THE JOHN WALKER BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY- A TRIBUTE TO THE FOUNDING FATHER OF JOHNNIE WALKER.

To mark the start of a new decade, the House of Walker celebrates the life of its founder with the launch of The John Walker (RRP £2,000), an incredibly special blend of whisky that is the epitome of the Johnnie Walker Blue family of scotch whiskies.

Hand-crafted and made to order in single barrel batches with only 330 bottles available, The John Walker embodies rarity and exclusivity. Presented in a unique, individually numbered Baccarat crystal decanter that is hand blown, polished and engraved by one of only three Master-craftsmen in the world; The John Walker contains whisky blended from 9 hand selected casks. Building from the predecessors “Johnnie Walker Blue Label” and “King George V”, this blend takes the idea of hand selection of extraordinary casks, and takes that to new levels of rarity and craft. Every care has been made to recreate the authentic flavours of a 19th Century blend in John Walker’s original style and the whisky has been taken from a range of distilleries, some of which are now closed; making this whisky quite literally priceless. 

The John Walker is the ultimate luxury gift for any discerning gentleman. Encasing the gift is a hand crafted lacquer cabinet with over 60 hours of workmanship used to create the eleven layers of lacquer and luxurious cream leather interior. No detail is left to chance from the Baccarat cut crystal stopper to the 24 Carat Gold plated neck collar and travel stopper.

Inside, the taste of The John Walker whisky starts in sophisticated fashion with the richness of mature fruits slowly following from the more youthful aromas of fresh citrus. The initial burst of flavour is defined by a vanilla oak sweetness, with the Older Speyside whiskies contributing to the amazing smoothness. These casks are designed to give wonderful malty flavours, characteristic of classic 19th Century whiskies. Cambus grain whisky is the unifying force that binds the great Malt whiskies together in “The John Walker”, combining to make a stunning tasting experience.

The John Walker has a RRP of £2,000 and is available exclusively from Harrods.

Notes:

Tasting Notes:

Appearance –Rich and viscous in the glass – hints at the smoothness to follow.
Nosing – The taste of “The John Walker” starts in sophisticated fashion with the richness of mature fruits slowly following from the more youthful aromas of fresh citrus.
Palate –The initial burst of flavor is defined by a vanilla oak sweetness. Enormous body and elegant structure to the palate. Walker Speyside whiskies contribute to the amazing smoothness.  These casks are designed to give the wonderful malty flavours, characteristic of the 19th Century whiskies. The underlying sweetness is unusually soft. Cambus grain whisky is the unifying force that binds the great Malt whiskies together in “The John Walker”. The Marrying process, the second maturation in small cask, small batch production gives a chance for these great, giant whiskies to work together seamlessly.
Finish – Finally as the big, elegant flavours gradually evolve, there is a slowly emerging echo of smoke that finishes this unique blend of rarely seen whiskies. 

About Diageo:
Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines, and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.
Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.  

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

BUNNAHABHAIN DISTILLERY TAKES WHISKY LOVERS ON A NEW JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY

Bunnahabhain 12 year old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, from the Bunnahabhain Distillery on the isolated north-eastern tip of the Island of Islay, has been re-introduced as an un-chillfiltered spirit, a move which has excited whisky lovers and experts from across the world.

Bunnahabhain is the flagship malt Scotch whisky from Burn Stewart Distillers and is exported to over 30 countries globally.  The superior quality of the whisky is widely recognized with the brand consistently winning awards in international competitions.  Unlike its neighbouring distilleries on the Island, Bunnahabhain embodies “the gentle taste of Islay”, as it is not a typically heavily peated smoke filled Islay malt.

The process of chill-filtering removes some of the oily-fatty compounds produced during distillation or extracted in the maturation period.  It prevents the whisky, when in the bottle at an alcohol level below 46% abv, or when served, from becoming hazy when chilled.  Some whisky experts believe that chill-filtration removes some of the flavour and body from the whisky.  When un-chillfiltered, the dram retains a depth of flavour the filtration process would otherwise rob it of.

In line with Burn Stewart Distillers’ Master Blender, Ian MacMillan’s vision for all of the company’s malts to move the spirit to un-chillfiltered, the whisky now has a high strength of 46.3% alc with no colour added.  The packaging has been revised to compliment the new expression, the whisky will be contained within a smoked oak glass, replacing the traditional emerald green glassware, dual labeling and is now presented in a quality gift carton.

Ian MacMillan, Master Blender commented “Enjoying the experience of un-chillfiltered whisky allows you to enjoy the whisky as near natural as possible, with all the original flavours and aromas contained”.

Katherine Crisp, Brand Manager for Bunnahabhain said: “This new journey for Bunnahabhain is very exciting and allows us to offer the consumer a much richer, fuller flavoured Bunnahabhain.”

Tasting Notes – Bunnahabhain 12yo
Bunnahabhain is not a typical, heavily peated, smoke filled Islay – it embodies the ‘gentle taste of Islay’ making it an approachable, welcoming dram.
Nose
Fresh and aromatic with a little smoke prevalence
Palate
Light with fruit and nuts leading to a malty sweetness
Finish
Beautifully rich and full bodied, lingering on the tongue for a few moments

Notes:
• Chill-filtration is a process in which the whisky is chilled to near 0°C (32°F) and passed through a fine filter. It prevents the whisky from becoming hazy when chilled or when water or ice is added.  It is believed by many whisky enthusiasts that chill-filtration removes some of the flavour and body from the whisky.
• Bunnahabhain Distillery sits on the North East coast of the island of Islay.  It is open for tours Monday to Friday.

• Bunnahabhain Distillery was established in 1881.

• Bunnahabhain is known as ‘The Gentle Taste of Islay’

Visit Bunnahabhain Distillery at http://www.bunnahabhain.com/

JURA TOASTS 200th CELEBRATION WITH A DRAM OF NEWLY RELEASED 21YO

This year marks a special year for the Jura distillery as it is celebrating its 200th anniversary.  To commemorate this occasion, Jura is releasing a new limited edition 21yo which will be available to buy direct from the island or through specially selected whisky partners.
The distillery, which was founded in 1810, is the only distillery on the island and is home to the award winning range of single malts – 10, Superstition, 16 and Prophecy –  with the Jura 21 years old will now sitting alongside the  collection.
 
If its maturation in vintage sherry casks from 1963 isn’t enough to tempt the palate, as an added anniversary bonus, each pack will contain an exclusive invitational scroll from Distillery Manager, Willie Cochrane, to a special tasting of rare whiskies at the distillery.  There will also be 21 stays at the luxury Jura lodge up for grabs for purchasers of the commemorative malt.
 
Willie Cochrane, Distillery Manager commented:  ‘At the distillery we are all extremely proud of this 200th anniversary expression.  Not only is it an exceptional malt, it’s also an exceptionally rare malt with only a few thousand people being lucky enough to be able to enjoy this beautiful whisky that has been matured in a vintage Oloroso sherry cask. ‘
 
He continued: ‘Each and every bottle will also contain a personal invite from me to join me and my team at the distillery for a private tour and to indulge in some of our rarest malts, but consumers need to be quick off the mark as there are a limited number of bottles and tours available worldwide.’

Notes:

Tasting Notes:

The unique vintage 1963 Oloroso sherry casks from Gonzalez Byass have provided this noble spirit with a flawless finish of sot marzipan, crushed walnuts, fleshy pear and tangy orange peel. Whispers of succulent maraschino cherries, plums and soft liquorice complete this memorable masterpiece.

http://www.isleofjura.com

Amrut Distillery

Distillery scores top marks with Amrut 100

The innovative Indian malt whisky distiller Amrut has come up with another unique offering. Not only is the latest malt matured in unusually small handmade 100 litre casks, but it is bottled at 100 British proof and presented in 100cl bottles. In addition there will only be 100 individually-numbered bottles in each of five countries.

Unsurprisingly Amrut Distilleries Ltd has named this peated single malt whisky Amrut 100.

“We deliberately wanted to produce another expression within the peated single malt category,” explained Ashok Chokalingam of Amrut Distilleries, which has had great success with its Amrut Peated Single Malt Whisky which was first bottled in 2008.

“After the Amrut Peated Single Malt Whisky had been matured in ex-bourbon casks, the whisky was emptied into brand new 100 litre handmade virgin casks,” said Ashok.

The whisky was matured for a further year in the tropical climate of Bangalore. “As the new casks were almost half the size of a bourbon barrel, the extraction process is even faster and the aromas are concentrated in the form of heady vanilla and mocha chocolate integrated with subtle and enjoyable smoke.

“We tried the whisky at different strengths and found that at 100 British proof (57.1%), the balance was awesome. When we looked at the whole process, then the idea of Amrut 100 born. This whisky is bottled at the unusual size of 100cl. As the quantity is limited, we have just an individually-numbered country-specific bottling of 100 bottles per country.”

As the reviews have started to come in, Ashok is pretty sure this latest Amrut single malt will be another perfect collectors’ item.

Jim Murray in his new Whisky Bible 2011 has given 92 points to Amrut 100. He said: “Ironically, though one of the older whiskies to come from this distillery, the nose shows a little bit of youth. A quite different style from Amrut’s other peated offerings and it was obviously intended. Further proof that this distillery has grown not only in stature but confidence.”

Whisky writer, Dominic Roskrow, enjoys Amrut 100’s finish: “The fruit fights back but it’s a savoury whisky, with a spicy chilli conclusion, and utterly unforgettable and irresistible.”

Benny Ingman, President of Carlstad Whisky Connoisseurs, was also impressed by “a very good whisky and the best Amrut ever”. As was Gordon Homer, the creator of the Spirit of Islay website, who said: “This is possibly my favourite Amrut expression… so far… it hits the mark in all the right ways.”

Notes

Further information: Amrut 100

¨       Finished in 100 litre handmade virgin casks.

¨       Bottled at 100 British Proof (57.1%)

¨       Bottled in 100cl bottle

¨       Only 100 bottles per country (UK, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium and the Netherlands).

Further information: Amrut Distilleries

Amrut Single Malt Whisky from India was launched officially in Glasgow in 2004. Since then its reputation has grown, with its range of innovative whiskies using Indian barley from the Punjab distilled in the tropical garden city of Bangalore at 3000ft.

The distillery is forging a reputation for creating innovative whiskies. In the recently published The Whisky Bible 2011, leading whisky expert, Jim Murray described  Amrut Intermediate Sherry Matured as another “truly outstanding and world class whisky”. Awarding it 96.5 points, he added: “The Intermediate is a whisky of sheer joy, I particularly loved the juxtaposition between the abundant spice and sherry character, another masterful example of distilling, maturation and blending at its very best.”     

In The Whisky Bible 2010,  Murray awarded Amrut Fusion Single Malt Whisky the title of World’s Third Best Whisky with 97 points. Fusion – which brings together two barleys: Indian and Scottish, with the latter being peated – was also named the Best Natural Cask Whisky in the Daily Drams Category at the Malt Maniacs Awards 2009. It picked up the award for the best whisky matured exclusively in “untreated”, regular cask(s) in the category for whiskies with an average street price of up to 50 euros. It was also awarded a silver medal.

This year Amrut has also released Kadhambam. This mixture of Amrut Single Malt Whisky and a small portion of Amrut Peated Single Malt Whisky was  matured  in a variety of casks (ex-Oloroso sherry butts, then ex-Bangalore Blue Brandy casks and finally ex-rum casks). Named after the Tamil word for “mixture”, Kadhambam’s maturation in each case was also a different  length of time. The resulting whisky has been described as having  “enormous complexity”  and  “the most adventurous single malt I have ever tasted”.

Amrut whiskies are now sold widely in Europe (UK, Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden, Spain), Canada, South Africa, Australia and the United States.

Tasting notes

Gordon Homer
Like the finest orange marmalade in colour, the peat immediately hits you on the nose, very peaty! There’s quite a smokiness to it as well, spices, chocolate, malt and liquorice. There’s also a nice oakiness to it as well. On the palate the peat strikes first, then chocolate, and liquorice, a very nice spiciness to it as well. Very good balance across the palate. A Long and peaty finish, a touch of medicinalness in the peat, Mint humbugs and Fishermans Friends. Really chewy, boy does this finish go on and on and on… Wow! A fantastic Amrut. A peat head’s delight but with the distillery’s traits, I think this is the peatiest Amrut so far.
 
The 100 is certainly the peatiest Amrut I’ve tasted, the 100 litre virgin casks has added quite a bit of spiciness to the finished malt, very like the Ardbeg Toasted Oak releases. Amrut certainly aren’t sitting on their laurels, coming up with very interesting and very tasty new expressions! This is possibly my favourite Amrut expression… so far… it hits the mark in all the right ways!

Serge Valetin
Colour: amber. Nose: typical young peat from very active oak. Powerful but balanced, fresh, very ‘precise’. Damp ashes and sand, garden bonfire, cut grass, then more marzipan and roasted nuts as well as a little fudge. Quite some mint and a little eucalyptus in the background. Rather more aromatic than, say some peaty Islayers. With water: sweet peat and a lot of nutmeg. A little medicinal. Mouth (neat): very powerful but beautifully fruity and resinous beyond the peat, the pepper and the ginger. Also a little leather but just like the two previous ones, it’s very clean spirit. Gets finally a little more almondy and gingery. With water: perfect peat with a little fudge and always these gingery spices. Finish: long, clean, compact! Peat and sweet spices again. Comments: another perfect example of careful wood monitoring. Modern style but perfect. I mean ‘and’ perfect. SGP:457 – 88 points.

Bert Bruyneel
Nose: very phenolic and loads of medicine, orange, unlike any other peated Amrut I tasted before, could well be an Islay.
Palate: explosive and rather dry again, remains VERY phenolic and a medicine closet, again very a-typical, liquorice, a very pleasant sweetness.
Finish: finish is sweet, phenolic, everlasting, also getting some citrus notes.
Balance: first time I detect this on an Amrut, a really nice peat BOMB, great to end a nice meal.
Score: 86/100.

Dominic Roskrow
Nose: Trademark orange jelly but with raspberry and blackcurrant, some floral notes (violets?) and an undercarpet of dusty peat
Palate: A Goan curry of a taste, with clean rapier sharp chilli spice and bitter fruits, a big, big mouth feel but tingling rather than burning, and some sharp citrus berry fruits in the chilli mix.
Finish: The fruit fights back but it’s a savoury whisky, with a spicy chilli conclusion, and utterly unforgettable and irresistible.

Benny Ingman
Colour: amber/copper
Nose: sweet, quite mellow, peat smoke, some sherry, chocolate, smoked sausage, brown sugar, some similarities with good Japanese whisky
Mouth: sweet, smoky, fruity and especially like a mature red apple, some sherry, very mellow, a fantastic taste
Finish: as the mouth, very heavy and with a good length
Comments: a very good whisky and the best Amrut ever, for me it was much more peat smoke in the mouth than in the nose, a must buy!
Points: 90

The World’s Best Whiskies by Dominic Roskrow

Bookshops Whisky Tasting Tours

Aurum Press has published (as of October 18th, 2010) The World’s Best Whiskies by Dominic Roskrow, a collection of 750 drams that Dominic believes to be the best in the world.  Dominic will be doing a series of whisky tasting events in November, which might be of interest for the whisky drinkers in the areas he will be visiting (Norwich, St. Andrews, Edinburgh, Guildford, and Abingdon). Visit Aurum Press at www.aurumpress.co.uk

Tuesday November 16th
7.00 pm
Waterstones Norwich
11-17 Castle Street
Norwich
NR2 1PB

Contact: Ben
Tel: 01603 767292
£5 tickets redeemable against the price of the book.

November 22nd
6.00 pm
Waterstones St. Andrews
101 – 103 Market Street
St. Andrews
KY16 9NX

Contact: Stuart
Tel: 0843 290 8603

November 23rd
6.00 pm
Waterstones Edinburgh West End
128 Princes Street
Edinburgh
EH2 4AD

Contact: Ian
Tel: 0843 290 8313

November 24th
7.00 pm
Waterstones Guildford North Street
35 – 39 North Street
Guildford
GU1 4TE

Contact: Cath
Tel: 0843 290 8359

November 30th
7.30pm
The Book Store
15 Bury Street
Abingdon
Oxfordshire
OX14 3QT

Contact: Ian or Jane
Tel: 01235 539200

Oh boy!

Are you sitting comfortably? I would like you to be among the very first to find out about a landmark release from Highland Park.

Highland Park 50 Year Old is the distillery’s oldest and most prestigious release. Only 275 bottles of this remarkable Limited Edition are available. It is a vatting of five casks distilled in 1960. Like all Highland Park, the 50 year old has been cask-harmonised, that is to say, refilled into casks upon reaching maturity in order to ensure perfect balance and consistency.

Highland Park 50 Year Old has been bottled at 44.8% abv to ensure the full impact of the rich, complex flavours that come from a lifetime of maturation.

    
 
Inspired by the elemental forces of Orkney, each bottle is hand-crafted from sterling silver and designed by Maeve Gillies, an internationally-renowned designer of engagement rings and bridal jewellery based in New York. Maeve is also a Global Scot, a business ambassador for Scotland. Her design for Highland Park 50 Year Old celebrates Orkney; in particular the influence of the sea, wild weather and the passage of time.

If you have visited the distillery you will know that the Orkney Islands offer an unspoilt environment of breath-taking beauty and clarity. They are much influenced by their location; the sea, wind and rain all combine to create a unique micro-climate. The triumph of Highland Park 50 Year Old is that the design retains the purity of the original inspiration, that of Orkney itself. The beautiful, bespoke bottle with its hand-fitted sterling silver cage is a suitably stunning setting for such a venerable single malt.

Highland Park 50 Year Old is available at £10,000 per bottle and is limited to 275 bottles.

http://www.youtube.com/HighlandParkWhisky 

BUNNAHABHAIN LAUNCHES A 30 YEAR OLD LIMITED EDITION

BUNNAHABHAIN 1980 VINTAGE

The Bunnahabhain Distillery, which lies on the isolated north-eastern tip of the Hebridean Island of Islay has recently released a very special 30 year old limited edition. Only 357 bottles have been filled, each hand-numbered with pride.

This exclusive 1980 vintage Bunnahabhain Islay single malt Scotch whisky has quietly matured in the distillery’s shore-side warehouses for more than 30 years.  One of the finest examples of the famous Bunnahabhain “gentle taste”, every un-chillfiltered golden drop – of natural cask strength and colour – remains true to our celebrated distilling traditions.
 
The pack consists of oak glassware which has been dressed in dual labelling with uncoated cream stock with gold foil and dark chocolate brown foot label.  The bottle sits within an un-dyed leather case – natural in colour, just like our whisky, with branded quaich and parchment contained within a small glass bottle.  A small leather tag embossed with the Bunnahabhain Seafarer and hand printed with the bottle number is attached to the handle.  This fine leather case will darken in colour over time when exposed to the natural elements.

The liquid within has a natural strength of 45.4%, with a creamy, silky, sweet oak, liquorice and nutmeg taste with citrus notes, vanilla, eucalyptus and a hint of coconut.  The finish is long and elegant with digestive biscuits, lightly spicy with a tingle of ginger and sea salt.

Katherine Crisp, Brand Manager for Bunnahabhain commented “I am sure Bunnahabhain enthusiasts and newcomers alike will enjoy the creamy sweet oak taste profile of this exclusive 1980 vintage”.

Notes

• Bunnahabhain Distillery sits on the North East coast of the island of Islay. 

• Bunnahabhain Distillery was established in 1881.

• Bunnahabhain, means ‘mouth of the river’ from Scots Gaelic

• The distillery looks out to the Sound of Islay, a vast stretch of sea travelled by many a seafarer, as illustrated by the helmsman on the pack

• This wonderfully remote location, with sea influence and free flowing mountain spring water, makes it an idyllic place for whisky distillation 

• It is the only single malt from Islay to use a natural spring water source.

Visit Bunnahabhain Distillery at http://www.bunnahabhain.com/

Glenglassaugh Distillery, Portsoy. October 2010.

·       New “Manager’s Legacy” range released

·       Four single cask releases celebrating the contribution of previous managers at Glenglassaugh Distillery

The Glenglassaugh Distillery Company today announces the release of a limited edition range of single cask malt scotch whiskies.

During the period from 1962 until 1986, when the previous owners mothballed the distillery, Glenglassaugh was managed by only 4 people.

·        Walter Grant – March 1962 to August 1967

·        Bert Forsyth – September 1967 to July 1972

·        Jim Cryle – August 1972 to August 1974

·        Dod Cameron – September 1974 to December 1986

One cask from each manager’s time in charge has been carefully selected as a testament to the individual’s contribution in the development of Glenglassaugh whisky.

The distillery’s MD, Stuart Nickerson, said: “The Manager’s Legacy range is the first range of whiskies that recognises the contribution of the managers who produced the original spirit that was filled into cask at the start of maturation.”

“Each of the 4 casks selected was carefully chosen from all of the casks available from each managers time in charge and as with our other single cask bottling all are non-chill filtered, hand-bottled on site at cask strength, and without the addition of colouring .”

“With each release being an individual cask filling they are all limited edition with the number of bottles per cask varying between 200 and 500 dependent upon the cask selected. Each bottle in each release is individually numbered, as all our single cask bottling are.”

The first release in the range, celebrating the contribution of Jim Cryle, only had 200 bottles available of which only a handful remain unsold. The second release in the range, the “Dod Cameron” bottling will be available from early November and the final two releases will be available in early 2011.

The Manager’s Legacy range is available from good independent retailers; from the distillery shop and via some of Glenglassaugh’s international distributors.

UK RRP is £250 per 700 ml bottle for the Jim Cryle release which is limited to 200 bottles.

UK RRP is £130 per 700 ml bottle for the Dod Cameron release which is limited to 500 bottles.

UK RRP is £350 per 700 ml bottle for the Bert Forsyth release which is limited to 300 bottles.

UK RRP is £450 per 700 ml bottle for the Walter Grant release which is limited to 200 bottles.

Notes;

About Glenglassaugh

The Glenglassaugh Distillery is situated on the Banffshire coast in the North-East of Scotland, close to the small village of Portsoy. The distillery was built in 1875 by local businessmen to satisfy the growing global demand for Scotch Malt Whisky and the site was chosen due to its close proximity to a high quality water supply and easy access to the nearby barley fields.

After a visit in the late 1880s, the highly-regarded Victorian commentator Alfred Barnard described Glenglassaugh as “too well known to need any praise.”

More recently, spirit from Glenglassaugh was used primarily in blends such as Cutty Sark and The Famous Grouse. In 1986 the then owners mothballed Glenglassaugh as part of wider cutbacks in production and the distillery has remained silent thereafter. In 2008 The Scaent Group of Amsterdam purchased the distillery and have invested more than £1m to recommence operations and to reintroduce to discerning customers the distinctive and high quality attributes of The Glenglassaugh Single Malt Scotch Whisky. For more information, please visit www.glenglassaugh.com

Redevelopment

The refurbishment and reopening of the Glenglassaugh Distillery have been managed by Stuart Nickerson, a renowned whisky expert, who was the sole consultant during the acquisition. Nickerson has worked in the Scotch Whisky industry since 1981 with a significant part of his career being with William Grants, where he was Distilleries Director. Previously, he managed Highland Park Distillery, Glenrothes and Glenfiddich Distilleries in succession. He was appointed the new Managing Director of the Glenglassaugh Distillery Company in February 2008.

One of Stuart Nickerson’s first actions was the appointment of Graham Eunson as Distillery Manager, effective from 1st April 2008. Graham joined the Distillery from Glenmorangie where he was Manager of the world famous distillery for the last 12 years. Graham has also worked at Glendronach and Scapa distilleries.

Production at Glenglassaugh was restarted on 24th November 2008 by Rt Hon Alex Salmond, Scotland’s First Minister and the distillery’s MP. Distilling was thus commenced under the guidance of Stuart Nickerson and Graham Eunson, the new management team, who have now released a number of innovative new products.

The World’s Best Whiskies by Dominic Roskrow is published by Jacqui Small on 25th October 2010 at £30

Celebrated whisky expert Dominic Roskrow presents a bespoke collection of the world’s best and most exciting whiskies, covering countries as diverse as India, Sweden, Australia, Germany, France and Wales as well as the whiskey homelands of Scotland, Ireland, America, Japan and Canada.

His personal selection of the finest drams includes those from heavyweight distilleries such as Ardbeg, Laphroaig, Macallan and Talisker and lesser known gems like Mortlach, Brora and Glendronach. And that’s just for Scotland!

This comprehensive and engaging collection covers all parts of the world, classic distilleries and maverick newcomers, detailing a diverse range of whiskies from Australia’s Sullivan’s Cove and Sweden’s Mackmyra to American boutique outfit Woodford Reserve.

Accompanying this intoxicating selection are explanations of global whisky styles and how the drink is produced, maps, tasting notes and symbols sure to delight both the whisky traveller and the armchair connoisseur.

What’s more, stories and legends of the world’s best-loved distilleries sit alongside top tips for food matching, and details of the tastiest whisky cocktails and liqueurs. This is a book no whisky lover will want to be without.

Dominic Roskrow is the author of Need To Know Whiskies: From Confused to Connoisseur (2008) and Collins Gems: Whiskies (2009), both published by Harper Collins. He has recently completely revised and updated the world’s best selling whisky book, the Michael Jackson Malt Whisky Companion

World’s Best Whiskies 750 Unmissable Drams from Tain to Tokyo

Dominic Roskrow

• In 2010 Dominic was appointed Kentucky Colonel – the highest possible accolade awarded by Kentucky Bourbon Distillers. In 2007 he received the Scotch Whisky industry’s highest honour when he was made Keeper of the Quaich.

• Dominic Roskrow is the former editor of internationally acclaimed Whisky magazine, and current editor of Whiskeria magazine.

• World’s Best Whiskies delves into the stories and legends behind the world’s best-loved distilleries, many of which Roskrow has personally visited.

• Includes an overview of global whisky producers from classic distilleries to controversial and experimental new microbreweries.

• Maps show the location of key distilleries, ideal for whisky travellers.

• Included are tasting notes for 750 whiskies.

• A section on whisky and dining includes food matches, cocktails, whisky aged beers and whisky liqueurs.

PRIVATE TASTINGS OF BUNNAHABHAIN, BLACK BOTTLE AND SCOTTISH LEADER AT WHISKY LIVE

Join Ian MacMillan, master distiller and blender of Bunnahabhain, Black Bottle and Scottish Leader, for a private tasting at the FNB Whisky Live Festival from 3 to 5 November 2010 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Cape Town. The Festival will run from 18h00 to 22h00 daily.

MacMillan, who has over 35 years’ experience in whisky distilling and blending, will cover the rich history and unique characteristics of each of the three Bunnahabhain single malts produced on the Isle of Islay, of Scottish Leader, a combination of malt and grain whiskies, and of Black Bottle, a blend of all the renowned single malts from Islay balanced by mainland malt and grain whiskies. Bookings for the private tastings need to be made on the evening at the entrance of the tasting area adjacent to the Bunnahabhain, Scottish Leader and Black Bottle stands during Whisky Live.

Scottish Leader has recently seen a pack upgrade with a new bottle and label which now, in recognition of master blender Ian MacMillan, carries his signature. Visitors to Whisky Live will have the opportunity to meet the man behind Scottish Leader as he shares his passion for this blend. Created in the 1800s by the Ross Brothers, Scottish Leader is today one of the fastest growing whisky brands internationally with its new label reflecting the premium quality and heritage of the brand.

MacMillan will also lead visitors in a tasting of the rare Bunnahabhain 12-, 18- and 25-year-olds which recently received a halo of golden awards at the 2010 International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC). The Bunnahabhain 25-year-old received gold and best in class while the 12- and 18-year-olds both received gold awards. Earlier this year the Bunnahabhain 18- and 25-year-olds were highlighted at the 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition both earning gold while the 12-year-old and 18-year-old both achieved gold status in the Islay category at the Spirits Business 2010 Spirit Masters.

The whiskies are all known for their gentle taste profiles and unique character. Unlike most single malts from Islay, Bunnahabhain is crafted from unpeated malted barley and pure spring water that flows there freely underground, untainted by the peaty moorlands. Consumers that are either new to single malts or prefer the slightly fruitier offerings from Islay will select Bunnahabhain as their whisky of choice.

Black Bottle with its bold taste has been praised by critics and whisky-lovers across the world, and over the years it has secured a cult following for its unique history and profile. Few if any whiskies come close in terms of style that matches this exceptional blend consisting of the renowned seven single malts from Islay balanced by mainland malt and grain whiskies.

The whisky boasts a proud and fascinating heritage, with its origins in late 19th century Aberdeen where the tea merchant Gordon Graham’s ability to blend tea, soon moved to the blending of whiskies. This particular blend, which he marketed in opaque black bottles, in time, became the whisky of choice of the locals of Aberdeen.

The Johannesburg festival runs from 10 to 12 November and MacMillan will only be available for one evening (10 November) where after whisky connoisseur and Master of the Quaich, Pierre Meintjes, will conduct the private tastings.

Notes

1.     Master distiller and blender Ian MacMillan will be available for interviews in Cape Town (3 to 5 November) and Johannesburg (10 to 11 November). Contact Linda Christensen, De Kock Communications, at (021) 873 2199 or at linda@dkc.co.za

2.     Bunnahabhain, Scottish Leader and Black Bottle belong to the portfolio of Burn Stewart Distillers, integrated Scotch whisky producer and brand owner with a portfolio of leading whisky brands. Distell and Burn Stewart Distillers are equal partners in a joint venture which owns and markets this selection of whiskies in sub-Saharan Africa.