WhiskyFest Tickets Make Great Father’s Day Gifts

Father’s Day is coming fast! It’s less than two weeks away… WhiskyFest to the rescue! You can get tickets right now and best of all, you still have time to save some bucks: early bird pricing for the fall events isn’t up until June 30! So get on Dad’s good side: buy him a pair of WhiskyFest tickets (you’re going with him, of course).

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 Attend seminars by master distillers, master blenders and other whisky experts

Wow, what a week (and a bit).

I am, of course, referring to the Fèis Ìle 2015 (Islay Festival) that took place until Saturday gone. We were all there – some of us for the first time – and a great time was had by all. Joe assures me that a review of our time will be forthcoming, but for now you can head over to the FB page and check out some great images.

In celebration of the Fèis, we decided before we even left for the island, that we would put on a series purely focussing on the fabled Islay Festival bottlings. Read more below. We are also bringing our Whisky Festivals to Bristol and Edinburgh during June. Add to this Father’s Day, a bit of industry news and a stunning new competition and you should be sorted for the summer!

We have literally pillaged the island for 6 Festival bottlings in order to bring you a tasting par-excellence. For those of you not familiar with the concept, every year during the Festival, each distillery on the island releases a bottling especially and exclusively (normally) for the people who make the pilgrimage. These bottles are highly sought-after and are to be found in auction for often double or more there original price days after they go on sale. Well we would rather spread the whisky love than see more of these bottles go into collections. Just take a look at what we have for this unique series…

Caol Ila 1998-2015, selected by distillery manager, David Wood

Lagavulin 1991-2015, selected by the legendary Ian McArthur

Kilchoman, 10th Anniversary Bottling

Ardbeg, Perpetuum – Distillery Release

Laphroaig, Cairdeas 2015

SMWS, 3.243 (Their 1st Feis bottling, from a distillery starting with ‘B’ and ending in ‘e’)

All of these are bottled at natural strength and most are already sold out. Due to the cost of these bottlings being far more than for our ‘regular’ tastings, the price of these tastings is £35 per person, but this is potentially a once in a lifetime chance to try these whiskies together.

FEIS ILE TASTINGS DATES & VENUES

TUES.    16th JUNE       SHEFFIELD, The Tap, Sheffield Station, 7pm

WEDS.   17th JUNE       LONDON, Salt Bar, Seymour St., W2, 7pm

THURS. 18th JUNE       LEEDS, The Cross Keys, Water Lane, LS2, 7pm

WEDS.   24th JUNE       LIVERPOOL, Jenny’s Bar, Fenwick St., L2, 7pm

THURS. 25th JUNE       BRIGHTON, Lord Nelson, Trafalgar St., 7pm

FRI.        26th JUNE       NEWCASTLE, Blackfriars, Friar St., NE1, 7pm

FRI.        26th JUNE       MANCHESTER, Britons Protection, Gt. Bridgwater St, 7pm

SAT.       27th JUNE       YORK, Brigantes, Micklegate, YO1, 7pm

Click on the relevant date and venue to you or, if you can’t make it, you can buy a tasting pack instead by clicking HERE or going to the website.

THE EDINBURGH WHISKY SOLSTICE

Unbelievably we still have a few tickets left for this, one of our most exciting events of the year.

In the incredible surroundings of the normally private, Queen Street Gardens, you will get to sample fine whiskies from some of the best in the business.

In partnership with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society we are putting something truly awesome together, with crazy food pairings, masterclasses from the likes of Charlie Maclean and a Fèis Ìle 2015 class – all (hopefully) while we enjoy the Solstice sunshine. Going to be great!

Tickets are £30 and include a commemorative Glencairn glass, all of your drams (excepting under the counter drams), a small bottle of water and festival guide. The main event takes place from 12pm-5pm. Click HERE or on the banner for tickets.

We also have the Solstice Sundown, starting at 7pm, with 2 free drams, live music, a reasonably priced bar and more craic than you can shake a stick at. Tickets are £20 and available HERE.

THE BRISTOL WHISKY FESTIVAL

The fun’s not just up north you know! We are really looking forward to seeing our friends in the South-West and bringing some whisky festival hijinks to the fine city of Bristol.

The mechanic is easy. Turn up after 12pm, collect your free tasting glass from reception, along with a bottle of water and festival guide and then enjoy the offerings from our excellent exhibitors. The event finishes at 5pm (last pour at 4.45pm)

Once again, there are just a few tickets left for this event that should easily prove to be the whisky event of the year in the area.

The price for such a great afternoon is just £30 and tickets can be bought by clicking HERE or on the banner.

AUTUMN FESTIVALS

I know it doesn’t bear thinking about with the weather threatening to warm up, but it would be remiss of us not to remind you of our autumn program. Tickets are on sale now for all of the above events and given their popularity, it might be an idea to get them while they are still available…

Liverpool Whisky Festival, Saturday 5th September, Met. Cathedral, 12pm-5pm

Yorkshire Whisky Festival, Saturday 12th September, York Racecourse, 12pm-5pm

Manchester Whisky Festival, Saturday 24th October, Town Hall, 11am-3pm, 4pm-8pm

INDUSTRY NEWS From The Whisky Business A fairly news-light month, but here are the highlights… 1st June 2015 DOUGLAS LAING LAUNCHES LIMITED EDITION CASK STRENGTH BOTTLING OF SCALLYWAG 28th May 2015 SCOTCH WHISKY DISTILLERIES NOW ATTRACTING OVER 1.5 MILLION VISITORS 26th May 2015 MULTIMILLION POUND WHISKY DISTILLERY PLANNED FOR ISLE OF RAASAY 22nd May 2015 ARDBEG UNVEILS A DRINKABLE CLOUD THAT SUMMONS THE SPIRIT OF ISLAY (sample the Ardbeg ‘Haar’ at all of our festivals this year) 21st May 2015 DIAGEO ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF ISLAY FESTIVAL BOTTLINGS 18th May 2015 BENROMACH LAUNCHES NEW FIFTEEN YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT EXPRESSION and lastly, if you hadn’t already heard… 23rd April 2015 BRUICHLADDICH MASTER DISTILLER JIM MCEWAN ANNOUNCES HIS RETIREMENT Jim was a major factor in Eddie’s formative whisky years and therefore I’m sure we can all raise a glass to Jim and a well-deserved retirement. Sláinte Jim! That’s all for now folks, but enjoy the weather, enjoy some drams and we hope to see you at a TWL event soon.

Sláinte,

Eddie, Amanda and Joe

The Whisky Lounge Team.

GLENFIDDICH PREMIUM AMBASSADOR NIGHT

(AND A HOST OF OTHER WHISKY TASTINGS!)

As you may have heard earlier in the week our online shop is up-and-running again, and now you can book onto our whisky tasting events right here. We have tastings ranging from an Introduction To Whisky session through to events celebrating Bourbon and Rye plus a whole load more. Most exciting of all we have teamed up with Glenfiddich, the best-selling single malt in the world, for our very first Premium Ambassador Night.

Such is the calibre of the whisky we will be sampling at this tasting, we have been politely asked not to promote the specific whiskies being presented. Needless to say, you will be sampling the cream of the crop under the expert tutelage of the celebrated tour-de-force that is Mark Thomson. To cap it all off every attendee will be presented with a complimentary bottle of the Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Gran Reserva.

Sign up here to join us for this exclusive evening.

Below you will find a selection of the other tastings we are looking forward to. If you’d like more information feel free to get in touch, we’re always happy to help.

 AD Rattray Ambassador Night

Tuesday 23rd June 2015

We have long been fans of the AD Rattray single cask bottlings and eagerly await each release with bated breath. On this evening we will be joined by their brand ambassador who will take us through their various single cask bottlings – expect the hard-to-find and unusual!

The event will be hosted at Milroy’s of Soho, beginning at 18:30 and concluding at approximately 20:00 on Tuesday 23rd June 2015. The ticket price is redeemable against a bottle of AD Rattray whisky on the evening.

BUY NOW | £15

Mackillop’s Choice Ambassador Night

Monday 6th July 2015

If there was ever an independent bottler who is so consistent in the quality of the casks they choose it has to be Mackillop’s Choice. These premium single cask bottlings are selected by Master of Wine Lorne Mackillop, and having seen his desk literally littered with samples he certainly tries enough to make a good choice! A night not to be missed for whisky purists.

The event will be hosted at Milroy’s of Soho, beginning at 18:30 and concluding at approximately 20:00 on Monday 6th July 2015. The ticket price is redeemable against a bottle of Mackillop’s Choice or Montmogerie’s whisky on the evening.

Scotland V’s The World

BUY NOW | £15

Monday 10th August 2015

Back by popular demand. Our Scotland v. The World tasting pitches the best that the Scottish can muster against whiskies from the rest of the world. Each whisk(e)y is presented blind and it will be your task to figure out where each dram originates from. There may even be a prize for the participant with the top score. Don’t worry if you are a newcomer, our staff will be talking you through the different styles produced all over the planet and will give the odd hint too!

The event will be hosted at Milroy’s of Soho, beginning at 18:30 and concluding at approximately 20:00 on Monday 10th August 2015.

BUY NOW | £35

EARLY JUNE TASTINGS & EVENTS 

New Outturn Open Tasting – 19 Greville Street – Sat 6 June   More >

Steak & Whisky Tasting – 19 Greville Street – Mon 8 June  More >

Steak and Chips Sampling Session ‘New Style’ – 28 Queen Street – Tue 9 June  More >

Afternoon Whisky & Ice Cream Tasting – The Vaults – Sat 13 June  More >

Eats, Malt and Staves – 19 Greville Street – Tue 16 June  More >

FREE ENTERTAINMENT AT THE VAULTS

Leith Jazz Festival at The Vaults >  Sat 6 & Sun 7 June

The Vaults Poker Night >  Wed 10 June

Monday Night drop-in: Sherry Cask Lovers Night >  Mon 15 June

Browse All Tastings >

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

BOTTLES FROM ALL MAJOR SCOTTISH WHISKY AREAS

AT BONHAMS JUNE SALE IN EDINBURGH

Bonhams Whisky sale in Edinburgh on 10 June features top lots from all the major whisky producing areas of Scotland.

From Islay there is an extremely rare Ardberg Guaranteed 10 year old estimated at £1,200-1,500 as well as a bottle of Bowmore-30 year old estimated at £1,200-1,400 distilled in 1963 by Morrisons and then bottled by them to mark the 30th anniversary of their acquisition of the distillery.  A bottle of Black Bowmore 1964 bottled in 1995 carries an estimate of £3,000-3,500 and a bottle of Bowmore 40 year old distilled on 22 November 1955 is expected to sell for between £4,000-6,000.

Lot 64: Bowmore 40 year old 1955

Speyside boasts a bottle of Macallan-Glenlivet 1937 at £1,200-1,500, a bottle of The Macallan 1961 at £4,500-5,500 and one of The Macallan 32 year old distilled in 1970 and bottled in 2002.  Two bottles of The Glenlivet 21 year old distilled in 1963 and bottled for the Chairman in 1984 are estimated at £1,000-1,400 each.

Lot 120: The Glenlivet 21 year old 1963

Finally, from Campbeltown come six bottles of Springbank ranging from the 50 year old to the 25 year old and taking in the 45, 40, 35 and 30 years old. Offered as a single lot the bottles carry an estimate of £5,000-7,000.

Bonhams whisky specialist, Martin Green, said: “This is a very varied sale with some fascinating rarities and interesting and valuable bottles from all over the country showing the strength in depth of whisky production in Scotland.”

NOTES

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. Today, the auction house offers more sales than any of its rivals. The main salerooms are in London, New York and Hong Kong. Sales are also held in the UK in Knightsbridge, Oxford and Edinburgh; in the US, in San Francisco and Los Angeles; in Europe, in Paris and Stuttgart and in Sydney, Australia. Bonhams also has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full listing of forthcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com.

Spend some time this Sunday with local Omaha scotch collectors!

Dundee Dell | 5007 Underwood Ave | Omaha | NE | 68132

Fathers Go Free

Fathers go free when being accompanied by one full priced adult St Georges Tour Ticket. What a better way to spend Fathers Day than a tour and tasting at St Georges Distillery. Come to the Distillery on Saturday 20th or Sunday 21st June 2015 and enjoy a buy one get one free on tours. Why not combine a tour with a walk down by the river within the beautiful grounds of St Georges Distillery? Tours run on the hour every hour between 10am and 4pm. Booking recommended but not essential. Book now on 01953 717939.

Buy your voucher today!

Personalised bottles A unique gift for all occasions and a perfect one for Fathers Day! From only £39.99 select your choice of whisky and create your own personalised label or engraved bottle with the text, logo or image of your choice. To guarantee delivery by Fathers Day, personalised label orders must be received by 16th June and engraved bottle orders by 12th June.

Click here for more information

MEMBER OFFER: EDINBURGH WHISKY SOLSTICE 2015 

The Society and The Whisky Lounge team up once more to put on an absolute belter of a day. A real summer celebration of all things whisky, proving once and for all that whisky really can be a drink for all seasons. As well as a whole carnival of whiskies, expect amazing food, a smattering of delicious ale and a light dusting of cocktails – and all in the stunning surroundings of Edinburgh’s beautiful (and normally private) Queen St Gardens.

Members get entry for two for only £50 – not to be missed!

Details & Tickets >

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

ANOTHER JAPANESE MASTERCLASS!!!

Last year we had one hell of a relaxed, unique, never ever ever ever done before Japanese masterclass. The biggest and the smallest distillery in Japan battled in one steaming Masterclass. It became one of last year’s highlights.

This year we are back with yet again an already legendary Japanese Masterclass. We proudly present the ” Shinshu MARS distillery Masterclass” hosted by Japanese Whisky, pop culture, and Japan in general expert: Niels Viveen!

We expect that you can book your Masterclasses in July. Of course only people with a Maltstock ticket can book Masterclasses.
So if you haven’t done so, don’t wait any longer. You will feel more relaxed with a Maltstock ticket.

BILLY ABBOTT – WHISKY EXCHANGE

Billy Abbott from the Whisky Exchange and Speciality Drinks will host one of the Masterclasses.

He will present some really nice expressions from their new range.

We are looking forward to these great masterclasses!! Buy one of the last available tickets. See you at Maltstock

WE ARE RUNNING OUT OF TICKETS!

We are running out of tickets! Please if you want to come to Maltstock be sure and go to our webshop fast.

Buy your ticket at our ticketshop
Be sure you buy your tickets soon, so you can look forward to going to Maltstock in a very relaxed way.

http://www.maltstock.com

Cabins
The cabins were a great success last year! This year, we sold them out within weeks.

Agenda:
25-06-2015, Blauwe Druif Nijmegen – Sietse Offringa Tasting

2ND AUCTION ENDS TODAY!

The latest auction at whisky.auction ends tomorrow from 7.30pm, so if you haven’t looked at the wide range of whiskies available, don’t miss your chance. To make it easier for bidders, each category has a different end time – this is a great way of simplifying placing your final bids, without having to bid on multiple items in a rush. These are the closing times for each category:

• 7.30pm – Books, jugs, memorabilia and miniatures
• 7.40pm – American, blends, grains, Irish, other whisky and fine spirits
• 7.50pm – Japanese
• 8pm – Islands
• 8.10pm – Lowland
• 8.20pm – Highland
• 8.30pm – Speyside
• 8.40pm – Campbeltown
• 8.50pm – Islay

Highlights from the current whisky.auction:

• Johnnie Walker Celebration Blend 1805 – currently leading the auction, with many Japanese whiskies hot on its heels
• there are plenty of Port Ellen bottles, with some at low prices
• from Highland Park, we have the 40 Year Old and a 1957 Berry Bros & Rudd bottling
• don’t miss out on The Macallan, and the American whiskey selection
• plenty of miniatures, available including The Macallan in Linley Miniatures Trinket Box, Glenfarclas Coronation 1953 and the extended old blends selection
• finally, if you’re looking for everyday drinking whiskies, we have many releases from the 1980s – a great opportunity to explore a style of whisky that is hard to find.

Our next auction will start on Monday 29 June – If you have bottles to sell, don’t hesitate to get in touch.