INTRODUCING THE ARDMORE LEGACY
The Ardmore distillery has just launched The Ardmore Legacy, a lightly peated Highland single malt to be distributed by Maxxium UK.
The Ardmore Legacy continues the distillery’s history of producing the only traditionally peated Highland single malt whisky and will replace Ardmore Traditional Cask as its core expression.
A lightly peated, sweet dram, The Ardmore Legacy offers the ideal introduction to peated single malts. Combining notes of creamy vanilla, smoky charcoal, sweet honey and savoury spices with a pleasant smoky taste, The Ardmore Legacy is a full-bodied and smooth dram with the typical Ardmore dry, spicy and long-lasting finish.
The expression also brings a new premium look for the brand with its eagle icon firmly at the heart of the packaging design. The bottle label and outer tube feature a splendid copper foil eagle in full flight, acknowledging their rare golden eagle neighbours and representing an adherence to tradition. The eye-catching monochrome backdrop encompasses a map design conveying the distillery’s location and heritage.
Peter Sandstrom, Marketing Director, Maxxium UK said: “This is an exciting new expression from The Ardmore offering an exceptional Highland single malt with broad appeal. As the only traditionally peated Highland single malt, The Ardmore Legacy has real stand out. It is ideal for whisky drinkers looking for something new and is also the perfect introduction for any whisky drinkers beginning their journey into peated malts.”
The eagle has long played a key role in the brand’s history with rare golden eagles often seen riding the thermals above the distillery. The Ardmore supports these birds in partnership with the RSPB, most recently with the reintroduction of the white tailed eagle, a cousin of the golden eagle.
Distilled in Scotland’s Highland region, The Ardmore single malt has continued its traditional ways since the distillery was founded in 1898, combining traditional methods with the very best craftsmanship to produce award winning single malt whisky.
The Ardmore Legacy (RRP £29.99) will be available to purchase at Tesco and Morrisons as well as select specialist whisky retailers from the beginning of October.
Issued by The BIG Partnership on behalf of The Ardmore
For further information please contact Linsay Moore/Laura Hutchinson at The BIG Partnership
Tel: 0131 557 5252 Email: firstname.lastname@bigpartnership.co.uk
JW Steakhouse makes global history purchasing the first Jim Beam Single Barrel
18 September 2014: Jim Beam, the world’s number one bourbon, and JW Steakhouse at Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel, are making global history. The leading American steakhouse will be the first retailer in Europe to acquire a full barrel of Jim Beam1 Single Barrel Bourbon.
It was during a visit to The Bourbon Bar at JW Steakhouse that seventh generation Jim Beam Master Distiller Fred Noe and beverage manager Karina Elias first met and agreed to work in partnership to offer a truly unique bourbon exclusively available to the restaurant’s patrons. Karina travelled to the Jim Beam American Stillhouse in Kentucky in April to hand select a barrel under Noe’s guidance, and on 17th September this historic initiative will be unveiled.
The personalised JW Steakhouse bottles of bourbon will be on display at The Bourbon Bar alongside the chosen barrel signed by Noe himself. The restaurant’s drinks menu will feature tailor-made Jim Beam Single Barrel Bourbon cocktails and to ensure the ultimate bourbon experience, head chef Julian Ward has created bespoke food pairings.
Jim Beam Single Barrel Bourbon is the first single barrel offering from the world’s No. 1 bourbon brand. This hand-crafted Kentucky Straight Bourbon is among the best liquid produced by Beam’s distillers and represents Jim Beam’s seven generations of history.
At 95 proof (in honor of the first Jim Beam barrel dating back to 1795), this Kentucky Straight Bourbon is a smooth, rich whiskey selected from the finest barrels of Jim Beam.
JW Steakhouse Beverage Manager Karina Elias says: “Making history with Maxxium UK and Jim Beam to bring this one-of-a-kind bourbon to our bar has been a very special experience. I chose this barrel because of its bold flavours and rich colour that I know our customers will love. It is full-bodied and smooth with attributes of oak, vanilla and caramel. I am really looking forward to sharing our unique story and this distinctive quality Jim Beam Bourbon with our customers over the coming weeks.”
Maxxium UK’s Marketing Controller for Imported Whiskey Eileen Livingston says: “This is an exciting project and one which will delight London’s bourbon fans. This embodies the sentiment behind our Make History campaign as not only is it the first time a single barrel of Jim Beam has been made available outside of the US, it is also the first time we have worked with a customer to provide a bespoke bourbon.”
Jim Beam’s global Make History campaign launched earlier this year and features new spokesperson, award-nominated actress Mila Kunis. Make History inspires consumers to make their own mark in history the same way Jim Beam has in its very own 219-year history. Throughout the year, Jim Beam will continue to mark milestones with initiatives big and small.
As part of the Make History campaign, Jim Beam has been working in partnership with the trade and another initiative Shake History, was also recently launched. This competition invites top bartender teams across the UK to create a unique Jim Beam cocktail representing their bar. The teams will compete in November for the chance to take their place in Jim Beam’s history.
The Bourbon Bar at JW Steakhouse
JW Steakhouse is as a leading American steakhouse in Mayfair, London. Featuring the finest cuts of American USDA beef and select, hand-cut selections of Aberdeen Angus, JW Steakhouse is quite simply an expert in steak.
The Bourbon Bar at JW Steakhouse has the largest and most varied selection of Bourbons in London. With over 160 rare, pre prohibition, single barrel and small batch Bourbons, there is something for the novice to the connoisseur. A series of innovative tasting flights are also available and with the new Jim Beam Single Barrel, guests can enjoy a truly unique flavour that can’t be experienced anywhere else in the world. Please visit www.jwsteakhouse.co.uk.
For more information on The Bourbon Bar, JW Steakhouse or Grosvenor House, A JW Marriott Hotel, please contact Lorna O’Neill, Director of PR. Tel: +44 (0)20 7399 8581, Email: lorna.oneill@marriotthotels.com
For more information, please contact: Jennifer Cirillo or Simone Harvey
Tel: 020 8544 6917 or e-mail: j.cirillo@lime-pr.co.uk, s.harvey@lime-pr.co.uk
Scottish Referendum 2014 – From the SWA’s Annual Review, May 2014
SWA’s Annual Review, May 2014
The people of Scotland face a historic choice in September’s independence referendum. The implications are huge and the basis for the eventual decision needs to be fully discussed. So I make no apology for dealing with it at length.
This industry is in a special position in this debate. We can make Scotch Whisky only in Scotland and our brands are indissolubly linked with it. 35,000 jobs depend on the industry. Our operations are at the heart of many communities around Scotland and we sustain economic activity in rural and remote areas that might otherwise have difficulty in attracting it.
That success is not the result of chance. It has come about because of a wide range of factors which have been well provided for us within the United Kingdom and would need to be similarly provided in the future if it were to be within an independent Scotland.
At the UK level, we are fortunate to have – on the whole – certainty in our domestic business environment. Monetary and fiscal policy is predictably managed. We benefit from the fact that our domestic market is the sixth biggest economy in the world, large enough to support broad and balanced growth and provide a pool of relevant skills. In contrast, as of now, the nature of an independent Scotland’s currency remains unclear, and self-evidently this could affect our exports, management of supply chains, pricing, and competitiveness. The taxation regime also remains to be developed, and any regulatory divergence between Scotland and the rest of the UK may increase costs to business. In all these areas, we need further information and reassurance before we can assess whether we can mitigate these potential risks.
At the EU level, the legal framework provided by EU membership is fundamental. The ‘Scotch Whisky’ geographical indication is protected in EU law. We are able to export tariff-free across the single market, use EU mechanisms to eliminate market access problems, and benefit from the EU’s clout in trade negotiations. Of course, not everything in the EU is perfect and, in my view, many areas need reform. But even a temporary interruption of EU membership involving exclusion from the single market or the customs union, if this were a consequence of independence, would be damaging and difficult to manage.
Internationally, as an export-oriented sector, we rely on effective support from government in our overseas markets, whether in influencing EU negotiations or pressing other governments to allow fairer market access. Both the UK and Scottish Governments have been supportive of us and there will be risks if this support is not maintained. The Scottish Government White Paper envisages a network of 70 to 90 overseas missions, but we export to around 200 markets. A diplomatic network with the necessary geographic footprint, expertise, and influence to provide commercial and political support globally will continue to be essential.
In short, as we consider the potential impact of constitutional change, we look for reassurance on how an independent Scotland could deliver a business, regulatory, and export environment at least as supportive as that which the industry currently enjoys.
Whatever the result on 18 September, we are committed to working with government in the future to deliver sustainable economic growth – either helping to shape the policy regime for an independent Scotland or engaging in the debate about further devolution. That is what the people of Scotland would expect and it is what I am determined to deliver.”
David Frost, SWA Chief Executive
http://www.scotch-whisky.org.uk/
11 Sep 2014
Introducing some of London’s Finest Malt Whisky Bars including Salt Bar
As most bars look to differentiate themselves from others and cater for ever more discerning tastes, those in London are no exception and in many ways lead the way in what could almost be described as a revolution. Not just through their style and ambience but the choices on offer to patrons make bars like Salt Bar in London’s Marble Arch, one of those that just has to be sampled. For the whisky lover, there are nearly 200 whiskies to choose from and a selection of classes designed to bring the whisky tasting experiences even more to life adding an educational twist in the process.
Scotch Whisky is popular in Commonwealth
Almost a fifth (19%) of exports of Scotland’s national drink goes to Commonwealth countries. Last year exports to the Commonwealth were up 1% on 2012 to £793 million, out of a global total of £4.3 billion. Singapore is the largest market in the Commonwealth for Scotch Whisky with exports of £330m last year. However, a lot of that Scotch will go to other parts of Asia as Singapore is a distribution hub for the region. The second biggest overseas destination for Scotch in the Commonwealth is South Africa with exports of £163m last year. It has been a growing market for several years now. While this growth is expected to continue, new markets are also emerging across Africa. For example, there is great potential in Nigeria. Last year, exports to Nigeria were up 43% to almost £14m, making it the seventh biggest market in the Commonwealth. Africa is one of the fastest developing markets for Scotch Whisky.
Economic growth is occurring and individual disposable incomes are increasing for many of the population. There is a growing middle class in many cities across Africa who regard Scotch as an aspirational drink. India is the fourth largest export market for Scotch in the Commonwealth, with exports of £69m last year. It is hoped the European Union-India Free Trade Agreement talks will resume which will lead to the reduction of the onerous 150% import tariff on spirits in that market. David Frost, Scotch Whisky Association chief executive, will be involved in a panel discussion on ‘Trade as a driver for development and economic growth’ at the Commonwealth Games Business Conference, organised jointly by UK Trade and Investment, the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise, at the University of Glasgow on Tuesday 22 July. He said: “In many Commonwealth countries Scotch Whisky has been popular for years. As economies in other countries develop, young, professional consumers are developing a taste for Scotch Whisky which they rightly regard as an aspirational drink of quality.
21 Jul 2014
With media enquiries please contact Rosemary Gallagher, SWA communications manager on 0131 222 9230/07432 605385 or email rgallagher@swa.org.uk
For more information on the Scotch Whisky Association
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