January 15th, 2010

A few tidbits on Mackmyra whisky

John Hansell

Here’s some news we recently received from Lars Lindberger at Mackmyra distillery in Sweden. Their whiskies aren’t in the U.S. yet, but soon…

We’re bottling Mackmyra Whisky – The 1st Edition in one liter bottles with US labels right now (I don’t have any photos yet), and we are just about to close a deal with an importer. We visited New York a couple of times last year and met stores, restaurants etc. There seems to be great interest for our product.

I talked to our sales manager and, according to him, it’s more likely that the bottles will get to the shelves in April or May, than in March. 

But there’s more happening at Mackmyra: We’re growing out of or current distillery and visiting facilities at Mackmyra bruk (Jim Murray wrote about it in Malt Advocate in 2002) and it’s time for something better and bigger.

In April our plans for the new distillery will be more concrete. Right now the plan is to start building June/July. The project is called Mackmyra Whiskyby (Mackmyra Whisky Village) and will contain a distillery built for visitors, other visitor facilities, warehouses, etc.

 

I’m looking forward to having their whiskies available here in the U.S.

Category: European whiskies, Uncategorized Tags: 6 Comments

November 17th, 2009

Whisky. The Wall Street Journal. This Friday!

John Hansell

You would think I have enough to keep me busy with Malt Advocate, WhiskyFest, WDJK, Twitter, etc. Well, I do occasionally take on some freelance assignment.

As you know, I recently participated in the History Channel show on “Whiskey”, which just ran again this past Saturday. Well, this Friday (November 20th) I have a 2,000 word whiskey section going in The Wall Street Journal.

The special whiskey section covers some of the fundamentals (how whiskey is made, what distinguishes one country’s whiskey from the next, appreciating whiskey, etc.). I also address many new trends in whiskey (designer whiskies, artisanal distilling, extreme peating, no age statements, etc).

We even reached out to master mixologist Gary Regan and he added a great cocktail piece to the section, which includes a few really nice cocktail recipes.

Pick up a copy if you can this Friday.

Category: Bourbon, Canadian whisky, European whiskies, Irish whiskey, Media, Rye whiskey, Scotch whisky, Tennessee whiskey 5 Comments

May 5th, 2009

Het Anker Brewery to distill whisky

John Hansell

Today you get two blog postings for the price of one…

The makers of the delicious Gouden Carolus beer in Belgium is getting into the whisky-making business. They dipped their toe in the water by having a whisky made for them, under their specifications using wash based on their Gouden Carolus Tripel beer. (I tasted it and liked it. My review is coming shortly.) Now they are going to build their own distillery and make their own whisky.

Here’s the official press release which I just received:

Het Anker Brewery is going to build Belgium’s first authentic and traditional whisky distillery!

As a result of the successful launch of the Gouden Carolus Single Malt, the brewery decided to build a brand new, traditional whisky distillery. Although there are already a handful of companies in Belgium who produce whisky, Het Anker will be the first distillery with Pot Stills (large copper kettles which end in a swan neck shape).

A beautiful concept and a fairy tale location.The distillery will not be built at the brewery premises at Mechelen, but in the village of Blaasveld (Willebroek) and this for a very important “historical” reason. The Molenberg estate, a little green “Eden” between the Mechelsesteenweg and the Klaterstraat has been owned by the same family since the 17th century . This family, the Van Breedams, was a dynasty of millers who also had a jenever distillery.

The current owner Charles Leclef, (the fifth Van Breedam-generation) and also owner of the Het Anker Brewery, will use this location to build the distillery, museum and visitors center. The beautiful estate with its rich history will rise again in full glory.

Due to this ambitious venture Willebroek and Blaasveld will become known worldwide.  Even better, Blaasveld will have a new and unique regional product!

The renovation of the estate will start at the beginning of May. The distillery will produce its first spirit on 31 December at midnight, and this after a century of silence…

For more information:
Charles Leclef – +32 (0) 015 287 147 – charles@hetanker.be
Ali Bosmans – +32 (0) 015 287 147  – 0497 416 166 – ali@hetanker.be
www.hetanker.be

If their new whisky tastes as good as the whisky they contracted to have made for them, then we are in for a treat.

Category: Breaking news, European whiskies, Microdistilleries Tags: , 1 Comment

February 18th, 2009

Gouden Carolus Single Malt Whisky

John Hansell

For those of you who don’t know, I wrote about beer long before I started writing about whisky. In fact, Malt Advocate was originally On Tap, a beer publication (but that was a long time ago). I still drink more beer than whisky and I still review beers for All About Beer magazine.

So it was with great interest that I received a note today from Ali Bosmans of the Het Anker brewery in Belgium. I love Belgian beers. In fact, the two beers on tap at my house right now are Chimay Tripel and Dupont’s Avec Les Bons Voeux. (This is probably more than you need to know about me and my love of Belgian ales. Sorry for the digression.)

I’ve been to Belgium a few times, touring breweries. I toured the Het Anker Brewery in 1994. This is where the delicious Gouden Carolus beer is made. It turns out that they are now making single malt whisky. The first series of releases were made at a different distillery (that makes Genever), but they are installing pot stills at the brewery and will be making their own whisky at the brewery. Here’s the info from Ali:

I know, you know a lot of beer…So I think you certainly know the Gouden Carolus and Cuvee van de Keizer etc…  from our brewery “Het Anker” in Belgium. All high quality beers! In 2003 we decided to do a test… we distilled the Gouden Carolus Tripel mash and let it sleep in first fill Jim Beam casks.

Last year we bottled the first edition. At the end of 2008 we decided to release a limited edition “Connoisseur’s Pack”.

The whisky is so successful that we decided to build our own pot still distillery. (The first whisky we made is distilled by Filliers in column stills.)  Our new distillery will have pot stills: a  5000l wash still and a 3200l spirit still producing 538 L spirit/day.We will be the first in Belgium to do so. The first middle cut will take place at 31 December 2009 at midnight!

I know that we export a lot of beer to the States, and we also have a good reputation. So, I think that in 3 years time we will also export the Gouden Carolus Single Malt.” And maybe one day (it is a dream) I will come to the WhiskyFest Chicago or San Francisco to present this NEW Belgian product!

We would love to have you join us at WhiskyFest, Ali, pouring your new whisky. It’s something we can look forward to.

Category: European whiskies, Microdistilleries 7 Comments

February 17th, 2009

Mackmyra is coming to the U.S. Soon!

John Hansell

This great, young distillery from Sweden is coming to the U.S. For those of you who tasted some of their products at WhiskyFest New York last November, you know that this distillery is already making some very interesting whiskies. Here’s some information I just received from Lars Lindberger of Mackmyra regarding their plans for the U.S.

At WhiskFest New York last year we started a project where the goal is to sell our whisky on Manhattan by January 2010. And last week our Marketing Director and our Sales manager visited NY to meet with importers, stores, restaurants, the Swedish embassy etc. We are visiting other markets as well, but the US-market is one of the most interesting for us right now and starting point is New York.

We’re not launching with a big office in Empire State Building and Paris Hilton on the release party ;-) . We are doing this the Mackmyra way: working slowly to try to understand the market and get to know our future customers. And then release a volume that matches the interest.

So there you have it. Something worth looking forward to for all of us here in the U.S. I already tasted and rated their first “official” release on my blog. Perhaps those of you overseas (or bootleggers from the U.S.) who also tried some of their releases might want to also add your thoughts.

Category: European whiskies 3 Comments

November 11th, 2008

Annoucing the 2008 Malt Advocate Whisky Awards

John Hansell

The 2008 Malt Advocate Whisky Awards were announced earlier this evening just prior to WhiskyFest New York. The awards ceremony occurred at the Marriott Marquis on Times Square.

Here is a listing of the award winners. A full write-up will appear in the 1st Quarter 2009 issue of Malt Advocate magazine, due out on January 15, 2009.

The top ten new whiskies for 2008 (listed alphabetically)
The Antiquary Blended Scotch, 21 year old
The Balvenie Vintage Cask, 1976 vintage
Black Bowmore, 1964 vintage, 42 year old
White Bowmore, 1964 vintage, 43 year old
Brora , 30 year old
High West Rendezvous Rye, Batch No. 10
Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve Irish Whiskey
The Last Drop Blended Scotch
Parker’s Heritage Collection Bourbon, 27 year old
Willett Family Reserve Bourbon, 25 year old
 

Best Buy of the Year
Ancient Ancient Age Ten Year Old

American Whiskey of the Year
Parker’s Heritage Collection 27 Year Old Bourbon

Canadian Whisky of the Year
Canadian Club 150th Anniversary 30 Year Old

Irish Whiskey of the Year
Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve, 2007 Release

Scotch Blended Whisky of the Year
The Antiquary 21 year old

Scotch Malt Whisky of the Year
Black Bowmore, 1964 Vintage, 42 year old

Microdistillery Whisky of the Year
Penderyn Welsh Whisky

Industry Leader of the Year
Dr. Bill Lumsden

Pioneer of the Year
The United States Microdistillers

Distillery of the Year
Four Roses

Lifetime Achievement Award
Willie Tait (Whyte and Mackay)
Kenny Gray (Oban)
Ronnie Eddins (Buffalo Trace)

Category: Bourbon, Breaking news, Canadian whisky, European whiskies, Irish whiskey, Microdistilleries, Rye whiskey, Scotch whisky, WhiskyFest 11 Comments

October 1st, 2008

News on Penderyn Welsh Whisky

John Hansell

Penderyn is a great example of what a small distillery can do. They only began operation in 2000, and only put out their first whisky in 2004, but I have been really impressed with the quality of the whisky, considering how young it is. They have also been doing a pretty good job of getting it out in circulation and making it available for those who want a bottle, considering they only make about two barrels of whisky each day.

There’s no age statement but, according to Ed Minning of Penderyn, the whisky right now is hovering between 4  3/4 and 5 1/2 year old. The whisky tastes much more mature than that. Whisky consultant guru Dr. Jim Swan is working closely with the Penderyn folks, and his impact shows.

Here’s some interesting information the Ed Minning told me regarding Penderyn:

Jim intends to eventually reach about 6 1/2 to 7 years (for the average age of Penderyn), above which he says there will be no benefit in additional aging  because of the unique still.

There are actually 2 new expressions that we are just about to introduce in the U.S.,  Peated and Sherrywood. Regarding the limited edition Peated expression, it is far different from the 1,000 bottle limited release ($225) of several years ago. 

So, some new expressions coming out from Penderyn. Details to follow. And if you thought that Penderyn has been getting better (like me), the gradual transition towards a slightly more mature whisky might be one of the key reasons why.

Category: European whiskies, New Releases 4 Comments

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