CIDER CASK FINISHED VIRGINIA-HIGHLAND WHISKY WINS GOLD, BEST OF CATEGORY & BEST OF CLASS

We are very excited to announce that our Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky was awarded a GOLD medal, Best of Category AND Best of Class at the American Distilling Institute 2018 Judging of Craft Spirits.

The ADI Judging of Craft Spirits is the largest & most respected judging devoted to craft spirits.  US and international entries are tasted blind and evaluated by an expert panel of judges made up of distillers, journalists, bar owners, bartenders, retailer, wholesalers, distributors and importers.

It is an honor to receive this kind of recognition from the American Distilling Institute.  We’ve loved having the opportunity to collaborate with a variety of partners as we get ready to release our ultra-premium American Single Malt whisky in the Spring of 2020.

Marlene Steiner (Brand Director), Nancy Fraley (Consulting Master Blender), Gareth Moore (CEO/Chairman) and Jerry Heddy (Operations Director) accepting our awards in Portland, Oregon.

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PORT CASK FINISHED
VIRGINIA-HIGHLAND WHISKY
AWARDED 96 POINTS AND
CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY

Our Port Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky was recently awarded 96 points AND the Chairman’s Trophy by the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. The Ultimate Spirits Challenge is the world’s most prestigious and progressive global spirits and cocktail competition. This year was the eighth consecutive year of record entries from no less than 52 spirit-producing nations.  The judging, which was held throughout March, determined 40 Chairman’s Trophy winners, the beverage industry’s most coveted award.

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MAY WHISKY RELEASE:
CHARDONNAY CASK FINISHED
VIRGINIA-HIGHLAND WHISKY 

We’re getting excited for the release of our Chardonnay Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky (Batch 2) in May!

It is released annually in the Spring, after resting for up to 18 months in Chardonnay finishing casks from a variety of wineries. Each partner barrel brings nuance and complexity to the whisky, with notes of honeysuckle, green apple, lemon and caramel on the nose. Hints of pear and toasted pecans add intrigue on the palate, finishing with a hint of vanilla. It will be available at our Visitors Center on May 12th and in Virginia ABC Stores and retailers in other markets soon after.

Our mailing address is:

Virginia Distillery Company

299 Eades Lane

Lovingston, VA 22949

Musée du Whisky:
The Whisky Shop Paris

Our French boutique is about to celebrate its second anniversary, and already it is a veritable museum of whisky, with a collection of some incredible and rare whiskies. Just a stone’s throw from some of Paris’ most iconic sights, our shop in Place de la Madeleine is home to limited editions from The Macallan, Bunnahabhain, Springbank and more, many of which are no longer available in our UK shops.

That’s not to say you can’t get them for your own collection! With international shipping there’s no need for a Eurostar ticket, in fact you don’t even have to speak French, just click ‘Translate this page’ in your browser.

Macallan Edition No.2

The second in an annual series of limited editions, this Speyside single malt is the fruit of a creative partnership between Bob Dalgarno, Whisky Maker at The Macallan, and the Roca brothers of restaurant, El Celler de Can Roca, in Catalonia.

The nose has layers of vanilla, tropical fruit and subtle green wood with treacle, ginger toffee apples and rich fruit. The palate brings cracked black pepper, chocolate, nuts, cloves, oak, brown sugar, liquorice and brandy snaps, before a full, slow and warming finish.

€125 Buy Now

Of Tempests & Teapots

The things over which some people will get their shorts in a knot. When Crown Royal released the latest in its Blenders’ Series, whisky lovers were given an opportunity to sample the source of those woody, vanilla tones that set this top-selling, and sometimes mysterious, whisky apart.

Although Crown Royal is decidedly Canadian, one of the component whiskies included in the blend is made using a typically American process. As well as their Canadian-style single grain whiskies, Crown Royal also mingles in whiskies made from a corn-rich mash bill, much as bourbon is made in the US.

Descriptively, they named this new whisky “Bourbon Mash.” Government authorities approved the name for US release and the bourbon industry raised no concerns. The whisky, which incidentally is a luscious, approachable vanilla-laden beauty, began appearing on store shelves across America, and all was well with the world.

However, a few bloggers, perhaps smelling click-bait potential, began complaining of government incompetence and producer conspiracy. It is not clear whether the US government withdrew approval of the name before or after the folks at Crown Royal shrugged their shoulders and changed it, but the whisky will remain in production, now labelled as “Blenders’ Mash,” in the US.

Crown Royal is the best selling whisky in America next to Jack Daniels. No one was going to be confused by the name. Nevertheless, it’s been changed. Still, a mad rush by speculators to snap up remaining bottles while they can, seems ill advised. There may be a few people out there willing to pay a premium for label variants, but they can simply buy it at their leisure in any liquor store in Canada where it is still called “Bourbon Mash.”

This is well-made whisky and it is not going away any time soon, north or south of the border. That’s good news because whether the label says Blenders’ Mash or Bourbon Mash, this is a richly flavourful addition to an already much-loved brand of whisky.

A review of this new whisky is posted here: http://www.canadianwhisky.org/reviews/crown-royal-blenders-mash-40.html

Reviving the Kinsip Cooperage

Whisky fans who worried about the future of the whisky program at 66 Gilead, when Sophia Pantazi and Peter Stroz sold their Prince Edward County distillery, can breathe a sigh of relief. Now owned by Jeremiah Soucie and three members of his family, the popular microdistillery has a new whisky called “Cooper’s Revival.” Initially, it will be for sale in the distillery gift shop.

The team renamed the distillery “Kinsip,” and redesigned the packaging and labels and now they have reopened the on-site cooperage. Cooper, Pete Bradford is back making bespoke whisky and wine barrels, one by one, toasting them on his ancient, single-burner outdoor cooper’s furnace & kiln. If you happen to visit on a Saturday, have your camera ready. It is a photo opportunity not to be missed.

 
Buddy, can you spare a dime?

Dave Broom (left) is the world’s foremost whisky writer and great proponent of Canadian whisky. Amber Light Productions currently has a kickstarter campaign underway to fund a movie that will feature Dave telling us about about Scotch and Scotland. They are about 90% there with just 5 days remaining. Would you like to see your name in the credits? Head to Kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1186204465/the-amber-light

Briefly . . . 

News that New Orleans-based Sazerac Company has installed a column still in its bottling plant in Old Montreal has been greeted warmly by the Montreal spirits community and Canadian whisky connoisseurs. Blender, Drew Mayville, a 40-year Canadian whisky veteran will oversee operations. Mayville apprenticed for 22 years in the Seagram’s blending lab near Montreal, and was their last distiller before the company was sold. There is a lot more to this story as readers of the Whisky Advocate blog will soon learn. Watch http://whiskyadvocate.com/news/ over the next week or so for details.

Thank you Dave Mitton!

Corby global brand ambassador, Dave Mitton spends a lot of time on the road. It is his passion to spread the gospel of Corby whiskies in 12 countries. How gratifying to learn that my book, Canadian Whisky: The New Portable Expert keeps him company. Airplane sightings anyone? Post them on Twitter or Instagram. Canadian Whisky: The New Portable Expert is available in book stores and from most on-line sellers.

Jura: A Long Way From Ordinary

The Isle of Jura sits just off the west coast of the Kintyre peninsula and is home to Jura distillery’s range of single malt whiskies. This month, the entire range is receiving a complete overhaul, with Origin, Elixir, Prophecy, Superstition and Diurachs’ Own all making way for some brand new expressions. Worried? Don’t be, we’ve had a chance to try the new 12 Year Old, Seven Wood and 18 Year Old, and we loved them! All three are available to order now at Loch Fyne Whiskies.

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Jura 12 Year Old

£45

Jura Seven Wood

£59

Jura 18 Year Old

£75

Laphroaig 2017 “Cairdeas” Cask Strength Quarter Cask Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

$79.99 View

In April 2017 we brought you an exclusive bottling of Springbank Sauternes, this was followed in November with a Longrow Sauternes. Now, we are pleased to complete the trilogy with the launch of;

Hazelburn 10yo Sauternes 53.9%

Available to order from Monday 9th April 2018

Limited to one per member

No pre-orders will be taken.  Only email orders from 9th April will be accepted.

The purpose of this newsletter is to provide you with information on the forthcoming release and how and when you can order it.  You will receive a newsflash on the release day to let you know that you can place an order.

Hazelburn 10yo Sauternes 53.9%

Cask type;    Refill Sauternes Hogsheads

Distilled;    December 2007

Bottled;     March 2018

Strength;    53.9%

Outturn;    846 bottles

Price;         £50.00

Tasting notes

Nose : Orchard fruits; fresh juicy green apples and pear skins. Rich and creamy; creme brûlée, hints of toffee and Seville Oranges.

Palate : Syrup engulfs the mouth. Honeycomb emerges with milk chocolate, prunes, vanilla sponge cake alongside oak and nut notes.

Finish : Raisins and pecan pie develop, followed by liquorice root, coffee bean and blueberries.

Purchasing and delivery/collection 

The bottle is available to purchase for £50.00.  Given the limited number of bottles available, this release is limited to one bottle per member.

We will only process email orders.

When you place your order, please supply the following information;

• If you would like to collect it from one of our Cadenhead shops

• If you are based in Canada

• If you have any other delivery preferences (not covered by the points above) then it may be helpful if you include them in your email order.

Once you place your order you will receive an email back letting you know that your order has been received and that a bottle has been reserved for you.
This may take several days. Please do not be alarmed if you do not hear back immediately.

If you wish for your Society bottle to be sent to a Cadenhead shop for collection only (Edinburgh, London, Berlin, Baden, Cologne and Odense) payment is required before your bottle is despatched to the shop.  The shops are not obligated to send bottles on to another address within their country although if this arrangement has been agreed with a shop there will be a delivery charge from the nominated shop.  We will contact you when your bottle is available to pick up.  There is no delivery charge for sending your bottle to a Cadenhead shop.

Similarly if you wish to pick your bottle up from the Campbelltown shop (we’re sure some of you will be in town for the Malts Festival!) payment is required when you have been notified that a bottle has been reserved for you.  Please also let us know if the Campbeltown shop is holding other bottles for you which you intend to collect at the same time.

Once again and finally we will only process email orders from Monday 9th April after the newsflash has been sent out.  No pre-orders will be taken. 

Slainte!

Springbank Society

Contact the Society at society@springbank.scot to join!

Kilkerran 12 Year Old

Our Malt of the Month for April is the utterly fantastic Kilkerran 12 year old… We can’t say enough good things about this Campbeltown malt, already extremely well priced, we’ve got limited stock available for this month’s offer… Lightly peated, double distilled and created from 70% bourbon casks and 30% sherry casks; a dram that everyone should have within their collection!

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Limited qty back in stock! 

Springbank 12 Year Old Cask Strength – 56.3%

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ralfy.com visits a pal with Ralfy Review 720 – Mike’s malt bar !