Daily Dram

Our Daily Dram online shop has extended his range. We can offer 4 new bottlings as follows:

New: Craigellachie 1984, 25 years, 53.7%, Joint bottling of Daily Dram & Whisky Agency
Undercover n°4 1990 (Speyside), 19 years 48%
Rigah Opal: Laphroaig 1996, 13 years 55%
Glaring Echo: Glen Garioch 1991, 18 years 46 %

We have also added the Islay Selection of The Whisky Agency´s Liquid Library to our shop:

Bowmore 1998, 10 years, 46%
Bunnahabhain 1976, 32 years, 45,8%
Caol Ila 1982, 29 years, 49,9%
Laphroaig 1996, 12 years, 59.8%
Laphroaig 2000,  9 years, 58%
Laphroaig 2001, 8 years, 59%

Our current range is updated here:  www.daily-dram.de

Your contact: info@dailydram.de (Vincent Löhn)

Whisky Fair  Limburg

We`re already busy with preparations for next year`s Limburg Fair. If everything goes well we`ll be able to have some very special speakers and representatives then.

In addition, we`re awaiting our new bottlings (Longmorn 1968, Lochnagar 1972) which are likely to arrive in the next 14 days. By the end of the year we`ll also get some 1966 Ben Nevis – of suitable Christmas taste! and followed by a Port Ellen (surely one of the last ones we`ll be having).

We`ll be able to tell more in the next newsletter. In the meantime, please feel free to contact us at: info@whiskyfair.de

MWSoA Whisky Awards 2009 – Results

On 2 August 2009, 49 malt whiskies were judged blind by an expert panel of nine.  As a result of this judging the Society has awarded Trophies and Medals to the most successful whiskies.

Trophy for Best Overall Whisky – Glenfarclas 30

Trophy for Best Australian Whisky – Lark Distillery Cask# LD 39

Head Judge’s Trophy for Malt Excellence – Originé 12

MWSoA Chairman’s Trophy for Best Value Malt – Isle of Jura Superstition

The “Pourer’s Prize” Trophy – Limeburners M24

Members’ Choice Trophy – Glenfarclas 30 (voted 8 September 2009)

Medals Awarded and Final rankings of all medal winners

The Octave & Quarter Cask Range  Premium Single Malt, Single Grain and Exclusive Blendings

Duncan Taylor and Co Ltd has experimented for many years in the use of differing cask sizes for the maturation of Single Malt and Single Grain Scotch Whiskies. Our research stemmed from a simple premise that there is more wood interaction with spirit over a shorter period of time in a small cask than in a large cask, therefore allowing a more rapid “melding” of wood, air and alcohol. The resultant spirit demonstrated a depth of maturity missing in a larger cask over a similar period of storage. On completion of a relatively short maturation period of a younger whisky, the spirit appeared smoother, more balanced with plenty of character more reminiscent of a long maturation. The rough edges were removed and the taste profile changed dramatically to what would be considered a whisky of a much more mature nature or vintage. The whisky became polished, bright and sparkled with intensity.

We experimented to see how octave and quarter cask maturation would affect whiskies that had already been matured for long periods in larger casks. The trial was done on existing 2nd or 3rd fill casks using older whiskies that had not quite matured to the level of quality expected by Duncan Taylor. The result was once again astonishing. On re-racking the whiskies, we found that after just a few months the casks had breathed new life into the whisky, quickly changing hue, taste, form and character of the spirit. The whisky was rejuvenated, a little more aggressive, with the commanding presence of a mature well balanced peerless Scotch Whisky.
The results of our maturation tests for both young and old whiskies confirmed our belief that this would interest consumers and that they would try this revolutionary method of what is regarded as technically finishing a whisky, no matter what the age or whisky type.

After many in-house tasting sessions with customers we quickly realised that releasing the definitive Octave and Quarter Cask Range of Single Malt and Single Grain Scotch Whiskies was a given.

You now have the benefit of our exhaustive research to have a unique cask of your own to monitor first hand how your whisky will transform in your chosen cask format, whether it is in octave or quarter casks, ex Bourbon or ex Sherry wood.

Euan Shand

Quality Spirit

Duncan Taylor & Company Limited, established in 1938, is renowned for the quality and range of its single malts, single grain and deluxe blended Scotch Whiskies. It has been awarded the IWSC Trophy on two occasions, IWSC Golds, The World Whisky award for Scotch Grain 2010 (note: matured in a Duncan Taylor Quarter Cask) , and is currently Whisky Magazine’s Independent Bottler of the Year 2009. The pedigree is there for all to see.

Octave and Quarter Casks

Our octave and quarter casks have been constructed from ex Sherry casks in Spain and from ex Bourbon casks here in Scotland. The casks are of the highest quality using the finest staves.

The whisky in our Octave and Quarter Cask Range has not been chill-filtered or coloured, it remains in its natural state keeping the flavours and textures unaltered. The spirit is from a single cask, and is kept at cask strength.

As octave and quarter casks are smaller than standard butt or hogshead casks, the opportunity to own a private cask just became more affordable.

With fewer bottles from each cask, the spirit becomes all the more exclusive.

Exclusively Yours

The Octave and Quarter Range provides a method of cask ownership that is totally unique and perfect for corporate and own label bottlings or personalizing your own bottles with your family, company or club name. The Octave is the perfect size allowing you 70 bottles to share with family, friends or business colleagues.

Duncan Taylor maintain an in-house marketing and design team with diverse experience and an award-winning portfolio. Custom labels and corporate packaging can be arranged to suit your needs.

A back label for this brand is customized to include the distillation and bottling date, cask number, total number of bottles, whisky region and age. Tasting notes can also be incorporated into the descriptive text.

A Vast Range of Whiskies

Duncan Taylor has produced its own range of Octave and Quarter cask bottlings from its vast range of Single Malt and Single Grain Scotch Whiskies. Only the top Distilleries spirits have been used for this range, including whiskies from Bunnahabhain, Bowmore and Caol Ila from  Islay, Ben Nevis and Glengarioch from the Highlands, Glenlivet, Macallan  and Glenrothes from Speyside, Springbank and Glen Scotia from Cambeltown,  Highland Park  and Jura from the Islands and Auchentoshan and Inverleven from the lowlands. The grain range has Invergordon, Strathclyde, Carsebridge and many others.

 
Available Stock

The following single malts and single grains are a sample of the whiskies available from the Octave and Quarter cask range:
Aberlour
Auchentoshan
Ben Nevis
Bowmore
Bunnahabhain
Carsebridge
Caol Ila
Caperdonich
Glen Grant
Glenlivet
Glengarioch
Glen Moray
Glenrothes
Imperial
Invergordon
Laphroaig
Lochnagar
Macallan
Springbank
Strathclyde
Tomatin

Many others are available on request. Please contact
the Duncan Taylor sales team at +44 (0)1466 794055
or at sales@duncantaylor.com.

Glenallachie 11yo 1989/2001 (61.7%, Cadenhead’s, Bourbon HHD, 312 Bts.)

Another independent bottling however this time from the respected company of William Cadenhead of Campbeltown, Argyll and part of the same company that owns Springbank distillery and Glengyle Distillery. A nice dark golden hue and thick fat slow legs, the nose is quite strong, loads of alcohol, some sweetness and hints of spicy oak, after a short while in the glass some vey good vanilla, cocoa and bourbon notes come to the fore. With more and more time in the glass these only increase and these notes are very pleasant. So far so good. Diluted the aromas expand significantly to reveal fruit and then there’s a dash back to the undiluted nose of cocoa, fruit (tinned fruit salad in syrup) along with the spicy oak notes and hints of green malt. The undiluted nose is more fragrant and sweet and the diluted is more oaky and syrupy.  The taste undiluted is strong with bees wax, sweet syrup, mild tobacco, hints of malt and chocolate, lychee, light Hessian and finally some oaky spiciness. Delicious. Diluted it’s much mellower and sweet with mild oak notes and then the fruit and vanilla, the oak pops up a little at the end and it is still delicious. The finish is sweet at first followed by some vanilla and oak followed by the dry malt and then some sweet dessert wine and oak and spice. A brilliant blending of the spicy oak, fruit and vanilla. The finish is very long…..and very good.

What a grand dram. Find a bottle if you can! This is really good whisky.

Score 88 Points

US$80 at Binny’s

As we step into the season of mittens, scarves and hot chocolate we must be ready for all things rich and luxurious.      

 The Fairmont Empress  is proud to present 

 Glenmorangie; Single Malt Scotch Whisky Reception 

 December 4th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm in The Empress Room Harbourside  

 Paired perfectly with Executive Chef Takashi Ito’s culinary favourites, 

 Glenmorangie’s ‘kaleidoscope’ of flavours will be sure to please everyone.  

 Whisky educator Richard Cmajdalka will present five of Glenmorangie’s top Whiskies. 

$50 per person, unless you are a Friend of the Empress  in which you will receive a 20% discount.

Vist the Friends of the Empress at www.friendsoftheempress.ca

FOR RESERVATION PLEASE CALL 250 995 4688

Jennifer Woppenkamp
Assistant Food and Beverage Manager

Next tasting December 3rd normal 6 dram tasting (remember, remember) £20/17:-

Signatory Cambus single grain 27.7.9 – 10.9.9 18yo refill butt 664 bottles 51.9%- another rare grain.

Longrow 7yo 55.8% 1 1/2 years in Gaja Barolo Italian red wine cask- youth, wine and peat might sound a difficult combo but this is a best selling dram.

Cadenheads Highland Park 1992 – 06/09 17yo 64.0% butt 512 bottles- bit of a wildcard but I’ve faith some will go for it in a big way.

Highland Park 25yo 50.7%- a classy drop from a quarter century of maturation

Ballantines 17yo 43%- voted best blend by Jim Murray.

+ a mystery dram

Tollbooth Tavern, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, 24th September 2009 7.30pm
£20/17 (discount for first timers/members)

Check http://www.jollytopertastings.co.uk for further details on these tastings as well as Bladnoch forum- events- Canongate tastings

Classic of Islay 21yo (46%, Vintage Malt Whisky Company)

From the Vintage Malt Whisky Company comes the ‘Classic of Islay’ 21yyear old at 46% and no further information. The nose is at first vegetable, green and slightly malty, this is soon over taken by sweetness and some very light peat reek, hints of banana followed by toffee. After some time in the glass it settles down and honey and the gentle peat reek are apparent. The taste is smooth and honeyed followed by some light chocolate malt and the gentle peat reek. The peat reek continues to grow and is then intermingled with dry malt, the chocolate and some vanilla followed by even more chocolate vanilla peat reek. Delicious. The finish is warming and smooth with an excellent dry bitter chocolate moment and the ever present gentle peat reek. The finish goes along for quite a while and it is quite excellent and in the final moments is of the dry chocolate malt. After some further time there is also butter popcorn and some really good malt, like chewing on some straight from the kiln.

Stunning stuff despite the distillery of origin being a mystery; Kildalton coast of Islay if one had to guess.

Score 88

$80 at Binny’s Chicago

http://www.vintagemaltwhisky.com/

Amazing November Arrivals at the Park Avenue Liquor Shop

Greetings!

This week is ‘WhiskyFest Week’ here in New York City. Sure it’s a ‘convention’ by definition but we consider it more like a long holiday. As part of the celebration we are happy to announce the debut of some exciting new whisk(e)y bottlings including yet another Park Avenue Liquor Shop exclusive.
Thanks for looking. Be sure to contact us with any questions.
Cheers!
Jonathan & Eric
Park Avenue Liquor Shop
292 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
212-685-2442
www.parkaveliquor.com
info@parkaveliquor.com

Usquaebach Flagon (Ceramic Crock)
Usquaebach Flagon
The wait is over!! The Usquaebach Flagon that you remember is back on the shelf.  This bottling is a blend of 41 malts, the oldest of which is 20 years old.
It has a vibrant, honey-amber color and a what has been called, “one of the most  beguiling noses in the Scotch world.” Roasted almonds, butter cream, sweet oak and vanilla combine in a wonderful symphony of fragrance. There are concentrated flavors of pepper, coffee and sherry to dazzle tastebuds that extends to the mid-palate and beyond. This remarkably balanced blend
is ‘crock’ full of character. Welcome back old friend.
Our Price: $120

Compass Box: Lady Luck
Park Avenue Liquor Shop Exclusive
Notes provided by Compass Box:
Lady Luck  This is a malt whisky inspired by what we used to refer to as the “lucky blend”.  Compass Box came across some casks of 25 and 29 year old Caol Ila whisky. They  then set to create this ‘lucky blend’ by combining it with some gorgeous 14 year  old Imperial single malt. The result is nothing short of special. Flavor descriptors: Deeply smoky, with an ethereal fruity character in the background. Extremely complex on the palate. Structured, balanced and very, very long on the palate. (92 proof, not chill filtered, natural color) Our Price: $166

Wild Turkey – “Tradition”
Wild Turkey Tradition
This is a limited edition 14 year old, 101-proof bourbon. This Master Distiller  Selection, only the third in this series of special selections, celebrates the history of the Wild Turkey Distillery and the traditions held dear by the people of Kentucky. Only 14,000 bottles are available in the U.S. It has been aged for 14 years in white oak barrels with the heaviest (and most expensive) level of char. After aging in the “sweet spot” or “center cut” of the warehouse,  the liquid was bottled at 101 proof to retain its true bourbon flavor. Our Price: $120

Woodford Reserve: Seasoned Oak
Woodford Seasoned
‘Seasoned Oak Finish’ is the fourth in a series of limited bottlings from Woodford Reserve called the, “Master’s Collection”. According to Master Distiller Chris Morris, Woodford is the only bourbon company that crafts its own barrels, which as a result gives them unique knowledge of the process. The staves for most bourbon barrels  are seasoned for three to five months; however, ‘Seasoned Oak Finish’ combines fully matured Woodford Reserve barrels crafted from wood that has been exposed outdoors for three to five years-the longest in the bourbon industry. The result is a new  and complex flavor profile. Our Price: $100