Inbox - January 13, 2012

Inbox is our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has 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 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. This week also includes a new feature - Tweet of the week. This is our favourite piece of news or information that we have seen on Twitter recently.

Things are slowly getting back up to speed in the whisky world following the festive period - here is what has caught our attention this week ...

Glenrothes - Last chance to create a Vintage
Back in October, we reported on the launch of the Glenrothes Vintage Maker 2012 competition. With the entry deadline fast approaching, the Speyside distillery have released the short video below to help with some inspiration.  In it, Glenrothes' Brand Ambassador Ronnie Cox talks about the Vintages and the competition. There will be three separate competitions resulting in four winners each from the UK, the USA and from the rest of the world. The winners will be recruited to work as The Glenrothes Vintage Makers to create the Glenrothes Vintage 2012.

This will involve learning the art of making The Glenrothes and spending time working at each stage of the production process - this includes testing the purity of the water source, milling the malt, mashing, adding yeast to the washbacks and overseeing fermentation, distilling new make spirit in copper pot stills and making casks at the cooperage. The winners will also nose single malt from maturing casks and will stay in Rothes House, a private home belonging to the family that owns The Glenrothes. For further information and to enter, go to www.theglenrothes.com/vintagemaker.

Morrison Bowmore Distillers - Announce new Master Blender
The company which owns the three Scottish distilleries of Auchentoshan, Bowmore and Glen Garioch have announced the appointment of Rachel Barrie to the newly created position of Master Blender for their single malt whiskies. She will also head Morrison Bowmore Distillers' laboratory and Spirit Quality Control units.

Rachel Barrie is best known for her recent work in the positions of Product Development Manager and Master Blender at The Glenmorangie Company, where she was responsible for the creation of such award winning master pieces as the Glenmorangie Signet and Ardbeg Corryvreckan.  She will report to Andrew Rankin, the Operation Director and Chief Blender for Morrison Bowmore Distillers.  He comments, "We have a very strong blending team within the company and this appointment will massively strengthen and reinforce our commitment to producing the ultimate in quality single malt Scotch whiskies.”

Tweet of the week
@TheBenRiach - Update from the malt floor: we're starting to malt our own barley in March/April. Earlier than expected. Good times ;)