GLEN GARIOCH DISTILLERY AND MERCHANT QUARTER LAUNCH FIRST EVER ABERDEEN WHISKY WALK

Aberdeen’s Merchant Quarter has partnered with Glen Garioch, the city’s local distillery, to launch the first ever Whisky Walk.  

The Whisky Walk guides visitors around the historic Merchant Quarter’s bars where they can enjoy a dram or two and learn about Scotland’s national drink. 

The tour features something for everyone, from the most ardent whisky fans to those just keen to know more about the famous spirit.

The Whisky Walk is being sponsored by Glen Garioch Distillery, Aberdeen’s local dram.  Based just 17 miles from the city centre, it boasts a proud Doric history and has been producing the finest whiskies for more than 200 years.

Walkers can hop on the bus at Union Square to tour the Glen Garioch Distillery in Oldmeldrum before heading back to the Merchant Quarter in Aberdeen to sample some of the region’s finest drams.

Gary Atkinson, of the Merchant Quarter, said the Whisky Walk offers something different for locals and tourists who want to experience the north east’s whisky heritage.

He said:  “We have a long whisky history in the north east and the Merchant Quarter bars wanted to celebrate that and so the Whisky Walk was born.  With the Glen Garioch Distillery on our doorstep it lets people experience an authentic working distillery and then enjoy the fruits of it on our Whisky Walk.

“The 12 bars taking part have more than 200 whiskies in stock and the enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff can help you select the dram to suit you.  We hope the Whisky Walk will offer Aberdonians and visitors a little taste of Scotland and the Highland whisky region.”

John Mullen, Glen Garioch brand manager, said the distillery was delighted to support the Merchant Quarter Whisky Walk. 

He said: “Glen Garioch is proud to be Aberdeen’s local malt and the Whisky Walk is a perfect way for whisky newcomers and enthusiasts alike to experience the region’s whisky history.

“Glen Garioch is one of the oldest remaining distilleries still in production and produces some of the finest single malts which are lauded the world over.  With the distillery just 17 miles from the city you can see whisky production in action before savouring the liquid in a tour of the Merchant Quarter bars making it a perfect day out.” 

Gordon McIntosh, Aberdeen City Council’s Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure, warmly welcomed the Merchant Quarter Initiative.

He said “North east whisky production is a key part of our heritage and initiatives like this bring it to life for locals and visitors alike.

“It is fantastic to secure the support of local distillery Glen Garioch.  The Whisky Walk will offer something for everyone, from whisky buffs to those just keen to know more about the north-east’s whisky history.” 

The Merchant Quarter Whisky Walk includes 12 bars offering everything from a smooth and mellow experience in Carmelite Bar and Grill with its selection of 40 whiskies, woody and spicy whisky fun at the Prince of Wales and Old Kings Highway to a smoky and peaty flavour at The Hen Hoose and The Lorne Bar.   

People interested in the Whisky Walk can visit www.merchantquarter-aberdeen.com for more information or pop into any of the Merchant Quarter bars to pick up a specially produced map.

Notes:

•Glen Garioch, pronounced Glen Geery, founded in 1797 is one of the oldest remaining distilleries in Scotland
•The distillery lies on rising ground at the picturesque town of Oldmeldrum, just 17 miles north-west of Aberdeen
•Glen Garioch was relaunched in October 2010 with a core range of two single malt whiskies – the Glen Garioch 1797 Founder’s Reserve, a non chill-filtered single malt bottled at 48% ABV and the Glen Garioch 12 Year   Old, non chill-filtered single malt bottled at 48% ABV after maturing in bourbon and sherry casks. 
•Glen Garioch is owned by the Morrison Bowmore Distillers Limited who also produce Bowmore and Auchentoshan
•Glen Garioch is distributed by Cellar Trends in the UK, Tel: 01283 217 703.

BENRIACH AND GLENDRONACH LOOK BACK OVER A UNIQUE AWARD-WINNING YEAR

As 2011 draws to a close, the BenRiach Distillery Company Ltd – owners of BenRiach and GlenDronach – has been looking back on its most successful year ever.

Managing Director Billy Walker said: “We have been very fortunate to win a number of top awards this year which reflect the passion our people bring to the art of whisky creation.

“They are also testament to the huge amount of time and energy we dedicate to our wood management programme.”

Billy highlighted three awards of which he was especially proud this year.

First, at the 2011 Malt Maniacs Awards, the company won two gold, four silver and three bronze medals.

The GlenDronach 1972 bottling of cask 712 was the best overall whisky in the competition. 1972 cask # 712 was bottled earlier this year as part of the fourth batch of GlenDronach single cask bottlings. That meant that, for the second year running, a 1972 GlenDronach won best overall whisky; the previous year was a 1972 bottling from cask 700, a Taiwan exclusive.

Also at Malt Maniacs, of only eight gold medals up for grabs, GlenDronach won two while the recently-launched GlenDronach 21 year-old “Parliament” and the BenRiach 1976 cask # 6942 (from Batch #8) both won silver.

Second, Billy was also gratified by numerous excellent reviews in Jim Murray’s 2012 Whisky Bible.

“Jim made a number of very kind comments in his new book, but the highpoint was his singling out GlenDronach as the distillery with the most consistently impressive output throughout 2011.

“He very generously concluded by saying: “If there was a Whisky Bible Scotch Malt Whisky Distillery of the year, GlenDronach would be it.”

“That was very special.”

In the “Bible”, there were fantastic scores for two relatively new expressions – the BenRiach 12 year-old Sherry Matured and BenRiach 15 year-old Solstice.

The GlenDronach 1992 bottling of cask 161 (from Batch 4) gained 96 points and was voted ‘single malt – single cask of the year in the 16 – 21 year-old section’.

The GlenDronach 18 year-old went one better and achieved 96.5 points as did the BenRiach 1971 cask # 1947 (Batch #8) while the GlenDronach 1972 cask # 712 (Batch 4) achieved 95.5 points. BenRiach 1976 # 6942 (Batch #8) gained 95 points and there were stunning performances from three of the five GlenDronach single cask bottlings from Batch Five, released only last week, which also scored 95 plus.

And finally, Sales Director Alistair Walker looked back on a phenomenal IWSC this year at which BenRiach and GlenDronach won an unprecedented nine awards including two trophies.

“IWSC is the one every whisky producer wants to win. It’s the most prestigious competition of its kind in the world and carries huge weight and credibility through its reputation and history. As you might expect, we were ecstatic to do so well.”

Star of the IWSC show was the BenRiach 12 year-old sherry matured which won two trophies while the BenRiach 20 year-old also picked up a gold medal.

Said Alistair: “For a small independent distillery like BenRiach, to win two trophies for the same single malt was astounding – especially when you consider all the big multi-nationals which also participated.”

Our pictures show the GlenDronach 1972 cask # 712 and the BenRiach 1976 cask # 6942.

Amrut lifts Grand Master title at prestigious awards

Amrut Fusion was named Grand Master of World Whisky at The Spirits Business Awards in London today (6 December, 2011). Already named one of seven Masters of World Whisky by the judging panel of the prestigious event, Amrut Fusion came out as the “best of the best” in the final stage of the competition.

Fusion – which brings together two barleys: Indian and Scottish, with the latter being peated – in a Single Malt was created by the innovative Indian distiller Amrut Distilleries. “It has been widely admired, but to gain this title among such strong contenders is particularly exciting,” said Ashok Chokalingam of Amrut Distilleries Ltd. “It is evident that Amrut Fusion is on the verge of becoming our flagship brand. It has won a major award every single year since its launch in 2009. And the good thing is that it is winning awards on both sides of the Atlantic,” he added.

The Masters of each of the categories of the awards organised by the top trade magazine, The Spirits Business, had been announced earlier in the year. The major players in the industry gathered at a glittering lunch in the trendy Cinnamon Kitchen, to hear the Grand Masters of each category revealed for the first time.

Chairman of the judges, Dominic Roskrow, editor of The Spirits Business said: “Amrut Fusion was in a particularly competitive World Whisky category. I’m delighted that in the first year of the World Whisky Masters, Fusion sets a very, very high standard for next year and the challenge to the rest of the new world is ‘beat this if you can’.”

The standards of the competition are tough, with the judges blind tasting the entries in strictly controlled conditions. Dominic Roskrow added: “I think I’d have been delighted with pretty much any of the Masters winning Grand Master, but Amrut is the one that is consistent with me. For seven or eight different expressions now, it has been scoring well over 90 – and not just with one judge but in lots of different tastings.”

Amrut Fusion was named World Whisky of the Year at the Malt Advocate Whisky Awards in February 2011. John Hansell, editor of Malt Advocate magazine, said: “Fusion shows balance, complexity, and surprising maturity for its age – these are the defining characteristics for what is the best Indian whisky we have ever tasted.”

In The Whisky Bible 2010, leading whisky expert, Jim Murray awarded Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky the title of World’s Third Best Whisky. Fusion was also named the Best Natural Cask Whisky in the Daily Drams Category at the Malt Maniacs Awards 2009.

This latest award marks another successful year for Amrut Distilleries, which is based in Bangalore. Last week, on 1 December, the Malt Maniacs, the group of international whisky experts, handed Amrut’s Portonova Single Malt the Best Cask Innovation title in their 2011 awards Portonova won the award for the best whisky “matured or finished in ‘special’ or unusual casks” in the Premium Category for bottles with a retail price between 50 and 150 euros.

Portonova, which was released for sale this month, is an unpeated Amrut Single Malt which was matured initially in a combination of new American oak and ex-Bourbon barrels. Then it was transferred to once-used Port pipes imported specially from Portugal before being put back into ex-Bourbon casks. Jim Murray, author of the Whisky Bible 2012, describes Portonova as “outrageous”. He adds: “I have never come across such a flavour profile before anywhere in the world. But my word: what a statement this makes… unique.” Dominic Roskrow described it as “astounding” and a “Pink Floyd show of a whisky: vibrant, colourful, complex, and nearly too much.”

Amrut Distilleries was named a Distiller of the Year in the Icons of Whisky 2011 and was crowned in the Rest of the World category of the awards organised by Whisky Magazine in the spring.

NOTES

Amrut Distilleries

Amrut Single Malt Whisky from India was launched officially in Glasgow in 2004. Since then its reputation has grown, with its range of innovative whiskies using Indian barley from the Punjab distilled in the tropical garden city of Bangalore at 3000ft.

Amrut Distilleries was named a Distiller of the Year in the Icons of Whisky 2011 and was crowned in the Rest of the World category by the independent judges of the prestigious awards, which are organised by Whisky Magazine. The award was made to Amrut “for raising the profile of Indian whisky across the globe and its innovations in the production process”. The Rest of the World title meant the Bangalore distillery was also one of the four contenders for the Icons of Whisky Distiller of the Year title.

In February 2011, Fusion was named World Whisky of the Year at the Malt Advocate Whisky Awards. In a new category created to recognise “the wonderful whiskies” being produced in countries like Japan, India, Sweden, England, outside the major distilling nations, John Hansell, editor of Malt Advocate magazine, explained the choice of winner. “India’s Amrut distillery changed the way many think of Indian whisky. … Amrut is making whisky, and it’s very good.” Hansell continued: “Amrut finally began exporting their whisky to the US in 2010. We’ve tasted our way through the various expressions (peated, sherried, cask strength, etc.) and we enjoyed them all, but the one that really impressed us was Amrut Fusion. Fusion shows balance, complexity, and surprising maturity for its age – these are the defining characteristics for what is the best Indian whisky we have ever tasted. Combining Indian malt and peated Scottish malt, this whisky shows a sweet side, but is never cloying, with rich caramel, vanilla custard, and fruit cocktail in light syrup, balanced by vibrant – almost floral – dried peat smoke, delicate white pepper, and a hint of tropical fruit. We look forward to more great whiskies from Amrut.”

In The Whisky Bible 2010, leading whisky expert, Jim Murray awarded Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky the title of World’s Third Best Whisky. Murray said Fusion “has to be one of the great whiskies found anywhere in the word this year”. Admitting his No 3 choice could come as a surprise to some people, he said: “The fact that it is Indian? Irrelevant, from distillation to maturation this is a genius whisky from whichever continent.”

Fusion – which brings together two barleys: Indian and Scottish, with the latter being peated – was named the Best Natural Cask Whisky in the Daily Drams Category at the Malt Maniacs Awards 2009. It picked up the award for the best whisky matured exclusively in “untreated”, regular cask(s) in the category for whiskies with an average street price of up to 50 euros. It was also awarded a silver medal.

One of the Amrut Single Malt Whisky bottlings by Blackadder International won “The Best Daily Dram” category of Malt Maniacs 2008 Awards. All the Amrut brands entered into the same competition won silver and bronze medals.

Amrut Peated Malt Cask Strength Whisky won Silver and Amrut Single Malt Cask Strength Whisky Bronze at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in 2008.

Amrut is now sold widely in Europe (UK, Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Spain), Canada, South Africa, Australia and the United States.

The Spirits Business www.thespiritsbusiness.com

QUEUES ROUND THE BLOCK AS ALDI 40 YEAR OLD WHISKY DRAWS A CROWD

British shoppers have been queuing outside Aldi stores in an attempt to secure a high quality 40 year old single malt whisky for the bargain price of just £49.99.

The first supermarket ever to sell a 40 year old single malt, discounter Aldi today released 3,000 bottles of the whisky throughout its 450 UK stores. With such a limited run of a high end whisky retailing for less than £50, Aldi stores across the UK saw shoppers queuing from 5am, with the product selling out in record time.

Aldi’s Spirits Buyer said: “From the moment the news broke that we were launching a 40 year old single malt whisky, we’ve seen huge demand and excitement from our customers, so it’s been no surprise that it sold out within minutes. Our shoppers appreciate great quality products at great prices.

“We look forward to rewarding our customers in the future and will continue to offer great value premium products.”

The Speyside Single Malt comes from one of Scotland’s finest distilleries and has been matured in European Oak Sherry casks, resulting in a very intense and rich flavour. The beautiful decanter is presented in a stylish gift box.

With an aroma of dark chocolate and dried figs, the sweet taste gives off a marmalade zestiness, and the dry oak tannins fade into a lingering sweet and mellow finish.

Glenbridge 40 Year Old Single Malt Whisky – £49.99, 70cl, 40% ABV

OUT OF STOCK

Benromach picks up silver and bronze at Malt Maniacs

Speyside’s smallest whisky distillery, Benromach has another duo of top awards to celebrate. Their Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Benromach 30 Years Old has won a silver medal in the 2011 “Malt Maniacs” Awards.

Matured in first fill and second fill Sherry casks, the 30 year old Single Malt, scored 85 points.

And it wasn’t the only Benromach whisky to receive a top accolade as their 2001 Cask Strength vintage received a bronze award.

Malt Maniacs, which is in its ninth year, say theirs is “probably the world’s most independent whisky competition and perhaps the most gruelling!”

Under the management of Gordon & MacPhail, Benromach is handcrafted by just two experienced distillers. Using their unique skills they have developed the distillery’s portfolio which includes the popular Benromach 10 Year Old and Benromach Organic – the world’s first fully certified organic Single Malt.

Michael Urquhart, Joint Managing Director of Gordon & MacPhail, said: “To be awarded a silver and bronze medal ahead of another 171 fine whiskies is a wonderful achievement.

I am delighted that our flagship Benromach range continues to be honoured at respected events like these.”

The “Malt Maniacs” award is the latest accolade for the whiskies from Speyside’s smallest working distillery. Top awards include Benromach’s flagship Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Benromach 10 Year Old being awarded a gold medal at TheFiftyBest.com tasting event in New York City. Benromach 30 Years Old was described as “magnificent, one of the outstanding malts of the year”, scoring 95.5 points out of 100, in Jim Murray’s famous Whisky Bible 2012.

Benromach 30 Years Old has a RRP of £149.99 in the UK. Benromach Cask Strength has a RRP of £40.50 in the UK. Prices in Export markets will vary depending on import charges and taxation

Notes

1. Benromach distillery is Speyside’s smallest. Based in Forres, just two expert distillers make this, golden malt whisky.

2. Established in 1898, Benromach distillery changed hands many times and was virtually derelict when bought by family firm Gordon & MacPhail in 1993. Drawing on generations of whisky expertise, the company carried out a painstaking refurbishment and the distillery was officially re-opened by Prince Charles in 1998.

Other Benromach expressions include:

Benromach 10 Years Old

Benromach Ten Years Old is created from the finest Scottish barley and pure spring water from the nearby Romach hills. After being matured for at least ten years, it emerges golden in colour and displays rich fruit, sweet chocolate and delicate spicy aromas. With a rich sherry influence, the mouth-watering palate coats the senses with exotic fruit flavours, toasted malt and a delicate hint of smoke.

Benromach Traditional

A rich and mellow single malt with fruit and malty tones, balanced with a hint of smoke.

Benromach Peat Smoke

Full bodied, intense and challenging with a smoky character, yet balanced with the fruity elegance of Speyside.

Benromach Origins

A series of special bottlings crafted to highlight how small changes in the art of whisky-making can help to shape the character of the final single malt.

Benromach 30 Years Old

Matured in 1st fill and refill Sherry casks Benromach 30 Years Old is complex, with hints of rich Sherried Christmas cake and a touch of marzipan. Some mixed spices emerge. Smooth and creamy with mouth warming qualities.

Please visit www.benromach.com for details.

Dalmore Releases 1995 Vintage

Dalmore Distillery has released a 1995 vintage whisky that will be exclusively available at The Whisky Shop.

Named ‘The Distillery Manager’s Exclusive’ the whisky was chosen for release by Distillery Manager Ian Mackay and his team up at the newly refurbished Dalmore Distillery Visitor Centre.

The ‘Distillery Manager’s Exclusive’ has been matured in Matusalem sherry and American white oak casks to create this exceptional whisky. It is available at The Whisky Shop priced £84.99 and is limited to 1800 bottles.

The Dalmore 1995 Vintage

Nose: Powerful and positive on the nose. This expression is full bodied and vibrant, as richly orchestrated notes of spicy cinnamon, dark roasted coffee and chocolate rise in a rhapsody of pleasure.

Taste: The music continues on the palate as enticing flavours of tangy orange peel, ginger, liquorice and walnuts lead this encore. However this is quickly followed by the final overture of ripe plums, glazed forest fruits and wild berries. ABV: 40%

Dalmore Distillery Manager, Ian Mackay

“I was delighted to be able to choose a whisky that would represent my favourite style of whisky for the Whisky Shop. I’ve selected a whisky that has been matured in two of my favourite casks, Matusalem Sherry and American White oak. However with the balance of sherry wood outweighing the American White oak, it gives the whisky a rich orange and dark berry flavour, which is my own favourite style of Dalmore. I just hope everyone else enjoys it as much as I do!”

Managing Director of The Whisky Shop, Andrew Torrance

“Ian Mackay has had over 30 years experience working in the whisky industry, and his choice of cask for us certainly didn’t disappoint. The brand has gone from strength to strength over the last few years both in liquid supremacy and packaging excellence – in fact we have just named the Dalmore 12years old as our best seller for 2011 – so having our own exclusive chosen by the Distillery Manager will be a real asset to our collection.”

www.thedalmore.com

Black Bull 40 year old, the flagship of Duncan Taylor’s award winning range of deluxe blends has seen off competition from some of the world’s most respected whiskies to be named as the overall winner at this year’s Best in Glass awards.

Held annually in London, the Best in Glass awards consist of a blind tasting of short listed whiskies by leading industry figures from the wine and spirits sector. A spokesman for the judges commented:

“The panel were wowed by the balance of this superbly put together whisky, which demonstrated incredible fruit, vanilla and complex, aged oak notes, with a rich and highly moreish character.”

Scott Watson, CEO of Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited, commented:

“It’s tremendous to see Black Bull 40 year old recognised with a prestigious Best In Glass award. To come out top in a blind tasting from such an esteemed panel of Independent judges is a great honour and a fantastic testament to Black Bull’s boldly Independent character.

A small batch release, the indulgent, sublimely balanced profile of Black Bull 40 year old is delivered by a 90% malt to 10% grain marriage of some of the rarest vintage whiskies in the world today.

Black Bull has always been coveted by the world’s whisky connoisseurs and we are very proud to see our key brand receiving global recognition as one of the very best in its field.”

In addition to the Best in Glass Award, Black Bull has received 5 key wine and spirits gold medals in 2011 so far. These include accolades from the World Whisky Awards, the International Wine and Spirits Competition, International Spirits Challenge and the Scottish Field Whisky Challenge.

Now in its fourth year, the Best in Glass awards subjects a shortlist of whiskies to 3 rounds of blind tasting by a panel of experienced judges.

www.duncantaylor.com

Thumbs up for Gordon & MacPhail’s whiskies

A bottle of whisky from Gordon & MacPhail’s Rare Vintage Range, Strathisla 1970, has become one of the highest scoring whiskies in the 2011 “Malt Maniacs” Awards.

Despite almost 200 entries, the Gordon & MacPhail Strathisla 1970, bottled at 43%, was among only eight whiskies to achieve a gold medal, 90 points, and was also the winner of the ‘Thumbs Up’ award,

for most exciting new release of the year in that price category.

Malt Maniacs, which is in its ninth year, say theirs is “probably the world’s most independent whisky competition and perhaps the most gruelling!”

Michael Urquhart, Joint Managing Director of Gordon & MacPhail, said: “To be awarded a gold medal and Thumbs Up award ahead of another 171 fine whiskies is a wonderful achievement. The Strathisla 1970 is testament to our approach for matching the right type of cask to this particular whisky.”

Strathisla 1970 is a robust and moreish after dinner dram with a nice depth and complexity, which display hint of festive spices, almonds and a burst of stewed fruits. Smooth and very enjoyable

The “Malt Maniacs” award is the latest accolade for the whiskies from Gordon and MacPhail. Their Miltonduff 1969 also walked away with a silver award at the Scottish Field Whisky Challenge which was held in November.

Gordon & MacPhail Rare Vintage Strathilsa 1970 has an RRP of £149 in the UK. Prices in Export markets will vary depending on import charges and taxation.

Notes

About Gordon & MacPhail:

· Gordon & MacPhail is an independent, family-owned spirit and wine merchant who have been based in Elgin, Moray, since 1895. Four generations of the Urquhart family have continued the tradition of seeking out the best and rarest Scotch whiskies.

· Since its founding, Gordon & MacPhail’s policy has been to send casks to distilleries throughout Scotland, fill them with ‘new make’ spirit and mature them either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouses in Elgin.

· Now one of the world’s leading malt whisky specialists, Gordon & MacPhail exports to more than 55 countries. It offers more than 300 presentations of own-bottled Single Malts. In 2009, Gordon & MacPhail was awarded the prestigious Queens Award for Enterprise in International Trade.

· In 1993 the company purchased Benromach Distillery in nearby Forres. After extensively re-equipping the distillery over a five year period, Benromach was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles in October 1998. The award winning range includes Benromach 10 Years Old and Benromach Organic – the world’s first single malt to be fully certified by the Soil Association.

For more information visit www.gordonandmacphail.com

J. & G. Grant, in partnership with Glasgow based publishers The Angel’s Share, are pleased to announce the publication of Glenfarclas – An Independent Distillery, by Ian Buxton. This biography of the family owned distillery has been commissioned as part of the distillery’s 175th Anniversary celebrations.

Glenfarclas – An Independent Distillery is both the definitive history of the Glenfarclas Distillery, which was first licensed in 1836 and unusually has been owned and managed by the Grant family for six generations, and is also a record of a remarkable year in the distillery’s long history, preserved for the future.

The Glenfarclas story has been bought to life by renowned whisky author Ian Buxton, delving deep into the character and provenance of the Ballindalloch distillery, and carefully presented by designer Jules Akel with original material from the distillery’s archives and newly commissioned photography by John Paul.

Commenting on the project, Ian Buxton, said, “In an industry dominated by multi-nationals the Glenfarclas story is a remarkable and engaging one. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to tell it”.

Notes

• To view images and a PDF extract of Glenfarclas – An Independent Distillery please follow this link; http://www.akel.co.uk/work/books/glenfarclasbook.html
• RRP: GBP 34.99 ISBN: 9781906476755
• Available online on at www.nwp.co.uk  , www.glenfarclas.co.uk  and www.amazon.co.uk.

Ballantine’s Continues its Support of World Class Golf in China

As the official Scotch whisky partner, Ballantine’s will be highly visible at the tournament, both on the course and through a dedicated VIP hospitality area. Each day, the players with the lowest round of the day will be awarded with a bottle of Ballantine’s 21 Year Old, while the winning two-man team will be presented with a rare bottle of Ballantine’s 30 Year Old.

As part of Ballantine’s ongoing commitment to professional golf globally, the brand will also be supporting China’s No 1 player, Liang Wen Chong, who is a Ballantine’s brand ambassador.

The Omega Mission Hills World Cup is a unique opportunity for Ballantine’s to further participate in China’s golf boom. In recent years, the Scotch whisky brand has provided significant support to the sport’s grass roots in the region. For example, in 2007, Ballantine’s and Liang Wen Chong co-founded the Ballantine’s Golf Fund, which aims to boost the development of professional golf in China by supporting emerging talent.

In December 2010, Ballantine’s extended the reach of this commitment by establishing the Ballantine’s Dragon Team, China’s first team of professional golfers selected by a panel of the Fund’s judges for their ambition and dedication to the sport. Members of the Ballantine’s Dragon Team are offered team training with leading golf coaches, full sponsorship of members’ participation in high level tournaments as well as sponsoring their attendance at the 2011 Ballantine’s Championship.

Peter Moore, Ballantine’s Global Brand Director, comments: “We are delighted to be continuing our support of the Omega Mission Hills World Cup, as part of our long term investment in golf, both internationally and at a local level. China is key for us and it also represents one of the fastest growing golf markets in the world. Our sponsorship efforts, both at the top of the game and at grass roots level, mark our deepening commitment to this country and its golfing prowess.”

Ballantine’s association with golf can be traced back to at least 1960 when the Ballantine’s Tournament took place at Wentworth golf course. More than fifty years later, Ballantine’s is the title sponsor of the high-profile Ballantine’s Championship, Korea’s first and only European Tour event and the country’s largest golf tournament, to which the brand is committed until at least 2013. Ballantine’s has been official supplier to the Scottish Open since 2007.

Notes:

About Ballantine’s
Ballantine’s is the No 1 ultra-premium whisky in Asia Pacific, selling more than 70 million bottles a year worldwide. Ballantine’s has won more than 80 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past 10 years for quality as a result of its unique richness of character and perfect balance. The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the iconic 30 Year Old, is the most extensive in the world of Scotch and is maintained by the latest in a tradition of Master Blenders that dates back to 1827.

About Chivas Brothers
Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth Gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport.

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

For further information please visit: www.chivasbrothers.com