Heaven Hill Distillery Announces Release of Five Brothers Bourbon

Small batch pays homage to five Shapira brothers, launches with grand opening of Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience

BARDSTOWN, KY – Heaven Hill Distillery announced today the release of Five Brothers Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. A small batch blending of five ages of Bourbon, Five Brothers Bourbon pays homage to the courage, dedication and solidarity of the five Shapira brothers who started it all in 1935.

Five Brothers Bourbon is comprised of Heaven Hill’s traditional Bourbon mashbill aged from five- to nine-years-old to represent each founding brother. Bottled at 90 proof to reflect the initial proofs of Heaven Hill releases in the early stages of the distillery, the new small batch is a callback to the beginnings of Heaven Hill’s award-winning portfolio. Unique to the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience and select Kentucky retailers, visitors can also experience a taste or cocktail at the Five Brothers Bar & Kitchen in the new visitor center unveiled on June 14. Sweet and smooth with notes of vanilla and sugar cookie, the finish is long yet subtle making for an easy sipper.

“In 1935, my father and his four brothers invested in a speculative venture that today is the largest family-owned and operated distillery in America, Heaven Hill Distillery,” said Max L. Shapira, Heaven Hill President. “With patience and perseverance, they built the foundation for the nationally acclaimed American Whiskey portfolio we enjoy today and a legacy built on consistent quality and innovation.”

The most striking detail of the premium bottle is the face label feature of a black and white photo of the five Shapira Brothers when they were in their 20’s and early 30’s: David, Ed, Gary, George, and Mose. The beautiful packaging also showcases complimentary nods to the 1930’s with vintage paper face and back labels, an Americana color scheme, and a classic navy and gold tax strip to seal the cork. Five Brothers Bourbon is available in 750ml for $59.99 at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience.

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY: Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Heaven Hill has cultivated the traditions and history of America’s Native Spirit with its fierce independence, passionate family ownership, dedication to quality, and thoughtful innovation. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 1.9 million barrels aging in 63 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. It is home to an award-winning collection of American Whiskeys including Elijah Craig Bourbon, Larceny Bourbon, Evan Williams Bourbon, Pikesville Rye Whiskey, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky, Parker’s Heritage Collection, and Old Fitzgerald along with its extensive Bottled-in-Bond label collection. Heaven Hill Distillery currently holds the title of 2020 Whisky Advocate Whisky of the Year, the second Whisky of the Year for Heaven Hill Distillery in the past four years. In 2019 Heaven Hill Distillery was named San Francisco World Spirits Competition Distillery of the Year, Best in Show Whisky, and previously held the titles of 2018 San Francisco Spirits Word Spirits Competition Best Bourbon, 2016 Whisky Magazine Distillery of the Year. For more information, please visit www.heavenhilldistillery.com.

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

Our June auction is now LIVE!

Place your bids from Friday 18^th June until Sunday 27^th June.

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!

Midleton – Silent Distillery Collection (1^st & 2^nd release)

Ichiro’s Malt – Seven of Clubs “Card”

Brora – 40 Year Old (1972) Cask Strength

Macallan – 1988 (Fine & Rare)

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.

News at the Cutting Edge From Glencairn Crystal Studio

We hope this newsletter finds you all safe and well and returning to some sense of normality.

This year we’re celebrating the 40^th anniversary of Glencairn Crystal Studio and can’t believe it’s been four decades since a young, fresh-faced Raymond Davidson set the company up back in 1981. We’re still a family run business now with Raymond’s son’s Paul and Scott at the helm and family values remain at the heart of everything we do. We consider our customers, clients, suppliers and everyone we work with to be our extended Glencairn family.

So here we are with our our latest news, whilst sending you all our very best wishes for a happy and healthy summer.

40 Years of Glencairn Crystal

Raymond started Glencairn Crystal in 1981 having previously worked for Honeywell as an environmental test engineer, then moving to a sales career for Crown Paints and Matchbox Toys. However, it was during his role at Edinburgh Crystal after this that he came to realise that decanters had a vital role to play in the whisky and spirit world. He decided to set up his own company to use pioneering innovation and craftsmanship to design and create the finest glassware available in the industry.

Four decades on, our company is known for the world’s favourite whisky glass; the Glencairn Glass – however we’re also incredibly proud of our international reputation for the design and manufacture of high-end crystal and glassware.

Over the years we’ve had the honour of working on some incredible projects often for the world’s rarest and most exclusive spirits. We’ve designed, created and delivered crystal decanters to hold the world’s oldest whisky, oldest port and oldest rum. We’ve even embedded decanters with precious rubies and sapphires.
Throughout this year we’re releasing fascinating ‘behind the scenes’ decanter stories which truly ‘capture the spirit’ of what our talented craftspeople have achieved over the last 40 years, hosted on the Glencairn Crystal website, via our social media channels and also supported with podcasts featuring interviews with key figures in the spirits industry.

Plenty of savings to choose from…

We all love a bargain, especially when whisky is involved! Have a gander below of the latest additions to our weekly price drop and get those deals added to your shopping basket.Remember that all orders over £75 are shipped for free.

View the full price drop selection here…

Want to sell your whisky in our next auction? With no sellers fees?

We’re offering a FREE personal courier collection service (UK)  

From Sunday 4^th July, the TWSA team will be on the road on a round trip from London to Glasgow (and everywhere in between!) to pick up your bottles from your doorstep. It can all be carried out contact-free, and we’ll take care of the cost.

At the moment, we’re accepting a minimum of 10 bottles or a minimum value of £1000. Please contact auctions@whiskyshop.com to discuss details.

Want to sell your whisky before July 4th?

We can organise a courier to pick up your bottle(s) free of charge and get you booked in the next available date.

To find out more or book your free collection:

✉️ Email auctions@whiskyshop.com
📞 Phone +44(0)141 427 2950

Please note that our offices are shut on weekends, but we’ll answer your query as soon as we reopen on Monday at 9am.

Who doesn’t love a whisky saving?

Glenfiddich 18 Year Old is currently down to £68.50 and even includes a free branded rucksack with every purchase – you will definitely look the part on your next jaunt around town! This is a cracking dram of fruity complexity from the home of the world’s best selling single malt.

Buy now →
View all sale here →

ralfy review 882 – Caol Ila 10yo @58.2%vol: (WIN Dranken B.V.)

THE WORLD’S FIRST BIODYNAMIC WHISKY TO BE BOTTLED THIS SUMMER

Waterford Distillery will start bottling Biodynamic: Luna – the first whisky on sale anywhere in the world made solely from biodynamic barley – this summer

The product, the second instalment in Waterford Whisky’s Arcadian series, which explores the old ways of farming and flavour origins, will go on sale globally from late summer

CEO Mark Reynier’s quest to find the ultimate whisky flavour led Waterford Whisky to adopt the biodynamic farming method, which is used by many of the world’s greatest winemakers

Three growers in Ireland have incorporated the rigorous biodynamic principles, which are based on lectures by enigmatic Austrian philosopher-scientist Rudolf Steiner in the 1920s, and applied them to barley

Ireland’s Waterford Distillery has confirmed that its Biodynamic: Luna – the first whisky anywhere in the world to go on sale made from solely biodynamic barley – will be bottled this summer.

The whisky, which is the vision of CEO Mark Reynier, has been in development for several years. It will be the second instalment in Waterford Whisky’s Arcadian series, which investigates how historic farming and growing techniques impact the flavour of whisky. The first instalment, Organic: Gaia 1.1, was released last year to critical acclaim.

Waterford Whisky has distilled around 500 barrels of spirit made from local biodynamic barley, and annually incorporates biodynamics as part of its ongoing ambition to create the most flavoursome spirit possible.

Biodynamic: Luna’s arrival will be the culmination of Mark Reynier’s project to bring biodynamics out of the wine world and into whisky, which has required three Irish growers – Trevor Harris, John McDonnell and Alan Mooney – to apply biodynamic agricultural practices to barley.

An advanced and esoteric form of farming, often described as “uber-organic” or “organic plus”, the principles of biodynamic farming were first discussed in a series of agricultural lectures by Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner in 1924. They assume that each farm is its own self-sustaining organism and that elements including soil, crops, animals, people and the ‘spirit of place’ are all interconnected.

The approach includes some noteworthy methods that Waterford Distillery’s local growers have adopted for the production of biodynamic barley. They include: burying cow horns filled with manure or mineral silica under the soil during the winter or summer months respectively, ploughing fields with horses rather than mechanical machinery, and sowing barley seeds according to the position of the moon.

The purpose of all the elements combined is to produce the healthiest possible soil and thus crops – the ultimate regenerative agriculture. When applied to barley, the very source of malt whisky’s complex flavour, the Waterford Whisky team believes it will contribute to a more flavoursome whisky.

Mark Reynier, CEO and Founder of Waterford Distillery – who spent more than 20 years in the winemaking industry before another 20 in whisky – explains: “Many of the world’s very greatest winemakers follow biodynamic farming to produce the most exquisite flavours. The Burgundian legends Romanée Conti, Leroy, Leflaive, Trapet and Sauzet. Alsacians Zind Humbrecht, Ostertag and Zusselin; And the mighty chateaux of Latour, Lafite, Yquem, Climens, Pontet Canet, Angelus, Palmer from Bordeaux.

“But nobody has released a whisky made from purely locally-grown biodynamic barley – until now.

“Malt whisky already is the most complex spirit in the world thanks to the barley from which it is distilled, and with a biodynamic cultivation regime there is the ultimate opportunity to enhance its flavour. At Waterford, we are on a mission to create the most complex, unique and profound whisky, and biodynamics is the next step on that journey. It makes little  financial sense, but for taste – for taste alone – it is the holy grail. Simply put: the healthiest possible soil equals the best possible flavour.”

The influence of biodynamics on the life and structure of the soil is undeniable: a recent study by Professor Magali Delmas at UCLA analysed tasting scores given to more than 128,000 French wines from 1995 to 2015 finding that biodynamic wines scored 11.8 points more compared to conventional or sustainable wines.

Unlike other whisky producers, Waterford Distillery’s credentials are built on the demonstrated concept of terroir, in which factors such as weather, soil and microclimate influence the flavours found in crops and the products made from them. A distillery-led academic study, published in peer-review journal Foods earlier this year, revealed conclusive evidence that terroir is found in barley and whisky.

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/

Note: Though Waterford Whisky is the first producer to bring biodynamic spirit to the market, Mark Reynier first trialled distilling biodynamic barley several years ago when he ran Bruichladdich Distillery, Scotland – though using imported English barley at the time.

THE SOCIETY EXPERIMENTS WITH BOTANICALS TO INVIGORATE THEIR FLORAL COCKTAIL OFFERING

SMWS CREATES A SIGNATURE COCKTAIL MENU INSPIRED BY FRESH BOTANICALS

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) has teamed up with Dr Greg Kenicer of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, and world-renowned mixologist, Jason Scott to explore how fresh plants can enhance the flavour of whisky cocktails.

Inspired by the summer plants that grow in our gardens and wild forests, Greg and Jason have created cocktails that explore the more delicate and floral notes within The Society’s outturn whiskies.

Dr Greg Kenicer is an expert botanist and lecturer at Edinburgh’s Royal Botanic Garden and is the critically acclaimed author of the Scottish Plant Lore and Plant Magic.

Having been part of The Royal Botanic Garden for over 20 years, Greg has a keen interest in traditional plant uses, as well as the diversity and evolution of the pea family.

Through complementing and contrasting edible flowers and exciting mixers, the cocktails feature rich botanical ingredients that include fresh lavender, a key component of rich Mediterranean habitats and Scottish gorse, which brings a subtle flavour of coconut to any cocktail.

Dr Greg Kenicer, said: “I am delighted to be working with Jason and The Scotch Malt Whisky Society on this exciting and unique project.

“When it comes to enhancing and developing cocktail flavours, there is so much out there for drink makers and bartenders to explore from the botanical kingdom. Many of these plants can be grown in a garden or even a window box, or you can find them at your local supermarkets.

“Since the Stone Age, botanicals and fresh plants have been used as compounds to enhance the flavour of drinks. It’s really exciting to see mixologists across the world continuing this ancient legacy, and also innovating in so many creative ways.”

Adding his thoughts, Jason Scott of Bramble bar and Lucky Liquor Co. said: “Whisky’s botanical heart and the vast range of flavour profiles available mean there are a host of botanical ingredients that complement whisky inspired cocktails.

“After visiting The Botanics and meeting up with Greg, it’s been a journey of fun and discovery to create these fantastic floral cocktails. I’m confident whisky and flower lovers alike will adore this summer cocktail menu.”

The signature cocktails will be available at SMWS Bath Street, Queen Street and Greville Street from Friday 11th June. Non-members are also welcome to attend Queen Streets’ Kaleidoscope Bar and can visit both Bath Street and Greville Street venues on Tuesday evenings, by booking online or by phone.

To celebrate the signature cocktail menu, the SMWS will also be hosting an event on the 29th of June, at their Queen Street venue.

Cocktail list:

Queen Street, Edinburgh – Joy & Sorrel

The Joy & Sorrel features vibrant fuchsia flowers with a taste of citrus lemon and sweet sorrel syrup.

Bath Street, Glasgow – Melancholy Crush

This refreshing julep combines an elegantly fruity and herbal dram with fresh mint, lemon and Angostura Bitters.

Greville Street, London – Four Seasons

This London inspired violet Penicillin, features a 2008 Speyside distilled whisky combined with ingredients that include fresh lavender, finished in an old-fashioned glass.

Bottled – Flaming Primrose

Garnished with a primrose flower, this vibrant blood-red cocktail incorporates infused gorse Campari and Sweet Vermouth with an 8-year-old single malt, an oily and coastal whisky.

For more information about the Scotch Malt Whisky Society click here.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

#SMWS

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was established in Edinburgh in 1983 and now has more than 27,000 members and branches around the world
• The SMWS bottles rare single malt whisky, and a range of other spirits
• The Society bottles single malts, unique single casks and exclusive blends
• The Society has bottled whisky from more than 140 distilleries from Scotland and beyond
• The Society offers a new batch of around 20 single malt whiskies every month

The Society offers a variety of membership packages that can be tailored. Please see https://cutt.ly/RnT8ZDQ

For more information about the Society, visit https://cutt.ly/UnQtmAA

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society | SMWS

Become a member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society and discover the world's widest selection of rare and exceptional single cask whiskies.

Twitter: @SMWSUK Facebook: @thesmwsuk Instagram: @smws_uk

Win a bottle of Glen Scotia 25 Year Old – currently the world’s best whisky!

We are also giving away Dunnage Tasting Packs to 30 runners-up. For a chance to win simply buy a bottle of Glen Scotia Double Cask at a special price of £31.90…

Enter Now

Glen Scotia Golden Dram Giveaway

Glen Scotia 25 Year Old recently won Best in Show at this years San Francisco World Spirits Competition – the distillery’s proudest achievement to date. We will be offering a bottle up as a prize in our latest Golden Dram giveaway. All purchases of Glen Scotia Double Cask between now and Sunday will be automatically entered and we will select one lucky winner who will receive both of these award-winning single malt whiskies straight to their door!

We are also sending Dunnage Tasting Packs (worth £50!) to 30 runners-up. This will allow you to enjoy five special drams selected by Glen Scotia Distillery Manager and Master Distiller, Iain McAlister. He will guide you through a virtual tasting session offering a window into Glen Scotia’s whisky making history and Campbeltown’s Victorian Scotch heyday. Sounds like a perfect way to spend any evening!

Even if you don’t win one of these fantastic prizes, you’ll still be receiving a delicious bottle of whisky at a fantastic price. Good luck!

Glen Scotia Double Cask
£31.90 buy now →

Double Cask is a great introduction to Glen Scotia. Rich, rounded caramel combines with fruitiness, spice and salt, with a little smoke pushing through. This is a real crowd pleaser.

Andy, The Whisky Shop Edinburgh, Victoria Street

Shop all Glen Scotia at The Whisky Shop

Glen Scotia Double Cask
The perfect balance of rich spicy fruits

£31.90
buy now

Glen Scotia 25 Year Old
The current world’s best whisky

£375.00
buy now

Glen Scotia Dunnage Tasting Pack
A rare chance to try these special malts

£50.00
buy now

Glen Scotia Victoriana
Rich, robust, sweet and plenty of body

£73.00
buy now

Glen Scotia 15 Year Old
Another Gold at this years San Francisco World Spirits Competition

£63.00
buy now

Glen Scotia 18 Year Old
Understated and complex – this dram is a bit of class.

£89.00
buy now