THE GLORIOUS RAMMY RETURNS TO LEAD HOMECOMING SCOTLAND’S WHISKY MONTH

The Edinburgh Whisky Stramash is returning to Scotland’s capital in May to lead a programme of events as part of Homecoming Scotland’s Whisky Month. 

Celebrating Scotland’s national drink, the two-day experiential event, which takes place on 24^th and 25^th May, will once again take over the famous Surgeon’s Hall in the heart of the city’s historic Old Town. 

Designed to appeal to consumers with an appetite for adventure, as well as whisky purists open to intrigue, Whisky Stramash will bring whisky inspired fun and frivolity to Edinburgh, with high-jinx character and thought-provoking activities.  Big name brands including The Dalmore, Isle of Jura, Dewars  and Glenfiddich, as well as small independents within the industry, are already signed up to showcase their whiskies in their own inimitable style. 

Not your average whisky event, the Whisky Stramash has attracted over 4,000 whisky lovers from across the globe since its launch in 2012, and is devoted to bringing whisky to the masses in its own unconventional way.  It showcases new ways to enjoy whisky with madcap molecular mixology stations as well as bring famous whisky brands to life with immersive and interactive experiences.  

Scott Martin, founding partner, Whisky Stramash commented:

“Whisky is a core part of our Scottish heritage that has been enjoyed for hundreds of years and we are privileged to have been selected to lead the celebrations throughout Scotland this year.  What started out as a boutique event organised by myself and Darroch Ramsay has very quickly grown into a world-class celebration of our national drink, with a whole month of events now devoted to it. 

“We are working closely this year with some exciting whisky brands to ensure this year’s event will be our best yet, with plenty of imagination, ridiculous secrecy, and our signature modern take on good old fashioned fun, bringing whisky into the modern-day world.” 

Tickets are on sale now from Ticketsoup. Ticket prices are £26 per person. 

Event session times: 12:00, 17:00
Price: £26.00
Event Tel: 0844 481 8898 

NOTES TO EDITORS

• Established in 2012, The Whisky Stramash is organised by founding partners Darroch Ramsay and Scott Martin
• In 2013 the event attracted 2,400 attendees over two days (Male 60% / Female 40%)
• Since it was founded in 2012, the event has attracted visitors from all over the world including Iceland
• The male average age was 36 years, and female 34 years

The North American Whisky Dinner Tuesday March 25th 

On Tuesday, March 25th, we will be hosting another whisky pairing dinner. This time around we have Brown-Forman’s Western Canada Brand Ambassador for dinner, Ryan Cheverie. Brown-Forman is one of the worlds leading whiskey producers. Ryan represents such iconic whiskey brands as Woodford Reserve, Jack Daniels and Collingwood. Ryan spends his time conducting whiskey master classes throughout western Canada and can be found at all of our whisky festivals.

We will be challenging our kitchen team to once again pair 5 whiskies with 5 dishes. The team is talented and the whiskies exceptional so join us to see how it all works out. A bit southern perhaps?

Join us on Tuesday March 25th at 7pm for a great evening of whiskey and food with Ryan Cheverie down at The Kitchen.

Please make arrangements for a safe ride home! 

The cost for this event is only $60 + gst and gratuity and is open to only 25 people! click here to register

Differing Wood Effects Thursday 20.03.14 £28/25* 7.30pm Kilderkin, 65 Canongate, Royal Mile Edinburgh

There will an accompanying glass of each of the original contents of the casks.

Springbank Gaja Barolo 9yo (4y refill + 5y fresh) 54.7% 02/04 – 10/13 11,000 bottles

Springbank Bourbon hogsheads & barrels 12yo 58.5% 12/91 – 02/04 5,986 bottles

Springbank Marsala 9yo (7y refill + 2y fresh) 58.0% 10/96 – 08/06 7,740 bottles

Springbank rum hogsheads and barrels 12yo 54.6% 89 – 04/02 5,700 bottles

Springbank port 14yo (12y refill + 2y fresh) 52.8% 89 – 09/04 7,200 bottles 

*£3 discount for first timers or members- membership costs £10 for 13 months

Tickets via www.jollytopertastings.co.uk

Arran & Campbeltown Whisky Classic

4-night cruise departing from Holy Loch, Dunoon

What better way to explore the whiskies of Scotland that from the sea? This 4- night cruise will take you to visit the actual distilleries of Arran and Campbeltown, while onboard you will learn and discover the secrets and flavours of the whiskies of Scotland’s Islands.  This short cruise takes place in October when the Scottish colours are at their most vibrant and at one of the best times to spot the rare wildlife that lives in the area.  Our onboard chef prepares all meals using fresh local produce sourcing the highest quality Argyll beef, venison, salmon, seafood and of course haggis!

The actual itinerary will depend on weather and tide conditions with these planned highlights

Drop anchor in the Kyles of Bute for a dinner on board of the best Argyll produce in a spectacular maritime setting.  An onboard whisky tasting explores the importance of peat and the different regimes which provide the depth, mouth feel and complexity to these unique whiskies.

Tour the award winning Arran Distillery, one of last remaining independent Scottish Single Malt Distilleries and taste the whiskies produced there.

An onboard exploration of the key role that wood management plays in the Single Malt industry with a tasting focusing on different wood finishes.  The session finishes with a blind tasting where guests are challenged to match casks with whiskies.

Visit Broddick on Arran, the heart of Arran local produce, with the option to visit the Arran Brewery, the fish smokery, Creelers of Arran and Isle of Arran Cheese.  Also on offer is a visit to Arran Aromatics and fabulous Brodick Castle.

Visit Scotland’s oldest family owned, independent distillery, Springbank, in Campbeltown on the Mull of Kintyre. Springbank is the only distillery to carry out the full production process on one site.  They use traditional production methods throughout and the result is the most hand made whisky is Scotland. We enjoy a private tour of the distillery before having a tasting which focuses on Springbank and it’s twoother single malts, namely Longrow and Hazelburn.

An evening onboard tasting centred around the importance of water.  We use water from 3 different locations around Scotland to show the difference that using localized water can have in unlocking new flavour profiles and highlighting certain key flavours in these island Whiskies

Your final night on board is a traditional Scottish Feast with each course being matched to a different whisky.  Each whisky and distillery is discussed as they are tasted…

E-mail: info@caledoniacruises.com
Phone: +46 722 06 94 88

Pride of the Whisky Isles 6-night private charter

Our 6-night “Pride of the Whisky Isles” Cruise takes in 5 distilleries where some of the world’s most legendary and smokiest malts are created. Whisky tastings of a further range of Scottish malt whiskies aboard the vessel complete an exclusive whisky experience while enjoying spectacular Scottish scenery and gourmet local food to complement the whiskies. This cruise can be booked for charter groups of up to ten guests with a flexible itinerary to reflect the interests and wishes of those onboard. Visits to non-whisky attractions can be built into the tour such as a walk to Kildalton Cross, a visit to the Islay Woollen Mill, Birdwatching at Loch Gruinart Nature Reserve, or a visit Finlaggan, home of Lord of the Isles.  We can also provide trout fishing trips.

Typical highlights on offer

Cruise to the “Isles of the Sea”, namely the Garvellachs, via the Firth of Lorne. These islands are rich in ancient history with monastic ruins dating back to the Norse invasions.  A carved stone marks the burial site of St Columba’s mother. Our anchorage provides an idyllic scenic backdrop to the evening’s whisky tasting.  A “Whisky Tour of Scotland” will taste the best whiskies from each region matched with some of the finest Scottish smoked salmon.

The option of an onshore trip to the Garvellachs, to soak up the spiritual atmosphere and visit some of the well-preserved monastic remains.

Steam to the mouth of Corryvreckan, Europe’s largest whirlpool, and the name of one of Ardbeg’s most explosive whiskies.

Cruise the eastern shores of Jura, enjoying the rugged and wild coastline famous for its herds of red deer. From the sheltered anchorage of Craighouse, go ashore for a tour of the Isle of Jura distillery.  Dine on hand-dived, local scallops which are a great pairing with Jura’s flagship whisky, Origin.

Follow the southern coastline of Jura for Port Ellen on Islay. Go ashore for a distillery tour and tasting at Islay’s oldest distillery, Bowmore.  This distillery is extremely special not only because of the smooth, balanced single malt it produces but it also has the oldest maturation warehouse in Scotland and is the only one below sea level.

Guests have the option of a one-way walk along the shores of Loch Indaal between the Bowmore and Bruichladdich Distilleries, to be picked up by tender en route.

A distillery tour and tasting at Bruichladdich, home to the Octomore range, the world’s smokiest whisky. It is also home to Islay’s award winning Botanist Gin.

Experience a celebration of smoke with tours at both Laphroaig and Ardbeg distilleries. Laphroaig Distillery is one of the few distilleries to still do their own maltings.  Ardbeg, is Islay’s ultimate Single Malt, winning Whisky of the Year three years in a row, an honour no other distillery has achieved.  Their whiskies have been described as ‘perfection on a palate’.

Cruise the Sound of Islay with stunning views of the Paps of Jura to reach an anchorage in one of the most scenic and remote areas of the Inner Hebrides, west Loch Tarbet on Jura. Go ashore to explore some of Britain’s finest examples of raised beaches before cruising the west coast of Jura, passing through Corryvreckan. Weather permitting we anchor in  ‘Bagh Gleann nam muc’ a bay in the entrance to the whirlpool on its western approach and enjoy a trip ashore exploring  numerous caves and watch black goats precariously scramble the cliffs.

An evening’s whisky tasting of the Pride of the Isles presents a selection of whiskies from the Islands and matches them with a selection of Island cheeses.

Cruising the Sound of Luing, anchor on the southern end of Kerrera, opposite the picturesque setting of Gylen Castle.  Guests have the option of a one-way walk to the north end of the Island to be collected by tender.

The final dinner on board is a traditional Burns Supper followed by a blind tasting where guests are challenged to recognise some of the whiskies tasted during the cruise.

It is also possible to factor in an independent visit to Oban distillery, Scotland’s smallest and oldest distilleries established in 1794, before or after the cruise.

Gordon & MacPhail, bottlers of
Single-Malt Scotch
Tasting on Thursday, March 20th 2014
4:30 PM and again at 6:00 PM

Gary Kiemach will be joining us from Gordon & MacPhail to conduct two tastings in the store next week. The first session will be at 4:30 and it will be repeated at 6:00. Please try to be prompt. We will list the malts to be tasted on the website shortly and a subsequent email will go out to the scotch list. The malts will be very good and we will highlight one of my favorite distilleries of Speyside.

Len Rothenberg
Federal Wine & Spirits
________________________________________
Email: info@federalwine.com
Phone: (617) 367-8605
Web: http://www.federalwine.com/

April Outturn Tasting – Victoria

4 April 2014

at The Strath Ale, Wine & Spirit Merchants, 919 Douglas Street

6:30pm 

Another great Outturn is coming!  Join us for eight delicious single cask, one-of-a-kind drams! Curious? Sign up now before it sells out!

Please join Colin and Rick at The Strath for what promises to be a night of great company, delicious food and delectable drams!

$35 for SMWS members ($45 for non-members)

The Strath Ale, Wine & Spirit Merchants
919 Douglas Street
Victoria, BC
V8W 2C2

whisky@strathconahotel.com

Phone 250.370.9463
Twitter @TheStrath

New Website Now Launched

Event registration now open!

World Whisky Day – Saturday 17th May 2014 

We are delighted to announce that the first phase of the new World Whisky Day website is now LIVE.
 
We will be adding lots of new sections to the website too as we get closer to the big day. We have lots more exciting plans and competitions in the run up to World Whisky Day so watch this space.

Get in the spirit, mark the date in your diary and let’s raise a dram to World Whisky Day 2014.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT NEW WEBSITE
www.worldwhiskyday.com

If you want to discuss your plans or find out more about getting involved then please email info@worldwhiskyday.com or call +44 (0)131 208 2582.

Kind regards,
Blair Bowman

Founder
World Whisky Day
www.worldwhiskyday.com
 

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and very exciting competitions.

Shortlist Announced for Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Whisky Awards

A mouthwatering competition has been set up in the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Whisky Awards, with eight of the region’s finest malts set to battle it out for honours in the eagerly anticipated annual contest.

A judging panel comprising industry leaders, acclaimed writers and specialist retailers whittled down 46 entries at a blind tasting event at the Knockomie Hotel in Forres this week before finally settling on their finalists in four categories.

And now that the experts have shortlisted the final drams, the power of determining the overall winners will be handed over to visitors to the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival. A series of roving judging sessions at which festival-goers will get to blind taste all of the shortlisted entries is being staged during the Festival, which takes place from May 1 to 5.

Ben Riach 12-year-old and Knockando12-year-old will go head to head in the 12-year-old and under category, while the Balvenie 15-year-old and the Singleton of Dufftown 18-year-old will compete in the section for malts aged 13 to 20 years.

In the 21-year-old and over category, the finalists are Glenfarclas 30-year-old and Cardhu 21-year-old, while in the section for distillery special editions Tamdhu 10-year-old will go up against the Glenfarclas 25 years old single cask bottling; Glenfarclas 1988 Cask 4966.

The awards are sponsored by coppersmiths Forsyths of Rothes – the company responsible for building many of the pot stills in which the shortlisted single malts were distilled.

James Campbell, chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, says, “In some ways it must be a dream job for our expert panel to spend a day nosing and judging such high quality Scotch malt whiskies, but on the other hand they face an immensely difficult challenge. The whisky produced on Speyside is among the best in the world – deciding which entries are worthy of making the final is an almost impossible task.”

Whisky writer Penny Ellis, a director of the Festival who also organises the awards, adds, “This is the only whisky awards in the world where the power to decide the overall winners is handed over to members of the public. However, the Festival is all about people: the people with the passion that drives production of our malt whisky, and the people who are passionate supporters of our national drink.

“The roving judging sessions are a great opportunity for our visitors to also take the blind taste test, and for them to sample some of the best whiskies that Speyside has to offer. Visitors may have their own favourite malt, but tasting it blind means that they cannot be influenced by presentation or brand loyalty – all they have to go on is smell and taste.”

 The roving judging sessions take place at Ugie House Hotel, Keith on April 25; Glenfiddich Distillery, Dufftown on April 30; The Drouthy Cobbler, Elgin on May 1; Aberlour Hotel, Aberlour, Richmond Memorial Hall, Tomintoul and Macdonald Aviemore Highland Resort on May 2; Stuart Arms, Dufftown and Rothes Social Club on May 3; and Forsyths Coppersmiths, Rothes on May 4.

The final judging session and awards prize-giving will take place – along with a ceilidh – at Glen Grant Distillery in Rothes on May 4.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, which is now in its 15^th year, takes place at venues across the region, which is widely regarded as the spiritual home of the Scotch whisky industry. A signature event for Homecoming 2014, it will start Whisky Month – a four week national celebration of Scotland’s world class food and drink.

It will also launch a brand new event this year – The Spirit of Speyside Sessions – which aims to put to spotlight on the area’s traditional music heritage with concerts and ceilidhs being staged in venues closely linked to the whisky industry.

Tickets for all events in the 2014 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival programme, including the roving judging sessions, can be bought via the website – www.spiritofspeyside.com  The Festival is also active on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter.

Notes

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival runs from Thursday, 1 May – Monday, 5 May 2014.  Check out www.spiritofspeyside.com for up-to-date news and follow the Festival at www.facebook.com/WhiskyFestival  or www.twitter.com/spirit_speyside

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is committed to promoting responsible drinking. Visitors travelling to and from festival events can take advantage of a range of transport options. Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has received funding from EventScotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and is also financially supported by many other private and public partners

EventScotland: EventScotland is the national events agency. EventScotland is working to make Scotland one of the world’s leading event destinations. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland,

Year of Homecoming Scotland

Scotland will welcome the world in the Year of Homecoming 2014- providing a year-long programme of events alongside the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games . The Year of Homecoming Scotland will run from 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2014 throughout the length and breadth of the country.  Visitors from around the world are invited to join in a celebration of the nation’s food and drink, active pursuits, cultural heritage, nature and ancestral heritage.

Homecoming Scotland 2014 is a Scottish Government initiative being led by EventScotland and VisitScotland, supported by numerous partners. To find out more visit www.homecomingscotland.com

We support IWD every year because for us, like the day itself, women drinking whisky represents a development of strength and independence; drinking on your own terms. We’ve been running activities all this week to mark the occasion, from specially-created IWD cocktails to IWD competitions. So pop onto our Facebook page, post a picture from your whisky-inspired IWD day, or get on Twitter and celebrate IWD and whisky #womenwhowhisky #iwd2014.

Help shape the future of whisky and above all, share & enjoy!