Jura Tastival celebrates flavour with inspiring new ways to enjoy single malt whisky. Each year, we invite whisky fans from across the world to join us for a full schedule of exciting events.

Kicking off on Thursday 1st June on the Isle of Jura, we will also be bringing Tastival to cities across Europe – keep an eye on our social channels for updates.

Nestled just off the west coast of Scotland, accommodation fills up fast on the Isle of Jura during the celebrations. However, neighbouring Islay offers a range of alternatives, with our complimentary ferry and shuttle bus service from Port Askaig making it easy to combine a trip to Tastival with a visit to Feis Ile. See here for more information to help start planning your journey now.

We look forward to raising a dram with you soon.

The Team at the Jura Distillery

Ralfy has a complex relationship with Whisky Review 632 – Macallan 12yo Sherry @ 40%vol

An award winning dram from Benromach, created from 80% bourbon barrels, 20% sherry hogsheads with the final year spent in first fill Oloroso casks. Superb value for money, so complex & developed for an entry level dram. If you’ve not tried Benromach 10 year old, you really should, it’s stunning! Free Benromach branded tasting glass with each bottle purchased.

RRP £34.49

Abbey Whisky – £29.94!

IRISH SINGLE MALT WHISKEY CROSSES ANOTHER FINISH LINE WITH THE RELEASE OF THE TYRCONNELL® 16 YEAR OLD LIMITED EDITION 

Named in honor of an Irish racehorse victorious against all odds, The Tyrconnell® whiskey places a bet on its newest offering 

Chicago, IL (March 7, 2017) – In 1876, people gathered at The Curragh, considered Ireland’s most important thoroughbred racecourse, to watch the 10^th running of the National Produce Stakes Horse Race. A beautiful, chestnut brown two year old colt took his place at the starting gate. Nose flaring, jockey set to go, the colt was ready to run.

The name of this chestnut colt was Tyrconnell and, as he ran down the home stretch to incredulous cheering, history was made. Tyrconnell crossed the finish line in first place, victorious against all odds. The surprise win captured the imagination of the assembled crowd, which included the Watts, a local family who had built a thriving whiskey distillery. They choose to commemorate the occasion by creating a limited edition, small batch whiskey that bore the name of the champion. Now, more than 140 years later, The Tyrconnell brand continues to push the boundaries with the special release of The Tyrconnell® 16 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey.

The Watts intended to make The Tyrconnell just once, but it ended up becoming their most popular whiskey, even claimed to have been the best-selling Irish whiskey in America before Prohibition. Today, The Tyrconnell is still running strong and this release marks a new chapter of innovation and imagination for the brand. Due to its age and rarity, only a limited quantity has been produced.

“Just as Tyrconnell, the racehorse, galloped to victory with unwavering concentration, the same focus and attention is given to creating every bottle of this unique Irish single malt whiskey,” says John Cashman, Global Brand Ambassador. “When looking for a new single malt expression to raise the bar for Irish whiskey, we knew right away that The Tyrconnell 16 Year Old would showcase the magic of the brand’s signature double distillation and expertise in aging, providing fans with a rich, complex spirit.”

The Tyrconnell is made of just two ingredients – the finest Irish barley and pure Irish spring water. These two simple materials are transformed by experienced hands into an Irish whiskey like no other. Produced in traditional pot stills, The Tyrconnell is one of a rare few Irish whiskeys that utilizes double distillation, allowing more of the rich and natural flavors of The Tyrconnell to remain. This creates a whiskey that carries a delicate flavor atop a creamier, more viscous presence.

The Tyrconnell matures in American Oak ex-bourbon barrels in the mild Irish climate. The agreeable environment allows for a consistent maturation which results in an approachable rich, malty whiskey with a round and lingering finish. The Tyrconnell 16 Year Old showcases the benefit of extra aging which exaggerates its trademark notes of green fruit and pear and emphasizes the aroma of stewed pear, coupled with light citrus and green apple skin. The best way to enjoy this sipping whiskey is on the rocks or neat to showcase the fruit on the nose, its rich flavor and spicy finish.

THE TYRCONNELL 16 YEAR OLD TASTING NOTES | 46% ABV

NOSE | Plenty of fruit, melon, green fruit, candied pear, vanilla custard and coconut

TASTE | Initially oily and viscous followed by the inevitable fruit explosion, finishing with a dry almond coating

FINISH | A very long, herbal spice-rich finish

The Tyrconnell 16 Year Old joins The Tyrconnell family which also includes award winning expressions created to elevate the Irish whiskey sipping experience. The portfolio includes The Tyrconnell and a collection of three 10 Year Old Cask Finishes (Madeira, Port and Sherry). This limited release expression is now available in select U.S. markets with a suggested retail price of $100.00 (750ml).

About The Tyrconnell® Single Malt Irish Whiskey

The Tyrconnell is produced at the Cooley Distillery, nestled in the foothills of the Cooley Mountains in County Louth. The Cooley Distillery, part of the Kilbeggan Distilling Company, has been the driving force behind the Irish Single Malt evolution. Most Irish malt whiskey has traditionally found its way into blended whiskeys, thus it is rare to find Irish malt whiskey bottled in its single malt form. The award-winning Tyrconnell portfolio includes The Tyrconnell, The Tyrconnell 16 Year Old Limited Edition and a trio of 10 Year Old cask finished expressions: Madeira Cask, Sherry Cask and Port Cask. The Cooley Distillery also produces the award-winning Kilbeggan Blended Irish whiskey and Connemara Peated Single Malt Irish whiskey.

About Beam Suntory Inc.

As the world’s third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits Brands that Stir the World.  Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon brands and Suntory whisky Kakubin, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek bourbon, Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher’s, Laphroaig and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Hornitos and Sauza tequila, EFFEN and Pinnacle vodka, Sipsmith gin and Midori liqueur.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and commitment to Growing for Good.  Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan.  For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com/ and www.drinksmart.com.

AMBER GLEN STRIKES SPANISH GOLD

The board and management of Amber Glen Scotch Whisky are delighted to announce that Amber Glen 3 y.o Blended Scotch Whisky was awarded a Gold Medal at the “Catavinum World Wine & Spirits Competition 2017” held in Spain on the 28th of February.

Commenting on the award, CEO Sam Minionis said: “This accolade is a testament to the smooth, mellow and rounded flavour of our provenance Blended Scotch whisky and compliments our Gold Medals for Best Value Scotch Whisky awarded at the China Wine and Spirits Awards in 2016 & 2017.

This is a great boost to Amber Glen’s momentum as we prepare to enter the all-important export markets, where our provenance is synonymous with our superb quality blended Scotch and best value will stand us in good stead amongst our worldly peers.”

Members-Only Auctions

As if there wasn’t enough excitement with free tastings and Whisky Wednesday deals, we’re now giving W Club members access to exclusive members-only auctions!

Our inaugural auction will begin on Monday 27th March and will run for 7 days, ending on Monday 3rd April. We’ll have a small selection of exciting lots on offer including Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 edition, which was limited to just 5,000 bottles worldwide with a UK allocation of only 198 bottles.

This fantastic Japanese whisky will be on offer with no reserve. In addition, to celebrate the launch of W Club auctions, there will be no buyer or seller fees for this first auction!

All you have to do to take part is join The W Club!

Membership costs just £20/year and includes 10% off selected items at The Whisky Shop, massive discounts in our Whisky Wednesday deals, free tasting events, a copy of Whiskeria delivered quarterly and much more!

JOIN NOW

Catawiki to organise Commemorative Samaroli whisky auction

Praised by worldwide whisky enthusiasts and collectors, Silvano Samaroli, famous italian independent bottler, sadly passed away a few weeks ago, at the age of 77. Created in 1968, Samaroli Srl Wine and Spirits Merchants happened to be the first non-British Independent Scotch whisky bottler.

While only importing whisky at first, Samaroli is also known as one of the pioneers of cask strength bottlings (1980s) and has now left behind some incredible, collectible and sought-after bottlings.

To honour his memory, online auction house Catawiki has decided to organise the first-ever tribute Samaroli auction with a unique sale going live on the 24th of March at noon and closing on the 30th of March from 8pm CET.

Anne-Sophie Bigot, whisky auctioneer at Catawiki, said « Silvano Samaroli was and remains a truly inspiring whisky figure. I’m sure many of us whisky lovers have a personal love story with one of its whiskies. I can for instance remember having a beautiful 1973 Cask Strength Longrow from Samaroli recently, and it simply blew my mind ! Samaroli really was at the forefront of many trends, if you think about NAS whiskies for example, Samaroli created its « No Age » series back in 1992… »

« We thought about many ways to honour Samaroli’s career & heritage and organising a specific themed auction only dedicated to his work naturally came to mind. Those amazing expressions really deserve an auction of their own and we’re more than proud to make this happen and offer whisky collectors a rare opportunity to buy (or sell) hard-to-find Samaroli expressions! »

Lots for the Samaroli auction can be submitted until Wednesday 22/03/2017 at 23.59 CET

Auction will go live on Friday 24/03/2017 at 12.00 CET

Douglas Laing Single Cask, Cask Strength, Single Malt Whisky

New to store ~

Bowmore 20 Year Old, 51.5%

£114.95

 Caol Ila 20 Year Old, 51.5%

£104.95

 Auchentoshan 18 Year Old, 48.4%

£79.95

Established in 1948, Douglas Laing is a leading creator and purveyor of the finest Scotch Whisky with particular focus on artisan, Small Batch and Single Cask bottlings. A proud family business in its third generation, our goal is to continually exceed the expectations of our customers and consumers around the world by offering the most special, quality-driven and unique Scotch Whisky experience

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Whisky Awards goes global with judging sessions in five international destinations

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is preparing to go global in a bid to whet the appetite of international whisky enthusiasts for this year’s record breaking event. Organisers plan to tickle the taste buds of whisky drinkers in three major cities by giving them the opportunity to play a crucial role in judging its hotly-contested whisky awards.

Roving judging sessions for the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Whisky Awards – voted for entirely by the public – are being held over the coming weeks in Amsterdam, Cologne and New Brunswick in Canada. It is hoped that judging sessions will also be staged in venues in New York and Stockholm.

It is hoped that the new initiative will help to introduce even more international visitors to the five-day annual Festival – which comprises almost 500 different events from distillery tours to tastings – and encourage them to plan a visit in future years.

Overseas markets are a key area of growth for the Festival, which takes place this year from April 27 until May 1. The USA, Germany and Scandinavia have traditionally been very strong for visitor numbers, and organisers are keen to expand knowledge of the event in these regions.

The event set new records in the first 24 hours of the box office opening last month: tickets were bought from a total of 24 different countries on the first day, and more event tickets than ever before were sold.

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival chairman James Campbell says the international arm of the whisky awards has the potential to grow to even more destinations in future.

He says, “We trialled this on a very small scale last year when we held a tasting and judging event at Scotia Spirit in Cologne – a Scottish speciality shop run by long-standing friend of the Festival, Peter Klas.

“It was very warmly received and it made us realise there was potential to take the awards judging to even more international destinations. It provides us with an excellent platform to promote the Festival to the whisky enthusiasts who are most likely to want to travel significant distances to be a part of it.

“It may be too late for them to make travel plans for this year’s event, but we hope that it will encourage them to put a visit to the Festival on their holiday plans in future years. The popularity of Scotch whisky is growing globally, and so too is the reputation of the Speyside area which is home to more than half of all Scotland’s distilleries.

“What we are finding is that people outwith Scotland are very passionate about whisky and they want to increase their knowledge about Scotch. To the real aficionados, making a visit to Speyside is making a pilgrimage and they feel there is no better time to do this than during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.”

During the overseas judging sessions, whisky fans will be invited to take part in a blind taste test of eight different malts in four different age categories. The finalists – drawn from across the Speyside region – were selected by a panel of industry experts following a blind taste test earlier this year.

In the non-age statement category Aberlour a’bunadh is up against Tamdhu Batch Strength 002; while in the category for malt 12-year-old and under, the Aberlour 12-year-old will battle it out with Cragganmore 2004 Distiller’s Edition.

In the 13-20-year-old section it is a head to head between The Glenlivet 18-year-old and Glenfiddich 15-year-old. The two shortlisted whiskies in the 20 years and over category are Mannochmore 25-year-old Special Release and The Macallan 30-year-old Sherry Cask.

Each of the international venues will be tasked with organising the event and encouraging people to attend, and a representative from the Festival will be on hand to oversee the voting process. They will also be able to talk to those in attendance about the event and what there is to see and do over the five days.

The event in New Brunswick takes place at the end of March and will be hosted by Frank and Jackie Scott – previous winners of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival International Ambassador Award. The whisky enthusiasts are long-time attendees of the event and make the journey to Scotland every year to take part.

Frank says, “Jackie and I are delighted, excited and truly humbled to be asked to host an awards judging session. To be given the opportunity to represent Canada for the first time is a great honour, and we look forward to working together to make the event a great success.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase the best whisky festival in the world, and we hope that by experiencing the warmth and hospitality of the Festival on their own doorstep, many more Canadians will consider visiting and seeing for themselves just what it is that makes the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival so special.”

The international awards sessions have been supported by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.

Stuart Turner, head of EventScotland, says, “The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is a fantastic event and we are delighted to be supporting to take the Festival to the world. It is constantly finding innovative ways to engage with whisky enthusiasts. The global judging sessions are a great addition to the Festival and are the perfect stage for people to connect with this unique event while enjoying a wee dram of Scotland’s national drink.”

Based in the heart of Scotland’s malt whisky country, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival takes place over five fun-filled days from April 27 to May 1, 2017. It comprises almost 500 events, taking place from Kingussie in the south to Forres in the west and Buckie in the east.

More information about the event is available at www.spiritofspeyside.com and tickets are also available to buy on the website. The Festival is active on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #dram17

New Distilleries and Increasing Capacity a Sign of Optimism in the Scotch Whisky Industry

Key findings from the recently published annual Scotch Whisky Industry Review (now in its 39th edition), written by industry analyst Alan S Gray are:-

Sales volumes estimated to grow at 2.3% over the five years 2015 to 2020 which compares with long-term growth of some 1.5% but only marginal growth of 0.3% between 2007 and 2015, due to a variety of factors which we refer to below:-

• A chief problem was the financial crisis which commenced in 2008 and resulted in world consumption only increasing from 347.03m litres of alcohol in 2007 (the year preceding the financial turmoil) to 348.13m LPA in 2015

• During this period the Eurozone was particularly weak, with shipments to the EU falling from 131.5m LPA in 2007 to a low of 114.7m in 2010 and still only 121.8m LPA in 2015.

• Particularly weak EU markets were Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain:-

• Other contributory factors making for difficult trading conditions over the period were:-
  • A slowing Chinese economy combined with anti-extravagance measures by the Chinese Government
  • An EU trade embargo applied to Russia which has decimated Scotch shipments to that market

   

• Currency devaluation and a depressed economy which has seen shipments to Venezuela fall from 11.6m LPA in 2007 to only 0.8m LPA in 2015.Another factor supporting confidence in Scotch’s prospects has been the opening of over a dozen new distilleries since 2013 and plans for a further 35 or so over the next few years. Most of these are being built by new entrants to the industry, although there is also expansion of capacity by the established industry, with, for example, Edrington building a new 15m LPA Macallan Distillery due to open in 2018.The annual Scotch Whisky Industry Review also discusses Minimum Unit Pricing and the implications of Brexit. Alan Gray is a Master of the Quaich and has covered the Scotch Whisky industry for over 40 years.

• Other major areas covered by the Review include: Selling Prices, Major Markets, Production Costs, Production Figures, Issues & Problems affecting the industry, Names & Addresses of companies, List of Distilleries, Distillery Visitor Numbers, List of Brands and detailed Case Sales for Blend and Single Malt brands.
• The Scotch Whisky Industry Review 2016, published by Pagoda Scotland Ltd, is priced at £450 in the UK and £475 overseas and is available to purchase online at: www.scotchwhiskyindustryreview.com
• At the end of 2016 there were 111 malt distilleries in operation and with around 12 expected to start up in 2017 alone this would raise the total to 123 compared to 114 in 1980 and only 84 in 1986 which followed a major period of retrenchment.
• Looking ahead, however, the economic and financial clouds are lifting and trading improved substantially in 2016, with export volumes (and exports account for over 93% of Scotch Whisky sales) rising by 4.8% from 324.4m LPA to 339.9m whilst values rose by 4% from £3,855.5m to £4,008.9m, helped by sterling’s weakness against the US dollar and the Euro. 

Notes

The 2016 edition of “The Scotch Whisky Industry Review” has now been released. The Review is published annually and, having started life in 1977, is now in its 39th edition. Every edition of the Review has been compiled by the recognised leading independent industry analyst Alan Gray.

It is the single most authoritative source of business information on the Whisky industry – incredibly comprehensive in its coverage and painstaking in the accuracy of its research. The Review contains 280 pages packed with fascinating and useful information and is used as a reference by all the leading players in the Scotch Whisky industry.

In summary, the “Review” includes detailed information covering the following main areas;

• An overview of the industry and estimated consumption growth rates till 2020
• Industry Section
  • Consumption by market, production, stocks, production costs and profit margins
• Company Section
  • Names and addresses, list of distilleries (including details of around 40 new and projected distilleries), distillery capacity utilisation, and visitor numbers
• Case Sales
  • The most comprehensive Annual Case Sale figures available anywhere by Scotch Whisky type (Blend & Malt). Also 10 year record for all the major brands
• List of Bottled brands
  • List of bottled brands sold in the UK and overseas by company and category – an unrivalled list categorised by standard & deluxe blends and malts. See the brands owned by the different companies at a glance!
• Issues and challenges facing the industry
• Sponsorships
  • Information on current sponsorship deals by Scotch Whisky companies
• Appendices
  • Includes detailed figures on Scotch Whisky Broking Prices and Retail prices of Leading Brands and record of excise duty changes from 1885 onwards.

As Alan states “No Scotch Whisky industry professional, consultant, supplier, specialist retailer, importer, distributor or Scotch Whisky connoisseur should be without a copy.