Holiday Outturn (Late November) New Offerings 

Cask No. 117.5                                                       $295.00

Smouldering, brooding and alluring

Ireland

The alluring nose presented apple sours and cherry pieces in dark chocolate, Brazil nuts and coconut macaroons; hints of Bovril, cinnamon, sandalwood and manuka honey. At full strength, the palate was mouth-drawing and dry but full of flavour – Black Forest gateau, Kirsch, treacle toffee, blackcurrant jam, Campinos, fried sage leaves and brooding eastern spices. The reduced nose suggested smouldering aromatic woods, herbs and incense, with even more cherries, chocolate and nuts. The palate was a trance-inducing mix of teasing textures and delicious tastes of salted caramels, Moffat toffees and vanilla.

Drinking tip: This will take you to another place – prepare for a journey of the senses

Colour: Gothic coke

Cask: Refill Sherry hogshead

Age: 22 years

Date distilled: September 1991

Alcohol: 55.5%

USA allocation: 72 bottles 

Cask No. 5.40                                                         $130

Soft, Sweet and Fluffy

Lowland

The initial impression was one of delicate sweetness, soft and elegant like baby lotion and talcum powder. This was followed by sweet lemonade, sweet coconut milk, hazelnuts, coffee and chocolate ice cream and the hint of a perfume/floral aroma, possibly hydrangea. Super sweet on the palate neat but then at the same time an intriguing spiciness of cinnamon and nutmeg. The finish had an ever so slightly bitter and tangy hoppy flavour like in a chocolate stout. Water made it feel like crawling into a fluffy onesie at the end of a long day with sweet waffles and a hot chocolate by your side.

Drinking tip: In a ‘onesie’ or even better – ‘twosie’

Colour: Yellow plums

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 13 years

Date distilled: October 2000

Alcohol: 56.7%

USA allocation: 81 bottles 

Cask No. 29.152                                                    $185

Chapter and verse

Islay

Chapter and verse of the anthem of smoky drams! The sweet maritime nose took us to the beach – wooden boats, salt-sea spray, machair, lobster pots, wicker deck-chairs and chocolate wafer ice-creams. We also got hospital laundry (clean!) honey, aniseed, peppercorn, peat-fires and heather smoke. The palate was an amazing sweet, salty, earthy intensity of tastes – salty prawns, bacon, Arbroath smokies, wood smoke, ash, tobacco and dark chocolate. The reduced nose was lighter – clean wood-ash, salted caramel, harbour ropes and menthol cigarettes. The palate – salty, fresh, cooler – citrus, cigar smoke, hazelnut chocolate and chewing gum. Johnston’s jackanory juice o’ the barley.

Drinking tip: On the beach or after playing golf on the Links

Colour: Winter sunrise

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 23 years

Date distilled: October 1990

Alcohol: 49.8%

USA allocation: 108 bottles 

Cask No. 54.29                                                       $100

Bright-eyed and Bushy-tailed

Speyside, Spey

The panel delighted in the Spriteliness of this young dramsel. The nose was vanilla and almond pastry with green grapes, grapefruit and pear and a dusting of white pepper. Plastic erasers and cut grass reminded the panel of the first day at school. On the tongue, tinned pears, tangerine segments and grilled grapefruit. They found it had a surprisingly long silky finish of peach. Water made the texture more syrup like with melon and pear fruit salad with lychees. It does everything it says on the tin, it is youthful and fun and the panel loved it.

Drinking tip: It’ll put a spring in your step!

Colour: Chardonnay grape

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 9 years

Date Distilled: February 2005

Alcohol: 57.7%

USA allocation: 115 bottles

Cask No. 77.35                                                       $115

Fresh, vibrant and attractive

Highland, Northern

Our panellists were transported from November drizzle to sunny, summer meadows and hay lofts – it was young, fresh, vibrant and attractive (the whisky, not the panel), with oranges and lemons, jam tarts, pears, apples and grapes; hints of bourbon and vanilla. The palate gave us pleasant tingling heat (chilli, ginger, cardamom, clove, liquorice) with sapid citric flavours of blood orange and sherbet lemon fizz – not complex, but a good bitter-sweet duality. Water brought more woodiness to the nose, with quinine, quince and orange blossom, while the palate sweetened up nicely – cloudy lemonade, apple sponge and lemon drizzle cake. An ordacious dram.

Drinking tip: A good session starter or aperitif – served with the Ord-oevres?

Colour: Pale sunlit straw

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 11 years

Date Distilled: April 2002

Alcohol: 58.4%

USA allocation: 146 bottles

Please visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at www.smwsa.com

The much anticipated return of our Four Roses Barrel Strength Private Selections have arrived. We just received two barrels this week, and expect four more next week. We are still waiting for our second barrel of Old Forester and more barrels from Wild Turkey, Knob Creek, Smooth Ambler and three barrels of Weller 107 Antique. We have just brought down some new barrels to our sales floor.

NEW RIFF OKI Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey 8 Year TPS Private Barrel – $53.99

FOUR ROSES Single Barrel Bourbon TPS Private Barrel – $34.99

FOUR ROSES Barrel Strength OESK Bourbon TPS Private Barrel – $58.99

FOUR ROSES Barrel Strength OBSF Bourbon TPS Private Barrel – $58.99

1792 RIDGEMONT Reserve Barrel Select Bourbon TPS Private Barrel – $23.49

RUSSELL’S RESERVE Single Barrel Bourbon TPS Private Barrel – $48.99

JEFFERSON’S Small Batch Bourbon TPS Private Barrel – $22.49

BUFFALO TRACE Bourbon TPS Private Barrel – $23.99

BERNHEIM Small Batch Wheat Whiskey TPS Private Barrel – $28.99

The Nth 2015 Ultimate Whisky Experience

March 11-14, 2015

Celebrate the 5th annual Nth Whisky Show in Las Vegas. Nth 2015 will be an unparalleled event showcasing the best whiskies and brands in the world. Taste, savor, discuss and learn more about fine, rare whiskies at the always luxurious Encore at  Wynn Las Vegas.

This week Joe Ellis reviews Benromach Origins Batch 4 Port Pipes. 

http://youtu.be/OCYChOpHWTo 

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

https://www.facebook.com/whiskytube

Buffalo Trace Distillery Releases Fifteenth Round of

Single Oak Project Bourbon  

Second to last release in the series looks at the top and the bottom of the tree cut while Master Distiller explains differences   

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Nov. 18, 2014) – Buffalo Trace Distillery is nearing the end of its Single Oak Project, with just one more bourbon release to go after this, in what will be a four year study of seven different variables and how they affect taste.

This release features bourbons which were all aged in barrels with the same entry proof (105), same stave seasoning, aged in the same warehouse (concrete floor), and same char level (number three). All other variables, recipe (wheat or rye), grain size, and tree cut (top or bottom of the tree) vary.

“There are many variables to consider in this project but one of the most interesting to learn more about has been tree cut,” said Harlen Wheatley, master distiller. “There are four direct components that are related to wood that contribute to our bourbon flavor; hemicellulose, lignin, tannins, and the char layer. There are two major considerations when it comes to tree composition and location, and those are lignins and tannins. The top half of the tree tends to have more lignin, which contributes to the formulation of vanilla and vanilla flavor. The bottom half of the tree tends to have more tannins, which contributes to the formation of ellagic acids and tannic flavor. Tannic flavor leaves your mouth dry and delivers complexity or richness in texture.”

If past online votes are any indication, fans are all over the board when it comes to their favorite. Barrel # 82 retains its lead, but the other barrels in the top spots vary in char level, tree location, recipe and char level. The only thing it seems fans can agree upon at this time is the entry proof (105) and warehouse (rick warehouse.)

But it’s not too late to get in on the act and start reviewing, as there are no clear cut winners yet, and another release after this one to go before this project ends in the summer of 2015.  More than 4,300 reviews have been given so far on www.singleoakproject.com.

The Single Oak Project is part of an intensive research project Buffalo Trace Distillery started conducting in 1999 by hand picking 96 trees with different wood grains and then dividing them into a top and bottom piece, yielding 192 unique sections. From there, staves were created from each section and were air dried for either 6 months or 12 months. After all the staves were air dried, a single barrel was created from each tree section, resulting in 192 total barrels. These barrels were given either a number three or a number four char and then filled with either wheat or rye recipe bourbon.

 To further the variety of experiments, the barrels were filled at two different proofs, 105 and 125 proof.  And if this wasn’t enough, two completely different warehouses were used, one with wooden floors and one with concrete floors.  In total, seven different variables were employed in Buffalo Trace’s ultimate experiment.

For eight years the Distillery continued with its tracking process, creating intricate databases and coming up with a potential of 1,396 tasting combinations from these 192 barrels!

The Single Oak Project Bourbon is being released in a series every three months from 2011 through 2015 until all of the 192 barrels have been released. The first release hit select stores in 2011.  This fifteenth release will reach stores in December. Like all the other releases, the quantities are very limited. Every case will contain 12 bottles, each from a different barrel. The fifteenth release is made up of barrel numbers 21, 22, 53, 54, 85, 86, 117, 118, 149, 150, 181, and 182. All releases will be packaged in a 375ml bottle. Suggested retail pricing per bottle is $46.35.

At the conclusion of the Single Oak Project, the Distillery plans to take the top rated Single Oak Project Bourbon and make more just like it, under the Single Oak name.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1786 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.

November 2014 Auction Ends on Monday 1^st December!

View November Auction

Our November auction is now live and will finish on December 1^st from 19:00.

We have been asked on occasion what the most collectible and sought after bottle of Macallan what do you think, some of these may be strong contenders, including the Macallan Nicols Nectar and Raffles Hotel, Singapore shown below!

That’s not all we also have a Macallan 1950, Macallan 1957 and British Aerospace.

There are plenty of other incredibly rare whiskies in this months auction including the Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013, recently awarded Best Whisky in the World by Jim Murray. We also have an incredibly rare Bowmore, distilled in 1970 and in our opinion the only bottle to have been auctioned ever before (quite possibly the only one!), finally we have a fantastic range of Littlemill (almost 40 bottles) providing an excellent opportunity to buy from a closed distillery at a reasonable price!

There is no registration fee, our commission structure is very competitive and we offer worldwide shipping including to the USA. For our terms and conditions please click here.

With over 10 years of experience in the whisky industry, Whisky Auctioneer specialises in auctioning whisky whether it be fine, old, rare, collectable or affordable. Formed in 2013 and based in Perth, central Scotland, we aim to be the most comprehensive website for the buying and selling of whisky online.

http://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/

Happy Bidding!

Deanston 1994 Whiskies of Scotland 55.4% ABV | 50cl

Our own label “Whiskies of Scotland” Deanston 1994 55.4% picked up the BRONZE award in this year’s Scottish Field Whisky Challenge with an impressive 14.95 points out of 20 in the £40 – £80 price category. Bottled in 2013, this expression of Deanston is arguably the finest I had ever tasted from that particular distillery so decided that it merited entry into this year’s competition.

The Deanston was up against stiff competition too with Glenmorangie’s Companta 46% winning the category Gold with 16.15 points and the Glendronach 18 Year Old 46% taking the silver award with 15.4 points out of 20. All of the nosing and tasting is completely blind so you don’t even know which category a whisky is entered into, which makes it very fair to everyone.

Deanston 1994 55.4% 19 year old:

Official Tasting Note
Nose: Full and sweet, fruit salad, gentle oak notes, vanilla and coconut with hints of sherry. Traces of milky chocolate and cappuccino too. Palate: Rich and spicy, quite full and oily. Rich toffee, caramel, bananas, vanilla and milk chocolate and hints of sherry again.

My Tasting Note On The Day
Light and buttery. Kiwi and passion fruit, round and balanced. A little closed but intensely sweet and sugary with amazing balance and a blanket of honey.

Other Judges Comments
“Fairly shy aromas – honey and waxy lemons – with a sugary sweetness and hints of green apple”. “A powerhouse: lots of well integrated spice and aromatics wrapped in a fruity, gently sherried whisky cask”.

Slainte, Ronnie

Buy Now

Price £46.67 ex VAT £56.00 inc VAT

Things are happening.

Progress is becoming more and more visible at the site. We’ve expanded the capacity of all of our fermentation tanks, the distillery office is taking shape, and we’ve been hard at work planning our beautiful visitor center and warehouses. Every day we’re moving forward.

Visit at www.vadistillery.com

www.ralfy.com really enjoys a ‘virtual’ visit to the Isle of Skye with Whisky Review 503 – Talisker 18yo @ 45.8%vol

ROYAL SALUTE 21 YEAR OLD UNVEILS PRESTIGIOUS NEW PACKAGING

Royal Salute, the world’s only exclusively prestige Scotch whisky has unveiled a contemporary new look for its 21 Year Old expression reinforcing its position as a modern, luxury product of hand crafted quality.

Royal Salute proudly seeks out the most precious materials to craft its blend – from perfectly matured single malt whiskies to the porcelain flagons in which it is presented. Robust, durable and strong, the opaque body of the flagon acts as a powerful guardian to the precious liquid. Crafted over five days from Cornish clay in Great Britain, Royal Salute’s high quality is further reinforced by the new artistic decoration on its cap that includes a guilloché pattern, while the label emphasises the brand’s legacy, which dates back to 1953 when Royal Salute was launched in tribute to Queen Elizabeth II on the day of her coronation.

Elaborate engraving of a lion and cannon smoke on the bottle retain Royal Salute’s rich heritage as a powerful and sophisticated prestige Scotch whisky, with the expression being named after the traditional 21 Gun Salute. In 2012, the brand became the first ever to be officially associated with the Royal Gun Salutes at the Tower of London, further celebrating the brand’s celebration of royalty, a tradition that continues today.

Royal Salute 21 Year Old’s new bottle reflects the power and grace of Master Distiller Colin Scott’s craftsmanship. Colin Scott maintains consistent high quality throughout the production process, selecting rare and prized malt and grain whiskies laid down over 21 years ago for the final blend, which he describes as both subtle and strong, like “an iron fist in a velvet glove.”

Global Brand Director for Royal Salute, Neil Macdonald says: “There is a tremendous opportunity for Royal Salute to become a true and legitimate luxury brand. We have powerful credentials with our sumptuous whisky which has always used whiskies aged at least 21 years of age Now the new design complements with a modern look for our iconic 21 Year Old expression that alludes to the power and grace of our range. Royal Salute is steeped in royalty and history and this new contemporary packaging helps us bring the legacy of our crafted whisky to life. We are proud to present a bottle that today’s whisky connoisseurs, collectors and discerning drinkers alike will appreciate.”

Colin Scott, Master Blender for Royal Salute, continues: “21 years is an age necessary to capture the power and grace that defines this unique blend’s style. The new packaging enhances the exclusive Royal Salute experience.”

The new Royal Salute 21 Year Old flagon will remain available in three colours, including sapphire, ruby, and emerald complemented by a matching velvet pouch. Contact your local distributor for price and availability.

NOTES

About Royal Salute

Royal Salute is the world’s only exclusively prestige Scotch whisky brand, with a range of luxury blended whiskies matured for a minimum of 21 years. Created in 1953 to mark the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, Royal Salute’s signature style is the combination of power and grace – a style developed and upheld by Colin Scott and legacy of the three Master Blenders who preceded him since 1953. Power and grace not only defines the elegance, richness and complexity of Royal Salute whiskies, but also the character of the brand demonstrated by its support of the honourable sport of polo. Today, Royal Salute is a leading international supporter of polo through its Royal Salute World Polo platform, hosting prestigious events across Asia, the Americas and Europe, featuring some of the world’s best polo players. www.royalsalute.com

@RoyalSalute

About Chivas Brothers

Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth Gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport. www.chivasbrothers.com

@ChivasNewsRoom