Scotch whisky

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask Single-Malt Whisky

Filed under: Spirits

The Balvenie Caribbean Cask Single-Malt Whisky The Balvenie recently launched a new rum-cask-finished expression, Balvenie 14-Year Old Caribbean Cask.

The release follows an enthusiastic reception of a limited release of a 17-Year Old Rum Cask, and the subsequent popularity of rum cask-finished whiskies in general.

After a 14 year maturation period in traditional oak whisky casks, the Balvenie is then transferred to the rum casks, leading to an exceptional Single Malt that exemplifies the signature smooth, honeyed character of the Balvenie, while adding unique notes of toffee and fruit that come from its innovative cask finish.

Retail price is $59.99.

Tags: balvenie, rum casks, rum-finished whisky, scotch, scotch whisky, The Balvenie, The Balvenie Caribbean, whiskies, whisky

Win A Chance To Be A Glenrothes Whisky Master

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

This fall, Berry Brothers & Rudd, makers of the Glenrothes single malt Scotch whisky, are offering a unique contest. Four Scotch aficionados will win the chance to work as an official Glenrothes Whisky Maker for a week at the distillery in Speyside, Scotland. The winners will be selected from entrants from around the world and will be hosted by Ronnie Cox, Keeper of the Quaich and The Glenrothes Brand Heritage Director, and The Glenrothes Malt Master, Gordon Motion.

This is a hands-on adventure: participants will do everything from testing the fresh water source that runs alongside the distillery, to milling, mashing, fermenting and distillation. And they'll enjoy some of the more fun parts too including laying down casks for maturation, nosing whisky from maturing casks and selecting exceptional casks to be bottled as The Glenrothes single malt whisky. Each winner will produce their own selection of The Glenrothes, labeled with their own hand-written tasting notes. The adventure also includes a stay at Rothes House, the brand's accommodation for visiting friends and opportunities to take in the Highland flavor, fishing in the local streams, dining in the local Highland restaurants and picnicking in the hills surrounding the distillery. The final day will be spent in Edinburgh with overnight accommodations at The Scotsman Hotel and dinner with legendary Scotch expert, Charlie MacLean.

Entries must be received by January 31, 2011 and the trip will commence on May 8, 2011, lasting for seven nights, ending May 14, 2011. Four winners will be chosen by an independent judging panel. To enter head over to the Glenrothes site and plead your case.

Tags: glenrothes, scotch whisky, Single malt whisky, Speyside whisky, the glenrothes, whisky

Balblair 2000 Millenium Malt

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

It's been a while since we heard any hoopla about the millennium. But the scotch whisky industry works at a different pace and on a slower timeline.

Whereas most distilleries commonly label their whiskies by their age at the time of bottling, Balblair Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky names theirs after the year in which they were distilled. The range already includes the 1979, 1989 and 1997 vintages, and are now joined by the limited-edition 2000 Millennium malt.

Available in limited quantities, the Balblair 2000 is already on sale in the UK at £31.50 per 70cl bottle (pricier than the 1997 but less dear than the '89 and '79 vintages), and is now being rolled out in markets around the globe.

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Tags: 2000, balblair, balblair 2000, balblair 2000 millennium, highland, millennium, scotch whisky, single malt, whisky

Bowmore Announces the Exclusive Tempest Single Malt

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Arguably more so than any other region in Scotland, Islay has long since established itself as a favorite among scotch whisky drinkers. The windswept isle is home to an inordinate number of distilleries, but Bowmore wants us to remember that it was there first. And to that end they've released an exclusive new small-batch bottling called Tempest.

Named after the beating waves of Loch Indaal that have slapped against the Bowmore distillery since its establishment in 1779, Tempest has been aged for ten years, embracing the peaty and smokey flavor while balancing it intricately. It's the second small batch bottling released recently by Bowmore, but the first being made available in North America. Arriving on shelves in December – right on time for the holiday season to the potential delight of the scotch connoisseur among your loved ones – the Bowmore Tempest carries a suggested retail price of $100.

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Tags: bowmore, bowmore tempest, islay, scotch, scotch whisky, single malt, small batch, tempest, whisky

Wild Scotsman 15-Year Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Anyone who's anyone knows that scotch whisky comes from Scotland. But does that mean every company offering it needs to be Scottish as well? Not according to Jeffrey Topping, the mind behind Wild Scotsman Whisky. While all the whisky used in Wild Scotsman comes from Scotland, it's vatted and sold in Ohio.

The latest expression, Wild Scotsman 15-year Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is, let's be clear, a blend. But unlike labels like Johnnie Walker or Dewar's, its contents are exclusively single malts, blended together. In other words, Wild Scotsman (like other vatted or blended malts) doesn't include any inferior mass-produced grain alcohol. Those who've had with the likes of Compass Box, Monkey Shoulder or Big Peat will be familiar with the oft-misunderstood category.

For the Wild Scotsman 15, Topping and company selected ten casks, each from a different distillery across the six distilling regions of Scotland: Highland, Lowland, Speyside, Campeltown, Islay and the Islands. Each has been aged exclusively in bourbon barrels (no wine casks) for between 15 and 20 years. This final release will be available in limited quantities of 80 cases from 40 retailers in Ohio, each bottled suggested to retail at $59.99.

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Tags: blended malt, scotch, scotch whisky, vatted malt, vatted malt whisky, vatted whisky, whisky, wild scotsman

Highland Park Saint Magnus Single Malt

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Whisky connoisseurs know Highland Park for its virtually unsurpassed richness and complexity of flavor, consistently rated among the best single malts to come from Scotland. Last year Hebridean distillery released the Earl Magnus, a particularly strong expression celebrating the legendary Earl of Orkney – the 11th century ruler of the archipelago which Highland Park calls home.

Now Highland Park is following up with the much-anticipated second release in the Magnus collection – itself a homage to the distillery's founder Magnus Eunson. Called Saint Magnus, this latest expression is named after one of the six canonized Norsemen during Orkney's Norwegian rule in the 11th and 12th centuries. More than 20 churches bear his name, and now the second in a series of three special Highland Park expressions bares his name.

The Highland Park Saint Magnus is bottled at an exceptionally strong 55% abv, matured in Spanish oak casks for over twelve years. Only 11,994 bottles will be produced, and offered to the public at £85 per bottle.

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Tags: highland park, highland park saint magnus, saint magnus, scotch, scotch whisky, single malt, whisky

New Vintages and Alba Reserve from The Glenrothes

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

To devotees of the Speyside variety of single malt scotch, The Glenrothes holds a special status. Such devotees will be eager to learn of three new expressions released from the highly acclaimed distillery, hitting shelves just in time for the Fall season as temperatures begin to drop and a warming dram looks all the more enticing.

The latest Glenrothes bottlings include the Vintage 1994 ($79.99), the Vintage 1998 ($54.99) and the Alba Reserve ($59.99). The two new Vintage expressions follow the popular 1991 edition, supplies of which will soon be exhausted, while the smooth Alba Reserve, aged in American oak refill casks, follows the likes of the Glenmorangie and Ardbeg (as well as the special wood finishes from Bruichladdich) in earning kosher certification.

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Tags: alba, alba reserve, glenrothes, kosher, scotch whisky, speyside, the glenrothes, the glenrothes alba reserve, the glenrothes vintage 1994, the glenrothes vintage 1998, vintage 1994, vintage 1998, whiskey, whisky

Glenmorangie's New Finealta To Help Open London's Savoy

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Glenmorangie has launched a new whisky in its Private Edition line: The Glenmorangie Finealta, pronounced "Finalta." The word translates as "elegant" from the Scottish Gaelic. It is a recipe with historic significance as it is a recreation of a Glenmorangie recipe dating back to 1903.

The century-old recipe was uncovered in the distillery's archives. Dr Bill Lumsden, head of distilling and whisky creation, said: "Glenmorangie decided to recreate this recipe so that we, and whisky connoisseurs, could have a taste of this historic Glenmorangie expression. We followed the recipe meticulously, which included marrying whiskies of different ages and from different cask types. The final result is a whisky of such depth and distinction that we selected it as the second release in Glenmorangie's exclusive Private Edition."

Archives show that this Glenmorangie expression was served in the American Bar of The Savoy, London, during La Belle Époque and at the height of Art Nouveau, the first modern art movement of the 20th century. The packaging design for Glenmorangie Finealta, not surprisingly, is inspired by Art Nouveau, which had a style for incorporating elements from nature such as floral and plant motifs into artwork. And, unusual for Glenmorangie, the taste profile involves a bit of peat.

The release of the whisky coincides nicely with the The Savoy's reopening on October 10, 2010. Bottled at a strength of 46% ABV, and non chill-filtered, Glenmorangie Finealta will be made available to global travel retail from early September, and in fine whisky shops in North America in early 2011. Price $85.00.

Tags: Bill Lumsden, Finealta, Glenmorangie, Savoy Hotel, scotch, scotch whisky, single malt, Single-malt whisky, whiskey, whisky

Highland Park Releases 1970 Orcandian Vintage Single Malt

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Scotland plays host to dozens upon dozens of whisky distilleries, but only one on the isle of Orkney: Highland Park, which currently stands as the northernmost distillery in Scotland. Highland Park is rated as one of the top whiskies in the world, but even at the pinnacle there is room for distinction.

Last Fall, Highland Park launched The Orcadian Vintage Series, and following the releases of the 1968 and 1964 vintages has now announced the third in the series: the 1970 Vintage. To emphasize the whisky's natural intricacies, Highland Park opted to use refill casks to age the vintage, releasing just 1,800 jet-black bottles at cask strength. Each sells for £2,250.

Tags: highland park, highland park 1970, orcadian vintage series, scotch, scotch whisky, single malt, the orcadian vintage series, whisky

Loch Dhu: The Black Whisky

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

You've heard of the Black Irish? Now feast your eyes on the black scotch. It's called Loch Dhu – gaelic for black lake – and it's only available in extremely limited quantities.

It's common practice in whisky craft to char the barrels in which the malt will be aged; Loch Dhu is unique because the distillers charred their casks twice, giving the product a velvety black color and a distinct flavor.

The whisky was produced for a few years in the mid 90s at the Mannochmore distillery in Scotland, which alternates its production year by year with the Glenlossie distillery nearby with which it shares its staff. As a result demand is quite high: The last stock has just become available courtesy of a private collector in England, with each bottle selling for approximately $300 once overseas shipping is factored in.

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Tags: black whisky, loch dhu, mannochmore, scotch, scotch whisky, single malt, single malt scotch whisky, the black whisky, whisky

Chivas Brothers Launches Scotch Age Awareness Campaign

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Even amongst casual celebrants, most consumers know that – amongst myriad other factors – an older whisky is generally a better one. In fact, in a recent market study, Chivas Brothers found that some 94% of consumers knew that. But far fewer – only 10% – knew that the age stated on a bottle of scotch indicates the youngest whisky in the bottle, not the average age (48% of those polled) or the oldest (35%).

Based on its findings, Chivas Brothers is undertaking a new awareness campaign to highlight the significance of age statements in scotch whisky. The Chivas group – part of Pernod Ricard, one of the largest liquor companies in the world – is among the world's foremost scotch distillers, encompassing such blend brands as Chivas Regal, Ballantine's and Royal Salute as well as a range of single malts including The Glenlivet, Abelour, Longmorn, Strathisla, Scapa and Tormore.

Most (if not all) of these labels feature age statements, and a range of marketing initiatives will aim to educated consumers as to their importance.

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Tags: chivas, chivas brothers, chivas regal, guaranteed age whisky, know the age know the whisky, look for the number, pernod ricard, scotch, scotch whisky, whisky

NATO Chief's Single-Cask Ardbeg Sells Out in Days

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Ten years ago, during his tenure as Secretary-General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Lord George Robertson visited the Ardbeg distillery. Not such a remote trip for the world leader, as Islay – the Scottish island where Ardbeg is made – is also his home, carrying as he does the honorific of Baron of Port Ellen (the island's largest town). But it was a big deal for the distillers at Ardbeg, who laid down a cask in his name.

That cask has now been bottled as a special edition, bearing the same age as the standard non-chill-filtered Ardbeg, but each bottle specially labeled and hand-signed by Robertson himself. All 202 bottles of it, each of which sold within days of its release for a handsome £220.00 apiece, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Erskine foundation to support military veterans with medical care.

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Tags: ardbeg, erskine, lord robertson, port ellen, robertson, scotch, scotch whisky, single cask, single malt, whisky

Glenfiddich Your Dad For Father's Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

We've taken plenty of looks at whisky as a Father's Day gift. Positioning itself as the perfect Father's Day gift, Glenfiddich is offering a global contest to visit the Glenfiddich malt masters at the Dufftown, Scotland Glenfiddich distillery for an exclusive VIP weekend experience. You arrive on July 30th and are given a tour of the Glenfiddich distillery, including a tutored nosing and tasting session, and then a hike out for some scenic mountain climbing in the stunning Scottish Highlands. On Sunday you'll head into the glens for some traditional Scottish activities. You can choose between hunting, shooting and fishing with experienced guides or a tour of Ballindallock Castle complete with live falconry display. Enter on the Glenfiddich Father's Day microsite which also includes Father's Day gift ideas and ways to send personalized e-cards.

Tags: fathers day, fathers day gifts, glenfiddich, scotch whisky, whisky

Glen Grant Launches 170th Anniversary Super-Premium Commemorative.

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

To celebrate 170 years of uncompromising and passionate whisky making Glen Grant has created an inimitable experience with the launch of a 170th Anniversary Limited Edition Single Malt Scotch Whisky. A whisky lover's dream, the commemorative edition Grant has been specially crafted by Master Distiller, Dennis Malcolm, who has carefully selected the most valuable Glen Grant casks ranging 1976 to 1999 and married them together to create one unique Glen Grant expression.

"170 years on, we continue to build on the combination of tradition and innovation that the Grant brothers brought to their whisky making all those years ago," Glen Grant Master Distiller, Dennis Malcolm commented. "We wanted to celebrate the history of the brand whilst translating the unique Glen Grant approach into something new and unexpected with the 170th Anniversary Limited Edition whisky."

The commemorative expression is sure to be snapped by collectors, as well as imbibers. Big fruit notes, with a streak of peat through the middle of the taste profile.

It will be available starting August 2010 at a price of about 100 Euros, sold in a premium gift pack, across Europe, Taiwan, Duty-Free retail and the Glen Grant Distillery visitor centre in Rothes, Scotland, in a 70 cl bottle.

Tags: Glen Grant, Scotch Whisky, Single-malt whisky, Speyside, whisky

Welsh Single-Malt Penderyn Making Strides Without Long Aging

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

When the Penderyn Distillery began distributing its single-malt whisky in 2004, expectations were not that high. After all, it was the first time whisky had been distilled for mass distribution in Wales in over a century. Also, the age of the whisky was just four and half years.

But the lesson here is that whisky doesn't have to be old to be good, or even great. Penderyn has not only been racking up the accolades, but it has added expressions that have been largely applauded and recognized as some of the best small-batch whisky in the British Isles, and the world.

The distillery is located in the village of Penderyn, in the southern reaches of the Brecon Beacons National Park. The water used for the whisky is pumped from a spring under the distillery. The barley-wash mash that gets distilled comes from Brains Brewery in nearby Cardiff. And as the only Welsh singe-malt, Penderyn has what any good whisky needs--a good story.

Gallery: Penderyn Welsh Whisky