40 years at the cutting edge of crystal and glassware creation for Glencairn Crystal 

This year marks the 40^th birthday of the award-winning Scottish crystal company, Glencairn Crystal Studio.

Founded by Raymond Davidson in 1981, the company is not only synonymous with the world’s favourite whisky glass, the Glencairn Glass, but has also become a world expert in the design, creation and manufacture of high-end crystal and glassware.  Now the market leader in the production of containers for some of the worlds’ rarest and most exclusive spirits, Glencairn Crystal will be celebrating four decades of innovation by showcasing some of its most successful and pioneering decanters.

As a family firm Raymond’s ethos for his business was to focus on the needs of the customer and to build the crystal decanter side of Glencairn – leading the way in spirits packaging and creativity. Raymond believed that decanters had an important role to play in the whisky and spirit world. His vision was to use pioneering innovation and craftsmanship to enhance the presentation of his customers’ brands, adding value to any whisky (or any other spirit) contained within a Glencairn Crystal decanter.

Since then the business has gone from strength to strength creating some of the drinks industry’s most prestigious and ground-breaking decanters, whilst still remaining a family run business – now run by Raymond’s sons, Paul and Scott Davidson.

Over the years Glencairn Crystal has designed, created and delivered decanters to hold the world’s oldest whisky, the world’s oldest port and the world’s oldest rum. Other memorable crystal decanters produced have ranged from a decanter sitting on a stunning engraved silver crown, appearing to float on only four points of contact, to breathtaking vessels embedded with precious rubies and sapphires. The combination of high-profile brands and revolutionary design and production processes has ensured that Glencairn Crystal has truly established itself as a world expert in decanter design, innovation and creativity within the spirits industry.

To mark this special birthday, throughout 2021 the team at Glencairn Crystal will be releasing fascinating ‘behind the scenes’ decanter stories from the four decades and showcasing their decanter projects which truly ‘capture the spirit’ of what their talented craftspeople have achieved over the last 40 years. The stories will be hosted on the Glencairn Crystal website, via Glencairn’s social media channels and supported with podcasts featuring interviews with key figures in the whisky industry involved in the projects.

The birthday will also be marked later this year with the official opening of the new expanded Glencairn Crystal Studio site in East Kilbride, Glasgow, which has been delayed due to the pandemic. With an investment of over a million pounds the new-look premises include a stunning refurbishment, a new brand-orientated reception and a substantial new build on the original Glencairn site to cater for expanding demand. All the building and design work has been done by local Glasgow-based businesses.

Raymond Davidson, Founder of Glencairn Crystal, commented:

“When I started Glencairn Crystal in 1981 it was my ambition to create the most innovative, creative and impressive crystal decanters for the drinks industry. We started off as a small business with everyone in the family rolling up their sleeves to get involved.

I couldn’t be prouder of everyone at Glencairn and what we have achieved together in the last forty years.  In terms of our decanters I’d like to thank our customers for trusting us with such rare and beautiful spirits. Though we have grown to a team of over 70 staff now, our family values and customer relationships are still at the core of everything we do and we continue to lead the world in creating ground-breaking design and developing unique techniques that delight our customers.

Scott Davidson, Glencairn Crystal’s New Product Development Director, commented:

“Last year was an important year for us with the 20^th anniversary of our iconic Glencairn Glass for whisky, however this is also a momentous year for us as we pay homage to 40 years of Glencairn Crystal since my father started the company in 1981. We could not have built the business without our talented and passionate team, including the best craftspeople in the industry, some of whom have over 30 years experience in working with crystal. We look forward to continuing to lead the market in crystal, glass and container innovation and craftsmanship, whilst working with friends and colleagues across the industry.” 

For further information go to:  www.glencairn.co.uk/40th-anniversary/  

Notes:

About Glencairn Crystal:

• The Glencairn Glass, created in 2000 is the world’s favourite whisky glass.  Glencairn Crystal now make over 3.5 million Glencairn Glasses per year, across hundreds of brands, distributed to over 140 countries worldwide.

• The company has won three Queen’s Awards – one of the highest awards in British business – starting with the Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2006 for the Glencairn whisky glass and then the Queens Award for Enterprise in 2012 and 2017.

• Glencairn Crystal’s clients include leading drinks companies such as Brown-Forman, Diageo and Pernod Ricard as well as sporting organisations including the world famous premier clubs; Liverpool, Celtic and Rangers. Also organisations including Muller, Cunard, Facebook and Google, plus corporate clients including the Houses of Parliament and Scottish Parliament.

Winner of The Spirits Business PR Agency of the Year Award 2020

BIG PEAT HONOURS PANDEMIC HEROES
WITH LIMITED EDITION CHARITY BOTTLING 

The family firm behind award-winning Islay Malt brand, Big Peat, today announces a charitable bottling in honour of the heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Big Peat “Heroes” Limited Edition will result in a bulk sanitiser donation to the value of £10,000.00 being made to a leading UK charitable organisation by Douglas Laing & Co.

Packaged in a rainbow-coloured premium gift tube, the Heroes Edition shows Big Peat himself tearing open his doctor’s coat to reveal a superhero costume underneath. The Whisky inside is a marriage of Single Cask Single Malts only from Islay, offered at 48% alcohol strength, without colouring or chill-filtration. It is limited to just 1,500 bottles and is exclusively for the UK, with the sale of each bottle contributing the equivalent of £6.67 worth of sanitiser to a worthy cause.

Says Cara Laing, Marketing Director and third generation in her family business, “When our Board met to establish our priorities for 2021, we unanimously agreed that we are focused on making tangible contributions to the UK’s recovery from recent catastrophic events.

We gathered our wider team on a Zoom call and between us, we came up with a number of initiatives – from donating to the BEN Society in support of the recovery of Scotland’s licensed trade, to offering our warehouse space for mass-vaccinations – plus Big Peat’s Heroes commemorative bottling. Every single individual in key worker roles deserves to be honoured, and this limited edition bottle is designed to do exactly that, by donating a substantial volume of hand sanitiser to a charity chosen by our consumers”.

Consumers are invited to vote for the charity of their choice via an on-pack QR code and Big Peat’s Social Media. The firm says it reached out to scores of UK charities, and arrived at a shortlist that includes: Erskine – caring for veterans of the British Armed Forces; Marie Curie – providing care and support for those with terminal illness and their families and Hearts & Balls, delivering financial and emotional support for rugby players affected by catastrophic injury.

Big Peat Heroes Edition will be available from late March from specialist spirits retailers across the UK and online, with an RRP of £45. Donations to Erskine, Marie Curie and Hearts & Balls can be made via the links below.

• Erskine.org.uk
• Mariecurie.org.uk
• Heartsandballs.org.uk

ABOUT BIG PEAT

Instagram: @bigpeatwhisky

Facebook: /bigpeat

Established in 2009 by Douglas Laing & Co, Big Peat has amassed a somewhat cult following throughout his tenure in the world of Whisky. The multi award-winning small batch Scotch is a marriage of Single Cask Single Malts distilled only on Islay, including those distilled at Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila and Port Ellen Distilleries, amongst others. Celebrated for “his” trademark smoky, sooty, ashy and sweet flavour profile, Big Peat is proudly offered at high alcohol strength and always without colouring or chill-filtration.

ABOUT DOUGLAS LAING & CO.

www.douglaslaing.com

Douglas Laing & Co. is a leading independent Scotch Whisky distillery, blender and bottler specialising in the selection and release of Single Cask Single and Small Batch Malt Scotch Whiskies.

The company was founded by Fred Douglas Laing in 1948 and is still owned and run by the Laing family – Fred Laing Jr and his daughter Cara Laing.

The company philosophy is to bottle the way the distiller intended – at a high strength and without chill filtration to preserve the robust and unique character of the Whisky. Douglas Laing’s industry reputation and many awards is testament to this ethos.

Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts, the Ultimate Distillation of Scotland’s Malt Whisky Regions, encompasses The Epicurean Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky, Timorous Beastie (Highlands), Scallywag (Speyside), The Gauldrons (Campbeltown), Rock Island (Islands) and Big Peat (Islay).

Beyond its Blended Malts expertise, the award-winning Douglas Laing portfolio also includes Provenance, Premier Barrel, Old Particular, Xtra Old Particular and XOP Black, collectively known as the firm’s “Exceptional Single Casks”.

LINDORES ABBEY DISTILLERY SIGNS EXCLUSIVE CASK SUPPLY AGREEMENT WITH TORO ALBALÁ

The first of the Pedro Ximenez casks from Toro Albalá being filled by Martin Johnson, father of co-founder Helen McKenzie Smith, who is the same age as the 1937 cask credit: F.D Young Photography

The first of the Pedro Ximenez casks from Toro Albalá being filled by Martin Johnson, father of co-founder Helen McKenzie Smith, who is the same age as the 1937 cask credit: F.D Young Photography

Lindores Abbey Distillery announced today that it has secured an exclusive cask supply contract with Bodegas Toro Albalá in Montilla Moriles. Under the agreement, Lindores Abbey Distillery will have exclusive access to a wide range of ex-Bodega Butts for maturing and finishing their single malt.

The legendary Bodegas, perhaps most famous for its 1946 Don Convento which scored 100 points in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate guide, is seen as a perfect partner by Lindores Abbey Distillery founder, Drew McKenzie Smith.

“Toro Albalá and Lindores Abbey Distillery are the perfect match. Both are family-run companies that place an emphasis on producing the very finest product. We have been looking to form long-term agreements with the finest wine producers, and this is the first of these. You cannot do better than 100 Parker points, and we are sure that these casks, which are exclusively from PX, will be the perfect partner for our award-winning new make spirit.”

A team from Lindores will be visiting the Bodega in Montilla in October (travel restrictions permitting) to personally select and collect the further of the casks, some of which have lain in the Bodega for more than 70 years.

“We cannot wait to get some casks back over here and filled. Ex-Bodega Butts containing wines like the Don PX are so difficult to find nowadays, so we are thrilled,” Drew said.

Export Director for Toro Albalá Antonio Sorgato is equally enthusiastic. “To reach an agreement with Lindores is great. It’s a perfect arrangement for us. Being associated with Lindores Abbey Distillery and the abbey where whisky production in Scotland was first recorded is something special. We know the quality of our wines and really look forward to seeing how the casks will work in Scotland.”

The first single malt from Lindores Abbey Distillery, the spiritual home of Scotch whisky, will not be offered for public sale – the run of 1,494 bottles will be exclusively available through membership of the 1494 Society. The historic bottling will be launched in March 2021.

Notes

The first release from Lindores Abbey Distillery, the spiritual home of Scotch whisky, will be exclusively available through membership to the 1494 Society. Lifetime membership costs £500 and includes a numbered bottle of our first ever whisky release, priority access to all future numbered bottlings, lifetime free access to the distillery, a donation to the preservation of the Abbey ruins, a tree planted in your name in our Abbey orchards, and an exclusive invitation to the annual Bear Burning party.

Joining the 1494 Society means becoming part of the Lindores Abbey family and accompanying us on our journey to revive the spiritual home of Scotch whisky and celebrate Lindores’ primordial role in whisky history.

Only 1,494 Memberships to the 1494 Society are, and will ever be, available – once they are all spoken for, there will be no way to procure a bottle of the first release directly from Lindores Abbey Distillery. Only a fraction of membership places remain, and we expect these to be sold out by the time we release our first whisky in March.

https://lindoresabbeydistillery.com/memberships/

Go For Gold: Southern Comfort Black Recognized As Gold Medalist at 2021 American World Whiskies Awards

NEW ORLEANS, lA.  (Mar. 18, 2021) – The Sazerac Company’s Southern Comfort Black was recently awarded a Gold Medal at the 2021 World Whiskies Awards, presented by Whisky Magazine. A complement to Southern Comfort Original, Southern Comfort Black was originally introduced by Sazerac in 2019 to offer fans a more robust, whiskey-forward profile.

Southern Comfort Black competed in the Flavored Whiskey taste category and won judges over with its subtle spice and fruity accents, standing out amongst other top-quality entries.

Whiskies in each category were subject to blind tastings in a three-round judging process to select, reward and promote the world’s best whiskies to consumers and trade worldwide.  The winners from the American World Whiskies Awards 2021 will now compete with counterparts from all over the world, with global winners set to be announced later in March.

For more information about the World Whiskies Awards visit www.worldwhiskiesawards.com. Plus, stay up to date on the latest from Southern Comfort by visiting www.southerncomfort.com or following Southern Comfort on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About Sazerac

Sazerac is one of America’s oldest family owned, privately held distillers with operations in the United States in Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Maryland, California, and global operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, India, Australia and Canada. For more information on Sazerac visit https://www.sazerac.com/

PERNOD RICARD’S SCOTCH DIVISION MAKES GAINS IN DOMESTIC MARKET SALES AND CALLS FOR PRIORITISATION OF SCOTCH IN TRADE TALKS

Friday, 12 February: Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky business of Pernod Ricard, released its 2021 Half Year (July – December 2020) results at a press conference this morning.

The results tell a story of a measured return to the business’ pre-pandemic momentum despite the challenges of the global COVID-19 crisis and ongoing UK trade negotiations. Although total organic sales were down -10% compared with the same period last year, this was a 17 percentage point increase from H2 FY20 when Covid-19 restrictions first hit, pointing to increased confidence and optimism for recovery in H2 FY21. A +2% growth in worldwide domestic business sales, returning to growth despite continued On Trade restrictions, indicates the resilience of Chivas Brothers’ brand portfolio in market.

Sales were particularly strong in Eastern Europe, which grew +10%, driven by Russia and Poland. Double digit growth was also recorded in China, Taiwan and South Korea where lockdown restrictions have been eased. North America sales were up +2% owing to the continued market-leading performance of The Glenlivet in the US with strong Sell-out (+25%/+15%).1

Further evidence of a gain in momentum was shown in the domestic market performance of Chivas Brothers’ Strategic International Brands (The Glenlivet, Ballantine’s, Chivas and Royal Salute). The Glenlivet continued a streak of growth, up +2% overall, with innovations such as The Glenlivet Caribbean Reserve helping to maintain its leadership in the single malt category in the US. Strong growth in Asia was fueled by its Original By Tradition campaign, combined with the gradual lifting of lockdown restrictions.

Ballantine’s innovations such as Ballantine’s 7 Bourbon Finish and its global Stay True: There’s No Wrong Way marketing campaign supported growth in domestic markets, with double digit gains in Poland, Russia, India, Turkey and Brazil. The total brand’s sales drop of -12% was primarily driven by exposure of the Ballantine’s prestige range to global travel retail.

Despite a challenging environment in travel retail, Chivas Regal, with sales down -16%, not only returned to growth in China following the loosening of lockdown restrictions, but also recorded double digit growth in the US and UK thanks in part to the brand’s category-challenging Chivas Extra 13 Year Old range.

Although historically reliant on the travel retail market, a strategic shift saw Royal Salute (total sales -28%) post double digit growth in domestic markets, owing to an expansion of its core 21 Year Old range, innovations such as the Royal Salute Polo Collection and the Create Your Own Kingdom marketing campaign.

Prioritising Scotch

At the press conference, Chivas Brothers Chairman and CEO Jean-Christophe Coutures outlined the importance of the removal of tariffs on single malt Scotch exports to the US and a cut in spirits duty in the next Budget as critical to the continued recovery of the Scotch whisky industry. Mr Coutures praised the UK’s ambitious international trade agenda and called on the UK government to prioritise the interests of Scotch in future free trade agreement negotiations. Attention was drawn to securing improved market access in India where Scotch whisky faces import tariffs of 150% which makes it difficult for Scotch producers to grow and thrive.

Mr Coutures said: “These results reinforce our confidence in the resilience of Scotch. I’m encouraged by how quickly we are rebounding in markets where lockdown restrictions have lifted. Travel retail will continue to be a challenge this year, but our domestic market performance – even in countries with on-trade restrictions – demonstrates the strength of our brands and the versatility of Scotch as a multi-occasion drink.

“We must build on this momentum by clearing the path for Scotch to fully rebound and recover, and that means bringing about a swift end to US tariffs, prioritising Scotch in post-Brexit trade negotiations and a cut in spirits duty in the next Budget.”

Chivas Brothers used the press conference to update on the progress it has made on the journey towards Net Zero emissions. It announced the trialling of biofuel at Braeval distillery which follows the ongoing trial of heat electrification at Glentauchers. If successfully rolled out, the technology has the potential to reduce total distillation emissions by approximately 50%.

Progress made in circular packaging was also revealed at the press conference. 95% of Chivas Brothers packaging is now recyclable, 98% is plastic-free, and a new packaging testing lab is being built to prioritise technological advances and ensure Chivas Brothers meets its 2025 target of 100% recyclable, reusable, compostable or bio-based packaging.

Maker’s Mark® and Swift Bars Launch Limited-Edition Cocktail Kit 

London, March 2020: Maker’s Mark®, the premium handcrafted American whisky, has collaborated with Swift Bars to launch a limited-edition home cocktail kit.

Created by Maker’s Mark® UK Brand Diplomat, Nicole Sykes, and the team of female bartenders at Swift, the cocktail kit includes two 220ml cocktails: The Green Brand and The Ambassadors Reception. The cocktail kit also features the iconic hand dipped Maker’s Mark® wax seal, a nod to the handcraftsmanship first employed by founder Bill Samuels Senior and his wife, Margie Samuels.

A twist on a Southern style iced tea cocktail, The Green Branch combines Maker’s Mark®, Moscato, pineapple, ginger, and lemongrass tea to create the perfect spring serve. With notes of peach, orange blossom and ginger the refreshing cocktail is best enjoyed in a tall, chilled glass over lots of ice and lemon.

Made using Maker’s Mark®, Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur, Cream Sherry and Chocolate Bitters, The Ambassadors Reception is a rich creamy serve, best enjoyed in a short glass over ice alongside your favourite sweet treats.

As Bourbon continues to be one of the fastest growing and most dynamic drinks categories in UK, the cocktail kit demonstrates the exponential demand for American whisky across the UK. With more shoppers buying bourbon in the off-trade, this has resulted in growth of 27% in value and 21% in volume over the last 52 weeks. Maker’s Mark® even outperforms these category numbers as it sees value sales increase by 47% to just shy of £5m.

Inspired by Margie’s invaluable contributions to Maker’s Mark® and, in turn, the entire bourbon industry, the one-off cocktail kit is available for delivery across the UK and can be purchased online via Speak Easy at Home for £20. 15% of all sales will be donated to The Girls Network, a charity dedicated to inspiring and empowering girls from disadvantaged communities by connecting them with professional female role models.

Nicole Sykes, Maker’s Mark® UK Brand Diplomat commented: “The craft credentials of Maker’s Mark® have been at the very heart of the brand’s success since it was co-founded in 1958 by Bill Samuels Sr. and his wife Margie Samuels. We say that Margie Samuels is the reason most folks buy their first bottle of Maker’s Mark® and Bill Samuels is the reason they buy their second. The shape of the bottle, hand cut label, signature hand dipped red wax topper and even the name itself are all thanks to the pioneering spirit of Margie. We are therefore very excited to collaborate with Swift Bar’s co-founder Mia and their team of female bartenders from two of the most prestigious bars in London, to continue on this journey with the launch a limited-edition home cocktail kit throughout March and to raise some money for a great charity.”

For more information on the collaboration please visit: https://www.speakeasyathome.co.uk/swift

NOTES

ABV:

• The Green Brand – 12.2%
• The Ambassadors Reception – 23.8%

About Maker’s Mark® 

In 1954, in Loretto, Kentucky, Bill Samuels, Sr., fulfilled his dream of creating a handmade and delicious bourbon. He decided to make his whisky in small-batches, using soft red winter wheat, with a proprietary barrel char to enhance the softness and sweetness. Bill Samuels, Sr., transformed bourbon from a “commodity” into a premium handmade spirit, and today Maker’s Mark® continues to make its bourbon exactly the same way. In recent years, Maker’s Mark® has introduced thoughtful, super-premium innovations to its portfolio including Maker’s 46® and Maker’s Mark® Private Select™, the brand’s custom barrel program.

In 1980, the Maker’s Mark® distillery became the first distillery in America to be designated a National Historic Landmark and has also been decreed as the “world’s oldest operating bourbon whisky distillery” by Guinness World Records. It remains one of the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s most popular tourist destinations, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. For more

information, please visit www.makersmark.com.

About Margie Samuels

Bill Samuels, Sr., created the Maker’s Mark® recipe, but his wife (Margie Samuels) gave the whisky its name. Margie wasn’t a professional designer, but she alone created the distinctive font seen on the Maker’s Mark® label, which has won several awards in the advertising and graphics design industry. She also came up with the idea of hand-dipping the bottles after heating up wax in her deep fryer, resulting in one of the most iconic bottle designs in the liquor industry. It’s the red dripping wax that adorns every Maker’s Mark® bottle, and it’s still done entirely by hand today.

Based on her invaluable contributions to Maker’s Mark® and, in turn, the entire bourbon industry, Margie Samuels became the fifth woman ever inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in September of 2014. For more information on Margie, please visit here: https://www.makersmark.com/history/family/margie-samuels

About Edrington-Beam Suntory Distribution UK

Edrington-Beam Suntory Distribution UK is one of the UK’s biggest sprits sales, marketing, and distribution companies. It is a joint-venture company jointly owned by Edrington and Beam Suntory.

Edrington-Beam Suntory UK represents leading spirit brands in categories including:

• Blended Scotch (The Famous Grouse, Naked Grouse and Teacher’s)
• Malt whisky (Highland Park, Laphroaig, The Macallan and Bowmore)
• Japanese whiskies (Yamazaki, Hibiki, Hakushu, Toki and Chita)
• Bourbon (Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark®, and Knob Creek)
• Imported whiskies (Canadian Club and Kilbeggan Irish whiskey)
• Gin (Roku and Larios)

It also handles UK sales and distribution for Courvoisier cognac, Brugal 1888 rum and a portfolio of liqueurs and specialities (including Sourz, Bols liqueurs, Galliano and After Shock)

Looking for your favorite bottle of whiskey? In a world filled with e-commerce platforms and coupon sites you would think it would be easy to locate hard to find bottles. Unfortunately, tracking down some bottles is still a daunting task. Most people still have to hop from site to site to find what they need. It is also almost impossible to know if your favorite bottles are on sale unless you happen to visit a website at the right time.

GABA App makes shopping for whiskies so much easier. For nearly three years, our platform and mobile bottle locator have helped customers discover small batch whiskies, allocated spirits, and great deals.

Michelle, the founder of GABA App, recognized the need for a mobile bottle locator after consulting for small wine & spirits brands for over ten years. Tasked with locating bottles for clients, she found herself visiting multiple stores or websites, only to find that the product was out of stock or unavailable.

Digitally-savvy shoppers value platforms that quickly help them find what they’re looking for, especially if the items are on sale. This is why search engines and coupon sites are so popular. Unfortunately, these tools are not optimized for spirits customers.

GABA App addresses these needs by offering a mobile bottle locator that alerts you when hard to find bottles are available, being sampled, or put on sale. It’s as simple as following your desired bottles and setting up an alert. Shoppers can also accumulate rewards points towards future purchases.

GABA App covers most NYC neighborhoods, with shipping options enabling even further reach to many states.

GABA App is available for free in the Apple store, and the Google Play Store. You can also visit their web platform at www.gabaapp.com.

If you would like to be notified about our allocated whiskies first hand please send an email to support@gabaapp.com Subject: Allocated Whiskey List

Virginia Distillery Company Releases Three New Whiskies in Courage & Conviction Line

Individual bottlings feature core trio of casks that make up Courage & Conviction

Lovingston, Va. (March 15, 2021) – Virginia Distillery Company has released three new whiskies in its Courage & Conviction product line, featuring individual bottlings of the core trio of casks – bourbon, sherry and cuvée – that make up the flagship offering of Courage & Conviction. Courage & Conviction is the distillery’s flagship American Single Malt whisky line, distilled on-site using 100% North American malted barley and mountain spring-fed water after aging a minimum of three years.

“These individual bottlings are a great way for us to highlight the casks that are foundational to the Courage & Conviction line,” said Virginia Distillery Company CEO Gareth H. Moore “One example is that we are one of only a handful of distilleries in the world to use these unique Cuvée casks, a profile developed by the late Dr. Jim Swan.”

Courage & Conviction Bourbon Cask is aged in former Bourbon casks sourced from Kentucky, which adds notes of vanilla, caramel, butterscotch and toffee to the whisky. The finish is creamy and exceptionally smooth.

Courage & Conviction Sherry Cask uses three different Sherry casks, Fino, Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez, which gives the whisky notes of cherry, fig, golden raisin and caramelized plum.

Courage & Conviction Cuvée Cask is aged in an innovative “STR” cask sourced from premium European red wine products. The cask is shaved, re-toasted and re-charred, energizing the wood sugars. This brings forward notes of raspberry, cherry, brown sugar, cocoa and baking spice.

Each expression is an American Single Malt whisky, aged a minimum of three years on-site in Virginia. Each expression is available in a 750ml, retailing for $84.99 per bottle with a 46% ABV.  Mix packs of all three expressions will be available in most markets, retailing at $84.99.

The first batch of these three new whiskies are dedicated to Nancy Fraley, a master blender and consultant who works with distilleries worldwide on maturation programs and sensory analysis. Fraley is one of Virginia Distillery Company’s key mentors.

“Nancy is a great friend and mentor to our team at Virginia Distillery Company,” said Moore. “We are thankful for her guiding nose and so happy we can recognize her by dedicating the inaugural batch of these three new expressions to her.”

The whiskies will be available to Virginia consumers beginning March 17 at Virginia ABC stores and through direct-to-consumer shipping via the distillery’s website. Nationwide direct-to-consumer shipping will start in early April and the whiskies will be available when the distillery’s Visitors Center re-opens later this spring.

Roll out at retailers in California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee and Washington, D.C. will begin in early to mid-April. Retailers in Alabama, North Carolina and Ohio will have limited availability during the same timeframe. Michigan retailers will carry the whiskies beginning in May.

The inaugural batch of Courage & Conviction, dedicated to Dr. George G. Moore, released in spring of 2020. The Dr. Jim Swan batch of Courage & Conviction was released in fall 2020.  The flagship release of Courage & Conviction is a combination of these three casks, with a target profile of 50% Bourbon casks, 25% Sherry casks and 25% Cuvée wine casks.

For more information about the distillate and cask data for Courage & Conviction, as well as bottling and process information for consumers, visit batch.info.

For more information about Virginia Distillery Company or American Single Malt whisky, visit the distillery’s website and complete guide to American Single Malt whisky.

About Virginia Distillery Company 

Staffed by a local Virginia team mentored by Scottish consultants with decades of experience, Virginia Distillery Company is the largest dedicated American Single Malt whisky distillery in the U.S. The distillery has a current annual production volume of 80,000 4.5L cases and growing. At full capacity, the distillery can produce over 8,000 casks yielding 350,000 4.5L cases annually. The distillery produces Courage & Conviction American Single Malt on-site using malted barley from North America and water from Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. In addition, the distillery offers the award-winning VHW series, made with 100% malted barley. Showcasing both Old and New World whisky-making, the award-winning line marries whisky made on-site in Virginia with whisky from Scotland.

NEW YORK, 13 March 2021 – Moments ago in our New York saleroom, a specialty lot comprising a one-of-a-kind bottle of 1967 whisky from The Macallan Anecdotes of Ages Collection created in collaboration with the globally renowned British pop artist, Sir Peter Blake achieved $437,500.

Jamie Ritchie, Worldwide Head of Sotheby’s Wine, said: “Sotheby’s Wine and The Macallan have had a longstanding relationship for many years, and it has been a privilege to sell some of the brand’s most iconic and sought-after bottles – with the A New Era of Advertising bottle now joining this illustrious group. In addition to the proceeds from the sale of The Macallan benefitting the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum’s diversity, equity, access and inclusion initiatives, we were pleased to help raise funds for both the Shawn Carter Foundation, and the Asian American Business Development Center via two other outstanding lots: the D’USSÉ® 1969 Anniversaire Limited Edition Grande Champagne Cognac and Hennessy X.O x Frank Gehry Masterpiece Decanter. It was exciting to see the worlds of art, design, and rare spirits come together through these exceptional bottles, and we look forward to continuing to present collectors with more superlative spirits through distillery collaborations throughout our 2021 auctions.”

Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s Spirits Specialist, remarked: “We are thrilled with the results achieved for the three exceptional charitable lots presented today in our first dedicated Spirits sale in New York. Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed a staggering increase in demand for prized, rare whiskies – and the strong prices realized during today’s sale are a perfect illustration of this rapidly growing trend. With opportunities to gather again in-person with friends and family slowly becoming more frequent, now more than ever we are seeing collectors acquire special bottles from some of the world’s most celebrated spirits producers, in hopes of sharing them with loved ones in the near future. And it was our pleasure to present these extraordinary bottles to collectors worldwide through today’s auction.”

One-Of-A-Kind Original Bottle of 1967 Whisky from The Macallan’s Anecdotes of Ages Collection

Receiving 49 bids in advance of today’s live sale, A New Era of Advertising bottle is one of only 13 original bottles from this newly-launched whisky and art collection, and was offered alongside a print donated by Sir Peter Blake as well as a bespoke VIP experience at The Macallan Estate in Speyside, Scotland. Proceeds of this sale will benefit the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum’s diversity, equity, access and inclusion initiatives, with the objective to increase both free access and outreach to a variety of diverse audiences within the New York metropolitan area. Audiences will have the opportunity to enjoy free admission to the Guggenheim Museum on select Saturdays through a new initiative, ‘Saturday on the House’.

Igor Boyadjian, Managing Director for The Macallan, said: “The Macallan Anecdotes of Ages Collection is an extraordinary art and whisky collaboration with globally renowned British pop artist, Sir Peter Blake that celebrates The Macallan’s rich legacy and Sir Peter Blake’s remarkable contribution to the art world.

“At The Macallan, community is a constant guiding principle and mindset at the heart of everything we do. We are proud to have partnered with Sotheby’s New York to auction this one-of-a-kind bottle of exceptional 1967 whisky, featuring original Sir Peter Blake collage art on the label, in support of the Solomon R. Guggenheim’s diversity, equity, access and inclusion initiatives. The funds from the auction will increase free access and develop engagement with a variety of audiences, and will support ‘Saturday on the House’, an opportunity for visitors to enjoy free admission to the Guggenheim Museum in New York on select Saturdays.”

About Sotheby’s

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access, connoisseurship and preservation of fine art and rare objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 50 categories, which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Interiors, among many others.

Sotheby’s Wine’s annual worldwide auction sales of wine and spirits totaled an outstanding $92 million in 2020, with over 15,000 lots sold across 41 sales – a nearly 50% increase in the number of auctions held in 2019. Over $60 million of wine and spirits were sold to online bidders in 2020 versus $28 million in 2019, with 85% of all lots offered finding online buyers. Demonstrating continued strength in Asia, Sotheby’s led the market in the region for the third consecutive year, with over 70% of the total bid amount in all Wine and Spirits sales attributed to collectors in Asia.

Sotheby’s Wine’s has had the privilege of auctioning numerous record-breaking wines and spirits in recent years, with 2020 alone witnessing new world auction records for any bottle of Japanese whisky, any bottle of whisky produced by the Dalmore Distillery, as well as any bottle of Cognac. Sotheby’s Wine currently holds the world records for any whisky collection ever sold at auction, any private wine collection ever sold at auction, the most expensive bottle of wine ever sold at auction and the most expensive bottle of spirits ever sold at auction.

In addition to auction, Sotheby’s Wine launched a retail business in 2010. With a retail store located in Sotheby’s New York headquarters and e-commerce at www.sothebyswine.com, Sotheby’s Wine offers a carefully curated selection of wines from the world’s most prestigious producers and important regions. Expertly assembled by our experienced specialists, the selection is built upon lasting relationships with winemakers from across the globe, with bottles that are ready for immediate consumption, in addition to investment-worthy wines from highly sought-after vintages. A second retail location opened in Sotheby’s Hong Kong galleries in 2014.

Online whisky subscription service, Craft Whisky Club is committed to delivering the next whisky classics directly to consumers’ doors. Today (March 15th, 2021) the brand announced to its members, in their next box, that they would receive a bottle of the coveted Torabhaig Legacy 2017 release. Any new members from today will be added to a lottery for access to some additional bottles.

Torabhaig is only the second distillery to open on the Isle of Skye and the first for nearly 200 years, now alongside the famous Talisker Distillery. The inaugural expression sold out almost instantly, when consumers were able to purchase bottles from specialist whisky retailers throughout the UK last month. Some retailers limited bottles to one per household and others operated on a purely first-come-first-served basis.

For those that missed out on the initial release, the distilleries partnership with Craft Whisky Club offers another chance to try this new, greatly anticipated whisky. All Craft Whisky Club members that are signed up as of today will receive the Torabhaig Legacy 2017, which is sold out everywhere else. Any new members from today will be added to a lottery to get access to some additional bottles. As with all releases, this is limited, and given the attention this bottle has received whisky fans are encouraged to sign up quickly to ensure not missing out once again.

Founder David Nicol commented on the partnership with Torabhaig; “We set out to discover the new classics and we feel we are helping to achieve this with each release we are featuring, but with Torabhaig, we believe we have acquired a real scoop. We would like to say a big thank you to all our loyal UK customers, we really hope you enjoy this one.”

Craft Whisky Club