Malt Marketing – Engaging People and Whisky Online
Promote Your Whisky Brand, Business and Services Online With Malt Marketing
A Whisky Marketing Platform
At Malt Marketing we pride ourselves in helping both aspiring and established whisky businesses market and promote themselves on our bespoke online whisky marketing platform Malt Marketing.com
Marketing and Promoting Whisky Shops, Bars and Events
Since launching in 2012, Malt Marketing has supported a large number of whisky shops, online retailers, whisky bars and events across the modern whisky drinking world. Through online banner advertisements, a bespoke whisky business directory and through regular online features and infomercials, Malt Marketing has helped build brand awareness and consumer engagement for a large number of clients
Working With Iconic Malt Whisky Brands
Malt Marketing continues to work alongside and support many of the most iconic premium scotch whisky brands available today including The Macallan, Highland Park and Laphroaig malt whiskies as well as Japanese whiskies Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki. While providing an interactive and up to date platform from which to showcase premium brands, Malt Marketing also actively engage with brand content through social media further building brand presence and consumer awareness among wider social media networks.
Sourcing Rare and Collectible Whisky
With an in depth knowledge of the retail and secondary whisky market, Malt Marketing is well positioned to help you acquire rare and collectible whisky. Whether you’re a private collector or investor or merely taking your first steps into the world of whisky buying and selling, Malt Marketing can offer support along every step of the journey.
Sell Your Whisky With Malt Marketing
Whether selling a single bottle or all or part of an existing collection, Malt Marketing can offer support through the entire whisky auction process. From arranging collection through to the listing and end payment stage, Malt Marketing work with established whisky auctioneers who ensure a reliable, transparent and seamless sales process.
Whisky Distillery Tours and Executive Chauffeuring Services
As well as promoting whiskey shops, bars and brands, Malt Marketing also works alongside whisky tour operators offering among the finest whisky sampling and tasting experiences at many of Scotland’s finest whisky distilleries. Offering tailored chauffeuring services including hotel and airport pickups, Malt Marketing’s tour partners also offer the very best in luxury travel and distillery experiences across Scotland.
Get In Touch Today
For further details on how Malt Marketing can offer your business support with online marketing and promotion, contact: info@maltmarketing.com
News From The Macallan Distillery and Visitor Experience
The Macallan Distillery and Visitor Experience Wins Major Scottish Architectural Award
Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) are incredibly proud to win this year’s Andrew Doolan Best Building in Scotland Award from the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) for The Macallan Distillery and Visitor Experience in Speyside.
The Doolan family and Aileen Campbell (Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government) presented Toby Jeavons, Associate Partner of RSHP with the RIAS’ Gold Medal at the awards ceremony, which took place at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh on the 4 October 2019. Each year since 2002, the award has celebrated the best building in Scotland in memory of its founder and patron Andrew Doolan.
The ‘Doolan’ shortlist is composed of winners from several categories from the RIAS and the RIBA National awards. RSHP is honoured by the recognition of this award and furthermore to have been shortlisted with the other six buildings that have already received such recognition from RIAS/RIBA combined awards.
This year’s judges; Prof. Sadie Morgan founding director of dRMM (Chair), Henry McKeown, of jm architects and Prof. Mona Siddiqui OBE Hon FRIAS visited and assessed the shortlisted buildings against a range of criteria including architectural integrity; usability and context; delivery and execution; and sustainability. RSHP’s The Macallan Distillery and Visitor Experience has received the award on these criteria. The judges said about the project “The attention to detail and the consistency and control of aesthetic decisions in this building is incredibly impressive. A worthy winner.”
The owners and client, Edrington, wanted a building that could reveal the production processes of their exceptional Single Malt Scotch Whisky and welcome visitors, while respecting the idyllic landscape of the Speyside region. This interplay of function and display fits well with RSHP’s architectural approach.
Informed by the surrounding landscape and the whisky production process, which has taken place on The Macallan Estate since 1824, the structure’s profile resembles ancient Scottish earthworks.
There is a great deal of responsibility in working with a brand and product that has the reputation of The Macallan in a landscape as beautiful as the Distillery’s Speyside setting. Throughout the design and construction, RSHP felt that it was contributing something special. To have it recognised by a Scottish authority such as RIAS is an honour.
Toby Jeavons, Associate Partner and Project Architect of Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners said “We are thrilled that The Macallan distillery has been awarded the Doolan for 2019. It was an incredible project to have been a part of and which was only possible due to our forward-looking and ambitious client in The Macallan. A sustainable response to a fascinating and challenging brief in one of the most beautiful natural landscapes.”
Graham Stirk, Senior Design Partner, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners states that, “It has been an honour for RSHP and the wider team to have assisted The Macallan in realising their vision for a new 21st century Distillery and Visitor experience. The Macallan have been exemplary clients and central to this undertaking. Creating a facility for the future that can also respect the past and create a unique addition to one of the most beautiful landscapes in Scotland. It also serves to communicate the traditions, beauty, and importance of Scottish whisky-making to the world. The resulting building represents a new aspect to our architectural vocabulary and all the team have been intellectually enriched by the whole experience.”
George McKenzie, Head of UK Engineering, Edrington adds that, “The RIAS’ Doolan Award is an extremely humbling honour to be bestowed on the team that created The Macallan Distillery Experience. The award is testament to the vision, and collaboration from our team and our partners. Together, we have been able to deliver this unique and striking piece of contemporary architecture.”
NEW MASTER WHISKY MAKER ANNOUNCED
THE MACALLAN UNVEILS NEW MASTER WHISKY MAKER
Kirsteen Campbell to Lead Strengthened Team
The Macallan has appointed Kirsteen Campbell, renowned throughout the industry for her expertise and knowledge, as Master Whisky Maker for its Single Malt Whisky.
She will lead a newly strengthened Whisky Mastery Team, enhanced to continue delivering the outstanding quality, natural colour and distinctive aromas and flavours of The Macallan.
The team now also incorporates the role of Master of Wood to reflect the complete whisky making process and the vital influence of wood on the character of The Macallan whisky. It seamlessly combines innovation with craftsmanship and heritage to continue The Macallan’s commitment to exceptional quality since 1824.
The six-strong Whisky Mastery Team includes: Kirsteen Campbell, Master Whisky Maker; Stuart MacPherson, Master of Wood; Sarah Burgess, Lead Whisky Maker; Polly Logan, Whisky Maker; Steven Bremner, Whisky Maker; and Russell Greig, Sample Room Assistant.
Its formation will formally see maturation and whisky making working hand in hand from the very beginning of the journey to bring out the best of spirit and wood. It will additionally secure the legacy of almost two centuries of whisky making heritage, by bringing together the next generation of whisky makers with The Macallan’s most experienced and skilled craftsmen and women. As part of the new approach, apprentices with natural sensory talent will learn the art of whisky making from the depth and breadth of experience within the Whisky Mastery Team.
Originally from Thurso in the Highlands, Kirsteen is the first woman to become The Macallan Master Whisky Maker in its long-standing history spanning almost 200 years. She will transition to the position from her current role within the brand’s parent company Edrington.
Embarking on her journey into the industry in 2001 with a degree in Food Science, Kirsteen worked in a new make spirits laboratory, where she discovered her passion for Scotch whisky and her extraordinary sense of smell.
Kirsteen joined Edrington in 2007 as a Whisky Quality Technologist and progressed her career to her most recent roles within for Cutty Sark, Naked Grouse, The Famous Grouse and The Glenrothes. She holds a Diploma in Distilling and has also worked at the Scotch Whisky Research Institute.
Kirsteen’s appointment and The Macallan’s enhanced focus on the art and science of whisky making and mastery of the team marks the next chapter in the history of the world-renowned single malt whisky. It follows a landmark year in 2018, which saw the opening of The Macallan Distillery Experience on Speyside, designed by internationally acclaimed architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners, and paves the way for the brand’s 200th anniversary in 2024.
Kirsteen Campbell, Master Whisky Maker, The Macallan, said: “I feel a real sense of honour and pride to be entrusted as the custodian of The Macallan, charged with leading the Whisky Mastery Team in the creation of The Macallan’s remarkable single malt whiskies. Having been a part of the wider Edrington whisky making team for over a decade, I’m really looking forward to working more closely with the team at The Macallan.
“The Macallan is at the pinnacle of whisky making across the globe and the Whisky Mastery Team will combine the whisky makers’ depth and breadth of skills and experience to drive forward The Macallan legacy for the future.”
Igor Boyadjian, Managing Director, The Macallan, said: “It is with great pleasure that we welcome Kirsteen Campbell to the position of Master Whisky Maker at The Macallan. Kirsteen will join the Whisky Mastery Team and together they will use their skills and craft to continue to create and enhance our exceptional portfolio of whiskies.
“The appointment of Kirsteen and investment in the future legacy of The Macallan, with the strengthening of the Whisky Mastery Team, comes at an incredibly exciting time as The Macallan continues to cement its position as one of the world’s leading single malt whiskies. In the wake of the first anniversary of the new distillery, The Macallan is experiencing continued global growth and success, enjoying growing demand in new markets.”
For further information, visit www.themacallan.com
RARE BOWMORE® QUEENS WHISKY TO BE AUCTIONED IN AID OF SCOTTISH CANCER CHARITY
ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST COLLECTABLE BOTTLINGS OF WHISKY IN THE WORLD WILL GO UNDER THE HAMMER IN A SCOTCH WHISKY INDUSTRY AUCTION FOR THE BEATSON CANCER CHARITY FROM SEPTEMBER 13TH
The exceptionally rare Bowmore Queens Cask 1980 has previously only appeared a handful of times, exclusively through charity auctions.
9th September 2019 – An exceptionally rare bottling of Bowmore Single Malt whisky has been donated by Beam Suntory to an online charity auction in support of cancer care in Scotland. The Scotch Whisky Industry Charity Auction for Beatson Cancer Charity will feature over 100 rare and prestigious whiskies from Scotland’s finest distilleries with an estimated auction hammer price value of over £110,000. The rare bottle of 1980 Bowmore Queen’s Cask donated by Beam Suntory, is expected to fetch a record sum.
In 1980 a cask of whisky was filled to commemorate Her Majesty the Queen’s visit to Bowmore Distillery on the Isle of Islay. In 2002, Her Majesty requested that the cask was bottled to mark the Golden Jubilee. A select number of bottles were delivered to the cellars at Royal Palaces, with a small amount retained in the Bowmore distillery archive. Beam Suntory, owners of Bowmore distillery, donated the bottling with permission of the royal household. To date only a hand full of bottles have been seen exclusively at charity auctions, making this one of the rarest and most collectable whiskies in the world.
Pryce Greenow, International President at Beam Suntory, stated: “Beam Suntory is honoured to support such an incredible cause and raise awareness of the work of the Beatson Cancer Charity in Scotland. The Queens cask 1980 Jubilee bottling is an exceptional single malt celebrating an iconic moment in Bowmore’s distilling history. Matched by some incredible donations from the wider scotch whisky industry, we’re anticipating a record sum to be raised for this world-leading cancer charity.”
The online auction will run from 13th-23rd September on Whisky Auctioneer.com, which is waiving its seller fee and donating its buyer commission to the charity.
For more information on the auction or to register to participate, please visit
To buy or sell on the Whisky Auctioneer website, an account must be first set up here:
WINNERS ANNOUNCED IN WHISKY AWARDS
WINNERS REVEALED IN INAUGURAL SCOTTISH WHISKY AWARDS
9th September 2019: The winners in the inaugural competition to assess the business of Scotch whisky have been revealed at a sell-out event held in Edinburgh last week.
The Scottish Whisky Awards welcomed over 400 guests to celebrate and to hear who had been crowned the best in the wide-ranging competition which assesses taste and business performance.
Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year 2019 was presented to The GlenAllachie Distillery in recognition of an outstanding year of business and after winning five medals in the blind tasting competition. The distillery has successfully served a full range of single malt into the market, opened a visitor centre and created a strong distribution network. Their awards haul included two gold medals for their 18 and 12 year old single malts. Craigellachie, Glen Scotia, Highland Park and Loch Lomond Distilleries were also nominated in the category.
Angus-based Arbikie Distilling collected the award for the Newcomer of the Year and were applauded by the judging panel for their field to bottle ethos and innovative approach. They also collected a silver medal for Arbikie Highland Rye in the single grain category.
Other winners on the night included Johnnie Walker White Walker for their Game Of Thrones campaign whilst the Glasgow Distillery Company triumphed with multiple awards for their recently launched 1770 Single Malt.
Professor Alan Wolstenholme, Chair of the Judging panel commented;
“Very many congratulations to the winners in the inaugural Scottish Whisky Awards. Winning a Scottish Whisky Award is a huge opportunity to further the promotion of Scotch whisky at home and abroad. I hope that all the medallists and winners take the opportunity to promote their success and achievements in what was a very tough competition.”
The awards are supported by commercial sponsors including Shawbrook Bank and Bruce Stevenson.
Kevin Boyd, Managing Director at Shawbrook Bank commented;
“Congratulations to all the finalists and winners in the inaugural Scottish Whisky Awards. Shawbrook Bank are proud supporters of our whisky industry and we are delighted to support these awards and their work to promote the business of Scotch and all our wonderful whiskies at home and abroad.”
Graeme Dempster, Account Executive at Bruce Stevenson Insurance Brokers commented;
“We’d like to congratulate all the finalists and winners at the Scottish Whisky Awards. The quality of talent up for nomination clearly demonstrates the strength of the Scotch Whisky industry today. At
Bruce Stevenson, we’re very proud to have a wide-ranging and deep involvement in such an exciting and growing sector.”
The awards also recognised one of the whisky industry’s most accomplished scientific and technical advisers with a special award presented posthumously to Dr Jim Swan. The award for outstanding contribution to Scotch whisky was accepted by Dr Swan’s daughters and was presented in recognition of his forty-year career as a research scientist and trusted adviser to whisky distilleries around the world. The award will be presented annually as The Jim Swan Award for Services to Scotch Whisky to an individual making a significant contribution to the Scotch Whisky industry.
Full results in the competition were unveiled for the first-time last night after being held as a closely guarded secret since the business and taste competitions were carried out in May. In the taste sessions, adjudicated by the international sensory management consultancy, Cara Technology, over 100 whiskies were blind tasted and scored by a 32-strong judging panel from the UK, mainland Europe and Asia.
The awards which will now become an annual fixture and will be hosted in Glasgow next year, were also a fundraiser for two charities; The BEN, the Benevolent Society of the Licensed Trade of Scotland and the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation, set up by rugby legend Doddie Weir to help improve the lives of those affected by Motor Neurone Disease.
Latest Whisky News From Littlemill Distillery
Littlemill Reveals Latest Addition to Its Exclusive Private Cellar Collection
Littlemill 29 year old, the latest expression from Littlemill’s Private Cellar collection, will be released this September, using liquid carefully selected from some of the last remaining casks to be laid down at the Littlemill Distillery.
Now recognised to have been the oldest licensed distillery in Scotland, the distillery fell silent in 1994 and was destroyed by fire in 2004, making this liquid exceptionally rare and covetable.
Littlemill 29 year old (RRP £2,750; 47.3% ABV) is the third release from the Private Cellar Collection, each crafted by Master Blender Michael Henry in Littlemill’s traditional Lowland ‘floral’ style. This latest release places particular emphasis on developing the wood character and only 600 bottles will be released across the world.
The liquid is contained within a bespoke Glencairn crystal decanter etched with an illustration of the River Clyde and a silver star signifying the Littlemill distillery’s location. Situated in Bowling on the banks for the River Clyde, it would prove to be a defining factor in the distillery’s success, opening important trade routes to key cities including Glasgow and Edinburgh when the Forth and Clyde Canal was completed in the 1790s.
Hand-engraved and hand-infilled by Glencairn’s specialist in-house team, each decanter is truly one of a kind and is individually numbered for exclusivity and collectability.
The beautifully crafted presentation box also includes a 5cl miniature of the liquid, a piece of an original Littlemill cask, and a booklet sharing the fascinating history of the Littlemill distillery with tasting notes from Master Blender Michael Henry.
Master Blender Michael Henry explains how each of the Private Cellar releases have been crafted to deliver different flavour profiles while still retaining the original character of the Littlemill distillery:
“The latest expression in the Private Cellar collection helps to tell another piece of the Littlemill story. Littlemill has always represented the traditional Lowland ‘floral’ style, and over the years the distillation and maturation processes evolved to maintain this flavour profile.
“The first Private Cellar release in 2015 was designed to reflect Littlemill’s original quality and style. The second release in 2017 focussed more on the distillery influence, and by maturing the liquid in refill bourbon casks the distilling process became the main factor in defining the whisky’s character. Littlemill 29 year old, our 2019 release, focuses on the influence of wood.”
“The original liquid was laid down in refill bourbon casks in 1990. Seven of these were selected and combined, then finished in first-fill oloroso sherry and Limousin oak casks. The oloroso sherry adds further floral notes, similar to the traditional sherry casks used at the Littlemill distillery, while the Limousin oak provides the European oak influence. The result is unmistakably Littlemill, with delicious caramel sweetness layered with spice.”
Littlemill Distillery has long laid claim to an extensive and fascinating history, but new historic documentary evidence unearthed from the archives now conclusively proves that it was the oldest licensed whisky distillery in Scotland, with recent records unearthed with dates the license from 2nd November 1773.
Brothers George and Archibald Buchanan – the original owners of Littlemill – were trailblazers for the rich tradition of Scottish whisky production, and Littlemill continued to lead the industry for over two centuries. Notably, it was one of the first distilleries to have a female licensee, Jane MacGregor, in 1823. Later, in 1931, under the stewardship of the American Duncan Thomas, Littlemill was at the forefront of still innovation with technical designs that could create three styles of single malts from full-bodied to light.
Whisky production at Littlemill, situated in Bowling on the banks of the River Clyde near Glasgow, continued until the distillery fell silent in 1994 and was subsequently destroyed by fire in 2004, never to produce a drop again.
For further information visit www.littlemilldistillery.com.
