ralfy.com unearthes an unglamarous bottle of decent malt with   ralfy review 749 – ‘The Whisky Trail’ Caol Ila 12yo @ 43%vol:

https://youtu.be/FG_YGva2bTs

Glengoyne collaborate with Jolomo for The Glasgow School of Art

Glengoyne Highland Single Malt has announced its latest collaboration with one of Scotland’s best-loved contemporary artists in association with The Glasgow School of Art.

The Single Malt has again teamed up with Glasgow School of Art graduate, John Lowrie Morrison OBE (Jolomo), to reveal the third in a series of specially commissioned seasonal paintings inspired by the distillery.

‘Spring Blossoms at Glengoyne’ will be printed on limited edition Glengoyne 10 Year Old gift tins in time for Christmas, with Glengoyne making a donation to The Glasgow School of Art.

Alan Horn, Director of Development for The Glasgow School of Art said: “We’re delighted that Glengoyne and Jolomo are continuing their association with The Glasgow School of Art through this inspiring collaborative project.

We’re grateful that Glengoyne has chosen to continue this relationship with Jolomo and the School and we look forward to working with them both again this year, to build on the success of the previous gift tins.

The last few months have been particularly challenging, and we would like to thank Glengoyne and Jolomo for their continued kind thoughts and support.”

Katy Macanna, Brand Manager for Glengoyne, added: “As one of Glasgow’s local whisky distilleries, we take great pride in contributing to the recovery of one of the city’s most iconic cultural landmarks, helping to secure its legacy and support future creative talent.

“The latest artwork that Jolomo has created is truly stunning, and captures the essence of Glengoyne perfectly, so if you’re looking to start your Christmas shopping, the Glengoyne 10 Year Old ‘Spring Blossoms at Glengoyne’ Limited Edition tin is the perfect present for art and whisky lovers alike.”

The limited edition tins, each containing a bottle of the classic 10 Year Old from Glengoyne and a print of ‘Spring Blossoms at Glengoyne Distillery’, will be available to buy online from 17^th October for £35.49 per bottle from glengoyne.com, the Glengoyne Distillery shop and specialist and independent retailers.

Nestled at the foot of Dumgoyne Hill with the hills of Loch Lomond in the distance, Glengoyne is widely considered one of Scotland’s most beautiful distilleries. Just 14 miles north of Glasgow, Glengoyne sits on the border between Highland and Lowland whisky regions.

www.glengoyne.com

www.drinkaware.co.uk www.scotch-whisky.org.uk

Notes 

About Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky:

Glengoyne, uncompromising in its pursuit of excellence, runs its stills slower than any other distillery in order to create the complex, sweet flavours for which the malt is known. The Glengoyne Highland Single Malt range is matured in the finest sherry casks from within its traditional dunnage warehouses.

About The Glasgow School of Art:

The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) was founded in 1845 as one of the first Government Schools of Design, as a centre of creativity promoting good design for the manufacturing industries of Glasgow.  However, the School’s lineage can be traced to 1753, when Robert Foulis established a school of art and design in Glasgow, described as “the single most influential factor in the development of eighteenth-century Scottish Art”.  Today, The GSA is internationally recognised as one of Europe’s leading university-level institutions for Architecture, Design, Digital Visualisation, Innovation and Fine Art. It is also a key contributor to Glasgow’s reputation as an internationally renowned creative city.

The studio-based approach to research and teaching brings disciplines together to explore problems in new ways to find new innovative solutions. The studio creates the environment for inter-disciplinarily, peer learning, critical inquiry, experimentation and prototyping, helping to addressing many of the major challenged confronting society and contemporary business.

www.gsa.ac.uk

About Jolomo:

John Lowrie Morrison was born in Glasgow and trained at Glasgow School of Art. He worked in education for 25 years, taking up painting full-time in 1997. He lives and works in Argyll. He has been awarded honorary doctorates from the University of the West of Scotland and from the University of Abertay, Dundee. In 2011, he received an OBE for services to art and charity in Scotland. He was the subject of a major retrospective exhibition at Clydebank Town Hall Museum & Art Gallery in summer 2013, and a major show in the Mitchell Library, Glasgow, in November 2015. John and his wife Maureen are Vice Presidents of the charity Carers Trust, along with HRH The Princess Royal.

Buffalo Trace Whiskies Win Two of Top Three Whisky Bible Awards, Including World Whisky of the Year

Two additional Sazerac Whiskies Receive Top Honors  

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Oct. 9, 2018) Two whiskies from Buffalo Trace Distillery won top awards from “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2019,” with William Larue Weller being named World Whisky of the Year and Thomas Handy Sazerac Straight Rye winning Third Best Whiskey in the world.  This is the second year in a row a whiskey from Buffalo Trace Distillery has taken home this coveted prize of number one whiskey in the world from Jim Murray.

The winning William Larue Weller, at 128.2 proof, was part of the Distillery’s 2017 Antique Collection, as was the third runner up Thomas Handy Sazerac Straight Rye, at 127.2 proof.

In addition, Buffalo Trace’s Blanton’s Gold Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was named Single Cask of the Year, and Sazerac owned The Last Drop Distillers’ “Glenrothes” release was honored as Scotch Single Cask of the Year.

“We are both delighted and immensely proud to have won not only the World Whiskey of the Year for the second year in a row, but also to hold the 3rd finest whiskey of the world title, as well as good showings in the single cask of the year categories, said Mark Brown, president and chief executive officer, Buffalo Trace Distillery.  “These wins are special to us because we hold Jim’s palate in the highest esteem, but also because they are a testament to the skill and craft of the men and women of Buffalo Trace, who consistently produce the best whiskies in the world.”

The winning William Larue Weller makes this the seventh whiskey produced by Buffalo Trace to receive World Whiskey of the Year in the last 15 years. Those whiskies include E. H. Taylor Four Grain Bourbon in 2018, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac, 128.6 proof in 2013, the Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye Whiskey in 2010, The George T. Stagg Bourbon 129 proof in 2006, and the George T. Stagg Bourbon in both 2005 and 2004.

            “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2019” can be pre-ordered at http://whiskybible.com/

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.

Introducing…

THE MEDALLION PROGRAM

In case you missed it on social media last week, we introduced our Flagship offering of Courage & Conviction, our 100% made on-site American Single Malt whisky which will release in the Spring of 2020.

Ahead of this Flagship release, we’d like to offer you an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of this amazing new whisky, and be rewarded for purchasing early, through our new Medallion Program.  This program allows members access to a special limited edition of the Flagship offering, known as the Medallion Edition.

Each annual Medallion Edition release will be a distinct barrel selection.  The removable medallion will change from year-to-year and serves as a keepsake for this unique whisky.  This is a three year aging program; members purchasing in 2018 will receive their whisky in the Fall of 2021.

VIEW MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS

Virginia Distillery Company
299 Eades Lane
Lovingston, VA 22949

AUGUST AUCTION ENDS SOON!
(ends Sunday 28th October) 

…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/zbsti3O0J_I

The big boy! The Legend! The 25YO – Bourbon & Sherry casks combined together to create one of the nicest 25YO examples of Scotch whisky, without breaking the bank, which is nice. Much like the Glen Scotia 25 from last year, this comes in around the £300 mark, given it’s rivals, it’s still quite a bargain for a new release. Cheers!

Irish Distillers announces €150 million investment in sites in Cork and Dublin

More than €150 million is to be invested into Irish Distillers’ Midleton Distillery, maturation site in Dungourney, Co. Cork, and bottling plant Fox and Geese, Dublin over the next two years 

• Nearly €130 million to be spent expanding and upgrading Irish Distillers’ distillery in Midleton, and maturation site in Dungourney, Co. Cork
• Over €20 million investment in upgrades to Irish Distillers’ Fox and Geese bottling site in Dublin, including extensions to the main operating bottling hall and storage warehouses
• Eight new maturation warehouses, holding 16,800 casks each, to be built at Dungourney maturation site
• Additional equipment installed in Midleton Distillery to expand capacity 

Irish Distillers, the makers of the world’s most enjoyed whiskeys and one of Ireland’s leading suppliers of spirits and wines, has announced the investment of over €150 million in its sites in Cork and Dublin to meet demand for its products as the Irish whiskey renaissance continues apace. This is accelerated by the continued growth of Jameson which is now in double or triple-digit growth in more than 80 markets across the world. Nearly €130 million is to be spent expanding and upgrading the distillery in Midleton, and maturation site in Dungourney, Co. Cork, with over €20 million being invested in development of its bottling plant in Fox and Geese, Co. Dublin.

The investment will see the construction of eight new maturation warehouses, each holding 16,800 casks, with further land to be purchased to support the next phase of development, in Dungourney, Co. Cork.

The company has also added an additional mechanical vapour recompression evaporator, made by GEA Wiegand in Germany, to its Midleton Distillery in East Cork. The addition allows the distillery to further expand its capacity. A third mash filter and new fermenters are also to be installed in the distillery to meet the increasing demand for its portfolio of whiskeys. The distillery will also complete construction of a new office building in July 2019.

Investment in Irish Distillers’ bottling site in Fox and Geese will see extensions to the main operating bottling hall, storage warehouses, laboratory, and office spaces and additional upgrades to bottling and packing equipment.

Commenting on the investment, Conor McQuaid, Chairman and CEO said: “This €150 million investment in Midleton, Dungourney and Fox and Geese reflects the growing international success of Irish Distillers’ whiskey portfolio. With a tradition dating back to 1780, we have been distilling in the Midleton Distillery since 1975 and we are delighted to confirm our commitment to this tradition, and at the same time continue to embrace progress, delivering new and innovative expressions of Irish whiskey. We look forward to building upon our success story by continuing to bring innovative Irish whiskeys to the market. 

“Irish whiskey is the fastest growing premium spirit in the world, with sales now accounting for more than one third of all Irish beverage exports. This investment will help to allow this growth to continue for years to come. The company is proud to play its role in the Irish drinks industry, which is a hugely important part of the Irish economy.”

Notes

About Irish Distillers

Irish Distillers is one of Ireland’s leading suppliers 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 7.3m cases in 2017/18. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets, with over 80 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 €400 million 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 n°2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of €8,987 million in FY18. 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 18,900 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

New Signatory & Edradour Exclusives – The Whisky Show 10th Anniversary

It’s a year for celebrating big anniversaries. Not only has legendary independent bottler Signatory Vintage just turned 30, but it was also the 10th instalment of The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show.

To begin the celebrations, Signatory has bottled some very special whiskies for The Whisky Show’s birthday – all exclusively available from The Whisky Exchange. We’ve worked with the team at Signatory for years, and have chosen sister casks of three of our favourite whiskies that we’ve released with them previously – a Clynelish, a Glenlivet and an Edradour.

You can find more on our Exclusive Signatory Whiskies page.

Clynelish 1996 21 Year Old, 52% ABV. Refill Sherry Butt

When it comes to stocks of Clynelish, only distillery-owner Diageo has as good a range as Signatory, and they’re not bottling them as single casks. When I visited Signatory’s warehouses at Edradour back in 2013, we tried some excellent sherry butts, and ever since have been pestering owner Andrew Symington to let us have them as exclusives. He’s occasionally given in, and they’ve been the best sherry-cask Clynelishes we’ve tried for a long time.

Each has shown a different side of sherried Clynelish. They’ve gone from dark, rich, dried-fruit sherry monsters with a flash of distillery character, all the way through to waxy and fruity Clynelishes with a backbone of fruitcake and spice. This one sits bang in the middle.

Nose: Sugared almonds, honeysuckle and nectarines. The fruit continues, with zesty lemon and sweet apple fading to leave royal-icing sweetness.

Palate: Thick and rich, with more nuts and fruit: almonds and apple jam. There’s some light fruitcake, oat cake and sweet spice to start, with a sea of raisins and sultanas following behind. Floral notes float around above the whisky, unobscured by a rich base of spice and fruit. Citrus-zest notes build through the middle.

Finish: A burst of candied lemon, then liquorice, spiced fruit loaf and gentle barrel char.

Comment: Well balanced and mouth watering – loads of fresh and dried fruit with a distinctive Clynelishiness running throughout.

Glenlivet 2007 11 Year Old, 64.3%. First-fill Sherry Hoghsead

When I call a whisky ‘silly’, I mean it as a compliment. Recently, it’s been our run of youthful, high-strength, sherried Signatory Glenlivet 2007s that have been getting all of those compliments. They are very silly whiskies.

They’ve been getting more sensible as time’s gone on, but the latest is still quite silly. We started with a 10-year-old at 67.1% ABV, followed it with a 66.2% 11-year old and have now released a 64.3% 11-year-old. All three casks are from the same batch and are intensely-flavoured sherry monsters. However, this most recent bottling is my favourite of the bunch – it’s still big and sherried, but there’s a load more going on:

Nose: Fresh and glacé cherries to start, with toasted fruit loaf and spiced butter to follow. There’s a touch of pine in the middle, surrounded by gummi sweets: sweet and sour cherries and a touch of the tropical. Fragrant oak follows. Much more restrained than I expected it to be…

Palate: The shackles are off – restraint has been thrown to the wind. Intense and densely packed: raisins, sultanas and prunes compressed to a black hole of bittersweet dried fruit. More friendly fruit appears, with the cherries from the nose joined by dried apple chunks and a basket of dehydrated berries. Black liquorice sits underneath, and dark chocolate sauce flows through the gaps.

Finish: Loads of spice: cinnamon, nutmeg and anise. They fade to reveal sticky dates and prunes.

Comment: From the nose I thought this might be a more gentle dram than its ABV suggests, but the palate is intense and packed full of dark sherry flavour. However, it’s impressively well balanced, with lighter notes ensuring it never becomes too much.

Edradour 2005 12 Year Old, 61.4%. First-fill Oloroso Sherry Butt

Edradour distillery is owned by Signatory, so I’m including this as part of this clutch of new drams. We chose our first single cask of sherried Edradour on the 2013 trip I mentioned above, and have been going back for more ever since.

The folks at Signatory have access to some of the best first-fill sherry casks in Scotland, and Edradour’s spirit works incredibly well when filled into them. This is a pure, unmitigated sherry monster. For those who will inevitably ask, it’s clean as a whistle without a touch of sulphur. Sweet, rich, sherry cask all the way.

Nose: Raisins dusted with golden caster sugar. Touches of new and well-worn polished leather. The inevitable fruitcake sits in the centre, studded with cherries, and drizzled with orgeat and brown-sugar syrup.

Palate: Thick, chewy and sweet. Sweet fruit on top, damp earth and autumn leaves on the bottom balancing everything out. The brown sugar from the nose is back, with singed raisins and baked apples in tow. Then comes caramel, toffee and buckets of juicy raisins.

Finish: Buttery cinnamon toast and raisin jam.

Comment: Thick and sweet sherry-cask fruit with a touch of savoury earthiness to stop it all becoming too much.

You can find all of these and more over on our Exclusive to The Whisky Exchange page.

**LIMITED RELEASE**

FOUR ROSES LIMITED EDITION SMALL BATCH 2018 – 130th Anniversary 

The incredible Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch has arrived. This year a fruit forward blend with some older reserve.

Buy Tasting Tickets

Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2018 Edition

The highly anticipated limited release from Four Roses has landed! This year’s bottling marks the 130th anniversary of the distillery.

Age: Blend of 10 (OBSV), 13 (OBSF), 14 (OESV), and 16 (OESK) year old bourbons

Mashbill: Blend of four bourbons with two mashbills (OBSV and OBSF – 60% corn, 35% rye, and 5% malted barley / OESV and OESK – 75% corn, 20% rye, and 5% malted barley)

Brent Elliot: “From the beginnning of the process, I focused on buildinng around the unique fruit flavours in our F and V yeast strains, and these flavours shine through in the finished product. As a contrast I also included a spicy, older batch. By mingling these different flavour profiles I think we acheived a wonderfully balanced, complex and unique bourbon”. STRICTLY 1 PER CUSTOMER.

Buy Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2018

Kilchoman 9 Year Old 100% Islay Barley K&L Exclusive Cask #549 Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

SKU #1375494 $149.99

When Kilchoman opened in 2005 it was the first new distillery on Islay in 124 years. Their founder, Anthony Wills, had a special approach in mind for a new kind of distillery. He wanted to create something with purpose and intention. His dream was to engage with the entire process of whisky making. He bought a farm and opened a distillery, making whisky in the same way it was always made: grow your own barley, malt it yourself, make your own whisky, age and bottle it on site, and deliver a product that shows an incredible sense of place, quality, and the heart and soul of the people who made it. Kilchoman is a true farm distillery in every sense. We were fortunate enough to peruse the dunnage warehouses with Anthony himself this past May and after tasting many casks, we settled on this beauty. For one, it’s just simply an outstanding whisky. But just as importantly, it tells the story of Kilchoman from start to finish in a way that many others didn’t. Laid down in 2008, just a few short years after opening, this dram was bottled just shy of its 10th birthday, making it one of the oldest Islay barley bottles out there. It encompasses everything that makes Kilchoman unique. From the salt breeze, fresh-cut grass notes of newly harvested barley grown within eyesight of the stills, to the sweet smell of wood from the exclusive Buffalo Trace barrel, to the lighter peat treatment in their own malting barn and kiln, this whisky is a pure expression of people and place.