scotland

Scotland Creates World's Strongest Vodka

Filed under: Spirits

Scotland is already home to the world's strongest beer but now it can also claim the world's strongest vodka. Pincer Shanghai Strength was created by the Scottish distiller Pincer for the Chinese export market. It is 88.8 percent ABV (lifting it over Balkan 176, the formerly world's strongest vodka which is at 80 percent). Eights are considered lucky numbers by the Chinese. The vodka comes packaged in a black and gold bottle and priced at £85. The regular Pincer, shown at right, is made of grain and Scottish mountain water with botanical extracts of milk thistle and wild elderflower. It is distilled to 38 percent alcohol by volume.

The Scotsman reports that Scotland also holds the title for the world's strongest gin, Blackwood Vintage Dry Gin 60, which is 60 ABV and the world's strongest whisky, Bruichladdich X4, which, at 91.2 percent and still maturing at the Islay distillery.

Tags: pincer shanghai strength, pincer vodka, scotland, vodka, worlds strongest vodka

A New Book About Herb Kohler And His Golf Destinations

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Books

I have written about Herb Kohler before on Luxist, as he expands the Kohler brand, from its historic (since 1873) identification with kitchen and bath products, furniture and accessories, engines and power generation systems to the new systems of golf and hospitality. It is an ongoing, fascinating story.

This month, the Kohler Company has published a new six book set that chronicles the history of Kohler and Golf. Entitled Golf Kohler: In The New And Old Worlds, the books highlight a quintet of courses, each with anecdotes, historic accounts and exceptional photography. It discusses the four Pete Dye courses near the Village of Kohler, Wisconsin, and the celebrated bunkers and vistas of The Duke's in St. Andrews, Scotland.

Golf Kohler: In the New and Old Worlds features the 148-page story book that recounts the company's surprising entry into the golf industry in 1988 with the opening of Blackwolf Run, to the declaration by Golf Magazine in 2000 that it was Americas #1 golf resort, and leads to present day as the host-hotel of two of golf's four majors - The Old Course Hotel for The Open Championship in St. Andrews, Scotland, and The American Club for the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Kohler,
Wisconsin.

Tags: golf, golf books, Golf Kohler:The Th New And Old Worlds, Herb Kohler, Kohler at Home, Kohler Company, Pete Dye, Scotland, St Andrews, The Dukes Course at St. Andrews, The Meadow Valleys At Blackwolf Run, The Old Course Golf resort And Spa, The River At Blackwolf Run, Whistling Straits

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The $35,000 Zebra Safari Chair from Fine English Company

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Architecture & Design

The Fine English Company, dedicated to the best in bespoke British luxury, has unveiled the newest addition to its collection of luxe furniture, luggage and lifestyle accessories reminiscent of Britain's colonial past with a contemporary flair. The company's new $35,000 zebra safari chair (above) took two years to complete and was a personal mission of the firm's founder, former financial consultant Benedict Wormald. It will be produced in a limited edition of only 10 pieces which are bound to appreciate in value; two of them have already been spoken for. The chair is called the "Percival" after the great British hunter and safari leader Philip Hope Percival, whose famous clients included Baron Rothschild, the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, Ernest Hemingway and Gary Cooper.

Wormald and his team spent several months sourcing materials and locating and commissioning the finest artisans in the world to see the project to fruition. The completely handmade, hand-stitched chair is finished in full aniline brown distressed leather from Scotland and trophy grade Burchell's zebra skin. It features unrivaled, exquisitely hand-carved black walnut ball and claw feet, a beechwood frame, horsehair stuffing and a canvas interlining. Wormald calls it "the absolute pinnacle of English Handmade furniture," noting, "there is absolutely nothing to touch this product."

[via JustLuxe]

Gallery: Fine English Co. Zebra Safari Chair

Tags: Benedict Wormald, bespoke, British style, Ernest Hemingway, exotic animals, Fine English Company, furniture, handmade, luggage, safari, Scotland, UK, zebra

Best Family Vacations Around the World

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Scottish Pursuits at Gleneagle Hotel in Scotland

Luxist readers have nominated their favorite luxury destinations for families around the world. From Scotland to Hawaii and South Africa, these destinations offer wonderful programs tailored specifically for children, in addition to luxurious accommodations and other incredible amenities.

The top five summer vacation destinations for families, according to our readers, include:

Gleneagles Hotel

When the Gleneagles Hotel opened in 1924, it was described as 'a Riviera in the Highlands' and 'the eighth wonder of the world'. Then as now, the Gleneagles Hotel was the glorious playground for people dedicated to leisure and pleasure in the most luxurious surroundings.

Set in 850 acres of Perthshire countryside, Gleneagles is a unique place for families to escape. It is home to three of the top Scottish Championship Golf Courses and also offers a wide range of exhilarating outdoor leisure activities, all of which exemplify the longstanding Scottish sporting heritage.

Gleneagles is like going to camp as a family, albeit a luxurious one, with its world-class sporting schools. Dedicated to the cultivation of classic sportsmanship, the schools offer children and adults rewarding 'hands on' instructional programs, fueling the trend to learn while on vacation and introducing the simple pleasures of country sports to families.

World-class instruction is offered in a variety of outdoor pursuits including Falconry (where kids take part in a falconry lesson and learn how to cast the hawk from their gloved hand and then call it back), Horseback Riding, Fishing, Shooting and Archery. There's a Golf Academy as well as a Gundogs School which offers a unique opportunity to experience gundog training. There's also a Junior Off Road and All-Terrain Off Road Course available for kids aged four to nine. Here, kids learn valuable driving skills at the wheel of mini Land Rover replicas over a purpose built course, designed to mimic the grown ups' off road course. Children ten years or older learn how to operate Argo cats, which are eight-wheel-drive, all-weather, all-terrain, tiller-controlled vehicles that operate on land and in water on a challenging purpose-built course.

Tags: Abercrombie Kent, awards-main, best luxury family summer destination, Best Luxury Family Vacation, Burgundy, Ebony Lodge, Family Travel, Gleneagles, Grand Wailea, Grand Wailea Resort, kona village, Kona Village Resort, luxist-awards, luxury family travel, River Barge, Scotland, Singita Ebony Lodge

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Gleneagles: Where Familes Can Experience Scottish Outdoor Pursuits

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Sports

When the Gleneagles Hotel opened in 1924, it was described as 'a Riviera in the Highlands' and 'the eighth wonder of the world'. Then as now, the Gleneagles Hotel was the glorious playground for people dedicated to leisure and pleasure in the most luxurious surroundings. Nearly ninety years later, Gleneagles, which is still considered one of the world's most coveted five star resorts, is nominated for a Luxist Award for Best Family Luxury Summer Vacation.

Built by the former Caledonian Railway Company (and complete with its own railway station), the resort has long been a fixed part of high society's calendar. During the 1950's, after the London "season", the elite went to Gleneagles for grouse shooting.
The hotel was only opened during the summer months until the early 1980's when a total renovation and restoration program was initiated. Since then, a total capital investment of more than £46 million has made it possible to enjoy the elegance and traditions of Gleneagles all year round.

Gallery: Country Pursuits in Scotland at Gleneagles

Tags: archery, awards-main, best luxury family summer destination, Diageo, Falconry, fishing, gleneagles, Gleneagles Hotel, golf, golf resort, horseback riding, luxist-awards, Scotland, shooting

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Is Donald Trump Planning A Scottish Whisky?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Donald Trump is already in the vodka business but with his plans to develop a golf resort in Scotland, he's thinking of branching out into whisky. Trump is said to be meeting with local distillers to find one to produce a Trump-branded single malt whisky. Trump, who loves putting his name on anything possible, is already investing millions in his resort on the Menie Estate, near Balmedie in Aberdeenshire. There are many local distilleries in the area. Sarah Malone, executive vice-president of Trump International Golf Links, is quoted as saying that 'Trump Whisky' could be sold around the globe by 2012. There are also plans for a variety of other Trump-branded products to be sold at the property. The resort will eventually be home to a club house, hotel and luxury real estate.

Trump vodka features a single angular "T" but the Trump whisky might have a new decoration. According to an article in The Press and Journal, Trump has has applied to the Court of the Lord Lyon so that an official Trump coat of arms can be created.Any person who wishes to use Arms must petition for a Grant of Arms or - if they can trace their ancestry back to an ancestor who had a grant of Arms - a "matriculation" showing their place within the family. If a grant is obtained then a parchment is issued and a duplicate is recorded in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland. The website says that Arms are not generally granted to non-British citizens but those of Scottish ancestry (which Trump is, on his mother's side) can apply to the Lord Lyon King of Arms for cadet matriculations, as described above.

Meanwhile locals continue to protest the development, recently stealing marker flags used to map out the course from the site. The Tripping Up Trump movement also continues to pick up speed, and members were seen protesting Trump's Aberdeenshire development at the British Open.

Tags: aberdeenshire, donald trump, scotland, trump vodka, whisky

Royal Salute Whisky Launches 62 Gun Salute in Bespoke Gold & Crystal Bottle

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Royal Salute, part of the Chivas Brothers luxury whisky stable, is releasing a new limited edition Scotch in a gold and crystal decanter to honor the Queen of England. Dubbed 62 Gun Salute in homage to the fusillade fired at the Tower of London every June to mark the Queen's official birthday and accession to the throne, the exclusive Scotch was created with the input of four generations of master blenders and each whisky used is at least 40 years old. Presented in an exquisite hand crafted Dartington Crystal decanter decorated in 24 carat gold and crowned with a cut crystal stopper, the result of 40 hours of artisanal craftsmanship, it will go on sale at the end of the year priced at $2,200 per bottle. The most prestigious expression within Royal Salute's permanent collection, it is available in limited supply due to its exceptional age and extraordinary rarity.

Gallery: 62 Gun Salute

Tags: Chivas Regal, crystal, decanter, gold, London, Queen of England, Royal Salute, Scotch, Scotland, whiskey, whisky

Own A Piece Of The Original London Bridge

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Auctions

The small table above is no ordinary antique. The oak table is made from the ancient wood salvaged from the foundations of the Old London Bridge and is set to be auctioned off on June 30 by Lyon and Turnbull in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is expcted to sell for up to £3,000 (around $4,520).

The foundations of the bridge over the Thames River were laid in 1177. The wood was removed in 1833 before the bridge was rebuilt. The center of the table has a brass plaque in the center which reads: "The Oak of which this table is made was under the foundation of Old London Bridge, Upwards of six hundred and fifty six years and taken up from thence in 1833 by Sir Edward Banks and William John Jolliffe Esq. The contractors and builders of new London Bridge." That 19th century bridge was replaced by the current bridge which opened in March 1973. Material from the older bridge was sold to Robert P. McCulloch for $2.46 million and reconstructed at Lake Havasu City, Arizona where it has become a popular tourist attraction.

[via BBC News]

Tags: antiques, artifact, london bridge, scotland, table

Renovating A Scottish Icon: The Gleneagles Hotel

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, By Design

" The Gleneagles Hotel represents more than a great golf location and resort, in many ways it represents the soul of Scotland," said Dorothy Welsh, Gleneagles Director of Sales and Marketing. "That's why it has taken awhile for the renovation of Gleneagles to be completed. It has to be done slowly and carefully, more restoration than renovation – restoring a newer life into an already established icon."

As Ms. Welsh infers, The Gleneagles Hotel is already an iconic golf resort hotel. Set on 859 acres of estate land in Perthshire, Scotland, the hotel opened in 1924, and has been one of the great Scottish golfing destinations for over ½ century. "But a major goal," continues Ms. Welch in a recent interview, "was to expand the vision – making it an even better golf destination as well as a significant luxury resort destination for the 21st century."

The costs for the restoration, renovation and basic redevelopment of the hotel lies excess, as of this writing of £70M, which loosely translates into over $100M. Some of the renovations are to the golf courses, The Kings, The Queens and the Jack Nicklaus designed PGA Centenary Course, where the 2014 Ryder Cup Matches will be played. These renovations are mostly invisible to the eye, as they deal with four seasons playability, green and eco-sensitive components.

Tags: Andrew Fairlies, Falconry, Gleneagles Hotel, Golf at Gleneagles, golf travel, Jack Nicklaus Centenary Course, scotland, scotland travel, The Centenary Clurse Gleneagles, The Gundog School, The Kings Course Gleneagles, The Queens Course Gleneagles, The Ryder Cup matches 2014

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IndyCar Driver Dario Franchitti Gives You Directions Around Scotland

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Luxury Cars & Autos

Dario Franchitti – yes, the same one who just won the Indy 500 and is married to Ashley Judd – has put together a few driving itineraries of his native Scotland. With routes lasting from four to eight days and covering the entire country, these aren't skimpy directions, either; the three trips are all stocked with enough attractions to reward scenic Sunday drivers, Scottish history mavens, and racing enthusiasts alike. Each route offers so much to do, in fact, that any of them could be given twice the time allotted. It seems Franchitti didn't factor any whiskey recovery sessions into his drive plans, an oversight you'll want to correct. You might want to drive a little slower than Mr. Judd might, but if you do get pulled over you can always try, "But Dario said it was all right..."

Source

Tags: dario franchitti, driving, driving tours, indy 500, scotland

From Hamilton Hall to the Hamilton Grand: Kohler Redesigns St. Andrews

by Susan Kime (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Real Estate Developments, By Design

When we last left Herbert Kohler, he had just purchased the large building at St. Andrews called Hamilton Hall. It was originally The St. Andrews Grand, a hotel built in the early 1900s, then became an Army barracks, then was purchased by the University of St. Andrews to house dormitory students. It was then purchased by the Wasserman Group, a real estate development group out of New York, whose plans were to build million dollar plus fractionals. This plan fell through because, in part, it did not sit well with the townspeople.

All the while, Herbert Kohler was well-known to St. Andrews, as he had purchased The Old Course Hotel, one of the great landmarks on the course at St. Andrews, in 2004. He had quietly and expertly renovated it, using many town workers and consultants. Indeed, the Managing Director of the Old Course is herself from Scotland. When Hamilton Hall became available, he purchased it in November of last year, and planned to hold an open town hall forum, asking the people of the town and interested others, for feedback as to how he should proceed with the renovation and restoration of Hamilton Hall. Here's what happened.

Tags: fractional real estate, hamilton hall, kohler, real estate development, real estate developments, scotland, scotland golf, st andrews

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The Macallan Launches Albert Watson Edition [Video]

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Art

Famed Speyside distillery The Macallan has announced the second photographer tapped to collaborate on its limited edition Masters of Photography series – Scottish-born Albert Watson, whose nudes of Kate Moss fetch astonishing prices at auction. Following the form of the storied single malt's Rankin Edition, the Watson bottling's labels will feature examples of the master's work commissioned specially for the project, shot on various locations around the globe. The exact theme of the project is being kept under wraps for now, but we've been told that the the key elements include "a dramatic and yet romantic 'art noir' voyage, a stylish couple and the key secret behind The Macallan Single Malt." Check out this video from the first stages of the shoot documented on The Macallan Blog by Director of Malts for the Edrington Group, Ken Grier.

Tags: Albert Watson, macallan, photographer, photography, Rankin, Scotch, Scotland, whiskey, whisky

The Battle To Trip Up Trump In Scotland Rages On

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Real Estate Developments

Fresh off the Celebrity Apprentice finale billionaire Donald Trump has flown to Scotland for a battle of a different kind. Trump is there to finalize plans to build what he calls the "world's greatest golf course" in Aberdeenshire but he faces continued opposition from local protestors. A group called Tripping Up Trump has formed and bought land belonging to one of the residents, Michael Forbes in an effort to thwart the £1 billion seaside development.

The land, which the group calls The Bunker, is strategically located in the heart of the resort. Trump's proposal includes two 18-hole championship golf courses, a luxury hotel and vacation residences. The group is putting the names of hundreds of protesters on the title deeds, hoping to snarl up Trump and the Aberdeenshire Council in endless paperwork if they decide to issue a compulsory purchase order for the site (a cute animated video explaining the project is after the jump).

Trump and his son Donald Jr. arrived in Aberdeen Airport and spoke with the media but did not indicate if they would be meeting with the protesters. Trump has offered residents a package which includes a promise to purchase their property at 15 percent above current market value, the opportunity to buy a house on the golf complex at cost price and lifetime membership of the golf resort but the residents have not taken him up on this offer. The master plan for the resort will be considered by Aberdeenshire Council later this year.

Tags: aberdeenshire, donald trump, golf, golf resort, scotland

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Whisky Explorer's Club for Adventurous Tipplers

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Exploring uncharted territory can be fun – breaking a trail, building a fire, pitching a tent – but the best part usually comes at the end when you sit down and pour yourself something special. Why not just cut straight to the drinks? With the newly-founded Whisky Explorers Club you can do just that. Designed to be a year-long adventure in tasting and exploring sensational Scotch whiskies usually only accessible to an intrepid few, membership gets you a shipment of four hard-to-come-by whisky samples six times a year, selected by a panel of malt experts who roam Scotland seeking out rare and sensational spirits. That adds up to 24 different whiskies a year. There are different levels of membership starting at $120 per year, with higher grades getting additional shipments; only a limited number of memberships are being offered.

Source

Tags: clubs, Scotch, scotch whisky, Scotland, single malt, whisky

Whisky's Next Stop: Tasmania

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits

Lark Distillery, Whisky Makers in Tasmania, Australia

On the day I arrived in Hobart, Tasmania's harbor-side capital, I was not expecting to hear much about Scotland and whisky.

After all, I'd just traveled about 10,000 miles from New York to Australia, and Scotland is just about the same distance in the other direction; if anything, I was prepared to hear about France because Tasmania has vineyards, and as every luxury traveler knows, wherever grapes grow, conversations about France flourish. But that evening, I gamely battled jet-lag to visit Lark Distillery's cozy downtown bar, and had a chat with owner Bill Lark, it was Scotland that we discussed the most.

Lark, a former land surveyor who bears an eerie resemblance to Kris Kringle, is Australia's patron saint of whisky. A decade or so ago, he realized that Tasmania had what it needed for whisky -- pure water, barley, even its own peat bogs. (If you're Australian, you'd giggle at this, since "bog" is slang for a toilet.) Anyway, the only trouble Lark faced was the law: a 1901 distillery law mandated very large stills, and he didn't want to run a giant whisky operation. So he successfully lobbied the Australian legislature to change its 1901 distillery law, and when he opened in 1996, became the first to open a licensed whisky distillery in 153 years. After that, Lark traveled to Scotland to learn the craft, returned to Tasmania, found a still-maker who could make one small enough for his purposes, and got cranking.

It all worked: the whisky's award-winning (more on that in a moment), Lark now runs a distillery school and is a distillery consultant. There are now five other whisky makers who have opened in Lark's wake, and another two getting started in Tasmania, which would very much like to be known as "Australia's Whisky Isle".

In an example of things going full circle, Lark's now a consultant to and an investor in a Kingsbarns Farm Distillery in Scotland, in the beginning phases of start up, just a few miles from St. Andrew's . "I can't teach the Scots how to make whisky, they taught me," Lark says. But Scotch tends to be brewed on a large scale, and Lark's developed expertise in distilling on a smaller scale. In fact, Kingsbarns is buying its stills from Lark's Tasmanian supplier. More on Lark and Scotland here.

Want to taste Lark's whisky for yourself?

Source

Tags: australia, scotch, scotch whisky, ScotchWhisky, scotland, tasmania, whisky, whisky tasting, Whisky Tours, WhiskyPeats

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