Bladnoch unveils luxe bicentennial dram

Scotland’s southernmost distillery, Bladnoch, has launched a special Bicentennial Release as a celebration of its rich history and a toast to its new chapter of renaissance.

Offering the perfect balance between provenance and progression, Bladnoch is enjoying an exciting revival in its 200th year, having been bought by Australian entrepreneur, David Prior in 2015. Changing fates and fortunes over the years resulted in the distillery switching hands several times, before it fell silent and ceased production. Inspired by its story and charm, Prior and his team have set about turning this important piece of Scotch whisky history into a modern day distilling operation with production recommencing last year.

Made from just two exceptional casks of whisky distilled in 1988, the release is limited to just 200 bottles. Initially matured in Oloroso Sherry, the special malt was finished for the last 18 months in Moscatel casks. Described by Master Distiller, Ian Macmillan, as “Chestnut gold in colour, our bicentennial release has lovely rich sherry and acacia aromas with notes of dark chocolate, sweet oak and citrus with a long and satisfying finish. This is a fantastic whisky to mark this incredible milestone and I’d say it is best enjoyed shared, and savoured, with friends and family.”

Bottled at cask strength 41.2% ABV, the new malt will be available in select international markets for an RRP of $8,800AUD per bottle. The release is presented in a luxurious gold and glass bottle with a heavy gold stopper, designed by David Prior.

Commenting on the Bladnoch journey so far, David Prior said: “In the last three years, we have significantly invested in Bladnoch to revive whisky production, as we strive to give Scotland’s most southerly distillery back its true title as the ‘Queen of the Lowlands’.

“We may be celebrating the 200th anniversary of the distillery, but Bladnoch’s renaissance chapter is only just beginning.”

Crafted using only the purest ingredients – pristine water from the River Bladnoch and Scottish barley – Bladnoch malts are non-chill filtered and naturally coloured. The range includes Samsara, Adela 15 Year Old and Talia 25 Year Old. Bladnoch’s sister expression, Pure Scot, offers a zesty and versatile blended Scotch whisky.

To find out more about Bladnoch’s Bicentennial Release and its international availability, please visit www.bladnoch.com

NOTES 

Bicentennial Release tasting notes:

Colour: Chestnut gold

Nose: Lovely rich old sherry aromas, acacia, honey, beeswax, orange, fruitcake, a whiff of coffee and a hint of chocolate

Palate: Soft, rich, and silky sherry flavours, dark chocolate, ginger, spicy citrusy notes, balanced sweet oak and a hint of ground black pepper

Finish: Warming with a honeyed spiciness, satisfying and long

41.2% ABV

CHIVAS BRINGS 15 YEAR OLD SCOTCH TO

THE CELEBRATION OCCASION 

Selectively finished in Grande Champagne Cognac casks, Chivas XV is a disruptive new addition to the Scotch category 

Chivas is shaking up the Scotch whisky category with the launch of Chivas XV – a 15 year old blend that challenges conventions around how and when to enjoy Scotch whisky.  Created to be enjoyed as part of a high-energy, celebratory moment, Chivas XV proves that a serious whisky doesn’t need a serious setting to be enjoyed.

Continuing Chivas’ tradition for expert blending, Chivas XV is aged for a minimum of 15 years and selectively finished in Grande Champagne Cognac casks, bringing together two of the world’s most prestigious spirits to seamlessly blend tradition and innovation. The use of Grande Champagne Cognac casks delivers a rich, refined and velvety interpretation of the traditional Chivas house style.

This combination provides the perfect taste profile for a wide range of contemporary serving styles, encouraging whisky fans to enjoy their favourite spirit in a whole new way – from Chivas XV shots to cocktails designed to emphasise the quality and rich flavour of the whisky during high-energy celebrations.

Chivas XV, named in a nod to both the age statement and the style of traditional Cognac classification, features a contemporary new look, while also sharing the same iconic bottle shape that helps to make Chivas whiskies so recognisable around the world. Chivas XV is available in two formats to cater for different occasions: an eye-catching gold bottle stands out from the crowd during moments of celebration, while a clear bottle with a sophisticated gold outer carton makes the perfect celebratory purchase or gift.

Richard Black, Global Marketing Director at Chivas Regal, explains: “We know that Scotch whisky fans love Chivas’ generous house style but are also looking to experiment with new tastes, and find new ways in which to enjoy their favourite spirit. Enter Chivas XV – the perfect expression for those who want to celebrate life with a truly luxurious and unique spirit that has been designed specifically with the energy of the consumption occasion in mind. A disruptive move for the category, Chivas XV presents a more contemporary side to Scotch, and encourages whisky drinkers to create memorable experiences that live on long after the celebration.”

Chivas XV will be on sale exclusively in Global Travel Retail from 1st July, 2018 at an RRP of $69 for 1L and rolled out globally from 1st October, 2018. 

Notes 

About Chivas Regal

Launched in 1909, Chivas Regal is the world’s first luxury whisky and is considered to be a timeless classic, renowned for its benchmark quality and taste, style, substance and exclusivity. A truly global brand, Chivas Regal has been integral to the growth of the Scotch whisky category worldwide and today sells 4.5 million 9L cases annually in more than 150 countries across the globe. With generosity, entrepreneurship and integrity at the heart of Chivas Regal, the brand launched its successful Win the Right Way campaign in 2014, which aims to inspire a new generation whilst making a positive impact on the lives of others. The Chivas Regal range includes: Chivas Regal 12, Chivas Regal Extra, Chivas Regal Mizunara, Chivas Regal 18, our first blended malt Chivas Regal Ultis, Chivas Regal 25, pinnacle of the range and ultra-prestige blend Chivas Regal The Icon, and the Global Travel Retail exclusive Chivas Brothers Blend. www.chivas.com

Evan Williams Bourbon Experience Opens ON3

New cocktail bar adds unique asset for mixed drinks and Bourbon flights

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Bourbon enthusiasts can now enjoy an ice-cold cocktail during their visit to the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience at the new bar ON3. This cocktail corner adds a unique asset to the Visitor Center with cocktails and Bourbon flights available during tour hours.

The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience allows visitors to see an operating Artisanal Distillery, where one barrel of Bourbon is distilled each day. The guided tour takes a peak into distilling on Whiskey Row from the 1890’s to the present. Now, visitors can also stop by or top off their tour experience with a cocktail at ON3. Each drink, handcrafted by mixologist Karla Plott, offers a creative twist on different Evan Williams Bourbon and Heaven Hill Distillery products.

“ON3 adds a valuable taste of hospitality to the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience,” said Jeff Crowe, General Manager. “We are thrilled to have Karla craft memorable cocktails that will leave visitors with a long-lasting impression, as well as showcase Evan Williams Bourbon in a new way.”

The bar is located on the third floor of the Visitor Center on Louisville’s historic Whiskey Row at 528 W Main St. The official was July 4, 2018. The bar will be operating every Thursday and Sunday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

About the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience: The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience® (www.EvanWilliamsBourbonExperience.com) celebrates the legacy of Evan Williams, Kentucky’s first commercial distiller, through an immersive visitor’s center experience which brings to life the history and tradition of Kentucky’s native spirit. An official stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, the facility offers guests a historical glimpse back in time to see Evan Williams’ original distillery through high definition video recreations of the Louisville wharf and Main Street in the late 18th Century, plus recreations of Whiskey Row building facades along Main Street from the 1890’s through the present. Meanwhile, visitors learn the essential differences between distilling during Evan Williams’ era and Heaven Hill’s modern Bernheim Distillery operations.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely. Drink Wisely.”

First release in landscape inspired series from the Isle of Arran Distillers 

The award-winning Isle of Arran Distillers is launching its latest series of limited-edition whiskies, this time celebrating the unique beauty of the landscape on the island. The first of The Explorers Series pays homage to Brodick Bay, which can be found on the east coast of the Isle of Arran.

The Brodick Bay whisky has been matured for a minimum of 20 years in both Bourbon barrels and Sherry hogsheads before being finished in Oloroso Sherry butts, sourced directly from Bodegas Tradicion in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. The result is a memorable sweetness with rich layers of intense fruit.

The first sip of the intense sweetness coats the taste buds as the creamy toffee develops into a treacle laced fudge. Dark chocolate raisins and honey give this dram delicious depth which stays long on the palate. Over time or with a drop of water, the Brodick Bay opens up to show another side with soft oak and hints of pink pepper.

Located 12 miles from the Isle of Arran’s Lochranza distillery, Brodick Bay is backed by dense woodlands of Scots pine and is guarded by the islands highest peak, Goat Fell. The bay is surrounded by a vast a unique terrain, ranging from a sandy beach, verdant field, lush forests and rocky mountain passes.

Speaking about The Explorers Series, Euan Mitchell, Managing Director of Isle of Arran Distillers, said: “Seeing the natural beauty of this island every day is so inspiring. It felt like the obvious choice to pay homage to the picturesque scenery through our new limited-edition series.

“This first release is a very complex and multi-layered whisky, which was a conscious choice to reflect the diversity and charm of the island. All the instalments from The Explorers Series will be innovative blend of flavours. We want to give whisky lovers something that is unlike anything else, because to us, there’s nowhere like the Isle of Arran.”

The Explorers Series follows the hugely popular Smugglers Series. Launched in 2015, it celebrated the illicit whisky trade that operated from Arran and up the Clyde to Glasgow.

The first installment of The Explorers Series is available from the Isle of Arran Distillers Visitor Centre in Lochranza or online at www.arranwhisky.com/shop-whiskies from Tuesday 10 July at 11am.  Suggested retail price is £130 for a 70cl bottle and only two bottles can be purchased by each customer.

Notes:

For more information visit www.arranwhisky.com 

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)

Product awards include: Best Whisky Liqueur (2007), ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 12 Years & Under’ for The Arran Malt Amarone Cask Finish (2008) ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for The Arran Malt Sherry Single Cask 1998 (2010) and ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for the Icons of Arran Peacock (2011.) ‘Double Gold Award’ for Arran’s 14 Year Old Single Malt and ‘Gold Award’ for Arran’s 10 Year Old Single Malt at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2012). Double Gold in FiftyBest.com awards (2012). Double Gold Medal for the 12 Year Old Cask Strength in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2013). Double Gold for both the 10 Year Old and 12 Year Old Cask Strength at the China Wine & Spirits Best Value Awards 2014.  Category Winner & Gold Medal ‘Best Scotch 13-20 Years – Islands (Non- Islay) World Whiskies Awards for the Arran 18 Year Old (2018). Category Winner & Gold Medal ‘No Age Statement Single Malt’ for The Bothy Batch 3 World Whiskies Awards (2018). Silver Medal ‘Single Malt 12 Years and Under’ World Whiskies Awards 2018 for the Arran 10-year-old (2018).

A WHISKY FILM
A DOCUMENTARY ABOUT SCOTLAND’S MASTER DISTILLERS
AND THEIR ONGOING QUEST TO CRAFT THE WORLD’S BEST WHISKY

(July 1, 2018 – Los Angeles, CA) In recent years, feature documentaries like Jiro Dreams of Sushi and TV shows like The Mind of the Chef and Chef’s Table have taken viewers inside the minds and the kitchens of many of the world’s best chefs, going far beyond simple cooking shows and instead focusing on the live  and influence of these culinary artists.

The Water of Life, a feature documentary about the ongoing quest to create the world’s best whisky, wants to give Scotland’s best distillers the same treatment. Conceived by director Greg Swartz during a whisky walking tour in the Scottish Highlands, the film will focus on a handful of distillers, some young and  upcoming, others legends who have helped build Scotch whisky into the worldwide colossus that it is.

“The film is not a travelogue or a how-to show,” says Swartz. “We’re not really interested in the global marketplace or the new record sales. We want to talk about the creative process involved in making a unique drink that has only three ingredients.”

Brittany Curran (The Magicians, Men of a Certain Age) is executive producing the film along with Trevor Jones and Lesley-Anne Morrison. The film is already partially financed and it began shooting last month in Scotland, but the producers just launched an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign complete the financing of the $250,000 film.

The film’s primary subject will be master distillers Jim McEwanand Dr. Bill Lumsden who are icons to devoted fans the world over. Their highly sought after whiskies are rivaled only by their funny, passionate and ribald storytelling.

The film will also feature stories about independent bottlers Gordon & MacPhail who consistently set records with their ability to age whiskies better and longer than anyone; the new Glasgow Distillery which is winning awards right out of  the gate; Carin Luna-Ostaseski, the American woman who crowdfunded her  way to creating her own award winning whisky, Sia; and other quirky and  interesting tales about the artistry and creativity in the whisky world.

The producers will be hosting a number of other whisky tastings and parties in  the weeks to come. Details are at wateroflifefilm.com/events/

PLEASE CONTACT:
media@wateroflifefilm.com

DIRECTOR GREG SWARTZ & PRODUCER BRITTANY CURRAN ARE
AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS
WEBSITE WITH TRAILER, ART & PRESS SITE:

www.wateroflifefilm.com

A.SMITH BOWMAN DISTILLERY AWARDED TWO DOUBLE GOLD MEDALS AT THE 2018 SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION

Three A. Smith Bowman spirits received silver and bronze 

FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA (June 21, 2018) – At this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition, John J. Bowman Single Barrel Virginia Straight Bourbon and Tinkerman’s Citrus Supreme Flavored Gin, both from A. Smith Bowman Distillery, won the highest honor, a double gold medal. In total, A. Smith Bowman received five medals from the competition.

This year, 48 spirits experts convened to judge a record breaking entry of more than 2,469 spirits from all over the world.

John J. Bowman Single Barrel Virginia Straight Bourbon and Tinkerman’s Citrus Supreme Flavored Gin were judged as some of the finest products in the world. The double gold medal is given only if every judge awards a gold medal to the product and only few entries receive it.

Other A. Smith Bowman spirits that were recognized include Bowman Brothers Small Batch Virginia Straight Bourbon and Tinkerman’s Sweet Spice Flavored Gin which were awarded silver, and Tinkerman’s Curiously Bright & Complex Flavored Gin, which received bronze.

This competition is associated with the Triple Crown of Competitions (The San Francisco International Wine Competition and New York World Wine and Spirits Competition), and continues to be highly respected and the most influential spirits competition after 18 years.

The SFWSC is judged by a panel of the spirit industry’s most renowned judges including award-winning authors, buyers, journalists, educators and bar owners, who rate each spirit based off a blind taste test.

Results from the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition can be found at http://sfspiritscomp.com/results/.

About A. Smith Bowman

1. 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. Its various brands have won more than 100 awards in the past five years, including “World’s Best Bourbon” in 2016 for its Abraham Bowman Port Finished Bourbon and again in 2017 for its John J. Bowman Single Barrel at the World Whisky Awards.  For more information on A. Smith Bowman, please visit www.asmithbowman.com.

BLACK FEATHER WHISKEY WINS DOUBLE GOLD AT THE SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION AND DOUBLES DOWN ON DIGITAL EXPERIENCE 

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Black Feather Whiskey has been awarded the rare Double Gold distinction at the 2018 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC). Known amongst industry insiders as the ‘Grammys of the spirits world,’ SFWSC is one of the world’s most respected spirits competitions due to its sterling ethics, procedural transparency and esteemed panel of judges.

Black Feather joins an elite group of brands that have won Double Gold in the history of the competition in the small-batch bourbon aged under five years category. With nearly 2,500 spirits submitted, Black Feather Whiskey stood out to the competition’s all-star panel of judges, who – after a rigorous four days of entry rounds, without receiving any information on the products they taste through, followed by the medal round – all furnished the American bourbon with a gold rating in a double-blind taste test.

Black Feather Whiskey was created to be accessible – a premium, but not precious, go-to American bourbon to be enjoyed by all levels of whiskey drinkers, whether poured neat, on the rocks or in a cocktail. A true whiskey workhorse, Black Feather starts big with an 86-proof kick, followed by an easy going finish. Its founders and investors include three media and entertainment platform builders, Jeremy Rawle and Travis Pastrana from the Nitro Circus franchise; and advisor/investor Rob Dyrdek, known for shows in which he has both starred and produced.

In addition to its smooth-drinking whiskey, Black Feather has become known for its many creative endeavors, the most recent of which is a new app that brings the brand’s illustrated crow, Odin, to life, sharing with fans the latest news about the brand, such as its strong showing at SFWSC. Through the app, now available for download from Google Play and the Apple App Store, users can interact with an animated Odin by pointing their smartphone at a bottle of Black Feather.

“The new app provides us with a mechanism for which to share with our fans the personality of our unofficial mascot, Odin, and to get the word out about our Double Gold distinction, all while having a little fun with our brand,” said Jeremy Rawle, CEO, Black Feather Whiskey. “Inspired by the hard-working artists, craftsmen, creators, doers and tradesmen, who like their lives driven by the creative fires that stoke within, its important for us to tell their stories. We’ll continue to develop content that will live on channels such as our app that share and honor those whose path in life is driven by living what they love.”

ABOUT BLACK FEATHER WHISKEY

Founded in 2016, Black Feather Whiskey is a true American product with handpicked allotments from Indiana, bottling in Houston, Texas, and headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah. Black Feather Whiskey is currently available in Texas, Utah, Colorado and California—and plans to open Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana and Florida in the coming months, with Illinois and Canada to follow. The average retail price is $30.00 for a 750ml bottle.

For more information on upcoming events, news and content releases and to join the #Featherhood, please visit blackfeatherwhiskey.com or stay connected on Facebook: facebook.com/blackfeatherwhiskey, Twitter: @bfwhiskey and Instagram: @blackfeatherwhiskey.

First core range release from The GlenAllachie Distillery 

Independent, boutique Scotch whisky distillery, The GlenAllachie has unveiled its first core range of aged single malts, which have been specially selected by Master Distiller and industry icon Billy Walker.

The release from the Speyside distillery all feature age statements ranging from 10-year-old cask strength, the flagship 12-year-old alongside 18 and 25-year-old bottlings.

This is the first core range release from the new company – Billy Walker acquired The GlenAllachie Distillery, with business partners Trisha Savage and Graham Stevenson, from Pernod Ricard in October 2017 in a multi-million-pound deal.

Billy Walker GlenAllachie Managing Director and Master Distiller explained: 

“The first release of our GlenAllachie core range has been a culmination of months of hard work and a passion to turn GlenAllachie into a very popular and much sought after single malt whisky.  It is an honour to be its custodian and to develop this range of single malts. 

“The range of casks we have warehoused is tremendous with nearly 50,000 maturing at our distillery, some of which date back to the 1970’s. Our aim is to nurture this tremendous spirit and for these single malts to be admired both home and abroad.”

Each release is natural colour, non-chill-filtered and bottled at a minimum of 46% ABV:

• The 10-year-old expression reflects Walker’s desire to showcase a taste of The GlenAllachie Distillery bottled straight from the cask at natural strength. The 57.1% whisky was matured in American oak, Pedro Ximinez, Oloroso and virgin oak casks, and is described as tasting of honey, vanilla, toffee, marmalade with a layer of rose hip and Caribbean spices.

• The 12-year-old single malt is described by Walker as “the heart of our range.” Matured in Pedro Ximinez, Oloroso and virgin oak casks, the whisky imparts sweet Butterscotch notes on the nose, and a taste of honey, marzipan and bananas, plus further lashings of Butterscotch.

• The Glenallachie 18-year-old exemplifies the signature style of GlenAllachie – a combination of rich and robust spirit with heather and butterscotch notes, along with subtle hints of dark chocolate.

• The pinnacle of the range, the 25-year-old, is a beautiful beaten copper colour following its quarter of a century maturing in Pedro Ximinez, Oloroso and American oak casks. This regally rich single malt whisky delivers lashings of sultanas, pineapples and dark chocolate, followed by layers of Christmas cake, marmalade and sweet spices.

The GlenAllachie now has distribution in more than 28 countries including strategic markets – the USA, Germany, Taiwan, China and France. In the UK The GlenAllachie is available from specialist retailers.

All the bottles bear the words ‘From the valley of the rocks’, translating from the original Gaelic name “Gleann Aileachaidh.”

Notes

Recommended Retail Selling Price (RRSP):

• The GlenAllachie 10 YO 57.1% cask strength – £57.00
• The GlenAllachie 12 YO 46% – £43.00
• The GlenAllachie 18 YO 46% – £92.00
• The GlenAllachie 25 YO 48% – £232.00

The GlenAllachie Distillery was designed by William Delme-Evans – the architect behind Jura, Macduff and Tullibardine – and was built in 1968 by Mackinlay McPherson, the distilling arm of brewers Scottish & Newcastle.  It sits within a 20-acre estate and uses water sourced from Hangman’s Craig and Black Banks on the slopes of Ben Rinnes. It has four stills but unusually it also has two separate spirit safes, one for each set of stills.

Walker has converted existing buildings on site to dunnage warehousing bringing total to 16 warehouses holding almost 50,000 casks of GlenAllachie. An additional 2 dunnage warehouses will also be built at the distillery along with a bottling line.

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

Facebook – @TheGlenAllachie

Twitter – @TheGlenAllachie

Instagram – @theglenallachie_

ARRON GRENDON PROVIDES A MASTERCLASS IN TEAM SPIRIT TO RECEIVE THE 2018 CHIVAS MASTERS CROWN

THAILAND BARTENDER WINS THIS YEAR’S CHIVAS MASTERS GLOBAL FINAL BY SHOWCASING THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY IN BARTENDING

Chivas Regal has crowned Arron Grendon from Tropic City in Bangkok, Thailand, the 2018 Chivas Masters Global Champion. The five-day final returned to Chivas’ roots at the Strathisla distillery in Speyside, the home of Chivas, before culminating at Oval Space in London, where Arron demonstrated exceptional leadership and collaboration to overcome immense competition from the world’s best bartending talent and lead his team to victory.

The fifth Chivas Masters Global Final required the 21 national winners to showcase Chivas’ core values of community, collaboration and generosity. Arron impressed the expert panel of judges throughout the five days and the final challenge saw him working alongside a team of 6 bartenders to establish their own sustainable pop-up cocktail bar and menu to excite the senses of their most important judge – the everyday public – with their community-inspired cocktails.

Starting off as a Food & Beverage trainee at a hotel in Phuket, Arron fell in love with hospitality and the passion showcased by the bartenders he worked alongside. This led him to do a month of training in the bar and he has been in love with bartending ever since.  His winning signature serve, The Grind, means to push oneself to work harder and to achieve one’s goals. It was inspired by his mother and the stories she used to tell about how hard the farmers in Thailand would have to work to provide rice and food for people to eat – just like John and James Chivas, who grew up on a farm themselves.

Arron’s team created the winning bar One Night in Bangkok at the Chivas Masters Global Final event in London, and was honoured as the 2018 Chivas Masters Collective – awarded for blending exceptional individual skill with an infectious sense of team spirit.

As the newly crowned 2018 Chivas Masters Global Champion, Arron has won an all-access trip to Tales of The Cocktail 2018 in New Orleans, the chance to travel the world with Chivas to inspire bartenders of the future and joins the exclusive, close-knit community of previous winners. The winning Chivas Masters Collective team led by Arron comprised Angel Solorzano Chumpitaz (Peru), Martin Suaya (Argentina), Kentaro Wada (Japan), Yuta Inagaki (Hong Kong), Rick Marson (Netherlands), and Louis Marcpherson (Australia).

Upon being crowned champion, Arron commented: “We wanted to bring Bangkok to London for just one night with our bar, so One Night in Bangkok was born. I love the community in the market in Bangkok that brings together people from all around the world through food and drink – and that’s what I wanted to recreate. My team spent five days together in the run-up to the global final, so I got to know what everyone was good at and how we could work best together. When you have a good team and a good connection, you can achieve anything.”

Richard Black, Global Marketing Director at Chivas Regal, comments: “It was another fantastic year for bartending talent at the Chivas Masters Global Final in London, with an unrivalled display of creativity and teamwork on a global stage. Arron demonstrated originality, skill, leadership and, most importantly, a real sense of community throughout the final week. This really shone through when he successfully blended all of the attributes of his supporting team to create a bar experience none of the attendees will forget in a hurry. For the first time in the competition’s five-year history we also made our consumers part of the competition, giving them the chance to try Chivas cocktails made by some of the world’s best bartenders and then cast their vote to help crown the winner.”

The 2018 Chivas Masters Global Final was hosted by Rhys Wilson, 2017 UK Chivas Masters winner. He was supported throughout by a distinguished panel of internationally acclaimed judges: Matt Whiley, pioneering London bartender and founder of award-winning bars including Worship Street Whistling Shop; Laura-May Coope, Co-founder of Social Life and social media superstar; JJ Goodman, Founder of The London Cocktail Club bar group, Craft Cocktail Co. bottled cocktails, and Keystones Cocktail Club; Bea Bradsell; storyteller and daughter of Dick Bradsell (creator of the Espresso Martini and the Bramble). Each not only scored the contestants, but also shared their insights and expertise through a series of inspirational masterclasses over the course of the week.

Arron’s winning drinks ritual:

The Grind

50ml Chivas Extra

15ml Fino Sherry

30ml Coconut & Black sticky rice cream

5ml Sugarcane shrub

10ml Banana Syrup

The Chivas Masters Collective teams:

Bar: One night in Bangkok

Leader: Arron Grendon (Thailand)

Team members:

Angel Solorzano Chumpitaz (Peru)

Martin Suaya (Argentina)

Kentaro Wada (Japan)

Yuta Inagaki (Hong Kong)

Rick Marson (Netherlands)

Louis Marcpherson (Australia)

Bar: #Brotherhood1801

Leader: Filip Jančárek (Czech Republic)

Team members :

Valentino Longo (USA)

Alex Godfrey (U.K)

Bartosz Konieczny (Poland)

German Gochev (Bulgaria)

Alex Sepulchro (Brazil)

Oscar Jesus Armenta Garcia (Mexico)

Bar: Broken Bench

Leader: Louis Lebaillif (France)

Team members :

Michael Chen (China)

Stefano Ruocco (UAE)

Fabián Ramos (Cuba)

Julio Ruiz (Dominican Republic)

Houssam Bennani (Morocco)

Chloé Merz (Switzerland)

About Chivas Regal

Launched in 1909, Chivas Regal is the world’s first luxury whisky and is considered to be a timeless classic, renowned for its benchmark quality and taste, style, substance and exclusivity. A truly global brand, Chivas Regal has been integral to the growth of the Scotch whisky category worldwide and today sells 4.5 million 9L cases annually in more than 150 countries across the globe. With generosity, entrepreneurship and integrity at the heart of Chivas Regal, the brand launched its successful Win the Right Way campaign in 2014, which aims to inspire a new generation whilst making a positive impact on the lives of others. The Chivas Regal range includes Chivas Regal 12, Chivas Regal Extra, Chivas Regal Mizunara, Chivas Regal 18, our first blended malt Chivas Regal Ultis, Chivas Regal 25, the pinnacle of the range and ultra-prestige blend Chivas Regal The Icon, and the Global Travel Retail exclusive Chivas Brothers Blend.

www.chivas.com

An experiment in innovation… The A. D. Rattray Octave Project 

The A. D. Rattray Octave project involved taking a cask of matured whisky from a single distillery, and dividing it between four different Octave casks. The 50 litre Octave casks were crafted from oak staves taken from a larger cask that had previously contained either PX Sherry, Oloroso Sherry, Rioja or Rum. The aim was to investigate the effect of the amplified wood-to-spirit interaction during a short burst of second wood maturation.

Having carefully monitored the Octaves over time, at five months they decided the wood finishes were ready to bottle. One portion of whisky from the original cask was retained to enable a point of comparison.

The experiment, as detailed above, was conducted with an Arran 2011 Bourbon Barrel, Pulteney 2007 Bourbon Hogshead and Bunnahabhain 2002 Bourbon Hogshead.

The Results

The results have been presented in sets containing 5 x 30ml samples including the original Bourbon cask and the 4 Octave finishes – PX Sherry, Oloroso Sherry, Rioja and Rum.

The 3 sets, Arran (£25), Pulteney (£30) and Bunnahabhain (£35), are available to buy exclusively from A. D. Rattray on their new online shop – shop.adrattray.com. Limited numbers of 700ml bottles of each cask finish can also be purchased.

A. D. Rattray have chosen not to comment on their results or to publish official tasting notes, as they want to know what the whisky community think.

So get your samples and join the conversation #theoctaveproject

Notes:

Shop online for UK delivery at shop.adrattray.com or contact A. D. Rattray to enquire about international shipping.

For a limited time you can book a tasting of the Bunnahabhain Octave Project in the tasting room at the A. D. Rattray Whisky Experience in Kirkoswald, Enjoy a hosted tasting of the original Bourbon Hogshead and the 4 Octave finishes for £35 p.p. – book online at adrattray.com

About A. D. Rattray

A, D. Rattray, an independent whisky company established in 1868, are renowned for selecting and maturing Scotland’s best casks of single malt whisky for their Cask Collection single cask range. Their whisky portfolio also includes the award-winning single malt brands Cask Islay and Stronachie and the premium blend, Bank Note. Based on the West Coast of Scotland, you can visit their 5 star visitor attraction and home of their brands, the A. D. Rattray Whisky Experience and Shop in Kirkoswald, Ayrshire.