Single Cask Springbank

We’ve always been big fans of the distillery down the road, Campbeltown’s Springbank. Now we have something extra special to bring you from the region’s oldest operational distillery: a single cask expression bottled at cask strength available while stocks last at Loch Fyne Whiskies. Looks like Friday 13th might be your lucky day!

Next day delivery available on UK orders Worldwide shipping

Springbank 1992 21 Year Old

Available at Loch Fyne Whiskies while stocks last

A single cask expression distilled on 18th December 1992 at Campbeltown’s Springbank distillery. Aged for 21 years in cask no. 326 before bottling in March 2014 at a natural cask strength of 51.6% abv.

£220 Buy Now

Mystery Islay Moscatel Cask

Matured in a Moscatel cask selected and bottled by Creative Whisky Co. The distillery takes it’s water from Loch Nam Bam and features tours of a whietwashed distillery. £38.56

SHOP NOW > 

Richard Paterson and The Dalmore 50 (photo credit David Parry)

THE DALMORE RELEASE 50 YEAR OLD SINGLE MALT TO MARK HALF A CENTURY OF RICHARD PATERSON’S PIONEERING WHISKY-MAKING

The definitive luxury malt, The Dalmore is set to release an exceptionally rare, Domaine Henri Giraud champagne-finished 50 year old single malt to mark its Master Distiller Richard Paterson’s 50th year in the whisky industry.

As the creative force behind some of the most iconic and innovative releases in the world, Richard Paterson’s passion, expertise and artistry has seen him pioneer the art of maturation and cask finishing which has been instrumental to the success of The Dalmore.

Building on the celebrations surrounding Richard’s 50th anniversary, the limited edition, The Dalmore 50 year old has been meticulously crafted in partnership with four other legendary luxury houses, to serve as a fitting tribute to each year of his illustrious career.

With up to 50 decanters released, which will be hand-filled on order, The Dalmore 50 has been matured in American white oak, Matusalem oloroso sherry casks from the world renowned Gonzalez Byass Bodega and port Colheita pipes from the Douro region of Portugal, before undertaking a final finesse for 50 days in rare champagne casks from Domaine Henri Giraud.

Paterson did not select the champagne cask by chance. Considered to be one of the region’s hidden gems, Domaine Henri Giraud family estate is regularly lauded by experts from around the globe and is one of the only champagne houses to still mature their wines in casks. The casks selected have a unique intensity and aromatic complexity, giving Paterson the final flourish of wood needed to create this exceptional expression.

To hold this unique whisky, the artisans at prestigious French crystal house Baccarat have skilfully created crystal decanters, each of which will be held within a presentation case designed and crafted by the accomplished furniture makers at LINLEY.

Finally, each decanter will be adorned with a solid silver stag, created by silversmiths Hamilton & Inches, holder of The Royal Warrant.

Journey of The Dalmore 50 Year Old

1966: The Dalmore new make spirit began its journey in American white oak exBourbon casks

2003: The maturing whisky is transferred to Matusalem oloroso sherry casks

2012: The whisky is transferred to Port Colheita pipes

2016: In January of this year, the spirit was transferred to Bourbon barrels as it reached its desired taste profile, prior to finessing.

November 2016:  The whisky was finessed in Domaine Henri Giraud Champagne casks for 50 days before bottling.

For enquiries please contact The Dalmore Distillery on +44 (0) 1349 882 362

Richard Paterson, Master Distiller at The Dalmore said: “This is a special year for me so I chose to finesse this whisky in a champagne cask, as this magnificent drink is synonymous with celebratory occasions.

“Bringing the champagne together with Matusalem oloroso sherry and port is perhaps the greatest example to date of our ability to innovate in both maturation and cask finishing while preserving the signature flavours of The Dalmore.

“This whisky is exceptional, as are the luxurious and sophisticated finishes applied by the craftsmen at Domaine Henri Giraud, Baccarat, Linley and Hamilton & Inches. They are true masters of their art  and it is a pleasure to have worked with them to bring the 50 year old to life in such a magnificent way.”

TASTING NOTES:

Aroma:   Caramelised orange segments, vanilla pods and sweet sultanas

Palate:   Tangy thick cut marmalade, roasted coffee and moist chocolate cake

Finish:   Crushed almonds, black morello cherries and soft liquorice

ABV:   40%

THE DALMORE The Dalmore is the definitive luxury malt, since 1839.

Founded by Sir Alexander Matheson, a restless entrepreneur and international businessman, The Dalmore was born with a different purpose, to go above and beyond to create luxurious single malt whisky unlike any other.

An unbroken chain of exceptional whisky makers have been fulfilling Sir Alexander’s vision ever since, pioneering multi cask maturation over 100 years before this was commonly adopted by others in the industry.

Richard Paterson has been Master Distiller at The Dalmore for nearly 50 years.  The whiskies he has created during his tenure have help Richard to achieve global celebrity status.  He is the man who, with The Dalmore, created the category of super luxury single malt, a category he continues to define to this very day.

DOMAINE HENRI GIRAUD The origins of Domaine Henri Giraud date back to 1625. Today, Claude Giraud, the 12th generation of the Giraud-Hémart family, is at the helm and presides over this “Maison de Champagne” (UMC member) whose iconic vintage cuvée is named Argonne. Every year, international experts meet in the Maison’s ‘Ateliers’ to understand the impact of different terroirs and geological composition of the soil of the Argonne forest on the taste and texture of the wines. Salinity, intensity and aromatic complexity of Champagne Henri Giraud make it one of the jewels of excellence of the region. With only 250,000 bottles produced, including only a few thousands for its vintage cuvées, these Champagnes are now sought after by collectors and fine wine lovers from all corners of the world. BACCARAT Baccarat is the oldest and greatest crystal manufacture in the world. Created in 1764 by permission of King Louis XV to this day it keeps its entire production in the same village in Lorraine where it first started. For over 250 years it has been the symbol of superb craftsmanship and of French “art de vivre”. The refined precision, the timeless elegance of its production, the continuous service to the royal houses and to the greats of the world have given Baccarat the status of a legend in its own right. In addition to seducing the celebrities of the world, Baccarat’s designs immortalise the excellence of its savoir faire. This know-how is at the forefront of progress, handed down over the centuries by elite craftsmen and the ultimate emblem of an incomparable heritage. Ranging from iconic lighting to unique tableware and decorative objects, fine jewellery and tailor-made flacons, the brand’s products and tradition of excellence are recognised around the globe.

HAMILTON & INCHES Hamilton & Inches is Scotland’s luxury jewellery house, with distinctive workshops and an iconic customer showroom in the heart of Edinburgh. With 150 years of heritage, Hamilton & Inches brings the world’s most aspirational brands to life and crafts each gift with prestige and pride. Hamilton & Inches are holders of the Royal Warrant for 120 years, and Silversmiths and Clock Specialists to The Queen.  Established in 1866 by Robert Kirk Inches and his uncle, James Hamilton. LINLEY David Linley started LINLEY as a bespoke furniture company in 1985 working on private commissions. From a small workshop on the Kings Road, David and his team would take design briefs and create pieces directly in the workshop. It wasn’t long before the business grew and moved to a larger space on Pimlico Road close to where David’s father, Lord Snowdon, had his photographic studio. Now, as LINLEY has just celebrated its 30th anniversary year, the business has grown to include interior design, fitted cabinetry and kitchens, furniture and gifts and accessories. However, everything is still designed and made in the UK relying on a network of 260 master craftsmen who all share David’s love of handcrafted design and attention to detail.

Hello Society,

Happy new year!

As you will have noticed already, this is NOT a full newsletter, rather I just wanted to tell you all about the day I have been having.

I am sure many of you will have noticed, we have been teasing a #change on social media for the last month. We announced online today that we have some fancy new labels and packaging. I hope you all like it as much as we do. We don’t change labels often, in fact we haven’t changed the 10yo or the 15yo in the last 10 years. And, of course, the whisky inside is staying the same (other than the usual batch variations).

I had originally planned to let you guys know ahead of the online announcement but schedules got changed at the last minute. These things happen I suppose.

So I thought I would at least drop you all this email to let you know, just incase you missed it.

The new Springbank 10yo and 15yo are available in the UK from tomorrow with the Springbank 12yo Cask Strength coming out later on. Other markets can, and often do, vary. Please contact your preferred retailer or stockist, as usual.

Speak soon

Slainte

Nathan For the Springbank Society

For information on how to joint he Society please contact Nathan via society@springbankwhisky.com

https://www.facebook.com/officialspringbankwhisky/

https://twitter.com/Springbank1828

CHEERS TO 2017: 1,000 REASONS TO CELEBRATE

Exciting news from the distillery this month- thanks to your support in 2016, we filled our 1,000th cask on December 14th! Cheers to 2017- another year of making award-winning whisky in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virgina. Happy New Year!

Speaking Of Casks…Have You Ever Wanted To Own One?

We recently welcomed our very first members to the Virginia Distillery Company Cask Society! Through our partners at Cellar.com, this program allows you to purchase a cask of our coveted Virginia Single Malt Whisky, guaranteed to yield at least 250 (750ml) bottles after four years of aging.  As a Cask Society member, you will also gain instant access to specialty perks as you wait for your whisky to age.  Email casksociety@vadistillery.com for more information.

VIEW CASK SOCIETY INFORMATION

THE VIRGINIA WHISKY EXPERIENCE TOUR

Looking for something fun to do this Winter?  If you love whisky, you don’t want to miss our Virginia Whisky Experience Tour! Learn about the history of single malt in Scotland (and Virginia, of course!) in our museum, see whisky-making in action in the distillery and experience an educational nosing & tasting in our cask house.  After the tour, enjoy your choice of tasting options by the fire at our Visitors Center.

BOOK A TOUR ONLINE

JANUARY OUTTURN UPDATE: TOP FIVE FAVOURITES

Last week’s January Outturn brought us a marvelous mix of interesting and unusual casks with a great range around £50 or less, for those feeling the festive over-indulgence. Don’t miss out on these never-to-be-repeated single casks, we’ve picked our top five favourites still available in our online shop.

Looking for some tasty savings? Pick-up one of our parcel offers, choose between our Day & Night Pair, Spectacular Trio or Flavour Feast Case, all at great January prices.

BROWSE THE OUTTURN

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Ralfy gets old-aged with Ralfy Review 618 – 46 yo Glenburgie Malt (G&MacP)

Parker Beam, Heaven Hill Master Distiller Emeritus and Bourbon Legend, passes away at age 75

Parker Beam, Heaven Hill Master Distiller Emeritus and Bourbon Legend, passes away at age 75

BARDSTOWN, KY – Heaven Hill Distillery’s Master Distiller Emeritus Parker Beam, a much revered and lauded figure in the American Whiskey industry, passed away on January 9, 2017 from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, at age 75.  Beam was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2010 and had been waging a very courageous and public battle with the dreaded disease, raising enormous sums for the ALS Association of Kentucky through his Parker Beam Promise of Hope Fund and Heaven Hill’s sales of his signature line of Parker’s Heritage Collection American Whiskeys.

Earl Parker Beam was born into Kentucky Bourbon royalty in 1941—his grandfather, Park Beam, was brother and colleague of James Beauregard “Jim” Beam at the original D.M. Beam & Co., predecessor to Jim Beam Brands.  Parker’s father, also named Earl, was a brother to Carl “Shucks” Beam, Master Distiller at the Jim Beam Brands Company.  Parker’s father Earl left Beam to become Master Distiller at Heaven Hill in 1946, ushering in an era of Bourbon category leadership and critical acclaim under the Beams, first through Earl, then Parker, and then Parker’s son Craig.

Parker joined Heaven Hill alongside his father in 1960, where his baptism into the distilling industry began by washing windows and scrubbing lime scale out of the cypress fermenters.  “It wasn’t glamorous,” Parker used to say, “But I learned how everything worked in the distillery, because back then you had to be chief cook and bottle washer.”  Parker learned how to culture his family’s 6-generation old proprietary yeast strain under his father’s tutelage, and eventually began to put his own unique fingerprint on Heaven Hill’s American whiskeys—it was under Parker’s supervision that the company raised barreling proof to 125, it was Parker who first created the industry’s first Small Batch Bourbon when Elijah Craig was introduced in 1986, and Parker who oversaw the launch of the company’s Single Barrel Bourbons in 1994.

Parker was also one of the most celebrated of distillers—a charter member of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame,  winner of Whisky Advocate Magazine’s Lifetime Achievement Award, member of Whisky Magazine’s Hall of Fame, and many more honors.  And last year, the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Distillers Association, the Kentucky Bourbon industry’s trade association which dates back to 1880, voted unanimously to name the industry’s Lifetime Achievement Award after Parker.

“Parker has certainly etched his name, and that of Heaven Hill, deeply in the annals of Kentucky Bourbon history,” noted Heaven Hill President Max L. Shapira, “But he has done so with a humility and grace that will forever be admired.  His dedication to his craft, to his family, to Heaven Hill, and now to battling the scourge that is ALS, will live on far past his time.”

After being diagnosed with ALS, Parker and his wife Linda met their newest challenge head-on by creating and curating the Parker Beam Promise of Hope Fund through the ALS Association of Kentucky.  The fund established a research and treatment endowment that has seen millions of dollars generated through contributions, events and on-going sales of Parker’s eponymous line of super-premium American Whiskeys.

In a statement issued by the Kentucky Distillers Association, President Eric Gregory noted that “Parker Beam wasn’t just a name on a bottle – he was the living embodiment of the whiskey inside: authentic, classic, well-seasoned and distilled from old-fashioned hard work and gentlemanly integrity.  His place in our industry’s rich distilling history is beyond reproach, as few can match his 56 years of passionate service and leadership, charter selection to the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame and award-winning Bourbon portfolio crafted under his watch as Master Distiller.”

Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin also paid tribute, tweeting that “An award-winner, mentor & innovator of the highest caliber, Master Distiller Emeritus Parker Beam’s presence will surely be missed.”

About Heaven Hill Distillery: Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Heaven Hill has cultivated the traditions and history of America’s Native Spirit with its fierce independence, passionate family ownership, dedication to quality, and thoughtful innovation. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 1.2 million barrels aging in 53 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. It is home to an award-winning collection of American Whiskeys including Elijah Craig Bourbon, Larceny Bourbon, Evan Williams Bourbon, Pikesville Rye Whiskey, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky and Parker’s Heritage Collection. Heaven Hill Distillery currently holds the titles of Whisky Magazine’s Distillery of the Year and Whiskey Advocate’s American Whiskey of the Year. For more information, please visit http://www.heavenhill.com/home

January Auction Live!

Ends Sunday 22nd January from 8pm

We have got an absolutely cracking auction lined up this month to cure those January blues! Quality, collectable and very drinkable whiskies are crammed into every nook and cranny waiting on your bids. Let’s start with one of the show stoppers – a 1951 Macallan.

Only two sherry butts met the required quality threshold deemed necessary for this bottling. Just 62% of the spirit that was originally filled in to these two ancient sherry butts remained after the angels had their share, leaving just 37% for your enjoyment, producing only 632 bottles.

In this month’s auction, we have a marvellous array of Port Ellen’s mainly consisting of the official Special Releases.

In fact, it’s a complete set with the exception being the 2016 bottling.

The distillery holds a grip of many enthusiasts as it does to any visitor arriving on Islay via ferry. Today it might exist as a maltings but its warehouses dominate the final approach to the island and confirm that you’re in peated whisky country.

Check out the entire auction which ends on Sunday 22^nd right here at

www.just-whisky.co.uk/

One Of The Most Requested Irish Whiskeys Is Finally Here Writer’s Tears Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey ($39.99) “For its price and strength it is amazing.” – Whisky Advocate

The elusive Writer’s Tears Pot Still Irish Whiskey has been a darling of the whiskey cognoscenti for years. This unusual product from the Walsh Distillery in Carlow Ireland has gained notoriety across the globe as one of the finest whiskey the Emerald Isle has to offer. It begins with Single Malt (likely distilled at Cooley Distillery in Louth) and Single Pot Still Whiskey (Distilled at Midleton in County Cork), which are vatted together and aged in ex-bourbon casks. A true recreation a style of Irish Whiskey not seen since last century and named for the great Irish writers and playwrights of the 19th century that would have sought inspiration from a similar beverage in their time.

create one of the most drinkable yet exciting whiskies of any kind. Lauded worldwide as one of the best whiskies available, it has been conspicuously unavailable in California until now. Winner of Gold Medals from the World Whiskies Award and listed on Ian Buxton’s 101 Whiskies to Try before You Die, and 93 points from Jim Murray’s “Whisky Bible,” Writer’s Tears is easily one of the highest ranking Irish Whiskey available at any price point. We’ve been lucky enough to grab an exclusive deal on the first few pallets to show up in CA, but don’t wait to try it as when it moves to normal distribution we’ll likely see a significant price increase. Thanks to our exclusive deal K&L is the only place in California you’ll find this gem.

Writer’s Tears Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey (750ml) ($39.99)

Whisky Advocate: “Like the Writers Tears reviewed in this issue, this is from an independent company linked to renowned whiskey maker Bernard Walsh. It is described as of a style popular in James Joyce’s Dublin (hence the name). Grain whiskey was a no-no at that time, so this uses no grain and is a mix of malt and pot still whiskeys. For its price and strength it is amazing a big-hearted and full-flavored whiskey with an oily, apple-y pot still heart and cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper spices. (DS, Summer 2012)”

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 09, 2017

This elusive and quite wonderful little whiskey has been on constant request at the story for years. Actually, I’ve been telling people “No, sorry we can’t get that” every other week of so for over 7 years now! It’s one of those things that people fall in love with over there and don’t realize they can’t just pick it up when they get home. Well, the wait is finally over. This wonderful offering from the exceptional Walsh Distillery in County Carlow is easily one of the best values in Irish Whiskey. Hailing from Ireland’s historic east, this area is famous for whiskey and beer thanks to the incredible waters that bubble below the surface, but no large distillery has had a presence here for more than 100 years. In the 1800s, the Irish Whiskey industry was on fire. Consumption, production and exports, continued to break records despite social and political upheaval in Ireland. Funny thing about Irish Whiskey, because of the unique process of blending malted and un-malted barley and distilling in pot-stills, it was actually considered the top quality whiskey in the world pre-prohibition. That’s because then, and now, the majority of people didn’t want stinky peaty malty single malt from Scotland, but instead were looking for a whiskey that’s rich, smooth and easy to drink. Irish Whiskey was the best choice for most consumers before the controversial introduction of grian (column still) production in the 1830s. When this low cost and low flavored spirit was introduced there were legal battles across the world about whether the product could actually be called whiskey. The Scots realized early that they could cut their flavorful malts with this new type of whiskey. This new lower flavored Scotch started to beat the Irish in terms of cost and attain similar levels “smoothness”. Across the Irish Sea, Ireland’s stalwart large distillers considered the grain whiskies inferior and committed to producing only higher quality pot still whiskey. By never adopted this cheaper technology despite the nationality of it’s inventory, Aeneas Coffey, they’d unwittingly caused the decline, which would almost destroy the industry completely. In the coming decades, the loss of Ireland’s primary market due to alcoholic prohibition, was the final blow to the struggling Irish Whiskey industry. It wasn’t until the ’70s that the industry acquiesced and began to produce whiskey in the style most know it today, Jameson Blended Whiskey. Any even LESS flavorful version of the Scottish style blend. Now, we have this special whiskey, a recreation of what might have been served to Yeats or Joyce might have been served at the pub in Dublin during their youth. It takes us back to that era when the Irish dominated both the whiskey and literary world. Regardless of the historical importance of this style of whiskey, what really matters is that it’s absolutely LOVELY to drink. It’s the sort of thing that makes you realize why in the 19th century Irish Whiskey was widely considered to be the world’s best dram. Like Redbreast or Green Spot, the Writer’s Tears sets a new bench mark for people who want rich, complex yet ultra smooth whiskey. The whiskey is even more open than those other two, shedding the dense grainy fruitiness, for a lifted nose of citrus, rich malt, and rich wild honey. The palate shows more of the pot still intensity, with dark grains and rich spicy malt relenting to the dense floral and more honey notes on the finish. The finish is soft and round, bringing the whole package together with a pretty little knot. Maybe this isn’t the whiskey to buy for Scotch nerd friend that loves Laphroaig, but it’s probably a great choice for just about everyone else in the world.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 09, 2017

This should please people who are looking for an easy, soft and delicious whiskey. At first one smells beautiful and mouth watering vanilla aromas. In the mouth it is soft and easy with a creamy mouth feel.This is a fun whiskey to have for simple enjoyment.

Olivia Ragni | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 06, 2017

This is absolutely lovely pure pot still Irish Whiskey. Aromas of flowers, tea and bananas lead to a palate of chestnuts, caramel, malt and spice. This is rich, full-bodied and textural whiskey that is extremely smooth and easy to drink. The only problem is the bottle will be gone faster than you intended, so stock up!

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