ABERFELDY® SINGLE MALT LAUNCHES MADEIRA CASKS EXCLUSIVE TO GLOBAL TRAVEL RETAIL 

Aberfeldy, Scotland, 16^th August, 2018 – ABERFELDY has announced the release of the ABERFELDY Madeira Casks, exclusively available in global travel retail.

Expertly hand crafted by ABERFELDY’S Malt Master, Stephanie Macleod, the distillery known for its Golden Dram has launched a 16-year-old and 21-year-old ABERFELDY, finished in the finest Madeira casks. Spending up to 12 months in the ex-wine casks before bottling, the extra maturation period in this combination of casks creates the perfect balance of flavour between ABERFELDY’S honeyed richness with the sweet notes of Madeira wine.

ABERFELDY is the fastest growing Single Malt in the top 15 for the last 5 years and is now the ninth-highest selling Single Malt in Asia Pacific. ABERFELDY has moved from 20th largest Single Malt in 2012 to being the 12th largest in 2017 (IWSR 2017). In a world where aged stock is increasingly rare and many age statements are disappearing from labels, ABERFELDY remains committed to proudly displaying age statements as a sign of craftsmanship and quality.

Two types of Madeira casks were sourced to finish both the 16 and 21-year-old expressions; ex-Malvasia Malmsey – the most famous and also the richest, sweetest style and ex-Bual – dark in colour, with medium-rich texture. These flavourful casks impart classic Madeira notes of caramel, peaches, orange peel and burnt sugar. Maturing ABERFELDY in this combination of Madeira wine casks elevates the maturing malt, heightening the level of complexity and adding the typical honeyed richness of distillery’s house style.

Stephanie comments: “Aberfeldy is a both an approachable yet complex dram, it has those similar sweet rich notes that Madeira wine is famously known for. By using Madeira casks I’m able to further develop the layers of flavour present in Aberfeldy’s honeyed-rich characters, resulting in a whisky with extra spiciness – the perfect complement to the Golden Dram.”

ABERFELDY Madeira Cask 16 Years Old tasting notes:

“The soft notes of honey are freshened with citrus and delicate tones of baked apples, rich spiced with cinnamon and creamy vanilla”

ABERFELDY Madeira Cask 21 Years Old tasting notes:

“Richly textured and complex whisky with notes of ripe fig baked in honey. There is a hint of walnut oil and a snap of dark chocolate”

The newly released ABERFELDY Madeira Casks, bottled at 40% ABV, join the existing portfolio of single malts as global travel retail exclusives. They will launch in airports globally, priced at $110 for the 16-year-old and $195 for the 21-year-old, available from August. 

Notes:

About ABERFELDY Single Malt Scotch whisky

ABERFELDY distillery was founded in 1898 by the dynamic Dewar brothers, John Alexander and Tommy. They built on a site just a stone’s throw from the birthplace of their father, the pioneering blender John Dewar.

Alongside the distillery, and known to contain deposits of alluvial gold, flows the Pitilie Burn; the perfect water source for the Golden Dram. While inside, time-honoured techniques like long fermentation, which imparts rare honeyed notes, safeguard the whisky’s flavour profile, renowned for its rich, sweet, smooth taste.

The single malt brand of ABERFELDY is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society has come a long way since an adventurous group of friends clubbed together to share a cask of single malt whisky back in 1983. Some 35 years later – with three Members’ Rooms, branches all around the world and a network of international partner bars – we’re still delighting our members with an ever-changing selection of exceptional single cask whiskies.

To celebrate reaching this milestone we’re releasing some extra-special bottlings.  Grab a bottle now to join the party!

Delightful gravitas
£195.00

VIEW WHISKIES            35th ANNIVERSARY

EVENTS NEAR YOU

VIEW AUGUST WHISKIES       READ OUTTURN ON LINE

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

A Hard-to-Find Whisky at the Best Price Going

Helios Distillery “Kura The Whisky” Japanese Rum Cask Finished Pure Malt Whisky (750ml) ($59.99)
“One of the most unique and appealing peated whiskys in the shop.”
– David Othenin-Girard, K&L SoCal Spirits Buyer

New to our Japanese whisky collection is the rare and temptingly delicious “Kura The Whisky” from Helios. This very special pure malt is a flagship bottling for the distillery and is handily one of the finest Japanese whiskeys we’ve had the pleasure of drinking. Distilled in Okinawa, aged in American white oak, and finished in rum casks, it is delightfully refreshing, even for a peated whisky. Wonderfully balanced, it dishes up mossy notes and stone fruit, along with sweet, honeyed tones. Its smokiness is perfectly in check and is a terrific foil to the whisky’s spicy notes. Hard to find, even in Japan, we were able to secure a solid one-time allocation from our distributor, and at a price we might never see again. Interest in Japanese whisky remains at a feverish pitch, and we fully expect this stunning version to sell out in a flash. This is a very special opportunity and one you don’t want to sleep on, so make sure to lock in your bottles today.

Helios Distillery “Kura The Whisky” Japanese Rum Cask Finished Pure Malt Whisky (750ml) ($59.99)

The Helios Distillery in the city of Nago has become renowned for their exceptional Awamori, the local Okinawan specialty. This is a kind of aged Sochu that has been consumed on the island since the 15th century. But while they made their name locally for selling Awamori, Helios was quietly distilling ultra high quality rum and malt whisky. Their flagship whisky, sold under the Kura brand, is one of the most unique and enticing Japanese whiskies we’ve ever come across. They begin with peat sourced from the mires of Hokkaido. The Japanese peat has a lot of the same characteristics as Scottish peat, but availability is extremely limited. That whisky is then blended with other single malt whisky distilled in Okinawa after many years aging in American white oak. Finally, the malts are finished further in used Japanese rum casks, which have been seasoned for up to 21 years before being used to finish the Kura. They’ve infused Okinawa’s unique spirit into this world class and limited new Japanese whisky. Expect exceptional balance between the briny, mossy Hokkaido peat on the nose and the spicy oak and soft sweet character of the rum casks on the palate. One of the easiest drinking peated whiskies in the store, this is approachable yet brimming with character and finesse. Unlike so many other pure malts from Japan, it appears that this one is fully distilled in the country to the exacting standards of Helios, rather than imported from abroad and aged in Japan.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 08, 2018

It’s not often that we come across a new Japanese whisky. Yes, there are new brands being developed and launched all the time, but this little whisky from the wonderful Helios distillery on Okinawa arrived as a total surprise. What’s unique about the excellent new whisky from southern Japan are a couple of little words that separate it from a number of other pure malts on the market: “Distilled By.” Pure malt is whisky terminology the Japanese continue to use which has been banned in Scotland for a number of reasons. It is the legal equivalent of saying, “a blend of single malts,” but in Japan it is used to refer to single malt as well. Even more confusing is the fact that Japanese whisky must be aged in Japan but not necessarily distilled there. We’re very skeptical of many new brands because they’re legally allowed to import blended malt, age it in Japan and call it Japanese whisky. That doesn’t mean that the whiskies are bad, just that they don’t deserve a premium over Scotch in any sense. This technique is not only used by little upstart brands, but also the large producers. While there’s been some grumbling about clarifying the rules, the potential downside for the popular blends in Japan is significant, hence the strong resistance to change. The reason they haven’t been able to replicate the process for products labeled “single malt” is that Scotland prohibits the export of single malt in bulk – it must be bottled in Scotland to be considered such. So many of new brands bring in Scotch (or Canadian malt) and sell it as Japanese whisky thanks to the lax regulations of the pure malt designation. But the Helios Distillery is doing something very different. According to their importer they’re not just distilling malt whisky on their old pot stills, they’re using malt dried with Hokkaido peat. This is blended with an unpeated malt whisky from the distillery and aged in used American oak. This is not rice whisky like so many of the southern Japanese distilleries produce but is made from 100% malted barley. There is a long tradition of distilling and aging rice in the south, but Helios is actually most famous for their rum internationally. They produce a coveted 21 year old Japanese rum and finish this whisky in those exceptional barrels. The result is one of the most unique and appealing peated whiskys in the shop. The nose is a mingling of dried stone fruits and round maritime smoke. The roundness continues on the palate and the sweetness of the rum casks offers opulence, but not too cloyingly so. It’s gentle but interesting. Despite the peat it’s seems somehow refreshing. It’s hard to compare this to anything else on the market, but if you can imagine dumping some Hakushu 12 year into one of the Nikka malts you might get close. Needless to say, I purchased every bottle the importer had in stock and plan to continue to do so for as long as they’ll let me.

Current Releases

Double Cask DC098

This award-winning batch of Double Cask is comprised of American and French oak casks, six in total, that range from 10 to 17 years old. “This whisky has incredible length, balanced tannin, a very creamy mouthfeel, and an underlying nutty-autumn-vineyard character that make it perfect for the cool weather we’re having in Australia right now.”

Heather Tillott, Production Manager

PURCHASE NOW

 American Oak TD0145

Cask TD0145 was aged for 11 years in a 200L American Oak ex-bourbon cask, producing only 268 bottles at 47.5% ABV. We bottled this cask completely unfiltered, so it has an incredibly creamy texture and huge finish. This also means that sediment may form in the bottle over time, which is perfectly natural. It’s a rare opportunity to experience Sullivans Cove in its purest form. We now ship to Hong Kong, France, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore and the UK through our online store.

PURCHASE NOW

The Loch Fyne The Living Cask Batch 6

The latest release in our ever-evolving series of vatted malts, The Living Cask Batch 6 returns to the series’ roots in our award-winning The Living Cask 1745 by introducing more Islay single malts to the mix.

The result is a subtly smokier expression than its predecessor with notes of pine needles, barley, liquorice and lemon zest.

£45 Buy Now

BenRiach Batch 15

The BenRiach single cask release is always snapped up by collectors and fans of the Speyside distillery, and this year’s Batch 15 was no different – fortunately we’ve managed to get our hands on some more stock, so you have a rare second chance to grab one of these limited editions.

Next day UK delivery available
We ship all over the world!

BenRiach Batch 15 2007 #3236

£85

BenRiach Batch 15 2007 #3071

£89

BenRiach Batch 15 2008 #2048

£79

Leave behind your preconceptions, open your mind and set your compass to intriguing adventure as August Outturn brings new out-of-this-world bottlings that indulge the senses. 

CASK NO. G15.2*  A BEAUTIFUL, BRIGHT SUMMER AFTERNOON

7 years old; 2nd fill barrel; 56.9%; Juicy, oak & vanilla

The aroma of sweet jasmine is followed by chamomile, honey and vanilla tea. Diluted; fresh roses and rice pudding with toasted coconuts.

*A new code for the Society emerges in the form of G15. This single malt, grain whisky is made from 100% malted barley. It’s legally a grain whisky – but using malted barley – as the distillery used non-traditional squat column stills, instead of traditional pot stills, to create this spirit. G15 is the result of distillation in a continuous Coffey still, but instead of running a grain (like wheat or corn) distillate, the stills are fed with 100% malted barley wort.

CASK NO. 44.87  IN A SUMMER GARDEN

10 years old; refill barrel; 59.9%; Spicy & sweet

The nose leads to a summer garden – flowers, grass and ice-cream. The lively palate combines sweetness and juicy fruits with spicy, oaky heat.

CASK NO. 54.58  GLOWING EMBERS OF SATISFACTION

15 years old; 1st fill barrique; 56.6%; Spicy & dry

The nose is fruity and succulent (orange, pineapple, honey, sultanas). The palate combines rich Eccles cakes and warm, satisfying spice. Previously in an ex-bourbon hogshead.

CASK NO. 50.98  HONEY ON OAK

27 years old; refill barrel; 59.3%; Spicy & sweet

The nose has pineapple and crème brûlée with sawmill sweepings. The palate has intense fruity sweetness and a pulsating spice finish. A black label bottling from our “Premium Collection.”

CASK NO. 2.106  DEVILISHLY OPULENT

10 years old; 1st fill PX butt; 61.3%; Deep, rich & dried fruits

Cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger, with caramel wafers on warm fudge and dark chocolate-covered figs and dates. Previously in an ex-oloroso butt.

CASK NO. 3.306  SUMMER ON ISLAY

18 years old; 2nd fill hogshead; 59%; Peated

Intense muscovado, heather honey and ice-cream sweetness. But smoke is drifting from the moor and the tide has put out your beach bonfire. Previously in an ex-bourbon hogshead.

SMWS Canada

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada
104-1240 Kensington Road NW, Suite 160
Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 3P7
Email – curious@smws.ca

NEW WHISKY RELEASES

It’s been a busy year here in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and we have some exciting new product releases coming up.  Mark your calendar and plan to visit us at the distillery or pick up a bottle at a retailer near you!

‘Whiskers and Whisky’ Charity Cask Release
Coffee Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky (Batch 2)
Release Date: Saturday, August 18th at our Visitors Center in Lovingston, Virginia

Join Virginia Distillery Company as we celebrate the release of our annual Charity Cask. This year, net proceeds from this cask will benefit Almost Home: Nelson Co SPCA. Help us support the great work this organization does for the animals of Nelson County!

This second batch of Charity Cask is a Coffee Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky made in collaboration with our good friends at Snowing in Space. MWO Food Truck will be serving up delicious food starting at 11AM and Kiz Carter will be playing tunes from 2 – 5PM. Almost Home will also be on-site with some of their wonderful animals for a Pet Adoption Day.

This is a single cask offering and will sell out quickly, only 250 bottles available at $67.99. This release is only available at the Visitors Center.

A big THANK YOU to Macaran for donating a portion of the beautiful labels to this great cause!

Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky (Batch 3)

Release Date: Saturday, September 1st at our Visitors Center in Lovingston, Virginia

This batch was a collaboration with Buskey Cider & Potter’s Craft Cider and will be available in Virginia, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and DC.

Brewers Batch Virginia-Highland Whisky 
Release Date: Saturday, September 29th at our Visitors Center in Lovingston, Virginia

This batch was a collaboration with Three Stars Brewing Co. and will be available in Virginia and Washington, DC.

Stay tuned for details on Journey Cask and our new Trio Gift Packs. They will be available in time for the holidays!

EXPERIENCE OUR WHISKY

Distell launches new limited release malt collection for 2018

Distell is proud to celebrate the launch of six limited release whiskies across its single malt portfolio this September, at its first annual showcase event ‘The Malt Gallery’ by Distell. This year’s releases include two unique expressions each from Bunnahabhain and Ledaig and one each from Deanston and Tobermory.

The new releases will be unveiled together for the first time at the company’s inaugural malt whisky showcase in London, on Wednesday 12 September. TT Liquor in Shoreditch will transform into a magical distillation of the whiskies’ Scottish homelands for the event, where guests will live and breathe the stories of these captivating brands.

Attendees will be invited on a journey of discovery through an exhibition of sound, aroma and taste. Starting in the southern highlands with Deanston before soaring west to the islands of Islay and Mull for Bunnahabhain, Tobermory and Ledaig. Lead Blender Dr Kirstie McCallum and Bunnahabhain Distillery Manager, Andrew Brown, will guide guests through a nosing and tasting of each release for the very first time.

The latest whiskies to join the portfolio encapsulate Distell’s dedicated approach to high-quality whisky making, which appeals to all consumers, and covers a spectrum of taste profiles:

• Tobermory 2005 (12 YO) Fino Cask Finish, RRP £110
• Ledaig 1998 (19 YO) Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish, RRP £130
• Ledaig 1998 (19 YO) PX Cask Finish, RRP £150
• Deanston 2008 Brandy Cask Finish, RRP £60
• Bunnahabhain 2008 Mòine Bordeaux Red Wine Cask Matured, RRP £75
• Bunnahabhain Palo Cortado Cask Finish, RRP £275

Commenting on the new expressions, Derek Scott, Brand Director for Malt Whisky at Distell, said: “This has been a revolutionary year for our malt portfolio. We’re lucky to have three very different distilleries and this showcase will allow us to share the stories of each and highlight how these are reflected in the bold new releases.

“Kirstie, our lead blender, has been working with each distillery to create these unique whiskies. Using the flavour profile each brand is known for as the guide to select the finishing casks, we’ve been able to create six limited release whiskies that are not just of interest for their points of difference but are also fantastic drams that remain true to the whisky’s style.

“A truly unique event within the industry and a fantastic exhibition of our brand stories, whiskies and the characters behind the making of them, we are confident this will become a much loved event in the whisky calendar.”

Media who would like to attend the event should email linsay@talkingcanvas.net to register their interest.

For more information on Distell’s whisky portfolio please visit: www.distell.co.za.

Notes 

About Distell

• Distell is Africa’s leading producer of wines, spirits, ciders, scotch whisky and ready-to-drinks (RTDs) with a portfolio of close on 100 brands.
• Within the portfolio, Distell owns four single malts and a number of scotch brands produced across three distillery sites.
• The three distilleries include: Bunnahabhain on the Isle of Islay; Deanston in Doune, Perthshire and Tobermory based on the Isle of Mull.
• With a global network of offices and distribution partners, the company employs nearly 5000 people worldwide and has an annual turnover of R14.2 billion. (£1.09 billion)
• In Scotland, the company’s operations are based in East Kilbride where it has a bottling hall, with blending and warehousing facilities at Airdrie, both near Glasgow.
• Distell is the 2015 “Distiller of the Year” award winner at the International Wine and Spirit Competition.

For more visit: www.distell.co.za

Members of the Springbank Society

We are pleased to announce two new distillery releases that will be available in the UK from today – release dates for other countries/markets will vary.  Details of these special, limited releases are below:

Longrow 14yo Sherrywood 57.8%

This Longrow release was matured in refill Oloroso Sherry casks and bottled at 57.8% ABV.

Nose: Very fruity! Toffee apples, pears and strawberry chocolates in the background; salted popcorn kernels, mint leaves and honey.

Taste: Salty and coastal, the fruitiness continues with raisins, chocolate orange and prunes. A dryness develops with demerara sugar and digestive biscuit.

Finish: Drying BBQ spices; cayenne pepper and paprika followed by cinnamon sugar, oats, pecan nuts and the typical gentle Longrow smokiness.

• The Campbeltown Cadenhead shop will be selling the Longrow 14yo Sherrywood for £55.00
• This is not a Society exclusive bottle
• There is no Society discount for this bottle as this is not a core range product.

Springbank 12yo Cask Strength 

The latest edition to the Springbank 12yo CS range has been matured in 70% Sherry casks and 30% Bourbon casks and has been bottled at 56.2% ABV.

Nose: A fruity and nutty combination; cherries, apricot jam, pistachios and toasted oats. Salted caramel and marzipan begin to emerge.

Taste: Sweet and delicious, Scottish tablet, prunes and honey. The classic Campbeltown style develops; sea salt and a light smoke coat the mouth.

Finish: A long and warming finish; honeycomb, orange marmalade and liquorice closely followed by Demerara sugar, almonds, oats and prunes.

• The Campbeltown Cadenhead shop will be selling the Springbank 12yo Cask Strength for £49.50.
• This is not a Society exclusive bottle
• The Society discount for this product is 10% (at the discretion of each Cadenhead shop)

Please note that the Campbeltown shop will only be taking orders via phone and will not be reserving any bottles should you call before 10am (BST) tomorrow – Tuesday 14th August 2018.

These whiskies are available in the UK from tomorrow – for more information on when they will be released in different countries/markets please contact your local Springbank retailers and stockists, details of whom can be found by visiting: http://springbank.scot/distributors/.

This email is designed to replace the old ‘Available Now’ newsflash that was traditionally sent out on the launch day as a number of members have requested that we let you all know sooner. As such, notifications on the launch day itself will only be made on social media. We do urge members not to publish the details of this newsflash on social media before we announce it ourselves through our own social media channels. This will hopefully let you all get first chance to buy these bottles although we would highlight that we do not control how shops sell their stock. Even the Cadenhead shops are out-with our control so if you have any enquiries about what stock individual shops have please contact them directly.

Slainte,

The Springbank Society

Springbank Distillers Ltd

Please contact the Society here to join!