Malt Messenger No. 36
Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,
It’s the New Year, and far from restive the store and the scotch industry are buzzing with activity. Our latest Springbank cask hit the floor just before Christmas and has been a huge success ever since. We’ve sold through nearly 1/6th of the cask. The Bowmore Tempest has been flying too. This cask strength Bowmore, which is exclusive to the Kensington Wine Market, was a massive hit in November and December; we sold through close to 300 bottles of it. There are some new releases on the way, like Glendronach 15Yr and 18Yr as well as the Auchentoshan 1978 (see below). Further the Glenmorangie Signet and Quarter Century bottlings will also within a week return into stock. Finally, but most importantly, the wait is almost over… our eagerly anticipated and exceptional 1994 BenRiach Madeira finished cask is also expected to arrive in the next couple of weeks.
In the mean time the Burns Supper (our 5th annual) is less than a week away, and if you haven’t already committed, you’ve only two days remaining in which to buy tickets. We have to give Fort Calgary our numbers first thing Friday morning. At present only 20 or so tickets remain available for what promises to be another great event. More details below.
I am also in the early stages of planning some May tours to the motherland of whisky. As many of you are aware I take small groups of no more than 7 or 8 participants on weeklong premium distillery tours in Scotland. These tours take you to Scotland’s finest distilleries, whisky shops and other attractions. With my industry connections I am able to get the participants the sort of distillery tour experiences not available to the general public or larger coach tours. I have to date conducted 5 such tours, and look to do at least 2 more in May. At the moment I have some keen interest in a tour of the Orkney Islands and Northern Highlands, and will also do a tour of either the Speyside or Islay and the West Coast depending on interest. Please send me an e-mail if you would like some more information on the tours. I will have more specific details in the next Malt Messenger.
Finally, this Friday, Saturday and Sunday Kensington Wine Market is having its yearend inventory clearance, the Super Sale. There will be incredible deals on wine and of course single malts. All single malts will be at least 5% off with others marked down, 7%, 10%, 15% and as much as 20%. For more details on the sale, see below.
I hope you enjoy this issue of the Malt Messenger.
Slainte!
Andrew Ferguson
In This Issue
1. Only Two Days Left To Buy Tickets to the Robbie Burns Supper
2. Springbank 1996 KWM Oloroso Sherry Cask
3. Auchentoshan 1978
4. KWM’s Annual Super Sale
5. New Products
6. Returned Whiskies
Only Two Days Left To Buy Tickets to the Robbie Burns Supper – Monday January 25th – $99
There are still about 20 tickets left for our 5th Annual Kensington Wine Market Burns Supper, and the deadline to purchase them in buying near. We will have to cut off registration for the event at 5PM on Thursday January 21st. In case you missed them last week, here are the event’s details:
Scots Wha Hae!”, Kensinton Wine Market’s 5th Annual Burns Supper will be taking place Monday January 25th (Burns Day Proper) at Fort Calgary 750 9th Avenue SE, at 7PM. Tickets are $99 and include full dinner, entertainment and a tasting of six whiskies including the following six expressions of Bowmore: 12YR, 15Yr Darkest, 18Yr, 25Yr, 1992 16Yr Wine Cask Matured and the new 10Yr Tempest Cask Strength (which is exclusive to the Kensington Wine Market).
It’s the most fun you can have with your Sporran on!
Springbank 1996 KWM Oloroso Cask – $109.99
Springbank is Scotland’s oldest family owned distillery, having been in the possession of the Wright/Mitchell family since its inception in 1828. It is also Scotland’s most traditional distillery, and accordingly, probably it’s finest. It is the only distillery in Scotland to malt 100% of its barley and is one of a very few that bottles its whisky on site. This gives the distiller more control over quality than any other in the country, and also means that it employs more people. Even though Springbank’s production is relatively small, it employs 10 times as many people as most distilleries 4 to 5 times its size.
Springbank is located in the Victorian town of Campbeltown near the mull of the Kintyre peninsula. At one point, in the late 19th and early 20th C, the town of Campbeltown was the heart of the Scottish whisky industry, supplying whisky to the burgeoning American and world market. Its bountiful distilleries (32) were only outnumbered by its churches. Distilleries wary of the temperance movement kept empty churches open to keep the movement at bay. In the late 1800’s the town was one of the most prosperous centers in the UK with the highest average income. Unfortunately, prohibition, two world wars, the Great Deppresion and a move towards quantity over quality killed the Golden Goose. Today there are only 3 distilleries in Campbeltown: Springbank, Glen Scotia and Glengyle. But traces of Campbeltown’s greatness can still be seen, the town is full of converted churches, the stone mansions built by the whisky barons and the walls of the distillery warehouses.
The Springbank 1996 KWMO Oloroso cask is our second from the distillery, matured in a single Oloroso sherry butt. It was selected from a sample of 6 casks by the customers of the Kensington Wine Market. What’s so interesting about this whisky is that it was filled the very same day in 1996 as our previous Manzanilla sherry cask. If you liked our last bottling of Springbank you will love this one too! It isn’t quite as rich as the first one, it is softer and smoother but it is every bit as complex. Our cask was bottled at a cask strength of 55.8% and there are 642 bottles available.
My Tasting Note:
Nose: sweet and malty, rich, dark fruits like figs and raisins; traces of smoke and brittle sea salt; woody sherry oak, freshly cracked walnuts, and treacle sauce; Palate: sweet, spicy and invigorating; it has some grip but is softer and less nutty than the Manzanilla cask; cinnamon and clove, date squares and chocolate covered raisins; salt water taffy; Finish: long, drying and oak, some traces of sweet dark fruit and clean smoke.
The new Springbank hit the shelves 4 days before Christmas and has been a huge success. In the last 3 weeks we’ve sold 100 bottle, almost 1/6 of the cask! Feel free to drop by the store for a taste…
Auchentoshan 1978 – 30 Year Old Limited Edition – $543.99
Auchentoshan distillery produces the only full time triple distilled whisky in Scotland. The distillery, often refered to as Glasgow’s distillery, is located at the foot of the Kilpatrick hills on the outskirts of Glasgow. This 1978 vintage release of Auchentoshan is a 30 year old whisky matured in Bourbon Casks that has been bottled at cask strength of 53.5%. Only 480 bottles have been produced with a unique pewter label.
Distillery Tasting Note:
“Colour: Summer barley. Nose: All butter shortbread, brazil nuts with a hint of tangerine zest. Then comes the cooling eucalyptus fresh bracken and tobacco leaf. Taste: The palate is filled with malty, buttery notes at first which are complimented by the fresh zing of citrus and the Auchentoshan mint and tobacco leaf on the rear of the palate.”
A limited number of bottles of Auchentoshan 1978 are currently available for $543.99
KWM’s Annual Super Sale
Every year we hold a yearend inventory clearance sale, the “Super Sale”. I won’t be here for it this year; I will be in Victoria at the Victoria Whisky Festival. However there will still be some great deals on single malts, all of which will be at least 5% off with many at 7% and 10% off a select few for !5% and 20%. The sale is on only in stock items, no orders will be taken over the phone. Purchases can be made on our website www.kensingtonwinemarket.com and in store. Here is a list of some of the items on sale. The regular price of the items is that shown.
Save 20%
1. G&M KWM Glen Grant 1966 – $499.99
Save 15%
1. Glenfiddich 50Yr 50ml – $1390.99
2. Bruichladdich Legacy V – $410.49
3. Bruichladdich Legacy VI – $397.49
4. Brechin 28Yr – $293.99
Save 10%
1. Jack Daniel’s KWM Single Barrel – $49.99
2. Cadenhead Laphroaig Cask Demerara Rum – $83.99
3. Cadenhead Panama Green Label 8Yr – $73.49
4. Balblair 1979 – $234.49
5. BenRiach Arumaticus Fumosus 12Yr – $71.99
6. BenRiach Heredotus Fumosus 12Yr – $71.99
7. BenRiach Importanticus Fumosus 12Yr – $71.99
8. Benromach Latitude 53 Second Release – $128.99
9. Benromach Organic Special Edition – $84.99
10. Big Peat – $79.99
11. Bowmore Tempest 10Yr Cask Strength – $81.99
12. Ledaig 10Yr – $73.99
13. Oban 14Yr – $99.99
14. Oban Distillers Edition – $143.49
15. OMC KWM Port Ellen 25Yr – $249.99
16. Springbank 1996 KMW Oloroso Cask – $109.99
17. The Ballechin (Peated Edradour) – $105.99
18. The Spirit of Don Manuel Reposado Tequila – $76.99
19. Johnnie Walker Swing – $46.99
Save 7%
1. Basil Hayden 8Yr – $57.72
2. Bulleit Bourbon Frontier Whiskey – $36.49
3. Pappy Van Winkle 23Yr – $324.99
4. El Dorado Single Barrel EHP – $94.99
5. El Dorado Single Barrel ICBU – $94.99
6. El Dorado Single Barrel PM – $94.99
7. Amrut Fusion – $75.99
8. Arran 100 Proof – $53.99
9. Auchentoshan 21Yr – $126.49
10. Bruichladdich Octomore – $152.49
11. Bunnahabhain 12Yr – 71.49
12. Dewar Rattray Ben Nevis 11Yr – $93.49
13. Dewar Rattray Royal Lochnagar 10Yr – $99.99
14. Dewar Rattray Strathmill 31Yr – $211.99
15. Glenfiddich 12Yr – $44.49
16. Glenlivet 12Yr – $47.99
17. Glenmorangie Lasanta – $67.99
18. Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban – $70.49
19. Isle of Jura 10Yr – $42.99
20. Lagavulin 12Yr – $97.99
21. Lagavulin 16Yr – $143.49
22. Suntory Yamazaki 12Yr – $55.49
23. Tullibardine 1993 – $59.99
24. Johnnie Walker Gold Label – $91.49
ALL OTHER SINGLE MALTS 5% OFF!!!!
New Products
1. Springbank 1996 KWM Oloroso Cask – Our second cask of Springbank, filled the same day in 1996 as our previous Manzanilla cask and bottled after almost a further year of maturation. This Oloroso sherry cask was bottled at 55.8% and is a little softer than the previous cask. Really spicy and sweet, candied fruits, drying oak and some salty smoke. – $109.99
2. Duthies Clynelish 14Yr – Easily my favourite of the 6 new Duthies bottlings. A perfect balance of sherry, dried fruits, chocolate orange and marmalade. Very smooth with a dry finish. – $91.99
3. Duthies Laphroaig 11Yr – This Laphroaig is non-chillfiltered, has no added colouring and has been bottled at 46%. Oily rich, peat smoke, dry burning embers. A lingering dry smokey finish. – $98.99
4. Springbank 2001 Small Casks – This vintage Springbank may only be 8 years of age, but it has plenty of character to spare. Matured in small casks this whisky is rich and creamy, with honey, vanilla and butterscotch. – $85.99
5. Macallan Fine Oak 25Yr – Matured in a mix of Ex-Sherry European and American oak casks as well as ex-Bourbon casks. Coconut, vanilla, lemon, sultanas and peat. – $TBA
6. Amrut Fusion – Jim Murray’s 2010 No.3 Whisky of the Year! I have been a little slower than most to warm to the delights of Amrut distillery. I was previously a big fan of their Cask Strength bottling, but there is no doubt that the new Fusion is a terrific whisky, and among last year’s best new releases. – $75.99
7. Dewar Rattray Clynelish 1996 – This whisky is from a single Refill Sherry cask, it produced 577 bottles at 59.7%. Light summer fruits, melon and strawberry jam. – $113.49
8. Dewar Rattray Ben Nevis 11Yr – This whisky is from a single Refill Sherry Butt from which 430 bottles were filled at a cask strength of 56.8%. Cinnamon, cloves, honey and oats. – $93.49
9. Dewar Rattray Arran 1996 – This whisky is from a single Puncheon and yielded 656 bottles at a cask strength of 55.7%. Sweet, spiced malt, mocha and a hint of malt. – $106.49
Returned Whiskies
1. Glenmorangie Quarter Century – One of the nicest, most subtle and complex 25 year olds you will ever have the opportunity to sample. Beautifully packaged in an elegant bottle and flashy presentation case this whisky would look great on any bar, where it wouldn’t last long! – $402.99
2. Glenmorangie Signet – One of the most exceptional and unusual new releases last year. Made from chocolate malts and old sherried whiskies this dram is like no other. If you haven’t tried it, you’ve no idea what your missing! – $199.49
3. Macallan Fine Oak 30Yr – Matured in European and American oak casks this whisky is a softer more refined Macallan, with big oak notes, sweet honeycomb, and burnt fudge. 91pts Jim Murray – $896.99
4. The Big Peat – This Blended Malt is made up of four Islay whiskies: Bowmore, Ardbeg, Caol Ila and Port Ellen. If ever there were a true peat monster from Islay, this is it! – $79.99
5. Cadenhead Classic Islay – A whisky so like Laphroaig 10Yr it begs the question, what distillery or distilleries is it from? Cadenhead isn’t telling, all we know is that its 50%, and a damn good dram! – $76.99
6. Springbank 11Yr Madeira Wood – This limited edition Springbank was matured 11 years in Madeira casks and bottled at cask strength before Whisky Magazine gave it a Gold Medal and their top recommendation. The first delivery sold out in weeks! – $87.99
———————
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
