Monday, August 13, 2018

DIAGEO ANNOUNCES THE START OF HISTORICAL EXCAVATION PROJECT ON LAGAVULIN BAY

Diageo, has announced that one of Scotland’s earliest historical sites is to be explored for the very first time this month, with an excavation of Dunyvaig Castle on Islay.

Archaeologists from across the UK have converged on Lagavulin Bay to take part in the project, to uncover the history of the castle which was once a strong-hold of the Lords of the Isles, the chiefs of the Clan MacDonald.

Diageo announces the start of historical excavation project on Lagavulin Bay

The castle sits on a peninsula adjacent to Lagavulin Distillery, and the excavation is being undertaken by Scottish charity Islay Heritage following a donation as part of the Lagavulin 200th Legacy fund.

After a year of planning, the excavation which began yesterday, will assess the preservation and potential of underground structures and deposits and explore the surrounding landscape.

This is the first step in what will be a long-term project to establish what life was like when Dunyvaig Castle was an operational fortress in the middle ages, and the scene of battles between the MacDonalds and the Campbells, before being demolished in 1677.

The project will see a team of 40 spend three weeks on the island, led by some of the best field archaeologists in the UK and with experts including geophysicists, archaeological scientists and palaeo-environmentalists to reconstruct the medieval landscape.

Commenting on the news, Dr Nick Morgan, Diageo Head of Whisky Outreach, who led the Lagavulin 200 Legacy project, said: “Islay is famous as the world’s greatest whisky island, but it is also one of Scotland’s most important historical locations and we are thrilled that the Lagavulin Legacy project has been able to support Islay Heritage in its mission to raise the island’s archaeological profile for both the local community and visitors to the island."

He concluded by saying: “This excavation at Dunyvaig Castle is the culmination of hard work and commitment from Islay Heritage, Lagavulin Distillery and the wider community. We’re looking forward to seeing what interesting discoveries will be uncovered over the next few weeks.”

The Lagavulin Legacy project, raised a total of £588,395 for local community causes on Islay. As well as Islay Heritage, these included the RSPB, Islay Festival Association, Islay Arts, Finlaggan Trust, McTaggart Cyber CafĂ© and Islay & Jura Community Enterprises Limited for McTaggart Leisure Centre.

Posted by Steve Rush

Friday, August 10, 2018

WILLIAM GRANT & SONS UNVEILS NEW RECIPE AND DESIGN FOR ITS AILSA BAY SINGLE MALT

William Grant & Sons, has unveiled a new design and modified liquid for its peated Ailsa Bay single malt Scotch whisky.

Ailsa Bay (48.9% ABV) is said to be a refined version of the original bottling, with a similarly unique balance of smoke and sweet, which is expressed in a change of SPPM (the unique measure of Sweetness Parts Per Million) of 19 up from 11, and a change in PPPM (the measure of Phenol Parts Per Million in liquid form) to 22 up from 21.

William Grant & Sons unveil new recipe and design for its Ailsa Bay single malt

Ailsa Bay originally launched in 2016, as a single malt that brought whisky craft and innovation to a whole new level through scientific precision at its state-of-the-art distillery at Girvan, which opened in 2007.

As with the technology at the distillery, the liquid profile is constantly evolving, giving Ailsa Bay Distillery, Malt Master Brian Kinsman and the team the opportunity to use some of the older stock to develop the flavour profile of the whisky further.

Using this as the starting point, the team at Ailsa Bay have plans to develop this further in pursuit of new flavours. Stuart Watts, Distillery Manager at William Grant & Sons said “No other whisky is made with this much science. Using data points to adapt the flavour and applying modern engineering alongside our family’s traditional approach, is truly innovative”.

Commenting on the launch, Brian Kinsman, said: “The Ailsa Bay distillery continues to allow us to develop incredible whisky through its ability to create different styles under the one roof. This new expression has allowed us to evolve the flavour notes and push the balance in taste, without compromising on the quality of the liquid”.

The new Ailsa Bay bottling, will be available next month, from specialist retailers, for a RRP of £55.00.

Posted by Steve Rush

Thursday, August 09, 2018

WHYTE & MACKAY ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF NEW 'THE WOODSMAN' BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY

Whyte & Mackay, has today announced the launch of what it describes as a ‘new contemporary’ blended Scotch whisky.

The Woodsman (40% ABV) has been matured using a mix of new oak casks from Ohio, and ex-bourbon barrels, double-scorched in Scotland for an extra depth.
The Woodsman

This transatlantic partnership is said to make for an especially smooth whisky and gives 'The Woodsman' a truly unique flavour profile for a blended scotch; crafted with younger spirits drinkers in mind.

The tree-inspired bottle with debossed and embossed detail captures the spirit of the great outdoors and is said to give 'The Woodsman' a stylish look and exceptional back bar stand out.

Commenting on the launch, Steven Pearson, Global Marketing Director at Whyte & Mackay, said: “Whyte & Mackay is a company on a mission.  We are investing globally in our current portfolio and are committed to innovation, with several new product launches planned over the next 12 months.”

He went onto say: “The Woodsman is a real category disrupter and we’re thrilled to bring this exciting modern spirit to the market. Our research showed us there are younger consumers drinking across several categories but avoiding Scotch because they’re put off by traditional category cues.”

He concluded by saying: “We recognised this as an opportunity to tap into the continued growth in brown spirits drinkers and bring to market a blended scotch with a unique flavour profile and a rich and innovative production story.  The Woodsman will add value to the category while standing out as a differentiated offering against mainstream promoted blends.”

Last week, Whyte & Mackay re-launched its Highland single malt whisky brand Fettercairn, with four new expressions. It also recently completely overhauled its Jura single malt brand and re-launched its Tamnavulin range.

The Woodsman, will be available later this month from specialist retailers, for a RRP of £28.00

Posted by Steve Rush