Scotland
Glengoyne 25 Year Old Single Malt Whisky (750ml) $299.99
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
Happy New Year from everyone at the Kensington Wine Market!
2015 has been an exciting year full of big changes for the Kensington Wine Market. We would like to thank our customers, suppliers, agents and friends for all of their support and patronage in 2015.
Our year started with a bang when Whisky Magazine ranked us Second in the Icons of Whisky Rest of the World, Whisky Retailer of the Year Single Outlet. We were surprised and very honoured by the recognition. We launched a revamped www.kensingtonwinemarket.com website in March which we are very proud of. We are continuing to improve and build on it moving forward. On April 1, Andrew Ferguson, our world renowned whisky expert and employee of 13 years, purchased the Kensington Wine Market. Andrew is hoping to build on the sterling legacy of Nancy Carten who founded the business in 1992. Nancy continues to remain involved at KWM during this period of transition. Later in the year Kensington Wine Market was awarded Calgary Area Retailer of the Year by the Alberta Liquor Store Association. The best recognition comes when given by your peers – making this a very humbling honour. We also were thrilled to add two talented new members to our team, Evan Eckersley and Bryan Childs. Both bring an expertise in wine to our shop, with Evan also specialized in whisky and Bryan coming from a bartending background.
2015 was not without its challenges, but it was also full of rewards and successes. We have an excellent team as we look towards 2016, and everyone is excited about the year ahead. We look forward to working with all our partners, agents, friends and customers to continue offering the best service in Calgary.
We wish everyone a Safe, Prosperous and Very Happy New Year.
Sláinte!
Andrew Ferguson and the Team at Kensington Wine Market
If ever a year arrived promising opportunity for Canadian whisky, 2016 is it. Once again, sales are increasing: for top shelf whiskies surging up by double digits.
It’s not that Canadian whisky is suddenly getting better. Canada has always made connoisseur quality whiskies. What has changed is that bartenders and aficionados are discovering and pouring these great whiskies. Want to see why the insiders are so excited? Taste a few of these:
Gooderham & Worts is a new whisky with a long history. Dr. Don Livermore, the master blender at Hiram Walker Distillery in Windsor, Ontario, created it in 2015. Dr. Don applied two decades experience as a whisky maker and his Ph.D. in brewing and distilling to create this masterpiece. He often draws on more than a century of whisky recipes (and trade secrets) found in the Hiram Walker archives, but this juicy four-grain whisky is his alone. Balance, complexity, mouth feel, flavour: it is just gorgeous.
Alberta Premium Dark Horse has become the favourite of Canadian bartenders for making cocktails. It is also a fine sip on its own. A classic high-rye whisky (92%), it is rich in the spices, flowers, earthiness and sweetness that discriminating drinkers demand in their rye-based cocktails. In the U.S. you can find it in liquor stores labeled as Alberta Rye Dark Batch (darn those trade marks!).
Canadian Rockies 21 year old is all corn whisky. Tuned to a discerning Asian palate, with its subtle exotic fruits it is lush in the mouth and rewards thoughtful drinkers with a new flavour palette for the own palates. This is the Canadian whisky that Taiwan’s top bar tenders and connoisseurs are raving about.
Crown Royal Hand Selected Barrel is as small batch as it is possible to be: single barrel whisky from the makers of Canada’s best selling dram. Crown Royal calls this whisky “Coffey Rye” as it is distilled in an ancient Coffey still, filling the still house with aromas of chocolate and ripe bananas. Once bottled, each batch really has its own personality, some deep in bourbon territory while others are rich in the flavours of traditional rye.
Forty Creek Three Grain Harmony is the most recent special release from Forty Creek distillery in Grimsby, Ontario. These annual releases tend to sell out quickly so if you can’t find one, their Confederation Oak or Double Barrel whiskies each represent the distillery well. Recent releases tend to evolve in the glass after you pour them so maybe pour two – one to enjoy now and the second to follow it.
Canadian Club 100% Rye is likely the best value for money of any whisky on the planet. This is connoisseur quality whisky priced for new drinkers. All the classic rye notes are there along with the beautiful synthesis of butterscotch, fruit, spice and grain that defines the Canadian Club house style.
Collingwood 21-year-old Rye was a one-off from Brown-Forman. Last year’s Canadian Whisky of the Year in the Canadian Whisky Awards, it sold out quickly most places, but was still on store shelves in Texas, in December. If you see a bottle, for Pete’s sake, don’t hesitate, buy it and enjoy.
These are just a few of the Canadian drams worth tasting in 2016.
Whatever you favour, Happy New 2016.
We’d like to take a moment to thank you, our customers, for all your support. We’ve had a great year serving you and we greatly look forward to continuing to provide the best selection and service possible for all your party needs. With New Year’s Eve almost here, we have a few great drink ideas for you to have on hand while ringing in 2016! Cheers and have a most Happy New Year,
–The Party Source Liquor Department
95 Riviera Drive, Bellevue, KY 41073 (859) 291-4007
Whisky Tours by Paul & Liz
http://www.whiskytours.scot/ & http://www.mcleanscotland.com/
