Inbox - The Week's Whisky News (November 6, 2015)

Welcome to this week's Inbox.  For those that have recently discovered us, 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 received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday.

Within Inbox we aim to 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. Here is what has caught our attention this week ...

________

Ballantine's - You're Fired!

The popular blended Scotch brand of Ballantine's has announced the introduction of a new expression to the range - Ballantine's Hard Fired.  The new whisky showcases the effects that fire can have on a maturing whisky when it is in the cask.  The process begins with careful selection of American oak casks by the Ballantine's Wood Management Team, which are then sent to a cooperage to be double charred (known as 'hard firing').  These casks are then assessed by Sandy Hyslop, the Ballantine's Master Blender, who then selects those to be used for Hard Fired.

Ballantine's Hard Fired will be initially released in France and Poland, before being introduced in selected in further world markets in March next year.  It has been bottled at 40% ABV and price is yet to be confirmed.

Sandy Hyslop commented: "Ballantine’s Hard Fired showcases the natural and unique results that American oak and fire produce on Scotch whisky. When charred, casks form a natural layer of caramelised wood sugars that react with whisky and a double char understandably intensifies this effect. This results in a premium whisky that sits well within the Ballantine’s family style while offering something new.”

English Whisky Co - 10 out of 10
The Norfolk based English Whisky Company have announced the release of one of their rarest single malts - the Chapter 10.  It is only the second time that the Chapter 10 expression has been bottled, with the first being in 2009.  Chapter 10 is matured exclusively in ex-Oloroso sherry and it will be released in two versions - there will be 120 bottles released at the natural cask strength and 500 bottles released at 46% ABV.  These are priced at £49.99 and £74.99 a bottle respectively.  They are both available in selected specialist whisky retailers worldwide and via the online shop at www.englishwhisky.co.uk.

Glenrothes - Gets more Reserved
The Speyside distillery of Glenrothes has announced the latest addition to The Reserve Collection, which is a range of no age statement single malts that is designed to show different facets of Glenrothes.  The Peated Cask Reserve joins three other expressions in the collection - the Sherry Cask Reserve, Bourbon Cask Reserve (which was formerly known as the Alba Reserve) and Vintage Reserve.  The whisky is produced by finishing Glenrothes from 1992 in casks that have previously held peaty-style Islay malts.  It is then bottled at 40% ABV and will cost £45 a bottle.  The Peated Cask Reserve will be sold exclusively by Marks & Spencer in the UK.



Johnnie Walker - Time for another Wager
The leading Scotch blended brand of Johnnie Walker has released a new short film to support its super premium Blue Label expression. The Gentleman's Wager II follows up on the original film entitled The Gentleman's Wager and again features renowned actors Jude Law and Giancarlo Giannini. This time they are joined by actress Zhao Wei and the film is based around an epic journey from southern Italy to Monte Carlo. The film is directed by Jake Scott, who also directed the first one, and features cameo appearances from Formula 1 drivers Jensen Button and Mika Hakkinen.

Teeling Whiskey Co - Revives Collection
The Teeling Whiskey Company, the leading independent Irish whiskey producer and distributer, has announced the first bottling in a revised version of its Vintage Reserve Collection.  The 15 years old expression, named The Revival, has been matured solely in ex-rum casks.  The release is limited to 10,000 bottles.

The Revival 15 years old will be available initially at the Teeling distillery in Dublin and in the Irish market, before rolling out to selected other markets - Australia, Belgium, France, Germany, Holland, Italy and the UK.  Other expressions including 24 and 33 years old bottlings will appear in the Vintage Reserve Collection in 2016.  The price will be £85/€100 each.