Taste of Gold for Smokehead

Smokehead has been awarded an International Review of Spirits’ Gold Medal by the highly respected Beverage Testing Institute (BTI).

Judged by an expert panel from BTI in the institution’s Chicago Tasting Room, Smokehead was awarded an ‘Exceptional’ rating of 91/100 for its explosive, peaty flavours. With the appearance of ‘bright old gold’, the panel commented on the Single Malt’s ‘aromas of honeyed raisin scone, dried peaches and medical tinctures with a hint of cedar and mesquite-like smokiness’. The BTI also commented on Smokehead’s ‘good depth and lingering body’ with ‘subtly complex and earthy smoked wood, leather and a prairie grass driven finish’.

The International Review of Spirits’ Gold Medal for Smokehead’s rich and complex flavours, follows two Gold Medals from BTI in the 2009 International Review of Spirits Packaging Competition. These recognised the brand’s innovative, bold and modern packaging in the Creativity and Graphic Design categories.

Since launching in 2006, Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky has won a number of awards for both its eye-catching packaging and balanced, seaweedy flavours, including the Scottish Field Whisky Challenge Gold Medal and Wine & Spirits Design Awards for Best Dark Spirit and the overall Trophy for Design of the Year.

Visit www.smokehead.co.uk

Hello Fellow Scotch Lovers –

Still searching for a great Fathers Day gift for your dad?

ForScotchLovers’ Whisky Explorers Club is a phenomenal way to send your dad 24 amazing whisky samples in a year for less than $3.00 per whisky.

And if your dad isn’t the adventurous type, then give him exactly what he wants with a ForScotchLovers gift certificate.

Either way, you’ll make your dad very very happy!
Doug Stone
Founder
ForScotchLovers.com

The mission of the Whisky Explorers Club is to introduce  members to a variety of great whiskies they may never have experienced before, and to share those experiences with others.

Six (6) times a year members receive four (4) 50mL tasting sample bottles of tremendous whiskies from around the world. These whiskies arrive in generically-packaged gift bags, with no brand or age identity, along with instructions on how to unmask each whisky’s true identity on our website by contributing your own tasting notes.

There are three levels to the club, starting at $120 for a year. But no matter which of the Whisky Explorers member levels you choose, you’ll taste some of the worlds great whiskies, gain early access to limited production whiskies, and get 10% discounts on purchases in our store.

CLICK HERE http://www.forscotchlovers.com/to learn more about the Whisky Explorers Club.

Malt Advocate, Inc. joins M. Shanken Communications Inc.

John Hansell stays on as Publisher & Editor; Amy Westlake remains WhiskyFest Director
 
New York, June 15, 2010:  Malt Advocate, Inc. today announced that it is now a part of M. Shanken Communications, Inc.   Malt Advocate, Inc. includes Malt Advocate magazine, WhiskyFest New York, WhiskyFest Chicago, and WhiskyFest San Francisco.

M. Shanken Communications, Inc.  publishes a variety of consumer and trade publications.  They include Wine Spectator, Cigar Aficionado, Food Arts, Market Watch, and Impact.  In addition, the company hosts a number of events across the United States including the New York and New World Wine Experiences, Wine Spectator’s Grand Tours and Cigar Aficionado’s Big Smokes. 

John Hansell will remain Malt Advocate magazine’s Publisher & Editor, and Amy Westlake will continue as Director of WhiskyFest events.  Malt Advocate, Inc. operations will remain at their current office in Emmaus, PA.

“Amy and I are very proud of our efforts promoting the whisky industry, both with Malt Advocate, which will be celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2011, and the 25 WhiskyFest events we have hosted over the past 12 years,” notes John Hansell.

“Our activities dovetail perfectly with those of M. Shanken Communications, Inc. from a publication and events standpoint.  There are definite synergies that will be achieved between the two companies.  The M. Shanken Group will take Malt Advocate magazine and our WhiskyFest events to levels that we could not have achieved on our own.  We are very excited about our future together.”

“John and Amy are pioneers in this industry and highly regarded,” commented Marvin R. Shanken, CEO of M. Shanken Communications, Inc.   “We are proud to have them on board with us.  Their creations─Malt Advocate and WhiskyFest─are benchmarks.”

For additional information, contact Amy Westlake (610. 967.1083 or Amy@maltadvocate.com).

(From Glenfiddich);

A bottle of Glenfiddich is the perfect Father’s Day gift, and now the most awarded single malt Scotch whisky, is giving enthusiasts two ways to make this the best Father’s Day ever.

You and one other could be joining the Glenfiddich malt masters at the Dufftown, Scotland Glenfiddich distillery for an exclusive VIP weekend experience. Also, Liquor.com is hosting a NYC tasting sweepstakes with a chance to win full accommodations, air-fare, and a private tasting of the last bottle of the Glenfiddich 50 Year Old available in the US.

Check out the Glenfiddich Microsite to map out this important day and send your loved ones a personalized e-card. So ‘like’ the Facebook page, check out the contests, and let us know if you are interested in featuring Glenfiddich in your Father’s Day gift guides on Cooking with Vodka (Bah! – WI).

Glenfiddich Father’s Day Microsite – Win a Trip to Glenfiddich (global):
http://www.glenfiddichfathersday.com

Liquor.com Glenfiddich 50 NYC Tasting Sweepstakes (USAonly):
http://www.facebook.com/Liquor.com

Big Time Whisk(e)y Sale 2: The Search for more Malt! at the Park Avenue Liquor Shop.

“It ain’t over till it’s over.” – Yogi Berra

Due to an overwhelming response we have decided to to continue and expand the ‘Big Time Whisk(e)y Sale’. Like last week, this is an in-store only sale. We will still honor these sale prices to any phone or email orders that mention  this sale. In this week’s offering you will see new distilleries, new age statements and interesting casks. Some of these bottles are limited editions so they are sure to go fast. Once again, at these prices they are great Father’s Day gift ideas or simply a chance  to try something you previously thought was too pricey. Again, this sale is not indefinite – we can only offer these prices while supplies last. Thanks for taking a look and as always, if you have any questions, please contact us at the store.

Cheers!

Jonathan & Eric
Park Avenue Liquor Shop
292 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
212-685-2442
info@parkaveliquor.com
www.parkaveliquor.com

Glenmorangie Lasanta

“This elegant non-chill filtered single malt in initially matured in bourbon casks, then extra matured or ‘finished’ in Oloroso Sherry casks, to create the rich, nutty flavour which defines The Lasanta. A 12 year old single malt, The Lasanta is true to its Gaelic meaning of ‘warmth’ and ‘passion’, with a tantalizing marriage of  warm, creamy flavours.”

Price: $72
In-Store Sale Price: $52

Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban

“Like sipping velvet, this voluptuously smooth twelve year old single malt imparts a complex balance of dark chocolate and mint flavours, with a luxurious hint of  port in the long, lingering finish. Importantly, Quinta Ruban in non-chill filtered which imparts added body, taste and texture to the spirit”.

Price: $72
In-Store Sale Price: $52

Glenmorangie Nectar D’Or

“Nectar D’Or is first matured in bourbon barrels and then ‘finished’ in exquisite Sauternes wine barriques from some of the most respected vineyards of France. Toasted oak and vanilla are intricately woven with honey, lemon and spices to create a mix of sumtuous flavours, a silky texture and a long, lingering finish. The Nectar D’Or is non-chill filtered and bottled at a strength of 46%.”.

Price: $77
In-Store Sale Price: $58

Oban 18 Year Old – Limited Edition

“John and Hugh Stevenson established Oban distillery in 1794. Limited to 8,778 bottles, Oban 18 is from its famous “sma stills.”  It is rich in maritime character, with  waves of sweet smokiness rushing to shore above the faint salty undertow. The nose is clean and clear; oily, well structured to begin with, then reminiscent of a wet  seaweed strewn beach, before developing more sweet fruit. Medium-bodied, the smooth textured palate is sharply fruity then sweeter than you expect, with buttery pastry and creamy vanilla custard. There’s lovely late smoke on the long, elegant and drying finish.”

Price: $150
In-Store Sale Price: $100

Tomintoul 27 Year Old

“The Tomintoul 27 year old is meticulously distilled using the finest malted barley dried over peat to perfection. It is then distilled in distinctive swan-necked copper pot stills and aged in selected oak barrels to impart  exceptional flavour to this unique single malt scotch. Tomintoul’s Master Distiller has applied four generations of experience in distillation to craft a single malt that is unmatched in smoothness and character”. Notes include: Creamy toffee, vanilla and spices.

Price: $227
In-Store Sale Price: $150

Cardhu 12 Year Old

Know someone who likes Johnnie Walker Black? Well Cardhu 12 year old happens to  be one of the main ingredients of Black. Cardhu is back in the U.S. market – In  limited quantities. So if you are looking for a single malt to introduce to someone who has been strictly a blend drinker, Cardhu may be your answer. Cardhu is one of the oldest distilleries in Speyside. The whisky is a distillation of the natural elements that surround the distillery. Pure soft water from springs of the Mannoch Hills and fine barley are part of the swan-necked copper pot distillation process. The 12 year maturation process yeilds aromas of pear and fragrant fruits with a pleasing sweet smoothness and crisp finish.

Price: $75
In-Store Sale Price: $55

The Last Drop, 1960 Vintage, 48 Year old

Notes from John Hansell of Malt Advocate: Last Drop: A 12 year old blended scotch whisky was created in 1972 consisting of 70 different malt whiskies and 12 grain whiskies. The blend was then placed in three sherry casks, where it was matured for the past 36 years (highly irregular, to say the least.) The quality of the sherry casks is quite evident, as is the whisky’s age. There’s substantial malt content here too. These three factors, along with the wide range of malt and grain whiskies, combine to create one of the
finest blended Scotch whiskies I have ever tasted. It’s dark, mysterious and enormously complex, with notes of molasses, fig cake, dried fruit, tobacco, dark chocolate, old pot still rum, and polished leather, finishing with lingering cinnamon and mint. There’s no sign of this whisky getting tired at all. I am pleased they bottled it at natural cask strength and didn’t water it down to 40% or 43% abv, which could have ruined it.
Rating = 95

Price: $2,100
In-Store Sale Price: $900

Glen Ord 30 Year old

“Fruity and sweet with fine balance, this rare old amber whisky from the Black Isle is smooth, subtly complex and self-assured. Fragrant hints of spice and smoke introduce rich, fruity aromas. Medium-soft in body, it is sweetly rich-textured, later drying on the palate. Flavours of sweet honey, citrus and spicy ginger develop to yield  a light nuttiness on the lemony finish”. Natural Cask Strength 58.7%

Price: $240
In-Store Sale Price: $160

The Singleton of Glendullan 12 year old

This 12 year old is round, elegant, beautifully balanced and comes from the
heart of Speyside. It is made slowly, traditionally, with selected barley and pure water from the high hills above the glen. Long aging in a unique balance of European Sherry Oak and American Bourbon Oak casks allows The Singleton of Glendullan to develop its rich, smooth character.

Price: $46
In-Store Sale Price: $32

Sale prices are only available while supplies last. Due to ever-changing
inventory, we cannot guarantee bottle availability. We are not
responsible for typographical errors. Please contact the store with any
questions regarding shipping.

http://www.parkaveliquor.com/

The 2004 Book of Lists named Miner’s Delight Inn Bed & Breakfast in Atlantic City, Wyoming, its Best for Stargazing award winner. Now Supernova 2010 by Ardbeg joins 67 other single malt Scotch whiskies to light up the inn’s Two-bit Cowboy Saloon.

Join innkeepers and publicans Barbara and Bob Townsend on the second Saturday of every month for a single malt Scotch tasting that features five half-ounce pours of whisky for $20.

Miner’s Delight Inn Bed & Breakfast
290 Atlantic City Road
Atlantic City, WY 82520
(307) 332-0248
www.minersdelightinn.com

WEEKLY SPIRIT SPECIALS

$27.99 Dewar’s  White Label 1.75L

Cutty Sark  Scotch 1.75L $19.99

Canadian LTD 1.75L…$10.99
Chivas Regal…$17.99
House Of Stuart Scotch 1.75L…$14.99
Jim Beam Bourbon 1.75L…$21.99
Laphroaig 10 Year Old Scotch…$38.99
Macallan 12 Year Old Scotch…$39.99
Seagram’s Crown Royal…$18.99

*Prices valid w/Binny’s Card June 16 through June 22, 2010. Not responsible for misprints or typographical errors.  Sizes 750ml unless otherwise stated. Advertised items limited to quantities on hand.

Visit Binny’s at www.binnys.com

Tullamore Dew launches Black 43 Irish whiskey- with pot still character and higher strength –

C&C International has launched a new premium Irish whiskey blend – Tullamore Dew Black 43 – that will be released in limited batches to the brand’s key markets.

The new product makes its world debut in the Czech Republic where distributor Stock has already achieved brand leadership for Tullamore Dew in the overall whiskey category. It will them be launched in other leading markets.

Crafted by Ireland’s eminent Master Blender Barry Walsh, Tullamore Dew Black 43 is a triple distilled blend, enriched by spicy full-flavoured pot still whiskey aged in old Oloroso sherry casks.  The ‘43’ in the name indicates its higher-than-usual alcohol strength.

Black 43’s distinctive pot still character is blended to appeal to Tullamore Dew drinkers interested in extending their drinking repertoire without moving to the more exclusive aged variants.

“The new Black 43 is packaged in the standard Tullamore Dew bottle as an everyday drink, but the deep matt black labelling and silver foil give it a strongly masculine and sophisticated personality – in line with our target audience expectations” says C&C International’s Marketing Manager, Benoit Batard.

“The extra strength and more complex flavour really add to the drinking experience and make a great addition to the award-winning Tullamore Dew range.”

Black 43 will increase Tullamore Dew’s range of consumer choice which already comprises Tullamore Dew, 10 Year Old Reserve, 12 Year Old Special Reserve and 10 Year Old Single Malt.

——————————–
Tullamore Dew Black 43 tasting notes:

Colour: Medium amber gold.

Aroma: Mellow spicy, fruity, slightly herbal. Malty, sherry notes, vanilla, toasted wood, faint citrus.

Taste: Medium bodied, fruity mellow, good complexity.  Spicy oily pot still flavours, sherry wood influence apparent, nutty, malty. Nice sweetness, some Christmas cake notes.

Finish: Mellow, spicy, sweetish.

Comment: More intensely flavoured than standard Tullamore Dew, with distinctive sherry notes and pleasantly spicy oily pot still whiskey flavours nicely balanced.

BALLANTINE’S TEES UP WITH BARCLAYS SCOTTISH OPEN FOR FURTHER THREE YEARS

Ballantine’s, the world’s No 2 range of blended Scotch whisky, is reinforcing its commitment to international golf with a three-year extension of its official sponsorship of the Barclays Scottish Open.

The new deal, which sees Ballantine’s as the Official Supplier to the Barclays Scottish Open until 2012, will build on the success of the brand’s ongoing association with the tournament which began in 2007. 

Support of international players such as Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell, a global Ballantine’s Brand Ambassador, will continue, as will a range of established promotional activities.  These include on-course visibility, VIP hospitality, private whisky education seminars and the Ballantine’s 12 birdie hole.  Players will also be awarded a Ballantine’s 21 Year Old for the lowest round of the day and the champion will be presented with a bottle of rare Ballantine’s 30 Year Old.

Peter Moore, Ballantine’s Global Brand Director, said: “We are really looking forward to our fourth successive year at The Barclays Scottish Open, where some of the best players in the world are set to leave an impression. We are immensely proud to be strengthening our links with golf over the next three years at this prestigious tournament, particularly because we have also committed to hosting The Ballantine’s Championship in Korea until at least 2013.”

The Barclays Scottish Open, which takes place from 8th – 11th July at the iconic Loch Lomond Golf Club, offers Ballantine’s a unique opportunity to build on the brand’s Scottish heritage.

The Ballantine’s Championship, sanctioned by The European, Asian and KPGA Tours, takes place annually on the picturesque island of Jeju.  It is Asia’s fourth biggest golf tournament and the largest sporting event in Korea. 

Notes

About Ballantine’s

Ballantine’s, the world’s No 2 range of blended Scotch whisky, has won over 60 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past 10 years for quality as a result of its unique richness of character and perfect balance. The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the iconic 30 Year Old, is the most extensive in the world of Scotch and is maintained by the latest in a tradition of master blenders that dates back to 1827.

• Ballantine’s is an official sponsor of the Barclay’s Scottish Open, held every July at the exclusive Loch Lomond Golf Club

• Ballantine’s has been title sponsor of the Ballantine’s Championship since 2008 and has committed to the event until 2013

• Ballantine’s was a of sponsor of The Omega Mission Hills World Cup, held in China in 2009

• The first Ballantine’s sponsored golf tournament was played in 1960 at Wentworth Golf Club, England

About Chivas Brothers

Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits.  Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth Gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport.

Smokehead Duty-Free Workshops in Malaysia

Smokehead has just successfully completed its first Duty-Free workshop in Malaysia.

Taking place in Kuala Lumpur, the comprehensive and entertaining masterclass provided an overview and tastings of Ian Macleod Distillers Travel Retail offering, focusing on its award-winning Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky and Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

Led by Ian Macleod Distillers’ Director or Travel Retail, Andy Lane, the one-day seminar was held in conjunction with local Malaysian Duty-Free business partner, J Brands, bringing together 43 staff from Kuala Lumpur International Airport and customers from the Kuala Lumpur region.

Andy Lane commented:

“We are delighted with the response to our inaugural workshop in Malaysia. Staff training is an integral part of developing sales of Malt Whisky, especially Glengoyne and Smokehead whiskies in this region. The staff and customers who attended contributed to a memorable and successful day.”

Kuala Lumpur International Airport is one of South East Asia’s busiest aviation hubs, with over 25 million passengers passing through the airport every year.

The new Duty-Free staff training workshops are the latest development in Ian Macleod’s comprehensive Travel Retail marketing strategy which began in 2007 with the launch of new TR exclusives Glengoyne Burnfoot and Smokehead Extra Rare. With an ever-growing Duty-Free portfolio and increased presence at events such as Cannes and Singapore TFWA, Ian Macleod Distillers is already ahead on sales projection for its five-year Travel Retail strategy.

Visit www.smokehead.co.uk