The Macallan M: Mastery in the Power of Three

An exquisite creation born of a collaboration between three masters: The Macallan, Fabien Baron & Lalique

The Macallan presents M: a masterpiece born of a collaboration between three masters of their crafts. The Macallan has partnered with renowned creative director Fabien Baron and crystal masters Lalique with a single objective: to create the world’s most sophisticated single malt whisky, contained in a beautifully designed and meticulously crafted crystal decanter.

Brought to conception by creative director Fabien Baron; brought to life by Lalique’s mastery of crystal; and brought to purpose by The Macallan’s sublime and highly complex whisky, M is the ultimate reward for the most discerning of whisky connoisseurs.

Just 1,750 crystal decanters of M, each engraved with its own individual number, will be released worldwide in 2013.

Capturing the expressive aesthetic of Fabien Baron’s illustrious creative vision, M’s tall, slim dimensions and geometric form challenge the perceptions of traditional decanter design. Its sharp, angular facets gave inspiration to the name M itself, selected by Baron as a typographic representation of the decanter’s striking design.

Its six striking facets are Baron’s homage to The Macallan’s heritage, reflecting the six pillars at the heart of its ethos: The Spiritual Home – the breathtaking 390-acre Macallan Estate where every drop of M is created; the distillery’s Curiously Small Stills, whose unique shape gives the spirit its fruity, full-bodied character; The Finest Cut, the 16% of the new make spirit, the smallest figure in the industry, selected for maturation; Exceptional Oak Casks, acquired and cared for without thought to the cost, infusing every drop with distinctive aroma and flavour; Natural Colour created solely through the interaction between spirit and wood; and The Peerless Spirit, marking The Macallan’s unsurpassed place in the hearts of the world’s most discerning consumers.

Lalique has drawn on 150 years of mastery, and its long standing relationship with The Macallan brand, to bring refinement and flawless clarity to M. Fashioned in highest grade crystal, each hand crafted decanter unites proven tradition with striking originality; exuding beauty, integrity and expression at every glance.

Interwoven with rich dried fruits, spices, orange citrus and wood notes, M’s whisky is the creation of its third master, The Macallan, drawing on its classic full flavoured tradition. With a rich natural colour, complexity and sumptuous intensity never before seen in a single malt, every drop is laden with character absorbed from the Spanish sherry oak casks that nurture it through its maturation process. M’s spirit brims with individuality.

David Cox, Director of Fine and Rare whiskies at The Macallan comments: “The coming together of three such masters has resulted in a truly beautiful creation, which specifically showcases the vital influence of The Macallan’s exceptional sherry seasoned oak casks and the craft of the Whisky Maker. The natural colour of M is stunning. A single malt of the most exquisite complexity and character, M will set a new standard in the world of decanters to become the iconic representation of The Macallan.”

Silvio Denz, President and CEO of Lalique comments: “We have been delighted to have worked with our friends and long-time partners, The Macallan – with whom we have collaborated since 2004 – to realise this exquisite piece. The decanter styling is utterly unique in the world of decanters, and our masters of crystal have relished applying their most complex skills to this project to bring it to life.”

Fabien Baron, Founder and Creative Director of Baron & Baron comments: \”I love the craftsmanship and purity of The Macallan. It\’s rare to find that level of quality today.\”

M is available worldwide starting from June 2013, with a recommended retail price of $4,500.

NOTES

ABOUT THE MACALLAN

Founded in 1824 in the heart of Speyside, The Macallan was one of the first distilleries in Scotland to be legally licensed. Since then it has built a reputation as one of the world’s leading single malt whiskies. The creation of The Macallan draws on the vital contributing influences of Spain, North America and Scotland, and of their respective natural raw materials, combined with traditional methods and craftsmanship. From its founding, through the subsequent owners of The Macallan distillery in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and into the present century, The Macallan has been recognised for its outstanding quality above all else. Today this remains the foundation for the worldwide fame of The Macallan and is such that it is truly “The Last Word” in luxury and at the heart of those special moments brought alive over a glass of The Macallan.

ABOUT FABIEN BARON

As the founder and creative director of Baron & Baron, Fabien Baron has crafted identities for the fash¬ion, cosmetic and fragrance world’s most visible and influential brands. The creative director’s singular vision is evident in a broad range of award-winning advertising campaigns, package designs, logos and graphics. Baron has also applied his talents to the design of prominent magazines and books, including the role of Creative Director for Vogue Italia and Vogue Paris, and is renowned for his photography, as well as for directing ground breaking television commercials, music videos and online video content. Fabien Baron is currently the Editorial Director of Interview Magazine.

ABOUT LALIQUE

The LALIQUE story began with René Lalique (1860-1945), renowned as the inventor of modern jewellery who then became the Master in the art of glassmaking of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements, with highly eclectic creations. René Lalique earned his title, “Sculpteur de Lumière”, from the richly sculptural craftsmanship and dramatic contrasts between clear and frosted finishes that define his work. Today, LALIQUE is internationally recognised as the undisputed Master of crystal, and offers crystal collections across five categories: decorative items, interior design, jewellery, art and fragrances. The vision of LALIQUE is to celebrate the creative genius of founder René Lalique by pushing the limits of the factory by creating distinctive decorative objects, issuing superb perfume bottles in crystal, reviving breathtaking jewellery designs, carrying out major architectural projects, working with renowned artists to produce limited edition works of art in crystal and recreate its cultural heritage, something eternally precious. LALIQUE continues to thrive as a global lifestyle luxury brand, standing for craftsmanship, excellence and creativity.

REMINDER:
Victoria Caledonian Distillery Special Presentation/Whisky Tasting today!

What: Be a Founder-Owner of a new local whisky distillery and real ale brewpub – whisky tasting & presentation
When: Tuesday June 25, 6:30 pm.
Where: Edgemont Fine Wines, Spirits & Ales – 3020 Edgemont Blvd
Cost: FREE! RSVP to Graeme@MacaloneyDistillers.com with the date / location in the subject line!

See note from Graeme below for full info:

Many of us have had a passion for seeing how Scotch or Irish whisk(e)y and real ales are made, and even dreamt about participating in or becoming a founder-owner of a distillery or brewery. This is now a reality — not in Scotland or Ireland but right here in BC. Graeme Macaloney PhD, an experienced fermentation engineer and a Scotsman, is launching a full scale single malt & pot still whisky distillery, and real ale brew pub – the Victoria Caledonian Distillery – and is conducting a series of complimentary “Show & Tell” presentations including complimentary whisky tasting at: Edgemont Fine Wines, Spirits & Ales…

6:30 pm Tuesday 25th June

Founder-Owners benefit from a range of whisky and real ale benefits, including:
• A five-day hands-on brewing and distilling academy;
• Founders Reserve whisky (bottles or cask) or real ale keg(s);
• Founder-Owner branded jacket and branded glassware;
• Annual maturation party with meal, real ales & whisky, etc;
• Potentially significant financial return.

The new distillery plans have the full support of highly experienced Scotch whisky industry experts. If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity to get in on the ground floor, Graeme will be presenting and answering questions. This ‘show & tell’ session will, of course, include complimentary tastings of two excellent single malt whiskies. If you would like to attend this private presentation and are genuinely interested in this program, please RSVP to Graeme indicating our venue and date.

Slàinte!

P.S. Graeme, in his consummate professionalism, has asked us to include the following: This communique is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities in MacMhaol-onfhaidh (‘Macaloney’) Brewers & Distillers Ltd (MBD). This document is not an offering memorandum and should not be construed as such. Anyone who wishes to invest in MBD should refer to MBD’s Offering Memorandum and should carefully consider the risk warnings and disclosures contained therein before making an investment decision. You may request a copy of the Offering Memorandum by contacting MBD at Graeme@MacaloneyDistillers.com.

We look forward to seeing you at the tastings!

Slainté,

Crystal Coverdale
General Manager
Edgemont Fine Wines, Sprits & Ales

3020 Edgemont Blvd, North Vancouver BC
604-984-9463
Open Daily 9am-11pm, Free parking at back

Driving Directions

BUSHMILLS™ IRISH WHISKEY MAKES NEW FRIENDS AMONG WORLD LEADERS

Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, Wednesday, June 2013: What do you give a world leader who’s got everything? In this instance, it’s a bottle of Bushmills 12 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey from the people who are famous for bringing friends together.

Heads of state from the G8 nations, who were meeting in Northern Ireland this week, were sent home after their two-day summit with a personalised bottle of the 12 Year Old Single Malt as a gift from UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

The bottles, from the Old Bushmills Distillery on Northern Ireland’s rugged north coast, were chosen by Cameron among gifts that represent the best of Northern Ireland.

Mr Cameron presented the bottles to each of the heads of states as well as to key delegates who travelled with them to the summit at Lough Erne Resort in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, on 17 and 18 June.

Bushmills Master Distiller, Colum Egan selected one of the distillery’s finest reserves – Bushmills 12 Year Old Single Malt – for the commemorative gift, a Single Malt which is only available at the distillery itself.

Colum Egan said: “Here in Bushmills we say that getting to know our whiskey is like building a friendship – the more time you spend with it the more you appreciate its character and personality.

“The chance to make friends with world leaders only comes along once in a lifetime, so we are all mighty proud that Bushmills has forged new friendships with the heads of some of the most powerful nations on earth.”

Bushmills Irish Whiskey also partnered with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board at the G8 summit to provide media from around the world with a series of tutored tastings of its handcrafted range including: Bushmills, Black Bush™, Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt, Bushmills 16 Year Old Single Malt, Bushmills 21 Year Old Single Malt, Bushmills 1608 and Bushmills Irish Honey Spirit Drink.

Immediately after the summit, the distillery based on Northern Ireland’s north coast, is staging ‘Bushmills Live’, a festival of handcrafted whiskey and music (June 19 and 20) where a range of indie artists including Of Monsters and Men will play to an audience of 500 international music and whiskey fans from countries such as the United States, Russia, Portugal and Bulgaria.

NOTES:

ABOUT BUSHMILLS™ IRISH WHISKEY
With a heritage rooted in authenticity and quality, Bushmills Irish Whiskey is produced, aged and bottled at Ireland’s oldest working whiskey distillery in the village of Bushmills in County Antrim on the far north coast of Ireland. The Old Bushmills Distillery uses 100% malt barley to handcraft triple-distilled whiskey, which is what creates the smooth taste that is the Bushmills house style. The Bushmills portfolio includes: Bushmills Irish Whiskey; Black Bush, Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt, Bushmills 16 Year Old Single Malt, Bushmills 21 Year Old Single Malt, Bushmills 1608 and now Bushmills Irish Honey Spirit Drink.

ABOUT DIAGEO
Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, beer and wine categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB, Buchanan’s, Windsor and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit www.diageo.com. For Diageo’s global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit www.DRINKiQ.com.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

Bordeaux, June 17, 2013 – Sales of niche whiskies are growing because consumers in many markets are looking for different tastes that set their chosen whiskies apart from universal brands. Faster growth is a requirement to ensure niche products do not miss the current upward sales trend for whisky overall. Markets emerging as prime target areas are Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, Asia and the USA.

However, gaining distribution for niche brands is often complicated in some markets by the agreements potential worthwhile distributors have with major brands. Such limitations slow down the process of broadening distribution.

Says Richard Lombard- Chibnall, Sales Director of Lombard Brands: “For smaller companies like us Vinexpo offers an ideal solution. We cannot visit all the markets in which we can see growth opportunities, it would simply take too long. Vinexpo is the recognized marketplace of the drinks world. The world comes to Vinexpo and therefore we benefit from that traffic. Already within the first 2 hours or so of opening our stand we have had 30 enquiries. On past experience this is likely to reach about 200 by the end of the exhibition and we would be well pleased with that result”.

Start up Whisky Legends opened for business this year with the unique offer of re-creating famous whisky blends of years gone by. Potential distributors are attracted by the chance to obtain whiskies no longer available. Through Whisky Legends, who buy casks of aged whiskies from other distillers, unique bottlings can be obtained to satisfy a growing demand by consumers for something different. Comments Scott Watson, Founder: “In the first 2 hours of opening our stand the company made 20 new business appointments which bodes well for the rest of the week. There is quite definitely a growing consumer demand for niche brands and our speciality is to recreate whisky legends. This is our first Vinexpo and it looks like giving us access to a number of potential business partners”.

Angus Dundee Distillers are a regular Vinexpo exhibitor with many customers who expect to see them at the show. Apart from maintaining a presence in the niche sector it does bring potential new distributors to the company’s attention. Says Jimmy Robertson, Regional Sales Manager: “Even though we are already in 80 markets there is always room for growth. We are particularly interested in expanding our presence in Central and Eastern Europe and Russia. Asia is also a huge market in which we seek broader representation”.

The common thread linking the small or niche whisky producers is that Vinexpo is a marketplace at which serious players in the industry must either have a presence or attend. To have so many importers and distributors coming to Bordeaux provides opportunities for niche marketers to meet many of them and develop business to mutual benefit. It is the preferred route rather than the time needed to travel the world. It is why the smaller whisky companies come back to each Vinexpo”.

July 2013 will see the release of a new whisky in to the UK market. Oak Cask Distribution LTD, set up by 2 young entrepreneurs plan to shock the whisky stereotype in the UK and introduce an Australian Single Malt from Tasmania.

Old Hobart distillery is one of the most southern distilleries in the world and is where Overeem Single Malt Whisky is made; I say ‘made’ but this word is far to bish, bash, bosh for head distiller and owner Casey Overeem, a man who is a perfectionist in every sense of the word. You can really taste this with every dram of his fine hand-crafted single malt selection.

Overeem whisky is crafted in Tasmania, a wonderland that is home to the near perfect whisky making conditions, rivalling anywhere in the world. The finest barley, the purest water and temperate climate which helps Overeem whisky mature that bit quicker than most.

Casey has developed 4 different products for his current collection with Blend to be added in 2016:

• Port Cask Matured 43%ABV
• Port Cask Strength 60% ABV

• Sherry Cask Matured 43% ABV
• Sherry Cask Strength 60% ABV

Since coming on to the whisky scene in 2011 the Overeem range has won acclaim from all quarters including Jim Murray and the Malt Whisky Society of Australia (MWSoA) and with just 8,000 bottles being produced each year by this boutique distillery, Overeem is one of the most sought after and exclusive whiskies in the world.

With the introduction of world whiskies ever increasing on the UK market it’s about time horizons are broadened and this fantastic Aussie dram is given the opportunity to pleasure the pallets of the UK’s whisky drinkers.

The Way to Get Intelligent About Whisky

FindTheBest, a Santa Barbara start-up website that delivers thousands of comparisons across 9 different topics, enables whisky lovers and enthusiasts a means to find and compare hundreds of whiskies and scotches.

The whisky comparison has a myriad of tools that allow the user to easily find what he is looking for–whether he is looking for a list of only the best blended scotches or wants to compare a few specific whiskies side-by-side. From the search result page which has 377 whiskies in its database, one has various options: he can filter the search from highest to lowest by price, ABV, or Smart Rating–an aggregate score based off of five whisky-rating sources: the Beverage Testing Institute, the International Wine and Spirits Competition, the LA Whiskey Society, the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and Wine Enthusiast’s Magazine.

Other filter options include tasting notes, years aged, distillery, and region. After one has narrowed down his search to the top four or five whiskies of his preference, he can compare them side-by-side to see how these whiskies’ tasting notes, nose, finish, and palate differ. This site can be used for people looking for help in purchasing their next whisky or others who are simply curious of how the top Irish whiskey brands differ and relate.

So whether you need assistance in your next purchase or you want to compare some of your favorite whiskies in an objective, data-driven fashion, this is the site for you. This comparison tool does not make the choice for you; rather, it gives you all of the tools and information you need to make an informed decision. Try out the widget below to see how it works:

Glen Keith Distillery Re-Opened by Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead Msp as Chivas Brothers Expansion Continues

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment Richard Lochhead MSP officially re-opened the Chivas Brothers-owned Glen Keith distillery today.

The distillery has been ‘silent’ since 1999, but it was announced in 2012 that it would re-open to help the company continue to meet increasing worldwide demand for its luxury Scotch whiskies, which include world-renowned blends Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s and Royal Salute.

The Glen Keith re-opening is just one phase in a continued programme of investment for Chivas Brothers. The company has committed £40 million annual capital expenditure on its operations.

Other recent major investments have included the £10 million expansion of The Glenlivet Distillery in 2010, increasing its distillation capacity by 75%. In 2012 expansion work at Glenallachie, Longmorn, Glentauchers and Tormore distilleries – in addition to the Glen Keith project – increased the company’s malt distillation capacity by a further 25%, while in Paisley it opened a new super-premium bottling hall, focused on the hand-packaging of its highest-value expressions.

This programme of investment will culminate in the building of a brand new distillery at Carron on the River Spey, to open in 2014. Planning permission for the project was granted by Moray Council in April this year.

Declaring Glen Keith distillery officially open today, Mr Lochhead, who is also MSP for Moray, said: “The Scotch whisky industry is one of Scotland’s great success stories with exports hitting a record £4.3 billion in 2012. It also provides valuable jobs across rural Scotland, which in turn supports communities, particularly in Speyside where we have a concentration of distilleries. There are of course knock on benefits for other industry sectors such as tourism. Whisky can act as a draw for visitors curious to see where their favourite tipple is made, and for the local manufacturing sector who provide the fabrication skills for the whisky industry to continue to thrive.

“I do enjoy a wee dram myself and I’m always happy to see a local distillery like Glen Keith being brought back to life – it’s a great boost to the local area. This is a positive step which will play an important part in delivery of even greater success for Chivas Brothers and help them to market themselves to the world. I wish them every success.”

Christian Porta, Chivas Brothers Chairman and CEO, said: “It is wonderful to see this distillery re-opened and producing spirit once again. The fact that we are re-opening a silent distillery, and are soon to build a brand-new distillery in the region, shows just how strong the demand for our luxury Scotch whiskies is.

“With our extensive inventory of more than six million casks, and this new increased distilling capacity, we are well placed to continue to meet this demand, safeguarding the future of our award-winning brands for decades to come. The sweet, fruity spirit produced at Glen Keith, will be aged in oak casks and used in the Chivas Regal and Royal Salute blends, as it was in the past.”

Prior to re-opening, the distillery underwent a major upgrade, resulting in a 50% greater malt distillation capacity. Work included the installation of new malt storage facilities, and a new mash-house and tun-room, which accommodates the new mash tun along with six additional washbacks, bringing the total to 15. The distillery’s existing six still were also refurbished.

Environmental improvements at Glen Keith will make this distillery one of the company’s most energy efficient, with the heat generated during distillation being recycled within the process. The latest generation of still thermo compression systems has for the first time been incorporated into both wash and spirit distillations. This gives a further energy usage reduction of 15% compared to Chivas Brothers’ current most efficient distillery.

The investment at Glen Keith has already brought real benefits to the Speyside business community with a number of local contractors involved in the upgrade. Building work was undertaken by A.D. Walker of Banff, structural steel work by W.R. Simmers of Keith, and the distillery’s new wooden washbacks were built and installed by Joseph Brown Vats of Dufftown. Stills were refurbished by Forsyth Group of Rothes, while malt and grist handling was carried out by Clark & Sutherland in Keith.

Two companies from just outside Keith – L.H. Stainless and Advanced Electrics – carried out stainless steel piping and tanks installation and electrical works respectively, while C&A Innes of Keith upgraded the distillery’s water supply. Other local contractors at Glen Keith included G&A Construction of Dufftown, McKerron & Milne roofwork and McCormack’s scaffolding of Rothes, D Paterson steelwork of Elgin, and I Fraser & Sons electrical of Rothes. The new mash tun was constructed by Briggs of Burton.

-Ends-

Notes to editors:
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.

In July 2010 Chivas Brothers launched The Age Matters campaign to help consumers understand the importance of Scotch whisky age statements.

RAFT OF AWARD WINS FOR CHIVAS BROTHERS’ WHISKIES AT PRESTIGIOUS TASTING COMPETITIONS

Chivas Brothers’ portfolio of Scotch whisky brands has scooped a total of 24 gold medals at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) and The Scotch Whisky Masters.

The Glenlivet, the No. 2 Scotch malt whisky brand in the world, paved the way for Chivas Brothers with a resounding total of 12 gold medals received across the two competitions, including ‘Best in Class’ for its 18 Year Old bottle as well as gold medals for its Master Distiller’s Reserve, Nadurra 16 Year Old, Excellence, 12 Year Old, 15 Year Old, 21 Year Old, 21 Year Old Archive and XXV expressions.

There was further success for the malts portfolio with Strathisla receiving the coveted Master medal at The Scotch Whisky Masters and Aberlour winning gold medals for its 12 Year Old and A’bunadh in the ISC and The Scotch Whisky Masters respectively.

Chivas Brothers’ blends also triumphed at the ISC with Ballantine’s Finest, Ballantine’s 17 Year Old, Ballantine’s 30 Year Old, Chivas 18 Year Old and Royal Salute 21 Year Old each receiving a gold medal at the competition. Ballantine’s was awarded a further two gold medals for its 12 Year Old and Limited expression at The Scotch Whisky Masters.

Christian Porta, Chairman and CEO of Chivas Brothers commented: “We are proud to see that our portfolio of premium Scotch whiskies has received top awards from this year’s edition of the ISC and The Scotch Whisky Masters. The judges have once again acknowledged the consistent high quality of our brands and the expertise and dedication of our master distiller and blenders.”

In addition to their successes at the ISC and The Scotch Whisky Masters, Aberlour A’bunadh and The Glenlivet XXV also ranked top in two out of three categories at the 14th edition of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, celebrated in Scotland at the beginning of May.

FULL RESULTS

ISC
Gold
The Glenlivet 18 YO Best in Class
The Glenlivet 12 YO
The Glenlivet 15 YO French Oak Reserve
The Glenlivet Nadurra 16 YO
The Glenlivet 21 YO Archive
The Glenlivet XXV
The Glenlivet Master Distiller’s Reserve
Aberlour 12 YO Double Cask Matured
Ballantine’s Finest
Ballantine’s 17 YO
Ballantine’s 30 YO
Chivas 18 YO
Royal Salute 21 YO
Royal Salute The Hundred Cask Selection

The Scotch Whisky Masters
Master

Strathisla 12 YO
The Glenlivet 15 YO French Oak Reserve

Gold
Single malts Speyside <12yr

The Glenlivet 12 YO
The Glenlivet Excellence 12YO

Speyside <18yr
Speyside Aberlour 16 YO Double Cask Matured

Speyside < 25yr
The Glenlivet 21 YO Archive

Speyside 25+ yr
The Glenlivet XXV

Speyside Special Editions
The Glenlivet Master Distiller’s Reserve
Ballantine’s 12 YO
Ballantine’s Limited

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival Best 12 Year Old and Under
Aberlour A’bunadh

Best 21 Year Old and Over
The Glenlivet XXV

NOTES

About the International Spirits Challenge
Now in its 18th year, the ISC is an internationally recognised event for the promotion of spirits of the higest calibre. With over 1,000 entries from 70 countries, it is indeed a remarkable achievement for Chivas Brothers to win these awards.

About The Scotch Whisky Masters
The Spirits Masters series has fast become one of the most respected and high-profile blind tasting competitions in the industry, drawing in entries from across the world. All judges are completely independent, ensuring a wholly unbiased evaluation of the spirits involved.

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. In July 2010 Chivas Brothers launched The Age Matters campaign to help consumers understand the importance of Scotch whisky age statements.

Hi folks. The builders have told us the work may take slightly longer than first thought, so the office will be closed for new bottles or collections from tomorrow, Friday, 21 June until Tuesday 25th.

Apologies for any inconvenience.

The SWA Team

Visit Scotch Whisky Auctions at www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com

BUSHMILLS IRISH WHISKEY^® SETS UP LEGACY FUND FOR EMERGING ARTISTS, CURATED BY THIRD BAR’S GARY LIGHTBODY AND DAVY MATCHETT

David C Clements and VerseChorusVerse announced as first recipients of £20,000 fund created by Bushmills Irish Whiskey and Snow Patrol frontman’s artist development business, Third Bar

Bushmills Village: June 2013: Bushmills Irish Whiskey and artist development company Third Bar – made up of Snow Patrol lead singer, Gary Lightbody and Davy Matchett – today announced that they have joined forces to create and curate the Bushmills Live Legacy Fund.

Bushmills Live, the handcrafted whiskey and music festival, is a platform for established and emerging indie talent. This year the festival organisers wanted to take their commitment to supporting up-and-coming talent one step further and set up this Fund of £10,000. Recognising the significance this held for Northern Irish talent, Third Bar’s directors Gary and Davy pledged to curate and match this fund, creating a trust of £20,000 in total. They have selected two exciting emerging Northern Irish artists as recipients: David C Clements and VerseChorusVerse.

David C. Clements, 27, performed at Bushmills Live 2012, and since then has shared a stage with Ed Sheeran and co-written songs with Gary Lightbody. VerseChorusVerse, aka Tony Wright, 32, founder of ‘And So I Watch You From Afar’, has recently finished recording his highly anticipated debut album with fellow Bushmills Live performer and Ivor Novello winner*, Iain Archer, which is due for release later this year.

The team at Third Bar will be working with both to offer advice and guidance on the right places to invest their Fund**. Additionally, Bushmills will be lending a performance platform to the two artists at this year’s Bushmills Live. Both artists will be taking to the stage on 20^th June alongside headliners Of Monsters and Men, Jake Bugg, Sons and Lovers, Willy Mason, Bear’s Den, Iain Archer and Foy Vance.

Gary Lightbody’s passion for the Northern Irish music scene saw him donate Snow Patrol’s fee for headlining Bushmills Live last year to the Oh Yeah Centre, Belfast. This donation led to the creation of Bush Gardens – Belfast’s largest rooftop performance space.

He commented: “It’s no secret that I am a passionate supporter of the Northern Irish music scene. Davy and I have been friends since school and we set up Third Bar together to help advise up-and-coming artists in the music industry which is why I think it is brilliant that the Bushmills brand is prepared to get involved at this grass roots level and put their money where their mouth is.”

He added: “I am a big fan of both David and VerseChorusVerse, having watched them both live – they have incredible stage presence and fantastic material, they just need a platform to make it big.”

Bushmills Master Distiller, Colum Egan, commented: “Bushmills Live provides us with a great music platform for established and emerging indie artists. Last year it was where Gary Lightbody watched David C Clements perform and where the idea for the Bushmills Live Legacy Fund was born. We decided that we wanted to provide further support to emerging artists, beyond lending them a stage at the festival. I’m really excited about seeing the recipients of the Fund perform among the casks and pot stills at the Old Bushmills Distillery in June and then following their progress on their path to global stardom.”  

NOTES

Twitter: @BushmillsGlobal

Hashtag: #BushmillsLive

*Jake Bugg and Iain Archer received a nomination for this year’s Ivor Novello Awards for ‘best song musically and lyrically’ for ‘Two Fingers,’ a song they co-wrote.

**VerseChorusVerse is accessing the fund to assist paying for studio time, production and mixing costs relating to the recording of his debut album, due for release this year. David C Clements will be using the fund to assist the recording of his own debut solo album, due for release next year.

Tickets to Bushmills Live are no longer available – tickets were not available for sale but were won via a competition on Facebook. To find out more, visit facebook.com/bushmills1608. 

BUSHMILLS LIVE LEGACY FUND ARTIST INFORMATION 

About David C Clements:

David C Clements has been playing music throughout the UK and Europe more than a decade. Although his current guise has only been implemented from the beginning of last year, he previously fronted up Belfast act, Six Star Hotel. With a series of European tours, and a few critically acclaimed albums, he knew it was time for a change. He first dabbled in producing records for local acts, such as the Lowly Knights and Napoleon, but we all knew he would not stay off the road for long.

David C Clements, as a musical project, was born on 1st January 2012. Throughout the opening few months of 2012 David has released three two track EPs online, this has caused quite a stir throughout the industry, gaining him viral support from Two Door Cinema Club, a live session on BBC Radio One, a show at Union Chapel London, a Channel 4 advert and a plethora of local radio support.

“David has the voice of a melancholy angel. He has a rare ear for melody and lyrics that hit right at the heart of the human condition.” – Paul McClean, BBC Radio Ulster.

Website: http://davidcclements.bandcamp.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidCClementsmusic

Twitter: @DavidCClements 

ABOUT VERSECHORUSVERSE

VerseChorusVerse is the musical alias of Tony Wright, the founding member, and composer of some of the most popular songs for And So I Watch You From Afar.

When he left the band in late 2011, he darted quickly in the opposite direction, keen not to repeat himself stylistically. Since then he has been racking up the miles playing across the UK, Ireland and Spain along with artist approved supports of Daniel Johnston, William Elliot Whitmore, Michael Kiwanuka, Jonah Matranga and James Yorkston.

He recently finished recording his highly anticipated debut album with Iain Archer (Jake Bugg, Ben Francis Leftwich – an Ivor Novello winner), and is due to release it this year with PledgeMusic as he seeks to fund the accompanying campaign for the album.

Website: http://versechorusverse.bandcamp.com/

Facebook: www.facebook.com/versechorusverseVCV

Twitter: @Toeknee_Wright 

BUSHMILLS LIVE VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjyzNFGuRmo

To launch the festival, Bushmills commissioned some good friends who are artisans to make a 3D art installation that depicts the Bushmills Live poster using materials inspired by the handcrafted whiskey and music at the heart of the festival. The master craftsmen who cemented their friendship when creating the stage set for a hugely popular American television epic that was filmed in Belfast – used 254 casks, 250 bottle tops, 30 bottles of whiskey, five metres of AMP wiring and four guitars to handcraft the 10ft by 16ft installation artwork.

ABOUT BUSHMILLS IRISH WHISKEY

With a heritage rooted in authenticity and quality, Bushmills Irish Whiskey is produced, aged and bottled at Ireland’s oldest working distillery in the village of Bushmills in County Antrim on the far north coast of Ireland. The Old Bushmills Distillery uses 100% malt barley to make triple distilled malt whiskey, which is what creates the rich, mellow and distinct flavour that is the house style. The Bushmills portfolio includes: Bushmills Irish Whiskey; Black Bush, Bushmills 10 Year Old Single Malt, Bushmills 16 Year Old Single Malt, Bushmills 21 Year Old Single Malt, Bushmills 1608 and now Bushmills Irish Honey. 

ABOUT DIAGEO
Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, beer and wine categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB, Buchanan’s, Windsor and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Jose Cuervo, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit www.diageo.com. For Diageo’s global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit www.DRINKiQ.com.

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