EVOLUTION OF THE JAMESON BOTTLE AND LABEL

IS SET TO CONTINUE THE SUCCESS STORY OVER 50 YEARS ON

– First introduced in 1968, the new smooth pack contains the same triple-distilled Jameson that has made it the world’s No.1 Irish whiskey – 

Jameson Irish Whiskey, which is produced by Irish Distillers in Midleton Distillery, has unveiled an evolution of its iconic bottle and label design 50 years after it was first introduced. The refreshed look highlights the brand’s provenance, triple-distillation production method and premium quality cues to whiskey drinkers as it looks to strengthen its position as the world’s leading Irish whiskey.

Created by Stockholm’s Pond Design agency, the designs introduce a bold visual identity that has stand-out appeal and further drives differentiation in the dynamic Irish whiskey category. The bottle shape now features a tapered body and a more generous shoulder curve, while a distinctive embossed label ‘eyebrow’ and heel at the base make the bottle more tactile and memorable to hold. The distinctive green glass bottle and easy-to-pour neck remain in place, in line with feedback from market research among bartenders and Irish whiskey drinkers.

The refreshed label is printed on textured paper and reinterprets key elements of the design – most notably the Jameson family crest – while still retaining the most recognisable features to create a more timeless and cohesive look. Messaging on the bottle has been streamlined to emphasise the triple-distilled production method of Jameson, which crafts its renowned smooth taste, and its Irish provenance. The update is underpinned by a more vibrant colour palette designed to stand out and includes a brighter red cap and fresher greens and creams on the label.

The iconic green Jameson bottle that is known around the world today was first introduced in 1968, when bottling was brought in-house at the Bow Street Distillery as the era of whiskey bonding came to an end. The signature green, cream and maroon colours were inspired by the stained-glass panels in the doors of the historic distillery, installed in the late 19^th Century by then Production Manager George Jameson, and can still be viewed at the Jameson Distillery Bow street today. Over the past 50 years, the bottle has evolved with the times but key elements such as the green glass, family crest and ship have remained in place to inspire new whiskey drinkers with the Jameson story.

The bottle is constructed using pressure sensitive label (PSL) technology at Irish Distillers’ Fox & Geese bottling facility in Dublin – a new and more efficient process that allows for split labels to be applied to the glass bottles and a more premium finish. The new Jameson Irish Whiskey bottles will be available in Ireland from January 2019, and from the USA and other markets from March ahead of St. Patrick’s Day, and will be introduced across Jameson Caskmates, Jameson Black Barrel and Jameson Crested throughout the year.

Simon Fay, International Marketing Director for Jameson at Irish Distillers, commented: “Jameson Irish Whiskey is the world’s favourite Irish whiskey and is leading the renaissance within the category that we have seen over the past ten years. As such, we are committed to investing in the brand and we are confident that our new smooth pack, with the same triple distilled Irish whiskey inside is the winning combination to drive distinctiveness and relevance with whiskey drinkers and bartenders. With 29 years of consecutive of growth, our mission is to maintain momentum in key markets and accelerate growth and we believe that the subtle design evolution will help us to share the fearless spirit of Jameson with even more people around the world and continue the success story for many years to come.”

Notes 

About Irish Distillers

Irish Distillers is Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines and producer of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys. Led by Jameson, our brands are driving the global renaissance of Irish whiskey. Jameson is the world’s fastest-growing Irish whiskey, experiencing 29 years of consecutive growth and hitting sales of 7.3m cases in 2018. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets, with over 80 of those experiencing double- or triple-digit growth.

Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and Cork Distilleries Company. In 1988 Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard, gaining access to unprecedented levels of investment and an extensive global distribution network. Since 2012, we have invested over €250m to double our production and bottling capacity to meet global demand for our products.

We employ over 600 people across our operations in Cork and Dublin. 

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of €8,987 million in FY18. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of approximately 18,900 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 “Brand Companies” and 86 “Market Companies” established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible consumption. Pernod Ricard’s strategy and ambition are based on 3 key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics.

Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.

DEWAR’S® 18 YO LIMITED EDITION

TRAVEL RETAIL EXCLUSIVE CHINESE NEW YEAR GIFT TIN

LAUNCHES AT 15 LOCATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA & MIDDLE EAST

Hamilton, Bermuda 8 January 2019 To mark the Year of The Pig on 5 February, a limited edition and travel retail exclusive DEWAR’S® 18YO Chinese New Year gift tin is now on sale in stores across Asia Pacific and at Dubai Airport.

The demand for DEWAR’S in Asia Pacific GTR is growing fast with strong double-digit sales growth year on year.  Amongst Chinese shoppers, its popularity is even stronger with demand doubling year on year (Bacardi figures to end November 2018).  DEWAR’S is the fastest growing blended scotch whisky in the top 10 for the global travel retail channel (5yr CAGR, IWSR 2017),

Double-aged in oak casks for extra smoothness, the DEWAR’S 18YO Blended Scotch Whisky is a creamy, full and well-rounded blend. Honeyed in taste with a hint of Marzipan and silky finish, presented in a striking, limited edition travel retail exclusive 1-litre presentation box.  Recommended price is $99 USD (local market prices may vary).

Priced at $99, the 1-litre gift tin is available from the following 15 airport and land border retail locations:  Auckland (ARI & Lagardère), Bangkok (King Power), Beijing (Sunrise), Dubai (Dubai Duty Free), Hong Kong Airport (Lagardère), Hong Kong Border (Anway), Kuala Lumpur (Eraman), Seoul (Lotte & Shilla), Shanghai (Sunrise), Sri Lanka (Dufry & Flemingo), Taipei (Everrich), Zhuhai (Zhuhai duty free)

NOTES 

About the Bacardi Global Travel Retail Division

The Bacardi Global Travel Retail Division is a stand-alone business unit of Bacardi Limited. Through Bacardi’s portfolio of premium and super-premium brands, including BACARDÍ® rum, GREY GOOSE® vodka and flavoured vodkas, 42BELOW® vodka and flavoured vodkas, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE, PATRÓN® tequila, GERMAIN® liqueur, BARON OTARD® cognac and BÉNÉDICTINE® DOM® liqueur, the Bacardi Global Travel Retail Division creates unique and innovative experiences for travellers.

DEWAR’S 18YO is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited and Patrón Spirits International AG. DRINK RESPONSIBLY

DEWAR’S IS A TRADEMARK.

FOUR CANADIAN WHISKIES FROM SAZERAC AWARDED SILVER MEDALS AT NEW YORK WORLD WINE & SPIRITS COMPETITION 

Montreal, Canada (Jan. 8, 2019) – Judges awarded four Canadian whiskies from the Sazerac Company with Silver medals at the eighth annual New York World Wine & Spirits Competition, labeling them as outstanding spirits that show “refinement, finesse, and complexity.”

            Silver Medal Winners:

• Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky
• Royal Canadian Small Batch Canadian Whisky
• Rich & Rare Reserve Canadian Whisky
• High River Canadian Whisky

The New York World Wine & Spirits Competition consisted of a panel of renowned judges from the New York area that assessed over 340 spirits in the 2018 competition. This two-day event included a blind tasting of participating spirits followed by awards ranging from Double Gold to Bronze.

Complete results of the 2018 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition can be found at https://www.nywscomp.com/results/.

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.

At Edinburgh Silver we like to provide our customers with quality items. We like to provide people with something individual and unique so we decided on a quest. Originally it wasn’t designed as a quest but it soon turned into one.

We wanted to create our very own designed Silver Hammered Quaich. As we have commissioned many silver items for our online store before it should not be too difficult.  Or so we thought as we started the journey that nearly took 3 years from conception.

The Search For The Hammerman

All we needed was a skilled hammerman to help us shape our newly designed Silver Quaich. A man with the skills of the old arts and crafts, with the ability to hand hammer silver.

After a year of just looking for the right man we were about to give up and then we were given a name. However not all plain sailing as he was a retired hammerman. It was still worth talking to George Trainer of Sheffield.

The Next Generation

As luck and traditions go this was a family that passed down their skills through the generations. The art of hammering was still alive. It wasn’t George’s son who was now doing the work. No it was his grandson, perfect traditional skills in a modern world.

We decided that we would have to brave it and cross the border into England. Peter lived and worked in Sheffield so it was a long journey just to speak with him face to face. As we said truly a quest filled with desire to source and produce the best we could.

The Meeting Of Designers and Hammerman

We met Peter at his studio and he enthusiastically showed us some of his work. He even demonstrated his hammering skills first hand. We knew there and then that the search was now over .

Was it the end of the quest? Well, we were able to agree there and then a long term deal to be able to produce the new Quaich. We got back in the car pleased that we were finally going to produce our exclusive silver Quaich. The Scottish border was in site, everything is going to be ok.

Developing Quality

So everything is now in place, the design, the hammerman and we had already decided that it was going to be plated with 25 microns of silver.

It wasn’t quite that simple. It took over 18 months development to find an acceptable way to include hand hammering in our manufacturing process. Obviously after the lengthy search to get the right man we wanted everything perfect. Exactly as our customers who demand perfection.

The Finished Product

We think our beautiful hammered gifts would not be out of place in a posh London shop in the year 1903, and that is exactly what we hoped to accomplish. Not bad for a wee business in Scotland.

NEW ‘POWERS QUARTER’ PUTS POWERS BACK ON THE DUBLIN WHISKEY MAP

– Six bars collaborate to tell the bold story of Powers and its Dublin history – 

Powers Irish Whiskey, which is made by Irish Distillers in Midleton Distillery, has unveiled the Powers Quarter; a collaboration between six Dublin bars that each tell a different chapter of Powers’ Bold Character and its illustrious Dublin whiskey history since 1791.

The six bars lie within walking distance of the old John’s Lane distillery and original Powers bottling hall on Drury Street. The initiative aims to celebrate the historic Powers neighbourhood by bringing to life the bars’ historic links to the brand through Powers-educated bartenders, point-of-sale and signature serves inspired by the unique story of Powers. The Powers Quarter covers the following key Dublin accounts; Thomas House, Market Bar, The Oak, The Swan, Idlewild and John Fallons The Capstan Bar.

The Powers Quarter is supported by social media, PR and a dedicated website on which whiskey fans can a download map and take a virtual tour. The journey is free to participate in for Irish whiskey fans and will also be used by Powers for educational visits with the trade, bartenders and distributors from around the world and within the Pernod Ricard network. There’s also an option to do a guided tour with the Powers global ambassador, Michael Carr, for €60.

Carol Quinn, Archivist at Irish Distillers, commented: “For generations, the Powers distillery at John’s Lane shaped the development of the area around it through the direct employment of families, provision of houses for workers and even the maintenance of the local streets. While Powers went on to become a global success story over the past two hundred years, its heart always remained in Dublin and its public houses over the years.

“In fact, Powers’ founder, James Powers, was a publican himself and his pub on John’s Lane stayed within the family until the closure of the distillery in the 1970s, so it only seems right that we honour the legacy of Powers and bring more of its Dublin history to light through six bars and put Powers firmly back on the whiskey map of Dublin. Across the Powers Quarter, Irish whiskey connoisseurs and casual fans alike can enjoy a sip back in time and learn about the true character of the Powers family as purveyors of Irish whiskey – and with whiskey tourism in Dublin booming to almost 400,000 visitors last year, we are confident that the Powers Quarter will enchant a whole new generation of whiskey fans.”

#POWERSQUARTER 

About the Powers Quarter

The Powers Quarter experience consists of the following bars, historical facts and signature serves:

• Thomas House, Thomas Street – a stone’s throw from John’s Lane, this modern-day dive bar is where many workers from the distillery would have dropped into for a drop of whiskey after work
  • Signature serve: Powers Gold Label neat
• Market Bar, Fade Street – one of Dublin’s most popular gastropubs, on the site of the original Powers bottling hall, which was built in 1889 and shipped Powers Irish Whiskey around the world
  • Signature serve: Powers cocktail menu inspired by the workers of the bottling hall
• The Oak, Parliament Street – the bar at this cosy pub in the bustling Temple Bar area has been fitted out with panels from the luxury liner ‘Mauretania’, which used to cross the Atlantic, and where Powers was the drink of choice – you could even have a glass delivered to your cabin
  • Signature serve: Powers Irish coffee
• The Swan, York Street – a family-run pub that has supplied the locals with Powers for more than a hundred years – some of the historic Powers barrel heads can still be seen inside the bar counter today
  • Signature serve: Powers John’s Lane neat
• Idlewild, Fade Street – a friendly neighbourhood bar and the site on which the first ever miniature spirit bottle in the world was invented by POWERS back in 1889
  • Signature serve: Powers Up cocktail
• John Fallons The Capstan Bar, The Coombe – a Dublin institution, where workers from the John’s Lane distillery could have enjoyed a whiskey a Century ago – its original Victorian fixtures and Powers mirror still reflect the area’s rich history today
  • Signature serve: two Powers Three Swallow neat, toasted special and crisps to share 

About Irish Distillers

Irish Distillers is Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines and producer of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys. Led by Jameson, our brands are driving the global renaissance of Irish whiskey. Jameson is the world’s fastest-growing Irish whiskey, experiencing 28 years of consecutive growth and hitting sales of 7.3m cases in 2018. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets, with over 80 of those experiencing double- or triple-digit growth.

Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and Cork Distilleries Company. In 1988 Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard, gaining access to unprecedented levels of investment and an extensive global distribution network. Since 2012, we have invested over €250m to double our production and bottling capacity to meet global demand for our products.

We employ over 600 people across our operations in Cork and Dublin. 

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of €8,987 million in FY18. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of approximately 18,900 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 “Brand Companies” and 86 “Market Companies” established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible consumption. Pernod Ricard’s strategy and ambition are based on 3 key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics.

Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.

THE SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY RETAINS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD TO END YEAR ON A HIGH

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) is finishing 2018 on a high as its most-awarded year to date.

In a year that has seen the Society celebrate its 35^th anniversary, with a number of celebratory events and special bottlings, they’ve received unprecedented recognition of their whiskies and venues.

The most recent award win was the accolade of Independent Bottler of the Year in Whisky Magazine’s Independent Bottlers’ Challenge competition – the sixth time they’ve won in the past nine years.

Alongside the top award, the Society also won the regional Whisky Magazine awards for Independent Bottler of the Year for Campbeltown, Lowland, Grain, Irish and Japanese whiskies as well as the overall award for Bar Group of the Year.

Their Edinburgh venue at 28 Queen Street was also highly commended in the Whisky Bar of the Year category.

These final accolades conclude the year of awards, which include wins in the Luxury Masters competition, 11 awards in the International Wine and Spirits Competition, 12 awards in the Scotch Whisky Masters, and an unprecedented seven double-gold medals out of our seven total whiskies submitted at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

As well as a haul of awards, 2018 has seen significant exciting developments including the opening of The Society’s newest venue, at 78 Northcote Road in London.

There was also a series of special events and tastings held throughout the year as part of their 35^th anniversary celebrations, including a live online tasting, broadcasting The Vaults across the world.

Commenting on the success of 2018, Kai Ivalo, Spirits Director at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, said: “We’re delighted to end our 35^th year with this level of award recognition, but we’re also looking forward to an even more successful 2019 with an exciting events programme for our members.

“Alongside the quality of our single cask single malts and unique blends, we will be offering our members opportunities to share discoveries with their fellow like-minded community, and new ways to connect with each other.”

Only members of the SMWS can access its exclusive supply of award-winning single casks, drawn straight from the barrel and bottled at natural strength (undiluted) – producing a wide variety of intriguing flavours and characters. Being a member means becoming part of an open-minded, curious and adventurous group of whisky lovers who delight in discovery and exploration.

Annual membership starts at £65, with renewal at £61.50, but the SMWS offers a range of options for new members up to and including its Pioneer Welcome Pack at £130.

SMWS membership brings like-minded individuals from all around the world together, with access to an ever-changing collection of single cask whiskies, exclusive tastings, venues and partner bars as well as shared whisky wisdom through their knowledgeable staff and Unfiltered member magazine. 2019 also brings an exciting schedule of unique events for members to participate in. 

To buy membership to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, visit: https://bit.ly/2zofcP4

Notes:

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society 

• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was established in Edinburgh in 1983 and now has more than 26,000 members and branches around the world
• The SMWS bottles rare single cask, single malt whisky, and a range of other spirits
• The Society bottles single malts, unique single casks and exclusive blends
• The Society has bottled whisky from more than 137 distilleries from Scotland and beyond
• The Society offers a new batch of around 30 single cask, single malt whiskies every month
• The Society offers a variety of membership’s packages which can be tailored. Please see https://bit.ly/2zofcP4
• For more information about the Society, visit https://bit.ly/2OiBSWs
• Twitter: @SMWSUK Facebook: @thesmwsuk Instagram: @smws_uk

 The Sazerac Company Completes Purchase of 19 Brands

from Diageo 

Louisville, Kentucky (Dec. 21, 2018) – The Sazerac Company, one of America’s oldest family owned, privately held distillers, has completed the sale of 19 brands from Diageo, a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across the spirits and beer categories.

The brands purchased by Sazerac are Seagram’s V.O., Seagram’s 83, Seagram’s Five Star, Myers’s, Romana Sambuca, Yukon Jack, Booth’s, Goldschlager, Popov, Relska, The Club, Black Haus, Peligroso, Grind, Piehole, Parrot Bay, Stirrings, Scoresby and John Begg brands.

            “We are excited to close on the sale of these 19 iconic brands from Diageo and we look forward to further developing these brands globally within the Sazerac portfolio,” said Jake Wenz, Sazerac’s chief operating officer.

About the Sazerac Company

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.

The Verdict Is In: Peated Whiskies Win!

It’s that time of year when we look back and reflect on our achievements, and this year has given us a lot to be thankful for.

Whisky Advocate has compiled a list of their Top 20 Whiskies of the year, and two ImpEx expressions have earned spots!

In addition, a number of ImpEx expressions have won prestigious medals from renowned competitions.  Check out some of the highlights below.   <

While Penderyn Myth won a Gold Medal in the ‘Best In Class’ category, Celt won a Silver Medal in the ‘Malt Peated Medium’ category from Whiskies Of The World, placing at #17 on Whisky Advocates Top 20 list, where it earned 91 points! 

Check out Jonny’s tantalizing description below the image.

“Blender Aista Jukneviciute finishes Celt in peated Islay quarter casks that enable the sooty charcoal smoke and maritime notes to sink their claws into the fresh lemon, mandarin, and buttery, toasty aromas.  Sweet citrus, dark fruits, chocolate, and spicy smoke linger on the finish. Forget Daenerys, this is the whisky of dragons.” ~ Jonny McCormick

Coming in at #15 with 91 points, Kilchoman Loch Gorm, the yearly limited release fully matured in Sherry casks made the grade!  

At the intersection of Sherry and peat, this dream-of-a-dram delivers on both in a way that appeases any peat-pleasured palate.

“The first edition of Loch Gorm appeared in 2013, and it remains the distillery’s only whisky to be fully matured in Sherry casks. The 2018 iteration comprises the contents of nineteen oloroso Sherry butts filled in 2007, 2008, and 2011, the oldest of which are some of the first Sherry casks filled at Kilchoman. These rich, confident aged whiskies converge in the best Loch Gorm to date, showcasing the expression’s trademark blend of succulent Sherry, cooked fruits, and earthy peat, along with flavors of honey, ginger, sultanas, and spice.” —Gavin D Smith

To top it all off, Kilchoman Sanaig – the core expression matured in Bourbon casks and finished in Sherry casks won  ‘Best Peated Whisky’ at the 2018 Whisky World Cup!  

‘Kilchoman has outclassed the opposition in the previous rounds. Giants like Lagavulin, Ardbeg and Bowmore have disappeared. It was only a matter of time until these Islay icons were to be replaced. And having the new smoke champ from the same island proves that Islay remains the centre of peated whisky in the world.’ ~ Henrik Aflodal, Whisky World Cup orgnaniserAnd finally we would be remiss if we didn’t mention how well received Port Askaig 33 has been this year.  Prominent bloggers distant parts of the world gave this expression really high marks in their reviews.  The two of note that we’re sharing with you are 91 and 92 points, from Dave Broom of ScotchWhisky.com and Ruben Luyten from WhiskyNotes.com, respectively.  

“There’s no sense of things being forced here, just nature being allowed to gently take its course. What a lovely way to end the year.” ~ Dave Broom

Thanks again for being part of our family and enjoying these fine whiskies with us.  We truly appreciate all of our supporters and everyone we do business with.  It means the world to us when our whiskies are enjoyed in good company.  So Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones, and may the peat keep you warm this winter 🙂

We look forward to bringing you more excellent whiskies in 2019! 
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Please feel free to reach out for more details on the bottlings: office@impexbev.com

Samples of rare whisky for tasting

£635,000 of fake whisky exposed, as new tests lift the lid on rare whisky market 

RW101 partners with SUERC to uncover the true extent of fake bottles in the secondary market for antique whisky

Analysis reveals fake whisky now infiltrating every major route to market for rare whisky

RW101 advises buyers to request absolute proof of authenticity before considering antique bottles 

Laboratory tests at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC) on 21 different bottles of rare Scotch whisky, potentially worth around £635,000, have confirmed them all as modern fakes.

Based on these results, Rare Whisky 101 (RW101), one of the world’s leading experts in rare whisky, has estimated that around £41M worth of rare whisky currently circulating in the secondary market, and present in existing collections, is fake. That’s more than the entire UK auction market which RW101 has predicted to exceed £36M by the end of 2018.

On the back of growing concern surrounding the proliferation of fake whisky in the secondary market, RW101 teamed up with geochemistry experts at SUERC, home to one of the UK’s four Radiocarbon Accelerator Units, to randomly sample, forensically test and analyse a range of different whiskies.

From 55 bottles of Scotch whisky that were acquired by RW101 from different sources through the secondary market, 21 were confirmed as either outright fakes or whiskies not distilled in the year declared. All malt whisky samples purporting to be from around 1900 or earlier were found to be fake.

The results, from more than nine months of testing, indicate that the problem of fake rare Scotch whisky in the secondary market is much more prevalent than originally thought, infiltrating all major routes to market for rare and vintage whisky.

Of particular note are three bottles of rare whisky acquired recently by RW101 through three different channels – a bottle of Ardbeg 1885 acquired from a private owner, a bottle of rare Thorne’s Heritage early 20^th Century blended whisky purchased from an auctioneer and a bottle of Ardbeg purported to be bottled in the 1960’s bought from a retailer. All three were proven to be fakes.

If tests had proven all 21 bottles to be genuine, collectively they could have been valued at around £635,000. Individual bottles could have fetched anything from £2,500 for the lowest value bottle right up to an estimated £150,000 for the oldest, most valuable bottle.

Commenting on the findings, co-founder of Rare Whisky 101 David Robertson said: “We are clearly disappointed to discover that, without exception, every single “antique” pre-1900 distilled whisky RW101 have had analysed over the last 2 years has proven to be fake. It is our genuine belief that every purported pre-1900 – and in many cases much later – bottle should be assumed fake until proven genuine, certainly if the bottle claims to be a single malt Scotch whisky. This problem will only grow as prices for rare bottles continue to increase”.

Co-founder of Rare Whisky 101 Andy Simpson added: “As we have always stated, each buyer must seek to assure themselves of the authenticity and veracity of any potential acquisition. The exploding demand for rare whisky is inevitably attracting rogue elements to the sector. While we know that the vast majority of rare whisky vendors aren’t knowingly selling fake whisky to unsuspecting buyers, we would implore auction houses, retailers, brand owners and buyers to refrain from selling or purchasing any pre-1900 distilled Scotch whisky unless it has a professional certificate of distillation year/vintage by a carbon dating laboratory.” 

The science of detecting levels of radiocarbon in whisky

The process through which these whiskies have been dated is based on the evolving science of identifying levels of radiocarbon (or C-14) within the liquid.

Radiocarbon is produced continuously in the upper atmosphere at a virtually constant rate so that everything, while alive, has approximately the same level of radiocarbon. During the industrial age, high levels of fossil fuel burning released large volumes of non-radioactive carbon which diluted radiocarbon levels.

However, everything changed in the 1950s with the onset of the Cold War and the commencement of atmospheric nuclear weapons tests, leading to an increase in atmospheric radiocarbon levels which, in turn, were absorbed by all living organisms. These levels continued to increase until 1963, when the test-ban treaty ensured that radiocarbon levels would steadily decline over the ensuing decades.

So, what has all this got to do with fake whisky? Put simply, minute levels of radiocarbon were absorbed by the barley as it grew, providing each whisky with its own radioactive date signature. This means that the scientists at SUERC are able to establish that any whisky with low radiocarbon levels must have been distilled prior to the nuclear era and any whisky with higher levels of radiocarbon must have been distilled after 1955. Such is the accuracy of the process that SUERC are able to pinpoint likely distillation years to within a 2 to 3 year period post the 1950s. For samples pre-dating the 1950s, the technique provides a wider vintage band.

Professor Gordon Cook, head of the SUERC Radiocarbon Laboratory said: “We have had significant help from the major distillers who provided whisky samples of known age that allowed us to start this work. However, it has been our collaboration with Rare Whisky 101 and their provision of really old and rare whiskies that has allowed us to really push this work forward to what we consider to be the Gold Standard technique for identifying the age of a whisky.

“It is disappointing to see the large percentage of vintage whiskies that turn out to be fake. However, we have developed a very powerful technique to beat the fraudsters and I’d advise anyone thinking about selling what they consider to be an early product to have it analysed. Recently, we have analysed four bottles of early whisky (including a rye whisky from the USA), purported to have been distilled between the mid-19^th to the early 20^th century, for members of the general public. Of these, three were genuine, so there are really old and rare whiskies in existence.” 

The secondary (auction) market for rare whisky is now big business. Rare Whisky 101 has forecasted the market in the UK alone to exceed 100,000 bottles for 2018, at a value of more than £36M. 

Three ‘rare’ bottles of single malt proven to be fakes

Notes:

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About Rare Whisky 101 

Andy Simpson and David Robertson launched Rare Whisky 101 in 2014 with the aim of offering a whisky valuation service, brokerage and consultancy for whisky connoisseurs, collectors and investors. Having tracked every bottle sold at UK auctions over the past 12 years, the business now offers the world’s first, only and most comprehensive online single malt Scotch & Japanese whisky dataset covering almost 375,000 price records across over 40,000 different bottle types. In the last 12 months, RW101 have brokered around 20,000 rare whisky bottles around the globe in addition to trading in aged casks from iconic distilleries such as The Macallan, Ardbeg, Bowmore, Springbank, Mortlach, Talisker, Caol Ila, Lagavulin, Rosebank and Highland Park.

About the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC)

SUERC is a research centre within the University of Glasgow’s College of Science & Engineering. The SUERC radiocarbon laboratory is one of the longest established and largest radiocarbon dating laboratories, worldwide. It was originally situated on the main University of Glasgow campus but moved to SUERC in East Kilbride during 1986. In addition to its main focus on archaeological samples, it also provides analyses of human skeletal remains for police forces and forensic science companies, as well as analysis of whiskies and other spirits for the distilled spirits industry, auction houses and private individuals.