Grant’s Blended Scotch whisky launched its 12 Year Old variant in style at the Ivy Penthouse. Preceding the launch, Ludovic Ducrocq, Global Brand Ambassador, held a masterclass with five expressions of the whisky blend on taste.
15 whiskies that make up Grant’s 12 YO blend
Eleven media guests attended the intimate event at the Establishment with Grant’s Ale Cask, Grant’s Family Reserve, Grant’s Sherry Cask, Grant’s 12yo and the limited release Grant’s 25yo on taste.
Grant’s is the oldest family-owned blended whisky distiller in Scotland, first blended by William Grant in Dufftown in 1886 and still owned and managed by the fifth generation of the family.
Ludovic Ducrocq, Grant’s Global Brand Ambassador
Grant’s Ale Cask Finish is the only blended whisky to be finished in barrels that have previously been seasoned with beer for 30 days. Originally the beer was destroyed after the process whereas now it is bottled under the Innis & Gunn label. The ale cask finish is an elegant blend with sweet honeyed and floral notes, fragrant with subtle ale notes, and has a creamy and textural mouthfeel making it an enjoyable pre-dinner blend, neat or on the rocks.
Sensory and food plate
Grant’s Family Reserve has no age statement but an ‘apparent age’ of 5 years, and is the biggest seller in Australia. Spicy, cinnamon and honey notes with a slightly smokier finish that the Ale Cask are characteristics of this blend.
Grant’s Sherry Cask Finish consists of Grant’s Family Reserve which is finished in Oloroso Sherry casks from Spain for a period of three months. The sherry casks impart warm, spicy notes with cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and dried fruit. A few drops of water give leathery notes and open up the flavours. Much like the Grant’s Family Reserve, it lacks the smoothness and mellow characters of the Ale Cask Finish and has a dry and spicy mouthfeel.
Both Grant’s Ale Cask and Grant’s Sherry Cask were launched in February 2012 in Australia.
Grant’s 12 Year Old expression is a blend of around 200 casks using 50:50 malt to grain ratio. Made in smaller batches, it uses between 15 and 20 different whiskies in the blend and is the only blended whisky to be finished in American oak casks. The process gives it an exceptional richness with sweet, honeyed flavours and just a touch of smoke. Its syrupy mouthfeel and long finish make it a good blend to enjoy neat after dinner.
Grant’s whisky range on taste
Grant’s 25 Year Old is a limited release blend using 25 different whiskies of 7 single grain and 8 single malt whiskies. Only one batch has been produced so far, and is only available in Australia in duty free stores. Dark amber in colour, it is sweet and honeyed on the nose, incredibly smooth and mellow with lingering spice.
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Following the media tasting, Grant’s 12 YO was officially launched at the swanky premises of the Ivy Penthouse. The party had invited guests enjoying a selection of Grant’s 12yo cocktails and tasty canapés which included chicken skewers, arancini, stuffed zucchini flower taco, crumbed lamb cutlets, beef cheek and cauliflower puree, orechiette with prawns and finishing with chocolate truffles.
The Ivy Penthouse
L to R – Grant’s Morning Fizz (with Absinthe, Lemon Juice, Honey Water, Gomme, Egg White, Ginger Ale), Grant’s Smash (with Peychauds Bitters, Gomme, Nectarine Puree) , Grant’s and Sand (with Cherry Liqueur, Sweet Vermouth, Blood Orange)
Ludovic leading the group tasting
Ludo, who also hosted the launch party, began with a brief history of the Grant’s Family and the distillery before leading a group tasting of Grant’s 12yo expression.
Guests at the Ivy Penthouse
A video was broadcast during the launch that profiled 12 top bar venues in Sydney and Melbourne visited by Grant’s. The concept was that, much like Grant’s whisky, the venues had their unique stories as well as those of the people who created them and those who enjoy them. The video can be viewed at http://vimeo.com/37811895 (password = grants)
Photographic exhibition
A photographic exhibition complemented the video, celebrating the stories of some of Australia’s top bars: The Den, The Roosevelt, The Argyle, Victoria Room, Tokonoma and theloft (from Sydney) and 1806, The Black Pearl, The Everleigh, Chez Regine, E.D.V. Melbourne and Waiting Room (from Melbourne).
Nathan Fisher (L) Marketing Manager William Grant & Sons Australia and Ludovic Ducrocq (R) Grant’s Global Ambassador
Grant’s 12 YO is available at a RRP of $54.99. Grant’s 25YO is only available in Australia at duty free stores.
The Grant’s media tasting with Ludovic Ducrocq was held at the Establishment on Tuesday 6 March 2012 and followed by the Grant’s 12yo launch party at the Ivy Penthouse.
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