The IWSC Group is excited to announce the next stage in the development of its whisky business in the US market.

With the shared goal of fostering broader and deeper appreciation of the world of whisky and to strengthen the reach and consumer engagement of our two Whisky brands: Whiskies of the World and The Whisky Extravaganza, we are pleased to announce as of January 2020 we will bring these two great brands together. Creating the foremost whisky tour in the country (with events in 15 major cities in 2020) and delivering even more educational and intense sensory perception opportunities for whisky brands to connect with whisky enthusiasts across the U.S.

The two programs will become one under the Whiskies of the World (WOW) brand and will now be managed and produced by Agency 21 Consulting, the leading culinary events agency and experiential marketing firm in North America.

Over the past two decades, both The Whisky Extravaganza and Whiskies of the World (WOW) have engaged thousands of consumers and have showcased hundreds of brands, offering guests from coast to coast the opportunity to taste superlative whiskies and to meet the outstanding personalities of the whisky world. In combining their teams, into a single powerhouse tour WOW will bring their individual strengths together to create an enhanced experience for both brands and consumers with the leading events in the nation.

“This would have not been possible without the incredible support of our whisky aficionados and loyal partners year after year,” said Brett Friedman, CEO of Agency 21 Consulting. “We’re are excited to formally merge these two iconic brands and establish the premiere whisky tour in the country.” The event will continue to offer whisky enthusiasts from the novice to the connoisseur the opportunity to explore some of the most prestigious whiskies from around the world, while also growing stronger with more fans and brands at the new-and-improved Whiskies of the World.”

“I’m thrilled to now be working with the team from Whisky Extravaganza so we can add a new level of consumer experience to all of the events and reach a wider audience” – Douglas Smith, Director of Whiskies of the World.

The new-and-improved Whiskies of the World “WOW” tour’s full schedule and city lineup will be announced in January 2020. Please visit https://whiskiesoftheworld.com to learn more.

ABOUT WHISKIES OF THE WORLD:

As one of the largest whisky tasting events in the US, Whiskies of the World (WOW) gathers over 200 of the most fascinating distilled spirits from around the globe, along with their makers and ambassadors, to give its guests an unforgettable tasting experience. Originating in San Francisco, Whiskies of the World features a diverse portfolio of whiskies from around the world including, Scotland, Ireland, the USA, Canada, Japan and Australia. The event platform is to bring educational and intense sensory perception opportunities to whisky enthusiasts across the U.S. The Whisky Extravaganza will be merging with IWSC’s Whiskies of the World to create the foremost Whisky tour in the country, traveling to 15 major cities for 2020. Over the past two decades, both The Whisky Extravaganza and Whiskies of the World have engaged thousands of consumers and have showcased hundreds of brands, offering guests from coast to coast the opportunity to taste superlative whiskies and to meet the outstanding personalities of the whisky world. In combining their teams into a single powerhouse tour, WOW will merge their individual strengths to forge an enhanced brand and consumer experience for the premier national whisky festivals.

ABOUT AGENCY 21 CONSULTING:

Founded in 2006, Agency 21 Consulting is a dynamic, full-service events and marketing agency, specializing in event management, corporate sales and fulfillment, brand activations and experiences. Headquartered in Miami, with a staff of more than 20 in offices throughout New York, Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas, the company is leading the way in its field, elegantly marrying brand integration, event production and smart marketing strategies. Agency 21’s portfolio includes nationally recognized culinary events and festivals across the country ranging from Food Network & Cooking Channel South Beach & New York Wine & Food Festivals and the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival to Cochon555/ Heritage Fire Tour, Nirvana Food & Wine Festival and Whiskies of the World Tour, among others

Discover ‘The Whiskiest Place’ with Glen Scotia

Discover Campbeltown with Glen Scotia. Sometimes a forgotten fifth whisky region of Scotland, it was actually the whisky capital of the world once upon a time- the original whisky region or rather ‘the whiskiest place’, boasting over 30 distilleries.

It’s time to put Campbeltown back on the map with the stunning whiskies coming from Glen Scotia. 

Shop Full Range

Saturday, January 11th, 12PM-5PM:

 Local Spirits: 10th St Single Malt 

 Can peated single malt be made in the Bay Area? Yes, and it’s delicious! 10th St Distillery brings Islay tradition to California with their signature single malt, made from imported Scottish peated barley.

Located in San Jose, California, 10th St Distillery combines time honored Scottish traditions and American ingenuity to create award winning single malt. Their signature expression is made with peated barley imported exclusively from Scotland and mineral rich water from the Sierras, hand-crafted in custom copper pot stills and aged in bourbon barrels. It received ‘Best in Class’ at the 2018 Whiskies of the World. Come by for a taste and learn more about this up-and-coming local distillery.

Click Here to RSVP

(or email us at info@whiskyshopusa.com)

Welcome to the first episode of the show for 2020. This week I’ll be looking at the GlenAllachie distillery range.

https://youtu.be/fiJnsdOiNJU

LAST CHANCE TO REGISTER FOR THE WORLD’S FIRST LIVE ONLINE WHISKY AUCTION DEDICATED TO CASKS

Cask Trade is to host the world’s first, live, online only auction dedicated to casks of whisky later this month but the the last chance for people to enter casks in the auction is fast approaching on Friday 10^th January.

Sales of whisky have raised record-breaking amounts, most recently £7.6M was raised at a Sotheby’s auction in London including several casks and an auction in Hong Kong in November raised £441,000 for a Cask of Macallan 1989.

World First

In an historic, world first, Cask Trade will host the first ever live, online auction for casks on 22^nd January 2020.

Auctionyourcask.com will allow private owners and investors to sell their cask to independent bottlers and other investors all around the world.

A passionate whisky collector for more than 20 years, Cask Trade’s owner Simon Aron, suffered many false promises from whisky investment companies and this drove his ambition to create a real and trustworthy market place for whisky collectors and investors, and bottlers.

“It’s a really exciting time for whisky sales as the recent Sotheby’s auction proved. I was in the room and the excitement was palpable and marked a historic moment for the spirits market. With the launch of auctionyourcask.com we offer a fresh approach to selling whisky by the cask, not just the bottle,” says Simon.

Whisky Price Growth

A mixed portfolio investment of 14 whisky casks purchased for £100,000 would appreciate at an estimated average increase of 13-18% a year (over 4-6 years), generating a target gross return of more than £214,000, an increase of approximately 114%.

Whisky, according to the recent Knight Frank Wealth Report, is 2019’s top performing luxury investment. With an increase of 40% on rare bottle values in the last 12 months, it far outstripped the more established alternative assets such as art, wine and cars.

auctionyourcask.com

The first auction on 22^nd January will run until 2^nd February (ending 8pm GMT) and feature approximately 24 casks including: Glen Ord barrel April 2015 estimated £2,000-£3,000; Glenrothes sherry hogshead 2009 estimated £9,000-£11,000; Bruichladdich 2007 in a first fill ex-Chateau Margaux barrique estimated £29,000-£33,000 and Springbank 1995 sherry hogshead estimated £40,000-£50,000.

Those looking to register their interest in the auction should visit www.auctionyourcask.com – the deadline for entry is 10^th January 2020.

Two tastings of cask-strength whisky will be held for those who register their interest in the auction. The tastings will take place at Cask Trade’s offices on Regent Street on 15^th January at 12noon until 2pm and 5.30pm until 8pm. Tickets for both tastings can be purchased from www.auctionyourcask.com/news-and-events (£10/ticket). However if you can’t make the date, a limited supply of samples will be available online after the tasting.

All casks will need to have had a recent re-gauge ready for auction and a full 70cl sample will be drawn so that bidders have the opportunity, wherever possible, to try the whisky before they buy. Cask Trade validate all the sellers and confirm proof of ownership and the history of the cask enabling bidders to safely buy. With complete transparency and no sellers’ fee Cask Trade can offer bidders the actual hammer price. Their low buyers’ fee of 15% + VAT will offer the opportunity to buyers, trade or private, to buy rare casks.

Cask Trade, the company behind of auctionyourcask.com, buys and sells exceptional cask whiskies. The company is unique because it only sells casks it owns outright, and it only sells whole casks: it is not a whisky cask broker and it does not offer fractional sales, as part of a fund.

Hosted four times a year the next auctions will take place in April, July and October 2020.

Ends

NOTES 

Founded in 2018 by Simon Aron in partnership with several of the world’s foremost whisky masters, including Keeper of the Quaich Sir Colin Hampden-White, Cask Trade buys and sells exceptional cask whiskies. The company is unique because it only sells casks it owns outright, and it only sells whole casks: it is not a whisky cask broker and it does not offer fractional sales.

A passionate whisky collector for more than 20 years, Simon Aron suffered many false promises from whisky investment companies and this drove his ambition to create a real and trustworthy market place for whisky collectors and investors, and bottlers:

The company’s casks are held in the best HMRC bonded warehouses, regularly visited and approved by Cask Trade whisky masters. All stock holdings have a complete paper trail…

• Delivery orders from supplier to Cask Trade
• Invoices for transfer of ownership, storage insurance, re-gauging, sampling or movement
• HMRC-issued WOWGR (warehouse keepers, warehouse premises, owner of goods and registered consigners): a fully regulated and closely monitored license requiring due diligence on suppliers as well as customers.

Included in its extensive list of customer services, Cask Trade’s rigorous processes means that the company will guarantee to buy back from its clients the casks they buy from and have had managed by Cask Trade. It also offers…

• Regular sampling and re-gauging of casks
• Re-racking (sherry wine, port etc)
• Estimates of bottles and strength in cask (effects of angels’ share 0ver years of maturations)
• Financial modelling for each cask based on age and rarity with estimated % returns
• Costings for bottling, labelling and shipping (duty & tax)
• Regularly updated whisky investment guide which includes statistics from two authoritative third parties (independent of Cask Trade)
• Cask Trade will arrange for clients to receive samples of their whiskies and visit their barrels(s), upon request – wherever possible.

Cask Trade has started the first live auction website dedicated to exceptional whisky casks: auctionyourcask.com.

Hosted four times a year and helping private owners/investors sell their cask to independent bottlers and other investors all around the world. All casks will be re-gauged ready for auction and a full 70cl sample will be drawn so that bidders have the opportunity to try the whisky before they buy. – Wherever possible. We validate all the sellers and confirm proof of ownership and the history of the cask enabling bidders to safely buy. With complete transparency and no sellers’ fee we can offer you the actual hammer price. Our low buyers’ fee of 15% + VAT will offer the opportunity to buyers, trade or private, to buy rare casks.

https://www.casktrade.com

https://www.auctionyourcask.com

Whisky Price Growth 

Whisky, according to the recent Knight Frank Wealth Report, is 2019’s top performing luxury investment. With an increase of 40% on rare bottle values in the last 12 months, it far outstripped the more established alternative assets such as art, wine and cars.

From page 78 – https://content.knightfrank.com/resources/knightfrank.com/wealthreport/2019/the-wealth-report-2019.pdf

Data collected by Rare Whisky 101 suggests the four-year growth from December 2014 in rare whisky has increased over 160%, compared to just 2.47% for the FTSE 100. https://www.rarewhisky101.com/indice

The same report by Rare Whisky 101 claimed via the BBC that they had performed a controlled test of 55 rare bottles, of which over a third were fakes.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-46566703

A Staff and Customer Favorite Single Malt of Astounding Refinement
2007 Dailuaine 12 Year Old “Old Particular” Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky ($64.99)
“Absolutely unique, perfectly balanced and undeniably delicious by any measure.”
— David Othenin-Girard

Dailuaine is one of the great, underrated gems in the Diageo portfolio. Always an exquisitely crafted spirit, we were amazed when we found a first fill sherry cask—a rare surprise we latched onto immediately. Such a treatment carries with it the expectation of bold, sweet flavors, but this being Dailuaine, refinement is the name of the game. Beautifully balanced but also with a tantalizing undercurrent of exotic spice, ripe fruit, and woodsy notes, it deftly melds its more savory elements with the inherent sweetness of the malt. We could go on and on about flavors this 12-year-old reveals, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t point out it only costs $64.99. This is an outstanding value for a spirit of pedigree and caliber and very well could be the smartest Scotch buy of 2019. We’ve already sold through a significant portion of our allotment and expect the remainder to go quickly. If you love an evolved and complex single malt that’s not a bruiser, then you need to add this Dailuaine to your collection.

2007 Dailuaine 12 Year Old “Old Particular” Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($64.99)

Another distillery in owner Diageo’s portfolio that hums along under the radar quietly churning out whisky that provides the heart and soul of some of the world’s most important blends. Rarely seen as a single malt, we’ve developed a crush on Dailuaine over the last few years here at K&L. Fortunately for us and our customers, our suppliers have acquired a number of sherry casks that have been made available at extraordinary prices. For less than $65 bucks, this 12-year-old delivers all of the meaty intensity that we’ve had in previous bottles with a more elegant wood profile. A deep amber in color, the balance of wood to spirit at the classic 12-year age statement is just perfect. There is a bit of burnt orange peel, sweet dried fruit, and a subtle nuttiness that intertwines with and highlights the rich and meaty spirit. It’s a shame that Diageo doesn’t choose to celebrate this unique malt with its own bottling, but as always, we are happy to pick up the slack.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 22, 2019

Dailuaine is another one of these great Diageo properties that’s been left out of the conversation for so long. We’ve had some fun Dailuaines in the past but never something in first fill sherry. This isn’t one of those ultra dark ones, but there’s no denying the exquisite influence this lovely sherry cask has had on the mild little single malt located just outside of Aberlour. The nose begins with a huge wild honey note, behind that hints of espresso bean and roasted nuts. The palate is very rich and oily, sweet dried fruits and spice. With water this becomes rather exotic – mango, ginger, harissa, clove, bay and savory hints of leather, antique wood and anise. Still big and oily on the palate with with this exotic bouquet expanding over the palate indefinitely. An undeniable sweetness, that doesn’t make me think PX, but maybe some type of old Palo Cortado or fine Moscatel. For everyone that’s disappointed it’s not some ultra dark bomb, I challenge you to open a bottle and tell me this isn’t THE BOMB. Absolutely unique, perfectly balanced and undeniably delicious by any measure.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 23, 2019

If oily doesn’t mean anything to you yet when it comes to Scotch, it will after you taste this. The malt itself is slick and supple with a slightly funky meaty quality a la Mortlach. Baked apples and red berry and quince compote represent the fruity side of the whisky which bounces off of the savory complexity from the sherry wonderfully. It’s as if you’ve stored loose leaf black tea in a Cuban cigar box. A slight hint at the umami of strong type baijiu comes up on the finish—insanely complex for the modest 12 year old/$65 combo. Not as dark as previous Dailuaine casks we’ve had, but frankly a better whisky than previous casks if you prefer nuance, balance, and complexity. While I haven’t decided yet on what I think the very best value is in our current single cask selection, this is certainly in the top 3.

Jackson Lee | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 06, 2019

I’m pretty on board with most of the things the other reviewers have said about this whisky here. Unique and different from almost every other Scotch I’ve tasted in this year’s rounds of D.I.s, I wasn’t sure what to think of it at first. The nose is sour and savory with an underlying sweetness. Initially I got molasses, sour apple/cherry, overripe fig, and raisin bagels. The sour/sweet/spice combo had my mind reeling. Once I sipped it, there was a different story to be told and my brain immediately got back in line. Like the other reviewers have mentioned, the texture is absolutely beautiful. Notes of sweet sherry, umami, and grilled peach skins rode on a full-bodied and silky mouthfeel. If you’re looking to try something new and fun, this is the Scotch for you.

Neal Fischer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 29, 2019

Here’s my holiday gift to myself for 2019. Andrew and David picked a lot of great single barrels for our Scotch program this year, but this is one of the more unique casks, I feel. While Dailuaine isn’t bottled as a single malt very often, it can fall into a fairly typical Speyside character of fruit and sweetness. This 12 year Old Particular bottling, however, packs an umami punch. There are a lot of savory and spicy notes which combine with cocoa scents that nearly give the impression of Mexican mole sauce. In the background there are dark honey notes and a little orchard fruit, but the savory side is the star. On the palate this Scotch is even more spicy and fun with notes of leather and English breakfast tea. Adding water brings out a little more fruit character and brown sugar, but the spice stays strong. Check this one out.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 23, 2019

If I had just one word to describe this single cask it would be that it is fantastic. Other words like delicious and interesting could also apply. The nose is pretty with a mixture of malt and spice. In the mouth it is rich and concentrated with spice and nut notes. With a little water it is full-bodied and mouth-coating with a depth of sweet and spicy flavors. There is a nice dry finish.

The first Outturn of the year not only brings some inspired drinking, as we celebrate our Scottish culture and heritage, it’s the first release of our new-look bottle. January Outturn is available to read online now, ahead of the full release at 9am on Friday, 10 January.

Browse the new bottling list, decide on what bottles to buy and get in touch this Friday with your order. For those who can’t wait until then, we’ve released six preview bottlings for inspiration. Only a limited number are available, be quick and order now.

READ OUTTURN

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

ralfy.com review his Whisky Of The Year 2020

https://youtu.be/YPG1YN19bLk

Beam Suntory Sets Bold Ambition for India, Launches First Truly International Indian Whisky Oaksmith® and the Iconic The House of Suntory Portfolio including Yamazaki® and Hibiki®

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was founded in 1983 through a spirit of friendship – a small group of people who used the discovery of single cask whisky as a reason to get together and enjoy each other’s company. As word of mouth spread about how good the whisky was, friends of friends started to get involved. That group grew to become a community, and then a club of kindred spirits.

We’ve come a long way since then, with more than 26,000 members across the world. But at our heart, we’re still that club of people who want to share their passion for a fantastic dram.

This year, we’re introducing a new monogram badge across everything we do. The monogram represents our heritage here at The Vaults but also celebrates our role above all else as a members’ club – a unique community across countries and cultures, united in our passion for sharing the best whisky and spirits in the world.

Introducing our monogram goes much deeper than making a cosmetic change – we’re working to bring your Society membership experience to life with the opening of our new Members’ Room in Glasgow, a refurbishment and expansion of our Members’ Room at 28 Queen Street, and with an increasing focus on how we can help to bring you together in person or online.

Whether it’s through hosting colourful Society events wherever you are, developing our network of partner bars around the world or building on the success of our first Gathering at The Vaults, everything we’re focussed on in 2020 will have the central aim of involving you in the Society and enhancing your pride in being part of the SMWS.

We want our members to grasp that they belong to a club that lives up to our billing as ‘All Together Unique’, not only in terms of the whiskies we bottle but because we’re a Society of kindred spirits and curious characters.

Last year ended on a high for us, with our unprecedented third consecutive accolade as Independent Bottler of the Year in the Independent Bottlers’ Challenge competition. We’re confident about continuing to bring you the world’s most exceptional whiskies, but above and beyond that we want you to share the joy of belonging to the world’s most colourful whisky club.

Our monogram still has The Vaults at its heart, just as it was in our original design, and the Society’s sense of fun and adventure that we started out with from here is stronger than ever.

Here’s to a fantastic year of sharing whisky experiences and amazing drams in 2020,

SMWS Edinburgh

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