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.

OLD PULTENEY 21 YEAR OLD TAKES 2012 WORLD WHISKY CROWN

The most northerly distillery on mainland Britain and one of the most remote in all Scotland has won the coveted title of World Whisky of the Year in the 2012 edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

The Pulteney distillery in Wick, Caithness, scored a record-equaling 97.5 points out of 100 for its 21-year-old Old Pulteney single malt. It is only the third time that a single malt has ever won the prestigious award, and just the second Scottish distillery to do so.

This year Jim Murray tasted over 1,200 new whiskies plus many more re-tastes for the latest edition of his best-selling annual whisky guide.

Pulteney distillery, which dates back to 1826, is located in the heart of Wick and is much prized as a blending whisky. It is still relatively unknown as a single malt.

But Mr Murray, who has long admired the Highland malt, hopes that will now change – though he is the first to admit that even he was surprised when he encountered the 21-year-old.

He said: “I was on the home straight after four months of continuous tasting. By that time I was pretty sure I knew what the winner was going to be. With what I still had to taste it needed something exceptional to knock the leader off its perch. But that’s exactly what happened. To be honest, I was amazed. I knew the Old Pulteney 17-year-old was likely to be exceptional, and it was. However, I had never come across a Pulteney 21-year-old like it. Talk about coming out of leftfield….

“I first went to Pulteney nearly 25 years ago and I have never known them to produce anything other than top rate malt. Owned by a relatively small company, without the financial muscle of the major whisky barons to market their malts on the global stage, I hope that this award helps Pulteney to become better known around the world; that is the whole point of my Whisky Bible, after all”.

Second and third Whiskies of the World went to went to US bourbons George T. Stagg and Parker’s Heritage collection Wheated Mash Bill Bourbon Aged 10 years, respectively.

In picking up the second placed title with its bourbon brand, George T. Stagg, Buffalo Trace distillers continues to outperform all other competitors in the World Whisky Awards, which were first presented in1994.  Since this date, Buffalo Trace has won no fewer than seven top awards including three World Whisky of the Year titles and this year’s runner up place for its George T. Stagg bourbon.  “Buffalo Trace continues to be one of the greatest distilleries in the world today”, continues Mr Murray.  “Their ability, drive, and passion to produce whiskies of the highest quality year in, year out, without exception is truly and unreservedly astonishing’.

Jim Murray’s Tasting Note:

Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old:  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!

Jim Murray’s  Whisky Bible 2012  – World Whisky Awards

Overall Winners

2012 World Whisky of the Year – Old Pulteney 21 Years old
Second Finest Whisky in the World – George T. Stagg
Third Finest World Whisky in the World – Parker’s Heritage Collection Wheated Mash Bill Bourbon Aged 10 Years

SCOTCH

Scotch Whisky of the Year Old – Pulteney 21 Years Old
Single Malt of the Year (Multiple Casks)-  Old Pulteney 21 Years Old
Single Malt of the Year (Single Cask) – Scott’s Selection Highland Park 1981
Best Scotch New Brand – Clan Gold Blended
Scotch Blend of the Year – Ballantine’s 17 Years Old
Scotch Grain of the Year – Clan Deny Cambus 47 Years Old
Scotch Vatted Malt of the Year – Johnnie Walker Green Label 15 Years Old

Single Malt Scotch

No Age Statement (Multiple Casks) – Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX
No Age Statement (Runner Up) – Laphroaig Quarter Cask
10 Years & Under (Multiple Casks) – Ardbeg 10 Years Old
10 Years & Under (Single Cask) – SMWS 126.2 Aged 10 Years (Hazelburn)
11-15 Years (Multiple Casks) – The Macallan Fine Oak 12 Years Old
11-15 Years (Single Cask) Berry’s Own Selection Clynelish 1997
16-21 Years (Multiple Casks) – Old Pulteney 21 Years Old
16-21 Years (Single Cask)  – The GlenDronach Single Cask 1992
22-27 Years (Multiple Casks) – Highland Park Aged 25 Years
22-27 Years (Single Cask)  – Malts of Scotland Port Ellen 1983
28-34 Years (Multiple Casks) – Benromach Years Old 30
28-34 Years (Single Cask)  – Scott’s Selection Highland Park 1981
35-40 Years (Multiple Casks) – Balvenie Aged 40 Years Batch 2
35-40 Years (Single Cask) – Peerless Glen Grant 40 Years Old
41 Years & Over (Multiple Casks) – Highland Park 50 Years Old
41 Years & Over (Single Cask) – Gordon and MacPhail Glenlivet 1954

Blended Scotch

No Age Statement (Standard)-  Ballantine’s Finest
No Age Statement (Premium) – Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute
5-12 Years Johnnie Walker – Black Label 12 Years Old
13-18 Years – Ballantine’s 17 Years Old
19 – 25 Years – William Grant’s 25 Years Old
26 – 50 Years – The Last Drop 50 Years Old

IRISH WHISKEY

Irish Whiskey of the Year – Powers John’s Lane Release Aged 12 Years
Irish Single Malt of the Year  – Sainsbury’s Dún Léire Aged 8 Years
Irish Blend of the Year – Jameson Rarest 2007 Vintage Reserve

AMERICAN WHISKEY

Bourbon of the Year – George T. Stagg (143 proof)
Rye of the Year – Thomas H. Handy Sazerac (126.9 proof) Bourbon
No Age Statement (Multiple Barrels) – George T. Stagg (143 proof)
No Age Statement (Single Barrel) – Four Roses Single Barrel
9 Years & Under – Virgin Bourbon 7 Years Old (101 Proof)
10-17 Years – Parker’s Heritage Collection Wheated Mash Bill Aged 10 Years (124.2 proof)
18 Years & Over (Single Barrel)  – Elijah Craig 18 Years Old Single Barrel
18 Years & Over (Multiple Barrel) – Evan Williams 23 Year Old

Rye

No Age Statement – Thomas Handy Sazarac (126.9 proof)
11 Years & Over – High West Rocky Mountain 21 Year Old

CANADIAN WHISKY

Canadian Whisky of the Year Crown – Royal Special Reserve
Japanese Whisky of the Year – Hibiki Aged 21 Years

EUROPEAN WHISKY

European Whisky of the Year (Multiple) – Mackmyra Moment “Urberg”
European Whisky of the Year (Single) – Penderyn Bourbon Matured Single Cask

WORLD WHISKIES

Indian Whisky of the Year – Amrut Two Continents 2nd Edition
New World Whisky of the Year – Kavalan Solist Fino Single Cask

Jim Murray Liquid Gold Awards

Created to recognise whisky-making excellence around the world some 231 new whiskies, scoring 94 points or more, have been awarded Liquid Gold Awards in the 2012 Whisky Bible. 

Representing just 5.1 % of all the whiskies tasted for the 2012 edition they are, says Mr. Murray “the elite; the very finest you can find on whisky shelves around the world. Rare and precious they are liquid gold”.

A full account of the 2012 World Whisky Awards can be found in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2012 published today (24 October 2011).  And with over 4,500 tasting notes, including 1,200 of the very latest releases, the ‘Whisky Bible’ remains the definitive and most up to date guide available.

Published by Dram Good Books priced at £12.99 ($19.99), the ‘2012 Whisky Bible’ is available through good book shops.  Signed copies by the author can be purchased from www.whiskybible.com.

GLEN GARIOCH UNVEILS 25 YEAR OLD VINTAGE RELEASE

1986 special edition released just in time for Christmas

Twenty five years of patience have been rewarded with the release of Glen Garioch’s latest small batch vintage expression, the Glen Garioch 1986.

The limited edition is the fifth special addition to the Glen Garioch single malt range and is perfect for enjoying by the fire this winter.

Just 250 8.4L cases in total are being released for the UK, France, Netherlands, US and Canadian markets making it one of the most exclusive vintage releases yet by Scotland’s most easterly distillery.

Retailing at £125 from selected specialist retailers, it’s a special dram that will be an excellent addition to any collector’s range.

John Mullen, Glen Garioch brand manager, said: “This is the fifth addition to our vintage range but it is one of the most exclusive to-date.

“Our small batch casks are handpicked at the peak of their perfection and are selected to display the quality of liquid produced by our artisan Highland distillery. The 1986 adds new flavour and depth to our limited edition range.

“The light touch of old Glen Garioch smokiness coupled with a blend of cream, coconut and a little pepper make this a stand out dram. With a cask strength 54.6% ABV and non-chill filtration, it’s firmly aimed at connoisseurs.”

The 1986 is a real hardy and distinctive Glen Garioch. The smooth velvet creaminess married turns to woodspice with a pungent peat smoke and a medley of sweet juicy pears and ripe bananas on the palate.

The end result is a wave of flavour, with hints of spice, juicy fruits and a traditional old style Glen Garioch smokiness. A robust, yet refined Highland treat.

Glen Garioch only began releasing small batch limited editions last year. The 1986 now stands proudly in the range alongside the 1978, 1990, 1991 and the 1994. Vintages are only selected when it is felt they have reached the peak of their perfection.

At 54.6% ABV, Glen Garioch 1986 is available from specialist wine and spirit merchants, retailing circa £125. It is distributed by Cellar Trends in the UK.

Notes

• Glen Garioch can be enjoyed with Criffel cheese – voted the Best Scottish Cheese at the Cheese Awards in 2011. The organic semi-soft cheese has a creamy richness that enhances the smooth velvet like creaminess of the Glen Garioch 1986. The smooth texture and tangy floral taste matches with the fragrant Highland dram.
• Glen Garioch, pronounced Glen Geery, founded in 1797 is one of the oldest remaining distilleries in Scotland
• The distillery lies on rising ground at the picturesque town of Oldmeldrum, just 17 miles north-west of Aberdeen
• Glen Garioch was relaunched in October 2010 with a core range of two single malt whiskies – the Glen Garioch 1797 Founder’s Reserve, a non chill-filtered single malt bottled at 48% ABV and the Glen Garioch 12 Year Old, non chill-filtered single malt bottled at 48% ABV after maturing in bourbon and sherry casks.
• Glen Garioch is owned by the Morrison Bowmore Distillers Limited who also produce Bowmore and Auchentoshan
• Glen Garioch is distributed by Cellar Trends in the UK, tel: 01283 217 703.

SUPPORT OPERATION HOMEFRONT WITH HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERIES

Bourbon Heritage Center to Donate $1 From Every Visitor to Charity

BARDSTOWN, KY—Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc., the nation’s largest independent family-owned and operated distilled spirits producer and marketer, announces a special Holiday fundraiser benefiting Operation Homefront at the company’s acclaimed visitor’s center, The Bourbon Heritage Center. The Bourbon Heritage Center sits on the grounds of Heaven Hill in the middle of Bardstown, the “Bourbon Capital of the World®,” and was awarded the worldwide “Visitor Attraction of the Year” title during Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whiskey presentation in 2009.

The Bourbon Heritage Center will be collecting $1 from all visitors from October 1 through December 25 and will be donating 100% of the proceeds to Operation Homefront. Guests will feel the patriotism with the large red, white and blue decorated Christmas tree and holiday decor that line the Center.

“We are so happy to be able to support Operation Homefront,” said Lynne Grant, Director of Guest Services at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center. “Many of our employees and neighbors in Bardstown and Nelson County have family in the military which makes it even more gratifying to contribute to this cause.”

The Bourbon Heritage Center welcomed more than 64,000 visitors last year, making it one of the most visited attractions on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®. It offers guests interactive exhibits, an orientation film, a large retail store featuring branded and bourbon themed apparel and foods, and a state-of-the-art tasting room.

Bardstown-based Heaven Hill Distilleries, the world’s second largest holder of aging American Whiskey, produces such critically acclaimed brands as Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Bourbon, Elijah Craig Bourbon, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky, Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey, and the Parker’s Heritage Collection of American Whiskeys, all crafted under the watchful eyes of sixth and seventh generation Master Distillers Parker and Craig Beam.

About Operation Homefront:
Operation Homefront provides emergency and other assistance to the families of service members and wounded warriors. As a leading national charity supporting families of service members and wounded warriors, Operation Homefront has grown from a small local charity to a strong national organization with chapters across the country. Since its inception in 2002, it has met more than 400,000 needs of military families and provided more than $128 million dollars of funding to programs benefitting military families. Moreover, it has served more than 4,200 wounded warriors and their families.

About the Bourbon Heritage Center:
* A series of interactive and educational exhibits that demonstrate the Bourbon-making process and Bourbon history, including information on Evan Williams, Kentucky’s first distiller, Elijah Craig – “the father of Bourbon” – and other Bourbon pioneers whose names are immortalized in some of Heaven Hill’s most famous Bourbon brands.

* The Evan Williams Theater shows “A Portrait of Heaven Hill,” a short informative film on the history of Bourbon, the Bourbon-making process, and Heaven Hill Distilleries. The theater, located at one end of the Center, accommodates 75 in traditional theater-style seating.

* A highlight of the Center is the one-of-a-kind barrel-shaped “Parker Beam Tasting Room,” which seats 22. The dramatic space gives legal age visitors a unique environment in which guided samplings of the company’s world-renowned whiskeys are conducted.

* Eye-catching display items such as old advertisements, photographs, and even a sample of the very first “white dog” (new, unaged Bourbon) that was distilled at Heaven Hill in 1934. Interactive exhibits include informative distillery models and a high-tech “smelling station,” where visitors can nose authentic bourbon at various ages.

* One wall re-creating a rickhouse, complete with various Heaven Hill Bourbon – branded barrels stacked up to the ceiling. The company’s replica milestone barrel heads, beginning with the first barrel filled, are also on display on this wall.

* The center’s gift shop features Kentucky crafts, branded merchandise, bourbon-themed foods and gifts, and a special bottling of Evan Williams Master Distillers’ Select Bourbon available for purchase and customized personalization.

Guests can visit the Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center at 1311 Gilkey Run Road in Bardstown, KY. For more information call 502-337-1000 or visit www.bourbonheritagecenter.com .

Founded in 1934, Bardstown, KY-based Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams Bourbon; Burnett’s Vodkas and Gin; HPNOTIQ and HPNOTIQ Harmonie Liqueurs; Admiral Nelson’s and Blackheart Rums; The Christian Brothers Brandies; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Lunazul Tequila and Rittenhouse Rye Whisky.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely. Drink Wisely.”