How’s your week been? Ready for a dram or two? Me too!!

With two festivals – Edinburgh and Bristol – coming up up quick, we wanted to throw the spotlight onto a few exhibitors you might expect to see at the events this year. In this edition, we look at three very different but equally important producers of the tasty stuff!

Read on…

Bushmills haven’t been to any of our festivals since…. well, I cannot actually remember, it was that long ago! So we are very excited to see them and what they’ll bring along for you to sample.

One of the oldest still operating distilleries in the UK and world (even if you ignore the slightly spurious date of 1608, when a licence was granted for distilling on the land). It has been unapologetically been producing its iconic triple-distilled single malt whiskey since 1784.

It was bought by Proximo Spirits, from Diageo, in 2014, and we’re looking forward to seeing and tasting what the new owners have done so far. Janice Snowdon, who you may remember from hosting another Irish whiskey’s stand at our shows over the last few years, will be on hand to talk it all through with you. You can even ask her about their new distillery, ‘Causeway‘…

*Interesting fact. Bushmills (specifically the ‘Black’ Bushmills) was Amanda’s father’s favourite tipple…respect.

Another ‘new to us exhibitor’, and a welcome addition indeed.

Gleann Mòr are a relatively new operation, based in Edinburgh, bottling fine spirits, since 2015. Their main focus is whisky (yay!) and they have a couple of exciting whisky ranges, with ‘Rare Finds’ being at the top of the ‘tree’, which is a premium range of single malts and single cask, single malts.

Another familiar face, Emily Coyle, returns to TWL, at most of the shows, with Gleann Mòr, and will be more than happy to tell you more as you taste their whiskies.

Waterford is a really interesting project. Mark Reynier, one of the main men behind the revival of Bruicladdich Distillery on Islay, in the the late 90s, has poured everything he learned and loves about whisky into this innovative distiller.

His, and Waterford’s, core belief and ‘unique selling point’ is that the land, climate and soil (or Terroir, as the French would call it) impacts the the barley, which in turn impacts on the final whisky produced from it. You have to admire the attention to detail and sheer ‘geekiness’ of their undertaking.

We are delighted that they will actually be premiering their oldest whisky to date – Cuvée Koffi – with a very interesting story behind it, at our Edinburgh event on the 15th June.

We will be spotlighting more exhibitors in coming newsletters, so keep an eye out for these!

If you haven’t got your tickets yet, simply scroll down to the festival of your choosing and click on the banner to be taken to the relevant Eventbrite page!

THE FAMOUS GROUSE DEBUTS SHERRY CASK FINISH IN THE UK

London, 28^th May: The Famous Grouse has unveiled a new permanent edition to its portfolio, The Famous Grouse Sherry Cask Finish – now available in the UK. The new premium expression is a rich, flavourful blend with unmistakable sweetness earned from a period of maturation in ex-sherry casks.

Launching first exclusively at Morrisons from May, it will then be available in other major retailers from September with an RRP of £22.00.

The Famous Grouse Master Blender has meticulously selected Speyside malts for a second maturation period in sherry-seasoned European oak casks to deliver the rich, warming, and spiced characters that are at the heart of the new premium expression.

Marc Watson, The Famous Grouse Master Blender says: “This new, revived blend is finished in sherry casks seasoned in the region of Jerez, Spain. The aim was to create a blend that is slightly sweeter but still in keeping with the smooth and distinct DNA of classic Grouse. 

Once the blend is in its final stages of maturation, which involves the meticulous combination of hand-selected malt and grain whiskies, The Famous Grouse Master Blender does not stop there; the full blend is married in ex-sherry casks further to enhance their sweet, rich, and smooth characters. The Sherry Cask Finish is a decadent blend of flavours, including chocolate, almonds, dried fruits, and sweet spices.” 

A sweeter balance and smooth in texture, The Famous Grouse Sherry Cask Finish has been created with mixability in mind and the UK release aptly follows the launch of The Famous Grouse’s ‘Full of Character’ global campaign. Designed to introduce the drink to the next generation of whisky drinkers, the campaign also aimed to educate consumers on the accessibility and mixability of the liquid.

The Famous Grouse Sherry Cask Finish comes at a time when demand for sherry cask whiskies continues to grow*. Launching just in time for the summer, ‘The Sherry Cask Spritz’ is the ideal seasonal serve – combine 50ml of The Famous Grouse Sherry Cask Finish with 20ml of lemon juice and 20ml of Madagascan vanilla syrup, top with sparkling wine and ice.

“We are finding that consumers are actively expanding their blended whisky repertoire,” says Joakim Leijon, Global Brand Director for The Famous Grouse. “The Famous Grouse continues to go from strength to strength by maintaining its position as the UK’s No1 whisky and no.2 Spirit brand**. We are therefore perfectly positioned to drive further growth in the category through innovation and range development. The new Sherry Cask Finish will enable loyal consumers to expand their repertoire as well as introduce first time whisky drinkers to The Famous Grouse brand.”

The packaging of the Sherry Cask Finish plays host to the Spanish female Capercaillie. The Spanish Capercaillie was chosen for its link to the product’s Spanish sherry heritage and its vivid orange and red plumage, which echoes the deep amber of the liquid itself. Alongside the ongoing support for RSPB Scotland, The Famous Grouse plans to support further habitat protection projects focusing specifically on the Capercaillie.

*Source: IWSR| Total Scotch Whisky Value sales & Whisky “Sherry title” | 2020-2023|

**Source: Nielsen, Latest 52 weeks MAT – w/e 16.03.24

The Famous Grouse Sherry Cask Finish Tasting Notes 

• COLOUR: Dark red-gold with an amber glow.
• NOSE: A balance of fresh orange and poached pear, cherry blossom, moist sultanas, cocoa beans intermingled with sweet cinnamon and ginger spice.
• TASTE: Smooth in texture, rich in character. A combination of oaky vanilla, dark chocolate, maple syrup, toasted almonds and hazelnuts.
• FINISH: Rich and smooth. Warming notes of dried fruits in Christmas cake with a long sweet, spice finish. 

The Famous Grouse 

The Famous Grouse is the no. 1 whisky in the UK (*Neilsen UK, 2024). It has been the best-selling whisky in Scotland, the home of Scotch whisky, since 1980. The business was founded by Matthew Gloag, who started blending whisky in the 1890s and was launched officially in 1897 to be drunk by the gentry after a day of outdoor pursuits. Today, the brand is owned by the Edrington Group and is exported to over 100 countries.

The Famous Grouse has supported the RSPB, the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, for over 15 years. The partnership was established to improve habitats for resident black grouse on four RSPB reserves in the UK following the species’ rapid decline between 1995 and 2005.

www.thefamousgrouse.com/en

Edrington UK

Edrington UK is the UK’s number one whisky supplier, part of the global Edrington family and responsible for the UK sales, marketing, and distribution of a portfolio of ultra-premium brands, including The Macallan, Highland Park, The Glenrothes, The Famous Grouse, Naked Malt and Brugal.

As a valued distribution partner of Beam Suntory, Edrington UK also represents many of its brands in the UK marketplace, such as Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Bowmore, Laphroaig, Courvoisier and The House of Suntory range of Japanese craft spirits.

Be responsible. Drink with moderation

BeDrinkAware.co.uk

SAZERAC COMPANY AWARDED 67 MEDALS AT 2024 SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION

Among the top honors is W.L. Weller 12 Year, which won its third consecutive Double Gold in turn earning a prestigious Platinum medal

 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (May 13, 2024) – The Sazerac Company is honored to have been awarded a total of 67 awards across spirits categories in the prestigious 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC). Top honors include 22 Double Gold medals – including the third consecutive Double Gold for W.L. Weller 12 Year Old Bourbon, in turn earning the expression a Platinum medal – as well as 12 Gold, 30 Silver and two Bronze medals.

Sazerac brands receiving prestigious accolades include 1792, Eagle Rare, William Larue Weller, Paul Masson, George T. Stagg, A. Smith Bowman, and more. Traveller Whiskey, Buffalo Trace Distillery’s newest whiskey innovation created in collaboration with Grammy-winning singer, songwriter and musician Chris Stapleton, was honored with its first award: a silver medal.

The competition, held April 5-7, is the oldest and largest competition of its kind. Founded in 2000, the SFWSC is one of many competitions hosted by The Tasting Alliance, a group of hundreds of judges evaluating the world’s best wine, beer and spirits.

“We are honored and humbled to have received dozens of medals across spirits categories from this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition,” said Jake Wenz, President and CEO at Sazerac. “These awards are a testament to our incredible team, whose dedication to premiere distilling and aging across Sazerac’s vast portfolio allows us to produce the finest spirits for our fans around the world.”

Sazerac brands awarded Double Gold and Gold medals at the 2024 San Francisco World Spirits Competition include:

Double Gold

• 1792 Bottled in Bond
• 1792 Full Proof
• 1792 Single Barrel
• 1792 Small Batch
• 1792 Sweet Wheat
• A. Smith Bowman Cask Strength
• Benchmark Full Proof
• Benchmark Single Barrel
• Benchmark Small Batch
• Buffalo Trace Distillery Bourbon Cream
• Eagle Rare Straight Bourbon
• E.H. Taylor Single Barrel
• E.H. Taylor Small Batch
• George T. Stagg Straight Bourbon
• Mister Sam Canadian Whisky
• Rich & Rare Reserve
• Seagram’s VO
• Stagg Straight Bourbon
• W. L. Weller 12 Year
• W. L. Weller Full Proof
• William Larue Weller

Gold

• 1792 Aged 12 Years
• Benchmark Bonded
• Benchmark Top Floor
• Booth’s Finest Old Gin Sherry Cask
• Buffalo Trace Distillery Straight Bourbon
• Chestnut Farms Bottled in Bond
• Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Straight Bourbon
• Imperial 12 Year Old Blended Scotch
• Legacy Canadian Whisky
• Royal Canadian Small Batch
• Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye Whiskey
• W. L. Weller Single Barrel

For complete results from the SFWSC, visit thetastingalliance.com.

About Sazerac:

With over 400 years of history, Sazerac is one of the world’s largest distilled spirits companies. Now in the fourth generation of the current family ownership, Sazerac strives each day to bring the finest spirits to consumers around the world.

Over 500 of the world’s most extraordinary brands are part of the Sazerac portfolio, including Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Eagle Rare, Weller, The Last Drop Distillers, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Southern Comfort, Wheatley Vodka, Meyers’s Rum, White X Cognac, Sazerac de Forge Cognac, Paddy’s Irish Whiskey, and many more.

Sazerac is also the steward of many fine distilleries internationally, including Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, United States; Domaine Sazerac de Segonzac in Cognac, France; Paul John Distillery in Goa, India; and Lough Gill Distillery in County Sligo, Ireland. Additional impressive locations can be found in New Orleans, Montréal, London, Cork and Sydney, to name a few.

To learn more, visit www.sazerac.com.

Sip to the Unofficial (Official) Start of the Summer with Clermont Steep

Clermont Steep – Suntory Global Spirits’ first foray into the American Single Malt category, this whiskey focuses on a single grain – 100% malted barley. It’s a unique and complex liquid that’s best enjoyed neat or on the rocks but plays beautifully in cocktails. Above all, it’s best enjoyed with loved ones who want to discover something new in whiskey. ABV: 47% | SRP: $60

The Single Malt Sidecar

2 oz Clermont Steep American Single Malt

1 oz Orange Liqueur

.5 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

Lemon peel, for garnish

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.

Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The unique terroir of our home in Kentucky, where Clermont Steep is distilled, aged, and made one-of-a-kind.The first step in malting barley and a liquid steeped in family tradition, Beam history, and Kentucky culture. Kentucky limestone filters impurities. Climate pulls flavor from barrel to liquid. All so the single grain in Clermont Steep can shine. Freddie Noe tested 67 different barley varieties to find the perfect mash bill and fermented it with Beam family jug yeast. After countless tastings and evaluations, an American Single Malt Whiskey worthy of the Beam name emerged.

Tamnavulin 1991 33YO Cask #1145

An old style of Tamnavulin that is almost lost, and what makes this cask so special is that the character of the original distillery shines through. Over thirty three years, a refill hogshead has allowed the malty and cereal notes to develop gradually with honey and brown sugar playing amid the cereal nuttiness.

£510.00 >

Few distilleries tell the modern story of Scotch Whisky Better than Tamnavulin. Built in the height of the blended whisky boom in the 1960s, much of its production was destined for the expanding American market. The style of the distillery represented the consumer tastes of the time: malty and light, this was a malleable whisky and a blender’s dream.

With the fall in fortunes of the industry in the 1990s, Tamnavulin was on of the many distilleries victim to closure. Indeed, this very cask was filled just a few years before the distillery was mothballed and not opened again until 2007. With the reopening of the distillery came wholesale changes in production style. It was out with the old stills and in with the new – a move towards a fruitier style of new make spirit.

That old style of Tamnavulin is almost lost, and what makes this cask so special is that the character of the original distillery shines through. Over thirty three years, a refill hogshead has allowed the malty and cereal notes to develop gradually with honey and brown sugar playing amid the cereal nuttiness. Childhood memories of eating bowls of Golden Grahams come flooding back. This is a flashback to the best of the 1990s, sadly never to be repeated again.

Distilled: 01/03/1991 | Bottled: 11/03/2024 | Cask no: 1145 | Cask: Hogshead | One of only 246 bottles produced | Natural colour and non chill filtered.

TyndrumWhisky.com
The Green Welly Stop
Tyndrumwhisky, Tyndrum
Crianlarich, Perthshire FK20 8RY
United Kingdom

Isle of Jura Distillery

30 YEAR OLD
70cl | 52% ABV

Hailing from the Island of Jura, this Single Malt has been patiently matured for an amazing 30 years. A finishing in virgin oak has imparted notes of buttery shortbread, vanilla and plenty of oakiness.

Nose: Toasted oak, vanilla, cereal notes and lashings of buttery shortbread.

Taste: Intense coconut, almonds, marzipan and honeycomb. Mouth coating. Sweet viscosity and a definite spiciness. Brandy snaps and peanut brittle, drizzled with honey.

£319.95

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Ardbeg “Anamorphic – Committee Release” Islay Single Malt Whisky (750ml)

Ardbeg’s Note: ABV 48.2% Color Amber Cask Innovative Cask charring technique Nose Earthy, dusty, and biscuity on the nose, this is a most curious Ardbeg, almost from an alternative universe. The sooty/tarry notes are clear but restrained, and balanced by silky vanilla. Taste Peppery and warming, preceding an explosion of fiery, spicy flavors: Chili chocolate, bittersweet mocha, briar wood, birch tar, black pepper and smoked artichokes. The tarry notes build to a crescendo of rich, smoky flavors, with an incredible, lingering aftertaste of charcoal almonds and molasses.

$229.99

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Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
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