Makers Missed the Mark.
Don’t miss your chance to grab this COLLECTABLE BOTTLE.

If you missed this story, here’s what happened. Maker’s Mark announced that they would lower the alcohol of their beloved bourbon from 90 to 84 proof. It took less than a week for public outrage to reach such a fervor that they doubled back on their decision, promising to stick with the original recipe. We don’t mean to wax poetic, but this may be one of the biggest beverage missteps since New Coke. One that will leave its mark on the industry for generations.

That makes the low proof Maker’s Mark an instant collector’s item for whiskey enthusiasts.

The distillery is busy reclaiming cases from wholesalers, but we’re holding our allocation for you. We want to offer you the chance to buy this bottle of history. Remember, it’s a limited product, production had a life measured in hours instead of days or weeks. Once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.

Available In-Store Only!

New horse racing event kicks off Bardstown’s Kentucky Bourbon Festival Sampler    

Spring events include bourbon, swing, festival, antiques and more bourbon

BARDSTOWN, KY – FEBRUARY, 2012 – A new horse racing and bourbon event joins the lineup of active fun this spring in Bardstown, the “Bourbon Capital of the World.” Racing With the Spirits charges down the video track on Fri., April 26, accompanied by bourbons from several distilleries. Spring also brings swing dancers, uniformed Colonials and 100 antiques dealers to this historic town located in central Kentucky. See Bardstown’s Calendar of Events.

Bourbon with a (new) twist

This year, Bardstown’s inaugural Racing with the Spirits event kicks off the annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival Sampler. On Fri., April 26, join in an evening of horse racing videos with play money for betting at the Guthrie Opportunity Center. Sip bourbons and sample a selection of hors d’ oeuvres while enjoying music and prizes. Reservations suggested. Tickets: $45 per person. Info and tickets: 800-638-4877 #4 or online at www.KyBourbonFestival.com.

The next evening, April 27, imbibe in the Kentucky Bourbon Festival Sampler, a mellow evening tasting a variety of Kentucky bourbons and foods from area restaurants. Also held at the Guthrie Opportunity Center, the event runs from 6:30-9 p.m. Tickets: $40. Info and tickets: 800-638-4877 #4 or online at www.KyBourbonFestival.com

www.ralfy.com has a grumble with Whisky Review 342 – Dalmore 21yo (Signatory)

caramel gets criticised   . . .  again !

Chill-filtration gets a chilly reception  . . .  again !

New Spirits Arrivals! February 2013

Springbank 21 year old

Springbank is famously distilled “two and half times” using malt that was dried for six hours over a peat fire then a further 24 hours over hot air.

Youthful expressions of Springbank are ever popular on our shelves, but the Springbank 21 year old is a rare creature indeed; this edition is the second of an annual release, and is limited to just 1,680 bottles. Aged in fresh sherry and refill sherry casks and bottled at 46% ABV.

Colour: Rich gold
Nose: Sherry is the dominant aroma, accompanied by classic Christmas cake ingredients of raisins, sultanas, almonds and marzipan. You could nose this all night, the possibilities are infinite.
Palate: Rich and creamy, bursting with flavour. Great oily texture like the previous edition. Concluding with a hint of treacle and salt. A whisky full of rich flavour that will not let you down.
Finish: Goes on and on, deliciously sweet. Develops on the tongue for eternity, evolving continuously.

Monkey Shoulder Gorillas

A blend of malt whiskies from three Speyside distilleries and made in batches of just 27 casks. Similarly to our Milroy’s of Soho Finest Blend, Monkey Shoulder is made from 100% malted barley, containing no grain. NOW AVAILABLE IN 4.5 litre GORILLAS! £26.50

Longrow, Rundlets & Kilderkins

Bottled at cask-strength of 51.7% ABV, after eleven years of aging in small casks.

Distillery notes:

Colour: Deep amber
Nose: Smoke is easy to identify from the beginning and is soon joined with medicinal notes and subtle burning embers. On returning to nose, sweetness such as toffee apple is more pronounced.
Palate: Both peat and smoke are detected yet it is simultaneously sweet, particularly toffee and fudge. This is followed with the taste of liquorice. Rich and oily from its maturation in small casks, it gives an impression of being older than its 11 years.
Finish: Long, smooth and sweet. Slow and lingering hint of peat with peat reaching a crescendo with a strong peaty aftertaste.
£60.00

New Arrivals

United States – Bourbon and Rye

• Dancing Pines Colorado Bourbon 750ml – 12 available ($46.99)

• 2003 Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon 750ml ($24.99)

Back in Stock

Ireland – Irish and Blended Scotch

• Tyrconnell 10 year Port Casks Single Malt Irish Whiskey      750ml ($79.99)

• Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey 750ml – 3      available ($33.99)

Scotland – Blended Scotch

• Chivas Regal 25 year old Blended Scotch Whisky750ml ($349.99)

• Samaroli Evolution 2011 Multi Vintage Pure Malt Scotch      Whisky 750ml – 5 available ($319.99)

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

• Glendronach 15 year old “Revival” Distillery      Bottling Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 5 available ($75.99)

• Talisker Distiller’s Edition Single Malt Whisky 750ml –      8 available ($85.99)

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 Glenrothes Distillery Announces 2013 US Vintage Maker Competition

Contest will select two grand prize winners for a trip to Speyside and the opportunity of a lifetime

February 12, 2013 The Glenrothes is delighted to announce today’s launch of the 2013 US Vintage Maker Competition. Following the huge success of the 2012 competition, this year’s contest will result in two grand prize winners from the USA.  Each grand prize winner will receive a trip for him/her and one guest to Speyside, Scotland. The Glenrothes “Vintage Makers” will spend a week mastering single malt production, culminating in the creation of a new Glenrothes Vintage.

From February 12, 2013 until April 12, 2013, entrants can submit an essay of 750 characters or less and an image response to the prompt, “Share a Vintage Moment with The Glenrothes.” Winning entries will be selected based on the best representation of how The Glenrothes Distillery defines a Vintage Moment: A perfect combination of time, place, people and/or occasion when everything comes together to create a moment that will stay in the memory forever.

Grand prize winners will travel to The Glenrothes this summer and be hosted by Ronnie Cox, Keeper of the Quaich and The Glenrothes Brand Heritage Director.  Upon arriving, they will learn the time-honored art of whisky making and skills that have been passed down from generation to generation. The winners will spend time working at each stage of the process: testing the purity of the water source at the distillery’s two springs; milling the malt to achieve the golden proportions of husk, grits and flour; mashing to ensure maximum extraction of sugars in the wort; adding yeast to the washbacks and overseeing fermentation; and slowly and carefully distilling new make spirit in our tall copper pot stills.

The “Vintage Makers” will nose single malt from maturing casks to assess whether the contents are true of all The Glenrothes whiskies and exceptional in quality and maturity; only the top 3% of the distillery’s output is bottled as The Glenrothes Speyside Single Malt Whisky. Finally, the “Vintage Makers” will have the opportunity to create a new Vintage of The Glenrothes, to be released when it reaches the peak of maturity.  As an added bonus each of the lucky guests will produce their own selection of The Glenrothes – labeled with their own hand-written tasting notes.

When their work is done, our Vintage Makers will enjoy the simple pleasures that Speyside has to offer; a spot of fishing, dining in the local Highland restaurants or perhaps a picnic in the hills surrounding the distillery. The “Vintage Makers” will stay in Rothes House, a private home belonging to the family that owns The Glenrothes.

The Glenrothes is now available throughout the U.S. through Anchor Distilling. For more information on The Glenrothes or the 2013 US Vintage Maker Competition, please visit www.theglenrothes.com.

Abbreviated Rules

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. MUST BE 21 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AND A RESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO ENTER. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. BY ENTERING THE CONTEST YOU AGREE TO THE OFFICIAL RULES. Contest begins at 12:01 a.m. ET on February 12, 2013, and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. ET on April 12, 2013. To enter, visit www.theglenrothes.com, complete the entry form, submit an essay (750 characters or less) describing your “Vintage Moment”. All entries must be received by April 12, 2013 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET. For official rules (including how to enter and prize description), visit http://www.theglenrothes.com. Only one entry per person is permitted.  Sponsor: BB&R Spirits Ltd., 3 St. James’ Street, London SW1A 1EG. Share Responsibly.

About The Glenrothes

The Glenrothes is an award-winning Speyside Single Malt Whisky of exceptional quality from the town of Rothes in Speyside – Scotland’s whisky heartland.  Established in 1879, the distillery was known only to Master Blenders until the early 1990’s, and revered as a Class-A quality enhancer for their premium blends.  Today, only 3% of production becomes The Glenrothes single malt scotch whisky.  Each vintage is, by definition, rare and finite.  Currently available expressions in the US include: The Glenrothes Select Reserve – the House Style, Alba Reserve, Vintages 1998, 1995, 1988, 1978, and 1970 Extraordinary Cask.

Join the conversation at www.Facebook.com/TheGlenrothes or www.Twitter.com/TheGlenrothes.

About Anchor Distilling

Anchor Distilling Company aims to provide the bridge between discerning buyers and world’s finest spirits. A privately owned distiller and importer, Anchor boasts an artisanal portfolio with over 300 specialty products from nearly 20 countries.  All products are from multigenerational family-owned companies, and are sought by connoisseurs for their superior handcrafted artisanal qualities.  From a distilling perspective, Anchor Distilling is dedicated to creating very small batches of traditionally distilled spirits. www.AnchorDistilling.com

The Best Fest in the West…Midlands!

It’s now less than two months before we welcome customers and exhibitors to the Third Midlands Whisky Festival. Saturday April 13th 2013. Doors open at 12 pm.

Once again, we’ll have over 200 different whiskies on taste from an even larger number of suppliers than before. We’ve added some extra special rare “Dream Drams” for you to enjoy in your commemorative tasting glass.Standard tickets cost £35 per person. This year, we are welcoming visitors from further afield than ever, so please reserve your ticket in advance as capacity is limited! For further details, email david@nickollsandperks.co.uk or phone 01384 394518.  We look forward to being in touch again soon.

Kind regards

The Nickolls and Perks Team

Click HERE to buy your tickets:

Nickolls & Perks Ltd
37 Lower High Street
Stourbridge, West Midlands DY8 1TA
www..nickollsandperks.co.uk

Glendronach Whiskies

Glendronach distillery has had a long and colourful history. Established in 1826 by the eccentric James Allardice, the majestic distillery lies in the Glen of Forgue. The distillery lies in its own estate and the current owners, The Benriach Distillery Company, owns all the surrounding houses. There are five properties on the site including Glen House which was once the Laird of the estates’ own dwelling. Glen House is the oldest property onsite having been built in 1786.

The distillery prides itself on its traditional approach to the crafting of the spirit. Six still men work shifts 24 hours a day to ensure every millilitre of spirit is crafted with the utmost attention. Unlike a large portion of distilleries today, Glendronach is not run by computers, it is powered by passionate men driven to make the highest quality whisky possible. Glendronach, since its creation, has been a by word for sherried whisky. The spirit has always been aged in either Oloroso or Pedro Ximinez sherry casks from the best Bodegas in Spain. It was only recently that Glendronach released some different wood finishes but there emphasis remains focused on sherry finishing.

www.singlemaltsdirect.com

Calling all SMWS members and non-members alike!

Sign up now for our March First Friday tasting to sample seven great new releases, nibble on some tasty treats and enjoy the company of fellow scotch-lovers. As always, there will also be some past releases available for sampling in case you missed them the first time around!

Really, what better way to spend a Friday night?
Space is limited so don’t delay!

Victoria First Friday Tasting

Friday, March 1st 6:30pm

$40+HST for SMWS members; $50+HST for non-members
The Strath Ales, Wines & Spirits
Register in person at
919 Douglas Street, Victoria
or by phone at 250-370-9463
or by email at whisky@strathconahotel.com

Colin & his crew look forward to seeing you!

Lost Distilleries at TWE Vinopolis

The new year is definitely under way and our tastings at TWE Vinopolis have entered a new phase. Over the last few years we’ve been focused heavily on branded tastings, with companies showing off their wares to an appreciative audience, … Continue reading >>