BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY PIONEERS VIRTUAL TOURISM

New Virtual Tour for Download showcases National Historic Landmark

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Jan. 24, 2019) – Buffalo Trace Distillery is inviting fans near and far to explore the Distillery from anywhere in the world through its new virtual tour, www.buffalotracevirtualtour.com.

Even as Buffalo Trace welcomes over 200,000 tourists each year, the Distillery recognizes that not all fans across the globe are able to visit the Distillery in person. Through this interactive virtual tour everyone is able to experience the Distillery remotely and learn more about the National Historic Landmark.

This first-of-its-kind virtual experience allows “visitors” to see how Buffalo Trace makes whiskey, and learn about the oldest continually operating Distillery in America. Virtual visitors can take a tour with the Distillery’s legendary tour guide Freddie Johnson, or choose to explore on their own. Users can even travel back in time and explore the Distillery as it appeared throughout history, including in 1773, 1857 and during Prohibition.

The lifelike computer generated imaging (CGI) allows users to get a real sense of the Distillery and get up close with the bourbon-making process, no reservations or travel plans needed. And with the Distillery’s ability to change the appearance of the tour, users can visit the Distillery seasonally throughout the year and experience the Distillery in full bloom in the spring, or with snow on the ground in the winter.

This simulated experience also allows visitors to become virtual bourbon collectors as bottles of the Distillery’s brands are hidden throughout the grounds for users to collect while exploring. Over time, the Distillery plans to add even more features to this experience.

Buffalo Trace worked with a digital creative agency called Bajibot based in New York City to develop the virtual tour. Over thirty detail modeled 3D structures, 400 acres of distillery landscape, and thousands of high resolution textures were created over the past two years. Now this virtual world is ready to launch.

The virtual tour is free of charge and can be downloaded directly from the Buffalo Trace Distillery website, and experienced on any Windows or Apple desktop computer, iPad or iPhone.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1773 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 21 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year by Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible 2018.  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 500 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.

Round One winners for the 2019 World Whiskies Awards were announced in London on Thursday night, and we’re happy to share that we won two categories and two gold medals!

The category wins mean we’re in the running again for World’s Best Single Cask Single Malt when the final results are announced in late March.

Here are the results:

WINNER: Best Australian Single Cask Single Malt 13-20 years – French Oak Single Cask HH0520

WINNER: Best Australian Single Cask Single Malt 12 years & Under – French Oak Single Cask TD0217

GOLD: Australian Single Cask Single Malt 12 years & Under – Special Cask TD0119

GOLD: Australian Single Cask Single Malt 13-20 years – American Oak Single Cask HH0337

If you were lucky to pick up a bottle of one of these whiskies when they were released, congratulations!

As always, it’s you, our loyal supporters, that allow us to make the world’s best single malt whiskies, so from all of us at Sullivans Cove – Thank you!

FEBRUARY AUCTION NOW LIVE!
(ends Sunday 24^th February)

…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!

Saturday, February 23rd, 1-5PM 

BenRiach and Glendronach 

Come by for a traditional single malt scotch tasting featuring BenRiach and Glendronach. Presented by distillery representatives and our own in-store whisky experts, scotch connoisseurs and newcomers to the the world of traditional scotch are sure to enjoy this tasting.

More Details & RSVP

EDENCROFT FINE WINES 

Glenfiddich / 21 Year Old Reserva Rum Cask Finish.

After maturing their whisky for 21 years, the Glenfiddich Malt Master adds even warmer and richer flavours by uniquely finishing this single malt in first fill bourbon barrels that once contained rum from the Caribbean.

The rum-soaked cask infuses the aged whisky with a spicy warmth and indulgent vanilla and toffee sweetness, the character of the Caribbean shining through. This gives our whisky a sumptuous sweet intensity that is both rich and creamy yet still retains the unmistakable character of Glenfiddich.

Free Unique cask stave key fob with each bottle. Present your stave at the distillery and they will reward you with an exclusive members-only tour, followed by a special tasting session.

www.edencroft.co.uk

Edencroft Wines & Spirits
8-10 Hospital Street – Nantwich – Cheshire – CW5 5RJ.
01270 629975

Raasay Distillery Launches Bespoke 30 Litre Casks

Proud to chart its own course, Raasay Distillery has today (Wednesday 6th February) launched its bespoke 30 litre casks of Raasay Single Malt.

The new 30 litre ex-Speyside Scotch whisky oak casks are now available to purchase on Raasay Distillery’s website and in person at the distillery.

The smaller casks make the island’s first expression more accessible to whisky lovers and will sit proudly alongside the 190 litre first-fill ex-American whiskey casks currently offered by Raasay Distillery and maturing in the island warehouse. Wood from ex-Speyside casks has been carefully chosen for the smaller casks to ensure the flavours of the final whisky are finely balanced.

All Raasay spirit is produced and distilled on the island, using only Scottish barley, distillers’ yeast and mineral-rich water sourced and filtered directly from a Celtic well on site. A long fermentation period brings a rich, characterful flavour to the Raasay spirit before it even touches the oak of a cask. Once the spirit is ready, both large and small casks are filled by the distillery team and left to age into the first ever Raasay Single Malt.

Distillery Co-founder Alasdair Day said:

“We wanted to make our first single malt more accessible in these new smaller casks. Depending on the angels’ share, after three years we expect to get around 40 bottles from the 30 litre casks, each offering a distinctly different character of Raasay whisky to our other bottlings.”

The 30L casks are small enough to make a perfect present for a loved one or for a special event, while bars or hotels can opt to co-brand their cask and display it on the bar. While the whisky matures, cask owners can come and visit their cask, staying in Raasay Distillery’s four-star accommodation: Borodale House. After the whisky is bottled, owners can also keep their empty cask as a treasured memento.

NOTES :

In February 2019, the casks are currently filled with unpeated spirit at an alcoholic strength of 63.4% and the distillery will then move to heavily peated spirit later in the year.

30 Litre Whisky Cask: Price: £999

Volume: 30 Litres Expected Bottles: Approximately 40

Cask Type: Ex-Speyside Scotch Whisky oak cask Maturation: Matured on Raasay for 3 years and then bottled.

Keep the cask: You can keep you 30 litre cask once the liquid has been bottled.

190 Litre Whisky Cask: Price: £5,000 Volume: 190 Litres Expected Bottles: Approximately 250 Cask Type: First-fill ex-American whiskey casks. Maturation: Matured on Raasay for up to 10 years, during which time the liquid can be bottled at your discretion.

Raasay Distillery:

Isle of Raasay Distillery opened in September 2017 and became the first “legal” distillery on the beautiful Hebridean island. Co-founded by Scottish entrepreneurs Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day, Raasay Distillery is designed to produce a contemporary Scottish island malt and catapult Raasay into the global market as Scotland’s newest whisky producing island.

Raasay Distillery is proud to be one of the few 100% Scottish-owned Scotch whisky businesses in Scotland. On the site of the Victorian-era Borodale House, formerly the Isle of Raasay Hotel, is a state-of-the-art modern distillery, offering year-round tours and luxury accommodation, with, arguably, the best view of any distillery in Scotland. The distillery has since received Five-Star Visitor Attraction rating and Four-Star Accommodation rating from VisitScotland for the visitor centre and accommodation respectively.

Isle of Raasay Single Malt will be lightly peated and fruity, utilising the best of the island’s natural elements and reflecting Raasay’s rugged natural beauty. Raasay Distillery uses water from an ancient Celtic well located behind Borodale House at every stage of production, from mashing to fermentation, to cask and bottling strength reduction, to retain natural flavours in the final whisky.

Working with local crofters, Raasay Distillery has successfully grown and harvested barley in a nearby field, the first time that barley has been grown on Raasay in over 40 years. In August 2018, the team produced spirit from the 2017 batch of Raasay barley crop, which will mature into the first ever single malt produced from Raasay-grown barley in 2021.

Raasay While We Wait is an independently bottled single malt – which has been crafted as an accurate preview of Raasay Distillery’s future core style. Designed as a peaty and fruity single malt, each iteration of Raasay While We Wait has been crafted through the vatting of two malts from a single Highland distillery – heavily peated at 45ppm and unpeated – matured in bourbon barrels and finished in Tuscan Montechiari wine casks.

Today (Thursday 14^th February), Raasay Distillery will open up pre-orders for the first ever bottles of Isle of Raasay Single Malt in Scotch whisky history that will be shipped and delivered in time for Christmas 2020.

After a fantastic response from members of Raasay Distillery’s free to join Slàinte Club, the team are delighted to announce that the inaugural release is now publicly available to pre-order on Raasay Distillery’s website for £99.

Produced and distilled on the Isle of Raasay using only Scottish barley, distillers’ yeast, and mineral-rich water sourced and filtered directly from the distillery’s own well – the well of the pale cow/Tobar na Ba Bàine – this is a whisky with a truly Hebridean heart. A long fermentation period of up to 115 hours brings a rich, characterful flavour to this island malt spirit before it even touches the oak of the cask.

This first release of Raasay spirit has matured in first fill bourbon barrels at the distillery warehouse since 2017 and in its final year, it will be finished in Bordeaux red wine casks before being bottled at 46% ABV, non-chill filtered and naturally coloured.

THE INAUGURAL WHISKY COLOURS FESTIVAL IS ANNOUNCED BY THE WHISKY SHOP DUFFTOWN

The first Whisky Colours Festival will be held from 10 to 14 October 2019.  It is a celebration of all things whisky and is centred in Dufftown, the malt whisky capital of the world.  The festival will allow you to get up close and personal with some of the biggest names in the whisky industry.

We are partnering with Cardhu, Glen Moray and Glenfarclas Distilleries for dining and tasting experiences; Morrison & MacKay for a unique autumnal tasting; as well as masterclasses from the likes of Adelphi and Berry Bros & Rudd.  Our website is the place to go for updates (www.whiskycoloursfestival.com).

We have been inspired by the vast range of whisky colours that are mirrored in the beauty of the phenomenal autumn scenery of Dufftown and the surrounding area as our woodlands display their stunning colours and the bright golden barley in the fields. Our aim is to bring you extra special whisky experiences with an autumnal theme that will be truly something to remember.

Mike Lord, Keeper of the Quaich and proprietor of The Whisky Shop Dufftown commented, “We want our guests to experience a series of in-depth events, giving exclusive opportunities which truly bring you the very best of whisky from the malt whisky capital.  We are excited to be creating this extensive calendar of events, in a friendly atmosphere at one of the most colourful times of year in Speyside”.

George Grant, 6^th generation of the family behind Glenfarclas Distillery, “The Whisky Colours Festival is a brilliant addition to the whisky calendar.  We are working with The Whisky Shop Dufftown on an authentic experience at the distillery during the festival and we look forward to welcoming you to our distillery.”

Each day will include intimate whisky experiences with an autumnal theme, from dinners with revered distillers, sought after masterclasses, food pairing, fun and so much more. The festival will culminate in a closing event hosted by key partner Tannochbrae Cuisine that will bring together all elements of the festival: whisky, music and food with lots of fun.

New events will be added to the festival website when they are finalised with the full programme being finalised by early June.  Tickets will go on sale 1^st July.

Find Out More

A Collector’s Favorite Bourbon from Buffalo Trace
Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Bottled in Bond Straight Kentucky Bourbon (750ml) ($39.99)
“If you’re a fan of Buffalo Trace bottlings and you’ve never been able to snag a bottle of their smaller production stuff, this is the perfect place to start.” —Andrew Whiteley, K&L NorCal Spirits Buyer

Featured here is one of the most sought-after and collectible Bourbons in the market today. In the past few years, when we were lucky enough to get a minuscule allocation, it was parsimoniously doled out by the bottle. Everything we acquired would sell out on the site, often in minutes. This time around, however, we were able to secure a large enough parcel of the Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Bottled in Bond Straight Kentucky Bourbon that we are offering it with no limits on a one-time basis. Based on its cult status and its very affordable price of $39.99, we expect it to fly off our shelves. Easily among our favorite bottlings from Buffalo Trace’s impressive portfolio, the E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch with its high corn mashbill and strong wood influence offers the perfect complement of sweet grain and spice. Despite what you might assume given its 100 proof designation, this Kentucky Bourbon has a surprisingly smooth approach that’s perfect for sipping. Considering the overall rarity and incredibly reasonable price, this is one to buy a few bottles for the near term and a few more to store away for a special occasion. Don’t delay, as once our allocation is gone, we likely won’t see another until next year.

Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Bottled in Bond Straight Kentucky Bourbon (750ml) ($39.99)

This bourbon, bottled in bond, was aged for seven years in the famous Colonel Taylor’s warehouse built in 1881. It is the latest from the sought-after E.H. Taylor line from Buffalo Trace Distillery. Soft and subtle, this is easily the most approachable and affordable of the recent Taylor releases. The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 means that the bourbon come from barrels all produced at one distillery, in a single season, and then stored in a bonded warehouse for at least four years before being bottled at 100 proof.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 06, 2019

I never thought I’d see the day we could secure enough of this to shout it from the roof tops! Colonel Taylor Small Batch is finally here in more than six-bottle-at-a-time quantities! Hallelujah. If you’re a fan of Buffalo Trace bottlings, and you’ve never been able to snag a bottle of their smaller production stuff, this is the perfect place to start. The high corn mashbill in combination with a big woody profile gives an incredible combination of sweet and spicy without relying heavily on rye grain. The 100 proof required by the bottled-in-bond act is actually a perfect spot for sipping. It’s robust enough to stand up in cocktails and sexy enough to enjoy on its own. The flavors are sweet candied corn, mature floral notes, and tons of spicy wood and clove and burnt orange peel. It’s time to case up, ’cause we have no idea if or when this opportunity will come again.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 07, 2019

It’s been a little while since I’ve sat down and evaluated this product thoroughly. A standard in my back bar when I can get it, but I tend “to drink and not think” this one, if you know what I mean. The fact that it’s recently become slightly more available (for what will certainly be a short period of time) means I get to take some time to consider this one thoroughly. Supposedly the same mash bill as George T. Stagg, I actually get a strong similarity to another famously hard to get Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Rock Hill Farms. Maybe it’s a warehousing thing or the fact that they’re both 100 proof, but the mashbills on the two should be different. The nose still has tons of sweet dark oak spice, strong Tahitian vanilla, and caramel. There are also touches of barnyard and dried vegetation. Big sweet corn appears on the palate with a lovely kick thanks to the higher proof. This is the perfect whisky to go in between Eagle Rare and Blanton’s, and the shoe fits perfectly, figuratively speaking. Sad we don’t get to sell this on the regular, but hopefully more stocks will continue to open up on this excellent brand.

Shaun Green | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 06, 2019

Wow! Great classic bourbon is so hard to find and E.H. Taylor (along with all the stable) is almost always in short supply. Wonderfully spicy and alluring, viscous, and showing the slightly sweet corn and oak qualities I love without being cloying or overly woody. Especially for a 100 proof whiskey, it is amazingly smooth on the palate and finishes super fine.

Highland Park 2002 Single Cask – Loch Fyne Whiskies Exclusive

We’re down to our very last botles of Highland Park 2002 Single Cask – Loch Fyne Whiskies Exclusive!

Awarded Liquid Gold in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2019 with a score of 96 points!

This release from Highland Park’s Single Cask Series is exclusive to Loch Fyne Whiskies. Distilled on Orkney in 2002 and matured in a single refill butt (number 3374) for 15 years before being chosen for bottling for our customers in 2018. Only 458 bottles have been filled, each one at a natural cask strength of 58.4% abv.

Described by Jim Murray as “breathtaking to the point of whisky life changing”!

Final bottles remaining – Get yours whilst stocks last.