TOP PICKS

• Kininvie 23 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey 375ml (one bottle limit) ($149.99) These are 375ml half bottles of 23 year old Kininvie aged in both sherry and hogshead barrels. Very rare and almost never bottled as a single malt, Kininvie is a tiny distillery located behind Balvenie, originally started by William Grant’s daughter. Strict one bottle limit per customer.

• Highland Park “Dark Origins” Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($79.99) A darker, richer Highland Park that’s aged in twice as many first-fill sherry butts as the standard 12 year bottling.

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

    Ardbeg 1977

£395.83 ex VAT £475.00 inc VAT

 46% ABV | 70cl

Unveiling the World’s First ‘Crowd-Sourced’ Whisky – Glenmorangie Taghta

Caermory Whisky are delighted to announce the release of their 21 year old single malt. This single cask bottling was specially selected and is at cask strength (48.2%vol). Available directly from Caermory whisky or from selected retailers. The stockists are Blue Otter – Hitchin, Rollings  -Harpenden, Whisky.co.uk – York, The Vine King  – Reigate, Dram Shop – Sheffield, Milroys – London and The Blue Glass – Bedford.

www.caermorywhisky.co.uk

NEW ARRIVALS

Scotland – Blended Scotch

• Chivas Regal 12 Year Old Blended Scotch Whisky (circa 1960s) – 2 available ($199.99)

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

• Balvenie 25 Year Old Single Barrel Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 7 available ($599.99).

• SMWS 127.1 (Port Charlotte) “Harbourside Barbecue” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 1 available ($499.99) The ultra rare first bottling of Port Charlotte by the well renowned Single Malt Whisky Society.

United States – Bourbon and Rye

• High West “Valley Tan” Limited Edition Oat Whiskey 750ml ($54.99)

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

This week Joe Ellis reviews a Caol Ila 30 Year Old Single Cask bottled by Hunter Laing.

http://youtu.be/h1bsYk_zLnA

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

https://www.facebook.com/whiskytube

Companions of the Quaich  

Thomas Chen & Barry Dunner

request the pleasure of your company

at a Companions of the Quaich

Whisky Tasting & Dinner

Monday, the 19th of January

two thousand and fifteen, at seven o’clock

Special Guest

Andrew Ferguson, Keeper of the Quaich

Springbank 15 • Springbank Local Barley 14

Springbank Madeira Finish• Longrow Sherry Cask 10 • Longrow Red Shiraz 11

Hazelburn Rundlets & Kilderkins 10

Whiskies • Dinner • Dessert

Sample six unique and limited quantity whiskies

sumptuously paired with a four-course meal

New Venue

Thai Cuisine By Montri

2585 West Broadway, Vancouver, BC

RSVP by January 9, 2014                                  Programme

Companions of the Quaich                        Reception: 6:45 pm

140-6751 Graybar Road,            Whisky tasting & dinner: 7:00 pm

Richmond, V6W 1H3                                    Casual attire

email info@vanquaich.com           Couvert: $95; $105: non-members

Seating limited to 25 participants

Companions of The Quaich is a non-profit society dedicated to sharing knowledge and enjoyment of Single Malt Whisky. A ‘Quaich’ is the traditional Scots drinking vessel for whisky. The name comes from the Gaelic ‘cuach’ which means ‘cup’. 

About Andrew Ferguson

Andrew has been employed at Kensington Wine Market since 2003, as its In-house Single Malt Scotch expert and co-manager. He has built KWM into Canada’s largest and arguably most interesting collection of single malts and has a reputation as one of Canada’s most trusted whisky experts.

In 2011, Andrew was inducted into the Keepers of the Quaich – an exclusive and secretive organization, recognizing individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to the international success of Scotch whisky. He is the first Canadian retail expert to be so honoured!

In addition, Andrew writes a newsletter, The Malt Messenger, with almost 5,000 subscribers; conducts regular tastings; offers educational classes, seminars and speaking engagements. Andrew also guides whisky related tours to Scotland via www.fergusonswhiskytours.com. Andrew is the President of the ‘Companions of the Quaich’ Calgary Chapter.

A native of Calgary, Andrew studied Military History at the University of Calgary. He spends much of his free time outdoors, and is especially fond of skiing, hockey, mountain biking and triathlons. In October 2010 he qualified for and competed in the Xterra (offroad triathlon) World Championships in Maui!

ABOUT OUR SINGLE MALT SCOTCH CLUBS

Members of our buyers’ club share an enthusiasm for the malt elixir in the most practical way, by saving time and money. No initiation or fees of any sort are charged. We simply ask that you undertake to remain in the club for the period of one year. As a club member you will receive a carefully selected, often unique bottling, complete with background information, shipped directly to your home or office every other month. The first club, the Single Malt Connoisseurs’ Club, has a limit of $84.99, per shipment usually less, on the cost of the bottle itself. (Does not include tax and or shipping)

In November 2014 our members received: 

Dalmore 14 Year Old, 1999 A.D.Rattray Bottling

This month’s selection was bottled for us at Cask Strength by A.D.Rattray. This is the Dalmore we always knew they could make. The color is a light straw that sits clear in the glass. Without the mask of sherry the nose is light and bright with a touch of oiliness, with additional aromas of tropical fruit, a bit more nut and a baked apple element. The palate has waxy notes with very light peat, fully ripe stone fruit flavors joined with nectarine and baking spice more towards nutmeg. We feel this is the perfect tipple for late fall into winter and hope you enjoy!

The history of Dalmore is steeped in a high degree of tradition from slightly illicit beginnings. The recent history of Dalmore has been a bit more posh. In September 2011, the last remaining bottle (of three) of The Dalmore 62 sold at Changi Airport in Singapore for approximately $200,000. While one would hope that the purchase was at duty free; the second of the trio sold for approximately $20,000 at auction in the UK making the savings for the unnamed Chinese business man who bought it negligible.The luxury that has been on display this millennium is quite different from Dalmore’s start in the heady days of the late 1830s. Dalmore was founded by Alexander Matheson, who made his first fortune exporting silk and tea from China, but more ominously importing opium into China.

The year that Dalmore was founded was actually the first year of open conflict in what would come to be known as the First Opium War. Dalmore was founded on the Ardoss farm twenty miles from Iverness in the heart of the excellent barley growing region of Ross-shire. The next half century involved a half a dozen operators and owners until in 1886 the land and distillery were brought by the prominent local family, the Mackenzies. The Mackenzie family is important to the creation legend of Dalmore for the Mackenzie family crest and motto has become Dalmore’s own: Luceo non Uro, “I shine, not burn.” The family legend has it that in 1263 an ancestor ofthe Clan Mackenzie saved Alexander III, King of the Scots, from being gored by a Stag. As a way to repay this noble deed, the Clan was allowed to use the royal symbol of the Twelve Point Stag on their crest.

Much of the whisky made in Dalmore’s first century was used to supply the blending business. The Mackenzie family’s long time friend and their best customer was James Whyte. James, with his partner Charles Mackay, began in 1882 one of the most successful Scotch blends: Whyte and Mackay.

Theirs was a success built to last decades and the boom period for blends resulted in the 1960 merger of Dalmore, Whyte and Mackay.Under this new company and with a focus on making more spirit, production was expanded from four stills to eight in 1966. Dalmore’s move from “blending” whisky to up scale single malt came in 2007 when the Indian Consortium United Breweries Group purchased Dalmore and its parent company. With this acquisition, the leader of UB Group, Vijay Mallya (nicknamed the Indian Richard Branson) has sought to bring Dalmore the prestige its place in Scotch whisky history deserves. Dalmore as a modern style is characterized by its richly sherried essence. The principal casks used for maturation are first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels and former sherry butts. Most of what the US sees for Dalmore Single Malt is of the sherry aged variety. While most of its 4.2million liter a year production is destined for blends the best and brightest of Dalmore does indeed shine these days.

Signup for this Club

www.ralfy.com reviews his “whisky of the Year 2014” with Whisky Review 511 – Benromach 10yo @ 43%vol

Heaven Hill Distilleries Named 2014 Very Large Business of the Year by Louisville Business First

BARDSTOWN, Ky. – In a ceremony recognizing the leaders in the Louisville business community, Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. was named Louisville Business First’s 2014 Very Large Business of the Year last night at the Kentucky International Convention Center. The awards are given annually by the city’s only dedicated business publication “to celebrate excellence in business.” Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. was nominated alongside Delta Dental of Kentucky and Texas Roadhouse Restaurants. It was the second straight year in which the company was nominated for the award.

“We are particularly honored to be recognized by the Louisville Business Community as one of the leading businesses in Louisville and Southern Indiana,” said Max L. Shapira, President, Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. “As we begin to celebrate the 80^th anniversary of our company’s founding, this award is particularly appreciated. Our third generation of family ownership is committed to upholding the values and qualities shared by all of the community’s leading businesses.”

Heaven Hill Distilleries was recognized by the publication for the development of Louisville’s first stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience® on Main St., sales growth of key spirits brands such as Evan Williams Bourbon and Burnett’s Vodka, and a host of new product innovations and acquisitions.

The selection process began with Business First readers, who nominated companies and nonprofit organizations which achieved excellence in the last year to 18 months. The Business First editorial team chose 18 finalists — three each in six categories.  The final job of choosing the winners in each category was entrusted to a panel of outside expert judges.

Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY-based Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams Bourbon; Larceny, Elijah Craig and Henry McKenna Bourbons, Burnett’s Vodkas and Gin; Admiral Nelson’s and Blackheart Rums; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; The Christian Brothers Brandies; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur; Lunazul Tequila; Cinerator Hot Cinnamon Flavored Whiskey and Rittenhouse Rye Whisky.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely. Drink Wisely.”