This week I’m opening a fourth bottle of Grant’s Best Procurable. It’s not as old as this pre-1937 blend which I tasted a while back, but it was certainly bottled before this one – and it predates the introduction of our triangular bottles in the 1950s and 60s.

This bottle was clearly destined for the US…

Kind regards,

Ludo

Whisky Ramblings Via Video #58

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries the Auchentoshan Silveroak. It is one the Lowland distillery’s duty free expressions. Bottled at a cask strength of 51,5% ABV, it is a 21 year old from 1990. Mark enjoys it at the poolside of his holiday home in France. Oh, life can be sweet indeed!

http://youtu.be/USZ5FYQahiA

Celtic Tiger Teeling is back again New Distillery in Dundalk, Ireland

Ernie – Ernst J Scheiner, The Gateway to Distilleries at www.whisky-distilleries.net

The Irish Whisky Company (IWC) which was formed by John Teeling with his sons Jack and Stephen will spend about €35m over four years in transforming Diageo’s Great Northern Brewery in Dundalk, Co Louth into a whiskey distillery. Shareholders of the new IWC are also the former Cooley Distillery directors Jim Finn and David Hynes.

Ireland’s second largest brewery known as the Harp Brewery locally will end its brewing history in Dundalk which started in the 1950s. „The production of Harp, Smithwicks and Carlsberg brands will be moved to St James’s Gate in Dublin,“ said Paul Armstrong, Supply Director Brewing of Diageo’s International Supply Centre. „By centralising our brewing facilities in the capital, we will secure the future of beer brewing in Ireland.“

The new Great Northern Distillery will be distilling grain whiskeys, pot still whiskeys and single malts for national and international markets. The Irish Whisky Company will produce white label-whiskeys for retailers worldwide, blended whiskeys for brand owners without distilleries and grain whiskeys for smaller Irish craft distilleries. The new Dundalk Distillery will be operated as an efficient low cost modern bulk distillery. Production is planned to start by August 2014 with first mature whiskey available by 2018.

John Teeling had successfully converted the former Ceimicí Teo Distillery at Riverstown, Co. Louth into one of the most decorated and highly praised distilleries in Ireland. The grain and single malt distillery produced whiskeys like Greenore, Tyrconnell or the peaty Connemara. Their creator Noel Sweeney has become one of the most decorated master blenders of Ireland.

But Cooley Distillery was also quite successful in supplying bonders and retailers with whiskeys like Slane Castle, Feckin, Titanic or Michael Collins. Almost 35% of its annual turnover was gained from the third party whiskey market.

This segment of the industry lies bare now as the American drinks firm Beam Inc stopped serving Bonders and Blenders after the aquisition of Cooley Distillery in 2011.

Beam Inc has focused on its Blended Whiskey Kilbeggan and cut all third party supply contracts evolving new whiskey distillery projects at Slane Castle, in Echlinville and Belfast.

John Teeling: „We will supply segments of the market with whiskey which are currently not served at all, or poorly served.“

The Dublin based Teeling Whiskey Company Ltd (TWC) formed by Jack and Stephen Teeling will continue to run as a separate unit. The two brothers will continue with their plans to build a new whiskey distillery in Dublin. The Great Northern Distillery will certainly be used as a source of whiskeys in the future.

For more information please see:

http://www.beamglobal.com

http://www.teelingwhiskey.com

http://www.whisky-distilleries.net

https://www.whiskyintelligence.com/2013/03/slane-castle-distillery-goes-ahead-new-irish-distillery-to-be-built-irish-whiskey-news/

https://www.whiskyintelligence.com/2013/02/jack-teeling-is-back-irish-whiskey-news/

Photos

Paul Armstrong and John Teeling at The Great Northern Brewery. Copyright Diageo 2013.

Jack Teeling and his whiskeys. Copyright TWC 2013. 

About the Author: Ernie – Ernst J. Scheiner M.A. was a director in an adult education centre. Ernie offers courses on whisky distilling, writes for newspapers, magazines and blogs in Germany. He is the editor of The Gateway to Distilleries at www.whisky-distilleries.net which gives an excellent photographic and educational insight into the whisky industry of Scotland, Ireland, Europe and Asia.

Please see also: http://www.whisky-distilleries.net

Lagavulin Presents Islay Jazz in London!

As you may already be aware, each year since 1999 there has been a festival of jazz in Islay.  This is not to be confused with the annual Feis Ile, aka the Islay Festival of Music & Malt.  The Islay Jazz … Continue reading >>

www.ralfy.com takes a trip to Kentucky U.S.A. with Whisky Review 388 – Four Roses Single barrel Bourbon

Glen Grant 25 Year (Pre-Prohibition US bottling) Single Malt Whisky – 1 available ($7,999.99)
This little piece of history is one of a kind. It is very unusual to see pre-prohibition Single Malt as most product at the time was shipped and consumed directly from the barrel. However, certain industrious importers were known to bottle small amounts of very special whisky for various reasons. This may be the last time I expect to see anything like this available. This is a merchant bottling, imported and bottled by Morten & Co. Usually we use the address on the bottle to help date the contents, as Morten has two confirmed places of business and we know when they moved. This particular specimen has absolutely no business address (save it’s state of import New York), so we assume the bottle was filled quite early, say before 1906. The glass manufacturer, an England based company, operated continuously between 1870 and the early 1900s. Hence, we can deduce that this bottle was most likely filled sometime before 1906 and after 1870. That means is was dist illed only 25-30 years after the distillery was founded. Please note that the word “whiskey” is spelled incorrectly and has no baring to the bottles provenance, as merchants regularly bottled Scotch under both spellings. The label is faded, but legible. The bottle is absolutely one of a kind. (David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer)

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

The new Southern Comfort commercial called “Karate” which will begin airing in the US at the beginning of September. The new spot is a follow up to the “Shampoo” spot which debuted a few weeks ago. Here is a link to the new Karate spot:

THE VIDEO

Some interesting things to point out about the spot:

– For the “Whatever’s Comfortable” campaign, we were/are casting for people that naturally embody the Whatever’s Comfortable attitude. The character in the launch spot (“Beach”) was an example of that. The character getting his hair washed in “Shampoo” is also a great example of that, which is further revealed in “Karate”. The actor was chosen for the role after the creatives at Wieden + Kennedy saw his casting tape, in which it was clear that he naturally embodies the Whatever’s Comfortable attitude. Based on that casting tape (in which he did karate) the director (Tim Godsall) and the creative team wrote a second script based on who he naturally was.

– The actor is actually skilled in the martial arts and owns a handful of dojos.

– The director was Tim Godsall, who has directed all the Southern Comfort spots in the campaign.

– The song is called “I’m a Fool to Care” by Les Paul & Mary Ford.

Orvis prize draw winner announced

We were delighted to see so many Clan Speyburn members enter our exclusive competition to win a high-quality Orvis backpack and duffel bag set, and our congratulations go to winner George H Lee.

We’ve enjoyed a productive partnership with Orvis – the country clothing and equipment experts – for a number of years and, as George revealed on learning of his success, he’s a fitting winner of this handsome prize. “I find it quite appropriate to win Orvis luggage,” he told us. “I first tasted Speyburn at an Orvis event and enjoyed it on my next fishing excursion!”

Regards,
Speyburn Distillery

ImpEx Beverages, Inc. is delighted to announce that the amazing Isle of Arran Distillery expression Devil’s Punch Bowl Chapter II has arrived in USA!

Chapter II of The Devil’s Punch Bowl is a true contrast of light & shade hence the title ‘Angels & Devils’. The 1997 and 1998 hogsheads chosen provide the foundation for this whisky and add rich and satisfying depth.

Tasting Notes: Nose: Dried fruits, light spice and cigar box Palate: Dark chocolate and butterscotch Finish: Fresh citrus, Earthy, light twist of smoke

Here is the link for video presentation

RRP is $ 130.00

UK vlogger Joe Ellis a.k.a Whisky Wednesday reviews Glenmorangie Artein 

http://youtu.be/YXaXBffi88s

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