After the huge success of the first range of single cask offerings bottled at 45%, The Creative Whisky Co Ltd has bottled 8 more stunning casks:

Glentauchers 1998 11yo 45%
Nose: Icing sugar, vanilla, straw. Mild spices
Palate: Sweet and oaky with lots of vanilla and spice.
Finish: Short but sweet finish with a long aftertaste of oak.
 
Royal Lochnagar 2000 9yo 45%
Nose: Marzipan, oak and vanilla. A hint of grass. Fudge.
Palate: Again fudge (rum truffles) some oakiness with mild spices and vanilla.
Finish: Sweet finish with a rich marzian aftertaste.
 
Highland Park 1996 13yo 45%
Nose: Creme Brulee, soft fruits. Sugary-sweet with dessert flavours.
Palate: Slightly earthy with some oak and dunnage warehouse notes.
Finish: Spicy and rich finish with a long peppery aftertaste.
 
Glen Ord 1999 11yo 45%
Nose: Rich fruitcake (raisins & madeira). Lots of fruit and sweet oak. Icing.
Palate: Rich and powerful. Sweet fruits, sugars, icing all mixed with strong oak flavours.
Finish: Long, powerful finish with a hugely long vanilla-sweet aftertaste.
 
Glengoyne 2001 9yo 45%
Nose: Heavy sherry flavours – rich and powerful. Stewed fruits, oak and demerara sugar.
Palate: Massive sherry flavours combined with raisins and plums and malt.
Finish: Sherried and dry finish with huge fruit flavours in the aftertaste.
 
Bunnahabhain 2005 4yo 45%
Nose: Sweet earth & peat. Licorice root. Tablet (sugary).
Palate: The peat is sweet and sharp. Lots of oak and rich fruit. Very sugary.
Finish: Long hot finish with a sweet-peat aftertaste.
 
Bowmore 1999 10yo 45%
Nose: Tar and resin. Salty – seaweed. Sharp peat. Musk.
Palate: Salty and sweet. Touches of fruit but lots of bursts of flavour.
Finish: Long, salty, hot finish with a vanilla-laden aftertaste.
 
Laphroaig 1996 13yo 45%
Nose: Scented peat with tar smoke and cloves.
Palate: Sweet at first with eathy peat to follow. Spiky mouthfeel with some spiciness.
Finish: Long hot, smoky finish with a peaty aftertaste.

These whiskies should be available in Mid to late April.

www.creativewhisky.co.uk

Loch Fyne Whiskies has stocked a new item, ‘Springbank 12yo Cask Strength’

Springbank 12yo
54.6% abv
£38.90 inc vat
£33.11 ex vat

Best regards,
Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk

HIGHLAND PARK UNVEILS GLOBAL TRAVEL RETAIL RANGE

The makers of The Best Spirit in the World* has launched a new Highland Park Vintage Editions range exclusive to Global Travel Retail, consisting of four single malt whiskies distilled in 1998, 1994, 1990 and 1973. Every new expression of Highland Park is eagerly anticipated by trade and consumer alike but the launch of an entire range is unprecedented for the Orcadian distillery.

According to Max McFarlane, Whisky Maker: “The starting point for this range was to look into our maturing stocks to find sherry seasoned casks which would showcase different dimensions of the classic Highland Park profile of honey sweetness and aromatic peat. I am delighted to have identified specific vintage years with exceptional casks.”

The differences between the expressions lie in the extent to which first-fill or refill European and American Sherry oak casks have been used. The 1998 and the 1990 Vintages emphasise the smokier notes whilst the 1994 and the 1973 highlight the sweeter characteristics.

Jason Craig, Global Controller of Highland Park, adds: “Global Travel Retail has been nothing short of phenomenal for us with 88% growth over the last five years; I am confident this stunning new range will allow us to maintain our dynamic performance in this channel and maintain our position as the world’s most respected single malt.”

The stunning packaging complements the liquid and draws on Orkney’s Norse heritage; the design on the front of the oak box takes the form of the complex woodcarvings in the characteristic ‘gripping beast’ style seen on the Oseberg ship, the oldest and most beautiful vessel of the Viking age. The outstanding craftsmanship has provided inspiration for the design of the packaging of this exceptional whisky for today’s intrepid travellers.

The Duty Free recommended retail prices are; 1998 Vintage €46 (1l), 1994 Vintage €65 (70cl), 1990 Vintage €99 (70cl) and 1973 Vintage €750 (70cl). The range will be available from April/May 2010.

– Ends-

Issued by The BIG Partnership on behalf of Highland Park

www.highlandpark.co.uk

www.drinkaware.co.uk

*F. Paul Pacult, Spirit Journal, 2005 & 2009

Tasting Notes

Highland Park 1998 Vintage 40%

With an emphasis on first-fill American oak Sherry casks in its maturation, this vintage reveals the smoky side of Highland Park, attributable to the distinctively aromatic peat from Hobbister Moor. The yellow accent of the packaging is inspired by the Orkney sun which, at midsummer, never sets.

Colour:                 Rich, golden, clear and bright.

Aroma:                 Opaque honey, dried grass with ginger spicy notes. Dried apricot emerges late.

Palate:                  The vanilla and honey sweetness developed from a dozen years in American oak is perfectly balanced with the emergence of the aromatic heather peat smoke. Sweet notes of cinnamon and cashew nuts emerge.

Finish:                   Sweet with medium lingering spice and smoke.                

Highland Park 1994 Vintage 40%

This vintage has luxuriated in the most expensive casks; a higher proportion of first-fill European oak Sherry casks have imbued the whisky with a rich, dark colour which is mirrored by sweetness on the palate. The crisp blue of the label reflects the deep sea and big sky of Orkney.

Colour:                 Rich, warm, amber hue.

Aroma:                 Warm caramel to the fore coupled with hints of almonds. Dark fruit, including cherries and figs, are slowly revealed as the whisky opens up.

Palate:                  Caramel and soft smoky notes intertwine with cinnamon and rich dried fruits.   

Finish:                   Beautifully mature with a lingering, warming smoky finish.

Highland Park 1990 Vintage 40%

A slight increase in the proportion of first-fill European oak Sherry casks underlines the balance between sweetness and smoke for which Highland Park is renowned by whisky enthusiasts the world over. In essence, this expression is a bridge between 18 year old (The Best Spirit in the World*) and 21 year old (World’s Best Single Malt, World Whisky Awards 2009). The light green tones on the packaging represent Orkney’s fertile farmland.

Colour:                 Golden, glowing coppery tones.

Aroma:                 Orange peel, honeycomb with cedar wood and rich fragrant spicy notes; nutmeg with a hint of cloves coming through.              

Palate:                  Mouth-watering citrus in the form of lemons and oranges, sweet vanilla custard notes wrapped in subtle yet complex spices at the end.

Finish:                   Medium sweet with lingering smoky spiciness.

Highland Park 1973 Vintage 50.6%

When laying down a whisky for extended maturation, as with this Vintage, there is a danger the cask may dominate the spirit. Every time a cask is used, its ability to impart an influence on the spirit is diminished, which is why at Highland Park refill casks are used for the older whiskies. The refill casks specially selected for this Vintage allow the natural characteristics of Highland Park to come through; there is no over-dominance of cask. This Vintage is un-chill-filtered and completely natural colour (as are all Highland Park whiskies).

Colour:                 Rich, warm and naturally golden.

Aroma:                 Complex aromatic layers emerge as this whisky reveals itself. Vanilla and toffee sweetness are evident; enticing floral notes and hints of heather are followed by dried citrus fruits, nutmeg and coconut.           

Palate:                  The assertive citrus notes are balanced by the layers of caramel, cinnamon and soft floral flavours. The slight oak tones are first balanced and then swept aside by the late arrival of classic Highland Park spicy smokiness.        

Finish:                   This whisky lingers, a clear reminder of the complexity that Highland Park is able to deliver. It is medium sweet, with a long smoky finish.

Notes to Editors

Established in 1798, Highland Park is one of the oldest Scotch whisky distilleries. More important than age though, is the combination of traditional whisky-making techniques with obsessive attention to detail that has made Highland Park arguably the most respected single malt in the world.

Five keystones contribute to making the Best Spirit in the World:

Hand-turned malt adds to the deliciously succulent, balanced layers of aromatic character found in Highland Park single malt Scotch whisky.
Aromatic peat gives a delectably seductive, luxuriant floral sweetness to Highland Park single malt Scotch whisky.

Cool maturation enhances the smooth character of Highland Park single malt Scotch whisky.

Sherry oak casks contribute to the distinctive richness and multi-dimensional complexity of Highland Park single malt Scotch whisky.
Cask harmonisation ensures consistency and balance in Highland Park single malt Scotch whisky.
 

Awards and accolades

2010 Global Whisky Ambassador of the Year – Gerry Tosh, Icons of Whisky Awards, Whisky Magazine

2009 World’s Best New Release – Highland Park 40 year old, World Whisky Awards, Whisky Magazine

2009 Single Malt of the Year – Highland Park 21 year old, World Whisky Awards, Whisky Magazine

2005 & 2009 Best Spirit in the World – Highland Park 18 year old, F. Paul Pacult, Spirit Journal

2007 Distiller of the Year, San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Springbank 11 Year Old Madeira Cask Finish Single Malt Scotch. Greenish nut colored whisky with a nose composed of sea salt with a little caramel behind it. Salty, spicy and sweet on the palate, all at the same time. There’s sandal wood and grilled nuts along with malt. Just plain toothsome, and not at all hot, for all its power. The finish is long, and soft and highlighted with red berry notes. D&M Tasting Notes.

Distilled: June 1977, Bottled: January 2009. 900 Bottles only. 55.1% ABV.

Springbank 12 Fino Sherry Butt Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Distilled: June 1996. Bottled: April 2009. 514 bottles Cask# 96/262 56.3% ABV. Salted candies on the nose. Fantastic texture with the Fino really showing through. Salt, almonds and a touch of smoke. A bit of sweetness pulls it all together. D&M Tasting Notes.

Springbank 12 Year Old Amontillado Sherry Butt Single Malt Scotch Whisky. This cask strength Springbank 12 year old was matured 12 years in an Amontilado Sherry Butt. Distilled in June 1996, this was bottled in April 2009. There were 511 bottles of total production, all of which are for the U.S. exclusively. Distilled: June 1996. Bottled: April 2009. 511 bottles cask# 96/255 55.3% ABV.

Red Fruit and Guava on the nose. The palate shows brine, pepper and sandlewood. Again, a nice showing of the cask – not at all overpowering but definitely identifiable. D&M Tasting Notes.

The Distillery

Springbank Distillery is unique. It is the oldest independent family owned distillery in Scotland. Founded in 1828 on the site of Archibald Mitchell’s illicit still, the Springbank Distillery is now in the hands of his great great grand son, Hedley G. Wright.

Owned by Mr Wright’s J&A Mitchell & Co Ltd, Springbank is the only distillery in Scotland to carry out the full production process on the one site. 100% of the traditional floor malting, maturation and bottling is done at the distillery in Campbeltown.

It produces the most hand made whisky in Scotland, with traditional production methods being used throughout the process, and human involvement at each and every stage.

It is the only distillery in Scotland to have never chill-filtered, nor do we add any artificial colourings to any of our single malts.

It is the only distillery in Scotland to produce three different single malts, Springbank, Longrow and Hazelburn, using three different production methods.

Visit D&M at http://www.dandm.com/

From Richard Paterson, the master blender;

Last night saw us take over the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh to launch this beauty – The Dalmore Mackenzie whisky.

“That’s a pretty picture Richard,” you’re saying but what’s that? You want to know about the actual whisky and how to get some? (if you want to read about last night, The Moodie Report has a nice write-up.)

This has actually been in the making for quite a few years. The first spirit used was distilled in 1992 and held in American white oak casks for 11 years. We then finessed the whisky by re-filling to fresh port pipes from the douro.

It’s a 46% abv with a natural soft amber red hue and hints of vanilla, red fruits, spices and the brand’s classic signature citrus orange – it is a Dalmore after all!

There’s only 3000 bottles of it being released, and the aim is to help raise funds for The Mackenzie Clan and help refurbish and maintain Castle Leod, which is still used by the clan to this day.

The Mackenzie Clan has quite the history with Dalmore. Not only did the clan used to own the Dalmore distillery for nearly 100 years, the clan were also the inspiration for The Dalmore’s iconic stag head logo and its motto “I Shine, Not Burn” as that’s also the clan motto.

And there’s also the fact that Dalmore has a King Alexander III expression – named after the the ancestor of Clan Mackenzie made when saving King Alexander III in 1263 from being gored by a stag.

Now, if you’re quick you can get a freebie of this whisky via Twitter. For everyone else, the marketing types tell me it can be purchased from all good independent whisky specialists for £100  including The Dalmore Distillery Visitor Centre, The Whisky Exchange, Royal Mile Whiskies, The Whisky Shop, Selfridges and Harrods.  It will also be available in good stockists in USA, France, Germany, New Zealand and in Global Travel Retail.

The Moodie Report has some nice pics from last night (the one below of Clan head John Mackenzie and myself is from there) but head over to their link ( http://tinyurl.com/DalmoreMakenzie ) to hear more about the iconic painting also on show, Fury of the Stag.

Mortlach 70yo 1938 46.1%

Today saw the official launch of Mortlach 70 from Gordon & Macphail, billed as “the oldest single cask of Scotch malt whisky ever to have been bottled and offered for sale.”

Available in 70cl for a RRP of £10000 and a 20cl for a RRP of £2500 these are both extremely limited and beautifully packaged in a hand-blown teardrop crystal decanter.

Amazingly for a whisky of this age it is also wonderful to taste, with an elegant nose of milk chocolate and a fresh, fruity taste with a hint of smoke.

Highly recommended both to drink and to collect.

In stock soon.

https://www.lfw.co.uk/

Listed below are just some of the exciting new releases which we have just
received delivery of.

Arran Rowan Tree 1997 12y/o 46%  £37.99
Second bottling in the “Arran Icons” series
Limited Edition of 6000 bottles
http://www.robbiesdrams.com/product.asp?id=2999

Bunnahabhain Moine 2003 58.4% £80.00
Released for the 2009 Islay Festival of Music and Malt Limited Edition of 642 bottles(all hand numbered) and comes complete
with Bunnahabhain key ring in velvet bag.
http://www.robbiesdrams.com/product.asp?id=4002
 
Mortlach 1938 70y/o  46.1% 20cl size £2,500.00
The oldest Single Malt Scotch in the world.
Limited Edition of 162 bottles.
VERY RARE AND HIGHLY COLLECTABLE
http://www.robbiesdrams.com/product.asp?id=6407
 
Mortlach 1938 70y/o  46.1% 70cl size £10,000.00
The oldest Single Malt Scotch in the world.
Limited Edition of 54 bottles. Presented in tear-shaped hand-blown crystal decanter and Brazilian Rosewood box.
VERY RARE AND HIGHLY COLLECTABLE
http://www.robbiesdrams.com/product.asp?id=6408

Springbank C.V 46% £28.99
The product is a variety of different cask types and sizes, all specially selected by Director of Production Frank McHardy and Distillery Manager Stuart Robertson.
http://www.robbiesdrams.com/product.asp?id=966

Springbank 12y/o Claret Finish 54.4%  £39.99
Limited Edition of 9000 bottles
Matured in 7 years in refill Bourbon cask, 3 years in fresh Claret cask and 2 years in re-charred casks
Hurry whilst stocks last .
Very limited.
 http://www.robbiesdrams.com/product.asp?id=2011

Springbank 12y/o 100 Proof 54.6% £39.99
Brought out as replacement for 10y/o Cask Strength Bottling
http://www.robbiesdrams.com/product.asp?id=971

Springbank 18y/o 2nd Release 46% £65.00
Voted Best Campbeltown Single Malt 13y/o-20y/o at 2010 World Whisky Awards
Limited Production.
Hurry whilst stocks last as very limited.
http://www.robbiesdrams.com/product.asp?id=2010

St. George’s 3y/o English Whisky Chapter 6. 46% £37.99
The first single malt from England in over 100 years
Hurry whilst stocks last.
Very limited.
http://www.robbiesdrams.com/product.asp?id=591

For a full list of our new arrivals, please click on the below link.
http://www.robbiesdrams.com/new_arrivals.asp

Remember that Robbie’s Drams can mail order anywhere in the world. To view our prices, click on the below link
http://www.robbiesdrams.com/shipcharge.asp

Regards
Robin & Derek
Robbie’s Drams
www.robbiesdrams.com

An inexpensive whisky for a good cause: The Dee Dram

From the Master Blender himself;

Just wanted to share the good news that the marketing lads have passed on to me – The Dee Dram has been selling great guns, helping to raise funds for The River Dee Trust.

It’s a lovely whisky, a 12 year old Dalmore expression half aged in Oloroso sherry wood and half in American white oak casks, and as you can see from the pictures it’s in a beautiful package, which is only fair as it’s a beautiful whisky.

There was a bit of fun in creating the Dee Dram. We let people pick from six whiskies – Dalmore, Fettercairn, two from Jura, Uisge Beag and a special single Highland grain whisky. After the votes were counted, the Dalmore was chosen as the Dee Dram (the Press & Journal did a piece on the night).

Then it was unveiled on the Dee itself by Billy Connolly.

Among the work that the money will contribute towards is a £150,000 fish pass to be installed at the Culter Dam near Culter in the summer. The pass will help salmon and sea trout access more than 60 miles of river that has been closed to them for more than 100 years.

It will allow the introduction of migratory fish into the territory and produce a lot more fish for the river. Other important projects include planting native trees on the riverbanks and improving the habitat along tributaries to the River Dee. (Again, the Press and Journal has more on it.)

And it’s had some kind words said about it over at Whisky Magazine and elsewhere.

Some chancer tried to sell a bottle on eBay for £99 but you can get it for just £32 a bottle from Strachans of Aboyne (or the website) and from that, around £30 goes towards The River Dee Trust.

But you might want to be quick as it’s a limited run of 600 cases with only about 280 of them left.

And if you are into your fishing or The Dee, you can follow Ken Reid on Twitter.

At Whisky Inteilligence it’s not a normal day if the unexpected does not arriving thrashing and kicking in the in box…..you didn’t think all those nice wooden boxes were made in Scotland, did you?

Good raw material plus innovative design, precision craftsmanship will make the packaging win a lot of praise Of course , all above need a good management term in production to keep it’s accuration ，assure delivery on time and with quality guarantee.

Genesis established in 1989 is a specialist in packaging. Many famous brand and wine factory also customer of us. We accumulate abundance experience.

 We shall show you some box of our company see whether is suitable for you or not. Please find it in the attachment

Your opinion and criticize are welcomed. Have a nice day！

 Best regards

Robin Woo

Genesis packaging industrial (HK)Ltd.

Room 1509, zhong xin science technology building,

31, Ba Gua Road, Shenzhen Guangdong China.

www.genesis-hk.net

Bunnahabhain Mòine (Islay Festival 2009)

There’s sometimes more to life than meets the eye….and its true to say that when you look into something a little more deeply, you are quite often rewarded with pleasant discoveries! So, naturally, it follows that there’s more to Bunnahabhain Islay single malt Scotch whisky than the welcoming gentle taste we know and love.

In the years before 1964, Bunnahabhain’s history reveals a warm, peaty characteristic for which some connoisseurs have developed a particular penchant. For this limited Mòine edition, our Master Distiller, Ian MacMillan, has endeavoured to replicate that peated essence, using single malt spirit that’s not left the island for a second between distillation in 2003 and bottling in 2009.

There’s one further twist, however, this limited edition is finished in Oloroso Sherry butts for three short months in sea-facing warehouse no. 7, bringing this intriguing voyage of discovery to an end. The result is a side of Bunnahabhain not often revealed, but one that does justice to a past worthy of such exploration. Pure in colour and strength as nature intended. Mòine (meaning ”peat” in Scots Gaelic) is a dram for reflection – a gentle, eminent taste from another age.

Appearance : Pale lemon
Nose : Fresh and crisp, sweet grass, dry smoke, lightly perfumed with a dried herby note
Palate : Sweet and malty to start then white pepper. A smoky marine
character develops with a hint of citrus fruit
Finish : Dry, spicy and lightly smoky

• Only 642 bottles available for sale at the distillery
• Mòine (gentle taste with a peaty twist)
• Natural colour
• Natural strength
• Hand numbered
• Signed by Distillery Manager & Distillery Worker
• High strength – 58.4%
• Gift bag insertion with Bunnahabhain ship’s wheel keyring
• RSP : £80 per bottle

Visit Loch Fyne Whiskies at http://www.lfw.co.uk/