KEENS TASTING

Masters Series Winter 2015

Join us for a series of tastings featuring wine and spirits chosen by one of America’s foremost wine and spirits authorities, F. Paul Pacult, editor of The Spirit Journal.

Wednesday, January 28, 7:00 p.m.

ROBBIE BURNS NIGHT…THE TRADITION CONTINUES with Highland Park, Chivas, Glenlivet, and Aberlour

This evening continues the custom of celebrating the life and work of Scotland’s Robert Burns, the composer of Auld Lang Syne, A Red, Red Rose, Tam O’Shanter, Ode To A Haggis, and many more.

Robbie Burns Night at Keens is an annual festival of bagpipe music, searing poetry, haggis and, most of all, the sensory enjoyment of 100% barley malt whiskies produced at iconic distilleries, Highland Park, Chivas, Glenlivet, and Aberlour.

$95 per person For reservations call Keens Steakhouse (212) 947-3636 – Please register early as we expect this event to sell out –

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION FORM

Please fax back to us at (212) 714-1103

or email to banquets@keens.com

Whisky Pizazz is coming to South Bay

This year on March 26, WoW brings the ‘Art of Whisky’ to San Pedro Square Market, downtown San Jose’s most unique culinary and entertainment venue.  Giving San Jose their own taste of the wonderful world of whisky, there will be over 150 whiskies to sample and pair with food from most of the San Pedro Market culinary kitchens. The all-time favorite Glenlivet and High West Distillery will conduct a whisky Seminar, and a premium cigar exhibitor will give a Whisky and Cigar pairing seminar.

Contact:

 Doug@Whiskiesoftheworld.com | t. 408.225.0446 | w. whiskiesoftheworld.com

Hi folks. the 46th auction is now live. Enjoy.

VIEW THE 46th Auction

Kind regards from Glasgow – the SWA Team

Spirit of Toronto returns May 2!

A belated Happy New Year; winter may be in high gear but hopefully this missive finds you in good health and good spirits as we count down to the 11th annual Spirit of Toronto on Saturday, May 2 at Roy Thomson Hall.

Following up on the excitement of our 10-year birthday bash, we’re ready and eager to welcome you back to Canada’s premiere tasting event. A full programme of whisky and spirits is in the works, and once again we aim to feature something for everyone, including a small reprise for Islay-ophiles, and a special treat for lovers of straight rye.

Tickets for this year’s Spirit of Toronto Annual Whisky Gala go on sale Monday, March 23 at 10:00am. and may be purchased from Roy Thomson Hall’s box office. Those of you subscribed to this list will receive an automatic email notification the night before.

The schedule for this year’s Spirit of Toronto Masterclass Series will be published ahead of our on-sale date in March. Seats for these tutored tastings may be reserved when purchasing tickets to the show. Stay tuned for full details in the next update.

Coming in from out of town?

No need to wait to arrange your travel plans, once again our hotel partner is offering a discounted rate within walking distance of Roy Thomson Hall.

The Marriott Residence Inn Downtown Toronto is 3 blocks from Roy Thomson Hall and has a limited number of Studio Suites with full kitchen and living area available for $159 per night which includes WiFi, highspeed internet and a hot buffet breakfast. These can be booked by calling the hotel directly at 416-581-1800 and quoting “Spirit of Toronto” or by clicking here.

Discounted rates are also available from the Fairmont Royal York across from Union Station; these can be booked by calling the hotel directly at 416-368-2511 and quoting “Spirit of Toronto”.

Single Minded 2015: A Modest Guide to Really Good Whisky

For those of you feeling thirsty between now and May 2, Single Minded 2015 is now published and available to order online at www.singleminded.ca.

Based on more than ten years worth of tasting and travel—both as an enthusiast and in my role as executive producer of the Spirit of Toronto—this is my love letter to whisky, featuring the everyday drams that I purchase for myself, at my own expense.

This third edition covers more than three dozen whiskies from Scotland, Ireland, Canada and the United States. No limited editions, no ratings and no Pappy: just affordable whisky within easy reach that is every bit as good (and often better) than bottles costing twice the price.

Kirsty Wark – ‘my memories of whisky are from a very early age’

Kirsty Wark has been a television presenter for nearly 30 years; her debut novel was published in 2014

We caught up with Newsnight presenter and author Kirsty Wark to discuss her love of Scotch whisky, what she likes to drink, and how she drinks it.

What’s your earliest memory of whisky? My memories of whisky are from a very early age. My father would go fly fishing, most often on the River Doon on Saturdays, and when he came home he would pour a whisky and soak in the bath. He was fond of Highland Park. When I was little there would be an empty bottle of Dimple into which Mum would put sixpences, and there was always a hip flask of whisky at rugby internationals.

What attracts you to whisky? I like it over other spirits because of the smell, the colours and the history.

What else do you like about it? I love the fact that all distillery professionals take their jobs very seriously and are incredibly knowledgeable, knowledge handed down through generations. A friend of mine’s son from Port Ellen studied astrophysics at Glasgow University and gained a First, but his summer job was at Ardbeg, and now whisky is his life; he represents the company throughout Canada and North America.

Have you visited many distilleries? I’ve been to several Islay distilleries, and for a while I drank Laphroaig, but eventually found it too intense. Of the Islay malts, I like Bruichladdich.

You’re a fan of Arran, too, aren’t you? Thirteen years ago, my husband and I were invited to lay down a cask at Lochranza, so in 2017 we’ll have 360-odd bottles of our own Arran malt. I love Arran’s distinctive warming taste and pale colour.

How do you drink your whisky? My father will be birling in his grave, but I like my whisky with ice.

Any memorable purchases? I am new to whisky auctions but they are a wonderful place to wander and check the labels, typefaces and the design. I bought my husband a bottle of 30-year-old Macallan for £100. I think I got a bargain, and as the bottle has long been empty, I think he thought so, too.

• The Legacy Of Elizabeth Pringle by Kirsty Wark is published by Two Roadsin paperback, priced £7.99. It is also available as an ebook.

The Collectors Corner

• Lagavulin 12 Year Old 2014 Edition Natural Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($105.99) Lagavulin’s string of 12 year old releases has always begged the question from consumers: why is the 12 year old forty dollars more than the older 16 year expression? Good question! For one, the Lagavulin 16 is made in gigantic quantities and sold in every liquor store from San Francisco to Shanghai, making it a competitively-priced product. On top of that, the 12 year old is bottled at cask strength and not produced in nearly as high of a volume. Fans of the distillery have long lusted for a higher-proofed version of their beloved Islay legend, and Diageo has sought to pacify that demand with the lovely 12 year expression. The 2014 release is bottled at 54.4% and is a golden straw color. The nose is simply perfect: smoke, salted caramel, vanilla, and the sea. The palate lives up to the aromas and explodes with campfire smoke, nougat, white pepper, and medicinal peat notes that linger for minutes after you’ve coated your stomach with warmth. Tasting t he 12 next to the 16, there’s no doubt as to why one is more expensive than the other. Yet more proof that age can be incredibly deceiving.

• Oban Little Bay Limited Edition Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($72.99) It’s not often we see the classic malts of Diageo expand into new releases of their iconic whiskies, but the Oban Little Bay marks that very occasion. Aged in smaller casks to increase the ratio of wood to whisky, the influence is perceptable in the weight of the Little Bay and not so much the flavor (which is a welcome relief!). There is no toasty quarter cask flavor, but rather a soft and supple nose of stonefruit and a rounded, mellow mouthful of dried apricots with just a bit of phenolics on the finish. Those looking for bold flavor should look towards Lagavulin or the other Diageo classic malts because this is yet another gentle dram from Oban; as it should be.

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

The Best Canadian Whisky of 2014

VICTORIA, Jan. 16, 2015 – The verdict is in. A whisky distilled more than two decades ago, then tucked away and forgotten, is the best Canadian whisky of 2014.  A jury of nine independent whisky experts named Collingwood 21 Year Old Rye the Canadian Whisky of the Year at the fifth annual Canadian Whisky Awards. They announced the results of this annual blind tasting competition Thursday evening, January 15, at the Victoria Whisky Festival in Victoria, B.C.

 Chairman of the judges, Davin de Kergommeaux, described Collingwood Rye as: “A Canadian whisky connoisseur’s dream come true.” Only fifty barrels of Collingwood 21 Year Old Rye were distilled at the Canadian Mist Distillery in Collingwood, Ontario. Canadian stocks are almost gone, though limited quantities are still available from select U.S. liquor stores.

Other top winners include Lot No. 40, Canadian Club Chairman’s Select 100% Rye, Forty Creek Double Barrel Reserve, Masterson’s 10-Year-Old Rye, and Crown Royal Monarch. Forty Creek distillery’s John Hall received a lifetime achievement award.

“Interest in Canadian whisky continues to grow and Canada’s whisky makers have responded with a wealth of new high-end whiskies,” said de Kergommeaux as he revealed the winners. “For the first time a major legacy brand, Canadian Club, has released 100% rye grain whisky as a core offering. Canada’s best-selling whisky, Crown Royal, became the first major brand to release high-proof single barrel whisky, and Collingwood bottled long-aged rye whisky. Overall, distillers have released more small batch and top-end deluxe whiskies than ever before.”

Sales of flavored whisky also remain strong with Forty Creek, Centennial, and Sortilège making strong gains.

The list of all the winners is now available at http://www.canadianwhisky.org/

Notes:

About the Canadian Whisky Awards

The Canadian Whisky Awards recognize the very best Canadian whiskies and encourage distillers to maintain the highest standards for making whisky. To qualify, the whisky must be distilled and matured in Canada. An independent panel of whisky writers, bloggers, and journalists selects the winners after tasting each whisky blind. Operated on a not-for-profit basis, the Canadian Whisky Awards are fully independent of the Canadian whisky industry.

Dare to be honest and fear no labour.  The spirit behind these words – taken from the pen of Scottish bard and renowned whisky lover Robert Burns – has been at the heart of our business since we started making whisky nearly fifteen years ago.  

Like the great poet himself, we have always aimed to learn from the past without being enslaved by it.  And there is surely no better example of this than our Great King Street Glasgow Blend – a whisky inspired by the artisan recipes of 19th century blending houses but reinvigorated with the technical expertise of a 21st century whiskymaker.

Glasgow Blend harks back to a golden age of whiskymaking that Burns himself would recognise to create a style of whisky that nobody else is even trying to create today.  You will find full-blooded flavour, complex character and a rich, indulgent body – perfect for enjoying neat, with your Burns’ Night feast or in a celebratory cocktail.

Twice the Spice

Sometimes the most straightforward combinations are the best. And in our estimation, it’s hard to beat the warm-reeking’ spice of haggis alongside the rich pepper, clove and ginger notes of Spice Tree this Burns Night.  You can read more about how we create the distinctively complex Spice Tree character here but as for the haggis, let’s just say some mysteries are perhaps best left unsolved.

Win a signed copy of The Manual

We love to explore progressive approaches to enjoying whisky.  So this Burns Night, we’re asking for your help to find new ways to enjoy our range.  Simply visit our facebook page, tell us how you’ll be using your favourite Compass Box whisky in your Burns Night celebrations and we’ll send a signed copy of Dave Broom’s inspirational Whisky: The Manual to whoever comes up with the most imaginative suggestion.

Springbank 18 Year Old Burns Malt

Every Burns Supper has its own special form and flavor. Why not make one of our very own Burns Malts yours on Sunday 25th January. Freedom and whisky gang thegither!

Springbank 18 Year Old $116.92