MORE AUCTIONS FOR RARE WHISKIES

 

Whisky Auctions Logo Icon

Whisky auctions are facsinating as you can see so much dynamism and enthusiasm, with growing demand for the US and Asia.

Any question as to whether the recent increases in the rare whisky market would begin to plateau can be dismissed.

The Spirits Business reports:

"...Collectors bought 21,617 bottles of Scotch malt whisky at UK auctions in April, May and June this year, compared to 12,638 in the same period in 2016 – an increase of 71%...

...In total, $8.10m was spent on rare whisky at auction compared to $3.67m in the same period in 2016 – an increase of 121%.

...The growing popularity of online auctions, combined with recent moves by traditional rare whisky retailers to set up their own auction sites, continues to drive demand. By joining the secondary market sector, these ‘bricks n mortar’ retailers have finally realised that they can’t afford to lose rare whisky customers to the auction market..."

Source: The Spirits Business

COGNAC HENNESSY IS LAUNCHING IN KENYA

 

Cognac Hennessy in Kenya

After pushing hard in Nigeria, Hennessy is now starting to distribute its cognac in Kenya to take the opportunity of Africa’s second-largest luxury-goods market, with a market growth expected to be double digit.

In 2017, Kenya has 9,400 dollar millionaires, fourth-highest in Africa, and 17000 millionaires are expected in 2027.

Kenya was Africa’s second-largest market for luxury goods in 2016, with revenue of about $500 million, up 25 percent from a year earlier, according to a report by New World Wealth, a Johannesburg-based research group. The country ranked behind South Africa’s $2.3 billion market and ahead of Nigeria, it said. Brands like Hennessy are expanding their reach on the continent to tap into growing numbers of middle-class and rich people.

Source: Bloomberg

WHY DO PEOPLE CLING GLASSES?

 

Clinging Glasses

When celebrating people cling glasses. Have you ever wondered why?

The original reason has been lost in history but there are 2 main theories.

===>Theory One:
When drinking all the senses are activated beside hearing. Hence, clinging allows people to taste and hear, not so much the beverages but at least the glasses.

===>Theory Two:
A long time ago a common manner of assassination was poisoning people. Hence, people prevented from this by clinging glasses against each other to spill across glasses and reduce the risks of poisoning intents.

===>Theory Three:
Originally people only used one glass and shared it among the guests. When people introduced more glasses they used the physical contacts between the glasses instead of the physical gesture of passing the one glass around.

RADICO KHAITAN IS SELLING MILLION OF CASES OF MORPHEUS BRANDY IN INDIA

 

Brandy Morpheus, Produced and sold in India

There are many brands of brandy we do not know, and in particular brands made in countries like India which brands we may not be familiar with, but still sells in millions of bottle. The most sold brown spirits are whisky, followed by brandy and then rum. India has a large production of whiskies and brandies.

Morpheus Brandy is a 1 million case brand sold and produced in India. It is owned by Indian drinks group Radico Khaitan.

It is described as "A brandy that is blended in the land of maharajas and nawabs. Containing the texture of warm soils and fragrant scents and all the richness of tropical weather, this brandy is bottled liquid gold. With its opulent copper tone and lush aroma." Commercial description.

I am curious to where exactly do they get the wines to distill this brandy from?

India has a huge consumption of brandy, but brandy only made in India at this time.

COGNAC CAMUS COLLABORATION WITH NEW IRISH WHISKEY IN LAMBAY ISLAND

 

Lambay Irish Whiskey

Cognac Camus has partnered with Alexander Baring, 7^th Baron of Revelstoke to create Lambay Irish whiskey, a new brand of Irish whiskey aged on Lambay Island off the east coast of Ireland. The private island is a wildlife sanctuary owned by the Baring since 1904.

Whiskeys will be aged on the Island in a dedicated cellar using ex-Cognac barrels.

Interesting!

Source: Moodie Report

WASHINGTON STATE LARGEST DISTILLERY OF AMERICAN WHISKEY BOUGHT BY CONGLOMERATE MOET HENNESSY

 

Woodinville Whiskey

Woodinville Whiskey Co., another craft distillery has been bought out but this time by a huge Cognac & Champagne conglomerate, ie, Moët Hennessy.
This is the first time Moët Hennessy are making a move into the craft spirit movement. We know of their ownership of scotch whisky Glenmorangie and Ardberg, but they did not own any small craft spirits.

This follows a trend, last year Pernod bought West Virginia's Smooth Ambler Spirits Co., while Remy Cointreau acquired Westland Distillery also located in the State of Washington.

The sale is a strategic move by the founders Brett Carlile and Orlin Sorensen to help Washington State's largest distillery to grow and expand since establishement in 2010.
Originally, the whiskeys were only available in the State of Washington but one can imagine this will change now.

Source: Woodinville Whiskey Co.

NEW AMERICAN WHISKEY BRAND BY RAPPER DRAKE

 

Drake Virginia Black Whiskey

After George Clooney Tequila Casamigos, which he sold to Diageo for 1 billion dollars singer Drake is getting some ideas.

Diageo is set to pay $700 million initially, with the potential of another $300 million based on the tequila's performance over 10 years, according to CNBC.

Drake the Canadian rapper whose chart-topping hits have won him many Grammy Awards and Billboard Music Awards among other prizes launched in June 2016 Virginia Black Whiskey with ex-banker Brent Hocking and beverage marketing firm Promixo Spirits.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXwCKKHgG6k&w=560&h=315]

Virginia Black is now available in Burundi, Ghana, Ireland, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, and Zanzibar, as well as the UK and Canada, where it first launched.

Source: Virginia Black Whiskey

SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY IS PUTTING TOGETHER A SELECTION OF SINGLE CASK COGNACS

 

SMWS Single Cask Spirits, Cognac Selection of Single Casks

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) more known for their scotch whisky selection and single cask scotch whiskies is now introducing a few Single Cask Cognacs. This is not the first time as they had one Single Cask Cognac in late 2015.

In addition, they are working with Michelle Brachet who has recently joined the world of cognac after working on a documentary assignment about cognac in 2014 which got her started thinking about cognac, and her interests grew further since.

SMWS is rather influential in the scotch whisky category. Let's hope that their venture in creating other single cask selections and in particular cognac will get whisky drinkers to become interested in cognac.

Source:  TheDrinksReport.com

CALVADOS IS GROWING SALES IN 100 COUNTRIES

Calvados, Cider and Pommeau

Calvados is suffering counterfeiting as well now with a 7% growth/year. Fake or want-to-be brands are copying or just simply alluding to Calvados to gain consumer attention but this is not fair and fraud really.

Since the 1990 Calvados has enjoyed growth thanks to export in about 100 countries. It might not be the mainstrean spirit but the little protected appellation in Normandy is getting attention all across the world.
No wonder, an original Calvados is delicious and unequalled!

Source: RVI

OLD SCHOOL DISTILLING IN FRANCE

Distilling Plum brandy in France using an old school trailer potstill for home made use.
'Fait Maison'!

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCx4IHx2ZqM&w=560&h=315]

Source: Youtube.com

VINEXPO & VINEXPO 2017 - A MEMO

Vinexpo 2017 Bordeaux Logo

Clearly Vinexpo has changed!Used to be the go-to Wine & Spirits trade show.Now there are competitors, such as Prowein. In addition, Vinexpo is later in the year, too late: ie, late June.

It has started cannibalizing itself with sub-regional Vinexpos such as Vinexpo Hong Kong and Vinexpo Tokyo, ie, if your Asian why going to Bordeaux. This March 2018 will start Vinexpo New York. If you are from America why will you go to Vinexpo Bordeaux any longer. Essentially, there are less reasons to go to Bordeaux than there were before.Plus Vinexpo is too wine focused and not enough spirit driven.

The Supervisory Board of Vinexpo SAS, which met on 6 April 2017, has appointed Christophe Navarre, Chief Executive Officer of Moët Hennessy, as its new President.Christophe Navarre, CEO of  Moët-Hennessy since May 2001, the wine & spirits group of LVMH, which includes Cognac Hennessy and other spirits, in particular the scotch whiskies Glenmorangie and Ardbeg and the vodka Belvedere, but also champagne brands such as Moët & Chandon, Dom Pérignon, Mercier, Veuve Clicquot, Ruinart et Krug,  and many wine labels outside of France.Hence, Moët-Hennessy had a booth/display at Vinexpo 2017 last month.

Will Christophe Navarre mark a positive change for Vinexpo?

Source: Vinexpo-Newsroom

SINGLE GRAIN WHISKY FROM JAPAN

 

Suntory's Chita Single Grain Whisky

Suntory launched a new Japanese single grain whisky in the UK named Chita Single Grain Whisky.
This whisky was matured into Spanish oak casks and American white oak casks.

The Chita Distillery was established in 1972 in Aichi region, and it has been dedicated for single grain distillation.

Source: Drinks International

JAPANESE MIZUNARA OAK CASK USED TO FINISH A FRENCH BRANDY

 

Monteru Brandy Ippon, Finished in Japanese Mizunara Oak Cask, same oak and cask used by the most famous Whisky made in Japan. First bottle ever, and bottle One of One.[/caption]

Experts and consumers are increasingly recognizing whiskies and single malts made in Japan as some of the best in the world. This reputation is largely explained by the type of oak casks the Japanese use to craft these whiskies called 'mizunara' oak. These original oak casks are more than 10 times more expensive than most of the commercial oak and often just not available outside of Japan.

Monteru Brandy since 2009 has started reviving the world of luxury brandy with revolutionary ideas such as crafting the first 'single grape brandy’ with a variety of grape varietals such as cabernet, chardonnay, merlot, etc.

In 2015, they offered a line of small batch of rare cask finished brandies including sauternes, sherry and heavily charred American oak cask finished. There is no 'run of the mill' to foresee coming out of Monteru, but the most transparent and inspiring craft spirits expected to come out from France with 96 pts and above from recent ratings.

Monteru Brandy is the result of the visionary leadership of Jean-Michel Naud and Franck Vigneron, artisan distillers and passionate cellar masters.
"We are very proud to offer a unique experience to the growing luxury brandy segment which are not only looking for innovations but also uncompromizing authentic products" says Pierre Naud, Monteru's international sales manager.

Today, once again, Monteru is innovating with the first ever brandy finished in Japanese mizunara cask. Not only this is the first ever brandy but the first ever French spirits crafted using oak casks made from authentic mizunara oak from Japan.

These casks were made using Japanese traditional cooperage methods and directly imported to the Maison Monteru in Charente Maritime, South West of France.

Before offering a small allocation of a few bottles from the first batch, Monteru Brandy will release a single bottle of Monteru Brandy Mizunara, limited bottle serial number 1 of one.

This one bottle limited edition is coming into an ultra luxury and custom presentation named 'IPPON' which means 'one piece' and 'a perfect full point' as this is the highest score a fighter can achieve in judo, a Japanese martial art.

Monteru Brandy Ippon was revealed to the public for the first time on Monday 19th june 2017 at Vinexpo 2017 in Bordeaux France. There was a real excitement among connoisseurs and journalists that knew of the importance for this release as this makes a full circle between today's many trends.

NEW HENNESSY XO IN JULY 2017

Hennessy XO, Limited Edition designed by Australian Marc Newsome

Hennessy is launching this mont of July 2017 a new XO Cognac created by industrial designer Marc Newson.
The limited edition Marc Newson designed Hennessy XO bottle will retail for $200.
In 2016, Hennessy reached 22% to 3.7 million cases in the U.S., which makes 75% of the cognac category, helping to keep the category relevant.

Source: Photo (www.hennessy.com)