Springbank Distillery- dead bird in the mine shaft?
This past week in the Campbeltown Courier it was announced that Springbank Distillery is seeking voluntary redundancies from its staff. Looming in the background is a possible 2 year stoppage in whisky production until such times that the economic atmosphere is better suited to produce. This is a sad turn of events in the Scotch industry and Springbank may be just the begining of such actions by the smaller producers who do not have other brands to depend on. Hopefully, this wonderful distillery will not lay dormant for too long.
Read the full story at: http://www.campbeltowncourier.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/4642
Broker’s Gin
This past week I had a good friend visit me here in Cincinnati, OH to remind me that there are sometimes occasions to drink something other than Scotch Whisky (not too many occasions). We enjoyed more than a few good glasses of Gin and not just any gin, Broker’s Gin which was produced by Andy in England.
Andy and I had met in 2005 while selling our brands in Chicago. I was just getting started and he was well on his way. What we sell may be different, however, at the end of the day we both share the same ups and downs of having our own brands and running a business. Today I well on my way and he is really humming. Selling his gin in 42 states and a several different countries.
We had a good time getting caught up at Bella Luna family Italian restaurant in Cincinanti. I managed to have the last dram of Wild Scotsman in the bottle before moving to Broker’s Gin. Nothing like homemade Italian food with craft Gin and Scotch to make for a good evening.
cheers,
Jeff
Spring is in the Air!
It was a lovely 74F (23c) yesterday here in Cincinnati yesterday. If my office were not in a basement I may have not gotten anything done! (I did take a wee break to mow the lawn. Nothing like smell of fresh cut grass in the morning.) Like many Americans I had broken out my Barbeque Grill to be cleaned and detailed a week ago in anticipation of a nice day. I do not know if Grilling is as common on the other end of the Pond, but I hope so.
I had marinated two Ribeye Steaks earlier in the day which grilled very nicely and were finished off by smoking the meat with Mesquite wood chips placed over the coals. I may not be one for finishes in my Whisky, however, I have a totally different thought when it comes to beef.
I broke out a very lovely, Serriger Scholss Saarsteiner, 1999 Riesling Auslese. The were hints of pears, tree fruit, honey, and lovely sweet finish with no after taste. I rarely drink white wines, however, I have a fondness for German Rieslings.
Well, back to reality and the rain the day has brought. I have to write my next article for Cincinnati Gentleman Magazine on spirits. Today I will be tasting Hanger One Raspberry Vodka as well as Hendricks Gin for the spring issue. I would love to do some Scotch, however, one must keep with the traditional drinking trends in regards to products and season. I happen to believe Scotch is an all year round beverage one just needs to find the brands and tastes for Spring.
Cheers,
Jeff
Distillers turn back on SWA in petition over new whisky rules
The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) has been condemned by nearly 1,000 signatories to an online petition designed to prevent a new Scotch whisky classification from being enforced.
The petition (www.ipetitions.com) showed around 972 objectors to the SWA’s proposal of a blended malt Scotch whisky classification, with one claimant even suggesting that the SWA is “no longer suitable” in its current role.
The petition’s creator John Glaser, blender and founder of whisky specialist Compass Box, will present the signatures to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) next month, when DEFRA is due to make a decision on the new category.
“If 1,000 objectors to the SWA’s proposals don’t convince DEFRA to revise the proposal, then something’s seriously wrong here,” Glaser told this week’s Harpers magazine out today (Friday).
According to the SWA’s critics, the introduction of a fifth, blended malt subcategory will lead to consumer confusion, with drinkers struggling to distinguish between single malts, blends of grain and malts, and blends of single malt whiskies from different distilleries.
According to Neil Boyd, the petition’s 910th signatory, the new term will make single malts suffer.
“As a recent global brand director for Dewar’s Scotch Whisky, it is clear to me that the term ‘blended malt’ will do nothing but harm the malt category,” he said.
Marketer’s Paradise
Bruichladdich managing director Mark Reynier added: “The term ‘blended malt’ is ambiguous. It’s a marketer’s paradise. It seems like a deliberate attempt by the members of the SWA –who constitute only 95% of the total number of whisky distilleries in Scotland – to increase the value of some of their blended whiskies. One also has to question whether the SWA is still a suitable organisation to propose legislation on Scotland’s future when it is not independent.”
However, David Williamson, SWA public affairs manager, said: “At the core of the proposal is ensuring that people receive clear information on what they are buying. One of the objectors to our proposals has sold a malt whisky that was sometimes called a single malt and sometimes blended malt.“It’s this kind of confusion we want to avoid.”
Harpers Magazine is available by subscription only.
View this article on our website at:
http://www.harpers.co.uk/news/5539/Distillers-turn-back-on-SWA-in.ehtml
USA Tour Has Come to an End!
It has been an extremely busy few weeks travleing to Pittsburgh-PA, Chicago-IL (as well as surrounding areas), Columbus-OH, Datyon-OH, Cincinnati-OH, and Northern-KY. We have done a tasting which raised a million dollars for charity only to sleep 3 hours and drive from Pittsburgh-PA to Chicago-IL to meet the people in the trenches of the hospitality business without even taking a shower! We hauled sample bags from the finest restaurants in Columubs-OH to the little known and finest restaurants of Tipp City-OH. We have eaten the finest food Waffle House has to offer as well as those of a 4 star steak house (not as often). I am sure many of you are wondering where our chaffered limo’s, tour bus, or first class air travel is going to be mentioned? You will not find such lavish excess in a company which runs on its own funds being pulled from the very pockets of the brands. When we entertained a dinner or bought a drink for the person next to us at the bar it really came from US! Many thanks to all of those bar, restaurant, and shop owners who have honored us with serving/selling our brands. Many thanks to you the consumer who spends their hard earned money to enjoy the quality of spirit which both John and I produce and/or bottle. We are only as good as our last bottle and we hope that you enjoy our style and our brands.
Cheers,
The Wild Scotsman
Chicago Land Tour Comes to an End
John and I are resting comfortable at my parents located at Wright Patterson Air force Base, OHIO. We drove from chicago to their house in approx 5 hours on Saturday in time for me to spend some quality time with my daughter.
This past Friday we had a great evening at the Forge Club located outside of Chicago. John and I were the feature leading the club members through 5 scotch whiskies all of which were a part of an individual food dish. This was quite a treat as they flew in Salmon from Scotland which was caught the day before. They have a 700 bottle scotch cellar, which is not listed on the web site. Basically, these bottles are anywhere from 20 to 100 years in age. The labels were all quite interesting especially all of the different “blended whisky” brands most of which I have never seen or heard off.
Many thanks to Dave Soto of Sam’s Wine -Lincoln Park for inviting both John and I to conduct educational seminars to both the public and staff about our brands, the history of Scotch Whisky, and our unique journeys in this industry. We cannot stress enough the importance of being able to meet the consumers one on one and have a very honest conversation about Scotch Whisky without the need for a corporate “cue card” dictating our presentations. In the end “Tasting Is Better Than Telling”!!
Many thanks to all of the shops, restaurants, and bars which opened their doors and their pallet to try our brands and experience ‘old world’ quality bottled and presented by the very people who created the brands. We are very confident that their is a new era not only for scotch whisky but for all brown spirits where the consumer is going to demand more from what is in their bottle and the people who present them.
This week John and I will be working the Ohio market.
Cheers,
Jeff
Say No! To Blended Malt Scotch!
Below is some information of interest given to me by our friends at Compass Box Whisky
Hello friends,
Pardon the interruption, but I simply want to call your attention to an issue that is very important to our business and to the Scotch whisky industry, and is something you can help us with.
Please help us tell the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) and the UK Government that we think their legislative proposal to force companies such as ours to label our malt whiskies “Blended Malt Scotch Whisky” (instead of simply “Malt Whisky” as we do now) is a bad idea for the industry. If this proposal becomes law, it would cause further confusion for consumers around the world regarding the labelling of Scotch whisky. It would make people think less of artisan-made malt whiskies, such as ours, because we would have to put “blended” on our labels, a term people (wrongly, but nonetheless) perceive to refer to inferior quality products.
It would also force us to redesign and reprint all our labels, and resubmit them to label authorities around the world. Which would be an expensive pain and a waste of time.
This proposal has been widely derided by people across the industry, including whiskymakers, marketers, retailers, distributors and writers, including the late Michael Jackson, all of whom have pointed out that the proposal will do exactly the opposite of what it is intended to do, which is reduce consumer confusion about Scotch whisky. But the SWA have buried their heads in the sand on this issue in order to push through other legislative issues they feel are more important!
I could go on. But instead I’ll point you to a petition on the web that takes less than a minute to sign and which will help us send a message to the SWA and the lawmakers that the “blended malt Scotch whisky” legislation is a bad idea. Just click the link:
Say No! To Blended Malt Scotch Link
Wild Scotsman Spring Tour Begins
This year we are taking a new tact with our events and tours. We will not be attending Whisky Fest, Whisky Live, and other such events in an effort to meet more consumers on the street. These events are nice, however, they typically have the same consumers each year which does not help push our brands. The price points of the events also does not make it easy for most consumers to attend. We are in the business of selling scotch whisky and not filling the pockets of trade magazines who in the end do nothing to help us grow our business but we have helped fill their pockets.
John McDougall and I have arrived in Pittsburgh PA on Saturday so we would not be late for Easter Dinner today! We will be back to working on Monday starting early with Press interviews, sales meetings with several country clubs, and ending with a Charity Tasting event looking to raise over 1 million dollars. John and I are quite honored to be featured at such an event to help raise money for those in need.
Tuesday March 25th we will be driving to Chicago for a series of events with Sam’s Wine. We will have a tasting at Sam’s Lincoln Park at 1900/hrs.
Wednesday March 26th : 1830 to 2000hrs Sam’s Highland Park Cost $10.00
Thursday March 27th: 1700-2000/hrs Cost $30.00
Friday March 28th: Tasting : location TBA (i have misplaced my notes!)
Saturday/Sunday :Dayton, OHIO
Monday March 31- Working Columbus market
Tuesday April 1: Spirits tasting at Heidelberg columbus Office. Event for On/OFf license holders
Wednesday April 2: Dayton Market
Thursday April 3: Spirits Tasting at Heidelberg Dayton Office. Event for On/Off License holders
Friday April 4th: Cincinnati, Market. Dinner at the Pollo Grille. We are not having an official tasting but we are more than happy to talk scotch if you find us there.
In Memory of Patrick Jacobson
At the young age of 15 my nephew, Patrick Jacobson, was killed in a senseless car crash on Tuesday March 4, 2008. Having held this young man in my arms since he was a wee lad in nappies this is not an occasion which will be forgotten. No parent should loose a child and no uncle should lose a good nephew way before his time. I had been filled with sorrow, hate, and questioned the grace of God, however, in then end it was not God’s choice to make as we all choose the lives we live. Choosing life is not going through the motions of living, but actually taking the time to live. Patrick made the choice to live his life by not letting it pass him by. Never settling for sitting in the back seat when he could lead from the front. Never letting the word “can’t” get in his way of his passions, desires, and aspirations. A son, nephew, grandson, brother,and friend are just a few of the hats this young man wore all in a day. He will be missed and never forgotten as I will always take the time to watch a sunset, hold my child, and never let “can’t get in my way” of my aspirations.
Love,
Your Uncle Jeff
ENON - A teenager who was killed in a two-vehicle accident in Enon Tuesday, March 4, has been identified as Patrick Jacobson, 15, of 29 W. Hunter Road. He was a passenger in a car driven by Austin R. Wickliffe, 16, of 120 Maricopa Circle.
Wickliffe was eastbound on Rebert Pike around 6:20 p.m. Tuesday when his car was struck by another vehicle turning left onto Rebert Pike from Fowler Road, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
That car was driven by Margaret A. Rohani, 71, of 2680 Cedarbrook Way, Beavercreek.
Christopher R. Pennington, 15, of 4611 Blough Dr., who was a passenger in Wickliffe’s car, suffered non life-threatening injuries. Pennington was taken to Springfield Regional Medical Center, Fountain Avenue campus.
Another other passenger in Wickliffe’s vehicle was not hurt.
Rohani and three passengers in her car also weren’t injured.
The crash remains under investigation by the Ohio Highway Patrol.
Contact this reporter at (937) 328-0360 or vlough@coxohio.com.
(c) 2008 Cox Newspapers, Inc. - Springfield News-Sun
LAS VEGAS TOUREN SWEDEN
Many thanks to our friends from Sweden for stopping by the booth and sampling some drams. For those of you who do not know, John McDougall aka Yohn, tours extensively in Sweden with the brands. The boys here were very excited to try some bottlings of Scotch not available during John’s last tour (Bladnoch 16yr, Vatted Islay 13yr, and Mortlach 13yr). They were completely over the moon with the new Vatted Islay Malt.
**All holding the new John McDoguall’s Single Cask Bladnoch 16yr.
***The Calm before the Storm
****Jim Beam’s NASCAR in front of booth.
