The Top Spirits List rates all HIGHLAND PARK 25 YEAR OLD IS THE ‘BEST SPIRIT IN THE WORLD’

Highland Park 25 year old, distributed by Maxxium UK, is the ‘Best Spirit in the World’* according to Paul Pacult’s Top Spirits List in the June 2013 edition of Spirit Journal.

five star distillates from all spirits categories and Highland Park 25 year old is ranked number one on a list of 120 outstanding spirits from around the world. Highland Park Loki, the second limited edition bottling in the Valhalla collection, also features in the list at number 31. Highland Park has held the coveted title of Best Spirit in the World on three separate occasions.

Gerry Tosh, Global Marketing Manager for Highland Park, said: “We are honoured to be named ‘Best Spirit in the World’ for the third time across our collection. We are delighted that our 25 Year old expression has secured this top spot and can share the accolade with Highland Park 18 year old which has held the title on two separate occasions. The Top Spirits list is widely regarded in the industry and to receive the top spot amongst such strong competition really is testament to the quality of Highland Park 25 Year Old. In Paul’s own words it has ‘ethereal quality’, and with the accolades being bestowed upon it this year, we would be hard pushed not to agree with that. We are also delighted that Loki, another great expression from Highland Park, ranks in the top 35.

“At Highland Park we have an award winning reputation and we are proud to add this new title to our list of accolades, which shows we are consistently the best in the world at what we do.”

This is the second major accolade for Highland Park 25 year old this year, as it was recently awarded the first ever 100-point score, along with the Chairman’s Trophy for Best of Category, at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

For more information on Highland Park, visit www.highlandpark.co.uk

*Highland Park 25 Year Old is joint number one ‘Best Spirit in the World’; this is the first time ever that there has been a tie for the number one position in the World’s Top 120 Spirits. http://www.spiritjournal.com/tastenote.htm

Notes:

About Highland Park
Established in 1798 on Orkney, Highland Park is one of the most remote Scotch whisky distilleries in the world. For over 200 years, the distillery has combined time old tradition and the very best craftsmanship to achieve perfection. Its range of 12, 15, 18, 21, 25, 30 and 40 year old single malts is consistently acclaimed by connoisseurs and experts. Highland Park has won a string of prestigious awards across its portfolio, most recently including category winner at the 2011 World Whisky Awards for its 25-year-old single malt and ‘Best Whisky in the World 2009’ for its 21-year-old expression in the World Whisky Awards, as well as four double gold awards in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2009.

Highland Park 18 year old was named Best Spirit in the World by American drinks expert Paul Pacult in Top 115 Spirits, Spirit Journal 2009 and 2005.

Five keystones contribute to making Highland Park:

* Hand-turned malt adds to the deliciously succulent, balanced layers of aromatic character found in Highland Park
* Aromatic peat gives a delectably seductive, luxuriant floral sweetness to Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky
* Cool maturation enhances the smooth character of Highland Park Single Malt Scotch Whisky
* Sherry oak casks contribute to the distinctive richness and multi-dimensional complexity of Highland Park
* Cask harmonization ensures consistency and balance in Highland Park

Kensington (KWM) Calgary Spring Whisky Festival 13th June, 2013

The Kensington Spring Whisky Festival is so popular that it’s sold out months in advance and a second ‘emergency’ mini Festival was scheduled the following week to deal with the extra demand. Whisky Intelligence was fortunate to be invited and flew to Calgary to attend the Thursday evening event.

KWM is not a physically large store but its foot print on the Canadian whisky scene is far out strips its diminutive size. The whisky team is led by their in house ‘scotch guy’ Andrew Ferguson who has a passion for whisky that is infectious.

KWM seeks out many varieties of whiskies and works relentlessly to expand their whisky selection, as an example their selection of Japanese whisky is showing rapid growth, many of which are exclusive to KWM. They also bottle around 6 to 8 single casks a year which are exclusive to the store and many customers are consulted in during the selection process which KWM describes as ‘whisky democracy’.

They are run an astonishing array of tastings throughout the year and these tastings are jam packed with all types of highly sought after whiskies. Customers are kept up to date by Andrew’s popular and detailed Malt Messenger (which is often published on Whisky Intelligence).

They are also the retail home of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Alberta and they host the very popular 1st Friday Outtrun Tastings which have expanded to two events on the 1st Friday and then a third on the Saturday evenings, such is the demand for Society whiskies.

The Festival is supported by local agents and their tables are arranged throughout the store and amongst the racks of wine and spirits. Most tables feature between 6 and 8 different whiskies from all over the world although the malts from Scotland predominate. The Festival lasts for 2 hours however WI was able to gain access 30 minutes prior to the opening; time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted! A count of the whiskies on offer topped out at 110 which is pretty amazing selection.

W.I. sampled Glenglassaugh 26yo, Dalwhinnie 25yo, W&M Port Ellen 30yo, Hammer Head Czech whisky, two single 2005 casks exclusive to KWM which are due to arrive in a month or so, the new Macallan Ruby, SMWS Laphroaig 20yo 29.124, the very recently released Ardbog, Laphroaig 18 (a dram or two it must be confessed), Arran 16yo (again, a dram or two – a point not lost on the hyper observant lady behind the table), Tomatin 25, Tomatin 30yo, G&M 1979 Dallas Dhu and a 1980’s vintage G&M Glen Albyn. The W&M North British 50yo was also on offer however the pours were microscopic so it was impossible to achieve any sense of the whisky however the pours were adequate if one merely wanted to say they had tried a 50yo whisky; as a sales tool such a small pour was a failure.

Naturally a purchase or two was made; a SMWS Laphroaig 29.124, a 16yo Isle of Arran (see, those extra pours did the trick), Ardbog and a Wilson & Morgan Port Ellen 30 Year (Exclusive to KWM, only 12 bottles of this whisky have been made available to Canada. From sherry butt 2031, distilled in 1982 and bottled in 2012 at 57.7%. This is one of just 420 bottles.)

Enough is good as a feast as they say and soon time was up, the pourers were packed away and it was time to call it an evening for the following evening was the Ultimate Ardbeg Event…details to follow.

If you plan on attending one of Kensington’s Whisky Festivals (held in the spring and the fall) then sign up for the Malt Messenger via their website (www.kensingtonwinemarket.com) and purchase your tickets early!

A note from our friends at Scotch Whisky Auctions;

Hi folks. Due to essential building works we will be closed on Friday June 21 and Saturday June 22. No bottles will be accepted on those days and no collections will be possible. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Kind regards from Glasgow

The SWA Team

While the history of whisky is long and proud, with legend telling of Saint Patrick bringing the craft of distillation to Scotland, the history of the Quaich is no less long or illustrious.

 The word Quaich comes from the gaelic “cuach” which means cup and they have been used for centuries to welcome or bid farewell to guests, or as a mark of comradeship or friendship. Sharing a dram of whisky from a Quaich has long been symbolic of binding people together in love, friendship or comradeship or to welcome or bid farewell to favoured guests. Today quaichs are often given as a gift to someone held dear.

This two handled Scottish drinking cup may have originated with the practise of drinking whisky from a scallop shell and progressed to forming these shallow cups from wood, stone or horn. Over the years the cups became more elaborate and highly skilled craftsmen fashioned wooden quaichs with beautiful celtic designs. From the 17^th century, as metals came to be more commonly used, quaichs have been made of  brass, pewter, silver or a combination of all three. The original outer shape was retained but the thick bases were thinned to reduce the the weight.

Quaichs originated in the Highlands and weren’t used in Lowland Scotland until the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie when the quaich travelled south in the canteens of the Prince’s army. The quaichs of the army were reputed to have glass bottoms enabling the drinker to keep an eye on those around him; a sad reflection on treacherous times.

Alex Scott & Co Ltd, a long established Aberdeen based company would like to offer you the chance to win a beautiful quaich so you may sup your dram in the traditional way and our gift set even provides a miniature of MacAllan Gold single malt whisky for the first filling.

To enter simply email the answer to the following question along with your name and address to sales@kiltmakers.co.uk using the subject line Quaich Competition, and we will draw the winner, at random, from the correct answers. Closing date June 19th, 2013…….. Please don’t forget to title your email Quaich competition.

What is the Centenary Quaich?

1. Quaich which resides in the Scottish Parliament building and is used for ceremonial occasions.
2. An international rugby union trophy contested annually by Ireland and Scotland.
3. A annual flat race run at Ayr races each September with the Centenary Quaich also being the name of the trophy.
4. A quaich presented to Queen Victoria by her loyal Scottish Subjects at the turn of the twentieth century.

Terms and Conditions:-  The winner will be notified of their win by email and the prize sent by post. No further correspondence will entered into and the judges decisions are final. The prize cannot be substituted or exchanged for cash. The competition is open to all except employees or relatives of Alex Scott & Co (kiltmakers.co.uk) or employees and relatives of Red Evolution. Important – entries will only be accepted from those who are 18 years old or over. This contest will run until Wednesday June 19th, 2013.

UK vlogger Joe Ellis a.k.a Whisky Wednesday reviews the Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy Single Pot Still Whiskey

http://youtu.be/HhoF0AM4Rgk

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The two latest releases in Whisk-e’s “World Wonders” series are out today. This time, they selected a 16yo Bowmore and a 20yo Bruichladdich, both drawn from a single hogshead and sourced from Morrison & Mackay. The artwork features two Ancient World Wonders that were located in what is now Turkey: the Temple of Diana (Artemis) at Ephesus and the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus respectively.

We’ll start with the Bruichladdich (1992/2013, #2182, 49.6%abv, 173btls). It’s very light on the nose – pineapple cream cheese, syrup, lemon tart, apple sorbet and a slight ‘metallic’ note in the background. On the palate, it’s equally light – this time, you get caramel-pear bavarois, milk chocolate and apple cider. It responds well to water: on the nose, water emphasizes fresh orchard fruit notes and on the palate, it throws some persimmons into the mix. Overall, it’s got a nice, creamy mouthfeel. The finish is medium-short on underripe mango, tiramisu and chocolate-coated Acai berries.

Moving on to the Bowmore (1996/2013, #1835, 52.6%abv, 287btls). Right off the bat, it’s clear this is something very special. The balance between smoke, brine, cereal elements and fruit is just … well, perfect. There’s beach sand, shortbread, chinsuko cookies, gentle wood smoke, a hint of grilled sardines and a suggestion of passion fruit and underripe mango. The palate is really concentrated and beautifully harmonized – pretty much as per the nose but with some allspice and a touch of candied ginger added. The finish is medium-long on smoked daikon, the aftertaste of a tropical fruit cocktail and some flor de sal crystals on your lips. Water breaks the spell a bit so I wouldn’t bother – it’s perfect the way it is, really. What can I say? It’s a phenomenal Bowmore, with all the lovely aromas and flavours that you associate with top-notch Bowmore in its mid-teens, but beautifully synthesized. Nothing sticks out, yet it’s packed with flavour, and everything’s in the right place and in the right measure. There have been a few really superb independent Bowmores from the same year recently. Coincidence? I don’t know… We’ll see. In the meantime, this is one to treasure.

Tickets are on sale for a very special whisky event – now in its third edition – held in the green pastures of Nagawacho in Nagano-prefecture. Whereas the previous editions were one-day events, this year’s “Outdoor Whisky Festival” has been turned into a two-day extravaganza (21-22 September).

Mamoru Tsuchiya, head honcho of the Scotch Whisky Research Centre, set up the festival in 2011. At the time, Nagano was the only prefecture to boast two distilleries (Karuizawa and Mars Shinshu) so the idea was to celebrate the start of autumn in an outdoor setting located between those two distilleries: the Blanche Takayama Ski Resort. Unfortunately, Karuizawa distillery is no longer, but the festival is very much alive. About 150 whiskies are available for sampling – including some very rare bottlings for a few hundred yen extra -; there are food booths (most of them featuring local Shinshu specialties); there’s live music (two singer-songwriters and a recorder quartet this year), a barbecue, soba making, workshops and much else.

The event is ridiculously cheap (2,500 yen for the weekend; 1,000 yen for the Saturday only and 1,500 yen for the Sunday only). Check this for more information. Also, don’t forget the “Whisky Festival in Osaka”, organized by the same people, is almost upon us (July 7th, to be precise) – if you missed the Tokyo edition, this is a good chance to catch up on what’s been happening in Japan on the whisky front.

US beverage testers give Gold Medal to top selling Tasmanian whisky  

SULLIVANS COVE, Tasmania’s super-premium single malt, was recently awarded a gold medal by the Beverage Testing Institute in Chicago.

This award, from one of the world’s leading independent beverage reviewers, was given to the distillery’s Double Cask expression. It adds to Sullivans Cove’s list of prestigious international awards, which includes three Liquid Gold Awards from Jim Murray, and “Best Australian Single Malt” from the World Whisky Awards in London.

Chief distiller Patrick Maguire is of the opinion that a large part of Sullivans Cove’s huge domestic and international success is down to recognition from organizations such as the Beverage Testing Institute. He went on to say; “Things are going well, we are up 50% on last year and Sullivans Cove is now the biggest selling Tasmanian whisky. Exports are booming with North America making up 80% of our overseas sales, and we have sent our first shipments to Hong Kong and Japan this past week. It is great to be involved in such an exciting industry during otherwise difficult economic times.”

The sharp rise in demand has meant that the distillery is now working flat out to produce enough spirit.

The Tasmanian whisky industry has seen very strong growth over the past two years and there are now eight functioning distilleries on the island with 2 more in the pipeline.

About Sullivans Cove

Tasmania Distillery produces Sullivans Cove Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky, Tasmania’s top selling whisky. Sullivans Cove whisky is double distilled using only Tasmanian barley and pure wilderness water from local mountains and forests. The whisky is matured in hand selected oak casks and allowed to settle and clear naturally, thereby retaining full, creamy and lingering flavours. Each cask is bottled separately, yielding only around 450 bottles, making each bottle a rare item to own and enjoy.

http://www.sullivanscovewhisky.com/

About the Beverage Testing Institute

The Beverage Testing Institute is an independent, privately owned corporation that conducts professional blind tastings and reviews of beverage products. The BTI does not accept advertising or sponsorship from any producer or commercial entity. Participation in BTI’s open-forum tastings and competitions is completely voluntary.