2010 The No.1 choice for global drinks buyers FULL RESULTS OF TROPHY AND MEDAL WInnERS ACROSS ALL SPIRITS CATEGORIES PLUS SPECIAL AWARDS RETAILER AWARDS DESIGN & PACKAGING AWARDS NEW FROM KHORTYTSA Contents/Introduction Making it all happen Supplement Editor Lucy Britner Features here are probably brands in here you’ve never +44 (0)1293 590046 [email protected] 4 special awards & retailers heard of. There are certainly ones we had Managing Editor Christian Davis 6 scotch Whisky never heard of. The greatest thing about the +44 (0)1293 590047 [email protected] 13 irish Whiskey International Spirits Challenge is the stream of Reporter Hamish Smith 14 Whiskies of the World Tfantastic quality spirits from all over the world, including +44 (0)1293 590048 [email protected] 17 rum vodkas from Mongolia, whiskies from Holland, Taiwan and Production Editor Jaq Bayles 18 trophy Winners South Africa, Norwegian aquavit and liqueurs from Italy. +44 (0)1293 590048 [email protected] 21 brandy The level and quality of entries is a testament to an 26 tequila industry that prides itself on craftsmanship the world over. Advertisement Manager 27 gin Every spirit is tasted blind and judges are chosen for Justin Smith 29 vodka & other White spirits their industry knowledge and tasting expertise. Judges +44 (0)1293 590041 [email protected] 30 liqueurs & specialities also hail from around the globe, to ensure international Senior Sales Executive 32 design & packaging products are assessed by international palates. Walking Carmen Poel Francesch 35 the Judges around the judging rooms, you can expect to hear +44 (0)1293 590042 [email protected] 38 parting shots conversations in Russian, French, Japanese, Spanish and, of Sales Executive Renata Stefanovic course, English. +44 (0)1293 590043 [email protected] On the whisk(e)y panel, chairman John Ramsay, recently Diary dates for International retired Edrington Group master blender, was joined by Tetsuji Events Co-ordinators Spirits Challenge 2011 Hisamitsu, chief blender at Nikka Whisky Distilling Co and Monica Tapias/Nikayla Langley Friday February 25 – gin, liqueurs, Jimmy Russell master blender for Wild Turkey, to name but +44 (0)1293 590050 specialities a few. Then there’s Beefeater master distiller Desmond Payne [email protected] for gin, vodka et al, Grand Marnier cognac quality manager Events Sales Executive Friday April 1 – vodka, tequila, other Adeline Loizeau for liqueurs and specialities and Olivier Jo Morley White spirits Paultes, maître de chai, Cognac Frapin, for brandy. +44 (0)1293 590044 [email protected] I really don’t think the ISC makes a Friday April 29 – Whiskies of the World big enough song and dance about its Publisher judges. We are honoured that so many Russell Dodd Friday May 27 – Brandy, including of them have given their names to the +44 (0)1293 590052 [email protected] Cognac, Armagnac competition for so long. So from the International Spirits Drinks International, Gateway Place, Friday June 10 – design & packaging 42a East Park, Crawley, West Sussex RH10 6AS Challenge and Drinks International United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0)1293 590040 magazine, thanks. We couldn’t do it contact Jo morley (jo.morley@drinksint. without you. com/ +44 (0)1293 590044) for further details Lucy Britner Supplement Editor READER SERVICES/SUBSCRIPTIONS PLEASE CONTACT: Drinks International, Subscriptions Department Tel: +44 (0)20 8253 7061 Email: [email protected] © Agile Media Ltd 2008 All rights reserved. Drinks International (ISSN 0012-625X) is published monthly by Agile Media Ltd and distributed in the USA by SPP, 75 Aberdeen road, Emigsville, PA 17318 – 0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville PA. Postmaster; send address changes to Drinks International PO Box 437 Emigsville PA 17318 – 0437. Published under licence from William Reed Business Media, Broadfield Park, Crawley, West Sussex RH11 9RT 01293 613400 november/december 2010 DRINKSINT.COM international spirits challenge sUpplement DRINKS INTERNATIONAL 3 Special Awards Outstanding contribution Jimmy Russell – master distiller, Wild Turkey Best of the 2010 has been a great year for the International Spirits Challenge and we are pleased to honour the greatest spirits, distillers and retailers in the world Excellence in craftsmanship ABK6 The Excellence in Craftsmanship award celebrates smaller companies which have done exceptionally well with the number of brands they own. This year’s award goes to cognac producer ABK6. The company owns three brands – ABK6, Leyrat and Le Réviseur – with various expressions under each brand. In 1954, Elvis Presley began his music His son Eddie has been working with Compared with the giant multinationals, ABK6 is a relatively small career. Marilyn Monroe married Joe him for 29 years and Russell recently operation, yet the Cognac-based company held its own in the medals DiMaggio and rationing finally ended handed him the reins, joking in an table, taking gongs for all three of its brands. in the UK. Roger Bannister ran a mile interview with Drinks International: ABK6 took golds for its ABK6 VS Pure Single, VSOP Grand Cru and for in under four minutes, gasoline was “He’s ready for the job.” But Russell isn’t its Leyrat Glory Extra. 22 cents a gallon and Jimmy Russell taking it easy – he still turns up at the The company calls its Glory Extra a “secret” because the cognac was started work at the Wild Turkey distillery distillery most days. found in a group of barrels that lay forgotten in the Paradise Cellar of in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. “I go to the distillery five or six times a the Leyrat Estate. There was no documentation as to when the drink was Elvis has long since hung up his blue week,” he says. “It doesn’t feel like work. distilled and ABK6 believes it to be at least 40 years old. The alcohol in suede shoes and Bannister is no longer It’s a great life.” the barrels was naturally reduced to 45% abv and the cognac is said to be in the running, but Jimmy Russell still In 2005, Russell launched a namesake remarkably fresh for its age. makes Wild Turkey. whiskey – Russell’s Reserve. It’s a small Of the ABK6-branded range, VS Pure Single and VSOP Grand Cru took The 82-year-old became master batch whiskey that is aged for 10 years. gold medals. ABK6 XO Family Reserve and the company’s Le Reviseur distiller in 1967 and held the job for “We call it the perfect 10,” he says. took silver medals. Le Revisieur is produced in the Petite Champagne 43 years. When Russell started, the Russell still travels the world, flying region and is well known in Scandinavia and eastern Europe. distillery had four storage buildings – it the flag for Wild Turkey, and he has ABK6 is based at Domaine de Chez Maillard, which sits at the heart of now has 26. become an industry legend. 90ha of vineyard. 4 DRINKS INTERNATIONAL supreme champion spirit & distiller of the Year Best of the The Yamazaki single malt Whisky 1984/suntory In the words of Bill Murray in the 2003 filmLost in The whisky Translation: “Make it Suntory time.” The Yamazaki 1984 was launched in 2009 to mark the It’s a rarity for the supreme champion and its parent 110th anniversary of Suntory and the 25th anniversary distiller to take the top two trophies in the ISC. This year of the Yamazaki brand. 1984 has been aged in Japanese Japanese distiller Suntory has been hailed distiller of mizunara casks and Suntory only made 2500 bottles. the year and its vintage whisky, The Yamazaki Single This also marks the eighth consecutive year of awards Malt 1984 has been named supreme champion by our for Suntory whisky at the International Spirits Challenge. chairmen. Designed to show consistent excellence Whisky writer Gavin D Smith says: “This expression across large portfolios, the Distiller of the Year is offers a sweet ‘Christmas cake’ nose, with vanilla, spice scored on a weighted points system. and sherry, stewed fruits and a hint of bitter chocolate. It is sophisticated, smooth and insinuating on the palate, The distillery with leather and spicy fruit. Dark chocolate and liquorice In 1923, Suntory’s founder Shinjiro Torii began sticks feature in the lengthy, satisfying, mildly oaky finish.” constructing Japan’s first whisky distillery in Yamazaki in the outskirts of Kyoto. According to Suntory, the district is now recognised as the “birthplace of Japanese whisky”. The benefits of the distillery’s location include a good water supply, diverse climate and high humidity, which helps with maturation. According to Suntory, its Yamazaki is the most popular single malt in Japan and is available in 25 countries. In 1973, Suntory built another distillery in Hakushu at the foot of Mount Kaikomagatake in the Southern Japan Alps. The Isc spirits Retailer Awards It’s easy to fill shelves with bottles – there are more than enough brands in the world. But there’s a real art to creating a spirits section that not only provides customers with what they want, but also with things they didn’t even know they wanted. This is the second year of the Retailer Awards and nominations in three categories were put forward by producers entering the competition and by the ISC judges. Winners were elected by the ISC chairmen. UK multiple spirits Retailer of the Year Winner: Waitrose Nominated: Wine Rack, sainsbury’s, Tesco UK Independent spirits Retailer of the Year Winner: selfridges Nominated: harrods, milroy’s of soho, loch Fyne Whiskies International spirits Retailer of the Year Winner: