Cragganmore 30 Year Old 1985 Old & Rare

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

$359.65

Cragganmore 30 Year Old 1985 vintage Speyside single malt Scotch whiskey. Single cask refill hogshead bottled October 2015 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the Old & Rare Platinum Selection. 180 bottles.

This golden coloured whisky has a delicate mellow nose sweet vanilla initially then an assortment of fruit aromas appear banana peaches blackcurrants with butter shortbread adding weight .a creamy buttery mouthfeel on the palate with red berries cinder toffee and dark chocolate giving sweetness and complexity .The finish is long satisfying sweet pleasant slightly dry with a touch of oak.

Cragganmore Distillery was established by John Smith in 1869 on a site close to Ballindalloch Station in the heart of Scotland’s Speyside whisky region. Cragganmore Distillery is a malt whisky distillery equipped with four very short stills and is one of the few Scottish malt whisky distilleries which continue to cool their new spirit in traditional worm tubs. Visitors are welcomed at the Cragganmore Distillery visitor centre where distillery tours are available. Cragganmore is a participant in the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival.

UK Blog Awards – vote for us!

When it comes to competitions, the past year has been great for The Whisky Exchange – we’ve picked up both the Digital Entrepreneur Small E-Commerce Business of the Year award and the International Wine and Spirits Competition Online Retailer of the Year award.

We’re now up for another award and need your help. And when I say ‘we’, I mean The Whisky Exchange Blog – we’ve entered the UK Blog Awards.

If you’re a fan of the blog and think we deserve to win in the food and drink category, please click on the banner below and vote for us. You can vote every day, so if you really like us, please vote as often as you’d like:

Voting closes on Monday 25 January, so there’s still a week and a bit to go. Our fingers are crossed…

www.ralfy.com examines a recent whisky drama with Whisky Review 569 – Flaming Heart malt blend & scandal

Flaviar Adds New Benefits for its Members by Releasing its Very First Private Bottling

San Francisco, January 14^th – Flaviar, an online club for spirits lovers, just released its very first private bottling, available for purchase to Flaviar Members only. Released under the name “Deer, Bear & Moose”, it is a response to members’ desire for exclusive and hard to get drinks. 

“Flaviar is all about exploring fine spirits and creating a community around them. Our community has grown large enough by now to give us the ability to source drinks that our members would not be able to get their hands on otherwise. Our private bottling of Deer, Bear & Moose is a direct response to our members’ desire for exclusive and hard to get drinks as well as a realisation of our long-time wish,” explains Grisa Soba, Flaviar ‘s Co-founder.

For Flaviar, this is just another step towards fulfilling its goal of becoming the go-to source for everyone who wants to explore the world of fine spirits. For a monthly membership fee, Flaviar members receive monthly themed Tasting Boxes with 3 spirits samples and other benefits, such as free shipping, educational content on fine spirits, and access to exclusive bottles, such as this Deer, Bear & Moose edition at $124.99.

“This first Deer, Bear & Moose release is by no means the last – we will continue to source rare and hard to find spirits around the world that meet our quality criteria and the needs of our community. And as our community grows, so will our ability to ‘crowdsource’ great spirits,” adds Soba.

Deer, Bear & Moose is the result of significant in-house efforts, from sourcing all the way through to brand development and design. In fact, the design of the Deer, Bear & Moose label reflects the Company’s plans for further private releases, utilizing a combination of typographies on the label and expected to serve as a template for different types of Whiskies yet to come. Each bottle is hand-labelled, numbered and comes in a wrapping paper that features flavour symbols created specifically for the Flavour Spiral and the award winning Flaviar App, released in June 2015.

The first Deer, Bear & Moose release available to selected Flaviar members only

The first private bottle released under the Deer, Bear & Moose brand is a 20-year old single malt Scotch, a 1995 private vintage from Tobermory distillery. It is bottled at cask strength (55,9% ABV) and is described as tasting like a “buttery fruit orchard bonanza”. It was only available to a limited number of randomly selected Flaviar Prime Members and is currently being shipped to them.

Notes:

About Flaviar

Flaviar was founded in 2012 by three friends, all spirits enthusiasts, including an experienced spirits marketer, web developer and e-commerce CEO. They used to meet up regularly for fine spirits tastings, which gradually led to the idea of alcoholic tasting packs that would enable everyone to do the same. Flaviar currently delivers a new Tasting Box with three spirits each month to its members and offers a selection of full-size bottles to enable everyone to discover the world of spirits, taste hard to find brands, and learn how to build their very own home bar. The Flaviar App completes the service by providing a wealth of information on drinks.

For more info, get in touch: Sasa Muzga, sasa@flaviar.com

Flaviar.com | Facebook | Twitter

Flaviar Inc., 1355 Market St., suite 488, San Francisco 94103, CA

Glenlivet 1961 Smith’s

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

 

Last year we purchased a super saturated sherry butt of Blair Athol exclusively for K&L that blew every other single malt in stock out of the water. Few people knew the name Blair Athol at that time—the Johnnie Walker-owned Highland distillery that primarily supplied its whisky to the Bell’s Blended label—but after tasting that fudgy, decadent 25 year old selection we had customers going absolutely bananas in an attempt to get more. On our most recent visit to the Signatory warehouse (coincidentally located just down the street from Blair Athol), we snagged the very last of this legendary stock. It’s now one year older, meaning there’s one year’s worth of extra richness, extra spice, and extra texture. If you’re a Macallan fan, or a fan of big, bold, toffee-laden single malts, then this is the whisky for you. If you’re still lamenting the loss of last year’s Blair Athol cask, then we recommend buying two bottles this time around.

1988 Blair Athol 26 Year Old K&L Exclusive Signatory Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky ($179.99)

Last year’s cask of 1988 sherry-aged Blair Athol from Signatory drove our customers into such a frenzy that we still get phone calls asking about it over a year later. The big, rich, caked-in-sherry flavor blended beautifully with the soft-fruited core of the Highland whisky’s profile, creating an absolute beast when bottled at full proof. We’re happy to announce to all those who’ve been begging us for more that we were able to return to Signatory this past spring and purchase the lone sister cask to that beloved Blair Athol, bringing one last batch of that sherry-matured magic to K&L customers one last time. Whereas last year’s cask showcased all the sweetness and sugary spice that Oloroso sherry can offer, this whisky is much drier and earthier on the palate. It’s full of coffee bean, dried prunes, and burnt almonds, lingering far longer on the finish with a more dynamic finale of dried earth and savory splendor. It’s a fitting finale to one of the most talked-about and requested whiskies in K&L history. We’re happy we were able to finish out the legacy with a bang!

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 14, 2016

After the Blair Athol craze of 2015 at K&L, we immediately called our friends at Signatory and had them hold the last sherry butt in their warehouse. Signatory has long had a relationship with the nearby distillery and they’d been sitting on these ultra-rich casks of whisky for some time. This whisky is an absolute beast of malt. It’s brimming with cakebread, Christmas spice, cocoa, and toffee. At cask strength, it can withstand a few drops of water quite well, which only open up more of that complexity. Unfortunately, I can’t call Signatory and ask for more after we sell through this barrel because this is the last one. Alas…

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 07, 2015

An expressive, rich and round single malt that is full-bodied. It is packed full of flavor with the sherry barrel aging showing itself. Malty and dried fruit flavors are part of the delicious flavor profile.

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

Glendronach Grandeur Batch 7 25 year old

The Glendronach Grandeur series has built a great reputation based on the quality of its liquid. It now attracts demand from investors and collectors around the world ‘meaning, unfortunately this will not last long.’ Limited to only 1180 bottles and bottled at cask strength of 50.6% volume. Housed in the signature luxury packaging that accompanies this impressive whisky expression. A true definition of ‘A Sherry Monster’ this whisky includes the following tasting characteristics:

Classic Mediterranean fruits, dark sundried raisins, dates and fig syrup infused with delicate chocolate fondant.

£400 Click to buy

This week Joe Ellis reviews Brenne Single Malt from France.

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THE HOUSE OF SUNTORY WHISKY PROUDLY INTRODUCES

SUNTORY WHISKY YAMAZAKI^® SHERRY CASK 2016 EDITION^™ 

Deerfield, IL (January 12, 2016) – It may have come as a surprise that Suntory Whisky Yamazaki^® Sherry Cask 2013 was named “World Whisky of the Year” in Jim Murray’s 2015 Whisky Bible. However, sherry cask whisky has been a constant staple of the Suntory Whisky portfolio since 1924, a year after the distillery began construction. Shinjiro Torii, the founding father of Japanese whisky first started making his whiskies by leveraging sherry casks imported from the wine of southern Spain needed to blend his famous Akadama Sweet Wine. Hence the sherry cask was the first cask used by Suntory Whisky and plays an important role in the origin of Japanese whisky. 

The House of Suntory Whisky is proud to introduce Yamazaki^® Sherry Cask 2016 (48% ABV), available as of February 1, 2016. 

The Sherry Cask – A Meticulous Selection

Over its 92-year history, Suntory Whisky has managed numerous sherry casks and sherry malts. Suntory’s Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo makes a point of visiting the Northern region of Spain himself. He does this to ensure that his selection of Spanish oak be sent to the “bodegas” (sherry wineries) to be made into the sherry casks used to store their Oloroso Sherry. Fukuyo carefully oversees this entire process, from the selection of the casks, to the charring and the aging of the sherry. After three years of aging, the sherry casks are sent back to Suntory’s Yamazaki distillery, ready to receive what becomes the distinguished Yamazaki Sherry Cask Whisky.

The Sherry Cask – The Challenge

Sherry casks are both revered and feared for their strong character, as they can easily overpower a whisky’s flavor. The Yamazaki malts can also be affected by this sherry/Spanish oak cask flavor. However, in the case of the Yamazaki Sherry Cask, Suntory’s Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo selects only those casks in which the delicate balance of chemistry between the Yamazaki malt and sherry cask can be achieved, thereby enhancing Yamazaki’s characteristically rich and multifaceted flavor. The meticulous selection process of the Spanish oak, the management of the sherry casks, and the overall aging process ensure the final award winning quality of this liquid. 

The Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016:

A Fine Blend of Maturity and Delicateness

Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo is often compared to an artist. His blends are deliberate designs meticulously chosen from more than 100 malt whiskies. Each taste is a color and aroma, specifically curated for the occasion. Fukuyo is clear that he did not blend the Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 for the novice. The Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 is created for the “Suntory Whisky Lover”—a lover of complex, refined and subtle tastes. Like the rest of the Yamazaki Cask Collection (Mizunara, Bourbon Barrel, and Puncheon), the sherry cask is a critical component that differentiates and characterizes the award winning Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky.

The Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 – The Journey

Fukuyo has designed a journey in this whisky. The Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 is undeniably where Spain meets Japan in the form of a whisky. To fully enjoy this journey, Fukuyo recommends the whisky first be served neat to showcase its nose. On its own, there is a clear and fresh top note. A raisin-like, deep sweetness that is both elegant and rich. You immediately taste the complexity of this liquid and the fine balance of maturity and delicateness. Served on the rocks, the flavor opens as you begin to taste the Delaware grape-like sweetness and its slightly bitter acidity. When cut with water, there is a soft sweetness that blossoms like the first apples of the harvest.

Tasting Notes

The Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 leverages the same lot of whiskies as was used for the Yamazaki Sherry cask 2013 for its base. These whiskies have matured for two more years. To this blend, Fukuoy adds various rare sherry cask single malt whiskies, some of which are more than 25 years old, creating a whisky that has a deep richness, mellowness and complexity of flavors.

Color:   Dark brown, a rich and decadent natural “Sherry” color

Nose:    Raisin, sun-dried tomato, clove, cocoa

Taste:    Deep, rich, sweet and sour, chocolate with hazelnuts

Finish:  Long, bittersweet, sour

Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016, a single malt whisky, is presented at 48% alcohol by volume (96 proof) and will be available in market as of February 1, 2016. The suggested retail price is $300.00. Five thousand bottles of Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2016 have been produced globally.

ABOUT THE HOUSE OF SUNTORY

Suntory was established in 1899 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Since 1923, as the pioneer of Japanese whisky, Suntory Whisky has been renowned for its House of Master Blenders and for their Art of Blending. 

The Founding Father of Japanese whisky, Shinjiro Torii, built Japan’s first malt whisky distillery in Yamazaki, near Kyoto—a region known for the purity of its water, where the traditional Japanese tea ceremony was born. Torii dreamt of creating an authentically Japanese whisky by chosing a terrain and climate completely different to that of Scotland, thereby cultivating unique conditions for maturation.

In 1972, Torii’s son Keizo Saji, Suntory’s second master blender, built the Chita grain distillery near Nagoya to produce more of their own high quality grain whiskies. In 1973, Saji founded the Hakushu distillery amidst the deep forests of Mt. Kaikomagatake in the Japanese Southern Alps. Its high altitude and lush environment is what differentiates Hakushu from other distilleries.

With three distilleries and a great diversity in whisky making (different still shapes, five types of cask, and three varieties of wood), Suntory produces more than 100 malt and grain whiskies which amounts to the whole of Scotland’s production.

With respect to heritage and a commitment to innovation, third generation master blender Shingo Torii, and grandson of Shinjiro, now leads this most highly awarded House of Japanese Whisky. Today the House of Suntory Whisky has been named four-time Distiller of the Year at the International Spirits Challenge in London, UK (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014).

Suntory Whiskies are subtle, refined and complex. The portfolio includes two single malt whiskies and one blend: Yamazaki—Japan’s #1 Single Malt, multi-layered and profound, Hakushu—verdant, fresh, and delicately smoky, and the noble blend, Hibiki—Japan’s most highly awarded blended whisky.

www.whisky.suntory.com             #SuntoryWhisky                   @SuntoryWhisky 

About Beam Suntory Inc.

As the world’s third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits Brands that Stir the World. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon brands and Suntory whisky Kakubin, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek bourbon, Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher’s, Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Sauza tequila, Pinnacle vodka and Midori liqueur.

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 commitment to Growing for Good. 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.

Lochside 52 Year Old 1963 Sovereign

Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky