www.ralfy.com invites you to examine young Islay Malts with Whisky Review 293 – Introducing Young Islay Malts. Younger whiskies make more profit for Distillers but can be immature, . . . so beware malt-mates.
Krishna Nukala has written a very nice E-Pistle about his Maniacal Dalwhinne visit in June: “Visit to Dalwhinnie – An Armchair Travelogue”
INTERNATIONAL GOLD FOR LOCAL BAIN’S CAPE MOUNTAIN WHISKY
Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky, South Africa’s only 100% single grain has added yet another award to its name. It took gold at the 2012 International Wine and Spirits Competition, competing against whiskies from around the world, all tasted by an international panel of judges.
This premium whisky, launched in 2009, has also recently been added to Ian Buxton’s 101 World Whiskies To Try Before You Die, the UK’s best seller offering a definitive guide to whiskies that every enthusiast should taste to extend their whisky education.
Jeff Green, production manager at The James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington, says that the whisky, inspired by the Bain’s Kloof Pass and its natural beauty, is crafted from the finest South African grain, making it one of the most unique whiskies around. With a distinctive South African taste profile, the grain used in making Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky is South African maize, the very same maize that was imported into Scotland up until the mid 1980s to make Scottish grain whisky.
Made in a style that allows the maximum interaction between the cask and whisky, Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky is double-matured, first for 3 years in specially selected oak casks that have been previously used only for Bourbon, and then re-vatted for a further two years in ex-Bourbon cask oak.
The result is a whisky that shows exceptional interaction between spirit and wood. Toffee, floral and vanilla aromas and flavours softened by sweet, spicy undertones, produce a warm mouth-feel and a smooth finish.
Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky is distilled and matured at The James Sedgwick Distillery which dates back to 1886 and is situated near the foothills of the Bain’s Kloof Pass in Wellington, in the heart of the Boland. The whisky pays tribute to Andrew Geddes Bain, the pioneering road builder who planned and built Bain’s Kloof Pass which connected Wellington to the interior in 1853.
Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky is available from leading liquor outlets and retails for about R200 per 750ml bottle.
THREE SHIPS SAILS IN LIQUID GOLD
The Three Ships whisky fleet is celebrating two gold medals received at the 2012 International Wine and Spirits Competition. The Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish and The Three Ships Premium Select 5 year old both ensured that this proudly South African brand rubs shoulders with some of the best whiskies in the world. The announcement comes only months after the Three Ships Premium Select 5 year old took the title as World’s Best Blended Whisky at the annual Whisky Magazine’s World Whisky Awards.
According to master distiller Andy Watts, it’s an honour to receive gold medals for two such different whiskies, both produced at The James Sedgwick Distillery situated in the Boland town of Wellington.
“We have since the brand’s inception always strived to produce whiskies of not only exceptional quality but that could also stand proud within their own right. These two whiskies could not have been more different in taste profile from each other, indicating that the diversity we create here is a winning recipe.
“The Three Ships Premium Select 5 year old is an artful blend of selected South African and Scotch whiskies, combining heavily peated malted barley and grain, and matured for five years in American oak, where as the Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish uses unpeated malted barley and grain whiskies, matured for the initial three year period in Bourbon casks with a further six months spent in first-fill American Bourbon Casks for a marrying period.
The Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish is South Africa’s first 100% blended whisky, with both the malt and grain whiskies being distilled and matured at The James Sedgwick Distillery. The whisky is soft, estery and warm on the nose, leading to a soft honeyed sweetness with vanilla notes on the palate. The finish is lingering with subtle hints of pepper and spice. In contrast the Three Ships Premium Select 5 year old is robust, aromatic and unpretentious. A full peaty character on the palate leads to an extended warm finish.
The Three Ships 5 year old Premium Select and Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish are available from leading liquor outlets and retails for about R115 and R130 respectively.
Buffalo Trace Distillery Releases Sixth Round of Single Oak Project Bourbon
Barrel #106 leads the online voting so far and more votes wanted!
FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Aug., 2012) – Buffalo Trace Distillery launches its sixth round of Single Oak Project Bourbons, known as the 105 Proof Warehouse L Release.
As the moniker indicates, all the bourbons in this release were aged in Warehouse L and entered into the barrel at 105 proof. This allows this release to focus on three other variables, the recipe, rye vs. wheat; the char level, a number three vs. a number four char; and wood grain size, tight, average, or coarse. All of the other variables such as stave seasoning, aging warehouse, entry proof, and tree cut (top or bottom) remain constant.
Warehouse L is considered by many to be the best all-around aging warehouse at Buffalo Trace Distillery. Longtime Warehouse Operations Manager Leonard Riddle proudly defends Warehouse L as his favorite; the Distillery even dedicated this warehouse to Leonard in 2011. This brick warehouse with five concrete floors and concrete walls create a very concentrated aging environment.
But the most exciting part of this sixth release to Buffalo Trace’s Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley is hearing what people think about the 105 entry proof, since entry proof has always been a hot button amongst Master Distillers. “We experimented with many variables and tried to use the most profound. Entry proof is one that has been debated for decades and we are able to offer to the public different variables to get a good look at how it affects flavor.”
So far, nearly 1,800 industry expert and consumer reviews have been given on the five various Single Oak Project releases, and Buffalo Trace is looking forward to receiving many more as consumers get into the project, log in and create accounts to give feedback.
After one year into the Single Oak Project experiment this May, Buffalo Trace Distillery announced there were three barrels in the lead, 10, 106 and 184. Since then, 106 has pulled away as the leader, according to online reviews at www.singleoakproject.com.
“This Single Oak Project experiment is a rare occasion for whiskey connoisseurs to be heard, offer their expertise, and help develop the next great bourbon,” said Kris Comstock, brand manager. “We just hope consumers continue to weigh in with their reviews online.”
After a consumer reviews a bottle online, they will be availed of all the aging details and provenance of the barrel. They can interact with others who’ve also reviewed the barrel, compare their reviews, and even learn for themselves which characteristics they enjoy most, in order to help them select future favorites. Participants online will earn points after each review and most importantly, actively participate in Buffalo Trace Distillery’s quest to create the perfect bourbon!
The Single Oak Project is part of an intensive research project Buffalo Trace Distillery started conducting in 1999 by hand picking 96 trees with different wood grains and then dividing them into a top and bottom piece, yielding 192 unique sections. From there, staves were created from each section and were air dried for either 6 months or 12 months. After all the staves were air dried, a single barrel was created from each tree section, resulting in 192 total barrels. These barrels were given either a number three or a number four char and then filled with either wheat or rye recipe bourbon.
To further the variety of experiments, the barrels were filled at two different proofs, 105 and 125 proof. And if this wasn’t enough, two completely different warehouses were used, one with wooden floors and one with concrete floors. In total, seven different variables were employed in Buffalo Trace’s ultimate experiment.
For eight years the Distillery continued with its tracking process, creating intricate databases and coming up with a potential of 1,396 tasting combinations from these 192 barrels!
The Single Oak Project Bourbon is being released in a series every three months from 2011 through 2015 until all of the 192 barrels have been released. The first releases hit select stores in 2011. This sixth release will reach stores towards the end of August. Like all the other releases, the quantities are very limited. Every case will contain 12 bottles, each from a different barrel. The sixth release is made up of barrel numbers 30, 32, 62, 64, 94, 96, 126, 128, 158, 160, 190, 192. All releases will be packaged in a 375ml bottle. Suggested retail pricing per bottle is $46.35.
At the conclusion of the Single Oak Project, the Distillery plans to take the top rated barrel based on online consumer feedback, make more of that product and launch it under the Single Oak Project nameplate.
About Buffalo Trace Distillery
Buffalo Trace Distillery is a family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich distilling tradition dates back to 1787 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.
Black Bull 40 Year Old Batch 3 41.6% alc/vol
Black Bull 40YO batch 3 is a mix of 14.4% Grain Whiskies and 85.6% malt Whiskies from some of Scotland’s premium distilleries. The spirit in this, third bottling of Black Bull 40 year old contains whiskies from the following distilleries: Ben Nevis, Bunnahabhain, Caperdonich, Glen Grant, Highland Park and Invergordon.
Tasting Notes:
Colour: Bright Gold
Nose: Raisins, roasted almonds, butter scotch, dark chocolate, orange zest, freshly cut grass.
Taste: Citrus fruits, manuka honey, faint smoked oakiness, wild berries with a distance coastal flavour emerging.
Finish: Long mouth coating finish with a delicate traces of chocolate covered cherries, with salty traces fighting their way to the front.
Comment: This is a dram to be savoured and enjoyed.
£167.99 inc VAT
Single Malts Limited | 36 Gordon Street | Huntly | Aberdeenshire | AB54 8EQ |
Greetings Fellow WhiskeyLover!!
Next week my family and I will be headed into the woods of Maine for our annual summer vacation. So this will be my last email to you until early September.
With that in mind, I wanted this weeks email to feature a really special whisky. So I called my man Nicky The Neck, and asked him to consult his contacts. A few phone calls later, The Neck scored big…which brings me to this weeks featured whisky: Benromach 21YO Speyside Single Malt Whisky.
Duncan MacCallum and F.W. Brickmann founded the Benromach Distillery Company in 1898. The distillery is located on the outskirts of the ancient Royal Borough of Forres, and is Speyside’s smallest working distillery. Duncan MacCallum had previously been working at the Glen Nevis Distillery in Campbeltown and FW Brickmann was a spirit broker in Leith, Edinburgh. Construction work started at the sight of Benromach Distillery in 1898 however due to the depression in the Scotch Whisky industry in 1898 the distillery did not start producing whisky until 1900 and closed the same year due to a lack of money.
In 1911 Benromach was acquired by the London based Harvey McNair & Co who continued distilling until the onset of the First World War. After the war Benromach was acquired by Benromach Distillery Ltd and was run by this new private company until 1925. In 1938 Benromach was acquired by Associated Scottish Distilleries Ltd which later became a part of Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd. Between 1966 and 1974 the distillery was modernized and continued to run until 1983 when the distillery was officially closed.
In 1993 Gordon and Macphail took over the site and in 1997 they started to restore the distillery to a working order. Finally in 1998 the distillery was officially reopened by Charles, Prince of Wales and bottling of the new malt started in 2004.
Just two experienced distillers create Benromach 21YO using the finest Scottish barley and the purest spring water from the nearby Romach Hills. Matured in a mix of First fill and Refill Sherry casks, Benromach 21 Years Old is a rich, elegant Speyside Single Malt with rounding Sherry influence.
ForWhiskeyLovers Contributing Editor Gavin Smith described Benromach 21 as “A lovely, poised Benromach, with clear evidence of the good work done by the Sherry butts.”
This whisky is not longer being produced by Gordon & Macphail/ Benromach, and so it is incredibly difficult to find. But thanks to The Neck, we are able to offer you a bottle of Benromach 21YO for $130/ bottle, while supplies last.
So if you want a bottle, buy it now, because once it’s gone…it’s gone.
I wish you a most enjoyable remainder of your summer, and look forward to getting back in touch in September.
Until September….have fun!
Doug Stone
Founder
ForWhiskeyLovers.com
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BENROMACH 21YO SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT WHISKY
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DISTILLERS TASTING NOTES
COLOR: Bright gold.
UNDILUTED NOSE: Sweet, fruits – peaches and nectarines. Hints of toasted malt and a green leafy aroma.
PALATE: Sweet, sherrywood flavours. Some charred oak and resinous flavours. Rich.
WITH AN ICE CUBE/ WATER NOSE: Sherry influence more prominent. Mulled fruits and a sweet chocolate aroma. Toasted maltiness remains.
PALATE: Sherry wood, sweet spices – cinnamon and a little dry grass, hay like note. Charred oak flavours lead to a drying finish.
BODY: Rich and smooth.
FINISH: Slightly dry with sherry overtones.
Ka Va Lan Whisky in Canada
Sitting on the east coast, Ka Va Lan is the only single malt whisky distillery in Taiwan. (See Mark Gillespie’s Whisky Cast on Ka Va Lan: http://youtu.be/WVIHFPFONB0). The Ka Va Lan Distillery is owned by one of the largest food group “King Car” in Taiwan. With the ambition to craft the best whisky from Taiwan, the whisky team spent one month in 2003 in Scotland in search of the perfect distill shape and variation in whisky making.
Ka Va Lan obtained consultation from Dr. Jim Swan on crafting the whisky flavours fitting for a hot and humid tropical weather in Taiwan. To date, there are four single casks variation and three single malts. The ex-bourbon and ex-sherry single casks are aged for more than three years where angel share is around 10 to 15%.
(Due to the tropical climate, the maturation of three years is comparable to that of 15 – 18 years)
The whisky distillery was built in 2005 with a purpose to be a tourism destination. The current visitor center can easily accommodate a couple thousand people with a Costco sized cafeteria to showcase the King Car group of products. Currently there are 45,000 barrels in the aging process.
Some virtual reality 360 view of the distillery
Lobby: http://vr.17high.com.tw/Entertainment/Yilan/Kingcar_Whisky/vr-03.html (this sure looks like a hotel grand lobby).
View of the warehouse and column distills: http://vr.17high.com.tw/Entertainment/Yilan/Kingcar_Whisky/vr-09.html
Outside the distillery: http://vr.17high.com.tw/Entertainment/Yilan/Kingcar_Whisky/vr-06.html
The ex-bourbon and ex-sherry single casks are being offered exclusively at Kensington Wine Market in Calgary.
Black Bull 12 Year Old Competition
The theme of the competition is that of the Matador. In order to defeat the bull the Matador must observe and test the bull to gain as much knowledge of this robust opponent. However unpredictable the bull may be the matador must remain attentive and composed, slowly and cleverly gaining the advantage, until finally, truly understanding his opponent, he is able to overcome it. With the knowledge that he once shared a mutual understanding , a moment in time, with the one who opposes him, the matador can proceed with a better understanding of not only his opponent but of himself.
Answers the questions below to gain an understanding of the Black Bull and if successful, DT will feel obliged to give you the opportunity to take on the BLACK BULL. However, there can be only one winner!
So, take on the Black Bull, and grab it by the horns!!
Questions:
1. In what year did the Black Bull first emerge? (In other words, what year does the brand Black Bull date back to?)
2. What ratio is Black Bull 12 Year Old blended at?
3. What kind or type of bull is the Black Bull?
4. What style of cask was the single malt and single grain whiskies matured in?
5. Which artist painted the Black Bull image?
Email your answers to gordon@ducantaylor.com
Unfortunately, you may not be the only one to pass the test. So, all those who successfully answer the questions will be entered into a prize draw (like with most things there is an element of skill and luck involved).
World’s First Constellation Collection Sold to US Buyer
The world’s first Dalmore Constellation Collection has been sold through The Whisky Shop in the UK to a US based investor.
Mahesh Patel, an American entrepreneur and property developer, purchased the 21 bottles for £158,000 to add to his already considerable collection estimated to be worth $2 million. This includes the Dalmore Trinitas, which was the first bottle of whisky to sell for a six figure sum in 2010.
Patel has purchased set 13 as it’s his lucky number.
The Dalmore Constellation Collection consists of 21 individual whiskies created at the Highland distillery between the years 1964 and 1992. They have spent their lives finessing in the finest casks from around the world before being bottled at natural cask strength and at natural colour.
Prices range from £2,000 for a bottle of Vintage 1992 up to £20,000 RSP for a bottle of the Vintage 1964. Only 9 full set collections will be available and showcased in iconic cities across the world, including London, Paris, Moscow, Miami, New York, LA, Berlin, Hong Kong and Edinburgh.
The Whisky Shop is the first high street retailer in the world to stock the Dalmore collection.
The sale of the collection comes on the back of the news that The Dalmore is the fastest growing malt whisky in the world amongst the top 25 global malt brands, as verified by the IWSR (International Wine & Spirits Research), and is rated the top investment whisky by independent authority Whisky Highland.
Mahesh Patel:
“The Dalmore is up there with the best when it comes to quality, rarity and investment – and of course taste.
“I’m a big fan and I am delighted to get the set inscribed with my lucky number 13, and that is why I bought it from The Whisky Shop. The Constellation will have pride of place in my collection.”
Andrew Torrance, Managing Director, The Whisky Shop:
“The creation and sale of this prestigious collection shows that whisky goes from strength to strength. We have seen sales increase in the last year, and in a really tough economic climate. And premium bottlings like this have grown in our stores.”
NOTES
The Dalmore
Dating back to the days of King Alexander III, The Dalmore gained its iconic 12-point stag emblem in 1263 when one of the Mackenzie clan saved the king from being gored by a stag.
Unlike other whiskies The Dalmore is produced in very limited quantities. Due to the distinctive distillation process no two batches will be exactly the same, ensuring that each release of the The Dalmore is unique.
A bottle of The Dalmore 62 Sinclair sold last year in Changi Airport, Singapore, for £125,000, making it the most expensive bottle ever sold in retail. The first whisky to break the six figure barrier, The Dalmore Trinitas, was launched in 2010 with only three bottles made available. Two were sold for £100,000 and the final bottle was acquired by Harrods and subsequently sold for £120,000 within 6 months of launch.
In the last two years The Dalmore has sold a number of rare and precious whiskies in record time. Dalmore’s Sirius peaked at £10,000 a bottle, and with only 12 available worldwide in 2009, the bottles sold out in four days and now change hands for twice that price.
