To celebrate our sponsorship of The Glenturret Music Tent at the Crieff Highland Gathering earlier in August, we are offering a complimentary tasting glass with every purchase of our Whisky of the Month; The Famous Crieff Limited Edition carton which celebrates The Famous Grouse brand home in Crieff. You can get your bottle and complimentary glass here for only £20!
Every now and then we have a rummage through our cellars, and sure enough each time we find something we’d either forgotten we had or indeed something we’d managed to lose. Mostly it’s discarded window displays and glassware, but once in a blue moon we find some whisky! Usually put in the wrong place by a new member of staff and then covered in boxes of Christmas decorations. In the spirit of discovering lost bottles we thought we’d draw your attention to our latest cellar haul. These bottles are all sadly discontinued and what we have is very much the last of what is available, so get ’em whilst you can! Of particular note is the GlenDronach 15 Year Old which has been officially discontinued until at least 2018, a shop favourite and soon to be sorely missed.
GlenDronach Revival 15 Year Old, 46%
Sadly discontinued for approximately three years, and hopefully not permanently, due to dwindling aged whisky stocks at GlenDronach. The 15 Year Old has been a firm favourite with staff for many years, indeed there has never been a member of staff who hasn’t loved this malt! The Glendronach 15 year old is a masterclass in sherried excellence. Perfect for those just getting into whisky and the connoseiur alike. The delicious sweetness is beautifully tempered by the rich spicy sherry influence.
Springbank 21 Year Old, Claret Wood, 46%
We picked this Springbank up from the distillery itself in May this year. This 21 Year Old has been matured in ex-Bordeaux wine casks, lending the whisky notes of cassis fruits alongside that Springbank oiliness and fresh estery fruit!
Ardbeg Perpetuum, 47.4%
This release from Ardbeg celebrates the 200th anniversary of this idiosyncratic Islay distillery. The nose conjures images of waves crashing into the Islay shoreline as hazy peat smoke rolls over the horizon. The palate is dominated by grapefruit zest followed by vanilla and black pepper. The finish is long and succulent with a distinct salinity and a warm smoky character.
Old Pulteney 35 Year Old, 42.5%
Released in 2014 to much acclaim. This superb aged Old Pulteney is presented in a beautiful porthole box. Spiced orange, dried lemon peel and rancio notes are complemented by overtones of salty leather, stewed apple and allspice.
George T Stagg Bourbon, 2014 Release, 69.1%
We’ve done well this year, sourcing lots of hard to find Bourbon – from Parker’s Heritage though to Pappy Van Winkle. The most luck we’ve had is finding lots of various editions of George T Stagg. Hidden in the wrong box at the back of our cellar were a few more of the most excellent 2014 edition. These should tide you over until this year’s release in the autumn!
United States – Kentucky
Old Forester K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whisky 750ml $34.99 Buy
Scotland
Glengoyne 25 Year Old Single Malt Whisky 750ml $299.99 Buy
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
“FROM DREAM TO DRAM”
KINGSBARNS DISTILLERY BOTTLES NEW MAKE SPIRIT
Kingsbarns Distillery is delighted to announce that bottles of its new make spirit are now for sale at the Visitor Centre.
The Visitor Centre was opened on St Andrews Day 2014 by the Wemyss family owners and the founder, local man Douglas Clement. Distilling started in January 2015 and the Distillery Manager and his team are so delighted with the quality of the spirit being produced that it was decided to bottle the spirit for all to try.
Scotch Whisky has to mature for at least 3 years and a day in oak casks and so the launch of the new make spirit will give visitors and curious whisky drinkers a unique chance to sample the spirit before it is filled into casks to mature. The New Spirit Drink is bottled at 63.5%, the same strength at which the casks are filled and available for sale in 20cl bottles priced at £14.95.
Distillery Manager, Peter Holroyd, is delighted with the new bottling and commented: “It’s a great pleasure to share our new spirit with visitors. The spirit itself is an elegant, fruity and floral spirit and I can’t wait to see how it is going to develop into Scotch whisky over the coming years. I recommend that water is added to enjoy the fruity flavours at their best.”
Tours of the distillery include a taste of the new make spirt and can be arranged by contacting: +44(0)1333 451300 or booking on the website www.kingsbarnsdistillery.com
Twitter: @KingsbarnsDist Facebook: Kingsbarns Distillery & Visitor Centre
Notes to Editors:
The most expensive bottle of Tasmanian single malt whisky
At $10,000 Tasmania’s leading whisky distillery, Sullivans Cove, has created the most expensive bottle of Tasmanian whisky to date. Made from extremely rare French oak single malt from the distillery’s top awarded casks including French Oak HH0525 – the World’s Best Single Malt Whisky, French Oak HH0390 – the Best Australian Single Malt 2015 and French Oak HH0509 – 96.5/100 Jim Murray’s Whiksy Bible 2013, the Sullivans Cove Manifesto gives connoisseurs the opportunity to own a piece of whisky history.
Limited to only two bottles, the Sullivans Cove Manifesto decanters were hand made by Tasmanian glass sculptors Anne Clifton and Peter Bowles and each 6kg decanter comes with its own specially blown glass “spirit thief”, a hand moulded “travel” stopper made from rare Tasmanian Huon pine and Portuguese cork and a matching glass stopper for everyday use. The decanters are housed in hand made Huon pine cases lined with doeskin.
Speaking from the distillery in Cambridge, malt master Bert Cason said, “Sullivans Cove and Tasmanian whisky in general have come a very long way and we wanted to create something really special that captures this. Using whisky from our top awarded casks plus some of our finest unreleased casks, we’ve created a malt that stands head and shoulders above the rest and promises the connoisseur the treat of a lifetime, not to mention a slice of whisky history. “
One decanter is available from the distillery cellar door or online at www.sullivanscovewhisky.com, while the other is available from Dan Murphy’s Double Bay.
Wild Turkey – the true taste of Kentucky
The Wild Turkey distillery was opened in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, in 1869
Associate distiller Eddie Russell led a tasting of his Wild Turkey range at our Vinopolis shop earlier this month. As well as taking us through his excellent range of whiskeys, Eddie talked about how his father Jimmy still rules the roost at the age of 80, and what he likes to drink when he’s not sipping bourbon…
Eddie Russell, associate distiller at Wild Turkey
IN THEIR OWN WORDS – EDDIE RUSSELL
‘My dad Jimmy refers to me as “the new guy” – he’s been here more than 60 years’
‘When I started out, I thought I’d get a nice big office and a good-looking secretary – instead I was stacking casks and rolling barrels! It wasn’t very nice but my dad was teaching me the business from the bottom up’
‘Elijah Craig was selling bourbon as a medicinal drink. Well, there must have been a lot of sick people around!’
‘In the 1960s, people started drinking white spirits and bartenders started making those pretty drinks with umbrellas in them, so a lot of distillers started lowering their proofs and taking the rye out of their mashbill to lighten their whiskey and make it more like vodka’
‘We have never revealed our mashbill, and we never will. I’ve still seen it on the internet a few times, though!’
‘What do I think of craft distilleries? “Craft” is basically a marketing word…’
‘I heard that Jim Rutledge of Four Roses is retiring – that’s BS; he ain’t retiring! He’ll still be there; he just won’t travel!’
‘Other than whiskey, I like Tequila, rum, and a good red wine with a good piece of meat, but I try not to tell Jimmy any of that stuff – he just drinks bourbon, iced tea and water’
‘Our company held a big party because they thought that Jimmy was going to retire at 65. The first thing he said was “I ain’t retiring”, and he’s going to be 81 this year!’
‘There’s only us and Maker’s Mark who don’t make whiskey for other people’
We tasted
Wild Turkey 81 Proof – soft, sweet and spicy; great all-rounder.
Wild Turkey 101 – big-boned bourbon with ramped-up spice. Delicious.
Wild Turkey Rare Breed – the pick of the bunch – great balance, bags of flavour, superb.
Wild Turkey 17yo Master’s Keep – Eddie’s pet project, fresh and savoury. Keep an eye out for this one; we’re hoping to acquire a few bottles…
Wild Turkey Rye – much softer than other ryes. Elegant and refined.
Wild Turkey American Honey – less sweet than expected – a good thing!
Best #TWETASTING Tweet
Wild Turkey 101 next, like a bigger, better version of 81. Spiced toffee apples stand out for me, a warming bourbon easily drunk.
Whisky of the night
Without a doubt: Wild Turkey Rare Breed. An abundance of sweet and rich fruit, loaded with spices and honey. A big dram, but very drinkable. The pick of the bunch. Here’s our tasting note:
Nose: Plenty of plump raisins and sultanas, with heady notes of ground almond and marzipan. There’s also the clean fruitiness of green apple to balance things out plus some spice in the form of white pepper to lift the aromas.
Palate: Rich, sweet and spicy – baked apples drenched in honey, dried fruit and cinnamon. Rich texture, mouthcoating and very seductive.
Finish: The rich spiciness and sweetness lingers, with everything in balance.
Comment: A superb bourbon, this overdelivers in terms of the sweet fruit and spice, but it never feels cloying or heavy. Great balance.
As expected, Eddie was a great host, and gave a great insight into the world of bourbon, not just Wild Turkey. The key message he conveyed was that despite the raft of experimental whiskeys out there, his company is about keeping things both simple and traditional – they leave all that new-fangled stuff to others…
Game Set and Cask for Distillery’s Own
From royalty to movie stars, The Famous Grouse Experience has this week, played yet another ace in naming its range exclusive Bottle Your Own Casks after a glorious array of Famous Perthshire Citizens. Global tennis star, Andy Murray, will take to centre court this month as the third in its Famous line-up. Read the full story here.
This week Joe Ellis reviews Glen Elgin 12 Year Old.
.A. Smith Bowman Distillery Releases Limited Edition High Rye Bourbon
Release is Extremely Limited, Mostly Only in Virginia
Fredericksburg, VA. (Aug. 6, 2015) – A. Smith Bowman Distillery announces the latest release in its Abraham Bowman line of expressions, the Abraham Bowman Limited Edition High Rye Bourbon. Using a bold bourbon recipe that contains five times more rye than A. Smith Bowman’s standard bourbon recipe, this limited release was aged for seven years and nine months in Virginia before being deemed ready to bottle. At 100 proof, it is a powerful whiskey full of flavor.
The aroma of slight peppery notes opens up to sweet vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak. Honey, praline, and spice mingle with baked apples and cherry notes in the flavor. A long, slightly dry finish lingers on the tongue.
Master Distiller Brian Prewitt leads the whiskey experiments at A. Smith Bowman and is excited to release this high rye limited edition. “This high rye bourbon has such a distinct nose and taste profile that I think fans looking for a full-bodied bourbon with lots of spice will really enjoy. It’s been fun to release experiments like these, and we look forward to creating even more interesting expressions that are a good fit for our Abraham Bowman line in the future.”
The Abraham Bowman Limited Edition High Rye Bourbon is part of a series of limited edition whiskies, named after Abraham Bowman, the commander of the 8th Virginia Regiment in the American Revolutionary War. Each edition of the Abraham line is a different expression and a new release is offered a few times a year. This is the twelfth release in the Abraham line. The Abraham Bowman Limited Edition High Rye Bourbon will be available at retail in August. However, quantity is very limited and it will mostly be available only in Virginia. It is 100 proof. Suggested retail pricing is $69.99.
About A. Smith Bowman
A. Smith Bowman’s distilling roots date back to the years before Prohibition when the Bowman family had a granary and dairy farm in Sunset Hills, Virginia. They used excess grain from the family estate to distill spirits. In 1934, after the Repeal of Prohibition, Abram Smith Bowman and his sons continued the family tradition and built a more modern distillery in Fairfax County, Virginia called Sunset Hills Farm. In response to the rapid rise of taxes in Northern Virginia, the Distillery was moved in 1988 and is now nestled in Spotsylvania County near the city of Fredericksburg, 60 miles away from the original location.
As a small and privately owned company, A. Smith Bowman Distillery continues the time-honored traditions on which it was founded. Considered a micro-distillery by today’s standards, A. Smith Bowman produces an assortment of hand-crafted spirits distilled from only the finest natural ingredients and using the latest technology. This micro-distillery focuses on the production of premium spirits honoring the legacy of Virginia’s first settlers. For more information on A. Smith Bowman, please visit www.asmithbowman.com.
Cask No. 36.76 $150
A sweet Winter Warmer
Speyside, Spey
A lush and intense sweet oaky aroma was the first impression on the nose neat. Out of the many descriptors the ones we all agreed on; honey glazed parsnips, honey dew melon, freshly baked croissants, Danish cinnamon swirls and freshly made tablet. The intensity and sweetness continued in the taste; tingly, warm, spicy oak tannins, iced gingerbread and a dry finish of cocoa powder. Water added a floral dimension with roses and carnations and the spiciness of stewed apples and apple crumble with ginger and nutmeg. The taste now lively like popping candy, fizzy sweet cola cubes and sour apple fruit jellies in the finish.
Drinking tip: After a long walk
Colour: Gold with a peach tint
Cask: Refill barrel
Age: 17 years
Date Distilled: November 1996
Alcohol: 59.3%
USA allocation: 48 bottles
Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet
Cask No. 35.109 $215
A class act
Speyside, Lossie
This dram oozes class therefore give it some time, don’t rush and you will be richly rewarded. Aromas of Millionaire’s shortbread, lemon, orange and banana marzipan fruits, baked apple filled with pecan, cinnamon and raisins, brandy butter ice cream, sandalwood and fresh tobacco leaves are all jostling for your full attention. The taste is silky smooth like runny honey or toffee sauce, Sauternes soaked raisins coated in dark chocolate and an elegant cup of jasmine tea with a slice of marzipan cake. Careful adding water; turning slightly dusty and nutty like Alpen muesli with macadamia nuts as well honey glazed walnuts and an overall pleasant creamy mouth-feel.
Drinking tip: We recommend adding no water or very little!
Colour: Honeycomb
Cask: Refill hogshead
Age: 28 years
Date distilled: March 1985
Alcohol: 46.7%
USA allocation: 48 bottles
Flavour profile: Old & dignified
Cask No. G4.7 $170
Flying saucers and foamy shrimps
Grain
The initial nose was bright, fresh and lively (lemon, rhubarb, pine resin); then came Demerara, Christmas cake, candy floss, vanilla, toffee and golden syrup – followed by cedar-wood and tobacco. The palate displayed delightful sweetness (maple syrup, crème brûlée, white chocolate) tempered by mouth-drying tobacco, white pepper, liquorice and a surprising gooseberry fizz. Amazingly vibrant for its age, the reduced nose combined rum and raisin ice-cream, flying saucers, lychee and grape with pine resin and restrained oak. The palate sustained our interest – old oak, tobacco and figs, tropical juice and foamy shrimps combined to make an easy-drinking experience from Scotland’s biggest distillery.
Drinking tip: We all had different ideas – so I guess that makes it a versatile dram for any season
Colour: Polished gold
Cask: Refill hogshead
Age: 34 years
Date Distilled: May 1979
Alcohol: 51.9%
USA allocation: 72 bottles
Flavour profile: Juicy, oak & vanilla
Cask No. 121.74 $135
A box of Chocs
Highland, Island
Sweet caramel on the nose – Tunnock’s Caramel Wafers to be exact – then Newberry Fruits (sugar–covered fruit jellies with runny centres), then a host of other fruity scents – mango, light orange, raspberry, apricot. The first taste matches some of this – ‘mango cream fondant chocolate’; ‘Thornton’s Summer Fruit Chocolates’ – but there is also a tropical spiciness like mango chutney with a dash of chilli. With water the nose folds into emulsion paint for a moment before resuming the fruity/chocolate theme – Maltesers, Bakewell tart, croissant with strawberry jam, white chocolate. The taste? Sweet and fruity (Gallia melon), with light spice and peppermint Aero in the finish.
Drinking tip: After school
Colour: Sahara gold
Cask: Refill hogshead
Age: 14 years
Date distilled: December 1999
Alcohol: 55.7%
USA allocation: 120 bottles
Flavour profile: Juicy, oak & vanilla
Cask No. 3.227 $145
Tasty Farmhouse cooking
Islay
The room was immediately filled with the warm and rich smells of a beef consommé with a good splash of aged Sherry added. This we then poured over an old fashioned rabbit casserole with rosemary, celery and roasted carrots and let it simmer on a wood burning stove. The taste is good farmhouse cooking, intense flavours of fresh tomato soup as well as honey roasted sweet potatoes prepared with ginger, cumin and coriander. With water a sweet earthy note is added reminding some of us of compost using pine sawdust and pine needles or of peat stacks out to dry. The taste now welcoming and juicy like a tender pork stew with light herb dumplings.
Drinking tip: Whilst cooking for or with friends
Colour: Polished copper pots and pans
Cask: Refill butt
Age: 16 years
Date distilled: September 1997
Alcohol: 56.4%
USA allocation: 120 bottles
Flavour profile: Lightly peated
