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COVER STORY The Gem: Aberlour Fans of Jameson Irish Whiskey take their drink of choice seriously: Here, one Jameson-lover sports his perma- nent adoration in a "Sine Metu" tattoo, Latin for "Without Fear," and the motto emblazoned on the Jameson label. a house signature pineapple note. An aggressive expansion of the Glenlivet distillery completed last year will allow for increased production. This will position the brand to take advantage of the opportunities within the single malt category and achieve even higher growth and sales success. Ultimate Luxury: Royal Salute Royal Salute is the only exclusive luxury blended scotch brand in the world. With a select focus on the luxury market and using only the finest and oldest Scotch whiskies in its blends, Royal Salute is the drink of choice for those for whom price is no object. This dynamic luxury brand goes to market with an SRP ranging from $175 to $4,000. Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute, the finest whisky in the regular Royal Salute lineup, uses whiskies aged a min- imum of 40 years for the blend. Bottled in stunning decanters hand-crafted by Dartington Crystal of Devon, England, 62 Gun Salute is decorated with 18 carat gold and topped with a crystal stopper for a truly elegant expression of whisky, both in the glass and on the bar. Royal Salute continues to raise the bar for luxury whiskies with a release of a mere 21 bottles of the most expensive blended Scotch whisky ever produced. Royal Salute Tribute to Honor, which features a diamond-encrusted bottle designed by the jeweler to the Royal House, retails for $200,000. Royal Salute may be about exclusivity and luxury, but under Pernod Ricard's guidance, the brand is experiencing phenomenal growth and carries a cachet in the luxury blended whisky market that no competitor can match. 64 / the tasting panel / november 201 1 Aberlour claims the honor of being the best-selling single malt whisky in France. This classic Highland distillery offers a line-up of whiskies ranging from 10 to 18 years, as well as the no-age-statement A'bunadh. These rich, complex whiskies are generally aged in a combination of sherry butts and bourbon barrels before being blended together. The result of this double casking is a unique style of single malt whisky that has won a slew of Gold and Double Gold medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, including a Double Gold for the Aberlour 18 this year. Aberlour fills the boutique whisky niche in the Pernod Ricard portfolio, with a near cult-like following among its devotees. The brand has experienced strong growth within its category, and with the numerous awards and positive reviews it regu- larly receives, Aberlour is destined to become yet another runaway success story for Pernod Ricard. With such a successful lineup of whiskey brands in its portfolio, it would be easy for Pernod Ricard to rest on its laurels. Instead, with innovative consumer outreach, education and marketing campaigns, the company is poised to take its whisk(e)y brands to even greater heights. The commitment to supporting and growing their brands is what lies at the heart of Pernod Ricard's success story. As Iglesias remarks, "We kept investing in the brands when the economy pulled back. Our portfolio mix has been the key to the overall success of our brands." Success for All Seasons When the Glenlivet Ambassador led the team at Arterra at the Marriott in Del Mar, CA through an educational tasting, it was love at first sip among the staff. Months later, the restaurant boasts the full lineup of Glenlivet products and even features a Glenlivet glaze on the popular braised Kurobota pork loin dish that's a current star on the restaurant's seasonal menu. With a farm-to-table focus extending to the restaurant's cocktail program, Director of Restaurants Scott Winant always has one spirit on his rotating seasonal cocktail menu: Jameson. "It just flies off the menu," says Winant of the brand, the restaurant's number-one call for whiskey. "I will always have a Jameson cocktail planned for each season—it's just that popular." Jameson in particular is proving to be a popular call in new demographics: "Working in this business, you used to think that whiskies were a guy's drink," explains Winant, "but we're seeing so many women come in and ordering it, and they want to try new things that are different than your aver- age vodka cocktail." —R. B. LUCK O' THE IRISH ■ ■ ■ ■ 1¼ oz. Jameson 12 Year Old 1¼ oz. Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur ¾ oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice Splash of soda water Rim glass with Jameson and lemon zest powder. Garnish with basil sprig. Arterra Executive Chef Tony Miller loves The Glenlivet so much that he's incorporated it into his cook- ing as well, with a Glenlivet glaze on the delicious braised Kurobota pork loin that's part of the restau- rant's seasonal menu. CREDIT: ROB BROWN