Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 165: Maverick 23 Year Old 1993 Blended Malt for MMM

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, releases another one of his own bottlings, together with his buddy Manny. The second release of 2017 in the Galaxy Series by MMM – Mark & Manny’s Malts – is a special one. A blended malt of 23 year old sherry cask matured malts that were put to sleep in 1993. Mark and Manny dubbed it their Maverick, which stands for non-conformist and daredevil. Another fantastic addition to the MMM series.

https://youtu.be/0RyXvnGxA9E

Jura 10, a Unique Island Whisky, Launches in U.S. Markets 

New York, NY (May 02, 2017) — Jura Whisky today announced the launch of Jura 10, an exceptional Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky and the first release in Jura’s new core line for the U.S. Hailing from one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland, this whisky marries peated and unpeated malt with a Sherry cask finish to create a spirit that is a long way from ordinary.

Jura 10 is handcrafted on the Isle of Jura, a rugged, elemental island nestled a few miles off the West Coast of Scotland. Home to around 200 Islanders, one road, one pub and one distillery, Jura was once described by author George Orwell as the ‘most un-get-at-able’ place due to its remote location. Established in 1810, Jura whisky has been crafted on its island home for over two centuries.

“The launch of the new Jura 10 celebrates our heritage of whisky-making” said Graham Logan, Jura Distillery Manager. “The craft of producing great whisky has been at the heart of Jura’s close-knit community for hundreds of years and we look forward to sharing the long-standing traditions and unmistakable flavors of Jura 10’s island home with the world.”

While many distilleries create either peated or unpeated whiskies, Jura 10 marries together the best of both for a truly unique Island Single Malt that is subtly smoky with a sweet Sherry cask finish. It is matured for ten years in American White Oak ex-bourbon barrels with an aged Oloroso Sherry cask finish.

Copper gold in color, Jura 10 has aromas of fruit, cracked pepper and dark chocolate, followed by nectarines, ginger and freshly ground coffee on the palate with a subtle touch of smoke on the finish. With its rich and rounded balance of subtle smoky notes and sweet Sherry cask finish, Jura 10 serves as a beautiful welcome to the Island and its whisky for those new to Scotch.

Jura 10 is available at retailers nationwide with a suggested retail price of $54.99 per 750ml bottle. To learn more, please visit jurawhisky.com or follow @jurawhiskyus on Instagram and Facebook.

About Jura

Sometimes wild, yet always beautiful, Jura is a small island off the West Coast of Scotland. Rough, rugged and elemental, it’s only a few miles from the mainland, though to visitors it can feel like an entire world away. The island’s single road leads to the distillery and island’s only pub which lie at the heart of Jura’s small but passionate community of around 200 people.

Established in 1810, the distillery fell into disrepair and closed in 1901. In 1963, after years of economic depression, the islanders felt it high time to revive the economy by rebuilding Jura’s distillery from scratch; a monumental feat achieved through determination, endeavor and true community spirit.

On a mission to produce a spirit unlike anything else, the distillery manager William Delmé-Evans, went to extreme lengths to ship unusually tall stills to an island which has been called ‘the most un-get-at-able place’ (by George Orwell, author of 1984, written in a remote farmhouse on Jura). You see, the taller the still, the purer the spirit. It’s the reason why you can taste the difference in every drop.

Since then, the distillery has flourished, producing expertly crafted, award-winning whisky, as unique as the island it comes from.

Jura 10 – 750 ml / 40% ABV

A marriage of peated and unpeated malt aged for 10 years in American White Oak ex-bourbon barrels with a Sherry cask finish 

Colour: Copper gold

Aromas: Fruit, cracked pepper and dark chocolate

Taste: Nectarines, ginger and freshly ground coffee

Jura 10 was recently awarded 94 Points at the 2017 Ultimate Spirits Challenge and Gold at the 2017 World’s Spirits Competition.

Please enjoy Jura responsibly.

A bottle of The Macallan Millennium distilled in 1949, aged for 50 years in Spanish oak sherry casks, and bottled in 1999 sold for £21,250 at Bonhams Whisky Sale in Edinburgh on 7 June.  It had been estimated at £15,000-17,000.

The Macallan Millennium Decanter 50 year old-1949. Sold for £21,250.

Two bottles salvaged from the wreck of the S.S. Politician, in 1987 also sold well.  A bottle of Gilbey’s made £6,875, and a bottle of Peter Dawson made £4,750. The shipwreck was the inspiration for Compton Mackenzie’s famous novel, Whisky Galore, and two feature films of the same name.

NOTES

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

What’s New at The Exclusive Dram?

Whisky – We have been working hard on bringing new, exciting and different whisky to our shop. All our whisky comes in 50ml samples allowing you to try something different at a fraction of the cost. For the full range visit us here.

With Free Delivery For All UK orders over £100 and Worldwide Delivery Available there has never been a better time to shop at The Exclusive Dram. 

Father’s Day Gift Ideas

Glencairn Glass and Macallan Gold Miniature Gift Set – £16.99

Glencairn Glass and Glenfiddich IPA Experiment Miniature Gift Set – £18.99

Glencairn Glass and Dalmore King Alexander III Miniature Gift Set – £28.99

The Exclusive Dram

www.theexclusivedram.co.uk

www.facebook.com/theexclusivedram

10 Years Of The Glenfarclas Family Casks

In 2007 J&G Grant formally launched ‘The Family Casks’; an exclusive collection of 43 vintage dated Single Cask Whiskies ranging from 1952 to 1994. It was a remarkable achievement at the time for any distillery to have casks bottled from a continuous run of years and was the only known collection to span 43 years.

The Family Casks are the best single casks from the distillery’s warehouses, bottled at cask strength and at natural colour which is displayed perfectly in clear flint bottles.

Ten years later and the range has exceeded all expectations. Many expressions have now sold out or have only a finite number of bottles left; it’s a race against time for whisky enthusiasts to find their favourite year! The range has been extended up to and including 2001, there are no more 1952 or 1953 Family Casks remaining, and the most popular is the 1979 release- another surprise from the collection as this is one of the lightest expressions available!

At the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival George Grant hosts an extremely popular event open to just 20-30 people, where festival-goers join in the nosing and tasting process to choose the next Family Cask edition. This is a unique opportunity to be able to offer fans, and we are delighted to even see some familiar faces return each year to take part. Keep an eye out on the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival website to find out if this golden opportunity will arise again next year.

The latest installment of the collection has been chosen and is almost ready to begin its bottling process; a 2002 first fill Oloroso sherry butt, cask number 3770, which is maturing nicely in one of our dunnage warehouses. We look forward to launching it later this year!

A full interview with George Grant, 6th Generation of the Grant family, about the Glenfarclas Family Casks can be found at ScotchWhisky.com

For more information about the range, please contact info@glenfarclas.com

Ralfy has a taste of Tomatin, not tomatoes with Ralfy Review 656 – Tomatin 12yo @43%vol (bourbon & sherry cask)

ROYAL SALUTE LAUNCHES ALL NEW 21 YEAR OLD POLO EDITION

Limited edition flagon celebrates the ‘King of Whisky’ and the ‘Sport of Kings’  

Royal Salute, the exceptionally crafted and aged Scotch whisky, has unveiled an all-new 21 Year Old Polo Edition featuring a more delicate-flavoured blend designed to be enjoyed during the day and as an accompaniment to sophisticated sporting occasions such as polo, a sport synonymous with Royal Salute’s values of luxury, tradition and prestige.

Sandy Hyslop, Royal Salute’s Director of Blending, developed the new blend from a combination of fragrant grains and fruity malts aged for a minimum of 21 years. The new liquid embodies the values of polo as a sport and a lifestyle: strength, balance and finesse. Brighter in texture and tone with notes of ripe honeydew melon, homemade berry jam and creamy toffee, this new expression is smooth and sophisticated, providing a long-lasting tasting experience, perfect for basking in the sunshine and outdoor entertaining.

The new Scotch whisky is housed in Royal Salute’s iconic hand-crafted, porcelain bottles with a distinct polo theme, unique to the limited edition whisky. Eye-catching turquoise heroes the bottle and complements three shades of blue to mimic the blue sky and green grass of the traditional polo field. The bottles are embossed with intricate but powerful scenes of polo players in action.

Peter Moore, Prestige Brand Director at Chivas Brothers, commented: ‘‘Polo is a noble game of honour, skill, integrity and respect – all values inherent in Royal Salute. We wanted to continue to celebrate the iconic pairing of our ‘King of Whisky’ with the ‘Sport of Kings’, and this new Polo Edition does just that in a more delicate tasting blend ideal for outdoor, daytime enjoyment.  We’re thrilled to bring it to whisky aficionados around the world.”

The Royal Salute Polo Edition will be showcased at a polo event in Singapore and is exclusively available in Singapore duty free in June. It will be available globally from September at a RRP of USD $140.

Notes

About Royal Salute 

Royal Salute is a careful blend of matured malt and grain whiskies – with its youngest whisky matured for a minimum of 21 years. Created to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, which was honoured with a traditional 21 gun salute, Royal Salute is steeped in tradition, while still firmly engaged in the modern world by constantly pushing the art of blending into new, creative and ambitious forms. Royal Salute is deeply involved in polo – the world’s oldest surviving team sport and a game that’s expanding in the modern era. The brand sponsors more than 15 international tournaments from the UK and the USA through Argentina and China to Korea.

www.royalsalute.com

About Chivas Brothers 

Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits. Chivas Brothers’ award-winning portfolio features some of the world’s most revered Scotch whisky brands including Chivas Regal, the world’s first luxury whisky and the No.1 Scotch whisky in China; Ballantine’s, Europe’s No.1 Scotch whisky; The Glenlivet, the single malt whisky that set the standard; and Royal Salute, the world’s only exclusively prestige Scotch whisky range. The portfolio also includes two of the world’s leading English gins – Beefeater, the world’s most awarded premium gin, and Plymouth gin – plus a selection of highly acclaimed single malt whiskies, including Aberlour, Longmorn, Scapa, Strathisla and Tormore. The range is completed by a collection of blended Scotch whiskies operating in many of the world’s key whisky markets which includes 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport Scotch.

www.chivasspirit.com

About Pernod Ricard 

Pernod Ricard is the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of € 8,682 million in FY16. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin and Malibu, Mumm and PerrierJouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of 18,500 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 “Brand Companies” and 85 “Market Companies” established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible consumption. Pernod Ricard’s strategy and ambition are based on 3 key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics.

Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.

Announcing our 7th Anniversary Whiskey Release and Distillery Birthday Celebration Saturday June 24th  11am – 6pm

Can you believe it’s been 7 years? Time flies when you’re having fun!

You’ve been waiting for it and it’s finally ready. In celebration of our seventh year anniversary, we’re releasing our “Rock Town Sherry Cask Wheat Whiskey”. It is a limited edition, one time bottling and will be available for purchase only at the distillery in downtown Little Rock, starting at 11am on Saturday, June 24th.

 • $49.99 per 375ml bottle
• 100 proof
• Available only at the distillery tasting room

7th Anniversary Celebration Tasting

Rock Town’s 7th Anniversary Warehouse Masterclass is a seated tasting hosted by founder and head distiller Phil Brandon at the distillery. During the tasting you’ll learn about the production of Rock Town’s whiskey, the influence of the flavor grain in bourbon and learn about the influence of sherry cask aging. The tasting will include these Rock Town whiskeys:

• 7th Anniversary Sherry Cask Wheat Whiskey
• Arkansas Bourbon – Flavor Grain Series – Chocolate Malt
• Arkansas Bourbon – Flavor Grain Series – Golden Promise Malt
• Arkansas Bourbon – Flavor Grain Series – Peated Malt
• Single Barrel Bourbon Whiskey

Starts at 6:30 on Saturday, June 24th. Space is extremely limited for the tasting and the cost is $40 per person. Tasting reservations can be made here

7th Anniversary Celebration Free Tours, Food Trucks, and More

As a thank you to our friends and supporters we will be offering:

• Free tours 11am to 5pm (held periodically throughout the day on Saturday June 24th)
• Food Trucks in our parking lot for your dining pleasure
• Cocktails and local craft beer in the warehouse

Friday, June 16th, 5-8PM SIA

Enjoy an opportunity to sample SIA’s much buzzed about new blend! This popular whisky has been a big hit ever since it’s uniquely crowd-funded release.

“Outstanding! One of the best for its style. Distinctive.”

– Whisky Advocate Magazine

“The blend is light, smooth, and just subtle and sophisticated enough to entertain the experienced while not losing the novice.”

-whiskeyreviewer.com

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