Archive for September, 2013

SPECIALITY DRINKS LTD RELEASE GLENFARCLAS 1953 TO COMMEMORATE THE QUEEN’S CORONATION – Scotch Whisky News

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SPECIALITY DRINKS LTD RELEASE GLENFARCLAS 1953 TO COMMEMORATE THE QUEEN’S CORONATION

Speciality Drinks Ltd will launch their latest bottling today.  A very special crystal decanter filled with a single cask 1953 vintage Glenfarclas Single Malt Whisky, to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne upon the death of her father, King George VI, on 6th February 1952, and was proclaimed Queen shortly thereafter.  As tradition dictated that an appropriate period of mourning should be observed for the preceding sovereign, the coronation was held more than a year later on 2nd June 1953.

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of this historic occasion, we are proud to introduce The Coronation Decanter. With just 60 specially commissioned crystal decanters being released, this is an exceptional, exclusive bottling that reflects the importance of The Queen’s Coronation.

The outstanding whisky has been matured in a single sherry butt at the distillery in Ballindalloch for almost six full decades and has been bottled at its natural strength.  Only the natural elements of air, wood and time have influenced the development of its magnificent flavour profile.

Connoisseurs of fine whisky will recognise the rarity of any single malt reaching such a  great age; for the whisky to still  be in such amazing condition is little short of miraculous.  This remarkable sherry cask has yielded a whisky of unsurpassed quality, with an exquisitely refined array of rich and complex flavours.  

Tasting notes: 

Nose  –  At first concentrated dark fruit, macadamia nuts and orange liqueur. Baked apples and raisins develop in the glass for a more subtle style of whisky, while shiitake mushrooms, autumn leaves and sandalwood add a wonderful savoury aspect. Spiced cake and dried fruit provide a balancing sweetness. 

Palate  –  An initial launch into clove studded oranges and mulled wine, with fragrant arabica coffee, dark chocolate and umami. The flavours then lighten and lead towards an explosion of fruit – ripe mango and guava are balanced by grapefruit and juicy mandarin. Behind this, gentle honey sweetness and barley sugar combine with ground nutmeg and cinnamon to give a complex and rounded body. Given time, tarragon and cedar wood compliment leafy mint and cooked blackberries. 

Finish  –  Soft orchard fruit and bread pudding linger on the palate, with touches of hazelnut, fresh mint and citrus juice leaving you ready for another sip.

Sukhinder Singh, Director of Speciality Drinks, says: “We are delighted to launch The Coronation Decanter to celebrate The Queen’s 60th regal anniversary.  This whisky really is exceptional, it reminds me of a citrus, spiced Christmas pudding. The depth and range of flavour in this whisky really is extremely rare for its age and has only been achieved on few occasions.  We have presented it in a beautiful crystal decanter that we had specially crafted solely for this one-off release.  As there are only 60 bottles being produced, this is not only a fantastic investment opportunity for the avid collectors and enthusiasts but more importantly, it is a Single Malt the connoisseurs from around the world will truly appreciate.”

The Coronation Decanter is available to buy exclusively from The Whisky Exchange (www.thewhiskyexchange.com) with an RRP of £6000.  It is not unjust to say that this is  extraordinary value for a Single Malt of such a great age.

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Notes:

ABOUT SPECIALITY DRINKS LTD:

Speciality Drinks Ltd is the brainchild of Sukhinder and Raj Singh, two brothers with a passion for fine spirits and nearly fifty years of experience in the drinks business between them.  They went online in 1999 with the launch of The Whisky Exchange, a site which has grown to become the web’s No.1 specialist retailer of whisky & other fine spirits and liqueurs, with an enormous range of over 4000 products available online at any one time.  TWE’s philosophy has always been to offer the best range and service in online spirits retailing, and the company is constantly on the lookout for quality new spirits and liqueurs with genuine heritage to add to our range.

The company has diversified over the years, building up a thriving on-trade business supplying our top-quality products to an ever-increasing number of the UK’s finest hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants and world-famous style bars.  One of the company’s strengths is the ability to cater to the needs of a very diverse client list, servicing all kinds of customers from international five-star hotel chains to small country pubs with the same expert knowledge, personal service and attention to detail.

Almost since its inception, SDL has been releasing exciting single malt whiskies to enthusiastic praise from the whisky world.  Beginning with one-off expressions from top-end distilleries, their expertise and rigorous cask selection is now channelled toward the creation of new products and ranges, all of which have gone on to win awards and critical acclaim.  These include the innovative Elements of Islay and Port Askaig brands, as well as the acclaimed Single Malts of Scotland series of independent bottlings, while the latest SDL product, Black Tot, is a luxury bottling of the last stocks of authentic Royal Navy Rum.

SPECIALTY DRINKS LTD – BRANDS:

Speciality Drinks have been bottling some of the finest whiskies on the UK market for several years, winning numerous awards at international spirits competitions.  The company releases a wide variety of different whiskies under our three proprietary labels: The Single Malts of Scotland, Elements of Islay and Port Askaig.  In 2010, Speciality Drinks added Black Tot Rum, the last consignment of British Royal Navy rum, to its portfolio. 

LNIKS:

www.specialitydrinks.com

www.thewhiskyexchange.com

Whisky Magazine – Forthcoming Issues – Whisky News

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With the festive season approaching fast, Whisky Magazine is the perfect medium to promote your brand or business to all those who enjoy drinking whisky.

Devoted exclusively to whisky and published eight times every year, Whisky Magazine brings you news, features, reviews and, of course, tastings of the very best malts, blends, bourbon and others whiskies.

The next two issues are no exception and being published in October and December 2013, are perfectly placed to capture the hugely important pre-Christmas market.

Editorial Features

 An advertisement in either (or both) of these editions will give you maximum exposure to a highly-targeted audience in the leading whisky consuming countries of the world.

  Issue No. 115

 Special Features

Whisky Travel: Islay, Jura & Campbeltown

Icons of Whisky North America results

Publication Date: 25th October

Copy deadline: 27th September

    Issue No.116

   Special Features

Whisky Travel -: Japan & Asia

Icons of Whisky Scotland Results

Independent Bottlers’ Challenge Results

Publication Date: 6th December

Copy deadline: 8th November

 To find out more about advertising contact

Joanne Robertson

Sales Manager

joanne@whiskymag.com

 Ben Williamson

Commercial Manager

ben@whiskymag.com

Whisky Magazine

Celebrating the whiskies of the world

www.whiskymag.com

Upcoming Whisky Tasting Highlights at Milroy’s of Soho – Scotch Whisky News

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Upcoming Whisky Tasting Highlights at Milroy’s of Soho

Auchentoshan Ambassador Night

Wednesday18th September 2013, 6.30pm Start

Auchentoshan (Aw-khen-tosh-an) is Gaelic for “corner of the field”: it is located at the foot of the Kilpatrick hills in West Dunbartonshire. Auchentoshan is unusual for a Scottish distillery in that it employs triple distillation, lending it exceptional purity and lightness, so that it is sometimes called ‘the Breakfast whisky’. Join us as we peruse a delicious range of expressions of this most elegant whisky.

£20.00

All tastings take place at our tasting cellar:

Milroys of Soho,

3 Greek Street

London

W1D 4NX

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GlenDronach Batch 8 / BenRiach Batch 10 – Scotch Whisky News

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GlenDronach Batch 8 / BenRiach Batch 10

GlenDronach Batch 8 and BenRiach Batch 10 were both released in July.

GlenDronch batch 8 was bottled in May and includes traditional, rich sherry matured vintages ranging from 1971 to 2002. Full list of casks and details can be found on our website.

BenRiach batch 10 was bottled in June and includes a variety of casks from traditional hogsheads to sherry puncheons and virigin american oak hogsheads. Full list with details can be found on our website.

LAGAVULIN DISTILLERY ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF THIS YEAR’S SPECIAL BOTTLING FOR THE LAGAVULIN ISLAY JAZZ FESTIVAL – Scotch Whisky News

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LAGAVULIN DISTILLERY ANNOUNCES DETAILS OF THIS YEAR’S SPECIAL BOTTLING FOR THE LAGAVULIN ISLAY JAZZ FESTIVAL

by Pat Roberts

A special limited-edition bottling of Lagavulin™ single malt Scotch whisky will again be available at this year’s Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival ( #LagavulinJazz ), which starts on Friday 13 September with a concert in the Malt Mill at Lagavulin distillery by the master of American Stride piano, Stephanie Trick.

The third in this series of releases, the 2013 bottling comes in an edition of 1,500 individually numbered bottles and drawn from hand-selected Sherry Butts filled on 19 January 1995. It is bottled at an ABV of 51.9%.

“We’re delighted to announce our third Jazz Festival bottling” said Nick Morgan, Diageo’s Head of Whisky Outreach. “The first two have been of quite exceptional quality, and this year we’ve increased the quantity to ensure that it can be enjoyed by visitors who come from all over the world to enjoy the Lagavulin Islay Jazz Festival, and those who follow.”

The neck labelling continues the jazz theme of previous editions, again featuring a piano keyboard.

Bottles will be available to personal visitors only at Lagavulin distillery (limit of two bottles per customer) at a UK RRSP of £99.

The Islay Jazz Festival

The Festival is promoted by specialist jazz promoters, Jazz Scotland, and The Islay Arts Association, and receives funding from Argyll and Bute Council and Creative Scotland.

The Festival has been running since 1999. Since then the Festival has promoted musicians from over 25 countries and presented fifteen world premieres and is today regarded as a significant jazz event in the UK calendar.

Programme details can be seen on the Islay Jazz Festival website www.islayjazzfestival.co.uk. The events of the Festival are spread over three days and many venues on Islay.

Diageo’s famous Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Lagavulin™ first sponsored the Festival in 2010.

About Diageo

Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks business with an outstanding collection of beverage alcohol brands across spirits, beer and wine. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB, Windsor, Buchanan’s and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Baileys, Captain Morgan, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, with its products sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE). For more information about Diageo, its people, brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com.

For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com .

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

The LAGAVULIN word and associated logos are trade marks. © Diageo 2013

Top Picks, New Arrivals & Back in Stock at K&L California – Whisky News

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Japan – Single Malt Scotch

•Nikka 17 Year Old Taketsuru Pure Malt Japanese Whisky 750ml ($139.99)
Nikka 21 Year Old Taketsuru Pure Malt Japanese Whisky 750ml ($169.99)
Nikka Coffey Still Grain Whisky Japanese Whisky 750ml ($62.99)
Nikka Miyagikyo 12 Year Old Single Malt Japanese Whisky 750ml ($109.99)

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•1998 Arran 14 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky ($99.99)
Our first attempt to visit the lone distillery on Scotland’s Isle of Arran was disastrous – a gigantic blizzard blew through the south of Scotland, completely shutting down the available ferry system and knocking out power for the entire island. Despite our desire to finally see one of the true up-and-comers of the Scotch industry, we were simply out of luck this year. That didn’t mean we couldn’t taste through casks, however. Luckily for us, the Arran rep was stationed at Glasgow when the storm hit and had samples pulled in anticipation of our appointment. We met up with her shortly after the storm and immediately fell in love with an ex-sherry hogshead that was as complex and delicious as anything we had ever tasted from the young distillery. The nose is all golden grains, brandied fruit, and malty goodness. The palate has a short burst of bright fruit before settling down into faint sherry and sweet barley. At cask strength the alcohol makes these flavors even more powerful, but water doesn’t hinder them in any way. Arran is easily the MIP of the malt industry – the most improved player. Recent releases have been top notch, especially for a producer that began in 1996. We have no doubt that this wonderful cask will make believers out of K&L customers as well. The richness of the finish lingers on forever, reminding for minutes how legit this whisky is. Of course, we knew that going in. That’s why we were willing to brave the blizzard. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)

Scotland – Blended Scotch

  • Compass Box Delilah’s Special Edition Blended Whisky 750ml ($69.99)

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

  • Glenfarclas 40 year old, Distillery Bottling 750ml – 6  available ($469.99)

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

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The Whisky Exchange Vinopolis 8th Birthday Tasting! – Scotch Whisky News

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http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/Vinopolis.aspx

Ralfy Publishes Whisky Review #390 (2/2) – American Whiskey News

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www.ralfy.com gets a little confused with vlog numbers but save the moment with Whisky Review 390 (2/2) – Balcones baby blue corn whisky

Tomintoul 10 & 14 Year Old at Single Malts Direct – Scotch Whisky News

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Tomintoul 14 Year Old

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Delicate soft and creamy with light floral malt and some sweetness.

Palate: Elegant, round, soft and gentle clean malt with some creamy sweetness.

Finish: Long and creamy, tending to dry with slight peppery tones.

£40.00 Buy Now!

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Tomintoul 10 Year Old

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Intense and sharp. Slightly spirity. Leafy. Fern. Cherry trifle. White pepper.

Palate: Enveloping and warm. Velvety. Cream fudge. A lot of spices. Nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper.

Finish: Long-lasting. Warm. Gently vanishing with almonds and nuts.

£28.00 Buy Now!

 

 

 

BOWMORE® ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY LAUNCHES THE DEVIL’S CASKS – Scotch Whisky News

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BOWMORE

 ® ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY LAUNCHES

THE DEVIL’S CASKS

A SPELLBINDING DRAM RICH WITH FRUITCAKE, CHOCOLATE AND DELICIOUSLY DARK FRUITS

Bowmore, Islay’s first Single Malt Scotch whisky, has announced the launch of The Devil’s Casks – a devilishly delicious dram which has been matured exclusively – and unusually – for 10 years in the finest first fill sherry casks. This non chill-filtered, small batch release is bursting with Bowmore’s hot and fiery characteristics, deep mahogany colour and rich fruitcake flavour.

Created to celebrate one of Islay’s most famous tales – a story shrouded in myth and legend – 6,000 bottles of The Devil’s Casks will be released in October, just in time for Halloween. The story goes that the Devil himself was spotted in the round church of Bowmore and chased by local congregation down into the No. 1 vaults at the Bowmore distillery. Here, as the warehousemen were filling casks and loading them aboard the paddle steamer (The Maid of Islay) the devil was lost. It is believed he escaped in a cask of Bowmore bound for the mainland.

The devil is in the detail when it comes to packaging for this delectable treat – the perfect addition to any whisky connoisseur’s collection. A deep red box tells the story of the legend alongside smoke illustrations and a Devil’s pitchfork suggesting the Devil himself isn’t far away!

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TASTING NOTES:

Colour: Deep mahogany

Nose: Dark fruits, birch tar, the warmth of old leather, brandy, fruitcake and maple syrup.

Taste: Rich fruitcake, tarry chocolate, lingering dark fruits, tobacco and angelica root.

Finish: Exceptionally long, full-bodied finish.

Bowmore’s Master of Malts Iain McCallum: “Ten year’s maturation in first fill sherry casks has brought out Bowmore’s fiery characteristics. The notes in this dram are hot and seductive. This small batch release is quite simply, devilishly good!”

540 bottles of the Devil’s Casks has been released in the UK priced at £50.99 RRP, 56.9% ABV.

Bowmore The Devil’s Casks is available from October.


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