R&I Cruden Awarded GlenWyvis Distillery Biomass and Mechanical contract 

R&I Cruden are delighted to announce that they have been awarded the Biomass and Mechanical contract for the boiler and steam production at the world’s first 100% community owned whisky distillery.

GlenWyvis will be the first distillery in Dingwall for over 90 years and construction is planned to begin in 2017. The distillery will be powered by various sources of renewable energy including a biomass boiler and aims to have bottles of eight-year malt on sale by the middle of the next decade. The initial production run will be 30,000 litres a year, although this could rise to as much as 200,000 litres annually.

R&I Cruden, an established Mechanical and Renewable business based in nearby Muir of Ord, has built an exceptional reputation for high quality installations of renewable heating systems over the last decade. This will be their first involvement in the distillery sector but something Managing Director Ian Cruden is relishing.

“Although this will be our first distillery project we have been working closely with the GlenWyvis team for over three years now. We have scoured Europe looking for the best equipment and been heavily involved in the design process. It is now at the exciting stage where our hard work comes to fruition and we get to see all of our planning and design work come together during the build process. Our excellent team of engineers has completed additional project-specific training and they are excited to get started. This is a great project for us that will help with continued growth and assist in creating new jobs within our business. We look forward to a successful project which will provide a legacy for the local community”.

                                                                                     Company Director: Ian Cruden

“We are delighted to be able to partner with a local supplier on this important aspect of the GlenWyvis project. The team at GlenWyvis is committed to the local community and to renewable energy – and this contract represents a key milestone in the distillery construction. We have worked closely with the engineers from R&I Cruden and have been impressed with their willingness to invest time and energy to ensure that they can deliver the best solution for our ground-breaking project. We look forward to making this happen together.”

GlenWyvis Founder: John McKenzie

One of the main factors that attracted R&I Cruden to the GlenWyvis project was the client’s philosophy – “built on history, powered by nature” – that sits very well with our own ethos. This not only reflects the renewable aspect of the project, but also the core community values, something R&I Cruden is also extremely committed too, investing particularly in young people. R&I Cruden already have an award-winning apprenticeship program and the addition of the GlenWyvis contract will help further develop this.

R&I Cruden can be contacted on Tel: 01463 870 057 for all your Mechanical and Renewable enquiries.

http://www.ricruden.net/

info@ricruden.net

WHISKY OF THE YEAR: ARDBEG KELPIE COMMITTEE EXCLUSIVE (51.7% ABV) CROWNED WHISKY OF THE YEAR AT THE 2017 INTERNATIONAL WHISKY COMPETITION

Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Distilling & Whisky Creation for Glenmorangie and Ardbeg named Master Distiller of the Year for crafting the Whisky of the Year 2017 and will receive the coveted Golden Barrel Trophy.

The International Whisky Competition (IWC) just released its results for this year’s most respected blind tasting judging event. The top recognition, Whisky of the Year, was awarded to Ardbeg Kelpie Committee Exclusive (51.7% ABV) which scored 97.3 points, the highest scoring whisky of the competition.

The 8th edition of the International Whisky Competition took place in Las Vegas over three days, from May 3 to 5 and received over 180 different whiskies. A world-class tasting panel made of whisky, spirit, beer and wine experts blind tasted each whisky on an individual basis (8 minutes per whisky).

Each whisky was scored using a comprehensive 100-point scale system developed by Sébastien Gavillet, IWC Head of Tasting Panel and author of Discovering and Mastering Single Malt Scotch Whisky. This process and the fact that only three medals are awarded in any category make the International Whisky Competition the most followed whisky competition and one of the most professional competitions of its kind in the world.

We warmly congratulate Dr Bill Lumsden, Head of Spirit Creation at Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, as well as his team, for creating such a complex and sophisticated whisky, ever changing with pronounced phenols yet a smooth & lingering finish. “Definitely a contender” said Sebastien Gavillet’s tasting notes. “Elegant! Spectacular” said Adam Carmer’s notes and “Warm finish, exceptionally smooth and well-integrated” said Agi Toth’s notes.

This is the second year Dr Bill Lumsden is crowned Master Distiller of the Year for crafting the best scoring whisky of the competition. Last year’s winner was Glenmorangie Signet, which scored 97 points. Ardbeg Distillery will receive the Golden Barrel Trophy for winning the Whisky of the Year during a ceremony to be held this summer in Islay, Scotland.

Full results available here: https://www.whiskycompetition.com/2017-results/ 

About the International Whisky Competition®

The International Whisky Competition is the most followed Whisky Competition on Social Media and brings whiskies from around the world to be blind tasted and rated by a professional tasting panel using the most comprehensive tasting method available. 15 criteria are required to produce the tasting notes as well as aroma and flavor profiles for the International Whisky Guide. Unlike other competitions, the judges are presented with one whisky at a time, to ensure each whisky gets the proper attention. For more information please visit www.whiskycompetition.com

We congratulate Dr Bill Lumsden and his team, for crafting such an a complex and sophisticated whisky, ever changing with pronounced phenols yet a smooth & lingering finish” said Sebastien Gavillet

For more information about the International Whisky Guide and the International Whisky Competition, please visit whiskycompetition.com or contact Sylvain Allard, Managing Director, at s.allard@whiskycompetition.com

We congratulate Dr Bill Lumsden and his team, for crafting such an a complex and sophisticated whisky, ever changing with pronounced phenols yet a smooth & lingering finish” said Sebastien Gavillet

Tamdhu marks 120th anniversary with archive appeal

Tamdhu Distillery is calling on whisky enthusiasts to help bring its history to life, as it marks its 120th anniversary.

The Speyside distillery is asking people to come forward with their Tamdhu memories, artefacts and photographs, as it seeks to build a brand archive and delve more deeply into the social history of its past.

Sandy McIntyre, Tamdhu Distillery Manager, explains:

“Since the distillery was reopened in 2012 by Ian Macleod Distillers, Tamdhu has been growing in popularity all over the world, and people love hearing about the history of how our whisky is made, and the people who made it.

“We already have some brilliant archive material – for example, the wages log from way back in 1897, and the original distillery blueprints –  but I know there must be lots more out there.

“We’re interested in hearing stories from those who have worked here and their friends and family, and will be collecting photographs and memorabilia, and anything else which people might have hidden away. And, as we are custodians of the old Tamdhu/Dalbeallie railway station, we’d also be thrilled to receive any stories or images relating to it. Our aim is to create an online archive which people can explore and maybe, in time, establish something here at the distillery too.”

To share your Tamdhu stories and memorabilia, simply upload to the Tamdhu Facebook page or share on Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #TamdhuTimes

Born on the banks of the River Spey in 1897, Tamdhu Distillery was considered the most technologically-advanced of its time. Enthused by the optimism of Queen Victoria’s 1897 Diamond Jubilee, it was built by a consortium of merchants and gentlemen of the whisky trade who had raised today’s equivalent of £20 million to fund the project. It was designed by Charles C Doig Esq – the pre-eminent distillery architect and engineer of the day.

Tamdhu is now owned by one of Scotland’s leading, independent family-owned distillers, Ian Macleod Distillers. Its quality is defined by the hint of peat in its malted barley, the natural Speyside water that is drawn directly from the Tamdhu spring and the 100% exclusive use of only the finest sherry oak casks.

Tamdhu has recently received an array of awards for its whisky, including a double Gold for its Tamdhu Batch Strength II and Tamdhu Ten Year Old at the International Spirits Challenge 2017, and Best Non Age Statement Whisky at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Awards 2017, also for Batch Strength II.

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

Startup Anniversary Invites Worldwide Toast to Japanese Whisky

TOKYO — 25 May 2017 – dekantā, the leading online store for high end Japanese spirits, are hosting a week-long event, starting Saturday 28 May, to mark two years since its founding by Japanese entrepreneur Makiyo Masa. The anniversary week invites customers, partners and friends to celebrate a second year of success for dekantā and the continued allure of Japanese whisky on the international stage.

Each of the seven days leading up to the 3 June anniversary will highlight a Japanese whisky brand or distillery from dekantā’s extensive range, from big brand favourites to upcoming Ji-whisky labels. These daily profiles will involve insider insights and recommendations, ‘flash deals’ on popular bottles, competitions, limited edition bottle sets in dekantā collectible boxes, and more.

Friends of dekantā on social media are invited to offer a virtual toast to Japanese whisky by posting their photos using the hashtag “ToastDekanta” (#ToastDekanta). Participants in the toast will be entered to win bottles, gift-cards and door prizes valued at more than $1,000 USD.

Since dekantā’s founding in 2015, Makiyo has scoured Japan, sourcing the most exclusive and rare bottles and delivering her country’s exceptional spirit to the world’s elite. “Whisky lovers the world over have embraced dekantā and for that we are very thankful,” said Makiyo. “We couldn’t have achieved so much in so little time without the support of our online community of Japanese whisky enthusiasts, and that’s why we’d like to give a little back with a massive Japanese whisky extravaganza.”

In just two years, dekantā has grown to offer the world’s largest online selection of rare and authentic Japanese spirits, and has delivered to 127 countries across every continent in the world. It is now firmly established as the predominant source for rare and high-end Japanese whisky, while stocking a wider selection of Japanese spirits and offering a taste of Japanese culture worldwide. Bottles can be delivered to anywhere on the globe, with an authentic Japanese gift wrapping service available.

Stock ranges from the highly exclusive produce of silent distilleries, to more affordable and extremely popular brands such as Hibiki, Yamazaki and Nikka. Just some of the rare and exclusive bottles listed exclusively on dekantā include a large selection of bottles from renowned ‘silent’ distillery Karuizawa and Ichiro’s Playing Card series. dekantā is offering the highly-anticipated Yamazaki 2017 Limited Edition release for pre-order and the Yamazakura 963 21 year old is a dekantā exclusive bottle that cannot be found anywhere else online.

Japanese whisky has experienced rapid worldwide growth, and has won numerous awards and accolades in recent years. “Thank you to our wonderful customers. Thank you Japan, my home country for making such beautiful whisky that has caught the attention of so many worldwide,” says Makiyo. “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. We look forward to welcoming more whisky lovers on the journey.” 

Notes:

For more information on the world-wide toast (available from Sat 27 May): https://dekanta.com/toast-dekanta/

For more information on the anniversary event (available from Sat 27 May): https://dekanta.com/anniversary-2017/

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/

2017 Kilchoman Loch Gorm is Here!

LOCH GORM is the name given to our annually released sherry cask matured limited edition. The 2017 edition is the sixth installment of this limited release and has been matured exclusively in Oloroso sherry butts filled in 2009, the longest Loch Gorm maturation to date.

• Every bottle of Kilchoman is hand bottled on Islay at a minimum of 46% ABV allowing for the full-bodied character of the whisky to shine through
• We ship all our barrels whole directly to Islay. Our Bourbon Barrels are sourced exclusively from Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky and our Sherry Casks from Miguel Martin in Jerez, Spain.
• Our stills are amongst the smallest in Scotland, increasing copper contact and creating unmatched balance and complexity.
• We never chill-filter or colour Kilchoman Single Malt, our whisky is a pure, unfiltered representation of traditional whisky distilling.

Nose: Orange and lemon notes, rich smoky peat and cooked fruit.
Palate: Rich chocolate, cinnamon and cloves combined with peat smoke.
Finish: Long and full bodied with a balance of sweet smoke.

“Loch Gorm is undoubtedly assertive however in the midst of it’s distinctive peat smoke and sherry character it retains a certain finesse and subtly”

ImpEx Beverages Inc. · 360 Swift Ave · Side B # 9 · South San Francisco, CA 94080 · USA

HUNTER LAING UNVEILS Six EXCEPTIONALLY RARE islay whiskies & NEW SHOP at feis ile  

The Kinship range will be exclusively available at Hunter Laing’s new shop on Islay and marks the start of work on Ardnahoe Distillery on the island 

Hunter Laing has unveiled ‘The Kinship’, a range of six bottlings of exceptionally rare Islay whiskies, which will only be sold at their new shop on Islay during and after the Feis Ile whisky festival.

The six single cask Islay whiskies in the Kinship collection have a combined age of 181 years and were hand-picked by iconic whisky distiller Jim McEwan. The legendary master distiller was recently appointed Production Director of Hunter Laing’s Ardnahoe Distillery, which will become the ninth whisky distillery on Islay when it opens early next year.

The Kinship range has been bottled for the Festival as a tribute to Ardnahoe’s neighbours on Islay and to herald the start of the construction of Ardnahoe on the island. The whiskies will only be available at Hunter Laing’s new shop at Islay House Square, Bridgend from 10am on Friday 26^th May, the first day of Feis Ile, and will be on sale during the Islay Festival of Music and Malt while stocks last. The shop, which will remain open for at least a year until the build of Ardnahoe Distillery is complete, will also sell a range of Hunter Laing bottlings.

The Kinship range, which has labels representing different aspects of the Scotch whisky production process – harvest, malting, fermentation, distillation, maturation and bottling – will also be sampled at two Ardnahoe tastings hosted by Jim McEwan during the festival on 30 May and 1^st June.

The cask-strength whiskies are among the rarest casks Hunter Laing has ever released. The range comprises of a 34-year-old sherry cask Port Ellen (£1800), 33-year-old sherry cask Caol Ila (£375), 30-year old sherry cask Bowmore (£495), 30-year-old Bourbon cask Laphroaig (£720), 28-year-old sherry cask Bunnahabhain (£310) and a 26-year-old Bourbon cask Ardbeg (£720). As each whisky is bottled from a single cask, they are available in limited quantities with, for example, fewer than 210 bottles of the Ardbeg in existence. Each bottle comes presented in an individual jute bag.

The Port Ellen whisky is noted by McEwan as being like “a tidal wave in a glass” whilst the Bunnahabhain is described as “without doubt the best sherry-matured Bunnahabhain I have tasted”.

Of the Kinship, Jim McEwan said: “I knew before I joined the Hunter Laing family to embark on the journey to create Ardnahoe that they had an amazing array of casks. So having the chance to search through their whisky stocks for exceptional examples of Islay whisky was an incredible experience.

“The whiskies in The Kinship range are a tribute to the brotherhood of Islay distilleries, of which I’ve been fortunate to be a part for most of my life, and now once again with Hunter Laing as we extend the Islay family with the establishment of Ardnahoe.”

Stewart Laing added: “With the world’s whisky fans looking towards Islay for the festival, and our distillery build getting under way, we wanted to release a truly special collection of whiskies that fitted the occasion. We’re hugely proud to be adding a new chapter to Islay’s whisky story and The Kinship is a fitting tribute to celebrate this exciting time for us and whisky fans all over the world.”

In addition to releasing The Kinship range, the Hunter Laing team are staging daily visits to the Ardnahoe Distillery site. The visits are free, with a shuttle bus taking groups from Persabus Farm to the site on the north-east coast of the island.

The Kinship range is available during Feis Ile from 10am Friday 26^th May at the Ardnahoe shop, Islay House Square, Brigend, PA44 7NZ. 

To buy tickets (£150) for the Ardnahoe tasting events with Jim McEwan, click here: https://billetto.co.uk/users/hunter-laing-co-ltd 

https://hunterlaing.com/

https://ardnahoedistillery.com/ @ardnahoe @hlaingwhisky

Notes

Hunter Laing 

• Hunter Laing & Co is an independent bottler and blender based in Glasgow run by the Laing Family – father Stewart with sons Andrew and Scott
• Hunter Laing has been operating since May 2013 and owns a portfolio of much-loved whisky brands including Old Malt Cask, Old & Rare, Hepburn’s Choice and Sovereign.
• It distributes to 65 markets around the world in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Australasia.

• Hunter Laing & Co reported pre-tax profits of £1.4m on a turnover of £6.4m for its last full year of trading (end 30 April 2015).
  

Ardnahoe Distillery 

• Ardnahoe is being built on the north-east coast of Islay and will become the ninth distillery on the island. It expects to start distilling whisky in early 2018.
• It will be the first distillery to be built on Islay for more than a decade.
• The distillery, which will include a shop and tasting room, will produce traditional peated Islay single malt

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY RELEASES ORGANIC 6 GRAIN WHISKEY EXPERIMENT

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (May 9, 2017) Buffalo Trace Distillery has experimented with a variety of grains in their latest Experimental Collection release, six grains in one bourbon to be exact. The latest release is named Organic Six Grain Whiskey.

Distilled in early May 2010, this whiskey mash bill contains an assortment of grains; corn, buckwheat, brown rice, sorghum, wheat, and rice. These grains were milled, cooked and made into sour mash before being distilled on Buffalo Trace’s experimental micro-still to 130 proof white dog. The white dog was then entered into eight new charred white oak barrels that had received Buffalo Trace’s standard number four char. After resting in Warehouse H for seven years and one month, the whiskey was chill filtered and bottled at 90 proof.

This is a certified organic whiskey, as all six grains received organic certification, and the production method at Buffalo Trace Distillery, including distillation, processing, and bottling was organically certified.

While it may be uncommon to come across bourbons made with more than typically three grains, this six grain product still meets all of the requirements to be called bourbon, made with at least 51 percent corn, with the other five grains comprising the rest of the mash bill. Buffalo Trace observed that these six grains created a flavor profile that is different than the typical bourbons produced at the Distillery. For this reason, Buffalo Trace has elected to refer to this experiment as a whiskey in name.

Tasting notes for the Organic Six Grain Experiment describe it as being very complex, with slight herbal tones, heavy wood tannins, and earthy notes, accompanied by a spicy aftertaste that rounds out the comprehensive flavor.

These barrels are part of more than 14,000 experimental barrels of whiskey aging in the warehouses of Buffalo Trace Distillery, the largest number of experimental barrels ever held in inventory at the National Historic Landmark Distillery and most likely the world. Each of them has unique characteristics that differentiate them in distinct ways. Some examples of experiments include unique mash bills, types of wood, and different barrel toasts. In order to further increase the scope, flexibility, and range of the experimental program, an entire micro distillery, named The Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. “OFC” Micro Distillery, complete with cookers, fermenting tanks, and a state-of-the-art micro still has been constructed within Buffalo Trace Distillery. Buffalo Trace has increased its commitment to experimentation with the recent addition of its Warehouse X. Although small in size, Warehouse X is designed to explore the extent of environmental influences on the flavor profiles of whiskey.

The Experimental Collection is packaged in 375ml bottles, and each label includes all the pertinent information unique to that barrel of whiskey. These whiskeys retail for approximately $46.35 each and will be available in late May, 2017.  Experimental Collection releases are generally quite small and have limited availability. For more information on the Experimental Collection or the other products of Buffalo Trace Distillery, please contact Elizabeth Hurst at ehurst@buffalotrace.com.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1773 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 17 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named “Brand Innovator of the Year” by Whisky Magazine at its Icons of Whisky America Awards 2015.  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 300 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit http://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/.

THERE’S A GOLD RUSH FOR TAMDHU 10 AND BATCH STRENGTH #002!

Following the annual Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, Tamdhu Batch Strength #002 was Crowned Winner in the Non Age Statement category of the highly-anticipated Whisky Awards. At the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, widely considered America’s most prestigious international spirits competition, Tamdhu Batch Strength #002 was awarded a Double Gold Medal.

And the esteemed International Spirits Challenge has awarded Gold Medals to two of the core expressions from Tamdhu Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Tamdhu 10 Year Old and Batch Strength #002, recognizing the outstanding quality of both sherry-matured malts.

TASTING NOTES

 Tamdhu Batch Strength #002

 NOSE: Warming golden syrup, brown bread with peanut butter, cinnamon, white pepper  and  cocktail  cherries.

 PALATE: Mouth coating sherry oak, lightly heated berries and creamy vanilla, – adding  water  brings  out cookie dough, gentle spice and fresh fruit.

 FINISH: Spicy notes continue long into the finish with dried fruits, hazlenuts and vanilla.

 Tamdhu 10 Year Old 

 Nose: Very appealing and fragrant; sugar syrup with delicate Peach and Orange,  mixing with fresh oak, cinnamon and leather, sugared almonds and vanilla.

 Palate: The Fruitiness and spice blend brilliantly with a pleasing toffee and sherry  richness building as it is held on the palate.

 Finish: Fruit and vanilla linger becoming pleasantly drying with a hint of distant peat  smoke.

CATTLECREEP – NEW ENGLISH WHISKY 

Cattle Creep Whisky is the creation of Dan Bonner of Concrete Cow Brewery – Milton Keynes’ first micro brewery – and Laurence Conisbee of Wharf Distillery and Wharf Cider (formerly Virtual Orchard) – Milton Keynes’ first cider makers and craft distillers.

By combining their expertise – the brewer’s art of blending different malts with the distiller’s skill in taking the perfect cuts – then matching the output with a serious piece of oak, they believed they could create a distinctive English whisky unlike any other.

This uncommon collaboration has taken the conventional then added a number of twists to bring tradition into the 21st century. While the end result will be whisky, the journey from selecting the malt to filling the cask has been far from what might be expected of this age old spirit.

The Cattle Creep spirit was put into a Madeira cask on 28th October 2015 and will be available from 1 December 2018. Initially there will be a limited release of 50 certificated 70cl bottles in presentation boxes at £110 per bottle. Later there will be a special release, a distillers cut of possibly just 20-30 bottles.

To secure your bottle of the first limited release you can pay a reservation fee of £55 now using the button on the right, with balance due on collection in 2018. There is a limit of 1 bottle per customer. A reservation/gift certificate will be sent upon receipt of deposit. Postage can be arranged as required.  

Check it out at – http://cattlecreep.uk/

All Aboard for Whisky Month with Caledonian Sleeper 

An education in whisky was on order for guests travelling with Caledonian Sleeper as they celebrated Whisky Month on Tuesday (16 May).

As Scotland commemorates one of its most popular exports, the overnight rail service linking London and Scotland marked the annual celebration by welcoming The Whisky Shop on board.

Whisky Month honours Scotland’s national drink during May, with a host of distillery tours, whisky tasting events and other activities taking place up and down the country.

As the latest in a series of on board experiences, whisky experts from the popular drinks retailer were on hand in Caledonian Sleeper’s Inverness and Edinburgh Lounge cars to provide guests with a guide to tasting the ‘water of life’.

As well as having an opportunity to sample three very special malts from the Glenkeir Treasures Range, those on board were also gifted a goodie bag courtesy of The Whisky Shop and Caledonian Sleeper containing a whisky miniature with tasting notes showcasing The W Club whisky subscriptions, along with a copy of the retailer’s magazine, Whiskeria.

A brand known for ‘Unlocking the Mystery of Whisky’ for its customers, the sessions were well received by guests heading north to both Edinburgh and Inverness.

Ryan Flaherty, Serco’s guest experience director at Caledonian Sleeper said: “What better way to celebrate Whisky Month than with a tasting of some of the finest drams on board one of Scotland’s iconic rail services.

“We always seek to provide our guests with experiences that showcase the best of Scotland, whether it be locally sourced food or unique whiskies. We hope our guests enjoyed the experience, which was courtesy of The Whisky Shop.”

Scott Dunn, manager at The Whisky Shop in Inverness and one of the experts who joined guests on board added: “Whether it’s light and delicate or a more powerful dram, we thrive on bringing the story of whisky to life, and helping people decide which to taste next.

“We very much enjoyed sharing our knowledge with those travelling with Caledonian Sleeper from London during Whisky Month, and hope that guests enjoy continuing their whisky adventure when they get home.”

The Whisky Shop has stores across the UK, including London, Edinburgh and Inverness. For more information and to see the full range of whiskies available online, visit www.whiskyshop.com

For more information on The W Club and to sign up for a membership or whisky subscription, visit www.thewclub.co.uk

For more information and to book your journey of a night time with Caledonian Sleeper, visit www.sleeper.scot. 

Notes

Caledonian Sleeper 

• The Caledonian Sleeper service is an overnight rail journey between Scotland and London which is operated by Serco on behalf of Transport Scotland.
• Scotland’s Caledonian Sleeper service has been hailed as one of Lonely Planet’s ‘Super Sleeper Trains’ and the London to Fort William service made the world’s best-selling travel guidebook’s top ten list.
• Every night, apart from Saturday, guests are transported both north and south between Inverness, Aberdeen, Fort William, Glasgow, Edinburgh and London Euston.
• Travel bookings can be made up to 12 months in advance on www.sleeper.scot.
• The Caledonian Sleeper service currently offers a range of ways to travel – comfortable and affordable seated carriages, shared rooms and first-class private accommodation – with a dining car offering an extensive locally-sourced menu.
• Caledonian Sleeper is committed to supporting local communities and suppliers:
• 92% of food produce is sourced within 50 miles of the food production operation in Dingwall.
• All guests are provided with a Sleep Kit which includes a sleep mask and ear plugs. First and Standard Class guests also receive Arran Aromatics toiletries.
• The Head Office and Guest Services Centre are located in Inverness employing around 30 people from the locality.
• Brand new trains will be launched in 2018, which will offer innovative ways to travel in comfort on the Caledonian Sleeper service with double and en-suite rooms as well as a redesigned Lounge Car for dining, serving the best of Scottish produce in the on board menu.

The Whisky Shop 

The Whisky Shop constantly searches for the different and the special, whether it is a personal treat or a gift for someone else. At the Whisky Shop they stock a vast range of different whiskies covering all mainstream brands as well as independent bottling.