Fellow whisky enthusiasts,

We now have the Maltstock 2011 program online! So please visit the Maltstock website to see the full program.

We’re very happy Stuart Thomson (former Ardbeg manager) and George Cairns from the Edinburgh Liqueur Company will join us again. Donald MacLellan will be there for Glendronach and David Stirk with some great whiskies from his Creative Whisky Company. We have Antony McCallum-Caron from Glengoyne/Chieftains. And of course the great chaps from Master of Malt will be there again. This time they will host a “lost distilleries” tasting! Last year Compass Box provided a unique Breakfast Whisky. This year Gregg Glass from Compass Box will come to Maltstock! All this and more to look forward to!

Food
To get off to the perfect start, the highly praised Highlander Inn will come all the way from Craigellachie, Scotland to Maltstock again, to prepare a perfect Scottish breakfast for us. 
On Saturday evening we will of course have a BBQ. It will be a bit different though this year. It’s in the very capable hands of Harry Havinga and his team. They are currently ranked 5th in the World BBQ ranking (yes apparently such a ranking does exist). It will be a BBQ to remember!

Discount at The Whiskyshop Dufftown
Just a quick reminder: every subscriber to this newsletter will get a 5% discount at The Whiskyshop Dufftown. When ordering online simply enter the code: WSDMLTSTK2011. Or mention this code when buying in the shop. Both the excellent website and shop are well worth a visit!

And when you have a Maltstock ticket we will give you a special code for a 10% discount at the Whiskyshop Dufftown!

You can also save on shipping. Mike Lord from The Whiskyshop Dufftown will come to Maltstock. He will also be at the Islay festival. Simply select the country as “Hold at the WSD” when entering the delivery address and state where they want to pick it up in the comments field.

Maltstock tickets
Make sure you buy your Maltstock tickets on time. As always there will be no tickets sales at the Maltstock gates. All tickets need to be bought in advance. And tickets are selling faster than ever.

Maltstock is an all inclusive weekend. For just 175,- euro’s you have two nights accommodation, all food and drinks (including the whisky) and access to the free masterclasses. But above all: you will enjoy a very relaxed whisky weekend amongst fellow enthusiasts!

Click here to go straight to the Maltstock webshop. Or buy your tickets at the Whiskyshop Dufftown website where you can pay with credit card.

Hope to see you all in September at Maltstock!

the Maltstock team
Arthur, Bob, Eline, Rogier & Teun

The Dalmore Releases Castle Leod Whisky

The Dalmore has released a limited edition whisky called Castle Leod, named after the spiritual home of the Mackenzie clan, to raise much needed funds to help return the Scottish castle to its former glory.

The move follows the successful launch last year of the brand’s Mackenzie expression, which saw 3,000 bottles sell out in less than nine months across the world, raising more than £20,000 towards castle restoration and other clan projects.

This time there will be 5,000 bottles of Dalmore Castle Leod produced with an RSP of £100, and according to Richard Paterson, the creator of this new release, this one will sell even faster than the Mackenzie whisky.

The Dalmore has a long association with the Mackenzie clan. Not only did the family once own the Highland distillery, their clan symbol – the royal stag – sits on each and every bottle of the Dalmore in a tribute to its regal heritage and aristocratic pedigree.  In 1263, a member of the clan saved King Alexander III of Scotland from a charging stag and was subsequently granted the honour of using the 12-point royal stag as their crest. That in turn has been adopted by The Dalmore, along with the clan’s motto I Shine, Not Burn.

Castle Leod is nestled in the Scottish highlands just 14 miles from the Dalmore distillery.  Built in 1606, it is still one of the few castles in Scotland that was built and occupied by direct descendents of the original family owners.

Richard Paterson, Master Blender, Whyte and Mackay

“Castle Leod is an exceptional single malt. It’s the first time we have released a whisky matured in barriques from one of the most revered and iconic Bordeaux houses in France.

“Having spent its initial maturation in American white oak and Spanish sherry wood, this whisky still retains The Dalmore’s ‘house style’ of orange marmalade, vanilla and spice. But its final 18 months in Bordeaux adds an extra level of pure luxury, as well as a sensual finish of kiwi, sweet pear and sweet mango.”
 
John Cromartie Caberfeidh of the Mackenzie clan, is thrilled by the The Dalmore’s latest efforts to raise much needed funds

“I’m honoured that Richard Paterson has created this extraordinary single malt in tribute to Castle Leod, which is both my home and the spiritual home of the Mackenzie clan. We regularly have gatherings for our members at the Castle as this has been the seat of the clan since it was built by Roderick Mackenzie in the 17th century. The castle is filled with rich heritage and history, but more importantly, it has stood the test of time, and I have no doubt that in years to come The Dalmore’s Castle Leod will equally be recognised as a timeless classic.”

Tasting Notes:

Colour:   Radiant amber with hints of crimson gold
Nose:  Exhilarating romantic notes of Rose de Mai, heady tuberose, ylang-ylang and rich narcissus are coupled with arousing notes of juicy plums, blackcurrants, bergamot and mandarin.
Taste:  The “King of Grapes”. the Cabernet Sauvignon from a legendary 1st cru classe Bordeaux chateau adds that extra level of pure luxury to our noble Dalmore. But again fleshy plums, raisins and citrus fruits are reinforced during this initial flirtation on the palate. Within seconds the next sensual fusion makes its presence felt when silky tones of kiwi fruit, honey, caramelised pear and sweet mango roll over from the warmth of your tongue. A final feast of crushed almonds, spicy ginger, chewy toffee and soft liquorice brings this passionate love affair to a perfect conclusion.

Information on The Dalmore:

The Dalmore whisky is crafted in small batches using an artisan philosophy that has been passed down through generations. The Dalmore converts crystal-clear water from Loch Morie in the Highlands into liquid gold. The small band of stillmen that run the distillery all originate from a handful of local families and, with years of experience, exhibit true craft and take enormous pride in their work. This ensures The Dalmore whisky’s unique and revered character.

Whisky fans can join The Dalmore Custodians, a select group of individuals with an appetite for luxury single malt, by visiting http://www.thedalmore.com

Smokehead teams up with Smokeheads

Edinburgh: Smokehead Islay Single Malt Whisky has formed a partnership with its namesake book, Smokeheads, the brand new release by Scottish writer Doug Johnstone.

Smokeheads is set on the famous whisky producing island of Islay, home to the mystery distillery which produces Smokehead Single Malt. The book follows four late-thirties ex-university mates heading to Islay with a serious thirst. ‘Four friends, one weekend, gallons of whisky. What could go wrong?’ Over a weekend soaked in the finest cask-strength spirit, events spiral out of control, they are all thrown into a nightmare that gets worse at every turn.

Smokehead Single Malt sponsored the book’s launch event, held in Edinburgh’s Voodoo Rooms, where ‘Smoke and Coke’ was flowing, adding to the atmospheric reading by the author.

The partnership also includes ongoing promotions and discounts such as competitions to win copies of the book and bottles of Smokehead at www.faber.co.uk and www.waterstones.com plus exclusive discount codes offering 10% off bottles of Smokehead for readers.

To enter or for more information visit www.smokehead.co.uk or www.faber.co.uk/work/smokeheads
 
Smokehead is widely available throughout the UK and worldwide, RRP £31.99. For details of stockists and to buy online please visit www.smokehead.co.uk

Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky encourages responsible drinking

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

Tasting notes:

SALE OF ICONIC WHISKY AT BONHAMS EDINBURGH TO AID JAPANESE QUAKE AND TSUNAMI VICTIMS

The sale of a £13,000 bottle of Gordon & MacPhail Generations Glenlivet 70 Years Old, launched earlier this month, is to be auctioned at a special evening at Bonhams, Edinburgh on 29 March in aid of the victims of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

Family owned whisky specialists Gordon & MacPhail unveiled the iconic Single Malt Whisky at Edinburgh Castle on 8 March. Distilled in 1940, only 100 full sized decanters have been released for sale in 2011. Decanter number 1 of 100 has been presented for this special event.

Michael Urquhart, Joint Managing Director of Gordon & MacPhail, had been due to fly to Japan to launch the whisky when the tragedy struck. He had the idea of auctioning the bottle in Scotland to raise much needed money for the relief effort. The proceeds will be donated to the British Red Cross Japan Appeal. The special, single item, charity auction will be held at Bonhams, 22 Queen Street, Edinburgh on Tuesday evening 29 March at 7.00pm GMT to allow buyers in the USA and the Far East to take part. Bonhams are giving their services for free.

Michael Urquhart said, “Gordon & MacPhail has had trading relationships with Japan for over thirty years and members of our family-owned business felt it was important to show our support and raise funds to aid the relief. I think we all feel helpless in the face of a tragedy like this so it is good to be able to do something practical. I hope people will respond generously.”

Bonhams Managing Director in Scotland, Miranda Grant, who lived in Japan as a child, said, “We’re just pleased to be able to help Everyone has been shocked by the scenes of devastation and the loss of life and we’re all hoping to raise a good sum.”

Norman McKinley, director of the Red Cross in Scotland, said, “This is an extremely generous gesture by Gordon & MacPhail and Bonhams. The massive earthquake and resulting tsunami that struck Japan have caused widespread destitution and suffering.

“The costs of the relief effort and of rebuilding the homes and lives of those affected will be immense. Donations to the British Red Cross will be used towards helping the Japanese people recover from this devastating natural disaster over the coming months and years.”

The charity auction itself will be preceded by a reception at 6.00 and a talk at 6.40 by the renowned whisky connoisseur Charles Maclean.

For further sale information please go to www.bonhams.com/scotland

For further press information please contact Andrew Currie on 0207 468 5871 or andrew.currie@bonhams.com or press@bonhams.com

NOTES 

Bonhams

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s oldest and largest auctioneers of fine art and antiques. The present company was formed by the merger in November 2001 of Bonhams & Brooks and Phillips Son and Neale UK. In August 2002, the company acquired Butterfields, the principal firm of auctioneers on the West Coast of America. Today, Bonhams offers more sales than any of its rivals, through two major salerooms in London: New Bond Street, and Knightsbridge, and a further five throughout the UK. Sales are also held in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Carmel, New York and Boston in the USA; Toronto, Canada; and France, Monaco, Hong Kong, Australia and Dubai. Bonhams has a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 25 countries offering sales advice and valuation services in 57 specialist areas. By the end of 2009, Bonhams had become UK market leaders in ten key specialist collecting areas. For a full listing of upcoming sales, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, go to www.bonhams.com (February 2010).

Gordon & MacPhail

Gordon & MacPhail is an independent, family-owned spirit and wine merchant who have been based in Elgin, Moray, since 1895. Four generations of the Urquhart family have continued the tradition of seeking out the best and rarest Scotch whiskies.

Since its foundation, Gordon & MacPhail’s policy has been to send casks to distilleries throughout Scotland, fill them with ‘new make’ spirit and mature them either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouses in Elgin.

Now one of the world’s leading malt whisky specialists, Gordon & MacPhail exports to more than 40 countries. It offers more than 450 presentations of own-bottled single malts and has a stock-holding of more than 700 whiskies.

British Red Cross: in the event that the British Red Cross receives more donations to the Japan Tsunami Appeal than the Japanese Red Cross and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement can reasonably and efficiently spend, any surplus funds will be used to help us prepare for and respond to humanitarian disasters both here in the UK and overseas.

Dear Customer, 

Gordon & MacPhail has had trading relationships with Japan for over thirty years and members of our family owned business felt it was important to show our support and raise funds to aid the relief.  We all feel helpless in the face of a tragedy so we are looking to do something practical.

I was due to fly to Japan to take part in a series of events to launch Gordon & MacPhail Generations Glenlivet 70 Years Old when the disaster struck.  

We have decided to donate bottle No. 1 of Generations Glenlivet 70 Years Old to a special charity auction to raise money for the relief effort.  All funds will be paid to the Red Cross who will use them to help the Japanese people recover from this devastating natural disaster.  

Bonhams Edinburgh, who are giving their services for free, will deliver the special charity auction on Tuesday 29 March 2011 at 7.00pm GMT.  The auction will be held at Bonhams 22 Queen Street, Edinburgh and online at http://www.bonhams.com/eur/auction/19503/lot/1/

As I am sure you are aware Gordon & MacPhail launched Generations Glenlivet 70 Years Old at a special event at Edinburgh Castle on 8 March 2011.  Distilled in 1940 only 100 full sized decanters have been released for sale in 2011.  Whisky connoisseur Charles Maclean describes the single malt: “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.”  

The whisky is 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.

I would be grateful if you could make as many people as possible aware of this special charity auction.

Your faithfully, 

Michael

SCOTCH WHISKY DISTILLERS, WINE & SPIRIT MERCHANTS 

Michael Urquhart | Joint Managing Director

GORDON & MACPHAIL, GEORGE HOUSE, BOROUGHBRIGGS ROAD, ELGIN, MORAY, SCOTLAND, IV30 1JY

www.gordonandmacphail.com

OWNER OF BENROMACH DISTILLERY | www.benromach.com

All highlighting by Whisky Intelligence

Now available to watch inside Warehouse 24, this series of
35 films offers hours of whisky pleasure for both new and old enthusiasts alike.

So why not explore The Whisky Academy and let industry experts, such as Charles MacLean, Gavin D. Smith and David Stewart, guide you through the history, science and craft behind malt whisky whilst answering some of the most frequently asked questions?

I hope you’ll find the time to enjoy these fascinating films.
I know I will.

Slainte mhath,

David Mair
The Balvenie Ambassador

“Working with filmmaker and single malt enthusiast Stuey Burnett, we’ve created something that really doesn’t exist anywhere else online…it’s a fascinating series that’ll have whisky fans enthralled.”

Sam Simmons, academic and Ambassador for The Balvenie

Hankey Bannister 40 Year Old wins “World’s Best Scotch Blended Whisky”

Once again, Hankey Bannister 40 Year Old has been awarded the coveted title of the World’s Best Blended Scotch at the World Whisky Awards, having taken this title in 2008, then going on to win the World’s Best Blended Whisky in 2009.

300 whiskies battled over three tasting rounds for the coveted title of the “2011 Best Whiskies in the World”. Three intensive rounds of blind tastings were carried out by the Whisky Magazine’s independent editorial panel drawn from the best journalists and retailers across the world, and also by industry representatives made up of master blenders, distillers and brand ambassadors in the final round. The winners of the “2011 World Whiskies Awards” were announced at a dinner at the Waldorf, Hilton Hotel, in London last week.

Hankey Bannister 40 Years Old is an intricate and sophisticated blended Scotch whisky specially selected to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Hankey Bannister partnership.

This precious blend contains some of the world’s rarest and most extraordinary whiskies, such as Garnheath, Killyloch and Glen Flagler, whose distilleries are now no more.

The blends were skillfully hand-selected at 6 years old; this unique and exceptional blend was then re-racked into  ex-sherry Spanish oak casks, which lay quietly maturing at the back of the warehouses until our Master Blender, Stuart Harvey, re-discovered them 34 years later.

Such is the rarity of this precious liquid that there exists only 1,917 crystal decanters of Hankey Bannister 40 Years Old, beautifully packaged in a keep-sake dark brown box with Glencairn crystal glasses.

The Hankey Bannister brand dates back to 1757 when Messrs Hankey and Bannister formed the successful partnership that created a smooth and complex blend of premium scotch whiskies which was awarded royal warrants under King George V and Edward VII. Today Hankey Bannister continues to charm an ever-growing number of consumers with their portfolio of the Original blend, 12 year old, 21 year old and 40 year old blended Scotch whisky, distilled at some of Scotland’s finest distilleries.

Hankey Bannister is the focus brand within International Beverage’s ever growing portfolio of blended Scotch whisky, selling over 230,000 cases a year in over 50 countries.  International Beverage Holdings was established in 2005 as the international arm of ThaiBev, one of South East Asia’s leading alcohol beverage companies.

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 distillation, 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 production, distillation and maturation of Scotch through its five distilleries.

The brands include:

 Chang Beer: one of the most popular beers in Thailand
 Single Malt Scotch Whiskies: Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc, Speyburn
 Blended Whiskies: Hankey Bannister
 Mekhong: the ‘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 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.

THREE SHIPS SHINES AT WORLD WHISKY AWARDS

The Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish received the category award for the Best Rest of the World Blended Whisky at Whisky Magazine’s 2011 World Whisky Awards. More than 300 whiskies were tasted in a set of three tasting rounds, all vying for the coveted awards.

The annual World Whisky Awards includes a selection of the finest whiskies produced internationally and categories are based on style, process and production. Hosted by Whisky Magazine, the competition is chaired by Dave Broom, contributing editor of Whisky Magazine and editor-in-chief of Whisky Magazine Japan.

Master distiller, Andy Watts, says the award is an enormous recognition for a proudly South African product, especially since the whisky also recently received gold at the 2010 International Spirits Challenge.

“The Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish is South Africa’s first whisky consisting of both malt and grain components which have been distilled and matured here. If you consider the large number of blends produced throughout the world, it is in my view a remarkable achievement not only for our whisky but also for South Africa.”

He says that after the initial maturation of three years, the final blend is matured for a further six months in first-fill bourbon oak casks, resulting in the slight honeyed sweetness on the nose.

“Considering the short period the whisky spent in the bourbon casks, we were amazed at just how much flavour was extracted. The whisky has a rich golden syrup colour and a soft, estery, warm nose. The slight honeyed sweetness with vanilla notes on the palate is complemented by subtle hints of pepper and spice. The finish is lingering, with a hint of flavour from the bourbon casks.”

The range of Three Ships whiskies are produced at The James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington. Since the launch of the Three Ships Select just over two decades ago it has undergone several upgrades which has transformed it into a state-of-the-art distillery.

The Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish is available from leading liquor outlets and retails for around R115.

Bushmills Village, County Antrim

14th March 2011

MASTER DISTILLER SET TO TAKE DISTILLERY ON TOUR…

Colum Egan, Master Distiller at the Old Bushmills Distillery is set to launch a global competition – ‘Make it 2 Bushmills’ – that will, for the first time, see him take the world-famous distillery on tour.

Colum is offering two friends the chance to work alongside him for two weeks, to learn the skills of whiskey-making that have been alive and well in the Bushmills area for over 400 years, before he packs up the best bits of the Old Bushmills Distillery to go on tour. Destination? The winners’ home country.

Speaking ahead of the launch of Make it 2 Bushmills on St Patrick’s Day, Colum said: “More than 100,000 people visit our distillery every year but there are millions of BUSHMILLS™ fans the world over – so we thought it was about time that we visited them.

“We’re going to bring two friends here, give them behind-the-scenes access to the distillery, £5,000 spending money, luxury penthouse accommodation and the chance to together make their own unique blend of BUSHMILLS Irish Whiskey. Then we’re going to take the distillery on tour, when we pack up some of the equipment, people and whiskey that make our distillery the home of the world’s Best Irish Whiskey¹, and bring them to the winners’ home country for the ultimate BUSHMILLS party, where the winners and their friends will be the guests of honour.

“We’ll have live music from some of Ireland’s best up and coming musicians, we’ll unveil our winners’ unique blend and we’ll even toast the occasion with a few bottles of our special Distillery Reserve – a whiskey you can normally only get at the distillery itself.

“Make it 2 Bushmills is a great opportunity for friends from around the world to come here, to the heart of distillery and then take the distillery home”.

Make it 2 Bushmills will culminate in a global final – Bushcamp – a three day event taking place on Ireland’s spectacular north coast this August. Two friends from each country² will be voted by the public to go forward to Bushcamp, where they will experience what life at the Old Bushmills Distillery has to offer. 

Colum said: “At Bushcamp we’ll be looking for our winners – the two friends who best represent the BUSHMILLS spirit of friendship, so we’ll be challenging our finalists to together try some of the things the team here love to do. I love my golf, so we might be asking our finalists to together take on my trickiest Par-3 on one of the world’s biggest bunkers, or, as I like to call it, the beach! We take our whiskey ‘mixing’ very seriously, so it could be fun to see how our friends get on when it comes to DJing, and we’ve got some keen cyclists here, so we may even organise a tandem race round the distillery!

“We’ll not be forgetting the whiskey of course – we’re also going to test the palettes of our finalists with a series of whiskey challenges.”

Make it 2 Bushmills will be judged by a panel of famous BUSHMILLS fans, chaired by Colum himself. The full panel will be announced in the run up to Bushcamp.

“We’re looking for real friends, with a genuine love for life and wicked sense of humour”, said Colum, “and do you know what? I’m sure we’ll find them.”

To enter or find out more, visit facebook.com/bushmills1608. Entry closes at 11.59pm GMT on Sunday 17th April 2011. Terms and conditions apply.

http://multivu.prnewswire.com/mnr/prne/bushmills/48882/ for a video…

Share Bushmills Responsibly

www.DRINKiQ.com

The Bushmills word, the Pot Still device and associated logos are trade marks. © The Old Bushmills Distillery Co. Limited 2011

References

¹BUSHMILLS 1608 was voted as Best Irish Whiskey at the 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

²The competing countries in Make it 2 Bushmills are:

·         Belgium

·         Bulgaria

·         Czech Republic

·         Germany

·         Great Britain

·         Netherlands

·         Northern Ireland

·         Republic of Ireland

·         Russia

·         South Africa

·         United States

From each, one pair of finalists will be selected by public vote to go forward to Bushcamp.