New online whisky specialist for the growing Australian market.

Select Scotch Whisky have begun importing, wholesaling and retailing Scotch Whisky’s into the growing Australian market. With a focus on single cask expressions and rare and limited malts, Simon Spier, founder of SSW says: “I’m excited to be able to launch our new venture in the pursuit of genuine passion. My hope is that we can help supply trade and punters with the inspirational, the memorable and the rare. Over the last few years I’ve seen an increase in both understanding and appreciation of fine Scotch Whiskies in Australia, so I’m pleased to be able to tap into that.”

The online shop is up and running now, with new products to be listed over the coming weeks as stock arrives.

www.selectscotchwhisky.com.au

Deanston 2008 Bordeaux Red Wine Cask

£55

Bunnahabhain Toiteach a Dha

£47

APRIL AUCTION NOW LIVE
(ends Sunday 29^th April)

…place your bids at 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!

Home of Jameson celebrates its first birthday as most-visited whiskey experience in the world

More than 350,000 visitors from over 70 nations across the world visited new-look Jameson Distillery Bow St. in first year

• Jameson Distillery Bow St. receives TEA Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Brand Experience category at prestigious ceremony in California
• 50,000 Jameson whiskey sours served
• 32,000 whiskey enthusiasts enjoyed Bow St. whiskey blending & cocktail masterclasses
• 25,000 personalised distillery edition Jameson bottles sold
• Four marriage proposals in John Jameson’s secret office

Dublin, April 08, 2018 – Irish Distillers, Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines, and producer of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys, today announced that Jameson Distillery Bow St. is the most-visited whiskey experience in the world – with visitor numbers topping more than 350,000 in the first year since it reopened in March 2017 following an €11M refurbishment.

Commenting on the announcement, Claire Tolan, Managing Director Jameson Brand Homes said: “As is evidenced by the incredibly strong visitor figures recorded over the past year, the new-look Jameson brand home has fast become the must-visit whiskey destination in the world. In one year alone, we have welcomed visitors from over 70 countries; taught 32,000 whiskey enthusiasts how to blend whiskey and create whiskey cocktails; served over 50,000 Jameson whiskey sours; sold 25,000 personalised distillery Jameson edition bottles and facilitated four marriage proposals in John Jameson’s secret office!

“Entertainment is more immersive and interactive than ever before, and audiences place more value on storytelling and the quality of the guest experience. Our redeveloped Jameson brand home draws on technology to complement the historic surroundings of the iconic distillery to deliver an unforgettable experience. Visitors are invited to touch, smell and most importantly, taste Jameson in the original Bow St. Distillery building – this has been the key to our success in our first year.  We look forward to welcoming even more visitors to Bow St. and the Jameson Distillery Midleton over the next year.“

As Jameson continues its phenomenal growth story, with 28 years of consecutive growth, the redeveloped Jameson brand home places storytelling at the core of the visitor experience bringing the 230-year history of Bow Street to life.  Five fully-hosted tours are offered: The flagship ‘Bow St. Experience’ tasting tour focuses on the stories of Jameson’s rich heritage and on-going innovations while ‘The Whiskey Makers’ and ‘The Whiskey Shakers’ experiences provide more in-depth whiskey and cocktail masterclasses, a premium whiskey tasting in John Jameson’s secret office and a visit to Dublin’s only live Maturation Warehouse with the opportunity to sample whiskey straight from a cask.

In addition, it was also announced today that Jameson Distillery Bow St. received a Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) Thea Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Brand Experience category at the prestigious TEA Thea Awards ceremony in Anaheim, California. TEA is the international association for the makers of compelling places and experiences. The TEA Thea Awards were created to bring recognition to achievement, talent and personal excellence and is internationally acknowledged as the equivalent of an Academy Award in the themed entertainment industry.

Commenting on the announcement from the TEA Thea Awards ceremony in Anaheim, California, John Carroll, Marketing & Sales Manager, Jameson Brand Homes said: “Today is a very special day for us for two reasons; not only are we celebrating an incredibly successful first year having welcomed more than 350,000 visitors to our new-look Jameson Distillery Bow St., but we are also the recipient of the ‘Best International Experience’ TEA Thea Award. This prestigious award has long been considered one of the attractions industry’s greatest honour, and we are absolutely thrilled to be recognised in this category.”

To book tickets for Jameson Distillery Bow St., visit www.jamesonwhiskey.com

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 28 years of consecutive growth and hitting sales of 6.5m cases in 2017. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets, with over 71 of those experiencing double- or triple-digit growth.

Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between John Power & 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. Since 2012, we have invested over €250m to double our production and bottling capacity to meet global demand for our products.

We employ over 600 people across our operations in Cork and Dublin.

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the world’s no.2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of €9,010 million in FY17. 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, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of approximately 18,500 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 “Brand Companies” and 86 “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.

Tour Options at Jameson Distillery Bow St.

The Bow St. Experience

€20

Few things go together better than whiskey and a good story. The Bow St. Experience brings the stories of Jameson’s rich heritage to life in an immersive, 40-minute tasting tour of the home of Ireland’s best-selling Irish whiskey.

Discover how John Jameson’s focus on the highest quality ingredients, triple distillation process, and constant innovation resulted in an exceptionally smooth whiskey that is celebrated and enjoyed all around the globe. Our story will, of course, end on a good note as an expert Jameson Ambassador leads you in a comparative whiskey tasting and a celebratory toast to Jameson Barrelmen everywhere.

Your experience will conclude in JJ’s Bar, where you can share a story and a whiskey with some new-found friends.

Experience Includes:

• Fully guided tour
• 40 minutes in duration
• 30 participants
• Available 7 days
• Comparative whiskey tasting
• Complimentary drink in JJ’s Bar

The Whiskey Makers

€60

The Whiskey Makers experience is a whiskey masterclass which provides a 90 minute, in-depth exploration of Jameson Original and the three whiskeys that make up the Whiskey Makers Series: Distiller’s Safe, Cooper’s Croze and Blender’s Dog. Each was developed by one of our Master whiskey Makers and represents their ideal expression of a whiskey.

One of our knowledgeable Jameson Ambassadors will guide you through a tasting experience that teaches you how to deconstruct the ingredients, craft and different flavour profiles of each whiskey. As well as using it to impress your friends, your new-found knowledge will come in handy when you get to blend your own whiskey to take home. Our motto is ‘fear a bit less, live a bit more’ and to that point, we think blending your own whiskey in the home of Jameson is one for the bucket list. Most whiskey blenders spend decades learning their craft, so ninety minutes is a pretty handy shortcut.

The whiskey tour continues into the Maturation Warehouse where you’ll have the rare opportunity to sample whiskey straight from the cask.

Experience Includes:

• Fully hosted experience
• 90 minutes in duration
• 16 participants
• Available 7 days
• Blending exercise
• Visit to Maturation Warehouse

The Whiskey Shakers

€50

Like a house, a cocktail requires a good foundation. The 90-minute Whiskey Shakers experience is a cocktail masterclass which immerses you in the world of Jameson whiskeys and explores the cocktails that have emerged from them. Your skilled Jameson bartender will guide you through the history, ingredients and recipes of both world famous and freshly-minted Jameson cocktails. In the Shakers’ Room, you’ll be provided with all of the professional bar tools and ingredients required to turn the recipes into masterpieces.

Juggling and other bartender tricks won’t improve the taste of the cocktail, but we won’t judge whatever helps you unleash your inner mixologist. After all, we wouldn’t be living up to our family motto, Sine Metu, which translates as “without fear”, if we discouraged you from taking a bold approach. After enjoying your new creations you’ll continue into the Maturation House where you’ll have the rare opportunity to sample whiskey straight from the cask.

Experience Includes:

• Fully hosted experience
• 90 minutes in duration
• 16 participants
• Available 7 days
• Blending exercise
• Visit to Maturation Warehouse

Whiskey Tasting Experience

€30

A 40-minute in-depth tasting of some of Bow St.’s most loved whiskeys in the comfort and secrecy of JJ’s Office; a unique room which can only be accessed as part of The Whiskey Tasters.

Experience Includes:

• Fully guided tasting
• Four premium whiskeys
• Access to John Jameson’s (JJ’s Office)
• 18 participants
• 40 mins duration

Maturation House Cask Draw

€20

A 20-minute premium whiskey experience visiting Dublin’s only Live Maturation Warehouse – Magic!

Experience Includes:

• Fully hosted experience by a Jameson Brand Ambassador
• Jameson Whiskey Cask Draw and Tasting
• Up to 20 participants
• 20 minute Live Maturation House Visit
• Available 7 days a week

Edinburgh’s 1st Single Malt Whisky Distillery for 90 years Completes £5.8m Fundraise 

Edinburgh’s first single malt whisky distillery for 90 years has successfully completed a £5.8m funding drive to help fund the creation of a new distillery and visitor experience, spanning 11,969 sq ft, in the heart of Scotland’s capital.

Led by Johnston Carmichael, the successful fundraising marks a pivotal milestone in the distillery’s development, following the City of Edinburgh Council’s decision in 2017 to approve development of the historic Engine Shed building and site on St Leonard’s Lane into a distillery and visitor centre. Holyrood Distillery will begin construction on the site in May, with the aim of opening its doors to the public in spring 2019.

The new funding comprises investments from 60 private investors from around the world and £1.5m from the Scottish Investment Bank, Scottish Enterprise’s investment arm. The funds will be used to renovate the 180-year old City-owned building, purchase and install equipment, create the visitor experience and provide working capital to cover the early costs of start-up and production, ultimately creating 35 new jobs in the capital.

Rob Carpenter, Founder, Holyrood Distillery said:  “With a lot of hard work and effort by the whole team, and working with the supportive and highly professional team at Scottish Investment Bank, we have reached our fundraising target, allowing us to bring the distillery to life. We can now move on to the fun part – building our new distillery and visitor centre and making delicious spirits. We want our customers to be our guides, helping us shape and build the spirits and flavours that they most enjoy. It’s a new collaborative approach to spirit production that we are all truly excited about and one which we believe offers something quite different from other distilleries.”

Kerry Sharp, director of the Scottish Investment Bank, said:  “Scottish Enterprise welcomes the development of this new distillery and visitor experience in Scotland’s capital.  Tourism supports over 30,000 jobs in Edinburgh with over £1m per day being spent on food & drink.  This will be a positive addition to the city’s food & drink sector whilst enhancing its tourism offering.  We look forward to helping the company deliver its growth plans.”

A joint development by David Robertson, former Master Distiller for The Macallan, and Rob and Kelly Carpenter, founders of the Canadian branch of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Holyrood Distillery will be Edinburgh’s first single malt whisky distillery since Glen Sciennes closed in the 1920s.

Under the guidance of Head Distiller, Jack Mayo, the distillery will produce a range of single malts, gins, liqueurs and other spirits. Holyrood’s progressive approach to playing with flavours, ingredients, distilling processes and maturation will set it apart. This ‘flavour first’ focus will be brought to life in a matter of months with prototype gins and liqueurs being made available for testing.

The visitor centre aims to provide a totally new kind of distillery visitor experience, immersing guests in the flavour sensations of Holyrood’s range of spirits.

Scottish Investment Bank

The Scottish Investment Bank (SIB) is the investment arm of Scotland’s main economic development agency, Scottish Enterprise, operating Scotland-wide in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise. It manages a suite of co- investment funds including the Scottish Co-investment Fund and the Scottish Venture Fund, which are partly funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and the Renewable Energy Investment Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government. SIB is also an investor in Epidarex Capital’s life sciences fund and is a participant in the Scottish European Growth Co-Investment Programme funded by the Scottish Growth Scheme alongside the European Investment Fund. SIB provides a team of Financial Readiness specialists to help companies prepare for new investment and access appropriate finance. SIB’s activities support Scotland’s SME funding market to ensure businesses with growth and export potential have adequate access to growth capital.

Bowmore 21 Year Old Platinum Old & Rare

£225 Buy Now

Jura 28 Year Old Platinum Old & Rare

£199 Buy Now

The Loch Fyne Aultmore 10 Year Old

£65 Buy Now

The Spring Edit

While you wouldn’t know it from the weather, Spring has sprung and it’s time to freshen up your home – not forgetting that all important drinks cabinet. At The Whisky Shop we have a huge range of whiskies and spirits to suit every taste, every budget and every occasion!

Next day delivery on UK orders
International shipping

Loch Lomond 18 Year Old Engraved

£88 Buy Now

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Engraved

£50 Buy Now

The Macallan 25 Year Old Anniversary Malt

£5,500 Buy Now

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 23 Year Old

£2,195 Buy Now

Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989

£550 Buy Now

Taiwanese Treasures  with Kavalan master blender Ian Chang

UNLEASHING THE NEW LOUDER AND BOLDER SMOKEHEAD ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY   

Smokehead Islay Single Malt has always been the wild one of the whisky world, but now it has an even bolder attitude.

As Ian Macleod unveils the new look for Smokehead, the distiller has also revealed an intense new expression which is not for the faint hearted: Smokehead High Voltage.

Commenting on the new expression and bold new look, Iain Weir, Brand Director for Smokehead said: “Smokehead has always challenged the traditional whisky world with its unconventional look and attitude, appealing to the younger and adventurous whisky drinker. We’ve turned up the volume right across the brand. It’s not for everyone, but that’s ok”.

 “And if Smokehead is an assault on your senses, then High Voltage is an all-out attack. Louder, bolder and more intense than getting put in a headlock from an angry roadie.”

The iconic skull logo now plays a much more dominant role on the label and striking gift tin. It takes on a more evocative and free-spirited style, with a rush of smoke blowing through the head to create an element of defiance.

One thing that hasn’t changed though is its bold and award-winning taste which still takes you on a fiery rollercoaster of peat, smoke and spice with a little delicate sweetness thrown in.

Smokehead is a premium whisky, as independent, strong and single minded as the people who drink it.

‘Smokehead’ and ‘Smokehead High Voltage’ are both available through specialists and multiples worldwide. Smokehead RRP £38.99 and High Voltage RRP £54.99.

TASTING NOTES:

‘Smokehead’ (43% ABV) 

• The First Impression: The aroma of something powerful and fiery awaiting you. Thick, heavy woodsmoke. Rich, earthy peat. Extremes of spice and sweetness. Fresh lemon, zesty ginger, rich plum jam.
• The Full-on Flavour: An explosion of breathtaking peppery, peaty heat, soothed by honeyed sweetness, before the smoke comes to the fore again.
• The Finale: Exotic spices and a curious citrus tang of mandarin, both lulling you into a false sense of calm as the peat roars back to hit your senses again.

‘SmokeHead High Voltage’ (58% ABV)

• The First Impression: Breathe it in and feel the rush of spirit hit the senses and the nose prickle. Intense peat and smoke, maritime air, porridge oats, clean vanilla and toffee.
• The Full-on Flavour: A burn of hot spirit and the mouth fills with smoke, feeling almost thick with oiliness before softening and becoming creamier, with nutty, briny and citrus notes.
• The Finale: The mouth is almost in shock, numb and tingling. A sweetness mixes nicely with the slowly fading smoke, leaving a salty tang.

www.smokehead.com

f: www.facebook.com/smokeheadwhisky

i: www.instagram.com/smokeheadwhisky

#smokehead 

NOTES:

About Smokehead:

• Smokehead is an Islay Single Malt Whisky and has been given a bold new look by Ian Macleod Distillers.
• Originally launched in 2006, Smokehead has been labelled the wild one of Single Malt Whisky.
• Award-winning premium whisky that has an attitude-led positioning and heavily peated taste.

About Ian Macleod Distillers:

• Established in 1933, Ian Macleod Distillers is one of Scotland’s leading independent, family-owned distillers, blenders and bottlers.
• Ian MacLeod Distillers is the world’s 10th largest Scotch Whisky company, producing and selling over 15 million bottles of spirits every year.
• Ian Macleod Distillers has built up an enviable portfolio of premium quality spirits and is proud brand proprietor of Glengoyne, Tamdhu, Rosebank and Smokehead Scotch whiskies and Edinburgh Gin to name but a few.

Love is in the air with speed dating at Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

Heritage, travel, education, music, food and drink, socialising – whatever interests you might list on a dating site, you’ll find an event to match during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, including speed dating.

It might not be about romance, but if you adore whisky, a one-to-one with some of Speyside’s most highly esteemed whisky experts could be just the ticket.

Speed Dating: Whisky Blethers is billed as the chance to spend an evening with key industry players and ask them all about the craft that they love and cherish. This is a chance to get up close and personal with the coppersmiths, coopers, stillmen, mashmen, warehousemen and managers that have created the whiskies of Rothes, in a festival first taking place at the distillery town’s Seafield Arms Hotel.

Whisky lovers will have the chance to spend up to 15 minutes with each expert, including Dennis Malcolm, master distiller at Glen Grant and a past winner of the Spirit of Speyside Award winner recognising 50 years’  service to the industry; Alasdair Anderson, current manager at Glenrothes Distillery in Rothes; Alexander Tweedie, who retired as technical support manager for Edrington but still hosts VIP tours at Glenrothes; Allan McDonald, now retired stillman and mashman at Glenrothes and Glen Grant; and Brian Webster, head cooper and Edrington’s Glenrothes cooperage.

While engaged in chat with the experts, a modern Rothes whisky flight featuring a dram of Glenrothes, Glen Grant, Speyburn and Glen Spey, will be served along with a buffet. What’s not to love?

Music and blindfolds will be among the tools used to take festival goers on a journey back in time to discover Speyside’s Lost Whisky Legends. The voyage will uncover the incredible story of the lost distilleries, like Speyside’s Towiemore which was built in 1897 in the parish of Botriphnie, just six miles from Dufftown.

This heritage session will lift the lid on the founder, a forgotten Speyside whisky baron called Peter Dawson, exploring his distilling roots, in a multi-sensory tasting experience with music, blindfolds and tastes from a hand-picked ‘chocolate box’ of Scotch to rediscover the pioneering 19th century era of whisky. Lost Whisky Legends Reborn is being hosted at The Drouthy Cobbler in Elgin on May 6.

In a centuries-old industry, it’s rare to get the chance to meet a distillery founder – but festival goers can do just that at Ballindalloch this year.

Share a drink with members of the Macpherson-Grant family and learn about their venture into traditional whisky making. In 2012, the family began the process of converting an old farm steading on their Estate into a distillery. Spirit ran for the first time in September 2014 and they will share their story during the Founders’ Tour on May 3 at Speyside’s newest distillery.

With distillery host Brian Robinson, guests will see what it means to make whisky without the use of automation in a detailed but relaxed look into the distillery, learning about its whisky making process and finding out why it was awarded Icons of Whisky Craft Producer of the Year 2016 and 2018.

What does a whisky tasting in Dufftown have in common with Star Wars? Think Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and whether an apprentice can surpass the teacher. In this this case, The Whisky Shop Dufftown’s ‘Lady of Drams’ Vicky Keough takes on shop owner Mike Lord, newly appointed Keeper of the Quaich, in a head-to-head whisky tasting. This will be done in front of an audience at St James’ Hall in Dufftown, who are sure to pick up a few good tips and pointers about the drams they will be sampling, before they decide which one is master or mistress of whisky tasting.

There’s nothing unusual about ceilidhs taking place during the festival weekend but the venue for one – on board a train – is a little out of the ordinary. Speyside has its own whisky line, on which a heritage railway links Dufftown and Keith, and the operators are planning a hooley when passengers will enjoy the sounds of lively local ceilidh band Footerin Aboot, along with a dram and shortbread or whisky cake while passing by some great Speyside scenery. The first Ceilidh On A Train return trip departing from Dufftown has completely sold out but there are still some tickets for the final journey on the afternoon of Saturday, May 5.

James Campbell, chairman of Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, says: “This really is the year to make a date with our festival as we’ve got so many unique events in our programme. Hats off to the whisky lovers who came up with a novel take on speed dating, the chance to meet whisky experts and discuss a shared love, over a dram or two of course.

“While some events have already sold out, there is still time to get tickets for others, and the variety and the character of the offering is as diverse as the many different whiskies that are produced in the region’s 50 plus distilleries.”

Tickets are still available for events in this year’s festival, which runs from May 3 to 7. There’s everything from behind-the-scenes tours at internationally renowned distilleries not usually open to the public, whisky tasting masterclasses, whisky and food pairings complemented by outdoor activities and heritage events, meaning the festival offers something for die-hard whisky fans to those who have never tried it before.

For further information and tickets visit www.spiritofspeyside.com. The Festival is also active on social media: facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #dram18

Photographs: Love whisky? Don’t leave it too late – get your skates on and head for the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.