and see how the cookie crumbles, we’ll just sip on these Belle Meades and be reminded of a simpler time – 1885.
Saturday Tastings
Starting Saturday the 11th of March, we will be hosting ‘Introduction to Whisky’ events on Saturday afternoons. Every other Saturday we will be hosting these events in the vault bar downstairs, the perfect event to learn more about whisky and the topics that surround it.
Scotch Malt Whisky Exports break £1bn.
For the first time in history, single malt Scotch whisky topped £1billion worth of international exports. The USA, France and India remaining at the top of the list. Exports account for around 93% of scotch whisky production. It is an exciting time for our humble industry as scotch becomes ever more popular and people are drinking more and more whisky in the UK and around the world. Slainte!
COMING SOON!
Springbank Local Barley will be arriving in store this week, details to follow.
Well, hello everybody! Things have moved on up a little bit since last week. I’m happy to announce that this will now be the new location for the shooting of, Whisky Wednesday!
Big thanks to the awesome guys and girls of, Flagtime Films and The Whiskey Jar, both located in my sunny home city of Manchester. The whisky this week is the, W.L.Weller 12, what could be considered to be a future classic in bourbon. Twelve year in charred American Oak have helped develop this product into something that’s laced with Cocoa and fresh green apple flavours. It’s a simple and honest whisky with a very loyal following. If you can find a bottle of it, buy it before it’s too late. Enjoy the video and i’ll see you all next week!
Wemyss Malts 2017 Single Cask Whisky Release
Independent bottler Wemyss Malts have started 2017 by releasing a selection of new single cask whiskies ranging from 14 to 28 years old. Nosed, tasted and selected by the celebrated whisky writer Charlie Maclean, each bottling has a descriptive name illustrating the whisky’s character and have been bottled non-chill-filtered and in their naturally colour.
The full single cask list of the initial 2017 release comprises:
“The Ship’s Decanter” a (24YO) single cask from Bunnahabhain distillery, bottled cask strength at 45.6%
“Scallop Divers Dram” a (28YO) single cask from Bunnahabhain distillery, bottled at 46%
“Peppered Biltong” a (20YO) single cask from Clynelish distillery, bottled at 46%
“Mango Anise Sorbet” a (21YO) single cask from Braeval distillery, bottled at 46.0%
“Spiced Apple Strudel” a (14YO) single cask from Craigellachie distillery, 70cl bottled at 46.0%
“Apple Syllabub” a (26YO) single cask from Bladnoch distillery, bottled at 46%
“Tiramisu Layers” a (19YO) single cask from Invergordon grain distillery, bottled at 46%
“Hedgerow Berries” a (20YO) single cask from Glenrothes distillery bottles at 46.0%
William Wemyss, Founder and Managing Director at Wemyss Malts, commented: “Following the successes of our multiple single cask releases and the launch of our first Batch Strength blended malts in 2016, Wemyss Malts has entered 2017 in a very strong position which is reflected in our newest release of single cask whisky. Hand-picked from our cask stocks, our first 2017 release reflects the scope and variety of our maturing single cask whisky, from the fruity and oily “Spiced Apple Strudel” to the pair of Bunnahabhain casks “The Ship’s Decanter” and “Scallop Divers Dram” which really demonstrate how diverse single cask whisky can be. ”.
Each cask is limited to only a few hundred bottles with suggested retail prices ranging from £70 to £270. These bottlings will be available in selected retailers in the UK, EU and key Asian markets.
Notes:
It’s finally here…
I am pleased to announce that the Springbank Local Barley 11yo is available NOW!
Springbank Local Barley 11yo (53.1%)
Our 2nd release of the Springbank Local Barley series uses barley from Aros Farm near Machrihanish airport, with the Barley type being the historical Bere Barley and bottled as an 11Y/O at 53.1%.
We used 13 tonnes of Barley across 4 hectares – I will be perfectly honest with you guys, I have no idea how big a hectare is, let alone 4 of them, but it sounds like a lot. So after 11 years in 26 Bourbon casks there are now approximately 9,000 bottles available worldwide.
Tasting notes:
Nose: Freshly baked bread with sweet notes of sun dried bananas to contrast with the salted caramel topping
Taste: The promise given in the nose delivers, a lovely creaminess and sweetness of grapes, custard, honeycomb and marshmallow.
Finish: There’s a nutty quality about this, almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts as wellness an air of indulgence, rich and buttery with an elegant finish that keeps on giving.
A true Campbeltown dram that needs to be opened and enjoyed amongst friends.
Our Springbank 11yo Local Barley Single Malt Scotch Whisky is being released on Monday 20th February 2017 (Today) from our Cadenhead’s Campbeltown Whisky Shop, where the price will be £82.50. It will then be available throughout the UK over the following few days and thereafter in our export markets. There will be approximately 9,000 bottles circulated amongst approximately 40 countries worldwide, with each country’s allocation arriving at various times depending on order dates, shipping times etc. Please contact your local retailers and stockists for more information, details of whom can be found by visiting http://www.springbankwhisky.com/distributors/.
If you would like to buy it directly from us you can contact our Campbeltown Cadenhead shop by calling +44 (0)1586 551710. Shop manager Donald Brown has asked me to let you know what the purchasing process will be. Please read the information below carefully:
As most of you will know, I cannot take orders for this as I will be unaware of the shop’s stock or allocation. Should you attempt to order a bottle through myself, I will either pass your enquiry onto our Campbeltown shop or direct you to your local Springbank retailer of stockist. Also, please be aware that each shop’s stock will be limited and interest could be very high.
We are aware of the likely high demand for this product, driven by what we hope is the quality and desirability of the whisky itself. However, we are aware of the secondary demand for these bottles amongst whisky collectors and the manner in which that can drive prices up very quickly. With that in mind, we would like to make the following points:
1 The prices we have set should allow most bottles to be sold at price between £82.50 and £90.00 with the United Kingdom, or an approximate equivalent of that in export markets. We do not set Recommended Retail Prices (RRPs) and leave it up to each retailer to set their own prices as they see fit.
2 We acknowledge that pricing upwards of £80 may be seen as expensive for an 11yo whisky.
3 Due to the success and popularity of the previous Local Barley, we feel we could have set our pricing much higher for this release if we were purely concerned about maximising profit. However, we decided to sell the whisky at a price which will allow Springbank drinkers around the world to purchase a bottle, open it and enjoy the contents while at the same time making sure we as a company make a reasonable amount of money from our product.
4 There is a dramatically increased cost in producing whisky from barley grown in Kintyre compared to other parts of Scotland. This is mostly due to three factors: the cost of sourcing the barley itself is usually higher; we have to “work harder” with the barley during the malting process in order to be able to turn it into whisky; we get a lower yield from the local barley (approximately 10% fewer litres of alcohol from each tonne of barley).
5 There can be price variations from country to country due to alcohol duties, sales taxes, shipping costs and currency fluctuations, so the price band mentioned earlier could change slightly. However, with certain exceptions, these variations should not manifest themselves in retail prices massively above those stated above. If you are in one of those countries where the system for distributing and selling alcohol leads to higher prices, then if you want to take on your provincial, state or national government then we’ll be on your side.
6 We have no control over other companies’ profit margins and make no attempt to dictate how others should run their businesses but we do wish to emphasise that the whisky will be available around the world at reasonable prices in due course, even if not immediately due to the aforementioned shipping times.
7 We express no judgement on the practice of “flipping” (buying bottles and immediately making them available on the secondary market) other than to re-iterate that this whisky will be distributed around the world over the coming weeks, albeit in relatively low numbers in comparison to the expected demand, and at prices much closer to what we would consider reasonable than those we have already seen on some websites.
I hope you are all able to get yourself a bottle and you enjoy it as much as we do. I’ll speak to you again soon.
(According to Google, a hectare is about the same size as an international standard rugby pitch)
Slainte,
Nathan
Springbank Society society@springbank.scot
For the Springbank Society Contact Nathan directly if you would like to join the Society).
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/officialspringbankwhisky/
Twitter – https://twitter.com/Springbank1828
Instagram – Search Springbank Whisky (@springbankwhisky1828)
MICHTERS, 2016 CELEBRATION OF THE CASK
ONLY 4 ALLOCATED FOR THE UK, MILROYS HAVE 1 BOTTLE
£4,695.00
In December 2016, Michter’s will be releasing its Celebration Sour Mash Whiskey for the first time since 2013. To make this special whiskey, Master Distiller Willie Pratt selected Sour Mash Whiskeys, some of them Kentucky Straight Bourbon and some of them Kentucky Straight Rye, from his very favorite barrels in Michter’s stocks, and he blended them into this extraordinary 116.8 proof offering. The whiskeys chosen for this 2016 release are anywhere up to over three decades old with the youngest being over a decade old. With 18 karat gold labeling screened onto the bottle, Michter’s Celebration Sour Mash comes packaged in an elegant gift box. 256 bottles will comprise the entire 2016 world-wide release of this whiskey. Only 4 bottles have been allocated to the UK, Milroy’s of Soho have 1. This 2016 Celebration release is the final one blended by Willie Pratt in his capacity as Michter’s Master Distiller before he assumed his new position of Michter’s Master Distiller Emeritus.
ALSO, A TASTING IN HOLLYWOOD FEATURING BRUICHLADDICH
Join us and National Brand Ambassador Michelle Fedor for an intimate evening of exceptional food and smokey whisky at one of Hollywood’s swankiest cocktail destinations. We’ll enjoy a bevy of small bites including Braised Beef Crostini, Ahi Tartar Wonton, Portabello Risotto Cakes, and Moroccan chicken cups paired with a line up of Bruichladdich’s smokiest whiskies. We’ll be enjoying a Botanist Gin welcome cocktail before moving through 6 very special smoky offerings from this unique distillery. Expect to see the standard offer Port Charlotte Scottish Barley, followed by the Port Charlotte Islay Barley. Then we’ll experience the magic that is the new release of Port Charlotte 10 Year Old “Second Edition” before turning up the peat to eleven with a flight of Octomores. You’ll get to enjoy the 7.1, 7.3, and very special Octomore 10 year old “Second Edition”. All this for an incredible $10! Seating is extremely limited, so don’t hesitate to secure your seat today.
In stock from Bruichladdich:
| Item Name | Retail | Link |
| Bruichladdich “Classic Laddie” Scottish Barley Islay Single Malt Whisky (750ml) | $49.99 | View |
| Port Charlotte Scottish Barley Heavily Peated Single Malt Whisky (750ml) | $55.99 | View |
| Bruichladdich “Rockside Farms” Islay Barley Single Malt Whisky (yellow tin) (750ml) | $59.99 | View |
| Port Charlotte “Islay Barley” Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (white tin) (750ml) | $59.99 | View |
| Port Charlotte 10 Year Old “Second Limited Edition” Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) | $64.99 | View |
| Octomore 10 Year Old “Second Limited Edition” Heavily Peated Islay Single Malt Whisky (750ml) | $229.99 | View |
Single Malt Scotch Tasting Thursday, February 23rd. Gordon & MacPhail
with Richard Urquhart and Joe Swanson 4:30 P.M. or 6:00 P.M.
Join us Thursday as we raise a glass with our local ambassador of Gordon and MacPhail, independent bottlers of Scotch whiskies, along with a member of the Urquhart family, who have been involved with the company since the year of its founding in 1895. Richard Urquhart is presently the export director for the U.S. and Asia and Joe Swanson is the Northeast Regional sales manager. This will be a very nice tasting and we will show some very nice single malts at reasonable prices. Benromach 10 Y.O. is always a wonderful old school style of single malt that has an elegance like no other; all of the malts coming from this distillery are very special. A long-time favorite, both of myself and so many others is their Mortlach 15 year. Just a great dram that we’re excited to be tasting again. There will be a Clynelish 11 Y.O. that is just about sold out from the distributor, so we took the last of it because it is a cracker — simply special. We will taste the Glenburgie 21 Y.O. which we’re excited to offer for an enticing price given its respectable age. Glenturret, a distillery we don’t see enough of, will be represented here with an 11 Y. O. — this one will have a sherry cask influence and I am excited to try it. We will finish off on Islay with a 12 Y.O. from Caol Ila from G&M’s Private Collection which is made up of single malts selected by The Urquhart Family, that has been finished in a Sassacaia wine cask.
Regular Price Sale Price Benromach 10 Y.O. $58.99 – $53.99 Glenturret 11 Y.O. $79.99 – $72.99 Clynelish 11 Y.O. $79.99 – $72.99 Mortlach 15 Y.O. $89.99 – $81.99 Glenburgie 21 Y.O. $169.99 – $154.99 Caol Ila 12 Y.O. $104.99 – $94.99
Joe Howell
Federal Wine & Spirits
Email: info@federalwine.com
Phone: (617) 367-8605
Web: www.federalwine.com/
JAMESON LAUNCHES SIXTH CONSECUTIVE ST. PATRICK’S DAY LIMITED EDITION BOTTLE
Jameson, the world’s favourite Irish whiskey, has unveiled its sixth limited edition bottle ahead of its annual St. Patrick’s Day festivities. The most recent in a series of collaborations with Irish artists, this year’s bottle has been designed by Dublin-based designer and illustrator, Steve McCarthy.
McCarthy’s creative starting point came from the Jameson family motto Sine Metu – or without fear – which has been at the heart of the company since it was founded in 1780 and lives on today. He also took inspiration from a commonly used Irish saying that goes hand in hand with Sine Metu, ‘to chance your arm’.
Legend has it that in 1492, ‘Black James’ Butler and his men found themselves barricaded behind the door to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Dublin. On the other side was Gearóid Fitzgerald who, tired of the constant fighting between the clans, decided it was time to make peace. Fitzgerald ordered his men to cut a hole in the door before extending his hand through the gap as a token of friendship. Rather than cut his arm off with a sword, Butler shook it and the long standing feud came to an end, giving Dublin one of its most famous sayings: to chance your arm.
Over 500 years later, Dublin is still a place where social barriers break easily and friendships come about in the most unexpected of ways and this has been brought to life on the label through two outstretched hands exchanging a handshake, framed by the St. Patrick’s Cathedral door of Reconciliation. The Sine Metu motto has been tattooed on to the knuckles of each hand as a reminder that when we fear a bit less, we live a bit more.
McCarthy has included some of the Irish capital’s most recognisable monuments in his bold and colourful design, such as the Ha’penny Bridge and Smithfield tower, and has also peppered the label with additional details that are reflective of his own knowledge of the city and sense of humour.
He comments: “I wanted it to feel like there was a deeper meaning to what you see. For me, the Jameson motto is very emotive and I hope that with my design I am able to speak to others around the world who have also been inspired by Sine Metu, or those who might still with this release, to fear a bit less to live a bit more.”
The release of the sixth limited edition bottle kicks off Jameson’s global St. Patrick’s Day celebrations for 2017 and will be available in markets including the USA, Ireland and Russia from February 2017, with a recommended retail price of €30 (or local equivalent).
Daniel Lundberg, Jameson Global Brand Director adds: “Our limited edition Jameson bottle for 2017 keeps the spirit of John Jameson alive and celebrates a very Irish saying that dates back to the 15th century but is as relevant as ever today. As Jameson found when he established the Bow Street distillery in 1780, fearing less can help you reap rewards you never thought possible and we still proudly live by this ethos.
“Steve’s design perfectly balances the rich heritage of Dublin with the modern design and Irish wit of Jameson, and we hope that Irish whiskey fans will be inspired by the bottle in their own St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.”
Notes
About Irish Distillers
Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard is Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines and producer of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys. Led by Jameson, our brands are driving the global renaissance of Irish whiskey. Jameson is the world’s fastest-growing Irish whiskey, experiencing 26 years of consecutive growth and hitting sales of 5m cases in 2015. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets, with over 50 of those experiencing double- or triple-digit growth.
Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between John Powers & Son, John Jameson & Son and Cork Distilleries Company. In 1988 Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard, gaining access to unprecedented levels of investment and an extensive global distribution network. In 2015, we completed a €220m investment which doubled our production and bottling capacity to meet global demand for our products.
We employ over 600 people across our operations in Cork and Dublin.
More information at www.irishdistillers.ie/.
About Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard is the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of € 8,682 million in FY16. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Kahlúa and Malibu liqueurs, Mumm and Perrier‐ Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, Graffigna and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of approximately 18,000 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 “Brand Companies” and 85 “Market Companies” established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible consumption. Pernod Ricard’s strategy and ambition are based on 3 key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics. Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.
