The public have spoken: three whisky designs go to online vote as part of industry world first 

— Crowdsourcing venture is part of Glenmorangie’s Cask Masters programme which gives enthusiasts the chance to help create a new whisky: from selecting the actual liquid, to naming, to designing the packaging, photography and even influencing the location of the launch event — 

— SUGGESTED TWEET: @theglenmorangie #caskmasters programme seeks YOUR opinion on their next bottle design. To have your say visit: www.glenmorangie.com/caskmasters — 

From today (09:00 on 4 December) for the first time ever, whisky aficionados worldwide get to vote on the packaging design of a new single malt which they have helped to inspire. 

The initiative is part of Glenmorangie’s world first Cask Masters whisky creation programme which aims to get members of the public involved in the process. 

It was launched on 1 March 2013 and will run for 18 months with the new Limited Edition Glenmorangie whisky ready for release in the autumn of 2014. 

The whisky, extra-matured in exclusive Manzanilla sherry casks, had already been selected when three casks of whisky were put to a public vote earlier this year. 

Whisky fans have also selected the name Taghta (Tuh-ta), Gaelic* for Chosen, after thousands of suggestions were whittled down to a shortlist of three names translated by Gaelic expert Dr Aonghas MacCoinnich and put to an online vote. 

Following a month-long period when whisky fans worldwide uploaded pictures and design ideas to a special online gallery, three new packaging designs have been produced by branding expert Jon Davies from leading London design agency Butterfly Cannon. 

Today the designs are put to the public vote with Glenmorangie fans able to choose the label and carton which, from next September, will be available for online purchases world-wide. 

Cask Masters is the brainchild of Glenmorangie’s Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Distilling & Whisky Creation, who is accompanied by an expert in each field of the five-step process. 

Dr Bill Lumsden commented: “This is a wonderful opportunity for fans of Glenmorangie to really help create a new single malt whisky and the plans for its launch. Some of the ideas uploaded by the public have been truly inspirational, from lighthouses to parachutes to contestants competing in a Highland Games.” 

Butterfly Cannon Founder, Jon Davies, commented “It has been amazing to get the chance to involve so many consumers in the creative process: I feel I have had a studio full of hundreds of creatives rather than tens! The images and ideas have been perfect for the designers, sparking compelling brand and product stories which have been brought to life in three unique packaging designs. I am fascinated to see which one Glenmorangie aficionados will choose.” 

For more information visit: www.glenmorangie.com/caskmasters 

Voting closes on 6 January and the chosen packaging will be revealed on 7 January. One of the voters will win an Apple iMac. 

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Glenmorangie has already taken inspiration from Gaelic with the name of some of its most famous creations. Within its exclusive Private Edition range of whiskies, it has selected names to reflect each expression, with Artein meaning “Stone”, and Finealta meaning “Elegant”. 

At the later stages of the Cask Masters programme experts will also offer their guidance on the photography and launch suggestions received from whisky fans. 

At each stage participants will also be able to win prestigious prizes including a VIP visit to the Glenmorangie Distillery and a trip to the country of origin of the oak cask in which the winning whisky has been matured. 

About Glenmorangie:

Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky originates in the Scottish Highlands where, at the Glenmorangie Distillery, it is distilled in the tallest malt whisky stills in Scotland, expertly matured in the finest oak casks, and perfected by the Men of Tain. The Distillery was founded in 1843 and is renowned as a pioneer in its field uniting tradition with innovation to create ‘unnecessarily well made whiskies.’ 

Responsible Drinking:

The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking and suggests that drinkers savour Glenmorangie whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption. 

For more details: www.glenmorangie.com/caskmasters or Twitter: #caskmasters @theglenmorangie

USA RE-LAUNCHING OF TAMDHU  

Tamdhu, one of Speyside’s founding distilleries has officially re-launched today in the United States with a stunning new 10 year old Speyside Single Malt.   

Acquired in June 2011 by Ian Macleod Distillers — the leading Scottish independent family owned distiller and bottler — Tamdhu Distillery was established in 1897 by a consortium of pioneering businessmen who embodied the ‘can-dhu’ spirit of their generation.  

Inspired by an age of industry and endeavor, the Tamdhu story is one of enlightenment that began, and continues to this day, on the banks of the River Spey. Now, just as then, Tamdhu is matured in only the finest oak sherry casks with natural Speyside water from the Tamdhu spring. 

The new Tamdhu 10 years old has the softness of vanilla and sugared almonds on the nose, balanced by fresh oak and cinnamon. Bursting with fruit and spice and gently yielding to toffee, there is a richness of sherry oak on the palate with a gentle hint of peat smoke wisp.

Designed to maximize on-shelf presence, the packaging communicates the Brand’s values and provenance with a stylish, textured black, white and gold tube, illustrated monograms and an elegant glass bottle, inspired by the Victorian era.

ImpEx’s leaders, Ed Kohl and Sam Filmus agree that as a Speyside Distillery, Tamdhu is a particularly exciting addition to the family because it perfectly complements their already diverse Scotch portfolio. The distillery’s
incredible pedigree and history will captivate connoisseurs and beginners alike, further extending the reach of
ImpEx’s network and making its tasting seminars even more compelling.

“Tamdhu has a reputation for producing exceptional quality single malt. [We have ensured] that our best casks had hit their peak before bottling. With a focus on quality, we have honored the careful distillation process to create a premium malt Scotch whisky we believe Tamdhu’s founders would be proud of.” – Leonard Russell, Managing Director and third generation of the family-owned Ian Macleod Distillers.

“We are committed to growing the Brand within the USA, and are confident it will prove popular with whisky enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike.”– Roderick Mackenzie, Ian Macleod Distillers Area Sales Director.

Tamdhu 10 years old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky will be available in the US for distribution in mid-December 2013.

We’re honored that we can make the ‘Can-dhu’ spirit part of your holiday spirit this year and we’d like to wish you a wonderful Holiday season!

Warm regards,

Ed Kohl,

CEO and Managing Director of Sales

Sam Filmus,

President and Managing Director of Operations

You Are Invited

4th Annual 

Canadian Whisky Awards Banquet

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Grand Pacific Hotel

Victoria, British Columbia 

Join us in Victoria B.C. to celebrate the best Canadian whiskies in the world.

Tickets for the gala banquet and awards presentation may be purchased for $60 from James Burrough at the Hotel Grand Pacific. Your ticket includes the awards ceremony and a full hot and cold buffet.

Reach James by e-mail at

jburrough@hotelgrandpacific.com  

The Canadian Whisky Awards help keep the world talking about the best deluxe, premium, value, and flavoured Canadian whiskies.   

Winners will be announced at the ceremony and through major press across Canada and the U.S. 

 We hope to see you in Victoria.

Davin de Kergommeaux

GlenDronach releases latest batch of its single cask bottlings 

AWARD-WINNING GLENDRONACH has today, 3 December, released Batch 9 of its succulent single cask bottlings, selected as always by Master Blender Billy Walker. 

The magnificent nine, ranging from 41 to 18 years old, share GlenDronach’s typically richly-sherried signature taste complemented by notes of almonds, cherries, raisins, prunes and lime…even cracked black pepper, cocoa beans and red chilli sauce! 

Six were matured in Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheons while the other three come from Oloroso sherry butts. The result is a swirling and mesmerising range of expressions – from delicate sweetness to puckering malt monsters. 

The oldest is a 41 year-old Oloroso sherry butt distilled in February 1972 – cask # 702. Bottled at 51.7% vol, this veteran is a complex, fiery wonder – rich dark oak edged with deep ruby. On the nose, it gives sumptuous depths of classic sour cherries dusted with gentle toasted almonds. And on the palate, it’s a beautifully elegant vintage sherry style bursting with a combination of dark espresso, molasses, herbs and oak spices. 

And as a contrast, the youngest in the batch is an 18 year-old distilled in April 1995. This Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon, cask number 3302, was bottled at 53.7% vol. It is rich golden burnt amber in appearance. On the nose, vibrant citrus zest combines with touches of wild mint and oak spice while on the palate an initial sweet chocolate and vanilla fullness moves to a delicate lasting zest and herb note. 

The batch details are: 

1972 cask # 702 / 41 years old / Oloroso Sherry Butt / 51.7% vol

1985 cask # 1035 / 27 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 53.7%vol

1989 cask # 5470 / 23 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 49.2%vol

1990 cask # 1243 / 23 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 50.6%vol

1991 cask # 5405 / 21 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 49.9%vol

1992 cask # 195 / 21 years old / Oloroso Sherry Butt / 59.8%vol

1993 cask # 5 / 20 years old / Oloroso Sherry Butt / 53.0%vol

1994 cask # 3385 / 19 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 53.4%vol

1995 cask # 3302 / 18 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 53.7%vol 

For more information, click here 

I hope my letter finds you well this festive season, and enjoying a dram of Islay’s finest, of course.

We have already had the first flurry of snow at the distillery, which is quite rare for us. We have been told that there is a lot more on the way.

For visitors coming to visit us next year, you will be welcomed by two magnificent dry stone walls at our entrance. They are being built by Jim Hanson, who also did the beautiful stone Laphroaig barrel that sits at the entrance of our visitor centre.

I am pleased to say (as I sit on the local committee) that a new ‘walking path’ from Port Ellen to our distillery will be complete by next year. It is three quarters complete now and there are already some superb views of our stunning coastline. It is almost 1 and half miles long, so a great walk for those who enjoy the fresh air.

Whilst we regularly win awards for our single malts, I was particularly proud of our Gold ‘Outstanding’ Award from the IWSA for our 18 year old. Being awarded ‘Outstanding’ is only at the discretion of the panel and is rarely awarded, so a great honour.

You will be pleased to hear we have had a record production this to year to make sure there is plenty of Laphroaig laid down for the future. We also opened up the top maturation floor of Warehouse Number 1 by the sea earlier this year, but more on this next year!

We also had a record year for visitors to your distillery – over 20,000 visitors! I always enjoy meeting new FOL’s coming to the distillery for the first time, so thank you for making the effort.

Like last year, we will be holding our Christmas Fair for the islanders on December the 8th, at the visitor centre. Here, all the arts and crafts people of Islay gather to sell their wares, many of which you will recognise in your online shop. By then, we will have put up two Christmas trees that come from the old wooded part of your FOL plots. One at the distillery, of course, and the other takes pride of place in our local town Port Ellen.

Final Dates for Online Delivery

If you’re looking to treat someone special this Christmas with items from our gift shop, remember that postal times vary so be sure to get your orders in before it’s too late.

• United Kingdom: 20th December
• Europe: 16th December
• Rest of World: 13th December

For more information on orders please visit the Laphroaig website.

Laphroaig Live USA

As most of you know, the 2013 Laphroaig Live event took place in New York, on an ancient river barge moored right in front of the Statue of Liberty in the old Brooklyn docks.

We received so many questions during the event that the panel and I were unable to answer all of them. Don’t worry though, starting this month we’re answering these questions on the Laphroaig Facebook page. If you want to see the answers in your newsfeed, just remember to Like us Facebook.

All that is left for me to do is to wish you Seasons Greetings from myself and all of us here at Laphroaig. I hope you have a great holiday and a superb Hogmanay.

Slàinte,

John Campbell
Distillery Manager, Laphroaig

Join the Friends of Laphroaig

Amrut releases three Single Cask Single Malt Whiskies

Three stunning new single malts are released this month by the innovative Indian distillery, Amrut Distilleries.

Carrying on in its much admired tradition of taking its single malt whisky and aging it in particular wood, Amrut Distilleries, the award-winning Bangalore whisky maker has created three single cask malts. 

The malt whisky from the Bourbon and Sherry casks is made with Indian barley, while the spirit from the Port pipes is made from Scottish barley malted in peat. 

Ashok Chokalingam, Amrut’s International Brand Ambassador says each is a very individual offering. “We select the casks we use carefully and then wait until the spirit reaches the perfect age and level of maturity before we bottle it.” 

The results are impressive and already the trio has had rave reviews. Curt Robinson, founder of All Things Whisky, particularly likes the expression from the Bourbon cask for its simplicity that is “Amrut at its best”. 

He highlights the beautifully balanced nose to its unmistakable Amrut palate of “warm melting Swiss chocolate, cinnamon-spiced cocoa, orange zest, mint and ginger”, which he found “stunningly vibrant and tangy on the tongue”. 

Meanwhile, Gal Granov, founder and editor of Whisky Israel, enthuses about the peated expression from the Port pipes. Of the nose he says: “Oh my goodness. It’s so rich. So intense. Lovely peat above layers of sweet cherries soaked in wine. Lots of spice too. Mint. Plums. Mushrooms. Desert wine. Tannins galore. It’s huge.” 

Gordon Homer, founder of the Spirit of India blog and a well established fan of Amrut thinks the port pipe matured Single Cask is the peatiest Amrut he has ever had. 

Ashok added: “We are delighted with the initial reaction we have had to these Single Malts. As we waited for the elements to come into alignment, we thought they were going to be interesting, but it is only when the drinkers themselves give us their verdict that we can be truly happy.” 

The three new Amrut Single Casks will only be available in Europe. 

FURTHER INFO

Tasting notes – Amrut Single Cask

Gal Granov

Founder and editor, Whisky Israel

Amrut Single Cask, Port pipe, peated

Nose: Oh my goodness. It’s so rich. So intense. Lovely peat above layers of sweet cherries soaked in wine. Lots of spice too. Mint. Plums. Mushrooms. Desert wine. Tannins galore. It’s huge!!

Palate: wham. Bitter earthy peat. Tons of hot chilly and cinnamon. Tannins. Sweet and hot with smoke and lovely earthy peat. Marinated BBQ meat. Fig jam and sultanas. Rum soaked cake.

Finish: long. Ashy. Peaty. Sweet and spicy cinnamon and dates.

Superb.

90/100

Amrut Single Cask, Bourbon

Nose: coconut oil and vanilla with a bit of waxy notes too. Needs a bit of water to open up and then it reveals perfumed wood notes and more sugars.

Palate: lots of vanilla and fresh coconut, cereals and a hint of bergamot.

Finish: bitter sweet wood, crushed coffee beans.

Nice bourbon influence on steroids.

85/100

Amrut Single Cask, PX sherry

Nose: rich thick sugars with a clear sherry effect : nuts, grape peals and dried fruit salad in sweet nectar with quite a bit of vanilla and nutmeg.

Palate: sweet and hot at first with freshly ground peppercorns, hot cinnamon and dates and figs galore and a hint of tobacco leaves too.

Finish: cinnamon. Chilly. Dried figs and black pepper.

Lovely.

88/10

Curt Robinson

founder All Things Whisky, Canada

Amrut Single Cask, Bourbon

Score: 92/100

Nose: creamy chocolate. Almond and nutmeg. A little bit of orange. A fine dusting of cinnamon. Very high quality hardwood (like you’d smell in a great wood-working shop). Toasted marshmallow and vanilla. Quite creamy and “doughy”. Very much in the vein of the Herald or Two Continents. Beautifully balanced nose.

Palate: a huge delivery of pure Amrut familiarity. By now, this is an unmistakable profile. Warm melting Swiss chocolate. Cinnamon-spiced cocoa. Orange zest, mint and ginger. Nice blend of dried spices. Stunningly vibrant and tangy on the tongue.

Absolutely beautiful. I adore Amrut matured in ex-bourbon. You can see the purity of the exotic spirit shining through. While I am a sucker for all of Amrut’s innovative and quirky limited releases, this simplicity is Amrut at its best.

Amrut Single Cask, PX sherry

Score: 88/100

Nose: surprisingly, there is a little bit of tart red apple right up front. I’ve never picked that up on an Amrut before. Good strong cigar leaf and well-oiled leather. Sharp chocolate notes. It’s still easy to pick up malted barley here. A lot of spices, complexly married into a neat whole. Sort of reminds of an older Dalmore on the nose.

Palate: there is almost a meatiness here, met with malt. Coffee and over-roasted nuts. Dark toffee and even darker dried fruits. Burnt orange peelings. Very tannic. Very thick. Apple skins on the finish. This is heavy and oppressive sherry. Great late evening drink.

I’m not usually a water in whisky kinda guy, but this one swims very well. I’d actually recommend a few drops of water to cushion the more overt sherry notes and bring out more of those sublime sweet notes that PX is known for. A couple drops of water adds even more harmony and balance. A very different Amrut from what I’m used to. Neat to see another side.

Amrut Single Cask, Port pipe, peated

Score: 90/100

Nose: a lot of really lovely chocolate. A fair bit of peat that manages to stand rather independent of the smoke. Damp ash meets dark earthy soil (very cool nuances here!). Iodine and grape. Fresh orange juice. There’s a dark smokiness, but it’s very juicy, not dry. I can still pick up on that typical Amrut spicy cereal note even through all of the peat and port. Surprisingly creamy with a bit of a vanilla skeleton.

Palate: this is salty dram. One that has a great meaty/sour mix (in an absolutely pleasant tingling sensory way). I love it. Smoked fruits… weird but awesome. A lot of juicy grape and a bit of citrus. This carries a similar profile to the BenRiach Solstice (which I also loved, incidentally), but do note… the Solstice was a fifteen year old whisky… while this is only four!

This is single malt for the forward-thinking. It’s a little outside the norm, and definitely a whisky that will be hard to forget. Hopefully Amrut will consider adding something like this as a part of the core range, or at least something to be released in small batches in an ongoing basis.

Gordon Homer

Founder Spirit of India, Newcastle

Amrut Single Cask, Bourbon

A lovely golden colour in the glass. The nose is classic Amrut: malty, digestive biscuit, caramel toffee, chocolate (read millionaires’ shortbread for the last three) and of course liquorice. There’s also a hint of tropical fruits in the mix – delightful. This one fair dances across the palate, loads of oak spices playing with the malt and liquorice, a stunning mouthfeel. The finish is quite long again with spices and millionaires’ shortbread and an incredible chewiness. This one does not disappoint: Amrut at its finest.

Amrut Single Cask, Port pipe, peated

The odd one out of the three as it’s peated. Ruby red in colour. At first the peatiness is subdued by the fruitiness of the Port. A bag of mixed dark fruits, plums and blackberry jelly spring to mind, eventually there is a waft of peat and if you wait long enough (if you can) the glass is eventually filled to the brim with a smoky peatiness. The palate is REALLY peaty and not as fruit filled as I was expecting, there is fruit there (again of the dark variety) but I think this is the peatiest Amrut I’ve ever had. The finish is long and peaty with plum jam. The cask and the peated spirit really go well together in this one, both interplay well with each other and neither dominate, very good balance, another ace bottling.

Amrut Single Cask, PX sherry

The colour of Golden Syrup, the Amrut liquorice is the first thing that grabs your attention on the nose, then it intermixes with the dried fruits (raisins and sultanas), glace cherries and cake dough of your traditional Christmas cake. The palate at first is dark chocolate and glace cherries, then the liquorice and shortbread biscuit come through. There is also a hint of cherry liqueur. The finish is very dry and long, and almost liquid Christmas cake. Again incredible balance between the spirit and cask and another thoroughly enjoyable Amrut.

Amrut Distilleries background

Amrut Single Malt Whisky from India was launched officially in Glasgow in 2004. Since then its reputation has grown, with its range of innovative whiskies using Indian barley from the Punjab, distilled in the tropical garden city of Bangalore at 3,000ft above sea level. Amrut Distilleries has won many awards.

In The Whisky Bible 2010, leading whisky expert, Jim Murray awarded Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky the title of World’s Third Best Whisky. Murray said Fusion “has to be one of the great whiskies found anywhere in the world this year”. Admitting his No 3 choice could come as a surprise to some people, he said: “The fact that it is Indian? Irrelevant, from distillation to maturation this is a genius whisky from whichever continent.”

The awards for Fusion have continued, picking up several over the years, including Grand Master of World Whisky at The Spirits Business Awards in December 2011 and World Whisky of the Year at the Malt Advocate Whisky Awards February 2011.

The distillery itself has won honours, lifting the title of Distiller of the Year in the Icons of Whisky 2011 at awards organized by Whisky Magazine. The award was made to Amrut “for raising the profile of Indian whisky across the globe and its innovations in the production process”. The Rest of the World title meant the Bangalore distillery was also one of the four contenders for the Icons of Whisky Distiller of the Year title.

In 2012, Ashok Chokalingam, Amrut’s General Manager – International Operations, was named Whisky Ambassador of the Year at the Icons of Whisky. The judges praised the hard work of Ashok and Amrut Executive Director, Rick Jagdale, since launching Amrut Malt in 2004. “The gamble and all the legwork has paid off for Ashok and Rick, with Amrut establishing its credentials as a serious award winning whisky” they said.

Amrut’s Two Continents malt whisky was named Whisky Advocate’s New World Whisky of the Year in 2012. Two Continents is made from 100% Indian barley grown in Punjab and Rajasthan, then mashed, distilled and aged in Bangalore. It was then transferred to Europe where it was aged in ex-bourbon casks and then bottled. This gives it a “rich, complex, unique, and exciting oral explosion” according to Whisky Advocate.

Amrut Peated Malt Cask Strength Whisky won Silver and Amrut Single Malt Cask Strength Whisky Bronze at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in 2008.

Amrut is now sold widely in Europe (UK, Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Spain), Canada, South Africa, Australia and the United States. It is also available in some Indian states.

Amrut’s oldest malt was released in the spring of 2013. Having kept the angels happy for eight years as it matured in Bangalore, there were only 144 bottles to release – appropriately it was named Greedy Angels. 

NOTES to editors

High resolution images of the bottles are available – please email flaing@btinternet.com for copies.

Ashok Chokalingam, General Manager – International Operations, is available for interview on +44 (0) 7838 229914. ashok@amrutdistilleries.com

Best Peated Whisky Award for Amrut malt in Malt Maniacs Awards 

An Amrut Single Cask malt whisky has been named the Best Peated Whisky in the 2013 Malt Maniacs Awards. 

The peated malt – bottled by Blackadder – was awarded 89 points by the jury in its blind tastings, just two points behind the overall winner. It was awarded a Silver Medal. 

The Indian distiller, Amrut Distilleries also picked up two Silver Medals and a Bronze Medal in the annual awards announced on 3 December, 2013 by Malt Maniacs, the on-line collective of malt whisky lovers. With three Silver Medals, Amrut was one of the best performing distilleries in this year’s awards. 

Amrut malts picked up the following awards:

• Silver medal, 89 points:

Amrut ‘Peated’ (63%, Blackadder Raw Cask, NAS, C#BA18/2013, 268 Bts., 2013)

• Silver medal, 88 points:

Amrut (62.3%, Blackadder Raw Cask, NAS, Sherry Cask, C#BA17/2013, 236 Bts., 2013)

• Silver medal, 88 points:

Amrut ‘Single Cask’ 2009/2013 (62.8%, OB, C#2699, PX sherry cask)

• Bronze medal 84 points:

            Amrut ‘Single Cask’ 2009/2013 (62.8%, OB, bourbon cask) 

Ashok Chokalingam, Amrut’s International sales manager, said: “Our new Single Cask releases are proving very popular. We are delighted that such passionate whisky enthusiasts recognise our efforts. This month we have launched some really special limited editions and it is great to see the Malt Maniacs being so enthusiastic about these Single Cask expressions.” 

Malt Maniacs are an international on-line collective of malt whisky lovers which have been spreading the gospel of single malt whisky since 1997. Each year members form a jury to sample – completely blind – hundreds of whiskies, in what is probably the only consumer-driven whisky competition. 

Further information 

Amrut Distilleries background

In December 2013, Amrut Distilleries released three single cask malts in the European markets. The malt whisky from the Bourbon and Sherry casks is made with Indian barley, while the spirit from the Port pipes is made from Scottish barley malted in peat. 

Amrut Single Malt Whisky from India was launched officially in Glasgow in 2004. Since then its reputation has grown, with its range of innovative whiskies using Indian barley from the Punjab, distilled in the tropical garden city of Bangalore at 3,000ft above sea level. Amrut Distilleries has won many awards. 

In The Whisky Bible 2010, leading whisky expert, Jim Murray awarded Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky the title of World’s Third Best Whisky. Murray said Fusion “has to be one of the great whiskies found anywhere in the world this year”. Admitting his No 3 choice could come as a surprise to some people, he said: “The fact that it is Indian? Irrelevant, from distillation to maturation this is a genius whisky from whichever continent.” 

Malt Maniacs

Although they do meet in real life, the Malt Maniacs, founded 1997 by Johannes van den Heuvel, are the most well known of all Web-based whisky communities. The members of Malt Maniacs are scattered all around the globe: Europe, America, Asia, Australia and Africa. The Malt Maniacs are 100 per cent independent and only their amateur members are entitled to score whisky for Malt Maniacs.

The Malt Maniacs Awards have been organised every year since 2003. More than 200 whiskies are usually preselected and submitted by more than 60 different distillers, bottlers or brands and tasted blind by from ten to twelve independent jurors from various countries (India, Taiwan, USA, Canada, Europe…) There are no fees involved whatsoever. The results, usually published early in December, are always eagerly awaited and commented on by the whole whisky community.
www.maltmaniacs.net/awards

The General – Limited Release

Old, eccentric, powerful

This is our final and most illustrious Limited Edition release of the year: The General. It’s been created from two parcels of extraordinary cask-aged Blended Scotch whisky. The youngest whisky is 33 years old, the rest considerably older. Other than that, we have absolutely no idea what the ingredients are, only that they are malt and grain, blended together at a young age and then married for more than 25 years.

The result, bottled at 53.4% cask strength, is beautifully harmonious and boasts an ‘antique’ character that lovers of old whiskies seek out. The associations of The General, are inspired by Buster Keaton’s classic 1926 film of the same name where ‘the General’ is an old steam locomotive which Keaton takes on a long and wild ride to try to save the love of his life.

This whisky has extraordinary depth, with aromas and flavours reminiscent of spices, dried fruits and old sherry wine character. The finish is very, very long. It is a classic late-night-and-into-the-early morning whisky. Only 1,698 bottles were produced. Contact your favourite retailer now to reserve your bottle or, alternatively, just pick one up from our UK-based web shop.*

* The General is available now in the UK and Europe, and in the next month or so in Canada, South Africa and Asia. It will be released in the US on 1st March 2014.

 MIX IT WITH BRASIL!

Ballantine’s announces launch of new spirit drink 

Ballantine’s, the world’s No. 2 Scotch whisky, has today announced an exciting new addition to the Ballantine’s portfolio, with the launch of Ballantine’s Brasil; a new lime-infused spirit drink. 

Made by selectively cask steeping Scotch whisky with Brazilian lime peel, Ballantine’s Brasil represents as an innovative fusion of the traditions of Scotland with the passion of Brazil. Featuring a delicate combination of citrus complemented with vanilla notes, the new variant is expected to resonate with consumers who are new to Scotch, as well as existing Ballantine’s drinkers. 

An ABV of 35% ensures that the taste is both smooth and consistent, with the sweet and creamy flavours of Scotch balancing the refreshing lime taste. 

Ballantine’s Brasil is presented in a clear version of the brand’s iconic bottle with its own unique, eye-catching design cues. The label features the brand’s ‘B’ signifier, a bespoke ‘Brasil’ crest and a lime green closure to complete the Brazilian look and feel, while ensuring strong shelf presence.  

Ballantine’s has also developed a signature serve for Ballantine’s Brasil called the Highland Samba, which mixes Ballantine’s Brasil and lemonade, served over ice and topped with two freshly-cut slices of lime. A further four Brazilian-themed serves have been created, comprising: 

• Glen Rio:  a mix of Ballantine’s Brasil and apple juice
• Flower O’Brasil: Ballantine’s Brasil mixed with freshly squeezed lime and elderflower
• Caledinho: Ballantine’s Brasil combined with freshly squeezed lime and mixed with crushed sugar
• Glen Coco: The Caledinho, with the addition of coconut 

Peter Moore, Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s, said: “There is a huge opportunity for spirit drinks that are made with whisky, as it’s an exceptionally dynamic new category that is already demonstrating a strong rate of growth. Ballantine’s Brasil is a venture into new territory for us, but we’re excited to have a product that can take advantage of this opportunity and one that can truly inspire those who have not yet found their perfect way to enjoy a Scotch whisky drink. We hope that Ballantine’s Brasil will excite a new generation of consumers with the combination of Scottish authenticity and Brazilian passion!” 

More information can be found at www.mixitwithbrasil.com, where customers can also view a series of tutorials on how they can ‘Mix it with Brasil’ to create their own favourite Ballantine’s Brasil cocktails. 

Ballantine’s Brasil will be launching in selected key markets around the world, starting with the Czech Republic and the Netherlands later this month and rolling out globally from February 2014. The RRP varies within each market, with the RRP for the Czech Republic being 379CZK (approximately 14€).

Notes to Editors 

Tasting Notes  

• Nose – A balance of rich vanilla and sweet, authentic Brazilian lime; a complex fusion of Scotch whisky, lime and natural vanilla.
• Taste – Soft sweetness, with a perfect balance of refreshing lime and sensation of smooth vanilla. Complementing this perfectly are the delicate sweet and creamy signature flavours of Scotch whisky.
• Finish – Refreshing lime tang with a soft dry finish. 

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.

BALLANTINE’S PRESENTS KILIAN MARTIN’S ‘CARMEN’

World renowned freestyle skateboarder Kilian Martin takes his board to the stage in a stunning re-imagining of opera classic ‘Carmen’ in new online feature by Ballantine’s 

Ballantine’s, the world’s No. 2 Scotch whisky, has today launched a new online film featuring one of the world’s most skilled and creative freestyle skaters – Spanish-born Kilian Martin – taking his board into the rarefied world of theatre, to create a stunning reinterpretation of Bizet’s classic Spanish-set opera ‘Carmen’. 

Kilian Martin’s ‘Carmen’ is a collaboration between the 26 year-old boarder and Ballantine’s, which sees Kilian taking on a unique challenge as part of the new global marketing campaign recently announced by Ballantine’s, ‘Stay True, Leave An Impression’. The resulting film sees Kilian using all of his talents in a one off experiment which taps into his unique backstory, heritage and ability in a wholly unexpected way, with the goal of inspiring viewers to Stay True to themselves.  

Shot on location in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the film reveals Kilian’s own ‘Stay True’ story. Deeply rooted in his Spanish heritage and an early love of gymnastics and artistic expression that has informed his dance-like skateboarding style ever since, we see Kilian arrive at a grand theatre and his story unfolds as he prepares to take on an ambitious experiment. Fusing all of the experiences and influences in his life that he has stayed true to, the film builds to a climatic and kinetic finale; Kilian’s reimagining of the ‘Toreador Song’ from Bizet’s ‘Carmen’, full of creative flair, skill and a technical mastery of his craft which continues to inspire and delight millions around the world. 

Kilian Martin commented on the film: “For me, skateboarding is the ultimate way I express myself, my passions and who I am. I’m a strong believer that you should stay true to yourself and where you’ve come from, so combining all of my life’s passions into this film and paying tribute to ‘Carmen’, has been so rewarding.”   

The film is available to view on YouTube here http://youtu.be/XzEAj5nBhec

Kilian and Stay True

Kilian is the embodiment of what Ballantine’s means by ‘Stay True’; someone who expresses themselves with honesty, informed by life experiences – someone who is living their life and challenging themselves not for adulation and applause, but out of self-belief and a dedication to who they truly are. The inspiration for the film featuring Kilian was directly born out of his own ‘Stay True’ story. Previous skateboarding films featuring Kilian have been viewed over 10m times online by fans around the world. 

About Stay True

The film is part of Ballantine’s recently launched ‘Stay True, Leave An Impression’ global marketing campaign, which features across the Ballantine’s brand and serves as an invitation to express ourselves in a genuine and authentic way, applauding self-belief and conviction. An accompanying advertising campaign is rolling out globally, with a TV commercial ‘The Drummer’ showing in selected countries around the world. 

Peter Moore, Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s commented: “Kilian is not only hugely talented and amazing to watch when he’s on his board, but his is a truly inspirational story that really demonstrates what it is to Stay True. He’s full of conviction and belief in his own ability, but at the same time he’s humble and isn’t doing what he does out of any sense of vanity. Whilst we’re not all going to ever be able to skate like Kilian, what he has achieved by staying true to himself and to his own unique style is truly inspirational.”  

Notes  

About Kilian

Kilian, whose skateboarding films have been viewed upwards of 10 million times online, was approached by Ballantine’s to collaborate on the film after learning about his unique backstory, which has led him to become the skater he is today. Born and raised in Madrid, Spain, and immersed in Spanish culture, Kilian’s first exposure to sport was through gymnastics, a discipline he took up at the age of 10. Gymnastics unlocked a deeply creative side of his personality, teaching him about movement, strength and balance, and importantly instilling in him a love of creation. At the same time, he had his first experience of surfing but, with the nearest beach over 6 hours away, he initially took to skateboarding on the streets as a way of improving his surfing ability. 

Surrounded not by water, but concrete and the urban landscape, skateboarding soon became his obsession, and he quickly learnt that his gymnastics background enabled him to create a unique skateboarding style that employed all of his technical and artistic ability, mirroring the type of creative ability embodied by heroes such as the Bones Brigade and Tony Hawk. 

With a passion fast becoming a calling, Kilian made the move to California to hone his craft, all the while maintaining his passion for gymnastics, which ultimately led to him to creating his own dance-like, athletic, skate style – a combination of all his earlier experiences – with a level of technicality that puts him in a class of his own. Now a fully-fledged legend of the skate world, Kilian’s passion has taken his around the world, creating skate videos as a creative outlet and he is regarded as one of the pioneers of modern freestyle skateboarding, all whilst staying true to his heritage and experiences that have made him the person he is today. 

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. 

For further information please visit http://www.chivasbrothers.com/