Specialist Whisky Shop Launched

The Green Welly Stop, Tyndrum, November 2010, launch a new Whisky Website.

Here at Tyndrum, we felt the need for a specific website catering for Whisky. We currently have our corporate site at www.thegreenwellystop.co.uk and within this there is a Whisky Shop. As we also
incorporate gifts, outdoor items and clothing, we knew it was potentially lacking the “Whisky” atmosphere that our Whisky Shop deserved. Specialist Whisky was born. We have taken some time to consider new ideas born from the original whisky shop and blend them into one. Looking to launch our own casks in the future, along with a range of rare and collectable whiskies, we pride ourselves in having an amazing range to choose from.

The Green Welly Stop prides itself on it’s customer service, so don’t ever be surprised if we reply to your contact messages within 15 minutes, we know you are important.

To celebrate our launch, we have the popular Laphroaig Quarter Cask on sale at £24.99

http://www.specialistwhisky.com

Specialist Whisky will be having a malt of the month, that we will be reducing in price, so keep an eye on the new website for those! The Green Welly Stop have been selling whisky since 1976, we were the first company to setup an account with the Independent bottler – Gordon & MacPhail. Specialist Whisky has over 800 bottles in stock and many more available. Visit our online shop today!

Craig Dearden
craig@specialistwhisky.com
Specialist Whisky – www.specialistwhisky.com
The Green Welly Stop – www.thegreenwellystop.co.uk

Neat Whisky Solution Powers Island Distillery

A Hebridean distiller has installed a pioneering new system to get volts from malts to power its distillery exclusively from recycled whisky waste.

On the remote Scottish island of Islay, the privately owned Bruichladdich distillery has installed a ground-breaking new scheme based on an old concept to become self sufficient in power.

Residual organic material left in ‘pot ale’ (the warm, watery post-distillation waste) is converted in to biogas by the action of microbes living in the absence of air – a process known for some time as anaerobic digestion.

The principal was first identified by scientist Robert Boyle around 1670, who noticed flammable bubbles emerging from the floor of a muddy pond.  Although the first digester was built in 1859, it never took off being too vast, expensive, inefficient and reliant on constant scientific monitoring.

Now an economically viable, compact version has been designed by Dr Paul Ditchfield of Biowayste Systems. This modern, hi-tech version uses a bespoke culture of microbes, and is scaled specifically to suit Bruichladdich’s operations.

Modern technology has improved the efficiency and replaced the day-to-day technical expertise required allowing small companies to benefit from this simple, green science for the first time.

When Bruichladdich was built by the young Harvey brothers as a state-of-the-art distillery in 1881, Victorian pragmatism ensured many new efficiency ideas were incorporated in to the design,  many were subsequently adopted industry-wide.

From the Victorians up until today there was nothing that could be done with the distillery’s watery waste which was merely piped out to sea. Now, thanks to a bunch of bilious microbes, it is recycled to produce electricity.

Managing director Mark Reynier said: “We wanted a ‘beautifully simple’ solution in keeping with the pioneering Harvey brothers – not just a conscience-salving piece of paper telling us how good we have been; we wanted waste out, power in. Now we can power the whole distillery from our whisky waste.  Drink Bruichladdich and save the planet! How neat is that?”
 
The biogas is created by 12 tons of microbes feeding off the pot ale in two reactors. Once commissioned, the gas is fed to a generator to create electricity to power the distillery and its 10 acre site, including bottling hall, computers, offices, warehouses and vehicles.

It is anticipated that energy savings will produce a payback of 2 years on the almost £⅓m cost. Bruichladdich recently launched the only Islay organic whisky.

Notes:

The first digester was built in 1859, but the level of continual technical expertise required, the enormous scale, high capital costs, and low level of efficiency – severely limited its commercial viability, meaning it could be used only on very large industrial projects in a part only solution. Roseile, Diageo’s £40m mega-distillery recently installed a type of digester.

The Biowayste compact version brings the science in to the reaches of small businesses such as food manufacturers and farmers.

Carbon savings: 225 tons per year.

Gordon & MacPhail scoop prestigious SCDI award

Family-owned whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail has won the prestigious SCDI Brodies Award for International Achievement in Innovation, in recognition of its success in growing international markets. In addition the company was also shortlisted for The Clydesdale Bank Award for Best International Business.

The Elgin-based whisky wholesaler, bottler and retailer, which also owns the Benromach Distillery, was presented with the award last night (Friday 19 November) at a ceremony in Glasgow.  Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City was the Principal Guest at the event and delivered the Keynote Address.

The award recognises the company or organisation which can best demonstrate significant innovation in its products, business processes or customer services which has transformed the way it does business and has made a significant impact on its commercial performance. In addition, the company was also shortlisted for The Clydesdale Bank Award for Best International Business.

Joint Managing Director of Gordon & MacPhail, Michael Urquhart, said:

“For over a century, we’ve been building up an unrivalled collection of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies from our base in the heart of Speyside.

“Scotland’s whisky expertise is recognised all over the world, and demand for our products in international markets has never been higher: in the first eight months to the end of October 2010 we have increased export sales by 55%.

“We’re delighted to have been presented with this award which recognises the efforts of our dedicated and enthusiastic staff and the support of our customers and suppliers globally.”

Gordon & MacPhail’s latest results showed a 20 per cent increase in turnover in the face of the worst recession for more than half a century. The company last year won a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, following a 94 per cent increase in exports over five years. 

Gavin Hewitt, Chief Executive of  The Scotch Whisky Association, said: “Scotch Whisky is a cornerstone of our economy.  With the industry as a whole playing an important role in driving economic recovery and building overseas markets, I’m delighted to see the great efforts of the team at Gordon & MacPhail recognised with this award.”

The firm employs 130 people in Elgin and Forres. It stocks around 300 different expressions of single malt whisky and cares for some of Scotland’s oldest and rarest casks in its warehouses. In 2010, Gordon & MacPhail launched the world’s oldest whisky, Mortlach 70 Years Old.

Benromach Distillery, which was brought back to life by Gordon & MacPhail in 1998, produces Benromach Organic .

www.gordonandmacphail.com 

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.
 
For further information please visit: www.chivasbrothers.com

Scottish Field, the premier lifestyle magazine in Scotland, is back with its 10th edition of the annual Scottish Field Whisky Challenge, the prestigious award for the world’s greatest whiskies.

For the past decade, we at Scottish Field have taken enormous pride in the success our yearly “blind tasting” challenge of the finest drams in the world. The impact of the awards has far outstripped our expectations, becoming somewhat of an institution for the whisky industry, fanatics and occasional drammers.

Every December issue of our magazine includes the renowned Scotch Whisky Challenge, defining the very best whisky in the world by the verdicts of our fabulous panel of world-renowned experts. This year, we have decided to share our Whisky Challenge on the world wide web, so that whisky lovers from around the world are able to enjoy the stellar awards with us, rather than just our magazine’s readers!

We would like to involve you in our annual challenge, by visiting our Whisky Challenge 2010 page, ( http://www.scottishfield.co.uk/statistic/w/ ) where you can find out everything you need to know, from a background of the judges to how the challenge works.

Also, be sure to check out our whisky news section.( http://www.scottishfield.co.uk/article/category/120-Whisky_News/ )

For our whisky reviews, click here. ( http://www.scottishfield.co.uk/review/3-Whisky/ )

Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,

Our Fall Single Malt Festival is less than 24 hours away and we have yet another sell out on our hands! If it was hard for any of us to believe we are already half way through November, the snows and cold of the last few days have certainly got us back on pace. Its whisky festival time again, and what a Festival do we have in store! More than 90 whiskies are on offer this year including the first Canadian tasting of the 4 new releases from Arran (14 Year, Amarone, Port and Sauternes), Port Ellen 29 and 30 year olds, Ardbeg Supernova, Highland Park Earl Magnus, Compass Box Hedonism Maxximus, Amrut Double Barrel, Bunnahabhain 25 Year, Cask Strength Rosebank 1991, Auchentoshan 1998, BenRiach Authenticus 21 Year and much, much more. The problem will be deciding what to sample!

Tradition has it that we now have a Friday whisky dinner the night after the festival to give a little extra incentive to those who are visiting us from out of town. This year’s Glenglassaugh Dinner is going to be extra special, not just because we are to sample 21, 29, 30 and 40 year old expressions. Stuart Nickerson, distillery manager has recorded a special message for those attending the dinner. We will have an audio/video presentation on the distillery to enjoy while we sample its whisky! As always the whiskies will be complemented by a three course meal prepared by the chef at Buchanan’s Chophouse, one of our city’s finest restaurants! I’ve more to tell you about the dinner below, which is undoubtedly one of the whisky tasting events of the year in Calgary.

In line with the Fall Single Malt Festival and the Glenglassaugh Dinner there are some incredible new whiskies in town. This information can’t wait until the next full Malt Messenger, so I’ll break it down for you below!

Also we have the 2011 Whisky Bible by Jim Murray and the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2011 now in stock. Just in time for the whisky festival…

One final note, Peat-Heads have reason to rejoice, the next edition in the Octomore series, Octomore 3 will be in next week  $149.99. Kensington Wine Market is getting at least 30 bottles, pre-order yours today!

As always I hope you’ve enjoyed this Malt Messenger Bulletin, stay tuned for the November Malt Messenger sometime next week!

Slainté!

Andrew Ferguson

The Glenglassaugh Dinner – Friday November 19th 7PM @ Buchanan’s Chop House – $170.00

Glenglassaugh distillery was founded two miles west of the town of Portsoy at the east end of Sandend Bay on the Moray Firth in 1875. The distillery was established by James Moir, a local business man, its quickly earned a reputation for making quality whisky and rapidly began to prosper. After James’s death the distillery changed hands a number of times before closing in 1907, a victim of the Pattison Whisky Crash. A new distillery building was installed in 1959 and production ran from 1960 through 1986 when it was closed by its owners Highland Distillers. Highland Distillers also owned Glenrothes, and through the 70’s and 80’s they tried to produce a Glenrothes like spirit at Glenglassaugh. In 1986 these efforts were ceased and the decision was made to close Glenglassaugh and expand production at Glenrothes. And so the distillery remained silent from 1986 until November of 2008 when the distillery was officially reopened by Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond under new ownership. The still ran again for the first time of the 4th of December 2008.

Glenglassaugh is in the unenviable position of having a 22 year production gap. Because there was no spirit distilled between 1986 and late 2008, the distillery has to rely of limited stocks of rare older whisky while its waits for its newly filled casks to mature. This is why Glenglassaugh is the only distillery in Scotland with a core range that begins with a 21 year old! We’ll sample the full core range: 21 year old, 30 year old and 40 year old as well as a 29 year old bottled by A. D. Rattray. We’ll start things off with some examples of the new make Glenglassaugh: The Spirit Drink That Dare Not Speak Its Name and the Spirit Drink That Blushes to Speak Its Name. All in all this lineup of whiskies would set you back $4000.00 or more if you were to buy a bottle of each, making our dinner at $170 a bargain, especially when you look at the menu Buchanan’s has prepared for us:

1st Plate: Tuna Tartar with a Basil Creme Fresh and Wasabi Sauce

2nd Plate: Pan Roasted Bay Scallop Stuffed with Rock Shrimp with Key Lime Aioli

Main Course: AAA Alberta Filet of Beef Medallions with Belle Pepper Mushroom Whisky Sauce and Bacon Parsnip Mashed Potato

Desert: Sticky Toffee Pudding with Toffee Sauce and Chantilly Cream

To register call the Kensington Wine Market at 403-283-8000 or visit our website www.kensingtonwinemarket.com..

New Single Malt Scotch Whiskies:

These are just a few of the new whiskies available at the Kensington Wine Market. I will have a full list in the next Malt Messenger!

1.       Edradour Cask Strength Decanter 1997 – New and exclusive to the Kensington Wine Market. 707 bottles from a single sherry cask at 56.4%, bottled at 12 years of age. Tasting note to come. – $129.99

2.       Edradour 24 Year PX Sherry Finish – Exclusive to KWM, this Pedro Ximenez finished Edradour is very elegant. Distilled in 1985 and bottled after 24 years it is fruity and chocolaty with gentle spices, sweet, sour and musty notes. – $166.99

3.       Edradour SFTC Chateauneuf du Pape Finish – This Edradour was matured in Bourbon casks before finishing in a Chateauneuf du Pape hogshead. 453 bottles have been released at a cask strength of 56.6% after ageing 12 years. Exclusive to KWM! – $99.49

4.       Arran 14 Year – This 14 year old replaces the 12 but is less sherried and more similar to the Peacock release we saw last year. It is getting rave reviews. Distillery Tasting Note: An initial burst of brine leads onto warming toffee apples and hazelnuts. This is followed by dates, chocolate orange and spiced tea cake. The mouthfeel is overwhelmingly rich and weighty.” – $76.49

5.       Arran Amarone Finish – Arran has consolidated and streamlined there cask finish line, I’m not sold on the packaging, but the price is good and rumour has it the quality is there. Try it for yourself! Distillery Tasting Notes: “Dark chocolate, cherry and Turkish delights are evident as are stewed fruits and toffee. Muscular notes of dark plum wrestle with bitter-sweet apricots and a hint of cinnamon.” – $76.99

6.       Arran Port Finish – Distillery Tasting Notes: “Layered fruits and spice combine, with cinnamon baked apple wrestling with raisin and plum pudding. The dram opens out to reveal warming barley and a hint of sweet pear.” – $76.99

7.       Arran Sauternes Cask Finish – Distillery Tasting Notes: “Richly honeyed and backed with a lifting zestiness which slides into spice and zingy salt. Once the dram opens out, vanilla and sultana stand out followed by notes of toasted oak. – $76.99

8.       Bruichladdich 18 Year Bourbon – I haven’t tried them yet, and its near impossible to find info on them on the web, but a trusted customer highly recommended the bourbon and cognac finished 18 year olds so I’ve taken a chance on all three including the rum finish. More details as they come. – $96.99

9.       Bruichladddich 18 Year Cognac Finish – See above.  – $96.99

10.   Bruichladdich 18 Year Rum Finish – See above. – $96.99

11.   Auchentoshan 1998 – This is a very limited edition sherry cask matured Auchentoshan bottled a natural cask strength of 54.6%. – $64.49

12.   Auchentoshan 1977 – Only 240 bottles of this sherry matured whisky are available in the world. 49%, only a dozen or so bottles are available in Canada. – $506.99

New American Whiskies – Buffalo Trace Antique Collection:

1.       Sazerac 18 Year – One of the most rare and hard to find whiskies in the world. This real American Rye Whiskey is rich, deep and full bodied. Usually scored in the high 90’s in the Whisky Bible. KWM received but 6 bottles! – $147.49

2.       Thomas Handy Rye – This whiskey is barrel proof, the American version of cask strength, and has a massive palate and body. 96.5pts Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2011. – $140.49

3.       Eagle Rare 17 Year – Old Boubons are far from common, mainly because the oak—which by law has to be new each and every time in the US—overwhelms the whiskey very quickly. The Eagle Rare 17 skirts the right side of this razor’s edge with notes of “molasses, leather, vanilla and toffee.” KWM only received 6 bottles. – $127.49

This is the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection. KWM received all but the William Larue Weller. The George T. Stagg has sold out.

Whiskies Back In Stock:

1.       Edradour Caledonia – Exclusive to the Kensington Wine Market this special bottling of Edradour is a 12 year old finished in Oloroso sherry for at least 4 years. The whisky is chewy and very fruity with figs, sultanas and a hint of clove. 46% NCF and no colouring.- $93.99

2.       Bruichladdich Golder Still – Back and at a greatly reduced price… This is the 3rd bottling in a trilogy of whiskies that included the Blacker Still (2006) and Redder Still (2007). 4,900 very collectible bottles of this 23 year old have been released world-wide! – $212.99

Jim Murray’s 2011 Whisky Bible – $21.95 + GST

The Whisky Bible has a fresh new look for 2011 to go along with the more 900 new and revised reviews. The 2011 Whisky Bible has 3,850 reviews of whisky from the world over. While the bulk of the book is taken up by single malt Scotch whiskies, the book also reviews most of the major American, Canadian, Irish, Japanese and World Whiskies. You may not always agree with his scores, or the distilleries which seem to dominate year after year, but the tasting notes always come in handy when searching for your next dram!

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2011 – $29.99 + GST

Back for a 6th year the Malt Whisky Yearbook is the ideal resource for the whisky aficionado that likes to know every detail about his or her favourite distilleries. Every single malt distillery in Scotland, Ireland, Japan and most of the rest in the world are included with a detailed breakdown on their history and what’s happened in the last year.  The book includes tasting notes on one or two of the distillery’s most common bottlings, interesting articles on the world of whisky and detailed descriptions of the various processes involved in manufacturing malt whisky. No whisky bar or man’s bathroom is complete without one, and if you only buy one whisky book, this should be it.

­­If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store. Feel free to forward me any whisky news you feel should be included in a future issue of The Malt Messenger; it might just get included.

All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com.. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change!

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger!

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson
KWM Scotchguy

403-283-8000
888-283-9004
1257 Kensington Rd. NW
Calgary, AB, Canada
T2N 3P8

scotchguy@kensingtonwinemarket.com

The (Very) Unofficial Royal Engagement Cocktail from Drambuie®

In an audacious display of commercial bandwaggonism, Jamie Stephenson, Brand Ambassador for Drambuie Liqueur has created the ‘Engaging Dram’ to celebrate the announcement of Prince William’s engagement to Miss Katherine Middleton.

Drambuie is renowned, not only for creating iconic cocktails, such as the world famous Rusty Nail, but for its Royal connections. The elixir at the heart of Drambuie was created more than 260 years ago exclusively for Prince Charles Edward Stuart of Scotland.  It is a unique combination of aged Scotch whiskies, heather honey and a blend of herbs and spices – a recipe kept secret since 1745.

Jamie said of the cocktail: “The engagement is such big news I was keen to do something to celebrate, and what better way than with a special dram of Drambuie, an iconic drink with historic Royal links.

“The Engaging Dram’s ingredients represent the Royal heritage, perfectly paired with modern, stylish flavours and presented in an elegant and beautiful way – just like the couple themselves.

“You never know they may even serve it at the wedding – I’ll leave a message on the Queen’s Facebook wall and see what she thinks of it.”

To celebrate the Royal engagement the Drambuie way simply follow this recipe:

Engaging Dram

20ml Drambuie Royal Legacy 1745

5ml Lemon Juice

Dash Orange Bitters

100ml Rosé Champagne

Stir gently in a mixing glass and pour into a chilled flute. Garnish with a twist of orange

The cocktail uses Gold Award winning limited edition bottling THE ROYAL LEGACY OF 1745™, created to celebrate the centenary of the first commercial bottling of Drambuie in Edinburgh in 1909, The Royal Legacy of 1745 is a sublime interpretation of the original royal spirit enjoyed by Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1745. At its heart remains the Prince’s legacy – his secret elixir of exotic herbs and spices sourced from around the globe and unchanged for 260 years.

For more information visit www.drambuie.com

Notes

In the USA post prohibition, it became synonymous with the classic cocktail The Rusty Nail ™. Today it’s enjoyed neat, over ice and as a long refreshing drink mixed with soda, ginger beer or ginger ale.  For more information visit www.drambuie.com

The Royal Legacy of 1745™, received a Gold Medal in the prestigious Drinks International Awards following its launch at TFWA Cannes in 2009.

The Royal Legacy of 1745™ is available exclusively through select international travel retail outlets (70cl & 75cl, 46% ABV, TR RSP of £125/€159/$229).

Balblair Releases Millennium Malt on to the Global Drinks Market

Multi award-winning Balblair Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky has unveiled its latest vintage expression – Balblair 2000, another perfectly timed addition to the Balblair portfolio.

Distilled in the Millennium year, this unique spirit is the latest handpicked choice of Distillery Manager John MacDonald and is another example of the distillery’s unique approach to only ever releasing premium vintages which have matured to perfection.

Only limited quantities of this vintage will be made available to specialist whisky outlets throughout the UK this September and will be rolled out internationally to key focus markets including France, Spain and the travel retail channel.

Slowly matured in single American oak ex bourbon casks, Balblair 2000 vintage is bottled in its purest form at a strength of 43% abv. Bright golden in appearance, it is a superbly well-balanced, full-bodied malt with aromas of pears, pineapple and green apple. On the palate the sweet, honey, floral notes combined with hints of coconut and rich spices lead to a smooth, long lasting and warm finish.

Says Distillery Manager John MacDonald: “We are delighted to be introducing this new addition to our vintage range. We have spent a great deal of time and care in selecting this perfect malt and all the hard work, dedication and devotion has paid off.  We are confident that whisky enthusiasts worldwide will really enjoy this newest member of the Balblair family.”

Balblair Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is ‘timed to perfection’ in every sense. At Balblair’s distillery, on the shores of the Dornoch Firth in Edderton, Tain, super-premium vintage expressions are specially selected after a complex tasting and nosing process. Only the finest whiskies – those that have reached the peak of their perfection – are chosen and named by the year that they were distilled and layed down in cask.

Following a highly successful US launch this May, Balblair has become established as ‘the’ quality choice for discerning malt whisky drinkers worldwide. Its contemporary design, sets it apart, and the celebrated taste reflects the time honoured and un-rushed methods of production that have remained virtually unchanged over the years

Balblair 2000 will retail in the UK at £31.50 per bottle.

Notes:

The Balblair Porfolio includes;
1979  –  46% (70cl) –  £84.99
1989  –  43% (70cl) – £39.95
1997   – 43% (70cl) – £27.99

Balblair 1979 is amber in appearance with radiant golden honey highlights. A superbly balanced malt with warm aromas of honey, toffee and vanilla that come from the long years of maturation in American oak barrels.  Cloves, oranges, bananas and pears can also be detected in the aroma adding to the complexity of this exceptional Vintage. Sweet, honey vanilla flavours combine with cloves and spices leading to a rich, full-bodied, long-lasting, finish.

Balblair 1989 is mid-amber in appearance with honey-gold highlights. A full-bodied malt with aromas of raisin, green apple and hints of banana and lemon. The American oak barrels, used in the distillate’s maturation, lend a warm toffee, vanilla fragrance. On the palate there are raisins and fruits with a rich spiciness leading to a long, complex and ultimately smooth finish.

Balblair 1997 is subtly amber in appearance with rose-golden highlights. This full-bodied malt is fused with the aromas of pineapple, apricot and lemon to create a long-lasting sweet finish.  On the nose, the American oak barrels used in the distillate’s maturation, produce an inviting, spicy fragrance. Hints of oak, spice and raisin combine with the sweetness of vanilla to create a long-lingering, creamy smooth finish on the palate

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 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.

For several years, Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited has been in the forefront of trying out new ideas and innovative in a number of fields, despite maybe not getting the acknowledgement that we deserve.
 
The Brilliant Idea

50 years ago Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited started laying down malts for long term maturation. Quite an investment when you consider it closely, few companies lock up an investment for no return within the lifetime of its management.

This investment and the quality of its whiskies provided a platform for many of the multinational whisky companies you see today to launch very old vintages. Yes, that’s right, whiskies sourced from Duncan Taylor. Many current multinational drinks groups didn’t even exist when Duncan Taylor was laying down its whiskies! They were still pastis companies, rum companies, venture capital groups, some were blenders not yet into malts.
 
Where We’ve Been

100 proof blends were first brought to market by Duncan Taylor back in the 1930’s via George Willsher & Co Ltd, their associate company.

In the ‘60s,  we created “Scotch’n Orange” when a certain new innovative blender was still in diapers.

Twenty years ago we were pioneering the vatting of malts from different distilleries and different regions, some worked and some didn’t, though we had loads of fun trying.

About eight years ago, we launched a range of grain whiskies, when grains were considered the poor cousin of malts and were shunned by the “cognoscenti”. I’m glad to see where we lead others are now following!
 
Our Newest Innovation, Now Available

For upwards of thirty years we have been occasionally maturing whiskies in smaller casks, predominantly octaves and quarters with great success. So much so that we created the Octave and Quarter range just over four years ago, this range has been growing and is now so unique to Duncan Taylor that we intend to roll it out to the masses, albeit, only to those that appreciate the finer things in life.

So where does the company go from here, watch this space, there’s exciting times ahead and rest assured, whoever comes along with us for the ride won’t be disappointed.

Select your cask today, contact our sales team on +44 (0)1466 794055 or email sales@quartercasks.com

Visit our Website www.DuncanTaylor.com

The O&Q Range

Our Octave and Quarter range has invigorated the Single Malts and Single Grains industry.

After a second maturation of three months, the octave casks has breathed new life into the whisky, quickly changing hue, taste, form and character of the spirit. The whisky is rejuvenated, a little more aggressive, with the commanding presence of a mature, well-balanced Scotch Whisky.

With fewer bottles from each cask, the spirit becomes all the more exclusive. There never has been, nor will there be anything exactly like it.
 
Available casks:

Aberlour 1993
Auchentoshan 1999, 2000
Auchroisk 1999, 1988
Aultmore 1989
Balblair 1991
Balmenach 2000
Ben Nevis 1995, 1998
Benriach 1990
Bowmore 1968, 1982, 1998, 2002
Bunnahabhain 1968, 1969, 1970, 1997
Cameronbridge 1978, 1979
Caol  Ila 1980, 1981,  1982, 1983, 1984
Caperdonich 1968,  1969, 1972 Carsebridge 1979
Cragganmore 1992
Craigellachie 1999
Dalmore 1990
Glenburgie 1988
Glen Elgin 1991
Glen Grant 1969, 1970,  1972,  1974, 1991
Glenlivet 1968, 1970
Glen Moray 1971, 1973, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1988
Glengarioch 1991
Glenrothes 1968, 1969, 1970 Highland Park 1970
Imperial 1997
Isle of Arran 1996, 1999
Isle of Jura 1992
Invergordon 1965
Kinclaith 1969
Ladyburn 1973
Laphroaig 1997
Linkwood 1991
Macallan 1969, 1996, 1997
Macduff 1968, 1969
Mortlach 1993
North British 1978
Port Dundas 1973
Strathclyde 1973, 1980
Strathisla 1968
Tamdhu 1968
Tamnavulin 1989
Teaninich 1996
Tomatin 1965, 1976

Glenglassaugh Distillery, Portsoy.  10 November 2010.

• First Minister and Chinese Consul General celebrate new Scotch Whisky Status at Glenglassaugh Distillery
• Unique cask of whisky filled with future bottling for charity

First Minister and Consul General with the celebratory octave cask

A visit from a very special guest to a small distillery in the north-east of Scotland has produced the opportunity for whisky lovers the world over to toast a piece of history.

First Minister Alex Salmond chose to mark a momentous occasion for Scotch Whisky at Glenglassaugh Distillery on the Moray Firth this week.

To mark the signing of a document giving Scotch Whisky recognition and protection in China, Glenglassaugh Distillery has produced a special Octave – 50 litres -of the amber nectar to be auctioned off for charity in five years time. The first minister gave this cask his seal of approval this week on his visit to the distillery as he was helped to fill it by Madam Tan Xiutian, Consul General for the People’s Republic of China in Scotland.

Mr Salmond chose Glenglassaugh Distillery in Portsoy to celebrate Scotch Whisky being given Geographical Indication of Origin Status in China, which means copycat versions of the famous drink can no longer be legally sold in China.

It was a very exciting day for Glenglassaugh, which was previously mothballed and only re-opened two years ago.

Managing director of the distillery Stuart Nickerson said: “I am delighted that the first minister and Consul General are marking this important day at Glenglassaugh.”

Mr Salmond had helped celebrate the re-opening of the distillery in 2008 and was very happy to be back.

“I was delighted to visit Glenglassaugh once again. Almost two years since I re-opened the distillery it was good to meet Stuart and the rest of the staff and great to see that Glenglassaugh is going from strength to strength,” he said. He added: “This is a highly important day for the Scotch Whisky industry and this designation is enormously helpful for the industry.”

The distillery took the opportunity to ask Mr Salmond and Madam Tan to fill a one-off octave of whisky which will be in high demand by bidders when it is opened in five years. It is expected that this will yield 50 to 60 bottles which will give whisky connoisseurs a chance to purchase a piece of history.

Madam Tan and the first minister signed the small cask marking the agreement which will hopefully see sales of genuine Scotch Whisky rise in China.

Madam Tan said of the agreement: “This designation is very important for both the whisky creator and the consumer.”

Bidders for one of the octave bottles will be in for a treat as one of the Glenglassaugh whiskies was recently described as “one of the great world whiskies for 2010” by acclaimed whisky writer Jim Murray and the aged whiskies have won several awards and much praise.

Mr Nickerson said: “China is a key Market for Glenglassaugh and this announcement means we can re-focus our efforts with renewed confidence, knowing our products and customers are protected.”

Glenglassaugh has a range of whisky available from 26 years of age to a 43 year old and more information on these and how to purchase them as well as your own Octave cask can be found on the distillery web site www.glenglassaugh.com .

The company also has a range of Spirit Drinks and more information on these can be found on www.thespiritdrink.com .