Hello Fellow Whiskey Lovers –

I have three very exciting bits to discuss with you this week:

First, with the launch of the new ForWhiskeyLovers, we are now shipping to Massachusetts via a partnership with arguably the top whisky shop in New England. So if you or a WhiskeyLover you know resides in the great state of Bill-Belichick-inspired-despair, the good news is relief is now a few clicks/a couple of days away from being delivered to your door.

Next, we’re running a VERY exciting contest for the next week: The team at Wemyss Malts are about to bottle their latest release, and they’re stuck for a name.

So they sent Managing Editor Ian Buxton a sample of it, and he sent us tasting notes to “experience it” with him (ahem). Now we’re challenging you to check out his notes…get inspired(or at least have a flash of something snappy)…and send it to us.

If your name is chosen, you’ll receive a bottle for your bar signed by someone important, and instant cred’s in the world of whiskey….having recently named your first whiskey…arguably on your first try and with little effort. Not bad….

Finally, an opportunity for the whiskey collector and those who appreciate the opportunity to get their hands on something really special.

A few emails back I told you about Silvano Samaroli, who has been selecting and bottling the world’s greatest whiskies since 1968. However I did a lousy job of communicating how much of a legend this guy is within the whiskey world. I had recently met a rep from the company, tasted a few of the whiskies, and was truly blown away. So we acquired some, and offered it to you.

However at the time I didn’t know who he is….

What I quickly learned after relaying my tasting experience to Ian, was that Silvano Samaroli is considered, amongst those who matter, the Zen Master (Ian’s words) Mac Daddy (mine) of whisky bottlers. These are the guys who hand-select barrels for themselves, often directing additional finishing to differentiate thier liquid, and then bottle it under their name. If you haven’t heard of Silvano Samaroli, it’s because his whiskies have just hit our shore in the last year or so, so you’re excused…

But you will know…as I now know…that the 70 year old Samaroli is truly The Master of this craft.

And so, I am thrilled to be able to offer you one of my favorites from the tasting: Samaroli Bunnahabhain 1990 Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky from the island of Islay

The malt whiskies produced on the isle of Islay are generally phenolic (smoky), pungent and salty. However since 1883 Bunnahabhain has contradicted this taste profile, and has consistently produced a smooth, almost winey, whisky.

And with this being a small bottling from a single hand selected cask, there were only 276 bottles released for sale.

Fortunately we have Nicky The Neck, his connections in “the old country”, and more than our fair share of the whiskey as a result. So I’m happy to be able to offer it you at $214.95/ bottle, with a limit of 2 bottles/ customer and, as always, once it’s gone…it’s gone.

So this weeks assignment: 1) Send whiskey To Mass…2) send whiskey names to me…3) and send a bottle of Samaroli Bunnahabhain 1990 Single Malt Single Cask Scotch Whisky to yourself.

And have fun.

Until next Wednesday…

Doug Stone
Founder
ForWhiskeyLovers.com

________________________________________________________________________

SAMAROLI BUNNAHANHAIN 1990 SINGLE CASK SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

________________________________________________________________________
TASTING NOTES: courtesy of SILVANO SAMAROLI

Very penetrating refined bouquet.

Impetuous but at the same time clear.

Mature but lively.

Hard and also smooth, clean and at the same time ample.

Has great character. As deep as the ocean

Powerful – doesn’t pass unnoticed.

Glenfarclas Cognac Casks OB 43yo 40.7%alc.

Tasting Note: By George S Grant

Colour: Dark, Pure 24k Gold in Colour

Nose: Wonderful dried apricots lovely malty sweetness, honeycomb candy, light spicy aromas, topped with light white pepper, then classic Glenfarclas burnt Demerara sugar.( Just goes to show it does not just come from the Oloroso sherry cask).

Finish: Quite a dry finish, which is good as more whisky is required to moisten the mouth. Dark bitter chocolate, German or Belgian chocolate with high cocoa content. Crushed almonds and light oakiness to finish with.

Conclusion: An amazing whisky from Glenfarclas, a Great to Taste. Nothing like this has ever been done before and nothing like this will be done again, well not in my lifetime!

Glenfarclas 43 year old Cognac Casks

Price excluding VAT: £382.50
£459.00 Including VAT at 20%

Pernod Ricard Distillery Tour

Friday 16th March

7.30 PM

Venue : The Cellars

PHILL HUCKLE (Pernod Ricard) who many of you will remember from the Whisky Festival last year, is coming to the conduct a fantastic tasting for us in the cellars of Nickolls and Perks. Phil has amassed an exclusive selection of Malt Whiskies for us to taste and he will guide us around severn different distilleries on the night.

On taste there will be :

SCAPA 16
STRATISLA 12
THE GLENLIVET NADURRA 16
LONGMORN 16
ABERLOUR ABUNNADH,
CHIVAS 18
ROYAL SALUTE

Tickets :£25
Cheese n Oaties provided.

Slainte

David

We have a great selection of new Dimension bottlings in both cask strength and 46.0% now available, these include a ‘Light and refreshing’ Aultmore, that make you want it to be summer time, and many more. You can find full tasting notes for each release below.

For further information please get in touch via www.duncantaylor.com

Dimensions Cask Strength

Dimensions Blair Athol 1989 22YO, C2927, 50.5%
Descriptions: This was distilled one year after Allied distillers became the owners after the merge with Itiram Walker. The distillery is now owned by Inverhouse
Tasting Notes
Colour: Bright Gold
Nose: Orange peel. Chocolate, cornflakes, malt vinegar and brown sugar. Soft oily notes and a touch of pomegranate.
Taste: More orangey notes, marzipan and quite creamy. Pistachio nuts, white chocolate and nutmeg
Finish: Green apple, touch of lime and quire autumnal
Comment: Chocolate fruit and nut bar – in liquid form

Dimensions Craigellachie 1990 21YO, C5399, 52.0%
Descriptions: The malted barely used for Craigellachie whisky is obtained from Glenesk maltings
Tasting Notes
Colour: Golden
Nose: Earthy, stewed red fruits, ginger with floral notes emerging
Taste: Silky smooth, very nutty, citrus punch emerges at with sudden bursts
Finish: Very spicy with a waxy texture. The citrus still very strong lingers
Comment: Bursting with juicy citrus fruits.

Dimensions Imperial 1995 16YO, Cask 50054, 53.1%
Descriptions: Not to be confused with a blend of the same name which is hugely popular in the far east.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Pale Gold
Nose: The smell of a biscuit barrel – hints of ginger and zest. Gets creamier and orangey before getting darker, with notes of black cherry yoghurt and boot polish.
Taste: Robust, mouth coating, a trace of alcoholic spice. Sundried tomatoes, portabella mushrooms and a thick slice of buttered gingerbread.
Finish: Unexpectedly sweet, touches of Parma violets, wet stones with a slight wood influence.
Comment: This really keeps you guessing – a slightly twisted profile that’s hugely entertaining.

Dimensions Linkwood 1986 25YO, C991101, 47.2%
Descriptions: Produced in Linkwood ‘B’ which uses condensers compared with the original Linkwood ‘A’ which has a cask iron worm tub
Tasting Notes
Colour: Bright Straw
Nose: Mint humbugs and lashing of toffee and crisp golden apples. Touch of fennel and salted liquorices
Taste: Soft traced of smoke, touch of engine oil and a marshmallows milk chocolate, red cherries and raspberries.
Finish: Long lasting caramel and good quality ice cream.
Comment: Could nose this all day – if it didn’t tasted so good!!

Dimensions Linkwood 1989 22yo C.5042, 46.8%
Descriptions: Between 1902 and 1932, Linkwood was managed by Robert Innes Cameron who also owned Benrinnes, Tamdhu and Teaninich.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Straw
Nose: Fresh Dijon mustard and banana boxes. Slightly herbal with emerging meaty notes.
Taste: Very creamy and leafy, developing on larger flavors of Seville oranges and liquorices after time.
Finish: Smooth and medium-long with traces of fruit and sherbet.
Comment: Well balanced and easy to drink. Very moreish.

Dimensions Mortlach 1989 22YO, C4037, 52.0%
Descriptions: Mortlach was built on the site of a well that was allegedly used for illicit whisky distillation
Tasting Notes
Colour: Gold
Nose: Roasted pork with rosemary. Gooseberries and dark caramel and hints of liquorices.
Taste: Vanilla, dark chocolate. Increasingly sweet with more caramel notes. Red grapes and slight wood
Finish: Long and rich – Smoked meat and caramel linger
Comment: A Mortlach to feast on!

Dimensions 46.0%

Dimensions Auchentoshan 1998 13YO, Batch 0001, 46.0%
Descriptions: Auchentoshan is the Gaelic term meaning ‘corner of the Field’
Tasting Notes
Colour: Antique Gold
Nose: Surprisingly you get a burst of sherry notes. Crisp Apples, rice pudding with raisins.
Taste: Very gentle on the pallet, red apples, toffee, poached pears
Finish: Double cream, Hazel nut oil extract finish
Comment: Perfect for cleansing the pallet

Dimensions Aultmore 2001 10YO, Batch 0001, 46.0%
Descriptions: The majority of Aultmore is used in Dewar’s Blended whisky after they bought the distillery in 1998
Tasting Notes
Colour: Pale Straw
Nose: Apple straddle, clotted cream and a light olive oil notes. Nettles, green tea and smoked cheese
Taste: Dried bananas, lemon drops and nougat. Some mixes red fruits and pine nuts
Finish: Notes of latte’s and root ginger, Dry white wine and soft brown sugar
Comment: Light and refreshing – bring on summer!!

Dimensions Benrinnes 1997 14YO, Batch 0001, 46.0%
Descriptions: Benrinnes is one of the four remaining distillers that used the traditional ‘worm tub’ cooling method
Tasting Notes
Colour: Pale Gold
Nose: Rich, inviting aromas. Juicy oranges, light herbal notes and a whisp of developing smoke
Taste: Assertive, meaty, fresh root vegetables in wooden boxes. Becomes creamier
Finish: Surprisingly light and slightly chewy with hints of cloves and cinnamon
Comment: Well rounded with plenty of character

Dimensions Cragganmore 1997 14YO, Batch 0001, 46.0%
Descriptions: A distillery that looks like it was thrown together with little thought – though John Smith clearly had a plan.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Pale Gold
Nose: Vegetable boxes at a market, mossy and very herbal to begin with. Then hints of eucalyptus, fresh doughnuts, black fruit pastels and the center of a crunchie bar!
Taste: Leafy and grass – more herbal notes – sage, rosemary, some celery notes and onion granules. Light bodied and refreshing.
Finish: Fresh, soft and gradually fading.
Comment: One to enjoy at sunrise!

Dimensions Cragganmore 2000 11YO, Batch 0001, 46.0%
Descriptions: Cragganmore was the first distillery to be built to take advantage of the speyside railway – John Smith the founder was a ‘huge’ fan of trains
Tasting Notes
Colour: Light Straw
Nose: Herbal, Minty and some dry straw. Some hints of lemon and some granny pears and pancake mix. Faint hint of toffee.
Taste: Quite grassy, flint, tablet, popcorn and almonds. Touch of lemon grass and peaches
Finish: Soft fruity finish with sage and rosemary
Comment: Typically ultra-complex Cragganmore. Take your time it just keeps changing

Dimensions Dailuaine 1998 13YO, Batch 0001, 46.0%
Descriptions: The majority of Dailuaine’s output goes into the Johnnie Walker blends, but it is a fantastic single malt in its own right.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Polished Gold
Nose: rich caramel, dried fruits and spice. Oranges and cigar box wood.
Taste: Like walking into a bakery – fresh cream, Victoria sponge and milk chocolate.
Finish: Brown sugar, custard creams and slightly herbal.
Comment: Incredible nose with a surprisingly sweet taste. Indulgent!

Dimensions Glentauchers 1997 14YO, Batch 0001, 46.0%
Descriptions: Glentauchers is known to be a key ingredient in the Ballantine’s and Teacher’s blends.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Gold
Nose: apples, pears, trace of birch wood and eucalyptus. Some sherry notes.
Taste: Apricots, raisins, smooth toffee and slight maltiness.
Finish: Fresh and chewy, red cherries and icing sugar. Quite light but lingers nicely.
Comment: A mellow whisky with great balance.

A-Z of World’s Best Bars: B & C

Last week we launched a list of what we’re calling the World’s Best Bars. As you would expect after A comes B…and C. Seems only fair to give you two letters this week in case you’re looking for more variety.

Now, this is just the opinion of the whisky team in here – if you know of a cracking place that starts with B or C, add it in the comments or let us know on our Facebook whisky page – who knows I might pop in soon!

B

Boulevard 1, San Francisco, USA

Chef Nancy Oakes culinary skills have made this restaurant one of the most popular in San Francisco. The menu is an amazing mix of American regional flavours mixed with just a sprinkling of French influence. Try the Wood Oven Roasted Angus Fillet served with a side of Dalmore – perfect!

Blue Bar, Taj Westend, Bangalore, India

This stylish, open-air bar is surrounded by water and the music is a blend of Buddha Bar, Lounge, House and Retro. Relax at a table in the gardens or get closer to the action. Either way the Blue Bar will work its irresistible magic.

Bar 252, Pune, India

Bar 252 is a well known bar for it single malts. It is a part of a five star hotel which has the name of sun and sand.

Bar 101, Pune, India:

A well-known bar known for its vast whisky collection

C

Chateau Marmont, Los Angeles, USA

The Chateua Marmont is not a place you would describe as understated and being its LA, then you wouldn’t really expect it to be. Housed in a chateau style building that is modelled on an infamous royal residency in France’s Loire Valley, this restaurant-come- bar-come hotel, takes you on a fantastic journey into the land of make believe. Some might it’s over the top, but we think it’s excellent!

The Corinthian, Glasgow, Scotland

The Corinthian, was built in 1842 in Whyte & Mackay’s hometown of Glasgow and is possibly one of the most captivating buildings in the city. The beautiful building started as Glasgow Ship Bank before being a court building and in its most recent transformation into The Corinthian bar and restaurant which is a must visit destination in the city. Superb meals, fantastic cocktails, a luxurious collection of single malts and even a casino await you.

Caledonian Hilton, Edinburgh, Scotland

Originally built as a railway hotel in 1903, it is one of the oldest hotels in Edinburgh. It’s staff are brilliantly educated when it comes to whisky, which is just as well as it’s bar boasts one of the largest selections of whiskies in the capital.

Cameron House Hotel, Loch Lomond, Scotland

Set on the famous bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, Cameron House is one of the most iconic hotels in Scotland. In “The Great Scots Bar” you can enjoy a single malt from their vast collection, whilst taking in the stunning views over the Loch to Ben Lomond.

Cuan Mor, Oban, Scotland

This is a fantastic bar/bistro in Oban that is so good you will want to keep it as your own little secret. Sneak through the back of the building you and you will find the Oban Bay Micro Brewery and a huge selection of single malts – the most exclusive of which you will find behind locked iron cages!

Other notable C’s include:

The Curly Coo, Crieff, Scotland

The Coo has over 100 malt whiskies all served by major whisky fan (and owner) Mandy Silver. Their 100th whisky of the collection was the Mackinlay’s Shackleton malt.

Chaya Downtown, Los Angeles, USA

A great selected on Euro-Asian cuisine perfectly complements the large whisky selection on offer

Craft, Los Angeles, USA

Superb fresh menu in both their restaurant and bar.

Canny Man’s, Morningside, Edinburgh

A treasure trove of bits and bobs and a brilliant selection of whiskies.

The Clyde Bar, Helensburgh, Scotland

Instantly recognisable from either land or sea due to its vibrant colour scheme. An eclectic (but friendly) mix of locals, tourists and sailors from the local Navy Base enjoy live music whilst sipping one of the many many whiskies on offer.

The Counting House, Glasgow

Right in the heart of the city, this former bank is now home to a busy bar which is enjoyed by local and tourists alike.

Cape Town, Goa, India

A well known Lounge bar in Goa, Cape Town creates a buzz with its beautiful cocktails, delicious food and innovative theme nights.

The Mighty Thor

by Billy (at The Whisky Exchange)

Highland Park are an interesting bunch. Their fans are numerous and (in the nicest possible way) rabid; their detractors are a much smaller group who in recent times have focused on a couple of things that they do, one of which is packaging. Over the last couple of years HP have put out some incredible whiskies – some of them incredible in taste, some of them more incredible by way of their appearance.

The Highland Park 50 is a magnificent dram, but in the end the juice got overshadowed by its price, box and bottle – a driftwood inspired box with a porthole that looked in on a silver seaweed wrapped bottle, complete with carved piece of Orcadian sandstone and a silver replica of the Rose window from St Magnus’s Cathedral in Kirkwall. The designer is a famous Scottish jewellery maker and the whole package does look rather special, but in the end that was what it became about – finding notes about the whisky was much harder than it should have been.

Along with single bottlings they’ve also jumped into the world of series, especially as the market for collecting whisky has become a more mainstream segment than it has in the past.

Their last complete series was ‘The Earl Magnus Editions’, a set of three bottles celebrating a small piece of Orkney’s history. The three editions were well presented, in the solid wooden display cases that are becoming their trademark, but they did something a little clever with the release numbers. Earl Magnus, first in the series, 5976 bottles; St Magnus, second, 11994 bottles; Earl Haakon, third, 3300 bottles. So, not everyone who bought the first whisky in the series to collect was going to be able to buy the third, a perfect way to sell out quickly, which has also created a bit of a market for speculators.

So, this brings us on to their new series – The Valhalla Collection. Delving again into Orkney’s Scandinavian past they’ve hooked on to the Norse pantheon and their first release is in honour of the hammer-flinging god of thunder – Thor.

There’s been a lot of talking on the internet about Thor over the last couple of weeks thanks to the blogger-focused advertising campaign – they sent out four parcels, each containing a shiny silver stone marked with a rune (from the Elder Futhark alphabet if my obsessive Wikipedia-ing is correct), with the fourth parcel also containing a sample of the whisky. Add to that a Twitter account (that swings in tone from serious to beautifully self-mocking), Facebook page and blog all written in the name of Thor and you have an online campaign

That’s as maybe when it comes to the wider world of whisky buyers, as my (and maybe your) online community may have seen a load of Thor but the general public will have noticed one specific thing – its packaging:

The packaging shows a dividing line between different types of whisky consumer. Before anyone had even tried Thor, a large number of whisky enthusiasts had dismissed it as being unworthy of attention due to the ‘boat’ frame (aka The Lyre). Some seem to be personally insulted by the concept of a cask strength 16 year old whisky being sold for £120, claiming that the only justification for the price is the packaging. Others questioned its limited edition nature due to the 23000 bottles that were being released worldwide, and asked how that justified the price. Outside of the whisky fans people generally seemed to say ‘Ooh, that looks rather pretty. I wonder what it tastes like?’. Whisky isn’t only for whisky fans any more and there are many people in the world who don’t mind paying for something to look good as well as taste good.

Speaking of taste:

Nose: Salted caramel, evergreen leaves, light mint and menthol rounded out with a hint of woody smoke.
Palate: Juicy oranges and lemon, hot ginger and cinnamon, fruitcake richness, black liquorice and more wood smoke.
Water: A few drops calms down some of the heat, revealing ferns, damp forest and woody spice on the nose, and more caramel and polished wood on the body. It still has a big hit of warmth, although it’s more ginger and cinnamon than it is alcoholic burn.
Finish: Tongue-tingling heat, sweet wood, muddy paths and fallen leaves. As it fades, a dark but sweet liquorice root note kicks in.

It’s a good whisky and I’d thoroughly recommend that any Highland Park fan have a try of it if they can find a dram. It works best for me with a drop of water but those who like their whisky untamed and rampant will enjoy this. It’s not subtle, but with only a bit of shoehorning you can pair it up with its namesake – a rampaging god with a fondness for lightning and hitting things with a hammer.

So where am I going with this? I’m not really sure. I’ve been playing devil’s advocate around the discussion boards in an attempt to work out my own opinion on the situation and I think I’ve just about worked it out:

There are lots of people who buy whisky. They all buy whisky for different reasons. Companies will make whisky to sell to all the people who want it. Some of those whiskies will be for people who aren’t you.

Thor falls happily between two different categories of whisky buyer – those who buy pretty things and those who buy good spirit. Luckily they’ve made enough of it to go around.

*COMPASS BOX TASTING AND BLENDING SCHOOL – THURSDAY 15TH MARCH 2012*

We had to restrict numbers for the Compass Box Blending School in November last year to 32 but those of you who managed to get a ticket will vouch for what a brilliant evening it was. This year those wonderful folk at Compass Box have kindly agreed to come along and run a couple more sessions for us – the first of which will be on Thursday 15th March and the second of which will be in the autumn.

The evening will start off with a tasting of some Compass Box whiskies and then, after an introductory guide to blending, you will be let loose to create your very own whisky and release your inner Master Blender! Not only that, you get to take home 10cl of the wondrous dram you have created!

This is not an opportunity to be missed – see below for all the details and if you have any queries just contact us.

Sláinte!
Fran and Ken
Arkwrights Whisky and Wines
www.whiskyandwines.com

COMPASS BOX TASTING AND BLENDING SCHOOL
Thursday 15th March 2012 (7.00 for 7.30pm)
Stanton House Hotel, Stanton Fitzwarren

Céline Têtu of Compass Box will be coming along to present not only a tasting of some of their fabulous range of vatted and blended whiskies but also to give those present the opportunity to taste some of the different Single Malts and Single Grains that are the building blocks of these small batch whiskies. She will use these to illustrate how John Glaser, the creative genius who founded Compass Box, takes a main component whisky and then adds in a few, carefully selected others that both complement the core whisky and increase its complexity.

Then, having been shown how to blend whisky, you will get the chance to have a go yourself. You will be blending 10cl of your own whisky – a unique creation that you can then take away with you.

The ticket price is £20 per person, and this includes the tasting and blending school plus the 10cl bottle of whisky that you create. As usual, your ticket also entitles you to a discount of £3 against a bottle of one of the featured whiskies if bought or ordered on the night of the tasting.

Because of the ‘hands on’ nature of the Blending School the numbers will be restricted to a maximum of 32 people, and tickets allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis. There is sure to be a great demand for this very special event so it is best to book ASAP. To buy tickets just log on to www.whiskyandwines.com and place an order for the number you require, or telephone us on (01793) 765071, or call in and see us at Arkwrights, The Dormers, Highworth, Wiltshire.

Admission to the tasting is by ticket only, and most, if not all, of the whiskies tasted will be available to purchase on the night so come prepared.

This is going to be a whole new way of experiencing whisky and promises to be a very enjoyable evening. Come along and join us!

Loch Fyne Whiskies Stocks Two News BenRiach

BenRiach 17yo Solstice Second Edition  50% abv  £55.90 inc vat  £46.58 ex vat

BenRiach 17yo Septendecim  46% abv  £44.90 inc vat  £37.42 ex vat 

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

Springbank 21 Years Old
 
What a week for whisky! First we have the new Highland Park Thor (which is stunning). Now we have the new release of one of the most iconic whiskies in the world.
 
Nose – Maritime influences of salt and smoke, spicy wood notes and rich toffee.
 
Palate – Incredible complexity here, more salt and smoke, with hints of honey, orange peel and cinnamon.
 
Overall – A worthy successor to the old Springbank 21. Be quick this wont last long!
 
£185 (Only one bottle per customer).
 
Delivery will be charged at £9.95 to addresses in U.K. Mainland and charged at cost elsewhere.

To place an order please visit www.milroys.co.uk, call Lee on 020 7437 2385 or email  Lee.Tomlinson@jeroboams.co.uk 
 
Our mailing address is:

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

United States – Bourbon and Rye

Redemption Straight Rye Whiskey 750ml ($26.99)

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