We are concentrating on the wood……

The most common question people ask is why we use old oak casks that have had other spirits in prior to the scotch whisky.

There are two main reasons. Firstly the lack of British Oaks due to our past endeavours building ships and homes without replacing the felled trees hence the way our moorland’s look today (Not as natural as some imagine).

The second reason is the abundance of American & European oaks available, added to the mix Bourbons can only be matured in fresh wood it makes perfect sense to re-use them in Scotland for malt whisky production plus environmentally its a good thing.

Springbank Distillery 12 Year Old – 70cl / 54.3%

First whisky off the block is the new Springbank 12 year old cask strength, it’s a 65% sherry cask and refill bourbon casks.  We had this dram on our tasting evenings after the open day tasting we held on August 1st’ General view is it’s probably the best 12 year old cask strength in the series so far this year! I have to say it’s got a lot going on with a perfectly balanced taste that we all know and love from Springbank, the sherry wood never over dominates. Available now.

Longrow Red Port Cask from Springbank Distillery – 70cl / 53.7%

The next whisky is still awaiting the final bottling run at the distillery, it’s the new and rather amazing Longrow 11 year old Port wood cask. It’s name is Longrow Red 11 year old, just like last years this is a limited edition with 9000 bottles world wide, as usual we will have a larger delivery to ensure it lasts a few weeks (Hopefully). The colour is a rich red-pink amber, the nose is quite simply spectacular, now i am no peaty malt maniac but this one has me hooked. I am even putting my own name down on the hold list for this dram. Expected in-store around the first week of September.

Hazelburn From Springbank 10 Year Old – 70cl / 46%

Another malt still awaiting bottling is the new Hazelburn 10 year old 46% Vol. It’s all change with the Label as a new circular panel replaces the 3 still colour image label we have had since the first 8 year old was released. This is a bourbon cask matured Hazelburn that’s truly transformed the palate to a more highland taste, no smoke or peat as one would expect but most definitely a much bigger palate than the old 8 year bourbon cask used to launch this dram back in the early 2000s. Expected in-store around the first week of September

Glen Garioch: The Renaissance 15yo – celebrating a rebirth

I like Glen Garioch. While their regular range is unchanging, other than when they release a new vintage, they do like a special edition. Following on the heels of the Wine Cask Matured from earlier this year follows the first in a new range, billed as ‘The first chapter in a four-part story’ – Glen Garioch: The Renaissance 15 year old.

Back in 1994 Glen Garioch changed. Owners Morrison Bowmore were acquired by Suntory, and the distillery closed while the new bosses worked out how they wanted to run things in the future. After extensive testing and development, the distillery started up again in 1997, and a variety of changes went in: mash temperatures changed; fermentation times changed; the greenhouse, full of tomatoes and kept warm by waste heat from the distillery, was closed down; and most importantly, the malt changed.

Previously, Glen Garioch used barley from its own maltings, using a low peating level – about 5-10ppm. However, under the new owners, the maltings closed and unpeated malt was brought in. This made a big change to the style of spirit, focusing on malty and fruity flavours without the gentle smoke of earlier bottlings. It’s getting harder to find the old style of whisky, although the 1994 is still available and reasonably priced, but the more recent whiskies are very much now what the distillery is known for.

The Glen Garioch Renaissance series celebrates the distillery’s rebirth, and this first chapter is bottled at 15 years old. It consists only of spirit distilled since the reopening, and focuses on the flavour profile of their new style of whisky.

Glen Garioch: The Renaissance First Chapter, 15 years old

Nose: Sweet and malty, with gentle woody spice. Sour lemon peel sits behind the sweetness, with toffee and hazelnuts.
Palate: Oily and sweet, with more nuts and toffee, as well as buttered brown toast. A little bit of tongue drying tannin but still juicy, with baked apple and vanilla cream.
Finish: Butter toffee, hazelnuts and their skins, crisp apple and a touch of candied orange peel.
Comment: Very much on message: a whisky that shows off what Glen Garioch are all about. It’s rich and malty with some solid spice and a pleasantly oily mouthfeel.

The series will continue over the next three years, with releases of 16, 17 and 18 year old whiskies, to further show the development of the spirit as it matures.

• Four Roses K&L Exclusive OBSK (9 Years Old, 6 Months) Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon 750ml ($59.99)
  Another feather in our Four Roses cap comes in the wonderful cask of the OBSK (60% corn, 35% rye, 5%). This recipe has gained some notoriety for its part in the well regarded 120th Anniversary Limited Edition Small Batch. This bourbon features the high rye recipe and the spicy K yeast strains. The full throttled style on display here is packed to the brim with sweet woody aromas. Like fresh oak resin laced with layers of baking spice and doused in cream, the complexity is surprising at this age. Bottled half way through its 10th year, this cask is a real treat for those who enjoy a dryer style with tons of dark power flavors like gravel, graphite, vanilla bean and dark roasted cacao.

• Four Roses K&L Exclusive OBSV (11 Years Old, 4 Months) Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon 750ml ($59.99)
  We’re amassing a collection of cask strength Four Roses because it’s one of the best bourbons in production and they keep sending us these choice casks. We can’t keep these in stock so it’s been hard to consistently offer all ten recipes. Everything these guys put in the barrel is gold. We just can’t get enough. This Recipe, OBVS, may be the most important for the distillery. Their regular offering, Four Roses’ Single Barrel, is exclusively made from OBVS. It’s probably the best readily available bourbon on the market. Renowned for its creamy rich body and delicate character, we’re lucky to have come across this cask strength version of this special bourbon. Get this quick as we rarely see OBVS over 11 years old.

• Four Roses K&L Exclusive OESK (10 Years Old, 4 Months) Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon 750ml ($59.99)
  The OESK (70% corn, 20% rye, 5% malt) recipe is full and spicy. It, like all Four Roses’ bourbons, goes through an exacting souring process including rigurous testing for quality before being parcelled out between the distilleries 24 fermentation tanks. K yeast tends to create bourbons of great power and depth. It’s one of the two yeasts strains present in the distilleries Small Batch offering, which contains both high and low rye bourbons fermented with either the K or O yeast strains. This excellent cask balances that spicy earthiness out with a rich texture and a round sweet finish. Powerful aromas of sandlewood & cinnamon on the nose and persist throughout the palate. Only at the very end does a sweet Werther’s Original like caramel note raise it’s voice. It’s a veritable concerto of spice and oak.

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

anCnoc ‘Cutter’ makes its mark as new peated whisky unveiled at midnight gathering

The latest expression from anCnoc’s collection of limited edition peated malts was unveiled in Edinburgh last night, as whisky enthusiasts gathered under cover of darkness to share a midnight dram of the smoky new single malt.

anCnoc ‘Cutter’ is officially released to the global market today (1^st September), but as the clock chimed to greet the 1^st September launch date last night, an intimate group of anCnoc friends and fans stayed up late at the city’s Last Word bar to enjoy a first taste and toast the arrival of this much anticipated new release.

anCnoc launched its peated collection earlier this year with three expressions of varying peat strength – ‘Rutter’, ‘Flaughter’ and ‘Tushkar’  – aiming to help drinkers find a peaty dram to suit their palate and to ‘shine a light’ on the dark, enigmatic world of peat.

With drinkers embracing the new collection , the ‘Cutter’ launch marks the start of a new anCnoc tradition which will see a new peated expression unveiled every year on 1^st September, alongside a midnight celebration of anCnoc’s dark and mysterious side.

‘Cutter’ is the most peated of anCnoc’s single malts to date, with a phenol content of 20.5 PPM (parts per million). Light gold in appearance, it has an intense, thick and oily smoke structure on the nose which reveals a sharper, more medicinal phenolic layer with a piercing burst of fruity ripe peaches and just a touch of oak. It has an ashy taste, with slight apple-core bitterness and notes of leather and spicy vanilla lingering at the back, accompanied by sharper notes of pink grapefruit and ripe orchard fruits.  A long, elegant finish brings a kaleidoscope of spicy and peaty notes that die out with a juicy burst and a loud call for another sip.

The new whisky’s traditional yet contemporary packaging retains the striking dark green glass bottle of the first peated releases but this time features a traditional ‘cutter’ peat tool emblazoned in silver on the pack’s distinctive black label and tube design. 

anCnoc Assistant Brand Manager Stephanie Bridge commented:  ‘Given the popularity of anCnoc as a contemporary, easy drinking malt whisky, we are thrilled with the reception our new dark, peaty side has had amongst drinkers since we launched the collection back in April this year. We wanted anCnoc’s peated malts to find their way to the many people out there who love whisky but think that peat is not for them, and initial feedback shows that we are starting to build the appeal of a peated dram amongst our drinkers which is good news. We are delighted to have Cutter join this exquisite collection, bringing a slightly smokier, stronger peated option that has all the quality, character and taste that every whisky made at Knockdhu distillery enjoys. The 1^st September is now officially anCnoc Peaty day and a date to put in the diaries of whisky fans in years to come.’

2000 cases of anCnoc ‘Cutter’will be available online and in specialist and independent UK whisky retailers from 1^st September, rrp£52. Cutter is bottled at 46% ABVand in its most natural state – neither chill-filtered nor coloured.

http://www.ancnoc-peaty.com/

#LightOnDark 

Notes

About anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is produced at the Knockdhu Distillery which was established in 1894 and is one of the smallest and most enchanting in the Scottish Highlands. It’s renowned the world over by malt enthusiasts for producing a single malt that makes every day a special occasion.

The new peated collection from anCnoc aims to unravel the mysteries of peated whisky for modern drinkers, this new range from the Knockdhu Distillery features anCnoc’s classic light, easy-drinking style but with a dark, distinctive and smoky twist.The first three releases in the collection Rutter, Flaughter and Tushkar were unveiled at a launch event in early 2014.

About International Beverage 

International Beverage Holdings (www.interbevgroup.com) was established in 2005 as the international arm of ThaiBev, one of South East Asia’s leading alcohol beverage companies. With a network of regional offices in Asia, Europe and North America, the company is responsible for the production, sales, marketing and distribution of a portfolio of premium global brands in over 80 countries and territories.

Inver House Distillers (www.inverhouse.com) is globally integrated into International Beverage Holdings and drives the distillation and maturation of Scotch through its five distilleries.

International Beverage brands include:

• Chang Beer: Thailand’s iconic beer brand
• Single Malt Scotch Whiskies: Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc, Speyburn
• Blended Whiskies: Hankey Bannister
• Mekhong: ‘The Spirit of Thailand’ since 1941
• Caorunn – a small batch distilled Scottish Gin infused with 5 Celtic botanicals

The company’s success is built on the combination of a strong understanding of local cultures and markets with the creation of a truly global operational network.  Brand building pays respect to heritage, provenance and craftsmanship whilst delivering innovative and highly effective strategies at global level. A skilled and dedicated team of more than 12 nationalities speaking over 14 languages delivers the highest standards of customer service and attention to detail across all aspects of the business.

Be in with the chance to win a unique piece of art to celebrate the release of the Single Barrel, Aged 25 Years

Our Single Barrel Traditional Oak, Aged 25 Years will very soon see the light of day, having spent its time maturing in a refill American oak cask. Once our Malt Master, David Stewart has carefully sampled the matured whisky, he will select those casks that are most characterised by subtle spices and rich, honeyed sweetness to be bottled.

The age-old craft of whisky-making and the alchemy of wood, spirit and time are perfectly embodied by this unique expression. Each cask tells its own story and its yield is, by nature, one of a kind as each bottle is one of no more than 300 drawn from a single cask.

To mark the release of this new expression, we have commissioned Mr Smith’s Letterpress Workshop – one of the few remaining traditional letterpress workshops in London, to create a framed limited edition A1 print, each of which will be signed by David Stewart.

The Balvenie Single Barrel Aged 25 years will be appearing shortly, so do keep an eye out for it. In the meantime, we’ll be emailing you details of our competition to win a rather special piece of artwork.
Slainte mhath,

David Mair
The Balvenie Distillery Ambassador

LEARN MORE

Time for something new.  

Hi. It’s been a while.  

We’re updating and changing a few things, including completely redesigning our website. 

Go to http://vadistillery.com/ for a taste of what’s to come. We hope to have our full page done soon, so keep tabs on us via Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for now.

www.ralfy.com covers some controversial ground with Whisky Review 482 – Evan Williams Single Barrel bourbon 2003

We have stock again!

We have caught our breath, all of our distributor orders are up to date and we can finally allocate some stock to our online shop! Thank you all for your immense patience – we promise that the wait was worthwhile because these three whiskies will make you smile!

Today, for your drinking pleasure, we are very pleased to offer a very limited 6 bottles of French Oak Cask HH521, 18 bottles of American Oak Cask 446 and 60 bottles of Double Cask DC71.

And we are dead serious when we say HURRY, because stocks won’t last!

SHOP NOW

DIAGEO GLOBAL TRAVEL EXTENDS JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE™ FOOTPRINT INTO INDIA AND TAIWAN 

Diageo Global Travel is proud to announce the opening of two JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE™ retail showcase stores in travel retail – one in Mumbai, India and another in Taipei, Taiwan.  

Following the success of the JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE launches in Beijing, Shanghai and Seoul and continuing the brand’s mantra of ‘Keep Walking’, the new JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSES in Mumbai and Taipei are multi-sensory embassies for luxury Blended Scotch Whisky, designed to educate and inspire travellers by providing them with a luxurious and engaging shopping experience that encapsulates the history, provenance and pioneering spirit of the JOHNNIE WALKER^® brand. 

Travellers can fully immerse themselves in the history of JOHNNIE WALKER and its famous liquids through a number of striking wall installations; and in deluxe mentoring spaces specialist brand ambassadors will invite them on a sensorial journey to touch, taste and smell the rare elements that make up JOHNNIE WALKER. 

To celebrate the inauguration of the Houses, a limited edition bottle of JOHNNIE WALKER^® BLUE LABEL™ has been created. The JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE™ ART COLLECTION – Mumbai Edition will be exclusively available at Mumbai International Airport. 

Doug Bagley, Managing Director, Diageo Global Travel and Middle East, said: “We are delighted to bring not one, but two JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSES to life in partnership with our customers in key travel retail channels globally. This reinforces our long-term commitment to providing travelers with a luxurious, unparalleled shopping experience in one of the fastest-growing retail channels worldwide.  Both airports are key travel hubs, handling a combined 63 million passengers a year which make them perfect locations for JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSES within our burgeoning industry. We are confident that they will surprise and delight consumers with an unmatched retail space and deliver a luxurious shopping experience.” 

Lawrence Law, Global General Manager Johnnie Walker Houses, said: “I’m delighted to see the extension of the JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSES into travel retail. It’s a move that highlights the esteem with which we hold our commercial travel retail partners. We believe it’s important to immerse consumers in our brand and these houses will provide them with the first luxury retail experience beyond our flagship JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSES.”

JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE™ MUMBAI

The JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE™ MUMBAI, in collaboration with DFS Group and Flemingo International, launching 2 September 2014, is located in the prestigious departures concourse of Terminal 2 of Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. To celebrate the opening, an exclusive JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE™ ART COLLECTION – Mumbai Edition – has been created. The special bottle shows a unique interpretation of the original JOHNNIE WALKER journey from Scotland to India in 1883* and reflects the brand’s long heritage as one of the world’s first international brands. 

Abanti Sankaranarayanan, Managing Director, Diageo India, said: JOHNNIE WALKER is the iconic luxury Scotch in India. In line with the consumers’ desire for unique experiences and evolving taste palates, we launch the JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE at the Mumbai International Airport. The JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSES globally are our global embassies for luxury Scotch whisky and we are proud to extend this world class experience to our Indian consumers. The new JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE will be home to some of the rarest and most luxurious blends from Diageo’s portfolio that are unrivalled in taste, heritage and craftsmanship.” 

Manishi Sanwal, Managing Director, Mumbai Duty Free, said: “We are delighted to offer exciting retailer opportunities to customers departing Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport. With the innovative JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE, we are certain world travelers will discover a stimulating and unique offer within our store.” 

JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE™ TAIWAN

The JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE™ TAIWAN, launching late September 2014, will be located in the departures concourse immediately after immigration at Terminal 2 of Taoyuan International Airport, Taipei. JOHNNIE WALKER first traded in Taiwan in 1925 highlighting the brand’s long travel heritage. Within, travellers can purchase a range of unique, exclusive whisky collections, that are exclusively available at JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE TAIWAN. 

A spokesperson from Everrich Duty Free, said: “We are pleased and proud to partner with Diageo Global Travel to launch the JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE TAIWAN. Our customers are looking for luxury shopping spaces that combine innovation, exceptional service and unique experiences – the JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE encapsulates all that we want to offer our distinguished clientele.” 

Starting this month, all consumers will be able to access their own copy of JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE Edit, a commissioned quarterly title dedicated to the art of good living that brings together curated content from world-class contributors, stylists, photographers and creative talent, will also be available to all patrons of the newly launched properties. Inspired by the JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE philosophy of Living Luxury, the periodical’s first edition explores the subject of fame and its relationship with affluence across art, design, literature, music, drama and the epicurean world. The title is also available digitally via Magzter.

Notes 

*JOHNNIE WALKERwas first exported to India in 1883 

ABOUT JOHNNIE WALKER^® HOUSES

JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSES are an exclusive collection of Scotch Whisky embassies outside of Scotland. Established by the world’s number one Scotch Whisky brand, JOHNNIE WALKER, the brand pioneered its first House in Shanghai, China in 2011, followed by Beijing, China in 2012 and Seoul, South Korea in 2013.  

Each JOHNNIE WALKER HOUSE is an exploration of the brand’s heritage, inviting guests to embark on a multi-sensory mentoring journey. The Houses are a celebration of a luxurious whisky experiences across a spread of fine-dining, art and music that inspire progressive individuals to come together and create new cultural expressions globally. Innovation is integral to the Houses with unique, exclusive whisky collections are available at each location. In addition, selected patrons can work with the Master Blender to create their own personalized blends. 

ABOUT DIAGEO

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits, beer and wine categories.  These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB, Buchanan’s, Windsor and Bushmills whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness. 

Diageo is a global company, and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.  The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO).  For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com.  Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. 

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

Box Distillery Master Class – toasty morsels

Some time ago, while taking a whisky cruise from Stockholm, I came across the lovely guys at Box Distillery in Sweden. On my return home, I decided to have a try of their first educational release – The Box Advanced Master Class Course No.1 tasting kit.

The Box stills

Box Distillery is located in Bjärtrå, about 300 miles north of Stockholm, and started producing spirit in 2010. The Course 1 Master Class is a way of raising awareness of what they do while giving their stock time to mature. The format is simple – the box contains five 20cl samples of malt spirit aged in casks with different toasting levels. You are also provided with a log-in for the website that gives you access to the ample course material. Once you have read through the course – and believe me, it goes into serious detail – you should have a thorough understanding of the ways in which toasting affects the spirit.

The course itself breaks down the different aspects of maturation, examining in depth the chemical compounds of oak and how treatment affects the flavour. The layout is relatively easy to follow, although I feel it could do with being a little more interactive. The chemical analysis is interesting, if a little dry.

The tasting itself is done blind. The five samples are in no particular order, but you are given tasting notes for the different styles of toasting. The liquid itself showed some promise, but if I’m honest it was not my cup of tea for general drinking. Having used 100-litre casks for a short period of time, I found the wood/spirit ratio a little unbalanced.

I imagine, however, given time in full-size casks, this spirit will make something rather special. What’s more, the spirit is clean, and if you favour big oaky notes shown in some New World whiskies on the market, then you will love these. And it’s important to stress that this is not a gift pack of sipping whiskies; this is very much an educational tool aimed at whisky aficionados.

Box Advanced Master Class Course No.1, £185

Box No 1

Nose: Malty with dry varnish. A background treacle note with a warm-bread-dough feel to it.
Palate: Liquorice and vanilla. Lots of spice, nutmeg and cinnamon supporting dark tobacco notes.
Finish: A touch of tobacco smoke.

Box No 2

Nose: Pears and dried apricots. Some white pepper and classic American oak coconut.
Palate: Fresh hay stacks and almond powder. Some sweet vanilla, bay leaf and dry spice.
Finish: Star anise and dried limes.

Box No 3

Nose: Spice and dried fruit with a hint of marzipan. Boiled oranges pricked with nutmeg.
Palate: Slightly overcooked caramel and pine nuts with a hint of throat lozenges.
Finish: Milk chocolate and cola bottles that dries out and lingers on.

Box No 4

Nose: Buttery vanilla with yeasty notes. Rye bread straight out of the oven.
Palate: A big sour note – dried limes? – with a very peppery surround.
Finish: Some mango and guava but dries out quickly, leaving a touch of mint.

Box No 5

Nose: Brown sugar and ruby red fruit. Freshly waxed wood.
Palate: Thick and syrupy, like cola concentrate. Warm spice and candied orange.
Finish: Rum-and-raisin fudge, with a touch of bread yeast.

The Box Advanced Master Class Course No.1 is available now at The Whisky Exchange.