Glenmorangie and Ardbeg expressions praised at prestigious whisky awards

New Society Bottling READY FOR PURCHASE!

I have a nice Easter surprise for you all….the new Society bottling has been bottled and is now ready for purchase!!

The new release is a Longrow 13 year old and for the first 7 years, this whisky was matured in a Fresh Bourbon Barrel with the final 6 years being spent in a Fresh Chardonnay Hogshead. It was distilled in October 2001 and bottled on Monday this week (30th March). It has been bottled at a cask strength of 56.7% and is limited to 366 bottles.

The cost of this bottling is £60.00 and similar to the last few releases, will be limited to one bottle per member. If we have any bottles left after a 2 month period then it will be possible to purchase another.

I can truthfully say that this whisky is divine!! When deciding on the next Society bottling, we tasted 4 different Longrow casks in the office and this was a firm favourite amongst us!  I promise I’m not being biased when I say this could be my favourite Longrow ever! The tasting notes are as follows:

Nose:  Fresh green apples and gooseberries to the fore, with hints of lemon grass and a subtle peat influence. There are also maritime notes combined well with a smoked applewood aroma.

Palate:  A very smooth, creamy dram with notes of pine wood, vanilla and banana. Peat is also present which complements the sweet, saltiness of this whisky.

Finish:  A long and chewy finish with an intense vanilla butter cream ending. A classic Longrow whisky, oily with the peat rolling back after each sip.

If you would like to reserve a bottle then please email me ASAP as it will be based on a first come first served basis. My inbox usually goes a little crazy after a new release so please don’t panic if I don’t get back to you straight away – I will email back as soon as I can. If you get in touch within the first few days of this email being sent, the chances are that you will be able to get a bottle.

We have welcomed over 100 new members to the Springbank Society over the past few months and we are delighted to have you all on board!

For those who are not sure how the Society bottles work then it’s fairly simple. We release 2 bottlings per year and in the past there have been no set months for releases but we’re keen to make this more uniform so from now on we will release one each Spring (March/April) and one each Autumn (September/October).

When we release a new bottling, I will email you with all the details and if you would like to order a bottle (there is no obligation to do so) then you should email me back with your request and also include where you would like the bottle to be delivered to and how you would like to pay.

There are a couple of different options for delivery. You can either have the bottle sent to your home address or have it sent to one of our Cadenhead Shops for collection.

Excluding the USA (due to strict import laws), we are able to ship bottles worldwide so if you would like to know the shipping costs for 1-6 bottles to your country then please email me and I will send you over the details. Our prices include all taxes and costs on our side but does not cover any entry fees or taxes which may incur when the whisky reaches it’s destination country.

As mentioned above, we can also ship your Society bottles to the following Cadenhead Shops for collection:

• Edinburgh (UK)
• London (UK)
• Cologne (Germany)
• Berlin (Germany)
• Salzburg (Austria)
• Odense (Denmark)

If you would like your bottle delivered to any of the Cadenhead shops mentioned then PLEASE state this when ordering your bottle.

If you order your bottle to be delivered to any of our UK Cadenhead stores then payment for the bottle will be organised through me plus a £2.00 packaging fee and we will send it out with their next order (this is usually once weekly).

If you order your bottle to be delivered to any of our European stores then you will pay for the bottle when you collect it from the stated shop. The European shops usually get orders every 2-3 months so if you would like it sent there then please let me know and I can arrange it for the next shipment. Please allow a bit of time for the delivery and as soon as I have a shipping date then I will let you know. Can I kindly ask that you wait until you have heard from me before phoning the shops to ask if they have arrived.

In addition to the two options above and for any of our members living in Canada, one of our stockists in Calgary, Kensington Wine Market, are able to import Society bottles so if you would like to have your bottle sent to them for collection then please let me know this and we can get it arranged.

Campbeltown Malts Festival Update

We are still working away behind the scenes to get all events confirmed for the Campbeltown Malts Festival and we’re getting increasingly excited about the festivities – less than 7 weeks to go now!! I will hopefully have more information to share with you next week regarding Glen Scotia’s Open Day on Wednesday 20th May, Thursday evening events at Springbank Open Day on Thursday 21st May and events taking place on Friday 22nd May. For the tastings which have already been announced, we still have space on the following:

Less than 5 places available on:

• Thursday 21st @ 2.30pm – Distillery Manager’s Warehouse Tasting with Gavin McLachlan (£25 per person)

• Friday 22nd @ 12pm – Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting with Mark Watt (£25 per person)

• Friday 22nd @ 3pm – Cadenhead Warehouse Tasting with Mark Watt (£25 per person)

Few places left on:

• Thursday 21st @ 12pm – Kilkerran Masterclass with Jenny Karlsson (£25 per person)

Jenny will share some never ever tasted Kilkerran whisky with the lucky people attending her Open Day tasting. Cask samples starting from year 2004 will be opened and enjoyed at its natural strength. Just because we can!

• Thursday 21st @ 1.30pm – Springbank Masterclass with Ranald Watson & guests (£25 per person)

An opportunity to try some of the Springbank Distillers team’s favourite cask samples – some might be released, some might not, some might be old, some might be young – but they’re all brilliant drams. Also get the chance to ask anything you’ve ever wanted to know about Springbank and its whiskies.

• Thursday 21st @ 3pm – Cadenhead Masterclass with Mark Watt & Martin Mccallum (£25 per person)

A selection of current and future bottlings from Cadenheads including the now annual sample straight from the cask! What will this years special cask be? Nobody knows……

If you would like to book a spot on any of the above then please let me know and I can get this organised for you.

I think that should be all for now folks so have a great Easter Weekend and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Sláinte,

Mairi

Mairi Paterson

For the Springbank Society

To join the Springbank Society please contact them at

society@springbankwhisky.com

Amrut Indian Single Malt launches the collectible ‘Greedy Angels’ across the world

Amrut Distilleries, India, known for their popular range of Single Malt whiskies which include Amrut Fusion, Amrut Portonova & Amrut Peated have launched 320 bottles of ‘Greedy Angels – Chairman’s Reserve’10 years old. This whisky is the first 10 YO single malts to be produced from India and are priced at circa 500 Euros.

Bangalore, India.

Amrut Distilleries Ltd., Bangalore is a boutique distillery known for their award winning single malt whiskies. Amrut recently concluded 10 years of presence in the international markets and have launched the Amrut Greedy Angels Single Malt Whisky – 10 years old to commemorate this occasion. The distillery had launched their malts in 2004 in Glasgow, Scotland by N.R. Jagdale, the Managing Director through his son Rakshit & his friend Ashok and now the malts bear unmistakable shelf presence across 40 countries. The brand peaked in the limelight in 2010 when acclaimed whisky writer, Jim Murray rated the Amrut Fusion with 97/100 points voting it the ‘3rd finest whisky in the world’ putting behind over 4000 whiskies from brands across the world. Amrut is also the only Indian whisky to feature in Ian Buxton’s ‘101 whiskies to have before you die’.

Their latest and most expensive whisky so far, the ‘Greedy Angels – Chairman’s Reserve 10 years old’ is the first 10 year old single malt to ever come out of India and is also India’s most expensive whisky so far. Given the high temperatures and humidity in India the loss of whisky during maturation is close to 10-12% in comparison to Scotland’s 1-2%. This makes ageing of these malts a very tricky affair and the quantity left for bottling quite meagre compared to what was started off with. A total of 320 bottles of these exquisite bottles are available with 284 bottles sailing to Europe & 36 to the United States of America. The specially designed package consists of a 700/750 ml crystal decanter bottled at 46% ABV and a 50 ml miniature decanter bottled at full cask strength of 71% ABV.

Industry Observers note that almost all of the bottles have been pre-sold or reserved and most of the units will end up as collectibles in shelves of aficionados. “The profile can be compared to some of the very old & rare Scottish single malts”, notes Ashok Chokalingam, GM – International Markets (Amrut), “you will spot a lot of tropical fruits, orangy citrus & a lingering finish”.

“Consumers will have to wait for quite some time before the next batch is released”, Ashok adds. “We are not sure when the next release of this ten years old malt from the Amrut stable will emanate as keeping the balance profile of the whisky is questionable given the conditions under which it matures”.

About Amrut Single Malt

Amrut Single Malt was launched in 2004 as an experiment by Amrut Distilleries, a Bangalore based conglomerate that started operations in 1948. Amrut was the first ever-Indian single malt and was launched in Glasgow, right in the heart of Scotland. The whiskies were received well across the world owing to their quality and have grown aggressively. Amrutt now bottles around 18 expressions of single malts, which are sold in 40 countries and growing.

Kensington Wine Market Has a New Owner!

As of April 1, 2015, longtime employee Andrew Ferguson is the new owner of the Kensington Wine Market. Andrew has been with KWM for 13 years (starting as our delivery driver) and has, during this time, worked his way to becoming an internationally recognized scotch expert. As a result of his hard work,  Andrew has put KWM “on the map” as one of the most respected malt whisky stores in the world. Andrew is 100% dedicated to keeping KWM’s reputation as one of the best wine stores in Canada and will work with our team, already in place, to achieve these goals. We all congratulate Andrew, and look forward to working with him.

Nancy Carten, founder of KWM, will be working with Andrew and his team over the next three years to ensure her legacy of 23 years continues.

We all look forward to continue welcoming you to the Kensington Wine Market!

  Kensington Wine Market Store Hours

Mon – Wed 10am to 8pm

Thu – Fri 10am to 9pm

Sat 10am to 8pm

Sun Noon to 6pm

Kensington Wine Market

403-283-8000

The French Connection – serving up a taste of Speyside, from glass to plate

From cheese to champagne, France is famous the world over for its food and drink – but now a French food writer is ensuring Scotland’s finest food and drink receives the recognition it deserves during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

French-born journalist Martine Nouet has been writing about food and drink for more than 25 years.

And while the nation of her birth is famed for its fine wine and champagne, Martine has developed a passion for whisky, so much so that she has become known as the Queen of the Still.

On her first visit to Scotland two decades ago, she visited Tamdhu Distillery on Speyside and became so fascinated by the distillation process, the aromas and the culture and heritage behind making malt that she fell in love with the ‘water of life’.

She now lives in Scotland, on the island of Islay, and her love of drams and her talent for cookery has seen her become widely regarded as a specialist in matching food and whisky.

Martine has an international reputation in the world of food and drink and is looking forward to sharing her skills with audiences during the upcoming Festival.

She is leading three demonstrations showing just how well whisky can be used as both an accompaniment and an ingredient to both sweet and savoury recipes.

Her from glass to plate Cooking with Malt Whisky Demonstrations take place at the Oakwood Cookery School, Elgin, on Friday, May 1. Each lasts for an hour and a half, starting at 10am, 1pm and 3pm. Each session costs £20 and tickets are available now on the Festival website.

Martine believes that whisky goes so well with food because of its very special flavours and characteristics.

She says: “Whisky has such a wide and complex array of aromas and tastes, as much, if not more, than wine and when paired with food, the two bring out new flavours.

“I’m giving three cooking demonstrations as I’d like to show people easy to reproduce recipes and show that whisky at the table is a great sensory experience. The people attending will of course taste the dishes: a seafood starter, mushroom risotto for the main and a quince jelly, pear and ricotta dessert.

“The festival helps visitors learn or develop an interest in whisky and the aim of my cookery sessions will be to harmoniously mix entertainment with education.”

Martine is also hosting a vintage dinner on Saturday, May 2 with Ronnie Cox from Glenrothes in Rothes House, as well as being part of the Victorian Picnic in the gardens of Glen Grant distillery on Sunday, May 3.

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival runs from Thursday, April 30-Monday, May 4 2015. Check out www.spiritofspeyside.com for up-to-date news and follow the Festival at www.facebook.com/WhiskyFestival or www.twitter.com/spirit_speyside

Photo – Food and drink writer Martine Nouet is leading three malt whisky themed cookery demonstrations at 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 GLENLIVET ANNOUNCES THE ARRIVAL OF FOUNDER’S RESERVE

The Glenlivet has today announced the arrival of Founder’s Reserve in the UK and Germany. Unveiled in October last year, Founder’s Reserve is a new, permanent benchmark expression in the brand’s core range that has been created as the ultimate tribute to founder George Smith’s original vision to craft the most definitive, smooth single malt Scotch whisky.

With Founder’s Reserve, The Glenlivet’s perfectly-balanced and fruity house style is skilfully complemented with a creaminess and sweetness from the addition of First Fill American oak casks. The result is a single malt Scotch whisky of exceptional smoothness; the very quality for which George Smith’s The Glenlivet was widely admired and appreciated for in his day.

This expression is presented in a clear glass bottle that draws attention to the quality of the pale gold whisky inside. The Georgian Blue carton is both classic and contemporary in style and features George Smith’s signature, which provides stand-out appeal on shelf and honours Smith’s original style of whisky. Inclusion of the new The Glenlivet signifier, featuring the Packhorse Bridge that crosses the River Livet, appears on both the bottle cartouche and on the lid of the carton, demonstrating the brand’s rich provenance as ‘the single malt that started it all’.

Nikki Burgess, Global Brand Director for The Glenlivet, said: “We are very excited about sharing Founder’s Reserve with discerning whisky drinkers around the world. The expression now sits alongside The Glenlivet 12 Year Old in our global range and adds a twist of creaminess to the classic The Glenlivet style, which we are confident will appeal to whisky fans who seek out The Glenlivet’s benchmark quality for single malt Scotch whisky.

“The Glenlivet has been the largest contributor to the growth in single malt over the last five years and we look forward to Founder’s Reserve rolling out around the world, as its exceptional taste and link to the distillery’s past are sure to help us continue our success in the future.”

Alan Winchester, Master Distiller for The Glenlivet, added: “It has been an absolute privilege to craft a whisky in tribute to the man whose talent, dedication and vision for creating the definitively smooth single malt has led to The Glenlivet style that we know and admire today. In marrying together a selection of traditional and First Fill American oak casks from our inventory, I have been able to craft a complex whisky in The Glenlivet style with a pronounced creaminess, sweetness and smoothness that I am sure George would have approved of.

“For me, the nose has delicate aromas of citrus fruit and the sweet palate imparts zesty orange and toffee notes alongside classic The Glenlivet pear flavours, which is followed by a long, creamy and smooth finish. I’m really eager to hear what our fans old and new think about our latest interpretation of The Glenlivet through Founder’s Reserve and look forward to tasting it with them at the distillery in the coming months.”

The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve is now available at the RRP of $42 (or local equivalent) in the UK and Germany, ahead of a wider roll out throughout the year.

NOTES

The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve – Tasting Notes by Alan Winchester, Master Distiller of The Glenlivet

Nose: Delicate aromas of citrus fruit, notably sweet orange
Palate: Sweet, fruit notes of zesty orange and pears, with a hint of candy, toffee apples. Well-balanced and exceptionally smooth
Finish: Long, creamy and smooth

About The Glenlivet
Created by George Smith in 1824, The Glenlivet is the original single malt Scotch whisky, renowned for its smooth and fruity flavour profile. Today, The Glenlivet is the No.2 single malt Scotch whisky in the world and the No.1 single malt Scotch whisky in the USA, the world’s largest malt whisky market. The Glenlivet is also the biggest contributor to the volume growth of the single malt category worldwide, adding more than any other single malt whisky brand over the last five years. As the single malt that started it all, The Glenlivet is committed to continuing its legacy for crafting single malt whiskies of outstanding quality and has led innovation within single malt in recent years. Standout initiatives include the release of The Glenlivet Alpha, a mystery single malt, and the creation of The Guardians of The Glenlivet, an online hub for fans to engage with the brand and each other.
www.theglenlivet.com

@TheGlenlivet

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.
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.
www.pernod-ricard.com

A 40 Year Passion for Single Malt Scotch Whisky

When Alan Winchester became a distillery tour guide aged 16, few could have predicted he’d one day hold the prestigious title of The Glenlivet Master Distiller.

In the intervening years, Alan has worked in 20 distilleries in almost every role: brewer, mashman, cooperage labourer and stillman, expanding his expertise and allowing his passion for whisky to flourish. 40 years on, Alan is the leading authority on single malt and there is no one we’d rather have as our Master Distiller. As Master Distiller, Alan is responsible for safeguarding the unique character of The Glenlivet. It is his cultured palette that directs its consistency and secures the supreme quality of depth and flavour. Like a virtuoso musician, he brings his expert interpretation to new expressions whilst ensuring they retain the trademark complexities of The Glenlivet. Alan’s wisdom and passion is the driving force behind proud new releases like the Nàdurra range and the Winchester Collection – Vintage 1964.

Raise a dram with us as we celebrate Alan’s expert tenure as The Glenlivet Master Distiller thus far, and look forward to the next ten years.

Sláinte Alan!

Celebrating 40 Years with Alan Winchester

Old Pulteney Launches new Mission for Charity

‘Angel’s Share’ of Maritime Malt will help Seafarers in Need

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky has today (Monday 30^th March) announced a new partnership to raise vital funds for the global maritime charity The Mission to Seafarers, the organisation that cares for the world’s 1.5 million men and women who face danger each day while working at sea.

The Maritime Malt will donate a £1 from every bottle of Old Pulteney 12 Year Old sold in 2015 to the charity, aiming to raise £30,000 to support their work providing counsel and friendship for merchant seafarers in need – whether they are stranded, isolated or far from home.

The money raised by Old Pulteney consumers will fund a ship-visiting programme, providing seafarers with a warm and friendly welcome and any emergency help and advice they need; and roving Wi-Fi in port locations, ensuring seafarers can connect with their loved ones back home.

After years of involvement with some of sailing’s most celebrated adventures, Old Pulteney has been inspired to support the charity’s invaluable work, which takes place in 260 ports around the world. In addition to special charity packs of Old Pulteney 12 Year Old which will be on shelf in the UK and other key markets from May, the campaign will be brought to life through an exciting programme of PR and online activity as well as Old Pulteney sponsored events planned throughout 2015.

Old Pulteney Senior Brand Manager Margaret Mary Clarke commented: “We are extremely proud to be launching our partnership with The Mission to Seafarers and I can’t think of a better cause for Old Pulteney to support. Our whisky shares a unique connection with seafarers and the sea, with Pulteney Distillery located in the very place where thousands of fishermen used to sail out into one of the most rugged sea channels on Britain’s coastline. The risks they took and the dram they deserved on their return are at the heart of our brand, making our support of The Mission to Seafarers very relevant today.

The work that the charity does is important and it needs funding – a fact that was tragically brought home to us at the start of this year after the Cemfjord shipping disaster in the Pentland Firth, just off the coast of our home town of Wick. The Mission to Seafarers were there when help was needed, to care for the families of those who were very sadly lost in this incident, and also to provide much needed support to the local Wick community and those who were involved in the search and rescue operation.

The full Mission to Seafarers’ operation is funded through donations, so we hope that Old Pulteney drinkers will get on board for our mission this year to help us reach our £30,000 target and fund more of this invaluable work around the world.”

The Mission to Seafarers’ Director General Andrew Wright said: “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work alongside Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky which has a long and prestigious heritage connected with sea trade in the former fishing town of Wick. The Mission’s history of providing a vital lifeline to seamen and women in need since 1856 all over the world makes our association a strong one and we look forward to working with the distillery where tradition, quality and superb craftsmanship have been maintained and cherished to this day.”

Notes

About the Angel’s Share

During the ageing process of whisky, at least 2% of the whisky in each barrel evaporates through the oak. The distilleries refer to this portion as the Angels’ Share.

 Our March auction is now live and ends on Monday 6^th April 2015!

View March Auction

This is an incredible auction with almost 1,200 bottles available. We have a few highlights for you this month, starting with this highly collectible Macallan 1949 Millenium Decanter, matured for an impressive 50 years. 

This month’s curious rarity is this Dalmore 1939 Gallie & Co, bottled most likely during the late 1940s or early 1950s, this is without a doubt a piece of liquid history from a bottler which has ceased to exist from 1975.

Pappy Van Winkle has become the beacon of American whisky collecting. This month we have a great selection of the highly sought after range! 

For our first time we are bringing to the market a Port Ellen Feis Ile 2008, arguably the most sought after bottle of Port Ellen. This is the only official single cask Port Ellen, which yielded a mere 220 bottles! This exceptional collectible will no doubt be one to watch this month! 

Please remember! There is no registration fee, our commission structure is very competitive and we offer worldwide shipping. For our terms and conditions please click here.

With over 15 years of experience in the whisky industry, Whisky Auctioneer specialises in auctioning whisky whether it be fine, old, rare, collectable or affordable. Formed in 2013 and based in Perth, central Scotland, we aim to be the most comprehensive website for the buying and selling of whisky online.

www.whiskyauctioneer.com

Happy Bidding!

Littlemill 26 Year Old 1988 Old & Rare Platinum Exclusive 

Specialist online whisky shop, TheWhiskyBarrel.com, today releases a new addition to the outlet’s range of exclusive bottlings.

Distilled at the lost Littlemill Distillery in the Scottish Lowlands in November 1988, we selected a 26 year old expression matured in a refill sherry hogshead cask and bottled in March 2015 by Hunter Laing & Co. of Glasgow under the company’s Old & Rare Platinum Selection label.

Littlemill Distillery was located in Bowling, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. Established in 1772, it was one of the oldest working distilleries in Scotland, indeed one of the oldest in the world, when it closed in 1994 and was subsequently demolished in 2004.

Today, well-aged Littlemill Scotch whisky stocks are gaining a prized reputation and, of course, are becoming increasingly rare. Fittingly, just 150 bottles of this delicious golden nectar are available exclusively to customers of TheWhiskyBarrel.com. Shipping to customers worldwide including; the United States, Canada and Japan.

Littlemill 26 Year Old 1988 Old & Rare Platinum / 54.6%

Tasting Notes

Nose: A light gold whisky with a nose of vanilla custard powder giving way to apples, pears and slightly leafy notes of butterscotch coming through late.

Taste: On the palate it has a creamy mouthfeel with butter shortbread at the start, followed by apple skins and a cinnamon note.

Finish: The finish is long, dry and slightly fruity, with a hint of oak.

£249.74 GBP (£208.12 ex VAT) $310 USD 

The Whisky Barrel

www.thewhiskybarrel.com