United Arab Emirates Triumph Over Hungary At Royal Salute Nations Cup Uae 2012

UAE 6 – 5 Hungary

Royal Salute, the world’s leading luxury Scotch whisky, marked its first year as title sponsor of the Royal Salute Nations Cup UAE 2012 by welcoming the world’s top three professional polo players to go head-to-head for the first time outside of Argentina.

Held at the luxurious Desert Palm Resort in Dubai from the 6 – 13 January 2012, World No 1 Pablo MacDonough, World No 2 Adolfo Cambiaso and World No 3 Juan Martin Nero fought to lead their teams to victory.

The Nations Cup UAE is the first event for Royal Salute World Polo in 2012 and to help celebrate, the players were joined by distinguished guests including His Grace Torquhil Ian Campbell, the 13th Duke of Argyll and patrons of polo Prince Bahar Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei and Ali Albwardy.

Following the tournament and prize-giving ceremony, His Grace the Duke of Argyll hosted the Royal Salute private after-party, where VIP guests and polo players enjoyed an evening of entertainment in a glamorous private villa. The evening concluded with an auction of a signed portrait photograph of Adolfo Cambiaso, which raised US$15,000 with the proceeds going to the Riding for the Disabled charity in Dubai.

His Grace the Duke of Argyll commented: “Dubai is one of the world’s greatest shop windows for luxury brands and is the perfect place for Royal Salute to cement its ties with the elite sport of kings. The prestigious Royal Salute Nations Cup UAE 2012 represented the very pinnacle of international class polo and offered guests the chance to witness the greatest exponents of the game in some of the most luxurious surroundings. Royal Salute is delighted and very proud to have a played a supporting role in this.”

Royal Salute’s continued expansion as a leading supporter of international polo will see support for events and polo clubs in 10 countries across four continents throughout the year.

Photo Caption: Following a memorable day of play at the Royal Salute Nations Cup UAE 2012 in Dubai, the Duke of Argyll presents the magnificent trophy to Adolfo Cambiaso (World No. 2), Mr Ali Albawardi, Prince Bahar Jefri Bolkiah of Brunei and Pablo MacDonough (World No. 1).

Notes:

Torquhil Ian Campbell, 13th Duke of Argyll
The Duke of Argyll is the Hereditary Master of the Royal Household in Scotland. He is also Chief of Clan Campbell and a Patron of the Scotch Whisky Industry.

Royal Salute
The pinnacle of Scotch whisky, award-winning Royal Salute was first created as a tribute by Chivas Brothers to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II upon her coronation in 1953. This defining luxury whisky has a very powerful and sophisticated style, and has become the world’s leading luxury Scotch whisky brand.
Royal Salute has a long legacy of paying tribute to nobility and leadership, it is part of the brand’s DNA
• 1953: Royal Salute created to pay tribute to Her Majesty the Queen’s coronation
• 2003: Royal Salute 50 Year Old launched for the 50th anniversary of the coronation, also paid tribute to Sir Edmund Hillary’s and Sir Tensing Norgay’s on the anniversary of their successful ascent of Everest
• 2005: Royal Salute 38 Year Old launched – a tribute from Scotland, inspired by the Stone of Destiny
• 2010: Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute launched paying tribute to the craftsmanship of four master blenders who have safeguarded the Royal Salute legacy since 1953
• 2011: Royal Salute Tribute to Honour launched, the Honours are most notable and compelling symbols of Scottish royalty

Royal Salute World Polo

In addition to Royal Salute Nations Cup, Royal Salute World Polo is proud to support some of the world’s most prestigious and luxurious polo tournaments.
• India Royal Salute Maharaja of Jodhpur Golden Jubilee Cup
• China Royal Salute Tang Polo Cup, Beijing
• China Royal Salute China Open, Beijing
• Brazil Triple Coroa Tournament, Helvetia Polo Club, Sao Paulo
• Australia Sydney Gold Cup, Sydney
• Korea Country Polo Club, Jeju

In 2011, Royal Salute World Polo was proud to support several charity polo tournaments, supporting charities whose patrons include the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry.
• USA The Foundation Polo Challenge 2011, Santa Barbara, California in aid of the U.S Friends of the Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry
• UK The Sentebale Polo Cup 2011, Coworth Park, Berkshire,
• UK Bernard Weatherhill Polo Cup, Tetbury, England

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.

In July 2010 Chivas Brothers launched The Age Matters campaign to help consumers understand the importance of Scotch whisky age statements.

For further information http://www.chivasbrothers.com/ 

January Outturn Update: Five Favourites

With January’s Outturn release well under-way, here’s the top five member favourites from the list…

1) 29.110 Wild West cowgirl dressed in leather

2) 23.72 A big, eye-watering slap

3) 71.34 Rabbit, ginger & treacle tart

4) 105.16 Mulled cider & beef goulash

5) 73.46 Cockle-warming citric crush

January’s HEALTHY Offers

Our recommendations from January’s Outturn:

Pick-me up Pair
71.34 & 125.57 for only £89
Speyside Lossie & Highland Northern

Regional Trio: Three times daily
125.57, 1.162 & 23.72 for only £147
Highland, Speyside & Islay

Case Offer: Round ‘Em Up!
125.57, 71.34, 1.162, 23.72, 50.48 & 66.32 only £289
Lowland, Highland, Speyside & Islay

January Outturn
Browse all bottlings
(60 single casks online)

Society Burns Tastings & Events
Celebrate the Bard’s Birthday with our programme of Burns tastings and events. What’s more, join us at our Burns Suppers at The Vaults, London or The Dining Room at 28 Queen Street and save £10 on guest tickets.

Traditional Burns Supper – The Vaults, Wed 25 Jan*
London Burns Night – The Crypt, Wed 25 Jan*
Newcastle Alternative Burns – County Hotel by Thistle, Thu 26 Jan
Glasgow Alternative Burns Tasting – Radisson Blu, Fri 27 Jan

*Member and guest tickets the same price (save £10 on guest tickets)

Society Private Burns Celebrations
Book your own authentic celebration of the written Scottish word, the finest fare and our golden nectar in honour of the Bard.

Private Burns Celebrations

2012 Independent Bottler of the Year www.whiskymag.com/awards/ibc/2011/

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 http://www.smws.co.uk/memberships for your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers.

Morrison Bowmore Whisky Tasting – Thursday 16th February

The Morrison Bowmore whisky tasting on 15th February sold out very quickly so to give those who missed out a chance to attend we are running a second tasting on Thursday 16th February. See below for full details but there are only a few tickets available as first refusal was given to those on the reserves list so you’ll have to be quick if you want to come along and get a taste of 6 great drams from three great distilleries.

See below for all the details and if you have any queries just contact us.

Sláinte!
Fran and Ken
Arkwrights Whisky and Wines
www.whiskyandwines.com

UPCOMING EVENT

AUCHENTOSHAN, BOWMORE & GLEN GARIOCH WHISKY TASTING

Date Thursday 16th February 2012

Time 7.00 for 7.30pm

Venue Stanton House Hotel, Stanton Fitzwarren

Details This tasting with Phil Nickson of Morrison Bowmore is a great chance to compare and contrast three very different styles of single malts. The Auchentoshan provides a taste of how triple distillation can produce a delicate yet robust whisky, Glen Garioch will let you sample a Highland style malt from one of the oldest distilleries in Scotland and, even if you have shied away from peated whiskies in the past, the smoky yet perfumed Bowmore may help change your mind as it is a great introduction to peaty whisky.

Tickets are £12.50 per person, and this also entitles you to a discount of £3 against a bottle of one of the featured whiskies if bought or ordered on the night of the tasting. Tickets are very strictly limited, and allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis and as they always sell very quickly it is best to book ASAP. To buy them just log on to www.whiskyandwines.com and place an order for the number you require, or telephone us on (01793) 765071, or call in and see us at Arkwrights, The Dormers, Highworth, Wiltshire.

Admission to the tasting is by ticket only, and most, if not all, of the whiskies tasted will be available to purchase on the night so come prepared.

Happy New Year all!

We hope you had a fantastic festive season and the Father Dramness brought you something to warm the cockles!

2012 is set to be a big year for us at The Whisky Lounge with more tastings rolling out in more cities and venues than ever before. Plus a festival nearly once a month – it’s all go down here at TWL HQ. As January can often be a month of retreating to the warmth of our living rooms and settees in some kind of hibernation, we thought we’d fire you all an email to remind/inform of our events coming up before the end of the month, plus some Newcastle Festival news.

Hopefully one of these events, some tasty drams and some good company will lift those spirits.

BURNS’ NIGHT WHISKY TASTINGS

Our Burns’ night whisky celebrations are always well-received and attended and, in fact, the Manchester and Newcastle incarnations are now sold out. Sorry to those who wanted to come along – you’ll have to be quicker next time! Or we’ll have to do more!

However, we do still have a few tickets tickets for the following..

Thursday 26th January, 7pm – The Red Lion, Crown Passage, London, £25 a ticket
Come and join Eddie for a night of whisky and haggis. We will be tasting through our recently released single cask single malts so a real treat for you cask strength, unfettered fans… Click here to book now.

WHISKY LOUNGE HQ TASTING

Friday 27th January, 7pm – Unit 3, 61a Osbaldwick Lane, York, £10 a ticket

Now this is a new one for everyone! if you’re one of our home town crew (or even passing through) you are in luck. We’ll be revealing our new Headquarters in Osbaldwick, York and tasting through our new range of Whisky Lounge bottlings for only £10! And get this… if you order a bottle or two of the said liquid, we’ll give you your £10 back!

With Joe the newest member of the team acting as host, it should be a cracking night and I might even come along if I get back from London in time…

Click here to book this little beauty.

NEWCASTLE WHISKY FEST 2012

Civic centre, Newcastle upon Tyne

Saturday 11th February, 12-5pm

£25 a ticket

Tickets for our 4th festival in Newcastle have been on sale for quite a while now and have been selling like hot cakes! We still have some tickets left, but we are not going to be filling the venue as per last year as we want you to enjoy the event as much as possible and without having to fight through hordes! If you haven’t got your tickets yet, I would recommend you get booking asap.

Click here to get booking or see further details on this ‘must-do’ event!

JOE’S WHISKY REVIEW

I thought it was high time we started to give you even more to read and enjoy. We have therefore created a new whisky review section on the brand new website. This is being written by our first employee Joe Clark, formally of the Whisky Shop here in York. Don’t ask me how he has managed to manoeuvre his way into a paid position where he gets to sample fine whiskies on our time! Oh well, he’s a nice lad and you’ll no doubt be seeing him soon.
If you would like to read his very first reviews (of our very own bottlings!) and follow his progress, head on over to his new page here.

MEMBERSHIP AND BOTTLINGS

Just a quick reminder that should you be stuck for a pressie for that special whisky-drinker/nerd/nut in your life, that we have your problem sorted! The new Whisky Lounge Membership is what you need! Discounts, benefits and much more to be announced are to be had, and – for a limited period – you get one of our 20cl Single Cask bottlings, all for only £50. Not to mention the sexy black card you get automatically as a member. If you’re interested in this and/or the new bottlings we did just before Xmas, please click here.

LIVERPOOL & BRIGHTON

We are working hard to bring events to all you guys in the above areas – please bear with us and watch this space – announcements should be made soon…

That’s enough for now – read, digest and come and see us soon.

Slainte!
Eddie

Eddie Ludlow
Whisky Evangelist

thewhiskylounge
IWSC Spirit Panel Judge 2009-present
www.thewhiskylounge.com
eddie@thewhiskylounge.com

BENRIACH LAUNCHES NEW 17 YO RICHLY- PEATED SEPTENDECIM

BenRiach’s Septendecim, its newest addition to its celebrated peated range, will be available worldwide later this month, the distillery announced today (19 January 2012).

The new 17 year-old has been matured only in ex-bourbon casks and continues BenRiach’s quirky trend of using Latin names – such as Authenticus, Curiositas and Heredotus Fumosus – for its richly-peated expressions.

The tasting notes confirm Septendecim – Latin for “seventeen” – is a magnificent, multi-layered malt with fantastic length.

The colour is rich summer gold with a freshly harvested barley impression.

On the nose, it’s full of energy and vibrancy – a complex mix of fresh peaty aromas constructed around a central core of apples and toasted nuts dowsed in wild mountain honey.

And on the palate, it gives sweet concentrated peat flavours which dominate from the start. Bold and intense, the peaty heart is united with honey-infused raisins, roasted nuts and a luxurious leather impression.

Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “Septendecim is a real robust heavyweight, full-bodied and beautifully balanced with enormous impact. It’s another fine example of our distillery going back to its nineteenth-century roots – a time when, unlike today, the majority of Speyside distilleries were producing peated whiskies.”

Peated malt whisky production only represents approximately six weeks’ worth of the annual production at BenRiach, but the peated whiskies have become an important part of the distillery’s product portfolio as they offer something unexpected from the Speyside region.

Septendecim is non chill-filtered and bottled at natural colour, with a strength of 46% vol. Unlike the recently-launched BenRiach Solstice, the Septendecim is not a limited release and should be continually available for years to come.

Picture shows Septendecim and its packaging.

For more information – info@benriachdistillery.co.uk

MILROYS OF SOHO JANUARY 2012 NEWSLETTER

Well Happy New Year – and what a year! It’s great to see so many distilleries keen to experiment and reach for higher quality. Our customers are also becoming more knowledgeable and certainly more demanding. We kept on increasing our range in 2011, we now stock more whiskies than ever. Christmas was particularly good fun: tasting whiskies with our regulars, meeting bloggers and our overseas friends whom we normally only meet via email. Now it is 2012, we have a massive January sale and plenty of tastings and events to invite you to.

So which were our favourite whiskies of 2011 and what can the canny enthusiast buy at a snip during the Milroy’s of Soho Green Spot Sale?

A Taste from the Past – Grant’s Stand Fast 1977

Good evening all,

The last bottle of Stand Fast I tasted about a year ago was pretty delicious, so you can imagine how delighted I was when I came across this slightly later version of the same blend.

Historically speaking, this bottle is also interesting as it was the last time the Grant clan motto ‘Stand Fast’…

…(Please click on the link to read the remainder of the article)…

THE LINK

Ludo

Ralfy from www.ralfy.com tackles a series of Blended Whiskies with an indroductory …. Whisky Review #244 – 5 recommended Blended Scotch Whiskies.

Because it’s not just about single malts!

When it gets cold or really, really cold take a tip from the Japanese – make yourself a Hibiki Shokan or a Yamazaki Daikan cocktail

London January 2012: It’s a quick and delicious way to warm up. With 24 seasons in their year the Japanese have a cocktail answer for most situations. Shokan means “Small cold” and Daikan means “Major cold” in Japanese parlance. Here’s how they dispel the cold with these two tasty solutions.

Hibiki Shokan – the start of the cold season (6 January)

If your taste is for a blended whisky this is the winter warmer for you

Recipe:

40ml Hibiki 17 Year Old blended whisky

20ml Cherry Marnier

Vanilla pod (opened)

Pour ingredients over ice in a mixing glass

Add vanilla pod, orange zest and stir 30 times then strain over cracked ice in a rocks glass

Garnish with orange zest

Yamazaki Daikan – height of the cold season (21 January)

If your preference is for single malt whisky, try this on for central heating

Recipe:

40ml Yamazaki 12 year old single malt whisky

25ml Absinthe infusion (infusion of absinthe, cinnamon, vanilla pod, anis, cherry marnier, lemon zest and fresh cherries)

2 drops cherry bitters

Stir all ingredients over ice 30 times in mixing glass

Strain over cracked ice in balloon or chunky whisky glass

Both cocktails are from a range of 24 seasonal cocktail recipes created by Zoran Peric, Suntory Brand Ambassador, to bring that inner glow in a month of cold and snow.

Suntory Japanese whiskies are world beaters having won more than 60 international awards since 2003 and whisky lovers have taken to them. There is something about their subtle aromas and delicate flavours which appeals to the palate whether taken neat, over ice or in cocktails.

Yamazaki 12 Year Old Single Malt Whisky and Hibiki 17 Year Old Blended Whisky are firm favourites in Japan and here in Europe. Enjoy them and the warm glow that comes with the Yamazaki Daikan and Hibiki Shokan cocktails.

Note: Pronouncing Suntory names

Yamazaki – (Ya-ma-zarkee)

Hakushu – (Ha-koo-shoe)

Hibiki – (Hi-bi-kee)

Suntory single malt and blended whiskies are available from: Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, The Whisky Exchange, independent specialist retailers and drinkon.com priced from:

Yamazaki 12 year old £42

Hibiki 17 year old £70

The Suntory range of Japanese whiskies is distributed in the UK by Cellar Trends. For all sales enquiries contact: sales@cellartrends.co.uk

When spring is on the horizon the Japanese have a cocktail for it – their choice is a Risshun or a Usui

London January 2012: Every season the Japanese have a wonderful reason to celebrate, with an appropriate cocktail. They have 24 seasons in their calendar, and 24 taste sensations to look forward to each year. As spring looms nearer, they will hasten it in with a Risshun or a Usui cocktail, both delicious examples of the art of Japanese whisky.

Yamazaki Risshun – Spring will soon be in the air (4 February)
Time to mix a celebratory seasonal toast

Recipe:
35mlml Yamazaki 12 year old single malt whisky
25ml Ume honey blended with umeshu (Japanese plum liqueur)
Finely shaved ginger
Build in an Old-fashioned glass over ice
Here’s to Spring!

Hakushu Usui – In warmer weather a little rain will fall (19 February)

As winter begins to fade the spirits rise with the help of a Hakushu cocktail

Recipe:
30ml Hakushu 12 year old single malt whisky
6ml Violet cordial
2 sprays rose water
2 sprays orange blossom water

Both cocktails are from a range of 24 seasonal cocktail recipes created by Zoran Peric, Suntory Brand Ambassador, to raise the spirits with spring on the horizon.

Suntory Japanese whiskies are world beaters having won more than 60 international awards since 2003 and whisky lovers have taken to them. There is something about their subtle aromas and delicate flavours which appeals to the palate whether taken neat, over ice or in cocktails.

Yamazaki and Hakushu 12 Year Old Single Malt Whiskies are firm favourites in Japan and here in Europe. Enjoy them and the warm glow that comes with the Yamazaki Risshun and Hakushu Usui cocktails.

Note: Pronouncing Suntory names
Yamazaki – (Ya-ma-zarkee)
Hakushu – (Ha-koo-shoe)
Hibiki – (Hi-bi-kee)

Yamazaki and Hakushu single malt whiskies are available from: Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, The Whisky Exchange, independent specialist retailers and drinkon.com priced from:

Yamazaki 12 year old £42
Hakushu 12 year old £49.95

The Suntory range of Japanese whiskies is distributed in the UK by Cellar Trends. For all sales enquiries contact: sales@cellartrends.co.uk