• Knob Creek 9 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Barrel #3080 Kentucky Bourbon (750ml) ( $47.99) On a recent trip to Kentucky, our buyers paid their first ever visit to Jim Beam to taste barrels with esteemed distiller Fred Noe, son of the late, great Booker Noe. With supplies of mature, age-labeled Kentucky Bourbon on the decline due to increasing demand, they were searching for value in market with few true deals as of late. Jim Beam, being the state’s largest distiller of Bourbon, still has healthy supplies of 9+ year old casks and was happy to make them available for the boys upon their arrival. Bottled with at a whopping 120 proof, these hand-selected casks of Beam, bottled under the brand’s Knob Creek label are not for the faint of heart. Cask #3080 brings the power and punch on the entry, but shows a more delicate and nuanced character on the finish. In the between the diminuendo are flavors of toasted oak, burnt vanilla, and even floral flutter before the heavy herbaceous notes and charred wood spice dominate the finish. It’s a whole lotta whiskey for less than $50 and it definitely shows a different side of the standard Beam profile.

• Knob Creek 9 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Barrel #3127 Kentucky Bourbon (750ml) ( $47.99) On a recent trip to Kentucky, our buyers paid their first ever visit to Jim Beam to taste barrels with esteemed distiller Fred Noe, son of the late, great Booker Noe. With supplies of mature, age-labeled Kentucky Bourbon on the decline due to increasing demand, they were searching for value in market with few true deals as of late. Jim Beam, being the state’s largest distiller of Bourbon, still has healthy supplies of 9+ year old casks and was happy to make them available for the boys upon their arrival. Bottled with at a whopping 120 proof, these hand-selected casks of Beam, bottled under the brand’s Knob Creek label are not for the faint of heart. Cask #3127 is like an older, better version of Booker’s. While the namesake of Fred’s father is quite the legend, recent editions are now around 6 years of age. This single barrel of Knob is richer, bigger, bolder, spicier, and lengthier than any of those recent batches. The finish is like a dash of black pepper covered in burnt vanilla. Impressive stuff.

• Knob Creek 9 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Barrel #3128 Kentucky Bourbon (750ml) ( $47.99) On a recent trip to Kentucky, our buyers paid their first ever visit to Jim Beam to taste barrels with esteemed distiller Fred Noe, son of the late, great Booker Noe. With supplies of mature, age-labeled Kentucky Bourbon on the decline due to increasing demand, they were searching for value in market with few true deals as of late. Jim Beam, being the state’s largest distiller of Bourbon, still has healthy supplies of 9+ year old casks and was happy to make them available for the boys upon their arrival. Bottled with at a whopping 120 proof, these hand-selected casks of Beam, bottled under the brand’s Knob Creek label are not for the faint of heart. There are folks out there who claim they can pick the signature Beam flavor out of any line up, but in a recent blind tasting our staff guessed Four Roses across the board. The heavy accents of pencil shavings, savory spice, powerful force, and light vanilla are a trademark of the Lawrenceburg legend, but in this case their emanating from a bottle of Beam. This cask is a hot, hot deal considering that bottles of Four Roses single barrel now retail for $67, so expect the same level of quality for $20 less.

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

Fund Dornoch Distillery

Punxsutawney Phil says an early spring, but baby it’s still cold outside.

Here are some warming whiskies.

Compass Box 10th Anniversary Peat Monster Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

Scotch Vatted Malt of the Year: Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2015.$119.99

High West Double Rye D&M Barrel Select Whiskey

This right here is an interesting beast!$49.99

D&M, 2200 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115

The Arran Malt Comes of Age

As the award-winning Isle of Arran Distillers celebrates its 21^st Birthday, the Arran Malt reaches maturity with the first bottling of the year – the 18 Year Old Single Malt.

Anticipation for the return of the 18 Year Old Single Malt is high after the first limited run of 9,000 bottles last year rapidly sold out. The Arran Malt reaches full maturity at 18 years making this an incredibly complex and sophisticated dram.

Gold in colour, caramelised citrus and tropical notes mingle on a background of toasted oak.

The classic Arran flavours of citrus and orchard fruits combine with milk brioche and dark chocolate for a luxurious finish that lingers on the palette.

A drop of water reveals light floral notes and the delicious aroma of orange fondant creams.

Bottled at 46% (vol), it is distilled without chill-filtration or artificial colouring for a pure yet intricate taste.

James MacTaggart, master distiller at the Isle of Arran Distillery, says: “This is a very special bottling for us. As the most mature expression of the Arran Malt it represents the very best of the distillery in this, our 21^st year.

“As the only distillery on the island, we stand for its centuries of whisky-making tradition. The 18 Year Old is a worthy reflection of this heritage with all the depth of aroma and flavour for which Arran malts have become known around the world.”

Available at whisky shops and online www.arranwhisky.com

RRP £74.99

Notes:

For more information visit www.arranwhisky.com

* Accolades for Isle of Arran Distillery include Winner for: Best New Exporter (2004), Queen’s Award for International Trade (2005), Scottish Distiller of the Year (2007) and Scottish Drinks Producer of the Year (2007.)

Product awards include: Best Whisky Liqueur (2007), ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 12 Years & Under’ for The Arran Malt Amarone Cask Finish (2008) ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for The Arran Malt Sherry Single Cask 1998 (2010) and ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for the Icons of Arran Peacock (2011.) ‘Double Gold Award’ for Arran’s 14 Year Old Single Malt and ‘Gold Award’ for Arran’s 10 Year Old Single Malt at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2012). Double Gold in FiftyBest.com awards (2012). Double Gold Medal for the 12 year-old Cask Strength in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2013). Double Gold for both the 10 year-old and 12 year-old Cask Strength at the China Wine & Spirits Best Value Awards 2014.

Happy Spring!  The March Outturn brings a rainbow of fresh whiskies that zing with flavour, leaving us bursting with optimism and putting a bounce in our steps.  So go ahead – leap in!

CASK No. 41.68  LIQUIFIED BOUNTY BARS

11 years old; 1st fill barrel; 61.6%; Juicy, oak & vanilla

Vanilla, pineapple, coconut and fresh oak shavings. Rich and heady incense on a well polished desk and mixed fruits sat nobly in a fruit bowl. Bursting with mouthwatering juicy fruits and ginger and chili oomph! Water brought “liquified Bounty bars.” An incredibly juicy experience.

CASK No. 50.66  RETRO SWEET HAMPER

24 years old; refill barrel; 59.5%; Sweet, fruity & mellow

Straight out of a retro sweet hamper; strawberry foam mushrooms, green apple chewing gum and pink and white sugar mice. The taste neat was like a Ferrero Rocher chocolate dipped in sweet chili sauce. Water releases sweet popcorn and candied angelica.

CASK No. 121.77  DUNNAGE WAREHOUSE ORANGE BOXES

19 years old; refill hogshead; 53.4%; Spicy & sweet

The nose has orange boxes, balsa and linoleum – also toffee, brown sugar, crunchy-nut cornflakes and sugared almonds (tobacco and dunnage warehouses later). The palate supplies a spicy samosa heat, dark chocolate orange, bonbons, marshmallows and pear flan with burnt pastry edges.

BRONZE MEDAL WINNER AT WHISKY MAGAZINE’S ‘ICONS OF WHISKY’ AWARDS!

CASK No. 63.33  RICH, TREACLY AND SUMPTUOUS

9 years old; 2nd fill sherry butt; 61.6%; Deep, rich & dried fruits

The nose seems rich and treacly, with brandy snaps, rum baba, stroopwafels, dates, honeyed figs, balsamic reduction and unlit cigars. The palate is dark, sumptuous and mouth-filling – sherry, burnt sticks, smoky bacon, ‘fly cemeteries’, liquorice, sweet coconut and dry oak.

CASK No. 3.221 STARRY, STARRY NIGHT

19 years old; refill sherry butt; 54.2%; Oily & coastal

Childhood memories of airfix paint, linseed oil. Grilled oyster on the barbecue. Red liquorice laces and marshmallows. A big puff of peat, chorizo and English lavender. It reminded one of ‘sooking spoots’ (sucking razor clams) from the shell. A clean finish of black pepper and sparkling water.

CASK No. 66.73  MIDNIGHT FEAST AT PONY CLUB CAMP

10 years old; 1st fill white wine hogshead; 61.1%; Lightly peated

Ponies in a stable, damp hay and camphor scented blankets. Bacon flavoured chips, Bourbon biscuits, warm waffles thick with hazelnut and chocolate spread, lashings of ginger beer. Like ‘licking a creosote fence’ and linseed hoof oil. Beef Wellington and date pudding.

CASK No. 29.165  CIGAR-SMOKING PERFUMED NURSE

20 years old; refill barrel; 57.4%; Peated

On the nose – tendrils of complex smoke weave around leather, saddle soap, root beer, antiseptic lotion, malt extract, vanilla, starched nurses and lemon bonbons. On the palate – teasingly perfumed smoke, bonfire ash, exotic fruits, walnuts, pepper and aniseed. Delightfully complex.

SMWS Canada

Step into Spring with Scotland’s Oldest Working Distillery

There may still be a drop of snow in the air but here at The Famous Grouse Experience we’re getting ourselves excited for Spring! With lots going on and Easter just around the corner, now is the perfect time to pop up to our home at Glenturret Distillery. We’ve got some new releases in our Famous Shop, some delicious dishes on our Wilde Thyme menu and some great tours to be had!

Find out what’s going on at Scotland’s award winning, five star visitor attraction this month…

The Famous Shop New Arrivals

The newest addition to The Famous Grouse family has landed in our Famous Shop. Carefully crafted by our Master Blender to deliver a subtly sweeter, mellow flavour, The Famous Grouse Mellow Gold has been matured in sherry and bourbon casks to deliver a smooth, well rounded whisky.

Spring Menu at Wilde Thyme

With the new season comes new fresh, local produce. We’ve got some tasty dishes on our lunch menu, incorporating some of the best of Spring. Served daily between 12pm and 3.30pm, click here take a peek at the menu on the website.

Famous Blending Experience

Fancy yourself as a Master Blender? With our Blending Experience, enjoy a tour of the most traditional distillery in Scotland and a guided whisky tasting followed by an in-depth blending session where guests create their own blended whisky to take home. Find out about our Blending Experience here.

Opening Hours

The evenings are getting lighter and we’re open later! Tours now run hourly from 10.30am, with the distillery closing at 6pm. We’re open 7 days a week and you can book your tour online on our website here.

Cragganmore 30 Year Old 1985 Old & Rare

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
$355.92

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.

This week Joe Ellis reviews the Highland Park Dark Origins Single Malt Whisky.

https://youtu.be/iSApWTSSDYg

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Old Pulteney Pairs with Top Chef Aiden Byrne for New Food Focus

Wick-based Maritime Malt Old Pulteney has today (Monday 29^th February) announced a new partnership for 2016 with one of the rising stars of the UK culinary scene, Aiden Byrne.

Aiden, who is Chef Patron at Manchester House and chef / owner of The Church Green British Grill in Lymm, will act as an ambassador for Old Pulteney at some of the UK’s leading food and drink events throughout the year.

The collaboration is a first for Aiden and will see him create special food pairings and menus to serve with each award-winning Old Pulteney expression – all inspired by the single malt whisky’s distinctive flavours and faint hint of the sea.

Teaming up with Aiden is part of the brand’s new marketing campaign which will build on Old Pulteney’s long standing commitment to UK sailing and adventure, with a drive to grow awareness amongst the country’s thriving food and drink scene.

Aiden started 2016 with a visit to the Pulteney Distillery in Wick to immerse himself in the rich maritime heritage and traditional crafting of the whisky, enjoying a personal masterclass with Old Pulteney Senior Brand Manager, Margaret Mary Clarke.

A busy programme of food festivals, tasting events and ambassador activity has also been planned for 2016 to bring a fresh taste of this distinctive malt whisky and Aiden’s delicious food to new audiences.

Old Pulteney Senior Brand Manager Margaret Mary Clarke commented: ‘Old Pulteney has been gaining a reputation as an excellent accompaniment for food, and our aim in 2016 is to explore the possibilities in this area, as well as continuing to celebrate our maritime heritage. We are great admirers of Aiden’s food and the exceptional creativity and quality that he brings to each dish. He is without doubt one of the most exciting and up and coming chefs in the UK and we are really pleased to have brought him on board for Old Pulteney and to see – and of course taste – his creations.’

Aiden Byrne added: ‘It’s unusual for me to take on a partnership such as this, but the quality of Old Pulteney and the opportunity to learn more about the craft of whisky making from the experts in Wick was too good to turn down. I think I was fairly typical of many people who would like to know more about malt whisky but didn’t really know where to start, so for me, enjoying whisky with food across lots of different culinary styles is a great idea. I can’t wait to get into the kitchen to start creating some wonderful food to share with drinkers around the country.’ 

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Old Pulteney is one of the world’s finest and most distinctive single malt Scotch whiskies. Known as the ‘Maritime Malt’, it is crafted in the windswept coastal town of Wick, home to the Pulteney Distillery which is one of the most northerly on the Scottish mainland. The distillery was established in 1826 in the heart of ‘Pulteneytown’, the town created to house fishermen during Wick’s famous herring boom which drew a fleet of over 1000 boats and 7000 workers to this remote and rugged harbour.

Old Pulteney is the embodiment of this place, its people and its remarkable history. The skilled Pulteney Distillery team continues to craft whisky using the most traditional and time-honoured techniques that most others have long abandoned. This includes the uniquely shaped Pulteney stills, which are reflected in the design of the Old Pulteney bottle on shelves today.

Matured in hand-selected oak casks, the resulting whisky has been acclaimed for its excellence, its smooth drinking style and faint hint of the sea. Old Pulteney holds the coveted title of ‘World Whisky of the Year’ for 2012 in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible – one of the industry’s highest accolades. The whisky also achieved top ten status in the UK single malt market in 2012 and is flourishing in many other countries around the world.

Old Pulteney continues to celebrate all things related to its maritime heritage and is renowned for its long standing support of sailing adventure across the globe. In 2015 the whisky announced a partnership to raise vital funds for the global maritime charity The Mission to Seafarers, the organisation that cares for the world’s 1.5 million men and women who face danger each day while working at sea. Old Pulteney will donate £1 from every bottle of Old Pulteney 12 Year Old sold in 2015 to the charity, aiming to raise £30,000 to support their work providing counsel and friendship for merchant seafarers in need – whether they are stranded, isolated or far from home. 

Aiden Byrne

At the age of 16 Aiden left school knowing he wanted to be a chef, and he enrolled at college in Liverpool and completed a two-year qualification. As soon he began his training he knew he had made the right decision as cooking became second nature to him. Whilst at college he also got his first taste of life in a professional kitchen in a small hotel in Cheshire called Stanneylands – he was well and truly hooked.

After leaving college Aiden got a job in the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington, London. This was his first exposure to a full-on, intense catering and the experience was invaluable. He stayed at the Royal Garden for a year then had the opportunity to work closer to home at the Arkle restaurant in the Chester Grosvenor which held a Michelin star. Creating dishes for fine dining became his passion and after two years he moved onto another Michelin star restaurant called Pool Court in West Yorkshire.

Adlards restaurant in Norwich was Aiden’s next position, here he was persuaded into the head chef position and after 6 months gained his first Michelin star. Aiden was just 22 at the time, making him the youngest chef to ever receive a Michelin star. After 4 years at Adlards he then headed back to London to work for Tom Aikens at Pied A Terre (incidentally Tom was the youngest chef to achieve 2 Michelin stars at 26). Following a couple of years in London, Aiden then moved on to Dublin and worked in the Commons restaurant for 4 years – and they were was awarded a Michelin star after 8 months. After receiving a phone call from his old pal Tom Aikens, Aiden returned to London to be head chef of his new restaurant in Chelsea, where he stayed for 3 years before leaving for the Dorchester.

It was time to head back north after the Dorchester so, along with his wife, Sarah, they bought The Church Green in Lymm. The Church Green held 3 rosettes for 4 years and we also won AA English restaurant of the year for 2012.

In May 2012 Aiden met Tim Bacon, the CEO of Living Ventures, and they clicked. They immediately started working on the concept that is Manchester House, where Aiden is currently head chef. Since opening, the restaurant has won a host of awards and accolades and continues to shine as a jewel in Manchester’s gastronomic crown. Sarah continues to run The Church Green, which Aiden still oversees.

2015 has also seen Aiden start development with Tim Bacon & Living Ventures on a revolutionary enterprise in the heart of Liverpool. Aiden will be opening a new restaurant, in the same vain as MH, in the iconic Cunard Building on Liverpool’s waterfront. What makes this such an exciting project is that alongside the restaurant, Aiden will also be running an academy where he will develop and nurture the talents of new chefs who will then join the teams at each of his venues. This is a huge ambition of Aiden’s, to give those with the passion the start and opportunities he had, and one that is made even more special by being in his home city.

Alongside Aiden’s highly successful restaurant career, he has also been a familiar face on a host of popular culinary Television shows. His appearances include Masterchef (BBC) Saturday Kitchen (BBC), Sunday Brunch ( C4), Great British Menu – 4 Series (BBC), The Good Food Show (Food Network) and most recently his work at Manchester House has been the topic of a hit documentary show on BBC: Restaurant Wars – The Battle for Manchester. Aiden is also currently working on a new BBC show, with details to be revealed later this year.

Aiden’s first book– Made In Great Britain – was published in 2008 to much critical acclaim. His second book, based on his creations for Manchester House is currently in development.

Rare and delicious Kilchoman now available to order

Don’t forget free postage on all orders over £75

Kilchoman Madeira Cask

Collector Item Alert Introducing the first ever first-fill Madeira cask release from Kilchoman. Bottled at 50% ABV, and limited to only 6100 bottles, it is without a doubt one of our favourite ever Kilchoman releases! A lifetime in first-fill Madeira barrels has allowed the whisky to develop flavour packed full of rich, fruity and peat smoke notes. Heaven!

£84 Click to buy

Kilchoman 2008 Limited Edition

To quote Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Founder and Managing Director: “The 2008 Vintage is a classic bourbon barrel aged Kilchoman, however the additional maturation has added layers of soft fruit and sweetness not seen in previous releases.”. Need we say more?

£65 Click to buy

Kilchoman 100% Islay

The 100% Islay embodies the spirit of Kilchoman perfectly. The distillery itself is based on a farm, and 100 tonnes of Barley is grown in the fields surrounding it. This, in turn, means that whole process of producing the Kilchoman 100% Islay – from barley to the bottle – is done at the distillery and its farm. A lighter and fresher whisky with citrus notes, this expression exemplifies the flavours distinctive to Kilchoman’s new make.

£63.95 Click to buy

Kilchoman Machir Bay

This is the core expression from the farm distillery, and named after one of Islay’s most beautiful sandy beaches which lies only half a mile to the west.  Matured in both ex-bourbon and sherry casks, the 2014 release is a vatting of five and six year old Buffalo Trace Bourbon Barrels and Oloroso Sherry Butts. Machir Bay is a heavily peated malt, but at the same time it is intensely sweet.

£39.95 Click to buy