Springbank Society – October 2017 Bottling 

We trust this newsletter finds you in good health.  Here in Campbeltown the trees are shedding their leaves and the days getting shorter as we race through autumn into the depths of winter.  The perfect time to bring a bit of warmth to our lives with the release of our next society bottle!

Longrow 9yo Sauternes 56.3%

Available to order from 30th October 2018.

Please note we will not take pre-orders for this release. Only email orders from 30th October onwards will be accepted. 

An email will be sent on this date to signal when you can start ordering the bottle.

The purpose of this newsletter is to provide you with information on the release and how to order it. You will receive a society newsflash on the release date to remind you when the bottles are available.

Springbank Society October 2017 Bottling

Longrow 9yo Sauternes

Cask type: Fresh Sauternes Hogsheads

Distilled: November 2007

Bottled: October 2017

Strength: 56.3%

Outturn: 1134 bottles

Tasting notes:

Nose :  Light smokiness, fresh plums, honeycomb, chocolate peppermints, walnuts, almonds, sticky toffee pudding, chocolate crepes, sugarcane, dark chocolate.

Palate : Cocoa powder, spice, pepper, dates and prunes. Raspberry coulis, caramel, ripe bananas, cherries and a mineral note. Slightly dry with a sticky mouthfeel.

Finish : Cherries, dry smoke, soot, raisins, burnt embers, baked apples, poached pears, biscuit base, shortbread, caramel shortcake, ginger and crushed black pepper.

For the avoidance of doubt: the bottles are not available yet and we will not be taking pre-orders.

Purchasing and delivery/collection

Please read this section carefully to ensure this process goes as smoothly as possible.

The bottle shall be available for £45.00 and initially it will be 1 per person however, once it becomes clear what the level of interest is, then it is possible you could get a second. 2 bottles per member will be the maximum. When you order a bottle next week, please state if you would be interested in a second bottle.

We will only process email orders. No phone orders.

When you first order a bottle, please tell us if any of the following things apply to you.

•  If you would like a second bottle
•  If you would like to collect it from one of our Cadenhead shops
•  If you are based in Canada
•  If you have any other delivery preferences (not covered by the points above) then it may be helpful, but not essential, if you would include them in your original email too.

Once you place your order you will receive an email back, letting you know that your order has been received and that a bottle has been reserved for you.  As is usual with a Society release, this may take several days. Please do not be alarmed if you do not hear back immediately.

Again, as is standard practice with Society bottles, if you wish for your Society bottle(s) to be sent to a Cadenhead shop on mainland Europe (now Baden, Cologne and Odense) you will pay for them upon collection. We have processes in place to make sure these bottles arrive much faster than they have done for previous releases.
In previous years we have been able to send Society bottles to Cadenhead shops in Berlin and Salzburg however, Springbank Distillery does not have another shipment bound for these shops and soon neither of them shall be Cadenhead stores. As such it is no longer an option to send the bottles to these shops.

Please note that if you want your order sent to Berlin or Salzburg shops you must let us know, no later than November 8th.

If you plan to have your Society bottle(s) sent to the Edinburgh or London shops then, as with the previous release, deliveries to these shops will be handled in a similar way to when Society bottles are sent to the other Cadenhead shops. Instead of charging £2 per bottle and delivering them individually, we will not charge anything for delivery and they will be sent as part of the scheduled Cadenhead shipments.

Once again and finally, we will only process email orders from 30th October 2017 (Campbeltown time). No phone orders.

We will send out an email on 30th October to let you know when you can start ordering.

To join the Springbank Society please email Springbank Society 

Glenrothes 12 Year Old 2005 Old Malt Cask #14095

Just-in! A sumptuous single cask sherry butt bottled August 2017 by Hunter Laing & Co. Flavours of ripe figs, dark chocolate, caramel and sweet oranges. Nose: Ripe figs, dark chocolate and caramel. Palate: Sweet with oranges, caramel and white pepper. Finish: Long with gentle spices, a hint of oak and oranges. Glenrothes Distillery was established in the narrow valley of the Rothes Burn on the west side of Rothes in the Speyside whiskey region by James Stuart & Co. in 1878. This is a large malt whiskey distillery owned by Berry Bros & Rudd of London, with eighteen washbacks, ten copper stills singing in their own mighty cathedral and has retained its traditional pagoda roof. Popular distillery releases include Glenrothes 1995, 1998 and Glenrothes Peated.

Shop – £46.75

Van Winkle Bourbon Coming Soon

Barrels yield slightly more of some, but no Rye whiskey for 2017

FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (Oct. 26, 2017) – This is the favorite time of the year for bourbon fans, the annual release of the Van Winkle Bourbons is near. Yields are a bit higher for the 10, 15 and 23 year old whiskies, but the 13-Year-Old Van Winkle Reserve Rye will not be released this year. “We have a one year gap in barrel inventory for the Van Winkle Rye. Our current barrels are 12 years old. So rather than compromise on quality or remove the age statement, we decided it would be best to hold off this year and bottle them next year as the 13 Year Old Rye Whiskey fans have come to expect,” said Kris Comstock, senior marketing director.

Known for their smoother and sweeter flavor due to their wheat recipe vs a traditional rye recipe found in most bourbons, Van Winkle bourbons are aged years longer than most others and garner an impeccable reputation among connoisseurs. Although the bourbons have become increasingly popular worldwide in recent years, very little is sold overseas, so that most of these coveted bottles are available in the United States.

The Van Winkle collection consists of several whiskeys. Suggested retail prices are as follows:

• $59.99 – Old Rip Van Winkle Handmade Bourbon 10 Year Old 107 proof

• $69.99 – Van Winkle Special Reserve Bourbon 12 Year Old

• $99.99 – Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 15 Year Old

• $169.99 – Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 20 Year Old

• $269.99 – Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve Bourbon 23 Year Old

“Unfortunately we do not control the pricing retailers charge, so many retailers mark it up, even though we ask them not to,” said Julian Van Winkle, president, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery. “We have not raised prices and do not intend to do so drastically in the future. We are committed to our quality and our pricing and hope retailers will honor what we suggest as retail pricing.”

Upon release of the Van Winkle bourbon this fall, Buffalo Trace warns consumers to be wary of online resellers such as Craigslist and other online marketplaces, especially private Facebook groups.

“Some bottles they are selling might be counterfeit, filled with lesser whiskey, or worse, something that’s not even whiskey and potentially dangerous,” added Comstock. “At the bare minimum, it’s illegal to buy and resell whiskey if you are not a licensed retailer, and we’re not afraid to take action if we find out.”

The Van Winkle line of whiskeys has won a multitude of awards through the years, including the 20-year-old receiving a gold medal at the 2016 World Whiskies Awards; the 15-year-old being named Overall Winner, Best Age Statement Bourbon at the 2016 World Whiskies Awards; and the 12-year-old achieving 96 points at the 2016 Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

The Van Winkle Whiskeys will be available starting in November, but please be mindful that supply is quite limited and bottles shall be hard to find in stores, bars and restaurants. They will be packed three bottles per case.

About Van Winkle Bourbon

The Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery has a four generation history. The Van Winkle family’s involvement in the bourbon industry began in the late 1800s with Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle, Sr. He was a traveling salesman for the W.L. Weller and Sons wholesale house in Louisville. Pappy and a friend, Alex Farnsley, eventually bought the wholesale house and also partnered with Mr. A. Ph. Stitzel on the purchase of Mr. Stitzel’s distillery. The three of them merged the two companies and became the Stitzel-Weller Distillery. In May of 1935 at the age of 61, Pappy opened the newly completed Stitzel-Weller Distillery in South Louisville. Its prominent brands were W.L. Weller, Old Fitzgerald, Rebel Yell, and Cabin Still. Pappy had a heavy influence on the operations there until his death at the age of 91. His son, Julian, Jr. took over operations until he was forced by stockholders to sell the distillery in 1972. The rights to all of their brands were sold to Norton Simon, Inc. Later, United Distillers, who eventually ended up with the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, sold off all of the original labels around 1999. After selling the distillery, Julian Jr. resurrected a pre-Prohibition label, the only one to which the Van Winkles kept the rights, called Old Rip Van Winkle. He used whiskey stocks from the old distillery to supply his brand. Julian Jr.’s son, Julian, III took over in 1981 when Julian, Jr. passed away. Julian III has continued with the Van Winkle tradition of producing high-quality wheated bourbon. His son, Preston, joined the company in 2001 and the Van Winkles look to continue that tradition for generations to come. In 2002 the Van Winkles entered into a joint venture with Buffalo Trace Distillery in Franklin County, Frankfort, Ky. All of the Van Winkle’s whiskey production now takes place at Buffalo Trace Distillery under the same strict guidelines the family has always followed

WHISKY MAGIC AT GLENWYVIS DISTILLERY AS VERY FIRST DISTILLERY MANAGER HIRED

AND £250,000 TARGET REACHED

Excitement surrounding GlenWyvis Distillery in Dingwall has reached a whole new level, this week, as the appointment of the very first distillery manager is confirmed and the first target of £250,000 is achieved on the second share offer campaign.

Announcing the new distillery manager appointment, David O’Connor, chairman of GlenWyvis Distillery said: “This is a particularly special appointment as it is the lynch-pin to the next stage of our development, as we move from construction to distilling and production. We had a lot of good interest in this post – but there was one outstanding candidate.

“So we are delighted to bring Duncan Tait on board as our very first distillery manager. Currently distillery manager at Mortlach Distillery, Duncan brings with him a wealth of distilling experience and in-depth knowledge of the whisky and tourism industry.

“He has many years of experience in distillery growth and team development and this is vital to us, as we prepare to open our doors, start our distilling operation and look to develop the GlenWyvis visitor experience. He also has a great knowledge of the local area and local whisky history, and along with his great character and personality, he will most definitely help to make the GlenWyvis brand a success in the global whisky arena.”

Commenting on his new role, Duncan Tait, GlenWyvis Distillery’s very first distillery manager, said: “This is a tremendous opportunity to be part of a distilling journey at the very start, and amazing to become the very first distillery manager here at GlenWyvis.

Duncan added: “I have a strong affiliation with the Easter Ross area, having started my career at Teaninich Distillery in Alness, and I’m delighted to be coming back. There is such a wealth of Highland heritage linked to the distillery and I am particularly interested in how that interlinks with our community development aspirations as we welcome our first tours to GlenWyvis in due course.

“I have enjoyed many years whisky distilling in Speyside and see this as a fantastic career move to join the GlenWyvis team in the creation of the first 100% community owned distillery.”

The now five strong team at GlenWyvis has been working round the clock to make their second share offer a success with gin tastings, promotions, attendance at local and national events and numerous media and TV appearances.

David O’Connor added: “Coincidentally, as we appoint Duncan, we are also seeing a continued surge of active share offer investors and this has pushed our target over the quarter million pound mark this week, showing we still have a popular ongoing investor proposition.”

Hitting the first ‘whisky magic’ rung of £250,000 is the first step towards the distillery’s overall aim of raising an additional £750,000 on its second share offer. The funds raised will be used to accelerate the GlenWyvis brand development, to bring gin distilling to Dingwall and to reduce commercial lending costs.

 James Proctor, Programme Manager at Community Shares Scotland said: “We are delighted to see this ambitious project hit its initial investment target so quickly and also congratulate them on this important appointment of the first distillery manager.

“The growing numbers of GlenWyvis members is testament to the power of the idea of a community-owned distillery. It’s a great example of how a Community Shares offer can involve people and has expanded the idea of what a community business is. We look forward to the opening of the distillery and seeing more people take the opportunity to invest in this pioneering enterprise.”

The GlenWyvis Distillery, which will be entirely powered by green energy, is nearing completion at the Heights of Dochcarty by Dingwall and is on-schedule to open next month.

Notes

Duncan Tait Distillery Manager Biography – newly appointed to GlenWyvis

Duncan has worked for Diageo across all aspects of distillery and distilling management with an impressive track-record with over 26 years in the industry. Working mainly in Speyside – but also with Lothians and West Coast distillery experience.

He brings with him an impressive knowledge of all aspects of distillery, production development and retail management including overseeing the upgrade and expansion work of numerous distilleries. In addition, he has a wealth of Scottish tourism, event management and heritage experience and has worked with many international visitors and markets.

Second Share offer investment

GlenWyvis already had some 2,600 members who invested £2.6 million in the original share offer in 2016 and this new open share offer has already added a further 400 members in just two months. The share issue was launched to capitalise on continued interest from locals and visitors alike. The minimum investment is £250 for all investors, and supporters are also able pay extra to have their name added to the distillery wall or the “path to the stills”. 

Full details of the open share offer available on the GlenWyvis Distillery website at http://www.glenwyvis.com/.

Investment can be made online via www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ or www.glenwyvis.com/

Distillery build links can be found here: youtu.be/11-KyBf8E2M and  youtu.be/3meRWeyi-DE

The Whisky Shop Dufftown Autumn Festival 1018

Keep the date and start making your plans for our Autumn Festival in 2018.

The Programme
We are already scheduling events in to our programme. The following masterclasses are already confirmed:
• Adelphi
• Berry Bros & Rudd
• Creative Whisky Company
• Douglas Laing
• Morrison & MacKay
We will keep you posted on our events page for the Festival

FIND OUT MORE

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 183 : Glenmorangie Dornoch

Mark Dermul, Belgian Whisky blogger, tries a limited edition from Glenmorangie. The distillery can be found in Tain, on the shores of the sea estuary Dornoch Firth. This estuary is in need on conservation and the distillery partnered with the Marine Conservation Society to raise awareness and money for this cause. Hence they released the Glenmorangie Dornoch, a classic Glenmorangie finished on Amontillado sherry casks.

https://youtu.be/2DPKYqQuYLo

Wednesday, November 1st, 5-7PM:

Benromach and Gordon & Macphail

Join us for an evening of traditional single malt whisky! Brand ambassador Joseph McCluskey presents a tasting of Benromach and Gordon and Macphail’s award-winning lineup. Established in 1898 and 1895 respectively, both are well known throughout the whisky world for their rare and highly sought-after releases.

Pourlist:

Tormore Cote Rotie

Benromach 15 Year

Glen Grant 10 Year

Caol Ila 2005 11 Year, Cask Strength (54.4%)

Trip to Islay – Part 3 of 4

by Mark Dermul

The early bird catches the worm… well, we certainly were early birds when we arrived at the northernmost distillery on the island: Bunnahabhain. The distillery was already in operation – the smoke from the stillhouse was clearly visible against the cloudless blue sky – but the visitor center staff had yet to arrive.

Our treat for being so early was a stunning view of the distillery in the early morning mist. And another advantage of being there before 9 am was the fact that we got the earliest tour and were the only visitors at that moment. That made this wonderful tour extra special. And without trying to sound too blasé, I do consider myself quite knowledgeable about whisky, but I did learn something new today. Bunna takes its cut – like most distilleries – until the alcohol has gone down to around 63%, but for their peated runs they keep collecting further until 59%. I had never heard that before.

After a couple of drams – well, eight if I’m being totally honest actually – we drove south towards Caol Ila. Along the way, we came across the building site of the soon-to-open 9th distillery on Islay: Ardnahoe.

Construction was well underway. This distillery is being built by Hunter Laing & Co, the independent bottler that was founded a few years back by Stuart Laing, after he left the company Douglas Laing which he ran with his brother Fred. As a sidenote: Hunter Laing is also the owner of the land that Jean & Martine Donnay wanted to buy to build their Gartbreck distillery along Loch Indaal. But apparently they did not agree on the price and Gartbreck is now off the map.

Our next stop brought us to the last distillery we still had to visit: Caol Ila. This huge distillery – the largest on Islay in volume – was unable to offer tours at the moment of our visit as one of the spirit stills was being replaced. A serious setback in my opinion, as Caol Ila is my personal favorite from Islay and I was really looking forward to the classic view of the still with the the Paps of Jura in the background. It was not going to happen.

But our host – a Brit from Southampton who had lost his heart to Caol Ila – more than made up for it with a special tasting in the shop. We got to try the Caol Ila Distillers Edition (my wife’s preferred dram), the Coal Ila Distillery Exclusive Bottling for 2017 (with some red wine cask matured Caol Ila in the mix, a first for the distillery) and both the 17 Year Old and brand new 18 Year Old Unpeated Style. I put my credit card to good use and will enjoy those back home while reminiscing about this wonderful trip.

With a heavy heart, we set course for Port Askaig, where soon a ferry would arrive to pick us up and returns us to the mainland.

to be concluded… (the final article will be published November 5th).

Yellowstone® Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon 2017 Launching in October

(Lebanon, Ky.) October 12, 2017 – Limestone Branch Distillery introduces the 2017 version of Yellowstone® Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon, finished in charred wine casks, set to hit the market in October. This year’s limited edition combines hand-selected, seven and 12-year Kentucky Straight bourbons, with a special addition of Limestone Branch Distillery’s first available, 4-year Kentucky Straight bourbon. The bourbon is then rested in once-filled, double seasoned barrels, which are toasted and then lightly charred.

“We are beyond proud to be using some of our own distillate in this year’s Yellowstone Limited Edition,” says Steve Beam, president and distiller of Limestone Branch Distillery. “This is a momentous release for our family and it is meticulously handmade, grain to glass, right here at our distillery.”

Bottled at 101 proof and available in 750ml bottles signed by Steve Beam and nestled in commemorative tubes, Yellowstone Limited Edition offers an earthy flavor, dark and rich, with a nose of toasted oak, caramel and butterscotch at the front of the palette, giving way to rich leather and dark summer fruit on the finish. Approximately 7,000-8,000 bottles of this bourbon are being produced this fall at Limestone Branch Distillery, and the suggested retail price is $99.99.

“By finishing the bourbon in charred wine casks, we allowed the juice to intensify and evolve, creating a wonderful result,” says Beam. “While last year’s edition was more about subtle nuances, this year’s edition we focused on intense flavors and a richer final product.”

About Limestone Branch Distillery

Steve Beam and his brother Paul Beam opened Limestone Branch Distillery in 2011, with the goal of crafting the finest whiskey in small batches, honoring their long family heritage. With a history of distilling on both sides of their family – Beam and Dant – the brothers are seventh-generation distillers. In 2015, by partnering with Luxco, they brought the Yellowstone brand back to the family, just in time to commemorate the brand’s 105th anniversary. As one of the founding members of the Kentucky Craft Bourbon Trail, Limestone Branch Distillery is located in Lebanon, Ky., in the heart of bourbon country. The distillery is well-known for its handcrafted products, including Yellowstone Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Yellowstone Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey.

For more information on Limestone Branch Distillery and Yellowstone, please visit www.limestonebranch.com, www.yellowstonebourbon.com or www.facebook.com/limestone-branch-distillery.

E. H. Taylor, Jr. Bourbon Named World Whisky of the Year

Buffalo Trace Distillery’s Whiskeys Sweep Whisky Awards with Wins in

5 of the 6 American Whisky Categories  

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Oct. 16, 2017) Buffalo Trace Distillery dominates the American Whisky Category, according to Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2018, winning the top prize of World Whisky of the Year for its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon, and also taking home Bourbon of the Year, Rye of the Year, Best American Whisky No Age Statement, Best American Whisky 9 Years and Under, Best American Whisky 10 Years and Over, Best Rye No Age Statement, and Best Rye 11 Years and Over.

            The E. H. Taylor Four Grain scored a remarkable 97.5 out of 100 and is described by Jim Murray as “nothing could match the astonishing beauty of its surprisingly delicate weight and complexity combined. It was as if time stood still in the tasting room, I just knew…”

            Buffalo Trace Distillery’s complete list of winners from Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2018 are as follows:

• 2018 World Whisky of the Year – Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon
• Bourbon of the Year – Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon
• Rye of the Year – Thomas H. Handy Sazerac 126.2 Proof
• Best American Whisky No Age Statement (Multiple Barrels) – George T. Stagg 144.1 Proof
• Best American Whisky 9 Years and Under – Buffalo Trace Experimental Collection Organic 6 Grain Whisky
• Best American Whiskey 10 Years and Over (Multiple Barrels) – Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain
• Best Rye, No Age Statement – Thomas H. Handy Sazerac 126.2 Proof
• Best Rye, 11 Years and Over – Sazerac 18 Years Old

            This is the first time so many top whisky winners have been made by the same distillery in the 15 years Jim Murray has been giving the awards in his Whisky Bible.

            “To not only be named World Whisky of the Year, but also to win 5 of the 6 American Whisky categories and 2 of the 3 Rye Whisky categories is simply remarkable,” said Mark Brown, president and chief executive officer, Buffalo Trace Distillery.  “It is truly a testament of the skill and dedication of not only our Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley, but to all of our team members at the Trace. We are simply thrilled.”

            The E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon joins numerous other whiskies produced at Buffalo Trace Distillery that Jim Murray has also named the World Whiskey of the Year, including Thomas H. Handy Sazerac, 128.6 proof in 2013, the Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye Whiskey in 2010, The George T. Stagg Bourbon 129 proof in 2006, and the George T. Stagg Bourbon in both 2005 and 2004. In all, six whiskies produced by Buffalo Trace have been named to Jim’s top spot in the past 15 years, an astonishing accomplishment.

            Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2018 can be pre-ordered at http://whiskybible.com/

 About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1773 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 17 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named “Brand Innovator of the Year” by Whisky Magazine at its Icons of Whisky America Awards 2015.  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 300 awards for its wide range of premium whisk