A TASTE OF THE EXTRAORDINARY FROM EDINBURGH AS J.G. THOMSON & CO UNVEILS AWARD-WINNING FIRST COLLECTIONOF SMALL BATCH SPIRITS

Small batch spirits with simple ingredients and complex flavours
are the order of the day for new J.G. Thomson & Co brand

A first and already award-winning collection of small batch spirits with simple ingredients and complex flavours is today being launched by J.G. Thomson & Co, a new brand from Edinburgh.

Hailing from Scotland’s capital, J.G. Thomson & Co’s first collection of small batch spirits includes a bold Jamaican rum, a citrus dry gin, three blended malt Scotch whiskies featuring Sweet, Smoky and Richexpressions, and two exceptional limited edition aged whiskies – one a 23 year-old blended malt, the other a 1972 blended grain.

Several of J.G. Thomson & Co’s first collection of small batch spirits have already won industry awards, including a prized Masters medal for Batch 1 of its rich 23-year-old blended malt Scotch whisky, Golds for the first batches of its three blended malts and its gin at the Spirits Business Luxury Masters 2021.

All of J.G. Thomson & Co’s spirits are crafted creatively in small batches, meaning that the individual taste characteristics of each spirit will evolve with every new batch – providing adventurous drinkers with a new taste experience to discover every time a new batch is released.

J.G. Thomson & Co takes its name from an 18th-century wine and spirits merchant once based in Leith in the 1700s, a time when trade ships were bringing new and exciting goods into Edinburgh. At the time, the savvy Thomson family became renowned for selecting some of these new spirits being brought in and introducing them to their discerning customers in Edinburgh, and to the wider world.

J.G. Thomson & Co is being launched by The Artisanal Spirits Company, which owns the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and is building a portfolio of premium brands and curating collections of craft spirits.

Driven by a dedication to creating small batch spirits with simple ingredients and complex flavours, the J.G. Thomson & Co brand offers a core range of three small batch blended malt whiskies, featuring Sweet, Smoky and Rich expressions. 

With a focus on combining characterful spirit with high-quality casks, the blending team at J.G. Thomson & Co works closely with selected partner cooperages to either procure specific casks, or to create their own customised casks, toasted and charred to defined standards.

In addition to its core range, J.G. Thomson & Co is launching with the first two batches in a series of limited edition whiskies; a rich, complex 23-year-old blended malt Scotch whisky made of 100% Speyside malts; and a sweet 1972 blended grain Scotch whisky bringing notes of honey, wax and ginger on the nose.

On top of its whisky portfolio, J.G. Thomson & Co is releasing the first batch of its bold Jamaican rum which is 100% pot-stilled, and its first batch of citrus dry gin, which boasts aromas of orange, juniper and coriander on the nose. 

All of J.G. Thomson & Co’s small batch spirits are available to order from jgthomson.com/shop as well as ​​a range of leading whisky shops, bars and restaurants.

Emily Coyle from J.G. Thomson & Co, said: “Just like the Thomsons did in the 1700s, we’re constantly on the hunt for new spirits, flavours and tastes to explore from around the world, whether that’s handpicking whisky in Scotland or rum in Jamaica. By focusing on creating small batches and limited editions, we want to explore different tastes and take full advantage of the opportunity to experiment, innovate, marry, blend, discover and learn.

“We believe there is a growing appetite for exceptional spirits among adventurous drinkers who are looking to taste something new and extraordinary. All our spirits are made using traditional methods such as small batch distillation, non-chill filtering and natural colour to focus entirely on taste and take people on a journey of discovery.” 

#WhiskySanta returns to Master of Malt with over £500k-worth of Prizes to give away this Christmas – the Biggest Year Yet!

#WhiskySanta returns to Master of Malt with over £500k-worth of prizes to give away this Christmas – the biggest year yet!

Everyone’s favourite multi-award-winning Christmas campaign is back – #WhiskySanta is returning to Master of Malt stronger than ever with more than £500,000-worth of delicious drinks to give away!

#WhiskySanta has returned to Master of Malt for another year of gift-giving, and it’s the most impressive year yet! For 2021 the multi-award-winning online campaign has launched earlier than ever, with the biggest haul in its eight-year history – this year, #WhiskySanta has got over £500,000 of incredible whiskies, gins, rums, and more to give away. Customers can even win their Christmas shop for free!

Throughout the next two months until Christmas Eve, Master of Malt customers can get their hands on a whole load of festive treats in a number of ways, all thanks to #WhiskySanta.

Christmas wishes come true

Across Master of Malt’s Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook channels, bottles will be given away to people using the hashtag every single day. Customers can ‘wish’ for anything listed on the Master of Malt website that catches their eye – from a spread of over 10,000 products – and if they’re lucky, #WhiskySantawill grant their wish!

‘Wish’ buttons can be found next to every product on the Master of Malt website. Users can simply press the button, and a pre-populated Twitter or Facebook post will appear ready to be published, and added to #WhiskySanta’s digital wishlist.

Users can also ‘wish’ specifically on Instagram too, by screenshotting their favourite bottle on Master of Malt’s daily Story, and posting it to their feed with the hashtag #WhiskySanta.

Delicious freebies for MoM shoppers

The treats don’t end there, as #WhiskySanta has some gifts lined up to give away with orders on the Master of Malt website, too! In his boozy Santa sack, he’s got over 50,000 30ml drams and 50ml bottles to delight with, as well as Master of Malt Gift Vouchers (up to £50), and even the chance for shoppers to get their whole order for free!

Watch out for a message on the order confirmation page, and accept #WhiskySanta’s offer of a free festive treat if it takes your fancy – but with brands like Bathtub Gin, Benriach, and Talisker among the mouthwatering selection, why wouldn’t it? It truly is the season.

Super Wishes are back!

That’s right, Super Wishes are back and they’re bigger and better than ever. Super Wishes give customers the chance to ask #WhiskySanta for extra-special, incredibly rare bottles from top producers each week. These will be revealed throughout the next two months on the Master of Malt site, social and blog, along with all the details on how to enter.

In a bumper year, #WhiskySanta has eight super-exclusive Super Wishes up his sleeve, kicking off with a bottle of Woodford Reserve Baccarat Edition worth £1,500! There are spectacular offerings from Glenfarclas, Glenfiddich, and more still in store – and even a jaw-dropping 50-year-old whisky to be given away – but we don’t want to spill all of #WhiskySanta’s secrets just yet…

Christmas is Coming… and it’s going to be Boutique-y-full

Christmas is Coming… and it’s going to be Boutique-y-full

Ho ho ho… the elves are busily finishing all the presents for the little boys and girls.. especially the good ones. The Boutique-y Whisky elves have been busy too. They’ve been making lots of lovely whisky advent calendars for all to enjoy.

If you’ve not tried one before, why not give it a go? 24 opportunities to delight and tease your palate…

The boxes have the wonderful artwork of Emily Chappell adorning them.

I’ll be doing my weekly reviews of the drams.. so as not to ruin the surprise on a daily basis.

https://www.masterofmalt.com/whiskies/that-boutiquey-whisky-company/that-boutiquey-whisky-company-advent-calendar/ for £124.95 grab yours now 🥃❤️

Cotswolds Distillery Introduces New Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky Expression

Cotswolds Distillery Introduces New Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky Expression

Adding to their award-winning collection of single malt whiskies, The Cotswolds Distillery is delighted to announce the launch of Cotswolds Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky, the latest addition to the English whisky distillery’s Cask Collection, launching in time for the festive season and a perfect gift for the whisky connoisseur at Christmas.

Located in the Cotswolds, in an area of outstanding natural beauty, the Cotswolds Distillery is committed to sourcing local ingredients and their award-winning distillery Visitor Centre and their shops in Broadway and Bourton-on-the-Water are now stocking the whisky, as well as it being available online. www.cotswoldsdistillery.com

Cotswolds Distillery Founder, Dan Szor, says, “We always planned to launch a Bourbon Cask Single Malt ever since 2014 when we founded the distillery. It’s been a while in the making but it’s definitely been worth the wait. Our house style is to produce spirits with big flavours and by using first-fill ex-Bourbon casks, which arrive at the distillery with their staves soaked in Bourbon whisky, we ensure a full and rich flavour for this wonderful cask strength expression.”

Cotswolds Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky is made with 100% locally grown Cotswold barley and created from select first-fill ex-Bourbon casks in which their rich and fruity single malt spirit has been patiently matured. This sweet and malty cask strength expression is a whisky for purists with classic Bourbon-matured notes of vanilla and honey. It joins the rest of the Cask Collection, which encompasses Cotswolds Founder’s Choice, Cotswolds Peated Cask and Cotswolds Sherry Cask.

The Cotswolds Bourbon Cask expression begins with their new make spirit, which is already smooth, rich and fruity thanks to the pair of yeasts they use, the long 90-hour fermentation and the tight heart cut on the spirit still. They dilute it to 63.5% ABV before filling premium American oak ex-Bourbon casks from Kentucky for full term maturation, allowing the key maturation processes of flavour extraction, oxidation and evaporation to work their magic on the already smooth spirit.

Over the last seven years, the Cotswolds Distillery team have been combining these Bourbon barrels with STR (Shaved, Toasted and Re-charred) ex-red wine casks to produce their flagship Cotswolds Signature Single Malt Whisky; yet this is their first whisky bottling to be exclusively Bourbon-matured.

Bottled non-chill filtered at cask strength for maximum flavour and without added colouring.

Ingredients:

Malt: 100% locally grown, traditionally floor malted barley from the Cotswolds.

Yeast: Two complementary varieties – Anchor and Fermentis – to ensure good yields and excellent fruity flavours.

Water: Village water supply – filtered, softened and demineralised before use.

Wood: Premium first-fill ex-Bourbon casks from Kentucky, made from American white oak (Quercus alba).

Tasting notes:

Nose: Decadent vanilla custard with a hint of malt.

Palate: Raisins and caramelised figs, delicate vanilla.

Finish: Subtly earthy with a hint of honey.

RRP: £64.95 | ABV: 59.1%

Cotswolds Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky is available to purchase exclusively from the Cotswolds Distillery shops and online.

www.cotswoldsdistillery.com

Instagram: @cotswoldsdistillery Facebook: @cotswoldsdistillery Twitter: @cotswoldistill

TOMATIN DISTILLERY LAUNCHES ‘THE COGNAC EDITION’

  • Tomatin Distillery launches the final edition of The French Collection: a four-part series that exhibits the unique influence imparted by French wine & spirit casks
  • The limited four-part release is accompanied by an immersive content series designed to stimulate all five sense

TOMATIN – 6th September, 2021 – Tomatin, the award-winning Highland single malt, is today announcing the launch of the final edition from the distillery’s French Collection: The Cognac Edition. Taken from the four-part limited release series, the Cognac Edition demonstrates the unique influence imparted by the world-renowned Cognac casks, and has been 12 years in the making.

The Cognac Edition is brimming with fresh fruit and floral flavours with subtle notes of lavender and Scottish heather. On the palate, there are hints of cranberry, orange zest and rose water with well-balanced spices. The French oak provides the expression with a finish which is long, with notes of Earl Gray tea and poached pears.

Distilled in 2008, the whisky began its maturation in traditional Scotch Whisky oak casks before being moved into Cognac casks for the final stage of the process in November 2018, resulting in this magnificent expression.

To celebrate the final launch of The French Collection, and to complement the liquid on the lip’s moment alongside the Cognac Edition, the final part of an immersive four-part content series has been released on the Tomatin website. Stunning visuals, alongside an innovative soundboard using ambisonics, transport the viewer to the origins of the product, through binaural sound – best enjoyed when wearing headphones to experience  the full effect. The content will be unveiled in conjunction with product availability, and has been designed for consumers to pair with their purchase, allowing the drinker to lose themselves in the world, and story, of the final edition that makes up the Tomatin French Collection.    

Graham Eunson, Master Distiller at Tomatin said: “The fourth and final release from Tomatin’s French Collection is the jewel in the crown. The Cognac Edition, along with the rest of the collection, showcases our innovative dedication to craft and excellence, and is the perfect illustration of the art of comparative final maturation; a concept championed by Tomatin in the Cuatro series released in 2014, which was also very well received.

We have been overjoyed by the response from the whisky community to the earlier releases, and by introducing the Cognac finish as the final edition, we hope to attract a wider audience to our unique concept allowing them to better understand the art of cask maturation.”

The Cognac Edition is available to purchase now through the Tomatin shop here and other exclusive retailers for £65 RRP. Editions 1-3 already launched to markets from 26th April.

The Tomatin Editions 1-4 immersive content series can be viewed on the Tomatin website here. The French Collection will be available to purchase through specialist whisky retailers worldwide and directly from the Tomatin shop here.