REDBREAST SCOOPS TOP PRIZE AS IRISH DISTILLERS SWEEPS THE BOARD AT IRISH WHISKEY AWARDS                               

Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard has scooped a host of top awards at the inaugural Irish Whiskey Awards, securing first place in four of the most prestigious categories, including the highly-coveted top prize for ‘Overall Irish Whiskey of the Year’ awarded to its Redbreast 12 Year-Old Cask Strength.

In addition to being named the overall winner, there was further success for Irish Distillers as they took the honours in three other categories including: ‘Cask Strength Whiskey of the Year’ for Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength; ‘Best Blended Whiskey over €50’ for Midleton Very Rare (2013 edition); and ‘Single Pot Still Whiskey of the Year’ for Redbreast 15 Year Old.

The awards, which were presented by the Celtic Whiskey Club in conjunction with the Celtic Whiskey Shop, took place on Friday 4^th October at the Old Jameson Distillery in Dublin. The whiskeys were nominated, tasted and voted for by members of the public, as well as personnel from the Celtic Whiskey Club and the Irish Whiskey Society.

Expressions from Irish Distillers’ comprehensive range of whiskeys were eligible in five tasting categories, and of these, at least one expression in each category was noted for its quality and style. The six runners-up included: Powers 12 Year Old Special Reserve in the ‘Best Blended Whiskey under €50’ category; Jameson Gold Reserve and Jameson 18 Year Old Limited Reserve in the ‘Best Blended Whiskey over €50’ category; Midleton Cask 1044 (Dublin Airport Edition) in the ‘Irish Single Cask of the Year’ category; and Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy and Yellow Spot in the ‘Single Pot Still whiskey of the Year’ category.

Brendan Buckley, Global Innovation and Category Development Director for Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, commented: “The Irish whiskey category is growing from strength to strength, as the quality of the entrants in these awards clearly demonstrates. In particular, we are delighted to see our Single Pot Still Irish Whiskeys excelling in tasting awards; this is indicative of the outstanding quality and unique properties of this classic style of Irish whiskey, something which the trade and consumers are increasingly recognising. The next step is to help more consumers discover this classic Irish style, so we’re really focusing on education with new initiatives, such as with our new Irish Whiskey Academy.”

“It is a real honour to see our peers recognise the quality found in our comprehensive range of whiskeys; this success is testament to the skill and craft of the passionate people found at Irish Distillers and awards such as these are always held in high regard by our talented distilling team at Midleton.”

The evening’s guest speaker, Willie McCarter, Chairman of the Irish Spirits Association said: “With four of the largest spirits companies in the world now selling Irish whiskey and many new distilleries coming on stream, the Irish whiskey industry is at the beginning of a new golden age.”

“If all companies involved in Irish whiskey strive to maintain the excellent quality standards achieved so far, the current annual Irish whiskey sales of six million cases could near the Scottish volume of 90 million cases within the next 20 – 30 years.  Not many industries in Ireland can look forward to such a future.  Let us keep our fingers crossed!” 

Notes to editors 

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 Midelton 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 Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy and Midleton Very Rare, completing the line-up.

www.irishdistillers.ie

Drinks International gives Teeling Whiskey Company

a Golden Seal of Approval

TWC awarded 2 Gold & 1 Silver Medal at Drinks International Travel Retail Awards 2013

Drinks International, the leading global beverage magazine, has awarded the Teeling Whiskey Company two Gold Medals and one Silver Medal at this year’s Drinks International Travel Retail Awards held at TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes.

Gold Medals were awarded to the Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey and to the Teeling Whiskey 21 Year Old Single Malt Vintage Reserve. Both were awarded Gold in the Best Drinks Launch of the Year category. The Teeling Whiskey 11 Year Old Irish Single Malt ‘Gathering Bottle’ won a Silver medal in the Best Drinks Launch category at TFWA Cannes 2013. Category trophy winners and the Supreme Travel Retail Champion will be announced at the awards ceremony in Cannes on 22nd October.

This latest success for the Teeling Whiskey Company comes just weeks after it was awarded two Gold Medals at the 2013 Irish Whiskey Masters. Again the Teeling Small Batch and the Teeling 21YO Single Malt Silver Reserve were the stars. The former also received an exceptional rating of 91 from the Beverage Tasting Institute in Chicago and the latter received a 91 rating from Whiskey Magazine.

Jack Teeling, founder of the Teeling Whiskey Company, commented, “We believe in the quality of our whiskeys and it is fantastic to get such positive feedback from International experts. We may be new entrants to the Irish whiskey category but we have a wealth of experience and knowledge in our team. We are committed to providing new and innovative expressions of Irish whiskey with the goal of driving choice within the category.”

To build on this Travel Retail Awards the Teeling Whiskey Company is exhibiting for the first time at the world’s biggest duty free and travel retail show, TFWA, in Cannes from 20th – 25th October 2013.

Drinks International Travel Retail Awards

Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey Gold Medal

Teeling 21YO Single Malt Silver Reserve Irish Whiskey Gold Medal

Teeling Whiskey 11 Year Old Irish Single Malt ‘Gathering Bottle’ Silver Medal

TWC Single Malt Silver Reserve

The Silver Reserve is the first release from the TWC Vintage Reserve Collection. The bottling consists of 21 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey distilled in 1991 and matured firstly in Bourbon casks then allowed to marry in Sauterne wine casks. This small batch bottling, limited to only 5,000 bottles, is the first ever Irish whiskey to be finished in Sauterne wine casks. The Silver Reserve 21 Year Old retails for approximately €150 (USD$200.00 / GBP£140).

TWC Teeling Small Batch Irish Whiskey

Teeling Irish Whiskey is a small batch bottling from hand selected casks of Grain and Malt whiskey which are further matured in former Rum barrels. Teeling Irish Whiskey is bottled at 46% with no chill filtration which provides an extra sweet and smooth flavour making it truly a unique Irish Whiskey. Teeling Irish Whiskey retails for approximately €35 (USD$42 / GBP£32)

About the Teeling Whiskey Company

The Teeling Whiskey Company was founded by Jack Teeling in 2012 to bring back an independent voice to the Irish whiskey category. The Teeling Whiskey Company aims to be Ireland’s leading independent Irish Whiskey producer driving category choice and innovation through a selection of unique handcrafted small batch Irish whiskeys. The Teeling family are more recently synonymous with Cooley Distillery– which when established in 1987 was the first Irish whiskey distillery set up in Ireland in over 100 years. However the family’s whiskey heritage dates back to distilling in Dublin in 1782 and Walter Teeling who set up a distillery in Marrowbone Lane in the Liberties. Jack and his brother Stephen, Sales & Marketing Director, continue the Teeling entrepreneurial spirit and while initially starting out as an Independent bottler aim to get back into the distilling game to ensure a constant supply of Irish whiskey. The Teeling Whiskey Co. reviving the Independent Spirit of Ireland.

About Drinks International

Established in 1972, Drinks International is the only magazine devoted exclusively to the global spirits, wines and beers market, providing our readership of international drinks buyers with news on all the latest developments and trends within the global drinks industry. In every issue we cover strong editorial features, business news, market reports, news analysis and opinion, making Drinks International the essential read for international drinks buyers. Its unique position and community of readers provide the perfect platform to deliver brands’ key messages.

About Drinks International Travel Retail Excellence Awards

The Drinks International Travel Retail Excellence Awards have been created to recognize the importance of the drinks sector in duty-free retailing. They are the only travel retail awards exclusively for drinks. There are nine awards categories and entries are welcomed from all area of the drinks industry – spirits, wines and beers, suppliers and buyers. The awards centre on the annual TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes where the winners will be announced at the Drinks International Travel Retail party.

ROYAL SALUTE CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL SEASON OF WORLD POLO

2013 has seen another spectacular season of international polo with luxury Scotch whisky, Royal Salute, sponsoring some of the world’s most distinguished tournaments across four continents.

The season started in style in May with the Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup in Greenwich, USA, which attracted some of the world’s best players including His Royal Highness Prince Harry. The event was followed in August, by the prestigious Land Rover International Tournament in Sotogrande, Spain which saw world No.1 polo player and Royal Salute World Polo brand ambassador, Facundo Pieres, in attendance. The China Open took place at the end of September in Beijing, marking the end of an exciting polo season, which served to further consolidate Royal Salute’s links with the historic sport.

Royal Salute will continue its support for the illustrious game when the autumn season begins on 15th November at the Campeonato Abierto de Polo in Buenos Aires, Argentina, widely regarded to be the home of polo, with Facundo Pieres once again taking part.

Neil Macdonald, the Global Brand Director for Royal Salute, commented: “With our shared values of respect and honour, Royal Salute is immensely proud to support the international polo community with the World Polo series. We are delighted to be working with such as world-class player as Facundo Pieres, as he really embodies the essence of Royal Salute and the values the brand stands for. Our association with world polo is a natural fit and has helped us reach aficionados of luxury Scotch whisky around the world for the last seven years. We’re committed to supporting the international polo scene and we are looking forward to the start of the autumn season when we will have the honour of seeing our new ambassador, Facundo Pieres, play in a Royal Salute World Polo series for the first time in his home country. It promises to be a very special occasion.”

Royal Salute’s association with polo has contributed to the strong growth of the brand in recent years as whisky collectors around the world recognise the outstanding quality of its prestigious range of aged whiskies. The luxury Scotch whisky has seen particular success in Central and South America, India, Korea, Japan and the US with approximately 200,000 9 litre cases sold globally in the 12 months to June 2013.

NOTES

About Royal Salute

Royal Salute is the world’s leading luxury Scotch whisky, and begins where others end as only whiskies matured for at least 21 years are ever selected for Royal Salute blends. In 2012, Royal Salute became the first ever brand to be officially associated with the Royal Gun Salutes at the Tower of London, as part of a long term partnership with the independent charity Historic Royal Palaces.

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 Campeonado Abierto de Polo, Palermo, Buenos Aires
• Australia Sydney Gold Cup, Sydney and Portsea Polo, Victoria
• Brazil Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup, São Paulo and Copa Ouro São José Polo, São Paulo
• China Royal Salute China Open, Beijing
• Colombia Copa Uribe, Bogota, Colombia
• India Royal Salute Maharaja of Jodhpur Golden Jubilee Cup, Jodphur
• Italy Polo Gold Cup, Cortina d’ Ampezzo
• Italy Trofeo Cita’ Di Milano
• South Korea Royal Salute Polo Cup, Jeju
• Singapore Japanese Cup, Singapore
• Spain Snow Polo, Baqueira, Lérida and Sotogrande, Cádiz
• UAE Royal Salute Nations Cup, Dubai
• USA Foundation Polo Challenge, Santa Barbara and Royal Salute Jubilee Cup, Greenwich, New York
• UK The Sentebale Polo Cup, Coworth Park, Westchester Cup at Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park, Kent & Curwen Polo Club, London, and Beaufort Polo Cup, Tetbury

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 please visit www.chivasbrothers.com

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2014 is now available to order from our website – http://www.whiskybible.com/ For an exclusive pre-order discount of £3 and a signed copy of the book simply type PRE2014 into the ‘Your Shopping Cart’ screen at http://www.whiskybible.com/ and click ‘Apply’. The code is available until the 28th October 2013.

THE WHISKY SHOP’S CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE 2013

The Whisky Shop has Christmas all wrapped up this year with a fantastic selection of unique and luxurious whisky gifts.

As the UK’s largest whisky only specialist retailer, The Whisky Shop offers an unrivalled selection of Scotch and international malt whiskies from the world’s premium distilleries, as well as an extensive choice of blends, and there is something to suit all tastes and budgets.

OVER £100

Jack Daniels Frank Sinatra Select – £150

Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select is bottled at 90 proof and gains its rich character from specially crafted “Sinatra Barrels” mingled with the classic Tennessee Whiskey. The Sinatra Barrels are handcrafted with the addition of deep grooves on the inside of the barrel staves.

This exposes the whiskey to extra layers of oak which imparts a rich amber colour, bold character and a pleasant smokiness, followed by an incredibly smooth vanilla finish. 

Highland Park Loki – £133

This 15 year old limited edition single malt comes housed in the same unique and award winning wooden frame as Thor, echoing the fearsome contours of a traditional Viking long ship.

The true shape-shifting ability of Loki springs to life on the palate: its waxy texture is amplified by an intense smoke that doesn’t appear on the nose, shattering the light citrusy illusion of the aroma. All is not what it seems. The smoke fades as liquorice and rich spiced apple flavours come out to play. Lemon and grapefruit are consistent throughout this elusive, yet intriguing character.

£50 TO £100

Bruichladdich Octomore 6.1 – £99.99

Bruichladdich Octomore 6.1 is the world’s most heavily peated whisky. This is the 6^th edition of the uber-experimental cult Octomore. Titanic amounts of peat but with a light, delicate complexity and a beguiling finesse. 

Highland & Island Selection – £89.99 

A wonderful selection of single malts inside an attractive snap shut gift box accompanied by two specially shaped malt blenders glasses.

Dalmore 12 year old (70cl) is a rich, full flavoured and complex single malt whisky.

Jura Superstition (70cl) is a single malt where tastes of spice, honey, pine and peat with a whisper of smoke make a dramatic impact. 

UNDER £50

Aberlour 12yo Non Chill Filtered – £49.99  

An easy drinking single malt, Aberlour 12 year old Non Chill Filtered is exclusive to The Whisky Shop and has a medium amber colour and a nose of baked apples, raisins, light caramel and nutmeg. With a creamy texture and tastes of dried fruit, marzipan, fudge and a touch of nutmeg and pepper and a long, rich fruit with delicate spice finish, this whisky is sure to make a lasting impression this Christmas. 

The Macallan Amber – £45

This single malt is part of The 1824 Series which showcases two of The Macallan’s greatest strengths: oak sherry casks and natural colour.  The Macallan Amber underlines the signature style of The Macallan embracing the defining elements which have made it one of the world’s truly great single malts.

The Macallan Whisky Maker, Bob Dalgarno, created four expressions by identifying the natural colour formed during maturation in different cask types to create the character informed by these colours. The expressions are Gold, Amber, Sienna and Ruby, all names reflecting the actual colour of the whiskies in the range, but also describing naturally occurring mineral and metals. 

Talisker 10 year old luxury gift set – £42.99

This beautiful pack reinforces Talisker’s ‘Made by the Sea’ heritage and includes two of the famous Talisker Rocking Glasses as well as a 70cl bottle of Talisker 10 year old. 

The W Club Gold Membership – £25.00

The W Club Gold Membership is the start of a journey of discovery.

The gift pack also includes a copy of the Jim Murray Whisky Bible, a  Malt Blenders Glass and a Bowmore 12 year old miniature.

The W Club offers a range of benefits including:

• 10% off products at any of The Whisky Shop stores or at www.whiskyshop.com
• Access to www.thewclub.co.uk, a fully interactive website including a comprehensive whisky guide and all the latest whisky news
• Access to Limited Edition Bottlings
• Selected free of charge distillery tours and tastings
• Entry into ‘Money Can’t Buy’ competitions
• Invitations to exclusive instore tastings

Andrew Torrance, Managing Director of The Whisky Shop, said: “At The Whisky Shop we have a wonderful array of whisky gifts to suit all tastes and budgets this Christmas and our knowledgeable staff are on hand to help select the perfect present.” 

The Whisky Shop is the UK’s largest whisky only specialist retailer with a full range of whisky gifts available online at www.whiskyshop.com and at 22 stores nationwide, including premium flagships in London’s Piccadilly and on Manchester’s Exchange Street.

Home to some of Scotland’s most precious and rare whisky stocks, The Dalmore distillery is set to extend its Principal Collection of desirable whiskies with the launch of The Dalmore 25 Year Old.

Available in specially selected retail partners globally from 25 October, The Dalmore 25 year old will join the 12, 15, 18, Cigar Malt Reserve and King Alexander III as a permanent addition to the collection.

Meticulously crafted by Master Distiller Richard Paterson, The Dalmore 25 combines festive aromas of exotic fruits, marzipan, vanilla pods and fig cake.

As with all of The Dalmore’s prestigious and award-winning whiskies, much of The Dalmore 25’s unique character and quality comes from a passion to use only the finest wood.

This spirit has been matured initially in American white oak casks before being divided into hand-sourced 25 year old sweet Palomino Fino sherry butts and 1980 first-fill bourbon casks. These exceptional whiskies are then expertly married together in bourbon barrels before finally being transferred into Tawny Port pipes from Portugal, giving additional layers of complexity and richness.

Only 3,000 bottles of this outstanding single malt will be produced annually with an RRP of £600.

The Dalmore 25 won Gold at the 2013 International Spirits Challenge (ISC) awards and will be officially unveiled at this year’s TFWA World Exhibition in Cannes.

Dalmore Master Distiller Richard Paterson said:

“The Dalmore 25 is matured in casks that have previously housed a very special grape which creates a sweeter style of sherry. As a result, the cask has gifted a wonderful a palate of orange peel, chocolate truffles and spiced gingerbread. The Dalmore 25 is a truly spectacular addition to The Dalmore Principal Collection, and a must have for fans of the distillery.”

NOTES

The Dalmore 25 will be rolled out globally from 25 October and available in North America from early 2014.
The Dalmore 25 is bottled at 42% abv.
Tasting Notes:
• Aroma: Exotic fruits, marzipan, vanilla pods, treacle toffee, fig cake and sweet balsamic
• Palate: Orange peel, chocolate truffles, liquorice, sweet damsons and sherry soaked raisins
• Finish: Demerara sugar, maple syrup, bitter chocolate and spiced gingerbread

Further information on The Dalmore

Dating back to the days of King Alexander III, The Dalmore gained its iconic 12-point stag emblem in 1263 when one of the Mackenzie clan saved the king from being gored by a stag.
The Dalmore is produced in very limited quantities and due to the distinctive distillation process no two batches will be exactly the same, ensuring that each release of The Dalmore is unique.
The Dalmore distillery houses some of Scotland’s most precious and rare whisky stocks. Home of the record-breaking The Dalmore Trinitas 64 year old and a number of other rare expressions such as Sirius, Selene, Candela and Oculus, it is no wonder that whisky investors, collectors and aficionados keep a watchful eye on this collection.

Global superstar DJ Pete Tong brings the bass to Edinburgh for the Ballantine’s ‘Soundtrack of You’ party

Competition winners from around the world attended the exclusive event after creating the soundtrack of their lives

Winners from around the world were whisked away to Edinburgh, Scotland to spend the evening at the exclusive Ballantine’s Soundtrack of You event, which featured global superstar DJs Pete Tong and Heatbeat.

The one-off club night took place last night (16th October) at popular Edinburgh venue, The Caves, and saw legendary DJ Pete Tong and talented Argentinian DJ duo, Heatbeat, take to the decks for competition winners and guests of Ballantine’s, the world’s No 2 Scotch whisky.

The lucky winners travelled from all over the world for the opportunity to dance to two of the world’s greatest DJs after winning the Ballantine’s Soundtrack of You competition, with each submitting a soundtrack which reflected their personality and told their life story through music. Facebook fans then voted for their favourites, sending the winners on their way to Edinburgh for a night of beats and bass.

Pete Tong said of the experience: “I’ve really enjoyed being a part of the Ballantine’s ‘Soundtrack of You’ competition. Music is the ultimate form of self-expression, and no matter where I am in the world I love to see how passionate people are about music. The international crowd at The Caves embodied this, and the atmosphere was electric! I really enjoyed my set.”

Heatbeat added: “The Ballantine’s ‘Soundtrack of You’ party was awesome! People from all over the world connected through their love of music, which is the perfect crowd to us, and exactly what the Ballantine’s competition was all about. The venue looked amazing, and everyone had a really good time, especially us. We can’t wait to come back to Edinburgh again soon!”

The event was held to celebrate the launch of the new Ballantine’s Finest bottle, which reflects the essence, personality and life story of its founder, George Ballantine. The new bottle, whilst more contemporary, stays true to the original essence of Ballantine’s, resulting in an iconic design which reinforces the quality of the whisky inside.

NOTES

For pictures and video content from the event, go to: facebook.com/Ballantines and twitter.com/Ballantines_LtdNotes to editors

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.

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.

UNLUCKY FOR SOME BUT IT COULD BE LUCKY FOR YOU

 To celebrate our Story Season, we are offering you the chance to win one of 13 amazing prizes inspired by the great works of literature. These include:

Bose Soundlink® Wireless Speaker with iPod touch 16GB

Mulberry leather and silver money clip and £200 cash

PRADA classic tortoiseshell square frame sunglasses

Sennheiser digital wireless RS 220 headphones and transmitter

Leica D-LUX 6 digital camera

Murdocks of London Wren Shaving set – with Murdock Mach 3© Razor, Best Badger Brush and chrome metal stand, 200ml Shave Cream Jar and 100ml Post Shave Balm

Mont Blanc Pen – Meisterstück platinum line classique rollerball

Christopher Ward c5 Malvern automatic mk ii dress watch

Tannergoods Field Tan canvas and leather Nomad Duffle bag

Box of 10 Cohiba Behike 52 cigars

Jaques 18″ Staunton design Walnut, Sycamore and a solid Mahogany Chess Board with 3 1/2″ Original Staunton Design Chess Set

3″ Sterling Silver Quaich

Paul Smith ‘City Webbing’ black grained leather shoulder bag

Visit jurawhisky.com to take part.

Also this month, we’re inviting you to Save the Date with a good friend and sit down with a glass of Jura to swap a story or two. More details here.

Become an honorary Diurach to find out about more exclusive tastings, events and all of the latest updates from our beloved island. Be part of our story

Ten years ago we created a bespoke blend of peaty single malts – named simply ‘Monster’ – for the owners of the Park Avenue Liquor Shop in New York. It was so well-received that we appended ‘The Peat’ to the front of the name and decided to share the idea with the rest of the world. To celebrate this milestone we have released a special limited edition of The Peat Monster, which is now available!

We’ve created a unique recipe for The Peat Monster Tenth Anniversary Limited Release.
Its smoky, peated character is still shaped by a combination of Islay, Island and Highland single malts. However, some older casks of peaty Highland single malt bring extra richness, while the addition of one of our rarest archive whiskies adds finesse, complexity and class. To balance the extra flavour and intensity, we have bottled this beautiful creature at a slightly higher 48.9%. The bespoke label was created for us by famous US artist and whisky lover Mark Burckhardt and only 5,970 bottles were produced.
Contact your favourite retailer now to reserve your bottle or, alternatively, just pick one up from our UK-based web shop.

“Above All, Share & Enjoy!”

BALLANTINE’S UNVEILS NEW GLOBAL BRAND POSITIONING

STAY TRUE, LEAVE AN IMPRESSION 

Authenticity, self-belief, self-fulfilment and conviction at the heart of Ballantine’s new global advertising campaign

Ballantine’s, the world’s No. 2 Scotch whisky and part of the Chivas Brothers family of brands, has today announced the launch of a new strategic brand positioning and accompanying marketing campaign.

Stay True, Leave an Impression serves as an invitation to consumers to express themselves in a genuine and authentic way, applauding conviction and self-belief. The global campaign, which is a natural progression from the brand’s hugely successful ‘Leave an Impression’ campaign launched in 2007, will begin rolling out across all key markets from October onwards, aiming to unify all brand communications across the complete Ballantine’s range.

The new positioning has been developed by M&C Saatchi London, the first campaign the agency has developed since winning the business in 2012. The campaign will feature a number of authentic ‘Stay True’ protagonists, who have each been chosen to front the campaign because they epitomise the message of being genuine, authentic and ultimately, of staying true to yourself.

These protagonists are shown across all iterations of the advertising creative in situations that reflect their passion and commitment to staying true; demonstrating that whatever you do, it’s about doing it with conviction, doing it because you believe in it.

This will be brought to life in multiple channels, principally via a 30” television spot to be showcased on MTV and The Discovery Channel amongst others, but also including a print campaign which will run across press, outdoor and online media.

The TV commercial, ‘The Drummer’, tells the story of a drummer, who performs not because he wants the money, the fame or to be adored; but because it is who he is. This story is enhanced by its leading light, Ben Mead, who serves as the embodiment of ‘Stay True’, having rejected the traditional path of record contracts and instead favouring less well-known venues where his band feel that their music is best appreciated.

The TVC was shot by Jake Nava, a director with a wealth of experience in both music videos and advertising. Despite the fame and recognition he received for his recent work with Beyonce in the US, Jake has remained insistent that his family and friends will keep him in East London.

Peter Moore, Brand Director for Ballantine’s commented: “Stay True is rooted in the DNA of Ballantine’s, thanks to our founder George Ballantine. A true innovator and entrepreneur, he was always original and acted with genuine conviction and flair, and this approach to life is reflected in the unique taste profile and iconic look of the Ballantine’s range.”

“George Ballantine stayed true and left an impression himself, so we want to continue his legacy by creating a platform that celebrates Ballantine’s and its founder’s intrinsic values. We are trying to inspire people to have the conviction to stay true to themselves, to follow their passions and to remain as genuine and authentic as they can be.”

The campaign is currently rolling out across South America (including in Mexico, Chile and Brazil) and southern and central Europe, with other markets globally rolling out throughout 2013 and into 2014.

M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment, the brand engagement arm of the M&C Saatchi Group, together with Ballantine’s digital agency, Work Club, will be delivering a Global BTL campaign that celebrates the new positioning via digital and PR. This will launch in parallel to the TV and print campaign.

To see the TV commercial, please go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHWCfGQqUIc

Jeremy Hemmings, Global Client Director at M&C Saatchi London added: “We are delighted with the launch of the Ballantine’s Stay True campaign.  We’ve gone back to the roots of the brand to establish what we see as a real conviction position that distinguishes it from its close competitors. This has allowed us to produce creative work which exudes real passion from our brand protagonists, cutting through some of the false gloss you tend to expect from many brands in this category.” 

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. 

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. 

Campaign Production Credits