NEWS Remember you heard it here first...

MAKING HIS MARK

The Scotch Whisky Association has announced that Mark Kent, former British Ambassador to Argentina, will succeed Karen Betts as chief executive. Mark spent more than three decades with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, most recently as Ambassador to Argentina. He also served as the Ambassador to Thailand, Ambassador to Vietnam, as well as in roles at British Embassies in Mexico City, Brasilia and the UK Representation to the European Union. Mark will take up the position in January 2022, and take over from Karen Betts, who leaves the SWA in December 2021 to take over as chief executive at the Food and Drink Federation. He becomes the the ninth chief executive in the SWA’s 110-year history. www.scotch-whisky.org.uk

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News CHARITY SUCCESS More than £3 million was raised at the inaugural Distillers One of One charity auction on 3 December. A four-decanter lot of Glenfiddich single malt whisky from the 1950s (pictured FEED above) achieved £1,037,500 (including fees) following more than half an hour of bidding in the room and on the phone. The Talisker 1978 Cask of Distinction sold for £625,000, and the Bowmore Onyx 51 Year Old 1970 went for £400,000. The Balvenie 56 Year Old 1964 reached £175,000. Held at Barnbougle Castle near Edinburgh, the £3,095,000 raised will go to the Distillers’ Charity, which will fund charities working with disadvantaged young people in Scotland. www.sothebys.com

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SCOTCH KNOW-HOW

Pernod Ricard has become the first international spirits and wines group to establish a fully operational malt whisky distillery in China – led by Scottish know-how. Guided by expertise from Chivas Brothers, Pernod Ricard’s Scotch production got underway in August at the Chuan Malt Whisky Distillery in Emeishan. Sandy Hyslop, Chivas Brothers’ director of blending and inventory, worked closely with the distillery team. www.pernod-ricard.com

SAYING FAREWELL

Johnnie Walker master blender Jim

Beveridge has created a new extremely Beveridge has created a new extremely rare Scotch celebrating the fine art of rare Scotch celebrating the fine art of whisky before he retires at the end of the whisky before he retires at the end of the year. Johnnie Walker Masters of Flavour year. Johnnie Walker Masters of Flavour are crafted from the finest maturing are crafted from the finest maturing whiskies in the Johnnie Walker whiskies in the Johnnie Walker reserves, aged for at least 48 years reserves, aged for at least 48 years and only 288 bottles will be released. and only 288 bottles will be released. Johnnie Walker Masters of Flavour Johnnie Walker Masters of Flavour is the third and final whisky in the is the third and final whisky in the series. www.johnniewalker.comseries.

NEW

EXPRESSIONS

TAMDHU QUERCUS ALBA DISTINCTION

Speyside Single Malt, 48%

ABV, RRP £64.99

Celebrating the characteristics of first-fill

American oak sherry cask maturation, the casks were imported to Spain where they were crafted in the ‘sherry triangle’ for six years.

EDEN MILL 2021

Single Malt, 60.7% ABV, RRP £85

The small batch 2021 release is crafted by a perfect marriage of first-fill bourbon casks and ex-oloroso sherry casks, incorporating spirit distilled using pale malted barley. The exclusive limited-edition 800 bottles of the 2021 single malt Scotch were released for St Andrew’s Day.

BUNNAHABHAIN 12 YEAR OLD

Islay single malt, 55.1% ABV,

RRP £75 Matured on the remote, north-eastern coastline of Islay, the 12 Year Old Cask Strength is a celebration of the distillery’s hugely popular 12 Year Old, and inspired by visitor tastings in the distillery’s Warehouse 9.

GLEN MORAY WAREHOUSE 1 2008

MANZANILLA

FINISH

54.6% ABV, RRP £74.95 Glen Moray’s latest release from Warehouse 1 is the 2008 Manzanilla Finish. Bringing together the soft

Spey water of Glen Moray’s spirit with the slightly sea-salt tang of Manzanilla sherry, this dram is limited to only 1,240 bottles.

SCOTCH AT THE HEART

M&H Distillery, Israel’s first whisky distillery, has released the APEX Dead Sea whisky. M&H Distillery remains faithful to Scotch whisky traditions in the production, but takes advantage of Israel’s five unique climate zones defined by the late Dr Jim Swan, the whisky expert who acted as the distillery’s consultant. The zones are: the Dead Sea, Upper Galilee, Jerusalem mountains, the Negev desert and the Mediterranean coast. Twenty ex-bourbon, ex-red wine, and ex-STR casks were placed on the rooftop of a hotel at approximately 423 metres below sea level. The casks then matured for an entire year before being returned to the Tel Aviv warehouse, and were finally bottled in July 2021. www.mh-distillery.com

CHOCS AWAY!

The Macallan has unveiled The Macallan Harmony Collection Rich Cacao, the first limited edition whisky in a new series of single malts that will see the brand progress towards sustainable packaging. The Macallan Whisky Maker Polly Logan embarked on a journey to Girona, Spain, where she immersed herself in the world of chocolate, exploring the chocolate-making process and uncovering the distinctive flavour profiles. www.themacallan.com

A TREMENDOUS GESTURE

Gordon & MacPhail is donating £80,000 to Trees for Life, a charity with a mission to restore the Caledonian Forest, following the sale of the world’s oldest single malt Scotch whisky at auction. The lot went under the hammer at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong, which included decanter #1 of Gordon & MacPhail Generations 80-Year-Old. After costs, auction proceeds of £80,000 have been donated to help fund the tree nursery at Dundreggan in Inverness-shire. www.gordonandmacphail.com