Please contact Nicola Young at Mulberry Bank Auctions for information on lots that did not sell in the September 10th Whisky Auction.

http://www.mulberrybankauctions.com/

The GlenDronach  “Recherché” is a 44 year-old Highland single malt, which was distilled and filled to cask on September 24th, 1968.

The ’68 stock represents the oldest whisky in GlenDronach’s vast warehouses, and GlenDronach 1968 cask # 005, an Oloroso sherry butt, was hand-picked to be bottled as “Recherché”. The name “Recherché” has been chosen because it means “carefully sought-out”.

This expression is sublime; a full-bodied, richly-sherried single malt (bottled at a cask strength of 48.6% vol), with all the traditional characteristics you would expect of a GlenDronach…and indeed one of which enigmatic founder James “Cobbie” Allardice would heartily approve!

This is a limited release of just 632 bottles, which will be available worldwide. GlenDronach “Recherché” will retail in the UK at £2749.99.

GlenDronach 1968 Recherche

Benromach 10 Year Old & Benromach Organic Special Edition Available Now!

Benromach 10 Year Old
43.0%       70cl

£27.20 Buy Now

Benromach Organic Special Edition
43.0%      70cl

£35.00 Buy Now

UK vlogger Joe Ellis a.k.a Whisky Wednesday reviews Glencadam 12 Year Old Portwood

http://youtu.be/Vq_0YDRsM2o

http://Facebook.com/whiskytube

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

BENRIACH SINGLE MALT TOP IN CHINA

THE BenRiach 12 year old Sherry Wood Matured single malt has been voted the best in China.

A total of 120 single malts and blends were judged for the first official guide to whisky in Mainland China and the BenRiach 12 year old Sherry Wood Matured expression, scoring 95 points, has won the Platinum Signature Award. This means that it is the best available 12 year old single malt in China according to the China Whisky Guide 2013.

The rich, aromatic Single Malt has been created in BenRiach’s Elgin distillery by marrying together whiskies matured in Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez Sherry Butts sourced from Jerez in Southern Spain.

It has already won numerous awards including two trophies in the prestigious International Wine and Spirits Competition.

BenRiach Chief Executive Billy Walker’s tasting notes show how special this 12 year old is.

Nose: Mocha, dark chocolate, sultanas and rich spices.

Colour: Deep gold – bronze.

Taste: The combination of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks gives a wonderful balance of mocha and dark chocolate interwoven with figs, sultanas, vanilla, fruits and rich spice.

Billy Walker said: “We’re delighted to win this new award and achieve further recognition for our expressions. China is the world’s second biggest economy and it’s our long-term aim to educate Chinese consumers with a desire for heritage luxury brands about our whisky culture with brands such as BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh.”

He added: “At the luxury end, China is the biggest market in the world and the potential is vast. Western spirits currently account for less than 2% of the Chinese drinks market which is worth £42bn. Burgeoning wealth and steady urbanisation mean that this £42bn market will keep getting bigger, so we are well placed to capitalise on this growing trend and awards like this help boost our reputation.”

Springbank Society Newsletter

September 2013

Greetings Society Members,

I hope you have all had a great Summer and experienced some good weather like we did here in Campbeltown. So hard to believe it is September already….won’t be long until we have to start thinking about what we are asking Santa for this year….!

Anyway, thought it was time to give you a little update on what has been happening here during the last couple of months and give you an insight into what releases we have coming out soon. As promised, this newsletter is SLIGHTLY shorter than my first one…..

DISTILLERY AND SALES TEAM NEWS

We have recently appointed a new regional sales manager, David Allen, who will be taking responsibility for certain markets around the world. David started his new post on Monday 19th September and is already fitting in very well with all staff. This week he is working in the Cadenhead’s Shop in Edinburgh and next week is heading to Amsterdam for a few days so we are making sure he is getting plenty of experience in! From now until Christmas the Sales Office is going to be very quiet as the Sales Team travel all over the world to attend different tastings and shows – keep an eye out for them at events happening near you soon.

Last week was a special week for Campbeltown as the Scottish Cabinet visited. On Wednesday we were lucky enough to welcome the First Minister, Alex Salmond to the distillery where Gavin treated him to a VIP tour before putting him to work filling and signing a cask of Springbank for us! During his visit he also signed some labels which will be used for a special release of Spirit of Freedom next year. Excited staff got the chance to pose with the First Minister and there are some good photos of his visit on the Springbank Distillers Facebook, please check them out if you haven’t already! Mr Salmond was interested to hear about our future plans for the distillery and is said to have enjoyed his time with us. As a special treat, he was presented with a bottle of Springbank 21 year old which he was delighted with…maybe we will gain a new member to the Society soon!!

FRANK MCHARDY RETIRES AS DIRECTOR OF PRODUCTION

As you may well know, Frank McHardy has recently retired as Director of Production at Springbank and Glengyle Distilleries after an incredible 50 years in the industry. Frank began his loving relationship with whisky in March 1963 where he was employed at Invergordon Distillery, sweeping the yard and doing odd manual jobs around the place. From there his career has taken him to Tamnavulin, Bruichladdich, Bushmills and, of course, Springbank and Glengyle.

At Springbank, we are delighted and honoured that, in two spells, Frank has spent 26 years with us – more than half his career and we consider ourselves to be very lucky to have had him. During his time in Campbeltown Frank has been a key part of the renaissance at Springbank and, even more significantly, played a major role in the rebuilding and opening of the Mitchell’s Glengyle Distillery back in 2004, designing the distillery itself and helping to source most of the equipment.

We will all miss seeing Frank’s smiling face every day but know that this is certainly not the end of his involvement within the industry and although he has “retired”, Frank will always be in demand to share his knowledge. This Sunday, he will be flying out to Australia to give his advice on plans to establish a new malt distillery in Perth and will also be sharing his thoughts and giving advice on the opening of a small Single Malt distillery in Israel. Next year he will be returning to Springnbank for the Whisky School (please see next heading below for more details) and we have also recently introduced the special ‘Frank McHardy Tour’ into our tour options where you get to spend 4 HOURS in the company of the man himself who will share his 50 years experience with you (and also a fair few drams too!)

WHISKY SCHOOL DATES 2014

Whisky School dates for 2014 have been set and once again we are offering you the chance to come and experience distillery life first hand. Next year we are planning to have 7 one week ‘courses’ of Whisky School, the first week beginning Monday 12th May 2014.

Please see below for the available dates:

TERM 1:Week commencing Monday 12th May – FULLY BOOKED

TERM 2:Week commencing Monday 19th May – FULLY BOOKED

TERM 3:Week commencing Monday 26th May – SPACES AVAILABLE

TERM 4:Week commencing Monday 2nd June – SPACES AVAILABLE

TERM 5:Week commencing Monday 9th June – FULLY BOOKED

TERM 6:Week commencing Monday 16th June – SPACES AVAILABLE

TERM 7:Week commencing Monday 23rd June – SPACES AVAILABLE

Spaces have already started to fill up very quickly so if you have an interest in this then please e-mail Janet at whiskyschool@springbankwhisky.com as soon as possible so you don’t miss out!

As always, our team of experts will be tutoring you through the week, giving you the chance to try out each stage of the process from malting, mashing, distilling, bottling and most importantly – sampling the finished product occasionally!! Although Frank has recently retired, we are delighted that he will be returning as ‘Headmaster’ for the Whisky School season in 2014. Hopefully he won’t have softened his manner too much during his retirement!

CGS4GAMBIA AUCTION BOTTLE

After some exciting last minute bidding for the bottle of Springbank being auctioned off for CGS4GAMIBA, I can announce that the final bid for the bottle was a massive £2,500!! We are delighted with the amount raised for this very worthy cause and the money will be a great help towards the schools trip to Gambia in 2014. Even if you missed out on the full bottle, the Ardshiel Hotel still have some left in theirs so if you are nearby, why not pop in a dram? It is £25.00 a nip with all proceeds going to the CGS4GAMBIA group!

ARDSHIEL IN WHISKY BAR OF THE YEAR BATTLE

I’m sure that if you have been in Campbeltown, you will have visited the Ardshiel Hotel during your time here and will agree that they have a brilliant whisky selection. The hotel has recently been put up for the Whisky Bar of the Year Award by Scottish Field Whisky Challenge. Ten bars have made the finals and it would be fantastic if we could make the Ardshiel the winner of this award. If you would like to vote please go to www.scottishfield.co.uk/votenow or email whisky@scottishfield.co.uk leaving your choice of bar. Voting closes on 4th October and they are currently sitting in 3rd position so need as many votes as possible…let’s crown the Ardshiel the worthy winners!

EXPLORE CAMPBELTOWN LAUNCH

The Explore Campbeltown website is now live!! Just to remind you – Explore Campbeltown is a new marketing initiative founded by Springbank Distillery, the Ardshiel Hotel and Machrihanish Holiday Park. Since February we have been working together with the local businesses of South Kintyre to create a one stop website for Campbeltown with the aim of promoting all the goods and services on offer in this ‘hidden gem’ of Scotland and to try to encourage more people to visit/spend their holidays here. Over 180 businesses have signed up to the website so far and the support from the local community has been overwhelming. Some of the biggest producers in the town such as Glen Scotia Distillery, Kintyre Smokehouse and Mull of Kintyre Cheddar have joined up and agreed to put the website logo on all their produce (as well as all Springbank and Cadenhead’s products of course!) By putting the logo on all of these products we will be reaching different corners of the globe and we hope that awareness of the website and South Kintyre in general will spread worldwide. Campbeltown Courier have also agreed to carry the logo on every issue from this week onwards which will provide us with important local advertising. Please check out the website at www.explorecampbeltown.com and give us your thoughts – all feedback is very welcome!

During the Scottish Cabinets visit, the First Minister showed great enthusiasm for the project and has since made a fantastic offer. Mr Salmond has said that he wants to thank Campbeltown for its hospitality during the two day visit and would like to do something to help support the towns determination to thrive and grow. He has offered to host an ‘Explore Campbeltown’ dinner at Bute House, his official residence in Edinburgh, where all food on the menu will be Campbeltown produce, cooked by a special celebrity chef!! The meal which will celebrate our local produce, will be hosted by Mr Salmond and include specially invited guests to help promote South Kintyre and what we have to offer. As imagined, we are all thrilled at the prospect of this – it is exciting news for Campbeltown and hopefully the website will continue to help bring great opportunities our way!

MULL OF KINTYRE MUSIC FESTIVAL

A couple of weeks ago the town was jam packed with locals and visitors alike to help celebrate the 21st Mull of Kintyre Music Festival. A variety of music events took place in different venues around the town from Thursday right through to Sunday night (Sunday events designed for the ‘real survivors’ – unfortunately I was not included in this, this year!!) Each year on the Saturday morning there is a festival parade through the streets of Campbeltown and this year we decided to enter a Springbank themed float into the mix! As it was the festivals 21st birthday we decided to go with that theme and have a 21st birthday ‘bottle party’. The week leading up to the festival mainly consisted of late nights in the bottling hall, decorating giant labels to stick onto giant whisky bottles (made of wood unfortunately!!) On the day, these bottles were attached to our backs to give the idea of ‘dancing bottles’ and the float was dressed up in 21st birthday banners, balloons and even a big birthday cake. It was a great laugh and definitely worth all the effort we put in! During the winners ceremony, we were placed in 3rd position for the best dressed float and received a £50 cash prize. We have decided to put this money together with money raised from a collection at Frank’s retirement dinner and are donating a total of £246 to the Beatson hospital in Glasgow.

A fantastic festival weekend was had by all and we are already thinking about ideas for next years competition!

UPCOMING RELEASES

In the next couple of months we have two exciting releases coming out. The first is our new version of Longrow Red which has very recently been bottled and is ready for purchase. Bottled at 53.7%, the 11 year old Longrow Red has been matured for 6 years in refill bourbon hogsheads and a further 5 years in Australian Shiraz hogsheads. The price of this is £49.00 per bottle and you will also receive your 10% discount on this – what a bargain! There are only 9000 bottles available for worldwide distribution and it is proving to be just as popular as last years version so please order soon if you don’t want to miss out. The next wood expression to be released will be a Springbank 9 year old Gaja Barolo. This was matured in refill bourbon casks for the first 4 years and the final 5 are in fresh Gaja Barolo casks. This will be available in October so more details on price will be released then. We still have some of the popular Campbeltown Loch 21 year old available for purchase. The price is £66.00 and you will also receive your 10% Society discount on this.

NEXT SOCIETY BOTTLING

The next Society bottling will be released in November…just in time for Christmas! It will of course be the cask which was chosen by a selection of Society Members on the afternoon before the Open Day. In my previous newsletter I told you it was 11 years but I made a slight mistake – it will actually be 12 and has spent all those years in a Fresh Port Hogshead. As it is a hogshead that means we are only going to get 300 bottles from it. To begin with we will have to strictly limit the allocation to 1 per person in order to keep it fair for all members. If we have not sold it all within the first 2 months you may have the chance to purchase another. If you would like to reserve your bottle now then please email me and I will add you to the reserve list. Well, that is all for now folks and look – it was a wee bit shorter than the last one! I also took Janet’s tip and put the new releases at the bottom to make sure you read it all!!

Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Slainte,

Mairi

To join the Springbank Society please contact them at society@springbankwhisky.com

A treasure trove of the world’s “Most desirable, valuable and collectible” single malt Scotch whiskies – Nik Keane, global director for Malt Whiskies at Diageo

Diageo’s Special Releases Series was begun in 2001 to satisfy enthusiasts’ demand for unusual, distinctive, usually older and often unrepeatable cask strength bottlings. Collectors, connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike eagerly anticipate this annual release of remaining older stocks and unusual expressions of a distillery’s character; a rare opportunity to experience and enjoy a treasure trove of priceless malts.

All malts subject to availability – please email lee.tomlinson@milroys.co.uk to register interest in a bottling, or call 020 7437 2385

DISTILLERY AGE AT BOTTLING YEAR DISTILLED UK RRSP % ABV ON BOTTLING VOLUME RELEASED (BOTTLES)
Brora *** 35 1977 £750 49.9 2,944*
Caol Ila Not declared Not stated £70 59.6 Limited number
Cardhu 21 1991 £160 54.2 6,000*
Convalmore *** 36 1977 £600 58.0 2,980*
Lagavulin 12 not stated £80 55.1 Limited number
Lagavulin 37 1976 £1,950 51.0 1,868*
Oban 21 not stated £225 58.5 2,860*
Port Ellen *** 34 1978 £1,500 55.0 2,958*
The Singleton of Dufftown 28 1985 £235 52.3 3,816*
Talisker 27 1985 £475 56.1 3,000**
* = individually numbered bottles
** = individually numbered cartons *** = closed distillery

Lagavulin 1976, 37 year old – Refill American and European Oak
The oldest expression of Lagavulin ever released by the distillers, and limited to fewer than 2,000 bottles. Georgie Crawford, distillery manager at Lagavulin, said: “Lagavulin is probably the most sought-after single malt whisky in production today – universally acknowledged as one of the unchallenged grands crus of Scotch Whisky. For many years we have been unable to supply sufficient mature spirit to meet worldwide demand. So bottlings of old Lagavulin are exceptionally rare, and this year’s 37 year old is the oldest that we have ever released. Its 12 year old younger brother makes a regular appearance in the Special Releases, and has always been received with huge enthusiasm.”

Tasting notes:
• Appearance: Rich amber with copper lights. Good beading.
• Nose: Modestly low key, setting the tone for a maestro’s ‘less is more’ performance. Yet still the aroma could only be that of Lagavulin: rich and complex, an artist’s oils wreathed in scented smoke. The top notes are elusive: is that menthol or beef consommé? Further in, though, there’s honeyed toffee with hints of lime zest, and a cigar-box made of resin-rich sandalwood. With water the aroma is joyously sweet and lightly oily.
• Body: Medium. Lightly coating.
• Palate: At natural strength, the taste is sensational, rounded and comforting. There’s a nice cooling mouthfeel, while the sweet-smoky start of charcoal and ripe tropical fruits is followed by gathering wood smoke leading to a palate-cleansing, black tea dryness. Along the way waves of honey, pine, treacle tart and roasting chestnuts interact. It’s really delicate with water, which pulls back the curtain of smoke to reveal a sweetly coating, softly warming and gingery character that is honeyed yet still refreshing.
• Finish: Initially sweet then drying, a little like a treacle tart made with burnt pastry, but it’s the lingering, all-pervading fragrant smoke that seeps into your very soul.
Summary: This outstanding mature Lagavulin is a perfectly balanced, calm and confident malt that is utterly wonderful and understated even at cask strength and becomes joyously delicate with water. Smoky flavours can fade with age, but they are undimmed in this elegant yet robust whisky.

Lagavulin 12 year old – Refill American Oak
A lively expression of Lagavulin released to accompany the blockbuster 1976 release.

Tasting notes:
• Appearance: Extremely pale green-gold.
• Nose: Soft, beguiling and cautious at first, when an appetising sharpness slowly crystallises into red berry fruit, then developing soft, savoury aromas and a delicious smoky sweetness. Savoury hints of charred baked potato skins cooked in a bonfire come first, then peat smoke and a box of spent matches come through. Later still, there are teasing, oily hints of sharp tropical fruit (lime pickle?). These aromas are altogether softer with water; less tense and underscored by youthful sweetness. There are smoky-fresh notes, then raisins and dried fruit, with distant wood smoke.
• Body: Light. Oily.
• Palate: Cooling at first, then salty, drying and dusty, with a good balance of sweetness and acidity. Beautifully cleansing, like a salad of tarragon and peppery rocket, then really appetizing, as if a char-grilled endive splashed with peppery olive oil. The charred notes then strengthen, into smoky wax. Sweeter with water and more accessible, as captivating notes of aniseed and fennel seeds give way to charred fruit scones and burnt jam tarts.
• Finish: Simultaneously sweet and savoury, dominated by pungent smoke and appetising aniseed. With growing warmth, it becomes oily near the end. With water it is sweet and abrupt with subdued smoke; pleasantly drying and piney.
Summary: An initially reserved member of the Lagavulin family, which grows much more at ease and expressive with water. As you might expect, this is a wonderfully appetising, invigorating and cleansing malt; soaring pine and pungent smoke invite you to pair it with lean, intense foods.

Talisker 1985, 27 year old – Refill American Oak
From the Isle of Skye, 3,000 individually numbered bottles of the much loved Talisker are being released and sure to be in strong demand.

Tasting notes:
• Appearance: Rich, clear amber with notes of antique gold.
• Nose: Absolutely classic Talisker. First soft and sweet, with shortcrust pastry and rich warm dark chocolate. Next, after the faintest mention of raspberry juice, comes waft upon waft of warming, homely smoke. Through this rises the buttery, oaty aroma of home-made chocolate chip cookies, offset by sharp mixed-berry jam and ripe red apples. There are late top notes of beeswax and polish on new shoes fresh from the box. Water makes it all sweetly smoky and liberates mysterious volcanic fumes.
• Body: Medium. Oily.
• Palate: Cool, salty and sweet; then warming and spicy, with notes of ginger and clove. Growing rich and malty, with helpings of plum pudding and fruitcake. Then resin-rich, dense, fragrant pine-wood smoke. Soft, smooth and bitter-sweet with water, with gently pervasive smoke.
• Finish: Long and silky-smooth, with more of that drying, unctuous and soft dark chocolate, and chewy, with ripe plums. Late warmth, cigar-box cedar and coal smoke.
Summary: A supreme Talisker; wonderfully classic in style and as sophisticated as its peers but with an extra ‘chilled’ self-assurance and even an edge of darkness. A malt that lives life to the full and doesn’t take itself too seriously: it’s also ever-so-slightly edgy, with suggestions of a volcanic heritage.

Cardhu 1991, 21 year old – Ex-bourbon American Oak
From Speyside comes an unusually mature Cardhu, with under 6,000 individually numbered bottles released. This will make an interesting comparison to the Cardhu 22 year old released in 2005.

Tasting notes:
• Appearance: Old gold; richer amber depths. Good beading.
• Nose: Mild and at first quite shy. An early creamy, fruity note of vanilla and boiled sweets (bubble gum!) is faintly underscored by a rich, floral perfume with a cleansing edge. The creamy fruitiness persists as dried figs, rum-and-raisin ice cream, red apple skins and beeswax. Later a malty, biscuity base layer is revealed, as the cleansing edge becomes a sharply defined top layer. Overall, it’s a richer vanilla custard and fruit trifle creaminess that emerges. Water opens things out, raising both fruit and floral scents slightly, the boiled sweets now mandarin-flavoured.
• Body: Fine and light.
• Palate: At natural strength, smooth and savoury, with light acidity. Clean, refined, pleasantly drying and delicate. Then wonderfully aromatic with notes of black cherry; growing spicy, warming and elegant, with nutty, dark chocolate offset by buttery shortbread. It’s even softer with a drop of water. Now the taste starts cooler and sweeter; still savoury (mint on a fresh fruit salad) but also newly spicy across the tongue.
• Finish: Long, aromatic and warming; smooth vanilla balanced by juicy tangerine and faint orange oil with spicy cedar, late silky-smooth dryness and a wisp of smoke.
Summary: Clean and precisely structured; delicate and feminine on the nose, yet also robust, assured and unusually spicy. A beautifully balanced malt in which lusciously rich and indulgent vanilla notes are complemented by elegantly aromatic and refined tannins in the palate and finish.

The Singleton of Dufftown 1985, 28 year old – Refill American Oak
The first release of a limited cask strength edition of The Singleton, with only 3,840 individually numbered bottles available.

Tasting notes:
• Appearance: Deep antique gold. Good beading
• Nose: Grand and mild; compact yet detailed, with ripe apple and pear fruit or perhaps beeswax and heather pollen, and scents of moorland herbs. Quite autumnal, with faint smoke and a savoury cereal note, and like an old dusty library carrying scents of wax and worn leather. Later, orange oil underscores the complex floral notes. In time some vanilla develops, becoming intense buttercream. Water lightens it considerably and brings out the malty, cereal character (like being in a grain loft), with leafy strawberries, more waxiness and the merest trace of smoke.
• Body: Oily, dense.
• Palate: At natural strength, this malt has a big, oily feel; sweet and reminiscent of a wholewheat breakfast cereal coated with honey. The initial effect is warming, with an instantly appetising astringency. Below this lie minty and faintly smoky notes and rich chewy liquorice with a digestive biscuit sweetness. It’s all sweeter and less oily with water; losing that piercing aromatic dryness and with the cereal note dimmed, it’s altogether gentler and more approachable.
• Finish: Invigorating, warming and gloriously astringent at the end, with notes of pine and cedar to leave the palate tingling over a lingering last wisp of smoke.
Summary: A wonderfully appetising, full flavoured and mature malt, made subtle by long ageing, yet retaining its malty/nutty distillery character. Beautifully structured and paced, it is at once fresh and alive on the palate, yet also evocative of the past; complex and exciting, intricate and intriguing.

Convalmore 1997, 36 year old – Refill European Oak
From the Dufftown distillery mothballed in 1985 this Convalmore is exceedingly rare, and released this year with greater age than when previously offered in 2005. Available in fewer bottles on this occasion also, at only 3,000.

Tasting notes:
• Appearance: Vibrant amber or faded polished mahogany. Medium beaded and very viscous.
• Nose: Mild and profound, opening scented with eucalyptus oil and a trace of leather infusing a soft pillow of marshmallow and creamy toffee. Through this runs a rich vein of clean, tropical fruit sharpness, underscored by soft, crumbly, malty notes with a wisp of smoke. In time, the appetising fruit retreats into a rich, creamy shell. A little water brings up the soft toffee creaminess and a little mint, as the fruity complex becomes fresher.
• Body: Lightly oily. Smooth.
• Palate: Big and oily in texture; gently warming and extremely soft and comforting, like a whisky syrup! The taste is immediately sweet yet, with a note of aniseed, not cloying. Successive waves of pepper, salt and smoke follow, revealing a mouth-drying nature. With water, the texture remains big, thick and tongue-coating; the taste is sweeter, cooler and minty; slightly dusty, too, with hints of shortbread and scented smoke.
• Finish: Superbly balanced, with an unusual aftertaste of perfumed smoke. There’s still sweetness but it’s in essence drying, with notable cedar-rich hints of cigar box.
Summary: A subtle, big whisky with an astonishing rich velvet texture that wears its age lightly yet has developed a wonderful complexity. The young-seeming, sweet and succulent nose leads, via the smooth, comforting palate, to a drying conclusion of marked aromatic complexity, masterminded by long years of maturation.

Oban 21 year old – Rejuvenated American Oak and second fill ex-bodega casks
For lovers of West Coast single malts, this 21 year old Oban has been finished in rejuvenated American Oak and a second fill in ex-Bodega casks.

Tasting notes
• Appearance: Polished beech-wood; richer and deeper in sunlight. Moderate beading.
• Nose: Full, accessible and oily, with rich caramel notes embracing sweet, ripe apples set in burnt pastry yet also with fresh and cleansing maritime notes; fragrant dried seaweed, hot sand dunes. Then darker, linseed-oil-rich aromas like those found at a furniture restorer’s lead to a briefly salty, then spicy, aromatic conclusion. It’s more complex and sweetly rounded with water, with lighter caramel, more ripe autumn fruit, and a trace of smoke, delivering a pleasurable, moreish malt.
• Body: Rich.
• Palate: Warming overall, the dense, oily texture beautifully coating and liqueur-like. The taste is first sweet, with fruity vanilla toffee, then salty, with pistachio shells, and burnt pastry. Becomes sweeter and less salty: less the old sea-dog! Mouth-cleansing, cool and fresh, and drying. Water emphasises the cooling, sweet and salty notes; rich dark chocolate and minty smoke.
• Finish: Lengthy and drying, starting sweet and savoury with raspberry juice, dark smooth chocolate, ginger and clove, yet with an attractive salty, oily aftertaste, all brine and smooth olive oil.
Summary: Oban, and then some. A beautifully paced, confident and assured malt; complex and contradictory, yet always rewarding. Rich and sweet then briny and spicy, at once conveying the freshness of walks along the coast and through apple orchards early on a crisp, autumn morning.

Caol Ila – Unpeated ‘Stitchell Reserve’ – Refill American Oak, rejuvenated American Oak and ex-bodega European Oak
So named in honour of the long-serving distillery manager Billy Stitchell, due to retire this year:
“Refill American Oak, rejuvenated American Oak and ex-bodega European Oak have all played a role in creating this special Caol Ila,” explains Billy. “It has a firm, clean and fresh style, finishing with aromatic, spicy and drying notes.”

Tasting Notes:
• Appearance: Clear, olive gold. Light beading.
• Nose: At full strength, immediately clean, aromatic and fresh: like inhaling Friar’s Balsam. After this first blast, more reticent; softly sweet, then a vivid freshness like that of crisp green fruit or lemon zest. Water raises a fruity, nutty honeyed sweetness and a faint note of treacle, with perhaps just a hazy hint of smoke.
• Body: Light to medium. Oily, yet firm.
• Palate: Drinks well straight; has an intense and in your face style, with a most appealing smooth, lightly oily texture. Firm, clean and fresh throughout. Intense and mouth-filling, with a great initial surge of sweet spiciness unaccompanied by the usual signature phenols of peated Caol Ila or indeed, much fruit. Becoming honey-nutty (nut brittle, with a dark edge of treacle bitterness) then finally, warming and drying. A good splash of water develops these flavours; it’s tongue-coating and appetisingly bitter-sweet now, leaving a spicy dryness as the tide of flavour ebbs.
• Finish: Aromatic, spicy and drying; a balancing bitter edge embraces more of the soft nutty, biscuity notes, always maintaining that essential freshness overall.
Summary: A smooth-talking, easy-drinking powerhouse. A powerfully, punchy, warming and sweet-spicy whisky with a mighty vitality and a smooth texture: the clean, fresh bitter-sweet nutty flavours give it a character all of its own and it’s a perfect testament to a remarkable whisky making dynasty.

Port Ellen 1978, 34 year old – Refill American Oak and refill European Oak
An immensely rare bottling from a long closed distillery; the 13th and oldest release from the original distillers. Available in only 3,000 individually numbered bottles.

 Tasting notes:
• Appearance: A clear amber, like antique gold in sunlight. Dense beading, suggesting rich texture.
• Nose: Cautious and clean at first, with hints of dark toffee wrapped in wood smoke, then cooling oil of eucalyptus and a trace of bruised apple fruit. The wood smoke parts to reveal a savoury, meaty scent, then sweet honey, toasted cereals and a whole artist’s studio of oils. With water, it starts smoky (like vegetables on a barbecue) the underlying oiliness now punctuated by hints of lime.
• Body: Light, oily, smooth.
• Palate: Stunning. Caution is thrown to the winds as sweet and intense smoke races across the palate chased by fresh lemons, lemon zest and butter. This rich, fruity smoky-sweetness becomes tongue-coating, smooth dark chocolate enveloped in exquisite wood smoke. It drinks very well straight and when the attack slows, there’s yet more honey, lemon and a sprinkling of sea salt. If water is added it is smooth, lightly oily, much sweeter now and more accessible: still some salt, with a new spicy tingle.
• Finish: Long, coating, intense and sustained, all pervading scented smoke, hints of mint and bergamot, then finally dense and savoury, with an aftertaste suggesting cloves.
Summary: A phenomenal, mighty and utterly compelling Port Ellen with astonishing complexity and huge character. The refined nose gives no clue to the vivid, immediate onrush of astonishing flavours; a fine interplay of clean citrus, alluring smoke and salt with honeyed sweetness.

Brora 1977, 35 year old – Refill American Oak and European Oak
Similarly rare and desirable, this Highland East Coast single malt is from casks filled in 1977, also available in 3,000 individually numbered bottles. Both Port Ellen and Brora are ideal for dedicated connoisseurs.
Nick Morgan, Diageo’s head of whisky outreach, commented:
“Stocks of Brora and Port Ellen are inexorably diminishing. Each year’s limited-edition bottling releases one more fragment of whisky history that is unique, and can’t ever be replaced. This puts Port Ellen and Brora in a different category from most other very old single malts – mainly from operating distilleries – that are on the market, often at very high prices. On top of that, Port Ellen and Brora are not merely rare, old and in great demand – they are judged by most qualified commentators to be of outstanding quality, and this year’s edition will be no exception.
“Indeed, many would accept that Port Ellen and Brora are among the world’s rarest Single Malt Whiskies still being released.”

 Tasting notes:
• Appearance: Yellow gold or polished brass. Lightly oily.
• Nose: Initially clean, fresh and bracing; then warming, developing depth and richness. Creamy top notes of warm scented wax or vanilla-custard float above a herbal note (basil?) and a sharper, cereal base, all suffused with just a thread of smoke. The nutty, waxy notes sweeten into honeycomb and toasted coconut. The sea appears very late, as a fresh sea breeze. Adding a little water softens the impact and brings up the scented wax, with honey and lemongrass subduing the more subtle vanilla aromas.
• Body: Light and softly coating.
• Palate: Good texture and a surprising taste: much sweeter than you expect from the nose, and much more smoky, with a most attractive tongue-coating smoothness. A leafy hint of fresh picked strawberry introduces lemon zest and candied peel to set the tongue tingling. Then damp beach notes of wood, sand and sea air round off a beautifully balanced palate. With water added this is a very easy-drinking, rewarding dram: fuller in texture than when at full strength, it is also less sweet, becoming mouth drying, cleansing and softly smoky.
• Finish: Coating, chewy and softly drying, with minty chocolate (after-dinner mints). Wood smoke lingers in the complex, fresh and spicy conclusion.
Summary: A Brora classic: a mature, sweetly pleasing, tongue-coating, softly smoky malt that rewards deep study, evoking a tranquil beach scene rather than the drama of the high seas. Fans of Brora will not be disappointed by this superb, comforting, old-fashioned whisky.

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Classic Book Reviews: Scotch by Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart

By Tim F

Sir Robert Bruce Lockhart was a very interesting man.  His book, Scotch: The Whisky of Scotland in Fact and Story, appeared in 1951 when its author was in his sixties and approaching the twilight of a fascinating life. Lockhart had … Continue reading >>

New Release & New Edition!

Glenglassaugh 30 Year Old

Glenglassaugh Evolution

Glenglassaugh 30 Year Old Whisky

Glenglassaugh 30 Year Old is an exceptionally fine example of this rare Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Located on the Banffshire coast near the fishing village of Portsoy, Glenglassaugh was considered by whisky writer Alfred Barnard “too well known to need any praise.”

Glenglassaugh is a rare and enduring Highland malt that has been crafted by the elements and rediscovered for a few.

Glenglassaugh Evolution

Evolution is an exclusive and very limited one-off series from single variety oak cask styles. Bottled at 50% strength, natural colour and without the use of chill-filtration.

This expression was matured in first fill ex-George Dickel Tennessee Whisky barrels and shows great depth of character and finesse, a harmonious combination of whisky and oak.

Cù Bòcan has stalked residents of the remote Highland village of Tomatin for centuries, his legend embellished by the hellhound’s increasingly fractious behaviour.

Sightings are rare, once in a generation, always terrifying. A distillery worker, out walking late, was once relentlessly pursued by an imposing black beast, steam spiralling from flared nostrils, teeth bared.

Compelled beyond all natural reason to feel the hound’s dense fur he stopped and reached out, hand trembling, only to see the ghostly spectre – Cù Bòcan – dissolve before his eyes leaving nothing but a vacuum of deathly silence and an inky blue cloud of smoke, soon spirited away across the peat moorland…

THE WHISKY

Cask Type:

Matured in a combination of Virgin Oak, Bourbon and Sherry casks.

Strength:

46% alc./vol.

Availability:

September 2013

Distribution:

Worldwide

Price:

RRP £43.99 per 70cl bottle

This whisky is described as “light smoke intertwined with rich citrus and exotic spices”.

AROMA

Coconuts and cream with some botanic notes, parsley and coriander. The smoke emerges after a minute followed by a mix of lime, grapefruit and tangerines with rich almond and aniseed.

PALATE

Initially feather light, followed by a honeyed smoke. The rich spice of cloves, cinnamon and star anise create an enigmatic elegance.

FINISH

Light with a hint of sweet smoke.

NOTES

• LAUNCH DATE: 3rd September 2013

• LAUNCH DETAILS: The launch will be announced online via the company’s Twitter account – a link to www.cu-bocan.com will be published where all the details of the whisky and its story will be revealed. A selection of whisky bloggers and writers received teaser samples with no details of the whisky contents or brand, just instructions to log on to Twitter at 7pm on 3rd September.

• The Tomatin Distillery Co Ltd is a producer and blender of Scotch whisky, boasting a strong core range of single malt whiskies along with a range of popular blends.

• Website: www.tomatin.com  / www.cu-bocan.com Facebook: facebook.com/cubocan facebook.com/Tomatin1897