Inbox > March 11, 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 has been 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 are this week's findings ...
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Connosr and Glengoyne event
Our friends over at Connosr, the whisky social media site, have joined forces to offer an exclusive members event with the Glengoyne distillery. The event is being held at the distillery, which lies just to the north of Glasgow, on Friday 1 April and is free for Connosr members. Included is a VIP tour of the distillery, followed by a tutored tasting of the Glengoyne single malt range plus two extra special ‘once in a lifetime’ whiskies. Connosr are taking their WhiskyPod with them, which will allow participants to review any of the whiskies, and Glengoyne are offering a discount in their distillery shop. To register for the event, go to www.connosr.com/invites/vip-glengoyne-tasting/.

Gordon & MacPhail release Glenlivet 70 years old
Last Tuesday saw the release of one of the world’s oldest ever whiskies. The event in Edinburgh had Gordon & MacPhail, the famous independent whisky bottler and merchant, launch a 70 years old whisky from the Glenlivet distillery as part of their Generations series. We were invited to the launch but sadly couldn’t make it. This Glenlivet follows on from the previous Generations release of another 70 years old whisky from the Mortlach distillery last year. The Glenlivet 70 years old is taken from a single cask, which has yielded just 100 70cl bottles and 175 20cl bottles and these will retail at £13,000 and £3,200 respectively. It has been matured in an ex-sherry cask and is bottled at the natural cask strength of 45.9% ABV. To follow the journey of this old whisky, which was distilled in February 1940, go to www.gordonandmacphail.com.

Isle of Skye sponsors Scottish Champion Hurdle
The Isle of Skye 8 years old blended whisky is to sponsor Scotland’s richest horse race over the hurdles on Saturday 16 April. The brand, which is produced and owned by Ian McLeod Distillers, is the new sponsor of the Scottish Champion Hurdle that is run at Ayr racecourse. The deal is the latest stage of the award winning Isle of Skye’s brand development, which also includes the part sponsorship of the 2011 Scottish Racing Trainers Championship and being the official whisky partner at all five of Scotland’s racecourses - Ayr, Hamilton Park, Kelso, Musselburgh and Perth.

Have just tried ... Smokehead 18 years old

Smokehead is a whisky released by Ian MacLeod Distillers. This 18 years old is a new premium single malt that joins the regular Smokehead, which was first released in 2006. The Smokehead brand offers quality whisky with a contemporary edge and this is reflected in the innovative graphics, design and website (www.smokehead.co.uk). Ian MacLeod Distillers own the Glengoyne distillery near Glasgow, as well as the Chieftain's and Dun Bheagan independent bottling brands. They also own various other spirits brands such as London Hill gin, Rostov vodka and Watson's rum.

As the name suggests, this whisky is smoky and named as an Islay (the island off the west coast of Scotland) single malt but the distillery is not revealed. The serious rumour is that this 18 years old is from Ardbeg. If this is true, then this makes Smokehead 18 years old the only way to currently get an Ardbeg of this age without breaking the bank. The other distilleries that it is rumoured to possibly be are Caol Ila or a heavily peated version of Bunnahabhain. The Smokehead 18 years old is a limited release with just 6000 bottles available worldwide. A bottle should cost £85-95 from specialist whisky and spirit retailers.

Smokehead 18 years old is light golden in colour and has a powerful nose that is packed with peaty smoke. This smokiness is heavy and a little tarry in nature but some other pleasant characteristics come through well - some honey, vanilla, nuts (think of almonds and hazelnuts) and a touch of citrus sharpness (imagine lemon zest). If you thought the nose was potent, then prepare yourself for the next step. On the palate, this again has a shovelful of hot peat but here the smokiness is more spicy and reminiscent of black peppercorns and red chillis. The sweet vanilla, oaky wood, pronounced cereal grains and honey come through well again. The citrus tang is present also and cuts through the heavy richness to freshen things up and create a lovely balance. The finish turns dry and woody with a bitter nutty edge (those almonds and hazelnuts again), a hint of saltiness and iodine present.

Smokehead 18 years old is a lovely smoky, spicy and luxurious dram that packs a proper punch. Definitely one for the peat lovers to try and not for the faint hearted! We thank Charles Miller from Harvey-Miller, the distributors of the Smokehead range, for the chance to sample this whisky.