Nieuws

Alistair Walker Whisky Company was established in 2018, based in Grangemouth. One of Scotland’s newest independent bottling companies specialising in single cask Scotch whisky. The inaugural release of the flagship brand ‘Infrequent Flyers’ was released in July 2019. Small batch releases, un-chillfiltered, natural colour and cask strength. The whiskies will include single malt and single grain releases with the first batch including distilleries such as Glen Keith, Auchentoshan, Cameronbridge, Loch Lomond, Benrinnes and undisclosed Orkney and Islay.

We secured some lingering stock from the most recent batch of Alistair Walker Whisky Co Infrequent Flyers which sold out quickly at the time.

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ralfy review 970 Extras – New Distilleries & New Single Malts.

From Distillery 29, prepare to find a tropical flavour paradise, with elegant perfumed spice and ripe tropical fruits finding perfect harmony after 27 years of maturation in bourbon wood. Elegant perfumed smoke met juicy ripe tropical fruits in a near-perfect balance. The effect was almost one of hallucination. The taste was almost impossible to describe; some sort of delicate food fusion, so we tried. A sushi grain bowl with smoked sardines, spicy mayo, furikake and tempura crunchies … we do hope you get the idea. A drop of water and miraculously we were transported to Havana, Cuba, in the 1920s, and the Sevilla Havane hotel, haunt of the rich and famous; the air heavy with sweet cigar smoke, the allure of the most expensive perfumes and the tropical heat – truly extravagant. Keep scrolling to learn more about each of these bottlings, or WATCH our introduction below.

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The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Bruichladdich 30 Years 1988 The Untouchable

1988 vintage ‘The Untouchable’ rare cask series. Refill bourbon and squat hogsheads at 46.2%. Bruichladdich 30 Year Old 1988 vintage Islay single malt Scotch whisky. Matured in Refill Bourbon & Refill Squat Hogsheads. The Untouchable Rare Cask Series.

Buy Bruichladdich 30yo»

Floral aromas of dried hay, buttercups, primroses and coconut oil burst through the nose, followed by vanilla fudge, porridge with golden syrup, sweet citrus, sherbet, apricot and caramel. The palate initially offers notes of coconut, pink grapefruit, granola, malt and toast, slowly developing oak spice, pipe tobacco and fudge, with ripe pineapple, mango and mint building towards the finish.

Bruichladdich Distillery was established in 1881 by the Harvey family of distillers based in Glasgow. Situated on the Rhinns peninsular on the island of Islay close and close to the sandy bays of Loch Indaal. Re-opened in 2001 with much of the original Victorian equipment restored to working order. The first release of Bruichladdich’s new whisky was the highly acclaimed PC5, the first release in the limited Port Charlotte range. Also producing very highly peated Octamore, Organic using Islay grown barley, and triple and quadruple distilled single malt and single cask releases. Bruichladdich distillery participates in Feis Ile, the annual Islay Whisky Festival.

March 2023 Auction // 31.03.23 – 10.04.23

Now Live: March Auction

A warm welcome to our March auction. Featuring over 8,500 rare whiskies and fine spirits.

Highlights this month include a number of incredibly well-aged single malts from the 1920s-40s, including 50 Year Olds from Balvenie, Macallan and Dalmore. For Bourbon fans, a brilliant selection of Very Olde St. Nick is featured, from the sought-after Kentucky Bourbon Distillers era. Incredible independent bottles feature including Intertrade bottles signed by Nadi Fiori, early Gordon & MacPhail cask strength bottlings and two exceptional Hart Brothers Bowmore releases.

We are extremely excited to partner with Norwegian whisky distillery Aurora Spirit once again, as our March auction sees the release of the unique Fram whisky, commemorating Norwegian explorer and humanitarian Fridtjof Nansen. You can read more about the Fram whisky in our latest article.

Discover some of our curated highlights below and bid now.

John Jameson & Son Irish Whisky 1920s-1930s

Read: The recent fortune and luck of Irish whiskey

4

Red Hook 23 Year Old Single Barrel Kentucky Rye #2 / LeNell’s

Sensationally Aged 50+ Year Old Malts

1960 & 1965 Signatory Vintage Rosebank

Read: An Independent Approach: Signatory Vintage

Glen Garioch 1958 46 Year Old

Exclusive to Whisky Auctioneer: Fram Whisky Charity Auction

Interested in selling in our next auction? Fill out our Seller Form today.

Glen Scotia announces a remarkable programme of events for Campbeltown Malts Festival 2023

Annual festival in the ‘Wee Toon’ will celebrate the distillery’s heritage and renaissance with a series of tastings, tours, and entertainment

Award-winning whisky Distillery of the Year 2021, Glen Scotia, has announced a jam-packed series of events for this year’s Campbeltown Malts Festival (23-24th May 2023).

A pinnacle moment in the distillery’s annual calendar, the Festival provides an opportunity for visitors to enjoy the affectionately named ‘Wee Toon’ and learn more about the world’s finest drams while soaking up the history of Scotland’s smallest whisky-making region.

Master Distiller and Distillery Manager, Iain McAlister, and his team will be joined by a host of industry ambassadors for a programme of events that uncover the magic of Glen Scotia, which continues to gain global recognition.

In a first for the Glen Scotia event, visitors will be able to attend a selection of talks and tasting in the Courtyard free of charge, as well as ticketed events. Should they wish to enjoy a dram at the same time, they can purchase a £25 ‘Drampack’ which will give them access to four of the distillery’s finest drams, handpicked for each tasting, as well as a branded festival Glencairn glass and a lanyard.

Kicking off events, Glen Scotia’s Malts Festival Dinner will take place at the Machrihanish Airbase on Tuesday (23rd) evening where guests can hear from Iain McAlister and special guests alongside a three-course meal. This will be accompanied by entertainment and five drams including the yet unreleased annual limited-edition Festival Release and a number of single cask drams not otherwise available for sale.

On Wednesday, 24th May, a taster of the schedule includes:

Industry guru, Charles Maclean MBE will join Iain McAlister for a special Dunnage Warehouse Tasting, where visitors will get the chance to sample five unreleased liquids handpicked by Iain from casks in the heart of the distillery.
Loch Lomond Group’s Master Blender, Michael Henry will guide a Deconstructed Victoriana Tasting using five cask-strength drams to show the makeup of Victoriana, one of Glen Scotia’s signature drams.
Drinks experts Neil Ridley and Joel Harrison will take inspiration from their latest book in a series of 60-second cocktails masterclasses, using a selection of spirits including whisky and gin. They will also host a Cask Strength Tasting in the Courtyard with Iain, Charles and Michael, where visitors can listen and join along as the group make their way through a selection of Glen Scotia’s core range, limited release, and single cask samples.
Felipe Schrieberg, spirits writer and musician, and Paul Archibald, drummer, will bring a bespoke Glen Scotia version of their much-loved Rhythm and Booze Project, which incorporates folk and blues music with dram tastings.
Glen Scotia will unveil the results of its latest artistic collaboration through an immersive exhibition space deep inside its atmospheric warehouse. Guests will have the opportunity to hear directly from the artists themselves as well as sample liquid used during the recording

The event will also bring together some of Argyll’s most prominent whisky figureheads for ‘New Dawn for Campbeltown’ – a panel talk in the Courtyard, hosted by Neil Ridley and Joel Harrison with Iain McAlister and guests.

The session will explore the remarkable history of the region, from a bustling whisky hub in the Victorian era to Scotland’s smallest whisky-making region, looking at the re-emergence of the town’s distilleries, and why the world is taking notice once again, with a chance to sample Glen Scotia’s signature drams.

This year the programme will be bigger than ever before as Glen Scotia has also teamed up with the Mull of Kintyre Music Festival, to organise a series of one-off performances, talks and tastings on two new purpose-built stages in the distillery’s Courtyard. Acts will include local Argyll band Heron Valley and Salthouse vocalist and guitarist Jenny Sturgeon.

Launched in 2008, the Campbeltown Malts Festival is a celebration of the region known as the ‘Victorian Whisky Capital of the World’ due to its illustrious past and the role whisky-making has played in the town for centuries.

Glen Scotia’s full programme of events and tickets are available via its website: https://www.glenscotia.com/

Iain McAlister, Master Distiller and Distillery Manager at Glen Scotia, said: 

“Once again, The Campbeltown Malts Festival returns to the Wee Toon and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the fantastic line-up of events, which will highlight what makes the town and our distillery such a remarkable place in the world.

“There will be a real focus on exploring our award-winning drams, and I’m really looking forward to the variety of sessions on offer for our visitors who come from all around the world.

“We’ve managed to secure some top names from the industry, from our good friend and whisky icon, Charles Maclean, Felipe and the amazing Rhythm and Booze project, and Neil and Joel who will host a varied selection of talks and tastings.

“Alongside tours of the town and distillery, the event, bigger and better than ever before, is a real chance for us to share what makes Glen Scotia such a special place.”

Today, Glen Scotia is one of only three surviving distilleries in the coastal town but through a programme of continued investment and local effort, it is growing its presence in the UK and international markets, allowing the potential of Campbeltown to once again be realised.

For further information about Glen Scotia and regular updates on the Campbeltown Malts Festival, visit www.glenscotia.com or follow:

Twitter: @GlenScotiaMalts

Instagram: @glenscotiamalts

Facebook: @GlenScotiaWhisky

About Glen Scotia 

Distiller Glen Scotia has been producing single malt whisky in Campbeltown since 1832 and is one of three surviving distilleries in Campbeltown. The distillery still maintains much of its original design, including the fermenters, the stillroom, and the dunnage warehouse dating from the 1830s.To this day, the distillery team follow in the footsteps of their founders, using traditional methods, carefully creating the unique Campbeltown maritime style the brand has become world-famous for.

In 2021, Glen Scotia’s 25-Year-Old Single Malt whisky was awarded ‘Best In Show Whisky’ at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Over 3,800 entries across thirty-one categories were judged with Glen Scotia being awarded the overall winner across all countries and styles. In addition to this, Glen Scotia was also named Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year at the Scottish Whisky Awards, an accolade it received just seven months after being crowned as the ‘Best in Show.’

In 2022, Glen Scotia’s Victoriana won Best In Class in the Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – No Age Statement category at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Over the past two decades, The Whisky Exchange has been at the forefront of the whisky world. Not only have we stocked the finest whiskies from all over the globe and sourced great exclusive bottlings, we have also pushed the envelope whenever we can.

We helped launch Japanese whisky in the UK and supported releases from distilleries like Karuizawa when no one else did. We’ve championed in-person tastings in our shops and at our award-winning shows and put education at the core of what we do. Now, we embark on a new adventure, creating a category of spirit unlike any other.

Introducing The Gastronomy Selection: Fine Spirits for the Home or Professional Kitchen.

The journey of The Gastronomy Selection started many years ago, with experimentation in The Whisky Exchange co-founder Sukhinder Singh’s home kitchen. Already a dab hand with a frying pan, he turned his eye to improving the classic dishes that he had already mastered.

“Since the first time I replaced the white wine in my Bolognese with 1980s malt whisky I’ve never looked back,” he told us. “I know it’s not traditionally Italian, but it really brings an extra layer of complexity.”

From this eureka moment, Sukhinder has continued his experimentation, pairing different spirits and cuisines to create previously unthinkable combinations. Enlisting the help of head buyer and former sommelier Dawn Davies MW, he has finally made this decade-spanning dream a reality.

THE INAUGURAL RELEASE – 37 YEAR OLD BLENDED MALT

The first release in The Gastronomy Selection range launches today. It is a versatile 37-year-old blended malt, crafted by The Whisky Exchange’s blending team to lift any dish it is added to. We caught up with project leader and pathological Scotsman Gordon Oliver – who was at the time slaving over a vat of prototypical peated hollandaise – to get some background on this ground-breaking release.

“Blenders are the chefs of the whisky world. Casks are like their ingredients – their vegetables and meat and-so-on – and the blending vat is just a big saucepan if you think about it, right? Well anyway, we decided it was a strong enough analogy on which to launch our new range of cooking spirits.“

The Gastronomy Selection 37 Year Old Blended Malt, 51.3%

Nose: Fine Devon fudge and butter toffee, made with milk from undisturbed cows, the finest hand-spun cane sugar and sea-salted, long-cultured farmhouse butter. Freshly shelled hazelnuts and Swiss milk chocolate follow, a crunch-laden enrobing with a sprinkling of finely julienned orange zest. The creaminess builds, packed with gentle Madagascan vanilla character and hints of cream-laden coffee: thick, dark, sweet Rwandan beans, brewed over flame in a Japanese siphon.

Palate: The notes of creamy sweetness return, rolling over unsnapped single-origin chocolate shards into a pool of bobbing windfall apples: tart Granny Smith and sweet Pink Lady with a handful of transatlantic Honeycrisp. The nutty notes develop: hazelnuts from the bottom of the bowl with lightly toasted Spanish almonds, all lightly dusted with soft, golden caster sugar. Crunchy spun-sugar nests are draped over thinly sliced conference pears and freshly malted Golden Promise barley. Beeswax-polished oak is sprinkled with gently bruised mint leaves.

Finish: Rich, baked-apple purée builds in waves, lingering beyond developing mint and creamy caramel. Chocolate water-ganache, let down with cream, leads to polished oak off-cuts and honey-baked vanilla pods.

Comment: An excellent whisky, and an excellent ingredient. Its sweeter notes enhance and embolden desserts and naturally sweet savouries, while also contrasting and pairing with the best meats and roasted vegetables. This sweet and savoury combination make it perfect for use in a slow-cooked ragu, enhancing the meaty umami as well as amplifying the sweetness of tomato. A cooking whisky so good, you might be tempted to drink it on its own!

Buy The Gastronomy Selection 37 Year Old Blended Malt now >

How to Use it?

The Gastronomy Selection 37 Year Old blended malt Scotch whisky is incredibly versatile. While we started the project focusing on Italian sauces, we quickly realised that this was merely the tip of a tasty iceberg.

For home cooks, there are a number of dishes that we can recommend, including deep fried Mars Bars that utilise whisky instead of water in the batter. The alcohol in the whisky cooks off faster than water, leading to a crunchier chocolate treat, run through with all the charm of this Stonehaven classic.

We’ve also not forgotten vegans in our research. Tofu marinated in the Inaugural Release makes the perfect accompaniment to umami-rich mushroom dishes. The whisky actually alters the texture of this vegetarian favourite, making it an excellent substitute for pulled pork. And while we’re on the subject, once you’ve added a fine old malt whisky like this to your BBQ sauce, you’ll never have it any other way.

UNTRADITIONALLY TRADITIONAL

In preparation for future releases in the Gastronomy Selection series, The Whisky Exchange Test Kitchen (trademark application submitted), is experimenting with more whiskies from across the decades, using them as core ingredients as well as marinades and glazes.

Favourites so far include a 1960’s-vintage Bowmore, which the team have been drizzling over a variety of dishes as a finishing touch. While the whisky’s famed tropical fruit character makes an excellent addition to many desserts, it was a savoury treat that kicked the project from skunkworks to reality.

“Anyone who knows me will tell you, I am obsessed with Hawaiian pizza,” head buyer Dawn Davies told us while hungrily watching the Dominos delivery tracker. “A little spritz of Bowmore just as you open the takeaway box adds a depth of flavour that you just can’t beat.”

The Search for Fruit and Nut

Using Davies’s connections in the fine dining world, we enlisted a number of top chefs to help us explore the potential of the Gastronomy Selection, all of whom have asked to remain anonymous. Dishes currently in development with our testers in the field include chips dusted with powderised 1996 Ben Nevis and cask aged salad dressings. Maturing a waxy single malt like Clynelish with olive oil and seasonings in ex-bourbon barrels has shown to add layers of nuance and, in some cases, a crunchy texture.

Reports of some chefs simply drinking the whisky are untrue and should not be believed. This is a range of spirits specially created to be used when cooking. And while we’re starting off with a whisky, there’s much more to come.

The future

In the end, we see this as the future of spirits. As wine took over from water as the cooking liquid of choice, so will cooking spirits flush wine down the pan of history – wine’s just unfinished brandy anyway.

We are kickstarting the revolution with The Gastronomy Selection Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, and hope to see others follow in our wake.  A fine malt shouldn’t just be saved for special occasions, it should be enjoyed, in good company and in food. After all, we shouldn’t take whisky too seriously.

The Gastronomy Selection 37 Year Old Blended Malt is real, and available from The Whisky Exchange website and our London shops.

 

Originally published on The Whisky Exchange Blog – The Gastronomy Selection Edition #1 – launching today!

Craft whiskey releases keep gaining in age. In Pittsburgh, Wigle’s first 8-Year Bourbon and Rye Whiskeys can now be purchased from their distillery shop and their online store for local pick and is shipping to Pennsylvania + Washington DC addresses Just 200 bottles were produced of each Single Barrel Rye and Bourbon. Wigle has previously released bottled in bond whiskeys, and these new 8 year old single barrels are their most mature releases yet. These bottlings are 100 proof and priced at $125 per bottle. Only 200 bottle of each release are available.

The American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) today announces the election of Gina Holman of J. Carver Distillery (MN) as the President of the Board of Directors. She has served as a member of the organization’s Board of Directors since 2020, and as Vice President since 2022. Kelly Woodcock of Westward Whiskey (OR) has also been elected as the organization’s Vice President and Jessica J. Lemmon of Cart/Horse Distilling (PA) has been re-elected as Secretary/Treasurer. Together, Holman, Woodcock, Lemmon and the current and newly-appointed Board of Directors will work with CEO Margie A.S. Lehrman to address the key issues facing the craft distilling industry, including the organization’s continued push for direct-to-consumer (DtC) shipping. The elections will usher in the second consecutive year during which an all-women-identifying-led board will steer a national trade association. Additionally, women currently make up more than half of the elected Board members. ACSA is also proud to announce the results of its national election for Board of Director members, adding four new members with one returning.

“It is a tremendous honor to be leading the ACSA Board of Directors as president, and it is a responsibility that I do not take lightly,” said Gina Holman, Founding Partner at J. Carver Distillery (MN) and President, ACSA. “As we usher in ACSA’s second decade as a leading industry trade association, I look forward to serving our growing craft spirits community and building on the organization’s remarkable accomplishments thus far. We’ve certainly got our work cut out for us, but I’m excited to be working alongside such an esteemed group of fellow Board members to make great things happen for our vibrant industry.” 

Margie A.S. Lehrman, CEO, ACSA, added, “As a woman in drinks, particularly at a trade association level, I’m thrilled to announce that for a second year, our women-led Board will steer our organization to support our growing community of craft distillers. Though ACSA remains focused on critical industry issues such as postal shipping reform, trade, fair competition, and direct-to-consumer shipping, we continue to pour our hearts and efforts into the STEPUP Foundation, the 501(c)3 non-profit immersive internship program we helped create two years ago. Through STEPUP, our work is narrowly focused on an important mission: to change the face of the drinks industry, one intern at a time. While we still have so much work to do—particularly within the communities that have been most marginalized historically—we are beginning to see a shift in drinks. Our 2023 Board of Directors is proof that our industry continues to move in the right direction.”

Following these elections, the ACSA Board of Directors will also be appointing leadership to its governing committees. Those committees include Membership, Ethics, Convention, Education, Elections,  Safety, ACSA PAC, Mentorship, Judging, Government Affairs, State Guilds, Technology, Finance, DtC and Development.

The 2023 Board of Directors, representing the craft spirits industry nationwide, is comprised of the following individuals:

EAST
Becky Harris, Catoctin Creek Distilling Co. (VA) *re-elected 

Jessica J. Lemmon, Cart/Horse Distilling (PA)

Tom Potter, New York Distilling Co. (NY)

Colin Spoelman, Kings County Distillery (NY) *newly elected

Jaime Windon, Windon Distilling Co. (MD) *newly elected

CENTRAL & MOUNTAIN
Alex Castle, Old Dominick Distillery (TN) *newly elected

Gina Holman, J.Carver Distillery (MN)

Colin Keegan, Santa Fe Spirits (NM) 

Amber Pollock, Backwards Distilling Co. (WY)
Mark A. Vierthaler, Whiskey Del Bac (AZ) 

Thomas Williams, Delta Dirt Distillery (AR) *newly elected

PACIFIC
Lucy Farber, St. George Spirits (CA)
Jake Holshue, Spirit Works Distillery (CA)

Jeff Kanof, Copperworks Distilling Co. (WA)
Kelly Woodcock, Westward Whiskey (OR)

EX OFFICIO 

Thomas Jensen, New Liberty Distillery (PA)

The national digital election was administered over the past month with the help of the Election’s Chair, Renee Bemis, Driftless Glen Distillery (WI) and Jeff Wuslich, Cardinal Spirits (IN).  

Knob Creek, Jim Beam’s pioneering small batch brand, is excited to announce the addition of an age statement to its Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey. This seven-year age statement is a testament to the craftsmanship, patience and care behind its premium whiskey and reinforces the brand’s dedication to producing world-class whiskies for its fans.

“My dad Booker Noe created Knob Creek with the intention of crafting a full-flavored whiskey without shortcuts, and Knob Creek has continued to set that standard for more than 30 years,” said Fred Noe, Booker’s son and Seventh Generation Master Distiller. “We are excited to continue his legacy with the addition of an age statement on our Knob Creek Rye Whiskey. I’m excited for whiskey fans to taste it, and I know Dad would be proud.”

This update to the brand’s core rye expression offers fans the same Knob Creek Rye taste profile they know and love, but with the whiskey now guaranteed to be aged for a minimum of seven years. This strengthens the whiskey’s depth of character due to the extra time in the barrel and enhances notes of the American Rye spice, sweet vanilla and oak that is characteristic of Knob Creek Rye.

Knob Creek 7 Year Old Straight Rye Whiskey remains 100 proof, and is now available nationwide with a suggested retail price of $36.99 for a 750mL bottle.