A NEW MALT DISTILLERY FOR THE ISLE OF SKYE 

A new malt distillery for the Isle of Skye is announced today, Wednesday 19^th February 2014. 

The new distillery – only the second on the famous Hebridean island – will be created within a listed early nineteenth century farm steading at Torabhaig on Skye’s southeast coast. 

The Torabhaig Distillery will cost more than £5 million and is likely to employ around eight people. 

Torabhaig Distillery Limited is a subsidiary of Mossburn Distillers Ltd. Outlining the company’s investment plans Neil Mathieson, Chief Executive Officer of Mossburn Distillers Ltd said: “Torabhaig is our first entry into the Scotch Whisky category and a very important starting point. 

“Skye is renowned all over the world for its natural beauty and cultural heritage and we believe that Torabhaig will be a valuable contribution both to whisky distilling on Skye and to the island’s continuing attraction to international visitors. 

“We have a wonderful property in a beautiful setting looking over the Sound of Sleat to Knoydart. It’s a perfect location for a small, traditional distillery and we look forward to working with the local community to bring our plans to life.”  

The Torabhaig site formed part of the late Sir Iain Noble’s lands of Fearann Eilean Iarmain. Sir Iain’s widow, Lucilla Noble has been invited to join the Board of Torabhaig Distillery Limited.    

She commented: “Iain long ago recognised the great potential of the Torabhaig steading as the perfect site for a distillery on the Sleat peninsula and worked hard towards that objective. I am very pleased that this ambitious redevelopment is about to be started and that his vision will become a reality.” 

The detailed specification of the new distillery has yet to be finalised but will include facilities for visitors. 

Plans for Torabhaig are being created by Edinburgh architects Simpson & Brown, a specialist partnership responsible for conserving some of the United Kingdom’s most important historic structures as well as designing award-winning contemporary buildings. 

“The design of the new distillery will reflect a commitment to quality and to the best values of the industry we are joining,” explained Neil Mathieson. “Torabhaig will be very traditional and a sympathetic transformation of the existing farm steading. Simpson & Brown had previously looked at this site for Sir Iain Noble so there is an appropriate continuity in their involvement. ” 

Planning consent has been granted for Torabhaig and it is expected that construction work will begin in the early summer. It is anticipated that the first new spirit will flow from Torabhaig by the end of 2015.

The Glenlivet Talk & Tour: Whether you missed it or simply miss it.

On February 1st, we invited our community into Speyside for an exclusive experience: a live-streamed tour and first-hand look at life at The Glenlivet Distillery. We explored its passages, heritage, and the behind the scenes process, while our Master Distiller Alan Winchester shared his knowledge in a live Q&A session. What transpired was a brilliant exchange of lessons, laughs, and tales of “The Single Malt that started it all”.

Relive some of the best moments from The Glenlivet Talk & Tour with Alan Winchester.

WATCH NOW

Welcome to the 35th auction and another selection of jaw-droppingly rare bottles, both very old and very new – mixed with hard-to-finds, easy-to-buys and everything in between. Stars include a Speyburn Macallan from 1945 and the latest from the Masters of Photography series – The Elliot Erwitt. There are two from 1957 – a Bowmore and an Auchentoshan, there’s a Lochside 47 year old and a North British 50. We also have a Bowmore Bi-centenary, a Bowmore President’s Selection Keizo Saji’s Cask and a 30 year old Sea Dragon. 

A lovely Talisker 8, a Highland Park 1958 17 year old in the dumpy bottle, and a 40 year old Glendronach will surely catch the eye. We have two scarce SMWS Anniversary bottlings, a Glen Moray and a Teaninich, a Glen Mhor 30 and the lovely Lagavulin 12 year old White Horse. 

A couple of others worth mentioning include a very,very scarce Duncan Taylor No 1 blend at 33 years old – from the days before the Shand family bought the company from John Gross, and a highly sought-after Glenallachie 9 year old produced by Scotland’s top alt rockers, Mogwai who have signed the label. Glenellachie shows up again in the shape of a 35 year old from 1967 and there are two Signatory Rare Ayrshire, one a 35 year old, the other 36. Signatory features again with a lovely double bottle lot from Littlemill and Dunglass. And from Balblair a 1966 38 year old. 

We have been very encouraged with the response from our news that we can now ship more easily, and more competitively, to the USA. See the full postage rates under Charges on the front page. And don’t forget: we are also now offering insurance on your bottles, at a cost of 3% of the final price. 

But enough blethering. Our standing advice applies – jump in and have a good rummage around – there’s bound to be something that catches your eye. And get bidding – don’t lose your bottle! 

Kind regards from Glasgow 

The SWA Team

The 35th Auction

Society Squirrel was an art commission from the Canadian branch of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.  

It was created to celebrate the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s entry into the Canadian market, and to commemorate the 30th Anniversary of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society organization. The bottling rendered in this paintings is the SMWS 30th Anniversary bottling 72.32 (Miltonduff 1983 SMWS 72.32 Single Malt, details below), from Speyside, Scotland.

Also incorporated into the piece is their mascot, a moose named RT. He is wearing a kilt made of the Mackenzie tartan, the pattern after one of the proprietors’ clan family. The moose also doubles to distinguish itself as uniquely Canadian.

Fine art prints are now available for purchase.

Read More here 

SMWS

Follow them on Twitter: 

Visit their website at http://www.smws.ca/

Carollyne Yardley, Artist

Follow her on Twitter

Visit her website at http://www.carollyne.com

YOUR HELP IS NEEDED

Please help us raise as much as we can for the Lifeboat charity RNLI. We have donated items for the next whisky auction www.whiskyauctioneer.com Whisky Auctioneer is dedicated to the valuation and auctioning of fine and rare whiskies. We are able to ship internationally and registration is easy and free!

Next Auction starts on Friday 21 Feb 2014 (that’s TODAY!), ALL THE MONEY raised is going directly to RNLI, Iain at the auction house has waived fees for us, thank you to him. These are items well worth having, for fantastic cause, if you travel to Scotland or Ireland you never know when you may need them! they are all unpaid crews. Six out of ten lifeboat launches are only possible thanks to gifts left in Wills to the RNLI

It will come as no surprise to find that mcleanscotland support the RNLI as we are an island nation with many miles of coastline. The crews do a fantastic job, they do not get government funding – they rely totally on donations.

WE ARE PROUD TO SUPPORT THEM! Why not visit the website: http://rnli.org

The donations for the auction were from;
1. www.mcleanscotland.com sourcing and idea. The original illustration, based on an Ian Horne photograph.
2. whisky on tour (facebook) Ian Horne; frames, photo and idea. The frames are made from original cask staves. The photo is Wick harbour
3. Charles Maclean; signed book
4. The auction has waived all fees. Thank you Iain.
5. Oban, Old Pulteney and Talisker distilleries; the whisky

Please help us support the RNLI by bidding for this lot… www.whiskyauctioneer.com

Many thanks for your support.
Paul McLean
www.mcleanscotland.com

February Auction goes live today, 21^st February 2014, at 13.00! 

http://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/ 

Our February auction contains almost 250 lots including a very rare Talisker from 1973 (1 of only 100 bottles) exclusive to Oddbins, a variety of Dalmores, Bowmores, some very old Macallan’s and the desirable Laphroaig 1960 Vintage Reserve (40 Year Old) to name a few. 

Registration is Free!

WORLD WIDE SHPPING IS AVAILABLE 

With over 10 years of experience in the whisky industry, Whisky Auctioneer specialises in auctioning whisky whether it be fine, old, rare, collectable or affordable.  Formed in 2013 and based in Perth, central Scotland, we aim to be the most comprehensive website for the buying and selling of whisky online. 

Happy Bidding!

Ballantine’s Creates Live Exhibition of Stay True Content with Launch of Global Instagram Channel

Ballantine’s, the world’s No 2 Scotch whisky, is bringing its brand mantra to life for fans around the world with the launch of a new global Instagram channel. “Stay True, Leave an Impression” will be at the forefront of this new venture, with live exhibition content showcasing real people and their ‘Stay True stories’ via the social media platform.

The new channel @Ballantines_official, which goes live today [10th February], aims to resonate with the ever-growing number of younger, sociable consumers who are frequent users of Instagram.

To launch the campaign, Ballantine’s took to the streets of London to find real people with great stories of how they stick to their convictions and stay true to themselves. Each person was captured with a photo and was asked the question, “What do you Stay True to?” with their answer featuring alongside their image and the hashtag #StayTruePeople.

Each individual has been treated like a magazine cover story, with theming and styling that is authentic to them, through the application of specially created filters and unique captions. Some of these results can be seen now @Ballantines_official, with a new image to be added to the channel daily.

Followers of the channel will be asked to continue the live exhibition content, submitting their own photo and response to the same question. Ballantine’s key local markets will also contribute to this content, resulting in a unique and authentic showcase of individuals and their ‘Stay True stories’ from all over the world.

Peter Moore, Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s, comments: “Ballantine’s prides itself on being a forward-thinking brand that stays true to its beliefs and convictions, just as our founder, George Ballantine, did when he created the brand almost 200 years ago.

“We admire these qualities in others so, rather than creating an Instagram channel that simply showcases our products, we wanted to stand out and honour the values that are intrinsic to our brand by creating this unique gallery in celebration of staying true. We hope our fans are inspired by each other’s stories and we look forward to seeing the gallery grow as more fans discover Ballantine’s.”

Instagram currently has over 150 million monthly active users with a growth rate of 900% year on year. Five of the top ten most active countries on Instagram in 2013 are key markets for Ballantine’s, including Brazil, Spain, Germany, Russia and Mexico.

Notes

About Ballantine’s

Ballantine’s is the No. 1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the world’s No. 2 Scotch whisky by volume, and the range sells over 70 million bottles a year worldwide. Ballantine’s has won more than 120 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past 10 years for quality, as a result of its unique richness of character and perfect balance. The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the exclusive 40 Year Old, is the most extensive in the world of Scotch and is maintained by the latest in a tradition of Master Blenders that dates back to 1827. www.ballantines.com

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.

www.chivasbrothers.com  

 
Whiskey has Balls of Steel

Balls of Steel were the first stainless steel whiskey chiller on the market. Originally made from solid high-grade stainless steel. Now, we’ve upgraded our Balls with a phase-change technology in the center called the Arctic Core.

Balls of Steel are more powerful than ever with the Arctic Core. A set can chill any whiskey without diluting the flavor with tap water and will always leave the heavenly flavors balanced and perfect like they were meant to be right outta’ the barrel.

Plus Balls of Steel were created to support men’s health. Each set sold helps raise awareness about  testicular cancer and 15 percent goes straight to testicular cancer cure research.

Check em out – http://www.originalbos.com/

BALLANTINE’S AND BOILER ROOM TAKE FANS ON JOURNEY OF MUSICAL DISCOVERY A TEASER LAUNCH VIDEO CAN BE VIEWED ATVIMEO.COM/BOILERROOMTV/STAYTRUE AND EMBEDDED INTO NEWS ONLINE NEWS STORIES USING THE EMBED CODE BELOW

Ballantine’s, the world’s No. 2 Scotch whisky, today announced a global brand partnership with online music phenomena, Boiler Room.

‘Boiler Room & Ballantine’s Stay True Journeys’ aims to discover and celebrate the stories of the world’s most vibrant music scenes – from the characters who defined them, to the pioneers that are driving them forwards. The centrepiece of the project will be the production of a series of online documentaries, shot on location across the globe and featuring local musicians exploring the stories of the people, places and factors that have created each unique music culture.

A series of one-off, local events in stunning venues will also be staged throughout the year, featuring a mix of local legends and emerging talent, as well as some of the hottest international names. Tickets to the events will be exclusively available via Ballantine’s and Boiler Room channels, with a global audience able to tune-in live online via the microsite, Boilerroom.TV/StayTrue.

The first ‘Stay True Journey’ will take place in a yet undisclosed location in Mexico in March, with further destinations already lined up across three continents. More details will be announced in the coming weeks at Boilerroom.TV/StayTrue.

From its inauspicious beginnings as a lo-fi series of streamed DJ sets and live performances from a warehouse in Hackney, London, Boilerroom.tv has gone on to become one of the world’s most popular, authentic music channels, with well over six million monthly viewers and a social community of over a million.

Its unique formula of intimate, invite-only events, featuring artists performing the music of their choice, via global live-stream, has already attracted artists including Thom Yorke, Laurent Garnier, Bonobo, Skream and Mark Ronson. In the last few weeks they have broadcast shows from Berlin, London, Glasgow, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Lisbon.

Peter Moore, Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s commented: “Boiler Room is a natural partner for Ballantine’s. They’ve consistently delivered the most credible live and streamed music experiences to music lovers across the globe and, as such, epitomise the Stay True values of our brand. At a time when music is all too often viewed as disposable, ‘Stay True Journeys’ allows us to immerse fans in the stories which lie behind the world’s most exciting and authentic musical talent.”

Blaise Bellville, founder and CEO of Boiler Room added: “We don’t enter into brand partnerships lightly. What excited us about this opportunity was that Ballantine’s stands by its mantra of being genuine and authentic, with a true passion for music – where it’s come from, where it is at currently and where it’s heading. This project is going to allow us to capture and share the best of these stories, from all over the world.”

In addition to ‘Stay True Journeys’, Ballantine’s has also been supporting Boiler Room events around the world, with Ballantine’s in Mexico having previously hosted a number of events and Ballantine’s in Israel signed up to sponsor the first ever Boiler Room event in the country. Ballantine’s unveiled its new brand positioning, Stay True, Leave An Impression, in October 2013, which serves as an invitation to consumers to express themselves in a genuine and authentic way, applauding conviction and self-belief.

For more information, see Boilerroom.TV/StayTrue.

Embed the teaser launch video into news pieces using;

Boiler Room and Ballantine’s present Stay True Journeys from BOILER ROOM on Vimeo.

Notes:

About Ballantine’s

Ballantine’s is the No. 1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the world’s No. 2 Scotch whisky by volume, and the range sells over 70 million bottles a year worldwide. Ballantine’s has won more than 120 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past 10 years for quality, as a result of its unique richness of character and perfect balance. The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the exclusive 40 Year Old, is the most extensive in the world of Scotch and is maintained by the latest in a tradition of Master Blenders that dates back to 1827.

www.ballantines.com

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.

www.chivasbrothers.com

For further information please visit www.chivasbrothers.com