Built in 1965 Tomintoul Distillery lies in the heart of the stunning Cairngorms National Park, located close to Tomintoul, the highest village in the Highlands of Scotland. Situated in the ancient Glenlivet Estate, the distillery takes its water from the pure, natural Ballantruan Spring, nestled in the Cromdale Hills. The natural environment, high altitude and exclusive use of the Ballantruan water source combine to produce the smooth and well balanced single malt that is Tomintoul, known as “the gentle dram”.

BROWSE OUR FULL TOMINTOUL RANGE HERE

Whisky Sale!

All Bruichladdich & Westland whiskies are %10 off with the corresponding coupon codes

“BRUICHLADDICH” &

“WESTLAND” 

This is a great deal, as it applies to

all whiskies from the related distilleries – not just those featured during the event.

Click below to purchase whiskies:

Bruichladdich

Westland

HOW TO SPEND £1M… AT HOME IN YOUR PYJAMAS

For most of us, online shopping is an everyday occurrence. But when it comes to big spending or making investments, have you ever considered the possibility of spending over £1m in one go, without even leaving your sofa?

From 10-20 April 2020, online whisky auction specialists Whisky Auctioneer will launch the second part of its sale of The Perfect Collection by Mr. Richard Gooding – a library of over 3,900 of the rarest, most coveted, most expensive as well as expansive range of bottles of Scotch Whisky ever to go to public auction.

During the 10-day sale of 1,958 bottles, whisky lovers worldwide will have what may be a once in a lifetime opportunity to purchase some very special whisky. Some highlights include:

● The Macallan 1926 Fine & Rare 60 Year Old
● A host of highly sought-after bottles from some of Scotland’s lost distilleries including Dallas Dhu, Glenugie and Killyloch with some bottles dating back as far as 1921
● Glenfiddich 1937 Rare Collection 64 Year Old; with only 61 bottles produced this is a very rare find and is the oldest expression ever to have been released by Glenfiddich
● Glenfiddich 1936 Peter J. Russell – a truly unique example of one of Glenfiddich’s early single malts, bottled in 1969
● Alongside Mr. Gooding’s favourite bottling, Bowmore’s 1964 Black Bowmore, there are many other exceptional examples from the Islay distillery including other 1964 vintages and expressions, including both the Black, White and Gold as well as the Fino, Oloroso and Bourbon cask ‘trilogies’
● Rare Bowmore finds such as the 1967 Largiemeanoch and the 25 Year Old Auld Alliance Chateau Lagrange bottling .

Iain McClune, Founder of Whisky Auctioneer said:

“The Perfect Collection auction is a once in a lifetime opportunity for collectors, investors and whisky lovers to acquire a piece of whisky history. They will find many bottles that have never, or rarely, been seen on the secondary market.

The auction includes the opportunity to purchase The Macallan 1926 Fine & Rare 60 Year Old, a range of highly sought-after bottles from some of Scotland’s lost distilleries, and special Bowmore, The Balvenie and Glenfiddich bottlings – all of which are gold dust for collectors.

With the current situation requiring so many of us to stay at home, the beauty of Whisky Auctioneer, unlike traditional auction houses, is that we bring the opportunity of this magnificent collection of whisky to you wherever you may be. It is so easy to get involved anywhere in the world by bidding from the comfort of your own home on your laptop or phone, with something for all ranges of budgets – from a hundred to over a million pounds – a truly accessible auction for all those who have an interest in whisky.”

To sign up for Part Two of The Perfect Collection by Mr. Richard Gooding and for more information, visit:

www.whiskyauctioneer.com www.whiskyauctioneer.com/perfect-collection-mr-richard-gooding

CLICK HERE FOR THE PERFECT COLLECTION DIGITAL CATALOGUE

CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO AUCTION LISTING

Notes 

Since launching in 2013, the Perthshire-based company has made its mark in the realm of whisky auctions by creating an accessible and easy way of buying and selling whisky online. Up until February 2020, Whisky Auctioneer has sold 228,551 lots and in February this year made history during part one of the iconic sale of Mr. Gooding’s Collection when a bottle of The Macallan Valerio Adami fetched over one million dollars, and 1,932 bottles were sold for $4,277,000 (£3,290,000) in total – the most ever at an online only whisky auction.

The Perfect Collection was diligently assembled by late American businessman, Mr. Richard Gooding over almost two decades. Fuelled only by his passion for whisky, it was his mission to collate what has been deemed ‘The Perfect Collection’, with the aim of collecting examples of single malt whisky from every Scottish distillery, whether open or closed. He would regularly fly to Scotland with his private pilot to get his hands on some of the most prized bottles to exist in the whisky world from his favourite distilleries.

The following whiskies are part of the Marquee bottlings from auction two:

● The Macallan 1926 Fine and Rare 60 Year Old 75cl / US Import Est. hammer price: £1,000,000 – £1,200,000
● Glenfiddich 1936 Peter J Russell Est. hammer price: £3,000 – £5,000
● Glenfiddich 1937 Rare Collection 64 Year Old Est. hammer price: £50,000 – £60,000
● The Balvenie 1937 Pure Malt 50 Year Old 75cl / Milroy’s of Soho Est. hammer price: £18,000 – £23,000
● Bowmore 1964 Black Bowmore 29 Year Old 1st Edition Est. hammer price: £12,000 – £17,000
● Bowmore 1967 Largiemeanoch 12 Year Old Est. hammer price: £10,000 – £15,000
● Dallas Dhu 1921 Private Cask 64 Year Old #296 Est. hammer price: £5,000 – £10,000

About Whisky Auctioneer

Whisky Auctioneer specialises in auctioning whisky, whether it be fine, old, rare, collectible or affordable. Formed in 2013 and based in Perth, central Scotland, its website aims to be the most comprehensive available for the buying and selling of whisky. Whisky Auctioneer sources not only Scottish whiskies but also those from distilleries around the world, including America, Japan, Sweden and Ireland. Registering to bid is easy. No matter what whisky you are looking for, whether an old and rare The Macallan, exciting limited Glenmorangie, vintage The Glenlivet, youthful intense Ardbeg, rich and powerful Lagavulin, aggressive Laphroaig, old and unusual Springbank or rare Glenfiddich, it sells whiskies to suit all tastes. The organisation is always on the lookout for those closed distilleries we all wish still existed; Port Ellen, Rosebank, Dallas Dhu, Imperial and Brora to name a few.

For more information visit: www.whiskyauctioneer.com

For more information on The Macallan

A quick update on the shop before we get into the newsletter in full.

​The shop is like many; closed at the moment, however we are still running our business online. We had planned a look back season before any new releases in April, so this is our planned update, but things have changed obviously around the world.

We aim to keep the Scotch flag flying (and other spirits), so we can keep our shop going into its 25th anniversary intact. We can only do this with our amazing customers who have supported our small family business so much over the last 25 years!

We would also like to thank all the frontline workers in these times of crisis, your valuable work saves lives every day and we think it would be appropriate to raise our glasses (at home) to these brave people.

Keep in touch via

Email whisky@whiskytastingroom.com

A little change to our web shop shipping costs with a few reductions during the next few weeks

Please take a look at our current shipping costs

1-2 Bottles (£5.59), 3-4 Bottles (£7.50), 5-6 Bottles (£9.50)

Please be aware that we cannot guarantee next day delivery at this time

SCOTCH 

Does Scotch have a heart you might wonder? If anything, for many of us, whisky has a special place in our heart, just like it has a particular place in Scotland’s geography. Majority of whisky in Scotland can be found in the Highlands, in fact, in the region called Speyside. This is the place of fruity and creamy exquisite malt whiskies, the home of many big shots and smaller distilleries worshipped by many dedicated connoisseurs.

Speyside, the mighty name that decorates many bottles of Scotch, derives its name from the River Spey (Uisge Spè). This stream of life goes across the region and has offered the foundation for many Whisky distilleries and their malty lore. Speyside in general is known for its smooth and fruity flavours, which often surprise its first-time drinkers. “What? I thought all whisky was peaty” Is often heard from the mouths of the beginners who have probably been offered a smoky dram in the early hours of the morning. Then again, for the experienced whisky drinkers and collectors, the flavours of the Highlands and Speyside might generate a notable load of nostalgia. Maybe these flavours were exactly what ignited the spark of their whisky passion in the first place.

But how about the picturesque and almost mythological lands of the Highlands? Sometimes they find themselves in the middle of the eternal squabble between people who debate whether best the whiskies are soft and sweet or smoky and salty. Many of these distilleries in between produce one of the finest and most complex whiskies in the world, with their oily, nutty toffee taste. If you forgot to get that desert in the restaurant, the Highlands will fix your desire of a malty pudding in your own table or as a great gift for a dear person.

These feelings of joy and maybe a bit of nostalgia are exactly what we want to offer for you today. It’s time to jump on that boat and sail down immense hillsides of the Highlands all the way to the River Spey in a quest to feel the taste of the past, the present and the coming days!

Lets first have a distillery profile or two 

Teaninich was founded in 1817 by Hugo Monro on the estate that the distillery is named after.

The distillery does look a little modern the distillery is in a rural location with hills in the background and lots of green open space.

The distillate from Teaninich is usually higher than most, the malted barley is ground down to a fine flour with the use of a Hammer Mill, Several types of Barley can be used allowing a greater spirit yield.

This is a distillery with a greater quality malt that delivers time after time.

Ord Distillery Established 1838 by Thomas Mackenzie in Ross-shire as Glen Oran Distillery, the name Glen Ord was later given to the distillery in 1923                                                   One of the most productive distilleries in Scotland making a consistent great single malt that has a huge following world wide, known as Singleton of Ord in some regions of the world.

The current distillery has grown from just 2 stills in 1966 to 6 with a capacity of around 11.000.000 litres by 2018/19

This distillery had a visitor centre as far back as 1988 some distilleries only started to add such tourist centres fairly recently.

The distillery is just north of Inverness with one of the best microclimates that allows the sweet waters of the highlands to marry perfectly with a slight maritime hint in some single cask releases we have in our current collection, the main feature of the liquid is smooth fruity and superbly rich.

Dailuaine Established 1852 Carron Banffshire 

This distillery was the first to have the now iconic symbol of Scottish distilling the pagoda roof, in 1891 the company Dailuaine-Glenlivet distillery Ltd is founded, by 1898 the distillery merges with Talisker, Imperial & a Grain distillery in Aberdeen (we now see the seeds to something much bigger to come)

Whiskies like Dailuaine are amazing to bring together any quality blend, the reason some blends are still very much to the fore today is because they can reach a balance or consensus if you like on the palate.

As a single malt this shines as a stand out whisky no matter what the age, We have had several 10 – 14 year olds based on taste and quality alone

Benrinnes Established 1826 

A quick history opens in 1826 – Flood destroys the distillery in 1829 – New distillery Lyne of Ruthie is built a few kilometres away – 1896 Fire destroys the distillery, its then rebuilt until 1955 / 1956 when a total rebuild takes place.  Yes we have featured this distillery before for good reason, its a great tasting profile of course, but it was also one of those distilleries that had a unique distilling process, in the case of Benrinnes it was  between 1974 and late 2007 they would do a form of triple distillation.

Glenburgie Established in 1810 as Kilnflat distillery until 1870 when it closed then reopens some 8 years later 1878 as Glenburgie-Glenlivet 

The first official distillate is recored in 1829 at the original distillery, that’s a long gap between establishment and operations but this distillery is like so many unique in many ways including in 2003 the demolition and rebuilding of a new efficient distillery in operation in 2004.

​Its a new distillery in many ways but makes a single malt with its history and quality shining through first and foremost.

THE RANGE 

Teaninich 2008 10 Years Old  – 57.2% VOL  – 70CL – Highlands Single Cask

NOSE: Banana leaves, whole mangoes, brandy butter and faint figs.

TASTE: Thick, lychee, icing sugar, spearmint and fennel. Hints of calvados and dark chocolate.

FINISH: Refreshing with popping candy, watermelon and peaches in syrup

Teaninich 2009 10 Years Old 55.1% Vol – 70CL – Highlands

NOSE: Walnuts, green apples, freshly cut wood.

PALATE: Nuttiness continues with caramelised banana and pinecones.

FINISH: Brown sugar, cinnamon and a slight lemon zest.

Ord 11 YEARS OLD 56.4% – 70CL – Small batch

NOSE: Mint, white chocolate, soft flint notes, whole lemons, cappuccino froth and gooseberries.

PALATE: Lemon infused olive oil, apricots, strawberry yoghurt with a trace of white pepper.

FINISH: Melted milk chocolate, dried orange peel, crystallised ginger and lemon sorbet.

Ord 11 years old – 56.2% – 70cl – Highland single cask whisky

NOSE: Faint hint of Mezcal, gooseberries and key lime pie.

PALATE: Orange bitters, clotted cream with some peaches. Coriander and white chocolate.

FINISH: Growing creaminess with pine needles, icing sugar and almonds

Ord 14 years old – 54.8% – 70CL – Highland single cask whisky

NOSE: Salmon pate and cream cheese. Lemon bonbons and toasted almonds.

PALATE: Shortbread, dried cranberries, honeycomb and melted white chocolate.

FINISH: Soft earth notes hide behind a big dollop of clotted cream and then some red berries.

London Tasting Panel (LTP) Nose: coastal with lots of creamy honey and citrus like notes. Very fresh and alluring. Plate to Finish: Lots rich creamy notes across the whole palate with berries and a cream filled fruit bun!  As this grows on the palate it takes us to a warehouse full of sweet maturing whisky, fresh dried tobbacco leaves and rich vanilla, the palate and finish are finished with some frothy coffee and whipped cream.

Still a nice hint of the coast as we can find in some whiskies from the north east, but never over the top more like summer on the beach

Dailuaine-Glenlivet 2004 14 years old – 46% – 70CL – Speyside small batch

NOSE: Pineapple, gooseberries and quite floral. Orange blossom water and freshly baked scones.

PALATE: Soft butterscotch, lemon and lime along with butter icing and toasted almonds. Hints of cracked black pepper, strawberries and clotted cream.

FINISH: Bigger than expected, with beeswax, spearmint and green tea.

Dailuaine-Glenlivet 2008 10 years old – 60.6% – 70CL – Speyside single cask

NOSE: Hard toffee sweets, rye bread with soft paprika and fresh cut grass.

PALATE: Stem ginger, caramel, vanilla custard and sauvignon blanc.

FINISH: Light and spicy with white pepper, lemon and tarragon.

Dailuaine-Glenlivet 2008 10 Years Old 59.9% – 70CL 3 x HHDs

NOSE: Syrupy fruit salad, cereal notes, butter popcorn.

PALATE: Buttered toast, Mocha and vanilla pods.

FINISH: Cocoa powder, maple syrup the soft wood spice.

Benrinnes 12 Years Old – 57.2% – VOL 70CL – Speyside Region

Nose: Lots of syrupy fruits, spearmint, banana bread and almonds.

Palate: Kiwis, whipped cream, nutmeg, pine needles and lychee.

Finish: Cardamom, brown sugar, juicy fruits, mango, kiwi and cashew nuts.

Benrinnes 2004 14 years old – 55.4% – 70CL – Speyside small batch whisky

NOSE: Buttered raisin toast, barley water, watermelon.

PALATE: Green apples, cucumber water, rhubarb.

FINISH:  Dried herbs, tinned pineapple, honey and lemon.

London Tasting Panel (LTP): Very drinkable rich fruity classic Speyside whisky one that should suit most palates for those who want a simply good honest smooth dram. Soft vanilla and lemon with tropical fruits nice long smooth finish

Glenburgie-Glenlivet 15 years old – 54.0% – 70CL – Speyside small batch whisky

NOSE: Malt loaf, hints of molasses and icing sugar. oily and grassy. Custard creams.

PALATE: Lemon peel, gingerbread, golden syrup and a little aniseed.

FINISH: Soft raisin notes along with ore gingerbread and vanilla ice-cream

GLENROTHES -GLENLIVET 1996 22 YEARS OLD 49.7% VOL SPEYSIDE SMALL BATCH

NOSE: Toffee, hot cross buns and cassia bark. slightly herbal with hints of linseed oil.

PALATE: White chocolate covered raisins, black cherries and golden syrup along with barbecue sauce and pineapple.

FINISH: Soft warming spice along with chocolate, caramel, figs and toffee apples.

Royal Brackla 12 YEARS OLD 57.7% – 70cl – Small batch

NOSE: Vanilla pods, whole pineapples, caramel with hints lime and paprika.

PALATE: Thick chewy mouthfeel with lemon peel, honey, almonds and gooseberries.

FINISH: Hint of spice, heavy cream with lemon, white chocolate and soft orange notes.

Glenrothes-Glenlivet 18 YEARS OLD 51.1% – 70cl – Small batch

NOSE: Honey, lime zest, coconut, cream sponge cake, dill and hints of fennel.

PALATE: Creamy and thick, tangerines, pears in syrup, toffee sauce and condensed milk with fresh rhubarb and pine-nuts.

FINISH: Soft creamy and orangey notes with growing blueberries, pomegranate and traditional lemonade.

Thank you to everyone for your incredible support and understanding throughout this difficult time. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted all of us personally, economically and emotionally. We know you may have questions regarding our auctions and we wanted to address these as best we can in the current circumstances. Please be reassured we will return, and when we do – it will be with the same high quality auction you have come to expect from us.

Q: Why are auctions postponed? 

It’s been asked why we have taken the decision to postpone our auctions as a result of the COVID-19 crisis while other auctions are still running. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, and above all else is the safety of our team, suppliers and customers. Each and every bottle that is bought and sold undertakes a journey with us. When we receive a bottle it’s booked in and checked by our expert handlers. Every bottle is then individually processed through photography with descriptions before making its way into the auction. Throughout the auction we carry on this process for the following month. At auction end our finance department track payments and process for all of our buyers and sellers. Each order is then passed to our logistics team who process shipping worldwide, liaise with our couriers and packing team who then carefully pack the bottles ready for uplift. This process has ensured over the years that we have the highest quality offering for our customers globally, it’s a team effort to process every single lot that features in our auction. Could this be done from home? Not without comprising the quality of listings, the safety of lots and efficiency of the auction.

Following government advice we absolutely could not ask our team to come into the office to process the auction (as much as they would love to!) to protect them and their families during this difficult time. As much as we love a good dram, and in line with government rules, we simply cannot justify the auction as essential work at this time.

We are always very transparent with our business, we were the first whisky auction site in the UK and the original idea was honestly never really about making money, it was about sharing a passion for whisky with the world, while making auctions accessible for all. That’s why our fees are always the same for everyone, regardless of size or value of collection.
It’s that ethos that has seen our auction grow from hundreds of lots per month to thousands worldwide. We always aim to do the very best for all of our customers, buyers and sellers.

The COVID-19 crisis has put financial pressure on people all over the world, could we be confident going live that transactions would be successful? In a fast changing economic climate a bidder could very well find themselves unable to pay, a seller may not get the price they had expected or indeed may not be paid by the buyer, which makes it a disappointing scenario for everyone. Our extensive courier network are working hard to cope in exceptional circumstances but again, taking capacity from them for non essential services and needs to ship bottles would in our view be the wrong thing to do in the current climate.

Q: When will auctions restart?

We would love to be able to give you a definitive date however we are in the same situation as everyone else, we await government advice as the COVID-19 situation develops. We are simply following government rules that all non-essential business should close and for the reasons above we cannot work from home without compromising the quality of our auction. We are awaiting the review later this week on lockdown measures and if there is any indication of an end date we will be very quick to let everyone know. Our auctions are simply paused, not cancelled. Within days of being advised that it’s safe to return we can have our auction live. Auction 108 will go live as originally planned. All bottles are currently stored in our climate and light controlled secure storage facility. You can rest assured your bottles are safe and fully insured.

We appreciate that this is a difficult time for everyone and we truly hope you understand that by postponing the auction we are not only following Government rules we are putting people before profit, the health and safety of everyone involved has got to come first.

We thank everyone for the hundreds of messages, emails and calls of support throughout this trying time and we sincerely look forward to welcoming you all back to our auctions very soon. It goes without saying that our team are as frustrated as you are, we are passionate about what we do and we hope that you understand our position. We are all in this together.

Wishing you all the best from Glasgow, stay safe and well and we look forward to getting back to normal as quickly as we safely can.

Sincerely

Thomas Gardiner
Scotch Whisky Auctions

Bunnahabhain — meaning ‘mouth of the river’ in Gaelic, stands at the mouth of the Margadale Spring on the shores of the Sound of Islay on the island’s remote North East coast. Founded in 1883, much of the spirit was produced for blending and it wasn’t until 1979 that the standard 12 Year Old Single Malt was released.

Historically Bunnahabhain produced a peated whisky, not unlike many others from Islay. However, since the 1960’s the vast majority has been unpeated. These days, only around 20% of the output is peated, which is primarily used for the heavily peated Toiteach a Dha, and some other limited bottlings, setting it apart from many of the other Islay distilleries.

The large stills produce a light and delicate new make that has traditionally been filled into ex-Sherry casks, adding a sweet fruitiness, and spice. When matured in refill or ex-Bourbon casks, the whiskies display a fresh saltiness, a reflection perhaps of the distillery’s coastal location. It’s this distinctively oily, unpeated style of whisky that has made its name with whisky fans the world over.

BROWSE OUR FULL BUNNAHABHAIN RANGE HERE

 

Smokehead TV is back for episode 2 this Sunday 19th at 5pm – ‘Rock-in cocktails’ featuring friend of Smokehead – Gaz Jones.

Gaz is an ambassador for Coca-Cola Signature mixers – delicious little bottles of delight co-created with top mixologists to mix with premium dark spirits. We’ll be unleashing our High Voltage Smokehead and showing you what drinks harness its electrically smoky appeal. And paying tribute to music tracks that we at Smokehead think capture our upbeat outlier way we like to look at things.

Mikey Sim will be mixing Smokehead cocktails along to the tracks and if it all works out – it’ll be amazing! Grab a bottle and join us this Sunday.

Stay safe, stay indoors, Smokeheads.

SHOP NOW

During this challenging time, £1 from the sale of each bottle purchased from www.smokehead.com will be donated to the Drinks Trust and The Ben to support their mission of providing care and support to our hospitality colleagues.

Yoshino Spirits Co.’s KAMIKI Sakura Cask Finish – Launch

Osaka, JAPAN, 4th April 2020– Yoshino Spirits Co. has launched “World’s First Sakura & Yoshino Sugi Cask Finish Whisky Brand’ under Kamiki Whisky portfolio firstly in U.K. market and now available for global export this month.

Following on from the acclaimed Kamiki and Kamiki Intense expressions – the first whiskies matured in Japanese Cedar wood – this exciting new expression takes the brand an innovative step further, this time with a finish in Sakura wood, or Japanese Cherry Blossom as it is more commonly known.

This new expression is finished in Japanese Cedar wood, just like the two before it, before being transferred to casks made from the famous Sakura tree for further finishing. Kamiki Sakura Wood already picked up awards, winning a Gold Award at the China Wine & Spirits Awards 2019, a Double Gold at the Women’s Wine & Spirits Awards 2019, a Platinum Award at SIP Awards 2019, a Double Gold from Las Vegas Spirit 2019 Awards, Double Gold at Cigar & Spirits Magazine 2019, Innovation and Consumer Choice Awards at SIP Awards 2019.

About Yoshino Spirits Co.
Yoshino is a private company based in Osaka, exporting finest Japanese whisky, wine and spirits to the world. For more information please visit www.yoshinospirits.com

LOCH LOMOND GROUP GOES PLATINUM AT

2020 SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION 

• Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Single Malt and Glen Scotia 25 Year Old Single Malt both receive platinum honour at prestigious awards
• Loch Lomond Group records twelve separate medals in total

Loch Lomond Group has enjoyed one of its most impressive sets of results at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition this year, receiving twelve separate awards, including two coveted platinum medals for its Loch Lomond 12 Year Old Single Malt and Glen Scotia 25 Year Old Single Malt.

This was the 20th San Francisco World Spirits Competition, one of the most respected and influential awards in the industry, which this year received over 3,000 entries.

The platinum medals were introduced last year and recognise brands that win a Double Gold or Best in Class for three consecutive years. This year only seven platinum medals were awarded across the entire Scotch category. To date only 17 platinum medals have been awarded across all categories in the competition.

Ten further awards were collected, including Double Gold for both Loch Lomond Inchmurrin 12 Year Old and Loch Lomond 18 Year Old; four gold awards for Glen Scotia Double Cask, Glen Scotia Victoriana, Glen Scotia 18 Year Old and Loch Lomond Inchmoan 12 Year Old; and four silvers for Glen Scotia 15 Year Old, Loch Lomond Original, High Commissioner Blended Scotch and Ben Lomond Gin.

John Grieveson, Chief Marketing Officer, Loch Lomond Group commented: “We are extremely proud to have received such a strong set of results at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition this year, and we’re especially pleased to have received two platinum awards for Loch Lomond 12 Year Old, such a central expression in our Loch Lomond Whisky range, and for our Glen Scotia 25 Year Old Single Malt. It’s a real testament to the skill of the team, headed up by our Master Distiller Michael Henry, who work so hard to ensure that our range consistently delivers whiskies of the very highest quality.

“In these challenging times for everyone, it’s a very welcome boost for the whole team to receive this level of recognition from such a prestigious awards body.”

Loch Lomond 12 Year Old is a beautifully balanced whisky with a deep fruity character and hints of peat and smoke. Matured in three different cask types – bourbon, refill and re-charred – the expertly crafted single malt delivers notes of crisp green apple, ripe pear and refreshing lemon while the taste is fruity, vanilla and biscuit.  Visit www.lochlomondwhiskies.com for more information.

Glen Scotia 25 Year Old is gently matured in our finest American oak barrels before being married in first fill bourbon before bottling. The signature nose has hints of vanilla oak, interwoven with the subtle notes of sea spray and spicy aromatic fruits. Visit www.glenscotia.com for more information.

For more information about The Loch Lomond Group visit www.lochlomondgroup.com.

Notes:

About the Loch Lomond Group

• Loch Lomond Group is an independent distiller based in Alexandria and is home to several award-winning brands that are sold in more than 125 countries worldwide.
• Loch Lomond Group brands include Loch Lomond Whiskies, Glen Scotia, Littlemill, High Commissioner, Glen’s Vodka and Ben Lomond Gin.
• Loch Lomond distillery has been producing the finest single malt whiskies since 1814.
• Images and interviews with key staff from the Group are available upon request. www.lochlomondgroup.com

About the San Francisco World Spirits Competition

• The San Francisco World Spirits Competition was founded in 2000 as a way to recognise exceptional products in the spirits industry and is considered to be one of the most influential spirits competitions in the world.
• The 51 judges of the 2020 Competition are established spirits-industry experts, including:
• Anthony Dias Blue (Executive Director), author, editor, publisher, and one of the most influential food, wine, and spirits writers and lifestyle personalities in the U.S.A.
• Tony Abou-Ganim (Director of Judging), the Master-Mixologist, one of the leading pioneers of America’s craft cocktail movement
• Julie Reiner, the renowned bartender who brought New York’s Flatiron Lounge and Clover Club rave reviews and top rankings among the best bars in the world
• Jeffrey Morgenthaler, of Clyde Common at Portland’s Ace Hotel, named America’s Bartender of the Year and the country’s Best Cocktail and Spirits Writer at the 2016 Spirited Awards
• More information about all SFWSC 2020 judges can be found at sfspiritscomp.com/about/judges/

SUPPORT U.S. BARTENDERS BY BLENDING YOUR OWN WHISTLEPIG WHISKEY AT HOME

Flaviar crowdsources new WhistlePig HomeStock Whiskey from armchair blenders

Flaviar, the world’s largest spirits community, has teamed up with WhistlePig Whiskey, the leading  distiller in the fast growing, ultra-premium and luxury rye whiskey category, to deliver scores of ‘Blend your own whiskey kits’ direct to its members’ doors this month ahead of a virtual blending event intended to lift spirits in this difficult time of social distancing.

Flaviar will provide a rare opportunity for spirits lovers to come together and participate in an innovative blending experience. Following on the heels of the award-winning Farmstock Series, which WhistlePig previously used as their innovative blending platform, the crowd creation of WhistlePig HomeStock Whiskey will harness the creativity of whiskey lovers from across the U.S., calling on them to select their perfect combination of Rye, Wheat, and Barley Whiskey.

The result will be a unique, limited whiskey release, WhistlePig HomeStock Whiskey. Available this Spring, WhistlePig will donate 20% of online bottle sales via Flaviar and Caskers to the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) Foundation’s Bartender Emergency Assistance Program providing funds for its COVID-19 Relief Grants that will assist those currently out of work or in financial distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flaviar members can apply online to receive their blending kit, complete with blending tools, component base whiskeys and instructions from WhistlePig’s Master Blender, Pete Lynch. They can then put their exacting taste buds to the test and see if they have what it takes to create a winning blend. Flaviar members will be encouraged to donate at various touch points in the campaign including during the live blending session and when purchasing a bottle of WhistlePig HomeStock.

Flaviar’s community of whiskey enthusiasts will submit their preferred blend to an expert panel for consideration and tune in for a live-streamed tasting at the end of April. The top three blends crowd-sourced from members will be recreated live on air by WhistlePig’s Pete Lynch, with members able to blend and taste alongside them, then vote for their favorite in a live poll. The winning recipe from this virtual crowd-blending experiment, will then be bottled and released as WhistlePig HomeStock Whiskey, Blended Together, While Apart.

Pete Lynch, Master Blender at WhistlePig Rye Whiskey: “The most important thing we can do right now is stay home. By inviting people to blend whiskey at home, we hope to create a sense of community among fans, while raising some valuable funds for our friends in the bar industry. FarmStock has been one of our most exciting whiskey journeys, and we’re thrilled to partner with Flaviar to continue that story with HomeStock.”

Grisa Soba, co-founder of Flaviar adds: “If someone asks ten year’s from now, ‘what did you do during the lockdown? I bet they won’t expect you to say ‘I learned how to blend a whiskey’. Our members have pretty refined palates and so we’re confident with a little guidance from Pete, the concoctions they craft at home will ensure WhistlePig HomeStock will be a dram to savor.”

The WhistlePig HomeStock Blending Kits are available exclusively to Flaviar members to claim until April 17, 2020. To join Flaviar and experience great events like ‘HomeStock’ live blending, plus a quarterly spirits delivery shipped direct to your door, monthly shipping credits and access to a curated range of craft spirits, hidden gems and classic favorites and more, visit Flaviar.com.

https://flaviar.com/whistlepig-crowdblending

ABOUT FLAVIAR 

Founded in 2012, Flaviar is the world’s largest premium spirits club, with operations in the US and Europe. Flaviar offers a better way to experience fine spirits.

Flaviar members enjoy a full suite of benefits including quarterly tasting boxes and full-size bottles sent directly to their home, invitations to exclusive virtual spirits events, access to rare and original spirits available only to members, free shipping, over 200K member reviews and more.

Flaviar is here to help more people try more new things more often. Flaviar membership is $300 per year, or $95 a quarter.

For more information visit www.flaviar.com You’ve got to try this!

ABOUT WHISTLEPIG RYE WHISKEY

Founded in 2008, WhistlePig Rye Whiskey is the premier aged rye whiskey, featuring the bold and often untapped flavor of rye. WhistlePig Whiskey is leading a surge of innovation in the emerging field of North American whiskey. As the most decorated rye whiskey – having received the coveted ‘Best in Show Whiskey’ title from the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, WhistlePig is widely viewed as the world’s finest Rye. With the opening of its distillery on its 500-acre Vermont farm in the fall of 2015, WhistlePig has also become one of the leading farm-to-bottle rye whiskeys in the world. For additional information please visit whistlepigwhiskey.com. Please enjoy WhistlePig Rye Whiskey Responsibly.

ABOUT THE UNITED STATES BARTENDERS’ GUILD

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. Learn more at www.usbg.org.

ABOUT THE USBG NATIONAL CHARITY FOUNDATION:

The USBG National Charity Foundation’s mission is to advance the lifelong stability and well-being of service industry professionals through education and charitable activities. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through programming that focuses on social responsibility, community service, and philanthropy. You can learn more about the NCF at www.usbgfoundation.org.

ABOUT THE BARTENDER EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM:

The purpose of the Bartender Emergency Assistance Program is to assist those in the bar industry who are in need of assistance as a result of a catastrophic event or an emergency hardship. Fire, weather, medical, national crisis, or a family emergency, the BEAP is here to assist bartenders in their time of need.  Our goal is to assist as many qualified industry members as possible each and every year. We are striving to ensure that the BEAP is sustained as a safety net for those in the industry who need it most. Our hope is that you will support us to “help us serve those who serve us.” www.usbgfoundation.org/beap