Victoria Caledonian Distillery Announce a Home and a Larger Family

Macaloney Brewers & Distillers Ltd. is proud to announce it has leased a facility for its Victoria Caledonian Distillery and Brewery, a multi‐faceted establishment that will produce beer and whisky onsite as well as offer tutored single malt whisky and craft beer tastings, hands‐on brewery and distillery tours, a brewing and distilling school, and custom whisky casks. Located at 761 Enterprise Crescent in Saanich, Greater Victoria, BC, the 17,320 sq ft facility is presently being fitted out for opening in Spring of 2016.

Macaloney Brewers & Distillers Ltd. also announced the recruitment of Production Manager‐Brewmaster, Mr. Dean McLeod BSc., and whisky Brand Ambassador‐Sales Manager, Mr. Andrew Campbell Walls WSET. McLeod, an ex‐pat Aussie was Production Manager at Lighthouse Brewery, one of 10 breweries he has worked in. He has a degree in brewing science and is an international beer judge.

Walls, an expat Scot hails most recently from Edmonton where he was Bar Manager with TheBothy whisky bar and before that a whisky specialty liquor store Manager with Liquor Depot. He is co‐founder and life‐time Brand Ambassador for the Alberta Scotch Society.

McLeod and Walls join Master Distiller Mike Nicolson (previously with 18 Diageo Scotch distilleries) and Scottish whisky maturation guru, Dr. Jim Swan (behind the 2015 World Whisky Awards ‘Best Single Malt’, Kavalan, Glenmorangie’s finishing program, and Amrut).

More than a simple brewery and distillery, the Victoria Caledonian Distillery & Brewery will offer enthusiasts the opportunity to design their own 30L casks of whisky from a variety of 5 new make spirits and 10 oak‐wood choices. Multi‐cask purchasers will be able to attend ‘The Caley Academy’, a 5‐day, hands‐on brewing and distilling school.

In response to popular demand, Macaloney Brewers & Distillers has reopened the opportunity to join the Founder‐Owner group and be part of the Distillery Owner Program. Founder‐Owners will be part of the distillery’s evolution at every stage. Special privileges include private guided tours for you and your family and friends; special events for Founder‐Owners including annual maturation parties, annual celebrity tastings and a space at the 5 day brewing and distilling Caley Academy.

Macaloney Brewers & Distillers Ltd, is a destination boutique distillery & craft brewery owned by Canadians for Canadians. The Founder‐Owner group includes 200+ passionate craft beer and whisky enthusiasts. When open in Spring 2016, it will offer professionally guided tours, tutored tastings, a gift store for whisky, beer and related gifts, and a capability to host corporate, family or community events.

Custom Designed 30L Cask Offer:  The Victoria Caledonian Distillery is offering a unique 30L cask whereby you can custom design your own whisky from a range of 5 new-make spirits distilled by our ex-Diageo Master Distiller Mike Nicolson and 10 oak-wood maturation options carefully selected from Spain, Portugal and Kentucky by our Scottish whisky maturation expert, Dr. Jim Swan. Please see ‘Custom Designed Casks and Ownership’ appended or e-mail Andrew Campbell Walls if you wish to order some casks or find out more, please visit: www.VictoriaCaledonian.com/casks.html  and  www.Macaloneydistillers.com/become-a-founder-owner/

For more details on investor opportunities or other information:

Sales: Andrew Campbell Walls, Ph: 780 245 6930, Email: Andrew@MacaloneyDistillers.com

Corporate: Graeme Macaloney, Ph: 250 634 2276, Email: Graeme@MacaloneyDistillers.com

PROMETHEUS 27 YEAR OLD SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT WHISKY GLOBAL LAUNCH

Across 3 Continents in 3 weeks  – Europe  Asia  America

Launching in Munich, Hong Kong & Las Vegas The Glasgow Distillery Company have today announced the second release of it’s award winning Prometheus Series with an ambitious launch across 3 Continents in 3 weeks during February and March 2016.

Prometheus 27 Year Old will make its debut with distribution partner ‘A Wee Taste of Scotland’ at the Munich Whisky Festival on the 19th of February then move to Hong Kong for the Malt Masters Festival on the 27th & 28th February debuting with Platinum Wines in a VIP tasting before travelling to Las Vegas to attend Mahesh Patel’s Universal Whisky Experience one of the world’s premier whisky events.

Glasgow Distillery Company’s Commercial Director David Brown said “Following on from the success of Prometheus 26 Year Old we have had strong demand to release the 27 Year Old. With it’s bold new packaging this wonderfully aged Speyside single malt whisky is something we are very proud of. To launch on 3 continents in 3 weeks is ambitious for a relatively small distillery, but we felt it was the perfect way to reflect the confidence we have in our brands”.

Prometheus 27 Year Old is a very rare single malt from Speyside, although the exact distillery of origin remains a secret.

This 27 Year Old whisky shares similar roots to it’s younger sibling, but has it’s own distinct character. Rich, round, soft and fruity with a hint of lightly charred oak on the nose, delivering a powerful, savoury, spicy taste with a long, slightly smoky finish.

Industry experts who have been amongst the few to have tasted the spirit commented on the wonderful aromas and especially the warm smokiness, which is often more subdued in aged whiskies.

The bottle is beautifully packaged in a bespoke presentation box, reflecting the precious whisky inside.

“At The Glasgow Distillery Company, we pride ourselves on bringing to our consumers only the finest quality spirits and in our opinion, Prometheus 27YO delivers this in full”, concluded Mr Hughes, Glasgow Distillery Co-Founder.

Prometheus 27YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky will be available from specialist retailers and online from mid 2016, retailing at approximately £549 for a 70cl bottle at 47% ABV.

NOTES:

-The Glasgow Distillery Company

Launched in 2014 with the creation of Glasgow’s first gin – the premium award winning Makar Glasgow Gin.

Glasgow Distillery is the first single malt distillery in Glasgow since 1902 and laid down it’s first cask in early 2015.

The distillery takes its name from the original distillery, founded at Dundashill in 1770, which became known as The Glasgow Distillery Company and remained active until the beginning of the 20th Century.

The original distillery was, at one point, one of the largest licensed operations in Scotland, with 12 stills producing both peated and unpeated single malts.

Now re-born and located in the heart of the city, The Glasgow Distillery Company is bringing back to life the tradition of metropolitan small-batch craft distillation.

The company uses state-of-the-art equipment to distil craft products using traditional artisanal methods.

-Prometheus

In Greek mythology, Prometheus (meaning “forethought”) was a Titan who sided with Zeus and the ascending Olympian gods in the vast cosmological struggle against Cronus and the other Titans. Prometheus was therefore on the conquering side of the cataclysmic war of the Greek gods, the Titanomachy, where Zeus and the Olympian gods ultimately defeated Cronus and the other Titans.

Prometheus is undoubtedly best remembered today for his great gift to man: fire. When an angered Zeus took fire away from man, Prometheus rebelled against the ruler of the gods. He captured a flame from the hearth of Mount Olympus and carried it back to man, hidden in a giant fennel stalk.

Today, the spirit of Prometheus lives on as champion of man and bringer of fire. In 1988 one of the Olympians of Speyside created a new form of malt: a whisky that combined the peaty fire of the Islands with the rich, bright, complexity of the Highlands.

Like all great malts, time was needed for this new Titan to build character and maturity. But as the young whisky lay sleeping, hidden from expectant eyes, the heavens shifted. The whisky’s creator departed and a malt that was both sophisticated and powerful was seen by some to be a threat.

Protectors of the orphan Titan kept him solitary and hidden until, in the summer of 2014, they met in secret to arrange his release. Prometheus could walk free on two conditions: he could never reveal from whence he came and he would be mortal, destined to live a short, but glorious life.

So we give you Prometheus. A legendary Speyside with the Titanic strength of barley malted by burning peat. A whisky of sublime sophistication and balance, bottled at the peak of its powers. A Single Malt Scotch Whisky of secret origins, available in the most limited quantity for just one moment in time.

Georgian Bay author distills a captivating,

award-winning tale of Scotch whisky

and Canada’s Sixth Great Lake

Canadian author, Daniel Marchildon hopes to make readers fall in love with whisky and its history in his latest novel, The Water of Life (Uisge beatha). Driven by a mysterious voice, Elizabeth Legrand plunges headlong into an insane project: opening a distillery in her small, isolated Canadian community in Georgian Bay. Using ancient reserves of Glen Dubh, a mythical Scotch thought lost to the world, she hopes to create a single-malt whisky better than anything distilled in Scotland. However, the only thing that could prove worse than failing to revive the Glen Dubh is if she succeeds. The water of life, incarnated in the Fearmòr clan’s whisky for over five centuries, is tainted by the dramatic and sometimes fatal struggles of the distillers. It bends the will of those it touches: guiding them or condemning them to their fate.

This turbulent family saga spans two continents and several generations of three lineages, climaxing with the tragic arrival of the whisky in Lake Huron. The present-day descendants of the bloodlines are about to meet, and so will begin yet another tumultuous chapter in the odyssey of “the water of life”, mixing the captivating tale of Scotch whisky with the stories of the challenging Georgian Bay coastal life.

This novel, originally published in French, has been translated into English by Mārta Ziemelis. It was winner of the 2009 Émile-Ollivier literary prize, awarded by the Conseil supérieur de la langue française du Québec, and short-listed for both the Prix des lecteurs de Radio-Canada and The Ontario Trillium Award.

“This book is a remarkable literary expedition that keeps you breathless up until the very last page …  a must read — with a glass in hand.”

— Yves Dubuc, radio-host, CBON FM, for the Radio-Canada web site: 100 Must read Canadian novels (April 2015).

 “In all, The Water of Life is a superb novel. Upon reading the last sentence the reader is left feeling not only entertained and fulfilled, but with a vast knowledge of the history of something they may previously have known little or nothing about: Scotch whisky. The Water of Life lingers in the memory, a book to be savoured, like a dram of Glen Dubh.”

— Isobel Blackthorn, reviewer

See other comments at:

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25961331-the-water-of-life

The Water of Life (Uisge beatha) by Daniel Marchildon published by Odyssey Books and available in paperback and ebook editions. 322 pp $ 24.95.

For more information visit:

Official  Water of Life Site

Odyssey Books

Available at Amazon Canada:

THE WATER OF LIFE

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Daniel Marchildon was born and raised in Penetanguishene, (Ontario, Canada). In his thirty years as a freelance writer, he has published thirteen novels in French, as well as short stories, historical works, and the screenplay of the feature film, La Sacrée, (Holy Brew in the English subtitled version) produced in Canada in 2011. Marchildon is the recipient of numerous literary awards, including The Trillium Award for children’s literature.

Rare Whisky Outperforms Gold, Wine and Equities in Stellar Year

The market for rare whisky in 2015 significantly outperformed many other well established asset classes, including wine and gold, according to figures published today by whisky analyst, broker and investment experts Rare Whisky 101.

In a record year for the rare whisky market, the leading index for Scotch whisky, the Rare Whisky Apex 1000 Index closed 2015 up 14%, outperforming Wine (Liv-Ex -0.42%), Gold (-10.44%), and many of the world’s leading equity indices (FTSE 100 -4.93%, NASDAQ 100 +9.75%, S&P 500 +0.7%, Shanghai Composite +9.4%).

Volume and value growth

The total value of rare whisky bottles sold at auction in the UK in 2015 hit record levels of £9.56M, exceeding 2014 (£7.64m) by 25%. Over twelve months, 43,458 bottles of single malt Scotch whisky were sold in the UK on the open market, an increase of 9460 bottles and a 28% increase on 2014. As an indication of the speed with which this new asset class has emerged, 2009 saw just 4,072 bottles sold throughout the entire year.

Land of the setting sun?

Early 2015 saw a staggering rise in the values for Japanese whisky, with the Rare Whisky Karuzaiwa Index increasing nearly 75% in just nine months – a rise never witnessed previously by any whisky. Bottles which originally sold for £350 twelve months ago were achieving more than £3,000 on the secondary market. However, the last three months of the year a dip of 6% reflecting a pricing correction which is set to continue into 2016.

Macallan still Number 1

Macallan maintained its dominance as the number one traded distillery on a volume and value basis, accounting for nearly 10% of the market for all bottles sold and 23% of the total value. The next closest distillery from a volume and value perspective is Ardbeg with an 8% share of both volume and value.

 Age matters

The importance of both age and vintage to value has increased over the course of the year. As new releases of aged whisky become increasingly rare, the secondary market highlights the continued significance of an aged statement. The older the age and the earlier the vintage, the better. Even poor quality old aged Scotch is becoming increasingly valuable. Along with old age statements and long lost vintages, silent stills remain very much in the eye of the drinker, collector and investor. The top ten most desirable “investable” distilleries now include seven closed distilleries and just three currently producing distilleries.

Whisky investment analyst and co-founder of Rare Whisky 101, Andy Simpson commented: “The recent growth in the rare whisky market has exceeded all our forecasts. The coming year promises to bring even more supply to the market as new auction houses appear. While the sustainability of these volume increases could be called into question, we know for certain that the true rarities will only become rarer. Should demand remain constant or increase, as is fully expected, Scotch’s credentials as a viable collectable and alternative asset class continue to look particularly robust.”

For more information or to download the full report visit HERE

Notes: 

Images: Rare Whisky 101 founder David Robertson About Rare Whisky 101 Andy Simpson and David Robertson launched Rare Whisky 101 in 2014 with the aim of offering a whisky valuation service, brokerage and consultancy for whisky collectors and investors. Having tracked every bottle sold at auction over the past 12 years, the business now offers the world’s first and largest online valuation database for single malt Scotch whisky with over 138,000 recorded prices. In the last 12 months, the business has brokered around 15,000 rare whisky bottles around the globe in addition to trading in aged casks from iconic distilleries such as The Macallan, Ardbeg, Bowmore, Springbank and Highland Park.

JAMESON’S FIFTH ST. PATRICK’S DAY BOTTLE MARKS LAUNCH OF GLOBAL CELEBRATIONS

Watch the Jameson BeOriginal video here

Jameson, the world’s favourite Irish Whiskey, has unveiled its fifth limited edition bottle ahead of its St. Patrick’s Day 2016 celebrations. Created by Dublin street artist, James Earley, the bottle is designed to mark Jameson’s #BeOriginal celebrations launching in Dublin and around the world this March.

Earley’s design is inspired by the bridges crossing the River Liffey, the backbone of Dublin. His design reflects how these physical structures represent the soul of modern Dublin by linking together spaces, people and ideas. Taking key aspects from great Irish bridges including the Grattan, Sean O’Casey and Samuel Beckett, Earley demonstrates his passion for the Irish capital through intricate details such as the Atlantis and Anna Livia visual icons. Alongside the visual interpretations, Earley uses the slogan “Dublin, our city”, reinforcing the welcoming atmosphere of the city.

The bottle is supported by the Jameson #BeOriginal social media campaign, which is running in 12 markets in the lead up to and throughout March. Jameson fans are encouraged to share their original and authentic St. Patrick’s celebrations on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for a chance to win a trip to Dublin for St. Patrick’s Day 2017.

The Jameson #BeOriginal campaign culminates in a three-day celebration in Dublin around St. Patrick’s Day hosted by Jameson in its spiritual home city. Bringing to life the sights, sounds and provenance of Dublin in a modern way, the festivities include: a journey through underground Dublin from a local’s perspective; a walking tour of James Earley’s art, led by Earley himself; and the Bow Street Sessions 2016 gig, featuring internationally-known talent including Kodaline, Little Hours and July Talk.

Daniel Lundberg, Global Brand Director for Jameson, comments: “Jameson’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations have always been authentic and personal and the #BeOriginal campaign continues this long tradition. Our limited edition bottle represents the best of what it means to be Irish – to be part of a lighthearted, confident and inclusive family – an ideal enthusiastically embraced by John Jameson himself. We look forward to welcoming the winners of the #BeOriginal campaign to Dublin next year!”

Jameson’s #BeOriginal campaign is supported by a range of POS and promotional materials available for the on-trade, off-trade, travel retail and on e-commerce, including; tent cards, furniture, pallet wraps, gondola ends, shelf strips and Jameson editions of well-loved bar games. The fifth limited edition bottle will be available in 38 markets around the world from March 2016, with a recommended retail price of €24 or local equivalent.

#BeOriginal
@JamesonWhiskey

NOTES

About Irish Distillers
Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between Irish whiskey distillers, John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and the Cork Distillery Company. In an attempt to reverse the decline in Irish whiskey sales, the company decided to consolidate production at a new purpose-built facility alongside the existing distillery in Midleton, Co. Cork. Irish Distillers was bought by Pernod Ricard in June 1988 and today, Jameson is the No.1 Irish whiskey in the world, selling over 5 million 9L cases worldwide and contributing more than any other Irish whiskey brand to the phenomenal global growth of the category. Irish Distillers is committed to driving continued, sustainable growth of the Irish whiskey category.

Irish Distillers’ portfolio of whiskeys is comprised of Jameson, the world’s no.1 Irish whiskey; Irish favourite Paddy; Powers, the robust super premium whiskey for discerning drinkers; and the much-acclaimed brands that comprise the Irish Distillers’ Prestige Collection – the Single Pot Still Whiskeys of Midleton which includes the Spot range (Green Spot, Yellow Spot) and Redbreast, Ireland’s most awarded single pot still whiskey brand – and the pinnacle of the Prestige Collection, Midleton Very Rare.
www.irishdistillers.ie

About Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard is the world’s co-leader in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of € 7,945 million in 2013/14. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Kahlúa and Malibu liqueurs, Mumm and Perrier- Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, Graffigna and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of approximately 18,000 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 “Brand Companies” and 80 “Market Companies” established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible consumption. Pernod Ricard’s strategy and ambition are based on 3 key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics. Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.
www.pernod-ricard.com

Rich Peat Edition of Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whisky launched

Grantown-on-Spey based Highfern Ltd, have released a new heavily peated edition of Angels’ Nectar, their Angels’ share inspired whisky.

As the name suggests the Rich Peat Edition of Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is heavily peated, and is described as oozing peat smoke, like the welcoming smoke from the chimney of an old bothy, after a long day on the hill. The smoke is followed by a subtle fruity sweetness akin to toffee apples and dark chocolate.

Created from a selection of Highland malts, the Rich Peat Edition has been bottled at 46% vol., and is thus stronger and more robust than the First Edition of Angels’ Nectar.

Like the First Edition, the Rich Peat Edition bottle features an Angel shaped fractal design, but this time the Angel is pewter in colour, is larger, and has been printed directly onto the bottle, for greater impact. Commenting on the new addition, Highfern Ltd founder Robert Ransom said, ‘Its great to see our range of malts expand. International interest in the Rich Peat Edition has also been particularly exciting. Our Dutch launch will take place at the Hielander Whisky Festival in Alkmaar next week, and we also have bottles on their way to Germany and South Korea’.

Notes for Editors: 1. Angels’ share – the traditional name given to the whisky lost to evaporation during maturation.

2. Blended Malt – a category of whisky which is a blend of malt whiskies, with no grain whisky, previously known as Vatted Malt.
3. Hielander Whisky Festival – 12^th & 13^th February http://www.hielanderwhiskyfestival.nl/
4. The Rich Peat Edition of Angel’s Nectar is available from Elephants in the Pantry (Grantown), Deli Mair (Aviemore), Dow’s (Boat of Garten), Master of Malt (on-line), Nickolls & Perks (Stourbridge), Speyside Centre (Grantown) amongst others. 5. Web: http://www.angelsnectar.co.uk/ Twitter: @angelsnectar     Facebook: angelsnectarwhisky 6. For pictures, more information and sales enquires please contact; Robert Ransom, Highfern Ltd, robert@highfern.co.uk  Mobile: 07811 640778

New ticket sales record set as Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival events go on sale to whisky-loving public

Feb 4th, 2016. Ticket sales for the 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival have set new records, with over 2,700 tickets valued at almost £75,000 being bought within the first hour of their launch this week.

Just 10 minutes after the website went live on Tuesday (February 2) transactions reached the same level that took an hour to achieve in 2015, while the same amount of sales in an hour took 24 hours on last year’s opening day.

Over 60 events in the packed programme taking place in whisky’s spiritual home from April 28 to May 2 have already sold out, and many more have limited availability.  The events attracts thousands of visitors to Speyside to raise a glass to Scotland’s national drink.

Visitors from the UK, Europe and North America have been the driving force behind the sales, with whisky lovers from as far afield as Bahrain, Australia, Japan and India also snapping up tickets on the opening day.

Festival manager Pery Zakeri says the phenomenal demand has taken everyone surprise, and there seems no sign of sales slowing down.

She adds, “We have had ticket sales from a total of 22 different countries and in the first 24 hours of going live we had reached a sales value of over £91,000.

“I think this just goes to show how eagerly anticipated the Festival is this year. We have garnered a fantastic reputation for putting on a world class event, and people are making sure they get in early to get tickets for the activities they really want.

“As with previous years, the exclusive distillery tours have sold out first. The real whisky aficionados are always looking for very special experiences that are only available at the time of the Festival, so tours of distilleries not normally open to the public, such as Strathmill and Dalmunach, were snapped up within minutes.

“However, with 467 different events on the programme from whisky tasting and blending experiences and from heritage walks to traditional ceilidhs, there are still plenty of tickets available.

“The beauty of the Spirit of Speyside Festival is that it is small enough to be incredibly friendly and welcoming, but big enough so that there is something for everyone. But we’d urge anyone thinking about coming to book their events soon as tickets are selling very quickly indeed.”

The Festival is taking part in Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design, and many of the events are focused on the theme. There will be the chance to enjoy drams against the background of stunning architecture, and visitors will learn about the innovation born in the region which is home to the world’s best-loved whiskies.

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, says, “The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is always a massively popular event with visitors from around the world and we are delighted to see so many people eager to take advantage of the opportunity to sample this unique aspect of Scotland’s history and culture in 2016.

“Much more than simply whisky tasting, the Festival celebrates Scotland’s national drink with an exciting and innovative programme of events, and we’re confident that the hugely encouraging sales over these first 24 hours will be maintained ahead of the Festival over the coming months.”

Along with helping whisky fans organise their itineraries and finalising details of the Festival, organisers are balancing that with planning their new mini-festival in the autumn.

It takes place from September 9 to 11 at Elgin Town Hall, and will bring many of the region’s whisky producers together under one roof on their own doorstep from September 9 to 11. Tickets for that event are due to go on sale after the main Festival in May.

Tickets for all events in the 2016 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival programme are available to buy now at http://www.spiritofspeyside.com/ The Festival is also active on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter and on Instagram.

Picture caption: You’ll find whisky galore here….X marks the spot for the nation’s treasure – the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

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

LIMITED EDITION JOHNNIE WALKER WHISKY

JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE ‘YEAR OF THE MONKEY’ LIMITED EDITION

Celebrate Chinese New Year in style with this limited edition bottle of the Johnnie Walker Blue Label – created to celebrate the Year of the Monkey. The all-white design is going down a storm with whisky collectors all over the world, and is highly limited, with only 750 bottles available.  Layers of big flavour, deep richness and smoke, layers of honey and fruit and an incredibly smooth finish deliver this truly rare character.

£149 Click to buy

THE JOHN WALKER LIMITED EDITION

A super rare Johnnie Walker, limited to only 330 bottles which was created in memory of the original John Walker himself. Known as the Founder’s Blend, it uses only whiskies that would have been familiar to John Walker in his lifetime, some of which come from distilleries that are now silent. Just nine distilleries in total contribute exquisitely-made whiskies, which are blended by hand using traditional methods and in extremely limited quantities, before being married together in a 100-year-old cask.

£2115 Click to buy

JOHNNIE WALKER KING GEORGE V

This special edition of Johnnie Walker Blue Label recreates the Johnnie Walker blending style in the time of King George V and celebrates the granting of a Royal Warrant to John Walker & Sons in 1934. This is a powerful, slow and exceptional blended whisky. This blend includes Port Ellen, a highly prized malt whose distillery no longer exists.

£500 Click to buy

JOHNNIE WALKER ODYSSEY

This John Walker & Sons Odyssey is a rare triple malt and a modern interpretation of Alexander Walker’s nautical decanter bottle and blend of 1932. When gently pushed, the bottle rocks elegantly to and fro.  The Johnnie Walker master blender searched a number of distilleries in Scotland for the three rare, hand picked single malts that have been carefully blended to create Odyssey. Further developed using Sir Alexander’s hand-written notes, Odyssey has been married in European oak casks to create an elegant and rich whisky.

£675 Click to buy

JOHNNIE WALKER PRIVATE LABEL

This Johnnie Walker Private Label whisky is the first in a series of one-off, once-a year JWS Private Collection limited releases of small batch, remarkable blends by Master Blender Jim Beveridge. It is created from 29 unique casks and only 8,888 numbered bottles are available worldwide. This expression is a tribute to one of Johnnie Walker’s signature flavours – Smoke. This blend includes whiskies from the experimental Calculus casks. Their intense vanilla, caramel and rich fruitiness balance the Highland, Island and Islay smokiness.

£515 Click to buy

JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL EDINBURGH LIMITED EDITION

The Edinburgh limited edition bottle is engraved with some highlight’s from the city’s skyline including Edinburgh Castle, The Scott Monument and the Duke of Wellington statue. Limited to only 1500 individually numbered bottles, it is presented in a Johnnie Walker Blue Label box with a limited edition Edinburgh sleeve.

£187 Click to buy

JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL LONDON LIMITED EDITION

The London limited edition bottle is engraved with a beautiful design featuring several of the city’s famous landmarks including Big Ben, the Gherkin, Nelson’s Column and Tower Bridge. Limited to just 2500 individually numbered bottles, only available to purchase within the UK, and presented in a limited edition London sleeve and Johnnie Walker Blue Label box. It is only available to purchase within the UK.

£187 Click to buy

THE BENRIACH AND GLENDRONACH SINGLE MALTS WIN GOLD IN STAGE ONE OF THE WORLD WHISKIES AWARDS 2016

The stage one winners and medallists of the 2016 World Whiskies Awards have been announced, with the BenRiach 10 Years Old and the GlenDronach Cask Strength batch 5 both winning gold.

Presented by Whisky Magazine, The World Whiskies Awards select, reward and promote the best Whisky Taste and Design to consumers and trade across the globe.

In stage one, each whisky is tasted in its relevant sub-category to identify and select the sub-category winners and award any medals. The panel of expert judges blind tasted entries grouped by their style, region and age statement. Each entry is tasted blind and marked to an agreed and strictly enforced marking system. In addition to nose, palate and finish, the judges will look for balance, character, complexity, quality and functionality.

The BenRiach 10 Years Old has won a gold medal in the Speyside 12 Years & Under category. The 10 Years Old, the cornerstone of the BenRiach range, is the first core range expression to be created predominantly from whiskies distilled at the BenRiach Distillery after it was acquired in 2004 by Master Blender, Billy Walker, and his two South African partners. This fresh, fruit-laden single malt captures warm oak spices, green apple, dried apricots, peach and banana with subtle touches of aniseed, lemon zest and barley.

In the Highland No Age Statement category, the gold medal was awarded to The GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 5. A perfect example of the traditional GlenDronach character, bottled at 55.3%, non chill filtered and at natural colour. This latest batch of the popular Cask Strength releases brings a perfect combination of sweet golden sultanas, rich fig syrup, ground almonds, orange bitters and a gentle dusting of black pepper. On the palate, Demerara sugar-glazed dark fruits lighten to apricot syrup infused with stem ginger and vanilla.

Sales and Marketing Director Alistair Walker said: “To receive a gold medal for the BenRiach 10 Years Old is particularly satisfying as it is the cornerstone of the BenRiach core range. Its release last year was a significant milestone for the distillery and the 10 Years Old has been well received by whisky aficionados around the world.”

For more information, visit www.glendronachdistillery.co.ukand www.benriachdistillery.co.uk

Greenbar Distillery expands distribution of its unorthodox six woods-aged malt whiskey

Los Angeles, January 26, 2016 — Greenbar Distillery today announced the launch of SLOW HAND Six Woods whiskey into nation-wide distribution. The 11-year-old craft distillery, which specializes in full-flavor spirits and bitters, has been tinkering for the last five years with a technique to add more interesting flavors to whiskey without going beyond the confines of grain, wood and time. It thinks it’s ready now to introduce its unorthodox creation to a broader audience.

SLOW HAND Six Woods Malt starts out as a familiar, 100% barley malt whiskey. Where Greenbar makes a giant departure from the norm is in aging its whiskey. Since whiskey gets most of its flavor from wood, the company decided to broaden its whiskey’s flavor by using six different species of tree to age SLOW HAND. French white oak serves as the wood for the 1,000 and 2,000 gallon vats the whiskey sits in, while five other woods give it additional depth and complexity.

“Forests are full of delicious trees,” said Greenbar co-founder and spiritsmaker Melkon Khosrovian. “Just because all of them can’t be turned into leak-proof barrels doesn’t mean whiskey lovers should be denied their flavors. That would be like ice cream makers forcing everyone to eat only vanilla!”

To bring these new flavors into whiskey making, Khosrovian and his co-founder and wife Litty Mathew tested more than 30 wood species before settling on five whose flavors worked best with the familiar vanilla and spice of white oak. Hickory adds notes of plum while maple, mulberry, red oak and grape bring in hints of butterscotch, currants, clove and perfumed black tea, respectively. Greenbar buys its barrels from France and seasons and toasts large staves of the additional woods in house.

SLOW HAND Six Woods Malt and its rarer, fiercer sibling, Six Woods Cask, will start shipping to all fifty states this January. Suggested retail prices are $44.99 for the 84 proof 750ml bottle and $37.99 for the 115 proof 375ml cask strength.

LA-area whiskey lovers or visitors can tour Greenbar and see how the distillery makes SLOW HAND whiskey. Reservations are available at greenbar.biz/tours.

About Greenbar Distillery

Greenbar, Los Angeles’ first distillery since Prohibition, makes the world’s largest portfolio of craft organic spirits, including TRU vodkas and gin, CRUSOE rums, FRUITLAB liqueurs, IXÁ tequila, SLOW HAND whiskey, GRAND POPPY California liqueur and BAR KEEP aromatic bitters. Founded in 2004 by the husband-and-wife team Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew, the company seeks to make better spirits for a better planet.