A rather iconic modern Malt gets a mention at www.ralfy.com with Whisky Review 225 – Amrut ‘Fusion’ Whisky.

Today is Whisky Wednesday!!
Come along to the St Machar Bar!!

10% off all drams!!!*
*with Whisky Society membership card!

MISS IT. MISS OUT.

Location: St Machar Bar (next to Blackwells bookshop!), High Street, Old Aberdeen
(click here for map)
Time and Date: 7pm – Wednesday 19th October 2011
What to Bring: Membership Card (for discount) + money + friends!!

and don’t forget to…and bring your friends

University of Aberdeen Malt Whisky Society
The Butchart Centre
University Road
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire AB24 3UT

Lutwyche launches first luxury men’s shoe in partnership with The Dalmore

Lutwyche, Britain’s leading men’s tailor, has taken its first step into men’s luxury shoe market with the production of its first shoe bearing the Lutwyche brand.

The Dalmore brogue is the product of an innovative collaboration with luxury single malt The Dalmore. Reflecting the Dalmore’s affiliation with the stag, whose head adorns every bottle of single malt whisky, the benchmade shoe is made from sustainably sourced deerskin and branded with the regal Dalmore stag’s head crest. Upon purchase, each shoe will be personalised with the customer’s name and each customer will also receive a bottle of The Dalmore’s award-winning King Alexander III single malt whisky.

For Lutwyche, famous for its tailor made suits, the collaboration with The Dalmore marks the brand’s introduction to the luxury men’s shoe market, having previously produced and marketed shoes bearing the Lodger brand.

The new Lutwyche shoes will continue to carry the same qualities of custom-fit and near bespoke comfort and quality, that differentiated the Lodger from the rest of the benchmade market. Central to the production process is the use of the latest cutting edge technology that sits alongside traditional craftmanship in the creation of each and every shoe. Exceptionally soft, supple and luxurious, deerskin leather is unparalleled in its ability to mould to the foot with repeated wear.

The Dalmore Lutwyche will only be available to buy from Thursday October 27th for one month only through Lutwyche’s Clifford Street store. The shoes cost £550, including a bottle of King Alexander III single malt whisky worth RRP£150.

The Dalmore
The Dalmore is the third fastest growing malt in the world, and the distillery owns some of the rarest and oldest stocks in Scotland.

A bottle of The Dalmore 62 Sinclair recently sold in Changi Airport, Singapore, for £125,000, making it the most expensive bottle very sold outside of auction. The first whisky to break the six figure barrier, The Dalmore Trinitas was bought in Harrods for £120,000.

In the last two years The Dalmore has sold a number of rare and expensive whiskies in record time. Dalmore’s Sirius peaked at £10,000 a bottle, and with only 10 available worldwide, the bottles sold out in four days and now change hands for twice that price.

The global whisky market is currently undergoing a significant boom in sales and as part of this growth Dalmore is seeing a real appetite for rare, luxury stocks.

Lutwyche
An established name within the luxury market, the celebrated tailor and Lutwyche founder, Tony Lutwyche, is internationally renowned for his ready-to-wear, made-to-measure and bespoke suits.

By taking on board the very best in luxury fabrics and the finest English tailoring skills, Tony Lutwyche has been described by FT How to Spend It as ‘The most important figure in English tailoring’. Having built up a formidable reputation over the last 10 years, Lutwyche has become the suit of choice amongst leading elite.

Lutwyche irrevocably changed the fate of English tailoring when, in 2006, he acquired England’s last remaining tailoring workshop in Crewe; placing him in the enviable position of making the only ‘Made in England’ suits available internationally. The exclusive ‘Lutwyche Collection’ is available in the US through Saks 5th Avenue, New York and Beverley Hills stores.

The Lutwyche store opened in London’s Mayfair (15 Clifford Street, London, W1S 4JZ) in November 2010, marking the UK launch of Lutwyche’s elegant hand-finished ready-to-wear suit range, now sold alongside its bespoke and made-to-measure services.

Dalmore King Alexander III
This release takes its name from the fact that in 1263 an ancestor of the Clan Mackenzie, later owners of Dalmore distillery for many years, saved King Alexander III from being gored by a stag.

Having made the maturation journey through no less than 6 different casks; French wine barriques, Madeira drums, Sherry butts from Jerez, Sicilian Marsala barrels, port pipes from the Douro and Bourbon barrels from Kentucky, the whisky was expertly brought together and harmonised by Master Blender Richard Paterson to create this complex malt.

Aged aromatic oloroso butts and Madeira drums provide citrus orange, spice and nuts, whilst redolent bourbon barrels deliver warm vanilla notes. Rich Port and Marsala woods add hints of wild berries and fleshy plums, enhanced with red fruits from vintage Cabernet Sauvignon barriques.

The overall result is a skilful confection that provides great harmony and sophistication, offering a very different Dalmore experience, while retaining all the malt’s core values. 40.0% ABV, 70cl, £150.00, specialist whisky merchants.

WEBSITES

www.lutwyche.co.uk/

www.thedalmore.com

Bringing in the Barley

Cask No. 22.29
Lowlands, Eastern Lowlands

Our first thoughts were of combine harvesters in golden fields of barley; sweet bails of hay, husk, meadow blossom and hessian sacks of grain. Then buttery short crust pastry, roasted chestnuts, sweet mincemeat pies and Manzanilla sherry, with raisins in a Waldorf salad. The neat palate was almost hoppy, reminiscent of a real ale IPA. The reduced nose was floral and gristy, like barley through the mill; a muesli mixture of husk and flour with nuts, raisins, papaya and dried apricots. The reduced palate was creamy with soy milk and bran flakes, muesli and beer. This Lowland whisky is brewed and distilled in the Lothians, also known as The Edinburgh Malt.

Drinking tip: Instead of a beer

Colour: Sunset on the ocean
Cask: Refill sherry butt
Age: 24 years
Date distilled: April 1987
Alcohol: 54.9%

$150

Jam making and harvested fields

Cask No. 9.60
Highlands, Speyside (Rothes)

The nose was buttery (buttered toast, croissants, bread and butter pudding) with raisins, baked apples, custard, new-made jam and mixed spice. The unreduced palate was big and full-bodied with lasting heat – the flavours included intense fruit and vanilla, poached pears with soft cinnamon spice and syrup and slightly burnt pastries with currants. Water accentuated the jam tarts (with icing sugar) on the nose and introduced an earthy note. The reduced palate, still rich and substantial, evoked a jam maker’s kitchen, fresh sourdough bread and the comforting glow of autumn sunshine on harvested fields. From the first distillery established in Rothes.

Drinking tip: A kitchen dram – or to evoke childhood autumn days

Colour: Burnished brass with beads
Cask: Refill hogshead
Age: 13 years
Date distilled: April 1997
Alcohol: 57.6%

$110

Clean smoking jackets

Cask No. 37.48
Highlands, Speyside

There was a cleanliness that suggested a doctor’s surgery or swimming pools; one Panellist found smoking jackets with the pockets stuffed full of boiled sweets, overripe squishy pears, tobacco and chocolate cake with raspberry jam. Grapefruit, empty cigar boxes and tuck shops were also mentioned. Zingy, hot, mouth-coating and thick on the palate, with tannic tobacco, bitter cocoa powder and custard apples. Water released sweetness – golden syrup (on Scottish plain bread) and tinned peaches in mango juice as well as freshness – Zoflora, lemon balm and scented candles. To taste it was soapy, soft, chewy, clean, fruity and warming. From Ballindalloch in Banffshire.

Drinking tip: In springtime while hanging out the laundry

Colour: Well-done biscuit
Cask: Second-fill hogshead
Age: 12 years
Date distilled: February 1999
Alcohol: 55.4%

$105

Medieval banquet
Cask No. 99.12
Highlands, Eastern Highlands

Weirdly complex – yeast, red grapes, linseed oil, ham & pickle crisps, winey-garlicky cheese fondue, white jasmine, strawberry shortcake fruit corner and Schweppes lemonade – everything at once like a medieval banquet. A savoury palate; brown sauce covered cold Scotch pie and more of those crisps but also lovely peachy-mango coulis, Canada Dry ginger ale and a dry peppery heat. Dry in reduction like an Oloroso sherry, wet clay, window putty, pork chops & apple sauce, Irn Bru, Wham or Refreshers bars – we couldn’t decide. To taste we thought the complexity was lost; it became dusty, with mutton, leather and starfruit. This Peterhead distillery closed in 1983.

Drinking tip: Much better neat, why not try this with a cheeseboard

Colour: Coppery amber
Cask: Refill sherry butt
Age: 30 years
Date distilled: May 1980
Alcohol: 46.7%

$185

Desperate Dan whisky

Cask No. 127.9
Islay, Loch Indaal

The initial nose suggested peat smoke, tar and TCP, langoustines on beach barbeques, burnt limes, liquorice, aniseed, biltong and hay. The big, intense, smoky palate had syrupy sweetness, violets, chilli, charcoal and ash – ‘A Desperate Dan whisky!’ someone exclaimed, but no-one particularly wanted to spit it out. The reduced nose seemed colour-coded – black pudding, black pepper, blackberries and Black Jack chews were all mentioned – as were tropical fruits, burnt wood, heather and the Bowmore swimming pool sauna. The reduced palate had sweet popcorn, mint, chalk and tar – drinkable neat, but also great with water. The peated version of distillery 23.

Drinking tip: Ladies – this will definitely attract real men – pour a glass or dab it behind your ears – whichever

Colour: Chardonnay
Cask: Refill barrel
Age: 9 years
Date distilled: December 2001
Alcohol: 65.1%

$90

Please click on the LINK to read further and visit the SMWS of America at www.smwsa.com  for information on how to join. 

Please come and join us for our upcoming Single Malt Scotch tastings / seminars; eight different rare expressions from different regions will be tasted, along with appetizers.

San Francisco

October 24th @ 6:30pm @ the City Club 155 Sansome Street , San Francisco 94104

For more information, click on the link below

http://whiskyshopusa.com/store/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=2  

Peninsula

October 25th @ 7pm @ La Boheme 1425 Burlingame Avenue , Burlingame 94010

For more information, click on the link below

http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1077718  

East Bay

October 26th @ 6:30pm @ Club Anton 428 3rd Street , Oakland , CA 94607

For tickets and more info contact Ruby: 510-816-1562 ruby@yournpoevents.com  

Hope to see you there!!

GlenDronach 21 Year Old ‘Parliament’

Matured in a combination of the finest Oloroso and Pedro Ximinez Sherry Casks.

Tasting Notes:

Nose – A delicate mix of ripe autumnal fruits – notably blackberries and red plums. Rich Oloroso sherry and candied orange segments. Spiced oatmeal biscuits and toasted oak fragrances bring excellent weight and balance.

Palate – Resolute flavours of fine Oloroso sherry and bitter chocolate sauce, which has been spread liberally over homemade plum pudding. This is all infused with fabulous spicy notes – cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Full bodied with smooth tannins.

£69.98 inc VAT
CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW

GlenDronach Single Cask 1995 # 4681 – UK Exclusive – Sherry Matured – 725 bottles available

Glendronach 15 Year Old (1995) Single Cask

Selected and bottled exclusively for the UK

Cask Type – Pedro Ximinez Sherry Puncheon
Cask No – 4681
Bottled – 08/11

Appearance – cherry-wood and russet mahogany.
Nose – chocolate orange and stewed plum.
Palate – delivers chocolate, toffee, spiced fruits, figs, raisins and dates.

£59.99 inc VAT

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW

BenRiach Limited Release 1995 cask # 7164 – UK Exclusive – PX Sherry Finish – 695 bottles available

Benriach 1995 Pedro Ximinez Sherry Finish – Limited Release

Selected and bottled exclusively for the UK.

Cask Type – Pedro Ximinez Sherry Puncheon

Cask No – 7164

Character – Juicy fruits of melons, bananas and lychee. Clean toasted oak attributes and distinctive cinnamon flavours.

£58.00 inc VAT

CLICK HERE TO BUY NOW

Epicurean Scotch Tasting Indulgence by Universal Whisky Experience

Universal Whisky Experience, in conjunction with world-famous single malt brand, Dalmore and Sirius– a true whisky innovation, is proud to extend an exclusive invitation to savour a unique evening of epicurean indulgence.

Join us for a great evening at one of the following cities.

November 7th, 2011 CHARLIE PALMER STEAKHOUSE WASHINGTON DC
November 9th, 2011 KEENS STEAKHOUSE NEW YORK CITY
December 5th, 2011 BUCHANAN’S STEAKHOUSE CALGARY, CANADA
December 7th, 2011 BOB’S STEAK & CHOP HOUSE DALLAS, TX
December 9th, 2011 GOTHAM STEAKHOUSE MIAMI

FOR TICKETS AND OTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CLICK THE LINK BELOW

http://universalwhiskyexperience.com/events

AUCHENTOSHAN REVEALS TOP 20 UK FINALISTS OF THE AUCHENTOSHAN SWITCH

The Transatlantic Mixology Programme Like No Other

UK Finale – 24 October 2011

This summer, Auchentoshan, the only Single Malt that triple distills every drop, launched a transatlantic cocktail competition like no other, The Auchentoshan Switch. Bartenders from across the UK and US submitted video entries of themselves making an Old Fashioned using Auchentoshan Three Wood and a lemonade from scratch, for the chance to win a career-changing, 14 day switch across the Atlantic to work in one of New York City’s and London’s prestigious bars. Of the 64 UK and 60 US entries, the judging panel selected 20 from each country to go through to the finals in London and Las Vegas.

The UK final round will take place on 24 October at a Shoreditch venue where the bartenders will be put through a series of challenging mixology tasks. The final round will be judged by an esteemed panel:

·       Tony Conigliaro – widely acknowledged as one of the UK’s pioneering drinks creators and co-owner of acclaimed bar, 69 Colebrooke Row
·       Giles Looker – renowned mixologist and owner of Soulshakers Bar Consultancy
·       Neil Ridley – Imbibe journalist, whisky writer and co-founder of revered whisky blog CaskStrength

The named UK winner of the first ever Switch will cross the Atlantic to NYC to work in Apotheke, the hottest cocktail bar on the underground scene. The US finalists will attend the final in Las Vegas on 26 October, where the crowned winner will travel to London to work at the award-winning drinking den, 69 Colebrooke Row.
 
The 64 UK entries came in over the course of the two months the competition wasopen, including those from Giles Looker who traveled the UK unearthing unsung bartenders to enter. The finalists from the UK in alphabetical order by last name are:

–              Martin Ball – Corridor, Manchester
–              Divyesh Chauhan – Match Bar, London
–              Matthew Dakers – Whistling Shop, London
–              Dav Eames – Saf, London
–              Kevin Griffin – The Raconteur, Edinburgh
–              Andrew Harrod – Wabi, London
–              Richard Hunt – Hawksmore, London
–              Scott Ingram – Blythswood Square, Glasgow
–              Alex Kratena – Artesian, London
–              Simon La Moon – Zetter Townhouse, London
–              Bruce Lerman – Epernay Champagne Bar, Leeds
–              Antonino Lo Iacono – The Dukes Hotel, London
–              Giuseppe Miggiano – The Bar at Chancery Court, London
–              Khalil Moh’d Lahham – Donovan’s Bar/Brown’s Hotel, London
–              Martyn Nicol – Blythswood Square, Glasgow
–              Matt Roberts – Quo Vardis, London
–              Andreas Tsanos – Lonsdale, London
–              Tom Walker – Bramble, Edinburgh
–              Sam Watson – Purl, London
–              Faye Woodcock – The Bling Pig, Glasgow

“We are delighted to have received such great interest from the bartending world for our first ever Auchentoshan Switch,” said Hannah Fisher, Auchentoshan Brand Manager. “Despite only accepting video entries, we received a high number of entries and the quality of each has been exceptional. We can’t wait to see what these talented bartenders will show us at the final.”

Marcis Dzelzainis, Operations Manager at 69 Colebrooke Row, also commented: “All the finalists chosen have a great understanding of the structure of classic drinks and how flavours work, hence why we asked them to demonstrate a classic lemonade and an Old Fashioned. These 20 are not only highly skilled but also already very much respected in the industry.”

The Auchentoshan Switch itself will take place in early 2012, where the winners will experience world-leading mixology under the guidance of Apotheke and 69 Colebrooke Row.

Apotheke is the hottest cocktail bar in Gotham’s underground scene. With no menus, bar chefs cook up individually prescribed concoctions for the taste of the cocktail enthusiasts according to their mood.  At Apotheke, the presentation of the cocktail is as dramatic as the cocktail itself. The winner will be simultaneously part of both a theatre performance and a chemistry lab in the mixology heart of the USA – NYC.

The US winner will work at 69 Colebrooke Row and learn first hand the world of cocktail and food science in the only bar-related drinks lab in the world – The Drinks Factory. The winner will work with a team of handpicked, leading mixologists in a lab dedicated to furthering the craft of the cocktail and fully realisingprojects as they filter into the bar. Importantly, they will also become incorporated into the daily bar procedures, as well as visiting producers and sourcing quality ingredients.

Videos of entries can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/user/AuchentoshanWhisky 

UK Distributor: Cellar Trends
 
Notes:

Auchentoshan

As Glasgow’s closest Distillery, Auchentoshan is truly unique as it is the only distillery to use a third still in the whisky making process. It means Auchentoshan is the only Single Malt Scotch whisky to triple distil every single drop. This third distillation takes the new spirit to 81.5% ABV (not 70% which is achieved through only distilling twice) making it the highest distillate of any Scottish distillery. The benefit? This strength removes the impurities and harshness often associated with single malts and takes the new spirit to it’s optimum strength for reacting with the casks during maturation, allowing Auchentoshan to extract maximum flavours from the wood. The result? A delicate, smooth malt with each expression strongly showcasing the character of cask it was matured in.

At the 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Auchentoshan 12 Year Old, Auchentoshan Classic and Auchentoshan Three Wood were all awarded a Silver Medal in the Spirits category. At the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Auchentoshan 18 Year Old also won a coveted Double Gold Medal.

Scotch Malt Whisky Society Arrives in Canada

Calgary – Calgarians and whisky enthusiasts Rob and Kelly Carpenter are launching the Canadian branch of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at an invitation-only event at Calgary’s Kensington Wine Market October 17, 2011. The member’s only society originated in Scotland a quarter century ago, and now has 26,000 members in 15 countries around the world. The Society bottles only single cask, single malt whisky from over 125 distilleries. Since single casks are unique, so are the whiskies they produce making each bottling unique. Each cask is limited in supply, with some casks producing upwards of 500 bottles and others fewer than 100; once a particular bottling is sold out it’s gone forever never to be replicated. Bottlings are chosen by a Tasting Panel made up of industry experts and enthusiasts, and each bottling is given clever and informative tasting notes to help Society members select their preferred single malt.

The Society is partnering with Kensington Wine Market as its exclusive retailer. Kensington Wine Market will also be hosting “First Fridays,” where members and those interested in joining can sample The Society’s new monthly releases. First Fridays happen on the first Friday of every month beginning in November. Private tastings are also available.

Kelly Carpenter explains why she and husband Rob Carpenter felt so passionate in bringing The Society to Canada, “When we lived in Edinburgh we discovered The Society and we fell in love with the product from the very beginning and couldn’t wait to share it. Before we decided to bring The Society to Canada, we would visit Edinburgh at least once a year and stock up on their unique bottlings to bring home as gifts for our family and friends. This is really just an extension of that.”

Membership for the Scotch Malt Whisky Society is $230 to sign up, with $120 yearly renewal. Membership grants exclusive access to the very best single cask, single malt whisky available anywhere in the world. The Society recently won 12 awards in Whisky Magazine’s 2011 Independent Bottler’s Challenge, including the overall title of Independent Bottler of the Year. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is owned by luxury brand world leader LVMH. Membership information can be found at www.smws.ca , or by emailing curious@smws.ca.

Spirit of dogged curiosity

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is a curious and unique fellowship of whisky lovers, who like to do things in a very particular way. Members come together to share and explore the exceptional quality and endless variety of Scotch malt whisky. It’s the Society’s mission to intrigue, entertain and delight with the very best single cask, single malt whisky available anywhere in the world.

The Society isn’t interested in brands or labels. It’s all about how the whisky tastes. It seeks textures that challenge and excite; aromas that thrill and surprise. Most important of all, each Society bottling only ever comes from a single cask. That means there is only a limited opportunity to sample each rare find before it’s gone forever.

Where it all began

Over a quarter of a century ago a group of friends met in a private house in Edinburgh to find out what malt whisky would taste like straight from the cask. The contents of a cask obtained from a Speyside distillery were filtered through muslin cloths into old lemonade and whisky bottles.

It was nothing like they had experienced before; stronger and more flavoursome with the influence of the wood particularly notable. Intrigued, they went on to investigate more single cask whiskies and discovered that the same spirit from the same run in different casks had different characteristics. They realised that each cask was unique and that once consumed it would be gone forever.

As tempting as it would be to keep their discovery to themselves they knew there were others around the world who’d appreciate being let in on the secret. In 1983 they formed a limited company, bought the premises at The Vaults in Leith and began inviting people to join.

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society – Key Facts

 Rather than naming distilleries, the Society numbers them and gives clues to their identity in The Tasting Panel’s entertaining tasting notes.
 The Scotch Malt Whisky Society recently scooped 12 awards in the 2011 Whisky Magazine Independent Bottler’s Challenge including the overall Icon of Whisky title for the Independent Bottler of the Year.
 The single cask single malts are presented in identical dark green bottles, specially commissioned for the Society. Individual tasting notes are presented on each Society bottle, alongside the whisky’s name and the Society’s unique cask and distillery coding.
 Every Society bottle is at cask strength (around 57%). The higher the strength, the better the whisky holds its flavour. Many members like to add water to their glass, opening up the different flavours and aromas
 No two casks are the same and no two whiskies will develop in the same way. The type of oak, the size of the barrel, what it was used for before (usually American bourbon or Oloroso sherry) and how many times all influence character of the whisky.
 An average outturn is about 250 bottles but can be as many as 900 or as few as 15. Once they sell out Society staff can assist in finding a similar (but never identical) whisky.
 The Society doesn’t just bottle whisky from Scotland. Occasionally single cask bourbon or Welsh and Japanese whiskies have made it on to the list. On even rarer occasions other single cask spirits such as Somerset Cider Apple Brandy and rum are included.
Individual Membership costs $250 for the first year and annual a renewal cost of $120 yearly. Membership can be bought online at www.smws.ca .
 The Society is partnering with Calgary’s Kensington Wine Market as its exclusive retailer.
 The Society is hosting “First Fridays” on the first Friday of every month beginning in November at the Kensington Wine Market. The Society also does private tastings.
 International branches in Australia, Benelux and Germany, France, India, Italy, Japan, Poland, South Africa, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK and the USA.

(From the Isle of Arran distillery)…we have the latest bottling of our Premium Single Cask range which is also available at the beginning of September. This time we have bottled a small selection of our best Sherry Butts from 1997 and at 15 years old, cask strength these really are the crown jewels of our Distillery.