PEAT & SWEET CHRISTMAS TREATS

No whisky Christmas Shopping List is complete without something a little sweet or peat. We’ve just released 12 new casks that are perfect for the festive season, including 8 peaty whiskies, a new distillery cognac plus 3 gloriously aged malts. All bring an impressive range of flavours that are absolutely delicious.

SHOP THE FULL OUTTURN ONLINE

Discover more about C3.1 and read new reviews on our blog > 

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Octomore 2008 – French Oak

A big and powerful Octomore from the Rest & Be Thankful Whisky Company. Aged for 7 years, this heavily peated Islay Scotch whisky from the Bruichladdich distillery was filled into a French oak cask #2008000908, 19th March 2008. 316 bottles were filled at 63.9% vol.

Limited Stock at this price! 

RRP £193.96 AW £180.00 Now!

£167.00

Day 13 of the Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 

SCOTCH WHISKY ADVENT CALENDAR 3RD EDITION DAY 13 BLOG #147 – A.D. RATTRAY AUCHROISK 25 YEAR OLD

Welcome to lucky day 13 of the 3rd edition. As a treat for being so lucky we have the oldest whisky so far in the lineup waiting to be poured into your NEAT glass.

Auchroisk (pronounced Ah-thrusk) is a Speyside distillery that started production in 1974. Owned by the Diageo group, the brand that is most recognizable to consumers is Singleton as it was called starting in 1986 to make it easier for those outside of Scotland to pronounce. It was released as a Flora and Fauna series by Diageo in 2001 as Auchroisk but then changed back to Singleton of Auchroisk in 2008. Now that we are even more confused than ever but thankful that A.D. Rattray managed to get this rare older expression of a unique distillery, lets get on with some tasting. Auchroisk is a big distillery in the Diageo stable and produces 3.1 million liters of pure alcohol per year and is mostly used for the juggernaut Blended Scotch brand J&B.

A.D. Rattray Auchroisk 1991 – Aged for 25 years in an American Oak ex Bourbon barrel # 7531 without chill filtration or caramel color and at the cask strength of 53%.

Color:   14 Carat Gold

Nose:   Fresh sweet spiced apples ready to bake into a pie. If I were to pick the apple I would say Granny Smith.

Palate:   Freshness and sweet zesty tangy apples and pears with a hint of star anise, clove and vanilla.

Finish:   53% is there but not overpowering and the apple pie that started on the nose is still there for me but this time the baking is done and some biscuit crumble base underlines the fruit.

This is a great example of a fresh older whisky. I absolutely love this style of single malt. Zesty freshness meets barrel aging complexity. A rare find for A.D. Rattray and one that I was really happy to scoop up for the 3rd edition. Alas there are absolutely no bottles available to purchase which is such a shame and unfortunately the reality of single cask whiskies.

Lets see what the fun and famed whiskylassie thinks of this rarer older treat here.

On this day in the 2nd edition we had the pleasure of introducing Single Cask Nation for their debut in our calendars. Their Undisclosed Islay 2008 was also the first whisky ever to have zero full bottles available after we took whisky for the Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar mini’s. It is fitting I guess that today’s dram suffers the same fate (booo).

It was indeed fantastic to have a 20 something whisky today to showcase what good older whisky can bring to the table but also underline how good some of the younger whisky has been so far. Remember that age is only an indicator of expense not quality.

Tomorrow we are tasting another single cask from the guys at Ainneamh. This time from a different region.

Until tomorrow you had better savor your Auchroisk 25 year old because there is no more unless you seek out a second calendar.

Slainte

Jonathan – taster of secrets

http://www.singlemalting.com/category/whisky-advent-calendar-2016/

Gordon & MacPhail launches Speyside Collection

Leading whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail has launched an exclusive Speyside Collection, offering customers the chance to purchase six exquisite single malt Scotch whiskies from some of Scotland’s finest Speyside distilleries.

Established in 1895, the fourth-generation family business is custodian to some of the world’s oldest and most unique single malt Scotch whiskies. Allowing whisky fans the chance to savour an inimitable piece of Scotland’s liquid history, the Speyside Collection brings together 329 years of knowledge, expertise and whisky maturation.

The first release, limited-edition, Speyside Collection hosts a range of flavour profiles, from the fruity and peppery notes of Gordon & MacPhail Smith’s Glenlivet 1948, to the long and slightly smoky finish of the Glen Grant 1949, and the exotic fruit, sherry and crushed almonds flavours in Strathisla 1953.

Showcasing whiskies from across the region, the Speyside Collection also offers Gordon & MacPhail Mortlach 1954, a spicy and creamy whisky, the award winning Longmorn 1967, which is bursting with warming spiciness followed by stewed fruit and citrus flavours, and Linkwood 1972, with its flavours of chilli spice, banana and dark chocolate.

Since the founding of the business, Gordon & MacPhail has sent casks to distilleries throughout Scotland to be filled with new make spirit, before being matured under the custodianship of generations of the Urquhart family. Developing relationships with distilleries across Scotland throughout the company’s history, the whiskies in Gordon & MacPhail’s Speyside Collection are uniquely labelled using the original distillery labels.

Stephen Rankin, director and a member of the fourth generation of the Urquharts, the family who own Gordon & MacPhail, said: “Four generations of our family have passed on skills and knowledge for matching spirit to quality casks and maturing whiskies for many years.”

“The six vintages in the Speyside Collection are testament to our philosophy of producing high quality single malt. We hope malt whisky lovers will be able to enjoy and savour these special Speyside drams.”

The Speyside Collection is available to purchase from specialist whisky retailers at an RRP of £10,500 in the UK. Prices in overseas markets may differ due to local taxes and import duties. A limited edition of 75 Speyside Collections will be available for sale in this first release.

NOTES

Gordon & MacPhail

Gordon & MacPhail is an independent, family-owned Scotch Whisky specialist which has been based in Elgin, Moray, since 1895. Four generations of the Urquhart family have continued the tradition of seeking out the best and rarest Scotch Whiskies.

Since its foundation, Gordon & MacPhail’s policy has been to send casks to distilleries throughout Scotland, fill them with ‘new-make’ spirit and mature them either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouses in Elgin.

Now one of the world’s leading malt whisky specialists, Gordon & MacPhail exports to more than 60 countries. It offers more than 300 presentations of own-bottled single malts. In 2009, Gordon & MacPhail was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade; an honour that was bestowed on the business again in 2013 with a visit from HRH The Princess Royal.

In 1993 Gordon & MacPhail purchased Benromach Distillery and re-equipped it before it was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles in 1998. A four-star visitor centre is open to the public throughout the year for tours and tastings. Benromach distillery is a member of the world-famous malt whisky trail.

Speyside Collection

• Gordon & MacPhail Smith’s Glenlivet 1948, 43% ABV – This medium-bodied ancient single malt has been distinctly influenced by sixty-two years maturing in a first fill Sherry butt. Dark amber in colour, this well rounded after dinner dram imparts a soft, fruity nose filled with banana, strawberry, and apple harmonised with the sweetness of toffee and subtle oak undertones. Pepper warms the palate with the initial mouthful; charred wood influences are smoothed by a long, fresh and minty finish.
• Gordon & MacPhail Glen Grant 1949, 40% ABV – This medium bodied, greatly aged single malt has a fresh floral bouquet with delicate Sherry and vanilla notes culminating in a lingering marzipan edge. The initial white pepper heat is curbed by ground coffee, toasted almond, and the tang of grapefruit. An underlying cigar ash adds depth to the long and smoky finish.
• Gordon & MacPhail Strathisla 1953, 43% ABV – A sweet and robust after dinner dram, this well-matured whisky presents potent Sherry soaked fruitcake aromas with delicate and lingering hints of charred oak and old leather. A sip of this full-bodied dark amber coloured whisky unfurls hidden layers of sweetness – starting with light Sherry influences exposing warm steeped exotic fruits, layered with crushed almonds that culminate in a long marzipan finish.
• Gordon & MacPhail Mortlach 1954, 43% ABV – The first fill Sherry butt which matured this rich and complex Mortlach single malt for fifty-eight years has left strong influences. The nose of the golden amber liquid is full of Sherry impressions including dried fruits mellowed by a hint of beeswax blossoming into a fresh yet subtle peppermint edge. The full-bodied single malt is captivating; it bursts on the palate with a lovely spiciness that develops into warm tropical fruits and mouth drying cocoa but concludes with a creamy finish.
• Gordon & MacPhail Longmorn 1967, 43% ABV – Waft from the glass on one hand, delicately tempered by exotic spices and tree-plucked nectarines, whilst, on the other, intensified by sweet hints of marzipan. The initial mouthful bedazzles with a tangled mix of warming spiciness intermingled with a crisp sweetness – a beautiful medley of ground black pepper and crystallised ginger. Baked apple, stewed pear, and charred peach flavours blossom enriched by a zesty citrus edge.
• Gordon & MacPhail Linkwood 1972, 43% ABV – A perfect winter warmer, this robust yet smooth Speysider matured for four decades producing a harmonious amber coloured spirit. Festive spice medley of aromas – cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice – entwine perfectly with subtle Sherry influences and soft toffee highlighted by crisp apple and earthy almond. Chilli spice prickles the palate, mouth warming tones linger as apple and ripe banana flavours develop melding into a luxurious dark chocolate and brazil nut edge.

Ancient Reserves ‘Whisky Boutique’ pop-up 

WHAT: Ancient Reserves two week ‘Whisky Boutique’ pop-up shop – offering expert tastings and advice, bottle engraving, free gift-wrapping, as well as a number of ticketed innovative whisky-inspired events through the evenings.

WHERE: 53 Barnsbury Street, London, N1 1TP

WHEN: Monday 12^nd December – Friday 23^rd December

Daytime Opening – 12pm to 7:30pm

Evening Events – 8pm to 10pm

COST: FREE during daytime opening, Evening events between £15 & £20 TICKETS

What better way to warm the cockles this Christmas than by enjoying a dram of whisky at a novel temporary pop-up shop hosted by one of Scotland’s best-loved family whisky distillers?

This December, one of the last remaining independent, family-owned Scottish whisky makers, William Grant & Sons, will host a pop-up whisky boutique in trendy Islington. Featuring the Ancient Reserves portfolio, comprised of exclusive whiskies like Ailsa Bay, The Girvan Patent Still, Rare Cask Reserves and Kininvie, it promises to be a spectacle to tempt the taste buds and seduce the senses!

The quirky pop-up, which is open to the public from Monday 12th until Friday 23rd December, will also feature other speciality whisky-themed gifts and experts will be on-hand to help you find the perfect whisky for you or a loved one.

Throughout the day, an array of services will be available – from bottle engraving and in-store gift-wrapping to expert advice and tastings. In the evening, the space will be transformed into an intimate venue for a handful of one-off whisky events, including an innovative tea and whisky pairing session led by Miss Whisky and Benjamin and Blum Teas. Those interested in attending any of the events should apply for tickets here: ancientreserves.eventbrite.com/

So if you don’t know your blended from your single malt or you’re in need of gift inspiration for a whisky-loving friend of family member, drop down to learn more from the team of experts.

Search out @Ancient_ReservesWS on Instagram or the hashtag #WhiskyBoutique on Twitter to find out more.

Inspired by the long-gone tradition of our daily whisky ration, the cask strength Teapot Dram V is deliberately young and bold. A strictly limited release of just five first fill Oloroso sherry butts, it’s only available from the distillery. Packed with flavour – porridge, strawberries and pepper on the nose, spicy oak, cinnamon swirl and walnuts on the tongue – the Teapot Dram is the perfect way to show your appreciation of that special whisky-lover in your life. And to keep them sweet for the year to come.

BUY THE TEAPOT DRAM

ONLY THE GOOD STUFF FOR THE GLENGOYNE TEAM

The workers’ daily dram: a vital part of distillery life until the 1970s. It was usually a meagre tumbler of new-make spirit, hot off the stills. But not at Glengoyne. Our daily dram was always from a young, flavour-packed sherry cask – so that’s exactly what you’ll find in the Teapot Dram V. What better way to show our appreciation of the team’s time and care?

FIRST ORDERS, LAST ORDERS

The first orders should be landing on doorsteps by Friday 16 December.
Want to be sure it’ll be there for Christmas? Here are the last order dates:

Last order date for UK shipping: 18 December
Last order date for international shipping: 15 December

QC Relish and Whisky publishes their sixth issue focussing on the very best of food and drink to make your holidays merry and bright. This edition highlights a very special gift for any whisky connoisseur, Secret Spirits’ Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar. Canadian whisky barons, Gooderham and Worts share the history of their iconic brand. All the tips, gifts and spirits you need to celebrate the season.

ISSUE WINTER 2016

Whisky Live London returns to the Honourable Artillery Company once again, featuring over 100 fine whiskies for you to enjoy, more food and whisky pairings than ever before and a jam-packed schedule of Masterclasses!

Whether a whisky enthusiast, a newcomer to the world of whisky, or just seeking a day out at a fantastic event, Whisky Live has something to offer everyone.

Whisky Live London runs over two days:

Friday 31st March 5pm to 10pm

Saturday 1st April 12 noon to 5pm

All tickets include entry to the show, samples of exhibited whiskies, hot food, served buffet-style, the Whisky Live tasting glass, food and whiskey combination samples and the Whisky Live show guide. VIP tickets include all of this PLUS an exclusive VIP Masterclass worth £25, VIP dining, entrance to the VIP Lounge and exclusive private VIP pourings.

Book signing Sessions

Ticket Options and Prices from £45Full Day Entrance Ticket – £65 Entrance to Whisky Live London on Friday 31st March from 5pm – 10pm or on Saturday 1st April from 12pm – 5pm. Includes hot food, Whisky Live tasting glass and showguide.Half Day Entrance Ticket – £45 Entrance to Whisky Live London on Friday 31st March from 7pm – 10pm or on Saturday 1st April from 2pm – 5pm. Includes hot food, Whisky Live tasting glass and showguide.VIP Tickets – £99 Entrance to Whisky Live London on Friday 31st March from 4pm – 10pm and Saturday 1st April from 11am – 5pm plus an Exclusive VIP Masterclass worth £25. Includes VIP dining, VIP Lounge, Whisky Live tasting glass, showguide and exclusive VIP pourings.

Buy online now, get 10% off your tickets and get a free digital edition of Whisky Magazine

Offer valid Monday 5th – 23rd December 2016 Discount does not apply to Masterclass Tickets. Terms and conditions apply.

BOOK NOW

Confirmed Masterclasses

Friday – VIP 5:15 – 6pm – Neil Ridley 6:30 – 7:15pm – George Keeble 7:45 – 8:30pm – Martine Nouet 9:00 – 9:45pm – TBC

Saturday – VIP 12:15 – 1:00pm – Neil Ridley 1:30 – 2:15pm – Jonny McCormick 2:45 – 3:30pm – Jonny McCormick 4:00 – 4:45pm – Jonny McCormick

High West “K&L Exclusive” Single Barrel 101 Proof Double Rye Whiskey (750ml)$49.99 View

Four Roses 9 Year 6 Month Old “K&L Exclusive OBSQ” Single Barrel Cask Strength Kentucky Bourbon (750ml)$64.99 View

Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Rye Whiskey (750ml)$69.99 View

Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)

Email: wine@klwines.com K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA

San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Day 2 of the Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 

SCOTCH WHISKY ADVENT CALENDAR 3RD EDITION DAY 12 BLOG #146 – LOST DISTILLERY CO. GERSTON

Welcome to the start of another great whisky week as we welcome back the boys at the Lost Distillery Company. I was really intrigued when I looked into what these guys were doing. They break everything down to these 10 elements that I have borrowed from their website for you:

ERA – The date of the last distillation is critically important. As with most manufacturing businesses, fashions and processes change. Mechanization brought increased consistency to the process, while expansion of the railways sponsored the construction of much bigger distilleries.

LOCALITY – Neighboring distilleries may have used similar sources of water, barley and yeast. They may have shared expertise that still survives today in working distilleries.

WATER – A core ingredient used to make the spirit and also to dilute the product to bottling strength. Was the water soft or hard? What was the mineral content?

BARLEY – The most important aspect of the barley is the phenolic content. Where was the barley grown? Was it local? Which strains of barley were used? How consistent was the yield?

YEAST – Why is some sourdough bread better than others? Why do some bakers retain a starter dough for decades? Yeast matters in the process and ultimately has an impact on the final product.

PEAT – Was the malted barley peated or unpeated? How much peat was used and was it sourced locally? How did this translate to the phenol content of the finished product?

MASH TUN – What material was it constructed from? Was it open or closed, and how was the temperature controlled? Volatile temperatures would inhibit yeast activity.

WASH BACK – These would have been made almost exclusively from Douglas Fir; chosen for its straight grain and lack of knots. While some distilleries still use these, most have converted to stainless steel versions that impart no character to the product.

STILL – The shape and size of the still deeply influence the overall character of the spirit. For example, a smaller dumpy still will typically allow more contact between the copper and the spirit meaning that it produces a heavier, more viscous spirit.

WOOD – After production, what type of wood was used to store or transport the whisky to its destination? Did this have an impact on the final flavor? What did the barrel have in it before it was used for whisky? This would have had a significant effect on the whisky’s taste.

Their archive team led by professor Michael Moss of the Glasgow University pours through every bit of information they can glean before they recreate each distilleries style.

Gerston one was a popular distillery that operated between 1796 and 1882. Small scale with pristine water and briny peat Gerston one was a much sought after whisky in it’s day. Two tales tell of the disaster that ended the distilleries life. One a farmer dredging too close to the well and causing it to dry up and the other a planned expansion to the distillery causing the flow of the nearby spring to divert away. Either of these events meant the end for Gerston 1. Gerston 2 was built in 1886 and lasted until 1914. Much more industrial in scale Gerston 2 did not source the same quality of ingredients as its smaller brother and the spirit never achieved the same level of popularity.

Lost Distillery Company Gerston Blended Malt – 46% non chill filtered with no caramel coloring. Aged in American ex bourbon casks.

Color:   Freshly cut golden hay bails.

Nose:   Malty ripe raisins and a touch of sea salted caramel with wisp of smoke.

Palate:   Salty, earthy and sweet all at the same time. Sprinkled mesquite ashes and a medicinal quality that only just sneaks in with softer honey comb making up the sweet base.

Finish: Long and persistently smoky but soft and round with a chocolate note.

This is delicious whisky and hats off to Brian and Scott for really working long and hard on an exceptionally well put together project. This brings us back to another time of whisky making and the world of whisky is richer for the story. For those that loved this Gerston please email me and I can definitely let you know where you will find it. jonathan@secretspirits.com

Lets all head over and see what Whiskylassie thought of this excellent Gerston.

On this day in the second edition we had another recreation of sorts with the fantastically valued A.D. Rattray Bank Note. As the lone Blended Scotch expression in the second edition the Bank Note has proven to be really popular as a delicious every day drinker at an affordable price.

Tomorrow we head to Speyside for another fine cask from the good people at A.D. Rattray.

Happy Monday everyone.

Slainte

Jonathan – taster of secrets

http://www.singlemalting.com/category/whisky-advent-calendar-2016/