Ltd. Edition Balvenie 40 Year Old Comes to U.S.
Filed under: Spirits
whisky
Six Lovely Whiskies To Buy For Valentine's Day
Filed under: Spirits
Whiskey for Valentine's Day? Why not.It's not there aren't any female whiskey aficionados. But I will say most of these suggestions seem to me to be much more appropriate for men than women. After all, how many really great Valentine's Day gifts are there for men? Jewelry? Sure, for the right man, who wants a new ring or cuff-links. Bracelets? Not so much. Please.
But whiskey, special whiskies, for the whiskey loving man? That's a can't miss present. But not just any whiskey. Given the nature of the day, look for a whisky that is lush, special, characteristics. Deep amber colors, nice age, finishes of chocolate and marzipan. To do it right, think "sex in a glass."
Here are six suggestions that fit the bill. And they all should be available at better liquor stores with a decent whiskey selection.
Glenmorangie 18-year old: Price $100.00
Once it has spent 15 years maturing in American white oak casks approximately 30% is transferred into Spanish Oloroso casks to spend a further three years maturing. Then, when both have reached 18 years, it is blended back together to create a whisky with a rich bouquet and full, rounded flavor. The taste is balanced between honey, malt and flowery scents. Dates and figs emerge in the background with a hint of wood smoke. Think of Glenmorangie 18-year old like having candy, flowers and a wood fire all in the one glass.
Amrut Fusion: $50-$65.00
Introduce your mate to a whisky he or she has probably never tried. This whisky, from India, is one of the best in the world, especially under $100. Combining Indian malt and peated Scottish malt, it has a sweet side, but not too sweet. The taste includes vanilla custard, peat, dried pineapple. It will be unexpected, like a good gift should be.
"Universal Whisky Experience" Set For Wynn Las Vegas March 18
The Wynn Las Vegas on March 18-19 will host The "Nth" Universal Whisky Experience, a weekend long fandango of tasting some of the best and rarest whiskies in the world, and mixing with master blenders and mixologists.
The event is organized by Atlanta-based entrepreneur and whisky collector Mahesh Patel. "The purpose of this weekend is to gather the country's most passionate whisky lovers for tasting experiences they would not normally have access to," says Patel. "Our guests will be wowed from the minute they check into their suites at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas," said Patel.
The Dalmore Astrum: 40 Years Old and Finished in Rum Casks
Filed under: Spirits
Scottish distillery The Dalmore is selling The Dalmore Astrum, a 40-year old expression limited to just 500 bottles.Set to cask in 1966, The Dalmore Astrum, spent most of the next four decades in second use American white oak casks before being transferred for a final 18 month finishing to 30 year old Matusalem rum casks from Gonzalez Byass.
Each bottle is protected in a bespoke, high gloss black lacquer box. Price is $2,428 based on current exchange rates.
Color: Mahogany gold.
Nose: Blood oranges, crushed apples and pear. Melon, walnuts, cocoa and cinnamon.
Taste: Top notes of ripe mandarins, kumquats, black forest fruits and pineapple. Secondary notes of ginger, black treacle and liquorice. A lingering aftertaste of vanilla, creamy caramel and Swiss chocolate.
The Dalmore Rivers Collection
Filed under: Spirits
Drinkers know Scotland for its world-renowned single malts, but among fishing enthusiasts, the country is known just as well for its excellent finish rivers, where the Atlantic salmon swim free and the scenery is positively breathtaking. It's not every day that these two aspects of Scotland's lore are brought together, but that days has come in the form of the Dalmore Rivers Collection.
Composed of four specially-crafted single malts selected by master distiller Richard Paterson, the Rivers Collection seeks to promote and protect Scotland's greatest fishing rivers. Each is named after and dedicated to a specific river: the Dee, the Tay, the Tweed and the Spey (on whose banks many of the Scottish Highlands' finest malts are distilled).
Part of the proceeds from the sale of each of these special single malts goes towards foundations dedicated to preserving these rivers, which are working together in a joint fundraising effort for the first time in history. When the first of these, called the Dee Dram, went on sale last year, it sold out in a matter of nine short weeks and raised £35,000 to protect the River Dee. Speacialist Whisky in Perthshire, Scotland, is stocking all four at £41.99 per bottle. Visit the Dalmore website for more information.
Ballantine Introduces 2011 Championship Blend
Australian professional golfer Marcus Fraser, the winner of the 2010 Ballantine's Championship, has collaborated with Ballantine's Master Blender Sandy Hyslop to create the 2011 Championship Blend. The Scotch contains whiskies aged for at least 38 years. Only 10 bottles are being produced and as reigning Ballantine's Championship winner, Fraser will receive one of the them. One bottle will also be reserved for the 2011 champion and another will be auctioned for charitable causes during the 2011 tournament, which will take place at Seoul's Blackstone Golf Club Icheon next April.
"It is very impressive seeing Ballantine's Master Blender Sandy Hyslop in his element," said Fraser, "with his enthusiasm, experience and knowledge of all the different flavours and how they can be used together to come up with a final product." Hyslop guided Fraser through the delicate blending process and describes the resulting product as being "extremely fruity, with lots of soft fruit flavours, allied with some lovely, creamy background flavours, and when you taste it the whisky's finish just seems to last forever. Marcus obviously has a bit of a sweet tooth, as some of the flavours he has chosen have given the Championship Blend a beautifully sweet top dressing."
The Ballantine's Championship began in 2008 as an event co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours. It is Asia's fourth biggest golf tournament and the largest annual golf event in South Korea.
The Balvenie Caribbean Cask Single-Malt Whisky
Filed under: Spirits
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.
Master Distiller Richard Paterson Takes A Nose To Shackleton's Whisky
Filed under: Spirits
When you want to recreate a whisky from over a hundred years ago you want to have one of the best noses in the business doing the testing. Master Distiller Richard Paterson, the man behind some of the world's most exclusive whiskies including some of the pricey Dalmore blends we've covered in the past, is analyzing some of the whisky found in a crate in the Antarctic hut of renowned explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. The whisky was first discovered in 2006 but some of it was removed last year and carefully thawed at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island. The bottles of Mackinlay's Scotch whisky had been wrapped in paper and straw to protect them. The whisky is believed to date back to 1896 or 1897.
According to BBC News, three of the bottles were returned to the Scottish Highlands on Whyte and Mackay's billionaire owner, Vijay Mallya private jet for analysis. Whyte and Mackay bought Mackinlay years ago and is considering creating a new whisky to honor the Shackleton find. Paterson has said that the whisky has a beautiful rich golden color and that his "initial reaction is very, very interesting but I must wait and see."
Climbers To Attempt World's Highest Burns Supper on Kilimanjaro
Some enterprising adventurers are planning what will be the highest Burns supper ever. The Burns supper is an annual tradition celebrating the legacy of Scottish poet Robert Burns. The Scotsman reports that a group of 20 adventurers left Edinburgh for Africa to stage the epic event on Mount Kilimanjaro. They will spend eight days climbing to the top of Africa's highest peak. Michelin-starred chef Andrew Fairlie will cook Burns supper specialties including haggis using a camp stove. Climber and piper Billy Bell will do the traditional piping in of the haggis and the group will proceed with other Burns supper traditions including the ode to the haggis and a toast to the lassies. And of course there will be whisky.
Other participants include Witchery restaurateur James Thomson, Anabel Meikle, manager of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Annette Lamb, marketing manager of Harvey Nichols, Susan Mathieson, managing director of Events Consultants Scotland, Tamara Kobiolke, a senior manager at the Missoni Hotel, and Jane Thomson, director of Fringe By Sea. The challenge also has a mission to raise funds for the Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT), which helps talented individuals in the business further their career. They have a goal of raising £150,000 and so far the walkers have raised £50,000 and sponsors Simon Howie butchers and Diageo have contributed another £40,000.
Ltd. Edition 1946 Macallan Albert Watson Edition to Sell for $16,000
Missed out on the the 64-year-old Macallan in Lalique Cire Perdue recently auctioned off at Sotheby's for a record breaking $460,000 (the world's most expensive bottle of whisky)? You can still get your hands on some equally precious elixir via an ultra-exclusive limited edition bottling from the famed Speyside distillery as part of its upcoming Albert Watson collaboration. Priced at $16,000 apiece, the offering stems from the Macallan's Masters of Photography series. Only 36 bottles of the rare single malt Scotch distilled in 1946 will be available early next year along with a one-of-a-kind platinum print from Watson's project.
If that's still out of your reach, you might still be able to lay claim to the regular but also quite special Albert Watson Masters of Photography bottling, above – a new, limited-edition 20 year old single malt priced at $1,000 apiece, of which only 1,000 bottles are being produced. Watson's images depict a young couple as they travel the path the wood used in the distillery's whisky casks takes as it moves from the Spanish forest to its "spiritual home on Speyside".
[via JustLuxe]
Glenfiddich Crystal Stag part of Million-Pound Marketing Campaign
Filed under: Spirits
One of the top selling single malts in the world, Glenfiddich is in the midst of a million-pound re-branding campaign that centers around the crystal stag sculpture you see here.Crafted by Chris Blade and Katya Filmus at the National Glass Centre at the University of Sunderland in England, each sculpture is made by the cire perdue method from 50 kilograms of 24% lead crystal glass that replicates the deer's head which forms the Glenfiddich emblem. It sits atop a gondola display with the distillery's core range of single malt expressions arranged in a spiral point-of-sale.
Following similar displays erected at London Heathrow and Frankfurt airports, the third in the series was recently unveiled in Dubai, with a total of 21 examples set for proliferation at travel retail locations around the world. Follow the link to view the sculpture in the making.
Johnnie Walker Gold Label Ice Pillar
Filed under: Spirits
Johnnie Walker has unveiled a stylish new gift set for its Gold Label Scotch whisky designed to serve the exclusive spirit ice cold, stemming from the connoisseurs' practice of freezing their Gold Label to release its true character as the whisky warms in the mouth. Inspired by frosted gold leaves, the outer case of the Ice Pillar opens to reveal a stunning display piece that works as both a chiller and an ice bucket, conceived by top design firm QSLD Paris. Gold Label, the famed brand's Centenary Blend, is crafted from blend of 15 different whiskies, each aged at least 18 years. It's rich and mellow with a creamy, honeyed body and a slight caramel and vanilla nose. The gift set is available at select retailers nationwide at a suggested retail price of $97.
Ethiopian Runner Haile Gebrselassie Inks Deal With Johnnie Walker
Ethiopian runner and Olympic gold medal winner Haile Gebrselassie is the newest face of Johnnie Walker whisky. The elite runner is part of the Diageo brand's Keep Walking campaign. The ad says in part: "He used to run to class. Now he runs for gold." He is said to have earned approximately $100,000 for the one-year contract and will appear in print ads for the brand. He is the first African chosen to advertise Johnnie Walker.The move has caused some controversy because Gebselassie is seen to be a role model by many young people in Ethiopia. His 90-second television ad will not be shown on Ethiopian Television because the country's laws prohibit ads for spirits. The advertisement is part of the Walk with Giants campaign which has featured Sir Richard Branson, F1 superstar Lewis Hamilton and Robert Carlyle.
Holiday Shopping Guide: Small-Batch Whiskeys
Filed under: Spirits
There really isn't any way you can go wrong with gifting whiskey. There are, however, several ways to elevate the act from the merely perfunctory to the thoroughly distinguished. One of our favorites is by going with a small-batch whiskey, those limited stocks that are the result of special releases, forgotten styles or craft producers. These are our selections, sure to win you "most favored" status.
Tuthilltown Spirits Hudson Manhattan Rye
Gardiner, NY's Tuthilltown Spirits has a lot going for it: the first whiskey distillery to open in New York State since Prohibition, Tuthilltown has become a critical darling due to their local, hand-crafted appeal and "little distillery that could" backstory. Also, the whiskey is fantastic. Their Hudson Manhattan Rye ($40) celebrates the state's longstanding relationship with this spirit, the foundation of a Manhattan cocktail, with a whole grain rye bite that's rounded off with sweet fruit and floral notes. Each bottle is hand-numbered and dated, which adds just the extra bit of artisan allure.
Ltd. Edition Glenfiddich Decanter by Steuben
In search of the ideal present for the Scotch lover on your list? Famed single malt distillery Glenfiddich has partnered with renowned luxury glassmaker Steuben to create an exclusive hand crafted whisky decanter (above) in a limited edition. Priced at $690 and available exclusively at the Steuben flagship store in New York, the bespoke decanter is a collaboration between Steuben's master craftsmen and Glenfiddich master distiller Brian Kinsman, representing more than a century's worth of artisanship, tradition and expertise. The Steuben hallmarks of flawless design and attention to detail are combined with filigreed decorative elements inspired by some of the rarest and most precious Glenfiddich expressions.
The elegant piece also features subtle design cues that reflect the storied history of the Glenfiddich distillery, est. 1876, including the famous stag head design and the signature of its founder William Grant. "Both Glenfiddich and Steuben share a dedication to craftsmanship that stretches back more than a hundred years," notes David Bitran, Glenfiddich Senior Brand Manager. "In that time, while the successes of both our companies have grown, the dedication to craftsmanship and quality has endured." "Much like Glenfiddich, this beautiful decanter is the result of hard work, the best materials and the finest craftsmanship," adds Robert Nachman, Vice President of Design and Marketing for Steuben.
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