Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

First of all we would like to say a big thank you to all those fortunate souls who made it to the Glengoyne tasting in April, who contributed such a happy (and raucous) atmosphere to one of the best tastings we’ve had here in Vinopolis for some time.  This month the fun continues and we have a whole raft of tasting events for your perusal.

ABERLOUR

The Aberlour distillery is located in the Heart of Speyside and is a beautiful example of the sherried whiskies from that region.

The distillery was founded in 1879 by James Fleming, who shrewdly built it on the site of St Drostan’s Well, thus securing forever this priceless source of pure spring water. When the journalist Alfred Barnard visited Aberlour in the 1880s, as part of his exhaustive survey of Scottish whisky distilleries, he described James Fleming’s new establishment as a “perfect modern Distillery”.

In 1898 a fire destroyed several of the distillery buildings and most of the whisky stocks. Under the supervision of Scotland’s foremost designer of whisky distilleries, Charles Doig of Elgin, the Aberlour Distillery was largely rebuilt, and the hugely popular single malt whisky it produces today is rightly regarded as one of the classic examples of the sherried Speyside style.

Now we have the chance for a fabulous vertical tasting of Aberlour with the charming and well informed Phil Huckle – Brand Ambassador for the Chivas Malts – on Monday 24th of May.

He will be bringing the core range of Aberlour, including the fabulous 18yo, and perennial favourite A’bunadh, and a couple of exciting extras – exclusive samples unavailable to buy anywhere.
 
Tickets for this fabulous evening will go on sale on  Monday 10th May at the usual time of 3pm.  They are £25 each and are limited to 2 tickets per booking.

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/Vinopolis

May Events

May 13 Thursday Crazy Scotch Night, 5:30 PM Ardbeg Sampling and Specials with the Ardbeg Choppers, 7:00 PM Signatory Tasting ($50) featuring Ed Kohl and 8 brand new single malts. Great night for beginners or the old pro!

May 19 Wednesday, 7:00 PM Balvenie Vertical tasting with Global Brand Ambassador Andy Weir. Andy will sample us through some new and very unique Balvenie expressions including the new 12 year old Signature, the 17 year old Sherry, Rum and Madeira woods and 25 year old Single Cask Whiskies.  An enlightening and special evening where Chef Mary will also get to show off some new Scottish fare. ($50)

June Events

June 6th and 10th Single Malt tasting

June 24th Single Malt Tasting featuring Senior Master of Whisky for Diageo and the Classic Malts Marty Duffy. ($50)

http://www.dundeedell.com/

Added Scotch Tasting with Evan Cattanach

Thursday, May 6th.

Two Pourings: 5:00 and 6:00 P.M.
No Charge No Reservation Needed

Evan Cattanach

The Diageo Special edition Tasting with Evan Cattanach has sold out so we asked him if he would do a tasting in the store for them people who couldn’t get in. He agreed.

No one deserves the title of Grand Old Man in the scotch business more than Evan Cattanach. He is beginning his fiftieth year as a distiller and has been Distiller or Master Distiller in every region of Scotland, including stints at Oban, Dalwhinnie, Cardhu, Cragganmore, Lagavulin, and Caol Isla .

He was instrumental in making Johnnie Walker Blue one of the world’s best whiskies.

We’ll taste Singleton 12 Y.O. – Oban 14 Y.O. – Cragganmore 12 Y.O. – Dalwhinnie 15 Y.O.Lagavulin 16 and one more to be named. (We may substitute Distillers Editions for one or two of the above mentioned.)

Joe Howell
Federal Wine & Spirits

——————————————————————————–

Email: joe@federalwine.com
Phone: 617-367-8605
Web: http://www.federalwine.com/

All of the Jolly Toper’s whisky tastings take place on Thursday nights from 7:30pm until approximately 10pm at the Tolbooth Tavern, 167 Canongate, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, meals available up to the time of the tastings.

Future dates:-

13.5.10 5 Highland Parks £23/20*
Duthies 17yo 46%
Earl Magnus 1st ed. 15yo 52.6%
1973-2009 43% Gordon & MacPhail 1st fill sherry butt
1995 46% 14yo Murray McDavid Bourbon/Chateau Lafite 1900 bottles
06.92-09.08 16yo Alchemist Calvados cask finish 46%

27.5.10 Old/Sherried/Peaty/Rare/Unusual t.b.c.
30.5.10 Sunday 2.30pm £38/35*
Glenfiddich 32yo 46.9%
Banff 29yo 1976 – 06.2006 52.0% Cadenheads Bourbon hogshead 228 bottles
Millburn 31yo 1974 – 05.2006 52.3% Cadenheads Bourbon hogshead 246 b0ttles
Convalmore 30yo 1977 – 09.2007 61.6% Cadenheads butt 240 bottles
Ardbeg 15yo 1994 – 01/10 57.7% Cadenheads Bourbon hogshead 273 bottles

10.6.10 Anonymous Islay/peaty malts 43% + Port Ellen £18/15*
The Ileach 12yo single malt

The Pibroch 12yo single malt

Smokehead single malt

Six Isles (Islay, Jura, Skye, Mull, Orkney and Arran)

The Peat Chimney Wemyss Vintage Malts blended malt

special guest Port Ellen Gordon & MacPhail September 1982 – September 2009 refill sherry casks 43%

17.6.10 £20/17* Port Charlotte
PC5 6038 bottles 2001 – 2006 5yo 63.5% mix of bourbon and sherry casks
PC6 18000 bottles 2001 – 2007 6yo 61.6% “Madeira cask influence”
PC7 24000 bottles 2001 – 2008 7yo 61%
PC8 25650 bottles 2001 – 2009 8yo 60.5%
“Baffo” Forever Edition no. 5 256 bottles 12.6.01 – 27.3.09 7yo cask no. 48/2001 46% specially selected by Thomas Kruger
Port Sgioba (Gaelic for Port Charlotte) 286 bottles 6.12.01 – 2.3.10 8yo cask no. 826/2001 66.0% refill sherry hogshead specially selected by FOAH

24.6.10 Old/Sherried/Peaty/Rare/Unusual t.b.c.
8.7.10 Theme tbc
Bladnoch/Tomintoul/Bruichladdich/Arran/non-Scottish peaty whiskies/bottled at the distillery

22.7.10 Old/Sherried/Peaty/Rare/Unusual t.b.c.
Future tastings:-
peaty blends 40% : date and price tbc
Islay Mist
Islay Hallmark 8yo
Black Bottle 10yo
Black Grouse
Black Bottle
plus a special guest (Brora or Port Ellen)

All very exciting really. And busy.

Visit the Jolly Toper himself at http://www.jollytopertastings.co.uk/

Attention whisky enthusiasts and novices: Macallan will be hosting a free guided tasting of its whisky in Dallas, Tx.

The tastings, to be held on Tuesday, May 11th through Friday, May 14th, are part of the Celebrate The Macallan series where brand ambassadors travel around the country educating people about The Macallan Single Malt.

The event will be hosted by The Macallan’s Brand Ambassador Eden Algie, who will speak about a range of whiskies including the Macallan 12, 15, 17 and 18.  He’ll also demonstrate the Macallan Ice Ball Press that forms a perfect sphere of ice on the spot. The special ice is meant to cool the dram slowly and evenly.

The tastings will be held at 6:30pm and 8:30pm on May 11th through the 14th at the Fashion Industry Gallery, located at 1807 Ross Avenue in Dallas, TX.  RSVPs are a must.

For more information and to secure your spot visit www.celebratethemacallan.com. Guests must be over 21 years of age.

Single Malt Saturdays

5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 8th,15th  and 22nd of May

May 11th
Spirit School Seminar: Intro to Scotch 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

May 14th
Spirit School Seminar: Precious & Rare Scotch 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

May 19th
Spirit School Seminar: Bourbon & American whiskies 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

May 25th
Spirit School Seminar: Intro to Scotch 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Added Scotch Tasting with Evan Cattanach

Thursday, May 6th.  Two Pourings: 5:00 and 6:00 P.M.

No Charge No Reservation Needed

Evan Cattanach

The Diageo Special edition Tasting with Evan Cattanach has sold out so we asked him if he would do a tasting in the store for them people who couldn’t get in. He agreed. No one deserves the title of Grand Old Man in the scotch business more than Evan Cattanach. He is beginning his fiftieth year as a distiller and has been Distiller or Master Distiller in every region of Scotland, including stints at Oban, Dalwhinnie, Cardhu, Cragganmore, Lagavulin, and Caol Isla . He was instrumental in making Johnnie Walker Blue one of the world’s best whiskies.

We’ll taste Singleton 12 Y.O. – Oban 14 Y.O. – Cragganmore 12 Y.O. – Dalwhinnie 15 Y.O. Lagavulin 16 and one more to be named. (We may substitute Distillers Editions for one or two of the above mentioned.)

Joe Howell
Federal Wine & Spirits

——————————————————————————–

Email: joe@federalwine.com
Phone: 617-367-8605
Web: http://www.federalwine.com/

MALT Versus GRAIN: Vive la Single Cask 

Make a difference this May, cast your vote in the SMWS Vive la Single Cask Campaign.  Will it be the time-honoured Malt in the RED corner or the Grain newcomer in GREEN that tickles your taste-buds.

VOTE: RED (SINGLE CASK MALT) via sales@smws.com
“Goes against the grain”

10.71 Onions Spring Enternal
Islay
£44.70 inc. Free P&P
A vote for RED promises:
A sweet and sour nose evoking oriental cuisine; crispy duck, plum and teriyaki sauce, celery, spring onions; grilled fish and fresh wood smoke.
Age: 11 years            Cask:  Refill ex-sherry butt

VOTE: GREEN (SINGLE CASK GRAIN) via sales@smws.com
“Can’t wait to taste it”

G1.7 Flamed Christmas pudding
Single Cask Grain
£46.70 inc. Free P&P
VOTE brown sugar, dried fruit (dates, recently flamed Christmas pudding) kumquat, chocolate limes and salty buttered toast, with a white pepper heat. VOTE Daddies brown sauce, Boston baked beans and sweet sweet coconut..
Age: 19 years            Cask:  Refill ex-sherry butt

Riding the Wave?

Who says red and green must never been seen. Ride the campaign wave, buy 10.71 & G1.7 together and SAVE £5 OR buy 10.71 & G1.7 together and BUY 121.33 for ONLY £29.50

121.33 Gunpowder on lemon meringue pie
Highland Island
£39.50* or £29.50 with 10.71 & G1.7 inc. Free P&P
The nose had sweetness (Caramac, custard, barley sugar, white chocolate) and tropical fruit (pineapple, orange, lemon, Juicy Fruit)
Age: 9 years                    Cask: Refill ex-bourbon hogshead
                                                                                                    

Offers end: Thu 6 May

SIX May Outturn Previews 
                                                                               
@ Aberdeen Mal & Birmingham & Brighton Hotel du Vin
From Mon 3 May, SIX new May Outturn bottles will preview at our SMWS Snuggles at Aberdeen Malmaison and Birmingham and Brighton Hotel du Vin.  Join us at any of the hotels Mon 3 – Wed 5 May  and sample our First Friday flight of drams with our in-house Society experts. 

We’re not telling you what numbers they are yet, we wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise but we can promise there will be some tasty offers available.   Take me to the SMWS Snuggles

SMWS Whisky Tasting & Events

Ladies Only Pampering Night – 28 Queen St, Wed 5 May
New Outturn Tasting – London, Sat 8 May
New Outturn Sunday Roast tasting – The Vaults, Sun 9 May
Birmingham Preview Tasting – Brighton Hotel Du Vin, Fri 14 May
Cafe Spice Nameste – Cafe Spice London, Tue 18 May
Cardiff Preview Tasting – Novotel Cardiff Centre, Fri 21 May
Islay and Island Tasting – 28 Queen Street, Sat 22 May
Cafe Fish & Dram Tasting – The Vaults, Mon 24 May
All things Japanese Night – The Vaults, Thu 27 May
Liverpool Preview Tasting -Malmaison, Thu 27 May

Visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at www.smws.co.uk for an opportunity to join.

Four Roses white dog at Maltstock

We are very excited to have all ten different white dog they make at Four Roses at Maltstock! White dog is what they call new make spirit in the US. Four Roses is unique: they use two different mash bills an five different kinds of yeast, thus creating ten different kind of white dog. At Maltstock you can have a first experience to find out yeast does matter! We hope to have Jim Rutledge, master distiller at Four Roses on video to explain all about the way they work and the differences.

BenRiach and GlenDronach at Maltstock

BenRiach and GlenDronach distilleries have confirmed they will be present at Maltstock again. Stewart Buchannan, operating manager at BenRiach will come over from Scotland.

So again there is a very nice program at Maltstock with the presence of Balvenie, BenRiach, GlenDronach, GlenGlassaugh (with Stuart Nickerson himself) and Tomatin distilleries. As well as independent bottlers like Douglas Laing, Single Malts of Scotland, Daily Dram, Wemyss, Adelphi, Berry Brothers & Rudd, David Stirk, Chieftains and Dewar Rattray. And of course the whisky quiz, the campfire and the free tastings.

Free tastings

BenRiach, Balvenie, Glenglassaugh and Tomatin will do a free masterclass. We also have a blending competition, the white dog tasting and a unique new make tasting. At the new make tasting you will be able to compare about 15 different new makes. Including a couple of new makes from some highly regarded distilleries.

Buy your Maltstock tickets now!

Tickets for the white dog tasting, as well as for all the other free tastings will be available soon through the Maltstock website. But only for those of you who already bought their Maltstock tickets. So go to the Maltstock website and visit the shop to get your ticket for an unique weekend of relaxed whisky fun!

See you in September, see you at Maltstock.

Arthur, Bob, Eline, Rogier & Teun
info@maltstock.com

www.maltstock.com

WIN A TRIP TO DUFFTOWN

We are pleased to announce a new and exciting benefit to membership of Warehouse 24… a prize draw exclusive to you and your fellow members.

If you win, we will fly you and a friend to Scotland from wherever you are in the world and put you up at The Castle Hotel in Huntly.

We’ll arrange a VIP tour of the distillery for you, which will end with a generous nosing and tasting of our range. You’ll also get to leave with a bottle of The Balvenie Rose.

The Balvenie Rose is a special expression that’s only available when you visit the distillery – making it quite a rare malt in enthusiast’s collections.

You don’t have to do anything. Our winner will be randomly selected from the membership of Warehouse 24 in mid-October. For details, watch my short film here, http://tinyurl.com/347cewo or see the terms and conditions of the draw here. http://tinyurl.com/3y8ew24

Good luck to you, and slainte mhath,

David Mair
The Balvenie Ambassador

PS. We will be introducing a way to increase your chances of winning the prize in the near future, but more of that another time… 

THE BALVENIE DISTILLERY COMPANY LIMITED
Registered in Scotland. Registered Number SC138003
Balvenie Maltings, Dufftown, Banffshire, Scotland AB55 4BB
www.thebalvenie.com

Visit the  Balvenie soon to join Ware House 24 and you chance to win.