Latest news with #scotch
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
This cocktail bar has one of the best views in Edinburgh
My first visit to the bar was actually for Burns Night two years ago when I discovered it through an event they were hosting alongside the Bacardi portfolio Scotch whisky brands: Craigellachie, Aberfeldy and Royal Brackla. The selected drams were paired with different small plates, and it was a lovely way to spend Burns Night. Perhaps not your traditional Burns Night celebration with tartan and haggis, but a great chance to showcase scotch whisky in a modern and fun way. João's Place is continuing their celebration of flavour by pairing food and drinks together as they are just launching their "Taste of João's" menu which includes an aperitivo cocktail and six different dishes where the Brazilian and Japanese influences are combined. Guests also have the option of adding on a drinks package of either paired wines or cocktails. It is definitely bound to be a great night out for those seeking something new and a bit different from their food and drinks. There always seems to be something fun and a bit different to be found on the menu. On this most recent visit, I tried a cocktail that combined the flavours of mint, cinnamon and pineapple, which certainly was unlike anything I have ever tried before, but it had such a refreshing and invigorating taste. Elsewhere, a fun feature on the menu is the "design your own highball" section, which involves picking your Japanese spirit - whisky, gin or vodka -, your season and your mixer. I am definitely coming back to João's Place just to try this out as I'm a big fan of highballs, and especially in the warmer months of the year. I think it is going to be the Japanese whisky paired with the autumn flavours of jasmine, plum and apricot with tonic water for me, but if I am in a different mood, I will let that decide my choices in the moment. If you fancy a small bite with your drinks, there are sushi plates available on the menu from Sushisamba, which is located on the same floor. I can tell you from personal research that sushi goes incredibly well with whisky, but I might be slightly biased, considering these are two of my top favourites in the food and drink world. My whisky of the week is Nikka Coffey Malt, which was one of the very first whiskies I tried from a Japanese whisky company. This whisky is made from 100% malted barley but has been distilled through a Coffey still. This might be the whisky I need to thank for my interest in grain whisky, but compared to many of the single grains I have tried from Scotland, the Coffey Malt has a lovely mix of spices like cloves and cinnamon, rather than a vanilla ice cream note. The spices are balanced out with a soft grassiness and elegant sandalwood.
Daily Record
23-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Scotland's 10 'must-visit whisky distilleries' as historic coastal spot tops list
Many of the top Scottish distilleries offer tours and tasting experiences. A new list of Scotland's top "must-visit" distilleries has been shared by whisky experts. And the number one spot was awarded to one of the oldest distilleries in the country. Of all of the things Scotland is famous for, whisky may well top the list. The country's many distilleries produce whisky that is enjoyed all around the world. Retailer House of Bruar has published a list of "Scotland's top 10 must-visit whisky distilleries". The roundup features both legendary distilleries and lesser-known spots. Coming in at number one on House of Bruar's list of the best whisky distilleries in Scotland is The Oban Distillery. The distillery is situated in the coastal town of Oban in Argyll and Bute. It is one of the oldest and smallest distilleries in Scotland. Dating back further than Oban itself, it was founded in 1794 by brothers John and Hugh Stevenson. The distillery offers classic tours, with hosts sharing insights into the distillery's history and its unique whisky-making process. It also hosts tutored tasting experiences, in which visitors are talked through four different whiskies. House of Bruar commented: "Oban Distillery is one of Scotland's oldest sources of Single Malt Scotch Whisky, just a short walk from the sea. This coastal distillery is also one of the smallest producers of scotch whisky, with just seven experts crafting each bottle. "Oban whiskies are known for being sweet and moreish—our whisky shop is proud to stock the key malts from the distillery. "Visitors can enjoy a thorough tour of the distillery, including three drams of Oban Whisky. Or, if you're just interested in sampling the goods available, the 'Taste of Oban' experience features a guided tasting session with an expert to help you get the most out of each sip." Elsewhere, coming in at number two on House of Bruar's roundup is Tomatin Distillery in the Highlands village of Tomatin. Dating back to 1897, the distillery's single malt and blended whiskies are made using the soft waters of the Alt-na-Frith. Tomatin Distillery features 12 whisky stills that remain in use to this day. Described by House of Bruar as a "must-visit for whisky geeks", the distillery is also home to a large mash tun that is open for visitors to see inside. In third place on the experts' list is the famous Talisker Distillery on the Isle of Skye. The distillery, which is tucked along the shores of Loch Harport, was founded in 1830. House of Bruar noted Talisker for its breathtaking coastal surroundings, as well as its unique peaty whiskies. The distillery also offers guided tours that provide an interesting insight into traditional whisky-making processes, finishing off with a tasting session. Rounding out the top five on House of Bruar's 10 must-visit whisky distilleries are the Dalwhinnie Distillery in the Cairngorm National Park and Glengoyne Distillery near Glasgow in fourth and fifth place, respectively. The former was noted for its "informative tours", while the latter received praise for its "in-depth, hands-on sessions". Other distilleries to be featured on the experts' list include the Blair Athol Distillery in Pitlochry, the Glenkinchie Distillery in East Lothian, and the Lochranza Distillery on the Isle of Arran. Completing the top 10 are The Glenfiddich Distillery in Speyside and the Clydeside Distillery in Glasgow. Oban Distillery Tomatin Distillery Talisker Distiller Dalwhinnie Distillery Glengoyne Distillery Blair Athol Distillery Glenkinchie Distillery Lochranza (Arran) Distillery The Glenfiddich Distillery Clydeside Distillery
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Business Standard
18-05-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Indian distillers expect India-UK FTA duty cuts on scotch to boost growth
Indian premium whisky distillers expect that the duty concessions on Scotch imports under the India-UK free trade agreement will help improve their margins and speed up growth. A lower customs duty on bulk Scotch, used by many Indian Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) companies for blending, will reduce costs and make premium spirits more affordable in the Indian market, which is the world's largest for whisky, they added. Under the trade pact, announced earlier this month, India will reduce duties on UK whisky and gin from 150 per cent to 75 per cent, and further to 40 per cent by the tenth year. Home-grown players like Radico Khaitan, Allied Blenders & Distillers (ABD), and John Distilleries said the move will give Indian consumers more choices and better access to high-quality spirits. Radico Khaitan, the largest importer of Scotch whisky for blending and which owns award-winning single malt 'Rampur' and Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin, said the FTA has "significant potential" for cost advantages through the expected reduction in customs duties. "Radico plans to import scotch malt worth Rs 250 crore in fiscal year 2025-2026, and this treaty, therefore, benefits us substantially," Radico Khaitan MD Abhishek Khaitan told PTI. Sharing similar views, Allied Blenders & Distillers (ABD), makers of Officer's Choice Whisky, said it has opened new avenues for collaboration, besides helping make the super-premium to luxury portfolio more accessible. "...this agreement will also benefit ABD's Super-Premium to Luxury portfolio by making these products more accessible. We anticipate this will offer Indian consumers greater choice and the opportunity to enjoy a wider range of high-quality spirits," the company said. According to data from the Scotch Whisky Association, India was the largest market for Scotch by volume in 2024, with 192 million bottles exported. In value terms, it ranked fourth with exports worth 248 million British pounds. However, Amrut Distilleries MD Rakshit N Jagdale raised concerns about the duty concessions, saying the steep reduction in duties could hurt India's domestic alcohol industry. The reduction of import duties on Scotch whisky from 150 per cent to 75 per cent in one step is "alarmingly" steep, he said. "This move risks disincentivising future expansion projects within the Indian distillation sector projects that not only contribute to manufacturing GDP but also generate significant direct and indirect employment across the supply chain, from agriculture to retail," he said, adding that it will help increase in import volumes and exports are likely to be outpaced. While openness to global trade is vital, it must not come at the cost of long-term self-reliance, manufacturing growth, and job creation, Jagdale added. John Distilleries Chairman Paul P John said this FTA may have a short-term impact on Indian products, but he hopes that it will allow better ease of business for Indian products in the UK. On the impact on retail pricing, John said, "At this stage, it's premature to comment on specific pricing strategies. We are monitoring the developments of the India-Uk FTA and will assess the implications once the details are finalised". According to data from the Confederation of Indian Alcoholic Beverage Companies (CIABC), sales of IMFL have grown 14 per cent by volume to 385 million cases in FY23, in which the premium products priced over Rs 1,000 per 750 ml bottle have grown over three times from the industry average to 45 per cent. In FY23, whisky sales volume of 243 million cases of 9 litres each was recorded. Moreover, some of the homegrown brands of single malts as Amrut, Paul John, Indri, Rampur and Gianchand, among others, have even surpassed global brands in 2023. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Forbes
15-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
6 Things You Didn't Know About Appleton Estate Rum
It might look like paradise, but beneath the surface, Appleton Estate hides stories of secret pipelines, colonial history and world-class rum. In Kingston, Jamaica, an underground pipeline quietly pumps Appleton Estate rum from one side of the city to the other. Rum fans may be disappointed to know that the heavily fortified pipework doesn't serve any homes, but moves rum between sites of arguably the most respected distillery in the Caribbean. If you've never heard of Appleton, think of it as the Macallan of the rum world. Appleton Estate is a distillery with a history that dates back hundreds of years, a reputation for producing very easy to drink spirits, and is home to some of the most premium aged rum ever released. So whether you're a longtime fan or entirely new to the name, here are six things you might not know, but probably should, about Appleton Estate. What do you do when a major roadway separates your aging warehouses from your bottling hall? If you're Appleton Estate, you solve the problem with a secret underground pipeline. Although every drop of Appleton Estate rum is produced at their distillery in the Nassau Valley, Jamaica, most of it is transported across the island to Kingston for maturation. It remains in these warehouses until it is ready for bottling, which takes place at the bottling facility just across the road. Beneath Kingston, a fortified pipeline silently moves rum from warehouse to bottling hall, while everyone above goes about their day, none the wiser. To move the rum between the two locations safely and efficiently, Appleton took a cue from Scottish distilleries and built an underground pipeline connecting the two sites. On the warehouse side the rum is emptied from the casks, vatted, and made ready for bottling. It is sent through the heavily fortified pipeline to the bottling hall. After each transfer, an inflatable ball is pushed through the pipeline using a vacuum system to ensure no liquid is left behind—another lesson learned from the Scots. Appleton doesn't rely on one rum style, they create dozens using pot and column stills, then blend them like an orchestra to build their signature flavour. Most scotch whisky distilleries produce just one core spirit style using a single type of still which they then shape further through different maturation times, cask types, etc. Appleton Estate operates more like an American distillery or, to use a scotch example, Loch Lomond, as they employ both pot and column stills. Each still type creates a rum with a distinct character. The column still produces a lighter, more delicate spirit, while the pot still produces a heavier, 'funkier' (to use a rum term) distillate which has more intense notes of overripe banana, pineapple, and molasses. But it doesn't stop there. Appleton also varies the fermentation recipes that feed these stills, adjusting wash composition, fermentation time, and other variables to create even more diversity in flavor. These different rums are aged separately in their own casks before being brought together through expert blending. In this sense, Appleton Estate rums are closer in philosophy to Johnnie Walker than Macallan. Rather than showcasing a single distillate, they blend dozens of in-house rum styles to create their signature profile. And that is not a compromise. If you think of single malt whiskies like Macallan is an exceptional solo violinist, Appleton Estate is a full orchestra. Aged under the Jamaican sun, Appleton's rums mature up to three times faster than whisky in Scotland, but lose over 10% to evaporation each year. If you're used to scotch or bourbon, you're likely familiar with the idea that a spirit is aged in the same country where it is distilled. But with rum, those geographic restrictions do not apply. Rum can legally be matured almost anywhere in the world. Believe it or not, Liverpool in the United Kingdom has been a hub for rum maturation since the 19th century, when its ports were heavily involved in the transatlantic slave trade and Caribbean rum imports. This makes bottling and transport cheaper, but as any Islay fan will know, maturation location is important. Appleton Estate understands the importance of climate on maturation and is one of the few major rum producers that matures all of its spirit entirely in the tropics. This has both terrible and fantastic consequences. On the one hand, the high heat and humidity means that the rum matures at a much faster rate. As a broad rule, tropically aged rum matures three times faster than it would in the climate of Scotland. That means a 12 year old Appleton Estate rum is roughly equivalent in profile to that of a 30+ year old scotch. Unfortunately this shortcut to producing amazing spirits has a downside; the cost is high in terms of evaporation, which can exceed 10% per year. As a result, Appleton consolidates its casks every few years to manage the volume loss. Rum from partially empty barrels is transferred into sister casks, which reduces the overall number of barrels available for aging far more quickly than would occur in the cooler climate of Scotland. I've visited a lot of distilleries over the years, but few, if any, sit in a landscape as dramatic as Appleton Estate. The distillery is located in the Nassau Valley, which lies within Cockpit Country, an area known for its a unique limestone terrain. As well as being stunning it is also incredibly rare, found only in a handful of places around the world, such as the South China Karst and the Moravian Karst in the Czech Republic. Appleton Estate sits in Jamaica's Nassau Valley, a rare limestone landscape that's as distinctive as the rum it helps produce. While the Nassau Valley is surrounded by these striking limestone formations, the distillery itself is built on another rare geological feature, a polje. Polje comes from the Czech word for field and is the term for a large, flat-floored valley several kilometers wide, created by the erosion and collapse of limestone bedrock typified by the Moravian Karst. It's a landscape as distinctive and storied as the rum it helps produce. She nearly became a nun, now she's one of the most influential figures in rum. Dr. Joy Spence was the first female master blender in the spirits industry. In 1997 Dr Joy Spence became the first female master blender in the spirits industry. Today, Dr Spence is a national figure in Jamaica, a chemist, a pioneer, and a symbol of what's possible. She has overseen the release of some of the most iconic rums ever bottled. But her path into rum was nearly detailed. In an interview arranged as part of a press trip which I was invited to at the Half Moon resort in Jamaica, Dr Spence told me she nearly joined a convent. Luckily for the world of rum Dr Spence was an only child and her mother had other plans. Unhappy with her daughter's decision, she marched Joy down to the principal's office and insisted it was out of the question. Joy Spence would join Appleton Estate, but the odds were still against her. At the time, there was a strong stigma attached to women drinking rum. In fact, Spence had never even tasted it when she first joined the company. Thankfully stigma has faded, thanks in large part to people like Dr Spence sharing their passion and love of rum. Appleton Estate sits in the heart of the Nassau Valley, and the distillery's origins date back to the mid-17th century. Appleton sits on land which was originally granted to Francis Dickinson in 1655, following the invasion of Jamaica by British troops. The land was granted by King Charles II to Dickinson in recognition of his service. While that might sound noble, it was almost certainly influenced by Dickinson's family connections; his brother, Edmund Dickinson, was the King's personal physician. The land quickly became part of Jamaica's growing sugar economy, worked by enslaved Africans and generating profits for the Dickinson family. Like many estates in the Caribbean, Appleton's early success was built on this harsh colonial reality. The earliest known rum production at Appleton dates to 1749. But it wasn't until 1944 that the first branded Appleton Estate rum appeared on the market. By then, the estate had been acquired by J. Wray & Nephew Ltd., which bought the property in 1916. They introduced Appleton Estate Special during World War II, at a time when Scotch whisky was in short supply. So there you have it, from fortified pipelines to the world's first female master blender, six things you may not have known about Appleton Estate rum. Arguably mostly important to remember is that with such a variety of rums produced at Appleton, there really is something for everyone. So if you've not tried rum, give it a go, and if you've tried it but weren't sure before, just remember there are a huge variety of styles available.
Forbes
08-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
3 Reasons India's Scotch Tariff Cut Is No Cause For Celebration
Is a 75% tariff really a win for scotch? Mark Littler LTD The reduction in scotch whisky tariffs as part of the new UK–India trade deal has been widely reported, and understandably so. A cut from 150% to 75% looks like meaningful progress, but the reality is more complex. Already, cask investment companies are using the headlines to promote whisky casks as a safe investment, suggesting the tariff cut marks the start of a new export boom into India. One sales email, sent just two hours after the agreement was signed exclaimed 'This isn't just a win for distilleries and whisky drinkers, it's a game changer for the whisky cask industry [...] cask values are set to rise [...] as India opens its doors to Scotch like never before, the future of the whisky cask market looks brighter than ever.' This comes just days after the collapse of Whisky Merchants Trading, which went into administration leaving thousands of customers potentially without casks. Many had only been issued certificates rather than delivery orders, exposing a long-standing cask investment company tactic: reducing a nuanced and complex area into a simple sales pitch. So while it's easy to get swept up in a good news story, trade deals are rarely black and white, and this one is no exception. Here are three reasons why this tariff cut is unlikely to result in meaningful change for scotch whisky, especially at the premium end of the market. The headline reduction from 150% to 75% might sound dramatic, but it's hardly cause for celebration. Even if you consider the long term plan to drop to 40% after ten years, Scotch whisky entering India still faces the highest import duty in the world. Halving an excessive tariff doesn't make it fair, it just makes it easier to spin or manipulate. By comparison, other markets have taken more meaningful steps to reduce trade barriers. Until October 2024, Hong Kong imposed a 100% import duty on scotch. It has since cut that rate to 10%, a viable and workable level that is comparable with mainland China and the US (at present). Many countries, including Japan and those in the European Union, impose no import tariffs on scotch at all. So while the headline reduction is, indeed, attention-grabbing, a 75% tariff is still a significant barrier, no matter how you look at it. The 75% import duty is only the first of several layers of taxation once a bottle is imported into India. Imports are also subject to a range of state-level charges, many of which exceed the import duty itself. While the UK has a single, consistent system, based on VAT and alcohol duty, applied across England, Wales, and Scotland. Even the American three-tier system appears almost straightforward compared to India. Each of India's 28 states and eight union territories sets its own tax regime, and many impose duties of 100% or more. Maharashtra, for instance, only recently reduced its rate from 300% to 150%. States such as Karnataka and Delhi typically impose duties of 80% to 100%. In addition to these excise duties, many states apply further sales taxes. What these layers of taxes mean is that a bottle that sells for £100 in the UK can easily reach over £300 on an Indian shelf, due largely to tax. In reality, the 75% tariff is only the start of a system that makes meaningful market access all but impossible. Domestic consumption of Indian whisky is vast. Indians consume more than 2.4 billion bottles of whisky each year. McDowell's No.1 sold 31.4 million cases in 2023, around 50 percent more than Johnnie Walker's total global sales. In fact each of India's top four whisky brands outsells Johnnie Walker. Johnnie Walker is the world's biggest selling scotch whisky, selling around eight bottles per second, every second of the day. To put India's total consumption in perspective, if Diageo redirected every bottle of Johnnie Walker sold globally (which is around 265 million bottles) exclusively to India, it would still only account for about 10 percent of India's annual whisky consumption. Scotland just just doesn't produce enough scotch to even make a dint in the Indian whisky market. It's also important to realise that the Indian whisky market is dominated by high-volume, low-priced sales of spirit made from molasses rather than barley or other grain traditionally associated with whisky elsewhere in the world. The four best-selling Indian whisky brands are made with molasses. Currently Johnnie Walker sales in India represent just 0.5 percent of total whisky volume in the country. Yes, this may in part be down to the higher price point, but I'd also argue that a premium scotch whisky, even a blend that is renowned to be softer, is going to be as different from Indian whisky as single malt scotch is to bourbon! As such success in the market for premium single malt scotch brands is far from a given. You can see why scotch producers might be caught up in the figures and the potential. However a tax cut from very high to still high is still a significant barrier if you're a high value product like scotch. Halving tariffs from 150% to 75% signals intent, but I maintain that it does not make India a viable market for premium scotch. Even the additional drop to 40% after ten years, will still be high by global standards. Currently scotch does not even have the volume to compete meaningfulling in India. What's more, the Indian whisky products that dominate currently may have the same name, but are meaningfully different in terms of taste and price! There is also likely little pressure for further reform from major producers. The two largest scotch whisky producers, Diageo and Pernod Ricard, already sell some of the best-selling whisky brands in India. So removing barriers to allow more scotch brands into the market would mean more competition. So let's be clear, yes it is an exciting step forward but I would caution against the current narrative that this is industry re-defining for scotch. The blanket celebration without context is providing fuel for indiscriminate cask investment companies to mislead whisky fans. We owe consumers, whisky lovers and those just looking at potential cask investments as an alternative, a clear and unbiased assessment of what the tariffs do and do not mean. For now, the tariff cut is more symbolic than practical, and meaningful access to the Indian market for premium scotch remains out of reach.
