Angel Share Artworks Launch Their Contemporary Whisky Flavour Charts

Launched in August 2020, Angel Share Artworks is reinventing the whisky flavour chart, using graphics to explore the incredible stories and themes that have shaped whisky. We empower whisky enthusiasts around the world to better understand their palate and elevate their appreciation and enjoyment of whisky.

Our unique tasting system

The use of visual imagery to identify taste is a scientifically proven method of stimulating flavour recall. The original graphic system provides visual cues for the whisky tasting experience, in three simple steps, you can assess the colour, activate the flavours and pick out tasting notes.

The unique Beyond The Keyhole sensory system – integrating colour assessment and tasting notes with great design – allows Angel Share Artworks to create an infinite number of themes and styles to suit individual tastes, as well as branded distillery editions.

Over 175 select whisky flavours are on their whisky flavour charts – organised into 8 categories and 31 sub-categories – helping enthusiasts to easily distinguish the tasting notes. From fragrant to smoky and fruity to woody, pick your own and unlock the mystery of whisky.

Born out of the 2020 lockdown

Craig Townsend worked as a Design Director at a creative agency in London before the national (UK) lockdown in March 2020. The industry was devastated by the pandemic and the agency where he worked, wasn’t immune to this.

While visiting friends just before the lockdown, he observed them tasting and discussing wine. He began wondering if there was a way to enhance his own experience of tasting whisky, being a whisky fan himself.

Then lockdown hit. After leaving his role, Craig decided to combine his design experience with his passion for whisky. He set about creating a contemporary, interactive whisky tasting system to explore the enthusiast’s whisky palate and enjoy as a unique whisky wall art.

For an entire month during lockdown, Craig and his wife went on a treasure hunt to shoot over 175 flavours using their makeshift photography studio. Finding and shooting flavours

like; apple, bark, chocolate, nuts, wine and some of the more obscure off-notes such as sweaty trainers, car tyres, tar and mining lamps! Whilst being immense fun, it took up a lot of space in the home they share with their 1 year old daughter.

Once the imagery was shot and edited, the design phase began. Using Craig’s skills in visual storytelling, each series of artworks presents a new theme inspired by whisky.

The Origin Series

The Origin Series is inspired by origin mysteries, represented here as a pyramidal stairway, leading to a portal to another world. This series has two editions: The Solas Edition – meaning light in Scots Gaelic – and The Dorcha Edition – meaning dark in Scots Gaelic.

The Contour Series

The Contour Series explores the theme of ‘terroir’ in whisky – how the local environment impacts flavour. There are 8 regional styles of Scotch, our Contour lines are a representation of the geology and geography of these styles of whisky.

More to come

There are many more series to come and new learning materials for Whisky Enthusiasts. Look out for our collaborations with distilleries in the future.

What people are saying about us

“An Angel Share Artwork is really helpful for those starting their whisky journey and looking for guidance on their palate vocabulary, and there’s even some more obscure tasting notes for those who have been on the scene a little longer!”

– The Edinburgh Whisky Club, @TheEdinburghWhiskyClub

“It’s a great idea to have whisky aromas and flavours in a handy chart which can assist with experiencing your dram. Especially since it can be quite tricky to pick out and identify certain aromas. It’ll be of great assistance at my future whisky tastings.”

–Moa Katarina Nilsson, www.moakatarinanilsson.com

“Angel Share Artworks create beautiful flavour charts, far less boring than the traditional flavour wheels.”

– Robyn, www.WhiskyFemme.com

“A whisky tasters must have! A great piece of artwork and a brilliant visual aid for my whisky tasting nights. (…) I’m well happy! Great service, it looks beautiful.”

– 5 star Trustpilot Review

What is the meaning behind the name?

The “Angels’ Share” is an affectionate term used in whisky production, referring to the volume of whisky lost to evaporation during the critical ageing process. It is thought that the mysterious volume of whisky is so divine, it is taken to be enjoyed by angels. Angel Share Artworks is here to unlock the mystery of whisky, note by note, dram after dram.

About

We at Angel Share Artworks exist to make whisky more enjoyable, accessible and inclusive. Our artworks empower whisky enthusiasts around the world to better understand their palate and elevate their appreciation and enjoyment of whisky.

After launching our initial series in August 2020, Angel Share Artworks has had a truly humbling response from around the world, including the UK, Europe, Canada & the United States.

Angel Share Artworks is on a mission to empower whisky enthusiasts to discover their whisky palate on their own terms, and is becoming a staple gift for whisky enthusiasts. Find out more at www.AngelShare.Art.

Wood is pretty special to us whisky drinkers … Which is why we are committed to planting a tree with every artwork purchased at Angel Share Artworks, in partnership with Tree-Nation. Find out more on our website.

November whisky auction is now LIVE!

Place your bids from Friday 13th November until Sunday 22^nd November

www.whiskyhammer.com

Every month, we present an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits to our members right across the globe. You will find everything here from limited edition releases and vintage bottles to whole casks of rare whisky. There is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest or enjoy!

Macallan – 50 Year Old (The Red Collection)

Bowmore – 52 Year Old (1965) Oloroso

Macallan – Distil Your World (London Edition)

Pappy Van Winkle – 23 Year Old (Family Reserve, 1^st Release) 1999

Talisker – 24 Year Old (1953) G&M

Yamazaki – 1979 Mizunara Oak (Bottle #1)

Selling whisky?

Why not arrange the pick-up of your bottles using our global courier service? If you’re based in Scotland, you might want to arrange the personal collection of your bottles. Wherever you’re based in the world, we will make getting your bottles into our monthly auction as simple as possible. Get in touch with the Whisky Hammer team now by dropping them a message at sales@whiskyhammer.com.

Golden Dram Volume 4:
WIN a bottle of Eagle Rare 17 Year Old!

Our Golden Dram competition has returned, and this time a bottle of Eagle Rare 17 Year Old could be yours!

For Golden Dram Volume 4, we’ve hidden a bottle of Eagle Rare 17 Year Old in one of our Eagle Rare 10 Year Old boxes. To enter, simply buy a bottle of Eagle Rare 10 Year Old online (currently only £29.99 – our lowest price for this delicious bourbon, EVER). With a one in 300 chance to win, you might just be the lucky one to find the golden dram in your order…

Part of the celebrated Antique Collection from Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare 17 Year Old is a Kentucky straight bourbon released in limited quantities just once a year. Highly sought-after, you can always count on Eagle Rare 17 Year Old to be an astonishing dram – and a real winter warmer!

Win or lose, you’ll be gaining a brand new bottle of delicious whiskey at a whopper of a price! So, what are you waiting for? Enter now while stocks last.

Entrants must be 18 years and over; read the full T&Cs here

Eagle Rare 10 Year Old
Was £43.00
Now £29.99

Buy Now ›

Ardbeg “Corryvreckan” Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Elsewhere $82) $74.99 View

Glenmorangie 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky (750ml) $99.99 View

November 20th @ 5:30PM PST

BenRiach Single Malt: The New Range

presented by Rory Glasgow

Join us for a night of whisky education and discussion with BenRiachs newest whiskies!

Best known for their experimental approach to whiskymaking, BenRiach’s 120-year legacy is currently helmed by world reknowned master distiller Dr. Rachel Barrie, also known as “The First Lady of Scotch” – a Whisky Hall of Fame member and Keeper of the Quaich. Their single malt lineup includes peated, unpeated, and triple distilled whiskies, culminating in a brand-new range of spirits.

Featured Whiskies:

BenRiach 10 Year Old

BenRiach 12 Year Old

BenRiach The Smoky 12 Year Old

Click Here for more Details & RSVP

Due to shipping delays,

we no longer have New Range BenRiach samples available 

we apologize for the inconvenience.

https://youtu.be/qpCErkTyTQo

Destilería Y Bodega Abasolo!

Welcome one and all to Mexican whisky!

Created using a 4,000 year old process called Nixtamalization. This 100% corn whisky is double distilled in traditional copper pots, then aged in a combination of fresh and refill American oak casks. A tribute to the heirloom nature of corn in and from Mexico, delivering its presence and rather lovely taste to the world stage! Also! Nixta Corn Liqueur! The same process and mash as the whisky, but with a lower ABV and has the addition of a clarified corn mash. Sweet, indulgent and just the right amount of savoury alcohol to contrast the sweetness! Cheers!

IRISH DISTILLERS AND MITCHELL & SON REUNITE THE SPOT FAMILY WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF BLUE SPOT

– Highly anticipated Blue Spot has been reimagined at cask strength, paying homage to the bonding tradition from which it was born

– Launch marks the reuniting of the original Spot whiskey family for first time since 1960s

Irish Distillers, maker of some of the world’s most enjoyed whiskeys, has once again joined forces with the Mitchell family to unveil its reimagined Blue Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey.

With the most recent existing record of Blue Spot dating back to 1964, the launch will signal the end of a 56-year wait among the global whiskey community for the re-introduction of Blue Spot, reuniting the historic Spot Family for the first time in over half a century.

The story of the legendary Spot Irish whiskey range began in the early 1900s when celebrated wine and spirits merchants, Mitchell & Son, began maturing whiskey from the local Jameson Distillery in Bow Street in their underground cellars in Dublin City Centre. Blue Spot takes its name from the blue daubs or ‘spots’ of paint that the Mitchells used to mark the barrels to signify that the whiskey in those casks were to be matured for a minimum of seven years.

Building on the foundation of bourbon and sherry casks, the reimagined Blue Spot includes whiskey aged in Madeira casks, inspired by the historical inventory of Mitchell & Son and typical of the Spot style of whiskey. The Midleton masters, in collaboration with the Mitchell family, were influenced by archive documents dating back to 1935 showing Madeira wine casks imported to Ireland which, once emptied, would have been used to mature whiskey.

The team at Irish Distillers’ Midleton Distillery have been sourcing Madeira wine seasoned casks for over 20 years. These casks are carefully handcrafted in a cooperage in the north of Portugal and then sent to the island of Madeira. Once seasoned, the casks are shipped back to Midleton and filled with pot still distillate and left to mature, allowing the Madeira wine influence to impart wonderful flavours of stewed apples, hazelnuts and sweet spices. These Madeira casks, along with ex-Bourbon and ex-sherry casks are then hand-selected and married together to achieve the perfect flavour balance. Bottled at cask strength, the result is a luxuriously rich and characterful whiskey.

Kevin O’Gorman, Master Distiller at Irish Distillers, comments: “It is with absolute pleasure that we reintroduce Blue Spot and bring a piece of Dublin’s rich whiskey history back to life. Over the years I have had the honour of collaborating with the Mitchell family, who for generations have celebrated the influence of fine wines on Irish whiskey, as we have reintroduced expressions to the beloved Spot range. I am incredibly proud to celebrate with Jonathan and Robert Mitchell on this historic day as Blue Spot takes its place alongside Green, Yellow and Red Spot, reuniting the whole family once again.”

Jonathan Mitchell, Managing Director at Mitchell & Son, continues: “It’s been a privilege to shed light on the history of whiskey bonding in Ireland and the role our family had to play in it as we relaunch Blue Spot. The inclusion of whiskey aged in Madeira casks adds flavours that would have been originally introduced into Irish whiskey by the Mitchell family. As the full Spot range comes back to life, we find ourselves bursting with pride for the role our family played in the creation of this treasured range of whiskeys.”

A non-chill filtered, cask strength release that will see ABV varying annually, Blue Spot is available from this month at the RRP of €80 in Ireland, UK, France, Canada, Northern Ireland and Global Travel Retail, and in the USA from February 2021.

Tasting notes:

Nose: A light mix of pineapple, kiwi, green banana and lime zest followed by Pot Still spices, baked apple, hazelnut and toasted wood.

Taste: A smooth mouthfeel with a subtle mix of fruit, a hint of clove oil and cracked black peppercorns. Sweet spices, vanilla and cinnamon add to the wood’s nutty contribution.

Finish: A lasting and distinctly palatable balance of exotic fruits and spices.

#BlueSpot   #SpotWhiskeys   #SpotFamilyReunited   #PaintedWithADifferentBrush

Follow us on Instagram: @GreenSpotIrishWhiskey

Notes  

About Blue Spot

Blue Spot was originally produced by the Mitchell family who commenced trading in 1805 at 10 Grafton Street in the heart of Dublin city as purveyors of fine wine and confectionery. Seven generations later, the company is still in the wine and spirits business under the stewardship of Jonathan Mitchell and his son Robert.

The Mitchell family expanded into the whiskey bonding business in the early 1900s,  whereby they sent empty wine and fortified wine casks via horse and cart to  the local Jameson Distillery which were then filled with new Pot Still spirit and  returned to the Mitchell’s maturation cellars. There, the whiskeys matured for many years under bond until they were ready to be bottled and sold.

About Irish Distillers

Irish Distillers is one of Ireland’s leading suppliers of spirits and wines, and producer of some of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys. Led by Jameson, our brands are driving the global renaissance of Irish whiskey. Jameson is the world’s bestselling Irish whiskey, experiencing 30 years of consecutive growth and hitting sales of 8m cases in 2019. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets, with over 70 of those experiencing double or triple-digit growth.

Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and Cork Distilleries Company. In 1988 Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard, gaining access to unprecedented levels of investment and an extensive global distribution network. Since 2012, we have invested over €400 million to double our production and bottling capacity to meet global demand for our products.

We employ over 600 people across our operations in Cork and Dublin.

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales of €9,182 million in FY19. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has developed through organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry, including: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard’s brands are distributed across 160+ markets and by its own salesforce in 73 markets. The Group’s decentralised organisation empowers its 19,000 employees to be true on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of “Créateurs de Convivialité.” As reaffirmed by the Group’s three-year strategic plan, “Transform and Accelerate,” deployed in 2018, Pernod Ricard’s strategy focuses on investing in long-term, profitable growth for all stakeholders. The Group remains true to its three founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a strong sense of ethics. As illustrated by the 2030 roadmap supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), “We bring good times from a good place.” In recognition of Pernod Ricard’s strong commitment to sustainable development and responsible consumption, it has received a Gold rating from Ecovadis and is ranked No. 1 in the beverage sector in Vigeo Eiris. Pernod Ricard is also a United Nation’s Global Compact LEAD company.

Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.

River Charity Toasts Whisky Donation

The conservation charity The River Dee Trust has raised a glass to one of its biggest single donations, as it forges ahead with one of the most ambitious nature restoration projects in the Cairngorms.

The Deeside Distillery in Banchory is donating its very last four casks of whisky spirit to the Trust. One of the world’s most renowned whisky writers, Charles Maclean, has described the potential of the Deeside spirit as “superlative” and “better than gold” as an investment. He admitted the young spirit was so good, he misidentified it as a fine, 18-year-old Speyside malt. The first of the casks will be auctioned at a special event next year.

Sandy Bremner, Chairman of The River Dee Trust, said: “We are extremely grateful for this donation. It’s a challenging time for all charities, and we have committed to planting a million native trees to help cool the river as it faces dangerously rising temperatures. This donation will help us continue our work to save our iconic wild salmon and restore the whole ecosystem.”

Of the four casks of spirit being donated to The River Dee Trust, three are 250-litre ex-Oloroso. The fourth is a 200-litre Virgin American Oak cask – the only one of its kind ever produced by the distillery.

Charles Maclean has been described as “Scotland’s leading whisky expert”. He was elected Keeper of the Quaich in 1992 for his “services to Scotch over many years” and granted the rare honour of being elected Master of the Quaich, the industry’s highest accolade.

After tasting the Deeside Distillery spirit which had been left to mature in an Oloroso cask for just three years, he said: “It’s terrific, I’m amazed, really astonished at the quality of the young spirit.” With a smile, he admitted that it was so good, it led him to make one of the biggest mistakes of his whisky-tasting career. He said: “Tasting it blind, I guessed it was 18-years-old. Embarrassing!”

Deeside Distillery manager Liam Pennycook said: “We are delighted to be able to help the Trust deliver its vital work. The Dee is a magical river which touches the lives of so many people. We want to help the river through the challenges ahead, to make sure it’s in the best possible shape for those who love it now, and for future generations.”

The four casks are made even rarer by the fact that only 100 of them will ever be produced by the Deeside Distillery. Liam said: “We are developing a new, bigger distillery at Hill of Banchory. Due to regulations, we can’t move its name to another site so this will become a “lost distillery”. In every sense, this will be very special whisky.”

The first of the four casks will be auctioned at a special dinner being organised by Maryculter House to raise funds for The River Dee Trust. It will be held on Friday, September 24 next year, subject to Covid restrictions. For further information about the dinner, please contact Maryculter House on 01224 732124.

Notes

1)            The River Dee Trust is a charitable organisation tasked with understanding the catchment and the factors that influence it, leading to practical works to restore the river for future generations and a community-based education programme for all ages.

2)            Angling in the River Dee generates some £15 million annually in revenues and supports an estimated 500 rural jobs.

3)            The Deeside Distillery has been a strong supporter of the River Dee Trust since 2017. It originally produced a Twin River Dee Gin, which helped raise £10k.

4)            Maryculter House is one of the most famous and historic hotels in Aberdeen located on the banks of the River Dee and overlooking the Golf Course of Peterculter. With a classic reputation for hospitality, from the building’s founding in 1227 by the Knights Templar, this location has been offering hospitality to travellers from far and wide for many years.

River Dee Trust
River Office
Mill of Dinnet
Aboyne
Aberdeenshire AB34 5LA

www.riverdee.org

$50,000 EAGLE RARE LIFE AWARD NOMINATIONS OPEN

Charitable program offers reward to individuals who Reach Higher

FRANKFORT, FRANKLIN COUNTY, KY (Nov. 10, 2020) – Nominations are open for the 2021 Eagle Rare Life Award, the $50,000 annual recognition and charitable donation for an individual who, like the award’s namesake bourbon, finds ways to Reach Higher in fulfilling their American Dream. Individuals wishing to nominate someone can do so on the brand’s website at eaglerarelife.com/nominate until nominations close at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Dec. 10, 2020.

Now in its 11^th year, the Eagle Rare Life Award honors individuals whose efforts stand out as those who live a Rare Life and Reach Higher to achieve levels of excellence for themselves and their communities. Past winners include individuals who spearheaded efforts to fight childhood cancer, recognize fallen heroes of military service, lead environmental projects and create opportunities for those with disabilities. The individual or individuals are honored with the award while a $50,000 donation is made to the charity of their choice by Eagle Rare Bourbon.

The 2020 Eagle Rare Life Award winners, Captain Daniel Andrews and Captain Chris Wittman, run Captains for Clean Water, an organization focused on uniting Florida communities to protect local waterways.

Nominations will be accepted from November 10 through December 10, 2020. Unlike previous versions of the program, this year’s process will not include public voting. The winner will be chosen by a team of non-partisan stakeholders and announced in January 2021.  The winner will be recognized on EagleRare.com and through the brand’s social channels.

About Eagle Rare Bourbon

Eagle Rare Bourbon Whiskey is part of the award-winning Buffalo Trace Distillery, an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, (Franklin County), Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich distilling tradition dates back to 1775 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Eagle Rare Bourbon is a 10-year-old bourbon that has won multiple awards, including five double gold medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. For more information on the Rare Life Award or Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, visit https://eaglerarelife.com

SPECIAL LIVE TASTING

On Saturday 28th November from 8pm GMT, Gordon Dundas, International Brand Ambassador, and Malt Master John Glass will be coming to you live from Facebook and YouTube for a special virtual tasting – with three places available for you to be one of our panel guests on the night.

THREE EXCEPTIONAL WHISKIES

Tasting kits are available to purchase ahead of the event, allowing you to participate in debating the drams from the comfort of your home.

Priced at £30.00, the tasting kit contains 5cl drams of The Legacy Series: Chapter Two, 18 Year Old,  Cask Strength, Batch 008 and Glengoyne Glencairn glass. Buy now for delivery in time for the Live Tasting.

BUY NOW

Glengoyne Distillery, Dumgoyne, Near Killearn, Glasgow G63 9LB
Tel. +44 (0)1360 550 254

Email: reception@glengoyne.com