ABERFELDY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

THE GOLDEN DRAM

CONTENTS ABERFELDY PRESS PACK | 3

Introduction 5History 7The Golden Dram 9Packaging 10Aberfeldy 12 Years Old 12Aberfeldy 18 Years Old 14Aberfeldy 21 Years Old 16Bottled Water 18Summary 20Contact Details 22

ABERFELDY PRESS PACK | 5INTRODUCTION

The pool of the water god, the Pitilie Burn is the source of the distillery’s water. Pure and fresh, the burn is known to contain deposits of alluvial gold.

Aberfeldy is sited on the River Tay in the Central Highlands of Scotland, a stone’s throw from the birthplace of our founder and pioneer of blending, John Dewar. With land acquired from the Marquis of Breadalbane and architecture designed by Charles Doig, the distillery rose up to begin production in 1898.

In John’s bonnie hometown of Aberfeldy, his family found men who knew the secrets of superb whisky. Today, they still use time-honoured techniques like long fermentation to conjure rare honeyed notes, and draw water from the Pitilie Burn, renowned for its quality – and that alluring promise of gold.

HISTORY ABERFELDY PRESS PACK | 7

Born in a croft near Aberfeldy in 1805, John Dewar was introduced to the wine and spirits trade by a distant relative. The family moved into blending whisky and established its own distillery at Aberfeldy. From the outset, the distillery was to provide the heart of the malt whisky content for Dewar’s blends. Some say it is the Aberfeldy malt that gives Dewar’s its fresh, lively crispness.

Before construction began on Aberfeldy in the late 1890s, a dozen or so distilleries were already in operation in the neighbourhood. One of those now lost distilleries took its name from the famed local water source, the Pitilie Burn.

What none of the previous distilleries had, however, was the dynamism of Tommy Dewar, the first true marketing genius of Scotch whisky; it was he who embarked on a famous two-year world tour in 1892, returning with 32 new agents in 26 countries. This sealed Aberfeldy’s success as it was always intended to be the main single malt in Dewar’s blends. That is not to damn with faint praise; you need excellent malts to make great blends and by the end of the century Dewar’s was selling half a million cases per year.

“ The malt is excellent in its own right, but given Dewar’s volumes, it is not widely available.” Michael Jackson, Whisky

ABERFELDY: THE GOLDEN DRAM ABERFELDY BRAND VISUAL IDENTITY | 9

Situated in the geographical centre of Scotland, on the banks of the River Tay, is Aberfeldy Distillery. Built in 1898 by the sons of John Dewar, the impressive Victorian buildings pay silent testament to a tradition of whisky-making stretching back over generations.

Why did the brothers choose Aberfeldy? It is certainly a place of remarkable historical interest. An intriguing oral tradition has it that Pontius Pilate was born in Fortingall a few miles from Aberfeldy. There is a tree nearby, reputed to be the oldest living thing in Great Britain, and the story goes that the young Pilate would play in the shade of the venerable yew. Aberfeldy also features in the defining era of British history when Bonnie Prince Charlie crossed Wade’s Bridge to enter the town unchallenged in 1746. However, these considerations are unlikely to have influenced the brothers’ decision.

More prominent in their minds, perhaps, was the close proximity of their father’s first home. John Dewar was born only two miles from Aberfeldy, to a crofting family, in 1805. When he was 23 years old he walked to Perth where he was to begin work for a distant relative, a wine and spirits merchant. He founded his own drinks business some 20 years later and pioneered what became known the world over as blended Scotch whisky. Such was his success that greater distilling capacity was required to fulfil demand, especially after his son Tommy’s world tours. It is fitting that his sons chose to build their new distillery within sight of their father’s humble birthplace.

The famed water source would also have been a consideration; it was in earlier days a sacred place, home of the water gods of the Picts. The Pitilie Burn is rich in mineral deposits and alluvial gold, to the extent that the Marquis of Breadalbane held mining rights for the burn and for the land on which the distillery was built. The burn provided water (as well as the name) for an earlier distillery not far from which Aberfeldy was constructed.

The brothers Dewar turned to the foremost distillery architect of the period, Charles Doig, whose signature pagoda roof can still be seen as evidence of the great age of traditional Victorian whisky expansion.

Two aspects of the whisky-making process at Aberfeldy are particularly noteworthy. The first of these is the exclusive use of Scottish barley: initially this came from local farms, but it now arrives from across the country. The second is long fermentation which creates more flavour-bearing esters, perhaps triggering the hallmark honey notes of Aberfeldy single malt. Distillation is also deliberately slow, while maturation takes place in a combination of barrels, hogsheads and butts. All this is done to preserve the delicate aroma of Aberfeldy’s spirit.

The 21-year-old expression of Aberfeldy, the Golden Dram, is the Best Highland Single Malt according to the World Whiskies Awards 2014.

“ It may have been set up to produce a style that suited a blender’s requirements, but its location speaks of a psychic link to place. Pragmatic and emotional reasons coming together.”

Dave Broom, World Atlas of Whisky

PACKAGING ABERFELDY PRESS PACK | 10

The striking new packaging has been enhanced with the use of deep black and pure gold. Emphasis is on the water source, with the Pitilie Burn represented by the use of gold on the label and secondary packaging. It is not a flat gold, rather one that sparkles like the Scottish alchemy of water, barley and yeast that produces the Golden Dram. Specially commissioned hand-drawn illustrations are used throughout the range to show the distillery, the burn, Wade’s Bridge and the very birthplace of John Dewar.

The hand-crafted nature of Aberfeldy Single Malt is reinforced by its new packaging; casks are drawn showing evaporation of precious whisky during maturation (known as the Angels’ Share), hallmarks are used and the logotype gives the impression of cast iron.

A clear nod to the family heritage behind the portfolio of single malts comes in the proud positioning of the Royal Warrant.

ABERFELDY 12 YEARS OLD ABERFELDY PRESS PACK | 12

Best Highland Single Malt, 12 Years & Under, World Whiskies Awards 2014

Colour: Full, golden amber.

Nose: Fragrant with notes of incense, nutmeg, heather, scented honey with a fruity softness. Redolent of cherry, pineapple, toast and raspberry jam. Very light smokiness and a touch of sherry.

Palate: Medium-bodied, rounded and syrupy. Lively fresh fruit flavours (tangerines and nectarines), fudge, cocoa powder and the merest whisper of peat.

Finish: Full and smooth, long fruity glow of Seville oranges in a slowly dry finish.

“ Really outstanding example of massively complex, classy but undiscovered malt.” Jim Murray, Whisky Magazine

“ Soft orchard fruit, melted butter and brown bread. Malty and well put together.” Neil Ridley, Whisky Magazine

“ Prominent notes of old wood, chocolate and dark fruits, plum, prune. Soft, nutty, biscuity, medium-full palate, with the chocolate to the fore; a gentle finish as the oak returns.” Tim Forbes, Whisky Magazine

ABERFELDY 18 YEARS OLD ABERFELDY PRESS PACK | 14

Colour: Rose gold.

Nose: Hallmark Aberfeldy notes of heather honey leading to citrus (mandarin) and marmalade.

Palate: Medium to full-bodied, bursting with citrus zest, honey and sweetness - akin to Moroccan cake - but tempered by the influence of wood.

Finish: Medium length but well-balanced and gently drying.

ABERFELDY 21YEARS OLD ABERFELDY PRESS PACK | 16

Best Highland Single Malt, World Whiskies Awards 2014

Colour: Amber with gold highlights.

Nose: Alluring, medium sweet aromas of heather honey and macadamia, followed by a fruity orange softness with hints of beeswax and vanilla.

Palate: Full-flavoured and medium-bodied with touches of Seville orange, honey, oak and a trace of peat.

Finish: Long, spicy and elegantly drying with a whiff of smoke.

“ Rich honey is often a defining characteristic of Aberfeldy bottlings, and here it is at its most potent. But there are also some lovely orange notes, a little bit of peat and just enough oak to give the proceedings some gravitas.” Dominic Roskrow, The World’s Best Whiskies

“ Very tropical fruits of peach and mango. Old-fashioned libraries and polished church pews. Citronella candle and incense sticks. A pleasant chalky, waxy texture.” Annabel Meikle, Whisky Magazine

“ Fudge, apples, pears, brandy snaps, vanilla. Slightly fiery on the palate with a chewy texture. Pencil shavings on the finish.” Lucy Britner, Whisky Magazine

“ Some fruit (raspberry, rhubarb rock, passion fruit, guava, lychee); also sack-cloth, varnished wood and leather. On the palate there is pear, banana, salt and chilli on pineapple; honey and barley sugars against quinine and liquorice bitterness.” Robin Laing, Whisky Magazine

BOTTLED WATER FROM THE PITILIE ABERFELDY PRESS PACK | 18

Whisky experts recommend adding a dash of water to fully appreciate the wonderful aromas and flavours of whisky.

Adding water creates a chemical reaction in the glass which encourages flavour-bearing compounds in the whisky to reveal hitherto hidden aromas and flavours; ideally, you should use the water that made the whisky. This will ensure that the true and original character of the whisky is retained.

At Aberfeldy we are so proud of our water source that we have bottled it so you can sample it with your preferred expression of our single malt whisky.

We have teamed up with Uisge Source, producers of a new range of hand-bottled waters from private springs close to the leading distilleries in the whisky regions of Scotland. www.uisgesource.com

According to the label, the water of the Pitilie Burn “has filtered through schist rock producing a moderately mineralized hard water with a higher alkaline content.” We prefer to think of it as well-balanced and smooth, just like our whisky.

Keep an eye out for the distinctive miniature bottles when you are passing through the airport.

SUMMARY ABERFELDY PRESS PACK | 20

PLACENestled within a lush valley in the foothills of the Central Highlands of Scotland, Aberfeldy is a bastion of traditional whisky-making in a region where few distilleries remain. Built on land famous for deposits of gold, our enduring malt whisky outpost has welcomed travellers to taste its treasure since the turn of the 19th century.

PEOPLEAberfeldy’s handsome walls are steeped in the history and heritage of one family. John Alexander Dewar constructed the distillery in 1898, partly to meet the success of his younger brother Tommy, an ingenious whisky salesman. The choice of site was perhaps sentimental; their father John hailed from a nearby croft, before he founded the family’s talent for world-class whisky.

WATER Our location is not just picturesque, it’s also a practical master stroke. Every distillery is beholden to its water source and by placing Aberfeldy alongside the bonnie Pitilie Burn, the Dewar brothers obtained pristine water famed for both its quality and the promise of gold within it – the perfect fit for their very own golden liquid.

PRODUCTIONFrom its earliest days, Aberfeldy distillery has employed local folk who understand the secrets of superb whisky. Today, we still use time-honoured techniques: for instance long fermentation, achieved in classic wooden wash backs, to conjure rare honeyed notes (key to the signature sweetness of Aberfeldy’s malts).

MATURATIONAberfeldy sits on the banks of the Tay, Scotland’s longest river, and our spirit goes the distance too; mellowing for many years in handmade oak casks. The resulting single malts are smooth, sweet and offer rich rewards for those who like to dig deeper, with spices, citrus and hints of vanilla hidden in each golden dram.

CONTACT DETAILS ABERFELDY PRESS PACK | 22

STEPHEN MARSHALLEMAIL: stmarshall@dewars.comTELEPHONE: +44 (0) 778 615 1404ADDRESS: John Dewar & Sons Ltd1700 London RoadGlasgow, Scotland, G32 8XR, UK

SUZY CLARKEMAIL: sclark@dewars.comTELEPHONE: +44 (0) 141 551 4073ADDRESS: John Dewar & Sons Ltd1700 London RoadGlasgow, Scotland, G32 8XR, UK