IRISH DISTILLERS TAKES TOP HONOURS IN JIM MURRAY’S WHISKY BIBLE 2014 

Jameson Original revealed as ‘Top Irish Blend’ & Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength is named ‘Irish Whiskey of the Year’ and ‘Irish Pot Still of the Year’

Jameson Original has been crowned ‘Irish Blend of the Year’ for the third year running in the recently-released 2014 edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

Recognising the consistent, crafted quality and smooth taste which has made the whiskey a worldwide favourite, Murray gave Jameson Original an impressive 95/100 points, remarking that he was “blown away as usual” and that “this very special whiskey remains in truly wondrous form”.

In further good news for Irish Distillers, Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength whiskey was once again named both ‘Irish Whiskey of the Year’ and ‘Irish Pot Still of the Year’, with a record score for an Irish whiskey of 97/100 points, reinforcing Irish Distillers’ reputation for crafted excellence across all areas of the Irish Whiskey category. Irish Distillers’ Midleton 1991 Single Cask No. 48750 was Jim Murray’s next highest-scoring Irish whiskey, with 96.5 points.

Murray was also effusive in his praise for the new-strength Powers Gold Label 43.2%, which launched in the USA in September this year, complementing its powerful “big Irish pot still hardness” and stating that it’s balance was “all to do with the extra pot still which here acts as backbone and muscle.”

PADDY Centenary Edition, a pure pot still limited edition which was released in September to commemorate 100 years of the PADDY brand, was also scored highly, achieving 93 points.

Brian Nation, Irish Distiller’s Master Distiller, commented: “We’re over the moon that so many of our whiskeys have been recognized for their high quality by Jim Murray. Plaudits like this mean a lot to all of us at the Midleton Distillery; we take great pride in ensuring the consistency and high standards that whiskey fans have come to expect from our whiskeys, so to receive this recognition from such an eminent figure in the whiskey world as Jim Murray is a great honour.”

The success in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible follows a momentous year for Irish Distillers, which saw the company unveil a host of new initiatives – including its new Garden Stillhouse and the first-ever Irish Whiskey Academy – as it aims to continue the Irish whiskey category’s consistently strong growth.

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible Award Wins for Irish Distillers:

Jameson – 95 points

Jameson Select Reserve Black Barrel – 91.5 points

Jameson Gold Reserve – 88 Points

Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve 2007 – 96 points

Jameson Signature Reserve – 93 points

Jameson 18 Year Old Limited Reserve – 91 points 

Midleton Single Pot Still Cask 1991 – 96.5 points

Midleton Single Pot Still Single Cask 1994 – 93 points

Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy – 94 points

Paddy Centenary Edition – 93 points

Powers John’s Lane Release Aged 12 Years – 91 points

Powers Signature Release – 91 points

Redbreast 12 Year Old – 89 points

Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength batch1/11– 96 points

Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength batch1/12 – 97 points

Redbreast Aged 15 Years bottle 12 – 96 points

Green Spot – 94.5 points

Yellow Spot Aged 12 Years – 88.5 points 

About Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard

Irish Distillers Group 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 board of directors decided to close the existing distilleries in Cork and Dublin, and to consolidate production at a new purpose-built facility.

A site alongside the existing distillery in Midleton, Co. Cork was chosen as the location for the new distillery, as there was no room for expansion in Dublin. Both the Old Jameson Distillery and the Old Midleton Distillery currently operate as visitor centres attracting over 330,000 visitors annually. Following an early unsolicited takeover offer and one of the most protracted battles in Irish corporate history made by GrandMet, Allied-Lyons and Guinness, Irish Distillers was taken over by Pernod Ricard in June 1988 with the support of the management and employees.  

Irish whiskey brands within the Irish Distillers’ portfolio include Jameson, Paddy and Powers, with Single Pot Still brands, Green Spot, Yellow Spot, Redbreast and the much-revered Midleton, which includes prestigious expressions such as Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy and Midleton Very Rare.  

Whisky Ramblings Via Video #70

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries the Arran 16 Year Old 1996 Private Cask bottling for Jan Vissers, the proud ambassador for Arran in Belgium. And guess what: not only is it the darkest Arran he has tried, it is even the best.

http://youtu.be/w4UOuKvLZuI

UK WINNER NETS PRIZE FOR ‘TALES OF THE SEA’ DESIGN COMPETITION

Bunnahabhain offers Fishermen’s Mission support line

Bunnahabhain Islay single malt Scotch whisky has announced the winner of its UK design competition in partnership with The Fishermen’s Mission, a charity which cares for the families of fishermen lost or injured at sea.

The announcement comes at the start of the most perilous time of the year for commercial fishing, which is commonly recognised as one of the most dangerous occupations in the world.

The Tales of the Sea challenge was set up to nurture emerging design talent while also raising funds to help The Fishermen’s Mission, the only charity which provides emergency support alongside practical and emotional care to help fishermen and their families.

Topping hundreds of entrants, winner Mathilda Holmqvist will see her label produced on a limited-release Bunnahabhain expression which will be launched during the Feis Ile 2014 in support of the charity, with a percentage of the proceeds donated to the Mission.

Over 13,000 men and women are employed in the UK’s toughest and most dangerous peacetime occupation – inshore and deep sea commercial fishing. They face fatal injury on a daily basis and are 115 times more likely to suffer a fatal accident than the rest of the nation’s workforce.

The competition, which launched in April, was open to amateur and professional designers who were asked to design a contemporary label based on the return of the brand’s iconic travelling Helmsman to the safety of Bunnahabhain Distillery.

Tales of the Sea drew a high calibre of entries from across the UK including submissions from Glasgow School of Art, Leeds College of Art and Edinburgh College of Art. The judging panel included:

• Alison Godfrey, Director of Fundraising, The Fishermen’s Mission
• Ann Cleeves, crime author
• Brian Ferguson, Arts Correspondent, The Scotsman / Scotland on Sunday
• Rob Alderson, Editor, It’s Nice That
• Michelle Lansdowne, Senior Brand Manager, Burn Stewart Distillers
• Kirstie McCallum, Global Brands Ambassador, Burn Stewart Distillers
• Zoe Patterson, Programme Director of Graphic Design and Director of Undergraduate, Design School, Edinburgh College of Art
• Malcom Stewart, Creative Director, Tayburn

Alison Godfrey , Director of Fundraising for the Fishermen’s Mission, said: “We are thrilled to be part of this project with Bunnahabhain. Their enthusiasm and commitment to helping promote and support our work has been wonderful. The image selected is an exceptional depiction of some of the realities of fishing; being exposed to the elements of the sea and the weather and the physical efforts still involved in being a fisherman are well represented.”

Fishing remains the most dangerous peacetime occupation in the UK. In the past week, for example, five fishermen were rescued from their sinking boat off the Cornwall coast in the early hours of the morning and taken to The Fishermen’s Mission Newlyn centre to be cared for; just a few days later, a fisherman lost his life in North Shields.

Alison continues: “As well as working with active fishermen, we also support retired fishermen and their families. This is a significant part of our work which is sometimes sad and often difficult, but absolutely vital. Our thanks go to our friends, such as those at Bunnahabhain, for their help.”

Winner, Mathilda Holmqvist, who grew up in rural Sweden, said: “I am fascinated by storytelling and love how images can help convey stories in a more personal way. I am interested in the direct relationship that illustration has with the viewer, how an image can offer inspiration, comfort, joy or even an element of surprise and how it communicates an idea in a different way than words alone.”

Judge Michelle Lansdowne of Burn Stewart said: “After careful deliberation from the judges, the winning design was chosen for its atmospheric representation of the Helmsman returning home to the shelter of Bunnahabhain and the clear message it portrayed of the challenges faced by fishermen.

“Islay’s link with the fishing industry dates back centuries and we are thrilled to be able to support The Fishermen’s Mission. To drive awareness of the project and encourage support for the charity we have asked Mathilda to attend the Islay Whisky Festival next year to talk through her design with the hundreds of international visitors that annually attend and to sign individual bottles, which will make this special edition even more exceptional.”

Mathilda recently visited Scotland to take part in the production of the label at Tayburn design studios in Edinburgh, followed by a trip to Islay to visit Bunnahabhain Distillery. The Tales of the Sea film can be viewed here http://youtu.be/RFLFQHZvpEE

Notes

About Bunnahabhain: The multi-award winning Bunnahabhain is the flagship malt whisky from Burn Stewart Distillers and is exported to over 30 countries globally. Unlike its neighbouring distilleries on the Island, Bunnahabhain embodies “the gentle taste of Islay”, as it is the only non-peated Islay malt. Situated on the northern shore of Islay, Distillery Bunnahabhain was founded in 1881 by William Robertson and brothers James and William Greenless. Bunnahabhain is Gaelic for ‘mouth of the river’ and the distillery is situated right at the shoreline, close to where the Margadale River flows into Bunnahabhain Bay.

www.bunnahabhain.com

About Fishermen’s Mission

The Fishermen’s Mission is a national UK charity founded in 1881 to support Fishermen and their families. We are the only fishermen’s charity that provides emergency support alongside practical and emotional care. We help all fishermen, active or retired, and their families. We do this by:

• Offering immediate assistance, day or night, to the families of fishermen who have been killed or seriously injured
• Looking after the survivors of fishing boat accidents• Helping injured or ill fishermen to find medical help• Finding emergency housing and food if necessary
• Supporting fishermen’s families in the case of illness, distress or financial difficulties•
• Alleviating loneliness by visiting retired fishermen and their families at home or in hospital
• Offering welfare and support to overseas fishermen, working in the UK fishing industry, especially those who have to live on board boats• Providing Christian pastoral and practical help, including problems with debt, sickness, bereavement, family difficulties, debt and addiction problems.
• In 2012, The Fishermen’s Mission met with 3,300 fishermen, conducted 233 funerals, helped 1,748 fisherfolk access grants totalling £896,866 and made 7,351 welfare visits.

The Fishermen’s Mission is a national charity registered in Scotland as SC039088 and England and Wales 232822.

Further details about the Fishermen’s Mission can be found at www.fishermensmission.org.uk

A. Smith Bowman Distillery Releases Limited Edition Port Finished Bourbon

Fredericksburg, VA. (Nov., 2013) – A. Smith Bowman Distillery announces the last release in its Abraham Bowman line for 2013, the Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Port Finished Bourbon.

This bourbon is 12 years old, and the barrels used to age it have had a long journey. In October of 2011 four used bourbon barrels that had held Bowman Brothers Bourbon since 2007 were given to a local Fredericksburg winery. The winery in turn aged their port wine inside these barrels for 15 months. The barrels were then returned to A. Smith Bowman in April 2013 and subsequently filled with bourbon that had been made in March 2001. The bourbon was finished inside the port barrels for an additional four months. In August of 2013, the A. Smith Bowman team tasted the bourbon and felt it was ready to bottle.

“The Port Finished Bourbon has aromas of dark cherry and dried stone finish with brown spice, vanilla, and caramel. It has a great palate weight and body, with a silky smooth mouth feel, said Brian Prewitt, master distiller, A. Smith Bowman Distillery. “The flavors of grain and spice pleasantly linger on the palate in the finish.”

Unlike the previous Abraham Bowman Port Finished Bourbon that was released in the fall of 2012, this year’s release has been aged four more years (12 years and four months total) but spent less time in the used port barrels – four months this time, and eight months last year. A different winery was used as well for the barrel exchange.

The Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Whiskey Port Finished Bourbon is part of a series of limited edition whiskies. Each edition is a different expression that is released a few times a year. “The Abraham Bowman brand is a fun line to experiment with, and I’m looking forward to coming up with more creations in the future,” added Prewitt. The Abraham Bowman Port Finished Bourbon will be available starting in late November. It is a very limited supply. Suggested retail pricing is $69.99 and Alcohol by Volume is 50% (100 proof.)

About A. Smith Bowman
A. Smith Bowman’s distilling roots date back to the years before Prohibition when the Bowman family had a granary and dairy farm in Sunset Hills, Virginia. They used excess grain from the family estate to distill spirits. In 1934, after the Repeal of Prohibition, Abram Smith Bowman and his sons continued the family tradition and built a more modern distillery in Fairfax County, Virginia called Sunset Hills Farm. In response to the rapid rise of taxes in Northern Virginia, the Distillery was moved in 1988 and is now nestled in Spotsylvania County near the city of Fredericksburg, 60 miles away from the original location.

As a small and privately owned company, A. Smith Bowman Distillery continues the time-honored traditions on which it was founded. Considered a micro-distillery by today’s standards, A. Smith Bowman produces an assortment of hand-crafted spirits distilled from only the finest natural ingredients and using the latest technology. This micro-distillery focuses on the production of premium spirits honoring the legacy of Virginia’s first settlers. For more information on A. Smith Bowman, please visit www.asmithbowman.com.

ROYAL SALUTE CELEBRATES THE SPORT OF KINGS WITH LIMITED EDITION POLO BOTTLE 

Royal Salute, the world’s leading luxury Scotch whisky, is launching its first-ever World Polo Limited Edition in celebration of its shared values and intrinsic links with polo, the ‘sport of kings’.

The new offering, which contains a special batch of the legendary Royal Salute 21 Year Old, is expected to be highly sought-after by whisky collectors and connoisseurs around the world when it launches in markets and global travel retail from December.

The striking new bottle celebrates the international footprint of polo, featuring the names and locations of various Royal Salute World Polo events, including: The Royal Salute Polo Cup in Jeju, Korea; The Maharaja of Jodhpur Golden Jubilee Cup in Jodphur, India; The Royal Salute China Open in Bejing, China; and The Royal Salute Jubilee Cup in Greenwich, USA. A white “sporting stripe” emblazoned on the front of the gift box is an instantly recognisable design cue that further highlights the expression’s sporting links and provides strong on-shelf presence.

Neil Macdonald, Royal Salute Global Brand Director comments: “With the expansion of the Royal Salute World Polo Series and with Facundo Pieres, the world’s No.1 polo player joining the team as our global brand ambassador, Royal Salute’s links with polo are now stronger than ever. For that reason, we felt it was extremely fitting for us to mark Royal Salute’s relationship with this prestigious sport by launching this special Limited Edition.”

“We’re delighted to be able to offer Royal Salute fans across the world the opportunity to own this unique new batch of our prestigious 21 Year Old, which our Master Blender, Colin Scott, has crafted with the utmost care. We believe this new expression will be a real collectors’ item and will appeal to our loyal fans’ passionate connection to both the brand and its polo associations. It is a distinctive whisky that befits the traditions and values of Royal Salute; combining age and craftsmanship to create a Scotch whisky of finesse and rich complexity. These factors combined are guaranteed to create great interest across the globe this Christmas.”

Colin Scott, Master Blender for Royal Salute, continues: “Creating this whisky has been a great honour. It has immeasurable depth with rich aromas and scents of apples, ripe plums and creamy toffee with a hint of spiciness and a long, luxurious finish. It’s an exquisite taste, for an exquisite sport – a like-minded union with shared values.”

Royal Salute World Polo Limited Edition will be rolled out globally from December 2013 with a RRP of 150 $USD.

Notes:

About Royal Salute

Polo is a game of honour and respect, two values at the heart of Royal Salute. The greatest players are masters of their craft whose sublime horsemanship and respect for their mount allows them to play the noble sport according to the purity of its code. 

Royal Salute truly believes and takes pride in the values of integrity and honour; the whisky is laid down to mature for at least 21 years, the unique bottle is meticulously handcrafted from the finest hand-selected porcelain, ensuring that the utmost attention to detail is paid to every element during its creation. 

Royal Salute is a leading international supporter of polo, ‘the king of sports and the sport of kings’. Royal Salute World Polo is truly international with a presence in every major region globally:

• Argentina Campeonato Abierto De Polo Argentina, Beunos Aires
• Columbia Copa Uribe, Bogota, Columbia
• China Royal Salute China Open, Tang Polo Club,  Beijing
• India Royal Salute Maharaja of Jodhpur, Golden Jubilee Cup
• Italy Polo Gold Cup,  Cortina d’Ampezzo
• Korea Royal Salute Polo Club, Jeju Country Club, Jeju
• Singapore Japanese Cup, Singapore
• Spain Landrover International Tournament, Santa Maria Polo Club, Sotogrande
• UAE Royal Salute Nations Cup, Desert Palm Resort,  Dubai
• UK Westchester Cup, Guards Polo Club, Windsor, UK
• USA Royal Salute Jubilee Cup, Greenwich Polo Club, Connecticut 

About Chivas Brothers

Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport.

In July 2010 Chivas Brothers launched The Age Matters campaign to help consumers understand the importance of Scotch whisky age statements. 

For further information: visit: http://www.chivasbrothers.com/ and http://www.royalsalute.com/

Whisky Live Toronto 2013 Leaves Sweet Aftertaste

Thursday, November 21^st, 2013 (Toronto) – The eighth annual Whisky Live in Toronto was a great success, with an increase in the number of visitors enjoying the event at its new location at The Westin Harbour Castle. This distinguished tasting event included a flavorful dinner buffet, live musical entertainment, educational master classes and the exclusive opportunity to sample a variety of international and local whiskies.

With more than thirty industry exhibitors, 1,400 consumers, press and industry guests sampled from more than 125 different expressions and gained an understanding of the whisky lifestyle. Via Allegro Restaurant treated guests to whisky and food pairings, demonstrating which whiskies are best paired with cheese and which are tastiest with chocolate. At their display, The Balvenie gave visitors the opportunity to experience first-hand what goes into making a whisky from grains to barrel, while master classes sold out with people interested in cultivating their whisky knowledge.

This year’s proudest moment was when Show Producer Dave Sweet presented a $2,000 cheque to Wounded Warriors Canada raised from the proceeds of admission tickets. Since its inception in 2006, Wounded Warriors has become the beneficiary of the nation’s empathy towards Canadian soldiers.  Be it corporations, celebrities or everyday citizens, Wounded Warriors is a success story borne out of a horrible tragedy that continues to support those in need.

“The Canadian whisky industry is a proud supporter of the Wounded Warriors endeavor,” says Sweet.  “Our modest contribution to this worthy cause is a result of both the attendees and all of the brands supporting and participating in Whisky Live to make this possible. We look forward to expanding our support and partnership with Wounded Warriors next year.”

This year’s event enjoyed sponsorships and partnerships with Whisky Magazine, The National Post, Whiskey Water, Zenan Glass, Celtic Life International Magazine and Scotland Magazine, in making it the largest Whisky Live Toronto in several years. Whisky Live Toronto 2014 is expanding the hall to accommodate the anticipated visitor growth and additional booths.  It returns to Toronto at the Westin’s sister property, the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel downtown on October 18, 2014.

THE EXCLUSIVE MALTS BACH #3 IN THE US

We’d like to let you in on some exciting news – the wildly popular Exclusive Malts is back by popular demand for a third time. Here’s a sneak peak of Exclusive Malts Batch #3

Speyside’ 03 10 yr
112.60 proof
Originating from a mystery Speyside Distillery, this cask is a rich lesson in the subtleties of  the Speyside region. Oozing honey-laden barley and oaky-sweet spice, the 10 years this whisky spent in a single ex-American oak hogshead barrels have clearly not been lazy days.

RRP $89.99

Mortlach’ 95 18 yr Speyside
108.60 proof

Mortlach whisky has a huge role to play in defining some of the biggest Scotch whisky blends. The most discerning of palates will feel they have tasted it in many of their favorite brands. There is a reason it is so highly sought by the blenders – the malt whisky is sheer class.

RRP $129.99

Laphroaig’ 05 8 yr Islay
111.80 proof

This young and assertive cask from Laphroaig Distillery will not disappoint anyone looking for a rich, smoky and seaweed-laden ride. At cask strength it is a brute bully, but with a few drops of water the real subtleties of this whisky will shine through.

RRP $84.99

Longmorn’ 85 28 yr Speyside
103.20 proof

One of the greatest cult whiskies Scotland has to offer, Longmorn is a large distillery quietly providing the heart to many great blends. However, as a stand alone single malt, it is up there with the best. Expect rich, ripe fruit mixed with glorious oak and honey — an absolute stunner.

RRP $249.99

Craigellachie’ 00 12 yr Speyside
111.60 proof
Situated in the heart of Speyside, Craigellachie Distillery very quietly gets on with making whisky for one of the largest Scotch blends. This cask is full of American Oak influence with creamy-vanilla and sweet oak. A rare gem.

The Exclusive Blend’ 91 21 yr
92.00 proof

A rich, fruity and oak-sweetened blend Scotch whisky, made with an unusually high proportion of malt whisky and aged in ex-Sherry oak casks.

Elliott Erwitt’s Great Scottish Adventure: The World’s Most Influential Living Photographer^[1]

Puts the Focus on the Heartland of The Macallan 

For the fourth edition of its award-winning Masters of Photography series, The Macallan – the world’s most precious single malt whisky – has commissioned the most influential living photographer^[2], Elliott Erwitt to capture the spirit of its heartland in his ‘Great Scottish Adventure’. The Masters of Photography: Elliott Erwitt Edition sees Erwitt interpret the unique richness and depth of Scottish character through his shrewd observational skill and subtle humorous style.

The Masters of Photography: Elliott Erwitt Edition is The Macallan’s most extensive, and ambitious, to date with 58 unique single cask whiskies being paired with a different signed 11” x 14” Elliott Erwitt print captured during his Scottish adventure.  Only 35 of each of the exclusive pairings are available, making a complete global release of 2,030. The Elliott Erwitt Edition comprises a bespoke photo-archival book featuring a total of 158 images, shot by Elliott during the process, with a 35/37.5cl handmade glass flask containing a single cask malt whisky concealed within its pages.

Erwitt’s rarefied ability to instinctively visualise and capture an insightful image has resulted in some of the most iconic and powerful photographs of our time, including  the incredibly poignant portrait of Jackie Kennedy at her husband’s funeral, and intimate shots of Marilyn Monroe on the set of The Misfits.

Renowned for his mastery of the ‘decisive moment’ – that creative instant when subjects appear before the camera in surprising and illuminating ways – Elliott Erwitt, has now turned his lens on Scotland. Shot against dramatically different backdrops in the Highlands and Islands, Glasgow and Edinburgh, Erwitt captures the beauty of the perfect moment. His collection showcases the traditions and eccentricities of the Scottish people, as well as, his most loved subjects – dogs.

“Photography is an art of observation – it’s about creating something extraordinary out of the ordinary. You choose a frame and then wait until the right time for something magical to come along and fill it. I realised while working on this project that this is exactly the way Bob, the Whisky Maker, works when creating The Macallan. He envisages how he wants a particular whisky to taste, selects the perfect cask to create it, and then he waits! Timing is everything,” comments Elliott Erwitt.

This collection is completely unique in terms of its scale and breadth of single cask malt Scotch whiskies,  each of which has been personally selected by Whisky Maker Bob Dalgarno to interpret the essence of its corresponding photograph.

“The incredible richness and depth of character found in every Macallan whisky lends itself perfectly to this year’s Masters of Photography offering. Selecting 58 individual single cask malt whiskies to bring to life Elliott’s 58 favourite images of his Great Scottish Adventure was wonderfully challenging – tasting the image through the whisky and the whisky through the image on such an unprecedented scale was inspiring,” remarks Bob Dalgarno, Whisky Maker, The Macallan.

The Macallan Masters of Photography series features exclusive collaborations with legendary photographers. Previous editions were authored by Rankin, Albert Watson and Annie Leibovitz.

Ken Grier, Director of Malts, The Edrington Group, says: “The creative excellence showcased by Masters of Photography has become synonymous with The Macallan. Working with Elliott Erwitt, the world’s most influential living photographer^[3] has been both an honour and personal highlight.  Elliott is legendary in the world of photography and is one of my all-time favourite photographers.   With his signature playfulness and witty juxtapositions, we couldn’t think of anyone better to capture the quirkiness of Scottish character and heartland of The Macallan. We’re proud that Elliott is now one of our Masters of Photography. His mastery of capturing the ‘decisive moment’ parallels wonderfully with the art of whisky making, making him an obvious choice for the brand.”

The Masters of Photography: Elliott Erwitt Edition is available in the UK from specialist whisky retailers, priced at £1,000.

Elliott Erwitt’s ‘Great Scottish Adventure’ Exhibition will be open for public viewing for one day on Tuesday 19 November, 12pm – 7pm, Leica Studio-S, 27 Bruton Place, Mayfair, London, W1J 6NQ.

www.themacallan.com 

www.themastersofphotography.com

NOTES 

ABOUT THE MACALLAN

Founded in 1824 in the heart of Speyside, The Macallan was one of the first distilleries in Scotland to be legally licensed. Since then it has built a reputation as one of the world’s leading single malt whiskies.  The creation of The Macallan draws on the vital contributing influences of Spain, North America and Scotland, and of their respective natural raw materials, combined with traditional methods and craftsmanship. From its founding, through the subsequent owners of The Macallan distillery in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and into the present century, The Macallan has been recognised for its outstanding quality above all else. 

THE MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY

The Elliott Erwitt Edition is the fourth in the award-winning The Macallan Masters of Photography series. The previous three editions were authored by Rankin, Albert Watson and Annie Leibovitz. These unique limited edition collections perfectly conjoin the art of whisky making with the artists interpretation of the world of The Macallan as seen through their photographers eye.

ELLIOTT ERWITT

Elliott Erwitt was born in Paris to Russian émigré parents on 26^th July 1928. His formative years were spent in Milan. At the age of 10 his family moved back to Paris, only to immigrate to New York a year later, before transferring to Los Angeles in 1941. While attending Hollywood High School he worked in a commercial darkroom processing “signed” prints for fans of movie stars.

In 1948 by good fortune while looking for work on exploratory trips to New York City, Erwitt met Edward Steichen, Robert Capa and Roy Stryker who liked his photographs and took a personal guiding interest becoming significant mentors. The following year he returned to Europe travelling and photographing in Italy and France thus marking the start of his professional career. Drafted in to the US Army in 1951 he continued taking photographs for various publications totally apart from his military duties while stationed in New Jersey, Germany and France.

In 1953 freshly decommissioned from military service, Erwitt was invited to join Magnum Photos as a member by its founder Capa. In 1968 he became President of the prestigious agency for three terms. To date he continues to be one of the leading figures in the competitive field of photography. His journalistic essays, illustrations, and advertisements have been featured in publications around the world for over half a century. While continuing his work as a photographer, Erwitt began making films in the ’70s. His documentaries include BEAUTY KNOWS NO PAIN (1971), RED WHITE AND BLUE GRASS (1973) and the awarded THE GLASSMAKERS OF HERAT (1979). He also produced 17 comedies and special satire programs for Home Box Office in the ’80s.

While actively working for magazine, industrial and advertising clients Erwitt devotes all his spare time toward creating books and exhibitions of his work. To date he is the author of nearly 30 photography books including: Photographs and Anti-photographs (1972), Son of Bitch (1974), To the Dogs (1992), Between the Sexes (1994), Museum Watching (1998), Snaps (2001), Elliott Erwitt’s Handbook (2002), Woof (2005), Personal Best (2006), Unseen (2007), Elliott Erwitt’s Dogs (2008), The Art of André S. Solidor (2009), Elliott Erwitt’s Paris (2010), Sequentially Yours (2011), Forthcoming: Elliott Erwitt’s Kolor.

A listing of one man shows at significant public venues include: The Museum of Modern Art in New York, International Center of Photography, The Chicago Art Institute, The Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C., The Museum of Modern Art in Paris (Palais de Tokyo), The Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid, The Barbican in London, The Royal Photographic Society in Bath, The Museum of Art of New South Wales in Sydney, The Spazio Oberdan in Milan, various Asian venues too difficult to pronounce and many others. Private galleries scattered throughout the world display, promote and sell Erwitt’s “fine art” photographs.

Elliott Erwitt likes children and dogs.

[1] Scott, G (ed.) ‘100 Most influential photographers of all time’, Professional Photographer, October Issue, 2009, p.72-80.

Caring Chivas Brothers Employees Raise Charity Funds at the Double

Generous Chivas Brothers employees have had their charity fundraising efforts boosted by £33,000 in the last year thanks to the company’s doubling up scheme. This, in addition to the £47,000 employees raised themselves, totals £80,000 for good causes – a £10,000 increase on the amount raised last year. Beneficiaries included Macmillan Cancer Support, Cancer Research UK, Movember, Comic Relief, CHAS, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, The Prince’s Trust, NSPCC and several local charities.

Chivas Brothers employees can apply to have their fundraising efforts matched by up to £500 each year, and the grand total was raised by employees from across the company’s 28 UK sites – spanning from Orkney in the North to Plymouth in the South. They took part in fundraising activities including marathons, sponsored cycles and walks, moustache growing, party nights, zip-wires, Burns Supers, golf tournaments and more.

Vanessa Wright, Chivas Brothers’ Communications Director, said: “Every year our employees raise more and more money for good causes. We’re proud to support their incredible generosity and hope the doubling up scheme gives even more employees an incentive to raise as much as they can next year. These donations make a real difference to their recipients, from big national and international charities to small local ones.”

Notes

About Chivas Brothers:

Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth Gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport.

In July 2010 Chivas Brothers launched The Age Matters campaign to help consumers understand the importance of Scotch whisky age statements.

Chivas Brothers Employee Roadshow Benefits Local Charities

Scotch whisky producer Chivas Brothers is to donate £1,000 each to local charities Erskine and CHAS, following an employee competition at its annual Roadshow.

The Chivas Brothers Employee Roadshow takes place each year in October, with events held at the SECC in Glasgow for all Paisley, Dunbartonshire, Glasgow, Ayrshire, London and Plymouth based employees; and at The Glenlivet distillery for Northern Scottish employees.

As part of this year’s show, warm up act Andy Collins invited the audience to take part in a series of musical challenges, with each half of the room competing to win £1,000 for one of the two charities. Employees were asked to sing along to pop hits and songs from the musicals, as well as performing dance moves, with points going to the best team in a series of rounds. In the end the company decided that both halves of the room had put on such a great show that it should be declared a draw – meaning a £1,000 cheque for each of the good causes.

Suzanne Roach, Internal Communications Manager for Chivas Brothers, said: “Our employees make an incredible effort every year to fundraise for local charities, so at this year’s Roadshow we decided to support this effort by including charitable giving as part of our event. The two charities were chosen because they are close to our employees hearts in this region.”

Sara Bannerman, Head of Fundraising at Erskine, said: “Chivas Brothers employees have done a wonderful job in raising this substantial sum – and they clearly did it with great gusto and style! Their support will help us to continue to care for Erskine’s veterans, and is a wonderful way to show appreciation for the enormous contribution our service men and women have made.”

Samantha Reilly, Fundraiser at CHAS, added: “Memories being created, support being provided and families spending quality time together is all made possible by donations like these. Chivas Brothers have continuously shown their support to CHAS over the years, so it is wonderful to hear we were yet again in their thoughts while they were having so much fun at the Roadshow.”

The Chivas Brothers Employee Roadshow at the SECC is attended by 1,200 employees. It is an opportunity for the company to gather almost its entire workforce in one place, updating them about achievements, developments and key events from the past year, as well as setting out the strategy and challenges for the year ahead. This year’s Roadshow was particularly special, as it was the first for new Chivas Brothers Chairman and CEO Laurent Lacassagne, who joined in July.

Notes

About Chivas Brothers: Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth Gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport.

In July 2010 Chivas Brothers launched The Age Matters campaign to help consumers understand the importance of Scotch whisky age statements.