The Glenlivet would like to invite all our Guardians to join us at Whisky Live, London on 4th and 5th March 2011. Take advantage of discounted access by clicking here, or visit www.whiskylive.com, using the code GLENLIVET to receive 10% off the usual ticket price.

Whisky Live is an opportunity to spend time with myself and members of The Glenlivet team, meet other Guardians and enjoy a dram of The Glenlivet.

For those of you who are a Guardian Ambassador, we are delighted to be hosting an exclusive Guardians Ambassador Lounge. To gain access, you simply need to come along to The Glenlivet Stand at Whisky Live with your membership card or Library key. (You can check your status on the website; although if you have a membership card, I can assure you that you are already an Ambassador!) Within the Lounge we have a few special drams to share, rare and exceptional Whiskies that we are only offering to the Ambassadors. I very much look forward to seeing you there!

Not yet a Guardian Ambassador? You can graduate by demonstrating your appreciation for The Glenlivet. Find out more on the website by clicking here: http://www.theglenlivet.com/guardians/

Best wishes,

Ian Logan

Guardian of Malt

* * * Maltstock newsflash * * *

The Whiskyshop Dufftown Discount!
   
Fellow whisky enthusiasts,

A quick newsflash with some great news straight from the whisky capital of the world!

5% discount at The Whiskyshop Dufftown.

The renowned whiskyshop in Dufftown is offering every subscriber to the Maltstock newsletter (yes, that’s you) a 5% discount on all whisky! This offer is valid until the end of June.

Just enter the following code when ordering online or mention when buying in their excellent shop: WSDMALTSTOCK

Click here http://www.whiskyshopdufftown.co.uk/  to go straight to the excellent webshop of The Whiskyshop Dufftown.

10% discount for Maltstock visitors

If you have Maltstock tickets The WSD will even give you a 10% discount! All Maltstock tickets holders will receive a special code for this generous discount! This offer is valid until the end of September.

Credit card payment for Maltstock tickets

You can now also buy your Maltstock tickets through The Whiskyshop Dufftown. This is the only way if you want to pay your tickets with a credit card. Unfortunately credit card payments are not possible through the Maltstock webshop.

Do remember to get your Maltstock tickets on time!

Hope to see you all in September at Maltstock

the Maltstock crew

Visit Malt Stock at www.maltstock.com

Visit our new Guardians website today. When you are logged on, you will see that you are a Guardians Ambassador. Click here http://www.theglenlivet.com/guardians/ to find out more!

Throughout the year we will give you a window into The Glenlivet: inside information not only from the distillery, but also from the countries around the world where The Glenlivet is so popular.

As you would expect from ‘The single malt that started it all’, there are countless projects underway at The Glenlivet. Our blog is just a tiny piece in a much larger jigsaw.

Contributions will be made by the entire team at the distillery, including Master Distiller Alan Winchester. Our network of Ambassadors from around the globe will also be regularly tuning in to give you a glimpse of what they get up.

This all comes at a time when you, our loyal followers, enter an exciting new phase with an incredible 13,000 global Guardians members truly dedicated to The Glenlivet.

We will continue with the hugely successful Guardians Whisky Schools and introduce our exciting new ‘Ambassador’s Tour’ at the distillery to be hosted either by me or by one of my fellow Global Ambassadors.

2011 promises to be a very exciting year for The Glenlivet, so keep checking back with us to keep up-to-date.

Best wishes, Ian Logan
Guardian of Malt

Submitted by Phil Adobewan…

Whiskey and Whisky lovers all over the country have been trying to get hold of Traditional Steartite Whiskey Stones for years (I know I am one of them) and they are HARD to find. They are a great thing for Australian drinking conditions, cooling the drink without ice.  They don’t chill like ice, that is actually a very bad thing to do, it dilutes and pollutes!

Whiskey stones gently keep your bevvy at ‘cellar temperature’ and are reusable and will not affect the drink in any other way, they are chemically inert and non-toxic.  (They are made from the same stone that talcum powder is made from.

Search ‘Whiskey Stones’ on ebay australia or:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Whiskey-Stones-First-time-offered-hand-made-RARE-AS-/330522207872?pt=AU_BarwareCollectables&hash=item4cf4a8a680

Good morning to all!
 
I am writing to you today because over the past several months, each of you has contacted Lark Distillery in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia about the availability of their wonderful whiskies here in the United States.

Marsalle Company in Franklin Park, IL has been appointed the U.S. importer for Lark Whiskies, and we have been working hard in preparation for their arrival in this country.

I am very pleased to tell you that Lark Whiskies will be arriving here in the U.S. in late March, with the formal launch planned for April. We will be launching three different whiskies here in the U.S.:

Lark Single Cask Single Malt Whisky   43% abv
Lark Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky   58% abv
Lark Distiller’s Selection Single Cask Release   46% abv

We are in the process of appointing distributors in a number of states across the country. These distributors will be handling sales and distribution of Lark Whiskies in their appointed markets.

We expect to launch Lark Whiskies initially in California, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Illinois, Texas and Massachusetts, with additional markets to follow as supply will allow.

The initial quantities are limited, as you might expect with high quality, hand-crafted whiskies such as Lark. For this reason we will be rolling these products out on an allocated basis to make sure we can meet expected demand in the marketplace.

The good news here is that we expect the available supply of Lark Whiskies to increase sufficiently to meet the market’s needs by summer/fall of this year.

We are very excited about the upcoming launch, and we appreciate your enthusiasm for these award-winning whiskies. If you would like further details regarding launch timing, distributor information in your state, or if you have any other questions for us, please feel free to contact me. My contact information is listed below.

Thanks for your interest in Lark Whiskies – your patience is about to be rewarded!

Robert Imperial
Marsalle Company
11550 King Street
Franklin Park, IL 60131
847-451-6300
rob@marsalle.com

All whisky tastings take place on Thursday nights from 7:30pm until approximately 10pm at the Tolbooth Tavern, 167 Canongate, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Scotchland. At least 5 drams, cask strength being the preferred option when a choice is available and affordable.

Thursday March 17th:- P/O/U/R/S £20/17*

Thursday March 31st:- World Whiskies £19/16*

Czech republic : Hammerhead 20yo single malt 40.7%

Japan : Yamazaki Puncheon 48%

U.S.A. : Rocky Mountain Rye 16yo 46%

England : Saint George rum cask 46%

India : Amrut Kadhambam 50%

Thursday April 14th:- P/O/U/R/S £20/17*

Thurs. April 28th:- Tomintoul £15/12* – ticket includes £5 off a bottle from the Tomintoul  range

21yo 40%
33yo 43%
Old Ballantruan peated 50%
12yo port finish 46%
12yo oloroso sherry finish 40%

Thursday May 12th:- P/O/U/R/S £20/17*

Thursday May 26th:- non-Scottish peaty drams £tbc

India: Amrut 62.8%
U.S.A.: McCarthy’s
Japan: t.b.c.
England: St. Georges
Ireland: Cooley

Thursday June 9th:- P/O/U/R/S £20/17*

Thursday June 23rd:- Arran £tbc

Machrie Moor peated 46%
‘Oran Mor’ 56.4% sherry cask 236 bottles
10yo 57.1% Bourbon cask 219 bottles Loch Fyne Whiskies bottling
Cadenheads 1998 12yo 57.4%
plus another one to be confirmed

Thursday July 7th P/O/U/R/S £20/17*

Thursday July 21st Lagavulin £tbc

LG2
Distiller’s Edition 1994 – 2010 43%
16yo 43%
1995 12yo European oak 48% Friends of Classic Malts
and a fifth expression to be confirmed

Future Themes:

18yo- ‘Us’ and ‘Them’: comparisons of distillery bottlings with independant expressions – Highland Park, Glendronach and Tamdhu
Ben Nevis: Cadenheads 1996 – 03/2009 12yo 57.1% Bourbon hogshead 256 bootles, 10yo 46%, single blend, single grain, Cadenheads ‘dumpy’ 06/1965 – 12/1981 16yo 46%
Bladnoch: Rare Malts 23yo, Cadenheads 17yo 55.1% Bourbon hogshead, peated, sherry cask plus one other example
peaty blends 40%: Islay Mist, Islay Hallmark 8yo, Black Bottle 10yo, Black Grouse, Black Bottle, plus a special guest (Brora or Port Ellen) Template design by Web-Kreation

 Visit the Jolly Toper at http://www.jollytopertastings.co.uk/

March Previews: Brown Sugary Goodness

With March First Friday just around the corner we’ve decided to release two sweet little numbers early – a taste of what’s to come..

Buy March Previews 121.40 & 7.63 for £85 (save £17.50)

121.40 Black tea with brown sugar
Highland Island
£40.00 inc. free p&p
Twiglets, Marmite Cheddars and yeasty brown-bread buns, so the intense sweetness when we tasted came as a surprise –Muscovado sugar, molasses, treacle – giving way to meaty, Marmite flavours

7.63 In place of pudding
Speyside Lossie
£62.50 inc. free p&p
Excellent colour, with a rich scent of French apple tart, then peaches and custard, then settling as syrup sponge with stem ginger and Crunchie

March Outturn Released:
Thu 3 Mar (just around midnight!)

February Outturn Offers (ends Thu 4 Mar):
PAIR: 53.146 & 36.51 for £90 (save £17.70)
THREESOME: 29.89, 64.28 & 44.48 for £131 (save £26.40)
CASE OFFER: 53.146, 36.51, 29.89, 64.28, 44.48 & 1.156 for £259.50 (save £50.00)
  
Society Tastings & Events (48 Society tastings online)
Wokingham Preview Tasting – Cantley House Hotels, Fri 25 Feb
Harrogate Preview Tasting – Hotel du Vin, Fri 25 Feb
Stirling Preview Tasting – Golden Lion Hotel, Fri 25 Feb
Birmingham Preview Tasting – Malmaison, Fri 25 Feb
Brighton Preview Tasting – Hotel du Vin, Fri 25 Feb
6 Nations Ireland V Scotland Lunch – The Vaults, Sun 27 Feb
6 Nations Ireland V Scotland – Queen Street, Sun 27 Feb
Bon Voyage Tasting – The Vaults, Wed 2 Mar
New Outturn & Sunday Roast Tasting – The Vaults, Sun 6 Mar

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.

Kintyre Express will be running a boat from Troon to Campbeltown for the open day at a cost of £80 return.   They will depart Troon at 9.30 am and return 16.30 pm.  Go to http://ticketapp.ibooking.com/book.asp?id_prov=3306  to book tickets.

Springbank Open Day

Thursday 19th May is the date for this year’s open day.   We will have two single casks to bottle on the day, I will get more information on the casks very soon.   We will of course have Masterclasses with Frank, Gavin and Peter.   The cost this year for the Masterclasses will be £15 and will include a glass.

Tastings in the Warehouse will also be part of the open day, at a cost of £5 which will include a discount voucher for Cadenhead Whisky Shop.

At set times throughout the day there will be free distillery tours for people who do not wish to participate in the Masterclasses.

Grant is again hosting a Cadenhead Tasting in the Tasting Room in the afternoon.   The cost of tickets will be £20 and places will be limited.

We will also have food from Auntie Mo, Food from Argyll, Seafood from McMillan Smokehouse.   A bar will be provided by Fyne Ales who will be joining us for the first time with some of their fine ales (of course).

John Brown will be there with his wood carvings – some nice new creations this year from John.   The Blacksmith’s Shop is setting up a stall to show off some of their metal art work  and hopefully they will also bring along a wood burning stove that we can gather round if it’s cold.   Various other craft stalls will also be there.

Gavin’s team will be preparing some half casks for sale as garden tubs, they also have some cask ends – do you fancy having your date of birth stencilled on one of these?

Music will be provided by local artistes.

We thought that this year we would have a BBQ and a tiny wee bonfire at about 6.30 pm, with maybe a Spooks tour round the warehouses.   I know it will not be dark but we won’t put the lights on so that you get really frightened.   I believe there are lots of spiders in the warehouses away at the back in the dark bits so I won’t be going in there!!!

Fyne Ales have agreed to stay with us for the BBQ at night and hopefully we will have some music too – maybe a piper in the warehouse to add to the atmosphere.   If you’re lucky you might even see some of the angels.

If you would like to book Masterclasses or the Cadenhead Tasting, let me know.

Contact Janet via society@springbankwhisky.com  for your chance to join the Springbank Society. 

Hello Everyone,

I hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend.  I just wanted to bring this fantastic article on the Universal Whisky Experience to your attention.  We are pleased that such a well regarded, well recognized publication has taken notice of this event.   The excitement about the event is growing and we could not be more pleased.  We’ve just welcomed a national cigar partner and will share more news about that shortly.  If you know of anyone who may be interested in attending The Universal Whisky Experience there are still tickets available.

http://robbreport.com/Wine-Spirits-Cigars/Whisky-Connoisseurs-will-Unite-in-Las-Vegas

Regards

Mahesh Patel

CEO

Visit the Universal Whisky Experience at www.universalwhiskyexperience.com

Happy Monday everyone,

Today, I would like to ask for your help.

Our company archives feature a rather impressive collection of old bottles of Grant’s but there is one which Paul, our archivist and occasional guest blogger, would like to have more examples of, for posterity. The bottle in question and pictured below is the first triangular… (click on the link below to read the rest of the post).

http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2011/02/can-you-help/

Kind regards,
Ludo