HIGHLAND PARK RELEASES STUNNING AND CATEGORY BREAKING PACKAGING

TO REFLECT VIKING HERITAGE

‘The Orkney Single Malt with Viking Soul’ 

Highland Park has always been proud to stand apart from other single malt Scotch whiskies in terms of flavour and taste. Today, we are delighted to announce the release of our new packaging which forms part of a complete re-imagining of the overall brand identity.

The brand’s Orkney Islands home has an incredibly rich history rooted all the way back to 800AD when the Islands were owned and ruled by the Viking kingdoms of Denmark and Norway. Although Orkney became part of Scotland in 1468, Orcadians still feel a strong connection with their Viking heritage as 1 in 3 of them has Scandinavian DNA. In fact, since the brand’s creation in 1798, Highland Park single malt has been made by the modern day descendants of Vikings and who still today are fiercely proud of their Scandinavian roots.

Jason R. Craig, Brand Director, commented: “For whisky fans, their first point of contact with any brand is the bottle and carton on a shop shelf or on a back bar. So, we had to create a new bottle and carton design which would explain our Viking bloodline and why we are ‘The Orkney Single Malt with Viking Soul’.

“The inspiration for the design came from an ancient ‘Stavkirke’ (wooden church), a world Heritage site in the tiny Norwegian village of Ornes. The wooden church is heavily decorated with extensive and ornate wood carvings which we thought would look amazing on a glass bottle. The result is a beautiful, heavily embossed bottle featuring an illustration which depicts an ancient Viking legend of a lion locked in an enduring battle with the forces of evil in the form of serpent-like dragons.

“The new packaging includes a new, wider bottle, a metallic label design that complements the glass, embossed with a contemporary looking logo as well as a premium ‘Torq’ closure to keep the whisky safe. All of which, we believe, will add consumer interest and excitement around the brand,” Jason added.

The carton for each of the brand’s 12 and 18 Year Old whiskies also feature the ancient lion and dragon legend with embossed metallic detailing, ensuring enhanced premium cues, great visibility and stand-out on shelf. In addition, the statement ‘Made with Pride on Orkney’ features on the side of each carton as a tribute to the men and women of Orkney who produce the brand’s iconic and renowned single malt.

The whisky profile for Highland Park’s award winning 12 and 18 Year Old single malts remains unchanged. However, each variant has been given a sub-brand name to give a stronger individual identity to each whisky and as a tribute to those first Viking pioneers who settled on Orkney all those hundreds of years ago.

These sub brand names are inspired by the ‘Nine Noble Virtues’ which the Vikings’ community lived by:

• Highland Park 12 Year Old – Viking Honour – one of the Viking Nine Noble Virtues
• Highland Park 18 Year Old – Viking Pride – a virtue and to pay tribute to our multi-award winning whisky

The new packaging for Highland Park 12 Year Old will begin to appear on shelf in the UK from the end of April 2017 while Highland Park 18 Year Old will be out later in the year.

About Highland Park

Established in 1798 on Orkney, Highland Park is one of the most remote Scotch whisky distilleries in the world. For over 200 years, the distillery has combined time old tradition and the very best craftsmanship to achieve perfection. Its range of 12, Dark Origins, 15, 18, 21, 25, 30 and 40 year old single malts is consistently acclaimed by connoisseurs and experts. Highland Park has won a string of prestigious awards across its portfolio, most recently Highland Park ICE Edition was awarded 99 points and the Chairman’s Trophy at the Ultimate Beverage Challenge. While Highland Park 12, 15 and 18 Year Old were all awarded 96 points or above and the Tried and True Award at the Ultimate Beverage Challenge.

INTRODUCING HIGHLAND PARK VALKYRIE SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

For Viking Warriors, death was not an end but a glorious beginning and it began with the Valkyries…

HIGHLAND PARK is proud to introduce VALKYRIE Special Edition single malt Scotch whisky.

In partnership with renowned Danish designer Jim Lyngvild, VALKYRIE is the first in a series of three VIKING LEGEND releases inspired by rich Viking history and mythology.

Having once been part of Denmark and Norway, Orkney became the raiding headquarters for Norwegian Vikings in the 8th and 9th century, shaping a unique past for the island. Magnus Eunson, who founded Highland Park in 1798, was a direct descendent of those first Viking pioneers. Even today, 1 in 3 Orkney islanders bear Scandinavian DNA and share a fierce pride for the rich Nordic ancestry woven into the islands’ traditions and culture.

It is this enduring culture and legacy that is the inspiration for VALKYRIE, set to launch in April 2017.

Highland Park approached Danish designer Jim Lyngvild, himself a modern day Viking and expert in Norse mythology, to design striking new packaging for the three special edition whiskies.

Valkyrie’s unique one-off design is inspired by two important Nordic sources – a typical Viking pendant from around 300-700AD discovered in Uppland, Sweden and the ancient Hammar Stone of Gotland which details the epic journey of the Valkyries,

In his distinctive style, Lyngvild has interpreted the ancient legend of the Valkyries – avenging horse-backed angels who combed the battlefields for the bravest of their fallen warriors – in an expressive, story-telling illustration for Highland Park.

Noticeably different from the traditional black and silver Highland Park packaging, the re-imagined design maintains the distillery’s ongoing references to Viking design whilst updating the graphics with a bolder, hand-drawn aesthetic.

Using embossed metallic detailing, he represents the Valkyries as shield-maidens of Odin, offering their god a drink of mead from a curved horn. The larger illustration features a winged Valkyrie with coiled hair and a necklace that pays homage to the goddess Freya’s magical Brísingamen torc (necklace).

Designer, Jim Lyngvild commented: “I am fiercely proud of my Viking ancestry and connection to the islands of Orkney. Working with Highland Park on the new Viking Legend series has been an honour and a unique opportunity to depict the ancient Norse myths and legends, so revered in Viking culture to a new, contemporary audience.”

Jason Craig, Highland Park brand director, added: “We’ve enjoyed delving deeper into Orkney’s history and heritage for the Viking Legend series, culminating in this exciting new collaboration with bona fide 21^st century Viking Jim Lyngvild. Jim’s knowledge about Viking history and the Viking way of life is rich in detail.

“The whisky itself, created by our Master Whisky Maker, Gordon Motion, dials up more of our smoky notes by incorporating more of our heathery peated malt. This creates a richer, fuller phenolic note that has balance due to the sweeter, heathery character of our moorland peat but it is a slight departure from our core 12 Year Old whisky.”

Notes to editors:  

1. Highland Park Valkyrie will launch in over 15 markets from April 2017.
2. RSP: £55.00 (70cl and 75cl)
3. Valkyrie is the first in a series of three Viking Legend releases. It will be followed by Valknut and Valhalla in 2018/19.

Tasting notes

Appearance:      Natural colour – bright, amber hue

Nose: Sharp tang of sweet green apples and ripening lemons

Palate: A bewitching mix of oriental spices. Driven by European Oak sherry seasoned casks, American Oak sherry-seasoned casks and Bourbon casks, the flavour profile is creamy vanilla with spicy, sweet, preserved ginger and lingering smokiness with hints of liquorice.

Finish: Exquisitely balanced, the long and lingering finish delivers waves of warm aromatic smoke and richly ripened fruit.

About Highland Park

Established in 1798 on Orkney, Highland Park is one of the most remote Scotch whisky distilleries in the world. For over 200 years, the distillery has combined time old tradition and the very best craftsmanship to achieve perfection. Its range of 12, Dark Origins, 15, 18, 21, 25, 30 and 40 year old single malts is consistently acclaimed by connoisseurs and experts. Highland Park has won a string of prestigious awards across its portfolio, most recently Highland Park ICE Edition was awarded 99 points and the Chairman’s Trophy at the Ultimate Beverage Challenge. While Highland Park 12, 15 and 18 Year Old were all awarded 96 points or above and the Tried and True Award at the Ultimate Beverage Challenge.

www.highlandparkwhisky.com

Please enjoy our brand responsibly www.drinkaware.co.uk

Icons of Whisky 2018

It’s that time of year again as the team here at Whisky Magazine begins the Icons of Whisky process for the 2018 awards, and we are very excited to be able to announce two new regions for this year. Australia and Ireland are joining the ever-growing list as we begin our search for the finest people and places in the whisky industry.

Categories remain unchanged for 2018 and as always we will be inviting the industry to nominate and vote for their Icons via our easy online system. We get things going this year with Australia and here are some key dates for your diary (subject to change), along with a reminder of the regions and categories:

Regional Nominations Open: 5 May 2017, Australia – results in Issue 146
21 July 2017, Ireland and Scotland – results in Issue 148
15 September 2017, India and Rest of World – results in Issue 149
10 November 2017, America – results in Issue 150
THE CATEGORIES Company Awards

• Brand Innovator
• Craft Producer
• Distiller
• Visitor Attraction

People Awards

• Distillery Manager
• Master Distiller / Master Blender
• Visitor Attraction Manager
• American Whiskey Brand Ambassador
• Irish Whiskey Brand Ambassador
• Scotch Whisky Brand Ambassador
• World Whisky Brand Ambassador

Retailer Awards

• Multiple Outlets Retailer
• Online Retailer
• Single Outlet Retailer
• Supermarket
• Travel Retailer

As always, we look forward to your participation and thank you for your continued support with our awards.

Keep an eye out on our website for more information, www.iconsofwhisky.com

Kind regards

Sam Coyne
Editorial Manager

BENROMACH LAUNCHES UNIQUE EXCLUSIVE SINGLE CASK TO MARK VISITOR CENTRE SUCCESS

The Benromach Distillery Company Ltd has launched a visitor centre exclusive single cask at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival to celebrate a successful year for the distillery and visitor centre.

Benromach 1976 (ABV 53.5%), cask number 2393, is a dark golden malt, matured in a Refill American Hogshead, with an exceptionally rare character of succulent fruits, with smooth, peppery hints followed by sweet aniseed.

Like previous vintage exclusives, this limited-edition Speyside single malt is presented in a bespoke decanter-style bottle with the contours and copper-colour of the neck and shoulder line representing Benromach Distillery’s stills. The oak presentation box is inspired by the home of Benromach, reflecting the copper of the stills, as well as the dark, grained wood of the original washbacks and the white of the lime washed distillery walls. A beautifully written hardback book accompanies the whisky which delves into the Benromach history, as well as providing whisky fans with some fascinating stories about the people behind the whisky.

Distillery Manager Keith Cruickshank continued: “This visitor centre exclusive is a great way to mark the distillery’s recent success and I’m sure Benromach enthusiasts will be keen to get their hands on one of the 32 bottles.”

“This single malt was distilled before the Urquhart family took the reins and brought Benromach Distillery back to life and now, after maturing for 40 years, it is finally time for whisky fans to get the chance to savour this treasured and exceptional dram.”

Susan Colville, Benromach Brand Home Manager, explained: “With the growing popularity of our Distillery and visitor centre with whisky fans from around the world, we carried out extensive renovations during 2015 and 2016 to really showcase what Benromach has to offer and last year we welcomed more visitors than ever before, with over 12,000 whisky fans coming through our doors.”

The growth of Benromach led to the expansion at the distillery and visitor centre 18 months ago, and included new warehouses and a larger team. The four-star visitor centre at Benromach Distillery, open to the public throughout the year for tours, now features three tasting rooms for visitors to experience, while Benromach House – the old distillery manager’s house – was also renovated to hold a new tasting room.  Refurbishment of the visitor centre toilets was completed in March 2017.

The Benromach 1976 is available exclusively at the distillery’s visitor centre with a RRP of £1250.

For more information on Benromach, and to explore the wide range of expressions available, please visit www.benromach.com  

Notes

Benromach Distillery

Originally built in 1898, Benromach Distillery was brought back to life when leading whisky specialists Gordon & MacPhail purchased it in 1993. The distillery was extensively re-equipped over a five-year period before it was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles in 1998.

In reopening Benromach Distillery, Gordon & MacPhail decided to create a classic Speyside single malt – a style that draws its influence from Speyside whiskies pre-1960s.

Benromach Distillery is located on the outskirts of the ancient market town of Forres. A four-star visitor centre is open to the public throughout the year for tours and tastings. Benromach Distillery is a member of the world-famous Malt Whisky Trail.

EXPLORE THE WORLD OF FLAVOUR WITH FOOD & DRINK EXPERTS AT SENSORY SYMPOSIUM

Join The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, a food futurologist and three experts in cheese, coffee and foraging for an exploration of the world of flavour

Are you fanatical about tasting new flavours and expanding your sensory skills? The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) has teamed up with food futurologist Dr Morgaine Gaye and three ‘Flavour Fanatic’ experts from cheese, coffee and foraging to stage a special event that explores the world of flavour.

The ‘Flavour Fanatics Sensory Symposium’ (www.smws.com/flavour-fanatics-sensory-symposium), which takes place at Protein Studios, Shoreditch on Wednesday 10 May, will feature a panel of guest speakers exploring the development of flavour in different fields of food and drink to help people understand how to focus on and identify flavours.

Food futurologist Dr Morgaine Gaye will give a keynote talk, followed by ‘Flavour Fanatics’ Dumo Mathema, Ned Palmer and Fergus Drennan who will share their insight into flavour in coffee, cheese and foraging respectively. During the talks, the audience will taste pairings of Society whisky matched with items from the three guest speakers.

The guest talks

Host and SMWS ambassador John McCheyne will introduce the concept of exploring whisky by flavour while the audience samples a dram of the Society’s rare single cask single malt whisky.

Food futurologist Dr Morgaine Gaye will share her insight into topics such as trends around flavour preferences; the importance of texture; how synthetic smells are affecting our perception; and olfactory branding and how this is used to engage consumers.

Dumo Mathema, head roaster at The Department of Coffee, will share his knowledge of flavour in the constantly-evolving and seasonal coffee world. Ned Palmer, a freelance cheesemonger, will delve into the magical world of artisanal cheese. And Fergus Drennan, a wild food experimentalist and forager, will explore the variety of different flavours to be found in foraged foods.

After the talks, the audience can sample more Society whiskies and more products from the guest speakers.

SMWS ambassador John McCheyne said: “We’re obsessed with flavour at the Society. We categorise all our whiskies through 12 flavour profiles and we’re on mission to help people explore whisky through the lens of flavour. This event is all about helping people to understand the world of flavour more, not only in whisky but also in other food and drink.

“We’ve teamed up with some fellow ‘Flavour Fanatics’ from coffee, cheese and foraging who share our passion for flavour and together we’ll talk and taste our way through the evening and help people to develop their palates and senses in order to better discover flavours.”

Freelance cheesemonger Ned Palmer said: “There are more than 1,500 cheeses in the world, all with different flavours and textures. It’s a magical and fascinating world and at the event I’ll help the audience with how to taste and understand all the flavours and give them an insight into how the cheese world is evolving.”

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Flavour Fanatics Sensory Symposium, Wed 10 May 630pm-830pm, Protein Studios, 31 New Inn Yard, Shoreditch, EC2A 3EY

Tickets £20 with five whiskies, including three whisky & food pairings

TICKET PAGE https://www.smws.com/flavour-fanatics-sensory-symposium

MORE ABOUT FLAVOUR FANATICS https://www.smws.com/flavour-fanatics

Notes

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is an international whisky club that bottles rare single cask, single malt whisky, and a range of other spirits
• The Society was established in Edinburgh in 1983 and now has more than 26,000 members and branches around the world
• The Society only ever bottles single casks –  each cask is unique, making every Society bottling a limited edition
• The Society has bottled whisky from more than 132 distilleries in its history
• The Society releases a new batch of around 30 single cask single malt whiskies every month
• The Society offers different levels of membership

o   Membership Pioneer with gift box containing three samples, £122

o   Member without gift box, £61.50

o   Sample Subscription – free trial membership.

o   Visit https://www.smws.com/society-membership

• For more information about the Society, visit http://www.smws.com/

James Campbell (extreme left), chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, lines up with award winners, from left: Sandy McIntyre (Tamdhu), Graeme Cruickshank (Aberlour), Annelise Hastings (Mannochmore) and Dennis McBain (Glenfiddich).

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Whisky Award Winners revealed

The winners have been revealed in the hotly-contested Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Whisky Awards which had a global flavour this year, with judging sessions taking place in three international destinations as well as in Speyside.  

Eight finalists were voted on at a series of judging sessions in Germany, Canada and The Netherlands as well as in Speyside in the run up to and during the Festival.  

The winner of the 12-year-old and under category was Aberlour 12 while the title for malts aged 13 to 20 years went to Glenfiddich 15. In the 21-year-old and over category Mannochmore 25 Special Release topped the poll while in the non-aged statement Tamdhu Batch Strength 002 took top honours. 

The favourite whisky across the eight finalists was The Macallan 30 year old Sherry Cask which was shortlisted in the 21 years and over category. 

James Campbell, chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, says, “Whisky recognises no boundaries and we were delighted to be able to hold judging sessions in Canada, Germany and The Netherlands this year, spreading the name of the festival further and complementing the tasting events in Speyside. 

“This year saw the biggest number of votes cast with whisky lovers at home and abroad using their noses, knowledge and taste buds to vote on these Speyside drams. Well done to all our winners.” 

The malts had previously been shortlisted by a panel of industry leaders, acclaimed writers and specialist retailers. 

The awards are sponsored by coppersmiths Forsyths of Rothes, the company responsible for building many of the pot stills in which the shortlisted single malts were distilled. 

The winners were announced at the whisky awards ceilidh held on Sunday, 30 April at Knockando Distillery. 

It is hoped that the roving judging sessions will help introduce even more international visitors to the five-day annual Festival – which this year has comprised almost 500 different events from distillery tours to tastings – and encourage them to plan a visit in future years.

Overseas markets are a key area of growth for the Festival and the USA, Germany and Scandinavia have traditionally been very strong for visitor numbers, and organisers are keen to expand knowledge of the event in these regions.

Based in the heart of Scotland’s malt whisky country, the 18th Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has taken place over five fun-filled days from April 27 to May 1, 2017. Events have been held in Kingussie in the south to Forres in the west and Buckie in the east.  

More information about the event is available at www.spiritofspeyside.com or on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter and Instagram.

Caption: James Campbell (extreme left), chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, lines up with award winners, from left: Sandy McIntyre (Tamdhu), Graeme Cruickshank (Aberlour), Annelise Hastings (Mannochmore) and Dennis McBain (Glenfiddich).

Notes

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is committed to promoting responsible drinking. Visitors travelling to and from Festival events can take advantage of a range of transport options. Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has received funding from Event Scotland and is also financially supported by many other private and public partners.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is part financed by the European Regional Development Fund Programme 2014 to 2020. The Scottish Government is the managing authority for the European Regional Development Fund Programme.

INTRODUCING JOHNNIE WALKER BLENDERS’ BATCH BOURBON CASK & RYE FINISH: A LIMITED-EDITION SCOTCH BLEND IN A NEW SERIES OF EXPERIMENTAL WHISKIES FROM JOHNNIE WALKER

London, 25 April 2017:  Diageo Global Travel is proud to announce that Johnnie Walker, the world’s No. 1 Scotch Whisky Brand[1] and the biggest selling spirits brand in travel retail[2], has launched Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Bourbon Cask & Rye Finish, an innovative new addition to its series of experimental whiskies: Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch. A limited edition, the new blended Scotch is only available in a small number of selected markets including Travel Retail. 

A bold experiment in flavour, Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Bourbon Cask & Rye Finish has been drawn from over 200 whisky samples, aged in first-fill bourbon casks and finished for up to six months in former rye casks. Featuring whiskies from just five distilleries including Dufftown and the now closed Port Dundas, it’s a rich and warming Scotch Whisky with an intense honeyed sweetness.

This limited edition whisky is part of the experimental Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch portfolio, a series of limited edition Scotch Whiskies created as a result of hundreds of ongoing flavour experiments carried out by a small team of expert blenders at the brand’s home in Scotland.

The Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch range lifts the lid on the skill and never-ending pursuit of flavour that drives the blending team, led by master blender Dr Jim Beveridge, a man whose personal journey making whisky began over 40 years ago.

Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Bourbon Cask & Rye Finish is inspired by the time Beveridge spent blending bourbons and ryes in Kentucky in the 1990s. He said:

“Blended from just a handful of Single malts and carefully chosen grain whiskies matured in first fill bourbon casks and finished in casks that formerly held rye whisky – Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Bourbon Cask and Rye Finish is a rich, sweet, intensely honeyed and smooth Scotch Whisky, with the warming vanilla spiciness usually associated with the iconic Johnnie Walker Black Label. To my mind, it’s the best of Scotch but with an exciting twist inspired by the best of traditional American whiskey flavours.”

Dayalan Nayager, Managing Director, Diageo Global Travel said “The launch of Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Bourbon Cask & Rye Finish is a welcome addition to the Scotch Whisky category in travel retail, made possible by the hundreds of ongoing flavour experiments and skill of the blending team at Johnnie Walker. This is an incredibly exciting time for Scotch Whisky and we believe the new blend will act as a signpost for those shoppers who want to explore the category.”

“Travellers are looking for brands that have discovery, authenticity, craftsmanship and real human stories behind them. Johnnie Walker has a truly unique story to tell and with the latest innovation in the Blenders’ Batch series, we are excited to offer our customers and consumers a glimpse into the constantly shifting world of flavour exploration from the biggest spirits brand in the channel.” 

The blenders at Johnnie Walker think ‘from the bar back’ when making whisky, ensuring bartenders and whisky fans at home have the perfect liquids at hand to serve neat, on the rocks, or as the foundation of a flawless Scotch-based cocktail.

The limited edition Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch Bourbon Cask & Rye Finish is the second release from the Blenders’ Batch series, inspired by the recent success of Johnnie Walker Select Casks – Rye Cask Finish. It is available now in selected travel retail outlets globally, retailing at $52.50/£32.00 RRSP for a 1L bottle.

Notes: 

About Diageo

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits, beer and wine categories.  These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan’s and Windsor whiskies, Smirnoff and Cîroc vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.  The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO).  For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com/.  Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, http://www.drinkiq.com/, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

[1] IWSR, 2015

[2] IWSR, 2015

Hans Offringa (left) is presented with the International Ambassador of the Year Award by last year’s winner, Dave Broom.

New ambassadors are the toast of Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

Three Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival devotees who have supported and promoted the drams-fest to audiences at home and abroad were honoured when the 2017 event kicked off last night (Wednesday, 26 April).

Walkers Shortbread boss Jim Walker, Glen Moray Distillery manager Graham Coull and Dutch whisky writer Hans Offringa were each singled out for contribution they have made to the Festival and to Speyside.

A lifetime of service to Speyside and its communities saw Jim Walker receiving the Spirit of Speyside Award.

When Mr Walker joined the family business in 1961 the company employed around 100 people. Alongside his brother, Joe and sister, Marjorie, they developed the business which at its seasonal peak employs over 1,700 people and is Scotland’s largest food exporter.  Walkers is the only UK food manufacturer to have won the prestigious Queen’s Award for Export Achievement four times.

Ambassador of the Year Graham Coull manages Glen Moray Distillery where he has overseen huge investment and growth whilst tirelessly working to expand and enhance the distillery’s product portfolio. Mr Coull’s role as master distiller at Glen Moray has seen him travel extensively all over the UK and the world, and Glen Moray continues to support many clubs, charities and organisations in the local community too.

International Ambassador of the Year Hans Offringa is a bilingual author, media expert and whisky connoisseur. He has written nearly 20 books on whisky and numerous articles for various publications across the globe, and has produced a series of educational television programmes for a public broadcasting company in The Netherlands as well as being a lecturer at the International Whisky School in Groningen, Netherlands. He has been a great supporter of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival and has attended every Festival since it started back in the year 2000.

Jim Walker (left) accepts the Spirit of Speyside Award from last year’s recipient Richard Forsyth.

James Campbell, chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, says that all three have had an immense impact on the success of the Festival, which attracts thousands of enthusiasts from around the world to the spiritual home of Scotland’s whisky industry.

“Jim has been a great supporter of Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival since its inception and has made a major contribution to Aberlour and the wider Speyside communities in so many ways over the years. The way in which Mr Walker and his family have overseen the worldwide growth of Walkers Shortbread has been a shining example of excellence,” Mr Campbell says.

“Graham has also been a passionate supporter of Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, and has gone the extra mile on many occasions to help out and to promote the event.

“Hans has written about and promoted the Festival in English and Dutch in a range of publications, enhancing its reputation to potential visitors all over the world.”

The awards were presented last night at the Festival’s opening dinner, attended by 270 guests, which marked the start of the 18th annual Speyside drams fest.

Based in the heart of Scotland’s malt whisky country, the festival continues until May 1, 2017 with comprises almost 500 events, taking place from Kingussie in the south to Forres in the west and Buckie in the east.

There are still some event tickets available, and the website – www.spiritofspeyside.com/ – is updated on an ongoing basis to show latest availability. The Festival is active on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #dram17.

Graham Coull (right) accepts the Ambassador of the Year Award from last year’s winner, Hugh Fraser.

BARTON 1792 DISTILLERY TAKES HOME SIX AWARDS AT ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE 

BARDSTOWN, kENTUCKY (April 25, 2017) – Judges awarded six bourbons from Barton 1792 Distillery with high honors at the 2017 Ultimate Spirits Challenge, and named three to be “Great Values.”

            Those awarded as “Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation” include:

• Kentucky Tavern Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Zachariah Harris Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Those awarded the distinction of “Excellent, Highly Recommended” were:

• 1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Big House Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Awarded the distinction of “Very Good, Strong Recommendation” were:

• 1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

• 1792 Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Kentucky Tavern, Zachariah Harris and Big House were deemed to be “Great Values.”

This competition, in its seventh year, is judged by a panel of the spirit industry’s most renowned judges including award-winning authors, buyers, journalists, educators and bar owners, who rate each spirit on a 100-point scale.

Complete results for the 2017 Ultimate Spirits Challenge can be found at www.ultimate-beverage.com/usc2017results. 

About Barton 1792 Distillery

Barton 1792 Distillery is part of Barton Brands.  Barton Brands has facilities in Bardstown, Ky., Carson, Calif., and Baltimore, Md. Barton Brands is owned by the Sazerac Company, an American family-owned company based in New Orleans, La. Barton 1792 Distillery was established in 1879 and continues today as the oldest fully-operating Distillery in the “Bourbon Capital of the World.” The Distillery is located on 196 acres and includes 28 warehouses, 22 other buildings, the Morton Spring and the Tom Moore Spring.  Distilling, aging and bottling fine Bourbon whiskey are hallmarks of the historic Barton 1792 Distillery. 1792 Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is produced at Barton 1792 Distillery. This whiskey is named for the year Kentucky became a state and is the recent gold medal winner at the 2015 Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. To learn more visit http://www.1792bourbon.com/.

ROCK TOWN DISTILLERY AWARDED GOLD MEDAL
ROCK TOWN FOUR GRAIN SOUR MASH BOURBON WINS GOLD MEDAL
AT PRESTIGIOUS SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION

Little Rock, AR – (April 26, 2017) – Rock Town Distillery is pleased to announce its Four Grain Sour Mash Bourbon Whiskey has won a prestigious Gold Medal at the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Forty-three spirits experts convened at the Hotel Nikko in San Francisco from April 21st through the 23rd, for the 17th Annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The 2017 Competition was the biggest in its history, featuring more than 2,100 entries.
Rock Town’s Four Grain Sour Mash Arkansas Bourbon Whiskey is distilled from a mash of 73% Arkansas grown corn, 9% wheat, 9% rye, and 9% malted barley and is aged in new charred oak barrels for at least a year. The mash is “soured” by using part of the previous batch’s stillage to start the Sour Mash Bourbon cook.

Products awarded a Gold medal are exceptional. They are near the pinnacle of achievement in their particular category. They are products that set the standard for all others of their type.” says competition director Anthony Dias Blue. “The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is considered to be the most influential spirits competition in the world.”

“We’re very proud to get such a great award for this bourbon” said distillery founder and head distiller Phil Brandon, “we did a limited release of this back in 2014 and brought it back by popular demand, so it’s gratifying for sure.” ABOUT ROCK TOWN DISTILLERY Rock Town Distillery produces the award winning Arkansas Bourbon, Arkansas Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey, Arkansas Hickory Smoked Whiskey, Arkansas Rye Whiskey, Arkansas Lightning, and Rock Town Vodka which are distributed to 15 states and the United Kingdom, Canada and Taiwan. Winner of the 2015 US Micro Whisky of the Year in the 2015 edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible. Rock Town Distillery, Arkansas’ first legal distillery since prohibition, is located in downtown Little Rock at 1216 E 6th Street, Little Rock, AR 72202.  The distillery is open for tours 7 days a week. To find out more please visit www.rocktowndistillery.com/ About San Francisco World Spirits Competition® 

Founded in 2000, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition® is America’s most respected and influential international spirits event. Products are evaluated in a blind, consensual procedure ensuring the SFWSC maintains its reputation for the highest level of integrity. Winning participants receive the awards of double gold, gold, silver or bronze, marking their product as one of the highest quality in the world. www.sfspiritscomp.com/