Father’s Day is just around the corner on Sunday, June 16th, and what better way to show your appreciation than with a gift that speaks to the heart of every whisky-loving dad? Introducing our exclusive “A DRAM GOOD DAD” Whisky Trio – a fantastic journey through different styles and flavours of single malt whiskies, perfect for making this Father’s Day truly special.

FATHER’S DAY AT SMWS

A DRAM GOOD DAD PACK

This limited-edition gift pack features three distinct 50ml single malt whiskies, each carefully selected to offer a unique tasting experience. Each bottle is a celebration of craftsmanship and flavour, making this trio an ideal gift to explore and enjoy:

Cask No. 39.284: Push pineapple, shake a bee – Dive into tropical notes with this vibrant whisky, evoking a sense of summer with every sip.

Cask No. 55.85: Passionate desire – Rich and complex, this whisky brings a depth of flavour that’s both intense and satisfying.

Cask No. 137.20: Potted shrimp and smoked salmon terrine – An intriguing blend with a hint of the sea, perfect for dads who enjoy a savoury twist.

BUY NOW

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

GLASGOW’S BLUE LAGOON & FIFE WHISKY BOTTLER TEAM-UP TO GIVE AWAY 50 FISH SUPPERS WITH WHISKY-INFUSED SAUCE

Glasgow institution Blue Lagoon has partnered with The Single Cask to celebrate International Fish & Chip Day on Thursday 6th June – offering 50 free Fish Suppers with whisky-infused sauce to take-away from their famed city-centre Gordon Street venue. 

To celebrate International Fish & Chip Day on Thursday 6th June, Scottish Whisky bottler The Single Cask announces a special partnership with Glasgow’s iconic fish & chip shop Blue Lagoon.

Located next to Glasgow Central Station, Blue Lagoon Gordon Street will give 50 take-away Fish Suppers with whisky-infused sauce to the first customers who walk through the venue’s doors and ask for a ‘The Single Cask Saucy Sensation’ – with the offer lasting until the 50 are gone.

Fife-based The Single Cask have been working with local supplier The Whisky Sauce Co to create a range of delicious single cask whisky sauces*. The bottles will be on offer at The Single Cask events throughout the year and are available to buy online now from The Single Cask.

The Single Cask ‘Chippy Sauce’ is made using a 9-year-old single cask whisky from Benrinnes Distillery and uses balsamic vinegar of Modena to create that classic sweet & spicy flavour. Often associated with Edinburgh residents, The Single Cask are confident that Glaswegians will approve of their delicious single cask whisky ‘Chippy Sauce’.

Blue Lagoon has been a Glasgow phenomenon for nearly 50 years. Italian born entrepreneur Ersilio Varese & childhood sweetheart Edda Varese opened the first Blue Lagoon fish and chip shop on Glasgow’s Sauchiehall Street in 1975. The company is now headed up by Director Alessandro Varese, who manages venues across the city.

Founded in Fife, The Whisky Sauce Co specialises in creating the best whisky sauces in the country – creating a single cask range for the first-time which were debuted to lucky whisky fans at Feis Ile whisky festival on Islay at the end of May.

The Single Cask recently took on the challenge of demystifying whisky flavour as they relaunched their brand. By using five mood categories, whisky fans can quickly navigate to whichever whiskies they are in the mood for.
Helen Stewart, Brand Marketing Manager at The Single Cask, said: “Glasgow is such an exciting city and to partner with someone with the legendary history of Blue Lagoon is really special. We believe this collaboration showcases both flavour and character extremely well, two things that are very important to us at The Single Cask.

“We are always searching for the ultimate single cask experience and we really believe this can be found in so many different and innovative ways. Our brand new approach to flavour profiling is where each whisky we bottle is allocated to one of five moods. Partnerships like this really show the variety of possibilities when exploring, tasting and enjoying the ultimate single cask experience.”

Adding his thoughts on the partnership, Alessandro Varese, Director at Blue Lagoon said: “We strive to give the people of Glasgow the best fish and chips in the city. The Single Cask whisky is exceptional. It works deliciously in the ‘Chippy Sauce’ they have created. Their approach to flavour lends itself perfectly to our Fish Suppers at Blue Lagoon.

“As we always say, think fish and chips, think Blue Lagoon – this partnership will definitely get people thinking about our fish suppers on International Fish & Chip Day!”

The Single Cask pride themselves on bottling only the most outstanding, characterful, and distinctive single casks of whisky. The company values the distinct personality and cherishes the individuality of every single cask – celebrating whiskies that start conversations through their irresistible attraction: https://www.thesinglecask.co.uk/

*Full single cask sauce details: 

CHIPPY SAUCE – THE FRENCH POLISHER

Created using a 9-year-old single cask whisky from Benrinnes Distillery.

With burger sauces also available: 

SPICY TOMATO CHUTNEY – THE DANCING HONEYBEE

Created using a 34-year-old single cask grain whisky from North British Distillery.

BBQ SAUCE – THE CHEEKY CAMPFIRE KIPPER

Created using The Single Cask’s OFFICIAL FEIS ILE 2024 release, a 12-year-old single cask whisky from Bruichladdich Distillery.

HOT SAUCE – THE JOLLY APPLE

Created using a 14-year-old single cask whisky from Linkwood Distillery.

The Single Cask
The Single Cask was founded in 2010 by Ben Curtis, built on the belief that the search for the ultimate dram never ends. Bottling unique spirits, hand-picked one cask at a time – The Single Cask bottles award-winning whiskies at natural cask strength, without any intervention such as chill filtration or artificial colours.

Powered by the incredible sense of togetherness whisky creates and a growing fascination with the one-of-a-kind personality of single cask bottlings, the passion soon led to the launch of their first bar in Singapore.

Now with a Glenrothes-based warehouse home to over 3000 casks, new retailers, on-trade partners and importers (such as the newly appointed High Spirits in the Netherlands) they are creating an ever-growing fan club family.

The Single Cask’s expertise is in the sourcing of casks and in the maturation – a bold pursuit to uncover whiskies that are both of exceptional quality and character. All their bottlings are tasting panel approved by The Single Cask Taste Masters – an exclusive panel of experts who seek out the thrill of the taste, helping it to become the best experience possible.

Website – https://www.thesinglecask.co.uk/

Social media:

Facebook – @thesinglecaskuk

Twitter – @thesinglecask

Instagram – @thesinglecask

Bimber Distillery celebrates sporting excellence with 

The Spirit of the Underground Release No.6

London’s Bimber Distillery today announced the launch of the sixth release of its celebrated The Spirit of the Underground Collection, produced in conjunction with Transport for London (TfL).

Release No.6 travels to four new stations, each connected to a revered sporting location. All four single cask releases – Oval, Stratford, Wembley Park and Wimbledon – showcase the past and present of these legendary London locations. However, for this release the eye-catching labels and packaging designs also celebrate the sporting excellence which has taken place at each hallowed ground and thrilled people around the world for generations.

Drawn from Bimber’s finest casks, this release presents the distillery’s first selection of ‘double maturations’. Each expression has been matured in a combination of American and European oak, spending over 3 years within the second cask in order to masterfully weave both wood styles together. Each double cask expression has been crafted to tease out new aromas and flavours from the twin-cask approach. Carefully selected, monitored and then bottled at just the right moment, these new Spirit of the Underground releases present with an incredible depth of flavour and a perfect balance between the two casks and Bimber’s naturally fruit-forward spirit style. All four new releases showcase a different double maturation, with each bottled at natural cask strength and without filtration:

• Oval – moscatel sherry cask double maturation 57.6%, 307 bottles
• Stratford – fino sherry cask double maturation, 58.5%, 325 bottles
• Wembley Park – marsala cask double maturation, 58.3%, 305 bottles
• Wimbledon – Vino de Naranja cask double maturation, 56.6% 298 bottles

The Collection, which will total 44 individual releases, features a selection of iconic single malt whiskies that celebrate the heritage and diversity of the distillery’s home city. With eye-catchingly unique designs, each bottle presents a different Tube station on the London Underground network – the oldest underground passenger railway service in the world.

Release No.6 of The Spirit of the Underground Collection will be available directly from Bimber’s Spirit of the Underground website from Wednesday 5^th till Sunday 9th June via a ballot and with an RRP of £135 per bottle.

Speaking of the launch of the sixth release, Bimber’s Matt McKay said: “We have been excited about releasing these four new stations since we first launched the Collection back in May 2021. Every great sporting moment is accompanied by a memorable story, whether that’s about perseverance, friendship, victory or loss. The sixth release of The Spirit of The Underground celebrates not only the history of four iconic locations but also the shared ability of both sport and whisky to bring people together. For this very special release we are delighted to unveil our first ‘double maturation’ casks. We have been internally trialling this new, longer approach to the maturation of our European oak casks and are thrilled to now offer these new Bimber flavour journeys to customers. Each tells its own double maturation story, and we’re tremendously excited to see how our double cask programme develops over the coming years.”

Ellen Sankey, Brand Licensing Manager at TfL, said: “The continuation of our partnership with Bimber Distillery sees the release of four new bottles, all with an association with key sporting locations across our network. We are proud to be collaborating with a London based independent brand, highlighting again that the city houses products of great quality. The creative and original use of our branding to help portray unique elements of our city’s association with sporting history shows the benefit that an innovative, long-term collaborations like this can have.”

This collection is the latest addition to a robust licensing programme, developed by TfL and its international licensing representative IMG, that brings the London Underground’s rich legacy and iconic brand identity to global audiences in unique and authentic ways.

All the expressions in The Spirit of the Underground Collection were crafted to Bimber’s exacting standards. The spirit was produced from the distillery’s single farm barley and malted on a dedicated floor at Warminster Maltings before being fermented for seven days in bespoke, on-site constructed American oak washbacks. Distillation took place in Bimber’s customised stills which possess an increased copper surface area, which results in a rich fruit-forward, layered spirit.

The Spirit of the Underground Collection – Release No.6

About Bimber 

Founded in 2015, Bimber Distillery produces world-class single malt whisky, handcrafted with passion in West London. Our traditionally-focussed approach to whisky creation combines the finest ingredients with heritage production methods that are rarely seen today and an absolute commitment to quality. Our meticulous approach has seen us recognised as a leading light in whisky production and garnered multiple industry awards. Producing a wide array of fruit-forward, textural single malts we deliver the ultimate craft whisky experience to a rapidly growing global community of Bimber whisky lovers.

About Transport for London

Transport for London (TfL) is the integrated transport authority responsible for delivering Mayor of London Sadiq Khan’s strategy and commitments on transport. It runs the day-to-day operation of the Capital’s public transport network, including London Underground, London Overground, Docklands Light Railway, London Buses and Elizabeth line services, as well as managing London’s main roads. TfL does all it can to support the millions of journeys that are made every day and keep the city moving, working and growing. TfL reinvests all income generated through fares and commercial revenue to run and improve services and is committed to reducing costs.

About IMG

IMG is a global sports, events and representation company. It is a leader in rights management, multi-channel content production and distribution, consultancy and fan engagement; owns, produces and commercially represents hundreds of live events and experiences; and manages licensing programs for the world’s best-known brands and trademarks. IMG is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment company.

While toasting might conjure images of raising a glass in celebration, in the world of Scotch whisky production, it refers to a specific heat treatment applied to some casks used for maturing the spirit. Toasting the cask plays a significant role in developing the rich, complex flavours that define a fine Scotch whisky. Read this explainer, watch the YouTube Short with Vic Cameron and this longer video on wood with Dr Gordon Steele and you’ll be suitably clued up on the technique.

Don’t miss your chance to join an in-person Diploma this year

An EWA Diploma course is your gateway to a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world’s most revered spirit. Elevate your expertise and unlock the secrets of your favourite drams, whether you’re a keen enthusiast or working in the industry (in a customer-facing role). Join us for the Diploma in Single Malt Whisky at the Port of Leith Distillery (11 & 12 July), Arniston House (23 & 24 September or 26 & 27 September).

How’s your week been? Ready for a dram or two? Me too!!

With two festivals – Edinburgh and Bristol – coming up up quick, we wanted to throw the spotlight onto a few exhibitors you might expect to see at the events this year. In this edition, we look at three very different but equally important producers of the tasty stuff!

Read on…

Bushmills haven’t been to any of our festivals since…. well, I cannot actually remember, it was that long ago! So we are very excited to see them and what they’ll bring along for you to sample.

One of the oldest still operating distilleries in the UK and world (even if you ignore the slightly spurious date of 1608, when a licence was granted for distilling on the land). It has been unapologetically been producing its iconic triple-distilled single malt whiskey since 1784.

It was bought by Proximo Spirits, from Diageo, in 2014, and we’re looking forward to seeing and tasting what the new owners have done so far. Janice Snowdon, who you may remember from hosting another Irish whiskey’s stand at our shows over the last few years, will be on hand to talk it all through with you. You can even ask her about their new distillery, ‘Causeway‘…

*Interesting fact. Bushmills (specifically the ‘Black’ Bushmills) was Amanda’s father’s favourite tipple…respect.

Another ‘new to us exhibitor’, and a welcome addition indeed.

Gleann Mòr are a relatively new operation, based in Edinburgh, bottling fine spirits, since 2015. Their main focus is whisky (yay!) and they have a couple of exciting whisky ranges, with ‘Rare Finds’ being at the top of the ‘tree’, which is a premium range of single malts and single cask, single malts.

Another familiar face, Emily Coyle, returns to TWL, at most of the shows, with Gleann Mòr, and will be more than happy to tell you more as you taste their whiskies.

Waterford is a really interesting project. Mark Reynier, one of the main men behind the revival of Bruicladdich Distillery on Islay, in the the late 90s, has poured everything he learned and loves about whisky into this innovative distiller.

His, and Waterford’s, core belief and ‘unique selling point’ is that the land, climate and soil (or Terroir, as the French would call it) impacts the the barley, which in turn impacts on the final whisky produced from it. You have to admire the attention to detail and sheer ‘geekiness’ of their undertaking.

We are delighted that they will actually be premiering their oldest whisky to date – Cuvée Koffi – with a very interesting story behind it, at our Edinburgh event on the 15th June.

We will be spotlighting more exhibitors in coming newsletters, so keep an eye out for these!

If you haven’t got your tickets yet, simply scroll down to the festival of your choosing and click on the banner to be taken to the relevant Eventbrite page!

Taste the adventure!

Buy any bottle from our Soho Selection and Vintage Reserve collections, and you could win a classic car experience

Milroy’s Soho Selection and Vintage Reserve competition 2024 is open to entrants 25-75 years old. Entries accepted from 16:00:00 BST on 09 MAY 2024 to 23:59:59 BST on 15 JUNE 2024. UK only. See full T&Cs for details. Purchase necessary for entry.

Caol Ila 4 Year Old Rivesaltes Cask (Fully Matured) Soho Selection

£59.95

While we fully agree that whisky and driving should never mix in real life, we know that many of you enjoy classic cars. Which is why we’ve teamed up with our friends at Super Stars to offer one lucky winner an incredible adventure behind the wheel!

Our winner plus their favourite co-pilot will spend 27 September 2024 taking in the glorious Cotswolds countryside from not one, not two, but six different classic cars. You’ll get to share your time taking models such as the Jaguar E-Type Roadster, AC Cobra, Austin Healey 3000 for a spin. We’ll even throw in a glorious gourmet lunch at the The Lygon Arms by James Martin too!

Check out our blog below for all the details – there are some specific driver requirements from Super Stars. All good? Read on.

To enter, simply pick up any bottle from our Vintage Reserve and Soho Selection collections between now and 23:59 on 15 June and we’ll automatically enter you into the draw!

Top of our list is this gorgeous Caol Ila expression, part of our Soho Selection line up. Aged for just four years in a rivesaltes cask, it is rich, vibrant and powerful. The red fruit notes from the French fortified wine are a perfect match for the classicly smoky Islay whisky.

Scroll on for more of our new releases and old favourites from the two collections. And good luck!

Full Terms & Conditions can be found here.

From the Milroy’s Measure: Everything you need to know about our classic car competition.

We are excited to announce the inauguration of the

Shelter Point Whisky Club!

Join to get exclusive access to bottlings of unique single casks and our famous double barrel releases, all at cask strength. Click below to join and learn more.

Join the Whisky Club

Shelter Point Distillery
4692 Regent Road, Campbell River, BC, V9H1E3

Today, Tuesday 28 May, we celebrate Laphroaig Day at Fèis Ìle. Festival goers will get to explore all things Laphroaig from distillery tours to exclusive tastings. The biggest part of the day will be the official launch of our annual Càirdeas expression, which we know festival goers will be queueing up to get their hands on as we speak. If you can’t join us on Islay, don’t worry! We wouldn’t let you miss out on anything. Just tune into our social media channels where we’ll be sharing content all day long.

See you there!

FOLLOW ALONG HERE

Càirdeas 2024.

Celebrating 30 years of Friends of Laphroaig, Càirdeas 2024 Cask Favourites is a 10-year-old whisky that matches our bold smokiness and minerality with fruitier, sweeter flavours from the PX cask.

As one of our most popular and loved annual releases, Càirdeas can sell out quickly so head to Laphroaig.com to purchase today while stocks last.

LEARN MORE

Please note, we are able to ship whisky to select countries only; Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and United Kingdom.

By Royal Appointment.

And finally, in other news – we’re honoured to announce Laphroaig has been granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment to His Majesty The King. We hope our Friends will raise a dram of their favourite Laphroaig to celebrate!

Our 10th Birthday Party

On the day of our party (30th June), we are excited to announce that we will be offering a limited amount of exclusive warehouse tasting sessions at 12:30pm, 3pm and 5pm.

We’ll take you on a journey of discovery around the distillery where you can taste whiskies from our archive and some cask samples.

In addition, you’ll experience something that has never been offered before – the opportunity to taste of whisky straight from the barrel. This is sure to be an experience that you’ll never forget.

For good measure, you’ll be given a complimentary, limited edition signed anniversary bottle of Cotswolds Signature Single Malt Whisky to take home with you and you’ll receive an exclusive 5% discount on the day off cask sales (available until 03/05/24).

Spaces to these tastings are extremely limited so don’t hang around… book yours before they’re all gone below. Tickets are £100 per person.

Please note, you must have booked a ticket to our 10th birthday party to go on one of these tastings.

On the 30th June, we will be throwing a party to celebrate a decade of the Cotswolds Distillery. Have you got your tickets? It will be an unforgettable celebration that simply should not be missed.

We have a whole host of fantastic live music performances lined up from Clare Teal Five, Oliver Darling & The Living Legends, the Distillery House Band, Savoir Faire and the Pocket Choral Society.

Enjoy our fine spirits at the bar, take your pick out of a delicious range of food stalls and much more.

Event Details: 

📅 Date: Sunday 30th June 2024.
🕛 Timings: 12-8pm.
📍 Location: Cotswolds Distillery, Stourton, CV36 5EX.
🎟️ Tickets: £25 per person. Reservations are required.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

TICKETS

Oran Blended Scotch Whisky Wins Double Gold at

San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Blend No. 1 and Blend No. 2 Both Take Home Coveted Double Golds

NEW YORK (May 15, 2024) – Oran Blended Scotch Whisky, introduced by The Perfect Fifth in late 2023, has won double gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its Blend No. 1 and Blend No. 2 bottlings.

Whisky expert Jim Murray blended both Scotches for The Perfect Fifth, designing Oran to be an “old school” blend recognizable to whisky lovers of the heyday of blended whisky some 100 years ago.  Oran’s grain and malt components are created separately but ultimately combined as the perfect complement to one another.

Both releases are 50-50-50 blends, 50 percent single malt Scotch Whisky, 50 percent single grain Scotch Whisky, and 50 percent alcohol by volume (ABV). Both blends are limited releases, containing only 465 bottles each.

A total of 11 different casks were used to make both blends. Some of the casks were split between both blends but with differing ratios. Blend No. 1 is composed exclusively of Ex-Bourbon casks while Blend No. 2 distinguishes itself with the addition of a sherried cask component.

“I could not be more pleased to have both of our Oran blends do so well in one of the most prestigious competitions in the spirits industry, said Karl Schoen, founder and chief executive officer, The Perfect Fifth.  “The fact that blended Scotch is a new spirits category for The Perfect Fifth, and to take home double golds for both blends with our first release is a testament to the skill and expertise of Jim Murray’s blending prowess.”

Oran Blend No. 1 and Blend No. 2 are available in limited quantities at retailers in New York, New Jersey and California. It is also available online at www.theperfectfifth.com.  Suggested retail pricing is $189 per 700 mL.

About The Perfect Fifth

The Perfect Fifth was created in 2019 by Karl Schoen, who was inspired by watching his family members toast milestones with Scotch Whisky as he grew up.  As Karl began his own exploration into the world of Scotch Whisky, he enjoyed finding stellar single cask bottlings and sharing them with others.  This led to the formation of The Perfect Fifth, where Karl and his brother Ben source the best quality whisky from all over Scotland.  Together they travel throughout Scotland, sampling cask after cask until they find those worthy to be selected for The Perfect Fifth. Few casks make the cut, which is why The Perfect Fifth releases are limited editions.  Like the musical interval, The Perfect Fifth releases consist of multiple layers, each one broad and deep, which when combined, make a beautiful assembly meant to be shared with family and friends.

About The San Francisco World Spirits Competition

The San Francisco World Spirits Competition was founded in 2000 and is the largest competition of its kind with nearly 5,000 entries.  Each entry is judged double blind by a panel of spirits experts.  A double gold medal is awarded when each judge on the panel gives a gold medal to the entry.  The SFWSC medal is a testament to the hard work of the spirits industry’s distillers and producers and is a universally recognized indicator of exceptional quality and craftsmanship.