AMERICAN OAK REFILL

The newest label from our Cask Variations Series, American Oak Refill, is finally ready for release. Today we are releasing two single casks side by side – TD0080 and TD0082 – the first ever bottling under the Sullivans Cove American Oak Refill label.

This exciting new whisky represents an evolution in the Sullivans Cove style. Unlike our standard American Oak ex-bourbon single cask label, these casks have never held bourbon. Originally commissioned by Sullivans Cove direct from the cooperage in the mid 1990s as virgin casks, they were first filled with an older batch of Sullivans Cove single malt whisky. Once that first batch was decanted and bottled, these casks were refilled with new make spirit. Thirteen years later, that refill spirit has reached its peak and is finally ready for release as Sullivans Cove American Oak Refill Cask.

According to legendary whisky writer Dave Broom, “Refill casks are so useful because they give a more gentle maturation, reduce wood’s influence, allow more interaction to take place (adding to complexity) and preserve character. They are essential for long-term maturation.”

To read more about the magic of refill casks, check our journal article

HERE

Normally we would release one cask online and make the other available via our Cellar Door, but because we have had to close to the public due to the COVID-19 outbreak, this time we’re releasing both casks to our mailing list, giving you twice the chance to secure a bottle. Very similar in age, style and flavour profile, these twin 300-litre American oak casks have both been aged for over thirteen years.

“Take your expectations and throw them out the window. This whisky is fascinating to both the palate and the mind.”
– Heather Tillott, Head Distiller

While these casks are remarkably similar, detailed tasting notes for each can be found on their respective product pages via the link below.

Please Note: Purchase of this release is strictly limited to one bottle from each cask per person.

Click the link below to purchase.

Normally we would release one cask online and make the other available via our Cellar Door, but because we have had to close to the public due to the COVID-19 outbreak, this time we’re releasing both casks to our mailing list, giving you twice the chance to secure a bottle. Very similar in age, style and flavour profile, these twin 300-litre American oak casks have both been aged for over thirteen years.

“Take your expectations and throw them out the window. This whisky is fascinating to both the palate and the mind.”
– Heather Tillott, Head Distiller

While these casks are remarkably similar, detailed tasting notes for each can be found on their respective product pages via the link below.

Please Note:

Purchase of this release is strictly limited to one bottle from each cask per person.

Click the link below to purchase.

PURCHASE NOW

Please Note:

Due to new health & safety policies implemented by Australia Post, and the reduction in domestic air traffic as a result of the COVID 19 outbreak, there may be some minor delays to shipping. Please don’t hesitate to email us with any questions!

BROWSE OUR FULL TOBERMORY RANGE HERE

BROWSE OUR FULL LEDAIG RANGE HERE

Welcome to this weeks episode of the show in which I’ll be taking a look at a relatively new independent bottling company called Heroes & Heretics.

https://youtu.be/I0aRfUedp3Y

RAASAY RISING CASK PROGRAMME – LAUNCH

JOIN THE ‘45 AND RESERVE YOUR PIECE OF SCOTCH WHISKY HISTORY 

The Isle of Raasay Distillery has today (Thursday 9^th April) launched an exclusive cask membership programme: the Raasay Rising.

The first 45 casks ever filled at the distillery have been made available as part of the ’45 cask offering, in a nod to Bonnie Prince Charlie’s time hiding out on Raasay following the 1745 Jacobite rising.

These historic 45 American oak bourbon barrels (190 litre) were used to mature the island’s lightly peated inaugural spirit that is now finishing maturation in Bordeaux red wine casks.

Whisky lovers and collectors alike can become part of the ’45 and personally fill their own cask on Raasay with their choice of peated or unpeated Raasay spirit, while ’hiding out’ for a night at the distillery’s whisky hotel. If they can’t make it to Raasay to fill their cask, they can visit their sleeping single malt at a later date. They will also receive a bottle of the distillery’s inaugural Isle of Raasay Single Malt later this year.

Isle of Raasay Distillery Co-founder Alasdair Day said:

“The first ’45 casks ever filled on Raasay, an island rooted in centuries of illicit distilling, hold a very special place in our distillery’s history.

“Rich in sweet vanilla and butterscotch flavours, with hints of smokiness from our lightly peated inaugural spirit, these bourbon casks are available with your choice of heavily peated or unpeated Raasay spirit.

“The Raasay Rising experience includes a night in our whisky hotel and one of the first bottles of our inaugural Isle of Raasay Single Malt later this year, before enjoying the contents of your single cask single malt after 10 years’ maturation, or even longer if you’d prefer.”

Each cask will yield hundreds of 70cl or 75cl bottles, lovingly packaged on the Isle of Raasay in our bespoke Scotch whisky bottle.

For further information, please email sales@raasaydistillery.com.

NOTES 

Raasay Rising Cask Brochure

Raasay Rising offer:

• Cask price: £4,000. Payment plans available, please email sales@raasaydistillery.com.
• Spend a night ‘hiding out’ on Raasay at the Isle of Raasay Distillery’s whisky hotel.
• An Isle of Raasay Distillery tour for two at our five-star Visitor Centre plus the chance to fill your own cask and sample the new-make spirit.
• A complimentary bottle of our Inaugural Isle of Raasay Single Malt release, the same spirit matured in the ‘45 casks.
• Isle of Raasay Distillery Cask Owner Certificate including our new single malt branding and cask owner’s keyring.
• Exclusive invitations to immersive Cask Owner Experiences at the Isle of Raasay Distillery and Manor Place tasting room in Edinburgh.

The Isle of Raasay Distillery facts:

• Capacity: 188,000 LPA
• Mash Tun: 1 Tonne
• Washback Size: 6 x 5,000 L
• Fermentation Time: up to 118 hours

• Wash Still: 5,000 L
• Spirit Still: 3,600 L
• Maturation: All maturation takes place on the Isle of Raasay.

For further information, please contact: pr@raasaydistillery.com. Please note, the distillery is currently taking a hiatus from distillation due to COVID-19.

Raasay Distillery, Borodale House, Isle of Raasay, Kyle IV40 8PB raasaydistillery.com
Instagram/ Facebook: @raasaydistillery, Twitter: @RaasayWhisky

SMOKESTACK BLENDED MALT SCOTCH WHISKY 

DOUBLE GOLD AND BRONZE WINNER

AT BARTENDERS’ BRAND AWARDS 2020 

The Vintage Malt Whisky are delighted to announce SmokeStack Blended Malt Scotch Whisky has been awarded a Gold Medal for Taste, a Gold Medal for Value and a Bronze medal for Design in the 2020 Bartenders’ Brand Awards.

Gold for Taste – SmokeStack passed scrupulous blind tasting in a highly controlled process and was assessed by 50 of the UK’s leading bar professionals.  Judged on style and origin SmokeStack was scored on its aroma, complexity, taste and versatility in cocktails.

Gold for Value – After the tasting SmokeStack was then judged by the expert panel on its value for money, using recommended retail price and alcoholic strength

Bronze for Design – Finally SmokeStack was evaluated on its creative design, back-bar appeal and functionality regarding shape, weight and ease of pouring.

SmokeStack is a peaty blend from quality Islay and Highland casks.  A peat lover’s dream with vanilla and ginger on the nose, lemon and honey palate and long smoky finish.  SmokeStack has now won several awards which is testament to the quality and consistency of the liquid and the skill of our Blender.

VMW Managing Director, Andrew Crook said “I am immensely proud that SmokeStack has now been rewarded for its outstanding quality and value by bartenders across the UK.  SmokeStack has won many awards since we launched it 3 years ago, however being recognised by the Bartenders’ Brand Awards is a great achievement for our relatively new brand.  Here at VMW we strive to create high quality drams at accessible prices and our brands continue to grow in popularity with whisky lovers around the world.  We are absolutely thrilled to have won Gold for both Taste and Value and Bronze for our Design’.

If you would like to taste SmokeStack sign up to The Whisky Wire SmokeStack Tweet Tasting – 6 May 2020.

Click on the link below to hear Blair Bowman’s 60 second review of SmokeStack & at Scottish Field Magazine

ABOUT THE COMPETITION

The Bartenders’ Brand Awards is in its third year and the panel is home to some of the finest bartenders in the world.  Each of the judges has been carefully selected based on their personal achievements, tasting skills and experience in the UK bar industry.  Judging sessions take place in London and Manchester, drawing the best talent from the south and north of the UK including 50 bartenders representing the best bars in the UK today.

https://bartendersbrandawards.co.uk/

ABOUT THE VINTAGE MALT WHISKY COMPANY

Founded 27 years ago by Brian Crook with a vision to make iconic Islay Single Malts available and accessible to smaller independent retailers throughout the world, The Vintage Malt Company has done all this and more.  Now, under the leadership of Brian’s son, Andrew Crook, this family company has gone from strength to strength supplying malts and building brands globally in over 35 countries.

For more information on all our products visit www.vintagemaltwhisky.com or contact andrew@vintagemaltwhisky.com

Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Named Best Small Batch Bourbon 11 Years and Older at 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Five Buffalo Trace Distillery Whiskies Win Double Gold 

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (April 8, 2020) Buffalo Trace Distillery defended its title of World’s Most Award Winning Distillery at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Distillery’s spirits took home 18 medals, and its Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon was named Best Small Batch Bourbon 11 Years and Older. Five whiskies received the prestigious Double Gold medal, four received Gold medals, six received Silver medals and three spirits received Bronze medals.

Double Gold medals went to

• Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Straight American Rye Whiskey
• Stagg Jr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Gold medals were awarded to

• Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Weller Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Weller Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Silver medal recipients were

• Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Bottled-in-Bond Straight American Rye Whiskey
• Weller CYPB (Craft Your Perfect Bourbon) Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Weller 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Bronze medals went to

• Weller Antique 107 Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• Buffalo Trace Distillery Bourbon Cream Liqueur

Spirits entered into the San Francisco World Spirits Competition are judged over four days of highly controlled blind tastings by a panel of more than 40 judges made up of respected, experienced industry experts. Complete results for the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition can be found at http://www.sfspiritscomp.com/results/.

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 as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 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” and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world, respectively, in the “Jim Murray Whiskey Bible 2020.”  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.

Hello D&M Customers,

We have made a small change here at D&M during the California Shelter in Place and wanted to let you know about it. For the first three weeks, we were shut completely to limit the spread as well as exposure during this time. In chatting with some of our peers and pleasant competitors in the city, we have decided to allow for pickup during limited hours and with a skeleton staff at the front door. We are currently open for pickups of previously purchased items Tuesday through Saturday 12pm to 5pm. We have also instituted free in city delivery for orders over $200, and as always we will happily ship orders to you as well.

I know that this is a change from what we sent out to you a couple of weeks ago, but this has been a time of shifting directives and best practices. We are wearing masks and donning gloves as we pack your orders, and doing all we can to stay safe and keep you safe as well. We, like our public leaders, are not recommending travelling far distances to pick up items, but if you live in the neighborhood or San Francisco and would like pick up at the door, we stand by to assist you, from a 6+ foot distance.

In this time of physical distancing we can be social, so if you would like to email us, or call just to say hello, or even to praise the quality of your most recent home cooking endeavor, please do so as well.

Warmly, and wishing you all to be well,

Mike and Karen Politz and the Staff at D&M

D&M, 2200 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115

This week, Glenugie! an unusual distillery that started out as Invernettie in 1831. Like most of it’s kind, many name changes and many different owners later, the doors closed in 1983. This Signatory bottling is 57.2% with a 100 month, Oloroso cask finish. That’s not a typo, 100 month finish at 33YO

https://youtu.be/6_VboHof6R0

#StayHome

Old Pulteney, The Maritime Malt, offer a novel way to relieve cabin fever while social distancing, bringing the outdoors inside with a 15-minute video soundtrack to transport listeners to the coast. 

With the UK asked to stay at home, Old Pulteney, The Maritime Malt have launched From Couch to Coast – a bespoke video soundscape which will virtually transport listeners from the confines of their home to the whisky’s quiet coastal hometown of Wick, located on Scotland’s most northerly shores.

The simple pleasure of experiencing the sea breeze on your face, rolling waves and sand crunching beneath the feet is off the cards while the UK adjusts to the important job of social distancing and staying home to protect one another.

But while most can’t use their daily walk to visit the sea, From Couch to Coast is designed to help people embrace the benefits of ‘blue space’ – the popular theory that being near bodies of water can improve overall wellbeing – from the comfort of their own home.

The resulting video soundscape is just over 15 minutes long and captures an assembly of natural sounds from Old Pulteney’s hometown. The sounds of tranquil lapping sea waves and the chirping of local wildlife are combined with the rhythmic tempo of the team crafting Old Pulteney’s fine single malt, making for the perfect easy listening alongside a dram.

Available on YouTube and the Old Pulteney website, the soundtrack is set against stunning footage capturing the natural beauty of Wick. With sweeping golden beaches and towering cliffs, the harbour town is a key destination on the popular NC500 – a scenic 500-mile road trip route – and has been the home of Old Pulteney since it rolled its very first barrels there in 1826.

Malcolm Waring, Manager at Pulteney Distillery, said:

“Our distillery team are fortunate to be able to enjoy the sea breeze while still adhering to the important job of social distancing at home in Wick.  It’s just the ticket for cabin fever, but we know lots of people just can’t get to the coast right now. That’s why we wanted to bring a taste of the sea to all, transporting people to the tranquil sights and sounds of the home of The Maritime Malt.  It’s especially useful for those who are adjusting to working from home. It’s hard to switch off from a long day at the office when the office is your house but our Couch to Coast soundtrack is the perfect anecdote.”

From Couch to Coast is ideal to enjoy alongside a dram of Old Pulteney 12 Years Old, which is available to buy at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose and all other major retailers.  RRP £35.

Listen to the Couch to Coast soundtrack in full at the Old Pulteney YouTube channel by clicking here.

BUFFALO TRACE NAMED GLOBAL ICONS OF WHISKY VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR 2020 BY WHISKY MAGAZINE 

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (April 7, 2020) – Whisky Magazine has named Buffalo Trace Distillery the global Icons of Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year 2020. This designation follows the Icons of Whisky America awards presented in February in which Buffalo Trace was named the American Visitor Attraction of the Year and American Distiller of the Year. Buffalo Trace competed against counterparts from all over the world to receive the global title, which was announced via Facebook on March 26.

In January, Buffalo Trace announced that it welcomed nearly 300,000 visitors over the course of 2019; a record-breaking 35 percent increase over the previous year. The Distillery is now currently working on an expansion of its Visitor Center, which will ultimately triple the size of the current space. This renovation comes just five years after its last Visitor Center expansion, and is anticipated to be complete later this year.

“We are so thankful to be recognized as the best visitor attraction on a global level,” Meredith Moody, homeplace development director said. “This is a huge honor for us as we are continually striving to enhance our visitor experience, from the content of our tours and gift shop selection to the appearance of our grounds, and even to our virtual visitor endeavors such as our downloadable virtual tour led by fan favorite Freddie Johnson. Our team works hard to offer an exceptional visitor experience, even when guests are not able to physically come to the Distillery.”

In the wake of COVID-19, Buffalo Trace is focusing on remaining in contact with fans through curated social media posts that enable fans to enjoy the Distillery from the safety and comfort of home. On its Facebook and Instagram pages, the Distillery is giving virtual tours of different parts of the Distillery, posting cocktail recipes that can be made at home, and sharing plenty of video clips to binge watch during quarantine.

While tours and visits have been temporarily suspended due to COVID-19, work on the visitor center expansion is continuing. Once complete, the expanded Visitor Center will allow Buffalo Trace to further develop its visitor experience with new tour routes, tasting and events spaces and archive exhibits. More information about Buffalo Trace’s Visitor Center expansion can be found here.

For more information about the Icons of Whisky visit www.iconsofwhisky.com

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 as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 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” and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world, respectively, in the “Jim Murray Whiskey Bible 2020.”  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.