The latest official single sherry cask expression from the Highland Scotch distillery in Fort William.
Distilled June 1998 and bottled May 2014
Jolly Toper’s whisky tastings normally take place on Thursday nights from 7:30pm until approximately 10pm at The Kilderkin, 65/67 Canongate, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, (they do a mean pizza). For more details on the tastings themselves please click here
P/O/U/R/S = Peaty, Old, Unusual, Rare and Sherry cask matured. Recently many people have requested the exact nature of the line up at the ‘pours’ tastings remain secret so a proper ‘blind’ tasting can be held. However I understand some attendees would be more comfortable knowing which drams were to be tasted before committing to attending. If you don’t want to know the confirmed line up contact us before checking the details listed below.
P/O/U/R/S 10.7.14 £TBC*
Hopefully the new Cadenheads Authentic Collection will be bottled on time for us to taste the best 5 – otherwise 5 choice drams.
7/8/14 Canal boat tasting of 5 closed distilleries – £TBC but circa £35 – see below SOLD OUT
– On Thursday evening 7.30pm the 7th, our second tasting on a canal barge, new route from Linlithgow, featuring 5 closed distilleries which were located alongside a canal: Glen Mhor 30yo Cadenheads, Littlemill 21yo Lady of the Glen bottling, Port Dundas Cadenheads Small Batch 24yo 46%, Rosebank 12yo 43% Flora and Fauna and St. Magdalene. Tickets circa £35.
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– Sunday 24/8/14 at 3pm our initial walking tour of Edinburgh, ~£25 -visit sites of interest to whisky enthusiasts and try 5 drams connected to the capital and learn of the role ‘Auld Reekie’ played in Scottish whisky’s rise to prominence. Drams include Caledonian SMWS 30yo, North British 24yo 46% Cadenheads Bourbon barrel, a 1970s bottled Queen Anne, Glen Kinchie 24yo 49.2% Bourbon hogshead Cadenheads and EH10 blend 40%.
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After the Edinburgh Festival POURS tasting will restart from Thursday 28th August at 7.30 and will be every fortnight from this date until the end of the year – notwithstanding issues with these dates and the venue….
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Future themed tastings: a vertical Glendronach tasting, Bottled at the Distillery No.3, sherry casks and Canadian whiskies.
Visit The Jolly Toper
A. SMITH BOWMAN TAKES SILVER AT THE
2014 LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRITS COMPETITION FOR ITS SINGLE BARREL BOURBON
Fredericksburg, VIRGINIA (June 26, 2014) – The results from the 2014 Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition are in, and A. Smith Bowman Distillery had an excellent showing.
The distillery’s only entry in this year’s competition, John J. Bowman Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey, known for its smooth taste, earned a silver medal.
“The taste speaks for itself,” Brian Prewitt, master distiller, said. “We put a lot of hard work into our whiskeys and John J. Bowman is no exception. Being recognized like this by the Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition means a lot to us.”
The Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition was formed in 2007, with an esteemed panel of judges using a blind-tasting method to award medals to the best distilled spirits from around the world. The award-winning entries will be displayed during the Los Angeles County Fair, Aug. 29-Sept. 28, 2014 in “The Wine, Beer & Spirits Marketplace.”
Complete results of the 2012 LAIWSC are available at http://www.laspiritscomp.com/.
About A. Smith Bowman
A. Smith Bowman’s distilling roots date back to the years before Prohibition when the Bowman family had a granary and dairy farm in Sunset Hills, Virginia. They used excess grain from the family estate to distill spirits. In 1934, after the Repeal of Prohibition, Abram Smith Bowman and his sons continued the family tradition and built a more modern distillery in Fairfax County, Virginia called Sunset Hills Farm. In response to the rapid rise of taxes in Northern Virginia, the Distillery was moved in 1988 and is now nestled in Spotsylvania County near the city of Fredericksburg, 60 miles away from the original location.
As a small and privately owned company, A. Smith Bowman Distillery continues the time-honored traditions on which it was founded. Considered a micro-distillery by today’s standards, A. Smith Bowman produces an assortment of hand-crafted spirits distilled from only the finest natural ingredients and using the latest technology. This micro-distillery focuses on the production of premium spirits honoring the legacy of Virginia’s first settlers. For more information on A. Smith Bowman, please visit www.asmithbowman.com.
The Glenfiddich Excellence 26 year old is now available to order at The Whisky Shop. Order today to secure your bottle – all orders dispatched in July.
Glenfiddich has announced a new and exciting expression to its incredible single malt range with the release of Glenfiddich Excellence 26 Year Old. This will be the second expression in the Excellence line of premium Glenfiddich releases, following the previous release of the Excellence 18 Year Old. It is also the first Glenfiddich expression matured exclusively in ex-Bourbon casks.
Click here to read more about this brand new Glenfiddich release via the latest edition of our Whiskeria magazine
Tasting Notes:
Colour: Pale gold and sauvignon blanc in colour.
Nose: A mild nose, with light fresh fruits (pineapple, blood orange, tinned peach) a hint of candlewax and the interior of a new car after a while.
Palate: The taste is fresh, sweet and citric – reminiscent of lemon sherbet sweets and Schweppes Bitter Lemon.
Finish: A short to medium finish and a lingering spiciness. A drop if water flattens the aroma but introduces almonds to the taste. Bottled at 43% volume.
Housed in a splendid gift box.
Tasting notes by whisky expert and historian Charlie Maclean.
Simply Click here to buy – £260
NEW ARRIVALS
Japan – Single Malt Scotch
United States – Bourbon and Rye
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
I hope you are all very well and have been able to enjoy some nice weather this Summer. We have been very lucky here in Campbeltown with lots of sunshine so fingers crossed it stays this way for a little while longer! Just sending you a quick newsflash regarding a new bottling while I get my next newsletter together.
Last Tuesday (24th June 2014) we bottled a special 30 year old blended whisky called Spirit of Freedom. This was bottled to celebrate the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn where Robert the Bruce led Scotland to victory in one of the most famous events in the wars of independence. The Spirit of Freedom has been bottled at 46% ABV and consists of 75% malt whiskies from across Scotland and 25% grain whisky. Only 2,014 bottles are available, with 6 of these signed by Scotland’s First Minister, Alex Salmond, who visited Springbank in August 2013. I have attached the product sheet to this email for you which gives the tasting notes and a little more information on the bottling.
Now for the fun bit – we will be auctioning off a Limited Edition pair of Spirit of Freedom bottles – one has been signed by First Minister, Alex Salmond and the other by Springbank & Glengyle Distillery Manager, Gavin McLachlan. Funds raised by the auction will be donated to the Yes Argyll campaign.
The auction has now started and will end at 4pm BST on Friday 11th July 2014. The highest bid currently stands at £300.00. If you would like to make a bid to win these unique bottles then please send your offer, along with your name, address and contact telephone number to: auction@springbankwhisky.com. Each Friday, an update will be made on the Springbank Distillers Facebook page and an email will be sent to all bidders stating the current highest bid.
If you would like to buy an unsigned bottle of this whisky, it is now available for purchase from our Campbeltown Cadenhead Shop and will be available in other UK outlets, including our Cadenhead shops in Edinburgh and London, within the next couple of weeks. The price is £75.00 and unfortunately because it’s so limited, Society Members will not receive their 10% discount on this bottle. If you would like to purchase a bottle from our Cadenhead Shop in Campbeltown, can I please ask you to contact our shop directly. We will only have a limited number of bottles so they will be able to advise on stock availability much quicker than me! The shop can be contacted by emailing shop@wmcadenhead.com or called on +44 (0) 1586 55 1710 (option 1)
Finally, my sincere apologies if you are still waiting for a reply about purchasing a bottle of the latest Society 14 year old Local Barley bottling (released May 2014). So many emails built up after sending the last newsletter giving details of the new bottling and with the Malts Festival combined with a few days holiday, it has been difficult to get through them as quickly as I would have liked to. Thank you for your patience with this and if you have emailed and haven’t heard back then you should receive a reply within the next couple of weeks. Anyone who has already emailed for a bottle is now on the purchase list and will receive one so please don’t panic! Apologies once again and the next time we release a Society bottling it will be much better timed – I promise!
Be in touch soon!
Slainte,
Mairi
Mairi Paterson
For the Springbank Society
To join the Springbank Society please contact them at society@springbankwhisky.com
NEXT IN LONDON: IRISH WHISKY TASTING
Ambassador Sam Macdonald will host this unique feast of a tasting, comparing Irish and Scottish single casks. Enjoy a great chance to try the extremely rare 117.3 and proprietary Teeling, with a suckling pig, crackling and all the trimmings for a luxury supper – delicious!
Wed 16 July, 6.30-9pm BUY
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!
Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video
RHETORIC WHISKEY INTRODUCED AS THIRD ADDITION TO THE
ORPHAN BARREL WHISKEY DISTILLING COMPANY
20-Year-Old Bourbon Will Be Progressively Aged for Future Releases
TULLAHOMA, TENN. – For the whiskey aficionado who dreams of selecting the choicest barrels from the guarded corners of historic rickhouses, Rhetoric Whiskey is a dream come true. The newest addition to the Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Company is a highly limited craft bourbon that will be progressively aged and released over the coming years – the 20-year-old variant will be released this year, the 21-year-old will be released in 2015, and so on. This approach will grant whiskey enthusiasts the chance to compare these exclusive offerings as they mature and collect an enviable series of Rhetoric Whiskies.
The Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Company was created in early 2014 to locate forgotten barrels of craft whiskey from around the world and share them with discerning adult fans, who are encouraged to sip slowly and responsibly. Rhetoric, the third variant to be released from the company is aged 20 years for its first release and is expected to begin appearing on select shelves throughout the U.S. in June under strict allocation due to limited supply.
Rhetoric stocks were discovered in warehouses at the Stitzel-Weller facility in Louisville, Ky., and distilled in both the New and Old Bernheim distilleries in Louisville. The whiskey is beautifully aged and hand bottled in Tullahoma, Tenn. Beginning with a smoky and leathery nose hinting of ripe apples, Rhetoric tastes of smoked vanilla, toasted rye and dried fruit before a long full finish of cherry blossom and bitter chocolate. Rhetoric carries a suggested retail price of $85.
“Aging whiskey is a fascinating process and one that whiskey aficionados around the world love learning about,” said Ewan Morgan, Orphan Barrel Master of Whiskey. “I’ve no doubt the progressive aging and release of Rhetoric will merit some spirited debate among us whiskey geeks about which year tastes best!”
Rhetoric’s packaging features an intricate gold label with a hummingbird rising above chaos and confusion to clarity and reason. The background, reminiscent of the oak barrels in which the whiskey aged, will grow deeper in color as Rhetoric is progressively aged and released in the years to come.
The Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Company is headquartered in Tullahoma, Tenn. where the whiskies are bottled. Like the other Orphan Barrel whiskies, Rhetoric has long awaited a place to call home. Orphan Barrel is proud to bring Rhetoric Whiskey into the family and reminds consumers who get their hands on a bottle to sip slowly and responsibly.
About The Orphan Barrel Whiskey Project
The Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Company is an endeavor to rescue long forgotten barrels of rare and delicious whiskey and share them with others. We are inspired by creativity, delicious whiskey, good times and great stories. The Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Company is headquartered in Tullahoma, Tenn. However, we like to think the project is founded in dark, quiet corners of rickhouses around the world where artisanal whiskies were forgotten, just waiting to be discovered.
To-date, the Orphan Barrel Whiskey Distilling Company has released three variants – Barterhouse, Old Blowhard and Rhetoric. As new and interesting whiskies are discovered, they will be added to the family to provide adult consumers a great selection of rare craft whiskies.
Tomatin Single Malt Whisky Tasting Thursday 31st July 2014
A greatly anticipated Whisky tasting. Held by Alistair Mutch, this event features a line up with two brand new products from award-winning distillers Tomatin (Tomatin 1988 / 25 YO and the 14 YO Port Wood Finish)
The evening’s delectable list is as follows:
• Tomatin Legacy
• Tomatin 12 Year Old
• Tomatin 14 Year Old / Port Wood Finish
• Tomatin 18 Year Old
• Tomatin 1988 / 25 Year Old
• Tomatin Cu Bocan
Starts 7 p.m. in N&P’s cellars
For further details, email us here
See you in 2015!
Last month’s Spirit of Toronto Whisky Gala was yet another night to remember and a big belated thank you goes out to everyone who participated—the photos are now online:
Spirit of Toronto 2014 Photos on Flickr!
Highlights from our 10th anniversary bash include a dozen masterclasses where our guests sampled whiskies that spanned both the world and the past century… a special focus on Islay courtesy of Gordon and Melanie Homer of www.islayvisits.net… the sublime pairing of whisky and oysters… live jazz and retro cocktails… cigars with fine spirits on the outdoor terrace of Roy Thomson Hall… and our Bourbon & Roses stand hosted with Southern charm and hospitality by our friends from Union 613 in Ottawa.
Last but not least a special thank you goes out to all of the participating exhibitors who completed this memorable evening by showcasing more than a 100 premium products. It is thanks to their on-going support that Spirit of Toronto has enjoyed ten years as Canada’s premiere tasting event.
Although Spirit of Toronto 2015 is still months away, planning has already begun as we confirm some of next year’s guest speakers. Have a great summer and we’ll touch base again in the new year with a preview of what’s to come.
In the best of spirits,
Johanna Ngoh
Executive Producer
Spirit of Toronto Annual Whisky Gala
