New Bottle Your Own Cask – the perfect Christmas Gift?

The Famous Grouse Experience has announced that its latest limited edition Bottle Your Own Cask is to be named after one of its famous feline residents: Glen. The Bottle Your Own series is hand-picked as an exceptional cask from the Glenturret Distillery. These are extremely collectable editions and the bottles from these hand selected casks are only available to purchase at The Glenturret Distillery Shop.

Read the full story here

Christmas Whisky Hampers

Our distillery shop is full of gifts for the festive season. Why not come along and browse our unique selection of Festive Hampers in store now? The Famous Festive Hamper comes with an assortment of Famous Grouse goodies including a personalised Famous Grouse bottle with your own choice of message. Our Glenturret Hamper is also available plus customers can make up their own hampers from a wide selection of gifts from our Famous Shop.

Tasting Experience

If you are looking for something to do this Festive Season why not visit the distillery and enjoy one of our Tasting Experiences? After a tour of our hand crafted distillery, where we will take you through the traditional art of making our Glenturret single malt whisky you can choose between our Famous and Finest whisky tastings. These bespoke tours offer a unique insight into the wonderful world of Scotch whisky and will be sure to delight you this festive season with a few warming drams! You can book your tour here

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 187: Auchentoshan Solera 

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries the Auchentoshan Solera. Introduced in 2012 in the duty free range, the Auchentoshan Solera is a triple distilled Lowlander that cannot hide its Pedro Ximenez sherry cask finish. It offers up a nose and palate that exhibits an incredible complexity, making this liquid dessert the near perfect dram.

https://youtu.be/O203fHJiS5w

Gordon Macphail Connoisseur’s Choice Caol Ila 2004

We are big fans of Caol Ila at KWM. To quote my friend Kelly Carpenter, a great friend of the store, Caol Ila “is one of the most consistently good Scotch whiskies”. Any opportunity to feature the distillery and its whisky in the KWM Whisky Advent Calendar is a welcome one. We didn’t have a Caol Ila last year, but we did feature a Caol ila from Gordon Macphail in the 2015 edition on Day 18.

Our Day 5 whisky, like that from 2 years ago, is a Gordon Macphail Connoisseurs Choice Caol Ila. In this case a 2004 vintage. Unlike most independent bottlers, Gordon Macphail fills their own casks, rather than simply acquiring them on the open market. The family firm, now in its 4^th generation has a wood policy that is among the best of any whisky firm in Scotland. In the last two years we have selected and bottled 4 Kensington Wine Market exclusive casks of Caol Ila from G&M. Every time they send us a flight of samples to select a cask, we struggle to select just one…

Caol Ila is Scots Gaelic for the “Sound of Islay”, the body of water separating Islay from Jura. Caol Ila, the largest of Islay’s eight operating distilleries has spectacular view of the Sound and the island beyond. But even though the view from the still room is second to no other in Scotland, Caol Ila has been modernized and expanded so many times that it is without question the island’s least interesting distillery to tour. Established in 1842 the distillery changed hands many times over the following century until it was acquired by Distillers Company Limited, one of the forbearers of industry giant Diageo, in 1927. The distillery has run ever since, with but three short breaks, including the War years, 1942 to 1945 due to wartime barley restrictions. It was also closed between 1972-4 and 2011-2, in both cases for major upgrades to add capacity.

As with past editions of the Kensington Wine Market Whisky Advent Calendar, Gordon Macphail whiskies will be featured on a number of occasions this year. We will dig more into their history in the posts ahead. For this post we will simply say that they have a well-deserved reputation for the quality of their whisky and their unrivaled depth of maturing stocks of Scotch whisky. No one has bottled older whiskies than the 75 year old and three 70 year olds that the firm has released in the last 5 years.

About the Connoisseurs Choice line (Courtesy Gordon Macphail): “In the 1960s George Urquhart, one of the first of four generations of the Urquhart family to shape the future of Gordon & MacPhail, pioneered a range of single malt Scotch whiskies, which he selected, matured, and bottled. In doing so, he effectively invented a category in a market previously focused entirely on blended whiskies. The ‘Connoisseurs Choice’ range broke innovative new ground, giving a platform to many of Scotland’s single malt distilleries from across all regions, some of which had never before been bottled as a single malt. Over the past five decades, we have maintained our belief that every distillery has a personality of its own. The collection of whiskies in the ‘Connoisseurs Choice’ range is constantly evolving, aiming always to highlight the unique characteristics of the individual distilleries.”

We love the fact that the Connoisseurs Choice range is bottled at 46% without added colouring. While this 2004 Caol Ila is not presently available in the market, Kensington Wine Market has a pair of store exclusive Caol Ila casks available at the time of writing. There is G&M Caol Ila 2007 KWM Cask, a 10 year old Refill Ex-Bourbon cask bottled at 58.6%, $122; and the 14 year old G&M Caol Ila 2002 KWM Cask, bottled at 52.5% from a First Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel, $145.

Connoisseur’s Choice Caol Ila 2004 – 46% – First & 2^nd Fill Ex-Bourbon – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: classic young Caol Ila, sweet, meaty and malty with a whiff of smoke; juicy orange and melon, chewy bacon dipped in maple syrup and vanilla icing. Palate: creamy, round, coating and malty; wow, layered, it creeps up on you; scallops cooked in butter and more chewy bacon dipped in maple syrup with a side of orange juice; we can’t completely ignore the savoury smoke, it is there but hidden under the more decadent tones. Finish: the smoke is more assertive on the finish as the sweet syrup and punchy orange notes pull back; still creamy and malty. Comment: damn this is great Caol Ila, but we didn’t bring it in because of our aforementioned casks… we’ll have to rectify that! – $TBA

BOWMORE® ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY RELEASES

BOWMORE® 1966 50 YEARS OLD

FROM ONE OF THE WORLD’S OLDEST SCOTCH MATURATION WAREHOUSES 

The Third Edition From The Bowmore®

50 Years Old VAULT LEGENDS COLLECTION Debuts As The Rarest Expression Yet

Islay, Scotland (November 28, 2017) –  Bowmore® Islay Single Malt Whisky, the oldest licensed distillery on Scotland’s isle of Islay, announces the global release of BOWMORE® 1966 50 YEARS OLD, a rare and refined whisky from a golden year in Bowmore’s heritage. Only one cask of this remarkable spirit was set aside in 1966 – the same year that Bowmore Single Malt Scotch was first officially bottled. It has spent 50 years aging in Bowmore’s No. 1 Vaults, one of the world’s oldest Scotch maturation warehouses. Only 74 bottles of this rare whisky have been produced for the world and this December, a portion of those will be available in the U.S. It is the third edition in the Bowmore 50 Years Old VAULT LEGENDS COLLECTION with a suggested retail price of $30,000 (750ml/41.5% ABV).

Bowmore 1966 50 Years Old celebrates a unique year for the Islay distillery. It was distilled in 1966 – the same year that Bowmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky was first officially bottled and this cask gem was nurtured over the years by legendary Bowmore Distillery Manager Eddie MacAffer, who joined Bowmore distillery that very same year.

David Turner, Bowmore Distillery Manager, comments: “To this day Eddie MacAffer is renowned at the Bowmore distillery for his passion and knowledge, which he so proudly showcased throughout his 50 years at the distillery. I am honored to celebrate such a pivotal year in Bowmore’s history and launch this incredible whisky, which was not only nurtured by Eddie himself but also created the very year Eddie joined us. The Bowmore 1966 50 Years Old demonstrates the rewards of our meticulous aging process and proves the unparalleled quality of the whiskies coming from our passionate and dedicated distillery team. This single malt whisky is set to be treasured among Bowmore fans and will undoubtedly build upon Bowmore’s legendary collectors status.”

This remarkably rare limited edition bottling has, over its 50-year maturation in the No. 1 Vaults, unlocked the exotic fruit tastes distinctive of 1960s Bowmore whiskies that have been savored by connoisseurs worldwide and are renowned in some of the most collectible Bowmore expressions.

Bowmore 1966 50 Years Old is the third expression to debut from the Bowmore 50 Year Old VAULT LEGENDS COLLECTION, a series honoring the rare single malts that were first distilled and began aging in the No. 1 Vaults during the 1960s, an era known for producing some of Bowmore’s most collectible bottlings. Bowmore 1961 50 Years Old was introduced in December 2016 in the U.S. and Black Bowmore 1964 50 Years Old was introduced in June 2017 in the U.S., and demand for both has been extraordinary. 

THE 1966 BOWMORE BOTTLE AND WOOD CASE

Sitting at the pinnacle of Bowmore’s portfolio, Bowmore 1966 50 Years Old is presented in a handmade crystal decanter boasting sterling silver adornments and is housed in a hand crafted cabinet made from quality Scottish oak. At the center of the each cabinet lies five hand laid silver tree rings depicting the five decades of the rare vintage’s maturation. The characterful nature of the Scottish oak means each individual bottling will be entirely unique with no two bottles being the same, echoing the rare and unique features of the Bowmore 1966 50 Years Old.

TASTING NOTES

This exceptional expression has been aged for 50 years in a single ex-bourbon hogshead cask, developing a complex flavor and beautiful golden amber hue. On the nose, Bowmore 1966 50 Years Old offers elegant bursts of lychee, pineapple, and watermelon, developing into light floral notes and a dry finish on the palate. It is perfectly balanced with a silky whisper of smooth syrup. 

ABOUT BOWMORE®

Founded in 1779, Bowmore is the oldest licensed distillery on Islay, one of the Scottish isles which make up the region known as the ‘Islands’ in the lexicon of Whisky. The other regions are the Highlands, Speyside and the Lowlands. Islay malts are famous for their characteristic smokiness and Bowmore is no exception; the malt is carefully smoked in a peat-fired kiln, using skills handed down from generation to generation to craft a perfectly balanced Single Malt.

Bowmore adheres to traditional production methods which helps to shape the character of its single malts. Today, it prides itself as one of the rare distilleries which still produces its own floor malted barley, hand-turned by a traditional wooden malt shovel and hand drawn machinery. Water for the whiskies is specially drawn from the Laggan River, with its peaty overtones, the same Islay peat that fires the malt-drying kiln.

Bowmore Distillery’s proximity to the sea is also vital in determining the final character of its spirit. The legendary Bowmore No. 1 Vaults, one of the world’s oldest Scotch maturation warehouses, is where some of the whiskies spend their long lives resting quietly in the cool, dark, damp cellars below sea level, oblivious to the waves thrashing the vault’s sea-facing wall. They mature in oak casks, previously used for bourbon and sherry, gradually developing rich and mellow flavors. It is this combination of peat, barley, sea breeze, water, wood, people and tradition that together create the perfectly balanced warm and smoky character of Bowmore Single Malt Scotch Whiskies.

Bowmore domestic product range: Bowmore 12 Years Old, 15 Years Old, 18 Years Old and 25 Years Old.

http://www.bowmore.com/; Facebook | Twitter | Instagram: BOWMORE 

About Beam Suntory Inc.

As the world’s third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits Brands that Stir the World.  Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon brands and Suntory whisky Kakubin, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek bourbon, Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher’s, Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Hornitos and Sauza tequila, EFFEN and Pinnacle vodka, Sipsmith gin, and Midori liqueur.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and commitment to Growing for Good.  Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan.  For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.

New Releases

The striding man is back with some fantastic limited editions from Johnnie Walker Blue Label – from the Ghost & Rare series featuring incredibly rare whisky from closed distilleries to the Year of the Dog edition celebrating Chinese New Year, each one is only available while stocks last!

Next day UK delivery available International Shipping

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost & Rare: Special Release with Brora & Rare

The Johnnie Walker Blue Label reserves contain a small number of very precious casks from Ghost Distilleries – iconic stills that have ceased production. Master Blender Jim Beveridge has hand-selected some of the most interesting parcels from this library of liquids, skilfully marrying them together to create an extraordinary blend.

With a highly limited release worldwide, this first special editon is Brora & Rare, an 8 whisky Blue Label blend with single malt from the now silent Brora at its heart. Bottled at the higher strength of 46% abv.

Featuring rare expressions from the operational distilleries of Royal Lochnagar, Clynelish, Glenkinchie, Glenlossie and Cameronbridge, this blended Scotch is smooth with the fruity sweetness of pineapple, rich notes of hazelnut and dark chocolate, and a subtle smoky finish.

£219.99 Pre-Order Now

Orders will be dispatched w/c 4th December

Highland Park The Dark

This 17 year old limited edition from Orkney’s Highland Park distillery has been created in honour of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, celebrated each December on the island. Matured in European oak sherry-seasoned casks and presented at a cask strength of 52.9% abv, only 28,000 bottles have been produced.

£190 Pre-Order Now

Orders will be dispatched week beginning 4th December

Ralfy overcomes a major blooper and carries on with Ralfy Review 701 – Antiquary 35yo Blended Scotch @ 46% vol:

Whisky Advent 2017 Day 4 – Gretzky Red Cask Whisky

Like many other experts in the liquor business, it is fair to say that at best we are suspicious of celebrity endorsed products. We don’t care whether David Beckham, George Clooney or Drake actually owns or rents their celebrity to promote a product, we are only concerned with one question, is it good? Entering into that fray is the Wayne Gretzky Red Cask Canadian whisky. Kensington Wine Market 2017 Whisky Advent’s Day 4 offering.

Full disclosure, we hadn’t originally intended to include this whisky in our Calendar, but another planned product fell through with very little notice. After carefully considering the limited other options available we settled on the Wayne Gretzky 99 Red Cask Whisky. Beginning with very low expectations were more than a little surprised by it when it launched a year. If we have but one regret, it is that 50mls of the whisky were filled into plastic bottles… why?

We will leave to the side the fact that Wayne Gretzky, “The Great One”, captained the mortal enemy of our beloved Calgary Flames. When the whisky first landed in Alberta we were curious, but also skeptical. It is fair to say our expectations, mine especially, were very low, especially considering they didn’t make the whisky themselves. There was a lot of excitement around the launch so we brought some in to the store, and opened a bottle to give it a try. In short the whisky it turned out was considerably better than expected. I was not blown away but for $42 (when it launched) it was pretty good.

The origins of this whisky and its exact nature are curious to say the least. Although the Gretzky name has been hawking wine for many years now, the release of Gretzky 99 Red Cask Whisky caught us completely by surprise. The official description is that it is made from local grains distilled individually before blending and finishing in ex-red wine casks from the Gretzky Estate Winery. Some online sites suggest that it is composed of rye, corn and malted barley.

It will be a few years until the Gretzky Estates Winery and Distillery have whisky of their own to bottle. Ground was only broken on the facility in 2015, and its grand opening was just a few months ago. They have hired a Heriot Watt trained distiller with industry experience in Europe and Canada.

Wayne Gretzky 99 Red Cask Whisky – 40% – Blended Canadian Whisky from a Mixed Mashbill – Matured in Ex-Bourbon and Finished in Red Wine Barrels – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: very fruity, spicy and earthy; big orange (think toned down Grand Marnier), mixed berry compote and salted caramel; very rum-like, some earthy leather and wine tones. Palate: soft, fruity, light, and still very rum-like; gently spicy and earthy; double caramel pop-corn, more Grand Marnier (though not as sweet one the palate), mixed berry compote and salted caramel. Finish: medium-shorty, fruity and smooth; very balanced. Comment: clearly corn driven, the whisky has no rough edges; not mind-blowing, but it is very good especially for the price.” – $45 (750ml)

Stay tuned for Kensington Wine Market 2017 Whisky Advent Day 5!

New boiler is in the right spirit for Whisky Distillery 

A North East company has been crossing borders to help a drinks manufacturer fulfil its green energy ambitions, in the process adding another unique project to its diverse portfolio.

The newly-built Ncn’ean distillery is doing the traditional differently. From its remote base on the Morvern peninsular in the West Highlands, the company aims to produce whisky in a way that works in harmony with nature, and is believed to be the first wholly organic distillery in Scotland. Their barley is organic, they use their own spring water and the used grain feeds the farm cattle. It was vital that the means of powering this operation also fitted with Ncn’ean’s environmentally friendly ethos

Ncn’ean looked into their options and decided that a woodchip boiler would be ideal for their needs, offering a low carbon footprint, low running costs, and, being in a part of Scotland with plenty of commercial forestry, fuel could be easily transported, minimising both costs and pollution. But there was a catch. Founder of Ncn’ean Annabel Thomas explains that they needed something a little different from the norm.

“Unlike most UK biomass boilers, distilling is an industrial process which requires steam, not just hot water, so it was important to us that we found partners with the right expertise who could deliver a high-quality product that met our specific needs.”

Enter re:heat, Alnwick based biomass energy experts with years of experience in fitting renewable heating systems tailored to their clients’ individual requirements. Travelling to Scotland from his Northumberland base, director Neil Harrison was keen to understand the unique specifications of the unusual Ncn’ean project and the challenges that would be faced in the course of its completion.

Neil says;

“Providing a boiler that would produce steam as well as hot water was probably the easiest part of the brief for me. This is definitely one of the most beautiful locations I’ve worked in but its location also made things tricky in a variety of ways.

“The distillery is located at end of a 22 mile single track road on the Morvern Peninsula, not a situation that’s designed to assist in the delivery of a complex engineering project, and even more difficult to deal with than a project we completed on North Uist in the Outer Hebrides, which just shows how awkward access was and how much we had to account for this when carrying out the works.

“There was also no three-phase power on site, which is typically regarded as a minimum requirement for a large biomass boiler, so we had to find a way to work around that, as a problem could then potentially stop the distillery from operating.

“The solution came with an innovative ‘power reduction’ function. This monitors power consumption across the site, reducing boiler output (and therefore the electrical requirement of the fans and feed system) when it sees a peak in power demand. This ensures the distillery keeps running and producing whisky, essential in a location with a fragile electrical grid.”

All challenges were met and the 850kW woodchip boiler system has now successfully finished its commissioning and first period of operation, reliably providing low carbon, low cost steam for the distillery since January this year.

In addition to providing process steam, the boiler also heats the distillery office, visitor centre and toilet block, and one of the two whisky maturation sheds. It will save over 230 tonnes of CO2 each year compared to running its oil equivalent. It will require around 300 tonnes of woodchip annually, all of which is sourced from low grade and unmerchantable timber from the surrounding forestry on the estate, typically travelling no more than 5 miles from where it grows to where it is used. The gathering of fuel for the boiler makes an added contribution to the local rural economy and of course, the whole process supports Ncn’ean’s environmentally friendly philosophy.

Annabel Thomas says:

“All of our energy at Ncn’ean comes from renewable sources and our biomass boiler is the most important part of that. Distilling takes a significant amount of energy and avoiding the use and import of fossil fuels has been central to our plans from day one. We are lucky enough to have a neighbouring forest where we source and chip our wood, and we were equally lucky to have found re:heat and their technology partners, Kolbach and Schmidmeier to install our boiler.

“From the early design stages through installation, commissioning and on-going tweaks to the system, we have found re:heat’s expertise invaluable and commitment to the project unwavering.”

Neil Harrison said:

“This was a really exciting project to be part of and Ncn’ean were great to work with, with a company ethos so in line with our own. We have to thank the main contractor, Taylor and Fraser of Paisley, who provided all the mechanical services in the plant room and the connection to the new distillery – they were a pleasure to work with, and we collectively overcame the many challenges that the project presented. It’s tremendously satisfying to see the boiler in place and working so well.

“The distillery and the way it operates has contributed to helping the Drimnin Estate win the ‘Helping it Happen’ award in the Rural Business category earlier this year, and we’re delighted that we could play a part in them achieving this recognition. We’re continuing to work with the both the estate and the distillery to help them make the most of the boiler’s capabilities across both businesses.

“There is enormous potential for biomass to play a valuable role in the greener manufacture of food and drinks products, in fact for any organisation where heat is a major factor in the process, allowing companies to both save money and be kinder to the environment. If anyone is not sure where to start or whether the systems could work for them, I’d always say it’s best to get in touch with us and just ask for advice, what do you have to lose?”

Ncn’ean distillery first became operational in March 2017 and the first bottled whisky will be available in 2020, although a few select barrels are already available. If you’d like to know more about them and their unique approach to distilling, visit the website at www.ncnean.com

re:heat was founded in 2011 by Neil Harrison and Ben Tansey to assist businesses of all sizes convert from fossil fuels to sustainable, low carbon wood fuel heating systems. The firm’s team of experts can help clients with buying a boiler, designing systems, fuel supply logistics and material handling, fault-finding and problem resolution, and specialist training. Find out more at www.reheat.uk.com

Whisky Advent 2017 Day 3 – English Whisky Company Smoky

For the first time in 4 annual editions of the Kensington Wine Market Whisky Advent Calendar, we have an English whisky to present. Our Day 3 2017 offering is the English Whisky Company’s “Smokey”, from St. George’s Distillery in Roudham, Norfolk. When it was opened in December of 2006, St. George’s was the first whisky distillery to be built in England in over 120 years. Its first whisky, bottled in 2009, was the first English whisky produced in over a Century. Prince Charles officially opened the distillery in March of 2007.

St. George’s Distillery was founded in 2006 by father and son James and Andrew Nelstrop. The original plan was to build a tiny mico-distillery, but the smallest stills that British Customs and Excise would permit were 1800 liters, larger than those of many Scottish distilleries. Ian Henderson, who had only just retired from Laphroaig, agreed to help get the distillery and its new manager David Fitt (formerly of Greene King brewery) off on the right foot. He spent 4 months with the St. George’s team, passing on invaluable insight and experience.

Although the Nelstrop’s family’s distilling roots are quite shallow, the family has a long and deep history English agriculture. William Nelstrop was recorded to be farming in Yorkshire in 1335. In 1772 Joseph Nelstrop opened a mill in Ackworth, which was moved to Stockworth in 1820, where it is still run by the family. Another branch of the Nelstrop family, that in question in this post, moved to Linconshire where they have been farming since 1881.

James and Andrew decided to build their distillery in Norfolk, which is considered one of the best barley growing regions in Great Britain. The region is also blessed with abundant pure water. They produce both peated and unpeated single malts, maturing the spirit primarily in Ex-Bourbon Barrels, but also Sherry and some Rum and Madeira barrels. The distillery has filled well over 3000 casks since its inception, all of which mature on site. The whiskies are bottled at 43% without added colouring.

English Whisky Company Smokey – 43% – Matured in Ex-Bourbon – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: bright orange, cigar ash and grassy malt; a touch green and youthful with some tart grapefruit, honey and vanilla. Palate: creamy with a firm base of clean smoke and chewy green malt; more vanilla and honey, white fruits and citrus: bright orange a touch of tart grapefruit; there is a flinty minerality to the spirit that also has clean oily body. Finish: medium, smooth and coating; the smoke quickly fades leaving the fruit, malt and vanilla. Comment: a lovely dram; I would prefer to see it bottled at 46%, I can’t help but think that would concentrate just a little more character; but having said that I love the distillery’s artisanal approach to making this spirit!” – $82