Buffalo Trace Distillery Releases Third Round of
Single Oak Project Bourbon

Will the Third Time Be the Charm in their Quest for the World’s Perfect Bourbon?

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Oct. 2011) – The third release of the Single Oak Project Bourbon Whiskey by Buffalo Trace Distillery will be available soon. The Distillery’s quest for the “Holy Grail” has begun, yielding results as bourbon connoisseurs rate their favorite barrels. The wheat recipe bourbons aged in barrels made from wood harvested from the top half of oak trees are early favorites, with barrel #61 and barrel #127 leading the way.

These results are based on consumer feedback posted online at www.singleoakproject.com . Nearly 1,000 whiskey aficionados have participated by tasting and rating their Single Oak Project Bourbon. Drinkers in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and San Francisco have submitted the most feedback. But it’s not just U.S. consumers who are interested in the Single Oak Project; consumers from 31 countries have visited the website.

But with the third release of the breakthrough bourbon being released in November, the Buffalo Trace team is wondering if barrels #61 and #127 will retain their lead, or will the bourbons in this third batch usurp them?

This third release will explore three important variables that affect the bourbon taste: recipe, grain size, and entry proof. Some of the bottles contain bourbon made with rye and others with wheat. The barrels themselves were made from different trees, each with varying degrees of thickness to their wood grain, from fine to average to very coarse. The barrel entry proof of these bourbons was either 105 or 125 proof. All other variables in the experimental project, such as the stave seasoning, tree cut, char level and warehouse location remain constant. “We can now finally taste the difference in whiskies at two separate entry proofs,” said Harlen Wheatley, master distiller. “There has been much debate about entry proof, so we’re very curious to see the results.”

As with the other two releases, Buffalo Trace hopes consumers can continue to rate each whiskey they taste online at www.singleoakproject.com . This feedback helps determine which type of bourbon connoisseurs prefer most. After reviewing a bottle online, consumers will be availed of all the aging details and provenance of the barrel. They can interact with others who’ve also reviewed the barrel, compare their reviews, and even learn for themselves which characteristics they enjoy most, in order to help them select future favorites. Participants online will earn points after each review and most importantly, help Buffalo Trace Distillery create the perfect bourbon!

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

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

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

The Single Oak Project Bourbon is being released in a series every three months over the next four years until all of the 192 barrels have been released. The first release hit select stores at the end of May. The second release showed up in stores towards the end of August. And this third release will start showing up at the end of November. Like all the other releases, the quantities are very limited. Every case will contain 12 bottles, each from a different barrel. The third release is made up of barrel numbers 8, 24, 40, 56, 72, 88, 104, 120, 136, 152, 167 and 184. All releases will be packaged in a 375ml bottle. Suggested retail pricing per bottle is $46.35.

At the conclusion of the Single Oak Project, the Distillery plans to take the top rated barrel based on online consumer feedback, make more of that product and launch it under the Single Oak Project nameplate.

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 .

THE AUCHENTOSHAN SWITCH

UK WINNER IS ANNOUNCED

Martin Ball from Corridor selected to represent the UK in transatlantic bartender swap

LONDON. 25 OCTOBER 2011: Last night, Martin Ball from Corridor, Manchester, was selected from 18 of our most creative bartenders to represent the UK in The Auchentoshan Switch programme – a transatlantic mixology competition like no other. The winners of the UK and US competitions will swap countries to work in London and New York City’s most prestigious bars – the award winning 69 Colebrooke Row and Apotheke.

As Scotland’s only triple distilled Single Malt whisky, Auchentoshan is a brand that likes to do things differently and the Auchentoshan Switch programme has been no exception. Following a video only entry process and selection criteria based on service and theatre as well as the drink itself, the final showdown was a menagerie of fast paced competition rounds and masterclasses mixed with a good measure of live music, DJs and a live graffiti installation.

The final, which took place at one of east London’s most talked about warehouse spaces, Village Underground, took the form of three rounds judged by an esteemed panel:

· Tony Conigliaro – widely acknowledged as one of the UK’s pioneering drinks creators and co-owner of acclaimed bar, 69 Colebrooke Row

· Giles Looker – renowned mixologist and owner of Soulshakers Bar Consultancy

· Neil Ridley – Imbibe journalist, whisky writer and co-founder of revered whisky blog CaskStrength

In each round, the finalists demonstrated their skill and creativity live in front of the judges and consumers. The first round ‘Creativity and Presentation’ tested the bartenders’presentation skills and imagination as they worked to a set list of ingredients. Round Two ‘Working Under Pressure’ tested bartenders’ability to think on their feet with a secret bag of ingredients presented to them just minutes before their presentation. The final round, ‘Auchentoshan Presents…A Three Wood Masterclass’, saw the two outstanding finalists capture the audience’s attention as they conducted a masterclass on Three Wood’s unique complexity in their own unique style.

Martin Ball’s simple ‘Tight Corner Fizz’ cocktail took him through to the final round, where he led the crowd through a charismatic, knowledgeable and engaging masterclass.

Tony Conigliaro, judge and soon to be mentor of the US winner alongside the 69 Colebrooke Row team, commented: “Martin is clearly immensely talented; he possesses great technical ability but also a great understanding and interpretation of taste and balance of flavours. I wish him all the luck at Apotheke where I’m sure he will benefit tremendously from their guidance.”

Hannah Fisher, Auchentoshan Brand Manager, commented: “The first ever Auchentoshan Switch has attracted more bartending talent than we could have imagined. It was great to see the level of knowledge and appreciation about the brand. We wanted the competition to reflect the brand’s personality so we’re really pleased that last night showdown was something totally unique. We’re really looking forward to seeing the competition on the other side of the pond – next stop Las Vegas and the final there on 26th October.”

The Auchentoshan Switch itself will take place in early 2012, where the winners will experienceworld-leading mixology under the guidance of Apotheke and 69 Colebrooke Row. The UK winner will be mentored by David Clelland, Auchentoshan’s International Whisky Specialistin NYC.

Apotheke is the hottest cocktail bar in Gotham’s underground scene. With no menus, bar chefs cook up individually prescribed concoctions for the taste of the cocktail enthusiasts according to their mood. At Apotheke, the presentation of the cocktail is as dramatic as the cocktail itself. The winner will be simultaneously part of both a theatre performance and a chemistry lab in the mixology heart of the USA – NYC.

The US winner will work at 69 Colebrooke Row and learn first hand the world of cocktail and food science in the only bar-related drinks lab in the world – The Drinks Factory. The winner will work with a team of handpicked, leading mixologists in a lab dedicated to furthering the craft of the cocktail and fully realisingprojects as they filter into the bar. Importantly, they will also become incorporated into the daily bar procedures, as well asvisiting producers and sourcing quality ingredients.

Videos of entries can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/user/AuchentoshanWhisky

UK Distributor: Cellar Trends on 01283 217703 or enquiries@cellartrends.co.uk

Notes:

Auchentoshan

As Glasgow’s closest Distillery, Auchentoshan is truly unique as it is the only distillery to use a third still in the whisky making process. It means Auchentoshan is the only Single Malt Scotch whisky to triple distil every single drop. This third distillation takes the new spirit to 81.5% ABV (not 70% which is achieved through only distilling twice) making it the highest distillate of any Scottish distillery. The benefit? This strength removes the impurities and harshness often associated with single malts and takes the new spirit to it’s optimum strength for reacting with the casks during maturation, allowing Auchentoshan to extract maximum flavours from the wood. The result? A delicate, smooth malt with each expression strongly showcasing the character of cask it was matured in.

At the 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Auchentoshan 12 Year Old, Auchentoshan Classic andAuchentoshan Three Wood were all awarded a Silver Medal in the Spirits category. At the 2008 San FranciscoWorld Spirits Competition, Auchentoshan 18 Year Old also won a coveted Double Gold Medal.

Auchentoshan® Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
REVEALS WINNERS OF THE FIRST EVER
AUCHENTOSHAN SWITCH
A TRANS-CONTINENTAL BARTENDER SWAP
CHARLES JOLY from THE DRAWING ROOM in CHICAOG (US) and
MARTIN BALL from CORRIDOR BAR, MANCHESTER ( UK)
Win At Finals Held In Las Vegas and London

Glasgow, Scotland (October, 2011) – Two bartenders, an ocean apart are excited and ready to pack their bags, cross the pond, switch countries and ‘jobs’ for two weeks as the winners of the first ever trans-continental Auchentoshan Switch. Auchentoshan® Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Scotland’s only triple-distilled single malt, is happy to announce that the deserving winners of the Auchentoshan Switch bartender swap are: Charles Joly from The Drawing Room in Chicago, US and Martin Ball from Corridor Bar in Manchester, UK. Both competed in grand finale challenges this past week in London and Las Vegas against 19 of their fellow countrymen, and in three rounds of fierce cocktail competition emerged as the winners. At the Las Vegas showdown, hosted by United States Bartender’s Guild (USBG), excitement and some friendly competitive banter ran high as many of the bartenders were familiar and friendly with each other but all had their eye on the prize — a two week trip to London to work for Tony Conigliaro in early 2012 at his famed 69 Colebrooke Row bar and Drinks Factory, one of the only bar-related drinks labs in the world.

Winner Charles Joly said “I am so proud to represent the US for the Switch to 69 Colebrooke Row. You brought the best of the best bartenders in the country together to work with a great brand like Auchentoshan. I can’t wait to discover more about molecular mixology from Tony and bring back what I’ve learned to the Drawing Room. It was a fantastic night!”

To enter the Auchentoshan Switch challenge, all bartenders were asked to submit a video of themselves making a lemonade and an Old Fashioned cocktail with Auchentoshan Three Wood. To see Joly’s video entry, click here – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtzUj6HvhiM

Auchentoshan is a brand treasured by whisky aficionados and bartenders alike as one of the smoothest whiskies, thanks to its triple distillation, and perfect for thoughtful sipping as well as the ideal base spirit for a cocktail. Which came in handy at the Auchentoshan Switch finale, held at House of Blues in the Mandalay Bay Hotel, where Auchentoshan Three Wood was the spirited star of the night. This unique and complex Auchentoshan expression has been matured in three different cask types – first in American Bourbon then to Spanish Oloroso Sherry and finally in Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks. Auchentoshan pioneered the three cask maturation process.

Hannah Fisher, Auchentoshan Brand Manager who flew directly from the UK Switch competition to the US said: “It’s really quite incredible to see the interest we’ve had in our inaugural year of the Auchentoshan Switch – so many exceptional bartenders entered from the US and UK! We were so impressed with the time, commitment and seriousness each bartender brought to the challenge knowing that the prize is not $100,000 but it’s actually to WORK! It just proves to us how dedicated these hardworking bartenders are to their craft and I’m so happy Auchentoshan can be a part of expanding their cocktail knowledge. A big congratulations to Charles and Martin from the entire Auchentoshan team. We can’t wait to hear – and taste – more from them next year when they make the switch.”

Judges David Clelland (International Auchentoshan Whisky Specialist), Camper English (author/Alcademics.com, winner of Tales of the Cocktail 2011 Best Cocktail Writing award) and Andrew Pollard (VP, United States Bartender’s Guild Las Vegas Chapter) deliberated through three rounds of challenges: in Round One all 20 bartenders were asked to create an original Auchentoshan cocktail, something that would show off their creativity and presentation as well as the rich toffee and sherry oak flavors of Auchentoshan Three Wood; five bartenders advanced to Round Two, where they were presented with six mystery ingredients and tasked with creating an Auchentoshan Three Wood cocktail that contained at least two of those mystery ingredients; and then there were two — Charles Joly and Clinton Terry (from PX, Alexandria)- who moved on to compete head to head in Round Three where each had to present a ‘master class’ on Auchentoshan Three Wood to the judges (and a crowd of their peers). The final decision was difficult as both made eloquent and information-packed presentations. Based on his scores and final presentation, Joly was named the US winner of Auchentoshan Switch 2011.

“It was a really difficult decision to make at each round because the caliber of bartenders was so high,” said judge David Clelland. “I think the number of entries we had for Auchentoshan Switch shows how truly professional these bartenders are and how far they’ll go to advance their knowledge and craft. We were quite fortunate to have such a pool of talent to judge.”

THE SWITCH IN 2012. The Switch will take place in early 2012 when Joly will spend two weeks behind the stick at the famed London bar 69 Colebrooke Row, while Ball will spend his two weeks at a well known bar in New York City. 69 Colebrooke Row is home to the Drinks Factory, one of the only bar-related drinks labs in the world. There, Joly will become incorporated into the daily bar procedures as well as visiting producers and sourcing quality ingredients. In NYC, Ball will work at one of the hottest cocktail bars in Gotham’s underground scene. We’re not revealing the name of the bar just yet, but with no menus there, bartenders cook up individually prescribed concoctions according to their customer’s mood. Here the presentation of the cocktail is as dramatic as the cocktail itself. Ball will be part of both a theater of performance and a chemistry lab at the same time. And yes, there will also be some time for sightseeing as well.

“I’m leaving on a jet plane. Don’t know when I’ll be back again…”

ABOUT AUCHENTOSHAN SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

The award-winning Auchentoshan portfolio includes Auchentoshan Classic, 12 Year Old, Three Wood, 18 Year Old and the limited release 21 Year Old, in addition to select vintage, limited edition releases. Auchentoshan is available nationwide in the US and in more than 45 countries worldwide. The Auchentoshan portfolio is imported to the US by Skyy Spirits, LLC. Auchentoshan recently relaunched its website at www.auchentoshan.com . Join the Auchentoshan conversation on Facebook.

ABOUT UNITED STATES BARTENDERS’ GUILD (USBG) (www.usbg.org)

The United States Bartenders’ Guild is an organization of beverage professionals dedicated to the continued refinement of our craft. Such refinement is achieved through advanced product education; original hand crafted cocktail competitions; and aggressive involvement with other professionals in the beverage industry throughout the country and internationally. It is our intention, desire and main focus to become the most skilled, knowledgeable and professional group of bartenders in the industry. With the resurgence and ever increasing popularity of the cocktail, there is a high demand for creative and professional bartenders. As an industry leader the USBG is responsible for raising the bar and creating new trends to keep our competitive edge. The USBG is currently in the following locations: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Cincinnati, Connecticut, Denver, Hawaii, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, New Orleans, New York, North Texas, Northern California, Oregon, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Rhode Island, San Diego, St. Louis, Tampa Bay.

ABOUT SKYY SPIRITS, LLC

The eighth-largest spirits company in the US, Skyy Spirits, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Davide Campari-Milano S.p.A. (Reuters CPRI.MI – Bloomberg CPR IM), together with its affiliates Gruppo Campari. Launched in 1992 with the introduction of its flagship brand, SKYY® Vodka, Skyy Spirits has grown exponentially, building a portfolio unrivaled in its quality, innovation and style, making it a top choice among distributors, retailers and consumers. Skyy Spirits manages Gruppo Campari’s portfolio in the US with such leading brands as SKYY® Vodka, SKYY90®, All Natural SKYY Infusions®, Campari®, Wild Turkey® Straight Kentucky Bourbon, American Honey®, Russell’s Reserve®, Glen Grant® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Cabo Wabo® Tequila, Espolón® Tequila, Ouzo 12®, X-Rated® Fusion Liqueur®, Frangelico®, Carolans Irish Cream®, Irish Mist® Liqueur, Sagatiba® Cachaça and Jean-Marc XO Vodka®. Skyy Spirits is also the exclusive US distributor of The Glenrothes® Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Bowmore® Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Auchentoshan® Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Glen Garioch® Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Flor de Caña® Rum, Midori® Melon Liqueur, Hibiki® Whisky and The Yamazaki® Single Malt Whisky.

Skyy Spirits was founded and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. More information on the company can be found at www.skyyspirits.com , www.facebook.com/skyyspirits, Twitter: @SkyySpirits and www.camparigroup.com. Please enjoy Skyy Spirits brands responsibly and in moderation.

THE SEARCH BEGINS FOR GLENROTHES VINTAGE MAKER 2012

Following the huge success of this year’s Whisky Maker competition, which attracted close to 10,000 entries, the Glenrothes is delighted to announce the launch of Vintage Maker 2012. Whereas this year culminated in four winners spending a working week at Glenrothes Distillery, next year there will be three separate competitions resulting in four winners from the UK, four winners from the USA and four winners from the rest of the world. The successful candidates will be recruited to work as The Glenrothes Vintage Makers in the heart of single malt production, Speyside, Scotland, culminating in the creation of The Glenrothes Vintage 2012.

As part of this opportunity, the successful candidates will learn the time-honoured art of making The Glenrothes and the skills that have been passed down from generation to generation. The winners will spend time working at each stage of the whisky-making process: testing the purity of the water source at the distillery’s two springs; milling the malt to achieve the golden proportions of husk, grits and flour; mashing to ensure maximum extraction of sugars in the wort; adding yeast to the washbacks and overseeing fermentation; slowly and carefully distilling new make spirit in our tall copper pot stills. From there our Vintage Makers will be involved in making casks at the cooperage, laying down casks for maturation and rolling casks to the warehouse.

The Vintage Makers will nose single malt from maturing casks to assess whether the contents are of sufficiently exceptional quality and maturity; only the top 3% of the distillery’s output is bottled as The Glenrothes Speyside Single Malt Whisky. Finally, the Vintage Makers will have the opportunity to create the Vintage 2012 of The Glenrothes, to be released when it reaches the peak of maturity.

After work, our Vintage Makers will enjoy the simple pleasures that Speyside has to offer; a spot of fishing, dining in the local Highland restaurants or perhaps a picnic in the hills surrounding the distillery. The Vintage Makers will stay in Rothes House, a private home belonging to the family that owns The Glenrothes. As with the distillery, Rothes House is not open to the public but is reserved for VIP visits.

Entrants must submit 1500 characters or less in answer to the question ‘Tell us about your Vintage moment.’ Entrants may also upload a picture or link to an online video to supplement their written entry (but this is not necessary). The winners will be the entries that in the opinion of the judges, best represent the definition of a Glenrothes Vintage moment: A perfect combination of time, place, people and/or occasion when everything comes together to create a moment that will stay in the memory forever.

The competition will run from October 2011 to the 31st January 2012 and can be entered at www.theglenrothes.com/vintagemaker 

Glengoyne Distillery Renovations Mark Best Summer Season Ever

Glengoyne Distillery is celebrating the launch of a brand new shop and visitor centre upgrade on the back of its most successful summer season ever.

The changes at Glengoyne, which include a complete overhaul of the shop as well as updates to the visitor centre, were completed in time for the end of the summer season which has so far seen a massive 48,500 visitors through the doors of ‘Scotland’s Most Beautiful Distillery’ – a 6% rise on last year.

A total of £300k has been invested in the visitor facilities upgrade in 2011 with further renovations planned for 2012. This comes in addition to the £200k spent on renovating the Manager’s House in 2007 for use as an events space and more than £2.5 million spent on operational upgrades to the distillery such as new warehousing and stills.

New features inside the shop include a new tasting area and the ‘Pour Your Own Dram’ facility, where guests are given the chance to fill and label their own bottle direct from an exclusive single cask, before logging it in the customs book. The cask currently available is an American Oak First Fill hoggie from June 2000, cask number 1016. It offers great tropical fruit flavours and plenty of hands-on whisky fun, priced at £75.00.

Glengoyne Brand Heritage Manager Stuart Hendry said: “The old shop area was very dark and didn’t make good use of space. Our brief to retail design agency Contagious was to create a brighter, more organised shopping area which showed off our award winning range but without losing the distinct Glengoyne character.

“I think we have hit the nail on the head and we are extremely happy with the outcome. Feedback from customers has been great and we have seen an increase in sales as a result.”

The shop renovations have allowed for the creation of a new bothy area where groups can relax before and after tours. Cosmetic upgrades have also been made to the visitor centre enabling the distillery to continue offering first class conference and events facilities to corporate and private clients.

A new series of Glengoyne films was also commissioned from Republic Productions to present a fun and informative look into life at Glengoyne for use during tours and events at the distillery and throughout the world. The films range from a short two minute promotional film, tasting notes and cooking demonstrations to in-depth films on distillation and maturation, all highlighting what makes Glengoyne unique. The well known characters from around the distillery including Head Stillman Duncan McNicoll and Engineer & Warehouseman Billy Edminston were chosen to star in the film, rather than actors, to help communicate the unique character of Glengoyne.

Stuart Hendry commented on the film: “The two aspects that contribute most to the Glengoyne flavour are undoubtedly our SLOW distillation (the slowest in the industry) and our devotion to sourcing the finest possible sherry casks from Spain. In order to fully understand where those flavours come from we wanted to take consumers inside the stills and on a journey to Jerez.

“The feedback from viewers is hugely positive. They enjoy getting behind the scenes and meeting the people. Visitors take particular pleasure in speaking to the stars as they meet them around the distillery yard.”

Glengoyne continues to push forward its plans for new customer engagement and will be exhibiting at this year’s BBC Good Food Shows in both Glasgow and Birmingham. The brand has invested in a new exhibition stand will be occupying a large prime spot at the popular food shows in the SECC Glasgow 21-23 October and NEC Birmingham 23-27 November. The Glengoyne team will be offering visitors the chance to sample the multi award winning Glengoyne core range.

For more information visit www.glengoyne.com or call +44 (0)1360 550 254.

Notes:

Glengoyne Distillery, which offers an unrivalled visitor experience, is situated just 30 minutes outside Glasgow, looking out over the breath-taking West Highland Way.

Owned by independent family company, Ian Macleod Distillers, Glengoyne, Scotland’s most beautiful distillery, has been producing its unique and complex, Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky for over 175 years. Using methods passed down for generations, Glengoyne has nurtured and perfected the art of producing the authentic taste of Malt Whisky, untainted by peat smoke. The result is a portfolio of multi-award winning whiskies including the core 10, 17 and 21 Years Old range, as well as special limited edition Single Malts, released each year.

Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX proves a dram made in heaven in the 2012 Jim Murray Whisky Bible Awards

— Author of Whisky Bible describes limited edition Sonnalta PX as a “mesmeric whisky” as it wins Jim Murray’s Best Single Malt Scotch for 2012 —

Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX has mesmerised industry experts once more, this time scooping a prestigious prize in the Jim Murray Whisky Bible Awards 2012. Murray paid tribute to the quality of the limited edition single malt Scotch by describing it as having “the perfect whisky finish.”

This year worldwide industry legend Jim Murray nosed his way through no less than 1,500 whiskies and had no hesitation in naming Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX as his Best Single Malt Scotch – category: No Age Statement (Multiple Casks) – for 2012. Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible is published annually and is regarded as a benchmark for the industry.

Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX takes its name from the Gaelic translation of “generous” (Sonnalta) and PX (Pedro Ximénez) for the “PX” ex-sherry casks from Jerez in Southern Spain into which the whisky is transferred for extra maturation.

But whisky aficionados will have to move fast to sample Sonnalta PX because it has nearly sold out. It is still available at specialist stores at £64.99 a bottle.

In his tasting notes Jim Murray pays tribute to the outstanding qualities of Sonnalta PX which he describes as, “a giant among the tall stills.” Glenmorangie houses Scotland’s tallest whisky stills at its Highland distillery in Tain. Jim Murray said of Sonnalta PX: “It is, unquestionably, the perfect whisky finish. A mesmeric whisky.”

Dr Bill Lumsden, The Glenmorangie Company’s Head of Distilling and Whisky Creation, said: “This is a wonderful award for us and is testament to the decision we took to launch our ‘Private Edition.’ Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX is an extraordinarily rich, dark and absorbing malt whisky and is the first of a series of innovative whiskies we decided to bring out for the true connoisseur. It is a real trailblazer and sets the benchmark for our Private Edition.

“We transfer this whisky into the ‘king of sherry casks’, Spanish ex-Pedro Ximénez (PX) barrels, for extra-maturation. These rare wood casks from Jerez weave their magic on the Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX, adding the eminent sweetness and intensity of their previous resident.
“On nosing Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX, the first impression is of dark chocolate, sun-dried raisins, treacle and Demerara sugar which gives way to a heady mix of hot chocolate and rich aromatic coffee. We are not surprised that Jim Murray was mesmerised by Sonnalta PX.”

Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX is no stranger to winning awards. It has already won numerous prizes including: Best New Scotch Whisky Brand in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2010, Gold Best in Class at the International Wines and Spirits Competition (IWSC) 2010, Gold at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) 2010 and Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2010.

Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX is a part of a range of rare and interesting, limited edition whiskies carefully selected from the ‘cabinet of curiosities’ of Dr Bill Lumsden, Head of Distilling and Whisky Creation, fast becoming collector’s items.

NOTES

About Glenmorangie:
Glenmorangie single malt Scotch whisky originates in the Scottish Highlands where, at the Glenmorangie Distillery, it is distilled in the tallest malt whisky stills in Scotland, expertly matured in the finest oak casks, and perfected by the Men of Tain. The Distillery was founded in 1843 and is renowned as a pioneer in its field uniting tradition with innovation to create ‘unnecessarily well made whiskies.’

Laphroaig Live 2011 Now Available On Demand

Nearly 30,000 whisky fans across the world tuned in to Laphroaig Live 2011 as the annual whisky program broadcast live from the Southern Hemisphere for the first time. Those who missed out on the live action can now log on to www.laphroaig.com/live/ and watch the broadcast again, anytime!

Taking place at Sydney’s most historic area, The Rocks, with the iconic Opera House as a backdrop, the evening saw a panel of experts taste four award-winning whiskies from the Laphroaig family.

Distillery Manager John Campbell, Master Blender Robert Hicks and author Rebecca Varidel were joined on the panel by special guest Lin Johnston, the great-great granddaughter of Alexander Johnston, who founded Laphroaig with his brother Donald in 1815. Lin had the pleasure of opening and tasting a very rare bottle from one of the last batches ever to be distilled and bottled by her ancestors over 50 years ago.

Also in the tasting line-up were the full-bodied Quarter Cask, powerful Triple Wood and the uniquely-matured 30 Year Old Cairdeas, of which only 1,536 bottles were produced.

Whisky fans from all over the world logged on to watch the events as they unfolded in real-time. Viewers were also able to join in the action by submitting questions through the Laphroaig Live website which were put to the panel by host, Channel Seven’s Simon Reeve. Taking part in his fifth Laphroaig Live event, John Campbell was thrilled to see so many of Alexander Johnston’s direct descendants in the live audience.

“It was wonderful to have members of the Johnston family with us for the evening. To open a bottle that was distilled by their ancestors with them present was a very special moment,” he said.

“The 1960’s bottle was definitely the unknown component of the evening, after being in storage for half a century. I’m pleased to say that I was really happy with the flavours of the whisky which, together with the beautiful location on Sydney’s waterfront and the fantastic tasting panel, made this year’s Laphroaig Live a truly great event, and certainly worth watching again.”

Laphroaig’s first live whisky program was held in London in 2007 as a way of bringing Laphroaig and the Isle of Islay to the people who were not able to make the pilgrimage to the distillery. At the time the technology for live internet broadcasts was brand new, but Laphroaig’s step into the unknown paid off. The show was an outstanding success and achieved the highest live webcast viewership ever. Such positive feedback was received that Laphroaig made the decision to make the program an annual event.

This year’s live audience was filled with ‘Friends of Laphroaig’ (‘FOL’) from all over Australia, many of whom had won their seats by suggesting traditional Australian barbeque recipes that were marinated in a Laphroaig barbeque sauce, specially created for the event, and barbequed live on the night.

The FOL program was created to enable whisky lovers throughout the world to meet and chat online at a dedicated website. Each FOL is rewarded with a lifetime lease on a square foot of distillery land. Many FOL make the pilgrimage every year to see their piece of land on the small Scottish Isle of Islay where the distillery has run since 1815. Once there, they are able to claim their rent from the distillers – ‘a wee dram’ of the finest single malt whisky around – Laphroaig.

For more information about becoming a Friend of Laphroaig, or to watch Laphroaig Live 2011 on demand, visit www.laphroaig.com .

OLD PULTENEY IS WORLD CLASS!

Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old Named ‘World Whisky of the Year’ in Top Guide

Old Pulteney Single Malt Whisky is today sitting on top of the world after winning one of the whisky industry’s highest accolades, World Whisky of the Year, in Jim Murray’s 2012 Whisky Bible Awards.

In a class of some 1,500 whiskies, Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old scooped the top accolade, along with three other esteemed awards – Scotch Whisky of the Year, Single Malt (Multiple Casks) of the Year and Single Malt (16-21 Years) of the Year.

Over the past four months, world-renowned whisky connoisseur Murray has nosed and tasted his way through all types of whisky to create his global best-selling ratings guide. He gave Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old a glowing review, commenting that the single malt is ‘by far and away one of the great whiskies of 2012, absolutely exploding from the glass with vitality, charisma and class.’

Margaret Mary Clarke, Senior Brand Manager of Old Pulteney is thrilled with the quadruple award. `It is an enormous honour to have won four of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible Awards for Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old. This is one of the most prestigious accolades a whisky can receive, and we are delighted that our distillery and the Old Pulteney team have been recognised for our passion and depth of expertise in the art of whisky creation.’

This award celebrates the global appeal of a whisky which has been distilled in Wick at the most northerly distillery in the Scottish mainland since 1826. This coastal location gives Old Pulteney the unique ‘salty, nerve-tingling journey’ Jim Murray describes in his tasting notes, as part of the reason he loved the taste of the 21-Years-Old Single Malt so much.

This global recognition for Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old has coincided with an exciting year for the whisky, as it embarked on a momentous world first voyage: the Old Pulteney Row to the Pole. This ambitious expedition, led by Scottish explorer Jock Wishart and his five-man team, achieved their goal to be the first ever crew to row to the Magnetic North Pole in August this year.

Already a favourite tipple for whisky drinkers in the UK, Old Pulteney has developed global appeal, and winning such a host of highly-regarded awards will be sure to secure Old Pulteney’s place as one of the top whiskies in the world.

Jim Murray’s Tasting Notes of Old Pulteney 21 Years Old:

Old Pulteney Aged 21 Years db (97.5) n25 if you had the formula to perfectly transform salt, citrus, the most delicate smoke imaginable, sharp barley, more gristy barley, light vanilla, toasty vanilla, roasted hazelnut, thinned manuka honey, lavender honey, arbutus blossom and cherry blossom, light hickory, liquorice, and the softest demerera sugar into the aroma of a whisky, you still wouldn’t quite be able to recreate this perfection…; t24 the sugars arrive: first gristy and malt-laden, then Demerara. This is followed by a salty, nerve-tingling journey of barley at varying intensity and then a slow but magnificently complete delivery of spice…; f24 those spices continue to buzz, the vanillas dovetail with the malt and the fruit displaying a puckering, lively intensity. Ridiculously long fade for a malt so seemingly light, the salts and spices kiss the taste buds goodnight…; b24.5 by far and away one of the great whiskies of 2012, absolutely exploding from the glass with vitality, charisma and class. One of Scotland’s great undiscovered distilleries about to become discovered, I think… and rightly so!

Old Pulteney Single Malt Whisky

Old Pulteney Single Malt Whisky, is diligently crafted at Pulteney Distillery in Wick. It is the most northerly distillery on the UK Mainland and was founded in 1826 by James Henderson at the height of Wick’s herring boom. The distillery lies in the heart of ‘Pulteneytown’, which was created for all the fishermen at the time, and is embedded in the deep rooting history of this coastal town, which used to be one of the most important and biggest herring fishing ports in Europe.

International Beverage Holdings (www.interbevgroup.com)  was established in 2005 as the international arm of ThaiBev, one of South East Asia’s leading alcohol beverage companies. With a network of regional offices in Asia, Europe and North America, the company is responsible for the production, sales, marketing and distribution of a portfolio of premium global brands in over 80 countries and territories.

Inver House Distillers (www.inverhouse.com) is globally integrated into International Beverage Holdings and drives the distillation and maturation of Scotch through its five distilleries.

International Beverage brands include:

➢ Chang Beer: Thailand’s iconic beer brand

➢ Single Malt Scotch Whiskies: Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc, Speyburn

➢ Blended Whiskies: Hankey Bannister

➢ Mekhong: ‘The Spirit of Thailand’ since 1941

➢ Caorunn – a small batch distilled Scottish Gin infused with 5 Celtic botanicals

The company’s success is built on the combination of a strong understanding of local cultures and markets with the creation of a truly global operational network. Brand building pays respect to heritage, provenance and craftsmanship whilst delivering innovative and highly effective strategies at global level. A skilled and dedicated team of people of more than 12 nationalities, speaking over 14 languages delivers the highest standards of customer service and attention to detail across all aspects of the business.

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2012 Awards

Best Single Malt Scotch 35-40 Years (Single Cask)

Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited are proud to announce that our Peerless Glen Grant 1970 cask 3497 has been awarded Best Single Malt Scotch 35-40 Years (Single Cask)in the 2012 edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

This is a significant achievement that is made even more impressive as Jim Murray nosed, tasted and rated almost 1,500 whiskies in the competition, with a much wider crop of vintage whiskies than ever.

Peerless Glen Grant has been described as an outstanding, world-class whisky of the rarest quality and represents yet another exceptional success for Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited.

Duncan Taylor’s CEO Scott Watson commented “We have watched the Glen Grant gently mature into a giant of a whisky – truly Peerless! It’s great to see Jim Murray endorse it as one of the very best.”

Jim Murray’s Tasting Notes:

Peerless Glen Grant 1970 40 Year Old Cask 3497 48.5%.

Nose: Almost defies belief as the barley absolutely sparkles; gooseberries punctuated with oak; nothing is out of place…it is almost too perfect…
Taste: Nigh on perfect weight on delivery. There is a stunningly crisp sheen to the barley, which appears coated by Demerara sugar crystals. The oak offers a deep, semi-earthy Java coffee background…and is probably behind the slow swelling of spice that sits so comfortably in the nougat-vanilla middle;
Finish: Confirms itself as a malt of the rarest quality: the barley continues its sugar-led path, the spices beet out their delicate tattoo, the oaks weave a vanilla-butterscotch tapestry and various random fruit notes pop up here and there…
Comment: More Cary Grant…just how sophisticated is this…? A whisky which I found almost impossible to spit and shows just why the very greatest whiskies you ever taste are things of not just unique beauty, but experiences never to be forgotten.

A Benromach Best in Whisky Bible 2012

Benromach has been awarded the Best Single Malt Scotch whisky in the latest edition of the world’s leading whisky guide.

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 which published its 2012 edition today (24 October 2011).

The prestigious accolade adds to the growing list of awards for the whiskies from Speyside’s smallest working distillery and the increasing success of Benromach across the UK and internationally. Export sales of Benromach increased by 24 per cent in the first nine months of the year to 36 countries across the globe. Earlier in the year the brands flagship Single Malt, Benromach 10 Years Old was awarded gold at the 2011 Great Taste Awards.

Operating 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.

Proud to have been honoured by the Whisky Bible awards, David Urquhart, Joint Managing Director of Gordon & MacPhail, said:

“It’s a great achievement to be given this award. More people across the globe are adopting whisky as their drink of choice as they actively seek out high quality, desirable items that have a unique appeal. Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of Benromach and being recognised by the Whisky Bible 2012 can only boost our success over the coming year.”

The Whisky Bible contains over 4,500 tasting notes on whiskies across the globe and includes 1,200 new entries personally sampled by Jim Murray. Benromach 30 Year Old was awarded the Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky 28-34 Years (Multiple Casks).

It follows recent gold awards by the Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival 2011 for Benromach 2001, Cask Strength and Organic Special Edition.

Benromach single malt whiskies are available from whisky shops and fine wine and spirits retail specialists.

For more information about Benromach Distillery and the Benromach range of Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whiskies go to www.benromach.com  

Notes

Jim Murray describes Benromach 30 Years Old in the 2012 Whisky Bible tasting notes as:

Tasting Note:

Benromach 30 Years Old db (95.5) n23.5 spiced sultana, walnuts and polished bookcases; t24 no malt has the right to be anything near so silky. The sugars are a cunning mix of molasses and muscovado; the honey is thinned manuka. Still the barley gets through, though the vanilla is right behind…; f24 drier, but never fully dries and has enough spotted dog in reserve to make for a moist, lightly spiced finish. And finally a thin strata of sweet, Venezualan cocoa; b24 you will struggle to find a 30-year-old with less wrinkles than this.. Magnificent: one of the outstanding malts of the year. 43%

Other Benromach expressions include:

Benromach Ten 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 Cask Strength

A mouth warming and smooth single malt with hints of spice. Containing earthy influences it also has a delicate peaty edge and is bottled at 59.9% ABV.

Benromach Organic Special Edition

Made using the finest Scottish organic barley and dried using peat smoke to produce a fresh, vibrant single malt that is smooth and creamy with a strong oak influence and sweet vanilla notes.

Please visit www.benromach.com for details.