THE EXCLUSIVE MALTS BACH #4 IN THE US  

We’d like to let you in on some exciting news – the wildly popular Exclusive Malts is back by popular demand for a fourth time. Here’s a sneak peak of Exclusive Malts Batch #4

Linkwood’ 99 14 yr Speyside

111.60 proof

Nose:  Green Apple, Citrus, Dry Hay

Palate:  Sweet Malt, Burnt Sugar, Creamy, Slight Grassiness

Finish:  Long, Sweet, Light Smoke, Dry Finish

Linkwood Distillery, situated outside of Elgin, is little known as a single malt whisky due to the vast majority of its output going to blenders. It is a prized malt by blenders though who recognise it for being a consistently good-quality malt whisky. 

 North Highland’ 96 17 yr Highland

112.20 proof

Nose:  Peach, Very Fruity, Salty

Palate:  Sweet Start, Moves to a Balanced Spiciness with Some Citrus, Toffee

Finish:  Long, Spicy, Juicy Oak

This whisky, from a mystery North Highland distillery, has been quietly maturing since 1996 in a refill ex-Sherry hogshead. It has taken on an exceptional colour and sweet-fruit flavours with a superb balance and a long, deliciously sweet finish.

Bowmore’ 01 12 yr Islay

116.80 proof 

Nose:  Tar, Faint Peat, Slight Iodine

Palate:  Sweet Beginning, Burnt Sugar, Turns Spicy

Finish:  Soft, Sweet Juicy Oak, Very Light White Pepper

The Isle of Islay is famed for its richly-flavoured malt whisky distilleries. The whisky in this bottle was distilled at the Bowmore Distillery, the heart of the Isle of Islay and is a full-bodied, rich and smoky affair having spent 12 years in a refill ex-Sherry butt.

Bladnoch’ 92 21 yr Lowland

96.2 proof 

Nose:  Grassy, Dry Hay, Heather, Flax Seed

Palate:  Oily, Nougat, Lemon Citrus, Soft Maltiness

Finish:  White Pepper, Sweet Malt, Dry Finish

Situated on the South-West tip of Scotland is Bladnoch Distillery. A picturesque distillery tucked away in a stunning, if remote, part of Scotland. This whisky, taken from a refill ex-American oak hogshead, is a glimpse into the offerings from this pretty distillery.

 Glencadam’ 91 22 yr Highland

100.80 proof 

Nose:  Strawberry Jam, Sweet Malt

Palate:  Creamy, Vanilla Cream, Light Citrus

Finish:  Spicy Ginger, Long and Creamy

One of the few remaining distilleries on the East Coast of Scotland, Glencadam Distillery, situated in Brechin is gaining in popularity due to recent bottlings. This cask, a refill ex-American oak hogshead, demonstrates the whisky Highland qualities; robust and subtle.

The limited edition Bowmore Laimrig 15 year old – The Whisky Shop UK exclusive – is now available to pre order!

Bowmore Laimrig – 15 year old is the latest limited edition release from Bowmore.

Scottish Gaelic for ‘pier’, Laimrig celebrates Bowmore’s ancient stone pier where the distillery’s barley would once have been unloaded and our celebrated Single Malt first set sail for the four corners of the world. Finished in the finest Spanish sherry butts, our cask strength, non-chill filtered Bowmore Laimrig has a rich, dark character and colour.

Tasting Notes:

The look: On the eye teak brown.
The Nose: Breathe in sweet dark sherry, figs and cocoa balanced with smoky peatiness and a salty tang.
The Palate: Sip a rich combination of chocolate, sherry, raisins and smoke.
The Finish: Savour the long and lingering finish.
Bottled at 53.7% volume

Pre Order today to secure your bottle. Stock arriving on 24th April – only £70.00

Come and check out our Facebook competition to be in with a chance of winning an all-expenses paid trip to Islay. Click here to enter.

SIMPLY CLICK HERE TO BUY

www.ralfy.com has a malt-hug with Whisky Review 444 – Springbank 12yo Cask Strength @ 52.3%vol

Please join Dan Volway, Macallan Brand Ambassador, for a tasting of the Macallan 1824 Series. 

Friday, April 11^th  7:30pm –  in The Cellar at Bear Mountain Resort 

THE MACALLAN 1824 SERIES Rise to the occasion 

The Macallan is known worldwide for innovation – a defining characteristic that sets this distillery apart. Innovation is the driving force behind the distillery’s latest creation, The Macallan 1824 Series. A sophisticated collection of four unique expressions – Gold, Amber, Sienna and Ruby – that will redefine the way Scotch whisky is evaluated. The Macallan 1824 Series – 100% Sherry Casks, 100% Natural Colour, 100% Macallan 

For reservations, please contact 250-391-5224 or email Carmen.parry@westinbearmountain.com

$ 25.00 per person including taxes and gratuities

There’s an elephant in the room and we want to talk about it!

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of Canada is thrilled to announce a new Partner Bar in its portfolio!

Victoria’s “Little Jumbo” will join Calgary’s “Brasserie Kensington” and Vancouver’s “Fets Whisky Kitchen” as our newest ‘Society Spot’ where SMWS bottles are on the bar.

Little Jumbo will join an exclusive group of only 22 other Partner Bars around the world (the full list is here: http://ow.ly/uDke3 ) where whisky lovers can enjoy a unique range of single cask libations.

Please join Little Jumbo’s proprietor Shawn Soole and his amazing staff, along with Rob and Kelly Carpenter of SMWS Canada as we kick off this new partnership with an evening of 5 one-of-a-kind Society whiskies paired with 5 fantastic appetizers.

Monday, April 14th

8:00 – 9:30pm

$50.00

Little Jumbo
Down the Hall, 506 Fort Street, Victoria, BC
(778) 433-5535

Register here: http://ow.ly/uQiXf

I’m quite glad to see March come to a close. It’s been a busy month with a total of nineteen evening events, forty whiskies to judge for the Spirit of Scotland festival, twenty whiskies to review for Whisky Magazine and writing my first piece for The List.

The month started with an amazing collaboration between The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Seafood Scotland and chef, Mark Greenaway. Mark created an imaginative menu presenting some of our finest seafood in imaginative ways not seen before. My task was to pair the dishes with the unique single cask bottlings from the Society. Because the tasting notes are so descriptive, finding aromas and flavours that will bring something to the party is made easier. Armed with wee samples bottles I set about nosing and tasting with Mark and the results were some of the best I’ve tried.

The event was a great success with bloggers and journalists able to mingle with all of the parties present, the highlight for me was to meet the characterful Jimmy Buchan of BBC’s Trawlermen fame.

I also had the opportunity to visit some wonderful venues this month including a night at Archerfield House in East Lothian, Harburn House for a fiftieth birthday party for twin brothers, then to Drumlanrig Castle for the Duke of Buccleuch. Six Nations was the theme for the Traveleads party on the weekend of the 15th March with all six countries featuring – some artistic license used!

At Whisky Live in London Robin Tuke of Hardiesmill Farm and I teamed up to experiment with food pairings. Robin and Alison Tuke produce 100% Aberdeen Angus beef and manage to spare time to smoke and cure a range called Tombuie. They also smoke a cheddar cheese and the nuances of flavour work brilliantly with a range of whiskies.

A good way to end a good week. It was also announced at the show that I am to be working more closely with the team at Whisky Magazine, my new title is Contributing Editor for Scotland. I’m thrilled to be covering events and reporting back to the magazine.

And finally I’m delighted to be working with the new Isle of Harris distillery. This is a project that is close to my heart and I am happy to say that you can be one of the very first to invest in this, the first social distillery. The distillery is being built to support long term employment and investment of this special island. If you are interested in owning an exclusive part of it you can be one of two hundred to purchase a cask. I have!

Please get in touch and visit the website and I look forward to hearing from you.

Annabel

The Whisky Belle
www.thewhiskybelle.com

Distilleries Celebrate Drams As They Open Their Doors At Spirit Of Speyside Whisky Festival

Many glasses will be raised to Scotland’s famous whisky region when the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival kicks off next month – and some of the toasts will take place in venues which are opening their doors to the festival for the first time.

Many of the most popular activities taking place during the festival from May 1 to 5 are tours and distillery tastings, and some of the hottest tickets are for venues which are not usually open to the public.

James Campbell, chairman of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, says, “Distillery tours are always quick to sell, but demand has been particularly high this year. We have even more distilleries taking part in the festival in 2014, which probably reflects the increase in production that we have seen on Speyside in recent times.

“For some venues it will be the first time that they have taken part in the Festival – indeed some of them have never even opened to the public before – so naturally visitors want to be the first to see what’s inside and learn about what’s made there.

“It’s great that so many distilleries are going beyond offering a standard tour. They have put together some excellent events which will give visitors access to key people involved in creating the spirit, and are offering the tours to small groups so there will be the feeling of it being a very exclusive event.”

Glen Keith, which reopened in June 2013 following an extensive refurbishment, will be offering manager’s tours and tastings as it invites the public to view the results of its modern revamp. Manager Graeme Cruickshank will also be inviting visitors to try Glen Keith’s single malt.

Roseisle, Speyside’s newest distillery, will be opening its doors for the first time and exclusively during the festival. In a rare opportunity to step inside the distillery – the first one built by Diageo in over 30 years – guests will be guided by the manager who will share its story. The in-depth tour will end with the chance to sample a range of whiskies from the Diageo portfolio.

Tormore Distillery will also be welcoming visitors, and they will have the chance to sample its recently launched Tormore 14 Year Old and Tormore 16 Year Old Non Chill Filtered single malt. There will be an opportunity to venture on a tour with Tormore’s manager Neal Corbett: he will share the story of the the distillery, which was one of the first built on Speyside after WWII.

Tamdhu, which featured at last year’s festival for the first time, is set to return this year for one day only with VIP tours of the distillery on offer. Distillery workers will conduct guided show rounds, providing visitors with a slice of their knowledge from Tamdhu’s birth in 1897 to its current day practices. Visitors will have a chance to go behind the scenes of the distilling process before they try a dram for themselves, with sample from a handpicked single cask.

Glenburgie Distillery will also be offering touring and tasting sessions. The distillery which was founded in 1810 under a different name and became known as Glenburgie in 1878, will provide visitors with an insight into the distillery’s history before allowing them to experience the site including the barley, distillery and the warehouse. The event will round off with a tasting of the distillery’s famous whiskies in the Old Custom’s House which includes an extra special dram.

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is a key event in Scotland’s Homecoming 2014 calendar, and will start Whisky Month – a four week national celebration of Scotland’s world class food and drink. Tickets for all events in the 2014 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival programme can be bought via the website – www.spiritofspeyside.com The Festival is also active on social media – facebook.com/WhiskyFestival and @spirit_speyside on Twitter. The website also offers an abundance of accommodation options in the area.

Notes

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival runs from Thursday, 1 May – Monday, 5 May 2014.  Check out www.spiritofspeyside.com for up-to-date news and follow the Festival at www.facebook.com/WhiskyFestival or www.twitter.com/spirit_speyside  

The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival is committed to promoting responsible drinking. Visitors travelling to and from festival events can take advantage of a range of transport options. Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival has received funding from EventScotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and is also financially supported by many other private and public partners

EventScotland: EventScotland is the national events agency. EventScotland is working to make Scotland one of the world’s leading event destinations. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland, visit http://www.eventscotland.org/

Year of Homecoming Scotland

Scotland will welcome the world in the Year of Homecoming 2014- providing a year-long programme of events alongside the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games. The Year of Homecoming Scotland will run from 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2014 throughout the length and breadth of the country.  Visitors from around the world are invited to join in a celebration of the nation’s food and drink, active pursuits, cultural heritage, nature and ancestral heritage.

Homecoming Scotland 2014 is a Scottish Government initiative being led by EventScotland and VisitScotland, supported by numerous partners. To find out more visit www.homecomingscotland.com

ARE YOU YOUR SELFIE?
WHAT YOUR PROFILE PICTURE REALLY SAYS
ABOUT YOU (ACCORDING TO THE INTERNET) 28th MARCH 2014

Does this person enjoy creating chaos, gossip, sweet harmony or conspiracy theories? These are some of the questions that Ballantine’s, the world’s No. 2 Scotch whisky brand, is asking people around the world, with the launch of a new website that allows individuals to see what the images they share of themselves online says about them to others.

“Are You Your Selfie?” asks curious fans to upload their own selfies, with anonymous others then giving their opinion about who the subject of the picture really is by answering a number of light-hearted, set questions. As soon as others begin leaving their opinions, the person whose image has been uploaded is notified and will be able to view the most common “impressions” that their image has left, ultimately seeing whether the way that others perceive them is in line with the way they see themselves.

Users are then given the further option to share one or more of those “impressions” via a visual representation generated by the site on Facebook or Twitter, encouraging their friends to also take part in this unique social experiment.

A global phenomenon of the modern era, the selfie has become known for being the ultimate form of self-expression. However, through ‘Are You Your Selfie?’, Ballantine’s – renowned for its global marketing initiative ‘Stay True, Leave An Impression’, which encourages consumers to express themselves in a way that is both genuine and authentic – hopes to establish how true people are really being with their personal portraits, and whether others see them in the same light.

Peter Moore, Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s, commented: “Given the current trend for selfies amongst the millennial generation, we hope that this exciting initiative will stimulate conversation amongst Ballantine’s fans online and provoke them to think about whether they are presenting a true reflection of themselves when they share photos online.

“Ballantine’s has always been at the forefront of innovation since its inception, thanks to the pioneering vision of our founder, George Ballantine. His determination to be original and to stay true to his convictions remains at the heart of the brand to this day, so it is very fitting that we are launching this new online social experiment, which encourages our fans to stay true to themselves.”

‘Are You Your Selfie?’ is a global platform which can be accessed by users around the world from today [Friday 28th March]. The website will also be localised later this year for a number of Ballantine’s key global markets, including Brazil and Mexico.

Visit www.areyouyourselfie.com to find out more.

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 120 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.

www.ballantines.com

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.

www.chivasbrothers.com 

Available for comment

Peter Moore was appointed to the position of Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s in December 2005 and is responsible for the strategic leadership, innovation and marketing of Ballantine’s whisky worldwide.

Peter brings a wealth of knowledge to his role, with over 25 years of marketing experience within the wine and spirits industry. Under his leadership, Ballantine’s has developed the new global communication platform, ‘Stay True, Leave an Impression’ which aims to unify all brand communications across the complete Ballantine’s range.

Peter has also developed Ballantine’s global golf sponsorship programme and has overseen major packaging upgrades and new product launches – most recently Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve, Ballantine’s 17 Signature Distillery Editions and Ballantine’s 40 Year Old, a new pinnacle reference for the Ballantine’s range

WHISKY: THE MANUAL

DAVE BROOM

PUBLISHING APRIL 8, 2014 from Mitchell Beazley

 $19.99, Hardcover

World-renowned expert Dave Broom dispels the mysteries of whisky and unlocks a whole host of exciting new possibilities for this magical drink in this spirited, entertaining and no-nonsense guide.

Full of practical and fascinating information about how to enjoy all styles of whisky, it busts a few myths along the way, including the notion that whisky is a drink for old men, that single malts are better than blends, and that is has to be drunk neat.

Most whisky books tell you how to become an expert. The Manual tells you what to drink and how to drink it.  

Whenever whisky has been most popular, it has been drunk long, mixed, made into cocktails or been flavored.  The reason?  Because it tastes great that way!

Whisky: The Manual begins by detailing the history of whisky, sharing wonderful anecdotes such as the decision to dye whisky pink in the 1970s to make it more attractive to women.  It traces the emergence of whisky throughout the world— from its introduction to America and Canada through to its arrival on the shores of Japan, and provides the essentials of whisky production. The book is then divided into two parts: 

 “What to Drink” explores flavor camps, provides extensive tasting notes on the major brands, new brands and brands from around the world, demonstrating and celebrating whisky’s extraordinary diversity. 

 “How to Drink” explores how to enjoy whisky in myriad ways – using water and mixers, and in cocktails. Dave tested 103 whiskies with club soda, green tea, Coca Cola, ginger ale and coconut water and then rated how each whisky stands up to each mixer.  The results will surprise you and inspire you to experiment.   It only follows that there would also be a section on whisky cocktails, from classics such as the Manhattan and Old-Fashioned to exciting, contemporary inventions  such as the Tatami Cocktail and the Green Breeze.

Dave gives you permission to mix!

About the Author

Award-winning author and whisky expert Dave Broom has been writing about whisky for 25 years as a journalist and author. He has written eight books, two of which (Drink! and Rum) won the Glenfiddich Award for Drinks Book of the Year. He has also won the Glenfiddich Award for Drinks Writer of the Year twice and in 2013 won the extremely prestigious IWSC Communicator of the Year Award.

Dave is editor-in-chief of Whisky Magazine: Japan, consultant editor to Whisky Magazine (UK, the USA, France, Spain), and a lead columnist at Whisky Advocate (USA). He is also editor of the Scotch Whisky Review and a contributor to a raft of national and international titles including the Spectator, Mixology, and Imbibe (Europe). He is a regular broadcaster on TV and radio.           

Over his two decades in the field, Dave has built up a considerable international following with regular training/educational visits to France, Holland, Germany, the USA, and Japan. His remit has covered consumer features as well as business reports. He is also actively involved in whisky education, acting as a consultant to major distillers on tasting techniques as well as teaching professionals and the public. He was also one of the developers of Diageo’s generic whisky tasting tool, the Flavor Map.

WHISKY: THE MANUAL by DAVE BROOM

Mitchell Beazley, April 8, 2014 $19.99, 224 pages

50 full-color Illustrations

ISBN: 9781845337551, Distributed by Hachette Book Group 

Dave Broom New York book signings and tastings

Saturday, May 10, 2014

The Dead Rabbit, 30 Water St, 12:30-2:30 PM

www.deadrabbitnyc.com 

Char No 4, 196 Smith Street, Brooklyn, 4-6 PM

www.charno4.com 

The Flatiron Room, 37 West 26^th Street,   7:30 – 9:30PM

www.theflatironroom.com  

Please check individual websites for details

APRIL OUTTURN: SPRING TINGLES

Sting the senses this spring with a fierce nip of ‘Galactic root canal treatment’ (26.100) then soothe them with the ‘honey dripping from a wooden spoon’ in ‘Breathe in long!’ (9.82). Perhaps you’ll drink in the deep honey gold dram that is ‘Fantastically floral’ (35.106) and earn your stripes with ‘Weird but wonderful’ (66.50) – it’s got smoky flavours contentious enough to stir up a hornet’s nest. Get your order in quick – these bottlings are sure to attract…

Young & spritely

36.74 Whiter than White
BUY £44.00

26.100 Galactic root canal treatment
BUY £48.40

Sweet, fruity & mellow

35.106 Fantastically floral
BUY£57.00

1.179 The Artists Studio
BUY £114.50

Spicy & sweet

76.115 ‘Glamping in a Yurt’
BUY £71.70

Spicy & dry

39.97 A symphony of sophistication
BUY £87.20

48.41 Pink wafers in a lady’s hat shop
BUY £95.00

Old & dignified

73.62 Magical, mellifluous marvelosity
BUY £92.40

9.82 Breathe in long!
BUY £100.00

Oily & coastal

4.189 ‘Cracking!’
BUY £51.80

53.202 A Bracing Outdoors Loving Character
BUY £59.30

Peated

66.50 Weird but wonderful
BUY

Exclusive to April Offers
3.215 Weird but wonderful
(A happy coincidence!)
BUY £68.10

Heavily peated

29.150 Chapter and verse
BUY £95.90

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