GLENCAIRN DRIVES GROWTH IN GLOBAL CRYSTAL MARKET 

The industry’s most acclaimed crystal and glassware producer, Glencairn, reveals exponential growth. 

Glasgow-based crystal company – Glencairn – has broken new ground with unprecedented growth globally year on year.

The award-winning family owned business has revealed, in its end of year figures, that it has broken through the £10 million revenue barrier for the first time with a 20% year on year increase and their largest percentage annual increase in revenue since the business was founded in 1981.

2017 was the first year that the East Kilbride located business saw its export sales overtake its domestic market – now sitting at 60% of the overall sales, versus 49% in 2016. The extraordinary growth overseas is thanks to a sizeable increase in the luxury decanter and glassware part of the business (40% year on year) as well as increased interest in the world-renowned Glencairn Glass (29% year on year).

The USA – the company’s largest growing market globally – now contributes to nearly a third of the overall export business with sales doubling in value growth over the previous 12 months. A large contributor to this increase is sales and development through leading online retailers, in addition to Glencairn being ever more present in the growing US craft spirits scene.

The core elements of the business’s growth stem from both the company’s luxury decanter and glassware business, which has grown 40% year on year and the Glencairn Glass – which has seen growth of 29% year on year. Clients include leading companies within the spirits market through to independent bottlers and craft distilleries around the world.

Scott Davidson, New Product Development Director said: “We are incredibly proud of our business growth over the past year, especially with our increasing focus on export markets.

Our premium decanter and bottle business places us a world leader in this market. Coupled with our strong relationships with distilleries and businesses in the USA, Europe and  the Far East has meant that we have exceeded all of our business expectations.”

“In addition, consumers, globally, are looking to enhance their spirit drinking moments, to savour and learn as they enjoy their whisky and, as part of the serve experience, they are seeking quality glassware that is proven to enhance their favourite dram. Growth in demand for our Glencairn Glass is testimony to that.”

Alongside revenue growth, the business has increased its staffing levels to 60 full time members of the team at their workshop in East Kilbride.

Paul Davidson, Managing Director commented: “Our customers, suppliers and of course, our staff are valued equally by the business and we’d like to thank our customers and suppliers for their support in this tremendous year. Our staff have been fantastic. We pride ourselves on hiring the right people for the right jobs and on bringing on new, young recruits that can learn the business and the way our team works together is something we are extremely proud of.”

Notes: 

Glencairn’s clients include leading drinks companies, brands and other outlets, including: BP, Brown-Forman, Cunard, Diageo, Houses of Parliament, Muller, Google, Scottish Parliament and the majority of the Scottish Whisky manufacturers, in addition to many of the international whisky and spirit producers.

Created in 2001, the Glencairn Glass has seen an average year on year global sales increase. Often referred to as the official tasting glass, the company makes over 3 million per year, across hundreds of brands, distributed to over 70 countries worldwide.

Glencairn has previously won The Queen’s Awards as follows:

• The Queens Award for Enterprise 2017 and 2012
• The Queens Award for Innovation 2006 (with the Glencairn Whisky Glass)

Our Inaugural Release of the Award Winning Whiskies from Woodinville

“Remarkably, the most incredible achievement of Brett and Orlin isn’t necessarily the whiskey itself. It’s the fact that they’ve done all of this and managed to sell both the rye and bourbon for under 40 bucks! It’s the creation of real value that makes them champions in my book.”
– Andrew Whiteley, K&L NorCal Spirits Buyer

Available for the first time outside of Washington State, we are thrilled beyond words to offer Woodinville’s whiskies. The buzz around these heavenly whiskies reached a feverish pitch after they earned Whiskey of the Year and Rye of the Year titles from The American Distilling Institute. Founded back in 2010, Woodinville’s mission was a simple one: to craft authentic grain to glass whiskies. Partnering with a third generation farmers for their grains and employing the prodigious talents of Maker Mark’s David Pickerell, founders Brett and Orlin hit upon the perfect recipe for success. No corners are cut at Woodinville and it shines through in their truly transcendent bottlings.

Woodinville Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) ($36.99)

Woodinville is a Washington State Whiskey Company established in 2010. They heard the message loud and clear about what people wanted in craft whiskey: no short cuts. They do everything grain to glass. They work with a farmer in eastern Washington for all of their rye and corn. They age everything in full sized 53 gallon barrels. And most importantly…they waited. Patiently biding their time, they opted to only release whiskey in Washington State so they slowly build their stocks and bring a truly quality product to market in the 5-6 year old range. Right when bourbon and rye start to show the remarkably complexity and flavor that makes them so popular. A truly handcrafted spirit, this high rye bourbon (72% corn, 22% rye, 6 % barley) has aromas of creme brulee and a plethora of spices. Rich caramel nougat, cocoa and sweet vanilla all play together on the palate to lead into a sweet and lingering finish.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: June 07, 2018

I love high rye whiskey. It represents the perfect balance for me. Wonderfully sweet corn provides the bulk of this bourbon, as is required, but the high rye and 90 proof bottling dials up the spicy content. It elevates the cocoa and mocha notes and blends them into the caramel and vanilla of the barrel. This 5+ year old bourbon is finally available outside of Washington State for the first time. Fortunately, despite its exclusive nature, it’s still super reasonably priced. And excellent bourbon at great prices means it’s perfect for cocktails…in fact, I have another Old Fashioned to make…

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: June 13, 2018

A welcome addition to the world of spirits. A great price for a high quality Bourbon. It is soft and round with a kiss of spice and a wonderful, juicy, long finish. The flavors are balanced out, working well together.

Joe Manekin | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: June 13, 2018

The Woodinville label proudly states “real craft whisky” and I would encourage you to buy a bottle and taste the bourbon inside it; you will likely agree that it is indeed real, and craft, and delicious! I’m not sure whether it is the fact that they grow their own grain, include an important portion of rye in the mash bill, or simply that they just know what they’re doing with distillation and ageing, but this has to be one of the most exciting new Bourbons I have tried in a while. The nose suggests vanilla pastry cream and roasted peanut shells, leading to a Bourbon that is sufficiently sweet, but also well framed by spicy barrel notes. Highly recommended.

Stephanie Vidales | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: June 12, 2018

The coolest thing about this distillery is that they are truly grain to glass. They grow all their own grains, do everything by hand and are meticulous in their craft which really shows in this whiskey. Full of flavor, Woodinvilles Straight Bourbon shows creme brulee, caramel, vanilla, spice and a nice sweet finish. Dont miss out on this distillery’s debut to California.

Stefanie Juelsgaard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: June 09, 2018

From the first smell in the glass you know this Bourbon is going to be something special. The rich, caramel, spice nose gives off pure, sweet aromas and the surrounding area is filled with lush notes of unadulterated whiskey. Though this one is on the plusher side, it results from softening and developing in barrel rather than through additions or intervention of any kind. This is Bourbon as it should be made, through patience and care, not through manipulation. It’s exciting to see people recognize this style as worth investing in. I’m glad this made it’s way to California and hope to see it on the shelves for years to come.

Woodinville Straight 100% Rye Whiskey (750ml ) ($39.99)

Woodinville is a Washington State Whiskey Company established in 2010. They heard the message loud and clear about what people wanted in craft whiskey: no short cuts. They do everything grain to glass. They work with a farmer in eastern Washington for all of their rye and corn. They age everything in full sized 53 gallon barrels. And most importantly…they waited. Patiently biding their time, they opted to only release whiskey in Washington State so they slowly build their stocks and bring a truly quality product to market in the 5-6 year old range. Right when bourbon and rye start to show the remarkably complexity and flavor that makes them so popular. This rye is among the elite few made of 100% rye grain. A notoriously difficult grain to work with for mashing, 100% rye typically turns into a cement like glue and is known to break distilleries machinery. The results are worth the effort. This rye is loaded with cinnamon, clove and fruit leather notes. The fruit is really the most surprising part. It’s beguiling. The palate has the requisite spice and herbal tones you’d expect from rye and the finish lasts for days.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: June 10, 2018

You can’t help but be struck by the nose on this Rye. It is ethereal. I was taken aback by the wonderful fruitiness to it. The baking spices make an obvious appearance and meld with the fruity tones perfectly. The palate is full of honey, bits of pepper, a touch of fresh cut grass, and cinnamon sugar. The most impressive achievement here though is certainly in the finish. It is outstandingly clean and long. While this rye is perfect to sip on its own, it is a dream in a Manhattan or Vieux Carre.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: June 13, 2018

This Rye has a certain restrained richness and is on the dry side for a Rye.There are spice notes and it is complex and delicious.It is a classic and a high quality product.The finish is juicy and long. A splash of water softens and opens it up. The Woodinville Rye should make most Rye drinkers very happy.

Stephanie Vidales | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: June 12, 2018

Rye fans should definitely check out this Washington handcrafted whiskey. You immediately know its rye from the nose by its rye bread and spice aromas. On the palate theres cinnamon, cedar, spearmint, subtly fruity notes and oak character throughout. The overall body is rich and full and is a perfect candidate for your rye cocktails.

Stefanie Juelsgaard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: June 09, 2018

I can’t say that my experience with 100% Rye Whiskeys is all that extensive, mostly because it’s so finicky to make, people don’t usually bother. I was struck by how light the nose was and how fresh the taste. I was expecting bitterness and punch, but what I got was floral and modern. The palate was smooth and a little woodsy and herbal. If this is the style of 100% rye we should come to expect, I plan on drinking them much more frequently. I’m very excited to see something so unique on the shelves and will definitely be adding this to my bar for something original.

New & Limited

This week has seen a flurry of activity in The Whisky Shop warehouse! We’ve had limited editions arrive from the four corners of the Scotch whisky world, including our exclusive single cask Glen Scotia available for immediate dispatch, the oldest ever official Talisker, the latest cask strength GlenDronach and the final release in Jura’s ‘One’ triliogy, all available to pre-order now.

International shipping available

Glen Scotia 2006 Bourbon Cask Exclusive

Distilled in December 2006 and matured in a single first-fill ex-bourbon barrel for eleven years, this Campbeltown single malt was bottled exclusively for The Whisky Shop in April 2018. Just 212 bottles have been filled, each one presented at a cask strength of 55.6% abv.

The nose has juicy fruit notes with a trace of vanilla and a subtle maritime influence. The palate is smooth, with sweet notes from the bourbon cask adding to the classic salty Campbeltown character. The finish brings a gentle spice with oak notes lingering.

£85 Buy Now
Only available while stocks last!

JUNE AUCTION NOW LIVE
(ends Sunday 24^th June)

…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!

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the legendary Chicago punk rock whisky bar, Delilah’s, we have once again created a limited edition Scotch whisky in collaboration with owner and whisky enthusiast, Mike Miller.

The recipe for our second homage to Delilah’s was built around a small parcel of the original Compass Box Delilah’s blend released in 2013 – a luscious, American oak-aged whisky that we aged in cask for a further five years – with the addition of malt whisky aged in Spanish Sherry casks, also made of American oak.

The final blend is a characterful whisky with notes of vanilla and spice, and rich Sherry wine character reminiscent of dried fruits and baking spices.  You can drink it any way you’d like, but we’d recommend it as a shot with a great beer, the way whisky is often enjoyed at Delilah’s.

FIND OUT MORE

I’m sad to share with you the news that ‘Asyla’, the second whisky I created when I started the company, originally released in 2001, is going out of stock for the foreseeable future.  Over the past few years, demand exceeded what we expected for this delicate whisky, and as a result we have run out of the appropriate age range of the key single malts for the recipe.  We’ve experimented with other malt whiskies, but nothing has given us the specific character we’re looking for.

So, we have decided to stop making Asyla rather than compromise its integrity.  We have stocks of these single malts aging in our inventory, and we’ll let you know if and when we’re able to bring back Asyla, perhaps as a limited edition in the future.  If you have a bottle or come across one, please do savour it in good company.

~John Hall, Whiskymaker

Great King Street Highball

Try the classic Scotch & Soda, or Scotch Highball, for a refreshing way to enjoy Scotch whisky this summer.

First, fill a chilled highball glass that has been stored in the freezer with as much ice as you can.

Add 50ml / 1 ¾ oz Great King Street Artist’s Blend and 100ml / 3 ½ oz good quality, freshly opened, refrigerated soda water.  Stir, briefly, so not to let too much carbonation escape. Add one lemon zest twisted over the glass to release its oils and then dropped into the glass, or one small sprig of mint ‘bruised’ to release the aroma.

Compass Box Whisky Co.
Chiswick Studios
9 Power Road
London, Middlesex W4 5PY
United Kingdom

TOKYO — 11 June 2018 – The world’s foremost online retailer of rare Japanese whisky, dekantā, have revealed the Eigashima 2011 Kikou – Ki Series as the company’s first private label bottling of Japanese whisky, to mark their third anniversary.

This first private label, single cask whisky from dekantā, home to the world’s largest online inventory of Japanese whisky, spotlights a little known Japanese whisky producer, while paying homage to the origins of Japanese whisky making in Scotland. The Eigashima 2011 Kikou – Ki Series (US$650; 58.4% ABV) was finished in a cask freshly emptied of Scotch Whisky from the currently ‘silent’ Port Ellen distillery. This is a highly limited release; only 300 bottles will be available. dekantā delivered the highly anticipated release as part of an exclusive event at Mayfair restaurant and bar Sexy Fish, which boasts Europe’s largest on-trade collection of Japanese whisky.

The Eigashima 2011 Kikou will be the first in the Ki Series of independently bottled Japanese whiskies from dekantā, so called because each whisky in the series will explore an aspect of life imbued with the Japanese concept of Ki – one of the most meaningful words in the Japanese language. The Kikou bottling is named after the Japanese word for ‘climate’, celebrating one of the most vital parts of Japanese whisky making. Drawing on the Ukiyo-e style of Japanese art, the label depicts a chrysanthemum, a flower local to Akashi City park which hosts the Eigashima distillery, and which also relies on the local climate to thrive.

“We have come a long way in three years and are delighted to present such a unique independent bottling of Japanese whisky to the dekantā family worldwide,” said dekantā director Makiyo Masa. “Closed in 1983, Port Ellen is now an eminent name in Scotch whisky, the Karuizawa of the Scotch whisky world. Our first private cask bottling marries the characteristics of two internationally renowned distillers.” Tasting notes indicate the Scottish seaside influence of the Port Ellen cask: A floral burst on the nose is followed by coastal notes, seaweed, beach bonfire, lemon sherbet and citrus; Lemon sherbet on the palate turns ashy, with a touch of earthiness, embers, flame roasted coffee beans, and the finish delivers burnt toffee, dry, sweet peat and dry roasted peanuts.

Eigashima 2011 (Kikou – Ki Series) will be available for worldwide delivery from dekanta.com starting on June 15th.

Notes:

About dekantā

dekantā offers customers access to the world’s largest online selection of authentic Japanese Spirits and has delivered to 127 countries across every continent in the world. A family owned and run business, dekantā’s founders have been selling collectibles since 1985 and specialize in rare, collectible, and new release single malt Japanese whisky. dekantā offers worldwide delivery on an extensive range of Japanese single malt whisky, Japanese grain whisky and Japanese blended whisky, in addition to Scotch whisky released for the Japanese market only.

About Eigashima Distillery

Fewer than 100 yards from the Harima-nada sea, Eigashima Shuzo is the closest whisky distillery to the coast in Japan, and this is reflected in the savoury, saline pure character of the distillery’s produce. A family owned distillery that has been producing traditional Japanese alcoholic beverages for over three centuries, Eigashima Shuzo was the first Japanese whisky to be granted a license to produce whisky in 1919. Eigashima is still Japan’s smallest whisky producer, with a team of just five people and very limited production.
dekanta.com

Follow dekantā on Twitter: @dekantawhisky 

Like dekantā on Facebook: facebook.com/dekantawhisky/

dekantā Press Room: https://dekanta.com/press/

Dekanta

2-49-7 Minamiikebukuro Toshima-ku, Tokyo,

Celebrating our enduring desire to seek out the world’s finest oak to craft our exceptional casks in which we mature our spirit, the collection celebrates a journey that takes us across continents, cultures and terrains.

Each expression is a new chapter in our continuous quest for discovering excellence – a story that begins in the forests and cooperages of distant lands and culminates in a singular, rich, sensory Macallan experience. As a result, this unique quartet of whiskies reveals the true influence of our hand-picked, sherry seasoned oak casks in the superlative quality, natural colour and full flavours at the heart of The Macallan single malt whisky.

The Macallan Quest Collection, which was created exclusively for travel retail, has now been made available to buy as a complete set from The Macallan Online Shop, whilst stocks last. Start your journey today.

BUY NOW             DISCOVER MORE

The Macallan Distillery and Visitor Experience, The Macallan Distillers Ltd,
Easter Elchies, Craigellachie AB38 9RX Scotland

The Macallan Quest Collection is also available at select airports around the world.

The Good Dram Show – Episode 269 ‘Sweden Rocks!’ – This weeks episode of the show features new releases from Mackmyra and Smogen as well as a bit of Motorhead! 

https://youtu.be/2tE0w-AoQi8

GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 7

This Speyside single malt is the 7th release from The GlenDronach Cask Strength series. Matured in a combination of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez casks from Andalucia, the Master Blender has selected the ideal marriage of these casks to create this limited edition, bottled without chill-filtration at a natural cask strength of 57.9% abv.

£69 Pre-Order Now
Orders will be dispatched week beginning 18th June