Archive for April, 2022

Whisky Hammer April 2022 Auction is Now Live! – Auction Whisky News

Our April auction is now LIVE!

Place your bids from Friday 15th April until Sunday 24th April.

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!

Macallan – 52 Year Old (1946) Select Reserve

Macallan – 1988 (Refill Butt) Cask

Yamazaki – 25 Year Old

Macallan – 25 Year Old (1965) Tudor Crystal Decanter

Brora – 40 Year Old (1978 Year Old) 200th Anniversary

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.

Scotch Malt Whisky Society “Good Friday Easter Treats” – Scotch Whisky News

GOOD FRIDAY EASTER TREATS 

Happy Easter! We hope you have a wonderful weekend. To kick start the celebrations, we’ve released a NEW bottling full of flavour and sweet indulgence. With Belgian waffles, melted white chocolate, banana toffee and fudge, Cask No. 13.96 A pinch of pink peppercorns makes the perfect Easter treat.

We’re also welcoming back a few favourite flavours, with bottlings back in stock after appearances at our tasting events. Don’t delay in tracking these down as bottles are limited in numbers.  Keep on scrolling for more details or click over to our website – ALL bottlings are available NOW.

BROWSE THE NEW WHISKY

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

SMWS LOGO 2017 NEW

TOBERMORY 12 YEAR OLD 2007 PORT PIPE FINISH at Loch Fyne Whiskies – Scotch Whisky News

Tobermory 12 Year Old
2007 Port Pipe Finish

 

A four year finish in Port pipes brings scrumptious Turkish delight with rich oak and exotic spice! A limited-edition 12-year-old from Tobermory that was distilled and filled into whisky refill hogsheads in October 2007 for 8 years, before being transferred into Port Pipes in June 2016 for a further 4 years. Just 3101 bottles have been produced, all at a cask strength of 58.6% ABV and without chill-filtration or added colouring.

£105.00
BUY NOW

HAMISH SAYS

Nose: liquorice, sweet citrus and pears, with a hint of coffee.

Palate: rich and sweet, with Turkish delight, orchard fruits, rich oak and creamy caramel with hints of exotic spice.

Finish: spicy, long and sweet.

W.B. Saffell Limited Edition Batch #1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – American Whiskey News

W.B. Saffell Limited Edition Batch #1 107 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (375ml) ($49.99)

Made by master distiller Eddie Russell, the man responsible for some of the most famous and coveted bourbons to come out of the Bluegrass State, this is an absolutely top-shelf expression that should be on any collector’s short list. Bottled at 107 proof and showing the unmistakable signature of a true master, the W.B. Saffell Batch No. 1 is an unequivocally outstanding addition to the craft bourbon scene that has found a fanatical fan base, just as with previous Whiskey Barons releases like Old Ripy that now command hundreds of dollars on the secondary market.

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

The Massive Mini Auction Preview – Miniature Whisky News

PREVIEW OUR
NEXT AUCTION
NOW

Miniature and memorabilia auction starts Sunday 17 April 2022

Preview The Auction

ralfy review 922 – Extras – Seven reviews with mixed results – Some Kind of Whisky News

ralfy review 922 – Extras – Seven reviews with mixed results.

FETTERCAIRN UNVEILS THIRD RELEASE IN SMALL BATCH SERIES – Scotch Whisky News

FETTERCAIRN UNVEILS THIRD RELEASE IN SMALL BATCH SERIES

New Warehouse 2 Batch No. 003 celebrates Fettercairn’s enlightened approach to whisky making.

Fettercairn Distillery has unveiled the third release in its hugely popular and sought-after Warehouse 2 Collection, an inspired small batch series created to celebrate the hidden gems within its 14 dunnage warehouses and to showcase its commitment to enlightened whisky making.

Limited to just 9,600 bottles, Fettercairn Warehouse 2 Batch No. 003 was distilled in 2015 and matured in a selection of handpicked ex-Bourbon barrels (57%), rum barrels (16%) and French red wine barriques (27%).  This unique combination of casks was carefully chosen from the treasure trove of aging stock in Warehouse 2, where high humidity combines with the relatively cool and temperate environment to make their mark on the maturing spirit.

The Warehouse Collection celebrates the talent, passion and commitment of the distillery team, coupled with the vision of Gregg Glass, Master Whisky Maker, in seeking unusual and interesting casks to craft these unconventional small batch releases.  Limited in number and availability, the Collection has already captured the imagination of both collectors and whisky drinkers with its striking look and clear purpose.

With discovery a driving force at Fettercairn, this wonderful collection of whiskies has been crafted to explore the treasure trove of aging stock in Warehouse 2. In line with the ethos of enlightened whisky making, a detailed breakdown of the cask make-up is proudly presented on each bottle and pack bringing complete transparency to every new release.

Gregg Glass, Master Whisky Maker, said: “With expectation high following the popularity of the first two releases in the Collection, we knew we needed to deliver something special with this third release, without compromising the approach we’ve been striving to adopt.  As such, when personally hand selecting casks for this edition, I wanted to push the boundaries further to create a beautifully balanced single malt which delivered both freshness and complexity in character. I believe Batch No. 003 is another true one off for Fettercairn.

“Warehouse 2 has so much to offer in terms of diversity and quality of the casks and it is always a challenging, yet enthralling task to select the ones to create each batch. The choice of French barriques combined with rum barrels for this release has brought a truly different dimension to this spirit and enabled us to keep showcasing our innovative and experimental approach.”

Fettercairn Warehouse 2, Batch No.003 will be available at an RSP of £60 in key global markets including the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and France from April, extending to key Asia markets from May onwards.

Discover Fettercairn: Rare, Pure & Enlightened

Tasting notes

Nose: Warm honey, Alphonso mango, brioche, cocoa, subtle forest fruits and waves of rose water

Taste: Passion fruit, papaya, red berries and grape must harmonise with sugared almonds, patisserie spice and heather honey.

www.fettercairnwhisky.com

Facebook @fettercairnwhisky

Instagram @fettercairnwhisky

Twitter @FettercairnWh

About Fettercairn

Our founder, Sir Alexander Ramsay, was one of the Scottish landowners who campaigned for the licensing of Scotch Whisky distilling. In 1824 Fettercairn he established the Fettercairn Distillery, in the Northeast of Scotland; it was to become one of the first licensed single malt distilleries. Despite his campaigns for regulation, Ramsay recruited illicit whisky makers as his first stillmen, knowing only they had the knowledge and experience required to make great whisky. From our very beginnings, we’ve been doing things a little differently in the pursuit of great whisky.

In the mid-1950s, the whisky makers at Fettercairn experimented, seeking ways to create a purer expression of their spirit. They found that pouring water down the still cooled the copper, increasing condensation inside so only the lightest vapours could rise for collection. They fashioned a copper tube around the top of the still to continually douse it with crystal clear mountain water. This simple yet ingenious engineering feat not only creates a purer expression of our whisky, but beautiful oxidized patina of the copper with shades of teal, brushed cooper and white proudly marking our stills. To this day our copper cooling ring remains unique in Scotch whisky making.

Today Fettercairn Distillery continues this trend of ingenious thinking and is the home of enlightened whisky making, where experimental and considered, open minded innovation provides inspiration in the creation of the most exceptional and rare single malt whiskies.  Driven by the idea of entire craft, there is an inherent commitment to the land and the idea of nurturing and embracing every single part of the process, from forest to field to Fettercairn.

As part of this philosophy, we are always discovering and learning and feed our imagination and passion to create distinct whiskies with a surprising tropical character.

About Gregg Glass- Master Whisky Maker

Respected whisky maker Gregg Glass joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016, where he has been a leading light in the rejuvenation of Fettercairn alongside Distillery Manager Stewart Walker.

Gregg enjoyed a childhood in the heart of whisky making country, the Black Isle. With 22 years in industry notably 11 years at innovative whisky maker Compass Box, Gregg joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016 to work alongside renowned Master Distiller Mr Richard Paterson OBE.

Gregg has enjoyed 15 years career as a blender and whisky maker. At Whyte and Mackay Gregg has led whisky development for Fettercairn Single Malt Whisky, Jura Single Malt Whisky and in 2017 launched Whisky Works – an independent innovation wing of Whyte and Mackay.

Gregg is devoted to his craft and believes in flavour-led hands-on whisky making. Gregg is passionately involved in every aspect of the whisky making process from ‘acorn to glass’ and since 2020 leads whisky making across the Whyte and Mackay portfolio. 

Award-Winning Whisky Makers Whyte and Mackay

Whyte and Mackay is home to a collection of multi-award-winning Single Malt Whiskies including The Dalmore, Jura and Fettercairn. With a premium spirits portfolio that includes contemporary whisky brands Shackleton, Woodsman and John Barr, alongside popular alcohol brands Wildcat, Fundador and Harveys Bristol Cream and Aperitivo. In the UK the company produce Whyte & Mackay, an award-winning ever-popular Blended Whisky, which recently launched the market-leading ‘Whyte & Mackay Light’ – a lighter spirit drink from Scotland, bottled at a lower ABV.

In 2020 the company were publicly recognised by the First Minister of Scotland for their support of the national pandemic response. Whyte and Mackay are official partners to SAMH – Scottish Association for Mental Health, which saw Whyte and Mackay employees worldwide complete a virtual-race-around-the-world to raise awareness for the charity.

Founded in Glasgow 1844, the whisky makers celebrated their 175 year anniversary in 2019. Today Whyte and Mackay have offices from New York to Singapore. In Scotland, Whyte and Mackay operate a state-of-the-art Bottling Hall and Distribution Centre in Grangemouth and a Whisky Production and Warehousing Centre in Invergordon.

Whyte and Mackay’s whisky making is led by Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE and pioneering Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass.

Glencairn Crystal Studio offers luxury spirits glassware solution during industry shortage – Whisky Bottle News

Glencairn Crystal Studio offers luxury spirits glassware solution  during industry shortage

A Glencairn premium glass bottle shown in four designs.

Premium and luxury spirits brand owners are currently facing a packaging challenge within the industry: the sourcing and availability of premium glass.

In response to the current situation, Scotland-based crystal glassware company Glencairn Crystal is reaching out to the drinks industry to offer support. Due to the company’s strong and consistent supply chain, it has large quantities of premium glass bottles available and is working hard to meet the ever-increasing needs of clients – both existing and new – who are searching for a solution to the growing problem.

This issue is proving particularly challenging for the premium malt whiskies category aged 18 years and over, as well as other spirits of significant age and value. Often priced around £100 and over, this sector requires vessels that are more exclusive than a standard mass-produced bottle, however still kept at an affordable price point offering decent economies of scale.

Why has this situation emerged?

With the trend in luxury spirits still very much on the rise – whisky and spirits companies continue to ‘premiumise’ many of their expressions in order to meet this demand and are keen to, not only create the finest liquid, but also beautiful, stand-out packaging to add value to and increase the desirability of their new product launches.

However, the global rebound in demand as Covid subsides in many areas, coupled with increased energy costs and world-wide transportation issues has pushed up price and extended lead times of premium glass bottles, leading to delays of up to 12 months, with new projects taking up to 18 months to bring to production.

With a need for solutions that address environmental concerns, the lack of suitable glass and on-going supply chain issues all frustrating the industry. It is this element that Glencairn is offering unrivalled support in terms of outstanding service that includes design, creation and supply of premium glass bottles and with such a superior supply chain, they can meet demand at short notice.

Filling the gap in the market:

Scott Davidson, New Product Development Director at Glencairn said: “We’ve been evolving our offerings for over 40 years to provide an unparalleled range of premium cosmetic glass bottles and lead-free crystal bottles and decanters. We have worked hard to take the learning from some of the most expensive decanters in the world and supply this on more affordable, and importantly, more readily available, premium glass bottles.”

“Our talented team of craftspeople can decorate cosmetic glass and bottles to the highest standards with bespoke designs developed by our inhouse design team. Our decoration facilities are at the cutting edge of the market, with industry leading production processes in engraving, decoration and precious metal and materials application.”

Glencairn Crystal’s premium cosmetic glass bottles come in all shapes and sizes and are fully recyclable (minimum order quantities far less than many other suppliers).

The company also supplies semi-automatically produced, hand finished crystal decanters, as opposed to hand blown, meaning that luxury spirits can be housed in high quality crystal glassware but without the huge leap in cost for crystal decanters made by hand, which are for only the rarest releases.

To hear more about what Glencairn Crystal  is offering existing, new and potential customers in this area of glassware, please contact: contact@glencairn.co.uk

Glencairn Crystal’s sustainability strategy and environmental positioning:

As a socially and environmentally responsible family business we are strongly influenced by our families’ children’s views on the environment, as they are the future of both our business and our planet.

We’ve undertaken an extensive expansion and remodelling of our factory and offices at our headquarters in East Kilbride, just outside Glasgow, as part of our strategy to increase our level of sustainability and to re-use and reduce rather than just recycle.

This marks an exciting moment for us as we strive to become 100% dependent on our own solar energy. The energy generated by our brand new solar storage system will be over and above the required amount for our company to run off and any excess electricity generated will be sent back to the grid and can be repurposed for other local usage.

We’ve also invested in various other key initiatives including electric car charging points so that all company cars are now either fully electric or hybrid. Day-to-day office functions such as recycling and packaging have been carefully considered, with the ambition to remove the use of all plastic packaging entirely over the next five years. We’ve also reduced gas usage across the business by 30% and this will to rise to 60% over the next 5 years – eventually leading to removal of gas energy altogether over the next ten years.

Samuel Gelston’s Launch New Cream Liqueur just in time for Easter – Just in Time News

Samuel Gelston’s Launch New Cream Liqueur just in time for Easter

Irish whiskey brand, Samuel Gelston’s, has today (Tuesday 12th April) unveiled its latest expression – a decadent Irish Cream liqueur which will sit alongside its award-winning range of whiskies. An ideal Easter gift for chocolate lovers, the finest Irish whiskey, smooth rich cream and luscious chocolate have been expertly blended to create the indulgent new expression.

Bottled at 17% ABV, flavours of milk chocolate and vibrant vanilla are underpinned by smooth, rich Irish whiskey. With a delicate spiced finish, this versatile liqueur can be enjoyed chilled on its own, in coffee and hot chocolate, or as a delicious dessert ingredient.

Established in Belfast in the 1830s, and purchased by Harry Neill in 1869, the Samuel Gelston’s brand is synonymous with sourcing, bonding and blending some of the finest single malt and pot still whiskey from across Ireland. It has remained in the Neill family for five generations and is currently owned by Harry’s great, great grandson Johnny Neill who commented:

“The launch of our first liqueur is a historic moment for my family who have been making quality artisanal spirits for generations. Our latest offering is a real testament to the passion, skill and craftmanship of our team who have created what I believe is a perfect blend of Irish whiskey, chocolate and cream. We are confident that it will be a real hit with drinkers and marks what is set to be both a busy and exciting year for the business.”  

Samuel Gelston’s Irish Cream Liqueur is now available from selected Tesco stores across Northern Ireland and The Drop Store RRP £14. The wider range is also available in Booths, Waitrose and specialist whisky retailers, and also online via https://samuelgelstons.com/.

About Samuel Gelston’s

Gelston’s Irish Whiskey has won 35 prestigious industry accolades across its portfolio since 2018, including Double Golds at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Best in Class (Ireland) at the London Spirits Competition.

Samuel Gelston’s Old Irish whiskey was founded in 1830 by Samuel Gelston. It was a time when Irish whiskey was famous around the world.

Samuel, a wine and whiskey merchant from Belfast, made it his mission to source, blend and bottle the best Irish whiskey from across Ireland. At the time there were 88 licensed distilleries on the island, and Samuel selected the very highest quality liquids for each bottle.

In 1869, upon Samuel’s death, the business was bought by Harry J. Neill. Harry had previously left Ireland’s shores with his younger brother Percival in order to make their fortunes in the Australian Gold rush of 1851. Having set up and subsequently sold his successful provisions business in Melbourne & Geelong, Harry returned to Belfast and purchased Gelston’s. His brother travelled on to New Zealand to set up Messrs Neill & Co in Dunedin in 1882.

Harry was the son of a Belfast merchant and French wine importer and was passionate about whiskey – indeed his grandfather and great grandfather had been whiskey distillers in Comber from the 1730s and 1760’s. He therefore continued their and Samuel Gelston’s legacy of sourcing, blending and bottling the very finest whiskeys, and developed the Gelston’s Irish whiskey brand around the world.

However, the Irish Whiskey landscape faced serious challenges as it entered the 20th century, and the combined effects of World War I, the Irish War for Independence and finally Prohibition, resulted in the near collapse of the Irish Whiskey industry – which, in turn, led to the demise of Samuel Gelston’s Irish Whiskey.

The brand remained with the Neill family, and five generations on it has now been brought back to life by Harry’s great great grandson, Johnny Neill. Johnny and well-known master distiller Frank McHardy made it their mission to journey across Ireland again to source, bottle and blend the best liquids they could find and Samuel Gelston’s Old Irish Whiskey was reborn.

The current collection includes Samuel Gelston’s Single Malt, Single Pot Still, 5 Year Old Single Malt, 10 Year Old Single Malt, 15YO Single Malt, 26 Year Old Single Malt. Cousins, Johnny & Sam Neill, descendants of Harry and Percival have joined forces on the latest launch that marries Johnny’s Irish Whiskey with Sam’s Pinot Noir New Zealand Wine Casks.

This exciting brand is back doing what it did best.

EXTREMELY RARE BLACK BOWMORE ASTON MARTIN DB5-31 YEAR OLD EXCELS AT BONHAMS WHISKY SALE – Auction Whisky News

EXTREMELY RARE BLACK BOWMORE ASTON MARTIN DB5-31 YEAR OLD EXCELS AT BONHAMS WHISKYSALE

View the catalogue: Bonhams : The Old, the Rare and the Only an extraordinary single owner collection of Whisky Part 1

Black Bowmore Aston Martin DB5-31 year old-1964 sold for £115,900

London – An extremely rare bottle of Black Bowmore Aston Martin DB5-31 year old-1964 sold for £115,900 at The Old, The Rare and The Only: an extraordinary single-owner collection of rare Whisky sale Part 1 at Bonhams in London on Wednesday 13 April. It had been estimated at £75,000-85,000. 

Diego Lanza, Bonhams Senior Whisky specialist in London said: “Decanter 19 out of only 27, this legendary Bowmore vintage was first bottled in 1995. Renowned for its unparalleled taste, it was re-bottled in 2020 and presented in a decanter that incorporates a genuine Aston Martin DB5 piston.”

The bottle featured in one of the most exciting and comprehensive collections of rare Whisky to appear on the market for many years. The private single-owner collection took more than 20 years to assemble and included some of the most desirable and rarest bottles ever to appear at auction. Part II of the sale will take place on Wednesday 8th June and will offer a further selection of some of the rarest and most desirable bottles of single malt Whiskies.

Other highlights of the 13 April sale included:

  • The Macallan Anecdotes of Ages-1967. The third collaboration between the Speyside distillery and world-famous pop artist, Sir Peter Blake, was designed to celebrate The Macallan’s long history and Sir Peter’s prestigious career. Each bottle bears a label with artwork by Sir Peter, which is a replica of the label on the bottle held in The Macallan archives. Sold for £42,700 (estimate: £35,000-40,000).
  • Ardbeg Double Barrel-1974. Two bottles from a limited edition of 250 pairs. Presented in an original bespoke leather-bound gun case made by Purdey & Sons, the pair come with eight engraved sterling silver drinking cups. Sold for £23,180 (estimate £20,000-25,000).
  • The Balvenie-50 year old. A marriage of five fifty-year-old casks hand selected by Malt Master David Stewart, The Balvenie Distillery. Bottled on 23/04/2019, it comes in an original handcrafted wooden presentation case by Sam Chinnery. Sold for £19,250 (estimate: £18,000-20,000).
  • Mortlach-75 year old-1939. The Generations range by Gordon & MacPhail, showcases some of the longest-matured Scotch whisky ever bottled.  This 75-year-old Mortlach was the third release in the series. Bottled in 2014 from a single First-Fill Sherry Butt, it was filled in November 1939, just two months into World War II. Sold for £18,300 (estimate: £15,000-18,000).
  • Glenfarclas 60-year-old. Bottled 2014, it was one of 360 bottles. Sold for £15,860 (estimate: £14,000-16,000).

Sale: The Old, The Rare and The Only: an extraordinary single-owner collection of Whisky Location: 101 New Bond Street Date: 13 April at 11 am (NOW ENDED~WI).

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest and most renowned auctioneers, offering fine art and collectables, motor cars and a luxury division, including jewellery, watches, wine and whisky. The main salerooms are in London, New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Hong Kong, with auctions also held in Knightsbridge, Edinburgh, and Sydney. With a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 22 countries, Bonhams offers advice and valuation services in 53 specialist areas. For a full list of forthcoming auctions, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com


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