Don’t miss out on your favourite feelgood flavours this October Outturn, order now before these single casks are gone forever. These hand-picked recommendations are still available online.

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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

New Single Barrel of Auchroisk 23 Year

While our previous cask of Auchroisk 15 year was a hot deal while it lasted, this advanced and equally brilliant 23 year old edition may have it beat. Absolutely brimming with sweet stone fruit, rock sugar candy, and syrup, this barrel of 53.3% cask strength single malt whisky from Diageo’s Highland distillery brings yet another bang for your buck under the guise of Old Particular. The nose has all the classic aromas of malted barley, vanilla, and oak spices, but it’s the initial blast on the palate where this whisky ultimately shines. Rich and robust on the finish, it’s a classic Scottish malt through and through and the unbeatable price reflects our continued effort to combat the current market forces with affordable, mature, and exciting whiskies straight from the source. If you’re a fan of straight-up single malt, not saturated sherry or super peaty whiskies, but old school, fruit and vanilla-laden Scotch with a rich and supple mouthfeel, then it doesn’t get better than this Auchroisk 23. The Johnnie Walker distillery makes classically flavored whiskies much like its neighbor Benrinnes, loaded with cocktail fruit, sweetness and charm. Any time I can nab a single barrel of 23 year old Highland whisky of this quality (at cask strength, no less) for under $100, I’m going to take that offer. I’m expecting about 200 experienced K&L whisky customers to do the exact same thing.

1994 Auchroisk 23 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml) – $89.99

BENROMACH UNVEILS LIMITED EDITION 1977 VINTAGE 

The Benromach Distillery Company Ltd has announced the release of an exceptional single cask vintage. Only 225 bottles of Benromach 1977 will be available worldwide. The release of this product builds on the success of previous vintage releases from the 1970’s.

Quietly maturing for 39 years in a single Refill American Hogshead, Benromach 1977 (ABV 56.0%) is a deliciously smooth and sweet dram with vibrant notes of ripe banana and luscious passion fruit. Citrus undertones and dried tobacco mingle with toasted oak leading to a fresh menthol finish.

This exquisite dram, from cask number 1268, is presented in an evocative decanter-style bottle, inspired by the curving shapes and silky textures of the distillery’s gleaming copper stills. The bottle nestles inside a rich, dark oak wooden box, reminiscent of the wood used in the original distillery washbacks.  A beautifully written, hardback book accompanies the whisky, which delves into the history of the distillery and the personalities who handcraft the whisky using time honoured techniques passed down for generations.

David King, Director at Benromach said: “Almost four decades have passed since cask 1268 was laid down to quietly mature in the traditional dunnage warehouses that surround Benromach Distillery. While this beautiful whisky drew its incredible depth, character and luxurious flavours from the wood, all around the cask, the distillery was evolving and changing. After it closed in 1983, the distillery lay silent for more than 15 years before it was revived by the Urquhart family.

“These carefully selected casks give Benromach lovers around the world the chance to own and taste a moment in time from the distillery’s rich history. We’ve been sampling this cask over the years and feel only now that it is ready to be unveiled.”

The Benromach 1977 is available worldwide from the 4^th of October 2017, with an RRP of €1,500. Prices in local markets will vary depending on local taxes and duty.

For more information on Benromach, and to explore the wide range of expressions available, please visit www.benromach.com/.

Notes

Benromach Distillery

Originally built in 1898, Benromach Distillery was brought back to life when the Urquhart family realised a lifelong dream to own a distillery and purchased it in 1993. The distillery was extensively re-equipped over a five-year period before it was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles in 1998.

In reopening Benromach Distillery, the Urquhart family decided to create a classic Speyside single malt – a style that draws its influence from Speyside whiskies pre-1960s.

Benromach Distillery is located on the outskirts of the ancient market town of Forres. 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.

Tasting Notes

Colour: A beautiful dark gold hue from 39 years spent lingering in a single Refill American Hogshead.

Nose: Enjoy the vibrant notes of sweet honey, apricot conserve, orange zest and butterscotch, mingling with developing hints of toasted oak and a delicate menthol edge.

Taste: Savour the sweetness leading to a touch of pepper on the tongue followed by notes of ripe banana and luscious passion fruit. Citrus undertones and dried tobacco mingle with toasted oak leading to a fresh menthol finish.

Nose with water: Subtle coconut and exotic fruits combine with ginger and lime aromas.

Taste with water: A smooth sweetness emerges with warm bursts of white pepper and overtones of pear, kiwi and lime, followed by dried tobacco and a trace of toasted oak on the finish.

Tamdhu Unveils Limited Edition ‘Lantern’ Tin

Tamdhu Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky has released a special edition lantern-shaped whisky gift tin, inspired by its 1897 Victorian roots.

The limited edition Tamdhu 10 Year Old Lantern tins are designed to showcase the distinctive and elegant Tamdhu bottle shape.

Iain Weir, Tamdhu Brand Director, commented: 

“The new gift tins are a tribute to the Distillery’s 120 year history, and are inspired by the Victorian lanterns which would have been common in 1897 when Tamdhu was founded.  

“The lantern design perfectly presents the beautiful shape of the Tamdhu bottle, and the natural colour of the exclusively sherry oak matured malt whisky inside.  

“It’s the perfect present for lovers of good whisky, and we believe they’ll be a very popular gifting option for Tamdhu fans this Christmas.”

The classic 10 Year Old is the signature malt from Tamdhu with a wondrous natural colour, and the softness of vanilla and sugared almonds on the nose balanced by fresh oak and cinnamon. Bursting with fruit and spice, which gently yields to toffee, there is a richness of sherry oak on the palate with a gentle hint of peat smoke.

Tamdhu has received a string of awards in recent months, including a Gold Award for Tamdhu 10 Year Old at the International Sprits Challenge 2017.

The limited edition Lantern tins will be available online at Tamdhu.com, globally and at a range of high-end UK retailers including Waitrose, Booths and Oddbins, with an RRP of £38.49. After use, a battery-operated tea-light can be placed inside the gift tins.

Tamdhu is owned by one of Scotland’s leading, independent family-owned distillers, Ian Macleod Distillers. Tamdhu was born on the banks of the River Spey in 1897 – an era when anything seemed possible. When obstacles were there to be overcome, an age of the Can-Dhu- Spirit. Its quality is defined by the hint of peat in its malted barley, the natural Speyside water that is drawn directly from the Tamdhu spring and the 100% exclusive use of only the finest sherry oak casks.

www.tamdhu.com

Secret Spirits is amongst the 5 finalists vying for the Chamber of Commerce Small Business week Innovation award. This award acknowledges outstanding innovation and is typically awarded to companies that forever change the landscape of their industries.

With their Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar and Rum’s Revenge Treasure Chest, Secret Spirits is changing the way spirit lovers enjoy their favourite drink paving a new category in the adult beverage industry.

The awards night is the 19th October and Secret Spirits is proud to be amongst the other 5 top innovative companies in Alberta. Gabriella’s Kitchen, Anyquip Inc, Jobjar and Hifi Engineering Inc.

For more info on Secret Spirits products go to secretspirits.com

The 2017 Compass Box “Single Double”

At Whiskyfest last week we had the good fortune to meet up with John Glaser of Compass Box and in the snagged a few more bottles of the 2017 version of “The Single Double.” A blend of a single malt from the Glen Elgin distillery and a single grain from Girvan, it masterfully combines decadance with refinement. For fans of Compass Box, this is one whisky you won’t want to miss.

Compass Box “2017 The Double Single” Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) – $159.99

Saturday, October 21st, 12-3PM:

Compass Box

Start your weekend with a whisky tasting, courtesy of the award-winning Compass Box Distillery! Lavishing care on both their whiskies and the bottles they’re presented in, Compass Box is well known for the quality of their drams, as well as their dedication to transparency.

Click Here to RSVP 

Trip to Islay – Part 1 of 4

by Mark Dermul

End of September 2017 my wife Sofie and two friends (Niek & Ilse) joined me for trip to Islay, that mythical whisky island on the west coast of Scotland. It will be a trip long remembered. Therefor, I gladly share it with you.

Now… planning a trip to Islay is one thing. Actually getting there is quite something else. It took a drive from Ghent (Belgium) to Amsterdam airport, a flight to Glasgow, a two-and-a-half hour drive through scenic Scotland to the Kennacraig ferry port and a one-hour trip by boat to reach the Queen of the Hebrides. But so worth it…

During our first night in Glasgow, we visited the well-known pub The Bon Accord where we treated ourselves to some lovely malts, such as the Port Ellen 7th Release and the Ardbeg 30 years old. Just to get in the mood, you know?

When we arrived the next day, our first distillery visit was to the oldest distillery on the island: Bowmore.

While we were very well received and got a private tour (as we arrived just in time for the final tour), we were somewhat disappointed with the fact that we were not allowed to film inside the distillery. We had to make do with photos. Which we did.

Having said that/, we were treated to a very informative tour and got a lovely Bowmore 17 Year Old 1999 Warehousemen’s Selection in the visitor center afterward.

The next day, after visiting the historical site of the Kildalton Cross, we spent half a day visiting the three distilleries on the south shore: Laphroaig, Lagavulin & Ardbeg.

The Laphroaig tour, that lasted a little over an hour, ended with four lovely drams. We even got a peak at HRH Prince Charles’ cask from 1978. No touching, though! It was well protected behind bars.

The Lagavulin distillery – again no photos allowed, unfortunately – lies hidden in a dramatic bay. The wind was fierce and the sea wild, adding to the impressive scenery. But we were welcomed to warm up in the visitor center with a few drams, including the Feis Ile 2017 and Jazz 2016 editions. The cold soon left our bones.

But so much whisky while it was not even lunchtime! So we walked over to the Old Kiln Café at the Ardbeg distillery where we had a lovely meal and tried the new Ardbeg Kelpie and Arbeg An Oa.

Ardbeg has quite a bit of a cult following and it shows. There has clearly been a lot of money invested in the distillery grounds and the visitor center. Everything had a museum quality to it. But all was spic and span. No cobwebs here… and to us, it was lovely, but just a tad too… artificial? Maybe that’s not the right word, but I’m sure you know what I mean.

After lunch, we travelled back to Kilnaugthon bay. We wanted to check out what was left of the legendary Port Ellen distillery, that has been closed to 1983.

to be continued… (Part 2 will be published October 22nd)

R&B Distillers is delighted to announce that Borders Highland Single Grain whisky has been awarded a gold medal at the Scottish Field Reader’s Panel Whisky Challenge. The young whisky was placed ahead of Sanaig from Kilchoman Distillery and is now in the runnings for Whisky Of The Year’ at the Scottish Field Grand Final.

Scottish Field Magazine invited ten of their readers – from whisky novices to whisky buffs – to put their tastebuds to the test and blind taste 59 of Scotland’s finest drams.  With prices ranging from £11-£900 and hailing from across all Scottish regions, the panel whittled down whiskies to the top three which will go through to the Grand Final. Borders is now in with a chance of being crowned ‘Whisky Of The Year’ by Scottish Field’s expert judges.

The panel of 10 readers were asked to write tasting notes and score the whiskies, with the top 20 whiskies going through to the next round in the afternoon. Borders was described as ‘a lovely Scottish blend’ and ‘long and complex with notes of fruitcake on the palate’ by the tasting panel.

An uncommon composition, Borders the only single grain Scotch Whisky to contain 50% wheat & 50% malted barley from one highland distillery, matured in a combination of Bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks to represent the style of R&B Distillers’ future Borders distilling. R&B Distillers’ Alasdair Day’s great-grandfather blended whisky in the Coldstream and now, over 150 years since the last distillery in the Scottish Borders, R&B Distillers plan to reinstate whisky in this forgotten region In November 2016 Borders was awards its first international award – a bronze medal in the HKIWSC.

Brown-Forman Makes Commitment to Barrel Making with Investment; Modernization of Facility Requires Reduced Workforce in 2019

LOUISVILLE, KY, September 14, 2017 – Brown-Forman Corporation announced today that it will invest $45 million in the Brown-Forman Cooperage in Louisville, Kentucky. The investment will modernize the Cooperage, reduce operating cost by improving efficiency, and allow the continued production of high quality barrels in Louisville.

The new equipment will be focused in the Heading and Staving departments and necessitate the elimination of 70 hourly positions once fully implemented in early 2019. The Cooperage will continue to employ approximately 205 individuals. All impacted employees, determined by the current UAW contract, will be offered a variety of transitional assistance.

“As the only distilling company to craft its own barrels, making this investment will help ensure the long-term viability of our Cooperage in Louisville, reduce injuries, and preserve our unique competitive advantage of barrel-making,” said Alex Alvarez, chief production officer, Brown-Forman. “While the improvements will result in the loss of some hourly positions, we believe this will strengthen the long-term viability of the Cooperage in Louisville.”

Brown-Forman began bottling bourbon nearly 150 years ago and recognized the important role of the barrel and the impact wood has on bourbon. Based on this vision, Brown-Forman established its own cooperage in 1945, resulting in more than 70 years of raising barrels and honing the craft of using wood to impart unique flavour characteristics to bourbon.

“We believe that barrels are more than a container for our whiskey, they’re an important ingredient,” said Alvarez. “We’re proud to continue making these barrels at the Brown-Forman Cooperage.”

The Cooperage will remain open during the construction phase with an expected completion date of early 2019.

Brown-Forman Cooperage crafts more than 2,500 barrels per day for the aging of spirits such as Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Early Times, Canadian Mist, el Jimador, and Herradura. It is located on MacLean Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky. Brown-Forman also has a cooperage in Decatur, Alabama, where it makes barrels for Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey.

For nearly 150 years, Brown-Forman Corporation has enriched the experience of life by responsibly building fine quality beverage alcohol brands, including Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s & Cola, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Fire, Gentleman Jack, Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel, Finlandia, Korbel, el Jimador, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Canadian Mist, Herradura, New Mix, Sonoma-Cutrer, Early Times, Chambord, BenRiach, GlenDronach and Slane. Brown-Forman’s brands are supported by over 4,700 employees and sold in more than 165 countries worldwide. For more information about the company, please visit http://www.brown-forman.com/.