Glenfarclas 105
What better way to stock up for Father’s Day than with a heroic single malt Scotch!
Rich, complex and powerful with toffee, dried fruit, coffee and sweet sherry flavours – what isn’t there to love!
Gift Wrapping available at the checkout
www.ralfy.com keeps you right with whisky review 275a – Identifying fake auction whiskies. Bad things can happen with auction-sale whisky so buy with care.
Ardbeg Day at TWE Vinopolis
Fèis Ìle, the Islay Festival of Malt and Music, will be upon us shortly and despite our shop being almost as far from Islay as you can get while still being in the UK (as the crow flies) we wanted … Continue reading >>
A quick update from Scotch Whisky Auctions;
Hi folks. Hope your weather is as beautiful as it is here in Glasgow! The 14th auction will be going live shortly, but before that, as usual, here is a peek at the new front page.
http://www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com/
Enjoy!
Bill, Tam and Mick
The Scotch Whisky Academy
The World’s First Scotch Whisky Evening Class The Advanced Scotch Whisky Trail Certificate Course
Specifically created by renowned Scotch Whisky writer, industry expert and Master of Malt, John Lamond, the course stretches over 8 weeks from Thursday 6th September, 2012 at 6.30 p.m. and covers the following:
6th September, 2012 Characteristics Arising from Distillation and Fermentation
An examination of the characteristics which arrive through foreshots and/or feints, metallic, sulphury and off-notes, their causes and manifestations. 2/3/4 distillations. What makes a good whisky? Beyond subjectivity. Group blind tasting organised by tutor
13th September, 2012 Beyond Maturation.
A look at wood types and the inherent characteristics of various oaks; what previous inhabitants of the casks give to or take from the whisky; storage conditions; “good” and “bad” results – too old and too youthful. Focus on one whisky with a look at various ages of that whisky. Students to bring three aromas in containers for class to identify blind. Group blind tasting organised by tutor and group note taking.
20th September, 2012 Regionalisation – Does it Exist?
An examination of the flavours inherent in the makes of various distilleries; identification of regional characteristics; examination of primary, secondary and tertiary flavours with comparison with Diageo’s map, S.W.R.I.’s wheel and John Lamond’s Aberlour Whisky Wheel. Individual blind tasting and group note taking.
27th September, 2012 Glasses and Their Influences
Comparison of Schott, Riedel & Glencairn. Different flavour characteristics emphasised by different glasses Blind tasting from various glassware
4th October, 2012 Brand and Craft
Examination of independent bottlers’ influences on flavour; chill-filtration; 40/43/46/cask strength; e150; grain species – yields versus flavour? Blind tasting of non-whisky spirits supplied by students and written appraisal of tasting.
11th October, 2012 Visit to Whisky Lab
Biochemistry & gas spectrometry – what are they looking for? Reduction water quality, either at cask filling or bottling. Water problems at the distillery – low or contamination.
18th October, 2012 Open Week
Each student to give a 10 minute presentation on some aspect of whisky. Followed by an open discussion and appraisal. Blind tasting with each student giving a detailed written appraisal of four whiskies.
25th October, 2012 The Market
How is it controlled? Is it controlled? Who controls it? Politics, trends, influence, the auction market – and fakes; other World Whiskies. Blind tastings – each student to give a verbal presentation for five minutes on their chosen sample.
***All students enrolling on the Advanced Whisky Course must previously have completed the Scotch Whisky Trail Certificate Course*** This course will take place within The Good Spirits Company, 23, Bath Street, Glasgow, G3 1HW To enrol, contact: John Lamond The Scotch Whisky Academy e-mail: enquiries@scotchwhiskyacademy.com
ISLAY FESTIVAL 2012 – LAGAVULIN AND CAOL ILA ANNOUNCE SPECIAL BOTTLINGS
Two limited edition single-cask individually numbered bottlings of Lagavulin™ and Caol Ila™ Single Malt Scotch Whiskies will be released for the 2012 Islay Festival this weekend, Diageo has announced.
Like previous Festival bottlings, it is anticipated that they will be much in demand from enthusiasts. These bottlings, each a particular variant on the traditional styles of Lagavulin 16 year old (intensely flavoured, smoky-sweet, with seaweed flavours and a huge finish) and Caol Ila 12 year old (fresh, sweetly fruity and smooth-bodied with a sweet-smoky, lingering finish) have always been greeted with acclaim for the quality and interest of the liquids. Often selling out within hours of going on sale, they will be available to personal shoppers at the distilleries only.
Lagavulin Feis 2012 Special Bottling
14-Year Old Lagavulin™
The Lagavulin Festival bottling comes from a Refill Sherry Butt filled in February 1998, selected from Warehouse Number 1 by Iain McArthur, long-time warehouseman at the distillery. It has been bottled at its natural cask strength of 55.1% ABV, in an edition of 654 individually numbered bottles.
Tasters’ comment: “A richly sweet and smoky Lagavulin with some medicinal notes and a subtle perfumed freshness”.
11-year old Caol Ila™
The Caol Ila single cask bottling – hand selected by Billy Stitchell, long-standing distillery manager, whose family connections with Caol Ila distillery go back many generations – has been drawn from a Sherry Butt filled in January 2001. It enjoys a high natural cask strength of 60.4% ABV, in an edition of 618 individually numbered bottles.
“Caol Ila’s characteristic maritime oiliness enhanced by a rich and sweet fruity character” has been the reaction from some expert tasters.
Caol Ila Feis 2012 Special Bottling
Sale conditions
The Lagavulin Festival bottling will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis at the distillery, starting on the distillery’s open day, Saturday 26 May. The Caol Ila bottling will be sold with effect from Monday 28 May which is the Caol Ila open day.
Both bottlings are priced at £85 UK RRP per bottle.
During the Festival, a series of special events will be held at both Lagavulin and Caol Ila distilleries, including tastings with the distillery manager and warehouse demonstrations. There will be also be tours of the Port Ellen Maltings.
Notes
See Festival website. See also www.malts.com and www.discovering-distilleries.com.
Note: The Caol Ila and Lagavulin words and associated logos are trade marks. © 2012
Photos by Mark Unsworth, Islay Studios
Picture #2
BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH, MARCUS FOSTER, THE STAVES, GENERAL FIASCO AND DAVID C CLEMENTS JOIN THE LINE UP FOR ‘BUSHMILLS LIVE’
SNOW PATROL, IAIN ARCHER, FOY VANCE, ELIJAH WOOD ALREADY CONFIRMED FOR HANDMADE WHISKEY AND MUSIC FESTIVAL
Bushmills Village: May 2012: Bushmills™ Irish Whiskey has announced that Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Marcus Foster, The Staves, General Fiasco and David C Clements will join Snow Patrol, Foy Vance, Iain Archer and Elijah Wood on the bill for ‘Bushmills Live’, the handcrafted whiskey and music festival taking place at the Old Bushmills Distillery on 20th and 21st June.
The exciting line up brings together some of the best emerging talent from the UK, Ireland and America to play at the whiskey distillery located on Ireland’s north coast.
Singer-songwriters Marcus Foster and Benjamin Francis Leftwich are two of the most exciting UK based performers today. The Staves are a sisterly trio, who have received huge critical acclaim for their unique song-writing and mesmerising harmonies. They and Northern Irish rock acts General Fiasco and David C Clements complete the impressive line-up.
“I’m delighted with how the line up has come together for the event”, commented Festival Curator for ‘Bushmills Live’, Graham Brown.
“Both ticket winners and the artists are in for a special few days”, said Brown. “Not only will they get to experience world class whiskey and discover how it has been handcrafted in the Bushmills area for centuries, but they’ll be privileged enough to see some of the best live music possible within the intimacy of the old distillery buildings – whiskey and music, it doesn’t get much better than that!”
‘Bushmills Live’ will be a handcrafted festival of whiskey and music and will be the first such event of its kind ever staged in an Irish Whiskey distillery.
More than six thousand people entered the competition to win tickets to ‘Bushmills Live’ via the Bushmills Facebook page – facebook.com/bushmills1608. Up to ten pairs of friends in each participating country have been shortlisted to go through to the next stage of the competition – a public vote on Facebook.
The pair of friends in each country that gets the most votes will make it to Bushmills Live. Voting closes on 25th May 2012.
As well as listening to great music, those fortunate to win a ticket to the festival will also have the opportunity to make their own blend of BUSHMILLS Irish Whiskey.
Colum Egan, Master Distiller at the Old Bushmills Distillery said: “The list of artists that will be performing at ‘Bushmills Live’ is amazing. We already have the world-renowned Snow Patrol playing right here at the distillery. Now we have also have a brilliant line-up of critically acclaimed artists from Ireland, the UK and America that will make ‘Bushmills Live’ a truly landmark event.
“The festival will be a unique occasion and will bring the best of handmade music and the best of handmade Irish whiskey together under one roof – it’s going to be brilliant!”
Snow Patrol’s performance at ‘Bushmills Live’ will go some way to help establish a legacy for new music in Northern Ireland with their fee being donated in full to the Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast, which was co-founded by lead singer Gary Lightbody to help to support up-and-coming local musicians.
To find out more about ‘Bushmills Live’, visit facebook.com/bushmills1608 Voting closes at 23:59 on 25th May 2012. Terms and conditions apply.
Picture #1
Notes
Captions
Picture 1: Colum Egan, Master Distiller at the Old Bushmills Distillery, pictured at the launch of ‘Bushmills Live’, the landmark whiskey and music festival taking place at the Old Bushmills Distillery on 20th and 21st June 2012.
Picture 2: The stage is set for ‘Bushmills Live’, the landmark whiskey and music festival taking place at the Old Bushmills Distillery on 20th and 21st June 2012.
Picture 3: The Old Bushmills Distillery.
The Facebook competition is open to people in:
· Belgium
· Bulgaria
· Germany
· Great Britain
· Netherlands
· Northern Ireland
· Portugal
· Republic of Ireland
· USA
From each, one pair of finalists will win tickets to ‘Bushmills Live’.
Picture #2
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Single Malts Limited | 36 Gordon Street | Huntly | Aberdeensire | AB54 8EQ |
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Glenglassaugh 26 year old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Glenglassaugh 26 year old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a marriage of the finest casks which were filled in 1983 from the distillery. It is bottled at 46% alcohol by volume and the result is a complex yet light … Continue reading →
United States – Bourbon and Rye
Black Maple Hill, Small Batch Bourbon 750ml ($32.99)
United States – Single Malt Scotch
St. George Spirits Single Malt Whiskey 750ml – 11 available ($65.99)
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
