Bikers Roar into Speyside Distillery to choose Thunder in the Glens anniversary bottling

Motorbike enthusiasts were revved up for a special mission at Speyside Distillery – to choose the single malt whisky that will become the toast of Europe’s largest Harley Davidson rally.

The world-famous Thunder In The Glens event at Aviemore will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a limited edition bottling of single malt whisky of the same age from Speyside Distillery.

The boutique distillery is located in the heart of the Cairngorms – an area which has become the bikers’ spiritual home in August for the past two decades – and the bottling will bring together two iconic brands.

A group of Harley Davidson enthusiasts descended on the distillery during the week’s Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival – another event which draws thousands of visitors to the area – to help select the whisky that will be bottled with a commemorative label for the anniversary.

The anniversary bottling builds on Speyside Distillery’s links with Thunder In The Glens as the distillery launched its rich ruby-black whisky Beinn Dubh, during last year’s event.

Rally organisers visited Speyside Distillery were involved in selecting the whisky, with guiding hand CEO John Harvey McDonough and managing director Patricia Dillon – and Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival chairman, James Campbell.

John says, “When we heard that 2016 was an important year for Thunder of the Glens, we thought that a special bottling from Speyside Distillery, located in the heart of the Cairngorms, would be a really good way of marking the milestone year.

“As this is such an important event, we wanted to ensure that the anniversary bottling was a very special one. Our 20 year old whisky is extremely rare so is in very short supply, and anyone who gets a bottle will have a special piece of the distillery’s history.

“The rally has been a real success story, going from strength to strength, and it’s great to know that enthusiasts from all over the UK, and further afield, have such an affinity with the Cairngorms area that they keep coming back, and in greater numbers, every year.

“We’re pleased to be working with the organisers in this way and building on the connections we already have with Thunder In The Glens following the launch of Beinn Dubh at the rally last year.

“In much the same was that bikers make a pilgrimage to Thunder In The Glens, whisky lovers come from all over the world for The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival. We were honoured to be able to select the cask during the Festival, bringing two iconic Scottish events together for the first time.”

Thunder in the Glens has become one of the major events in the UK for Harley Davidson enthusiasts, and it is now officially the largest Harley Davidson rally in the UK with an ever growing number of loyal fans. It takes place this year from August 26 to 29.

It has a great reputation amongst Harley fans and visitors who are rewarded with a fantastic programme of events, the thrill of riding through the scenic mountains and glens and experiencing world-famous Scottish hospitality.

This year’s event is expected to be the biggest yet, with 3,000 making the pilgrimage to the region and many more coming to see the spectacle.

Rally co-ordinator George McGuire was one of the bikers involved in selecting the cask. He feels the commemorative bottling from Speyside Distillery is an ideal way to celebrate the rally’s close affinity to the Cairngorms area.

“We are pleased to be working with Speyside Distillery to produce a single malt whisky especially for our anniversary year. This is a great way to mark 20 years of Thunder In the Glens and the links we have developed with the local area,” George explains.

“We’ve already had interest from people who have heard about our plans and they have requested two bottles – one to drink and the other to keep as a reminder of the 20th year of Thunder In The Glens.”

Speyside Distillery opened its doors to the public for the second year in a row during the festival, giving visitors a rare opportunity to see inside the picturesque distillery at exclusive behind the scenes tours and tastings.

Speyside Distillery, home of the SPEY brand of malt whisky, has been in production since 1990 and is operated by Speyside Distillers Ltd. For further information about Speyside Distillery, visit www.speysidedistillery.co.uk/. Follow Speyside Distillery on Twitter @SpeySingleMalt and on Facebook at facebook.com/speysidedistillery

Picture caption:

Speyside Distillery CEO John Harvey McDonough (left) joins Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival chairman James Campbell (centre) in sampling the cask, while Thunder in the Glens rally co-ordinator George McGuire looks on.

BALLANTINE’S SCOTCH WHISKY & BOILER ROOM PRESENT STAY TRUE SOUTH AFRICA

The tenth instalment of the collaborative Stay True Journeys series touches down in Cape Town on 24 March featuring artists including Henrik Schwarz, Fred P, Move D, Jazzuelle & more

Ballantine’s, the world’s No.2 Scotch whisky, and Boiler Room announce that the next instalment in their global ‘Stay True Journeys’ series will touch down in Cape Town on 24 March,  exploring South Africa’s ever burgeoning position in the global house music scene.

The collaborative project travels to the world’s most vibrant music scenes to uncover and celebrate the ‘Stay True’ stories of the people, places and cultures that define them and drive them forwards, featuring live streamed unique shows and one-off documentary films.

ABOUT STAY TRUE SOUTH AFRICA

One year after the series travelled to Johannesburg, the collaborative project returns to South Africa, this time visiting Cape Town, to explore a fusion of local and global music scenes, connected through a deep love of everything house.

Stay True South Africa will showcase an all-star line-up of global DJs Henrik Schwarz, Move D and Fred P, alongside local legends Jazzuelle, DJ Fosta and Kid Fonque b2b Jullian Gomes, during the much-anticipated show on 24^th March to be held at a secret location. Money-can’t-buy tickets to the show will be available via Ballantine’s and Boiler Room channels, with the party being live-streamed between 8PM and 2AM at boilerroom.tv/staytrue/southafrica2.

Following Ballantine’s and Boiler Room’s co-produced documentary ‘Stay True South Africa: A Dancing Nation’ filmed during the 2015 Johannesburg stop over, the partnership, which has never re-visited a country over the series before, will release a second documentary with a spotlight on Cape Town’s local musical stories, people and cultures and will be available to watch on boilerroom.tv/staytrue/southafrica2 

ABOUT BOILER ROOM

From inauspicious beginnings as a lo-fi series of streamed DJ sets and live performances from a warehouse in Hackney, London, Boilerroom.tv has gone on to become one of the world’s most popular, authentic music platforms, remaining faithful to their founding principles and continuously showcasing artists from all over the world who do the same. 

Daryl Dixon, Brand Manager of Ballantine’s South Africa says, “I am very pleased that Boiler Room has decided to come back to South Africa for the second year running to showcase the next instalment of Stay True South Africa. There has been a rise in the global prominence of South African house music over the last few years and we are honoured to be able to share these stories with the world.”

Blaise Bellville, Boiler Room Founder & CEO says: “The first Stay True South Africa was one of Boiler Room’s stand out moments in 2015, so we we’re hugely excited to be returning with Ballantine’s to continue shining a spotlight on the incredible local house music scene – this time with the help of some huge international names in the form of Henrik Schwarz, Move D and Fred P.” 

Check out the previous journeys at http://boilerroom.tv/staytrue/ 

Notes

About Ballantine’s South Africa

About Ballantine’s

Ballantine’s is the No.1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the No.2 Scotch whisky in the world with the range selling over 70 million bottles a year worldwide. Ballantine’s has won more than 130 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past ten years for its outstanding quality, as a result of its unique richness of character and perfect balance. The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the exclusive 40 Year Old, is the most extensive in the world of Scotch and is maintained by Master Blender Sandy Hyslop, continuing the brand’s tradition of Master Blenders that dates back to 1827. In 2013, Ballantine’s continued its innovative approach by launching Ballantine’s Brasil, a spirit drink made from selectively cask steeping Scotch whisky with Brazilian lime peel.

http://www.ballantines.com/

      @Ballantines

About Chivas Brothers

Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, the world’s co-leader in wines and spirits. Chivas Brothers’ award-winning portfolio features some of the world’s most revered Scotch whisky brands including Chivas Regal, the world’s first luxury whisky and the No.1 Scotch whisky in China; Ballantine’s, Europe’s No.1 Scotch whisky; The Glenlivet, the world’s No.1 single malt whisky; and Royal Salute, the world’s only exclusively prestige Scotch whisky range. The portfolio also includes two of the world’s leading English gins – Beefeater, the world’s most awarded premium gin, and Plymouth gin – plus a selection of highly acclaimed single malt whiskies, including Aberlour, Longmorn, Scapa, Strathisla and Tormore. The range is completed by a collection of blended Scotch whiskies operating in many of the world’s key whisky markets which includes 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport Scotch.http://www.chivasbrothers.com/

@ChivasNewsRoom

About Stay True Journeys

Having kicked off in 2014, the series of live broadcast events, in-depth documentary films and artist collaborations broadcast through Boilerroom.tv/StayTrue has taken global audiences deep inside local music scenes in Mexico, Chile, Poland, Germany, Ibiza, Spain, Brazil and Russia. Each scene is brought to life through curated line-ups that incorporate future local legends and some of the brightest in international talent – with the likes of Nina Kravis, Seth Troxler and Carl Craig having performed.  

https://boilerroom.tv/staytrue/ 

About Boiler Room  

From its inauspicious beginnings as a lo-fi series of streamed DJ sets and live performances from a warehouse in Hackney, London, Boilerroom.tv has gone on to become one of the world’s most popular, authentic music channels, with well over six million monthly viewers and a social community of over a million.

Its unique formula of intimate, invite-only events, featuring artists performing the music of their choice, via global live-stream.

https://boilerroom.tv/

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is looking for volunteers to take personality test and sample rare whiskies

How would you like to sample rare whiskies in the name of scientific research?

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is looking for 100 volunteers to take a written personality test and taste whisky samples at its Project Flavour Behaviour event at Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Washington, D.C. on Saturday 21^st May 2016.

Project Flavour Behaviour is being carried out by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society this World Whisky Day (21^st May 2016), in partnership with Dr. Adam Moore from the University of Edinburgh’s Psychology Department.

The event is part of a series of secretive research experiments taking place around the world. These events will be taking place in cities worldwide, including Vancouver, London and Edinburgh.

Participants at the event, which is free, will take a written personality test and then taste several special samples of single malt whisky.

A previous knowledge of whisky is NOT required – an open mind and adventurous spirit is all you need.

The findings from the event will be analysed by Dr Moore and feed into the ongoing Flavour Behaviour experiment, which will be unveiled in more detail during 2016.

To sign up to be a volunteer taster, visit: http://www.smws.com/projectfb

Project Flavour Behaviour Free event – 3pm-5pm on 21^st May 2016 at Jack Rose Dining Saloon, 2007 18th St NW, Washington, DC 20009  

#projectFB

Twitter: @SMWSAmerica

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SMWSAmerica 

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottles single cask single malt whisky – www.smws.com 

Media enquiries 

For more information, contact Society Brand Ambassador Phoebe Brookes at phoebe.brookes@smws.com

Buffalo Trace Distillery Racks up More Than 5,000

Experimental Whiskey Barrels in its Warehouses

Franklin Co, Frankfort, Ky. (April 20, 2016) – In the late 1800’s Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. was the first to incorporate the use of steam power and temperature controlled warehouses to age bourbon whiskey at the distillery known today as Buffalo Trace. Elmer T. Lee introduced the world to the first very Single Barrel Bourbon in 1984 and soon thereafter the folks at Buffalo Trace began more whiskey experiments using unique mash bills, types of wood, barrel toasts, and more. A newly hired Distillery Supervisor named Harlen Wheatley helped with some of the early experiments back in 1995, including bourbon not aged in traditional American White Oak, but French Oak. He never dreamed where this might lead.

Two decades later, Wheatley, now Master Distiller, stands at the helm of more than 5,000 experimental whiskey barrels aging at Buffalo Trace Distillery, the largest number of experimental barrels ever held in inventory at this National Historic Landmark Distillery.

Some early experiments focused on aging whiskey in used wine barrels, giving the bourbons chardonnay or zinfandel finishes.  It sounds ho-hum now, but in 2007 when these were released, they were considering cutting edge.

Through the years, the experiments evolved in complexity. There have been experiments using non-traditional grains, (rice and oats), various fill proofs, barrels made from woods around the world, and even from forests in the United States not considered traditional barrel producing states. In some of the experiments Buffalo Trace’s own warehouses were the control factors, playing with barrels put up on the same day on different floors and left alone for years, to see how they might taste different. Or how a concrete floor warehouse and a wooden floor warehouse affect the taste of a barrel of bourbon, which one is better? All of these questions were asked and answered over the last 20 years, and Buffalo Trace sits on a wealth of information which it in turn uses to perfect the taste of its longstanding brands like its flagship Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, Stagg, Weller Bourbons and more. Not to mention new bourbons, like E.H. Taylor Cured Oak and the Single Oak Project, always on the quest to discover the perfect bourbon.

“Today, our experiments are more focused within the confines of bourbon whiskey,” said Harlen Wheatley, master distiller. “We have hundreds of potential future experiments on our list and discuss regularly with the experimental team to prioritize the most interesting ideas and the experiments that deliver the most useful information.”

But not all experiments are successes. An early “failed” experiment was with aging bourbon in small barrels, of 5, 10 and 15 gallon barrels vs. the standard 55 gallon. Despite the six years of aging, the bourbon never reached its full potential, and in 2012 the experiment was deemed a failure but bottled up for future research by the distillery team.

There have been other failed experiments along the way, bourbon made with barley, bourbon aged in barrels made with sour wood, and the most recent failure, a 26 year old bourbon barrel that was just past its prime. All of these are bottled up and stored in the archives.

“It’s important to learn from your mistakes too,” noted Wheatley. “We learn as much from our failures as our successes, sometimes even more so from the failures, so that’s why we want to keep a record of them so we have them for future research.”

Buffalo Trace Distillery will continue to release its experiments a few times a year, with the next experiment coming out this spring, more details will be provided soon. For a full list of experiments released to date, check out http://www.greatbourbon.com/great-bourbons

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 www.buffalotracedistillery.com/.

FAMILY FIRM RAISES £11K IN CROWDFUNDING BID FOR NEW STUDIO

A firm which makes unique gifts for whisky lovers has raised more than £11,000 for a state-of-the-art glassblowing studio in a Crowdfunding appeal.

Stirling-based Angels’ Share Glass launched the appeal in a bid to increase production and keep alive a traditional skill.

They had hoped to raise an ambitious £25,000 for the new studio and reached £11,360 (approximately 45%) of that total following a two-month campaign.

The remainder of the funds will now be secured via grants and investment loans and the studio, which will allow space to train new apprentice glassmakers, should be up and running towards the end of this year.

Karen Somerville, Managing Director of the award-winning firm, said she and her father, co-founder Tom Young, had been overwhelmed by the generosity of those who contributed to the campaign.

She said: “It was the first time we’ve tried a Crowdfunding campaign and we really had no idea what to expect.

“It was exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time but it was amazing when contributions began to come in from friends, family, business colleagues and people we’ve never met.

“There were a whole range of contributions and people were just phenomenal in the way they supported us.

“We’re now looking forward to moving on and getting the rest of the funding organised and then we can achieve our dream of creating a new studio.

“It’s wonderful to know this long-awaited goal is now within our reach and we want to sincerely thank everyone who has helped us.”

Contributions to the appeal came in from all over the world including Qatar, Canada, Denmark, Greece, Chile, Germany and the United States.

The individual amounts donated ranged from £5 to £1,000 and some backers opted for the various perks available in return for funding.

These included having their names engraved on a glass plaque in the new studio, a whisky tasting evening and a day spent glass-blowing with the firm’s world-renowned Master Glassmaker Tom Young.

Angels’ Share Glass is run by Karen and Tom who has been making glass by hand using traditional methods for nearly 60 years.

He currently works out of a home workshop where he trains an apprentice but that unit is now too small to keep up with rising demand for the firm’s products.

The new studio and equipment, which will be housed at the firm’s headquarters in Bridge of Allan near Stirling, will mean more space to increase production and train a new generation of glassmakers to continue the company’s legacy.

Tom says: “It means a lot to me to know that – thanks to the amazing support from our local community and people much further afield – we can now create a new studio and have more space to work in.

“For me it will be a great help in terms of passing my glassblowing skills onto a new generation of young glassmakers so that we can keep the tradition alive.”

More information on Angels’ Share Glass can be found at www.angelsshareglass.com 

chandelier featuring whisky-filled drops

Notes:

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

The Perfect Blend: History, Whisky and Chocolate 

May is Whisky Month and to celebrate, The Real Mary King’s Close will be launching The Perfect Blend a brand new whisky tasting experience in partnership with Royal Mile Whiskies, multiple winner of Whisky Magazine’s Retailer of the Year award.

The Perfect Blend is a unique whisky tasting experience in the heart of Edinburgh’s Old Town. Combining Scotland’s most iconic exports, history and whisky, this tour will take guests back in time as they uncover Edinburgh’s incredible hidden history whilst getting to grips with the national drink.

Guests will enjoy five drams of whisky: a grain, a blend, a malt, a sherry cask matured and a peaty whisky. Each one has been specially selected to highlight the diverse nature of Scottish whisky. The tour, as well as taking guests on a journey through history, will provide an insight into the varieties of whisky available in Scotland; why they are different and how the flavours have been shaped by the methods involved in their production. As guests savour a peaty dram, they may find themselves transported to the west coast of Scotland or they may find themselves doing the work of a noser as they try to work out the different components of a blend.

Each nip of whisky will be accompanied by a sample of award winning organic craft chocolate from local suppliers, Chocolate Tree. Guests will be able to taste how this combination of flavours works together to enhance the subtle nuances of each specially selected whisky. From Madagascan Sambirano 72% dark chocolate to sea salt and caramel, each craft chocolate has been chosen to bring out the individuality of the whiskies. As the chocolate and the whisky combine, guests will be able to experience the flavours transform on their palate.

“This is a really exciting opportunity to work with local businesses to create a truly unique and Scottish event for Whisky Month.” Comments General Manager Craig Miller “It will be a chance for those who have visited the attraction before to come back and experience the Close in a different way and it will also be a great event for those visiting the capital to tick off some of the must-do experiences when in Scotland: taste whisky and discover fascinating history.”

The Perfect Blend will run throughout the month of May and tickets are now on sale. Advance booking is recommended and tickets can be purchased online at www.realmarykingsclose.com/, by phone on 0131 225 0672 or in person at The Real Mary King’s Close.

The Real Mary King’s Close is operated by Continuum Attractions. Continuum Attractions offers a host of cultural visitor attraction experiences across the UK, from Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales to the story of chocolate at York’s Chocolate Story. 

NOTES:

Ticket Price: £35

Time: 21:30 (1 hour and 30 mins)

Dates: 1^st, 6^th, 13^th, 20^th, 29^th May 2016

Whiskies are subject to change and images show an example selection

Over 18s only (ID may be required) 

The Real Mary King’s Close

Hidden beneath the Royal Mile, lies one of Edinburgh’s deepest secrets – The Real Mary King’s Close. This warren of hidden ‘closes’ or narrow streets where real people lived, worked and died, lay forgotten and covered by the City Chambers on the Royal Mile for centuries, until in 2003 it opened as a fascinating new visitor attraction for Edinburgh.

Operated by Continuum Attractions, this VisitScotland five-star attraction allows visitors to step back in time and be guided through these famous underground closes to witness some of the most dramatic episodes from Edinburgh’s incredible past.

Further details: www.realmarykingsclose.com/.

Chocolate Tree

Chocolate Tree is Edinburgh’s only bean to bar chocolate maker, working in small batches using superior natural ingredients, ethically sourced and organic. Chocolate Tree aims to deliver fine flavour chocolate whilst at the same time offering impoverished farmers better profits and preserving biodiversity.

A variety of Chocolate Tree bars are available in the shop at The Real Mary King’s Close.

Further details: www.choctree.co.uk/

Royal Mile Whiskies

Royal Mile Whiskies was established in 1991 and has steadily grown its range and reputation and is now known worldwide as being one of the world’s great specialist whisky merchants. Royal Mile Whiskies was set up as a specialist malt whisky retailer, based on Edinburgh’s historic Royal Mile.

An independent, Scottish-owned shop located in Scotland, Royal Mile Whiskies specialises in single malt Scotch whisky, but also sells Irish whiskey, bourbon whiskey, grain whisky and blends. Royal Mile Whiskies won Whisky Magazine’s ‘Retailer of the Year’ award in 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011 and 2015.

Further details: www.royalmilewhiskies.com/

For more information on Continuum Attractions, please visit www.continuumattractions.com/

Continuum Attractions owns, operates and manages cultural attractions across the UK:

• Continuum Heritage Attractions

• The Real Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh
• The Canterbury Tales, Canterbury
• Oxford Castle Unlocked, Oxford
• York’s Chocolate Story, York

• Continuum Icon Attractions

• Emirates Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth
• Emmerdale The Tour, Leeds

GLENWYVIS LAUNCHES COMMUNITY SHARE OFFER TO BUILD FIRST EVER COMMUNITY-OWNED DISTILLERY IN SCOTLAND

GlenWyvis Distillery Community Benefit Society based in the historic Highland town of Dingwall is realising its long held ambition to create Scotland’s very first community-owned craft whisky distillery. Exactly 270 years on from the Battle of Culloden, GlenWyvis launches its Community Share Offer to raise over £1.5m of investment that will help to put whisky distilling back at the heart of Dingwall.

The launch, organised in conjunction with Community Shares Scotland (CSS), offers investment opportunities for as little as £250 to locals living in all IV postcode areas. This will ensure a high level of local ownership of the distillery, but the Share Offer is also open to whisky lovers worldwide with investment opportunities rising in tranches* to a maximum investment of £100,000.

Whisky has been made in Ross-shire and Inverness-shire for centuries and inspiration has been taken from former distilleries: Ferintosh, Ben Wyvis in Dingwall and Glenskiach in Evanton. The original Ferintosh Distillery was established by the Forbes of Culloden family in 1690, on the Black Isle just east of Dingwall, and is one of the oldest recorded whisky distilleries in Scotland. The new Distillery will re-instate craft whisky distilling to the Dingwall area, some 90 years after the last of the town’s original distilleries closed down.

The famous Ferintosh brand of the day was a much loved whisky throughout Scotland and was a favourite of Scotland’s great bard Rabbie Burns, who lamented: “Thee, Ferintosh! O sadly lost! Scotland lament frae coast to coast!” … on its closure in 1785.

The new GlenWyvis Distillery will be built on a farm above the town of Dingwall and will be 100% community-owned distillery and 100% powered by green energy.

The distillery is the brainchild of the Flying Farmer, John F Mckenzie, supported by a board of directors and local community representatives. John said: “We are seeing a very strong early interest

In our community share offer with over 400 pledges already.

We have a truly winning combination here of a stunning Scottish Highland location, immense historical appeal linking back to Culloden, Burns and Ferintosh and readily available hydro, solar and wind energy to bring this innovative whisky project to fruition.”

“From the outset we have envisaged the project as more than a distillery. It is an opportunity for all social investors to help reinvigorate the historic town of Dingwall. GlenWyvis will be built on its whisky heritage, its community-ownership and its environmental credentials. We have amazing local resources and will be using only local barley from a farmers’ cooperative – hence our strapline built on history – powered by nature”

John added: “There is a real buzz around Dingwall at the moment as our local football team Ross County has just won the Scottish Football League Cup and now we are launching our community-owned distillery. It’s double plaudits all round!

“We want to get the message out to the local community as well as to whisky lovers near and far to invest in the future of the GlenWyvis Distillery. On Friday we were one of the main sponsors of the Ross County Annual Dinner and Auction with 300 guests in attendance and each guest received a commemorative miniature of Ross County Football Club League Cup GlenWyvis Gin.”

Construction of the distillery is due to commence in June 2016 with the first run of whisky planned for Burns Night 25 January 2017. The distillery will produce craft Scottish whisky and there are plans for an associated Visitor Centre in the town to be added as part of a wider plan to recreate Dingwall as the Craft Distillery Town of Scotland, and as a quality tourism destination on the North Coast 500 route.

Commenting on the share offer Kelly McIntyre, Programme Manager, CSS said: “This is one of the biggest community projects we have been involved in and we hope it will make a seismic impact in the kind of projects that we will see coming forward to work with Community Shares Scotland in the future.

“GlenWyvis has a truly international appeal with an amazing whisky heritage story which will strike a chord with expat Scots and the Scottish Diaspora worldwide and has the added impact of sitting nicely along the North Coast 500 route. And with its historic story links to Forbes of Culloden there is all the more reason for investors and visitors alike to become involved.”

Scott Armstrong, VisitScotland Regional Partnerships Director, said: “In Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, it is fantastic to hear about this innovative scheme, which ensures a high level of local ownership of the distillery. Whisky is one of our strongest draws for visitors and I am delighted that GlenWyvis has taken this opportunity to tell their own whisky heritage story.

“With an associated visitor centre also planned, this offers another stop-off point which we would hope will increase visitor numbers to the town. Without tourism, many remote communities would not be sustainable and business sectors like drinks, retail or construction would be severely impacted.

“Our visitor research has revealed that the one thing that makes Scotland different to any other destination is its ability to ‘stir your soul’. Through our ambitious new global Spirit of Scotland campaign and #ScotSpirit social movement, VisitScotland is working to raise the profile of Scotland to unprecedented levels as a place to visit, invest and live – and this project really does have #ScotSpirit!”

The GlenWyvis Community Share Offer opens on 16 April 2016 and closes on 24 June 2016. However, the board reserves the right to extend this deadline if the amount raised is close to the total required to proceed.

Details on how to invest in GlenWyvis Community Share Offer along with the Share Offer Notice can be found here: www.microgenius.org.uk, www.communitysharesscotland.org.uk, www.crowdfunder.co.uk for international investors.

For further information on Glenwyvis Community Share Offer Number 7305 contact:

John F. Mckenzie: Founder/Owner

F: GlenWyvis T: @glenwyvis

W: www.glenwyvis.com

For further community shares information contact

Kelly McIntyre: Community Shares Scotland/Programme Manager

Email: kelly@communitysharesscotland.org.uk

For information check out: http://www.communitysharesscotland.org.uk

Twitter: @CommSharesScot

For press information contact

Fiona Stewart, PR Consultant, Interwoven PR

E: fiona@interwovenpr.com/T: 07940560453 Tw: @interwovenpr

NOTES

A short video in support of the GlenWyvis Distillery, Community Share Offer can be downloaded here and used for broadcast purposes with permission.

* Investment amounts & Rewards: The price of a share in GlenWyvis Distillery is £50, with a minimum investment of £250 to become a member. If you are struggling to afford £250 but want to invest, we can offer joint memberships where people club together to buy a share or discuss staged payments. The maximum investment is £100,000.

Tranches and rewards

Invest £250 – £749

Postcode restriction to IV postcodes in Scotland.

1 bottle Gin now, T-Shirt and bottle Whisky in year 3.

Invest £750 – £2,499

2 Gin now or 2 Inaugural Whisky between Burns Day 2020 and St Andrews day 2020, T-Shirt now and private distillery tour for 2 in 2018.

Invest £2,500 – £4,499

6 Gin now or 6 Inaugural Whisky between 25/1/20 and 30/11/20, 2 T-Shirts now and shared distillery tour in 2018 plus tour for 2 including 20 minute helicopter whisky history tour in 2017 flown from Dalcross Airport, Inverness, by The Flying Farmer.

Invest £4,500 – £7,499

One 64l “first fill” sherry cask filled with 64l New Make spirit at circa 63% abv (please see terms and conditions on our website). Plus 6 Gin now, 2 T-Shirts now and shared distillery tour in 2018 plus tour for 2 including 20 minute helicopter whisky history tour in 2017 flown from Dalcross Airport by The Flying Farmer.

Invest £7,500 – £14,999

One 128l or two 64l “first fill” sherry cask filled with New Make spirit at circa 63% abv (please see terms and conditions on our website). Case of Gin now, 2 T-shirts now and private tour for 4 in 2018 plus tasting masterclass at distillery and 30 minute shared helicopter whisky history tour for 2 in 2017 flown from Dalcross Airport by The Flying Farmer.

Invest £15,000 – £49,999

Fill Hogshead Cask personally in 2017 and add your name on wall or roof of distillery plus case of Gin now and bottle of Whisky every Burns Day till year 10 including New Make spirit. A private extended 30 minute helicopter whisky history tour for 4 flown from Dalcross Airport by The Flying Farmer plus a private tour and tasting master class for 4 in 2018.

Invest £50,000 – £100,000

Investments will be considered by application only and bespoke packages similar to above can be arranged

Casks are sold to you and become yours on successful application for shares. Detailed terms and conditions of your cask ownership are available on our website www.glenwyvis.com/. These include that UK Duty and VAT may be payable after bottling; that you are a private individual purchasing for private consumption or gifting and that you many not sell on or trade for profit, the bottled whisky. A 64l cask will produce around 100 bottles of whisky at 46% abv. Assuming a bottling cost of £5 per bottle and VAT and duty at current rates, each bottle would cost you £20.

Tax Relief We have applied for advance assurance from HM Revenues and Customs (HMRC) that the shares in GlenWyvis Distillery are eligible for tax relief under the Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme (SEIS) and the Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) – these are Government-backed schemes designed to encourage investment in smaller companies. If you are a UK tax payer, investors in GlenWyvis Distillery can apply for income tax relief after the start of trading.

GlenWyvis Distillery (Dingwall) Limited has been established as Co-operative and Community Benefit Society with the specific purpose of owning and operating a community-owned whisky distillery and visitor centre in Dingwall to benefit the community of Dingwall.

Whisky Stills will be supplied by the prestigious company, Forsyth of Rothes, and will be delivered in September 2016.

Green credentials: GlenWyvis Distillery will run entirely on energy produced using the renewable technologies – hydro, wind and solar already used on the farm. An advanced heating system will be powered by biomass and solar thermal and water from both the Skiach River and Tulloch Spring will be used to make the whisky with a borehole being used to supply the process water required.

All facts correct at the time of publishing noted at the top of the press release

Maker’s Mark® Introduces American Pharoah Commemorative Bottle

In 2015, American Pharoah captivated the hearts of fans worldwide by becoming the first-ever winner of horse racing’s fabled Grand Slam. By sweeping the Kentucky Derby®, the Preakness Stakes®, the Belmont Stakes® and the Breeders’ Cup® Classic, American Pharoah established himself as one of the greatest racehorses in history. Now, in anticipation of the 2016 racing season, Maker’s Mark® is celebrating this extraordinary achievement by introducing a limited-edition American Pharoah commemorative bottle. To further mark the occasion, Maker’s Mark and the Zayat family will also make a donation benefitting the Kentucky Derby Museum.

Endorsed and supported by American Pharoah owner Ahmed Zayat, the bottle features the now-legendary blue and yellow silks of Zayat Stables. “American Pharoah proved to an entire generation of racing fans that the impossible can be achieved,” said Zayat. “It was a joy for us to race him each and every time he took the track, and we thank Maker’s Mark for their fitting tribute to this once-in-a-lifetime racehorse.”

The limited-edition Maker’s Mark American Pharoah bottle will be available at select locations nationwide beginning on May 1st, 2016. Suggested retail price is $74.99. Please check your local retailer for availability.

In added celebration of American Pharoah’s Grand Slam win, Maker’s Mark and the Zayats will also make a donation to the Kentucky Derby Museum in Louisville, KY. The Kentucky Derby Museum is a non-profit organization with an impassioned commitment to engage, educate and excite everyone on the extraordinary experience that is the Kentucky Derby®.

“Maker’s Mark has always had a strong connection with horse racing,” said Rob Samuels, Chief Operating Officer of Maker’s Mark Distillery. “Without the support of the thoroughbred industry in the early days of our brand, Maker’s Mark simply wouldn’t exist. We’re honored to help grow the sport we love while also commemorating one of the most remarkable achievements in sports history.”

About Maker’s Mark® Bourbon

In 1954, at a small Victorian distillery in Loretto, Kentucky, Bill Samuels, Sr., fulfilled his dream to create a pioneering handmade bourbon that, for the first time, would appeal both to bourbon and to non-bourbon drinkers alike, that tasted good and exemplified good taste, and wouldn’t “blow your ears off,” which was the measure by which bourbons were judged at the time. He decided to make his whisky in small-batches of 19 barrels, developed a proprietary barrel char to enhance the softness and sweetness of his whisky, and then rotated each barrel by hand to ensure exposure to consistent temperatures throughout the warehouse, and, ultimately, he aged each barrel to taste. Bill Samuels, Sr., unknowingly and unintentionally, fired the shot that started the Bourbon Revolution, and transformed bourbon from a “commodity” into a premium handcrafted spirit, giving rise to the modern era of bourbon. Today, Maker’s Mark continues to make its bourbon the same way Bill Samuels, Sr., did 60 years ago, in small batches by craftsmen who hand-dip each bottle. In 2010, in tribute to his father’s spirit of innovation, Bill Samuels, Jr. unveiled Maker’s 46®, a totally new bourbon that reflects the distinct character of Maker’s Mark® but has a bigger, bolder and complex taste without any hint of bitterness. Maker’s Mark® Bourbon (45% alc./vol.) and Maker’s 46® (47% alc./vol.) are distilled, aged and bottled by the Maker’s Mark Distillery, Inc., in Loretto, Kentucky. In 1980, the distillery was designated a National Historic Landmark, becoming the first distillery in America to be so recognized, and has also been decreed as the “world’s oldest operating bourbon whisky distillery” by Guinness World Records®. The Maker’s Mark Distillery is one of the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s most popular tourist destinations, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. For more information, please visit the Maker’s Mark® website (www.makersmark.com)

William Grant and Sons makes clean sweep at 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Whisky Awards

Glenfiddich Distillery has swept the board at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Whisky Awards, collecting a hat-trick of honours. The Dufftown distillery picked up first place in all three categories after their malts were selected by the whisky-loving public in a series of blind taste tests.

Glenfiddich 12 year old triumphed over Glen Grant’s 10 year old in the 12 year or younger category, and also took the title for the 13 to 20 year category with its 18 year old, winning over Glen Moray’s 16 year old.

Glenfiddich 21 year old won the category for single malts aged over 21, beating the Cragganmore 25 year old 2014 Special Release into second place.

Roving judging sessions were held across Speyside during the Festival, which closes today (Monday May 2), and one was also held in specialist Scottish shop Scotia Spirit in Cologne. This was the first time a judging session was held outwith the local area.

Owner Peter Klas is a long-term friend of the Festival and it is hoped the success of the overseas judging session will lead to more international destinations being added to future events.

The finalists in all three categories were whittled down into a shortlist of entries earlier in the year by a panel including industry experts, retailers and whisky writers.

Festival chairman James Campbell says,“Huge congratulations to Glenfiddich for such a tremendous success at this year’s awards – we have never had one single distillery win all three titles before.

“Our awards are considered as one of the industry’s highest accolades, as the winners are determined by the people who matter the most –the whisky-drinking general public.

“Having a panel of industry experts judging the drams would not represent the views of the majority of drinkers, which is why we allow Festival visitors to have the final say. The people who vote in the awards are judging the drams based on their personal preference of the nose and taste of each entry. As it is a blind taste test, consumer or brand loyalty does not affect their decision.

 “The judging sessions are enjoyed by a wide variety of people – from whisky aficionados to novices still learning about our national dram – and are an extremely popular element of the Festival.”

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 five day Festival comes to an end today (Monday) and has featured a packed programme of over 500 events, with music, crafts, and food themes running alongside a wide range of distillery tours and tastings.

More information about the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is available on its website – www.spiritofspeyside.com/. The Festival is also active on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter.

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 Highlands and Islands Enterprise 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.

Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design

2016 will shine a spotlight on Scotland’s achievements in innovation, architecture and design through a wide-ranging, variety of new and existing activity.

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design will run from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016 and will build on the momentum generated by the 2015 Year of Food and Drink as well as previous years including Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.

Through a series of exciting events and activity, the year will showcase Scotland’s position as an “innovation nation”, its outstanding built heritage, and its thriving, internationally acclaimed fashion, textiles and design sector.

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, supported by partners including Scottish Government, Creative Scotland, Architecture + Design Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design events fund is managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate

Curtain comes down on 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival as thousands of visitors raise a glass to the region

The final drams have been sipped at the 2015 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival – but organisers are already preparing to do it all over again. The curtain came down on over 500 events last night (Monday, 2 May) and now the team behind the world famous Festival are putting plans in place for a second event in the early autumn.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival took place over five days in the heart of Scotland’s best loved whisky producing region, drawing thousands of visitors from home and abroad for a programme combining the country’s national drink with music, food and fun.

New records were set when tickets went on sale for the Festival’s biggest ever programme earlier in the year. Festival chairman James Campbell says this year’s gathering in whisky’s spiritual home was one of the best on record.

He adds, “It will take us a little bit of time to find out what the overall numbers were, but the area was extremely busy for the full five days and, most importantly, everyone I saw and spoke to had nothing but great things to say.

“To see people at these events thoroughly enjoying themselves makes worthwhile all the planning and hard work of our volunteer directors, of the Festival manager and of all the other people who give up their own time to ensure the Festival is a success. Knowing visitors will leave the area with very special memories is hugely rewarding for all of us.

 “I personally met visitors from over a dozen different countries – some who have been coming for years and others who were visiting for the first time – and it was really special to see all these visitors having such a great time side by side with local people.

“I think visitors are always surprised by the huge range of different events, and the fact that they can have access to the people who are involved in the very heart of our whisky industry. I don’t think any other whisky festival in the world can offer what we can.”

All eyes are now on Spirit of Speyside – Distilled, which will take place in Elgin Town Hall on September 9 to 11. It will bring together Speyside’s whisky producers under one roof on their own doorstep for the very first time.

The event will also include local gin and craft beer, along with a wide range of food producers, showing off the huge extent of Speyside’s larder. Spirit of Speyside – Distilled will be split into four sessions over the three days, with tickets being sold for each session.

It is hoped that the event will initially attract a more local audience, but in time Spirit of Speyside – Distilled will also become a destination for the many international visitors who attend the main event in May.

James adds, ”The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has grown to become a phenomenal event, but we felt that it was time to add a second event which did not require visitors to undertake a great deal of itinerary planning.

“We chose Elgin for the location because it is the transport hub for the area, with excellent rail and road links. People can come for one session or the whole weekend, but still enjoy the spirit – and welcome – for which Speyside is famous.”

Tickets for Spirit of Speyside – Distilled will go on sale within the next couple of weeks via the website www.spiritofspeyside.com. The Festival is also active on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter and on Instagram.

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 Highlands and Islands Enterprise 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.

Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design

2016 will shine a spotlight on Scotland’s achievements in innovation, architecture and design through a wide-ranging, variety of new and existing activity.

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design will run from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2016 and will build on the momentum generated by the 2015 Year of Food and Drink as well as previous years including Homecoming Scotland 2014, the Year of Creative and the Year of Natural.

Through a series of exciting events and activity, the year will showcase Scotland’s position as an “innovation nation”, its outstanding built heritage, and its thriving, internationally acclaimed fashion, textiles and design sector.

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design is a Scottish Government initiative being led by VisitScotland, supported by partners including Scottish Government, Creative Scotland, Architecture + Design Scotland, Scottish Tourism Alliance, Scottish Enterprise, The National Trust for Scotland, Historic Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS).

The Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design events fund is managed by EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate