With our auction currently live we have decided to launch a brand new and exclusive Loyalty Scheme for all our valued customers that choose to bring their bottles to us at Whisky Galore Auctioneers.

Starting from next month – Our exclusive new promotion begins.

What is this Loyalty Scheme?

Simply, for every 10^th bottle you bring to us here at Whisky Galore Auctioneers we will pay YOU the commission that this bottle makes at Auction.

This could be one bottle per month for 10 months ie 10 Month you’ll receive your Loyalty Reward or if you choose to put in a lot of 10 at any one time you will be paid the commission on the 10th bottle.

So, Why choose us ?

Loyalty Scheme.

Commission paid out to YOU on every 10^th bottle to you.

FREE to enter your bottle or lot

FREE reserve

Payment made within 14 days of Auction closing.

What have you got to lose – “Certainly not you’re Bottle”!

www.whiskygalore.uk.com

Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery Toast a Trio of Awards

Aberfeldy, Scotland, December 21, 2017–(W.I. is catchign up!) The team at Perthshire’s Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery is seeing out the year in style, after capturing three industry awards in as many weeks.

The run of success kicked-off with the Scottish Thistle Awards’ regional final for Central East and Tayside, held on 23 November at Prestonfield House in Edinburgh, where Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery emerged victorious in the Best Visitor Attraction category. The experience will now go forward to the national final, which takes place on Thursday 15 March.

The team also received recognition from the business community, at the Perthshire Chamber of Commerce Business Star Awards on 24 November, where it picked up the Excellence in Tourism & Leisure Award.

The whisky industry also honoured the visitor experience by naming it the Visitor Attraction of the Year at the Icons of Whisky Scotland 2018 Awards, which took place in Edinburgh on 1 December. Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery will now go head-to-head against the regional winners in Australia, Ireland, America, India and the Rest of the World at the global awards, which will be held in March 2018.

Charlotte Brown, UK Brand Homes General Manager at Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery, says: “We’re thrilled to have picked up these three important awards in such quick succession. The awards recognise our continued investment in the experience over recent years, which we’ve done to establish Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery as a must-see visitor attraction.

“The awards are also a reflection of the hard work put in by the whole team, and I’d like to thank them for the hard work in making every visitor to Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery feel welcome.”

Earlier this year, the experience was enhanced by a new multi-media app, delivered via iPads®, which allows visitors to explore the Dewar’s archive in greater depth. The app, which is provided in 11 languages, also enhances the experience for the distillery’s many international guests.

Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery offers a variety of enjoyable and informative distillery tours to choose from including: the Aberfeldy Tour (£9.50 per adult); Cask Tasting Tour (£17); Connoisseur Tour (£27); and Blender’s Tour (£75).

For more information or to reserve your experience, please visit www.dewarsaberfeldydistillery.com or call +44(0)1887822010.

Notes:
Dewar’s world-renowned crafted Highland Single Malt ABERFELDY® has been produced at the Aberfeldy Distillery since 1898 and the visitor experience is located in one of the original buildings.

An extensive refurbishment of the visitor centre was undertaken back in 2014 which saw many of the traditional features of this historical building refurbished. A new dramatic ‘stave tunnel’ installation, made from oak casks, leads visitors from the heritage exhibition to the hosting area. There is also a feature archive wall, which showcases vintage memorabilia, signs and advertising campaigns from throughout Dewar’s history.

The centre’s café boasts a locally sourced menu offering an extensive selection of freshly prepared hot and cold dishes based on the finest ingredients. The welcoming Whisky Lounge provides a homely yet stylish retreat with hand-crafted furniture, large sofas and a cosy fireplace.

The Distillery Shop showcases the full DEWAR’S® Scotch whisky brand portfolio of multi-award winning premium blends including the iconic WHITE LABEL®, DEWAR’S 12-year-old, DEWAR’S 18-year-old and the exclusive DEWAR’S 25-year-old. Visitors can fill their own bottle of exclusively-aged ABERFELDY® single malt from a choice of two hand-selected casks.

Address
Dewar’s Aberfeldy Distillery, Aberfeldy, Perthshire, PH15 2EB, Scotland. Based 74 miles from Edinburgh and 87 miles from Glasgow

Opening times:
April – October
Monday – Saturday 10:00 – 18:00
Sunday 12:00 – 16:00

November – March
Monday – Saturday 10:00 – 16:00
Sunday Closed
Last admission 1 hour before closing.
Closed over Christmas and New Year, phone for details.

About DEWAR’S
Founded in 1846 by John Dewar, DEWAR’S has grown from a small wine and spirits merchant shop in Scotland, to the world’s most awarded Blended Scotch Whisky. Best known for its iconic DEWAR’S WHITE LABEL, the top selling Blended Scotch Whisky in the USA, it expanded its family to create a portfolio of premium & super premium whiskies including DEWAR’S 12-Years-Old, DEWAR’S 18-Years-Old & the exclusive DEWAR’S 25-Years-old.

The DEWAR’S® brand 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.

ABERLOUR SCOOPS PRESTIGIOUS CREATIVE AWARD FOR LET THE DEED SHOW

Congratulations to Aberlour which has been recognised for its creativity at the Mobius Awards 2017, taking home a First Place Statuette and Best of Show Nominee in the 360 Brand Design category for its brand identity, ‘Let the deed show’.

The Mobius Awards, established in 1971, is one of the leading competitions for creative agencies worldwide.

Aberlour’s award-winning brand identity, developed with agency Williams Murray Hamm, honours its founder James Fleming’s age-old family motto, ‘Let the deed show’.

The motto which translates as ‘actions speak louder than words’ was brought to life in collaboration with a Scottish linocut artist.

The early 1900s storytelling technique of drawing, lino carving and then printing with inks, rooted in craftsmanship, illustrates a series of brand deeds captured since 1879.

The creative highlights how James Fleming’s actions and now the skills of the craftsmen today define the exceptional artisanal character of Aberlour, leaving the quality of the whisky to do the talking.

Watch Aberlour’s award-winning entry below:

http://mobiusawards.com/2017-winners/

Miriam Eceolaza, Global Marketing Director  said: “We are delighted that the creativity and all the hard work of the team involved with ‘Let the deed show’ has been recognised with this prestigious award.”

Best of luck to Aberlour on 30th January when the The Mobius Best In Show winner will be announced at a ceremony in LA.

Whisky Clubs Group opens first dedicated whisky bar in Birmingham 

Whisky Clubs Group owners of The Birmingham Whisky Club, The Birmingham Whisky Festival and The Bristol Whisky Festival is opening its first venue in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter.

Situated inside The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter the bar will list over 300 different whiskies.

The whisky list has been careful curated with a focus on interesting whiskies that have not been poured in the city before, underpinned with a range of everyday drinking whiskies at affordable prices.

Tasting flights will be available each telling a tale through whisky. The ‘Whisky Story’ tasting flights include ‘Amateur Dramatics’ a beginner’s guide with four specially chosen drams; ‘Under the Cherry Blossom Tree’ a journey through Japanese whisky. The ‘stories’ will be presented at the table with a written guide for drinkers to taste through at their leisure.

There will also be a small selection of premium spirits, wines and beers that reflect the whisky story –  barrel aged beer, gins from whisky distillers and aged gins.

Speaking about the concept Amy Seton, founder of Whisky Clubs Group, said: “I set up my first whisky club back in 2011, since then it’s gone from strength to strength with our festivals selling out in a matter of weeks. Setting up a permanent home for our members felt like the next natural step.

The bar is designed to be a home from home for whisky lovers and we want to bring new people into the category. The bar will cater for everyone from the whisky aficionado looking for a rare dram to the complete novice who’s just starting their whisky journey.”

Throughout the year The Birmingham Whisky Club bar will be working with brands to bring some unique tasting events to the city. “We’re taking a different approach to brand activation” commented Amy, “since setting up the whisky club six years ago we’ve developed great relationships with brands and we now want to take that to the next level.

We’re working with some interesting brands who will get a dedicated month at our bar and we will work with them to create a bespoke package of events and content driven marketing. This will offer brands an opportunity to really get under the skin of the Birmingham whisky scene, speak directly to our growing database of whisky lovers and introduce new drinkers to the category.”

Ahead of the official opening there will be a Burns Bar pop-up on January 27th – 28th.

The bar will be open to everyone who wants to get a preview before the refurb is fully complete. A free dram for whisky lovers on arrival and there will be a good selection of beers, wines and spirits for non-whisky drinkers.

The Birmingham Whisky Club bar will open to the public on February 14th opening times are Wednesday to Sunday 12pm – 12pm.

Although not exclusively a member’s bar memberships are available which give access to special events and discounts.

Gordon & MacPhail boosts global sales strategy

Leading malt whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail has boosted its global sales strategy following a strategic restructure within the company’s sales division.

The move will integrate the UK market into the global strategy for Gordon & MacPhail and Benromach whiskies going forward. David King, International Sales Director, will assume overall responsibility for global sales with the addition of the UK market to his existing international remit.

David King’s distinguished career in the whisky industry, has seen him hold a number of senior positions, both in the UK and internationally, for companies including the Edrington Group, Berry Brothers & Rudd and Anchor Distilling Co. He later founded DTK Beverages International Ltd, a boutique brand building and strategic consultancy before joining Gordon & MacPhail in 2016.

In his current role, David has refocused Gordon & MacPhail’s international sales strategy for both the Benromach and the Gordon & MacPhail single malt whiskies brand.

Ewen Mackintosh, Managing Director at Gordon & MacPhail, said: “The UK is an important single malt market and this is reflected in the expansion of David’s remit to include the UK as a key element of the company’s global sales strategy going forward. The restructuring of our sales division is part of the company’s long-term plan to build the reputation of the Gordon & MacPhail single malt whisky brand in the luxury sector while continuing to invest in marketing and brand building for Benromach across the world.”

In the UK, Stuart Ellis, UK Sales Manager, will now be the main contact for wholesale customers. Stuart joined Gordon & MacPhail in 2015 after spending more than 25 years in a range of account management positions in the UK market, including running his own distribution and online business. He will continue to utilise his strong experience in delivering effective account management for customers across the UK wholesale market.

The company’s award winning, UK wholesale division will focus on building sales of Gordon & MacPhail and Benromach whiskies alongside select distributor brands.  The wholesale business also offers a complementary selection of premium spirits, coupled with product education and a focus on superior customer service.

The restructure follows the announcement in November 2017 of an overall sales increase of 10.8% to £28.3 million. International sales increased by 11.8% to £8.9 million and UK sales increased by 10.4% to £19.4m.

Auld Dram Syne – Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival pays tribute to Robert Burns with cocktails honouring the bard’s greatest work

Dram O’ Shanter, The Speyside Grace and Best Laid Drams – the most famous works of Scotland’s national bard have been immortalised in the form of cocktails by the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

Festival organisers asked some of the world’s leading mixologists and whisky connoisseurs to blend together whisky and words in toast to the life of poet Robert Burns and the legacy he left behind.

Canada’s Kaitlyn Stewart – 2017 winner of the World’s Best Bartender title – World Whisky Day founder Blair Bowman and London’s favourite celebrity nightspot Mahiki are among those to put a creative spin on the poet’s work – some of which was inspired by the amber nectar.

Six of the bard’s best-known poems and songs have been given a dram-atic makeover – Auld Dram Syne (Auld Lang Syne), Dram O’ Shanter (Tam O’ Shanter); Ae Fond Nip (Ae Fond Kiss); A Dram’s A Dram For a’ That (A Man’s A Man For a’ That); The Speyside Grace (The Selkirk Grace); and Best Laid Drams (Best Laid Plans).

Another of the new drinks is called Freedom an’ Whisky Gang Thegither – a phrase used by Burns in The Author’s Earnest Cry And Prayer, a satire he penned in 1786 on the government’s taxation of whisky.

The recipes offer a contemporary take on the Bard’s work, with some of the more unusual ingredients including smoked honey, detox tea and one of Speyside’s other great exports – shortbread from Walkers of Aberlour. The base ingredients are Speyside whisky brands, all of which are leading partners of the Festival.

James Campbell is chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival – an annual five-day celebration which takes place in the region recognised as being the spiritual home of Scotland’s national drink. With over 50 malt whisky distilleries, around half of all Scotland’s distilleries are based here.

“Whisky and Robert Burns are perhaps Scotland’s greatest gifts to the world. Whisky is synonymous with warmth and friendship in just the same way as Auld Lang Syne – sung across the globe at New Year and other times of celebration – reminds us of spending time with family and friends,” James says.

“Burns referred to whisky – or guid Scotch drink as he called it – as being his muse and it features in many of his works. The popularity of whisky and Burns have both stood the test of time, so it seems fitting for us to pay tribute to these two great Scottish exports in a unique and interesting way.

“There was a time when whisky was considered an old man’s drink but these contemporary and modern cocktails completely dispel that myth. The Festival has been introducing whisky to new and younger audiences for many years, and I hope those who are passionate about whisky – whether they have it neat or in a cocktail – will give these recipes a try.”

The unique range of cocktails is launched today just ahead of Burns Night – the anniversary of the poet’s birth – as the Festival prepares to launch tickets for the 2018 event. The Festival takes place from May 3 to 7, with almost 500 events taking place over the five days across Speyside.

The programme for the Festival, which attracts both connoisseurs and the curious, will be revealed at 9am on Thursday, February 1, with tickets going on sale a few days later on Tuesday, February 6 at 12 noon. In previous years, tickets for some of the most sought-after events have sold out within minutes.

Behind-the-scenes tours at internationally renowned distilleries not usually open to the public, whisky tasting masterclasses, whisky and food pairing – not to mention traditional music, outdoors activities and heritage events – the Festival offers something for die-hard whisky fans and those who have never tried it before.

For further information and tickets visit www.spiritofspeyside.com. The Festival is also active on social media: facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #dram18

The full list of cocktails, recipes and their creators is:

A Dram’s A Dram for a’ That – created by World’s Best Bartender 2017 Kaitlyn Stewart of the Royal Dinette, Vancouver.

45ml Cardhu 12 year old

15ml Banane du brasil

15ml smoked honey

22ml fresh pressed lemon juice

1 egg white

2 dashes Bittered sling Moondog bitters

Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and dry shake for 7-10 seconds. Add ice and wet shake for 7-10 seconds. Fine strain into a chilled coupe glass.

For the smoked honey, take your basic honey and put into a wide mouth container. With a smoking gun, smoke the honey using cedar or applewood chips. Cover and let the smoke dissipate.

Ae Fond Nip – created by The Pot Still, Glasgow

1 biscuit of Walkers of Aberlour Ginger Royals Shortbread

25ml Strathisla 12 year old

75ml milk

Squirting cream

Cocoa powder

Smash the biscuit to smithereens – the whisky bottle makes an excellent tool for this. Mix the crumbs with the milk and use a stick blender to pulverise it into a creamy, thin porridge-like consistency. Blend in the Strathisla, serve in a Glencairn glass and garnish with a squirt of cream and a dusting of cocoa powder. The cream can be stirred in if you want a thicker consistency.

Auld Dram Syne – by The Whisky Lady – blogger and owner of Hopscotch Bar in Toulouse, aka Anne-Sophie Bigot

25ml Aberlour a’bunadh

20ml of cranberry syrup

Put in shaker with ice, give it a good shake and strain in a Champagne glass previously decorated with hazelnut powder. Top up with iced Roïboos tea – vanilla flavour works best. Garnish with orange zest.

The Speyside Grace – by World Whisky Day founder and author, Blair Bowman

1 clementine

50ml Benromach 10 year old

Juice of half a lemon

2 tsp of simple syrup (gomme)

Peel the clementine and save one or two segments for garnish. Place the segments in a mixing tin and use a muddler to squeeze out as much juice as possible.

Add the juice of half a lemon, syrup and Benromach. Add ice to the tin and shake, and stain over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with leftover clementine segments.

Best Laid Drams – by Orchid, Aberdeen – SLTN Cocktail Bar of the Year 2017

30ml Craigellachie 13

20ml Luxardo Marschino

25ml merlot reduction

25ml fig syrup

15ml lemon Juice

Place all ingredients in a shaker and shake with ice for 10 seconds, then double strain into a snifter glass. Garnish with a grating of nutmeg.

For the merlot reduction, pour 750ml into a pan and reduce until only 375ml of the liquid remains. Bottle and store in the fridge. This has a shelf life of five days.

For the fig syrup:

1500g sugar

750ml water

12 figs

10g salt

Add water and sugar to a pan, apply heat and stir until dissolved. Cut the 12 figs in half, and gently simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, and allow to macerate further for 24 hours. Strain, bottle and store in the fridge. This has a shelf life of two to three weeks.

Dram O’ Shanter – by Georgi Radev, Mahiki London 

50ml Glen Moray Classic Port Cask Finish (infused with white mulberries)

15ml Drambuie

15ml Re’al Ginger

15ml lemon juice

10ml port

1egg white

Put all the ingredients, but the port in the glass and dry shake without ice. Add ice cubes and shake again. Fine strain over cubed ice in rocks glass. Garnish with lemon zest, ginger flakes and white mulberries. Float the port on the top.

To infuse the whisky, add 150gms of dry white mulberries and leave for 24 hours. Remove the mulberries and use as a garnish.

Freedom an’ Whisky Gang Thegither – The Dowans Hotel, Aberlour, Speyside

50ml Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve

12.5ml King’s Ginger

12.5ml homemade spiced syrup

5 drops of orange bitters

Squeeze of fresh orange

Place all the ingredients in a shaker and shake together. Pour into a rock glass and garnish with fresh cinnamon and orange rind.

For the spiced syrup, use sugar syrup reduced down with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and orange peel.

The Permit Room will serve a special late-night whisky cocktail for Burns Night. 

Edinburgh cocktail bar The Permit Room, hidden beneath the kitchen of Dishoom in St. Andrew Square, will be celebrating Burns Night with a cocktail that pays homage to a lovely Bombay-Edinburgh connection.

The bespoke drink, called The Patrick Geddes, will be available from Burns Night and then as part of a special offer during the Edinburgh Restaurant Festival in February.

It is named after Sir Patrick Geddes – distinguished Scotsman, botanist, ecologist, sociologist, town planner and social reformer – who was a long-time resident of both Edinburgh and Bombay, and had a significant influence on both cities.

Celebrating this little-known Bombay-Scotland connection, the drink combines Monkey Shoulder, which contains three whiskies from Speyside, and Amrut Fusion Indian single malt whisky, made from barley from both Scotland and India.

Other ingredients include Punch a la Ford (an aged punch that is made by steeping lemon rinds in alcohol), lemon juice, black pepper and a hop foam from Tempest Brewing Co.’s Elemental Dark Ale.

The Patrick Geddes has been created by Dishoom Edinburgh’s Head Bartender, Will Salisbury, and is available until 3am every night from Burns Night on 25^th January to 25^th February for £9.

Carl Brown, Dishoom’s award-winning Daru-walla (drink guy) said: “In celebration of this Bombay-Scotland connection and Burns Night, Will has developed a seriously special and delicious cocktail that showcases the versatility of whisky and the first-class craftsmanship that goes into our tipples.”

Edinburgh Restaurant Festival

The cocktail will continue to be available throughout the Edinburgh Restaurant Festival (5^th – 25^th February 2018), where Dishoom and The Permit Room will also be serving a delicious Lamb Raan Bun for lunch and dinner.

The Lamb Raan Bun is a hearty feast for one, with juicy, slow-cooked, pulled Scottish lamb, piled up in a soft sourdough bun and served with Dishoom Slaw, sali crisp-chips (sweet and spicy, skinny potato crisps), and fried green chillies. It will be sold throughout the festival for £12.90.

The Permit Room, 3A St Andrew Square, is open every evening from 5pm until 3am. Reservations are available for groups of up to 12 guests from 5pm until 1:30am every night. For all reservation enquiries please email edinburghpermitroom@dishoom.com

http://www.dishoom.com/permitroom/

facebook.com/edinburghpermitroom

Notes 

The Permit Room beneath Dishoom Edinburgh

3a St Andrew Square

Edinburgh

EH2 2BD

Tel: 0131 2026406

Opening hours

The Permit Room

5pm – 3am daily. Last orders at 2.30am.

About The Permit Room

The Permit Room is named after the Bombay bars where only permit-holders may consume alcohol (if only ‘for preservation and maintenance of one’s health’).

The bar’s design pays homage to the Bombay tradition of Parsi theatre, which is an appropriate connection to explore, given Edinburgh’s heritage in the performing arts. The Dishoom team spent many days in Bombay researching and visiting performance institutions like Capitol Theatre and the Royal Opera House for inspiration.

The artwork that decorates the walls (kindly curated by Bombay author Meher Marfatia) includes photos of famous Parsi playwrights, and heroes of Parsi theatre, as well as original theatre posters. 

About Dishoom

Dishoom pays loving homage to the Irani cafés that were once part of the fabric of life in Bombay. Opened early last century by Zoroastrian immigrants from Iran, there were almost 400 of these cafés at their peak in the 1960s. Today, fewer than 30 remain. These cafés broke down barriers by bringing people together over food and drink. They were the first places in Bombay where people of any culture, class or religion could take cool refuge from the street with a cup of chai, a simple snack or a hearty meal. People from all walks of life shared tables, rubbed shoulders and broke bread together.

Like the old Irani cafés, Dishoom breaks down barriers: in its restaurants, which employ and serve people from all walks of life, at its events, and through charity (donating a meal for every meal – 3 million meals so far).

Dishoom serves a lovingly curated menu of Bombay comfort food and award-winning drinks in beautiful restaurants with unique stories. Everything Dishoom does shares its love for Bombay’s culture, heritage and people, and everyone is welcomed with warmth.

Dishoom is managed by a team of Babus* led by co-founders Shamil and Kavi Thakrar. Naved Nasir (Burre Chef- walla) is the Executive Chef-walla. The first Dishoom opened in Covent Garden in 2010, and Dishoom now has five cafes in London and one in Edinburgh.

*Babu can be a term of respect in India but is more frequently used to refer to bureaucrats behind desks who don’t do much.

 Dishoom Covent Garden
12 Upper St Martin’s Lane, London WC2H 9FB

Dishoom Shoreditch
7 Boundary Street, London E2 7JE

Dishoom King’s Cross
5 Stable Street, London N1C 4AB

Dishoom Carnaby
22 Kingly Street, London W1B 5QB

Dishoom Edinburgh
3a St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH2 2BD

Dishoom Kensington
4 Derry Street, London W8 5SE

Website: Dishoom.com
Careers & recruitment site: www.dishoom.com/join-us
Twitter/Instagram: @dishoom

GlenAllachie Operations Director Richard Beattie

The GlenAllachie Distillers Company appoint new operations director for fresh chapter in Speyside distillery’s future

 Billy Walker-led consortium lays foundation for plans to revive GlenAllachie

 The new owners of The GlenAllachie Distillery near Aberlour in Speyside have appointed Richard Beattie as its new Operations Director to help realise their vision for a global independent whisky brand.

Operations Director Richard Beattie was previously Director of Distilling at Mossburn Distillers Ltd, parent company for Torabhaig Distillery in Skye and Akashi Distillery in Japan.

Mr Beattie began his career as distillery manager at Speyside Scotch Malt Whisky Distillery and has almost 30 years’ experience within the industry. His past roles include Distilling/Technical Sales Director for Crisp Malting Group and Business Development Director at Briggs of Burton, where he was involved in developing distilling projects in Scotland, Ireland and the US.

A Fellow of the Institute of Brewers and Distillers, he is former Chairman of the Scottish section of the Institute of Brewing & Distilling, a member of the Education and training committee of the Malt Distillers Association of Scotland and has chaired the commercial committee for the last five Worldwide Distilled Spirits Conferences.

Consumers are expected to enjoy their first taste of a revived GlenAllachie this year following the distillery’s sale to a consortium led by award-winning whisky veteran Billy Walker.

He had earlier sold BenRiach Distillery Company to American drinks giant Brown-Forman, after transforming a £5m investment in a previously mothballed distillery into a global business with £40m turnover.

Mr Walker was joined in acquiring GlenAllachie from Chivas parent company Pernod Ricard by long-term business partner and BenRiach colleague Trisha Savage, and Graham Stevenson, a former Managing Director at Inver House Distillers.  The GlenAllachie Distillery Company Ltd consortium has more than a century of experience between them.

Mr Walker, named Entrepreneur of the Year by the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards 2016, said:  “GlenAllachie is one of Speyside’s younger distilleries, yet we’re fortunate to have a substantial stock portfolio laid down ready for release.

“Richard brings a wealth of experience and knowledge not only about whisky making itself but also understands the intricacies of distillery engineering and design. Incidentally, GlenAllachie was designed so that the whole process was gravity fed, this is one of the reasons we have horizontal condensers which is an unusual feature for a distillery.”

GlenAllachie Distillery sits within a 20-acre estate in Speyside and has warehouse stocks dating to the 1970s, which will form the foundations for the brand’s future development.

As well as the 1967-built distillery, the consortium has taken over the single malt brand and blended Scotch brands MacNair’s and White Heather, which it plans to develop as a premium yet affordable range to a global market.

The first phase will see a selection of aged whiskies, from a 10 year old to 25 year old, that are expected to launch this year. There are also moves to develop special edition whiskies.

GlenAllachie plans include exploring emerging markets as well as more established export arenas in France, Germany and the United States.

 Majority shareholder Mr Walker, who began his career in production at Ballantine’s in Dumbarton in 1974, added: “We are looking forward to bringing classic GlenAllachie single malt to a new generation, and exploring how it can deliver new blends that can become the classics of the future.“

The GlenAllachie Distillery was designed by William Delmé-Evans – the architect behind Jura, Macduff and Tullibardine – and was built in 1967 by Mackinlay McPherson, the distilling arm of brewers Scottish & Newcastle. It has four stills and, unusually, two separate spirit safes, one for each set of stills.

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

Facebook – @TheGlenAllachie

Twitter – @TheGlenAllachie

Instagram – @theglenallachie_

Legendary rare whisky fetches world record at auction

A rare 30 year old bottle of second edition Black Bowmore single malt whisky has been bought for a record £11,900 in an online auction held by Perth-based Whisky Auctioneer. (www.whiskyauctioneer.com)

Bought by an investor from the USA, the new record for this legendary bottle of rare whisky exceeds the previous mark of £9,500 set in 2017, according to records from rare whisky analysts Rare Whisky 101.

The record-breaking bottle is the second of the three Oloroso cask 1964 Bowmores released in the mid-1990s. As one of 2000 bottles, it originally retailed on the high street for around £80. Over the last 20 years, it has achieved almost mythical status among whisky fans the world over. It is not known how many bottles are left in circulation.

The bottle was one of over 4,500 bottles being auctioned off in December by Whisky Auctioneer, securing a total of more than £1.2 million. Other notable sales included:

• Clynelish 1973 Single Cask 41 Year Old / Wealth Solutions –  £6,100
• Port Ellen 1981 Feis Ile 2008 – £4,600
• Macallan Private Eye – £3,700
• Laphroaig 1980 27 Year Old – £3,000

The world record price achieved for the Black Bowmore Second Edition reflects the ongoing boom in the secondary market for rare whisky, with an increasing number of collectors, connoisseurs and investors participating in the market through online auctions. Over the past year alone, Whisky Auctioneer has seen a 36% rise in the number of users.

Unlike the traditional auction houses, online auctioneers are able to offer a catalogue of bottles to their global database of buyers, frequently breaking records as more and more users participate in these easy to use and exciting auctions. Whisky Auctioneer has simplified the process by which people from across the world can buy and sell whisky reaching a global audience of more than fifty countries, underlining rare whisky’s growing global appeal, and the ability of online auction houses to open up those markets to rare whisky trading.

Sean McGlone, director, Whisky Auctioneer said: “We were expecting some high bids for this incredible whisky, we hoped it would exceed expectations and break all previous records. It just goes to show how iconic this expression has become among whisky collectors and aficionados the world over. As more consumers discover the joys of rare and vintage whisky, it’s difficult to see how demand won’t continue to increase pushing up prices for those brands and bottles which are most coveted.

“Fortunately at Whisky Auctioneer we are continuing to attract some of the very best collections for sale worldwide. Having moved the world’s largest private collection of rare Japanese Karuizawa whisky last year for a record breaking amount, and setting records for icons such as this 30 year old Black Bowmore, we are developing a reputation as one of the very best whisky auctioneers available for both buyers and sellers. We’ll do our bit to help growing the market by continuing to improve our service to make it easy as possible for whisky collectors to trade.”

For more information about Whisky Auctioneer, please visit www.whiskyauctioneer.com.

Whisky Auctioneer specialises in auctioning whisky, whether it be fine, old, rare, collectable or affordable. 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.

VICTORIA, Jan. 19, 2018 /CNW/ – The verdict is in. As the popularity of Canadian whisky continues its meteoric ascent, a jury of ten independent whisky experts has named Wiser’s 35-year-old the very best of the best. 

The whisky was proclaimed Whisky of the Year in Victoria B.C. on Thursday, January 18, at the eighth annual Canadian Whisky Awards gala. Distillers, brand ambassadors, and fans alike came together to celebrate and raise a glass to the passion and craftsmanship of Canadian whisky.

Chairman of the judges, Davin de Kergommeaux, described Wiser’s 35-year-old as: “An elegant and complex beauty with depth of flavour and no rough edges.”

Other top accolades went to whiskies from Caribou Crossing, Crown Royal, Collingwood, Forty Creek, Gibson’s Finest, and Highwood Rye.

“Canada’s whisky makers have responded to skyrocketing interest in Canadian whisky with a wealth of new high-end releases,” said de Kergommeaux as he revealed the winners. “Canadian Club released a 40-year-old whisky and Corby Distillers bottled a cask strength version of connoisseur’s favourite, Lot No. 40.”

As the country’s preeminent Canadian whisky competition, the independent and blind judging panel, served up some surprise honours to relative newcomers such as Saskatchewan’s Last Mountain distillery and Yukon’s Two Brewers which took home top spot as Microdistiller of the Year.

Canadian distillers released more small-batch and luxury whiskies in 2017, than ever before. Corby Distillers, for instance introduced four new limited release whiskies, Forty Creek went back to first principles with a whisky named Heritage, and Collingwood released Double Barrel, a Canadian whisky made in an American style.

If this year’s record setting submissions are an indication, Canadian whisky fans have an extremely exciting 2018 to look forward to.

The list of all the winners is now available at http://www.canadianwhisky.org 

Notes:

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.

SOURCE Canadian Whisky Awards

RELATED LINKS

www.canadianwhisky.org

Photo Caption

Corby Distillery team accept Whisky of the Year for JP Wiser’s 35 year old. L to r: Brand director Chris Bhowmik, Colin MacDougal, Spencer Gooderham, Co-host Heather Leary, Chair & Co-host Davin de Kergommeaux and Dave Mitton.

Photo Credit: Jen Steele