The 7th York Whisky Festival – Guildhall  

19.09.09 – 12pm    £15.00 

This year’s York Whisky Festival is easily the most dramtastic phenomenon of the Yorkshire whisky calendar. With even more exhibitors showing off their finest whiskies and a whole host of exciting masterclasses, there is even more reason for you to come along.

Well known brands such as Macallan, Genmorangie, Glenlivet and Talisker rub shoulders with small ‘artisanal’ bottlers such as Berry Brothers as well as international whiskies from Japan and India. £15 truly well spent!

Masterclasses – £5 per head
(in addition to the general admission price)

12.30 – 13.45 The Balvenie 
 Andy Forrester, long time friend of the York Whisky Festival, returns under his new guise as UK Ambassador for Balvenie. He will be presenting a detailed tasting of current bottlings from this sweet and smooth Speysider.
   
13.00 – 14.15 The Glenlivet 
Chivas Brothers UK Brand Ambassador, Phil Huckle, makes his debut appearance at this years festival. He plans to create a stir by showing off some fantastic whiskies from one of the oldest and most respected distilleries in the industry. If you like them smooth and rounded, then this could be the one for you!
   
14.30 – 15.45 Berry Brothers and Rudd – SOLD OUT  
 These guys bottle some of the finest malts (and blends) available. Normally gleaned from only one or two casks, these whiskies are serious. Ed Bates, from Berry Brothers, presents a few of his favourites from all over Scotland, and will be sure to walk from the festival with plenty of new friends!
   
15.00 – 16.15 Amrut 
The Whisky Lounge has long been a supporter of Japanese whiskies, and we have now fully discovered Indian whisky! Specifically from the Amrut distillery. Ashok Chokalingam will be presenting a tasting that will leave you in no doubt that these are serious whiskies that can compete with the best.
   
16.30 – 17.45 Laphroaig 
What can we say about this distillery that has not already been said? In a fitting final masterclass of the day, Jim Bloor of Maxxium presents a tasting of the liquid dynamite that is Laphroaig. If you like ‘em intense and peaty then this is the one for you!

The Whisky Festival is organised and run by local company, The Whisky Lounge, who will be on hand during the day and there will also be a dedicated retail stand for those wishing to make purchases.
    
The Whisky Lounge website makes no mention of this event and thus it seems to be a bit of a secret where to buy tickets.

From Nick White, Managing Director, A. Dewar Rattray Ltd:

The awards of The Whisky Magazine’s annual Icon’s of Whisky and Independant Bottlers Challenge competiton were announced last week.
 
Dewar Rattray has again won a significant number of medals for our Dewar Rattray Cask Collection and the regional award for Islay:
 
Independent Bottler of the Year for Islay
 
Gold Medals:     

Bowmore 1991, #2060 (DRCC17)

                           Bunnahabhain 1976, #6223 (DRCC16)

                            Glenrothes 1990, #35460 (DRCC18)

                            Ben Nevis 1996, #1670 (DRCC16)

Silver Medals:   

Arran 1996, #723, (DRCC17)

                        Pulteney 1982, #502 (DRCC18) 

   
Bronze Medal:   

Dufftown 1976, #7753

 
We have also acheived the Winner in the Tastings, New Release, section in the current Whisky Magazine, Issue 82, for the Pulteney 1982, #502.

From Loch Fyne Whiskies;

For Ancestral, Inverarity Vaults’ Hamish Martin has selected a 14yo sherry cask matured Balmenach. It is dark, extremely smooth, with great strength and complexity, very slightly sherry-cloying in the mouth.

A wonderful after dinner dram.

The nose is very sherried but of a style and quality that one rarely encounters these days; this is hardly a shock since one would not expect Loch Fyne Whiskies to accept anything but the best as their ‘House Malt’. It is very clean and sweet with some spicy hints and a touch of mint followed by warm brown sugar, Christmas cake and furniture wax. The taste is warming and mellow at first followed by a rich spiciness and coffee, dried Christmas fruits, raisins and toffee. There is also hints of Hessian, sherry oak, sweet cold tea, gentle pine resin and cedar notes. The finish is long, warming and sweet at first followed by a strong oaky and brandy like warmness. The oak is very spicy and is exceptional. After a few minutes the cold sweet tea returns and there are alternating waves of sweetness and sherry followed by the spicy oak. The later stages of the finish become quite dry however the spiciness lingers on.

What an exceptional dram. Buy a bottle soon!

£27 at https://www.lfw.co.uk/

Score 88 Points

Visit the Whisky Exchange at http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/

Ralfy is at it again, in these reviews he has published #75 – Budget & Quality Whiskies and #76 – Kilchomans’ First Whisky.

Ralfy at Work

Visit Ralfy at http://www.ralfy.com/ Click on “Whiskyreviews

From Andrew at Kensington in Calgary

There are no more than 90 total bottles of each coming into the province, and some of them like the Brora and Mannochmore are limited to only 36 bottles.  I have provided the approximate retail prices.  They may be slightly more or less than indicated.

1.      Port Ellen 30Yr 1978 – $457

2.      Brora 30Yr – $471

3.      Talisker 30Yr –  $489

4.      Mannochmore – 18Yr – $276

5.      Benrinnes – 23Yr – $320

6.      Pittyvaich 20Yr – $299

7.      Caol Ila 10Yr Unpeated – $105

Visit Kensington at http://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/

Laphroaig’s Newest (older) Bottle Is Now At The Park Ave Liquor Shop

Greetings, Fall. A time of new releases. Fall fashions, TV Shows, a new NFL season and most  importantly…new scotches. This Fall many exciting Single Malts will be arriving and some of which will be exclusive to the Park Avenue Liquor Shop. You, our loyal website and Twitter subscribers will be the first to know about them as they arrive. Today’s bottling is the new 18 year old from one of Islay’s most beloved distilleries, Laphroaig. See below for details on this bottle as well as what this means for Laphroaig 15 year old.  Thanks for taking a look. If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact the store.
Cheers!
Jonathan & Eric
Park Avenue Liquor Shop
292 Madison Aveune
New York, NY 10017
212-685-2442
info@parkaveliquor.com
www.parkaveliquor.com

Laphroaig 18 Year Old

This 18 year old expression of Laphroaig is new to the U.S. market as a replacement to the 15 year old bottling. It is the very definition of a soft, sweet and spicy Islay. Peat smoke and soft toffee greet you when you first open the bottle.  The  immediate taste is an oak sweetness with nutty and floral hints from 18 years in the barrel. A faint hint of the sea can be detected, testimony to its time maturing on the remote island of Islay. It has a long-bodied finish with a luxurious smoothness. Bottled at 48% ABV and non-chill filtered for a depth of taste and texture.

Our Price:$160

Laphroaig 15 Year Old

Sadly, it is ‘last call’ for this multi-award winner from Laphroaig. We have been told we can no longer order the 15 year old, so our current stock is it.
The 15 year old is rumored to be one of Price Charles’ favorite single malts and  it is no surprise why. The nose is mildly smoky, toasty and pleasantly sweet, like new hay. Full bodied  zesty oak, warm peat with sweet undertones fill the palate. Fresh nutmeg, toasted almonds and faint salt are also present. It all ends in a prolonged yet mellow finish. Grab a bottle while they last.

Our Price:$83

Scotland – Malts

2000 Caol Ila 8 Year Old, Murray McDavid Ridge Zinfandel Finish Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($49.99)

A golden amber color, with a slight rose tint. This independent bottling of Caol Ila is powerful with rich toffee and spicy notes on the palate. Besides the color, the red wine influence from the Ridge Zinfandel casks also shines through in the nose, where dried red fruits intermix with subtle chocolate flavors. The flavor profile is very complex for such a young Islay malt, but the price tag is very low for something so interesting. This is one of the most exciting whiskies we’ve found in a while.

Highland Park 8 year old, Gordon & Macphail, Isle of Orkney Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($34.99)

There’s only one thing you need to say about this bargain-priced dram from the Isle of Orkney’s finest producer Highland Park – you really get your money’s worth of whisky. The straw colored spirit is soft, elegantly sweet and gentle on the entry. It gives way to notes of dried fruits and hints of caramel on the finish. It has all the grace of the twelve year, despite its younger age, and is one of the most easy going whiskies we’ve tasted all year. Every staff member who has tried it has reserved at least one bottle for themselves, so you’re going to have to compete with them. Undoubtedly a great bottle for yourself and so generally pleasing that it would make a great gift for any whisky lover.

1999 Laphroaig 10 Year Old, Murray McDavid Chateaux Margaux Finish Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 12 available ($72.99)

One of the most revered Islay malts married with perhaps the most beloved wine in all of France: a young Laphroaig whisky meets the decadent Chateau Margaux. The color is a delicate amber and rose tint, but that’s where the delicacy ends. Big smoky flavors dance with iodine, seawater, saline notes, and seaweed with rich meaty flavors on the finish and hints of dried red fruits – this is as Islay as it gets without succumbing to the heavy influence of peat. A second taste allows you to prepare yourself for the flavor onslaught and see past it into the rich Cabernet flavors of the Margaux wine. Not for the weak of heart and not for the uninitiated – this is a serious dram!

Visit K&L at http://www.klwines.com/

For Immediate Release
Contact: Svend Jansen

Public Relations Manager

Brown-Forman Corporation

502-774-7825

Canadian Mist Whisky Announces “Double Gold” Sweepstakes

Winner Will Travel to San Francisco for a Chance at Big Cash

Louisville, Ky. (September 14, 2009)  –  At the 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, only one Canadian whisky brought home the coveted Double Gold Medal: Canadian Mist. Now consumers will have the opportunity to bring home their own “Double Gold” in the Canadian Mist Whisky “Double Gold” sweepstakes.

Consumers can register online at www.canadianmist.com/doublegold for the chance to win a trip for two to San Francisco from February 18-21, including roundtrip airfare and lodging.

While in San Francisco, the randomly selected winner will be taken to a pre-designated location where he or she will have one hour to search for up to 100 gold-colored coins numbered 1-100. After the search, he or she will select 10 coins from all the coins they find. If the two numbers randomly drawn before the search match the numbers on two of the winner’s selected coins, the contestant will win two gold bars valued at over $700,000.

 “This sweepstakes will give one lucky consumer the chance of a lifetime to win two gold bars that could change their life forever,” said Alan George, Brand Director for Canadian Mist Whisky. “With Canadian Mist bringing home Gold Medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in three of the last four years, this sweepstakes reinforces the superior quality and exceptional value it brings to our consumers on a daily basis.”

Entries must be received by October 31, 2009 in order to be eligible for the drawing. You must be of legal drinking age and a legal resident of the United States to enter. Visit www.canadianmist.com/doublegold for more information or to fill out an entry form.

About Canadian Mist

Canadian Mist is an award-winning whisky distilled in Collingwood, Ontario with water from the pure Georgian Bay. Brown-Forman Corporation is a diversified producer and marketer of fine quality consumer products, including Jack Daniel’s, Canadian Mist, Southern Comfort, Finlandia Vodka, Early Times, Old Forester, Fetzer Wine and Korbel California Champagnes. For more information, visit www.canadianmist.com.

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 _______________________________________________________

Enjoy Life. Drink Mist Responsibly.

Imported and Bottled by Brown-Forman Beverages, Canadian Whisky, A Blend, 40% Alc. by Volume, Louisville, KY ©2009 CANADIAN MIST is a registered trademark.

Svend Jansen

PR Manager – Canadian Mist, Early Times & Old Forester

Brown-Forman

850 Dixie Highway

Louisville, KY 40210

Office, (502) 774-7825

Mobile, (502) 744-0462

svend_jansen@b-f.com

Loch Fyne Whiskies reports that Bowmore Distillery is to soon release a new 10 year old cask strength bottling called “Tempest”

Visit Loch Fyne Whiskies at  http://www.lfw.co.uk/  and Bowmore Distillery at http://www.bowmore.co.uk/