So what’s the latest on the Shackleton whisky?

Richard Paterson reports: I’ve been asked on Facebook and Twitter recently for some more details about the Shackleton replica whisky and the basic news is that it’s still going tremendously well – it’s selling as quickly as we can make it!

But if you’ve ever wanted to know what goes into nosing and making a whisky, do I have the technical document for you to read…

The Shackleton whisky has reached Australia and is expected to hit US shores in a couple of months – there was a very nice piece in the Huffington Post by Tony Sachs about it.

There’s also an incredibly detailed piece (PDF format I’m told) about the whisky and a detailed breakdown of what is in it at Sensory and Chemical Analysis of ‘Shackleton’s’ Mackinlay Scotch Whisky which should have enough detail for even the most ardent whisky fan!

Once again, my thanks to everyone across the globe who has shown interest in this exquisite dram over the last few years – and my thanks to everyone at Whyte & Mackay for helping make it the success that it has been.

Now if you’re looking for a bottle, this site (UK) or this site (most of the world)  might be able to help.

Lagavulin – a place of pilgrimage for many adorers of this quintessential Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

But before the malt whisky comes the malt – in this case, famously imbued with the memorable aromas of Islay’s peat. The malted barley for Lagavulin, and for several other Islay distilleries, is created just up the road, at the Port Ellen Maltings.

It’s rarely open to the public, and even then, many parts are off-limits to visitors.

So the visit you’re now invited to make through You Tube is a privileged ticket to areas that most people have never seen – where the operators themselves can explain how we make the malt that makes some of the world’s most famous Single Malt Scotch Whiskies.

Full link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVIBCv5X1OM

Hi all,

Some very exciting news to share with you whilst you enjoy the first July weekend – and a scorcher at that!

As you know – or should know – we have three Festivals for you in September, in quite different places. As we are trying to develop our offering into new areas and in order to reach out to more and more new customers, we decided to try a new initiative in conjunction with Groupon.

Therefore for a limited time (24 hours in fact!) each of the following Festivals will be available at an extraordinary price – but only on the Groupon website.

Brighton Whisky Festival – 3rd September
Liverpool Whisky Festival – 10th September
York Whisky Festival – 17th September

The deal is two tickets for £15 and is unrepeatable!

As you can imagine, there are a limited number of these tickets available and they are on a one pair per customer, first come first served basis.

Ideally I would love for this to be an opportunity for you to get friends and family along who perhaps have a slight interest but have avoided the plunge up until now, but what you do with this information is up to you!

The first of these deals goes up tomorrow (Sunday 3rd July) – just after midnight tonight – and is for York. If you don’t already know Groupon, go to www.groupon.co.uk and enter your location in order to be shown the relevant deals. I’m certainly not suggesting all their deals will interest you, but there are some tasty morsels from time to time!...(due to short notice Whisky Intelligence was unable to publish this article in time for July 3rd)

The Liverpool ‘deal’ will follow on 13th July and then Brighton on 21st July.

There will be no further warnings or reminders about these ‘deals’ and The Whisky Lounge will not be held responsible if you miss out for whatever reason!

Hopefully you will agree that these events are stunning value at full price and I am working on a reward scheme for those of you that do pay full price and have done since the year dot…

Anyway, good luck, enjoy your summer – here’s hoping we actually get one – and I look forward to seeing you later in the year.

Slainte!
Eddie

Eddie Ludlow
Whisky Evangelist

thewhiskylounge
www.thewhiskylounge.com
eddie@thewhiskylounge.com

Grant’s in the news

Happy Monday all,

Monte Carlo, Toronto, Shanghai, London and Bucarest. This is where my diary says I need to be between June 14th and July 14th, but for now, I am enjoying a sunny day in beautiful Dufftown, slowly catching up with non-urgent emails. Amongst these are a few external reviews of our blend, which I….(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…

http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2011/07/grants-in-the-news/

Kind regards,
Ludo

Ralfy gives a friendly wave with …. Whisky Review 209 (2/7) – Whisky Masterclass (Appearance). So … what can you tell about a whisky from it’s colour ? … less than you might think !

See for yourself at www.ralfy.com  

Premium spirits company William Grant & Sons signs three year contract with Schenker Limited

Global premium spirits business William Grant & Sons has signed a three year deal with Schenker Limited – the UK arm of the global logistics company – to provide domestic and international freight services for its world-famous products using air, ocean and land services.

The majority of shipments are destined for Europe, the Middle East and Africa plus a number of major South American destinations and will move ex-UK by ocean, but DB Schenker’s unique service offering of being able to provide a four modes option means that the spirits producer can use a variety of flexible services to precisely match its needs.

Among the premium brands which form the William Grant portfolio are Glenfiddich®, the Balvenie® range of handcrafted single malts and, Grant’s® and one of Ireland’s finest Irish Whiskeys, Tullamore Dew®.

In Bellshill, Lanarkshire for the contract signing, Schenker Limited’s Operations Director, Doug Coull said: “This is a really significant business win for our team in Scotland.  Our e-business solutions combined with our international logistics capabilities have enabled us to give William Grant & Sons a best in class service for the export of their products around the globe”.

In addition to the exports from Scotland, Schenker Limited has also been awarded significant business from Clonmel in Ireland to Europe, the Middle East, North America and Russia.

About DB Schenker

Schenker Limited is part of the global DB Schenker network.  With 18 locations and over 850 employees, the company provides the complete range of land operations, international air and ocean freight forwarding and all related integrated logistics services and global supply chain management.

With a turnover of 18.9 billion euros, about 90,000 employees and over 2,000 locations in all the world’s major economic regions, DB Schenker holds top positions in global air and ocean freight, the densest land transportation network in Europe, and the rail competence of Europe’s largest rail freight company.  Integrated Logistics at DB Schenker, with its three business segments, Land Transport, Air/Ocean Freight and Contract Logistics/SCM, is one of the world’s leading logistics service providers.  The business unit offers Europe-wide land transport and worldwide air and ocean freight, as well as comprehensive logistics solutions and global supply chain management from a single source.  The unit also holds top positions in automotive, high-tech and consumer products, as well as in trade fair forwarding, special transportation and services for major sporting events.

About William Grant & Sons

Established in 1887, family-owned William Grant & Sons is a premium spirits company with a portfolio of award-winning brands that are enjoyed worldwide. It was the dream of William Grant to make the ‘best dram in the valley’ and five generations later, this still holds true. William Grant & Sons distils some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including Glenfiddich®, the world’s favourite single malt, The Balvenie® range of handcrafted single malts and, Grant’s® one of the world’s most loved blended Scotches. In addition, we now have one of Ireland’s finest Irish Whiskeys, Tullamore Dew®.

July Outturn: Slow Summer Sipping

12 single cask suggestions for slow summer sipping:

SPORTY PAIR: 1.158 & 76.83 only £89.90 (save £10)

1.158 Cricketer’s Dram
Speyside Spey £47.30 inc free p&p

76.83 Cocktails after rugby
Speyside Spey £52.60 inc free p&p

Za Za Zoom Trio:
125.45, 36.53 & 29.101 for £135.40 (save £15)

125.45 Complex and thought-provoking
Highland Northern £52.60 inc free p&p

36.53 Syrupy zestiness
Speyside Spey £49.40 inc free p&p

29.101 Tarred, feathered and set on fire
Islay £48.40 inc free p&p

Harmonious six: All of the above PLUS 7.66 for £283.70 (save £30)

7.66 Harmonious co-existence of flavour
Spyside Lossie £63.40 inc free p&p

Single cask single grain whisky (New Closed Distillery)

G8.1 Light, bright and agreeable
£53.70 inc free p&p
Light, bright and agreeable, with polished pine, plant stems, sultanas, toffee and a biscuit tin containing chocolate biscuits and pink wafers

Society Tastings & Events (66 Society tastings online)

New Members’ Tasting – London, Thu 14 July
Steak & Chips Tasting – The Vaults, Fri 15 July
Wokingham Preview Tasting – Cantley House, Fri 22 July
Falkirk Wheel Tasting – Queen Street, Thu 28 July

More Society tastings

Whisky For A Year: Free Tasting Glasses
Get whiskyed away on a tide of ultimate single cask single malt Society bottlings..

Over the course of the year we’ll send you bottlings, hand-picked by The Tasting Panel, of the highest quality and intrigue.

Sign-up before Fri 15 July and we’ll include a pair of free tasting glasses with your first bottling (77.25 Notes of floral & tobacco). 

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. 

Single Malts of Scotland Springbank 1999

A quick post today about a new bottling that we’ve just got in from our sister company, Speciality Drinks Ltd, as part of the Single Malts of Scotland range – an 11 year old Springbank. It was matured in a sherry cask, after being distilled in 1999 and bottled at the end of 2010. It’s .…(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…

THE LINK

New whisk(e)y arrivals at Miner’s Delight Inn

The Two-bit Cowboy Saloon in Miner’s Delight Inn Bed & Breakfast recently added several new single malt Scotch whiskies and a limited-release Kentucky bourbon to the backbar and store.

Kilchoman Spring 2011 Release. One of the 240 cases of 750ml bottles imported to the USA landed in Atlantic City, Wyoming. $7 a nip, and $70 a bottle.

Bunnahabhain 12 years old, unchillfiltered, no coloring added, and bottled at 46.3%. $5.50 a nip, and $55 a bottle.

GlenDronach 14 years old Virgin Oak. $7.50 a nip, and $75 a bottle.

Angel’s Envy port barrel finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, $5 a nip, and $50 a bottle.

Miner’s Delight Inn Bed & Breakfast
Barbara & Bob Townsend
290 Atlantic City Road, Atlantic City, Wyo. 82520
(307) 332-0248     bandb@minersdelightinn.com 

Visit the Miner’s Delight Inn at www.minersdelightinn.com

EPISODE 323 It’s been a little over four months since a massive earthquake destroyed much of Christchurch, New Zealand and claimed 181 lives. Today, the city is trying to rebuild, despite occasional large aftershocks. One of those people trying to rebuild is Michael Fraser Milne of Whisky Galore, Christchurch’s largest whisky shop. His store was destroyed in the earthquake, which came just three days before Whisky Galore’s biennial DramFest festival. Michael tells us about the recovery in Christchurch, and what he calls a “humbling” outpouring of support from the whisky community. In the news, Ian Macleod Distillers has bought Tamdhu Distillery and will bring it back to life, Diageo plans to expand in Speyside, and much more!

Visit WhiskyCast at www.whiskycast.com