Non-Profit Organizations Raised More Than $150,000 with Help from the Buffalo Trace Millennium Barrel

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (May, 2012) – More than $150,000 was raised for various charities across the country with help from Buffalo Trace Distillery.

The Millennium Barrel Bourbon was the last bourbon barrel of the twentieth century filled on December 31, 1999 by Buffalo Trace Distillery and set to age in the Distillery’s warehouse V, the world’s only bonded single barrel aging warehouse.

In June of 2011, the company bottled this single barrel of whiskey, which yielded 174 handwritten and individually numbered bottles. Each Millennium Barrel bottle was packaged in a numbered hardwood showcase box that includes a piece of the historic barrel’s charred oak stave. Buffalo Trace Distillery then offered all 174 bottles to non-profit organizations wishing to raise funds for their charity.

Altogether, $152,557 dollars were raised for needy organizations all the way from New York to California. Organizations supporting child care, senior care, Red Cross, the Ronald McDonald House, Humane Societies, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Wildlife Centers, and many more were able to benefit from the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. A complete list of charities is available online at www.buffalotracemillennium.com

Some of the top fundraising organizations found resourceful ways to make the most of their piece of history. The Indiana State University Foundation, based in Terre Haute, was the top fundraiser with $7,000 raised. To do this, they got creative with a trip to Kentucky, tour of bourbon country, and visit to Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort. At the end of their evening, their Buffalo Trace tour guide drew the winning name for the Millennium Barrel bottle. The group consisted of alumni and friends of Indiana State University. The cost per participant covered the travel and expenses and entry into the drawing for the Millennium Barrel bottle.

The Preble County Historical Society in Ohio raised $4,100 by offering an exclusive whiskey tasting, followed by a first-class dinner.

“We’re thrilled so many deserving organizations benefited from our Millennium Barrel,” said Kris Comstock, bourbon brand manager. “To help raise over $150,000 for worthwhile causes feels wonderful.”

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.buffalotracedistillery.com.

It’s almost that time to bring out the sunscreen and fire up the grill as the official kick-off to start summer approaches. What better time of year to enjoy something quintessentially American like, Maker’s Mark, than the last weekend in May?

Whether grilling this Memorial Day or just taking some time to sit on the porch and enjoy the warm weather, Maker’s Mark has just the thing to delight and refresh. And, when entertaining lots of guests, try whipping up a batch of Maker’s Mark Fancy Bourbon Punch. It’s easy to make and pairs well with Maker’s Mark Kobe Beef Burgers created by Frites ‘N’ Meats, the acclaimed New York-based food truck, puts a gourmet twist on everyone’s favorite Memorial Day meal. Top off the weekend with the perfect amount of sweetness, a Blueberry Bourbon Cream Cheese Pie.

The caramel and vanilla notes of Maker’s Mark Bourbon (www.makersmark.com ) allow bourbon enthusiasts to enjoy neat, as a marinade or in a delicious cocktail. Please see below for a few delish suggestions.

Fancy Bourbon Punch Recipe by Matt Wallace, Mixologist, Seven Grand

1 liter Maker’s Mark® Bourbon
1 cup granulated sugar
Peels of 3 lemons and 1 orange
Juice of peeled fruit
1 liter of strong tea (preferably green tea)
250 ml champagne (club soda can be used for a less fancy version)
Freshly grated nutmeg

1.       Combine sugar and citrus peels in the bottom of a punch bowl. Muddle together until sugar starts to clump together. Let sit for about 2 hours, (while not necessary, this does add a little complexity).
2.       Brew the tea for about 30 minutes, remove loose tea or tea bags, and allow to cool.
3.       Add the juice of the peeled fruit, tea, and bourbon. Stir.
4.       Top with champagne just before serving and stir gently. Top with freshly grated nutmeg and serve.

Maker’s Mark® Kobe Beef Burger Recipe by Hiassam and Ali Beydoun, Owners and Chefs, Frites ‘N’ Meats

Prep Time: 4 hours.  Cook Time: 3 hours. Level: Easy. Serves 4
4 six-ounce Kobe beef hamburger patties (regular ground beef can be substituted)
½ cup plus 2 teaspoons Maker’s Mark® Bourbon
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
4 pieces plum tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large onions, cut in half and thinly sliced with the grain
Salt and black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil
4 soft hamburger buns, brioche preferably

Marinate the burger patties; Place them in a shallow baking dish and pour a ½ cup of Maker’s Mark® Bourbon over the burgers. Sprinkle the patties with ¼ of the minced garlic. Refrigerate for two hours, then flip the patties; sprinkle with another ¼ of the garlic. Refrigerate another two hours.While the burgers are marinating, preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the cut tomato halves on a parchment lined sheet tray, cut side up. Brush the tomatoes lightly with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, the minced thyme, and the remaining minced garlic. Place in the oven and allow the tomatoes to slow roast for about 1½-2 hours until they are slightly dehydrated and begin to color. Once the tomatoes have cooled, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of Maker’s Mark® Bourbon over the tomatoes. Refrigerate until needed.  While the tomatoes are cooking, caramelize the onions. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the vegetable oil and onions to the pan. Season the onions with salt and cook until they begin to soften, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes more until they begin to break down more and color slightly. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the onions, stirring occasionally, for roughly 2 hours, or until the onions caramelize deep golden brown. Add water to the pan as necessary if the onions begin to stick to the pan. Once the onions are cooked, transfer to a small container and stir in 1 teaspoon of Maker’s Mark® Bourbon. Refrigerate until needed. Heat the grill, grill pan, or griddle to high heat. Remove the burgers from the marinade, lightly brush both sides with olive oil, and season well with salt and pepper. Cook your burgers to desired doneness. To assemble, lightly toast bun if desired. Add the burger patty and top with caramelized onions and two pieces of tomatoes. Enjoy!

*Note: The owners of the Frites N’Meats food truck in New York City, Hiassam and Ali Beydoun, developed this wonderful bourbon-marinated Kobe burger, which is not only delicious, but a leading example of how Maker’s Mark® Bourbon can be utilized in the most unexpected of places.

Blueberry Bourbon Cream Cheese Pie Recipe by Ian Knauer, Food Writer and Cookbook Author

Prep Time: 2 hours. Cook Time: 2½ hours. Level: Easy Serves 6-8
4 cups fresh blueberries
¾ cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons Maker’s Mark® Bourbon
½ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
1 pre-baked Pie Shell*

Mash 2 cups of the blueberries with the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of Maker’s Mark® Bourbon. Place the berry mixture in a medium pan and place it over medium heat.  Bring the filling to a boil, stirring, and boil it until it is thickened and clear, about 3 minutes. Let the filling cool to room temperature.  Beat together the cream cheese and the remaining 2 tablespoons bourbon. Spread the cream cheese over the bottom of the pie crust.  Stir the remaining blueberries into the cooled berry filling. Spread the berry filling over the cream cheese layer. Chill the pie at least 2 hours, or until it is cold. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

*Note: Pre-bake the pie shell according to package directions at least two hours beforehand to allow time to cool.

Glann ar Mor Distillery releases two Kornog Single Casks!

The artisan distillery from the Northern coast of Brittany is releasing the first 2012 bottlings of Kornog, its peated Single Malt, with two single cask.

The Sant Erwan 2012 has been specially bottled on the occasion of the yearly celebration of Saint Yves, known as Sant Erwan in Breton language, who is the emblematic saint of Brittany and is honoured every year on May the 19Th since his canonization in 1347.

The second bottling, the Sant Ivy 2012 is named after another saint from Brittany, who was born in Wales between 500 and 512 before eventually crossing the Channel to Christianize Brittany.

* Kornog Sant Ivy 2012 : from a first fill Bourbon barrel which delivered 260 bottles at the natural strength of 59,9%. The 2011 edition of the Sant Ivy was awarded a Liquid Gold Award in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2012.

* Kornog Sant Erwan 2012 : from a first fill Bourbon barrel which delivered 306 bottles at 50% bearing a pewter and gold label.

Both casks being bottled without chill filtration nor caramel colouring as is always the case with the distillery.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Glann-ar-Mor-Distillery/111082218907723  

and

 http://www.tregorwhisky.com

Glann ar Mor Distillery : info@glannarmor.com

LAPHROAIG UNVEILS DIAMOND JUBILLEE COMMEMORATIVE EDITION

To celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s 60th year on the throne, Islay single malt whisky Laphroaig, is launching a special Diamond Jubilee commemorative edition. Bearing Prince Charles’ Royal Warrant, the 3,000 Jubilee cartons and bottles are set to become collector’s items. Laphroaig has also pledged to make a donation of £3000 to The Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST).

Each limited edition carton will display that it is only one of three thousand in existence and will contain the Double Gold Medal * winning Laphroaig 18 Year Old single malt (48% abv). Bright gold in colour, the Laphroaig 18 Year Old offers a toffee sweet flavour, accompanied by its trademark peat smoke taste.

Laphroaig’s Diamond Jubilee bottling is especially fitting given their Royal Warrant, appointed personally by HRH Prince Charles when he visited the distillery in 1994. He also returned again in 2008 as part of his own 60th birthday celebrations.

Distillery manager John Campbell said; “With Laphroaig’s royal connection to HRH Prince Charles, and as our most famous patron, we thought it only right to create a special pack to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s ascension to the throne. As proud bearers of a royal warrant Laphroaig is delighted that our 18 Year Old has become part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations in its beautifully designed, premium Jubilee packaging.”

Reinforcing its special royal connections, Laphroaig is donating £3,000 to QEST. The charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association, the funds will go towards awarding craftsmen throughout Britain to help them further their careers, celebrating the excellence of British Craftsmanship as symbolised by the Royal Warrant of Appointment.

The 3,000 bottles are available to buy in the UK only from June in selected whisky specialists and retailers (RRP £77).

www.laphroaig.com

Laphroaig 18 Year Old Tasting Notes

Colour: Bright gold

Nose: At bottling strength, a soft toffee sweet, faintly spicy flavour counterbalances the trace of delicate phenols and fruit. There is an all-encompassing smoothness when these are all brought together. Adding a touch of water allows the seaweed and salt to come through but not enough to overpower the vanilla and honey sweetness with just a trace of new mown hay and peat at the finish.

Body: An intense depth that is exceptionally balanced and warming.

Taste: An instant warming tang of smoke that fades into smooth floral scents and blends seamlessly into an oaky nuttiness and leaves a lasting sweetness on the taste. With a touch of water the peaty warmth fills the mouth but does not overshadow the sweet chocolate smoothness. This is balanced by the rich toffee taste and slowly fades into a delicate hint of heather and peat smoke.

Finish: Full bodied, long with a luxurious oily smoothness.

*2011 SF World Spirits Competition

Notes:

Laphroaig is the No.1 selling Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky globally and in the UK. Laphroaig has won an incredible array of awards at the biggest spirit competitions in the world – most recently taking double Gold medals for 10 Year Old, Cask Strength, 18 Year Old and Gold medal for Quarter Cask at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2011. Unmistakably peat-smoke flavours are delivered by burning local Islay peat, containing unique traces of seaweed and heather. One of only a few distilleries that still uses traditional malting floors and dries and infuses its own malt with the thick blue smoke from old peat-fired kilns. Laphroaig has a strong presence online through the Friends of Laphroaig, recently breaking through the 500,000 FOL barrier and the brand is frequently the subject of blogs. It has recently topped the first ever Whisky 100 Brand Index (www.mepath.com) which is an online survey designed to track positive words associated with whisky brands. Laphroaig has an outstanding range from the classic 10 Year Old through to the lovingly created 25 Year Old – Full range, 10 Year Old, Quarter Cask, Triple Wood, 18 Year Old and 25 Year Old.

LAPHROAIG® Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky. D Johnston and Co, Isle of Islay.

1792 RIDGEMONT RESERVE AND KENTUCKY TAVERN WIN SILVER MEDALS IN SAN FRANCISCO COMPETITION

BARDSTOWN, kENTUCKY (May, 2012) – Two Kentucky favorites from the Barton 1792 Distillery won Silver Medals from the 12th annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), held in March. A newer favorite, 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Bourbon Whiskey is made at its namesake Barton 1792 Distillery and becoming increasingly popular. This 8 year old small batch Bourbon, introduced in 2003 has a deep amber color, aromas of honeyed fruit cake and chocolate covered cherries, followed by a rich taste and full body. Long-time favorite Kentucky Tavern also won a Silver Medal. This classic has a burnished copper color with caramel raisin aroma, medium body and spice accents.

A record number of entries – 1,218 products from 65 countries – were evaluated by 33 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 2012 competition can be found at http://www.sfspiritscomp.com/results.html.

The 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Bourbon Whiskey is 93.7 proof and suggested retail for 750 ml is $29.99. Kentucky Tavern is 80 proof and suggested retail is $10.99.

About Barton 1792 Distillery

Barton 1792 Distillery is part of Barton Brands of Kentucky, with facilities in Bardstown, Ky., Carson, Calif., and Baltimore, Md. Barton Brands is owned by the Sazerac Company, a family-owned company based in New Orleans, La. Barton 1792 Distillery was established in 1879 and continues today as the only fully-operating Distillery in the “Bourbon Capital of the World.” 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Bourbon whiskey is produced at Barton 1792 Distillery. This small batch Bourbon whiskey is the recent winner of a double gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. To learn more about the Distillery visit www.1792bourbon.com.

WHISKI ROOMS LAUNCHES SUMMER WHISKY TASTING SCHEDULE

The innovative whisky shop of the WHISKI Rooms in Edinburgh has launched it’s full program of whisky tastings till the end of August. All of the tastings are bookable online and feature a great mixture of distillery tastings with bespoke offerings.

“I feel we have lined up a great program of interesting and affordable whisky tastings and offer daily tastings every day during the Edinburgh Festival” said Anne Still, Director of the WHISKI group.

All of the whisky tastings are listed on the WHISKI Rooms site and already some have sold out. £5 is redeemable against any 70cl whisky purchase with every ticket http://www.whiskirooms.co.uk/whiskytastings.html

“We have some favorites back from last year like our Blending Game and Introduction to Whisky as well as a great lineup of distillers keen to show off their range and some new tastings like Whisky and Cheese. I think there will be something for everyone to enjoy” said WHISKI Shop manager Gareth Van Rooyen.

Background

WHISKI Rooms is the sister venue to the multi award winning WHISKI Bar & Restaurant on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Launched in June 2011 it is an innovative hybrid venue comprising a bar, all day dining bistro/restaurant and an adjoining specialist whisky shop. The whisky shop stocks over 500 whiskies and every whisky in both venues is available to buy hence a “try before you buy” concept is in operation. WHISKI Bar & Restaurant is currently Whisky Bar of the Year 2011/2012, Dram Awards winner.

WHISKI Rooms
4 – 7 North Bank Street
Edinburgh
EH1 2LP

http://www.whiskirooms.co.uk/whiskytastings.html

Visit our online whisky shop – worldwide delivery

http://www.whiskishop.com/

Link to images http://www.whiskirooms.co.uk/gallery.html

BLACK BOTTLE STANDS OUT AT WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION

Black Bottle, the iconic and distinctive whisky, has lived up to its bold, inability to be ignored reputation by taking double gold at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Capturing the very essence of Islay, Black Bottle is the only blended Scotch whisky to include all the renowned single malts from the Isle of Islay balanced by the finest Highland, Lowland and Speyside malt and grain whiskies. With its bold taste Black Bottle is one of the most unique whiskies around as there are very few, if any, that come close in terms of style and taste profile. The whisky holds a fresh and fruity nose with a hint of peat that leads to a full yet slight sweet palate and a delightful smoky flavour. The finish is warm and long with the unmistakable smoky, Islay character.

Black Bottle’s unique taste owes its character and heart to the innovation and skill of Gordon Graham, its original master blender. A tea merchant, Graham’s ability to blend tea soon moved to the blending of whiskies in the late 19th century. This particular blend, which he marketed in opaque black bottles imported from Germany, in time became the whisky of choice of the locals of Aberdeen. The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 forced the company to source new bottles and since that date Black Bottle has been packaged in a green glass bottle, retaining the distinctive pot-still shape.

Black Bottle is available, with or without a gift tube, from leading liquor outlets at around R200 per bottle.

Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert

Book launch Sunday, May 20, 2012

Britton’s
846 Bank Street (near Fifth Avenue)
Ottawa
tel. 613 237 6116

Join Davin de Kergommeaux in Ottawa at Britton’s in the Glebe as he launches the first comprehensive book ever written about Canadian whisky.

Have you ever been in a shop and you were not sure if you tasted a particular whisky? Maybe you even doubt if you have the bottle at home in your collection. It would also be nice to know if the price is right.

From now on, all these questions will be answered with the Whiskybase Android APP

The Whiskybase Android APP makes it possible to check your own collection and see what you have tasted, anytime and anywhere. The Whiskybase Android APP has the same features as the community website but you can also use it offline.

These are the features of the Whiskybase Android APP:

• Look up verified data from more than 30.000 whiskies
• Make a choice out of nearly 350 distilleries and brands from all over the world
• Select from the long bottlers list
• Searching by vintage is possible too.
• My Collection gives you easy access to the bottle in your own collection
• My Ratings shows a list with the whisky you rated
• My Wishlist shows the bottles you wish to own or taste one day
• My Notes shows a list with your notes
• Top 1000 is a list with the 1000 hightest ranking bottles on Whiskybase
• You can also add notes, rates and bottles to your collection and upload them to the community website
• And much more.

You can buy the Whiskybase Android APP for only 3,95 EURO on the Google Play pages: https://play.google.com/ Or click on this button

The Whiskybase IPhone APP will be ready within a few days. Please check the APP STORE for the Iphone version.

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY RELEASES COLONEL E.H. TAYLOR, JR. BARREL PROOF BOURBON WHISKEY

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (May 2012) – The latest in the Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. Bourbon Collection from Buffalo Trace Distillery is an extraordinary barrel proof, uncut, unfiltered rye recipe bourbon.

Weighing in at a hefty 134.5 proof, this small batch bourbon was aged for seven years on the sixth floor of Buffalo Trace’s Warehouse C, built by Colonel Taylor in 1881.

When your experience this uncut and unfiltered Bourbon, “an aroma of cooked, berries meets the nose, followed by a rich caramel and slightly floral smell. The taste is bold – full of spice that fills the mouth with a distinct flavor of toasty vanilla, dried oak and pepper. The finish is long and satisfying with a powerful rye character and lingering hints of fruit.”

The Barrel Proof Bourbon is the fourth in the line of the E. H. Taylor, Jr. collection of whiskeys to be released over the next few years. It joins the Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon, Single Barrel Bourbon and Warehouse C Tornado Surviving Bourbon released within the past year. Like the previous three releases, this Barrel Proof Bourbon will have very limited availability and will be packaged in a vintage label and canister reminiscent of Taylor’s bottles nearly one hundred years ago

Taylor is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the bourbon industry, fighting for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, nearly three decades after he purchased the distillery that is known today as the Buffalo Trace Distillery. During his time, Taylor implemented several innovative methods still used today by Buffalo Trace, such as climate controlled aging warehouses. In addition to his bourbon interests, Taylor had political ties. He was the great-nephew of President Zachary Taylor and elected the mayor of Frankfort, state representative to the Kentucky General Assembly and a member of the State Senate.

The Col. E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Bourbon will be available in June. Suggested retail pricing is $69.99 for a 750 ml bottle.

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.buffalotracedistillery.com