Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

Talisker 18-year-old Isle of Skye Single Malt Whisky

750ml ($79.99) Limited to quanity on hand. We can’t honor bottles sold into the negative. This lovely 18 year old is almost out of existance. Get it while it lasts! Strength: 45.8% ABV Appearance: Amber. Nose: Rich and fruity – Victoria plums, greengages, perhaps dried orange peel – with some butterscotch or rum toffee and a thread of smoke behind. The smoke soon advances into the foreground and the toffee note is joined by a light mintiness. With water maritime characteristics emerge – dry boat varnish, edible seaweed. Still sweet; now with notes of iodine and the smokiness of an un-struck match. Body: Full. Pleasant, smooth. Palate: Sweet in front, then more assertive, with a whiff of smoke. The development is towards smoke, coal-tar and toffee. Finish: Medium length. Talisker’s™ characteristic chilli ‘catch’ in the finish is subtly present in the aftertaste.

Kilchoman 100% Islay Barley Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($99.99)

Cragganmore 12-year-old Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 11 available ($43.99)

Laphroaig 10 year old Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Elsewhere $40) ($32.99)

K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX proves a dram made in heaven in the 2012 Jim Murray Whisky Bible Awards

— Author of Whisky Bible describes limited edition Sonnalta PX as a “mesmeric whisky” as it wins Jim Murray’s Best Single Malt Scotch for 2012 —

Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX has mesmerised industry experts once more, this time scooping a prestigious prize in the Jim Murray Whisky Bible Awards 2012. Murray paid tribute to the quality of the limited edition single malt Scotch by describing it as having “the perfect whisky finish.”

This year worldwide industry legend Jim Murray nosed his way through no less than 1,500 whiskies and had no hesitation in naming Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX as his Best Single Malt Scotch – category: No Age Statement (Multiple Casks) – for 2012. Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible is published annually and is regarded as a benchmark for the industry.

Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX takes its name from the Gaelic translation of “generous” (Sonnalta) and PX (Pedro Ximénez) for the “PX” ex-sherry casks from Jerez in Southern Spain into which the whisky is transferred for extra maturation.

But whisky aficionados will have to move fast to sample Sonnalta PX because it has nearly sold out. It is still available at specialist stores at £64.99 a bottle.

In his tasting notes Jim Murray pays tribute to the outstanding qualities of Sonnalta PX which he describes as, “a giant among the tall stills.” Glenmorangie houses Scotland’s tallest whisky stills at its Highland distillery in Tain. Jim Murray said of Sonnalta PX: “It is, unquestionably, the perfect whisky finish. A mesmeric whisky.”

Dr Bill Lumsden, The Glenmorangie Company’s Head of Distilling and Whisky Creation, said: “This is a wonderful award for us and is testament to the decision we took to launch our ‘Private Edition.’ Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX is an extraordinarily rich, dark and absorbing malt whisky and is the first of a series of innovative whiskies we decided to bring out for the true connoisseur. It is a real trailblazer and sets the benchmark for our Private Edition.

“We transfer this whisky into the ‘king of sherry casks’, Spanish ex-Pedro Ximénez (PX) barrels, for extra-maturation. These rare wood casks from Jerez weave their magic on the Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX, adding the eminent sweetness and intensity of their previous resident.
“On nosing Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX, the first impression is of dark chocolate, sun-dried raisins, treacle and Demerara sugar which gives way to a heady mix of hot chocolate and rich aromatic coffee. We are not surprised that Jim Murray was mesmerised by Sonnalta PX.”

Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX is no stranger to winning awards. It has already won numerous prizes including: Best New Scotch Whisky Brand in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2010, Gold Best in Class at the International Wines and Spirits Competition (IWSC) 2010, Gold at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) 2010 and Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2010.

Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX is a part of a range of rare and interesting, limited edition whiskies carefully selected from the ‘cabinet of curiosities’ of Dr Bill Lumsden, Head of Distilling and Whisky Creation, fast becoming collector’s items.

NOTES

About Glenmorangie:
Glenmorangie single malt Scotch whisky originates in the Scottish Highlands where, at the Glenmorangie Distillery, it is distilled in the tallest malt whisky stills in Scotland, expertly matured in the finest oak casks, and perfected by the Men of Tain. The Distillery was founded in 1843 and is renowned as a pioneer in its field uniting tradition with innovation to create ‘unnecessarily well made whiskies.’

Laphroaig Live 2011 Now Available On Demand

Nearly 30,000 whisky fans across the world tuned in to Laphroaig Live 2011 as the annual whisky program broadcast live from the Southern Hemisphere for the first time. Those who missed out on the live action can now log on to www.laphroaig.com/live/ and watch the broadcast again, anytime!

Taking place at Sydney’s most historic area, The Rocks, with the iconic Opera House as a backdrop, the evening saw a panel of experts taste four award-winning whiskies from the Laphroaig family.

Distillery Manager John Campbell, Master Blender Robert Hicks and author Rebecca Varidel were joined on the panel by special guest Lin Johnston, the great-great granddaughter of Alexander Johnston, who founded Laphroaig with his brother Donald in 1815. Lin had the pleasure of opening and tasting a very rare bottle from one of the last batches ever to be distilled and bottled by her ancestors over 50 years ago.

Also in the tasting line-up were the full-bodied Quarter Cask, powerful Triple Wood and the uniquely-matured 30 Year Old Cairdeas, of which only 1,536 bottles were produced.

Whisky fans from all over the world logged on to watch the events as they unfolded in real-time. Viewers were also able to join in the action by submitting questions through the Laphroaig Live website which were put to the panel by host, Channel Seven’s Simon Reeve. Taking part in his fifth Laphroaig Live event, John Campbell was thrilled to see so many of Alexander Johnston’s direct descendants in the live audience.

“It was wonderful to have members of the Johnston family with us for the evening. To open a bottle that was distilled by their ancestors with them present was a very special moment,” he said.

“The 1960’s bottle was definitely the unknown component of the evening, after being in storage for half a century. I’m pleased to say that I was really happy with the flavours of the whisky which, together with the beautiful location on Sydney’s waterfront and the fantastic tasting panel, made this year’s Laphroaig Live a truly great event, and certainly worth watching again.”

Laphroaig’s first live whisky program was held in London in 2007 as a way of bringing Laphroaig and the Isle of Islay to the people who were not able to make the pilgrimage to the distillery. At the time the technology for live internet broadcasts was brand new, but Laphroaig’s step into the unknown paid off. The show was an outstanding success and achieved the highest live webcast viewership ever. Such positive feedback was received that Laphroaig made the decision to make the program an annual event.

This year’s live audience was filled with ‘Friends of Laphroaig’ (‘FOL’) from all over Australia, many of whom had won their seats by suggesting traditional Australian barbeque recipes that were marinated in a Laphroaig barbeque sauce, specially created for the event, and barbequed live on the night.

The FOL program was created to enable whisky lovers throughout the world to meet and chat online at a dedicated website. Each FOL is rewarded with a lifetime lease on a square foot of distillery land. Many FOL make the pilgrimage every year to see their piece of land on the small Scottish Isle of Islay where the distillery has run since 1815. Once there, they are able to claim their rent from the distillers – ‘a wee dram’ of the finest single malt whisky around – Laphroaig.

For more information about becoming a Friend of Laphroaig, or to watch Laphroaig Live 2011 on demand, visit www.laphroaig.com .

Keith Wood of the Malt Maniacs has published a new E-pistle;

A year in the glass of a Maniac or MMA 2011* -Taxing Times

*Malt Maniacs Awards 2011

Loch Fyne Whiskies stocks a new item, ‘Rosebank 1990 21yo’

53.8% abv
£160.00 inc vat
£133.33 ex vat

Rosebank 1990 21yo 53.8%alc.

Very limited and so restricted to 1 per person

Exceptional

This was tasted in a fine social environment so my notes are sketchy but I did note this as an exceptional whisky, heavier than most Rosebanks but with a lovely lemon and strawberry aroma and a taste including toasted nuts. This was my ace of all the 2011 Special releases. Too busy to give it a Flavour map position (forgot actually).

Price excluding VAT: £133.33
£160.00 Including VAT at 20%

Best regards,
Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk

Hello Fellow Scotch Lovers –

Last week’s email featured an extremely rare opportunity to acquire one of 250 bottles available worldwide, of 40 year old whisky, for $5,400. I was so excited when two subscribers took advantage of that opportunity.

This weeks email is an opportunity to be the first kid on your block to own one of the most exciting new whiskies to come out this year: The return of Bruichladdie “The Laddie” Ten.

It was an intensely emotional day, in the late winter of 2000/2001, when the then new owners of the distillery broke the padlock on the Bruichladdich gates and took charge of the charismatic but much neglected Victorian distillery on the far west Atlantic coast of Islay. Since then, it’s been a roller-coaster ride for the new owners, and many said they wouldn’t make it. But they persevered, and fought. And they’re still here.

This is without a doubt the most important whisky release in the history of Bruichladdich, and its very much a landmark for the new distillery management team, headed by Master Distiller Jim McEwan. This is the first Bruichladdich to have been produced completely, from distillation through bottling, by the new management team.

This Islay dram is classic Bruichladdich, 85% American oak, 15% Sherry cask, non-peated, and bottled at 46% with no chill filtration and never any coloring added. The whisky is absolutely brilliant, reminiscent of the original Bruichladdich 15 YO…and it becomes available in the US market beginning next month.

Fortunately for us all our man Nicky The Neck asked his connections to call their friends who know a guy…and so we are able to offer you insider access to Bruichladdich The Laddie Ten before almost anyone else in the United States.

The price for “first on the block to have a bottle of The Laddie” bragging rights: $54.95/ bottle.

I hope you will take advantage of this exceptional opportunity, and do it it fast…because once your neighbor has it, your trend-setter bragging rights are gone!

Until next Wednesday….

Doug Stone
Founder
www.ForScotchLovers.com

_________________________________________________________________________
BRUICHLADDICH “THE LADDIE” TEN YO UNPEATED SINGLE MALT WHISKY

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WHISKY COMMENTS – Courtesy of John Hansell of The Whisky Advocate

“I was able to taste the new Bruichladdich 10 year old at WhiskyFest. As you may know, this is the first 10 year old whisky being sold that was produced by the current owners. It’s a new dawn for Bruichladdich, and I am happy to say that this whisky is very good. Most of it is from bourbon barrels, but there’s some sherry casks thrown in too. I just hope they can keep this profile consistant going forward. If they do, it could become the go-to entry level non-smoky Island whisky (competing with Highland Park 12 YO and Bunnahabhain 12 YO for that honor). To me, it tastes like a 12 year old whisky.”

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OLD PULTENEY IS WORLD CLASS!

Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old Named ‘World Whisky of the Year’ in Top Guide

Old Pulteney Single Malt Whisky is today sitting on top of the world after winning one of the whisky industry’s highest accolades, World Whisky of the Year, in Jim Murray’s 2012 Whisky Bible Awards.

In a class of some 1,500 whiskies, Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old scooped the top accolade, along with three other esteemed awards – Scotch Whisky of the Year, Single Malt (Multiple Casks) of the Year and Single Malt (16-21 Years) of the Year.

Over the past four months, world-renowned whisky connoisseur Murray has nosed and tasted his way through all types of whisky to create his global best-selling ratings guide. He gave Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old a glowing review, commenting that the single malt is ‘by far and away one of the great whiskies of 2012, absolutely exploding from the glass with vitality, charisma and class.’

Margaret Mary Clarke, Senior Brand Manager of Old Pulteney is thrilled with the quadruple award. `It is an enormous honour to have won four of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible Awards for Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old. This is one of the most prestigious accolades a whisky can receive, and we are delighted that our distillery and the Old Pulteney team have been recognised for our passion and depth of expertise in the art of whisky creation.’

This award celebrates the global appeal of a whisky which has been distilled in Wick at the most northerly distillery in the Scottish mainland since 1826. This coastal location gives Old Pulteney the unique ‘salty, nerve-tingling journey’ Jim Murray describes in his tasting notes, as part of the reason he loved the taste of the 21-Years-Old Single Malt so much.

This global recognition for Old Pulteney 21-Years-Old has coincided with an exciting year for the whisky, as it embarked on a momentous world first voyage: the Old Pulteney Row to the Pole. This ambitious expedition, led by Scottish explorer Jock Wishart and his five-man team, achieved their goal to be the first ever crew to row to the Magnetic North Pole in August this year.

Already a favourite tipple for whisky drinkers in the UK, Old Pulteney has developed global appeal, and winning such a host of highly-regarded awards will be sure to secure Old Pulteney’s place as one of the top whiskies in the world.

Jim Murray’s Tasting Notes of Old Pulteney 21 Years Old:

Old Pulteney Aged 21 Years db (97.5) n25 if you had the formula to perfectly transform salt, citrus, the most delicate smoke imaginable, sharp barley, more gristy barley, light vanilla, toasty vanilla, roasted hazelnut, thinned manuka honey, lavender honey, arbutus blossom and cherry blossom, light hickory, liquorice, and the softest demerera sugar into the aroma of a whisky, you still wouldn’t quite be able to recreate this perfection…; t24 the sugars arrive: first gristy and malt-laden, then Demerara. This is followed by a salty, nerve-tingling journey of barley at varying intensity and then a slow but magnificently complete delivery of spice…; f24 those spices continue to buzz, the vanillas dovetail with the malt and the fruit displaying a puckering, lively intensity. Ridiculously long fade for a malt so seemingly light, the salts and spices kiss the taste buds goodnight…; b24.5 by far and away one of the great whiskies of 2012, absolutely exploding from the glass with vitality, charisma and class. One of Scotland’s great undiscovered distilleries about to become discovered, I think… and rightly so!

Old Pulteney Single Malt Whisky

Old Pulteney Single Malt Whisky, is diligently crafted at Pulteney Distillery in Wick. It is the most northerly distillery on the UK Mainland and was founded in 1826 by James Henderson at the height of Wick’s herring boom. The distillery lies in the heart of ‘Pulteneytown’, which was created for all the fishermen at the time, and is embedded in the deep rooting history of this coastal town, which used to be one of the most important and biggest herring fishing ports in Europe.

International Beverage Holdings (www.interbevgroup.com)  was established in 2005 as the international arm of ThaiBev, one of South East Asia’s leading alcohol beverage companies. With a network of regional offices in Asia, Europe and North America, the company is responsible for the production, sales, marketing and distribution of a portfolio of premium global brands in over 80 countries and territories.

Inver House Distillers (www.inverhouse.com) is globally integrated into International Beverage Holdings and drives the distillation and maturation of Scotch through its five distilleries.

International Beverage brands include:

➢ Chang Beer: Thailand’s iconic beer brand

➢ Single Malt Scotch Whiskies: Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc, Speyburn

➢ Blended Whiskies: Hankey Bannister

➢ Mekhong: ‘The Spirit of Thailand’ since 1941

➢ Caorunn – a small batch distilled Scottish Gin infused with 5 Celtic botanicals

The company’s success is built on the combination of a strong understanding of local cultures and markets with the creation of a truly global operational network. Brand building pays respect to heritage, provenance and craftsmanship whilst delivering innovative and highly effective strategies at global level. A skilled and dedicated team of people of more than 12 nationalities, speaking over 14 languages delivers the highest standards of customer service and attention to detail across all aspects of the business.

The most northerly distillery on mainland Britain and one of the most remote in all Scotland has won the coveted title of World Whisky of the Year in the 2012 edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

The Pulteney distillery in Wick, Caithness, scored a record-equaling 97.5 points out of 100 for its 21-year-old Old Pulteney single malt. It is only the third time that a single malt has ever won the prestigious award, and just the second Scottish distillery to do so.

This year Jim Murray tasted over 1,200 new whiskies plus many more re-tastes for the latest edition of his best-selling annual whisky guide.

Pulteney distillery, which dates back to 1826, is located in the heart of Wick and is much prized as a blending whisky. It is still relatively unknown as a single malt.

But Mr Murray, who has long admired the Highland malt, hopes that will now change – though he is the first to admit that even he was surprised when he encountered the 21-year-old.

He said: “I was on the home straight after four months of continuous tasting. By that time I was pretty sure I knew what the winner was going to be. With what I still had to taste it needed something exceptional to knock the leader off its perch. But that’s exactly what happened. To be honest, I was amazed. I knew the Old Pulteney 17-year-old was likely to be exceptional, and it was. However, I had never come across a Pulteney 21-year-old like it. Talk about coming out of leftfield….

“I first went to Pulteney nearly 25 years ago and I have never known them to produce anything other than top rate malt. Owned by a relatively small company, without the financial muscle of the major whisky barons to market their malts on the global stage, I hope that this award helps Pulteney to become better known around the world; that is the whole point of my Whisky Bible, after all”.

CLICK HERE TO BUY A BOTTLE

CLICK HERE TO BUY A 2012 BIBLE

Hope you are getting excited… Come along to our tasting today!! Plus a lucky bunch of you are going to AnCnoc too! We’ll have a fine selection of fantastic drams on the go:)

£2 for 4 drams!!!

Location: BookEnds (top floor), Butchart Centre, University Road, Old Aberdeen
(click here for map)
Time and Date: 7pm – Wednesday 26th October 2011
What to Bring: £2 for entry + Membership Card + money for raffle

2£ entrance for members, 3£ for non members. This will get you 4 drams from a wide selections of single malts.

Bring your friends!

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People going on distillery trip:

DON’T FORGET:

Meeting at 12:30pm outside Butchart Centre Wed 26th Oct. Away all afternoon at AnCnoc and back in time for the tasting! Bring Cash for to buy whisky!!! (good deals £££) and a Packed Lunch, if you want because we might not have time to stop in Huntly for chips.

University of Aberdeen Malt Whisky Society
The Butchart Centre
University Road
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire AB24 3UT
aberdeenwhisky@googlemail.com

MILROY’S OF SOHO OCTOBER NEWSLETTER

It has been an exciting month so far, the big news is that our new Milroy’s of Soho Single Cask Glen Spey 1998 has arrived. We are also edging ever closer to the arrival of our own stunningly elegant Single Cask Calvados, and it must be Christmas because we have what we’re certain is the world’s first single cask 100% rye whisky.

Be sure to follow our blog and read our thoughts and tasting notes on these and other whiskies heading our way

MILROY’S OF SOHO SINGLE CASK BOTTLINGS

Milroy’s of Soho Single Cask
Glen Spey 1998, Aged 13 Years
The Glen Spey may go down as being the most enjoyable whiskies we have bottled. Delicious honey and heather on the nose, on the palate much the same but with aniseed and apple adding to the complexity, a fantastic dram!
£40 JUST ARRIVED

SO WHAT ELSE IS NEW?

BRUICHLADDICH
Octomore 4th Release
The latest Octomore release is peated to a staggering 167ppm, capped with an alcoholic strength of 62.5% this isn’t a whisky for the fainthearted. Reams of smoke on the nose with underlying vanilla, peat lovers will enjoy this intense record-breaking dram.
£85

PORT ELLEN
Port Ellen 1983, 27 Years Old, Provenance, Douglas Laing
Just to whet your appetite for the impending official release, we had just a few bottles left of this fantastic 27 year old independently bottled Port Ellen. What a steal.
£185

EDRADOUR PRE-ORDER NOW
Everyone’s favourite smallest distillery has just released two new bottlings. These are both “full term maturations”.

2003 Edradour Sauternes Matured 46%
£43.95

2003 Edradour Chardonnay Matured 46%
£43.95

GLENDRONACH
GlenDronach 21Year Old ‘Parliament’
The new 21 Year Old is classic GlenDronach, created using both Oloroso and Pedro Ximinez sherry casks, and takes its name from the ‘parliament’ of rooks that have been nesting in the trees overlooking the distillery for almost 200 years. This expression is a permanent addition to GlenDronach’s core range.
£70

GlenDronach Single Cask 1995, Cask 4681 Pedro Ximénez Sherry Matured
Distillery notes: “Cherry wood with a russet mahogany-like appearance. Subtle antique gold elements. Nose: chocolate orange segments with a hearty helping of stewed plums and forest fruit compote. Palate: chocolate and toffee qualities reveal a bold mix of dried, spiced fruits including figs, raisins and dates. Full-bodied with a dry, stylish finish.”
Aged in a Pedro Ximénez Sherry Puncheon, only 725 bottles made.
£60

BENRIACH
BenRiach Limited Release 1995, Cask 7164 Pedro Ximénez Sherry Finish
Distillery notes: “Bright amber with a late autumnal glow. Nose: Bananas and citrus fruits combined with fresh mountain herbs with oregano in abundance. Palate: Juicy fruits of melons, bananas and lychee. Clean toasted oak attributes and distinctive cinnamon flavours.”
Aged in a Pedro Ximénez Sherry Puncheon, only 695 bottles made.
£55

SHACKLETON
We celebrate the long awaited return of Shackleton.
The price is unchanged. The whisky is even better than the hype.
£100

JURA 1976
Dusty, buttery Jura with a smoky, spicy twist. Only two bottles available.
£500

UPCOMING TASTING EVENTS

For an evening of fun, entertainment and a bit of learning you just can’t beat a whisky tasting.

Sherry Cask Whisky Tasting, 15th November, 6.30pm
Whether Highland, Islay, Japanese or indeed any whisky producing region of the world, it’s a safe bet you will find a sherry cask around a distillery. Amongst the first vessels in which whisky was transported and thus matured, sherry can produce a spectrum of flavours from dried fruits to dark chocolate. Join us to discover the benefits of combining whisky with Jerez’s most famous export.
Tickets £45

Diageo Special Releases Masterclass, 7th November 2011, 6.30pm
Join us for a taste of some of the most sought after whiskies on the planet, in our latest Masterclass series of tastings! Diageo’s Special Releases will include such rarities as the closed Brora and Port Dundas along with this year’s special releases of Lagavulin and Caol Ila.
Tickets £55

To place an order please visit www.milroys.co.uk , call Lee on 020 7437 2385
or email Lee.Tomlinson@milroys.co.uk

Milroy’s of Soho
3 Greek Street
London, England W1D 4NX