W Hoboken Hotel will host an exclusive evening of Whisky and Music, as Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky presents special guest Heather Greene and her musical sounds of Argon 40 on December 1st in the hotel’s event space The Living Room.    

The event invites guests to an unforgettable experience, as the signature flavor of Glenfiddich, the world’s most awarded Single Malt Scotch whisky, is paired with the sultry musical sounds of Argon 40, a unique musical collaboration between the multi-talented musician Heather Greene and platinum recording artist Adam Williams.  The release, “Fair Lawn,” is set to drop in January 2011.

 In addition to being an internationally acclaimed singer with two records under her belt, Greene is one of the world’s only female Whisky experts and an internationally recognized Icon of Whisky.  As comfortable on stage as she is behind a bar, Greene will also be leading a Glenfiddich tasting for guests, unlocking the distinct notes and flavors of this range of whiskies.

 “This listening party, the first in a nationwide tour, combines my loves for whisky and music and allows me to present my music in totally new way,” Greene said.  “My project Argon 40 sets a backdrop to chill, offering an unexpected, new and compelling tasting experience as well.”  

Guests at this event may rub shoulders with an array of local television and sports personalities and will also enjoy an assortment of luxury cigars and fine passed hors d’oeuvres.  The event will take place on Wednesday, December 1st from 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.  Press invitations are available at rsvp@thehipevent.com. Admission is free, contact rsvp@thehipevent.com to RSVP.

W Hotels Worldwide

W Hotels is an innovative, contemporary, design-led lifestyle brand and the hotel category buster with 36 hotels and retreats in the most vibrant cities and exotic destinations around the world. Inspiring, iconic, innovative and influential, W Hotels provides the ultimate in insider access to a world of “Wow.” Each hotel offers a unique mix of innovative design and passions around fashion, music and entertainment. W Hotels offers a holistic lifestyle experience that is integrated into the brand’s sensibility through contemporary restaurant concepts, glamorous nightlife experiences, stylish retail concepts and signature spas. With more than 10 years of proven success, W Hotels is on track to more than double its footprint by 2011. W Hotels and W Retreats have been announced for London, Paris, St. Petersburg, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Bali, Vieques Island, Koh Samui, and Verbier, among other international destinations. For more information, visit www.whotels.com.

IT’S GAME ON FOR THE NATION’S BAR GAMES STARS AS WHYTE & MACKAY ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR LOCAL CHAMPIONS

Does your pub darts team dream of making it to the regional finals but can’t quite afford the membership fees?  Are you the fastest speed pool player in your pub, but your local needs a new pool table for you to practise on?  Or is your local pub footie team climbing the league table but needs a new kit to look sharp on the pitch?

If you’re part of a bar games team – or play a bar game solo – and are struggling to fork out for a revamp, renovation, kit or equipment, then Whyte & Mackay, today (Monday, 8th November) announces a competition that may have the answer to all your financial woes.

As part of their recently launched Bar Games campaign , which heralds the return of traditional pub games, Whyte & Mackay are offering teams and individual players of bar games the chance to win a share of £3,000 to help get them to the top of their game.

Individuals and teams simply need to visit Whyte & Mackay’s Facebook page and upload their story with any photos or videos detailing why they deserve the cash.   Alternatively, they can e-mail info@whyteandmackay.com and say why they need a little help to boost them up their league.  The top prize winner will scoop £2,000, while three runners up will receive £500 and 2x £250.

Top TV psychologist Professor Geoff Beattie is a supporter of Whyte & Mackay’s Bar Games campaign as bar games are a great way of socialising.  He comments: “The psychological benefits of bar games are that they provide a joint focus of attention when people are out socialising.  They draw people together in joint activity where the emphasis is on fun and friendly competition.  People may take the competition seriously but they should not take it too seriously, as in many other types of sport, because that would defeat the essential object of the activity. 

“The core aspect of bar games is that the inherent competition must always be both friendly and enjoyable.  The reason therefore why bar games are inherently important, from a psychological perspective, is that they allow human beings to display their competitive side without any negative impact on the social relationship between the individuals concerned.  Competitive sport may often produce rifts between people, bar games should not.”

Richard Paterson, Master Blender at Whyte & Mackay said: “I’ve been disappointed as I’ve seen the demise of traditional pubs through the years. It’s a sad truth that many pubs have sacrificed space used for traditional games to make way for ipod docks, mixologists and wasabi peas. Whyte & Mackay have listened to their fans and are making a stance to bring games back to Britain’s pubs.”

Go to www.facebook.com/whyteandmackay or www.whyteandmackay.com for more info or to enter the competition which runs until Monday, 6th December.

Notes

Winners will be chosen by Whyte & Mackay and notified within 28 days of entry. The winning entry will recive £2,000, one runner up will receive £500, and another two runners up will receive £250 each.

About Whyte & Mackay
Whyte & Mackay was founded on the docks of Glasgow in 1844 by James Whyte and Charles Mackay. For over 160 years, the whisky has remained true itself and the pioneering spirit, and is a top choice for Scots who appreciate its rich, smooth flavour, achieved by maintaining the time-honoured double marriage blending process; a process  that all Scotch whisky distillers used to carry out but have since abandoned.

Whyte & Mackay expressions are the Special, the Thirteen, the Old Luxury (19 years old), the Supreme (22 years old), the 30 years old and the 40 years old.

A message from the Master Blender Richard Paterson;

Become a custodian of The Dalmore

Dear Connoisseur,

1263 is a highly significant year in the history of The Dalmore. And now so too is 2010. For it marks the launch of our new website www.thedalmore.com where you can view the entire Dalmore collection, read an irresistible insider’s guide to The Dalmore and learn many of the secrets of this magnificent malt.

But it is the opportunity to become a Custodian of The Dalmore that will surely lure you to its pages. As a Custodian you will gain unfettered access to exclusive bottlings, new expressions and Custodian only events. And should you be one of the first 1263 to join this very select group of connoisseurs, you will be granted access to a highly limited expression, bottled from casks laid down moments after the start of the new millennium.

No other whisky excites aficionados and collectors the world over quite like The Dalmore. And no other whisky website will either. To whet your appetite, just click here; http://www.thedalmore.com/

Yours sincerely,

Richard Paterson
Master Distiller

PLANNING PERMISSION GRANTED FOR THE GROUSE ART INSTALLATION ON ROUNDABOUT

As a lasting legacy to mark Perth’s 800th anniversary, an iconic sculpture depicting a grouse taking flight, is soon to appear above the trees on Broxden roundabout on the outskirts of the city, after the project gained planning permission from Perth & Kinross Council.

The sculpture of the grouse has been chosen as a symbol of Perthshire and will be gifted to the people of Perth by the project funders, The Edrington Group.

Work has now begun in earnest on the sculpture which is being created by Ruaraig Maciver of Beltane Studios, who is most famous for the statue of Jean Armour at Mauchline.  The 6.25m high structure is being made from an open framework of galvanised steel and will be mounted on an eight metre high plinth sitting above the trees at one of the main entry points into Perth.

The dramatic artwork will be located on the Broxden roundabout as a gateway feature for the city.  The planning application was made following close consultation with Transport Scotland, the government agency responsible for the Scottish trunk road network, to ensure that the project was appropriate for the intended location and met all the necessary structural and safety requirements. The roundabout is a busy junction which brings together the A9 from Glasgow/Inverness and the M90 from Edinburgh.

John Swinney, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth and local MSP for North Tayside, said:

“I am delighted that planning permission has been granted for this striking sculpture at the gateway to Perth, providing a lasting legacy of the Perth 800 celebration with the symbol of Perthshire. The Scottish Government wholeheartedly supports Perth in its aim to restore its city status and is pleased that our transport agency, Transport Scotland, is playing an active part in supporting the Perth 800 anniversary, celebrating the work of the Royal Burgh.”

Perth & Kinross Provost, Dr John Hulbert, said: “Perth 800 has been a huge success and this gift from The Edrington Group to the city is a fantastic legacy to end our year long celebrations.  “I am sure this statue will become a key landmark for Perth and one which the residents of Perthshire will be very proud of. Perth has a great history and connection with the grouse – especially given its great importance to the local economy, so we felt this was a very fitting choice. We hope this sculpture will become our version of the ‘Angel of the North’.”

Gerry O’Donnell, director of The Famous Grouse at The Edrington Group, said: “We are delighted to make this gift to Perth to mark the finale of Perth 800. We hope that it will provide a spectacular landmark that symbolises Perth’s wonderful location as the gateway to the highlands.” 

NOTES

• ‘Perth 800 is a year long celebration in 2010 which marks the 800th anniversary of the granting of the Royal Burgh Charter to Perth by King William the Lion in 1210.’
• The structure is being created by Ruaraig Maciver from Beltane Studios, Peebles. Beltane Studios is one of the few remaining foundries which specialise in traditional bronze casting. As well as creating their own bronze sculptures including the Jean Armour Memorial, they have also worked closely with renowned sculptor Andy Scott on the Ibrox Disaster Memorial statue of John Greig, the Jim Baxter Memorial and the globe for the Thanksgiving Beacon in Belfast.
• This is a gift from The Edrington Group to the people of Perth therefore they are covering all costs – both the structure and any associated costs regarding installation and maintenance.
• The Edrington Group, is a private Scottish company controlled by The Robertson Trust. The Edrington Group owns some of the worlds leading whisky brands, The Famous Grouse, The Macallan, Highland Park and Cutty Sark along with Brugal, one of the largest international rum brands.

The world’s peatiest whisky is now voted the world’s best.

Whisky guru Jim Murray, having tasted over 4500 whiskies from around the world, awarded the 2011 victor ludorum to Octomore “Orpheus” in his definitive whisky guide, the Whisky Bible, published last week.

Octomore, winner of the title “Single Malt of the Year”, is distilled at Islay’s Bruichladdich distillery, and is 3 times more peaty than any other mainstream whisky.

Winning 96.5%, Octomore “Orpheus” outperformed other category winners up to 10 times its age.  Being only 5 years old, it also won the title of best whisky under 10 years.

“This is no monstrous brute,” said Jim McEwan, head of distilling at Islay’s Bruichladdich Distillery, “it’s an iron fist in the velvet glove. That’s what you get when you combine massively smokey barley with the purest spirit around. It’s like nothing else on earth.”

“It also shows what great quality barley, slow, artisanal distilling, and premium quality wood can achieve; it makes a mockery of that assumption that old must equal better.”

Unusually, the award-winning whisky was matured in both  standard American and premium French oak – the latter from the prestigious bordeaux winery of Chateau Petrus.
15,000 bottles were made of Octomore “Orpheus” from barley malted to  140 ppm and bottled at 61% ABV.

The latest release, Octomore 3, is even peatier at an unprecedented 152 ppm and  is available exclusively from whisky specialists.

Monkey Shoulder Launches The Ultimate Mobster Adventure

Enter the swinging world of the urban jungle in Monkey Shoulder’s brand new interactive treasure hunt

Monkey Shoulder is today launching a brand new interactive adventure.  The Legend of the Blind Monkey, plunges you head first into an intense underworld of feuds, powerplays and mobster wheeling and dealing as the Boss Monkey searches for his successor to rule Golden City.

Three monkey mobster families will fight to rule Golden City through a series of engrossing on and offline challenges. Monkey Shoulder is challenging wannabe gansters to pledge allegience to one family to start their leadership campaign.  The adventure culminates on December 4th at the Mobsters Ball and a chance to win the top secret Golden Treasure.

Players must choose wisely to make sure their personalities match up to the demands of the three mobster families. Sign up to either the Utan Clan (strong as rock, subtle as brick), Zees (frisky, risky and likes whisky) or Society of Shadows (nimble, quick and handy with a candlestick) on facebook for the adventure to begin.

To complete the quest, players will have to scour websites, impress the boss of their Family, sleuth clues, solve puzzles, and swap codewords with other budding mobsters.

As online meets offline, players will discover some of the game’s characters positioned in key bars across the country armed with cunning clues to the treasure hunt. Family members will be alerted to their whereabouts on Google Maps, giving them the chance to be first on the case and get that all important clue.

The prize for those willing to take on the challenge is a ticket to the exclusive Mobsters Ball at a hidden London location. Those lucky enough to be at the ultimate monkey speakeasy can participate in a final challenge to win the priceless Golden Treasure of the Blind Monkey.

To begin your adventure, visit: www.blindmonkey.co.uk

“Gimme a whisky….and don’t be stingy, baby.”

Greta Garbo’s first spoken line on film harkens back to an era where women commonly drank Scotch, where there was beauty in enjoying a cocktail – and where there was no such thing as a ‘manly’ drink.

It’s an era Heather Greene is hoping to see once again – beginning with holiday tables.

Heather

 As one of the world’s only female Scotch whisky experts, Greene is on a mission to demystify the spirit that traces its roots to the 1400s – particularly among women, who drank Scotch regularly in the 40s and 50s, but in more recent times have gravitated to wines and softer liquors.

 “The notion that Scotch is a ‘manly’ drink is finally beginning to fade,” says Greene, a brand ambassador for Glenfiddich as well as a professional recording artist. “Not only have popular shows like Mad Men helped to glamorize classic cocktails and make whiskies less intimidating, the rules for ‘proper’ ways to enjoy Scotch are starting to relax and people are experimenting more.”

 As an example, Greene says Scotch can be enjoyed not just as a pre-dinner cocktail, but throughout a meal.  In fact, she says with notes of spice, honey and apple, Scotch is an ideal spirit to pair with upcoming holiday feasts.  Here are a few of her top pairing tips:

For a pre-dinner cocktail, Greene recommends a Rob Roy or an Old Fashioned

“The beauty of a Rob Roy, Old Fashioned or even a Maple Old Fashioned is that they aren’t too sweet, are wonderfully balanced, and, because they contain a small amount of aromatic bitters – which stimulate our appetites by making our mouths water – our palettes are actually encouraged and prepared for a feast before us. Many people don’t realize that fruit juices and creams, when added to cocktails, can have the reverse effect.”

During dinner, she says there is nothing more delicious than a Single Malt with ice. 

“Purists generally are opposed to adding water to Scotch, but doing so can make it very enjoyable with food,” she adds. “The ice cools down the Scotch, and the alcohol ‘ping’ that many drinkers experience is mellowed, bringing out notes of vanilla and oak, which make perfect pairings for winter dinners.”

 And for post-dinner festivities, an aged whisky “neat” is a gorgeous compliment to fruit pies, chocolates and other desserts.

 “The notes of Scotch pair so well with desserts that many chocolatiers have experimented with Scotch-infused treats. For the do-it-yourself version, a small piece of dark chocolate with an aged whisky featuring notes of raisin, dark chocolate, caramel and maple is the perfect “lite” ending to a dinner.”

Heather Greene would be delighted to discuss the trend of women increasingly embracing whisky as well as stir up some perfect holiday Scotch pairings using beautiful glasses from her personal vintage collection.

About Heather Greene:

One of the world’s only female Scotch whisky experts, Heather Greene – who is also an acclaimed performing artist – joined William Grant and Sons in 2007 as a Whisky Ambassador and Scotch specialist for Glenfiddich, the world’s top-selling single malt Scotch.  Having moved to Scotland two years earlier after the release of her debut album, Greene discovered a passion for what has since become her “day job.” She joined the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Edinburgh, becoming the first American woman to be invited to serve on the Society’s prestigious tasting panel, prior to being recruited by Glenfiddich and returning to New York City, where she often performs and records in addition to hosting tastings.  Her next album – Argon40’s “Fair Lawn” Featuring Heather Greene – is due out in January when she will travel nationwide to host a series of shows accompanied by her classic cocktails and vintage Glenfiddich.

blood and sand

Smokehead Joins The Search For The UK’s Greatest Unsigned Rock Band With The Marshall Ultimate Band Contest
 
Edinburgh: Smokehead Whisky, in association with Marshall and Lick Library, is sponsoring the greatest unsigned rock band battle of all time, with the most coveted prize in the music industry: The Marshall Ultimate Band Contest (UBC).

Launched on 1 October in partnership with rock ‘n’ roll’s spirit of choice, Smokehead Whisky, the Marshall UBC is calling all rock gods in-the-making to get online and submit their music video. Not only will the winning band receive an amazing set of prizes, their music will be heard by top music industry insiders and influencers, receiving the honour of a Marshall endorsement for one year.

A full endorsement for guitar and bass players from Marshall Amplification is sought after by all the top artists around the world. Bestowed on the likes of Slash and Jimi Hendrix, in the past the only way to get the endorsement was to already be signed and making waves within the music industry.

Not only will the winning band have full Marshall artist support and loan of gear for a year, they will also win a fantastic bands’ worth of Marshall amps including a bass stack and guitar stack. The prize also includes Smokehead Whisky, the powerful Islay Single Malt which has become the drink of choice at rock events including the Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards and High Voltage Festival; a four-track demo re-master courtesy of Metropolis Studios; Licklibrary DVDs and Classic Rock magazine will put a track from the winning band on a classic rock covermount CD.

Entry is simple and free. Bands need to register with the website, uploading their own YouTube video of original music to www.marshallubc.com. The top 20 groups with the most votes will then go through to the second round, where five bands will be selected to compete in the final before Christmas at Marshall HQ in Milton Keynes, performing live in front of an audience and respected industry judges.

Paul Marshall, Artist and Customer Liaison Manager of Marshall Amplification said: “The aim of the Marshall UBC is simply to find the best unsigned band out there and give them a shot.  We have brought together some huge music-obsessed sponsors in Smokehead, Classic Rock Magazine, Lick Library and Metropolis, all passionate and committed to supporting and promoting some of the best raw talent that the UK has to offer. Entries have just opened and already the standard is immense.”

Iain Weir, Marketing Director of Ian Macleod Distillers, brand owners of Smokehead Whisky said: As a powerful, peaty Islay Single Malt, Smokehead is irreverent, powerful and not for the faint-hearted – the perfect mix to become a true rock brand.  We are honoured to be involved and working with the iconic Marshall Amplification on this exciting project. Through the Ultimate Band Contest, our work with Classic Rock Magazine and High Voltage Festival, we are cementing Smokehead’s reputation and its synergy with the rock world.”

For more details, rules of entry and to enter see www.marshallubc.com & www.facebook.com/marshalUBC  Closing date for entries to Marshall UBC is 15/11/10

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

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

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

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

Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky encourages responsible drinking www.drinkaware.co.uk www.scotch-whisky.org.uk

Notes:

The Prizes
Marshall Artist Endorsement for 1 Year – Marshall artist support with loan for any gigs* for a year after the date of the final.
– Marshall JVM 210H
– Marshall 1960A
– Marshall MB 410H
– Marshall MBC 810
*Subject to certain terms and conditions, and the band will be responsible for any carriage.
Smokehead whisky
LickLibrary DVDs’
Metropolis studio – master a bands demo (up to 4 tracks) via their ‘unsigned mastering’ service
Classic Rock – Will put a track from the winning band on a classic rock covermount CD

Tasting notes:
Nose: Heavy smoke and peat.   Amazing richness.   Lemon, fresh ginger, plum jam.   Salty and spicy.  
Body: Like a cannonball – hits the palate at once with cocoa, peat and some honey sweetness then explodes with peppery spice and more earthy peat.   Spreads to all the areas of your mouth with more peat and light sweetness.
Finish: Even more peat, spice, mandarin – then dries up.   When you think it’s all over the peat comes back to hit you again.
Impression A rollercoaster of peat and spice with some delicate sweetness.

Canadianwhisky.org Reaches Another Milestone

Just over 3 months since its launch, the five top reviews on canadianwhisky.org have each attracted over 1,200 readers.  Which Canadian whiskies are people most interested in reading about?

WhistlePig 100% Straight Rye

Dave Pickerell is a true icon of the American whisky industry so when he declares Canada as the source of the world’s very best rye whisky, that’s news to be shouted from the rooftops.
http://www.canadianwhisky.org/news-views/whistlepig-10-year-old-straight-100-rye-whiskey.html

Wiser’s Legacy

John Philip Wiser, distiller. Born October 4, 1825, Trenton, New York; died April 30, 1911, Prescott, Ontario. Legacy: Wiser’s family of great Canadian whiskeys and now a brand new one.
http://www.canadianwhisky.org/news-views/introducing-the-new-wiser’s-legacy-canadian-rye-whisky-45-alc-vol.html

Alberta Premium 25year old

Sweet vanilla pods and fresh-cut lumber. A complex mosaic of flavours from cedar to tropical fruit set on a creamy base with hot pepper and a delicate underlying citric zest.
http://www.canadianwhisky.org/reviews/alberta-premium-aged-25-years-40-alc-vol.html

Crown Royal Extra Rare

A rich, weighty, hugely complex and skillfully structured whisky displaying ripe red fruit, fresh-cut oak, hot spices, dry grain, and violets.
http://www.canadianwhisky.org/reviews/crown-royal-xr-extra-rare-40-alc-vol.html

Gibson’s Finest Rare 18 year old

Sweet, spicy oak and pine sawdust, rich in toffee, vanilla, and hot spicy pepper. Biscuits, with typical rye dustiness, spice, fruit, and just a drop of pickle juice.
http://www.canadianwhisky.org/reviews/gibson’s-finest-rare-18-years-old-40-alc-vol.html
The site currently features a Canadian whisky that’s selling well in the U.S. but won’t be available north of the 49th parallel until spring 2011.

Royal Canadian Small Batch

A very sweet fruit smoothie with earthy rye, hints of fresh oak, hot pepper, baking spices, pickle juice, spirit, and refreshing bitter notes.
http://www.canadianwhisky.org/reviews/royal-canadian-small-batch-40-alcvol-80-proof-2.html

New reviews appear regularly on www.canadianwhisky.org.

Borderless Luxury – Transforming the Online Whisky Trade

Today, Wednesday 3rd November 2010, Elitemarket.com officially launches the Fine Malt Whisky Cellar, the first ever virtual platform to offer a fully immersive environment in which users can access some of the finest malt whisky brands on the market.

Supporting this new venture Uché Okonkwo, Executive Director & Founder, Luxe Corp, Author of Luxury Online says: “Elitemarket presents a platform that focuses on an immersive virtual luxury experience, which complements the spirit of luxury. I am pleased that the luxury industry finally has an online destination that befits luxury brands.”

Andrew McErlain, founder and CEO of Elitemarket.com said: “This is a momentous step for the online luxury goods market as well as an important development for the British web industry.

The Fine Malt Whisky Cellar showcases some of the finest brands available on the luxury market. For the first time whisky connoisseurs from around the world can visit dedicated virtual stores, bespoke for each brand, offering an unparalleled choice of fine malt whisky. Furthermore, visitors are presented with tasting notes along with essential information on the product.

Consolidated on one website, the consumer will be able to view, research and purchase multiple brands effortlessly from the comfort of their own homes”.

The Cellar is initially launching with four brands (The Dalmore, Fettercairn, Balblair and Old Pulteney) but will be adding further varieties, including Isle of Jura and Ben Nevis in the next few months.

The excitement is not just about the brands which are represented but also the depth of the range available across each of the brands – for example on Dalmore and Fettercairn this will be the most complete collection of their fine malts available anywhere on the web. Similarly, for Balblair and Old Pulteney, there is a tremendous range available within the virtual stores and visitors to the site will be able to buy the newly released Balblair 1978 vintage which has limited availability elsewhere.

The exclusive launch event will include a tasting of the afore-mentioned brands and presentations by David Robertson, Rare Whisky Director at The Dalmore and Andy Hannah, Brand Manager of Balblair.

David Robertson, Rare Whisky Director at The Dalmore said: ‘We are delighted to be involved in such a ground breaking and stylish partnership. The Dalmore continues to attract discerning consumers globally following our radical make over ~ confirmed very recently when a single bottle of our 64 year old Trinitas was acquired for a world record £100,000!  Proof, if yet more proof was needed, of our whiskies sublime quality and revered status. Visibility in Elite Market with its high end graphics and intimate shopping experience is a match made for The Dalmore.  Delivering a memorable shopping experience is fundamental to our success and allows discerning connoisseurs, epicureans, collectors and investors the chance to truly assess before they acquire.’

Andy Hannah, Brand Manager at Balblair said: “We are delighted to be working with elitemarket.com on this exciting project. As a premium brand with a global reach and a reputation for innovation, it fits well with the brand strategy. Balblair is the only malt that releases Vintages exclusively, so it makes sense for us to have a presence in a virtual luxury world”.

Margaret Mary Clarke, Senior Brand Manager for Old Pulteney commented: “This exciting new partnership provides the perfect platform to reach new international markets within the luxury goods sector. Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky is firmly established as a quality choice for malt whisky enthusiasts worldwide and we are delighted to partner with elitemarket.com to showcase our award-winning expressions to an online global audience.”

Elitemarket.com, brings together the very best luxury products in a visually stunning environment, and can be viewed at www.elitemarket.com

The launch of the Fine Malt Whisky Cellar will be followed by the Luxury Ski Retail area (launch date 25th November), the Marina (with a special focus on Super Yachts), Jewellery and Watches, Fashion and Leather Goods and, of course, wider expansion of the Wines & Spirit Cellars.

Notes:

Elitemarket.com

Elitemarket.com is an innovative website, presenting a selection of the world’s luxury elite brands in a visually exciting high end graphical environment, where visitors can access multiple brands in one location. This unique virtual platform really does justice to the luxury goods and services exhibited.

The web has long been dominated by sites that are based purely on text and images; Elitemarket has been revolutionary in creating a virtual and interactive shopping environment that challenges traditional online marketing and sales.

Visit the Elitemarket website at http://www.elitemarket.com/

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 the nearby river Alness in the Highlands into liquid gold. The small band of stillmen that run the distillery all originate from a handful of local families with years of experience, along with true craft and pride in their work. This ensures The Dalmore whisky’s unique character. The Dalmore is renowned for its loyal admirers and unique, full taste that reflects its deep history and origins.

Visit The Dalmore website at http://www.thedalmore.com/

Balblair

Balblair whiskies are uniquely Vintage, named for the year they were made, not with an age statement.

Every year, Distillery Manager John MacDonald tastes, judges and selects straight from the cask. And at exactly the right moment, when the balance between the age and the character of the whisky is just right, we bottle it. He selects the finest examples of Balblair from the maturing whiskies which he believes best exemplify Balblair Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky: rich spices; fruits and a pleasant leathery note. Of the thousands of barrels sampled each year only a limited number of casks which have reached perfection are chosen for release.

Each Vintage represents an exact moment in time. A moment of perfection. It’s the ability to judge that precise point in time that makes Balblair so special.

Visit Balblair at http://www.balblair.com/

Old Pulteney

The Pulteney Distillery is found in the heart of ‘Pulteneytown’, the town created to house fishermen during Wick’s ‘herring boom’. The most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland, the spirit crafted here is a distillation of this unique location.

Founded in 1826 by James Henderson at the height of Wick’s celebrated herring boom, the Pulteney Distillery is the most northerly on the British mainland.

Over time, the distillery has passed through the hands of various owners, and even closed during times of trouble for the industry in 1930. However, throughout this history what has endured is the quality of the whisky. Traditional craftsmanship and the distillery’s windswept location continue to contribute to the award-winning whisky that is Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch.

Visit Old Pultney at http://www.oldpulteney.com/