Glenmorangie named world’s best dram   

— Author of renowned Whisky Bible pays homage to the “borderline perfection” of limited edition Ealanta — 

Glenmorangie Ealanta has today been named as the best dram on the planet by Jim Murray, one of the world’s leading whisky experts.

In his 2014 Whisky Bible Murray paid tribute to the quality of the limited edition single malt Scotch by describing it as having “one of the longest finishes of any Scotch this year…and borderline perfection.” It scored 97.5 out of 100 points.

This year 4,500 whiskies were tasted, evaluated and rated by Murray but he was blown away by Ealanta’s innovative aroma and taste profile. Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible is published annually and is regarded as a benchmark for the sector.

Glenmorangie Ealanta was released at the start of this year as the fourth annual release in the company’s award-winning Private Edition range.

Scots Gaelic for ‘skilled and  ingenious’, Ealanta is a 19 Years Old Glenmorangie, fully matured in virgin American white oak casks with a provenance that stretches all the way to the mountains of Missouri and the Mark Twain National Forest.

Dr Bill Lumsden, The Glenmorangie Company’s Director of Distilling and Whisky Creation, said: “This is a wonderful award for us and testament to the ongoing success of our Private Edition range. Jim Murray has been a leading judge of whisky for three decades so this is a major coup for us.

“It’s no secret in our industry that it’s the ‘wood that makes the whisky’ and for many years my team and I have been carrying out detailed research in this area.”

Jim Murray, whose Whisky Bible celebrates its tenth anniversary this year, said: “Glenmorangie Ealanta pipped others to the post because it went out and did something different; not only did it blow one away with its deftness, beauty and elegance, but it gave an aroma and taste profile completely new to me in over 30 years of tasting whisky.”

Glenmorangie Ealanta retails at £74.99 and is available at specialist retailers including The Whisky Exchange, Master Of Malt, The Whisky Shop and Royal Mile Whiskies (Edinburgh).

NOTES

About Glenmorangie:

Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky originates in the Scottish Highlands where, at the Glenmorangie Distillery, it is distilled in the tallest malt whisky stills in Scotland, expertly matured in the finest oak casks, and perfected by the Men of Tain. The Distillery was founded in 1843 and is renowned as a pioneer in its field uniting tradition with innovation to create ‘unnecessarily well-made whiskies.’

Responsible Drinking:

The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking and suggests that drinkers savour Glenmorangie whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.

Springbank Distillery w/ Ranald Watson – Tue Nov 5 – 7PM – $35  

Featuring a lineup of 9 malts, including 5 never before tasted in Alberta! 

Campbeltown’s Sprigbank is Scotland’s oldest family owned distillery, and also the Kintyre peninsula town’s largest employer. In addition to Springbank the parent company,  J.A. Mitchel, also owns the Glengyle Distillery, producer of Kilkerran single malt and William Cadenhead, Scotland’s Oldest Independent bottler. We are very privileged to be hosting their travelling Brand Ambassador Ranald Watson for a tasting at KWM on Tuesday November 5. Ranald will guide us through a range of whiskies from Springbank, Kilkerran and Cadenhead including a 1977 Littlemill, the newest incarnation of Campbeltown Loch 21 Year and a Springbank cask bottled exclusively for Alberta:

1. Campbeltown Loch 21 Year – $125.99
2. Hazelburn 12 Year – $97.99
3. Kilkerran Work In Progress 5 Bourbon – $62.99
4. Kilkerran Work in Progress 6 Sherry – $62.99
5. Springbank Gold Medal Marketing Cask 12 Year – $104.99
6. Springbank 15 Year – $92.99
7. Springbank 18 Year – $130.99
8. Longrow Rundlets & Kilderkins – $92.99
9. Cadenhead Littlemill 1977 – $376.99

Call 403-283-8000 to purchase tickets or visit here

Some things are absolutely worth the wait. In April, we announced its forthcoming release and after 35 years in the making, the stunning limited edition 35yo Glengoyne is here. 500 decanters of this exquisite malt are now ready, and we are delighted to reveal it is available for sale from today.

Presented in a solid oak lacquered gull wing box with a hand- stitched ‘Bentley Red’ leather interior and base, the bespoke hand-blown crystal decanter contains a rich golden malt with tropical fruit intensity and a liquorice and dark chocolate finish. Priced at £2,850, it’s a prestigious ‘jewel in the crown’ for any whisky collector’s drinks cabinet.

Isle of Arran Ambassador Night

Thursday 7th November 2013, 6.30pm Start
The Isle of Arran distillery opened in 1995 and has gone on to produce an iconic and quite frankly delicious single malt whisky. We are joined by their brand ambassador who will be talking us through their range as well as a limited release bottling. As with all our Ambassador Nights the £20 ticket price can be redeemed against purchases made on the night.

£20.00

All tastings take place at our tasting cellar:

Milroys of Soho,
3 Greek Street
London
W1D 4NX

Balvenie 12yo 40% Double Wood 70cl –
Was £38.99  Today’s offer price – £32.50 (save £6.49)

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The skins of Seville oranges. The apricot note of Oloroso sherry.
Palate: Beautifully combined mellow flavours: nutty, sweet, sherry, very orangy fruitiness, heather, cinnamon spiciness.
Finish: Long and warming, cinnamon prickles through the lingering sweet sherry.

(Tasting note by Whisky Magazine)

http://www.singlemaltsdirect.com/balvenie-12-year-old-doublewood.html

anCnoc 12yo 40% 70cl –

Was £35.75  Today’s offer price – £29.50 (save £6.25)

Tasting Notes:

Nose: An aggressive pepperiness bites deep into the usual grassy maltiness and coal smoke. Excellent depth and complexity, though slightly more aggressive, if younger, in style than of old.

Palate: Absolutely fabulous, near-perfect, malt arrival, perhaps the most clean, yet intense of any in Scotland. The complexity is staggering with not only multi-layers of malt but a distant peat and oak fusion.

Finish: Deliciously spicy.

(Tasting Notes by Jim Murray, Whisky Bible 2011.)

http://www.singlemaltsdirect.com/ancnoc-12-year-old.html

Glen Moray Classic 40% 70cl –

Was £22.99  Today’s offer price – £18.99 (save £4.00)

Tasting Notes:

Nose: At full strength the aroma is fragrant and lightly drying with warming malty notes. The first impression is of butterscotch and shortbread with fresh herbal/grassy notes. Lemon curd and meringue are discovered in the background.

Palate: The mouthfeel is lightly spiced with a warming and gently mouth watering effect. Malty toffee sweetness is present throughout with blackcurrants and a fragrant citrus lemongrass tang.

Finish: Shortbread fresh herbal notes (lemongrass) and the sweet spiciness of ginger marmalade.

http://www.singlemaltsdirect.com/glen-moray-classic.html

Whisky Ramblings Via Video #67

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, enjoys the new Auchentoshan 14 Year Old by Cadenheads, one of the oldest and still independently owned bottlers. Mark Watt recently joined the company at its HQ in Campbeltown and launched the new dumpy series with that wonderful retro look.

http://youtu.be/bxq0XYUm3rw

OLD PULTENEY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY AND US SAILING

ANNOUNCE FINALISTS FOR THE 2013 MARITIME HEROES AWARD 

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky and US Sailing announced this year’s finalists for the 2013 Old Pulteney Maritime Heroes Award. Now in its second year, the Maritime Heroes Award seeks out men and women across the country who are making significant contributions to their local sailing community and the overall sport of sailing. Three finalists were chosen this year.

“We continue to be impressed by how many men and women dedicate their lives to improving and preserving the sport of sailing,” said Amy Larkin, Marketing Director of US Sailing.

Each finalist was nominated by another member of their sailing community and carefully selected by Old Pulteney and US Sailing representatives.

• Don Glasell from Chicago, IL, makes sailing more accessible to inner-city kids and the disabled as a sailing instructor with the Chicago Yacht Club and the Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Foundation.
• Rich Goben of Descanso, CA, has committed 33 years of service on several classic passenger sailing vessels teaching, training, and mentoring countless crews.
• Michael Rorke Miller from Traverse City, MI helps at-risk youth in northern Michigan through a therapeutic sailing program, SAIL Champion.

“These finalists embody everything an Old Pulteney Maritime Hero should be: dedicated, compassionate and selfless,” said Pat Graney, President of International Beverage USA. “We recognize and appreciate the lasting impressions they have made in both their local communities and the sailing community as a whole.”

The winner will be determined by public vote and recognized at an award ceremony in February 2014 during US Sailing’s National Sailing Programs Symposium in San Diego, California.  Friends, family and members of the national maritime community are encouraged to vote for their favorite finalist. Public voting for the Old Pulteney Maritime Heroes Award will be open through December 1, 2013. For official rules please visit www.maritimeheroes.com. 

About Old Pulteney

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky is crafted at Pulteney Distillery in Wick, Scotland. The distillery was founded in 1826 by James Henderson at the height of Wick’s herring boom. The distillery lies in the heart of “Pulteneytown,” which was one of the largest and most important herring fishing ports in Europe.  Old Pulteney has a long standing association with the sea and is the official scotch of US Sailing.  Its carefully crafted taste carries the windswept and rugged character of the North, the salty and fresh air of the North Sea, and the distillery’s rich maritime heritage runs through every drop of this fine malt.

About US Sailing
The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team Sperry Top-Sider. For more information, please visit http://www.ussailing.org/.

NOVEMBER OUTTURN TASTING

LEGACY LIQUOR STORE

1633 Manitoba, Vancouver

Wednesday, November 6th   7:00pm

$35 members/$45 non-members

To register please call 604-331-7900 

Vancouver’s November Outturn tasting will be held at Legacy Liquor Store on Wednesday, November 6th.Please join us for what promises to be an evening of great company and great scotch (including another 30th anniversary release) around Legacy’s beautiful tasting table!

Early November Outturn Offerings 

Marriage in the merry month of May 

Cask No. 59.41                  $195

Highland, Northern

We were greeted by the very intense smell of an array of quality perfumes and very expensive flower bouquets. After a while deeper notes appeared, polished pew wood, old hymn books and incense – we got the impression of being a guest at a wedding in a historic catholic church. The taste, rich toffee, rum truffles, raisins, chocolate covered almonds and the sugar coated icing of a mini egg. Careful when adding water – we have now left the church and photos are being taken in a cherry blossom orchard. There are also fresh fruity notes of water melon, mango and white grapes. The taste now floral – possibly roses, slightly oaky and the dusty icing sugar on the wedding cake. Very enjoyable, from the distillery in Allness which was completely renovated in 1974.

Drinking tip: Ideal for a hipflask at a wedding

Colour: Honeycomb gold                                            Date distilled: November 1983

Cask: Refill hogshead                                         Alcohol: 45.7%

Age: 29 years                                                         USA allocation: 72 bottles

Buttery waffles on polished wood 

Cask No. G7.4                           $190

Grain

The nose was delightfully sweet – toffee sauce on ice-cream and banana, apple pie, corn candies, iced caramels, dusty muesli and dried apricots; added interest came from flowers, sawdust and fag packets in an oriental massage parlour. The unreduced palate had golden syrup, maple syrup, chocolate fondue with fruit and a dusting of oaky spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove); quite bourbon-like. On the reduced nose, leather and polished wood supported the sweetness of buttery waffles and salted caramel. The palate was sweet yet musky, like a Mars Bar with old spice – lip-smackingly tasty, we thought. The distillery is near the Ayrshire coast.

Drinking tip: After a nice lunch or with banana split dessert

Colour: Jill Masterson’s skin in Goldfinger                                        Date distilled: May 1984

Cask: Refill hogshead                                         Alcohol: 58.4%

Age: 28 years                                                         USA allocation: 60 bottles 

Complex, carefree and curvaceous 

Cask No. 7.82                            $150

Speyside, Lossie

The nose – classic lady’s leather handbag (cigarette packets, nail varnish, perfume, custard creams, ginger biscuits) – then seductively sweet (crème brûlée, salted caramel, apricot jam) and fruity (lemon, green apple, dried bananas, peaches, lychees). The palate spread pools of velvety sweetness (crystallised pineapple, soft toffee, syrup on toast) from which bubbles of acceptable bitterness would pop (perfume, pepper, marmalade, green wood). The reduced nose got us thinking about pine tree fresh, perfumed bath salts – heady and seductive stuff! The sweet, fruity palate now seemed complex, carefree and curvaceous, trilling under gentle kisses of oak. The distillery claims connections with Saint Marnoch.

Drinking tip: A dram for day-dreams, fantasies and reveries

Colour: Antique gold                                                                                         Date distilled: April 1993

Cask: Refill hogshead                                         Alcohol: 53.0%

Age: 19 years                                                         USA allocation: 144 bottles

A ballerina in stilettos 

Cask No. 46.21                          $100

Speyside, Lossie

The nose was immediately promising – offering buttered popcorn, puff candy, caramel, burnt orange peel, toasted almonds, pot-pourri, molasses and Christmas essential oils. The palate had good viscosity and an expanding universe of flavours – orange and lemon zest, moist gingerbread, wood-sap, candied angelica, pepper and Lea and Perrins – chewy and tasty, with spicy tingles. The reduced nose found malt, maple syrup on bacon, porridge and a wood-panelled room. The palate now suggested duck with orange sauce, syrup of figs and leather thongs – and seemed to dance around the tongue like a ballerina in stilettos. Named after a tributary of the Spey.

Drinking tip: A nice wee dram to provide warmth and contentment in the winter months, especially at Christmas

Colour: Wedding band gold                                                            Date distilled: May 2002

Cask: Refill butt                                                              Alcohol: 60.9%

Age: 11 years                                                         USA allocation: 114 bottles

To get lost in the moment 

Cask No. 53.186                                $160

Islay

The nose neat is extremely fresh and clean, some mentioned tea tree toothpaste with baking soda, others lime zest and green Starburst candy and there were also parallels drawn to very fine new fresh cashmere or angora wool. We all agreed it felt like a sunny day at the machir with a warm salty sea breeze in our faces. The taste, salted butter, pistachio nuts with a hint of burnt heather. With water soft and woolly with a sweet smoke and a little soapy like ‘Radox Watermint & Sea Minerals’ shower gel. The taste sweet and malty; a mug of Horlicks with milk and honey and a lime cake with salted caramel frosting.

Drinking tip: Enjoying a sunset on the beach

Colour: Virgin olive oil                                                                                       Date distilled: December 1989

Cask: Refill hogshead                                     Alcohol: 54.2%

Age: 23 years                                                         USA allocation: 120 bottles

Please visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at http://www.smwsa.com/

Ralfy here  . . .   just to let you know that I am currently promoting a little Crowd funding Project at http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/bonneville-speed-week-2014/ where we aim to raise the funds to secure logistics of transportation of two motorbikes to Bonneville in 2014 for the Centenary of Speed Week.

The Team are current Double World Record Holders and have every chance of achieving up to six more World Record as part of the Isle of Man Year of Culture Event. Our mission is to show our community that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things with ambition and perseverance.

Bottles of whisky will continue to be involved on a regular basis, whether at auction as fund-raisers or as morale-boosters !