Glengoyne, in partnership with whisky social networking site www.connosr.com, is hosting a special member tasting event at Glengoyne Distillery on Friday 1st April 2011.

The event is free to Connosr members and includes a VIP tour of the distillery followed by a tutored tasting (with light bites) of the core Glengoyne range plus two VERY special, once in a lifetime, whiskies.

In addition to all of this, there will be a special discount in the Glengoyne shop for the evening.

Connosr will also be bringing their WhiskyPod whisky video review booth so that guests can record their thoughts about the whiskies.

For more information and to register for the event visit www.connosr.com/invites/vip-glengoyne-tasting/

Notes:

Award-winning Glengoyne is one of the leading premium malt whiskies in the world and has been distilled at Glengoyne distillery since 1833. The Glengoyne portfolio consists of the 10 Years Old, 12 Years Old Cask Strength, 12 Years Old at 43%, 17 Years Old , 21 Years Old and Vintage 1972 as well as other limited edition special bottlings. 

Following a recent 25% increase in case sales Glengoyne recently announced a new long-term marketing initiative based on the concept “SLOW”, and is to invest upwards of £1m in the campaign drive over the next two years.

The campaign is centred on Glengoyne’s distillation speed, which is SLOWER than any other Scotch Whisky. Glengoyne attributes its high quality, smooth tasting malt to its slow distillation, which is about one third the normal rate.
 
SLOWLY distilling the spirit allows more contact with the copper stills, removing unwanted sulphur which can result in bitterness and encouraging the formation of esters creating Glengoyne’s distinctive apple fruitiness. The increased copper interaction also helps draw more flavour from the slowly handcrafted Spanish Sherry oak casks during maturation.

DirectRooms.com – Scottish festival presents the finest whiskies from Speyside

DirectRooms.com announces that people with an appreciation for fine whisky should head to Speyside in late April to take part in the region’s annual festival that offers six days of whisky filled activities.

For over ten years The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has been educating visitors in the art of whisky drinking and explaining the complex processes that go into developing the best quality drams. In depth tours of local distilleries will take place each day and there’ll be plenty of drinks to sample along the way to make sure visitors are not left feeling thirsty.

The festival looks to educate people into the finer points of what to expect from different malts and as well as the liquor, events will also offer dinners and tasting courses where visitors can sample local foods such as freshly caught Scottish salmon. Live music and dance is set to feature on many of the nightly entertainment evenings where there’s sure to be a few renditions on the bagpipes and songs from local bands.

People using Aberdeen hotels can also sign up for classes in woodcarving, whisky and chocolate tasting as well as arts and crafts exhibitions. The festival takes place from 28th April to 2nd May 2011 and activities run on each day and most evenings.

Lek Boonlert, marketing head at DirectRooms.com commented: “The festival is well known and attracts many whisky enthusiasts even those from overseas.
Hotels in the area will be close to full occupancy so prebookings are highly advised for anyone attending.”

About DirectRooms

DirectRooms is an independent discount hotel reservations company based in Asia. Established and online since 2000 with over 55,000 hotels worldwide.

For further information please contact Lek Boonlert:

Email: lek@directrooms.com
Tel: + 66 (0)76 241 145

Amrut Distilleries takes World title at Icons of Whisky

AMRUT DISTILLERIES’ success on the global stage continues. It was named a Distiller of the Year in the Icons of Whisky 2011 on 3 March in London. Amrut was crowned in the Rest of the World category by the independent judges of the prestigious awards, which are organised by Whisky Magazine. The award was made to Amrut “for raising the profile of Indian whisky across the globe and its innovations in the production process”. The Rest of the World title meant the Bangalore distillery was also one of the four contenders for the Icons of Whisky Distiller of the Year title.

The Icons are designed to celebrate the people and places behind the great whiskies of the world. Chairman of the judges, Whisky Mag editor, Rob Allanson, added: “This year, in some cases we have seen smaller companies punching well above their weight to top their bigger rivals in the polls. The results also reflect the global nature of the whisky world.”

Amrut’s International Sales Manager, Ashok Chokalingam, was presented the award at a glittering dinner at the Waldorf Hotel in London. “This is an honour indeed. Amrut Distilleries has achieved a great deal in terms in the past few years and it is really satisfying to be recognised on the world stage. We hope we will continue to delight whisky drinkers the world over with our malts. We also hope we will continue to excite malt drinkers with our innovative approach to distilling and maturation.”

This latest recognition for Amrut Distilleries comes hard on the heels of Amrut Fusion being named World Whisky of the Year at the Malt Advocate Whisky Awards in February 2011. In a new category created to recognise “the wonderful whiskies” being produced in countries like Japan, India, Sweden, England, outside the major distilling nations, John Hansell, editor of Malt Advocate magazine, explained the choice of winner. “India’s Amrut distillery changed the way many think of Indian whisky. … Amrut is making whisky, and it’s very good.”

Hansell continued: “Amrut finally began exporting their whisky to the US in 2010. We’ve tasted our way through the various expressions (peated, sherried, cask strength, etc.) and we enjoyed them all, but the one that really impressed us was Amrut Fusion. Fusion shows balance, complexity, and surprising maturity for its age – these are the defining characteristics for what is the best Indian whisky we have ever tasted. Combining Indian malt and peated Scottish malt, this whisky shows a sweet side, but is never cloying, with rich caramel, vanilla custard, and fruit cocktail in light syrup, balanced by vibrant – almost floral – dried peat smoke, delicate white pepper, and a hint of tropical fruit. We look forward to more great whiskies from Amrut.”

Amrut Fusion has been won many fans across the world and was named third best whisky of the year in the 2010 edition of Jim Murray’s The Whisky Bible. Fusion and Amrut’s other innovative malts like Intermediate Sherry Matured and Kadhambam have won many other awards, including several from the Malt Maniacs.

Amrut Distilleries Ltd, The Grainger Suite, Dobson House, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE3 3PF, UK. Tel + 44 (0) 7838 229914 or + 44 (0) 191 233 6316. Email ashok@amrutdistilleries.com

JAPANESE whisky – and specifically that made by SUNTORY – was the big winner in this year’s World Whisky Awards organised by Whisky Magazine. The two major categories, Best Single Malt in the World and Best Blend in the World were both won by the Japanese whisky maker with Yamazaki 1984 and Hibiki 21yo respectively, the first time in the history of the competition that a single distiller has taken both of the top prizes.

A team of international judges of writers, retailers, distillers and blenders from UK, US, Canada, France, Germany and Japan tasted whiskies ‘blind’ over two rounds to first discern sub-category, then category winners.

Yamazaki 1984, for example, first had to triumph in its age category within Japanese single malts and then against all other Japanese single malt sub-category winners to become the best Japanese single malt winner.

In the final round, it was pitched against all the other single malt sub-category winners: Springbank 12yo, Auchentoshan 1998, Glenmorangie Signet, Glenfarclas 40yo, Bowmore Tempest, Highland Park 25yo, Redbreast 15yo, Bushmills 16yo and Kavalan Solist.

“Undoubtedly this was the highest quality final round we have seen yet in the WWA,” said Dave Broom, chairman of the judges. “All the whiskies there were superb examples of their region and style and to take the top prize was a major achievement. For one distiller to take both prizes is a phenomenal achievement and shows the world the quality which exists within Japanese whisky. This achievement will send a clear message around the world – Japanese whisky is a force to be reckoned with.”

In the blended malt category, Glenmorangie’s James Martin’s 30yo beat the incumbent champion Takesturu 21yo, while the best overall North American whisky was Parker’s Heritage. The top Canadian was Wiser’s Legacy and Greenore 15yo retained its title as the World’s Best grain.

Exclusive, 70 Year Old Malt and the ‘Lifetime’ of one of Scotland’s Most Iconic Whiskies Revealed

‘Sequel’ to world’s oldest whisky unveiled

From today, whisky lovers will get the chance to own the ‘lifetime’ of one of Scotland’s most iconic whiskies, with the jewel in the crown being a £13,000 bottle of 70 year old Scotch.

Family-owned whisky specialist, Gordon & MacPhail, will unveil one cask of The Glenlivet 70 Years Old, one of the world’s oldest whiskies, at a ceremony in Edinburgh Castle. Described as a “stupendous”, “smooth” and “voluptuous” single malt, and released under G&M’s Generations label, only 100 full-size bottles of this exclusive whisky will be available to buy in 2011.

To make these exclusive purchase extra-special, enthusiasts will also be able to buy a limited edition set, the “Private Collection: Glenlivet Decades.” This set contains a bottle from every decade from the 1950s to 1990s – giving collectors the rare opportunity to own the ‘liquid lifetime’ of the malt.

Founded in 1895, Gordon & MacPhail is known the world over as the custodian of some of the oldest and rarest single malts available. Members of the third and fourth generations of the Urquhart family now own and manage the business.

David and Michael Urquhart, Joint Managing Directors of Gordon & MacPhail, said:

“Following on from the phenomenal success last year of Mortlach 70 Years Old, we decided to release this ‘sister’ Generations cask as there is clearly an enormous demand for greatly aged Scotch Malt Whiskies.

“This cask of The Glenlivet was laid down on 3rd February 1940, on the instruction of our grand-father, John Urquhart. Since then, successive generations of the Urquhart family have been waiting for today – the day it would be ready to share with fellow whisky lovers.

“Throughout the 115 years since we were founded, we have made it our business to nurture and mature some of the finest whiskies Scotland has to offer. The ‘Glenlivet Decades’ collection revisits this special malt throughout the years, allowing whisky enthusiasts to get a real sense of how the cask and the maturation process change the character of a whisky.

“Altogether, these six whiskies represent the ‘liquid lifetime’ of The Glenlivet, and six decades of experience, dedication and passion on the part of our family. We’re confident that this investment has resulted in a suite of whiskies of unparalleled quality: a realcollector’s piece.”

The whiskies will be revealed to an audience of invited guests at a 1940s-themed ceremony at the historic location of Edinburgh Castle.

Well-known whisky connoisseur Charles Maclean described the launch:

“Made at the height of the Battle of Britain, The Glenlivet 1940 opens a door into a different time, another country. To smell and taste this exquisite whisky is to experience the past in a unique way – layer upon layer of flavour, profound and evocative. Its companions from the succeeding five decades provide an unrepeatable opportunity to explore subtle differences in the flavour of this Prince of Whiskies over half a century – as well as being a Blue Chip investment!”.

Each bottle will be beautifully presented in a tear-shaped hand-blown crystal decanter with an elegant British Hallmarked silver stopper. The decanter nestles in a sterling silver base and is framed in a handmade box, crafted in Scotland using Scottish Elm.

The Glenlivet 70 Years Old was matured in a First Fill Sherry Butt, and bottled at cask strength (45.9% ABV). Only 100 70cl bottles and 175 20cl bottles will be released in 2011. The 70cl decanter has a recommended retail price in the UK of £13,000 and the 20cl version has a recommended retail price in the UK of £3,200. It is the second in a series of extremely rare malt whiskies to be released by Gordon & MacPhail under its ‘Generations’ brand.

Fifty limited edition collector’s packs are also available, containing all five Private Collection whiskies, priced at £2,850 per pack. The packs contain one bottle of each of the following whiskies: Glenlivet 1954 50.6%; Glenlivet 1963 40.6%; Glenlivet 1974 50.1%; Glenlivet 1980 48.5%; and Glenlivet 1991 54.4%.

The Private Collection: Glenlivet Decades bottlings are also available individually, with recommended retail prices in the UK ranging from £95 to £1,250.

Prices may vary in different countries due to different excise and sales taxes and currency fluctuations.

For more information visit www.gordonandmacphail.com.

Notes:

About Gordon & MacPhail

GORDON & MACPHAIL GENERATIONS GLENLIVET 1940 – 70 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

100 x 70cl and 175 x 20cl decanters available for sale in selected markets worldwide. Recommended retail price in the UK is £13,000 for 70cl decanter and £3,200 for 20cl decanter. Pricing in international markets may differ due to exchange rates and local taxes.

TASTING NOTES

Appearance: Deep amber, with tawny lights.

Aroma: A mild nose-feel. The first aroma is of an old cocktail cabinet, with Sherry notes predominating: polished wood, soft leather and a trace of candlewax. Behind this are fruity notes, lightly baked apples (even Tarte Tatin), but also fresh orange juice, and just a thread of smoke or ash in the distance. Adding a drop of water suppresses the fruity notes and slightly enhances the sweetness (now tablet) and smokiness.

Taste: A waxy, teeth-coating, mouthfeel; smooth and voluptuous. The taste is sweetish to start, then savoury, with a trace of salt – might this be a rare example of ‘umami’ in whisky, the elusive fifth primary taste? The finish is long, with a faint smokiness in the aftertaste. Drinks well at natural strength. With a drop of water the flavours remain intact.

About others:

Gordon & MacPhail used a number of Scottish companies in the creation of Gordon & MacPhail Generations Glenlivet 70 Years Old. Details of which follow below:

Navyblue design (www.navyblue.com) – original design
Glencairn Crystal (www.glencairn.co.uk) – decanter supply
Scottish Silver (www.scottishsilver.com) – silverware
Samson’s Joinery, a member of the Scottish Furniture Makers Association (www.samsonsjoinery.co.uk) – Scottish Elm box
Blue Box Design Ltd & Dewar Brothers Ltd – transit packaging
Gavin Watson & Reid Printers (www.gavinwatson.co.uk) – certificates and seals

To make these exclusive purchase extra-special, enthusiasts will also be able to buy a limited edition set, the “Private Collection: Glenlivet Decades.”  This set contains a bottle from every decade from the 1950s to 1990s – giving collectors the rare opportunity to own the ‘liquid lifetime’ of the malt.

Founded in 1895, Gordon & MacPhail is known the world over as the custodian of some of the oldest and rarest single malts available. Members of the third and fourth generations of the Urquhart family now own and manage the business.

David and Michael Urquhart, Joint Managing Directors of Gordon & MacPhail, said: “Following on from the phenomenal success last year of Mortlach 70 Years Old, we decided to release this ‘sister’ Generations cask as there is clearly an enormous demand for greatly aged Scotch Malt Whiskies.

“This cask of The Glenlivet was laid down on 3rd February 1940, on the instruction of our grand-father, John Urquhart. Since then, successive generations of the Urquhart family have been waiting for today – the day it would be ready to share with fellow whisky lovers.

“Throughout the 115 years since we were founded, we have made it our business to nurture and mature some of the finest whiskies Scotland has to offer. The ‘Glenlivet Decades’collection revisits this special malt throughout the years, allowing whisky enthusiasts to get a real sense of how the cask and the maturation process change the character of a whisky.

“Altogether, these six whiskies represent the ‘liquid lifetime’ of The Glenlivet, and six decades of experience, dedication and passion on the part of our family. We’re confident that this investment has resulted in a suite of whiskies of unparalleled quality: a real collector’s piece.”

The whiskies will be revealed to an audience of invited guests at a 1940s-themed ceremony at the historic location of Edinburgh Castle.

GLENLIVET DECADES 5 BOTTLE PACK

50 Private Collection: Glenlivet Decades packs are available, priced at £2,850 per pack.

They contain one bottle of each of the following whiskies: Glenlivet 1954 50.6%; Glenlivet 1963 40.6%; Glenlivet 1974 50.1%; Glenlivet 1980 48.5%; and Glenlivet 1991 54.4%.

Limited quantities of these vintages are sold as single bottles. Tasting notes for each of these vintages follows below.

GORDON & MACPHAIL PRIVATE COLLECTION GLENLIVET 1954 50.6%

135 x 70cl bottles available for sale in selected markets worldwide. Recommended retail in the UK is £1,250 per bottle.

Appearance: Deep amber, with rose lights.

Aroma: Very mild nosefeel; with an increasingly drying effect. Immediately, a profoundly fruity nose – juicy to start, then raisins and currants macerated in liquor; dry dates and figs; a trace of glace orange peel. A shake of fine hard-wood sawdust. Add only a spot of water to open it: now the aroma becomes sweeter, with an initial trace of fondant, then more vinous (old Madeira?), with a hint of pencil-boxes.

Taste: Sweet, then drying, with considerable spice in between and a long dusty finish, leaving a venerable ‘old wine’ aftertaste. A drop of water reduces all these characteristics slightly but leaves them intact.

GORDON & MACPHAIL PRIVATE COLLECTION 1963 40.6%

169 x 70cl bottles available for sale in selected markets worldwide. Recommended retail in the UK is £750 per bottle. Pricing in international markets may differ due to exchange rates and local taxes.

Appearance: Pale amber.

Aroma: The low strength means a very mild nosefeel and a low aromatic intensity. The first nose was lightly fruity (fresh peaches in mixed fruit salad, becoming more acidic after a while – Kiwi fruits?), with a slight eucalyptus-leaf medicinal note, combined with a faint smokiness. Fresh and interesting.

Taste: Sweet and smooth, even slightly oily. A predominantly sweet taste, but with a slight citric tingle and a lengthy, warming finish. Liqueur chocolates in mid-palate and peach cream, soft-centre chocolates in the aftertaste.

GORDON & MACPHAIL PRIVATE COLLECTION GLENLIVET 1974 50.1%

189 x 70cl bottles available for sale in selected markets worldwide. Recommended retail in the UK is £500 per bottle. Pricing in international markets may differ due to exchange rates and local taxes.

Appearance: Deep amber, with crimson lights; Cream Sherry.

Aroma: Very mild nose-feel. Takes a while to open up, but then cooked fruits, led by fresh strawberry jam, becoming ‘Jammy Dodger’ biscuits, then mince pies. Lightly nose-drying, with traces of lint bandages and sunflower oil. Water increases the oily note, and momentarily introduces a whiff of sulphur, soon vanishing into crème caramel.

Taste: Sweet and voluptuous; plenty of body; warming and drying as you swallow. A sweet taste overall, with a long finish and some bitter dark chocolate in the aftertaste. Becomes sweeterand drier with water, with some burnt caramel in mid palate and chocolate in the finish.

GORDON & MACPHAIL. PRIVATE COLLECTION GLENLIVET 1980 48.5%

61 x 70cl bottles available for sale in selected markets worldwide. Recommended retail in the UK is £250 per bottle. Pricing in international markets may differ due to exchange rates and local taxes.

Appearance: Dark gold.

Aroma: Very slight prickle, and somewhat nose-cooling (pine sap). Dusty, with faint dried mixed herbs, and slightly waxy, but then increasingly sweet (even apricot-jammy for a moment), with an elusive scent of sweet chestnuts. Opens considerably when water is added; light coconut to the fore, with natural turpentine and fragrant wood behind.

Taste: Sweet and smooth, but with some peppery spice over the surface of the tongue. A return of the apricot jam in the aftertaste, which is surprisingly long. Water sweetens it, simplifies it and reduces the spiciness. Pleasant and easy to drink, with desiccated coconut in the aftertaste.

GORDON & MACPHAIL PRIVATE COLLECTION GLENLIVET 1991 54.4%

203 x 70cl bottles available for sale in selected markets worldwide. Recommended retail in the UK is £95 per bottle. Pricing in international markets may differ due to exchange rates and local taxes.

Appearance: Light gold.

Aroma: Mild nosefeel. A predominantly fresh-fruit aroma – fruit salad including apples, pears, figs and pineapple. Behind this a trace of marzipan, becoming sweet fondant. Somewhat shy and withdrawn before water is added, but with a dash of water opens up, becoming more floral-fragrant, with whin flowers and almond cream chocolates. Also more typically Speyside.

Taste: Sweet and fresh, with a fresh citric acidity, and light coconut (whin flowers) in the finish and aftertaste. Warming. A soft texture at reduced strength; not so sweet, but retains the lively acidity, and a curious taste, possibly umami, the mysterious fifth primary taste, rarely encountered in whiskies, and loosely described as ‘savoury’.

Visit Gordon & MacPhail at www.gordonandmacphail.com

HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERIES NAMED “DISTILLER OF THE YEAR” IN 17TH ANNUAL MALT ADVOCATE WHISKY AWARDS

Renowned distiller also captures “Best Buy Whiskey of the Year” co-honors for their Evan Williams Black Label Bourbon

BARDSTOWN, KY – Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc., the nation’s largest independent family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer, was named “Distiller of the Year” in the recently announced 17th Annual Malt Advocate Whisky Awards.  The nation’s second-largest holder of aging Bourbon, Heaven Hill was also named co-recipient of Malt Advocate’s “Best Buy Whiskey of the Year” award for their Evan Williams Black Label Bourbon, which is itself the second largest selling brand of Bourbon in the United States and the world.

The Malt Advocate Whiskey Awards “recognizes the best in the world of whisk(e)y” and after 17 years is the longest-running whisky awards program in the country.  The awards are presented by Malt Advocate Magazine, America’s leading whiskey publication and the sponsor of WhiskyFest, the nation’s largest and most respected whisky tasting event.

In awarding Heaven Hill “Distillery of the Year”, John Hansell, Publisher and Editor of Malt Advocate Magazine, stated that “smart whiskey lovers know their reputation for delivering great value in their whiskey brands. They just celebrated their 75th anniversary in a big way, by filling their six-millionth barrel of whiskey. They’ve been pioneers with their Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage series and the Bernheim Original wheat whiskey. (Master Distiller) Parker Beam’s skills are celebrated with the eponymous and often stupendous Parker’s Heritage Collection…They have been at the spearhead of the rye resurgence, maintaining availability of their value brands (Rittenhouse and Pikesville) and also rolling out an amazing trio of ultra-aged ryes.  Heaven Hill takes whiskey seriously. They deserve nothing less.”

In his presentation of “Best Buy Whiskey of the Year” to Evan Williams Black Label—which is the first two-time winner of this award, having captured it previously in 2003—Hansell noted that “Evan Williams is a sophisticated whiskey for its price: smooth, a great aroma, and neither gets lost in nor dominates a cocktail, a classic table bourbon.”

Heaven Hill Distilleries President Max L. Shapira met the news with enthusiasm, stating that “we are particularly proud to be named ‘Distillery of the Year’, validating the hard work and passion that Parker and Craig Beam, and all our employees, invest every day, year after year.  This is the third major ‘Distillery of the Year’ award Heaven Hill has received in the last 6 years, and the fourth ‘Best Buy Whiskey of the Year’ award we have won from Malt Advocate, having won previously for Evan Williams Black Label Bourbon, Elijah Craig 12-year-old Small Batch Bourbon and Rittenhouse Rye. We sincerely thank John Hansell and all the people at Malt Advocate for the recognition of both quality and value in our American Whiskeys.”

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 The Christian Brothers Brandies; Evan Williams and Elijah Craig Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskeys; Burnett’s Vodkas and Gin; Hpnotiq Liqueur; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Lunazul and Two Fingers Tequilas, and Dubonnet Aperitif.

Chivas Regal 18 Year Old by Vivienne Westwood Unveiled at London Fashion Week

One of the world’s most acclaimed fashion designers, Vivienne Westwood’s creation for Chivas Regal clearly illustrates Westwood’s unparalleled reputation for design excellence and pattern cutting know how.

With the current design of the Union Flag dating back to 1801 and Chivas Brothers roots also being traced back to this iconic year, the distinctive bottle quite audaciously and proudly appears cloaked in Vivienne Westwood’s Union Jack print, as first seen in a Gold Label collection in Paris.

Westwood uses her expertise in tailoring and cutting, re-imagining the bottle as a figure to be adorned to create a luxurious and unique three-piece coat in true Vivienne Westwood style.

Dame Vivienne Westwood said: “I am English, so it is impossible for me to ignore British culture in my designs. It is really very satisfying to interpret some of my designs into other mediums beyond fashion.”

The collaboration marks an important step for Chivas Regal, the world’s first luxury Scotch whisky, following previous work with leading fashion brands Alexander McQueen and Christian Lacroix.

James Slack, International Brand Director for Chivas Regal said: “Strong British heritage and luxury craftsmanship serve as the foundation to both Chivas Regal 18 Year Old and Vivienne Westwood. The work that our Master Blender, Colin Scott, puts into crafting Chivas Regal 18 Year Old is in many ways the same to that of a fashion designer – there is a true art to what they do. As the world’s No 1 ultra premium Scotch whisky, we are delighted to work with what many would consider Britain’s most iconic fashion house.”

Chivas Regal 18 Year Old by Vivienne Westwood will be released as a limited edition with only 2,500 bottles available internationally and priced from US$495.00 duty free. The release coincides with Vivienne Westwood’s Autumn/Winter 2011 Red Label show in London.

Chivas Regal 18 Year Old is a luxurious blend of whiskies, hand-picked for their exceptional richness, including more than 20 of Scotland’s rarest single malts aged for a minimum of 18 years.

Notes
 
Design notes
Digitally printed on woven tie silk twill, the coat incorporates both masculinity and elegance with four precision hand-cut pieces laden with delicate gold embroidery. All silk panels are fully lined, meticulously padded and finished with silk taffeta bias binding. The design of the coat has been carefully moulded to fit the shape of the bottle and is held together with white gold, orb embossed press studs.

Recreating the detail used on all Vivienne Westwood accessories, each jacket is decorated with a complementing blue and gold flash bearing the iconic Vivienne Westwood orb. In addition, each coat displays the bottle’s unique limited edition number on the bottom panel as a sign of authenticity.

About Chivas Regal
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.

About Vivienne Westwood
Vivienne Westwood began designing in 1971 along with her partner Malcolm McLaren when London was at the forefront of cultural trends. The showcase for their ideas and designs was the shop at 430 Kings Road, London. With her changing ideas of fashion came the change of not only the name of the shop but the entire decor as well. However, it was 1976 that saw Westwood and McLaren redefine a street culture of their own with punk and “Seditionaries”. By the end of the seventies Vivienne Westwood was already considered a symbol of the British avant-garde and for Autumn/Winter 1981 she showed her first catwalk presentation at Olympia in London. It was her Pirate collection which launched the New Romantic movement.

In October 1982, Westwood began to show in Paris, the first British designer to do so since Mary Quant. 1986 was the year which marked a radical change of direction for her. Street style and youth culture ceased to play a major part of her work and instead, Westwood looked to traditional Saville Row tailoring techniques, British fabrics and 17th and 18th century art for inspiration. The orb logo which was first used around this time perfectly symbolised taking tradition into the future. In 1990 Westwood was awarded the prestigious title of British designer of the year and for the second year running Westwood was awarded British Designer of the year in 1991. In 1992, Westwood was awarded the Order of the British Empire. 2004 saw the V&A host a Vivienne Westwood retrospective exhibition to celebrate her 34 years in fashion – the largest exhibition ever devoted to a living British fashion designer. The exhibition toured the world for over 4 years and was shown in over ten cities worldwide including London, Milan, Tokyo, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Canberra and San Francisco.

In 2006, her contribution to British Fashion was officially recognised when she was appointed Dame Commander of the British Empire by Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth the Second. Today, the Vivienne Westwood brand offers 4 clothing ranges – Gold Label, Red Label, Anglomania and MAN plus seasonal accessories, jewellery, bags, eyewear and footwear collections. Vivienne Westwood today continues to show in Paris, Milan and London. She uses the medium of her shows to talk about culture and politics, more specifically about the urgent need to act against climate change. While still completely independent, her business continues to grow with boutiques in China and Los Angeles set to open this year. Vivienne Westwood is now recognized as a global brand and Westwood herself as one of the most influential fashion designers in the world today.

For further information visit: www.chivasbrothers.com

As part of the Chivas Brothers Charity Policy, employees across all 30 sites were invited to nominate and vote for four Charities of the Year, with the Paisley and District branch of the MS Society receiving the most votes in the Greater Glasgow region. The MS Society Scotland was also selected to receive £7000 by employees in Northern Scotland, making it a double celebration for the charity.

The Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society Scotland is the country’s largest charity for people affected by Multiple Sclerosis. Around 10,500 people in Scotland have MS. The Society has local branches right across the country.

Vanessa Wright, Chivas Brothers Communications Director, said: “We are delighted to be making this donation to the local branch of the MS Society, and hope that this funding will result in even more people affected by Multiple Sclerosis benefiting from the charity’s excellent support and advice.

“As a leading employer in the Greater Glasgow area, we understand the importance of giving back to the local communities in which we operate. This donation is all the more special because it was nominated and voted for by our employees.”

Angela Stirling, Chair of the Paisley and District Branch, said: “This is wonderful news and everyone at our branch is so grateful to Chivas Brothers for their generosity. People affected by MS in this area will benefit hugely from this donation. The MS Society is like a second family for me and funds such as this allow us to support even more people. Thank you.”

Chivas Brothers’ other Charities of the Year 2011 are MS Society Scotland (Northern Scotland region), Alzheimer Scotland (Dumbarton region) and Macmillan Cancer Support (London region).

Photo caption:
Paisley-based Chivas Brothers employees present a giant cheque to Gillian Whiteley, Corporate Sponsorship and Events Manager for MS Society Scotland. Pictured (l-r) Sadie Morgan, Cat Renwick, Jackie Thomson, Gillian Whiteley, Hugh Howden, Donna Martin and Roma Gilmour.

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.

Sentebale Polo Cup in Association with Royal Salute

Royal Salute, the world’s leading luxury Scotch whisky is proud to announce its title sponsorship of the Sentebale Polo Cup in Dubai on the 19th March 2011, hosted by HRH Prince Harry and HRH Prince Seeiso.

The Sentebale Cup in association with Royal Salute further highlights the brand’s growing commitment to international polo, with initiatives currently spanning Asia, South America, Middle East and United Kingdom.

Sentebale was founded by Prince Harry from the British Royal family and Prince Seeiso from the Lesotho Royal family in response to the plight of the neediest and most vulnerable of Lesotho’s people.

About Royal Salute

The pinnacle of Scotch whisky, award-winning Royal Salute was first created as the Ultimate Tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on her coronation in 1953. This defining luxury whisky has a very powerful and sophisticated style, which comes from the way it has been aged and masterfully blended.

For further information visit www.chivasbrothers.com