JEFFERSON’S Ocean Aged at Sea Bourbon TPS Private Barrel – $72.99

ANGELS ENVY Port Finish Bourbon Cask Strength – $145.99

TOMATIN Single Malt Scotch Legacy – $52.99

BIB & TUCKER Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey 6 Year – $52.49

CROP ORGANIC Spiced Pumpkin Vodka – $27.99

GLEN GRANT Single Malt Scotch Five Decades – $104.99

JIM BEAM Signature Craft Quarter Cask – $41.99

KIRK AND SWEENEY Rum 12 Year – $26.99

REVEL STOKE Roasted Pecan Flavored Whisky – $15.99

Hands-On Whiskey Distilling Workshop

with Jordan Via of Breckenridge Distillery and
Nancy Fraley of Sensory Analysis for Craft Distillers

December 7 – 12, 2014 ~ Gig Harbor, Washington

This hands-on class takes place at Heritage Distilling Co. in Gig Harbor, WA, and covers the fundamentals of whiskey distilling. Participants will be able to smell and taste new make spirit as it is being distilled.

Topics covered in this class include mash preparation, basics of fermentation and wash production, anatomy of a still, mechanics of distillation (stripping and spirit runs), making the cuts, barrel maturation, proofing, and bottling.

Attendees will make new spirit on the six small teaching stills at Heritage Distilling Co. and take home a bottle of new-made whiskey.
Sensory evaluation instruction includes traditional methods and practical applications of blending whiskey, selecting and balancing the proper components to achieve a targeted flavor profile, and the impact of spirit and wood on flavor.
Additional presentations for the start-up distiller include licensing, formula and label approval, record keeping, package design, and marketing spirits.

Registration Cost: $3,500 – Includes instruction, five nights in hotel, distillery tour, airport shuttles, tastings and most meals.

Accommodations: The Inn at Gig Harbor, WA. Your reservation will be made and confirmed for you at the time of registration.

For details and to register, click here.

For more information, contact:

Andrew Faulkner at drew@distilling.com, 415- 517-7377 or

Anne-Sophie Whitehead at annesophie@distilling.com, 973-698-4861

Mackmyra – a very Swedish style of whisky

This year I decided to overcome the post-Whisky Show blues by visiting a distillery (and a country) that’s been on my bucket list for a few years – Sweden’s Mackmyra. ‘The founders wanted to create a whisky that was Swedish. But what did that mean? It had never been done before’, area sales manager (and half-Scot) Lisa Collins told me – a statement that highlights the ethos of the distillery from the beginning.

I made a brief stop at the original Mackmyra distillery – operational 1999-2013

The distillery, named after the village in which the originally distillery was located, is pronounced ‘mack-moyra’ and translates from old Swedish as ‘small mosquito’. I questioned whether including ‘mac’ in the name was a nod to the Scots, but as Lisa pointed out, the founders were trying to make its Swedishness a point of difference, discounting the theory.

Area sales manager Lisa Collins with 30-litre casks in the ‘forest warehouse’

The founding group of four couples included a chemist, an economist and a marketer, and when Angela D’Orazio, the current master blender, joined from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society in 2004, everything was in place to create an internationally renowned whisky brand. The distillery started by selling 30-litre casks to customers under the Reserve programme.

Customers can choose between one of two recipes – elegant (unpeated) or smoke (peated) – and the type of cask: bourbon, sherry, Swedish oak or ‘gravity’ (a bourbon cask with Swedish oak ends). In an effort to ensure the customers feel closer to their casks (in Lisa’s words, ‘taste from, touch, photograph and sign them’), they are housed in one of five warehouses dotted around Sweden, depending on the customer’s location – at the distillery (in the east) Fjäderholmarna (an island off the coast of Stockholm); Häckeberga Castle (in the south); Smögen (in the west); and the Bodås mine (central) – as well as one in Germany (Gut Basthorst near Hamburg).

A tunnel in the huge Bodås mine

My visit began in Gävle, the city that houses the new distillery. Birch trees (easy to spot due to their white bark, and also the inspiration for one of their new whiskies) lined the roads throughout the 40-minute drive to the company’s underground warehouse in the former Bodås mine. I was immediately struck by both the sheer scale and the smell of the place. With thousands of Swedish oak casks stored there, the pungent smell from the spicy wood – reminiscent of horseradish – filled the air and was overpowering at times.

The mine stays at around 7°C at all times, so maturation is slow, dispelling another accusation aimed at the company, that the use of 30-litre casks was chosen to speed up the ageing process. In reality, the company’s first pot still produced 30 litres of spirit at a time, and it was taking more than a week to fill 100-litre casks, so they found a Swedish cooper to rebuild the casks into smaller ones. Lisa says: ‘He was happy; up until then, he’d been rebuilding casks for people to use in their gardens!’

Mackmyra’s new gravity distillery

Leaving the mine, we headed via the original distillery – no longer regularly producing spirit, although the equipment is still in place (the listed building was unsuitable for expansion) – to the new whiskyby (whisky village). Built in 2011 on the site of an ex-military shooting range, the new distillery has enabled production to be doubled, and uses gravity rather than electricity in many aspects of the production process.

Taking the lift to the top (eight floors up), I was rewarded with a stunning view over the forest, highlighting the natural environment surrounding the distillery. Making our way past the washbacks which, after a competition among cask owners, are named after 12 of them, we reached the stills. Made by Forsyths of Rothes (proving the distillery hasn’t turned its back on all things Scottish), they are replicas of those at the original distillery. Lisa told me: ‘We’ve done tastings between the old and new stills, and while the end result is the same high quality, there’s more of it – a bigger heart’. Mackmyra produces both unpeated and peated whisky and all the barley for the latter is malted on site. It’s estimated that there is peat underneath 25% of Sweden, so in keeping with the distillery’s ethos, all the peat used is from the nearby Karinmossen peat bog and for an extra-Swedish touch, twigs of juniper are added to the kiln during peating, to add a sweeter note.

Due to local laws only allowing spirits sales through the government-owned retailer Systembolaget, it was the first distillery I’d been to where you can’t buy bottles. In addition, the distillery has had to add a restaurant to even be allowed to let customers sample their whiskies, although Mackmyra have taken advantage of this by creating a menu around whisky pairings using local ingredients, as well as the services of a chef who used to work at the UK’s three-Michelin-starred Fat Duck. To end my visit, we decamped to a local hotel that carries a large amount of Mackmyra’s produce for a tasting with food – it seems us Brits pair food with wine, Germans do it with beer and the Swedes with whisky. Here are my views on four quite different expressions:

Mackmyra Vit Hund, 46.1%, £33.45 (50cl)

Vit Hund (‘white dog’) is the distillery’s new-make offering, made using unpeated barley, watered down to drinking strength and bottled without ageing.
Nose: Grappa-like nose with fruity notes of green apples, pears and grapes.
Palate: Raw and warming, with the apple and pear notes from the nose joined by pineapple and sweet nutmeg spice.
Finish: Medium in length, with the spiciness increasing to the end.
Comment: The house style is evident here, with notes of green apple and pear which are found in many of the distillery’s whiskies.

Mackmyra The First Edition, 46.1%, £44.45
The first single malt to be released by the distillery, The First Edition was launched in 2008. Predominantly aged in ex-bourbon casks (of which half are 100 litres and half are 200 litres), with a small number of sherry casks and 5% Swedish oak in the mix.
Nose: Fruit led, with green apples, pears and a hint of mango.
Palate: Creamy texture, with apple, pear and dried apricots; a clove spiciness from the Swedish oak, and a vanilla undertone.
Finish: Medium, with the vanilla the last flavour to dissipate.
Comment: This is the expression that put Swedish whisky on the map, and it’s still going strong six years later – the distillery’s benchmark bottling doesn’t disappoint.

Mackmyra Midnattsol, 46.1%, £55.95
A very Swedish style of whisky, matured in a combination of sherry, bourbon and ‘gravity’ casks, before a finishing period in casks which used to hold birch-sap wine – this should be different:

Nose: Sour lemons, horseradish (that’ll be the Swedish oak), with the trademark pear note and sweet nutmeg in the background.
Palate: Mouth-coating texture, with a warming horseradish spiciness, pear and vanilla from the American oak more prominent than on the nose.
Finish: Medium, with the spicy oak notes continuing to a drying finale.
Comment: The flavour profile is unlike any whisky I’ve tasted before. This isn’t for everyone, but for those who are adventurous and like a spicier style, it’s worth trying.

Mackmyra Bee Honey Whisky Liqueur, 22%, £28.45 (50cl)
Bee is a combination of Swedish whisky and malt vodka, with organic honey collected from the surrounding area (Gävle and Valbo) – is a mixture of dandelion, linden and forest honeys, with some raspberry flowers.

Nose: Dry honey (floral rather than sweet), lavender, iced tea, and a hint of cinnamon (remiscent of Dentyne Classic).
Palate: It tastes exactly as it smells, with the iced tea turning into cold tea, with the associated dry tannins.
Finish: Short to medium, with a slightly-sweet honeyed ending.
Comment: A very different style of honey whisky liqueur. No sugar is added, so all the sweetness (albeit a small amount) comes from the honey. It’s refreshing, but doesn’t quite satisfy my sweet tooth – a liqueur for those who usually find the category too sweet for them.

One of the aspects of whisky I find the most interesting is how different distilleries use the same three ingredients (water, barley and yeast), but make their own style of whisky. I applaud Mackmyra’s ideal of making whisky in a very Swedish manner and staying true to the founders’ roots at all times, something Lisa told me she fell in love with, when first discovering the brand. If you are sceptical about whiskies from outside Scotland, I’d thoroughly recommend a trip to Mackmyra, After years in the trade, I remain convinced the best way to understand a product (or a brand), is to go to where it’s made and discover its home environment.

What a busy fall its been. I spent 10 days in Scotland in September, mostly on the west coast, leading a pilgrimage to Islay, Campbeltown and Arran. I came back for a flurry of events over two weeks and then took off again on another whisky pilgrimage this time, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Both were amazing trips. Once again I returned to a flurry of events which will hit fever pitch starting on Saturday when Michael Urquhart pops in for a farewell tasting.

I’ve known Michael nearly as long as I’ve been with KWM. Michael is one of the fourth generation Urquharts to own and manage Gordon & MacPhail. For the last five years or so he’s been their Managing Director. We’ve had a great relationship with Gordon & MacPhail over the years, and have done well with their brands including the Benromach Distillery which they acquired in 1993. Michael announced his retirement earlier in the year, and we jumped at the chance to throw him a farewell tasting at our store. We’ve got an incredible range for it including a pair of Port Ellens, a 1975 Dallas Dhu (closed) and 5 different Benromachs including the 1969 ($1300) and 1976 (coming soon). You’ll regret missing this event if you do, and the good news is we still have a few open spots, A Farewell to Michael Urquhart $130.

Next week is our busiest week of whisky tastings all year. On Monday night we are launching Springbank Society bottlings for the first time in Canada with Ranald Watson, Springbank Society Launch $30. Then on Tuesday we’ll be turning up the heat with some heavily peated Kilchomans presented by the distillery’s founder and director Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Master Class $30. Wednesday is the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s November Outturn tasting and then on Thursday it is time for Glen Garioch… KWM has a new cask of Glen Garioch coming, and we’re having a mini festival to celebrate its launch, Glen Garioch Cask Launch $25. Info on all these tastings can be found below. Our sold out Fall Single Malt Festival follows on the 13th.

One little item that’s kept us very busy this fall is the 2014 Kensington Wine Market Whisky Advent Calendar. We’ve put our hands on 24 different 50ml whiskies, one of which is 40 years of age and retails for $750 for a full size bottle. Each calendar includes a special Glencairn glass for tasting and a great range of whiskies. We built 288 of them, and at the time of writing just 35 remain unsold! They’ll likely be gone by the end of this week!

There are some other great whiskies to tell you about in this Malt Messenger Bulletin, including the new Glenmorangie Companta, the final edition of the Arran Devil’s Punch Bowl and a cool new Ardbeg Escape gift pack. There is also other news on Ardbeg, Glenmorangie, Old Pulteney and the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2015.

Finally, tickets are now on sale for the 2015 MS Calgary Whisky Festival. There are two ticket options this year, standard $99 and VIP $149, the latter of which includes earlier access and a special tasting feature a new top shelf Macallan. Hope to see you there!

I trust this email finds you well and that you are easing into the cooler weather ahead with a warming dram or two.

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson

Kensington Wine Market

PS- PS – Don’t forget you can follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/scotch_guy and Facebook: facebook.com/scotch.guy.1 .

www.fergusonwhiskytours.com

Whisky Week Tastings Start this Saturday

Springbank Society Launch – Scotland’s oldest family owned distillery launches a couple of limited release Sprigbank Society bottlings every year for their members. These weren’t available to Canada, until now. Ranald Watson from Springbank will be here for a special a mini festival tasting featuring 4 Society bottlings, and a range of other whiskies from Scotland’s most traditional disitllery. We’ve added room for an additional 20 participants. $30

Kilchoman Distillery Master Class – Kilchoman Distillery Founder and Director Anthony Wills will be our guest of honour for the evening leading us through a tasting a presentation on his Islay distillery which turns 10 years old next year! We have a great range including 2 limited expressions, Kilchoman Small Batch and the soon to arrive Port Wood! – $30

Glen Garioch Cask Launch – Kensington Wine Market has an exceptional exclusive Glen Garioch cask on the way, it will be here next week. To celebrate we’re throwing an open house, mini-festival style tasting. You’ll have the chance to sample a range of whiskies from Auchentoshan, Bowmore and Glen Garioch, including our new cask! – $25

Visit us online at HERE to see our full tasting schedule and register, or call us at 403-283-8000.

The 2014 KWM Whisky Advent Calendar is Here

And it selling quickly… only 50/288. – $360+GST

Last year’s Whisky Advent Calendar from Master of Malt was a huge success. It sold out quickly, and customers loved it, but we felt we could do a little better for the price point. For 2014 we’ve put together our own calendar, complete with a bespoke Glencairn glass and 24 50ml bottles (last year’s were 30ml). The actual list of whiskies is a surprise, but here’s a hint: One of the whiskies is 40 years old and retails for more than $700 a bottle (750ml)! This is the perfect pre-Christmas gift for the whisky lover in your life and a great way to lift your spirits.

The calendars are available in store and online while supplies last. As of this morning there are just 35 left!

Introducing: The Glenmorangie Companta

The Latest Release in the Private Collection Range

Every year Glenmorangie releases a unique expression in its Private Collection range. The 2014 release is called Companta, Scots Gaelic for “friendship”. This 5th Private Collection release follows Sonnalta, Finealta, Artein and Ealanta, all now sold out, and is a worthy successor to the range. The whisky has been created with inspiration from Dr. Bill Lumsden’s (the director of Whisky Creation and Distilling for Glenmorangie and Ardbeg) travels through France looking for the finest casks. After maturing in American white oak, the whisky was ‘extra matured’ in hand selected wine casks from one of the most celebrated Grand Cru vineyards in Burgundy, Clos de Tart. These Burgundian casks add berry fruits and citrus notes. Other whiskies were also blended (yes it is still a single malt) from other casks which once contained a fortified wine from the Cotes du Rhone.

As with all the Private Collection releases before it the Companta is very limited and will not last long. KWM has already sold through 1/4 of our allocation, and it just got here!

Glenmorangie Companta  – 46% – My Tasting Note: Nose: “Immediately a massive hit of butterscotch, leather, candied nuts, dark fruits, tobacco and chocolate; a little like a Negroni, with a very creamy and fruity base; Palate: dark and fruity, loads more candied nuts, dark spices like clove, anise and fennel, leathery and chocolaty with more tobacco and some tart Negroni-like notes; a big hit of Cherry Halls over some creamy honey and vanilla; Finish: long and a bit Halls like; more fading cherries, tart fruits and spices. – $114.99

Introducing the Arran Devil’s Punch Bowl III

The final release in the trilogy: Chapter III The Fiendish Finale!

The Isle of Arran has released some exciting and very tasty whiskies since it started distilling in 1995. There have been a number of one offs over the years, but none have been quite so well received as the Devil’s Punch Bowl trilogy. I don’t recall the distillery mentioning it before, I may have missed the fact, but I was a little surprised when the 3rd whisky was released and they announced that it would be the final edition. The first two were very popular, and there is no reason to suspect that the 3rd would be any different.

The Devil’s Punch Bowl series is named for a prominent and dramatic geological feature (a glacial hollow) on the northeastern end of the Isle of Arran. The three releases in the series, though slightly different from one another, have all shared a strong sherry influence and the introduction of some prominent peaty tones. Arran has been distilling peated malt for almost a decade, but other than the Devil’s Punch Bowl releases, the only peated Arrans are bottled under the Machrie Moor Label. So these Arrans are quite uncharacteristic of the house style.

Appropriately this final release is called the Fiendish Finale, following Chapter III: Angels & Deamons. The whisky is appropriately limited to 6,660 bottles worldwide, with probably no more than 300 having found their way to Canada. The whisky is a marriage of 8 sherry butts, 8 French oak barrque and 5 ex-bourbon barrels, bottled at 53.4%. KWM has already sold through nearly half of the 60 bottles we acquired.

Arran Devil’s Punchbowl III – 53.4% – Andrew’s Tasting Note (sampled at the distillery in September): “Nose: at first some melon and tropical fruits, quickly displaced by clean smoke and grassy malt; some leather, dark fruits and spices linger; some of the classic honeyed floral notes; Palate: a tad punchy, and very fruity, excellent balance, building smoke and spices with a base of creamy vanilla oak and honey; some dark fruits and leather; Finish: leather, tobacco and chocolate with some malt and citrus fruits; medium finish. – $120.99

Ardbeg Escape Gift Packs

Not quite “Life Proof” but they look that way! $79.99

Looking for a great gift pack, a whisky and glasses you can “travel rough” with, or something to just stand out on your shelf? These new Ardbeg 10 Year gift packs will do the trick. They come complete with two “shorty glasses” and a bottle of damn fine whisky. Very limited quantities available!

Distiller’s Tasting Note for Ardbeg 10 Year: “Nose: A burst of intense smoky fruit escapes into the atmosphere – peat infused with zesty lemon and lime, wrapped in waxy dark chocolate. Bold menthol and black pepper slice through the sweet smoke followed by tarry ropes and graphite. As you dip your nose in further, savour the aroma of smoked fish and crispy bacon alongside green bell peppers, baked pineapple and pear juice. Palate: An explosion of crackling peat sets off millions of flavour explosions on the tongue: peat effervesces with tangy lemon and lime juice, black pepper pops with sizzling cinnamon-spiced toffee. This is followed by a wave of brine infused with smooth buttermilk, ripe bananas and currants. Smoke gradually wells up on the palate bringing a mouthful of warm creamy cappuccino and toasted marshmallows. As the taste lengthens and deepens, dry espresso, liquorice root and tarry smoke develop coating the palate with chewy peat oils. Finish: The finish goes on and on – long and smoky with tarry espresso, aniseed, toasted almonds and traces of soft barley and fresh pear.” – $79.99

Order a set. – $79.99

MS Calgary Whisky Festival Tickets Now On Sale

Thursday, January 15, 2015 w/ 2 Ticket Options

The Macallan Reflexion
The 2015 Calgary Whisky Festival in support of the MS

Society of Calgary is set to be another barnburner of an event. Last year’s festival drew 400 attendees and featured nearly 150 whiskies from distilleries in Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the US, Japan and India. This year’s event is set to be even bigger and better with more whiskies, more presenters and a capacity of 500 participants. New this year we are offering a VIP package, which will include a Macallan Master Class featuring a very rare and special bottling. The VIP Ticket is $149 and the regular ticket $99. Only 40 VIP tickets are available!

Get your tickets now, they won’t last long.

Order tickets through the MS Society by clicking here!

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2015

The 10th Anniversary Edition – $30

This year’s edition includes articles by respected whisky authors: Johnny McCormick, Neil Ridley, Dominic Roskrow, Gavin D Smith, Charles (Charlie) McLean, Ian Buxton and Bernard Schafer. There 135 pages on malt whisky distilleries in Scotland, and another 100 pages on whiskies from around the world. If there is one must have annual whisky book, this is it!

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2015 – $30

Coming Soon: Ardbeg Supernova 2014

A New Committee Release of the World’s Peatiest Whisky – $194.99

ETA mid-November, the latest incarnation of Ardbeg’s Supernova, the distillery’s peatiest release! From the Distillery: “Ardbeg’s first experiment in space has been slowly doing its thing for 3 long years. However, we predict excitement is set to gain momentum as we announce that the experiment is returning very soon and with it… a brand new limited edition Committee bottling of Ardbeg SUPERNOVA.”

Ardbeg Supernova 2014 – 55% – My Tasting Note (Sampled at the Chateau Lake Louise Launch): “Nose: clean ashy smoke, kelp drying on the rocks of a windswept beach, cooling bacon fat and Port Askaig lagostines in butter; creme caramel and chococlate whisky mouse; Palate: big and firey, massive oils, maritime notes, pine resin and earthy spice; burnt bacon, more steamed mussles, dark chocolate and espresso beans with clove and black licorice; as the palate adjusts it becomes creamier and sweeter with dark earthy smoke; Finish: long creamy and coating with dark yet smooth smoke, more seafood notes, dark spices and some bold cigar smoke; a surprising late surge of malt. – $194.99

Coming Soon: Glenmorangie Taghta

The World’s First Crowd Sourced Whisky – $114.99

ETA late November, this is the world’s first crowd sourced whisky. If you attended one of the many Cask Masters tastings held at KWM, accross Canada or one of 29 other countries around the world, you aided in its creation! Very limited quantities of this sherry finished whisky are to be released at a strength of 46%. Taghta is Scots Gaelic for selected!

From the Distillery: “Each of our unique expressions is a glorious marriage of wood and whisky. How the two complement each other is crucial. In the case of Taghta, we extra matured our Glenmorangie original whisky in three cask varieties for a number of years. Each one imparted its own unique flavour, depth and character into our whisky. Finally, we asked you to decide which one you preferred.”

Glenmorangie Taghta – 46% – Producer’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Curiously nutty and salty at full strength, reminding you of brazil nuts embedded in toffee, hints of linseed oil, and some savoury cured ham. A splash of water opens up the whisky, bringing into play a burst of aged balsamic vinegar, dried fruits, tangy-orange, and a gentle reminder of Christmas incense and spice. Taste: The texture is oily and viscous, with a delicious primary flavour of caramelised orange and lemon, plump sultanas, a hint of brown sugar, but then a wave of salty, briny notes – olives, salted cashew nuts and some nice, toasty oak flavours, like walnut and leather. Finish: The long aftertaste is rich, mellow and soothing, with flavours of toffee, caramel, chocolate and dates.” – $114.99

Old Pulteney Whiskies Back in Stock

Old Pulteney 17 and 21 Year Back for a Limited Engagement

For the first time in months we have stock of Old Pulteney 12, 17 and 21 year expressions. The later two won’t last long, as demand is high globally and there are rationed out to different markets. Old Pulteney was the northernmost mainland distillery in Scotland, until the nearby Wolfburn distillery opened.

Old Pulteney was built during a herring boom in the north of Scotland in 1826. Established near the tail end of the Highland Clearances the distillery was part of the Pulteneytown settlement named for Sir William Pulteney who had died in 1805. He was reputedly the wealthiest man in the United Kingdom in his day. The distillery’s early days were fueled by the seasonal fishing village who’s thirst for whisky was prodigious. According to legend half a liter per person, per day for every man, woman and child!

The distillery’s whisky was long underated until it’s 21 year was named world whisky of the year in the Whisky Bible in 2012. The 12 year has long been a reliable standby at its price point and as highly rated as the 21 year is, I’ve always been fond of the 17 (though it has changed considerably over the years).

Old Pulteney 12 Year – 40% – Matured in Ex-Bourbon – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Medium to high intensity, dry with a briny hint of sea air. Palate: Sweet, floral, citrus: lemon and lime plus dry banana skin. Smooth and faintly salty. – $64.99
Old Pulteney 17 Year – 46% – Matured Entirely in Ex-Sherry European Oak – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Sweet with traces of apples and pears: slightly woody with a hint of butterscotch. Palate: Sweet with soft fruits: kiwi, guava, peach. – $124.99
Old Pulteney 21 Year – 46% – Matured in Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Full bodied with traces of fruits (apples and pears); slightly fragrant with spicy overtones. Palate: Creamy, toffee, vanilla, baked red apple with a hint of smokiness and a dry finish. – $167.99

Thank You for Reading the Malt Messenger!

Contact & Disclaimers

If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store.

All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change, don’t include GST. In the case of discrepancies in pricing, the price in our in store point of sale will be taken as correct.

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger.

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson

Manager & Scotchguy

Kensington Wine Market

403-283-8000

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

www.kensingtonwinemarket.com

Owner & Opperator

Ferguson’s Whisky Tours

www.fergusonwhiskytours.com

scotchguide@fergusonwhiskytours.com

The Telegraph Whisky Experience

The Telegraph Whisky Experience, in partnership with The Whisky Shop, will bring together the UK’s leading industry experts, exclusive master classes and the world’s finest and rarest whiskies for a unique and unforgettable tasting experience.

This four hour private whisky fair will be held at the beautiful, historic setting of One Whitehall Place, London on Monday, December 1, 2014 with a choice of start times of 1pm and 6pm.

Guests will experience the newly released Haig Club as well as leading whiskies including Glenfiddich, Girvan, Aberfeldy, Craigellachie, Glengoyne and Macallan. Join us to enjoy these malts plus many more and take the opportunity to purchase them at the event through the Whisky Shop.

READ MORE

Meet the host –  Whisky Expert Charles Maclean

Charles will be sharing his insider knowledge at The Telegraph Whisky Experience through a specially designed tasting guide featuring two contrasting whiskies – part of the Whisky Experience ticket.

READ MORE

Attend an exclusive Masterclass

Limited masterclasses will offer guests an insight into two leading whiskies. Choose between the Glenfiddich and Aberfeldy masterclasses and meet master blenders for an educational and inspiring session.

READ MORE

John, might I first say a big thanks to all the staff who looked after our guests from Sweden recently, also looking after myself and Liz with sample drams and cups of tea!

Q; With properties becoming available next door to the distillery, I know there are huge plans to expand, can you tell me what plans and a timescale?    A; It is a little early to talk about our plans in detail, however we will be looking at the possibility of adding additional warehousing and potentially bottling to the distillery.

Q; Will you be adding more stills?

A; We are happy with the level of production that we are achieving at this time.

Q; Staying with stills, what age are your stills just now and when would you look to replace?

A;  We have a regular maintenance program in place for our stills and so this is not something which we are currently looking at.

Q;  How will the new developments affect production?

A; With the plans that we are looking at for the site there would be no effect on production.

Q; Can we move to the actual whisky, many readers/members will not know just how many brands you have and how many different expressions you release, can you elaborate?

A;  Tullibardine has a core range of Tullibardine Sovereign, which is our signature malt, and three finishes – 225 (Sauternes), 228 (Burgundy) and 500 (Sherry).  We then also have a 20yo and 25yo expression.  We also own the Highland Queen and Muirhead’s brands of Scotch Whisky, which are widely distributed around the world.

Q; On a personal note, and for all drivers, will future plans include a coffee shop/restaurant?

A; We are focused on our whisky, so it is unlikely that we will put in a full coffee shop.  Tea or coffee are also available though for drivers at our visitor centre.

Q; Whilst there last week, I saw this fabulous bottle for £16,000, can you tell me all about this release please?

A;  We are in the process of launching the Tullibardine Custodian’s Collection, which is our exclusive super premium range.  Whiskies in the collection have a minimum age of 40 years, and are all bottled in the Custodian’s Decanter which has been handcrafted for us by Baccarat.  The whisky you saw is the Tullibardine 1952, which is bottled from the oldest cask that we own and is the first product in the collection, which will be officially released later this year.  The whisky is 60 years old.  We will also be introducing the Custodian’s Club at the same time, which is our exclusive distillery membership club.

Q; What is the oldest cask you have in the warehouses at the moment?  And do you have any plans for it?

A;1952 – which is being officially bottled later this year as the first product in the Custodian’s Collection.

Q; There are many finishes on offer from the distillery, is this something you may be doing more of in the coming years?

A;  There are only three finishes which are part of the core range.  We have no plans to introduce any more at this point.

Q; We all know that casks play a huge part in the final whisky, where do you obtain/select casks from?

A; All of the whisky for the Tullibardine brand is aged in first fill bourbon barrels.  Today we buy these directly from a source in the US to ensure that we control the quality of the wood that we are using.

Q; Do you feel awards and good write ups in books and magazines actually affect sales?

A; They definitely help the process and give reassurance to both the distiller and the consumer.

Q;How do you see the whisky industry advancing in the coming years?

A; The industry continues to develop strongly, and there is still great potential in many of the emerging markets which give us a very positive outlook for the future.

Q; Finally, at the end of the day, you sit down and relax with a dram – what dram would you select?

A; Tullibardine Sovereign!

John, many thanks for your time and we hope to see you again soon, as we bring our tours in to visit Tullibardine.

You can find out more on this Perthshire distillery at www.tullibardine.com

Should your group, club, or business wish to take a tour here, we can assist; www.mcleanscotland.com

MCLEANSCOTLAND recently hosted another whisky tour of Scotland, unknown to us at the time – until the final day – they were taking notes and voting on distillery visits, here are their results;

Dear Liz and Paul.  Warmest thanks also from me for an excellent arrangement and so many valuable visits. I have found my new knowledge about whisky much more fruitful than all the attended salsa- and tango courses. I would like to come back in order to visit Orkney and probably a revisit to Speyside including a few more distilleries. As Bjoooorn (Bo) indicated, I’ll give you the complete result of our Distillery evaluation, built on following factors:

1. Environment   B. Cleanness   C. Pot stills   D. Washbacks   E. Whisky Tasting   F. Logistics  we mean that it is easy to get around to the different parts of the distillery and it is easy to have an overview over different parts of the process. That things are not in a mess.

Here are the final results from the Swedish jury:

1. Gold medal! Edradour. 128 points.
2. Silver medal. Macallen. 118 points.
3. Bronze medal. Tullabardine. 109 points.
4. Strathisla. 101 points.
5. Strathearn. 97 points.
6. Aberlour. 82 points.

Mats Söderberg

A recent whisky tour with a wee group from Sweden; Bjorn, Bo, Matts, Bengt, Mats. The tour began at Aberdeen airport, where we met the guys from Sweden, all into the vehicle and away we went! North to Keith and our first distillery tour at Strathisla. A good private tour here followed by four drams; Strathisla single malt, a grain and two Chivas Regal blends of different ages. Liz joined in … while Paul (driver) sat doon with a cup of tea! Just a 100 yards away we stopped for lunch, grand food indeed and a beer for most. We then drove south again, stopping at Huntly, Duncan Taylor for a few drams with our friend Ronnie – some interesting drams here from their own bottlings, whilst Liz and the guys drammed, Paul had a chat with owner Euan – and – a cup of tea. Across country to Dufftown, then Craigellachie, where a visit to the Speyside Cooperage followed. Following this a 5 minute drive to Glenfiddich, a tour, 3 drams and a final visit of the day. Driving to Elgin and the hotel, more drams and beers (and a cup of tea) before Liz and Paul headed off to their apartment, Paul quickly caught up on the whisky!

Day two saw the group depart after breakfast for Glen Moray distillery and a brief visit to the ruined Elgin cathedra. Booked in for 11am, we then hot Macallan, Liz and Paul left the guys here whilst they did some work and visits locally (whisky industry friends). A dash to Aberlour and the Mash Tun for a pre arranged lunch of Cullen Skink and sandwiches, before the 2pm Aberlour tour, which we all did, great! At the tour end there were 6 drams (Paul had the drivers share; tea!). We then drove to Sandend harbour for sightseeing and Portsoy for a pub dinner and photos. Thanks Jimmy for your hospitality. Back to Elgin, arrived around 8pm, dropped off the group and headed back for a deserved dram or 6.

Day three a drive ahead, through Speyside stopping at Dalwhinnie distillery a while, to Blair Atholl and a visit to Blair Castle, lunch in Pitlochry and a visit (best of the tour the guys said) to Edradour distillery. While the group took a tour, Liz and Paul chatted and interviewed own Andrew – see other story, over a fed drams (Paul nosed, Liz drank, guess what Paul drank!), following their tour, they joined us for drinks, a good visit. Straight to Perth and 20 minutes on, Strathearn distillery to meet one of the owners Tony, a private tour and tasting of gins. A long day almost over, back to the hotel in Perth, Liz and Paul stayed at Paul’s apartment. We all met for dinner and drinks followed at Paul’s local pub Christies – until we were thrown out at closing time!

Day four; directly to Tullibardine distillery, another private tour, with Gavin our pal, Liz and Paul – aye you guessed, sat around with Liz dramming and Paul with tea! Three good drams and a whisky beer followed. Then to Edinburgh, a quick city tour, check in luggage, say goodbyes (the group stay in Edinburgh two nights) and we head home, reached it at 5.45, tired, so drams flared up! It was a good tour, lots of fun, even more whisky and 5 more Swedish friends to add to our growing list!

 A very good short tour, the guys are coming back!

Paul McLean  www.mcleanscotland.com   www.whiskytourscotland.com   www.angelswhiskyclub.com

JAPANESE DRAM STEALS ‘WHISKY BIBLE’ CROWN 

SHOCK FOR SCOTCH…JIM MURRAY NAMES YAMAZAKI SINGLE MALT ‘WORLD’S BEST’… 

HIGHLAND HEARTLANDS ECLIPSED BY LAND OF RISING SUN…SHAPE UP NOW, WARNS ‘BIBLE’ GURU… 

A JAPANESE single malt has been anointed World Whisky of the Year by the 2015 edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.

The stunning and unprecedented victory should come as a “wake-up call” for Scotch distilling giants, says the famously straight-talking expert.

Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry Cask 2013 notches a record-equalling 97.5 marks out of 100 in the planet’s most authoritative whisky guide, which hails it as “near indescribable genius”.

Murray praises the dram’s “nose of exquisite boldness” and finish of “light, teasing spice”.

At Japan’s oldest distillery, at the foot of the mountains which rise above Kyoto, the whisky was matured in Spanish sherry casks, lending it a “huge oloroso signature; nutty, thick, dry, as rounded as a snooker ball”.

The result is “a single malt which no Scotch can at the moment get anywhere near”.

Yamazaki’s offering beat off the challenges of two American rivals: bourbon William Larue Weller in second and Sazerac Rye 18 Year Old in third.

It’s the first time a Japanese whisky has landed the prestigious accolade…and never before has a Scotch failed to make the Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible final-five shortlist.

In an explosive editorial, Murray speaks of a hardcore of “astonishing” Scotches – but warns that some ‘old world’ distilleries are now beginning to churn out drab drams and mediocre malts.

After tasting more than a thousand new samples for the 2015 edition, he laments: “Where were the complex whiskies in the prime of their lives? Where were the blends which offered bewildering layers of depth?”

And the hard-hitting writer adds: “It is time for a little dose of humility…to get back to basics. To realise that something is missing.”

Keita Minari, Europe Brand Manager for Beam Suntory, which owns Yamazaki, said: “It is such an honour to be Jim Murray’s World Whisky of the Year. Sherry casks were used to age the very first Japanese whisky over 90 years ago at the distillery. It provides a strong, rich character to the whisky and a delicate sweetness.”

NEWSDESK NOTES:

       *   Other award winners: Scotch of the Year – The Last Drop 1965; Irish Whiskey – Redbreast Aged 21 Years; European Whisky – English Whisky Co. Chapter 14 Not Peated

       *   Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible is available from Monday in all good book shops and online at whiskybible.com, priced £12.99.

       *   The 2015 edition contains detailed taste notes for 4,700 whiskies – including 1,145 new labels – all marked for nose, taste, finish and balance.

       *   For more information, contact Vincent Flint-Hill at Dram Good Books 0117 317 9777

CREATED WITH PASSION BY OUR MASTER BLENDER: LABEL 5 GOLD HERITAGE

LABEL 5 expands its range with a new expression: LABEL 5 Gold Heritage. This new offer will be unveiled at TFWA Cannes next October. LABEL 5 Gold Heritage has been created to delight Scotch whisky lovers who are looking to explore

LABEL 5’s character in more depth.

Graham Coull, LABEL 5 Master Blender, crafted a unique and rich whisky. LABEL 5 Gold Heritage is a rich blend of exceptional whiskies that includes malts aged of more than 20 years. Created with passion and care, LABEL 5 Gold Heritage presents a unique profile which lies between the smoky and peated flavours of the old malts whiskies and the creamy vanilla notes of the grain whiskies. The smooth character which is the trademark of LABEL 5 whiskies has been accentuated with subtle woody hints and spicy notes.

“LABEL 5 Gold Heritage is a personal achievement for me. Building on the traditions of LABEL 5, I have hand-selected whiskies from different ages and casks which marry together to produce a wonderfully balanced blend. The result is an exceptionally smooth whisky loaded with fruit, spice, warm vanilla oak and subtle smoke, which offers a unique taste experience.” said Graham Coull.

The packaging echoes the iconic LABEL 5 Classic Black and conveys a premium look through the use of the gold and brown colours. The packaging reflects perfectly the warm and inviting atmosphere of whisky tasting moments.

Recently awarded with a double gold medal at the China World Spirit Award, Gold Heritage can look the future with confidence!

LABEL 5 Gold Heritage

Appearance: Burnished copper

Nose : Subtle spice, cinnamon infused blackcurrants combined with creamy vanilla ice cream

Palate : A superb combination of rich sweet oak and toasted spices laced with the slightest hint of peat smoke

Finish : Satisfyingly long and smooth

It’s best savoured neat but try to add a few drops of water to unlock the flavours.

Cocktail signature LABEL 5 Gold Heritage – “The Golden Gate”:

In a shaker, 2 basil leaves, 1 lime wedge; muddle and add ice cubes

Then add :

4cl of LABEL 5 Gold Heritage

4cl of Apple juice

Shake and filter in a whisky glass filled with ice cubes

Top with 2cl of Ginger Ale in the glass

Add gold leaves delicately

LABEL 5 GOLD HERITAGE – 75cl, 40° – RSP: $40 – Available worldwide – The first markets to launch are the US, followed by China, and Australia. Please enjoy responsibly.

ABOUT LABEL 5

Elaborated in Scotland, LABEL 5 is renowned worldwide for its high quality and appreciated for its smoothness and its contemporary brand image. LABEL 5, ranks 10th on the worldwide Scotch Whisky market and is sold in more than 100 countries.

About LA MARTINIQUAISE

An independent French group founded in 1934, LA MARTINIQUAISE is the second-largest spirits group in France and features in the world Top 10. The group has a turnover of 920 Million euros and is proud to own four millionaire brands, LABEL 5 & SIR EDWARD’S Scotch Whisky, POLIAKOV Vodka and NEGRITA Rum. (Source: IMPACT 2014

 

October 2014 Auction Ends on Monday 3^rd November!

View October Auction

Our October auction is now live and will finish on November 3^rd from 19:00.

There are over 800 lots in this auction and this Macallan is without a doubt one of our highlights! Macallan 1945 Speymalt 68 Year Old, which is the OLDEST Macallan ever bottled.

We also have a great selection of Karuizawa, too many to list! This is a small teaser for you. Here we have a 1982, 2000 and 29 Year Old single cask to share with you.

So these are just a very few examples of the 830 lots that we have available. Our auction ends on Monday 3^rd November from 19.00.

Please remember!

The auction does not end at 19.00 on the dot; the system ends the auction when there have been no bids made on any item within the last five minutes. The auction often takes between 90mins and three hours to end.

There is no registration fee, our commission structure is very competitive and we offer worldwide shipping. 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!