Tickets on sale March 25!

Mark the date – tickets for Spirit of Toronto 2019 go on sale Monday March 25 at 10am through Roy Thomson Hall’s box office. If you are subscribed to this list then you will get an automatic reminder the night before, as well as updates on the features, guests and masterclasses for 2019.

Can’t wait til then? Read on!

Tis the season for sharing the Spirit…

Once again we have a limited number of gift certificates, to be redeemed for General Admission tickets to the Spirit of Toronto main showcase on Saturday May 4 at Roy Thomson Hall.

Gift certificates may be ordered here for $175 HST included, and come with a unique barcode number which the recipient must register with us along with their name and address. The physical tickets will be sent out as of March 25. Gift certificates may be redeemed up until April 26, 2019.

Please note that these gift certificates are for General Admission only; masterclasses cannot be reserved before March 25. Gift certificate recipients interested in attending a class will be able to do so by contacting the box office directly and purchasing a seat reservation as an add-on to their General Admission ticket. (Please note that usual box office fees will apply to any masterclasses that are purchased as an add-on.)

Laphroaig 20 Year Old Platinum Old & Rare

LAPHROAIG 20 YEAR OLD PLATINUM OLD & RARE ~ Distilled at Laphroaig in October 1997 and matured in a single refill hogshead for the next two decades, this limited edition from Hunter Laing & Co. of Glasgow was bottled in September 2018 at a cask strength of 44% abv, with just 123 bottles filled.

£415

North Star Regions

Four new regional malts from North Star Spirits. Batch #1 includes: Islay, Island, Speyside & Highland single malts from secret distilleries only identified by their latitude and longitude. Maximum 1 bottle per customer!

Buy – North Star Regions – £44.90

ralfy.com follows a time-line with . ralfy review 751 – Dewars 12yo Pure Malt @ 43%vol (1980’s).

https://youtu.be/borRjror7NE

GLENCAIRN RECEIVES DRINKS INDUSTRY HONOUR FOR SERVICE TO WHISKY – KEEPERS OF THE QUAICH HONOUR FOR SCOTT DAVIDSON

Glencairn Crystal – located in East Kilbride – has seen another member of its founding family, the Davidsons, join the world-renowned Keepers of the Quaich Society.

Within the whisky industry, the Society recognises outstanding achievement by those who work, write and evangelise about Scotch whisky. Each year a select few individuals from the industry are chosen to become Keepers of the Quaich – an accolade that is the highest recognition in the global world of whisky. Twice a year, new Keepers are invited to join the Society at a special gala dinner at Blair Castle, whereby lifelong members join the new delegates to celebrate this prestigious accolade.

Earlier this month, Scott Davidson, New Product Development Director at Glencairn, was bestowed as a Keeper of the Quaich, following his father Raymond joining the Society as a Keeper in 2016. Scott is the latest member of the Davidson family – founders of Glencairn Crystal – to join the Keepers, following over 20 years with the family business. Alongside his father Raymond (Founder and Director) and brother Paul (Managing Director), Scott has grown the business ten-fold since 2006 and continues to lead on strategy, financial and legal areas of the company.

Scott said: “I am honoured and humbled to be invited to join Keepers of the Quaich. This prestigious title is one that is hugely sought after within the whisky industry and I am delighted to have been recognised, on behalf of our family business, for what we do for the industry. It is an honour to join so many exceptional and respected individuals amongst a sector that we have been so well received within and are so passionate about.”

Annabel Meikle, Director of Keepers of the Quaich said: “I was delighted to see Scott inducted at our recent banquet. Glencairn Crystal play a pivotal role in the Scotch whisky industry and I think it sends a great message to see their work recognised. Scott follows in his father, Raymond’s footsteps in this highly specialised field.”

Products designed by Glencairn Crystal range from luxury crystal development to engineering precious metal closures, quality presentation packaging and the Glencairn glass, designed by Raymond, specifically to enhance the whisky drinking experience, and is now widely accepted as the official whisky drinking glass by the industry.

Glencairn now employ over 60 people in design and production and have partnered on projects with almost every Scotch whisky company and export their products to over 70 countries. It is an extraordinary example of a successful family owned and run business that puts both its client and employee satisfaction above all else.

For further information, visit: www.glencairn.co.uk

Notes:

About Glencairn Crystal:

Glencairn’s clients include leading drinks companies, brands and other outlets, including: BP,  Brown-Forman, Cunard, Diageo, Houses of Parliament, Muller, Google, Scottish Parliament and the majority of the Scottish Whisky manufacturers, in addition to many of the international  whisky and spirit producers.  Created in 2001, the Glencairn Glass has seen an average year on year global sales increase.  Often referred to as the official tasting glass, the company makes over 3 million per year, across hundreds of brands, distributed to over 70 countries worldwide. Glencairn has previously won The Queen’s Awards as follows:

– The Queens Award for Enterprise 2017 and 2012
– The Queens Award for Innovation 2006 (with the Glencairn Whisky Glass)

About The Distilled Spirits Council:

The Distilled Spirits Council is the national trade association representing the leading producers  and marketers of distilled spirits in the United States. The Council guards the sector against higher taxes and works diligently to reduce trade barriers across the globe, while supporting  policies that increase adult market access for spirits products, provide greater convenience  and choices for adult consumers, and encourage responsible and moderate consumption. The Council is a go-to resource for sector data, changes in public policy, cultural acceptance  programs, U.S. spirits exports to foreign markets, and alcohol and science.

Golden Liquid Indeed!

The fantastic – and limited – Macallan Edition No.4 is now back in stock at The Whisky Shop so order now before it flies off the shelves!

Our exclusive Mortlach 25 Year Old from Hunter Laing’s Platinum Old & Rare Selection has been awarded Scottish Field magazine’s Whisky of the Year 2018, alongside Best Independent Bottling and Best Whisky Over £100. The awards took place on Friday with a representative from the Laing family collecting the gongs. This single cask expression is limited to just 319 bottles, but fortunately some are still available online so place your order today while stocks last.

We also have a new selection of bottles available in our flash sales, with up to 27% off expressions from the likes of Highland Park, Talisker, Laphroaig and Johnnie Walker.

Next day UK delivery available
International shipping

Back in Stock:
The Macallan Edition No. 4

The fourth release in the Edition Series from The Macallan, this Speyside single malt is a celebration of the distillery’s whisky making heritage, combining a unique selection of oak cask styles. Edition No.4 reflects the craftsmanship and pioneering design of the new Macallan distillery.

The nose is bold and rounded with honey and sweet apples atop orange zest, ginger, nutmeg and polished oak. The palate has rich nutmeg and wood spice to the fore, with sweet vanilla emerging to coat the mouth, before a fruity oak finish.

£175 Buy Now

Scottish Field’s Whisky of the Year 2018:
Mortlach 25 Year Old
Platinum Old & Rare

Part of the Platinum Old & Rare Selection from independent bottler Hunter Laing & Co., this 25 year old Speyside single malt was distilled in September 1992. Left to mature in a single sherry butt for a quarter of a century, it was finally bottled in September 2017, when only 319 bottles were filled. As with all the Platinum Old & Rare releases, this single cask expression is presented at natural cask strength free from chill-filtration and tinting.

The nose has Christmas cake and old cognac with chocolate liqueurs and a touch of cigar leaf. The palate is sweet and sumptuously textured with drying aspects. The finish is long and warming.

£400 Buy Now

Port Charlotte MRC: 01 – 2010

Islay Single Malt Scotch WhiskyDistillery Bottling

£84.98

Old Malt Cask 20th Anniversary Single Cask Whiskies
Twenty new single cask malts celebrating the Old Malt Cask 20th Anniversary!

Old Malt Cask 20th Anniversary Collection

To mark the 20th anniversary of Old Malt Cask; Hunter Laing & Co. has bottled 20 casks from distilleries including Littlemill, Clynelish, Glen Grant, Bowmore, Arran & Mortlach. Shop for the latest Scotch and world whiskies alongside new gins from Scotland. You will find new single cask whiskies from independent bottlers alongside limited edition official distillery single malts. Those collectable bottles sell out quickly, check back regularly and be the first to own a prized bottle.

These single casks are, by their very nature, very limited in quantities. Don’t delay!

Shop – Old Malt Cask 20th Anniversary

WhiskyTOURS Paul & Liz with Charlie Maclean

ALL ABOOT THE DRAM – it’s not rocket science.

Other countries produce whisky (or, whiskey), but it is Scotch whisky that has caught the world’s imagination, resulting in an industry that today supports over 40,000 jobs across the UK (including ours); each year adding £5bn or more to the UK’s taxes; and contributes almost £4bn to the UK’s balance of trade.  Legally Scotch whisky within the UK the rules are set out in The Scotch Whisky Regulations 2009 (SWR), which came into force on 23 November 2009. Under the terms of the SWR, Scotch whisky has to have been distilled at a distillery in Scotland, matured in Scotland for a period of not less than three years and one day (leap years) in oak casks of not more than 700 litres with an alcoholic strength by volume minimum 40%.

There are five categories of Scotch whisky. (a) Single malt Scotch whisky is whisky produced by batch distillation in pot stills at a single distillery. (b) Single grain Scotch whisky is any other whisky produced at a single distillery in Scotland, in addition to malted barley, grains of other malted or unmalted cereals can be used. (c) Blended malt whisky is a blend of two or more single malt Scotch whiskies from different distilleries. (d) Blended grain whisky is a blend of two or more single grain Scotch whiskies from different distilleries. (e) Blended Scotch whisky is a blend of one or more single malt Scotch whiskies and one or more single grain Scotch whiskies. In the labelling, the category of whisky must be shown, and a distillery name may only be shown on Scotch whisky that has been wholly distilled at that distillery. Where an age description is used on a label (i.e. “aged 10 years”), that must be the age of the youngest Scotch whisky in the bottle, the term “pure malt” is banned from labels – but Paul does have a bottle of Cardhu Pure Malt.  Most single malt Scotch whisky is sold at a strength of between 40% and 45% alcohol.

However, whiskies that are not diluted at all and are sold at “cask strength”, i.e. they are bottled at the strength at which they come from the cask. All malt Scotch whisky is matured in oak barrels that are second-hand: that have been previously used to mature some other alcoholic drink somewhere in the world. As a result Scotland is the destination of a constant flow of empty and dismantled bourbon casks from the USA, sherry and port casks from Spain, Burgundy and Claret casks from France, to name just a few, Edradour to my mind is a world leader in experimentation, love this distillery and the drams that emerge from it. The process of making malt whisky has the same stages wherever in Scotland it is made. Many distilleries do not have maltings, preferring to buy their barley already malted from one of the very large industrial maltings that now are available.

The best way of understanding the process is to book with MCLEANSCOTLAND on a bespoke whisky tour, they will take you to various distilleries, offer masterclasses, whisky schools and tastings – they have many industry experts working with them, many of them friends. With a team of 8 driver guides, plus Liz and Paul, you are in the best of hands, no matter if you know it all (no one knows everything) or just starting out, their tours are an education, fun and very more ish.

https://whiskytours.scot/

The Whisky Making Team at Tamnavulin