2012 Springbank & Ralfy Charity Bottle Auction

For the third year, Ralfy teams up with a craft Distillery to present a unique bottle package at auction to raise funds for a Distillery-local charity, in this instance, a Primary School have arranged for the kids to take on a produce-garden to grow their own fruit and vegetables for the school dinners and for local families. They need to buy clothing, boots, tools and seeds so the auction of the “Springbank 1of1” should help.

Scotch Whisky Auctions

Hi folks. The 20th auction is now live with a record-breaking 949 lots! Something for everyone. Again.

It will run until Sunday, December, 02.

Best wishes from Glasgow

Bill, Tam and Mick

http://www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com/store/category/48_the-20th-auction/

BRAND NEW! Launched in November 2012,

Based on the classic card game; Whisky Trumps lets you do battle with Whisky using a set of 36 cards containing many classic, premium and rare single malts. Choose from any of five key categories on each card to Trump your opponents and reach victory by winning all the cards in the pack. Fun and whisky educational. 1st Release is a limited edition. £5.99 plus shipping/postage.

Available from Angels;  trumps@angelswhiskyclub.com

http://angelswhiskyclub.com/awc/whiskytrumps.asp

2nd Floor, 163 High Street, Perth PH1UN, Scotland.

Can be shipped as a single pack or groups all over the world.

Whyte & Mackay Spirit Guide

There are only 34 days until Christmas, which is both a thrilling and daunting realisation. All the things that are brilliant about Christmas – the office party, cooking, buying gifts, spending time with family – are also all of the things that can cause a little bit of dram-a (get the whisky pun?). At Whyte & Mackay, we’ve been thinking a lot about the real spirit of Christmas and we’ve compiled a light-hearted ‘Spirit Guide’ designed to help you (and us) cope with all the tricky bits of Christmas without losing our sense of humour or embarrassing ourselves at the Christmas party. We like to make sure the only dram-a at Christmas is Whyte & Mackay. Enjoy!

Download the Whyte & Mackay Spirit Guide

For the last two years we’ve brought you our ’12 Drams of Christmas’ as chosen by you. So we thought it would only be rude not to do the same again this year, and use it as a great excuse to start getting into the festive spirit.

Between now and Wednesday the 12th of December we’d love to hear your nominations for your favourite festive whiskies. Then on Thursday the 14th of December we’ll publish the list of the top 12 drops of festive drammage in ranking order as chosen by you! Along with accompanying retail details so they can be enjoyed by all over the festive period and indeed beyond.

To take part click hereand email us your top three favourite festive whiskies, that we’ll then use to help compile our ’12 Drams of Christmas 2012’. Please remember to mark the subject line of your email ’12 Drams of Crimbo’.

Everyone who enters will have their name added to our Santa hat, then on the 14th of December one name will be drawn and one lucky winner will be sent a duo of dramspanking Glen’s to dramlax with over the festive period, in the form of the reassuringly rewarding and rich Glenlivet 15yr and the sumptuous solera sensation that is the Glenfiddich 15yr. We’ll also do our best to ensure the winner receives their bottles in time for the big day.

Which drams will make the final 12?
You decide!

t&c’s You must be over 18 years of age to enter!

Springbank Distillers has joined forces with independent whisky vlogger extraordinaire Ralfy and Scotch Whisky Auctions to put forward a unique bottle to be auctioned to raise money for local primary school children.

The specially-labelled bottle of Springbank, which is 17 years old and comes from a port cask, has been signed by Distillery Manager Gavin McLachlan and is accompanied by a 20cl “tasting sample” and a coveted, individually-numbered, Springbank local barley canvas print which has been signed by Springbank’s production team.

It is being auctioned by Scotch Whisky Auctions, who have waived their usual fees, and promoted jointly by ralfy.com and Springbank.

The money raised will be donated to Campbeltown’s Dalintober Primary School, who will use it to develop and equip their school allotments. The allotments are tended and maintained by the pupils themselves, growing fresh vegetables for use in the school kitchen. In addition to providing a good supply of produce for the school, the allotments also encourage pupils to take pride in their work and provide a fresh-air activity for them to enjoy.

Ralfy commented: “ralfy.com has become established in only three years as one of the most prominent, eccentric and original whisky sites on the internet pioneering the dysfunctional but entertaining Vlog (Video Blog) format to opine, educate and simply share experienced whisky-stuff/reviews with anyone who is interested in Scotch Whisky.

“After very successful partnerships with Bladnoch Distillery in 2010 and Benromach Distillery in 2011, the theme of a partnership bottling for a specific distillery-local good cause continues here in 2012 with that most iconic craft Scotch Malt Distillery which we know as Springbank.

“Springbank have donated a one-off hand-prepared and dated, manager-signed bottle of cask strength 17yo port matured single malt whisky along with a 20cl sampler and quality canvas limited edition staff-signed old-labelling poster. The bottle is the only one of its kind stating on the label ‘1 of 1’ and as such is outstandingly unique for any distillery to release.”

Ralfy is adding to this package with a memory stick All-Vlog collection of videos relating to the auction along with a private Vlog for the fortunate buyer, plus handwritten tasting notes, a hand-made whisky dropper, and a yet-to-be-declared special addition!

The Scottish-based on-line Auctioneers scotchwhiskyauctions.com are, for a second year, presenting the auction free of buyer’s commission and continue to enjoy a growing reputation as one of the internet’s best sources for rare and valuable whiskies.

Ralfy added: “Show us your bids Malt-mates and lets raise all we can for Dalintober Primary School children. The school are using the produce grown on the allotment in the school canteen and any excess is then sold to staff and parents.

“This project needs funds for a tool shed, assorted tools, seeds, fertilisers and protective clothing. Thanks for looking at this auction lot.”

The auction will go live this Friday, November 23rd, at www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com.

Glenlivet 70 Year Old 1940 / Release 2 / Generations

“The Glenlivet 1940 comes from a distillery which has been the benchmark against which other malts have been measured since the 1820s. Such a whisky will never be seen again. It is incredibly rare, and therefore highly collectable. But, more importantly, it is also celestial on the palate.”

“A stupendous whisky! Although it resonates with aged character – and, indeed, characteristics from another era – it retains vitality, both on the nose and on the palate.”

World-renowned whisky expert, Charles Maclean

Gordon & MacPhail has released the remainder of the 100 bottles of the Glenlivet 70 Years Old, the world’s joint oldest single malt Scotch whisky. Released to the UK and international market, giving collectors and consumers a final chance to own a piece of Scotland’s liquid history.

The first batch of the Gordon & MacPhail Generations Glenlivet 70 Years Old was released in March 2011, following an exclusive event at Edinburgh Castle. The release was met with international acclaim from whisky enthusiasts and the world press. All 100 large decanters quickly sold out. This, the second and final release from this cask is expected to create similar excitement.

Gordon & MacPhail Generations Glenlivet 70 Years Old was matured in a first fill sherry butt, and bottled at cask strength, 45.9% ABV. Cask 339 was filled at Glenlivet Distillery on 3rd February 1940, to the instruction of John Urquhart, grandfather and great-grandfather of Gordon & MacPhail’s current owners.

Each bottle is beautifully presented in a tear-shaped hand-blown crystal decanter with an elegant British Hallmarked silver stopper. The decanter nestles in a Sterling silver base and is framed in a handmade box, crafted in Scotland using Scottish Yew. The inside of this second release of the 70 year old is bound with red leather.

£14,999.00 (£12,499.17 ex vat)

Click here to buy Glenlivet 70 Year Old / 1940 / Release 2

Abbey Whisky
enquiries@abbeywhisky.com
www.abbeywhisky.com
0800 051 7737

TWE Whisky Show 2012 – Rare & Unusual Islay Classics

After a hectic first day of this year’s TWE Whisky Show had ended with a well-behaved single pint at the egregiously smelly (but comprehensively beer-endowed) Rake Bar before an early retirement on account of toothache, I arrived at Vinopolis on Sunday … Continue reading >>

Happy Whiskey Day To You Fellow WhiskyLover

It’s Thanksgiving Eve, and within 24 hours most of us will partake of a feast of exquisite food, great football games, Thanksgiving Day parades and time wonderfully spent with our loved ones.

After hosting 24 people at “Stone Hall” last year, this year I’ll be celebrating at relatives in central NJ. And because of how I spend my working hours, I’ve been asked to provide the “juice for the grown-ups”.

So in additional to a great Zinfandel for the meal, I wanted to bring a nice whisky to enjoy after the meal…a “post-game wind down” for the crowd…most of whom are whisky drinkers.

I thought long and hard, wanting a whisky that would be excite everyone…be a treat…and send everyone home with a new affordable favorite. So what am I taking?

This weeks featured whiskey: The Glenrothes Vintage 1988 Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

The Glenrothes Distillery sits beside the Burn of Rothes in the heart of Speyside, Scotland. Production began at the distillery in 1879. In 1896 the distillery was expanded as demand from blenders grew for this increasingly prized malt whisky. Then, 100 years after the founding, new stills were installed, in 1979.

The water used to produce The Glenrothes whisky is sourced from their own private spring, “The Fairies’ (or Lady’s) Well”, in the nearby Glen of Dounie, and all the land surrounding this vital source is owned and protected by the distillery. Whiskies produced by Glenrothes are found at the heart of some of the world’s finest blends such as Cutty Sark and The Famous Grouse.

Vintages from the 1970’s and 1980’s are increasingly hard to come by. The Glenrothes Vintage 1988 is of that rare breed. Never before bottled, the Vintage 1988 has benefited from more than two decades maturing in a combination of Spanish and American oak; previously seasoned with both sherry and whisky.

The Glenrothes 1988 vintage is truly a spectacular whisky. It is rich and sweet, with flavors of orange marmalade, fruit compote, hazelnuts, and confectioners’ sugar. The finish is long and lingering, with notes of candied orange peel, vanilla pound cake, and freshly roasted nuts lingering on the palate.

This is the perfect dram to enjoy after a Thanksgiving meal. There is no peat or smoke to this whisky; instead, the Glenrothes Vintage 1988 celebrates the inherent fruit notes that can be found in un-peated whiskies and takes it to an unparalleled level. The Glenrothes 1988 is a masterful dram and a thoroughly enjoyable whisky for fans of great Speyside whisky.

As is the case with most vintage-release whiskies, The Glenrothes Vintage 1988 is a limited production whisky. And so its with great excitement that we’re able to offer you the opportunity to acquire a bottle of this phenomenal whisky for $53.95/ bottle.

If you want a bottle, act fast, because once it’s gone…

Until next week…I wish you high spirits!

Doug Stone
Founder
ForWhiskeyLovers.com

THE GLENROTHES VINTAGE 1988 SPEYSIDE SCOTCH WHISKY

Distiller’s Tasting Notes

Appearance: Copper gold, clear and bright
Aroma: Rich, spicy: ripe, dark, berry fruits
Taste:Rich, full flavour: candied orange peel, fruit compote
Finish:Very long, medium sweet

Harrods Competition T&Cs

Competition to win a ticket to a Richard Paterson tasting evening at Harrods is currently running on www.facebook.com/thedalmore