BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY NAMED

VISITOR ATTRACTION OF THE YEAR BY WHISKY MAGAZINE

Buffalo Trace Visitor Center Manager Highly Commended 

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (March 2, 2017) – Whisky Magazine has named Buffalo Trace Distillery its 2017 Icons of Whisky America Visitor Attraction of the Year. The Distillery received this award Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017 at the Whisky Magazine Awards America presentation in New York City where it was honored for its visitor experience. The Distillery’s Visitor Center Manager, Matt Higgins was also highly commended for Visitor Attraction Manager of the Year.

“We hold a strong commitment to providing an exceptional visitor experience for our guests and work very hard to continually expand our abilities to support the growing number of people we welcome,” Meredith Moody, marketing services director said. “We are thrilled and beyond honored to be named Visitor Attraction of the Year.”

To support its ever-growing visitation, Buffalo Trace Distillery has more than doubled capacity with the expansion of its Visitor Center, and is continually expanding its tours. In calendar year 2016, the Distillery welcomed 170,587 guests, an increase of 17 percent over the previous year, and a 227 percent increase since 2010.

The Distillery currently offers five unique tours and provides all tours and tastings complimentary to its guests. With its visitors and the preservation of its history in mind, Buffalo Trace will also be incorporating the recent discovery of the intact O.F.C. Distillery foundation and fermenters into a future tour yet to be announced.

Buffalo Trace Distillery will now go on to compete for this title on a global level. The global Icons of Whisky awards will be announced March 30 at the Whisky Magazine Awards Dinner in London.

American Icons are determined following nominations from producers, retailers, distributors and importers, which are then voted on by those in the industry before Whisky Magazine’s editorial panel reviews and draws up a shortlist from which the winners are selected.

For more information about the World Whisky Awards and the Icons of Whiskey, visit www.worldwhiskiesawards.com/ and http://iconsofwhisky.com/.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1773 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 17 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named “Brand Innovator of the Year” by Whisky Magazine at its Icons of Whisky America Awards 2015.  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 300 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com/

Our very own David Driscoll worked with the Maker’s team to craft a whiskey that would rival the famed wheaters from Pappy Van Winkle. At a tasting last week at San Francisco’s Hard Water the final product of their efforts was revealed. Let’s just say they hit it out of the park. For those who love big, sweet, bourbons that pack a punch the Maker’s Mark 46 delivers.

THE BIG, SWEET WHEATER YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR…

Maker’s Mark 46 “K&L Exclusive” Private Select Kentucky Bourbon (750ml) $69.99

Since the turn of the decade and the explosion of boutique whiskey consumption, there’s been one question that we get asked invariably on a daily basis at K&L: What do you have that tastes like Pappy that isn’t Pappy? It’s not that these numerous inquisitors aren’t looking for Pappy Van Winkle, that unicorn of wheated whiskies, it’s just that they know they’re probably not going to find it. Therefore, the question becomes: what’s the next best thing? In my humble option, the next best thing to Pappy (a big, sweet, wheated Bourbon) is Kentucky’s other famous home of wheated whiskey: Maker’s Mark. Not only is the recipe of Bill Samuels the smoothest and creamiest Bourbon on the market, it’s been a staple of the American bar for decades. The problem with Maker’s Mark as a comparison to Pappy, however, is that one is impossible to find and the other you can get just about anywhere. When you get down to the nitty-gritty, you start to realize that a lot of Pappy Van Winkle’s appeal is its rarity. If most drinkers were simply looking for delicious, powerful, full-throttle wheated Bourbon they’d grab the Maker’s Mark Cask Strength edition, which to me is the best consistently available Bourbon on the market. However, sometimes we all want to feel a little special. We want something unique and out of the ordinary. We want to surprise a friend or a loved one with an interesting gift, something they wouldn’t normally see on the shelf. That’s what you all depend on K&L for, isn’t it? To find you those delicious little rarities that the other guys can’t seem to get their hands on? When I went out to Maker’s Mark distillery this last November I decided I was going to try and create exactly what our customers were looking for: a big, sweet, high proof, wheated Bourbon that stood out from the pack of everyday bottles. I was there to create a custom barrel of Maker’s 46 using a variety of different staves to add additional richness to the whiskey. But I didn’t play around with any of the fancy French oak staves they had as part of the process. I knew exactly what I needed going in. I chose straightforward American oak planks, put them into the barrel, and let those babies soak for a few months in the hope that they would create exactly what I needed: a limited, affordable, big, sweet, wheated, high proof Bourbon that you couldn’t just get anywhere and would only be available for a short period of time. – David Driscoll, K&L Assistant Head Buyer

Maker’s Mark 46 “K&L Exclusive” Private Select Kentucky Bourbon (750ml) ($69.99)

Julio Santos | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 04, 2017

Makers has always been one of my favorite bourbons. But I admit I often overlook it when I feel like having great wheated bourbon. I will not neglect this bottling it is damn good. It is rich in vanilla, molasses, caramel and toffee with baking spices sprinkled throughout the lengthy palate. A pleasant high proof bourbon.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 03, 2017

A wonderful version of Marker’s Mark Bourbon. There are beautiful sweet brown sugar aromas that are very inviting. In the mouth it is big and full with lush and easy flavors. If you like your Bourbons rich and pretty this bottling is for you. It is a pleasure to drink alone and makes great cocktails.

Andrew Stevens | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 03, 2017

This is the big, beautiful rich wheated bourbon that people actually want to drink even if it doesn’t have the glamour of being impossible to find. Maker’s Mark has consistently put out a smooth, wheated whiskey for years and that level of expertise is evident and put on display in all of its glory in this cask strength edition. By keeping the staves entirely American Oak David allows the Maker’s Mark 46 to become fully what it should be. Sweet, rich, spicy and so delightfully sippable that even at cask strength I was drinking it sans water last night. It will not last long and it is completely worth owning.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 02, 2017

Customers often ask me what I mean when I say that cask strength whisky just amps up the flavors making it more punchy and intense. This is the perfect time to find out what higher proof bottling is all about. This exquisite cask of Maker’s 46 has been amped up in more ways than one. In addition to getting the extra intensity from the full octane proof, you’ve also got American Oak gone wild here. Loads of vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and burnt sugar dance around the richness bestowed by the wheat. It’s rich, lush, and more than a little sexy. A dissertation on American Oak and Wheat Bourbon – top marks.

Alex Schroeder | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 02, 2017

The name Makers Mark is a synonym for smooth, rich, illustrious bourbon; my go-to safe bet when I need it. Imagine my delight when I heard we had created our own blend of the ultra-premium Makers 46. The richness and depth are stunning. Molasses, caramel, toast, clove, cinnamon and oak all vie for the spotlight on the palate, resulting in a powerful but balanced bourbon that is silky and viscous on the palate. Please dont waste your time tracking down an impossible to get cult bourbon for hundreds of dollars before you try this gem.

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 02, 2017

It’s here and it’s everything we hoped it would be. Maker’s Mark at full proof is, in my humble opinion, the best wheated Bourbon that doesn’t have the word “Pappy” in the name, and with this custom stave recipe we’ve dialed up the American oak to near decadent levels. Imagine soaking seasoned American oak staves in a Bourbon barrel like a tea bag and letting that whiskey soak up that additional vanilla and wood for an additional few months. That’s what happened here. Imagine Maker’s Mark at 110 proof with additional oak and that’s this Bourbon in a nutshell. It’s a big, fat, creamy, spicy, sweet whiskey that scratches all your wheated Bourbon itches. Man, is it good.

Single Malt Saturday – Two Tastings on March 11th!

Saturday March 11th 11AM-12PM:
Glen Grant with Master Distiller Dennis Malcolm

Come by this Saturday for a tasting of legendary Speyside distillery Glen Grant, presented by master distiller Dennis Malcolm!  For the past 50 years Dennis Malcolm has dedicated his life to maintaining the quality and integrity of Glen Grant, beginning as an apprentice cooper when he was just 15 years old. As Glen Grant’s current master distiller, Malcolm was responsible for the creation of the distillery’s new 12-year-old and 18-year-old expressions, as well as a non-chill-filtered 12-year-old. His accomplishments within the whisky industry have netted numerous awards, the most recent being an OBE on the Queen’s 90th birthday. Come by to have your Glen Grant bottle signed, or just to enjoy a dram.

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MARCH OUTTURN

Introducing our new look bottle…March Outturn brings a colourful explosion of flavour with 18 vibrant single casks to taste and explore.

ADVENTURE SEEKERS

For those seeking an adventure in a glass, look no further than 29.209. With complex flavours (fish, fennel, shrimp, oak, vanilla, oven-roasted parsnips and chocolate cake, infused with peat-smoke, herbal medicines and volcanic ash) this dram is an explosive journey.

Read the full outturn on line

OUTTURN

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

Ralfy eventually gets round to reviewing an over-processed official bottling with Ralfy Review 631 – Dalmore 15yo malt scotch @ 40%vol

SAZERAC NEARS COMPLETION OF THE OLD MONTREAL DISTILLERY 

MONTREAL (Feb. 28, 2017) Canadian whisky will soon be made in Montreal again. The Sazerac Company’s Old Montreal Distillery is nearing completion of its whisky distillation capability with plans to begin distillation of super-premium Canadian Whisky in the fall of 2017.

Currently the Distillery has long had the capacity to distill spirits, including award winning Genever gin, but has recently added a 4,000 gallon mash cooker, converted some existing equipment, and is in the process of having a 18 foot still built by Vendome in Louisville, Ky, all to prepare for making super-premium Canadian whisky.  The Distillery will also have the capacity to experiment with new whiskies, much like it does at its other distilleries.

“We’re excited to expand our distilling operations in Montreal and bring back Canadian whisky making to a city steeped in distilling history, not least of all as the headquarters of the legendary Seagram Company and its patriarch Sam Bronfman,” said Sazerac President and Chief Executive Officer Mark Brown. “We have wanted to undertake this project since we purchased the Old Montreal Distillery six years ago and it is very nice to be able to now make it a reality.”

Barrel storage will be mostly on-site, with the possibility of using other facilities in the future. A formal christening of the still will be held sometime in 2018, and it is likely tours will be added sometime after.

The Old Montreal Distillery, located in the downtown area adjacent to the Port and Old Montreal, dates back to 1929.  It currently employs over 100 people. The addition of the new distilling operation will add more full time employees. Caribou Crossing, the world’s first single barrel Canadian whisky, is bottled at the Old Montreal Distillery, along with many other long time favorites.

About the Sazerac Company

         Sazerac is one of America’s oldest family owned, privately held distillers with operations in Louisiana, Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, Maine, New Hampshire, Maryland, California, United Kingdom, France, Australia and Canada. For more information on Sazerac, please visit http://www.sazerac.com/.

Boom!  March Outturn brings a colourful explosion of flavour in seven new whiskies to taste and explore.

CASK No. 54.40  CAREFREE ENTERTAINMENT

9 years old; 1st fill barrel; 59.8%; Juicy, oak & vanilla

The clean, refreshing nose has fruit bars, Starburst and lemon candies with hints of pencil shavings; turning more tropical with water. The palate offers tinned fruit cocktail, fruit candies, crème de cassis, waxy fruits and banana chips – satisfying and cockle-warming.

CASK No. 35.165  VARIETY – THE SPICE OF LIFE

13 years old; 1st fill Chenin Blanc hogshead; 52.9%; Spicy & sweet

Plenty of spice; caraway, fennel, aniseed and paprika plus aromas of tobacco and cinnamon made this a versatile nose neat. That variety was also present on the palate. Water turned it more herbal; how about a Hanky-Panky cocktail and fig rolls?

CASK No. 121.81  INTENSE, LIVELY AND DELICIOUS

15 years old; refill hogshead; 55.2%; Spicy & sweet

The nose is extremely attractive – honey, Belgian waffles, Haribos, roses, toasted marshmallows, rhubarb crumble and a spice cupboard. The palate is lip-smacking, intense, lively and delicious – cinnamon Danish pastries, roasted chestnuts, cherry, jasmine, rum and raisin and chocolate.

CASK No. 46.42  YUMMY SCRUMMY

13 years old; refill butt; 58.3%; Spicy & dry

We opened a paper bag of warm mini doughnuts filled with strawberry jam and quince jelly. On the palate; big and boisterous like dark Jamaican gingerbread. Water added candied pineapple slices and dessert trays with a cup of Earl Grey tea.

CASK No. 29.172  SMOKED BEER

20 years old; refill barrel; 58.2%; Lightly peated

Sweet and yeasty aromas from a cool Rauchbier or a malty hot chocolate. To taste a hot dog in a bun, spicy mustard and sweet pickled relish. With a drop of water we moved to the seaside enjoying sweet ‘n’ salted popcorn.

CASK No. 3.251  ENGINEER’S WORKBENCH IN A BOATYARD

17 years old; refill sherry butt; 55.4%; Lightly peated

The nose offers toffee, golden syrup and marzipan sweetness, roast duck with plum sauce and an engineer’s workbench in a boatyard. The palate has burnt sticks, over-done fruit cake, sticky toffee pudding, butterscotch, chocolate orange and hints of soot and ash.

Cask No. 42.20  YOUNG, MUSCULAR AND UNTAMED

10 years old; refill barrel; 61.9%; Heavily peated

It smells smoky, sooty, tarry – new-laid roads, oyster shells, peat-smoke in maltings, crispy bacon, waxed jackets, antiseptic and TCP. The taste balances caramel, toasted marshmallow and banana sweetness with burnt sticks, cough mixture, Mescal, liquorice, tar and nutty smoke.

SMWS Canada

On April Fool’s Day, oome support PS I Love You’s “Love4Life” initiative that provides social and emotional learning programs for at-risk youth.  For the first time in years, PS I Love You Foundation is hosting an We cherish your involvement and truly hope you will support our amazing team for Annual Event on April, 1, 2017 at 6:30pm at Manhattan Beach Country Club called Whisky, Wine and a Splash of Love 

Here is the program it supports: http://www.psiloveyoufoundation.com/love4life/ 

At Whisky, Wine, and a Splash of Love, you can expect exceptional pourings from The Dalmore, Koval, Buffalo Trace Distillery, The Macallan and more. Wine tastings include a selection of fine Italian varietals curated from Northeast Italy’s famous wine regions of Abruzzo and Veneto. The evening will include testimonials from community and educational leaders, passed heavy hors d’oeuvres, great music and a silent auction. A cash bar will also be available for donors who favor spirits other than whisky and wine. The Splash of Love is YOU and anyone you feel is as kind, loving and respected as you are. Our goal is to gather like-minded heart-felt people, bring awareness to our Social and Emotional  Learning (SEL) Programs, raise funds and have fun! 

There are 2 types of tickets:  VIP Limited Tickets for $150 starting at 6pm with premium pours and connection with civic leaders and there are Main Entrance Tickets for $100 starting at 6:30pm.  Attached is a flyer for the event and below is a link for ticket info:   https://whiskywine2017.eventbright.com/. 

www.PSILoveYouFoundation.org

Clynelish 20 Year Old 1996

Missed out last time? If you missed the chance to pick up a bottle of this fabulous sherry matured Clynelish from Signatory we have some good news! We’ve just received another delivery but we don’t expect it to last long… Clynelish Distillery is a malt whiskey distillery situated at Brora on the Sutherland coast in the Highland whiskey region. The original Clynelish Distillery was founded in 1819 for the Sutherland Estate and re-placed by the new and adjacent distillery in 1967. The new distillery has been enlarged in recent years to include six stills and is now a major contributor to the Johnnie Walker range of blended Scotch. Clynelish 12 Year Old and Distillers Edition are Classic Malts of Scotland.

£55.46

Heeeeeeey you guys!!! I’m so excited for this video! Not only does it involve one of my favourite distilleries, but also involves one of my favourite whiskies, Stagg Jr. As the name would suggest, it’s the baby brother of the, George T. Stagg bottling. This one is a little younger but is still the rough cut Kentucky cowboy that wrangles herds of animals in the day and then dons a bottle of whisky with dinner, a true statement of intent if there ever was one in whisky. Bottled at 66.05%, uncut and unfiltered, it is a truly immersive product that folds you into the ideas of how amazing Bourbon really can be, or be it in it’s most extreme form. Enjoy! 

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