IRISH DISTILLERS NAMED DISTILLER OF THE YEAR 2017

AT THE INAUGURAL ICONS OF WHISKY IRELAND AWARDS 

• Producer of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys also picks up Visitor Attraction Of The Year, Master Blender and Irish Whiskey Brand Ambassador awards 

Irish Distillers, Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines and producer of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys, has been named Distiller of the Year at the first Icons of Whisky Ireland awards. The Icons of Whisky Ireland aim to recognise the diversity and passion within the Irish whiskey industry today, they are presented by Rob Allanson, Editor of Whisky Magazine and include the Hall of Fame Ireland ceremony. Irish Distillers was also honoured with a number of top accolades including Visitor Attraction of the Year, Master Blender and the Irish Whiskey Brand Ambassador categories.

Commenting on the significant achievement, Jean-Christophe Coutures, Chairman and CEO of Irish Distillers said: “We are delighted to have been acknowledged with such a prestigious range of awards in this year’s Icons of Whisky Ireland. To receive recognition in a number of areas from whiskey tourism to innovation from our industry peers is extremely special. It is also a tribute to the growth and success of Irish whiskey and Jameson that the organisers of the Icons of Whisky, Whisky Magazine, decided Ireland warranted its own category from this year.”

Jameson Distillery Bow St was recognised as the top visitor attraction, which is particularly significant following the €11m redevelopment of Jameson Distillery Bow St in 2017. Despite being closed for six months to accommodate construction, Jameson Distillery Bow St saw a surge in visitors as whiskey enthusiasts, local and international, have flocked to enjoy the new look distillery and the new experiences it offers.

Ray Dempsey, General Manager at Jameson Distillery Bow St, stated: “This is a fantastic endorsement of the hard work our team has carried out in the redevelopment and opening of the brand-new Jameson Distillery Bow St. We’ve been bowled over by the goodwill and feedback from everyone who has come to our home on Bow St to touch, smell and most importantly, taste Jameson in the original Bow St Distillery building.”

Billy Leighton, Master Blender at Irish Distillers accepted the Master Blender Award on the night. Commenting on the accolade he said: “Although I have the privilege of accepting this award, this win is down to the dedication, commitment and the passion of everyone at Midleton Distillery. This award is a testament to the hard work we have put in through our commitment to innovation. This quest to innovate and build the category has helped us to create a portfolio of whiskeys that can be enjoyed worldwide and offers something for every occasion, every palate and price.”

Advocating on behalf of Irish whiskey is central to the Irish Distillers mission and this was celebrated at the awards when Gerard Garland, Advocacy Team Manager and Irish Whiskey Ambassador, received the coveted Irish Whiskey Brand Ambassador 2017 Award. Speaking on the night he said: “I am truly honoured to accept this award. My job involves championing Irish whiskey and its production process, but it never feels like work. Since I joined the industry almost 20 years ago, I have been proud to help tell the story of Irish whiskey to people from all around the world. It’s always great to help increase the interest in and passion for Irish whiskey. I am delighted for the whole team tonight as we see that the industry is just as excited about quality Irish whiskey as we are.”

Irish Distillers was also highly commended in the Brand Innovator category and Paul Wickham was highly commended in the Distillery Manager category. The night celebrated a wide range of established and new whiskey brands and distilleries, highlighting the continued renaissance that Irish whiskey is experiencing in recent years.

About Irish Distillers

Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard is Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines and producer of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish Whiskeys. Led by Jameson, our brands are driving the global renaissance of Irish Whiskey. Jameson is the world’s fastest-growing Irish Whiskey, experiencing 27 years of consecutive growth and hitting sales of 5.7m cases in 2016. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets, with over 60 of those experiencing double- or triple-digit growth.

Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between John Powers & Son, John Jameson & Son and Cork Distilleries Company. In 1988 Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard, gaining access to unprecedented levels of investment and an extensive global distribution network. In 2015, we completed a €220m investment which doubled our production and bottling capacity to meet global demand for our products.

We employ over 600 people across our operations in Cork and Dublin. 

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the world’s n°2 in wines and spirits with consolidated Sales of € 8,682 million in FY16. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has undergone sustained development, based on both organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard holds one of the most prestigious brand portfolios in the sector: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Kahlúa and Malibu liqueurs, Mumm and Perrier‐ Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, Graffigna and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard employs a workforce of approximately 18,000 people and operates through a decentralised organisation, with 6 “Brand Companies” and 85 “Market Companies” established in each key market. Pernod Ricard is strongly committed to a sustainable development policy and encourages responsible consumption. Pernod Ricard’s strategy and ambition are based on 3 key values that guide its expansion: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust and a strong sense of ethics. Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.

www.pernod-ricard.com

Malt Messenger No. 81 –  Whisky Galore & the Winter 2018 Tasting Schedule!

It has been a busy couple weeks since the last newsletter. Tonight is the launch party for our sold out Kensington Wine Market 2017 Whisky Advent Calendar. But I have just enough time to push out a full edition of the Malt Messenger before the party gets started.

If you missed out on the KWM Advent Calendar, but would still like to celebrate the month of December with a whisky Calendar, we have limited stock available of the Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 4th Edition, $480+GST by Secret Spirits. If we run out in-store, we can probably get more next week.

Lots of new whisky to tell you about, but before we get to that we have a newsletter and some tastings to tell you about. The December 2018 “Wine Times” Newsletter is in the mail, and  also available online! Lots of wine, whisky and beer news and other tidbits from KWM.

The Wine Times newsletter is also the official announcement that our Winter 2018 Tasting Schedule is open for registration. We have lots of great whisky, wine and beer tastings planned for the new year. I have highlighted a small selection in the newsletter below. The full Winter 2018 Tasting Schedule can be viewed online! 

One last event to tell you about before getting to the whiskies. This coming Monday, December 4, we are hosting our last tasting event of 2017… Islay Night will serve as the Canadian launch for the  Elements of Islay and  Port Askaig whisky lines. We are very honoured to have the opportunity to introduce these whiskies to Canadian consumers. The tasting cost is $30, includes a glass, and proceeds will be donated to the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank. Join us for a tasting of some exciting new whiskies, and donate to a great cause at the same time.

There are so many new whiskies to tell you about that this newsletter has grown into a monster… I just sampled last night a new bottled for Canada cask of the Kavalan Solist Vinho, “Celebrating Canada”. It is excellent. As is the newest edition to the Ardbeg core range, the Ardbeg An Oa. The first new edition to their core range in nearly a decade. While on the subject of Ardbeg, we also have a new Ardbeg Committee bottling, the Ardbeg Kelpie Committee Edition. I have written up my own tastings notes on both, as well as for the soon to be released Glenmorangie Private Collection Bacalta.

After disappearing from the market for a few years, The English Whisky Company (St George’s Distillery) is back with a pair of fine new releases: Original & Smokey. There are also a pair of tasty new releases from Shelter Point: Montfort District Lot 141 Single Grain and French Oak. For whiskies in the 5-7 year range, they are very impressive. We also have new whiskies from Laphroaig, Highland Park, Tyrconnell and Duncan Taylor.

I also took the time to write-up tasting notes on a pair of older Duncan Taylor whiskies: Miltonduff 31 Year and Glen Moray 26Year, both of which are lovely!

Last but not least, some increasingly rare and old expressions of Highland Park and Macallan have briefly returned to the market.

Lots to digest, I hope you enjoy this full 81st edition of the Malt Messenger.

Sláinte!

In This Edition

1. The December 2017 Wine Times & Winter 2018 Tasting Schedule
2. Islay Night: Introducing the Elements of Islay & Port Askaig
3. Introducing: Kavalan Solist Vinho “Celebrating Canada” Cask
4. Introducing: Ardbeg An Oa
5. Introducing: Kelpie Committee Edition
6. Introducing: Glenmorangie Private Collection Bacalta
7. The English Whisky Company is Back
8. Two New Shelter Point Whiskies
9. Introducing: Laphroaig 25 Year 2016
10. Introducing: Laphroaig Cairdeas 2017
11. Introducing: Highland Park Full Volume
12. New Tyrconnel Whiskies
13. New Duncan Taylor Octaves
14. Our Whisky Advent Calendar is Sold Out, but there is another, the Secret Spirits Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar
15. My Tasting Notes: A Pair of Old Duncan Taylors
16. Macallan & Highland Park Whiskies Back in Stock

Andrew Ferguson

Kensington Wine Market

PS – Don’t forget you can follow me on Twitter:

@scotch_guy, Instagram: @thescotch_guy/

or @kwmwhisky and Facebook: facebook.com/scotch.guy.1

Also, as indicated above, our Winter 2018 Tasting Schedule is out, and open for registration. Here is just a taste of the exciting tastings we have planned in 2018:

1. Glendronach Batch 15 & One More – Tuesday January 16 – We’ll sample 6 heavily sherried, single cask, cask strength vintage whiskies from Glendronach Batch 15, and a 7th bottle from Batch 14 to round out the lineup. A range 21-27 years in the making!  – $80
2. MS Calgary Whisky Festival – Thursday January 18 – For the 7th straight year, KWM is the presenting sponsor of the MS Calgary Whisky Festival. Over 200 whiskies will be served at Arts Commons. Tickets available at: www.calgarywhiskyfestival.ca 
3. Tomatin Takedown – Tuesday January 23 – KWM is thrilled to welcome Tomatin Brand Ambassador Scott Frazier for an epic Tomatin range tasting including our new exclusive 1999 Tomatin PX Sherry Cask. – $30
4. Burns Bash – Thursday January 25 – Join us for a mini-festival event the night before our Year End Inventory Sale. We’ll raise a glass to the Bard while you taste your way through a preview of some of the weekend’s great deals! Includes a KWM 25th Anniversary Glass. – $30
5. Cadenhead 175th Annivesary Malts Part 1 – Tuesday February 6 – Part 1 Scotland’s oldest independent bottler, established in 1842, is celebrating with some special bottlings. We’ll sample the whiskies from seven closed distilleries, including five 175th Anniversary releases. – $125

And much, much more.  Check out the website for the full listing of tastings and to register. You can also register in-store and by phone!

Islay Night: Introducing the Elements of Islay & Port Askaig 

A Special Tasting to Launch These New Whiskies in Canada! 

Join us on Monday December 4th as we launch the Port Askaig and Elements of Islay whiskies in Canada. It has taken a few years of work and begging on the part of Pacific Wine & Spirits and the Kensington Wine Market to get these whiskies to Canada, but we finally have our first release of Port Askaig and Elements of Islay. There are four single malts from Port Askaig, two of them exclusive to KWM: the bold Port Askaig 100 Proof and sublime Port Askaig 19 Year. There are also three Elements of Islay single malts exclusive to KWM and a very reasonably priced peated cask strength whisky appropriately called “Peat”. We will be cracking all 8 whiskies for the occasion, giving away a glass and donating all of the proceeds from the tasting to the Calgary Interfaith Foodbank. $30

Register online or by calling 403-283-8000.

Introducing: The Kavalan Solist Vinho “Celebrating Canada” Cask 

A Kavalan Vinho Cask Selected by Fountana Beverage and Bottled for Canada! 

This just came into the shop yesterday, and it is excellent. Like the best of the other Kavalan releases, this one is very fruity, layered and complex. It has some of the richness of other single casks of Kavalan Solist Vinho, but it is a little lighter, not quite as heavy and more nuanced.

The Vinho is matured in toasted American oak wine barrels which have been re-charred. It is always bottled from a single cask at 57.1%. It won the “World’s Best Single Malt” in the 2015 World Whisky Awards.

 Kavalan Solist Vinho “Celebrating Canada” Cask – 57.1% – Matured in Charred American Oak Wine Barriques which have been re-charred. – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: big, rich and spicy; loads of dark and candied fruit; a balsemic vinegar reduction, Demerara sugars, peanut brittle and with patience some soft, delicate fruits: dried apricots, melon and peaches. Palate: big, creamy and decadent with loads of fruit: more dried apricots, and diced pineapple with cooked apple and poached pear; more Demerara sugar, French roast coffee dregs, peanut brittle and more balsemic vinegar reduction notes. Finish: fruity, spicy and nutty; very silky and smooth. Comment: more balanced and less over the top than most of the other single casks I’ve sampled; this is a lovely single cask!” – $285

Introducing: Ardbeg An Oa 

The first new Ardbeg core range expression since Corryvreckan! 

The Ardbeg An Oa is the first new release in the Ardbeg Core Range since the Corryvreckan was launched. An Oa” is named for Islay’s wild Mull of Oa on the south-west coast. The prominent headland offers the Kildalton coast a bit of shelter from the tempestuous North Atlantic. The area was in centuries past the scene of much illicit distilling. The whisky is the first new core release in the Ardbeg range for close to a decade. Crafted to offer a more approachable take on Ardbeg whisky, the spirit was matured in a mix of PX Sherry, Virgin Oak and Ex-Bourbon casks. The mix was then rested in the distillery’s new Gathering Vat.

From the Producer: “A welcome new addition to the  Ultimate range. Ardbeg An Oa is  singularly rounded, due in no small part to time spent in our newly established bespoke oak Gathering Vat where whiskies from several cask types – including; sweet Pedro Ximenez; spicy virgin charred oak; and intense ex-bourbon casks, amongst others – familiarise themselves with each other. The result is a dram with smoky power, mellowed by a delectable, smooth sweetness. Hallmark Ardbeg peat, dark chocolate and aniseed are wrapped in smooth, silky butterscotch, black pepper and clove, before rising to an intense crescendo of flavour.”

Ardbeg An Oa – 46.6% – Matured in a mix of PX Sherry, Virgin Oak and Ex-Bourbon – My Tasting Note: “Nose: Old English Butterscotch ice cream, dark milk chocolate, fresh picked oranges, briny maritime tones and a frim base of earthy smoke; coffee liqueur, brandy soaked cherries and melon liqueur. Palate: round, malty and smoky; the Old English Butterscotch ice cream hits first with cream soda and honeycomb; the chewy malt slowly rolls in with more dark milk chocolate and some soft tarry peat; more coffee liqueur and brandy soaked cherries; there is some bright orange and melon here, but they are thoroughly buried. Finish: maritime, malty and creamy; cream, fruit, butterscotch and tarry peat; medium in length and light but layered in weight. Comment: this malt slides nicely in between the 10 year and Uigeadail; a touch of sherry but not too much; an excellent complement to the rest of the range.” – $98

Introducing: Ardbeg Kelpie Committee Edition 

A higher proof even more limited version of the 2017 limited edition release! 

Having tried both the regular and Committee Editions of the 2017 Kelpie release, I can unequivocally say the Committee Edition is better, as was the case with Dark Cove.

Ardbeg Kelpie Committee Edition – 51.7% – Matured in Virgin Russian Black Sea Oak Casks – Producer Description: “Nose: A wonderful, intense, ‘dancing’ nose, with lots of different, intertwined aromas – powerful, oily peat, dark chocolate, smoked fish, hints of seaweed, and a curious, sharp herbal note. Waves of spicy, black pepper. A splash of water brings forth some classic Ardbeg notes, such as creamy coffee, smoked fudge and pine resin. Even some hints of smoked coconut. Palate: A peppery mouthfeel is followed by a crescendo of rich flavours. Treacle toffee, Turkish coffee, smoky bacon and lots of dark, dark chocolate. A curious burst of peachy, estery fruit, hickory wood, clove oil and a suggestion of black olives on the aftertaste. Finish: Seemingly lasting forever, with deep, deep.” – $195

My Tasting Note

Nose: tarry, malty, medicinal and oily; smoked mussels, salted caramel and dark goats milk chocolate; muscavado sugars, seaweed salad and hotdogs boiled in a salty broth; some lovely creamed honey notes emerge on the nose after the first sip.

Palate: big, bold and brash; the tarry-medicinal Islay notes hit first, with the sweet chewy malt fast on its heels; honeyed and briny; fried kale, seaweed salad and dried kelp chips; more salted caramel, smoked mussels and more briny boiled hot dogs; there is orange, dark chocolate, rough leather and some firm tobacco too.

Finish: long, oily and drying; the leather, tobacco and chocolate fade first leaving the maritime, seaweed and orange notes to linger longest.

Comment: bigger and bolder than the standard release; this is an unapologetic Ileach, not for the faint of heart.

Introducing: Glenmorangie Private Collection Bacalta 

A Madeira finished extension to the Private Collection series! 

The 8th instalment of Glenmorangie’s annual Private Collection releases is the “Bacalta”, Scots Gaelic for baked. The whisky was matured in Ex-Bourbon and finished in bespoke heavily toasted American oak casks, seasoned in Madeira with “Malmsey – the sweetest and most prized of the Madeira wines.” The whisky is bottled at 46% with natural colouring and without chill-filtering. 91pts Whisky Advocate

 Glenmorangie Bacalta – 46% – Finished in Madeira Casks – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: butter tarts, ginger-molasses cookies and candied orange chunks; leathery with some tobacco, lemon drops and grapefruit juice. Palate: sweet and creamy with a lush vanilla base, overlayed with crisp decadent spice; candied ginger, fennel, clove and all-spice; loads of orange: candied and lightly burnt orange rind; Demerara sugars with some firm leather and dry tobacco. Finish: medium long it remains creamy, coating and decadent with some firm spice. Comment: the Madeira has given the whisky a very spicy edge; I love the crisp, decadent spice, but this is not IMHO the best of the Private Collections line to date; good but not great!” – $120

91pts Whisky Advocate: “The 8th Private Edition release. This one is finished in sun-baked casks which previously contained Malmsey Madeira. A predominantly sweet and fruity whisky, with caramel, honeyed almonds, peaches in syrup, and orange scone. Soft, soothing finish. Delicious!”

The English Whisky Company is Back! 

Two New Expressions, Original and Peated.  

It has been a few years since the English Whisky Co. has had a presence in Canada. The whisky hails from the St. George’s, the first of a wave of new English distilleries. Two releases have returned to the market: Original and Smokey.

1. English Whisky Company Original – 43% – Producer Decryption: “The English – Original. Aged to perfection in specially selected Bourbon Casks. An unpeated single malt whisky. A great easy-drinking classic single malt.” Producer Tasting Note: “A gentle aroma with hints of vanilla and tropical fruits. Like a soft whipped vanilla ice cream. Melts on the palate. Slightly nutty with a long malty finish. Finish is clean, dry and slightly salty.” – $82
2. English Whisky Company Smokey – 43% – Producer Description: “The English – Smokey. Aged to perfection in specially selected casks. A peated (45ppm) single malt whisky. A lovely waft of smoke on the palate, ideal alternative for the Islay fan.” – Producer Tasting Note: “A gentle aroma with hints of vanilla, aniseed & ginger, a creamy palate, a little peat initially and then the smoke bomb! Finish is long, spicy and smokey.” – $82

About St George’s

“St George’s is the home to The English Whisky Co. The beautiful distillery was designed and built by the Nelstrop family for the specific purpose of producing the very finest English Single Malt Whisky.

“Why England and more specifically Why Roudham, Norfolk? Well, there are only two main ingredients in whisky, barley and water and we have them both. We draw the purest, cleanest water from the Breckland aquifer deep beneath our distillery. Norfolk is one of the world’s premier growing barley regions, so our supply is plentiful and local.

“The only other thing needed to create the very best malt whisky is oak casks. We don’t add colour, we don’t add flavour, we let the barrels do that for us, so we have to buy only the very finest oak casks. Most of ours are supplied by direct from America, having first been used for the maturation of bourbon. We also mature in sherry casks, and various other wine casks.

Our whisky is batch made by hand with no computers, filled into casks and then left to sleep until our distillers consider it perfect for bottling, which of course we do by hand – one bottle at a time.

“We are really proud of these things and believe you will taste the difference too.”

Two New Shelter Point Whiskies 

And They Don’t Disappoint!  

Shelter Point Distillery has made a name for itself, at least in Canada, since it launched its first whisky a little over a year ago. We have two new releases to tell you about, and they are good! These will both be in-store next week:

1. Shelter Point Montfort District Lot 141 Single Grain –

46% – Producer Description: “Raised right here on our family farm on Vancouver Island, Montfort DL 141 is a truly unique field-to-flask whisky. The name itself is the very lot in which the single-grain barley was grown, and the coordinates to the exact field are included on every bottle. Distilled in our traditional copper pot stills, aged in American Oak at our oceanfront warehouses, and bottled on-site by the Shelter Point family, Monfort DL 141 is a proud product of our distillery home. This limited-edition run is only 1,400 bottles.” – My Tasting Note: “Nose: shortbread dusted in refined sugar; tarte tatin, poached pear and vanilla cream and white chocolate; beeswax candles, tropical fruits and floral tones. Palate: light, fruity and floral; it is delicate, creamy and fruity; more dusty shortbread and citric sugars; still waxy with some melon and white chocolate. Finish: light, clean, floral, creamy and fruity; very pretty and elegant. Comment: wow, this is a very drinkable elegant grain whisky; I am a bit dumbfounded! – $88

1. Shelter Point French Oak Single Malt – 50% – Producer Description: “Our long-awaited Special Edition Single Malt Whisky is now available! Aged in American oak for 6 years and then matured in a French Oak barrel from the local Coastal Black Estate Winery!” – My Tasting Note: “Nose: very nutty, hard toffee and fruit flan; doughy and fruity, apple crumble, lemon drops and fresh cut flowers; decadent with loads of vanilla and clotted cream. Palate: big, rich and creamy; very layered, spicy and lush; layers of fruit, more hard toffee and glazed fruit flan; even darker than the nose let on with some Demerara sugar, licorice and baking spices. Finish: medium-long, still coating, creamy fruity and spicy. Comment: this is but the fifth release of Shelter Point whisky we’ve seen, and like the others it does not disappoint… look out world! ­- $112

Introducing: Laphroaig 25 Year 2016 Edition 

And it is a step up on the 2014 and 2015 IMHO! 

The 2016 edition of Laphroaig 25 Year wasmatured in a mix of Oloroso sherry and Ex-Bourbon barrels. Bottled at 48.6%.

Laphroaig 25 Year 2016 – 48.6% – Oloroso Sherry & Ex-Bourbon – My Tasting Note: “Nose: doughy, waxy and fruity; a touch medicinal and smokey with a hint of mesquite BBQ sauce; baked apple pie with cinnamon; honeycomb, tallow candels and vanilla icing sugars. Palate: starting soft, it builds into something more decadent, peaty, malty and fruity; loads of vanilla, baked apples with cinnamon, green magoes, honeydew melon and peaches in cream; a building spiciness, hints of sherry and dark chocolate. Finish: long, coating, elegant and oily with a backbone of medicinal peat; it becomes more leathery, tarry, spicy and peaty as it slowly fades out. Comment: an improvement on the previous two releases, the 2015 and 2014 Laphroaig 25s; this is much more interesting, layered and complex.” – $670

Introducing: Laphroaig Cairdeas 2017 

The 2017 Friends of Laphroaig “Friendship” bottling! 

Limit 1 Per Customer!

Producer Description: “For several years, our Friends of Laphroaig have been interested in tasting a Cask Strength version of our popular Laphroaig Quarter Cask – which offers an irresistible doubling of flavour, due to the double maturation in two barrels made of American oak.  This year we decided to bring this dream into reality.

“First fill Makers Mark casks have been used for the first maturation of 5+ years in Warehouse 1 next to the Atlantic Ocean.  Different ages have been awoken temporarily to be brought together, before laying to rest for a second time in our smaller quarter casks (125lt).  After a further 6 month maturation, the liquid from 177 of these casks were put into the bottle at Cask Strength, with no colour, no chilling and a simple barrier filtration.

Laphroaig Cairdeas 2017 – 57.2% – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Gentle coffee cream and freshly sliced vanilla pods, builds into sweet mint with notes of old hay, a background of beach bonfire and then freshly sanded wood. Body: Full bodied and complex. Palate: A sweet vanilla dryness that develops into a creamy, oily mouth feel with bitter liquorice root and a throat full of smoke. Finish: A long, creamy smoky finish.” – $125

Introducing: Highland Park Full Volume 

A 1999 Bourbon Matured Vintage Highland Park! 

We aren’t 100% sure this is an 18 year old, just that it was distilled in 1999 and matured exclusively in Ex-Bourbon. It was bottled at 47.2%. We are just getting a handful of bottles!

Highland Park Full Volume – 47.2% – Producer Description: “FULL VOLUME is a perfect illustration of the fine skills of our Master Whisky Maker, ensuring that every individual wave of flavour finds its perfect place in the beautifully harmonised final spirit.” – Producer Tasting Note: “Vanilla | Coconut | Mango | Pineapple | Cedar Wood | Lemon peel | Vanilla pods | Light smoke” – $135

Producer Story

“For musicians, amps and equalisers maintain critical balance at high volume by fine-tuning musical frequencies – at Highland Park, our Master Whisky Maker, Gordon Motion, does a similar job.

“FULL VOLUME was created using 100% ex-bourbon casks rather than our traditional sherry-seasoned ones. During 1999, a combination of 481 casks – 200 litre barrels and 250 litre hogsheads – were filled at strengths of between 63.6% and 63.7%. The whisky was filtered at just over 4oC and delivers flavours of creamy vanilla and sweet citrus fruits from the bourbon casks, balanced by Highland Park’s characteristic aromatic smokiness.”

New Tyrconnell Whiskies 

Three Wine Finishes and a 16 Year! 

The Tyrconnell is an iconic Irish whiskey brand with roots in the 18th Century’s Watt Distillery. The Whiskey is a double distilled single malt named after a legendary horse who won the iconic National Produce Stakes in 1876, against all odds. We have four new expressions of the whiskey which is today produced at the Cooley Distillery.

1. Tyrconnell 10 Year Madeira Finish – 46% – Matured in Ex-Bourbon Finished in Madeira – Producer Description: “This version of The Tyrconnell® is aged 10 years, then is finished in casks previously used to age Madeira, a fortified wine hailing from a group of islands off the coast of Portugal. Bottled at 92 proof to bring out the flavour nuances of its casks, The Tyrconnell® Madeira Cask Finish begins with a salty, red fruit flavour-filled nose before finishing dry, with prominent notes of cocoa, caramel, and allspice.” – $98
2. Tyrconnell 10 Year Port Finish – 46% – Matured in Ex-Bourbon Finished in Port – Producer Description: “After a decade resting in bourbon barrels, The Tyrconnell® Port Cask Finish is transitioned into port wine casks from the Duoro Valley in Portugal for an additional 6-8 months of aging. Bottled at 92 proof, the additional time spent in hand-selected port casks gives this single malt whiskey a nose that evokes baked apples and notes of roots. A warm sweetness recedes, allowing a finish characterized by a multitude of spices to move to the forefront.” – $98
3. Tyrconnell 10 Year Sherry Finish – 46% – Matured in Ex-Bourbon Finished in Sherry – Producer Description: “After ten years spent in bourbon barrels, The Tyrconnell®Sherry Cask Finish spends an additional 6-8 months in Oloroso Sherry casks from Spain. The casks exert their influence on the whiskey, creating a noticeably darker finished product. The interaction of single malt and fortified wine casks creates a veritable dessert in a glass, in which thick notes of sherry find themselves melding amongst hints of tarte tatin and custard.” – $98
4. Tyrconnell 16 Year – 46% – Producer Description: “The Tyrconnell® 16 Year Old is the highly anticipated limited release expression that builds on the legacy of the original incarnation of The Tyrconnell®. This is the result of sixteen years spent in bourbon barrels, and the first general release of an aged expression of this magnitude. The nose evokes citrus with underlying notes of oak, then the palate reveals a light and approachable taste.” – 91pts Whisky Advocate: “Whiskeys made from 100% Irish barley are not abundant, so at sweet sixteen, there is much to celebrate about this grown-up version of Tyrconnell. Honey, pear, crème brûlée, clementine peel, tinned peach, and pencil shavings on the nose. Citrus, candied peel, lemon, and grapefruit mingle among the sweetness, but it’s anchored by layered spices and rounds out with a finish of juicy spiced oranges and peach. Moreish and delicious.” – $125

New Duncan Taylor Octaves 

Wee Sherry Cask Finished Curiosities! 

Another release of Duncan Taylor Octaves are here. These are whiskies finished in bespoke wee sherry casks. A couple of curious whiskies here. “The Huntly” is supposedly a Balfiddich, or Glenvenie if you will. And I will leave it to you imagination exactly which distillery the “An Iconic Speyside” comes from. Rhymes with Benfarclas!

“For many years, Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Ltd. has experimented in the use of differing cask sizes for the maturation of Single Malt and Single Grain Scotch whiskies. The research stemmed from a simple premise that there is more interaction between the wood and the spirit over a shorter period of time in a small cask than in a large cask, therefore allowing a more rapid “melding” of wood, air and alcohol.”

1. Duncan Taylor Octaves “An Iconic Speyside” 2008 – 53.2% – 8 Year – Finished 3 Months in a Sherry Octave – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: beer nuts and candied almonds; licorice jujubes, raspberry-rhubarb jam and Moroccan marmalade; citric sugars and sour keys. Palate: round, toasty and citric; more licorice Jujubes, Moroccan marmalade and beer nuts; burnt brown sugar, musty old wood, dark spices and firm Dominican tobacco. Finish: long, spicy and leathery; more big licorice, firm spicy and earthy Dominican tobacco. Comment: pretty tasty for a spirited young Glenfarclas.” – $106
2. Duncan Taylor Octaves North British 2007 – 51.9% .- 10 Year – Finished 3 Months in a Sherry Octave – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: lemon drops and orange hard candies; honeyed with smooth leather and a hint of firm spice Palate: sweet, silky and fruity; wine gums, lemon drops and more orange hard candies; toasty and woody with some firm leather and spice. Finish: light, floral and toasty; tingling leather and spice. Comment: a touch spirity with light sherry tones.” – $110
3. Duncan Taylor Octaves The Huntly 1997 – 52.0% – 19 Year – Finished 6 Months in a Sherry Octave – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: honeyed, doughy and nutty; Demerara sugars and cold tea; cigar tobacco, dark chocolate shavings and candied nuts. Palate: big, rich, leathery and nutty; very spicy: clove, fennel and anise; musty old oak and dunnage warehouses. Finish: long, rich, nutty and spicy. Comment: this is big, leathery, earthy and nutty; a malt in need of a cigar.” – $250
4. 

My Tasting Notes: On a Pair of Old Duncan Taylors 

26 Year Old Glen Moray and 31 Year Old Miltonduff! 

Everyone knows I love Miltonduff, and this one is good. I have more mixed feelings about Glen Moray, but not this one. It is also excellent.

1.  Duncan Taylor Miltonduff 31 Year – 51.5% – Matured in Sherry Oak – Andrew’sTasting Note: “Nose: buttery and waxy; French toast with maple syrup; crème brule and both maple bacon and carrot cake donuts. Palate: classic waxy old whisky, soft leather and antique-y tones; more French toast, exotic donuts and some sweet Cuban tobacco; cooked raisins, dates and grilled prosciutto wrapped figs; very layered with tropical fruits. Finish: long, coating, creamy and fruity; fades out slowly in waves. Comment: this is a beautiful old Miltonduff; I just wish there was more left in the bottle… it is all gone!” – $530
2.  Duncan Taylor Glen Moray 26 Year – 45.7% – Matured in Sherry Oak – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: big time Jujubes, chocolate fudge and classic Christmas cake; treacle sauce on sticky toffee pudding drowning in cream; ripe figs, maple syrup and mincemeat. Palate: big, round fruity and juicy; more nutty sherry tones, some firm leather and building spices; the Christmas cake is still there with some candied and tropical fruits, mincemeat pie and sticky toffee pudding with treacle sauce; thick, fruity and coating and very layered. Finish: long, fruity, woody and spicy; more layers, big sherry, Christmas cake and cooked figs. Comment: a lovely big rich sherried whisky; this is one to tuck into an armchair with and enjoy the night.” – $450
3. 

Macallan & Highland Park Whiskies Back in Stock 

Four of the World’s Most Iconic Whiskies! 

A couple of these have been gone for a while. They are not likely to be around for long. Global demand is directing them to other markets, and it has jacked their prices up…

1. Macallan Fine Oak 21 Year – 43% – Matured in American & European Oak Ex-Sherry and Ex-Bourbon – Producer’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Intense and rich with a hint of vanilla and passion fruit. Palate: Soft, rich and spicy with a hint of oranges and peat. Finish: Lingering with a hint of wood smoke.” – $820
2. Macallan 25 Year Sherry Oak – 43% – Sherry Oak – Producer’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Citrus, balanced with cinnamon, sherry and wood smoke. Palate: Full and rich with dried fruits and wood smoke. Finish: Long with dried fruits, wood smoke and spice.” – $1600
3. Highland Park 25 Year – 45.7% – Producer Description: “The casks impart an astonishing flavour to the whisky as it matures – at once dark and full bodied with a rich and nutty spiciness, yet brimming with sweet dried fruits, cinder toffee and soft fudge. 25 years encased in oak has not only created a whisky with impressive depths, but time has delivered a vibrant sweetness too. Renowned whisky writer F. Paul Pacult named it Best Spirit in the World in the 2013 Spirit Journal – an accolade of which we are particularly (but typically quietly) proud.” – Producer Tasting Note: “Dark chocolate | Fudge | Heather honey | Nutty toffee | Dried fruits.” – $765
4. Highland Park 30 Year – 48.1% – Producer Description: “In Malt Advocate, John Hansell commented “Whiskies like this one remind me why I fell in love with whisky in the first place” and we know exactly what he means. There’s that fudgy sweetness that characterises the more mature Highland Park, but here it’s combined with complex aromatic spices as well as dark chocolate orange and floral peat notes. Dry at the finish, it leaves an aromatic smoky flavour and a mouth-watering hint of mild, salty sea spray – the result of 30 years’ maturation on Orkney’s windswept island environment.”  – Producer Tasting Note: “Nutmeg | Dark chocolate orange | Aromatic peat smoke | Sticky toffee pudding | Sea salt.” – $960

Thank You for Reading the Malt Messenger! 

Contact & Disclaimers 

If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store. All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change and don’t include GST. In the case of discrepancies in pricing, the price in our in store point of sale will be taken as correct.

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger.

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson

Owner & Scotchguy

Kensington Wine Market

403-283-8000

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

www.kensingtonwinemarket.com 

Kensington Wine Market

403-283-8000

 

Share the Society love this Christmas with our most intriguing and exclusive cask collection of the year. Christmas Parcels Outturn brings 29 sparkling new single casks, including five hand-picked festive parcels and our third Black Magic Discovery Pack. Whether it’s sharing a dram or gifting a bottle, we trust that Society whisky will be at the heart of your festive celebrations.

READ THE OUTTURN

We’re pleased to announce that our Member Services team are now available from 8am right through until 6pm, Monday – Friday. Call +44 (0)131 555 2929 or email sales@smws.com for help to purchase memberships, order that must-have bottle or find the perfect gift.

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

1996 Caol Ila 20 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml) $129.99 View

Kavalan Solist “Sherry Cask – K&L Exclusive” Cask Strength Single Barrel Taiwanese Single Malt Whisky (750ml) (Elsewhere $300) $209.99 View

Garnheath 43 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Grain Whisky (750ml) $249.99 View

Whisky Advent Day 2 – Deanston 12 Year

For the first time in 4 editions of the Kensington Wine Market Whisky Advent Calendar, we are featuring an official bottling from the Deanston Distillery. Deanston is not a household name, even among whisky aficionados, but that is beginning to change. We think this expression may give many of you a reason to stand-up and take notice of the fine malts coming from this distillery.

Deanston is a relatively young distillery by Scottish standards, and has only been producing whisky since the end of the 1960s. But the distillery’s roots and heritage go back almost a quarter of a millennium. Before it was converted into a distillery beginning in 1966, Deanston operated as a Mill with its own self-contained and governed community. The massive Deanston Mill was built in 1785 by Richard Arkwright to take advantage of the fast flowing River Teith. The mill was powered by one of the largest water wheels in Europe, and was one of four sites used for the development of the Cotton Jenny.

For almost two centuries, the Mill was a going concern, for a time issuing its own currency. By the middle of the 19^th Century it employed 1100 people, some of them women and children. Employees were housed in homes built and owned by the Mill beginning in 1811. The manager of the cotton mill ws also the town’s defacto mayor. The “model town” had its own schools, post office, wash house, hospital, savings bank, grocery and shops. The Mill also built a fish ladder in the early 1800s to give Salmon access to the river upstream. The original fish ladder is still visible at the distillery.

Originally built to serve the demand for blended whisky brands, Deanston was bottled as a single malt for the first time in 1974. The distillery was closed in 1982, a victim of the downturn that savaged the industry in the 1980s. Burn Stewart Distillers, owners of Bunnahabhain Distillery, purchased and reopened the Deanston in 1990. The Distillery is still powered by the River Teith today, with vast amounts of surplus electricity sold on to the grid.

We love what Burn Stewart Distillers have done with the Deanston, Bunnahabhain and Tobermory brands. The firm has modernized their malt whiskies, bottling most of their range at or above 46%, and therefore without chill-filtering. They also do not add caramel colouring to alter the appearance of their whiskies. We’re fans of that honest approach to making whisky. Deanston is also starting to release some Organic expressions.

Deanston 12 Year – 46.3% – Matured in Ex-Bourbon – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: bright, fresh and fruity with fancy floral soaps; baked apple pie with a healthy dose of cinnamon; the fruits just keep coming, dried apricots, mango salsa and Midori melon liqueur. Palate: still bright, fruity, floral and malty; waxy and honeyed with loads of vanilla; the malt is laid down thick; treacle sauce and caramel corn; more dried apricots and baked apple and cinnamon pie in a very buttery crust; it is also a touch spicy with a picante mango salsa. Finish: medium-long, honeyed, fruity and toasty; the whisky has a soft oily body that ever so gently clings to the palate. Comment: this is an unsung malt, phenomenal value for its age, price and profile; we need to stock up…” – 700ml $70 and there are also minis 50ml $8

Stay Tuned for Kensington Wine Market Whisky Advent Day 3, tomorrow!

Director of Prestige appointed to support growth in luxury sales

Leading malt whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail has announced the appointment of Stephen Rankin as the company’s first Director of Prestige.

Stephen will nurture and build relationships for Gordon & MacPhail’s range of single malt whiskies in the global luxury consumer market, focusing on the unrivalled rare and aged expressions within the company’s portfolio.

In addition to conducting premium tastings, attending events and working with trade customers, Stephen Rankin, formerly UK Sales Director, will host high-net worth consumers to help build their knowledge and support their exploration of the range of Gordon & MacPhail whiskies available.

Ewen Mackintosh, Managing Director at Gordon & MacPhail, said: “The appointment of Stephen is the next step in the company’s strategic plan to build Gordon & MacPhail’s growing reputation in the luxury sector.

“Over the next five years, the focus will be on building the premium credentials of the single malt whiskies within the portfolio.

“Stephen is ideally placed to grow the reputation of the brand on a global scale.  As a fourth-generation member of the Urquhart family who own the company, his expertise, passion and understanding of both the industry and the whiskies will inspire customers and individuals across the world. He will build on his existing trade relationships and support new partnerships as we continue to support the brand’s reputation as a world leading whisky maturation expert.”

Stephen Rankin said: “It is a privilege to take on this new role as it provides a wonderful opportunity to share the story of our whiskies with new customers and consumers around the world.

“As we increase our profile in the luxury sector, we will be building key partnerships with organisations that share our passion for provenance, expertise, craftmanship and authenticity. We’ve recently invested in beautiful new facilities above our historic shop in Elgin’s South Street. As the emotional home of the brand since 1895, it is the ideal location to host premium tastings for key customers and consumers.”

Last month, Stephen Rankin selected and unveiled Private Collection Glenlivet 1943 by Gordon & MacPhail one of the world’s oldest and rarest single malt whiskies. In February 2018, visitors to Glasgow’s The Whisky Show: Old & Rare will have the opportunity to meet Stephen and sample a unique selection of limited edition vintages.

In March, Stephen will travel to the Young Presidents’ Organisation’s (YPO) global conference in Singapore to deliver an exclusive tasting of six carefully selected whiskies from consecutive decades, bringing together over 200 years of liquid history. In April, he will deliver a Masterclass at Nth 2018, a 4-day whisky extravaganza in the opulent surroundings of the Wynn, Las Vegas. Whisky aficionados travel from across the globe to taste, savour, discuss and learn more about rare whiskies from the world’s leading master distillers and maturation experts.

Last year we were able to secure a barrel of the award-winning Kavalan “Solist” Sherry Cask – a treasure we’d been pursuing for a few years. Within a few hours, everything we had sold out. Now this year’s allocation is here and we cannot emphasize enough that this is something special: a combination of the hottest trends in the whisky market, an incredible price, and a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it kind of opportunity.

Kavalan has quickly become a household name here at K&L as we’ve long been fans, but it is still new to many collectors. Coming off a trend of highly allocated and impossible to find Japanese whiskies, Kavalan has become the next great thing for those whisky fans in-the-know when they notched World Whisky of the Year and World’s Best Single Malt Whisky in quick order. Of their many offerings, the most special are their single barrel cask strength offerings (known in the rest of the world as Solist Casks). Here in the states a trademark dispute prevented the use of that moniker, but the whisky is no less special. Of all the Solist offerings, the Sherry Cask (drawn from Spanish Oloroso Sherry Butts) is arguably the most delicious. This year’s cask is just as amazing and just as limited. It’s not long for the shelves, and when it is gone, it’s gone. Make sure to grab your bottles while available.

Kavalan Solist “Sherry Cask – K&L Exclusive” Cask Strength Single Barrel Taiwanese Single Malt Whisky (Elsewhere $300) ($209.99)

After months of waiting and waiting, we finally have our very own Kavalan Solist Sherry Cask (Solist is the international name for their single cask bottlings, it doesn’t appear on the label in the US, but it’s from the exact same line). The ultimate sherried malt from the special King Car Distillery in Taiwan is easily a contender for whisky of the year in my book. Kavalan is well known for producing top tier single cask single malt and we’ve had great success with previous bottlings. Last year we secured nearly an entire cask selected by our distributor. It disappeared in minutes. Since then it has been completely out of stock. Availability has been a huge issue for this mark and when we had the opportunity to buy our own cask I jumped at the chance. I was excited, but could not have predicted the outrageous quality of the samples we received. We expect Kavalan to be explosive and powerfully flavored, ultra dense and complex, but we don’t often find those qualities so perfectly in balance as we did in this special cask. Few whiskies on our portfolio achieve the incredible depth and complexity of the Kavalan Solist Sherry cask and none come anywhere close at this price point. Just one taste easily explains the brands incredible rarity and international acclaim. We’re absolutely honored to have been chosen to offer this special cask. It’s the ultimate holiday surprise for any whisky lover and the perfect way to finish a cold winter’s night.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 22, 2017

The “Solist” line of single casks from Kavalan has taken the whisky world by storm. They’re winning awards left and right. Asian Whisky of the year! Single Cask Single Malt of the Year! World’s Best Single Malt! It’s almost unfair. I don’t know exactly what these guys are doing at that special distillery on this humid Pacific island, but I know that their whisky is easily out-classing the competition across the globe. Maybe it’s because they’re committed to quality in a way the Scottish distillers no longer are or maybe they’re even using paxarette to season the barrels after the long voyage to the Pacific (this controversial practice was outlawed in Scotland in the ’80s, but has since been deemed responsible for some of the great sherried malts of the latter half of the 20th century). It really doesn’t matter to me how they do it. The whiskies are extraordinary and in a class totally on their own. This special cask is the first “Solist” Sherry we selected ourselves and will be available exclusively at K&L. It represents a huge percentage of the entire allocation of the brand for California over the next year. It’s arresting and intense but balanced beyond any Solist I’ve yet to come across. The nose is pure Oloroso, deep dense hazelnut and pecan butters, sweet molten brown sugar, Christmas cake, stewed apricots, fig jam, dried cherries and raisins. The palate explodes with spice, yet the alcohol heat is almost completely masked with the rich, opulent dried fruit, sweet thick nutty flavors. Hints of phenol and spice. The palate is completely enveloped by the viscous texture, but it doesn’t feel overly sweet or syrupy and begins to twinge on the bitter roots and dried exotic botanical barks. These bitter aromatics are the perfect balance to the almost over the top sherry notes. The finish kicks up with a huge balancing spice on the finish. Consummately pleasurable, dotting every i and crossing every t, the whisky neither lacks nor requires anything to be absolutely astonishing. This is truly total package and dangerously drinkable.

Diana Turk | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 25, 2017

Powerhouse Kavalan Solist feels like Oloroso immediately, with caramelized sugar on the nose, black walnut notes, and baking spice through the palate. This is a luxurious sherried whisky that hits a bit harder than expected on the finish, in the best possible way. There is a focus here, but the texture is decadent and the quality is undeniable. Add that to the fact that we hand-selected this barrel, and you have another Asian spirit to add to your wish list.

Highland Park 1996 Authors’ Series George Sand

Distilled in September 1996 at Orkney’s Highland Park, this single malt was matured in a refill hogshead for 21 years before bottling in October 2017. This 15th release in the series is limited to just 230 bottles, each one presented at a natural cask strength of 52.7% abv. Each bottle is presented in a brown leather box, embossed with gold metallic text, and are individually wax sealed.

£340 Buy Now

We realise that January seems like a lifetime away, but…

….it is not!

Traditionally our first outing of the year, our Burns’ nights have grown and grown in stature and popularity. Like the word-smith himself, we do not take it (or anything) too seriously and these nights are there to be enjoyed by all that attend, whether you are a Whisky Lounge stalwart, or perhaps you are just whisky-curious.

The format is very straight-forward, with six delicious whiskies of varying style and value on tasting, and a hearty and filling Haggis Supper for all at ‘half-time’. Obviously we will raise a dram to the bard as is tradition but the focus is most certainly on the whiskies and your enjoyment! Here are your dates and venues…

22nd January

Sheffield – The Sheffield Tap

24th January

Leeds – The Northern Monk Brew Co

25th January

Birmingham – The Edgbaston

Brighton – The Nightingale Room

Liverpool – The Fly In The Loaf

Manchester – The Britons Protection York – Brigantes

BUY TICKETS

London-based folks, please do not panic! We will have at least one date and venue for you very soon, so watch this space!

 

Welcome to the Kensington Wine Market 2017 Whisky Advent Calendar. For the 4h straight year we have curated and assembled our own bespoke Whisky Advent Calendar. We hope you will follow our journey of whisky discovery over the next 25 days. Each and every day of Advent we will describe the whisky in question and publish our own tasting note for the day in question’s whisky. We will also give you a background on the distillery and producer. You can follow along each day on the Kensington Wine Market Blog: https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/blog/ , Twitter: https://twitter.com/kensingtonwm , Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kensingtonwm/ and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kensingtonwinemarket/ . We encourage comments and feedback.

I hope you enjoy the Kensington Wine Market 2017 Whisky Advent Calendar, 25 Days of Dram Fine Whisky!

Day 1 – Cadenhead Dailuaine 2004 KWM Cask

We are starting off the Kensington Wine Market 2017 Whisky Advent Calendar with our first ever exclusive single cask of Dailuaine, and just our second ever cask from independent bottler Cadenhead. We have been working with Cadenhead for a number of years now as their principal retailer in Canada. Over that time we have been blown away not just by the quality of their whiskies, but also their value. Cadenhead offers some of the best value single malts Scotch whiskies, blends and blended malts. We also love the quirky nature of their firm and the colourful cast of characters who work for them.

Founded in 1842 WM Cadenhead is Scotland’s oldest independent bottler. An independent bottler is a firm that bottles whiskies from a range of distilleries under its own label. The business that would come to be known as William Cadenhead (today known as Cadenhead’s) was founded in 1842 at 47 Netherkirkgate in Aberdeen, from which it would trade for the next 130 years. The “vinter and distilling agency” was founded by George Duncan who brought his brother in law William Cadenhead into the business 10 years later. When Duncan passed suddenly in 1858 Cadenhead took over the business and promptly changed its name. Cadenhead was considered a good businessman, community builder and poet.

In 1904 Cadenhead passed, turning the business over to Robert Duthie. Under Duthie the business turned its focus more toward independent bottlings. He also had a penchant for producing vatted malts, what we would today call Blended Malts. Duthie’s most notable brands were the Heilanman and a more premium offering Putachieside. He was also an innovative marketer, promoting his business on busses, theater curtains and concert programs.

Duthie was killed by a tram on the way to the bank in 1931, and the business was turned over to his sisters. They in turn appointed Ann Oliver a long term employee to manage affairs. She was set in her ways and refused to change with the times. When the business and its assets were put up for sale in 1972 at Christie’s, the stockpiles of whisky and gin not only wiped out all the firms debts, but they left the owners with a fortune in cash. J.A. Mitchell & Co., the owners of Springbank Distillery in Scotland purchased the business and moved it to Campbeltown. About as far away as it would have been possible to move the firm while still keeping it in Scotland.

Cadenhead is one of the best stocked independent bottlers in Scotland. Most of their whiskies are sold through the firm’s shops in Campbeltown, Edinburgh and London as well as franchisees in Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Denmark. A few years ago the firm realized it had so much whisky on its ledgers, that’s its own network of shops was not sufficient to sell it all. So the Small Batch line was created so that specialist whisky retailers around the world, like Kensington Wine Market, could also sell the whisky.

The Cadenhead whisky in question today is from the Dailuaine Distillery. Founded in 1852 the distillery is located in the Speyside, not far from the picturesque Charlestown of Aberlour. Dailuaine has suffered two major fires in its history, one in 1917 which destroyed its pagoda roofs, and another which severely damaged the buildings in 1959. Both fires lead to major refurbishments and upgrades, which may have in turn saved the distillery from closure later in the 20^th century after the whisky bubble of the 1970s burst. There have only been a few official bottlings of Dailuaine over the years, but the whisky does appear from time to time in the hands of independent bottlers, like Cadenhead.

Cadenhead 2004 KWM Cask – 55.9% – 12 Year – 2^nd Fill Hogshead – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: soft fruity and cream; waxy with loads of white chocolate, fresh cut flowers and glazed croissants; notes of melon and apricot with Marcona almonds and a touch of white pepper. Palate: round, creamy and fruity with a hint of salt and building spice; very lush and rich for a refill Hogshead at this age; juicy malt, more melon and apricots, glazed croissants and poached pear with a dab of blue cheese; loads of white chocolate, almonds, honey and toasted oak. Finish: long, fruity and floral with loads of white chocolate, toasted oak spice, fading soft fruits and salt. Comment: this is a rare example of a cask we bottled from a single sample… I think the lads at Cadenhead knew we were going to love it; they were not wrong! – $120 (700ml) COMING SOON – Available for Pre-Order – Also available in 50mls at present $15

Evan’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Floral and fruity with mangos and pears, light salt, vanilla pod, white peppercorn, chamomile, blanched almonds, white chocolate, fennel, wood shavings and a hint of aloe. Palate: Porridge with peaches, pears and creamy vanilla yogurt topped with a sprig of mint and a dash of cinnamon. Peppery spice, salted macadamia nuts, pineapple, papaya and light passionfruit notes. Finish: The salt and spice give way to a light sweetness. Comments: Not too overwhelming but also not too simple – this is one balanced dram.”

Stay Tuned for Kensington Wine Market Whisky Advent Day 2, tomorrow!