Bimber Klub: a whisky experience that lasts a lifetime

London’s award-winning Bimber Distillery today announced the opening of ‘Bimber Klub’, a new membership option that provides a lifetime of whisky experiences for the growing number of Bimber enthusiasts.

A one-off £40 membership grants Klub members a variety of benefits, including:

 A welcome pack containing branded glasses and single malt miniatures
 Access to limited edition Klub-only releases
 Exclusive Klub member events
 A free annual distillery tour and tasting
 Ability to join tasting panels to select future releases
 A quarterly newsletter which includes advance notice of all official Bimber releases
 10% discount on all online purchases

Speaking of the launch, distillery spokesperson Matt McKay said: “We’re incredibly grateful for the depth and breadth of support that the whisky community has shown us.

Following the sale of the final space of our Founder’s Club in January, we knew we wanted to continue to offer enthusiasts unforgettable, behind-the-scenes access to our distillery. We’ve created Bimber Klub to provide a lifetime of experiences for those who share our passion for craft single malt whisky.

Klub members will have exclusive access to a range of new Bimber whiskies. As well as continuing to develop and release our stock of exceptional single casks we’re also looking at laying down a small number of unique casks – from fortified wines to ex-beer casks. As we continue to assess the versatility of our spirit, it’s our Klub members who will be the first to join us and explore these unique expressions.”

Notes

Bimber Klub
Membership of Bimber Klub will be open from 13th May 2020 and costs a one-off £40 joining fee. Full details of the package can be found HERE We will be dispatching Bimber Klub membership packs as soon as international supply chains improve and it is judged safe for our staff to return to work.

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.

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY RELEASES

COLONEL E.H. TAYLOR, JR.  18 YEAR OLD MARRIAGE 

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (May 5, 2020) – Buffalo Trace Distillery continues its homage to former Distillery owner Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. with a special release 18 year old bourbon whiskey which is a marriage of three mashbills, two rye bourbon mashbills and one wheated bourbon mashbill.

This 100 proof Bottled-In-Bond small batch bourbon was put into barrels in 2002. Barrels chosen for this special batch release matured using one of three Buffalo Trace mashbill recipes; wheated bourbon, rye bourbon #1 and rye bourbon #2. The whiskey from these 18-year-old barrels was married together to make this limited edition offering.

Tasting notes describe this bourbon as having a nose of vanilla butter cake, a taste of caramel and cinnamon, and a finish of toasted oak, cinnamon, and a hint of spearmint.

The Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. collection was first released in early 2011 and several subsequent releases such as Single Barrel, Barrel Proof, Straight Rye Whiskey, and Small Batch Bourbon have followed.  A previous limited release, E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon, was named World Whiskey of the Year by renown whiskey reviewer Jim Murray in 2018.

Like some of the previous releases, this one-time-only bottling of E. H. Taylor, Jr 18 Year Old Marriage is very limited.   Also consistent with past releases, this bottle displays a vintage label and is offered inside a distinct canister reminiscent of Taylor’s whiskey package from over one hundred years ago. These six bottle cases will be shipped in an impressive wooden box first used for the Cured Oak release in 2015.  The boxes are modeled after the wooden crates used by Taylor to transport goods during the days before Prohibition.

            Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr.  is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the bourbon industry, fighting for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, nearly three decades after he purchased the distillery that is known today as the Buffalo Trace Distillery. During his time, Taylor implemented several innovative methods still used today by Buffalo Trace, such as climate controlled aging warehouses. In addition to his bourbon interests, Taylor had political ties. He was the great-nephew of President Zachary Taylor and elected the mayor of Frankfort, state representative to the Kentucky General Assembly and a member of the State Senate.

            This special bottling of Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. 18 Year Old Marriage Bourbon Whiskey will be available starting in June in limited supply.  The suggested retail price is $69.99 per 750 ml bottle.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1773 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year by “Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible 2018” and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world, respectively, in the “Jim Murray Whiskey Bible 2020.”  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.

Please discover our unique Mini bar and Reserve, made out of US army wooden ammunition boxes from the 70s. Whisky lovers love them! They are real conversation pieces. Our collection is called BOITES DE LA PAIX, Peace Boxes! 

1 minute video: https://.vimeo.com/263663215 

website: www.boitesdelapaix.com

Here’s the Mini Bar in Antique color:

In Red :

The hinges, clasp and rope handles are original. We make sure we keep an original stamp at the back for history.

Part of two Museums collections, Boîtes de la paix were launched at the Toronto Interior Design show and exhibited in galeries in Canada, in USA and in Germany.

Here’s the triptyque: A Mini Bar + 2 Reserves 

The Reserve is a liquor cabinet made with a very rare bigger size ammunition box. It’s offered in a very limited edition numbered out of 75.

Here’s the triptyque in Antique color :

Also very neat as a pair :

REmade in Montreal

Cheers!

Anne Lapierre & Bruno Chouinard

co-creators

BOITES DE LA PAIX

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

514-638-2833

www.boitesdelapaix.com

instagram.com/boitesdelapaix

Scotch Malt Whisky Society Membership Packs 

A Matter of Taste

The latest evolution of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society Membership pack marks the 5th iteration of the pack’s design and development in partnership with IPL Packaging over its several years of affiliation with the world’s leading whisky club.

“We’re understandably proud to have, once again, designed and developed a structural packaging solution for the SMWS Tasting Pack, creating a robust MDF box containing rigid board drawers, to which we applied the client’s branding,” comments LB Odendaal, Head of Design at IPL.

“As with previous configurations of the pack, we looked to combine innovation, functional minimalism and design to help heighten the user experience,” says Odendaal. “Designing a complete unveiling process that begins with mapping out the layers of engagement; including first contact, reveal, product extraction and post extraction, resulting in a memorable and tactile interface which enhances the final product and delivers a memorable user experience.”

The outer pack is wrapped in soft-touch paper and features gold foil and spot-varnished brand details to provide a luxurious, contrasting look. A PU leather carry-handle at top of the pack allows for ease of transport.

The box inner features suede lining on the main body, flocked EVA product fitments and silk ribbon pull-tabs.

In the first drawer sits a paper-wrapped product card with detailed brand information and a membership booklet that conceals three 10cl whisky taster bottles located in flocked EVA fitments

The second drawer of the pack contains flocked EVA fitments designed to hold two tasting glasses and a water jug.

 “IPL Packaging has a unique perspective and a proven process for generating fresh design concepts in luxury packaging. The innovation behind these concepts is often based on longstanding relationships developed over many years of being trusted creative and manufacturing partners to our clients and developing a deeper understanding of their brands,” says Odendaal.

IPL PACKAGING A MATTER OF TASTE

Bowman Brothers Small Batch Virginia Straight Bourbon Awarded

Double Gold Medal at 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Distillery Spirits Receive Seven Medals in Total

FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA (April 28, 2020) – A. Smith Bowman Distillery’s Bowman Brothers Small Batch Virginia Straight Bourbon received the prestigious Double Gold medal at the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Additionally, two spirits from the Distillery were awarded Gold medals, and four were awarded Silver medals.

Double Gold

• Bowman Brothers Small Batch Virginia Straight Bourbon

Silver

• John J. Bowman Single Barrel Virginia Straight Bourbon
• Isaac Bowman Port Finished Virginia Straight Bourbon
• Abraham Bowman Virginia Straight Bourbon

Spirits entered into the San Francisco World Spirits Competition are judged over four days of highly controlled blind tastings by a panel of more than 40 judges made up of respected, experienced industry experts. Complete results for the 2020 San Francisco World Spirits Competition can be found at http://www.sfspiritscomp.com/results/.

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 gold medal at the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. For more information on A. Smith Bowman, please visit www.asmithbowman.com.

375 PARK AVENUE SPIRITS AND INTERNATIONAL BEVERAGE HOLDINGS LTD PART WAYS

LOUISVILLE, KY (April 29, 2020) — 375 Park Avenue Spirits which specializes in importing superior spirits brands from across the globe, and International Beverage Holdings LTD, one of the industry’s most dynamic global drinks businesses are announcing they will be parting ways.

375 Park Avenue Spirits began working with International Beverage Holdings LTD in August 2015 shortly after joining Sazerac as an independent, yet fully integrated sales company. Many collective successes were achieved over the last 4+ years but both companies have continued to evolve and after careful consideration both International Beverage Holdings LTD, and 375 Park Avenue Spirits decided that a parting of ways would be best for both sides to achieve the growth aspirations each has in the U.S. market.

With this departure, 375 Park Avenue Spirits will no longer represent the International Beverage Holdings Ltd. spirit portfolio, including its Inver House Distillers subsidiary responsible for single malt whiskies Speyburn, Old Pulteney, Balblair, and anCnoc as well as Hankey Bannister blended Scotch, Caorunn Gin, Phraya Rum and Mekhong.

This transition is underway and is expected to be finalized by June 1.

About International Beverage Holdings Ltd

Inver House Distillers is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Beverage Holdings Ltd, producing its  Scotch whiskies and gin at five distilleries around Scotland: Pulteney, Speyburn, Knockdhu, Balblair and Balmenach. The business has won many prestigious accolades over the years, including the Icons of Whisky Distiller of the Year Award for Scotland (2017).

www.interbevgroup.com

About 375 Park Avenue Spirits

Specializing in superior brands from around the world that drive innovation, the 375 Park Avenue Spirits portfolio spans the premium- to luxury-spirit categories and includes numerous expressions from leading international producers. Founded as Luctor International, LLC in 1981, 375 Park Avenue Spirits joined the Sazerac Company in early 2015 to act as an independent, yet fully integrated sales affiliate. The company is known today for creating an environment of growth for supplier partners in the domestic market for renown brands like Van Gogh Vodka from Holland, Sobieski Vodka from Polland, Cutty Sark Scotch from Scotland, J.P. Wiser’s Canadian Whisky, Paul John Single Malt Whisky from India, Scapegrace Gin from New Zealand and many others. For more information on 375 Park Avenue Spirits, please visit www.375park.com.

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, please visit www.sazerac.com.

ImpEx Beverages Will Bring The GlenAllachie To Whisky Fans Across the U.S.A.!

The award-winning Speyside whisky company is teaming up with ImpEx Beverages to distribute its whiskies across the United States.

The appointment by GlenAllachie Distillery for ImpEx Beverages to be its new Exclusive U.S. Importer starts on May 1st.

Through the new commercial relationship, The GlenAllachie Distillers Company core range of Single Malts and MacNair’s Lum Reek Blended Malt will be distributed into around 20 additional states, including key markets such as Texas and Colorado.

“We’re very excited bout this partnership with ImpEx who have many years of experience building brands and I’m looking forward to working with their team growing The GlenAllachie across the USA”
~  David Keir, Sales and Marketing Director at GlenAllachie

The news follows a sustained period of growth and success since Master Blender Entrepreneur Billy Walker and his team acquired The GlenAllachie Distillery in 2017 and formed The GlenAllachie Distillers Co.

In March, Walker won the prestigious Icons of Whisky Global Master Blender / Distiller of the Year award at the Whisky Magazine Awards.  At the same awards, the MacNair’s Lum Reek 21-year-old won World Whiskies Awards World’s Best Blended Malt.  The GlenAllachie 10-year-old Cask Strength Batch 3 also won Best Scotch Speyside Single Malt.

Prior to this, in September 2019 The GlenAllachie was voted Scottish Distillery of the Year at the inaugural Scottish Whisky Awards.

“We have been following The GlenAllachie for a long time and are thrilled to now be a part of its future success in the US Market. The quality whiskies that Billy Walker and his team produce are a fantastic addition to our premium whisky portfolio.” ~  Sam Filmus, President of ImpEx Beverages

Recently, The GlenAllachie collected a remarkable hat-trick of Double Gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.  The prestigious Double Gold Medals were awarded to the 12, 15, and 25-year-old Single Malts.  MacNair’s Lum Reek Blended Malt Scotch 12-year-old won a Gold Medal.

The GlenAllachie has a number of new products in the development pipeline, including a new batch of Wood Finishes, with the U.S. releases expected to be in early 2021.

For more information or details of your nearest USA retailers, please contact ImpEx Beverages at (650) 872-1113 or office@impexbev.com.  Images and Product Information for both brands can be found at the ImpEx Media Resources page.

SPOTLIGHT FALLS ON COMPLETE JAPANESE WHISKY SETS AT BONHAMS HONG KONG SALE IN MAY

 Alongside curated selection for budding whisky collectors

with bidding from US$320

A complete set of Suntory 山崎 Yamazaki and 白州 Hakushu

Vintage Malt 1st Edition-1979-1994 (16 bottles)

Estimate: HK$600,000 – 800,000

The international auction house Bonhams presents a Fine and Rare Wine & Whisky Sale on 16 May 2020 in Hong Kong, featuring a group of exceedingly limited Japanese whisky series – most of them complete – from prestigious and newly-trending distilleries such as Yamazaki, Hanyu, Chichibu and Hakushu.

The demand for Japanese whisky is strong with an average of 90% sell-through rate at Bonhams’ recent sales. In August 2019, Bonhams set a new world auction record for a Japanese whisky series, as Hanyu Ichiro’s Full Card Series sold for HK$7,192,000 to an Asian female collector, nearly doubling the previous record set in 2015, also by Bonhams.

Daniel Lam, Bonhams’ Director of Wine & Spirits, Asia, comments: ‘Collecting by series is often considered the ultimate pursuit for any dedicated whisky collector. It takes a great deal of time and perseverance to acquire each bottle in the market, and therefore when a set is complete, it brings no less joy than a trophy bottle. It is rare that a full series – especially in the case of Japanese whisky – comes onto the market. But when it does, it holds more value than the individual bottle added together, and will surely be hotly-contested.’ 

Highlights of Japanese whisky sets include: 

• Lot 449  A complete set of Suntory 山崎 Yamazaki and 白州 Hakushu Vintage Malt 1st Edition-1979-1994 (16 bottles) (pictured front)

Estimate: HK$600,000 – 800,000
A complete set of first editions in unparalleled condition from two of Suntory’s most sought-after distilleries. Hakushu whisky won the award of The World’s Best Single Malt in 2019; whereas Yamazaki whisky was also awarded the World’s Best Whisky in the 2015 edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

• Lot 475 A complete set of The Ghost Series Japanese Whisky (1st to 12th Edition) (11 bottles) (left above)

Estimate: HK$820,000 – 1,100,000

• Lot 505 A twin set of Hanyu Ichiro’s Malt-Joker ‘Monochrome’ & ‘Colour’ (2 bottles) (left middle)

Estimate: HK$350,000 – $500,000

• The largest group of Chichibu whisky ever offered at auction in Asia, among which ten lots will be sold as sets including:

Lot 594 Chichibu-2012-6 year old-#1487-章魚 and Chichibu-2010-8 year old-#646-金魚 (left right)Estimate: HK$30,000 – 40,000 

Once again, we offer a curated selection of over 50 attractively-estimated Scotch and Japanese whiskies for budding whisky collectors. Ranging from HK$2,500 to HK$15,000, these bottles – all from the most sought-after distilleries – carry estimates lower than the current market price.

From left to right:

• Lot 254 Karuizawa-8 year old (bottled 1990’s Mercian)

Estimate: HK$4,500 – 6,000

• Lot 347 Macallan Speymalt-1973-30 year old

Estimate: HK$13,000 – 18,000

• Lot 671 Mars Shinshu-The Lucky Cat set (5 bottles)

Estimate: HK$10,000 – 14,000

• Lot 319 Chichibu-2019-#5821-Mount Bukō 武甲山

Estimate: HK$7,000 – 9,000

Other auction highlights include:

Whisky (from left to right)

• Lot 635 Karuizawa-1969-50 year old-#539-白命の水

Estimate: HK$360,000 – 450,000

• Lot 439 響 Hibiki ceramic-35 year old-人間国宝 三代徳田八十吉作 〈耀彩瓶　碧陽〉

Estimate: HK$180,000 – 240,000

• Lot 496 Dalmore-1926-50 year old

Estimate: HK$200,000 – 260,000

• Lot 493 Macallan Millennium Decanter

Estimate: HK$340,000 – 400,000

• Lot 459 Bowmore-1961-50 year old

Estimate: HK$360,000 – 460,000

• Lot 458 Bowmore Queen’s Cask-1980-21 year old

Estimate: HK$150,000 – 190,000

At the moment, this sale is planned to be conducted live behind closed doors. An auctioneer will be present on the rostrum, and bids will be accepted in the following formats: online, on the telephone with a member of client services, or by leaving an absentee bid. All bidding will be done remotely in accordance with government guidelines. Our specialists are also working remotely and are available to assist clients by email, telephone or social media platforms.

Fine & Rare Wine and Whisky 16 May 2020 Online catalogue HERE

Specialist: Daniel Lam, Bonhams’ Director of Wine & Spirits, Asia

NOTES 

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest and most renowned auctioneers, offering fine art and antiques, motor cars and jewellery. The main salerooms are in London, New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong, with auctions also held in Knightsbridge, Edinburgh, Paris, San Francisco and Sydney. With a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 22 countries, Bonhams offers advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full list of forthcoming auctions, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com. bonhams.com

Glencairn Crystal to pay tribute to 20 years of The Glencairn Glass – the world’s favourite whisky glass 

Family owned and award-winning Scottish crystal company Glencairn Crystal Studio is marking 20 years since the birth of the world’s favourite whisky glass, The Glencairn Glass, throughout 2020.

Since its creation by Glencairn Crystal Studio in 2000, The Glencairn Glass has become an iconic must-have for whisky lovers around the world. The glass was borne out of Raymond Davidson’s (Glencairn’s Founder) vision to create a glass that would encourage the user to fully appreciate the nose and palate of a whisky, whilst being an aesthetically pleasing object. The Glencairn Glass is now THE definitive whisky glass around the world today, with over 3 million being sold each year, across 140 different countries in every corner of the globe.

The Glencairn team is set to mark this momentous anniversary in 2020 with a number of milestone moments including:

• The new Glencairn PodGlass series: a first for the brand – a series of insightful and informative podcasts with Glencairn Crystal Founder, Raymond Davidson, and guest appearances by some of the whisky industry’s more renowned and respected names – some of whom were involved in the early development of The Glencairn Glass. The first PodGlass goes live on 5^th May, visit www.whiskyglass.com for details.

• New versions of the Glencairn Glass that will be added to the existing range.

• A unique fundraising initiative with the proceeds going to the company’s chosen charity partners.

• The official opening of the new expanded Glencairn Crystal Studio site in East Kilbride: which incorporates a stunning refurbishment and a substantial new build on the original Glencairn site to cater for expanding demand – all built by local businesses.

• Social media: to keep whisky lovers going through the current challenging COVID-19 climate, @TheGlencairnGlass is inviting the online community to follow them and share their favourite stay at home Glencairn moments via a new platform:

#beathomewithGlencairn.

Glencairn will be revealing more details on how followers and fans can become part of their 20^th Anniversary tribute later in the year.

For further information go to: www.glencairncrystal.co.uk or www.whiskyglass.com

Notes:

Glencairn’s clients over the last 20 years include leading drinks companies, brands and other organisations, including: Liverpool FC, BP, Brown-Forman, Cunard, Diageo, Houses of Parliament and Scottish Parliament, Muller, Google and the majority of the Scottish Whisky manufacturers, in addition to many of the international whisky and spirit producers.