Malt Messenger No. 48
For many of you the Post-Party-Depression of Stampede is slowly starting to wear off, and for others the joys and distractions of summer are making it harder and harder to go in to work. As many of you know I enjoy my time outdoors, whether it is mountain biking, hiking or racing in triathlons. Summers are short in this climate but the days are long so I do my best, as I’m sure many of you do, to take full advantage of them. Putting together a Malt Messenger in the summer is always tough, there are plenty of distractions, and also the concern that maybe no one’s out there waiting in their comfortable chair with a wee dram to digest my latest whisky polemic. But I know some of you are out there, and I have a lot to write about this summer, so pour a couple of fingers, climb into the hammock and journey with me into the world of the single malt.
Believe it or not the summer is a busy time for the Scotch Guy. I am planning for events and product releases this fall of which there are many. I’m also busy considering what products to stock the store’s shelves with this fall and into Christmas. We have two upcoming imminent releases which I am very excited about. The first is a 70 year old expression of Glenlivet from Gordon & MacPhail which we will be officially launching here at the store on Thursday August 25th with Michael Urquhart. Kensington Wine Market will be the exclusive retailer in Alberta for this whisky along with five other Glenlivet expressions covering 5 decades. I will have much more on this in a Malt Messenger Bulletin in the next two weeks. There are still details to be sorted out, so stay tuned.
The second imminent release will be following on the heels of the Glenlivet Generations in early September. Some of you may have seen one of the dozens of stories which have come out over the last few years about whisky discovered under Ernest Shackleton’s hut in Antarctica. Long story short, a replica’s been produced, and far from being just a gimmick, it’s a interesting dram. The Mackinlay’s Old & Rare Highland Malt will be available exclusively from the Kensington Wine Market in Alberta. Requests and pre-orders for this whisky have been strong, and of the 180 bottles coming in, very near half are already spoken for! We will also be launching the Fettercairn line of whiskies at the same event in September. Fettercairn is a little known distillery in the Eastern Highlands which has principally been used for blended Scotch whisky and hasn’t been given its day in the sun, until now. Kensington Wine Market will have the pleasure of being the first store in Canada to carry these whiskies, and as the participants on my Speyside whisky tour discovered in May, they have a lot to offer. I will have much more to say about Fettercairn in the next edition of the Malt Messenger (No.49, the fall preview edition).
But enough about next month and the fall, I have a number of more timely things to tell you about! Our Spring Single Malt Festival in June saw the introduction of a number of new whiskies including many new bottlings from Signatory and Edradour distillery, which I am only now finding the time to write about. Most exciting was a pair of 40 year old Bowmore’s distilled in 1970. The first six bottles of each of these sold out almost immediately, but I’ll have a few more in this fall. In addition we have a 1966 BenRiach and bottlings from Glen Mhor, Glen Albyn and Caol Ila. There is also the Jura Prophecy, a brilliant little dram from one of the more obscure distilleries on the West Coast of Scotland. Prophecy is the first “Fully Peated” expression of Jura and is exclusive to Kensington Wine Market. There is also the Arran Westie, a new expression of Kilchoman, three new Tullibardines and a couple new ones from Balvenie. The Balvenie Thirty and Forty year olds are excellent new expressions from this distillery. The former was featured at our Spring Single Malt Festival in June and showed well, the latter, the Forty Year Old, was available for sampling at the Whisky Show in Vegas this year. I remember being very impressed by it at the time, though it must be said I’d tried many other whiskies before it… There are only two bottles of it available in Canada, and one of them is here at Kensington Wine Market.
June was a very busy month indeed. I was out in Squamish for a 70km mountain bike race called the Test of Metal, and was able to incorporate a couple of whisky tastings into my trip. First up was Gambier Island (in Howe Sound) where I spent a night and had a wonderful tasting with the Scotch Whisky Association of Gambier (or SWAG). The people on Gambier were once again gracious hosts, and the trip was both fun and relaxing. After Gambier there was an exclusive tasting in Vancouver and another in Golden on my way back to Calgary. Both events had great whisky to be sure, but the real pleasure was the curiosity and enthusiasm of the participants. I know there more than a few of you from all these tastings who read the Malt Messenger, and I’d like to thank you again for your hospitality and the opportunity to spread the word about Single Malt Scotch Whisky!
In addition to some of the new whiskies we’ve brought in over the last few months, I wanted to do something a little different in this Malt Messenger. I thought it would be fun to do a breakdown on some of the closed distilleries and highlight some of the available whiskies. What I didn’t fully appreciate was the size of the task. Depending on how you might choose to edit the list it would not be difficult to write about up to 30 distilleries. So I’m including in this Malt Messenger, the first instalment: The Closed Distilleries of Scotland – Part I. We also have a couple of summer tastings to tell you about. I’ve included some information on these too.
I hope you enjoy this edition of the Malt Messenger, and don’t forget you can follow me at twitter.com/scotch_guy for more timely whisky updates!
Slainté!
Andrew Ferguson
In This Issue
1. Introducing the Jura Prophecy
2. The Arran Westie
3. New Whiskies from Signatory
4. New Whiskies from Edradour
5. The Balvenie Thirsty and Forty Year Olds
6. Three New Tullibardines
7. Kilchoman Spring 2011 Release
8. The Closed Distilleries of Scotland
9. Blanton’s Bourbon
10. Summer Tastings
11. May 2012 Whisky Tours
12. Exclusives Coming Soon!
13. Other Whiskies Coming Soon
INTRODUCING THE JURA PROPHECY
Jura is one of three active distilleries in the Whyte and MacKay portfolio, the other two being the well known Dalmore and the more obscure Fettercairn. The company is one of the bigger players in the Global Scotch Whisky market, mainly because of its blends. Since its purchase by Indian drinks magnate Vijay Mallya, the company has begun making more of a push into the single malt and premium markets. There have been a slew of very old and rare bottlings of Dalmore for years, though the core expressions were largely neglected. This has begun to change wth more offerings and expression being made available, and some of them above 46% and non-chillfiltered! First there was the rebranding of Dalmore, and then the rebranding of Fettercairn (which we will begin to see this fall) and now even Jura is getting a shot in the arm.
The Jura Prophecy is interesting for a few reasons: firstly, because it is the first non-chillfiltered expression of Jura available to the Canadian market, bottled at 46%. Hopefully this is just the beginning, and a sign of things to come. Secondly, the Prophecy is interesting because it is the first “fully peated” expression of Jura to be released by the distillery. I know what you are thinking, what about the Superstition, that’s a heavily peated Jura? I thought so too, but in fact the Superstition has been a combination of both unpeated and heavily peated Jura, the Prophecy is the first heavily peated expression from the distillery. And finally, for the time being, this whisky is exclusive to the Kensington Wine Market.
The back story on the Prophecy brand is interesting and worth telling. The west coast of Scotland, though Christian before much of the rest of the UK has long held on to its pre-Christian Pagan and Celtic traditions. In the 1700s the Campbells, who then ruled Jura, evicted a wise old seer, who as the legend tells it was blessed with the ability to see the future. With the use of her “third eye” said seer, furious over her banishment, prophesized that the last Campbell to leave Jura would be one eyed and all his worldly possessions would be carried away in a cart drawn by a white horse. I’ll let the marketing folk at Whyte and MacKay pick it up from here:
“Over time the story became legend, the legend became myth and the prophecy drifted from memory. Until 1938, when Charles Campbell, blind in one eye from the Great War (WWI), fell on hard times. It was a cold, unforgiving morning when he made his way to the old pier for the last time, traveling on a cart drawn by a single white horse. The seer’s prophecy had come to pass.”
“ “That day, the sound of the cart on the track could be heard for miles.” Allan MacDonald – witness to a legend.”
So it’s a great tale, but what of the whisky? I personally feel it is one of the most interesting and complex expressions of Jura I’ve ever had. I have included my tasting note below along with that of Malt Advocate Magazine. Interestingly the bottle does indicate this is batch 1, or “year 1”, no doubt an indication there will be some variation from year to year and batch to batch!
Malt Advocate Review – 88pts – Like “Superstition,” this is a peated expression of Jura. Compared to Superstition, Prophecy seems richer, heavier, sweeter, deeper, leafier, with more tarry notes. I’m also picking up more spice (cinnamon, anise, dark chocolate) and some fruit (lime, mandarin orange, green apple), with a subtle yet intriguing suggestion of burnt popcorn. Prophecy is also bottled at 46% and not chill-filtered—which I think brings out more subtle nuances and texture in the whisky. The only tradeoff is that I’m picking up less of the Jura spirit and less sea characteristics. But this is a small tradeoff, considering how much more you’re getting with Prophecy. Promoted as a limited annual release. “
Isle of Jura Prophecy – 46% – No age or cask types specified. – A little over 10,000 bottles have been released world-wide, the distillery may release another batch in a year or two. – My Tasting Note: Nose: if I’d approached this whisky blind I would have initially thought Ardbeg for the soft peat oils or Bowmore for the dark smoke; the nose is ponderous and multilayered but balanced; initially oily, then dark and earthy the peat softens enormously but never disappears; soft vanilla, brown sugar, green vegetal tones and some sweet spices like cinnamon and black liquorice; oat cakes, aged cheddar and even smoked salmon emerge later; Palate: soft and sweet with robust but gentle peat; soft peaty oils gently coat the palate while oak cakes, brown sugar, dark chocolate and a menagerie of spices delight the palate: cinnamon, glove, anise and pepper; I was expecting this to be harsh, bitter and heavy, but it is light, gentle and complex with credit no doubt due in part to the second tallest stills in Scotland; Finish: soft and sweet while simultaneous coating and drying the palate; it is long but light in length; Comments: even better than my initially tasting of it at the distillery in May! I asked for this as an exclusive purely on a whim and boy did that pay off… Exclusive to KWM – $96.99
THE ARRAN WESTIE
The Arran Westie is the third release in the icons of Arran series. The bottle and tin feature distillery manager James MacTaggarts’ West Highland Terrier Ruaraidh (pronounce roo-ree). The whisky was created by marrying 22 hand selected ex-sherry hogsheads filled in 1998. In the distillery’s words: “Ruaraidh is independent of character with a mischievous glint in his eye and is much admired by visitors to our distillery in Lochranza. This limited edition bottling was drawn from 22 ex-sherry hogsheads distilled in 1998 and specially selected by James MacTaggart under the careful supervision of Ruaraidh.”
The Arran Malt 1998 The Westie – 46% – 12 Year – Produced from 22 hand selected ex-sherry hogsheads. – Only 180 bottles in Alberta, KWM has commited to 60! – My Tasting Note: Nose: grassy and honeyed with oranges, cardamom, clove, white chocolate and hard fruit candies; more citrus notes develop with patience including lemon, lime and more orange; the nose also shows pancake batter, banana loaf and a touch of lavender; Palate: soft, sweet and drying with gentle toasted oak; very delicate for a whisky drawn from ex-sherry casks, very honeyed, malty and orangey; these must have been mostly American oak sherry hogsheads because the vanilla, honey and even coconut notes; there are some darker spice tones to it too, but the whisky remains soft, gentle and smooth; Finish: sweet and oaky, more vanilla, honey and coconut with lemon and lime zest and grassy malt; Comments: a very enjoyable summer sipper, perfect for the patio or beach on a hot day! The longer the whisky is left to open up the more expressive the sherry notes become, especially on the nose while the palate becomes more fruity! – $75.99
NEW WHISKIES EXCLUSIVE WHISKIES FROM SIGNATORY
A Tale of Two Forty Year Old Bowmores
1. Signatory Bowmore 1970 40 Year 43.2% – Distilled 15/09/1970 – Bottled 25/10/2010 – Cask No. 4467 – Oloroso Sherry Butt – 489 Bottles – 43.2% – My Tasting Note: Nose: newly polished leather shoes, fresh figs and plump fruits like nectarines, peaches and plums; Mars squares (you have to go to Scotland to know what these are), prune jam and Teriyaki beef jerky; there is a sense of dunnage warehousing and musty oak but it is the fruit that reigns supreme; the fruit becomes more melon-like as the whisky opens up and I can detect a trace of soft peat and damp sea breeze; Palate: very fruity right off the bat with peaches and cream, chocolate covered strawberries and Fig Newtons (they way they used to be before Trans Fats became a bad thing!); the second sip shows some distinct earthy peat but it slumps quickly into soil peaty oils which compliment the thick syrupy fruit; the third sip is distinctly smoky, the fruits are there for a moment but are gradually replaced with salty peaty smoke; rich and spicy as it develops with notes of brown sugar, old leather and classic Christmas cake notes; eventually the circle is completed and the palate returns to the realm of soft buttery fruits with but hints of salt and smoke; Finish: drying and smoky with some dark chocolate, old leather and this back drop of buttery plump fruit that refuses to go silently into the good night; Comments: although peaty, this whisky is the softer and creamier of the two with plump buttery fruits and some salty peat; can’t say I prefer one to the other, but if forced to choose I’d pick this one! – $1136.99
2. Signatory Bowmore 1970 40 Year 53.1% – Distilled 24/09/1970 – Bottled 24/09/2010 – Cask No. 4686 – Oloroso Sherry Butt – 252 Bottles – 51.5% – My Tasting Notes: Nose: maple syrup, fruit compote; macerated blueberries, and berry pies; molten brown sugar, spicy jelly, classic chutney with marmalade and toffee cake; dark candied fruits, jelly beans and burnt BBQ sauce; Palate: rich and layered the palate comes in waves, at first you’re a little disappointed but as the first few seconds tick past wave after wave of dark fruit, sweet spices, chocolate and faint earthy peat roll over the palate; big Christmas cake notes dominate the palate with sweet oak spices; there is a backbone of smoke but no peat or salt; I’ve spoken too soon the salt develops later after poking out from under a honey-garlic sauce; the sherry and the oak are dominant but this is definitely an old Bowmore; the whisky develops more and more with time, layers of sticky toffee pudding, chocolate covered almonds, cigar smoke and damp tobacco; there are traces of tropical fruit but it is the dark and candied variety which dominate; Finish: sweet, dark and syrupy with clean smoke and gradually drying oak; I find the fruits to be more tropical on the finish than candied or dark showing this whisky has plenty of layers; Comments: if dark and spicy is what you crave you’ll prefer this one to the other; I love the layers and the interplay of building smoke, dark fruits and spice; this one is more layered, but the other is softer and more enticing. – $1137.99
A Couple from Closed Distilleries
1. Signatory Glen Albyn 1981 – 29 Year – Distilled January 16th 1981 – Bottled March 15th 2010 – Cask No. 50 – Matured in a Hogshead – 263 Bottles – 57.5% – My Tasting Note: Nose: creamy, soft and fruity; vanilla and white chocolate with orange creamsicle; then some tropical fruits like papaya and guava; the fruits settle down and are immersed below the more dominant American oak notes; Palate: very sweet, cream and spicy with some toasted oak; white chocolate Hershey’s Kisses, crystallized honey, and sweet toasted oak; there are hints of the tropical fruits on the palate but crisp white fruits like green apple take to the fore; hints of sweet spices intermingle with the toasted oak; Finish: drying and sweet with more American oak notes and gentle sweet spices; Comments: I’ve only ever tasted one other Glen Albyn and that too was from an American oak cask. I recall it was very creamy, but at a much diluted strength of 43% and if I recall a much more advanced age. If memory serves this one is sweeter and more spicy and the other more creamy! – $173.99
2. Signatory Glen Mhor 1982 – 28 Year – Distilled: September 9th 1982 – Bottled: November 11th 2010 – Cask No. 1328 – Wine Treated Hogshead – 272 Bottles – 56.8% – My Tasting Note: Nose: very fruity with fleshy red fruits like plums and apricots; a vanilla base can be just detected under a thin veneer of wine tannins and saddle leather; Palate: the first thing that strikes me is spice: clove, black pepper and allspice; then a sweet creamy pillow of vanilla and honey; the wine influence is only modest, adding a fruit bar like character, more saddle leather and soft earthy tannins (the wine doesn’t have a stranglehold on this one); Finish: drying, sweet and leathery with more traces of honey, vanilla, spice and leather; Comments: there is more to this whisky than I had first thought, and curiously some parallels to the MacKinlays “Shackleton blended malt which KWM is getting exclusively this fall. – $234.99
Three Others
1. Signatory Edradour 46% – My Tasting Note: Nose: puffed wheat, molasses, burnt candied fruits, crisp sweet oak, cinnamon buns and plumy fruits; Palate: soft and malty with some caramelized sherry notes; very sweet with crisp malt, nutty sherry and maple syrup; coffee bean, brown sugar and honeyed fruits; Finish: drying, toasty and leathery with tannins and dry spices taking over. – $88.99
2. Signatory Caol Ila 1984 – Distilled December 12th 1984 – Bottled November 24th 2010 – Hogshead – Cask No. 6258 – 224 Bottles – 57.3% – My Tasting Note: Nose: sweet, buttery peat; vegetal-oily peat dominates the nose after the first pass, buttered corn bread and wet wood thicket smoke are also present; there is some black liquorice, oat cakes and freshly mowed damp green grass to be discovered as well along with a lemon/lime citrus note; Palate: very dark and peaty/earthy; saline solution black smoke and green vegetal notes; with time the American oak notes of thick creamy vanilla start to emerge; but the peat comes back, black potting soil, burning leaves and candy coal; Finish: drying and peaty with a lingering sweetness and vanilla from the ex-Bourbon casks; Comments: there is nothing rough, harsh or unpleasant about this Caol Ila, its just full throttle, no punches pulled Islay in a bottle! – $199.99
3. Signatory BenRiach 1966 – Distilled April 18th 1966 – Bottled November 10th 2008 – 42 Years – Hogshead – Cask No 1019 – 175 Bottles – 43.9% My Tasting Note: Nose: peaches and cream, apricots and toasted oak; pan seared butter and burnt sugar with old softening oak; sugary vanilla and toasted oak notes; Palate: sweet, round and chewy with big toasted oak notes; the palate is very sweet with thick vanilla, black liquorice and brown sugar; the peaches and apricots are still there but without the cream; there are layers of floral tones and dull spices too; the palate becomes more sugary and oaky with every passing sip leading to some darker spice; Finish: long, drying and sweet with more toasted oak; Comments: the beautiful thing about great older whiskies is that they take you to the edge of oblivion, but not beyond! – $777.99
NEW WHISKIES FROM EDRADOUR DISTILLERY
Edradour is Scotland’s smallest distillery. It is so small as a matter of fact that it would take Edradour more than 1000 years to distil the volume of whisky that William Grant & Sons have maturing at their Balvenie/Glenfiddich/Kinninvie site in Dufftown. Edradour produces in a year, what most distilleries do in a week. Yet, it receives the second largest number of visitors or all the distilleries in Scotland. Nestled in the hills above the picturesque little town of Pitlochry, Edradour receives more than 100,000 visitors a year. Curiously, if each of these visitors bought a bottle of their 10 year, there would be virtually nothing left to export!
The name Edradour can be translated to mean the place where waters meet. An interesting fact given that the burn which bisects the distillery caused enormous damage to the distillery and grounds in 2002, shortly after its acquisition by Andrew Symington and his independent bottling firm Signatory. Since his purchase of the distillery Andrew has shifted its production towards better quality and management. He has spent millions on good quality oak, built a bottling hall, new visitor center, installed an impressive amount of traditional dunnage floor warehousing hidden in the dell behind the distillery, and most crucially moved the distillery into the non-chillfiltered no colouring added family of distillers. Edradour is in my opinion, one of the distillers to watch!
Here are two of the latest exclusive whiskies from Edradour:
1. Edradour SFTC Chateau Neuf du Pape – 9 Years American Oak – 3 ½ Years in Chateau Neuf de Pape – 436 Bottles – 54.2% – My Tasting Note: Nose: really big, lush and rich; the wine finishing has contributed earthy-leathery notes and peppery spices which are balanced by sweet vanilla, red fruits and jammy notes; Palate: softer than expected with the deft vanilla notes and heather honey acting like a silk pillow under the spices and jammy fruits; Finish: sweet, drying and spicy; Comments: a little different from the last CNP finish, but still a great dram! – Exclusive to KWM – $99.99
2. Edradour Natural Cask Strength Decanter – Distilled: May 6th 1997 – Bottled January 19th 2011 – Cask No. 187 – 723 Decanters – 56.7% – First Fill Sherry Butt – My Tasting Note: Nose: burnt and spicy, charred oak; big nutty sherry notes almost overshadow some floral notes like lavender and geranium; thick maple syrup, brown sugar and lightly worn new leather; Palate: sweet notes hit first, then toasted oak followed by candied fruit; surprisingly soft for the strength and the fact that it was matured 13 years in fresh sherry; becomes spicier as the dark and candied fruit emerge with more maple syrup; this is a very well balanced sherry cask without a discernable traces of sulphur; Finish: sweet and drying with gentle spice; Comments: this is without doubt the softest of all the Edradour Sherry cask decanters we have had to date; but it is no less complex or pleasing than any of the others. Another great single cask! – Exclusive to KWM – $129.99
THE BALVENIE THIRTY AND FORTY YEAR OLDS
Balvenie 30 Year – 47.3% – The whisky is matured in a mix of American oak ex-Bourbon and European oak ex-sherry casks. My Tasting Note: Nose: thick with caramel, molasses, and browning apples; iced cider wine, poached pear, fruit flan and vanilla custard; brown and Demerara sugars, fig jam and candied orange; there is a creamy-marzipan character hiding under all the fruit, macaroons and raspberry infused white chocolate; Palate: creamy, spicy and fruity to start, building in intensity and softening until it plunges off a cliff into a silky smooth abyss; there is a little bit of bitterness from the oak which interferes with the soft fruits, but they shortly wrestle it under control; apple crumble, more browning apple, brown sugar and pear; leaving it for a few minutes and coming back releases a torrent of Highland toffee, caramelized fruits and Scottish tablet; Finish: the finish is light, sweet and medium in length; some of the spices and confectionary notes linger long after the last sip; Comments: there are both layers and consistency to this dram leaving it on the edge of greatness… so close, but still very good. KWM only acquired 3 bottles! – $611.99
Balvenie 40 Year – 48.5% – Only 150 bottles of this rare whisky are available worldwide with but a handful finding their way to Canada. KWM has managed to acquire one of them. – I had a chance to try this at the whisky festival in Vegas and was really impressed with it. It was matured in sherry casks and refill hogsheads. Each bottle is presented in a bespoke wooden box, handmade in oak by Scottish craftsmen Sam Chinnery and hand-engraved by his father. “Rich, mellow and beautifully balanced on the nose. Sweet, with oak, sultanas, peaches, honey, vanilla and a whiff of worn leather. The palate is vibrant and luscious, with ginger, stewed fruits and developing bitter chocolate. Slowly and elegantly drying in the finish, with aniseed and liquorice sticks. – $4633.99
THREE NEW TULLIBARDINES
1. Tullibardine Coume del Mas Banyuls Finish – 46% – No Age Statement – My Tasting Note: Nose: promises of something sweet and winey, some new leather, caramel corn, honeyed and malty (youngish); Palate: youthful but rich, some sweet brown sugar, Demerara notes and barley sugar (man there’s a lot of sugar to this one); as the palate develops fleshy red fruits and berries take over with floral and earthy tones; Finish: drying, sweet and earthy with more barley and stewed fruits; Comments: good for a young whisky. I found the nose a little weak and uninteresting but the palate, which is far more crucial, makes up for the former’s shortcomings.- $55.99
2. Tullibardine 1992 Premier Cru Classe Bordeaux Finish – 46% – Finished in Chateau Lafite Rothschild Bordeaux casks, bottled in 2010. – My Tasting Note: Nose: vanilla and white chocolate with strawberry jam and raspberry vinaigrette; there is also something reminiscent of powdered sugar and lemon juice on crepes right off the pan; pleasantly unusual; Palate: more leathery and earthy than expected with dark fruits and musty dunnage floor warehousing; very port like with thick, dark plumy mulled fruits; Finish: medium, soft and drying with more faint traces of port; Comments: more depth than the Banyuls finish, but at more than twice the age this isn’t entirely surprising. This dram will be enjoyed by anyone who a fan of wine cask finished single malts, and besides, it’s nearly a 20 year old whisky for under $75… ! – $71.99
3. Tullibardine 1965 Cask 952 – 48.6% – 128 Numbered Bottles – Hogs Head Cask? (sherry or bourbon?/first fill or refill?) – My Tasting Note: Nose: delicate but deep, melon and berry fruits on buttery crepes (my mind must have been on crepes…); as it opens up: some tropical fruits, fruit cake, fruit flan… bottom line, lots of fruit; Palate: dark and a little savoury, more fruit cake with round nutty tones; burnt sugar and dark spices develop with bold elements of liquorice and clove; ginger cookies and dry chocolate brownies; Finish: drying and chocolaty with fig bars and toasted oak; Comments: I initially thought this was the same one we tasted at the distillery in May, I was wrong, different cask! The sherry in this Tullibardine 1965 is much stronger, and while the other whisky was very fruity too, it was much lighter. I’d have to try them side by side to declare a favourite. – $533.99
LATEST KILCHOMAN RELEASE – Spring 2011
Kilchoman is Islay’s newest distillery, and it’s spent its first five years astonishing whisky boffins and critics with its young character-full whiskies. The hype surrounding the distillery is beginning to die down, and while the distillery is still selling the same impressive whiskies the bottle prices are settling into more reasonable ranges. This new Spring 2011 release is a good example of that. There is more to come in the next 3-6 months from Kilchoman, including the first Kilchoman 100% Islay (Inaugural Release) and another cask from Kensington Wine Market… this time a sherry cask Kilchoman! In the meantime, here’s my tasting note on the new Spring 2011 Release.
Kilchoman Spring 2011 – 46% Tasted at Distillery – 70% of the whisky is 3 year old fresh Bourbon, and the rest is 4 year old fresh Bourbon finished for 5 weeks in sherry casks. – My Tasting Note: Nose: soft honey, vanilla, fermented wash, cherries and sweet fruit with grassy earthy peat; Palate: very chewy malt, dry biscuity peat and creamy honey; Finish: drying and oily with malt and pure smoke; Comments: the peat is there in all its resplendent glory, as is the sweet vanilla, cherries and other berry fruits; another tasty Kilchoman to add to the collection! – $64.99
THE CLOSED DISTILLERIES OF SCOTLAND – PART I
Banff
It may surprise many Canadians to know that the country’s most famous mountain town is named after a modest town on the Moray coast of Scotland northwest of Aberdeen. The distillery was originally established in 1812 and was closed in 1983 by Diageo who were cleaning house at the time. Two years later in 1995 the distillery was partially dismantled; an indication Diageo never had any intention of reopening it. The distillery has had something of a dramatic history, being largely destroyed by fire in 1877, hit by the bombs of a German Junkers in World War II and finally completely destroyed by fire in 1991. Bottlings from Banff are very rare; Diageo has only ever released one bottling under their Rare Malts label. Independent bottlings are infrequent.
– Old and Rare Banff 1971 37 Year – Distilled: March 1971 – Bottled: March 2008 – 53% – 271 Bottles – Distillers Tasting Note: The nose is herbal fresh, spicy, citric and carries later vanilla and a lightly smoked quality. The tingling palate replicates all those characteristics plus some extra honeyed and sugary quality – to be followed by a soft and complex finish which is still spiced, honeyed, with a touch of Benedictine and a drift of smoke. – Available by Request – $399.99
Ben Wyvis
Ben Wyvis is one of the shortest lived distilleries in Scottish history. It was opened by owners Whyte and MacKay at their Invergordon grain distillery in 1965. The distillery’s product was primarily produced for Whyte & MacKay’s blends though a small amount was bottled as single malt. Surplus to the firm’s requirements the distillery was dismantled in 1977. The distillery’s stills live on though, albeit in a retooled form at the Glengyle Distillery (Kilkerran Single Malt) in Campbeltown. The name Ben Wyvis was also used by a distillery which operated in Dingwall from 1879 to 1926.
Kensington Wine Market recently stocked two different expressions of Ben Wyvis, one of which I tasted. The odd independent bottling has also been released, but these are nearly as rare as the official bottlings. It isn’t likely we will ever see either of these again:
– Ben Wyvis 1972 The Final Resurrection – 27 Year – 43% – The product of what the distillery thought were its three last casks. – 471 Bottles – My Tasting Notes: Nose: lovely tropical fruits to start, shredded coconut, mandarin oranges and soft vanilla with hints of browning apple; Palate: thick and buttery, more lush tropical fruits and fresh cream; honey, marzipan and toasted oak… there is a lot going on here; just as on the nose there are notes of coconut, but more like toasted coconut chips than shredded, there is also plenty of toasted oak; I am shocked that the strength is only 43%, this whisky packs lots of flavour; Finish: long, drying and sweet; the tropical fruits linger but play second fiddle to the vanilla/coconut notes and toasted oak; Comments: I didn’t know quite what to expect, especially given that this is the first and possibly last Ben Wyvis I will ever taste. – SOLD OUT – $1919.99
– Ben Wyvis 37 Year – The distillery’s owner Whyte and MacKay was shocked to discover another cask maturing in their warehouses years after declaring and releasing their final bottling. The cask was owned by another party, but fortunately for Whyte and MacKay they had defaulted on their storage fees! – 44% – Tasting Note Courtesy of Master of Malt: “Nose: There are magnificent honeyed notes, gentle herbs and beeswax erupt with palpable intent. Notes of vanilla spice and buttery cream. Menthol, rosewater. Palate: Rich and the balance is utterly superb with such crystalline clarity, the barley sweetness knows no limits, as does a gentle oak and herbal texture. Finish: Crisp cereal notes and oaken aridity. “ – SOLD OUT – $2320.99
Brora
Brora has as chequered a past as any other distillery in Scotland. The distillery was founded by the Marquis of Stafford, the First Duke of Sutherland in 1819 under the name Clynelish. The good Duke was a disreputable character in his day, and his legacy continues to be a bone of contention 175 years after his death. Scotland was going through a period called the Highland Clearances at the time the Duke established the first Clynelish distillery, the distillery we would come to know as Brora. Proponents of the clearances sought to cleanse the Highlands of the hundreds of thousands of Highlanders scratching out a living on small crofts to make way for more profitable sheep grazing. Peasants were cruelly and ruthlessly driven from their homes with little warning, forced to leave all their worldly goods behind and in many cases put aboard ships against their will for parts unknown. The Duke was one of the most merciless of the nobles when it came to clearing his lands: thousands were burnt out of their homes and at least one man was murdered by his agents. But this didn’t succeed in removing all the peasants from his lands, some still managed to hold out by illicitly producing whisky. He established the first Clynelish distillery to drive these meddlesome peasants out of business.
Still called Clynelish in 1968 it was closed to make way for the new Clynelish distillery. A year later it reopened and for a time as referred to as Clynelish No.2 or Clynelish B. Until 1973 it produced a very heavy “Islay style” whisky to help compensate for a drought induced drop in whisky production on Islay. From 1973 until its closure in 1983 it produced a more lightly peated style of whisky. Next to Port Ellen Brora is probably the most mourned distillery in Scotland.
Kensington Wine Market has recently carried a couple of official releases of Brora, the Brora 25 Year and 2009 Edition Brora 30 Year. It isn’t likely we will see either of these again. Canada missed out on the 2010 Brora release, also a 30 year old, not for lack of effort on my part, but rather due to the lack thereof from Diageo Canada. Whether we will receive any of the 2011 remains to be seen. There is no independently bottled Brora presently available in Alberta.
Caperdonich
Caperdonich was part of the Chivas Bros./Pernod Ricard group of distilleries until it closed in 2002. Any hopes of it reopening were dashed when the buildings were sold to Forsyth’s. Forsyth’s are the company who manufacture much of the equipment used by the Scotch whisky industry, like copper pot stills. Caperdonich was established in 1897 during a boom in the Scotch whisky industry. Like BenRiach and some other distilleries which were opened around the same time, the new Caperdonich distillery was a victim of the Pattison Whisky Crash, closing its doors in 1902. The distillery would not reopen until 1965, at the start of another boom. The distillery was build adjacent to its sister distillery Glen Grant in Rothes, and was oft refered to as Glen Grant 2. The distillery was put up for sale in 2010 when Forsyth’s came into the picture.
There has only ever been one official release. Kensington Wine Market currently stocks one independently bottled expression:
Provenance Caperdoncih 1996 11 Year – Distilled: Summer 1996 – Bottled: Spring 2008 – Refill Hogshead – 46% – Bottler’s Tasting Note: “On the nose is an initially fragrant cust grass aroma which warms a little to cayenne pepper in style. The palate is light and runs more sugary and sweetly as it is held – with maybe just a hint of candy-floss. The finish is spiced, still sweet – and that spice lingers on. – Fred Laing – $63.49
Coleburn
Coleburn was opened in 1897 at Longmorn, on the road from Elgin to Rothes. The distillery was closed in 1985, and its license was not renewed in 1992 making it unlikely we will ever see it open again. That said Mark and Dale Winchester have purchased the grounds with an eye to converting them to a spa, convention center and 50 bedroom luxury hotels.
OMC Coleburn 25 Year – Distilled: February 1980 – Bottled September 2005 – 50% – Refill Butt – Bottler’s Tasting Note: Nose: heathery, creamy, spicy and malty; Palate: piquant and malty with honeyed tones; Finish: long, lingeringly sweet and smooth.” When I tasted it I noted a curious coal smoke note!” – $176.99
Convalmore
Dufftown’s claim to fame is a play on Rome’s “Rome was built on seven hills, Dufftown stands on seven stills”. Today there are only six active distilleries in Dufftown, but at one point in the 1970 there were nine. One of these closed distilleries is Convalmore, which sits on the grounds of the William Grant & Sons facility which includes three active distilleries Glenfiddich, Balvenie and Kinninvie. Convalmore’s buildings are all intact, but the equipment has long since been removed. In 1990 the buildings were sold to William Grant & Sons mainly for the warehousing. The distillery was founded in 1894 but the buildings which survive today were built after a devastating fire in 1909. After its rebuilding there were some experiments with continuous distillation, but these were short lived. There have been few official bottlings, the last; a 28 year old was carried by our store until the last few years. Presently, even independent bottlings are rare. KWM has one bottling of Convalmore in stock, an exclusive.
G&M Connoisseurs Choice Convalmore 1984 – Refill Sherry Hogsheads / 46% / 25 Year – My Tasting Note: Nose: burnt toast, gritty, a metallic tinge, candied orange and cardamom, something like sweet and sour pork on the periphery; Palate: very soft and smooth with exceptionally soft creamy oak, fresh cream, loads of vanilla and soft gentle oak; the palate is very warming and pleasant, perfect on a cold night for those who aren’t fond of the peat…; Finish: drying with spice and malted milk! – $182.99
Dallas Dhu
Dallas Dhu is sometimes referred to as the Museum distillery having been sold to Historic Scotland in 1986. The distillery operated from 1898 to 1983 when it fell victim to the oversupply and market conditions which ravaged the industry in the early 1980’s. The whisky was primarily used in a blend called Roderick Dhu which was particularily popular in India and Australia. The distillery, originally called Dallasmore, was built by Alexander Edward near Forres. Before it went into production it was sold to Wright & Grieg Ltd. who owned the Roderick Dhu blend. The distillery was renamed Dallas Dhu to emphasize the new ownership and promote the blend. Official bottlings are nonexistent save for a couple of releases under Diageo’s Rare Malts line. Independent bottlings are also becoming increasingly rare.
OMC Dallas Dhu 1972 32Year – 50% – Distilled: March 1972 – Bottled: October 2004 – Refill Butt – 605 Bottles – Bottler’s Tasting Note: Nose: stewed apples, in syrup, prunes and fruit cake; Palate: sweet pear skin, apricot juice and heavy oak; Finish: long, sweet, oaky finish. – $262.99
Glen Albyn
Glen Albyn was one of three distilleries which called Inverness Scotland home along with Glen Mhor and Millburn. Like its two other neighbours the distillery was never famous for its whisky and when the rough patch hit the industry in the early 1908’s the axe felt quickly and ruthlessly. Officially closed in 1983 it was demolished by 1988. Originally founded in 1844 by James Sutherland the Mayor of Inverness, it fell on hard times and closed a little over a decade later, spending some time thereafter as a flower mill. The distillery was rebuilt and in 1984 and operated for close to 100 years with a few interruptions mainly during the World Wars. In World War I the site served the war effort constructing anti-submarine boom defences for Scapa Flow in the Orkneys. The site of the old distillery now serves as a shopping complex. Glen Albyn was only once bottled as one of Diageo’s Rare Malts, and is obscure even as Independent Bottlings go. To the best of my knowledge there has only ever been two independent bottlings of Glen Albyn in Alberta. The first was a 40 year old expression from Gordon & MacPhail, the second is a new exclusive to KWM:
Signatory Glen Albyn 1981 – 29 Year – Distilled January 16th 1981 – Bottled March 15th 2010 – Cask No. 50 – Matured in a Hogshead – 263 Bottles – 57.5% – For a tasting note see “NEW WHISKIES FROM SIGNATORY” above. – Only 4 bottles left! – $173.99
Glen Keith
Glen Keith is a relatively new as closed distilleries go, built on the site of an old corn mill in 1957. Adjacent to Strathisla, one of Scotland’s oldest distilleries, Glen Keith was constructed to increase Chivas’ volume and to ease constraints on Strathisla who’s spirit is still piped over for filling at Glen Keith. The distillery practiced triple distillation until 1970 when the number of stills were increased from 3 to 5, and other upgrades took place. In 1999 the distillery was mothballed, but the buildings survive and are still a part of the Chivas Bros./Pernod Ricard group, serving mainly as laboratory and technical center. There was an official 10 year old, but this hasn’t been available for some time. Kensington Wine Market has two exclusive Glen Keiths, both bottled by Gordon & MacPhail:
1. G&M Connoisseurs Choice Glen Keith 1993 – Refill Sherry & Bourbon / 46% / 16 Year – My Tasting Note: Nose: light and fruity, some creamy vanilla notes with flowers, orchard fruits and a trace of spice, overall very gentle; Palate: soft texture, warming with lovely soft oils caressing he palate, white chocolate and Demerara sugar come first, followed by soft white fruits and some toasted oak; sweet and soft with white chocolate and more toasted oak. – $87.99
G&M Connoisseurs Choice Glen Keith 1968 – 46% – Exclusive to KWM – Distilled March 1968 – Bottled June 2010 – Remade Hogshead – My Tasting Note: Nose: waxy, floral and honeyed; corn starch, vegetable oil, marzipan and white fruits; it has a very light, elegant but complex nature; Palate: very soft, almost silky then it begins to warm and the soft oils begin to coat, caress and moisturize your palate; more marzipan, sweet spices, mixed sugars (brown, white and Demerara) with tobacco and leather showing late; Finish: drying, sweet, coating and soft. Comments; the finish is a tad short but the nose and palate are sublime. I had originally resisted bringing in this whisky, it seemed to me a little over oaked, but there were no fewer than a dozen people at our Fall Single Malt Festival that just had to have a bottle so we brought it in, and I’m glad we did. My feelings on this whisky have taken a 180! – $247.99
Glen Mhor
Glen Mhor distillery has always been closely associated with its sister distillery Glen Albyn which was closed at the same time, see above. The distillery was founded in Mackinlay and Birnie in 1892. The malt was used in a number of blends including the Mackilays Old and Rare Highland Malt which has recently been made famous discovered under Ernest Shackleton’s hut in Antarctica. A reproduction of this whisky, featuring whiskies from this long closed distillery will be available in August/September in Alberta, exclusive to Kensington Wine Market. The distillery was closed in 1983 and later demolished to make way for a supermarket. Glen Mhor was released twice as one of Diageo’s Rare Malts. Independent bottlings are becoming increasingly rare. KWM currently has two:
1. Signatory Glen Mhor 1982 – 28 Year – Distilled: September 9th 1982 – Bottled: November 11th 2010 – Cask No. 1328 – Wine Treated Hogshead – 272 Bottles – 56.8% – For a tasting note see “NEW WHISKIES FROM SIGNATORY” above. – $234.99
2. Cooper’s Choice Glen Mhor 1982 – Tasting Note from “Whisky Fun”: Colour: straw. “Nose: ah yes, this is a typical ‘natural’ Glen Mhor but without the usual and sometimes strange ‘leathery meatiness’. Rather flinty and waxy, with hints of horseradish and dill as well as a little mint and plain grass, all that coated with some vanilla and notes of newly sawn oak (slightly toasty). Also some unexpected floral notes, dandelions, nectar… Not that typical, after all, and rather gentle. Mouth: powerful and just as flinty and waxy as on the nose, with many bitter notes (grass, green tea, lemon peel), something mustardy again, something slightly sour (green cider apples) and a faint dustiness. More unsexy than on the nose. Jägermeister. Finish: rather long, getting peppery and even more mustardy, with a few sugary notes (candy sugar). Comments: old style Highlander, sometimes a little sweeter than expected but otherwise relatively rough and ‘rural’. SGP:362 – 82 points.” – $178.49
3. Shackleton Whisky (Mackinlays Old & Rare Highland Malt) – Available exclusively from Kensington Wine Market in late August or early September. More on it in the next Malt Messenger. Currently 80 of the 180 bottles have already been spoken for. I am accepting preorders by phone and e-mail. – $195.00
BLANTON’S BOURBON
Blanton’s is a line of Bourbon distilled by Buffalo Trace distillery, originally known as Ancient Age. In 1984 Blanton’s was launched as the first single barrel Bourbon. The idea was hatched after a conversation between the products namesake Colonel Alberta Blanton and his former apprentice Elmer T Lee, for whom another line of Bourbon is named. Col Blanton liked to entertain his guests with whiskies from warehouse H (which always seemed to produce the best whiskey), and in particular casks which came from a central area of that warehouse curiously known as the Middle Cut. Col Blanton would taste a number of casks and bottle the one he liked best as a “special select single barrel bourbon.”
Warehouse H was built immediately after prohibition. It is four stories high, has a hot tin roof and is located further away from the temperature moderating river than any of the other warehouses. As a result the warehouse heats up more quickly and matures the whisky more rapidly than any other. Further the distillery uses waste steam to keep the warehouse warm in the winter and ensure that cooler temperatures don’t delay the development of these casks which will be bottled as single casks. Blanton’s is the official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, and each bottle features one of eight tops with a horse and jockey and the letters: B, L, A, N, T, O, N and S.
There are currently 3 different expressions of Blanton’s available in Alberta:
1. Blanton’s Original Single Barrel Bourbon – 46.5% – Profile varies from cask to cask. – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “The taste profile is sweet with citrus and oak. A creamy vanilla nose features hints of nuts, caramel, orange and light chocolate. Blanton’s Original set the standard for single barrel bourbons. Best served neat or on the rocks. 46.5% alcohol by volume.” – $61.49
2. Blanton’s Special Reserve “Green Label” – 40% – Profile varies from cask to cask. – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Dry Citrus, Raisin, Light Vanilla, Spice. Palate Entry: Sweet with Citrus, marked by a Light Vanilla and Honey. Finish: Crisp with notes of Spice and a hint of Cinnamon Apple. Best Served: On ice, or used in a premium cocktail.” – $71.49
3. Blanton’s Gold Edition – 51.5% – Profile varies from cask to cask. – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Blanton’s Gold Edition was created for discerning connoisseurs who appreciate exceptional smoothness and clean finish in their bourbon whiskey. The rich taste of dark fudge, citrus, oak and cream combined with the spiciness of white pepper and rye lead to a long finish that challenges the world’s finest single malts and rarest cognacs in complexity and character. Best served neat or with a splash of water. Bottled at 51.5% alcohol by volume. – $93.99
SUMMER TASTINGS
1. Classic Malts in the Summer! – Friday August 5th 7-8PM – An abbreviated version of our famous Classic Malts tasting with a eye to summer friendly whiskies! Learn a little about the world of single malt whisky and find something to sip at the cabin. Fri Aug 5 7:00 to 8:00pm. Sit down format. – $25.00
2. The Glenlivet Generations Tasting – This is going to be a rare once in a lifetime tasting opportunity with Michael Urquhart of Gordon and MacPhail. We will be launch the Gordon & MacPhail Generations Glenlivet 70 Year Old and the Glenlivet Five Decades releases. This will be an exception one off tasting the likes of which we will never be able to do again. More info to come in the next full Malt Messenger. – $400 (approx)
MAY 2012 WHISKY TOURS
Ferguson’s Whisky Tours is starting to plan for whisky pilgrimages in 2012. I have already seen some strong interested in a couple’s tour of Orkney and the Northern Highlands for May of 2012. Having last taken a group to the Orkneys in the Fall of 2009 I will either be doing two Orkney trips, or an Orkney trip and another to Islay and the West Coast. If you are at all interested in going on a whisky tour with me in 2012 please send me an e-mail and I will forward you some further information. I will have more information generally available on the May 2012 tours within the next month.
EXCLUSIVES COMING SOON!
1. Bowmore 1981 Vintage – 49.6% – 28 Year – 402 Bottles Total – Only 12 to Canada all to KWM – More to come in the next Malt Messenger, including a tasting note. – $490.99
2. An Cnoc 16 Year – 46% – American Oak Matured – Non-chillfiltered – I first tasted this at my Keepers of the Quaich induction in April and was blown away. – Formal tasting note to come. – $87.99
3. The Shakleton Whisky – MacKinlays Old & Rare Highland Malt The Shakleton Whisky – MacKinlays Old & Rare Highland Malt – 47.3% – I’ll have a lot more to tell you about this whisky in the next month. Long story short, it is a replica of the whisky Shackleton took with him to Antarctica, and which he was forced to abandon a few crates of under hit hut there. They have gone to great lengths to reproduce the whisky, including sourcing single malt from a distillery closed for almost 30 years, the bottle is a near perfect replica and the label had to be hand drawn as the type face no longer exists. Only 180 bottles are coming into Alberta, all of them to Kensington Wine Market. To date, 80+ of those bottles have already been spoken for. – $195.00
4. Fettercairn Fior – 42% – The first official bottling of Fettercairn to be made available in Canada is a mixture of young heavily peated and older more tradition Fettercairn. – $TBA
5. Fettercairn 24 Year – 44.4% – A limited edition 1984 release which is a part of Fettercairns rebranding, and a dam fine whisky. More to come in a future Malt Messenger. – $TBA
6. Fettercairn 30 Year – 43.3% – Another limited edition bottling released for the distillery’s rebranding. This one was distilled in 1978. More to come. – $TBA
7. Fettercairn 40 Year – 40% – Distilled in 1969, with only 469 bottles produced. This is the crown jewel of the range and one of the highlights of my recent trip to Scotland. More to come… – $TBA
8. Glenfarclas 175th Anniversary Chairman’s Reserve – Save for 30 bottles which found their way to BC Canada missed out on the 175th Anniversary Glenfarclas bottling. So when I found out at their distillery in May that there was a second commemorative release I jumped on the opportunity immediately. The Chairman’s Reserve was created by marrying four of their “finest sherry casks from the 1960’s with a combined age of 175 years…” There are 60 bottles of this special Glenfarclas coming to Alberta, all of them to Kensington Wine Market. 1296 total bottles released, each bottle comes with a numbered certificate, commemorative glass and pitcher in a gift box. – $TBA
9. 20+ Whiskies from Scotland’s most prolific bottler of single cask, cask strength, single malt Scotch whiskies!
OTHER WHISKIES COMING SOON
1. Speyburn 25 Year – 46% – Solera Cask – 92pts Jim Murray: “Last year I wasn’t overly impressed; now I’m taken aback by its beauty… soft honey… maple syrup… and a coppery tanginess…” – $149.99
2. Old Pulteney 17 Year – 46% – 95pts Jim Murray: “amazingly sweet, as though the barley has ganged up with the oak and pooled its sugars. To balance, drier vanilla and even the odd bourbony liquorice note can be detected… This is, quite simply, perfection…” – $103.99
3. Old Pulteney 21 Year – 46% – 90.5pts Jim Murray: “lemon and lime fused with barley sugar and chocolate caramel; has almost the character of a candy with a soft center as the flavours spread around the palate… this really is a lovely surprise dram.” – $144.99
4. Balblair 2000 – 43% – Matured in first fill American oak. – $62.49
5. Balblair 1978 – 46% – Won a bronze medal from the Malt Maniacs. – $TBA
6. Balblair 1975 – 46% – Matured exclusively in European oak ex sherry. Only 3 bottles coming! – $318.99
7. Premier Barrel Royal Lochnagar 11 Year – 46% – An obscure malt packaged in a beautiful ceramic decanter. –$132.99
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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
