www.ralfy.com meets up with an old pal with Whisky Review 606 – Glenfarclas 12yo @ 43%vol

Highland Park, distributed by Maxxium UK, has announced the release of a special edition single malt Scotch whisky. FIRE Edition is a whisky which has been matured exclusively in refill Port wine seasoned casks and follows on from the release of ICE Edition earlier this year. This completes the two-part series of special edition bottlings which celebrate the myths and legends emerging from the Viking age.

Jason R. Craig, Brand Director, commented: “Maturing our distinctive whisky in 100% refill Port wine seasoned casks is a first for Highland Park and the result is a vibrant 15 year old single malt with an ABV of 45.2%. FIRE Edition has a natural slight reddish hue, intense aromas of ruby red fruits, light smoke and a long, lingering finish. However, it is still, unmistakably, Highland Park.”

The exquisite crimson red coloured glass was specially commissioned to represent the fierce and molten world of the Fire Giants from Viking mythology. The bottle is encased in a distinctive black wooden cradle with accompanying black wooden stopper. A booklet which accompanies the bottle, recounts the story of the realm of the Fire Giants and their epic battle against the Gods to rule the world.

According to Viking legends, Surtr was an evil Fire Giant who ruled the Fire Realm. He would sit at the edge of the kingdom, defending the land holding a burning sword, which shone brighter and hotter than the sun. The culmination of these tales is an apocalyptic battle between the Gods and the Giants. Surtr led the sons of Muspell across the bridge of Bifröst, burning everything in sight at Asgard, (realm of Gods; Thor, Loki, Freya and Odin) destroying the world at Ragnarök, heralded as ‘The doom of the Gods.’ The world perished in a blazing and burnishing ball of flames and from the ashes, a new earth was recreated.

FIRE Edition, a special release of 28,000 bottles globally, is now available from UK specialist whisky retailers including The Whisky Exchange, Hedonism and The Whisky Shop at an RRP of £190.

Notes

Tasting Notes – 15 year old – 45.2% ABV

Colour: 100% refill Port wine seasoned casks result in a natural colour, resplendent glowing flames.

Nose: Vibrant and intense aromas of ruby red fruits and warm vanilla complement the firey bitter sweetness of cinnamon bark and the smouldering richness of devilishly dark chocolate.

Palate: The palate bristles of light smoke with striking zesty dried peel and temperate vanilla flavour. Intoxicating spices and the sharpness of damsons entice and enchant your taste buds.

Finish: Intensely balanced, the long, lingering sweet finish magnifies into a sizzling fruity spiciness, providing a bewitching and standout whisky to enjoy.

About Highland Park:

Established in 1798 on Orkney, Highland Park is one of the most remote Scotch whisky distilleries in the world. For over 218 years, the distillery has combined time old tradition and the very best craftsmanship to achieve perfection.

Distributed by The Big Partnership on behalf of Maxxium UK.

For the first time in….well….as long as I can remember, we’ve got a new Kentucky Bourbon, of a distinct and elevated quality, at a price point you can afford, and in quantities that we can actually advertise! I worked hard to make sure we got the jump on this and my perseverance paid off. Old Forester has recently been releasing a series of old style whiskies to commemorate specific dates in the history of American whiskey. The “1920 Prohibition Style” is the third release in that series and it’s by far the best of the bunch, in my opinion. In fact, I thought it was so tasty that I did everything I could to get my hands on more of it. The 1920 edition commemorates the fact that Old Forester had a license to distill for medicinal purposes during Prohibition, and the distillery claims that the whiskey in this edition tastes like something that they would have batched during that period. If this is what medicinal Bourbon tasted like in 1920, then the sick folk were certainly drinking well! The nose gives off a heavy, dark, and concentrated aroma of maple syrup and rich oak, pretty much exactly like the distillery notes state (those are some accurate notes!). The palate is classic Brown-Forman Bourbon, it’s got that grainy, corny, pencil lead character, but heavier and rounder. Before you can really settle down on those flavors, the 57.5% ABV lights up what’s left of your taste buds before finishing with a clear note of dark chocolate and cocoa. I think what I like most about the Old Forester 1920 is that it doesn’t taste like anything else on the market. It’s a unique, satisfying, and interesting Bourbon that tells a story and delivers beyond expectations. I would highly, highly recommend snagging a bottle, especially if you’re looking for something new to try.

Old Forester “1920 Prohibition Style” Kentucky Whisky (750ml) $59.99

From the distillery: This 115 proof expression is the third release in our Old Forester Whiskey Row series and celebrates the brand’s continued distillation during Prohibition. For 13 years, the production, transport, and sale of alcohol was strictly prohibited. However, Old Forester was granted a permit to continue distilling on Louisville’s Whiskey Row. The 115 proof expression represents a barrel sample that company president Owsley Brown I would have batched at the beginning of Prohibition. The nose is an intense medley of cherry preserves, drippy caramel, dark chocolate, thickened maple syrup and seasoned oak spiciness. Dark caramel coats layers of malt nuttiness and sweet graham cracker all warmed by green peppercorn and coriander spice brightened with a hint of cedar. Tart apple crispness gives way to a long smoky finish full of toasted marshmallow, chocolate and graham cracker sweetness.

Redbreast’s new Lustau sherry-finished Irish whisky is absolutely delicious, in a you’ll-drink-way-too-much-of-it-way-too-quickly kind of way. The classic pot-still Irish whisky collides with rich and round Lustau sherry in this new Midleton distillery edition. What I particularly love about the whisky is that the sherry is artfully and gracefully intergrated into the true Irish character. It’s more like a light frosting on a delicious Midleton cake. The soft vanilla notes are still present, the light fruits and gentle grains that real Irish whisky fans hold so dearly, but they’re elevated, enhanced, and lifted by the sherry, particularly on the finish where the richness combines to create an oiliness with the grainy notes. I’d drink this over the Green Spot any day of the week. To me, it’s a vast improvement. If you’re looking for a new Irish whisky (which I know many of you are based on the emails I receive), this is a great place to start.

Redbreast “Lustau Edition” Sherry Finished Irish Whisky (750ml) $64.99

Until Next Time,

David Driscoll K&L Spirits Buyer

daviddriscoll@klwines.com 650-556-2736 http://spiritsjournal.klwines.com

Halloween and Guy Fawkes’ have come and gone, the John Lewis advert has hit TV screens and the Coca-Cola trucks have been given their own emoji – that can only mean it’s time to start thinking about Christmas!

Wise men bear gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, but we have a better idea…

The Macallan Gold Limited Edition Gift Pack

Macallan Gold was released in 2012 as part of the 1824 range which replaced the distillery’s age-statement expressions. It was produced using 9-15 year old first fill and refill sherry casks, which has resulted in an incredibly smooth and rich single malt. One of the finest examples from the “age doesn’t matter” camp… Soft gold in colour, this is the lightest of The Macallan 1824 range, but still packed with typical Speyside Macallan flavours.

This limited edition bottling is presented in a gift pack with two glasses etched with Easter Elchies House, the spiritual home of The Macallan.

A lemon citrus nose, with zesty orange peel and oaky vanilla notes. The palate reveals a light sweet flavour, more citrus, apples and ginger spices, but is in no way overpowering. Overall a slightly sweet and malty whisky, easy-going and fresh.

£50 Buy Now

Cambus 30 Year Old 1984 Sovereign Cask # 11741 49.4%

$110.03

Vintage: 1984 ~ Cask Type: Refill Hogshead ~ Bottler: Hunter Laing & Co. ~ Region: Lowland ~ Type: Single Grain Scotch

Cambus 30 Year Old 1984 vintage Lowland single grain Scotch whiskey. Single cask refill hogshead #11741 bottled August 2015 by Hunter Laing Co. for the Sovereign series. 180 numbered bottles selected and bottled exclusively for The Whisky Barrel. This golden coloured whisky has a mellow and sweet nose on custard powder, followed by sweet peaches and overripe pears. The palate is rich with vanilla and toffee and another layer of fruits and spices. It finishes long and sweet with fruits and a tad of mouth drying oak. John Moubry commissioned Cambus Distillery in 1806 at Cambus near Alloa to produce malt and grain whiskey. He was amongst a group of contemporary distillers ‘paid’ to close their works for a number of years by the Stein and Haig distilling family in order to enable the later to maintain their monopoly in the exportation of Scottish spirits into the London gin market. Cambus Distillery is a lost Lowlands grain whiskey distillery having closed in 1993 although its whiskey remains available and the site is occupied by a Diageo cask filling works. Hunter Laing Sovereign Cambus grain whiskies are extremely popular.

Hello folks! This week, we’re looking at the Islands distilleries in Scotland. There’s a fair few of them dotted around the Northern and Western coasts of Scotland, all creating wonderfully different styles and flavours for the whisky drinker to enjoy! Jura and Ledaig take the spotlight this week, both well established but one certainly more famous than the other, kinda like Simon and Garfunkel.

https://youtu.be/M9KycIdGkB0

Cheers,

Phil (Whisky Wednesday)

Heaven Hill Distillery Releases Heaven Hill Select Stock 20th Anniversary Fire Edition

Limited Edition Bottling Commemorates the Persevering Spirit of Renowned Whiskey Producer

BARDSTOWN, KY – Heaven Hill Distillery announced today the release of Heaven Hill Select Stock 20^th Anniversary Fire Edition, a 20-year-old bottling produced at the original distillery in Bardstown that commemorates the perseverance of Heaven Hill after the 1996 fire. The limited edition bottling will be available on the anniversary of the fire, Monday, Nov. 7, at the Bourbon Heritage Center in Bardstown and at limited Kentucky retailers. The Bourbon Heritage Center will also offer half price tours and 10 percent off merchandise (excluding alcohol) from Saturday, Nov. 5 through Monday, Nov. 7, as part of their commemoration events.

On the afternoon of Nov. 7, 1996, a fire started at Heaven Hill’s Warehouse I. Fueled by 75 mph winds, the rapidly growing fire ravaged the warehouse, with flames reaching heights of 350 feet. A river of fire spread downhill towards other warehouses and the distillery as the warehouse collapsed from the heat. Flaming Bourbon crawled across the Heaven Hill campus and through a nearby creek, burning seven warehouses, the original Heaven Hill distillery and several other buildings in its path. Over 90,000 barrels of Bourbon were lost, two percent of the world’s whiskey at the time.

On Nov. 8, 1996, Heaven Hill resumed business as usual, with no lives lost in the fire and no employees losing their job. 20 years later the company has undergone tremendous growth and still commits to the same time-honored values that stood through the fire two decades ago – a dedication to quality, independence and passionate family ownership. The historic Bernheim Distillery was purchased in 1999, where Heaven Hill now produces its award-winning Bourbon and American Whiskey in downtown Louisville. The company recently filled its 7.5 millionth whiskey barrel, is undergoing an $80 million expansion, and is run today by the second and third generations of the Shapira family, which founded the company in 1935.

“As we move forward into the next decades of our company, we’re reminded of the over 80 years of perseverance that marks Heaven Hill’s heritage,” said President Max L. Shapira. “We remain just as committed to our employees and the spirits industry as we were through the days after November 7, 1996.”

Bottled at 96 proof (48% abv), in honor of the year of the fire, this Bourbon aged in Warehouse V for 20 years, just adjacent to the site of the fire. A small batch blend of four pre-fire barrels, this historic Bourbon celebrates the persevering spirit of the Shapira family and Heaven Hill Distillery. Packaged in a 750 ml bottle, the Heaven Hill Select Stock 20^th Anniversary Fire Edition is available for a suggested retail price of $199.99.

About Heaven Hill Distillery
Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Heaven Hill has cultivated the traditions and history of America’s Native Spirit with its fierce independence, passionate family ownership, dedication to quality, and thoughtful innovation. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 1.2 million barrels aging in 52 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. It is home to an award-winning collection of American Whiskeys including Elijah Craig Bourbon, Larceny Bourbon, Evan Williams Bourbon, Pikesville Rye Whiskey, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky and Parker’s Heritage Collection. Heaven Hill Distillery currently holds the titles of Whisky Magazine’s Distillery of the Year, Whiskey Advocate’s American Whiskey of the Year and Rye Whiskey of the Year from “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.” For more information, please visit http://heavenhill.com/.

Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely.  Drink Wisely.”

In the UK, Bonfire Night has barely passed before stores put up their Christmas decorations and supermarkets launch their heartstring-tugging festive adverts. Not so in the USA, where my home country sets its sights on the most patriotic holiday of them all: Thanksgiving.

Politics in the USA is incredibly divisive, but one thing most Americans can agree on is the joy of getting nearly a half a working week off to celebrate Thanksgiving.

What’s great about this holiday, and why Americans love it so much, is that it is an American holiday that no one else celebrates. We invented it and will continue to celebrate it widely. However, this is not an easy holiday to host – most people finish work at lunchtime on Wednesday (Thanksgiving is always the last Thursday in November) and take the Friday off, too, so if you are hosting, you’ll have your work cut out.

As mentioned, no holiday is more important in the US than Thanksgiving, so for those American readers expecting a particularly patriotic guest, choose a whisky that will suitably match an American tradition that’s been going since 1789. Have a bottle of Garrison Brothers Single Barrel Bourbon waiting on the table – a rich bourbon dressed with a lone star on the bottle, signalling its heritage to the state of Texas. Or instead, celebrate with a Jefferson’s Bourbon – one whose distinctive taste is only matched by its distinctive bottle, adorned with an engraving of the founding father himself.

Got the in-laws coming around? Need to impress them? Enter Whistlepig 12 Year Old Rye. At £150, this is not an everyday drink, but remember that whoever you drink it with will be obliged to bring something nice for Thanksgiving 2017. Finished in a Madeira cask, this rye is a delicious step above from your everyday American whiskey.

By now the reality has begun to fully sink in. You’re likely still commiserating or celebrating. It’s been a long, anxiety-ridden ride full of tension and fervor. To look on the bright side, regardless if you got what you wanted or not, at least it is now over. Another round of Pappy-mania is behind us! We’d like to thank all our customers who came down to celebrate the night away in hopes of getting an elusive bottle of whiskey. So on to bigger and better topics. New to the Party has some fabulous new products to share with you. Then J.O. is switching it up and sharing a quick bit of info on some awesome bar supplies in, Hey, Check This Out! After that read through Gift Set Madness for just a slice of the awesome boozy gift sets that are constantly rolling in. Finally, take a look at our upcoming Aisle Tastings to see what we’re going to be pouring for you while you shop; including info about the esteemed Taste of the World fundraiser for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society at the Newport Aquarium this Saturday! Cheers, -The Party Source Liquor Department

NEW TO THE PARTY

Redemption Barrel Proof 9yr and Redemption Barrel Proof High Rye 9yr – These are two well-aged gems from LDI, one of America’s greatest whiskey distilleries. Both are deep and rich. The bourbon has a more oily quality while the High Rye Bourbon brings a bit more spice.

Hochstadter’s Vatted Rye – Think of this as a beautiful culmination of what North America has to offer. It’s a blend of 4yr to 15yr Straight Rye Whiskies from Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Indiana, and Alberta. Flavors of baking spices, molasses and a kiss of spice abound. Try it in a Sazerac cocktail.

Slaughter House American Whisky – This whiskey was aged for 9 years in American oak, and then finished in French oak Napa red wine barrels. The result is a nicely layered whiskey with flavors of caramelized sugar, some red fruit, and baking spices and a kiss of roasted nuts and caramel.

Slaughter House Edge Bourbon – This is a blend of 5yr, 7yr, and 8yr bourbons from Kentucky and Tennessee. After blending it was further aged in Napa Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. It’s slightly sweet, slightly smoky, and a nice intense richness that carries on the finish.

Russell’s Reserve TPS Private Barrel – We absolutely love our Russell’s Reserve barrel picks. Eddie Russell is always a joy to taste with, and always brings some great barrels out for us. This pick is rich, bold, round, and will be great company on these cold nights.

Rabbit Hole Bourbon, Rye, and Sherry Cask Finish – These are from a super-cool new distillery in downtown Louisville, Rabbit Hole Distilling. The Bourbon is a nice, easy drinking whiskey comprised of 70% corn, 10% malted wheat and 20% malted barley. The Rye is 95% rye and made under the guidance of the King of American Rye distillation, Larry Ebersold. The Sherry Cask Finished bourbon is a five-year aged bourbon that undergoes additional aging in a PX Sherry barrel. The result is a delicious, bold, and slightly sweet bourbon that is most unique.

High West Double Rye TPS Private Barrel – High West has been recently gained some serious notoriety. Their own whiskey is near completion, and their sourced stocks of aged bourbon and rye are still as good as ever. This is a wonderful blend of old and young rye chosen specifically by us. The older rye lends great depth and complexity, the younger rye is spicy and full of vigor. Together, it’s an easy drinking and wholly wonderful whiskey.

Usquaebach Reserve and 15yr Blended Scotch – Pronounced ‘oos-ke-bah’, Usquaebach is the derivative of ‘whisky’, and translates to ‘water of life’. So there’s a little fun factoid for you. The Reserve is over 50% single malts aged 16-18 years, and the rest is fine grain whiskey. It is zesty and savory with a long finish. The 15-year-old is a blend of 15-20-year-old Highland single malts and is more tropical and sweet with a nice baking spice backbone. Both are wonderful drams that will impress novices and connoisseurs alike.

New blog post for our three new Burns Malt releases.