SPIRIT OF SPEYSIDE WHISKY AWARDS -FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

The Glenlivet triumphed in the first round of judging of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards 2012, featuring in each of the three categories of the prestigious awards.

The judging panel for the first round of the awards, including industry representatives, whisky writers and specialist retailers, gathered at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on Thursday, 26th January for a blind tasting of 56 of Speyside’s finest malts hosted by Richard Lochhead MSP.

The judges selected two finalists in each of three categories resulting in a good representation of sherry influenced whiskies, a new release from Tomintoul Distillery and another fine representation from Chivas Brothers.

The shortlisted finalists are:

12 Years and Under:
– Tomintoul 12 Years Old (Oloroso Finish)
– The Glenlivet 12 Years Old

13 to 20 Years Old:
– Aberlour 18 Years Old
– The Glenlivet 15 Years Old (French Oak)

21 Years and Over:
– The Glenlivet 21 Years Old (Archive)
– Knockando 25 Years Old (2011 Special Release)

Jim Royan, Chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival said:  “Many of the world’s most popular whiskies come from Speyside, so these shortlisted spirits are expressions of some of the highest quality malts to be found in the region.  We look forward to the next round of judging when visitors to the Festival will be the final decision-makers of the winning whiskies.”

Susan Young, editor of Dram magazine was attending as a judge for the first time.  She said she had been pleasantly surprised by the high quality of entries which she felt demonstrated the depth of whiskies available in Speyside. “When you’re tasting blind, you’re not influenced by packaging or presentation but judge purely on the taste.  The selection of whiskies entered for the awards was excellent which made it more difficult, particularly in the 12 years old and under category.  There were a few good whiskies I tasted on the day which I would definitely like to have in my drinks cabinet at home!”

The six finalists will now to on to a public vote at the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival on Thursday, 3rd May, a unique judging process which has helped the Awards gain international recognition since their inception in 2005. 

Visitors to the Festival can book tickets for the exclusive final judging of the best of Speyside malts, and the winners will be announced shortly afterwards at the Opening Dinner to be held at The Macallan.

Tickets to take part in the judging of the Awards finals at this year’s Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival and to view all 300 events in the Festival programme are available at www.spiritofspeyside.com.  Whisky lovers can keep up-to-date with the Festival programme on www.facebook.com/WhiskyFestival or www.twitter.com/spirit_speyside.

Notes 
– Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival runs from Thursday, 3rd May – Monday, 7th May.  Check out www.spiritofspeyside.com for up-to-date news and follow the Festival at www.facebook.com/WhiskyFestival or www.twitter.com/spirit_speyside
– The Festival also runs several competitions and awards including the prestigious Spirit of Speyside Whisky Awards as well as the Photographic Competition
– The Festival runs a subsidised taxi voucher scheme
– Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has received funding from EventScotland and is also financially supported by many other private and public partners
 
– EventScotland: EventScotland is the national events agency. EventScotland is working to make Scotland one of the world’s leading event destinations. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about

EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org

– About the Year of Creative Scotland 2012: The Year of Creative Scotland began on January 1, 2012 and is a chance to showcase, celebrate and promote Scotland’s cultural and creative strengths on a world stage. Through a dynamic and exciting year-long programme of activity celebrating our world-class events, festivals, culture and heritage, the year puts Scotland’s culture and creativity in the international spotlight with a focus on cultural tourism and developing the events industry and creative sector in Scotland. More information about the programme can be found at: www.visitscotland.com/creative. The Year of Creative Scotland is a Scottish Government initiative led in partnership by EventScotland, VisitScotland, Creative Scotland and VOCAL.

TheWhiskyBarrel.com Launches Affiliate Partnership

Online whisky shop TheWhiskyBarrel.com has partnered with Affiliate Window to launch a new commission channel for beverage web sites for bloggers, news editors, message forums and shopping portals.

Our new revenue sharing programme rewards our partners for their own marketing efforts. By promoting TheWhiskyBarrel.com products on your web site, we pay a commission reward for each sale generated from your platform.

The Whisky Barrel is an online whisky shop specialising in fine and rare Scotch, Japanese, English, Indian and Swedish whiskies. The online catalogue boasts over 1,000 whiskies and ships to over 50 countries including the United States, Canada, Australia and Taiwan.

Our Affiliates benefit from:

* Exclusive access to our cask samples for editorial

* Approved sales of alcohol to Sweden

* Tailored creative for our best Affiliates

For the first month of our programme we are offering affiliates joining the program a lucrative commission rate, including sales generated for TheWhiskyBarrel.com exclusive bottling’s.

Join in by visiting www.thewhiskybarrel.com/p/10/affiliates to sign-up and start earning in 2012.

The Whisky Barrel
www.thewhiskybarrel.com

facebook.com/thewhiskybarrel
twitter.com/whiskybarrel @WhiskyBarrel
www.thewhiskybarrel.com/blog

The Dalmore Releases Zenith

The Dalmore has released some of the oldest and rarest bottles of whisky in the world which are being highly sought after by connoisseurs and collectors alike as they vie for a piece of distilling history.

The latest exceptional malt to be released from the distillery is Dalmore Zenith, which is crafted from three very old Dalmore whiskies; The Dalmore 1964, The Dalmore 1951 and a historic 52 year old Dalmore distilled back in 1926, which were brought together and further finessed in Oloroso Sherry casks. This singular precious whisky, is currently being auctioned exclusively through The Whisky Shop.

This valuable single malt is encased in a bespoke crystal decanter of unsurpassed quality and clarity and is presented in a one of a kind English oak and Rosewood veneer cabinet.

The decanter and its cabinet are currently making their way around The Whisky Shop’s stores throughout the UK as the interest and bids accumulate for this most exclusive Highland malt.

The Dalmore Zenith is available exclusively through The Whisky Shop http://www.thewhiskyshop.com/. Reserve bids start at £50,000. Bidding closes on the 31st March 2012. 10% of the final selling price will be donated to the Red Cross.

The Dalmore Master Distiller, Richard Paterson
 
“This is truly a one of a kind whisky. It contains some of the most precious stocks we have, including some of my last drops of The Dalmore 62 years old. For me, it glitters like a galaxy of amber gold and tastes like pure heaven, with notes of pistachios, coconut and cracked black pepper which only the aging in the oldest woods can provide”.

The Dalmore Zenith

Tasting notes:

Colour:
A galaxy of glittering amber gold laced with facets of black diamonds

Nose:
Pure heaven as exquisite aromas of black cherries, raisins, fig cake and caramelised citrus fruits flaunt themselves in an enticing cluster of unashamed pleasure. Age has not diminished this golden nugget as it shines with layers of over ripe apricots, rich praline, chocolate ganache, coffee esque, intimately interlaced with ginger sultanas and spice. Muscatel and wisteria complete this gallery of delight.   
 
Taste:
The palate is deep and languorous with a festoon of pistachios, hazel nuts and crushed almonds. However this soon gives way to a sensual array of toasted Colombian coffee, coconut blancmange, cracked black pepper and moist banana cake. The after taste is a fusion of festivities on your tongue as dense notes of frangipane, pineapple, soft liquorice tempered by honeyed mulled wine gently drift over the tongue. The palate is truly rewarded with these rare attributes that only age in the finest woods can only provide. Savour these memorable flavours with reverence and pride.
 
WEBSITES

http://www.thedalmore.com/

http://www.thewhiskyshop.com/ 

Glenmorangie and The Open CHAMPIONSHIP – THE PERFECT PARTNERSHIP OF TWO SCOTTISH ICONS

— Scotland’s favourite single malt whisky Glenmorangie, teams up with golf’s most famous competition – The Open Championship —

— Pairing of two Scottish icons golf and whisky announced in three year partnership —

Scotland is celebrated the world over for whisky and golf, so what could be more appropriate than today’s (February 2012)  announcement of a three year partnership, that will see Glenmorangie become the Official Whisky of The Open Championship.

The pairing of Glenmorangie and The R&A organisers of The Open Championship, is a natural fit as both have huge global followings.

Glenmorangie is enjoyed in over 130 countries worldwide and of course in the UK where it is Scotland’s favourite single malt whisky.

The Open Championship is golf’s most famous tournament watched on television by an estimated 458 million households in 196 territories worldwide. Over 200,000 visitors flock to Britain’s finest coastal golf courses every year to enjoy the drama of The Open in person. Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club, near Liverpool, will be hosting the Open Championship in 2012 (15-22 July).

Both Glenmorangie and The Open have a proud heritage dating back over 150 years. Glenmorangie was first produced in 1843 and is a leading player in premium single malts, whilst The Open is golf’s oldest Major Championship dating back to 1860 and offers the famous Claret Jug as its prize.

Just as Glenmorangie goes to unnecessary lengths to craft its award winning single malt whisky – using the tallest stills in Scotland and only the finest quality oak casks – so The Open is renowned every year for its meticulous preparation of the greens, fairways and bunkers of each Championship course.  

Peter Dawson, The R&A’s Chief Executive welcomed Paul Skipworth, President and Managing Director of The Glenmorangie Company, to St Andrews, and expressed his delight at the partnership.

Paul Skipworth said: “Glenmorangie is proud to become a part of this amazing Championship, which will see our whisky showcased to as many as 200,000 visitors at each Open. Glenmorangie is delighted with our partnership with The R&A, an association of our mutually high standards. Like The Open itself we believe in going the extra mile in the pursuit of perfection.”  

Peter Dawson said: “We are thrilled to welcome Glenmorangie as the Official Whisky of The Open Championship. Glenmorangie is an iconic Scottish brand which like golf is enjoyed the world over.”

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 (used only twice), 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.

Glenmorangie has won a remarkable total of 18 ‘Gold Best in Class’ medals over the past five years at the IWSC – the most internationally-recognised awards body. This is more than any other single malt Scotch whisky, making Glenmorangie the ‘best awarded’ of any single malt.

About the Glenmorangie Company:
The Company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers and marketers of Scotch whisky brands worldwide and is part of Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH). Headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Company produces Glenmorangie Single Highland malt whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay malt.

The R&A
Based in St Andrews, The R&A organises The Open Championship, major amateur events and international matches. Together with the United States Golf Association, The R&A governs the game worldwide, jointly administering the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, Equipment Standards and World Amateur Golf Rankings. The R&A’s working jurisdiction is global, excluding the United States and Mexico.

The R&A is committed to working for golf and supports the growth of the game internationally and the development and management of sustainable golf facilities. The R&A operates with the consent of 143 organisations from the amateur and professional game and on behalf of over thirty million golfers in 128 countries.

The Open
The Open Championship is golf’s oldest Major. Played since 1860 on British links golf courses, it is the game’s most international Major Championship with qualifying events on every continent. For one week each year, the pursuit of the famous Claret Jug trophy is the focus of the sporting world, followed globally by millions of fans.
Organised by The R&A, The Open delivers an annual economic benefit of £100 million to its host region, while the Championship’s commercial success supports the development of the game, worldwide.

In 2012 The 141st Open Championship will be held at Royal Lytham & St Anne’s Golf Club in Lancashire 15-22 July.

Responsible Drinking:
The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking and suggests that drinkers savour Glenmorangie whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption. 

January is finally behind us, and although the evenings are getting lighter it’s still pretty cold – which, means it’s still whisky weather! We’ve got a bunch of great new drams arriving in our warehouse (some of them exclusive to TWE), ready to fill your hipflask or warm your cockles on a winter’s evening.

Karuizawa 1981 Sherry Cask #6256
Bottled exclusively for TWE, this is a long-awaited cask strength first-fill sherrybomb
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-13006.aspx

Rittenhouse 100-Proof Rye Single Cask
Another exclusive TWE bottling – a sensational single cask high strength rye whiskey from Rittenhouse
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-16353.aspx

Chichibu ‘The First’
We’re very excited about this – the inaugural release of single malt whisky from Japan’s newest distillery!
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-15256.aspx

Highland Park Thor 16yo
A beautifully-presented cask strength 16yo from HP – the first in their new Valhalla Collection
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-16341.aspx

Abhainn Dearg 2008 First Bottling
First legal single malt whisky released from tiny new distillery on Isle of Lewis. Comes with a free miniature of the whisky!
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-16027.aspx

Glenmorangie Artein 15yo
Finished in Sassicaia red wine casks
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-16301.aspx

You can see our full newsletter online 

A TRUE FIRST IN WHISKY
DIRECT FROM THE GATES OF VALHALLA, HIGHLAND PARK BRINGS YOU THE MIGHTY THOR

Mighty Thor remains one of the most renowned of all the Norse gods. A powerful and brooding figure, it is said that using his hammer, Thor could carve valleys out of mountains and that his enemies would quake in terror at the thunderous sound the weapon created. Son of Odin, the ruler of Asgard, Thor was avidly worshipped by Viking warriors as the defender of mankind and gods alike.

In honour of this great warrior and in celebration of its own unwavering Norse heritage, Highland Park brings you Thor. This stunning 16 year old single malt is believed to be the first whisky ever designed specifically around an individual’s character. With a natural strength like its namesake, drawing influence from the environment unique to Orkney, Thor is a truly elemental spirit. Distilled where sea turns to ocean, it represents a meeting point of nature’s forces, exuding a dynamic and bold character on the surface, but with an unexpected softer side at its heart

Thor represents the first coming for Highland Park’s stunning Valhalla Collection; a range of four unique whiskies, released annually, taking inspiration from the legendary Nordic gods of old. Not for the faint hearted, only those brave enough to accept the challenge of Thor shall be rewarded with the ultimate experience; a whisky of divine power.
 
Bottled at a robust 52.1% abv this limited edition whisky comes housed in a unique wooden frame, which echoes the fearsome contours of a traditional Viking long ship.
 
Gerry Tosh, Global Marketing Manager, said, “Building on the success of The Magnus Series, we wanted to create an exciting new range which offers Highland Park fans something both affordable AND collectable.  This is no ordinary whisky and as we wanted it to truly reflect Thor’s character you will find some of the classic Highland Park aromas in there; it has a sweetness and a subtlety, but it will also surprise you with a little bit more smoke and dryness and there definitely is a lightning strike on your palate also.” 

The Valhalla Collection is about more than great whisky, it gives an insight to the very being of the brand, its inspiration and raison d’etre.

We’ve put Thor first, as he is such a mighty character and deserves his rightful place at the very forefront of this range. Everything about this whisky bellows power; this is quite honestly a true whisky of the gods.”

Thor will be available from specialist independent whisky retailers, at the Highland Park distillery and http://www.highlandpark.co.uk/ at a RRP of £120.

Tasting Notes: Highland Park Thor -16 years old – 52.1%

Appearance: Rich amber, with an iron ore glow

Nose:  Concentrated and forceful, with an explosion of aromatic smoke, pungent fresh ginger, antique copper, stewed plums, and golden syrup. With water, earthy notes emerge, like a garden after a heavy rain shower.

Palate: Thor’s high strength grabs the palate and refuses to let go.  Initially dry, with fiery gingerbread then vanilla, blackberries, fresh mango, peach and hints of cinnamon. As its big flavours swirl around the mouth, some softer, sweeter notes develop, giving Thor and unexpected layer of complexity and depth.

Finish: The finish thunders on, leaving behind lingering notes of sweet vanilla and an intense spiciness.

Buffalo Trace Distillery Releases Fourth Round of Single Oak Project Bourbon

Differences in Aging Warehouses Are Examined

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Jan. 2012) – Through the years, much debate has taken place in the whiskey industry about the barrel aging warehouses and what effect they have on the finished product. How much does a concrete warehouse offer a different taste than a metal clad warehouse?  What about the upper floors vs. the lower floors? In the fourth release of the Single Oak Project Bourbon Whiskey, Buffalo Trace Distillery experiments with some of these questions by focusing on warehouse placement, using two particular warehouses to compare taste profiles.

                In this experiment, Warehouses K and L are highlighted. Warehouse K is a brick warehouse built in 1933 with wooden floors. There are nine floors total in Warehouse K and barrels are stored three high in the ricks. It is considered a good warehouse for different ages of bourbons. It has good air flow, with the first floor being cool and damp for slow aging and the top floor being hot and dry, which ages young barrels more quickly.

                Warehouse L is also a brick warehouse, but with concrete floors. It was built in 1936 and has five floors.  The barrels are stored six high. Warehouse L is considered the best all-around warehouse by some at the Distillery.  The windows on the west side of the building bring a consistent air flow. With its slow temperature changes, Warehouse L is great for slow aging wheat bourbons.  Its concrete walls and floors create a very concentrated aging environment. 

                Two other additional variables will be explored in this fourth release, recipe and grain size.  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. All other variables in the experimental project remain constant, such as the stave seasoning, tree cut, char level and entry proof. “Aging barrels in different environments effects the taste of the whiskey”, said Harlen Wheatley, master distiller. “There has always been much discussion about warehouse placement, even amongst ourselves, so we’re anxious to hear how others rate these bourbons.” 

                As with the other three releases, Buffalo Trace hopes consumers can continue to rate each whiskey they taste online at http://www.singleoakproject.com/. This feedback will help Buffalo Trace determine which bourbon, and even which aging warehouse, 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 floors 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 three releases hit select stores in 2011.  This fourth release will start showing up at the end of February. Like all the other releases, the quantities are very limited. Every case will contain 12 bottles, each from a different barrel. The fourth release is made up of barrel numbers 10, 14, 42, 46, 74, 78, 106, 110, 138, 142, 170, 174. 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 http://www.buffalotrace.com/.

New annual awards not for taste but for design. Kick-off in 2012 with an all-time Whisk(e)y Design contest.

The Whisk(e)y Design Awards are not about the content of the bottle(s): whisky, whiskey or bourbon,
it is about the bottle(s) and the packaging. WW WDA is a private initiative, an independent Whisk(e)y bottle and packaging design contest without any costs.

What is the gain for the industry ? Customer involvement. Recognition and visibility for all nominees. Award winners will gain immortality and a place in history by an honourable mention on our website.

Who can enter nominees ?
Anyone, and for free. Whisky producers, brand owners, designers, distillers, distributors, importers, wholesalers, aficionado’s, consumers, bartenders, you name it, from anywhere in the world.

The World Wide Whisky Design Awards are annual awards recognising excellence in pack design. Judged by an international public panel. you?, of whisky-aficionado’s, professionals and consumers, from around the Globe.

Professional or consumer, let your voice count at:  http://www.whiskydesignaward.com/

Nominations, ratings and votes can be submitted by members, nonetheless I myself am looking for possible nominees to enter in the contest. If you have a whisky -bottle, -package or label-series, either submit it on the website or send me information about your nominee, such as press-publications, photo’s and links to web-pages.

TheWhiskyBarrel.com Exclusive Abhainn Dearg Cask Strength Scotch

Abhainn Dearg Distillery situated at Carnish near Uig in the Isle of Lewis, Outer Hebrides, Scotland was established in 2008. The first single malt was released in October 2011 and now for the first time is available at natural cask strength.

TheWhiskyBarrel.com brings a unique opportunity to sample the historic first release at cask strength 58% ABV presenting a fuller bodied Herbidean single malt Scotch matured in a single ex-bourbon barrel.

We’ve also bottled up for the first time a Spirit of Lewis at natural cask strength. This new make distilled in 2011 has matured for three months in a fresh Oloroso sherry hogshead and has been bottled at natural cask strength 56% ABV.

Now available to order exclusively from The Whisky Barrel online whisky shop.

Abhainn Dearg Single Malt Cask Strength / 3 Years Old / 58% Miniature

£9.99 GBP ($16 USD)

Abhainn Dearg Spirit of Lewis Cask Strength / Sherry Cask / 56%

£26.66 GBP ($41 USD)

Order online at http://www.thewhiskybarrel.com

The Whisky Barrel

www.thewhiskybarrel.com

www.thewhiskybarrel.com/blog