Opening Ad Gefrin’s Door

Business Development Manager Launches Opportunity to Participate in Distillery Venture 

Today, with just under a year to go until the opening of the Ad Gefrin Visitor Experience and Distillery in Wooler, the company reveals the person behind its business development and details of its founder programme.  Morpeth resident Sharon Howey will be responsible for offering future Ad Gefrin enthusiasts the chance to be part of the Ad Gefrin ‘family’ and become founding members.

From those living in the area, to the get-go whisky enthusiasts, and those around the world with Northumbrian roots, people have been asking if they could be part of the Ad Gefrin journey. Well, now is their chance.

Sharon is well known and highly respected throughout the northeast of England, having held prominent roles in some of the region’s top sporting institutes, (including Newcastle United Football Club and Newcastle Falcons Rugby Club). She has massive expertise and is the crème-de-la-crème in the field of successful business development, and is ideally suited for her role at Ad Gefrin, which is to create real value for money in personal and corporate packages.

The construction of the new Ad Gefrin Visitor Experience and Distillery has generated considerable interest across Northumberland and beyond, and Sharon has undertaken vast amounts of research to ensure that its founding members’ programme, The Corenkyn, is very special and offers people something which is truly unique.

photographs of Ad Gefrin

Sharon gives further background: “It’s been a long wait, not least because of almost 18 months affected by lock-down, but I am really excited to now make this opportunity public. We’ve received a lot of interest from people from across the UK and beyond, looking to get involved and this is an opportunity for them to do just that.”

“This exclusive membership initiative comes after a number of requests from people wanting to ‘buy-in’ to the venture and become part of the Ad Gefrin journey before we open our doors in Wooler in autumn 2022.”

Sharon tells how this membership initiative reflects the inspiration behind the Ad Gefrin name. “Corenkyn is a modern-day ‘kenning’ or word picture, created by joining two previously unrelated words, meaning ‘Chosen’ and ‘Relation’ – and that is how we at Ad Gefrin want to view our founding members. Ad Gefrin is about bringing people together, making them feel welcome and sharing the true spirit of Northumbrian hospitality. The Corenkyn will be at the very heart of this; there from the beginning, investing in an amazing journey for us all.”

Corenkyn members will benefit from lifetime access to the Exhibition and Distillery Tours and recognition within the new building in perpetuity. There will also be a bottle of Ad Gefrin spirit every year for eight years; first an exclusive Corenkyn Blend Collection, released with a different cask finish for the first five years, followed by a bottle of the Ad Gefrin Single Malt for the remainder.

For Mark Murray, who was born and brought up in Wooler, a proud Northumbrian now living in Australia, Corenkyn provides the ability to directly invest in a transformative new business venture on home turf. “I grew up on a farm outside Wooler and moved oversees in order to pursue my career,” says Mark. “My immediate family are still in the Glendale area, and I continue to connect with and support various local initiatives. As a whisky collector (and consumer!), I am very excited to hear about the launch of Ad Gefrin’s new membership program.”

Co-founder of the project, Eileen Ferguson remarks: “Community spirit is behind everything we are looking to achieve with Ad Gefrin. We are excited that Sharon has created this wonderful opportunity for people from all over the world to get involved with the project. It is particularly special if, like Mark, they have ties to the Glendale area.”

For further information on what opportunities the new Corenkyn Membership Package offers visit www.adgefrin.co.uk.

Notes:

• Ad Gefrin opens in Autumn 2022.
• Ad Gefrin Single Malt Whisky will mature from 2025 onwards.
• The Ad Gefrin visitor experience and whisky distillery will be a major new cultural asset and business opportunity that will accelerate regeneration and economic growth, and boost productivity, in an important part of North Northumberland’s rural economy.
• The new cultural centre will offer an immersive AV and museum interpretation of the Northumbrian royal capital of Ad Gefrin and the Golden Age of the Kingdom of Northumbria. It will link with the landscape, archaeology, and stories of the area, as well as trails through the Northumberland National Park, encouraging visitors to explore and spend time and money across the wider Borderlands area.
• It will be a significant new business for Northumberland, creating a distinctive visitor destination celebrating Northumberland’s unique culture and heritage, alongside the first whisky distillery in the area for 200 years, reviving a long tradition of whisky making in Northumberland.
• The distillery will produce a new and distinctive Northumbrian whisky product, creating new wealth and jobs through sales in UK and international markets.
• Ad Gefrin will become a long-term employer in Wooler (creating up to 50 FTE jobs by Year 5), supporting training and employment across the hospitality, visitor engagement and spirit production sectors.
• Ad Gefrin has received £3m through the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal and has also received £1m from the North East Rural Growth Network – Strategic Economic Infrastructure Fund (SEIF) through the North East LEP, and £600k through Northumberland County Council.

About Borderlands Partnership

The Borderlands Partnership consists of Carlisle City Council, Cumbria County Council, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Northumberland County Council and Scottish Borders Council. The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal was agreed between the Borderlands Partnership, the UK Government (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Scotland Office) and the Scottish Government in March 2021. The Deal will deliver up to £350 million investment in projects across the region from the UK and Scottish Governments alongside local investment of £100 million. Projects in England are supported through the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government funding including Ad Gefrin. More information can be found at www.borderlandsgrowth.com

About Yeavering (the archaeological site of Ad Gefrin) 4 miles from Ad Gefrin Visitor Experience and Distillery

Internationally renowned, Yeavering is one of the most extensively excavated Anglo-Saxon palace complexes in Europe and the only archaeological site to have evidence of a timber grandstand and gathering place. This was the 7^th Century royal residence of early Anglo-Saxon kings and queens including Aethelfrith, Edwin and Aethelburga, the saintly Oswald and his younger brother Oswy.  Discovered in 1949 through aerial photography and excavated by Brian Hope-Taylor in the 1950’s and 60’s, the scheduled archaeological site is today under the ownership and management of The Gefrin Trust. The Trust was formed to ensure the future preservation of the site through sympathetic management, conservation and investigation. Ad Gefrin Visitor Experience and Distillery is working in partnership with The Gefrin Trust to further reveal the importance of the archaeological site within the exhibition at the Visitor Centre.

For more information visit adgefrin.co.uk.

LinkedIn: @ad-gefrin-distillery / Facebook: @AdGefrin / Instagram: @adgefrin

2000 Secret Peated Highland “Chapter 7, A Whisky Anthology – Monologue #17″ Single Bourbon Hogshead #48 Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) $149.99 View

Bourbon Hogshead #48 – outturn 319 bottles. Distilled 05/2000, bottled 09/2021. No chill-filtration and no added colouring, bottled at ideal strength. Tasting Notes from the bottles,”Nose: Tobacco, beeswax, green apples, ginger brad. Palate: Molasses, malt extract, hops and tobacco. Finish: Bready, waxy and grassy.”

2007 Glen Elgin 12 Year “Chapter 7, A Whisky Anthology – Monologue #19″ Ruby Port & Oloroso Sherry Octave Finished Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) $109.99 View

2 Oloroso + Ruby Port Octave #570885/A/C, outturn 233 bottles. Distilled 11/2007 bottled 09/2021. No chill-filtration and no added colouring, bottled at ideal strength. Tasting notes from the distiller, “Nose: Sour cherries, dried plums and figures, ginger and peppers. Palate: Stewed pears, red fruits, dark chocolate, baking spices. Finish: Liquorice, burnt caramel, spicy mint.”

1997 Ben Nevis 24 Year “Chapter 7, A Whisky Anthology – Monologue #16″ Single Bourbon Hogshead #30 Cask Strength Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) $274.99 View

Bourbon Hogshead #30. Outturn of 229 bottles. Distilled 01/1997, bottled 09/2021 Cask strength, no chill-filtration and no added colouring. Tasting notes from the bottlers, ” Nose: Fresh almonds, ground barley, chalk, old cigars. Palate: Grassy smokiness, passion fruit cake, pink grapefruit, almond milk. Finish: Malty, meaty, lemon zest.

The Casks of Lindores – Bourbon

We’re incredibly excited about this latest limited edition release, launched as part ‘The Casks of Lindores’ series, which has been created to showcase the award winning spirit of Lindores Abbey Distillery. The first release has been exclusively matured in ex-bourbon casks and bottled at 49.4% vol. It’s often said that spirit matured in ex-bourbon casks can honestly display how young spirit has been maturing in cask through the years.

An excellent dram, which we were lucky enough to sample!

Slàinte

Lindores Abbey The Casks Of Lindores 1st Release, Bourbon, Lowland single malt Scotch whisky. A limited edition release fully matured in Bourbon casks. This is the first in a limited edition series which make up the core cask types of Lindores Abbey MCDXCIV single malt.

Nose: Mellow fruity, red apples and pears combined with sweet vanilla, butterscotch and custard with citrus touches.

Taste: Vanilla mixed with orchard fruits like green cooking apples, citric pith with a hint of bitterness covered with oaky woody notes and spicy peppery touches.

Finish: Medium length lingering finish.

Lindores Abbey Distillery was established in 2017 on the site of the historic Lindores Abbey in Newburgh, Fife. Recognised as the site of the first written reference to whisky distillation in Scotland. The project to sympathetically build a distillery at the site began in 2013 with the Visitor Centre opening and distillation commencing in 2017. The first Lindores single malt Scotch whisky will be released in the Summer of 2021 with a commemorative bottling and standard release.

Limited Edition Bourbon Cask Matured

TWB is delighted to have partnered with our local distillery to support the first release of ‘The Casks of Lindores’ series. Bourbon Cask is the first limited edition release bottling exploring the maturation types which make up the three core cask types of Lindores Abbey MCDXCIV single malt.

On sale now, while stocks last…

Buy – Lindores Cask of Lindores #1 – £55 / €53 / $61 / c$78

The Casks of Lindores

We are delighted to announce the release of this stunning Lowland single malt. Lindores Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky. ‘The Casks Of Lindores, Bourbon’. A Limited Bottling from Lindores Abbey Distillery. Matured exclusively in Bourbon Barrels of exceptional quality for over three years, developing a distinctive profile. This Lindores Single Malt is bottled at the distillery at our unique Limited-Edition. strength of 49.4% ABV.  Full of Gingerbread goodness on the nose and palate, it’s a perfect winters dram! Not only available online, we also have a limited amount of bottles available to buy direct from the shop, these bottles are for walk in customers only, please don’t phone the shop.

You can also try the whisky in store as well with our free tasting table open for you to enjoy!

Limited Bottles Available

Inverurie Whisky Shop

1 Burnside, Inverurie, AB51 3RY, United Kingdom

JOHNNIE WALKER

KING GEORGE V CHINESE NEW YEAR 2022

LIMITED EDITION

70cl | 43% ABV

Drawn from extremely rare, precious casks, including irreplaceable whiskies from the now silent distillery of Port Ellen. This elegantly rich and creamy whisky has rarity reflected in every drop, and its new limited edition design is the perfect gift to give to the one who never walks alone and to mark this year.

The stunning design marks the beginning of a new year and is inspired by the Oriental myth of the Bai Ze. Designed by Chinese artist Shan Jiang, it features a beautiful illustration of the mythical creature that symbolises virtuousness, nobility and protection from evil.

£549.95

Buy Here

ralfy review 904 Extras – different casks for different scotch

Bimber Distillery launches Apogee XII pure malt whisky 

London’s Bimber Distillery today released “Apogee XII” – a 12-year-old, premium “pure malt” whisky that has been elevated through an additional maturation in ex-Bimber casks. Created as a celebration of the fine art of blending, Apogee XII whisky offers flawless balance with additional layers of flavour and complexity derived from the vivid, fruit and spice-forward character of the ex-Bimber casks.

To create Apogee, Bimber sourced some of the finest single malt whiskies from both the Highlands and Speyside. These whiskies were matured for a minimum of 12 years before being enhanced further through skilful, meticulous blending and an additional maturation in ex-bourbon casks that were previously used to age Bimber’s award-winning single malt whisky.

Bottled at 46.3% ABV with no colouring or chill-filtration, Apogee is presented in a striking, custom glass bottle – which features a tactile, hammered glass that has been fashioned to imitate the surfaces of Bimber’s small copper pot stills.

Commenting on the milestone release, Bimber Distillery spokesperson Matt McKay said “We are delighted to unveil our first Apogee expression – and for it to join the ranks of Bimber’s growing offering of exceptional whiskies. It is no secret that as a craft distillery, our inventory of casks is growing, but is still relatively small. Apogee has been created as a response to the burgeoning demand for our products – both as a continually available expression and as an extension of our passion for the fine art of blending.

The initial release of 25,000 bottles will be available from November onwards from specialist retailers worldwide at an RRP of £59.95.

Apogee XII 

Composed from a selection of Highland and Speyside whiskies – the aromas and flavours of Apogee have been enhanced further through maturation in casks from London’s award-winning Bimber Distillery.

Nose:  Spiced pears and oven-baked apricot flans are sweetened by candy necklaces and scented with rosewater, nutmeg and powdered ginger

Palate: Syrupy orchard and stone fruits provide a bright and fresh mouthfeel supported by lightly charred oak, gentle white pepper and cooling mint

Finish:  Lingering ripe and sweet fruits alongside sympathetic, aromatic oak

70cl

46.3% ABV

RRP £59.95

Distribution: Available from November 2021 onwards via retailers worldwide  

About Bimber  

Bimber Distillery produces world-class single malt whisky, handcrafted with passion in West London. As a leading distiller of English whisky, we combine generations of rich distilling heritage with the finest quality ingredients to create the ultimate craft whisky experience.

www.bimberdistillery.co.uk

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY INVITES EVERYONE TO

COME SEE THE LIGHTS

Annual Drive-through Light Display to Safely Feature Santa on Select Nights

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Nov. 30, 2021) – Buffalo Trace is inviting everyone to come see the Distillery lighted with thousands of holiday lights from 5:30-9:30 p.m. Dec. 2 though Jan. 1 from the safety of their cars on its drive-through lights route.

In an effort to provide a safe experience, the Distillery’s annual in-person events including the Lighting of the Trace and Santa Nights will not be taking place this year. However, the complimentary drive-through light display will continue with thousands of colorful lights, including some new directional light displays to increase safety along the route. The Distillery will kick-off its drive-through lights tradition with a virtual Lighting of the Trace via Facebook Live at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 2 on the Buffalo Trace Distillery Facebook Page. This is the 23rd year Buffalo Trace has lighted the Distillery for the public to view.

Santa will make special socially distanced appearances Dec. 9 through Dec. 12.  From 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., he will be stationed along the light route and will be following COVID-19 precautions and standing at a safe distance.

While not able to personally hear individual wishes, children and families can see Santa on the driving route from the comfort of their car. Also on the nights that Santa is on the route, children may hand their letters to one of Santa’s elves who will place them in a special North Pole mailbox for Santa to read later. Individually pre-wrapped treats will also be handed out by Santa’s elves. This will be in lieu of the traditionally held in-person Santa Nights.

Buffalo Trace Distillery is located at 113 Great Buffalo Trace, in Frankfort, Ky. Visitors should enter at the main Distillery entrance, and everyone is asked to remain in their cars throughout the light route. There is no charge to drive through the lights at Buffalo Trace. Distillery helpers will be following all health and safety guidelines. Drive-through guests are not required to wear masks inside their cars. The Distillery’s Visitor Center and Gift Shop will not be open during the drive-through hours, but online shopping is available at https://buffalotracegiftshop.com/.

If you have any questions, please contact Emily Doss at 502-783-5617 or edoss@buffalotrace.com.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1775 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year for 2018 and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world for 2020.  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.

The holiday season is drawing nearer, and what better way to spoil someone special than with delicious Scotch whisky? So, whether you want to help a loved one get acquainted with the wonderful world of whisky, or introduce an enthusiast to something new, you’re sure to find just what you need in our range. Scroll down for some inspiration!

Artist Blend (formerly known as Great King Street) expresses itself confidently whether served neat or in a creative cocktail. This vibrant yet delicate whisky is a gift for the more discerning guests at the party. Available to purchase in-store and online from Waitrose.com for UK-based fans.

Why mingle with the guests when you can command an audience? Heavily peated, and radically smoky, No Name, No.3 is a whisky for someone who likes to put on a show. Be sure to share a bottle of this limited edition around the table this holiday season.

For lovers of smoky whisky, why not try The Peat Monster Gift Set? Or fill your stockings with our miniature gift packs – big flavours in small bottles. The Malt Whisky Collection is ideal for those with a taste for adventure, and The Blenders’ Collection is a brand new release perfect for the experimentalist in your life! This exclusive set will be coming to our web shop very soon, and making its way to our friends in the US in the New Year. Keep an eye on our social for updates.

Serve No Name, No. 3 in a wine glass – or how about a brandy balloon for added drama – to experience the full breadth of this whisky’s powerfully peaty flavours. Explore other delicious serves to entertain your guests with here.

Try pairing Artist Blend with savoury foods for a rich and rewarding tasting experience. We love to pair it with Cheshire cheese and Nocellara olives. Discover more festive food and whisky pairings here.