WHISKY AND WINE, FEELING FINE! 

Tomatin release limited edition Moscatel finish single malt

Highland whisky distillery Tomatin has today (Tuesday 17^th July 2018) announced the release of its new limited edition Moscatel finished whisky.

The expression, which was distilled in 2003, is aged 15 years and has a limited run of just over 6,000 bottles available worldwide.

The whisky has been finished in first fill Portuguese Moscatel wine barriques for a period of five years, with the maturation imparting flavours of toasted almonds and oranges, sun-dried raisins and figs, creating a sweet and creamy finish.

This isn’t the first time Tomatin have experimented with unusual cask maturation. Fans of the distillery will remember, for example, the limited edition 14 year old Cabernet Sauvignon and 9 year old Caribbean Rum expressions, which proved popular in 2016.

This ongoing experimentation is a result of Tomatin’s exceptional wood policy which ensures there is a wide range of casks sourced from prestigious partners within the industry.

Jennifer Masson, Tomatin’s Marketing Manager, said, “We are delighted to be able to release such an interesting and unusual cask maturation to our range of limited edition whiskies.

“Moscatel releases are relatively rare and tend to be limited as the casks aren’t widely available – making this expression a must-have and we expect it will prove very popular with our customers who are looking for something a little different, but still typically Tomatin.”

Known for ranging from chestnut to an intense mahogany in colour, the Moscatel wine and non-chill filtration give this whisky a distinctive character and rich, beautiful golden colour.

Moscatel wine, made from the muscat grape variety, delivers pronounced fruity notes, whilst also featuring an intense aromatic nose. The Portuguese wine characteristically has aromas of jasmine, orange blossom and honey suckle, with addition of citric notes of lime and grapefruit and other hints of sweetness.

Graham Eunson, Tomatin’s Distillery Manager, said, “This full bodied and intense Single Malt may be unusual in as much as it is finished in first fill Moscatel barriques, however this really accentuates what Tomatin whiskies are known for being: smooth, light, sweet and fruity.”

The limited edition Moscatel expression is available from specialist retailers at a cost of RRP £75 and comes in a 70cl bottle (46% abv).

For additional information please visit: http://www.tomatin.com/muscatel-15-year-old

Notes: 

Tomatin is located in the Scottish Highlands (near Inverness) and is famous for its portfolio of thirty soft and mellow whiskies, including a core range, a limited-edition range and a premium archive range (prices range from £35 – £2,500). Tomatin is one of the fastest growing whisky brands in the UK and ranks within the Top 10 Single Malt brands 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.

Whisky Flavours“ Poster – Alba-Collection Verlag – New Publication July 2018

We did not want to reinvent the whisky aroma wheel. There are already numerous versions in text form. Then we met Luise Poley with her project “Whisky Flavours“. Luise had collected over 320 whisky flavours in about 3 years and photographed them individually in a whisky glass.

We were so enthusiastic about their idea that we joined forces and decided to make this idea available to everyone interested in whisky, whether professional or amateur, in a visually appealing form.

The aroma and taste sensory system is different for each person, based on his or her personal experience. Everyone can train and improve their sensors. The 320 whisky aromas shown are the best known aromas. These can be found in numerous tasting notes of various whisky bottlings or aroma descriptions.There are certainly many other flavours which we have not listed or taken into account here. Be honest – who of us can already verify 320 different flavours, if so, then you definitely belong to the circle of “whisky super noses”.

So may some whisky lovers forgive us, that we had to do without some nice sounding associations like wet dog, old horse, cow stable, campfire etc.. But some objects just can‘t be put in a whisky glass to be photographed. Unless you help with an image-editing program. But we weren‘t about to do that. All photos are real, the aromas actually photographed in a conventional whisky glass.

With a little practice you can now easily decipher and present the aroma profile of every whisky bottling for yourself and others. The two posters “Whisky Flavours Wheel“ and the “Whisky Flavours Collection” are the result. The “Whisky Flavours Wheel”, the analysis tool, is constructed like the well-known aroma wheels. It contains 8 primary aromas, 35 secondary aromas and 207 aroma associations (now new as photo). The “Whisky Flavours Collection“, is something for explorers, 239 pictures of aroma associations are shown in a grid, of these 113 additional aroma associations are only included on this poster.

The “Whisky Flavours Booklet” is the link between the two posters. The 28-page booklet contains all 320 whisky flavours of both posters and is arranged and illustrated according to the 8 primary and 35 secondary flavours. In addition, the booklet contains selected stories of the origins of some associations. In it we tell you how individual associations emerged, and also how the path to the perfect picture sometimes turned out to be very laborious or almost impossible.

We hope these little stories will entertain you and inspire you to browse, smile or think.

New publications July 2018:

– Whisky Flavours Wheel poster; sizes: 700 x 1000 mm (28 x 40 inch) & 420 x 600 mm (17 x 24 inch)
– Whisky Flavours Wheel RollUp; sizes: 850 x 2000 mm, 1000 x 2000 mm & 1200 x 2000 mm
– Whisky Flavours Collection Poster; Size: 700 x 1000 mm (28 x 40 inch)
– Whisky Flavours Collection poster; size: 420 x 600 mm (17 x 24 inch); (set of 2 posters (A-L and L-Z))
– Whisky Flavours Booklet; Format A4 (landscape format), 28 pages

All posters are now available in well-stocked whisky shops, bookstores or directly from the publisher.

Press Release Alba-Collection Verlag July 2018

In July 2018 the following updated editions of our distillery maps were published:

· 6th updated edition Scotland‘s Distilleries with approx. 30 current changes; size 420 x 600 mm (17 x 24 inch)
– 2nd updated edition Islay‘s Distillerie with the Ardnahoe Distillery; size 420 x 600 mm (17 x 24 inch)
– 4th updated edition of Islay‘s Distillerie size 240 x 340 mm (10 x 14 inch)
– 3rd updated edition Irish Distillerie size 240 x 340 mm (10 x 14 inch)
– 3rd updated edition Irish Distilleries with approx. 12 current changes; size 420 x 600 mm (17 x 24 inch)

Now all our Scotland and Ireland maps are up to date.

On all publications, the month and year of opening are noted for the distilleries newly opened after 2014. The development of the distillery landscape in Ireland over the last five years has been particularly impressive. To document this we have compared the map of 2013 with the map of 2018 in the booklet „Irish Distilleries“. The current edition of the new booklet is part of the premium version of the „Irish Distilleries“ Map (420 x 600 mm (17 x 24 inch) size).

All cards are now available in well-stocked whisky shops, in bookshops or directly from the publisher.

With kind regards
The team of Alba-Collection Verlag
Contact: Alba Collection Verlag GbR Hamburg
Meldorfer Strasse 11b
D-20251 Hamburg, Germany
+49(0)40-41425316
info@alba-collection.com
www.alba-collection.com
facebook: Alba-collection

Isle of Raasay Distillery undertakes a second year of barley variety trials on Raasay

Following a successful barley variety trial on the island in 2017, Isle of Raasay Distillery will undertake a second trial to determine which varieties grow and ripen on the island. Raasay Distillery has the ultimate long-term objective of growing enough barley on Raasay to produce at least one batch per year of single malt made with 100% Raasay barley. On Thursday 2nd August 2018, Raasay Distillery will welcome everyone interested in learning more about the barley trial for presentations exploring progress of the barley trial to date and plans for the future.

The first barley trial on Raasay commenced in April 2017 and was carried out in conjunction with Interface, Peter Martin, Director of Agronomy Institute at University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), and local farmer Andrew Gillies. Five varieties of barley were trialled in Gillies Mill Park Field: Concerto (the commercial variety) Tartan, Bere, Iskria and Kannas. The latter three ripened successfully; the barley was harvested on 26th August 2017 and then transported to the James Hutton Institute in Dundee to be dried. It was then malted by Hugh Alexander from Curio Group in June and July 2018 and a small amount of Raasay peat was used during this malting process. The distillery plans to use all three varieties of malted barley to make a special batch of Raasay Whisky and this mash will be taking place during the open day on 2nd August.

The 2017 trial revealed that current commercial barley varieties grow but do not ripen on Raasay. This is due to a much shorter growing season owing to the high rainfall level in March, April and September on the island. For the 2018 trial, Raasay Distillery will work again with Martin and Gillies to cultivate four varieties in Mill Park Field: Iskria, an early two row Icelandic variety; Golden Promise, a two row U.K. malting variety first released in the 1960s; Anneli an early two row Swedish Variety which will replace Kannas as it is no longer available; and Brage, a medium-early six row Norwegian variety. Raasay Distillery hopes to identify one suitable variety to grow on Raasay in the future and to improve the yield in 2018.

At the open day on 2nd August, Martin will introduce the barley varieties and will discuss the challenges that have been encountered while growing commercial varieties on Raasay. Martin’s expertise has been invaluable to the project; he has worked with other distillers, principally Bruichladdich and Highland Park, to produce whisky using non-commercial barley varieties. He has also worked with the Northern Periphery Programme (in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Greenland, Faroe Isles and Scotland) and this experience has illuminated the varieties should grow successfully on the island. Co-founder of Raasay Distillery, Alasdair Day, will also discuss the background and future of the project and Hugh Alexander from Curio Group will be explain the processes involved in micro-malting the Raasay Barley. The distillery will also offer free distillery tours during the open day and there will also be lunch available to purchase in the Gathering Room.

This distillery build project has relied upon the island resources: the stone used to build the supporting wall at the rear of the distillery is from the site itself; wood from the site has be used for furnishings within the accommodation, and an impressive feature wall in the Gathering Room comprises stones, bottles and treasures, found washed up on the shoreline. Raasay Distillery has relied upon the support of the local community and for this barley trial the advice and support of Andrew Gillies has been invaluable.

With a Celtic well on site providing access to high mineral content water, as well as a good supply of peat in the north of the island, Raasay Distillery is keen to create at least one batch of Raasay Scotch per year that uses all-local ingredients. While acknowledging that this whisky will be a small percentage of total production, the distillery is keen to challenge the limitations of production in such an unusual location.

NOTES

RAASAY DISTILLERY

Raasay Distillery began producing whisky in September 2017. It is owned by independent Scottish whisky company R&B Distillers.

In February 2016, the Highland Council granted permission for the construction of a distillery on Raasay. Subsequent grants were secured from the Food Processing Marketing and Co-Operation Grants Scheme, as well as the Highlands and Islands Enterprise for the development of a visitor centre, which is projected to bring 12,000 visitors to Raasay in its first year.

Raasay Single Malt will be ready to drink from 2020 and will encapsulate the rugged elegance of the island terroir. The high mineral content of the island’s water, which filters across volcanic rock from Dun Caan, will be integral to the flavour of the whisky. A long fermentation time helps to retain the minerality, resulting in a fruity whisky that will become a characteristic of Raasay single malt. Head Distiller Iain Robertson has trained a team of four distillery operators to enable the distillery to run on two shifts per day, resulting in an increase capacity of 188,000 LPA from July 2018.

Isle of Raasay Distillery is will produce Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

• Capacity: 188,000 LPA

• Fermentation Time: 115 hours

• Spirit Still: 3,600 L • Wash Still: 5,000 L

• Washback Size: 5,000 L

• Maturation: All maturation on site Produced using local water supply at every stage of distillation and reduction

Barley Open Day at Raasay Distillery Thursday 2nd August 2018 12pm-1pm: Presentations in the Gathering Room: 1pm-1.30pm: Barley Field Visit 1.30pm-2pm: Lunch & Refreshments available to purchase in the Gathering Room 2pm-3pm: Raasay Barley Mashing

Raasay Distillery, Borodale House, Isle of Raasay, Kyle IV40 8PB

T: 01478 470178 raasaydistillery.com @raasaydistillery 

1792 SMALL BATCH WINS GOLD AT INTERNATIONAL SPIRITS CHALLENGE 

BARDSTOWN, kENTUCKY (July 18, 2018) – 1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was awarded a Gold Medal at the 2018 International Spirits Challenge.

The Tasting Awards were held over 10 days of intense blind tastings by panels of more than 50 respected and experienced industry professionals.  Samples were delivered to the judging area in flights of numbered tasting glasses to ensure the accuracy of the blind tasting.  Each judge assessed the products according to age, region and variety, which is determined by the entrant and verified by the chairman.

This year, the 23^nd annual International Spirits Challenge received more than 1,600 entries from nearly 70 countries around the globe.

Results from the 2018 International Spirits Challenge can be found at http://www.internationalspiritschallenge.com/isc2018/en/page/2018-results. 

About Barton 1792 Distillery

Barton 1792 Distillery is part of Barton Brands.  Barton Brands has facilities in Bardstown, Ky., Carson, Calif., and Baltimore, Md. Barton Brands is owned by the Sazerac Company, an American family-owned company based in New Orleans, La. Barton 1792 Distillery was established in 1879 and continues today as the oldest fully-operating Distillery in the “Bourbon Capital of the World.” The Distillery is located on 196 acres and includes 28 warehouses, 22 other buildings, the Morton Spring and the Tom Moore Spring.  Distilling, aging and bottling fine Bourbon whiskey are hallmarks of the historic Barton 1792 Distillery. 1792 Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is produced at Barton 1792 Distillery. This whiskey is named for the year Kentucky became a state and is the recent gold medal winner at the 2017 Los Angeles International Spirits Competition. To learn more visit www.1792bourbon.com.

Glengoyne set to make debut at Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky will make its debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe next month, with an interactive new event series exploring the traditions behind Scotland’s slowest whisky stills.

Taking place on selected dates from 3-26 August at Cannonball Restaurant & Bar on Castlehill, ‘Unhurried – Glengoyne’s Inefficient Tradition’will use cutting-edge projection mapping technology to take whisky enthusiasts on an immersive journey into the heart of Scotland’s slowest stills.

Hosted by Fringe veteran, ex-BBC broadcaster and comedy writer, Gordon Dallas, this 50-minute-long event looks deep into Glengoyne’s dedicated traditions, adding a healthy splash of humour and, of course, a generous measure or two of whisky.

During the show, whisky aficionados and beginners alike will have the chance to taste the superb results of Glengoyne’s unhurried traditions in three distinct drams of single malt whisky, each paired with delicious Scottish taster dishes by Cannonball Restaurant & Bar.

Katy Macanna, Brand Manager for Glengoyne, said: “We are delighted to be holding our first event at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this summer with ‘Unhurried – Glengoyne’s Inefficient Tradition’, which is a light-hearted look into Glengoyne’s astonishing stories and ways of whisky making. At Glengoyne, we proudly run the slowest stills in Scotland, and we’re looking forward to explaining why.”

Carina Contini, owner of Cannonball Restaurant & Bar, said: “There are few places more exciting than Edinburgh during the Fringe, and Cannonball is the closest restaurant to Edinburgh Castle, so we’re right in the heart of the action. We’re looking forward to welcoming whisky fans from Edinburgh and around the world to join us for an afternoon of fun, fantastic food, and fabulous Glengoyne whisky.”

‘Unhurried – Glengoyne’s Inefficient Tradition’ will be hosted in The Glengoyne Room within Cannonball Restaurant & Bar. Tickets cost £20 per person and are on sale now. For more information, and to book, please visit:

https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/unhurried-glengoyne-whisky-s-inefficient-tradition

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY WINS TWO GOLD MEDALS AT THE 2018 INTERNATIONAL SPIRITS CHALLENGE 

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (July 18, 2018) – Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Eagle Rare 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey were awarded Gold Medals at the 2018 International Spirits Challenge. Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was awarded a Silver Medal.

The Tasting Awards were held over 10 days of intense blind tastings by panels of more than 50 respected and experienced industry professionals.  Samples were delivered to the judging area in flights of numbered tasting glasses to ensure the accuracy of the blind tasting.  Each judge assessed the products according to age, region and variety, which is determined by the entrant and verified by the chairman.

This year, the 23^nd annual International Spirits Challenge received more than 1,600 entries from nearly 70 countries around the globe.

“We are honored to accept three awards at this year’s International Spirits Challenge, says Harlen Wheatley, master distiller at Buffalo Trace Distillery, “It was truly a team effort.”

Results from the 2018 International Spirits Challenge can be found at http://www.internationalspiritschallenge.com/isc2018/en/page/2018-results.

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

Raasay Distillery is home to the UK’s most north-westerly population of rare Brown Long-Eared Bats, as well as a colony of Common Pipistrelle bats, which were discovered nesting in the roof of Borodale House, prior to the distillery build.

On Wednesday 1st August from 7pm- 11pm the distillery will be hosting a very special interactive evening giving visitors the chance to learn more about the distillery’s furry friends and to help monitor their summer movements through an after-dark ‘Bat Safari’.

Raasay’s nocturnal residents were carefully looked after throughout the distillery build and were temporarily re-homed in bat boxes in the surrounding trees. When the building work was complete and it was safe to return, that bats were settled into their very own ‘Bat Hotel’ in Borodale House.

The distillery’s Batman and Robin (ecologists Ross Preston and Janie Steele) will chat to visitors about how they have looked after these unusual creatures and will discuss the importance of these curious creatures as ‘indicator species’ for any other localised environmental problem.

After a distillery tour, tasting and bat talk the fascinating evening will culminate after dark with a ‘Bat Safari’ in which visitors will head outside to observe these extraordinary nocturnal mammals in their natural habitat. Guests will also be able to try out bat detectors to listen their sonic communications, and will help complete an invaluable summer survey of the Raasay Distillery bats.

The event is open to all ages with a range of batty craft activities for younger guests taking place throughout the evening as an alternative to the distillery tour and whisky tasting. There will also be tea and coffee available, alongside a licensed bar.

More information, including a full programme and link to purchase £10 tickets can be found here

Glenmorangie breaks ground on a multi-million-pound expansion

Ardbeg is crowned Distillery of the Year at esteemed whisky awards

SAZERAC’S Tennessee Distillery IS GETTING A NEW HOME 

            MURFREESBOBO, tn (July 11, 2018) Last July, Master Distiller John Lunn and Distiller Allisa Henley started cranking up their pot stills and distilled their first Tennessee whiskey for Sazerac in Newport, TN.  Now one year later, John and Allisa are looking forward to moving their operation to Murfreesboro, TN as Sazerac starts planning for a new distillery, including bottling, barrel warehouses and a visitor center on the 55 acres it recently purchased.

The initial plan is to build two barrel warehouses, each of which will hold approximately 20,000 barrels.  A visitor center which overlooks the property’s iconic five acre lake is also planned, all to be operational in 2020.

“Murfreesboro is one of the fastest growing cities in the country,” said Mayor Shane McFarland. “We are excited about Sazerac’s investment in our community and look forward to celebrating a brand new Tennessee Whiskey from our hometown.”

Meanwhile, John and Allisa are continuing to distill Tennessee whiskey on their three pot stills at the Newport, TN location. After the new distillery in Murfreesboro is built, all stills and barrels will be moved.  With the oldest whiskey being only a year old, the barrels still have many years to rest before being bottled and sold, giving John and Allisa plenty of time to determine  brand name for the Tennessee whiskey, the age of the whiskey and even a name for the new distillery.

The two just burned their second batch of sugar maple in John’s backyard to make the charcoal they use for the Lincoln County process, essential for making Tennessee whiskey. To be classified a Tennessee whiskey the whiskey must be filtered through maple charcoal, which distinguishes it from bourbon whiskey.

“We’re looking forward to having a new home for our distillery in Murfreesboro and we’re excited about being so close to Middle Tennessee State University and partnering with their students in the fermentation program,” said Master Distiller John Lunn.

Although the main focus for John and Allisa will be Tennessee whiskey, they note they enjoy having the freedom to conduct a few experiments if they like. “Sazerac is known for experimentation, and we look forward to continuing that tradition with experimental spirits in Tennessee,” stated Distiller Allisa Henley.

Sazerac’s new Tennessee distillery will employee 20-25 full time workers. The new site will give complimentary tours and tastings when the visitor center is open.  Tourism projections for visitors within five to ten years of opening is 50,000.  Employment opportunities will be posted online at www.sazerac.com in late 2019 or early 2020.

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.