Welcome to this weeks episode of the show in which I’ll be reviewing some old releases from the independent bottling company Single Malts of Scotland.
Isle of Arran Distillers unveil fresh redesign which captures the spirit of the island
The Isle of Arran Distillers Ltd. have launched a new look across their range of Arran Single Malt whiskies, including a new logo and packaging for their core range.
The campaign, which incorporates an entirely new visual identity for the brand, is titled ‘A Breath of Fresh Arran’ and aims to showcase the natural elements and authenticity of the island malts by focusing on the unique provenance of their home village, Lochranza, where their first distillery was opened in 1995.
The contemporary new bottle design reflects the journey of the water source for the Arran Single Malts, which cascades through a series of six mountain waterfalls, each one purifying the water further. The ripples on the new glass bottles illustrate this and emphasise the pure nature of the spirit.
An updated icon, which will appear on the new bottles in copper foil, is in the shape of the island itself and features a pair of eagles, which have always been an important part of the Lochranza Distillery story. Their nesting season prompted a break in construction back in 1994 when the distillery was being built and they have remained in residence for the past 25 years.
Natural materials and colour tones are used across all brand touch points, as well as tactile emboss and delicate foiling with clean lines in order to maintain a consistent look and feel that keeps simplicity at the core.
Crucially, the liquid inside remains unchanged and fans of the distillers can continue to enjoy the authentic Arran Single Malts.
Alongside the new branding, there are also two new expressions joining the core range. Firstly, ‘Barrel Reserve’, which has a light, flexible and fruity character and the cask strength ‘The Bodega’, a Sherry Cask matured spirit that partners the award-winning Quarter Cask ‘The Bothy’.
The first four expressions in the new pack will be released this month, with bottles available to purchase from arranwhisky.com from Monday 16th September.
Newly packaged 18-year-old and 21-year-old age statement Single Malts will also join the core range in October 2019.
The opening of the company’s Lagg Distillery, their second distillery on the island which opened earlier this year, has partly prompted the re-packaging as the company now becomes the owners of two very different sites with different brand identities.
Master Blender at Isle of Arran Distillers Ltd., James MacTaggart, said: “As a company, we have grown immensely since I joined the team over 12 years ago.
“We were one of the first wave of new distillers back in the early 1990s and in June this year, we started a new chapter in our story with the opening of our second distillery at Lagg. It felt like the right time to make the clear distinction between the unique and very different spirits produced at each of our island homes.
“We’ve taken inspiration from the elements that make Lochranza so special to produce a unique and beautiful new pack, which does justice to the liquid it contains. We are very excited about the future of our original Arran Single Malt.”
The new Arran Single Malt branding has been created by London based drinks packaging design experts Stranger & Stranger.
Notes:
Accolades for Isle of Arran Distillery include Winner for:
Best New Exporter (2004), Queen’s Award for International Trade (2005), Scottish Distiller of the Year (2007) and Scottish Drinks Producer of the Year (2007) Scottish Field Visitor Experience of the Year 2014 & 2015. Drinks Business Best Contribution to Wine and Spirits Tourism (2017). Best Brewery/Distillery Tour – Scottish Outdoor Leisure Awards (2017). Best Visitor Experience – Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (2018)
Product Awards include:
Arran 10 year-old: Gold Medal ‘Best Single Malt 12 Years & Under, World Whiskies Awards (2019) San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold Medal (2018). International Wine & Spirits Competition Gold Medal (2018). Category Winner and Gold Medal ‘Best Scotch Under 12 Years’ Islands Non-Islay at the World Whiskies Awards (2018). International Spirits Challenge Silver Medal (2018). Ultimate Spirits Challenge 91 points (2018). Ultimate Spirits Challenge Cocktail Commendation for the Rob Roy (2018). Double Gold Medal China Wine & Spirits Best Value Awards (2014)
Arran 18 year-old: Gold Medal ‘Best Single Malt 13 – 20 Years, World Whiskies Awards (2019) International Wine & Spirits Competition Gold Medal (2018) Category Winner & Gold Medal ‘Best Scotch 13-20 Years – Islands (Non- Islay) World Whiskies Awards (2018). International Spirits Challenge Silver Medal (2018) Scottish Field Whisky Challenge – Gold Award for Best Whisky £50-100 (2018)
Quarter Cask ‘The Bothy’: Best Scotch Island Single Malt, World Whiskies Awards (2019) Category Winner & Gold Medal ‘No Age Statement Single Malt’ for The Bothy Batch 3 World Whiskies Awards (2018). International Wine & Spirits Competition Silver Outstanding Medal (2018). International Spirits Challenge Silver Medal (2018)
Arran Lochranza Reserve: International Wine & Spirits Competition Silver Outstanding Medal (2018), International Spirits Challenge Silver Medal (2018)
WHAT’S YOUR SERVE?
Graham Eunson on industry change and how to try whisky in new ways
After eight years at Tomatin Distillery, Graham Eunson has been sampling both exquisite single malts and high-quality blends for years. In this time, he’s led tasting events, spoken at whisky festivals, as well as ran production for the entire distillery.
Following his recent promotion to Distillery Operations Director, Graham has taken the time to look back over a career that spans almost three decades in the whisky industry.
Over the years, Graham has noticed a huge surge in the appeal of whisky, as well as the increasing knowledge of the ever-emerging whisky consumer:
Mr Eunson said, “Back when I started in the industry, it was seen that middle aged, working class men drank whisky in the pub, and upper class men drank single malts at home. I think over the years it’s become more accepted that actually, whisky is something that appeals to younger people and women in equal measure. Just look at the whisky festivals, there’s such a huge diversity of age, culture and gender and that’s fantastic.”
“I think one of the biggest changes to the industry is that the level of consumer knowledge is much, much greater than it was. People know more about individual brands, they’ve learnt facts about individual distillery history, and they have an incredible wealth of knowledge when it comes to whisky tasting. It makes hosting a tasting session so much more enjoyable.”
Tomatin Highland Single Malt is committed to reflecting this diversity of taste in its Core Range of whiskies. The range features a variety of expressions, ranging from £30, up to £600. It includes a light and fruity introductory whisky (Legacy), a cask strength bottling, as well as several premium releases (30 Year Old and 36 Year Old).
When asked if he had a favourite whisky, Graham Said: “It’s like trying to choose your favourite child, I have a favourite son and a favourite daughter because I’ve only got one of each. With the range at Tomatin, I like them all but it depends on the season, it depends on the occasion. In terms of Tomatin’s Core Range, The Legacy is your best starting point – it’s quite sweet and less of an acquired taste. What’s more, the Legacy cocktail pairings are some of the most fun and refreshing ways to try the whisky.”
Tomatin is one of the few whisky brands that creates bespoke cocktails for their entry level spirits. Graham believes that it’s a key part of the brand, and something that keeps the distillery innovative.
Graham said: “Over the last few decades, we’ve been missing out on opportunities with cocktails. Because of the quality, especially single malts, everyone says that you shouldn’t mask some of the subtle flavours and that’s true. But, if that’s not how you prefer to drink your whisky, who am I to tell you how to drink your whisky. What is the correct way to drink a single malt? There is only one way, and that’s how you as an individual prefer it. It doesn’t matter if it’s in a highball, with soda water, neat, with coke or lemonade or ginger ale. It doesn’t matter. I would always encourage people to try it in different ways, because it may actually surprise you.
Notes
Tomatin Distillery has been producing and blending malt Scotch whisky since 1897. Over the last 50 years, the distillery has borne witness to vast change. At its peak in the 1970s, Tomatin was the largest distillery in the world operating 23 stills and producing 12 million litres of alcohol every year. Over the last decade, significant time has been invested in rediscovering the distillery, people and values, and in refining the business model to move away from the formerly lucrative bulk commodity market to now focus on Tomatin’s core range of single malts.
Tomatin is located in the Scottish Highlands (near Inverness) and is famous for its portfolio of soft and mellow whiskies, including a core range, a limited-edition range and a premium archive range (prices range from £30 – £10,000). Tomatin is one of the fastest growing whisky brands in the UK and recently announced that it is officially the fastest growing top ten single malt whisky in the USA. Tomatin recently reported its turnover increased by almost 25% during the company’s most recent financial year (Dec 2016 – Dec 2017). Tomatin won Distiller of the Year 2016 and Brand Innovator of the Year 2017 at the Icons of Whisky Scotland Awards.
Tomatin Legacy Cocktail Pairings
CHERRY & BLACK PEPPER SOUR
TOMATIN LEGACY WITH CHERRY SYRUP & BLACK PEPPER MAKES FOR A SUMPTUOUS TAKE ON THE CLASSIC WHISKY SOUR.
50 ml / 2 oz Tomatin Legacy
50 ml / 2 oz Lemon Juice
25 ml / 1 oz Cherry Syrup
¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper
1 Egg White
Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake hard. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass and garnish with black cherries and black peppercorns.
TOMA’TIN & TONIC
TOMATIN (MEANING THE HILL OF THE JUNIPER BUSH) LEGACY MAKES FOR A REFRESHING TWIST ON THE CLASSIC G & T.
35ml Tomatin Legacy
Squeeze of a lemon wedge
Indian tonic water
Add Tomatin Legacy over ice in a stem-less wine glass before squeezing in the juice of a lemon wedge. Drop in some juniper berries then top with sparkling Indian tonic water. Garnish with a wedge of fresh lemon.
ICED T.E.A.
A COMBINATION OF TOMATIN LEGACY, CHILLED EARL GREY TEA AND CLEAR APPLE JUICE GIVES BIRTH TO A LONG COOLING DRINK.
50ml/2oz Tomatin Legacy
50ml/2oz Chilled Earl Grey tea
50ml/2oz Clear apple juice
Dash peach bitters
Pour Tomatin Legacy over ice in a Highball glass. Place 2 lemon wheels into the glass and then build with chilled Earl Grey tea, clear apple juice and a dash of peach bitters. Stir and garnish with a sprig of mint and fresh peach wedge.
LASTING LEGACY
THE CITRUSY TROPICAL NOTES OF TOMATIN LEGACY LENDS WELL IN THIS PUNCH STYLE COCKTAIL.
50ml/2oz Tomatin Legacy
25ml/1oz Elderflower liqueur
25ml/1oz Lemon juice
50ml/2oz Pineapple juice
Dash Angostura bitters
Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake hard. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass and garnish with a dehydrated orange wheel & pineapple leaves.
CHERRY BLOSSOM
A BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED COCKTAIL DESIGNED TO REFLECT THE MAGICAL JAPANESE CHERRY BLOSSOM SEASON.
50ml/2oz Tomatin Legacy
Barspoon cherry jam
50ml/2oz Coconut water
2ml/.1oz Orange blossom water
Stir down a barspoon of cherry jam with Tomatin Legacy before adding coconut water and a small amount of orange blossom water. Shake vigorously and then double strain into a chilled Sours glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.
MIZUWARI MAC
A HYBRID SCOTTISH-JAPANESE COCKTAIL SEES THE HUMBLE WHISKY MAC SERVE COMBINED WITH THE ELEGANT AND STYLISH MIZUWARI.
50ml/2oz Tomatin Legacy
37.5ml/1.5oz Plum wine
Still mineral water
Fill half a large chilled Highball glass with cubed ice and then add the Tomatin 12 Year Old. Stir several times before adding the further ingredients with more ice, and stir once again. Garnish with a slice of fresh ginger.
For a zingy alternative swap the plum for ginger wine!
Roll out the barrel: a brief history of casks
Barrels at Jack Daniel’s
We take casks for granted. In fact, we take all waterproof containers for granted. I think it’s fair to say that in all of human history it’s never been so easy to transport liquids, from the soon-to-be-less-ubiquitous plastic water bottles and coffee cups to IV bags and fuel tankers.
Yet despite all these inventions the cask is still special, and it’s been special ever since people smashed their amphorae with joy at the realisation they’d found something leak-proof that was easier to stack. So when did the cask, to which booze owes so much, come into use, and who invented it?
…there was pottery. The earliest recorded booze humanity has thus far found was scraped off a piece of pottery that dated to around 7000 BC, and as anyone who’s seen one of those wibbly-wobbly Greco-Roman vases can attest, pottery was a preferred option for thousands of years.
Amphorae under the Roman arena in Pula, Croatia. Image copyright: Caroline Roddis
There were two main types of pottery used. Alcohol was fermented and aged in large earthenware jars called dolia, while the smaller amphorae were used to store it. Their ability to be tightly sealed meant they could keep wine in good condition for years, and they are a key factor in the evolution of the wine cellar in the classical era. These vessels weren’t unique to ye olde swords and sandals times, either: similarly-shaped Georgian kvevri date back to at least 6000 BC, and amphorae crop up in China around 4800 BC too.
Yet pottery wasn’t the only option. Three-thousand-year-old tightly-lidded bronze vessels have been found in China, both in Anyang and the Yellow River Basin, containing wines made from rice and millet that had been flavoured with various herbs and flowers. And of course there was always the biblical favourite, the wineskin, ideal for smaller amounts and personal use – or maybe some kind of soggy hemp version if you were vegan.
Or something…
Historians haven’t yet pinned down who exactly invented the cask, not least due to the unhelpful fact that wood degrades and old stuff repeatedly gets smashed up and / or used for other things over time.
The earliest traces that have thus far been found are from the burial place of Third Dynasty surgeon Hesy-Ra, which features carvings depicting barrel-like storage containers full of grain, dating them back to at least the 2600s BC. Wall paintings from 700 years later, found in the archaeological site of Beni Hassan, also depict similar tubs of raisins, albeit white-coopered ones – those with straight sides rather than the curves we normally associate with casks.
At this point, however, there’s no evidence of liquid involved – unless those raisins are an elaborate Egyptian metaphor for heavily-sherried whisky?
Things get a bit easier to trace when we get past 500 BC, when writers get involved. (Writers, obviously, being the best of all people.) Herodotus, famed Greek historian and unexpected protagonist in the Assassins Creed game I’m currently playing, visited Babylon around 450 BC and described watching wine casks made of date palm wood be ferried down the river on row-boats.
It’s not clear, however, whether or not the Mesopotamians used hoops to secure these barrels, and given that they waterproofed their leather-and-willow row-boat hulls with pitch, it’s possible they did the same to their barrels. If anyone can correct me on this conjecture I’d love to hear from you.
I stole this joke from the lovely Twice Brewed Inn brewpub in Northumberland
Just after BC turns to AC, we find a number of classical writers passing comment on the Celts and their wooden casks. Strabo, the Greek historian known for writing the Geographica, mentions the ‘wooden Pithoi’ of the Celts being larger than houses, coopered to an excellent standard, and sealed with pitch. Rome’s Pliny the Elder, meanwhile, states that ‘In the vicinity of the Alps, they put their wines in wooden vessels circled with hoops’.
It seems that, over the next hundred or so years, the Greek and Roman world adopted the wooden cask and in particular the hooped oak version they discovered from the Celts, for whom the art coopering was often a family or tribal secret, something that perhaps explains why they took some time to be adopted elsewhere.
It’s not hard to see why the switch from clay to cask was made: casks are less likely to break in transit, can be easily (ish) moved by rolling, and are easier to clean and reuse than pottery vessels. Like clay, wood also allows for the exchange of oxygen, and we can only assume the added influence of oak character on the booze inside was found to be an extra benefit.
Today it’s impossible to imagine a wide variety of drinks without the influence and benefits that casks bring to them. It would seem, however, that identifying the original creator of the cask is, at present, impossible – although during my research I’ve encountered some wonderfully inventive theories, including the idea that the first casks were made of bamboo. (Based solely on the idea that they’re hollow, waterproof and therefore most of the way there anyway.)
Yet what we can do, for now, is identify the people who should really be singled out for praise in all this: the coopers, who for millennia have been building and improving on this marvellously simple yet complex invention – one to which we, and our drinks, owe so much.
Bottled June 2019 from a single refill sherry butt by Signatory Vintage. These 1995 vintages are becoming legendary as stocks begin to dry up. Bottled at cask strength 56.4% this is a very popular Highland malt whisky. Clynelish 23 Year Old 1995 vintage Highland single malt Scotch whisky. Matured in a refill sherry butt #11242 bottled June 2019 by Signatory Vintage for the Cask Strength Collection. 592 bottles.
Clynelish Distillery is a malt whiskey distillery situated at Brora on the Sutherland coast in the Highland whiskey region. The original Clynelish Distillery was founded in 1819 for the Sutherland Estate and re-placed by the new and adjacent distillery in 1967. The new distillery has been enlarged in recent years to include six stills and is now a major contributor to the Johnnie Walker range of blended Scotch. Clynelish 12 Year Old and Distillers Edition are Classic Malts of Scotland.
Shop – Clynelish 23 Year Old – $189.67
Grain whisky! It’s underrated as a single product, but under the rights guises, it’s becoming a powerful, affordable and fun way for both Scotch and Bourbon fans to enjoy older styles and chat about comparisons between the styles. This whisky is sourced from the now closed Port Dundas distillery and released by Greg Glass and his new experimental arm of Whyte & Mackay. It’s fun, it’s affordable and I like it! Cheers
Whisky Reviews every Wednesday ~ Facebook.com/whiskytube ~ Twitter.com/whiskytube ~ Youtube.com/whiskywednesday
THE GLENALLACHIE GROWS ITS CORE RANGE TO INCLUDE A 15 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT WHISKY
The new 15 year old whisky is described by Master Distiller Billy Walker as the perfect representation of the Speyside distillery’s DNA
The GlenAllachie Distillery is extending its multi award-winning core range of single malt whiskies to include a 15-year-old expression.
The new GlenAllachie 15 year old, which is now being rolled out across UK and international markets, is described by Master Distiller Billy Walker as the perfect representation of the distillery’s DNA. He believes the 15 year old is an exceptional balance of the distillery’s spirit and the influence of the Sherry casks used during maturation.
Two types of Sherry casks – Pedro Ximenez (PX) and Oloroso puncheons and hogsheads – were used during maturation. They were chosen to deliver depth and finish to the whisky, and to add notes that enhance the distinctive butterscotch and chocolate flavours of The GlenAllachie spirit.
The GlenAllachie 15 year old (RRP £62.99, bottled at 46%) joins the 10 year old Cask Strength; 12 year old; 18 year old; and 25 year old in The GlenAllachie’s core range which was first launched in 2018.
Walker said: “I’ve been working on our 15 year old release since we acquired GlenAllachie back in October 2017. In that time I’ve been intimately following the development of the various casks and I believe the 15 year old is the perfect balance of distillery and cask influence.”
He added: “For this 15 year old, I chose PX and Oloroso puncheons and hogsheads to deliver complete depth and finish. This whisky is rich in sweet spices, raisins and butterscotch, with waves of banana, orange peel and dark chocolate. The extra years the whisky spent maturing in the sherry wood casks extends the flavour further.
“I’m delighted to add this to our core range, it absolutely represents the DNA and personality of The GlenAllachie now and going forward. We work with a variety of casks although as we move forward you will see sherry wood influence coming to the fore.”
The introduction of the 15 year old to the core range is another major milestone for The GlenAllachie since Walker took over the Speyside distillery in 2017.
In July, the distillery revealed its first Wood Finish range, which comprises three expressions. In May, the distillery unveiled its visitor centre and shop, welcoming visitors to the distillery for the first time since it was built in 1967.
In 2018, The GlenAllachie also released a series of single cask whiskies, launched the MacNair’s Lum Reek range of peated Blended Malts, and a 50th anniversary bottling to mark the 50th anniversary of the distillery’s maiden production run on February 17th 1968.
Along the way, the GlenAllachie’s whisky has been recognised with many awards including four Gold medals for its 10 year old; a Gold for the 12 year old at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition; and a Double Gold medal for the 18 year old, also at the San Francisco World Spirits competition.
The MacNair’s Lum Reek range has also earned several awards since its launch, including a Double Gold for the 21 year old at the San Francisco World Spirits competition.
Further information on the distillery and company can be found at www.theglenallachie.com
Facebook – @TheGlenAllachie
Twitter – @TheGlenAllachie
Instagram – @theglenallachie_
TASTING NOTES
Colour
Sunset bronze
Nose
Overflowing with raisins, butterscotch and sweet spices.
Taste
The rainbow of sweet spices, raisins and butterscotch develops to banana, orange peel and dark chocolate.
The new national competition to promote the business of Scotch whisky at home and abroad has announced that its inaugural event has sold out.
Over 400 leaders from the Scotch whisky industry will gather at the Scottish Whisky Awards dinner which takes place in Edinburgh in a few weeks’ time. The programme which launched earlier this year attracted entries from 52 companies, including 38 distilleries and 110 scotch whiskies.
The awards recognise business performance as well as taste following a blind tasting competition judged by 32 whisky experts from the UK, Europe and Asia…
