Bowmore sell rare Feis Ile Limited Editions Online

Thursday 8th April 2010

Bowmore today released the last remaining batch of its 2008 and 2009 Bowmore Feis Ile Limited Edition bottlings to its webshop at www.singlemaltwhiskyshop.com.

These last few remaining bottles are today available for the first time in the general market, outside the distillery. Bowmore fans worldwide will now have the chance to own these very collectable bottles; each bottle packaged in a black display pouch, individually numbered and signed by the distillery manager.

Both the 2008 and 2009 Feis Ile Limited Editions were released in celebration of the Feis Ile Malt and Music Festival that takes place every year on Bowmoreʼs home island of Islay.

Bowmore Feis Ile 2008
http://www.singlemaltwhiskyshop.com/store/bowmore/limited-editions/bowmore-feisile-2008.aspx

Tasting Notes:
Bright sunset orange, Bowmore smokiness supplemented with fresh cranberries, sweet smoke balanced with the tang of freshly picked summer fruits and a hint of bitter chocolate.

Bowmore Feis Ile 2009
http://www.singlemaltwhiskyshop.com/store/bowmore/limited-editions/bowmore-feisile-2009.aspx
 
Tasting Notes:
Nose peat smoke and vanilla with a trace of dark cherries and dates. On the palate peat smoke balanced with light vanilla and sticky dates with a long and rich and complex finnish.

Notes to the Editor
• Bowmore is the first Islay malt distillery, established in 1779.
• Islayʼs famous Feis Ile has been running for the last 25 years.
• The Bowmore domestic range:-
 Bowmore Legend
 Bowmore 12 years old
 Bowmore Darkest 15 years old (sherry cask finished)
 Bowmore 18 years old
 Bowmore 25 years old

NEW Glenfiddich 30yo

Matured in oak casks for at least 30 years, it has been nosed and tasted
at least five times over this period by David Stewart (Malt Master when it
was laid down) & Brian Kinsman the Glenfiddich Malt Master appointed in
November 2009.

For the first time Glenfiddich 30yo will bear an individual bottle number
and batch number.

The bottle comes in a thick based bottle, sealed with a wax security tag &
embossed with a brass coloured badge.

The oak box is decorated with brass corners inspired by detailing found
on the spirit safe at the distillery; the filigree pattern is inspired by historic
packaging and the box is lined with rich red material to protect and
showcase the bottle.

Each box contains a plinth for in-home display and a book with the story
of Glenfiddich and the 30 year old.

Nose
_Finely balanced nose, with substantial oakiness matched by fruit
and luscious sherry notes
Taste
_Complex and seductively woody, emphasised by a floral
sweetness
Finish
_Exceedingly long, honeyed and warm

Suggested Retail Price £225.00 LFW Price £219.00

Glengoyne Tasting Monday 26th April

This month we have a truly excellent opportunity to be part of TWE history. We have a great evening lined up with Robbie Hughes, Distillery Manager from the Glengoyne Distillery. For those of you who have not encountered this distillery before, it lies about 10 miles north of Glasgow, right on the border between the Lowlands and the Highlands. The general style is medium-bodied, clean and slightly fruity malt with absolutely no peat involved.

 We say this is a chance to be part of TWE history since we’ll be working with the distillery to bottle a single cask expression of Glengoyne from one of three samples that Robbie will kindly be bringing along. The sample that is voted popular on the evening will be chosen for this bottling. Everyone who attends will be able to make their own tasting notes for these samples, and the best notes from the evening will be chosen to go with the official release along with your name. Imagine that! As an extra treat, everybody at this event will be entitled to a 10% discount on this special bottle once it is released  (1 bottle per person unfortunately).

Visit the Glengoyne at  www.glengoyne.com

The whiskies we will be sampling on the evening include:

– The Glengoyne ‘core’ range
– Glengoyne 1989 ‘Robbie’s Choice’
– Plus three different cask samples.
 
Tickets for this fabulous evening will go on sale on Monday 12th April at the usual time of 3pm.

They are £25 each and are limited to 2 tickets per booking. http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/

WHISKEY ROADSHOW

Saturday, April 10, 1:00-4:00pm

If you have a passion for scotch, bourbon, cognac, tequila and other specialty spirits, Binny’s “Whiskey Hotline” should be on your speed dial. It’s headed up by Brett Pontoni — our resident expert and Duke of Distilled Spirits. Brett’s job is to talk whiskey, sample whiskey, buy whiskey, write about whiskey, and hand select exclusive barrels of whiskey. Winner of countless industry awards, Brett and his world famous Whiskey Hotline are hitting the road. Meet Brett Pontoni during one of his upcoming store appearances. He’ll be pouring his personal favorites during a special series of open house tastings.

Call 630-717-0100 or email naperville@binnys.com for reservations.

Naperville 790 Royal St. George | Naperville | 630-717-0100

London Whisky Lounge Festival 2010
Saturday and Sunday May 15th & 16th
The Royal Horticultural Halls
Vincent Square, London SW1
£20 per session

The Whisky Lounge lands in the capital!
After successful shows in York, Manchester, Newcastle and Brighton, The Whisky Lounge is now targeting the city of London with a whisky festival that aims to spread the love and bring whisky back to the people! With a solid gathering of some of the finest distillers on the planet, our London festival should be a fantastic value experience for all whisky-lovers, and even for those new to the uisgea beatha! With events galore such as masterclasses, charity auctions, blind tasting competitions and more, there really is something for everyone.

What you get for your £20…

1. Choice of Saturday early or late sessions or Sunday session, each of which is 4 hours.
2. Free Whisky Tasting Glass for you to use and keep
3. Festival Guide
4. No vouchers. There is no further cost once you are inside the event, aside from masterclasses.
5. No additional booking fee. What you see is what you pay.

All in all lots of very good reasons to visit us! Come and join the movement to keep Whisky real!

Our current role-call of exhibitors and masterclasses can be viewed at www.thewhiskylounge.com/events.aspx

We look forward to seeing you there.

Slainte!
Eddie’

Balvenie 17yo (43%, Sherry Oak, +/-2009)

Seventeen years maturation exclusively in Oloroso sherry casks. And it shows. A pleasing dark color (yes, yes, we all know color isn’t a determination of quality but color is relevant since everybody talks about it, no?) The nose is very sherried and spicy, dried fruit (plums, cherries, raisins) and a big tin of really good Christmas cake. The wood spice and the sherry play off each other delightfully. Who cares if the distillery character is buried beneath the sherry; once in a while it’s fun to go out side the boundaries. The taste is not overly strong but is most definitely sherried and nice again the oak spice notes are there in person wrestling with the sherry. Some really good heftiness in the form of brown sugar muscles in at one point but the sherry and the oak spice are the winners here. A tinge of unlit cured tobacco makes a brief appearance and the very end of the palate some strawberry jam. The finish is mild at first but after a short while the spice, now more dry, takes over however it does not dominate the sherry which has a slightly flinty earthy quality followed by a hint of diesel. The finish is quite long and very good.

Jump up and down and shakes your arms in the air, this is really good. As always whiskies like this are limited editions.

£85

Score 89 points

http://www.thebalvenie.com/

Ralfy emailed and reported “Just to let you know that Episodes #123 Redbreast 12yo and #124 Greenspot are looming over the malty horizon.”

Subsequently episode #123 Redbreat 12yo has been published and Episode #124 Greenpsot is merely a threat at this time.

Visit Ralfy at www.ralfy.com

Scotch Tastings Around Scotland
Exclusive Event Held At Morton’s The Steakhouse In Schaumburg

WhiskeyFest is the biggest whiskey event of the year. Enthusiasts unite and have the opportunity to sample more than 200 rare and exclusive whiskeys from all over the world. Morton’s The Steakhouse in Schaumburg is amping up for the event by offering a one-of-a-kind scotch tasting with various scotches from around Scotland. The event will take place on Tuesday, April 20th (WhiskeyFest officially starts on the 23rd). Senior Master of Whisky, Mr. Martin Duffy from Diageo will be leading guests on an adventure of the palette complete with whiskey and food pairings.

The menu includes:

Reception
Singleton
Served with tuna tartare

Dalwhinnie, Highlands
Served with marinated baby lamb chop

Lagavulin, Islay
Served with smoked salmon & broiled scallop

Cragganmore, Speyside
Served with Morton’s Legendary Hot Chocolate Cake

Glenkinchie, Lowlands
Served with gouda and a granny smith apple with a honey drizzle

Oban, West Highlands
Served with oriental sirloin rolls

Talisker, Isle of Skey (distilled edition) Served with oysters

When: Tuesday, April 20th
 6:30pm

Morton’s The Steakhouse in Schaumburg:
 1470 McConnor Parkway
 Schaumburg, IL

Price: $66.00 per person
 Inclusive of tax & gratuity 

RSVP: Sonia Hagopian
 847.413.8771
 Sonia_hagopian@mortons.com
About Morton’s: Morton’s Restaurant Group, Inc. is the world’s largest operator of company owned upscale steakhouses. Morton’s steakhouses have remained true to its founders’ original vision of combining generous portions of high quality food prepared to exacting standards with exceptional service in an enjoyable dining environment. The Company owns and operates 76 Morton’s steakhouses located in 64 cities in 27 states, and in Puerto Rico and five international locations (Toronto, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau, and Mexico City), as well as Trevi, our Las Vegas Italian restaurant.

Spirit of Toronto Masterclasses, Take 2!

As many of you found out the hard way, seat reservations for this year’s Spirit of Toronto 2010 Masterclass Series sold out after just 2 days.

Given the unprecedented demand for these tutored tastings, extra seats have now been added for the following sessions (which are already filling up fast):

5:30pm The Art of Grain Whisky
5:30pm Highland Park
7:00pm Islay’s Gentle Giants
8:30pm Yamazaki: The Art of Japanese Whisky
8:30pm Remy Martin: The Heart of Cognac
8:30pm The Macallan

If you’ve already purchased tickets to the show and would like to add a masterclass reservation to your order, please contact Roy Thomson Hall’s box office directly at 416-872-4255. Those of you who have yet to buy your ticket can do so by telephone or online at the link below:

http://www.roythomsonhall.com/eventdetail?eventId=441

Gordon Homer of the Spirit if Islay blog is celebrating, along with the entire blogosphere, the 10th Anniversary of the founding of his excellent blog today.

April 6th 2000 ~ April 6th 2010

Visit Gordon and the Spirit of Islay at http://www.spiritofislay.net/

Well done Gordon!