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Babet Closes Midleton Distillery Visitor Experience

Powerful Storm Babet hit Ireland and forced Pernod-Ricard-owned Irish Distillers to temporarily shut their Midleton Distillery Experience visitor site after it was damaged by flooding from the nearby Owenacurra River Midleton town, located in County Cork, Ireland. Storm Babet moved on and is currently rampaging through the UK, bringing severe flooding to most of the […]

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Storm Babet moved on and is currently rampaging through the UK, bringing severe flooding to most of the area as the storm sweeps through.

Midleton Distillery – home to Irish whiskey brands including Jameson, Powers, Redbreast, Midleton Very Rare, Spot, and Method and Madness – invested in the visitor experience center and it was due to be completed by 2025.

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Chivas Brothers Faces Strike Votes

Pernod Ricard-owned Chivas Brothers and its two trade unions are locked in a dispute over pay increases. Both Unite and GMB Scotland are threatening strike… Read More

Pernod Ricard-owned Chivas Brothers and its two trade unions are locked in a dispute over pay increases. Both Unite and GMB Scotland are threatening strike votes unless the number-two producer of Scotch whisky increases its offer of a 6.4% pay increase.

The strike could affect The Glenlivet and the company’s 11 other distilleries in Scotland, as well as the main production site in Kilmalid and warehousing operations around central Scotland.

GMB Scotland spokesman David Hume said in a statement, “our members are being asked to accept a pay rise that is below the rate of inflation while reading how the owners are celebrating some of the highest sales ever recorded. Sales of the whisky made in Scotland are booming around the world but the workers making it are told they must accept an effective pay cut in the middle of a cost of living crisis?”

97% of Unite members rejected the offer, according to the union.

In a statement, a Chivas Brothers spokesperson said the offer was competitive and fair.

“We have, and will continue to, reward our people competitively, while responsibly managing our business for the long years ahead. We firmly believe that our offer strikes the right balance, ensuring our salaries remain highly competitive in the context of a normalising business environment and enabling us to build a successful and sustainable future, for the long term – as evidenced by our recent investments in distillery expansions and decarbonisation, site safety and our communities across Scotland.”

The two sides came close to a strike in 2021 before the company raised its pay offer and the unions agreed to a new two-year contract. That contract expired in June, and negotiations have failed to produce a new agreement.

The Outlander and the Distiller

Actor Sam Heughan is best known for his starring role on TV’s “Outlander,” but he’s a whisky lover, too. Sam started his own whisky brand,… Read More

Actor Sam Heughan is best known for his starring role on TV’s “Outlander,” but he’s a whisky lover, too. Sam started his own whisky brand, The Sassenach, and he’ll join us on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth to talk about his love for whisky. We’ll also hear from the new master distiller at Angel’s Envy, Owen Martin. He’s just unveiled this year’s Angel’s Envy Cask Strength releases, a Bourbon, and for the first time, a Rye. In the news, Pernod Ricard is planning a new distillery on Islay, while Compass Box wants to build one in the Highlands.

NEW RELEASE: ‘Mash & Mallow’ Whiskey Bringing that S’mores Vibe

It’s Fall time y’all. Which means the ideal season for sippin’ Bourbon around the ole campfire. And you can’t have a ‘geet together’ around the logs without busting out the S’mores?! With that, we bring you Mash & Mallow. Mash & Mallow is a brand new craft whiskey brand with flavors of rich chocolate, toasted […]

The post NEW RELEASE: ‘Mash & Mallow’ Whiskey Bringing that S’mores Vibe first appeared on The Bourbon Review.

Mash & Mallow is a brand new craft whiskey brand with flavors of rich chocolate, toasted marshmallow and graham cracker for an authentic s’mores-influenced experience. Inspired by the great outdoors and reminiscent of long nights beside the fire, the premium whiskey presents a smooth, smoky finish perfect for crisp fall nights ahead.  

It never hurts when a brand has founder and Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame Whiskey Maker, Kaveh Zamanian, in partnership with Pernod Ricard, behind it.

Per the brand, Mash & Mallow exudes a smoky aroma with a subtle melding of flavors such as graham cracker, chocolate, roasted marshmallow and sweet confectionary sugar. On the palate, consumers can expect a liquid that retains a strong whiskey character and a wood-oak finish that is sweet with a subtle smokiness. Roasted and toasted to perfection, the whiskey’s mash bill features 97% corn whiskey and 3% rye whiskey, alongside added flavors.

“Today’s whiskey drinkers continue to embrace non-traditional and classic culinary recipes in spirits. Mash & Mallow is a bold, simple and irreverent whiskey with the nostalgic smack of s’mores toasted by the fire,” said Zamanian. “I wanted to create a smooth whiskey that is so good you’ll take it with you anytime adventure calls – from your local bar to an adventure in the great outdoors. I am excited to finally share Mash & Mallow and hope to continue inspiring a new generation of thrill-seekers through unexplored flavors.”

This is the second launch in a series of collaborations between Zamanian and Pernod Ricard. In August, Mary Dowling Whiskey Company announced the debut of its premiere whiskey lineup, featuring two distinctive expressions: Tequila Barrel and Double Oak Barrel.

The brand’s commercial support in the U.S. is led by Castle Brands. Mash & Mallow is available for purchase at select retailers in CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, KY, LA, MA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, SC, TX, WA and WI. The 750ml bottle has a suggested retail price of $32.99 and is 35% ABV (70 proof). For more information about Mash & Mallow, visit www.mashandmallow.com.

For the latest in Bourbon, visit www.thebourbonreview.com.

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Pernod Ricard Plans Islay Distillery

Pernod Ricard’s Chivas Brothers unit has announced plans for what would be Islay’s 12th distillery. The company unveiled its plans today for a distillery to… Read More

Pernod Ricard’s Chivas Brothers unit has announced plans for what would be Islay’s 12th distillery. The company unveiled its plans today for a distillery to be built on Gartbreck Farm near Bowmore, subject to planning approval by Argyll & Bute Council.

Full details of the proposed distillery will be revealed at a future date, according to a statement from the company. The distillery would be the first for Chivas Brothers on the island, completing what CEO Jean-Etienenne Gourgues called an important new chapter in the Chivas Brothers story:

The introduction of an Islay whisky completes our comprehensive and award-winning Scotch portfolio. As a business built on hundreds of years of heritage, it also gives us the opportunity to do something we rarely do, which is to start from scratch.

The Gartbreck Farm site has been considered for a distillery before. Nearly ten years ago, French distiller Jean Donnay proposed to build a distillery at the farm, but his plans fell through. If approved, the distillery would join Diageo’s Port Ellen, Elixir Distillers’ Portintruan, and the planned Islay Boys distillery across from Glenegedale Airport as distilleries either under construction or in the planning process.

WhiskyCast has requested an interview with Chivas Brothers executives.

The announcement comes as London-based Compass Box Whisky has unveiled plans to build its first distillery in the Scottish Highlands. According to The Herald, Compass Box has applied to Highlands Council for permission to build a distillery near Fort William in Lochaber on the Inverlochy Castle Estate.

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Image courtesy of Chivas Brothers.

Jeff Goes To The Tropics

Pernod Ricard-owned Jefferson’s Bourbon has released – Tropics Aged In Humidity: Finished In Singapore – a bourbon aged in the Singapore heat as the initial entry in their climate-focused Tropics series. Jefferson’s Tropics Aged in Humidity: Finished in Singapore began as Kentucky straight Bourbon, matured four to five years in Kentucky before being finished 18 […]

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Jefferson’s Tropics Aged in Humidity: Finished in Singapore began as Kentucky straight Bourbon, matured four to five years in Kentucky before being finished 18 months in Singapore, bottled at 52% alcohol by volume [104 proof] and is said to impart notes of caramel, cherry and vanilla.

Only 720 barrels of Jefferson’s Tropics Aged in Humidity: Finished in Singapore Bourbon were sent to Singapore and will be priced at $100 per bottle.

The post Jeff Goes To The Tropics first appeared on Whisky Critic - Whisky Reviews & Articles - Style. Attitude. Whisky..

“Do You Even Like Whisky?”

Women still face huge barriers to equality within the whisky industry, according to a new survey from the Our Whisky Foundation. The survey found high… Read More

Women still face huge barriers to equality within the whisky industry, according to a new survey from the Our Whisky Foundation. The survey found high levels of unconscious bias and sexual harassment along with a perceived lack of respect for women working in the industry. We’ll discuss the survey’s findings with Becky Paskin of the Our Whisky Foundation on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Heaven Hill’s new Bardstown distillery reached a major milestone this week, while the Bourbon Women honored this year’s Women in Whisky Award winners.

Episode 1020: September 3, 2023

Photo by Jo Hanley courtesy of Our Whisky Foundation.

Pernod Ricard Goes Down Rabbit Hole With Mary Dowling

French spirits behemoth Pernod Ricard has collaborated with Kentucky-based Rabbit Hole distillery [in which it bought a majority stake in 2019] to create a new bourbon brand, called Mary Dowling. The Mary Dowling Whiskey Company – named after an influential and successful female distiller in pre-Prohibition days – will make their debut with a pair […]

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French spirits behemoth Pernod Ricard has collaborated with Kentucky-based Rabbit Hole distillery [in which it bought a majority stake in 2019] to create a new bourbon brand, called Mary Dowling.

The Mary Dowling Whiskey Company – named after an influential and successful female distiller in pre-Prohibition days – will make their debut with a pair of bourbons: a high-rye bourbon finished in tequila barrels along with a double oak cask strength bourbon.

The Mary Dowling Tequila Barrel bourbon is a Kentucky straight bourbon matured in Oloroso sherry barrels for a year, finished in Reposado tequila barrels [honoring Dowling’s distillery in Juárez] with a mash bill consisting of 70% corn, 25% malted rye and 5% malted barley, bottled between 46.7% and 47.5% alcohol by volume [93.4 to 95 proof] and is said to offer notes of black pepper and fruit.

The Mary Dowling Double Oak Barrel Cask Strength was matured in a pair of oak barrels – rested in heavily toasted and charred new American oak barrels and lightly toasted charred new American oak barrels – bottled at 53.5% alcohol by volume [107 proof] and is said to offer notes of cherry, oak and tobacco.

The Mary Dowling Whiskey Company bourbons are being made available in 11 states – California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas – and Washington D.C., with Mary Dowling Tequila Barrel offered for $75 per bottle and Mary Dowling Double Oak Barrel Cask Strength offered for $130 per bottle.

The post Pernod Ricard Goes Down Rabbit Hole With Mary Dowling first appeared on Whisky Critic - Whisky Reviews & Articles - Style. Attitude. Whisky..

Mary Dowling, Mellencamp Whiskies Headline the Week’s New Whiskies

100 years ago, Mary Dowling packed up her family’s distillery in Kentucky and moved it to Juarez, Mexico to escape Prohibition. Now, two new whiskies… Read More

100 years ago, Mary Dowling packed up her family’s distillery in Kentucky and moved it to Juarez, Mexico to escape Prohibition. Now, two new whiskies bearing Mary Dowling’s name are headed for retail shelves.

The Mary Dowling whiskey brand is a joint venture between Rabbit Hole founder Kaveh Zamanian and Pernod Ricard. Zamanian describes her as the Mother of Bourbon, taking over the Waterfill and Frazier Distillery’s management after her husband John died in 1903.

“At the time, Mary really had to contend with a tremendous amount of opposition and challenges to her as a woman running a distillery,” Zamanian said in an interview for this week’s WhiskyCast. “It’s a hundred year anniversary of that journey to Juarez…to celebrate her legacy and really honor her and give that marquee name this time and for the first time to a well-deserved person.”

Dowling’s history in Juarez is reflected in one of the Bourbons, which is finished in Tequila barrels that carries a recommended retail price of $75 a bottle. The second is a Double Oak Barrel matured Bourbon bottled at barrel strength that will sell for $130 a bottle.

Indiana’s Hard Truth Distilling is collaborating on a new line of whiskies with the Mellencamp Whiskey Company, founded by Levi Collison and Hud Mellencamp, the son of singer-songwriter John Mellencamp.

The initial release will be Harvest Sweet Mash Rye. It’ll launch at the distillery on September 9th, and features grain grown by area farmers. Each of the four releases in the series will feature original artwork by John Mellencamp on the label.

We reported last week that Maker’s Mark had an announcement planned for this week. As expected, the distillery announced the release of an extra-aged version. Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged takes regular 6-year-old Maker’s and moves the barrels into the distillery’s underground whisky cellar for an additional 5 to six years of maturation.

It’ll be an annual limited release starting in the U-S next month, in London, Munich, and travel retail in October, and in Tokyo and Singapore starting early next year…the recommended retail price is $150 a bottle.

Jack Daniel’s is releasing a new edition in its Special Release collection. The Twice Barreled Special Release Heritage Barrel Rye is finished in high-toast Heritage Barrels for two years. It’ll carry a recommended retail price of $75 a bottle…

In Scotch Whisky news, The Balvenie has released a new chapter in its Stories Collection. The 19-year-old Revelation of Cask and Character is the first release for malt master Kelsey McKechnie, and is matured entirely in European Oak Oloroso Sherry Casks. It focuses on the coopers who make the barrels and the craft of coopering. There’s no word on pricing.

Glen Scotia has released a new 48-year-old Campbeltown single malt finished for five years in a first-fill Oloroso Sherry hogshead cask. Only 250 bottles will be available worldwide at a price of £11,000 each.

Tamdhu is out with its eighth release of Tamdhu Batch Strength. The Speyside single malt is bottled at 55.8 percent ABV and will be available at whisky specialist shops worldwide and the Tamdhu web site for £87 a bottle…

and Douglas Laing and Company has released The Epicurean Glasgow Edition. The Lowland blended malt is finished in French ex-cuvée casks. Just 5100 bottles will be available worldwide with a recommended price of £55 a bottle.

This story was published August 21, 2023. Image courtesy Mary Dowling Whiskey Co.

The Risks of Whisky Investing

Valuations for rare whiskies have started to slow down after being one of the best performing alternative investments over the last ten years. The latest… Read More

Valuations for rare whiskies have started to slow down after being one of the best performing alternative investments over the last ten years. The latest Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index shows a four percent decline year-over-year in the value of the rare whiskies that make up the index. Is this the start of a trend? We’ll ask rare whisky consultant Andy Simpson, who helps compile the index for Rare Whisky 101.

In the news, Scotch Whisky exports fell during the first six months of 2023 compared to last year, with a sharp 20 percent decrease in volume. Irish whiskey exports rose during 2022, according to a new report released this week, and Hedley Wright, the longtime chairman of Springbank owner J&A Mitchell Co. Ltd. passed away this month at the age of 92.

Episode 1018: August 20, 2023