TOP PICKS

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

• 1989 Balmenach 25 Year Old Cadenhead’s Small Batch Cask Strength Collection Single Malt 750ml – 3 available ($239.99)

• 1992 Clynelish K&L Exclusive 21 Year Old Cadenhead Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($139.99)

• 1985 Glenburgie 29 Year Old Cadenhead’s Small Batch Cask Strength Collection Single Malt 750ml – 1 available ($299.99)

• Glenmorangie Túsail Limited Edition Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($99.99) Tùsail is non chill-filtered and is made with floor-malted Maris Otter barley, the older (1960s) variety that’s also favored by craft breweries like England’s Black Sheep Brewery for its rich, malty flavor.

• 1992 Ledaig 22 Year Old Cadenhead’s Small Batch Cask Strength Collection Single Malt 750ml – 4 available ($179.99)

• 1992 Littlemill 21 Year Old Cadenhead’s Small Batch Cask Strength Collection Single Malt 750ml – 3 available ($224.99)

• 1983 Ord 31 Year Old Cadenhead’s Small Batch Cask Strength Collection Single Malt 750ml – 1 available ($399.99)

• Springbank 12 Year Old “Green” Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 6 available ($109.99) Organic barley from local farms around Campbeltown.

• Springbank 25 Year Old Campbeltown Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 2 available ($799.99)

• 1989 Strathclyde 25 Year Old Cadenhead’s Small Batch Cask Strength Collection Single Malt 750ml – 6 available ($199.99)

United States – Bourbon and Rye

• FEW K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon 750ml ($59.99) Our first barrel from the hot little distillery in Illinois is a monster. We don’t usually go for the small barrels that most of the craft distillers are using, but FEW is making it work in a big way. This spicy little meatball comes from one tiny cask that’s aged for an indeterminate amount of time. I would contend it is the best small cask bourbon I’ve tasted. It’s lacking the typical cardboard/dampwood notes we expect. It also doesn’t have the astringent underseasoned oak quality that many other craft distillers are finding in their small barrel aged products. FEW is super hot right now and we’re lucky to have had cream of the crop selection of their first release of single casks. Only 60 bottles available!

• Woodford Sonoma Master’s Collection Cutrer Pinot Noir Barrel Finish Kentucky Staight Bourbon 750ml – 4 available ($99.99)

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

Booker’s® Bourbon Unveils Collection Of Limited-Edition Releases

Clermont, KY (February 2015) – Booker’s® Bourbon is proud to unveil the inaugural batch of its limited-edition collection celebrating founding distiller Booker Noe’s legacy as the father of small batch bourbon. One of the few bourbons available today bottled straight from the barrel, Booker’s ® Bourbon will now feature limited-edition labels inspired by Booker Noe’s love of bourbon, family and the spirit of experimentation. These commemorative releases will be available in limited quantities throughout the year.

Booker’s® Bourbon Batch 2015-1, named “Big Man, Small Batch,” features a custom label inspired by the iconic visual of Booker sipping bourbon in his rocking chair with his dog Dot by his side. The batch’s name honors Booker’s role in the creation of small batch bourbons and the larger-than-life personality for which he was known.

“Booker’s® was founded on my dad’s dedication to making the very best bourbon there is, and I’m proud to honor him with this limited-edition collection,” said Fred Noe, Beam’s 7th Generation Master Distiller and 2013 Bourbon Hall of Fame Inductee. “‘Big Man, Small Batch’ is the first batch to feature these new labels, giving our fans a little more insight into who my dad was and his love for creating great bourbon!”

Uncut like all Booker’s® Bourbon batches before it, “Big Man, Small Batch” is now available in limited quantities. Bottled at 128.7 proof, “Big Man, Small Batch” was selected with the following characteristics:

• Proof: 128.7
• Age: 7 years, 2 months and 16 days
• Batch Notes:  Culled from seven different rack houses, Batch 2015-1 blends the flavor tendencies of several small groups of barrels to create a complex bourbon with a vanilla nose.
• Sipping Suggestions: With ice or cut with water

Each batch of Booker’s® Bourbon is hand-selected by Fred Noe to ensure every bottle contains a robust, full-bodied whiskey that matches Booker’s whiskey preference. Noe also calls on the expertise of “Booker’s® Bourbon Roundtable”, an exclusive panelist group consisting of top whiskey experts, enthusiasts and writers, to help select batches throughout the year – a tradition that will continue for the limited-edition collection.

About Booker’s® Bourbon

Booker’s® Bourbon was inspired by a 200-year-old family tradition and came to life when Booker Noe selected the first bottles of Booker’s as holiday gifts for his friends and family. With its instant popularity within Noe’s close circle, Booker’s Bourbon was soon after bottled and made available on shelves for everyone to enjoy. Booker’s Bourbon is one of the only bourbons bottled straight-from-the-barrel at its natural proof, which varies from batch to batch. Crafted in small batches and aged for six to eight years in charred oak barrels, which are stored in the center of the rack house, Booker’s Bourbon is hand-selected barrel-by-barrel by Fred Noe to ensure every bottle contains a robust, full-bodied whiskey that has a taste, aroma and proof that matches Booker’s whiskey preference.

For more information on Booker’s Bourbon, visit: http://www.BookersBourbon.com.

About Beam Suntory Inc.

As the world’s third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the flagship Jim Beam bourbon and Yamazaki Japanese whisky, as well as world renowned premium brands including Maker’s Mark and Knob Creek bourbons, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher’s, Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Sauza tequila, Pinnacle vodka, and Midori liqueur. The company generates annual worldwide sales exceeding $4 billion excluding excise taxes.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and entrepreneurial culture. Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.

Tired of waiting for French Oak? Maybe we can help. 

Imagine 20 litres of Sullivans Cove French Oak Single Malt maturing in your own personally crafted oak cask… Named the World’s Best Single Malt at the 2014 World Whiskies Awards, you can’t go wrong with this one.

How does it work?

1) We offer the Cellarmaster in 20 litre casks (these reach maturity in 2 years). You choose from either French Oak, American Oak or Double Casks (Combined American and French).

2) We fill the barrel with 20 litres of new make spirit at 63.4%ABV and store it in optimal conditions here in our dunnage.

3) After 2 years your whisky will be ready for consumption. At that point we bottle it for you in Sullivans Cove packaging and send it off to your home. Your cask yields approximately 36 bottles at 47.5%ABV, our standard bottling strength for American and French Oak.

4) The spirit and casks are identical to those that we use for our whiskies.

5) You can refill your empty barrel or take it home.

6) In the two years while it is maturing you can visit and “test” your whisky as often as you like.

Sound good? Click here to make it happen!

Tasmania Distillery
Lamb Pl
Cambridge, TAS7170
Australia

BALBLAIR WHISKY TASTING – WEDNESDAY 25TH MARCH 2015

We’re going to start this year’s season of whisky tastings with a distillery that hails from the Highlands and is unique in that their range is comprised solely of vintages rather than age statement whiskies.  Full bodied, fruity and spicy in style, Balblair is something of a hidden gem that, once discovered, inspires a great loyalty in its followers.

We are very fortunate that Balblair’s Master Blender, Stuart Harvey, will be coming along to talk us through the whiskies and not only will you have the opportunity to taste the single malts from the range but also to sample the new make spirit that is the very starting point and DNA of the whisky.  This is a date to get in your diary now!

Tickets for the Balblair whisky tasting will be available to buy from 1.15pm on Thursday 19th February and no bookings will be taken before this time. Also, please be aware that the maximum number of people per booking that we accept is 6.

See below for all the details and if you have any queries just contact us.

Sláinte! Fran and Ken Arkwrights Whisky and Wines www.whiskyandwines.com

UPCOMING EVENT

Name Balblair Whisky Tasting

Date Wednesday 25th March 2015

Time7.00 for 7.30pm

VenueStanton House Hotel, Stanton Fitzwarren SN6 7SD

DetailsAdmission to the tasting is by ticket only, and the whiskies tasted will be available to purchase on the night so come prepared.  Tickets are £15 per person, and this also entitles you to a discount of £3 against a bottle of one of the featured whiskies if bought or ordered on the night of the tasting.  Tickets are very strictly limited, and allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis.  Arkwrights reserve the right to restrict the number of tickets per customer and as these tastings usually sell out within hours it is best to book as soon as the tickets are released.  To buy tickets just log on to www.whiskyandwines.com from 1.15pm on Thursday 19th February and place an order for the number you require. Please note, we cannot accept provisional bookings and payment must be made when booking.  Refunds for tickets are not available except in exceptional circumstances.  N.B. We have negotiated special rates at the hotel for anyone who wants to stay overnight after the tasting – click here for further details.

AnCnoc 18 Year Old

Matured in American ex-bourbon barrels and Spanish ex-sherry casks this is a full bodied spicy and fruity Highlander.

AnCnoc 18 Year Old $86.96

Back in Stock

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

• Glengoyne 21-year-old Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 11 available ($119.99) The Glen Goyne 21 year is one of the biggest deals in the world of Scotch. A splendid distillery in the lower highlands, producing whisky of this age from Oloroso Sherry Casks, would normally sell their 21 year for atleast $170…and they usually do! But we have a crazy deal with the distributor to get the price way way down. We’ll have this price until current stocks run out so get it while the gettin’ is good. (David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer)

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

HIGHLAND PARK’S ACCLAIMED VALHALLA COLLECTION CONCLUDES WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE ALL-FATHER

Direct from the gates of Valhalla, Highland Park has unveiled the last in the series of stunning whiskies that celebrates its Norse heritage. ODIN, named for the King of Asgard himself, joins Thor, Loki and the beautiful Freya to complete Highland Park’s Valhalla Collection.

Legend has it that Odin, All-father of the gods and ruler of Asgard, is an intensely complex character. Known as ‘the furious one’, Odin is the strongest of all the Norse gods and driven by an unquenchable thirst for wisdom. By sacrificing an eye for a drink from the Well of Wisdom, he earned immeasurable knowledge and insight.  With only one eye which blazes like the sun, Odin cuts an ominous figure.

Creating a single malt to reflect the dominant characteristics of Odin was no easy feat but the Highland Park whisky makers have excelled. This whisky strikes a balance between the god and the distillery’s signature Orcadian style – Highland Park’s sweet and gentle smoky peat aromas. The result is an undeniably powerful 16 year old single malt.

Gerry Tosh, Global Marketing Manager, says: “Odin, like its namesake, is an intense, powerful and complex whisky. Bottled at 55.8% ABV, it certainly lives up to the legend, a bold single malt higher in strength than Thor, Loki and Freya. In Odin, we have been able to add the final flourish to the Valhalla Collection, a stunning series of remarkable whiskies that offer affordability and exclusive collectability.” 

“Now that Odin has joined the ranks of the other gods in the Valhalla Collection, the first chapter in this series is complete. However, the Norse legends of old may still offer us future intrigues.”

With only 17,000 bottles released globally, this limited edition whisky comes housed in the same distinctive award winning wooden frame of Thor, Loki and Freya echoing the fearsome contours of a traditional Viking long ship. The bottle itself reflects Odin’s character – dark and imperfect and slightly battle worn.

Tasting Notes: Highland Park ODIN / 16 years old / 55.8% ABV

Colour: Vivid burst of sunlight

Nose: This intense whisky possesses a fierce spice. Cinnamon bark and nutmeg rise from Odin’s spirit. Behind the spice, toasted walnuts smoulder with pulsating explosions of smoke. Odin cuts an ominous figure and this whisky is no different.

Palate: A huge, powerful palate draws on the complexity of Odin’s character. Layers of peat uncover thousands of years of wisdom. Dense oak combines with rich charred walnuts.

Finish: Throughout is a subtle sweetness, sharing the knowledge of well-seasoned sherry wines. Plums and soft fruit disappear into the dark as the peaty embers glow into a smoky finale. 

Odin will be available from specialist independent whisky retailers, at the Highland Park distillery and www.highlandpark.co.uk at an RRP of £180.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The Valhalla Collection is an exciting range of whiskies which offers Highland Park fans both affordability and collectability. Highland Park’s signature smoky and peaty aromas are manifested according to the character of the Norse god for which the whisky represents. The collection includes:

• THOR – 16 year old single malt, 52.1% ABV, RRP £120

• LOKI – 15 year old single malt, 48.7% ABV, RRP £130

• FREYA – 15 year old single malt, 51.2% ABV, RRP £140

• ODIN – 16 year old single malt, 55.8% ABV, RRP £180

ABOUT HIGHLAND PARK

Established in 1798 on Orkney, Highland Park is one of the most remote Scotch whisky distilleries in the world. For over 200 years, the distillery has combined time old tradition and the very best craftsmanship to achieve perfection. Its range of 12, Dark Origins, 15, 18, 21, 25, 30 and 40 year old single malts is consistently acclaimed by connoisseurs and experts.  Highland Park has won a string of prestigious awards across its portfolio, most recently Highland Park 25 year old was awarded the first ever 100-point score at the Ultimate Spirits Challenge and named Best Spirit in the World’* by Paul Pacult.

HIGHLAND PARK Odin £180.00

Appropriately named after Odin, ‘The Furious One’, as it will sell furiously. Inevitably some will miss out, leaving a general feeling of furiousness.

The Jolly Toper Himself

P/O/U/R/S Thursday 19.2.15 £25/28* 7.30pm

At The Kilderkin, 65 Canongate, Royal Mile Edinburgh

Benromach 38yo 1976 52.9% Cadenheads

– is it too early to announce my whisky of the year? Lovely stuff and very rare to see any bottling from this distillery before Gordon & MacPhail resurrected the site with almost 100% new equipment – you could say this is a closed distillery.

Russell’s Reserve singl cask 55% Bourbon

– a single cask expression only sold in the US.

Springbank 17yo 04/97 – 01/15 first and re-fill sherry casks 52.3%

– just released, a one off edition of 9120 bottles

Royal Island 30yo blend 40%

– an early bottling from Isle of Arran distillers, a personal favourite.

Bowmore 10yo 300 bottles 60.3% Malt Whisky Buyers Helpline (AKA Dream Drams) – a recent release from a distillery that often surprises Islay fans when it’s bottled by an independent

* £3 discount to members.

Contact the Jolly Toper himself HERE to reserve your spot

The BenRiach 10th Anniversary

In April 2004, Billy Walker and his two South African partners acquired the BenRiach Distillery. In September of that year, the first distillation under new owners was filled to cask. Master Distiller Billy Walker specially selected four exceptional casks from the first week of production to create this very special bottling. This whisky commemorates our 10th anniversary and as such is a unique and one-off bottling.

COLOUR

Gleaming, rich harvest gold.

NOSE Ripe white pear, fruit salad syrup and rich clotted cream hold a crisp twist of candied peel and soft vanilla.

PALATE

Crisp barley with peppery toasted oak and stem ginger flood over rich crème brulee, coconut butter and vanilla poached pear.

Visit our website for more information and keep in touch with us via Facebook and Twitter to find out all of the latest news on the BenRiach Distillery.

Sláinte!

Stewart Buchanan
Brand Ambassador