SMWS LAUNCHES 35TH ANNIVERSARY SINGLE CASK BOTTLINGS

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, has announced the launch of a special batch of single cask bottlings, as part of its 35th Anniversary celebrations.

The 21 bottles, which are comprised of whiskies aged from between 8 and 29 years of age, were personally selected by leading whisky writer and expert Charles MacLean.

Whisky Writer and Expert: Charles Maclean

This latest batch of single cask bottlings, will go on sale exclusively to the Society’s members around the world from July. Eight of the bottles will be available to members in the UK, including a 16 Year Old from the Old & Dignified flavour category called ‘Red carpet welcome’, which is described as “full-bodied and oily; sweeter and more complex than expected, with dark toffee, pecan nuts and a trace of sea salt in the long, spicy finish”.

Charles MacLean, has been a long-time supporter of the Society; he joined the whisky club at its outset in the early 1980s, and became a chair of its renowned Tasting Panel in 1992. In 2016, he curated a selection of 30 rare discontinued whiskies from auction and his own collection for the Society’s Kaleidoscope bar in Edinburgh.

The process of nosing, sampling and selecting his favourite whiskies with The Tasting Panel took place over the course of a day at The Vaults, the Society’s private members’ rooms in Leith.

Commenting on the news, Charles MacLean, said: “It was a most enjoyable day and a fitting way to help the Society celebrate its remarkable 35th anniversary. In keeping with the way the Society has always sought to unearth whisky casks that are hidden gems, I was looking for samples of distinction. We came across many samples that were okay, but not yet ready for bottling. We were hunting for whiskies that were unusually good examples of the distillery character."

As with all Society bottlings, each of the latest single cask releases is a limited-edition, having been bottled from single casks of whisky. This latest batch will also feature tasting notes written by Charles MacLean.

Established in Edinburgh in 1983, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society now has more than 26,000 members. Since launching it has bottled whiskies from 135 different distilleries.

Posted by Steve Rush

TEELING CELEBRATES COMING OF AGE AND PREPARES TO LAUNCH ITS FIRST DISTILLED BOTTLING

The Teeling Whiskey Company, is celebrating its coming of age this week, as the Dublin based distillery marks its third anniversary.

Launched in June 2015, The Teeling Whiskey Distillery, was the first new distillery in Liberties area of Dublin for over 125 years.

Teeling celebrates coming of age and prepares to launch its first distilled bottling

In the last three years, visitor numbers have surpassed expectations, exceeding 300,000, and have generated a revenue figure of close to €9 million.

In addition to the surge in visitor numbers, the Teeling Whiskey Distillery has claimed several prestigious accolades as part of its journey. Over the last three years it has been honoured with the title of the “Whiskey Visitor Attraction of the Year’ at the Icons of Whiskey Awards. It has also been nominated for Europe's Leading Distillery Tour, at the World Travel Awards which are to be announced on 30th June 2018.

To help celebrate its third birthday, a unique schedule of ‘Dublin Rising’ events will be hosted in the distillery to celebrate the Spirit of Dublin. This will include a pop-up exhibition celebrating some of the local collaborations Teeling have been involved in over the last few years.

As the Teeling Distillery celebrates its third birthday, the historic and eagerly anticipated release of its first Dublin distilled whiskey is imminent. This will be the first Dublin born Irish whiskey to be released for over 40 years.

Commenting on the news, Jack Teeling, Founder and Managing Director of Teeling Whiskey, said: “The Teeling Distillery visitor centre provides a unique and unrivalled experience for visitors to Dublin and its success since opening in 2015 is something we are very proud of. The consistent positive feedback and reaction we receive from visitors justifies all the hard work we have put in.”

He went onto say: “We are now at a very exciting and significant stage of our journey with the first whiskey from our new distillery just about to come of age – the first Dublin whiskey distilled in the capital for over 40 years.”

The first cask of Single Pot Still from the Teeling Whiskey Distillery, will be released as a celebratory release of just 250 bottles in August. This will be followed with the first commercial release of the new Teeling Single Pot Still in October.

Posted by Steve Rush

ROYAL SALUTE LAUNCHES ITS LATEST FLASK COLLECTION BOTTLING

Chivas Brothers, has today announced the launch of the latest expression in its Royal Salute annual Flask Collection.

Royal Salute 28 Year Old Kew Palace Edition (40% ABV) which pays homage to London’s iconic Kew Palace and its iconic Kitchen Garden, is a collaboration between Royal Salute’s Director of Blending Sandy Hyslop and esteemed perfumer Barnabé Fillion.

Royal Salute 28 Year Old Kew Palace Edition

This latest release, which follows on from last year’s Royal Salute 30 Year Old Flask Edition, is said to balance the brands signature style with super rich fruits, scented flora like violet and aromatic leaves from the Kitchen Garden, resulting in the ultimate sensory experience that pushes the boundaries of modern blending.

The collaboration saw Sandy Hyslop lay the foundations of the new blend before uniting with Barnabé Fillion, to create a bespoke whisky top dressing that embodied the iconic Kitchen Garden of Kew Palace. The two worked together, nosing countless whiskies in Hyslop’s blending room in Scotland, to capture their interpretation of the lush flora of the Kitchen Garden, while staying true to Royal Salute’s signature style.

Commenting on the launch, Mathieu Deslandes, Royal Salute’s Marketing Director, said: “We are thrilled to unveil this exceptional 28 Year Old whisky, made even more special by the coming together of two industry experts. Sandy Hyslop is the absolute pinnacle when it comes to blending so to be able to further enhance his latest creation with some magic from long-time friend of the brand and famed perfumer, Barnabe Fillion, is really special – and the result, the whisky, speaks for itself.”

He went onto say: “We’re proud to continue supporting our charity partner, Historic Royal Palaces, with a limited edition inspired by Kew Palace. The charity does amazing work preserving and protecting historic royal buildings to keep their story alive for generations to come, and as a brand steeped in royal heritage, Royal Salute is thrilled to play its part honouring a true British icon in this unique and special way.”

Royal Salute 28 Year Old Kew Palace Edition, will be available later this month from specialist retailers, for a RRP of $790.00.

Posted by Steve Rush