The best whisky in the world? You be the judge!

Only 2 more sleeps to this year’s Spirit of Toronto and if you’ve been wondering if indeed Japan makes the best whisky in the world, you’ll have the opportunity to find out first hand when we open the Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013 at 8pm at our Japanese whisky stand.

In fact, if you’ve any interest in expanding your liquid horizons you won’t want to miss this year’s edition set to feature the very best Canada has to offer from our native grains; a selection of 18 artisanal rums from the West Indies Rum & Spirits Producers Association; and a number of new releases including Craigellachie and Aultmore courtesy of Bacardi Canada, Evan Williams Bottled in Bond, the LCBO Whisky Shop presentation of Oban Little Bay, as well as new offerings from Jameson, Glenlivet and Bunnahabhain.

And we are beyond excited for guests to experience Japanese whisky served mizuwari at our SUSHI + SPIRIT pop-up bar. This elaborate preparation mimics the Japanese tea ceremony and features whisky stirred on ice 13 1/2 times then stirred again 3 1/2 times once water has been added. Our sushi chefs will be offering an array of authentically prepared maki and nigiri so that you can properly experience Japan’s most sublime food and drink pairing.

As usual our prime rib and delectable hot and cold table d’hote will keep the hunger pangs at bay. When you’re feeling thirsty please remember that cocktails are now being served on the Mezzanine level, directly underneath the Hall’s glass canopy.

A Change to the Masterclass Schedule…

Regretfully the presenter for The Glenrothes class in the Studio at 7pm has had to cancel, but we are pleased to have Phil and Simon Thompson of the Dornoch Castle Hotel step into these shoes to present “A Highland Fling at the Dornoch Castle Hotel”. This will be a true insider’s tour of the Northern Highlands, with hand-filled, single cask bottlings from some of their favourite distilleries including Clynelish, Ord and Pulteney from an ex-Laphroaig cask!

As always, seating in the 7pm and 8:30pm masterclasses are only reserved until 5 minutes before the start of class. Any no-shows will then be assigned to patrons on a stand-by basis, so please check with the usher in the South Lobby to see if any spots have come available.

Some last minute reminders…

A few things to note, particularly if you’re joining us for the first time:

• Should you have been fortunate enough to reserve a masterclass, please do not be late. Empty seats will be allocated by the ushers 5 minutes before class starts.
• Blender’s Malt Whisky Glasses: these will be for sale at the show, $10 apiece or a box of 6 glasses for $50 (cash sales only)
• Please don’t lose your glass; better still, take advantage of our branded lanyard as pictured, designed to free your hands and secure your glass at all times. Available at a cost of $10 (cash only) throughout the night at the coat check counter.

Dear Society Members,

As promised, I’m sending over some updated information on the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2015. There are still a couple of things to add/confirm but this is the general plan of action for the festival:

Wednesday 20th May

Glen Scotia will be holding an Open Day on the first day of the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2015 (Wednesday 20th May). Below is a taste of what you can expect:

• Two tastings during the day:

            * 11.15am: Tasting with Distillery Shop Manager Shannon Brodie in the newly refurbished shop – £10 per person // Maximum of 10 people

            * 2.30pm: Warehouse Tasting with Distillery Manager Iain McAlister – £20 per person // Maximum of 20 people

• Tours running at 10am, 12pm & 3pm – 15 people per tour
• Launch of the Glen Scotia Distillery Edition first release at festival, only available at the shop and not online
• Sampling of local food
• Cooper demonstrations throughout the day

Glen Scotia have mentioned that they may add in more and will also be open for tours on the Thursday and Friday. Please contact Glen Scotia directly to book tickets or for more information. You can call them on +44 (0) 1586 55 2288.

As you already know, we will also be holding a Society Tasting at 1pm on the Wednesday afternoon and a Warehouse Dinner at 7pm on the Wednesday evening. Both events are now fully booked.

In the evening, some local hotels will also be hosting whisky related dinners for visitors who will not be attending our Warehouse Dinner. The Craigard Hotel and Royal Hotel have already confirmed their involvement and I am hopeful that a third hotel will also host a dinner. Once I have this confirmed and have menus, I will email them over to you all and give you information on how to book.

Also on the Wednesday evening, one of the local pubs will be holding a Whisky Quiz for you to test your knowledge and find out how much you really know about Scotland’s finest beverage! The quiz will take place in Whisky Macs at 9.30pm. Teams of up to 6 people will be accepted and it will be free to enter. Our very own ‘Whisky Geek’, Mark Watt, will be making up the questions so make sure you scrub up on your whisky facts beforehand!!

Thursday 21st May

As you are aware, Thursday will be the annual Springbank Open Day which will run in a similar style to previous years. Events will be kicking off in the distillery yard at 11am and there will be various activities taking place throughout the day and evening.

From 11am-5pm there will be:

• A range of masterclasses and warehouse tastings as follows:

            * 12pm // Kilkerran Masterclass with Jenny Karlsson

            * 12.30pm // The Distillery Manager’s Springbank Warehouse Tasting (SOLD OUT)

            * 1.30pm // Springbank Masterclass with Ranald and guests

            * 2.30pm // The Distillery Manager’s Springbank Warehouse Tasting

            * 3pm // Cadenhead Masterclass with Mark Watt and Martin Mccallum

            * 4.30pm // The Distillery Manager’s Springbank Warehouse Tasting (SOLD OUT)

Each masterclass costs £25.00 per person which includes a Glencairn glass and each is limited to 60 people  //  Each Springbank Warehouse Tasting costs £20.00 per person (4 drams) and each is limited to 25 people.

• Free distillery tours throughout the day
• Two special Springbank Open Day bottlings
• A selection of over 20 stalls from local businesses
• The popular Warehouse Whisky Bar – £5 for 5 drams
• Fyne Ales
• Music from local musicians
• Hot Food and Cakes

From 5.30pm-9.30pm there will be:

• Live Music in the yard
• Food & Drinks tent selling a selection of whisky, spirits and Fyne Ales
• The return of the popular ‘Spooks Tour’ around the distillery warehouses which is sure to be scarier than ever!!

Friday 22nd May

As you already know, we will have two Cadenhead Warehouse Tastings taking place on the Friday, details are:

            * 12pm:   Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting with Mark Watt  (ONLY 2 PLACES LEFT)

            * 3pm:   Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting with Mark Watt  (ONLY 9 PLACES LEFT)

Each Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting costs £25.00 per person (6 drams) and is limited to 25 people.

Also on the Friday, there will be some walking tours of Campbeltown. The tours are organised by the Campbeltown Heritage Trail Group who deliver guided Historic and Architectural walking tours around Campbeltown in the Summer months. The tours are very interesting and give a great insight into Campbeltown’s historic past, its rich heritage, its people and its stories as well as gaining an insight into some of Campbeltown’s finest buildings and their history. The following tours have been organised for Friday 22nd May:

            * 11am: Architecture Tour with David McEwan

            * 2pm: – Heritage Tour with Alex McKinven

The trail was set up in 2010 and is made up of local volunteers who deliver the tours free of charge for the public. The tours last approximately one hour and cover the main aspects of Campbeltown’s history. Booking in advance is essential so if you would like to join either of the tours then please email me to mairi@springbankwhisky.com to secure your place.

After the tour, you will return to Cadenhead’s Whisky Shop for a couple of drams. The shop is currently undergoing some exciting renovations so fingers crossed this will be ready for the festival!

We had also planned to have some boat trips taking place on the Friday but unfortunately plans for this have had to be put on hold for the time being. Campbeltown is in the process of having a new marina fitted and the date for completion has just been moved back to the 28th of May (just typical!!) I was only told about this issue YESTERDAY which has put a big spanner in our plans! We are sharing ideas on alternative plans for the Friday so will let you know ASAP when these have been confirmed.

That’s all for now but I will give you more information as soon as I have it!

I know some of you are still waiting on a reply from recent emails so hopefully I will manage to get back to most of you next week. Thank you once again for your patience and have a great weekend!

Sláinte,

Mairi

Mairi Paterson

For the Springbank Society

To join the Springbank Society please contact them at

society@springbankwhisky.com

Auction is now live folks. Enjoy.

THE 49th AUCTION

Kind regards from Glasgow – The SWA Team

Ladies and Gentlemen are cordially invited to enjoy a connoisseur’s evening featuring rare & exceptional single malt, Scotch and unique whiskies from around the world. The evening includes unlimited tastings, epicurean food, a selection of premium imported cigars for our guests’ later enjoyment, souvenir snifter glass and much more. The Whisky Extravaganza brings the discerning enthusiast the opportunity to sample the participating whiskies in a sophisticated and elegant environment with genuine camaraderie and knowledgeable representatives from each participating distillery.

The Whisky Extravaganza has kindly offered Whisky Intelligence readers a 10% discount on tickets to the Extravaganza.

Please the promotional code “EXTD2015″. You man purchase tickets directly from the link here and by visiting www.thewhiskyextravaganza.com or by calling 800.990.1991.

All events from 6:30pm-9:00pm. Registration begins at 6:30pm.

Houston – Wednesday, April 29, 2015

The Royal Sonesta Houston

2222 West Loop South

Houston, TX 77027

Dallas – Friday, May 1, 2015

The Intercontinental Dallas

15201 Dallas Parkway

Dallas, TX 75001

Denver – Wednesday, May 6, 2015

The Brown Palace Hotel

321 17th Street

Denver, CO 80202

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

Our April auction is now live and ends on Monday 4^th May 2015!

View April Auction

We’ve barely finished March’s record breaking auction and April’s is all set ready to go. Once again we have some stupendous highlights, including the galactically themed Dalmore 40 Year Old Astrum, which could actually be from a different planet… 

This Brora 22 Year Old Rare Malt, was lucky enough to be distilled in the infamous year of 1972. A rare piece of the legacy left from the distillery which ceased production in 1983. 

As well as a fully boxed Flora and Fauna Collection we are also incredibly privileged to have the complete Flora and Fauna Cask Strength Collection . Bottled in 1997 and complete with blue cardboard boxes, this is an especially rare set. 

Two single casks from the long lost Japanese grain distillery, Kawasaki make an appearance in this month’s auction. Chosen and bottled by Ichiro Akuto these rare whiskies come from 1976 and 1981.

Please remember!

There is no registration fee, our commission structure is very competitive and we offer worldwide shipping. For our terms and conditions please click here.

With over 15 years of experience in the whisky industry, Whisky Auctioneer specialises in auctioning whisky whether it be fine, old, rare, collectable or affordable. Formed in 2013 and based in Perth, central Scotland, we aim to be the most comprehensive website for the buying and selling of whisky online.

http://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/

Happy Bidding!

The Nth 2016 Ultimate Whisky Experience

March 2-5, 2016

Save the date:6th annual Nth Whisky Show in Las Vegas will be an unparalleled event.

Bigger and better than ever. Mark your calendars for March 2-5, 2016.

THE WEEK’S EVENTS

New Member Tasting >  19 Greville St, London – Tue 28 Apr

Designed to welcome new members, this tasting evening is perfect for getting to know you and sharing our knowledge and passion for single cask whisky

New List & Cheese Tasting > 28 Queen Street, Edinburgh – Tue 28 Apr

Teaming up with famous Scottish Cheesemonger, Ian Mellis, we breath new life into this old favourite and match 5 Society drams to an exquisite range of fine cheese

New List Open Tasting >  19 Greville St, London – Sat 2 May

Your chance to sample 5 drams from the new list with a selection of artisan cheeses

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

Ladies and Gentlemen are cordially invited to enjoy a connoisseur’s evening featuring rare & exceptional single malt, Scotch and unique whiskies from around the world. The evening includes unlimited tastings, epicurean food, a selection of premium imported cigars for our guests’ later enjoyment, souvenir snifter glass and much more. The Whisky Extravaganza brings the discerning enthusiast the opportunity to sample the participating whiskies in a sophisticated and elegant environment with genuine camaraderie and knowledgeable representatives from each participating distillery.

The Whisky Extravaganza has kindly offered Whisky Intelligence readers a 10% discount on tickets to the Extravaganza.

Please the promotional code “EXTD2015″. You man purchase tickets directly from the link here and by visiting www.thewhiskyextravaganza.com or by calling 800.990.1991.

All events from 6:30pm-9:00pm. Registration begins at 6:30pm.

Houston – Wednesday, April 29, 2015

The Royal Sonesta Houston

2222 West Loop South

Houston, TX 77027

Dallas – Friday, May 1, 2015

The Intercontinental Dallas

15201 Dallas Parkway

Dallas, TX 75001

Denver – Wednesday, May 6, 2015

The Brown Palace Hotel

321 17th Street

Denver, CO 80202

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE

For centuries, two things have kept the peace in the Highlands of Scotland: One, the sweet nectar running off the crofter’s stills and two a good punch in the face. For one night only, these two pacifying forces will be in London for your tasting and viewing entertainment.

‘Simply Whisky Fight Night’ is a unique and unmissable event where two whisky industry personalities show off their rival whiskies in a series of 3 rounds.  With 6 dynamite whiskies to try in a blind tasting format, the audience decide the victor…it all comes down to taste.  The overall winner of the 3 rounds wins the ‘Simply Whisky Fight Night’ battle belt, the adoration of the audience and stays on to face their next challenger.

Join us on Wednesday 29 April at The Gallery in Vinopolis, London for this special evening of boxing ring-bound whisky tasting, as Dr Sam Simmons from The Balvenie (the returning champ) takes on Dr Bill ‘The Bruiser’ Lumsden from The Glenmorangie, for a no-holds barred whisky battle of wits, wisdom and wicked throw-down’s.  Doors open at 6:45pm.  You can get your tickets from http://www.whiskyfightnight.com/. There are still a few spaces left, but they will sell out before the show, so don’t wait too long. The evening starts with Douglas Laing whisky cocktails to fire the spirit!

Gordon’s Fine Wines & Liquors is hosting a Van Winkle and American whiskey tasting at our Main St. Location (894 Main St. Waltham, MA) on May 2nd from 12:00pm to 3:00pm in honor of the 141st Kentucky Derby. The tasting is free but you must reserve a ticket to taste the Van Winkle. We will have open 2008-2012 bottles of Van Winkle 10 and 12 year old. We will be sampling Sazerac Rye 6 year, Stag Jr., Whistle Pig Boss Hog, Whistle Pig Old World and many more whiskeys. Go to barrelsandkilts.com to reserve your spot.