Our May auction is now LIVE!

Place your bids from Friday 21^st May until Sunday 30^th May.

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!

Hibiki – 35 Year Old (Kutani)

Macallan – 72 Year Old (Lalique) The Genesis Decanter

Yamazaki – 1984 (Vintage Malt)

Macallan – Blake @ LXXX (Eight Decades Collection)

Karuizawa – 31 Year Old (Sapphire Geisha)

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.co.uk.

Three American Oak Single Cask Whiskies

In the coming days, we will release three American Oak Single Cask whiskies.—

In addition to an American Oak Bourbon Single Cask (TD0177), we will be releasing an American Oak Tawny Single Cask (TD0317) and an American Oak Second Fill Single Cask (TD0121). All three are exceptional examples of the malt-led Sullivans Cove spirit working alongside the characteristics of American Oak for long-term maturation.

TD0177 American Oak Bourbon Single Cask, bottled at 47.2% was matured for over 14 years in a 200L cask and yielded only 122 bottles.

TD0317 American Oak Tawny Single Cask, bottled at 47.9% was matured for over 12 years in a 300L cask and yielded 427 bottles.

TD0121 American Oak Second Fill Single Cask, bottled at 47.5% was matured for 14 years and 5 months in a 300L cask and yielded 440 bottles.

Further cask information and tasting notes can be found on our online store.

“American Oak casks complement our malt-driven spirit and suit our gentler approach to all aspects of the whisky making process. With a more porous surface, American Oak lends itself to long-term maturation, with the vannillan characteristics of the wood marrying perfectly with our new make spirit.” – Heather Tillott, Head Distiller

These whiskies will be released via ballot.

The ballot will open for 24 hours from 11am Hobart time on Tuesday 25th of May, 2021. Further details will be sent via email prior to the ballot opening. Please note, entries will be strictly limited to one bottle per cask, per person. You’re welcome to enter all three ballots. Successful entries will be notified shortly after the ballot closes.

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Limited-Edition, One-of-a-Kind World-Class Whiskies
Featuring bottlings from Ardmore, Bunnahabhain, Tomatin, Tormore, and Tullibardine

Today’s offer represents the rarest of the rare in the world of Scotch. These mature, ultra-limited bottlings will easily provide a centerpiece to any collection rich in the best of whisky. Coming in both 700ml and 750ml sizes, the complexity and power across the board is unmatched, as these K&L exclusive single casks have been selected among many as the finest their respective distilleries have to present. Only a handful of bottles of each are available for the world, and you’re seeing them here first. We recommend swift action to secure your allocation on pre-arrival, as once these whiskies are gone, they’re gone for good.

* Please note that some of these rare spirits items are offered in our regular 750ml format, while others are bottled in 700ml format. These items are on pre-arrival, ready for pickup or delivery in late summer 2021. Please refer to each individual product page for more detail.

1994 Tomatin 25 Year Old “Hunter Laing Old & Rare” Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) (Pre-Arrival) ($249.99)

Tomatin is a fascinating distillery with a unique history and many incarnations, from starting as a bulk blender and supplier and eventually shifting to a steadfast focus on quality single malt production. From the early 1900s through the mid ’70s, Tomatin grew continuously. They added stills multiple times as demand for their product increased exponentially. By 1975, they were the largest single malt production facility in Scotland. Sadly due to market forces they never operated at their full capacity, and by the mid ’80s the massive bust in the market for Scotch was impossible to ignore. Tomatin was liquidated and became the first of many Scottish distilleries to be purchased by Japanese companies. Today owned by the company known as Takara Shuzo, Tomatin has many bottlings on the market, but it is the choicest single casks that command the most attention. Here we have an incredible single cask of sherry-finished Tomatin 25 Year Old at a natural strength of 49.3% ABV. Expect a great value single malt with tropical and stone fruits in abundance, melded with sherry spice and orange peel dipped in chocolate.

1989 Tullibardine 31 Year “Hunter Laing Old & Rare” K&L Exclusive Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Pre-Arrival) ($299.99)

Tullibardine sits in Blackford not far north of the border between Highlands and Lowlands. Historically, it produced a nutty malt that was generally filled into tired casks and sold off for blending. Their lack of a strong wood management program meant that single casks were a crapshoot. If you managed to get a great one, you could have a phenomenal spirit. If the cask was past its prime, the whisky was nothing to write home about. In 1994, the distillery was shut down. It wasn’t until new ownership took over in 2003 that the distillery reopened and saw a huge influx of new casks. They also tweaked the spirit for a more high-toned fruit profile. While the results from this change have been excellent, it is the older, nuttier style that, if aged properly in a quality cask, really is a treat. This 31-year-old beauty comes from 1989, before the shutdown, and was filled into a quality sherry butt. The combination is an over-the-top nutty richness, dusty cocoa, and spices mixed with sun dried fruits.

1988 Ardmore 31 Year “Hunter Laing Old & Rare Heritage Platinum Selection” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) (Pre-Arrival) ($349.99)

Only 60 bottles will be available of this intriguing, old Highland peater. Distilled in April 1998 and bottled in 2019 at 50.2% ABV without dilution or chill filtration, the Platinum Selection represents the very best of what Hunter Laing has to offer. These casks are the bottler’s finest stocks and are selected not only for their exquisite rarity but also their unbelievable quality. Built in 1898 by William Teacher, the Ardmore Distillery is one of the Highlands’ best kept secrets, offering only an extremely limited selection bottled by the distillery, and the Ardmore malt remains a key component in the popular Teacher’s Highland Cream, which may be why they’ve neglected to market the wonderful peated Highlander beyond the current limited offerings. This very old barrel offers an incredible expression of old-school Highland malt with deep coal smoke, cured leather, wild honey, and tart red fruit. Just perfect at nearly 100 proof, it needs no water to open but could use some air to develop fully in the glass. Despite the high quality and limited availability, the price is extremely reasonable, and it should be given some serious consideration by any lover of old peated whisky.

1988 Tormore 31 Year “Hunter Laing Old & Rare Heritage Platinum Selection” Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) (Pre-Arrival) ($349.99)

This lovely Oloroso Sherry butt from the Tormore Distillery was distilled in May of 1988 and bottled in 2019. A sister to the wonderful barrel we purchased last year, this time bottled in 700ml, it represents one of the best values in old, sherried malt available in Scotland today. The Tormore Distillery and its iconic copper roof is one of Speyside’s newer distillers. Built in 1958, great care was taken with the design of the exterior, unlike at other distilleries of the period. The distillery was expanded in 1984 and can produce upward of 3.7 million liters of alcohol per year. Nonetheless, it’s extremely rare to find Tormore of any age in the U.S. The relatively short and wide stills give a rich and textured spirit that lends itself nicely to sherry aging. Bottled at natural cask strength of 49.1% ABV and without chill filtration, only 60 bottles of this exceptional cask are available in the U.S. exclusively at K&L Wine Merchants. As described by the bottler, “This amber coloured whisky matured in an Oloroso sherry butt has lashings of hazelnuts, coffee, chocolate and tobacco on the nose. Spicy and nutty on the palate with a touch of toffee leading to a long, rich, peppery finish.”

1987 Bunnahabhain 30 Year “Hunter Laing Old & Rare” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) (Pre-Arrival) ($399.99)

This stupendous old Bunnahabhain is as complex and delicious as it is rare. Of course, any Islay whisky that’s made it to the 30-year mark will command an extremely high price, but considering where the distillery’s own 25-year is priced these days, we felt this single cask offered significant value. Distilled in 1987 and bottled at a natural cask strength of 48.4% ABV.

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Speyside 28 Year Old 1992 Infrequent Flyers

Speyside 28 Year Old

1992 vintage. Infrequent Flyer from a virgin oak cask packed with plenty of flavour and character. Oily, spicy, viscous and fruity. 28 Year Old 1992 vintage single malt Scotch whisky from a secret Speyside distillery. Single virgin oak barrel barrel #4824 bottled 2020 by The Alistair Walker Whisky Co. for the Infrequent Flyers series. 271 bottles.

Nose: Floral, fragrant, and very fruity – pears, bananas and ripe pineapple. A hint of toffee.
Taste: Really vibrant. Vanilla custard, honeycomb, cookie dough. Malty, with soft oak prevalent, and warming spices.
Finish: Viscous and oily.

Mystery single malt that don’t want to reveal their true identity. Rummage around and with a bit of investigation you are sure to find a rare unspecified bottling from independent bottler.

Cask #4824

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THE CRAFT IRISH WHISKEY CO.’S FIRST RELEASE STRIKES GOLD IN THIS YEAR’S GLOBAL AND HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL A’ DESIGN AWARDS

The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. wins the highest scoring Gold award in ‘Packaging Design Category’ for The Devil’s Keep Experience Box

12^th May 2021, London The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. achieved Gold in the ‘Packaging Design Category 2020-2021’ of the A’ Design Award for The Devil’s Keep experience box, which was the luxury Irish whiskey’s first release. The A’ Design Award and Competition is the world’s most prestigious and influential design accolade, which acknowledges the best design and most innovative products from international brands and designers.

With over 4,000 entries submitted from the world’s top designers, the competition is judged by over 200 jury members from the International Design Academy, to form The Grand A’ Design Award Jury Panel, including design professionals, press and academics, who award brands across five categories: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Iron. The award-winning products and designs will be formally announced at the official A’ Design Award Gala-Night and Exhibition in Italy, which will take place later this year.

The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. was the highest scoring Gold Award, achieving 9.9 within the top 2% of the category, missing out on Platinum to Pepsi Co’s redesigned packaging. It was the only whiskey brand to be awarded ‘Gold’, within the ‘Packaging Design Category’, alongside over 20 innovative brands awarded Gold in the A’ Design Award. It marks The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.’s third win of the year after being awarded ‘Luxury Drinks Secondary Pack’ for the design of The Devil’s Keep experience box at The Luxury Packaging Awards 2020 and Highly Commended for the design of The Devil’s Keep bottle in the ‘Luxury Drinks Primary Pack’ award in February 2021.

The Devil’s Keep is a rare triple distilled, 29-year-old single malt whiskey and one of the finest whiskies that Ireland has ever created. It was the first release from The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., making this accolade a moment of particular significance for Founder, Jay Bradley, and Design Director, Tiago Russo. The launch of The Devil’s Keep in November 2020 saw just 333 bottles released – with an additional 333 expected later this year. It was the most expensive inaugural first release in history, which sold at auction at USD $60,000 (almost £46,000 and €51,000 Euros), and the oldest triple distilled Irish whiskey in existence, only to be topped by The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.’s second release in February 2021 of the 30-year-old The Emerald Isle Collection.

The Devil’s Keep was designed to be a multi-sensorial experience, which engages all five senses. The Devil’s Keep bottle is encased in an experience box made up of two custom-locked cases, secured by bespoke brass Japanese style locks. The minimalist outer case of the experience box has a dark stained oak finish and a bolt of geometric gold detailing, while the burgundy leather walls that line the inner case help to refract the colours of the whiskey. Housed inside the box are the exquisite whiskey accessories: two uniquely designed glasses, an atomiser, a measure of barley, a carafe of water, a pipette and whiskey stones. To protect the main packaging, a structural transit box was designed in two parts, allowing a vertical extraction which makes the experience as effortless and ergonomic as possible.

No detail was overlooked in its creation, from the vial of barley sourced from the same malting house that housed the original barley for the whiskey, through to the carafe filled with water sourced from the Antrim hills which was also used for the original whiskey. A custom-designed pipette enables water to be applied precisely to release the micelles and the flavours, while obsidian whiskey stones can be used in place of ice to prevent the dilution of the whiskey. A special ‘angels’ share’ atomiser has been designed by expert perfumer Sarah McCartney, which is unique to The Devil’s Keep. It captures the unmistakable aroma of walking through the halls of a whiskey warehouse full of maturing whiskey, evaporating into the ether. Bespoke glasses, a custom numbered whiskey certificate and a detailed booklet which tells the story of The Devil’s Keep are housed in each door.

Tiago Russo, Design Director at The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., said: “It is a huge honour for The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. to be recognised amongst some of the most well-established brands in the world. The A’ Design Award is the highest achievement in design, celebrating exceptional work from some of the most renowned names in the industry. Through the power of design, I was able to create a product that brings to life the story of The Devil’s Keep and celebrates Irish heritage and whiskey through a multi-sensory experience. The accolade is particularly special as The Devil’s Keep is the brand’s first release, and it now sets the benchmark for The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. in the future as one of the brands to watch in the luxury whiskey space.”

Jay Bradley, Founder at The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., commented: “I am so proud that we have been recognised in the A’ Design Award for The Devil’s Keep. It has taken our team years of dedication, craftsmanship and passion to create a unique whiskey experience. To be recognised in such a prestigious category is a huge achievement, which has allowed us to take centre stage alongside some of the most exceptional products in the world. Through the launch of The Devil’s Keep, my mission was to challenge global perceptions of Irish whiskey by creating the most luxurious drinking experience – ultimately filling the gap in the market for ultra-luxury Irish whiskey.”

Following the success of The Devil’s Keep and The Emerald Isle Collection in partnership with Fabergé, The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. will announce its third release in June 2021.

For further information about The Devil’s Keep, please visit: https://www.craftirishwhiskey.com/the-devils-keep/ Instagram: @craftirishehiskeyco

Website: https://www.craftirishwhiskey.com/the-devils-keep
Video: https://vimeo.com/473493966 (password: watch)

Notes:

Price: 10,000 Euros

About The Craft Irish Whiskey Co.:

The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. is different. This is not mass-produced whiskey, but an attention to detail and crafting processes that create the very finest craft Irish whiskey.

The company sources rare whiskey and uses ultra-premium finishing barrels to mature its whiskey due to the high quality of the wood and previous spirit or wine that helps deliver complex flavour profiles. The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., knows that a premium level of spirit stored in this type of barrel adds deep and complex flavours into the finish which produces a phenomenal Irish whiskey.

The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. uniquely cask their whiskey at 52% ABV. Adding water in at the start allows the water and whiskey to marry over time creating a far smoother whiskey.

The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. is the proud whiskey partner of the The MICHELIN Guide and a partner in the Michelin Star Revelation Great Britain and Ireland 2021.

https://vimeo.com/457863988

History of Irish Whiskey

 It is little known that Ireland invented whiskey in the 14th century and dominated the sector. By the 1800s, a group known as the ‘Dublin Whiskey Masters’ brought the art of whiskey making to its zenith with iconoclastic disruption. However, although Irish whiskey suffered a dramatic decline due to an unfortunate set of geopolitics, it is now being reborn and today, clawing back past glories. Ireland’s emerging, small-scale but disruptive distilleries have the talent and freedom to innovate whiskey on a scale not seen since the 19th century. The Devil’s Keep sees the age-old secrets of Ireland’s whiskey masters re-imagined with the launch of the oldest ever released triple distilled Irish whiskey and the most expensive first release in the history of whiskey.

About the A’ Design Award:

The A’ Design Award and Competition is for designers, innovators and companies that want to highlight themselves to attract the attention of media, publishers and buyers. In a world where there are millions of products and designs launch each year, the award was born out of the desire to underline the best designs and well-designed products. The award-winning products and designs are highlighted to the international public via the A’ Design Award Gala-Night and Exhibition in Italy and they are communicated to all relevant press across the world.

 For 2020 – 2021 there are 211 Jury Members forming the International Design Academy – The Grand A’ Design Award Jury Panel, composed of design professionals, press members and academics.

The full list of winners (Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze) can be found here: https://competition.adesignaward.com/winners.php

Waterford Distillery awarded Best Irish Whiskey and Best Irish Single Malt in World Spirits Competition.

Thursday, 6^th May 2021: Barley forward Terroir-driven producer, Waterford Distillery, has won best in class and five medals at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), one of the industry’s most influential and prestigious global tasting events.

Leading the way was Waterford’s Single Farm Origin: Hook Head, which won not only the “Best Irish Single Malt” title but also picked up the overall award for the “Best Irish Whiskey”.

The Waterford whiskies received high praise from the judging panel, adding to Waterford’s flurry of prestigious industry awards wins this year, firmly establishing the new boy on the block as one of the world’s leading distillers.

Established in 2000, the annual SFWSC event revealed its winners across a range of sectors, judged by some of the most respected and experienced experts in the spirits industry. All entries are judged via controlled blind tasting to determine the best in class amongst some of the world’s most premium spirits.

Waterford collected the following titles:

• BEST IRISH WHISKEY & BEST IRISH SINGLE MALT: Single Farm Origin – Hook Head Edition 1.1.

• DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL: Single Farm Origin – Hook Head: Edition 1.1
• DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL: Single Farm Origin – Dunmore: Edition 1.2
• GOLD MEDAL: Single Farm Origin – Dunbell Edition 1.2
• GOLD MEDAL: Organic – Gaia: Edition 1.1
• SILVER MEDAL: Single Farm Origin – Lakefield: Edition 1.1

Mark Reynier, CEO of Waterford Distillery, commented: “We entered five whiskies and came away with seven awards, including “Best Irish Whiskey” of all.  At a mere four years of age, perhaps proof that fancy age statements don’t necessarily equate to quality in the eyes of competition judges. There’s no secret to making Ireland’s best whisky: Ireland’s best barley; fermenting cool and controlled; distilling low and slow; and the finest good wood.

“To win the two main category prizes at the world’s most prestigious competition in our first year is indeed humbling – but imagine how good these whiskies will be with a few more years of maturation.”

Unlike other producers, Waterford Distillery’s focus is on exploring barley grown on the diverse terroirs of the South East of Ireland, and ultimately how these influence the flavours of single malt whisky – as proven in their pioneering academic paper, published in the top peer-review journal Foods earlier this year. The concept, which is commonly practiced among the greatest wine producers, is the principle that factors such as weather, soil, and microclimate influence the flavours of found in barley to create truly authentic flavours of a place.

To show its terroir-driven approach, Waterford Distillery has a unique a digital logistical system to keep track of each farmer’s crop – how it is harvested, stored, malted and distilled separately – guaranteeing the integrity of each Single Farm Origin – this is shown to drinkers on every bottle of whisky via their pioneering TEIREOIR code.

Notes 

About Waterford Distillery 

Influenced by the world’s greatest winemakers, Waterford Distillery obsessively brings the same intellectual drive, methodology and rigour to single malt whisky.

Using 100% Irish barley, widely considered to be the world’s finest, its Single Farm Origin series is an uber-provenance range of limited edition natural whiskies that explore Irish terroir one farm, once place, at a time. They are expressions of precision and rarity, showcasing barley flavours derived from individual Irish farms and harvests. The distillery’s ultimate aim is that these component single malts come together to create the world’s most unique, complex and profound whisky.

For more information, visit https://waterfordwhisky.com/

Shene Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky Takes Home Five Double Gold and 1 Gold at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition

The 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition was held at One Market Restaurant in San Francisco from April 1st through April 20th, with Shene Distillery taking home prestigious Double Gold medals for Shene Elixir of Life Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky 49% abv, Shene Solera Cask Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky 49% abv, Shene Mackey Trinity Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky 49% abv, Shene Trinity Enigma Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky 49% abv, Shene Mackey Triple Distilled Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 63.3% abv, and a Gold medal for Shene Cognac Release Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky 49% abv.

Founded in 2000, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is the oldest and largest competition of its kind. This year the competition was another record-breaking year that more than 3,500 entries from all corners of the world.

“Each year’s results are closely followed, both by consumers eager for the expert judgements and more importantly by the trade, especially the distributor community. Many a craft distillery startup has found that recognition by the SFWSC is the golden key to unlocking broad national, and often, international distribution. Even established producers look to the SFWSC for confirmation of their core ranges, as well as validation of new products and new production techniques.” – Joseph V Micallef in a 2021 Forbes Article.

The 30+ judges of the 2021 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 and Jeffrey Morgenthaler (Director of Judging), 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.

The SFWSC is a blind-tasting competition considered one of the most reliable indications of spirits excellence globally. The judges determine which entries are worthy of Gold, Silver or Bronze based on tasting alone. “Double Gold—Awarded to the entries that receive a Gold medal rating by all members of the judging panel; these are among the finest products in the world.” San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Shene Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky is proudly milled, mashed, fermented, distilled, matured and bottled onsite.

Shene Distillery
www.shene.com.au

Evan Williams Bourbon Announces 2021 American-Made Heroes

American-Made Hero Foundation Fund 2021 grant applications now open

As an American-made and American-owned brand, Evan Williams recognizes true American heroes through their exceptional stories of honor and bravery. This special edition label of Evan Williams Black Bourbon celebrates the heroic stories of military veterans, chosen for their selfless acts of service at home and abroad (bios included below). New for this year, invitations to be featured as an American-Made Hero were extended to veterans whose affiliate organization applied through the American-Made Hero Foundation Fund grant process. The 2021 Evan Williams American-Made Heroes were selected from more than 472 grant applications and are featured on more than 474,000 bottles available nationwide.BARDSTOWN, Ky. – Evan Williams Bourbon today announced the 2021 class of veterans selected as American-Made Heroes. Each veteran’s picture and story of service in their active duty and civilian life will be featured on the side of the special-edition Evan Williams Black Bourbon label. The American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund, now in its second year, will award support through the 2021 Veteran Community Action grants.

The 2021 American Hero edition packaging received the same new look as the Evan Williams Bourbon family, first announced in September 2020. The new signature bottle is complemented by a curved blue label adorned with red and white stripes and stars, and blue capsule featuring “Evan Williams” on the bottle neck. Proudly displayed on the side of each bottle is one of the brand’s key taglines “American Owned, American Made, American Proud” celebrating Evan Williams’ legacy as Kentucky’s first commercial distiller. Each Evan Williams American-Made Hero embodies Evan Williams’ values: hard-working, humbly confident, reliable, and imbued with American spirit, with their stories prominently featured on the side of the label along with their picture, name, and military title.

“We are honored to share the stories of this diverse group of veterans who have upheld the American spirit through extraordinary acts of service,” said Julie Cole, Evan Williams Bourbon Senior Brand Manager. “Through the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund we are humbled to offer help to organizations that support veterans and lift up these communities.”

Applications are now open from May 17, 2021 through June 18, 2021 for the 2021 Veteran Community Action Grants through the American-Made Hero Foundation Fund. Grant applications are open to a variety of projects that help veterans including, but not limited to, initiatives in education, employment, the arts, recreation, housing, health, and human needs. Each project makes a meaningful difference in the lives of veterans and improves the enjoyment and quality of life for veterans. Full grant eligibility, rules and application details can be found here. First announced in April 2020, the fund focused its inaugural efforts with the COVID-19 Veteran Relief Grant, which awarded more than $70,000 to over 30 nonprofit organizations that supported veterans who were impacted by COVID. To date, Evan Williams has recognized 42 veteran heroes on its American Hero Edition bottles and donated more than $375,000 to nonprofits including FOB Hope, Backpacks for Life, Combined Arms, Hero’s Bridge, and more.

The Evan Williams American Hero Program will be supported this year with a new brand commercial, ‘Tried & True,’ that emphasizes the brand’s continued support and admiration of military veterans and their service to both country and community. The commercial will be featured through digital and social media. The brand has also launched an updated website, which highlights the new class of American-Made Heroes featured on the bottle and the American-Made Heroes Foundation.

The 2021 Evan Williams American-Made Heroes are:

Roman Baca, New York, Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps: Roman enlisted before 9/11 and went from performing classical ballet to serving with the 25th Marines. His dance training and military training come together at Exit12: a dance company that shares veterans’ stories of survival through powerful performance art. To learn more about Exit12 Dance Company, visit https://exit12danceco.org/.

Rita Aragon, Oklahoma City, Major General, U.S. Air Force (Ret.): As a young single mother, Rita made the decision to enlist in 1979. She retired after a decorated 28-year career, becoming the first female commander of the Oklahoma Air National Guard. Today she continues to serve as Board President of Honoring America’s Warriors. To learn more about Honoring America’s Warriors, visit https://honoringamericaswarriors.org/.

Antione Hines, Chesapeake, Va., Petty Officer, U.S. Navy (Ret.): Antione served as a Submarine Nuclear Electrician for 10 years and is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm and the Global War on Terrorism. He is the Founder and CEO of Veteran’s HomeFront – a nonprofit organization supporting homeless, at-risk and disconnected veterans since 2016. To learn more about Veteran’s Homefront, visit https://www.veteranshomefront.vet/.

Michael Delancy, Pinellas Park, Fla., Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps: While serving with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines in Iraq, Mike came under enemy fire and was awarded the Purple Heart. In 2015 he founded the Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch – a wheelchair-accessible sports park designed to inspire veterans to go out and be active. To learn more about the Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch, visit https://woundedwarriorsabilitiesranch.org/.

Joshua Perschbacher, Waterloo, Ill., Petty Officer, U.S. Navy: During his four years in the Navy, Josh completed two deployments to the Middle East as an Operations Specialist. He has dedicated his post-military career to helping veterans access education and professional networking opportunities through his nonprofit, The Vetwork. To learn more about The Vetwork, visit https://www.thevetwork.org/.

Monique Brown, Tacoma, Wash., Staff Sergeant, U.S. Arm, Army Reserves, and National Guard (Ret.): Monique’s decorated military career included service in the Army National Guard, the Army Reserves, and 13 years of active duty. She retired after 26 years and founded FOB Hope – a nonprofit organization supporting homeless and vulnerable veterans in Washington State. To learn more about FOB Hope, visit https://www.fobhope.org/.

The Evan Williams American Hero Edition bottle is available nationally in a 1.75L for a suggested retail price of $24.99 and is bottled at 43 percent alcohol by volume (86 proof). To learn more about each of the 2021 American-Made Heroes and to apply for funding through the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund, visit https://american-madeheroes.com/.

ABOUT EVAN WILLIAMS: The flagship Bourbon of Heaven Hill Distillery, Evan Williams is among the leaders in the rapidly growing American Whiskey segment as the world’s second largest-selling Bourbon. Evan Williams is a proud sponsor of Major League Baseball and the World Series, first forming a partnership with the national pastime in 2016. As an American-made and American-owned brand, Evan Williams has recognized true American heroes through their exceptional stories of honor and bravery on special edition American-Made Hero labels for the past seven years, now supported by the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund. The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience (www.EvanWilliamsBourbonExperience.com) celebrates the legacy of Evan Williams through an immersive visitor’s center experience which brings to life the history and tradition of Kentucky’s native spirit as an official stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN-MADE HEROES FOUNDATION FUND: Evan Williams is honored to broaden its support of veteran communities across the country through the launch of the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund, announced in April 2020. The American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund was established to show Evan Williams’ pride in being American-made and owned, and to give back to those who served. Our purpose is: to provide a platform for sharing inspiring veteran stories; to raise public awareness for causes impacting the veteran community; and to support nonprofit organizations that help veterans through a specialized grant program.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely. Drink Wisely.”

On Burns Night (January 25th) we were delighted to announce that Locogen’s client, the Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery, had won Phase 1 funding from the Green Distilleries competition run by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to investigate switching from gas oil to hydrogen for their primary process fuel.

So it’s fitting that, on World Whisky Day, we can announce that after a successful Phase 1 feasibility study, Arbikie are applying for Phase 2 funding – and a share of a £10 million funding pot – to implement zero-carbon green hydrogen as their primary process fuel.

The Green Distilleries fund aims to help distilleries cut CO2 emissions by one million tonnes, contributing to Scotland’s national target to be carbon neutral by 2045, with each distillery deploying innovative green solutions in order to achieve these ambitious goals.

Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery are determined to find a low carbon alternative to gas oil to further improve their already impressive sustainability and environmental credentials.

Renewable energy specialist Locogen and hydrogen technology expert Logan Energy are therefore partnering with Arbikie to deliver an innovative solution, using green hydrogen produced onsite using electrolysis from wind and solar generation as the zero-carbon fuel for the distillation process.

Currently, the Arbikie Highland Estate Distillery operates a sustainable, field-to-bottle model, with all ingredients grown, distilled, matured and bottled onsite. Even the mountain-filtered water used in Arbikie spirits is taken from an underground lagoon.

The project will enhance these credentials, helping to create a low-carbon distillery that has been converted from fossil fuel dependence. It is hoped that this will become a model that can be rolled out across the distillation sector and other industries.

Andy Lyle, CEO of Locogen, said: “It’s great to see one of Scotland’s most traditional industries adopting innovative new technologies to help us reach our net-zero targets. Now there’s another reason to raise a glass on World Whisky Day.

Bill Ireland, CEO of Logan Energy, said: “Scotland’s whisky sector is world-renowned, and it is fitting that we are finding innovative ways to decarbonise this industry as we continue to trailblaze hydrogen technologies with a global impact. I look forward to sampling the new generation of hydrogen-powered whisky.”

Iain Stirling, Director at Arbikie Distillery, said: “Arbikie is focused on becoming one of the world’s most sustainable distilleries, and as both farmers and distillers we are in an ideal position to grow & distil our field-to-bottle whiskies. Sustainable products are undoubtedly the future, especially in this year of the UN’s COP26 and they will be the major economic driving force in the years to come across the world. We are fortunate to have such a wonderful environment on Scotland’s east coast from which we can grow and distil the highest quality of barley and rye, and we’re proud to play a part at the vanguard of what is becoming a global sustainable spirits movement”.

Notes

About Locogen

The Locogen Group is an award-winning specialist in the renewable energy sector. The company works across technologies, independent of any vendor, deploying experience and expertise to identify the best-fit solution for clients and partners. Locogen has extensive experience in developing, constructing and operating ground-mounted solar farms, hydroelectric schemes and wind farms, and advises clients on emerging technologies, such as local energy networks, hydrogen and energy storage.

Locogen also delivers community renewables projects, roof-mounted solar projects and renewable heating solutions, including district heating, ground source heat pumps and air source heat pumps.

About Logan Energy

Logan Energy specialises in the delivery of engineering solutions for integrated hydrogen technology systems, including hydrogen supply, refuelling, and fuel cells. It offers a full turnkey service from project inception & feasibility, design development, manufacturing, installation, and operation and maintenance.

Logan Energy has built up fifteen years of knowledge in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. To date, it has installed, commissioned, and maintained over 1MWe of fuel cells providing heat, power, and cooling in landmark buildings in the UK. It has designed, built, and commissioned four hydrogen refuelling units in the UK and is currently constructing three further stations for export to Tenerife, Germany, and Northern Ireland.

Logan Energy continues to provide independent advice and expertise to a wide range of clients.

K&L Exclusive Sherry-Aged Whisky: Michel Couvreur’s “Peaty Overaged”
Michel Couvreur “Peaty Overaged” K&L Exclusive Malt Whisky (750ml) ($79.99)
“…one of the most authentic and absolutely delicious malts on the market…This new batch of Couvreur is better than ever!” — David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

In their constant search for the world’s most unique and compelling spirits, our buying team routinely discovers truly stupendous offerings exclusive to K&L. One of our favorites over the years has been the Michel Couvreur “Peaty Overaged.” What’s truly remarkable is where this inimitable dram comes from—a deep, dark cellar in the heart of Burgundy. The late Michel Couvreur arrived here in the 1960s and set about acquiring impressive stocks of new-make single malt Scotch and cultivating one of the most well-sourced sherry-cask regimens in the whisky world. Now produced by his long-time apprentice, this peated K&L Exclusive is, as spirits buyer David Othenin-Girard describes, a “wildly high-quality…whisky with a French sensibility.” For any lover of incredibly expressive sherry cask whisky, this is a must-try bottling that will leave you stunned, thrilled, and totally addicted to the style that is none other than Michel Couvreur.

Michel Couvreur “Peaty Overaged” K&L Exclusive Malt Whisky (750ml) ($79.99)

The chance to work with Michel Couvreur on a special K&L whisky project was something that we had been dreaming of for years. We had heard the stories. This innovative Belgian had moved to Burgundy in the ’60s, carved out a wine cellar inside a mountain, only to fill it with Scottish single malt whisky instead of Pinot Noir. He set up camp in Beaune, ordered new-make spirit to be delivered by tanker, and drove down to Jerez himself, selecting his own sherry butts to ensure the finest quality casks for his contracted spirit. Unfortunately, Michel Couvreur passed away in 2013 from pancreatic cancer, thus ending the career of one of the industry’s most courageous pioneers. Luckily for us, however, apprentice Jean-Arnaud has carried on after studying under Michel for more than a decade. When we visited the underground cave, we were all in total awe. The tunnels of dripping stone go on forever, and the amount of whisky stored in this secret lair is jawdropping. We put our trust completely in Jean-Arnaud and are happy we did. Our peated version of the incredible sherry expression is a seamless creation that drinks like the best version of Johnnie Black ever, mixed with the most supple and soft expressions of Macallan. It’s a lush, unfiltered, creamy, caramel-laden dream of a whisky composed only of malts 12 years and older. There’s a bit of peat on the finish, but the soft sherry is the star. (NOTE: do NOT cut the hard wax seal—use a wine opener to go through it)

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 13, 2021

The magnificence that is Michel Couvreur has always been clear, but it wasn’t until we stepped into the special cave carved out of the rock in Bouze-lès-Beaune that we could fully appreciate the incredible endeavor in process at this fine producer. While this is by definition NOT scotch, because it is aged outside of the country, the old school practices utilized at here are unusual back in Scotland. The fact that these guys literally drive to Jerez to pick out fresh sherry casks (from Equipos Navazos no less) is totally unique in modern times. In fact, no producer of malt whisky is getting access to fresher barrels than these guys. Not being able to use the famous moniker does not preclude this from being one of the most authentic and absolutely delicious malts on the market. Stupendous depth and complexity even at 86 proof, and while the sherry is toned down from the standard version, a subtle fino/amontillado quality exists in the back ground. This is pointed by a fabulous smokey sweetness, which hints at the source whisky. Maybe an island somewhere, maybe a drop of Islay, wildly high-quality Highland whisky with a French sensibility. A truly unique gem. This new batch of Couvreur is better than ever! They seem to have slightly upped the peaty element and it’s a welcome addition. They won’t tell us where it’s from, but it’s starting to feel very Caol Ila to me. Also, they’ve adjusted the wax seal which is not soft and can be opened directly via corkscrew. No need to break the wax in advance these days.