Inbox > June 10, 2011

Inbox is our weekly round up of whisky news and PR type material that has found its way in to our email inbox. Sadly, we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece that we receive, so Inbox was born! It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we will write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information if you want to. Here's the news that caught our attention this week ... there's quite a lot, so pour a dram and put your feet up!
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Early Times > Search for artwork
The popular Kentucky bourbon has announced a unique competition where the winner will see their artwork reproduced on a bottle. The Early Times Mint Julep – a pre-mixed version of the classic cocktail bottled at 30% ABV – has been the official bourbon of the famous Kentucky Derby horse race for the last 24 years. For the last two of these years, Early Times have run this competition and this year’s winner was a design by Marita Walizer from Oklahoma (pictured, left). To enter - log on to www.earlytimes.com/etmjartistsearch to submit your artwork and read the contest rules and details. The prize includes a VIP trip for two to the 2012 Kentucky Derby, $5,000 in cash and the artwork featured on the 2012 Early Times Mint Julep bottle. The closing date is 28 June.

Glendronach > ‘Cask in a Van’ tour
The independently owned east Highland distillery of Glendronach has announced a unique tour of Belgium, which is one of the single malt’s biggest growing markets. Called the ‘Cask in a Van’, it will visit various towns and cities throughout the country between 20-25 June. This will be the third year that such a tour has taken place. As in each other year, Glendronach have selected a special cask to be driven around the venues in a van and samples from this will be available for tasting, along with the core range (the 12, 15 and 18 year olds). This year’s cask is an eight years old at 55% ABV, distilled in 2002 and matured in a Pedro Ximinez sherry cask.

Glenfiddich > New 50 years old released
The famous Speyside distillery, owned by William Grant & Sons, has announced the third release of its 50 years old single malt. Just 50 bottles will be available through high end specialist retailers and each one will cost £10,000. The whisky is bottled in individually hand blown bottles, which are then wax sealed and then presented in a hand stitched leather bound case. The case includes a certificate and a silver plaque featuring the William Grant hallmark. Brian Kinsman, Glenfiddich’s Malt Master comments, “The Glenfiddich 50 Year Old is a true reflection of our dedication to producing the ultimate single malt Scotch whisky and represents the very pinnacle of our whisky-making expertise.”

Glenglassaugh > New managers announced
The independently owned Highland distillery of Glenglassaugh have announced a restructuring of their distillery management. The previous Distillery Manager’s job has been split in two to create the new positions of Production Manager and Maturation Manager. The new Production Manager is Mhairi McDonald (pictured, on left), who has a first class Honours degree in Brewing & Distilling and has been in training at the distillery. She will look after all aspects of production from the raw materials to final spirit. The new Maturation Manager is Graeme Morrison (pictured, on right), who has been at Glenglassaugh since it re-opened in 2008, and he will manage the filling of the casks and the subsequent time that the spirit spends maturing.

Macallan > The Six Pillars
The Macallan have released a short film entitled ‘The Six Pillars’. This film documents the six elements that the famous Speyside distillery feel makes their single malt whiskies so special. The six cover all aspects of the Macallan’s production from the oak to the final whisky and includes insight from some of the people that work at the distillery. Enjoy!