We have the pleasure of unveiling the new design for the core expressions of our award-winning Isle of Skye Blended Scotch Whisky range.

Reconnecting the brand with its historic home, the new packaging for Isle of Skye 8 Years Old and 12 Years Old takes direct inspiration from the majestic scenery and romance ofScotland’s famous ‘Misty Isle’.

With a new standout color palette on the label and bottle top that reflects the Red and Black Hills of the Cuillin Mountains, the new label design introduces a striking watercolor sunset over the Isle of Skye, perfectly showcased by a new premium distinctive bespoke bottle.

The new age-roundel on both the red and cream label of the 8 Years Old and black and gold design of the 12 Years Old adds greater prominence to the age statement, emphasizing the premium quality of Isle of Skye. While the majority of Blended Scotch Whiskies are un-aged,Isle of Skyeis unusual in its guarantee that all the Single Malts used in its blend recipe are matured in oak casks for at least 8 or 12 years.

This commitment to excellence has led toIsle of Skyebeing favored by whisky expert Jim Murray in the 2012 Whisky Bible rating Isle of Skye 8 Years Old as a ‘superstar whisky that gives us a reason to live’.

Isle of Skye 8 years old has an RRP of $28.99 andIsle of Skye12 years old has an RRP of $37.99.

For more information, please contact ImpEx Beverages, Inc. at office@impexbev.com or call (650) 872-1113.

Cheers!

The ImpEx Team

Enjoy sipping straight, the spiciness and pepper notes of a good rye, or kick up your cocktails by using Rye instead of bourbon.

Discounted Items

Goldrun Rye California Whiskey
Aromas of fresh marmalade on rye toast with a touch of honey and a handful of pecans. $69.99

Russell’s Reserve 6 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
Nut brown with a pretty, perfumed nose. Lively, in the lighter – spicier style of rye. $37.99

James E. Pepper 1776 15 Year Old Straight Rye Whiskey
Rich, Complex & Full Bodied; caramel, chocolate, orange, cloves & honey. $164.99

Few Spirits Rye Whiskey
Born of the hearty grain, this generous rye content is married with the sweetness of corn for a genteel interpretation of the venerable spirit. $62.99

Angels Envy Rum Finished Rye Whiskey
You smell citrus, caramel candy, maple sugar, vanilla oak, hazelnut, spice and sherry wood. You’ll taste sweet rum sherry wood and soft oak with a finish that’s sweet and dry as well as quick and easy. $72.99

Smooth Ambler 7 Year Old Old Scout Straight Rye Whiskey
Complex notes of dried fruit, caramel, vanilla and spice, backed by bold, peppery rye. Hints of eucalyptus, citrus fruit and oak emerge on the long, balanced finish. $42.99

D&M 2200 Fillmore St San Francisco CA 94115

Hi folks. We are now operating across two sites and if you are coming to collect whisky, please give us 24 hours notice to enable us to bring them to 1134 Argyle Street, G3 8TD. Apologies for any inconvenience but we simply don’t have the room here to store all the bottles which are to be collected.

Best wishes

The SWA Team

www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com

The top 10 whisky markets (2012)

Hello,

July’s always an exciting time of year for me as it’s usually the month when The International Wine & Spirit Research release their annual report on Scotch whisky trends around the world. I particularly enjoy looking at the table of the top whisky markets. There are often changes from year to year – and 2012 was…(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…

THE LINK

Kind regards,

Ludo

The Macallan 18 year old 1995 is now in stock and available for dispatch. Stock of this delightful expression is very limited!

The new Macallan 18 year old 1995 vintage has finally arrived. With stocks running low on any aged Macallan we do not expect this to last long.

Colour: Light mahogany

Nose: Dried fruits and ginger, with a hint of citrus, vanilla and cinnamon.

Palate: Rich dried fruits with spice, clove, orange and wood smoke.

Finish: Full and lingering with dried fruits and sweet toffee, ginger and a hint of wood smoke

Bottled at 43% volume.

Only £122.99

Simply Click Here To Buy

The Tweeddale joins forces with boutique whisky specialists, The Great Whisky Company

Alasdair Day of The Tweeddale has announced he is working with The Great Whisky Company as its sole distributor in the UK.

Since its launch in the UK in May 2010 with Batch 1, the tenacious master blender has taken up the trailblazing challenge of taking his family almost 200 year old legacy of Scotch Whisky blending into the twenty first century. The Tweeddale Batches have already received an array of accolades and awards from the UK and global media. After such a positive initial response from the UK whisky trade and consumers, The Tweeddale is increasing its distribution and will be working exclusively with The Great Whisky Company – the boutique whisky distribution company founded by Eddie and Amanda Ludlow.

Alasdair Day of The Tweeddale said: “Since talking to The Great Whisky Company I realised they are the perfect fit for us, with their passion for quality specialist whisky and their strong network within the UK off trade it will enabled us to reach our target consumers in a very short period of time.”

Amanda Ludlow of The Great Whisky Company said: “We love the history and heritage behind The Tweeddale we think this blend is a totally unique Whisky. We are hugely excited to be working with Alasdair and The Tweeddale.”

Original produced by J & A Davidson established in 1820 in Coldstream in the Scottish Borders by the River Tweed. The Tweeddale is a limited edition, small batch Scotch Whisky that blends 9 single cask whiskies, 1 grain and 8 malts (in proportions of 50% grain, 50% malt) from the Lowlands, Highlands Speyside and Islay. It is not chill filtered, has natural colour and it is bottled at 46% abv.

“Each batch is unique, a variation on a theme. It has been my passion to recreate the whisky as my Great Grandfather would have produced it all those years ago” emphasises Alasdair “batch three contains an 18 year old grain whisky and a 21 year old Speyside, not bad for a 12 year old blend.”

Alasdair’s connection with The Tweeddale started in 1895 when his Great Grandfather left school and joined the business as an office boy. In 1923 his Great Grandfather, Richard Day took over the business which continued trading until World War 2. After the War Richard Day retired and there was a 70 year gap before Alasdair recreated the blend using his Great Grandfather’s cellar book contains all of the whiskies the business produced from 1899 to 1916 and so The Tweeddale Legacy continues.

The Tweeddale legacy lives on

http://tweeddalewhisky.com
http://twitter.com/@tweeddaleblend

https://t.co/e4qgQdZY

New Zealand Whisky Company calling designers with flair

Oamaru, New Zealand– July, 2013 – The New Zealand Whisky Company is thrilled to launch its 25-year-old whisky, only the fourth nation to produce a 25-year-old Single Malt. To celebrate, the company is asking creative designers worldwide to conceive its’ packaging; and all to benefit a big New Zealand charity.

To mark this milestone, designers are invited to enter this international competition. “So much whisky is being packaged in luxurious enclosures, lavish boxes and crystal decanters nowadays, but we want something that is elegant, eye-catching and authentically New Zealand; sustainable, re-usable, perhaps even recyclable. I’m not comfortable with how much money, carbon and landfill is wasted on whisky packaging, and would love for our whisky enclosure to be re-usable and a lasting memory to a memorable malt,” Ramsay says.

So the challenge is on for designers across universities, design agencies, art houses and more, to design a suitable bottle and box label for this exclusive release. Designers can create their own theme. It could be classic, quirky or just fun, perhaps honouring Cyril Yates who worked at the distillery for near on 25-years, ‘Cyril’s Single Malt; 25years of blood, sweat and cheers.’

“We really want to capture the heart of the New Zealand Whisky Collection in this label,” explains Ramsay, “in a way that pays homage to the rich heritage of our whisky and blends this with a freshly modern style. We’re so excited to see what comes through with the creative talent available in this country. We have three bottles; 700ml, 375ml and a 150ml hipflask requiring packaging.”

Designer Prize and Donation to the Christchurch Cathedral Restoration

The winner receives international exposure as well as a complimentary trip to the Cellar Door in New Zealand; and an important New Zealand charity is also set to be a ‘winner’.

“We’re going to be donating the design fee that we would have saved, to the Christchurch Cathedral restoration,” says Ramsay, who has a special connection with the Cathedral. “My Great Uncle was construction foreman on the Cathedral back in the 1800s, and I’m so excited to see the design competition for its restoration.”

“I’m really hoping that the fabulous modern interpretation gets the nod. Like our whisky packaging, it would be a fresh style for a forward-looking community, while paying homage to the site’s significant history. I hope lots of Cantabrians are viewing the options and having their say at http://www.cathedralconversations.co.nz/.

The New Zealand Whisky Collection’s 25-year-old whisky release was distilled in 1988 at the famous Willowbank distillery in Dunedin. It has been maturing in American Oak barrels since 1987 and is a single malt whisky.

Entry into Competition

Entrants are encouraged to become familiar with the New Zealand Whisky Company and gain inspiration from the World Whiskies Design Awards that are held annually. Past and present design winners can be viewed at http://www.worldwhiskiesdesignawards.com/.

For more information about the competition and to enter, visit http://www.thenzwhisky.com/, The Whisky Shop in Auckland, or WhiskyGalore in Christchurch.

Contact:

Alice Hansen

Mob: 0417818180

Email: ah24241@gmail.com

DIRECTOR’S CUT Tasting Notes:

DIR0047 MACALLAN 15 YEARS
Nose: Opens fresh & fragrant carrying a honey’d quality – developing to sweet grist plus light oak
Palate: More honey on the sweet palate + vanilla fudge, camphor & an attractive citric style
Finish: Still fresh, now gently spiced – with more camphor and fudge (F&J)

PROVENANCE Tasting Notes follow:

PRV0685 DALMORE 11 YEARS
Opens clean on the nose, carrying a green malt character plus a honey and fruit quality. The palate is light and fresh, running to an American Cream Soda style. The finish is medium long, softly spiced with a lingering orange pith character.

PRV0993 AUCHENTOSHAN 12 YEARS
Fragrant, floral and lightly fruited initially on the nose – warming up to subtle barley, spices and caster sugar. The palate shows that same sugary sweetness then runs to a liquorice and light oak style–with the finish encapsulating all of those characteristics-but in a drier mode (F)

PRV1001 LAPHROAIG 12 YEARS
Initially the nose is surprisingly sweet carrying a subtle bonfire ashes character plus a charred fruit quality. The palate is distinctly Islay in style, still sweet with smoke building up to soft tar, BBQ ashes plus smoked bacon. The finish is long, remains smoky and develops to a rich, dark chocolate character. (J)

PRV0999 BLAIR ATHOL SHERRY 15 YEARS
Opens clean and fresh on the nose then develops to a sweetly spiced character with a barley sugar quality. The palate remains sweet and warms to a spiced caramel/butterscotch style plus a late hint of charred oak. The finish is long and runs drier to a chocolate and orange zest quality. (J)

PRV0998 BENRINNES SHERRY 18 YEARS
Opens spicy and sweetly gristed on the nose, then runs to a cookie dough and toffee character. The palate is richly spiced carrying a butterscotch and soft leather quality. The finish is medium long, still spicy and sweet carrying late fresh pipe tobacco. (J)

All best wishes
Fred H Laing
Managing Director

A wee snippet from Paul McLean, over in Scotland.

A friend of mine dropped by Tim Prokopov frae Moscow, I had been storing a few bottles and things for him, as he is an avid collector (and likes to sample) of whisky.

As he had promised (ages ago) he brought me a special bottle as a gift; his own make!

Ages back whilst in Scotland he bought a wee still and the equipment to make his own whisky back home in Russia. The bottle he brought me is really quite unique, it is one bottle of only eight in the world!

Although he cannee call it whisky – as it is 18 months old – it has that look and feel of whisky, upon tasting – aye well you have to do it eh! – I just didnt know what to think? It has that whisky taste, a good whisky taste, a heavy sherry Speyside or so, hard to put a name to the taste, bearing in mind it is still only 18 months old, but boy, did it have a grand nose and finish!

I had opened it as required by Tim, can I say it tasted somewhat like a very good Jamaican rum, mixed somewhere with a good sherry Speyside, it is certainly not what I would call “new make”.

You can see in the photo, I did sample this (ok, in a Clontarf glass!) and have enjoyed it.  See the close up shot of the label, it says it all, better than I can.

I am certainly lucky to get one of these bottles, so many thanks go to Tim, we are friends from a long time back, when he first started his many whisky tours here with us.

Here endeth the story, a really good dram of ???  spirit!

Paul McLean

owner www.mcleanscotland.com

also  www.angelswhiskyclub.com

UK vlogger Joe Ellis a.k.a Whisky Wednesday reviews The Benriach 1995 17 Year Old The Whisky Shop Exclusive Bottling

http://youtu.be/tJKScpwornI

http://Facebook.com/whiskytube

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube