Kentucky Distillers’ Association Welcomes Jack Mazurak as Director of Governmental and Regulatory Affairs

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Distillers’ Association today announced Jack Mazurak has joined the non-profit trade group as Director of Governmental and Regulatory Affairs.

Mazurak comes to the KDA from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development, where he spent more than six years as director and executive director of its Office of Marketing and Public Affairs.

Over three gubernatorial administrations, Mazurak worked to attract, retain and grow pillar industries throughout Kentucky, including spirits, automotive, metals, logistics and distribution, and aerospace.

A native of Upstate New York, Mazurak received a bachelor’s in Journalism/Mass Communication from St. Bonaventure University and a master’s of Journalism from Quinnipiac University.

KDA President Eric Gregory said Mazurak’s wealth of experience in economic development and his effective communications background was instrumental in his hiring.

“Jack knows that Bourbon is more than just a drink – it’s jobs, investment, tourism and more. He has a strong track record of working with industries and government to improve the vibrancy of our Commonwealth and our communities.

“He is driven, determined and passionate about our industry’s growth and success, and his communications experience will be vital in carrying that message to elected officials and opinion leaders. We are proud to welcome him to our talented team of successful advocates.”

Mazurak said he looks forward to the opportunities ahead.

“In working with the distilling industry the past six years, I’ve seen first-hand how Bourbon creates jobs, draws tourists from across the world, generates new tax revenue and builds more dynamic communities,” he said.

“I’m grateful to the KDA – its Board, member companies and staff – for this opportunity. I look forward to working with elected officials at all levels of government to further develop spirits industry growth and ensure Kentucky’s rightful title as the one, true home of Bourbon.”

Founded in 1880, the KDA is the state’s voice for Bourbon and spirits issues. Its diverse membership produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s Bourbon, from legendary, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are building the next generation of the timeless craft.

Kentucky Bourbon is one of the Commonwealth’s most historic industries, a thriving $8.6 billion economic and tourism engine that generates more than 20,100 jobs with an annual payroll topping $1 billion each year, and accounts for over $300 million in local and state taxes and $1.8 billion in federal alcohol taxes.

A key export, the iconic industry is currently in the middle of a $5.1 billion building boom, from innovative new tourism experiences to expanded production facilities, bottling centers and aging warehouses, all to meet the growing global thirst for Kentucky Bourbon.

Bourbon production has skyrocketed more than 430% since the turn of the century.

Kentucky now boasts more than 10.3 million barrels of Bourbon aging in warehouses across the Bluegrass, the most in its revered distilling history. Distillers filled more than 2.4 million barrels in 2020 alone, the third year in a row that production topped the two million mark.

Attendance at the KDA’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® distilleries has skyrocketed more than 300 percent in the last 10 years. Total attendance in 2019 was nearly two million, the most since KDA founded the tours in 1999 and 2012, respectively.

Visit www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com to learn more.

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association that passionately unites, promotes, protects and elevates the Commonwealth’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. The KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving.

KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL CRAFT TOUR®,, KENTUCKY BOURBON AFFAIR™, KBT®,, BOURBON TRAIL™, KENTUCKY BOURBON HALL OF FAME®,, ORDER OF THE WRIT®,, KENTUCKY BOURBON TALES®,, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL WELCOME CENTER®,, URBAN BOURBON TRAIL® and THE PROOF IS HERE®are trademarks/service marks of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.

Please enjoy Bourbon like a true Kentuckian – Responsibly.

French Oak Second Fill
TD0078

” Sullivans Cove, in my opinion, really nails gentle maturation. For this spirit to still hold its own after almost 16 years is phenomenal. An elegant and classy dram.”

-Ray Daniel, Barrel and Batch Whisky.

 We begin the new year with a whisky worthy of being our first release of 2022: French Oak Second Fill TD0078, aged for 15 years and 6 months in a cask previously used to mature one of our ex-Tawny releases. TD0078 exemplifies why our second fill releases are so highly celebrated, allowing long term maturation without the influence of the cask overtaking the character of the spirit. TD0078 is a wonderful way to experience the Sullivans Cove spirit alongside the lighter spice and herbal notes from the French oak.

Tasting Notes

A very classic Sullivans note of pine forest and rich glacé pineapple is complimented by gingerbread and biscuits, filling the breadth of the nose.

A lovely coastal, saline air note comes to the front, with just a hint of nori. The palate is sweet and full; buttery biscuits start the flavour wheel rolling, and then we find light liquorice, fennel honey, baked apple, dried apricots, sultanas, and salty pineapple. The finish begins with double cream and a big burst of guava and feijoa, with muscatels and a wave of ripe cantaloupe seeing it out.

Second fill French oak offers a lovely savoury herbal mix, giving soft structure and rounding out this beautifully complex whisky.”

TD0078 will be released via ballot on Monday, 17 January 2022. The ballot will open for 24 hours from 10AM Hobart time on 17 January 2022. Further details, with a link to enter the ballot will be sent via email prior to the ballot opening.

A note on our ballot system 

Our policy is one entry per person, per household. Our fraud detection algorithm detects multiple entries and removes them to ensure our whisky lands in the hands of our genuine supporters, so to ensure your entry counts, please enter once only. We appreciate your continued support and understand the disappointment in missing out on our incredibly limited whisky releases. We want you to know that if you miss out on a release, the chance of your success in a future ballot will continue to increase until you secure a bottle. While we can never guarantee success in specific ballots, we do everything we can to ensure our whiskies make their way into the hands of our loyal supporters. If you have any questions around our ballot process, you can email us at info@sullivanscove.com Successful entries will be notified shortly after the ballot closes.

BOWMORE DISTILLERY

1997 Samaroli (2021)

Cask #54

Buy – Bowmore 1997 – £1,728 / €1,723* / $1,956* / c$2,475*

Bowmore 1997 vintage Islay single malt Scotch whisky. Single sherry cask #54 bottled 2021 by Samaroli. 532 numbered bottles. Only Bowmore can  give life to such rare, unique and unrepeatable declinations. Elegant, fragrant nose. Rich in tones of white chocolate and powder that contrast with hints of stove charcoal and toasted wood. All this is the forerunner to those peaty tones that manifest themselves in in a delicate and not overwhelming way.

Abbreviated notes from Samaroli state: “Only Bowmore can give life to such rare, unique and unrepeatable declinations. Elegant, fragrant nose. Rich in tones of white chocolate and powder that contrast with hints of stove charcoal and toasted wood. All this is the forerunner to those peaty tones that manifest themselves in a delicate and not overwhelming way.”

Bowmore Distillery was established by David Simpson in 1779 on the Isle of Islay. Situated by the shore of Loch Indaal it is amongst the oldest working distilleries on Islay and one of the oldest malt whisky distilleries in Scotland. Bowmore Distillery continues to produce a proportion of its malted barley on its own traditional malting floors and malt kilns. Bowmore Distillery is a participant in Feis Isle, the Islay Festival of Malt and Music during which special bottlings. Popular official bottlings include Bowmore 12 Year Old, 15 Year Old and 25 Year Old.

UK Exclusive

Small Batch No. 3

70cl | 49.1% ABV

An exciting new release from Islay’s only farm-based distillery! This is the third small batch bottling from Kilchoman which is exclusive to the UK. This is a vatting which reflects the influence from 70% Bourbon, 5% Sherry Oloroso and 25% from Sauternes casks. The result is a marriage of classic Kilchoman citrus and peat smoke with layers of peaches, honey and white grape sweetness.

£57.95

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2013 Caol Ila 8 Year Old “Redacted Bros.” (Thompson/Dornoch) Single Refill Hogshead Cask Strength Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) (Pre-Arrival)

$49.99 View

We couldn’t be prouder to be partnered with the Thompson brothers to bring their incredible hand-selected, independently bottled, single-cask single malts to the US market while we wait for their own spectacular single malts to mature. The brothers have made connections with all the major suppliers of good quality malt throughout Scotland, so while many new independent bottlers are paying high broker premiums for access to interesting stock, the boys up at Dornoch seem to have access at incredibly reasonable prices to solid blue chip stocks. We’re not entirely sure if that’s because of their good relationship with distillers or if their bootstrap business model allows them to operate with much leaner margins, but we tend to see incredible value and quality in each bottling. This fabulous cask of Caol Ila, unmuddled by overly active oak, is the perfect expression of purity from this Islay stalwart. Expect vibrant aromas of ocean breeze, citrus oil, smoky malt, and a creamy note that balances the wild seaside flavors. On the palate, plenty of kick with an oily texture—juicy and rich—tangy lemon peel, crunchy oyster shell, and a salty peat smoke throughout. A stupendous value for a wonderful malt that never disappoints.

LAPHROAIG DISTILLERY

18 Year Old 2000 Hunter Laing Old & Rare

Extras!

ralfy review 909 Extras – Batch comparison of Ledaig 10yo Malt

Gordon & MacPhail toasts Young Person’s Guarantee Employer status

– The family-owned business achieved the accolade as a result of high-quality employment opportunities and career support for young people –

Family-owned premium spirits company, Gordon & MacPhail, has been named a Young Person’s Guarantee Employer after an assessment period which looked in detail at the support the company offers to young people and the career opportunities it provides those aged 16 – 24 years old.

The accolade, awarded in December 2021, is the latest demonstration of Gordon & MacPhail’s commitment to become one of the best places to work in the local area for employees and young people. The company, which has long been a Scottish Living Wage employer and has worked alongside Developing the Young Workforce to provide foundation and graduate apprenticeships in recent years, has also created its first modern apprenticeships.

As part of the application process Gordon & MacPhail made several commitments to support young people in the local area start a new career in the whisky industry. Over the next 12 months, the family-owned company will offer seven modern apprenticeships, collaborate with schools and colleges to introduce more young people to the opportunities available to them, and offer further foundation apprenticeships.

Alongside the apprenticeships which cover many aspects of the business, from working in the distillery through to working in specialist roles such as finance or international sales, or within the operations team, Gordon & MacPhail also provides young people with career mentors. Supporting those still in education, Gordon & MacPhail also offers mock interview support and employability skills at partner schools, helping young people to consider their skills and interests and identify new career opportunities.

Maya McNeil, one of the young people employed, starts with Gordon & MacPhail early this year as an International Sales Admin Assistant and commented: “I was attracted to join Gordon & MacPhail because it is a long established, well-known business which has excellent values. Because it is a local business, it was accessible to me and meant that I could continue staying in the area. If the role at Gordon & MacPhail was not available to me, I would have most likely have had to move to a larger city to find more career opportunities.”

Jodie Clayton, from the HR team at Gordon & MacPhail, said: “It’s particularly important to us at Gordon & MacPhail to create a diverse workforce that provides opportunities to people from all backgrounds and skillsets. There is a misconception that young people need to move away to a big city to pursue an exciting career, however we want to show that this isn’t the case, and that there’s a wealth of opportunity and talent to learn from in the local area if you know where to look.

“We have long been committed to developing our young workforce, now adding the introduction of modern apprenticeships to go alongside our existing foundation and graduate apprenticeships. Achieving the Young Persons Guarantee employer accolade demonstrates our commitment to continue to provide opportunities for our future workforce and ensure we are an employer of choice.”

Libby Hunt, one of the young people employed by Gordon & MacPhail in the last year, commented: “I was attracted to Gordon & MacPhail because of their distinct reputation as a local, family-owned business with strong roots in the community. Within the business there are a lot of experienced workers who are ready and willing to share knowledge and help me find my feet, which has been very reassuring for someone starting their first full-time job.”

Aimee Stephen, Business Liaison, Developing the Young Workforce, commented: “It is important for organisations like Gordon and MacPhail to invest in young people, as they are our future workforce. Employers need to capture people at a young age and inspire them on what their business and Moray has to offer, something which Gordon & MacPhail has been an advocate of. Over the years, Gordon & MacPhail has done an extensive amount of work within Moray schools to better prepare young people, including supporting Foundation Apprenticeship placements and creating career card resources to use at career fairs. The manufacturing industry in Moray is a fantastic place for young people to develop and grow and Gordon & MacPhail is a great supporter of helping individuals achieve exactly that through various upskilling opportunities”.

The news comes after Gordon & MacPhail announced strong profits for the financial year 20-21, with total sales increasing by 1% to £34.1 million from £33.7m and pre-tax profit growing from £9.8m to £13.9m. Continuing to invest for the future, Gordon & MacPhail is not only dedicating resource to training the next generation of the whisky industry but is also gearing up to launch a new distillery, The Cairn, in Grantown-on-Spey in summer 2022.

For more information about Gordon & MacPhail visit www.gordonandmacphail.com.

About Gordon & MacPhail

Gordon & MacPhail, a fourth-generation family-owned premium spirits company based in Elgin, Scotland. Renowned as a Scotch whisky maturation expert, the business also owns Scotch whisky distillery, Benromach, on the outskirts of Forres, and The Cairn Distillery near Grantown-on-Spey.

Scottish Gin brand, Red Door was added to the portfolio in 2018 and Gordon & MacPhail is the operator of a wholesale business in the United Kingdom selling premium Scotch whiskies and spirits. A high-quality retail outlet in Elgin, continues to serve locals and visitors alike, since 1895, when the business was established. www.gordonandmacphail.com.

Sotheby’s Inaugural Spirits Sale in France Now Open for Bidding, Featuring Rare Japanese and Scotch Whiskies

OPEN FOR BIDDING UNTIL 21 JANUARY 2022

PARIS & LONDON, 13 JANUARY 2022 – Bidding is now open on Sotheby’s inaugural spirits auction in France, the first of a regular series of spirits sales in Continental Europe, following the successful launch of wine auctions in France in 2021.

Leading the sale is a bottle of the magnificent The Yamazaki 50 Year Old, offered at auction for the first time in over two years, alongside a curated assortment of The Macallan, including The Fine & Rare series, arguably the most sought-after and collectible Scotch whisky series ever bottled. Comprising 11 lots with a combined pre-sale estimate in excess of €500,000, Fine & Rare Whisky | The Inaugural Spirit Sale in France will close for bidding at 1pm CET on 21 January.

Amayès Aouli, Head of Auction Sales for Continental Europe, Sotheby’s Wine, said: “We are continuing to see strong growth in the Spirits market, as demonstrated by our global sales of $21 million in 2021. Our expansion to hosting regular spirits sales in Continental Europe will add France as an important centre for collectors around the world. This opening will also provide European collectors of Spirits in general, and Whisky in particular, with the greatest access to the global market. Using the same vision as our inaugural wine sale, this auction is composed of the rarest bottles from two of the most prestigious distilleries in the world: Yamazaki and Macallan.”

The Yamazaki 50 Year Old was the oldest Japanese whisky ever bottled upon its release. This edition, the third, is one of only 150 bottles released in 2011, making it one of the rarest of Japanese whiskies (est. €200,000-300,000). The Yamazaki Distillery was established in 1923, becoming Japan’s first malt whisky distillery. Since its humble beginnings, the distillery has gone on to be one of the most popular and sought-after across the world and due to its rich history and careful management, it now has the ability to bring out exceptionally long-aged releases. Having spent over half a century in the finest Japanese Mizunara oak casks, the spirit is deep and rich, with a luxurious spice imparted from the wood. The bottle itself is etched with exquisite detail on the front, and comes housed in a handmade dark wooden box, separating it from the first two releases.  Complementing the Japanese component of the sale, a rare The Yamazaki 25 Year Old is being offered (est. €5,500-8,000).

From Scotland, the sale is made up with highly coveted bottles from The Macallan, ranging in age from 21 years to over 78 years old. The Macallan 50 Year Old in Lalique is the first edition of the Six Pillars Collection, originally released in 2005. The first and most highly coveted release from the series, only 470 decanters were produced. With not one, but two of these extraordinarily rare whiskies included in this auction, the sale offers an opportunity to complete the Lalique Collection in the form of the most difficult to obtain release of them all (each estimated at €65,000-95,000).

In addition, is a more recent release which also happens to be the oldest bottle of The Macallan ever brought to market, The Macallan The Red Collection 78 Year Old, released in 2020. Part of the Red Collection, a six-bottle series, this whisky is housed in a wooden presentation case constructed using the same wood to make The Macallan casks, with each bottle hand numbered (est. €80,000-120,000).

Completing the sale is no less than six bottles from The Macallan Fine & Rare series, dating back to 1937 (est. €26,000-35,000) and as old as 49 years (est. €26,000-38,000). The series is considered amongst the most desirable of all Scotch whiskies and very few collectors own the complete set. Sotheby’s set the world record price for a bottle of whisky when a bottle of The Macallan Fine & Rare 60 Year Old 1926 was sold for $1.9 million in 2019.