This is the season to celebrate the moments we share with our loved ones.Whether given as a gift, or to share together on a special occasion, we have curated a collection of The Macallan single malt whiskies and accessories that will celebrate the moment, as we reflect on the past and toast to the future.
On the 18th of December, at Drinkmonger in Bruntsfield, Edinburgh, at 7.45pm, we’ll be hosting a relaxed and informal ‘mini-festival’ to celebrate this very busy year and to launch Whiskyland Chapter Seven, a beautiful 2nd fill sherry hogshead of 1994 Springbank.
This won’t be a typical sit-down tasting, instead, we’ll have a range of recent (and possibly quite long sold out) Decadent Drinks bottlings available to taste on stands and we’ll have the new Springbank and our Equinox & Solstice Winter Edition available to taste too.
Those two bottlings will also be available to buy from Drinkmonger, for the first time, before they go on public sale a few days later.
It also means you won’t have to listen to Angus waffling on at length about all manner of nonsense (well, you might have to listen to a bit of that). So, if you are going to be in the neighbourhood, then buy a ticket, come along, taste some delicious drinks and help us celebrate the closing of a very busy and fun year.
Our Ultimate Whisky Gift Guide 2024
Searching for the ideal gift for the whisky lover in your life? Look no further. Our Ultimate Whisky Gift Guide 2024 has everything you need—from thoughtful tokens to show-stopping masterpieces.
Explore by budget:
• Whisky Gifts Under £50: Bold flavours, perfect for whisky explorers.
• Whisky Wonders Under £100: Unique finishes that impress every time.
• Luxury Gifts Under £150: Sophistication and depth for connoisseurs.
• The Ultimate Gifts Over £150: Rare, aged whiskies for unforgettable moments.
From accessible treasures to indulgent masterpieces, you’re guaranteed to find a bottle they’ll love.
HOST A WHISKY TASTING.
We’re firm believers that whisky is best served when in good company, so gather your nearest and dearest and host a tasting of your favourite Laphroaig expressions. We’ve included a few helpful tips below to get you started.
1. Prepare a tasting sheet to record the expression, age and proof of each whisky.
2. Starting with the lightest whisky and finishing with the most robust, approach each dram and take a short sniff. Make sure to note down the initial aromas you detect.
3. Now take a deeper sniff by nosing at the top of the rim of the glass and again at the bottom, your dram should resemble the 12 O’clock and 6 O’clock positions when doing this. You should find slightly different aromas come through when in each position.
4. Take a small sip, hold the whisky in your mouth and coat the tongue before swallowing. Write down your first impressions and the flavours you pick up.
5. You can also try adding a few drops of water to the liquid. Watch as the oils in the whisky untether as you swirl the glass. Take a sniff and note any new aromas you pick up.
6. To finish, sit back and sip up with your favourite dram – and remember, this one is for you!
Laphroaig Distillery, Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute Scotland, PA42 7DU, United Kingdom
We’re very pleased to present the 2025 Victoria Whisky Festival. The Victoria Whisky Festival will run through Thursday the 16th, Friday the 17th, Saturday the 18th and Sunday the 19th of January 2025 at the 5-star Hotel Grand Pacific located on Victoria’s beautiful Inner Harbour. To order tickets please contact Frank Hudson at info@victoriawhiskyfestival.com
The Hotel Grand Pacific (Named the #1 Hotel in Canada by Conde’ Nast Magazine) is offering a special room rate for Festival attendees of C$179 + taxes per night for a Victoria guest room and $209 + taxes for a Signature guest room. Standard upgrade fees will apply. Space is limited so book early to avoid disappointment. Contact the hotel directly at 1-800-663-7550 or email at reserve@hotelgrandpacific.com. Please quote JAN25WHISKY in order to receive the Victoria Whisky Festival special rate.
* Please note, tickets are nonrefundable.
Scotland, UK (14 November 2024): Suntory Global Spirits is honoured to announce that its Peatland Water Sanctuary™ (PWS™) program has received the prestigious ‘Nature Rich Scotland Award’ from the VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards. PWS™ was recognised for its long-term advocacy and commitment to restoring and conserving Scotland’s important peatland ecosystems, which helps to re-establish natural habitats, thriving biodiversity, and support healthy water tables.
Led by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), The VIBES Scottish Environment Business Awards celebrate businesses in Scotland that have gone above and beyond to reduce their environmental impact and create a more sustainable future. The ‘Nature Rich Scotland Award’ specifically honours organisations that have implemented initiatives to protect and enhance biodiversity.
Since launching in 2021, Peatland Water Sanctuary™ has completed restoration near the Ardmore distillery in Aberdeenshire in partnership with Forestry & Land Scotland and the James Hutton Institute, at the Airds Moss Nature reserve and The Oa reserve on Islay with RSPB Scotland, and at Craigculter Moss, in partnership with Northern Peat & Moss. With several more projects in planning stages, PWS™ is on track to achieve its 2030 commitment: to restore a minimum of 1,300 hectares of peatlands, enough to produce the same amount of peat that Suntory Global Spirits uses to make its peated whiskies on an ongoing basis.
Suntory Global Spirits marked PWS™ progress this year with a case study video showcasing the importance of peatland restoration, the natural habitats and wetlands that have been revitalised by restoration work, and the charity and conservation partners that are crucial to carrying out such projects. View the video here.
Alistair Longwell, Head of Distillation and Environment, Suntory Global Spirits said: “We are honoured to receive this recognition from the VIBES Awards. PWS™ was launched with ambitious conservation commitments, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see the positive progress we’re making through our collaborations with dedicated environmental partners and experts. We are proud to share this progress with our industry and beyond, and hope that recognitions such as these will continue to raise awareness for this important conservation work.”
Robbie Kernahan, Director of Green Economy at NatureScot, added: “The standard of this year’s VIBES awards was excellent. Suntory Global Spirits is a worthy winner of the Nature Rich Scotland award, which recognises the significant contribution PWS™ has made to peatland restoration in Scotland. Our country’s blanket bogs are amongst the world’s rarest habitats, forming a unique home for a variety of species, improving water quality, reducing flooding, and playing an important role in carbon sequestration. PWS™ is an excellent example of successful collaboration, building business resilience whilst delivering multiple benefits for nature.”
Lisa Tennant, SEPA Chair, commented: “For 25 years SEPA have led the VIBES Awards to recognise sustainable practices and environmental innovation that sets the bar for business. The work of VIBES stretches across the year and the community of winners we have act as a catalyst of change. Their stories of environmental leadership, innovation and sustainable working practices inspire others by showing environmental excellence can go hand in hand with business success.”
The VIBES awards ceremony took place on 12 November 2024 in Glasgow. Suntory Global Spirits was among a select group of businesses recognised for their outstanding contributions to Scotland’s environmental well-being.
About Peatland Water Sanctuary™
The Peatland Water Sanctuary™ is a large-scale series of peatland restoration and watershed conservation projects in Scotland launched in 2021 by Suntory Global Spirits (previously known as Beam Suntory) and its parent company, Suntory Holdings. Through PWS™, the companies have committed to invest more than $4 million to the restoration and conservation of a minimum of 1,300 hectares of peatlands by 2030, enough to produce the same amount of peat that Suntory Global Spirits uses to make its peated whiskies on an ongoing basis. Beyond this, there is a longer-term aim to restore sufficient peatlands by 2040 to equate twice what Suntory Global Spirits uses.
The PWS™ programme began with work to restore and conserve peatland near the Ardmore distillery in November 2021 in partnership with the James Hutton Institute and Forestry & Land Scotland. Since this time, it has also partnered with the RSPB Scotland to regenerate peatland at the Airds Moss reserve in East Ayrshire, Scotland, and at The Oa nature reserve on the island of Islay, Scotland. In 2024, Suntory Global Spirits announced another PWS™ partnership with Northern Peat & Moss to restore peatland using novel techniques at Craigculter Moss in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Across its projects, Suntory Global Spirits has already restored 257 hectares of peatland, with a further 677 hectares in active planning stages. The PWS™ programme aligns with the Suntory Group Sustainability Vision and Suntory Global Spirits’ ambitious Proof Positive sustainability strategy, as well as the Scotch Whisky Association’s environmental commitments.
About Suntory Global Spirits
As a world leader in premium spirits, Suntory Global Spirits inspires the brilliance of life, by creating rich experiences for people, in harmony with nature. Known for its craftsmanship of premium whiskies, including Jim Beam® and Maker’s Mark®; Japanese whiskies, including Yamazaki®, Hakushu®, Hibiki® and Toki™; and leading Scotch brands including Laphroaig® and Bowmore®, Suntory Global Spirits also produces leading brands such as Tres Generaciones® and El Tesoro® tequila, Roku™ and Sipsmith® gin, and is a world leader in Ready-To-Drink cocktails, with brands like -196 and On The Rocks™ Premium Cocktails.
A global company with approximately 6,000 employees in nearly 30 countries, Suntory Global Spirits is driven by its core values of Growing for Good, Yatte Minahare and Giving Back to Society. The company’s Proof Positive sustainability strategy includes ambitious goals and investments to drive sustainable change and have a positive impact on the planet, consumers and communities. Headquartered in New York City, Suntory Global Spirits is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information, visit www.suntoryglobalspirits.com
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EVENTS
From international festivals to local tastings.
Aceo Ltd. 5 Royston Road Livingston, Edinburgh EH54 8AH United Kingdom
30 Years of Whisky Excellence: The Coastal Embrace Collection
To celebrate 30 years of pioneering whisky craftsmanship, we’re thrilled to introduce the Coastal Embrace Collection—a stunning limited edition series of 28-year-old blended malt Scotch whiskies.
Each ‘chapter’ in this remarkable collection is a tribute to Scotland’s iconic coastal distilleries, aged and finished in top-quality casks from renowned wine and spirit producing regions that add unique depth and character to every dram.
Join us on a journey through the Art of Maturation, as each chapter in this exclusive series combines Scotland’s coastal heritage with extraordinary influences from around the world. With names like Highland Park, Laphroaig, and Bunnahabhain, these whiskies embody the rugged, timeless spirit of Scotland’s shores.
Sláinte,
The Murray McDavid Team
Aceo Ltd. 5 Royston Road Livingston, Edinburgh EH54 8AH United Kingdom
Multi-award-winning Scotch whisky distillery picks up another accolade to end the year
Loch Lomond Whiskies has been awarded the highly coveted Scotch Whisky Producer of the Year trophy at this year’s International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC), bringing Loch Lomond Group’s tally of prestigious award wins to more than 100 in the past 12 months.
Founded in 1969, the IWSC champions the best wine and spirits producers from around the world.
The renowned accolade was presented only weeks after Loch Lomond Distillery took home 16 awards at the San Franscico World Spirts Competition 2024, including a rare platinum award for Loch Lomond Inchmoan 12 Year Old single malt whisky, and double gold awards for seven whiskies across the range, including Loch Lomond Classic, Loch Lomond 10 Year Old and Loch Lomond 18 Year Old.
IWSC judges praised the distillery for its holistic approach, noting that “Loch Lomond is the whole package with excellent whisky, and the clear work to push the brand to the next level.”
The presentation of the 2024 Scotch Whisky Producer of the Year trophy follows multiple IWSC category wins for Loch Lomond Whiskies, with its 12 Year Old Inchmurrin single malt winning ‘Best in Class for Scotch Whisky Under 15 Years Old’.
The dual IWSC and SFWSC success follows two previous award wins for Loch Lomond’s 18 Year Old, which was named top Scotch in the Gentleman’s Journal Drinks Awards 2024 and The Whisky Exchange’s Whisky of the Year 2024.
Loch Lomond Distillery’s raft of prominent accolades is testament to the exceptional quality of its whiskies and demonstrates the significant momentum behind the independent distiller which continues to gain success on the global stage.
According to the latest IWSR 2023 Scotch Whisky report, Loch Lomond is the world’s fastest-growing top 25 malt whisky brand, a title the distillery has now achieved twice in the past three years.
Michael Henry, Master Blender at Loch Lomond Group, owners of Loch Lomond Whiskies, said:
“To close the year with another prestigious award win is wonderful – a real highlight of our year.
“The capabilities of our distillery are unmatched in Scotland. The combination of traditional swan neck stills and our unique straight neck stills, in addition to our own onsite cooperage, give us much greater control over the distillation and maturation process, allowing us to explore flavour in a distinctive way.
“We’ve always been bold in our approach to whisky-making. While we respect tradition, we’re not afraid to push boundaries. The recognition we’re receiving from top spirits experts only reinforces our belief that we’re on the right path as one of the most exciting distillers around. We are looking forward to continuing this into 2025 and beyond.”
First opened in 1965, Loch Lomond Distillery has quietly been crafting whisky on the banks of its namesake loch for more than 60 years. In the last decade, investment in innovation and marketing has driven extraordinary growth in global markets, with its diverse portfolio of whiskies now enjoyed by millions of customers worldwide.
For more information about Loch Lomond Whiskies, please visit: www.lochlomondwhiskies.com
About the Loch Lomond Group
The full list of Loch Lomond Distillery’s 2024 accolades includes:
San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2024
IWSC 2024
