WHISKY INDUSTRY LEGEND DR JIM SWAN PASSES AWAY

Leading whisky industry consultant Dr Jim Swan, who influenced and played a major part in the success of a number of distilleries in the UK and around the world has died.

Most recently Jim, who sadly passed away yesterday at his Edinburgh home, was part of the team heading up the construction of the new multi-million-pound Lindores Abbey Distillery in Fife. He was also one of the leading consultants for the Cotswolds Distillery.

Dr Jim Swan 1941 - 2017

In addition to working with a number of other distilleries in the UK, including Annandale, the Glasgow Distillery and Penderyn, Jim also worked on a number of different projects around the world, for whisky brands including Kavalan in Taiwan and Milk and Honey in Israel.

Jim held a degree in Chemistry and a Ph.D. in Chemistry and Biological Studies from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. He also accumulated deep, detailed knowledge about topics ranging from oak wood products, cask management, flavour composition, distillation and blending.

Jim spent 10 years as operations director of Blending, Bottling and Maturation Studies at Pentlands Scotch Whisky Research in Edinburgh (predecessor of the Scotch Whisky Research Institute) and in the 1990’s he became owner and partner at beer, wines and spirits consultant RR Tatlock and Thomson.

Jim was a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and was awarded Fellowship of the Institute of Brewing and Distilling and more recently a special award from The Malt Advocate magazine for services to the barrel industry.

Posted by Steve Rush

R&B DISTILLERS ANNOUNCE THE LAUNCH OF SECOND RAASAY RELEASE

R&B Distillers, have announced the launch of the second release of their lightly peated single malt whisky; Raasay While We Wait.

Raasay While We Wait – Second Release (46% ABV) has been produced using whisky that has been peated to the level of 15ppm and has been finished in Tuscan red wine casks for 18 months.

Raasay While You Wait - Second Release

The first release which launched in 2015, was matured for just 8 weeks in Tuscan red wine casks, and was created by combining heavily peated single malt with an unpeated single malt from one Highland distillery. This created a lightly peated single malt whisky reflecting the high minerality of Raasay water, which filters naturally through the volcanic rock of Dùn Caan.

R&B Distillers, are in the process of building the first legal distillery on the remote Isle of Raasay, off the east coast of Skye, and will be strengthen their Italian connection by using pot stills sourced from Tuscany.

In 1974, Raasay resident Calum Macleod completed a mammoth ten-year endeavour: to build a hand-constructed road across Raasay, from Brochel Castle to Arnish. R&B’s latest batch plays homage this immense and patient feat.

Commenting on the launch, Chris Hoban, Brand ambassador at R&B Distillers, said: "The second release of Raasay While We Wait has quite a bit of the smoke and earthy notes from the first release but these have been enriched with fruity, juicy, full bodied red wine notes. Where the wine notes were more prominent on the nose in the first release, with just small amounts on the palate, the second release is enveloped with plum and raisin notes, mixed in with burning peat and dark chocolate."

Limited to just 1,974 bottles, Raasay While We Wait – Second Release, will be available later this month from specialist retailers, for a RRP of £56.95.

Posted by Steve Rush

THE LAKES DISTILLERY ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET

The Lakes Distillery in Cumbria, has announced a new partnership with the world renowned, English National Ballet in London.

The new partnership, will see The Lakes Distillery join a host of internationally known brands in supporting the ballet. It will also have a substantial corporate presence at the English National Ballet’s Annual Spring Gala, on Monday the 6th of March.

The Lakes Distillery announces new partnership with the English National Ballet

The Lakes Distillery will be offering guests at the gala a chance to bid for a money can’t buy prize, at the gala’s live and silent auctions. It will also be providing guests with a complimentary The Lakes Distillery welcome pack upon arrival.

The annual spring gala, which is being held at the exclusive Dorchester Hotel on Park Lane, aims to give more people access to ballet and will include, a fabulous Laurent Perrier champagne reception, as well as exclusive ballet performances from the English National Ballet.

Commenting on the news, Maria Duddin, Events, Business Development & PR Manager of The Lakes Distillery, said: “We are delighted to work with The English National Ballet, the annual gala is a fitting event to launch our partnership. We look forward to further developing our creative campaigns with our newly appointed team in London. Supporting the English National Ballet with our multi award winning Spirits in their hugely popular studio masterclasses will be our next endeavours together in the Spring and throughout the year."

The Lakes Distillery, which announced the appointment of Dhavall Gandhi as its new Master Blender in December, produces a range of award winning spirits including The ONE - the first British blended whisky, The Lakes Gin and The Lakes Vodka.

Posted by Steve Rush