StateWays is the only magazine exclusively covering the control state system within the beverage alcohol industry, with annual updates from liquor control commissions and alcohol control boards and yearly fiscal reporting from control jurisdictions
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37 StateWays n www.stateways.com n March/April 2015 egory of spirits. This kind of education gives us the ability to talk more confi dently about the brands we've experienced personally, as opposed to those brands we have not tasted before." NEW HIGHLANDERS Much of the reason for the uptick in Scotch sales can be attributed to the steady stream of new and exciting expressions. Master dis- tillers are continually looking to entice malt enthusiasts by intro- ducing older bottlings, more single cask releases and whiskies with compelling wood fi nishes. The wave of innovation 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 seasoned casks hand selected from the distill- ery's vast reserves of aging malts. The ruby-red whisky possesses two of the brand's hallmark attributes—beautiful natural color and a rich, sherry cask-in- duced 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 in- teraction 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 charac- teristics 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 re- production 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 exclu- sively 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 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 expanded 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 cooper- age in Bardstown, Kentucky. The new Deanston malt is bottled with- out the use of chill-fi ltration at 46.3% ABV. "Deanston has always been a dis- tillery that stands behind being true to the original process," says Amy Schwartz, brand activation 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 experi- ence 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 without chill-fi ltration, offering the additional complex- ity, body and texture 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 president of Scotch and Cognac at Pernod Ricard USA. "These two additions to the Nàdurra range will provide whisky connois- seurs with unique fl avors and aromas, ensuring that we can bring them an enjoyable experience." The Macallan Rare Cask Diageo's Rare Malts include Rosebank, Lagavulin, Caol Ila and Port Ellen. Bowmore Single Malt "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