Scottish & Irish Whisky Tour Specialists

DALRIADA GROUP who have in their portfolio; MCLEANSCOTLAND, DALRIADA TRAVEL and DALEY IRISH TOURS, are away to Ireland very soon to chat with tourist board directors for the setting up of official Irish whiskey tour packages. Whiskey tours in Ireland and Northern Ireland. Any wishing to take one of their tours, contact Sean at whiskey@daleyirishtours.com

MCLEANSCOTLAND are recognised as one of the best (if not the best) whisky tour companies in Scotland. With vast experience and untold knowledge of the whisky industry, they design whisky tours to suit the client and then add a wee bit more fun into the blend; special tastings, educational trips, whisky dinners and distillery tours, a blend of golf & whisky, sightseeing, historical sites, not only that, allow them to look after all your needs!

http://www.mcleanscotland.co.uk/

World-Famous Treasure Hunt Resurrected

Canadians and Americans invited to join international search for missing case of Canadian Club® Whisky and vie for $100,000 in prize money

The 40-year-old international treasure hunt that motivated adventure-seekers from around the world to search for hidden Canadian Club Whisky cases in remote locales – from the North Pole to Mt. Kilimanjaro to the Great Barrier Reef – is back on, with a big new twist. The campaign will give four brave Canadians (and four Americans) the opportunity to embark upon the adventure of a lifetime in search of the lost Canadian Club treasure and compete for the chance to bring home US$100,000 in prize money.

“At least two dozen cases of Canadian Club Whisky were hidden around the world as part of the brand’s hugely popular Hide A Case Adventure, starting in 1967,” says Dorene Wharton, Marketing Director, Beam Global Canada Inc. “Not all of the cases have been found…and we’re thrilled to reactivate this exciting campaign by inviting those with a penchant for adventure to join the hunt for one of the undiscovered cases – and the chance to win $100,000.”

Well-known Canadian and international adventurer Kevin Brauch, popular the world over for his roles as TV’s Thirsty Traveler and floor reporter on Iron Chef America, has been chosen as lead adventurer for the new program. In his latest role, Brauch unveiled details of the 2010 Hide A Case Adventure at news conferences in Toronto and New York City and, in April 2011, he will lead eight lucky Canadian and American participants to a secret, exotic location where they will hunt for one of the missing cases.

“The CC Hide A Case Adventure grabbed international headlines and captured the imagination of people from around the world – all before the advent of the internet and reality style television,” says Brauch. “We expect the scope of the 2010 edition to generate plenty of buzz and participation…and even some friendly rivalry between Canadians and Americans.”

Adventurous types can register online now at www.hideacase.com to vie for one of the coveted eight spots on the expedition. Starting today, the web site will feature the first of six weekly challenges in which participants will use their creativity, brain power and speed to win points and discern clues as they try to advance through Round One. Those who receive 50 or more points will move into Round Two where they will be asked to post an online video to illustrate why they should get a chance to join the CC Hide A Case expedition. In July, the top 30 videos will be put before a panel of judges and an online vote to help narrow the playing field down to four Canadians and four Americans. In April 2011, these eight participants will join Brauch and head off to parts unknown – they will compete against each other in a series of Amazing Race-style challenges designed uncover the hidden location of the elusive hidden case of Canadian Club Whisky.*

From 1967 through 1991, the Canadian Club Hide A Case Adventure saw 25 cases of Canada’s famous whisky hidden in extraordinary locations across the United States and all over the world, including: Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania; Angel Falls in Venezuela; the Swiss Alps; the reputed site of the lost Dutchman mine in Arizona; the Arctic Circle; California’s Death Valley; and even atop a skyscraper in Manhattan. To date, 16 of the hidden cases have been discovered – many of them found with the help of clues revealed in a series of Canadian Club print advertisements published in the 60s, 70s and 80s.

The original Canadian Club Hide A Case campaign goes down as one of most memorable adventures of all time and one of the longest-running promotional campaigns in history. Hide A Case made Canadian Club a household name all over the world and cemented its position as a brand revered by adventure-seekers everywhere. The 2010 edition takes the campaign to a penultimate level where the adventure is larger than life and the potential payoff is larger still.

“Whether your idea of adventure is an exotic international journey to track down hidden treasure, or just a night out with the guys, CC’s Hide A Case Adventure won’t disappoint,” says Brauch. “We’ll see you at the Finish Line!”

*No purchase necessary, must be 21 years of age or older to enter, void where prohibited, subject to complete rules available at hideacase.com.

Notes

About Beam Global Spirits & Wine

Inspiring conversations around the world, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. is building brands people want to talk about. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for our brands, including Jim Beam® Bourbon, Sauza® Tequila, Canadian Club® Whisky, Courvoisier® Cognac, Maker’s Mark® Bourbon, Laphroaig® Scotch Whisky, Cruzan® Rum, EFFEN® Vodka, Teacher’s® Scotch Whisky, and Knob Creek® Bourbon and distributor of Russian Standard vodka in Canada. Beam Global Spirits & Wine is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO), a leading consumer brands company. For more information on Beam Global Spirits & Wine, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com

Canadian Club® Blended Canadian Whisky, 40% alc./vol. ©2010 Canadian Club Whisky Company, Walkerville, Ontario, Canada.

You may not know that the nice folk at Whisky Magazine also publish Scotland Magazine, a lovely publication about God’s own country. In a forthcoming issue the magazine will explore Orkney and they are inviting you to join them.

Each issue of Scotland Magazine delves into the history of Scotland; from the mysterious clans to the great political leaders, from the creative individuals to the history of Scotland’s greatest castles and houses. Published six times a year Scotland Magazine captures the spirit of this great nation, explores its heritage and recommends great places to visit.

You are entitled to claim your complimentary trial copy of Scotland Magazine and have them send a second copy as a gift to a person of your choice.

Visit www.scotlandmag.com/free/highlandpark to complete a form and the next issue with the Orkney coverage will be sent direct to your door. You will also receive an offer for a further six copies at just £20.95 (a 30% discount on the regular subscription price of £29.70). Obviously you have no obligation to take up the subscription offer and can just keep your complimentary copy.

Allow up to eight weeks for delivery; this offer closes at midnight on Sunday 27th June 2010.

We would never share your details with anyone else and the only way that Scotland Magazine can send you a complimentary copy is if you complete the form and opt in to their offer.

For more information on the Best Spirit in the World visit www.highlandpark.co.uk
 

Gerry
Whisky Brand Ambassador of the Year, 2010

The small print – One copy per household. Offer ends at midnight on Sunday 27th June 2010. Offer subject to availability. You will receive the next available edition of Scotland Magazine, which will be mailed by regular post.

EXCLUSIVE SINGLE MALT WHISKY BOTTLING SERIES CONCLUDES
Diageo completes single-cask bottling of all its malt whiskies

Following earlier batches launched in September, January and April, Diageo are now launching the fourth and final set of their highly exclusive single-cask collection of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies.

Among the seven expressions that feature in this fourth release are some single malts familiar to many malt whisky drinkers  – notably Clynelish™, Knockando™,  and the iconic award-winning Islay malt,  Lagavulin™
But Auchroisk™, Benrinnes™, Blair Athol™ and Linkwood™ normally enjoy only very limited availability.

Each of the whiskies is drawn from one individual oak cask, picked after a careful examination of distillery stocks, and bottled at its natural cask strength.

So now for the first time ever, this ambitious collection encompasses all 27 of Diageo’s Single Malt Scotch Whiskies  –  never before has Scotland’s biggest estate of Single Malt distilleries issued a comprehensive series of single-cask bottlings. Labelled The Managers’ Choice because of the way the whiskies were selected, each distillery is represented by a special bottling of its Single Malt Whisky.

The rare limited-edition series is aimed at collectors and connoisseurs who enjoy owning and exploring an unusual expression of their favourite Single Malt or even a whole anthology of highly individual Single Malts, chosen to represent a unique take on each of the 27 distilleries’ distinctive distillery character.

The releases have been staged in four batches over several months, starting in September 2009 and concluding with this final release in May 2010.
For each Single Malt, the cask was nosed, tasted, discussed and finally chosen as a highly distinctive expression of that distillery’s Single Malt by a judging panel of acknowledged experts, including leading maturation experts and the distillery managers themselves.

In many cases, unusual cask woods will have had their influence on the final result. Perfect maturation and spirit quality have been the criteria, resulting in a bottling that delights with original and sometimes unexpected flavours whilst allowing the distillery character to still shine through.

Depending on the size of the cask and the rate of evaporation over the years since it was filled, the volume of bottles obtained from the chosen casks can vary between approximately 640 and as little as 200. These are, consequently, extremely rare and distinctive whiskies.

Classic Malts Selection™ spokesperson Nick Morgan said: “ This unique series of bottlings has provoked a great deal of interest and favourable comment. This last selection of whiskies has been much anticipated because it includes a cask from the renowned Lagavulin distillery on Islay. But as before, each of the bottlings offers unexpected insights into the character of each distillery.

“Taken as a whole they offer an unrepeatable opportunity to explore some of Scotland’s finest whiskies, all of which intrigue and delight, and some of which are simply outstanding.”

Full details, including tasting notes, are displayed on the Classic Malts Selection™ website www.malts.com. The updated website content includes the story of The Managers’ Choice and the selection process, a “Meet the Managers” page where they talk about The Managers Choice collection & questions related to the world of whisky, whisky tasting notes & audio, Q&A with a Sensory Expert, and details of where to buy the whiskies. Whisky enthusiasts registered as Friends of the Classic Malts™ have been given early notice of the launch.

Bottling Details

Auchroisk  Cask 11323 Speyside 8th October 1999 622 @ 61.0%
 Bodega sherry European oak Butter scotch nose, with sweet, deep burnt flavours.

Benrinnes  Cask 8994 Speyside 26th August 1996 328 @ 59.7% Refill American oak Light Speyside flavours with a sweet, delicate yet fresh taste.

Clynelish Cask 4341 Northern Highland 10th April 1997 232 @ 58.8% First fill bourbon American oak Oily, nutty with a hint of vanilla.

Glendullan  Cask 12718 Speyside 13th December 1995 635 @ 59.2% European oak Rich and sweet with a gentle almond butter finish.

Glenlossie  Cask 14098 Speyside   15th December 1999 207 @59.3% abv First fill bourbon American oak Light and fresh with a lemon zest.

Knockando  Cask 800790 Speyside 11th July 1996 599 @ 58.6% Spanish sherry European oak Gentle and smooth  with honeyed fruit.

Lagavulin  Cask 4447 Islay 25th October 1993 597 @ 54.7% Bodega sherry European oak Smooth rich fruit aroma. Smoky with a gentle warm finish.

Prices The UK RRP are as follows:

Lagavulin £300
Clynelish  £250
Knockando £250
Auchroisk £200
Benrinnes £200
Glenlossie £200
Glendullan £200

Website

See www.malts.com for full details of the release, including interviews with many of those involved in the selection process.

Previous releases

September 2009 saw the first release of six malts: Cardhu™ (1997), Glen Elgin™ (1998), Linkwood™ (1996), Mortlach™ (1997), Oban™ (2000) and Teaninich™ (1996).

The second release in January 2010 comprised Blair Athol™ (1995), Cragganmore™ (1997), Dalwhinnie™ (1992), Dufftown™ (1997), Glen Spey™ (1996), Strathmill™ (1996), and Talisker™ (1994).

The third release in April 2010 comprised Caol Ila™ (1997), Dailuaine™ (1997), Glen Ord™ (1997), Glenkinchie™ (1992), Inchgower™ (1993), Mannochmore™ (1998) and Royal Lochnagar™ (1994).

Diageo’s distilleries

Diageo has 28 operational single malt whisky distilleries, but spirit distilled at Diageo’s new distillery at Roseisle is not available yet.

Craig Wallace

Full interview with Craig Wallace, and other details of the first Managers’ Choice releases, can be read and downloaded from: ResponseSource: http://tinyurl.com/lawdxf

Distribution

The Managers’ Choice bottlings are available from specialist retailers in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Benelux only.

About Diageo

Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, wines, and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.

Diageo is a global company, trading in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at Diageo.com. For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

The Classic Malts, The Classic Malts Selection, Auchroisk, Benrinnes, Blair Athol, Caol Ila, Cardhu, Clynelish, Cragganmore, Dailuaine, Dalwhinnie, Dufftown, Glen Elgin, Glen Ord, Glen Spey, Glendullan, Glenkinchie, Glenlossie, Inchgower, Knockando, Lagavulin, Linkwood, Mannochmore, Mortlach, Oban, Royal Lochnagar, Strathmill, Talisker and Teaninich words and associated logos are trade marks. © 2010

The Peat Monster Wins Again!  
 
Our friends at Malt Advocate Magazine last month awarded The Peat Monster ‘Best Blended Whisky of the Year’, a category that included both blended Scotch whiskies (made of malt & grain whiskies) and vatted malt whiskies (that is, 100% malt whiskies) which is, of course, what The Peat Monster is.

What John Hansell, Malt Advocate publisher, said underscores our premise for carefully blending whiskies from different distilleries and different cask types:

“This whisky demonstrates the layered complexity that can be achieved by marrying whisky from different distilleries… . I particularly enjoy the rich maltiness and oily texture that provide firm bedding and flavor contrast to the classic Islay notes—tar, boat docks, brine, smoked olive, seaweed, and kiln ash. More subtle cracked peppercorn, mustard seed, and citrus fruit add complexity, leading to a long, warming finish.” 

You can find The Peat Monster at your local specialist Scotch whisky retailer or via our online shop in the UK:

http://www.compassboxwhisky.com/

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America Introduces New Membership Benefits

Members gain access to the largest selection of single cask, single malt whisky in the world.

Sunrise, FL, May 17, 2010:  The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America (SMWSA) today announced its new Membership Program.  Membership in this unique whisky Society now comes with added benefits. Membership is a must for those serious about their whisky. From the novice to the most sophisticated connoisseur, it is a perfect gift for Father’s Day or any other day.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was founded in 1983.  The Society’s Tasting Panel, a group of independent whisky connoisseurs and experts, meets regularly to nose, discuss and score each whisky sample brought before them.  Rigorous and impartial, the Panel only elects to bottle whisky that meets its highest standards. Individual casks are bottled at cask strength.  Undiluted and not chill filtered, these bottles are offered exclusively to members and cannot be purchased commercially either in liquor stores or restaurants.  Since no two casks are alike and each cask yields only about 250 bottles, once the contents of a cask are consumed, the distinctive flavor and character of its whisky can never be replicated. 

The new Membership Program begins with the Society’s exquisite membership kit, which contains four carefully selected 100ml single cask, single malt Society offerings. Chosen by some of the most knowledgeable whisky experts in the world, these four whiskies are just a taste of the finest and widest range of single cask, single malt whiskies to be found anywhere and are only available to Society members.  The membership kit also contains an elegant Members’ Handbook, Society Notebook and copper lapel pin.

The membership kit is only the start of member benefits.  Members, and up to three guests, will receive a warm welcome at Members’ Rooms in Leith, Edinburgh and London as well as the opportunity to stay at the original home of the Society in one of its flats at The Vaults in Leith.  Members also receive Unfiltered, the Society’s innovative and informative magazine which contains a wealth of information and news about Scotch malt whisky, the people who make it and those who drink it.  In addition, members are invited to one-of-a-kind events throughout the United States including Members’ Tastings and The Single Malt & Scotch Whisky Extravaganza®.

Of course, the biggest benefit of all is that members have exclusive access to the largest selection of single cask, single malt in the world.

Alan Shayne, president of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America, Ltd. said: “Within the whisky category, single cask, single malt whisky offers the widest variety of flavor available.  The type of wood, how many times the cask has been used, where in the warehouse the cask is stored, how long the whisky is aged—all these factors and more go into making each cask a unique work of art.  Tasting single cask, single malt whisky is a constant adventure.”
 
For those experts and devotees who wish to learn more about the pleasures of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, visit www.smwsa.com.

The initial fee for membership in the Society is $229 which entitles the member to all benefits for the first year, and includes the beautiful Society membership kit with four 100ml single cask, single malt Society offerings. Annual membership dues thereafter are $60 and entitle members to all benefits of the Society including access to the special offerings of the Society’s whiskies throughout the year.

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

In the mid-‘70s, a group of friends in Edinburgh gathered to sample and savor single malt whisky, drawn straight from the cask.  The friends filtered the cask’s contents through muslin and poured the liquid into old whisky bottles.  To their delight, they discovered that single cask whisky had more character and flavor than the whisky they routinely knew.  Also, the influence of the wood was immediately and abundantly clear.  The group went on to compare and contrast more single malt whiskies.  The amazing revelation was that even casks that had been filled with the same spirit, from the same still run, revealed their own unique characteristics.  The group realized that the spirit in each cask was one of a kind and could never be repeated.  Once the contents of a cask were consumed, the unique whisky would be gone from the world forever.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was formally founded in Leith in 1983.  The Scotch Malt Whisky Society offers its members exclusively the widest selection of single cask, single malt whisky found anywhere in the world.  The Society has now grown to 13 international branches, reflecting its worldwide following. 

In 1993, Alan and Madeleine Shayne launched The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America, Ltd., which now has members in every state. Their goal was to introduce Americans to the world of single cask, single malts and raise awareness of the amazing variety and expressions available in the category of Scotch whisky. Many years ago, their family owned one of the premier distilleries in Scotland. Today, they have brought a rare opportunity to members of the SMWSA.

SPECIAL 2010 ISLAY FESTIVAL SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY BOTTLINGS ANNOUNCED BY DIAGEO

Following the tradition of recent years, Diageo has announced that two limited-edition single cask bottlings of its Islay single malt Scotch whiskies will be sold to personal visitors only at this year’s Islay Festival of Malt and Music (22-29 May: http://www.theislayfestival.co.uk).

Diageo’s single-cask Festival bottlings are highly prized, and often sell out within the week of the Festival to the hundreds of aficionados who flock each year to this famous celebration of West Coast single malt whisky.
The 2010 bottlings will be from a Lagavulin™ cask filled in August 1994 and from a Caol Ila™  cask filled in August 1999. Both malts have been bottled at natural cask strength, and will be priced at £74.99. The bottles will be rationed to one per visitor.

The Lagavulin special bottling will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis at the distillery, starting on the distillery’s open day, Saturday 22 May. The Caol Ila bottling will be sold with effect from Monday 24 May which is the Caol Ila open day.

Billy Stitchell, long-standing distillery manager, whose family connections with Caol Ila distillery go back many generations, personally chose the Caol Ila special bottling. The Lagavulin bottling was chosen once again by warehouseman Iain McArthur, renowned among enthusiasts for his sell-out warehouse tastings.

This year’s single cask bottling of Caol Ila is taken from a European oak ex-sherry cask, which has provided just 558 70cl bottles of Single Malt Scotch Whisky at 61.9% ABV.

The Lagavulin has been drawn from a European oak cask hand-picked from stocks stored at the famous Port Ellen warehouse. This edition, bottled at 52.7% ABV, consists of 528 bottles.

Nick Morgan, Diageo’s Scotch Knowledge and Heritage Director, said: “We are pleased to acknowledge the efforts that whisky lovers from all over the world make to visit Islay each year.

“These two hand-picked single cask bottlings are both fantastic examples of Islay whiskies. And I would like to think of them being savoured and enjoyed by our guests once they have made their long journey home.
“Islay is a very special place and I think it’s wonderful to be able to take a very unique part of it home with you.”

During the Festival, a series of special events will be held at both Lagavulin and Caol Ila distilleries, including tastings with the distillery manager and warehouse demonstrations. There will be also be tours of the Port Ellen Maltings.

Festival website: http://www.theislayfestival.co.uk/ . See also www.malts.com .

www.mcleanscotlandd.com

Scottish Whisky Tour Specialist

WHISKY AND CURLING October 2010; www.mcleanscotland.com/2010whiskycurlingcomp.asp

We have people coming to Perth from Canada, USA, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Germany (to be confirmed soon), not to mention Scotland! We have a few spaces remaining for teams to compete. We can also happily accept anyone who does not wish to curl, but join in the fun and the whisky!

MCLEANSCOTLAND are recognised as one of the best (if not the best) whisky tour companies in Scotland. With vast experience and untold knowledge of the whisky industry, they design whisky tours to suit the client and then add a wee bit more fun into the blend! 

With special tastings, educational trips, whisky dinners and distillery tours, MCLEANSCOTLAND can assist you in any tour of Scotland, a blend of golf & whisky, sightseeing, historical sites, not only that, but they do exactly the same thing in Ireland!  So if Irish whiskey is your thing, allow them to look after all your needs!

And…

MCLEANSCOTALAND of Perth, Scotland
beat the volcano cloud!
 
A WHISKY TOUR WITH A DIFFERENCE!
 
On Saturday 15 May, news broke that the cloud was back and closing airports in Ireland and Scotland. By Sunday morning most of England closed also.  MCLEANSCOTLAND were expecting a French group on Sunday flying into Glasgow.  By noon Sunday it was a no go, what to do?
 
Alternative plans were made, the group flew into Heathrow for 18.15, they arranged a local London coach to meet them as they came through arrivals at 7pm. Then the trip north, taking 7 hours to Glasgow. But, the London coach could go no further than Glasgow due to driver hours (European laws) so they arranged another coach from Denny, near Glasgow to meet the London coach and take over the journey. Paul McLean made the call  at 5pm Sunday with his cry for help, good man that he is, Ross came back half an hour later, aye he could help.  Just as well Paul knows Bryans well, in fact it is they who take care of Pauls pipe band transport, he arranges the coach each Saturday in the summer to take the band to piping competitions.  So the owner of the company agreed to pick up the French at Hamilton services at approx 2am Monday morning and drive to Inveraray approx 1.5 hours away.  Meantime, the hotel (also one of Paul’s favourite places) arranged smoked salmon, lamb, and assorted cold goodies and drinks to be available on arrival for the group.  It turned out the group arrived close to 5am.
 
The group will tour Scotland on a French speaking   WHISKY TOUR  including visits to; Oban, Tobermory, Ben Nevis, and Talisker Distilleries, not only that, but enjoy whisky dinner and plenty of fantastic scenery and great fun!
 
HOW TO BEAT A VOLCANO IN ONE EASY STEP; well, all day hard work actually!
 
Well done to MCLEANSCOTLAND
 
photos show Denny & Dunipace pipeband and
Liz and Paul with the Maclean Chief’s personal piper; Jim McLean.

Obviously the MCLEANSCOTLAND motto should be;

The Master Blender himself comments;

As I’m sure the UK readers of the blog have noticed, we now have a Government made up of two different parties, having to blend their ideas to work together. Now, having been blending together malt and grain whiskies for the last 40 years, I think it’s fair to say I know a bit about blending together items (and besides, when do I pass up the chance to give advice…) so on the day David Cameron comes to Scotland as PM for the first time, here’s some pointers for him…

Some tips for David Cameron…

David Cameron is a fan of our Jura single malt but in order to be successful he needs to behave like a blended whisky to ensure that all of the different component parts and personalities in his cabinet work together to create a perfect unison.

I always get to know the whiskies that I put in my blends and David must do this with his government.  He needs to assess each individual’s strength’s, weaknesses, what they would bring to the party and determine how over powering they are as a rogue whisky can upset the balance and unravel the whole blend.

I always let my malts and blends meet separately as a group before I introduce them to each other.  David needs to make sure his party works together and that all of the Conservative’s ‘ducks are in a row’ before he blends them with the Lib Dems.

Whisky has warmth and although I have never met David personally I think this is a quality he displays when I see him with his wife.  He needs to project this warmth into his government and policies to win over Labour supporters.

The Conservative Party are not so popular in Scotland and this is something they need to overcome.  I often find this the same with whisky as people tell me that they don’t like it and won’t drink it.  I tell them this is not true and after I educate them in an entertaining manner on how to appreciate a good whisky, I find that they can always be swayed.  Cameron shouldn’t loose heart and should work to show his opposition that he is a good leader by inspiring them and creating a smooth and solid Government.

Whisky is popular over the world and this is something David should try to emulate.  Yes its right to get it spot on in your home country but remember that the world is watching and he needs to create policies that will not only benefit our country but make the world sit up and notice.  Whisky is popular in America and this is one place where David will need to make sure he has a strong alliance.

Whilst we take great pride in our packaging for our whisky we always make sure the liquid stands up to scrutiny and public opinion. This is something we do very well at Whyte & Mackay as we constantly receive medals for our whiskies and we were voted the best blended whisky in the world by the IWSC.  The Conservative government need remember that their policies shouldn’t just look good on the face of it but actually have some substance and can stand up to public opinion and opposition scrutiny.

And a coalition offer to the whisky trade…

In the spirit of the new Government, if there’s any other blended whisky company out there who wants to get together and make something new, drop me a line and let’s see what we can come up with…

ANNOUNCING MASTERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY II

INTRODUCING ALBERT WATSON

Today, The Macallan single malt whisky announced that the next photography partnership in their Masters of Photography series is going to be with the legendary Albert Watson.

Scots born, Watson is famous worldwide for his celebrity, fashion and art photography. Photo District News named him one of the 20 most influential photographers of all time. He has shot posters for major Hollywood movies such as ‘Kill Bill’, ‘Memoirs of a Geisha’, ‘The Da Vinci Code’, as well as shooting over 200 covers for Vogue and Rolling Stone magazine. In fact, in 2007 one large-format print of his sold for $108,000 at auction. He is also an acclaimed director with over 500 TV commercials to his name.

The Macallan Masters of Photography II will be in an entirely different style to the first edition in the series, shot by Rankin.

The subject of the project must be kept under wraps, for the moment, until shooting is complete but the key ingredients include: a dramatic and yet romantic ‘art noir’ voyage; a stylish couple and the key secret behind The Macallan.

Ken Grier, Director of Malts, The Edrington Group, said: “I am extremely excited about working with the hugely talented and influential Albert Watson. His creativity is fabulous, but not only that, he exudes an aura of charm and quiet confidence that is very much in keeping with The Macallan  

“As part of this unique project, art and whisky lovers alike can follow The Macallan shoot with Albert Watson by following my daily blog.  The blog posts will start from 31st May at www.blog.themacallan.com.

Albert Watson, added: “I am looking forward to working with The Macallan on such a prestigious project. The partnership with a premium, Scottish iconic brand will give me a once in a lifetime photographic opportunity to create a lasting legacy as part of The Macallan Masters of Photography series.”

The final result will be revealed by The Macallan at a series of glittering events later in the year.  Further details will be revealed in the months to come.

-Ends-

Please enjoy our brands responsibly.  www.drinkaware.co.uk

Notes

The first Macallan Masters of Photography was launched in 2008 with Scots photographer Rankin.  Rankin produced 1,000 individual black and white images captured on Polaroid.  Each limited edition bottle of rare 30 year old Macallan Fine Oak single malt displayed a bespoke label featuring one of Rankin’s images, accompanied by the original Polaroid.
 

The array of images featured artistic nude studies of Tuuli, Rankin’s muse and wife, contrasted by shots of the dedicated craftspeople of the distillery, and still life images of the surrounding flora and fauna at Easter Elchies Estate.

The Macallan is ranked number two by value* among the world’s top selling single malts and is recognised as being a leader within the Scotch Whisky industry when it comes to innovation.
*IWSR figures ending December 2006