The Whisky Guy Blog

Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Marcus Foster, The Staves, General Fiasco and David C Clements Join the Line Up for ‘Bushmills Live’

2012-05-25T11:52:56Z

Bushmills Irish Whiskey has announced that Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Marcus Foster, The Staves, General Fiasco and David C Clements will join Snow Patrol, Foy Vance, Iain Archer and Elijah Wood on the bill for ‘Bushmills Live’, the handcrafted whiskey and music festival taking place at the Old Bushmills Distillery on 20^th and 21^st June.

The exciting line up brings together some of the best emerging talent from the UK, Ireland and America to play at the whiskey distillery located on Ireland’s north coast.

Singer-songwriters Marcus Foster and Benjamin Francis Leftwich are two of the most exciting UK based performers today. The Staves are a sisterly trio, who have received huge critical acclaim for their unique song-writing and mesmerising harmonies. They and Northern Irish rock acts General Fiasco and David C Clements complete the impressive line-up.

“I'm delighted with how the line up has come together for the event”, commented Festival Curator for ‘Bushmills Live’, Graham Brown.

“Both ticket winners and the artists are in for a special few days”, said Brown. “Not only will they get to experience world class whiskey and discover how it has been handcrafted in the Bushmills area for centuries, but they'll be privileged enough to see some of the best live music possible within the intimacy of the old distillery buildings - whiskey and music, it doesn't get much better than that!"

‘Bushmills Live’ will be a handcrafted festival of whiskey and music and will be the first such event of its kind ever staged in an Irish Whiskey distillery.

More than six thousand people entered the competition to win tickets to ‘Bushmills Live’ via the Bushmills Facebook page - facebook.com/bushmills1608. Up to ten pairs of friends in each participating country have been shortlisted to go through to the next stage of the competition – a public vote on Facebook.

The pair of friends in each country that gets the most votes will make it to Bushmills Live. Voting closes on 25^th May 2012.

As well as listening to great music, those fortunate to win a ticket to the festival will also have the opportunity to make their own blend of BUSHMILLS Irish Whiskey.

Colum Egan, Master Distiller at the Old Bushmills Distillery said: “The list of artists that will be performing at ‘Bushmills Live’ is amazing. We already have the world-renowned Snow Patrol playing right here at the distillery. Now we have also have a brilliant line-up of critically acclaimed artists from Ireland, the UK and America that will make ‘Bushmills Live’ a truly landmark event.

“The festival will be a unique occasion and will bring the best of handmade music and the best of handmade Irish whiskey together under one roof – it’s going to be brilliant!”

Snow Patrol’s performance at ‘Bushmills Live’ will go some way to help establish a legacy for new music in Northern Ireland with their fee being donated in full to the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast, which was co-founded by lead singer Gary Lightbody to help to support up-and-coming local musicians.

To find out more about ‘Bushmills Live’, visit facebook.com/bushmills1608. Voting closes at 23:59 on 25^th May 2012. Terms and conditions apply.

Broadsided by the Spirit of Adnams!

2012-04-06T21:39:00Z

Adnams basically make a great beer called Broadside which John has distilled. Now, because of the hops present this could never be called whisky, it's an eau de vie of sorts.

Back last year I tried the unaged spirit and it was great straight off the still, the depth of flavour was amazing and I keenly awaited another oportunity to try the spirit once aged.

John said recently "It's amazing what you can do with wood as a distiller, we're testing spirit in new french oak and have introduced American oak hogsheads too...". I personally have to agree and the Spirit of Broadside is testement to that! It's due into the shops in May and would recommend it to anyone looking for a spirit that challanges the misconseption that hop spirits would never distill well.

Tasting notes

Product: Spirit of Broadside

Distillation: Date: January 2011

Spirit Type: Eau de Vie

Cask type: New European Oak

ABV: 43%

Product Launch - Top Gun with The Famous Goose (Man)

2012-03-31T23:00:00Z

The first day of April sees the launch of our brand new product, The Famous Goose.

It's a product which has caused excitement for all of us at The Famous Grouse, as we welcome a new breed into our Famous Family.

The Famous Goose gets its name from the celebrated Canada Goose, a migrant that ousts the Red Grouse as Scotland's favourite game bird, once a year in early April. Its smooth taste comes from the blend of fine malt whiskies - including The McGonagall and Highland Snark - and sweet grain whiskies.

We're sure it will become another one of Scotland's Favourite Whiskies, if only for a day. So why not open a bottle with a gaggle of friends and see what all the fuss is about? Just be careful. The Goose can be an even more difficult breed to find than The Grouse.

Multi-Platinum Selling Band Snow Patrol to Headline 'Bushmills Live'

2012-03-15T10:13:17Z

Snow Patrol announced as the first of a number of artists who will perform at ‘Bushmills Live’ – a handcrafted whiskey and music festival taking place at the Old Bushmills Distillery on the north coast of Ireland on 20th and 21st June 2012.Bushmills™ Irish Whiskey has announced Snow Patrol as the first of a number of artists who will perform at ‘Bushmills Live’ - the handcrafted whiskey and music festival taking place at the Old Bushmills Distillery on the north coast of Ireland on 20th and 21st June 2012.

Snow Patrol, who are from Northern Ireland, are one of the world’s most popular bands, selling more than 11 million albums since their breakthrough record Final Straw debuted in 2003.

The two-day handcrafted festival will be the first ever staged in an Irish Whiskey distillery. The artists will play a series of intimate gigs in age-old buildings around the distillery. Other performers announced at this stage include renowned musician Foy Vance, who along with David Holmes composed the music for the OSCAR®* winning short film, ‘The Shore’, and award-winning singer songwriter and producer Iain Archer.

Snow Patrol’s Jonny Quinn, commented: “Playing live on a bill of great artists and friends, in the Old Bushmills Distillery that's been around for centuries - it doesn't get much better than that!"

‘Bushmills Live’ will be a truly ‘money can’t buy experience’. Tickets for the event will not go on general release, instead fans of Bushmills Irish Whiskey can win the chance to attend the festival by entering a competition on the Bushmills Facebook page – facebook.com/bushmills1608 <http://facebook.com/bushmills1608>.

To stand a chance of winning they will have to submit a photo of themselves and friend and explain why they and their friend should be in the audience for ‘Bushmills Live’.

As well as listening to great music, those fortunate to win a ticket to the festival will also have the opportunity to make their own blend of Bushmills Irish Whiskey.

Commenting, Colum Egan, Master Distiller, Old Bushmills Distillery said: “The line-up for ‘Bushmills Live’ so far is truly remarkable. Snow Patrol, Foy Vance and Iain Archer are known and loved around the world - much like our whiskey.

“What excites me is they, like all the artists who are coming to play, are fans of our whiskey. Bushmills and music have always gone well together. Handcrafted whiskey and handcrafted music – it just makes sense!”

To win tickets to ‘Bushmills Live’ or to find out more, visit facebook.com/bushmills1608 <http://facebook.com/bushmills1608>. Entry opens at 16:08 GMT on St Patrick’s Day and closes at 23:59 GMT on 27th April 2012. Terms and conditions apply.

*OSCAR® and ACADEMY AWARDS® are registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Press Release: GLENFIDDICH 21 YEAR OLD IS RELAUNCHED IN NEW PACKAGING

2012-03-05T19:58:00Z

Glenfiddich 21 Year Old now features the sub-branding, ‘Gran Reserva’ which alludes to the single malt Scotch whisky’s exceptional quality. The new presentation’s deep burgundy theme is embellished with an intricately designed filigree pattern on the bottle label and box, which also houses a display plinth and a booklet highlighting the Glenfiddich 21 Year Old heritage and story. The bottle also bears the signature of Brian Kinsman, Glenfiddich Malt Master.

What is a good food pairing with whisky like Lagavulin 16?

2012-02-29T19:42:00Z

Last year on Islay Ben Ellefsen from Master of Malt made some pretty damn fine BBQ ribs for myself and the Chaps at Caskstrength.net, which we drank with the 2011 port aged Ardbeg feis Ile bottling. On returning home I was inspired to challenge my catering consultant/private chef wife to a rib off.

Being a chef she was pretty confident of winning already, but we set a time for some friends to come over and judge the results. To cut a long story short, when the day finally arrived I ultimately won hands down. The comparison made was Heaston Blumenthal versus Carol Brady.

ARRAN WHISKY LAUNCHES NEW LIMITED EDITION BOTTLESARRAN WHISKY LAUNCHES NEW LIMITED EDITION BOTTLES

2012-02-14T11:30:00Z

Award-winning* Scotch whisky producer Isle of Arran Distillers have launched a limited edition of 6,000 bottles; The Eagle. The bottling will be released in the UK and worldwide in March.

The single malt Scotch whisky was drawn from a combination of 14 Ex-Bourbon Barrels and 7 Ex-Sherry Hogsheads carefully selected by Master Distiller James MacTaggart from the 1999 distillation. The result is a powerful dram which has hints of tropical fruit salad, vanilla pods and caramel coated hazelnuts to the nose and, to the palate, leaves a buttery lemon drizzle cake sweet and citrus taste.

The Arran Eagle has been named and dedicated to the pair of Golden Eagles who nest in the mountain above Lochranza, just behind the distillery. They have been an integral part of the Arran story since it opened its doors in 1995.

GLENMORANGIE AND THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP – THE PERFECT PARTNERSHIP

2012-02-13T14:36:42Z

Glenmorangie single malt whisky has teamed up with golf’s most famous competition in a three year partnership which sees them become the Official Whisky of The Open Championship.

Cutty Sark - Tam o' Shanter

2012-01-31T23:34:00Z

This evening we've been recording a new episode of Village of the Drammed and in the process I was given a sample of the newest 25year old release from Cutty Sark called Tam o' Shanter.

For those not familiar with the actual tea clipper Cutty Sark its figurehead is the witch called "Nannie" from the Burns poem "Tam o' Shanter", so the name of this blend is pretty apt.

The only information I currently have is that it's a limited edition blend of 5000 bottles at 46.5% abv. It was created master blender Kirsteen Campbell

Hitting it out of the Park! Orcadian 1971 & 1976 Vintages.

2011-11-23T11:04:48Z

I'm a big fan of the Highland Park distillery and was really excited to have the opportunity to try the new 1971 and 1976 Orcadian Vintages. Around 2009, Highland Park started the release of exclusive Vintage limited editions each inspired by the myths and legends of Orkney.

These two new whiskies are adding to the exsisting range of the 1964, 1968 & 1970 (sadly I'm yet to try the 64 & 68). Sometimes, it feels like the seventies was a peak time in many ways for what is seen as a 'golden age' of whisky production. Most seasoned whisky drinkers know of an elusive dram from this period and more than once I've heard geeks talk with reverence for the barley strain of both the 70's & mid 80's, "Golden Promise"! (whether it was used at HP is another question)

Golden promises aside...