Malt Messenger No. 35
Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,
I can’t deny it any longer, there is no hiding from the facts, the year is almost over. Where does the time go? Today is December 1st, and as hard as it may be to believe, Christmas is but “24 Shopping Days Away”. I hate that slogan, it comes across as pushy and hysterical (as if we needed more of that this year), but it is an accurate measure for delineating how far we are from the fulcrum point of the year. The New Year may not start until January 1st, but to me, December 25th always feels like the first day of the New Year. I’m not a particularly religious person, but there is still something magical about Christmas morning. This has nothing to do with gift giving or receiving. To me it has always felt like the most peaceful and relaxing day of the year. For one day most of us are able to forget our troubles and the realities of daily life recharge our batteries for the year ahead.
It’s been a good year with respect to whisky, not a great one like 2007, but a good one none the less. There were lots of great new whiskies released like the Glenmorangie Signet, Bowmore Tempest, Hazelburn 12Yr, Kilchoman, Kilkerran, Arran Peacock and of course our first 1996 Springbank cask. And the year isn’t quite over yet; there are still some other whiskies to squeeze in before we close the books on 2009, like our casks from Jack Daniels, BenRiach and our next cask of 1996 Springbank (an Oloroso sherry cask). We had some great tastings over the course of the year, including a couple of festivals, a cask release party, our 4th Annual Burns Supper and most recently an incredible Family Cask Tasting with George Grant of Glenfarclas Distillery. I also conducted four week long distillery tours in Scotland, two in the Speyside, one to Islay and West Coast and finally one to Orkney and the Northern Highlands. It was a full year!
2010 is going to be a great year for Calgary, Canada and hopefully the rest of the world. My forecast is not the result of some special financial foresight, epidemiological training or access to classified foreign intelligence reports, but rather it comes from a general feeling of optimism for the year to come. We’ve been spoon-fed nothing but bad news and hysteria this year from Lehman Brothers and Madoff to Swine Flu and other more politically sensitive topics (like the Green and White losing to the Al’s). We have the Olympics, Robbie Burns Day, loads of new whiskies and tastings to look forward to in 2010. Not to forget future distillery tours in May and September. I am already looking at dates and locations for May and have been asked to lead tours to the Speyside, as well as Orkney and the Northern Highlands. Our full winter tasting schedule is included below, and opened for registration yesterday! I had hoped to get the Malt Messenger out Tuesday, but as is often the case this little newsletter takes on a life of its own.
Last fall the prognosticators made it sound like we wouldn’t make it through the rest of 2008, let alone 2009, and this was before anyone had even heard about H1N1. But against great odds and to the chagrin of the 24 hour news media we’ve made it. So I propose a toast, everyone stand and raise a glass of your favourite whisky to 2009, the year we weren’t supposed to survive!
I hope you enjoy this edition of the Malt Messenger.
Slainté!
Andrew Ferguson
In This Issue
1. THIS JUST IN: Tullibardine 1993 KWM PX Sherry Cask 15081
2. THIS JUST IN: The Big Peat Blended Islay Malt
3. THIS JUST IN: Benromach Organic Special Edition
4. THIS JUST IN: The Latest Issue of Malt Advocate Magazine
5. Distillery in Focus: Bowmore
6. Gold Bowmore and the Bowmore 1964 Trilogy
7. Review of the Glenfarclas Family Cask Tasting
8. New Gem: Hazelburn 12Yr
9. Collector’s Pick for November: Glenmorangie Signet
10. Collector’s Pick for December: OMC Probably Speyside’s Finest
Distillery 43Yr
11. New Whiskies
12. Coming Soon
13. Our Winter Whisky Tasting Schedule
THIS JUST IN: Tullibardine 199 KWM PX Sherry Cask 15081 – $119.99
This partial cask just came in, and it is spectacular. Even our wine guys
who don’t normally drink single malts lost their minds when they tasted it.
The whisky wasn’t supposed to go on sale until today in part because I was
away this past weekend, but also because I wanted to give you, my customers the opportunity to select a specific bottle number. One of my coworkers, Grant, who can talk to you about a single wine for an hour or more, was so enthusiastic about the whisky that I couldn’t stop him from talking about and therefore selling it. Quite simply put, this whisky is that good!
The cask was purchased for McLeod Dixon LLP, who took the bulk of it. I
helped Mr. Don Tse select the cask, 15081, a 1993 distilled Pedro Ximenez
finished cask. We selected it because it was sweet, spicy and rich, a very
complex but approachable whisky even at its cask strength of 54.5%. As part of the sale Kensington Wine Market agreed to take approximately 1/3 of the cask, and I am thrilled that we did; in fact I wish we’d taken more. It is
an excellent whisky; individually numbered, beautifully packaged in a
stained cedar box and swaddled in tartan. The tartan for the McLeod Dixon
cask was obviously the McLeod tartan, and for the Kensington bottles we
selected the Ancient Ferguson Hunting tartan. But the best part of all, is
the price, this elegant 16 year old whisky is only $119.99/bottle, and for a
limited time only, you can select a specific bottle number; subject to
availability.
Many of the numbers have already been selected; the following are no longer available:
1-7, 13, 18, 42, 52, 56, 62, 64, 68, 69, 74, 77, 78, 80-89, 94-96.
But there are many more still available including some low numbers. Don’t
hesitate because these bottles will sell quickly.
And a tasting note (my first – preliminary):
Colour: Macallan 18 on a good year, dark amber and light mahogany.
Nose: Sawdust strikes me first, then the Pedro Ximenez sherry notes; this
whisky is sweet and spicy, figs and raisins, marmalade and baklava.
Palate: Starts huge for a Tullibardine, big, sweet and spicy! The sweet
sherry notes dominate with hints of cedar, clove, nutmeg and black licorice.
Rich though this whisky is it has a gentler side too with soft candied
fruits, subtle vanilla and hints of light Christmas cake.
Finish: Long, sweet and very pleasant.
THIS JUST IN: The Big Peat Blended Islay Malt – $79.99
Blended malts are nothing new, there have been more than a few released over the years, many referred to as Pure or Vatted Malts. The latter two terms are no longer legally permissible, owing to a recently passed British Law. But what is unique about The Big Peat is its composition, the whisky is made by blending Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila and Port Ellen to create a rich peaty whisky. Having Ardbeg and Bowmore in blended malt is exciting enough, but the inclusion of Port Ellen is what makes it really exciting.
Port Ellen distillery closed 26 years ago and its whisky is getting older,
rarer and more expensive. Douglas Laing who bottled The Big Peat are
rumoured to have more casks of Port Ellen than its owners Diageo. In the
words of Stewart Laing, one of the two brothers at the helm of Douglas
Laing, “I’ll be dead, buried and forgotten before we run out of Port Ellen”.
(I’m sure Stewart still has lots of time left on this planet, and am sure he
will not be soon forgotten!) This is an enviable position considering
Diageo’s own stocks are said to be running low. Diageo sold off most of its
stocks of Port Ellen in the 80’s when there was a glut of whisky. There was
so much oversupply of whisky in the early 80’s that Scotland’s distillers
were said to be sitting on a ‘whisky loch!’ The Port Ellen in this blended
malt can be of no less than 25/26 years of age.
“This vatting carries a big peaty (often called “phenolic”), beachy oceanic
slightly ashy selection of Malts from the island of Islay, from where the
Laing family hail – and no wonder – as we have included Ardbeg, Bowmore,
Caol Ila and Port Ellen in the “recipe”! All these lusty and robust Malts
selected for BIG PEAT with the fact that no chill filtration takes place – a
more old fashioned traditional approach – and you will detect a massive
amplification of the anticipated sea-faring qualities on the nose, palate,
and finish. These are particularly appreciated when consumed leisurely in
the same style these Malts have waited for you in the cold, dark and
windswept warehouses of Islay.” – From Douglas Laing Co.
This whisky is semi-exclusive to Kensington Wine Market, and is available in
limited quantities. At $79.99 it is a bargain.
THIS JUST IN: Benromach Organic Special Edition – $84.99
Many people were disheartened by the discontinuation of the original
Benromach Organic. I called it my gateway whisky, a dram to get non-single
malt drinkers started. It was one of our best selling single malts, in
particular with the lasses, but alas nothing good lasts forever! Benromach
has just released a special limited edition lightly peated Benromach
Organic. In the words of Michael Urquhart: “In Autumn 2009, we will be
following up on this success by introducing a special edition of Benromach
Organic. This special edition bottling is made using the finest Scottish
organic barley, dried using peat smoke, to produce an Organic Speyside
Single Malt Scotch Whisky with a distinctly smoky character. Matured in
virgin American oak casks, this single malt displays sweet, charred oak
aromas with rich fruit flavours and soft peat smoke.” Benromach was the
first distillery in the UK to have its single malt certified organic by the
Soil Association of the UK.
My tasting note: Nose: minty, sweet, creamy and lightly smoked; notes of
malting barley, aloe and fresh cut green grass; Palate: light, sweet,
creamy, gently-peaty and buttery, soft oils, round vanillins, white
chocolate and more green grass. Finish: sweet, soft and creamy gentle peat
oils. *Don’t let the faint trace of peat scare you off, this whisky will
appeal to anyone and everyone! $84.99
THIS JUST IN: The Latest Issue of Malt Advocate Magazine – $6.50
The latest issue of Malt Advocate Magazine has arrived and Kensington Wine Market has had two of our exclusive casks reviewed in it! Our 1966 Glen Grant and our OMC Port Ellen 25Yr both scored well at 90pts. For the
complete review you’ll have to pick up a copy of the industry’s best whisky
magazine. 29 whiskies reviewed, 35 new products discussed, Irish Whiskey 101 and a feature on Blending. $6.50
Distillery in Focus: Bowmore
I’ve have been a fan of Bowmore since before I became a retailer of single
malts. In my early twenty’s I was given a bottle of the 15 year old Mariner
for my birthday. Lagavulin 16Yr, “the Aristocrat of Islay” was my first
love, dry, elegantly smoky and smooth. The Bowmore was revelation more peaty than smoky and with a salty/briny edge. Since then I’ve moved on to Ardbeg and Port Ellen, but I hold a special place in my heart for Bowmore. Some of my favourite whiskies hail from this distillery. As the casual reader of the Malt Messenger will know I love the 1991 16 year old port cask matured Bowmore, and the Black Bowmore 1964 remains one of my All Time Top 5 Whiskies! So it is long overdue that I profile the oldest and most iconic of Islay distilleries.
Bowmore is Scots Gaelic (Bogha Mohr) for the “Big Reef”. The town here was
built in 1770, a planned village with wide streets. The old village it seems
was blocking the Laird’s view of Loch Indaal, so he had it moved. At the top
of the town is its famous round church, completed just before work on the
town began. It is built without corners so there is nowhere for the devil to
hide. The distillery took the town’s name and was built along the waterfront
in 1779 by John Simpson. It is the oldest distillery on Islay and is one of
Scotland’s oldest surviving distilleries. Over the next 200 years Bowmore
changed hands six times eventually coming into the ownership of the Japanese firm Suntory. In the 15 years that Suntory has owned Morrison Bowmore (the parent firm which owns Bowmore, Glen Garioch and Auchentoshan distilleries) the distillery has seen a number of innovations over the years and in general Suntory has been good for the distillery injecting needed capital.
Bowmore is one of only a six distilleries in Scotland with its own maltings
on site. Traditional floor maltings are expensive, time consuming and
require a lot of space. The fact that Bowmore is able to malt more than 40%
of its requirements is surprising. Some other distilleries with malting,
like Balvenie malt less than 10%, and the maltings are more for show and
bragging rights than anything else. Only 1 distillery in Scotland,
Springbank, malts all of their own barley, and their annual production is
less than half that of Bowmore. The maltings at Bowmore are both beautiful
and functional, and operate throughout most of the year.
Bowmore’s current range is as follows:
1. Bowmore Legend – The range starts here, with this young but well
balanced dram. – $42.99
2. Bowmore 12Yr – This is the core expression from Islay’s oldest
operating distillery. – $51.47
3. Bowmore 15Yr Darkest – A combination of vanilla rich bourbon casks
and 2 years of finishing in Oloroso sherry creates one of the best peated
whiskies under $100. Spicy sweet sherry notes, soft creamy body and texture with a backbone of gentle salty peat. – $83.49
4. Bowmore 18Yr – The most chocolaty Bowmore in the core range, this 18
year old is elegant and smooth. – $105.49
5. Bowmore 25Yr – The 25 year old is the flagship bottling of Bowmore,
as Macallan 25Yr is to that distillery’s range. The smoke has mellowed
enormously with time, this whisky is nutty and rich with loads of fruit and
a hint of sweet. – $307.49
6. Bowmore Tempest 10Yr Cask Strength – The Tempest continues to
astound me, it has so much vanilla and tropical fruit that it reminds me of
the White Bowmore! This exceptional new whisky from Bowmore is rich, fruity, creamy and bold. Exclusive to the Kensington Wine Market in Canada, we are currently the only store in North America with stock of it (it won’t be released in the US until later next year)! The whisky was matured in
exclusively first fill American oak ex-Bourbon Barrels for 10 years in the
No. 1 vaults at Bowmore on Islay. The No. 1 vaults are a dunnage (earthen
floor) warehouse on the shore of Loch Indaal that is technically below sea
level, and prone to flooding. It is arguably the single best warehouse for
maturing whisky in the whole of Scotland. Nose: peaches and cream with a
thin backbone of salty smoke, becomes more fruity, apricots and tropical
fruit punch, followed by the softest vanillans; sweet, fruity, salty, fresh
and lively with a clean puff of smoke blowing over the top of the palate,
this is like few other Bowmore’s out there, with the peat and chocolate
notes playing second fiddle to the fruits and cream; Finish: long, sweet,
smooth and smoky with more fruity cream. – $81.99Exclusive to Kensington Wine Market in Canada! – $81.99
7. Bowmore 1992 16Yr Wine Cask Matured – Earthy, leathery, spicy, rich
and dark. This limited edition Bowmore, finished for 9 years in Bordeaux
wine casks isn’t for faint of heart, nor is it long for this world. – $98.49
8. Black Bowmore 1964 – This remains one of the top 5 whiskies I’ve
ever tasted, possibly my all time favourite. Astoundingly rich tropical
fruits, the thickest, roundest, heaviest body I have ever experienced and
layer upon layer of different nuances that just didn’t want to quit. I’ve
tasted it 8-10 times now and it has never disappointed! – $4099.99
9. White Bowmore 1964 – I first tried this whisky in the No. 1 vaults
at Bowmore distillery on Islay, possibly my single favourite place in the
whole of Scotland. The tour group I was leading and I were privileged to be
among the first people outside the distillery to sample the whisky. It was
truly astounding how similar this whisky was to the Black Bowmore-it had the same tropical fruits-even though this whisky was matured in Bourbon casks and the Black Bowmore in Oloroso Sherry. – $4388.99
10. Gold Bowmore 1964 – I haven’t tried it yet, but am eager to do so. 4
bottles came into Alberta, and Kensington Wine Market was privileged enough to sell them all. There are more still available at the distillery and there will within 3-4 months be a few more available in the province. John Hansel at Malt Advocate scored this whisky at 96pts, just below his highest ever score of 97 that he awarded to the Black. Apparently the same fruits can be found here too! Should any of the owners of this bottle decide to give
theirs a taste, I be eternally grateful to try it too! – $4389.99
11. Bowmore Trilogy – You can own the same Bowmore 1964 Trilogy that
recently sold at Christies Auctions for USD $21,600.00, including Black,
White and Gold bottlings for almost half as much while supplies last! –
$12,878.97
Gold Bowmore 1964 and the Bowmore 1964 Trilogy
“Bowmore, Islay, Scotland, 21st September 2009: First there was White, then Black and now the exquisite trilogy is complete with the release of the
exclusive Gold Bowmore – a 44-year-old single malt whisky from Bowmore’s
famous weather beaten distillery on the Scottish Island of Islay.
A highly collectible and multi-award winning whisky, with previous trilogies
selling at auction for as much as $18,000, Bowmore has long been coveted by whisky lovers worldwide and today sees the release of just 701 bottles of
this unique Gold Bowmore spirit, each lovingly hand-numbered and encased in a stunning Burr Elm box.
44 years of quiet maturation in the famous number one vaults, has allowed an exceptional and rare example of Bowmore single malt to develop – the oldest one ever to be released from the distillery. Gold Bowmore has been created from the same hand-crafted spirit as the first two in the trilogy with the individual taste of each influenced by the different casks they were matured in. Gold Bowmore is uniquely matured in three Bourbon casks and a single Oloroso cask then carefully married together to make a spirit richly gold in colour with a finish that is beautifully balanced yet incredibly complex.
The trilogy began in 2007 with Black Bowmore. Matured purely in Oloroso
casks, ebony in colour with aromas of exotic fruits, ginger and cinnamon,
there were just 827 bottles produced. This was followed last year by the
release of White Bowmore, matured in Bourbon casks, the colour of golden
syrup and scents of galia melon, mango and papaya and launched with just 732 bottles. All three spirits come from the same year – the first time a
Bowmore trilogy has been created this way.
Eddie McAffer, Distillery Manager at Bowmore commented: “I am so proud to see this last and very special part of the trilogy released. At Bowmore we
put everything we have into every single bottle but this Gold Bowmore is
something quite unique, embodying everything that is special about the
whisky and from a year when things at the Bowmore distillery really went
into a new era.”
The trilogy reflects Bowmore’s heritage of whisky created by people so
passionate that nothing stands in the way of perfection. The whiskies are
now some of the most collectable in the world and on release Black and Gold
impressed critics across the globe.
Gold Bowmore (42.4%) will be on sale from 23rd September at £3000 RRP.
The original trilogy
Whisky lovers will be familiar with the original Black Bowmore trilogy,
released in 1993, 1994 and 1995. These highly acclaimed limited editions are some of the most collectable in the world and in 2007 an original set sold for $18,000 at Christies – the highest amount ever reached for whisky at a world auction. The new Black, White and Gold trilogy are a reflection of
this original trio, taking the last of the spirit from this amazing
distillation.
Gold Bowmore is the final part of the trilogy which began back in 1964, and
has a fascinating history. This milestone year for Bowmore marked a new era in the crafting of the famous single malt. The distillery had newly
converted the original coal-fired pot sills to stills that run on steam
enabling far better control of the temperature. At the same time as the
first batch of distillate dropped from these new stills, 17 sherry butts
from Williams and Humbert arrived at the distillery. Unlike the traditional
bourbon casks, which impart a golden hue on their contents, the oak Oloroso casks, retain the sherry taste and colour, which results in a much darker, reddish amber whisky.”
The Above Is Courtesy of www.whiskyintelligence.com !
Kensington Wine Market is selling the Gold Bowmore 1964 for $4389.99 and is listing the complete Bowmore 1964 Trilogy for $12,878.97 + GST. This may sound like a lot, but the same trilogy of whiskies recently sold at
Christies Auctions in New York for USD $21,600.00. Whisky investors take
note!
Review of the Glenfarclas Tasting
Last Thursday’s Glenfarclas Family Cask Tasting with George Grant was a very memorable evening. George Grant is the 6th generation of Grants to own the distillery, his father John (5th Generation) is the current Chairman. A couple of years ago now the Grant’s decided they wanted to release a range of single cask whiskies from their distillery. They had a continuous line of vintage whiskies stretching all the way back to 1952, a more comprehensive range than any other distillery in Scotland. The original vision was to bottle 10 different vintages a year until they had assembled the range. But John and George got excited and the decision was made to launch the complete set all at once. George was tasked with selecting the casks and writing the tasting notes, a task which took him more than 3 months.
The Glenfarclas Family Casks represent the most comprehensive range of
whiskies from any single distillery in Scotland. The 43 vintages stretch
from 1952 through 1994 and retail for between a low of $220 and a high of
$3,000 per bottle. The whole range collectively is worth about $55,000 +
GST. Last fall the Kensington Wine Market conducted the first of what we
hope will be an annual tradition, a Family Cask Tasting. Under the guidance
of Brand Ambassador Robert Ransome we tasted our way through six of the
vintages. Last Thursday in the second Family Cask Tasting we sampled our way through a further 6 vintages under the guidance and George Grant.
Here are my notes on the whiskies:
1. Glenfarclas The Family Casks 1987 – Cask 1010 – Refill Sherry
Hogshead – Nose: nutty, burnt sugar, highland toffee, maple syrup musty and earthy; Palate: very rich, smooth and leathery; sweet tobacco leaf loads of spices and heather honey; Finish: more heather honey, spices and sweet soft fruits. – $362.99
2. Glenfarclas The Family Casks 1985 – Cask 2826 – Refill Sherry
Hogshead – Nose: fudgy, soft vanillans, apple and pear, fruit flan, and
curstard; Palate: very soft, sweet anise, vanilla extract, brown sugar and
nutty, spicy, dry oak; Finish: very nutty and candied almond with cinnamon
and nutmeg. – $388.99
3. Glenfarclas The Family Casks 1984 – Cask 6028 – Plain Hogshead –
Nose: minty and grassy, lemon drops, Granny Smith apples and floral notes;
almost no trace of sherry; Palate: must be a bourbon cask, soft sweet
vanilla notes, very delicate, spicy oak, almost smoky, honeyed fruits,
grassy and creamy; Finish: sweet-dry-bitter oak, with loads of fresh
vanilla. – $454.59
4. Glenfarclas The Family Casks 1978 – Cask 587 – Refill Hogshead –
Nose: Christmas cake, mulled fruits; loads of fruit in fact, soft and sweet
with some caramelized faintly burnt notes; Palate: creamy, spicy fruits and
drying oak; a touch of freshly mowed grass and heather too; Finish: soft,
sweet and spicy with heathery floral notes. – $519.99
5. Glenfarclas The Family Casks 1962 – Cask 2645 – Sherry Hogshead –
Nose: treacle sauce, like Sazerac 18Yr American Rye Whiskey, nutty, almond paste, mars bar, marzipan, Christmas cake; later there are figs, plums, cherries and soft anise; truly one of the best noses I have ever
experienced! Palate: this is a sherry bomb, superb, blows up in your mouth
with nutty, fresh brown sugar, burnt white sugar, crisp oak notes; walnuts
and Oloroso sherry notes; Black licorice and mom’s Christmas cake; Finish:
clean, black licorice, warm maple syrup, leather and tobacco. – $1240.99
6. Glenfarclas The Family Casks 1952 – Cask 444 – Sherry Butt – Nose:
shy at first, candied cherriesm moist tobacco; spicy and sweet, sour fruits,
and backwoods cigars, old leather sofa, clean smoke and some faint peat;
more leather, saddle leather, more tobacco leaf and dry Christmas cake. –
$2354.49
The 1962 was the highlight of the tasting until it was revealed that we
would be sampling one final bottling. Only 4 bottles of the 40th Anniversary
Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength came in to Canada. Kensington Wine Market sold three of them this fall, and the fourth bottle was poured by George Grant as a special treat for the assembled guests at our tasting.
7. Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength 40th Anniversary – 60% – 40YO – Sherry
Casks – Nose: very lovely, spicy sherry, licorice roots, and fresh moist
brown sugar; Palate: dark, spicy fruits, black licorice, some floral notes,
big candied fruits, Pedro Ximenez sherry, fruit compote, sweet smoke and new leather; Finish: spicy sherry oak, coffee bean and more black licorice.
Some Feedback on the Fall Single Malt Festival
We’ve had some great feedback on our Fall Single Malt Festival that I had to
share, some of the names have been changed to protect the innocent:
– “Great festival this year, the best in Calgary, almost over the top with
great whiskies unlike other festivals with underwhelming young whiskies.” –
Bad Beaver, Calgary
– “Hi Andrew, thanks for hosting at your festival, I enjoyed myself
immensely. I think one of the crackers of the night was the Dewar Rattray
26yo Miltonduff C#12502. I was also very pleased to find the two Arran and
the Tempest.” – Lawrence, Victoria
– “By the way, Malcolm, my friend Fred, and I REALLY enjoyed the tasting
last Thursday evening. There were some exceptional whiskeys to be enjoyed. We picked up a few bottles, heard some great stories and learned a lot about different whiskeys. We are all going again next year, and by word of mouth, I think we’ll be dragging a few more down with us. Outstanding event! Thanks for putting it on.” – Lawrie, Calgary
The event was a huge success. We had some excellent whiskies on offer many of which aren’t available in Alberta like Sazerac 18Yr (Jim Murray’s 2010 Whisky of the Year), Ardbeg Corryvreckan, Highland Park Hjartha and a Laphroaig from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Many of the agents stepped up to pouring premium whiskies like: Bowmore 25Yr, G&M Strathisla 40Yr, Bunnahabhain 25Yr and Bruichladdich Black Arts to name just a few. It was a great event, and wouldn’t have been such a success were it not for the agents and wine market staff who put it on. Thanks to everyone who participated and attended!
New Gem: Hazelburn 12Yr – $97.99
Hazelburn is a closed (1925) distillery in Cambeltown, whose name is kept
alive by the people at the Springbank distillery in Campbeltown who have
named their triple distilled whisky in its honour. Springbank is Scotland’s
oldest family owned distillery. The distillery has been in the hands of the
Wright / Mitchell family since its inception in 1828. The distillery is the
most traditional, most hands on distillery in Scotland. It is the only
distillery to malt 100% of their own barley in traditional floor maltings
and they also bottle their whisky on site. Consequently, Springbank
distillery, whose production is among the smallest in Scotland, directly
employs more people than nearly any other Scottish distiller.
Springbank has been producing Hazelburn since 1997, shortly after the return of their legendary distillery manager Frank McHardy. This 12 year old bottling has been released unchilfiltered, without colouring at 46% and is the product of mainly Sherry Butts. Only 3,900 bottles have been released, and it is already sold out in Europe. For a limited time only, $97.99.
Nose: big and fruity, raisins, fig bars, Christmas cake and rich firm
European oak notes; the palate is soft, sweet and gently spicy, cinnamon,
nutmeg, and bakery treats; Finish: soft, clean fruity and smooth.
Collector’s Pick for November – Glenmorangie Signet – $199.49
If you haven’t tried the Glenmorangie Signet yet, don’t delay, this whisky
won’t last long! This beautifully presented unique expression of
Glenmorangie is one of the most interesting new whiskies to enter the market this year. The Signet is a limited release Glenmorangie that is one of the most unique creations in the world of whisky. The base is created by making very low yield whisky from chocolate malts (barley so heavily cooked/burnt it tastes like dark chocolate), as well as whiskies from the 1970s, old sherry casked whiskies, new French oak casked whiskies and finally whisky made from barley grown on the Glenmorangie estate. This unusual whisky is stunning! Nose: meaty and heavy, chocolate and lots of it, espresso, very caramelized, dark sugars, and rich oils; Palate: chocolate covered coffee beans, anise, molasses and some dark dried fruits; Finish: chocolate almonds.
Collector’s Pick for December – OMC Probably Speyside’s Finest Distillery
43Yr – $287.49
There is nothing quite like a good old whisky. I often feel I need to
qualify old whiskies. Age is not a guarantor of quality. Simply leaving
something in an oak barrel for 40 or more years doesn’t mean you will end up with something good, pleasant or desirable. In fact more often than not the opposite of that is the likely outcome. As whiskies age, they absorb
flavours, textures and colour from the oak which also removes unwanted
characteristics from the spirit. The longer the whiskies age in the oak the
more dominant those flavours become, and eventually you reach a point where the oak overwhelms the whisky. It is crucial for the distillery or bottler to keep track of their maturing stocks to ensure a whisky isn’t maturing too quickly of too slowly.
The other difficulty with older whiskies is evaporation. On average each
cask will lose 2% of its volume per year to evaporation, a phenomenon known as the Angel’s Share. Some lose more, some lose less but on average a twenty year old cask will lose close to 40% of its original volume, and a 40 year old cask could have lost as much as 80%. There is the risk in such a case that the strength will fall below 40% in which case it is no longer whisky. Imagine discovering a 40 year old cask in your warehouse only to find its strength had been sapped to but 38%! Add to this the fact that most
distilleries never considered that there would be a market for such old
whiskies. Accordingly few distillers have many casks of whisky older than 40 years of age. Those few distillery edition 40 year olds we see are seldom
less than $1500 a bottle, and a more often considerably more expensive.
That’s what makes this whisky such a great buy. It’s a rich and tasty dram
with subtle layers and complexity to spare. Its reached its mature age of 43
years without being dominate by the oak, without losing its strength-it was
bottled at 50%–and you can own one not for $3000.00, not for $1500.00, but for $287.49 + GST!
You’re probably thinking to yourself now, “that’s all well and fine, but
what distillery does it come from?” I’m glad you asked, it’s from
Glenfarclas, a family owned distillery, and one of the few distilleries in
Scotland which thought to mature stocks into great age. The bottlers,
Douglas Laing aren’t allowed to refer to the distillery by its name, so in a
tip of their hat they refer to it as “Probably Speyside’s Finest
Distillery!” I only have about 24 bottles, my tasting note can be found
below:
Nose: pleasantly woody, like a Christmas tree lot on a sunny warm December afternoon, burnt orange, dark spices, fresh cut cedar, damp tobacco and a hint of light peat; Palate: sweeter than I expected with soft woody oils, chocolate and tobacco notes, and big lush fruits; there is complexity and layers to spare; Finish: sweet and drying, some new leather and clean cigar smoke.
New Whiskies
1. Tullibardine 1993 KWM PX Sherry Cask 15081 – We only have 96
bottles of this spectacular dram and it won’t last, about 40 have already
sold and I’ve barely told anyone it’s here. A beautiful dram, smartly
presented and at a bargain price… See above for more details. – $119.99
2. Bowmore Tempest 10Yr – This cask strength Bowmore-see above for
more details-was matured in only first fill bourbon casks from the
distillery’s legendary No. 1 vaults which are slightly below sea level. This
whisky has lovely vanilla notes, tropical fruits and the kind of salt and
peat you get with only the finest expressions of Bowmore. Exclusive to
Kensington Wine Market in Canada! – $81.99
3. The Big Peat Blended Islay Malt – This dram is a marriage of
Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila and the legendary Port Ellen-see above for more
details-and it is a peat monster. Very limited. Semi-exclusive to Kensington
Wine Market. – $79.99
4. Benromach Organic Special Edition – This lightly peated version of
the Benromach Organic is a lovely whisky, sweet, with charred oak, soft
fruits and a light touch of peat smoke. Exclusive to Kensington Wine Market.
– $84.99
5. Benromach 10Yr – Gordon & MacPhail has been making whisky at
Benromach for 10 years now. This bottling is 80% Bourbon casked, 20% Sherry Casked and then finished in Sherry for a full year. Nose: light and sweet, apples, licorice nibs and smooth vanilla; Palate: soft round and
astoundingly sweet and complex, this whisky has very gentle touch with
traces of barley and a trace of light buttery peat; Finish: long, drying and
still sweet with a trace of cigar smoke. – $68.99
6. Arran Peacock – This limited edition Arran is from a limited run of
6000 bottles produced from hand selected bourbon and sherry casks. It is the first in the new series “Icons of Arran”! – $76.49
7. OMC Probably Speyside’s Finest Distillery 43Yr – It’s rare that you
find a dram as old as this for less than a couple thousand dollars, let
alone for less than $300 a bottle! The bottler, Douglas Laing can’t tell you
this whisky’s from Glenfarclas, but I am under no such restrictions. Nose:
pleasantly woody, like a Chirstmas tree lot on a sunny warm December
afternoon, burnt orange, dark spices, fresh cut cedar, damp tobacco and a
hint of light peat; Palate: sweeter than I expected with soft woody oils,
chocolate and tobacco notes, and big lush fruits; there is complexity and
layers to spare; Finish: sweet and drying, some new leather and clean cigar
smoke. – $287.49
8. Hazelburn 12Yr – Triple distilled whisky from Springbank distillery
in Campbeltown bottled at 46% without colouring or chill filtering. This
limited edition bottling has seen its share of sherry cask, the colour is
russet and the nose and palate are loaded with dark fruits and tannins. This
one’s a gem! – $97.99
Coming Soon
1. Springbank 1996 KWM Oloroso Sherry Cask – Our second cask from
Springbank distillery was filled the exact same day as our exceptional
Manzanilla cask which we sold through this year. This Oloroso cask is just
as complex as the Manzanilla, just a little softer! – $TBA
2. BenRiach 1994 KWM Madeira Cask 4810 – This whisky was a huge hit at
our Fall Single Malt Festival and the BenRiach Cask Release Party. More than 30 bottles have been presold of this individually numbered release. Only 250 total bottles available! – $TBA
3. KWM Jack Daniels Single Barrel – We’ve followed up our two bourbons
with an exceptional cask of Tennessee Whiskey. If you’re lucky you just
might find a bottle in your stocking! – $TBA
4. Glenglassaugh 21Yr – The bottle doesn’t look like whisky, more like
perfume, but the contents are unmistakably single malt, from an almost lost
distillery. – $TBA
5. Glenglassaugh 30Yr – Whisky wasn’t made at Glenglassaugh for 22
years between 1986 and 2008, so its current range is old, very old and rare.
This 30 year is very fruity and bottled in an elegant decanter. – $TBA
6. Glenglassaugh 40Yr – Very limited, this whisky is rich and massively
full of flavour. It is beautifully presented in a rosewood box with a cut
crystal decanter and two glasses. – $TBA
7. English Whisky Co. Not Yet Whisky – From St. George’s Distillery, in
England! – $TBA
8. English Whisky Co. Not Yet Whisky Peated – A peated English single
malt whisky! – $TBA
9. Amrut Fusion – #3 Whisky in the world as per Jim Murray. We are
taking special orders as this will not last long! – $TBA
Our Winter Whisky Tasting Schedule
Scots Wha Hae! $99
Caledonian’s Unite! It is time to celebrate all things Scottish! Bowmore is
the feature distillery for our 5th annual Robert Burns Supper, and Jamie
McKenzie the special guest. We’ll have bagpipes, poetry, haggis with neeps
and tatties, and seven amazing single malts from Islay’s oldest distillery.
No previous whisky experience required. Location: Fort Calgary. Mon Jan
25
The Lowland Distilleries $60
To triple distill or not to triple distill? Scotland’s least understood
whisky region is one of its most interesting. Thr Feb 11
Whisky Appreciation Level II –
The world of single malt Scotch whisky is a little like Alice and the Rabbit Hole, you’re never sure just how deep it will go. Hot on the heels of Level I this class will examine a number of facets of malt whisky in greater depth. Lecture I, American Oak, and Lecture II, European Oak will focus in depth on these cask types and how they influence whiskies. Lecture III, Finishing, will look at how whiskies can be influenced/enhanced by maturing for short periods in secondary casks. Lecture IV, will tackle one of the least understood aspects of Scotch whisky, The Influence of Peat. While older whiskies are highly prized, age is not a guarantee of quality, so Lecture V will tackle, The Influence of Time. Finally, the course will conclude with a fun Blind Taste Test. The course fee includes: all course materials, sampling of 6 whiskies per each of 6 classes, a map of Scottish distilleries, a whisky book and a set of 6 Glencairn single malt glasses. Wed Jan 13 20 27 Feb 3 10 17 $500.
The Brora Tasting $125
Brora is next to Port Ellen and Rosebank: Scotland’s most mourned
distillery. You’ll sample a flight of six different bottlings. Tue Feb 23
Campbelton Whiskies $60
Scotland’s smallest whisky region has much to offer: Springbank, Hazelburn,
Longrow, Kilkerran and Glen Scotia! You’ll tour the town, taste its whiskies
and hear tell of its rise, fall and rebirth! Thr Mar 11
Diageo New Releases Dinner
$150
With new whiskies from Port Ellen, Brora, Talisker and others it’s time to
eat! Seven whiskies and a great meal at Buchanan’s Chop House! Thr Mar 25
———————
If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store. Feel free to forward me any whisky news you feel should be included in a future issue of The Malt Messenger; it might just get included.
All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com.. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change!
Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger!
Slainte!
Andrew Ferguson
KWM Scotchguy
403-283-8000
888-283-9004
1257 Kensington Rd. NW
Calgary, AB, Canada
T2N 3P8
scotchguy@kensingtonwinemarket.com
