GLEN GARIOCH LAUNCHES FIRST VINTAGE MATURED SOLELY IN SHERRY CASKS
Glen Garioch has released its inaugural expression to be matured solely in Oloroso sherry casks, as part of the Highland distillery’s small batch vintage programme.
Hand selected at the peak of perfection, the Glen Garioch Vintage, distilled in 1999 is non-chill filtered to retain its authentic, full-bodied Highland character.
Handcrafted and matured in sherry casks for 14 years at the Highland Distillery in the heart of the rural village of Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire, this heart-warming dram captures the essence of Scottish Highland charm. The Oloroso sherry casks have influenced this robust spirit to give the malt its dark, sweet fruit, treacle and maple syrup notes and spicy, syrupy taste.
With just 1,000 cases available globally, the Glen Garioch Vintage 1999 is sure to become a favourite with malt enthusiasts when it hits the shelves of specialist whisky and liquor stores from October.
Rachel Barrie, Master Blender for Morrison Bowmore Distillers, said, “This is a full-bodied malt with exquisite rich fruit, chocolate and toffee notes, which really captures the essence of the Highlands.
“Hand picked and bottled at 56.3% ABV to bring out the rich spicy flavours of the Vintage 1999 really showcases the quality of the spirit produced from this small artisan distillery through our limited edition programme.
“This is an exciting small-batch release that encapsulates the rare find that is Glen Garioch itself and I’m sure will be a favourite with any whisky enthusiast.”
Available from selected specialist retailers from the end of September, Glen Garioch Vintage 1999 is bottled at 56.3% ABV will retail at circa £59.99.
THE DEFINITIVE SINGLE POT STILL IRISH WHISKEY UNVEILED AS IRISH DISTILLERS LAUNCHES REDBREAST 21
Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard has announced the launch of Redbreast 21 Year Old, the pinnacle of the range to date. To celebrate the newest member of the Redbreast Family,Master Blender Billy Leighton hosted a special tasting in London last night. The new expression is the ninth Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey to be added to the Irish Distillers portfolio and arrives after another strong year for the Irish whiskey category.
Redbreast 21 Year Old sits alongside Redbreast 12 Year Old, Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength and Redbreast 15 Year Old to complete the largest-selling and most definitive Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey brand in the world.
As the oldest and richest expression in the decorated Redbreast family, Redbreast 21 Year Old is the finest representation of the brand’s signature sherry style. It is made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley, triple distilled in copper pot stills and matured in a combination of American Bourbon barrels and first fill Spanish oloroso sherry casks. The 21 year ageing process introduces new levels of depth and flavour, creating an inherently complex and rewarding whiskey.
Whiskey lovers eagerly anticipate the launch of new Single Pot Still Irish Whiskeys and Redbreast 21 Year Old, as the oldest age-statement whiskey in the Irish Distillers portfolio, is anticipated to be notably popular and savoured by Irish whiskey enthusiasts. In the US, Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey continues to perform strongly, driven primarily by the popularity of Redbreast.
Billy Leighton, Master Blender at Midleton Distillery, said: “Redbreast 21 Year Old is a very special Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey and one of which I am immensely proud. Once my team and I tasted the 21 Year Old whiskey, there was never any question about whether we should release a younger expression – the older whiskey showed such stunning levels of depth, flavour and taste, we just had to bring it out for the growing army of Redbreast and Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey fans around the world. We’re really excited to see how Redbreast 21 Year Old is received and we hope Irish whiskey fans will find it as delightful and rewarding to drink as it was for me to craft.”
Brendan Buckley, Global Innovation & Category Development Director at Irish Distillers added: “The increasing global interest in Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey is really encouraging and we see great potential for continued growth at the higher end of the Irish whiskey category. With exciting new Single Pot Still Irish Whiskeys such as Redbreast 21 Year Old, we hope to satisfy both existing fans of this quintessentially Irish whiskey style and lovers of Irish whiskey in general, to help them understand the unique provenance and outstanding quality that the category has to offer”.
Redbreast 21 Year Old is non-chill filtered at 46% ABV and is available in very limited quantities. The exclusive expression will be available from this month in the USA, France, UK, Ireland and Germany priced at $180.
IRISH DISTILLERS INTRODUCES NEW FLAVOURS AND NEW LOOK FOR PADDY IRISH WHISKEY
Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, the world’s leading Irish whiskey producer, has given its iconic PADDY Irish Whiskey a packaging makeover and announced the release of two new PADDY flavour variants aimed at bringing sociable millennial consumers to the Irish whiskey category.
An eye-catching new bottle for the core PADDY expression – Irish Distillers’ special three-whiskey blend of pot still whiskey, grain whiskey and malt whiskey – features new tactile embossing features to the sides of the bottle while the famous multi-coloured map of Ireland on the label is retained. Also new is a heritage endorsement flashing The Paddy Flaherty Brand in homage to the man from whom the brand takes its very name, a ‘Soft & Mellow’ liquid taste profile on the neck, while a new signature of approval from original founder James Murphy demonstrates the rich history and crafted credentials of the brand.
The new PADDY flavour variants have been created with a lighter flavour profile which, coupled with a distinctive bottle design and impactful marketing campaign, aim to challenge many of the traditional perceptions of whiskey.
Available initially in the US and France from October 2013, each market will receive flavoured PADDY variants tailored to their differing consumers. The US will receive packaging with a bright modern design, bearing the names ‘Bee Sting’ and ‘Devil’s Apple’, while France will receive a more classic design focusing on the liquid as a spirit drink, bearing the names ‘Irish Honey’ and ‘Spiced Apple’.
An integrated campaign, ‘Sleep When You’re 30’, will be activated initially in the USA through a new website – www.paddywhiskey.com – plus a social media campaign, drinks strategy and advertising to reinforce the brand’s image of “Irish craic”, the Irish word for enjoyment.
Brendan Buckley, Global Innovation and Category Development Director for Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, says: “It’s a very exciting time for Irish Distillers, as PADDY is our first entry into the flavoured whiskey segment. Of course, Ireland has a long tradition of adding flavours to our whiskeys with drinks like the Hot Toddy and Irish Coffee, so PADDY Flavours is rather a natural progression. We are equally excited about introducing more consumers throughout the world to the flavour and quality of Irish whiskey and we are confident that the new look PADDY is primed for success in its launch markets”.
“With flavoured whiskey standing at more than three million cases annually and growing strongly, there is a real opportunity for us to offer something a little different that will appeal to people who already enjoy flavoured whiskey, and also recruit new consumers to the category. The ‘Sleep When You’re 30’ marketing platform will work to engage sociable twenty-somethings and encourage them to begin their Irish whiskey journey.”