BLADNOCH DISTILLERY LAUNCHES 2021 SINGLE CASK COLLECTION

This year for the first time, the annual collection will include a 6th cask, highlighting one of the rarest cask types in the Bladnoch Distillery archives.

BLADNOCH, SCOTLAND (MAY 26, 2021) – Bladnoch Distillery will release its annual Single Cask Collection in limited quantities on the 26th of May, 10am BST through their UK online store, Visitor Centre and later in various countries around the world throughout Bladnoch’s trusted network of distributors.

The 2021 collection will consist of 6 unique single casks, hand selected by Master Distiller, Dr Nick Savage as the very best that were maturing at Bladnoch’s 204 year old estate this year. Featured in this year’s collection will be some tantalising cask types including Palo Cortado Sherry, Port Pipe and Amontillado Sherry.

The 2021 Collection will feature an additional 6th cask, a grand ex Canasta Butt that is one of only a few to exist in Bladnoch’s bluestone warehouses. This distinguished single cask will be differentiated by a luxurious all-black bottle presentation. Distilled in 2002, this single malt displays notes of liquorice sticks, delicate florals and almonds on the palate.

Dr Nick Savage said of the collection, “The 2021 Single Cask Collection once again allows us to demonstrate the quality and breadth in style of the maturing stocks at Bladnoch. As part of this five year program, these 6 whiskies add to the 2020 collection with more cask types and vintages, including the extreme rarity of certain casks such as the specially selected Canasta Butt. The 2021 collection showcases the very best casks from our maturing stocks.”

The inaugural 2020 Single Cask Collection sold out in record time to whisky enthusiasts around the world. With bottle quantities of each cask very limited, Bladnoch’s 2021 Single Cask Collection is set for a similar fate.

To purchase the Bladnoch 2021 Single Cask Collection, visit www.bladnoch.com. The collection will be available from 10am on the 26th of May.

RRP
£140-£400

About Bladnoch Distillery

Bladnoch Distillery was established in 1817, making it the oldest working Scotch Whisky Distillery in the Lowlands. As the southernmost distillery in Scotland, it is commonly referred to as the ‘Queen of the Lowlands.’ Hand crafted using only the finest local ingredients such as the pristine water from the River Bladnoch that flows alongside the distillery and Scottish barley create a rich, flavourful whisky that is best savoured. Bladnoch single malts are non-chill filtered to ensure the truest flavours shine through.

This legacy brand has been revived by Master Distiller Dr. Nick Savage, formerly at The Macallan, and owner David Prior, a whisky connoisseur who is the first Australian businessman to own a Scotch whisky distillery. Bladnoch is truly passionate about the preservation of the environment and the local community’s generational involvement in the iconic distillery.

Scottish Whisky Awards Announces
St Andrews Day Event

The national independent awards programme for the Scottish Whisky industry has opened for entry with a promise to recognise, reward and promote the many achievements in Scotch, despite the challenges of the last year.

The 3^rd annual Scottish Whisky Awards line-up features new categories and plans to celebrate success at a black-tie St Andrews Day dinner in Glasgow which will also be broadcast live on 30 November 2021.

Chair of the Judging Panel, Professor Alan Wolstenholme, commented;

“These awards are eagerly anticipated as they give us all an opportunity to promote and celebrate the diversity and quality of Scotch Whisky.  The industry continues to be faced with several challenges, but fortunately these awards give everyone working in the industry some much needed fuel to fire up the engines of success.

“The plans for an industry dinner on St Andrews Day is something which we can all look forward to as the return of live events looks ever more promising over the coming months.”

The awards are sponsored once again by Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers and feature 9 business categories including Product Launch of the Year, Sustainable Scotch Distillery of the Year and Tourism Destination of the Year.

The creative response of marketing teams to the global pandemic has presented a range of new digital experiences for the whisky consumer worldwide. Digital Marketing Campaign of the Year is a new award introduced to the line up to recognise the achievements of marketing teams in creating an innovative digital campaign.

This year will also see the return of the presentation of the Dr Jim Swan Memorial Award for Services to Scotch Whisky to an individual chosen by the judging panel.

The panel, which consists of over 40 whisky experts, will be meeting in a few months’ time to assess the talent and skill crafted in the Scotch whisky industry through a carefully staged blind tasting competition moderated by sensory management experts, Cara Technology.

The Scottish Whisky Awards is open for entry until Wednesday 4 August 2021.  For full details on the categories, how to enter the competition and product delivery details please visit www.scottishwhiskyawards.org.uk   For details on available sponsorship opportunities, please contact maxine@kdmedia.co.uk.

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Greetings Shelter Point Community

The first of this year’s crop of barley has started to sprout here at the Farm, a sign of more great things to come in 2021.

While it still remains unclear when we’ll be able to open our doors to the public for tastings and retail sales, our webshop absolutely remains open for business. All of our classic Shelter Point Spirits are available, along with our core lineup of Whiskies, and if you stay tuned in the coming weeks, some tantalizing upcoming Distillery Exclusive whisky releases…

With freight and packaging costs increasing, we will be making an upcoming change to our order minimums to qualify for Free Shipping for online orders. Starting June 1^st, all orders $125 and over (before tax) will be eligible for Free Shipping. If you want to take advantage of our old minimum of $89 (pre-tax), you only have a handful of days left to do so. Savvy buyers should take advantage now while they still can!

We’re so pleased with how many of you out there have continued to support us while our doors remain closed, and we can’t thank you enough for your continued patronage. As soon as we’re allowed to open again we can’t wait to welcome you all back to Shelter Point Distillery for tours, tastings, and fun.

Until then we are still hosting virtual tasting every 2 weeks and there are currently 2 different options for Virtual Tastings. The first being a whisky exclusive option which will include five 50ml samples of our award winning whiskies and the second being a spirit tasting which will include five 50ml samples of our other spirits, Whisky and Liqueur. Both tastings kits will be delivered to your door and ready to sample along with a group of friends & new acquaintances, and are hosted by members of the Shelter Point team, including Distiller Leon Webb, Distillery Manager Jacob Wiebe, Distillery Spirit Guide Brian Ingle and Distillery Spirit Scribe Pat Dunlop. For more information and for booking, please visit https://shelterpoint.ca/distillery-tour-booking/

Cheers and stay tuned to our newsletter for further updates and announcements regarding events, new releases and more fun goings on here at Shelter Point!

Shelter Point Website

Father’s Day is a day to honour the role of fathers and father figures in our lives.  What a great excuse to treat them!

We have chosen a selection of gifts that may interest you for this special day.

The English – Smokey 70cl
£42.50

BUY NOW

GIFT PACKS TO SUIT ALL TASTES

See our range of award winning English whisky or gift packs.  We stock a variety of gift packs that include whisky and gift items

FOUNDERS PRIVATE CELLAR THE FINAL SIGNATURE 

Extremely Limited Release – hand selected casks by our Founder James Nelstrop. The last release of any bottle with our founders signature on.

SHOP ALL GIFT PACKS

Let Scotch whisky take you to a new world of flavour

It’s time Scotch whisky got reacquainted with its distant cousin: beer. Because despite their obvious differences, these two drinks come from the same family, and get on like a house on fire. Curious to discover more? Then join us for our next Adventure in Deliciousness when we’ll be exploring what happens when you bring these two gregarious characters together.

Ideal for Father’s Day

In June, our founder John Glaser will reveal how three of our whiskies – The Peat Monster, The Spice Tree, and The Story of the Spaniard – strike up fascinating conversations with certain styles of beer. So, whether dad is a fan of the dram or the draught, we’ve got a great gift to satisfy his curiosity. Pick up a gift pack of our Malt Whisky Collection then sign him up for the event. For those in the US, a freshly designed gift pack will be available from early June – new packaging, same award-winning whiskies.

Save the date…

It’s happening on Sunday, June 27th at 8pm BST (12pm PDT / 3pm EDT) and of course, you don’t need to be a dad to join us. Everyone’s welcome! Is there someone in your life who loves a beer and you want to bring them into the delicious world of Scotch whisky? Then be sure to invite them along on the journey.

We look forward to seeing you there!
The Compass Box Team

Welcome to this weeks episode of the show in which I’ll be taking a look at the newly released French Collection along with three bottlings from the archive!

https://youtu.be/lAF9GaG8YnI

OLDEST CORE RELEASE TO DATE UNVEILED BY

THE GLENALLACHIE

Batch 1 of The GlenAllachie 30-year-old Cask Strength single malt is the latest creation

from world-renowned Master Distiller, Billy Walker

Hot on the heels of winning the World’s Best Single Malt award (World Whiskies Awards, 2021), The GlenAllachie Distillery is launching its oldest and most prestigious core offering yet: The GlenAllachie 30-year-old Cask Strength Batch 1 Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

A brand-new addition to the GlenAllachie’s multi award-winning flagship range, Batch 1 of The GlenAllachie 30-year-old (UK RRSP £475) is the first in a series of annual small-batch releases at this age, with only 2,000 bottles available worldwide.

This first instalment is a marriage of vintage whiskies from nine casks handpicked by acclaimed Master Distiller, Billy Walker, from stocks spanning more than 50,000 casks maturing across 16 on-site warehouses at GlenAllachie.

To create this unique whisky, which is bottled at cask strength of 48.9% ABV, non chill filtered and natural colour, Walker personally selected a combination of 1989 and 1990 vintages matured in former Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso hogsheads and puncheons, along with a small quantity of Chinquapin Virgin Oak casks.

The result of Walker’s superlative blending and wood management expertise is an exceptional whisky that delivers bold sherry-matured sophistication; notes of indulgent mocha, ripe figs and dark chocolate, coupled with classic GlenAllachie honeyed charm.

Commenting on the historic release, Walker, who next year reaches his 50^th year in the industry, said: “When I first explored the warehouses here back in 2017, I was blown away by the quality I discovered. I immediately set out earmarking casks and planning a series of incredibly special releases.

“I always had an ambition to create a memorable 30-year-old expression, presented at natural cask strength, that would truly blow away whisky connoisseurs across the globe. It’s a small-batch single malt that undoubtedly captures everything I’ve learned along the way in my career, and thus is a bottling I’m particularly proud to release.”

The GlenAllachie 30-year-old Cask Strength Batch 1 is available from specialist retailers globally, with a UK RRSP of £475.

ABOUT GLENALLACHIE:

One of Scotland’s few independently owned and managed distilleries, The GlenAllachie is led by industry veteran, Billy Walker, who boasts an almost 50-year tenure in whisky. With an emphasis on wood policy, The GlenAllachie’s cask budget for 2021 stands at an eye-watering £1m/$1.2m. With 16 on-site warehouses holding over 50,000 casks, we have complete control of the end-to-end maturation process.

The GlenAllachie focusses on quality over quantity, which is why we chose to reduce our production capacity from 4m to 500,000 Litres of Alcohol, and increase our fermentation period to 160 hours for an ester rich, fruity spirit.

We believe age and integrity matter, which is why all our whiskies carry an age statement, and are bottled at a minimum of 46% ABV, natural colour and non-chill filtered for maximum flavour experience.

Further information on the distillery and company can be found at www.theglenallachie.com

Facebook – @TheGlenAllachie

Twitter – @TheGlenAllachie

Instagram – @theglenallachie_

TASTING NOTES

The GlenAllachie 30-year-old Cask Strength Batch 1 – 2,000 bottles, 48.9% ABV

• Colour: Rich Mahogany.
• Nose: Fruit cake, raisins and mocha, with honey, cinnamon and coconut.
• Taste: Layers of dark chocolate, fruit cake, raisins, honey and figs, with treacle, orange zest and nutmeg.

TIMOROUS BEASTIE UNLEASHES

“MEET THE BEAST” CASK STRENGTH LIMITED EDITION

Douglas Laing & Co, family firm behind the “Remarkable Regional Malts” Scotch Whisky range, today unleash Timorous Beastie “Meet the Beast”; a limited edition partner to their Highland Malt brand.

Offered at a natural cask strength of 54.9% and matured exclusively in ex-American Bourbon barrels, the spirit is said to be a “massive amplification” of the original.

Packaged in a black bottle with red capsule and premium gift tube, the striking livery features the brand’s trademark mouse character and monochromatic colourways, complemented by flashes of bold red. With tasting notes including “complex oak”, “buttery pastry” and “rich spices”, the team behind Timorous Beastie Meet the Beast say it is “bound to appeal to an adventurous whisky drinker with an appetite for big flavours”.

Cara Laing, Director of Marketing in her family business, said:

“The original Timorous Beastie may look cute and unassuming, but the spirit inside is a seriously credible Highland Malt, offered at high alcohol strength and without colouring or chill-filtration. Our new limited edition “Meet the Beast” is designed to unleash Timorous Beastie’s wild side in line with a repositioning for the core brand, which seeks to enthuse and excite consumers via premium, credible messaging with a feisty edge. It’s true what they say – beware of the quiet ones!”

Timorous Beastie Meet the Beast is expected to retail at £50 and will be available from selected specialist retailers globally from May 2021. Just 3,600 bottles are available.

Tasting notes    

On the nose, expect a burst of sweet vanilla, complex oak and orchard fruits. The beast of a palate delivers wonderful notes of candyfloss, creamy honey and buttery pastry, running to a satisfyingly long finish with spices that go on and on…

ABOUT TIMOROUS BEASTIE

Instagram: @timorousbeastiewhisky

Facebook: /dltimorousbeastie

Established in 2014 by Douglas Laing & Co, Timorous Beastie represents “ultimate distillation of the Highlands” in a small batch marriage of Single Malts distilled at Glengoyne, Glen Garioch, Blair Athol and Strathearn Distilleries, amongst others. The multi award-winning Scotch is distributed in over 50 markets globally and has amassed a loyal following

ABOUT DOUGLAS LAING & CO.

www.douglaslaing.com

Douglas Laing & Co. is a leading independent Scotch Whisky distillery, blender and bottler specialising in the selection and release of Single Cask Single and Small Batch Malt Scotch Whiskies.

The company was founded by Fred Douglas Laing in 1948 and is still owned and run by the Laing family – Fred Laing Jr and his daughter Cara Laing.

The company philosophy is to bottle the way the distiller intended – at a high strength and without chill filtration to preserve the robust and unique character of the Whisky. Douglas Laing’s industry reputation and many awards is testament to this ethos.

Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts, the Ultimate Distillation of Scotland’s Malt Whisky Regions, encompasses The Epicurean Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky, Timorous Beastie (Highlands), Scallywag (Speyside), The Gauldrons (Campbeltown), Rock Island (Islands) and Big Peat (Islay).

Beyond its Blended Malts expertise, the award-winning Douglas Laing portfolio also includes Provenance, Premier Barrel, Old Particular, Xtra Old Particular and XOP Black, collectively known as the firm’s “Exceptional Single Casks”.

Want to sell your whisky in our next auction? With no sellers fees?

We’re offering a FREE personal courier collection service (UK)  

From Tuesday 8th June, the TWSA team will be on the road on a round trip from London to Glasgow (and everywhere in between!) to pick up your bottles from your doorstep. It can all be carried out contact-free, and we’ll take care of the cost.

At the moment, we’re accepting a minimum of 10 bottles or a minimum value of £1000. Please contact auctions@whiskyshop.com to discuss details.

Want to sell your whisky before June 8th?

We can organise a courier to pick up your bottle(s) free of charge and get you booked in the next available date.

To find out more or book your free collection:

✉️ Email auctions@whiskyshop.com
📞 Phone +44(0)141 427 2950

Please note that our offices are shut on weekends, but we’ll answer your query as soon as we reopen on Monday at 9am.

PRIVATE BALLOT COMING SOON

This ballot for a small number of bottles of Ardbeg 25 Year Old 2021 will run from Friday 28 May until Sunday 30 May 2021. In order to qualify for entry, prospective entrants must have purchased a full-sized bottle of Ardbeg single malt whisky from The Whisky Exchange within the 24 months prior to the ballot opening, and must be signed up to receive our emails.

The deadline for purchase and thus eligibility for entry into the ballot is 23:59 BST on Thursday 27 May 2021.

The cost of each balloted bottle of Ardbeg 25 Year Old 2021 will be £795 including VAT, plus any relevant taxes and shipping costs, and winners of the ballot will be drawn on or after Ardbeg Day, 5 June 2021.

We’re also pleased to announce that we will be selling a small quantity of the limited-edition Ardbeg Scorch (General Release) on The Whisky Exchange website on Tuesday 25 May.

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ABOUT ARDBEG 25 YEAR OLD

Since its purchase and subsequent re-opening by Glenmorangie in 1997, Ardbeg’s stocks of maturing whisky have been growing larger and older. Snapshots of well-aged ‘modern’ Ardbeg have been available from time to time – tantalising glimpses of the heights such spirit can achieve.

The Ardbeg 25 Year Old is one such glimpse. Extremely limited in number, this truly exceptional Islay single malt shows a quality and character we can only hope will become more attainable as Ardbeg’s mature stocks grow. For now though, it remains a rare insight into one of this well-loved distillery’s possible futures.

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