Attention whisky enthusiasts and novices: Macallan will be hosting a free guided tasting of its whisky in Dallas, Tx.

The tastings, to be held on Tuesday, May 11th through Friday, May 14th, are part of the Celebrate The Macallan series where brand ambassadors travel around the country educating people about The Macallan Single Malt.

The event will be hosted by The Macallan’s Brand Ambassador Eden Algie, who will speak about a range of whiskies including the Macallan 12, 15, 17 and 18.  He’ll also demonstrate the Macallan Ice Ball Press that forms a perfect sphere of ice on the spot. The special ice is meant to cool the dram slowly and evenly.

The tastings will be held at 6:30pm and 8:30pm on May 11th through the 14th at the Fashion Industry Gallery, located at 1807 Ross Avenue in Dallas, TX.  RSVPs are a must.

For more information and to secure your spot visit www.celebratethemacallan.com. Guests must be over 21 years of age.

Ralfy posts Whisy Review # 129 – of an Cnoc 12 year old at www.ralfy.com and scores it as it deserves.

Hirsch Selection  Small Batch Reserve Bourbon

This week only $24.99
Regular Price $30.00

Nose

Opening sniffs pick up nearly prickly and yet pleasingly spirit aromas of oak resin, sawdust, and pine; the aggressive aroma doesn’t lose any steam after another seven minutes of air contact and swirling, remaining potent and spirity.

Palate

The entry takes your breath away as the rollicking aspects of the aroma suddenly calm down into a sophisticated and caramel-sweet opening taste experience that’s oily, spiced, and remarkably fruity (raisins, dates); mid-palate taste profile jumps off the radar screen as the multilayered flavor dives deeply into bakery shop tastes (prune Danish, raspberry-filled cookie, strawberry…oh man, this one is ripe and bountiful) as well as nutty and woody (maple syrup).

Finish

Semisweet and honeyed, rich but vibrant, and not the least fat or clunky, and simply divinely delicious. For under $50 AN INCREDIBLE STEAL and other example of the peerless value of Kentucky Straight Bourbon. This is a world-class spirit. Wow.

Score: *****/Highest Recommendation
Spirit Journal Rating 2009

This special price is available now till  Tuesday May 11, 2010 or while supplies last. Don’t miss this special offer, order your bottles today.

Visit D&M at www.dandm.com

Single Malt Saturdays

5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. 8th,15th  and 22nd of May

May 11th
Spirit School Seminar: Intro to Scotch 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

May 14th
Spirit School Seminar: Precious & Rare Scotch 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

May 19th
Spirit School Seminar: Bourbon & American whiskies 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

May 25th
Spirit School Seminar: Intro to Scotch 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Added Scotch Tasting with Evan Cattanach

Thursday, May 6th.  Two Pourings: 5:00 and 6:00 P.M.

No Charge No Reservation Needed

Evan Cattanach

The Diageo Special edition Tasting with Evan Cattanach has sold out so we asked him if he would do a tasting in the store for them people who couldn’t get in. He agreed. No one deserves the title of Grand Old Man in the scotch business more than Evan Cattanach. He is beginning his fiftieth year as a distiller and has been Distiller or Master Distiller in every region of Scotland, including stints at Oban, Dalwhinnie, Cardhu, Cragganmore, Lagavulin, and Caol Isla . He was instrumental in making Johnnie Walker Blue one of the world’s best whiskies.

We’ll taste Singleton 12 Y.O. – Oban 14 Y.O. – Cragganmore 12 Y.O. – Dalwhinnie 15 Y.O. Lagavulin 16 and one more to be named. (We may substitute Distillers Editions for one or two of the above mentioned.)

Joe Howell
Federal Wine & Spirits

——————————————————————————–

Email: joe@federalwine.com
Phone: 617-367-8605
Web: http://www.federalwine.com/

Caol Ila 25 Year Old Single Casks #5387 & #5388

Two fresh new indie bottlings of the smoky Islay malt from the Bladnoch forum series.

Single cask ex-bourbon hogsheads. Each bottle is Individually numbered.

£74.99 (£63.82 ex VAT) each

www.thewhiskybarrel.com

Scotland’s Online Whisky Shop

The nice folk at Whisky Magazine always have the best interests of whisky lovers at heart. Each issue features whisky tastings, history, production and interviews as well as the best bars and hotels in which to enjoy a dram.

Clearly, they know what they are talking about as their recent World Whiskies Awards pronounced Highland Park Earl Magnus the World’s Best New Release and yours truly as Whisky Ambassador of the Year. So how about a special offer? You are entitled to claim your very own complimentary trial copy of Whisky Magazine and have them send a copy as a gift to a person of your choice.

Visit www.whiskymag.com/free/highlandpark to complete a form and the next available issue of the magazine will be sent direct to your door. You will also receive an offer for a further 8 issues at just £29.50 (a 30% discount on the regular subscription price of £42.00). Obviously, you have no obligation to take up the subscription offer and can just choose to keep your complimentary copy.

Allow up to eight weeks for delivery; this offer closes at midnight on Sunday 27th June 2010.

We would never share your details with anyone else so and the only way that Whisky Magazine can send you a complimentary copy is if you complete the form and opt in to their offer.

For more information on the Best Spirit in the World visit www.highlandpark.co.uk
 

Gerry
Whisky Brand Ambassador of the Year, 2010

Small print – One copy per household. Offer ends at midnight on Sunday 27th June 2010. Offer subject to availability. You will receive the next available edition of Whisky Magazine, which will be mailed by regular post.

Announcing our triumphant new all-natural vintage

The rich mouth feel of our innovative Nadurra range has already caused a stir in the whisky world. That’s why we are delighted to announce the launch of a new Limited Edition vintage, Nadurra Triumph 1991. Available online from The Whisky Exchange.

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/P-11884.aspx

Matured in a mixture of American and European oak casks, Nàdurra Triumph 1991 is a limited release bottled at 48% and is the first Nàdurra expression based on a vintage statement.

This new expression has been selected from stocks that were distilled in 1991 using Triumph, a variety of the barley that is no longer used in the production of The Glenlivet. Keeping in line with the Nàdurra range, the Nàdurra Triumph 1991 is non-chill filtered, which better retains its natural flavours with an additional richness and a creamy mouth feel.

The additional resting time and a broader selection of casks provide a layer of complexity, and results in a whisky that is more fruitful and has a mildly sweeter flavour; sure to be appreciated by whisky lovers everywhere.

With only 2,500 bottles available in the UK, Nàdurra Triumph is a real collector’s item. You can purchase it now online at The Whisky Exchange.

The single malt that started it all

MALT Versus GRAIN: Vive la Single Cask 

Make a difference this May, cast your vote in the SMWS Vive la Single Cask Campaign.  Will it be the time-honoured Malt in the RED corner or the Grain newcomer in GREEN that tickles your taste-buds.

VOTE: RED (SINGLE CASK MALT) via sales@smws.com
“Goes against the grain”

10.71 Onions Spring Enternal
Islay
£44.70 inc. Free P&P
A vote for RED promises:
A sweet and sour nose evoking oriental cuisine; crispy duck, plum and teriyaki sauce, celery, spring onions; grilled fish and fresh wood smoke.
Age: 11 years            Cask:  Refill ex-sherry butt

VOTE: GREEN (SINGLE CASK GRAIN) via sales@smws.com
“Can’t wait to taste it”

G1.7 Flamed Christmas pudding
Single Cask Grain
£46.70 inc. Free P&P
VOTE brown sugar, dried fruit (dates, recently flamed Christmas pudding) kumquat, chocolate limes and salty buttered toast, with a white pepper heat. VOTE Daddies brown sauce, Boston baked beans and sweet sweet coconut..
Age: 19 years            Cask:  Refill ex-sherry butt

Riding the Wave?

Who says red and green must never been seen. Ride the campaign wave, buy 10.71 & G1.7 together and SAVE £5 OR buy 10.71 & G1.7 together and BUY 121.33 for ONLY £29.50

121.33 Gunpowder on lemon meringue pie
Highland Island
£39.50* or £29.50 with 10.71 & G1.7 inc. Free P&P
The nose had sweetness (Caramac, custard, barley sugar, white chocolate) and tropical fruit (pineapple, orange, lemon, Juicy Fruit)
Age: 9 years                    Cask: Refill ex-bourbon hogshead
                                                                                                    

Offers end: Thu 6 May

SIX May Outturn Previews 
                                                                               
@ Aberdeen Mal & Birmingham & Brighton Hotel du Vin
From Mon 3 May, SIX new May Outturn bottles will preview at our SMWS Snuggles at Aberdeen Malmaison and Birmingham and Brighton Hotel du Vin.  Join us at any of the hotels Mon 3 – Wed 5 May  and sample our First Friday flight of drams with our in-house Society experts. 

We’re not telling you what numbers they are yet, we wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise but we can promise there will be some tasty offers available.   Take me to the SMWS Snuggles

SMWS Whisky Tasting & Events

Ladies Only Pampering Night – 28 Queen St, Wed 5 May
New Outturn Tasting – London, Sat 8 May
New Outturn Sunday Roast tasting – The Vaults, Sun 9 May
Birmingham Preview Tasting – Brighton Hotel Du Vin, Fri 14 May
Cafe Spice Nameste – Cafe Spice London, Tue 18 May
Cardiff Preview Tasting – Novotel Cardiff Centre, Fri 21 May
Islay and Island Tasting – 28 Queen Street, Sat 22 May
Cafe Fish & Dram Tasting – The Vaults, Mon 24 May
All things Japanese Night – The Vaults, Thu 27 May
Liverpool Preview Tasting -Malmaison, Thu 27 May

Visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at www.smws.co.uk for an opportunity to join.

In this issue, we showcase new product arrivals, including the 2010 batch of Springbank 18 year old, Duncan Taylor NC2 whiskies, and Hazelburn 12 year old. These are available nationally.
 
You will also see some pictures from our Preiss Imports Scotch Whisky Road Show that toured through the mid-west in March 2010.
 
Cheers,
 
Ken Young
Preiss Imports
ken@preissimports.com

Springbank 18 Year Old

Available Once Again
 
“To use the most technical term I can think of: wowee-wow-wow-wow.”
 
5 Stars, Highest Recommendation F. Paul Pacult’s, Spirit Journal

The packaging of this 2010 batch has been aligned with the flagship 10 and 15 year old products. This 18 year old was aged in a mix of bourbon and sherry casks and 46% ABV.
 
As with all Springbank bottlings, the malt is dried for 6 hours over a peat fire then a further 24 hours over hot air. Distilled two and a half times.    
 
Tasting Notes

Color: Rusty Copper
Nose: Full of authority. Rich and creamy at first, the nose develops to reveal vanilla, ripe fruits and marzipan before hints of sherbert, almonds and strawberries tempt you onwards to the first mouthful.
Palate: A classic full-bodied dram. Thick and oily in texture with an extremely fruity and mellow taste which gives way to a sweet liquorice and aniseed flavour as it opens up. Hints of liquorice and aniseed.
Finish: Sweet and chocolatey with some coconut, the finish is long and consistent with a pleasant smokey tingle.

New Duncan Taylor NC2 Arrivals

These NC2 whiskies just arrived from the UK and are limited to 300 bottles for the US
 
DT NC2 1993 Aberlour 16 yr old
DT NC2 1999 Auchroisk 10 yr old
DT NC2 2000 Balmenach 10 yr old
DT NC2 1990 Ben Nevis 19 yr old
DT NC2 1998 Ben Nevis 11 yr old
DT NC2 1997 Bunnahabhain 12 yr old peated
DT NC2 1987 Glen Grant 21 yr old
DT NC2 1987 Glenlivet  22 yr old
DT NC2 1988 Glen Moray  21 yr old
DT NC2 1991 Glen Scotia  18 yr old
DT NC2 1991 Macallan 18 yr old

Hazelburn 12 Year Old

Springbank’s Triple Distilled, non-peated Single Malt 
 
First distilled in 1997, and every year thereafter. The malt is dried over hot air only, no peat at all is used. These are aged in Sherry Casks, 46% ABV, and annual worldwide output of only 1,200 bottles.
 
Tasting Notes

Nose: Incredibly rich, the influence of the sherry casks is immediately apparent. Sweet and chocolatey, there are also notes of apricot, orange marmalade, almonds and marzipan.
Palate: Malty, fruity and elegant. A very well-balanced and rounded dram with hints of oak, figs and nuts.
Finish: A long, lingering fruity sweetness.

Visit Preiss Imports at http://www.preissimports.com/