The Arran Malt Comes of Age

Since its founding 20 years ago, the Isle of Arran Distillery has been laying uniquely complex malts down to mature. As the distillery reaches its twentieth birthday, the Arran Malt is coming of age with its first limited edition bottling of the Arran 18 Year Old Single Malt.

This latest edition is the final bottling in a trilogy of 16, 17 and 18 year-old Arran Malts which have been released in the count down to this landmark bottling.  Bottled at 46%, it is distilled without chill-filtration or artificial colouring for a pure yet complex palate.

Aged in the finest Sherry casks, this un-peated malt is a perfect example of the fresh character of Arran in all its maturity. Gold in colour and with a delicious aroma of toasted almonds, honey and spice, this highly anticipated bottling delivers a luxurious palate of ginger and caramelised brown sugar.

Water releases subtle flower notes and rich Seville orange marmalade. The finish, reminiscent of toasted brioche and toffee apples, rounds off the most mature expression of The Arran Malt to date.

James MacTaggart, Master Distiller at the Isle of Arran Distillery, says: “This is a very special bottling for us, not only being the most mature Arran Malt yet but as the first release in our our twentieth year. It represents the very best of our whisky, with the depth of aroma and flavour for which Arran Malts have become known around the world.

“So with only 9,000 bottles released worldwide, we don’t expect the 18 Year Old Arran Malt to be around for long.”

This latest limited edition of The Arran Malt will be available in specialist whisky retailers and a small quantity will be available directly from http://www.arranwhisky.com/ from Monday 16^th March 2015.

Notes:

For more information visit http://www.arranwhisky.com/

* Accolades for Isle of Arran Distillery include Winner for: Best New Exporter (2004), Queen’s Award for International Trade (2005), Scottish Distiller of the Year (2007) and Scottish Drinks Producer of the Year (2007.)

Product awards include: Best Whisky Liqueur (2007), ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 12 Years & Under’ for The Arran Malt Amarone Cask Finish (2008) ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for The Arran Malt Sherry Single Cask 1998 (2010) and Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for the Icons of Arran Peacock (2011.) ‘Double Gold Award’ for Arran’s 14 Year Old Single Malt and ‘Gold Award’ for Arran’s 10 Year Old Single Malt at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2012). Double Gold in FiftyBest.com awards (2012). Double Gold Medal for the 12 year-old Cask Strength in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2013). Double Gold for both the 10 year-old and 12 year-old Cask Strength at the China Wine & Spirits Best Value Awards 2014.

CÙ BÒCAN SINGLE MALT  SCOTCH WHISKY

limited VIRGIN OAK edition

Cù Bòcan is matured in a combination of Sherry, Virgin Oak and Bourbon casks. This exclusive limited edition showcases the influence that Virgin Oak has on our lightly peated single malt. Clean and zingy with hints of smoke and warm spice, this fully matured Virgin Oak limited edition will not disappoint!

Cask Type: Matured in Virgin Oak casks
Strength: 46% alc./vol.
Distribution: Worldwide except USA
Price: RRP £49.99 per 70cl bottle

KEY POINTS

Fully matured in First Fill Virgin Oak casks. Only 6000 bottles available. The only peated whisky distilled and matured at Tomatin Distillery. Non chill filtered. Natural colour. Striking bottle design and presentation packaging. Part of a trilogy; Sherry, Virgin Oak & Bourbon editions

TASTING NOTES

AROMA Lively citrus fruits – lime juice and lemon sorbet. Oak driven flavours of vanilla, coconut and candy floss soon emerge with rosewater, red berries, fresh pear and pineapple in the background.
PALATE Warm pecan pie with vanilla ice cream. Baked apples with cinnamon and toffee and just a touch of smoke.
FINISH Clean and zingy with pleasant spice.

The “Scottish Golf & Whisky Galore Tournament”; 16^th – 22^nd August 2015 

The “Scottish Golf & Whisky Galore Tournament” is, as the name suggests, a tournament for golfers with a passion for Golf as well as Whisky.

“Weekend golfers” who believe that links golf is “real” golf or who just want to try this particular golf discipline, will now have another opportunity to participate in a links tournament in Scotland.

This is a 72 hole stableford tournament on four different links courses – Machrihanish Dunes, Machrihanish Golf Club, Dunaverty Golf Club in the south-west of Scotland in the vicinity of the famous Whisky town of Campbeltown on the Kintyre Peninsula and on Shiskine, a wonderful 12 hole golf course on the neighbouring island of Arran. Machrihanish Golf Course is deemed to be one of the finest links courses in Scotland.

The event is open to both men and women: maximum handicap for men is 24 and for women 36.

Besides the four rounds of golf there are two planned visits to some of the region’s Whisky distilleries for tours and tastings. Connoisseurs will know that this is where some of Scotland’s famous Island Single Malt Whisky’s, Springbank and Glen Scotia come from in addition to those that hail from Islay & Jura, the very distinctive islands that sit to the West of the Kintyre Peninsula. Golfers will also visit the Isle of Arran Distillery.

In addition to the golf there is an extensive social programme including the welcome reception, a casino night and a gala prize winner’s dinner, all to be enjoyed with a dram or two during the tasting sessions designed to take you on a Whisky learning journey. There will be a rest day for sightseeing which will include a trip to Islay – home to 8 different whisky distilleries and some of the most famous brand names in Scotland

Participants will stay in two typical Scottish hotels, the Ugadale Hotel & Cottages, a seafront hotel in Machrihanish and the Royal Hotel at the port of Campbeltown.

The event is organized by Platinum Golf Scotland, who in November last year were awarded “Scotland’s Best Inbound Golf Tour Operator 2014”

The “Scottish Golf & Whisky Galore Tournament” is a tournament for people with a passion for Golf as well as for good Scotch Single Malt Whisky, says Stuart French. We think that this tournament caters for competitors from all over the world and we look forward particularly to welcoming golfers to this spectacular part of Scotland.

There will be prizes for the winners of each of the four days and for the whole tournament. 

Package price based on 2 sharing a twin or double room: £749

Includes:

• 6 night’s bed & full Scottish breakfast

• 4 rounds of golf

• Visits to 3 Whisky Distilleries

• Whisky tastings & whisky stories

• Welcome reception

• Casino night

• Gala dinner

• Transport to and from the coursesMore about the tournament can be found at:

• To enter the tournament you can register at: enquiries@platinumgolfscotland.com
• www.platinumgolfscotland.com/scottish-golf-whisky-galore-tournament

Famous CITYSCAPES HONOURED with LIMITED EDITION DESIGN

JOHNNIE WALKER® BLUE LABEL™ CITIES Collection

Diageo GTME, February 23rd, 2015; Following the success of its 2013 JOHNNIE WALKER^® BLUE LABEL™ Skyline Collection range, Diageo Global Travel Middle East has today announced a partnership with internationally renowned artist, Jeff Nishinaka, to release a new series of limited edition design travel exclusives for 2015 featuring handcrafted designs of some of the world’s most famous cityscapes – the JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL Cities Collection.   

Each edition is engraved with a Jeff Nishinaka handcrafted design, bringing to life the cityscapes of some of the world’s most iconic travel destinations.  

The first edition in the collection celebrates the unique character and culture of Dubai. Dubai is a city of firsts, a global icon and a luxury travel destination – and the perfect skyline to form the first of the JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL Cities Collection. 

The design for each edition has been brought to life by internationally renowned paper sculptor Jeff Nishinaka. His meticulously handcrafted sculpture was inspired by the unique character of the city and mirrors the rare craftsmanship that lies at the heart of JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL. Jeff’s art is brought to life on each individual bottle as a celebration of the art of the master blender, whose skills have been passed down through 190 years of unbroken blending heritage and excellence.  

Only 1500 bottles of the JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL Cities Collection, Dubai Edition, have been produced, with each bottle individually numbered.  

Peter Fairbrother, Global Marketing Director of Diageo Global Travel and Middle East (GTME), said: “With the increase in international travel the world has become a much smaller place and we get many more opportunities to visit beautiful cities, rich with character and experiences.  With this exclusive limited edition range we wanted to capture the essence of some of these great cities, creating a unique, premium gift or collector’s item that would be a memento of a special destination.” 

JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL is a blend of truly rare character, delivering a deep, rich flavour with layers of honey and fruit and an incredibly smooth, endless finish. Only one in 10,000 casks drawn from the four corners of Scotland contains whiskies of sufficient character demanded to create this peerless blend.  Crafting the intense and complex flavours that define this remarkable Blended Scotch whisky takes masterful skill and determination – characteristics that have shaped JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL for almost two centuries. 

The Dubai edition of the JOHNNIE WALKER BLUE LABEL Cities Collection will be available from February 2015 exclusively in travel retail at a recommended price of $258 USD (or local equivalent) for a 1 litre bottle. 

About Diageo:

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits, beer and wine categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan’s and Windsor whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness. 

Diageo is a global company, and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.  The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO).  For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com.  Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. 

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere. 

The JOHNNIE WALKER, BLUE LABEL and KEEP WALKING words, the Striding Figure device and associated logos are trademarks ^© John Walker & Sons 2015.

A tribute to an original vision

The Glenlivet is proud to introduce The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve, a new single malt that has been almost 200 years in the making.

Created to honour the original vision of our pioneering founder George Smith, The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve pays tribute to the uniquely smooth and fruity taste he first envisioned in 1824.

Distilled using the same time-honoured techniques introduced by George Smith himself, The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve is drawn predominantly from a range of traditional aged oak casks. The fruity profile for which we are renowned is complemented by selective use of first-fill American oak casks, which impart a delicious, contemporary twist of creaminess. We believe an expression born of traditional craftsmanship and modern innovation is a fitting homage to the original innovator of The Glenlivet.

Gentle citrus aromas of sweet orange are followed by sweet and zesty notes of oranges and pears, with hints of candy and toffee apples. Exceptionally well-balanced and smooth, with a long, creamy finish.

Available globally from March 2015, The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve is a dram that comes from 200 years of expertise.

Find out more Discover the flavours that make The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve unique

THREE STUNNING NEW CASK FINISHES FROM BENRIACH

THREE superb new expressions from The BenRiach Distillery Company Limited. Three examples of Master Distiller Billy Walker’s unique ability to marry whisky with wood to create complex, sublime drams.

From BenRiach itself come two intriguing single malts – the BenRiach 15 years old Sauternes finish and the BenRiach 18 years old Albariza which is a peated whisky finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks from Southern Spain.

And from its sister distillery GlenDronach there’s a new 18 years old Marsala cask finish which owes its distinctive flavour to the influence of a small number of Marsala hogsheads.

All three expressions are available from today (February 19).

The BenRiach 15 years old Sauternes wood finish is matured in the traditional style in American bourbon barrels, then finished in Sauternes casks from the Bordeaux region of France. Sauternes gives its name to an award-winning dessert wine and the finishing effect on the whisky is stunning, as the tasting notes reveal.

Colour: Rich antique gold.

Nose: Apricot jam and warm, peppery oak hold touches of crisp grape and mellow honeydew melon.

Taste: Golden plums and nectarines balanced by contrasting waves of toasted oak and grape seed followed by a delicate back note of ground almonds and butterscotch.

The BenRiach Albariza is distilled from peated malted barley, matured in American oak casks and then finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. The whisky has been named after the white soil with high chalk content whose characteristics make it the best type of soil for growing grapes used in the production of sherry. This whisky combines the distinctive BenRiach aroma of peat with a silky sherry sweetness to make it a memorable dram.

Colour: Rich burnt amber.

Nose: Sweet dates and ripe figs engulfed in a unique heather honeyed peat smoke, softening to hints of ripped herbs and sweet barley.

Taste: A sweet, sherried character holds lashings of vanilla, chocolate and rum-soaked raisins, all drenched with waves of intense campfire peat reek and a subtle white pepper and stem ginger warmth.

And the trio is completed with the GlenDronach 18 years old Marsala cask finish. This unique expression was initially matured in European oak casks and thereafter finished its maturation in a small batch of Marsala hogsheads.

The aromatic influence of the Italian fortified wine cask on the sweet Highland malt whisky is spectacular, creating a new layer of depth that stunningly marries together summer fruits with peppery oak spice.

Colour: Rich burnt amber edged with sparkling gold.

Nose: Golden syrup over stewed orchard fruits infused with a touch of candied ginger, hazelnut and warm, deep oak spices.

Taste: Richly-spiced wildflower honey pours over fire-roasted apples, softening to golden sultanas and ripe pear. All balanced with vibrant ginger, white pepper, fresh-cut oak and stewed barley.

Keep an eye on our websites (http://www.glendronachdistillery.com/ and http://www.benriachdistillery.co.uk/) and Facebook pages over the coming weeks for more information on these new releases, tasting notes and exclusive product photography.

Hot Rum Cow publisher, Fraser Allen (left) & World Whisky Day founder, Blair Bowman (right)

Hot Rum Cow magazine is delighted to announce that it has joined forces with World Whisky Day to take the event to the next stage of its rapid growth.

In formal terms, this means that Hot Rum Cow Publishing Ltd has acquired the assets of World Whisky Day Ltd and will be responsible for all aspects of the project with immediate effect.

Blair Bowman, the founder of World Whisky Day, is keen to explore other career opportunities but will continue to support World Whisky Day as a consultant. Furthermore, his name will remain firmly in place as the founding spirit of the event. Blair said: “I am delighted that the team at Hot Rum Cow are going to grow and develop World Whisky Day. I have no doubt that they will keep the flame alive and the legacy shall continue long into the future. Having created World Whisky Day from scratch on my own and built it up over three years this is the perfect next chapter. I am very excited about what the future holds.”

“We are thrilled by this opportunity,” said Fraser Allen, Publisher of Hot Rum Cow. “I first met Blair a couple of years ago when I interviewed him for the magazine. I was full of admiration for his thinking behind World Whisky Day and the enterprise he had shown in getting it up and running.

“To be able to take the event on and develop it in fresh directions whilst staying true to Blair’s founding principles is very exciting. Hot Rum Cow is all about celebrating and enjoying great drinks without pretension, which is very much the ethos behind World Whisky Day. Together we can take on the world and promote the wonders of good whisky and the stories behind an extraordinary drink.”

Cabinet Secretary for Food and Drink, Richard Lochhead, said: “World Whisky Day is a great way to celebrate Scotland’s iconic national drink and I am delighted it will continue in 2015, our Year of Food and Drink. It is sure to be one of the highlights of Whisky Month in May when we  will celebrate and promote the best of Scottish culture, music and our finest malts and blends to Scots and ‘Scots at heart’ at home and abroad.”

Mike Cantlay, VisitScotland Chairman, said: “World Whisky Day is a fantastic initiative and a chance for the world to raise a glass to Scotland’s national drink. It’s fitting that the event is embarking on an exciting new journey during the Year of Food and Drink 2015, a 12-month celebration of our natural larder and unique dining experiences. Sampling traditional food and drink is one of the top activities undertaken by visitors to Scotland, and with the return of Whisky Month in May, there is no better time to promote and showcase Scotland’s culinary delights.”

Scotland Food & Drink Chief Executive James Withers commented: “World Whisky Day has quickly become an established international celebration of Scotland’s iconic drink and most successful export. Events all across Scotland throughout 2015 are celebrating the natural larder and skilled producers that make our country a Land of Food and Drink. Taking place during the Year of Food and Drink’s Whisky Month, World Whisky Day events will extend beyond our shores, encouraging people around the globe to discover, enjoy and celebrate Scotland’s national drink.”

Kevin Stewart MSP, Aberdeen Central SNP, who hosted the official launch event for World Whisky Day last year at the Scottish Parliament commented: “I am very pleased that World Whisky Day is set to continue as it has done a great deal to promote our national drink internationally and at home. It’s great that in this, Scotland’s Year of Food and  Drink, the efforts of the World Whisky Day organisers will continue to ensure that our most famous product will continue to get the added exposure that World Whisky Day brings.”

The next World Whisky Day takes place on 16 May 2015. “Given the short time scales, we have to be pragmatic about this year,” says Fraser. “Therefore, the emphasis for 2015 will be very much on keeping momentum alive by promoting celebrations of whisky across the globe via social media in the same way that Blair began the event in 2012. However, we are working on plans to extensively relaunch the event in 2016. It’s going to be fun.”

Notes

World Whisky Day (www.worldwhiskyday.com) was launched in 2012 by Blair Bowman when he was still a student at the University of Aberdeen. Whilst studying abroad in Barcelona, Blair noticed on Twitter that people were celebrating World Gin Day.

After searching online, he was surprised to see that there wasn’t an established annual World Whisky Day – so he bought the domain name and kickstarted the event by spreading the word via social media.

By last year, World Whisky Day was annually attracting around 250,000 attendees to whisky-themed events in over 40 countries, with 12,000 followers on Twitter, and 16,000 likes on Facebook.

The event has been warmly supported by the Scottish Government and received extensive media coverage and participation from the whisky industry.

Hot Rum Cow (www.hotrumcow.co.uk) was also launched in 2012 by Fraser Allen, who believed there was a gap in the market for an intelligently written, beautifully designed drinks magazine aimed at enthusiastic and curious drinkers. Based in Edinburgh, the magazine is now on sale across the world in stores from Selfridges in London to the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and has a strong following in both its print and digital forms. Designed by Eric Campbell and edited by Simon Lyle, Hot Rum Cow has won several awards and is based in the offices of White Light Media, one of Scotland’s leading design and publishing agencies.

Scotland Food & Drink is an industry-led, commercially focused membership organisation which aims to grow the value of the country’s food and drink sector to £16.5bn by 2017 and build Scotland’s international reputation as a Land of Food and Drink www.scotlandfoodanddrink.org

TOMATIN HIGHLAND SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY CASK STRENGTH EDITION

This whisky is the first Cask Strength expression to be added to the Tomatin Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky core range, allowing us to showcase the true Tomatin style in its most natural state – natural colour, no chill filtration, full strength. Batch 1 was released in February 2015 at 57.5%. A marriage of full maturation Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry casks, it is spicy, sweet and smooth and an excellent addition to the range.

Cask Type: Matured in a combination of Bourbon barrels and Oloroso Sherry casks

Strength: Cask Strength – 57.5% alc./vol.

Distribution: Worldwide except USA

Price: RRP £44.99 per 70cl Bottlecl bottle

KEY POINTS

Brand new addition to the range in 2015. Limited stocks available – batch release – 15,000 bottles per annum. Permanent addition to the Tomatin core range. Natural Colour. Non chill filtered. UK brand positioning comparable to Glendronach Cask Strength, Glengoyne Cask Strength, Glenfarclas 105 and Aberlour A’bunadh

TASTING NOTES

AROMA Golden syrup. Orange and lemon. Pears. Walnuts.Ginger biscuits. Gets sweeter with time.
PALATE Marzipan, burnt sugar. Toasted malt loaf. Chestnuts.Polished leather. Vanilla flavoured tobacco.
FINISH Dry, with a developing spiciness.

THE MACALLAN UNVEILS THE 1824 MASTERS SERIES

The Macallan, the world’s ultimate luxury single malt whisky, has unveiled The 1824 Masters Series featuring two stunning decanters. The range, including Reflexion and No.6, features the finest single malt, 100% sherry seasoned in oak casks.  The Macallan’s Master Whisky Maker expertly crafted the whiskies to showcase the signature style of The Macallan and honour the beautiful spectrum of natural colour unique to this exceptional single malt.

Sitting atop Ruby within the current 1824 Series, these striking new decanters, each one magnificent in status and appearance, will carry whisky connoisseurs through the range to the crescendo of M, the halo of the entire series and the world’s most valuable single malt whisky.

This collection of exceptional single malt whiskies becomes increasingly dark and alluring, increasing in complexity as the chosen casks themselves become scarcer and the range progresses from Reflexion to No. 6.  This is testament to The Macallan’s Master Whisky Maker’s, Bob Dalgarno, meticulous selection of the most exceptional sherry seasoned oak casks.

Taking inspiration from The Macallan’s iconic triangle and the desire to showcase the whiskies stunning natural colours, the exquisite style and design of each decanter beautifully showcases the peerless spirit which defines The Macallan.

Ken Grier, Director of Malts, Edrington, says:  “The new 1824 Masters Series represents an extremely exciting development for The Macallan.  The stunning designs and overall imprint of this new collection are not only worthy of some of our most complex and precious single malt whiskies, they celebrate the very foundations that make The Macallan so special – our glorious range of natural colour and the outstanding quality of our casks .”

The Macallan Reflexion (43% ABV, £900) is a reflection of the foremost influence of first fill sherry seasoned oak casks, drawing its colour and flavour from maturation in hogshead casks.  These are smaller casks which allow for greater surface area of wood to interact with the spirit to deliver an intricate character driven by the influence of both Spanish and American oak casks.

Sculpted through the inspiration of The Macallan’s iconic triangular shape, Reflexion is a masterpiece both in style and stature.  Its exquisite angular facets each reflect the light to showcase the deep red mahogany hue of the whisky within.

The depth of the colour and the complexity of flavour of Reflexion derive from the casks selected for this distinctive expression by the Master Whisky Maker. Bold and full-bodied, Reflexion is a celebration of floral and vanilla notes, punctuated with fresh apples and apricots.

The Macallan No.6 (43% ABV, £2,800) brings together the art of The Macallan Master Whisky Maker with the exquisite craftsmanship of Lalique resulting in a piece of timeless elegance.  Exclusively designed and crafted for The Macallan, this flawless crystal decanter pays homage to the single malt’s heritage through its use of triangular facets representing the Six Pillars, incorporating the iconic triangular feature as a key element of its creation.

Silvio Denz, Chairman and CEO of Lalique, says: “Lalique is very proud to have contributed to the exquisite Macallan 1824 Masters Series N°6 Decanter. The angular shape of N°6 with its six facets was the outcome of our head designer’s excellent creativity and the work of Lalique’s master craftsmen. This collaboration reinforces Lalique’s long standing commitment to The Macallan and it has been a pleasure to create No.6, a unique object d’art.”

The classically beautiful Lalique decanter encases complex single malt made using only first fill Spanish sherry oak casks from a single Jerez cooperage.  The beautiful design enhances the enticing, rich dark walnut colour of a classic Macallan character, a celebration of richness, spice and dried fruit with a layer of heady orange groves.

The Macallan’s Master of Wood, Stuart MacPherson, says: “Wood sits at the very heart of what we do at The Macallan and this range further demonstrates the vital role of our casks in the production of these superb whiskies.  Our commitment to sherry seasoned oak casks is unquestionable and the Masters Series showcases The Macallan at its very best. ”

The Macallan 1824 Masters Series is a stunning collection of whiskies created to showcase the beautiful range of The Macallan’s natural colour.  As you move through the collection, each expression becomes increasingly dark and more complex, reflecting the careful selection of exceptional casks. The interaction of spirit and wood alone delivers the beautiful range of rich, natural colours that distinguish The Macallan whiskies.

Tasting notes:

Reflexion – 43% ABV

Colour:

Blood Orange

Aroma:

Orange and citrus fruits open up like fresh fruit on a sunny market day, their zest is fresh, the fruit is firm. A slight waxy note fades to fresh green apples. Then the sweet stall: chocolate, thick fudge, boiled sweets, aniseed; caramel toffees almost overwhelm whilst white chocolate truffles are hidden. Just as you are ready to taste, a delivery of bananas in fresh, sweet oak arrives.

Taste:

Initial light citrus zest with new oak quickly gives way to a juicier sweetness, thick and succulent, of lemon and orange. Raisin, sultana and apple, with a hint of cinnamon and ginger, are subtle. Boiled sweets add balance to a glimpse of toasted oak to give a medium and soft finish.

No.6 – 43% abv

Colour:

Spanish Sunset

Abv – 43%

Aroma:

Spanish oak casks deliver wonderful rich notes, elegant and polished. Raisin, dates and figs dominate like a mountain of fruit; sultana and toffee apples add texture and depth. The weight of flavour practically squeezes the juice from the raisins, dark and rich with great viscosity. Ginger and cinnamon gently dance around the edges – the ginger slightly dry, the cinnamon soft. Dark chocolate is majestic, whilst vanilla sweetness lingers in the background.

Taste:

Heavy and sumptuous. Like a rich fruit cake with raisin, dates and figs, apples, sultanas, orange; then ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and hints of clove. Oak notes are like velvet, soft and chic, silky smooth, this is a cake to savour with a long and full.

M – 44.7% ABV

Colour:

Rosewood

Aroma:

Dried fruits ripen, then soften showing off a velvet sateen. Vanilla accompanies green apple hand in hand neither taking the lead. Ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon create an ensemble in the background, with polished oak offering to overstate yet never does but plays with depths of resinous, juicy oranges.

Taste:

Opens rich in wood spices slowly showing all their viscosity. Wood smoke flits in and out. The heavier raisin and sultana flavours then take over, meandering to a long, full finish.

International whisky expert to headline Birmingham festival 

• Ian Buxton will launch new book during exclusive masterclass at Whisky Birmingham on 7 March
• Renowned whisky writer and expert has 30 years of industry experience
• Ian will host session exploring 5 whiskies from heritage distillery Bowmore
• Newly announced masterclass series to pair whisky with cigars, chocolate and cheese

An international whisky expert will make a headline appearance at the Whisky Birmingham festival on 7 March.

Whisky author and connoisseur Ian Buxton will host the first public signing of his new book But the Distilleries Went On: The Morrison Bowmore Story, during an exclusive masterclass on whiskies from the Bowmore distillery.

Ian Buxton is a best-selling whisky author and has spent thirty years in the industry. He is a judge for the World Whisky Awards and writes for a range of titles including Whisky Advocate and Whisky Quarterly.

He said:

“Traditionally Birmingham hasn’t been a whisky heartland, but something has happened over the past few years. There’s an exciting landscape growing, with retailers, bars and events like this one reaching a new and younger audience of whisky lovers. I’m really looking forward to being part of it.” 

Ian’s other whisky honours also include the highly regarded ‘Keeper of the Quaich’ and ‘Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers’.

His appearance is a coup for Whisky Birmingham, which started in 2012 with an attendance of 200.

Three years on, the festival has tripled its visitor capacity and will spread across two exhibition halls.

Amy Seton, founder of the festival, said:

“It’s a real honour to have Ian Buxton on board as he is greatly respected within the whisky world and has a wealth of knowledge to share with our visitors.”

Brands exhibiting will include BenRiach, Chivas Regal, The Glenlivet, Old Pulteney, Hard To Find Whisky and Laphroaig. There will be a special tasting session led by Highland distillery Balblair.

Local whisky expert Craig Mills will host a series of masterclasses pairing whisky with cheese, chocolate and cigars. There will also be street food by Soul Food Project and Peel and Stone.

The Whisky Birmingham 2015 festival takes place on 7 March 2015 at The Bond. Information and tickets are available at the official website.