Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 250: Auchentoshan 27 Year Old 1990 Single Oloroso Cask for CWS

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries an Auchentoshan for… China! CWS is short for Chief Whisky Society, a whisky club from China. They selected this single oloroso sherry cask as an exclusive to their members. If it were not for his new friends in Taiwan, Mark does not believe he would ever have gotten hold of it. Luckily he got his hands on two bottles. One for the Toshan Temple and one to savor.

https://youtu.be/j3j8UDCBxZI

IRISH DISTILLERS WINS ITS STRONGEST-EVER HAUL OF MEDALS AT THE

SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION 2019

– Strong start to the awards season underpinned by success at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge –  

Irish Distillers, the makers of the world’s most enjoyed whiskeys, has scooped a remarkable 11 Double Gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2019 – the strongest-ever haul for the family of Irish whiskeys crafted at Midleton Distillery, County Cork.

The prestigious competition honoured the Jameson family with six Double Gold medals – including for new release, Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Cask Strength – while the Redbreast and Midleton ranges collected three and two Double Gold medals respectively. Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength claimed its fourth double gold medal in a row, continuing the Redbreast legacy as the most decorated single pot still Irish whiskey in the world.

Success in San Francisco followed stand-out performances for the Midleton portfolio at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge earlier this month, where new whiskeys Red Spot and Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Cask Strength stole the show – scoring 98 and 97 points respectively. Following a near-perfect score, Red Spot – which was re-introduced in November 2018 after 50 years – was awarded the Chairman’s Trophy for the single pot still Irish whiskey category.

Commenting on the strong start to the 2019 awards season, Master Distiller Brian Nation commented: “We are delighted to see such excellent results for Irish Distillers, with recognition at the highest level right across the portfolio. The results are a true reflection of the passion, innovation and determination of the talented team at Midleton and hopefully signal the beginning of an exciting awards season. We look forward to further success throughout 2019!” 

Founded in 2000, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is one of the oldest spirits tasting competitions of its kind. With nearly two decades of experience, they have fine-tuned their operation blending passion and professionalism. A blind tasting process guarantees that every entry is judged fairly and given equal consideration.

The Ultimate Beverage Challenge is one of the definitive spirits and wine evaluation companies in the world. Its two world-class competitions, Ultimate Spirits Challenge and Ultimate Wine Challenge, provide unparalleled value, offering results that are reliable and easily understandable in today’s marketplace.

Notes  

Full results from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2019:

• Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition – Double Gold Medal
• Jameson Crested Irish Whiskey – Double Gold Medal
• Jameson Black Barrel Irish Whiskey – Double Gold Medal
• Jameson 18 Year Old Irish Whiskey – Double Gold
• Jameson Bow Street 18 Year Old Irish Whiskey – Double Gold
• Jameson Cooper’s Croze Irish Whiskey – Double Gold
• Midleton Very Rare 2018 Irish Whiskey – Double Gold
• Midleton Dair Ghaelach Bluebell Forest Single Pot Still – Double Gold
• Redbreast Lustau Single Pot Still – Double Gold
• Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength – Double Gold
• Redbreast 21 Year Old Single Pot Still – Double Gold
• Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition – Gold Medal
• Jameson Signature Irish Whiskey – Gold Medal
• Jameson Blender’s Dog Irish Whiskey – Gold Medal
• Red Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey – Gold Medal
• Redbreast 15 Year Old Single Pot Still – Gold Medal
• Powers John’s Lane 12 Year Old Irish Whiskey – Gold Medal
• Jameson Irish Whiskey – Silver Medal
• Jameson Distiller’s Safe – Silver Medal
• Green Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey – Silver Medal
• Yellow Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey – Silver Medal
• Redbreast 12 Year Old Single Pot Still – Silver Medal
• Powers Three Swallow Release Single Pot Still – Silver Medal
• Powers Gold Label Irish Whiskey – Silver Medal

Full results from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge 2019:

• Red Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey – 98 Chairman’s Trophy
• Redbreast Cask Strength 12 Years Old Single Pot Still – 97 Tried & True Award
• Jameson Bow Street Cask Strength (Batch 1) 18 Years Old – 97 Chairman’s Trophy
• Jameson 18 Years Old – 96 Tried & True Award
• Redbreast 21 Years Old Single Pot Still– 96 Tried & True Award
• Redbreast 15 Years Old Single Pot Still– 95 Tried & True Award
• Powers John’s Lane 12 Years Old Single Pot Still – 95 Finalist
• Jameson Black Barrel– 94 Finalist
• Green Spot Chateau Montelena Single Pot Still – 94 finalist
• Jameson Caskmates Stout Edition  – 94 finalist
• Redbreast Lustau Edition Single Pot Still – 94  Tried & True Award
• Powers Gold Label Blended – 93 finalist
• Midleton Dair Ghaelach Bluebell Forest Single Pot Still  – 93
• Green Spot Chateau Leoville Barton Single Pot Still  – 93
• Yellow Spot Single Pot Still  – 93
• Jameson Signature Blended  – 92
• Jameson Cooper’s Croze  – 92
• Jameson Blender’s Dog – 92
• Midleton Very Rare 2018  – 92
• Powers Three Swallow Release  – 92
• Jameson Crested – 89
• Jameson Distiller’s Safe  – 89
• Jameson Blended Irish Whiskey – 89
• Redbreast 12 Years Old Single Pot Still – 87
• Jameson Caskmates IPA Edition  – 86 

About Irish Distillers

Irish Distillers is Ireland’s leading supplier 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 29 years of consecutive growth and hitting sales of 7.3m cases in 2018. 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 €250m 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.

Greetings fellow whisky-lovers!

Stuff Brexit – who knows what’s going to happen??? At no other time in history have the good people of the UK been in more need of dram than right now! So we are here to help soothe and comfort you, with our unique experiences. Together we can truly enjoy the last days of Babylon!

Read on for festival updates, masterclass tickets and all things whisky…

London-folk; are you ready for The Whisky Lounge’s biggest and most ambitious event to date? The legendary London Whisky Weekender takes place over the weekend of the 10th-12th of May and we’re flat out here at TWL HQ making absolutely sure this year’s whisky weekender is the biggest and best Whisky consumer show ever!

Tickets are already sold out for the Saturday early session, so don’t miss out on the last tickets available for our other sessions. You won’t want to miss this!

BUY FESTIVAL TICKETS

As well as the usual shenanigans, this year the Whisky Weekender will see a few new additions to the festival – plus a series of featured tastings, masterclasses, workshops + more. Tickets for these are now available online so check out what’s on offer below and get booked in!

First come, first served…

The Founder’s Tasting
with TWL’s Eddie Ludlow

The Art of Blending
with Chivas Regal

Whisky Cocktail Workshops
with The Whisky Lounge
BenRiach & GlenDronach
with Matt Chambers

Berry Brother’s & Glenrothes
with Ronnie Cox

The Ultimate ‘GOT’ Tasting
with Tam Gardiner and Eddie Ludlow

Amazon’s ‘Three Drinkers’ do Glenmorangie
with the show’s stars, Colin, Helena and Aidy

BUY MASTERCLASS TICKETS

Whisky Heaven at TWL 2019 Festivals

We’ll be welcoming our friends at Scotch Whisky Auctions as they host London’s legendary ‘Whisky Heaven’; an area with drams that one can only dream of. Escape the main hustle and bustle of the festival and join the SWA team as they talk you through an incredible line-up of carefully and selected bottlings, most of which are long out of ‘print’.

With entry costing just one black token (£10), and drams ranging from 1-3 black tokens, this is truly an unmissable opportunity for festival-goers to experience the finer drams in life. Tam and his SWA Ambassadors will be on hand to offer their vast knowledge and recommendations; well-worth taking advantage of.

Black tokens are available to purchase once inside the festival from one of The Whisky Lounge stands. Both orange and black tokens can be redeemed against ‘Under the Counter Drams’, whilst only black tokens can be used in Whisky Heaven.

Join us as we sample some of the finest whiskies from Fèis Ìle 2019!

After celebrating all things Islay in May, we’ll be bringing back an array of our favourite festival bottlings from some of the island’s most recognisable and treasured distilleries! We welcome you all to these special tasting series, in which you’ll get to taste through these truly rare and exciting drams. Find your nearest venue below and get booked in!

Dates and Venues:

Wednesday 5th June –
York – Brigantes, YO1 6JX

Friday 7th June –
Newcastle – Blackfriars, NE1 4XN

Wednesday 12th June –
London – Green Man, NW1 3AU

Wednesday 19th June –
Leeds – The Northern Monk, LS11 9YJ

Thursday 20th June –
Manchester – The Briton’s Protection, M1 5LE

MORE INFO & TICKETS

Newsflash – Springbank 24yo: UK Single Cask

The Springbank Team are delighted to announce the release of the new Springbank UK Single Cask, available to buy from tomorrow (1st May 2019).  The Springbank 24yo 46.2% has been matured in a Fresh Sherry Hogshead and there will be 294 bottles available. This new UK Single Cask will be available from tomorrow – contact your preferred Springbank retailer or visit the Where To Buy section of our website for help finding where you can get your hands on a bottle.

• The Campbeltown Cadenhead Shop will be selling the Springbank 24yo for £390.00.
• This is not a core range product
• There will be no Society discount offered for this bottling

Slainte,

The Springbank Team

To join the Springbank Society please contact them at Springbank Society society@springbank.scot

FOR SELLERS!

WE’RE DELIGHTED TO SAY WE WILL BACK IN NEWCASTLE ON THE 7TH MAY,

RUNNING OUR SPLENDID COMPLIMENTARY COLLECTION SERVICE.

MAY 7TH:
1.00 PM – 1.30 PM
Craigleith Sainsbury’s Car-Park,185 Craigleith Rd, Edinburgh EH4 2EB

PLEASE LET US KNOW YOU’RE PLANNING TO COME BY CLICKING HERE. THIS LINK ALSO GIVES YOU FURTHER DETAILS.

ADDITIONALLY PLEASE COMPLETE THE SUBMISSION SHEET AND HAND IT IN TO THE COLLECTION TEAM.

FIND OUT MORE

Welcome to this weeks episode of the show. This week I’ll be reviewing some new and new-ish releases from Mackmyra as well as comparing an old and new bottling of the Brukswhisky.

https://youtu.be/j-gbonBNuTU

Whisky creator Gordon & MacPhail releases rare Coleburn single malt in Spring Collection

The 38-year-old whisky is the latest addition to the ‘Private Collection’ range

Single malt whisky creator Gordon & MacPhail has announced its Spring Collection, unveiling a series of stunning whiskies which draw upon the unrivalled depth and breadth of knowledge the company has gained from maturing spirit from over 100 Scottish distilleries.

One of the highlights of the Spring Collection is the Gordon & MacPhail 1981 from Coleburn Distillery which is the latest edition to the ‘Private Collection’ range.  This exceptional whisky has been maturing in the company’s specially selected cask at its warehouse in Elgin for 38 years. Spirit from Coleburn Distillery – mothballed in 1985 – was traditionally used in blending but Gordon & MacPhail carefully matched the spirit with a refill Sherry hogshead  to create this extraordinary and very rare single malt.

Hidden from sight behind a rich green landscape, Coleburn Distillery was founded in 1897 in Longmorn, five miles south of Elgin in Speyside. Designed by renowned architect Charles Doig, who also designed the Gordon & MacPhail retail shop in Elgin, the distillery was one of many that closed its doors during a challenging period for the whisky industry in the 1980s.

Laid down on 11^th March 1981 to mature in cask 476, Gordon & MacPhail 1981 from Coleburn Distillery was bottled at 55.9% ABV on 14^th March 2019. With a distinct mahogany hue, the new release has rich flavours of Sherry-soaked fruit, liquorice, and dark chocolate, and a long finish brimming with toffee notes and a hint of smoke.

Only 101 bottles will be available for purchase worldwide, representative of the unique nature of all ‘Private Collection’ releases.

Established in 1895, Gordon & MacPhail has a worldwide reputation for creating exquisitely rare single malts that have featured spirit from over 100 distilleries across Scotland. Due to the foresight of four generations of the Urquhart family, owners of Gordon & MacPhail, the company is currently maturing spirit from 26 mothballed or closed distilleries, including Coleburn Distillery, in its fabled warehouse.

Stephen Rankin, Gordon & MacPhail’s Director of Prestige and member of the fourth generation of the Urquhart family, said: “Our mantra has always been to ‘do right by the whisky’; recognising when it has reached its ultimate peak and then bottling it regardless of commercial pressures or notable birthdays. Brought to you as a rare single malt, this 38-year-old release exhibits the true spirit of the Coleburn Distillery. My grandfather, George Urquhart, was always keen to champion the quality of the new-make from previously unheralded distilleries and this remarkable whisky perfectly exemplifies his vision. It’s one to celebrate and savour.”

Gordon & MacPhail 1981 from Coleburn Distillery will be available for purchase worldwide from selected specialist retailers* (UK RRP £1,250**).

Two more notable whiskies from the 2019 Spring Collection include Connoisseurs Choice 1998 from Glenburgie (UK RRP £136). With just 245 bottles available, this whisky offers a unique opportunity to own a 20-year-old whisky which is rarely bottled as a single malt. Connoissuers Choice 2006 from Ledaig Distillery offers a striking whisky which has been carefully crafted using peated new-make spirit, expertly paired with a specially selected first-fill Sherry hogshead (UK RRP £73).

For more information on the Spring Collection, please visit***

https://www.gordonandmacphail.com/our-whiskies/ranges/spring-collection/)

#GordonandMacPhail

* Gordon & MacPhail 1981 from Coleburn Distillery won’t be available for purchase in the US.

**Prices in international markets may vary due to local taxes and import duties.

***When it goes live.

Notes 

Tasting Notes

Gordon & MacPhail 1981 from Coleburn Distillery (Private Collection)

55.9% ABV, outturn of 101 bottles, UK RRP of £1,250.

Matured in cask no. 476, a first fill Sherry hogshead.

Colour: Mahogany.

Aroma: Sherry-soaked fruit aromas with a touch of beeswax polish. Juicy black cherries drizzled with rich caramel leads into fresh coffee with a subtle smokiness.

Taste: Dark chocolate, coffee, and ripe plums. Dried fruits and sherry-soaked cherries, reminiscent of rich fruitcake. Subtle flavours of oak and liquorice emerge with a slight nuttiness.

Finish: Long; rich fruitcake, coffee, and toffee notes evolve into leather with a hint of smoke.

Gordon & MacPhail Whiskies

Established in 1895, family-owned Gordon & MacPhail is curator of some of the world’s finest and rarest single malt Scotch whiskies from over 100 distilleries. Four generations of the Urquhart family have continued to pursue the perfect partnership between spirit and cask.

Since its foundation, Gordon & MacPhail has carefully matched spirit to the highest quality oak casks which are sent to distilleries throughout Scotland, filled with new-make spirit, and matured either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouse in Elgin.

It is this simple but endlessly complex pairing that creates an intriguing and unique portfolio of expressions – single malts that Scotch whisky lovers will not find anywhere else.

In April 2018, the company unveiled its streamlined portfolio:

• ‘Discovery’ – Utterly dependable, this flavour-led range is the perfect introduction to our portfolio of quality single malt Scotch whiskies.
• ‘Distillery Labels’ – A range celebrating our long-standing relationships with Scotland’s distilleries.
• ‘Connoisseurs Choice’ – The heart of our portfolio – always unique, these non-chill-filtered, natural coloured, small batch expressions are genuine one-offs.
• ‘Private Collection’ – Greatly-aged single malts from celebrated, little-known, or closed distilleries specially selected by members of the Urquhart family.
• ‘Generations’ – A prestigious collection of old, rare, and exclusive masterpieces.

MALTSTOCK 2019

SoS is coming

Dear maltstockees!

…and we are coming to Speyside again! We love the Spirit of Speyside festival! So many great events and relaxed people. We go every year. This year it will be slightly different for us though. Somehow we thought it would be relaxed to be put to work…

Annette, Bob, Klaas, Stan, Teun

Spirit of Speyside festival

We’re very happy to help out our relaxed friends at the Whisky Shop Dufftown by becoming part of their volunteer crew this festival.

This basically means doing the dishes for 6 days. Making sure all tastings are set up and cleaned in time. We’ll be in St. James Hall, Dufftown for most of the festival, so do stop by to say hi! Or even better, come to one of the 14 very relaxed tastings held there during the festival.Check out the full program here

Keepers galore!

Remember this man? He was at Maltstock last year, and will be with us this year! There are many reasons why Joshua Hatton is now a Keeper of the Quaich. Doubt if coming to Maltstock several times made the difference. But we’re extremely happy and relaxed that Joshua is joining us again this year! And he will be brining his Single Cask Nation partner Jason Johnstone-Yellin.

He tells all about becoming a keeper on his very entertaining podcast: One Nation Under Whisky

Gordon MacPhail

Things are just getter better and better. Already so many fantastic people and brands have said to come to Maltstock this year. And we can now add another very relaxed one: Steven Cameron will return to Maltstock, of course bringing some excellent whiskies from Gordon MacPhail. Not to be missed!

Tickets are available

Make sure you don’t miss out on what promises to be a very special edition of Maltstock! We’ll get the full program online soon, but what a line-up it is, wow!! And we have the very relaxed Dave Broom at the Maltstock campfire, which makes us very relaxed!

So if you haven’t done so already, get relaxed and get your Maltstock ticket here

Click here to go to our webshop

Upcoming events

Maltstock will be present at:

• Spirit of Speyside Festival – www.spiritofspeyside.com – May 1-6

…and many other events (t.b.a.) during the rest of this year…

THE WHISKYBASE GATHERING

19TH AND 20TH
OF OCTOBER
2019

Macallan

The Macallan is one of the most highly revered whisky brands in the world. It is the third largest selling single malt whisky in the world and the second largest by value.

Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak 2018

This annual release of The Macallan’s popular 18 Year Old Sherry Oak is matured exclusively in sherry seasoned casks, built from both Spanish and American oak, providing a beautifully dark flavour with rich aromas. The nose opens with dried fruits, ginger and hints of citrus with vanilla and cinnamon. The palate is rich in dried fruits, spices, orange, cloves and wood smoke, before a full and lingering finish with sweet toffee, ginger and a hint of smoke.

70cl / 43% abv

£325.00 – Buy Now

Macallan 25 Year Old Sherry Oak 2018

The sumptuous Macallan 25 Year Old Sherry Oak is becoming harder to find and delivers everything you would expect from an older, sherry-matured expression from this highly-revered Speyside distillery. The nose has citrus notes balanced with cinnamon, sherry and wood smokehe palate is full and rich, with dried fruits and a hint of wood smoke and long smokey and spice finish.

70cl / 43% abv

£1,750.00 – Buy Now

Macallan No 6 1824 Series

This incredibly rare Macallan has been crafted from a hand selected first fill sherry seasoned oak cask resulting in a whisky that is full of the most luxurious rich flavours imaginable. To match this unparalleled whisky comes the sublime, handcrafted crystal decanter in which the whisky is housed in. Luxury defined!

70cl / 43%

£2,800.00 – Buy Now

Macallan M

Introducing the final part of the Macallan 1824 series. A whisky to get the heart racing, incredibly the Macallan M contains whisky from as far back as the 1940’s. Furthermore the whisky boasts possible one of the most luxurious of presentions we have ever seen. Housed in a crystal decanter created especially for this expression by legendary fashion designer Fabien Baron and crafted by Lalique who also collaborated with Macallan on earlier expressions. The Whisky is spectacular with rich, smooth notes balanced with the softest hint of wood smoke!

70cl / 44.5%

£3,700.00 – Buy Now

Orders shipped worldwide

2019 marks the 20th year of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, which runs from the 1st to the 6th of May.  From humble beginnings, this year will see an incredible 700 events happening all over Speyside.

Our special events are fully booked, but we will be open for regular tours throughout the weekend – book in advance to avoid disappointment, either on 01807 500 345 or visitorcentre@glenfarclas.com.

As in previous years, we are marking the occasion with a new Distillery Exclusive.  This year’s bottling is a 2003 first fill sherry butt, which gave us 647 bottles at 58% alcohol by volume.  They will be available exclusively at the Visitor Centre from Wednesday the 1st of May and priced at £145 per bottle.  Please note that this bottling is strictly limited to one per visitor and is only available in person – it can not be shipped.