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Scapa Distillery Opens It’s Doors For The First Time!

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Scapa Distillery Opens its Doors to the Public for the First Time

Scapa Distillery Opens its Doors to the Public for the First Time

Scapa, the artisanal Orcadian single malt Scotch whisky owned by Chivas Brothers, has today unveiled its first-ever distillery visitor centre as it seeks to educate malt connoisseurs about its unique production process, provenance and quality.

The opening marks the first occasion that Scapa facilities have been accessible to the public in its 130-year history.

Brian MacAulay Removes Old Sign at Scapa Distillery

Brian MacAulay Removes Old Sign at Scapa Distillery

Available from today, visits to Scapa include a tour of the traditional, manually-operated production methods, including the only whisky Lomond still in Scotland, and a walk along the front of the distillery to see the Scapa Flow, the natural harbour separating each of the Orkney Islands. Visitors also have the opportunity to explore a traditional Orcadian warehouse as well as to taste the revered Scapa 16 Year Old expression, which is available to purchase in the visitor centre gift shop.

The new visitor centre is the latest offering in tourism from Chivas Brothers, whose combined gin and Scotch whisky visitor centres attract over 100,000 people every year, reinforcing Chivas Brother’s commitment to increasing consumer understanding of the quality, heritage and provenance of its portfolio.

Caroline Mitchell, Visitor Centres Manager for Chivas Brothers, commented: “We are very excited to be able to offer Scotch aficionados, locals and tourists alike the chance to immerse themselves in the Scapa experience for the first time. Located on the shores of the breath-taking Scapa Flow, our boutique distillery’s visitor centre will provide our guests with an educational experience in a natural environment and we look forward to welcoming them to one of the most remote and beautiful locations in Scotland.”

Brian MacAulay, Distilling Manager at Scapa, added: “It is a great honour to be able to open the doors to the history and craft production processes here at Scapa distillery, which have been the secret of precious few artisans over the last hundred years. I have personally taken the pleasure in removing our ‘No Visitors’ sign and I know I speak on behalf of the team here in saying that we can’t wait to see the Scapa Distillery form an interesting, educative and welcoming part of the Orkney community.”

Creating two permanent and two seasonal jobs, the Scapa visitor centre and tour will be open to adults seven days per week until Friday 28th September 2015 and then five days per week until Friday 13th November 2015, from 9:30am until 5pm.

The Scapa Distillery

The Scapa Distillery

The Arran Whisky Tweet Tasting!

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Island Wonders From Arran!

Island Wonders From Arran!

Island Wonders From Arran!

Wednesday nights Tweet Tasting ably demonstrated the rise and rise of Arran Whisky and their range of whiskies which included the release of their first 18 year old and the release of White Stag – their members only dram.

The event was once again hosted by Steve from The Whisky Wire and over two hours we got the opportunity to sample four malts from this Island powerhouse.

The malts sampled were:-

  • Arran Whisky Sauternes Finish
  • Arran Whisky 18 Year Old
  • Arran Whisky Bourbon Cask
  • Arran Whisky White Stag

You can catch up on what all the tasters had to say by searching for the hash tag #ArranWhisky on Twitter.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes … and the one which was my favourite on the night!

Tasting Notes – Arran Whisky Sauternes Finish ( 50% )

Matured in traditional oak casks for approximately 8 years, The Arran Single Malt was finished in a selection of Sauternes wine casks sourced from an artisan producer of this iconic Bordeaux sweet white wine.

Master Distiller, James MacTaggart, has carefully monitored this period of secondary maturation to ensure the perfect balance is struck between the Sauternes casks and the intrinsic sweet-fruity character of The Arran Malt.

Nose: Sweet n’ fruity! Honey & caramel with hint of melon and pineapple. Rich orange and spice comes thru later – nice!

Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, lovely rich orange and honey hits you straight away coupled with Xmas fruit cake like sweetness.

Finish: A dry, tanin finish laden with spice. Hints of tobacco & grapefruit.

Overall: At 50% it sure packs a punch – strong and powerful – but in a sweet way!

Tasting Notes – Arran Whisky 18 Year Old ( 46% )

The first ever official 18 year-old in the Arran Malt range!

Produced from un-peated malted barley and matured in a selection of the finest ex-Sherry casks this whisky has not been artificially coloured and has not been chill-filtered at bottling thus retaining the full range of aromas and flavours which typify this unique Island Single Malt.

This is the final bottling in a trilogy of 16, 17 & 18 year-old Arran Malts which celebrated the countdown to this first official release of The Arran Malt as an 18 year-old.

Only 9,000 bottles of The Arran Malt 18 Years Old have been released worldwide.


Nose: Not as sweet on the nose initially but then creamy vanilla comes thru. Waxy with a background of woodiness. It gets sweeter and sweeter in the glass – heady aromas of stewed apples with a slight hint of spice.

Palate: Less oily, thinner than the Sauternes. Heavy with pineapple, mango, kiwi & other tropical goodies! Richly balanced cakey sweetness with a little licourice.

Finish: Short, smooth finish. There’s a lovely sweetness to this dram that ends with a spicy, pepper combo – Exquisite!

Overall: This is going to be / should be a popular dram – congrats to the team at Arran – an excellent conclusion to the trilogy!

Tasting Notes – Arran Whisky Bourbon Cask ( 55.3% )

Part of Arran Whiskies Premium Cask Selection this particular batch has now, unfortunately, sold out. But there are other batches available to help satisfy us!

Nose: The Arran signature caramel, fudge sweetness is still there joined by yummy wood! Waxy, woody & charred – heaven! There’s also fruity, lilt-like aromas comin’ thru with continued nosing.

Palate: Fizzy, mango and pineapple with a kick-ass hit to it! Thick, rich and sweet – Amazing!

Finish: Long, smooth finish with strength aplenty – sweet and spicy to the last!

Overall: Even though it’s a 55%+ the alcohol burn is very slight and I had my nose well and truly stuck into my nosing glass! Full of character with a morish zest to it.

Tasting Notes – Arran Whisky White Stag ( 54.2% )

At nearly 18yrs this non-chill filtered single sherry cask was the first bottling chosen by the Arranwhisky White Stag tasting panel and will be launching in June.

Only 214 bottles will be released worldwide and they are available from Arran Whiskies web site.

To become a White Stag member you can sign up for free!

Nose: Quite subtle after the bourbon barnstormer – sweetness and a bit of the bourbon woodiness I think … There’s dark chocolate and coffee as well. Slightly waxy but a perfect balance of subtle sweetness & spice saves the day.

Palate: Intensely sweet and spicy with fizzy tropical fruit explosions! Mango, pineapple – liquid sunshine in a glass!

Finish: Sweet, smooth, peppery finish: sublime …

Overall: A truly gorgeous dram – strong but well balanced – a giver not a taker! Excellent stuff indeed.

My Favourite On The Night

Out of the 4, I think it’s got to be the White Stag closely followed by the Bourbon Cask.

Many thanks to Steve at The Whisky Wire (@TheWhiskyWire) for a great dram evening!

And of course, Arran Whisky (@ArranWhisky), for sending the samples and without whom! They also have an excellent online shop!

My fellow Tweeters were:-

@TheWhiskyWire @whiskyrepublic @raithrover @WeDrinkWhisky @annawizauk @JoeFHolmes @JohnnieStumbler @LiquortoLips @GreatDrams @jasonbstanding @MyWhiskyGuide @ben_cops @dramming_uk @julie_gwc @WordsofWhisky @Girl_Whisky @WhiskyFriends @MaltKlaus @sjoerd972 @LoveBowmore @WhiskySpeller @Pandemoniumd01 @DH17slijterij @PWulf

Arran Whisky is also available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Master of Malt Closes The Lid On World’s First Single Malt Whisky!

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Closure-Close-Up

Closure-Close-Up

Master of Malt is set to release two independently bottled single cask whiskies with innovative glass closures, making cork taint in single malt whiskies a thing of the past.

Master of Malt has announced an experiment – whiskies bottled with innovative glass closures instead of traditional corks or screw tops.

This is the first time a closure of this type has been used to bottle single malt whisky.

Corks have been used to close whisky bottles for centuries, but, cork-taint (especially TCA – or 2,4,6 trichloroanisol), has the potential to add undesirable aromas and flavours to a bottle of whisky in exactly the same way as a fine wine.

In wine circles, debate has long raged on the subject of cork versus screwcap closures… It should be noted however, that whilst gas-exchange (through the slightly porous corks) is desirable in wine, no such demand is present for distilled spirits, where in-bottle development is a much, much smaller consideration.

Bottles-on-barrel

Bottles-on-barrel

Screw tops are viewed by many whisky enthusiasts as ‘cheap’ and aesthetically unpleasing. The new glass closures used by Master of Malt are both attractive and functional.
Unlike decanter stoppers, they are air-tight thanks to a thin, specially engineered rubberised seal that perfectly fits each bottle.

The experimental closures will feature on a pair of stunning 12 year old Bruichladdich single malts, one matured in a first-fill Sherry cask, the other in a first-fill bourbon cask.

These will be used to assess consumer demand and appreciation, and Master of Malt are actively inviting feedback through their blog.

Three other exciting Master of Malt single cask bottlings (with corks) will also be released at the same time, including a 23 year old Ardbeg.

The Ardbeg Collection: Now Available From Edencroft!

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Ardbeg / Ardbeg Day

Ardbeg / Ardbeg Day

Supplier Brand Bottle
Size		 Price
Edencroft
Ardbeg / 10 Year Old Single Islay Malt

 Ardbeg / 10 Year Old Single Islay Malt
Country: Scotland   Region: Islay
Age:    Strength: 46%
Summary: Ardbeg Ten Years Old is revered around the world as the peatiest, smokiest, most complex single malt of them all. Yet it does not flaunt the peat; rather it gives way to the natural sweetness of the malt to produce a whisky of perfect balance.
Typically most whiskies are chill-filtered and reduced to a strength of 40% ABV. Ardbeg Ten Years Old, however, is non chill-filtered and has a strength of 46% ABV, thus retaining maximum flavour, at the same time giving more body and added depth. It’s whisky with none of the goodness taken out!
Colour: Light gold.
Aroma: A burst of intense smoky fruit escapes into the atmosphere – peat infused with zesty lemon and lime, wrapped in waxy dark chocolate.
Bold menthol and black pepper slice through the sweet smoke followed by tarry ropes and graphite. As you dip your nose in further, savour the aroma of smoked fish and crispy bacon alongside green bell peppers, baked pineapple and pear juice.
Add water and breathe in the vortex of aromas rising from the glass. An oceanic minerality brings a breath of cool, briny seaspray on chalky cliffs. Waxed lemon and lime follows with coal tar soap, beeswax and herby pine woodlands. Toasted vanilla and sizzling cinnamon simmer in the background with warm hazelnut and almond toffee.
Taste: An explosion of crackling peat sets off millions of flavour explosions on the tongue: peat effervesces with tangy lemon and lime juice, black pepper pops with sizzling cinnamon-spiced toffee. This is followed by a wave of brine infused with smooth buttermilk, ripe bananas and currants. Smoke gradually wells up on the palate bringing a mouthful of warm creamy cappuccino and toasted marshmallows. As the taste lengthens and deepens, dry espresso, liquorice root and tarry smoke develop coating the palate with chewy peat oils.
Finish: The finish goes on and on – long and smoky with tarry espresso, aniseed, toasted almonds and traces of soft barley and fresh pear.

 GoldBestinClass2010IWSC £ 35.00  BUY NOW
Edencroft
Ardbeg 21 Year Old / Old Malt Cask 15th Anniversary Edition

 Ardbeg 21 Year Old / Old Malt Cask 15th Anniversary Edition
Country: Scotland   Region: Islay
Age: 21 Years Old   Strength: 50.2%
Summary: To conclude a very rewarding year for me, professionally and personally, Hunter Laing & Co Ltd. is releasing two special new lines. The first of these is an Anniversary series of six casks, bottled to celebrate fifteen years of our flagship Old Malt Cask brand. Together with my sons Scott and Andrew, as well as our Master Blender Tom Aitken, I have selected casks from our maturing stocks which each do justice to the label's fifteen year milestone. These cask-strength Anniversary bottlings are presented in green glass with wooden gift boxes, and are finished in the original-style labels to pay homage to the earliest Old Malt Cask releases. Choosing these casks allowed me to reflect with pride on my last fifteen years as a single cask bottler and, in reviewing our stocks, to look forward with relish to the next fifteen years of the Old Malt Cask.
Stuart Laing.
 

 £ 450.00  BUY NOW
Edencroft
Ardbeg / Ardbeg Day

 Ardbeg / Ardbeg Day
Country: Scotland   Region: 
Age:    Strength: 
Summary: Committee Bottle: Ardbeg Day
Bottled: 7 February, 2012
Age: NAS
ABV: 56.7%
Bottle Size: 70cl.
Bottled for: Ardbeg Committee
Box: None.
For sale only within the EEC.

 £ 230.00  BUY NOW
Edencroft
Ardbeg / Galileo

 Ardbeg / Galileo
Country: Scotland   Region: 
Age:    Strength: 
Summary: Committee Bottle: Ardbeg Day
Bottled: 7 June, 2012
Vintage: 1999
Age: 12
ABV: 49%
Bottle Size: 70cl.
Bottled for: Ardbeg Committee
Box: None.
For sale only within the EEC.
 

 £ 150.00  BUY NOW
Edencroft
Ardbeg / Kildalton

 Ardbeg / Kildalton
Country: Scotland   Region: 
Age:    Strength: 
Summary: Nose: very gentle. Whiffs of sweet peat on top of layers of fruit: apricot and grape. Sweekild_bottlet creamy vanilla and hints of pepper and sea spray. Bits of new leather and tar. One of the lightest Ardbegs I’ve ever had recently. So different than recent releases. Lovely.
Palate: Mouth coating and oily. The initial impact releases quite a bit of phenols , with a true Islay character of tarry ropes, pepper, coal soot and earth, mint too. with a bitter continuation of double espresso , crushed coffee beans and smoke.
Finish: Espresso. Tar. Pepper and mint. Dry and bitter burnt sugar.
ABV: 46%
Bottle Size: 70cl.
For sale only within the EEC.
Tasting notes: Whisky Israel

 £ 199.00  BUY NOW
Edencroft
Ardbeg / Uigeadail Single Malt Whisky

 Ardbeg / Uigeadail Single Malt Whisky
Country: Scotland   Region: Islay
Age:    Strength: 54.2%
Summary: In 2009, Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible named Ardbeg Uigeadail ‘World Whisky of the Year’ – in praise of its “utter silky brilliance” and “complexity on a level only a handful of distilleries in the world can even dream of reaching.”
Ardbeg Uigeadail (pronounced ‘Oog-a-dal’) is a special vatting that marries Ardbeg’s traditional deep, smoky notes with luscious, raisiny tones of old ex-Sherry casks. It's non chill-filtered at high strength, which retains maximum flavour and gives more body and added depth.
Colour: Deepest gold.
Aroma: Rich and weighty with heady and smoky aromatics, this expression of Ardbeg is both intensely flavoured and perfectly integrated. At full strength, the initial aroma is a beguiling mix of warm Christmas cake, walnut oil and parma violets fused with fresh ocean spice, cedar and pine needles falling from the Christmas tree. A smouldering smoky coal fire and the deep scent of well-oiled leather brings warmth to the scene. The sweetness of treacle toffees and chocolate-coated raisins bring indulgence through the smoke.
With water, the deep smokiness increases in intensity, reminiscent of a Christmas pudding on fire. Tarry smoke and diesel engine oil enter the room bringing smells of an age gone by. Rich flowering currants and warm baked banana and walnut bread are served with simmering mocha espresso.
Taste: Full flavoured and rich with a deep mouth-coating texture, the taste is an intriguing balance between sweet, spicy and deep smoky flavours.
The flavour is initially sweet as Christmas cake begins to soak into the tongue. A burst of winter spices sets off a smoky-spicy explosion countered by a sumptuous mid-palate of honey glazed smoked food and chewy treacle. Waves of deep smoky tones and rich aromas build up on the palate like a fine Montecristo cigar.
Finish: Amazingly long and chewy with lingering raisiny, deep mocha tones and rich aromatic smoke into the perfectly integrated finish.

 £ 49.50  BUY NOW
Edencroft
Speyburn / Bradan Orach

 Speyburn / Bradan Orach
Country: Scotland   Region: 
Age:    Strength: 
Summary: Gaelic for ‘Golden Salmon’, Bradan Orach is a classic, easy drinking Speyside malt whisky, matured exclusively in ex-bourbon casks.
The bourbon wood gives the whisky a wonderful complexity and depth, without making it overly challenging. Like the 10 Year Old it this malt is very easy to drink and a great way to get to know Speyburn.
Alc: 40%
Unit: 70cl
Colour: Bright, golden-amber colour.
Nose: Green apples, honey, lemon and floral vanilla spices.
Taste: Subtle and delicate with vanilla and honey, full bodied, creamy and smooth with a long lasting spicy finish.

 £ 20.00  BUY NOW

GRANT’S GIVES CONSUMERS THE CHANCE TO WIN A SIGNATURE WEEKEND!

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GRANT’S GIVES CONSUMERS THE CHANCE TO WIN A SIGNATURE WEEKEND

GRANT’S GIVES CONSUMERS THE CHANCE TO WIN A SIGNATURE WEEKEND

Grant’s, the number three blended whisky, is launching an on-pack promotion for Grant’s Signature giving consumers the chance to win their ultimate weekend!

The campaign, which will roll out in May, has been designed to engage with the brand’s new target, males in their 30s and 40s and turn consideration into purchase, encouraging consumers to reappraise blended whisky.

The new packaging features an eye-catching promotional label with prizes including driving the Monaco Grand Prix circuit, horse trekking in Morocco and white river rafting in Bosnia. In addition, hundreds of premium leather weekend bags will be given away as runner up prizes.

The on-pack promotion will run across the off-trade from 1st May with up-weighted activity in Tesco including a promotional shipper and digital six sheet ads.

To drive awareness of the on-pack promotion at point of purchase, experiential sampling will take place in-store to encourage consumers to engage with the promotion, try the brand and purchase it.

Ali Cloudsdale, Brand Manager for Grant’s at William Grant and Sons UK commented: “Grant’s Signature has a unique proposition and a clear target market, which has encouraged listings in the top multiple grocers. We’re continuing the significant investment on Grant’s Signature to demonstrate our commitment to the brand and the blended whisky category.

“As a way of attracting a younger, more discerning drinker we have launched a promotion that appeals directly to them, their lives and their interests, adding value to their purchase. The carton also features a selection of serves to communicate Grant’s Signature’s versatility, an important feature that affects shopper decisions.”

Grant’s Signature recently benefitted from increased brand awareness with a £1.2 million Sky Sports TV sponsorship, part of the significant investment behind the brand for 2015.

New Whisky Arrivals: BenRiach & Macallan From Abbey Whisky!

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BenRiach 15 Year Old / Sauternes Wood Finish

BenRiach 15 Year Old / Sauternes Wood Finish

Supplier Brand Bottle
Size		 Price
Abbey Whisky
BenRiach 15 Year Old / Sauternes Wood Finish

 BenRiach 15 Year Old / Sauternes Wood Finish
Country: Scotland   Region: Speyside
Age: 15 Years Old   Strength: 46%		 70cl £ 47.20  BUY NOW
Abbey Whisky
Macallan 1980 Speymalt / 2013

 Macallan 1980 Speymalt / 2013
Country: Scotland   Region: Speyside
Age: 33 Years Old   Strength: 43%
Vintage: 1980   Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail (Speymalt)		 70cl £ 312.50  BUY NOW

Nikka & Benriach New Arrivals From Edencrofts!

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Nikka Whisky / Taketsuru / 17 Year Old Vatted Malt

Nikka Whisky / Taketsuru / 17 Year Old Vatted Malt

Supplier Brand Bottle
Size		 Price
Edencroft
Benriach / 10 Year Old Single Malt

 Benriach / 10 Year Old Single Malt
Country: Scotland   Region: 
Age:    Strength: 
Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside. ABV: 43% Unit: 70cl This release is a momentous high point for the award-winning Elgin distillery as the whisky is the first core range expression to be produced predominantly from spirit distilled under The BenRiach Distillery Company’s eleven-year ownership. Managing Director Billy Walker and his South African partners Wayne Kieswetter and Geoff Bell acquired BenRiach from Chivas Brothers in April 2004. Bottled at 43% vol, the BenRiach 10 Years Old is Classic Speyside in character. The cask formula focuses on ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks – exactly the types of wood we favour at BenRiach. This fresh, lively, fruit-laden single malt captures warm oak spices, green apple, dried apricots, peach and banana with subtle touches of aniseed, lemon zest and barley. Style: Classic Speyside. Nose: A fresh and lively combination of crisp, green orchard fruits, stem ginger and hints of tangerine mellows to creamy vanilla with a delicate note of mint and a gentle twist of citrus; all held together with a sweet barley back note. Colour: Crisp summer gold. Character: Warm toasted oak spices flood through green apple skins and dried apricots, ripening to hints of peach and soft banana. Subtle touches of aniseed and lemon zest create a contrasting edge to the fruit and add an intriguing character to the long, crisp barley finish.

 £ 33.45  BUY NOW
Edencroft
Nikka Whisky / Coffey Grain

 Nikka Whisky / Coffey Grain
Country: Japanese   Region: Japanese
Age:    Strength: 45%.
Summary: An essential component of the house blends, the Nikka Coffey Grain is an original single grain whisky, distilled mainly from corn in a Coffey still. Exotic, fruity and unique, it is meant for the connoisseur in search of an unconventional whisky.

 70cl £ 49.50  BUY NOW
Edencroft
Nikka Whisky / Taketsuru / 17 Year Old Vatted Malt

 Nikka Whisky / Taketsuru / 17 Year Old Vatted Malt
Country: Japanese   Region: Japanese
Age:    Strength: 45%.
Summary: This version is a vatting of the Yoichi and Miyagikyo single malts of which a strong percentage is aged in sherry oak, giving this blended malt a unique richness. Colour: old gold with a copper shimmer. Aroma: spicy and delicate, it also reveals fruity (yellow plum, peach) and chocolate notes. It develops into old leather, dried tobacco leaf, and dried fruit (apricot, fig). Taste: rich and generous, it is reminiscent of preserved fruit (orange) and Morello cherry, and is highly unctuous. Creamy, it develops into toffee, mocha, and hazelnut. Finish: long and, with an aftertaste of praline, charred wood and cigar-smoke, worthy of an old Speyside whisky. Aniseed and citrus provide this whisky with its freshness and elegance. Fine herbal notes are also present.

 70cl £ 82.50  BUY NOW
Edencroft
Nikka Whisky / Coffey Malt

 Nikka Whisky / Coffey Malt
Country: Japanese   Region: Japanese
Age:    Strength: 45%.
Summary: The Nikka Coffey Malt is the result of a unique distillation process in “Coffey” type column stills, which are normally used for grain whisky production. This rare 100% malt bottling offers a surprisingly rich texture.

 70cl £ 49.50  BUY NOW

Sampling Smogen Swedish Single Malt Whisky – Young Malts Taste Great!

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Smogen Svensk Single Malt Whisky - Sherry Project 1:1 & 1:2

Smogen Svensk Single Malt Whisky – Sherry Project 1:1 & 1:2

I’d just like to say before we start …

Yes! Young malts taste Great!

So, with that out of the way, the good people from @SmogenWhiskyUK sent me a couple of samples recently from their ‘Sherry Project’.

The malts sampled were:-

  • Smogen Svensk Single Malt Whisky – Sherry Project 1:1
  • Smogen Svensk Single Malt Whisky – Sherry Project 1:2

With a heavily peated style, this first release of a mini-series was designed to explore the impact of sherry cask maturation and finishing on Smögen Svensk Single Malt Whisky.

Sherry Project 1:1 was initially matured for two years and ten months in new heavily roasted 120 litre Quarter casks, made from European Oak, before being transferred and finished for four months in an Oloroso sherry butt.

Johan Borgemo from Whiskynorden had this to say about the finished product: ‘This is a very good whisky. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Pär Caldenby & co. can really distil whisky in absolute class, there is no doubt. I will follow Smögen with eager anticipation.’

Sherry Project 1:1 is limited to 900 500ml bottles, of which 600 sold within 21 hours of being released in Sweden’s Systembolaget, in November 2014.

Like Sherry Project 1:1, Sherry Project 1:2 was initially matured in new heavily roasted 120 litre Quarter casks, but has been finished for longer, for eight months, again in an Oloroso Sherry Butt.
Sherry Project 1:2 went on sale in Sweden’s Systembolaget in March, with a release of 744 of the 880 bottles produced.

Still to come is Sherry Project 1:3 which will be finished for 12 months and bottled in Summer 2015.

Lastely, Sherry Project 1:4, will be released as a four year old whisky and will be matured entirely in Sherry casks, starting with Quarter casks and then married together for six months in another Sherry Butt.

It is due for release late 2015.

So, what did I think?

Here are my tasting notes …

Tasting Notes – Smogen Svensk Single Malt Whisky – Sherry Project 1:1 ( 51.8% )
Nose: Deep golden sherry colour. Peaty earthness abounds with a hint of smoke and spice. There’s a bit of fruit on the nose as well and a touch of molasses.

Palate: Thick, rich Xmas cakey sweetness, all sugary sultanas & plenty of spice!

Finish: The sweetness is joined by a fiery, rich, dry, oak n’spice with a little bit of tobacco.

Overall: Quite the fiesty dram this one! Great rich sherry sweetness but it also has a nice, raw, rock n’ roll edge to it that could become habit forming!

Tasting Notes – Smogen Svensk Single Malt Whisky – Sherry Project 1:2 ( 55.7% )
Nose: Much sweeter nose than 1:1 with vanilla and caramel with a little beeswax taking prominence. It’s certainly more oaky than peaty – quite a difference!

Palate: The same thick rich Xmas cakey sweetness, sugary sultanas & spice with a little touch of aniseed.

Finish: The sweetness is still there and the overall taste is much smoother. The fieryness is now more of a spicy pepper.

Overall: The high alcohol content of these malts sure packs a punch there’s no denying! The extra time in a sherry butt has certainly made a difference though – it’s rounded off the edges nicely!

My Favourite

Mmmm … it’s very hard to choose – I like the smoother 1:2 but then again I also have a fondness for the kick-ass, in-your-face fieriness of the 1:1.
I guess it’s a bit of tomato / tomato or maybe Svensk / Swedish but I’m going to plump for the 1:1!

Either way, you can’t go wrong, Sweden may be an un-familar country regarding the production of malt whisky and young drams they may be but don’t let this put you off sampling these excellent malts!

You can catch up with Smogen on Twitter (@SmogenWhiskyUK)

Many thanks to Robert (@wrobertransom) for sending the samples!

Smogen is currently available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Dram-packed schedule announced for Jura Tastival 2015!

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‘Dram-packed’ schedule announced for Jura Tastival 2015

‘Dram-packed’ schedule announced for Jura Tastival 2015

‘Dram-packed’ schedule announced for Jura Tastival 2015

Tickets are now on sale for Jura’s annual whisky festival, Tastival, a two day island celebration for whisky lovers on 27 & 28 May 2015.

A packed schedule of tastings and tours has been announced for Jura Tastival 2015, inviting whisky fans from across the globe to discover the unique flavours of Jura as part of the annual Feis Ile festival.
A variety of sensory experiences in whisky, food and craft beer, will open the mind and palate of attendees, offering them new and exciting ways to enjoy a dram.

The festival will bring taste to life in the Cooperage, where a street artist will paint the personal tasting notes of attendees live on the walls of the distillery while they sample a dram from Jura’s range, resulting in a continuously evolving mural of flavour.

An experiential dining session, inspired by the sweet and smoky sides of Jura’s whiskies, will be hosted by Dram & Smoke and fans can also enjoy a specially brewed bottle of craft beer from Drygate Brewing Co., which has been created to pair with the limited edition Jura Tastival whisky.

Unique tasting sessions from the rarest casks in Jura’s warehouse will take place with Master Distiller, Richard Paterson, and a special distillery tour and tasting will see Jura Master Distiller, Willie Tait and Jura Distillery Manager, Willie Cochrane relay their stories about the passion and dedication it takes to craft the Jura range.

Willie Cochrane, Jura Distillery Manager: “Jura may be a small island, but we extend a large welcome to whisky fans from all over world every year at Tastival.”

“This year’s festival focuses on bringing flavour to life and offering fans new ways to appreciate whisky. Whether it’s seeing your tasting notes appear in front of your eyes on large scale canvases, exploring the unique smoky and sweet flavours of our whiskies with a tasting menu, or discovering a dram that pairs excellently with craft beer, there’s something different for everyone.”

Ticketed sessions are limited and range from £10-45, with complimentary distillery tours and access to the Dramming Bar on both days. Tickets are available to purchase now!

Jura is an island nestled off the West Coast of Scotland

Jura is an island nestled off the West Coast of Scotland

About Jura:
Jura is an island nestled off the West Coast of Scotland. With only one road, one pub, one distillery and 200 people, Jura is as beautiful as it is remote.
The distillery was established in 1810 and reborn in 1963 to revive the community.
Inspired by our history and our island home, we create single malt with a true passion for the craft of whisky making.

Tastival 2015 – Full breakdown of ticketed sessions:

Discover Two Sides of Jura (1 hr)
Join Jura Ambassador Kieran Cusker and the guys from experiential pop-up eatery, Dram & Smoke, to tuck into a whisky and food taster menu that is inspired by the sweet and smoky sides of Jura.
Learn which flavours perfectly complement Jura whiskies and find out how to smoke your own food, in this shared tasting experience.
£25

Rare Cask Selection with Richard Paterson (45 mins)
Ever wondered what inspires a Master Distiller to create such distinctive maturation processes and finishes? In this unique tasting session, Richard Paterson sniffs out a very special selection of our rare and vintage whiskies from the Jura warehouse, as well as sharing his passion for fine wines and sherry.
£45

JURAFEST (45 mins)
Jura meets Oktoberfest in this beer and whisky tasting session with Ambassador, Sam Amfo-Okoampah.
He will introduce you to the new Jura Tastival 2015 whisky which will be matched with an exceptional craft beer created especially for the event by Glasgow-based craft brewery, Drygate. At this session you will have the rare opportunity to try Jura Brooklyn, an exclusive bottling for Jura’s friends in the US, as well as Jura Origin which will be both paired with craft beers from Williams Bros.
£15

The Masters Tours (1 hr)
Join Jura Global Brand Ambassador Willie Tait and Jura Distillery Manager Willie Cochrane for a unique tour of the Jura Distillery and a dram Jura 21 Years Old and the recently released Jura 1984 Vintage. With over 79 years of experience between them, the Willie’s will share their passion and the craftsmanship that goes into creating Jura whiskies.
£15

Whisky on the Waves (30 mins)
Cruise with Captain Nicol and our Jura Ambassador, into the open sea for a tasting of Jura Turas-Mara. You will experience a sensory journey out at sea to enjoy this dram the way it was meant to be – with the wind and sea spray in your face.
£10

Hollywood Elite Celebrate The 20th Annual Jameson Empire Awards!

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Liam Neeson attends the Jameson Empire Awards 2015

Liam Neeson attends the Jameson Empire Awards 2015

Jameson Irish Whiskey welcomed the Hollywood elite to London this week, where the best films and filmmakers of the past year, as voted for by readers of Empire magazine and global film fans, were honoured at the 20th Jameson Empire Awards on Sunday 29th March.

Science-fiction box office smash Interstellar, featuring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, was the big award winner of the night, scooping Best Film, Best Director and Empire Inspiration Award for director, Christopher Nolan. McConaughey and co-star Jessica Chastain were in attendance at the ceremony, alongside other notable guests including Daniel Radcliffe, James McAvoy, Simon Pegg and Liam Neeson.

The Empire Awards form part of Jameson’s innovative and longstanding film marketing platform alongside its other film properties, including Jameson First Shot and Cult Film Club. Through film, Jameson engages with cinema fanatics in more than 30 countries as it seeks to maintain the momentum of Irish whiskey around the world.

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