elitemarket.com – Press Launch of the Fine Malt Whisky Cellar –  3 November 2010

This will be web’s first ever operational Malt Whisky Cellar and will allow visitors to purchase some of the world’s finest malt whisky in a fully-immersive 3-D environment.

They will also be giving an overview of the other launches scheduled for the coming weeks including Ski Prime Property, and Luxury Ski Retail.

We would be delighted if you will join us for a dram or two of the good stuff in the Robert Adam Room at 33 St James’s Square on the 3rd of November and, if you would like to bring a colleague, just let us know. 

Come and celebrate a UK based company taking the lead in innovation on the web.

Best Wishes

Darshna Patel
Media Director
Lehmann Communications plc
020 7266 3020
dp@lehmanncommunications.com

BALLANTINE’S TAKES TOP HONOURS IN  2011 WORLD WHISKY AWARDS

A blended scotch whisky has swept aside all single malt rivals to take the prestigious Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible Award for 2011.

Ballantine’s 17-year-old has topped all other whiskies in this year’s publication, which includes 4,500 different brands – of which over 1,000 new entries were tasted by Jim Murray in six months.
Single malt scotch, often a whisky preferred by whisky lovers, failed also to take either the runner’s up or third spot. Second place went to Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye (129 proof) ahead of William Larue Weller (134.8 proof), both from the same distillery: Buffalo Trace.

Speaking at the publication of the Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2011 Jim Murray said, “Blends are seen by many as the poor relations to single malts. Ballantine’s 17 proves, quite spectacularly, what many of us have known for a great many years: it isn’t. A blender has the chance to create something unique and quite beautiful by putting together many whisky styles. With Ballantine’s 17, the blender has done his job in glorious, quite majestic fashion.”

Giving the blend 97.5 points out of 100, Jim Murray describes the whisky as “one of the most beautiful, complex and stunningly structured whiskies ever created.”

And in another boost for unsung whiskies, the own label Irish whiskey from Sainsbury’s Dún Léire Aged 8 Years Single Malt, won Irish Whiskey of the Year, the first time a supermarket brand has gained top country honours in The Whisky Bible. Produced by the Cooley Distillery for Sainsbury’s Jim Murray said, “this is Cooley at its best and a very astute and masterful piece of whiskey buying”.

Last year, the World Whisky Award went to Sazerac 18-year-old Kentucky rye.  This year, younger sibling Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye (129 proof) secured second place, whilst William Larue Weller (134.8 proof), a bourbon, came third.  Both brands herald from last years World whisky winner Buffalo Trace Distillery. 

Conducted over a four month period, whilst writing the 2011 Whisky Bible, Jim Murray tasted in excess of 1000 whiskies to reach his final decision. 
              
In the end, it was a Scotch blend which scored highly in previous editions which took the top prize.

Added Jim: “Ballantine’s 17-years-old has always been one of the world’s premier whiskies: its consistency over the years has been quite remarkable.  But this year it just progressed that extra notch to leave all other whiskies in its shadow.  This currently marks the epitome of great blending, indeed, great whisky: nowhere else can you find balance, texture, and content come together in such a sensual, graceful way.  It really is the nectar of the gods, except even they might struggle to get to the bottom of its labyrinthine complexity.  It needed something out of this world to see off the two Buffalo Trace whiskeys…and this was it.”

Of the Buffalo Trace brands Jim Murray said, “Having tasted and been overwhelmed by both whiskeys at the Buffalo Trace early this year, tasting them again in the confounds of UK based tasting room, devoid of the romance of the distillery and in the wake of some tough competition was a tough challenge for these two newcomers” said Murray.  “But wow how they delivered.  These are two of the best American whiskies the best I have ever tasted and for very different reasons.” 

 Jim Murray’s Tasting Notes:

Ballantine’s 17 Years Old (97.5) n24.5 deft grain and honey plus teasing salty peat; ultra high quality with bourbon and pear drops offering the thrust; a near unbelievable integration t 246 t with gooseberry juice offering a touch of sharpness muted by watered golden syrup; t24 immediately mouthwatering with maltier tones clambering over the graceful cocoa-enriched grain; the degrees of sweetness are varied but near perfection; just hints of smoke here and there; f24 lashings of vanilla and cocoa on the fade; drier with a faint spicey, vaguely smoky buzz; has become longer with more recent bottlings with the most subtle oiliness imaginable; b25 now only slightly less weighty than of old. After a change of style direction it has comfortably reverted back to its sophisticated, mildly erotic old self. One of the most beautiful, complex and stunningly structured whiskies ever created. Truly the epitome of great Scotch. To the extent that for the last year, I have simply been unable to find a better whisky anywhere in the world.  43%.

Sainsbury’s Dún Léire Aged 8 Years Single Malt (95.5) n24 the score for this crept upwards as I investigated the aroma like the thermometer in my back garden on a bright summer’s day.  The first thing to throw itself at you is Seville blood orange, backed up by a clever layering of barley at varying intensity and sweetness; the delicate oak acts as no more than a buffer in between; t24 just about the perfect mouth feel: silky and melting on the palate.  Again, it was an orangey citrus first to show, then again followed by some stunning malt.  Everything dissolves: you don’t have to do anything but close your eyes and enjoy, indeed: marvel…but it is hard work to stop yourself chewing; f23.5 dries slightly, but the bitterness threatened on the label fails to materialise…thankfully.  The fruit and barley ride off into the sunset in tandem; b24 when I read “notes of bitter orange” on the label I feared the worst and expected a sulphurous whiskey.  Well maybe there is a molecule or two hanging around, but so minor is it, it is impossible to tell exactly where it comes from.  This is one of the great whiskeys from Cooley, ever.  And as a supermarket Irish…unsurpassed.  One of the surprise packages of world whisky for 2010.  Magnificent.  40%

Award winners:

2011 World Whisky of the Year – Ballantine’s 17 Years Old
Second Finest Whisky in the World 2011 – Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye (129 proof)
Third Finest Whisky in the World 2011 – William Larue Weller (134.8 proof)

Category Winners:

Scotch Whisky of the Year – Ballantine’s 17 Years Old
Single Malt of the Year (Multiple cask) – Octomore Orpheus Aged 5 Years
Single Malt of the Year (Single cask) – Gordon & MacPhail Mortlach 70
Best Scotch New Brand – Compass Box, The Spice Tree
Scotch Blend of the Year – Ballantine’s 17 Years Old
Scotch Grain of the Year – Clan Denny Garnheath Aged 40 Years
Scotch Vatted Malt of the Year – Big Peat

Single Malt Scotch

No Age Statement (Multiple cask) – Ardbeg Corryvreckan
No Age Statement (runner up) – The Macallan Oscuro
10 Years and Under (Multiple cask) – Octomore Orpheus Aged 5 Years
10 Years and Under (Single cask) – Ardbeg 2000 Lord Robertson of Port Ellen KT
11-15 Years Old (Multiple cask) – The Arran Malt 1996 ‘The Peacock’
11-15 Years Old (Single cask) – SMWS 33.77 Aged 11 Years (Ardbeg)
16-21 Years Old (Multiple cask) – Highland Park Aged 18 Years
16-21 Years Old (Single cask) – Old Malt Cask Lochside Aged 18 Years
 22-27 Years Old (Multiple cask) – Brora 25 Year Old 7th Release
22-27 Years Old (Single cask) – Duncan Taylor Highland Park 1986
28-34 Years Old (Multiple cask) – Auchentoshan 1978 Bourbon Cask Ltd Edition
28-34 Years Old (Single cask) – Old Malt Cask Auchroisk Aged 34 Years
35-40 Years Old (Multiple cask) – Highland Park 1973 Orcadian Vintage
35-40 Years Old (Single cask) – G&M Rare Old Convalmore 1975
41 Years and Over (Multiple cask) – Dalmore Candela Aged 50 Years
41 Years and Over (Single cask) – Gordon & MacPhail Mortlach 70

Blended Scotch

No Age Statement (Standard) – Ballantine’s Finest
No Age Statement (Premium) – The Last Drop
5-12 Years – Johnnie Walker Black Label
13-18 Years – Ballantine’s 17 Year Old
19 & Over – William Grant’s 25 Years Old

Irish Whiskey of the Year – Sainsbury’s Dún Léire Aged 8 Years
 
American Whiskey

Bourbon of the Year – William Larue Weller (134.8 proof)
Rye of the Year – Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye (129 proof)
 
Bourbon

No Age Statement (Multiple barrel) – William Larue Weller (134.8 proof)
9 Years & Under – Knob Creek
10-17 Years (Multiple Barrels) – Parker’s Heritage Collection Fourth Edition
10-17 Years (Single Barrel) – Willett Aged 17 Years Barrel Proof
18 Years & Over – Evan Williams 23 Year Old

Rye

No Age Statement – Thomas H Handy Sazerac Rye (129 proof)
11 Years & Over – Rittenhouse Rye Aged 25 Years Barrel 19

Canadian Whisky of the Year – Crown Royal Special Reserve
Japanese Whisky of the Year – Karuizawa 1967 Vintage

European Whisky

European Whisky of the Year – Mackmyra Brukswhisky
European Single Cask Whisky of the Year – The Belgian Owl Aged 44 Months

World Whiskies

Indian Whisky of the Year – Amrut Intermediate Sherry Matured

Jim Murray Liquid Gold Awards

Created last year to recognise whisky-making excellence around the world some (x?) new whiskies, scoring 94 points or more have been awarded Liquid Gold Awards in the 2011 Whisky Bible. 

Representing just x % of all the whiskies featured in the ‘2011 edition they are, says Murray “the elite; the very finest you can find on whisky shelves around the world. Rare and precious they are liquid gold”.

A full account of the 2011 World Whisky Awards can be found in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2011 published today (11th October 2010).  And with over 4050 tasting notes, including 1050 of the very latest releases, the ‘Whisky Bible’ remains the definitive and most up to date guide available.

Published by Dram Good Books priced at £12.99, the ‘2011 Whisky Bible’ is available through good book shops.  Signed copies by the author can be purchased from www from www.whiskybible.com.

Black Bull 12 Year Old

This special blend is a marriage of the finest 12 year old single malt and single grain whiskies distilled in Scotland. The selection of whiskies falls true to the Duncan Taylor ethic of unbridled quality, each whisky from each cask is nose and tasted before going into the Black Bull vatting.

Like its older brother, Black Bull 12yo is 50% mal, 50% grain and bottled at 50% alc/vol.

Colour: Full Amber
Nose: Robust, chunky aromas. Chocolate. toffee, sherry, vanilla and lemon sherbet.
Falvour: Smooth, mellow and rounded. Milk Chocolate, treacle toffee, pears, green apples and lots of sweet vanilla.
Finish: Some heavier fruity notes emerge and lots of creamy notes coming through.

WAS £32.99 inc. VAT £28.08 ex. VAT

NOW £27.99 inc. VAT £23.82 ex. VAT

www.singlemaltsdirect.com

Whisky Wednesday
Come along for some drams!

NOTE: BALVENIE TASTING IS POSTPONED TO 2011!!

 £2 for 4 Whiskies

NO TICKETS NEEDED – BRING YER FRIENDS!

Location: Butchart Centre, University Road, Old Aberdeen
Time and Date: 7pm – Wednesday 13th October 2010
What to Bring: £2 for entry + Membership Card + money for raffle

See you there!

Our mailing address is:
University of Aberdeen Malt Whisky Society
The Butchart Centre
University Road
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire AB24 3UT

aberdeenwhisky@googlemail.com

Loch Fyne Whiskies stocks Talisker OB 1999 11yo Distillers Edition 45.8%alc.

Distillers Editions are single malt whiskies that have been taken from traditional whisky casks and transferred to a second type of cask for further maturation. This Talisker has been transferred to an ex-Amoroso sherry cask to become more tarry and less peppery.

Not necessarily better – but different and well worthwhile.

Flavour Map Ref: F9
Rich / Smoky

Talisker 1999 Distillers Edition Double Matured 11 year old
Barcode: 5000281014074

Price excluding VAT: £39.57
£46.49 Including VAT at 17.5%

Visit Loch Fyne Whiskies at www.lfw.co.uk

Every master has an apprentice learning the tricks of the trade and preparing to fill the master’s shoes one day. Brian Kinsman served as David Stewart’s protege at William Grant & Sons, and has now taken on David’s role as Master Blender for Grant’s and Glenfiddich Malt Master. David continues as Malt Master for The Balvenie, and we’ll hear from both men in this episode. In the news, Dewar’s completes the first phase of its expansion plans, two bottles of George Washington’s Rye go on the auction block, and Woodford Reserve searches for the perfect Manhattan recipe.

Visit WhiskyCast at www.whiskycast.com

A Wee Note from Richard Joynson Himself;

A TOUR OF ROSEISLE DISTILLERY – October 2010
Your Correspondent (YC) was able to tag onto the back of a group of assorted journos, hacks and bloggers during a get-to-know-us tour of the new Roseisle Distillery. YC is delighted to report that he is very impressed and that the future of malt distilling is safe; the doomsayers will have to make up some new conspiracies.

A TOUR OF ROSEISLE DISTILLERY – October 2010

Your Correspondent was able to tag onto the back of a group of assorted journos, hacks and bloggers during a get-to-know-us tour of the new Roseisle Distillery. YC is delighted to report that he is very impressed and that the future of malt distilling is safe; the doomsayers will have to make up some new conspiracies.

BACKGROUND

Diageo is the largest producer of Scotch and is enjoying very strong growth in demand from it’s new markets, so much so that, having checked their sums with a calculator, they are convinced they need a further 20m litres annual production of malt whisky for their blends. Malt Production supremeo Brian Higgs has managed to whip their existing 27 Diageo distilleries into eeking out half that volume but three years ago he also got the go-ahead to build new capacity which is now built and producing as Roseisle Distillery.

THE MALTINGS

Roseisle Distillery (left) and Roseisle Maltings                                              *Picture credit at footnote

Roseisle shares infamy with Glen Ord and Springbank – they are the only distilleries to malt all their requirements of barley on site! The distillery (to the left of the tall chimney above) shares its site with the 1980 built maltings and will consume all of the malt produced.

THE DISTILLERY

Roseisle is one of Scotland’s biggest distilleries, at 10m litres Glenfiddich and Glenlivet are as big, Clynelish and Caol Ila are, for example, about 4m, while tiny Edradour’s volume for the year can be yielded at Roseisle in less than 4 days.

THE WHISKY

The distillery will produce one style of malt whisky – Speyside – which is the biggest component of all blended Scotch. The seven pairs of stills are medium sized and six have a mix of both copper and steel condensers (like Dailuaine); the option to reduce the proportion of copper contact results in a heavier Speyside malt (like that produced by worm tubs).

Since production started at the beginning of 2010 they have produced all copper condensed spirit (light character) but soon will divert some of the vapour through the steel condensers for a season of heavy Speyside character make. It’s like having a Cardhu Distillery with Cragganmore’s stills in the cupboard!

For any professors of distilling reading this; they will make clear worts (lauter tuns) and over 75 hours fermentation (in steel washbacks) – resulting in more ‘flavour bits’.

A couple of road tankers take the new spirit away every day to be filled into refill hogsheads – soon to be produced at the company’s new cooper-friendly super-cooperage, another part of their £100m investment in more malt whisky.

LFW.co.uk plans to investigate the Diageonesian investments in grain distilling soon.

THE BIG ANSWERS

Will Roseisle cause the closure of smaller distilleries?
No, Roseisle is only half the investment in more capacity; Diageo really believes they have customers for much more Scotch Whisky.

Will we see it bottled as a single?
Yes! Although a blend producing company, since Dr. Alan Rutherford’s day they have bottled all their malts for the workers (see page 3, SWR2 – Autumn 1994). Once considered ready, the single malt will be bottled but it is not expected to become one of their Classic Malts Selection, LFW.co.uk will be able to supply it, but you’ll have to wait!

Can I visit?
Not as a drop in visitor but there will be open day(s) during the Spirit of Speyside Festival, so prepare your trips carefully.

THE MECANNO

Roseisle is a modern distillery. The building, while lacking the charm of a 19th century Doig design fits in the surrounds of the maltings. It’s certainly big, but that’s so you can get a crane and other big kit in there for maintenance and stuff.

The attention to detail, comfort and efficiency is fascinating; routine access is all on one level – its two duty workers can see and run the plant from a central control point – yet the production is unchanged from traditional methods, they really did get it right 100 years ago. A visitor to Roseisle can appreciate that malt distillation is essentially a simple process, it’s all very clear here with very little clutter- mash, ferment, boil – simples!

THE TREE HUGGING

The distillery is on course to becoming carbon-neutral and given the huge amounts of energy required to make malt it’s a phenomenal achievement.

Draff and pot-ale by-products are squeezed dry and burned to produce steam to heat the stills (plus the ash from the fire is a fertiliser).
Methane biogas produced from the wet squeezings is also burned.
Hot water from the coolers and condensers is piped to the maltings to pre-heat the drying air required there.
All process water is treated on-site and is to be used by the maltings to steep the barley, there will be no final discharge footprint left by the distillery.

Still room to the left, tun room to the right, the middle houses the mash tun, why it’s turqoise, no one could explain…

*Wide view picture found by Google and reproduced here without permission because I can’t find how to contact the photographer and ask. Sorry photographer ‘Elisabeth’, please get in touch!

Whisky Intelligence would like to express our thanks to the dear Joynson for allowing his humble words to be reproduced here.

Visit Loch Fyne Whiskies at www.lfw.co.uk  

An Amazing Evening with Scotch and XOXOLAT Chocolate.

Five Scotches, including the 2nd best scotch in the world. Finlaggan, Ileach, Tantallan, Laphroaigh, and Coal Ila! Each bottle retails between $70 and $325 a bottle.

Scotch Master & Chef Marcus Von Albrecht. Scotch and Chocolate Truffles.

Chef Jack Eng, Coast Coal Harbour Hotel, providing savouries and sweets.

An Evening of Fabulous Flavours, new palate pleasers and small indulgences.

Tickets on Sale Now – $75 includes canapes from Chef Jack Eng, 5 scotch samples, 5 chocolate samples, scotch gelato from Bella Gelateria, coffee and tea!

Chocolate Festival Opens with Panache, October 15.

Click http://scotchchoco.eventbrite.com/

You are invited to the following event:
Scotch & Chocolate Evening – Oct 16

Date:
Saturday, October 16, 2010 from 6:30 PM – 10:00 PM (PT)

Location:
Coast Coal Harbour Hotel
1180 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, British Columbia v6e4r5
Canada

Talisker OB 10yo 45.8%alc. STORM

£1.00 from the sale of this limited edition is donated to the RNLI

The Isle of Skye produces a unique spirit. Spicy peppery, peaty, licorice and aniseed with a long tingling finish. A smoky gob-stopper! Not just a Classic but an Ace.

Try drinking this to The Who’s ‘Won’t get fooled again’, big start, long powerful finish with a constant peatiness, do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-da-da-da…….

Flavour Map Ref: E9
Smoky

Talisker 10 year old
Barcode: 5000281005416

Price excluding VAT: £26.81
£31.50 Including VAT at 17.5%

Visit Loch Fyne Whiskies at www.lfw.co.uk

Dear Customer

We are pleased to be further adding these 5 Malts to the PROVENANCE selection.

Tasting Notes for PROVENANCE follow:

PRV0647 CAOL ILA 9 YEAR OLD
Initially sweet on the nose with a pleasant home baked quality, it then runs to sweet smoke and burnt toast. At first a sweet character appears before a herbal smoke style coats the palate with creosote and damp ashes. The finish is long and carries bonfire ashes, salty rock pools and sweet, soft tar. (J)

PRV0653 FETTERCAIRN 9 YEAR OLD
Initially a gristy sweetness appears on the nose with a fresh, cereal character that runs to a whisky warehouse and cotton candy style. The palate is sweetly spiced and carries a milk chocolate and orange cream filling taste. The finish is drier with a subtle nutty (marzipan?) quality. (J)

PRV0639 BUNNAHABHAIN 10 YEAR OLD
Distinctly ISLAY on the nose – detect peat and salt, ahead of a warm barley style. The palate is honeyed, sweet, phenolic, smoked and viscous – leading to a sweetly spiced – cough drop style – lightly smoked finish. (F)

PRV0638 BRAEVAL 11 YEAR OLD
Initially rather spiced on the nose then a more subtle barley style eases through. On the palate detect a mouthcoating and sweetly spiced style which runs to (treacle?) toffee. The finish is big on spice, malt and more caramel toffee flavours – then heads drier. (F)

PRV0649 BALMENACH 12 YEAR OLD
Opens with a gristy sweet character plus a barley sugar quality and develops to spicy, honey’d ginger biscuits. The very smooth palate opens sweetly spiced, fruity and runs to a vanilla and toffee style with more ginger. The finish is long, still fruitily sweet, now with spiced peaches. (J)

We believe that is an interesting new selection – hoping that you similarly agree.

Yours faithfully
Fred Laing
Managing Director

Visit Douglas Laing & Co at www.douglaslaingwhisky.com