14th June 2013  – Source: Press release

The Teeling Whiskey Company, Irelands leading independent Irish whiskey company, has released the first bottling from its new Vintage Reserve Collection, the Silver Reserve 21 Year Old Single Malt Irish whiskey.

This Silver Reserve bottling consists of 21 Year Old Single Malt Irish whiskey distilled in 1991 and matured firstly in Bourbon casks then allowed to marry in Sauterne wine casks to provide a truly unique Irish whiskey taste experience.   This small batch bottling, limited to only 5,000 bottles, is the first ever Irish whiskey to be finished in Sauterne wine casks.   Each cask was hand selected and chosen for their distinctive flavour profile.

The Teeling Vintage Reserve Collection will consist of handcrafted small batch releases of very rare and old Irish Single Malt whiskeys. Containing some of the oldest Single Malt Irish whiskey ever bottled, the Vintage Reserve Collection allows you to savour and appreciate Irish whiskey at its finest. The Vintage Reserve Collection will be individually hand bottled in exclusive decanters ensuring the finest presentation and care is given to such rare whiskey offerings.

The Vintage Reserve Collection will consist of 3 different bottlings ranging in age and price points the first release being the 21 Year Old which will be followed by a 25 Year Old and a 30 Year Old bottling of Irish Single Malt whiskey. Each bottling will have its own unique finishing and marrying methods to create very distinct taste experiences not currently available within the Irish whiskey category.

Jack Teeling, founder of the Teeling Whiskey Company, commented,

“We are proud to be able to release some of the oldest ever bottlings of Irish Single Malt with our Vintage Reserve Collection. These offerings are central to our goal to play the lead role in bringing an independent voice back to the Irish whiskey category and will help drive diversity in the category by introducing interesting and unique small batch bottlings of Irish whiskey. Teelings Silver Reserve Single Malt is a celebration of everything good about Irish whiskey – from its robust nose to its fully rounded and balanced array of flavours.  There is nothing else like it in the market.”

 The Silver Reserve 21 Year Old will retail for approximately €150.00 (USD$185.00 / GBP£125.00).  The product will be initially only available in Ireland through Dublin Airport, the Celtic Whiskey Store and in quality independent off licences and will then be rolled out to international markets such as the UK, Canada, NZ, Belgium, Germany and France.

29th May 2013 – Source: The Times of India

Indian United Spirits is considering to sell its Scottish Invergordon grain whisky distillery after the UK Office of Fair Trade expressed concerns about a violation of competition laws.

After Diageo took over United Spirits and with it Whyte & Mackay in 2012 the conglomerate currently is controlling the Cameronbrige and Invergordon grain whisky distilleries and it also has a 50% stake in North British Distillery in a joint venture with the Edrington Group.

It is believed to be unlikely that the Office of Fair Trade demands further sales of Whyte & Mackay assets, so the malt whisky distilleries Dalmore, Fettercairn, Jura and Tamnavulin could remain under Diageo’s control. If Diageo will decide to keep or ell them anyway is not yet clear.

21 May 2013 – Source: Press release

To celebrate this year’s Islay Festival of Malts & Music, Caol Ila and Lagavulin distilleries have again announced exclusive Festival bottlings for visitors to the distilleries.

18-year old Lagavulin from European Oak

The LAGAVULIN™ 2013 special festival bottling, from whisky distilled in 1995, has been aged in ex European Oak Sherry Butts, and was personally selected by Lagavulin warehouseman Iain McArthur.

Triple-matured Caol Ila

This year’s CAOL ILA™ special festival bottling  is a little special and unusual, explains distillery manager Billy Stitchell, who personally selected the whisky:

“Spirit distilled in 1998 has been triple-cask matured. For 12 years it rested in a combination of Refill Butts, Hogsheads and Barrels. The vatted whisky was then allowed to mature for several months in active hogshead casks to impart a spicy/oaky note to the existing delicate Caol Ila smoke. Finally it was treated to a final gentle maturation in European oak.”

Volumes and prices

Bottles will be on sale to individual visitors at the distilleries priced  at £99. The Lagavulin festival bottling goes on sale at the distillery at 10:00 am on Saturday 25 May (Lagavulin open day); the Caol Ila bottling goes on sale at 10:00 am at the distillery on Monday 27 May -  in both cases with an allocation of two bottles per customer.

Each release has been bottled at natural cask strength and comes in limited editions of 3,000  individually-numbered bottles.

Dr Nick Morgan, Diageo’s Head of Whisky Outreach, commented:

“We are again delighted to have two exceptional whiskies from Lagavulin and Caol Ila which we have bottled for the enjoyment of those visitors who come to celebrate Islay’s great whiskies and whisky-making traditions with us during the Fèis.

“In the past our special single-cask Festival bottlings have sold out very rapidly, leading to disappointment for some visitors, and unfortunately allowing others to profit from their misfortune by re-selling bottles at inflated prices. This was never our intention.

“So this year we are releasing slightly more generous volumes without compromising the quality of our offering. We hope this  will enable all Fèis visitors who want to buy a bottle as a memento of of their visit to do so.”

20 May 2013 – Source: Press release

Global competition launched to celebrate the release of anCnoc Peter Arkle Limited Edition No.3 ‘Bricks’

anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is announcing a new chapter in the collaboration between the whisky brand and a renowned Scottish illustrator based in New York – Peter Arkle. The partnership was launched in April 2012 and involves a series of limited anCnoc expressions presented in packaging designed by the artist. So far the range included two global releases – anCnoc Peter Arkle No.1 ‘Ingredients’ and anCnoc Peter Arkle No.2 ‘Casks’. Today the brand unveiled anCnoc Peter Arkle No.3 ‘Bricks’ and revealed details of a global competition launched to celebrate the partnership and give anCnoc fans around the world an opportunity to participate in this remarkable project.

The Whisky

anCnoc Peter Arkle No.3 ‘Bricks’ was matured in Spanish ex-sherry butts as well as American exbourbon barrels. The resulting whisky is full-bodied and sweet and displays a classic anCnoc flavour profile with notes of perfume, citrus, honey and spice defining its style. The whisky is bottled at 46% ABV, non chill-filtered and presented at its natural colour.

The packaging shows a thick dunnage warehouse wall, as drawn by Peter Arkle during his visit to Knockdhu Distillery in 2011. The artist comments on the project and the design:

“I have loved working with anCnoc and am very proud of our latest limited edition. The distillery at Knock is such a great place and I had a fantastic time visiting there. This particular illustration for me really shows a complex thought in a very simple way. On one hand it’s just a drawing of the bricks that make up the walls of the distillery and the warehouses with a yellow sign stuck on. But, on the other hand, those bricks are so old and so soaked with the essences of anCnoc – absorbed over the years – that they are not just any old bricks.  They are bricks with real character and history. And the sign is there to remind people that anCnoc is not something you can take for granted. One must handle something remarkable with care.”

Only 1000 cases of anCnoc Peter Arkle Limited Edition No.3 ‘Bricks’ will be available online and from specialist retailers in the UK, USA, Germany, Russia, Japan, Taiwan and Canada. The recommended retail price in the UK is £49.99.

#youranCnoc

To mark this great collaboration ten whisky fans from around the world will see their personal anCnoc experience turned into unique bottle designs drawn by Peter Arkle himself. The competition, called  #youranCnoc, will take place on the 17th June and all who wish to participate will be asked to tweet a photo of their perfect anCnoc moment that day. Ten entries selected by Peter will then be hand-drawn, transferred onto individual bottles of anCnoc and sent to the winners. Additionally, one lucky winner will be taken to New York to meet the artist and experience the process of creating his remarkable illustrations first-hand.

Peter further commented:

“I have been so inspired designing for anCnoc and I’m really excited for people to get the chance to be inspired themselves and have their own personal anCnoc moment immortalised onto their very own bottle. It’s such a fun opportunity.”

Gillian Gibson, the anCnoc Brand Manager added:

“anCnoc has long had a close relationship with visual art and we are delighted to not only be continuing with this fantastic series with Peter which we are sure will become instant collectors’ items like its predecessors, but that we can also offer truly personalised art with a mighty fine dram with our #youranCnoc campaign.”

Full details of the competition can be found at www.anCnoc.com anCnoc can be found on Twitter at @anCnoc whisky

Tasting notes

Colour: Bright amber
Aroma: Fresh, fragrant and complex. The signature rich honey and lemon notes are accompanied by freshly cut flowers, juicy green apples and sweet vanilla. A hint of heavy leather adds to the depth while just a touch of ripe orange zest wraps it up in a beautifully balanced composition.

Taste: A full-bodied dram with great texture. The flavour is spicy at first with notes of vibrant citrus, sherry and dark chocolate developing and revealing a mouth-watering burst of hot toffee and honey sweetness.

Finish: The finish is long and smooth with notes of oranges and sherry enveloped in moreish spiciness.

Peter Arkle

Peter Arkle is been a freelance Scottish illustrator, based in New York City. Born in Penicuik he graduated from St. Martin’s School of Art and the Royal College of Art in London, before moving to New York, where his unique style flourished. He has been working freelance since 1993, contributing to books, newspapers and  magazines such as The New Yorker, Newsweek and Oprah, in addition to leading global brands and businesses.

14 May 2013 – Source: Press release

Tomintoul 1981 Single Cask & Tomintoul 21 Hosted by Master Distiller Robert Fleming

To celebrate the launch of Tomintoul 1981 Vintage Single Cask, the first ever single cask product to be released by the distillery, Tomintoul is holding its first ever Twitter tasting.

The Twitter tasting will take place on Wednesday 29^th May at 7pm and will be hosted by Master Distiller Robert Fleming (on @TomintoulWhisky), who will be introducing the two whiskies to taste – Tomintoul 1981 Single Cask and award-winning Tomintoul 21.

Tomintoul has opened up the limited number of spaces on the tasting to whisky bloggers and writers, as well as the general population of whisky lovers, using an application on Facebook. To register, you must be a Twitter user, provide some basic details, and briefly tell Tomintoul why you should be chosen.

To take part as a taster, you must be available to join in the tasting on Wednesday 29^th May at 7pm. Follow this link or visit the “Promo” tab on the Tomintoul Facebook page to apply – http://bit.ly/ZV1zl3

Those selected will receive a 30ml bottle of the Tomintoul 1981 Vintage (53.9% vol), and 30ml of Tomintoul 21 (40% vol), plus a guide to the event.

You can also take part by following the action on Twitter, using hashtag #Tom1981. Master Distiller Robert Fleming will be on Twitter account @TomintoulWhisky on the night to answer any questions.

Registration to apply to be a taster closes Friday 17^th May at 3pm

You must be over the age of 18 and/or over the legal drinking age in your country of residence to take part. Terms and conditions will apply.

7 May 2013 – Source: Press release

TAMDHU RE-LAUNCH CAPTURES THE SPIRIT OF SPEYSIDE

One of Speyside’s founding distilleries, Tamdhu has re-launched (Friday 3 May 2013) with a stunning new 10 year old Speyside Single Malt.

Acquired in June 2011 by Ian Macleod Distillers, leading Scottish independent family owned distiller and bottler, Tamdhu Distillery was established in 1897 by a consortium of pioneering businessmen who embodied the ‘can-dhu’ spirit of their generation.

Inspired by an age of industry and endeavour, the Tamdhu story is one of enlightenment that began, and continues to this day, on the banks of the River Spey.  Now, just as then, Tamdhu is matured in only the finest oak sherry casks with natural Speyside water from the Tamdhu spring.

The new Tamdhu 10 yo has a softness of vanilla and sugared almonds on the nose balanced by fresh oak and cinnamon. Bursting with fruit and spice, which gently yields to toffee, there is a richness of sherry oak on the palate with a gentle hint of peat smoke wisp.

Designed to maximise on-shelf presence, the packaging communicates the brand’s values and provenance with a stylish, textured black, white and gold tube, illustrated monograms and an elegant glass bottle, inspired by the Victorian era.

Commenting on the launch, Leonard Russell, managing director and third generation of the family-owned Ian Macleod Distillers, said:

“Tamdhu has a reputation for producing exceptional quality single malt and we are excited to re-launch Tamdhu today. We are committed to revitalising and growing Tamdhu not only as a brand but from an economic and investment perspective with new jobs created and significant investment in the infrastructure and fabric of the Distillery.

“The re-launch has been in the planning for nearly two years to ensure that our best casks had hit their peak before bottling. With a focus on quality, we have honoured the careful distillation process to create a premium malt Scotch whisky we believe Tamdhu’s founders would be proud of.”

Iain Weir, Ian Macleod Distillers’ Marketing Director, added:

“Tamdhu is a perfect complement to our existing portfolio of brands, delivering a premium Speyside malt and real point of difference for the category.  There has been significant interest from consumers and trade to see what we would do with Tamdhu and the Speyside Whisky Festival is the perfect platform to reintroduce the brand on its home soil.

“We are committed to growing the brand within the UK and internationally, and are confident it will prove popular with whisky enthusiasts and connoisseurs alike.”

Tamdhu 10 yo Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky is available from Waitrose, specialists and independents across the UK from 6 May 2013 with an RRP of £34.99.  It will be distributed globally over the coming months.

In addition, a special commemorative 10 yo bottling, which is matured in 100% first fill sherry casks, has been released by Ian Macleod Distillers. Only 1000 limited edition bottles are available to buy online priced at £100.

The Tamdhu re-launch is being supported by a new dedicated website, social media, advertising and promotional campaign. For more information, please visit www.TAMDHU.com or call Ian Macleod Distillers on 01506 852205.

5 May 2013 – Source: Press release

JUST five months after the launch of its new Cask Strength expression, GlenDronach, the award-winning Aberdeenshire distillery, has this week bottled the second batch of this phenomenal new single malt.

“It really is down to huge demand in the international marketplace,” revealed Sales Director Alistair Walker. “All 12,000 bottles in Batch One sold out in a matter of weeks and since the turn of the year our agents around the world have been calling for a second batch. We’re delighted to respond with this new expression.”

Batch One got rave reviews from Glendronach aficionados. “Sublime whisky”; “Like flakes melting in dark chocolate”; “This whisky is superb. Like a kid in a toy shop drinking this”; and “On the palate you got chocolate raisins and dark caramel. Give it twenty seconds and you got caramel and cream. Can’t wait for batch 2” were just some of the favourable comments.

“We believe Batch Two will exceed people’s expectations,” added Alistair. “It’s a superlative dram; the fullness of flavour is really astonishing.”

“Cask Strength” simply means that the whisky is bottled at the natural strength, straight out of the barrel. Each batch is unique, and the batches will continue to be released as long as this expression remains popular with consumers.

The second batch has been personally selected once again by Master Blender Billy Walker. At 55.2% vol, non chill-filtered and bottled at its natural colour, it has been matured as before in a combination of the finest Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks.

Mr Walker’s tasting notes show how time, wood and whisky mystically interact to create another richly-sherried expression that’s true to the GlenDronach style:

Appearance: Rich golden amber with a crimson heart.

Nose: Wonderful rich aromas of honey-drenched raisins and sultanas.
Candied ginger and orange peel are spiced with a beautifully delicate back note of warm oak.

Palate: A perfectly balanced traditional sherried character. An explosion of chocolate-coated raisins and zest of orange mellowed with sweet warm oak spices, hints of soft toffee and gentle sugared almonds.

Finish: A uniquely balanced classic finish.

Keep an eye on our website and Facebook page over the coming weeks for more information on our new Cask Strength Batch Two expression and where to buy it. If you would like to receive more information, please contact us on info@glendronachdistillery.co.uk

26 April 2012 – Source: Press release

Tomintoul Distillery has just released its first ever single cask edition of its award winning malt range. Tomintoul Speyside Glenlivet Single Malt Bourbon Cask – Vintage 1981

The 1981 cask was selected for the exceptional quality of the mature malt whisky therein. The whisky was distilled on the 30th of October 1981 and has matured ever since in bourbon cask number 5985. Bottled in February 2013 at 53.9% ABV, it is deliberately un-chillfiltered.

Only 198 bottles have been produced and each bottle has been individually numbered. The bottle label also records the cask number and the date of distillation and bottling.

Tomintoul Distillery is located near Tomintoul, the highest village in the Highlands of Scotland. It sits in an area of stunning natural beauty, in the prestigious Glenlivet Estate, at the heart of the Speyside region.

Tasting Notes:

Colour: Rich gold

Nose: Soft, mature malt, some sweetness with hints of pepper spiciness from the oak Suggestions of dark orange marmalade

Palate: Round, mature, full malt with sweetness and orange marmalade

Finish: Enduring with sweetness giving way to peppery finalé

This limited edition will be available in key western European markets and Asia. It is envisaged that each bottle will retail for around £250 in the UK and € 300 in Europe.

19 April 2013 – Source: Press release

Following the successful launch of TALISKER STORM™ in March, the famous Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Isle of Skye is now acquiring another new family member, this time enriched by double maturation in port cask wood.

It has been named TALISKER PORT RUIGHE™, after the principal town and port on the Isle of Skye, and as a tribute to the great Scottish trading-houses such as the Cockburns, Grahams and Symingtons who braved the high seas and were instrumental in the creation and global growth of the port wine trade.

TALISKER PORT RUIGHE combines the powerful smoky maritime character of Talisker with succulent sweet notes of rich berry fruits for a superb contrasting taste experience. (Full tasting notes)

Like the recently released Talisker Storm, TALISKER PORT RUIGHE is a permanent addition to the current core range of Talisker single malt whiskies. It is being introduced to offer Talisker consumers a further intriguing flavour dimension of this celebrated and distinctive island single malt whisky.

It will be available from mid-April 2013 in whisky specialist retailers in Western European markets. Talisker Port Ruighe will have a Recommended Retail Price at a premium of 20/25% to the price of Talisker 10 year old. It is bottled at the traditional Talisker strength of 45.8% ABV, without an age statement.

Master Blender Maureen Robinson explained:

“Talisker Port Ruighe is a combination of spirit that has been matured in American Oak and European Oak refill casks in the traditional manner along with spirit that has been filled into specially conditioned deeply charred casks.  The spirit is then finished in casks that have previously held Port Wine which  endows it with spicy fruit notes. These bond elegantly with that clean, fresh smokiness that signals its essential Talisker character.”

Talisker Distiller Manager Mark Lochhead added:

“Talisker lovers are getting spoiled this spring! After Talisker Storm, which has been very well received, we’re now offering a contrasting taste experience that will intrigue whisky drinkers who enjoy a hint of aromatic fruit and richness with their Talisker smoke. It’s still very much a true Talisker, but from a different, memorable angle.”

16 April 2013 – Source: Press release

Old Pulteney’s maritime roots in the far north of Scotland have inspired a colourful new series of travel retail exclusive products celebrating three historic lighthouses.

The Old Pulteney ‘Lighthouse’ Series, set to be unveiled at the TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition in Singapore this May, will feature three distinctive new expressions of the award-winning ‘maritime malt’. Packaged in boldly coloured designs that reflect the distinctive, high-quality whisky inside, the range will be rolled out to the global travel retail and duty free channel from late summer 2013.

Lighthouses situated near Old Pulteney distillery’s northerly coastal location in Wick were selected to develop the series:

• Noss Head: Packaged with a vibrant blue label and tube, the design features an image of the Noss Head lighthouse which the whisky is inspired by. Built in 1849 by Robert Arnot and named after the Old Norse word ‘Snos’, the lighthouse represents the nose-shaped headland where it is situated. Matured in American Oak ex bourbon casks the malt inside has a full bodied, sweet and spicy taste with hints of coconut, lemons and oranges and a long-lasting finish. RRP: £39.99
• Duncansby Head: Featuring a coral red label and tube, the eye catching packaging depicts an image of Duncansby Head lighthouse. Situated near to John O’Groats at the very northern tip of Scotland, the lighthouse protected a dangerous part of the Pentland Firth where the Atlantic waters flow into the North Sea. Matured in ex American bourbon and ex Spanish sherry casks, the whisky has a sweet full bodied taste with notes of honey, chocolate and oranges. RRP: £44.99
• Pentland Skerries: Encased in striking purple packaging, this design features images of two lighthouses of the same name. Developed with input from renowned Scottish engineer Robert Stevenson, the Pentland Skerries lighthouses were built in 1794 on the uninhabited Pentland Skerries islands off the far north eastern coast, en route to Orkney. The whisky is matured in Spanish ex sherry casks and has a sweet, full-bodied taste with hints of raisins, spices and chocolate. RRP: £54.99

Margaret Mary Clarke, Senior Brand Manager for Old Pulteney commented: ‘Old Pulteney’s Lighthouse Series represents a further investment in bringing distinctive, high quality products to the travel retail trade for the enjoyment of travelling consumers. The association with the great lighthouses of Scotland’s north easterly coast brings to life another aspect of Old Pulteney’s maritime heritage.’

The TFWA is the world’s biggest duty free and travel retail association and this year’s Asia Pacific event will take place from 12th – 16th May 2013 in Singapore. The Old Pulteney Lighthouse Series will feature on International Beverages’ stand (Stand no: H27).