MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOGMANAY
All of us at Royal Mile Whiskies and Drinkmonger would like to wish everyone a very happy Christmas. Thank you for shopping with us, we appreciate your custom and hope that you will be able to enjoy a fine dram on Christmas Day.
Macallan 25 year old Platinum Old and Rare
A single cask Macallan whisky bottled at 44.8% volume. Distilled in 1989 and bottles in 2014, A sweet smooth and rounded Macallan whisky which has a soft and lingering finish. One of only 188 bottles! Make sure this is on your Christmas list this year. Next Day UK delivery available.
MAXXIUM UK UNVEILS AN UNRIVALLED SMOKY GIFT THIS CHRISTMAS
Ahead of the key festive season, Maxxium UK has unveiled the Peated Malts of Distinction gift pack which features each whisky from the Beam Suntory portfolio – The Ardmore Legacy, Connemara Original, Bowmore Small Batch and Laphroaig Select – united in one box set for the first time.
Each expression comes as a 50ml bottle and is inserted in an eye-catching box which feature a traditionally cut peat block and also includes a mini-booklet explaining the traditional peated whisky process and the variety of peat flavours present in the range. Launching this month at specialist whisky retailers in the UK, it is aimed at both whisky enthusiasts and consumers looking to explore a unique set of flavour profiles.
Peter Sandstrom, Marketing Director at Maxxium UK said: “The peated malts category is showing strong growth and as distributors of an unrivalled portfolio of peated malts in the UK we’re in a unique position where we can offer customers a variety of taste experiences. The Peated Malts of Distinction gift pack brings together a collection of peated malts for every palate, with each expression boasting its own unique and distinctive smoky flavour.
“From the lightly peated Highland single malt, The Ardmore, which is a perfect introduction to the peated malts category, to the iconic Laphroaig, which is often considered the archetypical Islay peated single malt, the gift pack will provide consumers with a unique taste journey through peated malts.”
Beam Suntory launched the Peated Malts of Distinction in 2014 in order to forge the company’s leading position in the Peated Malts category and educate both consumers and trade on the versatility and variety of taste profiles available.
Peated Malts of Distinction gift will retail at RRP 14.99 and is available at specialist whisky retailers including Royal Mile Whiskies, The Green Welly Stop and The Whisky Exchange.
Notes:
The Ardmore Legacy (ABV 40%)
A lightly peated Highland single malt whisky, The Ardmore has been produced using the same traditional whisky distilling methods since 1898, and is regarded as the perfect entry into peated malts.
The Ardmore is the perfect way to start your peated malt journey.
Connemara Original (ABV 40%)
Inspired by Ireland’s ancient distilling traditions, Connemara’s smooth sweet malt taste and complex peat flavours make it a truly Irish whiskey. As the only peated Irish single malt whiskey, Connemara is highly decorated with huge collection of gold medals and has been honoured as the ‘World’s best Irish single malt’.
The smooth and mild peat of Connemara is a balanced step up into the peated malts of distinction.
Bowmore Small Batch (ABV 40%)
As the first distillery on Islay and one of the oldest in the whole of Scotland, Bowmore is nurtured in the legendary No.1 vaults, and widely acknowledged to be among the finest and most perfectly-balanced malts in the world.
Bowmore Small Batch is exclusively matured in first and second fill ex-bourbon cask, then blissfully married together, exhibiting the best qualities of both.
This combination of sweetness, subtle spices and peaty smokiness leads to a more intense peated malts experience.
Laphroaig Select (ABV 40%)
The Island of Islay is situated on the rugged west coast of Scotland, a beautiful yet uncompromising place at the mercy of the sea, wind and rain. In the corner of the island is a distillery in a special place, a “beautiful hollow by the broad bay” or in Gaelic “Laphroaig”. The Laphroaig distillery was founded here in 1815, and is viewed as the archetypical Islay peated single malt.
Laphroaig is the ultimate peat experience and a must for any peated malts journey.
About Maxxium UK
Maxxium UK Limited is part of the global sales and distribution alliance between Beam Inc and The Edrington Group. Its portfolio of premium spirits includes: The Famous Grouse, Teacher’s and Cutty Sark blended Scotch; Highland Park, Laphroaig and The Macallan single malts; Courvoisier cognac; Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon. In addition Maxxium has premium brands across a number of other drinks categories including Sourz, Brugal, After Shock, Sauza and Harveys. Maxxium UK also represents third-party drinks brands including Stolichnaya vodka, Bols liqueurs, Galliano and The Glenrothes.
For further information on our brands and how to enjoy them log on to www.mixxit.co.uk
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.
Whisky News from Scotland’s Oldest Working Distillery
Santa is now only a few days out and we are gearing up for the last little flurry before the big day. December has been an absolute whirlwind here, we’ve had so much going on. We launched Ooskabeer which is the extremely successful product of our collaboration with the Inveralmond Brewery. We introduced Glen and Turret (our distillery cats) to the world and we even managed to bring home a few awards in our spare time. We have been so busy that we have been dreaming about a couple of days off, a warm fire, a massive Christmas dinner followed by a wee dram (or two) and some quality family time for days now. Regardless of how you’re spending it, we hope you have a very Merry Christmas!
Above all else we want to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all of us here at The Famous Grouse Experience. May you all have good health and happiness in 2016. Cheers!
The Famous Grouse Experience
The Glenturret Distillery
The Hosh
Crieff, PH7 4HA
United Kingdom
Cask No. 27.110 $315
Horse harnesses and mescal ‘worms’
Campbeltown
The neat nose was certainly varied – old books and cigar boxes in a study, horse harnesses, mescal ‘worms’, a greengrocers shop and various savoury notes (smoked ribs, sausages, roast beef, onion chutney, salt and pepper cashews). Water improved it, finding the good spices from the excellent cask oak – cinnamon, anise, cumin, tobacco, treacle toffee and liquorice allsorts. The palate was rich with pleasant wood influence – black bun, incense smoke, barbecue embers, five-spice seasoning on pork crackling, mixed nuts and new leather. Water brought out the sweetness of Demerara, dark honey and teriyaki – bringing wonderful balance to this intriguing and unusual dram.
Drinking tip: Late evening, with a friend and a cigar, maybe after a curry.
Colour: Jacobean oak
Cask: First-fill Sherry hogshead
Age: 22 years
Date distilled: December 1992
Alcohol: 52.6%
USA allocation: 120 bottles
Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet
*President’s Choice*
Cask No. 2.93 $130
Sweet day dreams
Speyside, Spey
On the nose neat we found ourselves in a greenhouse with overwintered geraniums and tomato vines. We were sitting in a Rattan armchair eating honey apple cake and drinking hot Ribena when a lady stepped in wearing Fuzzy Peach perfume oil. Immediately the scene changed; intense, thrilling, prickly, sweet and juicy heat on the tongue whilst shaking Apricot Anise Collins using carbonated water and stirring lightly. Now the aromas became much more herbal and we were miraculously transported to an alpine chalet enjoying après-ski, drinking Jagertee and eating a Rachel sandwich using pastrami, Swiss cheese and coleslaw on rye bread.
Drinking tip: Day dreaming in a hammock
Colour: Ready Brek Golden SyrupCask: Refill barrel
Age: 13 years
Date distilled: April 2002
Alcohol: 60.3%
USA allocation: 96 bottles
Flavour profile: Spicy & dry
Cask No. 39.99 $185
Springtime in Andalucía
Speyside, Lossie
‘What a nose’ and ‘I could smell this all day’ were just two remarks before we noted aromas of toasted malt loaf with melted butter, freshly made peanut brittle, brandy snaps, raisins, sultanas and chocolate liqueur over apple and custard crumble – pure decadence. The taste is classic monkey bread oozing with warm caramel and cinnamon, chopped walnuts, raisins and brown sugar. With the addition of water the nose is still rich and complex with a distinct whiff of a salty sea breeze just like a Manzanilla Pasada Sherry. The taste is fresh, sweet and salty; Brazil nuts, toffee, red liquorice and a never ending finish of a well-made Arugula salad with honey-drizzled peaches.
Drinking tip: When you have time to let your mind wander
Colour: Amontillado VORS
Cask: Refill hogshead
Age: 23 years
Date distilled: April 1990
Alcohol: 58.9%
USA allocation: 114 bottles
Flavour profile: Deep, rich and dried fruits
Cask No. 42.16 $100
“What it says on the tin”
Highland, Island
Be prepared, this one put our olfactory system on alert. Damp newspaper, earthy muddy doormat, yellow dyed smoked haddock, antiseptic, blue cheese, salt and vinegar chipsticks and creosote – you could probably paint your fence with it! The taste was a combination of Edward Scissorhands shed and Sweeney Todd’s Victorian barber shop; rusty nails and bolts, hedge shears, old cow leather strop and a cut throat razor. Water changed the nose to oily tarry ropes, ramshackled lobster pods and old yellow polyurethane safety wellies. On the palate, it still takes your breath away, either exchanging a hot drive belt or forging a horse shoe.
Drinking tip: Instead of Absinthe
Colour: Blade of a chainsaw
Cask: Refill hogshead
Age: 9 years
Date distilled: November 2005
Alcohol: 59.6%
USA allocation: 60 bottles
Flavour profile: Oily & coastal
Cask No. 53.218 $135
Philadelphia cigar ‘perfection’
Islay
We all sunk into a big leather arm chair next to an open peat smoke fire eating smoky, salty bacon frazzles with air-cured herbal sausages smoked over beech wood. The taste was warm, thick and mouth-coating just like freshly made American-style pancakes with bacon and maple syrup whilst having a satisfied grin on our faces as we opened a vintage Phillies Perfecto cigar box. Water reminded us of the dinner before; slow roasted chicken with lemon, rosemary and thyme accompanied by salvia sauce over mashed potato. In the taste grounded black pepper, sweet liquorice as well as caramelised bananas in toffee sauce.
Drinking tip: Be careful when adding water
Colour: Pale gold
Cask: Refill hogshead
Age: 14 years
Date distilled: March 2000
Alcohol: 64.4%
USA allocation: 102 bottles
Flavour profile: Lightly peated
Please visit www.smwsa.com for more information on the Society
Winner! Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible™ 2015 – 96.5 Points
Glen Grant 50 Year Old Speyside single malt Scotch whiskey. Matured in first fill sherry casks and bottled by Gordon & MacPhail for the Distillery Labels series. This expression of Glen Grant 50 Year Old has rich Sherry influences with plum, raisin and charred oak aromas. The palate is sweed with hints of stewed apple, pear and a lingering coffee edge. Glen Grant Distillery is a Speyside malt whisky distillery situated in Rothes. Established in 1840 by brothers James and John Grant, the business prospered and in 1897 Glen Grant No. 2 distillery was established across the road in order to meet the high demand for Glen Grant whisky. During the late nineteenth century a Victorian garden was laid out in the valley behind the distillery and is now open to distillery visitors. Glen Grant Distillery has a visitor centre and offers distillery tours. Glen Grant Distillery participates in the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.
Glenfarclas Family Cask 1957
The Glenfarclas Family Cask range is one of our all time favourite whisky collections – in our minds it offers some of the oldest and rarest single cask whiskies at superb prices. More importantly the quality is there and we can see this in the 1957 vintage. Rich, treacle, figs and thats just on the nose. Spoil yourself!
This week Joe Ellis celebrates his birthday and reviews Old Pulteney 1990 Vintage Single Malt.
BENRIACH DISTILLERY COMPANY EXPRESSIONS TAKE THIRTEEN MEDALS AT 2015 “MALT MANIACS” AWARDS
BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh single malts have won a total of thirteen medals in the 2015 “Malt Maniacs” Awards.
The Edinburgh-headquartered company headed by industry veteran Billy Walker took six silver and seven bronze medals in this year’s competition.
The complete list is:
Silver Medal
89 points GlenDronach 21YO 1993 cask # 477 for Kenny Hsu’s Collection
87 points Glenglassaugh 41YO 1972 cask # 2114 Batch 1
87 points GlenDronach 21YO 1993 cask # 479 for Aroma Taiwan
86 points GlenDronach 11YO 2003 cask # 4006 for Aroma Taiwan
86 points GlenDronach 25YO 1990 cask # 1375 Batch 12
85 points BenRiach 18YO 1996 cask # 4521 exclusively bottled for Taiwan
Bronze Medal
84 points BenRiach 35YO
84 points BenRiach 20YO 1994 cask # 808 exclusively bottled for Taiwan
83 points GlenDronach 21YO Parliament
83 points BenRiach 17YO Septendecim
83 points BenRiach 12YO Sherry Wood Matured
82 points BenRiach 1998 cask # 7758 for The Whisky Exchange
82 points Glenglassaugh 30YO
The Malt Maniacs are a worldwide group of whisky lovers made up of amateur connoisseurs and professional whisky writers, with the judging panel drawn from the group’s amateur ranks.
The Maniacs have been conducting their annual competition since 2003 and it has evolved into one of the most important and independent whisky competitions in the whisky calendar.
Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “2015 has been a stellar year for the company. As well as winning these coveted “Malt Maniacs” medals, we took a further ten medals at the IWSC awards, we announced record profits and a major £25m investment and we became the “Global Whisky Distiller of the Year” at the “Icons of Whisky” awards, so the year is ending on a real high for the company.
“The Malt Maniacs awards are very important to us because they are given by dedicated whisky lovers who are passionate about whisky.
“I am especially pleased that our single cask releases received the highest marks this year as these casks represent the most exclusive whiskies from our warehouses and we are delighted they have been recognised as such by the Malt Maniacs judges.”
