TALISKER WHISKY ATLANTIC CHALLENGE LAUNCHED IN LONDON

The Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, the world’s toughest rowing race, was launched on 9th November when nine of the crews assembled at London’s historic St Katharine Docks and seized the chance to meet their fellow competitors and to apply some Talisker single malt whisky to name their boats.

Julia Immonen cracks a bottle of Talisker over her boat

Some of the crews talked about their aims, captured in this film.

Less than a month now remains before a total of 17 ocean-rowing crews depart from the Spanish port of San Sebastian de la Gomera in the Canary Islands.

They will then row the ‘Columbus Route’ – over 2,549 nautical miles (over 4,600 kilometres) across the mid-Atlantic to Port St Charles in Barbados. Amongst the crews participating in the epic charity fundraising event are Row for Freedom, who are aiming to become the first all-female crew of six to row across the Atlantic.

The challenge will also feature the Row2Recovery crew: a crew of four seriously injured and two able-bodied soldiers, who are raising money to help wounded servicemen and women, and have so far raised over half a million pounds.

Row2Recovery

Competitors are expected to arrive in Barbados from mid-January onwards, taking roughly 50 days to complete the challenge. All will spend Christmas and New Year at sea. Regular updates will be posted on the Talisker Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Talisker

Free Entry to Glengoyne Distillery to Celebrate St. Andrews Day

The Glengoyne team look forward to welcoming guests for a free tour to celebrate St. Andrew’s Day.

What: Free Entry to Glengoyne Distillery to Celebrate St. Andrews Day

Brief description: Glengoyne Distillery is offering free entry to the Glengoyne Tour, including a dram of 10 Years Old Single Malt, to celebrate St. Andrew’s Day.

Date: Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 November 2011

Location: The Glengoyne Distillery, Dumgoyne, Near Killearn, Glasgow, G63 9LB

Cost: Free!

Further information: www.glengoyne.com  Tel: +44 (0)1360 550 254

Dumgoyne, 22 November 2011; On the weekend of 26 and 27 of November Glengoyne will be offering free admission to “Scotland’s most beautiful distillery” to celebrate St. Andrews Day and the launch of Scotland’s Winter Festivals.

Open from 10.00am – 5pm (last tour 4pm) the picturesque distillery is offering free entry to the Glengoyne Tour (normal price £6.75) which lasts one hour and includes a dram of 10 Years Old Highland Single Malt as you watch the brand new visitor information film. The film will give a glimpse into life at the distillery before you are taken to meet the stars on a fun and informative tour of the working distillery, learning the methods of whisky making handed down over the generations.

Stuart Hendry, Brand and Development Manager for Glengoyne commented: “What better way is there to celebrate Scotland’s national day than with Scotland’s national drink. We are always looking for new ways to share distillery life and the passion we have for whisky and hope that by offering free entry for St. Andrew’s Day we will be able to meet a host of potential new Glengoyne fans.”

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

For directions and further information visit www.glengoyne.com or call 01360 550 229

For more information on the range of events for Scotland’s Winter Festivals please visit www.scotland.org/winter  

Glengoyne will also be at the Edenmill Farm Food Festival on 26 & 27 November offering tastings and Christmas gift ideas. For more information see www.edenmill.co.uk/food-festival

Notes:

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.

We’ve just announced our first pre-sale tasting at Mulberry Bank Auctions. We’re a new auction house featuring several whisky auctions a year and as far as I know we’re the first in a long time that will host regular pre-sale tastings. The first tasting features some incredible old bottlings.

10 December 2011 Auction Details

Rare and Collectable Whisky and Wine

This sale will feature a variety of whiskies and wines of all ages and rarity.

The closing date for entries is Wednesday 23rd November.

Viewing will take place on: Thursday 8th December 9am – 7pm and Friday 9th December from 9am

On Friday 9th December between 5pm and 7pm we will be holding a whisky talk and tasting hosted by Angus MacRaild. To book your place please call on 0141 225 8181 or email AngusM@mulberrybankauctions.com It will be on Friday December 9th at 7pm in our Glasgow auction room. 30 places only £30 per ticket. A fairly unique tasting event in Scotland.

Mullberry Bank Auctions

Ballantine’s Unveils Premium Offering for the Gifting Season

Ballantine’s, the No 1 whisky in Europe, is launching a stylish gift pack for its Finest expression, in time for the lucrative festive period. Available in 70cl, 75cl and 1L variations globally, the contemporary design aims to ensure strong shelf stand out for the blended Scotch whisky during the holiday season.

The sleek metal tin has a matt soft touch finish that gives it a contemporary look and feel. Familiar brand cues including the logo, the original George Ballantine & Son seal and the founder’s signature wrap around the tin, with elements of blue and red embossing for additional prominence.

Peter Moore, Brand Director for Ballantine’s, comments “This year’s Ballantine’s Finest gift packaging combines the rich colours that are synonymous with the brand with premium cues and contemporary finishes. The results are set to enhance brand visibility during this key sales period and attract new and existing blended Scotch whisky lovers.”

The limited edition pack will be available in more than 30 markets from October 2011 in 70cl and 75cl variations.

Notes

Ballantine’s
Ballantine’s Finest is a complex blend of single malts and grain whiskies from four renowned whisky regions of Scotland – Islay, Highlands, Speyside and Lowlands. Its elegant signature style is a balance of soft and sweet, due to the key malts of Glenburgie and Miltonduff.

www.chivasbrothers.com 

Cooley Champions of Europe 4 Years in a Row

Cooley Distillery named European Spirits Producer of the Year for an unprecedented 4th Consecutive Year

Cooley Distillery, the multi-award winning Independent Irish whiskey distiller, continues to set the standard for excellence in European distilling, as the company was named European Spirits Producer of the Year for the fourth year in a row at the International Wine and Spirit Competition’s (IWSC) Awards banquet in London last night (Nov16th).

This latest accolade follows Cooley’s 8 gold medal haul at the IWSC in July of this year which brought the company’s total gold medal haul to 135 over the last 10 years. As European Spirits Producer of the Year, Cooley has claimed an unrivalled 37 IWSC gold medals for excellence over the last four years.

The company which has distilleries in Co. Louth and Co. Westmeath beat leading distilleries Brennerei L. Psenner (Germany), Bodegas Williams & Humbert SL (Spain), THS Bache-Gabrielsen (Norway) and Machmyra Svensk Whisky AB (Sweden) to retain its European crown.

Jack Teeling, Managing Director, commented, “To win an accolade such as European Spirits Producer of the Year once is hard enough but to win it four years in a row is unprecedented. Our continued success at International Spirits Competitions mirrors the continued success and strength of the Irish whiskey industry.

An investment of €6.5 million over the last 3 years in new stills, bottling equipment, warehousing and stock has allowed us to continue to innovate and expand our range of quality whiskeys.

This latest success is a testament to the dedication and hard work of all our staff. It is a further ringing endorsement on the International stage of the quality and consistency of the whiskey being produced by Cooley.”

The award was accepted on the night by Noel Sweeney, Master Distiller at the 42nd IWSC Awards ceremony at the Guildhall in London.

To date Cooley has won the European Spirits Producer of the Year title four times (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011), been named World Distiller of the Year by the IWSC (2008) and honoured as 2010 Distillery of the Year by the Malt Advocate, the leading US whisky publication.

List of Gold Medals at the 2011 IWSC
*Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara Peated Single Malt
*Gold Medal & Best in Class, Connemara Turf Mór Peated Single Malt
*Gold Medal & Best in Class, Tyrconnell 10 Year Old Madeira Finish Single Malt
*Gold Medal & Best in Class, Lockes 8 Year Old Single Malt
*Gold Medal, Connemara 18 Year Old Single Cask Peated Single Malt *Gold Medal, Connemara 12 Year Old Peated Single Malt
*Gold Medal, Kilbeggan 18 Year Old Blended Irish whiskey Gold Medal, Greenore 18 Year Old Single Grain Irish whiskey

Notes

About Cooley Distillery
Cooley Distillery is the award winning independent Irish whiskey distillery. Established in 1987, Cooley takes its name from the location of its distillery, situated at the foothills of the Cooley Mountains, in Co. Louth. Cooley has an award winning portfolio of Irish whiskeys including Kilbeggan Irish whiskey, Tyrconnell Single Malt, Connemara Peated Single Malt and Greenore Single Grain Irish whiskey. To learn more about Cooley Distillery visit www.cooleywhiskey.com.

About International Wine and Spirits Competition
The International Wine and Spirit Competition is the premier competition of its kind in the world. Its aim is to promote the quality and excellence of the world’s best wines, spirits and liqueurs. All wines, spirits and liqueurs are blind tasted in groups divided by variety, region and vintage. Awards are made on a points system and sponsored trophies are presented in selected categories. Technical analysis is carried out on Gold, Gold (Best in Class), Silver, Silver (Best in Class) award winning wines, spirits and liqueurs to ensure that all products are technically sound and will be of the same high quality when they reach the consumer as they were when the judging panels originally tasted them. For more information visit: www.iwsc.net.

It’s Samurai Tini time at St James’s Hotel and Club

London November 2011: Guests visiting London’s St James’s Hotel and Club in November can avail themselves of four delightful Japanese whisky based cocktails, including the stunning “Samurai Tini”. Created by bar manager Zdenek Zemen and based on Suntory’s renowned Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky he has christened them – “Lost in Translation”, “Lychee Martini”, “Suntory Time” and “Samurai Tini”.

Zdenek wanted to sample the outstanding Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky for his customers and so is focusing on these four cocktails during November.

Ingredients used by Zdenek will cater for tastes ranging from the aromatic to the slightly bitter to the rich flavours of prunes, cherries and lychees.

“Lost in Translation” is a unique combination of Yamazaki with St Germain and lemon juice.

“Lychee Martini” brings together Yamazaki, lichee liqueur and fresh lychee juice and a dash of Peychad’s.

“Samurai Tini” is a combination of Yamazaki, cherry heering, crème de Figue and a dash of Angostura.

“Suntory Time”mixes Yamazaki with crème de prune and a dash of Angostura and orange bitters over ice.

Cocktail lovers will need to hurry because they are only available at the St James’s during the month of November.

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 is Japan’s leading single malt whisky and has become a firm favourite here in the UK where it is served in top bars and hotels. It won a Gold Medal award at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in March 2011.

Notes

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

Yamazaki 12 year old – £42

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

PROSPERITY FOR THE YEAR AHEAD – GLENMORANGIE OFFERS A UNIQUE CHRISTMAS GIFT

Glenmorangie, Scotland’s favourite single malt whisky, has created a unique luxury Christmas gift to celebrate and reinvigorate the festive tradition of ‘First-Footing’.

‘First-footing’ is practised in households across Scotland and northern England on New Year’s Eve to bring good fortune and prosperity to family and friends for the year ahead.  The ‘First-Foot’ refers to the very first person, traditionally a dark-haired male, to cross the threshold of your home after the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve, or Hogmanay as it is called in Scotland.

Traditional ‘First-footing’ gifts are whisky and a piece of a coal; the coal symbolises the wish for the receiver’s home to be warm and safe for the coming year and the bottle of whisky is for toasting the future.  

‘Lang may yer lum reek’ is the accompanying toast meaning ‘long may your chimney smoke’ to wish prosperity for the coming months.

Glenmorangie is celebrating this tradition by offering a luxurious gift box with symbolic piece of coal alongside Glenmorangie Original, their classic single malt blend – to bring health, wealth and good fortune to malt whisky lovers all over the country for 2012.

Glenmorangie Original is a delicate and deliciously complex single malt.  Matured in ex-bourbon casks for ten years, this classic blend has flavours of honeyed sweetness fused with notes of citrus, vanilla and almonds. 

Each piece of Glenmorangie ‘First Footing’ coal has been sourced from Ayrshire, the birthplace of the Scotsmen, Robert Burns and Robert the Bruce, as well as home of the British Open Golf Championship.

Glenmorangie Original and the ‘First-Footing’ Scottish Coal luxury gift box, £31.49
Available at the Whisky Exchange at Vinopolis, Selfridges London, Vintage House and Fortnum & Mason.

www.glenmorangie.com

Notes

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. It also owns The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

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

Ballantine’s Continues to Impress Whisky Expert Jim Murray

Ballantine’s Finest, the No 1 whisky in Europe, has been named Best Scotch Blend of the Year (standard no age statement), for the fourth consecutive year, by leading whisky connoisseur Jim Murray, in the 9th edition of his Whisky Bible.

Murray has tasted just under 1,500 new whiskies to complete the 2012 edition of the much-celebrated Whisky Bible. Ballantine’s Finest received its accolade after achieving an impressive 96 of a possible 100 points. The world-renowned whisky expert describes Ballantine’s Finest “as a major work of art”. He also pays tribute to Ballantine’s Master Blender, Sandy Hyslop, commenting, “take a mouthful of this and experience the work of a blender very much at the top of his game”. *

Peter Moore, Ballantine’s Global Brand Director, comments: “It is an honour to receive an accolade like this from one of the world’s most respected whisky writers. Not only is this a testament to the expertise of our Master Blender, but it also further enhances the reputation of the Ballantine’s portfolio as an unrivalled range of high-quality blended Scotch whiskies.”

With almost two decades of experience in the whisky industry and as author of many best-selling books on the subject, Murray is widely regarded as the world’s leading whisky commentator. His unwavering dedication to the spirit is aptly demonstrated in his Whisky Bible each year, with his vast knowledge and passionate writing style. His latest issue, features an encyclopedia of tasting notes on more than 4,500 of the world’s whiskies, from leading to lesser known brands.

Notes:

*Jim Murray

Ballantine’s
Ballantine’s Finest is a complex blend of single malts and grain whiskies from four renowned whisky regions of Scotland – Islay, Highlands, Speyside and Lowlands. Its elegant signature style is a balance of soft and sweet, due to the key malts of Glenburgie and Miltonduff.

www.chivasbrothers.com

Award-Winning Laphroaig® Single Malt Scotch Whisky Introduces New Triple Wood to U.S. Market

Laphroaig Triple Wood Offers Three Times the Complexity for Scotch Enthusiasts

Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky is pleased to introduce its latest award-winning expression, Laphroaig Triple Wood, just in time for the holidays. Garnering its name from a distinct triple maturation process, only 13,500 bottles of Laphroaig Triple Wood (48% ABV; 96 proof) will be available in the U.S. market in 2011, making it the perfect holiday gift for those who appreciate the finer things in life.

The newly available expression has enjoyed time in American Oak ex-bourbon barrels, 19th Century style quarter casks and European Oak Oloroso sherry casks, revealing a rich blend of subtle sherry sweetness and hints of sea salt. The spirit’s gentle suggestion of vanilla and smooth nutty flavor is complemented by Laphroaig’s signature peat smoke and a slight tang from time spent in rich White Oak casks – bold characteristics that earned Laphroaig Triple Wood a Best in Class Gold Medal honor at the 2011 International Wine & Spirit Competition.

“Laphroaig Triple Wood is one of the most complex expressions we have ever bottled, and we are delighted to begin offering it to our U.S. consumers,” said Laphroaig Distillery Manager John Campbell. “Triple Wood will satisfy palates with unique notes that are fresh, yet remain true to the Laphroaig heritage and standards of Scotch whisky.”

To build on the excitement of Laphroaig Triple Wood’s arrival, the brand is answering consumer demand by launching an integrated iPhone® app that allows whisky enthusiasts and scotch newcomers alike to easily locate venues nearest them that offer expressions from Laphroaig’s celebrated portfolio. To access the new Laphroaig Bar Finder iPhone app, visit http://itunes.apple.com.

Laphroaig Triple Wood is currently available at participating retail locations beginning in September 2011. Suggested retail price is $60.00 for a 750ml bottle.

ALDI LAUNCHES LIMITED EDITION 40 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT WHISKY FOR UNDER £50

Whisky lovers will be queuing overnight to get their hands on Aldi’s luxury, limited edition, 40 year old Speyside Single Malt Whisky, on sale this Thursday (8th December) for the unbelievable price of £49.99.

The first supermarket ever to sell an own-label spirit 40 years old, discounter Aldi will be releasing 3,000 bottles of the whisky throughout its 450 UK stores as a special Christmas present to loyal shoppers. The coveted whisky is predicted to sell out within hours and could even appear for sale on eBay as hard-up Brits look to capitalise on the amazing deal.

Aldi’s Spirits Buyer said: “Whisky of this quality and age would usually sell for around £300 plus.  Aldi is giving customers the chance to get hold of a very high quality luxury product for a very low price.”

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

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

Glenbridge 40 Year Old Single Malt Whisky – £49.99, 70cl, 40% ABV On sale from 8th December 2011, available as long as stock lasts.