Whisky News & PR–November 28th , 2014

A few new releases this week – expect more as the holiday season approaches…

Two new Wood finishes from Benromach

Two exciting new wood finish single malt whiskies have been launched by the

Benromach Distillery Company Ltd. The Hermitage Wood Finish was matured in first fill bourbon casks before being  finished for 27 months in hand-selected Hermitage wine casks from the northern Rhône region of France.

The Château Cissac Wood Finish was also matured in first fill bourbon casks

prior to being finished for 20 months, again in hand-selected wine casks, this

time from the Haut-Médoc near Bordeaux in south-western France. The wood finishes join a stable of classic whiskies with a pre-1960s Speyside character, led by the flagship Benromach 10 Years Old.Each is hand-crafted by just three distillers using the finest natural ingredients at the Forres distillery.

Ewen Mackintosh, Chief Operating Officer of Gordon & MacPhail which owns the

Benromach Distllery Company Ltd, said: “We are proud of our role as custodians

of the old crafts of distillation and maturation and as those who are familiar with

Benromach know, we like to experiment a little.

“These two wood finishes – Hermitage and Château Cissac – have been finished

in casks from two distinguished French wine regions and have a lot of character,

which we expect will appeal to both existing and new customers.”

Benromach Hermitage Wood Finish and Benromach Château Cissac Wood Finish

will adopt the same new look as that for the 10 Years Old, which was unveiled in

April this year. The new bottle style and packaging reflects the hand-crafted character of the

Benromach whiskies. The elegant bottle’s neck and shoulder resembles the shape of the Benromach stills while the box, complete with embossed hand-drawn lettering, replicates

their colour.A limited release of approximately 4,200 bottles of each product will be

available.

The UK recommended retail price for the Benromach Wood Finishes is £39.75.

Prices may vary in export markets because of duty and import taxes.

A new Blended malt announced – Angel’s Nectar

Angels’ Nectar, a new Blended Malt Scotch Whisky, inspired by the Angels’ Share,

has been launched, by Robert Ransom.

At any one time, there are an estimated twenty million casks maturing across

Scotland, all exposed to what is affectionately called ‘the Angels’ Share’, the

evaporation from casks during maturation.  The Angels take their pick; enjoying

some casks more than others, whilst hard working distillers watch their efforts

disappear. The Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is a re-creation of the

Angels’ Share, bottled for whisky drinkers to savour.  Carefully created from a

selection of Speyside and Highland malt whiskies, Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt

Scotch Whisky is unusually bottled at natural colour, has a sweet nose of apple

and fruit syrup, a taste of heather honey and lemon, and a hint of spice on the

finish. The Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whisky is vibrant and fresh, just

the way the Angels’ like their dram.

The label for this new whisky brand features a striking fractal design, with an

Angel shaped ethereal mist, within which, a series of Angels can be seen enjoying

their share.

The Angels’ Nectar Blended Malt Scotch Whisky has been released by Highfern

Ltd, a new drinks business founded by Robert Ransom. Commenting on the

release Robert said; ‘I have worked in the whisky trade for ten years, and during

that time I have enjoyed giving many distillery tours and tastings. Early on I noticed

any mention of the Angels’ Share always made guests smile. The seed was sown;

What if one could bottle the Angels’ Share? It would be the ultimate Blended Malt,

and Angels’ Nectar is Highfern’s attempt to do just that’.

GlenDronach launches its new 12 years old Sauternes Cask Finish

It replaces the acclaimed 14 year-old Sauternes wood finish expression, launched four years ago, which has now been discontinued.

Bottled at 46% vol, without colouring or chill filtering, the 12 year-old Highland malt was initially matured in European oak and then finished in a small batch of Sauternes wine casks.

Sauternes is a sweet dessert wine made in the French region of Bordeaux, an area famous for its wine-growing. The aim of finishing the GlenDronach single malt in the wine casks is to create an extraordinarily refreshing single malt – delicate and sweet with a balanced acidity and fruity complexity.

Master Distiller Billy Walker’s tasting notes:

Appearance:

Crisp summer gold.

Nose:

Torrents of fresh fruits, apricots and nectarine flow to honeydew melon and distant hints of overripe banana. A gentle aromatic floral note balances with creamy vanilla to give a sophisticated back note to the nose.

Palate:

Wildflower honey floods over sweet sultanas and green apples. A dusting of ground almonds, vanilla and creamy toasted oak combines with a vibrant citrus twist, giving a rich, spicy depth and contrasting fresh balance.

Finish:

Sweet, fresh and fragrant with balanced acidity. Lots of finesse and elegance, whilst still maintaining the lively youthful elements.

The GlenDronach 12 Years Old Sauternes Wood Finish is available from today.

Ballantine’s Launches the 2014 version of its Christmas Reserve

Ballantine’s, the world’s No.2 Scotch whisky, has today announced the global launch of its 2014 Christmas Reserve Limited Edition. The launch of this delicious and seasonal whisky blend will be supported with an integrated marketing campaign, ‘The Taste of Christmas’, which aims to maximise awareness and create demand by educating customers and engaging them with the festive drink.

First launched in 2010, the fifth edition of Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve is today available in 20 countries worldwide, including Korea, Turkey, Kenya, Estonia and Japan, who are stocking the whisky for the first time this year.

‘The Taste of Christmas’ campaign communicates the expression’s signature festive characteristics and captures the sensory experience of its seven tasting notes – ginger, moist raisin fruitcake, ripe pears, sweet candy apples, caramel toffee, tangy orange and liquorish root.

The print and digital advertising, for use across both on and off trade, features illustrations of the tasting notes. A Facebook and iPad App, ‘Discover Your Taste of Christmas,’ has also been developed, allowing fans to select their preferred tastes and Christmas elements which then results in a recommendation of the ideal Christmas Reserve serve for them.

A hugely popular signature cocktail, ‘The Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve Cinnamon Sleigh’, has also been developed to match the seasonal tasting profile of the expression. First created in 2013, the winter cocktail is served warm and uses cinnamon to underline the blend’s fruity depths.

Peter Moore, Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s, said: “We are delighted with the global sales success of Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve, which has more than doubled in growth since its 2010 launch.

“Our esteemed Master Blender, Sandy Hyslop, created this blend to naturally exude the spirit and taste of Christmas, resulting in a delicious drink for our fans around the world to enjoy – or gift for someone else to enjoy – during the 2014 festive season, and which stays true to both our Scottish heritage and quality values.”

The 2014 Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve Limited Edition is available now globally at an RRP of $26-29 USD in Duty Free.