Distell launches new limited release malt collection for 2018

Distell is proud to celebrate the launch of six limited release whiskies across its single malt portfolio this September, at its first annual showcase event ‘The Malt Gallery’ by Distell. This year’s releases include two unique expressions each from Bunnahabhain and Ledaig and one each from Deanston and Tobermory.

The new releases will be unveiled together for the first time at the company’s inaugural malt whisky showcase in London, on Wednesday 12 September. TT Liquor in Shoreditch will transform into a magical distillation of the whiskies’ Scottish homelands for the event, where guests will live and breathe the stories of these captivating brands.

Attendees will be invited on a journey of discovery through an exhibition of sound, aroma and taste. Starting in the southern highlands with Deanston before soaring west to the islands of Islay and Mull for Bunnahabhain, Tobermory and Ledaig. Lead Blender Dr Kirstie McCallum and Bunnahabhain Distillery Manager, Andrew Brown, will guide guests through a nosing and tasting of each release for the very first time.

The latest whiskies to join the portfolio encapsulate Distell’s dedicated approach to high-quality whisky making, which appeals to all consumers, and covers a spectrum of taste profiles:

• Tobermory 2005 (12 YO) Fino Cask Finish, RRP £110
• Ledaig 1998 (19 YO) Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish, RRP £130
• Ledaig 1998 (19 YO) PX Cask Finish, RRP £150
• Deanston 2008 Brandy Cask Finish, RRP £60
• Bunnahabhain 2008 Mòine Bordeaux Red Wine Cask Matured, RRP £75
• Bunnahabhain Palo Cortado Cask Finish, RRP £275

Commenting on the new expressions, Derek Scott, Brand Director for Malt Whisky at Distell, said: “This has been a revolutionary year for our malt portfolio. We’re lucky to have three very different distilleries and this showcase will allow us to share the stories of each and highlight how these are reflected in the bold new releases.

“Kirstie, our lead blender, has been working with each distillery to create these unique whiskies. Using the flavour profile each brand is known for as the guide to select the finishing casks, we’ve been able to create six limited release whiskies that are not just of interest for their points of difference but are also fantastic drams that remain true to the whisky’s style.

“A truly unique event within the industry and a fantastic exhibition of our brand stories, whiskies and the characters behind the making of them, we are confident this will become a much loved event in the whisky calendar.”

Media who would like to attend the event should email linsay@talkingcanvas.net to register their interest.

For more information on Distell’s whisky portfolio please visit: www.distell.co.za.

Notes 

About Distell

• Distell is Africa’s leading producer of wines, spirits, ciders, scotch whisky and ready-to-drinks (RTDs) with a portfolio of close on 100 brands.
• Within the portfolio, Distell owns four single malts and a number of scotch brands produced across three distillery sites.
• The three distilleries include: Bunnahabhain on the Isle of Islay; Deanston in Doune, Perthshire and Tobermory based on the Isle of Mull.
• With a global network of offices and distribution partners, the company employs nearly 5000 people worldwide and has an annual turnover of R14.2 billion. (£1.09 billion)
• In Scotland, the company’s operations are based in East Kilbride where it has a bottling hall, with blending and warehousing facilities at Airdrie, both near Glasgow.
• Distell is the 2015 “Distiller of the Year” award winner at the International Wine and Spirit Competition.

For more visit: www.distell.co.za

Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year Old

Our friends at The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society are raffling off one of the rarest Bourbons available, a bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle 25 Year Old. We wanted to make sure our Bourbon-loving audience is well aware of the opportunity. Don’t delay on this amazing opportunity to support a great cause. Check out the details below and click the link to purchase raffle tickets directly from The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Cheers,
-The Party Source Liquor Department

This is an extra special, one-time bottling of Van Winkle bourbon. Eleven barrels were hand selected for this very small batch bourbon, producing only 710 bottles of rare and even harder to find Van Winkle whiskeys.

The barrels were distilled in the spring and fall of 1989 and stored on the lower levels of a metal clad warehouse built in 1935 at the Van Winkle family distillery in Shively, Ky. In 2002 the barrels were moved to Buffalo Trace Distillery, where they continued to age for another 12 years on the lower floors in Buffalo Trace’s brick warehouses. The lower floor placement helped preserve the sweet, mellow notes of the world-famous wheated bourbon recipe. In 2014 the Buffalo Trace team moved the barrels into stainless steel tanks to halt the aging process and preserve the rich flavor profile fans have come to expect from the Van Winkle line.

These extra special bottles deserve an extra special vessel, so each bottle is a handmade glass decanter from Glencairn Crystal Studio. The bottle information is engraved on each decanter, individually numbered, and hand finished with a silver stopper. A glass top for the decanter is also included.

Each decanter is packaged in a handmade wooden box crafted in North Carolina by James Broyhill II of Heritage Handcrafted. The lid is constructed using the oak staves from the 11 barrels that held this bourbon. The outside of the box bears a metal plaque with the Old Rip Van Winkle logo and states “asleep 25 years in the wood.” Inside each box, along with the decanter and glass top, is a bourbon certificate of authenticity, numbered and signed by Julian Van Winkle, grandson of founder Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle, Sr.

RAFFLE TICKET 

Only 500 Old Rip Van Winkle raffle tickets will be sold, at $100 per ticket. The winning ticket will be drawn on Friday, August 24th, 2018 at 2 pm at The Party Source. You do not need to be present to win.

*Bottle must be picked up instore at The Party Source

Old Rip Van WInkle 25 Year Raffle

SAZERAC CANADIAN WHISKIES RECEIVE FOUR GOLD MEDALS AT LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL SPIRITS COMPETITION 

MONTREAL, CANADA (August 2, 2018) –Canadian Whiskies from the Sazerac Company participated in the Los Angeles International Spirits Competition and came home with four medals this year.

This competition, in its 12th year, is judged by a panel of the spirit industry’s most renowned judges including award-winning authors, buyers, journalists, educators and bar owners, who rate each spirit on a 100-point scale.

Whiskies receiving gold:

• Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky
• High River Canadian Whisky
• Rich and Rare Reserve Canadian Whisky
• Royal Canadian Small Batch Canadian Whisky

Complete results for the 2018 Los Angeles International Spirits Competition can be found at https://fairplex.com/competitions/spirits-competition/awards-celebration.

About Sazerac

Sazerac is one of America’s oldest family owned, privately held distillers with operations in the United States in Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Maryland, California, and global operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, India, Australia and Canada. For more information on Sazerac, please visit www.sazerac.com.

Members of the Springbank Society

We are pleased to announce two new distillery releases that will be available in the UK from today – release dates for other countries/markets will vary.  Details of these special, limited releases are below:

Longrow 14yo Sherrywood 57.8%

This Longrow release was matured in refill Oloroso Sherry casks and bottled at 57.8% ABV.

Nose: Very fruity! Toffee apples, pears and strawberry chocolates in the background; salted popcorn kernels, mint leaves and honey.

Taste: Salty and coastal, the fruitiness continues with raisins, chocolate orange and prunes. A dryness develops with demerara sugar and digestive biscuit.

Finish: Drying BBQ spices; cayenne pepper and paprika followed by cinnamon sugar, oats, pecan nuts and the typical gentle Longrow smokiness.

• The Campbeltown Cadenhead shop will be selling the Longrow 14yo Sherrywood for £55.00
• This is not a Society exclusive bottle
• There is no Society discount for this bottle as this is not a core range product.

Springbank 12yo Cask Strength 

The latest edition to the Springbank 12yo CS range has been matured in 70% Sherry casks and 30% Bourbon casks and has been bottled at 56.2% ABV.

Nose: A fruity and nutty combination; cherries, apricot jam, pistachios and toasted oats. Salted caramel and marzipan begin to emerge.

Taste: Sweet and delicious, Scottish tablet, prunes and honey. The classic Campbeltown style develops; sea salt and a light smoke coat the mouth.

Finish: A long and warming finish; honeycomb, orange marmalade and liquorice closely followed by Demerara sugar, almonds, oats and prunes.

• The Campbeltown Cadenhead shop will be selling the Springbank 12yo Cask Strength for £49.50.
• This is not a Society exclusive bottle
• The Society discount for this product is 10% (at the discretion of each Cadenhead shop)

Please note that the Campbeltown shop will only be taking orders via phone and will not be reserving any bottles should you call before 10am (BST) tomorrow – Tuesday 14th August 2018.

These whiskies are available in the UK from tomorrow – for more information on when they will be released in different countries/markets please contact your local Springbank retailers and stockists, details of whom can be found by visiting: http://springbank.scot/distributors/.

This email is designed to replace the old ‘Available Now’ newsflash that was traditionally sent out on the launch day as a number of members have requested that we let you all know sooner. As such, notifications on the launch day itself will only be made on social media. We do urge members not to publish the details of this newsflash on social media before we announce it ourselves through our own social media channels. This will hopefully let you all get first chance to buy these bottles although we would highlight that we do not control how shops sell their stock. Even the Cadenhead shops are out-with our control so if you have any enquiries about what stock individual shops have please contact them directly.

Slainte,

The Springbank Society

Springbank Distillers Ltd

Please contact the Society here to join!

ralfy.com discovers the affordable peaty version of Bruichladdich with . ralfy review 739 – Port Charlotte 10yo @ 50%vol:

(L to R) Nigel Mills CBE, Chief Executive Officer of The Lakes Distillery, Paul Currie, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of The Lakes Distillery and Whiskymaker Dhavall Gandhi

LAKES DISTILLERY BREAKS WORLD RECORDS AT WHISKY AUCTION

The first bottle of single malt whisky from The Lakes Distillery has sold for £7,900, breaking the world record for the most expensive whisky from a new distillery, and the most expensive bottle of English whisky sold at auction.

• WORLD RECORD: Most expensive bottle of whisky from a new distillery
• WORLD RECORD: Most expensive bottle of English whisky
• LANDMARK: Average of £900 per bottle for the batch of 99 auctioned

The Lakes Distillery auctioned 99 of its first bottles of single malt whisky, Genesis, with bottle number one selling for £7900.This surpassed the previous record of £7,100 for the first whisky to come from a new distillery, which was held by a Scottish distillery.

Genesis was sold at cask strength in a bespoke rosewood presentation box, each individually numbered and hand signed by Dhavall Gandhi, the Whiskymaker. Genesis comes from the Greek word meaning origin. The name pays homage to the distillery’s beginning, and gives a tantalising glimpse into its future.

The auction, which was hosted on http://www.whiskyauctioneer.com, started on 29^th June and ran until noon on Tuesday 10th July.

Nigel Mills CBE, Chief Executive Officer of The Lakes Distillery, said: “Genesis signifies an important milestone in our history, because the first spirit we laid down is now more than three years old and we can finally call it whisky. The auction was fascinating and it exceeded all our expectations. We are proud to have not only produced a wonderful malt whisky but to have seen such a demand for the first bottles.”

Whiskymaker Dhavall Gandhi said: “We don’t just bottle our whisky because it is three years old; instead, I look at each cask to assess them individually until I find the right flavour profile. We have reached a peak for some casks and that is why we released a limited number.

“It’s an amazing feeling that people are finally recognising whisky as art. People have a lot of faith in what we are doing and it’s amazing to see the prices showing that faith.”

Paul Currie, Founder and Chief Operating Officer of The Lakes Distillery, said: “This is an historic moment and the success of the auction and the interest in Genesis demonstrates that the Lakes single malt whisky is a credible alternative to whiskies from the world’s established distilleries.”

Alan Rutherford OBE, Chairman of The Lakes Distillery, said: “Our expectations for the auction were high and we are thrilled that we were not disappointed. There was tremendous interest and this is reflected in the price and the records broken. I am very proud that 99 people will have the opportunity to taste this very special malt whisky.”

The whisky was first matured in Oloroso hogsheads giving it a vibrant character full of dried ginger and wood-spice. After the initial period of maturation, the whisky was finished in casks made-up of American and European oak to add a layer of dried fruit and vanilla. Finally, these two components were married together in Orange wine casks from the Andalucía region of Spain, giving it a spicy and chocolate-orange character.

For more information, please visit: http://www.lakesdistillery.com

Notes

Capturing The new Macallan distillery from genesis to completion

The Macallan Masters of Photography celebrates two very different, but highly revered art processes and brings together some of the world’s best photographers to capture The Macallan’s mastery.

The Macallan Masters of Photography: Magnum Edition marks the seventh limited edition release. This awe-inspiring collection of images, taken by six world renowned Magnum photographers, captures different aspects of the new Macallan Distillery from genesis to completion, from the landscape and materials, to the character of the workers and protagonists who have brought it to fruition.

Explore the chapter

A unique statement in architecture and whisky making

The Macallan Genesis Limited Edition celebrates the innovative design and iconic architectural statement that is the home of The Macallan; marking a remarkable partnership with internationally acclaimed architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners.

Complete with a limited edition lithographic print of the distillery by lead architect Graham Stirk, this exclusive whisky reflects the complexity of flavour influenced by each stage of The Macallan’s whisky making process.

The Genesis Limited Edition will be available from The Macallan Distillery and Visitor Experience on the 14th August 2018 priced at £495.00, limited to one bottle per customer on a first come, first served basis. Please note there will be no access to the site before 9:30am on the 14th August.

Read more           Plan your visit

OVER 300 WHISKIES ON TASTE IN THE CITY
15 SEPTEMBER 2018
– thestudio –

It’s just over a month till we descend on Birmingham’s city centre for another memorable whisky gathering, joined by over 50 brands and more than 300 whiskies on taste. Brace yourselves for our greatest whisky tasting experience yet!

BOOK TICKETS NOW

NEW TO THE SHOW

Each year Midlands Whisky Festival welcomes some of the most well-known brands and bottlers in the whisky industry, although you’re always guaranteed to find something new and exciting to taste!

STARWARD

World whiskies are always interesting finds, especially when they’re from the other side of the globe. Starward, known as the ‘modern Australian whisky’ mature their spirit in a variety of wine casks including red wine and fortified wine, which results in a single malt with serious character to boot. Be sure to come and check them out at the Birmingham show.

THE PEARLS OF SCOTLAND

Family-owned independent bottler Gordon & Company will be at the show showing bottlings from a number of distilleries such as Bunnahabhain, Cambus, Tobermory and this exceptional bottle of single cask Highland Park, which was aged for an impressive 25 years.

FROM VERMONT, USA

If you’re a fan of American whiskey then you’re in for a treat. WhistlePig will be making their MWF debut next month, taking you on a lip-smacking journey through their range of amazing rye whiskeys from WhistlePig farm in Vermont.

MEET THE MAKERS

Keith Cruickshank will be sharing his knowledge and experience on what it’s like being a distillery manager at Benromach, during a masterclass to celebrate their 20th anniversary!

Tasting Lineup
– Benromach 10 Year Old
– Benromach 15 Year Old
– Benromach Organic
– Benromach Triple Distilled
– Benromach 1998 20th Anniversary Bottling
– Benromach 1970 (Bottled 1980s) Connoisseurs Choice (Gordon & MacPhail)

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

FIND OUT MORE

-OPENING TIMES –

Saturday 15th
12pm – 6pm
(5.40pm last pour)

Please arrive at the venue early to avoid potential queues

– VENUE –

thestudio venue
7 Cannon Street
Birmingham
B2 5EP

Click HERE for directions

Port Ellen 1983
Aged 33 Years
57.1% vol – Cask No: 16055SALE – £828.00
Don’t forget you get free marble coaster with this purchase.

Visit our website to purchase

Friday, August 17th, 5-7 PM: 

 Wyoming Whiskey 

Wyoming Whiskey are independent, family-owned whiskey makers with a world-class distillery in the Big Horn Basin of Wyoming. The Big Horn Basin has everything needed to make great bourbon, and all ingredients are sourced locally – from non-GMO grain to water from the Madison limestone aquifier. The consistency and uniqueness of these whiskey elements make for a better bourbon that stands apart from all others, and a true contender for best Whisky of the West. 

More Details & RSVP