Abbey Whisky – New Blog Post

Hip-flask fill complete – Lagavulin 2011 Release / 12 Year Old

(From our friends at Abbey Whisky) I’ve been thinking long and hard this week wondering what I can fill the hip-flask with. Its one of my best friends wedding this weekend, so I wanted to make it a good one. I raided the whisky cabinet to see what I could find and came across this little gem…

Part of Diageo’s Annual Special Releases, this limited edition bottling was distilled in 1999 and left to mature in American oak casks before being bottled in 2011.

Lagavulin 2011 Release / 12 Year Old

Nose: Great smell of smoke and ash hits you at first followed by a slight antiseptic/hospital smell, seaweed, bonfire, and a slight lingering sweetness at the back.

Palate: Very oily, creamy, salty brine flavours hits the back of the throat with a warm soothing feeling. A little water softens the flavours and brings flavours of lapsang souchong tea.

Finish: Long, smokey, coating the mouth with oily flavours.

Overall: A superb tasting dram.

I think I’ve hit a winner with this one. Hip-flask is full and looking forward to it’s outing tomorrow. Only problem is, do I take the bottle with me for refills, as I really don’t want to share this one!

To Buy Lagavulin 12 Year Old, 2011 Release Click Here

Glenfarclas 105 20YO LTD Edition

J & Grant launches a limited edition expression of their iconic Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky. Aged for 20 Years and bottled at natural cask strength of 60% vol., only 4000 bottles of this remarkable whisky will be available worldwide.

This is the second time J & G Grant have released an older expression of Glenfarclas 105 – the first was in 2008 when a 40 Year Old 105 was released to celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the first bottling of 105.

In 1968 when George S. Grant, 4th generation of the owning family, bottled a single cask straight from the warehouse, and sent the bottles to family and friends as Christmas gifts. By chance the strength of the cask George S. Grant selected was ‘105’ British Proof, and along with the name of the distillery, this was all the information he detailed on the hand written label. By the end of January the recipients of the gifts requested further bottles, hence Glenfarclas ‘105’, the first commercially available cask strength whisky of the modern age was born.

George S Grant, Director of Sales and 6th generation of the owning family commented; ‘My family have been producing Glenfarclas 105 for 3 generations now and the 20 Year Old makes a great addition to the ‘105’ family, along with the 105 and 105 40 Year Old. This is a 105 as it should be – big and powerful with all the classic Glenfarclas flavours coming through. Definitely a dram to savour as the finish just goes on and on.’

* Tasting Note by George S Grant

Strong, rich oak, a 20 yo copper still. As 105 should be!

Big Powerful aromas, of course be a little wary it is 60% alc. A very typical Glenfarclas nose, demerara sugar, figs. The end bit of a Christmas cake, a little drier than the middle but you get the extra sugar.

Remarkably smooth for a 60% whisky. More sweetness in the front of your mouth giving way to bitter sweetness. Chocolate covered coffee beans spring to mind sweet then melting into bitterness. Lots of fruit, brandy flavours are very apparent, delicate sherry tones also coming through after a while in the glass.

Lovely long finish, the age really coming through here over the strength, definitely a dram to savour as the finish will last a very long time.

Incl. Tax: £189.99 Excl. Tax: £158.33

BUY NOW

Single Malts Limited | 36 Gordon Street | Huntly | Aberdeenshire | AB54 8EQ |

Greetings My Fellow WhiskeyLovers –

Our crowdfunding campaign is finally over (this is the last time I will mention it), and so a big thanks to all of you who supported us. The money we raised will go toward a brand-shiny-new iPhone/Android app we have been thinking about…stay tuned for more news on this later this summer.

This week I was visited by a rep from Kentucky Bourbon Distillers (KBD), a family owned and operated company created in 1935 as the Willett Distilling Company, which still operates on a site that began as the family farm just outside of Bardstown Kentucky.

The company rarely produces whisky under the KBD name, choosing instead to market their brands using Willet Distilling Company or various fictitious company names. These other business names often correspond to the bottling brand names, such as the Old Bardstown Distilling Company for the Old Bardstown bourbon brand and the Noah’s Mill Distilling Company for the Noah’s Mill bourbon brand.

Which brings me to this weeks Whiskey Wednesday feature: Willet Kentucky Straight Pot Still Reserve Whiskey.

Willett Pot Still Reserve Bourbon is a Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey introduced in 2008 and bottled at 47% abv, with 8-10 year aging.

Each bottle is sealed with a label identifying the individual aging barrel, the number of the bottle within the series of bottles from that barrel, and the total number of bottles from the barrel (example: “Bottle No. 116 of 242 from Single Barrel 149”).

Willett Pot Still Reserve is bottled in a decorative decanter that received a double gold award for packaging design at the 2008 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. In addition to the double gold medal for packaging, the whiskey was also awarded a gold medal for taste at the event.

Malt Advocate Magazine rated Willett Pot Still Reserve at 90 “outstanding”.

The price for a bottle of Willet Pot Still Reserve is $39.95 , and I urge you to try this bourbon. It truly is a phenomenal whiskey.

Until next week….have fun!

Doug Stone

Founder

ForScotchLovers.com

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WILLET KENTUCKY STRAIGHT POT STILL RESERVE WHISKEY

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WILLET KENTUCKY STRAIGHT WHISKEY – TASTING NOTES

“Soft and elegant on the nose and palate, and very well balanced. An incredibly drinkable whiskey, it was bottled at just the right time based on its great balance of flavors. Notes of vanilla, coconut, and creme brulee provide a base for emerging notes of cedar wood shavings, cinnamon, soft mint and a hint of fennel. A very graceful bourbon” – Malt Advocate Magazine Q2 2008 issue (Vol. 17, #2)

Whisky Ramblings Via Video #17

Mark Dermul, Belgian Whiskyblogger, feels very fortunate to try the BenRiach 1983 single cask bottling from Asta Morris (Belgian IB Bert Bruyneel), for it is the perfect summer dram!

http://youtu.be/CrMKFBZSCNU

Greeting Whisky-Drinkers of the UK!

Hope you are enjoying the Great British Summer! Here’s some Whisky Lounge event news to fill your boots with…

Whisky Festivals

Liverpool Whisky Fest
Saturday September 8th, 12-5pm, £25
The next stop on the 2012 Whisky Lounge festival tour and our second venture to Liverpool to deliver yet another galaxy of whisky.
Click here to book now

Manchester Whisky Fest
Saturday September 22nd, 11am-3pm and 4pm-8pm £25 per session
Our 4th whisky festival in Manchester and as always it’s set to be even bigger and better than last year. With new whisky-fun to be had and even more tasty drams on offer to try, it could well be the whisky festival to end all whisky festivals. We managed to claim the biggest one-day whisky festival in the UK last year and we would love to not only claim that prestigious self proclaimed award again, but we would also like to smash last years total of 950 whisky-lovers in one day! Click here to book session 1 and here for session 2 and if you fancy it click here to see 2011’s festival spliced together by Eddie.

York Whisky Festival 10 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!
Saturday October 13th 12-5pm £25
Ten years since the first whisky festival in York, not only a monumental moment for us at The Whisky Lounge but also for all of our good customers/friends who over the years we have shared many a fine dram with and who have supported our vision of Bringing Whisky Back To The People since its conception in 2002. Now as well as some special in-festival treats we’ll also be knocking out the first 100 tickets at the 2002 ticket price, which is the unbelievable cost of just £12.50!!! There is nothing absolutely nothing in the world that would offer better use of £12.50. Incredible. Tickets are live today, right now, quite literally as this email has hit your inbox. So don’t miss out click here to book now.

New Events

Whisky & Seafood – The Return. Newcastle, Blackfriars, Sunday July 29th, 7.00pm
With dishes lovingly prepared by award-winning head chef, Troy Terrington, matched with whiskies, equally lovingly chosen by our very own Eddie Ludlow, this was a massive success last year. A tasting menu of 6 dishes each paired with a sympathetic yet dramatic whisky, the result was dynamite! By popular demand we are attempting the same again but with a different raft of dishes and whiskies for the most demanding of you. A full six course tasting menu and all your drams for £45 – click here to book now.

Bluffers Guide To Whisky, York, Deramore Arms, Heslington, Tuesday July 31st, 7.00pm, £10
A good starting point for anyone wanting to learn their blends from their malts in our home town and only a tenner. Five drams on offer of various styles and getting back to basics. Click here to book.

Charity Tasting at Trembling Madness, York, Saturday July 28th, £10
All proceeds going to the NSPCC and taking place in an centuries old medieval hall on Stonegate. Helping the kids the only way we know how with a Whisky Tasting! Click here to book.

UK-Wide Events and Tastings, 1ST SHEFFIELD AND BRIGHTON TASTINGS

The World Wide Whisky Review, £20
World whisky has long now been the subject of many discussion, whiskies from the most unlikely places are creating quite a stir in the industry and scooping up awards left, right and centre on the international stage. Join as we take you through six of the best, on a whisky tour round the distilling world at what could well be the most exciting whisky tasting of the year. No need to bring your passport all venues are in the UK, details are below. Click on your nearest city to book.

SHEFFIELD
The Blake Hotel, August 28th, 7.00pm
Manchester
Britons Protection, Saturday September 1st, 7.00pm
Newcastle
Blackfriars, Friday September 14th, 7.00pm
York
Brigantes, Saturday September 15th, 7.00pm
London
The Red Lion, Crown Passage, Tuesday September 25th, 7.00pm
BRIGHTON
Hilton Metropole, Wednesday September 26th, 7.00pm
Leeds
The Cross Keys, Thursday September 27th, 7.00pm

CASK SERIES 3 NOW AVAILABLE ON WEBSITE

If you missed out on the Cask Series 3 tasting earlier in the year, you really missed some fabulous bottlings from little old us. Happy days, and good news for you or others who would like to re-visit these amazing bottles…they are now available from the website! These are 20cl size bottles of mainly single cask and cask strength whiskies from the likes of Caol Ila, Bunnahabhain and Cragganmore. We are very proud to call these our own! To view and purchase these bottlings, click here. Series 4 is not far away and word is that there ain’t going to be much in the way of Islay…

WEBSITE ISSUES

Thanks to all of those who pointed out correctly that the website was down for a portion of the weekend just gone. This was due to an issue with the server and it is now back up and running. If anyone tried to log on in that period, many apologies but please try again, it should be good to go now.

Phew, right think that’s the lot and possibly the world record for use of the word Whisky in one email. In fact the first person to get back to us with the whisky word count in this email will get a mystery dram in the post.

As usual you can keep up to speed on all our events by liking us on Facebook and following us on Twitter @TheWhiskyLounge @TWLAmanda @TWlJoe

Hope to see you for a dram at one of the above events and that you’re all enjoying some tasty tipples.

Happy Dramming!

Eddie Ludlow
Whisky Evangelist

thewhiskylounge
IWSC Spirit Panel Judge 2009-present
www.thewhiskylounge.com
eddie@thewhiskylounge.com

Wiser’s Whisky Tasting Exclusive For Globe & Mail Subscribers 

Globe and Mail subscribers are invited to join Davin de Kergommeaux, certified sommelier and author of Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert, and Wiser’s® Master Blender Don Livermore for a fun and informative whisky tasting to celebrate the re-launch of Wiser’s Small Batch. 

This special tasting will also showcase Wiser’s Legacy and the welcome return of two premium Canadian whiskies, Pike Creek Canadian Whisky® and Lot 40 Canadian Whisky®. 

In the historic Suites at One King West, you will enjoy Canadian whisky, cheese pairings and tasting tips. You will leave with a swag bag featuring a copy of Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert, and Teroforma’s Whisky Stones® courtesy of Indigo. Swag bag valued at over $75! 

When: Wednesday, August 22, 2012
6:00 pm — 8:00 pm

Where: One King West (at Yonge), Toronto, ON

Cost: $75, includes whisky tasting, appetizers and swag bag including a copy of the book and Teroforma’s Whisky Stones® 

For more details and to reserve your tickets for this exclusive, Globe and Mail subscribers’ event visit the Globe and Mail website here.

Whisky Live Returns to Shanghai!

Mainland China’s biggest whisky festival returns to Shanghai on September 14 and 15. Now in its fourth year, Whisky Live 2012 will showcase the largest collection of deluxe blends and ultra-premium Single Malts ever in China. It has upgraded to a new five star location, Royal Le Meriden on Nanjing Road East.

The festival is known for providing novices and experts alike with a fully interactive, luxurious experience. This year, guests have the chance to browse 33 luxury whisky stands and attend educational workshops and tastings, all hosted by fully-trained brand ambassadors to assist your journey into the world of whisky.

New to this year’s festival is the Collectors’ Zone, which will feature some of the rarest and most expensive vintage bottles of whisky in the world from the 1940’s, 50’s & 1960’s.

Show director Stephen Notman says: “Fun, educational and interactive are the three key pillars that have enabled us to attract a record number of distillers and showcase the world’s oldest and rarest single malts in the world.”

Such record numbers of distillers are comprised of a blend of both old and established distilling nations. International whisky celebrities present at the festival include Glenmorangie’s Dr Bill Lumsden, Master Distiller of Mackmyra Angela D Orazio and Glenfarclas’ Robert Ransom.

This list is also supplemented with bespoke Johhnie Walker and food pairings, the Singleton Education Zone and the Chivas Blending Experience.

The new and improved website www.whiskylivechina.com will allow whisky lovers the opportunity to get the latest up-to-date news and reviews 365 days a year.

With the highly anticipated announcement of the coveted Icons of Whisky Awards combined with the return of the whisky live passport the 2012 festival promises to be the best yet!

Notes:

1) For more information and to arrange interviews, please contact Charlotte Middlehurst for English language queries charlotte@whiskylivechina.com, +86 159 0090 9057: Winnie Wu for Chinese winnie@whiskylivechina.com, +86 136 11601491.

2) Whisky Live is the world’s premier whisky tasting and sampling show, taking place in 17 countries from London to Tokyo, Paris to Taipei.

3) Steve Notman is one of the youngest recipients ever of The Keepers of the Quaich award. He is Managing Director of Whisky Live Shanghai and Taipei, Chief Whisky Advisor for Global Spirit Merchants and Whisky Sommelier at the Waldorf Astoria.

4) Whisky Live 2012 will be held at the Le Royal Meridien Hotel, 789 Nanjing Dong Lu, near Xizang Lu, Huangpu District, Shanghai, on September 14 and 15. Tickets: Consumers 150RMB, VIPs 850RMB.

Third Annual Convocation of Companions

The Great Gathering of The Quaich
September 7 – 9
Cairn Croft Hotel
6400 Lundy’s Lane
Niagara Falls

Check in Friday 3pm ~ Check out Sunday 11 am

Full package includes: 2 nights accommodation in Courtyard guestrooms;
6 meals (Friday dinner; Saturday breakfast, lunch, dinner; Sunday breakfast, lunch); complimentary drinks in the Hospitality Room before and after dinner Friday and Saturday; use of heated indoor pool, hot tubs and recreation areas.

An optional Master Class with Macallan & Highland Park Ambassador
Marc Laverdiere is also planned for Saturday afternoon.

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Cost per person (including taxes)
Single: $502 Double: $315
Triple: $261.99 Quad: $234.99
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To make your reservation for this wonderful weekend break, call the Cairn Croft at 1-800-263-2551 and quote “Quaich Group.” Names of guests, address and a valid credit card number will be required.

*Note: The hotel will not collect the payment for whiskies with dinner. Cost is $15 per evening, total $30 per person. This should be sent in advance to:

Ed Patrick,
206 – 19 Dundonald St.,
Toronto, Ont.
M4Y 1K3

www.thequaich.com

Hello Dell Friends!! We have exciting news……. The MEGA SCOTCH TASTING is Sunday, August 5th @ 4 p.m.! This line up looks amazing and we are very excited! Did I mention Black Bowmore, Rosebank 25 year??

We present “THE WORLD’S LARGEST BOTTLE OF WHISKY”

The Famous Grouse is attempting to set a new Guinness World Record by creating the world’s largest bottle of whisky, to be unveiled on our brand birthday on Sunday 12th August.

Scotland’s favourite whisky is aiming to take the current world record from Jack Daniel’s who entered into the Guinness World Record Book last year by producing a 184 litre bottle. The giant bottle currently being created will hold 200 litres of whisky, equivalent to 8,200 drams, and will be an exact replica of The Famous Grouse iconic bottle.

We would be delighted if you could come along to our free birthday celebrations which will be hosted at The Famous Grouse Experience, Perthshire, Scotland’s oldest and most visited distillery. The giant bottle will be filled in front of a Guinness World Record adjudicator and on display for all to see between 11am-3.30pm. There will be plenty to entertain the whole family including a live jazz band, RSPB activities, face painting, and a Highland games demonstration from Scotland’s strongest man and world record holder himself, Gregor Edmunds.

An exciting new tour will also be launched and distillery tours will be running throughout the day.

We look forward to welcoming you and your family on August 12!

Click here for directions.

FOR A ONCE IN A LIFE TIME CHANCE TO BE A PART OF HISTORY: Please bid on our auction, for two lucky people to help fill the world’s largest bottle of whisky on 12th August and enjoy a 2-night luxury trip to Scotland, with all proceeds going directly to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity.

Yours Famously,
The Famous Grouse Team