Scotch Glasses

Smooth Ambler Spirits Announces Reception of Best in Class Award as Artisan Merchant Bottler with Tour Through Louisiana

(PRWEB) May 01, 2012

Smooth Ambler Spirits is excited to announce being awarded Best in Class as an Artisan Merchant Bottler by the American Distilling Institute. They will be touring their award-winning bourbon in Louisiana this week.

Based in the Greenbrier Valley of West Virginia, the small batch distiller is now recognized as an Artisan Merchant Bottler. While Smooth Ambler is a distiller of spirits that first made their name by creating true grain to glass spirits, their most recent artisan spirit, Old Scout, is a curated or sourced whiskey. This means Old Scout is offered by Smooth Ambler to complement their current family of handmade spirits, which are set to age but not yet mature enough to bottle.

Lots of the products on the shelf are made by someone other than the name on the label. The difference is that we tell people we “scout” or source this product, began John Little, VP of Smooth Ambler Spirits. It’s really helped us enter the market sooner as our handmade spirits continue their aging process. After all, we aren’t trying to make the next whatever-flavored vodka and pouring shots, we’re trying to build a brand of quality.

Smooth Ambler will be touring Old Scout in Louisiana, with a visit to both Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Baton Rouge restaurant Beausoleil, which has been serving Smooth Ambler cocktails for the last year, will be holding a spirit pairing dinner Wednesday evening beginning at 6:30. Louisiana distributor Purveyors of Fine Wine will also be hosting Smooth Ambler for an event Thursday evening.

Were proud to deliver a product that has earned us the Artisan Merchant Bottling name, added John, We are honored to receive the Best in Class award as Artisan Merchant Bottlers by the American Distilling Institute, and plan to continue being the best small-batch distillers around in years to come while offering our fans award-winning curated spirits like Old Scout.

In continuing efforts to be the gold standard in small batch distilling, Smooth Ambler will tout its commitment to honesty and transparency in its distilling process, including the inclusion of Old Scout in its repertoire.

To learn more about Smooth Ambler Spirits, visit them at smoothambler.com or follow them on Facebook.

About Smooth Ambler Spirits

Located in the rural Greenbrier Valley and dubbed West Virginias world-class hooch, Smooth Ambler Spirits uses state-of-the-art distillery equipment in conjunction with natural resources of the region: high-valley mountain air, natural waters, ideal temperature variations and friendly folks. These elements, combined with a hands-on, grain-to-glass distilling, cutting and filtering process, create a truly remarkable drink best enjoyed one slow sip at a time. It is a fact that Smooth Ambler Spirits are now produced at the highest and purest level possible anywhere in the world.

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Whisky Sipping Traveller In Scottish Distillery

by Rho Caballero

Article by John Reunert

Whisky Sipping Traveller in Scottish Distilleries

Visit a distillery! What could possibly interest me in a whisky distillery? Especially when I have to find it somewhere in a place the Scottish call the highlands. They say that these whiskey distilleries are all over Scotland, not just in the Highlands, but also in the Lowlands

I only indulge in a double whisky with one block of ice on special occasions. If the truth be told, I do have more than one. Admittedly, when I have such a treat, it is thoroughly enjoyed. Up till now, I never had a clue or gave any thought to how whisky was made or its history. Did you know there are over 180 whisky distilleries in Scotland? This alone tells me there must be plenty of history on the subject. Before I start, can anybody tell me why in Britain we spell whisky like this, whisky and the Americans spell it with an E, like this, whiskey???

I am not an expert on the subject of whisky making and tasting. With my limited knowledge on how whisky is made, I could most definitely taste the differences from distillery to distillery. This validates each distilleries claim to the uniqueness of their product. I have however developed a great fascination with the history and the methods used to produce fine whiskies of all varieties.

In total, I visited 34 whiskey distilleries in Scotland and covered 1470 Kilometres in doing so. My journey took me from the Lowlands to the Highlands, from the east coast to the west coast. It was a great privilege to be in a position to do this journey. Covering such a distance was a great pleasure because the drive from one distillery to another went through such a beautiful country. As a photographer would do, I took many photographs of the distilleries I visited. When you check the rest of my website, you will see many of these photographs have been produced as full colour drinks coasters. Any photographer travelling through Scotland from distillery to distillery will without a doubt find many opportunities to take spectacular landscape photographs. If you enjoy history, there are many opportunities to photograph historical places in the small villages you pass through. I have stayed in many Bed & Breakfast establishments throughout Scotland and have never been disappointed. They always offer excellent value. I do however advise you to phone ahead and book a room. By doing this you can not only establish the price but can also make sure they are open as some of these establishments are seasonal.

Not all the distilleries are open to the public. Some are open all year round and others are open during specified months of the year. Contact the local tourist information service in the area of the distillery and ask for details. Many of the bigger producers have websites giving all the necessary details.

On my visit, it was obvious just how proud the staff were of their distillery, its processes and its history. This was clearly evident when I asked one of them a simple question, “How old is this distillery,” The lady then proceeded to not only provide me with the answer but also how it all began. Often you can pay a small amount and go on a guided tour. These tours are definitely worth it as you get to see the actual workings of the distillery. The guides will always answer any questions. After completing one guided tour, I was a bit reluctant to pay again to do another guided tour in a different distillery because I thought they would all be the same. Well, I did try another guided tour and it was worth every penny. They certainly are not all the same.

What I did not realise was that each and every one has its own secrets. Although the basic processes for producing whisky are very similar, each distillery is unique in its layout, its smells and general presentation. They pride themselves on their successes, the fact that their water source is the cleanest in the world or perhaps their whiskey has a unique taste because the oak vats are left outside to absorb the sea air when not being used. I know of one, The Edradour Distillery, which proudly announces it is the smallest distillery in Scotland. I also learnt that many of the oak vats used are imported from the USA. The distilleries also have little shops where you can purchase their products. Some of them have exhibits on display for the visitor to see. I came across a museum dedicated to whisky making in a small village called Dufftown. Although the museum was small, its content was fascinating. A few of the distilleries I visited also had restaurants where you could sit down and enjoy a small meal. Some of the prices in my opinion are a bit high but then I think you’re paying for the convenience of having a restaurant in a whiskey distillery.

Some of the distilleries are very old so you can understand why many of the building have such an old style look to them. Have a look at my website http://www.photoguideproductions.co.uk There is record to show that Robert Haig established his distillery in 1627.They are however well maintained and spotless. I enjoyed walking around on the guided tours and experiencing the unique smells and imagining what it must have been like working in the distillery two or three hundred years ago when there was very little consideration given to working conditions or health and safety practises. It must have been a hard job in those days.

All too soon I had to turn around and head back home. I certainly learnt that you need at least 2 months to visit all the distilleries in Scotland. Now I sit in my study and think about the old whisky distilleries with their individual characters. The drive from distillery to distillery and all the good people I met along the way and the fascinating places I saw made it all very worthwhile.

Copyright John Reunert 2007 Please ask before using.

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Whats New for Travel in Virginia for 2012

Richmond, VA (PRWEB) December 14, 2011

Virginia is bursting with new events and openings along with the filming of Steven Spielbergs major motion picture, LINCOLN. Visitors will find new experiences, exhibits and destinations to completely connect with loved ones on a great vacation. Heres what tops the list for whats new in travel for Virginia by the Virginia Tourism Corporation:

Events:

????OpSail 2012-Virginia Tall Ship Festival.
Beautiful masted ships return to Hampton Roads June 6 through 12, 2012. More than 20 ships from around the world join United States Navy ships and local vessels in a salute to the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812. Look for living history exhibits, dinner cruises and special programs. June 6-12, 2012. The Virginia Beach Patriotic Festival, featuring performances by the Blue Angels, kicks things off June 1-3.

????Historic Garden Week features LOVE Statewide
Virginias Historic Garden Week, April 21-28, celebrates its 79th birthday in 2012 by spreading the LOVE throughout Virginia. The Virginia Tourism Corporations highly popular LOVE marketing campaign has brought three-dimensional LOVE artwork to communities and welcome centers throughout Virginia but Historic Garden Week will take it to a grass-roots level. In historic Fredericksburg the Rappahannock Valley Garden Club has spelled out LOVE in a giant flower bed at a major highway intersection the better to remind drivers that LOVE is at the heart of every Virginia vacation.

Anniversaries:

????Civil War and Emancipation 150th Statewide
2012 is a key year for Civil War history in Virginia with the 150th anniversaries of major battles and campaigns including the naval battle of the USS Monitor vs. CSS Virginia (March 9), the 1862 Shenandoah Valley Campaign (May-June), the Seven Days Battles (June-July), the Battle of Second Manassas (August 28-30), and the Battle of Fredericksburg (December 13). The 150th anniversary of Lincolns issuing of the Emancipation Proclamation occurs September 22. The 2012 Virginia Civil War 150 Signature Conference takes place at the Virginia Military Institute on March 22. The 18-wheel Virginia Civil War 150 HistoryMobile will tour throughout Virginia and selected out-of-state sites and events. Virginia Tourism Corporation has unveiled a dynamic new Civil War web site focusing on stories of real people in Virginia during the war Walk in their Footsteps (http://www.walkintheirfootsteps.com).

????Williamsburg Inn 75th Anniversary Colonial Williamsburg
The Williamsburg Inn celebrates its 75th anniversary in 2012. Built in 1937 by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller, it is the only hotel in North America in which Queen Elizabeth II has stayed twice. With 62 beautiful rooms and an array of choice amenities the Williamsburg Inn has won nearly every award in the book.

????Virginias Executive Mansion Celebrates 200 Years in 2013 Richmond
Built in 1813, Virginias Executive Mansion was the second governors residence constructed in America and remains as the oldest governors residence still used for its original purpose. In his last official act as governor, future president James Monroe directed the Virginia General Assembly to authorize construction of a new governors residence. Since then it has served as home to 54 Virginia governors and has hosted figures of worldwide fame including Winston Churchill and Queen Elizabeth, II.

Major Motion Picture – LINCOLN:

????LINCOLN comes to Richmond and Petersburg
Legendary film producer and director Steven Spielberg selected the cities of Richmond and Petersburg as locations for the filming of his biopic LINCOLN, starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones. Filming has taken place throughout the fall of 2011 and the movie is scheduled for theatrical release in late 2012. The settings are appropriate as Abraham Lincoln made several visits to Virginia during the Civil War. A walking tour traces the route Lincoln took through downtown Richmond. The City Point Unit of Petersburg National Battlefield preserves the site of the headquarters of Union general Ulysses S. Grant, a site also visited by Lincoln during the Petersburg Campaign of 1864-65. Virginia commemorates the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War and Emancipation through 2015.

New Openings:

????Fort Monroe National Monument Hampton
The largest stone fort ever built in America became a part of the National Park System on November 1, 2011, after more than 150 years as an active army post. During the Civil War the fort became a place of refuge for escaping slaves and was known as Freedoms Fortress. Confederate president Jefferson Davis was imprisoned in one of the casemates after his arrest on treason charges. Tree-lined avenues with brick officers residences reflect the elegance of military brass.

????Museum of the Confederacy Appomattox
Tracing its roots to 1896, the Museum and White House of the Confederacy, moc.org, in Richmond today welcomes more than 70,000 visitors annually. The 150th Anniversary of the Civil War and Emancipation has brought a new opportunity for the museum to expand its presence and reach a greater audience when it opens the doors on a second facility in Appomattox in Spring 2012. The $ 7.5 million museum, featuring 5,000 square feet of exhibit space, will focus on events surrounding the end of the Civil War, the surrender at Appomattox and the reunification of the country. Artifacts associated with those events will be moved to the Appomattox site including the uniform and sword Robert E. Lee wore when he surrendered his army to Ulysses S. Grant.

????Williamsburg Pottery Williamsburg
Since 1938 the Williamsburg Pottery has been a shopping destination for those looking for a wide variety of items at bargain prices. On April 5, 2012, the pottery will be reborn with a half-mile of new buildings, more than 160,000 square feet of shopping space and a new caf?, restaurant and bakery. The new facility will emerge as sophisticated yet casual experience that combines the charm and tradition of a European market with the conveniences and sensory experiences with 21st- century shopping.

????Patsy Cline Historic House Winchester
The modest white house that American music legend Patsy Cline lived in from ages 16 to 21 opened to the public in August 2011. The house has been furnished with period pieces (including some originals) from the 1940s and 1950s and appears almost exactly as Patsy Cline would have known it. Guided tours reveal much about the woman born Virginia Patterson Hensley who took American popular music by storm with iconic hits such as I Fall to Pieces and Crazy.

????Heartwood Abingdon
Beautiful new facility adjacent to I-81 is the gateway to the rich culture of Southwest Virginia including music, food and wine and crafts. Artisans and musicians working on site. Interactive exhibits, galleries, shop, restaurant, coffee/wine bar. Opened summer 2011.

????Golden Eagle Tree House at Primland Resort Meadows of Dan
Already established as one of the top woodland resorts in America, Primland now offers a lodging experience that is distinctly its own. The Golden Eagle Tree House was designed by La Cabene Perchee, one of the worlds top tree house architectural firms. The house itself sits in the boughs of one of Primlands oldest and most beautiful trees without the intrusion of one single nail and overlooks the Dan River Gorge. The red cedar tree house features a king bed, huge deck and all the luxurious amenities found at Primlands main lodge.

New Exhibits:

????Space Shuttle Discovery National Air & Space Museum Chantilly
Virginia will welcome the legendary Space Shuttle Discovery, the longest-serving orbiter in the NASA space shuttle fleet in Spring 2012 at the National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar

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