It’s here! For once in our lifetime a whisky that takes home the title “whisky of the year” is in stock, affordable, and available for anyone looking to try it! As if those aspects weren’t refreshing enough, Jim Murray’s award for 2016 also looks to shine a light on Canadian whisky–an underappreciated genre that perhaps gets lost in the madness of the current single malt and Bourbon shuffle.

Speaking about the award, Murray said: “Last year people were shocked when I gave Yamazaki the award – until they tasted it. Then they saw it was not the affront to Scotch they first thought and something truly extraordinary.This year, doubtless there will be many more eyebrows raised because rarely is Canada mentioned when it come to the world’s top whiskies. But, again, I have no doubt people finding the bottling I tasted will be blown away with this whisky’s uncompromising and unique beauty. It certainly puts the rye into Canadian rye.”

Your eyes do not deceive you! The 2016 whisky of the year is here, in stock, and it’s only twenty five bucks.

Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye Whiskey 750ml ($25.99)

NOTE: CARDBOARD CROWN ROYAL BOXES ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR SHIPPING ORDERS. ONLY THE BOTTLE ITSELF WILL SHIP. Rated whisky of the year by Jim Murray for 2016, the inexpensive. under-the-radar delight from Crown Royal is sure to catch a number of whisky aficionados off guard. Giving it 97.5 out of 100 points, Murray writes: “Rye, that most eloquent of grains, not just turning up to charm and enthrall, but to also take us through a routine which reaches new heights of beauty and complexity. To say this is a masterpiece is barely doing it justice. I have no doubt people finding the bottling I tasted will be blown away with this whisky’s uncompromising and unique beauty.”

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 Japanese Whisky Gift Box Set

We know how important gifts are to our customers – especially at Christmas. This year we have developed a range of beautiful gift boxes containing some of your, and our, favourite whiskies. Whether you’re looking for traditional single malt for your Dad, or a fashionable Japanese whisky set – we’ve got it covered. The Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve is a wonderful balanced whisky. Full of soft, fresh fruits and Mizunara (Japanese Oak) aromas, this is a classic example of Japan’s number one whisky. Accompanied by The ice sphere mould to make the perfect ice ball and a stylish whisky tumbler.

£85 Click to buy

THE LOCH FYNE 1745 GIFT SET

The Loch Fyne 1745 is named after the historic year in which the whisky’s home town, Inveraray, was founded. Inspired by its west coast location and the many tourists who pass through the town on the way to Islay. The Living Cask 1745 is a unique marriage of well aged single malts all from Islay distilleries and is fast building a reputation for its incredible flavours. This gift box also comes with a couple of award winning Glencairn whisky glasses – perfect for appreciating the finest malts.

£92 Click to buy

GLENFARCLAS 2000 GIFT BOX SET

This single malt Scotch whisky was specially selected for The Whisky Shop, and is an utter delight from start to finish – a juicy, fruity, playful, classic Speyside whisky. There is enough Glenfarclas character here for fans of the distillery to love it. But this is also a great way to start your exploration in to the distillery if you are not yet familiar with it. A great malt. Accompanied by two award winning Glencairn whisky glasses and housed in a luxurious presentation box.

£80 Click to buy

HAUF AN’ A HAUF Gift Box Set

This gift pack brings back a bit of Glasgow nostalgia. It pairs a whisky from Glasgow’s closest distillery, Auchentoshan 12yo single malt, with a premium beer that has been brewed in Glasgow, Tennents beer aged with whisky oak – a great Glasgow combination.

Pack Includes a 5cl miniature of Auchentoshan 12 year old, one bottle of Tennents whisky beer, a Tennent’s beer glass and a malt blender’s whisky glass. Bring on the nostalgia!

£25 Click to buy

Haig Club

Diageo have partnered with David Beckham and Simon Fuller, to create one of the most trendy and popular whiskies of 2015.

The liquid has been crafted using a unique process that combines grain whisky from three cask types. This creates a fresh, clean style and an ultra-smooth taste – perfect for drinking either neat, with ice or in cocktails.

It is presented in a square blue flask, with the name embossed in the glass and a copper stopper – if you are going for cool this Christamas this is a must buy. Now available at our best ever price!

£35 Click to buy

Christmas is fast approaching and as the Scottish winter evenings draw in, that tantalising first dram of Wolfburn’s inaugural whisky is getting ever closer!

It has been a busy couple of months since the last edition of the Laydown. We’ve built a major new warehouse, which will provide maturation space until the end of 2018. The bottling plant has been installed and tested – everything is working like a charm. Our first labels and cartons have been printed (you can see the pics on Wolfburn’s Facebook and Twitter pages). And nestling inside the distillery are several thousand empty bottles, waiting for the magic moment when filling commences.

In this edition of the Laydown: Test your knowledge and win! A small test of your whisky-making knowledge – with prizes of Wolfburn spirit samples for the winners. Next, if you enjoy sampling whisky (and who doesn’t?) then here’s a list of the shows and exhibitions you’ll find us at over the coming weeks. And finally: A Day in the Life of Iain Kerr, Wolfburn’s stalwart and always smiling production operator.

Slàinte

The Wolfburn Team

The Glenturret Sherry Edition

The Glenturret Sherry Edition, part of the new Glenturret Core Range, has been matured in both Spanish & American oak sherry seasoned casks and delivers a sweet spiciness with a soft oak background. Want to know more?  Here’s Lucy with her Sherry Edition tasting video. Enjoy!

Available to buy online and in store now!

INTRODUCING THE ARDMORE PORT WOOD FINISH

The Ardmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky, distributed by Maxxium UK, has launched The Ardmore Port Wood Finish.

The new expression is distilled with the same traditional methods used at the distillery since 1898, before being double-cask matured for 12 years in traditional American white oak ex-bourbon barrels and then finished in European half port pipes.

The release of The Ardmore Port Wood Finish follows the success of The Ardmore Legacy, which replaced Ardmore Traditional Cask as the distillery’s core expression. A lightly peated, sweet dram, The Ardmore Legacy offers the ideal introduction to peated single malts.

The newest member of this emerging portfolio, The Ardmore Port Wood Finish is a unique expression with a touch of sweetness. Ruby gold in colour this single malt is full of spiced fruits with a subtle smoky finish.

Peter Sandstrom, Marketing Director, Maxxium UK said: “Following the success of The Ardmore Legacy, which has established its status in the peated single malt category, the launch of The Ardmore Port Wood Finish further cements the quality and taste of the brand’s portfolio.

“The Ardmore Port Wood Finish is an excellent whisky made using the same traditional distilling methods for over 100 years. It is a unique and premium expression – with notes of sweet red apple and honey with the subtlest hint of charcoal smoke and a smooth, long, lingering finish culminating in the trademark Ardmore dryness – it is a whisky that offers a taste that sets it apart.”

The Ardmore Port Wood Finish is bottled at 46% ABV and is available from specialist whisky retailers at the RRP of £49.99.

The Ardmore Port Wood Finish

Colour: Ruby Gold

Nose: Initial nose of strawberries and summer fruits with a hint of pepper. Notes of burnt orange and cinnamon spice underlie. With water, the rich fruit aromas of red apple and cranberry intensify accompanied by sweet honey and subtle spiced wood notes

Palate: Sweet red apple and honey with the subtle hint of charcoal smoke

Finish: Initially smooth with a long lingering finish culminating in the trademark Ardmore dryness

 46% ABV. Non-chill filtered.

Notes

• Founded in 1898 by Wm. Teacher & Sons, The Ardmore distillery continues to uphold traditional distilling methods and uses only the aromatic smoke from natural, Highland peat fires to dry its malted barley.
• The Ardmore distillery stands proudly on the fringes of the Highlands, draws its water from the nearby hills and sits beside a railway line that was once at the heart of the industrial revolution at Kennethmont, Scotland.
• Ardmore Traditional Cask has numerous awards and accolades including Double Gold at the 2010 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Gold (Exceptional) at the 2009 International Review of Spirits (BTI) and Gold and Best in Class in the 2008 International Wine & Spirit Competition.
• The Ardmore has a long standing history with the golden eagle, which nest by the distillery, and supports the protection and conservation of eagles through its partnership with the RSPB.

Maxxium UK Ltd is part of the global sales and distribution alliance between Beam Inc and Edrington.

Its UK portfolio of premium brands includes: blended Scotch (The Famous Grouse and Teacher’s), malt whisky (Highland Park, Laphroaig, The Macallan, The Glenrothes and Ardmore), imported whiskey (Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Knob Creek, Canadian Club), cognac and brandy (Courvoisier and Fundador), sherry (Harveys), vodka (Stolichnaya), tequila (Sauza), rum (Brugal and Cruzan), liqueurs and specialities (Sourz, Bols liqueurs, Galliano, Vaccari, After Shock), No 3 Gin. For further information on our brands and how to enjoy them, log on to http://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 of approximately $4.6 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 http://www.beamsuntory.com/ and www.drinksmart.com.

NOVEMBER TASTINGS

New Members Tasting – 19 Greville St – Mon 23 Nov  More >

Charles Heidsieck Champagnes Dinner – 28 Queen St – Thu 26 Nov More >

Dundee Exclusive Tasting – Malmaison – Fri 27 Nov  More >

Harrogate Holidays Tasting – Hotel du Vin – Fri 27 Nov  More >

Inverness Exclusive Tasting – Kingsmills Hotel – Fri 27 Nov  More >

Newcastle Exclusive Tasting – The Caledonian Hotel – Fri 27 Nov  More >

Wokingham Exclusive Tasting – Cantley House Hotel – Fri 27 Nov  More >

St Andrews Day – with Robin Laing – The Vaults – Mon 30 Nov  More >

FREE MEMBER ENTERTAINMENT AT THE VAULTS

Free Live Music >  Mon 23 Nov

Browse All Tastings >

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ Contact:mailto:sales@smws.comor call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

A Vintage Celebration for A D Rattray

The team at A D Rattray independent bottlers were surprised this week when they were each presented with a bottle of 50 year old single cask whisky. The Girvan Grain 1964 Cask No 0002 is the first to be bottled as part of their Vintage Cask Collection, a new range which the company have recently added to their award-winning portfolio. Mr Tim Morrison, owner of A D Rattray and the A D Rattray Whisky Experience & Whisky Shop, said he was delighted to be able to thank everyone for their hard work over the years in this special way.

Known for quality single cask bottlings, A D Rattray pride themselves on the careful selection and monitoring of their casks, only bottling when they reach their prime.   Occasionally an older cask of exceptional quality will be rewarded with beautiful packaging and inclusion in the new range. 255 bottles of the Girvan Grain 1964 have been produced at cask strength (46.8%) appealing to collectors, whisky enthusiasts and anyone looking for that extra special whisky.

Mr Morrison said, “it is particularly fitting that this 50 year old is the first cask in our new Vintage Cask Collection range as it is the oldest whisky we have bottled to date and is from the nearest distillery to our headquarters – Girvan is just 7 miles down the road. There is also a strong family connection between the two companies as my father, Stanley P Morrison, and Charles Grant Gordon were friends and in fact I visited Girvan distillery on many occasions while it was being built in 1963. At that time I had just started working as part of the production and management team of Bowmore Distillery which had recently been acquired by my father. It all seems like a lifetime ago and to see a bottle of whisky which was distilled back then in the hands of my son, Andrew, the next generation of our family business, makes me very proud.”

Whisky from a bygone age – Girvan Grain 1964, A D Rattray’s Vintage Cask Collection

Tasting Note

Colour: Amber.

Nose: Deep and exquisite aromas of orange peel, dark chocolate truffles, Brazil nuts, nutmeg, rich honey and coconut.

Palate: Silky. Luscious vanilla, sweet oranges, banana bread, some liquorice and spicy notes.

Conclusion: Whisky from a bygone age, in an extraordinary fresh cask.

Notes

1. Vintage Cask Collection is available to buy from the A D Rattray Whisky Shop, Kirkoswald, Ayrshire KA19 8HY, Tel: 01655 760 308 and from selected UK and International retailers.
2. A D Rattray was founded in 1868 and has a reputation for their extensive knowledge and expertise in the whisky industry. They are best known for their Stronachie and Cask Islay brands and a range of top quality single cask bottlings, the A D Rattray Cask Collection.

Whisky Offerings from Scotland’s Oldest Working Distillery

November saw us celebrate 240 years of making Whisky By Hand and By Heart here at Glenturret Distillery and we had a brilliant time celebrating with everyone. Our world record attempt to ‘Raise a Dram’ saw 152 people on the night and our Open Doors Weekend was a huge success. Now we have some time to prepare for Christmas which (don’t shoot the messenger) is just around the corner! We have some exciting offerings for you to help you on your way with the Christmas shopping…

Don’t forget that you can buy all of our whiskies online or in store.

Sherry Edition

The Glenturret Core Range Sherry Edition has been matured in both Spanish and American oak sherry seasoned casks, delivering a sweet spiciness with a soft oak background. All three whiskies in the Core Range are available to purchase online here and in store.

The Famous Grouse

Scotland’s favourite whisky is a blend drafted from the finest malt whiskies, such as The Macallan and Highland Park, married with exceptional grain whiskies, for the smoothest possible taste. The perfect gift for the whisky lover in your life this Christmas. Purchase it here now or in store.

Personalised Bottles

Looking for something a little “special” this Christmas? Why not personalise the label on a bottle of The Famous Grouse? Just visit our online store here to personalise and order yours today.

Gifts Galore

Our famous gift shop has a whole range of gifts suitable for this Christmas. From stocking fillers to gift sets, we’ll have just the thing to help take the hassle out of your festive shopping. Visit our online store for the full range here.

We are very excited to invite you to the first annual Vancouver Whisky Festival, which will take place on January 17 & 18, 2016 at the Terminal City Club. As a member of the Companions of the Quaich and West Coast Whisky Society, we are offering you an opportunity to buy advance tickets before we open this event up to the public next week.

Modelled after the renowned Victoria Whisky Festival, this event will feature:

– Sunday afternoon educational masterclasses led by international distillery brand ambassadors and whisky experts including James Robertson, Ashok Chokalingam and more.

– A Monday evening Grand Tasting at which over 200 whiskies can be sampled.

– Many rare whiskies not traditionally available for sampling.

Sample whiskies from Ardbeg and Aberlour to Talisker and Tullibardine. Sample private stocks from Duncan & Taylor, Gordon & Machphail, Blackadder and more. Meet James Robertson, brand ambassador of Tullibardine, Ranald Watson of Springbank and many others. Meet like-minded whisky aficionados.

The Grand Tasting and one masterclass, at $250 per person, will be limited to 250 guests.

A whisky event of this quality is long overdue in Vancouver. By attending this event you will:

– have the rare opportunity to sample whiskies before you buy (yes, there is an on-site liquor store)

– show the greater whisky community that Vancouver has indeed come of age

– be supporting a local and worthy charity, as proceeds will be donated to a local non-profit organization

We welcome your comments. Please feel free to contact us to express your interest in attending this event.

For event details and ticket information, please go to www.vancouverwhiskyfestival.com

Ticket sales for club members starts today, November 18th.

Sincerely,

Dave Mason, Roberto Roberti, Barry Dunner and Thomas Chen

Glenlivet 33 Year Old 1981 Signatory

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

$246.90

Glenlivet 33 Year Old 1981 vintage Speyside single malt Scotch whiskey. Single cask refill sherry hogshead #9463 bottled April 2015 by Signatory Vintage for the Cask Strength range. 156 numbered bottles. Glenlivet Distillery was established in 1824 and following expansion in 2010 is now equipped with fourteen stills making it one of the largest malt whisky distilleries in Scotland. Glenlivet Distillery is situated in Scotland’s Speyside whisky region near the River Livet and has a visitor centre which offers distillery tours with the opportunity to sample Glenlivet single malt whiskies. Glenlivet also participates in the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.