Presenting the Glen Grant 50 Year Old. The Time has Come.

LONDON, 18 March,- This year Glen Grant is releasing an exceptionally rare edition, the Glen Grant 50 Year Old – a fitting tribute to the innovation and whisky craftsmanship woven into the legend of Glen Grant.

On 28 October 1963 a rather special cask was hand filled by a young man who, at the time, was unaware that this liquid gold would ultimately shape his destiny. It would slowly mature for 50 years until 25 November 2013, when it reached its zenith – a robust, full-bodied and perfectly balanced single malt of distinction.

That young man, Dennis Malcolm, became the Master Distiller of one of Scotland’s finest distilleries, Glen Grant. The cask he watched over for half a century, containing a true masterpiece, is now ready to be presented to the world – once again proving that Glen Grant excels at making single malt – from barley to bottle.

Dennis Malcolm comments, “Only time measures our pursuit of perfection. Maturation cannot be rushed. Like people, casks mature at their own pace. I have protected and cared for this barrel for 50 years, letting it breathe and patiently waiting for the magic and interaction of whisky and wood.”

Only 150 bottles of this exclusive timeless collector’s item will be released globally. Each piece is unique and handcrafted in every sense – presented in a hand-blown crystal glass decanter, masterfully created and individually refined by the skilled craftsmen at Glencairn Crystal, the last family-owned crystal glass company in Scotland. Each decanter is hand engraved, hand numbered and finished with the number 50 in 18-carat gold lettering. The design of the decanter is an exact replica of Glen Grant’s tall, slender pot stills – a creation of Glen Grant’s legendary innovator, James ‘The Major’ Grant.

It is housed in a copper-lined Scottish oak box – made from new oak, worked by a skillful cabinetmaker with a practiced carpenter’s hand and an astute eye for detail.

Each Glen Grant 50 Year Old comes with a certificate of authenticity, signed by Dennis Malcolm and every craftsman involved.

In an age beset by instant gratification, that which has been expertly crafted by hand – with skills honed and passed down through the ages – is a true rarity.

The Glen Grant 50 Year Old is the apotheosis of master craftsmanship: a wide array of age-old skills creating a collective masterpiece that is unquantifiable. It is both aged and timeless. But now, the time has come.

The Glen Grant 50 Year Old will be launched in Asia’s Travel Retail Market. It will be available in Hong Kong from Friday 21 March and shortly following in Singapore, Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing and Taipei. As of June 2014, it will be launched internationally in other duty free and domestic markets.
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Diageo Defends Honor and Quality of Early Times Whiskey

TULLAHOMA, Tenn., March 17, 2014  -- Claiming the integrity of Tennessee whiskey is "under attack" Brown-Forman's Jack Daniels asserts the only way for Tennessee whiskey to be a "premium product representing a world-class standard and utmost quality" is for it to be aged in new oak barrels.  Interestingly, according to the website of Brown-Forman owned Early Times whiskey (www.earlytimes.com/heritage/whisky.aspx), the brand is aged and barreled in "used oak barrels".  Therefore, by their logic, Brown-Forman has deemed its own product inferior.

Despite being a competitor to Early Times, Diageo has rushed to Early Times' defense.  George Dickel Master Distiller John Lunn provided perspective on the issue.  "At George Dickel we use new oak barrels, but that is because we choose to make whiskey that way.  We don't think there should be a law that says this is how we, or anyone else, have to make whiskey," explained Lunn.

Diageo firmly believes a single company should not be able to unilaterally determine the definition of an entire category.  At its base, it is anti-competitive and protectionist.  Diageo supports a return to the flexibility that Tennessee whiskey distillers have had for the past 125 years, up until last year when Brown-Forman convinced the Tennessee legislature to define Tennessee whiskey as the Jack Daniel's recipe. 

Guy L. Smith, IV, Executive Vice President, Diageo North America, and a former resident of Tennessee said, "Brown-Forman's sleight of hand legislation they managed to get passed last year, which many refer to as simply 'The Jack Daniels recipe law', creates an anti-competitive situation that will stifle innovation from skilled Tennessean distillers, both large and small."

Brown-Forman's assertion that rejuvenated barrels produce a lower quality product is false and the billions of dollars that consumers spend across the world on scotch and other whiskeys that are commonly aged in rejuvenated barrels is a testament to that.  The process of rejuvenating barrels is a technical and sophisticated practice and years of wood industry science have shown the maturation of whiskey in rejuvenated barrels produces the highest quality liquid. 

Continued Smith, "We feel that allowing distillers flexibility within a general set of guidelines helps create a thriving and competitive Tennessee whiskey industry.  And that is in the best interest of all distillers, large and small, as well as the state ofTennessee."
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Temperance - Black Swamp American Blended Whiskey

   
Temperance - Black Swamp American Blended Whiskey -- 40% ABV, 750 ml.

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Lyon Full Moon Shine Corn Whiskey

Lyon Full Moon Shine Corn Whiskey -- 50% ABV, 750 ml.

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Griffin Claw - Indiana Bourbon Whisky, Indiana Rye Whisky

Griffin Claw - Indiana Bourbon Whisky (50% ABV, 750 ml, Indiana Rye Whisky (40% ABV, 750 ml).

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Jameson Reveals Limited Edition St. Patrick’s Day Bottle

“In addition to its smooth, balanced taste, one of the things that whiskey fans around the world tell us they love about Jameson is its intrinsic Irish character. Jameson embodies the down-to-earth character of Dubliners so with this new limited edition, we wanted to bring that to life and celebrate the great city which inspired John Jameson to make his now iconic whiskey for the first time over 230 years ago. The new bottle design has been very well-received by our customers around the world resulting in more markets than ever selling this year’s edition, so we’re hopeful that Irish whiskey fans around the world will love it too and make it a part of their special St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, wherever they may be.” — Daniel Lundberg, Global Brand Director for Jameson

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Jack Daniel Distillery Announces Limited Test Launch of “Tennessee Fire”

LYNCHBURG, TN-The Jack Daniel Distillery announced today it will test a new red hot cinnamon spirit called “Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire,” beginning in April. Crafted with Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 whiskey and naturally infused with a proprietary red hot cinnamon liqueur for a smooth and delicious taste, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire will be available in three states – Oregon, Pennsylvania and the distillery’s home state of Tennessee.

Based upon the tremendous success of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey and the explosive popularity of the flavored whiskey category, distillery officials said they wanted to offer existing and new friends another Jack Daniel’s flavor option.

“The flavored whiskey category continues to grow and we think the time is right to offer our Jack Daniel’s Old No. 7 whiskey with the heat and spice of our own red hot cinnamon liqueur,” said John Hayes, Senior Vice President, Managing Director of Jack Daniel’s. “We’re always listening to our friends and look forward to this test launch to let them try it, make sure it meets their expectations and then we’ll go from there. But we think they’re really going to like it.”

Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire will be available at 70 proof and priced in line with Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey. Company officials did not give a timeframe for how long the limited market test of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire will take place.

Follow @JackFire for more information.
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Flat Rock StillWrights Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Flat Rock StillWrights Straight Bourbon Whiskey -- 45% ABV, 750 ml.

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Wiggly Bridge White Whisky

Wiggly Bridge White Whisky -- 40% ABV, 750 ml.

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Soundscapers Drumming & Didgeridoo Soundbath

It’s not often that I write about enlightened experiences that don’t involve a great beverage as well, but after spending an evening with Josh Fonseca of Soundscape Drumming I couldn’t resist sharing my experience.

Josh led our group in a really fun drum circle, and while I did play drums in high school, this was way better.  To lose yourself in the drumming and group dynamic was not only a musical experience but a spiritual one as well.  Josh had a lot of great insight about how the vibrations of the drums and the experience of a drum circle can have a profound effect on your psyche and I’ll admit he’s right.

First off it was simply fun watching how the rhythms of our group morphed and changed as the circle progressed, but more importantly, for that hour in time, I thought about nothing but playing the drums.  No work stress, no to-do lists…just pure rhythmical fun.

As if that were not enough fun, Josh performed a sound bath for our group.  This meditative process involves chimes, a singing bowl, a drum and a Didgeridoo.  If you’re not familiar with this instrument, check out the video below.  The Didgeridoo has an amazing tone and vibration and the feeling you get as Josh passes the Didgeridoo around you literally leaves you bathed in sound.

In the end, the invigorating drum circle and amazing sound bath are a combination that is difficult to describe.  I was amazed at how much I enjoyed the drum circle and sound bath and I’d recommend you try it out for yourself.

Josh and Soundscapers Drumming are based in Rhode Island and they do a number of events, performances and even children’s programs.  You can check out their Facebook page here, their YouTube video here and more about Josh here..

I personally want to thank Josh for opening my eyes to this great experience and sharing his talent and knowledge with our group.

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Mortlach™ Whisky’s New Bottles Revealed

Following last year’s announcement of the rebirth of Mortlach™, one of the most formidable and revered Single Malt Scotch Whiskies to have been created on Speyside, images have now been released that reveal the highly distinctive engineered style of the stunning new Mortlach bottles, along with more distribution and pricing details.

In 1823 Mortlach was the first distillery to be built at Dufftown, now one of the epicentres of Speyside whisky distilling. Its most eminent owners were the entrepreneurial Scottish civil engineer George Cowie, and his gifted and equally ambitious son Dr Alexander Cowie.

In tribute to these distinguished pioneers, the design style of the new packaging is rooted in an engineered world, reminiscent of beautiful man-made structures, whilst also elegant, luxurious and contemporary.

The engineering cues incorporated in the bottle design are most visible in the unique faceted base of the Rare Old & Special Strength bottles, whilst the metal structures of the 18 and 25 year-old bottles protect, enhance and display the fine single malts they contain. The design of the metal structures has been inspired by some of the great engineering feats of the Victorian period, especially the cantilever bridge design made famous on Scotland’s very own Forth Road Bridge.

Georgie Bell, global brand ambassador for Mortlach, said: “Mortlach whiskies are a celebration of those audacious thinkers who shape and make today’s world, just as their forefathers did in the era in which Mortlach was born. These spectacular bottles help tell that story.”

Limited supply

Four new Mortlach variants are designed for global travellers and for connoisseur Scotch whisky drinkers. Due to the very limited supplies of this unique liquid, these new expressions of Mortlach will be sold in 50cl bottles, except for the USA where for legal reasons 750 ml bottles will be used.

In the early years, the distribution of these rare and prestigious whiskies will focus on carefully selected cities. They will first be available in London and Berlin in June, and in a small number of global travel retail channels. They will then roll out  -  again in very restricted volumes  -  to the cosmopolitan cities of Asia-Pacific in August (for example Taipei, Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Singapore) and at the same time to New York, Chicago and San Francisco in the United States.

Distillery expansion

Meanwhile, to build more stocks of Mortlach for the years ahead, plans are progressing for the expansion of Mortlach distillery with all the strong purpose, ingenuity and attention to detail of the Cowies, doubling the distillery’s capacity.

The expansion will include the building of a new stillhouse. This will replicate the bewilderingly complex process with which Alexander paved the way  -    a unique distillation system (which commentators have attempted to explain as ‘2.81 Distilled’)  precisely calculated to create this celebrated, highly complex and richly flavoured whisky.  Mortlach has been described by whisky connoisseurs as “The Beast of Dufftown” for its rich and powerful flavours.

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The Singleton Of Dufftown Single Malt Scotch Whisky Launches Two New Variants, “Tailfire” And “Sunray” In 2014

The Singleton of Dufftown Single Malt Scotch Whisky is adding two new, vibrant and exciting variants to its existing range, Diageo has announced.

Whilst keeping the smooth, rich nature of The Singleton of Dufftown, both “TAILFIRE” and “SUNRAY” have been created using specially selected casks to enhance particular elements of the flavour profile of this classic Speyside malt whisky. We want to inspire a new generation of whisky drinkers by putting flavour at the heart of everything we do and continuing our quest to create amazing tasting whiskies.

TAILFIRE has a vibrant and enticing character, which comes from maturation in a higher proportion of European oak casks specially selected to enhance the juicy red berry freshness and sweet aromas of vanilla and fresh cut grass. This variant will be launching in both grocery and whisky specialists in March 2014 across a number of markets in Western Europe (UK, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, and Germany in July 2014). The Recommended Retail Price of TAILFIRE in the UK market will be £33.

The smooth yet intense character of SUNRAY comes from maturation in a higher proportion of toasted Bourbon casks specially selected to deliver a honeyed, vanilla sweetness with aromas of blackcurrant and baked apple. SUNRAY will be launching exclusive to whisky specialists in March 2014 across a number of markets in Western Europe (UK, France, Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, Switzerland and Denmark). The Recommended Retail Price of SUNRAY in the UK market will be £36.

Colourful packaging indicative of the taste profile, and clear flavour descriptors have been chosen to facilitate the demystification of single malt whisky, a category with historically fewer younger consumers. We want to clearly communicate what flavours people can expect to enjoy.

TAILFIRE and SUNRAY have both been created by Diageo Master Blender, Dr Matthew Crow. Matthew comments, “I am immensely proud of these two single malts.

TAILFIRE and SUNRAY embody the future of whisky, and have been created to inspire a new generation of whisky drinkers. The Singleton is a much loved Speyside whisky, and has always put great taste and flavour at the heart of their single malts.”

The names TAILFIRE and SUNRAY are derived from the names of salmon flies, inspired by the world of our icon, the leaping salmon and fly fishing near our home on the River Spey. The names are colourful, vibrant and interesting whilst also being indicative of the flavour profile of each whisky. TAILFIRE and SUNRAY join The Singleton family alongside the 12, 15 and 18 year old expressions.

NOTES

Tasting Notes:

Tailfire

A vibrant evocation of Dufftown’s fruity character with notes of fresh red berries and sweet vanilla aromas. Best enjoyed with a dash of water.

Nose: instant sweetness, ripe red berry fruit – strawberries, stewed plums and raspberry jam, vibrant cut grass emerges with rounded maltiness, giving way to vanilla and toasted oak

Palate: notes of malt and green grass soften quickly with the richness of the fruit with a hint of spice amongst the sweet oak notes

Finish: sweet with slightly drying oak and a creamy hint of coconut

ABV: 40%

Sunray

A smooth and elegant example of Dufftown’s honeyed intensity, golden and rich on the palate with notes of blackcurrant and heather honey on the nose.

Nose: incredibly soft, starting deep with demerara sugar and baked apple heather honey rises with floral top notes, blackcurrant and bramble striking the balance with soft malt

Palate: sweet and rounded, soft spice builds amongst the fruit

Finish: sweet, with blackcurrants and vanilla

ABV: 40%

About The Singleton^TM of Dufftown

Distilled in the Dufftown distillery of Speyside, where fine single malts have been produced since 1896, exceptional care is taken at every stage of producing The Singleton^TM to create the best taste possible.  Longer fermentation and slower distillation ensures exceptional smoothness and depth of flavour that creates a whisky regarded by many as the single best tasting single malt whisky in the world.  The liquid is then matured in a combination of American and European oak casks to ensure extra flavour and perfect balance. The Singleton^TM word and the Fish and Gate device are Trade Marks owned by Diageo. @singletonwhisky

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