Whisky Stories – Your Turn

Last month, I wrote a blog post about my most memorable whisky story – my first trip to Islay. It prompted several of you to share your own whisky stories, and here’s our favourite. Thank you to all of you who took the time to reply, and please keep sending your whisky stories to us – we’ll be publishing more of our favourites over the coming months.

by Edward
I was backpacking in Asia with a good mate of mine. One night while walking the streets of Saigon, Vietnam, we decided to make it our mission to find a fancy single malt. We dragged ourselves through 38°C heat at 80% humidity, in and out of bars in the hope we might discover a hidden gem.

After the seventh bar we were desperate and out of ideas – maybe our decision not to bring smartphones wasn’t so smart after all. While traipsing down a side street, an old Vietnamese guy lounging on his scooter yelled ‘What you want? I’ll get you anything.’

He followed us, asking the same question, calling to us in a well-pronounced, well-rehearsed fashion. Eventually I stopped and said, ‘OK! Whisky. Single malt.’

The man (Mikey) was convinced that he could help us if we bought him one Coke in a bar he swore sold whisky. Needless to say, the bar he took us to was not exactly street legal. It was too dark for me to accurately describe what was happening in there, but Coke was three dollars and everyone was very…friendly, shall we say?

So we joined Mikey in having Vietnam’s most expensive soft drink. He told us how he’d been a translator for the US during the Vietnam War, and after the Americans famously fled Saigon, Mikey was imprisoned for helping the enemy.

But the whisky. We still hadn’t found the whisky. So after making a polite excuse we left, and we were getting desperate as the night drew on.

Now lost, we found ourselves outside a door that seemed to be a bar. ‘Let’s just go in here, gather our thoughts and work out what we are going to do,’ I said. After a long flight of stairs we found ourselves in a terrace bar looking over the city. In the floor was a fish tank, and soft seating surrounded us.

There, to our amazement, on the menu was Laphroaig 10 Year Old. A double was £3, the same price as a Coke with Mikey. We ordered two doubles. A few minutes later the waiter appeared awkwardly holding the bottle. He looked at us and said, ‘I’m terribly sorry, I only have this. No one wants to drink it so I will charge you the same.’

He held up the bottle which read Laphroaig…18 Year Old!

‘Is that OK?’ he asked.

I replied: ‘I think we’ll manage.’

Thanks very much to Edward. If you have a whisky story you’d like to share, please send it to us.

FEBRUARY 2018 AUCTION NOW LIVE!

Our February Auction is up and running and once again, we have a great selection be it young or well aged, brand new releases or those old familiar expressions, independent or official bottlings etc… Whisky from all over the globe has been gathered together by us in one convenient place, just for you.

Here are some of the highlights waiting for you this month…

MACALLAN EXCEPTIONAL CASK

Some of rarest Macallan’s around, the previous Exceptional Cask releases have been described as some of “the greatest Macallan of them all ” . Seven casks were bottled in 2017 and released across the United States and Asia.

JOHNNIE WALKER OLD HIGHLAND WHISKY / WHITE LABEL

Although not its official title at the time, this bottle of Old Highland Whisky was to become the Johnnie Walker White Label in 1909 after a re-branding exercise that saw all of their expressions renamed after their label colours and begin to feature the famous striding man, yet to appear here. While the re-branded White Label was a 6 year old blend, the original Old Highland Whisky was a 5 year old.

WHITE HORSE

This month we are featuring a mouth-watering selection of the world renowned blend, White Horse. This blend was often exported and has over time earned a very distinguished history. In our February Auction we will showcase a lot that was bottled in 1941!

HANYU CARD SERIES

Hanyu’s legendary ‘Card Series’ continues to gather momentum amongst collectors and has solidified itself as one of the most sought after Japanese collections. This month we have a fantastic array with the ‘Clubs’ quarter shining through.

GLENFIDDICH VINTAGE SINGLE CASK SELECTION

This month we are delighted to feature a great range of vintage single cask Glenfiddich that date as far back as the early sixties. These fantastic limited expressions are quickly becoming some of the most sought after releases from Glenfiddich for both drinking and collecting.

GLENGLASSAUGH 1972 WOOLF SUNG 40 YEAR OLD / THE HUNTER – CHARITY BOTTLE

The Hunter is the first release from the Woolf Sung Collection. A 40 year old Glenglassaugh distilled in 1972 then matured in a single Sherry cask for 40 years before bottling by Woolf Sung on the 22nd January 2013. All proceeds go towards ‘The Benevolent; The Drinks Industry Charity’

Our February Auction is live until Monday 5^th August, there is no fee to register on our site, our commission structure is very competitive and we offer worldwide shipping. For our terms and conditions please click here.

Whisky Barrel Exclusive Islay single cask not to be missed!

Isle of Islay 10 Year Old 2007

Whisky Barrel Exclusive – single cask hogshead from a secret distillery which once contained the famed micro distillery Malt Mill, on the A846 between Laphroaig & Ardbeg. Bottled 2018 by Creative Whisky Co. for the Exclusive Malts series, just 285 bottles.

Buy – $116.33

Phil Dwyer

So, Macallan, somewhat of an elephant in the room these days. The Double Cask is a combination of European Oak & American Oak seasoned sherry casks, i’m not sure how long “seasoned” details in length of time in sherry but it’s a fairly common trait in whisky maturation these days.

I’m a fan of sherry cask whiskies and classic Macallans’ like the 12YO and the No. 2 Edition are key examples of how good Macallan can be and for me, personally, this whisky is a very two dimensional and really lacks depth, especially for the price tag of £70. If you like it, then you like it, everyone is different but this is a product that won’t grace my whisky shelf.

https://youtu.be/w1mSIiYk9q0

Whisky Reviews every Wednesday ~ Facebook.com/whiskytube ~ Twitter.com/whiskytube ~ Youtube.com/whiskywednesday

A dram for the decade

The award-winning whisky producer Isle of Arran Distillers Ltd have announced an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be part of Single Malt history on the Isle of Arran. With the construction of the whisky-makers second site on the south of the island at Lagg well underway, master distiller James MacTaggart is releasing for purchase 700 casks from the first production to be filled at the new distillery.

These bourbon casks will contain approximately 280* 70cl bottles-worth of a new, heavily-peated (50ppm) Single Malt that will be the style of whisky produced at the Lagg Distillery.

Each of casks, priced at £6,000, will remain at the distillery for a minimum of ten years of maturation under the careful eye of the Lagg Distillery team. The casks owners will then have the opportunity to bottle the spirit, complete with a limited-edition Lagg Cask society label, or pay an annual fee to continue the maturation process until the desired age is attained**. It is expected that the casks will be laid down in late 2018. No further casks will be made available for sale to the public during the first ten years of production at Lagg.

Every cask owner will also become a member of the exclusive Lagg Cask Society. Membership guarantees a bottle from the very first cask to be filled at Lagg which is reserved exclusively for the Society. In addition each member will have their name displayed on the Lagg ‘Wall of Fame’ and receive an invite to the Lagg Cask Society Members Day for a first-look of the distillery and visitor centre before its official opening in spring 2019.

Additional benefits include a free stay at the historic Lagg Hotel, a 12 month Arran golf pass, complimentary tours of Lagg and 10% off all purchases in the visitor centre for 10 years.

James MacTaggart said: “We have incredibly exciting plans for the Lagg Distillery and the Lagg Cask Society offers people the chance to be part of the journey from the very beginning.”

“To own one of the first casks from a Distillery is a rare opportunity indeed and with my years of experience in the industry I firmly believe the Lagg Single Malt will mature into something truly magical”.

Euan Mitchell, managing director of the Isle of Arran Distillery, added: “We are proud to be bringing whisky production back to the south end of Arran. The area was a hotbed of distilling, both legal and illicit, during the early nineteenth century and the Arran ‘waters’ were in great demand on the mainland”.

“The Lagg Cask Society is the next chapter of the story of malt whisky on Arran. Their casks will be the first to be filled on the south of the island in over 170 years – a continuation of a long and proud heritage of whisky making on Arran.

“In releasing these casks, we are inviting people to join the Arran family and lay down an exclusive Lagg dram that they can call their own for a fee in line with prices currently being paid for individual bottles of rare Single Malt. Bottles from the Lagg Cask Society barrels will provide unique opportunities for gifts and investment, the ideal present to lay down for future generations, as well as the simple enjoyment of sampling the finest of spirits”.

Casks will be available directly from the distillery and online from www.laggwhisky.com

The new distillery site and visitor centre at Lagg is expected to open in 2019. Total visitor numbers to both distillery sites are expected to exceed 200,000 by 2020 once the new visitor centre in Lagg has been opened with an estimated combined turnover of over £2million.

Notes:

* On an approximate basis, you could assume that a barrel (200 bulk litres) bottled at 46% abv, in 70cl bottles, after 10 years would yield 280 bottles.

**Every year after the initial ten that the cask remains at the distillery, there will be a small annual storage and insurance fee (currently £40 per year) as the whisky continues to mature. The cost of fees and bottling after the standard ten year maturation period at present is in the region of £6,000 – though taxes, customs and the market could cause this to vary.

For more information visit www.arranwhisky.com

Accolades for Isle of Arran Distillery include Winner for: Best New Exporter (2004), Queen’s Award for International Trade (2005), Scottish Distiller of the Year (2007) and Scottish Drinks Producer of the Year (2007)

Scottish Field Visitor Experience of the Year 2014 & 2015

Drinks Business Best Contribution to Wine and Spirits Tourism (2017)

Best Brewery/Distillery Tour – Scottish Outdoor Leisure Awards 2017

Product awards include: Best Whisky Liqueur (2007), ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 12 Years & Under’ for The Arran Malt Amarone Cask Finish (2008) ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for The Arran Malt Sherry Single Cask 1998 (2010) and ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for the Icons of Arran Peacock (2011.) ‘Double Gold Award’ for Arran’s 14 Year Old Single Malt and ‘Gold Award’ for Arran’s 10 Year Old Single Malt at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2012). Double Gold in FiftyBest.com awards (2012). Double Gold Medal for the 12 year-old Cask Strength in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2013). Double Gold for both the 10 year-old and 12 year-old Cask Strength at the China Wine & Spirits Best Value Awards 2014.

Welcome to the latest quarterly newsletter.  We hope you had a cheery holiday season, spending time with loved ones and catching up with friends and family and enjoyed a dram or two. Springbank Distillers was closed for two weeks so we are happy to report that our Production and Sales teams are well rested and ready to tackle what will be one of the busiest years in our company’s history.

Distillery News

As you will know from our previous Newsletter, scheduled renovations and improvements continue at the distillery and work has now begun to transform the old staff canteen into a distillery shop which we hope to have up and running for the summer season.

Our four new production staff have now completed their training giving us the required manpower to malt, mash and distill simultaneously throughout the year.  This clearly increases our production capacity but will also enhance our visitors’ experience as they will see all aspects of production working during a single visit.  We reiterate that we are not using mass production techniques and that Springbank will continue to be produced in its unique way, including 100% floor malting.

In other news, Assistant Manager Robert Scally (aka Pop) has taken on a new role as Bottling Hall Manager.  Pop spent a number of weeks in the Bottling Hall last year, assisting with the training and work instructions of all staff members and brings a wealth of experience to the role.

Staff Profiles

A new feature has been introduced to the Springbank Website. We are producing staff profiles, in the form of short interviews, on the website and our social media platforms. Staff members share their experiences of working for Springbank and give you all an insight into what it’s really like to be involved in making the whisky that we all know and love. We shall be starting with employees who have been with the company for a long time, focusing on how Springbank and Glengyle have evolved over time and how that has effected everyone at the distillery.

As Society members, you will get access to these profiles first as they will be posted on the Society section of the Springbank Website before they appear anywhere else – so keep an eye out!

And if you can think of any questions you really want answered, then let us know and we shall ask them.

February Releases

We recently launched our three February releases in the UK;

Springbank 12yo cask strength 56.3%

Springbank 25yo 46%

Longrow Red 11yo Cabernet Franc 55.9%

As Society Members you were given advanced warning that these were being made available so we hope this gave you every opportunity to secure the bottles you desired.  We again highlight that we do not control how shops sell their stock, or if they take pre-orders etc.  The Cadenhead shops are out-with our control so if you have any enquires or comments about what stock individual shops have please contact them directly.  Remember to look at the ‘Where to buy’ section of our website to find your local UK stockist. http://www.springbank.scot/distributors/

Sales Team Events    

February 

26th Feb    Australia Tasting Tour. Ranald will be representing Springbank down under in -2nd Mar    partnership with Cadenhead’s who will also be touring.   David will also be in the country on these dates for a Kilkerran tasting tour.

28th Feb    Jutland Whisky Fair and tastings, Denmark

4th March    www.whiskymessen.dk/?page_id=296   (Ronan)

March

 2-4th         DramFest, Christchurch, New Zealand. www.dramfest.co.nz (Ranald & David)

5-12th        New Zealand tasting tour. (Joint Springbank, Kilkerran & Cadenhead tour  with David, Ranald and Cameron McGeachy ) Tastings in Auckland and  Wellington.

10th        Fife Whisky Festival      www.fifewhiskyfestival.com (Grant)

15th         Arkwrights Whisky Wines and Home Brew tasting event, Swindon (Grant)

16-17th    Midlands Whisky Festival  www.whiskyfest.co.uk (Grant)

16-23rd    Trondheim Whisky Fair and Norwegian tasting tour  www.trondheimwf.no   (Ronan)

24th        Dundee Whisky Social – Kilkerran only (Grant)

April 

6-14th        Gothenburg Whisky Fair and tasting tour of Sweden www.olochwhiskymassa.se (Ronan)

14th        Warsaw Whisky & Friends, Poland www.whiskyandfriends.pl (Melanie)

21-22nd    Limburg Whisky Fair, Germany www.festival.whiskyfair.com (Ranald)

28th        Bristol Whisky Lounge, www.thewhiskylounge.com/ (Grant)

May

5-6th        Kieler Whiskymesse www.mein-schlemmerfreund.de.  (Ranald & Melanie)

Society Bottling 

We are pleased to announce that we will follow up the previous Society bottlings of Springbank and Longrow Sauternes with a Hazelburn edition which will complete the Sauternes series.  This will be released in April 2018 with further details following closer to the release date.  However, we can say now that given the estimated outturn, we will have to restrict bottles to one per member.

Campbeltown Malts Festival   20th-23rd May 2018

Finally, tickets for the Springbank and Cadenhead/Glengyle Open Days went on sale on Thursday 15th February.  Most tastings have now sold out but there are still tickets available for the Longrow & Hazelburn masterclass at 11.30am on Thursday 24th and the Kilkerran masterclass at 11.30am on Friday 25th. These can be purchased on Eventbrite – http://bit.ly/2ofceaP

Don’t forget there are also tastings available to book on the day as well as well as the usual delights of the warehouse bar, Cadenhead lucky dip bar, free tours and local producers showcasing their products.

You will receive more information on the Malts Festival as the event draws closer but we will highlight at this early stage that we plan to supply a greater volume of Open Day bottles this year to ensure everyone has the opportunity to purchase one.  This should mean they are available throughout their respective days, not selling out in the first hour or so.  We will also make the bottles available to purchase from 10.30am.  The purpose of this is to encourage people to enjoy the atmosphere of the day and not worry about queuing  for bottles, and for those that want to queue, they can get this out the way before the Open Day begins at 11am!

That’s all from us for now but stay tuned for updates on the Malts Festival and the next Society release.

Slainte!

Springbank Society 

To join the Springbank Society please contact them at Springbank Society  society@springbank.scot

Michter’s US*1- Barrel Strength Straight Rye

A single barrel, cask strength release of the excellent Michter’s US*1 Straight Rye whiskey. For this limited edition release, the Rye distillate is filled to cask at a lower strength of 103 proof, a method said to be more expensive. But the results are worth it, with a richer, smoother, more full-bodied whiskey.

£94.80

LABYRINTH OF FLAVOURS

Lose yourself in a labyrinth of mouth-watering flavour with these five preview bottles from March Outturn. Complex characters, each bring an alluring depth that we recommend taking time to taste and explore – your patience will be rewarded with dark chilli chocolate, truffles and wild mushrooms, elderflower wine, salted caramel and citric zing.

A great opportunity to buy before next month’s First Friday but be quick to order, only a limited number of bottles are available ahead of the full Outturn release on Friday, 2 March at 9am.

The March Previews will only be available online

VIEW ALL WHISKIES

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

The Last of a Classic

The last few bottles of the original Loch Fyne Liqueur

The Loch Fyne Liqueur Decanter Bottle

Ready for a trip down memory lane? Comprised of whisky matured for at least 12 years and housed in a striking glass decanter, the original Loch Fyne Liqueur was a premium dram in every respect! No longer produced, only a handful of these wonderfully presented bottles remain. So – whether you’re keen to try The Loch Fyne Liqueur in all its glorious forms, or are simply a devotee of the old style – we recommend stocking up, before it’s completely gone.

£38 Buy Now
Limited stock now available to order

TOMATIN FIVE VIRTUES LAUNCH:

METAL AND WATER

Scottish whisky distillery Tomatin has today (19^th February 2018) announced the release of the final two expressions in its limited edition Five Virtues series.

The series draws inspiration from the elements of nature – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water – with each single malt expression enjoying a limited run of 6,000 bottles and a focus on the effects of different cask maturations.

The Metal edition has a distinct character expressed by the distillery’s 12 beautiful copper stills. Every drop of Tomatin whisky flows through the uniquely shaped and sized stills, giving the whisky its own distinctive characteristics. Metal is matched with classic first fill Bourbon barrels, demonstrating the definitive Tomatin style.

The Metal expression is typically soft, sweet and light with flavours of soft creamy vanilla laced with sweet treats such as milk chocolate, marshmallows and ice cream. Citrus notes also emerge with equally sweet spices.

Completing the series is Water, inspired by the water from the Alt-na-Frith burn; Tomatin’s private water source. The soft and pure water is drawn year round but this particular edition employs a winter-distilled spirit and Sherry butts to enrich the final flavour.

Water is delightfully mature, expressing fruity flavours, with hints of chocolate honeycomb and smooth toffee, which are complemented by rich blood orange marmalade. This warming whisky has a long and oily finish.

Jennifer Masson, Tomatin Marketing Manager, said, “After the tremendous success we experienced when we released our first three expressions in the Five Virtues series last year, we are incredibly excited to see how the public receive the final two elements in the collection: Metal and Water.

“The Five Virtues series was inspired by global concepts and the growth we’ve experienced as a brand, so it is incredible to have the series so well received by customers that know us or who are only just hearing about Tomatin.”

Graham Eunson, Distillery General Manager, said, “During the cold winter months at Tomatin, the spirit vapours have less contact with the condensers during the distillation process and are therefore turned back into liquid form far quicker. In the Water expression, a winter distilled spirit, this results in a slightly heavier and fuller spirit, which when combined with its Sherry cask maturation, gives a great, full-bodied whisky. The Metal expression meanwhile uses bourbon barrels, which really accentuate Tomatin’s house style; light, sweet and fruity.”

The first expressions released early last year, Wood and Fire sold out within 6 months. Earth, a rare peated release from the distillery, was released in September 2017 and sold out in January 2018.

Each whisky in the series has been packaged in especially designed cartons featuring the work of contemporary artist, Eva Ullrich, who represented each expression with abstract art.

Tomatin won Distiller of the Year 2016 and Brand Innovator of the Year 2017 at the Icons of Whisky Scotland Awards. Tomatin is one of the fastest growing whisky brands in the UK and ranks within the Top 10 Single Malt brands in the USA.

The Metal and Water expressions are available specialist retailers, from £49.99. For additional information please visit www.tomatin.com/5virtues

Notes: 

Each of the Five Virtues malts comes with its own distinct complexity and character:

• Wood has been aged in French, American and Hungarian oak casks.
• Fire is matured in heavily charred oak, simulating fresh vanilla flavours.
• Earth exhibits rich and intense peaty flavours as a consequence of maturing in peat-dried malted barley casks.
• Metal is expressed by the distillery’s 12 copper stills.
• Water is distinguished by the naturally pure soft water from the Alt-na-Frith burn.

Last year Tomatin celebrated the release of Earth by enlisting adventure bloggers North blog to take part in Route 501, which brought to life the five elements through the Scottish landscape. For more information visit: www.tomatin.com/route501

For more information on Tomatin Five Virtues www.tomatin.com/5virtues