WEST COAST WHISKY TOUR, MAY 2014. 

Our friends from Finland (Malt Whisky Association of Finland) once again came on tour with us, this time for a scenic west coast whisky tour. 

We started in Glasgow, driving to Oban, where the first distillery visit had been arranged; Oban distillery, a good tour and taste.  At 5pm we had a whisky tasting at the Oban whisky/wine shop, 3 good drams including Tobermory, really good! Group dinner followed, a good first day! 

Taking the 09.55 ferry to the Isle of Mull, first stop; Duart castle, home to the Macleans! A good and interesting tour here we had 7 in the group purchase the Maclean gathering special whisky; chosen by Charlie Maclean, and Adelphi 18 yo Tobermory. As Paul was on hand, he introduced his chief to the group, who signed the bottles!  Nice touch, he has not signed that many, so a good keepsake. From here to Tobermory, our next distillery tour. We all stayed in Tob overnight, met up at Macgochans pub for dinner and drinks, many thanks Neil for the drams! 

Day 3 we had to alter plans somewhat (in advance 2 days earlier) as calmac had changed the ferry to a much smaller boat, for the sail to Ardnamurchan, meaning we had sent our coach the night before on a round trip, to meet us at the ferry next day – it couldnee fit on this wee ferry! After a dram on the ferry, we met the coach and drove via tiny roads to Adelphi distillery, for a good tour and a great tasting. Not quite up and running yet, but we did taste two really good drams before sadly departing.  From here to Glenuig and lunch! Before our next and final ferry to the Isle of Skye. First call on the island; Gaelic whiskies, a good range of whisky at this independent bottler.  Highlight (for the very few) was a 30 year old, now no longer available – superb! From here the hour drive to our hotel, which by the way, had 400 whiskies behind the bar!

Day 4 we headed down to Talisker distillery – why are we here so early (09.30) Liz asked me, to get an early tour and a longer day I said, she didnee believe me – until we went in at 09.30!!! Lesley did a great job on our extended tour and extended taste! Many thanks Lesley, see you again soon. Leaving here for the road bridge and our lunch stop Eilean Donan castle.  Through some rain we headed to Loch Ness, staying at Drumnadrochit, dining at Fiddlers.  Jon did a great job, lots of great food and whisky, gin, wine and beers! Thanks for my aged drams Jon, went down smooth! A good night! 

Leaving at 9am, we headed through Inverness down to Perth for lunch, followed by the visit to Scotland’s smallest distillery; Strathearn (not, as the signs says still, Edradour), here Tony took us through the processes he uses, very traditional, tasted many gins, took lots of photos, a farm setting, surrounded by horses and cattle (smells).  Alas – from here we drove to Glasgow were there was a Scottish Cup Final being played at Parkhead – the Perth team, St Johnstone won! A final tasting at the hotel by a good friend of ours, with some very exclusive drams, we cannot mention – too exclusive! Then to waxy O’Connors pub for dinner.  A grand tour, we hope all went back to Finland happy – we do know a lot of whisky bottles went back! 

 Message from Mika Jansson, Finland; What a fab tour it was, many many MANY thanks to Liz and Paul!!! We all had a grand time, and saw many a beautiful places! 

The tour was worked with Mika Jansson in Finland, designed and operated by www.mcleanscotland.com

Story by Paul McLean

www.mcleanscotland.com

www.angelswhiskyclub.com

facebook; McLean whisky tours – more photos on facebook

Edward Norton leads Chivas Toast and honours FilmAid Christopher Hampton receives Filmmaker Award at the CHARLES FINCH FILMMAKERS DINNER.

As the film world’s elite gathered in Cannes, official Festival sponsor Chivas Regal, the world’s first luxury whisky paid tribute to its longstanding charity partner FilmAid at the Charles Finch Annual Filmmakers Dinner, as renowned actor and philanthropist, Edward Norton encouraged the industry to toast the community-spirited side of the world’s silver screen legends with a glass of Chivas Regal 25.

Held against the stunning backdrop of the Riviera and hosted by Charles Finch, the Annual Filmmakers Dinner was the most glamorous and exclusive place to dine at the start of the Festival’s first weekend and the world’s stars and cultural powerhouses were certainly in attendance, including Naomi Watts, Harvey Weinstein, Gael Garcia Bernal, Gemma Arterton, Bryan Ferry, Julian Schnabel, Lea Seydoux, and Gong Li, Daniel Bruhl, and Matt Smith.

Charles Finch of Finch & Partners and Chivas Regal 25 were proud to honour OSCAR-winning filmmakers, Alfonso Cuáron and Christopher Hampton. Hampton is an acclaimed British screenwriter and film director best known for films such as Dangerous Liaisons and Atonement and Cuáron, is perhaps best known for his recent OSCAR win for ‘Best Director’ for Gravity at this year’s Academy Awards. Both recipients were presented with the Filmmakers Award for their exceptional contributions to the film industry over the years. Previous recipients include: Bernardo Bertolucci, Terry Gilliam, Bertrand Tavernier and Jeremy Thomas.

The evening culminated with guest of honour Edward Norton leading a toast and presenting a cheque of $100,000 to Simon Goff of FilmAid on behalf of Chivas Regal 25. Norton is renowned for his award-nominated work both in front and behind the camera, and also for his lifelong support for social activism and philanthropy, and the donation demonstrates Chivas Regal 25’s on-going support for the charity that aims to use the power of film to bring aid, hope and education to refugees and other communities in need of help around the world.

Edward Norton commented: “It is a great pleasure to be here tonight at the Charles Finch Filmmakers Dinner, sponsored by Chivas Regal 25. To be able to present FilmAid with such a generous donation on behalf of Chivas Regal is a great honour. Philanthropy & activism are causes hugely important to me. Increasingly, we are seeing brands addressing social and environmental issues more than ever before. Charitable causes such as Filmaid need support in order to drive awareness and change consumer attitudes and behavior. With the help of partners like Chivas Regal around the world, FilmAid will be able to reach their next milestone.”

Simon Goff, Executive Director of Film Aid commented “At Film Aid we witness the power of film every day – to change lives, shape communities and give voice to refugees. We are very grateful to Chivas Regal for their ongoing support and commitment to our charity.”

Charles Finch, CEO of Finch and Partners commented: “We’re thrilled to be holding the annual Filmmakers dinner at the 67th Cannes Film Festival for the 6th year and we’re delighted that Chivas Regal 25 is supporting us. Since the beginning, we have honoured some incredible filmmakers including, Jeremy Thomas, Bertrand Tavernier, Terry Gilliam, most recently Bernardo Bertolucci, and this year is no exception with Christopher Hampton and Alfonso Cuáron.”

Richard Black, Global Brand Director, Chivas Regal added: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to honour Christopher Hampton and Alfonso Cuáron for their unrivalled contribution to the film industry at the Charles Finch Filmmakers’ Dinner. We are also pleased to be continuing our journey with such a prestigious charity whereby we can help change peoples’ lives through film. We look forward to another legendary year at the Cannes Film Festival.”

Notes

About Chivas Regal 25

Chivas Regal 25 – the pinnacle of the Chivas range – pays homage to the world’s first-ever luxury whisky, the original Chivas Regal blend, shipped from Scotland to New York in 1909. Enjoyed today by elite tastemakers around the globe, it is a unique blend of the finest whiskies, aged for at least a quarter of a century.

Dating back to the 1940s, Festival de Cannes is today considered the most iconic and glamorous film festival in the world. Chivas Regal is now in its sixth year as official partner of the Festival de Cannes – the most exclusive and celebrated international film festival.

Chivas Regal is a truly global brand, selling 4.8 million 9L cases annually in more than 150 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific and Americas. The Chivas Regal range is the epitome of style, substance and exclusivity and includes Chivas Regal 12, 18 and 25 Year Old.

About Finch & Partners

Finch & Partners is an international Creative Brand Consultancy bridging the gap between the world’s leading multinational brands and creative industries.

Finch & Partners was founded by Charles Finch, former Head of International Motion Pictures at the William Morris Agency in June 2005, and today is a creative brand consultancy proudly representing and advising the most distinguished artists, brands and institutions across the world.

From concept and strategy to execution and delivery, Finch & Partners’ fully integrated service offers specialist expertise in global luxury marketing, media management and all aspects of the entertainment business from film and television production to music and live entertainment events.

As a company built for the modern media age, Finch & Partners is at the forefront of branded content creation, capitalising on our experience and expertise to create compelling programming and resonant brand partnerships.

About Finch Foundation

The objective of the Finch Foundation is to use the Finch & Partners network of financially powerful corporations and influential individuals and institutions to further the careers of young visual artists in film and other areas of the arts. About Film Aid FilmAid uses the power of film and media to transcend language and literacy, bringing life-saving information, psychological relief and much-needed hope to refugees and other communities in need around the globe

Chivas Regal 25, the world’s first luxury whisky, were proud to be the official partners of The Rover premiere party starring Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson at the 67th Festival de Cannes.

Set at the exclusive La Gold Plage (across from the Hotel Martinez), guests mingled with the stars of the movie Robert Pattinson, Guy Pearce and director David Michôd at the official film premiere party. Guests enjoyed specially crafted Chivas cocktails inspired by the glamour of Cannes and the French Riveria before departing to The Palais De Festival for the official screening of The Rover – a drama directed by David Michôd set in the Australian outback.

In addition to this event during the festival, Chivas Regal also host more than 75 VIPs from around the world as part of a unique 24-hour VIP experience that celebrates the legendary glamour of Cannes and Chivas Regal 25. Guests also enjoy a night at the iconic Grand Hyatt Cannes Hôtel Martinez, a red carpet makeover at the Chivas Regal Salon 25, a view of Cannes from the harbour aboard the Chivas 25 Yacht. Guests are also treated to a private dining experience at two Michelin starred La Palme d’Or where they enjoy a bespoke tasting menu, pairing Chivas cocktails with the finest seasonal French Cuisine, created by Chivas Global Brand Ambassador Max Warner and chef Christian Sinicropi.

Richard Black, Brand Director, Chivas Regal said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be part of The Rover film premiere party at Festival de Cannes as part of our whole program. Our Global Brand Ambassador, Max Warner, has created a menu of exquisite cocktails to serve at the party in honour of this event. This is sure to be another legendary year at the festival and we are excited to be part of it again.

”Chivas Regal 25 – the pinnacle of the Chivas range – pays homage to the world’s first-ever luxury whisky, the original Chivas Regal blend, shipped from Scotland to New York in 1909. Enjoyed today by elite tastemakers around the globe, it is a unique blend of the finest whiskies, aged for at least a quarter of a century.

Dating back to the 1940s, Festival de Cannes is today considered the most iconic and glamorous film festival in the world. 

Ardbeg Auriverdes with Dr Bill Lumsden – liquid football!

It’s almost that time of year again – Ardbeg Day, with events happening all around the world.

Each year the distillery releases a limited-edition whisky to commemorate the day (click here for our post on last year’s Ardbog or here for 2012′s Ardbeg Day).

This year’s bottling, being a World Cup year, is named Auriverdes (the nickname of the Brazilian football team) and I was given the opportunity to speak to the Ardbeg (and Glenmorangie) Director of Distilling, Whisky Creation & Whisky Stocks, Dr Bill Lumsden, about the latest release.

A Scot holding aloft the World Cup? Er, no, it’s Dr Bill Lumsden with the new Ardbeg Auriverdes

While it is being released just before the start of the World Cup, the original inspiration for the bottling was nothing to do with it. ‘I wanted to create a particular flavour,’ he told us, ‘the target image in my mind was a basket of soft fruits.’ The whisky was distilled back in 2002 and is 10-11 years old. Its tweak on the regular Ardbeg 10 year old is that it was matured in second fill ex-bourbon casks, each fitted with a specially toasted head – specially toasted in a secret manner.

It slots quite easily in to the general Ardbeg line-up, being inspired by some of the other whiskies that Dr Bill has created over the years, but it is still its own animal. ‘I’m not just doing another Alligator,’ he said, ‘those barrels were unbelievably charred. Auriverdes is altogether more gentle; it is almost my beloved 1977, almost Airigh Nam Beist. It’s a cross between Airigh Nam Beist with a bit of Alligator thrown in.’ Switching from a heavy char to a toast really makes a difference.

Despite not starting out as a World Cup tie-in, it has certainly now become one. Ardbeg Day is now celebrated around the world, and this year’s they will be focusing on football-related events.

Here in the UK, there’s the Ardbeg Peat Football Championship, for which St Andrew’s Square in Edinburgh will be turned into a peat-bog football pitch – all the Ardbeg embassies have been invited to take part, and we will have a TWE team up there on the day (hopefully) doing us proud.

One thing we couldn’t pass up the chance to ask about was the recent auction sales of the special-edition gold bottles of Auriverdes, sent out to a few lucky writers and retailers. While Dr Bill isn’t a big fan of limited editions and single casks, as there are so many loyal fans that won’t get the change to taste them, he understands that certain bottlings will always be collectable. His view on the £2,500 auction prices for the gold Auriverdes bottles was clear – ‘…it was absolutely inevitable that it would happen.’ Ardbeg will certainly be thinking twice about doing something similar again in the future.

Stuart and I were then offered a chance to taste the Auriverdes for ourselves:

Ardbeg Auriverdes. 49.9%. £79.95

Rocky:

Nose: Notes of dark chocolate, mocha, tar, peat and vanilla.

Palate: A creamy texture, with the mocha notes continuing, being joined by liquorice, tropical hints of pineapple and mango, and a whack of vanilla from the bourbon barrels. The peat is on the lighter side for an Ardbeg and isn’t overpowering.

Finish: Pretty long finish with the fruity notes slowly dissipating to leave spicy liquorice and peat smoke.

Comment: The peat is nowhere near as strong as I was expecting, with the toasting balancing it elegantly. This Ardbeg Day release is certainly very different in style to the previous editions, but is just as intriguing.

Stuart:

Nose: Hang on, this is Ardbeg? Much lighter than expected, with the peat fighting for survival against the toasty oak, mocha and peppery notes.

Palate: Creamy coffee to the fore, joined by dark chocolate and mocha, then a refreshing peachy character kicks in alongside peat and black pepper.

Finish: The creamy fruitiness gives way to the trademark (if subdued) Ardbeg peat.

Comment: After some of Ardbeg’s recent big-hitting releases, this is an intriguing, pastel-shaded malt.

It will be available in our shop on Saturday 31 May and online the following day. Bottles are available for pre-order on the website.

Originally published on The Whisky Exchange Blog – Ardbeg Auriverdes with Dr Bill Lumsden – liquid football!

Full Line-Up Announced For Bushmills Live™ 2014

James Vincent McMorrow, Luke Sital-Singh, Matthew And The Atlas, Rubblebucket, David C. Clements and Levity Breaks Confirmed To Join The 1975 And Tired Pony at the festival of handcrafted whiskey and music 

Bushmills Village: 28th May 2014; The full line-up has been announced for the ‘Bushmills Live 2014’ festival which will take place on June 12 at the Old Bushmills Distillery on Ireland’s spectacular north coast, where the art of distilling whiskey has been perfected over centuries. 

A host of up-and-coming acts from Ireland, UK and America will join headliners THE 1975, along with Gary Lightbody’s supergroup TIRED PONY at the world’s only festival of handcrafted whiskey and music in an Irish Whiskey Distillery. 

Dublin’s JAMES VINCENT MCMORROW is renowned for his incredible live performances and has recently sold out the Sydney Opera House and a string of tour dates in America. The Guardian has described his voice as “rich and soulful” and asserted that his second album Post Tropical (released earlier this year) delivers “moments of magnificence.” 

Joining McMorrow on the line-up is English singer/songwriter LUKE SITAL-SINGH who was nominated for the BBC’s “Sound of 2014”. Luke’s mentor is friend of Bushmills Live and TIRED PONY member Iain Archer. Luke said: “Iain and I shared the occasional Bushmills while making my debut album and he’s always talked about the unique atmosphere at Bushmills Live. I’m very excited to experience it for myself!” 

The winner of last year’s Bushmills Live Legacy Fund – an initiative set-up to help artists’ career progression – DAVID C. CLEMENTS is returning to play the main stage having toured with SNOW PATROL and ED SHEERAN recently. The winner of this year’s Legacy Fund, home-grown Belfast band LEVITY BREAKS, will also perform. 

Two other acclaimed artists – MATTHEW AND THE ATLAS and RUBBLEBUCKET – complete the line-up. MOJO magazine described MATTHEW AND THE ATLAS as being “like a Brit Bon Iver”. The band is fronted by Matthew Hegarty and have been championed by MUMFORD & SONS, while Brooklyn-based RUBBLEBUCKET have won a Boston Music Award for Live Act of the Year. 

Thousands of whiskey and music fans entered an online competition at facebook.com/bushmills to win tickets to ‘Bushmills Live 2014’ and the 700 lucky festival-goers are set to enjoy the perfect mix of handcrafted whiskey and music in the unique surroundings of the distillery. 

Bushmills Irish Whiskey Master Distiller Colum Egan said: “It’s fantastic to have such a rich and varied array of talent coming to play at the distillery – from Brooklyn to Belfast and beyond. 

“Excellent whiskey, enjoyed responsibly, and great melodies are best enjoyed among friends and, with that in mind, we decided that this year’s festival would be curated by the artists themselves. Many of the acts performing already enjoy close bonds and are sure to strike up new ones on what promises to be a brilliant day of music. I can’t wait!” 

Notes 

About Bushmills Live

Bushmills Live is an annual music festival which hosts both iconic and emerging artists for a series of intimate gigs in age-old buildings at the historic Old Bushmills Distillery, where the art of distilling has been perfected over generations. 

Tickets to Bushmills Live are no longer available – tickets were not available for sale but were won via a competition on Facebook. To find out more, visit facebook.com/bushmills.

Keep up with Bushmills Irish Whiskey at: Facebook: facebook.com/bushmills Twitter: @BushmillsGlobal 

About ‘TIRED PONY’ 

TIRED PONY are Gary Lightbody (Snow Patrol), Peter Buck (REM), Iain Archer, Richard Colburn (Belle and Sebastian), Scott McCaughey, Troy Stewart and producer/multi-instrumentalist Garret “Jacknife” Lee. They have released two albums: 2010’s The Place We Ran From and last year’s The Ghost of the Mountain. 

About ‘The 1975’

‘The 1975’ are an English alternative rock/indie band based in Manchester. The group consists of Matthew Healy (vocals/guitar), Adam Hann (guitar), George Daniel (drums) and Ross MacDonald (bass). Their self-titled debut album was released on 2 September 2013 and debuted at No. 1 in the UK Albums Chart. 

About Bushmills Irish Whiskey


Bushmills Irish Whiskey is hand crafted in small batches for a smooth taste at Ireland’s oldest working distillery, in Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland. The Old Bushmills Distillery’s portfolio includes seven award-winning variants: Bushmills, Bushmills Black Bush™, Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt, Bushmills 16 Year Old Single Malt, Bushmills 21 Year Old Single Malt, our anniversary edition, Bushmills 1608 and Bushmills Irish Honey Spirit Drink. 

About Diageo


Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, J&B, Buchanan’s, Windsor and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people and its brands, visit http://www.diageo.com/. For Diageo’s global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit www.DRINKiQ.com.

A note from the folks at Echlinville Distillery;

Echlinville Distillery is the first licensed Irish whiskey distillery in Northern Ireland in over 125 years. The distillery is set in the magnificent grounds of the Echlinville Estate located within the Ards Peninsula. We are blessed with perfect surroundings & a unique micro climate, making the location perfect for whiskey production.

Our current range of maturing stock will allow us in time to release Pot Still & Malt Irish Whiskeys from August 2016. In the meantime we are lovingly taking care of the barrels we have filled with the finest distillate casked between 63.5% & 70% abv.
 To celebrate the founding of the Echlinville Distillery, we present you with the Patron’s Promise, an inaugural distillation of only 144 casks of the finest Irish Whiskey.

Selectively available to collectors and connoisseurs, each cask of this strictly limited edition distillation will be individually and expertly matured by our distilling team, creating a Single Malt or Pot Still Irish Whiskey uniquely tailored to your individual taste.

To mark this momentous occasion, all purchasers will be cited as distillery ‘Patrons’ & will appear on a commemorative celebratory wall for evermore.
Please find attached a list of current cask options and pricing with more options to become available soon. In order to find out more details please contact Echlinville Distillery at: info@echlinville.com

*For full terms and conditions please visit www.echlinville.com*

BOURBON IS HOT, SO IS SUMMER—EVAN WILLIAMS KENTUCKY SLUSH TO COOL DOWN CONSUMERS IN SELECT TEST MARKETS 

Evan Williams Introduces the Coolest Way for Bourbon Drinkers to Refresh Their Summer 

LOUISVILLE, KY—Heaven Hill Distilleries, producers of Evan Williams, are giving Bourbon lovers in select markets a new way to chill out this summer—Evan Williams Kentucky Slush.  The only Bourbon-based pre-mixed cocktail, Evan Williams Kentucky Slush is made with real Evan Williams Bourbon and the natural flavors of Lemonade, Orange Juice, and Sweet Tea, and can be frozen, poured or blended.  It is best served frozen in the bottle or any personal container, blended with ice for an instant frozen Bourbon Slush, or simply poured straight on the rocks. 

As the Bourbon category grows year after year, now surpassing 16 million cases in the US and topping the $1 billion mark in exports for the first time, traditional seasonal trends, whereby consumers trade in their whiskeys for “white goods”—Gin and Vodka—during the summer months, have largely gone by the wayside. In fact, share of Bourbon consumption is now as high in July and August as January and February.  Given this trend, and given the dynamic growth of Evan Williams Bourbon, named both an Impact “Hot Brand” and a Beverage Information Group “Growth Brand” this year, Heaven Hill is test marketing Evan Williams Kentucky Slush in 11 markets this summer. Test markets will include Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. 

Evan Williams Kentucky Slush will be shipping mid to late May, and is to be available in market at off-premise accounts from June until August in a 1.75 liter PET bottle suitable for storage in the freezer.  Strongly branded with the Evan Williams logo and graphic theme, Evan Williams Kentucky Slush is intended to be merchandised and displayed within the Bourbon aisle using the POS materials made available, either on the shelf or as part of an impactful floor display.  All marketing materials, from case cards to posters and bottle neckers, use the tagline “For Seriously Refreshing Bourbon…Just Chill.”  Evan Williams Kentucky Slush is bottled at 25 proof or 12.5% alc./vol, which is a higher proof than other similar slush-type products, with an average national suggested retail price for the 1.75 liter bottle of $14.99. 

“As the Evan Williams brand franchise grows, we have identified additional usage opportunities, and one of these is clearly to expand Bourbon as a refresher during the hot summer months,” said Susan Wahl, Senior Brand manager, Whiskeys, at Heaven Hill.  “We know through both research and anecdotal evidence that many of our newer Evan Williams consumers look for different, more refreshing ways to drink Bourbon in the summer, whether at backyard cookouts, at the lake, or other summer gatherings.  We feel that we have a great taste profile, and with the flexibility to freeze it straight in the bottle, blend it with ice, or simply pour it on the rocks, we look for great results in our 11 test markets.”    

Founded in 1934, Bardstown,KY-based Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams Bourbon; Burnett’s Vodkas and Gin; Admiral Nelson’s and Blackheart Rums; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; The Christian Brothers Brandies; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Lunazul Tequila; Cinerator Hot Cinnamon Flavored Whiskey and Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey.  Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely. Drink Wisely.”

A DRAM FOR ALL DADS

If you’re looking for the perfect gift this Father’s Day, then look no further than our handpicked selection of award-winning single malt whisky… 

The Macallan Gold

Why not treat your Dad to a bottle of The Macallan Gold, the first expression in the innovative 1824 Series, which showcases this single malt’s natural colour and is matured in 100% sherry seasoned oak casks. The Macallan Gold has notes of vanilla followed by dark chocolate, with lingering floral and light oak notes. The Macallan Gold is available in multiple retailers including Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons (RRP £35.99). www.themacallan.co.uk  

Highland Park 12 Year Old 

Highland Park 12 Year Old is the perfect gift for Dad’s who are fans of flavour. This single malt whisky boasts a honey sweetness, followed by fruity notes with a hint of gentle smoke and a flavour that just keeps on delivering. Highland Park 12 Year Old is available at multiple retailers including Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons and Co-op (RRP £34.04). www.highlandpark.co.uk. 

Laphroaig 10 Year Old 

The classic 10 Year Old Laphroaig offers a bold smoky taste followed by a hint of seaweed and a surprising sweetness. This is the foundation of the iconic Laphroaig range and makes the perfect Father’s Day gift for fans of the unique peaty character offered in any of Laphroaig’s signature expressions. Laphroaig 10 Year Old is available in all major multiples including Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Asda (RRP £35.10). www.laphroaig.com 

Ardmore Traditional Cask 

Ardmore Traditional Cask is the perfect whisky for a Dad who appreciates time honoured craftsmanship. Ardmore has continued to adhere to their traditional ways of distilling since 1898, when the distillery was first founded. This single malt whisky offers a full and rich taste, with unique and rare highland peat-smoke tones, followed by a smooth, subtle sweetness. Ardmore Traditional Cask is available in selected major multiples including Asda and all good whisky shops (RRP £32). www.ardmorewhisky.com

LCBO RELEASES FIRST ONTARIO SINGLE MALT WHISKY 

Vaughan, Ontario, May 23, 2014 – Still Waters Distillery announces the release of its STALK & BARREL SINGLE MALT WHISKY at the LCBO. This is the first Single Malt Whisky to be distilled, aged and bottled in Ontario. The whisky, available in limited quantities, will be launched at the Summerhill LCBO store on May 31, 2014. The distillers will be on hand from 11:30am until 3:30pm to meet customers, offer samples, and sign bottles. They will also be at the Oakville LCBO on Cornwall Drive on June 7 from 4:00pm to 7:00pm.  

STALK & BARREL SINGLE MALT WHISKY was first released last year directly by the distillery and in other markets, but this is the first LCBO release. It has received excellent reviews from critics and consumers alike. It is bottled as a single cask offering in individually numbered bottles. The whisky is made by hand from 100% Canadian two-row malted barley in small batches in a custom built copper pot still. It is bottled with no chill-filtering or artificial colouring. 

Distiller and company co-founder, Barry Bernstein, said, “We set out to restore the tradition of small batch craft distilling in Ontario that goes back centuries. We are excited to be releasing Ontario’s first craft whisky.” Barry Stein, co-founder and fellow distiller remarked, “We are pleased with the support the LCBO has given to locally produced products that consumers are now seeking”. 

Still Waters Distillery is Ontario’s first craft distillery. Their focus is on handmade whiskies, with their STALK & BARREL SINGLE MALT WHISKY being the first release. A 100% rye whisky will be released in the fall. They also produce an award-winning blended Canadian whisky, and an award-winning vodka. They are the recipient of the 2013 Canadian Whisky Awards, “Distillery of the Year”.