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Drinks Up! Sales of Luxury Booze Surging Again, and So Might Prices

Filed under: Spirits

Americans bought more high-end and super-premium drinks in 2010 than the year before, says the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). And while it is a good sign for the economy, the trade group said the levels of purchase are not yet back to pre-recession levels.

Overall spirits consumption was up 2% last year, a slower rate of growth than the 2.9% average annual growth between 2000 and 2007. Sales of high-end brands and products by volume were up 3.3% and sales of super-premium products were up by 10.6%, said DISCUS. Sales of super-premium products rose an average annual rate of 14.7% 2000-2007. "We aren't back yet to where we were, but the signs are all there for a steady recovery," says DISCUS CEO Peter Cressy.

While the news that people are feeling comfortable about buying super-premium liquor is a good sign for the economy, it also means prices to could climb in 2011. Any uptick in consumer demand could embolden spirits makers to raise prices.

Tags: ardbeg, booze, DISCUS, effen vodka, Grey Goose, Johnnie walker blue, spirits sales 2010

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Holiday Gift Guide: Wine And Spirits Gift Packs

by Michael B. Dougherty (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Wings

Let's face it, the hour is nigh. Time is running out, and most likely patience and gifting creativity are following close behind. Don't fret, as these holiday gift packs have both brilliant packaging and a coveted payload contained within. Grab one and declare Holiday Shopping 2010 over.

Dom Pérignon Side By Side ($600)

Two bottles, two vintages. A Vintage 1996 and a Oenothèque 1996, both contained in one handsome case. Two birds, one stone. Next.

Tags: Ardbeg, dom perignon, gift packs, holiday gift guide, holiday gift guide 2010, macallan, Rare Wine Co., spirits, wine

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Luxe Goods Giant LVMH Seeing Better Times

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Shopping

LVMH, the world's leading luxury retailer and marketer of such as brands as Dom Perignon and Dior, said its sales so far this year have risen sharply, driven largely by Asia and by demand for champagne.

The strong performance from LVMH, and its top-branded products under the Louis Vuitton name, is in line with other luxury marketers since the beginning of the year, indicating that spending in the luxury sectors has returned in earnest.

LVMH said its sales rose 23.6 percent in the third quarter and were up 19 percent at 14.2 billion euros (19.9 billion dollars) for the nine months to September compared with the same period in 2009.

The Fashion and Leather goods division was the biggest earner, with nine-month sales of 5.46 billion euros up 20 percent, following by Selective Retailing with sales of 3.71 billion euros, up 17 percent.

Wines and Spirits jumped 22 percent to 2.15 billion euros.
LVMH said the "excellent performance" in the nine months confirmed its confidence for full-year 2010.

LVMH counts among its brands, Givenchy and Guerlain perfumes, as well as Moet and Chandon, Glenmorangie and Ardbeg Scotch whiskies.

LVMH's shares are up 41% so far this year.

Tags: ardbeg, givenchy, glenmorangie, guerlain, LVMH, moet and chandon

Johnnie Walker Double Black Going Global

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Spirits giant Diageo says it will launch its Johnnie Walker Double Black beyond the travel retail channel next year, broadening the Johnnie Walker lineup for consumers worldwide.

Double Black, which has extra smoky flavor than Johnnie Walker Black, was launched last January in six airport duty-free channels. It was well received, and was then made available globally in travel retail.

But response to Double Black, which costs about 20% more than Black, has been so positive that the company has geared up to distribute globally starting in March 2011.

The whisky was created by taking Black as a blueprint and adding heavily peated malts and aging some of the whisky in deeply charred oak casks. There is no age statement.

The move is being made to counter some of the growing interest in Islay single malts such as Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Lagavulin.

Tags: Ardbeg, Johnnie Walker, Johnnie Walkr Double Black, Lagavullin, Laphroaig, peated whiskies, whiskey, whisky

Glenmorangie Opens New Bottling Facility

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

What does it matter where a single malt scotch is bottled? Unless it's being bottled at cask strength, it matters a whole lot. Because a central bottling line removed from the distillery site means that the water being added, in all likelihood, isn't coming from the same source as that which was used in the malt's production. Add a touch of water to your dram, as many connoisseurs do to "open up" the flavor, and suddenly you've got three different types of water in your scotch.

Only a handful of distilleries have their own bottling line, and one of them is Glenmorangie. Now the top-shelf distillery has opened a new bottling facility in Livingston, West Lothian, Scotland. The new plant replaces the old one at Broxburn, but is located nearby, enabling better access to transportation routes while retaining its proximity to the distillery itself as well as the same skilled workforce.

The move follows the company's headquarter relocation to central Edinburgh, from which the premier drinks concern controls both its namesake distillery as well as that of Ardbeg on the famously peaty island of Islay.

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Tags: ardbeg, bottling, bottling facility, bottling line, bottling plant, edinburgh, glenmorangie, scotch, scotland, single malt, 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

First English Peated Single-Malt Whisky Released

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Scotland is the undisputed King of whisky in terms of the number of superior distilleries turning out the gold nectar. But there are great whiskies coming from everywhere: Japan, Wales, Scandanavia, as well as the traditional spots of Kentucky, and a bevy of micro-distilleries everywhere increasingly capturing the imaginations of whisky drinkers.

The latest is Scotland's nemesis to the South: England. It's hard to believe that England hasn't had a significant whisky distillery. Gin still comes from a few prominent stills. But perhaps the Scots and Irish have been so established, nobody bothered to challenge them.

Until now. The English Whisky Company's St. George's Distillery at Roudham has released its third whisky expression. The first was a limited run of Chapter 4, 18- month old Peated Malt Spirit that was so pale as to make me doubt it was actually whisky in my glass. The second was a non-peated single-malt, aged three years, which sells for £34.99, or $51.00. This month, the company released Chapter 9, a three-year old expression and hails it as England's first peated Single-Malt Whisky. Price, £39.99, or $57.00.

Managing director Andrew Nelstrop said: "The whole point behind Chapter 9 is to find a peated whisky that appeals to everyone, not just the real peat fanatics out there." The three-year-old spirit takes its peaty taste from drying barley over smoking peat, which then infuses into the grain.

Tags: Ardbeg, Chapter 6 whisky, Chapter 7 Whisky, English single-malt, English whisky, St. Georges Distillery, The English Whisky Company, whisky

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Glenmorangie and Ardbeg Launch Kosher Single-Malts

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

The Glenmorangie Co. and parent Moët Hennessy USA have launched Kosher certified versions of its Glenmorangie Original, Glenmorangie Ashtar, and Ardbeg 10-year old Scotch Whisky.

New packaging and promotional materials bearing the "OU" symbol from the Orthowill be distributed nationwide in the U.S. over the next few months.

"At Glenmorangie we take great pride in producing Scotland's favorite single-malt whisky, using the finest Scottish barley and hand selected American white oak casks of only the highest quality. The OU kosher certification will bring our iconic brand to an entirely new consumer base that can now enjoy our products," Brian Cox, Glenmorangie U.S. Brand Director.

The Kosher certification is administered by the Orthodox Union, which said Glenmorangie and Ardbeg are the first major whisky producers to earn the OU's Kosher designation.

The Orthodox Union monitors all aspects of production. It supervises the process by which the whisky is created, examines the raw ingredients used to make Glenmorangie and regularly inspects the distilling and bottling facilities to make sure that its standards are met.

Tags: Ardbeg, Glenmorangie, Kosher scotch, kosher whisky, whisky

Ardbeg To Blast Off With Supernova 2

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

First released in 2009 to wide acclaim, Ardbeg Supernova single-malt whisky sparked connoisseurs worldwide when it was named Scotch Whisky of the Year in Jim Murray's Whisky Bible 2010. Supernova has returned with a new limited release, set to hit retailers on May 31. For those who missed the original, the peatiness is over-the-top with the taste of Scotland's western coast lingering in the mouth an hour after finishing the dram. It doesn't seem possible, but Ardbeg master distiller Dr. Bill Lumsden says the taste this time around is even deeper and earthier, with the new expression up to 120.2 proof. It's easily one of the biggest tastes in Scotch on the market. Price is about $115.00

Lumsden is the brains behind both Ardbeg and Glenmorangie. Both brands are owned by LVMH. I have often said that Glenmorangie's Highland single-malt is an apt dram for Scottish lairds, and Ardbeg is more apt for marauding Vikings. Supernova, a brilliant expression of peaty whisky, would put new hair on the chest of Turgesius.

Tags: Ardbeg, Ardbeg Supernova, Bill Lumsden, Islay whisky, Single-Malt Scotch Whiskey, Single-malt whisky, whisky

Ardbeg Releases Rollercoaster Worldwide

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Ardbeg Whisky, part of Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy, is certainly not the biggest single-malt whisky distillery in Scotland. But it has become the most talked about thanks to its often cheeky product names ("Very Young," was a six-year-old Whisky released in 2004 and now sells for $380.00 by some retailers) and creative online marketing.

And so the distillery is celebrating the ten-year anniversary of the formation of the Ardbeg Committee, a now-50,000-plus group of fans and followers, by releasing a limited bottling of a new expression called Rollercoaster [see video here].

To create Rollercoaster, which master distiller Bill Lumsden helped name to describe the last decade at Ardbeg, the whisky has been created by taking from ten years of casks, from 1997 to 2006, and vetting enough to create a volume sufficient for 10,000 bottles. In keeping with the occasion, buyers have to be members of the committee, which can be joined online at www.Ardbeg.com.

Rollercoaster fits in well with the growing family of Ardbeg whiskies. That means it has smoke to burn. The key difference between Rollercoaster and, say, Ardbeg's Ten-year-old flagship product, is a bit more sweet spice added to the peat-fires--fudge, burnt sugar and treacle flavors emerge along with a touch of the seaweed and brine that is characteristic of Islay malts. Lumsden is also achieving a level of creamy qualities in the Ardbeg malts that are the envy of other distillers, not that they would readily admit it.

Most of the casks selected are ex-bourbon but a couple are ex-sherry. The result makes for a nice mix of fruit and vanilla undertones. Rollercoaster has been bottled at 57.3% ABV, with the recommended price, $75. It can be ordered through the website at www.ardbeg.com. If shipping direct is a problem, it can be shipped to specific retailers. As with any limited bottling like this, especially cult-fav Ardbeg,it might be worthwhile to buy two--one for drinking and one for saving.

Tags: Ardbeg, Ardbeg Rollercoaster, ArdbegRollercoaster, Bill Lumsden, BillLumsden, Islay malts, Islay whisky, IslayMalts, IslayWhisky, whiskey, whisky

Ardbeg's Single Malt Named For A Whirlpool

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

If you tangle with a spirit named after one of the world's largest whirlpools don't say we didn't warn you. Ardbeg has launched a new single malt Corryvreckan that takes its name from the Corryvreckan whirlpool, part of the Gulf of Corryvreckan, which runs between the islands of Jura and Scarba off the west coast of Scotland. The whisky is at 57 percent strength and Dr. Bill Lumsden, Head of Distilling at Ardbeg, says that the whisky is 'heady, intense and powerful.' It has been maturing in French oak casks. Ardbeg released 5,000 preview bottles of the blend in 2008 and are now adding it to the regular Ardbeg range. It will be available starting September 21 for around £60.

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Tags: ardbeg, corryvreckan, scotch, single malt, single malt scotch, SingleMalt, SingleMaltScotch, whisky

Ardbeg Double Barrel

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Their most ambitious and complex Scotch yet, the Ardbeg Double Barrel from the UK company was inspired by the British shooting parties of old. Presented in a handmade leather bespoke gun case it is complete with two bottles from different single casks of 1974 Ardbeg Scotch and eight sterling silver drinking cups. Ready to travel and share with many the $23,190 package is only one of 250 made. Certainly a stunning gift or just something fun to own by someone inspired by the past or smitten with Scotch, the Ardbeg Double Barrel is certainly one of a kind.

Gallery: Ardbeg Double Barrel

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Tags: 1974-Ardbeg, Ardbeg, Ardbeg-Double-Barrel, gun-case, scotch, sterling-silver-cups

Giant Whisky Bottles Go On Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

I've seen some pretty massive bottles of wine before but not so many big whisky bottles. The Ardbeg distillery has created 4.5 liter bottles of single malt for sale. They say the bottles of 10-year-old whisky are the largest bottles of single malt on sale in the world. The bottles will sell for £350 each in London and in Scotland and go on sale this week. There will be 1,000 bottles released worldwide.

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Tags: ardbeg, scotch, scotland, single malt, whisky

Ardbeg 1965 Scotch Whisky Goes On Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Another ultra pricey whisky goes on sale in the U.K. this week. The Telegraph reports that the Ardbeg 1965 is the rarest ever released from the distillery. Only 261 bottles of the whisky are for sale and 100 will go to retailers in the U.K. The bottles have a numbered wax seal and there is a little Islay sand in the glass. The whisky will sell for £2,000 per bottle (around $3,680). The whisky will be popular with collectors and hopefully some of them will actually drink it.

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Tags: ardbeg, scotch, single malt, whisky

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