The new Glenrothes Vintage 2001

A NEW CENTURY IN THE MAKING.
It may have taken 12 years but we’ve finally judged an expression worthy of our vintage label and fit to mark the turn of the century. Laid down in 2001, it has been chosen for its wonderful length and depth, displaying soft but stimulating and conversational properties. Something, which we are sure will get even the most regular Glenrothes enthusiasts talking.

FIND OUT MORE 

Forty Creek Distillery Announces 2013 Limited Release Bottle Reservations

Grimsby, Ontario – Forty Creek Distillery is pleased to announce bottle reservations for their 2013 Limited Release whisky: Forty Creek Heart of Gold.

Forty Creek Heart of Gold is a whisky inspired by both the heart of the distillation and the heart of the maker. Heart of Gold has been created with an artist’s palette of noble grains, unusual yeast selection, copper pot stills and delicately toasted oak barrels, mixed with passion, innovation & patience.

Whisky maker John Hall explains, “This project started nearly a decade ago, focusing specifically on Canada’s noble rye grain. I have always brought out the spicy, fruity notes of rye in my whiskies, but this time, I wanted to perfect how to capture the underlying delicate floral notes of the rye that too often get lost in the process.”

“My Heart of Gold is a rye forward whisky – but it is not 100% rye. I believe the art of blending adds a complexity and creativity to the final whisky. The final Heart of Gold blend includes some barley whisky for nuttiness and some corn whisky for weight and body. But there’s no doubt the fruity, floral rye whisky notes are the star of this show.”

Heart of Gold is the seventh Forty Creek special release. Only 9,000 bottles will be produced for release in the Fall. Forty Creek fans are invited to pre-reserve their bottles and can even choose their own number.

“We are pleased to offer our customers an opportunity to reserve a bottle number with significance,” says Beth Warner, Vice President, Marketing. “It’s fun when customers share their stories about what makes their chosen numbers so special – birth years, anniversaries, the year they discovered Forty Creek or the year they are planning to retire. Badge numbers are also a popular choice, and we have one customer who has chosen 1967 each time – the last year the Toronto Maple Leafs won a Stanley Cup!”

Reservations for numbered bottles open at noon on Monday, May 27th and end June 21st, 2013. Customers may choose any number between 00003 and 9,000. Numbers are offered on a first come, first served basis. Reservations must be completed on-line at www.FortyCreekWhisky.com

Reserved bottles of Forty Creek Heart of Gold must be purchased and picked up at the distillery in Grimsby, Ontario. Forty Creek Whisky Weekend is scheduled for Saturday, September, 28th and Sunday, September 29th, 2013. “I always look forward to this annual event to celebrate with our fans and to enjoy special tours and events. It’s always a fun time. That’s when you can pick up your specially numbered bottles and I will be more than happy to personalize them,” says John Hall, Whisky Maker.

About Forty Creek Distillery:

Located in Grimsby, Ontario, Forty Creek Distillery is an independent Canadian-owned craft distillery. Known internationally for its quality spirits, Forty Creek Distillery has won numerous awards at prestigious tasting competitions around the world, including Canadian Whisky of the Year at the Canadian Whisky Awards in Victoria, BC for three consecutive years 2009-2012. Forty Creek was named “Distillery of the Year” at the 2012 Wizards of Whisky Awards in London, England and the 2013 International Whisky Competition in Chicago.

HIGHLAND PARK 25 YEAR OLD TRIUMPHS

UNPRECEDENTED 100-POINT SCORE AT ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE

Highland Park 25 year old, distributed by Maxxium UK, was awarded the first ever 100-point score, along with the Chairman’s Trophy for Best of Category, by judges at Ultimate Beverage Challenge’s fourth annual Ultimate Spirits Challenge held March 11-15, 2013, in New York.

Highland Park went on to achieve four more finalist entries all 95 points and above, in the prestigious trophy sweepstakes with Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation for 30 year old (97 points); 12 year old (96 points); 18 year old (95 points) and 15 year old (95 points).  In addition, Highland Park Thor, the first edition of the stunning Valhalla Collection, achieved 94 points, with the judges classing it as ‘highly recommended’.

Gerry Tosh, Global Marketing Manager for Highland Park, said:  “To be the only ever recipient of the 100-point score in the history of the Ultimate Spirit Challenge is a great honour for Highland Park 25 year old.  We’re thrilled that the judges, all respected commentators in our industry, have selected Highland Park for this accolade in the presence of a strong array of competitors.  The fact that Highland Park was also represented so strongly across the board is very significant and allows us to maintain our award winning reputation.”

More than 70 companies from 30 countries around the world entered the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. The judging panels, which included many of the world’s most famous distilled spirits authorities, authors, and buyers, rated the distillates on a 100-point scale. The judges named 33 Ultimate Spirits Challenge Chairman’s Trophy winners and 151 finalists.

Highland Park 25 Year Old 2013 has an ABV of 45.7% and is available at selected whisky retailers at RRP £201.08.

For more information on Highland Park, visit www.highlandpark.co.uk

Notes: 

About Highland Park

Established in 1798 on Orkney, Highland Park is one of the most remote Scotch whisky distilleries in the world. For over 200 years, the distillery has combined time old tradition and the very best craftsmanship to achieve perfection. Its range of 12, 15, 18, 21, 25, 30 and 40 year old single malts is consistently acclaimed by connoisseurs and experts.  Highland Park has won a string of prestigious awards across its portfolio, most recently including category winner at the 2011 World Whisky Awards for its 25-year-old single malt and ‘Best Whisky in the World 2009’ for its 21-year-old expression in the World Whisky Awards, as well as four double gold awards in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2009.

Highland Park 18 year old was named Best Spirit in the World by American drinks expert Paul Pacult in Top 115 Spirits, Spirit Journal 2009 and 2005.

Five keystones contribute to making Highland Park:

*    Hand-turned malt adds to the deliciously succulent, balanced layers of aromatic character found in Highland Park

*    Aromatic peat gives a delectably seductive, luxuriant floral sweetness to Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky

*    Cool maturation enhances the smooth character of Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky

*    Sherry oak casks contribute to the distinctive richness and multi-dimensional complexity of Highland Park

*    Cask harmonization ensures consistency and balance in Highland Park

Canadian Whisky Book Review and Twitter Tasting Week Three

Join author, Davin de Kergommeaux and whisky fans from around the globe on Twitter this Sunday, May 19, at 3:00 Eastern time. We will be chatting about Davin’s award-winning book, Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert, and raising a dram of Canadian whisky. To take part simply go to #DavinTT on Twitter at 3:00 Eastern time this Sunday.

Social media are changing the way whisky lovers interact right around the globe. Whisky fans from Israel to Oregon took part last week as we reviewed several chapters from the book Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert and discussed them with each other and with the author on Twitter.

If you wish to add your comments, interact with author, Davin de Kergommeaux, or discuss a Canadian whisky you are tasting, please join us for week three this Sunday. This week we will be talking about chapters 18 – 21.

We invite the bloggers among us to blog about the book, the experience, the whiskies and/or Davin. Let the fun begin!

If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with me, @WhiskyLassie on twitter.

Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert is available at Barnes & Noble, Chapters/Indigo, and many other fine bookstores, or on-line at Amazon.com and Amazon.ca.

THE GLENLIVET MAKES WHISKY HISTORY WITH LAUNCH OF MYSTERY CAMPAIGN

The Glenlivet, the world’s No. 2 single malt Scotch whisky, is pioneering an innovative approach to flavour with the launch of The Glenlivet Alpha; a new, mystery expression released without cask information or tasting notes.

Presented in a black bottle to preserve the mystery, consumers are encouraged to let taste and smell lead their experience of The Glenlivet Alpha. Connoisseurs of the range will be able to identify its signature style but also discover a new flavour palate due to the inclusion of never-before-released spirits.

The Glenlivet Alpha launch will be supported by an integrated marketing campaign that will see consumers exploring The Glenlivet’s complex flavours through multi-sensory experiences both online, through http://www.theglenlivet.com/ and the brand’s Facebook page, and offline. The campaign will help to generate discussion and a deeper understanding of The Glenlivet, the single malt that started it all.

The campaign will bring The Glenlivet Alpha to life with a launch film, advertising, in-store activity and a global media launch event in London. Additional films, which explore the roles of sight, smell, taste and feel on flavour perception, will be hosted on The Glenlivet’s digital social media platforms and will link through to online sensory challenges that allow consumers to gradually unlock the secrets of The Glenlivet Alpha. Sensory experts including taste visualisation specialists, Greyworld, will also be working with the brand on the campaign.

In June, the mystery behind The Glenlivet Alpha will be revealed by Master Distiller Alan Winchester in a global broadcast to The Glenlivet fans on http://www.theglenlivet.com/ and on the brand’s Facebook page.

Nikki Burgess, International Brand Director for The Glenlivet, says: “The Glenlivet is famous for its smooth, full bodied flavour and with the launch of The Glenlivet Alpha we’re excited to be exploring this in an original way. This is the first time anyone has launched a ‘blind’ whisky in this way and we are confident that this innovative campaign will excite whisky drinkers and help them to truly appreciate single malt and understand the flavours they taste in The Glenlivet’s award-winning range.”

With only circa 3,500 bottles worldwide, The Glenlivet Alpha will be available in USA, UK, France, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Andorra, China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taiwan, Japan, India and South Africa and will retail at $120.

The Glenlivet was the first licensed distillery in the Livet valley and offers a variety of expressions, all boasting its signature smoothness and floral, fruity profile.

The Glenlivet has been the biggest contributor to volume growth in the single malt category over the last five years, adding more than any other Single Malt brand*. The release of The Glenlivet Alpha continues the brand’s legacy of innovation and reinforces its position as ‘the single malt that started it all’.

*IWSR 2011 

Notes 

Follow The Glenlivet on Twitter via the handle @The_Glenlivet and stream the campaign through #Alpha 

Facebook application: https://www.facebook.com/theglenlivet/app_406821989412224 

The Glenlivet Alpha YouTube video and embed link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOvsNoC-2YU&list=UUVnO1IwQ0pn6-pMrfks8TfA&index=1 

The Glenlivet is the No. 2 single malt Scotch whisky in the world. Crafted in the remote Livet Valley since 1824, it is the only whisky with the unchallengeable right to be called The Glenlivet. 

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.

While the history of whisky is long and proud, with legend telling of Saint Patrick bringing the craft of distillation to Scotland, the history of the Quaich is no less long or illustrious.

 The word Quaich comes from the gaelic “cuach” which means cup and they have been used for centuries to welcome or bid farewell to guests, or as a mark of comradeship or friendship. Sharing a dram of whisky from a Quaich has long been symbolic of binding people together in love, friendship or comradeship or to welcome or bid farewell to favoured guests. Today quaichs are often given as a gift to someone held dear.

This two handled Scottish drinking cup may have originated with the practise of drinking whisky from a scallop shell and progressed to forming these shallow cups from wood, stone or horn. Over the years the cups became more elaborate and highly skilled craftsmen fashioned wooden quaichs with beautiful celtic designs. From the 17^th century, as metals came to be more commonly used, quaichs have been made of  brass, pewter, silver or a combination of all three. The original outer shape was retained but the thick bases were thinned to reduce the the weight.

Quaichs originated in the Highlands and weren’t used in Lowland Scotland until the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie when the quaich travelled south in the canteens of the Prince’s army. The quaichs of the army were reputed to have glass bottoms enabling the drinker to keep an eye on those around him; a sad reflection on treacherous times.

Alex Scott & Co Ltd, a long established Aberdeen based company would like to offer you the chance to win a beautiful quaich so you may sup your dram in the traditional way and our gift set even provides a miniature of MacAllan Gold single malt whisky for the first filling.

To enter simply email the answer to the following question along with your name and address to sales@kiltmakers.co.uk using the subject line Quaich Competition, and we will draw the winner, at random, from the correct answers. Closing date June 19th, 2013…….. Please don’t forget to title your email Quaich competition.

What is the Centenary Quaich?

1. Quaich which resides in the Scottish Parliament building and is used for ceremonial occasions.
2. An international rugby union trophy contested annually by Ireland and Scotland.
3. A annual flat race run at Ayr races each September with the Centenary Quaich also being the name of the trophy.
4. A quaich presented to Queen Victoria by her loyal Scottish Subjects at the turn of the twentieth century.

Terms and Conditions:-  The winner will be notified of their win by email and the prize sent by post. No further correspondence will entered into and the judges decisions are final. The prize cannot be substituted or exchanged for cash. The competition is open to all except employees or relatives of Alex Scott & Co (kiltmakers.co.uk) or employees and relatives of Red Evolution. Important – entries will only be accepted from those who are 18 years old or over. This contest will run until Wednesday June 19th, 2013.

Buffalo Trace Distillery Releases Ninth Round of Single Oak Project Bourbon

Interesting Insights Learned from Participants  

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (May, 2013) – Buffalo Trace Distillery releases the ninth round of the Single Oak Project Bourbon and with it some interesting perspectives from the top two consumer reviewers.

In this ninth release, all of the bourbons that comprise this release entered the barrel at 125 proof, aged within the concrete walls and floors of Warehouse L, with a number three barrel char after the staves were seasoned for six months.  This allows the release to focus on three other variables, the recipe, wood grain size, and tree cut.  All of the other variables such as aging warehouse, entry proof, char level, and stave seasoning remain constant.

So far, more than 2,481 industry expert and consumer reviews have been logged online at www.singleoakproject.com and barrel number 106 continues to remain at the top, for now.  It has battled for that top spot with barrel number 97 for the past several months, but currently retains its lead as the consumer favorite.

Two of the top consumer reviewers of the Single Oak Project, both of them members of the MAD Oak Apostles tasting club in Madison, Wis., have shared their insights into what they’ve learned so far on the Single Oak Project.

Michael Dereszynski, who is the organizer of the Mad Oak Apostles, is the leader for number of barrels reviewed and says what he enjoys most about the Project is the learning, “It made me more aware and appreciative of what comes out of a bottle, as well as the discipline needed in analyzing a series of samples. It became a project within the Project for me to hone these skills.”

Dereszynski also learned that he prefers wheated recipe bourbons over rye recipe bourbons, saying, “Before the Project started, had you asked me, I would have said my recipe preference was rye, not wheat. But after compiling my reviews, apparently I favor the wheat.” He adds, “I prefer a wheated recipe at 105 entry proof, no preference in top or bottom of the tree or the char level, but seasoned staves for 12 month and stored in a concrete floored warehouse.” Dereszynski’s favorite barrel so far is #56, which scored a “91” rating by Jim Murray in his Whisky Bible 2013.

Scott Reich, who is the second place reviewer of the most barrels, was surprised at how much he enjoyed wheated bourbons as well.  “I tried one wheat recipe bourbon a few years ago in a tasting that included several rye recipe bourbons. I found the wheated bourbon to be quite bland, so have tended to avoid them ever since.” Now according to Reich’s reviews, he’s been surprised to find that while 58% of his favorites in the Single Oak Project are rye recipe, 42% are wheat recipe.

Reich has also found he enjoys bourbons aged in barrels made from the bottom of the tree and he also has a strong preference for those aged in the concrete floor warehouse.  Reich adds his favorite so far was from barrel #136, which was given a “92” rating in the Whisky Bible 2013.

All of the whiskey reviews entered on www.singleoakproject.com will determine which Single Oak Project Bourbon is the favorite of fans worldwide. Buffalo Trace looks forward to more reviews, to hear what bourbon drinkers think, and will craft the perfect bourbon based on consumer feedback.

“It’s gratifying to hear the knowledge consumers are gaining from their reviews. Not only is it helping us to create the perfect bourbon, it’s helping them learn more about their taste preferences and what the different effects like aging environment or proof entry can have on a bourbon,” said Kris Comstock, bourbon marketing director.

The Single Oak Project is part of an intensive research project Buffalo Trace Distillery started conducting in 1999 by hand picking 96 trees with different wood grains and then dividing them into a top and bottom piece, yielding 192 unique sections. From there, staves were created from each section and were air dried for either 6 months or 12 months. After all the staves were air dried, a single barrel was created from each tree section, resulting in 192 total barrels. These barrels were given either a number three or a number four char and then filled with either wheat or rye recipe bourbon.

To further the variety of experiments, the barrels were filled at two different proofs, 105 and 125 proof.  And if this wasn’t enough, two completely different warehouses were used, one with wooden floors and one with concrete floors.  In total, seven different variables were employed in Buffalo Trace’s ultimate experiment.

For eight years the Distillery continued with its tracking process, creating intricate databases and coming up with a potential of 1,396 tasting combinations from these 192 barrels!

The Single Oak Project Bourbon is being released in a series every three months from 2011 through 2015 until all of the 192 barrels have been released. The first release hit select stores in 2011.  This ninth release will reach stores towards the end of May. Like all the other releases, the quantities are very limited. Every case will contain 12 bottles, each from a different barrel. The ninth release is made up of barrel numbers 5, 6, 37, 38, 69, 70, 101, 102, 133, 134, 165, and 166.  All releases will be packaged in a 375ml bottle. Suggested retail pricing per bottle is $46.35.

At the conclusion of the Single Oak Project, the Distillery plans to take the top rated Single Oak Project Bourbon and make more just like it, under the Single Oak name.

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

A. SMITH BOWMAN SPIRITS ARE MEDAL WINNERS AT 2013 SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION

Fredericksburg, VIRGINIA (May, 2013) – The winners from the 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition have been announced, and four spirits from the A. Smith Bowman Distillery were honored with medals.

Both John J. Bowman Single Barrel Virginia Straight Bourbon and Bowman Brothers Small Batch Bourbon were awarded Gold Medals.  Winning a Silver Medal was Deep Run Vodka, and Sunset Hills Gin was awarded a Bronze Medal.

A record number of entries – more than 1,400 – were evaluated by some of the finest palates and spirits experts in the industry. Judging is based on a blind, consensual procedure to ensure competitive integrity.  Complete results of the 2013 competition can be found at http://sfspiritscomp.com/results/browse.

About A. Smith Bowman

A. Smith Bowman’s distilling roots date back to the years before Prohibition when the Bowman family had a granary and dairy farm in Sunset Hills, Virginia. They used excess grain from the family estate to distill spirits. In 1934, after the Repeal of Prohibition, Abram Smith Bowman and his sons continued the family tradition and built a more modern distillery in Fairfax County, Virginia called Sunset Hills Farm.  In response to the rapid rise of taxes in Northern Virginia, the Distillery was moved in 1988 and is now nestled in Spotsylvania County near the city of Fredericksburg, 60 miles away from the original location.

As a small and privately owned company, A. Smith Bowman Distillery continues the time-honored traditions on which it was founded. Considered a micro-distillery by today’s standards, A. Smith Bowman produces an assortment of hand-crafted spirits distilled from only the finest natural ingredients and using the latest technology. This micro-distillery focuses on the production of premium spirits honoring the legacy of Virginia’s first settlers. For more information on A. Smith Bowman, please visit www.asmithbowman.com.

Here you go;

SCOTTISH FIELD WHISKY CHALLENGE RESULTS – SUMMER 2013

20-tonne Pictish Masterpiece Takes the High Road

— After two years’ continuous carving, latest Barry Grove sculpture is transported 200 miles from Tain to The Glenmorangie Company’s new state-of-the-art bottling plant in Livingston —  

A 20-tonne sculpture – commissioned by The Glenmorangie Company to stand outside its new bottling plant in Livingston as a permanent reminder of its Highland roots – has been transported by a low-loader lorry from Glenmorangie’s distillery in Tain.

Ross-shire-based Barry Grove – internationally regarded as one of the finest large stone sculptors working today – was asked by the company behind Scotland’s favourite malt whisky to create a sculpture which explored the country’s Pictish heritage.

Created over two years using only traditional hand tools, the sculpture explores the theme of re-discovery and depicts blowing leaves revealing a symbol of Pictish design and intricate knot-work, the origin of which dates back to 800AD.

The sculpture was carved from 300-million-year-old sandstone sourced from the area around Glenmorangie’s Tain distillery.

The public artwork stands two metres high and is just over three metres long, and is two-and-a-half times the size of his previous re-creation of the Hilton of Cadboll Stone, an eighth century Pictish Stone with incredible engravings which was discovered near the Glenmorangie Distillery in Ross-shire. This national icon is on permanent display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.

Barry Grove said: “I am passionate about creating pieces of public art that will last for generations. The sheer size and scale of this project has presented a real challenge but I wanted to stay true to the spirit of the enterprise by using traditional stonemason’s tools.

“Like Glenmorangie I am fascinated by our past, and creating this sculpture is all about rediscovering our connection with the Picts and Scotland’s early history. This sculpture brings the past to life.”

Paul Skipworth, President and Managing Director of The Glenmorangie Company, said: “For The Glenmorangie Company, craft and heritage are essential to creating Scotland’s favourite single malt. We are very grateful to Barry for his hard work in creating this impressive sculpture.

“The Hilton of Cadboll Stone, originally found near the Glenmorangie Distillery, is a national treasure from this period and the inspiration for our company logo – the Signet – which proudly adorns our whisky bottles around the world. This new sculpture will be a notable landmark at our bottling plant at the Alba Campus in Livingston, and a permanent reminder of our Highland roots.”

Grove is keeping alive the art of stonemasonry in Scotland using traditional tools and techniques. He is based near Tain in the Highlands, where many Pictish artefacts have been discovered and where Glenmorangie’s iconic single malt has been distilled since 1843.

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 single malt whiskies.

About The Glenmorangie Company

The Company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers and marketers of Scotch whisky brands worldwide and is part of Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH). Headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Company produces Glenmorangie Single Highland malt whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay malt. It also owns The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. 

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.

About Barry Grove

Barry Grove has been carving large stone projects for over 20 years and since graduating with a BA (Hons) in Design from Dundee Art College in 1989 has been specializing in traditional Scottish carving. Barry is internationally regarded as one of the finest large stone sculptors working today. He has worked closely with Historic Scotland and respected experts in this field on a variety of projects over the years as well as accepting numerous private commissions including the Royal family, large international corporations and high-net-worth private clients. Barry currently lives and works on the Tarbat Ness peninsula, Ross-shire.