Ralfy here, with the first whisky review of the new year at www.ralfy.com (Whisky Review 241 – Bruichladdich 10yo (new version)) . . . lovely stuff!

Highlander Inn 2011 Single Cask Bottling ~ Bunnahabhain
Released on Thursday 10th November 2011.

The eleventh in our series of “Annual Single Cask Bottlings” is from Bunnahabhain distillery on Islay.

After nosing and tasting several cask samples from many distilleries, we eventually selected this cask, owned by Wemyss Vintage Malts.

Cask Number 1798 was distilled at Bunnahabhain distillery on Friday 2nd March 1979.

It was bottled on Tuesday 20th September 2011 at it’s natural cask strength of 51.4% alc/vol. From a sherry butt, the angels agreed to let us have 511 bottles (700ml).

Maggie Riegler of the Greenhall Gallery, here in Craigellachie, was once again (for the 11th consecutive year) commissioned to paint a picture specifically for the front label which depicts a different view of the Highlander Inn to that of pervious years.

Our true friend, the original Michael Jackson ~ “Beer Hunter, Whisky Chaser” ~ always wrote the tasting notes for each bottling of ours until his untimely demise in 2007. From 2008 onwards, we decided to invite a different person each year to write the tasting notes for us. The criteria is that they must have a great reputation, and truly respected throughout the whole “whisky world”.

In 2008 we were delighted that Hideo Yamaoka, Japan’s foremost Malt Scotch Whisky “otaku” and the translator of Michael’s books into Japanese wrote the notes for our bottling of Highland Park.

John Hansell, the creator, Publisher, and Editor of “Malt Advocate”, the USA’s leading magazine for the whisky enthusiast agreed to write his comments for our 2009 bottling of Bowmore.

Serge Valentin, one of the most prolific whisky aficionados on the internet, and a member of the “Malt Maniacs” agreed to write his comments for our 2010 bottling of GlenDronach.

This year we’re absolutely delighted that  Charles Maclean kindly agreed to write the tasting comments on the back label.

A writer whose special subject is Scotch whisky, Charles has been researching and writing books & articles about whisky since 1981.

He has published ten books to date, including the standard work on whisky brands, Scotch Whisky and the leading book on its subject, Malt Whisky, both of which were short-listed for Glenfiddich Awards.

Whisky: A Liquid History, published by Cassell in 2003 was named Wine and Spirit Book of the Year (2005) by the James Beard Foundation of New York. MacLean’s Whisky Miscellany followed in 2004, expanded in 2006 as Whisky Tales; in 2008 he was Managing Editor of Dorling Kindersley’s Eyewitness Companion to Whisky, and in 2009 their World Whiskies. Whiskypedia was published in June 2009.

He shares his enthusiasm and knowledge by giving talks & tastings around the world and by presenting training programmes and Masterclasses for whisky companies, clubs and individuals.

Visit his website, WhiskyMax.co.uk

As always, included with each bottle is a unique Certificate of Ownership with the same number as the bottle, that can be framed and hung on your study / office / drawing room wall.

Again, each label has been painstakingly applied to each bottle individually and then hamd numbered by Duncan Elphick ~ so it really is a personal bottling with none of this automatic labeling & numbering!

It is available to purchase at the Highlander Inn by the bottle (700ml) for £125.00 and by the nip in our whisky bar (25ml) at an introductory price of £8.80.

It will soon also be available in the following countries; Japan (from 20 November 2011), The Netherlands (from 20 November 2011, Taiwan (January 2012), Sweden (January 2012) and Italy (January 2012).

However, if you live in the UK or another country, and would like to buy a bottle without coming to the Highlander Inn, please email Duncan Elphick and he will be happy to post a bottle to you (provided it is legal in your country to receive whisky by post!)

The whole package?

Hello all,

In 1909, William Grant’s son-in-law wrote in his diary ‘All things must yield to industry and time. None cease to rise but those who cease to climb’.  We like to think that we apply this ethos to all the work we undertake here at Grant’s. So, with some industry and a little time, we’ve…(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…

THE LINK

Kind regards,
Ludo

Single Malts Direct would like to wish all of our customers a “Very Happy New Year”, and we would like to say thank you for your very valued custom during 2011. We are really proud of our level of service, the team worked tirelesly last year. We have increased our product selection and more importantly kept our prices at the lowest possible to benefit our customers. Below was our best seller for 2011, best price online anywhere, grab one whilst stocks last!!!

Shackleton
Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt
Limited edition bottling

Special commemorative bottling of a truly unique blended whisky liquid.

Faithful reproduction of the actual Mackinlay’s whisky taken on the ill-fated Shackleton Antarctic expedition to the South pole in 1907. Presented in a replica bottle and wooden case – just as Shackleton left it.

“The most exciting find of scotch whisky since days began”

Tasting notes:
Colour – Light honey, straw gold with shimmering highlights.

Nose -Soft, elegant & refined. Delicate aromas of crushed apple, pear and fresh pineapple arouse the senses. The spirit is exciting and vibrant with attractive notes of oak shavings that release hints of buttery vanilla, creamy caramel and nutmeg. A whisper of marmalade, cinnamon and even a tease of smoke, ginger and muscovado sugar completes this spectrum of delight.

Taste -With a generous strength of 47.3% this gives the spirit plenty of impact on the palate but in a mild warming manner. Harmonious and exhilarating. Whispers of gentle bonfire smoke slowly give way to spicy rich toffee, treacle and pecan nuts. These enticing flavours linger lovingly on the palate but are soon combined by a sensual, complex array of creme brulee, orange rind and freshly baked bread. It is a remarkable tapestry of tantalising taste sensations which truly rewards the palate

£95.99 inc VAT

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW

When we decided to hold a Burns night supper and whisky tasting we were really thrilled that our old friend Ian Murray of Balvenie and Glenfiddich volunteered to come along and host the proceedings.  Ian is a Keeper of the Quaich and an exceptionally entertaining and knowledgeable speaker on whisky, and indeed many other subjects, with a great sense of humour so the evening is certain to be a fun one.  The usual Burns Night shenanigans can be expected and what better way could there be to dispel the post-Christmas blues??

See below for all the details and if you have any queries just contact us.

Sláinte!
Fran and Ken
Arkwrights Whisky and Wines
www.whiskyandwines.com

BURNS NIGHT SUPPER WITH WHISKIES FROM BALVENIE & GLENFIDDICH DISTILLERIES   
WEDNESDAY 25TH JANUARY 2012  
 
7pm for 7.30pm 

Stanton House Hotel, Stanton Fitzwarren

Details The evening will be presided over by the inimitable Ian Murray and there will be a welcoming dram before the Burns Night Supper commences with Cullen Skink.  Following this, the haggis will be piped in, in the traditional manner, and will then be addressed by Ian before we partake of the ‘Great chieftain o’ the puddin-race’ along with Neeps and Tatties (For non-meat eaters there is a vegetarian option available but this must be booked in advance).  To finish there will be Raspberry Cranachan.  Each course will be accompanied by a suitable dram (wine available at an extra cost) and there will be a ‘going home’ dram.

Stanton House

This is not a black tie event, ‘smart casual’ will be fine, but in keeping with tradition each guest should wear a piece of tartan, and this can be as simple as a tartan tie or sash.  However, for those who have their own kilt this will be a splendid opportunity to bring it out of mothballs!

Tickets are £39.50 per person, and are very strictly limited.  They are allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis and as they always sell very quickly it is best to book ASAP.  To buy them just log on to whiskyandwines.com and place an order for the number you require, or telephone us on (01793) 765071, or call in and see us at Arkwrights, The Dormers, Highworth, Wiltshire.

Admission to the tasting is by ticket only, and most, if not all, of the whiskies tasted will be available to purchase on the night so come prepared.

Hello Fellow Scotch Lovers –

First, I hope each of you had a joyous holidays, and that your 2012 is off to a wonderful start.

My 2012 kicked off with some incredibly exciting news…news that’s made me so proud of what we have accomplished together as a community of whisky lovers. I am really thrilled to share this with you.

I’m certain most of us are, and all of us should be, aware of the amazing content found on the pages of Whisky Magazine. So only you can imagine how my holidays were brightened when Mark Gillespie of WhiskyCast shot me an email letting me know that….

….(drumroll please)….

Whisky Magazine has named ForScotchLovers.com “Whisky Retailer of the Year Online” in the Icons of Whisky America 2012.

Y-O-W-Z-A! How pumped was I? <hint: There hasn’t been so much fist pumping in one room since Black Sabbath broke up.>

Needless to say, it was a very nice way to end 2011.

And if this isn’t enough, we are now 1 of 3 regional finalists (I believe the EU/UK and Asia the other 2) vying for global domination, the awarding of which will be announced this March…my mother is out of her mind with anticipation, as you would expect.

I really hope each of you feel as proud about this news as I am (and my mother is), for this would never have been possible without the community we have created together…and there is no community without each of you.

So this Whisky Wednesday email, our first for 2012, is all about congratulating ourselves, and my personal thanks to every one of you for being an integral part of making ForScotchLovers.com the success it has become.

As a sign of that appreciation, from now until Sunday we’re giving a 10% discount on any purchases of $50.00 or more in our store. Just enter code “Icon2012” in the coupon/promotion field of the shopping cart as you check out. The code will be good until this Sunday, January 8th.

So a big thank you to each of you, and “Cheers!” to us all. I hope we continue our success in 2012, and beyond.

Until next Wednesday….

Doug Stone
Founder
www.ForScotchLovers.com

WHISKY NAMES FORSCOTCHLOVERS.COM:

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your enthusiasm and support since we launched in October. Your curiosity has been overwhelming and we hope that your Society experience has been a rewarding one.

We’re looking forward to a busy 2012 as we prepare to take The SMWS on tour! We’re currently working on hosting tastings in Edmonton, Victoria, Vancouver and further afield. Keep an eye on www.smws.ca  for updates.

In the meantime, we’re putting the finishing touches on the January Outturn, which will have seven great new whiskies available on Friday, Jan. 6, including a rarity – two consecutive bottlings, in this case from distillery number 35:

35.61 Just so-ooh nice

21 year old; first fill barrel

The palate was immediately big, stimulating and fab; lots of juicy fruits, sherbet and woody spices. Just so-ooh nice!

35.62 Creamy ginger beer

21 year old; first fill barrel

A slight nose prickle soon gave way to warmth and wonderful aromas of cinnamon-toasted marshmallow-bananas. Creamy and fruity!

It’s never our intention to send unwanted mail. If you’re receiving duplicates or would prefer not to receive Society news, simply let us know.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada
104-1240 Kensington Road NW, Suite 160
Calgary, AB, Canada T2N 3P7
Email – curious@smws.ca  

Happy New Year!

Hopefully you’ve had a nice break over Christmas and New Year and are looking forward to the year ahead. At the beginning of December I received my approvals as an Authorised Customs & Excise Warehousekeeper, with my own approved warehouse. This offers greater potential to sell casks and bottles to customers outside the UK, as it is relatively straightforward to ship alcohol between countries when you have your own warehouse.

  
20 yo Islay Malt with Christmas Label. 21yo available now.
  
 Customers not wanting an entire cask can also now opt to buy whisky from my bottled stock range, which is ever expanding or in a 60 litre drum for certain whiskies. With these additions to my business, I’m looking forward to another exciting year!

Complications

The above approvals might not seem like much to get excited about, but with applications to be a Registered Owner, a Duty Representative, an Excise Warehousekeeper with an Approved Excise Warehouse, receive a Movement Guarantee Bond and most recently, extend the list of warehouses that I can store whisky in— it can be difficult to find time to actually sell the product!

An example of red tape in action: to own casks in a specific distillery’s warehouse, I must be approved by HMRC. In order to gain approval, HMRC require that I ask the warehouse to confirm “if I should gain approval from HMRC, will you permit me to own goods in your warehouse?”, to which they reply “We cannot confirm anything until HMRC approve you to store goods in our warehouse.” An impossible system!
 
Casks Available Now

As the new year begins, I’ll be bringing in new stock, with increasing frequency. Casks which have been available for some time on my website are continuing to mature in the warehouse, and unfortunately some prices will increase on the anniversary of the date of distillation.

Bottles Available Now

www.whiskybroker.co.uk/acatalog/shophome.html

On special offer for January only is 17yo Glen Grant, 55% vol., 70cl bottles, for only £35. A limited number of about 170 bottles each of 1968 Tomintoul and 1974 Strathmill will be coming in January. The Tomintoul should be around £60 with the Strathmill around £50. I should also be bottling one of the 20yo Bunnahabhain and a Port Dundas when it turns 21 years old on 31st January (This whisky is available in shops at around £110 while my anticipated price is closer to £40).

Martin Armstrong
www.whiskybroker.co.uk
info@whiskybroker.co.uk

Hogmanay and New Year Greeting…

Tomorrow we celebrate New Year’s Day in Scotland which is something our friends also celebrate around the world, albeit not always on the same date. Throughout the years it has become customary in Scotland to ‘First-foot’ your friends and neighbours on Hogmanay, which is what we Scots call New Years Eve……when the first people visit your house after the bell strokes 12pm on New Year’s Eve, then it is said that they will bring luck to you for the rest of the year.

Traditionally those first-footers should bring a coin, bread, salt, a lump of coal and whisky with them for everyone to enjoy on New Year’s Day.  Often visitors are greeted and welcomed in with a handshake and a kiss on the cheek and then the party gets started and lasts into the wee small hours.  It is also said the best and most luckiest first-footer is a tall, dark, handsome man.   I’m always a popular guest but more because I always come with a bottle of whisky in hand!

However, I like to think of myself as a well travelled gent, so I was keen to find out from my friends across the globe how they would be celebrating on New Years eve, starting with a quick phonecall to Willie Cochrane over on Jura.

Willie told me that that the celebrations mainly take place in the village hall with music and dancing into the early hours.  The Jura Hotel is also open but closes early to give people time to get down to the village hall or back home in time for the Bells at 12 o’clock.  Willie also told me that the celebrations and first-footing takes place all week long so maybe I should think about getting myself and Mrs Paterson over this year for an extended New Year break in the Jura lodge.

I then contacted our man Aidan in Australia, as they are of course one of the first places to bring in the New Year.  He told me that while we are all up to our elbows in snow (if we’re lucky, more normally rain and wind) over in Scotland, they would be down on the beach with their mates having a BBQ and playing cricket.  No stereotypes there then (but you cant help thinking they will be ‘throwing another shrimp on the barbie’ whilst enjoying a refreshing beer or two)! 

In Sydney they enjoy a grand fireworks display that lights up the harbour in beautiful colours.  Apparently the display is so amazing that people camp out for days to get the best viewing spots, so it really must be a sight to behold.

Over to Spain now, to our friend Veronica who celebrates New Year by eating grapes!  Whilst in Scotland we think it’s lucky to first-foot, Spaniards bring themselves luck by eating 12 grapes – a grape for every chime of the clock come midnight.  And then after partying the night away, it’s time for a further snack at 6am when they enjoy chocolate con churros, which is a breakfast treat made mainly from flour and eggs which is then dipped in melted chocolate.  Veronica also tells me it’s is lucky to wear red underwear on New Year, which apparently has to be bought by someone else.  I already received mine from Santa so I’m sorted in that department!

Over in Russia, my friend Anna tells me they like to write their wishes on a piece of paper and then burn it on a candle.  The ash is then mixed in with champagne and drunk to bring good luck. Karine over in France, also tells us that they like to enjoy a selection of champagne, caviar and cheese along with champagne.  However I cant help thinking that if they were to make their wish with a whisky  it would bring them even more luck!

And then lastly onto Chinese New Year which of course follows the traditional Chinese calendar and is celebrated in January or February depending on how the calendar falls.  This, much like Willie’s celebration on Jura, lasts more than one night and is in fact celebrated for 15 days and ends with the Lantern Festival which sees the skies light up with beautiful paper lanterns.  The traditions vary but cleaning the house and to sweep away ill-fortune is something that is commonly practices.  As is filling your house with red decorations as red of course is a lucky colour for the Chinese.

The Chinese New Year is celebrated all over the world and Aidan over in Oz  tells me that they Chinese-Australian community host a number of wonderful events to celebrate the arrival of the New Year.  The Great Dragon appears in Melbourne after having been aoken with a ceremony of offering to the Gods.  It then dances through the streets in a ‘lion dance’ helped by 200 people who carry the dragon on its journey.

I find it fascinating to learn how other people bring luck to themselves and others in the New Year. Do let me know via the blog or the Whyte & Mackay facebook page,  how you will be celebrating or how you have celebrated New Year.

And finally, as we prepare to say ‘hello, how are you?’ to a New Year, let me take this opportunity to wish all the Whyte & Mackay fans out there the best of luck for 2012. Thank you for your friendship, comments, tweets and warm, warm greetings from all across the planet. 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year all!

I hope you enjoyed Hogmanay and are looking forward to 2012. The new year certainly promises to be busy as events are already planned for me in 7 countries between now and April. Watch this space if you live in Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Dubai, India and the UK.

A few exciting projects…(please click on the link to read the remainder of the article)…

THE LINK

Kind regards,
Ludo