Wild Turkey National Bourbon Day Competition

Wham bam thankyou dram! May we be the first to wish you a very happy National Bourbon Day! Not only is it the day to share and celebrate all that is great about this bountiful and belting style of liquid Americana, it also just happens to be Whisky Wednesday!

So what better day to team up with our good friends at Wild Turkey, to give away a bottle of their big bang for buck 101 Kentucky Straight bourbon. Not just any bottle, one signed by their Master Distiller Eddie Russell.

To be in with a chance of winning click here and email us your contact details along with the phrase that dramming pays:

 

I’d love to sip and savour a wild and

wonderful liquid Americana libation,

that’s definitely no turkey!”

 

*Remember to mark the subject line of your email with: Wild Turkey NBD

 

If you’re on Twitter you can also follow us via @TheWhiskyWire and RT one of our related competition tweets for another chance to win!

 

For more information on Wild Turkey’s Master Distiller Eddie Russell, you can check out our recent Whisky Insiders Interview by clicking here

 

For more information on Wild Turkey click here

 

Competition closes at 11:59 BST on June 21st. You have to be aged 18 years or over to enter.

 

#WildTurkeyNBD

 

Heaven Hill Tweet Tasting

Continuing our hugely successful triumphant teeming thong of Twitter trending Tweet Tastings, we’re absolutely thrilled to announce that on July 4th we’re teaming up with our friends at Marussia Beverages UK, to not only celebrate American Independence Day, but doing so in fine style by pouring and exploring a gaggle of glorious liquid americana releases from Heaven Hill.

On the night we’ll be sharing, sipping and savouring multi award-winning expressions from Heaven Hill’s Evan Williams, Larceny, Bernheim and Rittenhouse brands.

Full details to follow soon, but if you would like to take part in an epic evening of bountiful bourbons and righteous rye’s, click here to register your interest by emailing your name, address and Twitter handle, remembering to mark the subject line #HeavenHillUK

The closing date to register is June 15th, and if you are registering to take part please make sure that you will actually be free on the evening of July 4th to take part!

Even if you're not one of the selected Tweet Tasters, it'd be great to have you following all the evenings dramfotainment. So we look forward to seeing you over on Twitter on July 4th at 19:00 BST via #HeavenHillUK

Registration open to over 18's only!

For more info on Heaven Hill and Marussia Beverages UK, visit: marussiabeverages.co.uk

 

#HeavenHillUK

 

Be part of the dramfotainment!

Ardbeg Day 2017 Competition

Ardbeg has announced that it will be paying homage to the sea surrounding its home island of Islay and the mythical sea creatures that live beneath, as part of its annual Ardbeg Day celebrations in London.

Taking place at Greenwich Yacht Club on Saturday June 3rd, whisky loving attendees will be invited to celebrate all things Ardbeg, with a day filled with mystery, food, games... and of course, whisky!

Guests will also have the chance to join in an Ardbeggian boat race, followed by a tasting of new Ardbeg limited edition; Kelpie, alongside seafood pairings and a pub quiz on the history of Islay and Ardbeg.

We’re thrilled to announce that were teaming up with our good friends at Ardbeg, to not only offer one of our followers the chance of winning a pair of tickets for the Ardbeg Day celebrations in London, but also a bottle of their cracking core range 10 Year Old single malt Scotch whisky.

To be in with a chance of winning click here and email us your contact details along with the phrase that dramming pays:

“Sip sip, hooray! I’d love to

celebrate with something suitably celebratory on the annual day

of all things awesomely Ardbegian!”

 

*Remember to mark the subject line of your email with: Ardbeg Day comp

If you’re on Twitter you can also follow us via @TheWhiskyWire and RT one of our related competition tweets for another chance to win!

Should you just be plain old eager to buy tickets for this year’s event, and why wouldn’t you. Tickets priced £40 are still available by clicking here.

 

#ArdbegDayComp

For more information on Ardbeg, visit: ardbeg.com

Competition closes at 8am BST on June 2nd. You have to be aged 18 years or over to enter. The Ardbeg Day event in London competition element, consists of entry only and does not include travel or accommodation.

Whisky Insiders Interview No.82 - Eddie Russell

Company:
Wild Turkey

Job:
Master Distiller

Website:
wildturkeybourbon.com




How long have you been working in the whiskey industry?
I have been working for Wild Turkey for 36 years alongside my father Jimmy Russell, who has been Master Distiller for 63 years.  We’re proud to be the only active father and son distiller partnership.

What has been your biggest career highlight to date?
My biggest career highlight was definitely being voted in to the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2001. Jimmy inducted me himself – it was a real special moment. It showed Jimmy investing me in to the brand and the family business.

Can you remember your first dram, and indeed what it was?
The first dram I ever had was an 8 to 9 year old Wild Turkey bourbon.

What does whiskey mean to you?
The first thing whiskey makes me think of is family and generations of whiskey making. I think of the rich history we all have with different whiskies around the world and how we learned it, passing it down from generation to generation.

Where would you like to see yourself in five years’ time?
I’ll definitely still be making Wild Turkey 5 years from now. In my business, I have to plan 13 years down the road. You’re thinking that far ahead through every step of making the bourbon, thinking about where the growth is going to be, the new cocktail, predicting trends in the industry etc. We’ll never change our recipe as we’ve stayed true to our original recipe from the beginning even after prohibition, but we’re being creative with different chars and barrels to continue to stand out.

In terms of where I would see my son in five years’ time, he’s been a brand ambassador for us for about 3 years now, and he is set on the road to be the next Master Distiller. I’m so proud to see him join the family business and have the passion for bourbon-making I have always had.

What was your last dram?
I had a Wild Turkey 101 last. It’s really mixable and makes a great real Kentucky Old Fashioned! Other experts in the industry have sampled and smelt it blind, and known straight away that its ‘pure Jimmy Russell’.

Do you have a favourite whiskey and food pairing combination?
I love the Russell’s Reserve with a good BBQ or grilled steak. You’ve got the char on the meat which goes perfectly with the bourbon.

What’s your favourite time and place to enjoy a dram?
Any time is a good time for bourbon, but it doesn’t get no better than in the warehouse, right out of the barrel. That’s my most favourite place to take a sip of Wild Turkey.

What do you think is going to be the next big thing on the whiskey horizon?
There’s a generational change happening in our industry at the moment, and drinking whiskey is getting popular amongst a new generation. Premium whiskies are the next big thing, as these younger drinkers are also discerning drinkers, willing to drink less and pay more for what they know is good, it’s completely different from 10 or 15 years ago. In the past, older generations would have their bourbon by the fire every night, now 21-40 year olds are looking to enjoy the quality that Wild Turkey offers in bars and when they are home, they want the good stuff.  This younger generation of whiskey drinkers is also supporting the growth of Rye whiskies, as they have a taste for the Rye flavour.

What’s the one dram you couldn’t live without?
I couldn’t live without Wild Turkey 101, you can’t beat the quality for the price. I love its clean finish and to date it is our best-selling bourbon.

Many thanks to Eddie Russell. Who will be our next Whisky Insider? Click back soon to find out!