EPIC POEM INSPIRES DRAM-ATIC CUTTY SARK LIMITED EDITION BOTTLING

Cutty Sark, the pioneering Scotch whisky brand, has launched a new limited edition blend this month exploring the origins of the whisky’s unique name, which was originally inspired by the famous clipper now resting in Greenwich, London.

Cutty Sark Tam o’Shanter Blended Scotch Whisky (ABV 46.5%) is the first expression created by Cutty Sark Master Blender Kirsteen Campbell, and is a development of the acclaimed Cutty Sark 25 year old (Gold – Best in Class, International Wine and Spirit Competition 2011) with a distinctly darker, wilder side perfectly reflecting the world famous Burns poem.

The name ‘Cutty Sark’ was selected by the builders of the famous clipper from the poem Tam o’Shanter, penned by Robert Burns in 1791. The tale, recently revealed as Scotland’s favourite Burns poem*, tells the story of an Ayrshire man, Tam, who when riding home from the pub one evening happens across a gathering of witches and warlocks. One of the witches, Nannie, who is described to be wearing a short shirt, or ‘Cutty Sark’, chases after Tam, but only manages to catch the tail of his horse before he makes his escape.

The bottle itself features a scene from the poem etched around the entire bottle, as well as a wax closure showing Tam’s face. The designs are inspired by the late Alexander Goudie, one of Scotland’s finest figurative painters. The bottle is presented in a stunning bespoke oak gift box also decorated in the style of Goudie. It also contains a 134-page book which tells the Tam o’ Shanter story through over 50 illustrated scenes by Goudie, bringing Tam’s story to life in a distinctive and dramatic style.

Jason Craig, Brand Controller, Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky, stated “Our Tam o’Shanter bottling is an exploration of the Cutty Sark brand’s fascinating heritage, and tells the story of how our whisky got its name. Our Master Blender Kirsteen Campbell has brought a darker, wilder edge to our award winning 25 year old blend, echoing the sinister imagery of the Goudie artwork adorning the bespoke gift box and bottle, which stays true to the adventurous spirit of the Cutty Sark brand.”

Only 5,000 bottles of this new blend have been created. It is available from The Whisky Shop, The Whisky Exchange and Gleneagles priced at £199 (RRP). It can also be enjoyed by the dram at Gleneagles.

Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky was first created in London 1923 and relaunched in the UK in 2010. This lighter blend is a versatile whisky and makes a perfect base for long mixed drinks. For more information on Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky please visit www.cutty-sark.com.

*YouGov survey conducted as part of the Year of Creative Scotland 2012.

NOTES

About Cutty Sark Tam o’Shanter 25 year old

Tasting notes:
Appearance: Rich, shadowy and dark
Nose: Drifting incense, exotic spices, jasmine, anise and sandalwood dance and leap out of the glass. Muscular sherried sweetness, vanilla candle wax, rich fruitcake and honey sweetness cavort with aromatic spices and blood orange zest, soft peat smoke and hints of tar
Palate: Full-bodied, boisterous and sweet with a darkly sinister menace, rich velvet curtains surround dark chocolate, eucalyptus, cracked black pepper and drying mint with rich, full, sherry sweetness and toffee
Finish: Lingering, long, rich and sweet yet spicy
46.5% ABV
RRP £199

About Cutty Sark blended Scotch whisky

Tasting notes:
Naturally pale gold in colour with a fresh, fragrant aroma supported by hints of vanilla and oak with a long, clean, fruity aftertaste
Cutty Sark blended Scotch whisky was first created in London in 1923
Cutty Sark contains some of the finest single malt whiskies in the world including The Macallan, The Glenrothes and Highland Park making it a smooth, light, accessible blended whisky that is well suited to mixing
Cutty Sark was the first of the lighter style whiskies, and is smooth, crisp and light in colour
Cutty Sark is now 100% owned by The Edrington Group, a well respected producer of established whisky and spirits brands including The Macallan and Brugal rum
40% ABV
RSP £17.10

WHISKY FESTIVAL ORGANISERS IN HIGH SPIRITS

Organisers of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival are in high spirits after witnessing the busiest 24 hour period after launching the programme of events since the Festival began thirteen years ago.

Whisky enthusiasts worldwide wasted no time accessing the Festival’s website when it went live at 19.00 on Saturday, 21st January and within 12 hours, 33 of the 300 events were sold out, including the exclusive Opening Dinner which is being held at The Macallan Distillery this year.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, running from 3rd-7th May, has grown in stature year on year to become one of the most important whisky festivals in the world and one of the key festivals on the Scottish events calendar.

Mary Hemsworth, Festival Manager said that everyone was thrilled with the response to this year’s line up of events, but that there were still plenty of outstanding and quality events for visitors to book.

She commented: “Ticket sales for the first day were in excess of £50,000 with three months still to go until the Festival itself. It’s also encouraging to see that thousands of our whisky fans are keeping up-to-date with the Festival via Facebook and Twitter – they’ll be the first to know of any new events that are added to the programme, and any key announcements we may make over the coming months.”

The most popular events included exclusive tours of distilleries not normally open to the public, ‘ultimate’ tours of some of the finest whisky distilleries in the world, whisky and food pairing workshops, the intriguing Mystery Bus Tour of Speyside, a tour around the five distilleries of Elgin and the popular Seven Stills Bus Tour.

Visitors to the Festival will be coming from as far afield as Japan, Australia, Russia, South Africa, Canada and the USA with the majority making the journey from closer shores such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherlands, Germany and the UK.

Festival goers from across the globe come to Speyside for the authentic whisky experience in Malt Whisky Country where they are treated to a selection of events that showcase the true spirit of Speyside, with workshops, tutorials, tours, instruction, nosings and tastings on offer from some of the industry’s top experts – from blenders to coopers and mashmen to managers. And there are opportunities to delight in the dram in superlative surroundings – at the top of a mountain or on a train, straight from the cask or in the shadow of a historic castle.

Exclusive tours can be booked at distilleries usually closed to the public – including Glen Elgin, Glenlossie and Mannochmore, Glen Spey, Speyburn and Glenrothes – and visitors can enjoy a dram alongside some of the region’s award-winning produce at whisky and food pairing workshops and on the popular Whisky and Food Tours. This year sees the introduction of a Ceilidh Trail, and the Festival atmosphere will be buzzing with the sound of local bands playing in many of the area’s hotels, bars and traditional pubs.

Mary continued: “Speyside and the wider area benefit greatly from the Whisky Festival each year, both in terms of reputation and financially. So it’s important that we offer a strong line up of events to encourage visitors to return year after year to share their passion for the world’s finest whiskies, and to appeal to new visitors to come and experience Malt Whisky country and the Whisky Festival for themselves.

“From the response we’ve seen in these first few days we will be welcoming the usual big crowds, but hopefully this may be the best attended and finest Festival yet.”

Whisky Live Dublin is back – building on the fantastic success from its debut in 2011. The world’s premier whisky tasting show will make a welcome return to The Round Room at The Mansion House in the heart of Dublin’s city centre on Saturday 26th May 2012.

NEW FEATURES FOR 2012 – mcleanscotland are the official tour agents for Whisky Live Dublin – and are offering the Grand Tour; 4 night’s accommodation Dublin City, 4 fully cooked Irish breakfasts, coach trips to Kilkenny Town, Cooley & Kilbeggan Distilleries and a ticket to Whisky Live! Even a castle hotel is available for those with a liking for luxury… www.mcleanscotland.co.uk/4nightwhiskylivetour.asp

Tuesday 22 May Café en Seine – whisky and food evening – whisky tasting with a wee bit of food to drive you insane! See more www.mcleanscotland.co.uk/enseine.asp

Wednesday 23 May Clontarf Castle Hotel sample drams from the Castle Brands range, Celtic Crossing, Clontarf, Knappogue Castle single malts. See more www.mcleanscotland.co.uk/clontarfmasterclass.asp

Thursday 24 May Palace Bar – whisky evening 5 Irish whiskey’s from the Cooley’s range. Not a masterclass, rather an experience with Willie and friends with humour, whiskey and of course; the craik! See more www.mcleanscotland.co.uk/dublinpalace.asp

Thursday 24 May 10am coach to The Old Kilbeggan Distillery See more www.mcleanscotland.co.uk/halfdaytrips.asp  

Friday 25 May A morning coach trip to Cooley’s Distillery, Dundalk. Unlike any other distillery, a rare chance to see into the workings of this gem with all its rough edges and non tourist tour! See more www.mcleanscotland.co.uk/halfdaytrips.asp

Friday 25 May Whiskey Tasting, Dinner & Irish Show A superb whisky tasting, 3 course dinner and a night of Irish entertainment held at the Arlington Hotel, O’Connell Bridge. See more www.mcleanscotland.co.uk/fridaydublin.asp

To book tickets for Whisky Live Event on Saturday 26th May, simply visit www.whiskylive.com .

Tickets are limited so don’t forget to book now to avoid disappointment and we very much look forward to seeing you at Whisky Live Dublin.

VIP tickets also available – hurry for these, limited supply.

Some exciting news in Australia:

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (Australia) is delighted to announce an exciting new collaboration with The Royal Exchange of Sydney.  The Royal Exchange is a private Members’ Club in central Sydney offering fine dining in the restaurant and the opportunity to enjoy a drink in the adjacent bar…and herein lies the connection.
 
From Monday February 6th 2012, Members of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (worldwide) will be able to buy Society whiskies by the dram at the bar of The Royal Exchange. Members may take up to two guests at a time to the venue. Some of the bottlings on offer will be exclusive to the Royal Exchange Whisky Bar and will not be available through Outturn (Aust) nor featured at any tasting events around the country.  All that is needed to gain entry to the club is your Society membership card. A whisky ‘menu’ will be available for you to peruse the drams on offer and you will also be able to dine at the venue.
 
More details about this exciting new collaboration will follow prior to the opening in February. This is the first SMWS “bar-in-bar” venue in Australia, and it is intended to follow suit with similar whisky bars in other cities around the country in the near future. 

www.smws.com.au

United Arab Emirates Triumph Over Hungary At Royal Salute Nations Cup Uae 2012

UAE 6 – 5 Hungary

Royal Salute, the world’s leading luxury Scotch whisky, marked its first year as title sponsor of the Royal Salute Nations Cup UAE 2012 by welcoming the world’s top three professional polo players to go head-to-head for the first time outside of Argentina.

Held at the luxurious Desert Palm Resort in Dubai from the 6 – 13 January 2012, World No 1 Pablo MacDonough, World No 2 Adolfo Cambiaso and World No 3 Juan Martin Nero fought to lead their teams to victory.

The Nations Cup UAE is the first event for Royal Salute World Polo in 2012 and to help celebrate, the players were joined by distinguished guests including His Grace Torquhil Ian Campbell, the 13th Duke of Argyll and patrons of polo Prince Bahar Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei and Ali Albwardy.

Following the tournament and prize-giving ceremony, His Grace the Duke of Argyll hosted the Royal Salute private after-party, where VIP guests and polo players enjoyed an evening of entertainment in a glamorous private villa. The evening concluded with an auction of a signed portrait photograph of Adolfo Cambiaso, which raised US$15,000 with the proceeds going to the Riding for the Disabled charity in Dubai.

His Grace the Duke of Argyll commented: “Dubai is one of the world’s greatest shop windows for luxury brands and is the perfect place for Royal Salute to cement its ties with the elite sport of kings. The prestigious Royal Salute Nations Cup UAE 2012 represented the very pinnacle of international class polo and offered guests the chance to witness the greatest exponents of the game in some of the most luxurious surroundings. Royal Salute is delighted and very proud to have a played a supporting role in this.”

Royal Salute’s continued expansion as a leading supporter of international polo will see support for events and polo clubs in 10 countries across four continents throughout the year.

Photo Caption: Following a memorable day of play at the Royal Salute Nations Cup UAE 2012 in Dubai, the Duke of Argyll presents the magnificent trophy to Adolfo Cambiaso (World No. 2), Mr Ali Albawardi, Prince Bahar Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei and Pablo MacDonough (World No. 1).

Notes:

Torquhil Ian Campbell, 13th Duke of Argyll
The Duke of Argyll is the Hereditary Master of the Royal Household in Scotland. He is also Chief of Clan Campbell and a Patron of the Scotch Whisky Industry.

Royal Salute
The pinnacle of Scotch whisky, award-winning Royal Salute was first created as a tribute by Chivas Brothers to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II upon her coronation in 1953. This defining luxury whisky has a very powerful and sophisticated style, and has become the world’s leading luxury Scotch whisky brand.
Royal Salute has a long legacy of paying tribute to nobility and leadership, it is part of the brand’s DNA
• 1953: Royal Salute created to pay tribute to Her Majesty the Queen’s coronation
• 2003: Royal Salute 50 Year Old launched for the 50th anniversary of the coronation, also paid tribute to Sir Edmund Hillary’s and Sir Tensing Norgay’s on the anniversary of their successful ascent of Everest
• 2005: Royal Salute 38 Year Old launched – a tribute from Scotland, inspired by the Stone of Destiny
• 2010: Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute launched paying tribute to the craftsmanship of four master blenders who have safeguarded the Royal Salute legacy since 1953
• 2011: Royal Salute Tribute to Honour launched, the Honours are most notable and compelling symbols of Scottish royalty

Royal Salute World Polo

In addition to Royal Salute Nations Cup, Royal Salute World Polo is proud to support some of the world’s most prestigious and luxurious polo tournaments.
• India Royal Salute Maharaja of Jodhpur Golden Jubilee Cup
• China Royal Salute Tang Polo Cup, Beijing
• China Royal Salute China Open, Beijing
• Brazil Triple Coroa Tournament, Helvetia Polo Club, Sao Paulo
• Australia Sydney Gold Cup, Sydney
• Korea Country Polo Club, Jeju

In 2011, Royal Salute World Polo was proud to support several charity polo tournaments, supporting charities whose patrons include the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
• USA The Foundation Polo Challenge 2011, Santa Barbara, California in aid of the U.S Friends of the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry
• UK The Sentebale Polo Cup 2011, Coworth Park, Berkshire,
• UK Bernard Weatherhill Polo Cup, Tetbury, England

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 http://www.chivasbrothers.com/ 

BENRIACH LAUNCHES NEW 17 YO RICHLY- PEATED SEPTENDECIM

BenRiach’s Septendecim, its newest addition to its celebrated peated range, will be available worldwide later this month, the distillery announced today (19 January 2012).

The new 17 year-old has been matured only in ex-bourbon casks and continues BenRiach’s quirky trend of using Latin names – such as Authenticus, Curiositas and Heredotus Fumosus – for its richly-peated expressions.

The tasting notes confirm Septendecim – Latin for “seventeen” – is a magnificent, multi-layered malt with fantastic length.

The colour is rich summer gold with a freshly harvested barley impression.

On the nose, it’s full of energy and vibrancy – a complex mix of fresh peaty aromas constructed around a central core of apples and toasted nuts dowsed in wild mountain honey.

And on the palate, it gives sweet concentrated peat flavours which dominate from the start. Bold and intense, the peaty heart is united with honey-infused raisins, roasted nuts and a luxurious leather impression.

Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “Septendecim is a real robust heavyweight, full-bodied and beautifully balanced with enormous impact. It’s another fine example of our distillery going back to its nineteenth-century roots – a time when, unlike today, the majority of Speyside distilleries were producing peated whiskies.”

Peated malt whisky production only represents approximately six weeks’ worth of the annual production at BenRiach, but the peated whiskies have become an important part of the distillery’s product portfolio as they offer something unexpected from the Speyside region.

Septendecim is non chill-filtered and bottled at natural colour, with a strength of 46% vol. Unlike the recently-launched BenRiach Solstice, the Septendecim is not a limited release and should be continually available for years to come.

Picture shows Septendecim and its packaging.

For more information – info@benriachdistillery.co.uk

When it gets cold or really, really cold take a tip from the Japanese – make yourself a Hibiki Shokan or a Yamazaki Daikan cocktail

London January 2012: It’s a quick and delicious way to warm up. With 24 seasons in their year the Japanese have a cocktail answer for most situations. Shokan means “Small cold” and Daikan means “Major cold” in Japanese parlance. Here’s how they dispel the cold with these two tasty solutions.

Hibiki Shokan – the start of the cold season (6 January)

If your taste is for a blended whisky this is the winter warmer for you

Recipe:

40ml Hibiki 17 Year Old blended whisky

20ml Cherry Marnier

Vanilla pod (opened)

Pour ingredients over ice in a mixing glass

Add vanilla pod, orange zest and stir 30 times then strain over cracked ice in a rocks glass

Garnish with orange zest

Yamazaki Daikan – height of the cold season (21 January)

If your preference is for single malt whisky, try this on for central heating

Recipe:

40ml Yamazaki 12 year old single malt whisky

25ml Absinthe infusion (infusion of absinthe, cinnamon, vanilla pod, anis, cherry marnier, lemon zest and fresh cherries)

2 drops cherry bitters

Stir all ingredients over ice 30 times in mixing glass

Strain over cracked ice in balloon or chunky whisky glass

Both cocktails are from a range of 24 seasonal cocktail recipes created by Zoran Peric, Suntory Brand Ambassador, to bring that inner glow in a month of cold and snow.

Suntory Japanese whiskies are world beaters having won more than 60 international awards since 2003 and whisky lovers have taken to them. There is something about their subtle aromas and delicate flavours which appeals to the palate whether taken neat, over ice or in cocktails.

Yamazaki 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky and Hibiki 17 Year Old Blended Whisky are firm favourites in Japan and here in Europe. Enjoy them and the warm glow that comes with the Yamazaki Daikan and Hibiki Shokan cocktails.

Note: Pronouncing Suntory names

Yamazaki – (Ya-ma-zarkee)

Hakushu – (Ha-koo-shoe)

Hibiki – (Hi-bi-kee)

Suntory single malt and blended whiskies are available from: Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, The Whisky Exchange, independent specialist retailers and drinkon.com priced from:

Yamazaki 12 year old £42

Hibiki 17 year old £70

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

When spring is on the horizon the Japanese have a cocktail for it – their choice is a Risshun or a Usui

London January 2012: Every season the Japanese have a wonderful reason to celebrate, with an appropriate cocktail. They have 24 seasons in their calendar, and 24 taste sensations to look forward to each year. As spring looms nearer, they will hasten it in with a Risshun or a Usui cocktail, both delicious examples of the art of Japanese whisky.

Yamazaki Risshun – Spring will soon be in the air (4 February)
Time to mix a celebratory seasonal toast

Recipe:
35mlml Yamazaki 12 year old single malt whisky
25ml Ume honey blended with umeshu (Japanese plum liqueur)
Finely shaved ginger
Build in an Old-fashioned glass over ice
Here’s to Spring!

Hakushu Usui – In warmer weather a little rain will fall (19 February)

As winter begins to fade the spirits rise with the help of a Hakushu cocktail

Recipe:
30ml Hakushu 12 year old single malt whisky
6ml Violet cordial
2 sprays rose water
2 sprays orange blossom water

Both cocktails are from a range of 24 seasonal cocktail recipes created by Zoran Peric, Suntory Brand Ambassador, to raise the spirits with spring on the horizon.

Suntory Japanese whiskies are world beaters having won more than 60 international awards since 2003 and whisky lovers have taken to them. There is something about their subtle aromas and delicate flavours which appeals to the palate whether taken neat, over ice or in cocktails.

Yamazaki and Hakushu 12 Year Old Single Malt Whiskies are firm favourites in Japan and here in Europe. Enjoy them and the warm glow that comes with the Yamazaki Risshun and Hakushu Usui cocktails.

Note: Pronouncing Suntory names
Yamazaki – (Ya-ma-zarkee)
Hakushu – (Ha-koo-shoe)
Hibiki – (Hi-bi-kee)

Yamazaki and Hakushu single malt whiskies are available from: Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, The Whisky Exchange, independent specialist retailers and drinkon.com priced from:

Yamazaki 12 year old £42
Hakushu 12 year old £49.95

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

Celebrating Canada’s Best Whiskies

January 19, 2012. Victoria B.C. – Canada’s top whiskies of 2011 were announced today at the annual Canadian Whisky Awards, a gala celebration at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia.
The Canadian Whisky Awards reward the very best tasting Canadian whiskies, and recognize outstanding contributions made by highly successful individual whiskies and producers in generating favourable attention for Canadian whisky. Winners are chosen by a panel of seven judges following extensive blind tastings. Among the judges are some of Canada’s top whisky writers and bloggers.

Whisky makers nominate their very best whiskies creating a strong competitive field. Among these, gold medals were awarded to five entries, and silver medals to another twelve. Eight whiskies were recognized with bronze. Awards of Excellence were also presented. Here are the details:

Kittling Ridge Estate Wines and Spirits took home the award for Canadian Whisky of the Year with their 2011 release, Forty Creek John’s Private Cask No. 1. The whisky also won Connoisseur Whisky of the Year – Domestic earning the overall highest score for whiskies available only in Canada, and Best New Whisky of the Year as the highest scoring new release. Kittling Ridge also won Whisky Value of the Year for the Canadian market with it’s Canada Gold whisky.

Gold medals for Canada’s top whiskies went to several perennial favourites and one surprising newcomer. Gibson’s Finest Rare 18 year old, a scrumptious creamy, long-aged whisky with both elegance and power is a limited production whisky, available in Canada only and a strong favourite of Canadian whisky lovers. Wiser’s Small Batch, a rich, spicy and mouth filling delicacy was highly praised by the jury. Its upscale stable mate, Wiser’s Legacy, a pot-distilled rye just bursting with rye spices also took home gold, as did Forty Creek: John’s Private Cask No. 1.

The pleasant surprise of the evening came when Masterson’s Rye was announced as a gold medalist. Huh? Yes. Masterson’s is a whisky distilled in Calgary Alberta by Alberta Distillers Limited for a Sonoma, California-based purveyor of fine spirits, called 35 Maple Street. Released in the summer of 2012, Masterson’s has quickly gathered strength among American rye whisky lovers. As the highest scoring whisky available in the export market only – it is not yet available in Canada – Masterson’s was voted Connoisseur Whisky of the Year – Export. The company has promised to release Masterson’s in Canada in 2012.

Wiser’s Legacy, available in both Canada and the U.S. got the nod for Connoisseur Whisky of the Year – Multiple Markets. Wiser’s Legacy with its assertive rye flavour profile has quickly become a favourite of connoisseurs.
Awards of Excellence went to Alberta Springs 10 year old as the Sippin’ Whisky of the Year – Canada Only, Canadian Mist Black Diamond as Sippin’ Whisky of the year – Export Only, and Wiser’s Small Batch for Sippin’ Whisky of the Year – Multiple Markets. Canada Gold took Whisky Value of the Year – Canada Only, while Canadian Mist was acknowledged as Whisky Value of the Year – Multiple Markets.

The Awards also recognized Canadian Whisky Innovations. In a hotly contested competition, the judges eventually settled on White Owl Whisky from Alberta’s Highwood Distillers. Introduced in Alberta in 2010, White Owl really took the Canadian cocktail scene by storm the following year, bringing whisky flavour to a whole new demographic and generating new interest in Canadian whisky. White Owl is made by filtering long-aged Canadian rye whisky until it is as clear as vodka, making it an ideal mixer for bartenders wanting to give their fancy cocktails a rye flavour boost.

Canadian Club took home an Award of Excellence for Canadian Whisky Profile. This award recognizes the whisky or producer that in the opinion of the judges has contributed the most to raising the profile of Canadian whisky. Highlighting the role of Canadian Club during Prohibition, the brand supplemented its prominence on the HBO series, Boardwalk Empire, with a strong social media campaign, putting the words “Canadian whisky” (and its flavours) on the tip of many a new tongue.

The Award of Excellence for Line Extension was again, hard fought with Brown-Forman emerging as the victor with its Collingwood whisky. Collingwood was one of the most successful new launches of 2011 bringing the Canadian Mist line to the connoisseur’s whisky shelf. Collingwood’s unique flavours are attributed to leaving the mingled component spirits to rest in a huge “marrying vat,” with staves of toasted maple wood.

The organizers would like to thank the Victoria Whisky Festival for hosting the awards. More information about the Canadian Whisky Awards is available at www.canadianwhisky.org

The medalists:

Gold

Gibson’s Finest Rare 18 year old
Wiser’s Small Batch
Wiser’s Legacy
Forty Creek: John’s Private Cask No. 1
Masterson’s Rye

Silver:
Canadian Club Sherry Cask
Forty Creek Barrel Select
Alberta Springs 10 year old
Royal Canadian Small Batch
Pendleton 1910
Canadian Mist Black Diamond
Forty Creek Confederation Oak
Gibson’s Finest 12 year old
Canadian Club Reserve 10 year old
Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve
Caribou Crossing Single Barrel
Wiser’s 18

Bronze
Pendleton
Gibson’s Finest Sterling
Collingwood
Canada Gold
Centennial Limited Edition
Canadian Mist
Canadian Club Classic 12
White Owl

Notes:

About the Canadian Whisky Awards
The Canadian Whisky Awards are presented annually to recognize the very best Canadian whiskies and to encourage distillers to maintain the highest standards for making whisky. Only whiskies distilled and matured in Canada are eligible to compete. A panel of independent whisky writers, bloggers, and broadcasters selects the winners after tasting each whisky blind. The Awards are fully and fiercely independent of the Canadian whisky industry and operate on a not-for-profit basis.

About the judges

• Chairman of the Judges, Davin de Kergommeaux publishes the Canadian whisky website canadianwhisky.org. His book, Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert will be released in May 2012 by McClelland & Stewart.

• Jason Debly is a Fredericton New Brunswick-based whisky blogger who publishes Jason’s Scotch Whisky Reviews, jason-scotchreviews.blogspot.com “If the whisky tastes good or bad,” he tells us, “you will know, in no uncertain terms.”

• André Girard is co-president of the Quebec City Whisky Club and co-founder of Quebecwhisky.com, an ever growing French-language independent database with tasting notes for nearly 1000 whiskies.

• Mark Gillespie is a professional broadcast journalist in the U.S. and is the host and executive producer of Whisky Cast, the Cask-Strength Conversation, heard weekly at whiskycast.com. Mark is a Malt Maniac and long-time supporter of Canadian whisky.

• Based in Southwestern Ontario, Kris Shoemaker is a whisky fan with a nose for Canadian whisky. While his website, Daily Dramaddicts, dailydramaddicts.blogspot.com, is taking a backseat to impending fatherhood, he continues to comment regularly about Canadian whisky on Twitter.

• Edmonton, Alberta’s Chip Dykstra, aka Arctic Wolf, aka The Rum Howler, collects a wide range of spirits and reviews them on his Rum Howler blog, therumhowlerblog.wordpress.com.

Lawrence Graham is a Malt Maniac, organizer of the always sold-out Victoria Whisky Festival and publishes the highly popular website Whisky Intelligence, www.whiskyintelligence.com

The awards are hosted by, but independent from the Victoria Whisky Festival, www.victoriawhiskyfestival.com

Contact: Davin de Kergommeaux (613) 563-0254
davindek@gmail.com

TheWhiskyBarrel.com Exclusive 21 Year Old Robert Burns Islay Cask

On 25th January Scots and expats and scotch aficionados celebrate the birthday of Scotland’s national poet and Haggis the world over come out of hibernation for their celebratory supper. What better way to join in than by raising a dram!

To mark the occasion www.TheWhiskyBarrel.com as released a special bottling of the Islay favourite Bunnahabhain, matured in a single fresh sherry cask aged 21 years and bottled at natural cask strength.

Limited to 120 bottles now available to order exclusively from The Whisky Barrel online whisky shop.

Bunnahabhain 21 Years Old Burns Malt / Sherry Cask / 54.8%

£49.99 GBP ($77 USD)

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

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