New Devilish Delight from Isle of Arran Distillers 

Award-winning Scotch whisky producer, Isle of Arran Distillers, has just released an unholy delight; The Devil’s Punch Bowl Chapter II.

The new dram, named Angels & Devils, is the second part of Arran’s trinity of ungodly spirits to darken our shores. It follows on from the original Chapter I, which sold out in record time when it was released last year.

Described by master distiller James MacTaggart as a ‘true contrast of light and shade’, the whisky is made using 27 different Arran casks, each meticulously selected and combined to create a whisky with great depth and rich character.

Commenting on the flavour of the new release, James said: “With vibrant notes of classic dried fruits, light spice and cigar box, layered over a sherry-sweet base, Angels & Devil’s drinks more like a dream than a nightmare.

“Bottled at natural strength without chill-filtration, the spirit has a devilish ABV of 53.1%. This dram will not disappoint as notes of dark chocolate and delicate butterscotch spice set taste buds alive.”

Angels & Devils is based around Sherry Hogsheads and includes Arran’s oldest ever peated Arran barrels from 2004.

Just 6,660 bottles have been released worldwide and interest is already high.

Euan Mitchell, managing director, said: “We were thrilled with the reception our first edition of The Devil’s Punch Bowl received and we’re sure this one will be met with the same approval.

“The whisky is being distributed on a strict allocation basis, as we’re already enjoying a high level of demand both in the UK and from export markets.

“Each cask in this whisky has been hand-selected and the release is testament to the consistent superior quality of The Arran Malt across each year of production.”

Arran Distillery is a multi-award winning distillery and has won acclaim for its 14 Year Old, 10 Year Old malts as well as many others. The Devil’s Punch Bowl Chapter I also won a top award in last year’s World Whisky Design Awards.

Euan continued: “Angels & Devils is a spirited single malt whisky which will stand out. It will appeal to people who look for quality and something unique – a perfect choice for those who dare to dram with the Devil.”

Devil’s Punch Bowl; Angels & Devils RRP £72.99 is available from early July online at www.arranwhisky.com and in specialist whisky stores. 

Notes: 

The Devil’s Punch Bowl Chapter II is released worldwide at the beginning of July and will be available in the UK, key European market, Asia, Canada and the USA. RRP £72.99 for 70 cl.

For more information visit www.arranwhisky.com

* Current accolades for Isle of Arran Distillery include Winner for: Best New Exporter (2004), Queen’s Award for International Trade (2005), Scottish Distiller of the Year (2007) and Scottish Drinks Producer of the Year (2007).

Product awards include: Best Whisky Liqueur (2007), ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 12 Years & Under’ for The Arran Malt Amarone Cask Finish (2008) ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for The Arran Malt Sherry Single Cask 1998 (2010) and ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for the Icons of Arran Peacock (2011).

Also, ‘Double Gold Award’ for Arran’s 14 Year Old Single Malt and ‘Gold Award’ for Arran’s 10 Year Old Single Malt at the World Spirits Competition 2012.

“Parker Beam Promise of Hope Fund” nightly Bourbon tastings at famed NOLA restaurant honors stricken Heaven Hill Master Distiller

NEW ORLEANS, LA. – Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc., is teaming up with Tales of the Cocktail® and Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House in New Orleans to support the ALS Association’s “Parker Beam Promise of Hope” fund, honoring Heaven Hill’s Master Distiller Emeritus Parker Beam, who was recently diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.  Nightly Bourbon tastings at Bourbon House will run throughout Tales of the Cocktail®, on Wednesday, July 17^th through Saturday, July 20^th from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

The four nightly tastings, which are an official part of the Tales of the Cocktail® event and will be promoted in the Tales of the Cocktail® materials and social media, will feature several of Heaven Hill’s most critically acclaimed Bourbons, with all proceeds going to the ALS Association’s Parker Beam Promise of Hope fund.  Heaven Hill’s Master Distiller Craig Beam–Parker’s son–and Heaven Hill American Whiskey Brand Ambassador Bernie “The Whiskey Professor” Lubbers will be on hand to pour and discuss Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Bourbon, Elijah Craig 12 Year Old Small Batch Bourbon, and Henry McKenna Bottled-In-Bond Single Barrel Bourbon.  In addition, all participants will receive a special Parker Beam t-shirt with their first purchase.  Bourbon House will be open for normal business during this promotion and it will not be limited or require pre-registration—walk-in traffic is encouraged to participate as well.

“The convergence of a great Bourbon event and a very worthy cause is something that we at Tales of the Cocktail® are excited about supporting.  This represents another way we can use Tales as not only an exclusive entrée into the personalities behind the products, but also a way to be agents of positive change,” noted Ann Tuennerman, creator of Tales of the Cocktail®.

The special tastings are another aspect of Heaven Hill’s support of the ALS Association and the Parker Beam Promise of Hope Fund (alsa.org/parkerbeampromiseofhope), with the full partnership of Tales of the Cocktail®.  Heaven Hill, the nation’s largest family-owned and operated independent spirits producer and the second largest Bourbon producer, is supporting the fight against ALS through not only this promotion with Tales of the Cocktail® and Bourbon House, but also through this Fall’s upcoming release of the annual Parker’s Heritage Collection.  For the Fall 2013 release, the seventh in the critically-acclaimed series, Heaven Hill has pledged to donate $20 for each bottle sold to the Parker Beam Promise of Hope Fund, which is expected to generate a minimum of $250,000.

“We are so pleased and appreciative to Bourbon House and to Tales of the Cocktail® for helping us extend the Parker’s Promise of Hope fundraising to this signature event,” stated Susan Wahl, Senior Brand Manager at Heaven Hill.  “We hope we will make a powerful impression on those who love and appreciate Parker Beam’s 50+ years of distilling.”

“Bourbon House is happy to be hosting this worthy event,” according to Dickie Brennan, owner of Bourbon House.  “Having had Parker Beam lead events at Bourbon House in the past through our New Orleans Bourbon Society, we’ve had the opportunity to develop a relationship with him. We deeply respect him as a person and as a distiller and are honored to be able to help support Parker Beam’s Promise of Hope Fund and his fight against ALS.”

About Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. 

Founded in 1934, Bardstown, KY-based Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. (http://www.heavenhill.com/) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams Bourbon; Burnett’s Vodkas and Gin; HPNOTIQ and HPNOTIQ Harmonie Liqueurs; Admiral Nelson’s and Blackheart Rums; The Christian Brothers Brandies; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Lunazul Tequila and Rittenhouse Rye Whisky.  Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely.  Drink Wisely.”

About Tales of the Cocktail®

This summer the industry’s most influential bartenders and spirit lovers from around the globe will drink in every ounce of cocktail knowledge and culture at Tales of the Cocktail® 2013. The world’s premier cocktail festival returns to New Orleans with another non-stop schedule of educational seminars, tasting rooms, Spirited Dinners®, Spirited Awards®, competitions and more. We guarantee you won’t leave thirsty at the 11th Annual Tales of the Cocktail®, July 17-21, 2013. For more information about drinking it in with us this summer, visit TalesoftheCocktail.com.

About Bourbon House

BOURBON HOUSE, under the direction of acclaimed Chef Darin Nesbit showcases seasonal NEW ORLEANS SEAFOOD and classic Creole fare. THE OYSTER BAR offers fresh shucked Louisiana Oysters on the Half Shell with or without caviar, in one of the French Quarter’s most lively settings. Home to the City’s best American Whiskey collection, Bourbon House nurtures the love of the American spirit, through the New Orleans Bourbon Society (membership is complimentary and open to the public). Dickie Brennan shares ownership of the restaurant with his business partner Steve Pettus, and his sister, Lauren Brennan Brower.

Second Largest Selling Bourbon in the US and the World Modernizes its Look 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc., the nation’s largest family-owned and operated independent spirits producer, announces a packing update to its Evan Williams family of Bourbons and Bourbon Specialty brands.  Evan Williams, which is the United States’ and the world’s second-largest selling Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, is introducing the updated look across the flagship Black Label brand, the Evan Williams Reserve line of flavored Bourbons, the Evan Williams Green Label and White Label “Bottled-In-Bond” marques, as well as the seasonal Evan Williams Holiday Nog and Evan Williams Apple Orchard bottlings.

The change will affect the 1.75 liter, 1.0 liter and 750ml sizes for Evan Williams Black Label, Evan Williams White Label “Bottled-In-Bond”, and the flavored Evan Williams Reserves.  It will also replace the 750ml sizes of Evan Williams Holiday Nog, Evan Williams Peppermint Chocolate Holiday Nog, Evan Williams Apple Orchard Fall Seasonal Liqueur, and Evan Williams Green Label.  Both the Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage and Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Bourbon packages will be unaffected by this change.

The centerpiece of the packaging upgrade is the new proprietary bottle, which now features a reproduction of Evan Williams’ actual signature from an 1800 distilling license blown into the glass on all four sides of the squared off bottle shoulder.  The shoulder label, which used to sit where the signature now is, has been removed and the “Extra Aged/Sour Mash” copy that appeared on the old shoulder label has been added to the neck wrap.

The Evan Williams Bourbon family is named after Kentucky’s first commercial distiller, who set his still up in 1783 at what is now 6th and Main Streets in Louisville.  Evan Williams has grown to become the number two selling Bourbon brand nationally and globally, and has also received tremendous critical acclaim, including a Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and “Best Buy Whiskey of the Year” from Whisky Advocate magazine.  The brand benefits from a national media campaign, including print advertising, cable TV spots and sponsorships of both Bassmaster and Championship Bull Riding.  In addition, Heaven Hill is currently completing construction on the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience™ in downtown Louisville, an immersive tourism experience and artisanal distillery scheduled to open in the Fall that will further enhance the brand marketing platform.

“The new bottles for the 750ml, 1.0 liter and 1.75 liter sizes give a cleaner, yet more branded, look to the overall package,” noted Susan Wahl, Senior Brand Manager at Heaven Hill who oversees the Evan Williams brand team.  “As we continue to refine the look of Evan Williams, we have seen the brand outpace the category for seven straight years, giving us a very strong platform on which to make these upgrades.  And the continuing sales success of the flavored Evan Williams Reserves, seasonal Nogs and Apple Orchard, and now the ‘Bottled-In-Bond’ White Label and Green Label, gives the Evan Williams franchise tremendous real estate on the shelf and greater stopping power.”

Founded in 1934, Bardstown, KY-based Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. (www.heavenhill.com)is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams Bourbon; Burnett’s Vodkas and Gin; HPNOTIQ and HPNOTIQ Harmonie Liqueurs; Admiral Nelson’s and Blackheart Rums; The Christian Brothers Brandies; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Lunazul Tequila and Rittenhouse Rye Whisky.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely.  Drink Wisely.”

Knob Creek® Bourbon Reignites Partnership with Celebrity Chef and Grilling Expert Michael

Clermont, KY – Knob Creek® Bourbon and Celebrity Chef Michael Symon are teaming up for another year of flavor-packed programming, highlighting Knob Creek® Bourbon’s award-winning portfolio just in time for summer grilling season. Through this partnership, Chef Symon will prove once again that the big, full flavor of Knob Creek® Bourbon translates just as perfectly on the grill as it does in the glass.

Building off of last year’s sizzling partnership – in which Chef Symon helped launch Knob Creek® Rye and released a limited edition holiday label – Knob Creek® Bourbon is turning up the heat with an even bigger, fuller partnership to bring bourbon enthusiasts an exclusive look at how grill masters and distillers push the boundaries creating big, full flavor.

“Knob Creek® Bourbon is more than just a bourbon that tastes damn great in your glass” said Chef Symon. “It also adds big flavor to your summer grilling. I’m thrilled to continue my partnership with Knob Creek and introduce bourbon lovers to new ways to enjoy the #1 selling Super-Premium Bourbon – both in their glass and on the grill.”

This year, Knob Creek® Bourbon and Chef Symon are offering a full menu of programming, including:

• The “Big Flavor” Dinner Series. A 13-city dinner series providing select fans and members of Knob Creek’s “Original Brothers of Bourbon” with a unique nose-to-tail dining and tasting experience highlighting dishes and cocktails created by the country’s best chefs. Chef Symon will host these dinners in select markets.
• National Summer Sweepstakes. Fans will have the chance to win a one-of-a-kind Kentucky experience, featuring a trip to Knob Creek’s distillery at the Jim Beam American Stillhouse where the winner will enjoy a private tour with Master Distiller Fred Noe and a personal summer grill-out session with Chef Symon at the “Knob Creek House.”
• “Meat Master Class” Series. Chef Symon will star in an online video series educating fans on the art of grilling with flavor. From “prep to plate” Chef Symon will offer tips on everything from meat selection to grill preparation, cooking, plating, pairing and pouring – and he’ll share his favorite recipes for simple, flavorful, easy-to-grill options.  If you’re hosting a summer BBQ, these videos will raise your grilling skills to the next level.
• Knob Creek® Inspired Recipes. Exclusive Knob Creek® seasonal food and cocktail recipes created by Chef Symon will provide consumers with big, full-flavored dishes they can savor year round.

“For more than 20 years now, Knob Creek has been the perfect bourbon to enjoy while you’re behind the grill,” said Fred Noe, seventh-generation Beam Master Distiller. “Chef Symon is the perfect grilling expert to teach our fans how to excel on the grill using full flavors. We’re excited to take this partnership up a notch, and we’re thrilled to have Chef Symon as part of the Knob Creek family.”

As summer BBQs start firing up, Chef Symon recommends these flavorful grilling and cocktail recipes:

Knob Creek® Summer Spice

Created by Michael Symon

INGREDIENTS

• 1 ¼ Parts Knob Creek® Rye Whiskey
• ½ Part Fresh Lime Juice
• ½ Part Orange Liqueur
• ¼ Part White Crème De Cocoa

METHOD

1. Pour all ingredients into a shaker
2. Shake vigorously with ice and strain into cocktail glass
3. Garnish with lime wheel

Knob Creek® Bourbon Smokey, Salty & Spicy Grilled Chicken Thighs

Created by Michael Symon

Recipe Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• 8 Chicken Thighs (Bone-In and Skin-On)
• 2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
• 2 oz. Soy Sauce
• 2 oz. Honey
• 4 Tablespoons Sriracha
• 4 oz. Knob Creek® Bourbon
• 2 oz. Olive Oil
• 2 Limes Cut into Wedges For Garnish
• 1 Bunch Cilantro For Garnish

PREPARATION

1. Whisk together Mustard, Soy Sauce, Honey, Knob Creek® Bourbon, Sriracha and Olive Oil
2. Place chicken thighs in a zip lock bag and pour in marinade.  Give it a good shake and let marinate for one to two hours
3. Place on grill and cook until you reach 160 degrees internal temperature
4. Remove from grill and garnish plate with lime wedges and cilantro

Knob Creek® enthusiasts will have access to Chef Symon through the Original Brothers of Bourbon, which provides exclusive content and news straight from Knob Creek®, its ambassadors and its distillery. Visit KnobCreek.com/Brothers-Of-Bourbon to join. For more information about Knob Creek®, visit www.KnobCreek.com or www.facebook.com/KnobCreek.

About Michael Symon

Michael Symon is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, television personality and author who cooks with soul, creating bold, deeply satisfying dishes at his various restaurants across America. The Cleveland native shares his exuberant, approachable cooking style and infectious laugh with television viewers as an Iron Chef on the Food Network, ABC’s The Chew and the Cooking Channel’s Symon’s Suppers.

About Knob Creek® Bourbon

Knob Creek® Bourbon has been handcrafting extraordinary full flavored bourbon with intriguing taste and bottled in unique flask shaped packaging for over 20 years, which has helped make it the #1 selling Super-Premium bourbon in the world. Aged for a full 9 years in new, charred American Oak barrels and bottled at an honest 100 proof, Knob Creek® Bourbon upholds the standard for what great bourbon ought to be with its big, full signature flavor. Launched in early 1992, at a time when the terms “craft” and “super-premium” bourbon didn’t exist, Knob Creek® Bourbon is named after the small town in Kentucky where President Abraham Lincoln was born.  In recent years, Knob Creek has expanded its portfolio releasing Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve (120 proof / 60% alcohol by volume) in 2011 and Knob Creek Rye (100 proof / 50% alcohol by volume) in 2012. For more information on Knob Creek, visit www.knobcreek.com.

About Beam Inc.

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

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

Ardbeg unveils the dream destination for whisky fans on Islay

— Ardbeg Distillery opens stunning luxury self-catering home —

— Whisky fans will now get the chance to come and stay at the iconic birthplace of the Ultimate Islay malt —

Ardbeg Distillery, home of the Ultimate Islay Malt, can now offer the definitive getaway for any whisky fan after restoring a 19th Century cottage at its iconic distillery on Islay.

Seaview Cottage offers stunning views, a location steeped in history, and every modern day luxury you would expect allowing visitors to unwind with their favourite dram at the very place of its origin.

Ardbeg’s Seaview Cottage has been renovated to the highest standards, with two double bedrooms and one twin bedroom, providing elegant self-catering accommodation at the very heart of the distillery.

Mickey Heads, Ardbeg Distillery Manager, explains, “The house has a lovely relaxed atmosphere with contemporary interiors and stunning views. Lucky visitors to the island will have the opportunity to stay at the home of the Ultimate Islay Malt, in a cottage that is full of Ardbeg history and lore.

“I hope that everybody who spends time there will feel the same as I do, and will want to return again and again.”

Ardbeg’s Seaview Cottage is filled with quirky charm and inspired by Ardbeg’s peaty character, the dark herringbone oak flooring is reminiscent of traditional peat stacks.

The three bedrooms can be found on the ground floor, which allows all guests to enjoy the most breath-taking views of the sea from the first floor wood decked balcony.

Whilst staying at the cottage, guests are welcome to take a tour of the distillery with Jackie Thomson, Global Icon Visitor Centre Manager of the Year 2013, and to eat at the Old Kiln Café, with delicious dishes created from fresh local ingredients.

Nearby attractions include the 8th century Kildalton Cross, the finest example of a Celtic Cross in the west of Scotland, and guests might also wish to take a ‘seafari’ to the tumultuous Corryvreckan whirlpool (weather permitting of course!), or go searching for whales, basking sharks and other big and untamed sea creatures that inhabit the deep coastal waters.

After a hard day’s exploring the island you can pick your favourite armchair and relax with a dram or two by the glow of the peat burning stove. Whisky heaven you might say!

Further quirks can be found around the luxury accommodation, such as an oak sideboard made with only hand tools by ‘Rabbitman’ Peter Heap, and in the lounge area the ‘Hotpod’ stove was inspired by a recycled gas cylinder and VW car parts.

A polished aluminium ex-French Naval pattern Morse signalling lamp that doubles as a handy reading light will amuse those in need of more low-tech communication technology than the internet and satellite.

Ardbeg’s Seaview Cottage is in the heart of the Distillery and guests will no doubt enjoy the continual discovery of unique items around the cottage.

Notes:

About Ardbeg
Ardbeg prides itself on being the ‘Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky’. Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs around the world as the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts.

Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Ardbeg suffered from an uncertain future and it was not until the brand was purchased by The Glenmorangie Company in 1997 that the Distillery was saved from extinction. Since then, the Distillery has risen like a phoenix and today Ardbeg is well established as a niche, cult malt, with a passionate following. The legacy of the whisky was safeguarded by the formation of ‘The Committee’ in 2000 from thousands of Ardbeg followers across the globe keen to ensure, “the doors of Ardbeg never close again.”

Ardbeg was voted ‘Scotch Whisky of the Year’ three years in a row by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

Ardbeg Embassies
Ardbeg Embassies are a network of customers who love the whisky and have agreed to profile Ardbeg to their consumers. Most are independent premium whisky stores.

Responsible Drinking
Ardbeg and The Glenmorangie Company advocate responsible drinking and suggest that drinkers savour Ardbeg in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.

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: 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

Diageo, the maker of Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky, has today revealed a new expression of its world-famous scotch – Talisker Dark Storm™, the smokiest whisky produced by the remote island distillery.

Matured in deep charred oak casks for extra spice and smoke, Talisker Dark Storm is a new Travel Retail exclusive, bottled at 45.8% ABV.

Speaking at the launch of the new variant Steve White, Diageo Marketing Director Global Travel and Middle East, said:

“Talisker Dark Storm is an incredible new flavour-offering from one of the world’s best known and most loved Scotch Whiskies. “It’s a Single Malt that captures the untamed spirit of a full-blown storm at sea. It is intense and powerfully flavoured, a whisky that offers an element of ‘rugged luxury’ to today’s travellers – adventurers and whisky connoisseurs alike.”

Talisker Dark Storm is a powerful and intense flavour experience:

Colour: Deep amber.

Aroma:  On the nose, a salty and smoky edge, that evokes the sea-washed rocks of its homeland, combines with hints of aromatic spices and oak, developing into the sweetness of stewed applies.

Palate: Exceedingly smooth and sweet, with an intense, vibrant combination of fresh fruits, blackcurrants and liquorice slowly disappearing to allow a tempest of rich smoky aromatic spice flavours to come to the fore.

Finish: Warm, lingering and powerfully smoky.

“Talisker Dark Storm is an intense new whisky experience,” commented White. “One that we believe will capture the imagination of consumers, drive purchase and deliver fantastic results for our customers.

“It is a whisky that is true to the Talisker house style but takes its trademark intensity to a whole new level – it is like a whole new ocean of flavour.”

The supremely rich flavours of Talisker Dark Storm are the result of careful cask selection – the heavily charred oak in which the whisky has matured ensuring an inimitable spiciness and distinctive smoky character.

Priced from £42.00 Talisker Dark Storm is available in 1L bottles in Travel Retail outlets across Asia, Europe and the Middle East from June 2013

The lucky winner of our Quaich competition is Andy Dean from Halifax (UK) and his prize is currently on the way to him. Many thanks to all who entered and we hope Andy continues to enjoy his whisky, perhaps while sharing it in his new

traditional two handled Scottish Drinking Cup

Many thanks to Alex Scott & Co (kiltmakers.co.uk) for sponsoring the competition.

anCnoc fans took to Twitter to share their perfect dram drinking moments in the one-day #youranCnoc event last Monday.

From a roaring campfire, through to a serene lighthouse scene to joking with friends – acclaimed international illustrator Peter Arkle chose his 10 most inspiring images from the scores which were entered.

These 10 images have now been illustrated by Peter and will be transferred onto truly personalised bottle labels and tubes for the winners.

Zachary Briggs’ entry of a picture he summed up as “warm summers; maritime winters; sea spray, granite shores and lobster sheds” was chosen as the overall winner. Zachary, of Halifax, Canada, has won a four-day trip for two to New York to collect his personalised bottle from Peter.

To see the winners gallery please visit www.anCnoc.com

Slainte!
anCnoc

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:    

Legacy Liquor Store, Manitoba St., Vancouver…      6pm Wednesday 3rd July

The Strath Liquor Store, Douglas St., Victoria…      6:30 pm Tuesday 16^th July

Legacy Liquor Store, Manitoba St., Vancouver…         6pm Monday 22nd July

The Strath Liquor Store, Douglas St., Victoria… 6:30 pm Tuesday 13^th August

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 your preferred venue and date.

Slàinte!