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

CASK No. 54.40  CAREFREE ENTERTAINMENT

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

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

CASK No. 35.165  VARIETY – THE SPICE OF LIFE

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

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

CASK No. 121.81  INTENSE, LIVELY AND DELICIOUS

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

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

CASK No. 46.42  YUMMY SCRUMMY

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

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

CASK No. 29.172  SMOKED BEER

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

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

CASK No. 3.251  ENGINEER’S WORKBENCH IN A BOATYARD

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

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

Cask No. 42.20  YOUNG, MUSCULAR AND UNTAMED

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

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

SMWS Canada

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

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

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

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

www.PSILoveYouFoundation.org

Clynelish 20 Year Old 1996

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

£55.46

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

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Indie Bottlers Allow Fringe Whisky Exploration

UNITED KINGDOM — Tues 28 Feb – Offering a large selection of independently bottled whiskies and exclusive expressions from the top distilleries, e-commerce venture Whisky Foundation encourages whisky fans to veer from the mainstream in search of a distinctive dram.  This week’s exclusive new arrivals to Whisky Foundation include a selection of independently bottled whiskies from world-renowned Macallan, Bunnahabhain, Springbank and Tobermory.

Like the indie music producers of the whisky world, independent bottlers offer expressions from top distilleries that would not otherwise reach the general public. Hand-selecting casks to match their collections and preferences, these independent bottlers release limited numbers of expressions that are often at cask strength, often with no added colour and non-chill filtered, to showcase the whisky’s distinct flavour profile.

Independent bottlings offer an alternative and more authentic way to sample a whisky from great distilleries such as Laphroaig, Port Charlotte, Aberlour and Caol Ila. Whisky Foundation exclusives added this week focus heavily on the celebrated Macallan distillery, including a gorgeous Macallan 18 year old aged in sherry casks, a very special  Macallan 25 year old bottled by Wilson & Morgan and a Macallan 7 year old gift set, complete with branded glasses.

“Independent bottling is probably not as commonly understood as it should be,” says Head Caskologist George Koutsakis. “We’d like to help more people understand the process because independent bottlers produce single cask or limited editions releases that contribute wonderful variety and vibrancy to the world of whisky. With whisky prices soaring, independent bottlers have had to work harder than ever to persuade distilleries to part with their prized casks, but we’re seeing great results and an increasingly imaginative array of delicious drams.”

As the expressions are sourced from very small lots, sometimes even a single cask, very limited numbers of bottles are released.  Many of the independent bottlings listed on Whisky Foundation cannot be found anywhere else. Notable releases from the Islay distillery of Caol Ila were bottled by independent bottler Kingsbury exclusively for sale at Whisky Foundation. Expressions from The Maltman have been produced exclusively for Whisky Foundation, including an Aberlour 21 year old, a Springbank 20 year old and a  Glenlossie 18 year old bottling.

Whisky Foundation offers stock from widely-recognised independent bottlers such as Gordon & MacPhail, Berry Bros. & Rudd and Signatory Vintage, alongside up-and-coming gems such as Kingsbury, Rest & Be Thankful, Sar Obair and The Maltman. In addition to premium single malt whisky, the collection also includes varieties of independently bottled rumfrom the likes of Silver Seal and Martinique.

Whisky fans can get read more about independent bottling, whisky news and top Scottish distilleries at the Whisky Foundation blog.

Notes 

About Whisky Foundation

Founded in 2016, e-commerce venture Whisky Foundation offers a large selection of independently bottled whisky and rum, including exclusive expressions from the top distilleries, such as Laphroaig, Macallan, Port Charlotte and Caol Ila. Among the independent bottlers stocked are Gordon & MacPhail, Signatory Vintage, Kingsbury, Rest & Be Thankful, Sar Obair and The Maltman.

Follow Whisky Foundation on Twitter:  @WhiskyFdn

Like Whisky Foundation on Facebook:  facebook.com/whiskyfoundation/

Announcing: Tamdhu Batch Strength #002

Tamdhu Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky has unveiled the second edition of its multi award-winning Batch Strength expression.

A Tamdhu for the Devoted Malt Fan

Batch Strength 002 is bottled un-chillfiltered at natural colour and at 58.5%. Each batch is unique and varies slightly in style and intensity.  As with every bottle of Tamdhu, once distilled it is matured exclusively in hand-selected sherry oak casks. Our oak is the finest in the industry, with a high proportion being first-fill and teeming with flavour.  Finally, patience is required to allow these fine casks to do their work, giving Tamdhu its deep colour and exquisite quality.

Continuing our success from Batch Strength #001 winning Speyside Single Malt of the Year, Whisky Advocate gave 92 Points to Batch Strength #002.

Tasting notes: Nose:  Warming golden syrup, brown bread with peanut butter, cinnamon, white pepper and cocktail cherries.  Palate:  Mouth coating sherry oak, lightly heated berries and creamy vanilla – adding water brings out cookie dough, gentle spice and fresh fruit. Finish: Spicy notes continue long into the finish with dried fruits, hazelnut and vanilla.

Back in Stock

Two of the most popular releases of the past year are now back on the shelves of The Whisky Shop. Released as part of the Experimental Series, Glenfiddich Project XX is a unique and daring expression from the Speyside distillery that sparked imaginations and tastebuds when it was released last Autumn, while December saw the debut of Glenmorangie’s Bond House No.1 Collection with the Grand Vintage Malt 1990, a malt that defied the odds of a tumultous harvest. Now is your chance to add a bottle to your collection before they are snapped up once again.

Next day delivery available on UK orders

Glenfiddich Project XX

Project XX (“twenty”) is the result of one of the most ambitious experiments undertaken by Glenfiddich. Bringing together 20 whisky experts from 16 countries around the world, each expert’s selected cask from the Glenfiddich warehouse was married together in a small vatting by Malt Master, Brian Kinsman.

The nose has the classic Glenfiddich fruitiness with apple blossom, ripe pear, oak, creamy vanilla and subtle spice. The palate is refined with candy floss sweetness, toasted almonds, cinnamon and rich vanilla oak. The finish is long and sweet with lingering oak.

£50 Buy Now

Orders will be dispatched w/c 6th March

Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1990

This Highland Single Malt is the first release in Glenmorangie’s Bond House No.1 Collection. Distilled in 1990 from a problematic barley harvest the previous summer, the spirit produced defied the odds and proved sublime. The next quarter of a century saw the spirit mature in ex-bourbon casks with a small parcel in ex-sherry casks.

Presented in a stunning coffret, the nose offers heady floral and fruity notes with heather honey, freesia, orange blossom, pear and apple. Silky in the mouth, sweet notes of orange, puff candy, honeycomb and creamy vanilla run under zesty gooseberry and menthol. The finish brings more fruitiness with baked apples and pears with brown sugar, malty biscuit and a hint of cloves.

£500 Buy Now Only available while stocks last

LAPHROAIG 18 YEAR OLD  Queen Of Hebrides Old Particular

(Douglas Laing, consortium of cards series, release 1, limited to 12 bottles)

The first release in Douglas Laing’s Consortium of Cards series is named Queen of the Hebrides. Distilled in December 1998 and aged in a refill sherry butt for 18 years. Rich and peaty with notes of tar, ash and soot, this is classic Laphroaig.

BUY NOW

Douglas Laing & Co, the leading independent Scotch Whisky specialist, today unveils its Old Particular “Consortium of Cards” Single Cask Scotch Whisky Collection. This, the first limited edition series within Old Particular, is themed around a deck of playing cards. Four releases are planned for 2017, and the series launches with the “Queen of the Hebrides”, an Old Particular Laphroaig 18 Years Old. 

Fred Laing, the firm’s Managing Director and second generation in the Douglas Laing family business, denotes “Richly peated barley on the nose with a tarry, ashy palate and a finish full of chimney soot” in reference to this Old Particular Queen of the Hebrides bottling. Charged from a single refill butt and bottled at 50% alcohol strength, just 665 bottles are available, with each one displaying a specially commissioned “Queen of the Hebrides” illustration.

Andy at Malt Box reviews the Glenfarclas 10yr old single malt @maltbox

https://youtu.be/nVlwzkBnnTg

2017 continues to celebrate Benromach’s growing success 

1^st March, The Benromach Distillery Company Ltd has unveiled the latest expression in its portfolio, Benromach Sassicaia Wood Finish 2009 – with the number of bottles released for sale double the size of the previous edition, in response to the growing success and worldwide demand for Benromach whiskies.

The latest Wood Finish limited edition, of which there will be 8,000 bottles available, offers whisky lovers a unique flavour profile, as a result of a final finishing period in Sassicaia wine casks from the renowned Bolgheri wine region.

Distilled in 2009 and initially matured in first fill bourbon barrels, Benromach Sassicaia Wood Finish (45% ABV) is a deep ruby red in colour, with notes of ripe berries, milk chocolate drops, and hints of ginger and cinnamon, complemented by a subtle sense of smoke

The new release follows previous special edition Benromach Sassicaia Wood Finish 2007 and coupled with the run of recent accolades, including the Benromach 10 Year Old being in the running for World’s Best Single Malt Whisky at the World Whiskies Awards, highlights the growing interest and popularity of the Forres based distillery.

Benromach Distillery Manager Keith Cruickshank said: “Our previous Wood Finishes were incredibly well received and demand has been so great we are doubling the quantity we will be making available.

“Our Wood Finish expressions allow us the opportunity to provide our customers with a special malt which is full of character, thanks to the final maturation period in casks from distinguished wine regions, as well as offering them the chance to experience Benromach whisky in a different way.

“As the popularity and success of our Benromach 10 Years Old continues to grow, we are delighted that whisky fans all over the world are still enjoying the classic character of our pre-1960’s Speyside single malt, and we are honoured that it is held in such high regard within the industry, as the World Whiskies Award demonstrates.”

The classic Benromach 10 Years Old won the Scottish Single Malt category at the World Whiskies Awards and will now go head to head with other winning Single Malts from across the world with the hope of being crowned World’s Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky next month. Benromach 35 Years Old also scooped a gold award in the Speyside 21 & over category.

Benromach Sassicaia Wood Finish will be available to purchase from specialist whisky retailers at an RRP of £38.99 in the UK, with approximately 8,000 bottles released for sale worldwide.  Prices in overseas markets will vary due to local taxes and duty.

For further information on Benromach, and to find out more about Benromach Wood Finishes, please visit www.benromach.com/.  

Notes

Benromach Distillery

Originally built in 1898, Benromach Distillery was brought back to life when leading whisky specialists Gordon & MacPhail 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, Gordon & MacPhail 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.