Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,

A Happy New Year to you all and all the best in 2012!

2011 was a whirlwind year for whisky at KWM, and judging by the whiskies en route and the events already planned 2012 will continue to build on that momentum. I have many, many new whiskies to tell you about in the next full Malt Messenger, but in the meantime there are three fantastic events coming up which deserve some attention.

Firstly, this Thursday I will be hosting The Ultimate Glenmorangie Tasting at the Kensington Wine Market. This tasting will showcase all the whiskies in in the Glenmorangie range: starting with the 10 Year Old Original we will work our way through the Extra Matured range: Lasanta, Quinta Ruban and Nectar D’Or; following it with the 18 Year Old, Signet and Quarter Century before capping off this already spectacular tasting with the new Glenmorangie Pride 1981 ($4499.99). The Pride is a 28 year old expression of Glenmorangie distilled in 1981 which was finished for 10 years in Chateau D”Yquem Sauternes casks. Only 1000 1L bottles have been released worldwide, filled into bespoke curvaceous Baccarat crystal decanters and presented in the most unique box of any whisky I’ve ever seen. Created by Wouter Schueblin, levers in the box gently lower the whisky as the box is opened. Less than a dozen bottles of this whisky has come to Canada, and it is rarer still in Alberta. This is without exaggeration the Ultimate Glenmorangie tasting, and for the occasion we’ve had a special Glencairn glass commissioned. For just $150, you will have the opportunity to sample a flight of whiskies which would set you back nearly $6,000.00! As a final incentive all the Glenmorangies will be 10% off. Call 403-283-8000 or visit our website: https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/register.php  to register.

Next up is the MS Calgary Whisky Festival on Thursday January 19th, 6PM, at the Art Gallery of Calgary. The MS Society of Calgary and Southern Alberta in partnership with Kensington Wine Market and some of the finest whisky brands in the world is putting on a Calgary Whisky Festival to raise funds to provide community support and cutting edge research. The event will feature over 100 whiskies from: distilleries like Bowmore, Macallan, Benromach, Springbank, Bruichladdich, Highland Park, Tullibardine, Glenfarclas, The Diageo Classic Malts and others; there will also be whiskies from Independent Bottlers such as Adelphi, Gordon & MacPhail and William Cadenhead; and other whiskies from around the World like Amrut, Sullivan’s Cove and Rough Stock. Many distilleries are sending their brand ambassadors including Jamie MacKenzie of Morrison Bowmore, James Robertson of Tullibardine, Ranald Watson of Springbank and Michael Urquhart of Benromach/Gordon & MacPhail. The event will feature great food, fabulous silent auction items, art and of course some incredible whiskies. Tickets are $95 and can either be purchased through Kensington Wine Market: by phone and online https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/register.php; and through the MS Society of Calgary and Southern Alberta: http://mssociety.zoobis.com/ ..

Finally, January is also the month of Robert Burns and Kensington Wine Market is thrilled to be hosting its 7th Annual Robbie Burns Supper, Scots Wha Hae on Wednesday January 25th at Fort Calgary. Every year we invite a special guest from one of Scotland’s finest distilleries, and over the last 4 years we also launched a special new whisky at each event. This year will be no exception, our special guest is the larger than life George Grant of Glenfarclas Distillery, and he will be joining us to celebrate the launch of a new cask exclusive to the Kensington Wine Market. This will be the first such cask of Glenfarclas in Canada! Participants at the event will be treated to six whiskies (including our new cask and the Chairman’s Reserve 175th Anniversary bottling – $703.99), song, dance, poetry and a traditional Burns Supper. Tickets are $99 and include all drinks, food, service and gratuities. There are still tickets available, but they sell out every year and won’t last long. As with the other two tasting you can register for Scots Wha Hae, our 7th Annual Burn Supper by phone 403-283-8000 or online at https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/register.php ..

I hope this Malt Messenger Bulletin finds you in good spirits.

Stay tuned for the next full Malt Messenger in the next week or so.

Slainté!

Andrew Ferguson
Kensington Wine Market
http://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/