Autumn at the Distillery.

We’ve noticed a change in the air and Autumn is truly on it’s way, but the team at the distillery like it that way. It makes us think of warming drams by the fire and what better place to fill up your drinks cabinet for the long evenings ahead than our Distillery Shop.  If you prefer to stay wrapped up at home then you can buy all your whisky Online.  Our international customers won’t miss out either with our Global Shop.

Take a Tasting Tour….

Why not book a Tasting Tour and enjoy drams of whisky from The Glenturret and The Famous Grouse ranges and you’ll even receive a tasting glass to take home with you! Find out more about our range of tours here

The Glenturret

At Glenturret we make whisky in the traditional way.  Find out more about The Glenturret whisky range on our website. And why not sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date with news and special offers.

Wilde Thyme at Glenturret

The new lunchtime and evening menus are available online now.  And why not plan ahead and book your festive meals with us. Have a look here

The Big Whisky Debate

Do you prefer your whisky hot or cold? Why not find out what or Drammolier, Lucy, thinks in this month’s seasonal whisky conversation here

The Famous Grouse Experience

The Glenturret Distillery

The Hosh

Crieff, PH7 4HA

United Kingdom

This week Joe Ellis reviews the Glenfiddich 18 Year Old Ancient Reserve

https://youtu.be/ozIiLy2dHio

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

https://www.facebook.com/whiskytube

Into the Autumn…

Wow, it has been a busy September already here at Whisky Lounge HQ!

First up were the Liverpool and York(shire) Whisky Festivals on the 5th and 12th September, which were both massive sold-out events, whilst we are currently in the final throws of our ‘Kavalan Vs Scotland’ series. No rest for the proverbial!

Into October, we have our final festival of the year – The 6th Manchester Whisky Festival – and an exciting new tasting series ambitiously combining whisky and chocolate. I say ambitiously as the number of chocolates required for this undertaking is both mind-blowing and mouth-watering!

We also have news of our first two festivals of 2016 – Newcastle and London…

Read on…

UK TASTING SERIES

We have thought for a long time that it would be great to pair whisky with some kind of sympathetic food-stuff. Chocolate has always been high up the hit-list and when we were approached by the good folks at the ‘Highland Chocolatier’, we thought it is time to go for it.

Iain Burnett has been creating his own truffle-based chocolates for some years now, winning awards and fans the world over. We are incredibly lucky to be working with him and to be including his chocolates in these tastings The chocolates combine some pretty intricate and clever combinations and we are therefore having to intensively road-test them for you – we get all the dreadful jobs!

You will be leaving these tastings in a complete lather, having had all pleasure centres quite roundly…pleasured!

WHISKY & CHOCOLATE TASTINGS DATES & VENUES

TUES. 13th OCT. SHEFFIELD, The Tap, Sheffield Station, 7pm
WEDS. 14th OCT. LONDON, Salt Bar, Seymour St., W2, 7pm
WEDS. 14th OCT. LIVERPOOL, Jenny’s Bar, Fenwick St., L2, 7pm
FRI. 16th OCT. MANCHESTER, Britons Protection, Gt. Bridgwater St, 7pm
SAT. 17th OCT. NEWCASTLE, Blackfriars, Friar St., NE1, 7pm
THURS. 22nd OCT. LEEDS, The Cross Keys, Water Lane, LS2, 7pm
THURS. 22nd OCT. BRIGHTON, The Hilton Metropole, Kings Street, 7pm
SAT. 31st OCT. YORK, Brigantes, Micklegate, YO1, 7pm

Click on the relevant date and venue for you or, if you can’t make it, we are intending on having a tasting pack available – keep an eye on the website shop for these.

FINAL FESTIVAL OF 2016

Aside from everything else, we are gearing up for our final festival of the year. The Manchester Whisky Festival also happens to be one of our biggest events of the year, attracting more visitors and exhibitors than ever before!

This year we have moved to the glorious and more than atmospheric Manchester Town Hall. On a site visit this week, Amanda was actually left speechless, which as many of you will know, doesn’t happen often – it was literally that good! After 4 different venues over the past 5 festivals, we think we have finally found the event’s new permanent home and we look forward to many years at the Town Hall.

Old friends such as Chivas, Diageo, Inverhouse and Amrut will be there along with newbies such as The Lakes Distillery, Wemyss and Nikka, plus welcome returns for Kavalan and Whyte & Mackay.

This year see us splitting the sessions during the day to enable more people to come, but also to ensure there are fewer people in one ‘hit’, so you should find it a little less frenetic than perhaps in previous years. The sessions are 11am-3pm and 4pm-8pm.

As always, tickets are selling very fast and we are nearing capacity, particularly for the later session so we would urge you to get booking if you haven’t already.

As always, your £30 gets you a commemorative Glencairn tasting glass, a bottle of water and a festival guide, plus access to more whiskies than you can shake a stick at – much more than a visit to the pub or bar would yield in the same time!

Masterclasses will be announced next week so watch this space but in the meantime click on the below link or the banner above to get booking.

Manchester Whisky Festival, Saturday 24th October, Town Hall, 11am-3pm, 4pm-8pm

…Newcastle and London Festival News…

It may seem a little early to be thinking about 2016 but if we don’t, who else will?!
A couple of dates to put straight in your diaries now…

Newcastle Whisky Festival 2016 Saturday 12th March Civic Centre
London Whisky Weekender 2016 Friday/Saturday 1st/2nd April Oval Space

We will be releasing early-bird tickets for both of these in the next couple of weeks so please watch this space very carefully!

Liverpool and York Festivals

As mentioned above, both of these events took place over the last few weeks. Both were a roaring success …

Competition Time

Well less a competition and more a chance for you to have your say!

We would like to hear from as many as possible of you – the most important people in this equation – on what you would like to see from us.

Be it a particularly theme for our tastings, an area of the country you feel we should be servicing, an exhibitor you would love to see at our events or a general suggestion. Any and all constructive suggestions will be welcomed.

We will then put these in a box and draw a winner and send them something nice to enjoy.

Want to get involved and help shape our and your whisky future? Click HERE.

Next Month

We have news on our 2016 Blind Islay Fury tastings that take place in November, 2016 festival updates and more. Don’t forget to keep checking the website for new events…

That’s all for now folks, but enjoy the weather this week, enjoy some drams and we hope to see you at a TWL event soon.

Sláinte,
Eddie, Amanda and Joe
The Whisky Lounge Team.

www.ralfy.com tames down a rather feisty single malt with Whisky Review 554 – Mortlach 24yo % 56.5%vol (Signatory).

And announces the sell-out art exhibition at Inverarity along with the success of the ‘DisasterClass’ whisky presentation. The concludes with an intimation of whisky collectables on sale at scotchwhiskyauctions.com

HEAVEN HILL BRANDS AND HARLEN WHEATLEY AMONG THE WINNERS OF THE ICONS OF WHISKY AMERICA 2016

Whisky Magazine’s awards season is well underway with the results of the Icons of Whisky America 2016 announced on Saturday 19 September during the Kentucky Bourbon Festival.

With new categories for this year, including Master Distiller / Master Blender, Travel Retailer and World Whisky Ambassador to name a few, the industry were once again invited to have their say by nominating and voting for their Icons online. A Whisky Magazine editorial panel then had the unenviable task of making the final decision.

Rupert Wheeler, Managing Editor of Whisky Magazine and Chairman of the Icons of Whisky said: “It is exciting to see so many of the industry’s greats celebrated in our awards and I was very privileged to present the winners during The Great Kentucky Bourbon Tasting & Gala. I now look forward to a trip to Edinburgh in December to present the winners of the Scotland stage of the awards.”

THE RESULTS

Distiller of the year  Sponsored by Glencairn Crystal

Winner: Heaven Hill Brands

Highly Commended: Brown-Forman

Brand Innovator of the year  Sponsored by Multi Packaging Solutions

Winner: Jim Beam (Beam Suntory)

Highly Commended: Corsair Artisan Distillery

Visitor Attraction of the year

Winner: Evan Williams Bourbon Experience

Highly Commended: Wild Turkey

Craft Producer of the year  Sponsored by Wade

Winner: Westland Distillery

Highly Commended: Tuthilltown Spirits

Master Distiller / Master Blender of the year

Winner: Harlen Wheatley – Buffalo Trace

Highly Commended: Greg Davis – Maker’s Mark Distillery

Distillery Manager of the year

Winner: Todd Roe – Woodford Reserve

Highly Commended: Victoria MacRae-Samuels – Maker’s Mark Distillery and David Perkins – High West Distillery

Visitor Attraction Manager of the year  Sponsored by Christie’s

Winner: Dee Ford – Woodford Reserve

Highly Commended: Matt Higgins – Buffalo Trace

American Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the year

Winner: Bernie Lubbers – Heaven Hill Brands

Highly Commended: Adam Harris – Beam Suntory

Scotch Whisky Brand Ambassador of the year

Winner: Simon Brooking – Beam Suntory

Highly Commended: Gregor Cattanach – Diageo North America and Chris Riesbeck – Classic Imports

Irish Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the year

Winner: Tim Herlihy – Tullamore D.E.W.

Highly Commended: John Cashman – Beam Suntory

World Whisky Brand Ambassador of the year

Winner: Ewan Morgan – Diageo North America

Highly Commended: Allison Patel – Brenne

Multiple Outlet Retailer of the year Sponsored by Loch Ness Water

Winner: Liquor Barn

Highly Commended: Binny’s Beverage Depot

Single Outlet Retailer of the year

Winner: Astor Wines & Spirits

Highly Commended: Park Avenue Liquor Shop

Online Retailer of the year

Winner: Binny’s Beverage Depot – www.binnys.com

Highly Commended: ForWhiskeyLovers – www.forwhiskeylovers.com

Travel Retailer of the year

Winner: Duty Free Americas

Highly Commended: DFS Group

United States

Roughstock Montana Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey 750ml $69.99

Scotland

1992 Bruichladdich 22 Year Old Cadenhead’s Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml $199.99

Cadenhead’s “Highland” Pure Malt Whisky 750ml $64.99

1988 Highland Park 26 Year Old Cadenhead’s Small Batch Cask Strength Collection Single Malt 750ml $299.99

Kilkerran “Work In Progress” #7 Bourbon Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml $74.99

Kilkerran “Work In Progress” #7 Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky 750ml $64.99

K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

EARLY OCTOBER TASTINGS

New Members’ Tasting – 19 Greville St – Tue 29 Sept  More >

October Preview Tasting – The Vaults – Thu 1 Oct  More >

New Zealand Wine Dinner – 28 Queen St – Thu 1 Oct  More >

Winchester Preview Tasting – Winchester Royal Hotel – Thu 1 Oct  More >

New List Open Tasting – 19 Greville St – Sat 3 Oct  More >

Steak & Whisky Tasting – 19 Greville St – TMon 5 Oct  More >

6′ o Clock High Tea – 19 Greville St – Tue 6 Oct  More >

Meaty Big Bouncy – 19 Greville St – Mon 12 Oct  More >

Flavour Profile Tasting – 28 Queen St – Thu 15 Oct  More >

FREE ENTERTAINMENT AT THE VAULTS

FREE Live Music with Main Street Blues >  Wed 30 Sept

Monday Night Drop-In: Peat Lovers’ Night >  Mon 5 Oct

The Vaults Poker Night >  Mon 12 Oct

Browse All Tastings >

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

Penderyn Competition – win a signed That Try

Every sport has that jaw-dropping moment (inevitably with matching commentary) that stays in the memory for years to come. For football it’s Kenneth Wolstenholme and the fourth goal in the 1966 World Cup Final; there’s Michael Jordan’s ‘The Shot‘ in basketball; and tennis has the Chang/Lendl Match at the 1989 French Open. For rugby it’s ‘the greatest try ever scored‘ (aka ‘that try’) scored by Gareth Edwards for the Barbarians against New Zealand at Cardiff Arms Park on 27 January 1973 – here it in is full 1970s televisual glory:

The 2015 Rugby World Cup starts this evening, with Wales’ first game against Uruguay in two days’ time. Penderyn, the principality’s only single malt distillery, has released a rugby-themed bottling as the fourth instalment in its Icon of Wales series – That Try. We have two bottles to give away, each with a box signed by the legendary try scorer Gareth Edwards himself. Matured initially in bourbon barrels, the whisky was transferred to small quarter casks which used to hold peated whisky from Islay, to add a smokiness which complements the sweetness.

Here are the official tasting notes:

Penderyn That Try, 41%

Nose: Mild aromas of peat smoke, early morning at the rocky seaside and warm marmalade-on-toast all compete for our attention.

Palate:  A very fresh and clean whisky, beautifully distilled gives pleasure from the very first sip. In the mouth it begins with great sweetness before the smoky, slightly medicinal flavours descend.

Finish: Slight bitterness follows that leaves a long and lingering fresh taste in the mouth.

To be in with a chance of winning one, buy a bottle of Penderyn’s Legend, Myth or Madeira before 11.59pm on Monday 2 November and you’ll automatically be entered into the draw. Full details, along with Ts and Cs, can be seen on our competition page – pob iwc!

www.ralfy.com discovers a complex malt-moment with Whisky Review 553 – Benromach 15yo @ 43%vol

With just six months to go until Wolfburn’s inaugural bottling, it’s all systems go at the distillery!

After a great deal of consideration, we have decided to do our bottling on site – one of only a tiny handful of Scottish distilleries to do so. Work has begun to install the bottling plant, and we’re also building a new warehouse right next door to the stillhouse, which will provide sufficient laydown and maturation space for years to come. There would be no point having a bottling plant without glassware – and we now have our own unique bottle shape, complete with the Wolfburn name embossed in the glass base of the bottle. We’re hard at work finalising the labels, corks, stoppers and foil caps – and we’re confident that everything will be finished and ready to go in plenty of time for the inaugural bottling, which is expected around the end of February.

The excitement isn’t limited to Thurso: this autumn you’ll be able to meet the Wolfburn team and sample some of our spirit at a variety of shows, including Whisky Live Paris (26-27 September); WhiskySchiff Zurich (26-27 November); InterWhisky Frankfurt (28-29 November); and Whisky Festival Tokyo (29 November).

In this edition of the Laydown: the last of our three-part series on the best oak casks, this time looking at maturation and processes that turn new-make spirit into fine single malt Highland Whisky. Our fascination with Wolfburn’s buccaneering history continues with an article about maritime smuggling. And finally, for anyone curious about the Wolfburn logo, there’s a piece dedicated to sea-wolves, romantic creatures of good fortune.

Slàinte

The Wolfburn Team

Wolfburn Henderson Park, Thurso, Caithness KW14 7XW United Kingdom