Top Picks

• Bowmore Dorus Mor Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($99.99)

• Caol Ila “Stitchel Reserve” Unpeated Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($99.99)

 New Arrivals

Japan – Single Malt Scotch

• Suntory Yamazaki 18 year old Japanese Single Malt Whiskey (one bottle limit) 750ml ($154.99)
  93 points Whisky Advocate: “Deep, mature in nature, and very complex. Notes of polished leather, maple syrup, and dark pit fruit, with suggestions of tobacco smoke, wood shavings, and unsweetened chocolate. References to fine old bourbon and ultra-matured pot-still rum provide intrigue. Proof that Japan produces some outstanding, distinctive whiskies. Nicely done! ” 91 points Wine Enthusiast: “Apple and pear aromas, and delicate floral and fruity flavors. This Japanese whisky finishes smoky, elegant and restrained.” (03/2011) K&L Notes: The Suntory whiskies are handcrafted at Japan’s oldest distillery, built by the founder of Suntory–Shinjiro Torii–in 1923. This was named “Best in Class” at the International Wine & Spirits Competition in 2006 and awarded a Double Gold Medal at the 2005 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. This will wow any fan of single malt whisky with its spicy cherry, date, toffee and orange notes and its long, dry finish.

United States – Bourbon and Rye

• Tuthilltown Hudson Baby Bourbon (375ml) – 12 available ($42.99)
  Tuthilltown Spirits is located along New York Hudson’s River and has the distinction of being the first New York distillery to (legally) make bourbon since Prohibition. The Hudson Baby Bourbon is a single-grain bourbon made entirely from New York corn, and it is aged in small American oak barrels that impart vanilla caramel notes and soften the spirit’s edges. Mild, this is a great introduction to bourbon, but enjoyable for even the most discerning connoisseur.

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

Whisky Ramblings Via Video #75

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries the PC5. Port Charlotte is not a distillery – at least not anymore and not yet (got it ?) – but the popular whisky is produced at the Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay. The PC5 was in fact their first Port Charlotte release, an aptly named 5 Year Old heavily peated malt. A gentle giant from Islay. 

http://youtu.be/AzOyeLdesjw

The Tomatin Distillery Co Ltd is a producer and blender of Scotch whisky, boasting a strong core range of single malt whiskies along with a range of popular blends, including The Antiquary and “Big T”. Once the largest distillery in Scotland it still boasts 12 stills and manufactures over 2,000,000 litres of whisky each year.

Tomatin uses circa 28,000 tonnes of steam per year as part of its production process and as it is located off the natural gas network, the company’s main fuel source was Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO), powering a 10MW oil boiler. With HFO prices having increased significantly over the past ten years and because it is committed to the Scotch Whisky industry’s environmental goals of 20% replacement of fossil fuels by 2020 and 80% by 2050, Tomatin wanted to use renewable energy for the provision of steam required in its production process.

The Tomatin Project
In mid-2012, Tomatin and Balcas signed a long term agreement for the supply of heat energy in the form of steam at the Distillery. Balcas designed and built a 4MW wood pellet fuelled steam plant that could supply the steam requirements for the distillation of spirit at Tomatin. The Balcas boiler delivers over 80% of the distillery’s requirements, with occasional peaks in demand being met with the backup oil boiler. The displacement of HFO onsite with brites wood pellets manufactured using renewable heat and electricity, reduces the distillery’s CO2 emissions by an estimated 90,000 tonnes over the twenty year life of the agreement. Therefore as well as significant net financial savings, the distillery has also met its 2050 environmental targets as set by the Scotch Whisky Association, making it one of the greenest distilleries in Scotland.

The Balcas team worked closely with the distillery project team to raise steam only 8 months from the initial handshake with Tomatin. Balcas also installed the energy meters and managed the application and administration involved in obtaining the Renewable Heat Incentive. Finance for the project was provided by a joint venture between Balcas and Equitix, who themselves were backed by the Government’s Green Investment Bank, its first investment in Scotland.

Balcas now remotely monitors the entire installation planning fuel deliveries and scheduling regular maintenance visits. The wood used to make brites is virgin and locally sourced in Scotland.

The Balcas Proposition

Balcas is the largest manufacturer of wood pellets in the UK with our Invergordon facility in Scotland being the largest pellet plant in the UK. With our 50 years’ experience in the timber industry and almost a decade supplying high quality wood pellets under the brites brand in the UK and Ireland, we have developed a heat energy solution tailor made for large scale industrial and commercial customers requiring saturated steam within their production process.

At the heart of the solution lies the longstanding relationship with our chosen boiler manufacturer, Vyncke. Having specialised in biomass boilers for 100 years, they have worked with Balcas to perfect a range of steam boilers made to deliver in an industrial environment where steam is often required 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Delivering the technical solution, security of long term fuel supply, on-going maintenance and the finance for the installation under one energy contract, Balcas has endeavoured to answer the questions many industrial customers have asked of the renewable energy sector.

Benefits

*Instant and significant carbon savings
*Up to 90,000 tonnes of CO2 saved over the course of the contract
*Achieved Scotch Whisky Association carbon reduction target of 80% by 2050,
*37 years ahead of schedule
*Security of fuel supply from brites wood pellets
*Long term isolation from the price fluctuations in fossil fuel market
*Significant financial savings from early in the project
*Ability to benefit from the RHI for next 20 years
*Installation of 4MW biomass steam boiler completed within 8 months including planning permission
*Over achievement of original performance targets

“As members of the Scotch Whisky Association we are fully committed, along with the other members, to reducing our carbon output by 80% by 2050. The shift to brites fuel means we have now achieved this target; 37 years ahead of the target. As well as the carbon reduction, there was also a clear financial saving offered by Balcas, with the Renewable Heat Incentive providing additional funding for the next twenty years. In addition to these savings, the solution proposed by Balcas was also much more compact that others we had reviewed and the use of pellets meant we had a local and reliable source of fuel. We are delighted to now be one of the greenest distilleries in Scotland, and to have been the first to have completed the installation.”

Graham Eunson
Distillery Manager, Tomatin

Make the once in a lifetime trip and sail with tall ship Thalassa! Sail along with us to the best single malt distilleries and visit the famous Islay Whisky Festival. Discover Scotland’s coastal distilleries, enjoy the company of whisky lovers and learn from whisky professionals! see Scotland and its isles from a different angle and discover its beauty. Read more…

Many guests have been welcomed on board before you: earlier an article about our whisky sailing journey was published in Whisky Magazine 2013. Read more about the experiences  of journalist Martin Mitchell (Read the article here… )

Our whisky sailing trips in 2014 

Whisky trip 1: May, 17th – May 24th 2014

Price: EUR 895,- per person **JUST A FEW PLACES LEFT** 

Whisky trip 2: May 24th – May 31st 2014 (ISLAY WHISKY FESTIVAL)

Price: EUR 995,- per person ** FULLY BOOKED** 

Read more… 

Program whisky sailing trip 1

Important notice: during this journey we chose to sail another route compared to the previous journeys! Were you our guest during one of these trips before it might be worthwhile to consider shipping  in on board of Thalassa once more and discover a new part of Scotland!

The sailing trip starts in Oban, Scotland and ends in Troon, Scotland.

Day 1: Embarkation in Oban

Day 2: Departure to Tobermory, visit distillery Tobermory, bustour Mull

Day 3: Departure for Bunnahabhain, overnight stay in its bay OR via Corryvreckan to Jura, overnight stay in its bay

Day 4: Visit distillery Bunnahabhain or Jura, departure to Port Ellen

Day 5: Possible visit distilleries Islay, overnight stay in Port Ellen

Day 6: Departure direction Campbelltown, visit Springbank distillery

Day 7: Tour Glenscotia, departure for Arran, visit distillery, departure for Troon

Day 8: Disembark at Troon 

The definite sailing route depend on wind and weather conditions. The captain of the vessel is authorized to modify the schedule, if necessary due to circumstances as described above. In such case the captain and his crew will make suggestions for a fair alternative route. 

More information about the trips can be found here. For online booking click here. For further questions please contact us by email or phone: +31-10-4156600. 

Welcome on board!

HOLLANDS GLORIE

Liesbeth Wammes – de Graaf

Brigitte Beckers 

Canadian Whisky Awards Banquet

Last Call 

Final preparations for the Canadian Whisky awards banquet and dinner are underway but there is still time if you would like to join us. 

The dinner and ceremony to present medals and awards to the makers of Canada’s finest whiskies will be held on Thursdsay, January 16, 2014 at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Victoria BC. 

Tickets to the event include a full hot and cold buffet and a chance to be the first to know which whiskies a panel of judges has deemed the finest of 2013. 

Tickets may be purchased by contacting James Burrough at the Hotel.  jburrough@hotelgrandpacific.com 

We look forward to having you join us in celebrating Canada’s whisky celebrities. 

The organizers of the awards gratefully acknowledge the support of the Victoria Whisky Festival.

The Grand Compass Box Dinner With J. Wheelock

Challenge convention, step outside of your comfort zone and add a little Spice Tree to your life. VWF 2013 was the year for “Being John Glaservitch”, this year it’s “Whose Compass Box Is it Anyway?” Well-versed in the art of food and drink pairing, and how to make a (Peat) Monster-ously great cocktail, J. Wheelock will share in the passion and Heart of this dynamic whisky-making company. We won’t break the rules, we’ll just blend them.

Price $99 per person. Please note tickets to this event are available only from the Manager of the Mark Restaurant at (250) 380-4478. (A few tickets are still available!)

 

 

New Year – New Arrivals at Park Ave

We interrupt the ‘Polar Vortex’ to bring you this special annoucement. Nothing beats bone-chilling record low temperatures quite like new products at the Park Avenue Liquor Shop. Well, we like to think so. Here’s a small list of new bottles at Park Ave that we think are more interesting than talking about the weather.

Cheers to your health and happiness in 2014!

Jonathan & Eric
Park Avenue Liquor Shop
292 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
212-685-2442
info@parkaveliquor.com
http://www.parkaveliquor.com/

Our spirited sources tell us that Johnnie Walker ‘Odyssey’ will soon be freed from the shackles of ‘travel retail only’ (aka ‘duty-free shops’) and land on good ‘ol regular retail shelves. We also know that this is going to be an extremely allocated item – so for starters we won’t be getting more than a couple of bottles. Be sure to check in with us if you are interested.

Ransom: The Emerald 1865, Straight American Whiskey

“Thanks to colorful folklore passed down through the generations, we know that the Irish whiskey of today little resembles its 19th century predecessors. Trouble was, there was none left of the traditional whiskey to taste in our quest to recreate the long lost gems of the Emerald Isle. Fortune gave us two good turns; a British excise agent who recorded an Irish mash bill in 1865, and our friend David Wondrich, who found said recipe poring over the microfiche annals of history and passed it along to us. With this mash bill as our guide, we set out to create our own interpretation of a traditional Irish whiskey. To call our version modern might be a stretch- We grow a percentage of the barley organically on our farm, our grains are milled, mashed and fermented in small batches at our distillery and farm in the emerald hills of Sheridan, Oregon, and we distill according to our senses in our handmade, direct-¬-fired alembic pot still. The Emerald matures in a mix of French and American oak for three years, and is hand bottled, capsuled, and labeled. The result is a highly aromatic spirit with the weight, richness, and complexity of its forbearers.”
– Tad Seestedt Proprietor, Ransom Spirits

Our price: $90/btl

Nikka: Miyagikyo (Aged 12 years)

Miyagikyo is located on the island of Honshu, two hours by high-speed train to the northeast of Tokyo. Built in the foothills of the Miyagi prefecture, at the heart of a region famous for its waterfalls and many hot springs. The distillery is a true haven of peace. This site was chosen by Nikka founder, Masataka Taketsuru for its pure air and high humidity levels, ideal for aging in barrels. The environment is similar to that of the Cairngorms region in the heart of Scotland. Miyagikyo, uses large stills that produce a spirit that is rich and fruity with elegant aromas.

Our price: $130/btl

Glenrothes: 2001 Vintage

“The Glenrothes Vintage 2001, bottled in 2012 was selected from a variety of casks to deliver soft but stimulating and conversational properties. It combines the maturity of oaky vanilla, with the fullness of ripe black cherries and has a lingering, typically Glenrothes finish of soft spices. It has wonderful length and depth, hugely satisfying and an excellent demonstration of the Malt Master’s skill and dedication to the art of wood management.”
– TheGlenrothes.com

Appearance: Golden straw, clear and bright
Bouquet: Lemon meringue pie, sandalwood and a hint of black cherries
Palate: Oaky vanilla, cream topped with grated nutmeg
Finish: Sweet oaky vanilla with lingering soft dry spiciness

Our price: $67/btl

Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr: Single Barrel

Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the bourbon industry, fighting for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, nearly three decades after he purchased what is now called Buffalo Trace Distillery. During his time, Taylor implemented several innovative methods still used today, including climate controlled aging warehouses. E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel is aged exclusively in Warehouse C, which was built by Taylor in 1881 and proven to be an excellent aging warehouse. Each barrel is hand-picked and Bottled in Bond at 100 proof to honor its namesake.

TASTING NOTES:
The aroma carries lightly toasted oak, with dried figs and butterscotch. One sip brings flavors of sweetness balanced with tobacco and dark spices. The finish is just long enough to prepare the palette for another sip. The bottle itself is a likeness to Colonel Taylor’s original design used over a century ago.

Our price: $80/btl

Hillrock: Double Cask Rye

Hillrock Estate Double Cask Rye Whiskey is handcrafted from small batches of organically grown rye that are harvested from the Hillrock Estate. Once harvested, its mashed and fermented, before being distilled through a custom-made, 250-gallon copper-pot still which was built in Kentucky to Master Distiller, Dave Pickerell’s exact specifications. It’s a testament to his extraordinary control over the character and quality of the whiskey.
After distillation, the rye is matured in traditional oak casks before being double-barreled, in secondary casks. These casks are composed of American oak and have been charred with a #4 char. In addition, the staves of the secondary casks were air-seasoned for over two years prior to the casks’ assembly. As a result, the secondary casks contribute strong notes of vanilla and caramelized wood sugars to the rye, while minimizing bitter tannins that are often present in kiln dried oak.

‘Double Cask Rye’ has a deep golden amber color, along with a warm aroma of vanilla and caramel that is complemented by touches of prunes, apricots and rye. The aroma gives way to notes of caramel and rye, along with touches of cloves, cinnamon and butterscotch, and leads to a long, warming finish. The rye is a store favorite in the Hillrock line-up.

Our price: $95/btl

Due to our ever-changing inventory – we cannot guarantee bottle availability. Not responsible for typographical errors. Prices are subject to change. Please contact the store with any questions. Lastly, we believe that the concept of “Dryuary” is just plain silly.

As for Dryuary – we at WI, agree with the above sentiment!

Dryuary – The Urban Dictorianry

Suntory Whiskies Hibiki, Yamazaki, and Hakushu Brands Take Total of Nine Gold Medals at the International Spirits Challenge 2013

Nine whiskies from Suntory Liquors won prizes at the eighteenth International Spirits Challenge 2013, the worldwide liquor competition held in the UK. The winning blended whiskies were Hibiki21 Years Old, 17 Years Old and 12 Years Old, and the winning single malt whiskies were Yamazaki 18 Years Old, Puncheon 2012, Mizunara 2012 as well as Hakushu 25 Years Old, 18 Years Old and Heavily Peated 2012.

At this year’s competition, we received the honor of having nine of our brands win a gold medal in the Whiskies – Whiskies Worldwide category (whiskies other than Scotch). Since first being awarded a gold medal from the International Spirits Challenge in 2003 for Yamazaki 12 Years Old, Suntory’s whiskies have taken medals at the competition eleven years running, a fact that Suntory views as a meaningful testament to the ever-rising evaluation of its whiskies.

About the International Spirits Challenge

The International Spirits Challenge is a competition held every year in the UK, the home of real Scotch whisky. In the whisky division, medals are awarded by based on the unanimous approval of discussions by the team of nine tasters, all of whom are blenders, distillery managers and other industry professionals, and who perform sensory inspections on each of the roughly 400 whiskies submitted from around the world. The competition is seen as an authoritative arena for judging the quality of the entries by the exquisite sensory skills of the panel of whisky-making professionals.

The Award-Winning Whiskies

Suntory Whisky: Hibiki 21 Years Old

This whisky is a blend of painstakingly selected ripe grain malts aged over 21 years and a key Yamazaki sherry cask malt. With a fragrance of sweet dried fruit and a spicy flavor, it is characterized by a solemn, refined richness and profound, lingering echoes.

Suntory Whisky: Hibiki 17 Years Old

This whisky is blended using carefully selected malts aged over 17 years, and ripe grain malts of the same age. With a gorgeously sweet fruit fragrance and a cask aroma like milk caramels, this whisky stands out for its weighty and mellow richness.

Suntory Whisky: Hibiki 12 Years Old

This whisky is blended using painstakingly selected malts aged over 12 years, and multiple types of ripe grain malts of the same age. We use plum liqueur cask malts aged in casks for storing plum liqueur to further bring out the gorgeously sweet fragrance that distinguishes Suntory whiskies.

Suntory Single Malt Whisky: Yamazaki 18 Years Old

This single malt whisky comes from malts 18 years or older, vatted primarily in sherry casks. With an impressionable fragrance of sweet dried fruit and a fragrant aroma, it is characterized by a mature flavor with complexity and depth.

Suntory Single Malt Whisky: Yamazaki Puncheon 2012

This whisky is made by vatting only carefully select malts aged in puncheon casks crafted from North American white oak. With a gold, transparent hue, it has an impressionable, gorgeously rich cask aroma of white oak reminiscent of sweet vanilla.

Suntory Single Malt Whisky: Yamazaki Mizunara 2012

A part of any discussion about Suntory whiskies, this brand comes purely from carefully selected rare malts vatted in casks of Japanese mizunara wood. With a reddish amber hue, it is characterized by an oriental smell and taste of sandalwood and aloes-wood.

Suntory Single Malt Whisky: Hakushu 25 Years Old

This well mellow whisky has been patiently crafted from a lovingly chosen array of creamy yet powerful malts, smoky peat-dried malts and sherry cask malts with voluptuous fruit aromas, all from a stock of rare malts aged over 25 years.

Suntory Single Malt Whisky: Hakushu 18 Years Old

Left fresh and untouched, Hakushu malts aged 18 years or longer are characterized by a gorgeous and deep aroma reminiscent of ripened fruits as only a well-aged malt can be. With a brilliant harmony of complex richness and sweet cask aroma, the delicately smoky scent characteristic of the Hakushu brand echoes pleasantly through you.

Suntory Single Malt Whisky: Hakushu Heavily Peated 2012

For this whisky we exclusively use smoky malts from those used to create the flavor of the Hakushu brand. With an impressionably delicate yet sweet smoky aroma, once it enters your mouth it creates smoky, long-lasting echoes in a harmony of gentle fragrance and soft sweetness.

(this press release is published for historical reference – WI)

WHISKY TASTING

at The Kilderkin, 65 Canongate, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, 7.30pm – 10.00pm

Thursday 13th February 2014

tickets: £15 – 100% to the charity

Crown Royal 40%

Clynelish 14yo 46%

unique Marie Curie tasting blend

Glendronach 12yo 43% sherry cask matured

21yo single Islay malt 40%, bottler: The Wine Society

ENTRY BY PRE-PAID TICKET ONLY
*£3 discount to first timers & members. P/O/U/R/S = Peaty/Old/Unusual/Rare/Sherry

THE JOLLY TOPER