Tomatin Double-Decker On Tour in Japan

As part of their 300 year anniversary celebrations, the Japanese distributor of Tomatin Single Malt Scotch Whisky is taking the brand on tour around Japan in a Tomatin-branded traditional red London-style double-decker bus.

Kokubu & Co Ltd., established in 1712, is one of the largest food and drink distributors in Japan. They have carried the Tomatin brand since 2005, which is now the 6th best-selling single malt Scotch Whisky in Japan. This bus tour is the first time they have attempted such a campaign, and is one of several events marking the company’s anniversary.

The tour will start on 9th May in Tokyo, travelling to Sapporo, Yokohama, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Osaka and Nagoya, finishing in Sendai on 3rd July. During its stay in each city, the bus will host a special bar for people to sample and enjoy Tomatin whisky.

Graham Nicolson, Regional Sales Manager, commented: “This is an exciting and innovative campaign and we are thrilled to be associated with Kokubu on this momentous anniversary. Our partnership has gone from strength to strength since 2005 and we look forward to continuing this into the foreseeable future with further brand growth in the Japanese market.”

May 2012, Edinburgh: Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Whisky is encouraging people to tee off for England or Scotland in the Glengoyne Auld Enemy Diamond Jubilee Golf Day and Black Tie Gala Dinner on 24th August 2012, to help raise money for Help for Heroes.*

The Gala Dinner will be hosted by Andrew Cotter, the rising star of the BBC’s sports commentary team, who will conduct a special charity auction.

Twenty corporate or individual teams can enter and compete for the “Glengoyne Trophy” either in pairs or four balls at the five-star Fairmont St Andrew’s to replicate some of the famous sporting battles between Scotland and England.

Groups will join the Lord Lieutenant Fife, Colonel Mark Steed and former Scotland rugby star, Gavin Hastings, on the world famous 18-hole Torrance Course at The Fairmont St Andrews.

The TaylorMade Tour Experience Team will also be on hand to add a unique professional ‘tour’ experience to the special charity event. The leading club manufacturer is bringing its state-of-the-art tour truck along for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience the same service world stars like Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose and Retief Goosen receive on Tour.

As well as sponsoring the special event, Glengoyne will be offering competitors warming samples of their limited edition ‘Auld Enemy Dram’, a Glengoyne 1990 Single Cask bottling. Proceeds from which will go to their chosen charity – Help for Heroes.

Neil Boyd, Commercial Director at Ian Macleod Distillers, commented: ‘‘Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Whisky is proud to be the official sponsor of the first Glengoyne Auld Enemy Diamond Jubilee Golf Day. Glengoyne recognises and celebrates the passion that is synonymous with the great Auld Enemy rivalry, which lends itself to this sporting charity event.

“Glengoyne is equally proud to support Help for Heroes through sales of our limited edition ‘Auld Enemy Dram’. Help for Heroes is an excellent charity, which supports injured members of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, so is the perfect partner for this great occasion. We at Glengoyne look forward to a long association with the Auld Enemy Golf Day in years to come.”

The cost to enter the Glengoyne Auld Enemy Diamond Jubilee Golf Day is £900 per four ball, including the golf tournament, coffee and breakfast upon arrival, TaylorMade & Glengoyne goodie bags and the Black Tie Gala Dinner in the evening.

Discounted rates at The Fairmont St Andrews are available by quoting “Glengoyne Auld Enemy Diamond Jubilee Golf Day” when booking. Entrants are politely reminded to ensure that their partner can join the event for the day as well as the evening’s entertainment.

Earlier this year, Glengoyne hosted a new sporting dinner: The Glengoyne Auld Enemy Dinner at The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, bringing together rugby legends and supporters to celebrate the history of the Calcutta Cup and raised over £18,000 for Help for Heroes and The Bill McClaren Foundation. Held on the eve of the world’s oldest international rugby fixture, the new event will also become an annual occurrence taking place in Edinburgh and London respectively.

The Auld Enemy Dram has a rich mahogany colour with a heavy and robust nose of hazelnut, prunes, cocoa powder, and liquorice with BBQ spice. The palate is powerful with good balance of red apple, raisins, wafer cone and subtle citrus. The finish maintains strength with increased fruits and dry spice.

Retailing at £175 per bottle, The Limited Edition Glengoyne ‘Auld Enemy Dram’ is currently available to buy at Vino’s Edinburgh stores and online at vinowines.co.uk or at www.glengonye.com

Award-winning Glengoyne Highland Single Malt is one of the leading malt whiskies in the world and has been distilled at Glengoyne since 1833. Using methods passed down for generations, Glengoyne is made with knowledge, passion and craftsmanship.

For more information on the Glengoyne Auld Enemy Diamond Jubilee Golf Day visit www.1879eventsltd.com  or email info1879@btinternet.com

For more information on Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Whisky visit www.glengoyne.com

Notes

Photocaptions:

· Picture 1: Rhodri Price (R&A), Alan Lawson (former Scotland scrum-half), Sergeant Craig Williamson (1 Scots), Neil Boyd (Glengoyne) and Gavin Hastings (former Scotland full-back) launch The Glengoyne Auld Enemy Diamond Jubilee Golf Day at Fairmont St Andrews

· Picture 2: Limited edition Glengoyne 1990 Single Cask bottling ‘Auld Enemy Dram’

Auld Enemy Dram tasting notes

Colour: Rich mahogany.

Nose: Heavy and robust; hazelnut, prunes, cocoa powder, liquorice with BBQ spice.

Palate: Powerful with good balance, red apple, raisins, wafer cone and subtle citrus.

Finish: Maintains strength with increased fruits and dry spice.

Glengoyne

The Glengoyne portfolio consists of the 10 Years Old, 12 Years Old Cask Strength, 12 Years Old at 43%, 17 Years Old , 21 Years Old and Vintage 1972 as well as special limited edition bottlings released every year. To buy online visit www.glengoyne.com.

Glengoyne is one of Scotland’s most accessible distilleries, located just 30 minutes north of Glasgow in a beautiful wooded glen overlooking the breath-taking West Highland Way. Tours start from just £6.50, call 01360 550 254 or visit www.glengoyne.com for more details and to book.

* Help for Heroes

Help for Heroes is a charity that does exactly what it says on the tin. Help for Heroes strives towards 100% effectiveness, so that for every £1 donated, £1 will go directly to helping wounded servicemen and women with grants that aim to provide practical, direct support.

*The Bill McLaren Foundation

The Bill McLaren Foundation was set up to raise funds to support the development of rugby and its values and also to recognise the contribution Bill McLaren made to rugby through education and the development of an interpretative centre.

THE DARKEST NIGHT: BOWMORE’S EVENING AT THE MCKITTRICK HOTEL WITH A PERFORMANCE OF “SLEEP NO MORE”

presented by Bowmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Quote New York Magazine: “What in Hecate’s name is Sleep No More? A dance-theater horror show? A wordless, nonlinear mash-up of Macbeth and the darker psychosexual corners of Hitchcock? A six-story Jazz Age haunted house for grown-ups and anyone who’s ever entertained sick cineast-y fantasies of living inside a Kubrick movie? ‘Tis all these, and more besides: ‘a deed without a name,’ to quote an infernal authority.”

Join us for a one-night-only, whisky-focused event at the McKittrick Hotel, including a performance of “Sleep No More” – the twisted, surrealistic, critically-acclaimed interactive theatrical event that has taken New York City by storm. This evening is presented by Bowmore, Scotland’s first Islay single malt Scotch whisky, which will elevate an already intense sensory experience to entirely new levels. You’ll be welcomed with drams of the wickedly intense Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest before heading into the labyrinthine McKittrick Hotel, where you’ll be set loose to explore, experience, smell, taste, and interact with the performance at your own pace, finding your own path. Once you’ve had your time to play (or whenever you reach absolute sensory overload), you’ll head to the McKittrick’s Manderley Bar and to the hotel lobby for specialty Bowmore cocktails and a sinful punch created by the one-and-only David Wondrich to enjoy with your comrades, whilst you recount the evening’s curiosities over delectable culinary delights.

“A merry macabre chase. A voyeur’s delight. Messes with your head as thoroughly as any artificial stimulant. Spectacular!” – Ben Brantley, New York Times

The event includes an indoor promenade performance with four arrival times:

7:00PM, 7:15PM, 7:30PM, and 7:45PM

Monday, May 14th, 2012

Skylight at The McKittrick Hotel, 530 West 27th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues

Must be 21 or older – please be prepared to present a valid photo ID.

Sponsored by Bowmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky

COCKTAILS

BOWMORE’S MCKITTRICK PUNCH
By David Wondrich, 2012

(Makes 22 servings)

Peel 3 lemons
Muddle the peel with ¾ cup (6 oz) Demerara sugar
Let sit 4-6 hours
Add 1 cup (8 oz) boiling water and stir to dissolve sugar
Add ¾ cup (6 oz) fresh-squeezed, strained lemon juice

Add:

1 750-ml bottle Bowmore 15 Year Olds Darkest
1 ½ cups (12 oz) Sandeman Fine Rich Madeira
3 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curacao
Stir well, bottle and refrigerate.

To serve, pour over large block of ice and add ½ bottle chilled water for every bottle of Punch base. Stir and grate nutmeg over the top. Ladle out in 3-oz portions.

TAXIDERMY AFTER DARK
By Fred Sarkis, Sable Kitchen and Bar, Chicago

1.5 oz Bowmore 15 Years Old Darkest
.75 oz Cynar
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/8 Lemon for garnish

BOWMORE’S BLACK BOWLER
By Fred Sarkis, Sable Kitchen and Bar, Chicago

1.5 oz Bowmore 15 Years Old Darkest
.75 oz Oloroso Sherry
.75 oz Honey Syrup
2 Lemon Wedges
3 Springs of Mint

NOTES

This year Bowmore, the first Islay Single Malt whisky, is launching an exciting marketing campaign Magic Happens on the ‘Darkest’ Nights to support the growth of its multi-award winning core expression, Bowmore 15 Years Old ‘Darkest’.   Kicking off the campaign in the US, Bowmore will host a headline event at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic in New York City.  On Monday, May 14, Bowmore hosts The Darkest Night: Bowmore’s Evening At The McKittrick Hotel with a performance of Sleep No More.  This evening will present a performance of cult phenomenon immersive theatre Sleep No More by Punchdrunk, the pioneers of immersive theatre.  Tickets are $125.00 per person and they are still available for the 7:15pm and 7:45pm entrance (the entrances are staggered so that everyone can take full advantage of the unique experience and performance).  The McKittrick Hotel is located at 530 W 27th St btw 10th & 11th Aves, NYC.  A link to purchase tickets here: http://bit.ly/IReAOj . 

This fabulous whisky-fueled party, will feature Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest in many gustatory iterations: In addition to the evening’s interactive theatrical performance, guests will enjoy signature Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest cocktails created by Fred Sarkis from Chicago’s Sable Kitchen (Taxidermy After Dark; Bowmore’s Black Bowler) and Bar and a punch (Bowmore’s McKittrick Punch) created for the event by Mr. David Wondrich, who will be helming the punch ladle on the evening (all cocktail recipes below).  Guests will also indulge in special food pairings to complement the delicious smokiness of Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest like dark chocolates and raw oysters (we have a ritualistic oyster-eating way of enjoying bivalves and Bowmore) and more.  

Cara Laing, Brand Manager of Bowmore, comments: “We are hugely excited to be showcasing our 15 Years Old ‘Darkest’ as a core member of the Bowmore range. The spirit is truly exceptional and a firm favourite with trade and consumers alike. Our “The Darkest Night: Bowmore’s Evening at the McKittrick Hotel with a performance of Sleep No More” will be a night that those who attend will not soon forget!  From the very unique performance to our featured Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest cocktails and punch to the food we will have paired with them – this is the ideal way to showcase The Darkest.  Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest, that is!”

Rachel Barrie, Master Blender of Morrison Bowmore Distillers, comments: “To me Bowmore 15 Years Old ‘Darkest’ is the dark and alluring side of Bowmore; a rich and beguiling malt that fuses sherry and peat smoke together in perfect harmony. Seductive smokiness is balanced by rich dried fruit, treacle toffee and chocolate sweetness, with a drizzle of lime and sprinkle of sea salt to slice through the indulgence. With its wonderfully warming and velvety texture, it is perfect to warm your soul as darkness descends. Relax, sink into your chair and savour the spirit of ‘Darkest’.”

Bowmore whisky is widely acknowledged to be the most perfectly balanced in the world; the new campaign will support the trade in offering this interesting and complex (not just smoky) Islay expression to Single Malt enthusiasts as well as expand distribution. Bowmore 15 Years Old ‘Darkest’ is the outcome of 12 years maturing in American Bourbon casks, followed by a three year finish in Oloroso sherry casks, resulting in warmth, depth and a burnt sienna colour – all providing inspiration for the ‘Darkest’ Nights.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society presents The Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championship 2012

On the evening of Friday 15th June this year, a large collection of the most serious, semi-serious and simply enthusiastic malt whisky lovers will gather in Sydney for the biennial Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championship.

The venue will be the Australian Museum’s Dinosaur Gallery. While there will be malts on offer in the competition that are tens of years old, they won’t compete in age with their million year old fossil neighbours, but will be a lot easier to swallow.

How good is your palate? Can you pick the difference between a Glenlivet and a Talisker? How about a Laphroaig from a Lagavulin? If you are unsure, don’t worry – the competition is for allcomers of any experience, the only prerequisite being a love for the “water of life”. Eight malts will be served blind and the task is to identify which whisky is which from a list of nine possible well known drams.

First prize is two places on our 4-day long weekend Ultimate Single Malt Whisky & Wine Autumn Tour to Tasmania in Aug/Sep (date tba) including flights and four nights accommodation. The cocktail party is sponsored by Glenfiddich and The Balvenie. The whole event is organised and sponsored by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

Friday 15th June 2012 – 6.00pm-8.30pm
MC – Chris Barnes, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Marketing Director
Dinosaur Gallery, Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney
Entry Fees: Competitors – $125 (includes cocktail party); Guests/Spectators – $75
Doors open 6pm – Welcome drinks/gathering
Competition 6.30pm – 7.30pm
Awards ceremony – 8.00pm

Notes

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society began in 1983 when a group of discerning friends shared the price of a single cask of fine malt whisky in Scotland.

The Society has over 26,000 members around the world with branches in 14 countries. It bottles over 300 single casks a year for its members from a range of more than 129 distilleries.

Members can choose from the world’s widest selection of single cask, single malt whiskies with only the very best selected and approved by the Society’s respected Tasting Panel.

The Society has been active in Australia since 2002, holding extremely popular and well-attended frequent whisky tasting nights in each of the capital cities around Australia all through the year for both its members and the general public.

The Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championship is a blind tasting competition that has been run in Australia since 1989. It was held annually in Adelaide from 1989 until 2002, then was in recess for six years until the Scotch Malt Whisky Society resurrected the competition in 2008. It is open to national and international competitors, and is now a biennial event held in Sydney.

PO Box 1113, Newport NSW 2106 T: 02 9974 3046 F: 02 9999 5610

E: info@smws.com.au  W: www.smws.com.au

Photo Credit ; Life’s Portraits by B. Trosclair

The Kentucky Bourbon Festival Scholarship and 2012 Poster

Bardstown, KY – The 2012 Kentucky Bourbon Festival Scholarship recipients were announced at The Kentucky Bourbon Bardstown Sampler on Saturday April 28. Emily Nicole Drury and Trevor James Burba were honored along with their parents.

Sponsors of the scholarship are: Bluegrass Ice, Ronnie Rogers; Toddy’s Liquors, Guthrie McKay; Smith Brothers Trucking, Chuck Smith and Woodford Reserve Distillery.

Bourbons from Barton’s Brands of Kentucky, Blanton’s, Buffalo Trace Distillery, Four Roses Distillery, LLC., Heaven Hill Distilleries Inc. Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark Distillery, Michter’s, Wild Turkey Distillery and Woodford Reserve Distillery were enjoyed by the guests while dining on Kentucky cuisine from area restaurants.

The theme for the 2012 Kentucky Bourbon Festival was unveiled by Gartland’s Arts. “The Spirit of the Bluegrass”. Posters are available in the Bourbon Festival office for purchase along with the lapel pins.

www.kybourbonfestival.com

THE WHISKEYS OF BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY EARN MULTIPLE “DOUBLE GOLD” MEDALS AT 2012 SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION

Buffalo Trace Bourbon Earns Coveted Double Gold Medal

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (May, 2012) – The whiskeys from Buffalo Trace Distillery continue to win significant awards with the latest honors from the 12th annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), held March 23-25, 2012. Top winners include:

· Double Gold Medal

Buffalo Trace Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
William Larue Weller Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

· Gold Medal

Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
George T. Stagg Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey

· Silver Medal

Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey
Caribou Crossing Single Barrel Canadian Whisky
Royal Canadian Small Batch Canadian Whisky
Benchmark Old No. 8 Bourbon Whiskey
Eagle Rare Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey

· Bronze Medal

Rich & Rare Reserve Canadian Whisky

“We’re always honored when our whiskeys win an award, especially something as prestigious as the San Francisco World Spirits Competition,” said Harlen Wheatley, master distiller. “We’re especially pleased that our flagship bourbon Buffalo Trace earned a double gold.”

A record number of entries into the SFWSC – 1,215 products from 60 countries – were evaluated by 33 of the finest palates in the spirits industry. Complete results of the 2012 competition can be found at http://www.sfspiritscomp.com/results.html

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, Malt 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.buffalotrace.com.

Canadian whisky book release set for May 8
Finally an authoritative book about Canadian whisky

Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert is the first systematic presentation of Canadian whisky – how it is made, who makes it, why it tastes as it does, its history, and the rich folklore that has developed around it over the centuries. The book is also an informed exploration of taste, so that for the first time, whisky consumers can approach the acquisition of Canadian whisky with a connoisseur’s appreciation of its rich subtleties.

Readers take a pan-Canadian journey from British Columbia to Nova Scotia, exploring the multiplicity and celebrating the diversity of Canada’s unique spirit. They learn from carefully researched, reliable and authoritative information that is quite simply not available anywhere else. Through its pages the reader walks the ground, smells the aromas, and discovers the secrets and stories of Canada’s operating distilleries. Along the way, readers hear compelling tales of disasters, sudden triumphs and destructive family feuds that make up Canada’s colourful whisky lore. The turbulent tales that make up the story of Canadian whisky both entertain and intrigue them. And the more they know the more their tastes will be informed.

Today’s distillers tell the story of how a tradition adapts to new circumstances. Yesterday’s distillers make their presence felt through their diaries, and their archives reveal their hopes, their dreams, and, yes, their disasters. Real examples from specific distilleries and brands illuminate the details of production. Tasting notes draw on the author’s wealth of experience judging whisky competitions internationally, to provide descriptions that are both accurate and accessible.

With Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert the knowledge chasm is bridged. Whisky aficionados need no longer rely on minimal sketchy published details and unreliable web sources that do little more than cite the well-worn myths and paid commercial copy about Canadian whisky. This is the first and foremost authority on all things Canadian whisky. It is the real thing: The independent authority.

Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert is set to launch on Tuesday May 8, 2012. This new book was written by Canadian whisky expert, Davin de Kergommeaux, to fill a huge gap in the whisky literature. It is published by McClelland & Stewart, Canada’s oldest and most respected publisher, and distributed by Random House. The book is available in hardcover from most major bookstores in North America, and world-wide from all major on-line sellers. It is also available as an e-book from Amazon.com

http://www.canadianwhisky.org/news-views/a-first-peek-at-my-canadian-whisky-book.html 

Whisky for Father’s Day

Search for the best prices on WhiskyMarketplace

Father’s Day, Sunday 17 June, is an occasion to wise-up on whisky and buy Dad his favourite. Or, for a more adventurous choice, where can you get the best inspiration? Whichever way, you will also want to know that you are buying smartly. Click on www.WhiskyMarketplace.co.uk for recommendations and an easy way to buy from established online whisky retailers. Browse all in one place and rest confident as you save time and effort by buying at the keenest prices, and knowing that delivery will be efficiently taken care of.

This absorbing and informative site does so much more than list prices. Enjoy the www.WhiskyMarketplace.co.uk blog; also videos of tastings presented by master distillers and behind the scenes visits with experts at different distilleries. Pierre Thiebaut of WhiskyMarketplace, and presenter on WhiskyMarketplace TV, is also a judge in the World Whisky Awards. Here he gives a few of his top recommendations. “If you know Dad’s favourite brand, he may like to try a different aged bottling from the same distillery. Or you can search by style, for example, a smokey, peaty Islay whisky or a more subtle, sweet Lowlands style. You can then easily choose from a list of choices, prices, and availability, for everyday drinking right through to rarities to collect.”

Compass Box: Great King Street ‘The Artist Blend’

“A blended whisky?” I hear you cry. Yes, but this is not any old blend. Before we get into that, let us be clear, there is nothing wrong with blended whisky; some of the greatest whiskies are blends. This little number stands head and shoulders above anything in its price range. The secret to a great dish is fine ingredients, and whisky-maker John Glaser knows that only too well. With his attention to detail and a simple, confident recipe of fine malts and grain whiskies, he has crafted a masterpiece. Around £24. 

Lagavulin 16 years old

Is Dad a fan of deep peat flavours? If he already has some Laphroaig or Ardbeg stashed in the cabinet, he might just be missing this other gem from the Island of Islay, the spiritual home of the peat beasties. This whisky is rich with smoldering peat embers and a delicate touch of sweetness. It will transport him to a beach on Islay, with the moonlight glinting on the water, as the fire dies down on a summer night. Around £43.

Highland Park 21 years old

Now we are getting serious. Gentle peat, woody notes and fruits combine to produce an elegant and beautifully balanced whisky. A luxurious and rich texture delivers the wonderful flavours with aplomb. Bottled at a higher strength 47.5%, it is perfect for appreciating the subtle complexities it holds. Yes please! Around £92.

Brora 1982 ‘Connoisseurs Choice’ bottled by Gordon & MacPhail

This is one for a Dad who knows his distilleries. Brora, the most famous of the ’lost distilleries’, shut down its stills in 1983. Some of the whisky it produced still rests in casks in the dark corners of warehouses. From time to time, it gets bottled, although there is less of it about than there used to be. The price is modest for a Brora but there is more to this and other whiskies from that sadly missed distillery than just scarcity value. The whisky is as intriguingly complex as it is rare. Around £130.

Notes

• www.WhiskyMarketplace.co.uk is an essential companion to premium whisky buying. It provides an easy one-stop retail comparison of over 4,000 whiskies. No longer need will you have to trawl through individual retailers to find a chosen whisky. Major brands through to boutique expressions, limited editions and rarities can be easily tracked down. With just a couple of clicks, you can land on the product purchase page of a selection of online retailers and know that your choice is available to buy.

• www.WhiskyMarketplace.co.uk was created by brothers Pierre and Jean-Luc Thiebaut who designed the resource as an extension of their well established whisky social network www.connosr.com. This currently features over 2500 product reviews from registered consumers.

GLEN GARIOCH EYES UP TRAVEL RETAIL PUSH IN 2012

Artisan Single Malt Scotch Whisky Glen Garioch is investing in a year-long travel retail push in a bid to become a key player in the sector this year.

The small Highland distillery saw triple figure volume increases in the UK and Nordic travel markets in 2011 and has committed further investment throughout 2012.

Paul Hunnisett, Morrison Bowmore travel retail and duty free manager, said travel retail is a key market for a small brand like Glen Garioch and Morrison Bowmore will make a significant investment in attracting travel retail consumers looking for undiscovered quality malts.

Said Hunnisett: “Travel retail is the perfect environment for luxury spirits like single malt and Glen Garioch’s success in 2011 has cemented our intentions to become a serious player in the sector this year.

“As a small distiller it gives us the opportunity to shine the spotlight on the quality of liquid we are producing, tell its story, educate consumers and enable them to buy – there’s no other outlet quite like it for artisan producers.

“Glen Garioch is a punchy malt with a real robust Highland flavour and the brand benefits from the unique proposition that travel retail offers. Duty free consumers like finding a hidden gem or treasure and Glen Garioch’s handcrafted malts and small scale production combined with 200-year-old provenance appeals to those looking for something off the beaten track.”

The distillery will shortly launch an exclusive limited edition vintage for travel retail which will be available throughout World Duty Free and World of Whisky stores in the UK as well as a range of international airports, ferry operators and specialist terminal whisky stores.

A full sampling programme throughout the year will complement the push and bring the Highland brand to life in store.

Selected airport teams throughout the UK will also handpick their own vintage cask for exclusive distribution.

John Mullen, Glen Garioch brand manager, said: “We were thrilled with Glen Garioch’s performance in travel retail in 2011. The brand struck a real chord with operators and consumers alike who were clearly very appreciative of our small but special Highland Distillery”.

“We are excited about cementing Glen Garioch’s position as a hand-crafted artisanal producer distilling fine liquid year-on-year and offering something extra special to single malt enthusiasts.

“Our range will be sold and sampled through passionate and knowledgeable staff and will make an impactful and lasting impression throughout 2012.”

July has the Japanese feeling the heat so they cool down – with a Yamazaki Shousho or a Hakushu Taisho cocktail

London April 2012: What better than an ice cool cocktail to defeat the heat of summer. It’s a solution the Japanese come up with in July and it works. In fact they have an appropriate cocktail to mark each of their 24 seasons, created by Zoran Peric, Brand Ambassador, using the remarkable whiskies of Suntory. In July the seasons are named Shousho and Taisho and here’s how to cool down in the heat.

Yamazaki Shousho – Little heat (July 5)

Recipe:

50ml Yamazaki 12 year old single malt

75ml infused water: orange blossom, lemon zest, lemon grass

Pour over large chunks of ice, stir 24 times, add lemon zest

Serve in a chilled Highball glass, garnish with lemon grass and lemon twist

Hakushu Taisho – Big heat (July 21)

Recipe:

50ml Hakushu 12 year old single malt whisky

12.5ml Elderflower cordial

100ml soda water

Coat large chunks of ice with elderflower cordial

Pour in Hakushu and stir 5 times

Add soda water and stir 5 times

Finish with lemon zest, serve in chilled Highball glass

Garnish with elderflowers and berries and lemon

Yamazaki Shousho and Hakushu Taisho are just two of the delightful 24 seasonal cocktails created by Zoran Peric for Suntory and Japan’s 24 seasons.

With more than 60 international awards gained since 2003 the Yamazaki 25 Year Old single malt has just been voted the Best Malt Whisky in the World at Whisky Magazine’s 6th world whisky awards. Last year it was the Yamazaki 1984 that took this honour and for Suntory to win for two successive years against some formidable whiskies shows just how far the Japanese have come in mastering the art of producing great whisky.

Notes

Pronouncing Suntory names

Yamazaki – (Ya-ma-zarkee)

Hakushu – (Ha-koo-shoe)

Hibiki – (Hi-bi-kee)

Yamazaki single malt whisky and Hibiki blended whisky are available from: Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, The Whisky Exchange, independent specialist retailers and drinkon.com priced from:
Yamazaki 12 year old £40

Hakushu 12 year old £49

The Suntory range of Japanese whiskies is distributed in the UK by Cellar Trends. For all sales enquiries contact: sales@cellartrends.co.uk