Springbank Society Newsletter

September 2014

I hope you have all had a great Summer and the weather has been kind to you wherever you are. We were very lucky here in Campbeltown with some beautiful weeks of sunshine and it’s with weather like that we all really appreciate the amazing beaches and scenery we have on our doorstep. There has been an increased number of visitors around the town this Summer and it’s a great sight to see.

NEW SPRINGBANK WEBSITE

I’m extremely excited to tell you that we are now in the first stages of having a brand new, 21st century approved website designed for us! If you have visited our current website I’m sure you will agree that it is a little out of date and in need of a modern make over. Glasgow-based Graphic Design Agency, Made Brave will be designing the fresh new website for us and with a number of high end clients under their belt, we are confident they will be able to deliver a website which will reflect the quality of our products.

Andrew and Martin from Made Brave visited us at the weekend and spent two days shooting different parts of the distillery. From just glancing at a few of the creative shots they took, we know we are in safe hands with them. We hope to have the website up and running before the end of this year so I will keep you posted on the progress – I can’t wait to see how it looks!

CAMPBELTOWN MALTS FESTIVAL 2015

Following the success of The Campbeltown Malts Festival 2014, where Campbeltown’s three distilleries worked together to create a 3 day whisky festival, I am pleased to say that the dates for next year have been confirmed. Once again Springbank, Glengyle and Glen Scotia will team up and will hold the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2015 from Wednesday 20th-Friday 22nd May. Like previous years, the Springbank Open Day will fall on the Thursday (21st) with a variety of other events happening on the Wednesday (20th) and Friday (22nd). As always, we have already been thinking of ways to make it bigger and better than the last and we would love your ideas on how you think we could do this! If you have any suggestions on things you would like to see or anything you think could work better then please so share! We would love to hear any feedback you have, although please don’t be too harsh as I may take it personally!

WHISKY SCHOOL DATES 2015

The dates for the Springbank Whisky School 2015 have now been announced and spaces are filling up quickly. For all our new members who maybe haven’t heard of it before, we started the Whisky School in 2007 and it’s where we offer enthusiasts the chance to come and work in the distillery for a week long ‘course’. During the week they will gain knowledge and experience in all stages of the whisky making process including malting, mashing, distilling and bottling as well as gaining some well earned ‘tasting’ experience!!

The dates for next year are:

Term 1: ” Week commencing Monday 18th May 2015

Term 2: ” Week commencing Monday 25th May 2015

Term 3: ” Week commencing Monday 1st June 2015

Term 4: ” Week commencing Monday 8th June 2015

Term 5: ” Week commencing Monday 15th June 2015

Term 6: ” Week commencing Monday 22nd June 2015

Term 7: ” Week commencing Monday 29th June 2015

To find out prices, availability or get some more information, please email Janet at whiskyschool@springbankwhisky.com.

DISTILLERY & SALES TEAM NEWS

We have been very busy at the distillery this Summer with both our day-to-day shop tours and Sales Team visitors. Visitor numbers during the Summer months have seen a steady increase from last year and it’s great to see so many people coming all the way to Campbeltown to visit us.

At the distillery, we are currently in the 5th week of malting which will take us up until Friday 31st October. After this, the guys will head up to Glengyle Distillery where they will start mashing on Wednesday 5th November until we break up for the Christmas holidays.

The Autumn and Winter months are always a busy time for the Sales Team who will be out and about at various shows around the world. Ranald, Melanie, David and Grant have their calendars full for the next few months meaning it will be a very quiet (and peaceful!) office for the rest of us!

I am also very excited to be working my first ever show at the beginning of October! I’m finally being trusted on a trip away and will travel down to London along with David and Grant for the Whisky Exchange Whisky Show which takes place on the first weekend of October. I will hopefully be able to bring a sample of the new Society bottling (due out in October) with me so I hope to see some of you there!

UPCOMING RELEASES & INFORMATION ON CURRENT BOTTLINGS

We have recently bottled two new releases which will be hitting shops this week.

The first bottling is the third in the series of Longrow Red. You may remember in 2012 we released Longrow Red which was matured in Cabernet Sauvignon Casks and in 2013 we released a version which was matured in Shiraz Casks. The 2014 edition has been matured in Fresh Port Casks and is magnificent! It is 11 years old and bottled at 51.8% with 9,000 bottles available for worldwide distribution. The price for this is £55.00 and as a Society Member, you will get your 10% member discount, meaning it will cost you £49.50.

The tasting notes for the new Longrow Red are as follows:

Nose: Beautiful sweet fresh summer fruits. Creamy with a hint of peat and classic cigar box notes.

Palate: Very smooth and elegant, particularly for an 11 year old. Good peat influence with the port casks providing lots of juicy current notes: Lingonberries!

Finish: A soft oaty creaminess provokes thoughts of brie and cranberry on oatcakes. Long and sweet.

The second new release this week is the Hazelburn 10 year old which will join the Hazelburn 12 to make up the two core products in the Hazelburn range. The 10 year old is bottled at 46% and is made up of 100% bourbon casks. This will retail at £38.00 and members will of course get their 10% discount on this bottle making it £34.20. The tasting notes for this are:

Nose: Stewed pears and baked apples are followed by honeycomb and fudge notes.

Palate: A lovely and rich whisky with vanilla and honey flavours. Liquorice follows with a refreshing zestiness.

Finish: A refined milk chocolate cream finish which is oily and chewy.

We will be releasing another three exciting bottlings in October/November, including a new Society bottling, so as soon as I have more information on these I will send you all the details!

Earlier this year, we re-designed the packaging for the Longrow 18 year old so that it fitted in with the other products in the Longrow range. Now our Springbank 18 year old has also been given a make over with a more  striking colour of purple being used on the label and packaging. The whisky is of course the same – it’s just been given a new look!

Over the past two years, prices at Springbank have only increased in line with duty. Unfortunately with increased production costs (water, oil, electricity, barley and casks are all more expensive than previously), it’s necessary to update our current retail price list. The 10 core products in our range along with their updated prices are listed below:

• Hazelburn 10yo: ” £38.00 (-10% Society discount) = £34.20

• Hazelburn 12yo: ” £50.00 (-10% Society discount) = £45.00

• Springbank 10yo: ” £38.00 (-10% Society discount) = £34.20

• Springbank 12yo: ” £47.00 (-10% Society discount) = £42.30

• Springbank 15yo: ” £53.50 (-10% Society discount) = £48.15

• Springbank 18yo: ” £78.00 (-10% Society discount) = £70.20

• Springbank 21yo: ” £180.00 (-£10.00 for Society Members) = £170.00

• Longrow: ” ” £38.00 (-10% Society discount) = £34.20

• Longrow Red: ” £55.00 (-10% Society discount) = £49.50

• Longrow 18yo: ” £84.50 (-10% Society discount) = £76.05

SHIPPING OUT-WITH THE UK

In the last newsletter, I told you that we had found a new shipping company who are able to ship worldwide for us. The service seems to working very well for almost all countries and we have had some very happy customers who have been impressed by the quick and easy service which has been provided. The main problem we have experienced is when trying to send to some states within the USA, as due to strict laws on importing, they have not been allowed into the state. At the moment we are having problems shipping to the following states:

• California

• Illinois

• Missouri

• North Carolina

• New York

• Oregon

• Pennsylvania

• Washington

• Texas

We are currently working on a way round this problem but unfortunately until we find a resolution we will not be able to ship to the above 9 states. If you live in a state which is not listed then it should be possible to get bottles shipped to you. If anyone would like another copy of the shipping prices for different countries then please let me know and I can get this emailed over to you.

Anyway, I think that is all the news I have at the moment so thank you for reading and I will be in touch in the next few weeks with news of the upcoming bottlings.

Slainte,

Mairi

For the Springbank Society

 To join the Springbank Society please contact them at society@springbankwhisky.com

This week Joe Ellis reviews the Darkness Macallan 15 Year Old PX Finish Master of Malt Bottling. 

http://youtu.be/fX0L2VTrbgo 

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

https://www.facebook.com/whiskytube

Also Whisky Wednesday will be publishing a special review on the 17th – his 100th review! – WI

Penderyn & Brown’s Hotel Special Offer

2014 is the centenary of Wales’s most famous writer, Dylan Thomas. To celebrate Penderyn Distillery and Brown’s Hotel Laugharne (Dylan’s favourite pub and now a tastefully refurbished ‘pub with rooms’) have partnered up to bring you this special offer that brings together three elements – liquor, literature & Laugharne:

• A two-night B&B midweek break* in Brown’s for two people

• A Penderyn masterclass on the first night hosted by Brown’s Hotel resident expert, Sam Cowlam

• A guided tour around Laugharne with Brown’s Hotel manager, Jon Tregenna, an expert on local history

• A two-course evening meal from Brown’s Hotel tasty ‘bar meals’ menu

The two-night break is for a Monday & Tuesday night, or a Wednesday & Thursday night, and costs just £225 (usual price £338**).

Full details can be found on Brown’s website

All enquiries to Brown’s Hotel on 01994-427-688 between 8am and 4pm,
or email: info@browns-hotel.co.uk.

*All rooms subject to availability. **Normal price of two midweek rooms based on two people sharing is £190. A two course bar meal can cost up to £14 per person. A Whisky Masterclass at Penderyn Distillery is £45 per head, and a 90 minute guided tour of Laugharne £15 per head.

A big personal opinion about the BIG Scottish decision with Whisky Review 483 – A whisky drinkers view of the Scottish Referendum

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

• Mortlach Rare Old Single Malt Whisky 750ml (ships like a 1.5 L bottle due to shape) – 12 available ($109.99)

United States – Bourbon and Rye

• Smooth Ambler Old Scout 7 Year Old Rye Whiskey 750ml – 6 available ($41.99)
  Another batch of delicious LDI rye bottled this time by our friends at Smooth Ambler. Spicy and ready to mix!

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

Glen Garioch: The Renaissance 15yo – celebrating a rebirth

I like Glen Garioch. While their regular range is unchanging, other than when they release a new vintage, they do like a special edition. Following on the heels of the Wine Cask Matured from earlier this year follows the first in a new range, billed as ‘The first chapter in a four-part story’ – Glen Garioch: The Renaissance 15 year old.

Back in 1994 Glen Garioch changed. Owners Morrison Bowmore were acquired by Suntory, and the distillery closed while the new bosses worked out how they wanted to run things in the future. After extensive testing and development, the distillery started up again in 1997, and a variety of changes went in: mash temperatures changed; fermentation times changed; the greenhouse, full of tomatoes and kept warm by waste heat from the distillery, was closed down; and most importantly, the malt changed.

Previously, Glen Garioch used barley from its own maltings, using a low peating level – about 5-10ppm. However, under the new owners, the maltings closed and unpeated malt was brought in. This made a big change to the style of spirit, focusing on malty and fruity flavours without the gentle smoke of earlier bottlings. It’s getting harder to find the old style of whisky, although the 1994 is still available and reasonably priced, but the more recent whiskies are very much now what the distillery is known for.

The Glen Garioch Renaissance series celebrates the distillery’s rebirth, and this first chapter is bottled at 15 years old. It consists only of spirit distilled since the reopening, and focuses on the flavour profile of their new style of whisky.

Glen Garioch: The Renaissance First Chapter, 15 years old

Nose: Sweet and malty, with gentle woody spice. Sour lemon peel sits behind the sweetness, with toffee and hazelnuts.
Palate: Oily and sweet, with more nuts and toffee, as well as buttered brown toast. A little bit of tongue drying tannin but still juicy, with baked apple and vanilla cream.
Finish: Butter toffee, hazelnuts and their skins, crisp apple and a touch of candied orange peel.
Comment: Very much on message: a whisky that shows off what Glen Garioch are all about. It’s rich and malty with some solid spice and a pleasantly oily mouthfeel.

The series will continue over the next three years, with releases of 16, 17 and 18 year old whiskies, to further show the development of the spirit as it matures.

www.ralfy.com covers some controversial ground with Whisky Review 482 – Evan Williams Single Barrel bourbon 2003

We have stock again!

We have caught our breath, all of our distributor orders are up to date and we can finally allocate some stock to our online shop! Thank you all for your immense patience – we promise that the wait was worthwhile because these three whiskies will make you smile!

Today, for your drinking pleasure, we are very pleased to offer a very limited 6 bottles of French Oak Cask HH521, 18 bottles of American Oak Cask 446 and 60 bottles of Double Cask DC71.

And we are dead serious when we say HURRY, because stocks won’t last!

SHOP NOW

This week Joe Ellis reviews the SMWS 73.65 Tarts in a Tea House 24yo Aultmore 

http://youtu.be/skMtOxWWGJc 

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

https://www.facebook.com/whiskytube

I hope you are having a great summer. We have just finished our ‘silent season’ at the distillery when we stop production for 3 weeks to make all the necessary repairs and indeed have our holidays too! But we are all back now and hard at work producing your favourite whisky.

Laphroaig Live 2014 COMES TO STOCKHOLM!

Ever since we completed Laphroaig Live in New York last Autumn I have had many e mails from FOL’s asking me where and when this year’s live broadcast will be held. The answer is Stockholm at 8.00PM on the 24th September.

Why Stockholm? Well, whilst Laphroaig is the No1 peated single malt all over the world, in Sweden it’s so popular that it’s quite simply the No 1 selling Single Malt!

And of course it’s not just the smokey taste of Laphroaig that they love. There is a saying in Sweden “If you can eat it we can smoke it”. So taking them for their word, we will be broadcasting live from the famous Rökeriet restaurant which has its very own ‘smokery’ on the beautiful island of Fjäderholmarna. They are preparing for us a phenomenal smörgåsbord of smoked Elk, Reindeer, Baltic Salmon – all smoked over Laphroaig infused wood! To pair with this I will be bringing 4 fantastic and different Laphroaig’s which we will be tasting and discussing live.

Vote for a whisky

I have settled on three of the expressions we will taste on the night, but am unsure whether the fourth should be our award winning 18Year Old or the classic 10Year Old. So I thought I would put it to a vote! So please CLICK HERE and vote for which additional whisky you want to taste and discuss with me on the night.

We also have a fantastic panel to join me this time including the famous Swedish presenter and comedienne Nour El-Refai, whisky activist Peter Borg whose involvement has granted him an honourable chair of the board at the Swedish Whisky Association, as well as the founder of ‘I Love Whisky’ -blog Håkan Dahlberg.

On top of that I’m pleased that Vicky Stevens who many you already know from the distillery will be on hand to answer your questions too. With a line-up like that it’s bound to be a lively evening!

Your questions please

But as always, please send us your Laphroaig questions and we will do our best to answer them live on the night, those questions we don’t have time for we will post answers up on the website later. To send in your question just CLICK HERE to write me and Vicky, and do leave your name and plot number as I always send out Laphroaig Glasses to the best questions received. Click here to send in your questions.

Of course we will have our live audience of Swedish Friends of Laphroaig. But I very much hope you will join me too (you can also send in questions live on the night to me or indeed anyone on panel)! Last year over 40,000 friends from 50 different countries watched the New York programme.

I hope Sweden can beat this number this year!

Sláinte

John Campbell

Join the Friends of Laphroaig