Whisky 20
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.
Edrington-Beam Suntory UK Whisky News
Whisky Category Set To Grow To £2.44 Billion by 2022
Inaugural
Edrington-Beam Suntory UK Whisky Yearbook Forecasts
The whisky category will return to growth over the coming year and, by 2022, will be worth £2.44 billion (up from £2.31 billion in 2018) according to research in the inaugural Edrington-Beam Suntory UK Whisky Yearbook.
The report, designed to be a guide to the trends in the UK whisky market, has been launched by Edrington-Beam Suntory UK to create a comprehensive guide to the key shifts in the category, as well as forecast the underlying trends and their impact.
The research shows that whisky as a whole will grow by £138 million in value in the coming three years – 6% growth over the period – and by over 200,000 cases.
|
2018 (actual) |
2022 (forecast) |
CAGR |
Total change |
Change |
|
|
Volume |
7.44m |
7.65m |
0.7% |
2.7% |
201k |
|
Value |
£2.31b |
£2.44b |
1.5% |
6.0% |
£138.37m |
Source: CGA & Nielsen sales data for 2018 and IWSR growth forecasts for 2019 and 2022. Volume of 8.4 litre cases and total whisky value
Mark Riley, Managing Director of Edrington-Beam Suntory UK said: “Whisky is one of the most diverse and dynamic of the spirits categories. Our forecast is that it is also one that will see growth over the next three years. Bartenders and retailers tell us that whisky is a key focus for them, with plans to invest in broadening their knowledge and range, ensuring they can accommodate the increasing appetite for the spirit from consumers in both on and off-trade.
“We would like the Edrington-Beam Suntory UK Whisky Yearbook to become a vital resource to track the changes as they happen and to look at the underlying trends in the category – both as a way to understand the market today and to forecast what is to come – as well as to offer insight into how we navigate the challenges and opportunities presented to us.”
Growth in Scotch single malt and US whisky
The principle drivers of this growth are set to be the Scotch single malt category which Edrington-Beam Suntory UK expects to see grow in value from £394 million in 2018 to £439 million in 2022.
The growth will come as a result of new “accessibly priced” single malts in the market and a closing of the price gap between single malts and blends – encouraging more blends drinkers to “trade up”.
At the same time, existing single malt drinkers are showing strong signs of trading up within the category as they explore limited bottlings and premium releases from the biggest names such as The Macallan and Bowmore amongst others.
Meantime, The Whisky Yearbook research also forecasts that American whiskies will see growth to 2022 – up from £688 million in 2018 to £742 million in 2022.
While there is uncertainty over the current tariffs imposed on US whiskies, the report is optimistic that growth will come from the growing “American premium” brands such as Maker’s Mark, Knob Creek, Bulleit and Woodford Reserve, which are helping to add value to the category.
Mark Riley said: “Our forecast is that Scotch single malt and American whiskies will drive future growth, continuing to attract new consumers to the whisky category and successfully appealing to existing customers with new expressions. Both are seeing customers trade-up as they explore the categories, which is supporting the increase in the value and volume of sales.”
Scotch and US Whiskies Volume Growth to 2022
|
2018 |
2019 |
Change 2018-2019 |
Change 2018-2019 |
2022 |
|
|
Scotch Blend |
4.78m |
4.77m |
-0.3% |
-14.3k |
4.57m |
|
US Whiskey |
1.72m |
1.72m |
0.1% |
1.7k |
1.81m |
|
Scotch Malt |
0.81m |
0.85m |
3.7% |
30.1k |
0.90m |
Source: CGA & Nielsen sales data for 2018 and IWSR growth forecasts for 2019 and 2022. Volume of 8.4 litre cases and total whisky value
Scotch and US Whiskies Value Growth to 2022
|
2018 |
2019 |
Change 2018-2019 |
Change 2018-2019 |
2022 |
|
|
Scotch Blend |
£1.05b |
£1.05b |
– |
– |
£1.01b |
|
US Whiskey |
£687.89m |
£694.77m |
1.0% |
£6.88m |
£742.23m |
|
Scotch Malt |
£393.86m |
£408.43m |
3.7% |
£14.57m |
£438.76m |
Source: CGA & Nielsen sales data for 2018 and IWSR growth forecasts for 2019 and 2022. Volume of 8.4 litre cases and total whisky value
Emergent categories in whisky
Further supporting the overall growth of whisky in the coming years will be the smaller sub-categories where growth will be substantial to 2022, according to Edrington-Beam Suntory UK forecasts.
Irish whiskey will grow by £28.5 million from its sales in 2018 to 2022 and is forecast to be worth £163.9 million. This has been largely driven by the category-leading brand, Jamesons, but the wider easing of supply of Irish whiskey into the UK market will support this growth yet further.
The growth of single grain whisky, meanwhile, has been one of the success stories of the last five years and growth will continue as the value of sales will almost double to £42.1 million in 2022 (from £21.5 million in 2018). As with Irish whiskey, a clear market leader – Haig Club – has led the increase, but there are now further brands joining the category which will increase the pace of growth.
Growth in sales of Japanese whisky will accelerate over the coming three years as there is greater volume available for export, as supply has been the only major barrier to its growth hitherto. The total value of sales will rise to £11.7 million by 2022 marking 44.4% growth. Canadian whisky also will grow to become a £9.0 million category over the next three years.
Mark Riley said: “Irish and single grain whiskies have been real success stories over the past twelve months – sharing rapid growth on an already strong base of both volume and value in the market. We expect both to play a greater role in shaping the wider market in the coming years.
“The supply challenges that have arguably held back growth in Japanese and Canadian whiskies have eased. While there remains a challenge securing enough liquid from leading brands from both nations to satisfy UK demand, there is far greater supply forecast and we predict we will see growth as a result.”
Irish, single grain, Japanese and Canadian Whiskies Volume Growth to 2022
|
2018 |
2019 |
Change 2018-2019 |
Change 2018-2019 |
2022 |
|
|
Irish Whiskey |
304.33 |
330.20 |
8.5% |
25.87 |
366.41 |
|
Single Grain Whisky |
89.18 |
109.24 |
22.5% |
20.07 |
179.78 |
|
Japanese Whisky |
7.19 |
8.27 |
15.0% |
1.08 |
10.70 |
|
Canadian Whisky |
10.52 |
12.42 |
18.1% |
1.90 |
14.20 |
Source: CGA & Nielsen sales data for 2018 and IWSR growth forecasts for 2019 and 2022. Volume of 8.4 litre cases and total whisky value
Irish, Single Grain, Japanese and Canadian Whiskies Value Growth to 2022
|
2018 |
2019 |
Change 2018-2019 |
Change 2018-2019 |
2022 |
|
|
Irish Whiskey |
£135.42m |
£147.21m |
8.7% |
£11.78m |
£163.86m |
|
Single Grain Whisky |
£21.51m |
£26.03m |
21.0% |
£4.51m |
£42.15m |
|
Japanese Whisky |
£8.10m |
£9.20m |
13.6% |
£1.10m |
£11.69m |
|
Canadian Whisky |
£6.62m |
£7.86m |
18.8% |
£1.24m |
£9.02m |
Source: CGA & Nielsen sales data for 2018 and IWSR growth forecasts for 2019 and 2022. Volume of 8.4 litre cases and total whisky value
The Edrington-Beam Suntory UK Whisky Yearbook will be published annually and can be accessed digitally at: www.thewhiskyyearbook.co.uk
Distillery Plans From Gordon & MacPhail
Designs For New Distillery Unveiled
Gordon & MacPhail has unveiled images of the new distillery the company hopes to build in the Cairngorm National Park in Scotland.
The distillery, which would be built at Craggan near Grantown-on-Spey, has been designed to take advantage of stunning views across the River Spey to the Cairngorm mountains.
The circular design of the building would disguise much of the day to day working of the distillery within the service yard. Sedum roofs will help the buildings blend into the surrounding environment when viewed from higher ground.
More than 150 people visited the exhibition and viewed the plans, which included computer generated images of the distillery and associated buildings.
The family owned firm, who also own Benromach Distillery at Forres, announced last year that it hopes to build a second distillery at Craggan. The production rate will start at 375,000 litres per year, although the distillery will be capable of producing 2 million litres of alcohol in the longer term.
Response locally to the plans has been overwhelmingly positive. Ewen Mackintosh, Gordon & MacPhail’s managing director, said they had been delighted at the response at an event held as part of the planning process. “We’re really pleased at the number of people who came along to see our plans, we couldn’t have asked for a warmer welcome. People are saying how excited they are to see a distillery being proposed for the area as they believe it has the potential to support Grantown-on-Spey as a destination and encourage visitors to stay longer in the town.”
Gordon & MacPhail has been working closely with architects NORR to create the designs for the distillery, the first new build Scotch malt whisky distillery to be built in the Cairngorm National Park.
Members of the fourth generation of the Urquhart family, owners of Gordon & MacPhail, were at the exhibition to hear the views of the local community and emphasise the company’s commitment to the area.
As Stuart Urquhart, Gordon & MacPhail Operations Director, explained: “We are a longstanding family-owned business with strong roots and commitment to the north of Scotland. Building and operating our second distillery is part of our generational plan to grow a long-term sustainable business, whilst continuing to be part of the fabric of the local community.”
Gordon & MacPhail is a family owned business which has built its knowledge and experience of the Scotch whisky industry over a 120-year history. In 1993, the Urquhart family realised a long-held ambition when they acquired Benromach Distillery and reopened it after extensive refurbishment in 1998.
A member of the world famous Malt Whisky Trail, Benromach Distillery attracts around 15,000 visitors to the area every year, a figure they aim to increase further with the opening of their Red Door Gin visitor experience this year.
THE ‘THREE WISE MEN’ FROM LOCH LOMOND DISTILLERY
A STAR CHRISTMAS GIFT SELECTION
This year, The Loch Lomond Distillery has the perfect Christmas gift selection for whisky lovers with its very own Three Wise Men; a specially crafted trio of 12 Year Old whiskies, each with its own unique style and character.
Traditionally, the ’12 days of Christmas’ marked the time between Christmas Day and the arrival of the three wise men; Gaspar, Balthasar, and Melchior, making this collection of 12 Year Olds the perfect way to toast the festive season.
Loch Lomond Distillery has also created a recommended serve for each expression representing each of the three gifts, to provide some added inspiration for those entertaining guests this Christmas – or perhaps even seeking a quiet moment to themselves…
Loch Lomond 12 Year Old – £39.99 – 46.0% ABV
Loch Lomond 12 Year Old has a deep fruity character of peach and pear layered with a vanilla sweetness and the characteristic hints of peat and smoke found in Loch Lomond Whiskies.
Matured in three different types of casks – bourbon, refill and re-charred – the expertly crafted iconic Loch Lomond whisky delivers a perfectly balanced single malt.
Inchmoan 12 Year Old – £46.99 – ABV 46.0%
Inchmoan 12 Year Old is born from a combination of malt whiskies from the distillery’s traditional swan neck and unique straight neck pot stills, to create a peat character of exceptional depth, marrying smoke and spiciness perfectly.
Matured for 12 years in a combination of re-charred American oak and refill bourbon American oak casks, it imparts sweet vanilla background notes that complement the soft peat style of Loch Lomond’s unique still set up.
Inchmurrin 12 Year Old – £44.99 – 46.0% ABV
The enchanting isle of Inchmurrin is the largest of Loch Lomond’s islands and its natural characteristics shine through in this exceptional single malt Scotch whisky.
Known as the ‘Grassy Isle’ the island is soft, rounded and wonderfully wooded, just like the whisky itself.
Inchmurrin 12 Year Old is aged in hand selected bourbon, refill and re-charred casks and then married together to create a lighter whisky with grassy notes and floral hints of pear drops, crème caramel, soft fruits, vanilla and fudge.
The whiskies are available to buy from www.lochlomondwhiskies.com and specialist whisky retailers.
Opera in Tune With Distilling To Be Performed at Glen Scotia
Glen Scotia Distillery Incorporate Whisky and Music
Glen Scotia distillery in Campbeltown is set to host one of the first performances of an exciting new opera set in a distillery and featuring music by Scot indie stars Admiral Fallow.
Navigate The Blood, which is written by Sian Evans, is about a couple whose son has disappeared in mysterious circumstances, with the action taking place in a small family distillery.
The new production combines singing, music, theatre and storytelling, and has been created to reflect the lives of the distillery community in Scotland. By being relevant to those based in Scotland’s distilling regions, it also aims to encourage new audiences to experience opera.
Distilling is an industry that employs, directly and indirectly, 41,000 people in Scotland and attracted two million tourists to various Scottish distilleries last year.
The contemporary opera features music by top Scottish indie-folk band, Admiral Fallow, who joined forces with composer Gareth Williams to push the collaborative boundaries and form this exciting new partnership. Working with Gareth, Sian and classical opera singers, they have embraced an intense writing process, resulting in a compelling first new work of modern opera by the talented and versatile musicians
The production will tour Scotland’s traditional distilling regions, from the Highlands, to the Lowlands, via Speyside, Islay and Campbeltown, where Glen Scotia will host the sole performance. Glen Scotia is one of only three surviving distilleries in Campbeltown, formerly known as the Victorian capital of Scotch.
Iain McAlister, Distillery Manager at Glen Scotia, said: “Navigate The Blood has been created to showcase Scotland’s distilling industry and we can’t wait for it to be performed here at Glen Scotia. Campbeltown, one of Scotland’s five official malt-producing regions, has a rich distilling heritage, with over 30 distilleries based in the town during its Victorian heyday when it was known as the Scotch capital of the world. We are extremely proud of our role as the sole host for Campbeltown.”
James Robert Carson, the founder and artistic director of New Opera in Scotland Events (NOISE), which is producing Navigate The Blood, said: “Scotland has a deep and historic involvement with the art of distilling. By performing Navigate the Blood in each of the five distinct distilling regions, NOISE has designed an opera that reflects and celebrates the success and continued innovation of this remarkable industry. The band Admiral Fallow and composer Gareth Williams have created a truly magical and original score, with a story set in a distillery.
“NOISE is delighted to be able to tour this new production to audiences who live and work in some of the country’s most important and unique working communities, such as Glen Scotia in Campbeltown.”
Navigate The Blood is to be performed at Glen Scotia Distillery on November 9. Tickets are available from www.seeticket.com.
Follow Glen Scotia on social media using the Twitter handle @GlenScotiaMalts or by visiting www.facebook.com/GlenScotiaWhisky/
