Distillery 14
September Release of New Macallan Limited Edition No.6
INTRODUCING THE MACALLAN EDITION NO.6 – A WHISKY INSPIRED BY A LEGENDARY RIVER
21st September 2020, London: The Macallan has unveiled Edition No.6, a new limited edition single malt whisky celebrating the natural wonders of The Macallan Estate, and the vibrant lifeforce that sustains it – the River Spey.
Marking the sixth and final release in The Macallan Edition Series, Edition No.6 tells the story of a unique land and an extraordinary river, where whisky making, agriculture and nature all live in total harmony. It brings together The Macallan’s Ghillie, Robert Mitchell; Hardy, the world’s most renowned fly fishing brand; and The Atlantic Salmon Trust, which has over 50 years’ experience in salmon conservation.
The Macallan Estate lies on the banks of the River Spey, one of Scotland’s most legendary rivers renowned across the world as a home to the mighty Atlantic salmon. A day on this river, with its pure water, stunning wild landscape and calmness is a once in a lifetime experience.
The Macallan’s Ghillie, Robert Mitchell is the guardian of The Macallan’s stretch of the River Spey and takes great pride in his role caring for the river. He said: “A day on the River Spey is supremely special. You feel that you are escaping from everything and truly connecting with nature and with our Distillery completing this stunning landscape, there is no other place in the world capable of drawing so many wonders together. We are proud custodians of our one-and-three-quarter mile stretch of the River Spey and advocate for sustainability of the wildlife in and around it and so all fishing at The Macallan is catch and release.”
Inspired by the remarkable experience offered by the Spey, The Macallan Whisky Maker, Steven Bremner, created Edition No.6 by choosing five cask styles that embody unique stories related to the river and its unparalleled natural landscape.
Crafted from a combination of American and European oak sherry seasoned casks, Edition No.6 captures the River Spey’s energy; the warm, welcoming personality of The Macallan’s Ghillie; the classic craftsmanship of Hardy; the extraordinary life of the Atlantic salmon on the beat; and the mastery of whisky making on The Macallan Estate, which has taken place since 1824.
The result is a multifaceted whisky delivering aromas of fresh fruits, nutmeg and toffee merged with oak and flavours of ripe plum, vibrant sweet oranges and cinnamon, developing into spicy fresh fruits and creamy chocolate and toasted oats at the finish.
Steven Bremner, The Macallan Whisky Maker, said: “From its early days of whisky making almost 200 years ago, The Macallan has been strongly inspired by and intrinsically connected to nature. It is the force that flows through everything we do at The Macallan and our whisky is enriched by its powerful presence. Edition No.6 is inspired by the natural world surrounding our Distillery, which has so much to offer and enjoy, in particular the River Spey, which is so vibrant, and full of energy.
“This complex single malt provides the perfect conclusion to the Edition Series as there is so much to discover in this whisky. The natural colour of antique brass derived from The Macallan’s exceptional oak casks indicates the richness of flavour that awaits and there is a structure and depth that is uncovered more and more over time.”
To protect the magical sense of the Spey that lies at the heart of Edition No.6, The Macallan has launched a new charitable partnership with The Atlantic Salmon Trust to help to conserve the at-risk fish, whose numbers have declined so rapidly in recent years.
The Atlantic Salmon Trust is protecting wild salmon and sea trout wherever they roam, especially in places like the River Spey, by tracking their migration across thousands of kilometres from their dominion to the open oceans. As a guardian of one of the last sanctuaries of Scottish salmon, The Macallan is supporting The Trust’s vital conservation work on the River Spey and beyond.
The Edition Series explores the unique and defining elements which make The Macallan one of the world’s most revered single malts. Each release reveals the detail of whisky making and showcases the absolute skill of the whisky maker, while sharing the story of The Macallan’s exceptional oak casks and mastery behind the perfect cask selection since 1824.
The Macallan Edition No.6 has an RRP of £95 and will be available at The Whisky Exchange, Master of Malt, The Whisky Shop and other specialist retailers from September 29th 2020. For further information visit www.themacallan.com
Bowmore – Celebrating ‘The Art of Time®’
BOWMORE UNVEILS ‘THE ART OF TIME®’
UNLOCKING AND CELEBRATING A LEGACY OF OVER 240 YEARS
London, 17th September, Bowmore unveils a new major global campaign celebrating the ‘The Art of Time®’, since 1779. For the first time, we will tell the Bowmore story in depth, unlocking the rich layers of our heritage and paying homage to the craftsmanship and legacy behind our single malt.
‘The Art of Time’ is a global marketing campaign, which will be released in October 2020. It will be deployed across traditional media, social and digital commerce platforms with new still and dynamic content, secondary imagery and a set of key visuals. It will also be executed in stores with dedicated displays for mass retail, and premium visibility and window displays for whisky specialists and department stores, and for events.
‘The Art of Time’ tells the story of Bowmore’s exceptional quality and how our whiskies benefit from the power of time, becoming even more beautiful and precious over the years.
Bowmore is a pioneering house and the oldest licensed distillery on Islay; we have been refining our craft for over 240 years, and we still handcraft our malts today. ‘The Art of Time’ is central to the way we make our whisky. We invest more time than necessary at every stage of our process. We have our own proprietary malt barns, hand-turning our barley. We allow for perfectly timed fermentation periods. And we take our time to hand-select our casks, nosing every single one before it is filled with our new make. This care and attention to detail is what creates the complex balance of not just mild smokiness, but also maritime minerality and fresh stone fruit notes which is so characteristic of our timeless house style. This is the reason why Bowmore ages like no other, making us one of the world’s most collectible Islay malts today.
‘The Art of Time’ has provided the canvas for a refreshing new approach to Bowmore, ensuring a single identity across the core and prestige range, featuring a striking new colour palette and visual feel, inspired by the Islay coastal landscape coming together with the whisky itself.
For the campaign’s distinctive new visuals, Bowmore has drawn inspiration from its stunning surroundings, specifically Islay’s black stone formations that also surround our distillery. These formations have a strong connection to Bowmore’s own story, and Islay is home to some of the oldest strata in the world. These rocks have been shaped over a long period of time, transformed by seasons and enriched by the wild elements, just like our whisky.
Black stones also bring us back to the origins of the Bowmore name. Some historians believe it to be derived from a small black reef just outside Lochindaal whilst others reference the Norse for sunken rock, bogha mor, as its origination. Whichever may be true, this black stone is meaningful to our home and our name. It is central to our new visual identity and the foundation of our new key visual, leveraging black rocks as a metaphor to visually bring to life the layers of time and its transformative power. From rough beauty, our new make, to the smoothest layer of all, our Bowmore whisky, Bowmore is a masterpiece sculpted by time.
Céline Daniel, Global Marketing Manager at Bowmore, comments, “We are delighted to unveil our new ‘The Art of Time’ campaign, bringing Bowmore to life in a bold new way but importantly, remaining grounded in our history and roots on Islay. This is the first time we will be exploring Bowmore’s history and craftsmanship with such depth and with such consistency at a global level.
“We believe that Bowmore is a work of art, and our understanding and respect for time is central to how and why we craft our whisky. With this campaign, we will show how Bowmore uses time to transform our celebrated single malt into a true masterpiece. By drawing inspiration from the black rocks surrounding our distillery, we are also paying homage to the way time has shaped not only our whisky, but also Islay itself.”
‘The Art of Time’ global campaign is launching shortly after Bowmore announced its first collaborative creation with Aston Martin in August 2020, the Black Bowmore DB5 1964, a striking concept which brings together an iconic whisky and a legendary car in a bottle of equal parts, featuring exceptional single malt and a genuine Aston Martin DB5 piston with only 25 bottles* for sale. This partnership with Aston Martin reinforces Bowmore’s commitment to taking the time to create something special, with the craft and patience required to make sports cars and single-malt Scotch whisky very much intertwined.
Smooth Whisky Summer Cocktails
Enjoy an Auchentoshan, Laphroaig and Bowmore With a Slight Twist
Whether it’s relaxing in the garden or enjoying an aperitif with friends, why not taste a twist on a classic and try a whisky based cocktail this summer? Bringing together the finest ingredients and flavours, here is a selection of delicious summer tipples featuring stand-out single malts from Auchentoshan, Laphroaig and Bowmore.
Auchentoshan and Laphroaig 3 Way Cobbler
A different take on a familiar cocktail, this Cobbler is sweetened with peach puree rather than sugar. A delicious summer treat with smooth Auchentoshan Three Wood and Laphroaig Select Cask
- 45ml Auchentoshan® Three Wood
- 5ml Laphroaig® Select Cask
- 15ml white chocolate fat washed white port
- 30ml sweetened white peach puree
- 15ml fresh lemon juice
- 5ml Campari
Shake all ingredients and strain over crushed ice, then garnish.
Auchentoshan® Three Wood available for £44.90 at Master of Malt. Laphroaig® Select Cask available for £32.90 at Laphroaig.
Auchentoshan A Different Thyme
You can quickly make this cocktail to enjoy with friends as it only needs a few ingredients, yet it has a refreshing and smooth whisky taste.
- 30ml Auchentoshan® American Oak
- 30ml fresh grapefruit juice
- 60ml lager beer
- 15ml sugar syrup
Auchentoshan® American Oak available for £24.90 at Master of Malt.
Laphroaig Garden Grove
A surprising fusion of new flavours in the Laphroaig Garden Grove will make it a firm favourite for the summer. Not for the faint hearted, this drink is for the cocktail aficionados.
- 50ml Laphroaig 10 Year Old
- 30ml PX vinegar & fig shrub
- 5ml Fernet Branca
- 10ml Dry Orange Curacao Liqueur
- 2 dashes black walnut bitters
- Mist Laphroaig® 10 Year Old
- Fig and rosemary, to garnish
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a double old-fashioned. Mist the glass with Laphroaig 10 Year Old and garnish with fig & rosemary.
Laphroaig 10 Year Old available for £44.90 at Laphroaig.
Bowmore 12YO Sour
A sweet and sophisticated sip, get ready to impress your guests at your summer garden party with this cocktail featuring the Bowmore 12-Year-Old Whisky
- 60ml Bowmore® 12-Year-Old
- 20ml fresh lemon juice
- 20ml sugar syrup
- 1 dash of egg white
- 3 Skewered brandied cherries
Add ingredients into a shaker and dry shake. Then, add ice and shake. Double strain into a Coupe and garnish with a cherry skewer.
Bowmore 12-Year-Old available for £35.95 at The Whisky Exchange.
Choose a Fine Malt Whisky Gift For Father’s Day 2020
Help Ease Lockdown With a Malt Whisky Gift This Father’s Day
Father’s Day is just around the corner, which means it’s the perfect time to gift an exceptional whisky, patiently matured and rich with flavour, to show appreciation to your father figure on Sunday 21st June.
Bringing together the finest ingredients and flavours, here is a selection of stand-out Single Malts to gift this Father’s Day, including classic expressions from the sophisticated Bowmore, the iconic peated flavour of Laphroaig and the smooth triple distilled taste of Auchentoshan. All of which are perfect to raise a glass to.
If your Dad enjoys a true classic Islay malt, with strong peat character and depth, choose Laphroaig. For a complex flavour experience, gift him Bowmore for its combination of tropical fruit, mild peat and a hint of sea air. And for a fresh and fruity smooth malt that is easy to drink, neat or in a delicious cocktail, go for Auchentoshan.
Bowmore No. 1
Exclusively matured in first fill Bourbon casks, Bowmore No.1 Malt is singularly special.
Sip a dram of Bowmore No.1 and taste vanilla sweetness, cinnamon spice and oak smoke. This all culminates in a peat smoked, bourbon vanilla and lime finish.
Available for £29.90 at Master of Malt
Bowmore 12 Year Old
Drinkers of the Bowmore 12 Year Old can taste warm and delicious flavours on the palate with subtle dark chocolate taste notes.
Bowmore’s 12 Year Old is both complex and perfectly balanced. Subtle lemon and sweet heather honey complement Bowmore’s trademark peat smoke, leading to a delicious, long and mellow finish.
Available for £34.95 at Master of Malt
Bowmore 18 Year Old
For an extra special gift, treat your Dad to a Bowmore 18 Year Old. This mellow mahogany liquid is cosseted away in the finest, hand-selected oak casks and allowed to mature at its own sedate pace
This is one of Bowmore’s rarest bottlings, but there is no end to its enjoyment for drinkers.
Available for £77.90 at Master of Malt
Laphroaig 10 Year Old
Laphroaig 10 Year Old is a peat smoked liquid with a surprising sweetness, hints of salt and layers of peatiness. The perfect gift for your old man.
The Laphroaig 10 Year Old is the original Laphroaig, distilled the same way today as when Ian Hunter invented it more than 75 years ago. The iconic, quintessential Islay Single Malt Whisky.
Currently available for £44.90 at Laphroaig Shop
Auchentoshan Sour
Buy your Dad an Auchentoshan American Oak, the perfect expression for whisky based cocktails, and use it to treat him to an Auchentoshan Sour.
Vanilla and coconut are found within Auchentoshan American Oak. This versatile liquid is triple distilled and matured solely in American bourbon casks making it the perfect component for whisky based cocktails.
For a refreshing beverage, try an Auchentoshan Sour.
- 35ml Auchentoshan American Oak
- 20ml Simple syrup (to prepare: dissolve one part sugar in one part water over a hob and let chill)
- 20ml Fresh lemon juice
Add all of the ingredients to a shaker and fill with ice. You can do this in some Tupperware at home if you haven’t got a shaker yet. Just shake and strain into a rocks glass filled with ice, then garnish with your choice of a cherry or a lemon wedge.
Available for £31.99 at Amazon
Virtual Whisky News From Glen Scotia Distillery
Glen Scotia Releases Exclusive Dunnage Tasting Box Following Success of Virtual Festival
The Glen Scotia virtual festival has been heralded a huge success, after attracting over 8,000 visitors from all around the world.
Following the cancellation of the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2020 which had been scheduled to run from 19-21 May 2020, the Glen Scotia Distillery announced it would bring its programme of events online for the first time at www.glenscotia.com/festival.
As part of the programme the distiller made its famous dunnage whisky tasting, which for many is the pinnacle of their Campbeltown Malt Festival experience, available for those outside the distillery for the very first time.
The theme for 2020 is The Casks of Campbeltown, featuring whiskies matured in casks from the town, and investigating the influencer they have on the modern Campbeltown style.
Only 200 dunnage tasting packs have been released in the UK, each containing five 25 ml samples along with password access to a specially created tasting video hosted by Iain McAlister. A further 1800 tasting boxes will be distributed to markets around the world.
In the UK, the Glen Scotia Dunnage Tasting Box is available to order from Dram Team priced at £55.99 (including postage).
The five samples will include:
- Glen Scotia Victoriana, 54.2% abv
- Cask 810, 2005 First Fill bourbon 60.1% abv
- Cask 486, 2002 Refill Sherry Hogshead 48.8% abv
- Cask 2/359, 2009 First Fill Bordeaux Red Wine 57.1% abv
- Cask 6/413, 2005 First Fill Tawny Port Hogshead 57.4% abv
Iain McAlister, Master Distiller at Glen Scotia, said: “We’ve been absolutely thrilled by the response we had to the Glen Scotia Virtual Malts Festival. We saw over 8,000 people join us from all over the world including Europe, North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Australasia – wildly exceeding our expectations!
“We’re now considering making some elements of the festival permanently ‘virtual’ going forward. We know Campbeltown isn’t the easiest place in the world to get to so this will be a great way to allow our global whisky fans the chance to be a part of the celebrations in future years.
“The dunnage tasting is one of my favourite events in the Campbeltown Malts Festival schedule and we’re excited to be able to provide those who had hoped to join us in person, and perhaps quite a few who usually wouldn’t have had the chance, the opportunity to take part in our special dunnage tasting.”
Chris Borrow, Founder, DramTeam added “I could not be more thrilled to be working with the fantastic team from Glen Scotia to put together this incredible dunnage tasting set. Some friends and I had the privilege of being utterly spoilt by Iain McAlister on our first ever visit to Campbeltown, when he very generously hosted us for a Glen Scotia dunnage warehouse tasting. To this day, the best tasting experience of my life – and one that I am very excited to put in a box for other people to enjoy. This is legitimately the best whisky-tasting-by-post we’ve ever done!”
Campbeltown was known as the whisky capital of the world during the Victorian era and was home to over 30 working distilleries. The annual Campbeltown Malts Festival is a celebration of Scotland’s fifth and smallest malt producing region and its whisky making heritage. This year’s event was set to take place from 19-21 May, however in line with Covid-19 government guidance, the festival has been cancelled for the first time since it launched in 2009.
Founded in 1832, Glen Scotia reflects centuries of craftsmanship and experience associated with the region and its award-winning whiskies are renowned for their distinctive maritime influence and Campbeltown character. For those who missed out on the festival this year many of the tastings and tours are still available to watch www.glenscotia.com/festival.
Issued by BIG Partnership on behalf of Glen Scotia.
