This has been a very busy week in terms of whisky news and new PR. so let’s go.
Amrut releases three Single Cask Single Malt Whiskies
Three stunning new single malts are released this month by the innovative Indian distillery, Amrut Distilleries.
Carrying on in its much admired tradition of taking its single malt whisky and aging it in particular wood, Amrut Distilleries, the award-winning Bangalore whisky maker has created three single cask malts. The malt whisky from the Bourbon and Sherry casks is made with Indian barley, while the spirit from the Port pipes is made from Scottish barley malted in eat.
Ashok Chokalingam, Amrut’s International Brand Ambassador says each is a very individual offering. “We select the casks we use carefully and then wait until the spirit reaches the perfect age and level of maturity before we bottle it.”
The results are impressive and already the trio has had rave reviews. Curt Robinson, founder of All Things Whisky, particularly likes the expression from the Bourbon cask for its simplicity that is “Amrut at its best”.
He highlights the beautifully balanced nose to its unmistakable Amrut palate of “warm melting Swiss chocolate, cinnamon-spiced cocoa, orange zest, mint and ginger”, which he found “stunningly vibrant and tangy on the tongue”.
Meanwhile, Gal Granov, founder and editor of Whisky Israel, enthuses about the peated expression from the Port pipes. Of the nose he says: “Oh my goodness. It’s so rich. So intense. Lovely peat above layers of sweet cherries soaked in wine. Lots of spice too. Mint. Plums. Mushrooms. Desert wine. Tannins galore. It’s huge.”
Gordon Homer, founder of the Spirit of India blog and a well established fan of Amrut thinks the port pipe matured Single Cask is the peatiest Amrut he has ever had.
Ashok added: “We are delighted with the initial reaction we have had to these Single Malts. As we waited for the elements to come into alignment, we thought they were going to be interesting, but it is only when the drinkers themselves give us their verdict that we can be truly happy.”
The three new Amrut Single Casks will only be available in Europe.
Glenglassaugh launches a new 40 year old expression
GLENGLASSAUGH distillery today, December 3, proudly launches its sumptuous 40 year-old single malt whisky.
With sherry notes complementing the fruit medley and array of spices, it’s typical, classic, gorgeous Glenglassaugh, a 40 year-old marriage of malt and oak and an outstanding representation of this rare and enduring Highland-style dram.
It has an initial run of around 800 bottles but it will be an ongoing product in our range, says Managing Director and Master Blender Billy Walker.
His personal tasting notes show that this is a truly magnificent malt where flavours and styles interlink beautifully to deliver seductive silky sweetness. At 42.5% vol, cask strength, non-chill filtered and at natural colour, this unique expression is full of character and complexity.
Colour: Deep gold.
Nose: An abundance of sweet, syrupy tropical fruits; banana, pineapple and mango in perfect harmony with gentle Oloroso sherry.
Palate: Sweet, rich, syrupy and complex. Oloroso sherry, toffee apples, mango and banana sit beautifully in the mouth alongside ginger and cocoa spice.
Finish: Rich, spiced sherry.
Founded in 1875 by local entrepreneur James Moir, Glenglassaugh has stocks dating back to 1963 and was taken over by BenRiach earlier this year. In August, the owners released their first Glenglassaugh bottling – a superb 30 year-old single malt – and the new 40 year-old continues the Portsoy distillery’s ability to subtly merge tropical fruits with sherry and gentle oak spice.
Billy Walker said: “We’ve inherited some astonishingly fine whisky at Glenglassaugh and we’re delighted to launch our second expression almost nine months after taking over the distillery. There is very strong demand for Glenglassaugh around the world.”
GlenDronach releases latest batch of its single cask bottlings
AWARD-WINNING GLENDRONACH has today, 3 December, released Batch 9 of its succulent single cask bottlings, selected as always by Master Blender Billy Walker.
The magnificent nine, ranging from 41 to 18 years old, share GlenDronach’s typically richly-sherried signature taste complemented by notes of almonds, cherries, raisins, prunes and lime…even cracked black pepper, cocoa beans and red chilli sauce!
Six were matured in Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheons while the other three come from Oloroso sherry butts. The result is a swirling and mesmerising range of expressions – from delicate sweetness to puckering malt monsters.
The oldest is a 41 year-old Oloroso sherry butt distilled in February 1972 – cask # 702. Bottled at 51.7% vol, this veteran is a complex, fiery wonder – rich dark oak edged with deep ruby. On the nose, it gives sumptuous depths of classic sour cherries dusted with gentle toasted almonds. And on the palate, it’s a beautifully elegant vintage sherry style bursting with a combination of dark espresso, molasses, herbs and oak spices.
And as a contrast, the youngest in the batch is an 18 year-old distilled in April 1995. This Pedro Ximenez sherry puncheon, cask number 3302, was bottled at 53.7% vol. It is rich golden burnt amber in appearance. On the nose, vibrant citrus zest combines with touches of wild mint and oak spice while on the palate an initial sweet chocolate and vanilla fullness moves to a delicate lasting zest and herb note.
The batch details are:
1972 cask # 702 / 41 years old / Oloroso Sherry Butt / 51.7% vol
1985 cask # 1035 / 27 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 53.7%vol
1989 cask # 5470 / 23 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 49.2%vol
1990 cask # 1243 / 23 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 50.6%vol
1991 cask # 5405 / 21 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 49.9%vol
1992 cask # 195 / 21 years old / Oloroso Sherry Butt / 59.8%vol
1993 cask # 5 / 20 years old / Oloroso Sherry Butt / 53.0%vol
1994 cask # 3385 / 19 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 53.4%vol
1995 cask # 3302 / 18 years old / Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon / 53.7%vol
Ballantine’s announces launch of new spirit drink – “Brasil”
Ballantine’s, the world’s No. 2 Scotch whisky, has today announced an exciting new addition to the Ballantine’s portfolio, with the launch of Ballantine’s Brasil; a new lime-infused spirit drink.
Made by selectively cask steeping Scotch whisky with Brazilian lime peel, Ballantine’s Brasil represents as an innovative fusion of the traditions of Scotland with the passion of Brazil. Featuring a delicate combination of citrus complemented with vanilla notes, the new variant is expected to resonate with consumers who are new to Scotch, as well as existing Ballantine’s drinkers.
An ABV of 35% ensures that the taste is both smooth and consistent, with the sweet and creamy flavours of Scotch balancing the refreshing lime taste.
Ballantine’s Brasil is presented in a clear version of the brand’s iconic bottle with its own unique, eye-catching design cues. The label features the brand’s ‘B’ signifier, a bespoke ‘Brasil’ crest and a lime green closure to complete the Brazilian look and feel, while ensuring strong shelf presence.
Ballantine’s has also developed a signature serve for Ballantine’s Brasil called the Highland Samba, which mixes Ballantine’s Brasil and lemonade, served over ice and topped with two freshly-cut slices of lime. A further four Brazilian-themed serves have been created, comprising:
· Glen Rio: a mix of Ballantine’s Brasil and apple juice
· Flower O’Brasil: Ballantine’s Brasil mixed with freshly squeezed lime and elderflower
· Caledinho: Ballantine’s Brasil combined with freshly squeezed lime and mixed with crushed sugar
· Glen Coco: The Caledinho, with the addition of coconut
Peter Moore, Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s, said: “There is a huge opportunity for spirit drinks that are made with whisky, as it’s an exceptionally dynamic new category that is already demonstrating a strong rate of growth. Ballantine’s Brasil is a venture into new territory for us, but we’re excited to have a product that can take advantage of this opportunity and one that can truly inspire those who have not yet found their perfect way to enjoy a Scotch whisky drink. We hope that Ballantine’s Brasil will excite a new generation of consumers with the combination of Scottish authenticity and Brazilian passion!”
Glenmorangie: three whisky designs go to online vote as part of industry world first
From 4 December for the first time ever, whisky aficionados worldwide get to vote on the packaging design of a new single malt which they have helped to inspire.
The initiative is part of Glenmorangie’s world first Cask Masters whisky creation programme which aims to get members of the public involved in the process.
It was launched on 1 March 2013 and will run for 18 months with the new Limited Edition Glenmorangie whisky ready for release in the autumn of 2014.
The whisky, extra-matured in exclusive Manzanilla sherry casks, had already been selected when three casks of whisky were put to a public vote earlier this year.
Whisky fans have also selected the name Taghta (Tuh-ta), Gaelic* for Chosen, after thousands of suggestions were whittled down to a shortlist of three names translated by Gaelic expert Dr Aonghas MacCoinnich and put to an online vote.
Following a month-long period when whisky fans worldwide uploaded pictures and design ideas to a special online gallery, three new packaging designs have been produced by branding expert Jon Davies from leading London design agency Butterfly Cannon.
Today the designs are put to the public vote with Glenmorangie fans able to choose the label and carton which, from next September, will be available for online purchases world-wide.
Cask Masters is the brainchild of Glenmorangie’s Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Distilling & Whisky Creation, who is accompanied by an expert in each field of the five-step process.
Dr Bill Lumsden commented: “This is a wonderful opportunity for fans of Glenmorangie to really help create a new single malt whisky and the plans for its launch. Some of the ideas uploaded by the public have been truly inspirational, from lighthouses to parachutes to contestants competing in a Highland Games.”
Butterfly Cannon Founder, Jon Davies, commented “It has been amazing to get the chance to involve so many consumers in the creative process: I feel I have had a studio full of hundreds of creatives rather than tens! The images and ideas have been perfect for the designers, sparking compelling brand and product stories which have been brought to life in three unique packaging designs. I am fascinated to see which one Glenmorangie aficionados will choose.”
MUSIC TO THE EARS – ‘WHISKEY WOOD’ HEADPHONES
The best and most ambitious ideas often come late at night, between friends and fuelled by a glass of amber nectar. Imagine how the conversation went down between Elijah Wood, his DJ partner Zach Cowie and the Bushmills Irish Whiskey team, following their DJ set at Bushmills Live festival.
The question posed, born out of a shared love of music and handcraftsmanship, was of how to create the perfect sound? Their response – a limited edition line of bespoke headphones created from the barrels used to age Bushmills Irish Whiskey.
This symphonic synergy of high fidelity audio, hand-made from authentically-aged whiskey barrel wood by Brooklyn-based Grado Labs, was inspired by generations of craftsmanship and a dedication to producing supreme sound. They are available globally from Turntable Lab here at an RRP of $395 USD.
United by their love of music, the two friends worked together to design the headphones to fit their specific aesthetic vision. They chose to work with Grado Labs, a family-owned company that ranks as the leader in design engineering for high-end audio and recording. Owned by the same family, working out of the same Brooklyn factory for more than 50 years, Grado makes every set of headphones by hand, delivering an award-winning level of quality and authenticity that meshed perfectly with Wood and Cowie’s vision.
Elijah Wood commented: “Working with Bushmills Irish Whiskey on this project enabled Zach and I to take our shared love of music and build upon it. We worked closely with Grado to develop a line of headphones that we’re proud to wear and to share with design and music enthusiasts. It’s been a very rewarding process to get to collaborate on the creation of these headphones with such a respected, and family owned, company – between us, Grado, and Bushmills Irish Whiskey, we each have our own aesthetic, and it is so gratifying to see it all come together.”
Elijah Wood has a longstanding relationship with the Bushmills Irish Whiskey brand, performing with Zach at Bushmills Live* 2012, the first time the pair had performed together outside of the United States. He also appeared in its ‘Since Way Back’ initiative that celebrates the stories of influences and friendships that have led each member to success.
Widely known for his acting, Elijah Wood is also a music lover, DJ, and record collector. Elijah’s passion for music transcends genres, and together with his good friend Zach Cowie (aka DJ Turqoise Wisdom), they often DJ together under the moniker Wooden Wisdom.
Featuring an all-new design, these custom-made headphones include a premium leather headband and wooden bodies made from Bushmills Irish Whiskey barrels. Designed to offer greater clarity and deeper bass, these one-of-a-kind headphones must be heard to be believed.
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