Ever wondered why the U.S. requires whisky to be sold in 750ml bottles, while most of the rest of the world sells 700ml bottles? We’ll get the definitive answer to that and other federal red tape questions from former ATF and TTB agent William Earle, now president of the National Association of Beverage Importers. In the news, another ultra-premium Johnnie Walker whisky, new malts from The Glenrothes and Amrut, and the debut of the WhiskyCast Holiday Gift Guide

Visit WhiskyCast at www.whiskycast.com

Straight From The Still

Greetings from Templeton!

Kevin Boersma, Distillery Manager here, giving you an update on what’s going on around the distillery. First the big news: After a slow start, my golf team put up an impressive charge and won the Manning/Manilla Country Club League Championship after finishing second last year!

It has been a little quiet around here for a while, but that is all about to change in about a month. As many of you know, we will start to bottle Batch 4 in mid-November. We have been tasting the product regularly during the aging process and are very excited about it. I am confident in saying it is our best product yet.

The bottling room will be buzzing with activity as we work at an unprecedented level from Monday, November 22 through Wednesday, November 24 to get ahead of things before Thanksgiving. Anyone interested in donating their time and helping with this historic bottling session can inquire at info@templetonrye.com.

Thank you for all of your patience and understanding during this lean time and we hope to see you soon at the distillery or on our cross state bottle signing tour! Please continue to check the tours page on our website for upcoming tour dates in November and December. Cheers!

Sincerely,

Kevin Boersma, Distillery Manager, Templeton Rye

Batch 4 is right around the corner!

We are getting very excited about Batch 4 of Templeton Rye, which will be released on the anniversary of the Repeal of Prohibition on December 5th. Our plan is to send 2,000 cases to Iowa so that retailers can order it from the state warehouse beginning December 6th. We will also be sending 1,000 cases to Illinois at that time. It is still not going to be easy to find a bottle of The Good Stuff, but is should be a lot easier than it is today.

Speaking of Batch 4, would you like to help us start to bottle it?

We are planning to bottle from 8am to 8pm on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday during the week of Thanksgiving (Nov 22-24) at the distillery in Templeton. We are looking for some volunteers to help out, so if you’d like to join us please send us an email at info@templetonrye.com. We will be bottling hard but don’t worry, we always manage to sprinkle in some fun!

Templeton Rye team heading out on statewide tour

Templeton Rye Founders Scott Bush and Keith Kerkhoff, along with the rest of the team, will be heading all over the State of Iowa from December 11-18. We will be doing bottle signings as well as events at various bars and restaurants. Most important though, is to meet a bunch of Templeton Rye fans and thank you for your patience during the past year. Please stay tuned for specifics details.

A preliminary list of stops is below:

Des Moines
Grinnell
Newton
Ames
Mason City
Fort Dodge
Storm Lake
Sioux City
Council Bluffs
Denison
Carroll
Atlantic
Coralville
Cedar Rapids
Cedar Falls/Waterloo
Dubuque
Bettendorf/Davenport
Iowa City
Burlington
Fairfield
Ottumwa

New in the online store: TR belt buckles

We just received these cool new belt buckles, which are available starting today in our online store. Get yours today!

If you have any questions or need more information about any of the events listed in our newsletter, don’t hesitate to drop us a line at info@templetonrye.com.

The Park Avenue Liquor Shop hosts renowned spirits journalist Dave Broom.

The Park Avenue Liquor Shop is very excited to invite you to a book signing with spirits author Dave Broom. Widely recognized in the  industry as one of the country’s top tasters, Mr. Broom will be signing copies of his recently released reference  book, ‘The World Atlas of Whisky’.

Meet the award-winning author and whisky expert:

Tuesday, October 26th, from 12pm-2pm at the
Park Avenue Liquor Shop
292 Madison Ave, New York, NY.

See below for some information about the book and its author. We hope to see you  at the store for what is sure to be a great day. Also included in this email are the newest addition to our exclusive bottling collection. They’d each make a great holiday gift but act soon because these exciting spirits are already selling fast.

Cheers!
Jonathan & Eric
Park Ave Liquor Shop
292 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
212-685-2442
info@parkaveliquor.com

www.parkaveliquor.com

The World Atlas of Whisky – by Dave Broom

Big, beautiful, and richly illustrated, The World Atlas of Whisky offers a comprehensive and in-depth exploration of whisky’s many expressions: delicate and bold, blends and single malts, bourbons and rye. Featuring distillery profiles, extensive discussion of production methods, the impact of terroir, and an examination of tastes and aromas, the book also includes:

– 24 detailed maps of the key whisky-producing regions
– Tasting notes on 350 selections
– 150 label reproductions
– 200 full color-photographs
– “Flavor Camps” – a five part matrix grouping whiskies by palate preference, flavor, and aroma.

Our Price: $29.99

Dave Broom has written eight books, two of which – Drink! and Rum – won the  Glenfiddich Award for Drinks Book of the Year. He has also won the  Glenfiddich Award for Drinks Writer of the Year twice.

New Exclusive at Park Avenue.

Bruichladdich Micro-Provenance Series

Aged 7 Years in Chateau D’Yquem Cask

Bruchladdich D’Yquem We’re thrilled to have another exclusive Bruichladdich in our store. We purchased this cask seven years ago as a ‘future’. After tasting it over two years ago with Master Distiller Jim McEwan, we thought it was ready to be bottled. It took some  time to get the bottling, packaging and other particulars together but the extra aging only enhanced its character. At 131.6 proof, this beauty has some bite to it. The influence of Bordeaux’s premier sauternes is immediately noticeable on the nose and color. On the palate it is light on the peat and very well-balanced. Despite being cask-strength we’ve been told  it is very ‘easy-drinking’. (To be fair, some prefer it with a drop of water.) The finish brings with it a slight sweetness compliments of classic D’Yquem. This Park Avenue Liquor Shop exclusive is limited to just 270 bottles.

Our Price: $80
Exclusively at The Park Avenue Liquor Shop.

On Saturday 6th November, the renowned whisky author, historian and all-round great chap Ian Buxton will be in-store doing a book-signing for his new ‘101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die’. This is a great little tome which has really kicked up a bit of discussion and controversy regarding the relative merits of whiskies that should and shouldn’t have been included (and it’d make an incredibly thrifty little present at £12.99!). He’ll also be dishing out samples of one of the whiskies from the book, and will of course be around to have a chat about his greatest passion.

This is free, and we highly recommend popping down for a short while if you can spare the time in your busy Saturday schedules!

Springbank distillery officially licensed in 1828, on a previous illicit still site of Archibald Mitchell. In 1897, John Mitchell took his son Alexander into partnership and the J&A Mitchell Company was formed. It is still known as this today. It is still owned by the same family, making it the oldest family-owned distillery in Scotland. Traditional methods of distillation are still used, including its own floor malting which is a tradition lost at many other distilleries. Water is drawn from Crosshill Loch, fed by springs on Beinn Ghuilean. Springbank produces three very different whiskies. Its own Springbank Campbeltown Single Malt. The heavily peated and double-distilled Longrow Single Malt. Hazelburn triple-distilled unpeated single malt.

Springbank CV, Springbank 10yo, Springbank 12yo CS, Springbank Claret, Springbank 15yo, Springbank 18yo, Hazelburn 12yo, Kilkerran 2nd Release,  Longrow CV, Longrow 10yo, Longrow 100% Proof and Longrow 14yo all with a FREE GLASS!

Visit Single Malts Direct at www.singlemaltsdirect.com

November Previews: 121.39 & 44.47 for £77.90 (save £9)
We’ve got one or two Society surprises planned this month (watch this space) so we’re giving members a fruity first look at our November Outturn now…Buy Preview Pair 121.39 & 44.47 for £77.90 and save £9 (offer ends Thu 4 Nov)

121.39 Easy-drinking dream
Highland Island
£45.70 inc. Free P&P
The nose had rich treacle toffee, banana Toffoes, spun sugar, Maltesers and banoffee pie; also interesting hints of cough mixture, gingerbread, coffee, leather and oaky vanillas, “you can smell the warehouse” 

44.47 Strawberries dangling over straw
Speyside Spey
£41.20 inc. Free P&P
The nose promised sweetness; toffee, fudge, butterscotch, chocolate, Demerara and banana fritters in syrup. It also had buttered toast and an earthy fruitiness, like summer strawberries dangling over straw

29.88 What a magnificent and handsome nose
Our International Friends in Australia were so taken with cask 29.88 we thought we’d have a nosey at all the fuss.  The cask was never meant for the UK but we’ve got our hands on a few bottles.  Do let us know what you think about the cask by leaving your member comments.

29.88 What a magnificent and handsome nose
Islay
£41.20 inc. Free P&P
Smoky barbecued pork, hot shellfish, beach-dried seaweed, expensive balsamic vinegar and rock pools on a hot summer’s day. To taste we found salty char, caramelised sweet-cured bacon and lots more smoke

October Outturn Treats:
Trio Offer: 125.40, 35.42 & 123.5
only £136 (save £18.40)

Pair Offer: 95.12 & 3.159
only £107 (save £9)
    
SMWS Whisky Tasting & Events

Chocolate Ecstasy – Queen Street, Fri 22 Oct
Sherried Whisky with Willie Phillips – The Vaults, Tue 26 Oct
Melrose Preview Tasting – Fri 29 Oct, Townhouse Hotel
Chester-le-Street Halloween Tasting – Fri 29 Oct, The Cricket Club
Pan-Asian Curry Experience – London, Sat 30 Oct
New Members Tasting – London, Wed 3 Nov
New Outturn Open Tasting – London, Sat 6 Nov
New Outturn & Sunday Roast Tasting – The Vaults, Sun 7 Nov

Take the opportunity to join the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at  http://www.smws.co.uk/memberships

Anthony Wills from Kilchoman Distillery Visits the U.S.A.

Nov 6: The Whisky Shop 360 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA  415-989-1030
Bottle Signing

Nov 7:  Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel, 170 Railroad Street, Santa Rosa, CA 
Sponsored by:  Traverso’s  707-542-2530
5:00 to 7:00 Bottle Signing and Tasting

Nov 8: Binny’s  1720 N. Marcey Street, Chicago, IL 60614  312-664-4394
6:30 to 8:00 Bottle Signing
 
Nov 10:  Gary’s Beer & Liquor 9555 S. Howell Ave, Oak Creek, WI  414-762-3010
10:45 to 11:00 Bottle Signing

Nov 10:  County Clare Irish Inn & Pub  1234 N. Astor, Milwaukee, WI  414-272-5220
12:30 to 2:00 Bottle Signing and Tasting

Nov 10:  Waterford Wine C0mpany  1327 E. Brady Street, Milwaukee, WI  414-289-9463
3:00 to 5:00 Bottle Signing and Tasting

Nov 10:  Union House S42 W31320 Hwy 83, Genesse Depot, WI  262-968-4281
6:30 to 8:00 Bottle Signing and Tasting

http://www.kilchomandistillery.com/

A Kilchoman Bottle

THREE TIMES A WINNER FOR ISLE OF ARRAN DISTILLERY WITH 2011 WHISKY BIBLE AWARD

Scottish whisky producer, Isle of Arran Distillery, has won its third Whisky Bible Award for the Arran Peacock malt.

The world’s leading whisky guide named the 1996 whisky the ‘Best Single Malt Scotch’ in the 11-15 years category.

Jim Murray, influential whisky writer and judge of the awards, said: “The Peacock stood out head and shoulders above others in its category.

“I particularly enjoyed the complexity of this malt and will undoubtedly be going back to discover more.

“Arran at its best; outstanding!”

The Peacock, the first in a new series from the distiller called ‘Icons of Arran’, was named after the resident peacock which roams the grounds of the distillery. It was made available in a limited edition of 6,000 bottles.

James MacTaggart, Master Distiller at the Isle of Arran who created the malt, said: “We are very pleased with the success The Peacock has enjoyed amongst whisky drinkers.

“To get this kind of recognition for the malt from a renowned whisky enthusiast such as Jim Murray is a great compliment.”

MacTaggart used 13 ex-bourbon barrels and 7 ex-sherry hogsheads for the 1996 distillation, which was aged for 12 years. This resulted in a drink with an aroma of sweet oak and honey as well as hints of coconut and candy.

To the taste, Arran Peacock is crisp and malty with a slight nuttiness and a creamy sweetness to the finish.

This year, the distiller released the second edition of the Icons of Arran series, the Arran Malt Rowan Tree – a decadent tipple named after the equally flamboyant Scottish Rowan Trees which surround the distillery.

Previous Whisky Bible winners from the Isle of Arran distillery include ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for The Arran Malt Sherry Single Cask 1998 in the 2010 awards and ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 12 Years & Under’ in 2008 for The Arran Malt Amarone Cask Finish.

The Peacock and other winners will be featured in the 2011 Whisky Bible, published on the 12^th October. The winners were chosen after a tasting of over 1,000 whiskies from around the world.

Notes:

 Jim Murray tasting note:

The Arran Malt 1996 ‘The Peacock’ Icons of Arran bott 2009 (96) n24.5 oh my word: what a shame I have only three or four months to write this book: the degree of complexity will take that time to unravel. Both floral and fruity in almost perfect doses, the white pepper perfectly balances the light saltiness. The big weight is deceptive as the delicate sultana and perry sub plot appears to give more air and space to the overall picture. Outstanding…; t24.5 what a delicate creature this is: the juicy grape appears to be apparent on a couple of levels, sandwiching the honey and hickory bourbon notes between them; f23 long, now with that hint of pear on the nose re-surfacing as the finish nestles somewhere between butterscotch tart and buttered toast; b24 yet again this outstanding distillery delivers the goods: one of the most outstanding malts of the year and certainly one of the most complex. I would not be surprised if this was overlooked by some of you new to whisky: if you have not already discovered the faultless beauty on offer (not a single off note or hint of discord to be had from first to last!!) go back and try again with your palate as clean and unsullied as this magnificent malt demands and deserves. I’ve not yet spoken to the Arran guys about this, but would happily bet my house that this is a sublime mix of top bourbon cask and faultless sherry. As fabulous as this distillery unquestionably is, they will be hard pressed to keep this standard going… 46%^© Jim Murray

Now in its 8^th year, the 2011 Whisky Bible is the biggest edition yet with over 4,500 whiskies tasted, rated and evaluated. This year’s bible features over 1,050 new entries. For further information and/or to purchase the book go to www.whiskybible.com 

Tuesday, October 26 New York City

12-2 PM

Park Avenue Liquor Shop

292 Madison Avenue @ 41 Sts.

 book signing

www.parkaveliquor.com

(212) 685-2442

Tuesday, October 26 New York City

5-7PM

Brandy Library

29 North Moore Street

Book signing 

www.brandylibrary.com

(212) 226-5545

Tuesday, October 26 Brooklyn, New York

9:30  PM

Char No. 4
196 Smith Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201

Book signing and tasting

www.charno4.com
(t) 718.643.2106

Wednesday October 27  New York City

12: 30-3 PM

Keens Steakhouse

72 West 36th Street

Book signing

www.keens.com
(212) 947-3636

Amrut Blind Tasting

Monday 1st November, 7:00pm

We have the pleasure of Ashok Chokalingam from Amrut Distilleries coming to regale us with some fabulous Indian Whisky.

In the last few years, Amrut has really taken the whisky world by storm with some amazing bottlings. Here at TWE Towers we have always championed this, the finest of Indian spirits, but now it seems the world has caught up with us (always the leaders – it’s a responsibility we’re prepared to accept). Last year our tasting with Ashok took the form of a 10 whisky blind tasting with a couple of scotch malts thrown in for comparison and this seems to be his favourite way of doing things (and, to be honest, we like it too).
 
With the success of the fabulous Fusion, voted 3rd best whisky in the world by Jim Murray this year, Amrut are going from strength to strength, and on this evening we will be trying a couple of new bottlings just on the market, as well as some of the old favourites (but of course we will not know which is which, as they will be unmarked – and Ashok has a fantastic poker face).

Tickets for this exciting evening will be a bargainous £30 each (a great price for 10 whiskies), and are available from 3pm on Monday 25th October by calling +44 (0)207 403 8688 with your payment details, or coming into the shop.

They are, as always, limited to 2 places per booking, and are sold on a “first come, least disappointed” system, so be quick, and be patient with the redial button!