MACALLAN LALIQUE-50 YEAR OLD TOPS BONHAMS WHISKY SALE IN EDINBURGH

Macallan Lalique- 50 year old. Sold for £100,062.

Two bottles of one of the world’s most sought-after whiskies, the Macallan Lalique-50 year old, sold for £100,062 each at Bonhams Fine Whisky sale in Edinburgh on Wednesday 9 October. They had been estimated at £67,000-93,000.  

The Macallan Lalique-50 year old is the first of The Lalique Six Pillars Collection of the distillery’s rarest single malts, released between 2006-2016. Distilled and bottled by The Macallan Distillers Ltd., Easter Elchies, Craigellachie, it is said to have the aroma of cumin, cardamom and maraschino, and a taste of dark prunes and plain chocolate.

Other highlights included A bottle of Karuizawa-50 year old-1965 which sold for £27,562 (estimate: £23,000-25,000.  The Karuizawa distillery, which is now closed, was situated on the slopes of Mount Asama an active volcano in Nagano Prefecture Japan. It was the smallest distillery in Japan and its output is among the rarest and most sought-after of all Japanese whisky.  The Karuizawa was part of a collection of Japanese whisky that sold for a total of £200,000.

Sale: Fine WhiskyLocation: 22 Queen Street Edinburgh EH2Date: Wednesday 9 October at 11 am

NOTES 

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest and most renowned auctioneers, offering fine art and antiques, motor cars and jewellery. The main salerooms are in London, New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong, with auctions also held in Knightsbridge, Edinburgh, Paris, San Francisco and Sydney. With a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 22 countries, Bonhams offers advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full list of forthcoming auctions, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com. bonhams.com

Join Murray McDavid’s famously hospitable team to celebrate Aceo’s 20^th year in the Scotch whisky industry. Do not miss the party in the historic whisky warehouses at Dallas Dhu Distillery.

The doors swing open from 7pm where guests will be warmly greeted with a carefully crafted cocktail, created by the three finalists of the Malt Mixers Challenge.

Throughout the four-course meal, guests will enjoy a variety of entertainment including leading luminaries from the world of whisky, whilst sipping specially selected whiskies.

Following after dinner speeches, there will be a lively blend of traditional and modern music, which is sure to get the crowd up on their feet late into the night.

To apply for one of the limited tickets, please email: Anya.Harris@aceo.co.uk or call: 01452 762 024

www.aceo.co.uk

Dress: Smart/Formal evening attire

Bar: The onsite bar will be able to take payment via cash or card

DIAGEO SPECIAL RELEASES 2019

WITH COLIN DUNN

Wednesday 30 October 2019
7pm-8.30pm
£60

Limited spaces. Tickets on sale now.

BOOK NOW

It’s that time of year again. Days are getting shorter, Autumn leaves are falling, and Diageo – the powerhouse responsible for 29 whisky distilleries and almost a third of the world’s whisky production – has announced this year’s range of limited edition whiskies: The Diageo Special Releases 2019.

We are excited to announce that our annual tasting of the famed Special Releases is here earlier than usual, and attendees will be amongst the first to try the eight new drams.

Join us to celebrate the release of this annual whisky institution in the company of someone who knows more about the whiskies than perhaps anyone else on the planet – Diageo whisky ambassador Colin Dunn.

THE LINE-UP

Cardhu 14 Years Old
Cragganmore 12 Years Old
Dalwhinnie 30 Years Old
Lagavulin 12 Years Old
Mortlach 26 Years Old
Pittyvaich 29 Years Old
Talisker 15 Years Old
The Singleton of Glen Ord 18 Years Old

ABOUT THE HOST

Colin Dunn has worked for Diageo since 2008 and has since established himself as an influential figure within the international drinks scene. Whisky Ambassador for the company’s impressive portfolio, and also a Keeper of the Quaich, he has switched many people on to the vast and varied world of whisky.

Wednesday 30 October 2019
7pm-8.30pm
£60

Limited spaces. Tickets on sale now.

BOOK NOW

VENUE

BROWNS COVENT GARDEN
82-84 ST MARTIN’S LN,
COVENT GARDEN,
LONDON
WC2N 4AG

2019 Diageo Special Releases

The much anticipated 2019 Diageo Special Releases are here. Pre-order now to guarantee yours! The range features some stunning expressions, with our personal favourite being the Mortlach 1992 26 Year Old.⁣ Each expression comes in a brand new bottle, including a new shape for Dalwhinnie, Cardhu and Glen Ord. These are now all tall round bottles, making them a departure from the usual bottle style.⁣

PRE ORDER NOW

WHY WE MADE MYTHS & LEGENDS

Myths & Legends is a series of three Limited Edition whiskies, created to challenge certain Scotch “myths” and celebrate the creative opportunities offered by blending.

Here’s why we made our latest release, Myths & Legends…

LOOKING BEYOND WHISKY’S RECEIVED WISDOM

In matters of Scotch whisky production, a number of myths have taken root. The role of blending especially is often misunderstood, typically associated only with whiskies of a certain category.

To emphasise the central importance of the blending process to all Scotch whiskies, we have created three distinctive blends. The series opens with two single malts, each the result of blending together a variety of casks from discrete distilleries. The final whisky is a blend of malt whiskies, some fruity and the others peaty, from different distilleries.

MYTH 1: SINGLE MALTS ARE THE POLAR OPPOSITES OF BLENDS

In fact, every major brand of single malt blends. Casks filled at the same distillery develop different flavours during maturation, so producers will blend numerous casks together to enhance the complexity of their single malts.

To demonstrate this, Myths & Legends I combines two contrasting parcels of whisky from a Northern Highland distillery. Our blend allows the flavours of both parcels to express themselves and reveals a fuller picture of distillery character.

MYTH III: WHISKIES FROM FAMOUS DISTILLERIES ARE TOO PRECIOUS TO BLEND

A distillery’s reputation should never limit how its whiskies are used. If a whisky is truly great, the whiskymaker can emphasise its virtues even further through blending.

For Myths & Legends III, we added casks from two celebrated island distilleries to some of the same whiskies used in Myths & Legends II. The fruitiness and notes of butterscotch remain, but they are now complemented and enriched by aromatic peatiness.

Creativity and quality matter more than legendary status, or the sanctity of a category.

CHALLENGE OLD ASSUMPTIONS

We love Scotch whisky’s countless stories, but when they impose limits on our enjoyment of the whisky itself it is time to think more critically.

The Myths & Legends series encourages whisky fans to examine old assumptions and to trust their own palate as the ultimate arbiter of quality. These whiskies reveal the beautiful forms and captivating flavours we can create through blending.

FIND OUT MORE

Sirius 31 Year Old – 1988 | Limited Release 1
North Star Spirits

A shiny new brand named Sirius has joined the North Star Spirits family and they’ve gone big with the first release. Sirius, is a well aged Blended malt Scotch whisky, born in 1988 and matured in cask for 31 years. Bottled at cask strength and released as part of Cask Series 009.

It could well be the best batch to date. As well as Sirius, we have another 5 tops drams for Cask Series 009, including a new Vega and a special single cask Glenrothes, released to celebrate 10 years of Ralfy.com

BUY NOW

ralfy.com has a sherry-blast

https://youtu.be/n4R5sheeBig

Alcohol Beverage Industry Veteran Announces Launch Of New Poitín Founder kicks off his family’s legacy of poitín-making with Indiegogo campaign.

Decatur, GA, October 3, 2019— After 18 years in the wine and spirits business, Tom Lynch announced his plans for an early 2020 launch of an American-made poitín, which is getting a start now with a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. Poitín is a famous and infamous spirit in Ireland and with the Irish diaspora. The spirit is making a (now legal) revival in Ireland and is growing in awareness and popularity in America.

“I’ve been making and marketing wine and spirits brands for 18 years” says Founder Tom Lynch, “but this is different. It is based on my family’s legacy of making great poitín that I heard about when I first went back to Ireland. It is a huge challenge and honor to make a poitín worthy of my family’s nick-name, “The Dinger” which they earned by being the best poitín-maker in their part of County Clare.”

Lynch is partnering with Independent Distilling Company in Decatur, GA. To make his poitín in their small, hand-made, direct-fire heated copper pot still. “That still is a poiín-maker’s dream,” said Lynch.

All proceeds from the crowdfunding go directly into the final stages of product development, initial production, packaging and local marketing. “Crowdfunding contributors love helping dreams come true. We’re being efficient and focused with their money so they will be able to see finished product in stores and pubs and know they had a part in helping to make the dream real,” explained Lynch.

The crowdfunding campaign has contributor “perks” including access to a local launch party and participation in local bottling (take your own bottle home with you after), a chance to be a “Distiller For The Day” where you work to help distill poitín then take home a case with your name on the label as a “guest distiller.” Other perks include a 2-liter barrel of un-aged poitín for contributors to age and/or drink as they choose, a unique 13 bottle vertical of samples taken throughout a 2 year barrel aging process, and a trip to County Clare Ireland, guided by Lynch, including a stop at the old Dinger Lynch farm.

About The Dinger Poitin – Back in the day, in rural parts of Ireland, when you were the best at something you were sometimes called “The Dinger.” When I went back to Ireland and heard my ancestors were “the dinger poitín-makers” before they immigrated, I knew one day I’d make a whiskey so bold and smooth and delicious it would be worthy of that name. The drive to live up to a family legacy of great whiskey-making is what drives us daily as we make small batch, single pot still poitín whiskey. Slainte!

About Independent Distilling Co. – Decatur’s Independent Distilling Co. is a no-frills garage distillery. It’s been more than 100 years since Atlanta was last seen as a hotbed of distilling, but we are finally starting to see glimpses of the city’s former glory. Among the four distilleries now operating in the metro area, Independent Distilling Co. has earned our admiration with its bootstrapped, artisan ways.

If you would like more information on this topic, please contact Tom Lynch at 310-248-0706 or thedingerpoitin@gmail.com

The Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign can be found at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-dinger-poitin/x/22229018#/

HIGHLAND PARK BECOMES EXCLUSIVE WHISKY SPONSOR OF ESQUIRE TOWNHOUSE 

Highland Park has become the official whisky sponsor of Esquire Townhouse 2019

As part of the partnership, the Orcadian distillery has collaborated with Esquire to launch the limited-edition Highland Park Esquire Single Cask

Global Brand Ambassador, Martin Markvardsen, is hosting a series of masterclasses across the event 

14 October, 2019: Highland Park has become the official whisky sponsor of Esquire Townhouse with Breitling, the prestigious annual event hosted by Esquire.

Taking place between 17-19 October at Carlton House Terrace, St James’s, Martin Markvardsen, Highland Park’s Global Brand Ambassador, is set to host a series of workshops where guests will be given the opportunity to learn all about the award winning brand, before indulging in some delicious whisky and food pairings.

To celebrate the partnership, Highland Park and Esquire have collaborated to create the Highland Park Esquire Single Cask. The limited-edition single malt whisky is the first-ever single cask from Highland Park to be released in collaboration with a UK media house and will be served throughout the weekend.

The unique expression, which has notes of heather-honey and aromatic smoky peat, will also be available via The Whisky Shop (www.whiskyshop.com), allowing those unable to attend the event – as well as those who loved it so much they want more – the opportunity to purchase it to enjoy at home. RSP £200 ABV 60.3%.

During the event a choice of delicious Highland Park cocktails will be served at the Esquire Townhouse bar including firm favourites the Orcadian Cooler and Salted Honey Old Fashioned.

Scott McCaffer, Brand Manager at Highland Park said: “As demand amongst whisky lovers for new and exciting expressions continues to grow, we’re delighted to launch our latest Single Cask in partnership with Esquire.

“Launching the whisky at Esquire Townhouse is a really exciting opportunity for us as it is the perfect opportunity to engage with likeminded consumers, as well as those interested in exploring the category.”

Alex Bilmes, Editor-in-Chief, at Esquire said: ““We are excited to be working with Highland Park to produce a bespoke Esquire single cask whisky – a genuine first for us. We are looking forward to launching it, and of course, tasting it at Esquire Townhouse in October.”

Esquire Townhouse is an award-winning luxury brand experience featuring a compelling programme of live celebrity interviews, panel debates and masterclasses spanning fashion, culture, food & drink, design and travel.

For more information on the event please visit: https://hearstlive.co.uk/esquiretownhouse/

Notes: 

About Esquire Single Cask

RRP: £200

ABV: 60.3%

Volume: 70cl 

Tasting notes

Buttery vanilla aroma with a lingering sweet taste on the palette 

About Highland Park, the Orkney Single Malt with Viking Soul:

Whisky has been distilled at Highland Park in Kirkwall, Orkney since 1798.  Founder Magnus Eunson, was a direct descendant of Vikings who settled in Orkney over 1,000 years ago. A butcher and church officer by day and a bootlegger and smuggler by night, he set up an illegal whisky-making operation at a little bothy (a stone hut) at High Park, overlooking Kirkwall.

It is still the site of the distillery today and although we say Highland Park was founded in 1798, that’s actually the year the authorities finally caught up with Magnus.

Few trees survive the gale-force winds on Orkney. This makes the island peat woodless and rich in heather. This then helps create the trademark Highland Park flavour profile of aromatic smoky peat and sweet heather honey.

About Esquire UK

Esquire is the UK’s premium luxury men’s magazine brand. Esquire engages its stylish, sophisticated and affluent audience via an ecosystem which includes a premium bi-monthly print magazine, a dynamic website and digital channels, consumer experiences such as the Esquire Townhouse and Esquire Evenings, a standalone annual print magazine, The Big Watch Book, and a successful series of luxury branded products, the Esquire Edit.