Welcome to this weeks show in which I’ll be reviewing the Series 007 releases from North Star Spirits.

https://youtu.be/vsItzxedHgA

Glenmorangie’s vintage collection reveals a whisky of implausible harmony

—  Rich plum limited edition celebrates Highland Distillery’s wood-finish pioneers —

A Highland single malt which marries two profoundly different whiskies in
implausible harmony, is today revealed as the fourth release in Glenmorangie’s celebrated Bond House No. 1 vintage collection.

Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1991 takes its rich plum character from two parcels of whisky which, ordinarily, would never be brought together. One was finished in oloroso sherry casks for sweetness and spice. It seems utterly incongruous with the other, finished in Burgundy casks for earthy and truffle notes. Yet, united  with skill, their contrasts create this surprisingly mellow 26-year-old limited edition – the latest in a collection exploring some of the Distillery’s most prized parcels of aged whisky.

Glenmorangie is renowned as one of the pioneers of wood-finishing. In 1991, when this whisky’s spirit was distilled, that art was still in its infancy. But even then, the Distillery’s whisky creators were alive to the possibilities that a wood finish could bring. And so, they began a period of intense experimentation, intent on creating new techniques and flavours.

Years later, Dr Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks, was inspired to revisit some of these parcels of 1991’s whisky, selecting two contrasting styles to create this vintage release. Both long-aged in bourbon casks, each had been finished in oloroso sherry casks or in Burgundy casks for more than a decade. With a master distiller’s flair, he married them, softened by a hint of whisky aged in new toasted oak, to create an expression of rich intensity.

Dr Bill said: “Bringing together two such incongruous whiskies goes somewhat against convention which, in part, is what drew me to the challenge of combining them.  The result is a single malt with a rich plum character, deep, mellow aromas and tastes of ripe fruits and milk chocolate. Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1991 honours those early pioneers who dedicated themselves to the art of the wood finish in 1991, whose work still guides us today.”

Created with the collector in mind, Glenmorangie’s Bond House No. 1 series showcases some of the Distillery’s most scarce vintages. The collection takes its name from the largest of Glenmorangie’s 19^th century Bonded Warehouses. For generations, Warehouse No. 1 was home to the Distillery’s casks of maturing spirit until, in 1990, it was transformed into a majestic new still house. Today, Bonded Warehouse No. 1 is the heart of the Distillery’s whisky creation.

Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1991 will be available to purchase online at www.Clos19.com and from whisky specialists, from 9^th April onwards, RRP: £630.

https://www.glenmorangie.com/

Follow Glenmorangie on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Glenmorangie

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheGlenmorangie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glenmorangiecom

NOTES: 

Tasting Notes:

Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1991 is bottled at 43% ABV.

Colour: Ochre

Nose: Mellow, deep, intense and fruity. Lots of apricots, plum and baked apples, with chocolate, gentle oak, and a hint of truffles and star anise. A splash of water releases deeper notes, reminiscent of hickory-smoked ham and a damp forest floor.

Taste: A slightly peppery mouthfeel leads to a burst of fruity flavours intermingled with lots of milk chocolate, stewed apples, plum and ripe, red fruits such as cherry and raspberry.

Finish: A hint of zesty citrus and finally an intriguing combination of oak, fruit and sweet spices.

RRP:

It will be available from whisky specialist shops and www.Clos19.com, RRP: £630.

About the Bond House No.1 Collection:

The Bond House No.1 Collection is an exclusive collection of vintage expressions, all exceptionally fine and smooth. The series, which celebrates Glenmorangie’s most prestigious aged whiskies,
has been created for connoisseurs and collectors. It is named after Bonded Warehouse No. 1 – the largest of Glenmorangie’s traditional 19^th-century warehouses – transformed into the Distillery’s majestic new still house in 1990. Fittingly, Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1990,
released in 2016, was the first expression in the collection. It was lauded by industry experts, winning first place at the International Whisky Competition (IWC), in the category Single Malt Whisky (Highland) and gold medals at the International Wine and Spirits Competition and the
San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1989, the collection’s second expression, released in 2018, was rewarded with a gold award at the International Spirits Challenge. At the IWC, it won Best Single Malt Scotch 25 Years and Over. Most recently, Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1993, released exclusively in Travel Retail in 2018, was awarded gold at the 2018 Global Travel Retail Spirits Masters.

About Glenmorangie:

Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky originates in the Scottish Highlands where, at
the Glenmorangie Distillery, it is distilled in the tallest malt whisky stills in Scotland for a purer spirit, expertly matured in the finest oak casks for great depth, and perfected by the Men of Tain. The Distillery was founded in 1843 and is renowned as a pioneer in its field, uniting tradition with innovation.

About Dr Bill Lumsden:

Dr Bill Lumsden is Glenmorangie’s acclaimed Director of Whisky Creation, Distilling & Whisky Stocks.  Dr Bill is regarded by the malt whisky industry as an innovator, creating whiskies which have revolutionised the single-malt market. In recognition of his team’s work, The Glenmorangie Company was named Distiller of the Year at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in 2012. Dr Bill, who has a PhD in biochemistry, has combined art and science in his work since he joined The Glenmorangie Company in 1995. He is renowned for his groundbreaking wood-management techniques, experimentation with exceptional casks at various ages, and use of wood finishing. Dr Bill has won a series of prestigious awards and accolades. Most recently, he was named as Master Blender/Distiller of the Year by the International Spirits Challenge for 2018 – an award he also won in 2015. He has also won the International Whisky Competition’s award for Master Distiller of the Year 2016 and 2017. He was further honoured with the title of Master Distiller/Blender of the Year, at Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky 2016 awards.

About Glenmorangie’s pioneering work in extra-maturation:

Glenmorangie was among the pioneers of the wood finish – and has been leading the field in wood finishing for more than 30 years. Here are some of its earliest milestones in pursuit of this art:

1987: The Distillery releases its first wood-finished whisky, Glenmorangie 1963. Finished in oloroso sherry casks, it is among those at the forefront of a new category.

1990: Glenmorangie releases Glenmorangie 18 Years Old, part-finished in sherry casks.

1991: Intent on furthering the art of wood finishing, Glenmorangie’s whisky creators begin a
period of intense study and experimentation. Their discoveries inform Glenmorangie’s
whisky creation even now.

1994: Glenmorangie Port Wood Finish is released – believed to be the world’s first.

1995: Glenmorangie Madeira Wood Finish is released – believed to be another first.

1996: The Wood Finish Range is released. Consisting of a sherry-cask finish, a port-cask finish and a Madeira-cask finish, it is the first range of different wood-finished Scotch whiskies.

Building on the expertise developed in 1991, Glenmorangie has continued to innovate with wood-finished whiskies over the past 20 years. Today, the complex depths a wood finish creates can be enjoyed in pioneering single malts throughout the Distillery’s range, delighting both connoisseurs and those who are new to single malt.

Introducing GLENDRONACH 1992 26 YEAR OLD THE WHISKY SHOP EXCLUSIVE

Glendronach 1992 26 Year Old
The Whisky Shop Exclusive

This single cask from GlenDronach has been selected and bottled exclusively for customers of The Whisky Shop. Distilled in 1992 and matured for 26 years in a single sherry cask, it has been bottled at a strength of 50% abv and is limited to just 469 bottles.

The Whisky Shop Exclusive

Highly Limited Release – Available Whilst Stocks Last

£239.00 – Buy Now

Available for immediate dispatch

Springbank Website: Tours

We are delighted to announce our new Tour Schedule running from today, 1st April 2019, until 2nd November 2019.

As part of the new timetable, we have made some upgrades;

• More Tours Available
• You can now do individual tours of Glengyle, home of Kilkerran Single Malt
• The Barley to Bottle Tour
• As Society members, you get free tours of Springbank and Glengyle until April 2020.

For full details of all the tour options we have available: click here

See you in Campbeltown!

Slainte,

The Springbank Team

Get ready for an intriguing sensory adventure; challenge your taste buds as we celebrate the extraordinary with this exceptional selection of new single casks.

EXPLORE MATURATION WITH EUAN

This Outturn, we’re delving into the world of wood and exploring the wide range of cask types that the Society uses to mature its whisky. I’ve highlighted three bottlings in particular which are well worth comparing and contrasting for the additional maturation we’ve given them.

See if you can pick out what flavours are gifted by each different wood type.

Cheers!

Euan Campbell – SMWS Spirits Manager

READ OUTTURN                     OUTTURN WHISKIES

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 244: Talisker 8 Year Old Diageo Special Release 2018

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries yet another Talisker. In the Special Releases 2018 by Diageo, there was a brand new Talisker at cask strength with an age statement to boot: 8 years old. This young malt, matured on first fill bourbon casks, sold out pretty quickly despite the hefty price of 85 EUR (hefty for an 8 years old malt, anyway). But as it turns out… it is a belter of a Talisker!

https://youtu.be/kyUpxHo4Nro

Henry McKenna Single Barrel Awarded ‘Best in Show Whiskey’ at 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Heaven Hill Distillery takes home numerous medals across the historic American Whiskey portfolio

BARDSTOWN, Ky. – Heaven Hill Distillery’s Henry McKenna Single Barrel Bourbon was announced as the “Best in Show Whiskey” at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, only the second time a Bourbon has won the top prize amongst all whiskeys from around the world, including Scotch. The only other Bourbon to win was the 2008 Parker’s Heritage Collection 27-Year-Old, a testament to Heaven Hill Distillery’s dedication to the craft of producing quality American Whiskey since 1935.

Consistency, a hallmark of Heaven Hill Distillery, is on full display for the award-winning Henry McKenna Single Barrel. The Bottled-in-Bond, 10-year-old Bourbon also received Best Single Barrel Bourbon and Best Bourbon, the exact award designations the brand received just last year in the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Given the barrel to barrel nuances that come with the single barrel designation, maintaining the incredible taste profile year in and year out demonstrates the expertise of Heaven Hill’s master tasting team.

According to editor-in-chief of Bourbon+ Magazine, Wall Street Journal best-selling author and San Francisco Spirits Captain Fred Minnick, Henry McKenna scored higher than the best Single Malt Scotch, Irish Whiskey, and Single Malt Whiskey, products that range in retail price from $70 – $150 per bottle. Henry McKenna is an unbeatable value as a world’s best whiskey, one Minnick describes as “delicate, complex and an extraordinary Bourbon whiskey.” For insight on the controlled blind tastings used in the judging process, Minnick chronicled Henry McKenna’s path to Best in Show Whiskey on Forbes here.

“Quality and consistency are two values that have persisted across Heaven Hill since our company began distilling American Whiskey in 1935,” said Heaven Hill President Max L. Shapira. “Henry McKenna, and our entire American Whiskey portfolio, is a shining example of the tradition instilled by our late Master Distiller Parker Beam and carried forth by our unrivaled team at Heaven Hill Distillery. While we certainly enjoy the recognition of our passion, it is the commitment of our people who bring these products to life that gives us the most satisfaction.”

From every day Bourbons, to special releases, to Kentucky-only products, the art of selecting the right barrels from more than 1.5 million in inventory requires tremendous experience and awareness of warehouse locations and the resulting impact on flavor. Across the portfolio, Heaven Hill also took home several other medals from the premiere tasting competition:

• Double Gold, Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon
• Double Gold, Old Fitzgerald 9-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon
• Double Gold, Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey
• Double Gold, Larceny Barrel Proof Small Batch Bourbon
• Double Gold, William Heavenhill 6^th Edition 16-Year-Old Bourbon
• Double Gold, Evan Williams Master Blend Bourbon
• Gold, Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
• Gold, Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage 2011 Bourbon
• Gold, Rittenhouse 4-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye Whiskey
• Gold, Evan Williams 12-Year-Old Bourbon
• Gold, Heaven Hill Select Stock 18-Year-Old Wheated Bourbon

The San Francisco World Spirits Competition was founded in 2000 and has become a premiere tasting competition judging more than 3,000 spirits this year. All spirits were tasted over four days through a controlled blind tasting by expert panelists. No information on brand, producer, or price point is given out prior to tastings to ensure each is judged fairly and without bias. For more information on the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, check out the website at https://sfspiritscomp.com/, as well as the August 2019 issue of the Tasting Panel Magazine.

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY: Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Heaven Hill has cultivated the traditions and history of America’s Native Spirit with its fierce independence, passionate family ownership, dedication to quality, and thoughtful innovation. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 1.5 million barrels aging in 57 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. It is home to an award-winning collection of American Whiskeys including Elijah Craig Bourbon, Larceny Bourbon, Evan Williams Bourbon, Pikesville Rye Whiskey, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky and Parker’s Heritage Collection. Heaven Hill Distillery currently holds the title of 2018 San Francisco Spirits Best Bourbon, 2017 Whisky Advocate Whisky of the Year, and previously held the titles of 2016 Whisky Magazine Distillery of the Year, 2016 Whisky Advocate American Whiskey of the Year and 2016 Rye Whiskey of the Year from “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.” For more information, please visit www.heavenhilldistillery.com.

R&B Distillers is delighted to announce that three of its whisky expressions have won coveted awards at the World Whiskies Awards 2019. 

The Raasay While We Wait 2018 Release has been awarded a gold medal at the World Whiskies Awards 2019 – the highest medalling to date for While We Wait. This no age statement single malt whisky is a smoky and fruity independent bottling that demonstrates R&B Distillers whisky making skills and offers a taste of what’s to come in 2020 while we wait for Raasay’s first single malt whisky to mature in the island warehouse.

Heritage brand The Tweeddale also scooped up two silver awards for its no age statement The Tweeddale Grain of Truth and The Tweeddale Evolution (28 year old). Ten years after Alasdair Day – great-grandson of master blender Richard Day – recreated The Tweeddale in 2009, he is delighted to receive recognition from the World Whiskies Awards for both the oldest and the youngest Tweeddale whiskies to date.

R&B Distillers Co-founder Alasdair Day commented:

“We are delighted to receive this recognition from the prestigious World Whiskies Awards. As we move towards the release of the first ever Isle of Raasay Single Malt in 2020, these awards highlight the hard work and dedication of the team at R&B Distillers.”

The worldwide competition celebrates the very best whiskies from around the globe and promotes the world’s finest whiskies to consumers and trade. The awards are judged by a panel of international judges based on taste and design. This year’s winners were selected at a final tasting lead by over 40 international industry experts at the Caledonian Club in February and the winners will be announced at the Whisky Magazine dinner in London on 28th March.

RAASAY DISTILLERY

Distell Scotch portfolio scoops industry accolades

at 2019 World Whiskies Awards

International spirits, wine and cider producer, Distell, has scooped a series of awards across its portfolio, receiving international recognition for both its single malts and blended Scotch in the first round, at the 2019 World Whiskies Awards. The 10 accolades included three category winners, three gold medals, two silver and two bronze.

Islay’s most remote distillery, Bunnahabhain won two overall category awards for Best Scotch Islay Single Malt (13-20 years) with its Bunnahabhain 18 Year Old, as well as the 21 year and over category with its 25 Year Old expression – a second year winning this award for each. The distillery also scooped a gold medal for its peated expression, Bunnahabhain Toiteach a Dha.

Further achievements across the single malts included a category award win for Ledaig 10 Year Old in the Scotch Islands (Non Islay) 12 years and under, while Deanston was recognised with a gold medal for its 12 Year Old expression in the Scotch Highland 12 years and under category.

Amongst Distell’s Scotch brands, Scottish Leader was acknowledged in three categories with a gold medal for its 12 Year Old in the blended (12 years and under) section. And Black Bottle received a silver medal for its no-age statement blended Scotch whisky.

Derek Scott, Brand Director for Malt Whisky at Distell was delighted with the recognition achieved across the portfolio; “The results speak for themselves and reinforce the passion and commitment from across the distilleries and blending teams to deliver world class products. Not only does this showcase the talent of the team, it demonstrates the innovation and continued commitment to develop international award winning products for consumers to enjoy.” 

The 2^nd round of the World Whiskies Awards will be held London on 28 March. Over 1000 brands entered this year and the whiskies were blind-tasted by 40 experts from across the globe. 

Notes 

World Whiskies Awards 2019

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.
• Bunnahabhain Distillery was named the 2016 Tasting Panel Magazine Distillery of the Year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC).

For more visit: www.distell.co.za

ENGLISH WHISKY WINNING WAY OUT WEST

Cotswolds Distillery whiskies win gold at 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and American Distilling Awards

The Cotswolds Distillery range of whiskies have triumphed at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) and American Distilling Institute Awards (ADI).

The distillery’s Founder’s Choice Single Malt Whisky, the newest release, was awarded a double gold medal at the SFWSC and silver at the ADI, and the distillery’s flagship Single Malt Whisky also took home a silver in the same categories at both award ceremonies.

Dan Szor, Founder and CEO of the Cotswolds Distillery said: “Winning a double gold medal for our Founder’s Choice and a silver medal for our Single Malt Whisky is fantastic. It proves we are achieving what we set out to do when we established the Cotswolds Distillery, and that was to distil exquisite, world-beating whisky.

Released in December 2018, Founder’s Choice is aged in shaved, toasted and re-charred American Oak red wine barriques. The uniquely active casks provide the whisky with a rich and intense maturation with notes of toffee, oak and red fruits, giving a beautiful and deep colour.

The Cotswolds Distillery has become a leader in English whisky production since the inaugural launch of their Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky in 2017. The award wins at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and American Distilling Awards mark the distillery’s latest international achievements, while helping to establish the company as a leader in the growing English whisky category.

The San Francisco World Spirits Competition has been running for nearly two decades and is one of the world’s most respected spirits competitions due in part to their esteemed judging panel, including seasoned experts, while the ADI is the oldest and largest trade association dedicated to craft distilling in the world.

The range of whiskies produced by the Cotswolds Distillery are the first-ever distilled in the Cotswolds and use 100% locally grown, floor-malted barley.

Founder’s Choice is bottled at cask strength (60.9% ABV) non-chill filtered and with no added colouring. The whisky is available in specialist retailers and the Cotswolds Distillery website with an RRP of £64.95.

Cotswolds Distillery Single Malt Whisky has been aged in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels and reconditioned red wine casks, resulting in a rich, fruity and sippable whisky. It isnon-chill filtered and bottled at 46% ABV and is available from Waitrose and online with an RRP of £44.95 for 70cl. To date, the Single Malt has won a total of 17 awards since 2017.

Notes 

The Cotswolds Distillery

Located in Stourton, Shipston-on-Stour, the distillery has become a premier local attraction, offering tours and tastings daily, and now receives 30,000 visitors a year.

Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky was launched in October 2017. Each bottle lists the barley variety, harvest year and local Cotswolds farm it was grown on. It recently won Gold at the World Whiskies Awards 2019 and took 2 stars (one of only two whiskies to do so) in the 2018 Great Taste Awards. The distillery’s cask strength whisky release, Founder’s Choice Single Malt Whisky, was recently awarded the title of Best English Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards 2019.

In Jim Murray’s 2019 Whisky Bible, the Cotswolds Distillery received 5 ‘Liquid Gold’ awards. Three of their whiskies scored 95 points, with all of the distillery’s samples scoring over 88 out of 100.

Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky is available nationally and in 31 countries across the world. Key UK retailers include Waitrose & Partners, Majestic Wine, The Whisky Exchange, Harrods and Laithwaites.

The Cotswolds Distillery launched a cask strength whisky in late 2018, Founder’s Choice, which has already been awarded the ‘English Single Malt’ category winner at the World Whiskies Awards 2019.

For more information, please visit www.cotswoldsdistillery.com.