21 Years in the Making
Isle of Arran Distillers Release Anniversary Book
The award-winning Isle of Arran Distillers, who began whisky production in 1995 for the first time on Arran in almost 160 years, has now reached 21 years of age. As part of the on-going anniversary celebrations, a new book ‘The Arran Malt – An island whisky renaissance’ will be officially released during the popular Malt and Music Festival in Lochranza on the 2nd July.
A complete account of the history of the distillery, from before it was even an idea in the mind of its creators to the present day, the book is illustrated with archive and contemporary illustrations as well as stunning photography of the distillery’s island home.
Researched by Neil Wilson, the respected whisky writer and one of those who originally purchased a bond in Isle of Arran Distillers, it follows the growth of this much-loved island distillery from its founding directors, Hal Currie and David Hutchison to its current status as one of Scotland’s finest malt whisky producers.
Along the way, Neil has interviewed many of the people who were involved in the company’s development as well as current employees and enthusiasts of the brand to create a true celebration of a the Arran Malt.
As the Isle of Arran Distillery looks forward to the next 21 years, and expansion with a second distillery site on the south of the island at Lagg, ‘The Arran Malt – An island whisky renaissance’ is an essential edition to the whisky lover’s bookshelf.
Soft cover book – £19.99
Hard case book – £29.99
Availble from http://www.arranwhisky.com/, the Lochranza Visitor Centre, Neil Wilson Publishing and Amazon
Notes:
NEIL WILSON is a whisky historian, writer and publisher specialising in the Hebridean distilleries. His other works
include Scotch and Water, The Island Whisky Trail, Ardbeg – Jewel of Islay, The Whisky Map of Scotland and Whisky In Your Pocket. He has also written for Whisky Magazine and is a contributor to www.scotchwhisky.com/
www.nwp.co.uk/
For more information visit http://www.arranwhisky.com/
* Accolades for Isle of Arran Distillery include Winner for: Best New Exporter (2004), Queen’s Award for International Trade (2005), Scottish Distiller of the Year (2007), Scottish Drinks Producer of the Year (20070
Product awards include: Best Whisky Liqueur (2007), ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 12 Years & Under’ for The Arran Malt Amarone Cask Finish (2008) ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for The Arran Malt Sherry Single Cask 1998 (2010) and ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for the Icons of Arran Peacock (2011.) ‘Double Gold Award’ for Arran’s 14 Year Old Single Malt and ‘Gold Award’ for Arran’s 10 Year Old Single Malt at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2012). Double Gold in FiftyBest.com awards (2012). Double Gold Medal for the 12 year-old Cask Strength in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2013). Double Gold for both the 10 year-old and 12 year-old Cask Strength at the China Wine & Spirits Best Value Awards 2014.
NEIL WILSON (neil@nwp.co.uk)
Neil Wilson is one of Scotland’s most respected publishers and whisky writers. His food and drink imprint, The Angels’ Share, regularly releases new material on the subject, the latest of which is The Arran Malt: An Island Whisky Renaissance. As one of the original investors in Isle of Arran Distillers, having purchased Bond number 0479 in 1994, he jumped at the opportunity to research and write a book on the company’s history when he was asked to do so by MD Euan Mitchell in March 2015. After a year of painstaking research involving interviews with current and past employees, visits to archives and numerous visits to Arran and further afield, he completed the book in May and it will be launched at the annual Arran Music & Malt Festival on 2 July 2106 at Lochranza Distillery, marking its 21st anniversary.
MORE INFO:
Neil Wilson Publishing Ltd was formed in 1992 and now has over 200 titles in print and Ebook formats, many of them written by award-winning authors such as Jim Perrin, Roger Protz, Trevor Braham (Boardman-Tasker award winner 2004) Catherine Brown, Jim Murray and Wallace Milroy.
Originally a drilling fluids engineer working in the oil business, in the mid-1980s he wrote Scotch and Water (Lochar Publishing, 1985) after a sailing trip around the Hebridean malt whisky distilleries (later revised and reissued as The Island Whisky Trail in 2002) and it was out of this project that his publishing and writing interests grew. Wallace Milroy’s Malt Whisky Almanac, which he co-authored, followed and achieved worldwide sales of 300,000 in seven editions and many languages. Most recently this title was reprised as Whisky In Your Pocket, published by Waverley Books.
He has fostered close relationships with the whisky industry and this has allowed him to work on many projects for a wide spectrum of distillers. He has written and published a five-language book on Ardbeg Distillery for Glenmorangie plc, a cellar book for Glengoyne Distillery, Loch Fyne Whiskies and the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and published numerous corporate publications. Included in these are:
The Enduring Legacy of Dewars by Ian Buxton
Glenglassaugh: A Distillery Reborn by Ian Buxton.
Goodness Nose by Richard Paterson and Gavin D. Smith
Glenfarclas 175 by Ian Buxton.
But The Distilleries Went On: The Morrison Bowmore Story by Ian Buxton
He formed Classic Expressions with Ian Buxton in 2007 to republish rare whisky editions and the result of this was the reissue of books such as Nettleton’s Manufacture of Plain Spirit and Truths About Whiskey amongst others.
He has attended the Diageo Malt Advocates course and is a regular invitee to trade events and new release launches. He has contributed to Whisky Magazine, Wine, Decanter and the national press. He currently writes for www.scotchwhisky.com