Benriach & Glendronach Scotch Tasting

Tuesday April 22nd. 4:30 P.M. or 6:00 P.M.

with Alistair Walker

I was told once by an industry-insider that Billy Walker has one of the best noses and palates in the Business. Billy has been doing great work in the whisky industry for many years but the last ten years have been very special. In 2004 he and a group of investors purchased the Benriach Distillery. Although it has been open for more than 100 years, distillation was not actually taking place for more than half of that time. Because of their on-site malting facilities, they spent many years malting barley for other operations but not actively distilling it themselves. 

The group then purchased Glendronach in 2008 and I remember the day well — I looked up to the heavens and said “Thank You” because the U.S. never saw very much of their wonderful sherried single-malts. Then in 2013 the group acquired Glenglassaugh Distillery. Glenglassuagh is another distillery with a checkered past, but now it will get the love and attention it deserves, and flourish as it should.

We will focus on Benriach & Glendronach Distilleries in the tasting this coming Tuesday. Both have a great standard line-up that this time around we will skip but they’re ranges that we will show and work more with in the future. Billy’s talent for cask-selection shows when you taste any of his products, but especially in the limited single-casks we’ll be tasting next Tuesday. Quantities are limited and we are taking orders starting immediately for bottles that can be signed by Billy’s son, Alistair. This batch of casks from both Benriach and Glendronach are some of the best whisky that has come this way, and the depth and intricacy that they show are splendid. These are single malts that you (and those lucky few for whom you pour them) will remember for years after they are gone. In obtaining these Limited Releases I made a few people crazy — this state can be very hard to say the least. The sale price today reflect the pricing from last year but I believe that more increases are coming. There is not a bad apple in the bunch and they are they are all just precious. 

Benriach Heart of Speyside

Colour; Amber/ gold.

Nose; Fresh heather, fruit, honey, nuts and oak wood.

Palate: This expression cleverly captures fruit, honey, heather and spice notes, against a back drop of

mellow oak wood in a fresh and lively combination.

Regular: $41.99 Sale: $37.99 

Benriach  2000 12 Y.O. 58.1% Oloroso Sherry Finish  (34 days short of a 13 Y.O.)

Nose; Fresh oak spices roll over sweet golden sultanas and hints of ripe cantaloupe melon.

Palate; Creme caramel and rum-soaked sultanas balanced with cracked black pepper and sweet ripped mint.

Regular: $104.99 Sale: $92.99 

Benriach 1994  19 Y.O.  53.2% Peated / Oloroso Sherry Butt Finish

Color; Antique Gold

Nose; Mellow citrus smoke drapes over green apple and apricots.

Palate: Orange- zested roasted apples are engulfed by sweet, spicy oak smoke and spice.

Regular: $164.99 Sale: $149.99 

Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 2

Color; Rich golden amber with a crimson heart.

Nose: Wonderful rich aromas of honey drenched raisins and sultanas. Candied ginger and orange peel are spiced with a beautifully delicate back note of oak.

Palate: A perfectly balanced traditional sherried character. An explosion of chocolate coated raisins and zest of orange, mellowed with sweet warm  oak spices, hints  of soft toffee and gentle sugared almonds.

Finish; A uniquely balanced classic finish.

Regular: $139.99 Sale: $110.00 

Glendronach 1996 – 17 Y.O.  53.2%  Single Cask Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon

Color: Rich Burnt Amber

Nose: Toffee and fudge hold the rich dark fruits and oak spices

Palate: Chocolate and treacle combine with vanilla – laced prune syrup and figs; robust oak spices balance the sweet flavor explosion.

Regular: $154.99 Sale: $139.99 

Glendronach 1992 – 21 Y.O.  59.3%  Oloroso Sherry Butt

Color; Dark mahogany with rich ruby.

Nose; Crisp fresh- cut herbs and orange zest mingle with dark rum soaked raisins and currants.

Palate; Herbal stewed plums and orange bitters rolling to ground almonds and soft clove in a rich, traditional sherried finish.

Regular: $209.99 Sale: $189.99

Joe Howell
Federal Wine & Spirits
Email: joe@federalwine.com
Phone: (617) 367-8605
Web: http://www.federalwine.com/

Auchroisk 12 William Cadenhead Bottling Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

The nose is filled with honey, flowers, a touch of peat, a whisper of peat smoke, along with a light nutty tone. The mouth feel is very precise and to the point with Brazil nuts, honey and tropical fruit dominating its light bodied nature. D&M Tasting Notes

Cadenhead’s was founded in 1842 and as such they have a quite storied history in the business of whisky, from retail to production. Cadenhead’s is currently owned by the J&A Mitchell and Co, better known for their Campbeltown trinity of Springbank, Longrow, and Hazelburn. Cadenhead also bottles other spirits including aged Demerara Rums, Cognacs and the well-known Old Raj Gin.

What excites us is that Cadenhead had pulled their single malt scotch bottling out of the US Market in 2003 and are just now returning! The story we have been able to glean from their current importer was that the previous importer had many issues with label approvals and bottle sizes, so Cadenhead felt the US was too difficult to do business with. Now whether or not this is simply the schadenfreude of one group over the misfortunes of another, we have not been able to ascertain. Karen did reach out to Cadenhead a number of times for the story from the source, but as of the time of printing, we have not heard back. We hope to find more bottling’s of their whiskies for our members, and to get the facts for you. In the meantime, enjoy!

BUY NOW $89.99

www.ralfy.com greets the arrival of summer with Whisky Review 449 – Glen Moray 10yo Chardonnay Casks

The Party Source Private Barrel Program has undergone some changes. In January of 2014 we formed a panel of whiskey and spirits experts to taste and select our future private barrels. Heather Johnson, John Hughes, Eric Brown, John Owen, Jon Overman and Marty Holland have been hard at work tasting and selecting new private barrels. We have recently selected “Private Barrels” coming from the following sources that will be appearing in the near future.

1792 RIDGEMONT RESERVE Single Barrel (Two Selections)
ANGEL’S ENVY Private Blend
JEFFERSON Ridiculously Small Batch
FOUR ROSES OESV Barrel Strength Un-Chill Filtered
FOUR ROSES OBSK Barrel Strenght Un-Chill Filtered
FOUR ROSES Single Barrel (Two Selections)
OLD FORESTER Single Barrel
W.L WELLER 107 Antique Single Barrel (Two Selections)
WOODFORD RESERVE Double Oak

In the last year we have seen many supply chain shortages in very popular Bourbons such as Elmer T. Lee, Blanton’s, Eagle Rare and lately the Weller Brand. The selections of these “Private Barrels” will give our customers superior options during this time of scarcity for bourbon. Stop by and see our current private selections or try a sample at the Spirits Library.

NEW PRODUCTS

We are very pleased to announce the arrival of our very own Old Forester Private Single Barrel. Don’t wait to pick up the Old Forester Single Barrel; they won’t last long! American Craft Distillery of California ha s released a very nice Low Gap Bavarian Hard Wheat Whiskey (coming soon) aged for two years. With the purchase of Bruichladdich by Remy Cointreau some products produced at Bruichladdich are headed for the chopping block. Bruichladdich Port Charlotte 10 Year Heavily Peated Single Malt has just arrived; it’s a fuller bodied smoky version of last year’s Port Charlotte “Peat Project”. Get this one while it lasts folks!

Independent farm distillery, Kilchoman, has just released a limited edition Loch Gorm Single Malt Whisky. Only 2850 cases (17,100 bottles) of the five year-old bottling will be available worldwide through existing distributors and online.

This is the second Loch Gorm Single Malt to be released. The first, which was released in April last year, was awarded the prestigious 2013 IWSC Gold (2013 edition). Each release is differentiated by the distillation and bottling dates on the front of the bottle and carton. 

Fully matured from filling to bottling in fresh Oloroso sherry butts, Loch Gorm adds a new dimension to Kilchoman’s portfolio, bringing a depth of character and colour to the Islay Single Malt. The Loch Gorm range is the only all sherry cask-matured expression from Kilchoman. 

This range is named after the famously peaty loch in front of the distillery on Islay; Kilchoman draws the water for Loch Gorm from the burn that runs into the loch. 

Anthony Wills, Managing Director of Kilchoman, said: “’Our sherry cask matured releases have proved very popular and this is the third and most mature to date so we anticipate this latest offering to be very well received.

“Loch Gorm shows wonderful balance between the peat smoke and spicy rich flavours, typical of sherry cask maturation, producing a unique flavour which characterises Kilchoman whiskies.” 

Founded in 2005, Kilchoman is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland and the first distillery to be built on Islay for 125 years. A working farm distillery, it is one of only a handful of distilleries still practising floor malting. Kilchoman also grows a portion of its barley at the distillery, and completes all parts of the production process, from barley to bottling on the island. 

Loch Gorm is bottled at 46% ABV and will be available from specialist drinks, whisky stores and online, priced at a RRP of £55-£59. 

www.kilchomandistillery.com

facebook.com/pages/Kilchoman-Distillery

twitter.com/Kilchoman05 

Tasting Notes: Loch Gorm Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky

Nose: mixed preserved fruit, particularly lemon and rich peat smoke

Palate: dry cereal flavour develop in honey, biscuit with lingering peat

Finish: richly sweet and smoky 

Notes

Kilchoman Distillery is a small family run farm distillery based on the rugged west coast of Islay. The distillery was established by Anthony Wills in 2005, the idea behind being to build a new distillery which took whisky production back to its roots. Kilchoman produces its 100% Islay single malt from barley which is grown in fields surrounding the distillery and completes every stage of the whisky-making process at the distillery, including traditional floor malting. Kilchoman is the only distillery in Scotland to do this. Kilchoman is now very much a family affair: Anthony and wife Kathy are joined by their three sons: James, Peter and George. 

Since the first bottling was released in 2008, Kilchoman has quickly established itself as a high quality Islay Single Malt Whisky with these notable awards:

• · Kilchoman’s exceptional quality was recognised at the prestigious International Whisky Competition (IWC) when Anthony Wills was named Master Distiller of the Year 2013.
• · Machir Bay was named Whisky of the Year at IWC 2013. Loch Gorm was also awarded Gold, Machir Bay received Silver and 100% Islay 2nd Ed was given bronze.
• · Kilchoman 2007 Vintage received Whisky Advocate’s Award for Islay Single Malt of the Year 2013.
• · In 2012 Machir Bay was awarded two prestigious IWSC Gold medals and a Silver medal, and was named in GQ’s Best 100 Things of 2012.
• · Kilchoman won Malt Advocates Artisan Whisky of the Year 2011, only three years after the first bottling was released.

SOUTH AFRICA’S WORLD’S BEST WHISKY AT DUTY FREE 

Travelers visiting duty-free this month (April) at Cape Town International Airport and OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, will have the chance to discover the natural purity of the Cape Mountains. The promotion will run until the end month of April and will be managed by duty-free concessionaire, Big Five Duty Free. 

Inspired by the Cape Mountains and its natural beauty, Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky is South Africa’s first single grain whisky and received the prestigious accolade as the World’s Best Grain Whisky at the 2013 World Whisky Awards, ahead of those from traditional whisky-producing countries such as Ireland, Scotland and the USA.  

Travelers will get to discover the unique sense of place where Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky is crafted and sample its unique taste profile daily at OR Tambo with tastings in Cape Town conducted four days a week. 

Consumers who purchase a bottle of Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky at both duty-free shops will receive a branded notebook and complimentary 50ml. At OR Tambo International Airport travelers will get the chance to win prizes with a unique, Cape Mountains-inspired interactive element. A waterfall symbolising the natural purity of the whisky with a Perspex maze placed inside the cascading water will see travelers placing a whisky coloured ball into the maze, watch it travel down the waterfall and if it lands into one of the Bain’s Cape Mountain whisky glasses at the bottom, claim their prize. 

According to global marketing manager, Eliska Botha, the promotional area at these two airports offers great visibility. 

“Since being awarded as the World’s Best Grain Whisky in 2013, Bain’s Cape Mountain whisky is one of the most talked about whiskies in the world. Through this promotion we now have the opportunity to introduce the whisky to travelers from across the globe, share this extraordinary whisky inspired by the Cape Mountains and its unique taste profile that has been captivating whisky connoisseurs from around the world.” 

Crafted at the James Sedgwick’s Distillery situated in one of South Africa’s most picturesque regions near the Bainskloof Pass, the whisky is inspired by the areas’ magnificent peaks, cool, sparkling streams, wooded valleys and an unmatched wealth of indigenous fynbos. Only the finest South African grain is used together with water that flows over 850 million year old sandstone and indigenous fynbos, setting Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky apart from any other whisky produced in the world. The whisky is quite uniquely double-matured and matured for three years in casks previously used for Bourbon before revatted into a fresh set of casks for a further maturation period that results in its exceptionally smooth and unique taste.

Limited Release Whisky Available at Mora’s Fine Wine & Spirits (E. Setauket, NY)  

Chichibu Ichiro’s Malt The First Single Malt Japanese Whisky – $223.99

(2 bottles available) 

Garrison Brothers Texas Straight Bourbon – $86.99

(4 bottles available)

Nationwide shipping available! 

Mora’s Fine Wine & Spirits

www.moraswines.com

631-941-4458

sev.clemens@moraswines.com

The Glenturret triple wood Whisky Shop exclusive and the brand new award winning Patent Still bottlings are now available to order! We offer a free click and collect service on all orders and also free shipping on all deliveries over £60 delivered to the UK.

Tasting note: Deep gold, with amber lights. The first impression is of rice pudding, with a brown skin; husky porridge with double cream. After a while a faint note of strawberry jam. The taste is sweet and lightly meaty (roast chicken), with some spice and general acidity towards the end and a warming finish. Water increases the meaty note and introduces dry herbs.

Click here to buy – £45.00

Girvan Patent Still Number 4 Apps

Sensory Highlights: Light and Delicate, Candied Fruit, Cream. Balance of crisp fruit against oak. Bottled at 42% volume. Grain whisky is made in a totally different way to single malt whisky – through a continuous or column still, called such because unlike the pot still method, which makes spirit in batches, you can continually feed the column still, almost like a factory line, and the alcohol is extracted by forcing the grain mash up columns and against pressurised steam at extremely high temperatures.

Simply click here to buy – £45.00

Girvan Patent Still 30 year old

Sensory Highlights: Deep and intense. Vanilla Spicy Tannin. Zesty fruits and Banana. Bottled at 42% volume. Today, the Girvan Patent Single Grain Whisky delivers a taste sensation that truly reflects their pioneering distillation heritage. It is a rare spirit, mellowed and matured in American Oak and bottled without the addition of caramel. Being non chill filtered the natural golden colour shines through. Woody spiced finish.

Simply click here to buy – £375

BUSHMILLS Irish Whiskey once again performed extremely well at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. BUSHMILLS Irish Whiskey Key Highlights from the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition:

• The entire Bushmills Irish Whiskey range won a medal at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
• No other Irish Whiskey won more medals than Bushmills Irish Whiskey at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
• Bushmills won more Gold medals than the Irish Whiskey category leader at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
• Bushmills 16 Year Old Single Malt has been awarded a Gold Medal or above in eight of the 14 San Francisco World Spirits Competitions.
• Bushmills Black Bush Irish Whiskey wins a Gold medal in 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Silent Distillery Profile; Port Ellen 

by Lawrence Graham

Operational: 1825 silent from 1929-67 but bonded warehouses and maltings continued to operate.

Closed: In May 1983. License returned in 1992.

Region: Islay, south shore.

Operational Owner: 17th December, 1997 United Distillers & Vintners Ltd, Diageo Plc.

Current Owner: Diageo Plc.

Address: Port Ellen, Isle of Islay, Argyll & Bute, PA42 7AH[1] 

Port Ellen. If there is one distillery that evokes strong emotions in the heart of the enthusiast it must be Port Ellen. As bottlings, official and unofficial become scarcer the angst only grows. Can’t they simply rebuild it? Possible but tragically, unlikely. This south shore of Islay distillery was originally founded by Alexander Ker Mackay with the support of the owner of Islay, Walter Frederick Campbell, M.P. of Shawfield & Islay. One source indicates that Port Ellen was actually a malt mill built in 1825 by Alexander Ker Mackay and was only converted to a distillery a few years later.[2]  Most other sources give the date of 1825 for the actual building of the distillery but this appears to be incorrect. 

The distillery’s original name was Leodamus “Leods Moss” but was renamed after Lady Eleanor/Ellinor Campbell, Port of Lady Eleanor/Ellinor, the wife of Walter Frederick Campbell.[3] The water source was the Leorin Lochs just to the north of the distillery. 

When distilling became the main focus of Port Ellen the legal rights can only be described as convoluted; Mackay held the ground lease for the distillery, the building lease was held by Major James Adair of Dumfries and Glasgow, who sublet to John Morrison and associates, George MacLennan and Patrick Thomson. Despite the convoluted arrangement Mackay appears to have been in charge. [4]  

Some time in the early 1830’s John Ramsay, who was to have such a positive impact on Port Ellen for the next 60 years, entered the scene. Over time Ramsay was to have extensive business dealings with Walter Frederick Campbell, the local laird. 

Ramsay expanded the distillery by adding a second duty free warehouse in 1839 due to increased business. In period of 1841 to 1843 Port Ellen worked a Stein patent still with malt only.[5]  In 1840 the holder of the building lease, Major James Adair died and this left Ramsay in a precarious position since he badly needed the building leases to continue operating the distillery. The distillery and buildings went up for public auction and a high bid from Glasgow was received but the local laird, Walter Frederick Campbell exercised his right of pre-emption and matched the bid from Glasgow thus securing the distillery. Ramsay was only 25 years old. In 1844 Queen Victoria was purchasing Port Ellen for Her Majesty’s Cellar and Walter Frederick Campbell encouraged Ramsay to take advantage of this. A large part of this success was the direct export from Islay to North America.  During this period Ramsay had extensive agricultural and business interests on the island and in addition was a Member of Parliament.  At one point through inheritance and business dealings Ramsay became the landlord of Ardbeg, Ardenistiel, Laphroaig and Lagavulin distilleries. Ramsay died in 1892 at age 77 and the distillery, through his estate, passed onto his wife and then his son Iain. At the end of the Great War Iain found that his business faced with a lack of capital, the effects of the war and dwindling markets in the USA due to the introduction of prohibition. In 1920 the distillery became the property of W P Lowrie and John Dewar & Sons (in the same deal involving Buchanan-Dewar Ltd Lochruan Distillery, Campbeltown and Port Ellen were merged into the same company). In 1930 the distillery was transferred to the Scottish Malt Distillers and finally the Distillers Company.[6] As Neil Wilson comments in his book The Island Whisky Trail “At the time (1930) there was enough whisky warehoused in Port Ellen to last 40 years, and the more cynical observers will remind you that it was fully 37 years before the distillery came on stream again.” 

In the 1930’s the Distillers Company owned five Islay distilleries, Caol Ila, Lagavulin, Lochindaal, Malt Mill and Port Ellen. 

In the mid 1880’s Alfred Barnard visited Port Ellen, tape measure and letter of introduction at hand, and was conducted around the ‘works’ by the distiller, the manager being absent. He commented that the beach in front of the distillery was perfect for bathing and be ‘much appreciated and visited if there were some lodging houses or cottages available, and the place were nearer to Glasgow’. In particular Barnard took special note of three spacious barley lofts, three maltings floors (with steeps), two kilns with wire cloth floors, the Malt Store, the Mill Room containing a pair of malt rollers, the Mash Tun, a Wash Charger and heating tanks etc, etc. 

From there he moved onto the Tun Room which contained seven Fermenting backs and in the Still Room, two old Pot Stills with there also being present two receivers. 

Further he described Port Ellen as having six handsome warehouses containing 3,700 cask or 240,000 gallons of whisky of different ages and stated that Port Ellen had a capacity of producing 140,000 gallons of Islay Malt per year. Barnard made further note of the peats; that only the peats cut locally were used in the drying process and that the water derived from two lochs, one for distilling noted for ‘its clearness and purity’ and the other for driving machinery. The distillery also had it’s own cooperage and Seasoning House for casks, a fine Spirit Store and one of Morton’s Refrigerators (for cooling the wort). 

In 1966 & 7 the distillery was reopened and the number of stills was extended from two to four. The extensive re-build of the distillery involved improvements to the malt barns, steeps and kilns plus other improvements costing £400,000. 

Despite this investment in producing malt in 1973 the Port Ellen Maltings were completed. In May 1983 trucks ceased to deliver malt from next door to the distillery when SMD (Distillers Company) closed Port Ellen forever. 

Shame on them. 

In 1992 the license was returned to the Excise.

[1] The Scottish Whisky Distilleries by Misako Udo