Duncan Taylor & Company Limited

Press Release : 20th April, 2010: Immediate Release

New Appointment :  Stuart Robertson

Duncan Taylor & Co Ltd is pleased to announce the appointment of Stuart Robertson as Distillery Development Manager for its Huntly Distillery project. Stuart’s expertise in this field, gained through his management of Distilleries within Diageo and latterly Springbank Distillers, will bring a wealth of experience to Duncan Taylor and its ambitions of becoming a Distiller in 2010. Stuart who will be joining the company next month will be instrumental in managing the new Huntly Distillery build and its production on completion.

Euan Shand, Duncan Taylor Managing Director, said today that “This is very exciting times for Duncan Taylor, we have had a great year despite the recession. Our new brand lines are introducing us to developing markets such as India and China, it is now time to build our Distillery. We believe we have got the best man to do the job”

Notes:

Duncan Taylor & Co Ltd

Duncan Taylor & Company Limited are Scotch Whisky Merchants who produce the award winning Duncan Taylor Rare Auld Single Malts brands including Black Bull, Battlehill, NC2 and Lonach. International Wines & Spirits Trophy holders and Independent Bottlers of the Year 2009. The company currently exports to Europe, USA, China, Asia/Pacific countries and Russia.

Huntly Distillery

Huntly Distillery is currently developing the first fully carbon neutral distillery in Scotland. The Distillery will utilise the most up to date methods of energy re-cycling, biomass heating and use of sustainable construction materials. The Distillery will produce Single Malt and Single Grain Whiskies and uniquely will produce Scottish Vodka and Gin. The Distillery will be sited in the town of Huntly in Aberdeenshire bordering the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road, 35 miles from Aberdeen.

Visit Duncan Taylor & Co at www.duncantaylor.com

The Macallan and Lalique launch 64 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT WHISKY: CIRE PERDUE

Following an eight month global fundraising journey, including a London exhibition in May, Sotheby’s will auction this one-of-a-kind piece in New York with all proceeds benefiting charity: water

Iconic luxury brands The Macallan and Lalique have again come together on the 150th anniversary of Rene Lalique’s birth, building on their successful partnership to produce a one-of-a-kind decanter, created by the ancient “cire perdue” or “lost wax” method.

The decanter will hold the oldest and rarest Macallan ever bottled by this Speyside distillery, containing a 64 years old Macallan single malt whisky, and will be auctioned by Sotheby’s on November 15, 2010 in New York.  All proceeds will be donated to charity: water, a non-profit organisation bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations.

Exhibiting in London in May, along with stops in Madrid, Moscow, Seoul, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Taipei, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo, the decanter will embark on an eight month fundraising journey starting in Paris (April 6) and ending in New York (November 15).

The Cire Perdue decanter has been designed by the French crystal house Lalique, exclusively for The Macallan. Painstakingly hand crafted with the skills for which Lalique has achieved world-wide recognition and renowned since the first glass pieces were designed and made by Rene Lalique in the first half of the twentieth century, the inspiration for the design has come from the beauty of the Speyside distillery.

David Cox, Director of Fine & Rare Whiskies for The Macallan, comments: “We have established a very close working relationship with Lalique over the past six years. We share a heritage based on a commitment to craftsmanship and creativity, underpinned by a genuine passion to strive for the best in all our endeavours. This extraordinary project has raised our partnership to new heights, combining the brilliance of Lalique’s designers and craftsmen and the outstanding quality and character from the masters of spirit and wood at The Macallan to produce a single decanter which will never be replicated, filled with the oldest and rarest Macallan our distillery has ever released.

“Having decided to donate the proceeds from the auction of this beautiful decanter and its rarest of whiskies to charity, we decided to partner with charity:water. Given the predictions of future water shortages and recent natural catastrophes, we felt we wanted to contribute something really positive to help. We are hoping for some extraordinary generosity at the final auction in New York in November.”

Scott Harrison, founder of charity: water, said: “We are delighted that the proceeds from this historic auction of The Macallan in Lalique: Cire Perdue decanter will benefit charity: water. Clean water projects bring communities together and offer improved health, a better quality of life and hope for a better future. I look forward to working closely with The Macallan and Lalique to bring clean water to some of the billion people on the planet without it.”

David Cox, Director of Fine & Rare Whiskies for The Macallan, continues: “Water is fundamental to the craftsmanship behind both The Macallan and Lalique. The word “whisky” derives from the Latin, ‘aqua vitae’, or ‘water of life’, and is one of the three natural ingredients of The Macallan, together with barley and yeast. Water is also critical for Lalique at the point of detailing, sanding and polishing the crystal pieces.”

The 64 years old Macallan has been vatted together from three casks, all built from sherry seasoned Spanish oak. The first was filled in 1942, the second in 1945 and the third in January 1946, from which the age of this great Macallan has been taken.

This is the oldest Macallan ever released by the distillery in its 186 year history and prior to the release of this 64 years old Macallan in the Cire Perdue decanter, the previous oldest Macallan released by the distillery was the 60 years old, distilled in 1926 and bottled in 1986, of which only forty bottles were ever produced.

Designed at Lalique’s Design Studio in Paris, the decanter has been based upon a ship’s decanter of the 1820’s, the decade in which The Macallan was founded, in 1824. Lalique’s designer felt the shape lent itself perfectly to the beautifully crafted panorama of The Macallan estate in Speyside.

The decanter itself has been created by the lost wax process, an ancient practice originally developed to cast large pieces in bronze. After first modelling a piece in wax, it is covered with plaster and then sent to the oven to bake the clay while the wax melts. Finally, molten crystal is poured in the emptied shape.  Up until 1930, Rene Lalique himself crafted glass pieces using the Cire Perdue technique, but abandoned it as arthritis increasingly affected his fingers.

Today, investing in the artistic and technical training of its artists to master again this extraordinary know-how, a new workshop has been created on the 150th anniversary of Rene Lalique’s birth in 1860, dedicated entirely to the ‘lost wax’ process, to make the first Cire Perdue pieces in eighty years, including The Macallan 64 years old in Lalique.

Silvio Denz, President and CEO of Lalique, commented: “We are enormously proud to be collaborating again with The Macallan, and in such a worthwhile cause.  In today’s highly interconnected world, we are all increasingly aware of the needs of those much less fortunate than ourselves. We have been working on a series of decanters with The Macallan since 2004 and, over that time, have come to appreciate our shared values of a passionate commitment to outstanding quality, artistry and integrity. These decanters, each holding Macallan whiskies of 50, 55 and 57 years old respectively, have proved hugely admired and sought after around the world by whisky consumers and connoisseurs, as well as collectors of Lalique crystal and lovers of beautiful objets d’art. This latest decanter, a remarkable, unique work of art, holding such an old and rare Macallan, takes our partnership to a new level. I wish every success to its “tour du monde” and to the final auction by Sotheby’s in New York in November”.

The Macallan and Lalique at Auction

The Macallan is the most sought after of all single malt whiskies in the rare whiskies auction market; a 60 years old Macallan, distilled in 1926, sold for US$75,000 to a South Korean buyer in 2005. As the Cire Perdue decanter contains a 64 years old Macallan, the oldest and rarest ever released by the distillery, the extraordinary price for the 1926 is likely to be surpassed.

Lalique is also highly sought after by collectors around the world, with recent sales prices significantly exceeding pre-sale estimates; a Rene Lalique jewel of 1903, “Chardons”, sold for US$363,000 in October 2006 in New York, and, in October 2009, AN ART NOUVEAU MULTI-GEM AND ENAMEL PENDANT NECKLACE, BY RENE LALIQUEAN ART NOUVEAU MULTI-GEM AND ENAMEL PENDANT NECKLACE, BY RENE LALIQUE an Art Nouveau multi-gem and enamel pendant necklace by Rene Lalique was auctioned in New York for a world record US$554,500, against an estimate of US$400,000.

Jeremy Morrison, Director of 20th Century Design, Sotheby’s London, commented, “Both The Macallan and Lalique are premier brands and Sotheby’s has worked along side them both in various guises for a long time. The virtuoso glass art of René Lalique is amongst the most sought after and recognizable forms of 20th century design. One of the masters of the Art Deco style, Lalique’s pioneering work has been offered in Sotheby’s sales since we first held dedicated auctions of Decorative Art in the late 1960s. Sotheby’s is very proud to be involved with Lalique and The Macallan in their project to raise substantial funds for charity;water to help bring clean drinking water to developing nations”.

The Exhibition and Fundraising Tour

The decanter will travel across the world, beginning in Paris on April 6, 2010 and ending in New York City at the Sotheby’s auction on November 15, 2010. At events along the way, The Macallan and Lalique will auction rare, 10cl drams of The Macallan 64 Year Old in Lalique: Cire Perdue to benefit charity:water.
 
Tour du Monde:

Paris : early April
Madrid : late April
London : early May
Moscow : late May
Hong Kong : early July
Johannesburg : August
Taipei : early September
Shanghai : late September
Singapore : early October
Tokyo : late October
New York : early November
 
To track the fundraising progress and view images from the tour, visit: www.themacallan.com. Details will also be shared on this site on how to participate in or follow along with the final auction.   

Please enjoy our brand responsibly, www.drinkaware.co.uk

NOTES: 

The Macallan in Lalique : Cire Perdue – nosing and tasting notes:

Colour:    Rich oak

Nose:       Peat smoke, dried orange peel, muscovado sugar and cedar wood, mixed with spicy cinnamon sticks and cloves

Palate:     Spicy, blood oranges, rosin, treacle, walnuts, cocoa chocolate and peat smoke

Finish:     Soft, smooth and spicy, with lingering peats and dark chocolate

Alcohol Strength – 42.5%  Alc/vol

About The Macallan:

Founded in 1824, The Macallan is one of the world’s most admired and awarded single malt whiskies. The reputation of The Macallan is based on a product of outstanding quality and distinctive character, founded upon a set of guiding principles, the Six Pillars.  An obsession with quality has been the hallmark of The Macallan since its founding by Alexander Reid on a plateau above the river Spey in north-east Scotland. The distillery is surrounded by a 150 hectare estate, with Easter Elchies House, a Highland Manor built in 1700, at its heart. Traditionally known for maturation in Spanish oak, sherry seasoned casks, The Macallan’s range of outstanding single malts includes :Sherry Oak, matured in Spanish oak casks seasoned with sherry;  Fine Oak, matured both in sherry casks of Spanish and American oak  and in American oak casks seasoned with bourbon;  the 1824 range, exclusive to Global Travel Retail. In addition, The Macallan is well known for its great range of vintage whiskies, dating back to 1926, and is considered the most sought after of all single malts among collectors and connoisseurs at auction.

www.themacallan.com

About Lalique:

LALIQUE is more than just a name. It is René LALIQUE’s (1860-1945) talent, a genius destined to revolutionise the world of jewellery, beginning in 1885 with his famous ²Art Nouveau² jewellery sets, true works of art, which are now highly sought-after by museums and collectors.

A brilliant master glassmaker of the Art Déco movement, René LALIQUE’s creations were highly eclectic. Indeed, it was René LALIQUE, who was responsible for the great technological and commercial revolution which even today continues to influence the way bottles of perfume are created and packaged.

René LALIQUE’s imagination has proved to be the source of a vast and varied collection, including bowls, vases, statuettes and perfume bottles. They were produced at the Wingen-Sur Moder factory in Alsace, opened in 1922.

René Lalique’s creations belong to the international artistic and cultural patrimony. His works are displayed in more than 40 Museums worldwide including the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon, Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Lalique museum in Hakone, Japan. A Lalique museum will open in Wingen-sur-Moder, in the Alsace region of France in December 2010.

In February 2008, the Swiss company Art & Fragrance acquired Lalique SA from the Pochet Group and Silvio Denz became Lalique’s CEO.

www.lalique.com

About charity: water

charity: water is a non-profit organization bringing safe and clean drinking water to people in developing nations. Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and disease, and kills more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.  charity: water gives 100% of the money raised to direct project costs, funding sustainable clean water solutions in areas of greatest need. Just $20 can give one person in a developing nation clean water for 20 years. In just 3.5 years, charity: water has brought clean drinking water to over one million people in 16 countries. www.charitywater.com

About Sotheby’s

Founded in 1744, Sotheby’s is a global company specialising in art auction, private sales and art-related financing activities. Founded in 1744, Sotheby’s is the oldest and largest internationally recognised firm of fine art auctioneers in the world with an international network of 98 offices in 38 countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas, including 17 worldwide auction centres. Nearly 1,000 sales a year are held around the world.

So far 2010 has seen two record breaking sales.  The Impressionist and Modern Art sale in February achieved a world record for a work of art sold at auction with Giacometti’s L’homme qui marche I selling for £65m. During the February Contemporary Art sale 21 new artist records for a work sold at auction were set.

Central to Sotheby’s ability to achieve great successes is the well-established global name recognition, a reputation for knowledge and expertise, an extensive distribution network, and  long-standing client relationships around the world, of which Sotheby’s is extremely proud.

www.sothebys.com

Local man to take over production at Springbank

SPRINGBANK, the iconic Campbeltown whisky distillery, has this week announced a summertime change of management that will see the first locally-born man take charge of production in over 60 years.

Gavin McLachlan, aged 36, will take over as Manager of Springbank and its sister distillery, Mitchell’s Glengyle, from August 1st 2010.

Neil Clapperton, Managing Director of parent company J&A Mitchell & Co Ltd, said: “Gavin is Campbeltown born and bred and his appointment gives us great pleasure and also reflects our company’s long-term commitment to Campbeltown.”

Gavin, who began his career in the whisky industry in May 2002 as a bottling hall operative at Springbank before quickly moving into malting and distilling within eight months, has been assistant manager for the past four years.

In his new post he will work alongside Director of Production Frank McHardy to oversee the day-to-day operations at Springbank and Glengyle.

Gavin’s promotion follows the resignation of present manager Stuart Robertson, who is leaving the company to take up a new appointment in the north east of Scotland.

Springbank Distillery is Scotland’s oldest continuously family owned distillery and the only distillery in Scotland to carry out 100% of the production process on site.

The company is currently under the ownership of Hedley Wright, present-day chairman and great-great-great grandson of the distillery’s founder.

In 2000, Mr Wright commissioned the construction of the Mitchell’s Glengyle Distillery, which opened in March 2004, bringing the number of operational distilleries in Campbeltown, on the Kintyre peninsula on the west coast of Scotland, to three.

ENDS

For further information, contact Frank McHardy (frank@jandamitchell.com) or Ranald Watson (ranald@springbankwhisky.com) on 01586 552009.

How would you drink yours?

Global hunt kicks off the ultimate whisky experience

From sharing a dram with friends by a camp fire to sipping a malt on a yacht at sunset, the challenge is on to come up with the ultimate whisky experience.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is sparking an adventurous debate amongst whisky lovers across the world, to find out what makes the ultimate whisky experience.  From a personal tasting with your favourite whisky celebrity to relaxing with distillery still-men over a dram or three, wants to hear what tickles your fancy.

Hoping to engage whisky enthusiasts across the world, the Society will enter every idea into a monthly prize draw, giving participants the opportunity to win an exciting range of Society treats, from cases of the world’s finest single cask whisky to a range of Society whisky experiences, which could include your own unique private dining experience.

As part of its campaign to fulfil the whisky dream, the Society will even make some of the best ideas a reality!  To be in with a chance of winning, tell the Society how you would like to drink yours at: www.theultimatewhiskyexperience.com

For more information on the Society go to www.smws.co.uk

Three New Tomatin’s

The Tomatin Distillery, Inverness-shire, is delighted to announce the release of two single cask and one limited edition bottling.

The first of the single casks was distilled in September 1997 and matured in a first fill bourbon barrel for over 12 years and bottled at cask strength – 57.1%abv . Only 244 bottles are available and will be sold in a limited number of Western European markets as well as Japan.

The second Single cask was distilled in January 1999 and initially matured in a re fill American oak cask before being transferred into a European oak cask which was used to mature tempranillo wine. After spending over 2 year in the wine cask it was bottled at cask strength – 57.1%abv. Only 302 bottles are available and again they will be sold in a limited number of Western European markets as well as Japan.

The third release is a limited edition 21 year old bottling which was created using 7 casks, 6 of which were re fill American oak casks and the 7th an ex sherry butt. Again bottled at casks strength – 52%abv – and limited to a release of just 2400 bottles which will be made available in selected markets throughout the world including the United Kingdom.

Stephen Bremner, Sales Director at the distillery commented: “Up until very recently you would have been hard pushed to find any limited edition official distillery bottlings from Tomatin. This is no longer the case and I am pleased to confirm that there will be a steady flow of these for the foreseeable future. We have some amazing casks from the 1960’s up to the present day and I feel confident that consumers will be delighted with what we bring to the market in the near future.”

He continued “The single casks are obviously very different in character with one representing the traditional house style of Tomatin and the other showing that our whisky is fairly adaptable and works well in different cask types. I feel that the 21 year old is a good example of a traditional highland malt whisky. It is very soft and smooth but also has a slightly spicy edge to it which is typical of Tomatin as it gets past the teens.”

Notes

The 1999 and 1997 Single casks will be available in selected markets in Europe The 21 year old is a worldwide release. The Tomatin Distillery is located in the Highlands of Scotland 16 miles south of Inverness Tomatin malt whisky was historically purchased by the major blending companies in Scotland; however, the company is now focused as selling Tomatin as a single malt in it own right.

Tasting Notes

1997 Single Cask
Nose – Wonderfully rich, sweet vanilla. Fresh, lively notes of apricots, tropical fruit and lemon curd.
Palate – Mouth coating and rounded. Roasted nuts and white pepper with a minty touch.
Finish – Smooth and creamy with uplifting eucalyptus.

1999 Single Cask
Nose – Elegant with a rich sweetness. Toffee popcorn, gently toasted hazelnuts, dried orange peel and butterscotch.
Palate – Smooth, velvety texture. Sweetness layered on dry maltiness with hints of cracked black pepper.
Finish – Dry but smooths off with cereal notes.

21 Year old Limited edition
Nose – Delicate, flowery aromas to begin with, giving way to aniseed, old leather and pipe tobacco.
Palate – Rose water, aniseed and white grape juice.
Finish – Warm and zingy with a dry, oaky spiciness.

Visit Tomatin Distillery at http://www.tomatin.com/

Tomatin Performs Well at San Francisco

For the third year running Single Malt Scotch Whisky producer, The Tomatin Distillery Co Ltd , Inverness-shire , has picked up a plethora of medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Celebrating its 10th year, the competition was the biggest yet, with 1024 entries coming from 57 different countries. The judging was carried out by 30 industry experts who tasted all entries blind in order to ensure the competitive integrity of the competition, which is regarded by many as being the premier tasting event in the world.

The distilleries single malts performed particularly well, winning a double gold, a gold and 2 silver medals. Its deluxe blended whisky range ‘The Antiquary ‘also scooped 2 bronze medals. The multi award winning company has picked up 52 medals over the last 4 years at international tasting competitions.

Stephen Bremner, Sales Director commented “We are absolutely delighted to be associated with such a prestigious competition. These awards are very much for the guys at the distillery who put in a great deal of hard work in order to ensure that we are able to sell a spirit that we feel is of a high quality”.

A summary of the awards won by Tomatin at the competition are as follows:

The Tomatin 12 year old Highland Single Malt Whisky Silver
The Tomatin 15 year old Highland Single Malt Whisky Gold
The Tomatin 18 year old Highland Single Malt Whisky Double Gold
The Tomatin 25 year old Highland Single Malt Whisky Silver
The Antiquary 12 year old Deluxe Blended Scotch Whisky Bronze
The Antiquary 12 year old Deluxe Blended Scotch Whisky Bronze

Notes

The Tomatin Distillery is located in the Highlands of Scotland 16 miles south of Inverness Tomatin malt whisky was historically purchased by the major blending companies in Scotland; however, the company is now focused as selling Tomatin as a single malt in it own right.

Visit Tomatin Distillery at http://www.tomatin.com/

Evan Williams Single Barrel 23 years Bourbon

Duty Stamped if Required

12 Bottles in Case

75 Cl Bottle Size

53.5% Alcohol

Only 5 CASES AVAILABLE

CASE PRICE £1420.00

Trentino Distribution

email winesales@runbox.com

More information from www.heaven-hill.com

Dumgoyne, 13 April 2010: Glengoyne Distillery has launched an exciting new menu of tours in time for the busy summer visitor season. Joining the already highly popular and acclaimed selection of tours will be Cask Idol – The Search for the Perfect Dram and A Century of Whisky.

Cask Idol – The Search for the Perfect Dram (£70 per person) offers a once in a lifetime opportunity to become part of the Glengoyne Selection Panel and help select the first ever Glengoyne Distillery Exclusive Single Cask Whisky, to be bottled in 2011.

Following an in-depth Glengoyne Distillery tour and a visit to the legendary Warehouse No. 8, visitors are guided through Glengoyne’s last three Single Cask releases learning to nose, taste and write tasting notes as they go.

Visitors then judge three mature samples drawn from the cask and are asked to write their own tasting notes for each. The most popular cask will be announced in April 2011 and released with one lucky fan’s name and tasting notes displayed on the label. Visitors on the Cask Idol tour will have exclusive first access to the chosen single cask bottling when released.

Perfect for enthusiasts of old and rare whiskies, A Century of Whisky (£150 per person) includes a tutored tasting of Glengoyne Distillery’s oldest, most valuable, and finest Highland Single Malt: the Glengoyne 40 Years Old, worth £200 per dram, as well as the exceptionally rare Isle of Skye 50 Years Old blended Scotch whisky. These two unparalleled whiskies, along with the Glengoyne 10 Years Old, represent a century of maturation.

The Glengoyne team will bring these great drams to life, sharing their distillation, maturation and flavour profiles – exposing 100 years of hopes and fears, of wandering legs and golden tears. Each dram will be tasted in its own bespoke crystal ‘copita’ glass, which guests take home as a memento of the day.  This is a truly unique opportunity to taste rare and expensive, top quality whiskies. Only 400 bottles of the Isle of Skye 50 Years Old blended Scotch Whisky, and 250 crystal decanters of the Glengoyne 40 Years Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky were produced, costing £1,000 and £3,750 respectively.

Stuart Hendry, Brand Heritage Manager for Glengoyne commented: “At Glengoyne we make Single Malt Whisky without cutting corners. We fill Scotland’s slowest distilled spirit into the world’s finest casks. These new visits allow us to really take Glengoyne fans inside the cask and let them become a part of the Distillery’s history. This sort of thing just doesn’t happen at normal distilleries.”

The new tours join the existing tasting tours, which start from just £6.50 and have been heralded as ‘THE Best Whisky Tour’ by The Sunday Times. Other options include the Master Class (£100), the most in depth and comprehensive distillery tour in Scotland, as well as the exclusive Master Blender Session (£30) during which guests learn the dark art of the Master Blender and create their very own blend to be bottled and taken home.

To book your place or find out more please contact the distillery on 01360 550254.

For full details of the tour menu, visit: www.glengoyne.com

Glengoyne is one of Scotland’s most accessible distilleries, located just 30 minutes north of Glasgow and looking out over the breath-taking West Highland Way.

ends

Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky encourages responsible drinking

On Friday (April 9th), all eyes were on four brave, adrenalin-fuelled adventurers at the official launch of the Talisker Bounty Boat expedition in Sydney, Australia.  The four-man international crew, bound for remote Tonga, where the voyage begins, bad farewell to family and friends as they prepared to set sail on the first ever authentic recreation of one of the greatest open boat voyages ever undertaken.

The Captain of the Talisker Bounty Boat is veteran adventurer and Australian Don McIntyre who has carefully selected his crew from countries around the world to embark on one of the most extraordinary stories of survival and sheer determination: Captain William Bligh’s 4,000 mile open boat ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ voyage.

The courageous crew includes young Brit Chris Wilde who won a global competition to search for a successor following the unexpected withdrawal of Mike Perham. With less than a week’s notice, Chris has left his friends, family and creature comforts to undertake an almighty yet exciting challenge on the open seas.

The re-enactment of one of the most iconic expeditions in nautical history, following the journey across the Pacific from Tonga to Timor, will start on the same day (April 28th), at the same time and in the same location 221 years after the original mutiny journey. The crew left Sydney on Friday to travel to the starting point to begin the Expedition.

The seven week Expedition aboard the Talisker Bounty Boat – a 25ft long, 7ft wide, open wooden vessel – will see the crew facing the same deprivations as the original crew that were cast adrift in the middle of the Pacific, including: no navigation charts; only two weeks of water; hardly any food; and a lack of everyday luxuries such as a torch or even toilet paper.

Alongside Don McIntyre and Chris Wilde the international crew also includes Australian Dave Pryce and experienced English sailor, David Wilkinson. 

Not content with just taking on this huge challenge, McIntyre and the crew are also attempting to raise over $250,000 for The Sheffield Institute Foundation for Motor Neurone Disease (SIF), which is building the world’s first research Institute into Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. 

McIntyre does not underestimate the challenge ahead: “We’re incredibly excited to launch the Expedition today, leaving the city and our loved ones bound for the starting point. We will be getting close to the experience of Captain Bligh and his crew; however everyone aboard the Talisker Bounty Boat will be pushed to the limit of endurance and survival, forever hungry and unsure of everything, except their own desire to fight through this.”

The voyage is sponsored by Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky, the only single malt whisky from the Isle of Skye which is also the origin of Don McIntyre’s ancestry. His grandparents emigrated to Australia from Skye shortly after their marriage in 1901. 

To follow the expedition and donate to this cause, visit http://www.taliskerbountyboat.com/.

Woodford Reserve® Bourbon Unveils World’s Most Exclusive Mint Julep Cup

Proceeds from 73 collectible Tiffany & Co. silver cups to benefit Barnstable-Brown Kentucky Diabetes & Obesity Center

Louisville, Ky., April 12, 2010 – Woodford Reserve bourbon will celebrate the glamour and glitz of the Kentucky Derby® with the Ultimate Kentucky Derby Luxury:  the world’s most exclusive mint julep cup. The Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep Cup Experience will feature a collection of 73 silver cups designed by Tiffany & Co. exclusively for Woodford Reserve. Proceeds from the cups will benefit The Barnstable Brown Kentucky Diabetes & Obesity Center.

“We are so delighted to have the Barnstable Brown Kentucky Diabetes & Obesity Center be the beneficiary of this year’s Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep Cup sales,” said Tricia Barnstable Brown. “This wonderful partnership will further help the cause of diabetes research, education and care for years to come.”

Owners of the Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep Cup will enjoy a mint julep featuring a unique set of ingredients from around the globe: raw-cane sugar made from 100 percent organic sugar cane grown in Brazil; Kentucky Colonel Mint from Louisville, KY which was grown in a used Woodford Reserve bourbon barrel; ice made of water from a 10,000-year-old glacier in the far northern region of the Pacific Ocean near the Gulf of Alaska; and a small batch of the Master Distiller’s personal selection of Woodford Reserve super-premium bourbon. The 73 silver cups will be presented on Kentucky Derby Day at Churchill Downs® in The Woodford Reserve $1,000 Mint Julep Cup Experience located near the clubhouse escalator inside Gate 10.

“Woodford Reserve is proud to partner with Tiffany & Co. to bring horse racing fans the most well-crafted mint julep cup ever to be sold,” said Wayne Rose, Woodford Reserve brand director.  “Through the sale of these julep cups, we look forward to assisting The Barnstable Brown Diabetes and Obesity Center.”

“Tiffany’s great heritage of sterling silver craftsmanship was established in the late 19th century with the trophies our silversmiths created for the great horse races of the period,” said Diane Brown, vice president of Tiffany & Co. “We are gratified to continue that heritage with the creation of these silver cups for Woodford Reserve bourbon for presentation at this year’s Kentucky Derby and for the benefit of the Barnstable Brown Diabetes and Obesity Center.”

Fans will also be able to follow Woodford Reserve online from exciting Derby events and activities via Twitter at @derbyinsider. Visit www.twitter.com/derbyinsider for all the details.

How to Purchase a Cup

Starting April 12, 2010 at noon, (EDT) consumers age 21 years and older can log on to www.woodfordreservemintjulep.com to purchase one of the 73 cups. Presented on one day, at one place only, all cups purchased must be picked up by the buyer or the buyer’s proxy on May 1, 2010, Kentucky Derby Day at historic Churchill Downs.

The Exclusive Cup

73 Cups are being sold online for $1,000 on a first come, first buy basis. This will be the 73rd year that the Mint Julep has been recognized as the traditional beverage of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. Each individually numbered cup is presented with a sterling silver sipping straw and features the Woodford Reserve logo along with a unique horse racing design.  The handmade silver cups have been designed by Tiffany & Co. and come with a sterling silver sipping straw. Each cup will be presented in a unique Tiffany & Co. “blue box” and will be set in a Woodford Reserve casing made from the same wood as Woodford Reserve barrels are made. The cups will be on sale from April 12-28 at www.woodfordreservemintjulep.com for $1,000 on a “first come, first buy” basis. Any unsold cups will be available for purchase at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Day.

The Mint Julep Cup’s Exotic Ingredients

The $1,000 Mint Julep will be made with the most exotic ingredients in the world

Organic Turbinado raw-cane sugar made from 100 percent organic sugar cane grown in Brazil. This sugar provides a smooth, mellow and rounded flavor, perfect for the world’s most exotic Mint Julep.
A special Kentucky Colonel Mint from Louisville, KY which was grown in a used Woodford Reserve Bourbon barrel.
Ice made of water from a 10,000-year-old glacier in the far northern region of the Pacific Ocean near the Gulf of Alaska. This iceberg is by far the rarest and purest type of water on earth, pre-dating man and pollution.
A small batch of the Master Distiller’s personal selection of Woodford Reserve super-premium bourbon, selected specifically for the $1,000 Mint Julep.
 

About Woodford Reserve

Woodford Reserve, the “Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby”, is crafted at the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky – the heart of thoroughbred country. Woodford Reserve is one of the fine spirits produced and marketed by the Brown-Forman Corporation. For 140 years, Brown-Forman has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands.  The company’s brands are supported by nearly 4,000 employees and sold in approximately 135 countries worldwide.  For more information about the company, please visit http://www.brown-forman.com, and for more information on Woodford Reserve visit www.woodfordreserve.com. Please enjoy your bourbon responsibly.

About Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany & Co. operates jewelry and specialty retail stores and manufactures products through its subsidiary corporations. Its principal subsidiary is Tiffany and Company. The Company operates TIFFANY & CO. retail stores and boutiques in the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe and engages in direct selling through Internet, catalog and business gift operations. For additional information, please visit tiffany.com or call the shareholder information line at 800-TIF-0110.

About the Barnstable Brown Kentucky Diabetes & Obesity Center

The goal of the Barnstable Brown Kentucky Diabetes and Obesity Center is to organize and integrate clinical and scientific approaches to enhance diabetes and obesity research and clinical practice at the University of Kentucky. Since 2008, all proceeds from the annual Barnstable Brown Gala go to develop this large-scale center that brings together the University’s breadth and depth of researchers, educators and clinicians focused on diabetes and organizes them to attack the problem collaboratively.

About Churchill Downs®:

Churchill Downs, the world’s most legendary racetrack, has conducted Thoroughbred racing and presented America’s greatest race, the Kentucky Derby, continuously since 1875. Located in Louisville, the flagship racetrack of Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ Global Select Market: CHDN) also operates Trackside at Churchill Downs, which offers year-round simulcast wagering at the historic track. Churchill Downs will conduct the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby on May 1, 2010 and the Kentucky Oaks on April 30, 2010. The track will conduct its 2010 Spring Meet from Saturday, April 24, through Sunday, July 4.  Churchill Downs is scheduled to host the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a record seventh time on Nov. 5 and 6, 2010. Churchill Downs tickets are available at Tickets.ChurchillDowns.com or by calling (502) 636-4400. Additional information about Churchill Downs can be found on the Internet at www.ChurchillDowns.com.

Churchill Downs®, Kentucky Derby® and the Twin Spires design are registered trademarks of Churchill Downs Incorporated.

Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 45.2% Alc. by Vol., The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY ©2010.