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

THE MACALLAN UNVEILS THE 1977 FINE & RARE VINTAGE BOTTLING

New Vintage is Latest Addition to Prestigious Fine & Rare Collection 

January 17, 2018 (New York, New York) – The Macallan, the world’s most admired single malt Scotch whisky, has unveiled a new release in its highly regarded Fine & Rare collection, the 1977 vintage.

The Macallan Fine & Rare collection, created to identify the very best of The Macallan’s finest maturing stock, features some of the greatest vintage single malts ever released. The 1977 vintage – of which only 4 bottles are allocated to the US market this year – continues to add to the liquid history of The Macallan, offering new insights into the aroma and flavor characteristic of this exquisite single malt.

“The release of the 1977 Fine & Rare vintage adds an outstanding whisky to this collection of unique and mature expressions of The Macallan,” said The Macallan’s Master Distiller, Nick Savage. “The full, rich, classic Macallan body holds the supporting characters of sweet apples & vanillas, to give an all-encompassing whisky. A hint of peat in the background draws inspiration from The Macallan heritage, balanced with maturation in a smaller hogshead cask for a rich, yet delicate experience. The 1977 Fine & Rare vintage has reached its gentle maturity over 40 years and represents the classic Macallan style.”

Charlie Whitfield, Manager of Prestige Whiskies at The Macallan, said: “Now 15 years since its launch, with more than 50 individual vintages releases, The Macallan Fine & Rare Collection retains its status as one of the most iconic ranges within the world of single malt. The most recent vintage released took the collection up to 1991, but now we take a few steps back in time to the late 1970s. A superb single cask whisky from a memorable year, when cinema-goers were first introduced to George Lucas’ Star Wars and the world mourned the death of Elvis Presley. On The Macallan Estate on September 26^th 1977, our predecessors filled one particular Hogshead, amongst many Sherry-seasoned casks, not knowing the fate that lay ahead 40 years later.”

Over the years, the Fine & Rare collection has underpinned The Macallan as the world’s most valuable and collectable single malt whisky, dominating auctions around the world and setting world record prices, both at auction and private sale.

The 1977 Fine & Rare vintage comes from Cask No.8661 and has an ABV of 48.5%. The release will be limited to 4 bottles in the US market this year, with a similar amount expected next year. There is a suggested retail price of approximately $15,000 USD per 750ml bottle. For purchasing inquiries, please email: Inquiries.us@themacallan.com

Tasting notes:

Color:  Golden Barley

Nose:  Classic aromas of rounded citrus fruit and lemon zest, sweet apples and vanilla. Toasted oak delivers delicate wood smoke in the background.

Palate:  Wood spice, sweet citrus and soft peat. Soft yet intense.

Finish:  Lingering notes of fruit and resinous oak afford a long finish.

ABV: 48.5%

Bottles produced: 151

About The Macallan

Founded in 1824 in the heart of Speyside, The Macallan was one of the first distilleries in Scotland to be legally licensed. Since then it has built a reputation as one of the world’s finest single malt whiskies.  The story of The Macallan is built on the Six Pillars, each influencing the whisky in its own distinct way.  From the spiritual home of Easter Elchies House; curiously small stills giving richness to the pure spirit; finest cut of the distillation, to exceptional oak casks which account for up to 80% of the final flavor in the whisky; natural color and finally peerless spirit, The Macallan itself.

Wood sits at the heart of The Macallan. The vital contributing influences of Spain, North America and Scotland, together with true mastery, set it apart from the rest. For more information on The Macallan, visit www.themacallan.com. The Macallan can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

The Essence of Suntory Whisky for Pre-Order at dekantā

TOKYO — 16 January 2018 – Japanese whisky fans worldwide can order these limited release, creative new whiskies from Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita, otherwise only available in Japan, through dekantā.com.

Due for release on 27 February 2018, The Essence of Suntory collection includes three brand new expressions from the Japanese whisky giant, now available for worldwide delivery from Japanese spirit specialists dekantā. Shoppers at dekantā will be among the first to own and experience these limited release whiskies, as the world’s largest e-commerce retailer for high end Japanese spirits is one of few, if not the only, online stores stocking the new The Essence of Suntory releases.

Cask strength, limited releases, of single malt and single grain whiskies, The Essence of Suntory expressions offer surprising takes on produce from favourite Japanese whisky distilleries. The branding of this bottle range has moved away from the iconic Suntory branding of their other single malt ranges, Yamazaki and Hakushu, in both shape, colour and labelling. With slim bottles and label designs showcasing modern Japanese art, they exemplify a fresh, adventurous new look for Suntory.

The Essence of Suntory Single Malt Yamazaki Peated Malt 2018 12 year old (500ml, 49% ABV) offers sweet berry notes and acidity joined by the influence of gentle smoke. The Essence of Suntory Single Grain Hakushu Rye Type 2018 (500ml, 57% ABV) is aged for 4 years, a surprising single grain, rye expression from Hakushu. The use of rye brings a rich, deep spice to pair with the green, fruity Hakushu character, offering a whisky with great balance. The Essence of Suntory Single Grain Chita Wine Cask 4 year Finish 2018 (500ml, 49% ABV) is a rare 16 year old single grain whisky, which has spent 4 years finishing in a wine cask, resulting in plum-influenced sweet and sour notes on the palate, with a smooth mouthfeel and mellow aroma.

“We have always prided ourselves on being able to bring an authentic Japanese whisky and cultural experience to customers worldwide, that they would only otherwise find on a visit to Japan,” said Founder Makiyo Masa. “We’re delighted to offer these extremely exclusive limited release bottles to fans of Japanese whisky worldwide and congratulate Suntory on their creativity, which has brought such exciting diversity to their offering of Japanese whiskies.”

The Essence of Suntory Whisky – Yamazaki Peated Malt 2018, The Essence of Suntory Whisky Hakushu Rye Type 2018 and The Essence of Suntory Whisky – Chita Wine Cask 4 Year Finish 2018 are available for pre-order from the dekantā website, with worldwide shipping beginning in March. Quantities are limited and the bottles are expected to sell out quickly.

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.

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

CHIVAS REGAL HARNESSES COMMUNITY SPIRIT IN SEARCH FOR THE 2018 CHIVAS MASTERS GLOBAL CHAMPION 

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR BARTENDERS WHO CREATIVELY CAPTURE

THE SPIRIT OF THEIR COMMUNITY 

8^th January, 2018: Chivas Regal, the world’s first luxury whisky, has launched its search for the 2018 Chivas Masters Global Champion. Now in its fifth year, the Chivas Masters is a global competition that celebrates bartenders who demonstrate cutting-edge skill and creativity and share Chivas Regal’s core values of community, collaboration and generosity.

Launching in 22 countries across six continents, the Chivas Masters offers bartenders a once in a lifetime opportunity to grow their skills in a collaborative environment where they can learn from peers, alumni and industry experts from across the globe. This year, the theme of community will sit at the very heart of the competition, with the national stages challenging participants to produce a Chivas drink that is inspired by someone in their local community. The winner of each of the 22 national finals will go on to the Global Final to represent their market and compete for the coveted title of Chivas Masters Global Champion 2018.

This year’s Global Final will be hosted in the United Kingdom – both in London and at Strathisla distillery in Speyside, the spiritual home of Chivas Regal. Throughout a series of masterclasses and intense individual and team challenges, the bartenders’ skills and creativity will be tested, and they will have to prove that they can be as generous with their expertise as they are with a dram of Chivas Regal, by collaborating with their fellow finalists to achieve shared success.

At the culmination of the six-day programme, the Chivas Masters Global Champion 2018 will be crowned, and will win an all-expenses-paid trip to Tales of The Cocktail 2018 in New Orleans, and the chance to travel the world with Chivas to inspire the bartenders of the future.

Max Warner, Global Brand Ambassador for Chivas Regal, comments: “At Chivas Regal, we believe that generosity and success go hand in hand – a belief inspired by our founding brothers, James and John Chivas, who shared their success with the local community as their business grew. These are the values that have influenced the Chivas Masters right from the start, and the reason why in 2018 we are beyond excited to bring the Global Final home to where our brand, values and indeed our own community were born.”

If you think you have what it takes to be the next Chivas Masters Global Champion, visit www.chivas.com/chivasmasters to find out more.

#ChivasMasters 

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About Chivas Regal

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

Old Pulteney unveils three new Travel Retail exclusive whiskies

We’re delighted to announce the launch of three new Travel Retail exclusive whiskies, each of which will be joining us today as we sail on the world’s largest floating whisky festival, Viking Line, Cinderella Whiskymassa 2018.

Firstly, and in honour of the 10th anniversary of the Viking Line Cinderella Whisky Fair, we’d like to reveal Swedish Travel Retail exclusive Old Pulteney Single Cask 2002 (number 717). This elegant whisky has matured in ex-bourbon American oak barrels. Bright gold in colour, Old Pulteney Single Cask 2002 (717) boasts sweet toffee and chocolate aromas, followed by light citrus fruits and a slight saltiness – adopted from its time maturing near the rugged coast here in Wick. This whisky exudes creamy chocolate flavours, paired with vanilla and coconut to entice the senses. Soft fruits, hints of spice and saltiness follow, with a warming, sweet finish peppered with a signature Old Pulteney tang.

The Single Cask 2002 (717) is neither chill-filtered nor coloured and is bottled at its natural cask strength of 58.2% ABV. It has a RRP of SKE 1299 per bottle. Old Pulteney Single Cask 2002 (717) is now available to guests attending the Cinderella Whisky Fair on the 11th -14th  of January 2018 in Sweden, on each of the three dedicated 24-hour return sailings aboard the Viking Line Cinderella from Stockholm to Mariehamn. In additon to the launch of the Swedish Exclusive Single Cask 2002 (717), and further to overwhelming demand following an exclusive release within Heathrow Airport in 2017, we’re also thrilled to announce the roll out of Old Pulteney 1990 Vintage across Travel Retail outlets globally.

The 1990 Vintage tells a tale of craftsmanship and dedication, dating back over a quarter of a century. This full-bodied spirit began its story in American oak ex-bourbon casks, developing its characteristically complex nature, before moving to Spanish oak where it became richer, darker and adopted a sweetness with hints of spice. The unique expression then experienced a brief spell in casks which previously held heavily peated whisky – providing a unique smoky final flourish to our powerful Maritime Malt.

Polished copper in colour, 1990 Vintage offers an aroma of spice, vanilla, toffee and sweet honey, balanced by a thin veil of warming wood smoke and oak. Bitter orange marmalade and caramel apples soon follow on the nose to create a long-lasting sensory experience for this exquisite dram.

Rich in mouth feel and intense in flavour, the palate opens up with strong praline and sultana sweetness on a thick bed of warm, savoury smoke. Citrus strikes the top note with hints of vanilla lingering in the background, giving a finish which is long and smoky.

The 1990 Vintage is neither chill-filtered nor coloured and is bottled at its natural cask strength of 46% ABV. It has a RRP of £288 per bottle.

Lastly, and most certainly not least, we are pleased to reveal that both our newly released Single Cask 2002 and 1990 Vintage will be joining the crew at Viking Line, Cinderella Whiskymassa 2018 alongside a third new Travel Retail Exclusive, 2006 Vintage. The 2006 Vintage is matured in ex Bourbon American Oak casks for 11 years. Polished copper in colour, the scent is spicy and sweet with notes of vanilla and toffee, balanced by a thin veil of wood smoke and embers. Bitter marmalade and hints of caramel apples soon follow. Rich in texture and with intense flavours, this expression entices the palate with strong chords of pralines and sultanas on a bed of deliciously warm, savoury smoke. Citrus and vanilla notes linger for a long, smoky finish.

The 2006 Vintage is neither chill-filtered nor coloured and is bottled at its natural cask strength of 46% ABV. It has a RRP of £55.00 per bottle.

In honor of the upcoming Chinese New Year on February 16^th, The Macallan released a Chinese New Year Limited Edition Gift Box, containing two bottles of Macallan Double Cask 12 Years Old.

Some more details:

• This celebratory co-pack honors the Year of the Dog
• Currently available in select retailers for a limited time
• Only 2,500 packs will be available in the U.S.
• Will be available for an MSRP of $130.00
• Tasting notes:

o    Color: Harvest sun

o    Nose: Creamy butterscotch, toffee apple, candied orange, vanilla custard and fresh oak

o    Finish: Oak lingers, warm, sweet and drying

o    Palate: Ginger, nutmeg, citrus, caramel, raisins & resinous

o    Strength: 43% ABV