Wolfburn Whisky: Five Years Old January 25th!

Wolfburn Distillery is today celebrating its fifth anniversary – its first cask was filled on
25^th January 2013.  Since that date the distillery has been in near constant production, and in the ensuring five years it has laid down almost 1.5 million bulk litres of spirit.

‘It continues to be an amazing adventure,’ says Shane Fraser, distillery manager. ‘For the first three years or so we only produced spirit and laid down casks. Then two years ago we installed our bottling plant and began selling whisky for the first time. The reaction has been unbelievable – our whisky is now distributed in 27 countries all around the world, it’s won multiple gold medal awards, and sales are miles higher than we anticipated. The five years since filling the first cask have simply flown past.’

Wolfburn’s Highland whisky has garnered an immediate reputation for excellence.  The distillery’s Northland expression is the only newly released single malt whisky to have won gold medals in four consecutive international competitions, and the successive Aurora and Morven expressions have attracted equally glowing reviews. Simultaneously, Wolfburn’s limited release whiskies have become the target of collectors globally, with a bottle of the inaugural release recently selling at auction in the US for over $1000.

‘At the end of the day, it’s lovely to be making a product that so many people enjoy,’ states Shane. ‘Not much in life is as good as a dram of fine single malt whisky, and I’m very, very proud of the whisky that Wolfburn is producing – it really is world class.’

Photograph:

Shane Fraser, Wolfburn distillery manager, and Iain Kerr, deputy manager, with Wolfburn’s first ever cask – laid down five years ago today.

ABOUT WOLFBURN: 

The original Wolfburn Distillery was founded just to the west of Thurso by William Smith in 1821.  In its day it was one of the largest distilleries in Scotland, producing, according to HMRC records, 28,056 “gallons of proof spirit” in a single year.  Taking its name from the stream that provided the water – the Wolf Burn – the distillery operated until around 1870.  The reasons for its closure are lost in time, but by 1877 the newly produced Ordnance Survey maps showed it being in ruins.

In 2011 plans were laid to resurrect the old distillery. Construction began in 2012 and in January 2013 the new Wolfburn Distillery commenced production, thereby becoming the most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland.  Situated 300m from the site of the original distillery, the new Wolfburn operates in much the same way as the old: craftsmen use traditional methods to produce fine spirit, which is laid down in best quality oak casks to await the day when it is bottled as single malt scotch whisky.  Wolfburn’s single malt scotch whiskies are now available in 27 countries globally.

Wolfburn Distillery, Henderson Park, Thurso, Caithness KW14 7XW

www.wolfburn.com

www.facebook.com/wolfburn

CYCLIST MARK BEAUMONT TO OPEN FIFE WHISKY FESTIVAL

Scottish cycling legend Mark Beaumont is gearing up for his latest challenge – as guest of honour at the first Fife Whisky Festival.

The endurance cyclist will open the showcase event on Saturday March 10 at the Corn Exchange in Cupar.

Mark, who holds the record for cycling around the world, is delighted to have the chance to sample a dram or two at the festival.

He said: “As an athlete I drink modestly but have always enjoyed a dram on the right occasion ever since I lived around the corner from The Ben Nevis – a famous whisky and folk music bar in Glasgow.”

Mark will open the event – which he describes as an important boost to the local economy – at 1pm before mingling with festival-goers and enjoying the entertainment.

He said: “Having partly grown up in Fife, I am proud of all the Kingdom has to offer and look forward to coming back and enjoying the Fife Whisky Festival.

“I’m aware of all the fantastic developments with distilling in the area and, for those who are new to Fife, this festival and events like it are so important in putting Fife firms on the map for travel and business.”

The inaugural festival was launched by businesswomen Justine Hazlehurst, founder of Kask Whisky, and Karen Somerville, managing director of Angels’ Share Glass.

They joined forces to organise the festival in a bid to bring whisky back to the Kingdom of Fife.

Karen said: “After years of attending whisky festivals around the world, Justine and I were delighted to have the chance to bring an exciting new event to Scotland.

“Our plans have proved popular with whisky lovers across the country and further afield who’ve been snapping up tickets.

“And today we’re honoured to announce that Mark Beaumont has taken up our invitation to open the first Fife Whisky Festival and enjoy a few drams.”

Justine added: “It’s a real coup to have Scotland’s greatest cyclist coming to join us in sampling some of the best whiskies available in the country and we’re looking forward to a fantastic day.”

The inaugural Fife Whisky Festival, sponsored by Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers, will showcase the renaissance of whisky-making in Fife and bring together whisky lovers and producers from across the region and much further afield.

Graeme Dempster, of Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Fife’s first Whisky Festival.

“We work with many distilleries across Scotland and it’s great to see them supporting the Festival. 

“Our specialist team will be on hand to discuss any insurance requirements and to sample a few drams with our Corporate Ambassador, Mark Beaumont!”

More than 25 distilleries and independent bottlers will attend the event ensuring a huge range of whiskies for visitors to try.

Exhibitors include Fife’s well-known Kingsbarns Distillery, Lindores Abbey Distillery, Edenmill together with Glen Moray, Isle of Arran Whisky and Springbank Distillery.

Meanwhile, drinks specialists Luvians, who have bottleshops in Cupar and St Andrews, will be on hand as the on-site retailer and the programme for the day is sponsored by legal firm MacRoberts LLP.

Fife-based musical duo The Coaltown Daisies, famous for producing `The Whisky Song’ which became the theme for last year’s World Whisky Day, are also attending to entertain festival-goers as they enjoy their tasting sessions.

There are two sessions for the Fife Whisky Festival – with the first starting at 1pm on Saturday March 10 and the second beginning at 5pm.

For more details and to buy tickets, go to www.fifewhiskyfestival.com

Notes:

Fife Whisky Festival was launched last year by Justine Hazlehurst and Karen Somerville. For more details, go to www.fifewhiskyfestival.com

Mark Beaumont is a record-breaking endurance cyclist and author. Last year, he set a new record by cycling around the world covering a 18,000-mile route in 79 days. For more details, visit www.markbeaumontonline.com

 Angels’ Share Glass is a family-run business based in Bridge of Allan, near Stirling. The firm is co-directed by Karen Somerville and her father Tom Young – a world-renowned Master Craftsman who has been glassblowing and making lamp-work glassware for nearly 60 years. More information about the company can be found at www.angelsshareglass.com

: Justine Hazlehurst, of Kask Whisky, is a well-known whisky blogger and media influencer. She organises regular themed whisky tastings in Edinburgh and Fife as well as tailor-made tours to a number of distilleries. For more details about Kask Whisky, go to www.kaskwhisky.com

Ballot Open for Rare Karuizawa 35 Year Japanese Whisky

TOKYO — 31 January 2018 – A ballot for dekantā’s Karuizawa The Cities of Japan 35 Year Old Sherry Cask collection, showcasing bottle designs inspired by Japan’s most iconic cities with rare Japanese whisky of the silent distillery, closes Wednesday 7 February at midnight (GMT).

Authentic Japanese spirits retailer dekantā have just announced the opening of their ballot to buy one of the world’s rarest whiskies, a 35 year old single sherry cask whisky, of which only 150 bottles are available, from the closed Karuizawa distillery. Each of the Karuizawa 35 Year Old Cities of Japan Sherry Cask ($12,500, 70cl, 59.4%) bottles carries one of six limited edition designs, embodying the character of Japan’s most exciting and iconic cities, Tokyo, Sapporo, Nagoya, Osaka, Yokohama and Kobe. Since the Karuizawa distillery ceased production in 2000, demand for Japanese whisky, and the limited Karuizawa stock, has increased dramatically, pushing up prices as a result.

“Karuizawa is synonymous with quality, luxury, and rarity. We’re overjoyed to offer our clients a piece of this legendary silent distillery, and to unveil the beautiful bottle designs honouring six great cities of Japan,” said Makiyo Masa, Founder and Director of dekantā. Through the collection’s six bespoke bottle designs, dekantā aims to take Japanese whisky lovers on a sensual tour of modern Japan; from the never-sleeping Tokyo, through the snowy land of Sapporo in Hokkaido, along Osaka’s edgy streets and Kobe’s stylish fashion-forward districts, on to tranquil Yokohama and vibrant Nagoya.

Winners of the ballot will be offered the opportunity to purchase a bottle of the Karuizawa 35 Year Old Cities of Japan Sherry Cask. Each entry can be for one selection, or multiple selections, from the limited edition designs. The ballot will close at 11.59 GMT on Wednesday 7 February 2018, when ballot winners will be contacted with details on how to complete their purchase. Any winners who do not exercise their opportunity to purchase their allocated bottle within three days will have their winning ballets redrawn, and new winners will be contacted.

To enter the ballot for the Karuizawa 35 Year Old Cities of Japan Sherry Cask, visit dekanta.com/ballot35 to express interest in one or more of the limited design editions, before 11.59 GMT on Wednesday 7 February 2018.

Tasting Notes

This exceptional Karuizawa has spent over three and a half decades maturing in a first fill sherry cask. Over this time, the spirit has been imbued with the flavor and character of the cask to develop a rich, dark and complex nose: opening with notes of liquorice, roasted coffee beans and dark chocolate; cinnamon, ginger and clove make an appearance after the initial intensity has waned. The sherry cask delivers a sweet and creamy palate, peppered with spice, now joined by dark chocolate, umami and succulent forest fruits. Prunes, dates and plums intensify near the finish. The finish is long and satisfying, a reminder of the significant time spent in the cask, bringing cocoa, extra spice and a touch of mango.

Notes:

About dekantā

dekantā offers customers access to the world’s largest online selection of authentic Japanese Spirits and has delivered to 127 countries across every continent in the world. A family owned and run business, dekantā’s founders have been selling collectibles since 1985 and specialize in rare, collectible, and new release single malt Japanese whisky. dekantā offers worldwide delivery on an extensive range of Japanese single malt whisky, Japanese grain whisky and Japanese blended whisky, in addition to Scottish whisky released for the Japanese market only.

Consumers who would like to learn more about Japanese whisky should visit the dekantā website, which boasts the most extensive repository of information dedicated to Japanese whisky, including distillery history and tasting notes for each bottle. Bilingual concierge service is available 24 hours a day, providing expert recommendations in both English and Japanese.

About Karuizawa Distillery

The Karuizawa Distillery was established in 1955 in the foothills of an active volcano Mount Asama. The location was notable for being the highest distillery in Japan at 850m above sea level. Despite being the smallest whisky producer in Japan, Karuizawa had a global reputation for producing first-class malt whiskies. The distillery imported Golden Promise barley from Scotland and aged the majority of its stock in sherry casks. Karuizawa stopped producing whisky in 2000 and has since been known as a ‘silent’ distillery. As global interest in Japanese whisky has grown in recent years, demand for stock from the closed Karuizawa distillery has increased dramatically, along with the price of the remaining bottles.

dekanta.com
Follow dekantā on Twitter: @dekantawhisky
Like dekantā on Facebook: facebook.com/dekantawhisky/

Introducing the latest limited edition Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Whisky

Johnnie Walker, the world’s No. 1 Scotch Whisky Brand and the biggest selling spirits brand in travel retail has added an exciting new innovation to the Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch series: Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Sherry Cask Finish.

Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch whiskies are the result of more than a hundred ongoing experiments that deliver unique flavours and amazing serves. Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Sherry Cask Finish is the seventh release from this series and the first to launch exclusively in travel retail.

W.M. Cadenhead’s is pleased announce that there is a new Cadenhead’s shop opening in Berlin, Germany.

The shop is being opened by Stefan Bulian. Stefan’s whisky career began about 15 years ago in a pub with a large selection of whisky, including many Cadenhead’s products. Prior to undertaking this exciting new venture, he had been working with the previous Cadenhead shop, Cadenhead’s Whisky Market, for almost 8 years.

The new shop is going to be situated a short walk away from where the old Cadenhead shop was and the address is as follows;

Cadenhead’s Whisky Shop Berlin
Boxhagener Strasse 33
10245 Berlin
Germany

We are sure you will all be looking forward to welcoming Stefan to our whisky family and visiting the new shop. We do not currently have a confirmed opening date but as soon as we do we shall provide you with that information along with the relevant contact details.

And lastly, it is hoped that there will be a new shop in Austria in the future and W.M. Cadenhead’s is currently looking into some options. We will confirm any details with you when we have them.

Slainte

On behalf of W.M. Cadenhead’s.

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.