Springbank Society

How are we all doing?

Not long until the Campbeltown Malts Festival – I am sure we will be seeing quite a few of you there.

My bombardment of your inboxes continue and, if anything, is gaining momentum because this is one of the best newsletters that has been sent to members during my time at the helm of the Society.

However, this email is very information heavy so please take the time to read it through to be sure of all the details below.

As I am sure you already suspect, I am delighted to confirm that that the purpose of this newsletter is to announce the release of 2 distillery releases from Springbank and remind you all of the Kilkerran 8yo Cask strength release from our sister distillery, Mitchell’s Glengyle. So let’s get started…

The following bottlings will be available in the UK from tomorrow (Wednesday 12th April 2017) and in other countries/markets in the coming weeks. Please contact your local retailers and stockists for more information, details of whom can be found by visiting www.springbankwhisky.com/distributors.

Hazelburn 13yo Sherrywood – 47.1%

We’ll start with this lovely HB release, distilled in October 2003 and matured in Oloroso casks;

Nose – Initially raisins, marzipan, Demerara sugar followed by treacle, sticky toffee and wood shavings.

Taste – Homemade strawberry jam, sugary and filled with cream, orange zest, brandy snaps and a white chocolate creme brûlée.

Finish – Chocolate orange, crazy coffee liqueur, buttered popcorn, cocoa beans and mocha coffee with a delicate finish of sweet orange marmalade.

There will be approximately 12,000 bottles available worldwide and they will retail at around £55.00.

Need to know

This is not a Society bottle. This is not considered a core product and as such the Society discount does not apply.I will not be taking orders for this bottle as I am not aware of any shop’s stock or allocation.

Longrow 18yo  – 46.0%

Nose – Very sweet; pear drops and light marshmallows. Roasted pine nuts and creme brûlée followed by a very buttery cheesecake base with a soft liquorice note.

Taste – The sweetness continues on the palate; with hard boiled toffee sweets, caramelised sugar, sticky toffee pudding, nougat and fresh cream with hints of charred embers.

Finish – Lovely and rich: dark chocolate followed by coffee beans, liquorish, viennese whirls. This is rounded off with the signature Longrow notes of coastal sea salt flavours and a gentle smokiness.

Matured in 60% refill sherry casks, 40% bourbon casks. There will be approximately 4,500 bottles available worldwide and they will retail at around £89.00.

Need to know

This is not a Society bottle. This is considered a core product so the Society discount will apply. I will not be taking orders for this bottle as I am not aware of any shop’s stock or allocation.

Kilkerran 8yo Cask Strength – 56.2% 

From Mitchell’s Glengyle

Most of you will have some of the information below but just incase any of you missed it I thought I would include it in full this time as well.

Nose – The aroma from the lightly peated barley is apparent from the off and some of the green apples which are becoming a feature of Kilkerran are also present. This whisky is like a favourite dessert, rhubarb crumble, with scents of stewed rhubarb, vanilla and all butter shortbread.

Taste – There’s an earthiness and saltiness, exactly what you want to taste in a Campbeltown dram. This is combined with icing sugar and puff candy which gives a sweetness to the whisky, along with milk chocolate and walnut flavours.

Finish – The peat remains, along with a sootiness, pencil shavings and a liquorice-influenced maltiness.

Matured in 100% bourbon casks, the KK 8yo CS will retail at around £48.00 and there will be approximately 9,000 bottles available worldwide.

Once again, these bottlings will be available in the UK from (Wednesday 12th April 2017) and in other countries/markets in the coming weeks. Please contact your local retailers and stockists for more information, details of whom can be found by visiting www.springbankwhisky.com/distributors.

Some of you may not see this email until Wednesday, in which case these bottles will be available by the time you read these words.

And finally, work on the next Society exclusive bottling is gathering pace and I will hopefully be releasing some information to you in the next few weeks.

Until next time,

Slainte

Nathan

Nathan Currie

For the Springbank Society 

society@springbank.scot

Introducing -“Find Rare Whisky” The online portal to browse, discover and shop for the best in Whiskies, Cognacs and other spirits. Learn more about all the New Brand Exclusives, Rare Collections, New Releases and More…..

If you liked what you tasted at the Nth 2017 then log on to “www.findrarewhisky.com” to purchase any whiskies showcased at the Nth Experience Find Rare Whisky

www.findrarewhisky.com

Friday, April 21st 4-7PM

Locally Made: Sonoma Co. Distillery

Sonoma Co. Distillery, founded in 2010 in the heart of Sonoma County is California’s premier whisky distillery. Their ‘grain-to-glass’ approach to whisky brings a hands on quality to every bottling, resulting in a delicious world-class whisky. A variety of popular and upcoming releases will be sampled, with distillery representatives and whisky experts on hand to answer all your questions.

Click Here to RSVP

BLANTON’S SINGLE BARREL NAMED BEST OF CLASS BOURBON,

RECEIVES DOUBLE GOLD

AT DENVER INTERNATIONAL SPIRITS COMPETITION

Buffalo Trace Distillery whiskies win eight top awards 

            FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (April 5, 2017) Buffalo Trace Distillery was awarded eight top awards at the sixth annual Denver International Spirits Competition, including a Double Gold, which was awarded to Blanton’s Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Blanton’s was also named Best of Class Bourbon.

            In addition to Blanton’s receiving Double Gold, whiskies from Buffalo Trace Distillery also received two Gold, three Silver and two Bronze.

            Those awarded Gold include:

• Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Sazerac Rye Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

            Those awarded Silver include:

• Eagle Rare 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Benchmark Old No. 8 Brand Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Benchmark Brown Sugar Flavored Whiskey

            Those awarded Bronze include:

• Benchmark Apple Flavored Whiskey
• Benchmark Peach Flavored Whiskey

“We are very pleased and humbled by these results,” Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley said. “This is a great recognition for our whiskies, and we could not be more proud of the whole crew at the Distillery who work hard every day to produce our great whiskies.”

The Denver International Spirits Competition was held in Broomfield, Colorado, where a panel of 20 respected spirits authorities rated entries through a double-blind process, on a 100-point scale.

Complete results for the 2017 Denver International Spirits Competition can be found at www.denverspiritscomp.com

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1773 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 17 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named “Brand Innovator of the Year” by Whisky Magazine at its Icons of Whisky America Awards 2015.  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 300 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival brings the forgotten legacy of unsung whisky hero Alexander Edward to life

His vision, acumen and passion for whisky helped to make the Speyside region what it is today, yet few people are aware of the impact that he made on an industry that is worth billions to the Scottish economy.

But the legacy left behind by Alexander Edward – the forgotten hero of the Scotch whisky industry – will be celebrated later this month when the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival raises a toast in his honour.

Renowned whisky writer Dave Broom will bring his story to life at a special event being staged on April 28 at The Craigellachie Hotel – a venue Edward built just a stone’s throw from the distillery where he made his name.

Dave will host the event with Lyndsey Gray, bar manager at The Quaich, who also feels it is long overdue for Edward – a man considered to be years ahead of his time during the Victorian era – to get recognition.

Together they will look back at the life, times and drams of the popular, likeable man responsible for creating the village of Craigellachie, its main hotel and the distillery when he was still only in this 30s.

Dave, who is the driving force behind industry website scotchwhisky.com, says Speyside – and the Scotch whisky industry as a whole – owes Edward a debt of gratitude.

He adds, “Alexander Edward was a classic Victorian man of action. His whisky adventures started when his father gave him the lease of Benrinnes, and he made his name when he joined with Peter Mackie in establishing the Craigellachie distillery.

“Noticing the influx of tourists to the region he began to build villas in the village and then the hotel. He would go on to build Aultmore distillery and be financially involved in the construction of Benromach and Dallas Dhu.

“How can such a legacy be forgotten? Perhaps it’s because Edward was a distiller, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and deal-maker, not a blender. There can be no doubt however that his distilleries and hotels helped to establish Speyside as Scotland’s pre-eminent whisky region. With the building of the hotel he can lay claim to be the first to see the potential for high-class tourism to the area.

“He was, simply, years ahead of this time – and Lyndsey and I feel it’s high time that he was given the recognition he is due. Whisky and hospitality is what he believed in and what the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival stands for.”

During the event, Dave and Lyndsey will be ensuring that guests get to understand the true spirit of Edward by serving up six whiskies made in his stills. Tickets for the talk and taste are priced £60 and are available from the event website, www.spiritofspeyside.com

The Festival takes place from April 27 to May 1 and will welcome thousands of people from home and abroad in a five-day celebration of Scotland’s national drink. There are almost 500 events taking place, ranging from exclusive distillery tours to whisky and food pairing.

Many of the most popular events sold out within a matter of hours of tickets going live, but there are still some with spaces available. Based in the heart of Scotland’s malt whisky country – home to more than half of all of Scotland’s distilleries – the Festival has events from Kingussie in the south to Forres in the west and Buckie in the east.

More information about the event is available at www.spiritofspeyside.com and tickets are also available to buy on the website. The Festival is active on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter and Instagram. Use the hashtag #dram17.

Caption: Whisky writer Dave Broom will join forces with Lyndsey Gray of The Craigellachie Hotel to shed light on the life of Speyside’s forgotten hero – Alexander Edward – during the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

Bunnahabhain Ceòbanach

The latest release of the small batch peated single malt from Islay’s Bunnahbhain distillery. Although famed for its very lightly peated whisky, the distillery does produce some small amounts of heavily peated spirit. Ceòbanach takes its name from the Gaelic for smoky mist.

£55 Buy Now

Friday, May 5th, 5-7PM

Locally Made: Lost Republic Distillery

Based in Sonoma County, Lost Republic Distillery produces true California Bourbon. Master Distiller Matthew Weese uses his extensive experience as a professional winemaker to create bourbon that focuses on subtle flavors and quality ingredients, a patient approach that results in delicious, award-winning bourbon. Each limited-edition bottling starts with locally grown grain and is traditionally copper-pot distilled before barrel aging.

Click Here to RSVP on Facebook

Stillhouse Whiskey Redefines “Travel Size” with Release of New 375 mL “Roadie” 

Award-winning 100% Clear Corn American Whiskey Made Even More Portable 

LOS ANGELES, CA (April 4, 2017) – Stillhouse Spirits Co. today introduced a new 375 mL version of the brand’s award-winning Stillhouse whiskey. Filled with America’s Finest clear corn whiskey, this flask-sized version of Stillhouse’s unbreakable, daring red, 100% stainless steel can is an industry first. Stillhouse is redefining “travel size” with a can that swiftly slides into your back pocket and enables its signature whiskey to more easily travel where glass can’t go.

“We’re extremely proud to launch Stillhouse’s 375 mL ‘Roadie’,” said Brad Beckerman, Founder & CEO of Stillhouse Spirits Co. “As a young brand, the launch of our 375 complements our consumers’ lifestyles. We can’t wait to see where Stillhouse fans take our whiskey while they’re on-the-go.”

Like Stillhouse’s 750 mL, the new pocket-size can extends celebrations beyond typical bar settings and goes where glass can’t to places like backyard barbecues, tailgates, beach bonfires and more. The even more portable and lightweight nature of Stillhouse’s 375 mL can is also perfect for festival season, adventure travels, concerts, and camping. Simply toss the shatterproof can in your bag, backpack or cooler without worry and enjoy once you arrive where you’re headed.

Every Stillhouse expression is all-natural, gluten-free and available in the new, portable 375 mL, including Stillhouse’s 80-proof (40% ABV) Original whiskey as well as 69-proof (34.5% ABV) Apple Crisp, Peach Tea, Coconut, Mint Chip and Red Hot whiskeys. Suggested retail price is $15.99.

Slide the #Stillhouse in your back pocket and let us know where you end up @StillhouseUSA.

About Stillhouse® whiskey

Revolutionary from the inside out, Stillhouse® is an unapologetic disruptor, breaking tradition at every turn. Made from estate-grown corn, Stillhouse is 100% clear corn American whiskey, distilled to perfection in authentic copper whiskey stills and charcoal-filtered for superior quality and taste. The Original 80-proof (40% ABV) has a remarkable mellow flavor and smooth finish. Stillhouse pays homage to the spirit of innovation and cutting against the grain. Defying convention from whiskey to package, Stillhouse is produced in Columbia, TN, and presented in a one-of-a-kind, patent pending, daring red, unbreakable 100% stainless steel can that goes where glass can’t go. Stillhouse uses a proprietary sour mash recipe to create its clean, crisp, gluten-free Original whiskey, with bold, all-natural flavors to make 69-proof (34.5% ABV) Apple Crisp, Peach Tea, Coconut, Mint Chip and Red Hot whiskeys. Stillhouse is best served as a chilled shot, on the rocks to create a distinct riff on your favorite cocktail, or in a handcrafted punch. An award-winning whiskey, Stillhouse Original – the backbone of every Stillhouse flavored-whiskey – took home the gold medal at the 2016 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition. Recognized for its excellence in Spirit Packaging Design, Stillhouse received a Double Gold Award in the 2016 San Francisco World Spirit Competition, a Rosey Award, and a Silver award from The One Show in 2016. Stillhouse is currently available for purchase at select retailers in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin. Suggested retail price is $27.99 for Stillhouse’s 750 mL can. Find out more at http://www.stillhouse.com/. Please enjoy responsibly.

April Outturn brings a feast for the senses with 7 adventurous single casks to spark conversation and imagination.  Get cracking on our Easter drams!

CASK No. 36.118  CAVORTING IN FLOWER MEADOWS

12 years old; 1st fill barrel; 59.9%; Sweet, fruity & mellow

The nose suggests strawberry marshmallows, Jelly Tots and candy necklaces in flower meadows – also dessert wine for the adults. The palate is fantastically fruity – tropical, exotic and citric – but with toffee sweetness and nice woody spice to round it off.

CASK No. 48.82  VIVACIOUS, ZESTY AND PENETRATING

12 years old; 1st fill barrel; 57.5%; Sweet, fruity & mellow

The fresh lively nose (white pepper, sanded wood, stewed rhubarb, lemon balm) turns lightly floral with water (candied angelica, dandelion milk). The palate is zesty, vivacious and penetrating – bitter-sweet fruitiness (pear, grapefruit, dried pineapple) with chili, pepper and clove heat.

CASK No. 7.157  CLEOPATRA MEETS ROBIN HOOD

12 years old; 1st fill barrel; 60.9%; Spicy & dry

‘Yesterday when I was young’ – I opened a pot of almond-scented ‘Cleopatra glue’ and made a bow out of rosewood. Very ‘grown-up’ flavours with chipotle chili powder and beurre noisette. Diluted, salt and pepper ribs with a chili honey sauce.

CASK No. 7.148  WICKED VISCOSITY

26 years old; refill hogshead; 61%; Old & dignified

Hot chocolate cake with toffee sauce and freshly brewed coffee were followed by apple pie in a hot vanilla sauce. With a drop of water; a walk through blossoming orange trees, and on the palate; coconut orange raspberry swirl muffins.

CASK No. 85.42  PUT YOUR FEET UP

16 years old; refill sherry butt; 57.9%; Spicy & sweet

Dark sweet aromas like a mocha cake with balsamic strawberry whipped cream filling. On the palate more like spicy oven-roasted plums seasoned with cloves. Water released bitter orange and liquorice on the nose and we all enjoyed our mug of Jagertee.

CASK No. 41.83  SHERRY, SHERRY BABY

9 years old; 1st fill Oloroso butt; 58.7%; Spicy & sweet

The nose neat certainly could not hide its provenance. Aromas of dark sour cherries, blood oranges and bacon frazzles – but wait until you’ve tried it! Diluted, spicier and herbal, and how about goat cheese blended with mascarpone, roast beetroot and walnuts?

Cask No. 42.27  SMOKED, AGED RIESLING

9 years old; refill barrel; 59.4%; Lightly peated

Off-dry, with a balance of fruity, earthy, slightly mineralic aromas and a hint of petrol made way to briny olives, salted caramels and ‘smoked’ jelly beans on the palate. Diluted, Riesling-poached peaches with tarragon and peat smoked grilled sardines.

SMWS Canada