Ralfy finds a fresh young malt to be rather good with Ralfy Review 664 – Benriach 10yo @ 43%vol

CLYDEBANK ACTING STUDENT ON TAKING CENTRE STAGE WITH SUPPORT FROM CHIVAS BROTHERS’ BURSARY

I feel so lucky to have received one of the first grants available as part of Chivas Brothers’ bursary programme – it couldn’t have come at a better time. I had just scooped a place on the BA Acting for Stage and Screen Course, delivered by Edinburgh Napier and Queen Margaret universities, and I was really looking forward to starting the next chapter of my career.

However, being a drama student, I knew that there would be extra costs involved especially for big showcases and assessments where you need to buy costumes, travel to different venues and book rehearsal space. That’s when my grandad, Martin, suggested I apply for Chivas Brothers’ bursary scheme. He works in engineering at Chivas Brothers’ Strathclyde Distillery and had seen a poster about the bursary scheme at work.

The bursary is delivered in partnership with the Scottish International Education Trust (SIET) and gives employees and their families the opportunity to receive financial support for further education or training. I couldn’t believe it when I was awarded the maximum individual grant of £2,000. It’s enabled me to achieve so much more this year, from purchasing booklists for assessments, to covering the cost of additional classes.

I’ve also been able to establish a new theatre production company called Amplify with some of the other students on my course. We put on an amazing production of Dr Faustus in March and the extra financial support helped to buy books and attend talks on the supernatural so I could really bring the part to life. We’re also hoping to put on another show at the Fringe Festival next year so some of the bursary will help to fund rehearsals and travel.

Now I’m about to head into my final year which is when all of our major productions will take place. I know it’s going to be a really busy time for me and that there will be lots more work to do, so I’ve saved half of the grant to help me achieve my goals.

I’m really looking forward to the future and I’m really grateful to Chivas Brothers for helping me to begin my acting career. The bursary has provided invaluable support and I urge anyone else who needs help funding further education or training to apply.

SURREY STUDENT STEPS BACK IN TIME WITH CHIVAS BROTHERS’ BURSARY FUNDING

I’ve been fascinated by the literature of ancient Greece and Rome from a young age and was eager to pursue this further when accepted to study Classics at Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge. Despite being incredibly taxing, the course has enabled me to explore a huge range of texts in the original Latin and Greek, improving my language skills and expanding my interests. The philosophy and history of the Classical era also provide insight into the modern world and demonstrate the continued relevance of the subject that I study with so much passion.

However, when the time came to fill out the financial forms before the start of term I naturally felt somewhat apprehensive. The university estimates that the maintenance costs for a year of study are around £8,500, so I had to find a way to cover the shortfall between that and my student loan. The Chivas Brothers’ bursary scheme was suggested as a solution by my father, David.

The bursary is delivered in partnership with the Scottish International Education Trust (SIET) and gives employees of Chivas Brothers and their families the opportunity to receive financial support for further education or training. I couldn’t believe it when I was awarded the maximum individual grant of £2,000. It has been fantastic at facilitating my first year at Cambridge, enabling me to purchase all the necessary books and resources, as well as relieving some of the inevitable pressure that comes when first moving away from home.

On top of helping to fund my studies, the grant has enabled me to take part in extra-curricular activities too. They are such a big part of student life at Cambridge and having that extra financial support meant I was able to attend the women’s rugby tour in Paris earlier this year. It was such an amazing experience that wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Chivas Brothers. I’d definitely recommend the bursary scheme to others who are worried about funding further education or training.

LINWOOD AERONAUTICAL STUDENT ON LAUNCHING A CAREER WITH SUPPORT FROM CHIVAS BROTHERS’ BURSARY SCHEME

It was a real milestone to secure a place on the Aircraft Engineering HNC (Higher National Certificate) course at Ayrshire College. It’s such a good course and gives you a really strong understanding of the aerospace industry.

My only worry was about the costs of travel for the one-hour commute from my home in Linwood to the college in Ayr. That’s when my mum, Jacqueline, who works as a payroll analyst at Chivas Brothers’ Paisley site, encouraged me to apply for Chivas Brothers’ bursary programme.

It’s delivered in partnership with the Scottish International Education Trust (SIET) and gives employees and their families the opportunity to receive financial support for further education or training. I couldn’t believe it when I was awarded a £1,000 grant. The bursary has been a real lifeline this year as it has allowed me to focus on my studies.

I’ve particularly enjoyed the practical element of the course as you’re able to get real life experience on how aircraft systems work. For example, as part of our aerodynamics class we were able work on a piece of wing from an aircraft to make it more efficient. We also have a wind tunnel on site where we can test technologies.

Now, I’m really looking forward to progressing onto the Aircraft Engineering HND (Higher National Diploma) course, where I’ll be able to specialise even further. This will take me one step closer to securing a place at university, and ultimately a job as an aeronautical engineer. I feel really lucky to have been one of the first to receive the grant and cannot urge people enough to apply, it’s an amazing opportunity which helps you to further your education and learning

CHIVAS REGAL RAISES A TOAST TO ATSUSHI SUZUKI 

CHINA BARTENDER CROWNED 2017 CHIVAS MASTERS GLOBAL CHAMPION IN TOKYO WITH MEXICO AND HONG KONG COMPLETING THE WINNING COLLECTIVE TEAM 

Chivas Regal, the world’s first luxury whisky, has crowned Atsushi Suzuki from the Sober Company in Shanghai, China, the 2017 Chivas Masters Global Champion. Over a challenging five-day finale in Tokyo, Japan, Atsushi overcame strong competition from 14 of the world’s most skilled bartenders and led the winning Chivas Masters Collective team to victory, before being declared the overall champion.

The fourth Chivas Masters Global Final required the 15 national winners to showcase the Chivas Regal values of brotherhood, collaboration and generosity. Atsushi impressed the expert panel of judges by expressing these core principles as he proved the outstanding contestant in what was a highly captivating and memorable final, culminating in the awards ceremony at the MIXX Bar & Lounge at the ANA InterContinental Tokyo.

A Japanese native himself, Atsushi fully embraced the traditions of Japanese bartending culture throughout a week of individual and team challenges, which included four individual drinks-making rounds. Atsushi’s winning team drinks ritual was The Double Talk, which was made using Chivas Regal 12, and presented with a focus on Japanese craftsmanship, kind service and attention to detail. Inspired by the way in which great drinks can bring people together and cross language barriers, he collaborated with his Mexican and Hong Kong team-mates, and was mentored by hospitality industry pioneer and team sensei Iain Griffiths, to devise a ritual which ensured the drink was designed to be shared, and allowed the drink to be adapted and personalised for different countries around the world.

As the newly crowned 2017 Chivas Masters Global Champion, Atsushi has won an all-access, all-expenses-paid trip to Tales of The Cocktail 2017 in New Orleans. The winning Chivas Masters Collective team led by Atsushi – comprising Mexico’s Haydée Barron Flores and Ryan Nightingale from Hong Kong – walked away with the pinnacle of the range, Chivas Regal The Icon, presented in a bespoke decanter with customised Japanese glassware.

Upon being crowned champion, Atsushi commented: “Wow. It is such an honour to receive this – and in my home town too. I feel like it’s a win for Japan as well as for China. And of course it’s not just for me, but for my awesome team of Haydée and Ryan, and my sensei, Iain. I’ve found friends for the rest of my life through the Chivas Masters – and I’ve learnt how to be a better bartender too.”

Max Warner, Global Brand Ambassador for Chivas Regal, commented from Tokyo: “The Chivas Masters Global Final has again shown the world the wonderful values and principles that great bartending can harness. Atsushi fully took the Chivas Regal spirit of generosity and collaboration with him into the final, which was the eventual point of difference in a very tough field – alongside, of course, some spectacular bartending skills.

“Beyond the serve itself, teamwork and collaboration are just as crucial to the craft of drinks-making, and we have witnessed that here today, and throughout the entire contest. That is why we are also delighted to honour the entire winning Chivas Masters Collective, who helped lead our champion to victory and demonstrated that success really does taste better shared.”

The 2017 Chivas Masters Global Final was host to a distinguished panel of internationally acclaimed judges: Iain Griffiths, hospitality industry pioneer and co-founder of Mr Lyan Ltd; Micah Melton, beverage director at the Alinea Group and renowned ‘ice chef’; Chris Lowder, ‘New York’s Rising Star Bartender’ in 2015; Dré Masso, ex-director of bars for the Potato Head Group in Bali, Jakarta, Singapore and Hong Kong; and Rogerio Igarashi Vaz, owner of Tokyo’s Tram & Trench. Each not only scored the finalists, but also shared their insights and expertise through a series of inspirational masterclasses over the course of the week.

The evening also saw the first ever Chivas Masters Global Champion, Masa Urushido, honoured as a Grand Master, in his native Japan.

Atsushi Suzuki’s winning drinks ritual:

THE DOUBLE TALK

40ml Chivas Regal 12

20ml Campari

20ml Bianco Vermouth

Garnished with Matcha Tea Salt – or customised to your country

Stirred and served over block ice in a rocks glass, with a side serve for sharing

The Chivas Masters Collective teams:

Team leader: Atsushi Suzuki, China

Team member: Haydée Barron Flores, Mexico

Team member: Ryan Nightingale, Hong Kong

Team leader: Hyacinthe Lescoët, France

Team member: Daniel Huggins, Germany

Team member: Patryk Biadacz, Poland

Team leader: Masato Sakurai, Japan

Team member: Sandra Šalatová, Czech Republic

Team member: Aloisek Rodríguez Martínez, Cuba

Team leader: Roger Grüter, Switzerland

Team member: Abner Barrientos, Puerto Rico

Team member: Wouter Bosch, The Netherlands

Team leader: Adam Schmidt, USA

Team member: Benjamin Boyce, United Arab Emirates

Team member: Rhys Wilson, United Kingdom

KARUIZAWA “GOLDEN GEISHAS” GO UNDER THE HAMMER…

Your chance to bid on the world’s rarest whisky!

Originally released exclusively by The Whisky Exchange, the most recent release of Karuizawa will go under the hammer at online whisky auction “Whisky Hammer” on Friday 21^st July www.whiskyhammer.co.uk

“This pair of exclusive single-cask bottlings showcases the Karuizawa character perfectly. Long maturation in sherry casks has produced rich, deeply flavoured whisky that is almost black in colour.” (The Whisky Exchange) 

The auction for these stunning whiskies is sure to be popular, additional details are as follows: 

Karuizawa 33 Year Old – Sherry Cask #3579

ABV: 63.4%

Number of bottles released: 129 

Karuizawa 31 Year Old – Sherry Cask #3667

ABV: 59.4%

Number of bottles released: 225

Bidding starts at 7pm (BST) on Friday 21^st July – register to bid now at www.whiskyhammer.co.uk!

Buffalo Trace July Exclusive

We are now in the final Weeks before our Michter’s Celebration of the Cask Lottery is drawn.   We still have Tickets available for this once in a lifetime opportunity to win this truly sensational bottle. 4 runners up will also win a bottle of the exquisite Michter’s Core Range. Tickets are only £25. Not an opportunity to miss.

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW

July Outturn goes on sale this First Friday at 9am. Don’t miss out on your favourite bottlings, click over to our website now and read the full listing ahead of the release.  This month we’re releasing a a heady mix of alluring aromas with 18 new single casks to explore.

JULY OUTTURN ALERT!

READ 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

The Dalmore 40 Year Old

This 40 year old Highland single malt from The Dalmore began its life in American white oak ex-bourbon casks before being transferred to 30 year old Gonzalez Byass Matusalem oloroso sherry butts for seven years. After a final period in first-fill American white oak ex-bourbon casks, this richly flavoured whisky was bottled in 2017 at a strength of 42% abv.

£6,000 Buy Now

Loch Lomond Whiskies Announced as Official Whisky at 2017 Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open 

Premium Whisky brand joins Ladies Scottish Open history 

Dundonald, 5 July, 2017 – The Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open is proud to announce Loch Lomond Whiskies, a premium highland scotch whisky crafted in the heart of Scotland, as the official whisky sponsor of the Championship at Dundonald Links from 27^{th –} 30^th July.

Founded in 1814, Loch Lomond whiskies has a history steeped in tradition with their selection of whiskies distilled and matured in the shadow of Scotland’s majestic Ben Lomond. With a penchant for innovation and quality, Loch Lomond Whiskies is the perfect fit for this year’s Championship with the world’s top female players including Lydia Ko, Ariya Jutanugarn, Charley Hull and Scotland’s Catriona Matthew, heading to Dundonald Links to compete in the ground-breaking tournament.

For the first time in Scottish Open history, this year’s Championship is co-sanctioned between the Ladies European Tour and the LPGA and will have the highest prize fund on the LET outside the Majors with the 156-strong player field contesting for US$1.5m. Another milestone for the Championship sees the Ladies compete at the same venue as the Men’s Scottish Open with Dundonald Links playing host to both events over a three-week period.

Speaking about the announcement, Scott Dickson, Loch Lomond Whiskies, said, “We’re delighted to be part of our third Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open and feature in the events’ history in this ground-breaking year.  At Loch Lomond Whiskies we pride ourselves on quality and believe that partnering with a world-class event will be a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our brand to a knowledgeable audience with players and fans coming to watch from around the world.”

Loch Lomond Whiskies will be available to sample in the Championship village throughout the tournament days as well as being available to purchase over the weekend.

Taking place the week before the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns in 2017, the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open will kick off a superb two weeks of links golf in Scotland. The back-to-back stretch of events echoes the successful strategy employed by the Men’s Scottish Open taking place the week before The Open – an approach proven to be a competitive advantage for those players competing in both Championships. The Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open is also a key element of Scotland’s commitments to the staging of The 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles.

Watch the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open LIVE on Sky Sports on Thursday/Friday from 14:00-17:00 and Saturday/Sunday from 15:00-18:00.  

Aberdeen – simply asset management

Aberdeen is one of the top five European pure-play, global asset managers. Aberdeen’s vision is to become the world’s most trusted partner in delivering investment simply.

We are defined by our pure focus on asset management, including equities, fixed income, property and multi-asset portfolios. All our investment solutions are driven by our commitment to straightforward, transparent investment approaches that stress intensive, first-hand research and a long-term view.

As of 31 March 2017, we manage assets of £308 billion on behalf of institutional and private investors.

www.aberdeen-asset.com @AberdeenAssetUK

Issued by Aberdeen Asset Managers Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK. 

Abut Loch Lomond Whiskies 

Expressions in the Loch Lomond Whiskies collection include, Loch Lomond 12-Year-Old; Loch Lomond Original; Loch Lomond 18 Year Old; Loch Lomond Classic; Loch Lomond Signature and Loch Lomond Single Grain.

Official social media accounts are Twitter: @LochLomondMalts Instagram: @lochlomondmalts

About Loch Lomond Group

Loch Lomond Group is an independent distiller based in Alexandria and is home to several award-winning spirit brands that are sold in over 100 countries worldwide.

Loch Lomond distillery has been producing the finest single malt whisky since 1814.

www.lochlomondgroup.com

Scotland, the Home of Golf: 

Scotland is renowned around the world as the Home of Golf. It is the birthplace of the game and to this day remains its spiritual home. It is also a modern, dynamic and world-class golf events and tourism destination welcoming hundreds of thousands of golfers every year and regularly playing host to the biggest tournaments in the world.

The golf industry in Scotland is worth more than £1 billion annually to the Scottish economy, of which golf events and golf tourism plays a major role.

Through activity delivered by organisations including VisitScotland, Scottish Development International and Scottish Golf, the Scottish Government is committed to continuing to support the growth of the game in this country. This includes; supporting economic and business growth within the Scottish economy, driving increased participation in the sport and helping to nurture the next generation of Scottish golfing stars through the Clubgolf programme of junior golf activities.

For more information on the Scottish Government and its partners: www.scotland.org|  www.visitscotland.com| www.scotent.co.uk | www.sdi.co.uk| www.scottishgolf.org | www.clubgolfscotland.com

About the LPGA

The LPGA is the world’s leading professional golf organization for women. Founded in 1950 and headquartered in Daytona Beach, Fla., the association celebrates a diverse and storied membership with more than 2,300 members representing more than 30 countries. With a vision to inspire, empower, educate and entertain by showcasing the very best of women’s golf, LPGA Tour Professionals compete across the globe, while the Symetra Tour, the official development and qualifying tour of the LPGA, consistently produces a pipeline of talent ready for the world stage. Additionally, LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals directly impact the game through teaching, coaching and management.

The LPGA demonstrates its dedication to the development of the game through The LPGA Foundation. Since 1991, this charitable organization has been committed to empowering and supporting girls and women through developmental and humanitarian golf initiatives, such as LPGA*USGA Girls Golf.

Follow the LPGA on its television home, Golf Channel, and on the web via www.LPGA.com. Join the social conversation at www.facebook.com/lpga, www.twitter.com/lpga and www.youtube.com/lpgavideo, and on Instagram and Snapchat at @lpga_tour.

About the Ladies European Tour

The Ladies European Tour (LET) is Europe’s leading women’s professional golf tour and formed as the WPGA in 1978. With 324 members from 38 different countries who inspire fans at more than 20 golf tournaments on five continents, the Ladies European Tour brings people and brands together through shared experiences and promotes world class sport entertainment through exceptional events which receive extensive international media and television coverage. At each event, it’s not just about the swing – it’s about a day that goes with a swing: a big day out with fun entertainment and a festival atmosphere set in beautiful scenery. The LET members captivate and excite with their strong performances, but don’t just appear and leave; they create a legacy by connecting with local communities and developing the game in the regions they visit. The Board of Directors are the guardians of the tour and along with the Players Council ensure the tour continues to grow and improve for players, fans and all associates.