Win an incredible box of Tobermory treats…
Tobermory is the latest feature in our Golden Dram giveaway. We have collaborated to put togther an incredible prize with a bundle of Tobermory delights: Tobermory 12 & 21 Year Old, Ledaig 10 & 18 Year Old, and plus others.. Purchase any 70cl from the Tobermory Distillery range to enter. Closes 31st July – get involved now!
Win a special meal at The Gannet Glasgow
Buy any bottle from the Fettercairn range for the chance to win a trip to the highly-acclaimed Glasgow restaurant, The Gannet. Enjoy a five-course tasting menu, inspired by Fettercairn, accompanied with paired wines and three drams, as well as an overnight stay in the city & UK travel.
Giveaway: Fettercairn x The Gannet
Win A Special Meal at The Gannet Glasgow
Fettercairn and The Gannet share a passion for local sourcing and partnering with their local communities. At Fettercairn, the next 100 years are more important than the last with a commitment to the future through the founding of the 200 Club, meaning for generations to come, every golden ear of barley used in the making of Fettercairn will be harvested from fields within a 50-mile radius of the distillery, grown by local farmers. At The Gannet, a seasonally changing multi-course menu is inspired by a network of small artisan producers, foragers and farmers to create a distinctly modern Scottish fine dining experience.
Free Next Day Delivery for 12 Months
For just £14.95 you can enjoy free next day delivery on all your orders for a whole year!
Geographic restrictions apply, see full T&Cs.
Maltstock is getting nearer! Just 10 weeks until the start of our 14th edition! With just a few tickets left, there’s still time to join the relaxed whisky fun. But please do not wait too long. You can get relaxed and get your tickets here: https://www.maltstock.com/shop
Soon we will have our full program online. Please keep an eye om our Facebook page and newsletter for updates. We have already communicated some very exciting names that will be joining Maltstock this year, like Yumi from Chichibu and Iain, the master blender at Angus Dundee. Time to add a few more to the list!
A name perhaps that doesn’t immediately ring a bell with everyone, but that will for sure be different after this Maltstock. We love the whisky Concerto team! And we’re very happy these relaxed people will come to Maltstock.
They are a relatively new independent bottler, based in Hong Kong. Apparently, concerto means gathering in Italian. How fitting. We have had the great pleasure of meeting Winnie, Richard and Michael a couple of times at various whisky fairs (Boy they travel).
Not only are they fun, relaxed and true whisky enthusiasts, they also bring excellent whisky every time! Be sure to visit one of their tastings at Maltstock. More on whisky concerto here: https://whiskyconcerto.com/
These Israeli hardly need any introduction anymore. Earlier this year they even won the single malt world’s best award at the Whisky Awards. And with a very relaxed welcome dram by Milk & Honey the past two editions, we have had first had experience in how good their whisky is.
Rumor has it there might be another (very, very) limited Maltstock edition this year. Watch this space. This year Jonny, who works in the production at the distillery, will come over and tell you all about their wonderful distillery and give you a taste of the relaxed Milk & Honey whisky.
As always, Maltstock not only provides great food, excellent tastings, but above very relaxed people! We hope to see you all in September.
Have a wonderfully relaxed day!
Bob, Klaas, Stan & Teun
Want get relaxed NOW and enjoy Maltstock in September?
Simply get your ticket here: https://www.maltstock.com/shop
Three New Tour Areas Revealed at
The Scotch Whisky Experience
Susan Morrison, Chief Executive of The Scotch Whisky Experience
The Scotch Whisky Experience has revealed three new immersive tour areas which will open to the public in mid-July.
Visitors will be transported to a peaceful Highland glen, leaving the bustle of Edinburgh’s vibrant Royal Mile behind them. Beautiful immersive technology creates a tranquil introduction to the elements and ingredients that shape the spirit. This is “Origins”. Famous for our “four seasons in one day” visitors can discover the secret of how the landscape enriches the soft Scottish water and undulating barley fields turn from green to gold before the grains are harvested.
From the Origins we move to “The Art of Whisky Making”, where visitors will discover how single malt Scotch whisky is made. Mixing an enchanting kinetic sculpture with fascinating media, the distilling process can be seen from inside and out. The process is visualised in a way never seen before, embodying the art of whisky making.
The pure new spirit moves to “Maturation”. Seated inside the cask visitors will witness the charring, firing and filling, allowing for a unique and magical view of how the cask changes the character of the whisky as the years tick past.
The three new immersive areas form part of the full tour experience. Setting the scene for how single malt Scotch is produced, before discovering the whisky producing regions, the art of blending, and tasting a dram in one of the world’s largest Scotch whisky collections.
Susan Morrison, Chief Executive of The Scotch Whisky Experience, said “We are so excited to share the new experience with our visitors. This is the culmination of three year’s hard work by our passionate team. The immersive storytelling and brilliant technology within the tour will offer visitors a real insight into Scotch whisky.”
Following three years of careful planning, the new experiences have replaced the “barrel ride”. The Scotch Whisky Experience has combined technologies in an exciting new way, not yet seen at a visitor attraction in the UK.
The story of whisky production has been brought to life. It will entertain and enchant new generations of whisky lovers discovering whisky for the first time.
The July launch of the new tour at The Scotch Whisky Experience will ensure even more visitors learn about the extraordinary world of Scotland’s whisky heritage.
“The maturation process is highly complex but this portrays it perfectly.”
Richard Paterson, Master Blender, Whyte and Mackay
“There is nowhere you can see how whisky matures like this.”
Sandy Hyslop, Master Blender, Pernod Ricard
“This newest addition to Edinburgh’s tourist attractions continues our mission of showcasing Scotland’s national drink in a very contemporary, modern way.”
Malcolm Leask, Managing Director, International Beverage and Chairman of The Scotch Whisky Experience
NOTES ~ The Scotch Whisky Experience
The Scotch Whisky Experience has been sharing the delights of Scotch whisky to a global audience of 8.5 million visitors for more than 35 years and is one of Edinburgh’s five-star attractions.
The new tour experience is included in our Silver, Gold and Platinum whisky tours.
The Scotch Whisky Experience is a five-star visitor attraction, where visitors learn about all aspects of Scotch whisky, situated on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. As well as tours and tastings, guests can purchase whisky and souvenirs in the shop or enjoy a meal at the Amber Restaurant & Whisky Bar.
The Scotch Whisky Experience is also home to one of the largest whisky collections in the world, The Diageo Claive Vidiz Scotch Whisky Collection.
The Experience is available in 20 languages with family-friendly and tailored tours and is fully wheelchair accessible.
Open daily with tours available from 10:00 – 17:00
(extended hours at weekends and high season)
Tours range from £21.00 per person and are available to book online at: www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk
Happy Monday
Summer is here hurrah! and to celebrate we are happy to announce the first two confirmed festivals of 2024 are now on sale!
Newcastle – 24th February 2024
Edinburgh – 15th June 2024
We have had a lot going on here at TWL HQ, what with organising events here, and Eddie, our Founder’s adventures in Japan, helping open Karuizawa Distillers’ first distillery, Komoro, on 23rd July 2023.
We, like just about everyone else, are feeling the pinch right now. Our costs have more than doubled from 2022 to 2023. In spite of this we are still offering you, our loyal Whisky Loungers some great early bird ticket offers.
Two Standard entry tickets for just £45
So that’s your entry into the event, a glass and 3 hours and 45 minutes of sampling .
Two ‘Enhanced’ tickets for just £60
That’s your entry into the event, a glass and 3 hours and 45 minutes of sampling plus two free cocktails each.
This offer is only available for a limited time.
Two VIP tickets for just £90
This is a steal and we are totally taking advantage of Eddie being in Japan and asleep when this email hits your inbox…
The VIP tickets include all of the above plus a masterclass, 2 dream drams, 2 cocktails each and TWL merch. These tickets are normally £95 each, so that is literally less than half price.
Saturday 24th February 2024
Newcastle Civic Centre,
Barras Bridge,
Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QH
This is just the best way to start our festival year in 2024, with the fantastic people of the Toon!
If you haven’t been before (or even if you have!), you will be delighted with the range of new whiskies on show. We pride ourselves on being a home for the whisky newbie and expert alike, but also a platform for new distilleries to connect with potential new fans.It is important to us that everyone who comes along is made to feel part of our ‘whisky family’.
We have some limited and ridiculously good value tickets available, from just £45 for a pair of tickets!
Saturday 15th June 2024
The Assembly Rooms
54 George Street
Edinburgh
EH2 2LR
Yes it’s definitely the 15th June 2024, I double-checked the contract myself!
We love Edinburgh. A little known fact is that we do our Edinburgh Festival, every year on the Saturday before Father’s Day. This is so our Founder, Eddie Ludlow, can get to have Father’s Day in one of his favourite cities in the world.
Added to that, we’re once again in The Assembly Rooms, and what a privilege it is to hold our festival in such a grand and beautiful venue and city!
Saturday 4th November 2023
St. Mary’s Church
NG1 1HN
12-4pm
Early-bird tickets now on sale!
CLICK HERE FOR INFO AND TICKETS
There are still tickets available on tickets for all of these, but they won’t last!
Just click on the banner of the festival you’d like to attend!
CLICK HERE FOR INFO AND TICKETS
Why not check out news on the whisky world’s latest and greatest, from our very own Gateshead correspondent, Connas? He’s been doing his usual research into the good stuff, so you don’t have to! Follow the link below for this week’s edition.
That’s it for now, more soon, I promise, but I hope to see you at one of our events very soon!
Slàinte!
Amanda & Eddie
The Whisky Lounge Team
GLENALLACHIE DISTILLERY’S VISITOR CENTRE
UNDERGOES SIGNIFICANT UPGRADE
The Speyside-based single malt producer unveils new and improved
visitor attraction, including plush bar and tasting lounge
Scotch whisky distillery The GlenAllachie today reveals major upgrades to its visitor centre as it gears up for the high season.
Winner of Visitor Attraction of the Year (Icons of Whisky Scotland, 2022), the site opened to the public for the very first time in April 2019 with a retail shop, small tasting room and limited tour programme.
Having amassed over 225 5-star reviews across Trip Advisor and Google since then, and achieving a coveted Travellers’ Choice award last year, visitors can now enjoy a brand-new, state-of-the-art whisky bar and tasting lounge.
Independently owned by legendry Scotch whisky maker Billy Walker, the distillery is located near Aberlour in the world-renowned Speyside region and boasts a full production area as well as 16 on-site warehouses.
The £600,000 investment sees a former engineering workshop be transformed to house a whisky bar; tasting lounge; extra toilets, including disabled facilities; and substantial outdoor seating space with incredible uninterrupted views of Ben Rinnes.
The whisky bar will offer a range of The GlenAllachie Distillers Company’s whiskies, offered in single measures or as a flight, as well as mixers and locally made soft drink options.
As part of the distillery’s sustainability efforts, the new space will be heated using excess heat energy from the stillhouse: the room where distilling takes place. Electric vehicle charging points have also been installed for visitor use.
Along with the expansion, The GlenAllachie’s Visitor Centre team has doubled over the last 12 months to cater for accelerating demand and footfall since recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic.
The company appointed Tracy Sellar as Visitor Centre Manager in 2022 to oversee its upgrading and upscaling, as well as the ongoing strategic running of The GlenAllachie’s brand home.
The extended tour offering now consists of three experiences:
A maximum of ten people are welcome on each tour to retain The GlenAllachie’s admired personal approach, best reflecting its brand values.
The distillery plans to further expand its visitor experience offering once the whisky bar is fully up and running.
Commenting on the expansion, Sellar shares:
“We’re thrilled to unveil our expanded Visitor Centre at The GlenAllachie Distillery after months of planning and preparation. As a team, we identified a gap in our offering: the option to enjoy a dram or flight without the need to join a tour.
“The new whisky bar, between the indoor and outdoor space, allows for an impressive capacity of 100 people at any one time. As we continue to expand as a visitor attraction, we look forward to a busy summer season with more experiences to offer our guests.”
The distillery shop offers a number of bottlings exclusively available to its visitors:
The GlenAllachie is hosting a launch event for the whisky bar and tasting lounge on Thursday 13th July 2023 from 17:30 – 19:30, open to all, which will showcase the new space, with drams and nibbles on offer.
The GlenAllachie Visitor Centre is currently open every day from 10:00-17:00 for the summer season (April – October). Tours can be booked through their website, while the new whisky bar operates on a walk-in basis.
Further information on the distillery and company can be found at www.theglenallachie.com
Facebook – @TheGlenAllachie | Twitter – @TheGlenAllachie | Instagram – @theglenallachie_
Partner Promotion
This email was created and sent by Whisky Magazine in partnership with
Japanese Whisky Membership Community.
Former Suntory chief blender Seiichi Koshimizu, co-founder of the Japanese Whisky Membership Community.
Introducing the Japanese Whisky
Membership Community
As Japanese whisky marks its centenary, former Suntory chief blender Seiichi Koshimizu has co-founded an online ‘salon’ to share the story of Japanese whisky with the world
Exactly a century on from the founding of Japan’s first single malt distillery, Yamazaki, and the birth of its whisky industry, it’s a great time to be a Japanese whisky lover. Not only are we seeing the emergence of a number of new distilleries but one of Japan’s most respected whisky makers has co-founded – along with My Concierge Japan, a booking service for Michelin-starred and fine-dining restaurants in Japan – the Japanese Whisky Membership Community.
The brainchild of Seiichi Koshimizu, formerly Suntory’s chief blender, the salon will bring Japanese whisky lovers together in a convivial space. Koshimizu has the vision to reintroduce the category to whisky lovers around the world – with more depth, soul, and spirit than ever before.
Seiichi Koshimizu and Kenichi Hashimoto, owner and chef at two Michelin-starred restaurant Ryozanpaku, Kyoto.
Learn from the masters
Koshimizu has teamed up with a remarkable band of experts for the salon’s launch. Noted food writer Takeshi Kadokami; Kenichi Hashimoto, owner and chef at two Michelin-starred restaurant Ryozanpaku; and bartender and living legend Minoru Nishida have all become custodians of both culture and flavour with the advent of the Japanese Whisky Membership Community.
Members can expect exclusive content, interviews with the leading lights in their fields, deep dives into the philosophies of blending, opportunities to ask Koshimizu questions, and the chance to join in community gatherings – virtual and in-person.
The Japanese Whisky Membership Community is open for new members now, with access to regular content, education and whisky inspiration priced at just ¥5,500yen/£34 per year.
The logo of the Japanese Whisky Membership Community.
Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame® | Class of 2023 Inductees
Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame® To Induct
Eight New Members In September
FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame® will induct eight individuals into its elite ranks this fall, including distillery founders and craftsmen, influential government leaders, a groundbreaking activist and the first father and son to share the prestigious honor in the same class.
“We are excited to announce this year’s esteemed group of visionaries, artisans, innovators and disruptors that have made transformative contributions to Kentucky Bourbon and our beloved Commonwealth,” said Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.
“On behalf of our signature industry, we offer our congratulations – and a heartfelt thank you – to these distinguished honorees. We look forward to officially welcoming them into the hallowed ranks of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in September.”
This year’s inductees are, in alphabetical order (full bios, as provided by each inductee, attached):
· Dr. Jerry O. Dalton, retired Master Distiller, Jim Beam. A 22-year industry veteran, Dalton worked as a chemist for Barton Brands before moving to Jim Beam where he spent 12 years, finishing out his career as Master Distiller succeeding the legendary Booker Noe.
· The late Mrs. Dixie Sherman Demuth, Owner, Dixie’s Elbow Room. A bar owner in the 1950s, Demuth took her fight for women’s rights to the Kentucky Supreme Court, which overturned a 200-year-old law to allow women to serve and enjoy alcohol in a public bar.
· Mr. Greg Fischer, former Mayor of Louisville, Ky. As a three-term mayor, Fischer is hailed for coining and promoting “Bourbonism,” a burgeoning hospitality movement focused on Louisville’s leading position in the Bourbon, tourism and local food scenes.
· Mr. Pete Kamer, Owner, Distillery Engineering. After retiring from a 45-year industry career with Seagram’s and Barton Distillery, Kamer started a leading consulting business that has helped launch dozens of distilling companies, including many Kentucky craft distilleries.
· Mr. Joseph J. Magliocco, President & CEO, Michter’s Distillery. Celebrating an industry career that spans 40 years, Magliocco resurrected the storied Michter’s brand and brought it to Kentucky, helping to lead the Whiskey Row renaissance in downtown Louisville.
· Mr. Dean Watts, Former Nelson County Judge-Executive. As the longest serving judge-executive in Nelson County history, Watts created a hospitable economic environment for the industry to flourish and welcomed several new distilleries during his 28 years in office.
· Mr. Chester ‘Chet’ Zoeller, Author, Historian and Co-founder, Jefferson’s Bourbon. After years of research, Zoeller wrote Bourbon in Kentucky, a comprehensive publication of his findings, cataloging nearly 1,000 distillers and brands across the Bluegrass State.
· Mr. Trey Zoeller, Founder, Whiskey Maker & Chief Strategist, Jefferson’s Bourbon. Since founding Jefferson’s Bourbon in 1997, Trey has developed dozens of award-winning Bourbon and rye expressions using unique blending and maturation techniques.
The KDA created the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame® in 2001 to recognize individuals and organizations that have made a significant and transformational impact on Bourbon’s stature, growth and awareness. It is the highest honor given by the signature industry.
Candidates are nominated each year by the KDA and its member distilleries. A blue-ribbon committee – including all living recipients of the Parker Beam Lifetime Achievement Award – painstakingly reviews and selects applicants for induction.
The invitation-only ceremony will be held Wednesday, Sept. 13, at The Legacy at Dant Crossing in Nelson County, Ky. The intimate event, known for attracting the industry’s most revered legends and champions, is held annually in conjunction with the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown.
The 2023 Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame® ceremony, luncheon and exclusive reception is sponsored by Blue & Co., LLC, Independent Stave Company, Mint Julep Experiences, and Vendome Copper & Brass Works Corp.
Bourbon is one of Kentucky’s most treasured industries, a booming $9 billion economic and tourism powerhouse sustaining more than 22,500 jobs with an annual payroll topping $1.23 billion each year, and paying over $285 million in local and state taxes and $1.8 billion in federal alcohol taxes, respectively.
A key export, the iconic industry is currently in the middle of a $5.2 billion building boom, from innovative new tourism experiences to expanded production facilities, bottling centers and aging warehouses, all to meet the growing global thirst for Kentucky Bourbon.
Production of Kentucky Bourbon has soared more than 475% since the turn of the century.
Kentucky now boasts more than 11.4 million barrels of Bourbon aging in warehouses across the Bluegrass, the most in its revered distilling history. Distillers filled more than 2.6 million barrels in 2022 alone, the fourth year in a row that production topped the 2 million mark.
Visit www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com to learn more.
Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is the historic voice for Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Its diverse and growing membership produces 90 percent of the world’s Bourbon, from legendary, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are fostering the next generation of the Commonwealth’s timeless craft and treasured economic engine. Member benefits include media relations, international trade development, private sampling events, technical assistance, economic development support, networking, legal defense, marketing strategies, governmental and regulatory advocacy and innovative tourism experiences through the KDA’s world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® adventures. The KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving. Learn more at www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com.
KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL CRAFT TOUR®, KENTUCKY BOURBON AFFAIR™, KBT®, BOURBON TRAIL™, KENTUCKY BOURBON HALL OF FAME®, ORDER OF THE WRIT®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TALES®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL WELCOME CENTER®,, URBAN BOURBON TRAIL® and THE PROOF IS HERE® are trademarks/service marks of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.
Heaven Hill Takes Home Top Honors in Ultimate Spirits Challenge Awards, ASCOT Awards, San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Bartender Spirits Awards
Heaven Hill and Samson & Surrey brands shine bright on the international stage
BARDSTOWN, Ky. (June 30, 2023) – Heaven Hill Brands is honored to have received multiple category wins in recent awards competitions. Newly announced results from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, ASCOT Awards, San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Bartender Spirits Awards prove Heaven Hill’s portfolio stands strong when stacked up against competition from around the globe.
Heaven Hill received multiple Chairman’s Trophies in this year’s Ultimate Spirits Challenge along with more than 30 other brands receiving the coveted recognition of 90 points or higher. Henry McKenna 10-Year-Old Single Barrel Bottled-In-Bond, Carolans Salted Caramel Irish Cream Liqueur, PAMA Mandarin Orange Pomegranate Seltzer and Tequila Ocho Añejo each received the highest honor of Chairman’s Trophy. The Ultimate Spirits Challenge recognizes and promotes the unmatched quality of spirits across the globe. Their esteemed panel of judges invoke innovative, exacting methodology through rigorous judging to determine the highest-rated products, and award coveted citations of excellence.
After several hours of critical judging, Heaven Hill was awarded several top prizes in the 2023 ASCOT Awards. The awards included Best Special Barrel-Finished Bourbon for Parker’s Heritage Collection 16th Double Barreled Blend, Best Wheated Bourbon for Larceny Barrel Proof A123, Best Canadian Whisky for Black Velvet, Best Whiskey Club Barrel Pick for Naptown Bourbon Club’s Elijah Craig Single Barrel. Importantly, Larceny Barrel Proof A123 is still in the running for overall Best Straight Bourbon. In addition to these category wins, Heaven Hill received 10 Double Platinum awards, 15 Platinum awards and 19 Gold awards. The international spirits competition was created by Fred Minnick, spirits personality and a veteran tasting judge, to provide a unique opportunity for distillers to have their products recognized through Minnick’s media channels.
Across the portfolio, Heaven Hill also took home several medals from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Competition was founded in 2000 and has become a premiere tasting competition judging more than 3,000 spirits this year. William Heavenhill 9th Edition Bourbon was awarded the high honor of Best of Class in the Straight Bourbon category. Also receiving category finalist designation was Tequila Ocho Reposado for Best Reposado Tequila and Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel Bourbon for Best Single Barrel Bourbon – 11 years and older. Rittenhouse received Platinum distinction for three consecutive years as a Double Gold winner. Eleven Heaven Hill products also received Double Gold status at this year’s awards.
“We’re incredibly proud of these wins across multiple categories in the Heaven Hill and Samson & Surrey portfolios,” said Heaven Hill Chief Marketing Officer Matt Blevins. “While we certainly enjoy the recognition of our brands, it is a nod to the passion of our teams who bring these products to market which gives us the most satisfaction. They deserve all the credit.”
Lastly, Heaven Hill is honored to take home the Grand World Whisky of the Year prize in this year’s Bartender Spirits Awards for Heaven Hill Bottled-In-Bond. This recognition is especially great because of the competition’s judging panel consisting of some of the most renowned names in the U.S. bar industry, all of them with extensive expertise within the on-premise industry. When speaking about Heaven Hill Bottled-In-Bond, judges remarked, “Its unrivaled flavors and unmatched quality have made it a favorite among whisky enthusiasts worldwide.” Heaven Hill is also proud to receive a dozen Gold awards for other members of the portfolio along with this top prize.
ABOUT HEAVEN HILL BRANDS: Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY -based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and led spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Larceny, and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye Whisky; Deep Eddy Vodka; Admiral Nelson’s Rum; Black Velvet Canadian Whisky; Lunazul Tequila; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; Carolans Irish Cream Liqueur, plus the newly-acquired Samson & Surrey portfolio.
