www.ralfy.com suggests that a decent natural coloured, higher strength malt is to be found with Whisky Review 596 – Balvenie 12yo Single Barrel @ 47.8%vol.

Whisky Quotes public Beta release goes live

After months of development and data collecting Whisky Quotes is ready for public Beta release. 

Whisky Quotes is a service for whisky collectors and investors that want all the price information from different auction sites conveniently in one place.

Our database has now close to 5000 bottles with prices from 3 different auctioneers – and counting. 

Sign up at www.whiskyquotes.com and explore. We are open for comments and suggestions. 

Thank you!

The Whisky Quotes Team

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 140: Armorik 2008 for MMM

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, and his buddy Imanuel, have just released their third bottling for MMM – Mark & Manny’s Malts. This is something special as it is the first ever independently released whisky from the Warenghem Distillery in Lannion, France, famous for their Armorik single malt. It is again limited to only 50 bottles. The Armorik 2008 for MMM is a port cask finished single malt at 49%.

https://youtu.be/KUurc53sqKQ

Laphroaig Cairdeas Madeira Cask

This is the newest release from the esteemed Islay distillery of Laphroaig. The initial maturation takes place on ex-bourbon barrels, and then additional aging happens in Madeira casks. The result is a delightfully peaty dram with layers of orange, spice, and a kiss of salinity. It’s a must have for Friends of Laphroaig, or any Islay enthusiast.

www.thepartysource.com

95 Riviera Drive, Bellevue, KY 41073  (859) 291-4007

A Whisky Maker’s Whisky

The Tasmanian Whisky Producers Association (TWPA) is set to release a highly anticipated limited bottling on Tuesday 30th August. The Tasmanian Collection is a collaboration of leading Tasmanian distilleries to create an exceptional and unprecedented whisky blended from the participating distilleries’ whiskies.

Going on sale in time for Fathers Day, the Tasmanian Collection has been created by blending new-make spirit from nine Tasmanian distilleries including Sullivans Cove, Lark, Overeem, Belgrove, McHenry, Redlands, Mackey, Iron House and Fanny’s Bay, with each distillery then maturing a twenty-litre cask on site.

The Tasmanian Collection is a snapshot in time of the skills of the Tasmanian whisky industry, which perfectly captures the unique terroir and subtleties gained from maturation in distinctly different surroundings. Here at Tasmania Distillery we are anticipating our Single Cask TD0776 will yield somewhere between twenty five and thirty bottles.

The initial release of fifteen bottles will be offered at 46%ABV,  non-chill filtered and available exclusively online – contact other participating distilleries for more information on their single cask releases.

BUY NOW

www.ralfy.com has set a world land speed record in the 250cc class of motorcycle at the Bonneville salt flats and now it’s time to get back to reviews with Whisky Review 595 – Glenturret 27yo (Old Particular) @ 45.4%vol

More here and here

Society Quarterly – August 2016

Dear Society Members,

Make yourself comfortable, this is the longest newsletter I have ever sent you. In fact, this is a little more than the standard newsletters, although these will continue as normal. Here at Springbank HQ we have decided to alter the way in which we supply information to our Society Members. We have decided that I shall write you a quarterly email that you will receive approximately every 3 months. The rest of this email will give you an idea of the format these emails will take but first, please allow me to explain why we are doing this. There are a few reasons but the main 2 are as follows:

We are constantly thinking about how we communicate with the Society and how to improve the way we provide you with important information. We believe this is an improvement. We have also recently implemented a more structured announcement process throughout the Sales and Marketing department and these quarterly announcements are an significant part of that.

As part of the new announcement structure, as you may have noticed, we have changed the timing regarding when we tell you guys about bottle releases. A key element of this new system is to tell Society Members about upcoming releases that we plan to make available for purchase (at least in the UK) within the time between this quarterly and the next one in around 3 months. You will also continue to receive newsflashes shortly before each bottle is released which will include more details about each whisky than will be included in these quarterlies.

Also in this email, I have included some information on where members of our Sales team will be travelling to in the next 3 months and, if possible, where you can meet up with them.

And finally, if you make it all the way to the end, I have a few extra points that I believe are worth reading regarding the Society blog, Social media, the society discount and a recent mistake I made.

See you on the other side.

Upcoming Releases

The following bottles are scheduled for release between now and when the next quarterly is sent. I have included the month in which each of these bottles are currently scheduled to be released and as I mentioned in the introduction, each of these bottles will have their own announcement newsletter that you will receive shortly before they are released as usual. I do not plan for these quarterly newsletters to ever act as announcements in themselves.

August – Springbank 18yo (Extremely Limited) – £85.00

(You will be getting more information on this bottling very soon)

October – Springbank 25yo

Hazelburn 9yo Barolo Cask  

Late October/November – Springbank 15yo Jamaican Rum Cask (Society bottle)

Obviously, due to this email being written several months in advance, these details are subject to change, although I hope they do not deviate in a significant way.

Meet our Sales team

Throughout the next 3 months our sales team will be travelling all over the world and, depending on what kind of event they are attending, there could be a chance for you to meet them, share a dram and talk about all things Springbank, Glengyle and Campbeltown. The list below, although extensive, is not complete and the amount of detail I am able to give varies due to factors out with our control. If you would like more information on an event feel free to contact me nearer the time when hopefully the team member will be able to provide me with more details.

September

2nd-3rd: Ranald and Fraser will be attending Copernicker Whisky Herbst in Berlin, Germany

3rd: Grant is at Liverpool Whisky Lounge.

4th: David will be in Bar Butler in Hong Kong.

13th-16th: Fraser is going on a Springbank tasting tour of Belgium, visiting the following places;

13th – Halle

14th – Angleur

15th – Zandhoven

16th – Mechelen

15th: Ranald is hosting a tasting for Good Spirits Company in Glasgow.

October

1st: Melanie is over in France for the Strasbourg Whisky Festival.

1st-3rd: Ranald, Grant and Fraser will be in London for the Whisky Exchange event.

6th: Fraser will be attending a whisky show in Warsaw, Poland

10th-15th: Fraser is going on another tasting tour of Belgium, this time representing Kilkerran.

15th: Grant, along with Mitch from our Campbeltown shop, will be at the Wee Dram shop in Bakewell, England.

22nd: Grant, with the assistant manager of our Campbeltown shop, Cameron, will be at the Manchester Whisky Lounge.

28th-29th: Fraser is attending the whisky show taking place in the Corinthia Hotel in Budapest, Hungary

30th: Melanie is hosting a tasting in the Willow Park store in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

November

2nd: Melanie will remain in Calgary for Willow Park’s Whisky Festival.

5th: Grant is attending the Whisky Live event in Dublin, Ireland.

5th-6th: Ranald is off to Germany for the Villingen Whisky Fair.

5th-6th: Fraser and David will be attending Spirits in the Sky in Brussels, Belgium.

12th: Fraser will be heading back to his home city of Glasgow, Scotland for the Whisky Festival in Hampden park. He will be joined by Cadenhead’s Campbeltown shop manager Donald Brown.

12th: We have sent Grant down to the Birmingham Whisky Lounge show.

25th-26th: David is our ambassador to Sweden for the Orebro Beer and Whisky Festival.

26th: Ranald will be at Drambusters in Dumfires, Scotland

December

1st-4th: Fraser and Melanie are flying over to Switzerland for Whisky Schiff Zurich 2016

Further details about upcoming events and trips can be found on our website: www.springbankwhisky.com/events/

The Society Blog

I am continuing to write the society blog, which you can find here: www.springbankwhisky.com/society/ 

I would encourage you all to check the blog every now and then, sometimes it is the best way for me to get information out to you and it certainly is easier than a newsletter. Although I do try to keep it fairly busy, I remain reluctant to commit to a regular or fixed schedule regarding writing blogs, I feel this would not only limit me when I felt I had something worthwhile to write about outside of the agreed schedule but it would also result in me writing a blog post when I had nothing of note to say. Nevertheless, I don’t want you guys to miss anything, so make sure you check it every now and then.

If you have problems logging in to your account, or you don’t believe you have an account, please let me know as soon as you can.

Also, I am looking for suggestions for the blog. What would you guys like me to write about, what would you like to know about Springbank? Contact me with some ideas:

society@springbankwhisky.com

The Previous Newsletter

Some of you may have noticed the error that was in the newsletter I sent out regarding the most recent Springbank 12yo Cask Strength (it was concerning whether the Society discount was applicable). This cast into light some misunderstandings that I and others had when it came to how the discount was being implemented in our other shops, particularly the shops outside of the UK. To be clear, the Society discount is applicable in our Campbeltown shop for core range products from Springbank Distillers. It is possible you could get the discount for these products in other Cadenhead shops but, due to each shop out with Campbeltown being run as a franchise, this is entirely at their discretion.

Social Media

In recent times, we here at Springbank Towers have taken a more active role on social media and aim to continue this development in the future (especially when our notoriously poor internet service is finally improved) . Following us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram is a great and easy way to keep up to date with the happenings at #Springbank.

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/officialspringbankwhisky/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/Springbank1828 (@springbank1828)

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/springbankwhisky1828/

The End is Nigh

This has been an essay hasn’t it. Well, I hope it has been more interesting than the essays I used to write back in my university days. However, now you know what these quarterlies are going to be like, what format they have. The next one will be in approximately 3 months (you guys know how much I hate definitive schedules) and I am sure it will provide some interesting bedtime reading for you all again 😉

Remember, I am looking for suggestions for the blog and you will still be receiving the regular newsletters as before so you won’t have to wait too long for the next one.

Slainte

Nathan

For the Springbank Society

To join the Springbank Society please contact Nathan at

society@springbankwhisky.com

On Friday 5 August, we opened the doors at 28 Queen Street to unveil the newly refurbished space. 150 guests joined the team at Queen Street for the first look at all three remodeled levels with drams, nibbles and bubbly. Guests explored their flavour preferences in the Kaleidoscope Whisky Bar…

Read more on our blog >

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

Everything you need to know about Indian whisky

Indian whisky is big. Eight of the top 10 best-selling whisky brands in 2015 were made in India, with only Johnnie Walker and Jack Daniel’s preventing a whitewash.

Five of the best-known Indian whiskies

Want to know more? Here’s our handy guide to everything you need to know:

What is Indian whisky?

Almost all of the whisky produced in India is made by blending spirit distilled from fermented molasses (similar to what we know as rum) with either grain whisky (maize, wheat, rye or barley) or pre-blended Scotch whisky; it cannot be sold in Europe as whisky. The biggest brand, Officer’s Choice, sold an astonishing 400 million bottles in 2015!

DO THEY MAKE SINGLE MALT, TOO?

Yes. It is a growing category of Indian whisky, but as of 2016, there are just three that are readily available: Amrut (first seen in Europe in 2004), Paul John (2012), and Rampur (new this year).

Can Indian ‘whisky’ be sold in Europe?

Yes, but it cannot be labelled as ‘whisky’ and is normally called a ‘spirit drink’. One example is 8PM, the world’s 18th bestselling whisky in 2015.

How is INDIAN SINGLE MALT made?

To be able to be sold as whisky in the EU and elsewhere, Indian single malts are made in the same way as Scotch – with malted barley in pot stills and aged in oak for at least three years.

WHERE DOES THE BARLEY COME FROM?

Due to the cooler temperatures, Indian barley is almost exclusively grown in the north of the country, mainly near the borders with China, Nepal and Pakistan. For the southern distilleries (Amrut and Paul John), this means the barley has to be transported around 1,500 miles by road to the distilleries. For peated whiskies, either peat or pre-smoked barley is imported from Scotland.

Indian barley is grown in the north of the country

IS SCOTCH WHISKY BOTTLED IN INDIA?

Yes! Scotch Whisky Regulations permit imports of blended Scotch whisky in bulk to be bottled in another country. India is one of the many places this happens; for example you can find locally bottled examples of Teacher’s, Vat 69 and Black & White.

Isn’t it too hot TO MAKE WHISKY in India?

The heat isn’t as much of a problem as you may think for the three single-malt distilleries. The average high, even in the height of summer, is 35°C in Bangalore (home of Amrut) 31°C in Rampur and a degree less than that for Paul John in Goa, calmed by the maritime climate). As a guide, Kentucky bourbon and Tennessee deal with similar temperatures.

ISN’T IT TOO DRY?

The lack of humidity is arguably the biggest obstacle faced by Indian whisky producers for two reasons: it causes both the ageing process to accelerate (around six times, so a three-year-old Indian malt is similar in maturity to an 18-year-old Scotch), and for a higher ratio of water to alcohol to evaporate (the angel’s share), so the abv rises during maturation.

But is it any good?

In a word; yes. Jim Murray scored Amrut Fusion 97 points and the title of Third Finest Whisky in the World in his Whisky Bible 2010, which helped to raise awareness of the country’s whiskies. This has been followed by many more awards for both the established distilleries, including Best Asian Single Malt 12 Years and Under for Paul John Select Cask Classic at The World Whiskies Awards 2015. Asa Abraham of Paul John says: ‘The common perception about Indian whiskies is that they are made from molasses and hence not of good quality. But perceptions are changing.’

How should you drink it?

Treat it the same way you would Scotch. As with all whisky, it’s up to you. With or without water or ice, mixed or neat, however you like to drink it is best. Like many countries around the world, Indians agree that whisky is for sharing with friends, as this advert from 8PM points out:

What does the future hold for Indian single malt?

Sales are growing by around 10% per year. Abraham predicts that Indian single malt consumption will be ‘explosive’ in the near future and that more Indian distilleries will bring out single malts of their own.

Which single malts do you recommend?

If you’ve never tried Indian whisky before, Amrut Fusion is a great place to start. A mix of unpeated Indian and lightly peated Scottish barley, it’s rich, fruity, spicy and one of our favourites. What’s more, buy a bottle before 21 September and you could win a bottle of the rare Greedy Angels 10 Year Old, the oldest-ever Indian whisky. See our prize draw page for full details.

If you prefer your whisky unpeated, then Paul John Brilliance is fruity and creamy, and made exclusively using Indian barley.

Jura One for the Road

This very limited edition Island Single Malt from the Jura distillery has just been released in celebration of Distillery Manager, Willie Cochrane’s 39 years on the island. Aged for 22 years and finished in Pinot Noir wine casks, only 672 bottles are available in the UK. Presented at a natural cask strength of 47% abv and non chill-filtered.

The nose offers notes of moist walnut cake, freshly baked bread, over-ripe pineapple and vanilla, with hints of dark chocolate, coffee and macaroon. The palate has rich ginger, cassis, frangipane and caramelised peach notes, while glazed nectarines, pears in red wine, muscovado sugar and soft cranberries emerge. There is Turkish delight on the finish, with notes of coffee, fig syrup and cherry cake.

This is one of the most exciting releases of the year and so it’s offered on a first come first served basis while stocks last.

£120 Buy Now

In stock and available for immediate dispatch