MIDLETON VERY RARE 2021 USHERS IN A NEW ERA FOR THE PINNACLE OF IRISH WHISKEY  

First Midleton Very Rare vintage from Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman is unveiled  

Irish Distillers, maker of some of the world’s most enjoyed whiskeys, has opened a new chapter in Irish whiskey as they reveal Midleton Very Rare 2021 – the 38^th edition in the renowned and highly collectable range and the first in the series to be masterfully created by Irish Distillers’ new Master Distiller, Kevin O’Gorman.

The Midleton Very Rare legacy began over four decades ago when the then masters, ever keen to create exemplary expressions, began setting aside small amounts of exceptionally performing whiskey for a new luxury offering in the world of Irish whiskey. Today, Midleton Very Rare is globally renowned as the pinnacle of Irish whiskey.  In keeping with tradition, Midleton Very Rare 2021 is a balanced blend of rare and hand-selected single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys from Midleton’s extensive inventory. It includes whiskey aged between 15 and 36 years and matured in lightly charred ex-bourbon American oak barrels.

Making his first selection as Master Distiller, Kevin O’Gorman took several months to explore the finest casks in the Midleton inventory as he sought to put his own mark on this eagerly awaited annual limited-edition release. Drawing on his experience in both distillation and maturation, O’Gorman elevated the grain whiskey contribution for the 2021 vintage to create a delicate and elegant whiskey. In order to maintain a luxurious, balanced aroma and taste profile, O’Gorman selected a perfect mix of first fill and second fill casks to enhance the wood contribution while allowing the pot still component to express itself.

The result is a whiskey of great finesse, with a floral, perfumed character. The higher selection of grain whiskeys extends the spectrum of flavours and aromas to include baked orchard fruits, lime zest and kiwi, perfectly rounded off with mild pot still spices and soft waves of vanilla from the exceptional bourbon casks.

Celebrating the launch of Midleton Very Rare 2021, O’Gorman comments: “It is a great honour to become the custodian of this extraordinary Irish whiskey family and to have my signature adorn our 2021 vintage.

“The journey to launching this vintage began almost 40 years ago. Continuing the work of my predecessors was both a daunting and extremely enjoyable process that allowed me to explore some of our rarest casks and create an exceptional blend that sits seamlessly within the family.

“I am particularly proud to have been able to include distillate that was laid down in 1984, the year the collection was first conceived by Master Distiller Emeritus Barry Crockett, from who I have learned so much.

“For me, this vintage adds a new dimension and elegance to the style and quality for which the range is renowned. I couldn’t ask for a better way to begin my chapter as Irish Distillers’ Master Distiller.”

Beginning a new tradition under the guardianship of Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman, the Midleton Very Rare 2021 vintage will be the first to be launched at the start of the year, in response to consumer demand. As the new Midleton Very Rare calendar establishes this year, Ireland, online platforms and select markets will retain an allocation for a second sales period in late autumn to ensure availability before the festive period, in keeping with customer expectations.

Bottled at 40% ABV, Midleton Very Rare 2021 is available online and in Ireland now, and will hit shelves in the UK, USA, Global Travel Retail, Australia, Germany, France and Canada in the coming months at the RRP of €180.

#MidletonVeryRare2021

IG: @MidletonVeryRare

Shop online: https://www.midletonveryrare.com/en-EN/midleton-very-rare-vintage-release 

Tasting Notes 

Aroma
Opens with a delicate floral perfume closely followed by roasted coffee beans, salted caramel and honeycomb coming to the fore. Hints of nectarines that linger in the background evolve over time along with freshly grated ginger and nutmeg spice. The American oak provides structure throughout, ranging in depth from fresh woodland notes to aged charred oak.

Taste
Baked orchard fruits with a touch of lime zest and kiwi. Mild pot still spices continue to build along with soft waves of vanilla, sweet coffee liqueur and cocoa powder. The texture initially round and full, gains additional wood spices with a delicate touch of clove oil and nutmeg adding a mild heat, giving balance to the sweetness.Finish
Lingering finish with the pot still spices and soft fruits eventually fading, allowing the oak to have the final say, highlighting the many years of maturation.

Notes:

About Irish Distillers

Irish Distillers is Ireland’s leading supplier 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 up to 2019 and hitting sales of 7.6m cases in 2020. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets.

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.

New Japanese Whisky Labelling Standards

Whisky has been made in Japan for almost 100 years, but until recently it has been relatively unknown. The huge growth outside of Japan in the past few years has started to show cracks in the way that it is regulated and led to calls from both in and outside of the Japanese whisky community to have stricter rules on its production and labelling. Today, the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association has announced the steps that it is taking to tighten up what producers mean by the term Japanese whisky.

Global Growth

The rise in popularity of Japanese whisky over the past two decades has led to more and more of the spirit being exported around the world. With that has come an awareness that the Japanese regulations and traditions of whisky making didn’t necessarily line up with that of other countries. This is especially true when it comes to what was allowed to be included when creating a whisky.

The Japanese laws that govern whisky were laid down in the 1950s and haven’t changed much since. They are governed by the tax department and are mostly concerned with collecting the correct duties more than governing how whisky is made. Along with that, the tradition of Japanese whisky blending focused on the resulting blend and its flavour rather than the origin components.

The result has been that even if a bottle of whisky says ‘Product of Japan’ on the label, it isn’t possible to say whether every whisky in the vatting that made up the contents of the bottle was made in Japan. In short, a product that claimed to be Japanese whisky could well be made up partly or even entirely of spirit distilled and matured outside of the country.

While many producers are open about the source of their spirit, many are not. There have been ongoing discussions for years about how to update the regulations, but Japanese bureaucracy moves slowly, and nothing official has appeared yet from the tax office. However, the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association is now issuing guidelines for its members to try and increase transparency.

The New Rules

As of 1 April 2021, members of the JSLMA will start to move towards a new standard for labelling their whiskies. Along with the labelling is a commitment not to allude to being Japanese whisky through naming, packaging and advertising. They’ve published full details in English on the JSLMA website. The deadline to follow the new rules is 31 March 2024.

In order for a spirit to be called Japanese whisky it must adhere to the following rules:

Raw ingredients: Malted grain must always be used, but other cereal grains can also be included.

Water: Water used in production must be extracted in Japan.

Production location: Saccharification, fermentation and distillation must be carried out at a distillery in Japan.

Distillation: Must be distilled to less than 95% ABV.

Ageing: Spirit must be aged in Japan in wooden casks of no more than 700 litres for a minimum of three years.

Packaging: Bottling must take place in Japan.

Strength: Bottled spirit must be at least 40% ABV.

Colouring: Plain caramel colouring (E150) can be used.

What does this mean?

While this only affects the members of the Japan Spirits & Liqueurs Makers Association, it does cover most of the major producers in Japan.

Each producer will be working to a different timeline and will have different ways of handling the new rules. Some will change the composition of their whiskies meet the new rules, others will simply label their spirit as ‘Whisky’ without the new category as well as potentially changing product names and packaging. Some whiskies may even be discontinued.

In the end, the coming few years will lead to greater transparency from the major Japanese whisky producers.

What is The Whisky Exchange doing?

We very much support these changes, and will be updating our website over the coming weeks, months and years to classify all Japanese whisky using these definitions, erring on the side of ‘not Japanese Whisky’ when we are unable to find out.

We are renaming our Japanese whisky category ‘Whisky from Japan’ and will divide all of those whiskies into Japanese Whisky and Whisky – the latter are whiskies from Japan that for one reason or another do not meet the requirements laid down by the JSLMA to be called Japanese Whisky.

This is only a start, and as we continue to develop our website, we will make sure to keep the distinction between these new categories clear.

The distillery is thrilled to announce that its three entrants into the 2021 World Whiskies Awards are all proud medal recipients. *Bladnoch 14yo, Category Winner for Single Malt 13 to 20 years *Bladnoch 11yo, Silver Medalist for Single Malt 12 years & under *Bladnoch Single Cask 03, Bronze Medalist for Single Cask Single Malt 13 to 20 years.

Visit Bladnoch Single Malts HERE

About Bladnoch

Bladnoch Distillery is Scotland’s southernmost distillery, and one of a handful that remain independently owned. Since being purchased in 2015 by Australian entrepreneur David Prior, Bladnoch has enjoyed a renaissance. Their rangee of award-winning Bladnoch Single Malt Whiskies and Pure Scot, their contemporary Blended Scotch Whisky, has been launched in over 30 countries. In 2017, Bladnoch Distillery celebrated its 200 year anniversary making it one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in Scotland. In June 2019, Bladnoch Distillery’s state-of-the-art visitors centre was opened, welcoming guests to the distillery once again after significant renovations. Master Distiller, Dr Nick Savage joined the Bladnoch team in July 2019. Visit www.bladnoch.com or @bladnochwhisky for more information.

Canadian Whisky Awards Broadcast Links

 The results of the 2021 Canadian Whisky Awards will be broadcast live on the internet on Thursday, February 25 at 9:00 PM Eastern time, 6:00 PM Pacific time.

To view the awards on YouTube please go to this link:

YouTube

To view the awards on Facebook please go to this link:

Facebook

We have set up a YouTube channel called Canadian Whisky Awards, and a Facebook page, also called Canadian Whisky Awards,  If you are have trouble connecting please go to one of those pages.

Thank you to all for supporting the 2021 Canadian Whisky Awards, and good luck!

Sincerely,

Davin

Davin de Kergommeaux

Coordinator, Canadian Whisky Awards 2021

www.canadianwhisky.org

Canadian Whisky Awards February 25  at 9:00  PM Eastern

1993 vintage single cask from Skye

27 Year Old Talisker

£750.00

Talisker 27 Year Old 1993 vintage Island single malt Scotch whisky. Single first fill sherry butt distilled December 1993, bottled January 2021 by Hart Brothers.

TALISKER SINGLE MALT WHISKY

Brothers Hugh and Keneth MacAskill Talisker Distillery was established at Carbost on the Isle of Skye off the west coast of Scotland in 1830 with construction commencing the following year. Soaking up its own reflection from Loch Harport one day yet fending off North Atlantic gales the next. Talisker is an Islands malt whisky distillery equipped with five stills and has retained its traditional five round wooden worm tubs. There is an excellent range of official bottlings, including Talisker 10 Year Old and Distillers Edition supplemented by independent bottlings in the Secret Stills and Old Malt Cask ranges.

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 370: Craigellachie 12 Year Old 1971 Gordon & Macphail

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky vlogger, tries a golden oldie. The oldest bottler in Scotland is Gordon & Macphail. They celebrate 125 years in 2020. The Connoisseurs Choice is one of their oldest and most popular ranges that has undergone quite some changes in looks over the years. Mark is trying an older one today: a 12 years old Craigellachie from 1971, bottled early 1980s. The label still proclaims White Horse Distillers as proprietors. Peter Mackie was one of the founders after all. This bottle is totally gone nowadays, though.

https://youtu.be/zKp1pFMMbzo

BOWMORE® SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY INTRODUCES ITS “TIMELESS SERIES” AND REFRAMES THE LEGACY OF TIME

 Two Exclusive New Single Malts – Bowmore® Timeless 27 Year Old and Bowmore® Timeless 31 Year Old – Inspire a Captivating Collaboration with Award-winning Filmmaker Thomas Van

Islay, Scotland (February 22, 2021) – Bowmore® Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky is pleased to unveil the Bowmore Timeless Series, which will feature masterpieces of whisky beautifully crafted and shaped by time. This month, Bowmore introduces two new additions to this older age range of whiskies: Bowmore Timeless 27 Year Old (introduced worldwide) and Bowmore Timeless 31 Year Old (exclusive to Global Travel Retail). Each bottling is a limited edition of just 3,000 bottles.

For more than 240 years, the Bowmore Distillery has been capturing the essence of Islay from the shores of its remote island home. Shaped by centuries of skill and tradition, Bowmore’s single malt harnesses the power of this time in every single drop, defined by the past and to be savored in the present. The Bowmore Timeless Series reflects this legacy and will celebrate the timeless creations of Bowmore. This combination of patience, dedication and unwavering attention to detail results in the most sophisticated and coveted of single malts that reflect Bowmore’s signature taste – a perfect balance of smoke, exotic fruit and sea salt.

Ron Welsh, Bowmore Master Blender, says, “For the Bowmore Timeless Series, the key is the careful selection of the right casks at the right time.  This enables us to determine when the spirit has reached its peak or if it should be left longer to develop its character further. This careful balance is vital to ensuring the optimal character of our whiskies, promising exceptional flavor delivery.”

To celebrate the launch of Bowmore Timeless Series, Bowmore has collaborated with independent French film director and artist, Thomas Vanz, to pay homage to the artistic craft of creating Bowmore’s iconic whiskies. Vanz has produced a short film that illustrates the power of time as expressed in the evolution of whisky. The immersive and abstract film sparks intrigue and interest in this Series, while telling the story of Bowmore more broadly. The film is a journey from the beginning of time itself, unfolding moments of cosmic beauty within the creation of our timeless single malt whisky.

Commenting on the collaboration, Vanz said: “The artistry involved in the whisky making process is fascinating and provided me with rich and vivid inspiration to create my own unique interpretation.  Through my work, I focused on capturing a galaxy of beautiful chemical reactions to represent the whisky-making process, which is made up of complex movement and colors. This is my interpretation of the Bowmore universe, from where it begins to the final character.  To collaborate with a single malt with such a remarkable legacy and from an awe-inspiring place is a first for me, and I relished the opportunity to explore Bowmore in my own way.” 

Bowmore Timeless 27 Year Old

Matured in Sherry and ex-Bourbon casks for 15 years before being carefully moved into first-fill Oloroso butts for a further 12 years, Bowmore Timeless 27 Year Old is bottled at cask strength. With the distinctive Bowmore character, this single malt offers up fruity flavor, combined with rich sherry and a nod to fresh leather, tobacco and beeswax. 

Color:      Auburn

Nose:      Fruity cooked plums and prune jam. Corinth raisins and sultana notes with a strong Oloroso influence. Toffee and maple syrup, licorice, grilled orange peel and smoked seaweed.

Taste:      Sweet with chestnut honey and strong bee’s wax, fresh leather and Montecristo cigar tobacco, roasted coffee beans and dark chocolate with a hint of oak tannins.

Finish:     Long with scented burnt wood notes, dry fruits and a touch of frankincense 

SRP:         $1,525 USD

ABV:        52.7%

Bowmore Timeless 31 Year Old

Exclusive to Global Travel Retail, Bowmore Timeless 31 Year Old has been nurtured in ex-Bourbon casks, selected at their peak, for 29 years. This was then followed by two years in Spanish Oak Matusalem Sherry seasoned butts to ‘finish’ and enhance the flavors; defined by floral notes, with honey and vanilla sweetness and a touch of peppermint.

Color:    Deep gold

Nose:    The floral scent of lilies of the valley, gardenia, freesia and a hint of Jasmine, with an almond and vanilla character, acacia honey sweetness, light dry grass and a touch of peppermint

Taste:    Floral and delicate with sweet notes of magnolia, lilac and sweet pea flowers combined with creamy cookie dough and a hint of salted seaweed

Finish:   Sweet and subtle with chalky mouthfeel and acacia honey and mint candy notes. 

SRP:       $2,100 USD

ABV:      45.4%

The Bowmore Timeless Series is housed in a distinctive black box, inspired by the classic hourglass shape. Inside, the bottle sits alongside an hourglass, which once turned allows nature’s gravity to release the grains of sand into the base of the hourglass giving three precious minutes to enjoy the nose of this beautifully balanced masterpiece that has taken decades to perfect.

Explore the world of Bowmore; become immersed in the Timeless Series and truly connect with artist Thomas Vanz by visiting https://bowmore-experience.com/ 

www.bowmore.com

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram — BOWMORE

ABOUT BOWMORE®

Founded in 1779, Bowmore® is the oldest distillery on Islay.  Our maturation warehouse is the oldest in the world and our handcrafted single malt whisky is defined by time and inspired by its home place.

Time is defining at Bowmore® and we tirelessly harness the power of time to shape our whiskies. Our distillery’s adherence to traditional production methods helps to shape the character of our fruity and smoky single malts. Today, we are amongst one of a few distilleries which still produces its own floor malted barley, hand-turned by a traditional wooden malt shovel and hand drawn machinery.  Water for the whiskies is specially drawn from the Laggan River. Bowmore® Distillery’s proximity to the sea is also vital in determining the final character of its spirit and gives a hint of sea air to the character. The legendary Bowmore® No. 1 Vaults, one of the world’s oldest maturation warehouses, is where most of the whiskies spend their long lives resting quietly in the cool, dark, damp cellars below sea level, oblivious to the waves thrashing the vault’s sea-facing wall. Matured in oak casks, previously used for bourbon, sherry or claret, over time developing rich and mellow flavors until the expertise of our whisky makers deems them ready for bottling.  It is this combination of peat, barley, sea breeze, water, wood, people and tradition that makes Bowmore the exceptional single malt it is today.

Time is marked on each and every bottle of Bowmore, proudly and boldly as a marker of where and when each one’s journey began.  This is our story of time. This is Bowmore; the Art of Time since 1779.

ABOUT THOMAS VANZ

Born in 1991, Thomas Vanz is a French director who started making films in 2014, telling tales of the Cosmos’s History by producing only practical FX with inks, pigments and many other chemical products. Focused on the macroscopic aspect, he tries first to illustrate a Supernova, blending art and science with his first short “Novae” in 2016, the film is awarded by the quantum festival first prize. In 2017, his second film “Intra” goes further by telling the infernal journey of a fall into a black hole, with a real visualization of what a spinning black hole could look like and an aesthetic vision of the white hole theory. In the meanwhile, he directed “Bright Side,” the second clip of the talented composer Darius, for his new album “Utopia”, focusing this time about what the birth of the light would look like, and how brightness is defeating the night in the cosmos. In 2019, Atelier Des Lumières, first immersive museum based in Paris, asked him to create a unique piece in a 270° format called “Verse,” broadcasted for one year to thousands of visitors.

ABOUT BEAM SUNTORY

As a world leader in premium spirits, Beam Suntory inspires human connections. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon brands, Suntory whisky Kakubin and Courvoisier cognac, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek, Basil Hayden’s and Legent bourbon; Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki and Toki Japanese whisky; Teacher’s, Laphroaig and Bowmore Scotch whisky; Canadian Club whisky; Hornitos and Sauza tequila; EFFEN, Haku and Pinnacle vodka; Sipsmith and Roku gin; and On The Rocks Premium Cocktails.  Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and vision of Growing for Good.  Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan.  For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.

GreatDrams wins Small Business of 2020 competition and launches exclusive subscription service

GreatDrams has been named a winner in the Lloyds Bank Small Business of 2020 awards, which celebrate small and local businesses across the UK and their inspiring energy and resilience in meeting the challenges of 2020.

Almost 900 businesses up and down the country were nominated by their local communities and 24 winners were picked based on how creatively and quickly they adapted to events since March, and how they went over and above expectations.

Gareth Oakley, Managing Director of Business Banking at Lloyds Banking Group, said: “GreatDrams is creating a premium-quality product in the great tradition of Scottish whisky making.

“But Greg and Kirsty are also using modern technology in a really creative way to create new markets and share the infectious passion they have for whisky. It’s a business with exciting international potential and this award is well deserved.”

With our virtual tastings now being one of the most important and biggest things we do, it made sense to answer customer requests for something special and unique that builds on our range in a very different way, so we put together the GreatDrams Whisky Subscription, delivering bottles only available to subscribers every two months, with options for everyone.

“We have been blown away by the popularity of our virtual whisky tastings – both the public ones and the private ones where we host anything from corporate events to birthdays and even whisky clubs looking to get together virtually for a few drams. I have truly loved how our business has evolved and grown over the last year against the odds – who knew we would quadruple the amount of tastings we are doing… without leaving the house!” – Greg Dillon, co-founder of GreatDrams.

Key details:

• These bottles cannot be bought outside of this subscription; not on our store, not in shops, any surplus is made available to subscribers in case they want to top up their cabinets.
• Each release costs two month’s payments and are dispatched every two months
• You can stop your subscription at any time
• Private virtual tastings take place a week after each release is dispatched to give the post enough time to deliver

Its all very simple:

We utilise our knowledge, experience, skill and network to source members of The GreatDrams Subscription exclusive whisky bottlings from casks of ours that you simply cannot find anywhere else.

Each is selected by Greg & Kirsty for a variety of reasons; interesting flavour profile, unique cask maturation, interesting back story, rare distillery and many more. Our reasoning and journey to selecting each cask will be communicated with each bottle you receive.

Each subscription level includes a virtual whisky tasting for all subscribers every two months.

“Starting at £30 per month for our Bronze package, and topping out at  £75 per month for the Gold package, each with a bi-monthly private virtual tasting, there is something for everyone with bottles that are not ever made publicly available making it extra special. Our customers have asked for access to even more exclusive bottlings and over the last few months we have been busy putting together something really cool that we think they will love” – Kirsty Dillon, co-founder of GreatDrams.

GreatDrams has also launched three new single casks too, one full term sherry matured single cask single malt, one 9-month sherry cask finish and one heavily peated Islay.

Tamdhu 8 Year Old sherry cask matured single cask single malt 

Tamdhu, now one of the industry’s gems, has had a tumultuous past having been shut for 20 years between 1927 and 1947 as well as being earmarked for decommissioning in 2010 before being sold to its current owners who have built it up again to be an unsung hero of the whisky industry. This release has been matured in a single sherry cask, giving it those lovely winter fruit and spice notes along with notes of apple and honey from the distillery character too.

Benrinnes 9 Year Old, 9 month first fill Oloroso sherry cask finish 

A rather meaty whisky this one, with a thick, creamy mouthfeel owing to the wormtubs used in the process increasing the copper contact with the spirit. This was matured initially in a second fill Oloroso sherry cask for over eight years then finished for nine months in a first fill Pedro Ximénez cask to amp up the spiciness and the deep, dark winter fruity notes too.

Islay 7 Year Old single cask single malt 

We have always wanted to bottle an Islay whisky, and our awesome customers have been pestering us to do so for a long time… finally it is here! A heavily peated whisky from the mystical island of Islay, matured in First Fill Bourbon Barrel and laden with beautifully balanced, classic Islay peated whisky notes as well as lovely soothing vanilla and citrus fruit notes along with cinnamon and warming spice notes too.

In addition to new releases, GreatDrams will continue to take bookings for private virtual whisky and gin tastings

To get in touch and talk whisky contact info@greatdrams.com or to buy limited edition whisky www.greatdrams.com/whisky-shop

ABOUT GreatDrams

www.GreatDrams.com
www.twitter.com/GreatDrams
www.Instagram.com/GreatDramsGreg
www.Facebook.com/GreatDrams

GreatDrams is all about raising spirits

Award-winning from our first dram, we will introduce whisky drinkers to their next favourite. GreatDrams is a family business bringing great quality, limited edition whiskies and whiskeys to the people, all at a fair price. Never repeating our products, and never compromising on flavour.

We are experts in finding incredible tasting rare casks of whisky.

GreatDrams was launched with the aim to make great whisky more approachable & available.

With eighteen awards under our belts, we have a proven track record for producing great tasting whiskies that are recognised and awarded by both consumer and industry judging panels… that sell out every single time as well, which tells us all we need to know.

Some recent highlights:

2021 – to Feb 2021
Winner of Lloyds Small Business of the Year (national award)
Winner of the People’s Choice Spirits Awards
Liquid Gold Award in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible

2020
Greater Manchester Business of the Year 2020
Gold & Double Gold at the UK Great Taste Awards
Silver at the Independent Bottlers Challenge
Bronze at the Scottish Whisky Awards

From Thursday 11th – Sunday 21st March, treasured Highland whiskies will go under the hammer at The Whisky Shop Auctions (www.whiskyshop.com/auctions).⠀⠀

Bottling deadline: Thursday 4th March  ⠀

Want to sell your bottle with us? From Monday 1st March, the TWSA team will be on the road 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.⠀

Not selling a Highland whisky? No problem! Our auctions are rolling and we can arrange your bottle to go live at another date.

REMINDER: we’re currently offering 0% Sellers Commission.

⠀To find out more or book your free collection:⠀

✉️ Email auctions@whiskyshop.com⠀

📞 Phone +44(0)141 427 2950

SAVE UP TO 29% ON
GAME OF THRONES SINGLE MALT WHISKIES

With the news that George R.R. Martin is adapting another sci-fi novel for TV (Roadmarks, by Roger Zelazny, in case you wondered), now seems like an excellent time to visit the whiskies created to tie in with his previous smash, Game of Thrones.

The Game of Thrones range of single malts is a collection of whiskies from some of Scotland’s best-known distilleries – including Lagavulin, Oban and Mortlach – at great prices. In our sale you can even pick up a batch-strength Clynelish, bottled at 51.2%, for less than £40.

So whether you’re on your fifth lockdown GoT rewatch, or just looking for an opportunity to try something new – perhaps even from a distillery you’re not familiar with – the Game of Thrones whiskies are well worth a look.

SHOP THE RANGE