December 30th, 2017
We’ve released five preview bottles from next month’s Outturn that are perfect for New Year flavour adventures. Beat the January blues by exploring this colourful collection of bold new whiskies. A great opportunity to buy before First Friday but be quick to order, only a limited number of bottles are available ahead of the full Outturn release on Friday, 5 January at 9am.
SHOP NOW
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
December 30th, 2017
Hi folks,
that’s us live with the 81st auction. Start 2018 as you mean to continue… with lots of lovely new bottles!
THE 81st AUCTION
December 30th, 2017
Saturday, December 30th 11AM-4PM:
Rare Drams: The Exclusive Malts, Chapter 7, and Tamdhu
We’re ending 2017 with some of the best! For our final tasting of the year we’ll be pouring some truly rare whiskies and old favorites by The Exclusive Malts, Chapter 7, and Tamdhu. Our in-store whiskey experts and distillery representatives will be present to answer all your whiskey questions. Come by and celebrate with us!
Pourlist: Aultmore 09yrs by Chapter 7 Allt a Bhainne 09 year by Chapter 7 Exclusive Blends 1993 Tamdhu Batch 003 AND The Whisky Shop’s bottling of Bowmore (via Exclusive Malts)
Click Here to RSVP
December 29th, 2017
Diageo embraces voice technology to inspire consumers to create cocktails at home
Launching a new skill for the Amazon Echo Show in the UK to help consumers create great cocktails at home this Christmas.
Called ‘The Bar’ the new skill is inspired by Diageo’s award-winning website thebar.com, which has been helping millions of consumers to make amazing cocktails at home since 2013.
Tapping into the latest voice technology and the functionality of the Amazon Echo Show, ‘The Bar’ means people are just a few words away from making a great cocktail.
Consumers start by asking Alexa to open ‘The Bar’ and are then presented with three different options.
Make a specific cocktail – where a user can tell Alexa what they want to make and Alexa provides a recipe and guides the user through preparing the cocktail.
Help me choose – where Alexa suggests easy to make cocktails based on the consumer’s preferences e.g. sweet or sour, long or short.
Learn techniques – where Alexa helps consumers master mixology techniques with practical advice such as how to muddle your mojito to perfection.
‘The Bar’ skill also allows consumers to send a shopping list of ingredients or a cocktail making kit to the Alexa mobile app on their phone or directs them to purchase on Amazon. The skill is age gated.
To view the video please click HERE
“Making amazing cocktails at home doesn’t need to be intimidating or complicated – and we’re excited to be using new technology to inspire consumers to shake things up this Christmas. Technology is changing the way we socialise in and outside of the home, and with the new ‘The Bar’ skill, we’re tapping into the growing number of adults using voice-enabled devices to take them on a journey towards mastering mixology”
Periklies Antoniou
New Technology & Media Innovation Manager at Diageo
December 29th, 2017
Blink-and-You’ll-Miss-It Whiskey Allocation Kentucky Owl 11 Year Old Rye Whiskey (750ml) ($139.99)
The last parcel we got in of the Kentucky Owl 11 Year Rye sold through in a matter of minutues. Much to our delight (and whiskey drinkers everywhere), we were able to secure some more. Whether you missed out the first time around, or we’re looking to get more, now is the time to act!
Right to the chase here – this is a special insiders’ alert about a crazy deal that fell into our lap this morning: a parcel of the insanely limited Kentucky Owl 11 Year Old Kentucky Rye Whiskey, bottled at 55.3%, and previously so rare that most stores only got a case or two. Our initial 60 bottle allocation sold out in about twenty minutes after a flurry of customers gobbled up every last bottle, even with a one bottle limit per customer. With something like this you might want to come back and read the rest after after you get your bottles…otherwise it might be gone by then. Kentucky Owl is a project recently acquired by Stoli Vodka, but what’s in the bottle is put together from mature stocks of Kentucky whiskey that has already seen black market prices of up to $800 a bottle for some of the initial Bourbon releases. We’re were incredibly lucky to land a reasonable allocation of this rye whiskey and there’s no doubt what’s left won’t last the day. We’ve tasted the rye and it’s legit. It’s rich, and spicy, and full of sweet baking spices like clove and cinnamon on the finish with power from the high proof. Anyone in search of a special gift or collectible bottle will be more than thrilled with the quality, especially in today’s market. Live on the site for now, the rest of our allocation arrives next week.
December 29th, 2017
Photo Credit Scotch Trooper
Give the Scotch Journey of a Lifetime!
The Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar features 25+ year old drams, single-barrel releases, and long sought after distilleries sure to delight and surprise any whisky lover. The majority of selected whiskies are extremely rare, never been seen before and will not be seen again, making each bottle extremely collectable.
In addition to a fantastic scotch selection, the calendar comes with extra gifts:
You’ll receive an exclusive whisky glass, distillery booklet, collectable lapel pen, embossed brochure and a personal tasting notes journal.
Click Here for more Info and Ordering
December 29th, 2017
Ralfy reveals the whiskyoftheyear with ralfy review – Whisky Of The Year 2017
December 28th, 2017
Diageo in 2017 – Iconic “lost” distilleries revived in major scotch investment
On 17 December 2017, Diageo turns 20 years old. To celebrate this milestone Diageo is looking back over 20 years of its history and highlighting memorable moments since it was formed back in December 1997. 2017 saw Diageo announce that Port Ellen and Brora, two of the most revered “lost” distilleries in the global spirits industry, are to be brought back to life in a powerful statement of confidence in the future of Scotch whisky.
In 2017 Diageo announced its investment to bring back two lost distilleries, Port Ellen and Brora.
The distilleries, which have been silent since they were closed in 1983, will be brought back into production through a £35 million investment by Diageo.
In the 34 years since Brora and Port Ellen were closed, the whiskies they produced have become some of the most highly prized and sought after liquids in Scotch whisky, renowned for exceptional quality and character; elevating the lost distilleries to cult status amongst whisky enthusiasts and collectors.
Port Ellen distillery on the famous whisky island of Islay, and Brora on the remote eastern coast of Sutherland, will both be reinstated to distil in carefully controlled quantities, with a meticulous attention to detail, replicating where possible the distillation regimes and spirit character of the original distilleries. Cask filling and traditional warehousing will also be included on the sites of both distilleries.
December 28th, 2017
1983Port Ellen 32 Year Old “15th Edition Special Release” Cask Strength Scotch Whisky (750ml)
$2,100.00
Whisky Advocate
Matured in refill European oak sherry butts, this year’s Special Release has more weight than many previous expressions and a fascinating smokiness that comes across like a just-lit fire: fire lighter, burning paper, fire grate, and wood smoke. The more active oak adds walnut skin notes and rich dried fruits before the smoke returns. All very sophisticated with enough sweetness to balance. Excellent, but, ouch, that price! (DB, Winter 2015) 
K&L Notes
The exceptional Port Ellen distillery has recently been tapped to be reopened, but it’s unlikely that the new facility will replicate the incredible heights that were achieved there before the closure in the year that this special whisky was distilled. One of the most celebrated modern bottlings of Port Ellen, the 15th release is also the year Diageo really jumped the shark. Suggested retail for this bottle was well above $4000 when it was originally offered to us. It continues to trade world wide for around $3000. We are extremely lucky to get a small amount at this unthinkably low price. It’s still very expensive, but it’s easily the best price for any Diageo-bottled Port Ellen in the United States and perhaps even the world. This legendary whisky has garnered praise from critics and cognoscenti and represents some of the final stocks distilled before the tragic closure of this special distillery.
View
December 28th, 2017
Saturday, December 30th 11AM-4PM:
Rare Drams: The Exclusive Malts, Chapter 7, and Tamdhu
We’re ending 2017 with some of the best! For our final tasting of the year we’ll be pouring some truly rare whiskies and old favorites by The Exclusive Malts, Chapter 7, and Tamdhu. Our in-store whiskey experts and distillery representatives will be present to answer all your whiskey questions. Come by and celebrate with us! Pourlist to be revealed as event approaches – RSVP to find out soonest.
Click Here to RSVP
