Ardbeg Distillery rolls back the years to celebrate all things ‘Peat & Love’ on Ardbeg Day

Sullivans Cove Cask Strength
American Oak – Cask TD0137

We’re thrilled to release our first cask strength whisky from our core range in many years – American Oak Cask TD0137.

Distilled in September of 2006 and bottled in December of 2017, this eleven year old, single cask single malt was aged in a 200L American Oak ex-bourbon cask. It is bottled at cask strength, a massive 69.1% ABV. There are only 172 bottles of this whisky.

“We generally bottle our single cask whiskies at 47.5%, because they’re usually too powerful at cask strength, but when we tasted this cask, we knew adding water would be a shame. This a rare opportunity to try Sullivans Cove right out of the cask.”

Patrick Maguire, Head Distiller.

Now available to Australian residents on our online store.

Please click on the link below to purchase ($400 per bottle)

PURCHASE NOW

BROWSE LOTS

Benriach Distillery

Benriach-Glenlivet is situated a few miles south of Elgin in the Speyside region. It is named after Riach farm, ‘Riach’ meaning either “Hill of the red deer” or more likely “speckled Mountain”, although it was originally called ‘Longmorn No.2”.

Foundation and the Early Days

 The story begins with John Duff (b. Aberchirder, 1842). His family owned land around Miltonduff just west of Elgin. In the 1870s he managed Glendronach distillery but then went on to be the publican at The Fife Arms in Lhanbryde near Elgin. He built Glenlossie distillery in 1876 in partnership with two local businessmen : Alexander Grigor Allan (d. 1895) who was the Procurator Fiscal for Morayshire and Roderick Kemp an Aberdeen wine & spirit merchant. On the dissolution of the partnership in 1892 Grigor went on to become sole owner of Talisker and Kemp to own Macallan. From 1887 sales of Glenlossie were exclusively via John Hopkins the London based blender and from 1890 proprietor of Tobermory distillery as well as the Old Mull brand. Hopkins was originally a partner in Glenlossie but left in 1888. Another partner was H. M. S. MacKay who was both Elgin’s burgh surveyor and a land agent. Glenlossie was built under the supervision of Duff to his own plans. It is one of the first examples of the use of concrete in construction in the distilling industry with only the stone built stillhouse not using the then new material. In 1887 Duff was described as “a great moving spirit” by The Aberdeen Journal. Certainly he seems to have successfully climbed ladders but his next ‘move’ may not have been his best. In 1888 Duff emigrated to South Africa with his wife and 3 daughters. He tried to distil in Gauteng Province in the Transvaal, an area where gold had recently been discovered. He failed to find success perhaps mainly due to opposition to British influences and investment from President Kruger which led to the blocking of Duff’s plans. Duff then attempted a similar scheme in the USA. This plan likewise didn’t bear fruit, apparently a combination of the competition from illicit distilling and again anti-British sentiment. Returning to Scotland in 1892 he found work as the distillery manager at Aberdeen’s Bon Accord distillery having his registered address in the city at 5 Union Terrace. He also became a partner in an Aberdeen wine and spirit merchant. He was 52 when he went into partnership with George Thomson & Charles Shirres in 1894 under the trading name of John Duff & Co.. They built Longmorn distillery, spending £20k (equivalent to £2M today). In 4 years Duff had bought out the other two and built Benriach with the profits from Longmorn at a cost of £16,000. This time he entrusted the distillery design with Elgin architect Charles Doig. Building of Benriach on an adjacent site to Longmorn commenced in 1897 with production starting in 1898. At this point the company was changed from Longmorn-Glenlivet Distillery Company by being incorporated into Longmorn-Glenlivet Distilleries Company Limited while Hill Thomson & Co.Ltd and Longmorn distillery manager James Grant and his son ran the distillery when Duff, the sole share owner, ran into financial difficulties and the distillery was repossessed by the bank. This was a disastrous period for many businesses in the whisky industry as boom turned to bust. To illustrate the intensity of the optimism around this time: an amazing total of 33 distilleries were built in the 1890s with 21 of these being in Speyside. However production stopped in 1900 due to the collapse of the market. In this year Duff was officially declared bankrupt although he had been insolvent before this. By 1901 the Board of Directors included J.A. Dewar of John Dewar & Sons, Arthur Sanderson of VAT 69 and James Anderson of J.G. Thomson, Leith. Despite the influence of such names the distillery had to shut come 1903.

The Distillery

Recent History

 When the dark days of the first half of the 20th century turned to the post WWII recovery rising demand prompted building and expansion of distilleries. After sitting dormant for over 60 years Benriach was rebuilt and reopened in 1965. The current stillroom was originally a warehouse, the mash house is original while the tun room dates from the refit. Up until 1980 a private rail link was used to move goods between Benriach and its sister Longmorn. The shunting engine, called a ‘puggie’, is now preserved at Aviemore. Since closing in 1900 and the subsequent mothballing in 1903 the floor maltings were however retained and used to contribute to Longmorn’s malt needs. This remained the case even after Benriach reopened. Only after the rail link closed did Benriach use its own malt. The output of the malting floors contributing 7/8% of grain requirements at the time. In 1970 an amalgamation between The Glenlivet and Glen-Grant Distilleries Ltd. and Hill, Thomson & Co. Ltd. formed The Glenlivet Distilleries Ltd. Shortly after this in 1972 batches of malt using significant peat levels started. This would have been due to the high demand put on Islay malts by blenders. On the subject of peating: previous to this increase in peat levels it was reported that in 1967 Longmorn stopped using Mannochhill peat and started using New Pitsligo while circa 1987 Benriach had peat cutting rights at Faemussach Moor near Tomintoul. Similar experiments with peated malt took place at Caperdonich and Glen Keith, the latter going under the name Glen Isla. Other trials included the use of virgin oak.

 In November 1977 Glenlivet Distilleries were taken over by the Seagram Company Ltd. of Canada and was operated under the control of Seagram’s Scottish subsidiary Chivas Brothers. Seagram liked a light spirit for their house style of blends for example Benriach was a major component of their Queen Anne brand (which was named after the last serving Stewart monarch) as well as 100 Pipers, Chivas Regal itself, St. Leger and Something Special. The latter brand dated from 1912 when it was created by Hill Thomson and is to this day big in South America. Steps to boost output at the distillery came when the number of stills were increased from 2 to 4 in 1985. From 1965 there was one large wash still and two small spirit stills. This was later adjusted when a second wash still with a 15KL charge was added and the two small spirit stills were replaced with a single larger one. Due to the ensuing imbalance the new large spirit still was retired and the original stills returned. Also at this time a 7 day working week was introduced. Perhaps these are surprising moves as at this time many distilleries were being mothballed or had production levels reduced. At this point capacity would have been about 1.8ML. From this date the distillery had a dedicated manager, since 1965 this role had also included the management of Longmorn. From 1978 Stuart Gillies was the manager having spent the previous 20 years at Glen Grant. Come 1994 the first bottling of a single malt from the distillery was featured in the Heritage Collection alongside Strathisla, Glenkeith and Longmorn- all Speysiders and not dramatically dissimilar in character so the offering was no where near as diverse as the Classic Malts. By 1998 the maltings were decommissioned. Then on 19.12.2001 Seagrams was bought by Pernod Ricard creating the 3rd largest spirits company. Subsequently due to the overall increase in company capacity four distilleries: Benriach, Allt A’Bhainne, Braeval and Caperdonich were each only operated for 3 months of the year. The following year all four distilleries were mothballed. 

 Unusually for the region triple distillation was experimented with in 1998 and was later reinstated by subsequent owners under the guidance of Billy Walker. Currently some three times distilled spirit has been produced every second year. From the original experiment the necessary 5th still is apparently now an ‘ornament’ in Ontario(!). 

The BenRiach Train

A New Chapter

 On 26th April 2004 Billy Walker, Wayne Kieswetter and Geoff Bell operating under the name Intra Trading buy the distillery from Pernod – reportedly paying £5.4M. 40,000 casks are acquired the earliest from 1966 with only a few vintages missing. Billy Walker, an organic chemist, joined Ballantines in 1971 later moving to Inverhouse as a blender. After a subsequent move to Burn Stewart to become their master blender and then production manager he was part of the management buy out that took over the company in 1988. Under the new owners 96 first fill Bourbon barrels are warehoused on 20.9.2004 marking the first filling of new spirit production having recommenced shortly after acquisition. 7.8.2004 saw the first new releases of bottled products. In 2007 the owner’s stewardship is rewarded with the accolade Distillery of the Year from Malt Advocate magazine. A significant development comes in 2008 when the company acquires Glendronach also from Chivas. In 2009 the Whisky Distillery of the Year award comes again but this time from Whisky Magazine. 2011 marks the first year the new owners were able to fill 10,000 casks. Two years later floor malting is restarted although due to cost it is unlikely more than 10% of requirements will be hand malted. In the same year the next acquisition in the form of Glenglassaugh is added to the portfolio. From 2012 it was decided that 200k litres of peated spirit are to be made each January and February. By 2017 this had risen to 0.5ML. Currently the capacity of the distillery stands at 2.8ML. The latest change in ownership came in 2017 when American based Brown Forman took over for a sum of £286M. Most recently, in March 2017, industry personality Rachel Barrie takes over as master blender.

Equipment, Fermentation and Water.

 Cast iron rake and arm mash tun. 8 stainless steel washbacks of 30kl capacity. 48 & 66 hour ferments. Shell & tube condensers. Plain wash still: 15KL charge, plain spirit still: 9.6kl charge. Horizontal lyne arms.The Porteus mill with two de-stoners dates from 1965. 5 dunnage warehouses holding 30K casks. Water comes from 6 wells at Burnside Springs about half a mile from the distillery and is shared with Longmorn. Cooling water is from the same burn that was used by Coleburn, then Glen Elgin, Longmorn and eventually Linkwood.

BOURBON ANGELS LAUNCHED IN KENTUCKY

Two family firms have joined forces to bring unique glass angels filled with Bourbon to the US market.

Louisville-based firm A Taste of Kentucky has launched the first Bourbon Angels, made by Scots company Angels’ Share Glass, in their gift shops.

The Angels, crafted by hand in Stirling, Scotland, hold 25ml of Kentucky Bourbon inside the glass – expertly captured by a secret method.

They are based on the distillers’ myth of the `Angels’ Share’ which believes the small amount of whiskey lost during the maturation process is taken away by angels.

John Hassmann, who runs A Taste of Kentucky, discovered the Bourbon Angels by chance when staff from Angels’ Share Glass popped into one of his shops.

He said: “We were so lucky to meet Karen and Jen from Angels’ Share Glass when they came into our shop during a trip to Kentucky.

“We love it when we find unique high-quality items to offer to our customers across the country and were delighted to hear all about the Scottish glass angels.

“Like us, Angels’ Share Glass are a small family-owned company and we appreciate the work ethic of other similar companies.

“We were impressed by the unique nature of the Bourbon Angels and, of course, the distinct Kentucky connection plus the fact our customers can buy products which are not available everywhere.

“We’re pleased with the response to the Angels so far with lots of customers telling us how beautiful and unique they are.

“It’s a positive start and we’re looking forward to a great ongoing partnership with our Scottish friends.”

Angels’ Share Glass Managing Director Karen Somerville and Sales Manager Jen Kidd were in Kentucky as part of a trade trip to the American Midwest organised for Scottish companies.

Mrs Somerville said: “It was a fantastic trip and we organised meetings with representatives of different companies, so we could showcase our products and see if they were interested in partnering with us.

“We actually met John purely by chance after calling into his shop in Louisville to buy some souvenirs just before we flew home.

“Jen and I got chatting to the shop assistant and told her about our firm’s signature product, glass angels filled with Scotch whisky, and she said her boss would love to see them.”

She organised a meeting with Mr Hassmann where Mrs Somerville outlined the idea of creating handmade Bourbon Angels for the Kentucky market given the state’s reputation as the home of Bourbon.

She said: “Since 95% of US Bourbon is distilled in Kentucky, we thought it would be ideal to swap Scotch for Bourbon to create Bourbon Angels and John loved the concept.

“It was a serendipitous meeting and we’re delighted it led to our first American partnership.”

A Taste of Kentucky was established by Mr Hassmann and his wife Sherry more than 30 years ago.

The couple sell products made locally or `in the spirit of Kentucky’ at their three Louisville-based stores and online shop.

The Bourbon Angels are available from the company’s website priced at $49.99 – www.atasteofkentucky.com/product/angels-share-bourbon-angel

Angels’ Share Glass is based in Bridge of Allan, near Stirling and was established by Master Glassmaker Tom Young MBE and his daughter Karen Somerville in 2013.

For more details, visit www.angelsshareglass.com

Notes for Editors: Angels’ Share Glass is a family-run business based in Bridge of Allan, near Stirling. The firm was co-founded by Karen Somerville and her father Tom Young MBE – a world-renowned Master Craftsman who has been glassblowing and making lamp-work glassware for 60 years. More information about the company can be found at www.angelsshareglass.com

Notes for Editors: A Taste of Kentucky is an award-winning and family-run chain of stores based in Louisville, Kentucky. The firm was established by John and Sherry Hassmann 33 years ago. For more information go to the website – www.atasteofkentucky.com

Douglas Laing’s Scallywag 13 Year Old Limited Edition Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Elsewhere $80)

SKU #1333594 $59.99

The Scallywag blended malt has been well received by Scotch lovers and critics alike for its elegance and nuance. It’s a blended of the great Speyside distilleries, like Macallan, Mortlach, Glenrothes and many more. Typically a small amount of sherried whisky is included in the blend with the majority coming from refill hogsheads and bourbon barrels. The Limited Edition Scallywag, however, has spent 13 long years entirely in Sherry butts from Jerez. It is indeed what some might term as Sherry forward, yet it wouldn’t rank a true bomb thanks to it’s eminently balance. Expect a nose of dense dried fruit, Christmas cake, tobacco spice and an underlying nuttiness. The palate adds some herbal spice, sweet molasses, and texture for days. Absolutely absurd that we can sell this for less than the standard offering. A totally perfect way to spend a cool winter evening.

You like whisky, I like whisky, we all like whisky. Not all whisky distilleries are created equal however, and Pat Dunlop of thewhiskymafia.com certainly has his opinions about which are the best. A deep dive into Pat’s 10 Favourite Scotch Whisky Distilleries has been a long time coming, and it’s here at last! Will your favourite make the list? Will you be dismayed to find he doesn’t share your taste? There’s only one way to find out, dear readers, and that’s by clicking here

Notable Irish distilleries will be featured at two in-store tastings this month! 

On St Patricks day proper, enjoy Slane Triple-Casked Whiskey. Then on the 23rd, try 6th-generation distillers Egan’s and ancient celtic-inspired distillery Barr an Uisce.

Both tastings will be presented by whisky experts and feature new and rare drams.

RSVPs are highly encouraged.

Saturday, March 17th 1-3 PM:  

Slane Triple Casked

(click to RSVP)

Friday, March 23rd:

Barr an Uisce & Egan’s

(click to RSVP)

Matthew Clark Helps Licensees Drive Sales this St Patrick’s Day

The UK’s largest drinks distributor, Matthew Clark, is set to help licensees make the most of one of the biggest on–trade events of the year, with tailored support packages and bespoke St Patrick’s Day brand activation.

In association with Jameson, Matthew Clark will be offering a full St Patrick’s Day support package, including a themed POS kit, and driving the Jameson ginger and lime perfect serve which will be supported on social media. Enabling licensees to take advantage of this significant sales opportunity, the kit includes 25 Jameson cups, 10 table talkers, 1 bar runners, 50 drink coasters and 3 metres of bunting, helping drive rate of sale and visibility in‐venue.

Matthew Clark is also actively driving distribution of Jameson Caskmates as part of this activity, and together with Meantime has created a perfect pairing of beer and whiskey to enhance the overall experience and provide a unique proposition for outlets looking to take advantage of this growing trend.

In collaboration with Guinness, Matthew Clark will also be supplying Guinness kegs and bottles, as well as offering support for outlets in the form of branded POS to dress venues for the St Patrick’s Day celebrations. The business will also be advising operators to mix up their drinks offering to give customers a variety of St Patrick’s Day themed beverages during their visit. Utilising bespoke POS, menus and recipes will also enable outlets to amplify activation further.

Katie Cook, Category Marketing Manager, Spirits at Matthew Clark, comments; “St. Patrick’s Day presents a huge sales opportunity for licensees, even more so this year with England playing Ireland in the Six Nations tournament on the same day. With this in mind, we’re dedicated to making sure that our customers have everything they need to truly make the most of this unique opportunity, and help drive footfall and increase sales as a result”.

Licensees can also take advantage of Matthew Clark’s recently enhanced online ordering platform, which is 100% mobile and tablet friendly and fully optimised for use 24 hours a day. Users can easily browse over 7,000 products, and purchase at the click of a button.

Recommended products and servings for the St Patrick’s Day activation include:

• Jameson Original
• Jameson Caskmates
• Guinness
• Jameson Ginger & Lime – 50ml Jameson Irish Whiskey, top up with quality bottled ginger ale, squeeze a large wedge of lime and drop into the glass
• Jameson Caskmates Irish Coffee – 40ml Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition, 75ml Colombian Dark Roast Coffee, 25ml 2:1 Rich Demerara Syrup, layer fresh cold double cream on top and garnish with grated nutmeg. Build in a warm Irish Coffee glass
• Perfectly poured pint of Guinness

Notes

Matthew Clark is a leading national drinks wholesaler with over 200 years’ experience supplier drink products, hospitality training, labour management and marketing support to over 16,000 On-Trade premises in the UK.

“There’s a storm front coming!”
~ Billy Joel

Yeah, “Hi March. How are you?”

While many of you on the east coast are preparing for yet another storm – we thought we’d catch you up on some exciting new items here at Park Ave Liquor Shop…Where we have plenty of fresh water to add to some of the items listed below if needed.
New bottles are being added daily so don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.

Stay safe. Stay warm. Stay well-stocked 🙂

Cheers!
Jonathan, Eric & Marlon
The Park Avenue Liquor Shop
270 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
212-685-2442
jonathan@parkaveliquor.com
eric@parkaveliquor.com
whiskyconn@gmail.com
www.parkaveliquor.com

New! Glen Scotia 18 Year Old  

“A flavorful 18-year-old whisky from Glen Scotia, one of only three remaining distilleries in Campbeltown. This single malt, introduced in September 2017 and finished in oloroso sherry casks, offers abundant notes of sea spray, vanilla toffee and spiced fruits. The finish lingers, with spiced raisin and a touch of honeyed nuttiness.”

$115

Arran: Robert Burns Single Malt   

“A single malt from the Isle of Arran distillery, celebrating the famed Scottish poet, Robert Burns. This tasty bottling is officially endorsed by the World Burns Federation, making it perfect for Burns Night as well as any other time of year!

Nose: Fresh, apple peels, some blossom and spice, vanilla cream and juicy pear.

Palate: Fruity, notes of custard and warm pastry, more orchard fruit, some tart citrus.

Finish: Apple peels and vanilla spice.”

$50