Gordon & MacPhail Unveils New ‘Discovery’ Range of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies
Family-run single malt whisky creators, Gordon & MacPhail, has announced the launch of ‘Discovery’, a new range that is part of the company’s commitment to strengthen and streamline the brand’s portfolio.
The range of carefully selected whiskies is grouped and colour-coded under three flavour profiles – ‘Smoky, ‘Sherry’ and ‘Bourbon’. Designed to help whisky drinkers to begin an exploratory journey through the Gordon & MacPhail portfolio, each bottle features a brief tasting note and either a vintage or age statement.
The first expressions to be released within the new ‘Discovery’ range comprise spirit originally from Balblair, Tormore, Miltonduff and Caol Ila distilleries, then matured in Gordon & MacPhail’s own hand-selected casks. Prices start from £49.95 UK (RSP) and vary in available markets around the world due to taxes and duties.
Stephen Rankin, Director of Prestige and a fourth-generation member of the Urquhart family, owners of Gordon & MacPhail, remarked: “We’re proud to be the curators of the world’s most diverse stock of single malt whiskies from over 100 distilleries. We’ve spent several years working to develop this new range for whisky lovers globally.
“’Discovery’ offers whisky drinkers the opportunity to begin a journey with us through the Gordon & MacPhail whiskies portfolio. By offering flavour profiles and tasting notes, we want to help the discerning consumer navigate their choices with confidence, beyond their usual malt.”
‘Discovery’ is the second range to launch as part of the updated portfolio, which offers consumers five distinct ranges. The new look ‘Connoisseurs Choice’ range was unveiled last month (April 2018). The additional ranges for ‘Distillery Labels’ and ‘Private Collection’ will be revealed to consumers in the summer and autumn respectively. The launch of the next ‘Generations’ release is yet to be revealed.
For more information about the new ‘Discovery’ range and the streamlined portfolio, visit www.gordonandmacphail.com.
AUCHENTOSHAN® IS RALLYING BARTENDERS TO JOIN ITS GLOBAL COLLECTIVE, THE NEW MALT ORDER
Auchentoshan is on the hunt for the best bartending talent to enter its global cocktail competition
11 May 2018: Auchentoshan® is on a mission to find creative bartenders to join its international bartender collective as it announces the launch of its New Malt Order 2018 competition. Launched in 2016, the New Malt Order is a growing community of like-minded bartenders who share a passion for shaking up the world of single malts.The urban malt from the city of Glasgow, is challenging entrants to create a cocktail that captures the essence of its triple distilled malt whisky and takes inspiration from the bartender’s home city. Successful bartenders will be given the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the home of Auchentoshan® in Glasgow and become immersed in the city’s culture and create an exclusive liquid with Master Blender, Ron Welsh (pictured below). The winners will go behind the scenes at the distillery and select from casks, blend, bottle and even have their say on the final packaging of this rare and unique single malt.
THE ORIGINAL CITY MALT
This year Auchentoshan® will celebrate its urban heritage and challenge bartenders to capture their city’s unique character in an Auchentoshan cocktail. The competition is now open and bartenders from the UK, Canada, Russia, Australia and Germany are being encouraged to enter via Instagram for a chance to become part of the New Malt Order global collective.
Judged by the best in the business, winners of this once in a lifetime experience will be announced in September.
THE NEW MALT ORDER
Launched in 2016, The New Malt Order is not only a competition but a growing global community of passionate bartenders who are pushing boundaries, breaking rules and taking single malt whisky to new places and new faces.
TWO LIMITED EDITIONS
Bartenders’ Malt 01 | Released July 2017
In 2016, the inaugural 12 bartenders from some of the world’s best bars designed a 47% ABV malt to blend in cocktails such as Bobby Burns, Vieux Carré, and the classic Old Fashioned.
Colour: Gold- copper with subtle grassy reflections
Nose: Dried apricots, milk, chocolate, honey and green tobacco leaf
Palate: Delicate floral cherry blossom and buttery brioche undercut by zesty notes of ginger
Bartenders’ Malt 02 | Released later in 2018
Bartenders’ Malt 02, created by 2017’s cohort of international bartenders, will be released exclusively to the on-trade later this year.
Speaking about the upcoming release, Master Blender Ron Welsh, said: “We’ve created a blend that matches bartenders tastes for mixing cocktails. It’s one of the best Auchentoshan®’s I’ve ever tasted.”
Charles Roche from Scout in London, a member of The New Malt Order: “Being a member of the New Malt Order is amazing. We’ve blended a whisky using our bartending expertise specifically for bartenders. It’s the perfect mix for any whisky based cocktail.”
Marco Di Ciacca, Senior Brand Manager, Edrington-Beam Suntory said: “We are excited and proud to announce Auchentoshan®’s New Malt Order competition for the third consecutive year. We are passionate about seeking the best advocates to represent single malt and champion creative bartending on a global scale. We’re looking forward to witnessing how the entrants capture the essence of their city this year and welcome the winners to the home of Auchentoshan®.”
BECOME PART OF THE NEW MALT ORDER 2018
The competition is now open, all entries need to be submitted by Saturday 30 June.
HOW TO ENTER
Enter on Instagram by posting:
- A photo of a cocktail that embodies your city (no branding or people to be included)
- Tag @theauchentoshan and use #newmaltorder so we can track your entry
- Tag your bar (e.g. @scoutldn)
- Post details of your cocktail’s ingredients and methodology
- Post an outline of your City inspiration behind the cocktail
To find out more and to enter, visit
www.instagram.com/theauchentoshan or www.auchentoshan.com/newmaltorder
The Macallan Quest Collection – Exclusive to Global Travel Retail
Like with everything that comes out of The Macallan distillery there is always an element of something rather special to speak about and with the relatively recent launch of The Macallan Quest Collection exclusively for global travel retail, we thought we’d share some of the news…
World Whisky Day (19 May 2018)
Raise a Dram With The World On World Whisky Day (19 May 2018)
THE MACALLAN SHERRY OAK 12-YEAR-OLD – £73.00
For those who appreciate the intricacies of flavour, purchase a bottle of The Macallan Sherry Oak 12-Year-Old.
Founded in 1824, The Macallan is one of the worlds most admired and awarded single malt whiskies. This particular liquid has been aged in exclusively sherry seasoned American & European oak casks. This gives it a deliciously smooth taste, punctuated with rich dried fruits and sherry but balanced with wood smoke and spices.
Available to buy from Waitrose
BOWMORE 15 – £50.00
Bowmore 15 was voted Whisky of the Year 2018 by The Whisky Exchange and is the perfect dram to toast World Whisky Day.
Matured in an incredible combination of both bourbon and sherry casks, it spends its final three years in Oloroso sherry casks, which give Bowmore 15 the rich, deep colour and warming finish.
Notes of toffee, treacle and chocolate make this delicious liquid great for someone looking to taste the best of the legendary Islay distillery’s millennial output.
Available to buy from The Whisky Exchange
LAPHROAIG 10 YEAR OLD – £36
If you like tradition and heritage, look no further than the Laphroaig 10 Year Old. It is the only single malt Scotch whisky to be awarded the Royal Warrant by HRH The Prince Of Wales, the ultimate seal of approval.
Notable for its high levels of peat, Laphroaig 10 has a very distinct and unique flavour profile, with an earthy, tangy taste detailed with elements of sweetness. Unforgettable.
Wonderful neat or with a drop of water, but it’s also perfect in The Penicillin cocktail with lemon, ginger and honey.
Available to buy from Waitrose and Sainsbury’s
HIGHLAND PARK 12 YEAR OLD – £35.00
Highland Park was founded by the descendants of Vikings, whose influence can be seen on the bottle’s incredible design. Pick this bottle for its sweetness and warmth – a whisky that never lets you down.
The 12-Year-Old, also called the Orkney after their historic island north of Scotland, has notes of honey with a gentle peaty smokiness. It is fantastic neat or over ice, but it can also be great in an Orcadian Cooler, which includes lemon, elderflower and soda water.
Available to buy from Tesco and Sainsbury’s
https://www.highlandparkwhisky.com/
MAKER’S MARK KENTUCKY STRAIGHT BOURBON – £30.00
Maker’s Mark is a small-batch Bourbon handmade in Loretto, Kentucky using the same principles Bill Samuels Sr., first used in 1954.
Made from red winter wheat it has a sweeter taste than most traditional Bourbons giving it a distinctive taste. With notes of oak, caramel, vanilla and spice it is best served on its own, or as part of an Old Fashioned, Moscow Mule or hot Apple Cider.
Maker’s is distilled for six years before being bottled and sealed with red wax to give it a distinctive look, and is a great pick for a fan of bourbon.
Available to buy from Tesco and Waitrose.
SUNTORY HIBIKI HARMONY – £62.50
Hibiki Japanese Harmony is a blend of Japanese malt and grain whiskies from three different regions: Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita. The whiskies are drawn from five different types of cask, and the bottle is presented in the brand’s trademark 24-faceted bottle representing the Japanese seasons.
The blend of select handcrafted whiskies pays tribute to the original Hibiki, which was launched in 1989. The finish is elegant and subtle, with a hint of Mizunara (Japanese oak). Perfect for those looking to celebrate World Whisky Day with a refined tipple.
Available to buy from Waitrose.
https://whisky.suntory.com/en/global/products/hibiki/sku/
Le Clos Breaks Whisky World Record with $1.2m Sale of The Macallan 1926
Dubai Airport based retailer Le Clos sets world record for most expensive whisky bottles ever sold at US$1.2m
Two extremely rare bottles of The Macallan 1926, with labels commissioned by artists Sir Peter Blake and Valerio Adami, bought by private collector
Bottles originally retailed for £20k, and the last known individual bottle sold in 2007 for US$75,000
(Dubai, UAE) 25 April 2018: Two extremely rare bottles of The Macallan 1926 have today set the world record for the most expensive whisky bottles ever sold after they changed hands for US$1.2m. The pair are labelled with original artworks by renowned artists Sir Peter Blake and Valerio Adami. The bottles were sold by Le Clos, the Dubai-Airport based luxury spirits retailer, to an international businessman for his private collection. Each bottle was sold for US$600,000.
These two bottles are two of the most unique bottles of whisky ever produced. The whisky itself is The Macallan 1926, which was distilled in 1926 then aged 60 years in sherry-seasoned oak barrels before being bottled and released in 1986. Of the 40 bottles produced, just 12 were given to British artist Sir Peter Blake, famed for co-creating the Beatles’ album cover for Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, and 12 were given to the Italian artist Valerio Adami, (released in 1993) one of the most acclaimed pop artists of the 21st century. Each artist created a bespoke label for the bottles, making them highly sought after by art-lovers and whisky collectors alike. The rare bottles are presented in cabinets, or tantaluses, and are based on the ‘brass and glass’ distillery spirit safe designs.
Each bottle originally retailed at £20k, and the last known individual bottle sold in 2007 at Christie’s for US$75,000.
The sale at Le Clos sets a new benchmark for private sales and completes another chapter in The Macallan’s history as a collector’s whisky – the distillery also currently holds the record for most expensive whisky bottle sold at auction with The Macallan M Imperiale achieving US$628,000 at Sotheby’s Hong Kong in 2014.
Le Clos’ relationships and expertise within the luxury spirits market to source such rare and highly collectible products enabled the record-breaking sale to take place, building on several previous world-record sales in travel retail. Dubai Airport is the world’s new travel crossroads, and the partnership has made Macallan accessible to collectors around the globe.
Iain Delaney, Managing Director Le Clos, commented: “Le Clos has built a long-standing relationship with both The Macallan and Dubai Airports and we are thrilled to be able to celebrate our 10year anniversary with another world-record sale. This success is testament to the commitment of our partners who have supported the vision of Le Clos in becoming one of the world’s leading luxury retailers, not just in Dubai Airport but globally.
The desire to deliver world-class retailing excellence is engrained in our DNA as is our reputation for exploring the world to source unique fine wines and luxury spirits that are both accessible as they are different and bring them to the one of the world’s great cross roads.
It’s these attributes; the passion and ability to source some of the rarest bottles in the world, coupled with our world-class retailing credentials that have created the trust in the global market for private retail sales of this magnitude to take place.”
Geoff Kirk, Director of Prestige, The Macallan, said: “These represent some of the most exclusive bottles ever produced making this an iconic sale that will be remembered worldwide for years to come. It is incredibly rare for The Macallan 1926 to be made available for purchase, and the sale offers whisky connoisseurs the chance to secure historic bottles emblematic of 20th century pop culture. The Macallan is renowned for its outstanding quality and this sale demonstrates the brand standing as a leading figure in the whisky industry worldwide.”
“At Dubai International, we are focused on working with great partners who are committed to elevating the travel experience. One element of that experience is Le Clos’ unique product range, combined with the personal knowledge and service their team members offer. We are delighted that this industry record-breaking sale has taken place at our airport,” said Eugene Barry, Dubai Airports’ EVP Commercial.
Le Clos is owned and operated by Maritime and Mercantile International (MMI), headquartered in Dubai with a vision to becoming one of the world’s leading independent beverage distributors in emerging markets.
