Gems in the Crown

This week we are bringing you some of the most special whiskies in our range. From a 50 year old blend to a single malt that was distilled before the outbreak of the Second World War – these are some of the rarest whiskies around!

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Tullibardine 1952

With only 70 bottles of this Highland Single Malt in existence and the liquid dating back more than 60 years, this is not your average whisky. In fact it is one of the rarest and most expensive single malt whiskies in the world! Each bottle features a specially commissioned gold and Baccarat crystal decanter, inspired by the ‘Tullibardine Drop’. Each custodian of the 1952 will also receive an exclusive membership card created by Black Astrum.

£16,000 Buy Now

Auchentoshan 1965

This super rare Auchentoshan expression from 1965 is limited to only 123 bottles. Matured for 42 years in the finest American oak barrels, this incredible whisky is able to produce some of the most exciting flavours ever to come out of the Auchentoshan distillery. For those lucky enough to taste this Lowlands Single Malt, notes of honey, vanilla and coconut will be revealed, balanced with citrus and cooling mints tones.

£4,500 Buy Now

The Last Drop Double-Matured 50 Year Old

This elegant and complex whisky was blended from more than 50 different Scotch Whiskies and originally released in 1995 as a premium 30 year old expression. Once the initial bottling was complete, a small and precious remnant was transferred to 7 Spanish Oloroso sherry hogsheads and returned to a maturation warehouse in the Scottish Lowlands where it began its second 20 year-long maturation.

With only 898 bottles in existence, each meticulously wax-dipped by hand and presented in a forest green The Last Drop Distillers leather case. Each case includes a generous 50ml miniature and a beautifully bound booklet with tasting cards for your personal tasting notes as you explore this exceptional blend.

£3,000 Buy Now

Glenglassaugh 40 Year Old Teardrop

This stunning Highland Single Malt from the Glenglassaugh Distillery in the North East of Scotland has been matured for 40 years in American oak barrels and European oak hogsheads balanced with Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso Sherry casks. This syrupy and complex expression is presented in a beautiful teardrop shaped bottle, non chill-filtered and of natural colour.

£1,470 Buy Now

Glenfarclas 1953

This Highland Single Malt is 1 of only 93 bottles drawn from the oldest cask owned by the family-run Glenfarclas distillery, having been distilled in 1953 and matured in a single Spanish oak sherry cask. Presented non chill-filtered and at a natural cask strength of 43.9% abv. The nose offers rich sherry, developing into lovely toffee notes and delicate oak. The palate is warm and spicy with stewed fruits and liquorice aspects, while the finish is incredibly long with toffee apples and cinnamon sticks.

£5,454 Pre-Order Now

Littlemill 25 Year Old

Hailing from the now lost Littlemill distillery on the banks of the River Clyde, this 25 year old Lowlands Single Malt is 1 of only 1500 bottles born from a selection of 10 casks from 1989 and 1990. Hand-picked by Master Blenders, John Peterson and Michael Henry, these represent the quality and style of the distillery which closed in 1994. The liquid has been drawn from American and European oak casks and married together and finished in first fill European Oloroso sherry casks. Unusually for a Lowland malt, the Littlemill distillery used a highland water source as well as peat from Stornoway and Perthshire. Known for its subtle floral, vanilla-rich sweetness, this incredibly rare liquid comes in a beautiful presentation case with a miniature taster and a piece of the cask used for maturation!

£2,250 Buy Now

Suntory Hakushu 18 Year Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ( $249.99) From Master of Malt: “A fantastic 18 year old Japanese whisky from the Hakushu distillery, a malty, fruity whisky of real quality. Nose: Orange, pear and a dry smokiness. Fruit salad. Palate: Patisserie sweet, baked goods and baked goodness! Finish: Long and fruity with Manuka honey with subtle smokiness. Overall: A fantastic Japanese whisky that hits all the right notes.”

Suntory Hibiki 12 Year Old Japanese Whiskey (750ml) ( $99.99) 92 points Wine Enthusiast: “With a little water, this golden blended whisky opens up to delicate, nuanced honey and floral aromas and flavors. Finishes smoky, dry, and brisk.” (03/2011) Whisky Advocate: “Well-rounded, solid malt backbone, and very drinkable. These are the characteristics of this impressive blend. Honeysuckle, vanilla-coated malt and fruit (pineapple upside down cake, lemon tart, plum, bramble) are the primary flavors. Ripe barley, marzipan, beeswax, and clove round out the palate. Gentle, soothing finish. Suntory can make a 12 year old blend this good with just two malt distilleries? Scotland, are you taking notice?” (07/2009) K&L Notes: Gold Medal, 2013 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Malt whiskeys matured 12 years or longer are perfectly matched with mellow grain whiskies of the same age to create this Hibiki offering. Also included is some whisky from casks formerly used in long-term aging of Japanese plum liqueur, which helps bring out the sweet floral notes on the nose and palate that Suntory whisky is known for. Adding venerable malt aged more than 30 years further brings out the bouquet and adds body to the palate.

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

Bruichladdich 12 Year Old – 2003

Released by The Rest & Be Thankful Whisky Company, two casks from the Bruichladdich distillery have been vatted to create this limited edition release. A sherry & a bourbon cask, both distilled in 2003 have been aged for 12 years before being bottled at cask strength, 59.3% vol.

RRP £72.99 – last remaining bottles only £61.20

Black Bull 40 year old released 

The eagerly awaited Black Bull 40 year old special release has been launched. 

Multi-award winning Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky has added this new, exceptionally rare whisky to its distinguished range. Only 1,500 bottles of the limited edition, batch 7, Black Bull 40 year old will be available globally with a retail price of £750 per bottle.

Loyal followers of Black Bull are expecting a whisky which packs a punch following the last batch that was produced in 2011. Whisky experts and enthusiasts poured huge praise on the last production of this blend, which received 94% rating in blind taste tests by industry leaders.

The character of this latest batch has been captured in abundance, blending high quality single malts including Aberlour 1975, Macallan 1969 and Glenlivet 1968. With an ABV of 47.6% this is no ordinary Scotch Whisky.  With a ratio of 86% malt to 14% grain it charts the journey of many a fine whisky from as far back as 1966.

CEO Euan Shand commented: “Black Bull 40 year old is a world class whisky and it has been worth the wait to add it to our portfolio. We are confident that it will take its place amongst the best luxury whiskies available today and cement our position in the market place.”

On the palate, the tasting notes for the new Black Bull 40 year old reveal a style that is rich, beautifully sweet and full bodied in character. Infused with toffee apples, milk chocolate, grapefruit and mango it gives a very smooth and gentle taste with a warm syrupy finish.  A truly indulgent, perfectly balanced whisky, which is a gorgeous amber colour.

Marking a new chapter in the unfolding story of Huntly based Duncan Taylor Scotch Whiskies. The company has ownership of one of the largest privately held collections of rare Scotch whisky casks.  This latest whisky is undoubtedly a must-have for Black Bull enthusiasts.

Due to hit the shelves this week, this limited edition is available from specialist retailers. For more information log onto www.blackbullwhisky.com

NOTES: 

1. Black Bull was first released in 1864 and is blended to the same formula today as it was back then, using a large percentage of quality Speyside and Highland malts, matured in sherry and bourbon casks.
2. Black Bull Scotch Whisky is the main sponsor of the Ecurie Ecosse and McLaren GT racing car.

In the comfort of our summer deck chair we’re enjoying world class flavours – from Danish pastries and lime caipirinha cocktials to tropical mango and pineapple, and tobacco pipes in a beach hut.

Settle in for a journey of the senses!

CASK No. 1.197  JACKPOT!

21 years old; refill hogshead; 57.4%; Juicy, oak & vanilla

The nose combines cinder toffee and honey with perfumes (peach blossom, pear, gooseberry, lemon zest) and oak (carpentry workshops, vanilla and coconut). The palate provides a jackpot of lemon sherbet astringency, sophisticated sweetness (caramel, Manuka, Crunchie bars) and warm spice.

CASK No. 54.38  CONFECTIONERY AND CARPENTERS

8 years old; refill barrel; 62.8%; Young & spritely

White vanilla chocolate, fizzy lemon zest, juicy peaches and wood spice. Tongues tingled with intense heat. White chocolate ice cream with tinned fruit salad and glace cherries. Nutmeg and cinnamon. Fresh summer flowers with pencil shavings and planks of wood.

CASK No. 25.66  BETTE DAVIS DOING D.I.Y.

23 years old; refill hogshead; 57.8%; Spicy & sweet

Zippy fresh hay and root ginger then lemon posset and raspberry-filled sponge cake. Wood glue and warm balsa wood. A fizzy chili smack on the lips. Peaches, cream and white chocolate. She plucked white grapes and sipped lime caipirinha.

CASK No. 85.35  COMPLEX AND FULL OF CHARACTER

9 years old; 1st fill barrel; 60.4%; Juicy, oak & vanilla

The nose is complex – wrinkled apples, mangoes, crème brûlée and currants in a cabinet maker’s workshop – lychees, dried pineapple and incense candles later. The palate is yummilly viscous – fruit syrup on pancakes, juicy sultanas and wine gums, with mild chili tingles.

CASK No. 53.207  COD WRAPPED IN PARMA HAM

20 years old; refill sherry butt; 58.7%; Peated

Sweet peat smoke as well as aromas of singed heather and grilled cod wrapped in Parma ham. The taste is that of sandalwood fragrance and pipe tobacco. Water releases a salty sea breeze and barbecued king prawns. The taste fried honey bananas and grilled pineapple skewers.

CASK No. 3.248  LIKE A HOT COAL IN THE MOUTH

17 years old; refill sherry butt; 57.7%; Peated

The nose balances rich sweetness (figs, sherry, Liquorice Allsorts) with smouldering sticks, nicotine tar, leather and brine. The unreduced palate has intense honeyed peat, tar, ash, sherry, hot coals, burnt wood, treacly ham, salted caramel, smoky bacon and dark chocolate.

SMWS Canada

Scotch whisky is very different to a few decades ago. Demand is up and as drinkers’ tastes change, distilleries tweak their recipes. The spirit, the casks and the resulting whiskies are all different to how they used to be. Well, most of them anyway. There are a few distillers who still make old-fashioned whiskies – distillers like Benromach. We’ve got a fantastic bottle of whisky from the distillery to give away, so read on…

Rocky popped up to visit the folks at Benromach a couple of years back and you can read all about his trip here – not much has changed, but the distillery’s old-school drams are turning more heads than ever before.

The distillery’s style is typified by Benromach 10 Year Old – an oily dram with hints of soft smoke hiding under sweet toffee, fruit and rich maltiness. This is what I thought:

BENROMACH 10 YEAR OLD

Nose: Runny honey, green leaves, waxed apples, cinnamon, wood smoke and a touch of linseed oil.

Palate: Wood smoke kicks things off, with vanilla toffee, hazelnuts and the linseed from the nose sitting alongside. Darker notes of raisins, brown sugar and spice develop, as well as a touch of sappiness.

Finish: The smokiness hangs around, with apple skin and freshly ground malt slowly fading.

Comment: The waxiness and malt, along with the puff of smoke, remind me of some of the older bottles I’ve tried. Old-fashioned whisky at its best.

While it’s the distillery’s new whiskies, produced since it restarted in 1998, that are getting the most praise, owner Gordon & MacPhail occasionally unearths an old gem in its warehouses. The latest release is one of those – an incredible 35-year-old whisky.

We’re celebrating the launch of the new Benromach 35 Year Old with a prize draw – we have a bottle to give away to one lucky customer. All you need to do is buy a bottle of Benromach 10 Year Old before 11.59pm on Tuesday 9 August and we’ll enter you into the draw.

You can find full details here – good luck!

This week Joe Ellis reviews Glengoyne Scottish Oak Finish Single Malt.

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THE BALVENIE’S DAVID STEWART AWARDED AN MBE FOR HIS SERVICES TO THE SCOTCH WHISKY INDUSTRY

Today, The Balvenie’s Malt Master David Stewart was presented with an MBE medal by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for services to the Scotch whisky industry at a ceremony in The Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland.

David has dedicated almost 54 years of his life to the Scotch whisky industry. His pioneering techniques have had a profound impact on Scotch whisky production methods used today. He is renowned for his groundbreaking work particularly around ‘cask finishes’ for The Balvenie and has developed a number of award winning whiskies enjoyed and loved by whisky drinkers all over the world.

Commenting on his MBE, David said: “I feel very humbled to receive this award. I started my career as a whisky stocks clerk in 1962 and I didn’t expect to become a malt master.  I feel incredibly proud. I’ve been very fortunate to work for a family run company and it has allowed me the freedom to experiment throughout my career. It’s a privilege working in this industry so to be rewarded and recognised in this manner is very humbling.”

“I’ve received a number of messages from people all around the world. I’d like to thank those who have been kind enough to congratulate me on the award and to all of the wonderful people I’ve worked with since I started almost 54 years ago.”

David has also been recognised with a number of high profile industry awards throughout his career, including the Grand Prix of Gastronomy by the British Academy of Gastronomes, and lifetime achievement awards from the International Wine & Spirit Competition and Malt Advocate magazine. He has also been named as an Icon of Whisky and a Master of the Quaich.

Simon Hunt, CEO of William Grant & Sons, said: “David’s dedication, skill and modesty have made him one of the best-loved and respected craftsmen in the business. David’s MBE is a testament to how well respected he is. He is considered to be one of the greatest master blenders and we are incredibly proud of him”

David will also be honoured with a beautiful book of congratulations, carefully designed in the style of an original whisky store register. Over the coming months pages from the book will travel across the globe, gathering well wishes and messages of congratulations from whisky enthusiasts and The Balvenie drinkers, before returning to Scotland to be bound and presented to David.

Whisky enthusiasts around the world are also invited to raise a toast at 19.45 today (the year David was born) to pay tribute to his achievements. You can share your tribute to this legendary Malt Master using the hashtag #RaiseADram.

For more information on The Balvenie and David Stewart’s MBE celebrations visit The Balvenie UK’s website, Facebook and Twitter.

*An MBE or Member of the Order of the British Empire is a medal awarded by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to individuals recognised for a significant achievement or outstanding service to their profession or community

About The Balvenie: 

• The Balvenie is a unique range of single malts created by David Stewart MBE, The Balvenie Malt Master, who was awarded an MBE for services to the Scotch whisky industry in the Queen. Each has a very individual taste, but each is rich, luxuriously smooth and underpinned by the distinctively honeyed character of The Balvenie.
• The Balvenie is dedicated to the five rare crafts that are used to create The Balvenie’s distinctive taste. It is the only distillery that still grows its own barley, uses traditional floor maltings and keeps both coppersmiths and coopers on site – making The Balvenie the most handcrafted of malts.
• The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky is produced by William Grant & Sons Ltd, an award-winning independent family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1886 and today run by his direct descendants.