Isle of Arran Distillers unveil fresh redesign which captures the spirit of the island

The Isle of Arran Distillers Ltd. have launched a new look across their range of Arran Single Malt whiskies, including a new logo and packaging for their core range.

The campaign, which incorporates an entirely new visual identity for the brand, is titled ‘A Breath of Fresh Arran’ and aims to showcase the natural elements and authenticity of the island malts by focusing on the unique provenance of their home village, Lochranza, where their first distillery was opened in 1995.

The contemporary new bottle design reflects the journey of the water source for the Arran Single Malts, which cascades through a series of six mountain waterfalls, each one purifying the water further. The ripples on the new glass bottles illustrate this and emphasise the pure nature of the spirit.

An updated icon, which will appear on the new bottles in copper foil, is in the shape of the island itself and features a pair of eagles, which have always been an important part of the Lochranza Distillery story. Their nesting season prompted a break in construction back in 1994 when the distillery was being built and they have remained in residence for the past 25 years.

Natural materials and colour tones are used across all brand touch points, as well as tactile emboss and delicate foiling with clean lines in order to maintain a consistent look and feel that keeps simplicity at the core.

Crucially, the liquid inside remains unchanged and fans of the distillers can continue to enjoy the authentic Arran Single Malts.

Alongside the new branding, there are also two new expressions joining the core range. Firstly, ‘Barrel Reserve’, which has a light, flexible and fruity character and the cask strength ‘The Bodega’, a Sherry Cask matured spirit that partners the award-winning Quarter Cask ‘The Bothy’.

The first four expressions in the new pack will be released this month, with bottles available to purchase from arranwhisky.com from Monday 16th September.

Newly packaged 18-year-old and 21-year-old age statement Single Malts will also join the core range in October 2019.

The opening of the company’s Lagg Distillery, their second distillery on the island which opened earlier this year, has partly prompted the re-packaging as the company now becomes the owners of two very different sites with different brand identities.

Master Blender at Isle of Arran Distillers Ltd., James MacTaggart, said: “As a company, we have grown immensely since I joined the team over 12 years ago.

“We were one of the first wave of new distillers back in the early 1990s and in June this year, we started a new chapter in our story with the opening of our second distillery at Lagg. It felt like the right time to make the clear distinction between the unique and very different spirits produced at each of our island homes.

“We’ve taken inspiration from the elements that make Lochranza so special to produce a unique and beautiful new pack, which does justice to the liquid it contains. We are very excited about the future of our original Arran Single Malt.”

The new Arran Single Malt branding has been created by London based drinks packaging design experts Stranger & Stranger.

Notes:

Accolades for Isle of Arran Distillery include Winner for:
Best New Exporter (2004), Queen’s Award for International Trade (2005), Scottish Distiller of the Year (2007) and Scottish Drinks Producer of the Year (2007) Scottish Field Visitor Experience of the Year 2014 & 2015. Drinks Business Best Contribution to Wine and Spirits Tourism (2017). Best Brewery/Distillery Tour – Scottish Outdoor Leisure Awards (2017). Best Visitor Experience – Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions (2018)

Product Awards include:
Arran 10 year-old: Gold Medal ‘Best Single Malt 12 Years & Under, World Whiskies Awards (2019) San Francisco World Spirits Competition Double Gold Medal (2018). International Wine & Spirits Competition Gold Medal (2018). Category Winner and Gold Medal ‘Best Scotch Under 12 Years’ Islands Non-Islay at the World Whiskies Awards (2018). International Spirits Challenge Silver Medal (2018). Ultimate Spirits Challenge 91 points (2018). Ultimate Spirits Challenge Cocktail Commendation for the Rob Roy (2018). Double Gold Medal China Wine & Spirits Best Value Awards (2014)
Arran 18 year-old: Gold Medal ‘Best Single Malt 13 – 20 Years, World Whiskies Awards (2019) International Wine & Spirits Competition Gold Medal (2018) Category Winner & Gold Medal ‘Best Scotch 13-20 Years – Islands (Non- Islay) World Whiskies Awards (2018). International Spirits Challenge Silver Medal (2018) Scottish Field Whisky Challenge – Gold Award for Best Whisky £50-100 (2018)
Quarter Cask ‘The Bothy’: Best Scotch Island Single Malt, World Whiskies Awards (2019) Category Winner & Gold Medal ‘No Age Statement Single Malt’ for The Bothy Batch 3 World Whiskies Awards (2018). International Wine & Spirits Competition Silver Outstanding Medal (2018). International Spirits Challenge Silver Medal (2018)
Arran Lochranza Reserve: International Wine & Spirits Competition Silver Outstanding Medal (2018), International Spirits Challenge Silver Medal (2018)

WHAT’S YOUR SERVE?

Graham Eunson on industry change and how to try whisky in new ways

After eight years at Tomatin Distillery, Graham Eunson has been sampling both exquisite single malts and high-quality blends for years. In this time, he’s led tasting events, spoken at whisky festivals, as well as ran production for the entire distillery.

Following his recent promotion to Distillery Operations Director, Graham has taken the time to look back over a career that spans almost three decades in the whisky industry.

Over the years, Graham has noticed a huge surge in the appeal of whisky, as well as the increasing knowledge of the ever-emerging whisky consumer:

Mr Eunson said, “Back when I started in the industry, it was seen that middle aged, working class men drank whisky in the pub, and upper class men drank single malts at home. I think over the years it’s become more accepted that actually, whisky is something that appeals to younger people and women in equal measure. Just look at the whisky festivals, there’s such a huge diversity of age, culture and gender and that’s fantastic.” 

“I think one of the biggest changes to the industry is that the level of consumer knowledge is much, much greater than it was. People know more about individual brands, they’ve learnt facts about individual distillery history, and they have an incredible wealth of knowledge when it comes to whisky tasting. It makes hosting a tasting session so much more enjoyable.”

Tomatin Highland Single Malt is committed to reflecting this diversity of taste in its Core Range of whiskies. The range features a variety of expressions, ranging from £30, up to £600. It includes a light and fruity introductory whisky (Legacy), a cask strength bottling, as well as several premium releases (30 Year Old and 36 Year Old).

When asked if he had a favourite whisky, Graham Said: “It’s like trying to choose your favourite child, I have a favourite son and a favourite daughter because I’ve only got one of each. With the range at Tomatin, I like them all but it depends on the season, it depends on the occasion. In terms of Tomatin’s Core Range, The Legacy is your best starting point – it’s quite sweet and less of an acquired taste. What’s more, the Legacy cocktail pairings are some of the most fun and refreshing ways to try the whisky.”

Tomatin is one of the few whisky brands that creates bespoke cocktails for their entry level spirits. Graham believes that it’s a key part of the brand, and something that keeps the distillery innovative.

Graham said: “Over the last few decades, we’ve been missing out on opportunities with cocktails. Because of the quality, especially single malts, everyone says that you shouldn’t mask some of the subtle flavours and that’s true. But, if that’s not how you prefer to drink your whisky, who am I to tell you how to drink your whisky. What is the correct way to drink a single malt? There is only one way, and that’s how you as an individual prefer it. It doesn’t matter if it’s in a highball, with soda water, neat, with coke or lemonade or ginger ale. It doesn’t matter. I would always encourage people to try it in different ways, because it may actually surprise you.

Notes

Tomatin Distillery has been producing and blending malt Scotch whisky since 1897. Over the last 50 years, the distillery has borne witness to vast change. At its peak in the 1970s, Tomatin was the largest distillery in the world operating 23 stills and producing 12 million litres of alcohol every year. Over the last decade, significant time has been invested in rediscovering the distillery, people and values, and in refining the business model to move away from the formerly lucrative bulk commodity market to now focus on Tomatin’s core range of single malts.

Tomatin is located in the Scottish Highlands (near Inverness) and is famous for its portfolio of soft and mellow whiskies, including a core range, a limited-edition range and a premium archive range (prices range from £30 – £10,000). Tomatin is one of the fastest growing whisky brands in the UK and recently announced that it is officially the fastest growing top ten single malt whisky in the USA. Tomatin recently reported its turnover increased by almost 25% during the company’s most recent financial year (Dec 2016 – Dec 2017). Tomatin won Distiller of the Year 2016 and Brand Innovator of the Year 2017 at the Icons of Whisky Scotland Awards.

Tomatin Legacy Cocktail Pairings

CHERRY & BLACK PEPPER SOUR

TOMATIN LEGACY WITH CHERRY SYRUP & BLACK PEPPER MAKES FOR A SUMPTUOUS TAKE ON THE CLASSIC WHISKY SOUR.

50 ml / 2 oz Tomatin Legacy

50 ml / 2 oz Lemon Juice

25 ml / 1 oz Cherry Syrup

¼ tsp Ground Black Pepper

1 Egg White

Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake hard. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass and garnish with black cherries and black peppercorns.

TOMA’TIN & TONIC

TOMATIN (MEANING THE HILL OF THE JUNIPER BUSH) LEGACY MAKES FOR A REFRESHING TWIST ON THE CLASSIC G & T.

35ml Tomatin Legacy

Squeeze of a lemon wedge

Indian tonic water

Add Tomatin Legacy over ice in a stem-less wine glass before squeezing in the juice of a lemon wedge. Drop in some juniper berries then top with sparkling Indian tonic water. Garnish with a wedge of fresh lemon.

ICED T.E.A.

A COMBINATION OF TOMATIN LEGACY, CHILLED EARL GREY TEA AND CLEAR APPLE JUICE GIVES BIRTH TO A LONG COOLING DRINK.

50ml/2oz Tomatin Legacy

50ml/2oz Chilled Earl Grey tea

50ml/2oz Clear apple juice

Dash peach bitters

Pour Tomatin Legacy over ice in a Highball glass. Place 2 lemon wheels into the glass and then build with chilled Earl Grey tea, clear apple juice and a dash of peach bitters. Stir and garnish with a sprig of mint and fresh peach wedge.

LASTING LEGACY

THE CITRUSY TROPICAL NOTES OF TOMATIN LEGACY LENDS WELL IN THIS PUNCH STYLE COCKTAIL.

50ml/2oz Tomatin Legacy

25ml/1oz Elderflower liqueur

25ml/1oz Lemon juice

50ml/2oz Pineapple juice

Dash Angostura bitters

Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake hard. Strain into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass and garnish with a dehydrated orange wheel & pineapple leaves.

CHERRY BLOSSOM

A BEAUTIFULLY CRAFTED COCKTAIL DESIGNED TO REFLECT THE MAGICAL JAPANESE CHERRY BLOSSOM SEASON.

50ml/2oz Tomatin Legacy

Barspoon cherry jam

50ml/2oz Coconut water

2ml/.1oz Orange blossom water

Stir down a barspoon of cherry jam with Tomatin Legacy before adding coconut water and a small amount of orange blossom water. Shake vigorously and then double strain into a chilled Sours glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

MIZUWARI MAC

A HYBRID SCOTTISH-JAPANESE COCKTAIL SEES THE HUMBLE WHISKY MAC SERVE COMBINED WITH THE ELEGANT AND STYLISH MIZUWARI.

50ml/2oz Tomatin Legacy

37.5ml/1.5oz Plum wine

Still mineral water

Fill half a large chilled Highball glass with cubed ice and then add the Tomatin 12 Year Old. Stir several times before adding the further ingredients with more ice, and stir once again. Garnish with a slice of fresh ginger.

For a zingy alternative swap the plum for ginger wine!

THE GLENALLACHIE GROWS ITS CORE RANGE TO INCLUDE A 15 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT WHISKY 

The new 15 year old whisky is described by Master Distiller Billy Walker as the perfect representation of the Speyside distillery’s DNA

The GlenAllachie Distillery is extending its multi award-winning core range of single malt whiskies to include a 15-year-old expression.

The new GlenAllachie 15 year old, which is now being rolled out across UK and international markets, is described by Master Distiller Billy Walker as the perfect representation of the distillery’s DNA. He believes the 15 year old is an exceptional balance of the distillery’s spirit and the influence of the Sherry casks used during maturation.

Two types of Sherry casks – Pedro Ximenez (PX) and Oloroso puncheons and hogsheads – were used during maturation. They were chosen to deliver depth and finish to the whisky, and to add notes that enhance the distinctive butterscotch and chocolate flavours of The GlenAllachie spirit.

The GlenAllachie 15 year old (RRP £62.99, bottled at 46%) joins the 10 year old Cask Strength; 12 year old; 18 year old; and 25 year old in The GlenAllachie’s core range which was first launched in 2018.

Walker said: “I’ve been working on our 15 year old release since we acquired GlenAllachie back in October 2017. In that time I’ve been intimately following the development of the various casks and I believe the 15 year old is the perfect balance of distillery and cask influence.”

He added: “For this 15 year old, I chose PX and Oloroso puncheons and hogsheads to deliver complete depth and finish. This whisky is rich in sweet spices, raisins and butterscotch, with waves of banana, orange peel and dark chocolate. The extra years the whisky spent maturing in the sherry wood casks extends the flavour further.

“I’m delighted to add this to our core range, it absolutely represents the DNA and personality of The GlenAllachie now and going forward. We work with a variety of casks although as we move forward you will see sherry wood influence coming to the fore.”

The introduction of the 15 year old to the core range is another major milestone for The GlenAllachie since Walker took over the Speyside distillery in 2017.

In July, the distillery revealed its first Wood Finish range, which comprises three expressions. In May, the distillery unveiled its visitor centre and shop, welcoming visitors to the distillery for the first time since it was built in 1967.

In 2018, The GlenAllachie also released a series of single cask whiskies, launched the MacNair’s Lum Reek range of peated Blended Malts, and a 50^th anniversary bottling to mark the 50^th anniversary of the distillery’s maiden production run on February 17^th 1968.

Along the way, the GlenAllachie’s whisky has been recognised with many awards including four Gold medals for its 10 year old; a Gold for the 12 year old at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition; and a Double Gold medal for the 18 year old, also at the San Francisco World Spirits competition.

The MacNair’s Lum Reek range has also earned several awards since its launch, including a Double Gold for the 21 year old at the San Francisco World Spirits competition.

Further information on the distillery and company can be found at www.theglenallachie.com

Facebook – @TheGlenAllachie

Twitter – @TheGlenAllachie

Instagram – @theglenallachie_

TASTING NOTES

Colour

Sunset bronze

Nose

Overflowing with raisins, butterscotch and sweet spices.

Taste

The rainbow of sweet spices, raisins and butterscotch develops to banana, orange peel and dark chocolate.

Scottish Whisky Awards Announce
Sell Out Success

The new national competition to promote the business of Scotch whisky at home and abroad has announced that its inaugural event has sold out.

Over 400 leaders from the Scotch whisky industry will gather at the Scottish Whisky Awards dinner which takes place in Edinburgh in a few weeks’ time.  The programme which launched earlier this year attracted entries from 52 companies, including 38 distilleries and 110 scotch whiskies.

The awards recognise business performance as well as taste following a blind tasting competition judged by 32 whisky experts from the UK, Europe and Asia…

READ FULL ARTICLE

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY SELECTS CHARITIES TO RECEIVE SPECIAL FUNDRAISING BOTTLES

Distillery Hopes to Raise $500,000 for Charity  

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Aug. 21, 2019) – Earlier this spring, Buffalo Trace Distillery announced the offering of 400 limited edition bottles from its sixth millionth barrel of bourbon to non-profits across the country.  The bottles are being offered at no charge for the charities to auction off and raise money for their worthwhile causes.

Non-profits had until July 1^st, 2019 to apply for a bottle, and selections have been made. All organizations selected received an email notification. The selected charities can be viewed here.

“From organizations focused on those with autism to others helping veterans, we hope these wonderful charities can use these rare bottles to boost fundraising,” said Kris Comstock, senior marketing director.  “We hope these individual non-profits can collectively raise a half million dollars for their various causes.  So if there’s a charity event near you, go bid on a bottle!”

The six millionth barrel bottles of Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey are aged 10 years, 11 months and are packaged in a numbered collector’s edition hardwood showcase box that includes a piece of the charred oak stave from the historic barrel and small brochure explaining the significance of this collector’s edition. The bottles are 375ml (the smaller size allows for more charities to take part) and have a handwritten description on the bottle explaining the significance. All recipients of the bottles have been notified and all bottles will be shipped by the end of August.

This commemorative bottling of the Buffalo Trace Sixth Million Barrel is not available in stores. Bottles were only made available to non-profit organizations in the United States wishing to raise funds for their charity. Recipients will have until Dec. 31, 2019 to auction the bottle.

This is the third time Buffalo Trace Distillery has offered commemorative bottles for non-profits to use for fundraising purposes.  In 2011 the Distillery offered its Millennium Barrel of bourbon, put up to age on Dec. 31, 1999. That effort raised more than $150,000 for various charities across the U.S.  In 2016, its inaugural O.F.C. Bourbon Whiskey from 1980, 1982 and 1983 were released in the same manner, and non-profits reported back they had raised more than a million dollars for charitable causes.

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 21 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.”  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 500 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com

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THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

CELEBRATES HERITAGE WITH WEEK-LONG FESTIVAL IN EDINBURGH  

‘The Gathering’ encourages SMWS members from all over the globe to make the pilgrimage to their spiritual home at The Vaults, Leith 

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) is hosting ‘The Gathering’, a week-long celebration of its Leith origins that will bring members together to discover and share wonderful whisky experiences. The festival is taking place from Monday 2 to Sunday 8 September at The Vaults and other iconic Leith venues.

‘The Gathering’ encapsulates what it means to be a member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, with a jam-packed week of fun-filled whisky-themed events. Festivities include a fascinating walking tour of Leith’s illustrious whisky history, an exclusive whisky and Leith food pairing, tasting and film screenings at renowned Leith venues, as well as member events in the courtyard of the spiritual home of the Society, The Vaults.

BRINGING MEMBERS TOGETHER WHEREVER THEY ARE IN THE WORLD

The SMWS is now a truly global membership organisation, with members and partner bars across the world. For those who can’t make the journey to Leith, SMWS will share the spirit of The Vaults through an integrated online tasting experience. The Virtual Tasting, hosted by SMWS Master Ambassador John McCheyne, will be screened live from The Vaults to the world via Facebook on Saturday 7 September.

Branches across Europe including Munich, Paris and Stockholm will also be holding The Gathering events at their venues for local members from August 20 to September 21.

CELEBRATING LEITH’S HERITAGE  

The SMWS will celebrate the arts and film that support its unconventional nature with festivities going beyond The Vaults to other iconic Leith venues, with exclusive screenings at the beautiful Leith Theatre, as well as The Biscuit Factory.

The whisky experts have partnered with local producers, including a colourful food pairing with the much-loved Kilted Donuts, who will be pairing five of their sweet and savoury donuts with delicious SMWS whiskies.

Throughout the week, SMWS member and history enthusiast Justine Hazlehurst will be hosting regular walking tours of Leith, getting up close to the area’s intriguing history and whisky heritage.

Jan Damen, Operations Director at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, said: “As a Society, we’re always striving to ensure that our global members feel connected to one another and are able to share their whisky experiences together.

“This is a rare opportunity for our members from all over the world to come together and congregate at The Vaults for a series of unique events. We look forward to welcoming whisky lovers from near and far.”

For details on all the events and to buy tickets, visit: http://bit.ly/2HaaTM6

Notes:

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society 

• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was established in Edinburgh in 1983 and now has more than 26,000 members and branches around the world
• The SMWS bottles rare single cask, single malt whisky, and a range of other spirits
• The Society bottles single malts, unique single casks and exclusive blends
• The Society has bottled whisky from more than 138 distilleries from Scotland and beyond
• The Society offers a new batch of around 20 single cask, single malt whiskies every month
• The Society offers a variety of membership packages which can be tailored. Please seehttps://bit.ly/2uqKanT
• For more information about the Society, visithttps://bit.ly/2HHiNyC
• Twitter: @SMWSUK Facebook: @thesmwsuk Instagram: @smws_uk

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