Hello Fellow WhiskeyLovers –

No email from me last Week. I trust you had a wonderful Independence Day Holiday, and that you managed to stay cool and relaxed, wherever you celebrated.

Three important bits of news this week:

First: TEXAS UPDATE – I am thrilled to tell you that ForWhiskeyLovers is shipping to Texas again. Turns out our man Nicky The Neck knows a guy with a truck, who’s willing to go to Texas. So if you’re a resident of the Lone Star State, we’re back in business!

Next: PRIVATE WHISKEY TASTINGS – Again I’d like to give a hearty shout-out of “Thanks!” to those of you who’ve contributed to our Crowdfunding Campaign.

And we just added a GREAT new perk: Private Whiskey Tastings for up to thirty (30) people, customized to your personal interests, and conducted in your home or office anywhere in the country.

Learn about the Private Tasting Perk on our campaign page, at the bottom of the right hand “Perks” column.

We’re off to a really great start, but we have a long way to go, and those of you who haven’t gotten involved:

We NEED you…please!

If you enjoy these emails, and ForWhiskeyLovers.com, please check out our campaign and support us. Your donation goes directly to improving the entire ForWhiskeyLovers experience…FOR YOU!

Check out our campaign and support us: You can contribute as little as five dollars ($5.00!)

Third bit: This weeks Whiskey Wednesday feature: Bunnahabhain Toiteach.

The Bunnahabhain distillery was founded in 1881. It was still a new venture when visited by the author Alfred Barnard while he was researching his definitive book on distilleries in 1886. One of Alfred’s many observations was that, “Nothing but peat is used in the kilns, which is dug in the district and is of exceptionally fine quality.” This is in stark contrast to the gentle Bunnahabhain of today.

Now, over a century and a quarter later, Bunnahabhain Toiteach (Pron. ‘Toe-chack’) has been created in honor of this original, long-lost style of Bunnahabhain.

Toiteach, which means “smoky” in Gaelic, is the first heavily peated Bunnahabhain to be introduced in the United States. The whiskey is un-chill filtered with no added coloring, and the water used to produce the whisky is sourced from a pure natural spring. Bunnahabhain is the only distillery on Islay to use a natural spring as its water source.

The nose has a charming subtle peatiness with prickling strength emanating from the dram. The taste has immediate warming flavors drifting towards a slightly sweet sherry influence with delicate peppery notes. The finish has a good robust length with an extremely pleasant aftertaste – a beautifully peated Bunnahabhain single malt for a highly discerning palate.

Toiteach was produced in very small quantities, and there is extremely limited availability.

Good luck finding it…anywhere…at any price.

But, thanks to our man Nicky The Neck, ForWhiskeyLovers has secured far more than our fair share of this exquisite and extremely rare whisky. And so I’m thrilled to offer you the opportunity to acquire a bottle of Bunnahabhain Toiteach for $87.50.

If you want a bottle, order it now. Because once it’s gone…

Until next week….have fun!

Doug Stone

Founder

ForWhiskeyLovers.com

BUNNAHABHAIN TOITEACH

BUNNAHABHAIN TOITEACH – TASTING NOTES

Color: A light golden hue

Nose:Smoky with a subtle floral nose

Body: Buttery mouth feel with sweet smokiness

Finish: Long and complex with a lingering peppery note.

Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers, 

The 100th Calgary Stampede is already half over, but the city is still abuzz with excitement and activity. The only thing soaring faster than the heat this year is everyone’s enthusiasm… Happy 100th Stampede Calgary, and all you who’ve made a special pilgrimage to celebrate with us this year! 

Whiskies are Stampeding out of the store too. I was hoping to save some of these releases for the next full Malt Messenger, but some things can’t wait. The next full Malt Messenger will be out next week. I’m timing it for when people are more likely to have time to read it; filling a void left by the Canada Day long weekend and soothing Stampede’s post-party-depression. In the meantime, we have some exciting things to tell you about.

Firstly, for the first time ever the Laphroaig Triple Wood is available in Alberta. Only 150 bottles are available province-wide, of which we managed to scoop up 30 before they sold out. The first 10 sold on arrival yesterday.  

Secondly, there is a 25 year old Calgary Stampede whisky that has been released by Highwood Distillers. Made from corn whisky, it’s a very reasonably priced tribute to the Centennial of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. 

Also of note, the Glenmorangie Sonnalta has mysteriously made another appearance… we thought it was sold out, again, but its back for a limited time. One of our best selling whiskies ever, we are the only store in Canada that sells it! Finished in PX Sherry, it is one of the softest, fruitiest whiskies anywhere. It won’t last long… 

There is some Society news too: we have opened up the Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada First Friday Tastings for August and September. Please note that you are registering specifically for 6PM or 8PM seatings. And you can view the July Outturn on our blog: http://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/blog/?p=448  

With summer in full swing and the temperatures soaring, I’ve listed my Top 10 Whiskies of Summer. Whisky’s not just for the winter months, there’s a dram for every hour of the day at every time of year for that matter. The challenge is selecting the right one, and who’s afraid of such a challenge? 

Finally, we’ve had a lot of new whiskies come in over the last month, and there’s more to come in the next few weeks. I’ve briefly listed what’s new, what’s returned and what’s coming below. More details to follow in the next full Malt Messenger. 

Stay tuned, stay cool, and Happy Stampeding… 

Yahoo! 

Andrew Ferguson 

LAPHROAIG TRIPLE WOOD – $89.99 + GST 

We knew this was eventually going to come to the market, but not when. On the wholesale level it popped up on Monday, and was gone later that day. I’ve since learned that only 150 bottles came into Alberta. We managed to snag 30 of them before they disappeared. As the sayings goes, “if I knew then what I know now…”

The Laphroaig Triple Wood is essentially the Laphroaig Quarter Cask, finished in Oloroso sherry. Originally produced for the Duty Free market, they have been slowly rolling the product out into various markets. The whisky has been bottled at 48% without colouring or chill-filtering. We just put it on the floor yesterday, and it is already 1/3 sold! 

94pts Whisky Advocate Magazine: “This is the first time I’ve been up for reviews here so I had a game plan: play it cool, mark tightly, let everyone know I’m hard to please. Then they gave me this, the whisky equivalent to front row tickets to Neil Young on his current Twisted Road tour: not just a chance to get up close and personal with an old favorite, but to do so with an old favorite who’s on fire. Laphroaig’s owners are intent on ensuring a big peaty engine for any new release, but this is a monster by anyone’s standards. It’s essentially Quarter Cask finished in oloroso sherry casks, so in addition to the intense charcoal smoke attack there are rich fruity notes; blackcurrant and berries. It’s an evening barbecue whisky. Grill that fish until it’s blackened and crispy, drizzle on lemon, and as the smoke rears up in protest, sip this. Big, moody, broody, fruity, and rich: what’s not to love? (Travel Retail and some European specialist retailers.) – (Dominic Roskrow)” 

CALGARY STAMPEDE 25 YEAR CENTENNIAL WHISKY – $51.89 + GST   

The Calgary Stampede is celebrating its Centenial this year, 100 years after Guy Weadick brought the show to Calgary. To celebrate this special anniversary of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth Highwood Distillery in High River, Alberta, has released a commemorative 25 year old whisky. The whisky is a 25 year old version of the distillery’s Century Reserve, made from 100% corn, matured in American white oak.  

Canadian whisky writer and expert Davin de Kergommeaux scored the whisky at 5/5 stars – highly recommended. Here is his review, which has been adapted from www.canadianwhisky.org : 

“As the whisky sat slowly maturing in those white oak barrels, the angels visited regularly to claim their share. And as they did so, the volume of whisky in the barrels began to decline. Twice the bond was re-gauged. (Re-gauging is the consolidation of maturing whisky into fewer barrels, so individual barrels remain full. This increases interactions with the wood and decreases oxidation, keeping the whisky soft and clean.)

However, rather than introducing new barrels, the crew at Highwood chose to maintain the aging process in the best of the original barrels in which the spirit began its maturation. Thus the whisky remains pristine. The only adjustment was to bring it down to bottling strength using Rocky Mountain spring water. Was it worth waiting 25 years to bottle this whisky? You bet it was.

Nose: The rich luxury of hand made French vanilla ice cream is accented by hints of fresh red cedar. It’s a wonderful juxtaposition made all the more inviting by a brawny richness that melts into the softest stove-top butterscotch pudding.

Palate: A creamy first taste of butterscotch is just barely spiced with dried cloves. These soon disappear into hot white pepper and crispy cedar wood. The creamy mouth feel lingers even as hot mint gives way to sweeter and hotter whisky spices. A hint of ripe pink grapefruit juice soon takes over the palate then just as quickly disappears into dry silvered wood – barn boards or cedar fence posts – before the whole fades out on sweetish citrus notes.

Finish: Medium-long to long, the finish is both spicy and creamy with soft pleasant woody notes that eventually fade to sweet citrus juice then nothing. Some spiciness throughout.

Empty Glass: Very expressive with butterscotch, mild sweet wood, cloves, and real maple syrup.

Highwood 25 year old is limited to Alberta where it sells for about $52.00.

Very Highly Recommended ★★★★★” 

THE GLENMORANGIE SONNALTA IS BACK – $74.99 + GST  

The Sonnalta PX was the first expression in The Glenmorangie “Private Collection” range. For the last two years its has been exclusive to the Kensington Wine Market in Canada. It keeps selling out, to date we’ve sold close to 800 bottles. We keep thinking we’ve seen the last of it, but three times now our supplier has found us an additional small cache of bottles… we couldn’t be more pleased! The Private Collection range is series of limited edition expressions which will highlight the best of the Glenmorangie style while pushing the bounds of creativity. In Scots Gaelic Sonnalta means “generous”, an appropriate name for this full and complex whisky. Like the Extra Matured whiskies in the Glenmorangie range (Lasanta, Quinta Ruban and Nectar D’Or) the Sonnalta PX has spent approximately 10 years maturing in first fill ex-bourbon casks before a finishing period(extra maturing) in another type of cask. In the case of the Sonnalta it spent an additional 2 years in Spanish Pedro Ximenez casks. 

Jim Murray’s Tasting Note: Nose: now this works: has that heavy-handed feel of a sweet sherry butt (or five) at work here, usually the kiss of death for so many whiskies. But an adroit praline sub-plot really does the trick. So with the malt evident, too, we have a three pronged attack which somehow meshes in to one. And not even the merest hint of an off-note…goodness gracious: a new experience…!!! Taste: Neanderthal grape drags its knuckles along the big vanilla floor before a really subtle light Columbian coffee kick puts us back on course; sharper vanillas from some awkward oak threatens to send us off course again but somehow finds it settled, common ground; Finish: now goes into orgasmic overdrive, as Demerara sugar is tipped into some gorgeous, cream-lightened mocha. This is obviously to wash down the Melton Hunt cake which is resplendent in its grape and roast nut finery…phew!!! It is, unquestionably, the perfect whisky finish… Balance: this one passed me by. If they told me anything about this chap, I’d forgotten. It absolutely groans from the lucid sweet grape and I discover its actually Pedro Ximenez. Brave. Foolhardy, even. Because over the last decade of studying whiskies matured in that sugary beast the experience has usually ended in tears. Not here, though. This is a gamble that has handsomely paid off: Glenmorangie as you’ve never seen it before. Probably Scotch malt as you’ve never seen before. But after buying one bottle, you’ll be wanting to see it again. A giant among the tall stills.” 96.5/100 Whisky Bible 

My Tasting Note: Nose: very elegant, soft and complex on the nose-to steal the words of my employer who sampled it briefly “it is very pretty!”-with a fruity, doughy, French bakery character; notes of honey, vanilla, spice and caramelized fruits dance enthusiastically together while kicking up a dust of assorted powdered, rock and granular sugars; as the nose develops tones of Bourbony vanilla, perfume and white fruit notes emerge; supposedly you can smell sweet… the whisky may have something to say about that; Palate: very soft, complex and deep; right off the bat I am amazed by the bewildering depth and layers, sweet fruits and balancing spices in almost perfect harmony; the creamy honey/vanilla backbone slowly emerges with some burnt orange peel and dark chocolate; thick grassy malt and sweet rum notes are also present with some minty tones; overall sweet, rich and multifaceted; Finish: long, sweet and spicy; sugary malt, honeyed oak and chewy grape tones; Comments: this whisky is a bit of Cameleon, its layers are many, and it shifts its character with each and every sip. The touch is deft for a Pedro Ximenez matured whisky, but the effect is superb. Anyone can enjoy this delightful little dram from the neophyte to the experienced connoisseur! Exclusive to KWM – $74.99  

Our current shipment should see us through until the end of August, but not likely much beyond that. Whether we see another shipment of it again, I cannot say. Each additional shipment has been smaller than the last… 

SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY CANADA AUGUST & SEPTEMBER FIRST FRIDAY TASTINGS

Every month the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s Canadian branch meets for two back to back tastings featuring the month’s new releases. Each month the Society has released at least 7 new cask strength, single cask, single malt Scotch whiskies, and the First Friday tastings are your “first chance” (and sometimes only) to taste them! The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is the world’s largest whisky club, with over 26,000 members. You have to be a member to buy Society whiskies, but not to attend the tastings. Membership has its privileges too, more details at www.smws.ca . The next four Society tastings are as follows:

1. SMWS First Friday VIII 6PM – Friday August 3rd 2012 – $45/$35members
2. SMWS First Friday VIII 8PM – Friday August 3rd 2012 – $45/$35members 
3. SMWS First Friday VIIII 6PM – Friday August 3rd 2012 – $45/$35members
4. SMWS First Friday VIIII 8PM – Friday August 3rd 2012 – $45/$35members 

TOP 10 WHISKIES OF SUMMER 

Don’t let the dog days of summer get you down, here’s some whiskies to keep you cool, inspired and satisfied this summer!

1. Nikka Pure Malt White – The most unique and pleasant surprise of the summer… a combination of Yoichi single malt from Japan and an Islay single malt it is softly peated, massively fruity and floral and comes in the most unusual bottle. Exclusive to KWM! 90-92pts Jim Murray! – $61.99 + GST 
2. Glenmorangie Sonnalta PX – This is the ultimate summer sipper. Soft, fruity and elegant. 96.5pts Jim Murray. Exclusive to KWM. See above for more details. – $74.99 + GST
3. Glenfarclas 1997 KWM Family Cask – Our Oloroso sherry cask of Glenfarclas has been a huge hit with customers all over Canada. Nearly 2/3 of the 600+ bottles in our cask have already sold. A great campfire dram the fruits, nuts and spices will keep you warm! – $109.99 + GST 
4. Fettercairn Fior – This lightly peated Eastern Highland whisky is softly peated with candied orange and spice. Perfect with shortbread, or mixed in with your icing on shortbread… Exclusive to KWM – $71.99 + GST
5. Bowmore Laimrig – If you must have peat in the summer, let it be soft and complimented by rich candied fruit and chocolate. Enjoy this with BBQ’d ribs… its our best selling Islay whisky and exclusive to KWM in Canada! – $87.99 + GST
6. Armorik Breton Single Malt – A lovely soft French single malt which is proof positive you can make good single malt whisky anywhere, with the right knowhow and passion. 91pts Jim Murray! KWM Exclusive. – $62.99 + GST
7. Writer’s Tears Irish Whiskey – Irish whiskies often don’t get enough love, partly because a lot of them do measure up. 93pts Jim Murray! – $39.99 + GST
8. Glencadam 10 Year – So soft and approachable, this whisky has layers and bang for both its age and your buck! 95pts Jim Murray! – $66.99 + GST
9. Adelphi Liddesdale 18 Year – A big sherried Bunnahabhain, but soft and smooth. Great value, perfect for BBQing! 94pts Jim Murray! – $85.99 + GST
10. Scotch Malt Whisky Society 29.110 – Wild West Cowgirl Dressed in Leather – Is there a more appropriate whisky to Stampede with? – $118.99 + GST – Must be a SMWS Member – Only 2 left! 

NEW WHISKIES 

So much to tell you about, I can’t do more than list them. Many of these aren’t even on our website yet… but we’ll get there!

1. Abhainn Dearg – First ever bottling!
2. Adelphi Liddesdale 18 Year   
3. Arran Bourbon Cask 
4. Arran Sherry Cask 
5. Arran The Eagle
6. Auchentoshan Valinch Cask 6
7. Berry’s Blue Hanger – Only 6/60 bottles left in 5 weeks! 
8. Bowmore 1964 Fino – Come and Gone!
9. Bruichladdich PC9
10. Calgary Stampede Whisky 25 Year
11. Clynelish Distiller’s Edition – Come and Gone!
12. Companions of the Quaich Ben Nevis 1996 15 Year  – Come and Gone! 
13. Cutty Sark Tam O’Shanter 
14. Duncan Taylor Octaves Glenrothes 1970 40 Year
15. Duncan Taylor Dimensions Blair Athol 1989
16. Duncan Taylor Dimensions Bunnhabhain 1988
17. Duncan Taylor Dimensions Imperial 1995
18. Duncan Taylor Peerless Glen Grant 1970 40 Year
19. Duncan Taylor Black Bull 40 Year 
20. Edradour Cask Strength Decanter
21. Glencadam 14 Year
22. Glenfarclas Family Cask 1996
23. Glenfarclas Family Cask 1970
24. Glen Garioch 1986
25. Glenglassaugh Revival
26. Glenglassaugh North American Cask 37 Year
27. Highland Park 21 Year
28. Highland Park 50 Year
29. Johnnie Walker Blue Label Porsche Pack
30. Johnnie Walker Double Black
31. Laphroaig Triple Wood
32. Signatory BenRiach 1966
33. Signatory Glen Scotia 1977
34. Signatory Kinclaith 1969
35. Tomintoul 12 Year Port Wood
36. 14 Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottlings, some of which have already sold out!

COMING SOON 

Whiskies expected in the next few months:

1. Bruichladdich Octomore 4.2 Comus
2. Bruichladdich Organic Multi Vintage
3. Duncan Taylor Peerless Bunnahabhain 1968
4. Duncan Taylor Peerless Highland Park 1968 
5. Ka Va Lan Soloist Bourbon – Taiwan
6. Ka Va Lan Soloist Sherry – Taiwan
7. Nikka Pure Malt Black
8. Nikka Yoich 15 Year
9. Nikka Taketsuru 17 Year
10. And much more! 

PS-Don’t forget tyou can follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/scotch_guy . 

——————– 

If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store. Feel free to forward me any whisky news you feel should be included in a future issue of The Malt Messenger; it might just get included. 

All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change. 

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger. 

Slainte! 

Andrew Ferguson

Manager & Scotchguy

Kensington Wine Market

403-283-8000

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

www.kensingtonwinemarket.com 

Owner & Operator

Ferguson’s Whisky Tours

www.fergusonwhiskytours.com

CELEBRATE WOMEN’S DAY WITH A BLACK BOTTLE LEGEND

Make sure that you raise a glass of the bold taste of Islay, Black Bottle, this Women’s Day (9 August) to the memory of pioneering business woman and whisky legend, Granny Graham, and discover for yourself the slightly honeyed sweetness and smoky finish of this famous Scotch whisky. Black Bottle is a blend of all the renowned single malts from the Isle of Islay, the famous whisky island located in the Southern Hebrides off the west-coast of Scotland, balanced by the finest Highland, Lowland and Speyside malt and grain whiskies, making it one of the most unique whiskies around.

Anne Jane Graham, affectionately known as Granny Graham, was a determined woman, who on the death of her husband in 1926, took over a thriving whisky business and ran it till her death 30 years later. She died in 1958, two years after that significant day in 1956 when more than 20 000 women of all races and ages marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to protest against the pass laws, an historic event we celebrate every year in South Africa on 9 August as Women’s Day.

The story of Black Bottle started in Victorian times when three brothers, Charles, David and Gordon Graham, the sons of a small-town shoemaker, started their own tea blending company in Aberdeen in Scotland and soon branched out into blending whisky. In 1789 they proudly introduced Black Bottle Scotch whisky.

The business flourished but in 1926 the last of three brothers passed away and it was left to Charles’s widow, Ann Jane Graham, to carry on the family tradition and make her mark in what at that stage was very much a man’s world. This strong-willed and highly principled woman, almost always dressed in black, did so with great success. And she did it, not from the company’s offices in the centre of Aberdeen, but from her home, where all business meetings were held.

Over the years she became known as Granny Graham. She not only managed to keep the business going, but to grow it into a highly successful one. She had no male heirs, but so important was it to her that the name Graham should continue to be associated with the company that shortly before her death she convinced her nephew to change his name from Graham Horne to Charles Innes Graham so that he could take over from her!

Today the whisky is very similar to the one created more than 130 years ago and there are very few, if any, that come close in terms of style. Ordinary it is not. The daringly bold taste of Black Bottle has been praised by critics and whisky-lovers across the world, and over the years it has secured a cult following for its unique taste.

The major change has been in the bottle itself – the original black glass for the bottle was imported from Germany, an arrangement that ended in 1914 with the outbreak of the First World War. Since then it has been sold in a dark green bottle, retaining the distinctive pot-still shape.

Black Bottle is available from leading liquor outlets at around R200 per bottle.

Loch Fyne Whiskies Stocks ‘G&M Goodies’…

A spoilation of vintage, elderly and very interesting bottlings form G&M now up for grabs (most are one bottle only), see them here at our Just in… Page (which is not only for people called ‘Justin’ by-the-way).

You may read the remainder of the article by clicking on the link below;

THE LINK

Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk

Tomatin 12yo (43%, OB, +/-2011) 

The recently redesigned and revamped line has brought this distillery a lot of attention. This official bottling has been finished in Spanish Sherry Casks and the label states ‘matured for over 12 years’. On the nose there are some green barley notes as well as some hints of roses ad heather. There is also some nice oak spice as well as a welcome sherry sweetness and some really good malt moments. The taste is gentle at first (sweet) and then a big rise in the oak spice, (some cocoa too) and then the malt arrive and everything works very well together. Malt, Sherry, Richness, Oak spice, Repeat. The finish is big, active, malty and sweet and then big, malty and sweet. A tiny, tiny, tiny hint of bitterness at the tail end of the finish detracts but this could simply be down to the reviewer. After a number of minutes the bitterness is banished by some sensational malt. 

This is really quite good and a welcome surprise. 

$25 at Foodland Super Market in Lahaina,Mauiand reduced to $14.99 with presentation of complimentary Maika’i card on check out! 

Score 86 points 

We conclud with part three of the ‘Z’ of the whisky alphabet as we take a look as whiskies that begin with “T”

July 2012 Outturn Offerings

 Cask No. 71.34 is President’s Choice 

Rabbit, ginger, & treacle tart 

Cask No. 71.34                     

Highlands, Speyside (Findhorn) 

Big rich sweet aromas accosted the Panel – ginger cake, strawberry Chewits, treacle tart, cinnamon, malt loaf but also earthy mushrooms, Marigolds (the gloves not the flowers), leather and musky horses; this was when one Panellist pictured herself riding a spice–bag-laden Andalusian horse through orchards wearing leather chaps. Warm, sweet, savoury on the palate, hot and tannic with rosemary & sage, saddle polish, rabbit paella, warm chocolate sponge, dried cranberries and hazelnuts. Diluted, aromas of olive groves, red apples, hay and grilled rabbit with smooth, creamy tastes of oranges, prunes, strawberries, apricots and more rabbit. Founded as Kinflat distillery in 1810. 

Drinking tip: While riding through the orchard on hot summer days 

Colour: Veiled bronze                                       

Cask: Refill gorda                                             

Age: 13 years                                       

Date distilled: March 1998

Alcohol: 56.8% 

$110

 **************************

Manuka honey on a razor strop 

Cask No. 38.21                     

Highlands, Speyside (Rothes) 

This rare offering, from the distillery originally built as Glen Grant Number Two, had a subtle, unusual nose – initially yeasty (sourdough bread, Hefeweizen beer), then developing leather, plasticine and peeled twigs, fruit skins (especially orange) and eventually, chocolate. The taste combined the dark sweetness of Demerara, toffee and Bourneville, with orange, black pepper and leather (someone suggested ‘manuka honey on a razor strop’). The reduced nose had herbal notes (coriander, nettles) wood polish and sweet perfumes (jelly beans, dolly mixtures, gummi bears, rose hip tea). The palate balanced that jelly bean sweetness with slightly bitter lemons and mild pepper heat. 

Drinking tip: Whenever you have a craving for jelly beans 

Colour: Auspicious gold                        

Cask: Second-fill hogshead                               

Age: 17 years                                       

Date distilled: May 1994

Alcohol: 58.0% 

$125

**************************

Manly and avuncular

Cask No. 41.50                     

Highlands, Speyside 

Early vinegar traces evaporated, leaving honey, dates, puff-candy, Christmas cake, ginger-bread and flat coke – one panellist found it ‘manly’ with its leather, brandy and cigars. The palate offered apple and pear cleanness along with a richer seam of coca-cola, ginger beer, dark ale, chocolate gingers and liquorice. Water jazzed up and brightened the nose – crisp fruits, citrus, sherbet and Starburst (but with a thin hint of gym shoes). The reduced palate was fizzy, complex and unusual – ginger, nutmeg and clove spice, dark chocolate, honey, toffee, liquorice and elderflower, with tobacco and leather in the finish. From Carron’s only working distillery. 

Drinking tip: A contemplative, end-of-summer kind of dram – be sure to give it time 

Colour: Ginger gold                                          

Cask: Refill hogshead                                       

Age: 30 years                                       

Date distilled: December 1980

Alcohol: 53.5% 

$200

************************** 

Making candles in the art room

Cask No. 44.51                     

Highlands, Speyside 

Warm, dripping candlewax, maybe making candles by dipping wicks. Then the aroma quickly passes through leather cream, floor polish and furniture polish to crayons – a school art room – before revealing a scented dimension (bog myrtle?). We were all reminded of (happy) schooldays. At natural strength it tastes like it smells, with the addition of toasted tea-cake. A splash of water freshens and raises more fragrance – bog myrtle, sage, lemon grass and lemon peel – but the waxiness remains. Now the taste is sweet, smooth and waxy, with some spicy/herbal notes, light eucalyptus and scented sandalwood or cedar wood. Sir Peter Mackie once owned this distillery. 

Drinking tip: A school reunion, with good friends 

Colour: Pale gold                                              

Cask: Refill hogshead                                       

Age: 22 years                                       

Date distilled: October 1989

Alcohol: 53.7% 

$150

************************** 

Garry the tank commander 

Cask No. 127.13                   

Islay, Loch Indaal 

The boys thought of war-games: 303 gun oil, polished gun-stock, dead fireworks, cordite, bomb sites. The girls were at the play-ground: skinned knees and Elastoplast; matron’s cupboard, Germolene and Calomine lotion. Both parties came together when we tasted at full strength: “hit the dirt” was the cry – a mouthful of charcoal and every exposed part grazed… Water modifies it: flatter and softer, with smoke and salt – “flannelette sheets drying before a cottage fire”. The texture is smooth and the taste sweet then salty, with brown sauce and chips in old newspaper. A classic example from the Islay distillery which has yet to be built. 

Drinking tip: With a fish supper after a day’s mountain biking 

Colour: Mid gold                                               

Cask: Refill barrel                                            

Age: 8 years                                         

Date distilled: June 2002

Alcohol: 65.7% 

$85

Please visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America at www.smwsa.com for more information.

Sheep Dip 1999 Amoroso Oloroso

41.8% alc/vol

Richard Paterson, Scotland’s renowned and only third generation master blender created the Sheep Dip “vatting” by marrying together several single malt whiskies. The whiskies are aged between eight and twelve years in quality “first fill wood,” each adding unique characteristics to produce an exceptional product.

This particular bottling is finished off in Amoroso Oloroso sherry casks to give it a spicy and fruity character.

Special Price!

£41.99

£5 off for one week only!

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Brand New Music completes buyout of Pure Festival, from joint partners Whisky Connosr.

The most vibrant event in the Whisky calendar returns in 2012, with the music and brand partnership company Brand New Music taking full control of the festival. Pierre and Jean- Luc Thiebaut, owners of Whisky Connosr, have sold their 50% stake in whisky and music festival, PURE, to BNM effective from June 1st 2012.

The two parties co-founded PURE Festival in 2011 and following a successful event in London last September, Brand New Music are taking a 100% controlling stake in the company, following the completion of a buyout for an undisclosed fee. Whisky Connosr are focussing their attention on their online business – the continuing development of their social network and the newly launched whisky search platform Whisky Marketplace.

“Pure is an exciting addition to the whisky calendar and in its first year was a huge success. It was a delight sharing whisky with hundreds of enthusiastic, whisky novices, against a backdrop of some of the finest independent music on offer. This is where whisky should be – a powerful and uplifting experience.” Dominic Roscrow, Whisky Tasting Club.

After the huge success of the inaugural event, which was nominated for Best New Festival at the 2011 Festival Awards and featured 30 different single malts and blends, plus 16 artists including: Tom McRae, Kassidy, The Smoke Fairies, James Yorkston, Electric Soft Parade and Steve Mason, PURE is expanding into three rooms at The Garage in Highbury and Islington, London. As well as the planned expansion, with an increased capacity of
1500 people, the festival is moving to the weekend of Nov 30th and Dec 1st, to incorporate both St Andrew’s Day and the Christmas market. The date change comes after consultation with both the music and whisky industries, both of which benefit incredibly from the gifting season.There will also be new opportunities for exhibitors to promote their brands at the 2012 event. All exhibitors will have the option to sell their product a this years’ festival, as well as there being sponsorship opportunities in both the music room and the 100 capacity, whisky / cocktail bar.

“A festival with James Yorkston and a selection of single malt whiskies. This looks amazing!” – The Guardian

Brand New Music have over 15 years experience in delivering Brand and Music concepts, both in the UK and the US as BNM’s M.D – Nick McEwen explains. “Our most recent work, includes the creation and delivery of award winning, global and UK based campaigns, with brands such as Coca-Cola, Budweiser and Philips. We are tremendously excited at the prospect of working even more closely with the Whisky industry and will be in touch with all potential exhibitors shortly, to discuss Pure and explain how we help brands find a new audience, through the power of music.

For more information on Pure Festival please contact: Nick McEwen nick@wearebrandnewmusic.co.uk

Whisky Terroir: Ultimate Provenance from Bruichladdich’s Islay Barley Series

The latest edition of Bruichladdich’s Islay Barley Series, this one from Dunlossit Farm, is released today.

The Islay Barley Series is the ultimate expression of Islay, a single malt whose provenance and traceability is as unparalleled as the origin is unique.

Bruichladdich’s Islay Barley Series showcases the first single malt whiskies in a century to be exclusively Islay-made – from barley to barrel to bottle.

In these days of increasing production efficiency and global market raw material sourcing, the real sense of place, the terroir from which Scotch whisky originated, has been lost.

Bruichladich have set out to rectify this with a single malt that was made from barley reassuringly sown and grown on the Isle of Islay. The unpeated barley was distilled in to Bruichladdich whisky, warehoused and matured, and finally bottled still on the Hebridean island at Bruichladdich Distillery.

The terroir for this whisky is a desolate place known as the ‘headland of the the gallows’. This lonely field is a rare patch of fertility amongst the barren, rocky outcrops and peat bogs tilled continually since Neolithic times.

Evidence of Islay’s earliest farmers, dated to 6,000 years ago, was discovered in this soil only last year.

In this remote, unsullied earth, Chalice barley was grown by farmer Jim Logan in what is now called the Jubilee field (Queen Victoria’s, not Elizabeth’s), on Dunlossit land owned by Bruno Schroder, a Bruichladdich shareholder. It was harvested in September 2006 and distilled eight weeks later.

Bruichladdich’s Islay Barley Series is the ultimate in whisky terroir – where once again land and dram are united.

Non chill-filltered, and colouring-free, Bruichladdich’s Islay Barley Series “Dunlossit” was bottled at 50% ABV and retails at around £38.

Notes:
In the mid nineteenth century, 4000 acres of malting barley were grown on the island of Islay, but due to The Great War and its Islay casualties, the yield collapsed to zero.

The programme by Bruichladdich to re-establish the cereal on the island now means 800-1000 tons, a quarter of the Victorian era yield, is now harvested for Bruichladdich.

Tamdhu 10yo (40%, OB, +/-2011) 

In some markets Tamdhu is sold as a No Age Statement (NAS) single malt so it is a bit of a novelty (for some) to try Tamdhu with an age statement such as the 10yo. This sample came from the USA. Enough waffle. On the nose it’s light with some barley notes, hints of pizza dough along with light heather and then some nice fruit in the form of apples and pears. These notes are followed by some oak spice and some small amounts of cocoa powder. The taste is quite frankly very nice with the malt, the fruit and the oak spice taking center stage. There’s also some honey and rich toffee as well as some moments of citrus followed by the cocoa powder. The finish is a good reflection of the nose and the taste and is quite chewy and enjoyable. Some really good malt and some dryness from the cask and the finish is quite long and ends a ways down the road with a little green malt as a final send off (but even that hangs around for a good while). 

A good solid dram. 

+/-$40 

Score 84 points 

Part two of the ‘Z’ of the whisky alphabet as we take a look as whiskies that begin with “T”