THE WHISKY KITCHEN IS OPEN

Whisky and food have long been a popular pairing, offering lots of opportunity to get creative with meat, fish and even cheese. But with the ever-increasing popularity of vegan diets, we’re dabbling in food matching with a difference this month, creating a plant-based dinner menu to work aside a trio of Society whiskies.

We asked Shiruna, Adrian and Gauri Boelle, the family team behind My Elephant Kitchen, to combine their expertise in vegan cuisine with Adrian’s Society whisky knowledge to conjure up a three-course meal paired with suitable SMWS flavour profiles. Pull up your chair, raise your glass and prepare for a feast sumptuous enough to make an elephant do a joyful jig.

GET COOKING NOW

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

Welcome to this weeks episode of the show in which I’ll be taking a look at the relatively newly Distillery Select No2 release alongside the re-named No1 and comparing them to an original Distillery Select bottling.

https://youtu.be/eN0gyrEsdYU

BENRIACH KEEPS TRADITION ALIVE WITH FIRST EDITION OF MALTING SEASON

Celebrating traditional methods dating back to the earliest days of Benriach Distillery, Benriach Malting Season will be the first expression in a century to be produced entirely using barley malted from the Speyside distillery’s historic floor maltings.

The floor malting method is a highly skilled process requiring the delicate and skilled hand of Benriach’s team of dedicated craftspeople. After being steeped in water, the barley is spread across the malting room floor and turned by hand over several days to allow for optimum germination of the barley. Using their keen eye, the malting team decides when the barley is ready to move to the kiln and the iconic pagoda shaped chimney comes alive.

The first edition of Benriach Malting Season is two-cask matured in bourbon and virgin oak barrels to bring out the wholesome, creamy flavour we find in the distillery’s floor malted spirit, giving a beautiful barley gold colour to the liquid. The expression boasts a rich aroma of barley sugar, almond fudge and poached orchard apple with smooth, rounded flavours of vanilla and honeyed pear, with a lasting nuttiness of slowly kilned malt.

For each new edition of Malting Season, Master Blender Rachel Barrie, will carefully select the type of barley and bottling strength, making each annual edition a truly unique expression in its own right. This inaugural release is made from concerto barley and has a bottling strength of 48.7% ABV.

Stewart Buchanan, Global Brand Ambassador at Benriach, commented:

“Passed from distiller to distiller throughout the generations, the floor malting process keeps a traditional part of the whisky making process alive with Benriach being one of only seven distilleries in Scotland to continue the practice of floor malting. Distilling spirit from barley malted here on site is a true labour of love and something we are passionate about keeping alive here at Benriach as an ode to our creative whisky making heritage.”

Rachel Barrie, Master Blender at Benriach Distillery, said:

“At Benriach, we never stop exploring how fruit, oak and barley flavours intertwine and mature in our broad range of eclectic casks. The unique process behind Malting Season allows the cereal flavour from the concerto barley to pull through and when married with the creamy, wholesome flavour from being two-cask matured in bourbon and virgin oak barrels, creates a truly unique expression.”

The first edition of the small batch release is comprised of 23 barrels, all distilled on 2nd November 2012, yielding 6672 bottles in total. Timing of product availability will vary by country.

Click on image to view video

NOTES

UK RRP: £99 (Global Markets may vary)

Benriach Malting Season will be available in the US from October 2021.

Timing of product availability will vary by country.

For more details on our full portfolio please visit www.benriach.com 

About Benriach Distillery

A Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky as intriguing and extraordinary as Benriach could not have come to be without a unique whisky making heritage, dating from 1898, when founder John Duff built his distillery. Ruggedly beautiful, Benriach stands on the site of the old Riach farm in north Speyside, drawing water from a mineral-rich aquifer, deep beneath the distillery.

Thanks to a long-standing tradition of distilling three styles of whisky; classic unpeated, Highland peated and triple distilled, together with an eclectic selection of casks from around the world, our whisky makers are able to explore the full flavour possibilities of Single Malt, creating some of the richest, most multi-layered whiskies in Speyside.

This tradition continues today, under the guidance of Master Blender, Rachel Barrie. Benriach is the story of a hidden Speyside gem, quietly revealing its treasures to be discovered and savoured.

Facebook @Benriach

Instagram @Benriach

Twitter @TheBenriach 

SAVOUR WITH TIME, DRINK RESPONSIBLY.

The Grand Whisky Auction is closing soon…

www.thegrandwhiskyauction.com/live-auction

2900+ lots will close Monday 16th Aug at 9pm!

Interested in selling whisky in our next auction?

T. +44 (0)1463 210 427

E. sales@thegrandwhiskyauction.com

Gordon & MacPhail 1994 Connoisseurs Choice Tormore 26 Year Old

A first fill sherry butt #8355 bottled May 2021. Cask strength 58.0% with notes of toffee, fruitcake, oprgange peel, spiced plum, dark chocolate, oak and roasted hazelnuts. Tormore 26 Year Old 1994 vintage Speyside single malt Scotch whisky. Single first fill sherry butt #8355 bottled May 2021 by Gordon & MacPhail for the Connoisseurs Choice series. 596 bottles.

NOSE: DARK TOFFEE AND BROWN SUGAR AROMAS INTERTWINE WITH UNDERLYING VANILLA. SULTANA FRUITCAKE DEVELOPS ALONGSIDE CINNAMON , CLOVE SPICE AND HINTS OF ORANGE ZEST.
TASTE: SMOOTH WITH SPICED PLUM FLAVOURS, SWEET RED APPLE AND SUBTLE COCOA. CHARRED OAK AND UNDERLYING COFFEE BEAN FLAVOURS DEVELOP.
FINISH: A MEDIUM FINISH WITH HAZEL NUT AND ANISEED.

Tormore Distillery was established in 1958 in the Speyside whisky region to supply malt whisky to blending houses. It was designed by Sir Albert Richardson, President of the Royal Academy and is set in stunning landscaped gardens. Resplendent with green-coppered roofs, decorative pagoda roofs, a clock tower and clock which still chimes Scottish tunes, a rectangular curling pond, topiary and houses for the staff. Tormore Distillery is now operating with eight stills in its tall still house and Tormore malt whisky is still mostly flowing into scotch blends. Whilst official bottling are sparse it features amongst the ranges of a number of independent bottlers including Signatory Vintage and Connoisseurs Choice.

Shop Tormore »

James Gordon and John Alexander MacPhail began their business in Elgin in 1895 with John Urquhart joining the workforce at that time, to become a partner in 1915 when MacPhail retired. When Gordon died in 1817 the Urquhart family took over the business. This independent family business prospered and built up a stock of good quality casks from a wide range of distilleries over the years. In 1993 they purchased Benromach Distillery. Brands include Connoisseurs Choice, Cask Strength, Rare Old and Speymalt.

Heaven’s Door 6 Year Old K&L Exclusive Barrel #75 Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

 $59.99

It’s finally happening! All of that MGP, which brands put down more than a half decade ago, is starting to come of age. Of course, if this said Smoke Wagon on it, we’d probably sell the stuff out in a matter of minutes. But a new brand, without a record of selling cask strength barrels might be a bit of a sleeper. With the mature MGP stocks having been bottled years ago, this release marks the beginning of a new era. Our allocations from the legacy producers just down river are being cut left and right, so we’ve jumped head first into any good MGP cask we could find. And while 4 year old MGP can be delicious, there seems to be a BIG quality difference in just two years of additional aging. That’s why the prices nearly double on the brokers market between 4-year-old and 6-year-old stocks. Just 2 more years in the warehouse does make a huge difference. This lot of two barrels is bottled by Heaven’s Door, the brand founded by Folk Legend Bob Dylan. It was barreled on May 30th of 2015 and bottled on June 14th of 2021, a few weeks after its 6th birthday. Using the MGP 21% Rye Bourbon mashbill and an ISC #3 Medium toast, this barrel is a great reminder of why MGP should always be considered one of the country’s great distillers. These Heaven’s Door barrels are rich and complex, yet nicely balanced between the sweet toasted oak and bold barrel spice. This is one of the best new barrel programs on the market.

Our newest innovation is here.

Introducing the Virginia Vatting House!

Having an entire space dedicated to the vatting, blending and reduction of our aged whisky speaks to the ambitious scale of all that we hope to achieve here at Virginia Distillery Company.

The innovation of the building’s layout and its proximity to our bottling house represents a thoughtful design that will make life easier for our bottling team. We’re all excited to begin moving the tanks in, and even more thrilled to start filling those tanks up with our whisky.

We can ship our whisky right to your front door.

You probably already knew this, but it’s worth the reminder. Why wait until your next trip to your local bottle shop to stock up? Your very own bottle of Courage & Conviction is just a few clicks away. Use Code DRAM100 for free shipping over $100.

Order Your Whisky

We’re turning heads.

It’s hard to believe that it’s been over a year since Courage & Conviction was released. Since launching, it’s been an honor to receive some wonderful awards for our hard work and craftsmanship.

We’ve been keeping track of our awards and recognition for you over on our website. It’s worth a quick glance for our loyal supporters.

You’ve helped make this possible.
Thank you!

Learn More

Virginia Distillery Company’s Courage & Conviction Line Brings Home More Awards

The distillery was recently recognized by Ultimate Spirits Challenge, L.A. Spirits Awards and Tasting Panel Magazine 

Lovingston, Va. (July XX, 2021) – Virginia Distillery Company’s four whiskies in the Courage & Conviction product line recently took home top awards and ratings at Ultimate Spirits Challenge, L.A. Spirits Awards and Tasting Panel Magazine.

The Ultimate Spirits challenge is a New York based competition that provides expert evaluation of spirits. Virginia Distillery Company’s Courage & Conviction and Courage & Conviction Cuvée Cask were recognized as finalists for the Chairman’s Trophy, and Courage & Conviction was chosen as one of the top 100 products of the year.

• Courage & Conviction – 94 points, finalist and top 100
• Courage & Conviction Cuvée Cask – 92 points and finalist
• Courage & Conviction Sherry Cask – 91 points
• Courage & Conviction Bourbon Cask – 91 points

The L.A. Spirits Awards was created by individuals in the competition business, judging spirits from around the world in Los Angeles. Virginia Distillery Company’s Courage & Conviction and Courage & Conviction Cuvée Cask both received medals based on the judges’ tasting scores.

• Courage & Conviction – Gold
• Courage & Conviction Cuvée Cask – Platinum

Virginia Distillery Company’s Courage & Conviction Cuvée Cask, Courage & Conviction Sherry Cask and Courage & Conviction Bourbon Cask were given top ratings by Tasting Panel Magazine’s team of experts.

• Courage & Conviction Cuvée Cask – 94 points
• Courage & Conviction Sherry Cask – 92 points
• Courage & Conviction Bourbon Cask – 93 points

“The response to our Courage & Conviction product lineup by notable industry awards has been incredible,” Virginia Distillery Company CEO Gareth H. Moore said. “I’m very proud of our team, the work they put into these awards and for the guidance of our mentors who have helped to shape our whisky. The positive reception of our new whiskies is the biggest compliment we could receive.”

Courage & Conviction Bourbon Cask, Courage & Conviction Cuvée Cask and Courage & Conviction Sherry Cask were released in March 2021 to highlight the core trio of casks – bourbon, sherry and cuvée – that make up the flagship offering of Courage & Conviction, which was released in 2020.

Each expression is an American Single Malt whisky, aged a minimum of three years and available in 750ml bottles at 46% ABV. The whiskies are available to purchase through direct-to-consumer shipping and at retail locations across the country.

For more information about Virginia Distillery Company or American Single Malt whisky, visit the distillery’s website and complete guide to American Single Malt whisky.

About Virginia Distillery Company 

Staffed by a local Virginia team mentored by Scottish consultants with decades of experience, Virginia Distillery Company is the largest dedicated American Single Malt whisky distillery in the U.S. The distillery has a current annual production volume of 80,000 4.5L cases and growing. At full capacity, the distillery can produce over 8,000 casks yielding 350,000 4.5L cases annually. The distillery produces Courage & Conviction American Single Malt on-site using malted barley from North America and water from Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. In addition, the distillery offers the award-winning VHW series, made with 100% malted barley. Showcasing both Old and New World whisky-making, the award-winning line marries whisky made on-site in Virginia with whisky from Scotland.

 Heaven Hill Brands Bartender of the Year Program Selects Second Winner for Craft Meets Community Award Program

The track winner receives a mentor experience and $5,000 to support an education- and mentorship-focused initiative within their community

BARDSTOWN, Ky. – Jake Truong-Jones of Sacramento was announced as the second winner of the Craft Meets Community Initiative (CMCI) $5,000 award to support a community-based project aimed at education and mentorship. Truong-Jones will also receive one-on-one mentoring sessions with track leaders Joaquín Simó, founder of Pouring Ribbons in New York, and a partner in Alchemy Consulting and Jeffrey Morgenthaler, award-winning bartender and author.

Truong-Jones, whose hospitality career began in 2013, submitted a proposal presenting an expansion of the nonprofit he founded in 2019, All My Friends Get Fed. The beginning stages of his service provided meal assistance to service industry workers and their families. In an effort to address worker shortages, the nonprofit launched the Sacramento Industry Job Database in 2020, allowing small businesses to post job listings for free. Truong-Jones’ CMCI project will extend his nonprofit to now create All My Friends Get Fed – Job Placement, Training and Mentorship Program. This initiative will be a job training and mentorship system that draws upon the collective experience of service industry workers to train and prepare individuals from the unhoused community and connect them to bar, restaurant, and kitchen jobs. After a successful pilot program in partnership with Saint John’s Program for Real Change, Truong-Jones recognized the opportunity to expand the job training program opportunities in his community.

“This program addresses the needs of two specific communities: the unhoused community in Sacramento, who are ready and able to begin their path back to a self-sustainable life. And second, the bar and restaurant community in Sacramento, who are currently faced with massive worker shortages, and need to hire highly motivated individuals who are both passionate and well prepared to provide top notch product and services,” said Truong-Jones. “We strongly believe that through this program we can help Sacramento heal from the pandemic shutdowns, while at the same time pass along knowledge, service skills and business acumen to elevate the hospitality landscape in our community.”

First announced in May 2021, CMCI is an extension of Heaven Hill and Liquor.com’s Bartender of the Year program, developed to provide greater access industry-wide to education, mentorship, and leadership engagement opportunities. CMCI replaces the typical competition structure for 2021, creating a platform for virtual education and conversation structured through four tracks led by industry experts and open to all hospitality professionals. The program is also designed to encourage hospitality professionals to take action within their community and participants are also invited to apply for the optional CMCI Award Program. Four individuals, one from each respective educational track, will receive one-on-one mentoring from an industry expert and $5,000 to fund their community-based project within their focus area.

The second track in the series, Education and Mentorship, focused on knowledge and skills that serve and uplift individuals and communities through training and discussion around opportunities for growth and development for all bar professionals. Simó and  Morganethaler led a seminar entitled “The More You Know: Sharing Knowledge in the Bar Community,” which detailed their experiences as industry leaders on how to effectively grow a team through communication by exploring how to listen, learn, and distill information. Sponsored by Elijah Craig Bourbon and Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, Truong-Jones also crafted a cocktail inspired by the first cocktail recipe he learned how to build, a Mint Julep. His take on this classic was inspired by nights of discovery and practice, as well as the simple pleasure of a great cocktail after a hard day’s work (see recipe at end of release).

“Jake identified two different communities with urgent needs that are both reeling from the ongoing effects of the pandemic. With incredibly elegant simplicity, Jake’s proposal addresses two different critical gaps (a lack of housing and a lack of trained workforce) with a clear-eyed solution,” said Simó. “This project seems both scalable and replicable, and I hope we can help Jake grow this program to benefit Sacramento and beyond.”

More than 130 hospitality community members registered to participate in the education and mentorship track. Truong-Jones was ultimately identified as the award recipient for this track based on his success thus far with the program and clear vision forward for its growth. Truong-Jones will now be supported by the CMCI award money and one-on-one mentorship opportunities with Simó and Morgenthaler to grow his initiative. To get more involved with All My Friends Get Fed, please contact bartender@heavenhill.com.

Heaven Hill Brands’ Bartender of the Year program has supported the growth, education and awareness of the hospitality community since 2016. The Class of 2020 Finalists received a combined $40,000 to be split between each after the competition pivoted midway through the reginal semifinals tour to a virtual format. All eight joined the ranks of esteemed past winters: Justin Ware in 2019, Harrison Ginsberg in 2018, Nathan O’Neill in 2017, and Abigail Gullo who won the inaugural competition in 2016. Visit the official Bartender of the Year website at http://www.bartenderoftheyear.liquor.com for complete program details.

The Homeward Cocktail

2 oz Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
0.25 oz Amaro Montenegro
0.5 oz Vietnamese Pho Spice Syrup
3 dashes of Scrappy’s Bitters – Black Lemon Bitters
Generous Mint Sprig
Basil Leaves
Cinnamon Stick
Star Anise Pod

Instructions:

Combine first four ingredients in a copper or metal mug. Add 1 leaf of basil and very gently bruise with muddler. Top with crushed or pebble ice halfway. Swizzle cocktail for dilution then top fully with more crushed or pebble ice. Garnish with a generous mint sprig, basil sprig, one stick of cinnamon, and one pod of star anise.

Vietnamese Pho Spice Syrup Recipe: Place large empty saucepan on low-medium heat. Add 5 pods of star anise, 4 sticks of cinnamon, 6 pods of black cardamom, 20 cloves, and 1.5 Tbsp of Fennel Seeds. Lightly toast spices until you can smell aromas, then reduce heat. Add 3 Cups of water to saucepan, slowly add 1lbs of Organic Cane Sugar gently stirring to dissolve. Bring syrup to a simmer then turn off stove and return to room temperature. Add 4 tsp of Citric acid. Put syrup and spices into a blender and blend on high. Let sit overnight. Strain through fine mesh strainer or cheese cloth.

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL BRANDS: Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY -based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Larceny, and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye Whisky; Deep Eddy and Burnett’s Vodkas; Admiral Nelson’s and Blackheart Rums; Black Velvet Canadian Whisky; Lunazul Tequila; The Christian Brothers Brandies; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; Carolans Irish Cream Liqueur; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur.

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