Glenfarclas 30 Years Old named best Overall Whisky in Australia

Glenfarclas 30 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky has been awarded the Trophy for ‘Best Overall Whisky’ at the 2009 Australian Malt Whisky Awards; Australia’s most respected Whisky Awards. Conducted by the Malt Whisky Society of Australia, it is the second time the Glenfarclas 30 Years Old has received this prestigious honour, following a win in the inaugural 2003 awards. At the awards dinner the Glenfarclas 30 Years Old also picked up the coveted ‘Members Choice’ Trophy.

Commenting on the Glenfarclas 30 Years Old, Peter Godden, Chairman of the Judges said, ‘Pure, perfect sherry and malt combine. Clean, precise and rich with a flavour that drives on and on. A complete, perfect sherried style’.

Judging for the awards is conducted under international protocols. Craig Daniels, Chairperson of the Malt Whisky Society of Australia explained, ‘Our intention is always to reward excellence in the bottle and to remove any other considerations from the equation’.

The Glenfarclas portfolio is distributed in Australia by Angove Family Winemakers. Commenting on the award, Richard Angove, Brand Manager, said, ‘As distributors of Glenfarclas in Australia since 1993, Angove Family Winemakers are thrilled with this result. Glenfarclas Single Malts are the pinnacle in their category and this award is testament to the Grant family who have such history and experience in creating these malts’.

George Grant, sixth generation of the family to own and manage the Glenfarclas distillery said, ‘It’s great to hear that Glenfarclas is being appreciated down under’.

Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeplechase at Cheltenham

The 14th November sees the first Glenfarclas Cross Country Steeplechase of the season, as part of the Open at Cheltenham. The event offers three days of exciting racing, with some of the best horses in Europe going head to head. On the Friday of the Open, visit the Glenfarclas stand at the racecourse’s Country Fair.

 Sampling with The Whisky Shop

We have joined forces with The Whisky Shop, the largest specialist whisky retailer, to sample Glenfarclas across the UK on the 10th and 11th of December. Do come and join us in one of their 14 stores. To find a store near you, please visit The Whisky Shop website.
 
Experience the Festive Spirit of Independence

Our special opening of the Glenfarclas Distillery visitor centre over the Christmas holiday will be on Wednesday the 30th December this year.
 
The centre will be open from 10AM until 4PM and we will be offering guided tours of the distillery, mince pies, and the chance to taste two Glenfarclas Malt Whiskies. The last tour on this day will be at 2.30PM. So if you plan to spend the Christmas holiday on Speyside, we look forward to welcoming you to the distillery on the 30th.
 
In addition our visitor centre will be open each weekday from 10AM until 4PM up until Tuesday the 22nd December, and will reopen on Tuesday the 5th January 2008. Please note the last tour leaves 90 minutes prior to closing. The admission charge is £3.50.

Whisky Festivals and Tastings

We will also be visiting The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, Austria and Canada over the next month or so. Do join us for;

13th to 15th November 2009
International Whisky Festival, Leiden, The Netherlands

19th November 2009
Glenfarclas tasting with Vinspecialisten Randers, in Denmark. To read more click here.

20th & 21st November 2009
Örebro Öl & Whisky Festival, Sweden

23rd November 2009
Glenfarclas tasting at The Green Lion Inn, Malmö, Sweden.

20th to 23rd November 2009
Glenfarclas Tastings at the Filliers Distillery in Belgium
For full details contact Caroline on info@filliers.be

25th November 2009
Glenfarclas Tasting with Willow Park Wines & Spirits, Calgary, Canada

26th November 2009
Glenfarclas Tasting with Kensington Wine Market, at the Petroleum Club, Calgary, Canada.

2nd December 2009
Glenfarclas Tasting at Cafe Torberg, Vienna. To book visit Potstill.
    
 

Glenfarclas
Email: info@glenfarclas.co.uk
Website: www.glenfarclas.co.uk
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/glenfarclas/
Tel: +44 (0) 1807 500257
Fax: +44 (0) 1807 500234
Address: Glenfarclas Distillery, Ballindalloch, Banffshire AB37 9BD, UK

NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER
 
Please find link to our New Arrivals
http://www.robbiesdrams.com/products.asp?id=25

Included this month are the 2009 Natural Cask Strength Releases from our friends at Diageo and various other whiskies that may be of interest.
 
Included are:
Benrinnes 23y/o Limited Edition of 6000 bottles
Brora 30y/o Limited Edition of 2958 bottles
Caol Ila 10y/o Unpeated, Limited Edition of 6000 bottles
Lagavulin 12 Cask Strength
Mannochmore 18y/o Limited Edition of 2604 bottles.
Pittyvaich 20y/o Limited Edition of 6000 bottles.
Talisker 25y/o Limited Edition of 5862 bottles.
Talisker 30y/o Limited Edition of 3000 bottles.
 
Also listed is the new 2009 Christmas Bell Decanter which is the first in a series of Three Bells, celebrating the lives of Arthur Bell & Sons.
 
And the fantastic new Glenfarclas 15y/o gift set, which includes 1x5cl 21y/o miniature and 1x5cl 25y/o miniature, the ideal Christmas gift, for the one you love.
 
Remember that with every order placed from the new arrival section, you receive a free 2010 Robert Burns Limited Edition Diary worth £6.99.

 
 
Regards
Robin Russell
Robbie’s Drams
 
www.robbiesdrams.com
www.robbiesdrams.co.uk

MEDIA INFORMATION

Glenglassaugh Distillery, Portsoy. 30 October 2009.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.

 Glenglassaugh 40yo Scoops another award.
 Jim Murray awards Glenglassaugh ‘Best 35-40yo Single Malt Scotch in latest ‘Whisky Bible’.
 Jim Murray, Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2010, on Glenglassaugh 40yo: “One of the great World Whiskies for 2010”

The Glenglassaugh Distillery Company is delighted to announce that Glenglassaugh 40yo Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky was awarded ‘Best 35-40yo Single Malt Scotch’ in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible World Whisky Awards 2010. Jim described the Single Malt as being “One of the great World Whiskies for 2010”.

Managing Director Stuart Nickerson commented “We have always known of the quality of Glenglassaugh and it is great to see that it is now being more widely appreciated and rightly receiving top accolades by distinguished whisky experts.”

This award comes only 2 months after the Single Cask, Cask Strength 40yo Glenglassaugh was honoured with the title of ‘Best 40yo Scotch Whisky’ by the International Wine and Spirits Competition. The world’s premier independent spirits competition also awarded the 30yo Glenglassaugh with the trophy for ‘Best Cask Strength Scotch Whisky’.

Glenglassaugh also recently offered consumers the chance to buy an Octave cask (50 litres, £500) of new make spirit and a Limited Release of 8,160 individually numbered 50cl bottles of new make spirit under the title “The Spirit Drink that dare not speak its name™”, as well as “The Spirit Drink that blushes to speak its name™ “ which is new spirit matured for 6 months in Californian red wine casks both are available internationally from leading specialists at a RRP of £30 for a 50 cl bottles at 50% abv.

“All are selling very fast through our international distributors,” reports Nickerson “giving me great confidence in the future of Glenglassaugh. Perhaps purchasers of our Octave casks will find they have award-winning whisky in just a few years.”

Background/Further Information

Tasting Notes for Glenglassaugh 40yo Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Jim Murray, Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2010

Nose: The kind of oak that you would expect at this age – (if you are uncommonly lucky or have access to some of the most glorious-nosing ancient casks in all Scotland) – but there is so much else on the fruity font besides: grape, over-ripe yam, fat cherries. And then there is a bourbon element with molassed hickory and sweetened vanilla: wake-me I must be dreaming, on second thoughts don’t.

Taste: Pure silk on delivery. All the flavours arrive in one rich wave of consummate sweetness, a tapestry celebrating the enormity of both the fruit and the oak, yet condensed into a few inches rather than feet: plenty of soft medium roast Jamaican Blue Mountain and then at times mocha: on the fruity front there is juicy dates mulched with burnt raisin.

Balance: It is as if this malt has gone through a 40 year marrying process: the interlinking of flavours and styles is truly beyond belief. One of the great world whiskies for 2010.

About Glenglassaugh

Glenglassaugh Distillery was founded in 1875 by local entrepreneur James Moir. Seeking a steady supply of high quality Malt Whisky for his Wine and Spirits business, he built his own Distillery at the foot of the Glassaugh burn.
Purchased by Highland Distilleries in 1892, Glenglassaugh was re-built in 1960 producing continuously until 1986 when it was mothballed.
However, a change of ownership in 2008 has seen the distillery re-furbished with an investment of more than £1m, and Glenglassaugh has reopened with a distinguished distilling team, once again producing a renowned spirit.
Since reopening, Glenglassaugh has won a number of awards in its first year of operation and a variety of exciting new products have been released including the Octave and 250 Club private cask sales programmes.
For more information, please visit www.glenglassaugh.com

Redevelopment

The refurbishment and reopening of the Glenglassaugh Distillery have been managed by Stuart Nickerson, a renowned whisky expert, who was the sole consultant during the acquisition. Nickerson has worked in the Scotch Whisky industry since 1981 with a significant part of his career being with William Grants, where he was Distilleries Director. Previously, he managed Highland Park Distillery, Glenrothes and Glenfiddich Distilleries in succession. He was appointed the new Managing Director of the Glenglassaugh Distillery Company in February 2008.

One of Stuart Nickerson’s first actions was the appointment of Graham Eunson as Distillery Manager, effective from 1st April 2008. Graham joined the Distillery from Glenmorangie where he was Manager of the world famous distillery for the last 12 years. Graham has also worked at Glendronach and Scapa distilleries.

Production at Glenglassaugh was restarted on 24th November 2008 by Rt Hon Alex Salmond, Scotland’s First Minister and the distillery’s MP. Distilling was thus commenced under the guidance of Stuart Nickerson and Graham Eunson. “The Spirit Drink that dare not speak its name™” was the first product released to be made by the new management team and rapidly followed by the Octave cask and 250 Club private cask sales programmes.

It is fair to say that everyone at Highland Park is a whisky romantic. If you are the same way inclined, you will relish Bottled History by Iain MacIlwain, a stunning fine art photographic portrait of a disappearing world, showing the remnants of Scotch malt whisky distillation prior to the advent of automation.

Over a five year period the author has photographed over 50 distilleries, focussing on disused buildings, obsolete and endangered equipment, and has complemented the pictures with stories collected from retired distillery employees. The pictures and stories encapsulate the working climate of the period between 1950 and 1980, making a perfect accompaniment to a glass of Highland Park.

Design and layout is by Eddie Ephraums – well-known in the world of photographic book production; Bottled History by Ian MacIlwain is a 12 x 12 inch 144-page book (www.bottledhistory.com) and costs £30. I recommend it highly. Signed copies of the hardback limited edition are also available as a slip–cased Collector’s Edition with an original signed and numbered fine art print at £75. We’ve bought a couple of copies for the growing whisky library at the distillery.

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

Gerry
Head of Brand Education, Highland Park

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lexington Distillery District one step closer to revitalization

City approved for $45.8 million tax increment financing to boost historic preservation, urban entertainment, and tourist area adjacent to downtown Lexington, Ky.

Lexington, Ky., October 29, 2009 – KEDFA (Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority) has approved $45.8 million for the Lexington Distillery District to support a major re-development of the historic bourbon distillery area. The Tax Increment Financing (TIF) will assist with the development of Lexington’s former bourbon heritage corridor with new commercial, residential and tourism opportunities.

Secretary Marcheta Sparrow, Kentucky Secretary of Tourism, Arts and Heritage, stated “Lexington has a wonderful asset and opportunity with the mixed use redevelopment of The Distillery District. The project will help boost the impact of local tourism; it will help improve the area and will be a formidable connection to the Bourbon Trail. This is a superb project and I am enthused to support it.”

Nearly 300,000 square feet of industrial architecture at the National Register James E. Pepper Distillery and newly renovated Old Tarr Distillery will anchor the new arts, entertainment and urban residential district. Eric Gregory, President of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association stated, “This project couldn’t come at a better time. Bourbon is experiencing an incredible resurgence around the world and that popularity is drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to the Bluegrass. The Distillery District will be a tremendous gateway for our famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail, which has grown into one of the Commonwealths’ most beloved
tourist attractions.”

NEWS

Gregory stated, “The KDA also is discussing the creation of an interactive “Bourbon Education Center” at the Distillery District to inform visitors of Bourbon’s rich heritage and significant economic and tourism impact. We’ve been impressed with the Distillery District’s work to promote our signature Bourbon industry and build upon Lexington’s Bourbon history.”

About The Lexington Distillery District

The Lexington Distillery District is the largest adaptive reuse project to date in Lexington, Kentucky. The District begins at a key intersection of the Newtown Pike Extension (NPE), Lexington’s largest roadway project in a generation. Now under construction, the NPE will connect the Blue Grass Airport and the Kentucky Horse Park, with the first phase along District expected to be complete before the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. The District will allow Lexington, renowned as Horse Capital of the World, to further attract consumers, conventions and tourists by capitalizing on the District as a gateway to the already famed Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The District is slated to become a tourism driver with experiences such as an interactive Bourbon Center, active distillery, Town Branch Trail, and downtown Lexington’s first cohesive arts and entertainment district. The redevelopment to date includes several new businesses, including Barrel House Distilling, which is the maker of Pure Blue Vodka, Buster’s Billiard’s and Backroom music and entertainment venue and several art galleries. The District’s urban stretch of the Town Branch Trail, an eight-mile walking and biking greenway, is currently under design study and may now be accelerated by today’s TIF approval.

www.lexingtondistillerydistrict.com
www.townbranch.org
www.kentuckybourbontrail.com

NEW RELEVENCE. NEW DALMORE.

In 1263, an ancestor of Clan Mackenzie saved King Alexander III of Scotland from being gored by a stag whilst out hunting. The grateful King granted him the right to bear a stag’s head – a ’12 pointer’ or ’Royal’ – in his coat of arms. Every bottle of single malt whisky from our Highland distillery was, and is, adorned with this proud emblem, symbolising the supremacy of The Dalmore.

The Dalmore King Alexander III commemorates this act of daring spirit. This exceptional malt has been filled to no less than six different casks, including French wine barriques, Madeira drums, sherry butts from Jerez, Sicilian marsala barrels, port pipes from the Douro and bourbon barrels from Kentucky. The King Alexander III unites each of these to form a rich deep spirit.

The legend of Clan Mackenzie has been immortalised by Benjamin West in his painting ’The Death of the Stag’.

Visit the Dalmore at http://www.thedalmore.com/

A New Ralfy Scotch Whisky Video Review  now available on line; Whisky Review #85 – How to cope with bad Whisky  …. perhaps a bit controversial  but with the right perspective and balance. 

Ralfy is not fudging an increasingly important issue for buyers.

Visit Ralfy at http://www.ralfy.com/ Click on “Whiskyreviews”

Announcing Compass Box Autumn 2009 New Releases! 

We are pleased to announce two new releases for autumn 2009.  One is the return of our much heralded and much talked about malt whisky The Spice Tree, and the other is a limited release, one-off malt whisky called Lady Luck.
 

 
 
THE SPICE TREE

It’s back!  The reincarnation of our formerly “illegal” malt Scotch whisky is here after a three year absence. 

(We should clarify that the original release was considered “illegal” by the Scotch Whisky Association, not by us or our lawyers!  This was due to our pioneering use of top quality French oak staves, which the Scotch Whisky Association felt was not traditional enough to their liking.  We now use a different method, but with similarly extraordinary results.  See the website at www.compassboxwhisky.com for full details.)

The Spice Tree is made from 12 year-old Highland malt whisky that has spent the last two years aging on the highest quality virgin French oak.  We buy new oak made for some of the best winemakers in the world and bring it to Scotland where it imparts the most gorgeous flavours to aging malt whisky.

There is no other Scotch malt whisky, single malt or other, with the flavour profile of The Spice Tree.

See our website for the complete and unabridged story and for information.

 
      
LADY LUCK
 

This is a malt whisky inspired by what we used to refer to as the “lucky blend”—a beautiful whisky made of both very old and rather young Islay malt whisky, released by a well-known independent bottler many years ago.  Lady Luck is a one-off, never-to-be-repeated variation on this theme. 

Earlier this year we came across some beautiful casks of 25 and 29 year-old malt whisky distilled at the Caol Ila distillery on Islay.  Inspired by our memory of the “lucky blend” we set to work experimenting, and eventually found that combining the old Islay malts with some gorgeous 14 year-old Imperial single malt created something very special:  the Imperial brought an ethereal fruit character and structure to the older whiskies and made the sum much greater than the parts.

This, of course, makes this a “vatted malt” as it is a combination of whiskies from two single malt distilleries.  May it be yet another humble lesson that all that is good in the world of whisky need not be single.

We call it Lady Luck.   A one-off and one (we believe) for the ages.

Please visit Compass Box to order both online. 
Contact Information    
 

mail: hello@compassboxwhisky.com
phone: +44 (0)20 8995 0899
web: http://www.compassboxwhisky.com

FOR Immediate Release                                                            

CONTACT:

Svend Jansen, Brown-Forman

502-774-7825

svend_jansen@b-f.com

Woodford Reserve Releases Limited Edition Bourbon Featuring  Specially-Aged Barrels

Exclusive Master’s Collection Bottling Available Beginning November 1

October 27, 2009, Louisville, Ky. – Woodford Reserve announces the latest extension of its acclaimed Master’s Collection which will be released on November 1. Called ‘Seasoned Oak Finish,’ it is the fourth in the series of limited edition bottlings and continues Woodford Reserve’s tradition of crafting rare whiskeys that extend the category in bold new directions.

Barrels play a key role in producing bourbon, with approximately 70 percent of the spirit’s flavor and aroma and all of its color provided by the oak barrel. Woodford Reserve’s new offering, Seasoned Oak Finish, features bourbon finish-aged in unique barrels crafted with wood that has been seasoned longer than any previously used in the industry.

“Of all the distillers in our industry, we are the only bourbon company that crafts its own barrels, giving us unique knowledge and control of the process,” said Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris. “As the rough oak staves are exposed to seasonal weather changes and subsequently dried, this natural cycle develops a new range of flavors in the wood.”

 This seasoning progression changes the wood by reducing tannins and ultimately creates a new range of flavor compounds. The staves for most bourbon barrels are seasoned for three to five months; however, Seasoned Oak Finish combines fully-matured Woodford Reserve with barrels crafted from wood that has been exposed to the outdoors for three to five years — the longest seasoning known in the bourbon industry.

 “By ‘finish aging’ Woodford Reserve in barrels that have been crafted from oak and seasoned for several years, we created a bourbon unlike any other in the industry. It’s the most robust bourbon we have ever made,” said Wayne Rose, brand director for Woodford Reserve. “This special Master’s Collection release emboldens Woodford Reserve with ‘extra-aged’ oak character resulting in a new and complex flavor profile.”

Seasoned Oak Finish is the fourth in the Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection series following the Four Grain, Sonoma-Cutrer Finish and Sweet Mash products. Released periodically at the master distiller’s discretion, the Master’s Collection whiskeys are extremely limited in quantity and bottled only once in a proprietary package inspired by the copper pot stills of The Woodford Reserve Distillery.

The inspiration for the Master’s Collection is rooted in the rich history and tradition of what is today known as The Woodford Reserve Distillery. In the mid-1800s distillery owner Oscar Pepper and Master Distiller James Crow studied and recommended use of key processes like sour mashing and charred barrel maturation at the historic Woodford County distillery. These practices are still maintained in the bourbon industry and, today, the distillery receives more than 80,000 visitors annually and is the only one in America to triple-distill bourbon in copper pot stills.

Woodford Reserve Seasoned Oak Finish will be sold in 44 U.S. markets, and a limited quantity will be available in Canada, the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, New Zealand and Australia. Each bottle is individually hand-numbered and presented at 100.4 proof. Available in major metro markets, only 1,337 cases are available with a suggested retail price of $89.99 for a 750ml bottle.

-# # #-

Woodford Reserve is one of the fine spirits produced and marketed by Brown-Forman

Corporation, a producer and marketer of fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel’s, Southern Comfort, Finlandia, Fetzer, Korbel, Tequila Herradura, Sonoma-Cutrer, Chambord, Tuaca, and Bonterra. Please enjoy your bourbon responsibly. For more information on Woodford Reserve, visit www.woodfordreserve.com.

Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 45.2% Alc. by Vol., The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles, KY ©2009.

Tasting Notes for Woodford Reserve Seasoned Oak Finish

Color:            Rich mahogany.

Aroma:         Deep, complex and subtly sweet; hints of cinnamon, clove, rich caramel and pipe  tobacco, with a nutty oak character.

Taste:            Full-flavored and robust oak with layers of anise, dark berries and cherry fruit,  warming cinnamon and clove spice notes, all with a caramel nut sauce.

Finish:          Velvety and long with a hint of crisp dryness.

 Svend Jansen

PR Manager – Woodford Reserve, Canadian Mist, Early Times & Old Forester

Brown-Forman

850 Dixie Highway

Louisville, KY 40210

Office, (502) 774-7825

Mobile, (502) 744-0462

svend_jansen@b-f.com

INFORMATION BULLETIN

Oct. 27, 2009

Liquor Distribution Branch
Ministry of Housing and Social Development

ANNUAL PREMIUM WHISKIES RELEASE

VANCOUVER – BC Liquor Stores is releasing a special collection of premium whiskies on Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009 at BC Signature Liquor Stores and other select BC Liquor Stores across the province.

This year’s premium whisky release brings together 39 rare and highly recommended whiskies from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Japan, India and the U.S. The release features whiskies of interest to the collector and
the whisky novice, and includes aged malt whiskies, vintage releases,unique and limited cask offerings, and a variety of whiskies that have been finished in casks from some of the world’s most esteemed distilleries.

BC Liquor Stores has published a 2009 Whisky Release booklet listing the whiskies available in this release, along with detailed tasting notes and information about specific bottle limits. This booklet is available in all Signature BC Liquor Stores as well as online at www.bcliquorstores.com.

Limited quantities per customer will apply on some whiskies, and buyers are advised to shop early to avoid disappointment. This event operates on a first-come, first-served basis. For a complete list of participating BC Liquor Stores and hours of operation, please visit www.bcliquorstores.com.

Contact:

Michèle Mackintosh
Manager, Communications
Liquor Distribution Branch
604 252-3029