Friday, May 25, 2012

Inbox - May 25, 2012

Inbox is our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our email inbox. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece that we receive. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday.

Within Inbox we write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information.  There are a number of exciting new whisky releases that dominate this week, so here goes ...

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AnCnoc - Oldest ever whisky
The up-and-coming Highalnd single malt brand of AnCnoc, which is made at the Knockdhu distillery, has announced the release of its oldest ever expression - the AnCnoc 35 years old.  The whisky has been made using a small selection of ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks - these have been hand selected by Knockdhu's distillery manager Gordon Bruce and Stuart Harvey, the master blender for Knockdhu's owners Inver House Distillers.

The AnCnoc 35 years old presented in striking yet minimal packaging and is limited to just 1,495 bottles - these will have a recommended retail price of £200 each.  It has been bottled at the natural strength of 44.3% ABV, is un-coloured and non-chill filtered, and will be available from specialist whisky stores and selected online retailers shortly.

Stewart Buchanan
Benriach - First brand ambassador
We were delighted to hear the new this week that the Benriach Distillery Company have appointed Stewart Buchanan as their first ever brand ambassador.  The independent company owns Benriach and Glendronach distilleries and Stewart will be covering both brands. Stewart was formerly the distillery manager at Benriach and we met him a couple of years ago there - he is one of the nicest 'whisky people' that we have met to date. Congratulations to Stewart.

Diageo - Feis Isle bottlings
The hugely popular Feis Isle (that's the Islay Festival in English) kicks off today and each of the island's eight distilleries, plus neighbouring Jura, traditionally release a limited edition bottling for the Festival, which runs until 3 June. Diageo have announced details of the single cask bottlings from their two distilleries on the island - Caol Ila and Lagavulin.

The Caol Ila is bottled at 11 years of age and has been matured in an ex-sherry butt.  It has a strength of 60.4% ABV and there are just 618 individually numbered bottles available.  The Lagavulin release is 14 years old, is bottled at 55.1% ABV and has been matured ex-refill sherry butt.  there are just 654 bottles.  Both whiskies will retail at £85 and will be available on a first come first served basis at the two distillery open days - Caol Ila on 28 May and Lagavulin on 26 May.  For more information about the Festival - visit www.theislayfestival.co.uk.

Glenfarclas - Oldest ever!
The family owned distillery of Glenfarclas have announced their oldest ever bottling of single malt.  The whisky was distilled in 1953 and has been bottled at 58 years of age.  It is available exclusively through online spirits retailer Master of Malt.  The Glenfarclas 1953 was selected by a panel including renowned whisky writer Serge Valetin, George Grant of Glenfarclas and Ben Ellefsen of Master of Malt.

The whisky is packaged in an oak casket and is accompanied by a specially commissioned book written by whisky writer Ian Buxton.  The ex-sherry cask which was selected (cask number 1674, if you're interested) has yielded just 400 bottles.  The whisky has a natural cask strength of 47.5% ABV and each one will sell for £5,995.  For further information about the release or to buy a bottle (if you are feeling rich!) - click here.

Southern Comfort - Bold Black Cherry
Amidst the plethora of 'flavoured whisky/whiskey' releases comes this new offering from the Southern Comfort brand.  The brand was originally created in 1874 and this cherry flavour joins two other recent additions - Lime and Fiery Pepper.  The Bold Black Cherry has been created to compliment the current trend of creative bartending and is aimed at a younger, possibly non-whisky drinking consumer who like cocktails.

The Bold Black Cherry has been infused with real cherries andwill be available across the USA from early June.  It will also be in the UK and Irish markets shortly after.  It is bottled at 35% ABV and will retail for approximately $16.99.  Prices for the UK and Ireland have yet to be revealed.  For more information, please visit www.southerncomfort.com.

Yellow Spot - New Irish whiskey
Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard have announced to launch of Yellow Spot 12 years old - a new whiskey in their award winning Irish pot still range.  The whiskey is the elder sibling of the Green Spot and has been matured in a unique combination of ex-bourbon, ex-sherry and ex-Malaga fortified wine casks.  The launch is technically a re-launch, as the brand was previously released by Dublin wine merchants Mitchell & Son but has not been around since the late 1950s.

Anna Malmhake, the Chairman of Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard says, “Through skill and craftsmanship we have been able to retrieve this stunning long-lost gem. We are delighted to welcome it back into the portfolio today and we’re confident that it will heighten the rekindled interest we see in Irish single pot still whiskeys.” Yellow Spot is bottled at 46% ABV and will be available in the UK, Irish, European and American markets for £55/€65 each.  There are only 3,000 bottles, so don't hang about!

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