CHIVAS BRINGS TOGETHER WORLD’S TOP BARTENDING COMMUNITY FOR

THE CHIVAS MASTERS GLOBAL FINAL IN LONDON

21 NATIONAL WINNERS UNVEILED 

Chivas Regal, the world’s first luxury whisky, has revealed the 21 national winners heading to the United Kingdom to compete to be crowned Chivas Masters Global Champion 2018.

For the first time, the Chivas Masters Global Final (taking place from 24^th-28^th June) will return to Chivas’ roots with the five-day finale starting at the Strathisla distillery in Speyside, the home of Chivas, before culminating in London, one of the most exciting and diverse cocktail capitals in the world.

The Chivas Masters is a global competition that champions bartenders who share Chivas’ core values of community, collaboration and generosity. It is built around the belief that generosity and success go hand in hand – a belief originally held by founding brothers John and James Chivas who were determined to share their success with the local community. Community is the theme at the very heart of this year’s competition, and the 21 finalists have already excelled in the national heats by producing some outstanding Chivas serves inspired by their local community.

With more bartenders competing in the global final than ever before, the contestants are facing the fiercest challenge yet, and will need to show both exemplary bartending skills and team spirit to impress the judges. Throughout the week, they will take part in a series of masterclasses and intense individual and team challenges designed to test their skills, creativity and teamwork.

They will then be shortlisted to three grand finalists who, in an exciting new twist, must win over the hearts and minds of consumers as well as the judges. As part of the final challenge, the bartenders will be tasked with establishing their own bespoke pop-up cocktail bar and menu, where they will be looking to excite the senses of their most important judge – the everyday public – with their local community-inspired signature cocktail.

The 21 finalists will be mentored over the course of the week by a distinguished panel of internationally-acclaimed judges, who hope to inspire the contestants with their own unique skill-set and experience. The panel comprises:

• Matt Whiley – ground-breaking London bartender behind an impressive list of award-winning bars, including Purl, Worship Street Whistling Shop, Dach & Sons, Talented Mr Fox, Peg + Patriot, and Scout.
• Laura-May Coope – social media superstar and co-founder of Social Life – the premium social media agency for entertainment brands.
• JJ Goodman – globally recognised personality and thought-leader in the world of mixed drinks. Goodman is also the Founder of The London Cocktail Club bar group, Craft Cocktail Co. bottled cocktails, and Keystones Cocktail Club.
• Bea Bradsells – storyteller and daughter of Dick Bradsell – the Soho cocktail expert who created the Espresso Martini and the Bramble.

Richard Black, Global Marketing Director at Chivas Regal, comments: “Our 21 national winners have already amazed us with their tenacity and teamwork, but this year’s competition is fiercer than ever before. We have 21 of the world’s best bartenders coming together and we want them to show us that success really does taste better shared – by creating their own pop-up cocktail bar with their peers and fellow competitors. The finalists will not only need to impress our esteemed judges, they face the ultimate critic in the form of our consumers, with their high expectations, pushing the competition to a whole new level.”

The 2018 Chivas Masters Global Champion will be decided at the Oval Space, London, on the evening of Thursday 28^th June, and will win an all-expenses-paid trip to Tales of the Cocktail 2018 in New Orleans, and the chance to travel the world with Chivas to inspire the bartenders of the future.

Follow the Finalists

Follow the finalists’ journey in the United Kingdom and tune in live throughout the Global Final from Sunday 24^th June through our Instagram Stories: @chivasregal / www.instagram.com/chivasregal. 

Meet the 2018 Chivas Masters Global Finalists

• Argentina –Martin Suaya from JW Bradley
• Australia – Louis Marcpherson from Baxter Inn
• Brazil – Alex Sepulchro from Frank Bar
• Bulgaria – German Gochev from The Martini: Food & Cocktails
• China – Michael Chen from The Cannery
• Cuba – Fabián Ramos from Restaurante Divino
• Czech Republic – Filip Jančárek from the Bankers Bar
• Dominican Republic – Julio Ruiz from Salitre Restaurante
• France – Louis Lebaillif from Little Red Door
• Hong Kong – Yuta Inagaki from Butler
• Japan – Kentaro Wada from The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo, The Bar
• Mexico – Oscar Jesus Armenta  Garcia from Puebla
• Morocco – Houssam Bennani from The Hilton
• Peru – Angel Solorzano Chumpitaz from Felix Brasserie
• Poland – Bartosz Konieczny from Ceviche Bar
• Switzerland – Chloé Merz from Angels’ Share
• Thailand – Arron Grendon from Tropic City
• The Netherlands – Rick Marson from The Duchess
• The United Arab Emirates – Stefano Ruocco from Flamingo Room by Tashas
• United Kingdom – Alex Godfrey from The Milk Thisle
• USA – Valentino Longo from Le Sirenuse Four Seasons 

Notes: 

About Chivas Regal

Launched in 1909, Chivas Regal is the world’s first luxury whisky and is considered to be a timeless classic, renowned for its benchmark quality and taste, style, substance and exclusivity. A truly global brand, Chivas Regal has been integral to the growth of the Scotch whisky category worldwide and today sells 4.5 million 9L cases annually in more than 150 countries across the globe. With generosity, entrepreneurship and integrity at the heart of Chivas Regal, the brand launched its successful Win the Right Way campaign in 2014, which aims to inspire a new generation whilst making a positive impact on the lives of others. The Chivas Regal range includes Chivas Regal 12, Chivas Regal Extra, Chivas Regal Mizunara, Chivas Regal 18, our first blended malt Chivas Regal Ultis, Chivas Regal 25, the pinnacle of the range and ultra-prestige blend Chivas Regal The Icon, and the Global Travel Retail exclusive Chivas Brothers Blend.

www.chivas.com  

About Chivas Brothers

Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits. Chivas Brothers’ award-winning portfolio features some of the world’s most revered Scotch whisky brands including Chivas Regal, the world’s first luxury whisky and the No.1 Scotch whisky in China; Ballantine’s, Europe’s No.1 Scotch whisky; The Glenlivet, the world’s No.1 single malt whisky; and Royal Salute, the world’s only exclusively prestige Scotch whisky range. The portfolio also includes two of the world’s leading English gins – Beefeater, the world’s most awarded premium gin, and Plymouth gin – plus a selection of highly acclaimed single malt whiskies, including Aberlour, Longmorn, Scapa, Strathisla and Tormore. The range is completed by a collection of blended Scotch whiskies operating in many of the world’s key whisky markets which includes 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport Scotch.

www.chivasspirit.com

@ChivasNewsRoom 

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of € 8,682 million in FY16. 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 and Malibu, Mumm and Perrier- Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of 18,500 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 “Brand Companies” and 85 “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.

THE KING O’ MALTS

We’ve just released six preview casks from July Outturn that bring sophistication and granduer. Explore a breadth of full-bodied flavour and teasing textures, from rich and viscous to ‘melt-in-your-mouth’ creaminess. Only a limited number of bottles are available ahead of the full Outturn release on Friday, 6 July at 9am,
order now before they’re gone.

July also sees us celebrating our 35th anniversary with ‘The King o’ Malts’, whisky guru and chair of our Tasting Panel, Charlie MacLean. Charlie has hand-selected an exclusive collection of casks that will be released on First Friday – be quick to buy preview bottling 2.108, there are only 30 available.

VIEW WHISKY

2.108 The King o’ Malts

“A complex aroma, at once fruity, faintly vinous and nose-drying. Water enhances the sweeter elements in the aroma. The texture is oily, the taste sweet throughout, with some gingery spice in the fragrant finish”

Age: 10 years
Price: £67.50

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

ONE OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST WHISKIES UP FOR AUCTION

One of the world’s most coveted and highly regarded whiskies is set to go under the hammer in an online auction being held by Perth based Whisky Auctioneer (www.whiskyauctioneer.com).

The Bowmore 1966 Samaroli Bouquet is regarded by many as one of the best, if not the best, whiskies ever bottled. Islay’s Bowmore distillery and renowned Italian bottler, the late Silvano Samaroli, are both legends of the whisky world and the Bowmore 1966 is the gem that they crafted together.

Bottled in 1984, there were only 720 bottles produced, one of which is set for auction this week (22^nd June) and is expected to fetch between £25,000 and £30,000.

Samaroli is an Italian independent bottler, famed for the exceptional quality of their releases as well as their artistic, innovative labels and packaging. The renowned ‘Bowmore Bouquet’ is rated in joint first place on Whiskybase.com’s top 1000 whiskies of all time, sharing the podium only with another Samaroli epic, the Laphroaig 1967, bottled for him by R.W. Duthie.  While Serge Valentin of WhiskyFun.com awarded this Bowmore an impressive rating of 97 points.

More recently the French collector, whisky author and owner of the famous Auld Alliance bar in Singapore, Emmanuel Dron, opened a bottle of the Bouquet for customers in that very venue, with enthusiasts and connoisseurs flocking from all over Asia to sample a drop of this liquid gold.

The Bouquet was distilled in 1966, a golden era in production at Bowmore distillery. Silvano’s first releases in 1979 were a collaborative effort with W.M. Cadenhead, Scotland’s oldest independent bottler. Soon after in 1981, he released the acclaimed Flowers series, bottled with ornate illustrative labels. Silvano himself drew the eye-catching label depicting a group of bright-red carnations, which has become one of the most iconic labels to ever adorn a bottle of whisky.

Sean McGlone, director at Whisky Auctioneer, said: “The Bouquet series enjoys a legendary status and reputation within the world of whisky. And rightly so. Not only is the liquid itself exceptional but the artwork on the bottle is exquisite. Naturally we are expecting to see a huge amount of interest in this rare treasure from whisky collectors across the world.”

The auction is the latest in a growing line of rare treasures to be sold by Perthshire firm Whisky Auctioneer which specialises in auctioning fine, old, rare and collectable whisky. Over the past two years, the auctioneer has sold a rare 30 year old bottle of second edition Black Bowmore single malt whisky for a world record £11,900, a rare collection of Corti Brothers whiskies for £52,865, and the world’s largest known collection of rare and collectable Karuizawa whisky from Japan for £770,000.

The auction goes live on 22 June and will close on 2 July.

For more information on the auction or to register to participate please visit www.whiskyauctioneer.com

About Whisky Auctioneer

Whisky Auctioneer specialises in auctioning whisky, whether it be fine, old, rare, collectable or affordable. Formed in 2013 and based in Perth, central Scotland, Whisky Auctioneer aims to be the most comprehensive website available for the buying and selling of whisky.

Booker’s “Kathleen’s Batch” Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $49.99 View

Auchentoshan Three Wood Single Malt Whisky (750ml)  $56.99 View

Suntory Hakushu 12 Year Old Japanese Peated Single Malt Whisky (limit 12) (750ml) $99.99 View

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 207: Auchentoshan 21 Year Old

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries another lovely Auchentoshan. At the high end of the range of this Lowlander, you will find the 21 Year Old. While he has recently posted a rambling about an older 21 Year Old – from 1973 – this is a modern version. In his opinion still a cracker dram, but clearly more bourbon than sherry in the mix, while this seemed to be the other way around in the older releases.

https://youtu.be/5cEeHaEzkA0

21-BOTTLE SALUTE AS WHISKY LEGEND HANDPICKS MALTS FOR THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY’S 35th ANNIVERSARY 

Charlie MacLean chooses special selection of whiskies as part of milestone year for whisky club 

Whisky legend Charlie MacLean has personally selected a batch of 21 new single cask bottlings for The Scotch Malt Whisky Society as part of its 35th anniversary celebrations.

The whiskies, which range in age from 8 to 29 years old and feature tasting notes written by MacLean, will go on sale exclusively to the Society’s members around the world from July. As with all Society bottlings, each one is a limited edition having been bottled from single casks of whisky.

Eight of the bottles will be available to members in the UK, including a 16-year-old from the Old & Dignified flavour category called ‘Red carpet welcome’, which is described as “full-bodied and oily; sweeter and more complex than expected, with dark toffee, pecan nuts and a trace of sea salt in the long, spicy finish”.

Special offers for non-members

While the whiskies are only available to SMWS members, the Society is launching two special membership offers for whisky fans keen to buy any of MacLean’s handpicked selections.

Non-members can buy tickets, which include a membership to the Society, to special whisky tastings in Edinburgh and London hosted by MacLean for only £125 here: https://goo.gl/Mu8n9G

The Edinburgh event on Tuesday 3 July features a tasting, food and screening of ‘The Angels’ Share’, the Ken Loach whisky film in which MacLean made a cameo appearance, at the Dominion Cinema.

The London event on Wednesday 4 July includes a tasting in the atmospheric crypt of St Etheldreda’s Church in Ely Place in London.

From Thursday 21 July non-members will also be able to buy a bottle of ‘All sweetness and light wood’, an 11-year-old from the Juicy, Oak & Vanilla profile, plus membership, for £99.

Longtime Society supporter

MacLean has been a longtime supporter of the Society; he joined the whisky club at its outset in the early 1980s, and became a chair of its renowned Tasting Panel in 1992. In 2016, he curated a selection of 30 rare discontinued whiskies from auction and his own collection for the Society’s Kaleidoscope bar in Edinburgh.

The process of nosing, sampling and selecting his favourite whiskies with The Tasting Panel took place over the course of a day at The Vaults, the Society’s private members’ rooms in Leith.

MacLean said: “It was a most enjoyable day and a fitting way to help the Society celebrate its remarkable 35th anniversary.

“In keeping with the way the Society has always sought to unearth whisky casks that are hidden gems, I was looking for samples of distinction. We came across many samples that were okay, but not yet ready for bottling. We were hunting for whiskies that were unusually good examples of the distillery character.”

Euan Campbell, the Society’s Spirits Manager, who worked with MacLean on the selection process, added: “It was a pleasure and honour to work with Charlie on his cask selections and to assess the whiskies alongside someone with his depth of knowledge.

“Ever since the Society was set up in 1983, we’ve always looked to do things differently and seek out the most amazing whiskies for our members. Having a whisky legend like Charlie choose these whiskies is a perfect example of what makes being a member of the Society such a special experience.”

For full details of the whiskies selected by Charlie MacLean, the tasting events and the special offers to non-members, visit https://goo.gl/Mu8n9G

Notes:

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society 

• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is an international whisky club that bottles rare single cask, single malt whisky, and a range of other spirits
• The Society was established in Edinburgh in 1983 and now has more than 26,000 members and branches around the world
• The Society only ever bottles single casks – each cask is unique, making every Society bottling a limited edition
• The Society has bottled whisky from more than 135 distilleries in its history
• The Society releases a new batch of around 30 single cask, single malt whiskies every month
• The Kaleidoscope Whisky Bar and Shop has over 200 whiskies on offer and is open to everybody
• The Society offers a variety of membership’s packages which can be tailored. Please see smws.com/society-membership
• For more information about the Society, visit smws.com

New Signatory Glenlivets – decades apart

We like working with Signatory Vintage. They’re well-known for having frankly ridiculous warehouses, packed with some of the best whisky in Scotland, and we’re always happy when they let us have a look at what they have maturing.

Our latest selections from their treasure trove are a pair of whiskies that couldn’t be more different, but at the same time share a common source – they’re both from Glenlivet: Signatory Glenlivet 1981 36 Years Old and Signatory Glenlivet 2007 11 Years Old.

Despite there being 26 years between the whiskies, Glenlivet didn’t change much between the two days they were distilled – the same stills, the same washbacks, the same spirit. However, the whiskies are hugely different.

Signatory Glenlivet 1981 36 Years Old

Distilled on 21 December 1981 and matured for 36 years, this whisky has a twist – it spent its last 76 months (six-and-a-bit years) in a sherry butt. So, a 30-year-old Glenlivet finished in a sherry cask, although calling more than six years a ‘finish’ is stretching things a bit. As you’d expect, it’s picked up some sherry character, but it is ultimately defined by its first 30 years, time where it slowly developed the elegance that well-aged Glenlivet is known for.

Nose: Mint chocolate with sultanas and raisins. Spiced brioche and cinnamon buns follow, with apple Danish pastries pushing through the middle. Old and elegant oak sits at the back: well-worn wax-polished tables. Hints of tropical fruit join the apples as it sits: pineapple and papaya.

Palate: Toffee apples kick things off: sharp Granny Smiths covered with crunchy barley-sugar-tinged toffee – followed by a burst of woody spice: cinnamon, cedar, nutmeg and freshly-sawn oak boards. Sweetness builds, with dried apple and pineapple complemented by a touch of simple syrup. That fades, revealing a core of wax-polished oak.

Finish: Soft spice and squishy liquorice. Singed raisins emerge with candied peel. Fruit cake notes linger.

Comment: Fruit scattered across an old oak table – just what you’re looking for from something like this. The sherry cask has worked its magic, adding rich fruit and spice without swamping 30 years of maturation.

Buy Now >

Signatory Glenlivet 2007 11 Years Old

At the other end of the spectrum, this 2007 Glenlivet has had a simple life – 11 years (and two days) spent resting in a first-fill sherry hogshead. The cask was smaller, the sherry influence stronger and the bottling strength is a punchy 66.2% ABV – a combination that’s a must for sherry heads. We released a sister cask last year and liked it so much we had to have another. This one is slightly more restrained, but that’s not saying much…

Nose: Thick, dark and smoky raisin jam leads the way, followed by prunes and sticky dates. They are tamed by a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. Leathery notes develop underneath, balanced by glacé cherries and rich toffee.

Palate: Intense – hang on to something. Raisins and cherries start but are quickly covered in peppery spice and hot cinnamon. Liquorice and leather emerge from underneath, followed by baked apples and hints of menthol. Treacle toffee and brown sugar provide rich, dark and sweet support.

Finish: Cinnamon-dusted raisins become prunes and blackcurrants.

Comment: A bit of a monster that isn’t particularly tamed by water. Intensely flavoured and full of fruit, it’s one for the sherry heads.

Buy now >

You can find the complete range of Whisky Exchange Signatory Vintage exclusives on our website.

W. L. WELLER 12 YEAR, 45%

ONLINE EXCLUSIVE

BUY NOW

Not so easy to find in the UK anymore, the Weller 12 Year Old is a wheated Bourbon bottled by Buffalo Trace.

Ralfy is proud to present Ralfy Review 731 – Balblair Vintage ’91 26yo @ 46%vol

Friday, June 22nd, 5-7 PM

Teeling Irish Whisky

For over 230 years, independent bottler Teeling Whiskey has brought choice and breadth to the Irish whiskey category through their small batch releases. Each small batch bottling is the product of hundred year old family traditions and modern innovation, melded together to create flavorsome, interesting, and consistently award-winning products.

Guests will be treated to a variety of expressions, with distillery representatives and whisky experts on hand to answer questions. 

Click Here to RSVP