Crowdfunding: New Distillery on Remote Islands

A new craft distillery is starting up on the tiny Faroe Islands in the middle of the North Atlantic, and the islanders are looking for whisky enthusiasts all over the world to become investors.

The salty, windy, and humid climate on these isolated islands is optimal for whisky maturation. Using the design of the old traditional food drying houses “opnahjallur” for their warehouses, whisky will be matured the way meat and fish has been fermented and dried for centuries on the islands. It utilizes the special humid and salty atmosphere, which is caused by the passing North Atlantic Current that also ensures the very stable year-round temperature.

Faer Isles Distillery will be one of the most northerly whisky distilleries in the world.

The crowdfunding campaign started locally on 15. March and immediately raised €600,000. 500+ new shareholders had signed up within 2 weeks. Now they are inviting people around the world to join as well. Although not promoted yet outside the islands, already people from 25 different countries have bought shares.

Behind the project are local whisky enthusiasts and business people, including Heini Zachariassen, founder and CEO of Vivino, the world’s largest online wine marketplace. But they are also backed by a strong advisory board manned by international industry specialists.

The whisky distillery is commissioned from reputable Scottish LH Stainless (Speyside Copperworks).

The perfect location for the future distillery is found next to the old Viking village of Kvívík. 24,000m2 of land is purchased that will house the production, warehouses, and visitor center.

Faer Isles Distillery is allowing cryptocurrencies as payment for company shares, probably making them the first whisky distillery in the world to be funded this way. The company is also disrupting the whisky business by using blockchain technology. The plan is to later turn the company shares into security tokens and make them tradeable on various crypto exchanges.

Read more on www.faer.io/invest-in-faer

Skene Scotch Whisky Releases two Single Cask Malts

Skene Scotch Whisky has released  two affordable single cask malt whiskies.   Both are in Skene’s “aged in a American oak” range. 

The first is a single cask Glenrothes 11 Year Old  fully matured in a hogshead.  Just 388 bottles were filled at an ABV of 48% with natural colour and no chill filtration.  The price is only £45.80 for a 70cl bottle. 

The second is a single cask Braeval 2014.  Only 327 bottles were filled at a punchy ABV of 50%, again with natural colour and no chill filtration.  The price is just £35 a 70cl bottle. 

These two new releases (together with earlier Skene bottlings) are now available from Skene Scotch Whisky’s online shop at https://www.skenewhisky.com/shop/   Also from selected retailers.

 

Notes about Skene Whisky – After a few years away from bottle sales, Skene Whisky plans to release bottles in a number of ranges through 2021.  “Skene Reserve” will be single cask premium bottlings of vintage malt whisky (eg Macallan 30yo).   “Skene Sherry Editions” will be sherry-matured single malts ( normally at 48% ABV) aimed squarely at drinkers.  “Skene American Oak “Editions” will normally be ex-bourbon single malt bottlings (again normally at 48% ABV).  “Skene Peated Malt Editions” will be peated single malt expressions (yet again normally at 48% ABV).

Introducing Laphroaig
10 Year Old Sherry Oak Finish

Fans of those heavy peat drams will be excited upon the release of this one out of Islay. European sherry casks are married to create sweet, aromatic notes of Manuka honey, maple syrup and smoky bacon, alongside the classic seaweed and hint of salt spray that they are so well known for. The fruity finish creates a balance and complexity that compliment the classic character that we always expect of a Laphroaig whisky.

 

Nose: Sweet and peaty with medicinal notes, Manuka honey, with strong clove aroma but also grilled smoky bacon, a distinctive character of sweet leather, iodine and pine tar.

Palate: Sweet and aromatic, with rich furniture polish notes followed by treacle toffee, maple syrup, bitter dark chocolate combined with oak shavings, pine needle and cedar scented wood.

Finish: The finish is long sweet and spicy with chestnut honey and antiseptic aroma lingering.

Laphroaig
10 Year Old
Sherry Oak Finish

£65.00

Buy Now

From the storm-lashed Islay off the west coast of Scotland is Laphroaig – pronounced ‘La-froyg’, a Gaelic word meaning ‘beautiful hollow by the broad day’. Some may say it is one of the most distinguishable single malt whiskies in the world, in part due to the distinctive, somewhat mystical, peaty waters of the Kilbride Stream. It is definitely an acquired taste, and the powerful punch of rich smoke might not suit everyone, but it has given Laphroaig that reputation today, adored by so many.

We’ve teamed up with SLMan to offer one lucky person the chance to WIN the ultimate luxury whisky hamper plus a trip to our distillery! If you love whisky then this competition is perfect for you.

Here’s what you could win:

– Four bottles of Cotswolds Distillery spirits
– A 50ml spirit measure
– Cream fudge from Cotswold Fudge Co
– A signed edition of Spirt Guide:
In Search of an Authentic Life by Daniel Szor
– Two places on a distillery Tour & Tasting
– Lunch for two people in our café

T&Cs apply

Competition ends on Wednesday 12th May. Best of luck!

ENTER COMPETITION

Special offer

Malt of the Month:

Jura 18 Year Old

Our Malt of the Month for April is a hefty Island dram – Jura 18 Year Old. Finished in a red wine cask, warming whisky is packed with notes of toffee, tropical fruit, hints of cinammon and earthy dark chocolate, all mingling with soft peat smoke.

BUY NOW

SPECIALITY BRANDS RELEASES UK EXCLUSIVE WATERFORD GRATTANSBROOK 1.1 

Speciality Brands, the premium spirits agency, is capitalising on Waterford’s successful introduction to the UK and launching Grattansbrook 1.1, the first Single Farm Origin whisky available exclusively in the market.

The whisky is the first release from the 2015 harvest of Taberna barley from Grattansbrook farm in Co. Kildare. Situated on a flat, fertile flood plain of the River Barrow, Andrew Bergin’s family have farmed here for nine generations. The farm follows the ‘Farming for Nature’ protocol, managing the land to bring biological benefits to its limestone soil.

Grattansbrook 1.1 is non-chill-filtered and has been aged for over three years and ten months in multiple casks including first-fill, virgin US & French oak. It shows great depth of flavour with an ever-evolving complexity.

Chris Seale, Managing Director, Speciality Brands says “Waterford launched to great acclaim last year as the quality of the spirit and its modern, disruptive approach have both resonated with British whisky enthusiasts. We’re thrilled to be releasing the  first UK exclusive, Grattansbrook 1.1. This is an exceptional whisky which really stood out for us and we’re hoping its distinctive character will appeal to whisky drinkers across the country”. 

The new whisky will be available at specialist retailers and selected on-trade outlets from this month. The launch will be supported by dedicated tastings run by Speciality Brands’ team of whisky ambassadors.

Waterford’s Single Farm Origin series explores Irish “teireoir”, focusing on different types of barley, grown in different areas of Ireland with various microclimates and growing conditions to demonstrate how it affects the flavour of the whisky.

In an effort to encourage drinkers to further explore their whiskies, each Waterford bottle carries a unique digital number – the TÉIREOIR code – which introduces the Irish farm and its farmers, the casks used to compose the whisky and an array of media. Grattansbrook 1.1 code can be seen here.

Waterford Grattansbrook 1.1 is available from 6 April 2021 via Speciality Brands RRP:  £70

For sales inquiries please contact sales@ specialitybrands.com

Notes: 

Tasting notes: Waterford Grattansbrook 1.1 Single Malt has a rich texture with a dry and oily finish. Notes of raisins, cocoa powder, marzipan, green tea, white grapes and brown sugar can be found on the nose, accompanied by citrus zest, toffee, exotic spices and banana on the palate.

About Waterford:

There’s been a brewery here on the banks of the River Suir since 1792. Today’s Waterford Distillery, the technological marvel we call the Facilitator, enables us to create elite whisky. State-of-the-art equipment marries with ancient knowledge, local Irish barley with extended fermentations, unhurried distillation with a spectrum of exceptional oak. Thus we can reveal the ultimate expression of terroir, farm by farm, harvest by harvest. Unique distillates, new starting points, & beguiling expressions of place. After maturing for several years in the best of French and American oak, we believe these component “single”, single malts – a solo voice, a solo terroir – each one exhibiting its own nuances, will come together a chorus of flavours layering on top of each other, the total sum of its parts, making what we humbly believe to be most profound single malt whisky ever created. It is this whisky that we are striving for – our ambition, our destination, our raison d’être.

This year, Waterford was awarded with the prestigious Global Icons of Whisky Brand Innovator of the year for 2021. 

About Speciality Brands:

Speciality Brands is a premium drinks agency representing some of the world’s finest spirits, including Nikka, Kavalan, Michter’s, Diplomático, Cocchi, Beluga, Black Tot rum and Tapatio. A dedicated team of well-respected drinks industry personalities including award-winning mixologists, top brand ambassadors, experienced account managers and marketing experts is led by Managing Director Chris Seale. The agency’s passion is delivering first class products, in-depth educational trainings and impeccable service levels to the premium on-trade and retail sectors.

https://specialitybrands.com/

SAP56 Honors Canada’s History of Whisky and Maple

March 2021, Montreal, Canada

The next generation of whisky is here and it is winning the world over! According to the World Whiskies Awards SAP56 was named Canada’s Best in the Flavored Whiskey category for 2021. SAP56 is the product of grade A maple syrup and exquisitely aged Canadian whisky. Crafted using traditional techniques and steeped in a deep-rooted tradition and heritage, SAP56 embodies the origins of maple sugaring and high-quality whisky. Welcome to the launch of SAP56 Maple Whisky!

With the utmost respect for our legacy, from the great Canadian maple trees of Quebec, SAP56 is 100% natural with 50% less sugar than a traditional flavored whisky. Which is great news considering the folks at The Whisky Wash explain “Flavoring agents and specifically natural ones have an expected market growth at over 5% from 2019 to 2025 including those used for alcoholic beverages and flavored whiskey.

Canadian Whiskies have a rich history that dates back to the 18th century which, as Davin De Kergommeaux, best-selling Author and Whisky Aficionado states, “It’s a sad fact that Canadian whisky doesn’t get its due. I am committed to changing that by correcting misconceptions with facts.” https://canadianwhisky.org/about Davin has authored three books currently in circulation, Canadian Whisky, the Portable Expert, Canadian Whisky, the New Portable Expert and The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries.

SAP56 is a 5 year Canadian Whisky with a mash bill of 85% corn, 10% rye and 5% barley. The flexibility with grains makes for an adaptable style that allows for creativity, mixability and innovation. It ranks in the category of high-end flavored whisky and appeals to both connoisseurs and casual drinkers alike. This product launch is perfectly timed as the trend for flavored whiskey and demand for natural organic product offerings is on the rise. Comments from Forbes Magazine indicate, “Canadian whisky remained the best-selling imported whisky by volume with 17.9 million cases/$2.13 billion.”

Adam Duhamel, the owner and creator behind SAP56 says, “For me, the greatest memories of my childhood are when my dear family friends would bring me to their sugar shack. I felt so privileged to be able to contribute and have so much fun making the maple syrup. It was unforgettable.” Fast forward 35 years and SAP56 was finally realized with profound heart and soul by a born and bred Québécois. Duhamel will tell you that, “As part of SAP56’s special formula, our passionate artisans oversee a 56-day harvesting and processing period of pure maple water, resulting in a Grade A maple syrup with a robust taste and deep amber color.” In a blind tasting Adam can easily pick out which maple syrup he selected for his recipe vs any other Quebec maple syrup on the market.

Adam Duhamel feels fortunate to have grown up in an environment where morals and honest values were the norm.” SAP56’s has been a labor of love, and we are excited to introduce our passion to the US market and global retailers in 2021”.

More about SAP56 Maple Whisky: Proud to be launching with Mash and Grape and is available direct to consumer in states where legal (or delivery where applicable) by ordering with www.sap56.com.

Contact Speakeasy Wine & Spirits, LLC

Trade Inquiries: Alicia Vargo speakeasywineandspirits@gmail.com Distribution Inquiries: Chris Stevens speakeasyws@gmail.com

Instagram: sapfiftysix

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sapfiftysix

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Online Tasting Week Information 2021

We are delighted to provide you all with further details about our upcoming Online Tasting Week.

From Monday 10th to Friday 14th May 2021, we will be hosting a range of tastings featuring whiskies from Springbank, Glengyle and Cadenhead’s. The tastings will be presented by members of our team and broadcast live via Facebook and YouTube each evening.

There will be tasting packs to accompany each event and there will also be a number of bottles released to celebrate our Online Tasting Week.

The tasting packs along with exclusive Online Tasting Week bottles of Hazelburn, Springbank, Longrow and Kilkerran will go on sale on Monday 12th April. Cadenhead’s bottles will go on sale during the Online Tasting Week – more information on all of these bottles is included later in this announcement.

Please note that Springbank Society and Cadenhead’s Club members will be given the first opportunity to purchase our Online Tasting Week products. On Monday 12th April from 10am to 1pm UK time (3 hour time frame), members will have exclusive access to the products to make their purchases. On the same day from 2pm UK time, the purchasing page will then be made accessible to the public with all remaining stock.

Springbank Society and Cadenhead’s Club members will receive an email, on the above date, containing a link to the purchasing page. This page will be through the Cadenhead Shop website (www.cadenhead.shop) and the link will be sent at 10am (UK time). Members will have until 1pm (3 hour time frame) to secure their purchases.

From 2pm, the page will then be accessible via the homepage of www.cadenhead.shop where members of the public can make their purchases.

Online Tasting & Pack Information

Monday 10th May – Kilkerran 15yo Single Cask Tasting

Join David Allen, Grant Macpherson and Nicole Lindsay in this special tasting to try all 13 single casks which were bottled for selected markets around the world to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the reopening of Glengyle Distillery. A once in a lifetime opportunity to try all casks side by side, in a single sitting. You will also get the opportunity to taste the exclusive Kilkerran Online Tasting Week bottle. The tasting will start at 7:30pm (UK time) and can be viewed on Facebook @KilkerranSingleMalt and on YouTube @ J & A Mitchell.

The tasting pack will include fourteen 1cl samples and the whiskies are as follows:

Kilkerran 15yo Bourbon Wood – 53.1% (UK)

Kilkerran 15yo Bourbon Wood – 53.5% (Austria, Canada and South Korea)

Kilkerran 15yo Rum Wood – 53.2% (Distillery Exclusive)

Kilkerran 15yo Madeira Wood – 51.1% (Taiwan)

Kilkerran 15yo Fino Wood – 51.6% (Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland)

Kilkerran 15yo Fino Wood – 52.0% (China)

Kilkerran 15yo Fino Wood – 52.1% (Belgium)

Kilkerran 15yo Port Wood – 51.2% (Denmark)

Kilkerran 15yo Port Wood – 51.5% (Germany)

Kilkerran 15yo Port Wood – 51.8% (Italy)

Kilkerran 15yo Oloroso Wood – 51.5% (USA)

Kilkerran 15yo Oloroso Wood – 52.0% (Japan)

Kilkerran 15yo Oloroso Wood – 52.6% (France)

Kilkerran 5yo Heavily Peated Online Tasting Week – 58.2%

Price of Pack: £40.00

Tuesday 11th May – Cadenhead’s Warehouse Tasting

Join Cameron McGeachy and Jenna McIntosh from inside the Cadenhead’s warehouse as they guide you through all 6 of the interesting and varied drams in your pack. This is a chance to taste them all before the bottles go on sale later in the evening. The tasting will start at 7:30pm (UK time) and can be viewed on Facebook @WmCadenheadLtd and on YouTube @ J & A Mitchell.

The tasting pack will include six 2cl samples and the whiskies are as follows:

Irish 10yo – 48.8%

Inchmurrin 24yo – 48.7%

Cadenhead’s Anomaly Blended Malt – 49.4%

Tomatin 10yo – 53.7%

High Coast 7yo – 61.8%

Caol Ila 15yo – 54.6%

Each of the above casks will be bottled and these will be available for sale immediately following this tasting. People who have bought packs for this tasting will have first access to purchase these bottles – with a public sale at a later date (subject to availability).

Price of Pack: £40.00

Wednesday 12th May – Springbank: New and Forthcoming Releases Tasting

Enjoy Springbank’s New and Forthcoming Releases in the company of David Allen and Grant Macpherson. The tasting will include samples of new and forthcoming releases of Springbank, Longrow and Hazelburn alongside samples of three of our exclusive Online Tasting Week bottles. The tasting will start at 7:30pm (UK time) and can be viewed on Facebook @officialspringbankwhisky and on YouTube @ J & A Mitchell.

The tasting pack will include six 2cl samples and the whiskies are as follows:

Hazelburn 15yo Online Tasting Week –  54.9%

Hazelburn 21yo – 46.0%

Springbank 12yo Cask Strength – 55.4%

Springbank 8yo Online Tasting Week – 56.5%

Longrow 17yo Online Tasting Week – 50.5%

Longrow Red 14yo 2022 Release – 52.7%

Price of Pack: £35.00

Thursday 13th May – Cadenhead’s Recent Highlights Tasting

The Cadenhead’s team will be on hand again to lead a tasting featuring 6 of our recent favourites. Celebrating the range of whiskies we have to offer, this tasting provides a varied look at Cadenhead’s bottlings with each one being carefully selected by the team to accurately reflect the company today. The tasting will start at 7:30pm (UK time) and can be viewed on Facebook @WmCadenheadLtd and on YouTube @ J & A Mitchell.

The tasting pack will include six 2cl samples and the whiskies are as follows:

Glenallachie-Glenlivet 12yo – 61.7%

Jura 11yo – 55.2%

Fettercairn 31yo – 54.7%

Paul John 7yo – 55.4%

Highland Park 28yo – 58.7%

Ledaig 12yo – 55.8%

Price of Pack: £40.00

Friday 14th May – Springbank: Sherry Cask Tasting 

Marketing Manager Nicole Lindsay hosts Director of Production Findlay Ross as he gives you a sneak preview of Springbank’s upcoming Sherry series with a selection of 6 ‘in motion’ cask samples. Questions in advance of the tasting are welcomed, ideally about Springbank and Sherry! The tasting will start at 7:30pm (UK time) and can be viewed on Facebook @officialspringbankwhisky and on YouTube @ J & A Mitchell.

The tasting pack will include six 2cl samples and the whiskies are as follows:

Springbank 9yo Oloroso – 58.3%

Springbank 4yo Manzanilla – 57.9%

Springbank 5yo Fino – 59.1%

Springbank 6yo Amontillado – 58.0%

Springbank 7yo Palo Cortado – 56.9%

Springbank 8yo Pedro Ximénez – 57.1%

Price of Pack: £35.00
Please note that there will be a limit of 1 Kilkerran pack and 2 of each other pack, per transaction.

Online Tasting Week Bottle Information

As well as the tasting packs which will be on offer for each tasting, we will also be releasing special ‘Online Tasting Week’ bottles. Below are the details of each release:

Kilkerran

Our Kilkerran Online Tasting Week Bottle is a 5yo Heavily Peated whisky which has been matured in Fresh Oloroso casks. This has been bottled at 58.2% and will retail at £50.00. The tasting notes for our Kilkerran Online Tasting Week Bottle are:

Nose: A peaty punch carried on the salty sea breeze. There is a malty sweetness, and strong maritime influence, reminiscent of fishing nets, seashells and brine of the harbour. A sweet and savoury hint of warm popcorn.

Palate: The coastal sweet characteristics continue accompanied by nutty, sweet notes of dark chocolate, marzipan, toasted almonds and blackened, bubbling marshmallows over the bonfire. There is a hint of savoury oak smoked cheese.

Finish: Robust peat smoke characteristics remain with hints of sweet, baked pineapple.

Hazelburn

Our Hazelburn Online Tasting Week Bottle is a 15yo whisky which has been matured in Fresh Oloroso casks. This has been bottled at 54.9% and will retail at £85.00. The tasting notes for our Hazelburn Online Tasting Week Bottle are:

Nose: Sweet and citrusy orange marmalade, with a ‘green’ herbaceous note like tomato plant leaves in the greenhouse. There is a cleansing eucalyptus influence and a nostalgic, musty hint of well-thumbed bank notes.

Palate: The sweet, zesty, dusty notes continue along with the refreshing hint of mint. A slight, sweet spiciness of grated nutmeg follows along with dried apricots, mango and hard-boiled sweets.

Finish: Refreshing, zestiness prevails with notes of lemongrass and dried fruits followed with warm toasted brown bread.

Springbank

Our Springbank Online Tasting Week Bottle is an 8yo whisky which was matured in Refill Bourbon casks for 6 years followed by 2 years in Fresh Pedro Ximénez casks. This has been bottled at 56.5% and will retail at £60.00. The tasting notes for our Springbank Online Tasting Week Bottle are:

Nose: Rich, sweet and savoury with notes of juicy red apples, smoked cheese and treacle. There are hints of mahogany and sugar coated cola cubes.

Palate: Dried fruits and nutty characteristics; dates, walnuts, dried apricots and ripe figs. A buttery biscuit flavour develops. Warm shortbread and baked apple crumble with a hint of vanilla and sprinkling of crushed sea salt.

Finish: The sweet caramel sweetness of cola cubes continues, with notes of dates, prunes and a smoky, ashy finish; reminiscent of smouldering embers in the fireplace.

Longrow

Our Longrow Online Tasting Week Bottle is a 17yo whisky which has been matured in Fresh Rum casks. This has been bottled at 50.5% and will retail at £100.00. The tasting notes for our Longrow Online Tasting Week Bottle are:

Nose: This Longrow is packed with tropical fruit juicy sweetness; coconut, bananas, pineapple, molasses and a hint of spice.

Palate: Fruity and sweet with notes of ripe apricots, vanilla custard and demerara sugar. There is a delicate, herby characteristic like newly harvested hops.

Finish: The finish is biscuity with typical coastal sea salt, brine and integrated peat smoke. A true Longrow dram from Campbeltown via the Caribbean!

Please note that there will be a limit of 2 of each bottle, per transaction.

Cadenhead’s Warehouse Tasting Bottles

Cadenhead’s Online Tasting Week Bottles will be sold after the Cadenhead’s Warehouse Tasting on Tuesday 11th May.

These bottles will initially be available to customers who purchased tasting packs for the Online Cadenhead’s Warehouse Tasting. These customers will receive an email (sent to the email address you used when buying your packs) on the evening of the Warehouse Tasting with details on how to purchase bottles. Like all the other Online Tasting Week products, these bottles will be sold through www.cadenhead.shop. Subject to availability, a public sale will take place at a later date.

Please see tasting details for more information on the six whiskies that will be available to purchase. Prices will be confirmed via email at a later date.

Shipping 

We have been working on our shipping since the UK left the EU at the beginning of the year. This has been quite a complicated process and we hope that relations between our country and others within the EU will develop to be less restrictive. However, for now, we have found that we are no longer able to ship alcohol to many of the countries we previously could. The pandemic is also causing an extra layer of complication.

WHERE WE CAN SHIP:

Australia, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Iceland, Israel, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, South Africa, Taiwan and the United Kingdom.

Should your country no longer be listed, you may ship to an alternative address where alcohol is permitted to be sent if you have the opportunity to do so. Please note we will continue to review the countries we can ship to on a regular basis.

Orders placed outside of the UK, including all of Europe and the EEA, are now subject to taxes and duty on arrival at the destination country. The delivery price quoted on our website does not include these charges. We do not control import duty charges nor are we liable to pay any of these charges which must be paid by the recipient.   It is important you check local taxes and duty before purchasing bottles and/or packs. Should goods be refused, we cannot guarantee you will be refunded as these may be destroyed.

Due to the majority of our staff currently working from home, there will be no-one in the office to receive telephone enquiries. 

To join the Springbank Society contact them at society@springbank.scot

For those who are unable to visit Glengoyne right now, we can bring Glengoyne to you! From the comfort of your own home, why not book the distillery’s Online Whisky Tasting experience.

Our Distillery Ambassadors will have you nosing, swirling and tasting in no time. Each experience will last 1 hour and features a tasting of four distinct drams of Glengoyne Highland Single Malt.

For more information, visit www.glengoyne.com/visit-us. Alternatively, if you wish to book a private group you can email reception@glengoyne.com

In addition, please note that currently we can only ship to UK addresses. For further details visit https://www.glengoyne.com/shipping

BOOK NOW

ralfy review 871 Extras – single malts are the future of flavour.