Mark Gillespie - BourbonSphere

From One Nation to Another

O’Shaughnessy Distilling master distiller Brian Nation arrived in Minneapolis nearly three years ago after leaving Ireland’s Midleton Distillery, and it’s been an interesting transition. We’ll catch up with Brian and learn about the new Keeper’s Heart 21-year-old Irish single malt coming later this summer on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Beam Suntory has changed its name to Suntory Global Spirits, while Buffalo Trace takes a look at global expansion with its first home place in London.

Episode 1055: May 5, 2024

Suntory Rebrands Beam Suntory as Suntory Global Spirits

Ten years after acquiring Beam Inc. for $16 billion to create Beam Suntory, Suntory Holdings has dropped the Beam name from its corporate branding in… Read More

Ten years after acquiring Beam Inc. for $16 billion to create Beam Suntory, Suntory Holdings has dropped the Beam name from its corporate branding in favor of Suntory Global Spirits.

“Suntory Global Spirits demonstrates our global leadership and premium position in the market, while enabling us to build upon the strong and positive brand recognition that Suntory has worldwide,” said Greg Hughes, President & CEO of Suntory Global Spirits in a news release announcing the change. The move is designed to unite the company’s global operations with its Japanese base, while focusing on key priorities including Bourbons and other American whiskies, Japanese spirits, Scotch, Tequila, and the ready-to-drink market.

Since the acquisition on April 30, 2014, the company has grown from a $2.5 billion company to $5.5 billion in annual sales with more than 6,000 employees around the world. It remains the only whisky maker with distilleries and brands in all five key whisky-making countries: Scotland, Japan, Ireland, Canada, and the United States.

Links: Suntory Global Spirits

Image courtesy Suntory Global Spirits.

2XO: A Second Act for Dixon Dedman

Dixon Dedman’s family history in the whisky business goes back more than a century. 2XO (for Two Times Oak) is his second act in the… Read More

Dixon Dedman’s family history in the whisky business goes back more than a century. 2XO (for Two Times Oak) is his second act in the Bourbon business after reviving the family’s Kentucky Owl Bourbon brand in 2014. Dedman has just released the latest edition in 2XO’s Icons Series, the Kiawah Blend, named for his family’s favorite vacation spot, Kiawah island in South Carolina. He’ll join us on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, we’ll have quarterly reports from Pernod Ricard and Remy Cointreau, along with details on “The Badonkadonk” and the week’s other new whiskies.

Episode 1054: April 28, 2024

A Green Fuel Source for Distillers?

Beam Suntory has successfully tested the use of green hydrogen as a fuel source for directly-firing stills, and is part of a pilot project to… Read More

Beam Suntory has successfully tested the use of green hydrogen as a fuel source for directly-firing stills, and is part of a pilot project to create a hydrogen conversion unit that could be deployed at remote distilleries. We’ll learn more about the potential of hydrogen as a fuel source for distillers on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Laphroaig is looking for a new manager, while R&B Distillers has received planning approval for a new distillery in Campbeltown, Scotland and Dr. Bill Lumsden of Glenmorangie makes a surprising admission about this year’s Ardbeg Day release.

Episode 1053: April 21, 2024

Laphroaig’s Barry McAffer to Leave Islay

Native Ileach Barry McAffer has announced his plans to leave Laphroaig Distillery, where he has been the distillery manager since 2022. McAffer departs after 13… Read More

Native Ileach Barry McAffer has announced his plans to leave Laphroaig Distillery, where he has been the distillery manager since 2022. McAffer departs after 13 years at Laphroaig, where he rose through the ranks from the malting floor to assistant manager, and was promoted to distillery manager upon John Campbell’s departure at the end of 2021.

“It’s been an incredible journey, but now I feel the time has come for me to explore new opportunities beyond my native Islay,” McAffer said in a letter to members of the Friends of Laphroaig affinity group.

McAffer will remain at Laphroaig through next month’s Feis Ile open day. His successor has not been announced.

A Sleeping Giant Awakens at Port Ellen

For 41 years, the Port Ellen Distillery on Scotland’s Isle of Islay sat silent. Last month, a multi-million dollar restoration of the distillery was completed… Read More

For 41 years, the Port Ellen Distillery on Scotland’s Isle of Islay sat silent. Last month, a multi-million dollar restoration of the distillery was completed when the first spirit flowed at Port Ellen since 1983. While it’ll be years before we see new bottlings of Port Ellen, the distillery will be open to Islay visitors from around the world. Diageo’s Ewan Gunn was on hand when that first spirit flowed. He’s been part of the revival since it was announced in 2017, and joins us on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, The Demeter Collection auction raised £49,000 for the Our Whisky Foundation, while William Grant & Sons is expanding its Blended Scotch portfolio with a new range of whiskies.

Episode 1052: April 14, 2024

Image courtesy Diageo.

15 Years of Texas Whiskey

Texas is booming as a whiskey region, with distilleries all over the Lone Star State. That history only goes back about 15 years, when pioneers… Read More

Texas is booming as a whiskey region, with distilleries all over the Lone Star State. That history only goes back about 15 years, when pioneers like Balcones Distilling and Garrison Brothers started out. During the recent 15th anniversary celebrations at Balcones, Texas Whiskey Festival co-founder Jake Clements moderated a panel (and tasting) on the first 15 years of Texas whiskey. We’re bringing you that discussion this week on WhiskyCast In-Depth, with panelists Jared Himstedt of Balcones, Dan Garrison of Garrison Brothers, Ironroot Republic’s Robert Likarish, and Ty Phelps of Andalusia Whiskey. In the news, The Lakes Distillery in England is being sold, while Edrington is selling off its Noble Oak American Whiskey brand.

Episode 1051: April 7: 2024

Edrington To Sell Noble Oak Bourbon

Six years after launching the Noble Oak Bourbon brand, Edrington has agreed to sell the brand to A21 Wine & Spirits for an undisclosed amount.… Read More

Six years after launching the Noble Oak Bourbon brand, Edrington has agreed to sell the brand to A21 Wine & Spirits for an undisclosed amount. Edrington launched the brand in 2018 for the U.S. market as a way to enter the premium Bourbon category.

Noble Oak started with a “double oaked” Bourbon finished in Sherry casks, and later added a Rye Whiskey to the portfolio, using whiskey sourced from MGP for both expressions. The move is expected to cement Wyoming Whiskey as Edrington’s flagship U.S. whiskey brand.

The brand made its reputation by pledging to plant a tree for every bottle sold, and has accounted for more than 1.2 million plantings in reforestation projects nationwide.

Nyetimber to Buy The Lakes Distillery

English wine producer Nyetimber plans to enter the whisky business with its acquisition of The Lakes Distillery in Cumbria. The deal, which values the distillery… Read More

English wine producer Nyetimber plans to enter the whisky business with its acquisition of The Lakes Distillery in Cumbria. The deal, which values the distillery at £71 million, is expected to close later this year after Lakes shareholders vote to approve the offer.

The all-cash offer comes at a time when the distillery is losing money, having reported a loss of £1.3 million in its last fiscal year. However, The Spirits Business reports the distillery has shown a gain of 35% in sales during the first seven months of the current fiscal year.

The distillery needed to raise additional capital over the next three years to fund increased production and expand distribution internationally. In what board members described as a “tough market for raising capital,” they concluded that the Nyetimber offer made the most sense.

Nyetimber CEO Eric Heerema said in a statement “We believe that this potential acquisition represents an opportunity for us to expand our capabilities, drive exciting new growth and support The Lakes in delivering on its ambition to be a globally recognised spirits brand.”

WhiskyCast has requested interviews with the principals in the sale, and this story will be updated as necessary.

Ian Urquhart: 1948-2024

Ian Urquhart, a member of the third generation of Urquharts to lead Gordon & MacPhail, has died at the age of 76. Urquhart passed away… Read More

Ian Urquhart, a member of the third generation of Urquharts to lead Gordon & MacPhail, has died at the age of 76. Urquhart passed away March 15 in Elgin, Scotland. He was the eldest son of “Mr. George” Urquhart, and led the company as managing director from 1990 until 2007, when he retired to become non-executive chairman of the family-owned firm.

Ian Urquhart was responsible for Gordon & MacPhail’s acquisition of the mothballed Benromach Distillery in 1993 and its subsequent refurbishment. He presided over the distillery’s reopening in 1998 during a ceremony attended by then-Prince Charles, and was on hand when the first spirit flowed from the stills at the family’s new Cairn Distillery in 2022.

Urquhart also served as chairman for many years of the family’s other enterprise, the cashmere producer Johnstons of Elgin. He and his brother Michael were honored with the Commander of the Order of the British Empire in Queen Elizabeth’s 2022 Platinum Jubilee honors for their services to the Scotch Whisky industry. Urquhart also received a lifetime achievement award from the Spirit of Speyside Festival, which he helped create 25 years ago.

Ian Urquhart is survived by his wife Nichola, his son Neil, who currently serves as non-executive chairman of Gordon & MacPhail, his daughter Jenny, his brother Michael and sister Rosemary Rankin, and five grandchildren.