Kensington (KWM) Calgary Spring Whisky Festival 13th June, 2013

The Kensington Spring Whisky Festival is so popular that it’s sold out months in advance and a second ’emergency’ mini Festival was scheduled the following week to deal with the extra demand. Whisky Intelligence was fortunate to be invited and flew to Calgary to attend the Thursday evening event.

KWM is not a physically large store but its foot print on the Canadian whisky scene is far out strips its diminutive size. The whisky team is led by their in house ‘scotch guy’ Andrew Ferguson who has a passion for whisky that is infectious.

KWM seeks out many varieties of whiskies and works relentlessly to expand their whisky selection, as an example their selection of Japanese whisky is showing rapid growth, many of which are exclusive to KWM. They also bottle around 6 to 8 single casks a year which are exclusive to the store and many customers are consulted in during the selection process which KWM describes as ‘whisky democracy’.

They are run an astonishing array of tastings throughout the year and these tastings are jam packed with all types of highly sought after whiskies. Customers are kept up to date by Andrew’s popular and detailed Malt Messenger (which is often published on Whisky Intelligence).

They are also the retail home of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society in Alberta and they host the very popular 1st Friday Outtrun Tastings which have expanded to two events on the 1st Friday and then a third on the Saturday evenings, such is the demand for Society whiskies.

The Festival is supported by local agents and their tables are arranged throughout the store and amongst the racks of wine and spirits. Most tables feature between 6 and 8 different whiskies from all over the world although the malts from Scotland predominate. The Festival lasts for 2 hours however WI was able to gain access 30 minutes prior to the opening; time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted! A count of the whiskies on offer topped out at 110 which is pretty amazing selection.

W.I. sampled Glenglassaugh 26yo, Dalwhinnie 25yo, W&M Port Ellen 30yo, Hammer Head Czech whisky, two single 2005 casks exclusive to KWM which are due to arrive in a month or so, the new Macallan Ruby, SMWS Laphroaig 20yo 29.124, the very recently released Ardbog, Laphroaig 18 (a dram or two it must be confessed), Arran 16yo (again, a dram or two – a point not lost on the hyper observant lady behind the table), Tomatin 25, Tomatin 30yo, G&M 1979 Dallas Dhu and a 1980’s vintage G&M Glen Albyn. The W&M North British 50yo was also on offer however the pours were microscopic so it was impossible to achieve any sense of the whisky however the pours were adequate if one merely wanted to say they had tried a 50yo whisky; as a sales tool such a small pour was a failure.

Naturally a purchase or two was made; a SMWS Laphroaig 29.124, a 16yo Isle of Arran (see, those extra pours did the trick), Ardbog and a Wilson & Morgan Port Ellen 30 Year (Exclusive to KWM, only 12 bottles of this whisky have been made available to Canada. From sherry butt 2031, distilled in 1982 and bottled in 2012 at 57.7%. This is one of just 420 bottles.)

Enough is good as a feast as they say and soon time was up, the pourers were packed away and it was time to call it an evening for the following evening was the Ultimate Ardbeg Event…details to follow.

If you plan on attending one of Kensington’s Whisky Festivals (held in the spring and the fall) then sign up for the Malt Messenger via their website (www.kensingtonwinemarket.com) and purchase your tickets early!

A note from our friends at Scotch Whisky Auctions;

Hi folks. Due to essential building works we will be closed on Friday June 21 and Saturday June 22. No bottles will be accepted on those days and no collections will be possible. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Kind regards from Glasgow

The SWA Team

While the history of whisky is long and proud, with legend telling of Saint Patrick bringing the craft of distillation to Scotland, the history of the Quaich is no less long or illustrious.

 The word Quaich comes from the gaelic “cuach” which means cup and they have been used for centuries to welcome or bid farewell to guests, or as a mark of comradeship or friendship. Sharing a dram of whisky from a Quaich has long been symbolic of binding people together in love, friendship or comradeship or to welcome or bid farewell to favoured guests. Today quaichs are often given as a gift to someone held dear.

This two handled Scottish drinking cup may have originated with the practise of drinking whisky from a scallop shell and progressed to forming these shallow cups from wood, stone or horn. Over the years the cups became more elaborate and highly skilled craftsmen fashioned wooden quaichs with beautiful celtic designs. From the 17^th century, as metals came to be more commonly used, quaichs have been made of  brass, pewter, silver or a combination of all three. The original outer shape was retained but the thick bases were thinned to reduce the the weight.

Quaichs originated in the Highlands and weren’t used in Lowland Scotland until the time of Bonnie Prince Charlie when the quaich travelled south in the canteens of the Prince’s army. The quaichs of the army were reputed to have glass bottoms enabling the drinker to keep an eye on those around him; a sad reflection on treacherous times.

Alex Scott & Co Ltd, a long established Aberdeen based company would like to offer you the chance to win a beautiful quaich so you may sup your dram in the traditional way and our gift set even provides a miniature of MacAllan Gold single malt whisky for the first filling.

To enter simply email the answer to the following question along with your name and address to sales@kiltmakers.co.uk using the subject line Quaich Competition, and we will draw the winner, at random, from the correct answers. Closing date June 19th, 2013…….. Please don’t forget to title your email Quaich competition.

What is the Centenary Quaich?

1. Quaich which resides in the Scottish Parliament building and is used for ceremonial occasions.
2. An international rugby union trophy contested annually by Ireland and Scotland.
3. A annual flat race run at Ayr races each September with the Centenary Quaich also being the name of the trophy.
4. A quaich presented to Queen Victoria by her loyal Scottish Subjects at the turn of the twentieth century.

Terms and Conditions:-  The winner will be notified of their win by email and the prize sent by post. No further correspondence will entered into and the judges decisions are final. The prize cannot be substituted or exchanged for cash. The competition is open to all except employees or relatives of Alex Scott & Co (kiltmakers.co.uk) or employees and relatives of Red Evolution. Important – entries will only be accepted from those who are 18 years old or over. This contest will run until Wednesday June 19th, 2013.

UK vlogger Joe Ellis a.k.a Whisky Wednesday reviews the Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy Single Pot Still Whiskey

http://youtu.be/HhoF0AM4Rgk

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http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

US beverage testers give Gold Medal to top selling Tasmanian whisky  

SULLIVANS COVE, Tasmania’s super-premium single malt, was recently awarded a gold medal by the Beverage Testing Institute in Chicago.

This award, from one of the world’s leading independent beverage reviewers, was given to the distillery’s Double Cask expression. It adds to Sullivans Cove’s list of prestigious international awards, which includes three Liquid Gold Awards from Jim Murray, and “Best Australian Single Malt” from the World Whisky Awards in London.

Chief distiller Patrick Maguire is of the opinion that a large part of Sullivans Cove’s huge domestic and international success is down to recognition from organizations such as the Beverage Testing Institute. He went on to say; “Things are going well, we are up 50% on last year and Sullivans Cove is now the biggest selling Tasmanian whisky. Exports are booming with North America making up 80% of our overseas sales, and we have sent our first shipments to Hong Kong and Japan this past week. It is great to be involved in such an exciting industry during otherwise difficult economic times.”

The sharp rise in demand has meant that the distillery is now working flat out to produce enough spirit.

The Tasmanian whisky industry has seen very strong growth over the past two years and there are now eight functioning distilleries on the island with 2 more in the pipeline.

About Sullivans Cove

Tasmania Distillery produces Sullivans Cove Tasmanian Single Malt Whisky, Tasmania’s top selling whisky. Sullivans Cove whisky is double distilled using only Tasmanian barley and pure wilderness water from local mountains and forests. The whisky is matured in hand selected oak casks and allowed to settle and clear naturally, thereby retaining full, creamy and lingering flavours. Each cask is bottled separately, yielding only around 450 bottles, making each bottle a rare item to own and enjoy.

http://www.sullivanscovewhisky.com/

About the Beverage Testing Institute

The Beverage Testing Institute is an independent, privately owned corporation that conducts professional blind tastings and reviews of beverage products. The BTI does not accept advertising or sponsorship from any producer or commercial entity. Participation in BTI’s open-forum tastings and competitions is completely voluntary.

BLACK BULL AND ECURIE ECOSSE CHARGE AHEAD

Sponsorship deal sealed which will see Black Bull as 2013 title sponsorship of the legendary Ecurie Ecosse racing team

Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd are pleased to announce that their award winning Black Bull brand will be powering the Ecurie Ecosse racing team to the 2013 British GT and 2013 European Le Mans Series (GTC Class) Championships.

Ecurie Ecosse is one of the most respected and influential privateer racing teams in racing history. Three Formula One World Champions and every Scottish Formula One winner has raced for Ecurie Ecosse, not to mention the success the team has had in racing championships around the world. Founded in 1951 by Edinburgh accountant David Murray, the team has won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans twice in 1956 and 1957, where they also finished 1st and 2nd, and under the stewardship of current owner, Hugh McCaig, were winners of the C2 World Sportscar Championship in 1986 and winners of the British Touring Car Championship in 1995.

Black Bull is the original 100 proof blended Scotch whisky. First produced by the Dundee based blenders, George Willsher & Co., in the 1860’s, the brand came to prominence after the repeal of prohibition in the United States in the mid 1930’s. By the end of 1980’s, Black Bull was a well-known name in the U.S and throughout Europe, and was subsequently acquired by Duncan Taylor Scorch Whisky Ltd. Today, the brand is sold in more than 25 countries throughout the world, and has been decorated with many prestigious awards, including “Gold” and “Best in Class” International Spirits Challenge 2013, “Best Blended Scotch Whisky 21 Years & Over” World Whisky Awards 2012, “Best Blended Scotch Whisky” World Whisky Awards 2012, “Best Blended Scotch Whisky 12 Years and Under” World Whisky Awards 2011, “Gold” International Wines & Spirits Challenge 2011, “Gold” International Spirits Competition 2011, “Winner – Blend Category” Scottish Field Whisky Challenge 2011.

Euan Shand, Chairman of Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd said: “Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky are very pleased to be key sponsors of Ecurie Ecosse for the 2013 season, especially so in their pursuit of racing at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2014, the world’s greatest motor race. The rich heritage shared by both companies and their pursuit of excellence in their respective fields in surely a recipe for achieving that goal. Ecurie Ecosse’s current dominance in both championships is a wonderful opportunity to bring the Duncan Taylor’s Black Bull 100 Proof blended whisky brand to the attention of a new audience.”

Oliver Bryant, Ecurie Ecosse Director and driver added: “For Ecurie Ecosse to initiate a new alliance with a major brand like Black Bull is a terrific opportunity for European promotional activity. Indeed, we are already discussing a number of innovative activation strategies with Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky for implementation throughout the year…This partnership is a great match: both are world-class Scottish brands with a rich heritage and pedigree who share the same goal of being at Le Mans 2014.”

Ecurie Ecosse currently leads the points’ standings in both the British GT Championship and European Le Mans Series (GTC Class). Black Bull branding will appear on the squad’s BMW Z4 GT3 for the first time at this weekend’s British GT round at Snetterton in the UK on June 15/16, while the next round of the European Le Mans Series takes the team to the Red Bull Ring in Austria on July 19/20.

About Duncan Taylor

Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd is an award winning Scotch whisky merchant, blender, bottler, and cask broker. The company was founded in 1938, but with origins dating back to 1864, the company over the decades has built up one of the largest privately owned collections of rare and vintage casks of whisky in the world.

Under the direction of Euan Shand, current owner and chairman, the independent, family owned company, has expanded into blending and bottling, subsequently producing some of the most respected and recognisable whisky brands in the market today. Key cask management and selection for bottling has lead to some of the finest and rarest whiskies being made available to discerning drinkers, which in turn has lead to Duncan Taylor receiving a reputation as one of the highest quality producers in the drinks industry.

Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky was awarded the Independent Bottler of the Year in 2009, recognition as the leading Independent bottler of whisky in the industry by one of the foremost whisky publications Whisky Magazine.

For more information on Duncan Taylor visit www.duncantaylor.com

For more information on Black Bull visit www.blackbullwhisky.com

TWE Karuizawa Whisky Trip Pt.9: More Whisky Bars

Welcome to the concluding episode of Tim F’s series of whisky adventures in Japan, in which more whisky bars are visited. Time-rich insomniacs can find the previous instalments here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here. It was with some trepidation that I approached the next … Continue reading >>

The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 8 has just arrived and is available to order now. Very limited and only available while stocks last.

The latest single malt release from Balvenie, the Tun Batch 8, has been released exclusively for the UK.

A marriage of whisky from nine new American oak barrels and three European oak Sherry casks, Batch 8 has been married in Tun 1401 for several months before being bottled at 50.2% abv.

Jonathan Cornthwaite, the brand manager for The Balvenie at UK explained:

“The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 8 is a fine expression of the artistry employed by malt master, David Stewart and the traditional techniques used at the distillery to make high class single malt Scotch whisky.”.

Simply Click To Buy – Only £199.99

Tasting Notes: Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 8

The Balvenie Tun 1401 Batch 8 launch was last night at the Balvenie whisky fete (still running today and tomorrow, 12 until 6pm) and I was fortunate enough to be on the invite list. Working for the company running the … Continue reading >>

Benromach to double production

The smallest distillery on Speyside is set for a major expansion to meet growing demand for their single malt whisky around the world.

Benromach, rescued by family-owned whisky specialists Gordon & MacPhail and re-opened in 1998, has enjoyed strong sales growth in recent years.

Just two distillers, Keith Cruickshank and Mike Ross, currently produce the handcrafted Benromach range.

As part of a seven figure investment in the brand, Gordon & MacPhail is to recruit another distiller as production is increased.

Managing Director Michael Urquhart said: “We are very proud of Benromach whisky. It’s handcrafted and the only traditional Speyside whisky currently being produced.

“It’s been a huge success and we know we will need to increase production if we are to meet demand in the future. Whisky production is a business that needs vision and long term planning and this is a sign of the confidence we have in the Benromach brand.

“This investment comes on the back of 40% growth in worldwide sales in 2012 and continued strong growth in 2013, coupled with our ongoing projections.

“Keith and Mike are very much looking forward to welcoming a third member of the team in the coming months.”

As well as employing a third stillman, the company will build another two warehouses next to the Forres distillery as well as recruiting a brand manager.

Benromach Distillery, established in 1898, was purchased by Gordon & MacPhail in 1993 after being closed for many years.

It was completely refurbished and refitted and was officially re-opened in 1998 by HRH The Prince of Wales. Since then it has launched a series of single malt whiskies including the flagship 10 Years Old.

The company recently won their second Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade, partly as a result of the success of Benromach. Total company exports had risen 55 per cent in 2012 and have doubled in the three previous years.

Overall sales of Benromach continue to build with an increase of 40 per cent in the last year.  Along with a strong UK presence, Benromach is now exported to 40 countries with major markets in Sweden, China, France and the US.

The company has won many awards during the last decade for a series of innovative products including Benromach Organic in 2006, the world’s first fully certified organic whisky.

Notes

Benromach Distillery

Established in 1898, Benromach distillery changed hands many times and was virtually derelict when bought by Gordon & MacPhail in 1993. Drawing on generations of whisky expertise, the company carried out a painstaking refurbishment and the distillery was officially re-opened by Prince Charles in 1998.

In reopening Benromach Distillery, Gordon & MacPhail decided to create a traditional Speyside single malt – a style that draws its influence from pre-1960s Speyside whiskies.

Benromach Distillery is located on the outskirts of the ancient market town of Forres. A four star visitor centre is open to the public throughout the year for tours and tastings. Benromach distillery is a member of the world famous malt whisky trail.

Benromach 10 Years Old

Benromach 10 Years Old is created from the finest Scottish barley and pure spring water from the nearby Romach hills. After being matured for at least 10 years, it emerges golden in colour and displays rich fruit, sweet chocolate and delicate spicy aromas. With a rich sherry influence, the mouth-watering palate coats the senses with exotic fruit flavours, toasted malt and a delicate hint of smoke.