Dear All,
 
With just under 3 weeks left to go to The Whisky Show in the Guildhall ( www.thewhiskyshow.com ), the excitement is really building for us, as the already fabulous line-up of whiskies seems to be expanding on a daily basis.

Tickets for either Friday 6th, Saturday 7th November are available from the shop in Vinopolis or can be booked online at http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/G-490.aspx  For the really dedicated, two day tickets are also available (which represent a considerable saving over the individual daily price) and we think that they’d make amazing early Xmas presents for the whisky lover in your life!

Also, for those of you that didn’t make it along to the ‘staff picks’ tasting last Monday, we’d just like to make you aware that our latest addition to the award winning Elements of Islay range Pe1 (our first ever bottling of Port Ellen) is almost completely sold out, so if you were considering getting one of the 240 bottles that came from a single sherry cask, we wouldn’t leave it too much longer!

Finally, we’ve got the following tastings lined up for November and they’re going to be:-

Monday 16th November – Bourbon with Jim Rutledge from Four Roses (30 people maximum)

This is a genuinely rare chance to meet one of the legends of Bourbon whisky making. Jim has been the Master Distiller at Four Roses for almost 15 years and despite the fact that he’s also a globe-trotting ambassador for them, only one of us in the shop has ever met him (very briefly) during a visit to the UK.

Monday 30th November – Diageo Single Malts with Colin ‘THANK-YOU!’ Dunn (45 people maximum)

Right now we haven’t decided exactly what we’re doing on this event (cloak and dagger stuff at the moment) and, frankly, it’ll be some awesome whiskies from Diageo, being presented by the ‘effervescent’ Colin Dunn so you’ll definitely want to get to this!

TICKETS FOR THESE ARE NOT AVAILABLE YET (SO PLEASE DON’T RING.) WE’LL BE SENDING A MORE DETAILED E-MAIL NEXT WEEK REGARDING THESE EVENTS

We hope to see you soon, and the offer of advice and a dram is open to all who come to see us!

Kind regards

The Team

STOP PRESS:- DIAGEO 2009 SPECIAL RELEASES ARE DUE INTO STOCK SHORTLY. ORDERS ARE NOW BEING TAKEN FOR ANY OF THE RANGE, PORT ELLEN 9TH RELEASE AND BRORA 30YO WILL SELL OUT VERY QUICKLY AND PRE-ORDERING IS STRONGLY ADVISED

The Whisky Exchange

Vinopolis

1 Bank End

London

SE1 9BU

Tel:-  +44 (0) 207 403 8688

Fax:- +44 (0) 207 403 8788

e-mail:-   vinopolis@thewhiskyexchange.com

website:- www.thewhiskyexchange.com

Graduate to the Master Class with the World’s Most Awarded
Global Ambassador to Host in-booth Master Classes at 4th Annual Whisky Live Festival

Who:   Ian Millar, Global Ambassador for Glenfiddich, the world’s most awarded Single Malt will host in-booth Master Classes – a true experience in expressive education.

What:  Ian will nose the Glenfiddich 12, 15, 18 yo.  There will also be an opportunity to sample a rare 1977 vintage Single Cask Glenfiddich. 

When:   Whisky Live takes place on October 23, from 4 pm. to 9 p.m.  Mr. Millar will be available for interviews from Wednesday, October 21 thru to Friday, October 23, 2009.

Where:  Telephone, studio and on-site interviews can be arranged.

Why: Glenfiddich created the international single malt phenomenon. Changing consumer tastes have made single malt one of the fastest growing areas of the spirit world.

Glenfiddich:

Glenfiddich is the world’s most awarded single malt Scotch whisky and the first to introduce the world to the pleasures of single malt.  The Glenfiddich range of single malts now includes the Glenfiddich Special Reserve 12 Year Old, Glenfiddich Solera Reserve 15 Year Old, Glenfiddich Ancient Reserve 18 Year Old, Glenfiddich Gran Reserva 21 Year Old and Glenfiddich 30 Year Old. The Glenfiddich Distillery also produces some rare and extraordinary single malts including a Glenfiddich Vintage Reserve, the Glenfiddich 50 Year Old and the world’s oldest single malt Scotch whisky, the 64 year old Glenfiddich Rare Collection 1937.

For more information please contact:
Stephanie Charlton/Gerald Crowell
Jesson + Company Communications
Tel: 416-323 – 7828 ext. 26 / ext 22
E: Scharlton@jessonco.com or gcrowell@jessonco.com

From Laphroaig Distillery;

I hope this letter finds you well as the evenings draw in. I am writing to all our Canadian Friends of Laphroaig to let you know that we will be at Whisky Live in Toronto this Friday, October 23rd.
 
Our North American Ambassador Simon Brooking (whom I’m sure some of you will already know) will also be conducting a Laphroaig masterclass suitably called ‘For Peat’s Sake’ at 4:30 – 5:30. This will involve a very special tasting of our new Laphroaig 25 Year Old!

 
The details are as follows:
 
Whisky Live Toronto
October 23, 2009
Metro Toronto Convention Centre- Halls F & G
255 Front Street West,
Toronto, Ontario
M5V 2W6
Canada
http://www.whiskylive.com

Masterclass:
Class name – For Peat’s Sake!
Presenter – Simon Brooking
Time – 4:30-5:30pm
Room: 1

Masterclass Ticket: $25, in addition to the entrance.

VIP Ticket: 4pm to 10pm $95, including Whisky Live tasting glass, show guide, 8 vouchers and food. On door price $110.

Evening Ticket: 7pm to 10pm $50, including Whisky Live tasting glass, show guide, 4 vouchers and food.

On door price $60

We will also be at the ‘Hopscotch’ event in Vancouver in November – details below:

Hopscotch Vancouver
November 20th, 2009
1755 Cottrell St., Vancouver, BC
Consumer portion 5pm – 10pm
Tickets: $40

If you do go to either event then please let me know what you think, you can email me at info@laphroaig.com or even tweet me for any of you on Twitter, my twitter username is @laphroaigwhisky.
 
Finally, for those who missed our live Laphroaig webcast on 25th September from Kentucky the show is now available at www.laphroaig.com/live

Slàinte,

John Campbell

Talisker™ 30 Year Old ABV 53.1%

30 Years Old Natural Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Isle of Skye.

Tasting Guide

Appearance: Gold, with little beading.

Nose: The softly muted character of age. Mild and unusually fruity (citrus), fading quickly into lush seaweed with charred sticks – as with a spent fire, in which the charcoal and peat embers barely glow. Soon becoming soft and very slightly waxy or creamy, like fudge. Needs little or no water, but a drop freshens things, bringing up drying wooden fish boxes and a return of the
tangy fruit (tart plums). Then it all drifts away into charred old wood.

Body: Medium.

Palate: Drinks well at full strength and has a pleasant, teeth-coating texture. The smoke is immediate and dry with creamy oak. Almond milk and light, sweet stone fruits emerge, joined by a trace of salt, as with peat moss in the rain or seaweed. Water (add only a little) brings up a
pleasant smooth texture. It’s now quite sweet to start but less so overall, with some salt and a trace of cloves.

Finish: Long and gently warming, with salty seaweed in the lingering maritime aftertaste and just a white pepper tingle on the tongue in place of that chilli pepper ‘catch’.

EXPERIENCE CHILLS IN THE CHAPEL THIS HALLOWEEN
– Jameson Cult Film Club brings you cult horror in a creepy church-

This Halloween Jameson Cult Film Club presents four freakishly frightening cult horror movies screened in an eerie church in Islington. Starting on Wednesday 28th October, cult film fans can enjoy a selection of classic horrors set amongst the crucifixes and gargoyles of Union Chapel as part of Chills in the Chapel. The ‘screamings’ will take place over four consecutive evenings culminating in the ultimate Halloween cult horror movie shown on the ghoulish night itself:

 Wednesday 28th October – An American Werewolf in London (1981) – Winner of the 1981 Saturn Award for Best Horror Film, this movie follows the story of two American college students whose backpacking adventure turns into a nightmare when they are brutally attacked
 Thursday 29th October – Dracula (1958) – This cult British movie was the first of many Hammer Horrors inspired by Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula and is still widely regarded amongst cult film fans
 Friday 30th October – Colin – This zombie flick wowed critics at the Cannes Film Festival this year after Welsh director Marc Price revealed the movie’s total budget of just £45
 Saturday 31st October – Halloween (1978) – This American independent horror film set in the fictional town of Haddonfield, Illinois went on to become one of the most profitable independent movies at the time

Guests arriving at 6.30pm will be greeted by a terrifyingly interactive experience immediately transporting them into the chilling world of the cult film being screened that evening. Before the movies begin at 7.45pm, guests can enjoy pre-screening entertainment based on key elements of the movie along with complimentary Jameson cocktails. Is it true that Dracula will turn to dust at the sight of a crucifix? Will Michael Myers find Laurie in the closet? Do Lycans really have a taste for Londoners? Stick around to find out. Additional surprises appearing throughout the night will be sure to send a shiver down the spine before the evening ends. It’s not for the faint hearted!

This is all part of Jameson’s adventure with film across the capital. For further information about the Cult Film Club, Chills in the Chapel, and to apply for tickets, visit the new blog at www.jamesoncultfilmclub.com. As well as information on all forthcoming screenings, competitions and prizes, film fans can discuss and debate favourite cult films on the blog, as well as sign up to join in the conversations on Facebook and Twitter.
– ends –

For further press information please contact:
Adam English, Charlotte Brooks or Abi Cocker at Launch Group
020 7758 3900 / jamesoncultfilmclub@launchgroup.co.uk

Note to editors:

Jameson Irish Whiskey (RRP £17.19) is available at all major multiple grocers and off-licenses.

Established in 1780 at the famous John Jameson Distillery in Dublin, Jameson Irish Whiskey is a premium triple distilled whiskey with aromatic flavours of sherry, spice and toasted wood.  Notably smoother than other whiskeys, its character remains true to the Pot Still whiskey tradition laid down by John Jameson in the 18th century, helping establish Jameson as the world’s no.1 selling Irish whiskey today. Versatile, sophisticated, and playful – enjoy smooth tasting Jameson straight up, with a simple mixer or as a refreshing cocktail.

Since 1998 Jameson has had a strong connection with the world of film starting with the creation of the Jameson Short Film Award, presented at film festivals all over the world. Ten years later  Jameson is still involved in some of the most exciting global film events, from the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, Tropfest in Sydney, online focused Notodofest in Spain, the inspiring Encounters Film Festival in South Africa, and the Empire Awards in the UK.

Union Chapel, Islington

Union Chapel is a Grade II listed building on the east side of Upper Street, Islington and is one of the area’s most important buildings.

In 1991, Union Chapel Project was formed as a charity devoted to restoring and running the building and making its facilities available to a diverse group of people. It has become an award winning venue, regarded as one of the best places in London to experience entertainment. It offers an independent,  non-profit making, naturally chilled-out environment, in which to experience the ultimate fusion of atmospheric high gothic surroundings and entertainment.

The church tower suffered damage in the Second World War and the Bath stone and brickwork is badly decayed as a result. The spire has also suffered a number of lightning strikes in recent years and the upper parts of the tower must now be repaired urgently. Donations of any amount would be gratefully received. Visit www.unionchapel.org.uk for more information.

Enjoy Jameson responsibly

Talisker™ 25 Year Old ABV 54.8 %
25 Years Old Natural Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Isle of Skye.

Tasting Guide

Appearance: Pale amber. Good beading, attractive viscosity.

Nose: Mellow, with little prickle. Juicy and sweet, with a trace of smoke and pencil boxes behind. Soon opens out to heathery, earthy peat. After that, fruit: fresh-baked apple cake, banana, quince. Finally, salt: seaweed and ocean. Ever-changing, becoming more delicate in time. Water raises orange peel and brings in more maritime notes to balance the sweet fruitiness – warm sand, dry seaweed.

Body: Medium. Silky smooth.

Palate: Fine Talisker character; not as powerfully peppery as younger expressions, drinking well at natural strength. Sweet, with some salt. Coats the lips, never mind the tongue. Begins with soft, sweet apple sponge in custard, then a drier crisper character emerges on the middle of the tongue. Builds in power (and heat) as the inevitable pepperiness comes forward. Yet
also continues sweet, returning to its unctuous beginnings. Adding water smoothes the texture and merges the flavours. Again starts sweetly, with balancing acidity overall and plenty of salt.

Finish: Medium to long. Lulls you into a sense of security, then pounces. Warming, with both pepper and, unexpectedly, peppermint.

Duncan Taylor & Co have been awarded Jim Murray’s World Whisky Awards 2010 for best Scotch Grain of the Year! The winner of this prestigious award is our Rare Auld Grain bottling of North British 1978, cask Q247, 54.7%alc/vol.

Jim’s notes and score are as follows:

Nose: The jackpot!! Well, nearly. Everything here I look for from this distillery at this kind of age: a complex, softly spiced layering to the usual corn field. Busy and gloriously three dimensional.

Taste: What a delivery! Canadian from the top drawer in so many aspects! A real fizz to this as the spices move in and break up any corn mafia that’s thinking about dominating proceedings: the starchy backbone also has light banana-vanillas and weak Demerara sugar to contend with.

Finish: Those soft spices spin on even as the corn oils begin to gain a belated foothold. The vanillas are faultless.

Comment: Golden proof that great grain is a match for anything.
Score: 95 points

To mark the sheer quality and standard of whisky making around the world Jim Murray has created a new Liquid Gold Award for all whiskies scoring 94 points and above. Representing 10% of all the whiskies featured in the ‘2010 Whisky Bible’ they are, says Murray “the elite; the very finest you can find on whisky shelves around the world. Rare and precious they are liquid gold”. Our North British 1978 has also received this award for 2010.

A full account of the 2010 World Whisky Awards can be found in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2010. And with nearly 4000 tasting notes, including 946 of the very latest releases, the ‘Whisky Bible’ remains the definitive and most up to date guide available.
 
For further information, please contact:
Duncan Taylor & Co Ltd
Whisky Merchants and Brokers,
4 Upperkirkgate, Huntly,
Aberdeenshire, Scotland AB54 8JU
  website: www.duncantaylor.com
email: info@duncantaylor.com
Phone: +44 (0) 1466 794055
Fax: +44 (0) 1466 794618
 

Purveyors of the worlds most exclusive range of Scotch Whiskies.

Whyte and Mackay

News Release
October 2009

Celebrity Chef and Blender Star in Bollywood TV Show

Celebrity chef Vivek Singh and Whyte and Mackay master distiller Richard Paterson have created their very own show on Bollywood TV.

For the first time ever, a half-hour TV programme called Nibbles and Whisky – recorded live at the Cinnamon Club in London’s Westminster – will show viewers how to pair the whisky with Indian food. It will go on air at 6.30pm on digital channel Bollywood For U Music (B4U) on the night of Diwali (October 17th 2009). *

Telling the story of the important Hindu festival of lights – Diwali – Vivek has created a selection of street food style nibbles from around the Indian subcontinent to match with a range of Scotch whiskies.

Vivek Singh, Cinnamon Club Executive Chef, commented: “Whisky is a favourite in India and it was fascinating to explore how well Whyte and Mackay complimented modern Indian food. The resulting pairings provide a delicious offering for Diwali, best enjoyed with friends and family.”

Richard Paterson, Whyte and Mackay Master Distiller, added: “Diwali is all about coming out of the darkness into the light and a lot of people do not know how well whisky matches with Indian food. The programme is full of surprises and I guarantee viewers will learn something new about Scotch whisky.”

The Nibbles and Whisky programme delves into matching savoury dishes such as beetroot mini fritters and an onion salad ((Bengali style vegetable cakes with mustard-ketchup) paired well with Whyte & Mackay 13 years old. The spicier nature of the two dishes matched the delicate softness and sweetness present in the whisky.

While ladoo (a sweet chickpea ball) and kulfi (a frozen reduced buffalo milk dessert covered in crushed pistachio nuts) – were paired with the Whyte & Mackay 30 year-old blended whisky to create a lovely combination of flavours.  This whisky won the Best Blended Scotch whisky at the prestigious International Spirit’s Challenge last week.

A selection of the whiskies and nibbles will be available every evening at the Cinnamon Club from now until October 24th.

The platter containing five nibbles costs £15 per head. Whiskies to match including Dalmore 12 and Whyte and Mackay 13. The nibbles and whisky pairing starts at £22.50 and are available in the Cinnamon Club bar.

– Ends –
For further information contact:
     
Shirley Kumar     Laura Hadfield    
Vikas PR     Roche Communications
T: 07554 453999    T: 0207 436 1111
E: Shirley.Kumar@vikaspr.com   E: Laura@rochecom.com  

M/F

Notes to editors:
* 6.30pm Saturday and Sunday October 17th-18th and October 24th-25th on B4U Music, Channel 781 on Sky Digital.
Bollywood For You (B4U) is an Asian digital channel accessed via Sky.
The programme will be aired on the number one Asian channel, B4U MUSIC (free to air on Sky, which has over 8million viewers that showcases blockbusters, comedies, thrillers, and gossip.

Video links from the filming are available on: http://www.themasterblender.com/2009/10/13/celebrate-diwali-whisky/

About Diwali

Diwali, traditionally known by its Sanskrit name Deepavali, means ‘a row of lights’. It’s a five-day festival that will fall on October 17th. There are numerous myths about how the festival originated. Some Hindus believe that Diwali marks the homecoming of the much-idolised King Rama, who returned after defeating the evil Ravana in a battle that lasted for 14 years.
Others believe it’s the day on which the beautiful goddess Lakshmi was rescued from an evil king. Yet others insist that it’s the day on which the blue-skinned god Krishna destroyed a much-despised demon.
It is traditionally celebrated with gifts, fireworks and food shared with family and friends.

Lagavulin™ 12 Year Old ABV 59.9%

12 Years Old Natural Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Isle of Islay.

Tasting Guide

Appearance: Pale gold. Good beading.

Nose: Huge, fine and complex. Intense, abundant smoke surges out of the glass, yet it’s fragrant smoke that doesn’t obliterate the softer mossy scents here. After a while carbolic soap, lightly smoked haddock and an intensely sweet and fruity tinned fruit salad. The onslaught continues with wasabi on fresh herring, or ozone in a gale on the pier. Lightly sooty, developing
smoked cream cheese. Water surprisingly softens the gale to a breeze, easing back on the medicine and allowing mineral and woody notes to emerge, with some bath salts.

Body: Light but hugely smoky.

Palate: Starts dry and vibrant, with masses of intense smoke. Again smoked cheese, softer now, under that fresh young character. Sooty, yet so sweet! Uncompromising, yet ebullient and hugely fragrant. In time there’s a hint of violets, before pipe smoke appears. Water allows the sweet centre to show. The taste now is even more youthful – surprisingly sweet, with nice acidity, it leaps all over your tongue. All this softens with further sips and an elegant balance shows through. A classic!

Finish: Medium to long. Firm and dry, a final blast of smoke.

Jim Murray, the world’s top whisky writer, has rated the following Arran Malt whiskies in his newly released 2010 Whisky Bible, as follows:

Awarded Best Single Malt Scotch of the Year 11-15yrs (Single Cask)

Arran Malt Sherry Single Cask 1998/353 – Rating: 94.5
“One of the noses of the year, for sure. It is just so rare to come across sherry butts unspoiled by sulphur these days I could weep for joy when I find one like this. ”

Arran Malt 10yr Old – Rating: 93
“Charming, delicate; varying citrus notes hand in hand with rich,
butterscotch barley.” “This bottling of some of Arran’s first casks entertains and delights. It won’t be long before the world’s malt connoisseurs add Arran to their list of must haves. Because if it’s character and quality you
want, it’s here by the malt shed load.”

Arran Malt Amarone Cask Finish – Rating: 96
“Perhaps the best Arran nose of all time. Your tastebuds will be tested like they have never been tested before. A true gold nugget of a bottling. I’m astonished at its total brilliance.”

Ratings:

85 – 89 Very good to excellent whiskies, definitely worth buying
90 – 93 Brilliant
94 – 97 Superstar whiskies that give us all a reason to live
98 – 100 Better than anything I’ve ever tasted

Isle of Arran Distillers Ltd, Enterprise House, Springkerse Business Park, Stirling, FK7 7UF  Tel: +44(0)1786 431900 Fax: +44(0)1786 431909
www.arranwhisky.com