BIBLE THUMPING ARRAN

Writing in the 2007 edition of his “Whisky Bible”, Jim Murray has awarded Arran Distillery some of the highest marks ever for a range of its products – even higher than many long established names in the whisky industry.

Awarding the first-ever Arran 10 year old a score of 93, he said: “It won’t be long before the world’s malt connoisseurs add Arran to their list of must haves. Because if it’s character and quality you want, it’s here by the malt shed load.”

The new Arran 100^o Proof Single Malt has a rating of 91 and is described as “sheer class”, while a number of the special bottlings in the company’s Cask Strength Programme are given scores of 92, 93 and 94. The Sherry Cask rated 92 is described as “A glorious advert for a distillery just coming of age.” The Trebbiano D’Abruzzo Wine Cask Finish rated 93 is described as “A jazzed up fruity, spicy number but astonishingly clean.”

Murray’s best rating, however, is reserved for a special sherry cask he tasted with Gordon Mitchell, our Distillery Manager, (above) at the company’s 10^th anniversary celebrations in 2005. Awarding a score of 94 Mr. Murray commented “Total drinksmanship and brilliance. There is not a whisky even close to this in character. A stunning one off.”
Commenting on these ratings, Arran’s managing director, Douglas Davidson, said: “We have always known that we produce single malt whisky of the very highest quality here on Arran. It is nice to know that the world’s top whisky writer agrees with us, however! These ratings – across a variety of different Arran single malt products – show just how far Arran has come in the last three or four years. The baby distillery has grown up. We are here to stay and intend to become an even greater force to be reckoned with in world whisky markets for the future.”

VIRGIN TERRITORY

THE first tasting of the year was unusual in many respects. First time we had tried such old and rare whiskies, first time we had used Oran Mor and the first time Duncan Taylor’s UK representative, had hosted a tasting. It could have ended in tears and it did ­- tears of laughter as we sipped and swallowed our way through half a dozen great drams. Perhaps the self-pouring helped; while some of us stuck rigidly to a 25ml sample, others had a more liberal arm. It was noticeable that the noise levels were highest at the ‘free pour’ end of the table.

And what a table. Last used by the SFA high heid-yins at Park Circus, it now dominated the private dining room at Oran Mor, an oak-panelled suite with plush leather chairs and sofas, and its own bar. It’s an expensive option, but we felt it worthwhile for the first tasting of the year. Other nights will be in less exclusive surroundings until the Gerry Tosh Highland Park night in June, which will again be at Oran Mor.

We were walked through six whiskies by Jacque Sutherland, left, from Duncan Taylor:
1. NC2, a 1993 Mortlach at 46%.
2. 19YO Macallan at 52.4%. Bottle 05/1306 from oloroso sherry cask 9793, distilled 12/1987
3. The Lonach Caperdonich at 41.9% aged 33 years
4. Rarest of the Rare Glenlochy at 53.2%. Bottle no 3 out of 294 from cask 2452. Distilled 08/1980
5. Invergordon grain at 50.3%. Bottle 05/238 from cask 15514. Distilled 12/1965
6. Auld Reekie 12YO Islay malt at 46%, and mainly Caol Ila, with a drop of something ‘unspecified’.

There were as many favourites as there were drams. Your humble scribe was taken by the Lonach Caperdonich, a vatting of three casks, one or two of which had dropped below the 40% mark. It was fresh, with green apples, grass and, I kid you not, an initial nose of fish oil (!) with pear drops. At around £60 retail, not a bank buster either. The 26-year-old Glenlochy, which closed in 1983, was also a star, but at £90, perhaps one for a special occasion.

Finally, just a word about attendance. Eleven souls out of a club membership of 40 turned up. Perhaps the cost was high, although more members would have reduced the price of admission. Perhaps the choice of whiskies wasn’t appealing to everyone; although I would have thought the chance to taste whiskies aged 40, 33 and 26 would have been adraw in itself.

Still the team that turned out did them proud.

WOOD YOU BELIEVE IT

September’s tasting was a hastily-cobbled-together affair – and as often happens, it turned into a cracking night. A dozen hardy souls braved the lashing rain and made their way to Oddbins in Crow Road Retail Park, where mine host Andy laid on a spread of beer and drams.

But first, the intrepid Ralf, fresh from his battles at Whisky Live (did us proud Ralf – ils ne passeront pas) talked about the Compass Box experiment with wood staves to influence the taste and colour of whiskies. Using a standard Balblair 16, itself a very acceptable dram, Ralf dropped in a tiny oak stave for a week. The result was a darker colour and an entirely different taste. Flushed with his success, Ralf then unveiled a vatting he’d carried out with another Balblair that produced a not completely successful result. That’s what you get when you chuck Buckfast into a perfectly good malt!

The main business of the evening was the sampling of a handful of drams. A 20-year-old Bruichladdich from a bourbon cask was then finished for up to 20 weeks in a red wine barrel (mourvedre, if you really want to know), to produce what the distillery named Flirtation, a pink tinged whisky to appeal to women and – apparently – the gay community.

The Glenfarclas 21 followed, courtesy of Ian Black. A smooth, sherried whisky, it won universal acclaim apart from the top right hand corner of the room, where Islayphiles cast longing glances at the last two items. First, though, an Old Pulteney 12YO, smooth, sweet with the tang of the seas on the palate.

Finally a Bruichladdich Cask Strength followed by Ardbeg Very Young – the gift of former Ardbeg distillery manager Stuart Thomson, and this one barely got round the table before the aforementioned top right hand corner of the room took it into custody for further questioning.

In the discussions during the tasting, there was a feeling that a midweek night might not be the best for a club of working people. Your committee is anxious to take soundings about a possible alternative – Friday night was mentioned, although we can keep costs down at present by invading premises that are quieter at the beginning of the week. Please let us know your views.

THE EVOLUTION OF PORT CHARLOTTE

The first entirely new Islay whisky has been launched - the re-awakening of the long-lost soul of an extinct distillery. ‘PC5 Evolution’ is the first ever release of Port Charlotte single malt whisky, the heavily-peated whisky that is distilled, matured and bottled at Bruichladdich on the Isle of Islay.

It is the first single malt to be released that was distilled by the new owners of Bruichladdich, following the 2001 renovation of the once-closed distillery. Master Distiller Jim McEwan said: “From records we know that Bruichladdich spirit was influenced by peat - to some degree at least - before 1961. And at the same time this is paying homage, a doffing of the cap, to the old Port Charlotte distillery two miles down the road that closed owing to Prohibition in 1929.”

PC5 Evolution is bottled at an unusually high cask strength of 63.5% as the initial filling strength five years ago was 71% - more than the standard industry strength. Only a thousand cases are being produced, which means the price will be eye-wateringly high.

At 85 years old, islander Ruraidh McLeod, then a distillery mashman, is the last man alive to have tasted the original Port Charlotte whisky: “I remember it well; we were called together to try it. It was a special event that called for a rare bottle. Sure enough it was very, very peaty; but it was as smooth as velvet.”

The Port Charlotte single malt of today was distilled with barley peated to 40 PPM (parts per million of phenols) making it one of the peatiest whiskies on the island. “It was the result of an incredibly slow ‘trickle distillation’” a specialty of Jim McEwan “to achieve maximum purity, flavour and texture.

And how does PC5 Evolution compare with the old? Ruaridh McLeod notes: “It has the same peatiness right enough, right enough. Och, its just as smooth as cow’s milk…

Professor Walter Schoburt, the first author and whisky expert to taste the new whisky, said: “What a whisky. First you get the peat, the wonderful, beloved aroma; then you feel that this is a whisky without edges. Incredible.”

HOT AUGUST NIGHTS

Some of you will have seen the Herald’s whisky supplement on August 17, which Alex has called a full page advertisement for the club and marks a major step forward in our fortunes. For those of you who didn’t see them, here they are. Thanks to Andy Clark for taking all the notes and painting such a vivid picture of each dram.

GLENGOYNE 10-YEAR-OLD

Lowland? Highland? Who cares? This smooth, silky and, dare I say sumptuous, little star from the meeting point of the mountains and the meadows is a fine starter for 10 in anybody’s whisky challenge. Try and taste the Edinburgh rock as you scale the heights of this sweet little number.
Great value. Great fun.

THE FAMOUS GROUSE 10-YEAR-OLD MALT

Just a fat bird with a posh coat on? Not a bit of it. There’s so much going on that it leaves you in a spin. Dryness, sweetness, creaminess, newly hewn forests, pine resin on your fingers … even the odd fisherman’s sweater. It’s all there.Sit back, take a sip and marvel.
This is as good as blended malt gets.

GLENGOYNE 21-YEAR-OLD

First there was mono, then there was stereo. Now we have whisky in digital surround sound. Listen for the earthy, smoky backing track that sneaks up from behind as the flavour sub-woofers smack you in the face with smoke, spice, sherry and toffee-sweetness all at the same time. Pity about the over-processed Caramac finish that added a bum note right at the end.
Ah well, there’s always a price to pay for near-perfection.

JOHN, MARK AND ROBBO’S FRESH FRUITY ONE

100% grain. 100% fun. Add this to a summer barbie and your pals will be impressed. A masterful concoction of spice and smoothness. It does exactly what it says on the bottle. But be careful with the water. Dilute it too much and it’s like sending the sun behind a cloud just as you put the burgers in the buns.

TALISKER 10-YEAR-OLD

There’s no need to be afraid of this big, bad wolf … but watch, it still bites.
Skye’s scariest export is more mouth than trousers if you’re prepared to take it on. Smoky, seaweedy, smells like a summer campfire, but still wonderfully soft and nutty. This is a good old-fashioned man’s dram. A true heavyweight with a heart of gold.
Oh, and did I mentioned he’s called Peat?

GLENGOYNE 12-YEAR-OLD CASK STRENGTH

Yeeouch! Take it straight and there’s nothing subtle or simple about this two-faced heavyweight. A cold cure in a glass. Menthol-lyptus mixed with rocket fuel. Scary and serious. Add a wad of water and you’ll see why first impressions shouldn’t last. Now there’s complexity. It’s sweet yet smoky, fluffy yet flavourful, with a long, peppery finish.
Strong and far from silent.

BALVENIE 21 PORT WOOD

They say a picture paints a thousand words, so picture the scene…
Trees heaving with ripe oranges, honey dripping from a hive high up in the branches, a bowl of sherry-flavour ice cream sitting on the mossy ground, still soaking after a shower of rain. Do you see it? This is pure class in a glass.
Inspiration for the mind as well as the mouth.

SOMEONE'S GOTTA DO IT

As you know, your committee works tirelessly on your behalf, searching out the best tastings and trips for your enjoyment, and all without fear or favour, or thought of reward.

Thus it was that on the hottest day on record, Ken and Toshie found themselves in air-conditioned splendour in Strata, Queen Street, sipping Highland Bellinis and chatting to Diageo’s brands ambassador. Highland Bellinis? Pear puree, lemon, champagne and a generous measure of Longmorn malt.

The event was to showcase Diageo’s malt whiskies and how they can be teamed with a four-course dinner. Starter was Scottish oak smoked salmon with Talisker 10, poured over a glass where water had been previously froze. You could either drink it before it cooled down, or waited for some melt to calm down the spicy Talisker.

Next came venison with vegetable ratatouille and basil crouton (normal Wednesday night fare for club members, I know) with Clynelish 14.

Pud was honey and orange cheesecake served with frozen Dalwhinnie 15 in a narrow, tulip shaped glass. It was simply delicious.

Finally came the Roquefort cheese and Arran oatcakes matched with Lagavulin 16. A perfect complement.

A final toast with Johnny Walker Blue Label, a blend of 14 malts, up to 60 years old, and your intrepid duo wandered off into the balmy night, safe in the knowledge that they had once again put club before self.

What a coupla swells!!

ST MAGNUS FESTIVAL

The St Magnus Festival was founded in 1977 by Orkney’s distinguished resident composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.

The Festival brings a feast of music and other arts to locations throughout the Orkney Islands.

The 30th St Magnus Festival celebrated the life and work of Orkney’s great poet and storyteller George Mackay Brown, whose presence and writing graced the Festival from its inception until his death in 1966.

To mark this Highland Park released a limited edition 12 year old bottling with a unique label.

It produced only 500 for the festival and the original plan was to sell them exclusively through the distillery – but word of this release spread quickly and HP has been inundated with phone calls and e-mails asking if they can be bought online.

The bottles are £32.99 plus delivery and with fewer than 100 left they will be snapped up very quickly.

Go to www.highlandpark.co.uk.

‘And the whisky what is it but the earth’s rich essence, a symbol of all fruit and corn and cheerfulness and kindling… ?

George Mackay Brown Under Brinkie’s Brae 11/1/79

THIS BOTTLE'S GOT YOUR NAME ON IT

Win a personalised bottle of Glenfiddich Solera Reserve 15 Year Old. Our friends at Wm Grant and Artisan PR are offering Glasgow's Whisky Club members an exclusive chance to win this fantastic prize. Details of the competition will be posted here and on the website in the next few days. Keep those eyes peeled!

Created using the Glenfiddich Solera system, unique among Scotch whisky distillers, fifteen-year-old Glenfiddich single malt Scotch whisky matured in three different types of casks (traditional American bourbon, Portuguese sherry and new oak) is married together in a large Solera vat, made of Oregon pine.

The result is an exceptional single malt with a deep flavour that reveals fruit, gentle spice, a touch of oak and a long and satisfying finish. To add to the enjoyment of this single malt, Glenfiddich will personalise the bottle’s label to carry a message of your choice.

Glenfiddich Solera Reserve 15 Year Old is available in most supermarkets and whisky specialists priced around £28.99. To add a complimentary personalised label, order direct from The Glenfiddich Distillery online at www.glenfiddich.co.uk or call the Glenfiddich Distillery Shop on 01340 822 066. gwc members need do nothing but keep checking here for details of how to win.

THE JOY OF SIX

Picture by John Paul Photography

The drinks industry has been left shaken and stirred by results at this year’s ISC competition. In a feat similar to Mark Spitz’s 1972 Munich Olympic heroics, The Balvenie^® Single Malt Scotch Whisky has dominated the event by winning six gold medals for its range of products, more than any other spirit brand. It is also the biggest gold medal haul for any brand in any one year since the competition began.

Produced by independent, family-owned William Grant & Sons Ltd, The Balvenie won gold medals for its Founder’s Reserve 10 Year Old, DoubleWood 12 Year Old, NewWood 17 Year Old, PortWood 21 Year Old, Thirty and PortWood 1991 variants. The Company also won four other golds for its Grant’s Premium 12 Year Old, Grant’s Deluxe 15 Year Old, Grant’s 25 Year Old and The Gordon Highlander whiskies and follows on from Glenfiddich’s 2005 success when it won more gold medals than any other single malt at IWSC.

With the win, The Balvenie Distillery in Dufftown is the toast of Speyside. It is the only distillery still to grow its own barley, still malt on its traditional floor maltings, still have its own coopers to tend the casks and still have its own coppersmith to maintain the stills, so the employees are thrilled that their craftsmanship and time-honoured skills have been so highly rewarded.

Commenting on the amazing medal haul, David Stewart, The Balvenie Malt Master, said: “We have always believed that The Balvenie is one of the best drops of malt whisky around, but dominating such a large competition as the ISC and winning six gold medals is beyond our wildest dreams. All of the employees are delighted that the distillery has been given such a massive seal of approval. They thoroughly deserve the credit for all the hard work they have put in to creating a great dram and a new drinks industry record.”

It was only recently that The Balvenie opened its doors for visitors to see for themselves the ancient, original art of whisky making.

Tours can be booked online at www.thebalvenie.com.

THE SUNDAY SUPPLEMENT

A disappointing turn out for Sunday’s tasting, but I suppose since it was an experiment; it was a sunny day and there was World Cup football on the box, 10 like-minded souls was as good as we could expect. Those who couldn’t make it missed a lovely afternoon.

There is something special about having a pub all to ourselves and many thanks to Ken Storrie for his efforts.
Thanks too, go to Andy the Landy Forrester, who is the & in Jon Mark & Robbo, and who, as an Englishman, was assiduous in ignoring the televised antics of his team against Ecuador, to bring us a tasting that was, as promised, different, irreverent and totally without bullshit.

What there was were half a dozen cracking drams. We started with the new bottle – the Fresh Fruity One that did exactly what it said on the tin. Asked to guess the malts that made up this delicious drink, your tippling ten struggled though all corners of the whisky map. We were 100% wrong – there’s no malt in it, just 100% grain from all of Scotland’s grain distilleries. Try this in a tall glass over tons of ice on a summer’s evening.

The Smooth Sweet One – also known as the Breakfast Whisky – also known as the MickMack is unique. It’s the first malt to combine Irish and Scottish malts … 70% Cooley, 30% Bunnahabhain.

The Rich Spicy One is sherried with Macallan Gran Reserve, Tamdhu, Glenrothes, Bunnahabhain and Highland Park. It’s just as tasty as it sounds and was a firm favourite. The Smokey Peaty One is a complete revelation. It’s made up of Highland Park, Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain, Laphroaig, Bowmore and Ledaig and had all the qualities of those quality drams. As part of the innovation that JMR preaches, Andy made up a special The Pot Still One, a stunning concoction made up with Elijah Craig Kentucky bourbon and the Smokey Peaty One. That one would walk off the shelves if it were ever bottled.

So, a good afternoon’s work, even if the attendance was low. It was encouraging, however, to see new faces. Andy Bell, our latest soul, was a welcome addition, as was Ralf Mitchell, who arrived, sampled, and joined on the day. Ralf, above left, and Andy, are pictured taking part in the Snozzle Challenge. Don't ask.....

Yacht to see where Sara's going

Glengoyne marketing manager, Sarah Bottomley is spirited off to New York next week to host a whisky blending at the prestigious New York Yacht Club.

The event, which has been organised by the Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, is part of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and is helping to promote Glasgow: Scotland with Style campaign. More than 150 guests are expected to attend.

The New York Yacht Club, whose members include the “movers and shakers” of Manhattan Society, are likely to get a pleasant surprise when they meet 26-year-old Sarah, as typically most whisky experts are middle-aged men!

She will talk the guests through the nosing of a range of different whiskies and will then help them to make up their own blend.

Every guest will have their masterpiece bottled in a 100ml personalised sample bottle for them to take home. A winning blend will be selected on the night with the winner receiving a Glengoyne Master Blender certificate and bottle of 29-Year -Old Glengoyne family reserve Single Highland Malt whisky.

Sarah said: “I am so excited that Glengoyne has been invited to take part in this event. Having worked for Glengoyne for the last eight years, I think I know all there is to know about the dram and can’t wait to share some of this knowledge with the residents of New York.”

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race takes 10 identical 68ft racing yachts, all backed by international cities, islands and countries, on the world's longest circumnavigation race. The Yachts will visit 12 international ports along the way including Singapore, Qingdao in China, Victoria in Canada as well as New York.

The Glasgow:Scotland with Style Clipper set off in September from Albert Dock in Liverpool and is due to return in July 2006 after sailing over 35,000 miles.

For further information on Glengoyne visit www.glengoyne.com

For further information on the Clipper yacht race visit www.clipper-ventures.co.uk

IT'LL BE ALL WHYTE ON THE NIGHT

It’s £32,000 a bottle, there were only 12 made, and Toshie has tasted it. The Dalmore 62 year old, the most expensive dram in the world, was the jewel in the crown when Glasgow’s Whisky Club organised a tasting night for Holyrood Magazine, the influential political publication that circulates among the good and the great in Scotland’s political village.

Richard Paterson, whisky legend and master blender for Whyte and Mackay, kindly agreed to host it at his brand new sample room in Glasgow. Apart from Glasgow’s Whisky Club members Alex, Toshie Andy and Ken, there were journalists from the magazine, other media representatives, local council politicians, press officers and public relations exectuives and even a Professor of Economics.

After a comprehensive history lesson, Richard showed us into his new sample room where the alchemy that is whisky blending is carried out.

On offer for tasting was the new range of Whyte and Mackay in its new packaging for a major brand re-launch. In addition to the well-respected standard bottling, now renamed Special, there were bottles of 13, 19 and 22. The magnificent 30YO capped the line up. The distillers’ single malts were also on show, including the Tamnavulin, Dalmore and Jura, which club members have already enjoyed under the expert tutelage of Willie Tait.

Richard’s talk was both all-encompassing and illuminating, but his fun side came to the fore when he invited Toshie to sample an unknown malt. This turned out to be the 62YO derived from 1868, 1878, 1926 and 1939 casks. Over the years it has been racked several times and finally finished in an Oloroso "Mathusalem" Sherry butt from Gonzalez Byass, Spain. Distilled and matured by The Dalmore Distillery, at Alness. It is bottled at natural cask strength of 40.5% volume.

It was a deep, deep colour, with a rich honey nose and Terry’s chocolate orange in the centre. The taste was sensational. Held in the mouth, it laid an oily coat over the tongue and when swallowed there was more chocolate orange with spices and a warm nutty aftertaste. Accompanied by a giant party popper, it ensured the night went with a bang

Sadly Toshie’s palate may never recover, rendering as mortal every other dram he ever sips. He’s prepared to battle through this disappointment, however.

Simply stunning.

A DRAM FOR YOUR DAD

Whyte & Mackay are in the process of rebranding, taking the well-loved whisky slightly upmarket. Whether it is its ‘Special’ blend or the luxurious 30 years old, each bottle is prepared using a double marriage maturation process.

This unique process not only guarantees a smooth, mellow and distinctive character but more importantly it guarantees consistency.

New to the range is ‘The Thirteen’. Matured for 13 years, instead of the standard 12, ensures that the whisky has extra time to mould and marry into perfect harmony, creating a truly velvety smoothness.

If your Dad prefers something more mature, why not give him a bottle of the award winning 30 years old. With its classic refined flavour brought about in its many years in wood, it must be drunk with respect - savouring each mouthful. If you wish to make the present even more special, why not team it up with a Don Ramos cigar, as the pairing were recently named the ultimate whisky and cigar combination at the World Whisky and Cigar Challenge.

Having just changed the design livery, the new packaging is luxurious and proud. The superb design, added to the great Scotch inside, would make a fantastic gift this Father’s day.

Hope my daughter's listening ....

WINNING BLEND IS NO TEA PARTY

In a whisky industry first, top tea and coffee tasters Tim Clifton, Michael Bunston and Angus Kerr have put their palates to the test to select The Balvenie’s latest Vintage single malt. The whisky, distilled in 1972, will retail for £300 and just 744 bottles are available. Its maker, family-owned William Grant & Sons, is confident the whisky will attract interest from collectors and follow in the award winning footsteps of last year’s 1971 Vintage which received a gold medal at the International Wine & Spirit Competition.

To uphold the award-winning reputation of The Balvenie Vintage Cask, Malt Master, David Stewart, sought expert help from highly regarded selectors and blenders, but not from the Scotch whisky industry. Instead, the Malt Master has enlisted representatives from the tea and coffee industries to put their extensive nosing and tasting experience to an alternative use.

Michael Bunston and Tim Clifton, Chairman and Vice-Chairman, respectively, of the International Tea Committee and Angus Kerr, Chairman of the UK Coffee Trade Federation, swapped tea leaves and coffee beans for malt whisky casks to grind through the tough single malt tasting session held at The Balvenie Distillery in Dufftown. Tea and coffee blenders are renowned for their vigorous selection processes, so they were well prepared for the job.

Commenting on his honorary role, Tim Clifton said: “More than two centuries ago, both tea and Scotch, with their colonial reputations, were regarded as evil drinks. I hope that The Balvenie’s loyal drinkers agree that the two industries, together with our coffee-loving friends, have combined to produce a truly wicked drink in this 1972 vintage.”

In January, five casks, which were filled in late November 1972, were chosen. They yielded 744 bottles, with the ABV reduced to 47.3% prior to bottling, and are non-chill filtered. The Balvenie Vintage Cask 1972 RRP is £300 for a 70cl bottle, complete with oak presentation box, and is available from June 2006.

According to David Stewart “Our three guest tasters provided very apt descriptions on the nose and taste of each cask we examined, so agreeing on the final selections wasn’t too difficult. It just shows that although we are assessing very different drinks on a daily basis, we have great deal in common."

He added: “The trademark honeyed characteristics of the whisky are very prevalent, combined with a gentle nutty nose and creamy butterscotch flavour with a hint of spice. The finish is long, lingering and sweet, just what you’d expect from one of our vintage casks.”

The Balvenie Distillery, which is owned by independent family-owned distillers William Grant & Sons Ltd, is hoping the tea and coffee experts prove as successful as last year’s excisemen in selecting a winning dram. Their taste buds earned the Distillery a Best in Class Gold Medal at the 2005 International Wine & Spirit Competition for The Balvenie Vintage Cask 1971.

The Balvenie range of single malt Scotch whiskies includes The Balvenie DoubleWood^® 12 Year Old, The Balvenie PortWood^® 1991, The Balvenie Single Barrel^® 15 Year Old, The Balvenie PortWood 21 Year Old, which was voted the world’s best single malt aged 12 years or older at the 2004 International Wines & Spirit Competition, and The Balvenie Thirty – a gold medal winner at the same competition in 2005.

Tasting Notes: Rich and golden in colour, The Balvenie Vintage Cask 1972 is beautifully rich with citrus fruitiness. Gentle nuttiness and spicy wood notes, silky smooth on the palate, it has creamy butterscotch flavours mingled with honeyed orange and delicate spiciness and a beautiful lingering sweet finish.

www.williamgrant.com

The Mayor of Islay - Feis Ile 2006

Bruichladdich Distillery’s open day, Sunday 28^th May, will once again be an action packed day for islanders, whisky enthusiasts and visitors from as far away as Peru.

The day will be opened by the inaugural appearance of The Bruichladdich Dram-
busters acrobatic aerial display team and the Royal Navy bomb disposal team.

Chairman Sir John Mactaggart will officially open the private company’s new £350,000 bottling line required to meet increased sales growth

The high tech Italian-made machinery, part financed by AIE, is capable of bottling, labelling and packing 2000 bottles an hour. The original 2003 line has been retained.

Bruichladdich is the only whisky bottled on Islay. It benefits from the island’s legendary spring water that exploits a fissure in 1800 million year old Rhinns Gneiss.

Guest of honour will be Miguel Roman Valdivia, the Mayor of Islay. Not Argyll and Bute, but from the Pacific Coast of Peru - 7300 miles away.

Scot Professor Ian Dalziel of the University of Texas had already established a shared origin between the exotic rocks of Islay’s Rhinns peninsular and the Pacific Coast of Peru dating back 750 million years.

“Everyone thought it an April fool,” says Production Director Jim McEwan, pictured. “It seemed way too far-fetched: the same geological origin as Peru? And it’s called Islay? And they distil alcohol? Give me a break!”

“The Islay Peruvians were as astounded as I was. It feels rather like pulling a rabbit out of a bag, but the Mayor of Islay is as interested to learn about us as we are about him. He has after all travelled for 24 hours just to be here”

The Islay Community Council is exploring the possibility of formalising an association that will benefit the children of both Islays.

Both communities share surprising similarities. As well as their ocean locations, both economies are based on fishing, farming, distilling and tourism. Equally they are ignored by central government and hampered by poor transport infrastructure.

A special “valinch” bottling has been created to celebrate the Mayor of Islay’s visit, which will be available on the day to distillery visitors only.

BLACK BOTTLE BOOGIE

Black Bottle, named “Best Standard Blended Scotch Whisky” in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible for 2005 and 2006 and described as “a blend that has to be tasted to be believed”, has received new-look packaging.

Since its creation in 1879, the brand presentation has been refined many times, sometimes with subtlety and on occasion substantially. Now Black Bottle has a new livery.

The new front label has been slimmed down. The Gordon Graham crest and signature have been redesigned. The label also features detailed tasting notes, providing more in-depth information about the whisky itself.

Commenting on the new packaging, Fraser Thornton, Marketing Director for Burn Stewart Distillers said: "The new look has been created based on substantial market research and is designed to reflect both the contemporary and hand crafted aspects of the brand. It represents the first step of a significant marketing investment."

Black Bottle uses only the finest grain and malt whiskies, including all of the single malts from Islay. It retails at £12.49.

GLENCAIRN AWARD

The Scottish company which introduced to the world a glass specially designed for whisky – the one given to Glasgow’s Whisky Club members as part of their welcoming pack – is to receive a Queen's Award for Enterprise, regarded as Britain's most coveted commercial award.

East Kilbride-based Glencairn Crystal has won the Award for Innovation, recognising the design and successful marketing of the Glencairn Glass, which is now used by all Scottish and Irish distilleries and many more worldwide.

The Glencairn Glass has a unique and stylish design, tapered for better 'nosing'. Crafted to be comfortable in the hand, the glass is designed to enhance the whisky drinking experience when being enjoyed neat or with water.

The family business, which employs 20 people, launched the glass four years ago, following collaboration between Glencairn Crystal and Scotland's Master Distillers, and the company now supplies more than one million units a year to a global market.

Managing Director Paul Davidson said: “There are specialist glass designs for champagne and brandy, but there had never been one for whisky.

“In a relatively short space of time, the glass has become established world-wide as the definitive whisky glass, by the industry and increasingly by consumers, and we are now looking at expanding further through a network of agents.”

LORD OF THE SMILES

There are some tastings that afterwards you think: Mmm, that was a good night. And there are some tastings that afterwards you think: Man that was a GREAT night!

Ardbeg Distillery manager Stuart Thomson provided one of the best tastings we’ve had - helped along by some of the finest drams we’ve experienced. There are some who can’t take the smoky Islay offerings, and there are others who consider their lives would be incomplete without a regular dram from that island’s great distilleries. I think club members who count themselves among the former would have been pleasantly surprised last night.

Stuart’s involvement came about because our advertised guide, Glenmorangie’s Master Distiller Bill Lumsden, had to call off at short notice. He sent along the Glenmorangie Artisan Cask to showcase the distillery’s wood management policy. The Artisan was matured in Ozark Mountain oak and designed to capture the young, female, market. It was a soft, fruity and floral dram and enjoyed last night by women and men.

Next up came the Ardbeg selection: the 10 year old, the Uigeadail, and the breathtaking 25-year-old Lord of the Isles – a dram of such beauty that even the £135 retail price tag didn’t appear to be outrageous! (Try telling that to the spouses though).

Stuart proved an immensely likable guide, taking us from his second day at Glenmorangie and confronted by a jet of 39-year-old malt, which had sprung from its cask and was arcing its way over neighbouring casks. Old Tommy showed remarkable presence of mind by stooping, mouth open, to capture the stream before it could go to waste.

He talked movingly of seeing the wreck of Ardbeg for the first time after Glenmorangie saved it from total closure and how he persuaded his wife Jackie that there was, actually, little needed to restore it to its former glory.

And if you ever get the chance to have a natter with him, ask Stuart about the time his two-year-old son Harry noticed there was no Ardbeg on the gantry of a VERY posh country house.

It'll be a long, long time, before the Thomson family can show their faces there again!

CLEAN SWEEP FOR THE SMOKY DRAM

Last year, Laphroaig cask strength was voted 'The Best Single Malt in the World'. No you might think that would be a tough act to follow, but at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition the distillery went one better … and then some.

The San Fran contest is considered by many to be the toughest and most prestigious of awards. The panel of judges ‘blind’ taste all the whiskies so that there is no bias.

Distillery manager John Campbell said: “We entered all our 5 main expressions: 30 year, 15 year, 10 year Cask Strength, 10 year and, of course, Quarter Cask. To give it away a little, there is a special award above the usual Bronze, Silver and Gold, known as Double Gold. This is reserved for when a whisky not only wins gold in its class, but also is voted first by the whole panel of experts.

Now the results:
30 Year old - Double Gold and winner of the of 'The Best Single Malt in the whole show'!
15 Year old - Double Gold!
10 Year old - Cask Strength - Double Gold!
10 Year old - Double Gold!
Quarter Cask - Double Gold!
And to cap it all Laphroaig was voted "Distiller of the Year" - one of the highest honours that can be bestowed.

$20,000 DRAM

The world's oldest single malt whisky has been sold at auction for more than £11,000. A 750ml bottle of Glenfiddich, distilled nearly 70 years ago in 1937, fetched $20,000, during the sale in New York. It was bottled in 2001 after the distiller found it had the requisite amount of alcohol - 40% abv - needed for a single malt and had an "extraordinary" taste.

Glenfiddich said it was very unusual for a malt to retain enough alcohol for so long. The tasting notes describe it as being full of complex and subtle flavours, including a "wonderful toffee caramel and cinnamon nose, chocolate and treacle flavours and unique rich walnut colour."

One of a batch of 62 bottles, the rest of which were distributed around the world, the auctioned bottle was bought by New Jersey-based collector Dan Weiss at New York's Grand Central Station and was timed to coincide with the city's Tartan Week celebrations.

Glenfiddich said the proceeds would be donated to New York charity "City Harvest", which provides food and shelter for homeless people.

Glenfiddich director Peter Gordon, who is the great-great-grandson of distillery founder William Grant, said: "As this is the oldest single malt in the world I was delighted to see it safely in the hands of its new owner. It was a real responsibility to bring it from Scotland although we had it well packaged just in case of any mishaps.

“I am very fortunate to have been able to taste a tiny sample of the Glenfiddich 1937 before it was bottled and can report that it has a wonderful toffee caramel and cinnamon nose, chocolate and treacle flavours and unique rich walnut colour. It really is an extraordinary Scotch whisky, full of complexity and subtlety.

“Although, whether or not its new owner will ever discover this I'm not sure. Having paid $20,000 for it I imagine it will take a very special occasion for this single malt to be cracked open - but I'd love to be there if it is."

Mr Weiss, who has more than 250 bottles of single malt in his collection described the Glenfiddich 1937 as his "crown jewels" and confirmed that it would have to be a "heck of a special occasion" before his new purchase was opened and drunk.