First Ever Whisky Tasting via Facebook Oversubscribed

Demand dramatically outstripped supply when Isle of Arran Distillery offered its global followers the chance a whisky tasting via facebook-believed to be the first time the social media channel has been used in this way.

On Wednesday 26th November, Isle of Arran Distillery enthusiasts from across the globe will gather online simultaneously to sample several expression of the Arran Malt.

Hundreds people applied for one of 24 tasting packs which include the popular 10 and 14 Year-old Single Malts plus two special drams selected by Master Distiller James MacTaggart. Both of these secret drams have yet to be released to the public and will be an exclusive to this event.

With applicants from as far afield as Canada, Australia and Japan, the popularity of the tasting demonstrates just how highly regarded Isle of Arran whiskies have become worldwide.

Managing director, Euan Mitchell said, “Over the past few years, we’ve seen a surge in interest in our whiskies. Our White Stag Club, which is a thriving online community of brand enthusiasts is always buzzing with discussion about our malts, so after a couple of animated and enjoyable twitter tastings, we wanted to try something new to further encourage our international ambassadors to engage with the distillery and share their love of our drams.”

On the 26^th all comments will be hosted on a single thread on the Arran Facebook page with each dram introduced individually through the evening. James MacTaggart will be hosting and helping to answer comments and add his own impressions.

The tasting will being at 7:30pm GMT and those who weren’t successful in the draw for tasting packs are encouraged to join in with their own bottles of 10 or 14 year-old Malts.

Notes:

For more information visit http://www.arranwhisky.com/

 Accolades for Isle of Arran Distillery include Winner for: Best New Exporter (2004), Queen’s Award for International Trade (2005), Scottish Distiller of the Year (2007) and Scottish Drinks Producer of the Year (2007.)

Product awards include: Best Whisky Liqueur (2007), ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 12 Years & Under’ for The Arran Malt Amarone Cask Finish (2008) ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for The Arran Malt Sherry Single Cask 1998 (2010) and ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for the Icons of Arran Peacock (2011.) ‘Double Gold Award’ for Arran’s 14 Year Old Single Malt and ‘Gold Award’ for Arran’s 10 Year Old Single Malt at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2012). Double Gold in FiftyBest.com awards (2012). Double Gold Medal for the 12 year-old Cask Strength in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2013). Double Gold for both the 10 year-old and 12 year-old Cask Strength at the China Wine & Spirits Best Value Awards (2014).

November 2014 Release – Springbank 12 y/old Green & Rare Springbank 25 y/old

As we have been saying for some time now Springbank are releasing a new 12 year old expression called Springbank Green. It’s an organic barley but we hope you will find it’s the best of its kind on the market with its distinctly rich aroma of soft peat smoke being a notable difference to other Springbanks of the same age.

The second and no doubt most anticipated is the rather rare Springbank 25 year old matured in Sherry & Bourbon casks then for the last few months married in a port wine cask. Only 180 bottles in the UK

Whisky Tasting & The 2014 Chiltern Street open evening 27.11.2014 12 noon – 9pm

We will be marking the beginning of the Chiltern Street Christmas season with another open day tasting session.

We will have some of our favourites open as one would expect such as The Tasting Room London’s favourite Miltonduff 20 & Clynelish 24. We will also have a very limited supply of Springbanks January 2015 special release of 17 Year Old Sherry Cask and depending on availability Springbank Green.

Also at this tasting we hope to have some of the Macallan Malts available so we can help you discover the new range from one of the worlds most iconic distilleries.

The whole of Chiltern Street will be hosting sampler events or meet and greet sessions so you can discover the amazing variety of shops in our neighbourhood. I am sure a lot of you will have seen or read about Chiltern St being the coolest place in London as celebrity after celebrity has been photographed arriving or leaving Chiltern Fire House, The top restaurant and boutique hotel in the masterfully restored Fire Station across the road from our store.

WHISKY TASTING

At Cadenhead’s Whisky Shop & Tasting Room London

If you wish to attend one of our tasting sessions in 2015 then you can buy a tasting voucher online for yourself or as a gift.

Once your ready to book then simply call us on 0207 935 6999 to check availability and give us the vouchers unique number.

Visit The web site for info and to buy vouchers

Paul John prize draw winner, and more competitions to come…

As mentioned on the blog previously, we’ve recently run a prize draw with our friends at Paul John: everyone who bought a bottle of Edited, Brilliance, Peated Selected Cask or the Classic Select Cask was entered into a draw to win a £500 shopping trip on The Whisky Exchange website. Our trusty random number generator was fired up and a winner chosen.

Paul John prize draw winner, Mags Brolly

We’d like to congratulate Mags Brolly of north London on winning the prize, and also on her excellent choice in festive spirits, including another bottle of Paul John whisky.

It’s not our only prize draw – we are giving away bottles of Grey Goose vodka and Rémy Martin XO Excellence Cognac, and a huge £1,000 shopping voucher giveaway in conjunction with the folks at Chivas Brothers is now up on the site. Click through those links to find out how to enter, and keep an eye on The Whisky Exchange website, as we’ve got even more up our sleeves…

A Bowmore Whisky Tasting
26th November at 7.00pm

A taste of Islay, accompanied by Oysters and Chocolate!

As the winter months close in on us quicker than ever, we are very excited to hold a Bowmore Whisky tasting presented by UK Brand Ambassador for Bowmore, Jane Ashley.

We will be tasting 6 glorious drams from Bowmore in the 16th Century cellars at Nickolls & Perks.

We are also giving you whisky drammers the chance to taste the 10 year old Devil’s cask release from Bowmore, yes that dram is devlishly hard to get your hands on indeed! Selling out in a matter of hours.

Starts 7.00pm

Whiskies on Taste:

Bowmore 12 Year Old
Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest
Bowmore 18 Year Old
Bowmore Tempest Cask Strength Batch 5
Bowmore 10 Year Old Devil’s Cask Batch 2!
Bowmore 16 year old 1990 Sherry Matured 53.8 %

Starts 7.00 pm N&P Cellars
Email us for further details
Tickets just £20.00 each. Click here to buy now

Just Whisky Auction Ends Sunday at 8PM. You are invited to log in and bid, in what is their best auction so far. 

Happy Bidding: www.just-whisky.co.uk

Hands-on Whiskey Distilling Workshop

with Jordan Via, Breckenridge Distillery and Nancy Fraley, Sensory Analysis December 7 – 12, 2014 Gig Harbor, Washington

This hands-on class takes place at Heritage Distilling Co. in Gig Harbor, WA, and covers the fundamentals of whiskey distilling. Participants will be able to smell and taste new make spirit as it is being distilled.

Topics include mash preparation, basics of fermentation and wash production, anatomy of a still, mechanics of distillation (stripping and spirit runs), making the cuts, barrel maturation, proofing, and bottling.

Attendees will make new spirit on the six small teaching stills at Heritage Distilling Co. and take home a bottle of new-made whiskey.

For detailed information, including cost and hotel accommodations, click here

A unique afternoon of Whisky Tasting hosted by two generations of Robbie’s Drams Managers. Tickets Event Only

ONLY A FEW SPACES LEFT!

A Drop o’ cheer is a special Christmas Whisky tasting event hosted by Robbie’s Drams of Ayr. This will feature 6 whiskies of different styles from across Scotland, in an informal but informative style. Explaining the history of Scotland’s National drink, its production, the heritage of each whisky being tasted and what influences result in the wonderful array of flavours exhibited. This event is part of a special Christmas in Ayr Switch On Weekend. Sunday 16th November 3pm-5pm Loudoun Hall Ayr Price: £20 per person

Tickets available in-store only.

Wednesday November 12th, 2014

Join us for

Free Duncan Taylor Tasting

Try a Single Malt Scotch Whiskies from a variety of regions

Wednesday
Nov.12, 2014
From 4pm to 7pm

The Whisky Shop
360 Sutter St
San Francisco, CA 94109

Ballantine’s Twitter Tasting November 19th 19:30 GMT

Join the conversation! #BallantinesTT

Spiritual Experience 

Gordon’s Fine Wines & Liquors is hosting its annual full-store spirits tasting on Saturday, November 15 at the Main St. location in Waltham, MA. We will have tables set up all around the store with a plethora of whisk(e)ys from around the world along with a phenomenal selection of rums, brandies, cognacs and gins. If you are looking to expand your palate and try something you’ve never had before please join us from 3-5pm. The event is free!

You’ll can a chance to taste:

The Midleton Very Rare, easily one of the best whiskeys in the world

The Glenmorangie Signet, with its incredible roasted barley flavors

Along with many others.