News — Page 105 — Malthound

English Whisky – The Latest Chapter

July 10, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

Chapter 11 - their first Heavily peated Single Malt

The English Whisky Company has announced the release of it’s next ‘Chapter’ – Chapter 11 – their first Heavily peated Single Malt. It is bottled at 46% and has a new bottle design.

The whisky critics who have tried it appear to want some more – so before they taste the whole stock – you have a few days headstart on everyone else to get an order in and secure a bit of heaven for yourself!

This is because they have only have a small amount of Chapter 11 for release this year with more to follow in July 2012.

It can be ordered now from The English Whisky Company for despatch starting from the 14th. July. Price: £44.99.

Chapter 11 will also be available in a decanter bottle which will be bottled at cask strength – 59.7%.

A visit to the distillery is well worthwhile. You will be warmly welcomed! You can take a tour for £5 which also includes a dram.

They are open 10:00am – 5:30pm, 7 days a week and can be found at: St. George’s Distillery, Harling Road, Roudham, Norfolk, NR16 2QW

Chapter 11 Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sweet and creamy with hints of ginger biscuits, aniseed and white pepper. Also vanilla and pear drops along with the grappa nose.

Taste: Creamy and clean barley at first, then the peat and pepper slowly build and fill every corner of the mouth, without overpowering. Ginger biscuits, lemon and lime followed by savoury dry peat and then more tropical fruits (pineapple, mango).

Fruitier than the cask strength on the long, soft finish, but still lightly peppered and citrusy on the sides of the tongue. Very mouth watering and the peat is more prominent than on the cask strength.

Master Of Malt – The Bloggers’ Blend

July 9, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

The Bloggers' Blend

I’m a bit late coming into this as I’ve been away on my jolly hols. but for those who haven’t heard and for those who’d like to read it again (!) – Blend I was the winning entry in Master of Malt’s
bloggers blend competition (see here for details).

By way of a quick re-cap: Ten top whisky bloggers were asked to create their own blends, using pipettes, measuring cylinders (and other scientific accoutrements) and a selection of malt and grain whiskies.
The bloggers then sent their recipes to Master of Malt, with the exact proportions of the whiskies they used, and MOM made up full-sized bottles of each.

After creating tasting sets with samples of each of the 10 bloggers’ blends, the public was asked to vote on which blend they liked the best.
What was also asked that was that voters bear in mind the RRP for each finalised blend when deciding upon their favourite, to provide maximum value for money!

The winning blend, Blend I (which had an RRP of £54.95 a bottle, and stood out with its Islay style!) won by quite a big margin.

(As an aside: If the First-Past-the-Post voting system had been used, Blend I would still have won.)

The next task is Master of Malt will work with the original 10 bloggers to work on the branding for the blend.

So, the story continues …

World Whisky Day ‘Widget’

July 5, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

We are proud to unveil the World Whisky Day Widget (shown above) in all it’s glory!

Blair from WWD and Malthound have teamed up to produce a little daily reminder (as if you’d forget anyway!) of this great Malt Whisky event.

And if you would like to display our widget on your blog / webpage, then you can!

All the details can be found here.

Let us know any comments / suggestions you may have!

Ian Macleod Distillers Buys Speyside’s Tamdhu

June 29, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

Ian Macleod Distillers second distillery - Speyside's Tamdhu

Ian Macleod Distillers, the independent, family-owned distiller, blender and bottler has purchased Tamdhu distillery in Speyside from the Edrington Group.

Established in 1897, Tamdhu’s distillation capacity of four million litres of alcohol per year will support the continued growth of Ian Macleod’s existing brands, including Isle of Skye, Lang’s and the King Robert II blends. The Tamdhu Single Malt brand is also included in the sale, and Ian Macleod Distillers plans to significantly develop its sales both within the UK and abroad.

Leonard Russell, Managing Director of Ian Macleod Distillers, said: “Having purchased Glengoyne Distillery from Edrington in 2003, we are delighted to be acquiring a second distillery from them, safe in the knowledge that it has been maintained to a very high standard and comes with a reputation for producing exceptional quality single malt.

“I am also pleased that we will be securing and creating new local employment during these uncertain economic times. We are looking forward to developing the Tamdhu single malt following our successful growth of Glengoyne”.

Ian Curle, Chief Executive of The Edrington Group, said: “The Edrington Group is delighted to complete the sale of Tamdhu to Ian Macleod Distillers. Edrington and Ian Macleod have a good relationship stretching back many years, and we know the Tamdhu Distillery and brand will be in good hands. From Edrington’s perspective, the sale will further de-complex our business, allowing us to continue to focus on the growth of our five key brands, The Famous Grouse, The Macallan, Brugal, Cutty Sark and Highland Park.”

Since purchasing Glengoyne distillery in 2003, Ian Macleod Distillers has more than doubled sales of Glengoyne Single Malt. Ian Macleod has built four additional maturation warehouses, capable of housing up to 5 million litres and has invested in the visitor experience with renovations and improvements increasing visitor numbers to nearly 50,000.

The Glengoyne brand is currently promoting a new long-term marketing initiative based on the fact that Glengoyne is ‘distilled more slowly than any other Scotch Whisky for the highest quality’ and is investing upwards of £1 million in the UK drive alone over the next two years.

Ian Macleod Distillers recently announced improved financial results for the eighth consecutive year, with group turnover increasing 22% to £31.9 million in 2010.

The purchase of Tamdhu Distillery was concluded on 28 June for an undisclosed sum.

Bonhams Whisky Sale Makes Over £140,000

June 25, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

Glenfiddich-Early 20th Century

Bonhams whisky sale which took place in Edinburgh on 22 June made over £141,500. An impressive 96% of the lots were sold.

Star performers included a rare, early 20th century Glenfiddich, which made £2,880 (est £1,500-2,000), an 18 year old Bowmore which sold for £3,840 (est £2,500-3,500) and a 1932 Glenrothes-Glenlivet bottled in 1974 which exceeded its estimate of £800-1,200 to sell for £1,800.

The addition, the first for Bonham’s, of live on-line bidding made a significant impact during the auction.

Martin Green, Bonhams whisky specialist, said, “The availability of on-line bidding made a noticeable difference both to the number of bids and to the variety of bidders, some of whom were taking part in a Bonhams whisky sale for the first time. On this evidence, the convenience of being able to bid from your own home or office is clearly welcomed.”

For further sale information please go to www.bonhams.com/whisky.

Kilchoman Releases It’s First 100% Single Islay Malt

June 22, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

The Kilchoman ‘100% Islay’

Kilchoman, Islay’s Farm Distillery, is proud to announce the release of its first single malt produced from barley, grown, malted, distilled, matured and bottled at the distillery.

It has been matured for 3 years in first fill bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace Distillery, Kentucky, USA and is lightly peated (10 to 20ppm of phenols) and bottled at 50% alcohol strength

11,300 bottles have been released worldwide of the Kilchoman ‘100% Islay’ and it should retail at £69.00 per bottle.

There is also a special edition, available only at the distillery, of 1060 bottles at cask strength 61.3% ABV. Presented in a hand crafted American white oak presentation box, this edition is available at £149.00.

Anthony Wills, Managing Director, commented: “Being able to release a single malt produced from raw materials sourced locally was what the Kilchoman project was all about and I’m delighted to be able to share this exceptional young aged single malt with whisky enthusiasts around the world”.

A selection of Kilchoman malt whiskies can be obtained from The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt.

Distillery tasting Notes

Colour : Light Golden

Nose: Soft peaty aromas and a blend of citrus, lemon and pear drops

Palate: An initial sweetness is followed by soft peat smoke and then the mixed fruits

Finish: Long and clean with a lovely sweet aftertaste.

For more information visit kilchomandistillery.com.

A Nice Bit Of Crystal From John Walker & Sons

June 18, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

Diamond Jubilee Blended Scotch Whisky

I have to admit I’m a bit of a sucker for a nice bit of packaging. And the crystal decanter shown above from John Walker & Sons is simply stunning.

It’s been produced to mark The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and is an extremely limited edition of 60 crystal decanters of ‘Diamond Jubilee Blended Scotch Whisky by John Walker & Sons’.

It is a unique blend of whiskies distilled in 1952 and finished in a marrying cask of English oak from The Queen’s Sandringham Estate.

These rare editions will be offered, by invitation only, for private sale at £100,000 each so I won’t hold my breath waiting for an invite and I guess the old piggy bank is safe from being raided for a little while yet.

John Walker & Sons will donate all profits from the sale, with a guarantee of at least £1 million, to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (QEST), the charitable arm of the Royal Warrant Holders Association. This will support the QEST Diamond Jubilee Appeal, through which it aims to grow its scholarship base, build a mentoring programme and enable traditional craftsmanship to flourish in Britain.

John Walker & Sons has harnessed the collective skills of some of the finest craftsmen and women, including fellow Royal Warrant Holders and QEST Scholars, to create exclusive, bespoke pieces to accompany the whisky; a stunning showcase of craftsmanship.

‘Diamond Jubilee Blended Scotch Whisky by John Walker & Sons’ will be presented in a lead crystal decanter adorned with a Britannia silver collar that features a half carat diamond set by hand, and an individually numbered silver seal. This will be accompanied by a pair of hand-engraved lead crystal glasses and a leather bound, personalised, hand-embellished artefact book, all housed in a bespoke cabinet incorporating woods from The Queen’s Sandringham and Balmoral estates.

David Gates, Royal Warrant grantee at John Walker & Sons said: “As a holder of the Royal Warrant, we felt compelled to mark this truly historic occasion with something truly exquisite. We look forward to sharing further news on this exceptional liquid very soon.”

Jim Beveridge, Master Blender for John Walker & Sons said: “These are extraordinary grain and malt whiskies that have been maturing slowly since 1952. It’s a huge privilege to work with them using all our resources and experience to craft a John Walker & Sons blend that’s fitting for this special anniversary. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Sixty editions of ‘Diamond Jubilee by John Walker & Sons’ will be bottled on 6th February 2012, exactly 60 years to the day since The Queen acceded to the Throne.

Singleton Of Glen Ord Wins More Honours

June 17, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

The Singleton of Glen Ord Single Malt Scotch Whisky

The Singleton of Glen Ord Single Malt Scotch Whisky (which apparently is the fastest growing Single Malt in the Asia Pacific region) has scored a major win in the prestigious Scotch Whisky Masters competition.

The Scotch Whisky Masters wins are decided by an expert judging panel after an extensive and rigorous blind tasting process. The panel included mixologists, managers of luxury hotels, bars and restaurants, global retailers, and leading whisky commentators including two former editors of Whisky Magazine.

They awarded The Singleton of Glen Ord 12 year old a ‘Master’ which is the highest award in the competition.

The Singleton of Glen Ord 12 year old, together with The Singleton of Glen Ord 15 and 18 year old releases have taken the Asia market by storm since their release in 2006 breaking the 100,000 cases barrier in 2010.

The Singleton of Glen Ord can be obtained from The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt.

About The Singleton of Glen Ord

Glen Ord is a Highland distillery on the edge of the Black Isle west of Inverness in the north of Scotland. It continues to malt its own barley and use the long fermentation and slow distillation methods followed there for generations since Robert Johnstone established the distillery in 1838.

For The Singleton of Glen Ord, a high proportion of the liquid has been matured in European oak, delivering a rich, smooth-tasting, well-balanced and accessible style.

It has been praised for its smooth, sophisticated and fragrant taste.

Benromach Adds To It’s Range

June 16, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

Benromach has added three new expressions of the famous single malt whisky to its range.

Benromach is Speyside’s smallest distillery, based in the attractive Moray town of Forres, the gateway to Scotland’s famous whisky producing region.

Established in 1898, Benromach distillery changed hands many times and was virtually derelict when bought by family firm Gordon & MacPhail in 1993. Drawing on generations of whisky expertise, the company carried out a painstaking refurbishment and the distillery was officially re-opened by Prince Charles in 1998.

Benromach Wood Finish Hermitage is a subtly smoky single malt Scotch whisky with a distinctly French flavour. The malt was matured in sherry and bourbon casks, before being transferred into oak casks for 22 months that had been used to produce wine from the Hermitage Appellation d’Origine Controlee, in the northern Rhone wine region of France.

Matured in first fill bourbon barrels, Benromach Cask Strength is a mouth warming and smooth single malt with hints of spice. Containing earthy influences it also has a delicate peaty edge and is bottled at 59.9% ABV.

Benromach 30 Years Old is a smooth and creamy single malt whisky with warming festive hints of sherry and spices. Matured in sherry casks the bright gold, medium malt also has hints of peat emerging.

Benromach can be obtained from The Whisky Exchange and Master of Malt.

[Read more…]

The 21 Bottle Royal Salute

June 15, 2011 by Gary Leave a Comment

Royal Salute - $200,000 and it's yours

With only 21 bottles up for grabs (well 20 actually) and a price tag of £122,000, the Royal Salute from Chivas Brothers must rank as one of the most expensive whisky packages to date.

I say ‘package’ because an awfully big chunk of the price of this whisky is the cost of the flagon the whisky comes in, rather than the liquid itself.

The world’s only exclusively prestige Scotch whisky range, Royal Salute, has crafted a blend so rare that only one man in the world has tasted it – creator and Master Blender, Colin Scott.

‘Tribute to Honour’ has been introduced to pay homage to the oldest crown jewels of the British Isles: The Honours of Scotland. The narrative of the Honours comprises glorious legends and intrigue and remains a powerful and inscrutable ode to Scottish history. Royal Salute Tribute to Honour marks a historical pinnacle in whisky making.

The most exquisite, precious and scarce whiskies used to create Tribute To Honour, have been carefully selected from the Royal Salute Vault at Strathisla. Expertly blended by Colin Scott, just 21 bottles of Tribute to Honour have been created and also mark the pinnacle of Colin’s 21 years of expertise in blending.

Explains Colin, “Chivas Brothers has a phenomenal archive of high-aged whiskies, some of which, after decades of careful maturation, have acquired a rich intensity and deep concentration of sumptuous characters. It is these very few whiskies which I have personally selected to compose Tribute To Honour – this opulent and rarest of blends.”

Fittingly, only the finest aged whiskies – at least 45 years old – are presented in the spectacular bejeweled bottle, dressed by Garrardin flawless diamonds and shimmering gold.

As the world’s oldest jeweller to royalty Garrard has embellished the Royal Salute Tribute to Honour flagon – hand cast and perfected, black porcelain – with 413 flawless white and black diamonds. Some of these exquisite jewels form the shape of the Sword of State: one of the trilogy of treasures that are The Honours of Scotland. Set in gold and silver, 22 carats of gemstone adorn the decorative collar and stunning flagon’s visage. Golden lions sit either side of the diamond encrusted sword.

Craftsman at Garrard have spent days perfecting each flagon by hand. The prestigious jeweller has served six successive British monarchs and pays tribute to the ancient Scottish Sword of State as its landmark.

Each flagon of Royal Salute Tribute to Honour will be available from September 2011. The bottles are individually numbered and priced at $200,000 (about £122,000) . One of the 21 bottles will be kept in the Royal Salute Vault.

About Royal Salute
The pinnacle of Scotch whisky, award-winning Royal Salute was first created as a tribute by Chivas Brothers to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II upon her coronation in 1953. This defining luxury whisky has a very powerful and sophisticated style, and has become the world’s leading luxury Scotch whisky brand.

Royal Salute has a long legacy of paying tribute to nobility and leadership, it is part of the brand’s DNA

• 1953: Royal Salute created to pay tribute to Her Majesty the Queen’s coronation
• 2003: Royal Salute 50 Year Old launched for the 50th anniversary of the coronation, also paid tribute to Sir Edmund Hillary’s and Sir Tensing Norgay’s on the anniversary of their successful ascent of Everest
• 2005: Royal Salute 38 Year Old launched – a tribute from Scotland, inspired by the Stone of Destiny
• 2010: Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute launched paying tribute to the craftsmanship of four master blenders who have safeguarded the Royal Salute legacy
• 2011: Royal Salute Tribute to Honour launched, the most notable and compelling symbols of Scottish royalty