SULLIVANS Cove named Best Australian Single Malt third year running 

Top Tasmanian whisky Sullivans Cove was named “Best Australian Single Malt” at the 2015 World Whiskies Awards in London last night (8:30am this morning in Australia). This is the third year running that Sullivans Cove French Oak has won this prestigious award.

Sullivans Cove is Tasmania’s top selling and most decorated single malt. Last year Sullivans Cove French Oak went on to claim the ultimate title at the 2014 World Whiskies Awards when it was named the world’s best single malt. Earlier this year the distillery’s American Oak single malt was awarded a coveted Liquid Gold Award by whisky guru Jim Murray in the 2015 Whisky Bible.

Speaking from the awards ceremony in London, Sullivans Cove General Manager Patrick Maguire said: “I’m thrilled to be here with the rest of the industry and once again we have had a fantastic result. It’s still quite unbelievable that we keep winning these incredible international awards and it just goes to show the quality of Sullivans Cove as a truly world class single malt whisky.”

20l casks of the famous French Oak single malt whisky are available from the distillery. Please visit http://www.sullivanscovewhisky.com to secure one.

About Sullivans Cove Whisky

Tasmania Distillery produces Sullivans Cove Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky. Sullivans Cove Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky is double distilled using only Tasmanian barley with only the purest wilderness water from local mountains and forests. Matured in hand selected oak casks and allowed to settle and clear naturally, the whiskies retain full, creamy and lingering flavours that are winning fans the world over. Each cask is bottled separately, yielding only around 450 bottles, making each bottle a rare item to own and enjoy.

Wemyss Malts new Single Cask releases

Family-owned Wemyss Malts is delighted to announce the release of a new selection of single cask single malt Scotch whiskies.  This mouth-watering collection is named after the unique natural taste and aroma of each one and includes cask strength “The Rockpool” from Islay.

The full cask list of this release comprises:

“The Rockpool” 1995 single cask from Bowmore Distilery, Islay, Cask Strength “Foraged Fruit Fool” 1991 single cask from Blair Athol Distillery, Highlands “Toffee Tuile” 1999 singe cask from Aberfeldy Distillery, Highlands “Kumquat Cluster” 1993 single cask from Glenrothes Distillery, Speyside “Stem Ginger Preserve” 1995 single cask from Mortlach Distillery, Speyside “Rhubarb Royale” 2001 single cask from Benrinnes Distillery, Speyside

Each cask has been selected and named by the Wemyss tasting panel, under the watchful eye of industry aficionado Charlie Maclean.   There are only a few hundred bottles from each cask and the suggested retail prices range from £60 to £120. These bottlings will be available in selected retailers in the UK, EU and key Asian markets.

William Wemyss, Founder and Managing Director at Wemyss Malts, commented: “We’ve had an excellent start to 2015 and are already releasing our second parcel of single casks. As always, the tasting panel has come up with names evocative of these whiskies’ natural tastes and aromas and I’m sure they will delight our customers .”

Notes:

• Wemyss Malts is exhibiting for the first time at Whisky Live London 20/21 March 2015 where some of the new single malts will be available to taste
• Edinburgh based Wemyss Malts is owned by the Wemyss family and their family seat is Wemyss Castle in Fife where they’ve lived since the 1300s.
• Wemyss Malts has an ongoing blended malt whisky range comprising: The Spice King, The Peat Chimney and The Hive; single malt single cask bottlings and blended Scotch range, Lord Elcho.
• The Wemyss family premium wines and spirits brands also include boutique gin Darnley’s View, together with the premium wine estate of Rimauresq Cru Classé in Cotes de Provence.
• The family has opened a single malt distillery at Kingsbarns, near St. Andrews in Fife www.kingsbarnsdistillery.com

Wemyss Malts wins another World Whisky Award

Edinburgh based boutique Spirits Company Wemyss Malts is delighted to announce that it is celebrating a third World Whisky Award from Whisky Magazine as Best Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 2015.

This year’s winner is “Velvet Fig”, a limited edition launched in late 2014. Only 6000 bottles were available and the whisky was bottled at 46% abv and non chill-filtered.

Like the rest of the Wemyss Malts blended malts selection, “Velvet Fig” is named after the whisky’s natural flavours and aromas. The natural mahogany colour has a depth and richness that comes from the quality sherry casks selected. The generous nose is abundant with rich fruits bound with sweet mead and warm leather. The palate has luscious golden sultanas, soft fig and Medjool dates, spiced with nutmeg and ginger and yielding sweet chestnut and toasted walnuts in the finale.

Wemyss blended malts have collected World Whisky Award for best blended malt Scotch twice before: “The Hive” in 2012 and “Spice King” in 2013. “Peat Chimney” collected the bronze award in 2014.

Speaking after his presentation at yesterday’s Whiskies and Spirits Conference in London, William Wemyss, Founder and Managing Director at Wemyss Malts, commented: “This award for “Velvet Fig” is a great start to Wemyss Malts’ 10th anniversary year. “Velvet Fig” has been enormously popular for us and bottles can still be found in specialist retail and online whisky stores.”

Notes

 Wemyss Malts is exhibiting for the first time at Whisky Live London 20/21 March 2015 where Velvet Fig and some new single malts will be available to taste

 Edinburgh based Wemyss Malts is owned by the Wemyss family and their family seat is Wemyss Castle in Fife where they’ve lived since the 1300s.

 Wemyss Malts has an ongoing blended malt whisky range comprising: The Spice King, The Peat Chimney and The Hive; single malt single cask bottlings and blended Scotch range, Lord Elcho. Velvet Fig

 The Wemyss family premium wines and spirits brands also include boutique gin Darnley’s View, together with the premium wine estate of Rimauresq Cru Classé in Cotes de Provence.

 The Wemyss family has opened a single malt distillery at Kingsbarns, near St. Andrews in Fife www.kingsbarnsdistillery.com

Jack Teeling – Teeling Whiskey Company (Ireland)

CLASSIC 75 YEAR OLD BEECHCRAFT USED IN NEW THREE SHIPS TV COMMERCIAL

The new Three Ships Whisky television commercial (TVC) features a 1959 BE 18 Beechcraft, the only one remaining airworthy in Southern Africa and one of only six in the world. The commercial is the second in the brand’s Journey of Discovery theme, this time following the voyage of three Irish adventurers as they trek across Africa in the plane to discover who makes the world’s best whisky.

According to the director Greg François from Fresh Eye, using a vintage aeroplane visually captures the exotic drama and romance of the great explorers. “In the mass-produced, synthetic world we live in, this low-tech, mechanical masterpiece, which took years to restore, harks back to the days of honest, hand-crafted excellence. In this it reflects the exceptional quality of the whiskies produced today by Three Ships.”

In its heyday the BE 18 was the equivalent of today’s executive Learjet. The aircraft came to South Africa in 1994 and received star status in 2008 in the Hollywood movie “Amelia”, based on the life of Amelia Erhard, and staring Hilary Swank and Richard Gere.

The current TVC follows on from the first in the series aired in 2012 featuring a group of Scottish explorers as they set off in finding the world’s best and discovering the Three Ships 5 Year Old Premium Select Whisky awarded as the World’s Best Blended Whisky by blind taste-test at the 2012 World Whisky Awards.

The TVC series was conceptualised by 140 BBDO and according to copywriter David Williams, the aim of the campaign is a reminder to South Africans that making whisky is not only reserve for the traditional whisky-making countries such as Scotland and Ireland. “In a category obsessed with its own traditions, the challenge was telling South Africans that we too can create a whisky to rival the best the world has to offer – and even better.

“We wanted to create a storyline that would engage South Africans and create a sense of pride in the whiskies produced here through the extraordinary journey and discovery that awaits the three Irish adventurers as they cross Africa and arrive at their final destination, The James Sedgwick Distillery where Andy Watts, master distiller, crafts the award-winning range of whiskies.

“As the Irish explorers travel from country to country to refuel, braving rocky deserts and WWII era jungle runways, they find that Africa is not at all what they had expected. Instead, it is an assemblage of cultures, harsh natural beauty and bustling modern metropolises. And even after all they had experienced on their travels, arriving at the distillery, they discover that the best things in the world don’t always come from where you’d expect.”

The TVC launches today (18 March) on DSTV, SABC and eTV and will roll out to cinemas on 20 March.

CLASSIC 75 YEAR OLD BEECHCRAFT USED IN NEW THREE SHIPS TVC 

The new Three Ships Whisky television commercial (TVC) features a 1959 BE 18 Beechcraft, the only one remaining airworthy in Southern Africa and one of only six in the world. The commercial is the second in the brand’s Journey of Discovery theme, this time following the voyage of three Irish adventurers as they trek across Africa in the plane to discover who makes the world’s best whisky.

According to the director Greg François from Fresh Eye, using a vintage aeroplane visually captures the exotic drama and romance of the great explorers. “In the mass-produced, synthetic world we live in, this low-tech, mechanical masterpiece, which took years to restore, harks back to the days of honest, hand-crafted excellence. In this it reflects the exceptional quality of the whiskies produced today by Three Ships.”

In its heyday the BE 18 was the equivalent of today’s executive Learjet. The aircraft came to South Africa in 1994 and received star status in 2008 in the Hollywood movie “Amelia”, based on the life of Amelia Erhard, and staring Hilary Swank and Richard Gere.

The current TVC follows on from the first in the series aired in 2012 featuring a group of Scottish explorers as they set off in finding the world’s best and discovering the Three Ships 5 Year Old Premium Select Whisky awarded as the World’s Best Blended Whisky by blind taste-test at the 2012 World Whisky Awards.

The TVC series was conceptualised by 140 BBDO and according to copywriter David Williams, the aim of the campaign is a reminder to South Africans that making whisky is not only reserve for the traditional whisky-making countries such as Scotland and Ireland. “In a category obsessed with its own traditions, the challenge was telling South Africans that we too can create a whisky to rival the best the world has to offer – and even better.

“We wanted to create a storyline that would engage South Africans and create a sense of pride in the whiskies produced here through the extraordinary journey and discovery that awaits the three Irish adventurers as they cross Africa and arrive at their final destination, The James Sedgwick Distillery where Andy Watts, master distiller, crafts the award-winning range of whiskies.

“As the Irish explorers travel from country to country to refuel, braving rocky deserts and WWII era jungle runways, they find that Africa is not at all what they had expected. Instead, it is an assemblage of cultures, harsh natural beauty and bustling modern metropolises. And even after all they had experienced on their travels, arriving at the distillery, they discover that the best things in the world don’t always come from where you’d expect.”

The TVC launches today (18 March) on DSTV, SABC and eTV and will roll out to cinemas on 20 March. YouTube link, Facebook link, Twitter Link

COCKTAIL-MAKING AND ‘WEE-JAUNTING’ WITH BLACK BOTTLE MIXOLOGY EXPERT, MAL SPENCE

Expert Scottish mixologist Mal Spence, global ambassador for blended Scotch whisky Black Bottle, was in South Africa recently to host a series of events in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Conceived to showcase Spence’s skills as an internationally recognised mixologist and winner of multiple awards, as well as to highlight Black Bottle’s versatility, the events were an inventive way of reminding bartenders of the virtues of blended scotch and Black Bottle in particular.

The Johannesburg events, held at venues in the trendy Maboneng Precinct, included a cocktail master class at Pata Pata, as well as a Scottish ‘wee-jaunt’ with special entertainment and tastings at Living Room Eco Café and Pata Pata. Guests were also treated to an inner city walk, with a surprise Pantsula performance delighting guests along the way.

In Cape Town he demonstrated tea-infused cocktail-making for an exclusive media group at The Black Bar, situated in the basement of the historic Cape Town Club.

Commenting on his new Black Bottle global ambassador role, Spence said: “We’re telling the story of Black Bottle creator, Gordon Graham, who has been a truly inspiring figure in Scotch whisky history. His uncompromising, daring spirit has informed many of the drinks menus we are developing for the brand.

“I’m confident we can encourage bartenders and drinks enthusiasts to put Black Bottle into their speed rails.”

Black Bottle has been globally relaunched and is back in a black bottle as its name suggests. It also features a blend far closer to the original, first launched in 1879 by tea blender, Gordon Graham. Its fresh, floral nose with traces of new-sawn oak and smoke opens onto a silky palate with delicate smoke and peat, balanced by sweet oak and honey.

With more than 15 years’ experience tending, managing and building up the reputation of some of Scotland’s best bars, Spence has a wealth of knowledge. He is the only Scottish bartender ever to reach the Havana Club Grand Prix World Final; a Scottish Licenced Trade News (SLTN) Mixologist of the Year Award winner for two years running; winner of Maxxium’s Liquid War competition; and in 2011, industry bible Class Magazine bestowed Spence with the Best Bar Menu Award for his work at the Blythswood Square Hotel in Glasgow. Spence is also the director of the Kelvingrove Café in Glasgow, winner of the Best Cocktail Bar at the 2013 Scottish Bartenders Network Awards.

The new Black Bottle, retailing for between R240 and R260 per 750ml bottle is available from liquor outlets countrywide.

Try Black Bottle neat with a dash of water, with your favourite mixer, or in a cocktail such as:

Caro Verde (Dear Green) by Mal Spence

This drink comprises Black Bottle whisky, Amaro Nonino, jasmine green tea syrup and Angostura bitters. The Italian name was inspired by the green tea and the inclusion of an Italian liqueur.

Glass: Wine glass

Garnish: None 

Ingredients:

40ml Black Bottle whisky

20ml Amaro Nonino

2-3 dashes Angostura bitters

15ml jasmine green tea syrup

Method:

Add ingredients to mixing glass filled with ice, stir for 15 seconds or until chilled, strain into pre-chilled wine glass.

Go to www.theblackbar.co.za and enter your details in order to be invited to exclusive Black Bottle events.

Follow Black Bottle on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BlackBottleSA) and/or Twitter (https://twitter.com/BlackBottleSA).

Join the conversation using: #BlackBar

 This article in a Tweet:

Scotch whisky @BlackBottleSA back in black bottle with revised blend, true to 1879 Aberdeen original. #BlackBar

Tamdhu shows its strength with new expression

BENRIACH ONE OF 1000 COMPANIES TO INSPIRE BRITAIN

THE London Stock Exchange Group has released its list of ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ and The BenRiach Distillery Company is featured for the first time.

‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ is a celebration of some of the fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK.    

As well as identifying 1,000 companies, the report examines in detail the opportunities and challenges facing SMEs and looks at the sectors and trends that will shape the future of the UK economy.

Over 100 sectors in total are represented; from manufacturing and engineering, to financial services and retail, with companies from across every region of the UK.

Eight of the fastest-growing food and drink companies are based in Scotland.

The report points out that the success of SMEs has a disproportionate effect on our national economic output. The Scale-Up Report, published last year by Sherry Coutu, found that boosting this ‘sector‘ by just 1% would create as many as 230,000 new jobs and add £38bn to UK GDP.

Xavier Rolet, Chief Executive, London Stock Exchange Group, believes the UK has some of the most inspiring growth businesses in the world.

“Our report showcases some of these fast-growing and dynamic companies – the type of companies we believe will help fuel the long-term growth of the UK economy,” he said.

To be considered for inclusion in the report, companies had to meet a range of criteria which included being UK-registered, having a turnover of between £6-£250 million in the last 12 months and a minimum of three years in operation.

Chancellor  George Osborne said: “This is a remarkable list of outstanding companies. These businesses have been built by the drive, commitment and vision of Britain’s entrepreneurs and business leaders. It is my privilege to be able to congratulate them all, and to thank London Stock Exchange Group for its work.”

BenRiach MD Billy Walker (pictured) said: “It’s an enormous compliment and a very pleasant surprise to be included in this prestigious list,” he said. “T his achievement is testament to the hard work, passion and commitment of our people across our four sites.”

Edinburgh-headquartered BenRiach markets three core brands – BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh single malts – from its three distilleries at Elgin, Forgue and Portsoy. Last year it announced a record pre-tax profit increase of 116% to £8.9m in its annual financial results alongside a turnover growth of 39.4% to £34.5m.

Usquaebach Scotch Whisky Makes a Vibrant Return to the US Market

Usquaebach (pronounced “oos-ke-bah”), the small, artisanally crafted, blended Scotch whisky, has been quietly making a comeback in the US market since its purchase by Cobalt Brands in 2009.  Thanks to the hard work of its current owners and the reliance on a fiercely dedicated customer base longing for its return, the brand can now be found in over 20 states and in all major US markets.

Usquaebach’s blend dates back to the 1700’s and its name was trademarked in 1877, making it one of the most enduring brands in the Scotch whisky market. One reason for this is the loyal customer base that continues to seek out the whisky due to the quality of the product – a testament to the reputation of the Laing family in Glasgow, Scotland, who has been blending Usquaebach for nearly 100 years.

“Stewart Laing, our long time blender, relies on his close relationships with historic single malt distilleries throughout the Highlands,” says Ryan Judson, Usquaebach’s national brand ambassador.  “Laing only selects perfectly aged casks to blend with premium barley grain.”

It is this focus that Laing puts on quality single malt casks for Usquaebach’s blends that has garnered the brand the international respect it continues to receive. Laing describes how the selection of superior single malt casks can determine the greatness of a blend:

“In the case of Usquaebach [Old Rare Stone Flagon], we operate on a high malt-to-grain ratio in the blend. Other blended Scotch whisky is a higher grain-to-malt ratio,” says Stewart Laing, the distinguished blender of Usquaebach for over four decades, “There are over 40 different malts mixed together in Usquaebach.  Malt is the body. Grain does not have the character, and that is what makes the recipe unique. As a blender I am always looking for balance and taste.”

Laing goes on to explain that patience and experience are keys to creating masterful blends.

“The skill of the blender is paramount…because it is he who knows which whiskies go with which whisky,” says Laing. “Each whisky has to marry with the whole.”

Oftentimes in the Scotch whisky market, the draw of single malts tends to obscure the craft among blends. Changing this perception has been tantamount to resurrecting Usquaebach’s prominence in the national market.

“We find time and time again single malt drinkers find Usquaebach just as alluring, smoother and more complex,” says Judson. “People try it because the flagon looks amazing, but they always come back because the whisky inside is just that good.”

There was a time in recent history that Usquaebach occupied a very significant place among the elite names in Scotch blends – in particular, it was famously poured at the Presidential Inaugural dinners of Richard Nixon and George Bush, Sr.

Today, Usquaebach’s resurgence is a welcome return to a blended Scotch market dominated by large, corporate-owned brands. The iconic packaging of its signature Old Rare Stone Flagon is often a reason for customers to wax nostalgic.

According to the Whisky Advocate’s online blog: “Ever since the late 1980s, when I started getting into Scotch, I always remembered the Usquaebach blended Scotch in the really cool flagon.”

“Our key retailers across the country remain enthusiastic about the brands come back.” explains brand ambassador Judson, “They tell me, Thank G-d Usquaebach’s back! We missed you.”

The Brand features three incarnations, each having a different price point and consumer palate.  While the name may be hard to spell and to pronounce, this historic brand, with a name that translates from Gaelic to mean “the water of life,” is providing Scotch whisky lovers across America with a reason to raise their glasses with Usquaebach once again. 

~Usquaebach “Old Rare”~  Blended Scotch Whisky porcelain flagon is a vestige of Scotch whisky’s history – a reminder of a time, preceding bottled whiskey, when travelling merchants combined spirits of the highest caliber single distilleries creating ethereal blends embodying sophistication. With 41 specially selected single malts up to 20 years of age from the Highlands and only 15% high-quality grain whisky in the blend, this classic Scotch whisky offers multi-layered opulence. Its quality and finesse has been recognized by connoisseurs and aficionados the world over – notably, Usquaebach “Old Rare” Blended Scotch was served at the 1969 and 1989 Presidential Inaugural Dinners.  (MSRP $120)

~Usquaebach 15-Year Blended Malt ~ is a marriage of the finest Highland single malts, aged carefully for at least 15 years – and some as old as 20 – in oak and sherry casks. When purity and strength is desired, this beautiful yet masculine Scotch whisky delivers robust aromas and intense richness.  Recognized throughout the whisky-drinking world for its quality, the 15-Year Blended Malt has won numerous accolades, including Gold Medal at the 2010 International Whisky Competition. The nose features sun-dried fruits, pineapple, and espresso bean, while the palate entertains with stout baking spices and a luxurious sweetness.  (MSRP $75) 

~Usquaebach Reserve Premium Blended Scotch ~ is a whisky for those seeking elegance and structure. This rare blend features over 50% quality single malts each aged between 16 to 18 years and blended with the finest grain whisky – resulting in a handcrafted spirit that is both timeless and unique. The nose features honeyed sherry, smooth vanilla, baked apples and quince, while sweet spices and an endearing zest linger on the palate. The Usqauebach Reserve finishes long and smooth, with a detailed edge and a crisp mouth-feel – ideal as an aperitif or with a rich meal.  (MSRP $40)

www.usquaebach.com

‘BOTTLE YOUR OWN’ WHISKEY FACILITIES LAUNCH AT JAMESON VISITOR CENTRES IN DUBLIN AND CORK

Today, March 12th, Brian Nation, Master Distiller at The Midleton Distillery, marked the launch of new Jameson Bottle Your Own facilities at the Old Jameson Distillery, Dublin, by hand-filling a 70cl bottle of a new and rare Jameson Irish Whiskey.

The new initiative, which is also launching at the Jameson Experience Midleton in Cork, invites whiskey fans to personally fill a bottle of Jameson Select Reserve Cask Strength Black Barrel from a live bourbon cask. Visitors can then personalise the label by hand with their name, the date and the whiskey’s cask number and ABV, before logging their personal details in a Bottle Your Own ledger, becoming a part of the Jameson legend.

The newest member of the Jameson family, Select Reserve Black Barrel is a blend of rich, Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey and a rare small batch grain whiskey, which is triple distilled in small quantities just once per year. The expression is available at its natural cask strength for the first time and exclusively through the Bottle Your Own facilities at the Old Jameson Distillery, Dublin, and the Jameson Experience Midleton in Cork at the cost of €100 per 70cl.

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 4 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 & 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

Image Caption; Brian Nation, Master Distiller at The Midleton Distillery, at the unveiling of the new ‘Bottle You Own’ facilities at the Old Jameson Distillery, Dublin .