A CONVOCATION OF COMPANIONS TO CELEBRATE OUR 10TH ANNIVERSARY!

You are cordially invited to attend “The Great Gathering of The Quaich”

September 24 to 26 at Fern Resort Orillia, Ontario

Join your fellow Companions of the Quaich and friends for a wonderful weekend

Featuring:

The Great Malt Tastings & Dinners*

The Great Via Allegro/Diageo Hospitality Suite

The Great Chapter Challenge Golf Tournament*

Arrival:   Friday September 24        Check in: 4 p.m.
Departure: Sunday September 26  Check out: 1 p.m.

Package  rate per person: $393.75 single     $315.00 double
plus 13% HST, 10% Service Charge

Package rate includes:

Accommodation for 2 nights:  large inns and lakeside units

Meals – includes 6 – Dinner Friday to Sunday Lunch

Use of sports and recreational facilities;

4-way volleyball, 9-hole mini putt baseball, soccer shuffleboard, Bocci, horseshoes, Tennis, badminton, basketball 5-hole par-3 golf course
walking, nature trails archery, batting cage canoes, kayaks, paddle-boats 2 outdoor pools, lakeside. Indoor pool, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzi Exercise & fitness room

Hospitality Suite – WiFi resort wide.

Assistance provided for evening activities / social for Friday and Saturday night. Activities Director for sports and recreational facilities

*The Friday and Saturday malt tastings and dinners are open to all Chapter members and guests who are not staying at the Fern Resort. Cost is $60 for members and $70 for guests. Mail cheque with reservation to Ed Patrick by September 1.

*The golf tournament at Hawk Ridge Golf Course, Orillia, is open to everyone. Pay your own greens fees and shared carts: $59.99 plus HST.

For further details and a registration form please visit http://tinyurl.com/CofQConvocation

John Eastam from Gordon MacPhail, talking about their Connoisseurs Choice and Cask Range Thursday 27th May Cost £25

We’ll be tasting:

Aberfeldy 1990 10yo
Benromach OB  10yo
Old Pulteney Cask 1993 59%
Clynelish 1997 59%
Aultmore 1995

Bookings

Venue : Stourbridge West Midlands : underneath/sous-terre C16 cellars
Start : 7:00pm
Cost : £ 25 per person
Seating : One cushioned seat per person .
Food : Oat cakes n various cheeses.
Water : Plenty

David Gardener
Nickolls and Perks
01384 394518

Visit Nicolls and Perks at http://www.nickollsandperks.co.uk/

147th Victoria Highland Games & Celtic Festival

Held on May 22 and 23 at Victoria Topaz Park, this year’s event will be the biggest ever as the Games will be hosting the 2010 World Heavy Events Championship!  Twelve of the top highland games athletes from around the world will compete for the title of World Champion over the weekend.  Haggis hurling, tug of war and the kilted mile race are other athletic activities being held. 

The traditional competitions in solo piping/drumming, pipebands, and highland dancing will be held with world class participants.  There will also be a full sheepdog herding trial along with sheepshearing, falconry and swordfighting demonstrations.  The large festival tent will feature local music bands and entertainers all weekend long. 

Beam Global Whisky  School featuring the whiskies of Highland Park, Macallan and Famous Grouse led by Ambassador J. Wheelock. There are two classes on Saturday and two classes on Sunday.

Full details and a ticket order form can be found via http://tinyurl.com/whiskyschool

The two beer gardens (the Highland Championship Scottish Ale has been brewed specifically for the Games) are expected to be fully subscribed.  There are Celtic and Scottish vendors along with traditional food concessions.  The free kid’s entertainment area will have bouncy castles, mini-heavy events, balloon twisting, face painting and “soccer” practice with the Highlanders Football Club. 

More info at www.victoriahighlandgames.com

*SUNTORY JAPANESE WHISKY TASTING– WEDNESDAY 9TH JUNE 2010*

In our quest to bring you new and interesting whiskies to try we are hosting our first ever Japanese whisky tasting.  On Wednesday 9th June Zoran Peric, Brand Ambassador for Cellar Trends, will be coming along to present whiskies from the Suntory range, and if you’ve never tasted Japanese whisky before then this is your ideal opportunity to see why whisky from Japan has grown so much in popularity in recent years.

Suntory have two distilleries – Yamazaki (founded in 1923) and Hakushu – from which they produce a range of single and blended malt whiskies.  Whilst the basic method of whisky production is similar in Japan to Scotland, in that they double distil in pot stills, the Suntory distilleries have some fascinating variations in production.  For example, at the Yamazaki distillery they have 6 different types of pot still and use many variations of barrels – including one made from the Japanese Mizunara tree.

These type of variations, along with a mild climate, result in a distinctive style of sweet and elegant whisky that we think you will enjoy sampling – so come along and give them a try!

*How to book*

The tasting will be at Stanton House Hotel, Stanton Fitzwarren (www.stantonhouse.co.uk), and will commence at 7.00 for 7.30pm. Tickets for the event are priced at just £10.00, and this includes a discount of £3 against a bottle of one of the featured whiskies if bought or ordered on the night of the tasting.

Most, if not all, of the whiskies tasted will be available to purchase on the night. We accept cash, credit/debit card or cheques.

Tickets are limited, and allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. To buy them just log on to www.whiskyandwines.com and place an order for the number you require, or telephone us on (01793) 765071, or call in and see us at Arkwrights, The Dormers, Highworth, Wiltshire. Admission to the tasting is by ticket only, and Arkwrights reserve the right to restrict the number of tickets per person.

Tasting tickets always sell very quickly (usually within 48 hours) so it is best to book ASAP.

We look forward to seeing you for another great evening of whisky tasting.

Slainte!
Fran and Ken
Arkwrights Whisky and Wines
www.whiskyandwines.com

The handicapping challenge with a bourbon twist.

The field for Kentucky Derby 136 has been selected. Login to the Buffalo Trace Saloon and pick the 3 horses you think will finish in the Kentucky Derby. If you guess all 3 in the correct order, you win! It’s that simple.

In the event there is a tie, shots from your regular Saloon activities will be added and used as the tie-breaker (so it could really pay to play around in the Saloon!)

The winner receives The Ultimate Buffalo Trace Distillery Experience: airfare, hotel and a private tour of the distillery.

Go to the contest page for complete details. http://tinyurl.com/buffalotrace

Not a saloon member yet? Sign up now and take your best shot. http://tinyurl.com/27rj9xw

Share this contest with your friends on Twitter.
Good luck,

Buffalo Trace
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

WHISKEY ROADSHOW

Saturday, May 1, 1:00-4:00pm

If you have a passion for scotch, bourbon, cognac, tequila and other specialty spirits, Binny’s “Whiskey Hotline” should be on your speed dial. It’s headed up by Brett Pontoni — our resident expert and Duke of Distilled Spirits. Brett’s job is to talk whiskey, sample whiskey, buy whiskey, write about whiskey, and hand select exclusive barrels of whiskey. Winner of countless industry awards, Brett and his world famous Whiskey Hotline are hitting the road. Meet Brett Pontoni during one of his upcoming store appearances. He’ll be pouring his personal favorites during a special series of open house tastings.

Call 630-654-0988 or email willowbrook@binnys.com for reservations.
Willowbrook

6920 S. Route 83 | Willowbrook | 630-654-0988

www.binnys.com

Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,

We have an excellent tasting coming up this Saturday May 1st, and there is still plenty of space left. From 2-4PM, Mr. Andy Dunn of Gold Medal Marketing and I will be showcasing some of the finest spirits produced in Scotland. For just $30 you will have the chance to sample from an incredible selection of whiskies distilled and or bottled in Campbeltown Scotland. And best of all, you get $15 back in the form of a Kensington Wine Market gift card to spend in store. And as though that weren’t enough, this will be your first opportunity to sample the new Springbank 12Yr Cask Strength, Claret and CV bottlings. How can you beat a deal like that?

The reason we are charging a fee for the event is to cover the cost of some cheese and other nibbles which we will be complimenting the event. You will have the opportunity to sample from the following extensive list of products which will be open and available:

Springbank 10Yr
Springbank 15Yr
Springbank 18Yr
Springbank 100 Proof
Springbank 12Yr Cask Strength _ NEW
Springbank Claret 12Yr _ NEW
Springbak 1996 KWM Oloroso Cask
Springbank CV
Hazelburn 8Yr
Longrow 10Yr
Longrow 14Yr
Longrow Gaja Barolo
Longrow CV
Kilkerran Work in Progress
Duthies Auchentoshan 18Yr
Duthies Caol Ila 13Yr
Duthies Clynelish 14Yr
Duthies Cragganmore 15Yr
Duthies Glen Scotia 17Yr
Duthies Laphroaig 11Yr
Cadenhead Classic Islay

We have whiskies distilled at Springbank, Glengyle and Glen Scotia, others bottled in Campbeltown by William Cadenhead and Duthies . Truly there will be something for everyone at this tasting. What better way to spend your Saturday afternoon—especially when the forecast is calling for less than seasonable conditions—than with some likeminded whisky folk and a selection of 25 drams for just $15!

To register for the Campbeltown Spirits Tasting, drop by the store, call in at 403-283-8000 or visit our website: www.kensingtonwinemarket.com..

See you there!

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson
KWM Scotchguy

403-283-8000
888-283-9004
1257 Kensington Rd. NW
Calgary, AB, Canada
T2N 3P8

scotchguy@kensingtonwinemarket.com

Federal Wine & Spirits 
 
Personal Tasting of Diageo Special Editions with Evan Cattanach
Thursday, May 6th. 7:30 P.M. at the store Limited to 25
Call 617 367 8605 or email: joe@federalwine.com

Evan Cattanach

No one deserves the title of Grand Old Man in the scotch business more than Evan Cattanach. He is beginning his fifftieth year as ai 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.

Evan will take us through a range of his and Diageo’s Special Releases including:

Brora 30 Y.O.
Talisker 30 Y.O.
Port Ellen 30 Y.O.
Glen Ord 30 Y.O.
Oban 18 Y.O.
Lagavulin 12 Y.O.

all except the Oban 18 at Cask Strength.

You will receive a signed bottle of Glen Ord 30 which is Regularly Priced at $335.00 or the $150 price of admission could go towards any other bottle in the tasting.

Joe Howell
Federal Wine & Spirits

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

Whisky Live

The World Expo’s Largest Celebration of Whisky

After the overwhelming success of the inaugural Whisky Live Shanghai in 2009, the world’s premier whisky event, returns to Shanghai on May 21 and 22.  Last year, 8,000 people discovered Whisky Live. And this year it’s bigger and better. Enjoy live music, take part in a master class introducing single malt whisky, blend your own whisky in our fun, interactive blending competition and watch the best mixologists in Shanghai go head- to-head to create the Whisky Live Shanghai cocktail of 2010.

Last year Whisky Live introduced Shanghai to the ‘World of Whisky’. This year’s theme is ‘The Art of Whisky’, revealing the arts surrounding creation, the art of tasting, the art of blending, the art of mixology (selecting whisky for cocktails), and the art of malting. Master classes on the art of pairing cigars and whisky and offering the opportunity to create your own Scottish Blended whisky will also be available in the VIP area. 

“There’s more to whisky than green tea,” said Show Director, Stephen Notman. “People are drinking more whisky in China than ever before. Consumer education remains imperative to prevent the whisky trend being washed out with the green tea. There are so many intrinsic characters and flavours found in whisky. There’s so much yet to be discovered

Last year 34 brands were showcased. This year there will be even more, including nine new brands from Scotland. Whisky Live will see no less than three brand launches, plus all the established favourites including Glenfiddich, Dewar’s, Macallan and tipples from countries including Japan, United States & Ireland. 

And Shanghai’s first Whisky Awards are also new to this year’s festival. Stephen Notman explained: “To support the growth of whisky in Shanghai, it is important to highlight and reward the people and venues that have been notable drivers behind raising awareness, educating and increasing whisky’s profile. The nominations for the awards come from the whisky industry and are judged by industry professionals.”

Gavin Hewitt, Chief Executive of The Scotch Whisky Association, formally launches the festival on May 21. He said: “Whisky Live Shanghai is a great opportunity for Chinese consumers to discover Scotch Whisky and to learn more about what makes it so special.  Made only in Scotland, Scotch Whisky is world famous for its variety of taste and flavours, its quality and authenticity, and its heritage.”

Whisky Live is an official event of the UK government’s World Expo 2010 programme.

Email: sjnotman@whiskylivechina.comNO web link provided. Or Images.-WI

Special Deals for tonight:

DEAL 1:
Benromach (Choose one: Original/Organic/10yo)
Bunnahabhain 12yo
Dalwhinnie 15yo
Balvenie 12
PLUS ANY PINT
for only £10
(normally £15+)
(any single dram above is £2)

DEAL 2:
Dalmore 12yo
Dalmore 15yo
Dalmore Gran Reserva
PLUS ANY OTHER DRAM
for only £10
(normally £15+)

DEAL 3:
Benromach 10yo
Benromach Organic
Benromach Original
for only £7

DEAL 4:
Dalmore Gran Reserva
for only £3.50
(normally £5)

Remember to bring your membership card and plenty o’ cash!

St Machar Bar
97 High Street
Aberdeen
AB24 3EN

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UP COMING EVENTS:

Arran Whisky – 5th May (£3)

Laphroaig vs. Ardmore – 12th May (£3)

University of Aberdeen Malt Whisky Society
The Chaplaincy
High Street
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire AB24 3TT

aberdeenwhisky@googlemail.com