Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,

There are still some seats left for this Thursday’s Speyside single malt tasting, Whisky Traveller Speyside. It’s a virtual tour of the Speyside region, its distilleries and other notable sights.   

Whisky Traveler Speyside – Thursday April 22nd – $65

The whisky traveler tastings are a new addition to our spring whisky program here at the store. It is a series of regionally specific tastings that highlight some of the best whiskies in a specific region of Scotland while taking a virtual tour complete with maps, photos and maybe the odd video. It will be the next best thing to visiting the country yourself!

The first in the series is the above mentioned Whisky Traveller Speyside. The Speyside is Scotland’s most represented whisky region, with nearly half of the country’s more than 100 distillery’s calling it home. We’ll investigate why that is, get a lay for the land and sample some incredible drams. I haven’t finalized the list just yet, but some of the whiskies we will sample may include the following 5 and at least one other as yet unchosen whiskies:

Duthies Cragganmore 15Yr
BenRiach 1996 KWM Madeira Cask
Balvenie 17Yr Sherry Oak
Macallan 18Yr
OMC Probably Speyside’s Finest Distillery 41Yr
G&M Glen Grant 1966 41Yr

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson
KWM Scotchguy

403-283-8000
888-283-9004
1257 Kensington Rd. NW
Calgary, AB, Canada
T2N 3P8

scotchguy@kensingtonwinemarket.com

EXCLUSIVE RELEASE OF BENRIACH

Due to be released at the beginning of May is a unique single cask bottling of BenRiach that is the brainchild of Major Matt Wilkinson of the King’s Royal Hussars.  Given his love of single malts it was only natural that Matt’s thoughts should turn to sourcing a suitable cask that could be bottled for his regiment, and this bottling of Cask 5608 from BenRiach Distillery was duly selected after extensive tasting of samples by Matt and some colleagues (it’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it…)

The whisky that they finally settled on is an unpeated 14 year old with a Pedro Ximenez finish.  It is described by Matt as ‘an absolutely delicious whisky and one that tastes considerably older than its 14 years ……quite outstanding, it really is fantastic!’.

The official tasting notes from the bottle read as follows:

‘Sweet oak and heather honey create a beautifully crafted whisky that
develops well. Soft white summer fruits of peaches, pears and apricots
mould well with rich dessert sherry and butterscotch.  A soft yet
vibrant BenRiach.  Incredibly sweet and well-defined.’

Only 270 bottles of this totally unique bottling, with a stunning image of The King’s Royal Hussars Regimental Capbadge on the label, will be released – most of which will be sold privately.  However, an allocation has been made available for the general public and we are really thrilled that Arkwrights have been granted exclusive rights to sell this fabulous whisky via both our shop in Wiltshire and online at www.whiskyandwines.com. 

Retailing at just £49.99 (£5 of which will be donated to the Help for Heroes charity) this is a whisky that will appeal to both whisky lovers and collectors alike.  For further information, and to pre-order click here

Slainte!
Fran and Ken
Arkwrights Whisky and Wines
www.whiskyandwines.com

Toronto’s 6th Annual Whisky Gala | Saturday, April 24 | Roy Thomson Hall

New products to sample including Hibiki 12 Year Old, The Glenrothes Alba Reserve, Scapa 16 Year Old, Smokehead Extra Black, The Black Grouse, a revamped Glendronach 12 Year Old and new independent bottlings by Gordon & MacPhail

Glenfiddich North of 50: the Glenfiddich table will be offering Spirit of Toronto guests the chance to win an all expense paid trip for two to Banff for the launch and tasting of the Glenfiddich 50 Year Old

Blender’s Malt Whisky Glasses: these will be for sale at the show, $10 apiece or a box of 6 glasses for $50 (cash sales only)

More than three dozen whisky related titles at the Meluki Books table (cash and credit card sales)

The Spirit of Toronto Whisky Hamper: complete a ballot at the Spirit of Toronto table to enter your name in the draw for our ever popular gift hamper

The “Spirit of Toronto 2010 Collection”
We sample a fair number of whiskies in preparation for each edition of Spirit of Toronto but truth be told, we’re really not into rating individual whiskies per se. We come across mostly good ones, and a few great ones… and then there are those that we simply describe as “ace”, as in top shelf, top class, top drawer.

This year we look forward to sharing some of these whiskies with our esteemed guests through the Spirit of Toronto 2010 Collection, a selection of ten such aces, some that we liked so much we had them specially imported just for the show.

Inside each Blender’s Malt Glass handed out will be a token corresponding to a pre-selected whisky. Simply visit the Spirit of Toronto table to redeem your token and enjoy a sample from the 2010 Collection. That said, be forewarned should you wait too long to enjoy your sample—luck be a lady and I’d be lying if I said that all aces were created equally.

There are a few tickets left, visit The Spirit of Toronto to claim yours.

Visit the Spirit of Toronot at http://www.spiritoftoronto.ca/

Welcome back to Aberdeen: we hope the volcano hasn’t ruined things for you!

TONIGHT IS GOING TO BE GREAT!!

6 DRAMS for only £3

NO TICKETS NEEDED – BRING YER FRIENDS!

Location: Chalpaincy, High Street, Old Aberdeen
Time and Date: 7pm – Wednesday 20th April 2010
What to Bring: Membership Card + money for raffle

See you there!

aberdeenwhisky@googlemail.com

The Macallan and Lalique launch 64 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT WHISKY: CIRE PERDUE

Following an eight month global fundraising journey, including a London exhibition in May, Sotheby’s will auction this one-of-a-kind piece in New York with all proceeds benefiting charity: water

Iconic luxury brands The Macallan and Lalique have again come together on the 150th anniversary of Rene Lalique’s birth, building on their successful partnership to produce a one-of-a-kind decanter, created by the ancient “cire perdue” or “lost wax” method.

The decanter will hold the oldest and rarest Macallan ever bottled by this Speyside distillery, containing a 64 years old Macallan single malt whisky, and will be auctioned by Sotheby’s on November 15, 2010 in New York.  All proceeds will be donated to charity: water, a non-profit organisation bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations.

Exhibiting in London in May, along with stops in Madrid, Moscow, Seoul, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Taipei, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo, the decanter will embark on an eight month fundraising journey starting in Paris (April 6) and ending in New York (November 15).

The Cire Perdue decanter has been designed by the French crystal house Lalique, exclusively for The Macallan. Painstakingly hand crafted with the skills for which Lalique has achieved world-wide recognition and renowned since the first glass pieces were designed and made by Rene Lalique in the first half of the twentieth century, the inspiration for the design has come from the beauty of the Speyside distillery.

David Cox, Director of Fine & Rare Whiskies for The Macallan, comments: “We have established a very close working relationship with Lalique over the past six years. We share a heritage based on a commitment to craftsmanship and creativity, underpinned by a genuine passion to strive for the best in all our endeavours. This extraordinary project has raised our partnership to new heights, combining the brilliance of Lalique’s designers and craftsmen and the outstanding quality and character from the masters of spirit and wood at The Macallan to produce a single decanter which will never be replicated, filled with the oldest and rarest Macallan our distillery has ever released.

“Having decided to donate the proceeds from the auction of this beautiful decanter and its rarest of whiskies to charity, we decided to partner with charity:water. Given the predictions of future water shortages and recent natural catastrophes, we felt we wanted to contribute something really positive to help. We are hoping for some extraordinary generosity at the final auction in New York in November.”

Scott Harrison, founder of charity: water, said: “We are delighted that the proceeds from this historic auction of The Macallan in Lalique: Cire Perdue decanter will benefit charity: water. Clean water projects bring communities together and offer improved health, a better quality of life and hope for a better future. I look forward to working closely with The Macallan and Lalique to bring clean water to some of the billion people on the planet without it.”

David Cox, Director of Fine & Rare Whiskies for The Macallan, continues: “Water is fundamental to the craftsmanship behind both The Macallan and Lalique. The word “whisky” derives from the Latin, ‘aqua vitae’, or ‘water of life’, and is one of the three natural ingredients of The Macallan, together with barley and yeast. Water is also critical for Lalique at the point of detailing, sanding and polishing the crystal pieces.”

The 64 years old Macallan has been vatted together from three casks, all built from sherry seasoned Spanish oak. The first was filled in 1942, the second in 1945 and the third in January 1946, from which the age of this great Macallan has been taken.

This is the oldest Macallan ever released by the distillery in its 186 year history and prior to the release of this 64 years old Macallan in the Cire Perdue decanter, the previous oldest Macallan released by the distillery was the 60 years old, distilled in 1926 and bottled in 1986, of which only forty bottles were ever produced.

Designed at Lalique’s Design Studio in Paris, the decanter has been based upon a ship’s decanter of the 1820’s, the decade in which The Macallan was founded, in 1824. Lalique’s designer felt the shape lent itself perfectly to the beautifully crafted panorama of The Macallan estate in Speyside.

The decanter itself has been created by the lost wax process, an ancient practice originally developed to cast large pieces in bronze. After first modelling a piece in wax, it is covered with plaster and then sent to the oven to bake the clay while the wax melts. Finally, molten crystal is poured in the emptied shape.  Up until 1930, Rene Lalique himself crafted glass pieces using the Cire Perdue technique, but abandoned it as arthritis increasingly affected his fingers.

Today, investing in the artistic and technical training of its artists to master again this extraordinary know-how, a new workshop has been created on the 150th anniversary of Rene Lalique’s birth in 1860, dedicated entirely to the ‘lost wax’ process, to make the first Cire Perdue pieces in eighty years, including The Macallan 64 years old in Lalique.

Silvio Denz, President and CEO of Lalique, commented: “We are enormously proud to be collaborating again with The Macallan, and in such a worthwhile cause.  In today’s highly interconnected world, we are all increasingly aware of the needs of those much less fortunate than ourselves. We have been working on a series of decanters with The Macallan since 2004 and, over that time, have come to appreciate our shared values of a passionate commitment to outstanding quality, artistry and integrity. These decanters, each holding Macallan whiskies of 50, 55 and 57 years old respectively, have proved hugely admired and sought after around the world by whisky consumers and connoisseurs, as well as collectors of Lalique crystal and lovers of beautiful objets d’art. This latest decanter, a remarkable, unique work of art, holding such an old and rare Macallan, takes our partnership to a new level. I wish every success to its “tour du monde” and to the final auction by Sotheby’s in New York in November”.

The Macallan and Lalique at Auction

The Macallan is the most sought after of all single malt whiskies in the rare whiskies auction market; a 60 years old Macallan, distilled in 1926, sold for US$75,000 to a South Korean buyer in 2005. As the Cire Perdue decanter contains a 64 years old Macallan, the oldest and rarest ever released by the distillery, the extraordinary price for the 1926 is likely to be surpassed.

Lalique is also highly sought after by collectors around the world, with recent sales prices significantly exceeding pre-sale estimates; a Rene Lalique jewel of 1903, “Chardons”, sold for US$363,000 in October 2006 in New York, and, in October 2009, AN ART NOUVEAU MULTI-GEM AND ENAMEL PENDANT NECKLACE, BY RENE LALIQUEAN ART NOUVEAU MULTI-GEM AND ENAMEL PENDANT NECKLACE, BY RENE LALIQUE an Art Nouveau multi-gem and enamel pendant necklace by Rene Lalique was auctioned in New York for a world record US$554,500, against an estimate of US$400,000.

Jeremy Morrison, Director of 20th Century Design, Sotheby’s London, commented, “Both The Macallan and Lalique are premier brands and Sotheby’s has worked along side them both in various guises for a long time. The virtuoso glass art of René Lalique is amongst the most sought after and recognizable forms of 20th century design. One of the masters of the Art Deco style, Lalique’s pioneering work has been offered in Sotheby’s sales since we first held dedicated auctions of Decorative Art in the late 1960s. Sotheby’s is very proud to be involved with Lalique and The Macallan in their project to raise substantial funds for charity;water to help bring clean drinking water to developing nations”.

The Exhibition and Fundraising Tour

The decanter will travel across the world, beginning in Paris on April 6, 2010 and ending in New York City at the Sotheby’s auction on November 15, 2010. At events along the way, The Macallan and Lalique will auction rare, 10cl drams of The Macallan 64 Year Old in Lalique: Cire Perdue to benefit charity:water.
 
Tour du Monde:

Paris : early April
Madrid : late April
London : early May
Moscow : late May
Hong Kong : early July
Johannesburg : August
Taipei : early September
Shanghai : late September
Singapore : early October
Tokyo : late October
New York : early November
 
To track the fundraising progress and view images from the tour, visit: www.themacallan.com. Details will also be shared on this site on how to participate in or follow along with the final auction.   

Please enjoy our brand responsibly, www.drinkaware.co.uk

NOTES: 

The Macallan in Lalique : Cire Perdue – nosing and tasting notes:

Colour:    Rich oak

Nose:       Peat smoke, dried orange peel, muscovado sugar and cedar wood, mixed with spicy cinnamon sticks and cloves

Palate:     Spicy, blood oranges, rosin, treacle, walnuts, cocoa chocolate and peat smoke

Finish:     Soft, smooth and spicy, with lingering peats and dark chocolate

Alcohol Strength – 42.5%  Alc/vol

About The Macallan:

Founded in 1824, The Macallan is one of the world’s most admired and awarded single malt whiskies. The reputation of The Macallan is based on a product of outstanding quality and distinctive character, founded upon a set of guiding principles, the Six Pillars.  An obsession with quality has been the hallmark of The Macallan since its founding by Alexander Reid on a plateau above the river Spey in north-east Scotland. The distillery is surrounded by a 150 hectare estate, with Easter Elchies House, a Highland Manor built in 1700, at its heart. Traditionally known for maturation in Spanish oak, sherry seasoned casks, The Macallan’s range of outstanding single malts includes :Sherry Oak, matured in Spanish oak casks seasoned with sherry;  Fine Oak, matured both in sherry casks of Spanish and American oak  and in American oak casks seasoned with bourbon;  the 1824 range, exclusive to Global Travel Retail. In addition, The Macallan is well known for its great range of vintage whiskies, dating back to 1926, and is considered the most sought after of all single malts among collectors and connoisseurs at auction.

www.themacallan.com

About Lalique:

LALIQUE is more than just a name. It is René LALIQUE’s (1860-1945) talent, a genius destined to revolutionise the world of jewellery, beginning in 1885 with his famous ²Art Nouveau² jewellery sets, true works of art, which are now highly sought-after by museums and collectors.

A brilliant master glassmaker of the Art Déco movement, René LALIQUE’s creations were highly eclectic. Indeed, it was René LALIQUE, who was responsible for the great technological and commercial revolution which even today continues to influence the way bottles of perfume are created and packaged.

René LALIQUE’s imagination has proved to be the source of a vast and varied collection, including bowls, vases, statuettes and perfume bottles. They were produced at the Wingen-Sur Moder factory in Alsace, opened in 1922.

René Lalique’s creations belong to the international artistic and cultural patrimony. His works are displayed in more than 40 Museums worldwide including the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon, Victoria and Albert Museum in London and the Lalique museum in Hakone, Japan. A Lalique museum will open in Wingen-sur-Moder, in the Alsace region of France in December 2010.

In February 2008, the Swiss company Art & Fragrance acquired Lalique SA from the Pochet Group and Silvio Denz became Lalique’s CEO.

www.lalique.com

About charity: water

charity: water is a non-profit organization bringing safe and clean drinking water to people in developing nations. Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and disease, and kills more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.  charity: water gives 100% of the money raised to direct project costs, funding sustainable clean water solutions in areas of greatest need. Just $20 can give one person in a developing nation clean water for 20 years. In just 3.5 years, charity: water has brought clean drinking water to over one million people in 16 countries. www.charitywater.com

About Sotheby’s

Founded in 1744, Sotheby’s is a global company specialising in art auction, private sales and art-related financing activities. Founded in 1744, Sotheby’s is the oldest and largest internationally recognised firm of fine art auctioneers in the world with an international network of 98 offices in 38 countries in Europe, Asia and the Americas, including 17 worldwide auction centres. Nearly 1,000 sales a year are held around the world.

So far 2010 has seen two record breaking sales.  The Impressionist and Modern Art sale in February achieved a world record for a work of art sold at auction with Giacometti’s L’homme qui marche I selling for £65m. During the February Contemporary Art sale 21 new artist records for a work sold at auction were set.

Central to Sotheby’s ability to achieve great successes is the well-established global name recognition, a reputation for knowledge and expertise, an extensive distribution network, and  long-standing client relationships around the world, of which Sotheby’s is extremely proud.

www.sothebys.com

Local man to take over production at Springbank

SPRINGBANK, the iconic Campbeltown whisky distillery, has this week announced a summertime change of management that will see the first locally-born man take charge of production in over 60 years.

Gavin McLachlan, aged 36, will take over as Manager of Springbank and its sister distillery, Mitchell’s Glengyle, from August 1st 2010.

Neil Clapperton, Managing Director of parent company J&A Mitchell & Co Ltd, said: “Gavin is Campbeltown born and bred and his appointment gives us great pleasure and also reflects our company’s long-term commitment to Campbeltown.”

Gavin, who began his career in the whisky industry in May 2002 as a bottling hall operative at Springbank before quickly moving into malting and distilling within eight months, has been assistant manager for the past four years.

In his new post he will work alongside Director of Production Frank McHardy to oversee the day-to-day operations at Springbank and Glengyle.

Gavin’s promotion follows the resignation of present manager Stuart Robertson, who is leaving the company to take up a new appointment in the north east of Scotland.

Springbank Distillery is Scotland’s oldest continuously family owned distillery and the only distillery in Scotland to carry out 100% of the production process on site.

The company is currently under the ownership of Hedley Wright, present-day chairman and great-great-great grandson of the distillery’s founder.

In 2000, Mr Wright commissioned the construction of the Mitchell’s Glengyle Distillery, which opened in March 2004, bringing the number of operational distilleries in Campbeltown, on the Kintyre peninsula on the west coast of Scotland, to three.

ENDS

For further information, contact Frank McHardy (frank@jandamitchell.com) or Ranald Watson (ranald@springbankwhisky.com) on 01586 552009.

How would you drink yours?

Global hunt kicks off the ultimate whisky experience

From sharing a dram with friends by a camp fire to sipping a malt on a yacht at sunset, the challenge is on to come up with the ultimate whisky experience.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is sparking an adventurous debate amongst whisky lovers across the world, to find out what makes the ultimate whisky experience.  From a personal tasting with your favourite whisky celebrity to relaxing with distillery still-men over a dram or three, wants to hear what tickles your fancy.

Hoping to engage whisky enthusiasts across the world, the Society will enter every idea into a monthly prize draw, giving participants the opportunity to win an exciting range of Society treats, from cases of the world’s finest single cask whisky to a range of Society whisky experiences, which could include your own unique private dining experience.

As part of its campaign to fulfil the whisky dream, the Society will even make some of the best ideas a reality!  To be in with a chance of winning, tell the Society how you would like to drink yours at: www.theultimatewhiskyexperience.com

For more information on the Society go to www.smws.co.uk

A Classic Malts & Food Pairing Happening on April 20 (Tuesday)

Join Morton’s and special guest Martin C. Duffy, Senior Master of Whiskey
for a seven-course tasting paired with the Classic Malt Selections.

Tuesday, April 20  6:30pm – 8:30pm

$66 per person
Inclusive of tax and gratuity

RSVPs required. Seating is Limited.

For more information, please contact Sonia Hagopian at 847-413-8771 or sonia_hagopian@mortons.com.

Pairings for the evening…
Tuna Tartare
Singleton of Glendullan, 12 yr

Petite Lamb Chop
Dalwhinnie, Highlands, 15 yr

Smoked Salmon
Broiled Sea Scallops
Laguvlin, Islay, 16 yr

Gouda with Granny Smith Apple
Glenkinchie, Lowlands, 10 yr

Oriental Sirloin Roll
Oban, West Highlands, 14 yr

Oysters on the half shell
Talisker, Isle of Skye, 10yr

Morton’s Legendary Hot Chocolate Cake
Cragganmore, Distillers Edition, Speyside

http://www.mortons.com/schaumburg/

WORLD OF WHISKIES

Thursday, April 22, 5:00-8:00pm

Sample over 150 whiskies in every conceivable style from all over the world. In many cases meet the men & women who actually make them! $50 W/Binny’s Card members / $60 non-members. Reservations are required.

Call 312-768-4400 or email southloop@binnys.com for reservations.

Chicago – South Loop 1132 S. Jefferson Street | Chicago | 312-768-4400

Malt Messenger No. 38

It’s been a while since I’ve been in touch with all of you wonderful whisky people. I hope you all had an excellent Easter, Spring Break and or Passover.  I haven’t had time to write a full Malt Messenger in a while and even so this one is a little lighter than some past epics. But it’s also a little fuller than a Bulletin, so lets call it Malt Messenger No. 38 and be done with it.

I have lots of good news to report (a new 41 year old Glenfarclas and the Diageo 2009 New Releases), and one unfortunate piece of bad news (no Brora 30Yr!). There are also some interesting tastings coming up in the near future and a couple of whiskies not long for the shelf. So I’ve put this together with some haste to get the word out and proselytize to the whisky faithful!

I hope you enjoy this abbreviated Malt Messenger!

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson

In This Edition:

Whisky Traveler Speyside and the Whisky Traveler Tastings

OMC Probably Speyside’s Finest 41Yr 1967 – NEW BOTTLING
2009 Diageo New Release
Port Ellen 30Yr
Talisker 30Yr
Pittyvaich 20Yr
Benrinnes 22Yr
Mannochmore 18Yr
The Big Peat Is Back
Going, Going, Almost Gone… OMC KWM Port Ellen 25Yr
Going, Going, Almost Gone… BenRiach 1994 KWM Madeira Cask
Glenlivet XXV

Whisky Traveler Speyside – Thursday April 22nd – $65

The whisky traveler tastings are a new addition to our spring whisky program here at the store. It is a series of regionally specific tastings that highlight some of the best whiskies in a specific region of Scotland while taking a virtual tour complete with maps, photos and maybe the odd video. It will be the next best thing to visiting the country yourself!

The first in the series is the above mentioned Whisky Traveller Speyside. The Speyside is Scotland’s most represented whisky region, with nearly half of the country’s more than 100 distillery’s calling it home. We’ll investigate why that is, get a lay for the land and sample some incredible drams. I haven’t finalized the list just yet, but some of the whiskies we will sample may include the following 4 and at least two other as yet unchosen whiskies:

OMC Probably Speyside’s Finest Distillery 41Yr
Duthies Cragganmore 15Yr
Balvenie 17Yr Sherry Oak
BenRiach 1996 KWM Madeira Cask
??
??

Sign up for all three Whisky Traveller Tastings, and save $5 on each, or a total of $15.  The other Whisky Traveller Tastings are:

Whisky Traveller Orkney – May 13th – $65
Whisky Traveler Islay – June 17th – $65
* For the rest of our Spring Tasting Schedule visit our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com..

OMC Probably Speyside’s Finest 41Yr 1967 – $275.99

Only 36 bottles of this whisky have come in to Canada and Kensington Wine Market has bought all of them. “Probably Speyside’s Finest” is the euphemism used by Douglas Laing when they bottle Glenfarclas under their Old Malt Cask label. We have had two previous bottlings of “Probably Speyside’s Finest” and they have also been 40 plus year old sherry butt matured whiskies at bargain prices. I enjoyed both of the previous bottlings, but this current one is by far my favourite. 

Although this bottling was never originally intended to be an exclusive, it has effectively become one. I purchased a single case last week, and after giving it a try I made a deal with the agent for the five remaining cases. The whisky was distilled in November of 1967, and matured in a Single Sherry Butt until bottling in September of 2009. 456 total bottles were produced. Of the but 36 bottles which coming into Canada, the first 15 have already sold, and the rest won’t last long.

My tasting note: Nose: spicy-sweet, cedar and mahogany (you can tell this whisky is older, but not over the hill), dark fruits, marzipan and a light nuttiness. Palate: the palate surges with spicy, caramelized fruit and toasted oak, there is a creamy undertone but it plays second fiddle to the dark chocolates and fruit. Finish: long with sweet dark fruits, dry with toasted oak.

Like the two previous expressions of “Probably Speyside’s Finest” there are three reasons why this whisky is such an excellent buy. Firstly, price: most 40 plus year old whiskies—including the Glenfarclas Family Casks retail for between $1500.00 and well over $4000.00 per bottle. Most distilleries never thought there would be much of a market for whiskies this old and as such older stocks, especially those in the hands of distilleries are rare indeed. At just $275, this whisky is a fraction the price of most 40 year olds, but every bit as good. Secondly, there’s quality: age is not always a guarantor of quality, most older whiskies—those more than 30 years of age—are simply overwhelmed by the oak. But well balanced older whiskies offer experiences that good younger bottlings simply cannot. And this is one such bottling. Don’t miss out!

2009 Diageo New Releases

Diageo’s 2009 new releases are finally here, a quarter of the way through 2010.  Originally they were supposed to be here in the late fall of 2009, and it’s been up in the air for while as to when they would finally materialize. Well they have and they will be in store next Wednesday, April 21st. They’ve arrived in very small quantities, and will not last long. So if there are bottlings you are interested in get your order in early. Sadly I’ve just found out that the Brora 30Yr won’t be arriving at all. Diageo Canada dragged its feet placing the order, so Alberta is loosing out on this highly rated (96pts) and eagerly anticipated whisky.

Here’s what is coming, I’ll have more information in the next full Malt Messenger:

Port Ellen 30Yr – 93pts John Hansel, Malt Advocate Magazine. “Port Ellen whiskies are going to just keep getting rarer and more expensive. This old-fashioned whisky is beginning to show its age, but is still holding up nicely. It’s clean, with no excessive oak and soft sweet maltiness for balance. Earthy and rooty at times, with tarry rope, beach pebbles, leafy smoke, bourbon barrel char, black licorice, lemon peel, and hints of shellfish and diesel fumes (like following a boat in the ocean). Long, smoky, lightly briny finish.” 57.7% / 5,916 Numbered Bottles – $449.99

Talisker 30Yr – Only 3000 bottles, 53.1%, called a “cracker” by Royal Mile Whiskies, and “Very, very drinkable with, with plenty of character” by The Whisky Exchange. This one is limited to 1 bottle per customer as I am only getting 6! The palate is said to be sweet and chewy, with dried fruits, spices, lots of vanilla, ginger and cloves.  – $479.99

Pittyvaich 20Yr – This is an unusual bottling as only one other official release of Pittyvaich was ever bottled, a long discontinued Flora and Fauna bottling. This whisky is also quite rare, coming from a now closed distillery (1993). Royal Mile Whiskies described the nose as “stunning” and the palate is “syrupy, and thick”. 57.5%  1 bottle per customer  – $289.99

Benrinnes 23Yr – 58.8% / 6000 individually numbered bottles. This official bottling of Benrinnes was filled into European oak sherry casks in 1985. Diageo describes the whisky as “Big, powerful and immediately assertive… Waxy-viscous texture; slight traces of brimstone. Raisin and lots of date.” 1 bottle per customer  – $314.99

Mannochmore 18Yr Bourbon Cask – 54.9% Royal Mile Whiskies calls this “a lovely, lovely sherried whisky.” And judging by the appearance they must be spot on. After 18 years in sherry casks it has hues of mahogany. 1 bottle per customer – $274.99
 

The Big Peat is Back – $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”. 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.

 Going, Going, Almost Gone… – OMC KWM Port Ellen 25Yr – $249.99

Our private bottling of Port Ellen has been a tremendous success. We are very proud to be the first retailer and only retailer—to the best of my knowledge—in North America to have bottled our own cask of whisky from Scotland’s most mourned distillery. Port Ellen distillery closed its doors for ever in 1983, and since then its legend has continued to grow. The maturing whisky is now no less than 26 years of age, and the stocks are diminishing making Port Ellen older, rarer and more expensive with every passing year.

Our Port Ellen cask was chosen by yours truly and a couple of my customers who are all Port Ellen fanatics. Our Sherry Butt yielded but 210 bottles at a natural cask strength of 54.7%. There are now only 25 bottles left! The following is my tasting note:

The first sip has some heat, but its clean and rolls out into green earthy notes, then sweet honey and finally salty smoke. The second sip is classic Port Ellen, all the taste buds in my mouth are alight with sweet, smoky, earthy, fresh and fruity notes. Towards the back of the palate the smoky-briny take over and lead the charge with some dark chocolate-peat close behind. The third sip is creamier, with buttery-briny-peat; very lovely!

If you are a fan of Peaty Islay Malts you owe to yourself to try our Port Ellen before it’s too late!

Going, Going, Almost Gone – BenRiach 1994 KWM Madeira Cask – $109.99

Like many of our private bottlings, our BenRiach cask is flying off the shelf. We started with 250 bottles about 3 months ago and have barely more than 1/5, or about 55 bottles left. The whisky was chosen with the help of the customers of Kensington Wine Market last summer, and is the product of a single Madeira finished hogshead cask.

I wrote about our BenRiach in the last full Malt Messenger, and for those of you who haven’t yet seen it, here’s the info again:

Last June 20 customers of the Kensington Wine Market and I sat down to sample cask samples from BenRiach distillery with the purpose of selecting one to be bottled for the store. We called the tasting Whisky Democracy. The idea came from a tour I’d led the year before where six of my travelling companions and I had selected a cask of Springbank at the distillery to be bottled exclusively for Kensington Wine Market. What struck me was the pride and personal ownership they all took in helping to select the cask. I thought, why not enfranchise a greater number of people, and Whisky Democracy was born.

The cask we selected, 4810, is a Madeira Hogshead. The whisky—distilled in 1994—was originally matured in American oak Bourbon casks before finishing in this single Madeira barrel. Matured a total of 15 years, 250 bottles were filled in September of 2009 at a natural cask strength of 57.1%. The whisky has been bottled without colouring or chillfiltering. It is sweet, spicy and soft; full tasting note to follow further below.

Originally it was hoped the whisky would be here in time for our cask release party in November.  Special guest, Alistair Walker of BenRiach distillery would be on hand to help us celebrate the launch and hopefully sign some bottles. Unfortunately the cask was accidentally shipped to another continent (my recollection is that it made it to South Africa) before being redirected back to Canada. Inconvenient though this was, there is a twist of irony to it.

As mentioned, our whisky was finished in a Madeira wine cask, and Madeira wines have an interesting history. Fortified with neutral cane spirit (eventually brandy) in a style similar to that for producing port, the wines became popular with the Dutch East India Company. The wines were taken by ship down the coast of Africa, around the Cape of Good Hope and across the Indian Ocean to the Dutch East Indies. On the voyage the wines were affected by the transformative movements of the ship and the intense heat. On one of these trips the wines completed a full circle, returning to the islands of Madeira having been cooked by the heat and oxidized by the air, but the resulting wine was very popular. A new style of wine was born, whose makers object was to do everything possible to spoil it. For a while Madeira was made by maturing wines on long sea voyages and in many cases by crossing the equator. This was however a very expensive way to make wine and eventually new methods were developed. But it is interesting to note that our cask of BenRiach too crossed the equator on a long sea voyage, and whether that journey had any perceptible effect or not, our latest cask is exceptional!

 The whisky’s just arrived, and more than 50 of the 250 bottles have already sold, most of them pre-committed to by attendees of the Cask Release Party in November. While I doubt this cask will sell out as quickly as our Tullibardine PX Cask (11 days), it won’t last long. I have set aside some of the numbered bottles 1-12 but will not be selling the others on such a basis. If you want one of these 12 bottles please let me know ASAP 1-3 are already spoken for.

My Tasting Note:

Nose: very sweet, maple syrup, barley sugar, some soft treacle notes, ginger and cinnamon, some soft vanilla and raisiny fruits.

Palate: warming and spicy, soft but firm toasted oak, more barley sugar, pan fried honey and sweet spices: ginger and cinnamon.

Finish: clean, soft and sweet, drying late with subtle spices.

Glenlivet 25Yr – $339.99

After more than three years Glenlivet’s 25 year old is finally available to Albertans. The 25 year old was distilled in 1980, matured mainly in American oak Bourbon casks, finishing for its last couple of years in Oloroso Sherry. Jim Murray scored it at 91pts in his Whisky Bible. Tasting note by Dave Broom of Whisky Magazine: “Nose: Mature and deep. Stewed tea, dried cherry, fig, Madeira cake mix alongside some tomato/balsamic rancio notes. Palate: Slightly tannic grip think hard toffee dried blossom rich with substance. light to medium fruits lovely balance. Finish: XXX (triple x-ED).” 8/10

The whisky comes beautifully packaged in a complex wooden presentation case, complete with instructions for how to open it…

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