Friday, July 27th, 5-7 PM: 

Dalmore Presented by Kimberly Drake 

Join us for a tasting of Dalmore Single Malt Scotch, presented by ambassador and whisky expert Kimberly Drake! Established in 1839, the centuries-old Highland distillery has maintained its place in single malt history by creating award-winning and highly demanded whiskies and bringing new innovations to the world of scotch distilling to this day.

More Details & RSVP

JULY AUCTION ENDS SOON!
(ends Sunday 29^th July)

…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!

https://youtu.be/MzeBolfB64w

This first video we ever released in this new look Whisky Wednesday was the W.L.Weller from a few years a go, that old, squatted bottle style. This version is the new bottle, don’t think the recipe has changed in anyway but one thing that i do want to point out is some of the ludicrous pricing that is around for this bottle. This is a max, £50 bottle of whisky, it’s not £100, it’s certainly not $250 as I saw in New York last month. Buffalo Trace make outstanding whisky and they don’t charge a lot for it, this is the first time I’ve gone on a bit of a price rant, mainly because this is an accessible almost introductory bourbon, it’s not a super high-end, kill people for bottle so please, don’t be ripped off and do enjoy a beautiful whisky that is brimmed with milk chocolate, cocoa powder and big green apple notes. Cheers!

Isle of Raasay Distillery undertakes a second year of barley variety trials on Raasay

Following a successful barley variety trial on the island in 2017, Isle of Raasay Distillery will undertake a second trial to determine which varieties grow and ripen on the island. Raasay Distillery has the ultimate long-term objective of growing enough barley on Raasay to produce at least one batch per year of single malt made with 100% Raasay barley. On Thursday 2nd August 2018, Raasay Distillery will welcome everyone interested in learning more about the barley trial for presentations exploring progress of the barley trial to date and plans for the future.

The first barley trial on Raasay commenced in April 2017 and was carried out in conjunction with Interface, Peter Martin, Director of Agronomy Institute at University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), and local farmer Andrew Gillies. Five varieties of barley were trialled in Gillies Mill Park Field: Concerto (the commercial variety) Tartan, Bere, Iskria and Kannas. The latter three ripened successfully; the barley was harvested on 26th August 2017 and then transported to the James Hutton Institute in Dundee to be dried. It was then malted by Hugh Alexander from Curio Group in June and July 2018 and a small amount of Raasay peat was used during this malting process. The distillery plans to use all three varieties of malted barley to make a special batch of Raasay Whisky and this mash will be taking place during the open day on 2nd August.

The 2017 trial revealed that current commercial barley varieties grow but do not ripen on Raasay. This is due to a much shorter growing season owing to the high rainfall level in March, April and September on the island. For the 2018 trial, Raasay Distillery will work again with Martin and Gillies to cultivate four varieties in Mill Park Field: Iskria, an early two row Icelandic variety; Golden Promise, a two row U.K. malting variety first released in the 1960s; Anneli an early two row Swedish Variety which will replace Kannas as it is no longer available; and Brage, a medium-early six row Norwegian variety. Raasay Distillery hopes to identify one suitable variety to grow on Raasay in the future and to improve the yield in 2018.

At the open day on 2nd August, Martin will introduce the barley varieties and will discuss the challenges that have been encountered while growing commercial varieties on Raasay. Martin’s expertise has been invaluable to the project; he has worked with other distillers, principally Bruichladdich and Highland Park, to produce whisky using non-commercial barley varieties. He has also worked with the Northern Periphery Programme (in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Greenland, Faroe Isles and Scotland) and this experience has illuminated the varieties should grow successfully on the island. Co-founder of Raasay Distillery, Alasdair Day, will also discuss the background and future of the project and Hugh Alexander from Curio Group will be explain the processes involved in micro-malting the Raasay Barley. The distillery will also offer free distillery tours during the open day and there will also be lunch available to purchase in the Gathering Room.

This distillery build project has relied upon the island resources: the stone used to build the supporting wall at the rear of the distillery is from the site itself; wood from the site has be used for furnishings within the accommodation, and an impressive feature wall in the Gathering Room comprises stones, bottles and treasures, found washed up on the shoreline. Raasay Distillery has relied upon the support of the local community and for this barley trial the advice and support of Andrew Gillies has been invaluable.

With a Celtic well on site providing access to high mineral content water, as well as a good supply of peat in the north of the island, Raasay Distillery is keen to create at least one batch of Raasay Scotch per year that uses all-local ingredients. While acknowledging that this whisky will be a small percentage of total production, the distillery is keen to challenge the limitations of production in such an unusual location.

NOTES

RAASAY DISTILLERY

Raasay Distillery began producing whisky in September 2017. It is owned by independent Scottish whisky company R&B Distillers.

In February 2016, the Highland Council granted permission for the construction of a distillery on Raasay. Subsequent grants were secured from the Food Processing Marketing and Co-Operation Grants Scheme, as well as the Highlands and Islands Enterprise for the development of a visitor centre, which is projected to bring 12,000 visitors to Raasay in its first year.

Raasay Single Malt will be ready to drink from 2020 and will encapsulate the rugged elegance of the island terroir. The high mineral content of the island’s water, which filters across volcanic rock from Dun Caan, will be integral to the flavour of the whisky. A long fermentation time helps to retain the minerality, resulting in a fruity whisky that will become a characteristic of Raasay single malt. Head Distiller Iain Robertson has trained a team of four distillery operators to enable the distillery to run on two shifts per day, resulting in an increase capacity of 188,000 LPA from July 2018.

Isle of Raasay Distillery is will produce Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

• Capacity: 188,000 LPA

• Fermentation Time: 115 hours

• Spirit Still: 3,600 L • Wash Still: 5,000 L

• Washback Size: 5,000 L

• Maturation: All maturation on site Produced using local water supply at every stage of distillation and reduction

Barley Open Day at Raasay Distillery Thursday 2nd August 2018 12pm-1pm: Presentations in the Gathering Room: 1pm-1.30pm: Barley Field Visit 1.30pm-2pm: Lunch & Refreshments available to purchase in the Gathering Room 2pm-3pm: Raasay Barley Mashing

Raasay Distillery, Borodale House, Isle of Raasay, Kyle IV40 8PB

T: 01478 470178 raasaydistillery.com @raasaydistillery 

1792 SMALL BATCH WINS GOLD AT INTERNATIONAL SPIRITS CHALLENGE 

BARDSTOWN, kENTUCKY (July 18, 2018) – 1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was awarded a Gold Medal at the 2018 International Spirits Challenge.

The Tasting Awards were held over 10 days of intense blind tastings by panels of more than 50 respected and experienced industry professionals.  Samples were delivered to the judging area in flights of numbered tasting glasses to ensure the accuracy of the blind tasting.  Each judge assessed the products according to age, region and variety, which is determined by the entrant and verified by the chairman.

This year, the 23^nd annual International Spirits Challenge received more than 1,600 entries from nearly 70 countries around the globe.

Results from the 2018 International Spirits Challenge can be found at http://www.internationalspiritschallenge.com/isc2018/en/page/2018-results. 

About Barton 1792 Distillery

Barton 1792 Distillery is part of Barton Brands.  Barton Brands has facilities in Bardstown, Ky., Carson, Calif., and Baltimore, Md. Barton Brands is owned by the Sazerac Company, an American family-owned company based in New Orleans, La. Barton 1792 Distillery was established in 1879 and continues today as the oldest fully-operating Distillery in the “Bourbon Capital of the World.” The Distillery is located on 196 acres and includes 28 warehouses, 22 other buildings, the Morton Spring and the Tom Moore Spring.  Distilling, aging and bottling fine Bourbon whiskey are hallmarks of the historic Barton 1792 Distillery. 1792 Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is produced at Barton 1792 Distillery. This whiskey is named for the year Kentucky became a state and is the recent gold medal winner at the 2017 Los Angeles International Spirits Competition. To learn more visit www.1792bourbon.com.

WOMEN’S WHISKY NIGHT AUGUST

TUESDAY 7TH AUGUST 2018

Whiskies of Asia!

Sponsored by Paul John, we will be sampling some of the finest drams from India, Japan, and Taiwan.

Led by women, run by women, for women.

Join us to celebrate & rejoice in all the fantastic achievements of women in the industry.

Our last four events were a massive success, let’s keep it going.

Tickets £20 or £25 on the door.

Book Now

Other Tasting Tickets

Our mailing address is:

Milroy’s of Soho
3 Greek Street
London, EnglandW1D 4NX
United Kingdom

The second release in The Viking Legend series from Highland Park is now available to order at The Whisky Shop. Inspired by the distillery’s Viking heritage and deisgned in collaboration with Danish designer and Viking descendant, Jim Lyngvild, the series proved incredibly popular upon its launch last year with Highland Park Valkyrie.

International shipping available

Highland Park Valknut

Highland Park Valknut takes its name from the Norse symbol of three interlinked triangles which was placed upon fallen Viking warriors to be spirited away to Valhalla to join Odin’s army. Valknut has been matured predominantly in sherry seasoned American oak and used a small amount of Orkney-grown Tartan barley, adding a smoky edge to its character.

The nose has toasted vanilla, cracked black pepper, cloves and aniseed with an aromatic smoke. The palate is sweet with aromatic cloves and tangy aniseed hints. The finish is incredibly balanced, with lingering peat smoke and sweet spice.

Available while stocks last.

£58 Order Now
Orders will be dispatched Monday 30th July

Glengoyne set to make debut at Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky will make its debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe next month, with an interactive new event series exploring the traditions behind Scotland’s slowest whisky stills.

Taking place on selected dates from 3-26 August at Cannonball Restaurant & Bar on Castlehill, ‘Unhurried – Glengoyne’s Inefficient Tradition’will use cutting-edge projection mapping technology to take whisky enthusiasts on an immersive journey into the heart of Scotland’s slowest stills.

Hosted by Fringe veteran, ex-BBC broadcaster and comedy writer, Gordon Dallas, this 50-minute-long event looks deep into Glengoyne’s dedicated traditions, adding a healthy splash of humour and, of course, a generous measure or two of whisky.

During the show, whisky aficionados and beginners alike will have the chance to taste the superb results of Glengoyne’s unhurried traditions in three distinct drams of single malt whisky, each paired with delicious Scottish taster dishes by Cannonball Restaurant & Bar.

Katy Macanna, Brand Manager for Glengoyne, said: “We are delighted to be holding our first event at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer with ‘Unhurried – Glengoyne’s Inefficient Tradition’, which is a light-hearted look into Glengoyne’s astonishing stories and ways of whisky making. At Glengoyne, we proudly run the slowest stills in Scotland, and we’re looking forward to explaining why.”

Carina Contini, owner of Cannonball Restaurant & Bar, said: “There are few places more exciting than Edinburgh during the Fringe, and Cannonball is the closest restaurant to Edinburgh Castle, so we’re right in the heart of the action. We’re looking forward to welcoming whisky fans from Edinburgh and around the world to join us for an afternoon of fun, fantastic food, and fabulous Glengoyne whisky.”

‘Unhurried – Glengoyne’s Inefficient Tradition’ will be hosted in The Glengoyne Room within Cannonball Restaurant & Bar. Tickets cost £20 per person and are on sale now. For more information, and to book, please visit:

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/unhurried-glengoyne-whisky-s-inefficient-tradition

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY WINS TWO GOLD MEDALS AT THE 2018 INTERNATIONAL SPIRITS CHALLENGE 

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (July 18, 2018) – Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey were awarded Gold Medals at the 2018 International Spirits Challenge. Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was awarded a Silver Medal.

The Tasting Awards were held over 10 days of intense blind tastings by panels of more than 50 respected and experienced industry professionals.  Samples were delivered to the judging area in flights of numbered tasting glasses to ensure the accuracy of the blind tasting.  Each judge assessed the products according to age, region and variety, which is determined by the entrant and verified by the chairman.

This year, the 23^nd annual International Spirits Challenge received more than 1,600 entries from nearly 70 countries around the globe.

“We are honored to accept three awards at this year’s International Spirits Challenge, says Harlen Wheatley, master distiller at Buffalo Trace Distillery, “It was truly a team effort.”

Results from the 2018 International Spirits Challenge can be found at http://www.internationalspiritschallenge.com/isc2018/en/page/2018-results.

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 21 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year by “Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible 2018.”  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 500 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com

Raasay Distillery is home to the UK’s most north-westerly population of rare Brown Long-Eared Bats, as well as a colony of Common Pipistrelle bats, which were discovered nesting in the roof of Borodale House, prior to the distillery build.

On Wednesday 1st August from 7pm- 11pm the distillery will be hosting a very special interactive evening giving visitors the chance to learn more about the distillery’s furry friends and to help monitor their summer movements through an after-dark ‘Bat Safari’.

Raasay’s nocturnal residents were carefully looked after throughout the distillery build and were temporarily re-homed in bat boxes in the surrounding trees. When the building work was complete and it was safe to return, that bats were settled into their very own ‘Bat Hotel’ in Borodale House.

The distillery’s Batman and Robin (ecologists Ross Preston and Janie Steele) will chat to visitors about how they have looked after these unusual creatures and will discuss the importance of these curious creatures as ‘indicator species’ for any other localised environmental problem.

After a distillery tour, tasting and bat talk the fascinating evening will culminate after dark with a ‘Bat Safari’ in which visitors will head outside to observe these extraordinary nocturnal mammals in their natural habitat. Guests will also be able to try out bat detectors to listen their sonic communications, and will help complete an invaluable summer survey of the Raasay Distillery bats.

The event is open to all ages with a range of batty craft activities for younger guests taking place throughout the evening as an alternative to the distillery tour and whisky tasting. There will also be tea and coffee available, alongside a licensed bar.

More information, including a full programme and link to purchase £10 tickets can be found here