Highland Park – Scotch

Highland Park 12 year old

It seems like only yesterday we were celebrating the results of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2007… My, what an eventful 12 months it has been as we turn our attention to this year’s competition. In 2008, more than 800 spirits were entered from 63 countries.
Highland Park 12 year old was awarded Best of Show. What does that mean? That means that Highland Park 12 year old is the whisky that the judging panel selected as the best in the entire whisky category. Wow! Praise indeed.
The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is the first comprehensive, international spirits judging ever held in the United States on an annual basis. Founded in 2000 by Anthony Dias Blue, the Wine and Spirits Editor of Bon Appetit Magazine and Carol Seibert, the Managing Director of the San Francisco International Wine Competition, the Spirits Competition continues to grow each year, in size and in reputation.
Highland Park also won a Gold medal for packaging but that’s another story.

For more information on the San Francisco World Spirits Competition visit www.sfspiritscomp.com.
For more information about the Best Spirit in the World visit www.highlandpark.co.uk

Brand Ambassador’s Cask 4

Cast your mind back to November 2007 and you may recall I wrote to you about Brand Ambassador’s Cask 3. Highland Park Cask #9305 was distilled in 1974 released in a 35cl bottle. It had nearly sold out by Christmas (but I’m told there are still a couple of bottles for sale at the distillery).
I managed to convince the guy with the big bunch of keys to let me poke around the warehouses again, this time in search of Brand Ambassador’s Cask 4.

I think you are going to love it. Cask #413 is 29 years old and has been bottled at a natural cask strength of 56.1% ABV.

But, despite its relatively high strength, this beautiful whisky doesn’t cause any burning sensation. Age has mellowed it and it has become the epitome of Highland Park’s trademark balance between aromatic peat and sherry oak sweetness.

Industry News – Courtesy of Bruichladdich

Recipe for Confusion

Controversial new laws will have profound effect on the future of Scotch whisky.  The Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) with the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) are preparing far-reaching new regulations. The stated aim is to protect Scotch and consumers. But some feel it’s a smokescreen to further enhance the commercial interests of a self-regulated industry. “New rules are to strengthen existing laws, protecting whisky regions, targeting counterfeiters, and protecting consumers” says Bruichladdich’s MD Mark Reynier. “Some are good rules, others more disingenuous; consumers are to be protected from counterfeiters only so they can be ripped off by the industry instead. The irreconcilable pressures of finite whisky stocks and marketing muscle has frustrated large distillers’ ability to grow brands - so they want to fiddle the rules. Confusing new whisky categories, mixing up well-known existing terms, will drive a wedge between blended whisky at one end, and exclusive single malt at the other.
By pushing single malts up on a pedestal, a new category ‘Blended Malt Scotch Whisky’ (a bastardised term from ‘blended whisky’ and ‘single malt’) is to be made. It’s a charter for cheats and marketeers to exploit gullible consumers as ‘Blended Malt’ will be allowed to look almost identical to a Single Malt, even the same name. Consumers misled in to thinking they are getting a distinctive whisky from a specific,
famous distillery may find it could be a total malt cocktail from all over the place. Clearly the new category should not in any way be allowed to carry the name or presentation of a distillery. It also needs a clearly distinctive title that cannot confuse.”

Details can be found at:
Whisky Regulations Consultation: www.defra.gov.uk/foodrin/index.htm

The consultation ended on 31st March for implementation in June 2008

DEFRA say: “The industry is highly concentrated with the top 6 companies accounting for 85% of the distilling capacity and case sales.”

In 2004 Diageo were prevented by political pressure from marketing a blended malt (or pure malt)
made up of several different whiskies in an identical presentation to Cardhu single malt.

New Regulation 10 (2) paraphrased:
“the name of a distillery must not appear on any labelling or packaging of any blended
malt…unless…a Scotch whisky that has been distilled at the named distillery has been included in the blend making up the final whisky.”

New regulation 10 (5) paraphrased:
A name that is similar to any name of any distillery in Scotland must not appear on any single malt scotch whisky if that name creates confusion on the part of the public as to where the whisky was distilled. So OK for a “blended malt” to confuse.

Cardhu ‘blended malt’ could look exactly the same as the highly successful Cardhu ‘Single Malt’
(400,000 cases) and yet it could theoretically be 99% of unknown, lesser, single malts of a completely different even inferior style or flavour.

“Monkey Shoulder” is a ‘blended malt’ and correctly makes no claim to a specific distillery,
geographical location, or existing single malt brand, or historic identity.

SWA members pay a membership according to the amount of the industry that they control. The SWA represent 95% of the industry capacity. 60% is controlled by just two companies – Diageo and Pernod Ricard. The executive board is made up of the member companies’ MDs and CEOs. The current chairman is the CEO of Diageo.

www.bruichladdich.com

The Whisky Guild thinks this new rule change will negatively impact consumers. The current Single, Vatted and Blended categories work just fine for us and are term that this great new wave of whisky drinkers are now familiar with. The industry has also policed itself very well as new smaller companies and blenders have developed exciting new products. Not surprisingly, this legislation will have the biggest negative impact on smaller more innovative companies like Springbank, Bruichladdich and Compass Box.


Drams You Need To Try (if you haven’t already)

Scotland
Glenfarclas 17: One of the best whiskies in the world period.

American
Sam Houston: A great spicy treat with loads of character.

Japanese
Suntory Hokushu 12 year old: A great light dram in the Scottish Lowland style


Cocktail of the Month (PLEASE!!! just don’t use anything too expensive)

Knob Creek® "Creek Water" (courtesy of Knob Creek®)

• 2 1/2 parts Knob Creek bourbon
• 1 part water (some prefer less)

You can't mess with perfection. This classic and one of our favorite ways to enjoy Knob Creek is on the rocks or with a little water. With a little water, hints of woody, sweetness and caramel are drawn further out. Many call Knob Creek with water by its nickname, "Creek Water." But trust us, it tastes nothing like the creek water we grew up around.

Courtesy of www.knobcreek.com


Link of the Month - Jim Beam – Bourbon

www.thestuffinside.com

Here’s to the Stuff Inside! (Jim Beam introduces a new website)

Jim Beam has always stood for the stuff inside. It's how we've made bourbon, and how we've done business, for more than 200 years.

Now we’re expanding the spotlight, from the stuff inside our bottle to people who share our values: character, talent, and integrity. And you're the first to be part of it.

A hip-hop band staying true to their positive sound even if it costs them a record contract. An amateur photographer who sleeps on stage after punk shows to capture the grittiness of life. They have the stuff inside. And they deserve a shot.

We're championing the stuff inside wherever we find it. And we want to know what the stuff inside means to you.

Watch videos, get music, and join the conversation at www.TheStuffInside.com

As always, we want you to savor the mellow, smooth taste of Jim Beam® Bourbon. All we ask is that you drink smart®.

For more information on how to make responsible drinking decisions, here are some helpful web sites:

The Century Council
www.centurycouncil.org
www.b4udrink.org

How to Host a Cocktail Party Responsibly

www.discus.org

Jim Beam® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, 40% and 43% Alc./Vol. and Jim Beam(r) Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Cocktails, 5% Alc./Vol. © 2008 James B. Beam Distilling Co., Clermont, KY. All Rights Reserved.

Beam Global Marketing Code | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy | Contact Us

Jim Beam Brands Co. | 510 Lake Cook Road | Deerfield, IL 60015-4964

Quote of the Month


"I love to sing, and I love to drink scotch. Most people would rather hear me drink scotch."
George Burns


Picture of the Month

The Paps of Jura from the Bunnahabhain Distillery



Picture by Glen Karlovitch, The Whisky Guild LLC

Remember to always drink responsibly and like what YOU like & how YOU like it.