Digital Innovation Connects Employees At Chivas Brothers

Chivas Brothers, the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, has launched an innovative solution for a brand and manufacturing business to bring all its employees online on sites from Orkney to Plymouth.

It has just replaced its traditional internal website with a new digital hub that supplies a bespoke mobile website to tablet computers enabling all its employees, including around 50% which are not office based or who do not have their own personal computer, to access a broad range of company news and information from its 29 sites in the UK.

Content for the new site has been the subject of a dynamic new approach. Video and interactive features figure strongly and are easily consumed with the Samsung Galaxy S3 device chosen for distribution to all employees. Key business updates and administrative information are combined with a ‘Community Spirit’ section that allows employees to update each other about activities away from work such as fundraising and social clubs including the company’s sailing club and golf society.

The new site, whilst optimised for mobile devices, also becomes the digital hub for all company computers. The project will substantially streamline Chivas Brothers’ internal communications replacing a number of channels such as magazines and newsletters with a single digital channel offering instant access for employees and instant updates from the company. IT services and solutions provider Kelway Ltd, which supplied the tablets, have also been commission to provide a helpdesk for the company’s 1600 employees who are now digitally connected.

The tablets, issued to every employee by the start of 2015, will also provide access to information and internal websites from the company’s parent group, Pernod Ricard, connecting Chivas Brothers employees with colleagues around the world and a view of how and where the company’s revered portfolio of high quality Scotch whiskies and gins are sold and consumed.

Chivas Brothers Chairman and CEO Laurent Lacassagne commented: “Through this initiative we wanted to better connect our teams together, everyone in every department, in every location, from the north of Scotland to London and Plymouth.

“Each and every member of our team makes Chivas Brothers a dynamic, innovative and thriving business. Now we have a single digital home to celebrate and take pride in our achievements and continue to improve our communication, efficiency and our dynamic approach to producing some of the world’s most highly regarded and successful Scotch whiskies and premium gins.”

A version of the digital hub also replaces the company’s corporate website, utilising the same mobile optimisation and bringing its media centre, Magazine (showcasing the company’s innovations and brand campaigns) and corporate updates to an important stakeholder audience – the site is available at http://www.chivasbrothers.com/.

Notes:

About Chivas Brothers
Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard, the world’s co-leader 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 world’s no.2 single malt whisky; 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.

http://www.chivasbrothers.com/

@ChivasNewsRoom

About Pernod Ricard
Pernod Ricard is the world’s co-leader in wines and spirits with consolidated sales of €7,945 million in 2013/14. 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 & Spirit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector and employs a workforce of approximately 18,000 people, operating through a decentralized organization with 6 ‘Brand Companies’ and 80 ‘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 the NYSE Euronext exchange (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is a member of the CAC 40 index.

http://www.pernod-ricard.com/

Karuizawa Japanese Whisky

We know that demand is high for these bottles,  and we will be getting more Karuizawa in stock in about three  months’ time. In the meantime, we have recently launched a partnership with whisky.auction, a new auction that gives people the chance to buy and sell whiskies, fine spirits, miniatures and memorabilia. In its inaugural auction, there are six Karuizawas listed for sale. You can take a look at them here.

Thanks for your continued support of The Whisky Exchange, and we will keep you informed about the next chance to buy some Karuizawa whisky in the near future.

Best wishes,

The Whisky Exchange

‘Everything in Moderation, including moderation.’ – Oscar Wilde

Following the advice of the late, great Oscar Wilde, it is with unmoderated pleasure that we announce the release of Hedonism Quindecimus. Meaning ‘fifteenth’, Quindecimus commemorates fifteen joyful years of whiskymaking at Compass Box with a riotous, intergenerational celebration of all that the interplay between grain spirit and American oak can deliver.

Drawing on grain whiskies of varying ages (none younger than twenty years) from four distilleries, Hedonism Quindecimus brings together the joie de vivre of youth and complexity of old age to create something seductive, mouth-coating and irresistible. Here, caramel coconut succulence combines with exultant tropical fruit notes in a whisky of extraordinary complexity and juxtapositions of flavour.

So join us in this, our fifteenth anniversary toast to all of you that have been with us on the journey since our first bottling. Here’s to you. To fifteen years of joyful pleasure. The thrill of exploration. And of course to the spirit of occasional, unabashed excess.

Contact your favourite retailer now to reserve your bottle or, alternatively, just pick one up from our UK-based web shop.

If you’re looking for something extra special, why not add your own bespoke message to a bottle using our new engraving service? Whatever the occasion, be it a birthday, thank you gift…or ‘just because’, we can engrave your personal message on a specially selected range of whiskies and deliver it directly.

View the full range here

Haig Club Engraved

Haig Club has quickly become one of the most popular products at The Whisky Shop. We’re now giving you the chance to personalise your bottle, making it completely unique to you. The liquid has been crafted using a combination of grain whisky from three cask types. This creates a fresh, clean style that showcases butterscotch and toffee for an ultra-smooth taste.

£54 Buy Now

Dalmore 15 year old  Engraved

The Dalmore Distillery has been producing exceptional single malt whisky since 1839 and, now, you can make your bottle bespoke to you! Dalmore 15 year old spends twelve years maturing in American white oak ex-bourbon casks, then a three year finish in three different sherry woods – Amoroso, Apostoles and Matusalem oloroso. A robust, yet elegant spirit.

£55 Buy Now 

Bunnahabhain 12 year old  Engraved 

Bunnahabhain is quite distinct from the other Islay single malts – firstly, it is created using unpeated malted barley in a time-honoured distillation process and secondly, this isolated coastal sanctuary takes advantage of the pure spring water that flows freely underground away from the peaty moorlands. This 12 year old expression showcases the “fruit and nut” signature style of Bunnahabhain.

£39 Buy Now

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Engraved 

Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel was once only the privilege of the Master Distiller, but it was just too good so they decided to make it available to all those who really appreciate something unique. Each batch is filled from one single barrel of Jack Daniel’s, limited to only 240 to 260 bottles. Seeing as no two barrels of Jack Daniel’s will ever be exactly the same, this is an extra special, truly unique whiskey.

£50 Buy Now

Whisky Ramblings Via Video #108

Mark Dermul, Belgian Whiskyblogger, tries an Island whisky at cask strength. Arran is a rather young distillery, founded only in 1995. It can be found on the isle of the same name, between Glasgow on the mainland and Campbeltown. One of their regular offerings is the Arran 12 Year Old Cask Strength, which was first released in 2012. Now, in 2015, the 4th batch is available. It proves to be quite a fruity and marvellous whisky indeed.

http://youtu.be/dQppzvGGz1Q

Smögen Svensk Single Malt Whisky arrives

Smögen Primör, the first chance to taste single malt whisky from Sweden’s Smögen distillery, has arrived.

Produced from optic barley of 45ppm and distilled by hand in small batches in a 600 litre spirit pot still, the spirit has been matured in a combination of new European oak casks and former Bordeaux casks. Smögen Primör is heavily peated, powerful and rich for its age.  Primör is bottled at natural colour and cask strength of 63.7% vol.

The Smögen distillery was designed and built in 2010 by pioneering distiller Pär Caldenby, on the west coast of Sweden, north of Gothenburg. With a production capacity of just 35000 litres, the comparatively small size of the distillery allows for an attention to detail not seen elsewhere. Until now every drop of Smögen Whisky has been distilled and blended by Pär Caldenby personally.

Commenting on the release Pär Caldenby said, ‘When I set out to build a distillery I was aiming to take inspiration from the best that Scotland, France and Japan could offer and make a very distinctive malt whisky, in fully traditional pot stills. The decidedly coastal location and use of heavily peated malt alongside virgin or first fill casks means a fast maturing whisky. Our first bottling, Primör, shows part of our progress to date and I am quite delighted with the result’.

Smögen Primör is available from The Green Welly Stop, Single Malts Direct and The Whisky Exchange.

Notes

1. Smögen website: http://www.strane.se/                Twitter: @SmogenWhiskyUK

2. In 2007 Pär Caldenby wrote ‘Enjoying Malt Whisky’, a detailed guide to Single Malt whisky. ISBN: 978-91-633-1539-8.

3. Alongside whisky, the distillery now also produces Strane London Dry Gin.  http://www.strane.se/

4. Smögen Whisky AB is represented by Highfern Ltd. For pictures, more information and sales enquires please contact; Robert Ransom, Highfern Ltd, robert@highfern.co.uk  Mobile: 07811 640778

Smögen Svensk Single Malt Whisky – Sherry Project 1:1 51.8% Vol. With a heavily peated house style, this is the first release in a mini series exploring the impact of sherry cask maturation and finishing on Smögen Svensk Single Malt Whisky. Sherry Project 1:1 was initially matured for two years and ten months in new heavily roasted 120 litre Quarter casks, made from European Oak, before being transferred and finished for four months in an Oloroso sherry butt.

‘This is a very good whisky. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Pär Caldenby & co. can really distil whisky in absolute class, there is no doubt. I will follow Smögen with eager anticipation.’ Johan Borgemo, Whiskynorden

Sherry Project 1:1 is limited to 900 500ml bottles, of which 600 sold within 21 hours of being released in Sweden’s Systembolaget, in November 2014.

Smögen Svensk Single Malt Whisky – Sherry Project 1:2 55.7% Vol. Like Sherry Project 1:1, Sherry Project 1:2 was initially matured in new heavily roasted 120 litre Quarter casks, but has been finished for longer, for eight months, again in an Oloroso Sherry Butt.

744 bottles (of the 880 produced) of Sherry Project 1:2 went on sale in Sweden’s Systembolaget on the 26^th of March 2015, and sold in less than one minute.

Looking to the future, Sherry Project 1:3, will be finished for 12 months and bottled in summer 2015. The finale to the series will be Sherry Project 1:4, which will be released as a four year old whisky, and will be matured entirely in Sherry casks, starting with Quarter casks and then married together for six months in another Sherry Butt. It is due for release late 2015.

For pictures of Smögen please click here

UK’s busiest malt whisky ferry wins an International Safety Award with merit

Caledonian MacBrayne’s MV Finlaggan ferry has won an International Safety Award with merit from the British Safety Council.

A new addition to CalMac’s fleet in 2011, MV Finlaggan carries more bulk malt whisky than any other ferry in the UK, and, indeed, very possibly the world, transporting the Isle of Islay’s most famous export on the first leg of its global journey.

The safety and handling considerations given to this most precious and revered of cargoes were among many criteria explored in a submission by CalMac to the British Safety Council for its annual awards.

For the whisky connoisseur, the most likely hazard facing them is the potential for over-indulgence. However, for a ferry company transporting some 25 per cent of Scotland’s annual malt whisky output from its island birthplace onwards to world markets, it is quite a different prospect. Islay has eight distilleries and neighbouring island Jura has one – all nine ship their cargo using CalMac ferries, most frequently MV Finlaggan.

Tasty as these whiskies may be, such cargoes are also hazardous and must be handled with care – whether it be the potential risk of fire or pollution hazard.

 In 2014, Finlaggan – which also provides occasional cover on the Skye to North Uist and Harris routes – carried 114,000 passengers, 40,000 cars and 6,500 commercial vehicles, spending the equivalent of more than 130 days at sea.

The rigorous submissions procedure also investigated everything from details of crew welfare through to first aid procedures, how health and safety hazards are determined to testing of emergency systems, and much more besides.

“The safety of customers, crews and vessels across our fleet are of paramount importance at CalMac,” said Louis de Wolff, Head of Safety, Environment and Security at Caledonian MacBrayne. “MV Finlaggan has worked hard to ensure that all systems are in place to deliver robust health, safety and welfare procedures, accurate and thorough reporting and compliance with an extensive set of maritime legislation, licensing and certification requirements.

“Congratulations to all members of Finlaggan’s crew – it is a collaborative effort and testament to the way that the ship’s team has prioritised and focused on the health, safety and welfare of passengers, crew and the ship.”

“Everyone on board, has a safety role of some description,” continued MV Finlaggan’s Master, Guy Robertson. “All crew members feel fully involved and take great pride in their excellent record. They came together with headquarters’ Safety, Environment and Security Department staff to put together this award entry and we are proud to have achieved this result.”

These awards are internationally renowned as a pinnacle of achievement in the field and attract entries from blue chip companies globally – others which achieved merit awards alongside CalMac were Babcock International, BAE, Boeing, Carillion, Diageo, GlaxoSmithKline and Unilever. Companies from as far afield as India, Nigeria, Jordan, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Qatar and Kuwait were all rewarded.

Neal Stone, acting Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, said: “We warmly congratulate Caledonian MacBrayne’s MV Finlaggan and her crew on gaining an International Safety Award with merit for 2015. All of those working on board have made this award possible.

“It was also apparent that Caledonian MacBrayne recognises the value that proportionate and sensible management of occupational health and safety risks brings to the organisation, its people and society.

“These awards reflect the importance of aiming for good standards of health and safety at work. Caledonian MacBrayne and MV Finlaggan should rightly be proud of this achievement.”  

Picture shows:

Handling with care – crew members (left to right) deck trainee Jamie Knox, chief officer and safety officer Lee McDowell and quartermaster Malcolm Miller from MV Finlaggan with just a little of Islay’s precious malt whisky cargo; just one of the reasons the ship has picked up an International Safety Award with merit 

Notes:

1) Further information about CalMac is available at www.calmac.co.uk

2) Caledonian MacBrayne and CalMac are trading names of CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL). These names are used under licence from Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL). The lion rampant device is used by CFL with the permission of CMAL.

Wyoming Whiskey Hires Frank Sacca as Vice President and National Sales Director

Sacca tapped to lead national expansion

Kirby, Wyo. (April 13, 2015) – Wyoming Whiskey, maker of award-winning small batch bourbon, has hired Frank Sacca as its Vice President and first-ever National Sales Director. Sacca has been hand selected to lead the charge toward rapid national expansion in 2015.

Sacca has over 25 years of experience in the spirits industry. He began his career in a family-owned retail business in New York. After a few years with Charmer Industries in his early career, he joined William Grant & Sons where he worked as Midwest Regional Manager and Division Vice President for 21 years. For the past six years, Sacca held the title of Division Vice President at Proximo Spirits, a company well known as the importer and distributer of Jose Cuervo, where he managed a team of talented sales professionals across multiple markets.

“Frank’s accomplishments are visible in the marketplace,” said David DeFazio, co-founder of Wyoming Whiskey. “He has an impressive track record launching innovative brands and line extensions. His knowledge and experience make him a valuable addition to our team and we are confident that he will bring our vision of successful national distribution to fruition.”

Frank will work full-time for Wyoming Whiskey from just outside Chicago, Illinois where he resides with his wife Amy, and two children, Nicholas and Rachel.

“I am proud to join the close-knit family at Wyoming Whiskey. I am eager to grow awareness and distribution of this one-of-a-kind bourbon and propel this young, passionate, and authentic brand to the next level,” said Sacca.

Sacca will oversee the efforts of Tim Harland, Western Regional Sales Manager, and a soon-to-be-announced Eastern Regional Sales Manager. 

About Wyoming Whiskey

Based in Kirby, Wyoming, Wyoming Whiskey has a simple goal: to create America’s next great bourbon. The company and product is a collaboration between its partners and 97,818 square miles of Wyoming. The Mead family first came to

Wyoming as ranchers in 1890 and the state defines them, and their whiskey.  They use the finest corn, wheat, barley, and water from the Big Horn Basin and promote Wyoming’s natural and human resources.  Every drop of this bourbon is 100% Wyoming. To learn more, visit http://www.wyomingwhiskey.com/.

The Spring Season is finally here, before soon it will be summer, Hurray!

As the weather becomes crisper it’s the time of year for those refreshing malts, leaving the sherry influenced drams until later on in the year.

This 12 year old Independent bottling of Strathmill from the discontinued Flora and Fauna range fits the bill just right, offering stunning crisp floral aromas, with tasty citrus fruits on the palate.

£41.95 BUY NOW