The Sons of Icarus have been crowned the first ever winner of the UK’s largest unsigned band competition, the Marshall Ultimate Band Contest (UBC).

Sponsored by rock icon Marshall Amps, the Lick Library and Smokehead Islay Single Malt Whisky, the UBC came to a thrilling conclusion, with five finalists battling head to head at a live gig at Marshall’s Milton Keynes HQ.

Judged by a panel of influential industry heavyweights including Ian Williamson of Classic Rock Magazine, Kim Waller of The Lick Library and Chris George, International Demonstrator for Marshall Amplification, The Sons of Icarus were voted the unequivocal champions, winning not only the honour of being the first ever Marshall Ultimate Band but also get a full Marshall Endorsement (previously bestowed on the likes of Slash and Jimi Hendrix). 

The Sons of Icarus will also receive a substantial equipment loan, a Limited Edition bottle of Smokehead Extra Black each, LickLibrary DVDs, a re-master of four tracks by famed Metropolis Studio and a covermount CD by Classic Rock Magazine.

Described as a modern rock band, The Sons of Icarus (formerly The Fury) are based in Guildford and consist of Andy Masson (vocals/ guitar), Alex Masson (bass/ backing vocals), Mike McQuillan (Drums), Steve Balkwill (Lead Guitar), who study together at the Academy of Contemporary Music, Surrey. The band reached the final thanks to fans voting online and the final was also broadcast by Lick Library via a webcast and was viewed by nearly 1,700 visitors. 

Paul Marshall, Artist and Customer Liaison Manager of Marshall Amplification said: “The Sons of Icarus are an outstanding band and truly worthy winners of the Marshall UBC. I am sure 2011 will see the band go from strength to strength and I understand a management company is now looking to sign them.

“A major part of winning the Marshall UBC is the added exposure it offers allowing the band opportunities to get in front of very influential people in the industry, which otherwise can be very difficult.

“I would like to thank all the bands that entered as the overall standard was extremely high making for a great evening and some tough judging. I would urge all the bands out there to look out for the opportunity to enter the Marshall UBC 2011.”

Iain Weir, Marketing Director of Smokehead Whisky and UBC judge said: “We were thrilled to be able support the first ever UBC and The Sons of Icarus were deserving winners.  Over the last 12 months we have increasingly grown Smokehead’s rock credentials, not only with our work with Marshall and Lick Library but also by our continued support of key events in the rock calendar including the Classic Rock Hall of Fame Awards.

“The Marshall UBC was a great success and we cannot wait until Year Two of the Marshall Ultimate Band Contest – this is just the beginning.”

Sons of Icarus commented: “We absolutely loved playing at the Marshall HQ. The sound was awesome and the guys at Marshall are some of the friendliest people in the industry we’ve ever met. The competition was fantastically done, and we couldn’t be happier to have won it. Thanks so much to Marshall, Lick Library and Smokehead!”

Smokehead Whisky, the powerful Islay Single Malt which has become the drink of choice at rock events including High Voltage Festival and, for the second time, the Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards, which took place at the Roundhouse in London in November. Legendary shock-rocker Alice Cooper was this year’s Master Of Ceremonies, along with TV presenter and all-round rock fan Sarah Cawood. Canadian rockers Rush were honoured with the Living Legend award (sponsored by Marshall), heralding the first time a band has won this prestigious accolade – previous recipients include Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne and Iggy Pop. Rock icon Slash picked up the award for Album of the Year. 

For more details, rules of entry and to enter see www.marshallubc.com

www.facebook.com/marshalUBC

Described as being like a cannonball, Smokehead is an explosive combination of peat, smoke and spice with some delicate sweetness. The single malt flavour is described as fresh, fruity and immense, with notes of sherry, iodine, toffee, smoke and sea salt. The taste hits the palate at once with cocoa, peat and some honey sweetness, before exploding with peppery spice and more earthy peat.

In his new book 101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die, Ian Buxton says of Smokehead 18 Years Old: “I saw Extra Black compared to the amplifier that goes all the way up to 11 in Spinal Tap. This is just as rock and roll as that.”

Smokehead is widely available throughout the UK and worldwide, RRP £31.99. Details of stockists, including Sainsbury’s can be found on the website www.smokehead.co.uk

Curious to discover more, visit www.smokehead.co.uk

Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky encourages responsible drinking

www.drinkaware.co.uk  www.scotch-whisky.org.uk

TOASTING THE BARD

Whether you have an invitation to a formal traditional Burns Supper or are planning a simple affair at home with haggis neeps and tatties, choose from the following single malts for a fine dram to toast our national bard on his birthday.

Lauded “the greatest all rounder in the world of malt whisky” by the late drinks writer Michael Jackson, Highland Park 12 year old single malt, boasts a rich full flavour with hints of honey and peat with a soft, long rounded finish. This award winning Orcadian malt is the perfect tipple to serve alongside some haggis. (RRP £28.74, available at multiple retailers including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose, Morrisons, Co-op, Somerfield and Oddbins or online at www.highlandpark.co.uk).

Balanced with oak and fruit flavours with hints of heather honey, the soft and malty The Macallan Fine Oak 10 Years Old makes an ideal introduction to the range. The award winning Fine Oak range was heralded to be “by far the best range of non-vintage whiskies to be launched by any one distillery for possibly the last decade.” (RRP £27.75, available at multiple retailers including Asda, Tesco, Co-op, Oddbins or online at www.themacallan.com).

Laden with notes of ripe fruits, citrus, vanilla and hints of spice, The Glenrothes Select Reserve typifies the Speyside distillery house style.  A vatting of casks distilled in different years, Select Reserve is presented in the iconic Glenrothes bottle and is the very essence of The Glenrothes range (RRP £33.45, available at Sainsbury’s, Oddbins, House of Fraser, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Wine Rack, specialist whisky retailers or online at www.theglenrothes.com)

WhiskyCast LIVE This Weekend from Victoria!

Join us this Saturday for the first LIVE webcast of WhiskyCast on location at the Victoria Whisky Festival in British Columbia!  

We’ll have all of the usual WhiskyCast features, along with a special live blind tasting of whiskies selected by fellow Malt Maniac and VWF Chairman Lawrence Graham. The panel will include whisky pros and amateur whisky lovers, and only one person knows what we’ll be tasting until the secrets are revealed. 

The fun starts at 2:00pm Pacific Time live from the Hotel Grand Pacific on Victoria’s Inner Harbour. That’s 5:00pm on the East Coast, and 2200 GMT, and you’ll find the link for the live webcast at the Victoria Whisky Festival’s web site www.victoriawhiskyfestival.com  

If you can’t join us for the live feed from Victoria, the entire show will be available as a podcast later that night, and we’ll have a special second episode featuring highlights from Victoria on Sunday!

Slainte!

Mark Gillespie

www.whiskycast.com

 The link on the Victoria Whisky Festival website is at the top of the home page and looks like this;

Live Old Pulteney Tasting on Twitter 20th January, 2011 at 7:30PM GMT (That’s TODAY!).

The hashtag is #wk209

Old Pulteney WK209 ‘Good Hope’

• Follows a highly successful WK499 ‘Isabella Fortuna’ as Old Pulteney’s travel retail offering
• Limited to only 1,600 cases (of 6 x 1 litre bottles)
• Unchill-filtered, natural colour
• Bottled at 46% ABV
• Matured entirely in European sherry casks
• Named after a steam Herring Drifter WK209 ‘Good Hope’ built in Wick in 1948, first boat in Wick to use echo sounder

Official tasting notes:

Colour: Dark copper with bronze highlights

Nose: Smooth and spicy with aromas of toffee and chocolate; traces of hazelnut and vanilla.

Taste: Sweet to start with hints of citrus notes; full bodied with overtones of raisins, chocolate and warm spices leading to long lasting finish.

The tasting will also include Old Pulteney 12yo and the Old Pulteney 17yo. The photo of the WK209 is a mock up so you’re having a sneak peek at what it will look like on the store shelves. Distillery Manager Malcolm Waring will also be taking part along with an undetermined number of eager bloggers who are always willing to guzzle free whisky for a good cause. Unfortunately Whisky Intelligence will only be able to take part in two thirds of the tasting as the sample of Old Pulteney17yo suffered a catastrophic failure during the journey across the Atlantic.

Visit Old Pulteney Distillery at www.oldpulteney.com

MIDLETON RELEASES NEW EXCLUSIVE WHISKEYS

Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard has launched two new rare, single cask, single pot still whiskeys from the Midleton Distillery, makers of the world’s No 1 Irish whiskey, Jameson.

Both new expressions have been released under the celebrated Midleton brand, renowned for its annual vintage release of the Midleton Very Rare blend. Created exclusively for two specific customers – the new Irish Whiskey Collection shop at the recently opened Terminal 2 at Dublin Airport, and The Celtic Whiskey Shop on Dublin’s Dawson Street – the whiskeys were personally selected from individual casks by Master Distiller Barry Crockett as outstanding expressions of the Midleton style.

Just 200 bottles of the Terminal 2 release were yielded from cask No 48709. This 19-year-old single pot still whiskey was laid down in November 1991 in a first-fill American bourbon barrel and has, in a new departure for the Midleton brand, been bottled at cask strength (53.7% ABV). The cask strength affords the whiskey connoisseur the rare opportunity to experience a Midleton whiskey as it emerges directly from the cask. The whiskey reveals a dark, fleshy fruit character in perfect balance with the underlying pot still spiciness. The impressive presentation box includes a portion of stave from the barrel in which the whiskey spent its life maturing. Each bottle is individually numbered and retails at €260.

The Celtic Whiskey Shop release was laid down in December 1996, also in a first-fill American bourbon barrel, and has been bottled at 46% ABV. This slightly lighter style offers green apples and banana on the palate. Just 270 individually numbered bottles have been made available, retailing at €225 each.

Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard CEO Alex Ricard says: “Connoisseurs of fine spirits have always eagerly awaited the annual vintage release of Midleton Very Rare, and with these new single cask, single pot still expressions, we are giving consumers more opportunities to experience the wonderful whiskey complexities of Midleton. Due to their rarity, we expect a high amount of interest.

“We have enjoyed a close working relationship with The Celtic Whiskey Shop for many years, so we are pleased to be able to offer this rare whiskey as an exclusive to them. We also wanted to mark the opening of Terminal 2 in Dublin, which is great news for both tourism and business in the city, and this wonderful new single cask expression seemed like the perfect opportunity.”

Notes:

Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Pot Still Irish Whiskey is a style of whiskey which is unique to Ireland in general and to the Midleton Distillery, Co. Cork, in particular and is regarded as the quintessential style of Irish whiskey.

Made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley, which is then triple distilled in traditional copper pot stills, pot still Irish whiskeys are characterised by full, complex flavours and a wonderful, creamy mouthfeel. The inclusion of unmalted barley to the mashbill distinguishes pot still whiskeys from the more widely known malt whiskeys which use only malted barley and is a uniquely Irish approach to whiskey distillation.

Single Pot Still Whiskeys (whiskeys originating from a single distillery) were once the norm in Ireland and from the late 18th century to the early 20th century, pot still Irish whiskey was the most popular style of whiskey in the world. However, this style fell out of favour and the increasingly popular blended whiskeys, which combine lighter unmalted grain whiskey with the fuller flavoured pot still whiskey, led to the demise of pot still Irish whiskey.

While pot still whiskey continues to be used as a key component in many well known Irish blend brands, by the turn of the millennium only two Single Pot Still whiskey brands had survived. – Redbreast & Green Spot. However, in recent years, this style of whiskey has received positive attention from whiskey commentators and enthusiasts alike giving rise to a groundswell of interest and in the release of new expressions.

Tasting Notes

Midleton Single Pot Still – Single Cask # 48709, exclusive to Terminal 2 Irish Whiskey Collection Shop

Nose: Full aromatic oils from the distillate are enriched with a fleshy fruity character. Hints of apricot and mango laid on leaves of blackcurrant. Touch of almond and a clover, honey sweetness follow to provide a remarkable nosing experience.
Taste: The first sip exudes a silky, mouth-coating sweetness. The succulence of the rich, fleshy fruit flavours in harmony with the pot still spice makes this a sophisticated whiskey with a deep complexity to be savoured.
Finish: The full succulence of the first sip remains in perfect proportion long into the finish. Irish pot still whiskey at its most elegant.

Midleton Single Pot Still – Single Cask # 71578, exclusive to Celtic Whiskey Shop

Nose: Initially soft, giving way to the characteristic pot still spicy notes of freshly milled peppers and a shred of pipe tobacco combined with the aromatics of garden mint, mandarins and green banana. From the cask come the hints of vanilla and toasted oak.
Taste: Barley sugar sweet reveals deeper spice. From a tongue coating of liquorice and cinnamon, through to a drying barley cereal note, to a crisp fruity fullness of apples and the unripe bananas.
Finish: All the flavours linger, then as they fade, the cask takes over with a succulent enhancement of vanilla and charred oak.

Old Pulteney Salutes You!

UK Army Officer To Take on Battle of the Arctic After Spirited Global Competition Win 

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky and explorer Jock Wishart have revealed the winner of Pole Position, their unique global competition to find the sixth and final crew member of a pioneering arctic expedition – The Old Pulteney Row to the Pole.

David Mans, a 28 year old British Army Officer from Hampshire, beat stiff competition from hundreds of international entrants to be crowned the Pole Position winner at the London Boat Show 2011 on Friday 7th January.

He will join internationally acclaimed adventurer and sportsman Jock Wishart in summer 2011, as he attempts one of the world’s last remaining ‘firsts’: an unsupported row to the magnetic North Pole.

In a specially designed ice boat, David will take his place in the team of six who will set off from Resolute Bay in Canada on a 450 mile route across the arctic on a voyage which if successful, will make history.

The challenge is of global significance as both a pioneering maritime adventure and an environmental expedition – which is only now possible due to the increase in seasonal ice melt and its deterioration due to climate change.

The Old Pulteney Pole Position competition was launched in September 2010 to offer one spirited person a once in a lifetime chance to be part of this extraordinary adventure – but only if they had the physical and mental attributes required for such an extreme feat of skill and endurance.

After an online entry process, a shortlist of forty eight international finalists were invited to compete head-to-head in a Pole Position Challenge Day on the 20th November at the 2012 Olympic Rowing Course, Dorney Lake, Eton Rowing Centre. To test their physical and mental abilities, contestants competed in a two and a half hour endurance row, group interviews and psychometric tests. David’s determination, fitness and stamina stood out amongst the other finalists and saw him scoop the life changing prize, and he will now be personally trained by Jock in the countdown to the summer expedition send off.

To reach the magnetic North Pole, David will row with the other crew members in three hour shifts, and will have to overcome challenging weather and subzero temperatures with little chance of rest or shelter.

His rowing experience at both coastal and river clubs combined with his career as an army officer will put him in good stead to overcome the many obstacles he will face during the arduous voyage. From commanding soldiers in the Middle East to leading army mountaineering expeditions in the UK, David is no stranger to cold, monotony and exhaustion and the effect it can have on a team of people. He credits his sense of humour in the face of adversity and strong determination to succeed as the key attributes he will bring to the team.

David Mans says: ‘I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the Old Pulteney Row to the Pole crew and relish the opportunity to take part in what will undoubtedly be one of  the biggest adventures of my life to date. Rowing has always been my passion from a young age and has enabled me to keep grounded in the civilian world. For me, rowing is the ultimate team sport and I can only imagine the sense of camaraderie and achievement the crew will feel if we succeed in such a groundbreaking voyage.’

Jock Wishart says: ‘This is the most complicated logistical exercise in the Polar regions since Sir Vivian Fuch’s Trans Antarctic expedition in 1957/58. For this we require the best people. Only the best are “good enough.”

The Old Pulteney Row to the Pole will be captured on camera for UK and international audiences and will follow Jock’s preparations and the 4-6 week long row where he and his team will face dramatic ice-bound coastlines and shifting sea-ice barriers.

Old Pulteney’s partnership with Jock is rooted in the whisky’s maritime heritage and history of supporting sailing and seafaring adventure.  The whisky is distilled in the historic harbour town of Wick, the most northerly distillery on the UK mainland and the windswept and rugged landscape that surrounds it has given the malt its legacy as the Maritime Malt. The malt whisky continues its association with some of the most prestigious sailing events in the country with its continuation of its sponsorship of the Isle of Wight’s Round the Island Race and the Old Pulteney IRC Scottish Championship in 2011.

www.rowtothepole.com

Notes

• The certified position of the North Magnetic Pole is 78 degrees, 35.724 minutes North, 104 degrees, 11.915 minutes West.

Jock Wishart

Jock is established as one of the UK’s leading adventurers and explorers, with a successful background in polar exploration, rowing and extreme navigational feats. He led the team which established fifteen new world speed records for powered circumnavigation and captained the team that broke the London to Paris rowing record in 1999. He has a lifetime interest in polar exploration and in 1992 journey he was part of the first team to walk unsupported to the Geomagnetic North Pole.

‘The Old Pulteney’ Ice Boat

The Old Pulteney was designed by Dutchman Peter Bosgraaf of Peter Bosgraaf Yacht Design from Amsterdam in collaboration with Hugh Welbourne of Welbourne Yacht Design from East Allington, Devon, who advised on the laminates and under water construction. Roger Daynes of Snowsled Polar from Tetbury in Wiltshire advised on the design and construction of the “runners” on the bottom of the ice boat. The boat was built by Cris Rossiter of Rossiter Yachts in Christchurch, Dorset.

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.

Woodford Reserve ® and Esquire Crown “Master of the Manhattan”

Marcelo Nascimento from Austin, TX Takes Top Honors

New York, NY – After searching the country for the nation’s ultimate well-crafted Manhattans, Woodford Reserve bourbon and Esquire magazine have crowned Marcelo Nascimento from Austin, Texas and his “Voodoo Manhattan” as the “Master of the Manhattan” for 2011.

Nascimento’s cocktail was reviewed by a distinguished panel of experts along with the 10 other bartenders creations from across the country. Nascimento and the other participant’s cocktails were critiqued on creativity, ingredients, presentation and taste. The judges included Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris, spirits journalist Paul Pacult, Whiskycast creator Mark Gillespie, and Douglass Miller from the Culinary Institute of America. The judging took place at The Manhattan Experience at Top of the Standard in New York City on Monday, January 10.

“There was some stiff competition from the other bartenders and I didn’t expect to win, but the judges told me they thought my drink really stood out,” said Nascimento.  “The whole time in New York was exceptional and I want to thank Woodford Reserve and Esquire for an amazing experience.”

The Voodoo Manhattan along with the other 10 recipes will be featured in a Woodford Reserve advertisement in the February edition of Esquire. The Voodoo Manhattan recipe is as follows:

Voodoo Manhattan crafted by Marcelo Nascimento

2½ oz. Woodford Reserve®

½ oz. Amaro Averna

½ oz. Clément Créole Shrubb

½ bar spoon of Pink peppercorns

Garnish with skewered blood orange supremes and inflamed orange peel

Winner Marcelo Nascimento

About Woodford Reserve

Woodford Reserve is one of the fine spirits produced and marketed by Brown-Forman

Corporation, a producer and marketer of fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel’s, Southern Comfort, Finlandia, Fetzer, Korbel, Tequila Herradura, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, Tuaca, and Bonterra. Please enjoy your bourbon responsibly. For more information on Woodford Reserve, visit www.woodfordreserve.com.

About Esquire

Esquire (www.esquire.com), published by Hearst Magazines, was the winner of the 2010 National Magazine Awards for “Profile Writing.” It is the most-honored monthly magazine in America with a total of 14 awards over the past 13 years. In addition to its U.S. flagship, Esquire publishes 22 editions around the world. 

Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 45.2% Alc. by Vol., The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY ©2011.

Woodford Reserve ® and Esquire to Showcase Nation’s Ultimate Manhattans

Finalists’ creations to be showcased at January 10 event at Top of The Standard
 
Louisville, Ky. (January 5, 2011) – With the recent resurgence of pre-Prohibition bourbon cocktails, the classic Manhattan is making a comeback across the country. Woodford Reserve bourbon and Esquire magazine have searched the country for the nation’s ultimate well-crafted Manhattans and will feature 11 “Masters of the Manhattan” on January 10 during The Manhattan Experience Finals in New York City.

Each bartender showcased their own spin on the historic cocktail at events across the country and will present their own well-crafted Manhattan cocktails at the Woodford Reserve/Esquire Magazine Manhattan Experience. The event takes place in New York City on Monday, January 10 at 6:30 p.m. at Top of The Standard. There, the bartenders’ creations will be reviewed by a panel of experts, including Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris and spirit journalist Paul Pacult.

“We have had some wonderful and creative recipes submitted during our search over the past few months, highlighting all of the flavors of Woodford Reserve,” said Laura Petry, Woodford Reserve brand manager. “Along with our partners at Esquire, we look forward to showcasing the cocktail craftsmanship of some of the finest mixologists in the country.”

All 11 finalists will be featured in a Woodford Reserve advertisement in the February issue of Esquire.

To celebrate the spirit of crafting the ultimate cocktail, Esquire’s resident mixologist David Wondrich has developed the Esquire Manhattan featuring Woodford Reserve. The cocktail recipe is as follows:

Esquire Manhattan featuring Woodford Reserve

1.5 to 2 oz Woodford Reserve

1 oz Martini & Rossi red vermouth

1/2 oz Fernet Branca

Stir well with cracked ice. Strain into chilled cocktail glass and twist swatch of thin-cut orange peel over the top.

About Woodford Reserve

Woodford Reserve is one of the fine spirits produced and marketed by Brown-Forman

Corporation, a producer and marketer of fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel’s, Southern Comfort, Finlandia, Fetzer, Korbel, Tequila Herradura, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, Tuaca, and Bonterra. Please enjoy your bourbon responsibly. For more information on Woodford Reserve, visit www.woodfordreserve.com.

About Esquire

Esquire (www.esquire.com), published by Hearst Magazines, was the winner of the 2009 National Magazine Awards for “Feature Writing,” “Personal Service” and “Leisure Interests.” It is the most-honored monthly magazine in America with a total of 13 awards. Readers can also interact with the brand on the digital front, with Esquire mobile (m.esquire.com). In addition to its U.S. flagship, Esquire publishes 16 editions around the world. 

Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 45.2% Alc. by Vol., The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY ©2011.

BALLANTINE’S LEAVES AN IMPRESSION AS CENTENARY YEAR COMES TO A CLOSE

Reflecting the global reach of Ballantine’s, almost 100 international guests, from countries such as Poland, Czech Republic and Ukraine, gathered in Scotland this month for a two day event to celebrate the centenary year for Europe’s No 1 Scotch whisky brand, Ballantine’s Finest.

Taking place in Edinburgh, the historical home of Ballantine’s, the group which included media from around the world, enjoyed a visit to Dundas Castle and a formal Scottish dinner with a special address to the Haggis by International Brand Ambassador Ken Lindsay.

Pictured at the dinner, from left to right, are Ballantine’s Global Brand Director Peter Moore; International Brand Ambassador, Ken Lindsay and Master Blender Sandy Hyslop, who cut the Ballantine’s Finest birthday cake together to commemorate the brand’s landmark year.

Speaking at the event, Peter Moore said: “This is a historic occasion for Ballantine’s and we are delighted to be celebrating it with so many of our market guests. Their attendance not only demonstrates their loyalty to the brand but their determination to continue to support it around the world. This event has concluded what has been a year of celebration across all our key markets and we hope it will inspire even greater future success for the brand.”

Notes:

About Ballantine’s

Ballantine’s, is the No 1 Scotch whisky in Europe, No 1 ultra-premium whisky in Asia Pacific and sells over 70 million bottles a year. The brand has won over 80 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past 10 years for quality as a result of its unique richness of character and perfect balance. The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the iconic 30 Year Old, is the most comprehensive and innovative in the world of Scotch and is maintained by the latest in a tradition of master blenders that dates back to 1827.

About Chivas Brothers

Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth Gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport.

In July 2010 Chivas Brothers launched The Age Matters campaign to help consumers understand the importance of Scotch whisky age statements.

Dumgoyne: Glengoyne Distillery is to launch its SLOWEST ever bottling. Taking over four years to complete, this is a world’s first small batch release from a single cask, creating a live experiment which whisky enthusiasts can take part in.

Available from Tuesday 28 December 2010, The Glengoyne Christmas Cask will be released each Christmas until 2014. Just 100 bottles will be released at a time, exclusively available to buy in person from the distillery shop. This highly innovative, first of a kind bottling will allow single cask lovers to trace the flavour evolution in this remarkable, yet typical, Glengoyne cask over its next four years of maturation.

Cask 790, a First Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt distilled in 2002, is currently rich, with hints of rosehip syrup, cocoa beans, oak and spice. It still clings to the last of its spirited youth, but delivering plenty and promising much more.
 
Glengoyne’s unique flavour is derived from Scotland’s SLOWEST malt whisky distillation and the use of some of Spain’s finest sherry casks. Every year a team of dedicated noses search the warehouses for casks that are just right, releasing between two and four Single Casks a year.  Once in the bottle the whisky stops maturing, so Single Cask bottlings represent a snapshot in time.

Stuart Hendry, Glengoyne Brand Heritage Manager explained “One day, after a particularly productive tasting session, we got to thinking – what if there is something more? We at the distillery are able to taste casks as they mature, witnessing their highs and lows, their flavour peak and troughs as they wind their way towards maturity. What if we were able to share that with our anorak-wearing whisky chums?”

‘Headspace’ – the area within the cask unoccupied by liquid – is normally created through evaporation at the rate of approximately 1.5% per annum. In the case of the Christmas Cask we will be removing 70 litres from the cask each year, leading to much increased headspace, giving the potential for higher rates of evaporation and interactive maturation. Stuart continued: “We don’t know for sure what will happen, but we’re looking forward to finding out.”

The release of the Glengoyne Christmas Cask is something completely different, a first of its kind for the distillery, and the world, representing the Glengoyne SLOW ethos. It is an utterly unique insight into the life of a Single Malt Whisky cask, with the staggered bottlings perfectly demonstrating the long slow path each and every cask takes to reach the moment of perfect maturity. Each bottle will be numbered and signed by the Glengoyne Tasting Panel, but will be presented without packaging in order to keep the price down.

The release date for the first 100 bottles is 28th December 2010 and the bottles must be purchased AT the distillery, priced £100. They will not be available online or through telesales.

For further information visit: www.glengoyne.com or call the distillery on 01360 550 254

Ian Macleod Distillers encourages responsible drinking

www.drinkaware.co.uk  www.scotch-whisky.org.uk

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.