CAOL ILA™ DISTILLERS EDITION™ Single Malt Scotch Whisky, distilled in Islay, has taken the top Single Malt Scotch Whisky honours at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition, whose results were announced on 28 March. (WI is playing catch up today)
 
After three days of judging against dozens of single malt Scotch whiskies, it was awarded the accolade of “Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky”.

This stylish, richly flavoured and complex expression of Caol Ila has  –  after many years maturation in oak casks  –  been double-matured in dark Moscatel caskwood, hand-selected to complement the whisky’s sweetly fruity, smoky intensity.

Caol Ila™ Distillers Edition™ is not new to expert praise. It won Gold – Best in Class at the International Wine & Spirit Competition in 2009, Gold at the International Spirits Challenge in 2009 and 2010, and Gold at the Scotch Whisky Masters in 2010.

The supreme “Best” award, won this year by Caol Ila Distillers Edition, is given after an extensive multiple-round judging process running over three days.

The limited number of bottlings that qualify for a Double Gold Medal (which happens when the judging panel is unanimous in its assessment of a Gold Medal award) may, if the judges unanimously agree again, progress further to compete for honours in a wider super category.

This “super panel” of judges then re-assess the selected Double Gold winners with a view to deciding the “Best of” category awards: a process that takes the better part of the final day, nosing, tasting, evaluating and voting the best of the best in each category.

Notes
 
About Caol Ila™

Caol Ila Distillery is one of Diageo’s 28 Single Malt Scotch Whisky Distilleries and is the largest distillery on the Isle of Islay. It was established in 1846 near Port Askaig on Islay by Hector Henderson, and borrows its Gaelic name from the sea sweeping past its dramatic and almost secret location, squeezed tight between the steep cliff and the sea, hard on the eastern shores of the Sound of Islay with its fast and challenging currents. It was a spot originally chosen in 1846 partly because of the fresh water which still provides its main supply, rising from limestone in nearby Loch nam Ban, then falling to the sea just behind the distillery.

As a Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Caol Ila has enjoyed huge popularity and success since its relaunch in 2002.

Caol Ila is distributed in many markets in four complementary expressions in addition to the Distillers Edition™:

–        a 12 year old, that has won numerous Gold Medals including most recently the supreme prize, the Trophy for the best single malt whisky under 15 years old at the IWSC in 2010. It also won Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2009, Master at the Scotch Whisky Masters 2009, Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2010 and Master at the Scotch Whisky Masters 2010.

–        An 18 year old.

–        A Natural Cask Strength expression (with no age statement).

–        Moch [Gaelic for Dawn] – a new expression with no age statement, recently launched for the Friends of the Classic Malts

Enthusiasts have also enjoyed the unusual unpeated 8 year old and later 10 and 12 year old expressions of Caol Ila, figuring regularly among the annual Classic Malts Selection Special Releases.

About Caol Ila™ Distillers Edition™

Each Distillers Edition expression undergoes a second (or ‘double’) maturation in casks that have previously held a fortified wine.

This extraordinarily stylish and complex expression of Caol Ila has been double-matured in carefully selected Moscatel casks. The wood is not over-evident and instead balances perfectly with this richly flavoured single malt.

STRENGTH : 43% ABV

APPEARANCE : Clear gold

NOSE : Wonderfully concentrated pure, clean Caol Ila – peaty and medicinal, with rich fruit, spicy and fragrant. With water, the fragrant smokiness comes singing through.

BODY : Medium.

PALATE : Sweetness and maltiness strike first, then are quickly overwhelmed by peat smoke and intense, clean, crisp flavours. The signature smoky bonfires are here, and build to quite a size. Overall, drying, in a beautifully balanced, complex, elegant development, complemented with cinnamon spice.

FINISH : Long, rounded, robust and multi-layered.

About the San Francisco World Spirits Competition

The San Francisco World Spirits Competition, now in its 11th year, is the oldest, largest, and most recognized spirits competition in the United States. Entries were evaluated by 33 spirits experts from noted restaurants and hotels, well-known spirits journalists from major US media, spirits buyers, and spirits consultants. Judging is based on a blind, consensual procedure ensuring competitive integrity.

Hello Fellow Scotch Lovers –

I’m back…ten glorious days spent with my father tearing our way through the Scottish Highlands, taking in the spectacular countryside and touring every distillery that would see us. It was, in short, one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever visited, inhabited by some of the friendliest and most hospitable people you’ll ever meet.

And the whisky ain’t too bad either.

One of my favorite distilleries we visited was The Balvenie, in Dufftown, just outside of Speyside.  Balvenie is the only distillery in the Scottish Highlands that continues to operate their own floor maltings, with four men in shifts turning the barley three times a day, seven days a week. The distillery also grows its own barley, and employs a full-time Coppersmith to care for thier unique stills and a team of Coopers to care for their casks.

At the end of the tour we indulged in the byproduct of their efforts as you would expect. The entire tasting was one piece of candy after another….but the really extra special treat was the taste of Balvenie 21 Year Old Portwood.

So the minute I got out of the tasting, I placed a call to our friend Nicky “The Neck”, directing him to do whatever it takes…and as always, “The Neck” came through. 

Which brings me to this weeks Whisky Wednesday incredible opportunity: one of the most delicious whiskies you will ever taste, at an unbeatable price:  Balvenie 21 Year Old Portwood Finished Speyside Whisky for $125 (reg $172.90)

As usual, the product supply at this price is very limited…and once it’s gone, it’s gone.  So please purchase your bottle(s) ASAP if you are interested.

Finally, keep a very close eye on these emails…over the next few weeks I’ll be making some exciting announcements…including really great news about our Whisky Explorers Club…so STAY TUNED!

Doug Stone
Founder
www.ForScotchLovers.com

THE BALVENIE 21 YEAR OLD PORTWOOD FINISH

To create The Balvenie PortWood Aged 21 Years, a marriage of rare Balvenie is transferred to port casks, or pipes, which have held fine port wines. Here it is sampled regularly by The Balvenie Malt Master to ensure that just the right amount of character is imparted by the port casks, enhancing and developing the single malt whilst preserving its original characteristics.

“A single malt of refinement and remarkable character, it is creamy and silky with fruit, honey and spice notes, and has a long and gentle nutty finish.” – distillery

TASTING NOTES – DAVID STEWART, BALVENIE MASTER BLENDER

NOSE – A perfume of fruity and ripe raisin notes, backed by a nutty dryness.

TASTE – Refined with remarkable character, it is creamy and silky with fruit, honey and spice notes.

FINISH – Long, gentle, nutty.
 
PHOTOS OF THE DISTILLERY – by Doug Stone 

SCOTCH WHISKY EXPORTS UP – DIAGEO COMMENTS

Single Malts Exports up by 18%

The Scotch Whisky Association announced this week (WI is palying catch up!) that 2010 was a record year for Scotch Whisky. Global shipments were valued at £3.45bn, a 10% increase on 2009. Scotch Whisky exports  have increased by 60% since the turn of the century, adding an extra £1.29bn in value.

Single Malt exports increased by 18% (to £577m) and bottled Blended Scotch Whisky shipments rose by 5% (to £2.6bn).

There was a comment from David Gates, Diageo’s global category director for  Whiskies. He said:

“As the largest Scotch whisky producer, today’s SWA’s figures on the increase in Scotch exports come as no surprise.

In the last financial year, we’ve seen our Scotch portfolio grow by 6% with the key driver of this growth being through Johnnie Walker in emerging markets where net sales grew 23%. Where economies are growing, Scotch is growing and sometimes spectacularly in markets such as Mexico, Eastern Europe, duty free and South East Asia through blended Scotch brands such as Johnnie Walker, J&B and Buchanan’s.

Together these markets have driven almost an additional million cases of Scotch versus the same period last year.

Diageo continues to invest in Scotch production and late last year opened the first major new malt distillery for 30 years – Roseisle – as part of a capital investment programme in Scotland of £600 million announced over the past 6 fiscal years.”

Straight from the Still

Hello everyone,

We have some very exciting and can’t-miss events coming up at the distillery this summer and fall. Hi, this is Keith Kerkhoff co-founder and distiller at Templeton Rye. Mark your calendar for Rock & Rye in conjunction with the historic RAGBRAI event passing through Templeton on Monday, July 25th. Whether you are a spectator, support person, or rider, we would love to have you stop by the distillery. We will be conducting tours of the distillery and the town will be hosting a big party adjacent to the distillery with a beer garden, food, misters to cool you all down, and of course entertainment. Our team is anticipating a barrel of fun and the town of Templeton could grow a hundred fold that day. We will be taking a group picture at 1:00 pm in front of our large distillery sign for everyone wearing a Templeton Rye bike jersey. Speaking of that, for those of you who have not yet purchased one, but would like to, follow this link to get yours today. Get them ordered soon as the cutoff day is approaching.

Back by popular demand, we will be having our second volunteer bottling campaign in late November or early December. Be sure to watch our website for scheduling and sign up. We have kept in touch with many of our participants from last year and they have requested that we do this again so stay tuned.

This is a super busy time of the year for folks in the agricultural industries. I personally, along with my son Kody and extended family, are in this discipline. As our distillery manager Kevin Boersma likes to say, “It’s Go Time” around here. I currently have about 75% of my corn acres planted which is about average in our part of the state. Many other areas and states are struggling to get planting accomplished so hopefully it will dry up for them soon. Always remember “safety first” as accidents can be prevented only if we concentrate on what we are doing.

My last comment is that freedom is not free. This past week the war effort hit very close to home. James Justice, from nearby Manilla, lost his life in Afghanistan. He was a young man who had a magnetic personality that everyone admired. I personally have been friends with all the Justice family for years and want to share my condolences to them for this tragic and unfortunate loss. I would like to remind all of our friends, whether you encounter a military man or woman in an airport or on the street, to approach them and let them know we are thankful for what they are doing. Hope to see you all this summer!

Sincerely, Keith Kerkhoff

Visit Templeton Rye at www.templetonrye.com

Ben Nevis OB 25yo 54.0%alc.

A single cask bottling of 526 bottles, distilled in 1984 and re-racked from bourbon casks to a sherry cask in 1998, bottled in 2010.

Cask # 98/35/12

Another Atlantic storm from The Ben, an expression of West Coast solidity, bigger than the elements and I don’t mean earth and wind and wot-not but bigger than the whole periodic table of the elements.

It’s big in the glass, raising anticipation with a rich, bitter, sherry-wood aroma, dried fruit; sultanas, dates, figs… And a little bit of sherry wood match-head.

Soft on the tongue, especially considering the degree of prickle in the nose. Sweet and sour and a lovely stimulating swallow that I can only describe as acrid – but a good acrid. There is a juicy start to a very long finish with a haaar (exhale back into the nose & mouth arena) of matchbox striking surface. That finish is still as strong now as was to begin with. An ace.

Distilled 20 December 1984 and put in Bourbon barrels

Transferred to Sherry butts 14 October 1998

Bottled 2010

Limited to 526 bottles having spent almost 14 years in fresh Bourbon casks and then the remainder in fresh Sherry butts.

Visit Loch Fyne Whiskies at www.lfw.co.uk

Master of Malt Launch the World’s Oldest Whisky Liqueur

Online Retailer and Independent Bottler, Master of Malt ( http://www.masterofmalt.com/), has launched the world’s oldest whisky liqueur. Based on the very finest 40 year old single malt Speyside whisky from one of Scotland’s most legendary distilleries!

From a Secret Distillery

The 40 year old single malt at the heart of this liqueur hails from a Speyside distillery, and whilst the exact origins remain a closely guarded secret, it is reputed to be one of the world’s most famous, and one known for its rich, sherry-matured whiskies.

“The key part for us was that the whisky shone through,” says Master of Malt’s Sales Director Ben Ellefsen, “this is a liqueur for single malt connoisseurs, so we spent an incredible amount of time picking subtle flavours which highlighted the malt, rather than creating something that was just sweet and overpowering. We’ve used top quality, authentic ingredients including cinnamon bark, cloves and orange peel, and we couldn’t be more proud of the results.”

The 40 year old joins Master of Malt’s range of single malt Speyside whisky liqueurs, and the prices range from £26.95 for the 10 year old, up to £219.95 for the 40 year old.

The Liqueurs 

– Master of Malt 10 Year Old Speyside Whisky Liqueur – £26.95
– Master of Malt 15 Year Old Speyside Whisky Liqueur – £39.95
– Master of Malt 21 Year Old Speyside Whisky Liqueur – £59.95
– Master of Malt 30 Year Old Speyside Whisky Liqueur – £109.95
– Master of Malt 40 Year Old Speyside Whisky Liqueur – £219.95
– Tasting Set of all 5 – £29.95

About Master of Malt

– Established in 1985
– One of the UK’s leading Online Spirits Merchants
– A highly rated independent bottler, all of whose single cask whiskies scored over 90 points in the Jim Murray Whisky Bible 2009

Master of Malt Twitter @masterofmalt
Master of Malt – http://www.masterofmalt.com/

The Tolbooth Tavern

Thursday May 12th:- P/O/U/R/S £20/17*

Thursday May 26th:- non-Scottish peaty drams £tbc
India: Amrut 62.8%
U.S.A.: McCarthy’s
Japan: t.b.c.
England: St. Georges
Ireland: Cooley

Thursday June 9th:- P/O/U/R/S £20/17*

Thursday June 23rd:- Arran £tbc
Machrie Moor peated 46%
‘Oran Mor’ 56.4% sherry cask 236 bottles
10yo 57.1% Bourbon cask 219 bottles Loch Fyne Whiskies bottling
Cadenheads 1998 12yo 57.4%
plus another one to be confirmed

Thursday July 7th P/O/U/R/S £20/17*

Thursday July 21st Lagavulin £tbc
LG2
Distiller’s Edition 1994 – 2010 43%
16yo 43%
1995 12yo European oak 48% Friends of Classic Malts
and a fifth expression to be confirmed

Future Themes:

18yo- ‘Us’ and ‘Them’: comparisons of distillery bottlings with independant expressions – Highland Park, Glendronach and Tamdhu, Ben Nevis: Cadenheads 1996 – 03/2009 12yo 57.1% Bourbon hogshead 256 bootles, 10yo 46%, single blend, single grain, Cadenheads ‘dumpy’ 06/1965 – 12/1981 16yo 46%, Bladnoch: Rare Malts 23yo, Cadenheads 17yo 55.1% Bourbon hogshead, peated, sherry cask plus one other example

Peaty blends 40%: Islay Mist, Islay Hallmark 8yo, Black Bottle 10yo, Black Grouse, Black Bottle, plus a special guest (Brora or Port Ellen) Template design by Web-Kreation.

Visit the Jolly Toper at http://www.jollytopertastings.co.uk/

True Tales in Philadelphia

Hello,

True Tales events are now happening in different countries around the world and I would like to encourage you to attend one if the opportunity arises.

I have been to a few since the Manchester event I wrote about here, but I wanted to mention the last event in Philadelphia as I had a particularly good…(please click on the link below to read the rest of the post from ‘Behind the Blend with Ludo’)

http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2011/05/true-tales-in-philadelphia/

Kind regards,
Ludo

May Outturn: 13 Mesmerizing Malts

This spring it’s time to reawaken the senses with May’s Outturn, 13 mesmerizing malts drawn straight from the cask

Society Recommendations:

Perceptive Pair:
Buy 77.22 & 39.79 together for £88.50 (save £20.10)
77.22 Plentiful sweet delights
Highland Northern
£44.10 inc. free p&p
Meadowsweet, elderflower, laurel, lily – with sweet delights – vanilla, marmalade on toast and strawberry jam on scones (with clotted cream)

39.79 A lush chameleon
Speyside Lossie
£64.50 inc. free p&p
Brittle toffee, white paint (oil then poster-paint, then Play-Doh and crayons), wine gums, eiswein, ripe peaches and pomegranate

Count to 1..2..trio:
Buy 4.152, 44.49 & 53.150 together for £132.50 (save £27.00)
4.152 Hay bales in a limestone cave
Highland Island
£55.30 inc free p&p
Raspberry and strawberry sweets (Jolly Ranchers) candied orange, hay bales, cereals, cardboard tubes of Smarties and slight smoke

44.49 Lamb chops, mint sauce and blueberries
Speyside Spey
£44.10 inc free p&p
Some found lamb chops with boiled potatoes and mint sauce while the rest of us found cherry pie, white pepper, dried fruit and pot pourri

53.150 Beachcombers’ convention dram
Islay
£60.10 inc free p&p
Seaweed, sea-scrubbed nylon ropes, tar and brine; but then another bunch of beachcombers approached – some smoking roll-ups, some cooking bacon on bonfires

Six Scents: Take the Perceptive Pair, the Count to 1..2..trio and add 1.157 – six bottlings for only £260 (save £55.40)

1.157 Spicy chocolate raisins
Speyside Spey
£47.30 inc. free p&p
Coconut, liquorice root, chocolate raisins, jasmine tea, hot tubs, dry wood, glossy magazines, spice and furniture polish

All bottlings from May’s Outturn are available by the bottle and dram at our three Members’ Rooms – The Vaults, 28 Queen Street, Greville Street

Drams at Hotel du Vin & Malmaison

Joining the fine selection of drams we have behind the bar at Hotel du Vin & Malmaison from this month’s Outturn:

50.41 Winter Fireworks

2.79 Puff candy on a tropical Island

Society Tastings & Events

New Members Tasting – London, Mon 16 May
A Crash Course in single malts – The Vaults, Tue 24 May
Dunfermline Preview Tasting – Garvock House Hotel
Guildford Preview Tasting – Manor House Hotel, Thu 26 May
York Preview Tasting – Bedern Hall, Fri 27 May
Liverpool Preview Tasting – Malmaison, Fri 27 May
Cardiff Preview Tasting – Novotel, Fri 27 May
Champions League Final – Queen Street, Fri 27 May

Society Whisky Tastings

Whatever and wherever our tasting or event, the main focus is to give members an informal, enjoyable and relaxed night out..with a taste of the single cask good stuff!

Events range from step by step instruction in how to get the most from tasting single cask, single malt whisky to more adventurous couplings of whisky with food.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society,
The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ
Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm).

Visit the Society at http://www.smws.co.uk/memberships for your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers.  

Derby Trifecta Challenge: Take your best shot!

Kentucky Derby 137 is ready to run. Put your handicapping skills to the test! Log-in to the Buffalo Trace Saloon and pick 3 horses – win, place and show. If you guess all 3 in the correct order, you win! It’s that simple.

In the event of a tie, the shots you’ve earned from your regular Saloon activities will be added and used as the tie-breaker (so it could really pay to play around in the Saloon!)

The winner will experience Kentucky the way everyone should: scenic horse farms, a rustic 200-year-old distillery, southern food and of course, lots of bourbon tasting, courtesy of Buffalo Trace.

Go to the contest page for complete details.

Not a saloon member yet? Sign up now and take your best shot.

Share this contest with your friends on Facebook and Twitter.

Good luck,

Buffalo Trace
Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey