To the Scotch Whisky Association: Stop fighting (UK) minimum pricing 

It is now one year to the day when minimum unit pricing should have been introduced in Scotland. Yet still we wait for this vital public health policy, supported by the Scottish Parliament, to come into force. It has been delayed because the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) is fighting its implementation every step of the way. Why? Because they know it will work. 

The SWA has mirrored the tactics of the tobacco industry in delaying life-saving legislation. They oppose any measure that might affect their sizeable profits, no matter the obvious benefits to people’s health. By taking this legal action, they are undermining the united view of the Scottish Parliament, ignoring the democratic process and costing taxpayers thousands of pounds in legal bills. 

Despite recent welcome improvements, alcohol is a huge health and social problem for Scotland. Getting rid of ultra-cheap alcohol through minimum pricing is a crucial first step in turning things round and one which will make a genuine, lasting difference to health, crime and society. Minimum pricing will cut alcohol-related hospital admissions and save lives. We cannot afford to delay any longer. 

This is an appeal to the Scotch Whisky Association to immediately drop their legal challenge and bow to the will of the Scottish Parliament. It’s the right thing to do. 

Dr Evelyn Gillan, Chief Executive, Alcohol Focus Scotland Dr Brian Keighley, Chair, BMA (Scotland) Dr Peter Rice, Chair, Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, Chair, Alcohol Health Alliance Dr Mac Armstrong CB, Chair of Alcohol Focus Scotland and former Chief Medical Officer for Scotland Christine Duncan, Chief Executive, Scottish Families Affected by Alcohol and Drugs Katherine Brown, Director, Institute of Alcohol Studies Professor Mark Bellis, UK Faculty of Public Health Dr Nick Sheron, University of Southampton Professor Nick Heather, Emeritus Professor of Alcohol and Other Drug Studies, Northumbria University Eric Appleby, Chief Executive, Alcohol Concern Dr Gary Tanner, Consultant Psychologist (Addictions), NHS Lanarkshire Colin Shevills, Director, Balance the North East Alcohol Office Dr Jim McCambridge, Senior Lecturer in Behaviour Change, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Professor Linda Bauld, Director of the Institute of Social Marketing, University of Stirling and Deputy Director, UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies Andrew Langford, Chief Executive, British Liver Trust Craig McNally, Senior Health Promotion Specialist (Alcohol & Drugs), NHS Highland Catherine Chiang, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Dr Margaret Somerville, Director of Public Health and Health Policy, NHS Highland Jackie Brock, Chief Executive, Children in Scotland Suzanne Costello, Chief Executive, Alcohol Action Ireland Baroness Hollins, Chair, BMA UK Board of Science

MINIMUM PRICING: GREEN MSP WELCOMES CHALLENGE TO SWA 

Tuesday, April 1st, 2014 Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow and health spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, today welcomed an open letter from senior doctors and health charities challenging the Scotch Whisky Association’s delaying of minimum pricing for alcohol. 

Greens were the only opposition MSPs to support the measure in the 2007-11 parliament and again voted for it when it was passed two years ago but it has been delayed by a legal challenge from the SWA. A judge ruled against the SWA but the lobby group is appealing the decision. 

Doctors and charities accuse the SWA of mirroring the tactics of the tobacco industry in delaying life-saving legislation. 

Patrick Harvie MSP said: 

“Charities and doctors are right to challenge the Scotch Whisky Association, and we can only hope public pressure mounts. Many of these companies are vastly profitable multinationals, not traditional independent distillers, and they seem all too willing to risk public health for bigger profits. 

“The situation is another sad example of how corporate interests stifle democracy, from the historic tactics of big tobacco to the childish antics of Donald Trump. Two years on from minimum pricing being passed by parliament, it’s clearer than ever that we need to challenge the dominance of the drinks industry by big firms whose focus will always be profit. They overshadow the welcome growth of small, independent brewers and distillers who put quality ahead of volume sales, and genuinely benefit our local communities.” 

– See more at here  

Maker’s Mark® Unveils Art Installation By Renowned Artist Dale Chihuly In Honor Of The 60th Anniversary Of The Bourbon Revolution

(Loretto, KY) March 27, 2014 – Maker’s Mark®, the pioneer of handcrafted bourbon, is commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Bourbon Revolution by paying tribute to the vision of the founders of Maker’s Mark® bourbon, Bill Samuels, Sr., and his wife Margie Samuels, with the unveiling of an original artwork, The Spirit of the Maker.  Created especially for Maker’s Mark by renowned artist, Dale Chihuly, it is the first of Chihuly’s work to be on public display in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. The Spirit of the Maker will be on permanent view at the Maker’s Mark Distillery beginning March 27.

The Spirit of the Maker is not just an extraordinary work of art, but a symbol and an homage to the vision and spirit of Bill Samuels, Sr. Sixty years ago, Bill had a dream to create a bourbon that, for the first time, tasted good and was in good taste and would not “blow your ears off,” the measure by which bourbons were judged at the time.  What he wanted to do more than anything else was create a bourbon that would redefine and transcend the industry by appealing to bourbon and non-bourbon drinkers alike, so he burned the 170-year-old Samuels family recipe and introduced Maker’s Mark. Unknowingly and unintentionally, Bill Samuels, Sr.’s handcrafted creation served as the shot that started a Bourbon Revolution, transforming bourbon from a “commodity” to a premium handcrafted spirit, and giving rise to the modern era of bourbon.

Spectacular in appearance and scope, The Spirit of the Maker salutes those who have pioneered and redefined genres, refusing to be constrained by convention.  The installation, made entirely of hand-blown glass elements, is a remarkable kaleidoscope of colors, shapes and forms. Visuals include deep browns and vibrant ambers emblematic of the Kentucky whisky, crystal blues reflective of the water from the Distillery’s limestone spring-fed lake, as well as and rich crimsons and reds evocative of the signature red wax that has become an international symbol associated uniquely with Maker’s Mark® bourbon.

“We wanted to further enhance the distillery experience for all visitors by offering something that was distinctive to any distillery anywhere in the world,” noted Maker’s Mark Chief Operating Officer Rob Samuels. “Dale, much like my grandfather, Bill Samuels, Sr., is an innovator who also revolutionized a genre: the art of glass blowing. We knew he was the perfect partner.”

Said Dale Chihuly, “I’m very excited about creating a unique installation at the Maker’s Mark Distillery, one of the most beautiful and historic landmarks in the country, in celebration of their 60th anniversary.”

Maker’s Mark is also in the final stages of completing a permanent exhibition of historic artifacts at the Distillery, which will include the original pot still that Bill Samuels, Sr., used to handcraft the first small batch of Maker’s Mark®, the first Maker’s Mark barrel ever made, and an exact replica of the original papier-mâché bottle designed by Margie Samuels. Margie is also responsible for creating the Maker’s Mark® name, label, font and iconic red wax that each bottle is still hand dipped in today, making every bottle unique.

Maker’s Mark recently announced the addition of a third still at its facility in Loretto, Kentucky, which will be totally identical in equipment, operation and inefficient process to that which exists today and to that which existed sixty years ago when Maker’s Mark® was first crafted.  The third still, which will begin construction in April of this year and be completed in the summer of 2015, will enable Maker’s Mark to increase production capacity by fifty percent.  Additional enhancements have been planned in order to continue enhancing the visitor experience in anticipation of more than doubling the number of guests to the Distillery over the next decade.

The viewing of The Spirit of the Maker and the Maker’s Mark historical artifacts will be available during regular operating hours, Monday through Saturday from 9:30am-3:30pm and Sundays from 11:30am-3:30pm.  For additional information please visit the Maker’s Mark website at www.makersmark.com or contact the distillery Visitor Center at 270-865-2099.

CORSAIR WINS CRAFT DISTILLING’S HIGHEST HONOR, THE BUBBLE CAP AWARD, “DISTILLERY OF THE YEAR,” AT THE AMERICAN DISTILLING INSTITUTE AWARDS.

Seattle, WA, April 2, 2014

Corsair Distillery has won the highest honor in the world of craft distilling: the “Bubble Cap” award from ADI, the American Distilling Institute. ADI President Bill Owens said, “No one has given more back to the distilling community than Corsair. No one has been more innovative, yet open. They are the future of craft distilling.”

The Bubble Cap award is given to the one distillery of the year that represents the very best in the world of artisan distilling: excellence in quality of spirits, innovation, transparency, authenticity of approach, sustained company growth, community involvement, and embodying the ethos of craft. With over 500 distilleries now open in this exploding category, this makes Corsair’s win even more impressive.

Drew Faulkner, Vice President of ADI, said “Corsair truly deserves this. They are someone the whole industry can look up to and admire.” The bubble cap is a device used by distillers in the column of a still to increase the proof of the spirit. The award is made in Louisville, Kentucky at the Vendome Copper Company that also built Corsair’s stills.

By ADI’s definition, a craft distillery must produce less than 100,000 proof gallons per year, be independently owned and operated, and must actually distill their own products.

This makes Nashville, TN based Corsair’s third “Craft Distillery of the Year” award, having won Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky award and the Wizard of Whiskey award. The distillery has won a number of other notable awards, including two “Innovator of the Year” awards from Whisky Magazine. The Bubble Cap award is particularly special in the craft distilling community because it is awarded by an organization made up of distilling industry peers.

Since its inception 6 years ago, Corsair has won 92 medals and awards at international spirits competitions. Publications and media outlets such as The New York Times, CNN Money, Food and Wine, Fortune Magazine, The Atlantic, Saveur, Tastings Magazine, Chilled Magazine, Imbibe Magazine, Beverage Industry, Beverage World, In The Mix, Whisky Magazine, Time Out New York, Garden and Gun, Whisky Advocate, Southern Living, Details, Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire, Wine Enthusiast, CBS News, Food Republic, A rtisan Spirit, and Maxim have featured and praised Corsair’s unique artisan spirits.
Website: http://www.corsairartisan.com

Twitter: @corsairartisan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/corsairartisan
ADI: http://distilling.com/

Bubble Cap
Corsair won a total of 8 medals at the American Distilling Institute awards. Corsair has won 92 medals thus far in International spirits competitions.

Everyone at Corsair is honored and grateful for this award and the recognition of the distillery’s vision and work.

Darek Bell,
Corsair Distillery Owner
Booze for Badasses.

APRIL UPDATE: A HIVE OF ACTIVITY

April’s bottlings stirred up a hornet’s nest: of the original fourteen keepers, only nine are still flying free. Here are your top five queen bees – catch one quick before the swarm moves on…

No.1: Young & spritely

36.74 Whiter than white

A 9 year old whisky from a first fill ex-bourbon barrel

BUY £44.00

No.2: Spicy & sweet

76.115 Glamping in a Yurt

An 18 year old whisky from a refill ex-sherry butt

BUY £71.70

No.3: Peated

3.215 Weird but wonderful

An 18 year old whisky from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead

BUY £68.10

No.4: Heavily peated

29.152 Chapter and verse

A 23 year old whisky from a refill ex-bourbon hogshead

BUY £95.90

No. 5: Old & dignified

73.62 Magical, mellifluous marvelosity

A 24 year old whisky from a refill ex-sherry butt

BUY £84.90

Browse all bottlings

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

Japan – Single Malt Scotch

• Suntory Hibiki 12 Year Japanese Whiskey 750ml (Ships as 1.5L) (1 bottle limit) – 6 available ($64.99)

• Suntory Yamazaki 12 year old Japanese Single Malt Whiskey 750ml – 2 available ($59.99)

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

• BenRiach 17 Year Old Solstice 2nd Edition Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 3 available ($99.99)

United States – Bourbon and Rye

• Tuthilltown Hudson Baby Bourbon (375ml) – 12 available ($42.99)

K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com/
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

The Glenlivet Gallow Hill Single Cask Whisky Shop exclusive is now available to order! We are still running with free delivery on all orders over £60 delivered to UK addresses!

The Whisky Shop is proud to present another exciting exclusive distillery bottling. Limited to less than 300 bottles this expression is one of the most limited releases ever to come out of Glenlivet. We expect demand to be high and all orders will be processed on a first come first served basis.

The Glenlivet Gallow Hill 16 year old Single Cask tasting notes:

Nose: Bursting with concentrated fruit flavours. Sweet clementine orange and fruity pear complemented perfectly with a sensation of toasted almonds and moist gingerbread.

Taste: Coats the mouth with wonderful sweet orange flavours intermingled with rich milk chocolate and a hint of sweet treacle toffee.

Finish: Long and refreshing.

Bottled at a natural cask strength of 51.8% volume

Background

With spectacular views across Glenlivet, Gallow Hill slopes gently above the distillery. The rugged and remote landscape has hardly changed since George Smith, The Glenlivet founder, first started distilling his whisky all those years ago.

Pre Order today to secure your bottle. Stock arriving on 1st May – £235

Simply Click here to buy

www.ralfy.com gets there first with Whisky Review 446 – Isle Of Arran 17yo malt @ 46%

Ballantine’s Launches New Online Film
‘Ben Mead’s Art of Drumming’

Ballantine’s unveils the latest in a series of global films, harnessing innovative new filming techniques to create stunning visualisations of the shapes and sight of sound

Ballantine’s, the world’s No 2 Scotch whisky, today launches a new online film featuring London based drummer and musician Ben Mead, as he embarks on an eye-catching and innovative experiment to capture the shapes, patterns and skills that define his art form. The unique film utilises innovative techniques to literally capture ‘The Art of Drumming’ through the use of LED ‘light trails’ on Ben’s drumsticks – capturing on film, live and without the use of after effects, the intensity, passion and artistry which drives the self-fulfilment of musicians and artists like him.

‘Ben Mead’s Art of Drumming’ is the latest instalment in what will become an extended series from around the world, featuring artists, creators and innovators from all walks of life who define Ballantines’ mantra of ‘Stay True’ – which applauds conviction, self-belief and authenticity. The films showcase these protagonists as they undertake a host of creative experiments that define their ‘Stay True’ stories, bringing them to life in a way that is both unique and engaging. These films will all be available to view through a dedicated platform, www.staytruestories.com.

This production follows Mead, the star of Ballantine’s recent TV commercial ‘The Drummer’, as he discusses his life story, philosophy and approach to creativity and music during a day in his life around his hometown of East London. The climatic finale of the film features the experiment itself, which was created by Mead, Ballantine’s and a host of technical experts and artists.

Taking its cue from ‘light painting’ in stills photography which has existed for many years, the experiment set out to create a new process as close to ‘in-camera’ as possible. This process could be previewed in real-time by Ben, allowing him to merge drum patterns with visually stunning shapes and outlines, seeing how different music styles look in space.

This unique piece follows on from ‘Kilian Martin’s Carmen’, a film collaboration between Ballantine’s and renowned freestyle skateboarder Kilian Martin, which fused his unique ‘Stay True’ story – steeped in the application of artistic movement and creativity to his boarding – with a reinterpretation of Bizet’s classic opera ‘Carmen’. Future films are also now in pre-production across three continents.

Ben Mead on the film: “Drumming, rhythm and creativity is something I’ve always been passionate about. I think creativity in music is not only something you hear or something you feel, but it’s also something you see. Taking part in this experiment and being able to physically see the way that I see drumming in my own head was so rewarding.”

The film is available to view on YouTube here http://youtu.be/JLSC5HUbvcQ and media can embed the video into news pieces using the following embed code;

Peter Moore, Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s commented: “We’re so pleased to be continuing our working relationship with Ben and to help realise this experiment to visualise the art of drumming. Ben is the perfect embodiment of ‘Stay True’ and being able to see rhythm as he sees it is a unique and innovative spectacle.”

“We’ve seen a huge appetite for these types of films from our fans around the world, featuring authentic creators such as Ben and Kilian. Through Staytruestories.com, we can deliver a wealth of global content that continues to bring Stay True to life for Ballantine’s on a long-term basis.”

The film is the next in a series from around the world, which can all be viewed at: www.staytruestories.com

Notes

About the production of ‘Ben Mead’s Art of Drumming’
In order to capture the stunning footage, a bespoke application was developed C++ using the Cinder creative coding framework, taking a HD video feed from the main shoot camera and pulls out the LED-tipped drumsticks. The trails are not computer generated, but come directly from the images from the camera, creating light trails of the desired length and intensity. In addition, a 360 degree ‘time slice rig’ was used by Ben and the team to capture the light trails in 3D.

About Stay True
The film is part of Ballantine’s recently launched ‘Stay True, Leave An Impression’ global marketing campaign, which features across the Ballantine’s brand and serves as an invitation to express ourselves in a genuine and authentic way, applauding self-belief and conviction. An accompanying advertising campaign is rolling out globally, with a TV commercial ‘The Drummer’ now showing in selected countries around the world.

About Ben Mead
Ben Mead is a real ‘stay true’ person, chosen to front Ballantine’s TVC because he serves as the embodiment of ‘Stay True’ and has passion and self-belief, is rooted in self-fulfilment rather than impressing the crowd. Ben has played in a variety of bands ranging from hard rock to indie to electronic, following his passion around the globe, touring across the Americas and Europe. However, he is also someone who rejected the traditional path of record contracts, with his current band preferring to play less well-known venues in East London.

About Ballantine’s
Ballantine’s is the No 1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the world’s No 2 Scotch whisky by volume, and the range sells over 70 million bottles a year worldwide. Ballantine’s has won more than 130 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past 10 years for quality, as a result of its unique richness of character and perfect balance. The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the exclusive 40 Year Old, is the most extensive in the world of Scotch and is maintained by the latest in a tradition of Master Blenders that dates back to 1827.

About Chivas Brothers
Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport.

For further information visit www.chivasbrothers.com

anCnoc sheds light on its Peaty side

At a launch event in Glasgow on Wednesday the 26th  of March anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky unveiled exciting and unexpected additions to its award winning range. Peated whiskies from Knockdhu Distillery, named Rutter, Flaughter and Tushkar; were presented to the media, whisky experts and members of the wider anCnoc community. The release of the Peaty Collection marks the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the Distillery and is set to delight whisky enthusiasts around the world with a heavier, darker side of the iconic Highland spirit.

Project Manager Stephanie Bridge commented on the prospect of the anCnoc Peaty Collection being a window to the world of smoky whisky for drinkers who previously chose to drink unpeated malts:

“Rutter and our other new Limited Edition peated single malts will form an exciting collection to sit alongside our core anCnoc expressions, offering drinkers a new and perhaps a first experience of peated whisky. These malts have all the exceptional qualities of anCnoc but with a depth and smokiness that will be appealing both to peat aficionados and to drinkers of lighter malts with an interest in finding a peated malt whisky that they understand and enjoy. We’re on a mission to bring our very modern take on the world of peated whisky to our drinkers all over the world and to entice customers to experience this new side of anCnoc.”

The Whisky

While in the early days of Knockdhu’s operation peat was embraced as fuel used for firing stills and drying malted barley, technological advancements changed the way whisky was made in the village of Knock and allowed more gentle, unpeated character of the spirit to be developed over decades. But since early 21st  century peated malt has been used at Knockdhu once again, this time for a few months of the year only, to produce whisky which pays homage to anCnoc’s heritage and sheds light on the darker side of one of Scotland’s most flavoursome distillates. Excellent maturation performance, high flavour concentration and a rare propensity to retain a lot of the distillery style while delivering an uncompromising peaty dimension has led the company to the decision to release this unusual guise of anCnoc as the Peaty Collection.

The whisky is presented in green glass to emphasise its distinctly different character and the three expressions unveiled at the Glasgow launch are named after traditional peat-cutting tools. Uniquely, these three exciting releases, as well as any future additions to the Collection, carry a phenol content statement expressed in parts per million phenols (ppm) allowing the drinkers to make informed decisions and choose the level of smokiness most suited to their palate.

anCnoc Rutter, peated to 11 ppm phenol and matured in American oak hogsheads, is the lightest and freshest of the three releases with notes of delicate spices, juicy pineapples, pear drops and a gentle whiff of vanilla delivering anCnoc’s trademark character under a veil or warming smoke.

anCnoc Flaughter features 14.8 ppm phenol and matured in a selection of American oak casks. A richer, more dominant peat character leads the flavour profile with notes of creamy vanilla, sticky toffee and green apple freshness providing balance. 

anCnoc Tushkar is the most peaty of the three with a phenol content of 15 ppm. Matured in 1st refill American ex-bourbon barrels it offers a great balance between intense smokiness and the rich and rewarding influence of very active oak. Spicy vanilla heart is wrapped in overtones of orange peel, apples and cut flowers.  anCnoc Tushkar is available exclusively in Sweden.

Whisky expert and one of the most revered writers on the subject, Charles Maclean, commented:

“The difference between these three malts is subtle, but apparent. Their overall flavour – i.e. aroma and taste –is nicely balanced, fresh and breezy; their smokiness subtle and understated, while their cheerful simplicity makes them very ‘more-ish’ and easy to drink.”

All anCnoc Peaty Collection expressions are bottled at 46% ABV, non chill-filtered and presented at their natural colour. The RRP for Rutter and Flaughter is £52 in the UK and the Tushkar will retail for 449SEK in Sweden.

If you’re not based in London we have plenty more to tell you about soon, but you should consider making the trip as this is going to be goooooood!

Consider:

– An incredible celebration of whisky from all over the world in a sprawling and vibrant venue
– 4 sessions to choose from
– Over 120 whiskies on tasting in the main space
– Pickle Backs, a special whisky stout, BBQ and live music in the Pickle Factory
– Pre-war whisky tastings & special classes from the likes of Laphroaig and Talisker, all on the Blitz Terrace – overlooking one of the last blitz-sites in London
– Cocktails by specialists Lounge Bohemia and the Scotch Malt Whisky Society ‘Spirits Library’
– Our famous Jam & Dram session of blending and live music on the Sunday (along with our normal tasting session)

Our Early-Bird special of 2 tickets for £50 (2 for £40 Sunday) has to finish this Sunday, 13th April – after this tickets will go to their full price. They will be £35 per person for the Friday and Saturday sessions and £25 for the Sunday session.

So you may want to get booking now in order to save yourself some serious cash!

Click here for the Friday session, click here for Saturday Early Session, here for Saturday Late Session and here for Sunday Jam & Dram.

We hope to see you there! 

Sláinte,

Eddie, Amanda and Joe
The Whisky Lounge Team