Jim Beam® Expands Trail-Blazing Flavor-Infused Bourbon Line With Red Stag By Jim Beam® Hardcore Cider

Clermont, KY (October 8, 2013) – Just in time for the fall season, Jim Beam® Bourbon has introduced the newest expression to its world-leading bourbon portfolio: Red Stag by Jim Beam® Hardcore Cider. Following the flagship brand that helped spark the flavored bourbon category – Red Stag Black Cherry – Red Stag Hardcore Cider is a “Different Breed of BourbonTM” that offers a mixable and approachable spin on America’s native spirit with natural flavors of apple cider.

“Since its history making introduction in 2009, Red Stag has helped fuel rapid growth of flavor innovation in the category,” said Chris Bauder, General Manager, Whiskies at Beam Inc. “We’re excited to extend our flavor leadership with the Red Stag line, which has seen double-digit growth every year, and are confident Red Stag Hardcore Cider is the perfect, versatile flavor addition for the fall season.”

This exciting new addition to the Red Stag by Jim Beam portfolio has also already generated substantial interest from industry experts. Beverage Media notes that the product “offers great versatility in many cocktail creations or can be enjoyed chilled, on the rocks.”

Like the other Red Stag flavors, Red Stag Hardcore Cider is an 80-proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey infused with natural flavors. The new expression features crisp fruit and subtle flavors of apple cider for just the right amount of sweet and spice that’s approachable for those who haven’t considered bourbon before or who simply want to add a little fall flavor to their glass. Whether as a shot, on the rocks or mixed in a variety of creative cocktails, Red Stag Hardcore Cider is the perfect way to get into the fall and holiday spirit. Try one of the great seasonal recipes below:

Holiday Pie Punch

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Red Stag by Jim Beam® Hardcore Cider
• 1 part Pinnacle® Pumpkin Pie Vodka
• 3 parts Apple Cider
• 1 part Fresh Lemon Sour

On the Rocks: Shake all ingredients with ice and strain over fresh ice in a tall glass garnishing with a lemon.

Warm-Up: Combine all ingredients plus a ½ part of water and 2 or 3 cinnamon sticks in a crock pot or non-reactive pan and bring to a simmer keeping heat just high enough to keep warm. To serve, ladle into heat proof mugs and float a thin wheel of lemon.

Eve’s Temptation

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Red Stag by Jim Beam® Hardcore Cider
• 1 part JDK & Sons™ Crave Chocolate Cherry Liqueur
• 2 parts Half & Half

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry on the rim.

About Beam Inc.

As one of the world’s leading premium spirits companies, Beam is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World.  Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including Jim Beam Bourbon, Maker’s Mark Bourbon, Sauza Tequila, Pinnacle Vodka, Canadian Club Whisky, Courvoisier Cognac, Teacher’s Scotch Whisky, Skinnygirl Cocktails, Cruzan Rum, Hornitos Tequila, Knob Creek Bourbon, Laphroaig Scotch Whisky, Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey, Larios Gin, Whisky DYC and DeKuyper Cordials.  Beam is focused on delivering superior performance with its unique combination of scale with agility and a strategy of Creating Famous Brands, Building Winning Markets and Fueling Our Growth. Beam and its 3,400 passionate associates worldwide generated 2012 sales of $2.5 billion (excluding excise taxes), volume of 38 million 9-liter equivalent cases and some of the industry’s fastest growing innovations.

Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol BEAM and is included in the S&P 500 Index and the MSCI World Index.  For more information on Beam, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.

Red Stag Hardcore Cider is now available nationwide for a suggested retail price of $17.99 for a 750ml bottle. For more information on Red Stag Hardcore Cider, please visit www.jimbeam.com/red-stag, “like” Jim Beam on Facebook or follow @JimBeamOfficial.

Jura Launches Search for the World’s Best Stories 

Jura Whisky has launched a search for the world’s best stories, with the chance to win two all-expenses paid trips to the 2014 Jura Whisky Festival.

Starting today (31 October), Jura Whisky is calling on all budding storytellers to submit a story in 1,000 characters or less. Every fortnight for ten weeks Jura Whisky will provide a different story theme for inspiration. The themes kick off this week with Travel Adventure, followed by Day Dreams, A Brush with Death, Into the Wild and Happily Ever After.

Art Wednesday will provide further inspiration by producing a series of videos which tell the stories of interesting, influential creatives and their work. The first two videos will feature writer Marcel Theroux and musician Nick Mulvey (previously of Portico Quartet), with more to follow.

From the competition entries, three stories will be chosen each week and turned into bespoke illustrations by creative agency Holler which will be posted on to jurawhisky.com.  At the end of the ten weeks, each of the 30 winning stories will be put to the public vote to find the favourite. Voting will remain open for two weeks.

The winner with the most votes will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to enjoy an all-expenses paid trip to Jura for the 2014 Whisky Festival to help select the new special edition festival bottling which will be launched at the 2015 Festival. Staying in the luxurious Jura Lodge, the winner will be treated to a VIP tour, taking in all of Jura’s ‘must sees’, including a speedboat trip to the Corryvreckan whirlpool, tea on the beach and a visit to Barnhill where Orwell wrote 1984.

Gemma Parkinson, Brand Manager at Jura Whisky, said: “As the nights draw in, the residents of Jura like to settle down by the fire, pour a dram and swap a story or two. In that spirit, we have launched a season of storytelling to celebrate tales worth sharing. Some of Jura’s best and most loved stories, both real and mythical, are those that have been handed down through generations of islanders over the years. That’s why we’re on the hunt to find the world’s best stories, to celebrate and reward the art of great storytelling.”

The competition, which opens today, Thursday, 31 October, and will run right through until Friday, 10 January 2014, is part of Jura Whisky’s new ‘Story Season’ campaign. The competition is open to entrants from all countries.

For more information on Jura Whisky’s search for the world’s best stories, including detailed terms and conditions, visit www.jurawhisky.com.

About Jura

Off the west coast of Scotland lies one of nature’s best kept secrets, the Isle of Jura.  Populated by a community of less than 200, known as Diurachs (the Gaelic name for the people of Jura), the island is home to Jura distillery and an award-winning range of single malt whiskies.

There are four classic bottlings in the Jura Collection, each with their own distinctive flavour profiles: the light and delicate Origin 10; the rich and full bodied Diurachs’ Own 16 year old; and Superstition and Prophecy, which are lightly and heavily peated respectively.

Jura whisky, as we know it today, was born in the late 1950s when two local estate owners – Robin Fletcher and Tony Riley-Smith – took the bold decision to rebuild the Jura distillery following decades of neglect, employing architect William Delme-Evans. By 1963 their work was complete, providing much needed economic support for an isolated island community.

The story of the distillery’s rebirth is one of many that define the unique character of Jura, the islanders and their whisky. From the Writers’ Retreat to the annual Music and Whisky Festivals, Jura continues to generate stories worth telling.

To find out more visit www.jurawhisky.com

Richard Paterson, Master Distiller for The Dalmore and caretaker of Scotland’s most precious and rare whisky stocks, is taking to Reddit for a special whisky “Ask Me Anything” from today.

Richard, who is affectionately known as “the nose”, has been the Master Distiller at the Dalmore distillery for over 40 years and has created inspiring and memorable whiskies, which include King Alexander III, Ceti and The Dalmore Constellation Collection to name but a few. Whisky distilling is in Richard’s blood having followed in both his father and grandfather steps into the whisky industry and he knows everything there is to know about the water of life.

To ask Richard a question, simply post your questions on the Whisky Reddit pages http://www.reddit.com/r/Scotch/ and Richard will reply to as many as he can next week.

The Teeling Whiskey Company Goes With The Grain

Unique bottling of Irish Single Grain Whiskey is Launched 

The Teeling Whiskey Company, Ireland’s award winning independent Irish whiskey company, has released a new bottling of Single Grain Irish whiskey, one of only a handful of such expressions in the world.

Single Grain bottlings are very rare as it is typically blended with heavier styles of Irish whiskey to create many of the well-known brands on the market today. Grain whiskey is made through the combination of unique ingredients, predominately maize/corn which is distilled through a modern technique of column distillation. This produces an exceptionally clean, smooth and sweet Irish whiskey. The smooth, sweet nature of Grain whiskey provides a natural canvas which allows the Teeling Whiskey Company to create a very unique style of Irish whiskey.

To add a depth of character, Teeling Single Grain is exclusively fully matured in Californian Cabernet Sauvignon wine barrels. This creates a very distinctive rich amber colour while imparting strong spicy notes, lush red berry and grape flavours. This proprietary maturation technique produces a very unique Irish whiskey of distinctive character while still being remarkably easy to drink. Like all the Teeling whiskeys it is bottled at 46% with no chill filtration allowing for all the natural flavours of the whiskey to be retained.

Jack Teeling, founder of the Teeling Whiskey Company, commented, “It’s a little known fact that the majority of Irish whiskey sold is actually Grain whiskey so we feel it is interesting to have expressions of Single Grain whiskey in its own right.  Our new Teeling Single Grain is representative of our aim to help drive the expansion of the Irish whiskey category through unique bottlings and expressions.”

The Teeling family whiskey heritage in distilling dates back to 1782 in Dublin when Walter Teeling  set up a distillery in Marrowbone Lane in the Liberties. Today, Jack and his brother Stephen, Sales & Marketing Director, are the latest generation of Teelings involved in the Irish whiskey industry. While initially starting out as an independent bottler, their aim is to bring Teeling Whiskey home by establishing the first new whiskey distillery in Dublin in over 125 years.

THE MACALLAN AMBER NAMED

THE WHISKY SHOP’S WHISKY OF THE YEAR 2013

The Whisky Shop today (Friday 1^st November 2013) crowned The Macallan Amber as its Whisky of the Year 2013.

The 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 was selected from The Whisky Shop’s extensive range of over 300 whiskies based on a combination of customer choice, sales and recommendations from store managers.

With 22 stores across the UK including new premium flagships in London’s Piccadilly and on Manchester’s Exchange Street, The Whisky Shop has over 3 million customers each year and is the first retail store in the UK to provide a dedicated platform for some of the world’s most exclusive whiskies.

The premium drinks emporium provides an experience which is luxurious, accessible and educational to whisky novices and connoisseurs, leading them on a journey of discovery and celebrating the heritage and craftsmanship of the product.

The Whisky Shop’s Piccadilly flagship is widely regarded by the industry as the leading specialist whisky retailer in the world.  The store recently fought off competition from the new Burberry global flagship on Regent Street and the bespoke Christian Louboutin boutique in Selfridges to scoop a prestigious retail design award.*

Priced at £59.99, 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.  For the 1824 Series, 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.

Ken Grier, Director of Malts, Edrington, commented: “We are delighted to receive this award for The Macallan Amber.  Amber is the second expression in our new 1824 Series of four single malts and is the perfect combination of two of the most influential factors which make this single malt whisky amongst the most distinctive and desirable, namely sherry seasoned oak casks and natural colour. The Macallan Amber, by name and appearance, boasts a floral, citrus and sweet vanilla nose with hints of toffee apple, cinnamon and ginger, finishing with soft fruits and subtle oak lingering.

“This recognition is testimony both to this innovative approach to whisky making of taking colour as the basis for shaping these whiskies, and to the long experience of our Whisky Maker, Bob Dalgarno.  As some 60% of the aroma and flavour of The Macallan derives from the oak maturation casks, Amber truly demonstrates the critical role of our exceptional casks.”

Andrew Torrance, Managing Director of The Whisky Shop, said: “Although it was only launched earlier this year, The Macallan Amber has already established itself as one of our leading single malts.

“Our Whisky of the Year is voted for by our customers as well as our knowledgeable store managers, which underlines the impact of this new addition to The Macallan range and The Macallan Amber is a highly deserving winner of our Whisky of the Year 2013.”

Previous winners of the award, which is now in its seventh year, are Jura Superstition, Dalmore 12 year old, Laphroaig Quarter Cask, Auchentoshan 12 year old, Bowmore 12 year old and Bunnahabhain 12 year old.

The Macallan Amber is available from The Whisky Shop’s 22 stores nationwide or online at www.whiskyshop.com

* The 2013 National Association of Shopfitters (NAS) Design Partnership Award for Retail

NOTES

Tasting Notes: 

The Macallan Amber – a floral, citrus sweet nose gains presence, commanding a chorus of sweet vanilla notes over freshly harvested grain. Raisin, sultana and cinnamon look on as toffee apples and candy floss step into the limelight. On the palate, fresh green apples and lemons mingle with cinnamon. Ginger notes hover as fruit takes over, with subtle oak lingering. The finale is light to medium, with soft fruits and cereal, slightly dry. 

The Whisky Shop 

The Whisky Shop is the UK’s largest whisky only specialist retailer with 22 stores nationwide and an online store at www.whiskyshop.com.  For further information please visit www.whiskyshop.com or contact 0141 427 2977.

Glenmorangie named world’s best dram   

— Author of renowned Whisky Bible pays homage to the “borderline perfection” of limited edition Ealanta — 

Glenmorangie Ealanta has today been named as the best dram on the planet by Jim Murray, one of the world’s leading whisky experts.

In his 2014 Whisky Bible Murray paid tribute to the quality of the limited edition single malt Scotch by describing it as having “one of the longest finishes of any Scotch this year…and borderline perfection.” It scored 97.5 out of 100 points.

This year 4,500 whiskies were tasted, evaluated and rated by Murray but he was blown away by Ealanta’s innovative aroma and taste profile. Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible is published annually and is regarded as a benchmark for the sector.

Glenmorangie Ealanta was released at the start of this year as the fourth annual release in the company’s award-winning Private Edition range.

Scots Gaelic for ‘skilled and  ingenious’, Ealanta is a 19 Years Old Glenmorangie, fully matured in virgin American white oak casks with a provenance that stretches all the way to the mountains of Missouri and the Mark Twain National Forest.

Dr Bill Lumsden, The Glenmorangie Company’s Director of Distilling and Whisky Creation, said: “This is a wonderful award for us and testament to the ongoing success of our Private Edition range. Jim Murray has been a leading judge of whisky for three decades so this is a major coup for us.

“It’s no secret in our industry that it’s the ‘wood that makes the whisky’ and for many years my team and I have been carrying out detailed research in this area.”

Jim Murray, whose Whisky Bible celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, said: “Glenmorangie Ealanta pipped others to the post because it went out and did something different; not only did it blow one away with its deftness, beauty and elegance, but it gave an aroma and taste profile completely new to me in over 30 years of tasting whisky.”

Glenmorangie Ealanta retails at £74.99 and is available at specialist retailers including The Whisky Exchange, Master Of Malt, The Whisky Shop and Royal Mile Whiskies (Edinburgh).

NOTES

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.

OLD PULTENEY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY AND US SAILING

ANNOUNCE FINALISTS FOR THE 2013 MARITIME HEROES AWARD 

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky and US Sailing announced this year’s finalists for the 2013 Old Pulteney Maritime Heroes Award. Now in its second year, the Maritime Heroes Award seeks out men and women across the country who are making significant contributions to their local sailing community and the overall sport of sailing. Three finalists were chosen this year.

“We continue to be impressed by how many men and women dedicate their lives to improving and preserving the sport of sailing,” said Amy Larkin, Marketing Director of US Sailing.

Each finalist was nominated by another member of their sailing community and carefully selected by Old Pulteney and US Sailing representatives.

• Don Glasell from Chicago, IL, makes sailing more accessible to inner-city kids and the disabled as a sailing instructor with the Chicago Yacht Club and the Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Foundation.
• Rich Goben of Descanso, CA, has committed 33 years of service on several classic passenger sailing vessels teaching, training, and mentoring countless crews.
• Michael Rorke Miller from Traverse City, MI helps at-risk youth in northern Michigan through a therapeutic sailing program, SAIL Champion.

“These finalists embody everything an Old Pulteney Maritime Hero should be: dedicated, compassionate and selfless,” said Pat Graney, President of International Beverage USA. “We recognize and appreciate the lasting impressions they have made in both their local communities and the sailing community as a whole.”

The winner will be determined by public vote and recognized at an award ceremony in February 2014 during US Sailing’s National Sailing Programs Symposium in San Diego, California.  Friends, family and members of the national maritime community are encouraged to vote for their favorite finalist. Public voting for the Old Pulteney Maritime Heroes Award will be open through December 1, 2013. For official rules please visit www.maritimeheroes.com. 

About Old Pulteney

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky is crafted at Pulteney Distillery in Wick, Scotland. The distillery was founded in 1826 by James Henderson at the height of Wick’s herring boom. The distillery lies in the heart of “Pulteneytown,” which was one of the largest and most important herring fishing ports in Europe.  Old Pulteney has a long standing association with the sea and is the official scotch of US Sailing.  Its carefully crafted taste carries the windswept and rugged character of the North, the salty and fresh air of the North Sea, and the distillery’s rich maritime heritage runs through every drop of this fine malt.

About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider. For more information, please visit http://www.ussailing.org/.

A COMPLETELY new type of Scotch single malt has been crowned World Whisky Of The Year in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2014.

Glenmorangie Ealanta was distilled as Scotch but matured in the style of American bourbon. The 19-year-old malt has been given a record-equalling 97.5 points out of 100 to see off the Kentucky bourbon William Larue Weller, which came in second.

In explaining his choice, Jim Murray said the unique Glenmorangie had pipped its rival “because it went out and did something very different: not only did it blow me away with its deftness, beauty and elegance, but it gave an aroma and taste profile completely new to me in over 30 years of tasting whisky”.

For the tenth anniversary edition of the Whisky Bible, Jim Murray tasted over 1,100 new whiskies from all over the world which had entered the market in the last year.

Ten years after the launch of the first Whisky Bible, the sales of which are now heading towards half a million copies, Jim Murray has also reprised his campaign against the use of caramel to falsely colour whisky.

Jim Murray insists that, despite whatever the distillers may claim, caramel dulls the taste and aroma of whisky and misleads consumers as the colouring is often not listed as an ingredient.

Jim Murray added: “Ten years ago, my campaign against caramel had a huge and positive impact on many distillers and independent bottlers around the world. But it is a shame that, a decade on, some of the bigger boys continue to use it. I hope my campaign will lead at least to legal acknowledgement on labels of the presence of colouring, as is the case in Germany.”

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2014 is available to buy now from http://www.whiskybible.com/ and good bookshops and liquor stores throughout the world.

CHANCE TO SAMPLE WHISKY GALORE AT BOWHILL 

Beginners to the world of whisky tasting will have a chance to learn more about Scotland’s amber nectar at an event at Bowhill House, Selkirk, on November 2.

The informal tasting event will give visitors the chance to find out if they know their malts from their blends, or their Highlands from their Lowlands.

The evening will provide the chance to sample a wide variety of whiskies, with highlights including the Douglas of Drumlanrig single malt range.

The tasting session will be hosted by whisky aficionado Calum Flanders.

He said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for people to learn more about Scotland’s most famous export.

“Perceptions of whisky have moved on considerably, and what might once-upon-a-time have been perceived as an ‘old man’s’ drink is now loved by men and women of all ages. We look forward to attracting a diverse group to the event and giving them the chance to sample some special treats from around the country.”

Calum will discuss the effect spring water has on whisky, and how water from different areas can have different effects on the flavour.

He will also educate attendees on the impact the cask can have on the taste and talk through mashing charts and tasting charts.

In addition there will be discussion around the importance of your nose when it comes to whisky tasting, with humans relying on just four primary taste receptors compared with at least 32 smell receptors.

And to top it off there will also be a chance to round off the evening with some sweet treats, with some quality chocolate samples available.

This not-to-be-missed event takes place from 7pm-9pm, and costs £25 which includes a light refreshment. To secure a place call 01750 22204 or visit www.bowhill.org

Islay’s independent farm distillery, Kilchoman, is to release an exclusive bottling to its club members.

Managing director Anthony Wills and distillery manager John MacLellan have chosen eight fresh bourbon barrels from an October 2008 filling which are currently being finished in Oloroso Butts. These will be bottled at cask strength and around 2,000 bottles will be made available for sale.

The Kilchoman fans who have signed up to the club – that provides special access to a limited edition bottling each year, special tastings and discounts – can purchase the second annual release for £75 on Monday 4 November from 12pm on the distiller’s website.

Anthony Wills, managing director of Kilchoman, said: “Last year the release was very popular with our club members, as it sold out instantly and the amount of visitors brought down our website. In preparation we’ve expanded the website to make sure it can cope with the expected increase in traffic.”

Kilchoman’s portfolio now includes Machir Bay, Loch Gorm, a new edition of 100% Islay and its most recent addition, the Vintage 2007 which is Kilchoman’s oldest whisky released to date.

With an ambition to take whisky production back to its traditional roots, Anthony Wills built and founded Kilchoman Distillery in 2005 on a farm situated on the rugged west coast of Islay. The first distillery on the island for 124 years, Kilchoman is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland and one of only a handful left that still practise the traditional floor malting method.

Kilchoman fans can sign up to the member’s club at www.kilchomandistillery.com

The second annual club release will be made available from 12pm on Monday 4 November on the Kilchoman website www.kilchomandistillery.com priced at £75.00.

www.kilchomandistillery.com

facebook.com/pages/Kilchoman-Distillery

twitter.com/Kilchoman05

Notes 

About Kilchoman

Since the first bottling was released in 2009, Kilchoman has quickly established itself as a high quality Islay Single Malt within the whisky industry. Awards include two prestigious IWSC Gold and a Silver medal in 2012, Malt Advocates Artisan Whisky of the Year 2011 and GQ’s 100 best things in 2012.

Most recently, Kilchoman’s exceptional quality was recognised at the prestigious International Whisky Competition (IWC), which named Machir Bay as its Whisky of the Year and Anthony Wills as Master Distiller of the Year 2013. In addition, at the IWSC 2013 Awards, Loch Gorm was awarded Gold, Machir Bay received Silver and 100% Islay 2^nd Ed was given bronze.