Thursday, June 8th Gordon & Macphail Tasting 4:30 or 6:00

Joe writes, This Thursday we’ll host Joe Swanson from Gordon and Macphail, one of the oldest independent bottlers of single malts in Scotland. Founded in 1895, Gordon and Macphail have been the backbone of the single-malt industry since before there really was a single-malt industry, also bottling the world’s oldest single-malt ever at 70 years old. We will taste some wonderful single-malts, including a very interesting one from Blair Athol, whom you don’t see very often. The line-up and special tasting-only pricing are as follows: Blair Athol 9 year old 43%, regularly 74.99 – on sale 67.99 Longmorn 12 year old 43%, regularly 72.99 – on sale 65.99 Secret Stills Islay 14 year old 45%, regularly 79.99 – on sale 71.99 Highland Park 24 year old 43%, regularly – 239.99 – on sale 214.99 Caol Ila 10YO Cask Strength 2004 vintage 59.5%, regularly 119.99 – on sale 107.99 One more TBA

 Len Rothenberg

Federal Wine & Spirits

Email: info@federalwine.com

Phone: (617) 367-8605

Web: http://www.federalwine.com/

Win a Bottle of Benromach 1976!

We’ve teamed up with our great friends at Benromach to bring you a fantastic Father’s Day promotion! We’re giving one lucky customer the chance to win a stunning bottle of vintage 1976 Benromach! Remember Father’s Day’s on the 19th but we’ll be running the promotion for the whole month of June. If you find yourself the lucky winner of this fantastic prize and decide to keep it all to yourself, don’t worry we won’t tell the old man.

Enter Now!

New Benromach Whisky Gift Pack

A beautiful whisky gift set which includes a 70cl bottle of 10 year old Benromach complete with branded leather bound note book & pencil. The perfect companion to scribble down tasting notes on your favourite Benromach. With Father’s Day fast approaching this would make the ideal gift for Dad, or indeed any occasion.

£39.60

Springbank Burgundy 12 Year Old

This single cask 12 year old comes from Campbeltown’s oldest operational distillery, and our friends from down the road, Springbank. Matured in Burgundy casks, the nose is rich and bold with maple syrup, cranberry and pancetta, while the palate is soft and velvety with chocolate shortbread and lighter oak tones mingling. This is a limted edition not to be missed.

£69.99 Buy Now

Glen Scotia Double Cask

This expression from the 184 year old Glen Scotia distillery sees oak aged whisky finished in a combination of first fill bourbon barrels followed by time in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. The result is the perfect balance of rich spicy fruits, overlaid with the characteristic sea spray and vanilla oak finish for which the house of Glen Scotia is famous.

£45 Buy Now

English Whisky Co. Chapter 9 – 2016 Edition Chapter 9 has been rather over-shadowed by it’s big brother Chapter 11, but for those of you who want a gentle hint of peat, in a very refined glass of whisky – look no further. Nose: Very little smoke on the nose. Citrus, pine, spicy with paprika and pepper. Palate: Light smoke and only lightly medicinal. Spicy and very zingy. Almost rum and raisin ice cream. Malty and floral. Nice balance with the smoke. Very gentle. Cask Type: Bourbon Cask Available in 46% abv.

ORDER ONLINE NOW FOR £44.95

CANADIAN CLUB® HONORS 150 YEARS OF TRADITION WITH U.S. LAUNCH OF 100% RYE WHISKY

With a Heritage Like No Other Whisky, Canadian Club 100% Rye Whisky Offers Fans a Taste of Something Different

Deerfield, Ill. (May 24, 2016) – Today, Canadian Club®, the iconic brand that has produced high quality whisky since 1858, launches the award-winning Canadian Club® 100% Rye Whisky in the United States. Due to the exceptional skill and care required to distill a pure rye whisky, Canadian Club 100% Rye is one of the few premium 100% rye whiskies on the market today. Boasting intricate flavors of caramel, vanilla and oak, Canadian Club 100% Rye offers a spicy, yet balanced finish.

Produced by Beam Suntory Inc. partnersa Alberta Distillers Ltd., who have been perfecting the art of rye whiskies for 70 years, this new whisky combines the smoothness of Canadian Club with the distinct taste of rye, resulting in more complexity and character than standard rye whiskies. Bottled at 80 proof, it can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in a classic whisky cocktail.

“The rye whisky category has seen significant growth over the past five years, specifically with bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts, so we made it our mission to create the right product that would satisfy their discerning palates,” said Dan Tullio, Canadian Whisky Master Ambassador at Beam Suntory. “From the expert manufacturing process to the quality ingredients, this liquid stands above other rye whiskies on the market today. Canadian Club 100% Rye is what the label says it is. No corn. No barley. Nothing but rye.”

To achieve the best balance of flavor, aged liquid for Canadian Club 100% Rye is selected from three different types of barrels – brand new, white American oak barrels; once-used bourbon barrels; and Canadian whisky barrels – and blended to taste. The final product is a rye whisky that truly stands out in the category.

“Canadian Club 100% Rye is a glorious all-rye whisky and more than just another line extension,” said Davin de Kergommeaux, Contributing Editor at Whisky Advocate and author of Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert. “This whisky arrived with a rye-filled bang, loud enough to shake up the industry. For the first time in over a century, a mainstream brand has bottled an all rye-grain Canadian whisky. Finally, whisky lovers have been heard.”

After debuting in Canada in 2014, Canadian Club 100% Rye quickly became an award-winning whisky, receiving accolades from top spirit competitions and outlets such as 2014 Canadian Whisky of the Year from Whisky Advocate magazine, Sippin’ Whisky of the Year at the 2015 Canadian Whisky Awards and Gold at the 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Canadian Club 100% Rye joins the Canadian Club portfolio of whiskies, including Canadian Club® 1858, Canadian Club® Reserve and Canadian Club® Classic 12 Year Old and is available in the U.S. at a suggested retail price of $19.99 for a 750ml bottle.

For more information and cocktail recipes please visit www.CanadianClub.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook.

About Canadian Club

Launched in 1858, Canadian Club^® has been producing high quality whisky for over 150 years. Throughout history, Canadian Club^® has been the whisky of choice for those searching for an exceptionally smooth and rich libation. Today, Canadian Club^® continues to be the choice of savvy drinkers who are looking for a great tasting whisky for cocktails or simply served neat.

The Canadian Club^® portfolio of whiskies is comprised of Canadian Club^® 1858, Canadian Club^® 100% Rye, Canadian Club^® Reserve and Canadian Club^® Classic 12 Year Old. For more information and cocktail recipes please visit www.CanadianClub.com.

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

A barrel at sea !

French whisky Black Mountain to partner with sail transport company TOWT for a one-of-a-kind sea maturation experience.

Departing from the banks of Bordeaux right a month ago (May 2) on board of an old tuna seiner called « La Nébuleuse » and sailing from Northern Brittany to Bordeaux, the Black Mountain N°2 cask will then be transshipped in Dourdenez on the magnificient « Grayhound », an English vessel engaging in « cabotage » between France, southern England and Scilly islands. All in all, the cask is meant to spend at least 6 months out at sea, navigating through winds and tides : an exceptional adventure which should come to an end this fall.

The main goal of this whole operation is obviously to experiment sea maturation : the slow moves of the boat making the whisky gently swirling in the cask while temperature variations allow the wood to expand and contract… Not to mention the sea spray which should also have an important impact on the whisky. 280 litres of spirit are then currently travelling at sea – that’s about as much whisky that should be bottled for a future VERY limited release !

If Cédric Leprette, co-founder of Black Mountain, chose to engage in this adventure, that’s also a matter of personal belief : « I am extremely concerned about the environment, and so are my associates, I also like this conqueror, adventurous, almost chevalric spirit ! I find all of these aspects with TOWT : reviving sailing merchant navy in 2015 and introducing the initiative as a pioneering concept, this is simply awesome and jubilant ».

Cédric also talks about a « kind of return to the roots of whisky : it was actually following transportation of the spirit in barrels within sailing boats towards the colonies that British have discovered the positive impact of prolonged wood maturation on whisky. »

Probably the first of a series of future partnerships with the young TOWT, whose mission is to revive the sailing merchant navy, the whole team at Black Mountain is very much looking forward to assessing the results of this uncommon experience.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Black Mountain Compagnie

The story of Black Mountain begins in 2011, when 4 passionate friends came up with the idea to use the exceptional waters of a high altitude spring (1000m) located within a natural wonder, the national park of Haut Languedoc, which will be the location of the future distillery, meant to be built by 2018.

Before the distillery starts operating, and with the aim to demonstrate its know-how, the founding team at Black Mountain Compagnie has launched two blended whiskies, finished in the best French spirits casks and named “Black Mountain Selection”.

BM N°1 was named Best European Blended Whisky at the 2015 edition of The World Whiskies Awards.

To find out more, please visit www.blackmountain.fr

TOWT – TransOceanic Wind Transport

TransOceanic Wind Transport is a sailing freight transport company that offers a concrete and alternative solution both to climate warming and to the energy challenge.

Guillaume Le Grand, founder of TOWT, is an energy specialist and has a significant experience on sailing boats. He holds a degree in Sustainable Development, Energy and Environment. After having lived in Berlin and in London, he founded TransOceanic Wind Transport in 2009, so as to prove the viability of cargo sail-shipping

To find out more, please visit www.twot.eu

HELP US CHOOSE AN EXCLUSIVE ARRAN WITH LOUISA YOUNG

Join Arran brand manager Louisa Young for an evening of discovery, tasting the distillery’s range of whiskies and helping The Whisky Exchange choose its next exclusive single-cask bottling. Our host for the evening is Louisa Young, senior brand manager, who has been telling whisky fans all about Arran for the past eight years. Arran has been a firm favourite of whisky fans around the world since launching its first whisky in 1998. The distillery hit a milestone last year with the launch of its first 18-year-old whisky and we’re continuing the celebrations with this tasting.

Louisa will be presenting the following whiskies on the night:

Arran 10 Year Old
Arran 14 year Old
Arran 18 Year Old
Arran Port Finish
Arran Machrie Moor 6th Edition

We will then finish with two cask samples, selected by the Arran team and brought down specially for the evening. Those attending the tasting will vote for their favourite, which will be bottled as a Whisky Exchange exclusive later in the year. A range of great whiskies and the chance to have your say on an exclusive bottling – we’ll see you there!

The tasting will take place on Tuesday 21 June at 7.30pm

£35 per ticket

BOOK YOUR TICKET

Tickets on sale now!

VENUE

THE JUDGE’S COURT, BROWNS,
82-84 ST MARTIN’S LANE
LONDON WC2N 4AG

PLEASE ARRIVE AT THE VENUE FROM 7.15PM FOR A 7.30PM START

The arrival of June means that summer is finally here, and we have another great offers celebrating the best whiskies: a rich, fruity whisky from Glenfiddich;

MALT OF THE MONTH

Our Malt of the Month for June is from Speyside distillery Glenfiddich, one of the biggest names in Scotch whisky. The bottle we’ve chosen has been aged for 19 years and finished in Madeira casks, which adds rich fruitiness and spicy notes. We’ve reduced the price of this top-notch dram by more than £15, down to £89.95 – this offer will run throughout June.

GLENFIDDICH 19 YEAR OLD AGE OF DISCOVERY MADEIRA, 40%

Producer’s Tasting Notes

Nose: An earthy aroma, figs and orange marmalade, bright notes of fresh gooseberries and ripening grapes.

Taste: Cinnamon and crushed black pepper with caramelised fruits, crystallised ginger, raisins and hints of dry oak.

Finish: Pleasingly dry with warmth that fades into a lingering sweet marmalade finish.

Glendronach 12 Year Old

£26.67 ex. VAT

This superb richly sherried single malt is matured for at least 12 years in a combination of the finest spanish pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks.

Tasting notes:  

Nose: sweet, creamy vanilla, with hints of ginger. Spiced mulled wine and pear.

Palate: rich, creamy, silky-smooth. Warm, rich oak and sherry sweetness, full mouth feel, raisins and soft fruits. Spicy with medium length and a dry finish.

Finish: long, full and firm, slightly nutty.

(Official Tasting Note)

Glendronach 8 Year Old 

£26.67 ex. VAT

The Hielan’, Highland in the local Doric dialect, is an exceptional 8 years old single malt.

In 1826 the exuberant and extroverted James Allardice founded the distillery and produced his ‘Guid GlenDronach’ single malt. Down the years, the distillery he created has thrived under the stewardship of far-sighted investors like Walter Scott in 1847 and Captain Charles Grant in 1920.

Tasting notes:

Nose: rounded waves of orange blossom and a citrus twist flow over buttery, golden sultanas, sundried raisins and ripe yellow plums; all dusted with a touch of vanilla.

Palate: crisp, vibrant oak spices warm soaked sultanas, apricot jam and gingerbread; all rounded by delicate hints of butterscotch, cocoa and toasted almonds.

Finish: classic sherry overtones with a contrasting crisp dimension demonstrates the complexity of the traditional Highland character.

(Official Tasting Note)

Ardbeg Uigeadail Limited Edition Gift Pack

This special vatting marries Ardbeg’s traditional deep, smoky notes with luscious, raisiny tones of old ex-Sherry casks. It is non chill-filtered at high strength, which retains maximum flavour and gives more body and added depth. A complex balance of fruit, spice and smoke, with a rich, deep flavour and mouth-coating texture. The sherry cask maturation gives this a stunning sweet warming flavour that complements the aromatic smoky finish. Ardbeg Uigeadail was recently voted by the 100,000 strong Ardbeg Committee as their favourite Ardbeg.

£60 Buy Now