It’s a bit of a cliché, yet the old English proverb is also annoyingly true; “Make hay while the sun shines’.  And that is exactly what The Daily Record reported Graham Burns from Glasgow, Scotland having done, and it paid off in the most literal sense.   When his son was born in 1996, Graham decided to invest in a couple of bottles of whisky, thinking that he would present them to his son on his 21st birthday for him to either drink or sell.  However, as luck would have it, the special birthday came and went without the envisaged grand whisky presentation, as Graham had put t ..read more

“Historically, Whisky hasn’t been a popular spirit in Southeast Asia,” says Benjamin Lancaster, founder and partner of whisky broker and cask investment firm VCL Vintners. However, times are changing; the growth of the Millennial middle class in China is boosting cultural interest in whisky in the market, Lancaster says. Indeed, Scotch whisky exports to China have increased by 165% in value over the last five years. Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) data shows that the value of Scotch exports to the market in 2019 were £88,794,800, growing to £235,290,854 in 2023. The post Scotch whisky in Chin ..read more

Investing your money is never without risk, and there are so many investment opportunities available it can be hard to know which to choose.  Get rich quick schemes are to be avoided as they are at worst more than likely a scam, and at the least a very high-risk option. So, what sort of asset should you invest in? How long should you leave it for? and what help can you get to make the decisions? Why is whisky such a good investment commodity? Whisky, or ‘liquid gold’ as it is often referred to, offers a longer-term investment option, avoiding the short-term lows and highs. When you loo ..read more

For those of us who were lucky enough to be growing up during the 1970’s, we can look back with many fond memories.  A decade of no particular definition, riding on the back of the swinging sixties with its liberating influences and entering a phase of eclectic styles, from hippie, disco and punk.   From huge advances in film technology such as Star Wars, to cult blockbusters such as Grease and The Godfather; the latter giving its name to the now popular whisky cocktail. Glam rock styles sported by Elton John, flares, platform shoes, the Ford Cortina, Raleigh Chopper bikes and the ..read more

While limited Blue Label editions have tantalised our senses with gastronomic flavours such as umami, the Blue Label core range has, in the 30 years since its launch, remained alone.   Widely regarded as the best blended whisky in the world, the Johnnie Walker Blue Label is revered for its use of rare and ghost whiskies. And this new addition is no different.  What is different however, is that Xordinaire is a permanent edition and like the original when it was released, is only available to the travel retail industry. As with the original Blue Label, Xordinaire comprises whiski ..read more

It’s the stuff of fairytales or big blockbuster movies – ‘buried treasure discovered and sold for a fortune.’ Except these are no fairytales, and the fortunes are, in fact very real, if not always particularly sizeable. But fortune can be measured in more than just money.   The Queen, the Castle and the forgotten drams Blair Castle, Perthshire, Scotland – a vision of baronial architecture. Originally dating from 1269, the castle, like so many others, has seen expansions and improvements made over the centuries, transforming both its interior space and its stunning façade. And, like many ..read more

Buying a real whisky lover an unusual gift can be somewhat of a challenge.  Apart from the obvious bottle of whisky, there are whisky stones, glasses, decanters, hip flasks…. chances are though they’ve probably already got all those – in triplicate!   So, what can you give a real whisky ‘geek’ – for want of a better word?  Well, we think we’ve found just the thing. The Distillation of Whisky, 1927-1931 is a republished book providing fascinating insights into the world of whisky crafting during the interwar years. Many details from this period had faded into the obscurity r ..read more

Christmas. There you go, we said it! No beating about the bush, no softly softly; it’s past mid November and we’re now on the home straight to December 1st. There’s no avoiding it, especially if you want to mark advent in style! We all love an advent calendar.  Years ago, it was just a simple picture behind a door (a very heavily glittered one at that!).  Then came the chocolate advent calendars – nice.  Now, you can find a variety of beauty products, sweets, candles, jewellery etc to liven up the countdown to the big day.  And for the whisky enthusiast, what better way ..read more

Black Wednesday, Blackout Wednesday or Drinksgiving; perhaps not terms familiar to the majority of us, but maybe something which will elicit a wry smile among our American readers!   Maybe Thanksgiving Eve is a more globally acknowledged name for the day before Thanksgiving, but whichever label you care to use, the definition remains unchanged; it’s purportedly the most popular drinking evening of the year for the folk in the U.S. Students are home from college, preparations for Thanksgiving dinner are done, and everyone is ready to kick back, relax and have a few drinks, before the big ..read more

Bradley brings extensive experience in brand development within the luxury spirits industry. He joins from House of Hazelwood where he was NPD & operations manager. Before that, he was trade support & NPD manager at Quality Spirits International. The post VCL Vintners has appointed Russell Bradley as its new head of brand development. appeared first on VCL Vintners ..read more