Inbox > September 23, 2011

After last week's bumper holiday induced double issue, Inbox is back in to its regular Friday routine. For those of you that are new to Whisky For Everyone, Inbox is our weekly round up of whisky news and PR type material that has recently found its way in to our email inbox. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece that we receive. 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. So, what's landed this week?

Bowmore > Launch Great Outdoors workshops & photo competition

The oldest Islay distillery has again teamed up with The National Geographic Society to launch a new photographic competition.  The International Photography Contest forms part of a long term partnership between the two organisations.

To celebrate the launch of the competition, Bowmore has teamed up with renowned landscape photographer Colin Prior and The Whisky Shop - the UK's largest specialist whisky retail chain - by announcing a series of Great Outdoors workshops.  The workshops will take place at four of the chain's stores - York (30 Sept), Birmingham (6 Oct), Edinburgh Victoria St (7 Oct) and London (11 Oct) - and in each one Colin will give tips and advice about taking landscape photographs, plus sample some of the Bowmore range of single malts with guests.  The events are free and places can be booked by contacting the stores directly - store details can be found on www.whiskyshop.com. Please note that the London event is already fully booked.  The International Photography Contest is open to all budding photographers and can be entered by clicking here.  The closing date is 31 October.

Dalmore > Sell bottle for £125,000

Richard's lost his bottle

A bottle of whisky which was released from Dalmore Master Blender Richard Paterson's private collection has been sold for a record retail price.  The Dalmore 62 was originally released in 2002 and consisted of just 12 bottles, which sold for £25,000 each.  However, Richard kept one and 10 years later presented it to Changi Airport in Singapore, where it has just sold for a staggering £125,000.  The whisky, which contains some exceedingly old single malts including one dating back to 1868, was transferred from Richard's original bottle in to a new bespoke hand blown crystal decanter for the sale.  It was presented in a hand made lacquered wooden case. As the whisky's creator, Richard Paterson commented, “The Dalmore 62 is legendary. In the space of 10 years it is has grown in value and is worth five times the original price, verifying the luxury credentials of The Dalmore, and confirming that whisky is an investment worth making.”

Glenglassaugh > Select a 'Chosen Few'

Stuart, Ronnie & Chosen Few No.1

The independently owned distillery of Glenglassaugh, located on the north east Highland coast near Portsoy, has asked its staff to select a forthcoming range of single malts.  The range named the Chosen Few will consist of 10 single cask releases, each of which have been specially selected by 10 members of Glenglassaugh staff.  They will be released periodically over the next 2-3 years and carry each persons name. The honour of the first Chosen Few release goes to Ronnie Routledge, the Customer Account Manager (pictured on the right with MD Stuart Nickerson).  He selected a sherry butt from 1976, which has yielded 654 bottles at a cask strength of 49.6% ABV and has a recommended retail price of £299.99.  It can be found in specialist whisky retailers or via the shop at www.glenglassaugh.com.

Glenglassaugh are also trying to complete the renovation of their new visitor centre facility. This is to get some tours in to coincide with the release of their first single malt under the new ownership, which took over in 2008. This release is planned for the en of 2011. At present the distillery can be toured but only on a pre-booked basis and it is hoped that that the new centre will bring much needed tourism to the localarea.

Macallan > 60 years old released

Riveting stuff

The famous Speyside distillery has announced the release of one of its rarest and oldest ever single malt whiskies.  The release sees Macallan continue their association with the iconic French crystal house Lalique, who have specially designed an extraordinary decanter for it. The design is inspired by the riveted entry hatch on Macallan's small stills.  The whisky is 60 years old and has been drawn from just five sherry oak casks, which were filled on the 9th and 10th of November 1950, and has a remarkable alcoholic strength of 53.2% ABV given its age.  There are just 400 individually numbered decanters, which are presented in a lacquered case with collector's booklet and will cost £13,000/$20,000.  Check out the video below, which shows some of the production and design processes.



Pure Festival > Whisky & music come to London

Just a quick final note to remind anyone in or around London that our good friends at the popular whisky social network Whisky Connosr, Jean-Luc and Pierre, are holding an exciting whisky and music festival over the weekend.  They have teamed up with promoters Brand New Music to create the event, which will be held at The Relentless Garage (opposite Highbury & Islington tube station).  The music will be supplied by such acts as The Raveonettes,  James Yorkston and Electric Soft Parade.  The whisky brands involved include Ardbeg, AnCnoc, Cooley, Dewar's and Whyte & Mackay, with whisky writer Dominic Roskrow holding tastings also.  Tickets are £28.50 each for each day and this includes vouchers for eight drams or cocktails and access to all of the music.  Please visit www.purefestival.com to book your tickets or you can pay on the door.