We are pleased to annouce our programme of events for the 2012 Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

Friday 4th May 2012
10.00 – 13.00
Glenfarclas – An Independent Distillery
With Ian Buxton and George Grant
Published by The Angel’s Share to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the Glenfarclas Distillery in 2011, Glenfarclas – An Independent Distillery, by renowned whisky writer Ian Buxton, is both a biography of the family owned distillery and a record of a remarkable year in the distillery’s long history, preserved for the future. Delving deep into the character and provenance of the Ballindalloch distillery, this book has been carefully presented by designer Jules Akel with original material from the distillery’s archives and newly commissioned photography by John Paul.
After a tour of the distillery join Ian Buxton and George Grant for a Glenfarclas tasting, during which Ian Buxton will share with you his experiences of researching Glenfarclas – An Independent Distillery. Included in the price of the event is your personal copy of Glenfarclas – An Independent Distillery, signed for you by Ian Buxton and George Grant.
£50.00
To book please visit http://www.spiritofspeyside.com/event_detail.php?event=830

Friday 4th of May 2012
14.30 – 16.30
Five Decades of Glenfarclas
With Robert Ransom
Sold Out

Saturday 5th of May 2012
14.00-16.00
Glenfarclas Chairman’s Reserve Tasting
With Kate Wright
Consider this the post-175th Anniversary wrap party and an excuse to try 4 fantastic Glenfarclas, all over 40 years old! After the obligatory tour of the distillery with Kate Wright, Sales & Marketing Executive, you will try the Chairman’s Reserve, bottled in 2011 to celebrate the 175th Anniversary of the Glenfarclas Distillery, along with single cask offerings from each of the three years that went into this limited edition – 1969, 1966 and 1965.
£40.00
To book please visit http://www.spiritofspeyside.com/event_detail.php?event=952

Sunday 6th of May 2012
19.00-22.00
Glenfarclas Dinner at Cragganmill Restaurant, Grantown-on-Spey
With Graham Harvey and Robert Ransom
Enjoy a four course Glenfarclas Whisky Dinner at Craggan Mill Restaurant, Grantown-on-Spey. Graham Harvey and Sheila McConachie, chef/patrons of Craggan Mill, and co-authors of the award winning book The Whisky Kitchen, will present a four course dinner, with each course inspired by an expression of Glenfarclas. To start, the Velouté of Haggis with Glenfarclas 15 Years Old, which featured in Graham's winning menu for the 2007 Spirit of Speyside Chef Competition. Robert Ransom, Director of Sales & Marketing, of family owned Glenfarclas, will introduce an expression of Glenfarclas to accompany each course.
£65.00
NB: Only 2 places left
To book please visit: http://www.spiritofspeyside.com/event_detail.php?event=492

Monday 7th of May 2012
10.00-12.00
The Family Casks – Help Choose the 1997 Bottling
With George Grant
The Family Casks are a unique collection of single casks whiskies, with at least one cask bottled for every year from 1952 to 1996. To select the casks for each year, George Grant has nosed over 200 different casks. Now he would like you to assist in selecting the cask for the 1997 vintage to add to the collection. After a tour of the distillery, and a tasting of a selection of The Family Casks, George Grant will introduce a short list of 1997 cask samples, for you to nose, taste, comment on and then vote on. The chosen cask will then go forward for bottling, to be released for sale later in the year.
£40.00
To book please visit http://www.spiritofspeyside.com/event_detail.php?event=708

 

J. & G. Grant, in partnership with Glasgow based publishers The Angel’s Share, are pleased to announce the publication of Glenfarclas – An Independent Distillery, by Ian Buxton. This biography of the family owned distillery has been commissioned as part of the distillery’s 175th Anniversary celebrations.

Glenfarclas – An Independent Distillery is both the definitive history of the Glenfarclas Distillery, which was first licensed in 1836 and unusually has been owned and managed by the Grant family for six generations, and is also a record of a remarkable year in the distillery’s long history, preserved for the future.

The Glenfarclas story has been bought to life by renowned whisky author Ian Buxton, delving deep into the character and provenance of the Ballindalloch distillery, and carefully presented by designer Jules Akel with original material from the distillery’s archives and newly commissioned photography by John Paul.

Commenting on the project, Ian Buxton, said, "In an industry dominated by multi-nationals the Glenfarclas story is a remarkable and engaging one. I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to tell it".

To view a PDF extract of the book please click here (6MB). Glenfarclas - An Independent Distillery is GBP 34.99. To order from our website please click here.

To mark the 175th anniversary of the Glenfarclas distillery, we were delighted to receive a visit from His Royal Highness The Duke of York earlier this week. His Royal Highness was accompanied by Clare Russell, Lord Lieutenant of Banffshire, and the visit was hosted by George Grant, Director of Sales.

His Royal Highness was given a tour of the distillery by Shane Fraser, Production Manager, which included being shown the distillery’s new mashing and fermentation control system, and being introduced to the company’s longest serving employee, Alistair Miller, Mashman, who joined the company in November 1972. To mark the occasion of the visit during the distillery’s 175th anniversary year, His Royal Highness filled a commemorative cask with new spirit. The sherry hogshead will be matured on site at Glenfarclas until it is ready for bottling, possibly during the distillery’s bi-centenary year in 2036.

With an interest in international trade His Royal Highness was briefed on the company’s exports to more than fifty countries worldwide, by Robert Ransom, Director of Sales and Marketing. To conclude the visit His Royal Highness was presented with a bottle of the Glenfarclas Chairman’s Reserve, a limited edition of 1296 bottles released for the distillery’s 175th Anniversary.

For more pictures please visit the Glenfarclas Flickr photostream.

Join us and taste Glenfarclas at the following whisky festivals and tastings; 

31st January 2012
Glenfarclas tasting in Copenhagen with Vinspecialisten Islands Brygge
To book please visit www.toftvin.dk

1st February 2012
The Family Casks event at Ystad Saltsjöbad, Sweden
www.ysb.se/erbjudanden/8/

2nd February 2012
Glenfarclas tasting in Jönköping, Sweden
For more info contact michael.moller@swedbank.se

3rd & 4th February 2012
Linköping Whiskyexpo, Sweden
www.whiskyexpo.se 

3rd, 4th & 5th February 2012
Whisky Live Belgium, Casino de Spa, Belgium 
www.whisky-live.be  or www.whiskylive.com/belgium/41/casino-de-spa12

5th February 2012
Glenfarclas tasting with Borlänge SMAD, Sweden
www.smad.se
 
6th February 2012
Glenfarclas tasting with Borås Whisky Club and Uisge Beatha Borås, Sweden
www.whiskyklubben.nu and www.ubwc.se  
Contact Jonas Eriksson. Tel: 0709 775272

8th February 2012
Vin Feber, Oslo, Norway
For full details contact Moestue Grape Selections on +46 8 530 335 00

16th, 17th, 18th & 19th February 2012
Cinderella Whisky Fair, from Stockholm, Sweden
www.vikingline.se/Pages/cinderellakryssningar/kryssningar_resor/whiskykryssningar/whiskyfair.asp

17th, 18th & 19th February 2012
Glenfarclas Tastings in Singapore
For full details please contact us on info@glenfarclas.co.uk  

20th & 21st February 2012
Glenfarclas Tastings in Jakarta, Indonesia
For full details please contact us on info@glenfarclas.co.uk  

24th February 2012
Glenfarclas tasting at Fiddlers, Drumnadrochit.
www.fiddledrum.co.uk  

24th, 25th & 26th February 2012
Dramfest, Christchurch, New Zealand
www.dramfest.co.nz  

28th & 29th February 2012
Glenfarclas Tastings in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
For full details please contact us on info@glenfarclas.co.uk  

1st & 2nd March 2012
Glenfarclas Tastings in Penang, Malaysia
For full details please contact us on info@glenfarclas.co.uk  

22nd & 23rd March 2012
Cinderella Mini Whisky Fair with Five Eyes, from Stockholm
To include a grand whisky dinner. For more info please contact: jon.lonnstrom@fiveeyes.se  
To book please contact Viking Line on +46 8-452 40 00 or www.vikingline.se  

30th & 31st March 2012
Whisky Ship, Luzern, Switzerland
www.whiskyschiff-luzern.ch  

Phil Sharp, the Artemis Offshore Academy sailor is currently competing in the ‘Solitaire du Figaro’, a single handed race aboard ‘Glenfarclas - Spirit of Independence’ a 33ft Beneteau Figaro.

Phil Sharp is a member of The Artemis Offshore Academy, which provides a structured UK training programme of excellence for British short-handed sailors. The ultimate goal being to put a British sailor in a strong position to win the Vendée Globe in 2016 or 2020.

To keep up to date with Phil’s progress in the race please visit www.artemisoffshoreacademy.com, or www.sharpracing.co.uk.