Beam Suntory and Suntory Holdings Contribute $1 Million to Support Recovery from Devastating Tornados in Kentucky

NEW PENDERYN DISTILLERY IN LLANDUDNO NAMED

NORTH WALES’ TOP ATTRACTION AT TOURISM AWARDS

Penderyn Distillery’s Team at the 2021 Go North Wales Tourism Awards

Brecon Beacons, Wales – December 21, 2021: The new Penderyn Distillery at Llandudno has been named North Wales’ top attraction at the 2021 Go North Wales Tourism Awards, the region’s tourism ‘Oscars.’ The accolade, which was accepted by the team from Penderyn Distillery – “The Welsh Whisky Company” credited with reviving the whisky industry in Wales after a 100-year absence – was announced at the 30th-anniversary celebration for the organization.

Penderyn’s new North Wales distillery is located in the historic town of Llandudno,

the location that inspired Alice in Wonderland

Set in Llandudno, North Wales, the picturesque setting that inspired Alice in Wonderland, Penderyn’s second distillery opened its doors in May 2021 on the 20th anniversary of Penderyn’s launch. The team at Penderyn has been working to bring back the spirit of the original Welsh Whisky distillery at Frongoch, which closed over 100 years ago (mainly due to Prohibition) after receiving a royal warrant from Queen Victoria in 1895. Housed in the Grade II listed Old Board School on the town’s Lloyd Street, the distillery focuses production on peated barley single malt whisky, a nod to what is believed to have been the style of whisky originally produced in North Wales over a century ago. Whisky uses water supplied from a natural fresh spring reservoir that once served the Victorian Lighthouse on The Great Orme Headland.

While there is a three-to-five year wait for visitors to sample whisky produced at the Llandudno location, the new visitor center offers tastings from whisky produced at Pendery’s original distillery in the Brecon Beacons, South Wales.

The award comes in the lead up to 2022, which is poised to be the year Welsh whisky obtains Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), joining the likes of Welsh lamb and beef, Caerphilly cheese, and Welsh wine.

A third Penderyn Distillery is planned for Swansea, Wales in 2022/23.

About Penderyn:

Penderyn is an independent distillery located in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons National Park in Wales, UK. Recognized as one of the most influential Welsh exports, Penderyn is credited with reviving the country’s whisky industry after more than a 100-year absence. Renowned for its high-quality single malt whisky and other distillates, Penderyn is also recognized for respecting the long heritage of whisky production and combining it with an innovative approach to distilling. Penderyn is exported to over 40 destinations, including Europe, Canada, the USA, Japan, Russia, Singapore, Australia, and China.

Gordon & MacPhail donates £80,000 to Scottish charity, Trees for Life

Ewen Mackintosh and Steve Micklewright

Tuesday 23^rd November: Family-owned premium spirits company, Gordon & MacPhail, is donating £80,000 to Trees for Life, a charity with a mission to restore the Caledonian Forest, following the sale of Decanter #1 of the world’s oldest single malt Scotch whisky at auction. 

The Gordon & MacPhail Generations 80-Years-Old from Glenlivet Distillery launched in September 2021, with the business making the decision to partner with Sotheby’s to raise funds for Trees for Life.

In October 2021, a landmark lot went under the hammer at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong, which included decanter #1, a tasting experience, the framed cask end and a one-of-one lithograph featuring the original concept drawings devised by creative partner, Sir David Adjaye. After costs, auction proceeds of £80,000 have been donated to Trees for Life to help fund their tree nursey at Dundreggan near Glenmoriston in Inverness-shire.

The fifth release in Gordon & MacPhail’s Generations series, the 80-Years-Old release from Glenlivet Distillery is presented in a stunningly intricate decanter and oak pavilion designed by internationally acclaimed architect and designer, Sir David Adjaye, aligned to a creative theme of ‘Artistry in Oak’.

Trees for Life, a conservation charity based in Findhorn, has planted nearly two million trees since its inception in 1993. It has a mission to revitalise the wild forest in the Scottish Highlands, providing space for wildlife to flourish and communities to thrive. To kick off the partnership earlier this year, six colleagues from Gordon & MacPhail visited the Trees for Life nursery and planted a number of oak trees.

Ewen Mackintosh, Managing Director, Gordon & MacPhail, said: “We chose to partner with Trees for Life because we believe our organisations are closely aligned. We’re both focused on creating future legacies. Much like a golden anniversary is symbolised with gold, an 80^th is traditionally commemorated by oak, so the theme and partnership was a natural fit. Our whiskies are often decades, if not generations, in the making and Trees for Life are also planning for the long term so we are very proud to support their mission.” 

Steve Micklewright, CEO, Trees for Life, commented:

“The partnership and generous contribution will have a significant, positive impact on our nursery at Dundreggan. Funding will help us to grow more than 80,000 rare, native trees from seed each year, restoring and enhancing Scotland’s natural environment for all.”

For more information about Gordon & MacPhail visit www.gordonandmacphail.com. Further information on Trees for Life is available at www.treesforlife.org.uk.

About Gordon & MacPhail

Gordon & MacPhail, a fourth-generation family-owned premium spirits company based in Elgin, Scotland. Renowned as a Scotch whisky maturation expert, the business also owns Scotch whisky distillery, Benromach, on the outskirts of Forres, and The Cairn Distillery near Grantown-on-Spey.

Scottish Gin brand, Red Door was added to the portfolio in 2018 and Gordon & MacPhail is the operator of a wholesale business in the United Kingdom selling premium Scotch whiskies and spirits.  A high-quality retail outlet in Elgin, continues to serve locals and visitors alike, since 1895 when the business was established. www.gordonandmacphail.com.

About Trees for Life

Founded in 1993, Trees for Life is an award-winning charity with a vision of a revitalised wild forest in the Scottish Highlands, providing space for wildlife to flourish and communities to thrive. “It is our passionate belief that rewilding can help us achieve this vision,” says chief executive, Steve Makeweight. “It enriches the landscapes, wildlife and people who call these places home. Rewilding is about working with nature, natural processes and seeing human activity as part of an intricate system in which everything is connected.” The Gordon & MacPhail partnership with Trees for Life is a commitment to both the wild Caledonian Forest and to future generations. www.treesforlife.org.uk.

Kentucky Bourbon Benefit Raises Over $3 Million, 

Tripling Goal for Western Kentucky Tornado Relief

Auction Proceeds Donated to Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Bourbon Benefit auction of rare bottles, private barrel selections and more raised over $3 million to help ease suffering and restore hope for residents of Western Kentucky whose communities were ravaged by a tornado outbreak earlier this month.

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association partnered with the Bourbon Crusaders charitable organization and Bourbon curator Fred Minnick on the six-day auction. The fundraiser culminated with a live-streamed finale Tuesday night which alone raised $1.77 million.

The total – which is expected to climb – was $3,429,203 as of mid-day Wednesday.

The www.kybourbonbenefit.com auction site is still accepting donations and businesses continue to match funds. Proceeds from the benefit are going to the Team Western Kentucky Tornado Relief Fund. The state-operated fund assesses no fees on donations.

Angel’s Envy, Beam Suntory, Brown-Forman, Diageo, Four Roses, Heaven Hill, Michter’s, Rabbit Hole and Wild Turkey also donated in excess of $1 million directly to the state’s fund, and Beam Suntory gave an additional $500,000 to the American Red Cross.

Those donations bring the distilling industry’s total impact to nearly $5 million.

“The outpouring of support, care and love for Western Kentuckians is truly unparalleled in the history of Bourbon. We are forever grateful for the generosity of distillers, donors and bidders,” KDA President Eric Gregory said.

“Through this event, thousands of participants are helping lift spirits across Western Kentucky, provide new hope and create momentum for the years of rebuilding and healing ahead,” Gregory said. “This is the spirit of Kentucky shining through.”

Minnick, a best-selling author and Bourbon expert, said the auction’s success demonstrates the fabric of Kentuckians and Americans. “In life, you get a handful of moments you hope to relive in your final moments. Tuesday night was one for me,” he said.

“The only comparison I have for what happened here was going to Iraq as a soldier and experiencing the full depth of the American military coming together under one mission. My team worked with two highly professional organizations in the Bourbon Crusaders and the KDA.

“While different than my Army days, I believe the Kentucky Bourbon Benefit represented the best of America. At the core of who we are, we are a people who want to help our neighbor. And in Kentucky, our neighbors needed our help,” Minnick said.

“The response was tremendous, far beyond our wildest hopes,” said R.J. Sargent, founder of the Bourbon Crusaders. “Our members pulled out treasures from their collections and the community responded enthusiastically.

“You can see it in the auction results. These rarities attracted lots of bids, and every dollar raised is going to be used to help Kentucky.”

A total of 5,158 bidders vied for the benefit auction’s 429 lots. Bidders came from all 50 states, Washington D.C. and as far away as Puerto Rico and Guam. Kentucky, by far, led the way with nearly 1,000 registered bidders, followed by Ohio (400), Florida (250) and Texas (240).

Highlights included:

A 19-year-old barrel of Willett sold for $401,001 – which Minnick said was the highest ever paid for a full barrel of Bourbon. The Bardstown distillery then donated another barrel which was matched by the second-place bidder for a total of $802,002 raised.

A private barrel selection at Four Roses Distillery, aged 17 to 24 years, sold for $278,000. The Lawrenceburg distillery also matched the barrel to its second-place bidder, totaling $556,000. With other rare donated bottles, Four Rose’s final tally was $569,920.

Willett also had the third best-selling item: an 8-year-old barrel that sold for $143,000. Again, the distillery donated a matching barrel to the losing bidder, raising a total of $286,000 for that lot – and nearly $1.1 total from Willett’s donations alone.

A barrel experience of cask-strength Angel’s Envy went for $130,000. An Elijah Craig barrel-strength barrel sold for $77,000. Wild Turkey and New Riff private barrels sold for $45,000 and $43,000 respectively.

Nevada-based Distillery Smoke Wagon’s lot of 60 bottles of Rare and Limited Special Batch Small Batch Bourbon sold for $45,000. Smoke Wagon donated another set of 60 bottles and the runner-up matched at $45,000. Smoke Wagon also had two separate donations that went for $26,000 and $6,650, bringing the company’s tally to $122,650.

An exclusive tour and tasting experience at Castle & Key in Woodford County – combined with a private suite at Keeneland for the distillery’s annual Bourbon Stakes in 2022 – sold for $44,000.

A hand-engraved decanter of 23-year Old Rip Van Winkle, one of only 1,200 released in 2009 and donated by Preston Van Winkle, went for $44,000.

Private barrel experiences at Maker’s Mark, Old Forester, Boone County, Woodford Reserve and Jefferson’s Ocean, which donated a 300-bottle lot, all sold between $30,000 and $35,000 each.

The “Mayfield Collection” of 14 bottles recovered intact from Carr’s Steakhouse in downtown Mayfield, Ky., which was destroyed in the EF 4 tornado, sold for $69,475. Nearly all of the bottle’s brands are matching the sales prices with half of the money going to Carr’s for its 29 employees – with a combined 22 children – many of whom are now homeless.

The total amount raised from the Kentucky Bourbon Benefit will continue to climb throughout the coming days as final results are tallied, including matches from Vendome Copper & Brass, Independent Stave Company and the Kentucky Travel Industry Association (KTIA).

Auctioneer Bill Menish, founder of Menish Productions in Louisville, Ky., donated his services for the live auction and waived all of his fees. Westport Whiskey and Wine, the benefit’s official retail partner, is assisting with fulfillment.

For a list of the auctioned lots and their sales prices, visit www.KentuckyBourbonBenefit.com.

To watch the live auction call, visit Fred Minnick’s YouTube Channel.

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2022.

A Septuagenarian Scotch is named Single Cask of the Year While A Staggering Bourbon wins the Bible’s World Whisky of the Year Title.

One of the oldest single malts ever commercially bottled has this year been named as the World Finest Single Cask Whisky in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2022.

Distilled in 1948 – the same year that the Big Bang theory was first hypothesised – Jim Murray considered the 72-year-old Glen Grant, Cask 440, from Gordon and MacPhail to be truly stella, giving it 97.5 marks out of 100.

Said Jim: “This whisky has had 72 years for something to go wrong with it. Instead, we have the near miraculous situation of a whisky sitting for 72 years in oak and everything going right with it. The chances for a whisky to reach this type of antiquity and hit this level of excellence is mind-blowing: it has to be one-in-a-million or more.”

The score equals the highest-ever recorded in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible, which has now been published each year for the last 19 years, with over 20,000 whiskies tasted by Mr Murray during that time.

As well as being named the world’s finest single cask, it has also picked up the title of Scotch Whisky of the Year.

However, the actual World Whisky of the Year was again won by a bourbon, George T Stagg, from the Buffalo Trace distillery in Kentucky. This is a “big bang” whiskey in its own right, bottled at 65.2%abv, more than half the strength again of a standard bottle of whisky.

It was named World Whisky of the Year in the first-ever Whisky Bible, back in 2003 but had not won the coveted title since 2006.

But it means bourbon has been named World Whisky of the Year for five of the last 6 years.

Mr Murray explained: “Bourbon is going through a golden era right now with distilleries taking extraordinary care in many of the bottlings they produce. The high-end products, like George T Stagg, are individual works of art and it takes hours in the glass to fully unravel their secrets and mysteries.

In his notes on it Jim concluded: “Stagg hovering around about its ultimate. And we know what that means: one of the greatest whiskey experiences of your life. This is one of those whiskies where it is not a case of whether it is good enough for you. The question is whether you are good enough for it? Staggering. Quite literally.”

Stagg’s, stablemate from the Buffalo Trace Distillery, Thomas Handy Sazerac Barrel Proof Rye was named the World second-best whiskey, repeating a 1^st and 2^nd placing last achieved in the 2013 edition.

A Scotch single malt came in Third. Again it was Glen Grant, this time with their 18-year-old, the third top three placing it has achieved in the last six year.

Of it, Mr Murray wrote: “You know that moment when the last notes fade on Vaughan-Williams’ A Lark Ascending, or you are in a hilltop meadow and a real lark sings sweetly above your head for its mate before fluttering and parachuting back to its grassy home, and you sit there quietly pondering on what you have just experienced. And so the nose, the best I have experienced all year, has the same effect here.”

This year Jim Murray tasted over 750 different whiskies from around the world.

Said Mr Murray: “We set a target of 750 this year instead of excess of 1,000, should I not be to travel because of Covid. Well, much of the book was written during Lockdown, travelling was impossible and so it was truly amazing that we hit our target. Hopefully next year I’ll be back travelling and we’ll be back to over 1,000 whiskies again.

Editor’s Notes Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2022 contains tasting notes for nearly 5,000 drams from around the world. This is the biggest selling whisky guide, now in its 19th edition. Available from 25/11/21 at all good bookshops, retailers and whiskybible.com, priced £14.99. Press enquiries: Jane Garnett +44 (0)117 317 9777; jane@whiskybible.com

Sotheby’s Annual Wine & Spirits Auction Sales

Hit Record $132 Million

– 44% Increase on 2020 –

NEW YORK, 20 December 2021 – Sotheby’s Wine’s annual auction sales of wines and spirits reached record heights in 2021, led by a 44% increase in sales to a total of $132 million.

Looking back on the historic year, Jamie Ritchie, Worldwide Head of Sotheby’s Wine, said: “2021 will be remembered as a transformative year in Sotheby’s wine and spirits business, where we repeatedly broke records in all areas of our business and launched new initiatives and partnerships across all categories and geographies. Our highest ever sales total of $132 million included market leadership in Asia with $67 million, standout growth in both spirits and wine, and a slew of record prices for both wines and whiskies. We launched our sales in Continental Europe and our first sale of Tea in Hong Kong. But, perhaps the most significant development of this year was our inaugural sales and partnerships with the Hospices de Beaune and The Distillers’ Charity, where we worked together with the négociants in Burgundy and the distilleries in Scotland to raise important funds to benefit their local communities.”

Facts & Figures

• By region: Asia: $67 million; USA: $26 million; UK: $21 million; France: $18 million
• By category: Spirits $21 million
• Volume of sales increases: Sotheby’s staged 51 sales in the categories this year, 24% up on 2020
• 19 single owner sales, with an aggregate total of $75 million, 57% of the combined total
• Asia powers the market, with sales in the region accounting for 51% of global total, placing Sotheby’s in market leadership position in the region for fourth consecutive year
• Bidders from 56 countries (38% Americas, 37% Asia, 25% Europe)
• Buyers from 52 countries:
  • Buyers from Asia accounted for 57% of auction sales (58% for Wine, 52% for Spirits)
  • Buyers from the Americas accounted for 20% of auction sales (20% for Wine, 20% for Spirits)
  • Buyers from Europe accounted for 23% of auction sales (22% for Wine, 28% for Spirits)
• New buyers of wine and spirits made up 40% of the total number of buyers
• One third of bidders on wine and spirits under 40 years of age
• The number of first-time bidders of spirits saw a more than four-fold increase on 2020, with collectors from North America accounting for 45% of the total amount bid by collectors new to the category
• Over $20 million in auction sales for charity partnerships
• Lots sold: 14,150

Moving Sotheby’s centre of gravity to stage auctions and experiences beyond the traditional saleroom centres 

“These new partnerships enable us to work in a much closer way across the entire wine and spirits industries, which provides greater opportunity and benefit to everyone, from the producers and their communities to consumers all around the world. We look forward to expanding this series in 2022, starting with our innovative new partnership with the Napa Valley Vintners, as well as additional charitable organisations that will be announced early in the New Year.” – Jamie Ritchie

In 2021, Sotheby’s made a significant commitment to work together with charitable organisations, uniting collectors with special opportunities to acquire rare wines and whiskies, while benefiting the communities of each region:

• Sotheby’s partnered with the Hospices de Beaune for the first time. The 161st edition of the charity wine auction on 21 November brought $14.2 million. In addition, the legendary Charity Barrel realised a record $900,000, bringing the grand total raised for charity to $15.3 million
• Records also tumbled at the inaugural charity Scotch whisky auction – ‘The Distillers One of One’ – near Edinburgh on 3 December, with an auction totalling $4.1 million, and $2.7 million raised for charity
• Looking forward, as auction partners to Napa Valley Vintners, Sotheby’s will, for the first time, partner with a wine region to help connect wine consumers, collectors and connoisseurs to its wines. More details to follow.

Spirits

The year saw several partnerships with leading distilleries:

• Sotheby’s X The Worshipful Company of Distillers and the Scotch Whisky Industry, for the first Distillers One of One auction – records for Bowmore, Balvenie, Glenfiddich, Ladyburn, and Talisker, and more ($4.1 million total, more than double the low estimate; December, Edinburgh)
• Sotheby’s X The Macallan: A one-of-a-kind original bottle of 1967 whisky from The Macallan’s Anecdotes of Ages Collection with label artwork by Sir Peter Blake, sold for $437,500 (March, New York)
• Sotheby’s X Bowmore: The Black Bowmore Archive Cabinet – the complete Black Bowmore single malt whisky collection direct from the Bowmore distillery – sold for $563,000 (April, Hong Kong)
• Sotheby’s X Gordon & MacPhail: Auction record for a bottle of the world’s oldest single malt Scotch whisky – designed by architect and designer Sir David Adjaye OBE, Decanter #1 of Gordon & MacPhail Generations 80-Years-Old sold for $193,000 (October, Hong Kong)
• Sotheby’s X The Dalmore: Auction record for The Dalmore – a one-of-a-kind set of six vintage single malts direct from the distillery, sold for $1.1 million, establishing the most valuable whisky lot sold by Sotheby’s in Asia (October, Hong Kong)
• Sotheby’s X Diageo: Set #1 of the second release of Prima & Ultima, Diageo’s collectable series of rare, cask-strength single vintage malts containing eight whiskies from across Scotland, was offered exclusively through Sotheby’s directly from Diageo (September, Hong Kong)

A single-owner auction, Whisky & Whiskey | The Three Continents Collection, forming Part 1 of the largest collection of spirits by bottle count ever to be offered by Sotheby’s, totalled an above estimate $2.3 million and with 80% of the lots achieving prices above their high estimates (December, New York)

Looking ahead to 2022

“As wine regions and distilleries are increasingly looking for global reach and recognition, we will see a rise in on-site auctions and events enhanced with state-of-the-art digital experiences.” – Jamie Ritchie

Sotheby’s will hold its inaugural sale of Spirits in France from 12 – 21 January

More than 10 single owner sales are already scheduled 

Top Lots in 2021 

SPIRITS

Glenfiddich The 1950s Collection, sold for $1.4 million

The Dalmore Decades No. 6 Collection, sold for $1.1 million

Talisker Cask of Distinction 1978 + Artwork by Callum Innes, sold for $831,780

Black Bowmore Archive Cabinet Direct From Bowmore, sold for $563,000

Bowmore Onyx 51 Year Old 1970, sold for $532,340

Yamazaki 55 Year Old, sold for $525,000

Karuizawa 52 Year Old Strong Eagle Cask #5627 1960, sold for $495,200

The Macallan 1967 Anecdotes of Ages Collection “A New Era Of Advertising”, with Sir Peter Blake Print and Exclusive Experience, sold for $437,500

The Balvenie 56 Year Old 1964, sold for $232,900

Glenlivet Gordon & MacPhail Generations 80 Year Old 44.9 abv 1940 + Exclusive Experience, sold for $193,000

How can you invest in whiskey?

To invest in whiskey is one of the latest options and attention gaining areas in the investment industry. There are two principles ways to invest in whiskey and today we are going to discuss them. The first one is to invest directly in bottles and the second option is to invest in whiskey. It can either be an old or new bottle and in that, the brand and distillery are extremely important. In the casks of whiskey, the distillery from which the whiskey comes is less important. A good return of around 10-15% can be made from whiskey casks from any distillery.

Let’s have a detailed view at both the options and get a better view on how to invest in whiskey –

• Investing in bottles

Investing in the bottles requires a huge amount of capital in order to even make a minimum investment. In order to invest in bottles you need to buy them from auctions and releases by using your expertise and skills. Inspite of all the skills and expertise a high amount of return is not guaranteed when investing in bottles while making an investment in whiskey.

• Investing in Whiskey Casks

Whiskey is considered a depreciating asset and thus, no amount of capital gains is payable on the sale. Casks give a different perspective to whiskey investment. These are a simple asset, held in bond and no duty is levied whilst it stays in bond. When it comes to investing in whiskey, the best way is to invest in a diverse portfolio. Casks can be bought at different stages during their process. They can be bought freshly filled to well-aged.

The casks become more expensive as they gain maturity and they are of less price on their early stage. The cask at a zero age is called a new fill cask and the liquid is called a new make spirit. It takes 3 years and a day for a new spirit to legally become whiskey. Casks can be bought at any age the buyer thinks it would be beneficial.

More of such guidance is available when you join New Hibernian Whiskey Advisory and decide to invest in whiskey. For more information, you can visit www.new-hibernian.com

About New Hiberian Whiskey

Our Model of Whiskey Cask Purchase

The Irish Whiskey cask purchase model is a way for private investors and institutions to enter into a market that was historically limited to the select few; Either those with direct links to distilleries or Ultra High Net Worth individuals with the financial prowess to buy their way into the market of their choice.

Our model allows investors to enter into the advanced purchase of casks of raw Whiskey from one of renowned partner distilleries at prices way below wholesale. This ensures future profits for the cask owners whilst also creating cash flow for the distillery. For full details on our pricing structure contact info@new-hibernian.com

EX-PAUL JOHN WHISKY’S REGIONAL MANAGER, SHILTON ALMEIDA, JOINS M&H DISTILLERY

Tel Aviv – December 2021 — Shilton Almeida, formerly of Paul John’s Whisky, joins the M&H Distillery as the Global Brand Ambassador.

Almeida will bring to the Tel Aviv-based distillery a decade of experience in retail sales, marketing, and branding, as well as a wealth of knowledge and expertise. For more than six years, Almeida worked as a Regional Manager for John Distilleries, focusing on sales, marketing, and branding for Paul John Whisky in the United Kingdom and Europe. Shilton Almeida has been named Icons of Whisky – Highly Commended World Whisky Brand Ambassador of the Year for 2021.

“Almeida’s experience, passion, and understanding of the industry will undoubtedly be a huge asset as we look forward to a busy year ahead,” stated Gal Kalkshtein, founder and owner of the M&H Distillery. “I’ve been in love with M&H since they released their Young Single Malt, which I first tried in Frankfurt and got me all excited about the future there.” said Almeida. It’s fascinating to see what the team is doing in those climatic conditions in Israel. It is a privilege to be a part of this fantastic team”.

M&H finalizes the year with great enthusiasm, winning top honors including “Craft Producer of the Year” in Whisky Magazine’s 2021 Icons of Whisky (Rest of World), and after successfully launching its APEX series, the distillery’s signature core line of innovative, forward-thinking bold whiskies. M&H is currently presenting worldwide its most exciting release, the APEX Dead Sea, the first single malt whisky matured in the lowest place on earth, where temperatures climbing as high as 55 ºc.

About M&H Distillery: M&H Distillery (Milk & Honey), established in 2012 by entrepreneur and investor Gal Kalkstein, is Israel’s first whisky distillery and produces high-quality distillates in Tel Aviv. All raw materials, equipment, casks and processes were selected to ensure that the final product – whether white distillates or aged whisky – meets the highest quality standards. M&H Distillery received guidance and advice from the late Dr. Jim Swan, a world-renowned master distiller. All the products of the distillery are kosher.

Multi-million-pound investment set to reignite the spirit of the Cabrach

£3.5mn secured for distillery and heritage centre

Community, culture, and sustainability at heart of plan

Boost for skills development and employment

Ambitious plans to breathe new life into one of the UK’s most rural communities – famed for its role in the birth of malt whisky – have taken a significant step forward with the announcement of multi-million-pound funding to deliver The Cabrach Distillery and Heritage Centre; a project which will showcase the craft and alchemy of making Scotland’s national drink while telling the story of the historic region.

The Cabrach, a remote, upland area in the North East of Scotland, was a once thriving community of over 1,000 residents and a legendary haunt of rebellious Jacobites, illicit distillers and smugglers. However, the devastation wrought by the Great Wars began a spiral of depopulation and decline. Today fewer than 100 people call the Cabrach home.

Moves to regenerate the area as a sustainable community have been driven by The Cabrach Trust, who today confirmed it has secured the £3.5million needed to activate this eagerly anticipated project which will be delivered in harmony with the natural environment of the Cabrach.

Grant Gordon OBE, Founder and Chairman of The Cabrach Trust, said: “Our vision is to regenerate the Cabrach as a thriving, sustainable community. Having secured funding for this project represents a critical milestone for the Trust and we look forward to embarking on this exciting next chapter in the Cabrach’s story.”

A 19th-century steading at the Trust’s Inverharroch base will be restored to its former glory through a sympathetic restoration programme while sustainability will be at the heart of the transformation, incorporating an innovative renewable energy source.

This project represents the cornerstone of the Trust’s transformational regeneration masterplan for the Cabrach, which will not only bring about much-needed skilled, permanent employment to the area, but attract thousands of visitors every year, placing the natural beauty and unparalleled history of the area centre stage.

The Ethos Foundation, a principal funder of The Cabrach Trust, has pledged its support to the project, alongside capital grants from the William Grant Foundation and the Vattenfall Clashindarroch Wind Farm Community Fund. Forsyths, one of the world leaders in the supply of distillation equipment and based in nearby Rothes, are also contributing considerably. Of important note, the Bently Foundation awarded a significant grant to the project in 2021.

With an award-winning design team appointed, led by Collective Architecture, funding secured, and planning approval in place, enabling works on site are expected to get underway in February 2022, with the aim of being operational by Spring 2023.

Jonathan Christie, Chief Executive of The Cabrach Trust, commented: “With the build commencing early in the New Year, we look forward to sharing progress as our one-of-a-kind social enterprise unfolds, whilst launching several other exciting projects all poised to go live in 2022.

“We are humbled by the support provided by the Ethos Foundation, Bently Foundation and our other core funders. It is a privilege to work with and alongside such an array of incredible peer, community, and funding partners. The Cabrach Distillery and Heritage Centre is central to our regeneration plans and the long-term sustainability of this important community.”

Additional Comments

Richard Lochhead MSP: “The Cabrach is a unique community with an incredibly rich heritage. The Trust’s ambitious regeneration plans promise to open a new chapter in its story. It is widely believed that the Cabrach is the birthplace of Scotch whisky and plans for a new distillery and heritage centre are not only fitting but also hugely exciting. This project will undoubtedly put the Cabrach on the map and I’m delighted this funding has been secured.”

Douglas Ross MP: “This is fantastic news for the area. As well as adding to the local economy, and hopefully attracting further investment, this project will create much needed job opportunities and support more young people to live and work in the area. The Trust’s vision to regenerate this rural community is very welcome, supporting a sustainable future for the Cabrach. I am very much looking forward to watching these plans progress and offer my support for this great project.”

Nick Addington, Chief Executive of the William Grant Foundation: “The William Grant Foundation is delighted to be supporting The Cabrach Trust’s innovative and entrepreneurial redevelopment of Inverharroch as a social enterprise Distillery and Heritage Centre. The new community-owned facility will celebrate and showcase the contribution of this special place and the people who lived there, to Speyside and Scotland’s whisky heritage, and contribute to its sustainable future.”

The Cabrach Trust

The Cabrach Trust was formed in 2011 and is a registered charity (Charity No. SCO43771). The Trust’s vision is to regenerate the Cabrach as a thriving, sustainable community with its history, heritage and place in Scottish history celebrated and shared by all. It was set up in response to the need to preserve the cultural heritage of The Cabrach and safeguard its remote community.

In 2013, through its generous donors, the Trust acquired the historic Inverharroch Farm and its 170 acres of land and through community asset transfer acquired the Old School and Hall and the Acorn Community Centre. The Trust has developed a community-led regeneration masterplan that will see the development of projects such as a Historic Distillery and a new Heritage Centre on the Trust’s land.

Following a meticulous programme of restoration, The Cabrach Distillery and Heritage Centre will be housed within the Inverharroch Farm steadings. The distillery and traditional dunnage warehouse will occupy two wings of the steading, with the additional two wings allocated for the heritage centre, community bistro, tasting room, and visitor reception. Operated as a social enterprise, our distillery will have at its roots historic methods which reflect the manufacture and production of Malt Whisky from the 1800s when “real Cabrach whisky” was widely acclaimed. Following ageing and maturation, the bottled product will eventually be available for sale, generating profits as part of the Trust’s long-term sustainability plan.

The Trust aims to provide economic and social development opportunities for the Cabrach, creating jobs and attracting new visitors to the area to celebrate and protect the cultural heritage, beautiful landscape, and history of the Cabrach.

The Trust is steered by a committed Board of Trustees working alongside a small, dedicated, and knowledgeable staff team.

Funders

The Ethos Foundation was established in 2016 (registered charity no. 1166697) and is constituted as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). The Foundation’s giving is informed by a multi-generational family commitment to philanthropy, centred on a mission to support local communities and UK society in general.

Founded and supported by San Francisco Bay Area entrepreneur Christopher Bently with founding Director Camille Bently, Bently Foundation strives to support organizations worldwide in the areas of the environment, the arts and animal welfare. For more information please visit: www.bentlyfoundation.org

Forsyths Ltd is the fabrication arm of the Forsyth Group based in the North East of Scotland. Their work in the alcoholic beverage industry varies from the supply of distillation equipment only to turnkey distillery design and build, plant upgrade or expansion projects.

The William Grant Foundation is a non-profit association established to support charitable causes, principally in Scotland. It has been set up by William Grant & Sons Ltd to manage and direct the company’s charitable giving. Visit their webpage at www.williamgrantfoundation.org.uk from where you can download their latest annual review.

For more information about Vattenfall Clashindaroch Wind Farm Community Fund, visit HERE:

For further information, interviews and images, please contact Alex Schweitzer-Thompson at alex@thisistailormade.com

A. SMITH BOWMAN DISTILLERY RELEASES LIMITED ABRAHAM BOWMAN 15-YEAR-OLD RUM FINISHED BOURBON 

FREDERICKSBURG, KY (Dec. 15, 2021) — A. Smith Bowman Distillery announces the latest release in its Abraham Bowman series of experimental whiskey, the Abraham Bowman Rum Finished Bourbon.

The bourbon in this release aged for nine years in American White Oak before finishing in rum casks for an additional six years. This release may just be the oldest rum cask finished bourbon ever produced.

This 15-year-old bourbon has an intense reddish-brown hue. Master Distiller Brian Prewitt describes it as bright and lively, noting the aroma begins with notes of well-aged bourbon. “The aroma of vanilla, caramel, and candied nuts give way to leather and coconut. Finally fading to the notes brought in from the long rum finish, aromas of molasses, brown sugar, and candied fruit. Sweet flavors of toffee and toasted sugar with vanilla. This bourbon has a viscous mouthfeel and pleasant aftertaste that lingers on the palate. The immense complexity of the spirit continues to offer new and enticing aromas and flavors with each subsequent taste.

“Our Abraham Bowman series allows us the flexibility to experiment and discover unique new expressions, permitting us to gain new insights along the way,” said Prewitt. “The age on this rum-finished release is unparalleled and resulted in one of our favorite finishes to date.”

The Abraham Bowman Rum Finished Bourbon is part of a series of limited-edition whiskies, named after Abraham Bowman, the commander of the 8th Virginia Regiment in the American Revolutionary War. Each edition of the Abraham line is a different expression and a new release is offered a few times a year.

Abraham Bowman Rum Finished Bourbon will be available through the A. Smith Bowman Distillery gift shop on a first come, first served basis on Saturday, December 18. This release will also be available through the Virginia ABC Board lottery. Quantities are very limited. The total age of this bourbon is 15 years and is bottled at 100 proof. These 750 ml bottles have a suggested retail price of $69.99.

About A. Smith Bowman

A. Smith Bowman’s distilling roots date back to the years before Prohibition when the Bowman family had a granary and dairy farm in Sunset Hills, Virginia. They used excess grain from the family estate to distill spirits. In 1934, after the Repeal of Prohibition, Abram Smith Bowman and his sons continued the family tradition and built a more modern distillery in Fairfax County, Virginia called Sunset Hills Farm.  The Distillery was moved in 1988 and is now nestled in Spotsylvania County near the city of Fredericksburg, 60 miles away from the original location.

As a small and privately owned company, A. Smith Bowman Distillery continues the time-honored traditions on which it was founded. Considered a micro-distillery by today’s standards, A. Smith Bowman produces an assortment of hand-crafted spirits distilled from only the finest natural ingredients and using the latest technology. This micro-distillery focuses on the production of premium spirits honoring the legacy of Virginia’s first settlers. As Virginia’s oldest and most award-winning distillery, its various brands have earned numerous prestigious awards over the years, including John J. Bowman Single Barrel, which received a double gold medal at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.  For more information on A. Smith Bowman, please visit www.asmithbowman.com