For Immediate Release: Monday, Oct. 2, 2023
Contact: Manuela Savona Manuela@SavonaCommunications.com (917) 969-1275
Contact: Manuela Savona Manuela@SavonaCommunications.com (917) 969-1275
Keepers of the Quaich USA Gathering Will Feature Outlander Star Sam Heughan
NY Event Celebrates Scotch Heritage with World's Most Coveted Drams
NEW YORK, NY - Keepers of the Quaich USA Chapter (KOTQUSA.org), the American arm of the Blair Castle-headquartered Scotch whisky society, today announced that Outlander star, philanthropist and founder of The Sassenach Scotch whisky, Sam Heughan, will be the keynote speaker for the Gala at a private members club in Manhattan on October 4, 2023.
The Gala will celebrate Scottish culture and heritage and will showcase some of the U.S. market’s newest and rarest bottles of Scotch Whisky at a pre-dinner reception for 200 prominent opinion leaders, A-list media, and top executives from leading suppliers, distributors, and retailers. Many of the attendees are “Keepers” who have been inducted into the society with pomp and circumstance by the parent organization at Blair Castle in the Scottish Highlands.
Heughan, as the Guest of Honor, will take part in the important haggis ceremony, as well as leading a toast with his new award-winning whisky, which he’s donating for the evening.
“Over the years, as I traveled, lived, and worked abroad, I found myself incredibly homesick. One Christmas holiday, I vividly remember ordering a single malt, from the top shelf of my local London bar,” recalled Heughan, the star of the long-running TV series about Scottish history. “Instantly, the smell took me back to Scotland. Upon tasting, I had such a profound feeling of ‘home’… transported back to the hills and glens of Scotland.”
Keeping Scottish tradition alive, the evening’s first toast features the presentation of a Scottish Quaich, the two-handled drinking vessel that dates back to the 16th century. The Quaich is also known as the ‘Cup of Friendship,’ and has been used for centuries to welcome friends, family, and visitors at gatherings and celebrate the communal drinking of whisky.
“Scottish culture is a cornerstone of Scotch whisky and we are delighted to keep the storied traditions alive with the annual Keepers of the Quaich USA events,” said Chapter Co-Chair and Diageo’s Chief Marketing Officer Ed Pilkington. “The USA is the most important market for Scotch and there has always been an unwavering relationship and appreciation between Scotland and the USA, which we are honored to have the opportunity to uphold.”
The evening will benefit the Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation, a charity that specializes in creating scholarship opportunities in the U.S. for people currently studying in Scotland, many whom are the first in their family to go to college.
Also speaking is the top Scottish government official in the U.S., Counsellor for Scottish Affairs Chris Thomson, who will discuss the importance of whisky in the US/Scotland relationship.
Notable attendees at the event include: New York Football Giants Punter, Jamie Gillan, known as the Scottish Hammer; and Sir David MacMillan, Ph.D, FRS, FRSE, 2021 Nobel Prize winner for chemistry, currently at Princeton University and is from the Glasgow region.
The Gala will celebrate Scottish culture and heritage and will showcase some of the U.S. market’s newest and rarest bottles of Scotch Whisky at a pre-dinner reception for 200 prominent opinion leaders, A-list media, and top executives from leading suppliers, distributors, and retailers. Many of the attendees are “Keepers” who have been inducted into the society with pomp and circumstance by the parent organization at Blair Castle in the Scottish Highlands.
Heughan, as the Guest of Honor, will take part in the important haggis ceremony, as well as leading a toast with his new award-winning whisky, which he’s donating for the evening.
“Over the years, as I traveled, lived, and worked abroad, I found myself incredibly homesick. One Christmas holiday, I vividly remember ordering a single malt, from the top shelf of my local London bar,” recalled Heughan, the star of the long-running TV series about Scottish history. “Instantly, the smell took me back to Scotland. Upon tasting, I had such a profound feeling of ‘home’… transported back to the hills and glens of Scotland.”
Keeping Scottish tradition alive, the evening’s first toast features the presentation of a Scottish Quaich, the two-handled drinking vessel that dates back to the 16th century. The Quaich is also known as the ‘Cup of Friendship,’ and has been used for centuries to welcome friends, family, and visitors at gatherings and celebrate the communal drinking of whisky.
“Scottish culture is a cornerstone of Scotch whisky and we are delighted to keep the storied traditions alive with the annual Keepers of the Quaich USA events,” said Chapter Co-Chair and Diageo’s Chief Marketing Officer Ed Pilkington. “The USA is the most important market for Scotch and there has always been an unwavering relationship and appreciation between Scotland and the USA, which we are honored to have the opportunity to uphold.”
The evening will benefit the Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation, a charity that specializes in creating scholarship opportunities in the U.S. for people currently studying in Scotland, many whom are the first in their family to go to college.
Also speaking is the top Scottish government official in the U.S., Counsellor for Scottish Affairs Chris Thomson, who will discuss the importance of whisky in the US/Scotland relationship.
Notable attendees at the event include: New York Football Giants Punter, Jamie Gillan, known as the Scottish Hammer; and Sir David MacMillan, Ph.D, FRS, FRSE, 2021 Nobel Prize winner for chemistry, currently at Princeton University and is from the Glasgow region.
U.S. Market is Scotch's Most Valuable and Growing, Particularly at High End
According to the Edinburgh-based Scotch Whisky Association and the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, in 2022 the United States was Scotch whisky’s most valuable market, worth $2.7 billion in supplier revenue and growing, up 4.2%from the prior year. Total market volume was nearly 10 million cases, which is equal to 120 million bottles.
“In fact, Americans’ taste for the ‘king of spirits’ is driven by a growing desire for the most expensive bottles, with over one billion dollars in revenue spent on the priciest bottles. That is up 16% over last year,” said Co-chair and Master Keeper Frank Coleman, President of Frank Coleman Strategies LLC.
KEEPERS OF THE QUAICH OCTOBER 4 GALA: SCOTCH WHISKY TASTINGS
BEAM SUNTORY
Laphroaig® Single Cask – The Jack Rose
Laphroaig® Ian Hunter 33YO
Bowmore® 30YO
Bowmore® Aston Martin® Masters’ Selection 22YO
DEWAR’S
Dewar’s® Double-Double 37-Year-Old
Dewar’s® Double Double21-Year-Old Mizunara Cask Finish
DIAGEO
Johnnie Walker® Umami (New Blue Label Extension)
Johnnie Walker® Blue Label
Mortlach® 2023 Special Release "The Katana's Edge"
Lagavulin® 12 YO "The Ink of Legends" 2023 Special Release
EDRINGTON
Glenrothes® 18-Year-Old Single Malt
The Macallan Rare Cask
MARUSSIA
Torabhaig® Single Malt
Mossburn® 12-Year Speyside Four Square Cask Collaboration
MOET HENNESSY
Ardbeg® Traigh Bhan 19-Year-Old old Batch 5
Ardbeg® Anthology 13-Year-Old
Ardbeg®25-Year-Old
Glenmorangie® A Tale of Tokyo
THE SASSENACH
The Sassenach®
PERNOD RICARD
Royal Salute® 21
Chivas Regal® 25
Aberlour® 18
WILLIAM GRANT
Glenfiddich® 29-Year-Old Grand Yozakura Limited Edition
The Balvenie® Stories “A Revelation of Cask and Character” 19-Year-Old
KOTQUSA OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Other KOTQUSA officers and directors include: Vice Chair Marvin Shanken, CEO of Shanken Communications, publisher of Whisky Advocate, Wine Spectator, Cigar Aficionado, along with other leading industry titles; Vice Chair Wayne Chaplin, CEO of Southern Glazers Wine and Spirits; Treasurer Brian Cox, Bacardi Vice President, Dewars Scotch Whisky; Corporate Secretary Kathleen DiBenedetto, Beam Suntory Sr, Director, Seed Brands; Finance Chair Jonathan Yusen, President of Allied Beverage; Paul Ross, CEO of Edrington America; Bob Hendrickson, Executive Vice President & COO, Republic National Distribution Co.; William Grant & Sons National Brand Ambassador Lorne Cousin; Mahesh Patel, CEO of the Universal Whisky Experience; and, Jeffrey Karlovitch, Master Blender, LHK Spirits.
ABOUT KEEPS OF THE QUAICH
Started in 1988 at the society’s spiritual home at Blair Castle in the Scottish Highlands, Keepers of the Quaich recognizes outstanding achievement in those who work, write or evangelize about Scotch Whisky by honoring them with the title of “Keeper.” A select few are invited each year to be distinguished with the role of Master of the Quaich. Since the foundation of the Society, just over 2,700 men and women from more than 100 countries have received the honor. There are around 300 U.S. Keepers and Masters in the United States.
“In fact, Americans’ taste for the ‘king of spirits’ is driven by a growing desire for the most expensive bottles, with over one billion dollars in revenue spent on the priciest bottles. That is up 16% over last year,” said Co-chair and Master Keeper Frank Coleman, President of Frank Coleman Strategies LLC.
KEEPERS OF THE QUAICH OCTOBER 4 GALA: SCOTCH WHISKY TASTINGS
BEAM SUNTORY
Laphroaig® Single Cask – The Jack Rose
Laphroaig® Ian Hunter 33YO
Bowmore® 30YO
Bowmore® Aston Martin® Masters’ Selection 22YO
DEWAR’S
Dewar’s® Double-Double 37-Year-Old
Dewar’s® Double Double21-Year-Old Mizunara Cask Finish
DIAGEO
Johnnie Walker® Umami (New Blue Label Extension)
Johnnie Walker® Blue Label
Mortlach® 2023 Special Release "The Katana's Edge"
Lagavulin® 12 YO "The Ink of Legends" 2023 Special Release
EDRINGTON
Glenrothes® 18-Year-Old Single Malt
The Macallan Rare Cask
MARUSSIA
Torabhaig® Single Malt
Mossburn® 12-Year Speyside Four Square Cask Collaboration
MOET HENNESSY
Ardbeg® Traigh Bhan 19-Year-Old old Batch 5
Ardbeg® Anthology 13-Year-Old
Ardbeg®25-Year-Old
Glenmorangie® A Tale of Tokyo
THE SASSENACH
The Sassenach®
PERNOD RICARD
Royal Salute® 21
Chivas Regal® 25
Aberlour® 18
WILLIAM GRANT
Glenfiddich® 29-Year-Old Grand Yozakura Limited Edition
The Balvenie® Stories “A Revelation of Cask and Character” 19-Year-Old
KOTQUSA OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS
Other KOTQUSA officers and directors include: Vice Chair Marvin Shanken, CEO of Shanken Communications, publisher of Whisky Advocate, Wine Spectator, Cigar Aficionado, along with other leading industry titles; Vice Chair Wayne Chaplin, CEO of Southern Glazers Wine and Spirits; Treasurer Brian Cox, Bacardi Vice President, Dewars Scotch Whisky; Corporate Secretary Kathleen DiBenedetto, Beam Suntory Sr, Director, Seed Brands; Finance Chair Jonathan Yusen, President of Allied Beverage; Paul Ross, CEO of Edrington America; Bob Hendrickson, Executive Vice President & COO, Republic National Distribution Co.; William Grant & Sons National Brand Ambassador Lorne Cousin; Mahesh Patel, CEO of the Universal Whisky Experience; and, Jeffrey Karlovitch, Master Blender, LHK Spirits.
ABOUT KEEPS OF THE QUAICH
Started in 1988 at the society’s spiritual home at Blair Castle in the Scottish Highlands, Keepers of the Quaich recognizes outstanding achievement in those who work, write or evangelize about Scotch Whisky by honoring them with the title of “Keeper.” A select few are invited each year to be distinguished with the role of Master of the Quaich. Since the foundation of the Society, just over 2,700 men and women from more than 100 countries have received the honor. There are around 300 U.S. Keepers and Masters in the United States.
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