A Mothballed north-east distillery that was built more than 130 years ago is on the brink of going back into production, it emerged yesterday.
The reopening of Glenglassaugh Distillery, near Portsoy, is at the heart of plans by a consortium trying to buy the site.
Glenglassaugh has been mothballed several times since it was established in 1875, most recently in 1986.
It is used by its owner Edrington, the drinks firm behind whisky brands such as The Famous Grouse, Cutty Sark, The Macallan and Highland Park for storage purposes. A spokesman for Edrington said yesterday the company had received approaches, which "may or may not" lead to a formal offer for Glenglassaugh. An industry source said the distillery was likely to be sold for several million pounds, with the buyer needing to spend about the same again on the refurbishment it needs before returning to production.
It is understood a consortium involving a Latvian investor has been involved in talks with Edrington since the summer and that these are now at an advanced stage, with a deal likely within a few months. Starting up the distillery will create an estimated 10 jobs.
The hospitality and tourism sector of the Highlands is set to reap more economic benefit from the nation's most famous tipple, following the launch of a new website.
ScotlandWhisky, the national tourism initiative, is behind the project which has gone online just in time for Christmas, which is traditionally the busiest time of year for malt whisky sales.
The website has been developed to enhance the 70 Scotland Whisky Embassy members - which include The Cross at Kingussie and Knockomie at Forres - to promote their whisky expertise.
Whisky Embassies comprise pubs, hotels and restaurants which pride themselves on employing staff who are educated and knowledgeable in the sales and service of whisky.
Boasting the best of latest online resources, the site offers dynamic maps of all the Whisky Embassies and distilleries involved, in addition to events, festivals, information and bookable tours.
Chris Conway, of ScotlandWhisky, said: "Online support is just one of the benefits on offer to tourism and hospitality businesses."
The new enhanced website can be visited at www.scotlandwhisky.com
Directors of malt whisky specialist Gordon and MacPhail feel the outlook for 2008 is positive.
This was one of their comments in the latest annual results from the Elgin-based, firm which owns Benromach Distillery at Forres.
Turnover for the year to the end of February, 2007, was just under £15.5million - a fall of 6.9% on the previous 12 months - primarily the result of reduced volume sales in the UK market.
Pre-tax profits fell by £155,000 to just under £1.326million.
The directors said that, following the launch of the Benromach Organic brand, they considered the 2008 outlook to be positive. They also said the Benromach brand continued to prosper.
Joint managing director Michael Urquhart said yesterday that trading in the new financial year had started well, with export sales to America, France, Germany, Russia, Spain and Poland increasing, as had sales in the UK. He added that the firm continued to invest in bulk whisky stocks, including from its own distillery, and during the year a new cask warehouse had been completed to store maturing Benromach whisky.
The firm employed an average of 124 people during the past financial year.
A Small whisky distillery in Aberdeenshire is in the running to be crowned the oldest in all the country - thanks to a newspaper report from more than 200 years ago.
The Glen Garioch distillery emerged as a surprise contender for the title after a reference to it was found in a 1785 copy of the Aberdeen Journal - a forerunner to the Press and Journal.
Last night, brand manager Mari Laidlaw said the title could be worth millions of pounds in sales to the Oldmeldrum business.
Members of the Scottish Brewing Archive, based at Glasgow University, came across the report as part of a project to find the oldest distillery in Scotland.
Researcher Iain Russell said they had been intrigued by the number of distilleries claiming to be the oldest in the country, including Bowmore, Glenturret and Strathisla. But the evidence was pointing to Glen Garioch.
"A report in the Aberdeen Journal from 1785 refers to the sale of spirits at the Meldrum Distillery, which we believe is almost certainly the former name of the Glen Garioch Distillery," he said. "The owners previously believed the distillery was not founded until 1797."
Ms Laidlaw said she was "thrilled" and hoped the theory could be proven.
"It is wonderful news," she said. "Scotland's oldest distiller is the title everyone wants. Heritage is one of our main selling points. It is worth millions."
To celebrate the glories of its own Salmon fishing beat on the fabled River Spey at its Easter Elchies estate, The Macallan Single Malt Scotch Whisky has created The Ghillie’s Dram.
A limited edition of only 800 bottles of this 12 years old single malt have been produced, each individually hand-labelled and numbered. Also included with the bottle is a fishing pouch with two Macallan salmon flies and a limited edition map of The Macallan beat.
The Macallan Ghillie’s Dram honours the important role that the River Spey, one of Scotland’s most famous salmon rivers, plays in creating the character of The Macallan. The river borders The Macallan Estate to the south and south-east and is managed in harmony with this beautiful landscape.
Willie Bremner, The Macallan Estate Ghillie, said: "The Spey serves not only as a boundary for The Macallan Estate, it also provides a wonderful fishing experience, a rich natural habitat, and water used in the creation of The Macallan. It is my pleasure to manage The Macallan fishing beat; five dark and delightful pools where salmon and trout rest fleetingly on their long journeys up and down the river. In my mind, the river, the land and the whisky have always been bound together, each an essential part of the other.
“It is a beautiful river, a source of both fresh water and timeless inspiration for us, and it continues to captivate generations of anglers and whisky lovers worldwide. The purchase of a bottle will be supporting the restocking of salmon in the River Spey, helping to preserve this priceless asset."
The whole The Macallan Estate covers 370 acres (150 hectares), comprising land for growing barley to make The Macallan, pasture for sheep and cattle, woodland, and mown grassland to attract species of birds.
Ghillie’s Dram is now available exclusively at the distillery shop for £95 per bottle.
The Scotch Whisky Association has welcomed new European Union spirit laws.
The agreement by EU member states means that legislation on the definition and presentation of European spirit drinks dating back to 1989 will be replaced by a new, updated regulation. The SWA said yesterday this was something it had campaigned for over a number of years and would result in clearer EU-level rules on whisky production, and improved protection for Scotch whisky.
EU markets represent almost 35% of whisky exports by value (£855million out of a global total of £2.5billion in 2006). The new regulation includes a range of improvements to existing EU spirit drinks law, including a clearer legal definition of whisky, which will assist distillers in tackling unfair and misleading practices overseas.
Reflecting traditional practice, the new laws, for example, make it explicit that whisky cannot be flavoured or sweetened.
A mechanism is also introduced that will make it easier to ensure national rules on whisky are enforced across the 27 EU member states. This is important because when the new UK legislation on whisky is adopted next year, there will be an opportunity to register the UK regulations in Brussels and have them enforced across the EU.
An SWA spokesman said: "Improved EU protection for the traditional way of making Scotch whisky is a significant step forward. Today's agreement by member states will make it easier to protect Scotch whisky from unfair practices, supporting the industry's international competitiveness.
"Throughout our campaign, the SWA has worked closely with the European Commission, the Scottish and UK governments, and MEPs (members of the European Parliament) - this has secured an important result for distillers and the highest level of protection for Scotch whisky and consumers."
The boss of the world's largest alcoholic drinks firm, Diageo, said yesterday that the years ahead would continue to be exciting times for the company.
The comment from chief executive Paul Walsh came as Diageo - the leading whisky company - celebrated its 10th anniversary.
It employs 4,500 people in Scotland, where operations include 30 whisky distilleries, three main packaging sites and also Gleneagles Hotel. Earlier this year, Diageo announced an investment of £100million in its whisky operations in Scotland, including £40million on a new distillery at Roseisle in Moray.
The group was created by the merger of Grand Metropolitan and Guinness and the firm originally also took in a food business.
However, the appointment of Mr Walsh as chief executive in 2000 brought a strategic decision to focus solely on alcohol.
In 2001, the acquisition with Pernod-Ricard of the Seagram spirit and wine business brought additional brands into the collection and Diageo now manages eight of the world's top 20 premium spirit brands and operates in 180 markets in spirits, beer and wine.
Two of those brands - Smirnoff vodka and Johnnie Walker whisky - are the best and third best-selling brands in the world respectively.
Mr Walsh said: "Today we stand in a different place from where we started a decade ago. We are focused on premium drinks and operate with serious offerings across total beverage alcohol: spirits, beer and wine.
"We have seen growth in our business over the past decade in well-established consumer markets like the United States and have begun building for a strong future in emerging markets like China and India. We believe the next decade and the others to follow will continue to be exciting times for Diageo."
UB Group chairman Vijay Mallya is expected to pay $60-80 million to American spirits giant Jim Beam for acquiring the distribution rights of Dalmore Single Malt in the US, sources said.
Dalmore is part of scotch major Whyte & Mackay’s portfolio but Jim Beam controls the distribution rights for the US market through a licensing deal. Mr Mallya, who acquired Whyte & Mackay, earlier this year has initiated talks with Jim Beam, which is part of Fortune Brands, to buyback the US rights.
When contacted, a top UB Group official confirmed the move. However, the valuation of the potential transaction could not be ascertained.
Dalmore is one of Whyte & Mackay’s key premium brands in a portfolio that also consists of Jura Single Malt, Vladivar Vodka and namesake Whyte & Mackay blended scotch whisky. It may be mentioned that Mallya’s liquor flagship United Spirits Ltd (USL) paid $1.18 billion to buyout Whyte & Mackay from its management led by serial entrepreneur Vivian Immerman.
However, Jim Beam, which sold Whyte & Mackay to Mr Immerman led management buyout in the year 2000, retained the rights for Dalmore Single Malt in the US market. Sources said Mr Mallya was keen on acquiring the rights from Jim Beam citing that the latter was unable to tap the full potential of the brand owing to conflict of interest.
In context, it may be mentioned that Jim Beam owns another leading single malt, Laphraoig, following its part acquisition of Allied Domecq’s assets in 2005. “United Spirits and Whyte & Mackay feels Jim Beam is not tapping Dalmore’s fullest potential, which is very evident in its sub-premium pricing,” sources added. Single Malt is a robust emerging category for the young adult consumers in the US.
It is believed that Jim Beam is open to divesting the distribution rights at a price, and if talks succeed, it could happen as early as January next year.
Meanwhile, United Spirits is readying Whyte & Mackay portfolio for a larger Asian roll-out. While Whyte & Mackay’s entry into India is a bit delayed, the products have started tapping other key markets for scotch in the Asian region, like Taiwan, for instance. Whyte & Mackay’s focus will be on three brands like by single malts Jura and Dalmore and the eponymous blended scotch.
United Spirits is expected to register Whyte & Mackay brands with the domestic excise beginning with Maharashtra next week.
Glenfiddich's 30-year-old whisky wins industry award
Glenfiddich has won the top accolade in the 2007 Whisky Merchants' Challenge Awards.
The distillery's 30-year-old Single Malt Scotch Whisky won through in a blind tasting event as well as receiving a gold medal in the over £50 category.
Glenfiddich's prize whisky also took a gold (best in class) medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition 2007.
The 30-year-old whisky is a single malt combination that has been matured in Oloroso sherry and bourbon casks.
David Stewart, Glenfiddich Malt Master, commented: “We've always believed Glenfiddich 30 Year Old to be an excellent dram, but to have such esteemed judges vote it the overall winner in a blind tasting in our homeland is a real thrill.
“It really has been a remarkable year of achievement for the men and women of the distillery.”
Glenfiddich Distillery recently won the award for Scottish Visitor Attraction of the Year 2007 - it attracts around 80,000 visitors a year..
Ambitious proposals to transform a former north-east creamery into a whisky distillery were enthusiastically endorsed by councillors yesterday.
Members of the Marr area committee voted unanimously in favour of approving an application to create a distillery, bottling plant, tasting centre and warehouse for around 4,000 casks in Huntly.
Last night members said the project "ticked all the boxes" and would bring huge benefits to the town. The application will now go before Aberdeenshire Council's infrastructure services committee (ISC) for further consideration.
The applicant, Euan Shand, of Princess Street, Huntly, hopes to transform a redundant creamery at the town's Old Toll Road into a new landmark for the north-east whisky trail.
The facility, if approved by ISC, would be housed in a historical building already on site, known as the Granary. It would incorporate a number of environmentally friendly features such as a biomass facility, fuelled by locally sourced woodchip to generate steam for the stills, a rainwater harvesting system and heat-retention glass. The initial business plan for the development says it would create 16 jobs.
Speaking after yesterday's meeting in Alford Public Hall, Peter Argyle, councillor for Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside, described it as an "all-round good project".
He said: "It's absolutely excellent. The original building is beautiful and the plans for it are superb. It's a very environmentally friendly project, it will attract tourism and it will create jobs. At the same time it will bring back into use an important part of Huntly's heritage."
Joanna Strathdee, councillor for Huntly, Strathbogie and Howe of Alford said she was delighted the committee voted to support the project. She said: "It just ticked all the boxes and will definitely benefit the town. I'm really delighted it got the go-ahead and will keep my fingers crossed." Mrs Strathdee suggested it could be the start of a new chapter for Huntly as a "food and beverage town" for tourists.
Rare whisky goes on sale in ‘One of a kind’ linley drinks cabinet
A £55,000 drinks cabinet with some of the world’s rarest whisky will go on sale tomorrow (Thursday 13 December) at Harrods.
Custom built for The Macallan, the ‘one of a kind’ LINLEY drinks cabinet will contain six single malt vintages from the Fine & Rare collection: 1937, 1940, 1948, 1955, 1966 and 1970.
Handcrafted from English Oak and Burr Oak, the drinks cabinet also includes six bespoke crystal LINLEY whisky tumblers, cigar humidor and a secret compartment which has become a signature feature of LINLEY furniture.
Ken Grier, Director of Malts said: “This unique collaboration has brought together two industry Masters of spirit and wood. Like The Macallan, Linley’s furniture brings together a balance of traditional and modern techniques to achieve the highest possible standards in the craft and this cabinet is testament to this. Together with a selection from of our Fine & Rare collection it is certain to become a collector’s item to fetch an even greater price in the future.”
The extraordinary expressions of vintage Macallan from the Fine & Rare collection are each carefully selected for their unsurpassed quality and rarity – representing the finest single malt from that year. Each bottle has a wonderful diversity of colour from light beech through to dark walnut, with aromas and tastes ranging from the lightly peated vintages to those with fresh floral aromas or rich sherried flavours.
The range is so highly sought after that many are only available through private sale via auction houses or whisky collectors.
The Macallan and LINLEY cabinet will be sold in a World of Whisky and Watches evening on Thursday 13 December hosted at By Appointment at Harrods from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.
Chivas Brothers (Holdings), an investment holding company for whisky group Chivas, made pre-tax profits of £282.55million in the year to June 30 compared with losses of £65.45million the year before, according to its latest report and accounts just released by Companies House.
The accounts show it received investment income of £340million during the 12-month period although the previous year's figures show no investment income was received.
The company - whose immediate parent is Spain-registered Pernod Ricard Espana and whose ultimate owner is French multinational drink giant Pernod Ricard - paid interim ordinary dividends of £6.73million during the year compared with dividends of £6.85million the previous year.
It also declared a preference dividend of £1.82million compared with £2.01million a year earlier.
A spokesman said the group did not comment on the individual results of the many companies within Pernod Ricard, which in September posted forecast-beating net profits of £582.1million for the year to June 30 - up 30% on the year before.
The Scottish Whisky Association is today calling on MSPs on the justice committee to back Scottish Government plans to take tougher action on those involved in drink substitution.
This is the illegal practice of genuine branded bottles being refilled with a different product (usually cheaper, inferior quality, and sometimes illicit) for resale in pubs and clubs.
The whisky trade association said that, currently, those found guilty of such an offence would only be likely to face a low fine.
A bottle of 81-year-old Scotch sold for $54,000 at New York's first liquor auction since Prohibition.
An anonymous collector bought the pricey potable at Christie's sale of wines and spirits on Saturday.
The 100-lot auction sold a total of $304,800 worth of rare wine and liquor. The top lot was a collection of 729 bottles of whisky, which went for $102,000.
The $54,000 bottle was distilled at Macallan in Scotland in 1926, bottled in 1986 and rebottled in 2002.
Prohibition lasted from 1920 to 1933, but New York State did not allow auctions of spirits until this year.
The auction prices include Christie's 20 percent commission.
Article Courtesy of The Associated Press
The Associated Press
Dec 07
2007
Whisky Galore! 10,000 Bottles Stolen
More than 10,000 bottles of single malt Scotch Whisky, destined for the UK Christmas market have been stolen.
The bottles of Bowmore Islay Single Malt, with a retail value of almost £300,000, were taken around midday on Tuesday from an independent haulier in the Hertfordshire area.
The haul included various aged bottles of Bowmore, from 12 years old to 25 years old.
Bowmore Distillers are desperately bottling more of the spirit from Islay to ensure UK retailers and consumers will not be disappointed this Christmas.
Glen Moore, Bowmore brand director said: "We are confident we will be able to supply all retailers with Bowmore and customers will still be able to buy Scotland's number one Islay malt whisky for Christmas.
"Unfortunately Single Malt Whisky cannot be distilled today and bottled tomorrow so it will take up to twenty five years to replace the older stock."
Hertfordshire Constabulary is investigating and have appeal for anyone with information to contact them at the Crime Management Unit.
The Scotch Whisky Experience, the five-star visitor centre on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, is delighted to announce two new appointments. Garry Gray, managing director of John Dewar & Sons, which produces Scotland's best known whisky brands including Dewar's, Lawson's, Aberfeldy and Glendeveron, has been appointed non-executive chairman of The Scotch Whisky Experience Ltd. The centre has also appointed a new finance director, Tony Dick, who was formerly financial controller of Aggreko plc (Northern Europe).
Alastair McIntosh, managing director of The Scotch Whisky Experience, which attracted nearly quarter of a million visitors last year, said:
"We are delighted to welcome both Gary and Tony to the team. They bring with them extensive and very valuable experience in their fields and we look forward to this expertise enhancing our business."
The Scotch Whisky Experience is situated on the Royal Mile below Edinburgh Castle and offers unique insight into the world of Scotch Whisky with informative film, educational tour and whisky tasting. The venue has a fine dining restaurant, Amber Restaurant, as well as corporate and meeting facilities.
WAREHOUSE 24 at Balvenie Distillery on Speyside, which forms the basement of an 18th century mansion now used to store whiskies until they have reached their prime, is fast building a reputation as the venue for one of the most memorable whisky tours in Scotland.
Whisky tourism has become a wide-ranging and highly profitable industry. Scotch whisky distilleries welcome more that one million tourists a year - and they have the highest spend per head in visitor attractions. In total, sales from whisky attractions are worth more than £17 million to the Scottish economy.
Some tours are "pile them high, get them round fast" affairs, providing little more than a potted guide to how whisky is made. At Balvenie, however, tours are limited to a maximum of eight people, and they will even offer a one-to-one tour if you're the only visitor. While pricey at £25, the attention to detail provided on the tour is worth it.
advertisementEach tour starts and ends in what was once the distillery manager's office, now renovated and featuring bespoke furniture created by Paul Hodgkiss. From there the tour takes in one of the last few floor maltings and a chance to see the kiln with its distinctive pagoda roof, where the barley is smoked.
However, it's Warehouse 24 that is the highlight. At the end of the dimly lit, slightly damp warehouse sit three casks and a battered copper hollow cylinder, called a "dog". In years gone by less honest warehousemen would use this to drop into the casks and withdraw a surreptitious sample. Attached to a piece of string, it was then hung down a trouser leg and smuggled out to be enjoyed at leisure. These days, visitors have the chance to take their own sample and have it bottled as a souvenir.
Dry days For walkers, the Speyside Way, which generally follows the course of the river Spey, is one of four official long-distance routes in Scotland. It's 84 miles long, but there are plenty of shorter stretches to be enjoyed. Wildlife abounds, while spectacular scenery is almost ever-present. Visitor attractions such as Ballindalloch Castle (www.ballindallochcastle.co.uk; 01807 500 205) are within easy reach, as are several golf courses. The towns of Dufftown, Keith, Huntly and Elgin are all close at hand for retail therapy.
Wet days Speyside is whisky country, and there are numerous other distilleries to make a week-long stay in the area worthwhile. Glenfiddich, for example, Balvenie's next-door neighbour, has a fine restaurant serving full meals and snacks followed by a tour.
Eating and drinking The two rosettes Ben Aigen restaurant in the Craigellachie Hotel (www.craigellachie.com; 01340 881204) offers fine dining, featuring quality local produce, from around £33. The hotel is also a magnet for whisky connoisseurs. The world-renowned Quaich Bar has a selection of almost 700 whiskies, some of them extremely old and very rare - and very, very expensive. The Highlander Inn (01340 881446) nearby is a small and friendly hostelry, again with a fine whisky bar and dinner for around £25. Bar and whisky manager Tatsuya Minagawa presides over more than 150 malts - many from his native Japan - and an interesting selection of real ales.
Where to stay In addition to the Craigellachie Hotel and the Highlander Inn, there is a decent range of accommodation available in the area. www.RoomFinder Scotland.co.uk offers full details. Click on Aberdeen and Grampian, then Craigellachie to be taken to the appropriate page.
Highland Park has announced the launch of its third Ambassador’s Cask, after both the first and second sold out within months of being released – the most successful and fastest selling limited edition bottlings in the Orkney brand’s 209-year history.
For the third Ambassador’s Cask, Gerry Tosh, Global Brand Ambassador, has selected cask 9035, which was filled in 1974 and bottled this year.
Because of the exceptional quality of this 33 year old single malt, the special edition has been released in 372 35cl bottles, making it more accessible for a range of whisky lovers.
The exclusive Ambassador’s Cask III bursts with aromas of dark chocolate, orange peel and toasted smoky almonds and finishes with the signature dry smokiness of Highland Park.
Gerry Tosh, Global Brand Ambassador, commented: “The success of the first two Ambassador’s Casks is testament to the present demand for limited bottlings. By releasing the third edition in a 35cl bottle more people will have the opportunity to try this fantastic 33 year old whisky.
“Cask 9035 was one of five under consideration and it will not disappoint with a lingering aftertaste of dried fruits, setting it apart from the first two limited edition casks.”
Each of the 372 35cl Highland Park Ambassador’s Cask III bottles (RRP £95) are penned with Gerry Tosh’s signature and sealed in a beautifully crafted wooden box.
The Ambassador’s Single Cask III is available at the Kirkwall distillery and also on the Highland Park website www.highlandpark.co.uk. It is anticipated that this limited edition release will be popular with whisky connoisseurs, tourists and locals.
For further information please visit www.highlandpark.co.uk
The secretary of state for Scotland Des Browne is to continue fighting for Scotch whisky duty to remain frozen in the next Budget.
But wine duty could still go up to maintain a level playing field for the whisky industry worth £2.5billion annually to the Scottish and UK economy.
Responding to questions as part of a House of Commons debate, Browne acknowledged duty charges on whisky are far higher per unit of alcohol than on wine.
He said: “I have a long-standing interest in ensuring a level playing field for Scotch whisky in the United Kingdom and throughout the world.
“Since we [Labour] came to power, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has frozen the duty on Scotch whisky year on year in order to achieve that very competitiveness."
Declaring his interest, because one of the biggest Scotch whisky bottling plants is in his constituency—the Johnnie Walker plant in Kilmarnock – Browne added that the Scotch whisky industry is of “massive” importance to the Scottish economy.
“That is why the Government has announced steps to enhance the protection of Scotch whisky,” he said.
Browne assured Scottish whisky producers that they are “unlikely to be disappointed” by the legislation currently undergoing consultation to protect the intellectual property rights of Scotch whisky.
“We are determined that it [legislation] will be in the best interests of the Scotch whisky industry,” he said.
Whisky galore site aims to keep fans of elixir in touch
Networking sites such as Myspace and Facebook will soon have a new rival to contend with.
The websites are primarily used to keep in touch with friends and to post videos, photos and music.
On St Andrew's Day, however, the newest member of the networking family is officially unveiled - whisky.
Whisky is being given its own networking site, thewhiskychannel.com which aims to unite whisky lovers all over the world.
It will provide the usual social networking perks such as posting videos and photos, blogs and e-mail, but it will also allow them to rate whisky and generally hang out with old and new whisky-loving people.
A feature that the "whiskommunity" will be able to use is a rolling feed of breaking whisky stories from around the world.
The website will be free to use for consumers and allows its members to post their own content and rate others, as well as advertise their "for sale" or "wanted" whisky or collectibles.
Discussions are also under way with a number of leading brands to place educational material on the site.
Leading whisky retailer Royal Mile Whiskies has already signed a deal to become the site's official retailer.
Ian Buxton, the founder of the website, said: "Conventional websites are effectively redundant as consumers seek a more interactive and engaging experience.
"People don't want a one-sided view and sites like this enable a more open exchange of information."
Mr Buxton, a former marketing director of Glenmorangie and Keeper of the Quaich, the highest honour of the Scotch whisky industry, also plans to launch the world's first interactive whisky encyclopaedia on the web - whiskipedia.org - before Christmas.
He said: "I want to encourage whisky brands to use the site to share knowledge, not talk down to consumers."
Distillers who partner with the site will not "advertise" in the conventional sense but will provide mentoring and share their knowledge in a two-way dialogue, by providing high-quality content.
"It's also an opportunity for distillers to hear directly and immediately what their consumer is saying - like a huge, continuously-running opinion poll.
Chivas_Brothers, Pernod Ricard's Scotch_whisky and gin arm, has unveiled a raft of gift offerings to be launched across a range of international markets over the festive season.
Among the new offerings is a handmade metal gift tin for the Chivas_Regal 12 Year Old. The gift tin, embossed with the distinctive crest, will be available in over 50 countries, while in France a seasonal variant on the original packaging is being launched.
Meanwhile, a Chivas Regal 18 Year Old gift tin, created by French designer Andrée Putman, is being launched in several markets including France, Germany, South Africa, UK, Italy and Greece, with a recommended retail price of EUR120 (US$177).
For Ballantine's Finest, Chivas Brothers is marketing a gold tin, which will be available in 70cl, 75cl and 1-litre sizes, and sold in key markets in Latin America and Central and Eastern Europe.
In Germany, the Ballantine's Finest 75cl bottle is being offered in a contemporary flask, with an embossed effect in blue, while in France, the Ballantine's 12 Year Old 75cl bottle will be available in a blue leather carton. Leather cases have also been developed for the core range of The_Glenlivet.
"This year, the luxury cues of each brand are reflected across our range of Christmas packaging," said Chivas Brothers' marketing director Martin Riley. "We are certain that these seasonal offerings will encourage customers to purchase and that the contemporary appearance of each will allow for maximum prominence in off-trade sales.
BOSSES of a famous Scots whisky aim to have Glasgow drinkers in stitches with the launch of their first comedy tour.
The Famous Grouse, known for its amusing Christmas ad campaigns, has launched its Famously Funny Comedy Tour.
It plans to combine a dram with friends with a top-notch line-up of comedians who bosses say will be the perfect ingredients for a famous night out.
But tickets for shows are restricted to Famous Grouse whisky drinkers and will not be released for general sale.
To be in with a chance of scooping the money- can't-buy tickets, sample nights and promotions are planned in Glasgow bars every weekend until the end of November.
Promotions will take place in bars such as Barca and The Red Lizard where drinkers will receive a gamecard which can win them tickets with every Famous Grouse dram bought.
Some of the hottest comedy talent in the UK will entertain drinkers.
Comic Frankie Boyle will kick off the comedy tour with a one-off show at The Stand in Woodlands Road on January 26.
The tour will then be rolled out with top comedians appearing on six more dates from January to June next year.
Emma Heath, Maxxium UK marketing manager, said: "At The Famous Grouse we look to give something back to our drinkers and The Famously Funny Comedy Tour is a perfect way to give consumers an enjoyable night out."
Grant's Scotch whisky has commissioned European street artists Edgar Muller and Manfred Stader to create a trompe l'oeil art installation inspired by its 'try a different angle' ad campaign.
The work, which must be viewed from a certain angle to obtain the 3D effect, has gone on show at the Evropeisky Trade Centre in Moscow.
The commission coincides with the 50th anniversary of the iconic triangular bottle for which the Grant’s brand is internationally recognised.
The company says the work of art is intended to “reflect the whisky’s unconventional vision – taking a fresh and different perspective on things”.
Distilleries urged to put more cash into whisky festival
Moray's whisky industry is being urged to pledge more funding to a Speyside whisky festival after the council doubled its contribution.
Moray Council's tourism steering group increased support for the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival from £4,000 to £8,000 following a presentation from organisers on Monday.
Speaking on behalf of the committee, chairman Allan Wright said whisky companies in the region should now follow in the council's footsteps and double their contribution to the event.
Councillor Wright said: "There was a strong feeling that the whisky industry itself could do more to fund the festival, and I would now urge the companies to follow our lead and double their contribution from last year.
"Within the council's tourism group we have recognised that tourism is a vital part of economic development for Moray and that whisky is the unique key that this area has on which to centre its tourism promotion.
"This festival is a major event and is run by a highly professional company that has more to offer in future initiatives like the 2009 Year of Homecoming."
The annual festival started in 1998 and now hosts close to 200 events, including whisky tastings and chef competitions.
This year's celebrations attracted record crowds of 16,000 visitors and injected a £600,000 boost into the local economy.
Speaking yesterday, festival chairman Richard Ruane said: "We are grateful to Moray Council for their increased contribution to the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.
"This recognises the increasingly important role it plays in the tourism product of Speyside and Moray.
"It will also help us with our work in supporting tourism operators throughout the area.
"We are working very closely with the whisky industry and their support has been greatly appreciated.
"Last year we had about 200 events and we're hoping to increase that.
"We anticipate the festival will be bigger and better next year."
Next year's festival will take place between Thursday, May 1, and Monday, May 5.
For some time, ScotchWhisky.net has recognised that a significant gap has existed in the market for a “Scotch Whisky Aroma Nosing Kit.” Such a “nosing” kit of “reference” aromas would be instrumental in helping Scotch Whisky enthusiasts - and professionals alike - tutor their noses against a series of “standard” or “reference” aroma chemicals.
ScotchWhisky.net also recognised that in order to develop a kit of standard reference aromas related to Scotch Whisky it was necessary to partner with an expert in the field of Aroma Science. They therefore joined forces with George Dodd an internationally renowned Aroma Scientist based at the Perfume Studio in the Highlands of Scotland. George is one of the world’s greatest experts on the sense of smell and aromas and he is the only working perfumer in Scotland. The project has been under development for over 18 months and now the “Scotch Whisky Aroma Nosing Kit” has finally been launched!
Production of Islay's world-famous whiskies is facing crisis as extreme weather conditions have prevented fuel being delivered from the mainland.
The Inner Hebridean island's eight distilleries - including Bruichladdich, Laphroaig, Bowmore and Ardbeg - are all almost out of oil, which is essential to heat the whisky stills.
The last delivery was nearly three weeks ago and supplies are expected to run out by the end of the week.
To add to the weather problems the island is facing, when an oil tanker does make it through, it can only carry a restricted amount of fuel due to problems with Argyll and Bute Council's new £3million pier which was completed last year.
Oil supplier Shell docks its tanker at the Bruichladdich pier, but because the harbour is not deep enough for a full tanker, the loads have to be restricted and loading can only take place in calm weather conditions.
Campbell Evans of the Scotch Whisky Association, which represents the majority of the island's distilleries, said: "The whole thing is highly unsatisfactory and seems to all revolve around the depth-of-water survey, which has taken far too long to be done."
But Mr Evans added: "My information is that delivery to Islay is top of Shell's priority list."
Graham Brown, of Islay Community Council, said: "There are new houses being built on the island. More people means more cars, more heating. It needs to be resolved."
The council has had discussions with Shell and the SWA. A spokeswoman said: "It was agreed investigations should take place following the dredging that the council carried out last month. We are all working together to find a solution."
Highland Park’s Rebus20 collection has caused a stir in the collectors’ market with the latest bottle selling on auction website e-bay for a staggering £1,030!
Highland Park launched the limited edition Rebus20 single malt Scotch whisky, which was specially selected by Ian Rankin, to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first Inspector Rebus novel, Knots and Crosses.
Just over 150 bottles from the 20 year old Highland Park single cask were produced and the exclusive money-can’t-buy whisky was only available to fans of Rebus and Highland Park through a series of competitions.
The clearly sought after bottles are now fetching pounds for the bottle alone. In September Ian had donated a bottle to the Oxford Bar in Edinburgh for visitors to donate money to his favourite charity, Special Needs Information Point (SNIP) in return for a dram. Highland Park recently learned that a £50 donation was made just for a collector to take the empty bottle and no whisky!
Highland Park, which has won a multitude of awards this year for their superb liquid, have also hinted that there could be something equally exciting for “HP enthusiasts” early next year. Until then, the bidding must go on!
Laphroaig enters cyberspace with virtual whisky tasting
Beam Global Spirits & Wines will host a virtual tasting and online debate for Islay single malt Scotch whisky Laphroaig.
The Laphroaig Taste Debate will kick off at 8pm on Nov 21 hosted by a panel of whisky experts made up of Laphroaig distillery manager John Campbell, master blender Robert Hicks, and Jim Murray, author of the Whisky Bible.
The event will run for 40 minutes and covers four Laphroaig expressions – 10 Year Old, Quarter Cask, 10 Year Old Cask Strength, and the new Sherry matured 27 Year Old. Participants will also have the opportunity to vote for a fifth expression for the panel to taste.
During the run up to the webcast, members of the online community Friends of Laphroaig have been asked to submit questions to be put before the panel.
Marketing manager Aileen Nicol said: “This is the first online whisky tasting to be hosted by the UK’s number one Islay single malt, Laphroaig, and we are hoping that many of our supporters around the globe will participate to make it one of the biggest tastings in the world.
“It provides a unique opportunity for our consumers to put questions to our panel of highly respected whisky specialists and learn more about one of their favourite whiskies and its 190 year history.”
The Laphroaig Taste Debate is open to anyone with an interest in whisky and participants can register at www.laphroaig.com/live
A toast has been raised to a distillery in Islay as its tipple is honoured in a distinguished guide.
Ardbeg has been awarded the title of World Whisky of the Year in the Whisky Bible 2008.
The 10-year-old dram received another accolade after the bible also named it as the best Scotch Single Malt.
Aficionados say that Ardbeg has an overtly peaty, smokey flavour. It is also said to be surprisingly smooth on the palate with a warm finish.
Jim Murray, Whisky Bible 2008 author, who awarded the honour to the 10-year-old single malt, praised the drink as a unique product.
He said in his guide: "To me Ardbeg is - and always has been - the most complex malt on earth."
He added: "I have been visiting the distillery for nearly 30 years - long before anybody had heard of Ardbeg.
"And because I have long regarded this as the finest distillery in the world, I actually try to handicap the sample to iron out any natural bias."
Rare $100,000 Private 1976 Glenfiddich Whisky Cask Acquired by Willow Park Wines & Spirits
To Peter Gordon, 1976 was a very special year. It was the year he began working at the Glenfiddich distillery that his great great grandfather William Grant built in 1886. It was also the year that the Canadian dollar was at par with the United States.
Thirty-one years later, Peter Gordon continues to work at the distillery and the dollar is back at par. And to celebrate these anniversaries, Peter is coming to Calgary to present the first bottle from a 1976 cask of vintage Glenfiddich to Wayne Henuset, owner of Willow Park Wines & Spirits in Calgary. Willow Park's acquisition of the rare cask of 1976 Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch Whisky marks only the fourth time a cask has been released in Canada.
The acquisition and sale of the 1976 Glenfiddich vintage cask has already attracted the attention of buyers from as far as South Africa because of its rarity and vintage. Each bottle comes with the number of the cask hand printed on the label along with the signature of Master Blender, David Stewart. Attractively packaged in a wooden box, bottles of this rare whisky are available for sale exclusively from Willow Park Wines & Spirits in Calgary for $600 a bottle. The first 50 buyers will also receive a dog (copper utensil to help assess the maturation process of the whisky) and a tin of fudge.
"Cask 16389 has matured since 1976 in a traditional hogshead Oak Cask in the dunnage warehouse at The Glenfiddich Distillery in the Highlands of Scotland," Mr. Gordon said. "It has yielded 220 bottles at 47% alcohol by volume. The whisky has a floral, fruity and fragrant aroma with hints of rich vanilla fudge, butterscotch, honey and subtle spice. The rich aroma delivers a rewarding taste with a beautifully silky mouth coating texture," explained Mr. Gordon.
William Grant & Sons Ltd. is an award winning, independent, family-owned distillery established by William Grant in 1886 and is still controlled by fifth generation family members. The company distils some of the world's leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world's favourite single malt Glenfiddich, the handcrafted range of The Balvenie single malts and a number of other premium spirits, including Hendrick's Gin and the Icelandic vodka, Rekya.
For businessman Michel Kappen, whisky is more than just a drink with a couple of friends to celebrate a deal or to savour in front of a fireplace on a cold night.
Whisky can be a high yield asset for investors wary of volatile equities markets, he said at the launch of hisWorld Whisky Index, a website that aims to bring buyers and sellers of rare and expensive whisky together.
"If you invest in stocks, there is always the risk the value will go down. With whisky, we do not see that," he told Reuters as a piper in full Highland regalia played the bagpipe to mark the launch of the index.
"It is a very stable investment. The annual rate of return is 12 per cent," said Kappen.
He cited the example of a bottle of Black Bowmore Scotch malt whisky, distilled in 1964 and bottled in 1995.
"From 150 euros (NZ$290) in 1995, this bottle is now worth 2,450 euros (NZ$4,800)," he said.
The World Whisky Index currently has 2,853 bottles of whisky on its list, with the most expensive priced at 650 euros (NZ$1,260) and the oldest dated 1926.
Still, a drink is a drink and a personalised bottle of rare whisky could boost one's career, said Kappen.
"You can look in the Index for a whisky distilled or bottled in the year that your director was born and give it to him," he said.
Diageo may buy 600 million dollar stake in Indian brewer, paper says
Global beverage group Diageo may buy a minority stake in Indian liquor baron Vijay Mallya's flagship United Spirits for as much as 600 million dollars, the Economic Times reported on Monday.
The two companies have held "tentative talks" on the purchase of a 10 to 13 percent stake by Diageo in United Spirits, the newspaper said in a front-page report that cited unnamed sources.
United Spirits' Bangalore-based spokeswoman Beena Om Prakash said she could not comment on the report. Company president and chief financial officer Ravi Nedungadi was not available to comment, his office said.
Diageo India managing director Asif Adil said he would not comment on "speculation," according to the Economic Times, which said a transaction could be possible by February or March next year.
United Spirits, which had a market value of about 4.5 billion dollars as of last week, may be open to selling a small stake without ceding any management control, said the report, which estimated the value of a deal at 500 million to 600 million dollars.
Mallya, 51, spent 1.18 billion dollars last May to buy Whyte and Mackay, a 163-year-old scotch whisky maker based in Glasgow, to vault into the lucrative European market.
Whyte and Mackay added W and M scotch, Viadivar Vodka and Jura single-malt to UB Group's stable, which includes Bagpiper, Director's Special and McDowell's No. 1 whiskies and McDowell's Celebration rum.
With sales of 60 million cases, the Indian group is the world's third-largest maker of alcoholic spirits, according to United Spirits' website.
Diageo's brands include Johnnie Walker whisky, Smirnoff vodka, Bailey's liqueur and Guinness stout.
The Macallan launches 55 year old single malt whisky in Lalique decantert
On Wednesday 7 November, iconic luxury brands The Macallan and Lalique unveiled The Macallan in Lalique Natural Colour decanter containing an exceptionally rare 55 years old single malt whisky valued at £6,000 (USD$12,000).
The Natural Colour decanter has been designed by the legendary French crystal house Lalique, exclusively for The Macallan. A limited edition, of only 420, have been produced, each individually numbered and available in selected outlets in the USA, UK, Asia and Russia from January 2008.
Ken Grier, Director of The Macallan, comments: “At The Macallan we insist on natural colour. It is the interaction of spirit and wood alone which delivers the rich diversity of colour evident throughout The Macallan range and we used this as the inspiration for the design of this decanter, the second collaboration between The Macallan and Lalique.
“The first decanter containing 50 year old single malt was launched in 2005 and proved a huge success. Since then we have seen an increase in demand for our rarer whiskies, proof that we were moving in the right direction by extending our partnership with Lalique to produce a series of decanters containing the finest Macallan single malt. The Natural Colour decanter launched today is the second in what will be a series of six based on The Macallan’s Six Pillars and is testament to the quality and craftsmanship of both partners in the production of this outstanding product. We are confident that this will make the Natural Colour decanter even more desirable to the discerning purchaser and will be of particular interest to whisky connoisseurs and collectors of Lalique crystal.
The Macallan 55 years old single malt contained in the decanter is cask strength (40.1% abv), and has remained undisturbed for over half a century at Easter Elchies House – The Macallan’s spiritual home on Speyside, Scotland - where it matured through the decades in a sherry oak cask. Dark rosewood in colour, the liquid has aromatic notes of exotic, sweet dried fruits with a hint of peat-smoke, the finish is wonderfully soft, smooth and spicy with lingering touches of citrus.
Managing Director of Lalique UK, Mercedes Canos, explains: “We are delighted to be working with the world’s finest single malt as it has given us the opportunity to design a series of decanters which reflect all the best attributes of our brand - creativity, heritage and craftsmanship. The Natural Colour decanter was created by our design team in Paris and is based on the classic Paquerettes tiara perfume bottle designed by Rene Lalique in 1910. It is a mix of masculine and feminine shapes and the stopper is made in amber coloured crystal, one of the most difficult colours for crystal makers to achieve.”
Hand crafted at Lalique’s crystal making facility in Wingen-sur-Moder, Alsace, each piece was worked on by up to 25 craftsmen, many of whom have attained the ‘Meilleur ouvrier de France’ – the Finest Craftsman of France Award. Each decanter bears the esteemed ‘Lalique France’ signature which symbolises authenticity and over 100 years of creativity, heritage and craftsmanship and comes in a specially designed leather and silk presentation box, with a crystal stopper and a leather-bound collectors guide detailing the craftsmanship that has gone into producing this beautiful object d’art.
Respected and admired by discerning whisky lovers and named ‘best malt in the world*’, The Macallan remains the single malt against which all others must be judged.
Competition is hotting up in Scotch whisky, after Bacardi said it had finalised a deal to buy land in Scotland in order to build a new facility.
The Bermuda-based drinks group said it had signed a deal to buy a 106-acre stretch of land in central Scotland, set to be developed as a second maturation, blending and storage facility for its premium portfolio of Dewar’s Scotch whiskies.
Many Scotch makers are eyeing expansion on the back of rising exports and high anticipation over India’s agreement to lower import tariffs on wine and spirits.
Bacardi’s planned new facility, to be based in South Lanarkshire, will form part of the firm’s $250m (£118.7m) expansion programme for Scotch over the next 10 years. It is a direct response to growing demand for Dewar’s in Asia and other emerging market regions, the group said.
Construction on the new facility is not expected to be completed until 2018, but the first part of the plant is planned to be operational by 2009 – capable of handling around one million casks.
Bacardi’s announcement follows a similar statement by fellow drinks maker Diageo last month, after local councillors cleared the group’s proposed £40m malt distillery. Diageo has its own £100m expansion plan for Scotch whisky.
Campbell Evans, of the Scotch Whisky Association, told Drinks International India’s recent commitment to lower import tariffs was driving expansion among both large and small distillers.
“The opportunities there are enormous. When China lowered its tariff barriers we saw exports rise from £1m in 2000 to £60m in 2006.”
Whyte & Mackay whisky is the new title sponsor of the Premier League Darts.
The Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) tournament is the biggest invitational darts tournament in the world.
Whyte & Mackay has signed a three year deal with the season kicking off in its home city of Glasgow on 31 January 2008.
The Premier League features the eight best darts players in the world with a £340,000 prize kitty.
Phil "The Power" Taylor has won all three previous Premier League Darts tournaments but will face stiff competition from the likes of Dutchman Raymond van Barneveld.
The Whyte & Mackay Premier League Darts will run for 14 consecutive Thursday evenings across major UK cities and towns.
Players will play each other twice in the group stage, with the top four progressing to the play-offs, to be held in Cardiff on May 26.
Sky Sports is broadcasting the whole event.
Nick Gaskin, Whyte & Mackay’s UK Marketing Director, said: “Much like our whisky, the players are full of character and as the audiences are full of fun and sociable people, this year’s League is shaping up to be an entertainment extravaganza.
“Since the formation of the League in 2005 the audiences have more than trebled and with the continued efforts of the PDC and the exciting initiatives we have planned, I am sure this growth will continue."
Airdrie-based Company named as ‘Distiller of the Year’
Inver House Distillers, proud producer of some of Scotland’s most exciting and fastest growing malts, has received the prestigious ‘Distiller of the Year’ award at the Icons of Whisky 2007 event.
The Airdrie based company, who this year globally re-launched their Balblair Single Malt as a super-premium ‘vintage’, beat off competition from Glenmorangie, Bowmore and William Grant & Sons amongst others after an international judging panel voted for the company due to its 'excellent and impressive contribution' to whisky.
“Based on the innovative and brave work that Inver House have pioneered this year, we felt that they really needed to be included in the ‘Distiller of the Year’ category and every person on our panel strongly backed their win,” said one of the judges, Damian Riley-Smith, Managing Director of Paragraph Publishing. “2007 has been a big year for whisky – there has been a lot of changes and investment in the industry – but Inver House has found a way to inject ambition, personality and a genuine warmth into everything it has done. As a team they’ve contributed to the world of whisky in an impressive way and we felt that their efforts in particular deserved the 'Distiller of the Year' award.”
Karen Walker, Marketing Manager of Inver House was at the award ceremony and couldn’t believe when the results were read out:
“It was an incredible but very pleasant surprise to hear our name being called out as ‘Distiller of the Year’ – we had no expectations whatsoever that we would win! This accolade is the one that everyone wants so we are, of course, overjoyed at the recognition. As a company, we’ve really tried to push the boundaries and develop whisky in a positive way and going forward, our main aim is to continue to contribute to the growth and success of Scotland’s national drink.”
Within the last few years, Inver House’s malts have strongly established themselves with those in the know and continue to attract increasing attention. Highlights include:
Old Pulteney Single Malt, also known as ‘The Genuine Maritime Malt’, embarked on its first international sponsorship this year by supporting renowned sailing sportsman 68-year old, Sir Robin Knox Johnston during his participation in the ‘ultima
