Raise a glass to Edinburgh’s history

– Celebrate Whisky Month this May at The Real Mary King’s Close – 

The Real Mary King’s Close is celebrating Whisky Month this May with specially curated ‘A Dram of History’ tours. The underground attraction is inviting you on an exclusive historical tour and whisky tasting experience underneath Edinburgh’s iconic Royal Mile.

The one-hour interactive history tour will be rounded off with a crafted whisky tasting led by local experts with over 15 years of industry knowledge, allowing you to sample the best Scotland has to offer. Guests will discover the secrets of Edinburgh’s illicit stills, learn about the origins of ‘usquebaugh’ (water of life) and why Mary King’s Close was at the centre of its thriving and bustling trade.

On ‘A Dram of History’, visitors will have the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of a former resident, journey back in time and explore the rooms, streets, and spaces which now lie underneath the vibrant Old Town of Edinburgh.

Paul Nixon, General Manager at The Real Mary King’s Close, said: “Whisky is so ingrained within Scottish culture and is celebrated in Edinburgh and by whisky lovers all over the world. We are so excited to play a part in the festivities and delve into the history of our national drink whilst of course having a few drams – responsibly!

“Here at The Real Mary King’s Close we are passionate about storytelling and creating unique experiences which transport our guests into special moments in time. We love sharing tales about Edinburgh’s rich past and we can’t wait to welcome everyone on A Dram of History tour.”

Tours will be running throughout May, every Friday and Saturday at 5.15pm, 5.45pm and 6.15pm. Tickets are £39.50pp. Pre-booking is strongly recommended as places are limited. Over 18’s only.

For more information and bookings please visit HERE

About The Real Mary King’s Close

• Thistle award winner for Best Heritage Tourism Experience 2019
• Since opening in 2003, the visitor attraction has welcomed over 2.75 million guests.
• The site offers a range of bespoke themed events, group activities, educational visits, venue hire, and a retail area filled with authentic Scottish gifts and produce.
• The Real Mary King’s Close is proud to be a Silver Investors in People.
• Since opening, the attraction has donated over £60k to charities both at home and nationally.
• Lothian and Borders regional winner of two Scottish Thistle awards for Best Visitor Attraction and Best Heritage Tourism Experience in 2019.
• Winner of the first Service Excellence Award at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards 2019.

Lux Row Distillers’ Blood Oath Pact 9 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Arrives at Retail in April 

Latest offering from master distiller and master blender John Rempe features bourbon finished in Oloroso Sherry casks

St. LOUIS (April 20, 2023) – Lux Row master distiller and master blender John Rempe renews his annual pact with bourbon drinkers with the release of Blood Oath Pact 9 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Oloroso Sherry casks. A limited supply of 17,000 (3-pack) cases will arrive at retail this April at a suggested price of $129.99 per 750 ml bottle. As with all of Rempe’s pacts, Blood Oath Pact 9 is offered at 98.6 proof (49.3% ABV).

Blood Oath Pact 9 combines some of the finest extra-aged bourbons Rempe could find, including a 16-year ryed bourbon and a 12-year ryed bourbon, as well as a 7-year ryed bourbon finished in Oloroso Sherry casks from the Sherry Triangle region in southwest Spain. These casks impart unique woody and ripe-fruit aromas and flavors to make Blood Oath Pact 9 a memorable pour.

“Blood Oath Pact 9 contains three great bourbons, and the Oloroso Sherry cask finish has resulted in a deep, dark amber liquid with long legs,” said Rempe. “The Oloroso Sherry casks also bring out tasting notes of sweet sherry with hints of ripe fruit on the nose, as well as flavor notes highlighted by ripe fruits including figs, plums and raisins, with notes of molasses, chocolate and tobacco. This bourbon also provides a long-lasting finish characterized by fruit notes and complemented by hints of spicy oak. I’m proud to share Blood Oath Pact 9 with bourbon lovers.”

Each Blood Oath pact has featured a different colored label. This year, Blood Oath Pact 9 features a label that is deep crimson in color. And like its predecessors, each bottle of Blood Oath Pact 9 comes in a commemorative fire-branded wooden display box.

The official launch of Blood Oath Pact 9 will include a total allocation of 51,00 bottles, 1,400 of which will be held for a future Trilogy Pack release. The first Trilogy Pack, featuring Pacts 1, 2 and 3, was released in 2018, and the second Trilogy Pack, featuring Pacts 4, 5 and 6, was released in September 2021 in conjunction with National Bourbon Heritage Month. The next Blood Oath Trilogy Pack, featuring Pacts 7, 8 and 9, will be offered in 2024.

About Luxco

Founded in St. Louis in 1958 by the Lux Family, Luxco is a leading producer, supplier, importer and bottler of beverage alcohol products. Our mission is to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of consumers, associates and business partners. Merged with MGP Ingredients, Inc. in 2021 (Nasdaq: MGPI), Luxco operates as MGP’s Brands Division and manages all MGP/Luxco brands. This extensive and award-winning spirits portfolio includes well-known brands from four distilleries: Bardstown, Kentucky-based Lux Row Distillers, home of Ezra Brooks, Rebel, Blood Oath, David Nicholson and Daviess County; Lebanon, Kentucky-based Limestone Branch Distillery, maker of Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey and Bowling & Burch Gin; Jalisco, Mexico-based Destiladora González Lux, producer of 100% agave tequilas, El Mayor, Exotico and Dos Primos; and Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where the Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Rossville Union Straight Rye Whiskey are produced. The innovative and high-quality brand portfolio also includes Everclear Grain Alcohol, Pearl Vodka, Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream, The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey, Green Hat Gin and other well-recognized brands. For more information about the company and its brands, visit luxco.com.

Glen Scotia launches pioneering new music project ‘The Sound of Glen Scotia’ for this year’s Campbeltown Malts Festival

Award-winning whisky distillery, Glen Scotia, has unveiled details of its pioneering new music project, ‘The Sound of Glen Scotia’, which will be revealed at this year’s Campbeltown Malts Festival (23^rd – 24^th May 2023).

The project is an artistic collaboration between whisky writer Neil Ridley, folk singer-songwriter Jenny Sturgeon and music producer Dean Honer, who have created a new two-track musical journey using elements from around Campbeltown and the distillery to capture the essence of Glen Scotia.

The tracks will be unveiled at this year’s Malts Festival through an immersive exhibition deep inside the distillery’s atmospheric warehouse. With the room in complete darkness, a new music video, made especially for the project, will be screened on the casks in the warehouse while guests plug into a headset to listen to the A-side track, ‘Copper Heart’, with a dram in hand.

Shetland-based Jenny Sturgeon wrote and recorded vocals which capture observations of her time spent with the distillery team and in the town, soaking up the surrounding environment.

The track audio has been built using sounds of the distillery, including the banging of casks as drumbeats, mills running, soundbites of the distillery team’s conversations during production, microphones in casks of whisky, and the sounds of birds in the courtyard in a nod to the climate and unique natural environment of Scotland’s smallest whisky-making region.

Led by music producer, Dean Honer, the project used specialised audio equipment to accurately mimic the proximity of sounds. A binaural microphone, which resembles a featureless human head, was used to mimic the exact proximity of sounds as they were heard during recording. Bespoke-made hydrophones were submerged into casks of liquid, recreating a ‘suspended-in-time’ sound of the outside world, as the Glen Scotia whisky gently matured within.

These distillery sounds, gathered over several days, were then mixed with traditional acoustic instruments and Jenny’s lyrics.

Neil Ridley, whisky writer and musician, was in charge of artistic direction. He said: “With an extraordinary array of distinct sounds, frequencies, hums, knocks and rattles, Glen Scotia is quite the playground for the sound recordist. Imagine writing and recording a brand-new song where the lyrics and the instrumentation were heavily influenced by the distillery. This has been a lifelong dream of mine, with the vision of bringing to life the visceral thrill of visiting a working distillery, even if you were thousands of miles away, and we finally got the opportunity thanks to Glen Scotia.”

Jenny Sturgeon said: “My lyrics were inspired by conversations and observations of the distillery team and local historians who live and breathe the area. Hearing directly from the team – their shared vision of the distillery and what it means to them personally – was hugely inspiring.”

Nick Bradley, Brand Manager at Glen Scotia said: “Every year ahead of the Festival, Glen Scotia invites an artist or artists to collaborate with the team in Campbeltown, to see the distillery and our home through their eyes and artistic medium. Our greatest hope is this can give whisky lovers all over the globe a flavour of our home.

“I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to partner with these incredibly talented musicians and watch this extraordinary project come to life. It is a testament to the power of music and its ability to capture the essence of a place and its people, and the fusion of music and whisky is a truly unique way to bring our distillery and whisky-making region to life.”

The collaboration follows Glen Scotia and industry writer Becky Paskin’s ‘Whisky Experiment’ at last year’s Malts Festival and artistic collaboration ‘Spirit Safe’ with Alice Angus, as Glen Scotia continues to bring to life the senses and elements that define Campbeltown and its whisky heritage.

Those unable to attend the Festival and looking to hear the second track will be able to purchase a limited-edition vinyl from the Glen Scotia website, which will be available from the end of May alongside the festival.

The B-side track on the album, ‘The Sound of Glen Scotia’, is a 17-minute fully immersive experience. Depicting the sound of barley being delivered and the ethereal high-pitched song of the copper stills, the track features rhythmic elements provided by the sound of casks being opened, filling out the bass frequencies. The track features an extraordinary array of distinct sounds and a broad spectrum of tones.

Launched in 2008, the Campbeltown Malts Festival is a celebration of the region known as the ‘Victorian Whisky Capital of the World’ due to its illustrious past and the role whisky-making has played in the town for centuries.

This year the programme will be bigger than ever before with a jam-packed series of events and an opportunity to learn more about the world’s finest drams. As well as the immersive Sound of Glen Scotia experience, guests will have the opportunity to hear directly from Neil Ridley, Dean Honer, and Jenny Sturgeon in three ticketed talks and demonstrations over the day, accompanied by a special dram.

Glen Scotia’s full programme of events and tickets are available via its website: www.glenscotia.com

About Glen Scotia

Distiller Glen Scotia has been producing single malt whisky in Campbeltown since 1832 and is one of three surviving distilleries in Campbeltown.

Producing peated and non-peated whiskies, the distillery still maintains much of its original design, including the fermenters, the stillroom, and the dunnage warehouse dating from the 1830s.To this day, the distillery team follow in the footsteps of their founders, using traditional methods, carefully creating the subtly maritime Campbeltown style the brand has become world-famous for.

Recognition of Glen Scotia’s style and craftsmanship continues to be acknowledged globally.

• In 2021, Glen Scotia’s 25-Year-Old Single Malt whisky was awarded ‘Best In Show Whisky’ at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Over 3,800 entries across thirty-one categories were judged with Glen Scotia being awarded the overall winner across all countries and styles. Only seven months later, Glen Scotia was also named Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year at the Scottish Whisky Awards 2021.
• In 2022, Glen Scotia’s Victoriana won Best In Class in the Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – No Age Statement category at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
• In 2023, Glen Scotia won ‘Best Single Cask Single Malt’ at the World Whiskies Awards 2023 for a single cask bottling distilled in 2009 and aged for 13 years exclusively in a first-fill bourbon barrel.

 Twitter: @GlenScotiaMalts
Instagram: @glenscotiamalts
Facebook: @GlenScotiaWhisky

About the artists

Neil Ridley

Neil Ridley is an award-winning professional drinks writer, broadcaster, consultant, author, TV presenter and musician. With 15 years of drinks industry experience, he served as the editor-at-large for Whisky Magazine and Chairman of the World Whiskies Awards until 2016. He now contributes to The Daily and Sunday Telegraph, writes regularly for the internationally acclaimed Decanter magazine, and is a regular TV presenter on Channel 4 Sunday Brunch. He also continues to judge several high-profile global drinks competitions.

He is at the forefront of providing expertise and innovation in the alcoholic drinks world and in 2013 he was made a ‘Keeper Of The Quaich’, one of the highest accolades in the Scotch whisky industry. Neil has also been shortlisted four times for ‘Communicator Of The Year’ at the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC).

His first book, co-written with Joel Harrison Distilled: A Guide To The World’s Best Spirits, was awarded ‘Best Drinks Book’ in The Fortnum & Mason Food and Drink Awards in 2015. To date, it is the biggest-selling book globally on pan-spirits, now published in 14 different languages. His latest book, ‘60-second Cocktails’ is the no.1 bestseller in both the UK and the USA.

Jenny Sturgeon

Jenny Sturgeon is a Scottish singer and songwriter “who brings together the old and new with a rare skill” (R2 Magazine). Jenny’s music is rich with imagery and her songs are bound together by common threads of folklore, nature and people.

Jenny’s music has been played on BBC Radio Scotland, Radio 3, Radio 6 Music, Radio 2, and Radio Nan Gaidheal. She has been featured as artist of the week and performed live sessions for BBC Radio Scotland’s Travelling Folk programme and BBC Radio 3. Jenny has also been on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row.

Her album ‘The Living Mountain’ was nominated for the Scottish Album of the Year Awards 2021, and in 2020 she won Best Acoustic at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards. In 2018 she was nominated Composer of the Year in the Scots Trad Music Awards.

Dean Honer

Dean is a music producer and composer. Owner of the mixing and mastering studio, The Bowling Green, Dean is a connector between artistic worlds with much of his work appearing on TV shows, films, adverts and he has even performed on Top of the Pops.

He is the producer and founding member of many iconic electronic music bands including  All Seeing I, I Monster, The Moonlandingz and The Eccentronic Research Council, which saw huge success in the late 1990s.

He has also worked as a producer for bands such as The Human League, Add N to X and Roisin Murphy. A top 10 chart star with ‘All Seeing I’, he has worked with various artists from Jarvis Cocker to Tony Christie, remixed Moby, mastered countless tracks and albums and even appeared as a credited producer on Britney Spears debut album.

With summer just around the corner, Benromach Distillery has teamed up with a host of London bartenders to give our favourite cocktails a twist. Whether you’re looking for a nostalgic throwback, a smoky pairing for BBQ gatherings or a nature-inspired tipple, the below recipes are on-trend and packed with flavour.

Nostalgic Throwback

KC Colada

This vibrant Highball-style serve beautifully incorporates two of Benromach’s most popular single malts alongside a complementary array of fresh, fruity ingredients. Creator Sam Grundy-Glynn, bartender at Bar Swift, commented that he often combines Sherry and peat flavours in his whisky cocktails, praising the Benromach 10 Year Old for its skilful balance of both.

Ingredients

20ml Benromach 10 Year Old

20ml Benromach Contrasts: Peat Smoke

20ml Aperol

20ml Fresh Raspberry Syrup

20ml Lime Juice

40ml Coco Lopez

5ml Apple Cider Vinegar

Method

Shake and strain over ice. Serve in a highball glass. 

Inspired by Nature

Green Apple & Cedarwood Sour

An artful combination of two Benromach Contrasts range whiskies creates the base for this Green Apple & Cedarwood Sour cocktail. With an enticing emphasis on fresh apple flavours, the partnership between sweet and sour plays out perfectly atop the woody and smoky background. A truly stunning single malt cocktail, designed by Jake Lovell-Hewitt from publiq.london.

Ingredients

45ml Benromach Contrasts: Organic

5ml Benromach Contrasts: Peat Smoke

17.5ml Cedar Cordial

2.5ml Apple Cider Vinegar

5ml Green Apple Juice

Method
Mix all ingredients together before stirring and straining into a coupette. Serve with lemon zest as garnish.

Smoky and Sweet

Peat Garden

This sweet citrussy serve kicks off on a confident zesty note before before revealing a hint of lingering peat smoke. Designed by Alex Basile of blackrock.bar, this is a layered and complex serve that is both dramatic and delicious.

Ingredients

Muddle Vanilla Pods and Lavender Buds

37ml Benromach Contrasts: Peat Smoke

20ml Apricot Brandy

15ml Lemon Juice

7ml Maple Syrup

Method
Serve over ice in a highball glass, top up with soda and stir. Serve with lemon peel/lavender garnish.

ARACHNOPHOBE CATCHES THE BUG FOR TASTING WHISKY WITH
EDIBLE INSECTS

Lifelong hater of creepy-crawlies overcomes fear at an unusual tasting event in Edinburgh which saw whiskies paired with crickets, mealworms, locusts and a surprise scorpion!

Arachophobe Scott Begbie pictured with a cricket and a dram at The Vaults, the home of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Leith, Edinburgh. Pic by Mike Wilkinson.

A lifelong arachnophobe with a fear of creepy-crawlies discovered a taste for edible insects at an unusual whisky tasting in Edinburgh which saw the flavours of crickets, mealworms, locusts and scorpions matched with different types of Scotch.

Scott Begbie from Aberdeen was one of three adventurous whisky fans taking part in a special event called ‘A Pairing With Legs’, which was hosted at The Vaults in Leith, the home of  The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, a global whisky club with an unconventional approach to whisky tastings.

The unusual flavour pairing event took place as part of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s 40th anniversary year celebrations. Previously, the Society has paired whiskies with unusual items such as ice cream and also staged a tasting on top of a Munro.

After the event, Begbie, who was given the tasting experience as a present for his 60th birthday, said: “I’ve always had a phobia of spiders and creepy crawlies generally, so I was initially pretty nervous. Seeing the insects and picking them up was quite tricky at first, but I ended up enjoying it.

“My favourite flavour pairing was the smoked crickets with a blended malt featuring smoky whiskies from Islay and Orkney. That pairing of smoky, salty flavours worked really well.

“The mealworms were crunchy and tasted like Bombay Mix with less spices. The locusts were challenging but they reminded me of Twiglets. The scorpion surprised me – it was really good, a bit like a salty Pretzel.”

The flavour pairings 

At the event, the first flavour pairing saw mealworms matched with Disco Diva, a 12-year-old whisky from Speyside described as tasting like “an all-singing-and-dancing karaoke of icing sugar-coated biscuits, dried coconut and hot cross buns”.

The second pairing featured locusts paired with Raspberry Fields Forever, a whisky described as having a palate of “creamy custard with juicy raspberry sorbet on apple crumble”.

Finally the smoked crickets were paired with Smokus Fruticosus, a sweet, rich & intensely smoky blended malt featuring whiskies from the islands of Islay & Orkney.

The scorpion was a surprise bonus with the participants trying it at the end of the tasting with a whisky of their choice.

A second ‘A Pairing With Legs’ event is taking place in May with the Society working with Dr Vladimir Blagoderov, the principal curator of invertebrates at the National Museum of Scotland, to explore different types of edible insects.

40^th anniversary adventures 

This year, the Society is celebrating its 40^th-anniversary and is approaching 40,000 members around the world. To mark this milestone in its journey, a series of special releases, events, collaborations and happenings, all inspired by founder Pip Hills’ unorthodox outlook, will continue throughout the year.

Helen Stewart, Head of Brand Marketing & Membership, said: “Whisky and insects? Precisely. This type of tasting personifies what the Society is all about. Our 40^th anniversary year is going to be our most adventurous yet.

“‘A Pairing With Legs’ is just one of many unconventional tastings taking place this year as we continue bringing adventurous whisky fans together to explore the flavours of whisky and enjoy interesting sensory experiences.”

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS)

• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was established in Edinburgh in 1983 and has 37,000 members around the world.
• It is owned by The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC) plc
• The SMWS bottles rare single cask and single malt whisky, exclusive blends and a range of other Single Cask Spirits.
• The Society has bottled whisky from 180 distilleries from Scotland and beyond
• The Society offers a new batch of around 20 different single malt whiskies every month
• Members have access to four exclusive SMWS Members’ Rooms in Leith, Edinburgh, Glasgow and London along with a global network of 100 partner bars.
• The Society offers a variety of membership options that can be tailored.
• For more information about the Society, visit: https://smws.com/, Twitter: @SMWSUK Facebook: @thesmwsuk Instagram: @smws_uk 

 About The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC)

• The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC) plc is based in Edinburgh
• The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC) plc is building a portfolio of premium brands that bring together some of the world’s best spirits producers with a growing movement of discerning consumers by curating unrivalled collections of craft spirits.
• The Artisanal Spirits Company (ASC) plc owns The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) and in 2021 it launched J.G. Thomson & Co. Inspired by its namesake, which was originally a wine and spirits merchant in Leith, Scotland, in the 1700s, J.G. Thomson is a new, adventurous blender, creating small batch blended malt whiskies, blended grain whiskies, rum and gin.

VCL Vintners unveils Highland 30-Year Single Malt from Ledaig as its limited-run Coronation whisky

London, 05 May 2023: VCL Vintners today announces its much-anticipated bottling line to commemorate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III. The Highland single malt Scotch whisky was filled on March 5, 1993. With a limited run for purchase, this bottling line will be available on VCL Vintners’ website from 02 May 2023.

The bottling line is made up of 249 bottles, distilled at the Ledaig distillery and bottled by VCL Vintners. The spirit was aged for 30 years. The bottling line will commemorate the first coronation in almost 70 years and embodies the life and passions His Majesty has enjoyed in his many decades of public service.

A special bottling to celebrate the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III single malt scotch whisky:

ABV: 42.3%

AYS: 05/03/1993

Cask number: 252

Hailing from Ledaig distillery, this particular whisky represents the Royal Family’s steadfast commitment to serving the nation, highlighted through the pageantry and sophistication of the Coronation.

It contains depth in abundance and stays true to its roots of being a single malt from the much- loved Hebridean town of Tobermory. With a mellow nose feel and a dry prickle, the whisky accentuates an immediate hit of maritime nostalgia. Your mind is filled with memories of long summer days at sea, surrounded by family and loved ones. Your soul fills with the delicate notes of salt crystals, warm sand and the full-bodied crescendo of edible seaweed.

Beneath this, you’ll find lighter, fruitier notes, as if cascading through a pergola in the summer heat, promenading past white grapes and apples in the British countryside. A balanced and complex finish awaits. A concoction of both sweet and salty notes with a trace of white pepper followed by a lingering aftertaste of green apple for the palate. The fading of fruit leaves the connoisseur wanting more.

The Ledaig distillery, founded by John Sinclair, is based in the town of Tobermory, on the Hebridean island of Mull, where it has been operating since 1798. The distillery is still active under its current owners, Distell and has a capacity of 1 million litres. Now more widely known as its namesake ‘Tobermory’, the distillery’s water source is the stunning Gearr Abhainn, meaning ‘short river’ in Gaelic, giving Ledaig its unique complexity across the generations.

Throughout its history, Tobermory has undergone several closures since it became licensed in 1823, most notably in 1930 due to the drop in demand because of the prohibition in the USA. The distillery re-opened in 1972 but closed for three years as it needed more storage space to keep up with the newfound demand. Since re-opening in 1975, the distillery predominantly distils black label scotch. Bespoke batches of peated whisky have also been bottled here, produced under the name Ledaig, aptly translating to ‘safe haven.’

The bottles will retail at £495 (including VAT) on VCL Vintners’ website, available from 02 May 2023.

Discussing the limited-run bottling launch, Director and co-founder of VCL Vintners, Stuart Thom, said: “His Majesty’s Coronation is a once-in-a-lifetime moment that we wanted to celebrate. King Charles III is a great lover of Scotland and Hebridean whisky, and we believe this bottling line is an ode to his character as a public figure. We wanted to offer something that serves as a valuable memento for this great occasion, crafted by the soil and water of the land he protects. Whisky represents togetherness, craftsmanship and unity like no other spirit, and we want to commemorate that and put meaning at the heart of its creation.”

BECOME PART OF A LEGACY IN THE MAKING WITH BALLANTINE’S 40 YEAR OLD MASTERCLASS COLLECTION

Ballantine’s, the world’s number 2 Scotch whisky, and believers of investing in time, unveils its stunning new 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection; a precious series that will see the annual release over five years of five exceptional expressions of Ballantine’s 40 Year Old whisky.

Serving as a tribute to past and present Ballantine’s Master Blenders, the collection celebrates the five essential skills that Jack Goudy, Master Blender between 1959 and 1994, passed on to his then apprentice and now world-renowned Master Blender Sandy Hyslop. Every drop in the expressions which form the Masterclass Collection, will come from casks laid down by Jack Goudy, including rare whiskies from now ghost distilleries, and expertly blended by Sandy Hyslop. To preserve the authentic touch of both men’s hands, each chapter from the collection will be bottled at the natural strength after 40 years maturation in oak casks.

The first release in the collection, launched this year to mark Sandy Hyslop’s 40th anniversary in the industry, is named ‘The Remembering’. The blend is both complex and harmonious, with a carefully crafted influence from whisky of now closed Dumbarton Distillery, where Sandy Hyslop first learned from Jack Goudy in his journey to becoming a Master Blender. The distillery was also where traditional Coffey stills were used, resulting in a creamy smooth character enriched with an opulent sweetness from being matured in the finest American Oak casks. Inspired by the skill of sensory memory, and sensations evoked living on in the mind, ‘The Remembering’ is a perfectly balanced whisky, rich and complex, and bursting with flavours of spiced red apple and notes of warming clove spice and lavish toffee.

Commenting on the first release from the Masterclass Collection, Sandy Hyslop, said:

“This is an incredibly special and poignant collection to work on, as I was taken back to my early days spent in the warehouse with Jack. The fact that Jack nosed these whiskies holds special significance, and this first chapter is a tribute to the distinctive character of Ballantine’s and the guidance and inspiration on which I’ve built my own skills. The art of whisky crafting is fascinating, with many rules written long ago. The lessons I learnt from Jack are repeated to my own team now, and they’ll be continued to be passed on in years to come.”

Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: ‘The Remembering’ is presented in individually numbered bottles, with a design reflecting the exceptional rarity of this 40 Year Old blend, decorated by hand and infilled with gold. The stunning bottle is housed inside an elegant presentation box, dressed in a delicate 3D paper art piece, created exclusively for the Masterclass Collection by celebrated Scottish artist, Kyla McCallum.

The launch of ‘The Remembering’ also celebrates Ballantine’s first NFT release in partnership with BlockBar.com, the global marketplace selling wine and spirits authenticated via blockchain directly from luxury brands. Exclusive to BlockBar, 24 of the 108 physical bottles are engraved with “The Remembering” and “1st NFT Release”. Each bottle stored in BlockBar’s state-of-the-art facility in Singapore comes with a digital certificate of authentication. The owner may sell or gift the NFT at any time from purchase, or redeem the physical bottle from April 2024.

Only 108 bottles of Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: ‘The Remembering’ will be made available for purchase globally from April 2023, to celebrate Ballantine’s Master Blender Sandy Hyslop’s 40th year in the industry, at specialist retailers and on BlockBar.com for RSP $11,000 USD. The fifth and closing chapter of the collection will be released in 2027 to mark the iconic Scotch’s 200th anniversary.

For more information, visit ballantines.com or follow @ballantines on social media

lievers of investing in time, unveils its stunning new 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection; a precious series that will see the annual release over five years of five exceptional expressions of Ballantine’s 40 Year Old whisky.

Serving as a tribute to past and present Ballantine’s Master Blenders, the collection celebrates the five essential skills that Jack Goudy, Master Blender between 1959 and 1994, passed on to his then apprentice and now world-renowned Master Blender Sandy Hyslop. Every drop in the expressions which form the Masterclass Collection, will come from casks laid down by Jack Goudy, including rare whiskies from now ghost distilleries, and expertly blended by Sandy Hyslop. To preserve the authentic touch of both men’s hands, each chapter from the collection will be bottled at the natural strength after 40 years maturation in oak casks.

The first release in the collection, launched this year to mark Sandy Hyslop’s 40^th anniversary in the industry, is named ‘The Remembering’. The blend is both complex and harmonious, with a carefully crafted influence from whisky of now closed Dumbarton Distillery, where Sandy Hyslop first learned from Jack Goudy in his journey to becoming a Master Blender. The distillery was also where traditional Coffey stills were used, resulting in a creamy smooth character enriched with an opulent sweetness from being matured in the finest American Oak casks. Inspired by the skill of sensory memory, and sensations evoked living on in the mind, ‘The Remembering’ is a perfectly balanced whisky, rich and complex, and bursting with flavours of spiced red apple and notes of warming clove spice and lavish toffee.

Commenting on the first release from the Masterclass Collection, Sandy Hyslop, said:

“This is an incredibly special and poignant collection to work on, as I was taken back to my early days spent in the warehouse with Jack. The fact that Jack nosed these whiskies holds special significance, and this first chapter is a tribute to the distinctive character of Ballantine’s and the guidance and inspiration on which I’ve built my own skills. The art of whisky crafting is fascinating, with many rules written long ago. The lessons I learnt from Jack are repeated to my own team now, and they’ll be continued to be passed on in years to come.”

Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: ‘The Remembering’ is presented in individually numbered bottles, with a design reflecting the exceptional rarity of this 40 Year Old blend, decorated by hand and infilled with gold. The stunning bottle is housed inside an elegant presentation box, dressed in a delicate 3D paper art piece, created exclusively for the Masterclass Collection by celebrated Scottish artist, Kyla McCallum.

The launch of ‘The Remembering’ also celebrates Ballantine’s first NFT release in partnership with BlockBar.com, the global marketplace selling wine and spirits authenticated via blockchain directly from luxury brands. Exclusive to BlockBar, 24 of the 108 physical bottles are engraved with “The Remembering” and “1^st NFT Release”. Each bottle stored in BlockBar’s state-of-the-art facility in Singapore comes with a digital certificate of authentication. The owner may sell or gift the NFT at any time from purchase, or redeem the physical bottle from April 2024.

Only 108 bottles of Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: ‘The Remembering’ will be made available for purchase globally from April 2023, to celebrate Ballantine’s Master Blender Sandy Hyslop’s 40^th year in the industry, at specialist retailers and on BlockBar.com for RSP $11,000 USD. The fifth and closing chapter of the collection will be released in 2027 to mark the iconic Scotch’s 200^th anniversary.

For more information, visit ballantines.com or follow @ballantines on social media

Bimber unveils its largest and oldest small batch single malt whisky release

London’s Bimber Distillery today announced the worldwide release of Ex-bourbon Oak Casks Batch 4 – the distillery’s largest and oldest small batch single malt to date.

The upcoming single malt whisky has been crafted from a vatting of the distillery’s oldest 1^st fill American Oak ex-bourbon casks laid down in 2017 – Bimber’s second year of product.

Batch 4 is bottled at 51.2% ABV and consists of 7,000 bottles. It will be available at an RRP of £68 directly from the distillery from Thursday 20th April 2023 and also in a wide number of overseas markets (see notes to editors for full availability details)

The expression has been crafted to Bimber’s rigorous standards. The spirit was produced from the distillery’s single farm barley and malted on a dedicated floor at Warminster Maltings before being fermented for seven days in bespoke, on-site constructed American oak washbacks. Distillation took place in Bimber’s customised alembic pot stills which possess an increased copper surface area, and produce a fruit-forward, textural and layered new make spirit.

Following maturation, each cask was disgorged into the distillery’s in-house constructed American oak marrying vat for a period of resting. During this resting cycle the complexities of each individual cask mingle, creating an ensemble which possesses balance and depth whilst retaining the character of Bimber’s distinctive spirit.

Speaking of the new Small Batch release, Bimber spokesperson Matt McKay said: “Whilst the number of Bimber enthusiasts continues to grow, as a small craft distillery we have struggled to keep up with the exponential demand for our products. As our largest ever release, we hope that Ex-bourbon Oak Casks Batch 4 will quench some of the continued global demand that we’re seeing for our London single malt whiskies.“

He added: “Similarly to our other Small Batch releases Ex-Bourbon Oak Casks Batch 4 continues to offer an insight into our maturing single malt whisky stock – as we look toward the 7^th anniversary of our spirit, this new release is not only a perfect entry point into Bimber, it’s also a milestone for the developing style and quality of single malt whiskies that you’ll be seeing from us going forward.”

Bimber Ex-bourbon Oak Casks Batch 4

 A vatting of carefully selected first fill American oak ex-bourbon barrels

7,000 bottles

70cl

51.2% ABV

RRP £68

Distribution: Available directly from Bimber from Thursday 20^th April 2023 and also from:

About Bimber

Bimber Distillery produces world-class single malt whisky, handcrafted with passion in West London. As a leading distiller of English whisky, we combine generations of rich distilling heritage, with the finest quality ingredients to create the ultimate craft whisky experience.

Bimber raises a glass to King Charles and Queen Camilla with the release of the distillery’s first marriage of unique casks

London’s Bimber Distillery today announced the upcoming release of ‘The Coronation of King Charles III’ – a special edition single malt whisky crafted from a unique marriage of American oak ex-bourbon and ex-Bordeaux red wine matured single malts.

Available directly from Bimber’s website on Friday 5^th May, the special release of 1,400 bottles is the distillery’s first expression created from a unification of multiple wood types. The base of ex-bourbon matured Bimber embodies the distillery’s textural, fruit-forward house style, whilst a sympathetic addition of single malt whisky fully matured in red wine sourced from Bordeaux adds both additional structure and complementary flavours of plump berries, shaved chocolate and tanned leather.

The celebration release has been bottled at 52.2% ABV and will be available for an RRP of £85. The design of the label and gift tube follows the same visual cues as the distillery’s 2022 Platinum Jubilee single malt whisky – with an array of illustrations drawing from the life and passions of King Charles III and his accession to the throne.

The expression has been crafted to Bimber’s rigorous standards. The spirit was produced from the distillery’s single farm barley and malted on a dedicated floor at Warminster Maltings before being fermented for seven days in bespoke, on-site constructed American oak washbacks. Distillation took place in Bimber’s customised alembic pot stills which possess an increased copper surface area, and produce a fruit-forward, textural and layered new make spirit.

Speaking of the release of The Coronation of King Charles III, Bimber spokesperson Matt McKay said: “A Coronation marks a very special moment in any monarch’s reign. Bimber are delighted to celebrate the crowning of King Charles III and Queen Camilla with this equally special Bimber release. In the run up to the Coronation, the distillery team have spent many months assessing our developing inventory of diverse casks, whilst seeking out both contrasts and points of flavour congruence. This marriage of unique casks retains the profile of Bimber’s well-loved foundation of bright, expressive fruitiness, whilst adding layers of distinctiveness from the red wine matured whisky. The result is the perfect dram to celebrate the Coronation and to raise a glass to King Charles III.”

Bimber The Coronation of King Charles III 

A superlative marriage of ex-bourbon and ex-red wine single malt whiskies

1,400 bottles

70cl

52.2% ABV

RRP £85

Available from Friday 5^th May 2023

About Bimber

Bimber Distillery produces world-class single malt whisky, handcrafted with passion in West London. As a leading distiller of English whisky, we combine generations of rich distilling heritage, with the finest quality ingredients to create the ultimate craft whisky experience.

Zing Zang® Partners with Watch Hill Proper to Debut the World’s Most Expensive Bloody Mary 

Mixologists, culinary creators and artisans collaborate to benefit Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund

Photo Caption – Zing Zang Win Place Show – Zing Zang, America’s #1 Bloody Mary Mix, and Watch Hill Proper Bourbon Bar & Kitchen, the world’s largest American Whiskey Bar and Kentucky’s first premier bourbon club, have teamed up to create the World’s Most Expensive Bloody Mary in time for the Kentucky Derby. The Zing Zang “Win” Mary (pictured above) is a $1,149 bourbon Bloody Mary featuring Zing Zang’s new Blazing Bloody Mary Mix, paired with a trio of decadent menu items, a flight of rare Pappy Van Winkle bourbon and is served in a 24-karat gold leaf, handblown crystal glass with a handcrafted custom silver sipper stirrer made by the fifth-generation silversmiths who made the Kentucky Derby Trophy for 47 years. Photo credit: Dan Dry.

CHICAGO, IL & LOUISVILLE, KY (April 19, 2023) – Zing Zang, America’s #1 Bloody Mary Mix, and Watch Hill Proper Bourbon Bar & Kitchen, the world’s largest American Whiskey Bar and Kentucky’s first premier bourbon club, have teamed up to create the World’s Most Expensive Bloody Mary in time for the Kentucky Derby. The Zing Zang “Win” Mary is a $1,149 bourbon Bloody Mary featuring Zing Zang’s new Blazing Bloody Mary Mix, paired with a trio of decadent menu items, a flight of rare Pappy Van Winkle bourbon and is served in a 24-karat gold leaf, handblown crystal glass with a handcrafted custom silver sipper stirrer made by the fifth-generation silversmiths who made the Kentucky Derby Trophy for 47 years. A portion of proceeds will be donated to the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF), a nonprofit that provides financial assistance to former jockeys who have suffered catastrophic on-track injuries. The Zing Zang “Win” Mary can be purchased online at www.watchhillproper.com/zingzang.

Watch Hill Proper’s Creative Director and award-winning mixologist Karla Green has created a unique bourbon Bloody Mary featuring Zing Zang Blazing Bloody Mary Mix, a new hotter and spicier version of the original Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix, Benton’s bacon fat-washed Buffalo Trace bourbon, olive brine, lemon juice and horseradish. The Zing Zang “Win” Mary will be accompanied by a bone marrow luge and half-ounce pours of Pappy Van Winkle 23, 20 and 15-year-old bourbons. In addition, Watch Hill Proper’s Executive Chef Michael Crouch created a special menu to accompany the cocktail, featuring a fried king crab corn dog with clarified foie gras butter and caviar, a wagyu rib cap nigiri with uni shoyu and black truffle, and a duck confit and lion’s mane mushroom croquette with ramp and sour apple napa slaw.

The Zing Zang “Win” Mary will be served in the finest silverware and glassware. Zing Zang partnered with Susanne Blackinton-Juaire, a fifth-generation silversmith from S.R. Blackinton of Smithfield, Rhode Island, who produced the Kentucky Derby Trophy for 47 years, and handcrafted the silver sipper stirrers. The sipper stirrers feature a custom “wishing you good luck” design, inspired by a pin given to jockeys in Europe in the early 1900’s before a big race.

The Zing Zang “Win” Mary is served in 24-karat gold leaf etched crystal glasses, handblown by Benjamin Giguere of Gather Glass Blowing Studio, located on historic Federal Hill in Providence, Rhode Island. Giguere, an expert glass blower for 26 years, followed old-world, Swedish-style techniques for crafting these custom glasses.

Only four Zing Zang “Win” Marys will be available to purchase online or in-person at  www.watchhillproper.com/zingzang – but Watch Hill Proper will offer other bourbon Bloody Mary options for patrons.

A Zing Zang “Place” Mary will be available, following Green’s bourbon Bloody Mary recipe, paired with a half-ounce flight of W.L. Weller 12 Year Bourbon, Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon, Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon and select sides. The Zing Zang “Place” Mary will be served in a handblown commemorative crystal glass and available for $350.

An unlimited amount of Zing Zang “Show” Marys are available for patrons. Guests can enjoy the same unique recipe alongside a half-ounce flight of Eagle Rare Bourbon, E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, and 1792 Small Batch Bourbon and select sides for $65. The Zing Zang Win, Place and Show Bourbon Bloody Marys will be available May 2 – May 6, 2023.

“We are proud to partner with such an innovative establishment as Watch Hill Proper and world-class artisans as S.R. Blackinton and Gather Glass to create a bold, first-of-its kind cocktail, while raising money for an important cause,” said E.G Fishburne, Vice President of Marketing at Zing Zang. “Like Zing Zang, each element of these cocktails was meticulously crafted with the highest quality ingredients and materials available. We’re thrilled to help add a little spice and boldness to Derby week.”

Zing Zang Bloody Mary mixes are made from a proprietary blend of seven real vegetable juices and a complex array of bold spices and seasonings. The Chicago-based company delivers signature bold flavors with a variety of award-winning mixers made with real ingredients, as well as canned ready-to-drink and ready-to-serve cocktails.

Watch Hill Proper recently celebrated its first anniversary after an incredible year. After opening in April of 2022, it has become one of the most nationally recognized Bourbon Clubs known around the globe for its innovative modern cuisine with a classical French influence and award-winning cocktails.

“In just over a year, we have celebrated many milestones and can now add creating the World’s Most Expensive Bloody Mary to that list,” said co-founders Josh Howes and Tommy Craggs. “Whiskey is the perfect accompaniment to a Bloody Mary and we pride ourselves on having a near endless supply to choose from. When you combine Zing Zang, Karla and Michael’s creativity, renowned artisans and a hometown charity, it’s the perfect recipe for success.”

Win, Place, and Show – Zing Zang Blazing Bourbon Bloody Mary Recipe

4 ounces Zing Zang Blazing Bloody Mary Mix

1 ounce Benton’s bacon fat-washed Buffalo Trace bourbon

½ ounce fresh lemon juice

¼ ounce olive brine

Pinch of freshly grated horseradish

Glass: Collins

Method: Rolled

Cocktail Garnish: Dusted bourbon barrel smoked salt and Tajin citrus wheel, truffle fromage Cheese Whiz stuffed grilled olive, basil leaf, Watch Hill Proper amuse (pimento on rye)

Sides – Zing Zang “Win” Mary

• Three ½-ounce pours of Pappy 23 year, Pappy 20 year, Pappy 15 year bourbons
• Fried king crab corn dog with clarified foie gras butter and caviar
• Wagyu rib cap nigiri with uni shoyu and black truffle
• Duck confit and lion’s mane mushroom croquette with ramp and sour apple napa slaw
• Commemorative silver sipper stirrer and 24-karat gold leaf etched crystal glass

Sides – Zing Zang “Place” Mary 

• Three ½-ounce pours of Weller 12 Year, Elmer T. Lee and Blanton’s bourbons
• Fried king crab corn dog, with clarified foie gras butter and caviar
• Wagyu rib cap nigiri with uni shoyu and black truffle
• Commemorative crystal glass

Sides – Zing Zang “Show” Mary

• Three ½-ounce pours of Eagle Rare, E.H. Taylor Small Batch BIB, and 1792 Small Batch bourbons
• Duck confit and lion’s mane mushroom croquette with ramp and sour apple napa slaw

Learn more at www.watchhillproper.com/zingzang.

About Zing Zang:

Zing Zang® is the leading and fastest growing non-alcoholic cocktail mix brand in the U.S. The

company markets a complete line of premium-quality mixers including the leading Bloody Mary Mix

in the U.S., and a naturally crafted line-up of Margarita, Sweet & Sour, Strawberry Margarita-Daiquiri

and Piña Colada Mixes, which contain no high fructose corn syrup, no preservatives, and no artificial

dyes. Zing Zang recently introduced a line of ready-to-serve (RTS) Bloody Mary cocktails, and also

ready-to-drink (RTD) canned cocktails, using the Zing Zang award-winning mixes and premium

spirits. The RTD line includes Bloody Mary, Blazing Bloody Mary, Margarita, Mango Margarita, and

Bourbon Whiskey Sour. Zing Zang is available nationwide in over 200,000 retail and on-premise

locations. The company was founded in 1997 and is based in Chicago, Illinois. For more information,

please visit www.zingzang.com.

About Watch Hill Proper:

Watch Hill Proper Bourbon Bar & Kitchen in Norton Commons is the world’s most extensive American whiskey bar. The purpose of Watch Hill Proper is to be a dining destination that celebrates American whiskey from all around the country, particularly Kentucky bourbon. The restaurant hosts public and private events, including bourbon and wine tastings, meet and greets with bourbon master distillers, and themed dinners. For more information, please visit www.watchhillproper.com.