Beverage Dynamics

Beverage Dynamics - March 2015

Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.

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www.beveragedynamics.com March/April 2015 • Beverage Dynamics 63 Scotch Whisky >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> exclusively in bourbon casks. During its stay in wood, the oak imparts a balance of dry tannin, notes of brown sugar and vanilla, and the lingering fl avors of spice, licorice and toasted oak. The Deanston Distillery has ex- panded its award-winning range with the release of Deanston Virgin Oak Highland Single Malt. Master distiller Ian MacMillan blended 6 and 10 years old malts and fi nished the whisky in freshly charred, new oak barrels from a small, family-owned cooperage in Bardstown, Kentucky. The new Deanston malt is bottled without the use of chill-fi ltration at 46.3% ABV. "Deanston has always been a distillery that stands behind being true to the original process," says Amy Schwartz, brand ac- tivation manager for Distell USA. "Deanston's tag line is 'Simple, Handcrafted, All Natural.' Our whiskies are all-natural, contain no added coloring, and are un-chill fi ltered. Master Distiller Ian MacMillan wants consumers to have an unparalleled experience when drinking Deanston." The Glenlivet expanded its award-winning Nàdurra range with the release of two new expressions. The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso Cask Strength is matured solely in ex-Sherry casks and bottled with- out chill-fi ltration, offering the additional complexity, body and tex- ture of a whisky that has just been drawn from the cask. It has dried fruit aromas, warm spices and notes of cinnamon and licorice. The Glenlivet Nàdurra First Fill Selection is drawn from casks made from American white oak and offers hints of creamy vanilla to complement the rich single malt. "We are always looking for ways to offer our customers new and innovative choices of drink," says Wayne Hartunian, vice pres- ident of Scotch and Cognac at Pernod Ricard USA. "These two additions to the Nàdurra range will provide whisky connoisseurs with unique fl avors and aromas, ensuring that we can bring them an enjoyable experience." NEW HIGHLANDERS Much of the reason for the uptick in Scotch sales can be attributed to the steady stream of new and exciting ex- pressions. Master distillers are continu- ally looking to entice malt enthusiasts by introducing older bottlings, more single cask releases and whiskies with compel- ling wood fi nishes. The wave of innova- tion has made in-store training an even bigger game-changer. One such new release hails from Speyside giant, The Macallan. Launched in the U.S. in late 2014, The Macallan Rare Cask is crafted entirely from Spanish oak sherry sea- soned casks hand selected from the distillery's vast reserves of aging malts. The ruby-red whisky possesses two of the brand's hallmark at- tributes—beautiful natural color and a rich, sherry cask-induced fl avor. To create the new release, The Macallan Master Whisky Maker, Bob Dalgarno, relies on his extensive knowledge of the thousands of sherry oak casks maturing in the cellars to select the chosen few that can deliver Rare Cask's intensity of character. Says The Macallan Brand Director, Raul Gonzalez, "The interac- tion of spirit and tannin-rich Spanish oak alone delivers the beautiful range of vibrant natural colors and fl avor complexities that distinguish The Macallan whiskies. Their signature characteristics reinforce the brand's position as one of the world's truly great single malts." Another lord of the Speyside, Glenfi ddich, added 2 new expres- sions in 2014 to its already considerable portfolio. Glenfi ddich The Original is a faithful recreation of the distillery's 1963 Straight Malt, the liquid that established the US single malt category. This repro- duction of Hamish Robertson's original recipe by Malt Master, Brian Kinsman, presents a rare opportunity to taste history. "The authentic fl avor of this release rings true to that of the fi rst bottling Glenfi ddich released in 1963," Kinsman says. The Glenfi ddich 26 Year Old Excellence is matured exclusively in American white oak bourbon barrels for a minimum of 26 years. The single malt is the fi rst in the Glenfi ddich portfolio to be matured The Macallan Rare Cask Diageo's Rare Malts include Rosebank, Lagavulin, Caol Ila and Port Ellen. "I've found there's as much as a 20% increase in sales volume for particular brands following a category seminar that includes some key brand information." — Steven Beal, Senior Master of Whisky, Diageo North America Bowmore Single Malt

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