Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 424: Johnnie Walker Ghost & Rare Pittyvaich

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries a special blend. He’s had to wait a long time for it, but he got the bottle as a gift from his wife for his birthday. Then patience is appropriate. This fourth Ghost & Rare edition (after the Brora, Port Ellen and Glenury Royal) has Pittyvaich as the fingerprint malt and that’s a good thing, because in 2021 there was no Pittyvaich in the Diageo Special Releases. Moreover, Mark was afraid that after the first three – which were followed by the Blue Label Legendary Eight (which is excellent) – no new Ghost & Rare would appear. So double relief. Anyway: this blend is composed with whisky from the following distilleries: Cragganmore, Royal Lochnagar, Strathmill, Mannochmore, Auchroisk, Carsebridge, Port Dundas and – of course – Pittyvaich. Like its predecessors, it is bottled at 43.8%.

https://youtu.be/sU3TwT4EYgc

Elijah Craig Partners with PGA TOUR Pro Golfer Max Homa, Debuts Golf Alignment

Award-winning bourbon partners with three-time PGA TOUR winner in multi-year deal

PGA TOUR pros strive for greatness every day, a mindset shared by the master craftspeople who use a lifetime of experience and years of aging to develop the signature balance of flavors in Elijah Craig Bourbon. The three-time PGA TOUR winner will continue to elevate the golf experience for fans through integrated marketing campaigns, social media collaboration, public appearances, and the Elijah Craig logo prominently displayed on shirt of Homa’s caddy and longtime friend, Joe Greiner.BARDSTOWN, Ky. – Elijah Craig Bourbon today announced a new partnership with PGA TOUR professional golfer Max Homa for a multi-year sponsorship deal. Homa’s success both on and off the course since turning pro in 2013 will now be supported by Elijah Craig as the “Official Bourbon of Max Homa.”

“When you see a great golf swing or take a sip of an expertly crafted Bourbon, you can appreciate the years of patience and perseverance required to arrive at that moment. Whether you’re a pro inside the ropes, the occasional golfer, or a fan that follows along on Twitter, the golf community doesn’t settle for less than greatness,” said Max Stefka, Elijah Craig Senior Brand Manager. “Together with Max Homa, we look forward to celebrating wins big and small with golf fans everywhere over a glass of Elijah Craig Bourbon.”

“I’m excited to join the Elijah Craig team as their first-ever golf brand ambassador. Golf is a game that doesn’t come easy, and I’m learning the same is true for making their award-winning Bourbon,” said Homa. “Elijah Craig is made for those who strive for the best – in their game and in their glass. And from what I’ve tasted so far, their commitment to excellence is obvious. We’ve got lots of exciting things planned in the coming months, and I’m looking forward to sharing many memories at the 19th Hole with them and golf fans everywhere.”

Elijah Craig will also debut its 19th Hole campaign to extend the fan experience beyond the course this spring and summer. The 19th Hole campaign will include premium media placements in golf publications, digital and social media, consumer contests, and Elijah Craig-branded golf ball on-packs and in-store displays rounding out the 360-degree program.

ABOUT ELIJAH CRAIG BOURBON: Elijah Craig Bourbon bears the name of the Reverend Elijah Craig, known as “The Father of Bourbon,” who established his distillery in 1789 on the banks of Elkhorn Creek in modern day Georgetown, Kentucky. He is credited with being the first distiller to age his wares in charred oak barrels. The clear, unaged corn liquor became transformed into a bold amber liquid with a distinctively smooth flavor that makes Bourbon what it is today. Today, Elijah Craig’s community impact continues through the Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week, providing donations up to $100,000 to Restaurant Worker’s Community Foundation. Produced by Heaven Hill Distillery, nation’s largest independent, family-owned and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon, the Elijah Craig lineup includes Elijah Craig Small Batch, Elijah Craig Straight Rye Whiskey, Elijah Craig Toasted Barrel, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, and Elijah Craig Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Elijah Craig accolades have included Whisky Advocate’s Whisky of the Year, Best Small Batch Bourbon and Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and Excellent Highly Recommended honors at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge. For more information, please visit www.elijahcraig.com.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely. Drink Wisely.”

Our January auction is now LIVE!

Auction closes from 8pm (GMT) Tuesday 1st February.

www.speysidewhiskyauctions.co.uk

Port Ellen – 39 Years Old 1978 – The Untold Stories: The Spirit Safe

Interested in Selling Whisky?

Click below for more information or to arrange a FREE* Bottle collection

 4.9 / 5 | 301 reviews

Powered by

From the end of February we will be operating from our new home!
Elchies Road, Aberlour AB38 9AB

GLENTAUCHERS DISTILLERY

1996 Samaroli (2020)

Cask #7843

£306.26

Laphroaig 33 Year Old “Ian Hunter Book #3” Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

The third volume in Laphroaig’s fifteen-part series, “Ian Hunter Book #3: Source Protector”, pays homage to Ian Hunter, the last member of Johnston family (Laphroaig’s founding family) to own and operate the distillery. A truly unique character, Hunter’s leadership spanned from 1908 to 1944. This volume spins the yarn of his bold purchase of disputed land leading up to the source of Kirkbride Stream—ensuring the distillery would remain steam-powered. This limited-edition release consists of a 1987 vintage distillation, aged for 33 years in ex-bourbon barrels. Non-chill ­filtered.

$1,200.00 View

DOUBLE CASK DC111

“All one would hope and dream for in a Double Cask: thick, silky, malty, full of stone fruit, and a distinct Autumnal vibe. The higher ABV of 50.3% in this marriage is noteworthy here: this dram has broad shoulders, and can take water well: expect more fruit.”

– Heather Tillott, Distillery Manager

Cask Details

Our Double Cask series offers our team the opportunity to draw on a wide variety of casks to create whiskies of great character and complexity.

Double Cask batch DC111 is a marriage of selections from ten casks, including whisky from American and French oak casks which have previously been used to mature Tawny, Bourbon, white wine and red wine, with ages ranging from 7 to 20 years old.

VIEW FULL CASK DETAILS

DC111 will be available to purchase via ballot on Thursday, 27 January 2022. The ballot will be open for 24 hours from 10AM Hobart time on 27 January. Further details, with a link to enter the ballot will be sent via email prior to the ballot opening.

A note on our ballot system. 

Our policy is one entry per person, per household. Our fraud detection algorithm detects multiple entries and removes them to ensure our whisky lands in the hands of our genuine supporters, so to ensure your entry counts, please enter once only. If you have any questions around our ballot process, you can email us at info@sullivanscove.com Successful entries will be notified shortly after the ballot closes.

Speyside

Single Malt Scotch Whisky!

Some of our Speyside Favourites

Speyside is a ‘sub-region’ of the Scottish Highlands, named as such due to the large number of Scotch whisky distilleries in a comparatively small area. In fact, there are 84 working distilleries in Speyside, including the world’s most famous and popular: Glenfiddich, Glenlivet and Macallan. From this region, the style of whisky produced has altered significantly over time, and thus there are a wide range of whiskies displaying different characters that are available to enjoy.

A traditional Speyside single malt whisky would not be dissimilar to a Highland whisky, with a robust character and hints of the well known peated flavour. However in recent times, expressions have become lighter and sweeter, lacking the peaty punch of the Islay and Highland Drams. Due to Speysides location and low mineral content in the water, the whiskies are normally very low in peat, if not totally unpeated. There are certainly no definitive rules as to the characteristics of Speyside whisky, especially as age often brings increased body and most are matured in either ex-bourbon or ex-sherry casks, which adds a lot of strong flavours.

It can definitely be said that Speyside whiskies are subtle and for this reason tend to be a great ‘entry level whisky’ for those beginning to discover their tastes when it comes to drinking single malts. We certainly believe that there’s a dram for everyone in Speyside!

https://youtu.be/rmaMqLUUGpE

Macallan. There you go, most of you may have already ignored this post.

Hopefully not though! As much as this whisky can annoy retailers and customers alike, it is a whisky with a flavour profile that matches the ‘new direction’ of Macallan. Years ago I fell in love with that chocolate orange depth charge that belonged to the old Macallan 10’s, 12’s, etc. But now we have this dark chocolate, milky coffee style of Macallan that I do enjoy…but comes with its heftier price tags.

The whisky itself is a collaborative between Jordi Roca and Polly Logan, teaming together a selection of sherry seasoned American and European oak casks, taking inspiration from Jordi’s expertise as a world renowned pastry chef and Polly’s professioanl whisky making approach. Utilising Macallan as the launch platform for another Roca Brother inspired release, a fair few have already seen the light of day, most notably, Macallan Edition 2 and Macallan Distil Your World: London Edition.

The box is made from recycled cacao husks which is a little different, always nice to see some greener elements filtering in to bigger releases. Anyway, check out the video and leave your own thoughts and feelings on this instant sell out bottle of Macallan.

#whisky #whiskey #whiskywednesday #thisiswhiskywednesday #macallan #richharmony #cacao #harmonycacao #jordiroca #pollylogan #whiskymaker #limitededition #naturalcolour #chocolate #coffee #honey #cinnamon #vanilla #flagtimefilms #Manchester #thewhiskyshop #macallanwhisky #macallandistillery #hashtag #scotland #scotch #singlemalt #sherry #americanoak #europeanoak

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whiskytube/

Instagram: @thisiswhiskywednesday

Twitter: @whiskytube

Contact: thisiswhiskywednesday@gmail.com

Logo Design: @wenbilson – Instagram

New team taking shape at The Cairn Distillery

The management team is now in place to run the new distillery on the outskirts of Grantown on Spey being built by family-owned whisky experts Gordon & MacPhail.

Distillery Manager Mhairi Winters and Visitor Experience Manager Andy Kitchin are already hard at work getting ready to begin whisky production and to welcome visitors from summer 2022.

The pair bring with them a wealth of experience in whisky production and visitor management.

Mhairi Winters joins Gordon & MacPhail from William Grant & Sons Distillers, where she was Team Leader for Balvenie and Kininvie Distilleries. Mhairi has worked in the Scotch Whisky industry for twenty years in a variety of industry roles from tour guide to technical support and then production management.

Mhairi said: “I feel incredibly lucky to be part of the team bringing The Cairn Distillery to life. It’s not every day that a brand-new Distillery of this scale is built and it was an opportunity I couldn’t let pass me by. I’m extremely passionate about our industry and our products. I am excited to begin commissioning and start creating our new spirit.”

Meanwhile Andy Kitchin has most recently been part of the team managing the visitor experience at The Falkirk Wheel.

Before working with Scottish Canals, he was at sea for more than 10 years, managing multiple visitor experience teams onboard P&O cruise ships. He has worked at various luxury Scottish leisure resorts, but has always been focused on creating lasting memories, whether on land or sea.

Andy added: “For me, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of a stunning new venture in a wonderful part of the Scottish countryside. I am very much looking forward to opening our doors to welcome our visitors and let them share the Cairn experience.”

The Cairn will be the second distillery for Scotch malt whisky experts Gordon & MacPhail who bought and re-equipped Benromach Distillery at Forres in the 1990s.

The company prides itself on the positive relationships it has built with the local community in the areas in which it works and has been keen to replicate that approach in Grantown.

As Ewen Mackintosh, Managing Director at Gordon & MacPhail, explained: “We have been delighted by the incredibly positive welcome we’ve had locally. Now we have a local team in place we are keen to continue the process of building long term relationships with the community and local businesses. Andy in particular will be focusing very much on getting to know people in the local area while Mhairi focuses on the production of The Cairn spirit. I’m sure they will enjoy the same warm welcome we have already experienced.”

The Cairn lies in a spectacular location, looking out across the River Spey towards the Cairngorm Mountains.  It will offer a range of immersive visitor experiences, whisky tastings and bistro with a menu shaped by ingredients from the local area.

Notes

Gordon & MacPhail is a family-owned premium spirits company based in Elgin, Scotland. Owner of Scotch whisky distilleries, Benromach and The Cairn, Gordon & MacPhail is also a Scotch whisky maturation expert, the owner of Scottish Gin brand, Red Door and the operator of a wholesale business in the United Kingdom selling premium Scotch whiskies and spirits, along with a high-quality retail outlet.

The company owns Benromach Distillery located in Forres in Moray.  Benromach Single Malt Scotch Whisky is handcrafted using traditional methods by a small team of distillers using the finest Scottish barley and the purest spring water from the nearby Romach Hills. The multi award-winning portfolio of single malts is enjoyed by whisky drinkers worldwide.

The company launched Red Door in the summer of 2018. Created at Benromach Distillery, this award winning, small batch Scottish gin now forms a strategic part of the company’s product portfolio.

Work commenced in July 2020 on The Cairn, the company’s second distillery, overlooking the River Spey towards the Cairngorms.  The new site will add further distillation capacity and brand ownership to the company’s asset base and is a key part of the plans to continue building a long-term sustainable business.  A high-quality visitor experience offering tours and tastings will also attract visitors from around the world.

Since the founding of the business in 1895, Gordon & MacPhail has sent casks to Scotch whisky distilleries throughout Scotland to be filled with new-make spirit, before being left to mature for many years either at the distillery or in their bonded warehouses in Elgin.  The Gordon & MacPhail portfolio offers some of the world’s rarest and most sought-after Single Malt Scotch Whiskies to discerning whisky drinkers globally.

The company’s wholesale business serves customers throughout the United Kingdom selling Benromach Single Malt, Red Door gin and Gordon & MacPhail whiskies into the on and off trade. The business also exclusively represents a number of ‘distributor’ brands and stocks premium whiskies and spirits.

The retail shop in Elgin remains the ‘spiritual home’ of the business, 125 years after it was first established in 1895.  The shop is home to a large selection of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies and is a destination for many whisky aficionados from around the world.

Lochlea First Release Ballot

Ballot Delayed – Now open from 9am January 25th

At the request of the Lochlea Distillery we have suspended our ballot until 9am on Tuesday, 25th January to coincide with the release of the bottle.

The ballot will now close at 1pm on Tuesday, 25th January 2022.

To be entered into the ballot you must already have a purchasing history with Inverurie Whisky Shop – this is to ensure our more regular customers are getting the chance to buy this great release.

Anyone without a purchase history from us will be excluded from the draw.

Please go through the checkout process for this bottle as you would for a normal purchase – you do not have to enter any card details.

Please select wether you wish to opt in to sign up to our newsletter or opt out using the drop down menu available.

Only one ballot entry will be allocated per person – please do not make multiple purchases.

Enter Ballot