OLD PULTENEY REVEALS THE UNIQUE 1990 VINTAGE

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky proudly presents the latest limited addition to its awardwinning range – the 1990 vintage. The new whisky from the Northern Highland distillery follows a string of recent highly successful releases, including Old Pulteney 40 Year Old and the travel-retailexclusive Lighthouse Collection.

Old Pulteney 1990 Vintage

Old Pulteney 1990 Vintage is a mature and full-flavoured addition to the portfolio. It’s bursting with the coastal maritime character, the depth and the complexity found in other expressions, while offering an interesting twist which is sure to excite and delight single malt drinkers around the world. The 1990 Vintage was matured in both American ex-bourbon casks and Spanish exsherry casks which were previously used for ageing heavily peated malt. This residual peatiness has
added an unexpected dimension and allowed the whisky to develop an exquisitely rich and exciting taste profile.

Old Pulteney 1990 Vintage is bottled at 46% ABV. The whisky has not been chill-filtered and is presented at its beautiful natural colour. It’s a strictly limited offering, only 900 cases of this unique spirit will be made available world-wide from November 2013. The recommended retail price in the UK is £120.

The Maritime Malt

Old Pulteney 1990 Vintage was matured for around 23 years, from the 1990 to 2013, in Pulteney Distillery’s warehouses in the town of Wick, right on the windswept Caithness coast. The northern, coastal location of the distillery and its bonded warehouses plays a vital role in developing Old Pulteney’s unmistakable character.

The town of Wick where Pulteney Distillery was established in 1826, was once a busy herring fishing port with as many as 1,000 vessels in its harbour at peak times. In-keeping with Old Pulteney’s maritime heritage, the 1990 Vintage is presented in a tube featuring a ship decking effect, a porthole stamp and Old Pulteney’s classic herring drifter.

Old Pulteney Senior Brand Manager, Margaret Mary Clarke commented:

“After a very exciting year for the brand, which included a global partnership with Clipper Round the World Race, it’s great to finish off 2013 by adding a very special expression to our award-winning portfolio. With its eye catching maritime
design and rich intense taste, we are confident that the 1990 Vintage will be a hit with global whisky connoisseurs.”

Notes

Old Pulteney’s core range includes Old Pulteney 12 Year Old, Old Pulteney 17 Year Old and Old Pulteney 21 Year Old. Old Pulteney 30 Year Old and a super premium 40 Year Old are also available. Old Pulteney 21 Year Old was named by Jim Murray as the World Whisky of the Year in the 2012 edition of his popular Whisky Bible. Pulteney Distillery was established by James Henderson in 1826, at the peak of the local herring fishing boom. The distillery uses one pair of stills, the wash still featuring a very large boil bulb, and condenses spirit with the use of traditional worm tubs.

AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, OUR DECEMBER FIRST FRIDAY WILL ACTUALLY BE HELD ON TUESDAY DECEMBER 3^rd DUE TO ALL HOTEL SPACE BEING BOOKED ON THE FRIDAY FOR CHRISTMAS PARTIES. A THIRD OF THE SEATS ARE SOLD ALREADY, SO IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY BOOKED, CONTACT US RIGHT AWAY.

Here are the details for the event:

Date: Tuesday December 3^rd, 2013.

Time: 6:30pm to 8:00pm

Location: The Strath Ale Wine & Spirit Merchants, 919 Douglas Street, Victoria.

Price: $35 each for Members & Partners, $45 for Non-Members/Guests.     

NON MEMBERS & GUESTS ARE MOST WELCOME 

REGISTRATION:   

1. Space is limited so you must register.
2. To secure your place you need to pre-pay. Please email, drop into the store or phone with credit card details. Email: whisky@strathconahotel.com Phone: 250-370-9463 
3. Once your seat(s) are paid for you will receive an email confirmation from me.

This is your virtual Ticket.

The Tasting will take place in the Maple Room – enter at the Sticky Wicket Pub, corner of Douglas and Courtenay. Doors will open at 6:20pm and the tasting will start PROMPTLY at 6:30pm.

IMPORTANT:

Please remember these are cask strength whiskies, so you should not be driving home after the tasting.

Slainté!

Colin

Colin Southcombe

General Manager

The Strath Ale Wine & Spirit Merchants

919 Douglas Street, Victoria BC, V8W 2C2

Tel: 250-370-9463

Email: whisky@strathconahotel.com

Whisky Scavenger Hunt and Twitter Tasting 

For the next four Sundays #WhiskyFabric from around the world will come together on Twitter for #DavinTT2. We will be tasting 4 Mystery Canadian whiskies, having a Q&A discussion with the author Davin de Kergommeaux and holding Twitter’s first whisky scavenger hunt competition. 

Questions and clues for the scavenger hunt will be revealed over the first three Sundays.  ALL the answers are found in Davin’s book Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert.  

On the last Sunday – December 22^nd, the mystery whiskies will be revealed as will the grand prize winner of the Canadian Goody Basket (10 lovely Canadian whisky samples and an assortment of clichéd Canadiana). 

You are cordially invited to follow hashtag #DavinTT2 and join us on Twitter at 3:00 PM (EST) on Sundays December 1, 8, 15, & 22, 2013. Join us!

Having bottles on hand for upcoming celebrations, unexpected guests and last minute party invitations is key to stress-free holidays. These bottles make it easy – for under $40.00 each!

Michter’s Small Batch American Whiskey

James E. Pepper 1776 Straight Rye Whiskey

Glenfiddich 12 Year Old Distillery Bottling
Single Malt Scotch Whisky

We’re searching for the world’s greatest storyteller!

If you’ve got a legendary tale to share with the world, then we’re dying to hear it! Submit your story to our new #WinningWords competition and you could win a luxury trip for two to the Isle of Jura. The prize includes three nights accommondation at the eccentric Jura Lodge, entry to our whisky festival and a VIP tour of the island.

So curl up in front of the fire, pour yourself a dram and put pen to paper; it’s time to write an unforgettable tale.

SUBMIT YOUR STORY NOW

BACK IN STOCK

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

Bruichladdich Octomore 5.1 Heavily Peated Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 8 available ($179.99)

United States – Bourbon and Rye

Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon 750ml (Ships as 1.5L) ($27.99)
97 points Wine Enthusiast: “Complex and addictive. Scents of cinnamon, hazelnuts, and dried fruit precede big flavors: cinnamon spice, raisinated and plummy, like Madeira or Sherry. Long finish, with a bit of a bite.” (09/2010) K&L Notes: Medium gold in color. The nose brings notes of butterscotch, clover, vanilla and old leather. The big body displays a palate with an almost wine-like character that balances intense fruits, honey and vanilla with a light spiciness that shows off the distiller’s craft. The finish is long and warm.

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

IRISH DISTILLERS TAKES TOP HONOURS IN JIM MURRAY’S WHISKY BIBLE 2014 

Jameson Original revealed as ‘Top Irish Blend’ & Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength is named ‘Irish Whiskey of the Year’ and ‘Irish Pot Still of the Year’

Jameson Original has been crowned ‘Irish Blend of the Year’ for the third year running in the recently-released 2014 edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

Recognising the consistent, crafted quality and smooth taste which has made the whiskey a worldwide favourite, Murray gave Jameson Original an impressive 95/100 points, remarking that he was “blown away as usual” and that “this very special whiskey remains in truly wondrous form”.

In further good news for Irish Distillers, Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength whiskey was once again named both ‘Irish Whiskey of the Year’ and ‘Irish Pot Still of the Year’, with a record score for an Irish whiskey of 97/100 points, reinforcing Irish Distillers’ reputation for crafted excellence across all areas of the Irish Whiskey category. Irish Distillers’ Midleton 1991 Single Cask No. 48750 was Jim Murray’s next highest-scoring Irish whiskey, with 96.5 points.

Murray was also effusive in his praise for the new-strength Powers Gold Label 43.2%, which launched in the USA in September this year, complementing its powerful “big Irish pot still hardness” and stating that it’s balance was “all to do with the extra pot still which here acts as backbone and muscle.”

PADDY Centenary Edition, a pure pot still limited edition which was released in September to commemorate 100 years of the PADDY brand, was also scored highly, achieving 93 points.

Brian Nation, Irish Distiller’s Master Distiller, commented: “We’re over the moon that so many of our whiskeys have been recognized for their high quality by Jim Murray. Plaudits like this mean a lot to all of us at the Midleton Distillery; we take great pride in ensuring the consistency and high standards that whiskey fans have come to expect from our whiskeys, so to receive this recognition from such an eminent figure in the whiskey world as Jim Murray is a great honour.”

The success in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible follows a momentous year for Irish Distillers, which saw the company unveil a host of new initiatives – including its new Garden Stillhouse and the first-ever Irish Whiskey Academy – as it aims to continue the Irish whiskey category’s consistently strong growth.

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible Award Wins for Irish Distillers:

Jameson – 95 points

Jameson Select Reserve Black Barrel – 91.5 points

Jameson Gold Reserve – 88 Points

Jameson Rarest Vintage Reserve 2007 – 96 points

Jameson Signature Reserve – 93 points

Jameson 18 Year Old Limited Reserve – 91 points 

Midleton Single Pot Still Cask 1991 – 96.5 points

Midleton Single Pot Still Single Cask 1994 – 93 points

Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy – 94 points

Paddy Centenary Edition – 93 points

Powers John’s Lane Release Aged 12 Years – 91 points

Powers Signature Release – 91 points

Redbreast 12 Year Old – 89 points

Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength batch1/11– 96 points

Redbreast 12 Year Old Cask Strength batch1/12 – 97 points

Redbreast Aged 15 Years bottle 12 – 96 points

Green Spot – 94.5 points

Yellow Spot Aged 12 Years – 88.5 points 

About Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard

Irish Distillers Group was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between Irish whiskey distillers, John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and the Cork Distillery Company. In an attempt to reverse the decline in Irish whiskey sales, the board of directors decided to close the existing distilleries in Cork and Dublin, and to consolidate production at a new purpose-built facility.

A site alongside the existing distillery in Midleton, Co. Cork was chosen as the location for the new distillery, as there was no room for expansion in Dublin. Both the Old Jameson Distillery and the Old Midleton Distillery currently operate as visitor centres attracting over 330,000 visitors annually. Following an early unsolicited takeover offer and one of the most protracted battles in Irish corporate history made by GrandMet, Allied-Lyons and Guinness, Irish Distillers was taken over by Pernod Ricard in June 1988 with the support of the management and employees.  

Irish whiskey brands within the Irish Distillers’ portfolio include Jameson, Paddy and Powers, with Single Pot Still brands, Green Spot, Yellow Spot, Redbreast and the much-revered Midleton, which includes prestigious expressions such as Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy and Midleton Very Rare.  

Black Friday Deals start 10AM GMT Friday November 29th, 2013 at The Whisky Barrel.

http://www.thewhiskybarrel.com/ 

1995 Glendronach 18 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single PX Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($149.99)
Good grief, Glendronach keeps bringing the hits. We’ve been obsessed with Glendronach since our first visit to the distillery in 2011. They’ve revamped this distillery, investing in the highest quality wood, using meticulous warehouse management to get the very most out of old stock and continuing to pump out some of the finest juice in Scotland. This year’s offering was aged in Pedro Ximenez casks and shows a totally different type of sherry influence from last year’s powerfully masculine dry oloroso cask. What we have here is the perfect sweet sherry nose, filled with dense dried plums, spiced pears, subtle flintiness, and a rich creamy core. On the palate, the baking spices really explode fresh clove, nutmeg, and freshly dried stone fruits. This balance between spices, dark exotic oak tones, and powerfully rich fruit is the hallmark of Glendronach. I think this cask will be the best received Glendronach yet.

Lagavulin Distiller’s Edition Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($109.99)
The 2013 limited edition is here, loaded with the Pedro Ximenez sherry from the double barrel maturation. Big, cakey, and round with tons of richness. This whisky is always a big hit. We’ve been getting about five requests a day for this lately, so it appears the DE Lagavulin is the new hot thing on the street! Personally, I have always felt that the DE over did it on the PX sherry, but I finally got around to tasting this year’s expression and I was quite taken aback. This 2013 edition is exactly what I hope Lagavulin with extra sherry will taste like, but never seems to actually do. A burst of rich raisiny sherry comes first with all the classic Lagavulin smoke and brine on the back end. The fudge lingers long on the finish, mingling between cocoa and campfire smoke. I’ve found that previous editions have overdosed on the sherry and drowned out the peat. Not this one. It’s perfectly harmoneous. It’s totally balanced and right where it need s to be. I think it might be the best Lagavulin I’ve tasted in years. Much better than the standard 16 in my opinion. Fans of the distillery will be very pleased. This whisky is delicious. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)

Elmer T. Lee Single Barre l Bourbon 750ml (Ships as 1.5L) ($27.99)
97 points Wine Enthusiast: “Complex and addictive. Scents of cinnamon, hazelnuts, and dried fruit precede big flavors: cinnamon spice, raisinated and plummy, like Madeira or Sherry. Long finish, with a bit of a bite.” (09/2010) K&L Notes: Medium gold in color. The nose brings notes of butterscotch, clover, vanilla and old leather. The big body displays a palate with an almost wine-like character that balances intense fruits, honey and vanilla with a light spiciness that shows off the distiller’s craft. The finish is long and warm.

Anchor White Christmas White Whiskey 750ml ($49.99)
K&L was the first store to have this in stock and we took as much as we can get of it! Anchor Steam releases a Christmas Ale every year and it’s always one of my favorite parts of the holiday season. I’ve been drinking this beer with my dad every Xmas since I was 21. Last year Anchor had a few hundred bottles left over that they decided to distill secretly into a very, very, very small batch of bierschnapps, or white whiskey – depending on which title sounds more appealing to you. I got the chance to taste it this morning and, while I don’t often advocate on behalf of white dog, this tastes very much like the beer itself. That clove, nutmeg, and foresty goodness are all there within the spirit itself. Now please note: this isn’t going to go down as the best whiskey of the year. It’s just a super-limited, fun experiment from a Bay Area legend. An iconic beer distilled into something fun for fans of the brand. LIKE ME! Anchor made around 600 bottles: TOTAL. We’re getting a large chunk of that, but that’s still not very much! (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)

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

New Karuizawa 1981 – On Sale Wednesday and Thursday

A quick heads up for you loyal blog readers: we have a new Karuizawa going on sale tomorrow (Nov 27th). There are a few bottles appearing elsewhere, but it’s pretty much a TWE exclusive and we’re rather pleased to have snagged this … Continue reading >>