JUNE AUCTION ENDS SOON!
(ends Sunday 23rd June)
…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!
SHELBYVILLE, Ky., June 11, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — Now in its eighth year, the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) World Class Sponsored by Diageo announced Katie Renshaw as the 2019 U.S. Bartender of the Year following a two-day, five-challenge competition that culminated at the brand new, immersive, soon-to-open Bulleit Distilling Co. Visitor Experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®. Based in Chicago, IL Renshaw’s flawless attention to detail and outside-the-box thinking immediately caught the eye of the judges’ table leading her to win the Bulleit Final Frontier Challenge as well as the national title. In addition to winning the title of 2019 U.S. bartender of the year, Renshaw will collaborate with the Bulleit Distilling Co. bar manager to create signature cocktails that provide visitors a premium and innovative experience at the new Bulleit Distilling Co. cocktail bar.
The competition brought together 15 of the nation’s top bartenders who are pushing craft mixology’s boundaries through innovative cocktails perfect for food pairings, flavor profile assessments and more with the ultimate goal of representing the U.S. at the global competition in Glasgow, Scotland this September. This year’s USBG World Class Sponsored by Diageo U.S. applicant pool saw thousands of talented individuals from around the country compete in regional challenges that tested creativity and spirits knowledge, as well as speed, precision and presentation. In total, only 15 bartenders advanced to nationals that were hosted in Lexington, KY and culminated with Finals at Bulleit Distilling Co.’s Visitor Experience in Shelbyville, KY, just forty-five minutes from Louisvilleand Lexington.
“Winning United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) World Class Sponsored by Diageo has been one of my biggest dreams since I started bartending, especially with getting a pass-off from Lauren Newman who I competed with last year, and who really inspired me to be myself in this competition,” said Katie Renshaw.
Between June 9th and June 10th, competitors showcased their abilities to seamlessly merge art and science, and taste and technology, to create cocktails featuring a selection of Diageo Reserve brands including Bulleit® Bourbon, CIROC® Vodka, Johnnie Walker® Blended Scotch Whisky, Ketel One® Vodka, Tanqueray No. TEN® Gin, Tequila Don Julio®, TALISKER® Single Malt Scotch Whisky and Zacapa® Rum. This final round of competition was judged by a mix of six award-winning cocktail bar owners, and nationally and globally recognized beverage industry influencers, including 2018 US winner Laura Newman, 2018 Global winner Orlando Marzo and acclaimed bartenders and educators such as Julie Reiner, Anu Elford, Jackson Cannon and Charles Joly.
The USBG World Class Sponsored by Diageo mission is to unite the hospitality industry to advance professional bartending and elevate the craft. This is the eighth year for the U.S., and the 11th year globally. While the competition takes place in the spring and summer, education and events occur year-round. Day one in Lexington drew upon Kentucky’s heritage, asking first for a complementary or contrasting cocktail to pair with a classic Southern dessert staple, followed by a second challenge to create a best-selling signature drink that fit within a fictitious restaurant’s theme and dinner menu. Day two’s challenges at Bulleit Distilling Co.’s Visitor Experience were inspired by the whiskey brand’s frontier spirit and commitment to technology + culture. Each cocktail used a cutting-edge technique or unexpected technology that took skill, imagination and outside the box collaboration. Two speed rounds completed the competition featuring a challenge to mix, pour and garnish six classic cocktails and two wild card drinks highlighting a DIAGEO Reserve Brand that was assigned at random, all the while engaging with the judges in 10 minutes or less.
“Each year I think I’ve seen it all with the awesome level of skill and passion this competition inspires,” said Aaron Gregory Smith, Executive Director of the USBG. “But every year I am blown away. The talent pool is deep, but the best part is the continued opportunity for growth and success that exists within our tight-knit bartending community.”
Taylor Blades, Director of On Premise for Diageo North America adds, “The creativity and commitment to the craft we saw from this year’s competitors is outstanding. Being able to partner with USBG on such an empowering program and hosting it at Bulleit Distilling Co.’s incredible new Visitor Experience that speaks to the power of partnership with bartenders around the country, is an honor. The last eight years have been incredible, and it’s just the beginning.”
USBG World Class Sponsored by Diageo finalists also enjoyed a sneak peek behind the scenes at Bulleit Distilling Co.’s new Visitor Experience that will open soon this summer. From a technologically advanced, sensory-rich bar experience, to eco-friendly and sustainable practices throughout the facility, the finalists were the first guests hosted – appropriate for a brand built by bartenders and named as the best-selling brand at the world’s best bars for multiple years by Drinks International.
Cocktails created for the duration of this year’s competition can be found on Twitter and Instagram using the handle @WorldClassUS. When showcasing your own mixology or sampling award-winning recipes from this year’s competitors, USBG World Class Sponsored by Diageo reminds you to do so responsibly.
FLEX YO HUSTLE
Created by 2019 U.S. Bartender of the Year Katie Renshaw
Ingredients:
1 oz Bulleit 10
1 oz Bulleit Bourbon
1 oz coconut milk-oolong syrup
0.5 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz lime juice
1 oz cardamom-infused cream
1 egg white
Soda water
1/4 cup coffee-bourbon caviar
Preparation:
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, shake, and pour into a collins glass over a collins spear ice cube. Garnish with Coconut ash, engraved lemon peel
Ideal Serve:
Collins Glass
For additional information about the program and for details on the upcoming global competition, follow hashtags #worldclassus, worldclass2019 and #roadtoscotland on Twitter and Instagram, and check us out online at http://worldclass.usbg.org and http://usbg.org.
About USBG
Founded in 1948, the United States Bartenders’ Guild®️ is a non-profit professional society of bartenders and other hospitality professionals uniting the hospitality community to advance professional bartending. The USBG believes that every US bartender achieves greater personal and professional success by connecting to diverse local and national hospitality communities. Through our network of over 40 communities nationwide, the USBG connects members with peer-to-peer learning, expert instruction, community service projects, and skills-based competition.
About Diageo:
Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB, Buchanan’s and Windsorwhiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray and Guinness.
Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people and its brands, visit www.diageo.com. For Diageo’s global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit www.DRINKiQ.com.
About Bulleit:
Bulleit is one of the fastest-growing whiskeys in America, founded in 1987 by Tom Bulleit, who attributes that growth to bartenders and cultural partners who’ve adopted it as their own. The Bulleit Frontier Whiskey portfolio is distilled and aged in the Bulleit family tradition, using a distinctive high rye recipe, which gives them a bold, spicy taste. Most recently, Bulleit Barrel Strength Bourbon won a Double Gold medal and Best Straight Bourbon at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Now ranked as one of the fastest-growing whiskeys in America, Bulleit Distilling Co. calls Shelbyville, Ky. home since the 2017 opening of its state-of-the-art distillery and the much-anticipated spring 2019 opening of its high-tech and sensory-rich Visitor Experience. Guests will have the opportunity to learn more about the past, present and future of Bulleit when visiting this latest addition to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®. For more information, visit www.bulleit.com or follow @Bulleit on Instagram.
Follow us on Twitter for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.
Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.
Beer Finished Whiskey is Foundation of Collaboration Between Indie Whiskey Producer, Oak & Eden, and Craft Brewer, Rahr & Sons
Dallas-based indie whiskey producer, Oak & Eden has announced the upcoming release of their third small batch creation, The Ale Series, a two-part product collaboration with Rahr & Sons Brewery (Fort Worth, TX) to create Rahr Soaked Malted Oak and Rahr Soaked Hopped Oak. As with all products in the Oak & Eden lineup, these collaborative expressions begin with Oak & Eden’s fully aged whiskey before they are finished with their patented “spire” — a 5” long spiral cut piece of wood that finishes the whiskey in the bottle, as opposed to a secondary barrel. The Rahr Soaked Malted Oak consists of Oak & Eden bourbon infused with a heavily toasted American Oak spire soaked in Rahr & Sons Iron Thistle Scottish Ale. The Rahr Soaked Hopped Oak consists of Oak & Eden rye infused with a lightly toasted American Oak spire soaked in Rahr & Sons Dadgum IPA.
“This has been a collaboration like no other,” says Joe Gillidenzopf, CEO of Oak & Eden, “Most people wouldn’t think beer and whiskey would go hand-in-hand, but the unique combination of sweet, oaky notes coming from our whiskey, mixed with the depth and character of Rahr & Sons beers produce a rich sensation of whiskey on the palate with beer on the finish.”
The Ale Series will be releasing in June 2019 and will be on the shelves early July in Texas and Oklahoma. To learn more, visit oakandeden.com/rahr.
![Tyler lunceford, Smokehead 2, Photo credit - John Need[1]](https://www.whiskyintelligence.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Tyler-lunceford-Smokehead-2-Photo-credit-John-Need1.jpg)
SMOKEHEAD ‘TAKE OVER’ THE BLACK CAT
WHAT: Smokehead Islay Single Malt Whisky will be throwing a one-off night that’s not for everyone at The Black Cat in Edinburgh. A high voltage folk music session kicks off from 9:30pm as well as a fiery show from Beltane organiser Lasadh at 10pm. Smokehead serves will be on offer throughout the night, including a Smokey Bloody Mary, Smokey Caipirinha and Smokehead & Irn Bru reduction Old Fashioned.
WHY: Smokehead Islay Single Malt Whisky has teamed up with renowned global biking sensation Tyler Lunceford, challenging him to create his boldest motorcycle ever. US born, he recently moved to Edinburgh and opened a workshop in Leith, and will produce a custom Ducati for Smokehead. The project is at the halfway point (let’s celebrate at the Black Cat) and will run until September 2019, when the finished model, ‘The Smoker’, will be unleashed: https://www.smokehead.com/the-refinery Tyler will be in attendance on the night.
HOW: Smokehead is not for everyone, but this event is open to everyone.
WHEN: The event is on Thursday, June 20th 2019 at 9pm – 1am
WHERE: The Black Cat, 168 Rose St, Edinburgh EH2 4BA
Please drink responsibly. www.drinkaware.co.uk
The Black Cat Facebook event
https://www.facebook.com/events/449338142558856/
f: www.facebook.com/smokeheadwhisky
i: www.instagram.com/smokeheadwhisky
#smokehead
NOTES
About Smokehead:
About Ian Macleod Distillers:
What’s better than one brand new single cask release? Two brand new single cask releases!
That’s right, we have two brand new and exclusive single cask bottles from Loch Lomond Whiskies and Old Pulteney, and we’re so pleased to finally share them with you!
Scroll down to learn more about these two fantastic new releases, exclusive to The Whisky Shop
Distilled in October 2004 and matured for more than 14 years in a single cask (#15/624-1), this Highland single malt has been bottled exclusively for The Whisky Shop in May 2019. Released at a cask strength of 54.4% abv free from chill filtration, just 267 bottles have been produced.
70cl / 54.4% abv
£110.00
Described as the Maritime Malt, Old Pulteney is distilled in the port of Wick, Caithness. This expression was laid down in 2007 in cask number 1471. Matured for more than a decade in a single cask, this Highland single malt was bottled in 2019 exclusively for The Whisky Shop, producing just 408 individually numbered bottles at a strength of 50.2% abv.
70cl / 50.2% abv
£110.00
This limited edition from Laphroaig distillery has matured for more than a quarter of a century in casks of various sizes, from quarter casks to butts, before being married in sherry casks for 12 months to harmonise the flavours. Bottled at 44.4% abv and presented in a beautifully crafted wooden display case.
NOW £460.00
Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 258: Kavalan 2006 Virgin Oak for The Nectar
Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries a Kavalan for Belgium. The boys and girls of The Nectar, Belgian bottler, knocked on many distilleries’ doors for a special cask for their tenth anniversary last year. Many of those can be found on Mark’s blog, but this one was sold out before he was able to get my hands on it. Luckily he found a bottle via social media recently. Turns out, he thinks it’s a belter of a Kavalan. On virgin oak, no less.
The Macallan Unveils First Ever Estate Expression
A Whisky Maker’s Tribute To Home and Heritage
To celebrate its iconic home and rich character, The Macallan presents Estate – an exceptional new whisky containing rare spirit distilled with barley grown on the Easter Elchies estate.
A rich and complex whisky with a remarkably long finish, The Macallan Estate was created by our Whisky Makers to celebrate the single malt’s peerless provenance and heritage.
The Macallan Estate represents a unique opportunity to experience a single malt containing spirit made from precious home-grown barley from Easter Elchies estate, which is distilled just once a year over the course of a single week. Before the release of The Macallan Estate, this spirit was limited to the most exclusive and sought-after releases of The Macallan.
The 485-acre Easter Elchies estate is set within the legendary Speyside region of Scotland, where The Macallan has been creating extraordinary single malts since 1824. Its carefully tended barley fields are located on the banks of the River Spey, overlooked by the new award-winning distillery.
The Macallan distillery, which was inspired by Scotland’s undulating hills and cut into the slope of the land to complement its Spey Valley setting, opened its doors to the public in June 2018.
Displaying a warm chestnut hue, The Macallan Estate exudes aromas of wood spice and orange oil. The sweet, subtle hint of citrus acts as the perfect counterbalance to the traditional sherried richness associated with distinctive single malts of The Macallan.
“The Easter Elchies estate lies within the legendary Speyside region of Scotland, a place of timeless natural beauty, and a place that The Macallan is proud to call home,” said Sarah Burgess, Whisky Maker for The Macallan. “With its wonderful sweet citrus hints and warming wood spice, The Macallan Estate is a rich, satisfying and complex spirit that pays homage to the fertile Speyside lands where The Macallan is located and celebrates the unrivalled craftsmanship for which we have been known since 1824.”
Presented in an elegant gift box featuring landscape-inspired designs, The Macallan Estate packaging reflects the natural stones found on the estate and includes an inlay of slate with every bottle, along with photography of the estate’s impressive barley fields on the banks of the River Spey. The Macallan Estate will be available in the U.S. market and select global markets starting this June for a suggested retail price of $250.
Tasting Notes:
Color: Conker, chestnut hue
Aroma: Warm, comforting and homely notes of cinnamon. Wood spice and orange oil, opening into dried fruits with a sweet lemon, banana and caramel.
Palate: Soft and warming with wood spice, opening into a dry oak flavor spiked with candied raisins and fresh fig. Moving into a sweet fresh orange and delicate fresh citrus.
Finish: A sweet citrus twist.
ABV: 43%
For further information visit www.themacallan.com/en-us
About The Macallan
Founded in 1824 in the heart of Speyside, The Macallan was one of the first distilleries in Scotland to be legally licensed. Since then it has built a reputation as one of the world’s finest single malt whiskies. The story of The Macallan is built on the Six Pillars, each influencing the whisky in its own distinct way. From the spiritual home of Easter Elchies House; curiously small stills giving richness to the pure spirit; finest cut or the best of the best of the distillation, to exceptional oak casks which account for up to 80% of the final flavor in the whisky; natural color and finally peerless spirit, The Macallan itself.
Wood sits at the heart of The Macallan. The vital contributing influences of Spain, North America and Scotland, together with true mastery, set it apart from the rest. For more information on The Macallan, visit www.themacallan.com/en-us. The Macallan can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
GLENMORANGIE GRAND VINTAGE MALT 1991 WINS WHISKY OF THE YEAR AT THE 2019 INTERNATIONAL WHISKY COMPETITION®
[LAS VEGAS, NV, June 14, 2019] Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks at Glenmorangie Distillery becomes Master Distiller of the Year for crafting the Whisky of the Year 2019 and will receive the top prize in the industry, the Golden Barrel Trophy.
The International Whisky Competition just released its results for this year’s most respected blind tasting judging event. The top recognition, Whisky of the Year, was awarded to Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1991 which scored 97 points, the highest scoring whisky of the competition.
2019 Official results: www.whiskycompetition.com/2019-results
The 10th edition of the International Whisky Competition took place in Las Vegas over three days, from May 15 to 17 and received whiskies from all over the world from what distilleries believe to be their very best. A world-class tasting panel made of whisky, spirit, beer and wine experts blind tasted each whisky on an individual basis (8 minutes per whisky).
Each whisky was scored using a comprehensive 100-point scale system developed by Sebastien Gavillet, IWC Head of Tasting Panel. This process and the fact that only three medals are awarded in any category make the International Whisky Competition the most followed whisky competition and one of the most professional competitions of its kind in the world.
We warmly congratulate Dr Bill Lumsden, as well as his team, for creating such an exceptional whisky. This is the third time in the last four years that Dr Lumsden receive the highest awards for his whisky creations.
Last year’s Whisky of the Year was Aberlour A’Bunadh, which scored 97.4 points. Glenmorangie Distillery will receive the Golden Barrel Trophy for winning the Whisky of the Year during a ceremony to be held this summer in Tain, Scotland.
About the International Whisky Competition®
The International Whisky Competition is the most followed Whisky Competition on Social Media and brings whiskies from around the world to be blind tasted and rated by a professional tasting panel using the most comprehensive tasting method available. 15 criteria are required to produce the tasting notes as well as aroma and flavor profiles for the International Whisky Guide. Unlike other competitions, the judges are presented with one whisky at a time, to ensure each whisky gets the proper attention. It’s the only competition in the spirits world to deliver unique medals designed to promote each of the winning whiskies. Only 3 medals (Gold, Silver & Bronze) are awarded per category. The Whisky of the Year (highest score during the competition) gets rewarded with the Golden Barrel Trophy.
“The Olympics of whisky competitions.” – Jim McEwan, Master Distiller.
For more information about the International Whisky Competition, please visit whiskycompetition.com or contact:
USA – Sebastien Gavillet, Head of Judges / s.gavillet@whiskycompetition.com +1 702 234 3602
Canada – Sylvain Allard, Managing Partner / s.allard@whiskycompetition.com +1 418 271 6678
Two new releases from Ian MacLeod from the famed Islay distillery. 20 Year Old 1998 for Chieftan’s yielding 478 bottles and a 15 Year Old 2004 vintage for the Dun Bheagan series matured in bourbon barrels, yielding just 384 bottles.
