True Tales in Philadelphia

Hello,

True Tales events are now happening in different countries around the world and I would like to encourage you to attend one if the opportunity arises.

I have been to a few since the Manchester event I wrote about here, but I wanted to mention the last event in Philadelphia as I had a particularly good…(please click on the link below to read the rest of the post from ‘Behind the Blend with Ludo’)

http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2011/05/true-tales-in-philadelphia/

Kind regards,
Ludo

Where Has This Year Gone To?
 
2011 seems to be passing very quickly with 1/3rd of it gone all ready. Winter was over rather quicker than we expected here and we are now well into spring with a changing faces at the distillery, new cask releases and new products being developed.

Cask Owners Looking Out to Sea at Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

New Aged Over 30 Years

We recently started filling our latest “Aged Over 30 Years” cask bottling, this whisky which is 34 years old was matured for almost 33 years in a refill sherry hogshead before spending the last 15 months of its life in a first fill ex-Sauternes cask. The result is a stunningly complex dram full of fruit notes and spices and with a long lingering after taste. Perhaps our best yet in the “Aged Over 30 Years” range? well that is a personal decision but for me it is right up there with the very best.

New Aged Over 40 Years

This single cask bottling is from 1966 refill sherry cask and is 45 years old, rich in sherry notes and spices with the influence of the long maturation apparent, simply a classic.

The First “New” Glenglassaugh Bottling

We will be announcing more information on this bottling in the coming months but I can reveal that we will be releasing a single cask bottling of the very first “new” whisky from Glenglassaugh since the refurbishment and which will only be available from the distillery or through our internet shop.

The first cask filling took place on the 16th December 2008 and we have already identified one of these casks to become our first release at the end of this year. Our plan is to empty the cask and then fill the bottles at cask strength and have them shipped in time for Christmas.

There will be around 650 bottles available and the price is likely to be £50.00 excluding shipping.

This is a truly one-off opportunity and I am sure that the demand will be high and is likely to outstrip available bottles.

I will provide more information over the coming months, including details of the whisky cask, confirmation of the price and details of how to order.

The Chosen Few

Following the success of The Manager’s Legacy Series we have developed a new series of single cask releases which have been chosen by individual members of the team here. Each release will be unique and could be from one of our existing older aged whiskies while others will be from one of our newer whiskies, once they are at least 3 year old.

The first of the releases is a 1976 cask which spent most of its life in a refill sherry hogshead and has then been further matured for a final 15 months in a first-fill ex sherry hogshead. The cask was chosen by Ronnie Routledge, after a hard painstaking search through many samples which seemed to last a long, long time and which always ended up with Ronnie leaving with a smile on his face each evening.

New Importers

We hope to be able to announce that we have increased the number of countries that we export to, shortly as we are in discussions with a number of companies in different parts of the world. Although it is too early to say exactly which new countries we are discussing exporting to, I can say that we are hopeful of increasing the availability of our brands in Asia.

Recent Festivals and Forthcoming Events.

I recently attended the inaugural Hamburg festival which suffered similar teething problems to other first events with a very low turnout but I am sure given the support from the industry and the enthusiasm of the organisers then it will prove to be successful in what was a first-class venue in an excellent location.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival proved to be a success once again with a large number of people taking advantage of our half-price offer on “The Ultimate Tour” while other took the opportunity to fill their Octave Cask and others filled their very own limited edition “Spirit of Speyside” Spirit Drink which had matured for 2 years in a first-fill ex-Bourbon cask. All-in-all a great weekend which was enjoyed by everyone.

Fill Your Own Bottle at Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

On the 4th June Ronnie will be at “Whisky ‘n a that” in Ayr. This is organised by Robbie’s Drams.

On the 2nd and 3rd July we will once again be involved with the Scottish Traditional Boat Festival which takes place annually in Portsoy.

Changing Faces

Following on from the last blog when I announced that Mhairi McDonald had rejoined us, this time I have some sadder news. Graham Eunson has decided to leave and will soon join Tomatin as distillery manager.

Graham has become very much associated with Glenglassaugh and has been my right-hand man throughout the last three years. Our relationship has been built on trust and respect for each other’s skills and knowledge and we have operated very much as a team. I will certainly miss Graham and he leaves behind a big pair of shoes to fill but life moves on and Glenglassaugh will continue to grow and to develop.

Although Graham won’t be leaving until July, I want to take this opportunity to record my thanks and to wish him all the very best for the future. He is moving to a big challenge but one that I know he will tackle with relish and will be successful.

As always, all comments are welcome.

Slange

Stuart

Visit Glenglassaugh Distillery at www.glenglassaugh.com

 
Canadian Club 1.75L…$16.99
Canadian LTD 1.75L… $10.99
Canadian Mist 1.75L…$16.99
Cutty Sark Scotch 1.75L…$19.99
Dewar’s White Label… 1.75L $27.99
Early Times 1.75L…$16.99
House Of Stuart Scotch 1.75L…$14.99
Jameson Irish Whiskey 1.75L…$34.99
Jim Beam Bourbon 1.75L…$21.99
Jim Beam Red Stag…$13.99
Johnnie Walker Red Label… 1.75L $25.99
Macallan 12 Year Old…$39.99
Seagram’s 7 Crown 1.75L…$14.99
Seagram’s VO Canadian 1.75L…$18.99
 
*Prices valid W/Binny’s Card May 4 through May 10, 2011. Not responsible for misprints or typographical errors. Sizes 750ml unless otherwise stated. Advertised items limited to quantities on hand. Don’t forget to use your Binny’s Card! Get discounts on mixed case wine purchases and work towards a 2% rebate on every $500 of eligible purchases. Get your free card at a Binny’s near you.

Visit Binny’s at www.binnys.com

… www.ralfy.com has a message for the malt-world!

“Pleased to present whisky review 198 – Benriach 21yo Authenticus”

… peat-stuff from Speyside!

You’ve heard of single cask whiskies, but Buffalo Trace is taking the idea to an extreme with its Single Oak Project. There are 192 different bottles in the range, using wood from 96 different trees…and all of the wood in each cask comes from the same tree. It’s just one way to control the variables that make the whisky from two barrels different, and there are nearly 1,400 possible combinations! We’ll hear from the team behind this unique experiment, along with the week’s news and the debut of a new feature — in which you get to ask the questions!

Visit WhiskyCast at www.whiskycast.com

MILROY’S OF SOHO COLLECTABLE ROYAL WEDDING NEWSLETTER

Welcome to our limited edition Royal Wedding Newsletter.  The news that the Bells Decanter is traditionally late and the Macallan Wedding edition has eloped means we’re all drinking English Whisky.  We also feature some the brilliant Kilchoman releases and there’s news from Bowmore, Auchentoshan, Balblair and Shackleton too.

THE ENGLISH WHISKY COMPANY

Royal Wedding Commemorative Decanter, Limited Edition.

A splendid bottling at 46% abv.

£70

BELLS

Royal Wedding Decanter

Available soon.  Probably.

KILCHOMAN

Ah Kilchoman!  Our wee hearts beat a little faster when we hear of any new releases and here we have four.  The distillery that champions provenance, tipicité and even terroir are out to prove that where their barley is grown and malted and where their whisky matured and bottled is every bit as important to as where it was distilled.

Kilchoman Spring 2011 Release

This bottling is a vatting of 70% three year old in first fill bourbon barrels and 30% four year old in first fill bourbon barrels.  The four year old has been finished in Oloroso sherry butts for five weeks.

Exclusive Newsletter Offer Price £45

Kilchoman 100% Islay

Made from barley grown, malted, distilled, matured and bottled at the distillery.  A limited release will be available in June at 50% abv

Kilchoman Sherry Cask Matured

A 4.5 year old with full maturation in Oloroso sherry butts.  A limited release will be available in September.

Kilchoman 5 years old

Matured in first and refill bourbon barrels.  A limited release will be available in November.

Prices to follow

BOWMORE

Having cut peat, made “barley angels” in the kiln and then worked our way through every Bowmore release available at the local bar we couldn’t be more excited by this very limited offer.

Bowmore 1982, 29 Years Old

Aged in North American Oak, this is an extremely limited edition of only 501 bottles.

Distillery notes “on the nose – detect barley sugar and gentle peat smoke coupled with delicious Peach Melba ice-cream and vanilla pods. Anticipate fresh lemon pepper on the palate followed by warm, earthy smokiness.  The sweet, fruity finish lingers on perfectly.” 47.3% abv

Exclusive Newsletter Offer Price £280, pre-order now

AUCHENTOSHAN

Only 499 bottles at cask strength (46.9% abv) so order soon to avoid disappointment.

Auchentoshan 1975, 35 Years Old

Distillery notes “The aroma is butterscotch with a hint of rum and raisin toffee…There are hints of wood spice on the tongue, cutting through the sweetness…The finish leaves a gentle, lingering maltiness”

RRP £350

Exclusive Newsletter Offer Price £325, pre-order now

BALBLAIR

Balblair 1987 Cask No. 786

Distillery notes “Golden amber in appearance.  A complex and well balanced malt with sweet aromas of honey, toffee and butterscotch.  In typical Balblair style there is an abundance of fresh fruit on the nose – green apples, oranges and lemons, with hints of vanilla and leather.  The taste is spicy and sweet with toffee, vanilla, citrus fruits and a long and warming finish” 51.4%abv

Exclusive Newsletter Offer Price £120

SHACKLETON WHISKY

In 2007 three cases of whisky and two cases of brandy found on the Antarctic.  These century old bottles were buried under the Antarctic ice by famous explorer Ernest Shackleton. One case was removed from the ice and was painstakingly thawed out under laboratory conditions to preserve the bottles and spirit in the best possible way.  That one case was found to have only 11 bottles instead of the usual 12, leading to much speculation about what happened to the missing bottle.

In recreating the whisky, master blender Richard Paterson has created an exact replica of the 100-year-old Mackinlay’s liquid.  The Shackleton whisky is light, fresh, delicate and with a hint of smoke “it’s a gorgeous whisky…the sweetness, fragrance and spice, and the subtle smoke, are all there in the replica. I’m blown away.” Dave Broom

“It was a real privilege getting to handle, nose and taste such a rare and beautiful bottle of whisky. The quality, purity and taste of this 100-year-old spirit was amazing. The biggest surprise was the light flavour and the clear, almost vibrant colour of the liquid. I hope I have done our forefathers and Ernest Shackleton proud with the replica.” Richard Paterson

The whole replication process has been documented exclusively for National Geographic Channel for a documentary due to air at the end of this year.

£100 per bottle

Until next month, cheers!

Best regards,

Lee Tomlinson
Assistant Manager
Milroy’s of Soho
3 Greek Street
London, W1D 4NX
www.milroys.co.uk

ROYAL RELEASE ON SALE
  
May Outturn Previews: Fire your Desire
In celebration of the pending nuptials tomorrow, we’re releasing a royal selection of previews from the May Outturn – FIVE objects of desire (May’s Outturn doesn’t go on sale until Fri 6 May).

Buy 77.22 & 39.79 together for £88.50 (save £20.10)
77.22 Plentiful sweet delights
Highland Northern
£44.10 inc. free p&p
Meadowsweet, elderflower, laurel, lily – with sweet delights – vanilla, marmalade on toast and strawberry jam on scones (with clotted cream)

39.79 A lush chameleon
Speyside Lossie
£64.50 inc. free p&p
Brittle toffee, white paint (oil then poster-paint, then Play-Doh and crayons), wine gums, eiswein, ripe peaches and pomegranate

Buy 4.152, 44.49 & 53.150 together for £132.50 (save £27.00)
4.152 Hay bales in a limestone cave
Speyside Spey
£55.30 inc free p&p
Raspberry and strawberry sweets (Jolly Ranchers) candied orange, hay bales, cereals, cardboard tubes of Smarties and slight smoke

44.49 Lamb chops, mint sauce and blueberries
Speyside Spey
£44.10 inc free p&p
Some found lamb chops with boiled potatoes and mint sauce while the rest of us found cherry pie, white pepper, dried fruit and pot pourri

53.150 Beachcombers’ convention dram
Islay
£60.10 inc free p&p
Seaweed, sea-scrubbed nylon ropes, tar and brine; but then another bunch of beachcombers approached – some smoking roll-ups, some cooking bacon on bonfires

SMWS Tastings & Events 

Music with Andy Johnstone – The Vaults, Sun 1 May (FREE EVENT)
New Outturn Tasting – The Vaults, Sun 8 May
Champagne Cocktail Masterclass – Queen Street, Thu 12 May
Stewart’s Beer Tasting – The Vaults, Fri 13 May
New Members Tasting – London, Mon 16 May
Champagne Dinner – Queen Street, Sat 21 May
A Crash Course in single malts – The Vaults, Tue 24 May
Dunfermline Preview Tasting – Garvock House Hotel
Guildford Preview Tasting – Manor House Hotel, Thu 26 May
York Preview Tasting – Bedern Hall, Fri 27 May
Liverpool Preview Tasting – Malmaison, Fri 27 May
Cardiff Preview Tasting – Novotel, Fri 27 May
Champions League Final – Queen Street, Fri 27 May

Society Whisky Tastings
 
Whatever and wherever our tasting or event, the main focus is to give members an informal, enjoyable and relaxed night out..with a taste of the single cask good stuff!

Events range from step by step instruction in how to get the most from tasting single cask, single malt whisky to more adventurous couplings of whisky with food.

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 http://www.smws.co.uk/memberships for your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers. 

Grant’s around the world

Good afternoon,

It seems everyone is talking about Grant’s at the moment.

A dram per day is a new Scottish whisky blog, which Iain started on January 1st as he committed to tasting a different whisky every day (some people choose to climb Everest but who I am to judge one’s challenge). He has already reviewed the……(please click on the link below to read the rest of the post)… and a mention of Whisky Intelligence!!!

http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2011/04/grants-around-the-world/

Kind regards,
Ludo

Whisky Magazine names Federal Wine & Spirits National ‘Retailer of the Year’

Whisky Magazine is based in the UK, but is the international journal of record for scotch whisky. We’re proud (and I’m humble) that they have given us this honor, the first time to our knowledge for a Massachusetts store. It was against some pretty impressive competition, too: Park Ave in New York, Town in Rhode Island, Party Source in Kentucky etc., but Whisky Magazine was probably impressed that we could fit so many malts in so small a space. If you haven’t already, this might give you a reason to come in to see us.

…and so we enter the 21st century

In an effort to remain on the cutting edge in these fickle times we are pleased to announce that we have a Twitter. Also a facebook. We would really appreciate it you would “like”, “friend”, and “follow” us on these exciting new platforms such that we are better able to communicate with you, our friends whom we like and follow. We will be using these fancy mediums to increasingly keep you up to date on events, new arrivals, and to answer any questions you may have. The addresses for these thingies are as follows:

Twitteh
and
facebook

We look forward to traveling with you on the information super-highway, I guess we get to use the carpool lane!

Joe Howell
Federal Wine & Spirits
Email: joe@federalwine.com
Phone: (617) 367-8605
Web: http://www.federalwine.com/

Ralfy @ www.ralfy.com has an Official Announcement to make concerning an exclusive-inclusive ulta-premium one-of-a-kind deluxe Event ! …whisky review 197 – Glengoyne 12 yo, up and running ! … hurray ! (and sorry for farting during the recording)