Kentucky Tornado Victims to Benefit from 

Buffalo Trace Distillery Auction of Unprecedented Whiskey Flights of Pappy Van Winkle and Antique Collection 

Online Auction Offers Full Line Up of Two of the Distillery’s Rarest and Most Valuable Whiskey Collections

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Dec. 20, 2021) Like so many people in Kentucky and around the world, the team at Buffalo Trace Distillery is devastated by the losses caused by the tornadoes that tore through the Midwest and South this past weekend.  Mercifully, the company’s 2,300 team members in the area and its ten operations are unscathed, although some of its team members experienced tragedy with their extended families, including loss of life.

To help raise funds, Buffalo Trace and the Van Winkle family are partnering with Menish Productions on two very rare and unique whiskey flights, available via online auction starting Monday, Dec. 20 at 9 a.m. and running through Thursday, Dec. 23^rd at 7 p.m. Up for bid are a complete flight of Pappy Van Winkle and a complete flight of Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection, including a 2020 George T. Stagg.  All of these whiskies are very collectible, and for the first time ever, the Distillery is donating a bottle of each expression from both of the lineups for this charitable cause.

“The toll these tornadoes and severe weather took on our fellow Kentuckians and others in the Midwest and South is shocking,” said Mark Brown, chief executive officer, Buffalo Trace Distillery.  “We hope our bourbon community, who we know can be very generous, really shows its support and we’re able to raise an unheralded amount of funds for Western Kentucky disaster relief.”

The auction, which goes live at 9 a.m. on Dec. 20^th, will feature two packages, a complete Van Winkle collection which includes Old Rip Van Winkle 10 year old, Van Winkle 12 year old “Lot B,” Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye, Pappy Van Winkle 15 year old, Pappy Van Winkle 20 year and Pappy Van Winkle 23 year old.  The auction winners will have the option to have the set autographed by Julian and Preston Van Winkle.

The second whiskey package is a complete set of Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection, which includes William Larue Weller, Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye, Eagle Rare 17 Year Old, Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old and a 2020 George. T. Stagg (130.4 proof). The auction winners will have the option to have the set autographed by Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley and Buffalo Trace President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Brown.

Details on the auction and how to bid can be found HERE  All proceeds from the auction will go to disaster relief in Western  Kentucky.

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 Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year for 2018 and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world for 2020.  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

CASK WORLD MAKE HISTORY WITH LARGEST IMPORTATION OF MATURING SWEDISH WHISKY TO THE UK

A UK-based whisky brokerage has successfully shipped the largest single consignment of rare whisky casks from Sweden to Britain. New world whisky specialists Cask World recently announced the arrival of the 34 casks, holding thousands of litres of premium single malt from the renowned BOX Distillery, with the spirit – valued at approximately £1.2m – now continuing to mature in its new English home.

Whilst this shipment is significant in showing that trade with the EU can still be buoyant in the post-Brexit pandemic era, it also exemplifies growing global interest in non-Scotch whisky, with the spirit now increasingly in-bound to UK shores. Comparisons can be drawn with the new world wine revolution of recent decades, and Cask World have positioned themselves as pioneers of this movement. As a division of Rosewin Holdings PLC, this acquisition adds to their rapidly growing new world whisky portfolio, with the company proud to lay these barrels down alongside some of the incredible whiskies now being produced on all continents.

The pedigree and rarity of this shipment should not be underestimated. At the time these casks were filled, BOX was the world’s northernmost whisky distillery, sitting just inside the Arctic Circle at 63° North. A forerunner of the current Swedish whisky boom and renowned for its vision to be the first truly green whisky producer, BOX quickly gained recognition for the quality of its spirit, which uses pristine local spring water, excellent Swedish barley, and ultra-clean air. Additionally, the huge temperature fluctuations between summer and winter in the region cause unique interactions between the maturing liquid and the wood, all combining to give special depth and character to the BOX final product.

All filled between 2011-2015, the eldest barrels to have made the journey across the North Sea are just turning a decade old. These are also believed to be some of the final remaining stock filled under the BOX name (the producer changed to ‘High Coast’ following a naming dispute in 2018). When eventually bottled, they could therefore be the last in existence to bear the ‘Distilled at BOX Distillery, Sweden’ label.

Currently ranging from six to ten years old, this cask collection contains a broad array of exciting cask/spirit combinations. Cask World’s founder Daniel Monk explains:

“This is a true box of delights – we’ve got wood ranging from virgin American, German, French, and Swedish Oak through to ex-sherry, bourbon, port, Madeira, and even an ex-Laphroaig cask! And those barrels feature toasting and charring levels across the entire spectrum from light through to ‘high mocha’. 23 of the casks hold unpeated and 11 hold peated whisky. It could be said that this collection is a perfect microcosm of the wonderful variation and innovation we are now witnessing in the global whisky scene.”

BOX started producing in 2011, with their first offerings to the domestic market in 2014. The Swedes, a nation of discerning whisky lovers, reportedly snapped up the 11,500 bottles in minutes. A similar story ensued for all the distillery’s subsequent releases, with their slightly longer aged (up to six years old) and independent bottlings regularly achieving price points well in excess of £100. Indeed, High Coast have recently released their inaugural 10 year old bottling to the Swedish market (evidently using spirit distilled early in the BOX days) with an RRP. of £136 (SEK1650).

The above prices seem well justified, with the distillery winning a plethora of international awards under both the BOX and High Coast brands, such as their Best Swedish Single Malt for The Festival in 2017 and The Second Step Collection 01 in 2018 at the World Whiskies Awards. Their High Coast 63 (5 years old, £100) was awarded 91% by Whisky Saga with the comment, “Liquid magic from the wizards of the High Coast. This is how you do it!” To put this into perspective, Macallan’s Sherry Oak 18 year old (£300) scored 86%, and Highland Park’s 21 year old (£210) achieved 89%.

The BOX casks now resting in the English warehouse alongside other premium single malts are all well aged, with many ready for bottling. Cask World plan to release a quantity of them over the coming months, and interested parties can contact them to learn more via info@caskworld.com

Rosewin Holdings PLC and Cask World have spent recent years travelling the globe and building relationships with premium new world whisky producers. This collection of rare BOX casks was a calculated purchase, discovered during a trip to learn more about the thriving Swedish single malt industry. Aside from amassing a substantial portfolio of maturing world whisky both overseas and here in the UK, Cask World offer whisky enthusiasts and investors the opportunity to own maturing cask whisky from their network of partner distilleries. Check out https://www.caskworld.com/ to learn more and feel free to drop them a line as they love chatting about all things whisky!

The Fisherman’s Retreat has received two first place awards at the recent World Whisky Awards for its Editions 6.1 & 8 Scottish single malt whiskies.

CATEGORY WINNER –

SINGLE CASK 13 -20 Year old ISLAY

Edition 6.1 – Bruichladdich 14 Years Old was distilled on 23/05/2007 maturing in a Rivesaltes cask for 12.5 years before finishing in a Yalumba fortified wine cask from the Barossa valley for a further 18 months eventually being bottled on the 24/5/2021

CATEGORY WINNER –

SINGLE CASK 12 Years & Under ISLANDS (non Islay)

Edition 8 – Arran 7 Years old was distilled on the 27/08/2013 maturing in a Yalumba Viognier cask from the Barossa valley South Australia and was bottled on 09/02/2021

Hervey Magnall commented saying that he was delighted, and wished to thank the whole Fisherman’s Retreat team for all their dedication and hard work as well as thanking his good friends at Yalumba  vineyard.

Both releases are available via The Fisherman’s Retreat website

https://www.fishermansretreat.com/shop/

Our December auction is now LIVE!

Place your bids from Friday 17^th December until Sunday 2^nd January.

www.whiskyhammer.com

Every month, we present an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits to our members right across the globe. You will find everything here from limited edition releases and vintage bottles to whole casks of rare whisky. There is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest or enjoy!

Macallan – 50 & 57 Year Old (Lalique) 

Black Bowmore DB5 – 31 Year Old (1964)

Balvenie – 42 Year Old (Tale of the Dog)

Macallan  – 23 Year Old (Fine & Rare) 1988

Balblair – 1953 (Gordon & MacPhail)

Selling whisky? Why not arrange the pick-up of your bottles using our global courier service? If you’re based in Scotland, you might want to arrange the personal collection of your bottles. Wherever you’re based in the world, we will make getting your bottles into our monthly auction as simple as possible. Get in touch with the Whisky Hammer team now by dropping them a message at sales@whiskyhammer.co.uk.

ORDER BEFORE TUESDAY 21 DECEMBER 10PM
FOR GUARANTEED CHRISTMAS DELIVERY

Take it back to the Roaring Twenties when these two new whiskies would have been the talk of the town. Both are sure to impress the senses and your guests – order now for your festivities.

ALSO, don’t miss out on our latest small batch blended malt Tabanco Time. With all the flavours you would expect from PX and Oloroso sherry casks – hazelnut chocolate, walnut juicy black cherries, dried fruits and candied orange peel – this is the perfect Christmas dram.

SHOP ALL WHISKIES

TEETH MARKS IN A FRUIT TREE

Cask No. 9.232

Age: 13 years

Cask: First Fill Bourbon Barrel

ABV: 57.8%

Tobacco and cloves emerged on the palate with oily marzipan, orange bitters and pink grapefruit while the peppermint fresh finish had our Tasting Panel chewing on the coffee table.

FILM STAR HANGS OUT AT SMOKERS’ CORNER

Cask No. 4.297

Age: 20 years

Cask: Refill Bourbon Hogshead

ABV: 54.8%

TABANCO TIME

Experimental Blended Malt Batch #13

Age: 11 years

Casks: Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez Sherry Butts, Hogsheads and Quarter Casks

ABV: 50.0%

Unctuous with the taste of cinnamon, dried fruits, candied orange peel and a rich sweet finish. With water, hazelnut chocolate, walnuts, juicy black cherries and chocolate chip acorn truffles.

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

ARTEMIS 1
Bunnahabhain 30 Years
TWB Exclusive

ARTEMIS 1st Launch Edition

Artemis 1 is set to be the first launch of the Orion spacecraft. A test flight orbiting the Moon before returning to Earth is scheduled to launch in 2022, to be followed by a crewed lunar landing expected in 2025; the first since Apollo 17 in 1972.

To commemorate the launch of the Artemis Moon Program we have selected a very special 1990 vintage single cask hogshead from Bunnahabhain distillery on Islay which ticks all the cosmic boxes!

The label depicts the blueprints of the Orion spacecraft, the next era of human exploration. 285 number bottles, but you don’t have to be an astronaut to buy one!

Buy – Artemis 1 – £220 / €215* / $244* / c$312*

Oola 9 Year Old “K&L Exclusive – To The Nines” Waitsburg Cask Strength Four Grain Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $79.99 View

Glenmorangie 15 Year Old “Cadboll Estate” Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $84.99 View

Fukano & Ohishi “SCWC” Bundle of Single Cask Japanese Whisky (2x750ml) $140.00 View

2003 A Secret Distillery In Japan “The ImpEx Collection” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel #2128 Single Grain (100% Barley) Japanese Whisky (750ml) $299.99 View

1992 Bruichladdich “Black Art – Edition 9.1” 29 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $599.99 View

Blended Scotch Whisky 2007 Aged 14 Years

£28.00

Single Cask Bottling

45.0%vol

Natural Colour

70cl

A single cask of blended scotch whisky bottled at 14 years old.

From ‘The Famous House’

Tasting notes by Jason IG – whisky_rover

Bruichladdich Distillery Announces £2.65M Funding to Partner with Protium and Jericho Energy Ventures on Major Step Towards Decarbonisation Distillation

Distillery to receive funding for HyLaddie project that will pioneer sustainable green hydrogen energy technology

November 24, 2021 –Bruichladdich Distillery has today announced a significant step forward in its bold ambition to help decarbonise their distillation process by 2025, with major funding secured to pioneer industry-first technology. Innovative hydrogen combustion technology will be installed to heat the stills used to create Bruichladdich’s renowned Scotch, as well as their artisanal gin, The Botanist. The pilot project will demonstrate the ability to switch from fuel oil to sustainable hydrogen energy technology, covering part of the distilleries energy consumption in this early phase. It is a vital step towards decarbonising in the long term, where proof of concept could lead to many more adopting the technology. The green hydrogen boiler operates with zero greenhouse gas emissions, and is an example for distilleries across the globe to follow suit in reducing their carbon footprint.

The funding of £2.65m comes from the Green Distilleries Competition, funded through the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, and follows an initial feasibility study completed in the spring of 2021. It will allow Bruichladdich, and its energy partner Protium, to install an on‐site Dynamic Combustion Chamber™ (DCC™), a zero-emission hydrogen boiler patented by Jericho Energy Ventures’ (TSX-V: JEV; OTC: JROOF) wholly owned subsidiary Hydrogen Technologies LLCand licenced to Protium’s subsidiary, Deuterium, as a mechanism to meet heating requirements.

Dubbed HyLaddie, the project must navigate the installation of state-of-the-art technology within a fully operational Victorian distillery on the island of Islay, just off Scotland’s west coast. As a certified B Corp, Bruichladdich continually invests in its local community and hopes the project will demonstrate the capability of hydrogen to encourage commercialisation across Islay. A sustainable solution for the island’s remote location and infrastructure challenges, the heating technology has the potential to be integrated beyond distilling and into residential spaces, local government buildings, schools, hospitals, and beyond. In keeping with Bruichladdich’s industry-leading progressive practices, HyLaddie will also lay significant groundwork for similar-sized spirits producers across the world to up their own decarbonisation initiatives.

Douglas Taylor, CEO of Bruichladdich Distillery, comments, “Sustainability is in our DNA and is at the heart of everything we do. The funding for HyLaddie is a huge step towards our ambition of full decarbonisation and we can’t wait to bring the project to life with our partners at Protium. Many distilleries across Scotland are making serious steps forward in decarbonising their energy requirements, and we fully believe that hydrogen has a future in the Scotch industry. Our hope is that our proof of concept can extend to commercialisation across the island, and beyond, helping us hit the Scotch Whisky Association’s targets of net zero by 2040.”

This project marks the inaugural deployment of DCC™ in the UK following a feasibility assessment. The revolutionary technology is the only zero-emission, closed loop boiler that generates high temperature steam, using only oxygen and hydrogen that is reacted in a vacuum. The DCC™ does not require a smokestack or any other energy dissipating exhaust, eliminating any emissions of CO2, NOx and SOx. The only by-product of the reaction is water that can be recycled.

“We’re thrilled to work together with Bruichladdich, one of our first Scottish clients, to help decarbonise their distilling process and introduce hydrogen energy technology to the Isle of Islay,” remarked Chris Jackson, CEO of Protium. “Not only can Bruichladdich and The Botanist implement this technology to act as a beacon for sustainability in the spirits industry, but their deep community ties across Islay presents an exciting opportunity to mobilise an entire island as an example for decarbonisation across the globe.”

Commenting on the project, Brian Williamson, CEO of Jericho, said, “We are thrilled that the inaugural deployment of the DCC™ is with none-other than Bruichladdich, one of the most prestigious and progressive distilleries, who shares our vision of forging a sustainable future. We look forward to working with Bruichladdich and the Protium teams to implement the ambitious decarbonization project with our game-changing zero-emission technology.”

As the first B Corp certified distillery in the UK, Bruichladdich hasa long history of progressive sustainability practices that go beyond energy and into agriculture, community, packaging and waste. The distillery prioritises a higher purpose that benefits society and the environment, and is an industry leader in demonstrating business as a force for good.In line with HyLaddie and the sustainability initiatives from Bruichladdich Distillery, the news comes on the heels of an announcement from its parent company, Rémy Cointreau, who officially committed to the Science Based Targets by joining the “Business Ambition for 1.5°C” initiative -gathering companies with the most ambitious carbon reduction objectives. The Group also announced that its contribution to large-scale climate actions would enable it to achieve carbon neutrality from 2021/2022.

About Bruichladdich

Bruichladdich Distillery is located on the remote Scottish island of Islay and was built in 1881. The distillery crafts four different spirits including, Bruichladdich, unpeated Islay single malt Scotch whisky; Port Charlotte, heavily peated Islay single malt Scotch whisky (40PPM); Octomore, the world’s most heavily peated Scotch whisky series (80+PPM); and The Botanist Gin, the first Islay dry gin.

Bruichladdich Distillery matures and bottles all their single malts on the island of Islay. They are due to install on-site maltings in the near future, which will enable them to complete a proportion of their annual production on the island. Bruichladdich Distillery is the largest private employer on the island of Islay. www.bruichladdich.com

About Protium

Protium is a UK-based green hydrogen energy services company, engaged in designing, developing, financing, owning and operating green hydrogen and renewable energy infrastructure assets, to help our clients to achieve net zero energy emissions.

With offices in London and Caerphilly, and a growing presence in Scotland, they are pioneers in the transition to a distributed, decarbonised, future energy system. protium.green

About Jericho Energy Ventures

Jericho Energy Ventures (JEV) is a publicly traded, deep tech venture capital and incubator platform with roots in the hydrocarbon world, investing to accelerate the clean energy transition. JEV is highly leveraged to long-term decarbonization themes with a focus on the hydrogen value chain. JEV’s wholly owned subsidiary, Hydrogen Technologies, delivers patented, zero emission boiler technology to the $30 billion Commercial & Industrial heat and steam market.www.jerichoenergyventures.com

About Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy

The Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) brings together responsibilities for business, industrial strategy, science, research & innovation, energy &clean growth, and climate change. This funding has been made available from the government’s £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio, which looks to accelerate the commercialisation of low-carbon technologies and systems, through its Green Distilleries Competition. The Green Distilleries Competition is providing funding for developing technologies that enable the use of low carbon fuel in a distillery.

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