TWE UNVEILS LIMTED-EDITION 25 YEAR OLD ARDBEG BOTTLING FOR ITS OLD AND RARE WHISKY SHOW

The Whisky Exchange (TWE), has announced details of its exclusive show bottling, for this years Old & Rare Whisky Show.

The Single Malts of Scotland Director's Special Ardbeg 25 Year Old (55.5% ABV) is a single cask bottling, which is limited to just 175 bottles.

The Single Malts of Scotland Director's Special Ardbeg 25 Year Old

All the whiskies in The Single Malts of Scotland Director's Special series, are selected by TWE Director, Sukhinder Singh. Each bottling is aged to perfection, celebrating both the classic characteristics of the distillery and the subtle changes created by time in oak.

The Single Malts of Scotland Director's Special Ardbeg 25 Year Old, is said to deliver notes of pipe tobacco, apricots, pears, tarred rope, dusky wicker chairs, beach bonfire on the nose, followed by notes of burning oakwood chips, grilled vegetables, salt, cracked black pepper, liquorice and rich tannins on the palate.

The limited-edition whisky, will be available at this years Old & Rare Whisky Show, being held in Glasgow between the February 23rd and 24th. RRP £499.00.

Posted by Steve Rush

JAMESON LAUNCHES THE SECOND BATCH OF ITS 18 YEAR OLD CASK STRENGTH BOTTLING

Irish Distillers, has announced the launch of the second batch of its Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Old Cask Strength bottling.

Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Old Cask Strength – Batch 2 (55.1% ABV) was produced using a blend of pot still and grain whiskeys, which were matured for 18 years in a combination of bourbon and sherry casks, before being married together in first fill ex-bourbon casks. The barrels were then left to mature for a further 12 months, in the Maturation House at the Jameson Distillery Bow Street.

Jameson Bow St 18 Years Old Cask Strength - Batch 2

This latest launch, follows on from the first Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Old Cask Strength bottling, which launched last summer. It was are interpretation of the revered Jameson 18 Year Old, and celebrated Jameson’s Dublin heritage by returning part of the production process to the brand’s original home in Smithfield for the first time since 1975.

Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Old Cask Strength – Batch 2, comes presented in a premium bottle design, which is said by the brand to truly reflect the quality and rarity of the liquid within. The bottle features 18 facets, one for each year of maturation, and the wooden presentation box celebrates the traditional pot stills used during the production process.

Commenting on the launch, Billy Leighton, Master Blender at Midleton Distillery, said: “I’ve long had the unique luxury of being able to taste Jameson straight from the barrel at cask strength. With Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Cask Strength, I’m thrilled that Irish whiskey fans around the world can experience the full intensity of our whiskey or add a few drops of water to enjoy it at their own preferred strength.”

He went onto say: “As a tribute to the Jameson distilling legacy in Smithfield, we’ve introduced some methods that would have been employed in days past. The final maturation period in Bow Street is our nod to the traditional “marrying” method. We’ve put our own Jameson stamp on it by using first-fill bourbon barrels, whereas the traditional approach would be to use casks multiple times. I like to think of the whiskey getting engaged in Midleton and then “married” in Dublin!”

Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Old Cask Strength – Batch 2, will be available in August, from specialist retailers, for a RRP of €240.00.

Posted by Steve Rush

DIAGEO FORMALLY SUBMITS PLANS FOR A JOHNNIE WALKER VISITORS CENTRE IN EDINBURGH

Diageo, has announced that it has formally submitted its plans for its proposed flagship Johnnie Walker visitor centre in Edinburgh.

The planning application, jointly submitted by Diageo and the building owner Parabola, sets out proposals for a seven-floor visitor experience at 146 Princes Street in the Scottish capital, which is intended to be the focal point of Diageo’s £150 million investment in Scotch whisky tourism.

Diageo formally submits plans for a Johnnie Walker visitors centre in Edinburgh

The plans include a multi-sensory, immersive visitor experience across three floors, guiding people through the 200-year history of the brand, the art and science of whisky-making, and taking them on a journey through the flavours of Scotland.

There will also be a flexible events space for staging music, theatre, arts and community events, making the venue part of the thriving cultural life of the city, along with roof-top bars with views of Edinburgh Castle and across the city skyline to east, west and north, with the intention of making it one of the world’s most extraordinary iconic hospitality destinations.

The plans also include a bar academy that will be a home for Diageo’s award-winning Learning for Life programme, which creates training and employment opportunities in the hospitality industry for unemployed people, and works to improve hospitality standards and promotes the responsible serving and consumption of alcohol.

Commenting on the news, David Cutter, Chairman of Diageo in Scotland, said: “We are incredibly excited to be able to submit our plans for the Johnnie Walker visitor experience in Edinburgh. The location is one of Edinburgh’s most exceptional landmark buildings and we plan to restore it to its former glory as a cornerstone of the city and a thriving part of its cultural and social life. We have the most passionate and skilled whisky-makers in the world here in Scotland and we want to celebrate their craft and everything that is great about Scotland and whisky.”

The proposals also include the restoration of the building with its many heritage features preserved where possible and integrated into the new development. This will include restoring the famous clock on the corner of Princes Street and Hope Street.

Posted by Steve Rush