CHIVAS BROTHERS EMPLOYEES CHOOSE DISABILITY SPORTS CLUB TO RECEIVE £5K DONATION

Employees of Scotch whisky producer Chivas Brothers have chosen Dunbartonshire Disability Sports Club (DDSC) as their Charity of the Year 2015. The organisation was chosen by employees at the company’s Paisley, Glasgow and Ayrshire sites. The company has donated £5,000 to the charity.

DDSC was founded in 2010 in response to a lack of opportunities for children with disabilities to participate in physical activities. Since inception, it has developed into a thriving community resource that gives children and young people with a disability the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities.

Charities of the Year are nominated by employees, before a shortlist is created and voting takes place. DDSC holds a special place in the heart of Finance department employee Michelle Laing, whose son is a member, and who has personally raised funds for the club in the past.

Michelle said: “I was over the moon when I found out that DDSC had gained the most votes – and would therefore be our charity for 2015. My family has been involved with the club since it was founded in 2010, and it has been hugely beneficial to my son.”

DDSC Chairman Allan Clark said: “It is fantastic to be recognised by Chivas Brothers as their Charity of the Year. We are a relatively small club that makes a huge difference in the lives of our members and their families. We are in the process of expanding the DDSC to include a swimming element so the opportunity to build a relationship with Chivas Brothers is hugely exciting for us during this important time.”

Jennie Norrish, Head of Communications at Chivas Brothers, added: “I’m delighted our employees in the Paisley, Glasgow and Ayrshire region have decided to support this local charity, which provides much-needed opportunities for children and young people with disabilities to participate in sport. DDSC is a thoroughly deserving organisation, and we look forward to working with them throughout the year.”

There are four regional Chivas Brothers charities of the year in total. The others are: The Kiltwalk (Dunbartonshire region), The Jake McCarthy Foundation (London and Plymouth region) and the Scottish Network for Arthritis in Children (Northern Scotland region).

Picture caption:

Michelle Laing of Chivas Brothers shakes hands with Allan Clark of Dunbartonshire Disability Sports Club (centre) to mark the year-long partnership

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 DDSC:

The Dunbartonshire Disability Sports Club was developed in response to a public meeting in 2010 which highlighted that there were little or no opportunities for children and young people with disabilities to be physically active in the Dunbartonshire area. The DDSC is managed and run by a team of volunteers with the purpose of filling this identified gap in the provision of these opportunities.

For the last five years the DDSC has maintained a weekly multi-sports club at St Peter the Apostle High School in Clydebank which enables children of all ages, with all different disabilities, to get active. The DDSC is also about to launch an expansion of the club to include a swimming element. In spring 2015, the club will launch DDSC SWIM which will enable our members the opportunity to take part in two separate sessions. One will focus on our children having fun in the pool, the other will concentrate on coaching those children who can swim with the purpose of improving their skills and providing them with a pathway to competition.

Two Sazerac Canadian Whiskies win medals at

2015 Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition 

NEW ORLEANS, lA.  (Aug. 13, 2015) – Two of Sazerac’s Canadian Whiskies were awarded medals for demonstrating superior quality and taste at the 2015 Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. Legacy Canadian Whisky received a silver medal and Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky received a bronze medal.

These whiskies were ranked among 365 spirits that were submitted from a total of 34 countries.

“To receive these medals among so many highly revered spirits across the world is a true honor,” Kevin Richards, marketing director of whiskeys and specialty brands, said. “We are very pleased with our results.”

 The Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition was formed in 2007, with an esteemed panel of judges using a blind-tasting method to award medals to the best distilled spirits from around the world.  The award-winning entries will be displayed during the Los Angeles County Fair, Sept. 4 – 27, in “The Wine, Beer & Spirits Marketplace.”

Complete results of the 2015 LAIWSC are available at www.laspiritscomp.com.

About The Sazerac Company

Sazerac is one of New Orleans’ oldest family owned, privately held companies and has operations in New Orleans, Louisiana; Frankfort, Bardstown, Louisville and Owensboro, Kentucky; Fredericksburg, Virginia; Carson, California; Baltimore, Maryland; Lewiston, Maine; Londonderry, New Hampshire; and Montreal, Canada.  For more information, please visit www.sazerac.com.

The Royal Salute Coronation Cup

25 July 2015 – His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales today attended the Royal Salute Coronation Cup – the UK’s most prestigious international polo match – in aid of the Polo Charities Trust. After a hard fought match featuring the sport’s top players, His Royal Highness presented prizes for England after beating South America on The Queen’s Ground. England’s Max Charlton was also named Most Valuable Player, whilst Silver Lining received the Best Playing Pony prize.

A select group of celebrities, polo aficionados and international guests such as Natalie Coyle, Henry Conway, Alison Jackson and Alistair Guy joined temporal artist Marcos Lutyens in Royal Salute’s Secret Garden, curated by the award winning gardener Stephen Woodhams, for a picnic designed to reverse the flow of time – dining amongst flowers recreating the floral displays at HRH Queen Elizabeth II’s 1953 coronation handpicked by acclaimed Chelsea Flower Show garden designer Stephen Woodhams, to celebrate the British love affair with horticulture.

Woodhams’ collaboration with Royal Salute is the latest in the inimitable whisky’s artistic collaborations with key previous collaborators joining Woodhams’ timeless floral hideaway. All explore Royal Salute’s fascination with time, since the brand’s youngest blend only contains precious, mature whiskies that are at least 21 years old.

Guests at the Royal Salute Secret Garden enjoyed lunch from British born artist Lutyens’ temporally flexible “Hampering of Time” Hamper – recalling the elegant, staged picnics of Regency England. The tailored handmade picnic basket featured Lutyens’ time inspired handmade games including a curious ‘left handed’ clock that makes time flow backwards. Lunch continued with exceptional versions of traditional picnic delicacies using only the best produce from quality British farms.

London based architect Sally Mackereth’s Neolithic Bar served Royal Salute in gold leaf porcelain cups. The bar is handcrafted from sections of petrified wooden oak trapped on the riverbed in the River Sava in Croatia for some 8,000 years.

This journey through time was designed to capture the power of polo – a game first recorded 2,500 years ago, but still thrilling crowds at Guards Polo Club today. The Royal Salute Coronation Cup is a key part of the whisky brand’s longstanding passion for the world of polo. The Coronation Cup was created to honour the coronation of HM King George V and Royal Salute was created to honour the coronation of his granddaughter, HM Queen Elizabeth II. With the The Queen’s own gardens at Buckingham Palace hosting 500 year old Mulberry trees and helliborine orchids not seen elsewhere in London for over a century, Woodhams fascination with historical gardens made him the ideal partner for the lush enclosure.

Vadim Grigorian, Royal Salute Global Brand Director,explains: “At Royal Salute, we agree with Stanford professor Robert Pogue Harrison when he says ‘a humanly created garden comes into being in and through time’. As a British brand, we are intrigued by this British gardening obsession, specifically with the time and care it takes to design an immaculate garden. It is only through time, tradition and craft where Royal Salute comes to existence, so we share similar principles with this quintessentially British tradition. And, where better to watch the oldest team sport on the planet? We at Royal Salute are deeply fascinated with polo – from its profound origins rooted in noble values to the naturally evolving symbiosis between player and horse. It is firmly planted in tradition, yet played in the modern world.”

Brigadier John Wright, Chairman of the Hurlingham Polo Association said: “This year’s Royal Salute Coronation Cup showcased international polo at its best. Both teams produced some superb sport on The Queen’s Ground and it was marvellous to see and hear the crowds cheering them on. England’s success today is testament to the hard work and commitment that James Beim and his team have brought to this game and I would like to thank everyone who has supported them, especially their fellow players who generously loaned ponies. In addition, South America put up a great fight and entertained us for six glorious chukkas. I would also like to thank Vadim Grigorian and his team at Royal Salute who have created a world-class platform on which we will promote English polo to an increasing audience.”

For more information about the Royal Salute Coronation Cup, please visit [INSERT WEBSITE] or #salutethegame at @RoyalSalute on Twitter and @RoyalSalutePolo on Instagram.

About Royal Salute

Royal Salute is a careful blend of malt and grain whiskies – with its youngest blend matured for a minimum of 21 years. Created to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and the 21 gun salute that honoured her, the brand is steeped in tradition and proud of its royal lineage, but is firmly engaged in the modern world by constantly pushing the art of blending into new, creative and ambitious forms. Royal Salute is deeply involved in polo – the world’s oldest surviving team sport and a game that’s expanding in the modern era. The brand sponsors more than 15 international tournaments from the UK and the USA through Argentina and China to Korea.

http://www.royalsalute.com/

About The Coronation Cup

The Coronation Cup was first played for in 1911 to honour the coronation of King George V, grandfather to our current Queen. From then until 1939, it was traditionally played by the winners of the London Open Tournaments. Although a tournament was played to mark the Coronation of HM The Queen in 1953, it was then not played for again for a further 18 years. In 1971 Lord Patrick Beresford and American polo player, Michael Butler believed that there were sufficient English players to form a team of around 23 goals who might take on an American team of similar handicap and they played for the “mothballed” Coronation Cup. A year later the Coronation Cup moved to Guards Polo Club where a second game and a Best Playing Pony Prize was introduced. When the HPA created the Silver Jubilee Trophy in 1977, to commemorate The Queen’s 25 years on the throne, Prince Charles expressed an interest in playing. He went on to captain his team in this match from 1977 – 1993. The format remains pretty much the same to this day and more than 10 different countries have sent their finest players to battle for this most historic of polo trophies.

http://www.coronationcuppolo.com/

About Stephen Woodhams Design Ltd

Stephen Woodhams Design is fuelled by a fusion of ideas and that come from many different aspects of the natural world such as dramatic landscapes, the clever play of light, the way plants grow in their native habitat, colours and reflections in water.

The Historic gardens of many different cultures are a rich source of ideas, as are the latest materials produced by cutting edge technology. We are fascinated by the juxtaposition of new industrial materials combined with traditional techniques and methods.  We believe in sustainability and try increasing the ecological diversity and richness of any landscape in which we work. Our gardens are very much a product of their time. We believe that clients should have as much or as little involvement with the design process as they wish. Ultimately we like to make connections between people and places, emotions and ideas, hearts and minds. In essence our designs are a physical combination of all the above thoughts and emotions. We see them as an expression of love for what is past and of excitement about the imaginative possibility of the present. While responding to the reality of contemporary life, we seek to acknowledge our intellectual debt to the garden designers of yesteryear.

http://www.stephenwoodhams.com/

DUSTYBID LAUNCHES ON-LINE AUCTION SITE OFFERING BOURBON ANTIQUITIES AND COLLECTIBLES 

July 27, 2015 — Dustybid [ http://www.dustybid.com/ ], an online website offering bourbon antiquities and collectibles, announced today the beta launch of its website. With its launch, Dustybid will provide a one-stop-shop for the bourbon connoisseur who is in search of hard to find and “dusty” artifacts.

From bourbon decanters, to used barrels, to elusive rare bottles such as vintage Pappy Van Winkle and even a 1967 Old Rip Van Winkle, this site fills the void sought by the ever-growing population of collectors of bourbon antiquities.

Founded by a trio of bourbon aficionados: Seth Thompson (Founder, Bourbon review), Dan Donoghue (Co-Founder bottlebluebook.com) and Justin Sloan (Cofounder of bottlebluebook.com and a Founding Member of the Bourbon Mafia), the site certainly does not lack in credentials.

As the popularity of “mainstream” bourbon has exploded in the past decade, so too has the market for rare and hard to find vestiges of bourbon’s past. “The voracious appetite for all things bourbon – especially hard to find vintage items – is truly amazing,” said Sloan.

“Seth and I – because of the circles we run in – are constantly inundated with requests to locate rare items, and we have always had to reply with the same disappointing news: there are a handful of unreliable and/or small-scale websites out there, but unfortunately there is no single database where buyers and sellers can truly capture the market for these products.   So after batting the idea around for a while, we ended up developing this site with the goal of delivering a reliable, consistent marketplace for bourbon collectibles.”

For more information on Dustybid, please visit the site at http://www.dustybid.com/.

Adrian Grenier and James Corden crown winners of The Venture receiving share of $1 million fund

[July 27th, 2015]: The Venture, Chivas Regal’s global search for the world’s most promising social entrepreneurs, rewarded all five finalists the remaining share of the $1m fund at the final pitch event.  The announcement came after the five finalists pitched the potential of their start-up to create transformative social change to an expert judging panel that included actor and social entrepreneur Adrian Grenier. Algramo from Chile was awarded the largest share of the fund, receiving $300,000 to further develop the pioneering food distribution enterprise.

Other finalists to come away with funding on the night included Chipsafer ($150,000) from Uruguay who use innovative tracking devices to transform the way farmers look after their livestock; SenSprout ($150,000) from Japan who aim to make farming more efficient using a wireless field-monitoring system; Lumkani ($75,000) from South Africa, a company that uses technology to decrease the risk of devastating fires in informal settlements, and Diseclar ($75,000) from Colombia who turn waste materials into stylish furniture.

The Venture – which saw more than a thousand social entrepreneurs apply for $1million in funding – culminated at The Final Pitch event at The Herbst Pavilion, San Francisco in front of a large audience.  The evening was hosted by the Late Late Show presenter, James Corden who applauded all five of the social entrepreneurs who pitched for their commitment to using business as a force for good.

The Final Pitch event was attended by a range of high profile entrepreneurs and business leaders from Silicon Valley and beyond. Also in the audience was Golden Globe nominated actor Oscar Isaac who starred in Chivas Regal’s Win The Right Way film, which helped launch The Venture by issuing a challenge to aspiring social entrepreneurs and the world at large to re-frame their meaning of success.

The judging panel which included Adrian Grenier, Sonal Shah, Alex Ricard and Morgan Clendaniel, assessed each business based on their ability to create sustainable change through a viable business model and potential to scale.  To find out more about the winners and the other finalists who took part in The Venture visit www.theventure.com.

Adrian Grenier congratulated each of the winners on the night:

“Social entrepreneurship challenges society to reimagine what is possible and inspires us to create a better future and a better world. All of The Venture finalists tonight challenged us to imagine how business could transform a problem into an opportunity. They are all very deserving of support and show why it’s important for initiatives like The Venture to exist, to inspire as many brilliant minds from around the world as possible and to contribute to using business as a force for good.”

Speaking on behalf of the finalists Jose Manuel Moller Dominguez from Algramo added:

“What a night! I can’t believe I’ve received $300,000 in funding from Chivas – it’s truly life changing for me. The money will enable me to scale the business and really take it to the next level. I’m truly grateful for this experience and can’t wait to apply everything I’ve learnt since being in San Francisco.”

Pernod Ricard’s Chairman and CEO, and The Venture judge, Alex Ricard, expressed his and the brand’s commitment to the world of social entrepreneurship, and congratulated the winner:

“All five of the social entrepreneurs who pitched for funding tonight have founded innovative and inspiring social enterprises, each providing sustainable solutions for different issues. Ultimately Jose from Algramo demonstrated a concrete proof of concept and really convinced us that The Venture funding could deliver tremendous transformative change for their business. We’re extremely proud of the first year of The Venture and Chivas is looking forward to continuing this legacy in years to come.”

Social entrepreneurs from across the world are invited to apply for $1 million in funding as The Venture Year 2 kicks off from 10th August 2015, visit http://www.theventure.com/ for further details.

The Venture

The Venture is Chivas Regal’s global search to find and support the most promising aspiring social entrepreneurs who want to succeed whilst making a positive impact on the lives of others. With over $1 million in funding and resources, The Venture will enable social entrepreneurs from around the world realise their potential and gain exposure for their business.

About Chivas Regal

Launched in 1909, Chivas Regal is the world’s first luxury whisky and is considered to be a timeless classic, renowned for style, substance and exclusivity.

A truly global brand, Chivas Regal today sells 4.6 million 9L cases annually in more than 150 countries across the globe. Brotherhood, generosity, entrepreneurship and integrity are at the heart of Chivas Regal so in 2008, the brand launched its successful Live with Chivalry campaign, which has inspired Modern Gentlemen in more than 60 countries around the world to pursue success with integrity.

The Chivas Regal range includes Chivas 12, Chivas 18, Chivas 25 and the Global Travel Retail exclusive, Chivas Brothers Blend. In October 2014, Chivas Regal announced the addition of a fifth permanent expression in the Chivas Regal family, Chivas Regal Extra, sitting within the super-premium range, positioned between Chivas 12 and Chivas 18.

ABERLOUR INTRODUCES THE VOICE-O-GRAPH

22^nd July 2015 – Aberlour, the award winning single malt Scotch whisky, today unveils the latest chapter in its ‘Made from Experience’ series – the Voice-o-Graph, an extremely rare vintage recording booth.

Built in the 1940s, and believed to be one of only two working examples, the booth cuts directly on to a 6″ vinyl, and represents one of the earliest forms of recording. From budding musicians to storytellers, to hopeless romantics recording messages of love, the Voice-o-Graph was used to capture these special moments – a unique method allowing a lifetime of experiences to be captured in those intimate 65 seconds; simply put – each vinyl was ‘Made from Experience’. Just as each drop of Aberlour is carefully crafted using the collective experience, passion and expertise of our craftsmen and Master Distiller and all the experience of quality oak cask maturation resulting in an intricately crafted malt of superlative quality ‘Made from Experience’.

Aberlour has also partnered with iconic and globally renowned independent record store, Rough Trade, to give consumers the chance to capture their own experience on vinyl in the Voice-o-Graph. For the first time in New York for more than half a century, the booth’s unique recording facility will be available for the public to try in-store at Williamsburg’s Rough Trade from July 24^th to 31^st, before moving on to London later this year.

Stephen Godfroy, founder of Rough Trade said: “The romance of vinyl is seeing a massive resurgence. The Aberlour Voice-o-Graph captures sounds, depth and character and then presses them onto vinyl – there’s nothing else quite like it. Our partnership with Aberlour was born out of a discovery of mutual values. At Rough Trade, we carefully consider every experience we offer our customers – from the choice of records available to intimate performances in-store, so partnering with Aberlour felt natural because of their commitment to offering authentic and enriching experiences.”

The Voice-o-Graph builds on Aberlour’s Global ‘Made from Experience’ series, which last year saw photographer and bassist from Mumford & Sons, Ted Dwane produce an exhibition of photographs – a curation of emotive portraits of people he had met and photographed during his experiences on the road with his band.Dwane’s unique and intricately crafted approach to photography uses hand-developed single edition prints that provide layers of contrast, and remain the unique and only result of the photo.

Nikki Burgess, Global Brand Director for Aberlour, said: “Our ‘Made from Experience’ series reflects our philosophy of harnessing skill, passion and expertise which culminate in a uniquely crafted result. Whether it be a velvety smooth single malt or a single edition vinyl pressed in our Voice-o-Graph, we believe incelebrating experience and facilitating authentic and meaningful experiences.”

NOTES

About Aberlour

Aberlour was founded in 1879 by James Fleming, the Aberlour distillery is located in Scotland, in the heart of Speyside – Scotland’s premier whisky-producing region. Aberlour is a leading single malt Scotch whisky brand in France, the world’s biggest Scotch whisky market. Since 1995 Aberlour has grown strongly and is now the seventh most popular single malt Scotch whisky in the world. 

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.2 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 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 & Spirit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector and employs a workforce of approximately 18,000 people, operating through a decentralized organization 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 the NYSE Euronext exchange (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is a member of the CAC 40 index.

http://www.pernod-ricard.com/

Congratulations to Gordon Hynd, Betty and Inverhouse Distillers – OLD PULTENEY is once again the winner of The SPIRIT of WHISKY FRINGE Award 2015. Over the three days of Whisky Fringe, all visitors had the chance to vote for their favourite whisky sampled. Just over one third of attendees voted, while it was the usual exhibitors who really got behind the award to promote their products with pride and passion. Old Pulteney 17 year old, a previous winner back in 2011, has spectacularly triumphed yet again and will sit proudly in our shop display cabinet until next year’s event. It will be widely available throughout all our stores and both of our websites: RMW.com and drinkmonger.com.

As always, commiserations to the runners up. Glenglassaugh retained second place from last year, while the Benriach pushed it’s sister distillery very close with third place. Both these single malts are superb and highly recommended, along with the well received Tomatin 1988. Special mention should also be made about the Tomatin 36 year old as this was only available to sample for a short period of time each day as a special ‘Half Time Orange’ dram. Thanks to all the exhibitors for participating and thanks to all the customers who managed to vote.

1st PLACE
~ The Spirit of Whisky Fringe 2015 ~

OLD PULTENEY
17 Year Old
(£64.95)

 ******************** SPECIAL OFFER ********************
~ FREE UK MAINLAND STANDARD DELIVERY (worth £5.75)
with any order that includes a 70cl bottle of Old Pulteney 17 Year Old
***************************************************************

Royal Mile Whiskies 379 High Street The Royal Mile EDINBURGH EH1 1PW

Tel: 0131 225 3383

THE HOUSE OF SUNTORY WHISKY PROUDLY INTRODUCES A NEW EXPRESSION FROM THE CELEBRATED HIBIKI RANGE:

HIBIKI^® JAPANESE HARMONY^™

Deerfield, IL (August,  2015) – Hibiki^® Japanese Harmony™ encapsulates the harmony that exists between Japanese nature and people. Inspired by the riches and subtleties of Japan’s 24 seasons of the traditional Japanese lunar calendar and mastered by Suntory’s Art of Blending, Hibiki Japanese Harmony is a meticulous blend of the finest select whiskies from the House of Suntory Whisky. It is a symphony of at least 10 malt and grain whiskies, aged in five different types of casks, from Suntory’s Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries. This delicate blend creates a oneness unfolding a full orchestra of flavors and aromas.

The Suntory Whisky blending team is led by third-generation Master Blender and great-grandson of the founder, Shingo Torii, and fourth Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo.

“In philosophy and making, Hibiki Japanese Harmony is the new dawn of Hibiki, optimizing the same key malt and grain whiskies from the original Hibiki blend. I envisioned a luminous harmony of flavors and aromas.

A pure and simultaneously complex harmony that was at the core of every Hibiki blend.”

Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo

Hibiki Japanese Harmony is heralded as the foundation of the Hibiki range, leveraging the same key malt and grain whiskies from the original Hibiki blend, Hibiki 17 Years and Hibiki 21 Years. American White Oak malt whiskies create a solid base. The rare Mizunara (Japanese oak) and sherry cask malt whiskies are the dressing. The smoky malt whiskies enact as subtle accents to create depth and further complexity. Grain whiskies from Suntory’s Chita distillery act as the “dashi,” or broth, to complete the personality of the malt whiskies and enhance their overall harmony.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony is extremely versatile. Whether enjoyed neat, on the rocks, blended with water or mixed as a cocktail, the harmony of this blend remains complete. It is a delicately balanced, smooth and subtly sweet blended whisky that enhances any dining experience. We recommend it be enjoyed with a hand-carved ice ball for the ultimate Japanese whisky experience.

Hibiki is embraced as the paragon of the Art of Japanese Whisky. It is not only Japan’s most highly awarded blended whisky, but also among the most prestigious and honored whiskies in the world.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony is the perfect introduction to the award winning Hibiki portfolio from the House of Suntory Whisky.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony is packaged in a glass decanter bottle cut in 24 facets, which represents the 24 hours in a day and the 24 seasons of the traditional Japanese lunar calendar, portraying Hibiki’s maturation over a long period of time throughout our four seasons.

TASTING NOTES: HIBIKI JAPANESE HARMONY – 43% ABV

Luminous. Delicate. A transparency that unveils complexity.

Color: Amber

Nose: Rose, lychee, hint of rosemary, mature woodiness, sandalwood

Palate: Honey-like sweetness, candied orange peel, white chocolate

Finish: Subtle, tender long finish, with hint of Mizunara (Japanese oak)

About Beam Suntory Inc.

As the world’s third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits Brands that Stir the World.  Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon brands and Suntory whisky Kakubin, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek bourbon, Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher’s, Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Sauza tequila, Pinnacle vodka, and Midori liqueur.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and commitment to Growing for Good.  Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan.  For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com

News release from The Shetland Distillery Company  

First ever whisky from Shetland Islands goes on sale

A unique and exclusive series of whiskies from the country’s most northerly distillery has been launched.

Until now, Shetland has been the only part of Scotland never to have produced a legal single malt Scotch whisky.

But (Bottled in Shetland) Shetland Reel Single Malt Scotch Whisky marks a new chapter in the history and geography of the multi-billion pound Scotch whisky industry.

Four different cask strength whiskies, distilled in Portsoy but bottled in Unst by the Shetland Distillery Company, have gone on sale.

Stuart Nickerson, director of The Shetland Distillery Company, said: “This a hugely exciting development for us and for Scotch whisky.

“It literally puts Shetland on the map as far as whisky production is concerned – and for the first time.”

“These four casks represent a start to whisky production in Shetland and we have plans to introduce more ‘Bottled in Shetland’ Scotch whiskies, with the long term plan being to install our own distillery and start distilling Scotch whisky on Unst.”

The casks of whisky were distilled and matured on the mainland of Scotland and then shipped from Aberdeen to Lerwick on the overnight ferry. They were then transported via another two ferries and across the island of Yell before reaching their final destination in the far north of Unst.

Only after a suitable period of resting were they bottled as the first ever “Bottled in Shetland” single malt Scotch whisky.

All of the casks emptied were octaves (50L capacity). Two of them were refill Scotch whisky casks and two were German virgin oak casks.

Twenty-one bottles have been produced of a peated whisky from one of the German oak casks. This has a price of £130 per bottle.

The remaining 151 bottles from the other three casks are on sale at £100 per bottle.

The whiskies are non-chill filtered, bottled at cask strength, and no colouring has been added.

The whiskies will go on sale on 1st September 2015 but further information can be sought by emailing whisky@shetlandreelgin.com and pre-ordering will also be available at the same email address.

Mr Nickerson has a 35-year pedigree in the Scotch malt whisky industry, having managed several distilleries and revived Glenglassaugh Distillery before selling it to the BenRiach Group.

He and his wife Wilma own The Shetland Distillery Company along with Frank and Debbie Strang, owners of the Saxa Vord Resort in the beautiful island of Unst.

Kilchoman’s winning streak continues

Not too long after Machir Bay was chosen as Islay’s best Whisky under 12 years old by The Spirits Business Magazine in its annual Scotch Whisky Masters competition, we are now delighted to announce that all three of Kilchoman’s core range have won medals at the 2015 IWSC (International Wine and Spirits Competition).

Machir Bay won a Gold Medal, Loch Gorm won Silver Outstanding and 100% Islay 5th Edition won a Silver Medal.

 It’s always nice to win awards! Spread the news!

Visit us at www.impexbev.com

Like Kilchoman on Facebook

Follow us on Twitter