Holyrood Distillery appoints Visitor Experience Director ahead of 2019 opening 

Holyrood Distillery is gearing up for opening later this year with the appointment of Debs Newman as Visitor Experience Director.

As a member of Holyrood Distillery’s senior management team, Debs will be focusing on the development and delivery of Holyrood’s ambitious visitor experience.

The shape and character of Holyrood’s visitor experience has already played a pivotal role in the planning and construction of the distillery. At Holyrood’s ‘Home of Flavour’, guests will be able to immerse themselves in every aspect of sprit production and distillation, providing them with a multi-sensory experience.

Debs brings a wealth of prior experience to the role. Most recently she was Director of Visitor Experience and Operations at the new V&A Dundee, responsible for the development and delivery of building services and visitor operations. Prior roles include Head of Business Operations at Edinburgh Zoo and Head of Visitor Services and Retail at the Palace of Westminster, home of UK Parliament.

“We are delighted that Debs has joined us” said Bill Farrar, Managing Director. “Our ambition at Holyrood Distillery is to offer an outstanding experience to our visitors, entertaining and educating them regardless of their level of scotch whisky knowledge. Debs brings not only an exceptional depth of operational and planning experience but also fresh ideas which will allow Holyrood Distillery to offer its own unique approach to whisky tourism in Scotland.”

Holyrood Distillery is currently under construction in central Edinburgh. With the production of four gins already underway, Holyrood Distillery will produce a range of single malt whiskies and provide visitor tours from its opening in mid-2019. With flavour at the forefront and unconstrained by heritage, category and tradition, Holyrood Distillery will be a distinctively different spirits company. For more information please see www.holyrooddistillery.co.uk.

RAASAY DISTILLERY PREVIEWS FIRST RAASAY SINGLE MALT AT NATIONAL WHISKY FESTIVAL AND BEGINS TAKING PRE-ORDERS

Attendees at The National Whisky Festival in Glasgow will be among the first in the world to preview the Isle of Raasay Single Malt Scotch Whisky during Head Distiller Iain Robertson’s Whisky Masterclass on Saturday 26th January.

Festival-goers will also be given an exclusive opportunity to reserve one of the first bottles of Isle of Raasay Single Malt in Scotch whisky history. Pre-orders for the first Raasay Single Malt will then be available on general release on www.raasaydistillery.com from 14th February.

At the exclusive ‘Whisky Masterclass’, Raasay’s Head Distiller Iain Robertson will showcase the new-make spirit alongside cask samples from Raasay. Iain Robertson will conduct tastings of five different drams from specially selected rye, virgin oak and Bordeaux casks, exploring the blending, balance and finish that will characterise the first Isle of Raasay Distillery Scotch Whisky due to be released in 2020.

Visitors to the Raasay Distillery stand will also be able to sample Raasay While We Wait’s 2018 Release – a peaty yet fruity whisky that was created to represent the flavour profile of the future Raasay Single Malt. This is the fourth expression of the independent bottling launched in 2018 to mark one year since production began at Raasay Distillery and to kick-start the two-year countdown to the first bottling of Raasay whisky.

The National Whisky Festival will take place in the iconic SWG3 venue in Glasgow’s Kelvinhaugh as part of the largest winter music festival of its kind: Celtic Connections. Music has played a significant part in Raasay Distillery festivities since the Isle of Skye pipe band first welcomed guests at the 2017 grand opening, and since then as part of the regular ‘Raasay Tunes’ events, which celebrate a wealth of musical talent. The star line-up for Raasay Tunes in 2019 will also be revealed at the event in Glasgow.

Raasay Distillery is owned by independent Scottish whisky company R&B Distillers, which will also be showcasing its heritage brand The Tweeddale at The National Whisky Festival. Brand Ambassador Chris Hoban will be telling the story of the rebirth of the Tweeddale Blend with guests able to sample the 28-year-old Tweeddale: The Evolution and Tweeddale Grain of Truth Single Grain. Chris will also host a live blending session with a selection of Highland single malt and grain whisky, with a chance for guests to try the whisky blended during the class.

NOTES

Raasay Distillery will be at Stand 25 in the Galvanizers Hall at The National Whisky Festival at Celtic Connections.

Tickets to The National Whisky Festival are priced at £37 and available to purchase on the website: www.nationalwhiskyfestival.scot

Places at R&B Distillers’ tasting events are limited with places allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets for the tasting events will be announced on the National Whisky Festival Facebook page.

ISLE OF RAASAY DISTILLERY Isle of Raasay Distillery opened in September 2017 and became the first “legal” distillery on the beautiful Hebridean island. Co-founded by Scottish entrepreneurs Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day, Raasay Distillery is designed to produce a contemporary Scottish island malt and catapult Raasay into the global market as Scotland’s newest whisky producing island. Raasay Distillery is proud to be one of the few 100% Scottish-owned Scotch whisky businesses in Scotland. On the site of the Victorian-era Borodale House, formerly the Isle of Raasay Hotel, is a state-of-the-art modern distillery, offering year- round tours and luxury accommodation, with, arguably, the best view of any distillery in Scotland. The distillery has since received Five-Star Visitor Attraction rating and Four-Star Accommodation rating from VisitScotland for the visitor centre and accommodation respectively. Isle of Raasay Single Malt will be lightly peated and fruity, utilising the best of the island’s natural elements and reflecting Raasay’s rugged natural beauty. Raasay Distillery uses water from an ancient Celtic well located behind Borodale House at every stage of production, from mashing to fermentation, cask reduction and reduction to bottling strength, ensuring that natural flavours are retained in the final whisky.

Working with local crofters, Raasay Distillery has successfully grown and harvested barley in a nearby field, the first time that barley has been grown on Raasay in over 40 years. In August 2018, the team successfully produced spirit from the 2017 batch of Raasay barley crop, which will mature into the first ever single malt produced from Raasay-grown barley in 2021. Raasay While We Wait is an independently bottled single malt – which has been crafted as an accurate preview of Raasay Distillery’s future core style. Designed as a peaty and fruity single malt, each iteration of Raasay While We Wait has been crafted through the vatting of two malts from a single Highland distillery – heavily peated at 45ppm and unpeated – matured in bourbon barrels and finished in Tuscan Montechiari wine casks.

Raasay Distillery, Borodale House, Isle of Raasay, Kyle IV40 8PB
raasaydistillery.com Instagram/ Facebook: @raasaydistillery, Twitter: @RaasayWhisky

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY BREAKS ANOTHER

RECORD FOR VISITATION

More than 230,000 Guests Visited Historic Distillery in 2018 

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Jan. 22, 2019) – Buffalo Trace Distillery continues to see exceptional tourism growth, setting new records for visitation year over year. The Distillery ended 2018 having welcomed a record-breaking 231,523 visitors during the calendar year. This is a 15 percent increase in visitation over the previous year, and a 345 percent increase since 2010.

            This rapid increase in tourism is on trend with growing bourbon sales and is why the National Historic Landmark distillery is in the midst of a $1.2 billion investment to expand its distilling and aging capabilities, and again expand its visitor center to accommodate an increasing number of guests.

            “It’s exciting to be growing in all aspects, we are thrilled that so many people took their time to come and see our team at work” Meredith Moody, director of Homeplace development said. “Our growth in visitation has allowed us to expand our tour offerings to six different complimentary tours, and offer our guests a unique look at the Distillery with each visit. Having just completed an expansion of our Visitor Center in 2015, we are looking forward to again expanding our tour capabilities to accommodate even more guests as we continue to grow.”

            Planning is underway now for the second expansion of the Visitor Center. The Distillery anticipates construction to begin by this fall.

Also part of its Distillery expansion, Buffalo Trace just finished replacing its 1951 boiler, and will soon begin adding 12 additional fermenters and replacing the mash cookers. In order to make room, the existing bottling hall is in the process of moving to another area on site where the bottling lines will be modernized to allow for more efficiency and better capacity.

The Distillery is also building 22 new barrel warehouses on the farm it owns adjacent to the Distillery at a rate of one new warehouse every four months. Each warehouse will hold 58,800 barrels.

This is all part of the first large scale structural expansion at Buffalo Trace Distillery’s campus since the 1950s.

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.

J&B Rare Re-launch

Author: Chadwick Delaney, Managing Director, Justerini & Brooks

1. Where was J&B Rare distributed before it was taken back?

From 1997 until April 2018, J&B Rare was distributed initially by Diageo Great Britain, and then subsequently through a third party. The decision was made to return distribution back to Justerini & Brooks as of 1st May 2018. A move that made perfect sense, given the heritage and association of the brand: Justerini & Brooks being the original creators of J&B Rare back in the 1930s.

2. Was it available in the UK during this time? If so, where?

Between 1997 and April 2018, it was available principally in Grocery and Convenience stores. Bringing the whisky back into the Justerini & Brooks wine and spirits portfolio made perfect sense: we maintain strong ties with both premium on and off trade clients, with the J&B Rare serves now being listed across Drake & Morgan and Darwin & Wallace groups.

3. Why now for its return?

As the creators of one of the world’s most distinctive whisky brands, Justerini & Brooks was delighted to welcome J&B Rare back to the family and introduce the blend to a new generation of whisky drinkers. We believe the timing is perfect: consumers are more and more concerned with provenance, heritage and brand stories. Originally enjoyed by maverick men and women and brought to eminence by the Hollywood rat-pack, J&B Rare has amassed a rich heritage, alongside delivering a quality blend that is enjoyed neat as a cocktail. J&B Rare’s return to Justerini & Brooks marks a pivotal moment in the company’s longstanding association with its house brand and are excited to introduce J&B Rare to a new whisky audience throughout Great Britain in 2018 and beyond.

4. Why Waitrose?

Waitrose and Partners is a company that we are delighted to be working very closely with: they provide the perfect platform to introduce new customers to J&B Rare. We were delighted to be part of the wonderful Waitrose Drinks Festival this year and invite their customers to sample J&B Rare. We had fantastic feedback on the quality of the liquid, especially its versatility and mixability.

5. Any plans to build further off-trade distribution?

Yes! We are very excited about the many, varied opportunities we have in 2019 and beyond to further elevate distribution of the brand in the GB on and off-trade.

J&B RARE SCOTCH WHISKY FACTSHEET

J&B Rare Scotch whisky is a blend of 42 malt and grain whiskies. It is one of the most popular blends in the world, known for its subtle, smooth and complex flavour. Created in the 1930s, its lighter style suited the palates of post-Prohibition America, rising to prominence from its public association with the Hollywood Rat Pack in the ‘50s and ‘60s.

Since early 2018, Justerini & Brooks took back the exclusive distribution in Great Britain after 21 years.

Prior to this, J&B was distributed by Diageo via a 3rd party, and only available in the UK market from a small number of grocer and cash & carry’s. The whisky now sits alongside Justerini & Brooks’ existing portfolio of fine wines and rare malts.

Tasting notes:

Fruity and aromatic on the nose with notes of soft apple and pear. Naturally pale in colour with layers of rich vanilla, well balanced with a smooth finish. Matured in oak casks for a minimum of three years, the finer heart malts are aged for longer to add fullness and depth of flavour, creating the unique taste of J&B Rare. Lively and light, New Grain creates a subtle canvas for the blend. New Malts add body and aromatic notes of spice and fresh fruit. These are perfectly balanced by American oak and just a hint of smoke.

RRP: £22.50 (Currently available at £18.50, Waitrose & Partners nationwide until 1 January 2019)
Strength/size: 70cl, 40% vol
Distributer: Justerini & Brooks

SOUTH AFRICA’S OLDEST SINGLE GRAIN WHISKY LAUNCHED 

Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky, the proudly South African and internationally award-winning single grain whisky, has launched a limited edition 15-Year-Old Single Grain Whisky exclusive to Big5 Duty Free Cape Town International and OR Tambo International Airports, and The James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington.

Only 3600 bottles have been made available with the first bottles sold signed by Founder Distiller, Andy Watts.

Crafted at the James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington about an hour’s drive from Cape Town, South Africa, the 15-Year-Old is the first of the Founder’s Collection series of whiskies launched, showcasing the exceptional quality of South Africa’s sun-kissed grain whisky.

The 15-Year-Old single grain whisky started its life off as Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky and spent an additional 10 years maturing in older American oak to reveal new depths and layers of flavour and smoothness.

Andy says Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky is one of his finest whiskies he has ever created and when launched in 2009 he knew then that it would only be the beginning for this whisky.

Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky was awarded as the World’s Best Grain Whisky at the 2013 and again in 2018 at the World Whiskies Awards held in London along with as a host of gold and double gold medals at all the major international whisky competitions.

It is the only whisky in the world to be made from 100% South African sun-kissed grain, and double matured first for three years in casks previously used for the maturation of bourbon before being re-vatted into a fresh set of ex-bourbon casks for double the extraction of flavour.

“It took me 10 years to perfect Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky and it was during this time that I realised that it has the potential to age much further than originally anticipated due to the flavour profile being upfront and complex. But in the world of whisky nothing is immediate or guaranteed and so I went about on an exploration, hoping that my experiment would not disappoint my vision.”

“And my curiosity certainly paid off! I re-vatted the Bain’s into 3rd and 4th fill American Oak and for 10 years regularly tasted the whisky to track its progress. At 15 years, the whisky was at its most optimum. Bottled at a strength of 52.5% Alcohol by Volume, the whisky’s complexity and flavour driven profile shines through.”

Dark amber in colour, soft floral notes intertwining with spice, tropical fruits, banana and teak aromas open-up on the nose. Sweet butterscotch, raisins and banana loaf flavours coats the mouth with a complex, smooth and delicately lingering taste. The finish is warm and spicy with an incredibly smooth and silky mouthfeel.

This first in the Founder’s Collection series pays tribute to Andrew Geddes Bain who built the Bain’s Kloof Pass, one of his most spectacular mountain passes constructed across South Africa.  Completed in 1853, the pass winds through the Limietberg Nature Reserve with sharp hairpin bends and to this day remains one of the most picturesque routes in the Cape.

The tribute to Bain will continue over the next few years when the Founder’s Collection will see a number of limited release single grain whiskies launched, featuring the magnificent passes he built.

The whisky will retail for R950 at Big Five Duty Free until stocks last. The whisky will also be available for R1000 at The James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington only when visiting the distillery as part of the pre-booked tasting and tour (to book a tour and tasting visit www.webtickets.co.za).

Social media: @BainsWhisky #BainsMoments

WHISKEY BURN: THE DISTILLERIES OF IRELAND BY VESPA

Why are so many distilleries popping up in Ireland at the moment? One man and his Vespa set off to find out.

Birdsall takes us on a 3-week camping tour around the island of Ireland to visit the established, newly established and yet-to-be-established distilleries.

Travelling on his trusty, 1979, classic Vespa 50, touring the whiskey distilleries, painting, sketching, sampling the produce back at the campsites, this already established travel writer opens the doors to a new generation of Irish whiskey distilleries.

It is a travelogue, a pictorial record, a guide to the new faces and new landscapes of distilling in Ireland, and an amusing, engaging read that no whiskey enthusiast’s bookshelf should be without.

“Delightful and enjoyable read. If you want to know about the renaissance in Irish whiskey this is the book” – John Teeling

 “This is a book well worth having” – Séamus Ó Drisceoil, Cape Clear Distillery

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born into an English/Irish family in 1967, artist and writer Ben Birdsall grew up between the two countries before moving to Italy to study painting. His literary works began with an Irish novel, Blue Charm, followed by a series of Vespa-tour books including Tuscany by Vespa, Umbria by Vespa, and Whisky Burn – Distilleries of Scotland by Vespa: the Highlands and Islands.

ISBN: 978-94-93066-00-7 Date Published: 8th November, 2018

Publisher: Wittenborg University Press Format: 365 pages, Illustrated Price: €29.99

Website: www.whiskyburn.com

Raise a dram with the Cotswolds Distillery this Burns Night

Fancy trying something different this Burns Night? For most people, Scotland is, and always has been the home of whisky. However, why not try something different and celebrate with something from south of the border with one of the Cotswolds Distillery’s award-winning offerings?

The Cotswolds Distillery Single Malt

The Cotswolds Distillery Single Malt is the first ever whisky to be created in the Cotswolds ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ and is created using only Cotswolds-grown barley. The inaugural whisky is rich and fruity in style and has been matured in a combination of first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels and specially shaved, toasted and re-charred red wine casks. The young expression bursts with notes of honey and butterscotch, layered with light fruits (peaches, apricots) and a hint of marzipan. To taste, the whisky is rich with malt, oils and dark sugar. Spice and caramelised bitter orange lead into a long, resinous finish with dark red fruits and a hint of treacle.

Perfect For: A whisky enthusiast looking for something different to toast Burns Night with friends. 

RRP: £44.95

Stockist: www.waitrose.com

The Cotswolds Distillery Founder’s Choice

The award-winning Cotswolds Distillery recently launched its first cask strength single malt whisky expression, the Founder’s Choice. The whisky is aged in their shaved, toasted and re-charred American oak red wine barrels and has a rich and intense maturation. The cask has a fruity spirit, with toffee, oak and red fruit notes as well as a beautiful deep colour.

Perfect for: Something special to commemorate this age-old Scottish tradition.

RRP: £64.95

Stockist: www.cotswoldsdistillery.com  

Notes

The Cotswolds Distillery

Located in Stourton, Shipston-on-Stour, the distillery has become a premier local attraction, offering tours and tastings daily, and now receives 30,000 visitors a year.

Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky was launched in October 2017. Each bottle lists the barley variety, harvest year and local Cotswolds farm it was grown on. It recently won Gold at the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition and took 2 stars (one of only two whiskies to do so) in the 2018 Great Taste Awards.

In Jim Murray’s 2019 Whisky Bible, the Cotswolds Distillery received 5 ‘Liquid Gold’ awards. Three of Cotswolds’ whiskies scored 95 points, with all of the distillery’s samples scoring over 88 out of 100.

Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky is available nationally and in 26 countries across the world. Key UK retailers include Waitrose & Partners, Majestic Wine, The Whisky Exchange, Harrods and Laithwaites.

 The distillery also produces Cotswolds Dry Gin, which was named Best London Dry at the 2016 World Gin Awards and received the top Gold Outstanding award in the 2017 International Wine and Spirits Competition. Difford’s Guide recently ranked the Gin as one of the top 20 Gins available in a survey of 450 brands.

Cotswolds Dry Gin is on sale nationally and in over 25 countries.  Key national accounts include Waitrose & Partners, Majestic, Oddbins, Laithwaites, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, and Fortnum & Mason.

For more information, please visit www.cotswoldsdistillery.com.

Gordon & MacPhail launches oldest release from famous distillery as part of its ‘Private Collection’

Gordon & MacPhail, the single malt Scotch whisky creator, has unveiled a new addition to its ‘Private Collection’: Gordon & MacPhail 1948 from Glen Grant Distillery. At 70-years-old, it is the oldest expression from the Speyside distillery ever bottled.

The latest release closely follows the acclaimed 50-year-old Gordon & MacPhail 1968 from Caol Ila Distillery, the oldest single malt ever bottled from the Islay distillery.

The rare and exclusive Gordon & MacPhail 1948 from Glen Grant Distillery was matured in Cask 2154, a first fill Sherry butt filled on 11 June 1948 – six years before barley rationing restrictions were lifted following the Second World War. Only 210 decanters of this highly sought-after whisky are available to purchase.

The ‘Private Collection’ comprises a selection of rare single malts from celebrated, little-known, or closed distilleries personally selected by members of the Urquhart family, owners of Gordon & MacPhail.

Members of four generations of the Urquhart family nurtured Cask 2154. John Urquhart selected the cask with his son, George, back in 1948. George oversaw storage of the cask in the fabled Warehouse No. 5 at Glen Grant Distillery. His eldest son, Ian, monitored the whisky and, in May 1968, arranged for the Sherry butt to be moved to Gordon & MacPhail’s Elgin warehouse. Ian’s nephew, Stuart, the company’s Operations Director, selected Cask 2154 for bottling on 19 October 2018.

Stephen Rankin, Gordon & MacPhail’s Director of Prestige and member of the fourth generation of the Urquhart family, reflected: “Our family has matured single malt whiskies for 123 years, each generation passing on its knowledge of how to combine spirit and oak to create exquisite whiskies. Four generations of my family have carefully nurtured Cask 2154 over its 70 years to produce this unique whisky.

“My great-grandfather, John, selected the first fill Sherry butt in 1948 to fill with new-make spirit from Glen Grant. My family has patiently watched over this cask, regularly monitoring and sampling the whisky, recognising the right moment to bottle it at its ultimate peak. This masterpiece epitomises the skill and craft involved in matching a cask to new-make spirit, as well as our dedication to creating unique and intriguing whiskies.

“Thanks to the notable influence of the Sherry butt on the spirit over the years, the elegant whisky displays flavours of dried fruit, orange zest, and cracked black pepper whilst maintaining a long, smooth charred oak finish. The remarkable 70-year-old malt also has delicate smoky notes, a reminder that, in 1948, the distillery would have been using traditional practices on their floor maltings and local peat as a fuel.”

Bottled at cask strength (ABV 48.6%), the amber coloured single malt is presented in an exquisitely engraved, hand-blown crystal decanter. The stunning whisky is framed in a striking wooden presentation case, with doors which smoothly slide open to reveal the precious contents.

In April 2018, Gordon & MacPhail streamlined its portfolio of single malt Scotch whiskies. Over recent months, the company has unveiled several remarkable ‘Private Collection’ releases: Gordon & MacPhail 1968 from Caol Ila Distillery and Gordon & MacPhail 1954 from Glenlivet Distillery.

Gordon & MacPhail 1948 from Glen Grant Distillery will be available for purchase worldwide from selected specialist retailers* (UK RRP £17,500**).

For more information, please visit www.gordonandmacphail.com.

#GordonandMacPhail

*Gordon & MacPhail 1948 from Glen Grant Distillery will be available to purchase in the US in spring 2019.

**Prices in international markets may vary due to local taxes and import duties.

Notes 

Tasting Notes

Gordon & MacPhail 1948 from Glen Grant Distillery (Private Collection)

48.6% ABV, outturn of 210 bottles, UK RRP of £17,500.

Colour: Amber.

Aroma: Initially sweet – vanilla fudge, strawberry, and raspberry nuances develop into thick apricot jam. Waxy polish aromas emerge and mix with cinnamon and candied orange peel. Gentle and lingering smoky traces complement the balanced mature oak notes. With time, a subtle, fresh mint note unfolds.

Taste: Smooth; subtle Sherry-soaked fruit flavours fuse with fresh orange zest and cardamom undertones. A slightly dried herbal element develops and transforms into mouth-warming cracked black pepper and aniseed flavours. Delicate smoky notes endure.

Finish: A smooth, long, lingering finish introduces elegant charred oak and flashes of citrus.

Gordon & MacPhail Whiskies

Established in 1895, family-owned Gordon & MacPhail is curator of some of the world’s finest and rarest single malt Scotch whiskies from over 100 distilleries. Four generations of the Urquhart family have continued to pursue the perfect partnership between spirit and cask.

Since its foundation, Gordon & MacPhail has carefully matched spirit to the highest quality oak casks which are sent to distilleries throughout Scotland, filled with new-make spirit, and matured either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouse in Elgin.

It is this simple but endlessly complex pairing that creates an intriguing and unique portfolio of expressions – single malts that Scotch whisky lovers will not find anywhere else.

In April 2018, the company unveiled its streamlined portfolio:

• ‘Discovery’ – Utterly dependable, this flavour-led range is the perfect introduction to our portfolio of quality single malt Scotch whiskies.
• ‘Distillery Labels’ – A range celebrating our long-standing relationships with Scotland’s distilleries.
• ‘Connoisseurs Choice’ – The heart of our portfolio – always unique, these non-chill-filtered, natural coloured, small batch expressions are genuine one-offs.
• ‘Private Collection’ – Greatly-aged single malts from celebrated, little-known, or closed distilleries specially selected by members of the Urquhart family.
• ‘Generations’ – A prestigious collection of old, rare, and exclusive masterpieces.

Forty Creek Rye Named 2019 Whisky of the Year

VICTORIA, Jan. 18, 2019 / – The best whisky in Canada is an all-rye whisky, distilled 22 years ago at Forty Creek Distillery in Grimsby, Ontario.

After blind tastings of well over 100 whiskies, 10 independent whisky experts have declared Forty Creek 22-year-old Rye as Canadian Whisky of the Year in the ninth annual Canadian Whisky Awards.

Held each January at the Hotel Grand Pacific in Victoria, BC, as part of the Victoria Whisky Festival, the Canadian Whisky Awards recognize the very best whiskies produced in Canada.

Awards founder, Davin de Kergommeaux described Forty Creek 22 year-old Rye as: “A huge, yet elegant rye whisky, just bursting with complex flavours.”

Other top accolades went to whiskies from JP Wiser’s, Canadian Club, Crown Royal, and Gooderham and Worts. Forty Creek founder, John K. Hall was announced as the first member of the Canadian Whisky Hall of Fame, while Dr. Don Livermore was named the Blender of the Year.

“Every year the whiskies are just that much better than the year before,” said de Kergommeaux as he revealed the winners. “Top whiskies from five or six years ago might earn a silver medal today. The competition is that intense.”

As the Canada’s pre-eminent Canadian whisky competition, the independent judging panel, served up some surprise honours to relative newcomers such as Saskatchewan’s Last Mountain distillery which took home top spot as Microdistillery of the Year.

If this year’s record setting submissions are an indication, Canadian whisky fans have an extremely exciting 2019 to look forward to.

Note to editors:

About the Canadian Whisky Awards The Canadian Whisky Awards, held annually in conjunction with the Victoria Whisky Festival, recognize the very best Canadian whiskies and encourage distillers to maintain the highest quality standards. To qualify, the whisky must be distilled and matured in Canada. An independent panel of whisky experts selects the winners after tasting each whisky blind. Operated on a not-for-profit basis, the Canadian Whisky Awards are fully independent of the Canadian whisky industry.

Photo caption: Forty Creek distiller, Bill Ashburn (centre) accepts the award for Whisky of the Year from head judge and awards founder, Davin de Kergommeaux (l), and co-host Heather Leary (r).

Photo Credit: Jen Steele

For full results www.canadianwhisky.org

Macallan Lalique Six Pillars Collection Leads the way in Record Breaking Online Auction

PERTH, SCOTLAND – Bottles from The Macallan Lalique Six Pillars collection have broken auction records after being sold in a recent auction by Whisky Auctioneer (www.whiskyauctioneer.com), achieving a collective hammer price across the four lots of £296,500.

This price surpasses the previous record from November 2018, when four bottles from the same series sold at auction for a collective hammer price of £272,000 according to Rare Whisky 101.

The Macallan Lalique Six Pillars Collection is one of the most exclusive and desirable ranges of whisky in the world. Featuring in the auction was the 50 Year Old, 55 Year Old, 57 Year Old and 60 Year Old.   These lots prompted an enormous amount of interest and bidding activity from across the globe with over 140 bids placed across the four lots. The eventual winners were located in the US, Asia and the UK.

The bottles also played a contributing role in an even larger record being broken. With a total value in excess of £2.6 million, Whisky Auctioneer’s December Auction itself is the highest value online auction ever. Close to £850,000 of this £2.6million came from sales of bottles of The Macallan alone.

These records not only indicate the continuing global demand for buying and selling whisky on the secondary market but also the increasing use of online auctions as a means for private collectors and investors to access old, rare and iconic whiskies.

Iain McClune, director of Whisky Auctioneer, said: “We are beyond delighted to feature these exceptional bottles in our auction. They represent the absolute pinnacle of rare whisky collecting and investing.”

“Our most recent auction result illustrates that the very highest end of the secondary market, which was once the preserve of the traditional auction house and its attendees, is now accessible via online auction. A positive development that makes the buying and selling of whisky an easier and more straightforward process that is open to all.”

It was not just The Macallan that broke records either: Other record-breaking bottles sold within the same auction include the Hibiki Arita Decanter, that achieved a hammer price of £17,500 and the Bruichladdich 1960 Sherry Cask 100 Proof, that achieved a hammer price of £10,000.

It is not unusual for the Perth based company to see records broken in their monthly auctions however the large number witnessed in their most recent auction speaks of an exciting year ahead both for Whisky Auctioneer and the industry as a whole.

The next auction goes live on 25 January and will close on 4 February.

Listings and further information below:

Listings:

 https://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/lot/156063/macallan-50-year-old-lalique-six-pillars-collection

https://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/lot/156066/macallan-55-year-old-lalique-six-pillars-collection

https://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/lot/156064/macallan-57-year-old-lalique-six-pillars-collection

https://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/lot/156065/macallan-60-year-old-lalique-six-pillars-collection

https://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/lot/148469/hibiki-35-year-old-arita-decanter

https://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/lot/148631/bruichladdich-1960-sherry-cask-100-proof

For more information on auctions or to register to participate in the next auction please visit www.whiskyauctioneer.com

Additional Information

1. Whisky Auctioneer specialises in auctioning whisky, whether it be fine, old, rare, collectable or affordable.
2. Formed in 2013 and based in Perth, central Scotland, Whisky Auctioneer aims to be the most comprehensive website available for the buying and selling of whisky.
3. Whisky Auctioneer holds regular monthly online auctions as well as specialist auctions for collectible whiskies and exclusive releases.
4. To buy or sell on the Whisky Auctioneer website, an account must be first set up here: https://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/register
5. Social Media Handles:
   1. twitter: @whisky_auction
   2. facebook: @WhiskyAuctioneer
   3. web: whiskyauctioneer.com