At last! “THE WATER OF BLYTH”A novel about Single Malt Scotch Whisky 

“…it was a fun read and made me just slightly thirsty for a noggin or two.”

Owen Brown, Santa Cruz, California

“…read from the beginning right through to the end…which I did in a single sitting.”

 “I started The Water of Blythe last night and couldn’t stop till it was done. Loved it!”

Shirley and BobDavies, Newmarket, Ontario

“Loved your Scottish mystery. Wanted to join you in the ‘nosing room’.”

Sharon Willemse, Vancouver, British Columbia

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A rare expression from the 1920s inspires Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend

Hankey Bannister Blended Scotch Whisky celebrates its illustrious and rich history today by launching the Heritage Blend, a faithful recreation of the 1920s style of Hankey Bannister.

In 2012 a British couple discovered they were in possession of a very rare bottle of Hankey Bannister Fine Old Liqueur Scotch Whisky dating from between 1924 and 1928. They approached the brand which purchased the find with a view to add it to the archives. As it turned out, the seal on the bottle was intact and the liquid inside was perfectly preserved.

First decades of the 20th century were the golden era of Hankey Bannister, at the time the favourite tipple of many celebrities and politicians, but until recently the brand had no liquid from that period suitable for analysis. This made the discovery of the old bottle all the more significant.

Slightly sweeter and noticeably smoky, the 1920s classic inspired the company Master Blender Stuart Harvey to recreate the style of the long-forgotten blend using currently available stock. Mr. Harvey used Hankey Bannister Original Blended Scotch Whisky as the starting point and carefully transformed it into a faithful recreation of the historic liquid with the use of older whiskies and peated malts. The result is a rich and full flavoured blend bursting with sweet and fruity aromas of burnt oranges and green apples followed by vanilla, caramel and hints of spice, with a whiff of smoke adding to its darker and more complex character. The blend has a high malt content is bottled at 46% ABV.

Hankey Bannister Brand Manager Lynne Buckley commented:

‘The colourful history of Hankey Bannister is of great interest to our team and also to our drinkers, so to have the opportunity to bring to life an authentic part of the whisky’s history has been an enormous pleasure. We are very fortunate that someone back in the 1920s decided to store this bottle for posterity – and that it was in such good condition 90 years after bottling. Stuart Harvey has done a great job in creating a blend that is true to the taste and style of the antique whisky whilst also being a wonderful dram for modern day whisky drinkers.’

In line with the meticulous work carried out in the blending lab, the design team took inspiration from the original packaging. The result is a beautiful and striking black bottle, created using a pioneering glass colouring technique, graced with period lettering and the iconic Hankey Bannister logo.

For a discerning whisky drinker Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend is a rare opportunity to experience first hand a piece of the whisky industry history and sample liquid which George V, Sir Winston Churchill, Evelyn Waugh and many of their contemporaries would instantly recognise.

5000 cases of Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend will be available globally. The recommended retail price in the UK is £25.

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY EXPERIMENTS

WITH ENTRY PROOF IN LATEST RELEASE  

Four Different Wheated Recipe Bourbons are the Latest

Experimental Collection Release 

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (July, 2013) In the whiskey world, the topic of barrel entry proof has always led to heated discussions. Some distillers believe a higher entry proof, especially for a wheated recipe bourbon, will lead to a better end result, purporting that alcohol ages better than water.  While other distillers attest that a lower entry proof leads to a more mellow, consistent finish.

The latest Experimental Collection release from Buffalo Trace Distillery investigates the entry proof debate, with all four of the experiments coming off the still at a consistent 130 proof, but put into the barrel for aging using four different entry proofs.  All of the barrels were then aged together for 11 years, 7 months and bottled at 90 proof.  Here are the details:

Wheat 125 – At 125 proof, this was the highest entry proof used, which also resulted in a high evaporation rate of 71% in the 11-plus years it was in the barrel. The high entry proof of this wheat recipe bourbon resulted in a well-rounded flavor with the taste being a balance of cooked berries mingled with sweet honey and slight hints of spicy cloves and pepper.

Wheat 115 – This wheated recipe bourbon was put into the barrel at 115 proof and lost the highest percentage due to evaporation, at 73%.  Tasting notes for this bourbon say it is a well-balanced spirit, which was rated the best tasting by the quality analysis team at Buffalo Trace.  The upfront taste is sweet and fruity, with buttery toffee notes that follow. A dry oaky finish completes the taste.

Wheat 105 – At an entry proof of 105, the angels were particularity generous with their share, taking the lowest amount of all four experiments with a rate of 62%.  The 105 entry proof produced a bourbon that is a nice balance of sweet caramel, vanilla, and dry oakiness.

Wheat 90 – At an entry point of 90, this bourbon had a 64% evaporation rate as it aged alongside the other four experimental wheat barrels in Warehouse K. The result was a bourbon with more wood characters and slight sweet notes. It is mellow with hints of cedar and other wood flavors.

“This was an interesting experiment for us to conduct, and by keeping all of the variables consistent such as the proof off the still, aging time and placement next to each other in the warehouse, we were able to focus just on the entry proof into the barrel and see how it affected taste and evaporation rate,” said Harlen Wheatley, master distiller.  “We were pleased that what we consider the ideal entry proof for a wheated bourbon, at 114 proof, was pretty close in proof to what we evaluated to also taste the best in this experiment – which was the 115 proof experiment. It was gratifying to see that we have been on the right track this whole time with our entry proof for our wheated recipe bourbons.  Another point of interest is the higher entry proofs, the higher the evaporation rates, which is something we’ve always suspected but now know for a fact.”

These wheated recipe barrels are part of the more than 1,500 experimental barrels of whiskey aging in the warehouses of Buffalo Trace Distillery. Each of these barrels has unique characteristics that differentiate it from all others. Some examples of these experiments include unique mash bills, type of wood and barrel toasts. In order to further increase the scope, flexibility and range of the experimental program, an entire micro distillery, named The Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. “OFC” Micro Distillery, complete with cookers, fermenting tanks, and a state-of-the-art micro still has been constructed within Buffalo Trace Distillery.

The Experimental Collection will be packaged in 375ml bottles and will be packed 12 to a case, with three bottles of each entry proof in a case. Each label will include all the pertinent information unique to that barrel of whiskey. These whiskeys will retail for approximately $46.35 each. These rare experimental bottles should be available in late June or July. For more information on the Experimental Collection or the other products of Buffalo Trace Distillery, please contact Elizabeth Hurst at ehurst@buffalotrace.com.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is a family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich distilling tradition dates back to 1787 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com

July 16, 2013

Dear Friends,

It is with a very heavy heart that I share with you that our beloved Master Distiller Emeritus Elmer T. Lee, 93, passed away July 16, 2013 after a short illness.

In the world of making really fine whiskey the role of Master Distiller is pivotal, but Elmer’s meaning to those he met, came to know, and worked with closely extended far beyond that of a Master Distiller. Elmer defined, in the simplest terms, what it means to be a great American – hard working, self-made, courageous, honest, kind, humble, and humorous.

Elmer was born in 1919 on a tobacco farm near Peaks Mill in Franklin County, Ky. He graduated from Frankfort County High School in 1936 and worked for Jarman Shoe Company until December 1941. He then served with the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II as a radar bombardier on a B-29. After flying missions against Japan through 1945, Elmer was honorably discharged in January 1946. He returned home and studied engineering at the University of Kentucky, where he graduated with honors in 1949.

In September 1949 Elmer began working in the engineering department of the George T. Stagg Distillery in Frankfort. In 1966, Elmer was promoted to plant superintendent, responsible for all plant operations and reporting to the plant manager. 1n 1969, he became plant manager.

But it was in 1984 that Elmer’s contribution to the bourbon industry gained him the most notoriety, when he introduced Blanton’s, the world’s first Single Barrel Bourbon.  Elmer retired in 1985 but continued to serve as an ambassador for Buffalo Trace, and in 1986 he was honored with his very own single barrel bourbon, Elmer T. Lee. Of course, for those of us who knew Elmer, he never really retired. Every Tuesday we could see Elmer making his rounds at the Distillery in his trademark cap, signing bottles, posters, and other memorabilia at the Gift Shop, visiting his friends in Blanton’s Bottling Hall, and tasting bourbons (for quality control purposes!) in the lab.

Elmer was always ready to offer advice, and was a wealth of information that many of us relied on, myself included. Harlen Wheatley would inquire with Elmer when stuck on a mechanical problem, and any historical questions about the Distillery always went to Elmer, who, with his razor sharp memory, could invariably answer.  To all of us, Elmer was a friend, a mentor, and a trusted advisor.

Elmer was known through the bourbon industry for his expertise and knowledge about bourbon whiskey and he received numerous awards and recognition, including induction into the Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2001, the Lifetime Achievement Award from Whisky Advocate in 2002, and the Lifetime Achievement Award and Hall of Fame induction from Whisky Magazine in 2012.

We have lost a wonderful friend today, and he will be missed terribly.

Services for Elmer T. Lee are pending and will be announced shortly.

Sincerely,

Mark Brown

The Marcliffe Hotel Sells Rare Whisky Stars by the Glass

The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa has become the first place in Scotland to sell The Dalmore’s rare and prestigious Constellation Collection by the glass.

The Dalmore Constellation Collection brings together a spectrum of vintages created in The Dalmore’s iconic Highland distillery between the years 1964 and 1992.

Consisting of 21 individual releases, each of these rare whiskies have spent their lives finessing in the finest casks from around the world before being bottled at natural cask strength and at natural colour.

Until now, the exclusive collection has only been available to buy by the bottle, with prices starting from £2,000 for a bottle of 1992 Vintage up to £20,000 for a bottle of the Vintage 1964. The Marcliffe is now the first hotel in Scotland where individual drams of the 1992, 1991, 1980 and 1979 vintages can be bought and savoured.

The Dalmore Master Distiller, Richard Paterson
“In selecting the casks for The Constellation Collection, we identified our brightest stars from our darkest warehouses. Although much has changed since 1964, what has not, is the consistency of quality inherent in each and every Dalmore expression. By offering these exquisite expressions by the glass, we are providing the Marcliffe’s customers with a unique opportunity to share the shining lights of our Distillery.”

www.thedalmore.com

www.marcliffe.com

NOTES

Further information on the Dalmore
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.

Unlike other whiskies, The Dalmore is produced in very limited quantities. Due to the distinctive distillation process no two batches will be exactly the same, ensuring that each release of The Dalmore is unique.

Crafted using a process which has been perfected over the last 150 years, The Dalmore is now the world’s fastest growing single malt. (IWSR, 2012).

Whisky, Jazz and Fun(draising): An Afternoon Tea Party With a Difference

This July, Londoners will have the chance to attend an afternoon tea party with a difference.

In place of Earl Grey or English Breakfast, will be a bespoke whisky cocktail served in tea cups, and a Brazilian jazz singer will entertain instead of a pianist or string quartet.

What’s even better? All money raised on ticket sales and a silent auction will go directly to Marie Curie Cancer Care.

Hosted by Miss Whisky, in partnership with Dre Masso and Eric Yu’s latest cocktail bar sensation – Opium Bar at 16, Gerrard Street in China Town – the afternoon whisky tea party will run from 3-7pm on Sunday, 21 July.

Providing the base for the delicious drinks are sponsors Glengoyne whisky, while Aline Stoffel – a Brazilian jazz songstress who has performed from stadiums in Rio de Janeiro to London’s Ronnie Scott’s – will delight anyone with a penchant for sultry tunes.

“I am thrilled to be announcing this partnership between myself, Opium Bar, Glengoyne and Aline Stoffel – to have so many amazing people on board to raise funds for this vital charity is absolutely wonderful,” said Miss Whisky founder and editor, Alwynne Gwilt, who has volunteered with the charity’s Hampstead Hospice in London since 2011.

Marie Curie Cancer Care provides support to terminally ill patients and their families and its hospice nurses do incredible work in the community, often allowing patients to pass away peacefully in their homes rather than in a hospital.

In the past year, 31,000 patients were cared for by the 2,700 nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals employed by the charity, making it the biggest provider of hospice beds outside of the NHS.

But, without the generous donations of the public, the charity would simply not be able to run.

Around 70 per cent of its funding comes from the community, with the other 30 per cent coming from the NHS.

Speaking on the importance of events such as this, Natasha Sadaoui – community fundraiser at the Marie Curie Hospice, Hampstead – said: “The Hospice provides expert care and the best possible quality of life, for people with cancer and other terminal illnesses, and support for their families, completely free of charge. It costs us £5.4 million a year to run just the Hampstead Hospice and we just wouldn’t be able to provide such a service without the support from the local community and people like Alwynne!”

When Alwynne was 13, she lost her mother to cancer and unfortunately her mother’s last days were spent in a hospital rather than at the home she loved.

“I only wish she would have had the support of a charity like Marie Curie at that time. The work they do for families and those patients in their final days is incredible and I want to do all I can to ensure other families receive this type of care if they end up in a similar situation,” she said.

Speaking on why Glengoyne has decided to participate, Neil Boyd – UK Commercial Director of Ian Macleod Distillers Ltd, the brand’s owner – said: “Marie Curie Cancer Care is an exceptional charity bringing much needed relief and support to families across the UK. We hope that our Teapot Dram can add to the enjoyment of this fun and original charitable event.”

Tickets for the event are now on sale through Miss Whisky’s Just Giving Page ( https://www.justgiving.com/miss-whisky ), which has been set up to ensure attendees avoid ticket charges and to allow the charity to benefit from Gift Aid.

Tickets include a bespoke whisky cocktail and the concert, and are £13 ahead of time. Those wishing to purchase them simply need donate that amount through the page’s donation function and fill in their name in the “Donated By” section to be added to the guest list.

Tickets will also be available on the door at a cost of £15. All money raised from ticket sales will go directly to the charity.

Donations in excess are of course also wholeheartedly welcome.

A silent auction featuring lots of delectable goodies will also be running on the day. Anyone wishing to donate items for it should get in touch with Alwynne before the 16th July. So come along and make your Sunday afternoon tea even more special this July – it all makes a big difference!

For further details, press queries or to discuss donations for the silent auction, please contact Alwynne on: info@misswhisky.com or through Twitter on @themisswhisky

Notes:

About Marie Curie: Marie Curie Cancer Care is one of the UK’s largest charities.Employing more than 2,700 nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals, it provided care to more than 31,000 terminally ill patients in the community and in its nine hospices last year and is the largest provider of hospice beds outside the NHS. In 2009 the Marie Curie Hospice, Hampstead underwent a £3.8 million refurbishment which included converting the hospice’s multi-occupancy wards into 26 single en suite rooms with patient controlled lighting, heating, TV and internet access. As well as being a place for terminally ill people to stay as in-patients, the Hospice also offers a wide range of day services, which are open to terminally ill people being cared for at home. These day services help patients to manage their symptoms as well as relax, refresh and unwind such as complementary therapies, emotional support and use of the hydro pool. The charity has two centres for palliative care research, the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Unit at University College London and the Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute Liverpool. It also supports palliative and end of life care research through its project grant funding streams, the Marie Curie Cancer Care Research Programme (administered by Cancer Research UK) and the Dimbleby Marie Curie Cancer Care Research Fund. For more information, visit: http://www.mariecurie.org.uk/

About Miss Whisky: Founded in 2011 by journalist Alwynne Gwilt, Miss Whisky brings news, reviews and features on the whisky industry with the goal of opening up the world of whisky to a wider audience. For more information, visit: http://www.misswhisky.com/

About Opium Bar: Opened in December 2012, Opium Bar China Town is the latest cocktail bar from Dre Masso and Eric Yu. Providing exceptional cocktails and delicious dim sum, the bar – hidden behind an unassuming door at 16, Gerrard Street – is an oasis from the crowded streets surrounding it in central London. For more information, visit: http://www.opiumchinatown.com/

About Aline Stoffel: Raised in Brazil but now residing in London, Aline Stoffel is a stunning young jazz songstress wowing audiences in venues such as Ronnie Scott’s and Somerset House and as a headline act in her home country, in cities such as Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. With a mix of English and Brazilian tunes, Aline is a firecracker on stage, and is joined by legendary guitarist Marcos Vianna. For more information, visit: http://www.alinestoffel.com/

About Glengoyne Whisky: Based just outside of Glasgow at the base of the Dumgoyne Hill, Glengoyne distillery is often considered one of the prettiest in Scotland. With a whisky range including a 10, 15, 18 and 21 year old, along with a cask strength release, the company has a wide range to suit all palates and budgets. For the afternoon tea party, Glengoyne will provide its legendary Tea Pot Dram, normally only available to buy at the distillery. For more information, visit: http://www.glengoyne.com/

LIQUID HISTORY: OLDEST BENRIACH AND GLENDRONACH SINGLE MALTS IN EXISTENCE RELEASED

DESCRIBED proudly by The BenRiach Distillery Company’s Managing Director Billy Walker as “an iconic moment in the history of BenRiach and GlenDronach”, the two award-winning distilleries today announced the release of their oldest whiskies.

BenRiach Distillery, located in Speyside, has released “Vestige”, a 46 year-old single malt Scotch whisky, which was distilled and filled to cask on the 21^st of September, 1966.

When BenRiach became independent in 2004, the new owners inherited a handful of casks from 1966 – the oldest stock in the distillery’s warehouses. By the end of 2012, just two of those casks remained, and Billy Walker has selected one of those casks, BenRiach 1966 cask # 2381, to be bottled as “Vestige”.

This whisky is ‘classic Speyside’ in style, and was matured in a traditional hogshead. It is bottled at cask strength (44.1% vol). After 46 years of maturation, the cask generated just 62 bottles, which will be sold worldwide. The UK retail price is £3999.99.

“Vestige” has been so named because it represents a moment in time, a small trace of something very special that, once lost, can never be replaced. The BenRiach 1966 cask # 2381 truly is a piece of the distillery’s history.

GlenDronach Distillery, which was acquired by The BenRiach Distillery Company in 2008, is proud to release “Recherché”, a 44 year-old Highland single malt, which was distilled and filled to cask on September 24^th , 1968.

The ’68 stock represents the oldest whisky in GlenDronach’s vast warehouses, and GlenDronach 1968 cask # 005, an Oloroso sherry butt, was hand-picked to be bottled as “Recherché”. The name “Recherché” has been chosen because it means “carefully sought-out”.

This expression is sublime; a full-bodied, richly-sherried single malt (bottled at a cask strength of 48.6% vol), with all the traditional characteristics you would expect of a GlenDronach…and indeed one of which enigmatic founder James “Cobbie” Allardice would heartily approve!

This is a limited release of just 632 bottles, which will be available worldwide. GlenDronach “Recherché” will retail in the UK at £2749.99.

Billy Walker added: “A combination of barley, water, excellent oak and the passage of time have combined to create liquid history. These special bottlings, which represent our oldest mature stock, are in impeccable condition, and are testament to the enormous attention to detail applied by the current and the previous custodians of our distilleries. Together, “Vestige” and “Recherché” are a celebration of the phenomenal craft of two distilleries over a period spanning more than four decades.”

For more information, go to…

www.benriachdistillery.co.uk or email info@benriachdistillery.co.uk

www.glendronachdistillery.co.uk or email info@glendronachdistillery.co.uk

Pictures show BenRiach “Vestige” and GlenDronach “Recherché”.

The Skull is back!

Ian Macleod Distillers’ Limited Rock Edition Smokehead – the rich and powerful Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky – is back to the US Market!

Our new tin evolved from the design of Smokehead’s existing tactile metal presentation tin, demanding attention with the introduction of a smoking skull, the time-honored symbol of rock.  Cocooned within the skull are the many adjectives that capture the Single Malt’s boisterous, outrageous, and deep peaty flavors.

Marketing Director for Ian Macleod Distillers, Ian Weir, commented: “The new presentation tin not only celebrates Smokehead’s close affinity to rock music, but reaffirms the brand’s unique position within the Single Malt category. Smokehead is vigorous and unapologetic about its big and intense peaty flavors. Like rock and roll, people must accept it for what it is or not at all.”

A rich, seaweedy and intensely peaty Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Smokehead is not for the faint hearted.  With immense fresh and fruity flavors that burst with notes of sherry, iodine, toffee, smoke and sea salt, Smokehead hits the palate like a cannonball. Smokehead’s RRP is $53.99.

92 points by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

Smokehead – The Rock Edition will be available in the US throughout 2013.

For more information, please contact ImpEx Beverages, Inc. at office@impexbev.com or call (650) 872-1113.

Cheers!

The ImpEx Team

OUR BIGGEST AND BEST FESTIVAL YET

We’re delighted that over 400 of you joined us on Jura for our 50th anniversary. Thank you, we couldn’t have done it without you. And we’re not just saying that. It’s physically impossible to have a festival without the revellers and what revellers you were.

It was a privilege to see so many make the pilgrimage from all over the world to share in our story – from breaking out the vintage 1977, the new 30YO, the rare 39 ¾ (a sneak preview of the new 40YO) and the exclusive festival bottling to tasting Turas-Mara on the waves and soaking up the lively atmosphere inside the cooperage.

Relive all of these great moments in moving pictures and see if you can spot yourself in our photo gallery by clicking on our highlights video below. Don’t worry if you couldn’t be with us this time. Adventures like these await you next year:

Become an honorary Diurach, be the first to hear all of the latest news and help us to write many more exciting chapters like this.

Leading Blended Scotch Whisky LABEL 5 receives gold medals at international competitions!

Already awarded with numerous medals, LABEL 5 Classic Black keeps on its winning story with a Gold medal won at the prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition. In addition, the judges have awarded the LABEL 5 Extra Premium 12YO with the coveted Double Gold medal.

For the first time, LABEL 5 has entered the China Wine and Spirits Awards, leading competition in Hong Kong and China. LABEL 5 Extra Premium 12YO was acclaimed by the expert judging panel as it received a Gold medal and was elected “Trophy Winner” in the Scotch Whisky category.

These results acknowledge once again the finest quality of our products and the expertise and passion of our Master Blender.

The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is the most regarding and prestigious competition in the world. Composed by a jury of professionals, this competition is known to be the “the rite of passage for top quality spirits”.

The China Wine and Spirits Awards are the only awards judged specifically for the Chinese market. The judges take into account the local consumer preferences to assign the medals.

Please enjoy LABEL 5 responsibly.

ABOUT LABEL 5

LABEL 5 ; an international brand of Scotch Whisky produced, aged and bottled in Scotland ; is the flagship brand of LA MARTINIQUAISE.

Established worldwide in more than 100 countries, LABEL 5 has registered high growth for many years (+50% over the last 5 years!) and ranks 9th on the worldwide Scotch Whisky market.

ABOUT LA MARTINIQUAISE

Founded in 1934, LA MARTINIQUAISE is a leading independent French spirits group with a 980 Million euros turnover, which sold a wide spirits range in more than 100 countries.

LA MARTINIQUAISE produces and distributes major brands worldwide: LABEL 5 (N°9 worldwide Scotch Whisky), POLIAKOV (N°1 in France), PORTO CRUZ (N°1 worldwide), SAINT JAMES…(sources: IWSR).