Ralfy pops a cork ( again ! ) for Ralfy Review 626 – Bruichladdich 10yo 2nd Edition @ 50%vol

Twentseven – twentytwo

Friday; I went south from Perth down to Tullibardine on Friday – the start of the weekend. This is what I can tell you about the Tullibardine “Murray”. There are around 12,ooo bottles (and these have already all gone out to market as it was bottled on allocation). It is first fill ex Bourbon, cask strength 56.1%, this is the Marquess Range. At this point in time they do not know when the second edition will be released and indeed have not decided what this whisky will be. Anything they do will sit with the brand image as a boutique craft distiller, and so a whisky has to be just right to be considered under the range. The second edition will be released at the earliest mid 2018. But this one …. Chocolaty strawberries, oak barley and bakery notes (Bread or Greggs?), fruit with orange blossom (special). We (Liz and Paul) have up to now obtained 8 of these glorious bottles. The Murray is a 12 year old single malt whisky distilled in 2004 and bottled in 2016 at cask strength (see above) no chill-filtration. Released as part of their Marquess Collection, likely named after William Murray, who was the Marquess of Tullibardine. The 2nd Marquess of Tullibardine, Sir William Murray fought for the Jacobites at the Battle of Sherrifmuir on the hills close to the distillery. In 1745 he was chosen to unfurl the Royal Standard at Glenfinnan announcing the Prince as the rightful King. I’m a sucker for history. This is the first release of a Tullibardine at cask strength in a hundred years, it’s one of those “try before you die” drams, or in my case, “try before it’s all gone”!

I dropped into Tulli on Friday (3 Feb) to pick up our case of Murray, chat and be completely nosey as to all the developments going on there. As it is a half hour doon the road it is easy to “just drop by for a cuppa” a grand excuse to pick up drams and see what new ones are available now/soon. Said Matthew “We are currently thinking about whether we do a second bottling this year of the Murray given the demand we have for the product, again this has yet to be decided. The series was created by the team at the distillery – we are a very close knit team and we work on the brand development as a team with regular brand meetings. Matthew Johns Commercial Director

Tullibardine distillery founded in 1949 on the site of a brewery, said to have brewed ale for King James IV’s coronation in 1488! The brewery dates back to the 12th century. Named after Tullibardine Moor, the distillery draws its water from the Danny Burn to the south-west of Blackford village, renowned for the purity of its water, so much so that the well known Highland Spring is bottled close by from their own spring. Queen Helen, the wife of King Magnus of Alba (Scotland), drowned in a ford after falling from her horse not far from Blackford was named accordingly. So that was my weekend started with a case of whisky, reason for today? Didnee wish to take a case of whisky to Edinburgh with all those Irishers about!

Saturday; drove south again, over the bridge and into Edinburgh, stopped near the zoo to meet my pal PJ, he was away over with pals to see the game and have a grand weekend, he also brought me my bottle of Telling “Rising” and I gave him the Redbreast – we had pre – arranged this to be sure.

RISING an Irish dram from Teeling’s. An 11 year old single malt to mark the rising of the distillery and the 100 years since the Irish Rising of 1916, Dublin – where two of my great uncles fought alongside the hero’s against the British (Paul). A handcrafted small batch, 1000 bottles and consists of rare Irish casks. REDBREAST Mano a Lámh All Sherry Limited Edition. A limited release from Midleton of 2000 bottles for Stillhouse members. I had a spare bottle of this (Paul), Mano a Lámh, means ‘hand in hand’, represents the joining of two languages, Gaelic and Galician, in celebration of the relationship between the Masters of Midleton and the artisans in Spain, who have crafted the distillery’s sherry butts over 20 years. A grand pairing for this Scotland/Ireland rugby match, not forgetting the Murray (Murrayfield is the stadium for the game – clever eh!).

Leaving PJ I headed to drop off the car (found free parking) and my bag then dondered into the city – Jeeze, it was rammed with Irish. Ended up making a pub tour, just to find a space you understand to see the game. After some lunch and many visits, I ended up at Usquabae, superb craic in this pub, mega full with rugby supporters, Irish sitting next to Scots, next to English even, that’s the way it goes with rugby. Saw the fantastic game; Scotland’s passion and relentless tackling did not give Ireland time to breathe, let alone pass the ball (or have a dram). It was just suffocating. Stuart Hogg the Glasgow player is not just ahead of his rivals, he is clear of them by some distance, my man of the match. Game over after some nervous last few minutes, Scotland win 27 – 22! I wander downstairs to the whisky bar – by this time a cousin has arrived with pals, I am trapped. Usquabae whisky bar is superb, over 400 whiskies to select from, we immediately set up a bar tab, not thinking where this was leading … Michael and myself started with a Balvenie 21 year old Port, as you do. I was unaware of what the others were drinking, some went/stayed on the beers. Our education included a Redbreast 15yo (Irish to be nice), Glenrothers Sherr, Dalmore cigar malt and a Dalmore King Alec. After this it all got a bit dark and confusing, wee note here; be careful when drinking with Irish. I do recall a very nice Balvenie 17 year old looking at me across the bar, so called him over and educated myself and Michael from Donegal into the Balvenie way. It was about now we heard a hige roar fae upstairs, a less intoxicated Irishman went upstairs to see what was goin on? He arrived back saying the Saxons were behind against the French, superb! We had a long discussion between ourselves and bar staff “what the hell is Swing Low sweet chariot all about?” After, or during this chat – I lost all sense and apparently was assisted back to my hotel by Mic and a friend, I was walking but not in a straight line, Devil Irish strike again. I have to say thanks to Mic for getting me home – he is younger than me thankfully, he returned to the fray. I woke up on ma bed, fully dressed watching match of the day!

Sunday; driving home, at a suitable time for the fumes to dissolve, with two good friends in the back of the car (Rising and Murray) am happy as Larry. It’s always the same on this game, my dad fae Oban, my ma fae Kilkenny, I don’t really care who wins, I win each time! My big gripe and rant; is the saxon media, they never gave Scotland a chance, the Irish they said only have to turn up to beat us! And how did their team fare against the French, they scrambled a win only just, but that night the sports news BBC was full of a superb saxon win with umpteen minutes of coverage, Scotland got a wee mention. Typical. By the way saxon (English) media ANDY MURRAY IS SCOTTISH not British or English. Again, a great dram; Tullibardine Murray.

Ends.

 PAUL MCLEAN   http://www.whiskytours.scot/

BONHAMS TO HOLD FIRST ONLINE-ONLY WHISKY AUCTION IN HONG KONG

More than 70 lots of iconic Macallan

Bonhams Hong Kong is to hold its first online-only whisky auction starting on Friday 17th February and closing on 10th March 2017. For this inaugural online auction, Bonhams presents one of the great names of Scotch Whisky, The Macallan. The sale offers more than 70 lots of the world-renowned Speyside distillery, spanning five decades of rare vintages from the 1940s to the 1980s.

Among the highlights are:

33 bottles of Macallan from consecutive years 1954 – 1986. Estimate HK$550,000 – 700,000

Macallan-Select Reserve 1946-52 year old. Estimate HK$75,000 – 90,000

Macallan Gran Reserva 1979 – 1982 (4 bottles). Estimate HK$65,000 – 85,000

Macallan-1945. Estimate HK$60,000 – 80,000

There are also other important releases of Macallan such as Royal Marriage 48/61 and Red Ribbon.  Bonhams Head of Wine & Whisky in Hong Kong, Daniel Lam said, “We are very excited about this new sale – the first online-only whisky sale for Bonhams worldwide. We opted to sell bottles from one distillery only and in The Macallan I think we have chosen the best. I believe both the selection, and this innovative way of selling whisky at auction, will have broad appeal among whisky collectors.

The Macallan
Bonhams, Hong Kong, Admiralty
17 February – 10th March 2017
Specialist: Daniel Lam, Head of Wine & Whisky Department

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?

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The Exclusive Dram

“Your Online Whisky Bar”

www.theexclusivedram.co.uk

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 Description

This stunning single cask charity bottling from Lagavulin is the culmination of its 200th anniversary celebrations, and will benefit Islay and the people who live there. This is Bottle Number 1/522 of a one-off release limited to just 522 bottles.

The full proceeds received by Diageo from the auction of the Lagavulin 1991 Bottle Number 1/522 will be donated to Islay Heritage (OSCR No. SC046938) to fund projects on Islay which are designed to enhance the knowledge and understanding of the rich and diverse history of Islay.
The nose has charred oak timbers, sawdust and voluptuous fruit backed by subtle milk chocolate and vanilla. The palate is hot and sweet. Searing, woody dryness, then calmer with mentholic chocolate notes and comforting honey underscored by a subtle chilli-like heat. The finish is quietly persistent with tart red-berry notes, cedar and a spicy, smoky ginger warmth. Leaves the palate minty, with a fruity coffee note and a sprinkling of salt.

Andy at Malt Box reviews Glenmorangie Bacalta

https://youtu.be/MgqXBF_Zigk

@maltbox on Twitter

£159.55

Glen Grant 25 Year Old 1990 vintage Speyside single malt Scotch whiskey. Single cask sherry butt bottled June 2011 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the Old & Rare Platinum Selection. 206 bottles. Established in 1840 by brothers James and John Grant, the business prospered and in 1897 Glen Grant No. 2 distillery was established across the road in order to meet the high demand for Glen Grant whiskey. During the late nineteenth century a Victorian garden was laid out in the valley behind the distillery and is now open to distillery visitors. Glen Grant is a Speyside malt whiskey distillery situated in Rothes equipped with eight stills and an on-site bottling plant. Gordon & MacPhail has released some rare vintage single malts dating back to the 1950s.

Record Year for Rare Whisky as Profitable Passions Gain Favour

The booming UK rare whisky auction market has become ‘increasingly liquid’ in an exceptional year for rare Scotch, according to a new report published today by whisky analyst, broker and investment experts Rare Whisky 101.

According to the full year results for 2016 published today, both the volume and value of rare Scotch whisky sold at auction increased by record amounts. The £ value of collectable bottles of Single Malt Scotch whisky sold at auction in the UK rose by 48.64% to a record £14.21m (2015 £9.56m). The number of bottles of Single Malt Scotch whisky sold at auction in the UK increased by 35.21% to 58,758 (2015 43,458).

The most expensive bottle to sell at auction in the UK was a bottle of 50 year old Yamazaki for £62,600.

According to the report, there are a number of factors behind this increased liquidity, created by the impact of volatile market conditions. A favourable forex rate (for those buying outside the UK), low interest rates, and the uncertainty of geopolitical change have all served to fuel demand for passion investments such as whisky, wine and art as a viable component of a balanced investment portfolio.

The past year has also seen the continued growth of the whisky auction market with more players coming to market, making the process of buying and selling more accessible to investors and collectors. In turn, the trading costs associated with selling rare whisky are reducing as some auctioneers compete for the opportunity to attract the most sought after bottles by reducing commission rates.

However, while Rare Whisky 101 sees further room for growth in 2017, they also predict a stabilisation in the market with certain brands predicted to re-trace to more affordable levels.

Whisky investment analyst and co-founder of Rare Whisky 101, Andy Simpson commented: “2016 has been another exceptional year for rare Scotch and we’re beginning to see signs of maturity within the market. The continued growth in both volume and value has added further liquidity, making rare whisky a more popular and more accessible ‘passion investment’. At the same time, the dynamic evolution of the online rare whisky auction market has made it much easier to buy and sell.

“We have no doubt that the current low interest rate environment and wider uncertainty within the market has fuelled demand for rare whisky, as investors have looked to alternative ‘passion’ investments which can offer a diversified approach to balance their portfolios and deliver positive financial returns. While it’s difficult to see the market continuing to expand at such levels over the next few years, primarily due to a finite availability of rare whisky, we do believe that there is further room for growth. As increasing numbers of investors participate in the market and demand continues to increase, it will be fascinating to see how prices move.”

Scotch achieves recognition as passion investment

In another booming year for rare whisky, the leading index for Scotch whisky, the Rare Whisky Apex 1000 Index closed 2016 up 38% for the year, outperforming strong years for Wine (Liv-Ex 24.79%), Gold (8.46%) and the FTSE 100 (12%).

As a clear sign of rare whisky’s growing popularity among passion investors, Lloyds Private Banking recently listed whisky as one of the UK’s favourite passion investments. According to Lloyds’ research, one in six UK investors holds alternative investments in their portfolios, with 3% investing in whisky. On average, £27,700 is spent on whisky as a single “passion” investment.

The auction market is changing the retail dynamic of the whisky industry

In line with the steep increases in both volume and value, 2016 also witnessed the evolution of the secondary (auction) market as a route to market for distilleries. For the first time, traditional retail routes were overlooked in favour of auction for primary market releases.

One such example is Strathearn Distillery which sold its first 100 bottles of Scotch through Perth-based Whisky Auctioneer, earning them between £315 and £4,150 per 50cl bottle of 3 year old Scotch.

The Macallan still The Number 1

Macallan maintained its dominance as the number one traded distillery on a volume and value basis, accounting for nearly 10% of the market for all bottles sold and 22% of the total value. The next closest distillery from a volume and value perspective is Ardbeg, with an 8% share of both volume and value. For the Macallan’s market defining 18 year old vintage collection 1965 – 1990, prices shot up from £19,000 at end 2015 to £46,000 at end 2016. Demand for old, rare, vintage and peerless quality single malt whisky has never been greater.

For more information or to download the full report visit: http://www.rarewhisky101.com/my_media/RW101%20Annual%20report%202016.pdf

Notes: 

Images: Rare Whisky 101 co-founders Andy Simpson and David Robertson

(high res images available on request)

About Rare Whisky 101 Andy Simpson and David Robertson launched Rare Whisky 101 in 2014 with the aim of offering a whisky valuation service, brokerage and consultancy for whisky connoisseurs, collectors and investors. Having tracked every bottle sold at UK auctions over the past 12 years, the business now offers the world’s first, only and most comprehensive online single malt Scotch & Japanese whisky dataset covering over 200,000 price records across 27,000 different bottle types. In the last 12 months, RW101 have brokered around 20,000 rare whisky bottles around the globe in addition to trading in aged casks from iconic distilleries such as The Macallan, Ardbeg, Bowmore, Springbank, Mortlach, Talisker, Caol Ila, Lagavulin and Highland Park.

FEBRUARY AUCTION NOW LIVE (ends Sunday 26^th February)

…place your bids at http://www.whiskyhammer.co.uk/

With an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits there is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest, enjoy!

2006 Belle Meade 10 Year Old “K&L Exclusive” Single Barrel #2525 Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $69.99 View

2006 Belle Meade 10 Year Old “K&L Exclusive” Single Barrel #2573 Cask Strength Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $69.99 View

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