BenRiach Distillery Whisky Tasting – Wednesday 20th June 2012

For our June tasting we will be joined by Stewart Buchanan, Distillery Manager at BenRiach – a Speyside distillery that has gone from strength to strength since it’s takeover by an independent consortium in 2004. Their excellent range of whiskies include both unpeated and peated whiskies, and with their close attention to detail they manage to successfully mix innovation with tradition to produce a wide variety of styles without sacrificing quality.

This will be an excellent opportunity to sample seven whiskies from Benriach (see below for the line up) plus to hear from Stewart the inside story of day to day life at the distillery which, by the time of Stewart’s visit, will be one of the few distilleries in Scotland to have it’s own working maltings.

Please note, that there will only be one night of tasting for this particular event so you will need to be quick buying your tickets.

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

Name BenRiach Distillery Whisky Tasting
Wednesday 20th June 2012

Time 7pm for 7.30pm
Venue Stanton House Hotel, Stanton Fitzwarren

Stewart will be presenting a fabulous line up of whiskies that includes new additions to the BenRiach peated range and the limited editon Solstice 17 year old. The full Line up is:

Unpeated
12 year old
16 year old
15 year old PX finish
16 year old Sauternes finish

Peated
Septendecim 17 year old
Solstice 17 year old Port finish
Authenticas 25 year old

Tickets are £12.50 per person, and this 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. Tickets are very strictly limited, and allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis and as there is only one night of tasting available for this particular event 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 with your payment details on (01793) 765071, or call in and see us at Arkwrights, The Dormers, Highworth, Wiltshire.

Admission to the tasting is by ticket only, and the whiskies tasted will be available to purchase on the night so come prepared.

N.B. We have negotiated special rates at the hotel for anyone who wants to stay overnight after the tasting – contact us for further details of rates.

Hello Fellow WhiskeyLovers – 

I hope you all had a wonderful day of festivities celebrating the Celtic holiday Beltane this past weekend (who was paying attention to last weeks email?), and that this Hump-Day finds you already pondering this weekends mischief. 

As you may recall about a year ago I had the pleasure of spending an afternoon with my now good friend Ben Ellefson, one of the fantastic chaps who run MasterofMalt, the “other winner” of the Whisky Magazine Icons of Whisky award Online Retailer in the UK. We spent most of the afternoon talking and wrangling and passionately negotiating…and finally shaking strong hands on a way we all could work together on our Whiskey Explorers club. 

In celebration of our coming to terms, Ben excused himself from the room we were meeting in for a few moments, then returned with a wooden box, and a smile on his face that threatened to crack his head wide open if it got any wider. 

He placed the box on the table, then opened it to reveal what appeared to be shredded packing paper, and a very old looking bottle… 

YIKES….THIS WAS IT!!! I’d heard about this…on the news…everywhere. But here it was in front of me…and Ben was opening the bottle for me to have a dram…. 

In 2006 a team from the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust was restoring the hut used by Ernest Shackleton during his 1907-1909 South Pole expedition. The expedition came to an abrupt halt when, due to rather unpleasant conditions and the onset of winter, the Shackleton team was forced to hurriedly abandon the expedition…leaving behind many of their possessions thought to be unnecessary for the return journey. 

The restoration team discovered several cases of spirits lodged in ice under the hut. Three of these cases were found to contain Mackinlay’s Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky, but they could not immediately dislodge them because they were too deeply embedded in the ice. So Whyte & Mackay, who now own the Mackinlay’s brand, launched a bid to recover the whisky for samples to test, and potentially use to relaunch the once popular Mackinlay’s Scotch whisky brand. 

In 2010 the New Zealand Antarctic Heritage Trust used special cutting tools to carefully remove the cases of spirits from the ice. Then in January 2011 three bottles of the Mackinlay’s “Shackelton” whisky were returned to Whyte & Mackay for analysis. 

The liquid was considered so rare and valuable that the Antarctic Heritage Trust and New Zealand authorities refused to let it travel to Scotland unaccompanied and in the hold of any plane. So Whyte & Mackay owner and renowned Indian business mogul Dr Vijay Mallya stepped in to personally collect and fly the bottles back to Scotland on his private jet. 

Whyte & Mackay’s master blender Richard Paterson then spent a painstaking eight weeks marrying and blending a range of malts to get an exact replica of this 100 year old rare taste of whisky history. Whyte & Mackay then the released exactly 50,000 bottles of the whiskey worldwide. 

Which brings me to this weeks Whisky Wednesday featured whiskey (and 2012 Drammie Award Winner for Best Packing Design: Mackinlay’s “Shackleton” Rare Old Highland Whisky. 

The replica Mackinlay’s “Shackleton” Rare Old Highland Malt is a blended malt containing whisky from a range of Highland malts, including Glen Mhor, which was the original Mackinlay’s distillery before it closed in 1983. It was bottled at 47.3% ABV, is non chill-filtered and has had no added caramel coloring. 

And it comes in the coolest replica bottle and wooden box.  

According to renowned whisky writer and independent expert Dave Broom, the only other person in the world to taste both the original whisky and Whyte & Mackay’s new liquid, Patterson got the copy exactly right. He said: “The Shackleton whisky is not what I expected at all, and not what anyone would have expected. It’s so light, so fresh, so delicate and still in one piece – it’s a gorgeous whisky.” 

And so, with the help of our man Nicky “The Neck” – himself no stranger to making “things disappear in the ice ” – we’re able to offer you the opportunity to acquire a limited quantity of Mackinlay’s “Shackleton” Rare Old Highland Malt Whisky for $159.95/ bottle (limit 3 bottles per customer please). 

I urge you to move quickly on this if you are interested. This is a once in a lifetime chance to acquire a bottle of truly historic whiskey…but then hide it when you get it. Because once it’s gone… 

And until next week…have fun!

Doug StoneFounder

ForWhiskeyLovers.com 

Tomatin Double-Decker On Tour in Japan

As part of their 300 year anniversary celebrations, the Japanese distributor of Tomatin Single Malt Scotch Whisky is taking the brand on tour around Japan in a Tomatin-branded traditional red London-style double-decker bus.

Kokubu & Co Ltd., established in 1712, is one of the largest food and drink distributors in Japan. They have carried the Tomatin brand since 2005, which is now the 6th best-selling single malt Scotch Whisky in Japan. This bus tour is the first time they have attempted such a campaign, and is one of several events marking the company’s anniversary.

The tour will start on 9th May in Tokyo, travelling to Sapporo, Yokohama, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Osaka and Nagoya, finishing in Sendai on 3rd July. During its stay in each city, the bus will host a special bar for people to sample and enjoy Tomatin whisky.

Graham Nicolson, Regional Sales Manager, commented: “This is an exciting and innovative campaign and we are thrilled to be associated with Kokubu on this momentous anniversary. Our partnership has gone from strength to strength since 2005 and we look forward to continuing this into the foreseeable future with further brand growth in the Japanese market.”

May 2012, Edinburgh: Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Whisky is encouraging people to tee off for England or Scotland in the Glengoyne Auld Enemy Diamond Jubilee Golf Day and Black Tie Gala Dinner on 24th August 2012, to help raise money for Help for Heroes.*

The Gala Dinner will be hosted by Andrew Cotter, the rising star of the BBC’s sports commentary team, who will conduct a special charity auction.

Twenty corporate or individual teams can enter and compete for the “Glengoyne Trophy” either in pairs or four balls at the five-star Fairmont St Andrew’s to replicate some of the famous sporting battles between Scotland and England.

Groups will join the Lord Lieutenant Fife, Colonel Mark Steed and former Scotland rugby star, Gavin Hastings, on the world famous 18-hole Torrance Course at The Fairmont St Andrews.

The TaylorMade Tour Experience Team will also be on hand to add a unique professional ‘tour’ experience to the special charity event. The leading club manufacturer is bringing its state-of-the-art tour truck along for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience the same service world stars like Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose and Retief Goosen receive on Tour.

As well as sponsoring the special event, Glengoyne will be offering competitors warming samples of their limited edition ‘Auld Enemy Dram’, a Glengoyne 1990 Single Cask bottling. Proceeds from which will go to their chosen charity – Help for Heroes.

Neil Boyd, Commercial Director at Ian Macleod Distillers, commented: ‘‘Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Whisky is proud to be the official sponsor of the first Glengoyne Auld Enemy Diamond Jubilee Golf Day. Glengoyne recognises and celebrates the passion that is synonymous with the great Auld Enemy rivalry, which lends itself to this sporting charity event.

“Glengoyne is equally proud to support Help for Heroes through sales of our limited edition ‘Auld Enemy Dram’. Help for Heroes is an excellent charity, which supports injured members of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, so is the perfect partner for this great occasion. We at Glengoyne look forward to a long association with the Auld Enemy Golf Day in years to come.”

The cost to enter the Glengoyne Auld Enemy Diamond Jubilee Golf Day is £900 per four ball, including the golf tournament, coffee and breakfast upon arrival, TaylorMade & Glengoyne goodie bags and the Black Tie Gala Dinner in the evening.

Discounted rates at The Fairmont St Andrews are available by quoting “Glengoyne Auld Enemy Diamond Jubilee Golf Day” when booking. Entrants are politely reminded to ensure that their partner can join the event for the day as well as the evening’s entertainment.

Earlier this year, Glengoyne hosted a new sporting dinner: The Glengoyne Auld Enemy Dinner at The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, bringing together rugby legends and supporters to celebrate the history of the Calcutta Cup and raised over £18,000 for Help for Heroes and The Bill McClaren Foundation. Held on the eve of the world’s oldest international rugby fixture, the new event will also become an annual occurrence taking place in Edinburgh and London respectively.

The Auld Enemy Dram has a rich mahogany colour with a heavy and robust nose of hazelnut, prunes, cocoa powder, and liquorice with BBQ spice. The palate is powerful with good balance of red apple, raisins, wafer cone and subtle citrus. The finish maintains strength with increased fruits and dry spice.

Retailing at £175 per bottle, The Limited Edition Glengoyne ‘Auld Enemy Dram’ is currently available to buy at Vino’s Edinburgh stores and online at vinowines.co.uk or at www.glengonye.com

Award-winning Glengoyne Highland Single Malt is one of the leading malt whiskies in the world and has been distilled at Glengoyne since 1833. Using methods passed down for generations, Glengoyne is made with knowledge, passion and craftsmanship.

For more information on the Glengoyne Auld Enemy Diamond Jubilee Golf Day visit www.1879eventsltd.com  or email info1879@btinternet.com

For more information on Glengoyne Highland Single Malt Whisky visit www.glengoyne.com

Notes

Photocaptions:

· Picture 1: Rhodri Price (R&A), Alan Lawson (former Scotland scrum-half), Sergeant Craig Williamson (1 Scots), Neil Boyd (Glengoyne) and Gavin Hastings (former Scotland full-back) launch The Glengoyne Auld Enemy Diamond Jubilee Golf Day at Fairmont St Andrews

· Picture 2: Limited edition Glengoyne 1990 Single Cask bottling ‘Auld Enemy Dram’

Auld Enemy Dram tasting notes

Colour: Rich mahogany.

Nose: Heavy and robust; hazelnut, prunes, cocoa powder, liquorice with BBQ spice.

Palate: Powerful with good balance, red apple, raisins, wafer cone and subtle citrus.

Finish: Maintains strength with increased fruits and dry spice.

Glengoyne

The Glengoyne portfolio consists of the 10 Years Old, 12 Years Old Cask Strength, 12 Years Old at 43%, 17 Years Old , 21 Years Old and Vintage 1972 as well as special limited edition bottlings released every year. To buy online visit www.glengoyne.com.

Glengoyne is one of Scotland’s most accessible distilleries, located just 30 minutes north of Glasgow in a beautiful wooded glen overlooking the breath-taking West Highland Way. Tours start from just £6.50, call 01360 550 254 or visit www.glengoyne.com for more details and to book.

* Help for Heroes

Help for Heroes is a charity that does exactly what it says on the tin. Help for Heroes strives towards 100% effectiveness, so that for every £1 donated, £1 will go directly to helping wounded servicemen and women with grants that aim to provide practical, direct support.

*The Bill McLaren Foundation

The Bill McLaren Foundation was set up to raise funds to support the development of rugby and its values and also to recognise the contribution Bill McLaren made to rugby through education and the development of an interpretative centre.

THE DARKEST NIGHT: BOWMORE’S EVENING AT THE MCKITTRICK HOTEL WITH A PERFORMANCE OF “SLEEP NO MORE”

presented by Bowmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Quote New York Magazine: “What in Hecate’s name is Sleep No More? A dance-theater horror show? A wordless, nonlinear mash-up of Macbeth and the darker psychosexual corners of Hitchcock? A six-story Jazz Age haunted house for grown-ups and anyone who’s ever entertained sick cineast-y fantasies of living inside a Kubrick movie? ‘Tis all these, and more besides: ‘a deed without a name,’ to quote an infernal authority.”

Join us for a one-night-only, whisky-focused event at the McKittrick Hotel, including a performance of “Sleep No More” – the twisted, surrealistic, critically-acclaimed interactive theatrical event that has taken New York City by storm. This evening is presented by Bowmore, Scotland’s first Islay single malt Scotch whisky, which will elevate an already intense sensory experience to entirely new levels. You’ll be welcomed with drams of the wickedly intense Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest before heading into the labyrinthine McKittrick Hotel, where you’ll be set loose to explore, experience, smell, taste, and interact with the performance at your own pace, finding your own path. Once you’ve had your time to play (or whenever you reach absolute sensory overload), you’ll head to the McKittrick’s Manderley Bar and to the hotel lobby for specialty Bowmore cocktails and a sinful punch created by the one-and-only David Wondrich to enjoy with your comrades, whilst you recount the evening’s curiosities over delectable culinary delights.

“A merry macabre chase. A voyeur’s delight. Messes with your head as thoroughly as any artificial stimulant. Spectacular!” – Ben Brantley, New York Times

The event includes an indoor promenade performance with four arrival times:

7:00PM, 7:15PM, 7:30PM, and 7:45PM

Monday, May 14th, 2012

Skylight at The McKittrick Hotel, 530 West 27th Street between 10th and 11th Avenues

Must be 21 or older – please be prepared to present a valid photo ID.

Sponsored by Bowmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky

COCKTAILS

BOWMORE’S MCKITTRICK PUNCH
By David Wondrich, 2012

(Makes 22 servings)

Peel 3 lemons
Muddle the peel with ¾ cup (6 oz) Demerara sugar
Let sit 4-6 hours
Add 1 cup (8 oz) boiling water and stir to dissolve sugar
Add ¾ cup (6 oz) fresh-squeezed, strained lemon juice

Add:

1 750-ml bottle Bowmore 15 Year Olds Darkest
1 ½ cups (12 oz) Sandeman Fine Rich Madeira
3 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Orange Curacao
Stir well, bottle and refrigerate.

To serve, pour over large block of ice and add ½ bottle chilled water for every bottle of Punch base. Stir and grate nutmeg over the top. Ladle out in 3-oz portions.

TAXIDERMY AFTER DARK
By Fred Sarkis, Sable Kitchen and Bar, Chicago

1.5 oz Bowmore 15 Years Old Darkest
.75 oz Cynar
1 oz Grapefruit Juice
1/8 Lemon for garnish

BOWMORE’S BLACK BOWLER
By Fred Sarkis, Sable Kitchen and Bar, Chicago

1.5 oz Bowmore 15 Years Old Darkest
.75 oz Oloroso Sherry
.75 oz Honey Syrup
2 Lemon Wedges
3 Springs of Mint

NOTES

This year Bowmore, the first Islay Single Malt whisky, is launching an exciting marketing campaign Magic Happens on the ‘Darkest’ Nights to support the growth of its multi-award winning core expression, Bowmore 15 Years Old ‘Darkest’.   Kicking off the campaign in the US, Bowmore will host a headline event at the Manhattan Cocktail Classic in New York City.  On Monday, May 14, Bowmore hosts The Darkest Night: Bowmore’s Evening At The McKittrick Hotel with a performance of Sleep No More.  This evening will present a performance of cult phenomenon immersive theatre Sleep No More by Punchdrunk, the pioneers of immersive theatre.  Tickets are $125.00 per person and they are still available for the 7:15pm and 7:45pm entrance (the entrances are staggered so that everyone can take full advantage of the unique experience and performance).  The McKittrick Hotel is located at 530 W 27th St btw 10th & 11th Aves, NYC.  A link to purchase tickets here: http://bit.ly/IReAOj . 

This fabulous whisky-fueled party, will feature Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest in many gustatory iterations: In addition to the evening’s interactive theatrical performance, guests will enjoy signature Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest cocktails created by Fred Sarkis from Chicago’s Sable Kitchen (Taxidermy After Dark; Bowmore’s Black Bowler) and Bar and a punch (Bowmore’s McKittrick Punch) created for the event by Mr. David Wondrich, who will be helming the punch ladle on the evening (all cocktail recipes below).  Guests will also indulge in special food pairings to complement the delicious smokiness of Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest like dark chocolates and raw oysters (we have a ritualistic oyster-eating way of enjoying bivalves and Bowmore) and more.  

Cara Laing, Brand Manager of Bowmore, comments: “We are hugely excited to be showcasing our 15 Years Old ‘Darkest’ as a core member of the Bowmore range. The spirit is truly exceptional and a firm favourite with trade and consumers alike. Our “The Darkest Night: Bowmore’s Evening at the McKittrick Hotel with a performance of Sleep No More” will be a night that those who attend will not soon forget!  From the very unique performance to our featured Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest cocktails and punch to the food we will have paired with them – this is the ideal way to showcase The Darkest.  Bowmore 15 Year Old Darkest, that is!”

Rachel Barrie, Master Blender of Morrison Bowmore Distillers, comments: “To me Bowmore 15 Years Old ‘Darkest’ is the dark and alluring side of Bowmore; a rich and beguiling malt that fuses sherry and peat smoke together in perfect harmony. Seductive smokiness is balanced by rich dried fruit, treacle toffee and chocolate sweetness, with a drizzle of lime and sprinkle of sea salt to slice through the indulgence. With its wonderfully warming and velvety texture, it is perfect to warm your soul as darkness descends. Relax, sink into your chair and savour the spirit of ‘Darkest’.”

Bowmore whisky is widely acknowledged to be the most perfectly balanced in the world; the new campaign will support the trade in offering this interesting and complex (not just smoky) Islay expression to Single Malt enthusiasts as well as expand distribution. Bowmore 15 Years Old ‘Darkest’ is the outcome of 12 years maturing in American Bourbon casks, followed by a three year finish in Oloroso sherry casks, resulting in warmth, depth and a burnt sienna colour – all providing inspiration for the ‘Darkest’ Nights.

Milroy’s of Soho May Newsletter

We have a lot to look forward to in May, including our latest Single Cask Bottlings. We also have plenty more of our hugely popular tastings. Be sure to follow our blog full of our thoughts, reviews and tasting notes.

MILROY’S OF SOHO SINGLE CASK BOTTLINGS COMING SOON!

Milroy’s of Soho Single Cask Royal Lochnagar 2002, 10 Years Old
To coincide with the up coming Jubilee we will be bottling a deliciously delicate Royal Lochnagar. We’re told that Queen Victoria regularly nipped round to the distillery from Balmoral Castle and our in depth research ie Google Maps: http://g.co/maps/u7wny   shows that it would cost our Jubilant Queen Elizabeth II just 34p in fuel to visit the distillery (turn right, then right and right again Ma’am, you can’t miss it). £35 Pre-order now.

Milroy’s of Soho Single Cask Longmorn 1999, 12 Years Old
Like the Royal Lochnagar, this Longmorn is drawn from a single Ex-Bourbon barrel, creating a wonderfully delicate aromatic whisky. Our Longmorn will be launched to coincide with the August Sports Day events that we daren’t mention by name. What purer way to celebrate the pinnacle of sporting achievement than with a dram of whisky. Well it makes sense to us. £35 Pre-order now.

SO WHAT ELSE IS IN?

BRUICHLADDICH Octomore 4.2 Comus
The latest Octomore release named Comus after the ‘God of wine’, looks to be a worthy successor to the incredible Orpheus. Like Orpheus, Comus is wine cask matured, although this time in super sweet Sauternes casks from top estate Chateau d’Yquem. £100

GLENFIDDICH Age of Discovery – 19 Year Old Madeira Cask Finish
The second release of Glenfiddich Age of Discovery is due for release in March, the whisky is a homage to the Portuguese discovers of the 15thCentury. There will be limited availability pre-order now to save disappointment. £90

GORDON & MACPHAIL Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Glen Grant 60 Year Old
Filled almost 60 years to the day before Queen Elizabeth acceded the throne, there are only 85 bottles of this incredible whisky. £8,000

Brora, 1981 30 Years Old, Chieftains Bottling
One of our favorite distilleries and this bottling reinforces that love. A single Sherry Butt bottling, showing typical saline qualities, rich dried fruits and a touch of earthy peat. £250

Bunnahabhain 1974, 37 Years Old, A.D Rattray
We’ve been enthusiastic for mature bottlings from the Bunnahabhain Distillery for some time. Our Single & Single Bunnahabhain Aged 31 Years remains one of the greatest bottlings we’ve ever tasted. Now we’re excited to try a new old Bunnahabhain, and thankfully it is splendid. Dry savoury aromas lead to a full lemony palate that has hints of roast nuts and even a touch of green tea. Incredible! £120

UPCOMING TASTING EVENTS
“I’ll be late home dear, I’ll be at my evening class…” For education and entertainment nothing beats a Milroy’s of Soho whisky tasting.

Whisky and Cheese Matching 23rd May 2012
The joy of cheese…Discover the ephemeral pleasures of pairing rare whiskies with exotic cheeses. A truly delectable evening. £45

Great Monsters: Peated Whisky 29th May 2012
Islay is not the only peat…Expect to taste some of the best rare editions as well as quirky alternatives to old favourites from Islay and the rest of the world. £45

Fine and Rare Whisky Tasting 28th June 2012
There is nothing quite like drinking a whisky in the knowledge you may never see it again, let alone taste it. With whiskies from long closed distilleries and those which come and go once a year, this tasting of the finest and rarest of whiskies will be a night to remember. £100

Until next month, cheers!

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 Kingdom

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society presents The Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championship 2012

On the evening of Friday 15th June this year, a large collection of the most serious, semi-serious and simply enthusiastic malt whisky lovers will gather in Sydney for the biennial Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championship.

The venue will be the Australian Museum’s Dinosaur Gallery. While there will be malts on offer in the competition that are tens of years old, they won’t compete in age with their million year old fossil neighbours, but will be a lot easier to swallow.

How good is your palate? Can you pick the difference between a Glenlivet and a Talisker? How about a Laphroaig from a Lagavulin? If you are unsure, don’t worry – the competition is for allcomers of any experience, the only prerequisite being a love for the “water of life”. Eight malts will be served blind and the task is to identify which whisky is which from a list of nine possible well known drams.

First prize is two places on our 4-day long weekend Ultimate Single Malt Whisky & Wine Autumn Tour to Tasmania in Aug/Sep (date tba) including flights and four nights accommodation. The cocktail party is sponsored by Glenfiddich and The Balvenie. The whole event is organised and sponsored by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

Friday 15th June 2012 – 6.00pm-8.30pm
MC – Chris Barnes, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Marketing Director
Dinosaur Gallery, Australian Museum, 6 College Street, Sydney
Entry Fees: Competitors – $125 (includes cocktail party); Guests/Spectators – $75
Doors open 6pm – Welcome drinks/gathering
Competition 6.30pm – 7.30pm
Awards ceremony – 8.00pm

Notes

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society began in 1983 when a group of discerning friends shared the price of a single cask of fine malt whisky in Scotland.

The Society has over 26,000 members around the world with branches in 14 countries. It bottles over 300 single casks a year for its members from a range of more than 129 distilleries.

Members can choose from the world’s widest selection of single cask, single malt whiskies with only the very best selected and approved by the Society’s respected Tasting Panel.

The Society has been active in Australia since 2002, holding extremely popular and well-attended frequent whisky tasting nights in each of the capital cities around Australia all through the year for both its members and the general public.

The Australian Malt Whisky Tasting Championship is a blind tasting competition that has been run in Australia since 1989. It was held annually in Adelaide from 1989 until 2002, then was in recess for six years until the Scotch Malt Whisky Society resurrected the competition in 2008. It is open to national and international competitors, and is now a biennial event held in Sydney.

PO Box 1113, Newport NSW 2106 T: 02 9974 3046 F: 02 9999 5610

E: info@smws.com.au  W: www.smws.com.au

Next week the first legal whisky distilled and bottled on the Isle of Lewis in over 200 years will come available in Alberta. The whisky is from a new distillery in the Outer Hebrides, Abhainn Dearg, or Wind River. The first ever release is a 3 Year Old is limited to 2011 bottles (the year it was released). Obviously a little slow to get here what with the ocean and the distillery being on a small island. This is not a cheap whisky, but it is a first edition, handmade, and also transported from one of the most remote parts of Scotland. Please advise if you are interested in a bottle or two for $339.99 + GST. Only 50 are coming in to Canada. KWM has spoken up to 20 so far.

Photo and details from the distillery below!

Cheers

Andrew

FROM THE DISTILLERY

A Special Limited Edition of 2011 bottles of 3 Year Old Single Malt is being released for pre-sale with bottles being distributed in mid October.

Our single malt has come of age and to celebrate we have released only 2011 bottles, this is the very first single malt release from Abhainn Dearg Distillery and the first ever from the Outer Hebrides, that’s legal! There won’t be another opportunity to get this historic Special Three Year Old from Abhainn Dearg as we hold back our stock to reach five years.

The Outer Hebrides archipelago lies approximately forty miles from the Scottish Mainland the Isle of Lewis is the most northerly and Barra (Whisky Galore fame) lies at the southern tip. Abhainn Dearg is the only distillery in the 130 mile stretch of (mostly uninhabited) islands that form the archipelago. Even by island standards Abhainn Dearg Distillery is remote, located on the west coast of Lewis in an area called Uig, more famous for its Chessmen. (More info on Wikipedia)

This first Special Edition of Single Malt has been produced at the distillery from the clear crystal waters that run off the Uig hills and held in our own bonded warehouse. This unique whisky has never left the banks of Abhainn Dearg, it won’t till it’s sent out to our customers. This will be a single cask bottling, no added colour, non chill filtered and bottled (by hand) at 46%.

The journey to this point has been a long one, from concept to bottle. One man’s vision, turning a remote and obsolete fish farm into the first whisky distillery the islands have seen in almost two hundred years. His creation, Abhainn Dearg, is a very small and unique distillery, small in production and unique in location. With two permanent staff, including Marko, it’s methods are traditional, everything, even to labeling is done by hand.

Andrew Ferguson
Scotch Expert & Store Co-Manager
Kensington Wine Market
Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada Ambassador
1257 Kensington Road NW Calgary Alberta T2N 3P8
P. 403.283-8000 Toll Free. 888.283.9004
http://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

1995 Glenrothes Distillery Bottle Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 6 available ($65.99)

Highland Park 19 Year Old Alchemist Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 12 available ($115.99)

Mortlach 22 Year Old Alchemist Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 11 available ($129.99)

BACK IN STOCK… (items we’ve carried in the past that have just arrived again)

Scotland –  Blended

Buchanan’s 12 year Scotch Whisky 750ml ($39.99)

Chivas 18 year old Blended Scotch Whisky750ml ($74.99)

United States – Bourbon and Rye

High West “The 36th Vote” Barrel Aged Manhattan 750ml – 5 available ($44.99)

Rittenhouse Rye 100 Proof, Bottled in Bond 750ml (3 bottle limit) ($21.99)

Willett 5 Year Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon 750ml ($49.99)

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

The Party Source is pleased to announce that the full line of Van Winkle whiskeys will go on sale Friday, May 11th, at 8:00 a.m. The whiskeys include:

Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Old 90 Proof
Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year Old 107 Proof
Van Winkle Family Reserve 12 Year Old Lot B
Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Old 107 Proof
Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year Old
Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year Old
Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye

To distribute these coveted whiskeys to as many Bourbon lovers as possible, sales of the Van Winkle collection are limited as follows:

You may purchase one bottle of any Van Winkle whiskey. That can be any Van Winkle you choose, but only one bottle per person/household.

Sales of Van Winkle whiskeys are first come, first serve. There is no waiting list, and The Party Source cannot hold or sell bottles in advance, or take sales by phone

Don’t forget to visit aisle 10B for our extensive selection of bourbons, including our latest addition: Willett Private Barrel Selections, Buffalo Trace Experimental Wheat on Rye II

The Party Source, 95 Riviera Drive, Bellevue, KY 41073.