“A Dram Come True” Offers

Dozens of Whisky Tastings From Local and International Distilleries

Sophisticated surroundings, limited tickets and dozens of rare and unusual finds make for an exquisite evening.

Vancouver, BC – Tickets are now on sale for the Vancouver Writers Fest’s hotly anticipated annual whisky fundraiser, A Dram Come True. On Friday, May 13 at 7:30pm, ticket holders can sample more than 40 whiskies while strolling the exquisite grounds of Hycroft mansion in South Granville. With only 300 tickets for sale, this elegant event is an ideal evening for both the whisky aficionado and those who want to learn more. All proceeds go towards the Writers Fest’s programming – which reaches more than 25,000 people every year.

Now in its 14th year, A Dram Come True curates whisky from around the world, including rare and distinguished whiskies from countries such as Canada, Scotland, Taiwan, Ireland and India, alongside other unique spirits from local distilleries, such as oaked gin or cassis. Participating vendors this year include renowned names Glenfiddich, Kavalan, The Balvenie, Bunnahabhain, Duncan Taylor, Glenlivet, Aberlour, and – closer to home – Odd Society Spirits and Pemberton Distillery.

Tasting experts at each table will be on hand to share tasting tips and provide context for each whisky – from its style, age and finish to the distinct characteristics of each distillery.

For those who favour vineyards over malts, Tinhorn Creek will be pouring a selection of wines, while craft breweries including Parallel 49, will pour their latest creations.

“The event comes just days before World Whisky Day and embodies its sense of discovery and enthusiasm,” explained Dave Mason, President of the West Coast Whisky Club. “We’re thrilled to have the support of local agents who are sharing their knowledge, expertise and products with enthusiastic attendees. It makes for a very special evening.”

Hors d’oeuvres of luxury cheeses and charcuterie, plus a silent auction and games throughout the evening add additional flavour to the event.

Early bird tickets are now on sale until March 31 ($110, $125 reg. price)

Ticket Information

WHAT: A Dram Come True: A Whisky Fundraiser for The Vancouver Writers Fest

WHEN: Friday, May 13 at 7:30pm

WHERE: Hycroft, 1489 McRae Avenue, Vancouver

TICKETS: Tickets available at picatic.com/adramcometrue

$110 Early Bird ($125 Regular Price). “Early Access” can be purchased for $25, allowing for select whisky samples 45 minutes prior to doors opening. Group rates available.

About the Vancouver Writers Fest

The Vancouver Writers Fest is one of North America’s premier producers of literary events. The Society presents an annual six-day Festival in late October, the Incite reading series in the spring and a host of other literary and special events throughout the year. Vancouver Writers Fest activities attract 25,000+ readers of all ages annually.

For further information please visit writersfest.bc.ca.

It’s been more than three years since we were last able to purchase a single cask of whisky directly from Japan. Given the way the market’s heading, it may be another three years before we get the chance again. As our customer service staff will attest: not even Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon is as hot as Japanese whisky right now considering the amount of phone calls and email requests we receive daily from consumers. In the midst of all the madness, however, our buyers discovered a new product from a small producer called Fukano, a distillery that’s been making rice-based products since 1823. It seemed the historic producer was branching out into rice-based whiskies and K&L was their first choice for an American trial run. Due to a conflict of labeling laws, Fukano Japanese whisky isn’t even available in Japan! It’s an American exclusive for the moment and this single cask is only available directly from K&L. The flavors are somewhere in between Suntory’s Hibiki and Nikka’s Coffey Still expressions, so fans of the incredibly mellow and smooth-tasting flavors of Japanese whisky will be more than pleased. Only 446 total bottles were produced, so count yourself as lucky if you get one!

Fukano K&L Exclusive Single Cask #282 Japanese Whisky (750ml) ($79.99)

This exceptional distillery in the city of Kumamoto on the southern island of Kyushu has been distilling since 1823. They’re famous for a diverse offering of Shochus and high quality liqueurs, but a tiny portion of their production is devoted to malted rice distillation. In Japan, these old whiskies are not bottled as such, though they do meet the definition by American standards. Instead they use them to make their high-end liqueurs, which is sad for them, but GREAT for us. This rare spirit is aged much like bourbon in new charred oak casks. The result is something absolutely sublime and uniquely Japanese. While one might be expecting Shochu squared, we’re in fact in a totally different arena altogether. Nothing like you might have had from other producers bringing in similarly labeled product. Somewhere between scotch, bourbon and “other whisky”, both the complexity of aromatics and texture on the palate are surprising. This cask has a vibrant nose of nut brittle, spiced fruit, lemon rind, and almond butter. A very subtle oceany quality persists in the back ground. Supremely drinkable but not without a pop on the backend, this is a true bridge between Single Malt and Bourbon. We have no doubt that everyone is going to love drinking this, although its limited nature makes it a strong candidate for most regrettable failure to click of the year. It’s our first single cask Japanese whisky since the famous Karuizawas of 2013, don’t expect it to last much longer than those did.

Dulcinea Gonzalez | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 27, 2016

Attn: Japanese whisky faithfuls and beyond! Here is a truly unique spirit that makes the perfect after dinner whiskey. With the aromas of candied corn reminiscent of a wheated bourbon or even a lighter Armagnac, this spirit is totally seamless with equal parts elegance and richness. The middle shows sweet flavorful notes of a creme brulee meets toffee. Totally smooth and delicious. Get’em while you can!

Andrew Stevens | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 27, 2016

In the quest for more Japanese whiskey our buyer has found this exclusive Single Cask for us. The nose opens with soft vanilla and some dried fruit, reminiscent of a wheated bourbon. Soft creamy vanilla notes and a wonderfully smooth finish, this is a fun, unique whiskey to try. For those who were a fan of Nikka Coffee this is another more complex whiskey that should appeal to you.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 27, 2016

This whiskey is for those who are looking for a soft and easy to drink spirit. It has expressive and inviting sweet vanilla aromas. In the mouth it is soft and fruity with a kiss of sweetness. If you like the Nikka Coffrey whiskey I think that you will enjoy the Fukano.

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

Chapter 7, rum cask, is here again and as it is a personal favourite, we are always very excited about this release.

We are releasing 96 bottles of cask strength decanter bottles and 999
bottles of 46%.

These are truly unique and rare whiskies.

Nose: Sweet, soft & slightly spicy. A mixture of vanilla and rum and raisin ice cream, fresh and citrusy with a hint of tropical fruits. Slightly nutty with a hint of marzipan.
Palate: Very soft again with citrus notes. Slight peppery spice with a hint of raisins. Malty with a hint of fresh wood. Salty and dry on the finish. Slightly nutty.

46% £44.95 BUY NOW

CASK STRENGTH £69.99 BUY NOW

THE RETURN OF BOURYE

High West Releases a Limited Run of the Original Bourbon and Rye Blend 

PARK CITY, Utah (February 12, 2016) — High West Distillery, Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870, is proud to announce the return of Bourye, the original super premium bourbon and rye blend. Much like the elusive jackalope that graces its label, the limited release Bourye may be hard to find, but a delight when discovered.

Bourye is a unique and very premium blend of rich 9-year-old bourbon and 13-and-17-year-old ryes, making for a premier sipping whiskey and one of High West’s own all-time favorites. “This iteration of Bourye is very similar to the original in age profile and component whiskeys,” said High West Founder David Perkins. “But I personally think this one is better.”

Bourye offers a taste of sweet honey nougat, rich caramel, mulling spices, and candied fruits with a long dry spice finish. “This release brings the flavor profile back to the level of richness that our original release had,” said High West Master Distiller Brendan Coyle. “I’m really excited to share it with whiskey lovers.” It’s available nationally this month at saloons and stores across the country, as well as at the High West Distillery in Park City, Utah, the world’s only ski-in gastro-distillery. It’s priced at $79.99.

About High West Distillery Utah’s first legal distillery since 1870, High West’s passion is crafting delicious whiskeys and marrying them with outstanding food. High West offers an outstanding collection of highly rated whiskeys, all available in the High West General Store seven days a week and holidays as well as at finer liquor stores, bars and restaurants in 42 states throughout the U.S. and internationally…and growing.

High West has three must visit locations. Our High West Saloon in historic Old Town Park City is the world’s only ski-in gastro distillery that was voted “Best Park City Restaurant” the last three years by readers of City Weekly. It has received multiple accolades including a nomination for Best Bar by James Beard, and a top 10 ranking on The Daily Meal’s list of 150 Best Bars in America. Our High West Saloon in Terminal E at Salt Lake International Airport offers the best food and drinks in any airport west of the Mississippi.

Finally, High West Distillery on Blue Sky Ranch in Wanship, Utah is our 30,000 square foot world-class western whiskey distillery. It has educational tours and a visitor center featuring High West’s unique country-western cuisine. Blue Sky is an historic working cattle ranch and soon to be luxury guest ranch with a wellness center and state of the art conference and event centers.  Both Blue Sky and High West aim to build a landmark Western destination and resort offering an authentic and premium western experience.  For more information and where to buy High West products near you, visit highwest.com.

Introducing the latest products to arrive at the doors of The Whisky Shop. 

The 2015 award winning Springbank expressions to ‘looking for a gift?’ Why not make it personal by using our engraving service or you could select one of our ready made gift packs, perfect for creating that special wow factor! All items listed are available for immediate dispatch and available while stocks last.

Springbank 25 year old

This rare Springbank has been matured using a combination of sherry and bourbon casks before being married together in port casks. Limited to only 900 bottles. We expect demand to be high for this blockbuster so you will have to be quick. Official Tasting notes: Very well balanced with notes of toffee apple, brandy butter, liquorice, milk chocolate and honeycomb.

£350 Click to buy

SPRINGBANK 21 YEAR OLD – 2015

Springbank 21 year old has become something of a cult classic with demand growing throughout the world. This has been bottled at 46%, matured in both sherry and bourbon casks. Limited to only 3600 bottles. Official Tasting Notes: Robust and steadfast with a dry, creamy oiliness. Sugared almonds are heavily present as well as a dash of cinnamon.

£205 Click to buy

Springbank 12 year old cask strength

Crafted using both Bourbon (70%) and sherry casks 30% and bottled at a cask strength of 54.1% volume. A yearly release that usually sells out within days of it going on sale. Official Tasting notes: Bold and beautifully rounded. Vanilla and pepper notes are present alongside stewed apples, pear drops, orange marmalade and tropical fruits.

£65 Click to buy

LINKWOOD 1997 THE FIRST EDITIONS

First Editions tend to be elegant, older and gentle Speyside examples, but can include an array of expressions from well known distilleries such as Macallan, Port Ellen and less known ones like Mortlach and Linkwood. This single cask was bottled in 2015 aged 18 years at cask strength, non-chill filtered, non-coloured and one of 148 from a refill Hogshead cask. A mellow, full bodied nose with custard powder, butter, shortbread, stewed rhubarb and raspberry. Butterscotch, red berries and pears with a hint of oak.

£131 Click to buy

Here’s what’s new in Irish Whiskey at the Park Avenue Liquor Shop.

Here’s a peak at the latest from the Emerald Isle.

&

Hello March! 

With March upon us – we have started to think about St. Patrick’s day. That leads us to thinking about Irish Whiskey and how the category is fast becoming more diverse with new distilleries and some well-known ones, putting out exciting products. We’ve selected five out-of-the-ordinary Irish Whiskies that we thought you should know about – whether you’re celebrating the holiday or just like a good dram.

Cheers! Jonathan & Eric

The Park Avenue Liquor Shop

270 Madison Avenue

New York,

NY 10016 212-685-2442

 jonathan@parkaveliquor.com

eric@parkaveliquor.com

www.parkaveliquor.com  

Jameson Caskmates: KelSo Pale Ale Edition $39/btl

The journey of Jameson Caskmates KelSo Pale Ale Edition started in 2014, when 6 emptied barrels from Jameson’s Midleton Distillery (#Amazing) were sent to KelSo Beer’s owner/Brewmaster Kelly Taylor who then filled those barrels with his ‘hopped-up’ IPA for 8 weeks. Taylor then added a handful of their signature Nelson hops from New Zealand along with a bottle of Jameson (“to keep the barrel from drying out”), and shipped them back to Midleton. There, Dave Quinn, Jameson’s master of whiskey science, refilled the barrels with Jameson whiskey and let it mature for six months. There, Dave Quinn, Jameson’s master of whiskey science, refilled the barrels with Jameson whiskey and let it mature for six months.   The Nelson hops essentially dry-hopped the Jameson inside the barrels, resulting in a whiskey that offers intense hops aromatics in the nose as well as a floral, citrus effervescence. Boom – Caskmates 2.0 

The Lord Lieutenant Kinahan’s $43/btl 

From Whisky Cast: Feb 2016

“The nose is rich, nutty, and fruity with red apples, ripe peaches, roasted almonds, a touch of allspice, and a hint of butterscotch in the background. The taste is oily and thick with notes of dark chocolate, chocolate mint, a touch of apple cobbler, lemon zest, vanilla, and a soft oakiness. The finish is malty, slightly tart with a hint of lemon and touches of vanilla and oak. Very nice.”

Jim Murray: December 2015

“They say that Jerry Thomas made Kinahan’s his whiskey of choice in 1862. A sniff today might reveal molten honey, flapjacks, dry grist, and a fresh apple Danish (apple, custard, and pastry). The palate has a nip of lozenge sweeties, more apples, peppermint, vanilla, and a slow slide into chocolate, lemon pith, and cocoa. The 25% malt content presses home the flavor. Palate-coating. It’s a blend of fine quality, and Kinahan’s revival adds to the resurgence of Dublin’s whiskey story.”

Green Spot: Leoville Barton Cask $110/btl 

Green Spot Château Léoville Barton has first been matured in a mix of ex-Oloroso Sherry, ex-Bourbon and new American oak barrels before being transferred into the ex-Bordeaux wine casks to age for between 12 and 24 months. It has a fragrant aroma that is dense, rich and oily. Notes of honey sweetness, forest greens and berries abound. The French oak brings in the pot still spiciness to the party with a gift of baking spices. The hefty bouquet translates to the palate. A balanced mix of toasted wood, honeyed cereal, berry fruit and baking spices coat the mouth. The finish winds down on a spicy and sweet note, leaving behind a lasting and warm afterglow.  

Midleton: Dair Ghaelach Grinsell’s Wood Virgin Irish Oak Collection $350/btl 

This is Midleton’s first virgin Irish oak (or ‘Dair Ghaelach’ in Gaelic) finished whiskey! The bottle consists of whiskey that matured between 15 and 22 years in select ex-bourbon casks then married together before being poured into the Irish oak hogsheads. The particular Oak used for Dair Ghaelach comes from sustainable trees felled in Grinsell’s Wood within the Ballaghtobin Estate. Its then transported to north west Spain to the Antonio Páez Lobato cooperage in Jerez where the staves dry for 15 months before being turned into hogsheads and receiving a medium char.

Tasting Note

Nose: Well aged bourbon matured pot still notes of vanilla, banana and pineapple work well with the Irish oak’s contribution of darker woodland spice, cinnamon, coffee and redcurrant.

Palate: Spicy oak, fresh straw, plenty of vanilla fudge, pineapple, a little cocoa sprinkled on caramelized apple. Rich allspice.

Finish: Very long and increasingly wood spice-driven.

Won Gold@

Liquid Gold Award – 2016

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible

Won 3rd Place@

World Whisky of the Year – 2016

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible

IrishAmerican ~  10 Year Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey $48/btl 

Independent and family owned, IrishAmerican (Yes no space between)Whiskey celebrates the best of both worlds through the marriage of small batch Irish Whiskey from County Cork which is then aged in seasoned American White Oak Bourbon barrels. The 10 year old is their flagship expression. This newcomer consists of 100% malted Irish barley, double distilled in copper pot stills and aged for 10 long years in American White Oak barrels. Delivers a deeper, richer & warmer Irish Whiskey experience.

Notes:

This amber whiskey has strong flavors of spiced summer fruits mingled with floral undertones.

Due to ever-changing inventory, we cannot guarantee bottle availability. When we say ‘Emerald Isle’ we mean Ireland – not the island off the coast of North Carolina – apologies for any confusion but at the same time…Really? We are not responsible for any typographical errors or the results of Super Tuesday. Please contact the store with any questions.

The Park Avenue Liquor Shop | 212-685-2442 | 212-689-6247 |  parkaveliquor.com

EARLY MARCH TASTINGS

Glenturret, Macallan & Highland Park – The Vaults, Mon 7 Mar  More >

Scotland V. France Warm-Up – 28 Queen St, Sat 13 Mar  More >

Chocolate & Whisky Pairing – The Vaults, Fri 18 Mar  More >

Cheltenham Preview Tasting – Jury’s Inn, Fri 18 Mar  More >

Dundee Preview Tasting – Malmaison, Fri 18 Mar  More >

Inverness Preview Tasting – Kingsmills Hotel, Fri 18 Mar  More >

Leeds Preview Tasting – Malmaison, Fri 18 Mar  More >

Tunbridge Wells Preview Tasting – Hotel du Vin, Fri 18 Mar  More >

FREE EVENTS AT THE VAULTS

Poker Night – Tue 8 Mar   More >

6 Nations on the Big Screen – Next match Sun 13 Mar   More >

Peat Lovers’ Night – Tue 15 Mar   More >

Browse All Events & Tastings >

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

Macallan 18 year old Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ( $239.99) 92 points Wine Enthusiast: “This Speyside single malt is matured in Sherry oak casks from Jerez, Spain, for a minimum of 18 years. The amber spirit has a big, warm caramel flavor, finishing with a touch of sweet honey, bitter chocolate and espresso on the lingering finish. Viscous, creamy mouthfeel.” (12/2011) 91 points Whisky Advocate: “Macallan’s 18 year old expression is, for me, the highlight of its regular sherried range. Deep amber in color. The nose is rich and heavily fruited: fruit cake, mulberry, a little moist gingerbread, the bloody depths of molasses. On the palate, dried fruits — more figgy than raisined — while the natural oiliness in the spirit balances the boisterous tannins from the European oak. A singed note on the finish (an extension of the molasses?) completes the picture. Balanced and complex. (Vol. 20, #3)” Wine Spectator: “An object lesson in what Sherry does to whisky. A telltale nuttiness appears right on the nose, before spice and fruit join in on the palate, with a sort of chewing gum quality. The nutty notes return in earnest on the meaty finish. ” (02/2011) K&L Notes: The Macallan’s benchmark excellence is nowhere more evident than in the 18 year old, which is matured for a minimum of 18 years in seasoned, Sherry casks. Classic Macallan, with aromas and flavors of dried apricots and figs, spice, chocolate and orange zest.

United States – Kentucky

Johnny Drum “Private Stock” 101 Proof Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $39.99 View

Sazerac 90-Proof Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml) (3 bottle limit) $29.99 View

Scotland

Kilkerran “Work In Progress” #7 Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky (750ml)9$64.99 View

Macallan “Fine Oak” 15 Year Old Single Malt (750ml)10012$89.99 View

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

Barton 1792 Distillery Releases Limited Edition Single Barrel Bourbon   

            BARDSTOWN, KENTUCKY (Feb. 24, 2016) – A new Single Barrel Bourbon is the latest limited edition expression in the premium 1792 whiskey collection from Barton 1792 Distillery. All of the bourbon used in this bottling was distilled and aged at the historic Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown before being selected and tasted for its exceptional quality. The bottling took place on a small hand bottling line that only allows one barrel to be processed at a time.

Bottled at 98.6 proof, this Single Barrel Bourbon is the third expression released from 1792 Distillery.  Previous special releases are now sold out, such as the Sweet Wheat and Port Finish Bourbons. Like those, this limited edition Single Barrel Bourbon will be available in most states.

            Master Distiller Ken Pierce describes this release as having, “the flavors of butterscotch and caramel notes, delicately balanced with hints of fruit and toffee.  The body is rich and lingers on the tongue for a delicate and pleasant finish.”

            The 1792 Single Barrel bourbon is expected to hit stores in late February at the suggested retail price of $39.99.  Barton 1792 Distillery plans to release even more new and different 1792 expressions throughout the year.

About Barton 1792 Distillery

Barton 1792 Distillery is part of Barton Brands of Kentucky, with facilities in Bardstown, Ky., Carson, Calif., and Baltimore, Md. Barton Brands is owned by the Sazerac Company, an American family-owned company based in New Orleans, La. Barton 1792 Distillery was established in 1879 and continues today as the oldest fully-operating Distillery in the “Bourbon Capital of the World.” The Distillery is located on 196 acres and includes 28 warehouses, 22 other buildings, the Morton Spring and the Tom Moore Spring.  Distilling, aging and bottling fine Bourbon whiskey are hallmarks of the historic Barton 1792 Distillery. 1792 Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is produced at Barton 1792 Distillery. This whiskey is named for the year Kentucky became a state and is the recent gold medal winner at the 2015 Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. To learn more visit http://www.1792bourbon.com/

Redbreast 1999 – the first single cask

Selecting and bottling casks of whisky takes a lot longer than people think. This time last year – well, 11-and-a-bit months ago – Billy Leighton, master blender at Midleton distillery in Ireland, stopped by with some whiskey for us to try. Rather than keep it all to ourselves, we shared it with you: our loyal customers. Billy hosted a tasting and at the end everyone tried the whiskeys and voted for their favourites – you can read all about it in Stu’s blog post.

We chose two whiskeys, the first of which is now up on our website: a hugely fruity Midleton 1991. While that’s an impressive dram, it’s the second whiskey that’s caused a stir: the first single cask of Redbreast they’ve ever released – Redbreast 1999 Cask #30087, available exclusively from The Whisky Exchange.

Billy Leighton popped into our shop to tell us about the new Redbreast single sherry cask

While the new spirit that becomes Redbreast is the same that goes into their other releases, the character of the finished whiskey is typified by one very specific character: sherry-cask maturation.

Redbreast first appeared in 1903 as one of the many whiskey brands owned by W.A Gilbey, the London wine and spirits merchant who are best known these days as the creators of Gilbey’s gin. Back then, they were a huge concern, importing and exporting drinks from around the world, including buying and maturing their own whiskey. As a wine importer, they had easy access to Spanish sherry casks – the traditional transport casks that I talked about in my series on sherry casks – and used them heavily for their Irish whiskey, especially when making Redbreast.

Over the years, Redbreast’s recipe changed, depending on the spirit and casks Gilbey’s could get. This continued until the 1980s, when they stopped making the whiskey and Redbreast disappeared from the shelves. That didn’t last long, and in the early 1990s, Irish Distillers revived the name for a new sherry-cask-led whiskey inspired by the style of the original Redbreast from 80 years earlier.

Our new shop is really nice…

I asked Billy how he chose the pair of casks that we got to vote for:

‘First, I was looking for a cask that I would happily use for Redbreast 15 no questions asked – a safe whiskey. Then I looked for something would contrast with that. I didn’t want to go for a cask where you’d question if it’s a sherry cask or not, with the sherry more in the background, so I chose something with a bit more weight and an older style.’

When we voted there wasn’t much in it, but in traditional whisk(e)y fan fashion, heavy sherry won the day.

Irish Distillers keep a close eye on their casks, and Billy told us the life story, so far, of cask #30087: It was built in late 1996 at the Paez Lobato cooperage in Jerez, before being moved up the road to the Paez Morilla bodega. There it was filled with oloroso sherry and left for three years to season. In early 1999 it was emptied, shipped to Ireland and then filled on 2 April. It sat in warehouse #15, bay #14, until last year, when it was sampled, selected, bottled and has now, finally, hit our shelves. When you look at it that way, our year of waiting to get the whiskey doesn’t seem that long…

REDBREAST 1999 SINGLE SHERRY CASK #30087

Tasting notes by Billy L:

‘A lot of fruit. Succulent fruit. Deep, dark fleshy fruit: figs, prunes, dates, that kind of thing. Even going a little bit leathery – whenever I get this leathery smell, I get transported to Bishops shoe shop in Coleraine. To me, there’s a lot of the sherry-cask influence here, but if you push that to one side, you get spices and even a little bit of a herbal note: a little top note of garden mint, nutmeg and a prickle of a freshly ground black pepper.

‘Then comes the wood: liquorice. Whenever these casks are made new, toasted and left to cool, you find liquorice. There’s not so much of the vanilla that you might associate with a bourbon cask – it’s a bit drier in that respect. Add a splash of water and it’s very round, very smooth, very mellow, very approachable – it slips down a treat. And at the end, it’s quite spicy and there’s still that sherry effect. As it starts to fade, there’s a little bit of wine still there, there’s a toffee note, and then just at the very end it becomes a little bit grassy. Very nicely balanced.’

Tasting notes by Billy A:

Nose: Freshly snapped Crunchie bars, toffee bananas, glacé cherries, old matchboxes and ground almonds. Creamy almond notes continue, with spicy horchata and vanilla pods poking out from behind layers of sherry fruit – raisins, sultanas, dates and prunes.

Palate: Thick and weighty with bittersweet dried fruit and rich caramel and toffee. Fruit then bursts across the palate, with cherries – fresh, maraschino and cocktail – joined by baked apples and singed raisins. Liquorice and blackcurrant sweets sit at the back, with woody spice – clove and cinnamon – and a hint of mint chocolate.

Finish: Raisins, dried cherries and spiced malt load fade to liquorice, mint and a hint of bitter coal dust.

Comment: A full-on sherry-matured dram, with stacks of expected character. However, there’s still that classic Redbreast fruitiness peeking in around the edges that not even an active cask can hide.

The Redbreast 1999 single sherry cask is available now from our website and The Whisky Exchange Shop @ Covent Garden.