FOR EVERY TICKET PURCHASED YOU WILL RECEIVE A WHISKY TASTING PACK!

We can’t believe the time is almost here! With beautiful summer weather beginning to set in we’re all getting excited for this year’s show. Our exhibitors are preparing their liquids, menu’s being set, and display areas are built ready for the arrival of our guests at the Honourable Artillery Company in London.

If you haven’t secured your tickets yet, then make sure you grab your tickets today

to avoid missing out! Our Whisky Experience starts from just £95*

For a limited time only, for every ticket bought you will receive a free Whisky Live At Home tasting pack worth £99** which includes 30 x 30ml whisky samples, including three guest samples of gin and tequila which are complimented with over 15 hours of exclusive access to Whisky Live TV.

To redeem, use code WLL22WLAHFOC

This code is automatically added to the below link.

Once your ticket is purchased we will send a pack to you. 

BOOK YOUR TICKETS

Here’s a list of some of our confirmed exhibitors attending:

Remy Cointreau, Dingle, Single & Single, Angus Dundee, Maison Villevert, Marussia Beverages, The Glasgow Distillery Co, Cask Liquid Marketing, Interbev, Cardrona Distillery, Halewood International, Cotswolds Distillery, Stauning, Ahascragh, plus many more!

BOOK YOUR TICKETS

We look forward to welcoming you to this year’s truly unique tasting experience at Whisky Live!

*Excluding booking fee

**Includes postage and booking fee (UK residents only)

Must be aged 18 years old and over

We have the right to remove this offer at any time.

THE FLAVOUR HUNT IS ON!

We have just released our May Outturn with 21 new adventurous casks to taste and explore, including our Lowland Rare Release Lime and Thyme. Take part in the thrill of the taste, track down your favourite flavours and buy online now. Whisky Season is open.

BROWSE THE NEW WHISKY

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 here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

International Beverage bids farewell to long standing Speyburn Distillery Manager Bobby Anderson

Drams were raised to toast the long and dedicated service of Speyburn Distillery Manager Bobby Anderson today, as his retiral from the Rothes-based distillery after nearly 22 years was announced.

Hailing from Elgin and with a grandfather who worked as Distillery Manager at MiltonDuff, Bobby believed he had whisky making in his genes. After stints at Ardmore, Glentauchers and Glenburgie Distilleries, he joined Speyburn in 2000 as Distillery Manager.

Over the years he balanced a respect for tradition with a drive for efficiency, taking an enormous amount of pride in building his team to craft a globally respected single malt.

As colleagues from across the business gathered at the Speyside distillery to mark the end of his distinguished tenure, Bobby reflected on the highlights of his career. This includes the 2016 refurbishment of Speyburn which saw it become one of the most energy efficient distilleries in Scotland; and the release of a celebratory Speyburn 18 Years Old to commemorate his 18^th anniversary – currently the highest aged expression in the Speyburn range.

He said: ‘It has been an honour to have spent so much of my career at Speyburn, with this small but brilliant distillery team. Working alongside them to craft such a special single malt whisky and putting it out into the world for all to enjoy has been a real privilege. I’ve also been so lucky to come to work every day in what is one of Scotland’s most beautiful distillery sites, and it’s satisfying to know that I’ve done everything I can over the years to preserve the environment that surrounds it. Making a whisky of such great quality, with real care and consideration for the natural landscape around us is a legacy that I’m extremely proud to pass on to the next generation. The golf course is beckoning but I’ll be keeping a close eye on Speyburn and look forward to seeing it progress and achieve further success in the future’.

Paying tribute to Bobby’s contribution to the business, Inver House Distillers’ Managing Director Martin Leonard said: ‘Working with Bobby for over two decades has been an incredible journey. He has nurtured Speyburn with so much pride, and thanks to his contribution, it has become a globally awarded single malt whisky that symbolises all that is special about Scotland’s great Speyside whisky region. Speyburn would not have achieved the success it enjoys today without him at the helm. 

‘On behalf of everyone in our business, we want to extend a huge thank you to him and wish him all the best for a long and happy retirement. For many years to come, every cask of whisky rolled out of our warehouses at Speyburn Distillery will be a celebration of his devotion, skill, and outstanding stewardship.’  

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL BEVERAGE HOLDINGS

International Beverage Holdings Ltd is one of the drinks industry’s most dynamic global businesses.  Established in 2006 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Thaibev, the company operates as its international business arm, specialising in the development of premium local spirits for the global market. Its success is built on a strong understanding of local cultures and markets within a worldwide business network. Based in Hong Kong with regional offices in Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, the USA and UK, the company is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of a portfolio of premium brands in over 85 markets. These brands are built on character, craftsmanship and quality, led by a range of award-winning Scotch whiskies and an array of vibrant beers and spirits. These include:

• Single malt Scotch whiskies Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc and Speyburn
• Blended Scotch Hankey Bannister
• Caorunn, Scotland’s leading super premium gin
• Mekhong, ‘The Spirit of Thailand’ since 1941
• Chang Beer, Thailand’s iconic beer brand 

Inver House Distillers is a wholly owned subsidiary of International Beverage Holdings Ltd, producing its  Scotch whiskies and gin at five distilleries around Scotland: Pulteney, Speyburn, Knockdhu, Balblair and Balmenach. Inver House is also highly active in the warehousing and blending of Scotch whisky, with warehousing for 500,000 barrels and state of the art blending and laboratory facilities at its headquarters in Airdrie. The business has won many prestigious accolades over the years, including the Icons of Whisky Distiller of the Year Award for Scotland (2017).

www.interbevgroup.com

Mortlach 33 Year Old – 1988 | Cask 4594 | Connoisseurs Choice

A beautifully presented single malt from Mortlach distillery, released by Gordon & MacPhail for the excellent Connoisseurs Choice series. Distilled in 1988 then laid to rest in a refill American hogshead for 33 years, single cask 4594 was then decanted and filled to bottle 25th November 2021. Only 213 bottles of this delightful dram have been bottled for this independent Mortlach release.

Shop now

Ardbeg “Uigeadail” Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Elsewhere $86) 94 $79.99 View

 Launched in 2003, Uigeadail remains one of Ardbeg’s core offerings. Matured in a mix of sherry and bourbon barrels and bottled at cask strength. Peppery peat, warm tar, coffee grounds, machine oil, and black pepper on the nose. The palate is complex and rich, offering orange segments sprinkled with sea salt, dark chocolate, malt, and ever-present sweet peat. Nicely balanced. Lengthy in the finish, with smoky caramel. (GS, Fall 2018) 

K&L Notes

2009 World Whiskey of the Year. Ardbeg Uigeadail (pronounced Oog-a-dal) takes its name from the brooding, mysterious loch that provides the peat-laden water for Ardbeg. It is a special vatting of casks matured in bourbon barrels and many older sherry casks. The older casks bring luscious, sweet, raisiny tones to the unique Ardbeg taste. Michael Jackson’s tasting notes: “Nose: Intensely smoky. Dry, clean, tangy smoke. Like standing downwind of the barbecue while steaks are char-grilled on the beach; Palate: Firm, very smooth, then explodes on the tongue; Finish: Hot. Alcoholic. A shock to the system; Comment: The elemental opposite of the sophisticated Lord of the Isles.” 9 1/4 points from Whisky Magazine! Also, was on F. Paul Pacult’s List of the Scotch Whiskies to be Drinking in 2007. Nonchillfiltered.

Barrell Craft 8 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Barrel #Z4B1 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $99.99 View

The spectacular 8 year old single barrels of Kentucky Straight Bourbon that Barrell has sourced have been wildly popular. One of only 36 barrels to trip the 8 year mark for their Kentucky single barrel releases, this cask is superlative.

Balvenie 21 Year Old “Port Wood” Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) 94 $249.99 View

 A port cask finish gives this Scotch a copper penny hue. The aroma suggests baked apple, while the palate has a chewy, concentrated vanilla-oak profile, leading to walnut, leather and espresso. The rounded finish sings with sherry and spice. Adding water coaxes out baked apple sweetness and dials back the oak. (KN)  (12/2017)

91 points Whisky Advocate

 This is the ultimate Port-wood expression from Balvenie and has been finished in 30-year-old port pipes. A more vibrant and textured Travel Retail variant is non-chill filtered and bottled at 47.6%. Soft, red grape notes, vanilla, and milk chocolate on the nutty nose. Very discreet smoke. Rich plum flavors in the mouth, dark berries covered in cream, and spicy honey. The finish is long and elegantly drying. (GS, Spring 2017) 

DUFFTOWN DISTILLERY

14 Year Old 2007 Old Malt Cask

Cask #18976

£71.98

ralfy review 925 Extras – Choosing better Independent bottlings.

The Manx Whisky Company – founded in 2019 by  Magnus Grinneback and Scott Young.

(Part 1 was published on May 1st and Part 3 will be published May 15th)

The company was founded to create a whisky that truly is a product of the Isle of Man and in order to do this they have decided to do it the hard way. Manx Whisky Company was born out of a desire to prove that it is possible to run a whisky distillery as a small scale company that controls all the steps in the production process. Most distilleries buy ready made malt but these guys have decided to do the opposite. Their barley comes directly from the farmer and they floor malt it at the distillery. Long fermentation times for optimal flavour development and they age the whisky on site. Production is extremely limited but this is how they prefer it. The barley is grown on the island. The strains at the moment are Concerto and Planet. They have no legendary source of water where ancient Celtic tribes buried their treasures over the centuries giving rise to mythical whisky making properties. No, they use the local tap water of the Isle of Man. It is a small distillery after all.

Cutting peat is illegal on the Isle of Man and given this they will not produce any peated whiskies. Using peat from other locations would be too much of a deviation from their Manx ethos. Given that they don’t use temperature control during the fermentation a multitude of yeast strains will be used during winter and summer.

“Where can I buy your whisky” I asked? This is the sad part – you can’t! The whisky will not be ready until at the very earliest Christmas 2023, so if you want to stay up to date on planned releases and events, sign up like me and they will stay in touch; https://www.manxwhisky.com

Who are these lads? Scott is from the Isle of Man and Magnus from the west coast of Sweden. I’ve been to the IOM as a wee snipper, liked it, apart fae the ferry, I was seasick. Never been to Sweden though have friends there. Both thought that it was strange that no one had made a serious effort to make whisky there on the island so decided to start a small distillery that focused on doing the most local product they can, this means getting the grains straight from the farmer and taking care of the entire process themselves including floor malting of the grains. They are hardly empire builders and aim to release very limited quantities each year. The spirit is very much for the informed drinker who cares about nitty-gritty details (just like themselves!). I cannee wait to take a sample! PAUL MCLEAN

Wee chat with Magnus; “Hi Paul, We are just outside Baldrine (Paul’s note; near the Laxey Wheel, went there as a wee lad). Scott is mostly working with the farmers and is also doing the barley cleaning and all logistics related to this. He also builds some of our custom made equipment (you’d be surprised how little equipment there is off the shelf for microscopic distilleries!), I do the rest of the production – malting, mashing, fermentation, distilling and oversee the maturation (all this is done on site”).

I would suggest one to keep an eye on!

PAUL MCLEAN

WWW.WHISKYTOURS.SCOT

PART 3

PART 1

Sotheby’s Largest Ever Spirits Auction 

Over 1,000 Lots of Scotch Whisky to be Offered in New York this May

NEW YORK, 6 MAY 2022 – Advance bidding is now open on Sotheby’s largest ever spirits auction, of over 1,000 lots made up exclusively of Scotch whisky. The sale comprises two major collections: The Three Continents Collection Part IV, whose reputation precedes it, and introducing The Hollywood Collection. With a combined estimate in the region of $1.5 million, the sale will be presented live from Sotheby’s in New York on 10 May.

Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s Head of Whisky & Spirits, North America and EMEA, said: “Recent years have seen Sotheby’s set auction records for the most valuable whisky bottle and whisky collection of all time, so it seems only fitting that we are now staging our largest ever spirits auction by volume. Spirits represent an increasingly important market for Sotheby’s, as we saw in 2021 with a record year and a 42% increase in sales. Dominating the auction line-up are Scotch whiskies, which have a global appeal and the ability to age for decades, two selling points that are inextricably linked by collectors’ desires to own the oldest and rarest bottles available on the market.” 

The Hollywood Collection – so called due to its provenance after being fortuitously acquired by a Californian entrepreneur in 2008 – is truly one of the most impressive ensembles of whisky to have come to auction. A large container of East Coast and Midwest-import Scotch whisky was compiled by a US whisky broker with the intention of shipping it to Los Angeles to be sold to movie industry personnel. Actors, producers and directors were all on the recipients list for these rare bottles. With the change in the financial climate, this container of whisky set for Hollywood found itself unopened.

The Hollywood Collection consignor heard about the container and immediately drove to Los Angeles to purchase the entire collection. During the 14 years that have since elapsed, these bottles have been lovingly stored at his home in Sothern California, with many being consumed over this time – making this a collection that has not been admired simply for its impressive scale, but also one that has been consumed and enjoyed to the fullest extent.

The Three Continents Collection is the largest single owner collection of whisky ever to be offered by Sotheby’s and contained a vast collection of Scotch, American and Japanese whiskies. The 5,000 bottles from this collection have been distributed across multiple auctions, from a single owner sale that achieved over $2m at the end of 2021 to this, the fourth iteration of The Three Continents made up of exclusively Scotch Whisky bottles.

HIGHLIGHTS 

The Macallan Millennium Decanter 50 Year Old 43.0 abv 1949, 1 bottle, est. $26,000-30,000 (lot 5001)

The Balvenie 50 Year Old 42.0 abv 1937, 1 bottle, est. $20,000-26,000 (lot 5298)

The Macallan Fine & Rare 37 Year Old 58.2 abv 1964, 1 bottle, est. $20,000-28,000 (lot 5003)

The Macallan 40 Year Old 2016 Release 43.0 abv NV, 1 bottle, est. $20,000-24,000 (lot 5015)

Bowmore 40 Year Old 42.0 abv 1955, 1 bottle, est. $18,000-24,000 (lot 5359)

The Macallan Fine & Rare 50 Year Old 50.8 abv 1952, 1 bottle, est. $18,000-22,000 (lot 5004)

Bowmore Oloroso Cask 38 Year Old 42.9 abv 1964, 1 bottle, est. $15,000-20,000 (lot 5376)

Bowmore White Bourbon Cask 43 Year Old 42.8 abv 1964, 1 bottle, est. $14,000-20,000 (lot 5384)

The Macallan Select Reserve 52 Year Old 40.0 abv 1946,1 bottle, est. $13,000-16,000 (lot 5010)

Bowmore Fino Cask 37 Year Old 49.6 abv 1964, 1 bottle, est. $13,000-18,000 (lot 5374)

The Macallan Over 49 Year Old 48.8 abv 1951, 1 bottle, est. $12,000-15,000 (lot 5007)

The Macallan 48.8 abv 1951, 1 bottle, est. $12,000-15,000 (lot 5009)

The Macallan Exceptional Cask 2017/ESB-9182/01 46.6 abv 1997, 1 bottle, est. $12,000-18,000 (lot 5130)

The Macallan Over 40 Year Old 54.1 abv 1961, 1 bottle, est. $10,000-15,000 (lot 5006)

Bowmore Black First Release 50.0 abv 1964, 1 bottle, est. $10,000-15,000 (lot 5361)

The Macallan Archival Series Folio No. 1 43.0 abv NV, 1 bottle, est. $10,000-15,000 (lot 5117)

VIEW ONLINE CATALOGUE HERE

About Sotheby’s Wine

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access, connoisseurship and preservation of fine art and rare objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 50 categories, which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Interiors, among many others.

Sotheby’s Wine’s annual worldwide auction sales of wine and spirits hit a record $132 million in 2021, a 44% increase on 2020. Sotheby’s Wine currently holds the world records for any whisky collection ever sold at auction, any private wine collection ever sold at auction, the most valuable bottle of wine ever sold at auction and the most valuable bottle of spirits ever sold at auction.

In addition to auction, Sotheby’s Wine launched a retail business in 2010. With a retail store located in Sotheby’s New York headquarters and e-commerce at www.sothebyswine.com, Sotheby’s Wine offers a carefully curated selection of wines from the world’s most prestigious producers and important regions. Expertly assembled by our experienced specialists, the selection is built upon lasting relationships with winemakers from across the globe, with bottles that are ready for immediate consumption, in addition to investment-worthy wines from highly sought-after vintages. A second retail location opened in Sotheby’s Hong Kong galleries in 2014.

2022 DENVER INTERNATIONAL SPIRITS COMPETITION

Eleven Total Buffalo Trace spirits honored 

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (April 20, 2022) –  The 2022 Denver International Spirits Competition awarded Weller 12 Year with a prestigious Double Gold Medal, which is awarded to the highest scoring spirit in a category. The competition presented 10 additional spirits from Buffalo Trace Distillery with medals, including seven Gold medals and three Silver medals.

Double Gold medal went to:

• Weller 12 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Gold medals went to:

• Stagg Jr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 128.7 Proof
• Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey
• Weller Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Weller C.Y.P.B. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Weller Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Weller Antique 107 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Silver medals were awarded to:

• Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Weller Single Barrel Kentu8cky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream Liqueur

“We are thrilled to receive each of these honors,” Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley said. “These results are a great validation of our commitment to quality.”

The Denver International Spirits Competition is the largest professional spirits competition in the Rocky Mountain Region. Winners are selected by a panel of beverage industry professionals who rate entries through a double-blind process. For more information on the Denver International Spirits Competition and a full listing of results, visit http://www.denverspiritscomp.com/.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1775 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its George T. Stagg was named World Whiskey of the Year for 2022 and its Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye was named 2^nd Finest Whiskey in the World for 2022.   Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.