YUKON BREWING LAUNCHES TWO BREWERS WHISKY 02 IN ALBERTA

Release 01 Sold Out In Under Six Hours On Release Day

WHITEHORSE, YUKON (February 22, 2016) -­ Award Winning Brewery, Yukon Brewing will be launching their second whisky expression, on March 5, 2016 in Whitehorse Yukon, and in select locations in Alberta.

“We have created a wide assortment of malts by varying mashes and barreling techniques, and I truly believe we are creating very flavourful and high quality single malt whiskies.” stated distiller Alan Hansen.

Two Brewers Release 02, a Special Finish expression, will be the first Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt Whisky to be released in Alberta, after their Charter Release sold out in less than six hours at their Whitehorse retail location. “We are extremely appreciative of the support we have received from our fellow Yukoners on releasing our Yukon Single Malt Whisky,” quipped Alan Hansen. “We knew there was great interest in our product, but I was thrilled by the many smiling patrons I had the pleasure to meet at our launch event -­ most of whom were still smiling after waiting in line for an hour!” .

There will be 1650 individually numbered bottles of this Second Release available.

The premise of the Two Brewers line of single malt whiskies is that every release will be unique. From the array of aged malts they have created, they will release expressions broadly grouped into four categories, Classic, Peated, Special Finishes, and Innovative. Hansen revealed, “Our brewing knowledge in mashing and fermentation, and our growing understanding of barrelling techniques and effects, allows us to bring a wide variety of character to the malts we are creating.”

RELEASE 02 TASTING NOTES

The nose is warming and vibrant, rich aromas with a heart of peaches and stone fruit. Ripe nectar- ines, round and creamy on the palate, are wrapped at once in resins of sherried oak and bright touches of nutmeg and white pepper. The lightly lingering finish of sweet honey and spice is wispy clean.

ABOUT THE HOUSE OF TWO BREWERS

Yukon Brewing was formed by Bob Baxter and Alan Hansen in 1997, the result of a canoe trip conversation taken well beyond the campfire. After years of building a successful local craft brewery, they decided to expand into spirits and in 2009 invested in a small pot still. Hence came the birth of Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt Whisky;; made in small batches, with a variety of malted and roasted grains, using different fermentation techniques and a mix of barrels. The goal is that no two releases will be the same, so that as each expression emerges, it is layered and complex and probably never repeated.

March Auction *LIVE*

Ends Sunday 20th March 20.00 GMT

So far March has been an extremely busy month for us all at Just Whisky and it seems like just a few days ago our February auction came to a close! The quality of bottles to appear through the doors this month is just incredible. We have hundreds of bottles to bid on this month and we’re excited for the auction to begin. There is a particularly nice selection of Karuizawa bottles on offer this month. Included in that, we are lucky enough to auction one more Wealth Solutions 1964 Karuizawa, the incredibly rare (1 of 24) 5th Exclusive Nonjatta ‘Ghost Series’ bottling of Karuizawa showcasing four decades of the distillery’s past in a single bottle. Others include the highly decorative 35 year old Harbour City Exclusive bottle you see below and many more. Bidding starts at 6PM on Friday 11th (GMT) and comes to an end from 8PM on Sunday the 20th March. Here is a small selection of interesting Lots to whet your appetite …

Karuizawa 35 Years Old 1980 – Harbour City Exclusive

A fantastic release from Karuizawa from spirit distilled in 1980, which has a fabulous reputation among Karuizawa aficionados. This particular release comes in a beautiful piano black presentation case adorned with a woodblock print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi which is simply stunning.

The packaging adds a real sense of drama to this bottle, but the liquid inside is reputedly even more impressive. Limited to just 212 bottles and exclusive to Harbour City Hong Kong, it was bottled in 2015 from a single sherry butt (cask no. 4376) at a heady 60.1% vol.

Arran 18 Years Old 1997 – White Stag First Release

The tasting panel of Arran White Stags have chosen cask no: 1997/737 as a first ever official bottling of the White Stag community of the Arran friends worldwide. Distilled on the 23rd May 1997 and bottled on the 6th June 2015, this cask has been slumbering in Lochranza for 18 years in an outstanding example of a Sherry Hogshead matured Arran single malt.

This is an excellent start to the series of casks chosen exclusively by White Stags on behalf of the whole community.

Hanyu Ichiro’s Malt 1988 – ‘Cards’ Queen of Clubs

This is the Queen of Clubs from the highly collectable Cards series. Distilled in 1988 then matured until 2008 firstly in a Hogshead barrel and latterly in a a New American Oak Hogshead before bottling in 2008 by Sasanogawa. No Chill Filtering. No colouring. Imported by Number One Drinks Co. Ltd.

View the whole auction here – It ends Sunday 20^th March from 8PM

MARCH TASTINGS

Beam Suntory Plans to Move Global Headquarters to Downtown Chicago

DEERFIELD, IL (February 29, 2016) – Beam Suntory, the world’s third largest premium spirits company, plans to move its global headquarters from suburban Deerfield to The Merchandise Mart in downtown Chicago by the end of 2017.

The world leader in Bourbon and Japanese whisky has signed a non-binding Letter of Intent to lease 110,000 square feet in the historic building, an architectural landmark, elegantly situated on the Chicago River in the dynamic River North neighborhood.

Beam Suntory’s performance objective is to be the world’s fastest-growing premium spirits company. As cities will be a major source of future industry growth, Beam Suntory is strategically focusing resources in key cities around the world, including Chicago.

“Cities are increasingly where our target consumers live and work, including the key millennial demographic, and getting closer to our consumers is a strategic priority,” Beam Suntory Chairman & CEO Matt Shattock said. “Locating our people amidst the energy of a city like Chicago will be invigorating and make us an even better business as we pursue our ambitious long-term growth objectives.  Our people will benefit from Chicago’s excellent transportation options, and we’ll be closer to a diverse pool of talent that we’ll tap into as we grow in the future.”

“Beam Suntory is now the latest in a growing list of companies who recognize that having their global headquarters right here in the city of Chicago gives them even greater potential for future success, and I am proud to welcome them to their new home,” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel. “Whether it’s the talent of our workforce, the strength of our transportation systems or the quality of life in our neighborhoods, the city of Chicago offers growing companies like Beam Suntory many strategic advantages. I want to thank them for having confidence in Chicago’s future and I look forward to watching them grow here for years to come.”

Beam Suntory will relocate its headquarters in phases starting later this year.  Approximately 450 employees spanning functions such as marketing, sales, finance, legal, human resources, IT, supply chain and communications are based at the company’s current headquarters in Deerfield.

This agreement links two Chicago-area icons. With history that dates back to 1795, Beam Suntory boasts an enviable portfolio led by its flagship brands Jim Beam and Yamazaki, as well as world-renown premium brands including Maker’s Mark, Knob Creek, Hakushu, Hibiki, Laphroaig, Bowmore, Courvoisier, Sauza, and EFFEN.

The Merchandise Mart is the world’s largest wholesale design center and one of Chicago’s premier international business locations for internet, advertising, technology, healthcare and media companies. The Merchandise Mart became the world’s largest LEED®-EB certified building in November 2007.

“Beam Suntory’s roots go back more than 220 years, but we have the soul of a startup,” Shattock said. “I know we’re going to feel right at home in this vibrant downtown location.”

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 www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.

Quintessentially Canadian Magazine launches Canada’s newest Whisky magazine: QC Relish and Whisky.

A quarterly publication devoted entirely to the excesses of fine food and heavenly spirits. 

QC Relish and Whisky highlights the best of distilleries, expert advice for the whisky connoisseur, product innovations, and stories and details from the lives beyond the glass. Filled with recipes from the master chefs of the culinary world and new perspectives to open your eyes on spirits near and far. With a setting for all to enjoy, a comfortable visual escape, where questions are answered and curiosity is evoked. Local gastronomic to the Angels’ share.

Read online here

Last month Donald McNab, founder of Friends of Scottish Rugby, was presented with a specially labelled 3L bottle of Glenfarclas Single Malt Whisky by HRH Princess Royal. As Honorary Life President of Friends of Scottish Rugby, and a Glenfarclas enthusiast, Mr McNab has often arranged for the Princess Royal to present Glenfarclas whisky to notable people in recognition of their support of Scottish Rugby. On this occasion however, the presentation was in honour of Mr McNab himself and his fundamental role at FSR.

On the 22^nd February 2016, the FSR McNab Tribute Dinner was held at the Caledonian Club on Halkin Street in London. HRH Princess Royal is a long-standing and committed supporter of Scottish Rugby, and gladly accepted the invitation to present Mr McNab with such a grand token of appreciation. Chairman of Glenfarclas, John L. S. Grant, who is a member of the Caledonian Club and Friends of Scottish Rugby since its inception, was pleased to donate this special bottle in honour of Donald McNab’s achievements.

All those in attendance were gifted with a specially labelled miniature bottle of Glenfarclas. The unique label depicts a photo dedication with text reading ‘Presented to Donald McNab by HRH Princess Royal in recognition of his longstanding stewardship of Friends of Scottish Rugby on 22^nd February 2016’.

Glenfarclas
www.glenfarclas.co.uk
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/glenfarclas/

Faultline Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) ($44.99)

We’ve been doing gin and single malt for years, and now rum, so why not throw our hat in the bourbon pool? One of the obstacles that kept us from making a Faultline bourbon earlier was availability: the current demand has made the extra barrel a thing of the past. One of the only distilleries that would sell us a cask for a private label was the old LDI distillery in Indiana, but with the already overcrowded LDI market (Bulleit Rye, Templeton Rye, High West, etc) we didn’t think our product would be different enough, or of the quality we desired, for the Faultline name. That’s when John Little from Smooth Ambler stepped in and said he’d be happy to help us do something special. If we were going to work with LDI casks, then we needed the capability to blend something special to taste – the specs wouldn’t sell this baby. John had some incredible 10-year-old low rye formula that we used in conjunction with some 7-year high rye. We kept tasting and tasting until we found the sweet spot at 100 proof. It’s FAR better than I ever thought it would be. I hoped we could provide something fun and different, but the final whiskey is phenomenal. It’s rich, with sweet fruit right on the entry, a full-bodied mid-palate, and a long, rich, spicy finish. It tastes like it came from Four Roses or somewhere fancy and at 50% it pops in all the right places. I hope we can make another batch like this because this bourbon is the new king of K&L. Taste it if you don’t believe me. (David Driscoll)

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: April 20, 2015

Every batch of Faultline Bourbon that John Little blends for us here at K&L gets better and better each time. The more we do this, the better we get at doing it. We’re putting out some of the softest, richest, most delicious bourbon on the market and it’s only for K&L customers at a fantastic price. If you haven’t bought a bottle yet, you’re really missing out.

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

As we are settling into our new premises we would just like to make you aware of the parking facilities that are available to our customers. There is free parking available directly outside our premises and across from us in the visitors parking area. Please refrain from parking in the spaces outside of the Plumb and Drain Centres which are either side of ourselves. If there is no available parking outside the auction please use the on street parking which is very reasonable.

Thanks,

SWA Team

Reawakening the spirit of Scotland’s rugged north coast

wolfburn.com

IT’S BEEN A WHILE

In 2011 the founders of Wolfburn Single Malt Whisky travelled to Thurso in Caithness, the most northerly town on the British mainland, in search of the old Wolfburn distillery. After 150 years of neglect, what they found of what was once one of the largest whisky producers in the county was a pile of old stones. The only thing that remained was the flow of water that once fed the mash tun and stills all those years ago. The team were convinced that if the water was still there, then the whisky could be too.

In May 2012, the purchase of the land was finalised. By January 2013 the new Wolfburn distillery was complete and on Burns Night, a cask of Wolfburn whisky – the first for nearly 150 years – was laid down in Thurso. Using unpeated malt, master distiller Shane Fraser and his team have crafted the latest incarnation of Wolfburn whisky from a blank canvas by pot still distillation, the old way; no automation, no rush and a lot of care. The worts are fermented for roughly 75 hours, allowing the yeast activity to mellow the wash, releasing a series of floral notes that carry through to distillation and maturation and are present in the finished whisky. The spirit is double distilled, slowly, first through the wash still and then through the spirit still, which were specifically designed and handcrafted by coppersmith Forsyths of Rothes. Once the distillation is complete the whisky is left to mature on site, in Spanish and American oak casks that are stored using traditional dunnage methods; on their side, bung up, on stows, never higher than three.

The end result is a famously smooth, full bodied, and enjoyable whisky bottled at 46% abv.

Available from the 14th March, Wolfburn Single Malt Whisky is wonderfully unique in flavour. It’s light and fragrant with aromas of fruit, malt and a hint of peat, sweet and nutty on the pallet, leaving a pleasant flavour of smoke in the mouth.

The Inaugural bottling, crafted from the very first casks from the new Wolfburn distillery, is truly something for collectors and connoisseurs. Limited in number to 875 bottles (100 for the UK market), each individually numbered and engraved, and presented in a hand-made oak box. The whisky inside was selected by Shane Fraser specifically to become Wolfburn’s first. Using long fermentation, long slow distillation, and matured in hand-selected casks, it is genuinely something special.

Wolfburn Single Malt Whisky is distributed in the UK by Amathus Drinks PLC. Pre-orders are being accepted now: sales@amathusdrinks.com. For more information please visit www.wolfburn.com or contact holly@amathusdrinks.com.

MWW Wolfburn Single Malt 46% 70cl £44.95

MWWI Wolfburn Inaugural Special Edition Single Malt 46% 70cl £200.00

Singleton of Glen Ord 15 Year Old – Malt of the Month

I’ve been intrigued by Glen Ord for years. Back in the dim and distant past, I became aware of the distillery when I was asked to write about them in 1001 Whiskies to Try Before You Die – I tried a few drams and really liked them. However, it’s only more recently that I’ve managed to visit and learn about more about the distillery first-hand.

Situated a short drive away from Inverness – and easily accessible by train for those like me who shouldn’t be in control of a motor vehicle – on the edge of the village of Muir of Ord, the distillery has been operated without much interruption since 1838. It sits on the south-western edge of the Black Isle, a fertile peninsula well known for its grain production, and when it opened it was one of almost 20 distilleries operating in the area. Times have changed, and these days it’s the Black Isle’s only distillery and one of the most important in Diageo’s malt portfolio. Add to that the large maltings a few minutes walk away – a facility that provides malt to a some of Diageo’s best-known distilleries – and you have site that’s involved in the production of a lot of whisky.

The Ord maltings are impressive – a cathedral dedicated to malting barley

Until 2015, the distillery had a capacity of 5 million litres of alcohol per year, putting it in the top 20 malt producers by volume in Scotland. But a major distillery expansion has now bumped that to 11 million, pushing it into the top five, at about the same level of production as Glenlivet and Macallan. However, unless you go behind the scenes at the distillery, you can’t tell – the buildings are still the same as before for the most part, with the expansion mostly happening in the disused buildings that once housed the on-site saladin maltings.

The plan was simple: double production by doubling the number of stills and washbacks and adding an extra mash tun, while keeping all the original buildings in place. As the project progressed, they found some more space and added in a couple of extra washbacks, removing a pinch point in production and kept the complex jigsaw of spirit production running smoothly. Along with the extra washbacks and mash tun, they also needed to find space for some stills. This is actually a new building, hidden behind the old site and filled with seven new copper pot stills.

Seven new stills – still shiny

The spirit they produce is classified – using Diageo’s internal definitions – as ‘grassy’. One of the key parts of getting that character is how they condense the spirit vapour into liquid. The distillery uses shell-and-tube condensers: wide pipes filled with small tubes full of water, which cool the spirit vapour as it flows through, turning it into liquid. While we usually think of the water used for cooling the vapour as being cold, Glen Ord uses warm water. This allows the vapour to stay as vapour for longer, increasing its interaction with the copper of the condenser and producing a lighter, grassier spirit.

My first introduction to Glen Ord was a double-bill tasting of the now-discontinued 12 and 28 Year Old, but further exploration was hampered by an annoying sales decision – Glen Ord’s whisky was only available in Asia. As the third distillery in Diageo’s Singleton range – along with Dufftown and Glendullan – Ord was confined to shops on the other side of the globe. However, Diageo has now decided to open up the range to the whole world, and to celebrate, Singleton of Glen Ord 15 Year Old is our Malt of the Month – we’ve knocked £8 off for the whole of March.

Singleton of Glen Ord 15 Year Old

Nose: Soft and waxy with orchard fruit – apples and pears – backed up by soft spicy notes and a hint of the tropical. As it sits in the glass, honeysuckle and butterscotch develop, along with a touch of buttery pastry.

Palate: Slightly oily texture with the fruit from the nose complemented by orange zest and a touch of bitter citrus oil. Spice is more noticeable on the palate, with ginger and nutmeg sitting on top of vanilla and creamy notes.

Finish: Quite long, with sharper fruit softening to a spicy end.

Comments: A rounded and waxy dram with richer flavours providing a solid background for lighter and sweeter notes.. A great every day sipper.

While the lack of easily findable Ord has given me an excuse to visit the distillery a couple of times, the extra-availability will hopefully make it easier for everyone to grab a bottle and find out why it’s my favourite in the Singleton stable.