Released in time for Hallowe’en, November Outturn takes taste buds to another realm with 12 full-bodied single cask whiskies to taste and explore. Treat the senses to a rich and indulgent experience with spiced fruits, treacle toffee pudding, gooey chocolate cake, blood oranges and pumpkin pie.

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A Pair of Very Attractively Priced Whiskies from Luxco

These newest additions to our whiskey section are poised to earn many adoring fans. Not only are they very attractively priced, but they hold their own against some of the more coveted bottles in the market today.

Let’s start with the 100 proof Wheated Edition. Just to make double sure, I put a few glasses in the hands of my assistants here at K&L and told them it was a sample from a new Weller 107 single barrel that I had just purchased. Their eyes lit up and not one of them assumed the whiskey wasn’t what I said it was. In fact, they were downright stoked about the quality. Then I immediately confessed. Alas, it was not Weller 107, but rather a new 100 proof wheated Bourbon from Luxco, the folks behind Rebel Yell and Ezra Brooks. How much would it cost, they asked? A cool $26.99, I replied.

The nose is an absolute dead ringer for Weller. If you poured it for me blind, that’s what I’d say. Pencil shavings, sweet oak, and caramel. Big spice. 50% ABV booming right out of the glass. The palate has more of those three elements, but also a creaminess that’s perhaps even more compelling. The finish has another flurry of oak spice, pepper, cinnamon and clove. It’s basically a really great version of Old Fitzgerald BIB in a different bottle and for the price I’m backing up the truck. I’ll have no problem selling every single bottle we have before the week is over.

And then I’ll be backing up a few trucks after that. There’s no amount of this whiskey that will satiate the current demand for delicious, high proof, wheated Bourbon right now in California right now. We have guys selling their souls for Weller Reserve, yet the Nicholson is far better.

Now let’s talk about the Nicholson Reserve, a classic corn/rye mashbill Bourbon also at 100 proof. Basically, if you liked our 100 proof Faultline release from a few years back, this is like a baby version for a $12 discount. There are some great herbaceous accents, lots of pepper from the rye, and a gush of savory notes on the finish, but again the texture is the real star. The nose is brimming with toasted wood and the 50% ABV really dials up all that oak from front to back. The Nicholson Reserve at $32.99 is like the perfect middleground between the standard Elijah Craig and the Barrel Proof.

Basically, you’re gonna want at least one of each and there’s plenty to go around. When I sell out of the first lot, I’ll be heading back to Luxco for more. And more after that. And more after that. This is exactly the type of Bourbon I’m after right now: abundant, delicious, with no hype, and plenty of availability and no allocations.

Ralfy heads north for Ralfy Review 693 – Alberta Premium 30yo Canadian Rye @ 40%vol

The Dalmore 50 sells out as Richard Paterson completes his year of celebrations

The Dalmore’s Master Distiller Richard Paterson has completed the final leg of his world tour celebrating 50 years in the whisky industry.

Widely considered to be the greatest whisky maker of his generation, Richard’s 50th anniversary milestone was celebrated with a series of tasting events around the world while showcasing a selection of bottles including the renowned The Dalmore Paterson Collection, the recently released The Dalmore Quintessence, and The Dalmore 50.

Over the past twelve months Richard has hosted eight 50^th anniversary events around the world, meeting with connoisseurs and industry experts in cities including Paris, Singapore, London and Las Vegas.

The global tour provided an opportunity for a selection of The Dalmore’s customers, alongside many people with whom Richard has worked over the years, a chance to celebrate his special milestone with an exclusive tasting of the exceptionally rare, champagne-finished The Dalmore 50.

All fifty bottles of the Domaine Henri Giraud champagne finished 50 year old single malt, which were prepared to order, have now sold out.

Similarly, The Paterson Collection, a one-of-a-kind collection created to honour those who have shaped, influenced and inspired Richard’s whisky career has also been sold. The twelve individual expressions were purchased earlier this year for £987,500 by a young Chinese collector. The collection encompasses some of The Dalmore Distillery’s oldest and rarest whiskies.

Richard Paterson, Master Distiller at The Dalmore said: “It has been absolute privilege for me to travel the world these past six months celebrating my milestone with friends and colleagues from the wider whisky industry who have helped shape my career to date.

“To share with them a whisky which defines my working career, has been an extremely rewarding experience. Showcasing the champagne-finished The Dalmore 50 at each of these events has been a fitting way to mark these celebrations while showcasing our ability to innovate in both maturation and cask curation.”

“With all 50 bottles now sold and the sale of The Paterson Collection, which is truly a distillation of my life in the industry, this has drawn a perfect close to what has been a truly exceptional year in my life.”

Notes:

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.

Scotch and soda is a classic pairing, redolent of smokey bars in the Mad Men era, but in recent years, it has been usurped by ubiquitous Aperol Spritzes and G+Ts as the effortless bar order. Craft whisky makers, R&B Distillers have teamed up with artisanal soft drink makers Fentimans to attempt to change our drinking habits and reinstate this matchless combination.

While some whisky drinkers believe that Scotch should not be mixed, R&B Distillers aren’t afraid to be adventurous and turn away from stereotypes of the spirit and have found that Fentimans’ premium sodas provide a disarmingly simple counterpart to its highland single grain Scotch, Borders. The whisky has been paired with Curiosity Cola, Rose Lemonade and Ginger Ale. Fentimans’ invigorating cola is brewed using cinnamon which adds depth of flavour to the traditional cola which complements the sweet vanilla notes of Borders. The herbaceous notes of the whisky are picked up by the Rose Lemonade and give the drinks a pleasing pinkish hue while Ginger Ale adds an autumnal heat to a long serve.

Brand Ambassador for R&B Distillers, Chris Hoban, comments: “Looking for a whisky alternative to the classic G&T we started experimenting with the extensive range from Fentimans because we felt their story shared our values. We were delighted to discover our personal favourites of Borders with Rose Lemonade, Ginger Ale or Curiosity Cola which are now our go-to long drinks for any season.”

Using time honoured recipes, Fentimans traditional sodas are botanically brewed, using a combination of infusion, skilful blending and fermentation of natural ingredients. Borders is an award-winning highland single grain Scotch whisky. Unusually, it is the only single grain Scotch Whisky to contain 50% wheat & 50% malted barley from one highland distillery. The whisky is a testament to the brand’s 19th century heritage and a nod to the future: Co-founder Alasdair Day’s great-grandfather blended whisky in the Coldstream and R&B hope to bring a distillery back to this forgotten region with Borders an exciting representation of what’s to come.

It’s beginning to look a lot like…

There’s still 62 days until the big day, but you can cross one thing off your Christmas shopping list early with the brand new 12 Drams of Christmas. Guaranteed to be on every whisky fan’s letter to Santa, these fantastic whisky selection packs feature twelve 3cl drams, one for each day of the festive season, and come in Standard and Deluxe editions – now in stock and available for immediate dispatch at The Whisky Shop!

Next day UK delivery available International Shipping

12 Drams of Christmas

Fresh off the first sleigh from the North Pole workshop, this whisky selection pack is the perfect gift for your true love this Christmas! Featuring twelve 3cl bottles of some fantastic whiskies, one for each day of the season, 12 Drams of Christmas will keep the festive spirit going to January 5th.

We’re all about Christmas surprises, but if you really can’t wait to find out which whiskies are included in this wonderful gift pack, just click on the link below for the full list.

£70 Buy Now

12 Drams of Christmas Deluxe Edition

Looking for something a little bit extra special for your true love this Christmas? The 12 Drams of Christmas Deluxe Edition has a 3cl bottle for each day of the festive season.

Featuring some rare and old whiskies including limited edition Scotch, Japanese whisky and a single cask exclusive to The Whisky Shop, you can find the full list of drams by clicking the link below.

£125 Buy Now

The Newest “Old Particular” Single Cask Selection – Talisker 8 Year

As promised, we’re about to being moving into the Fall/Winter segment of our Old Particular single cask selections. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting longer, and that little nip in the air starts awakening our thirst for peated Scotch whisky. Let’s begin with the perfect October warm up: an absolutely perfect cask of Talisker 8 year old. If you liked the Lagavulin 8, you’re going to love this Talisker (especially since this one’s at full proof and costs about the same).

Anyone familiar with Talisker understands its role in the pantheon of Scotland’s greatest distilleries. Located on the Isle of Skye, a rugged and remote locate battered by the wind and sea, the malt produced at Talisker has always captured the imagination of whisky drinkers with its maritime flavors of salt, smoke, oil, and peat. It has also long been one of Scotland’s most refined and elegant whiskies, balancing those elements with restraint and delicacy in comparison to Islay’s more powerful and intense expressions like Ardbeg and Laphroaig. Talisker is a smoky whisky, full of bonfire and soot, but the standard 10 year distillery release manages to mellow out the phenolic elements with ample fruit and vanilla. It’s that ability to restrain those rugged island forces into something accessible and beautiful that has made Talisker’s reputation.

What this single barrel cask strength eight year old edition allows for is an unbridled and unrestrained look into the whisky’s true power and potential. It’s everything we know and love about Talisker, just dialed up. The first sip brings sweetness from the malted barley and oak cask maturation, followed by fruit and baking spices as well, but then the power of the proof kicks in and the peat takes over. There are notes of tar and salt, followed by more chimney smoke and earth, before those notes begin to fade and the earthier notes of pure peat highlight the finish. All in all, it’s a Talisker lover’s dream, but it’s Talisker with an ode to Islay in terms of power and potency. I’ve tasted it on seven different occasions today and I can’t get enough of it.

2008 Talisker 8 Year Old “Old Particular – K&L Exclusive” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) – $59.99

Bunnahabhain 8 Year Old 2009

Bunnahabhain 8 Year Old 2009 vintage Islay single malt Scotch whisky. Matured in first fill sherry hogsheads freshly bottled September 2017 by Gordon & MacPhail for the Cask Strength series. Sweet and spicy with treacle, baked apple and raspberry flavours. Bunnahabhain Distillery was established in 1881 on the north eastern tip of the Isle of Islay by the shore of Bunnahabhain Bay and overlooking the Sound of Islay. All the building materials were transported by puffer and unloaded at the distillery pier. Now tucked away at the end of the single track ‘main’ road with spectacular scenery all the way. Bunnahabhain Distillery is equipped with four huge pear shaped stills and produces Scottish malt whiskey which is released in blends and in single malt and single cask bottlings. A participant in Feis Ile, the annual Islay Festival of Malt and Music. Core editions include Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old and 18 Year Old

Shop – £48.74

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky launches 1990 Vintage Cask travel retail exclusive with World Duty Free at Heathrow

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky has today released its eagerly anticipated 1990 Vintage Cask Travel Retail Exclusive in partnership with World Duty Free, a Dufry company and Heathrow Airport. The limited expression is available to purchase exclusively in World of Whiskies and World Duty Free stores in all terminals at Heathrow as part of a dedicated in-store activation until January 2018.

Taking you on a historical journey of Old Pulteney, this exquisite Vintage tells a tale of craftsmanship and dedication, dating back over a quarter of a century. This full-bodied spirit began its story in American oak ex-bourbon casks, developing its characteristically complex nature, before moving to Spanish oak where it became richer, darker and adopted a sweetness with hints of spice. The unique expression finished with a brief spell in casks which previously held heavily peated whisky – providing a unique smoky final flourish for this powerful Maritime Malt.

Glimmering bronze in colour, the 26 Year Old 1990 Vintage Cask has an aroma of spice, vanilla, toffee and sweet honey, balanced by a thin veil of warming wood smoke and oak. Bitter orange marmalade and caramel apples soon follow on the nose to create a long-lasting sensory experience for this exquisite and complex dram.

Rich in mouth feel and intense in flavour, the palate opens up with strong praline and sultana sweetness on a thick bed of warm, savoury smoke. Citrus strikes the top note with hints of vanilla lingering in the background, giving a finish, which is long and smoky.

James Bateman, Director, Global Travel Retail at International Beverage commented: “We’re very excited about the exceptional new Old Pulteney 1990 we’re releasing exclusively with World Duty Free for Heathrow airport. We’re looking forward to giving Heathrow travellers something special to pick up and enjoy at their journey’s end.” 

Nigel Sandals, Liquor Category Buying Manager UK at Dufry continues, “Customers in our World Duty Free and World of Whiskies stores are always looking for something a little different – collectors and connoisseurs want to add something unique to their collection, whilst many travellers are looking to purchase whisky as a special gift. The Old Pulteney Single Malt 1990 Vintage Cask is an exclusive and outstanding whisky and we’re delighted to have been able to work with closely with our partners at International Beverage, to make this exclusive whisky available to our customers”.

Old Pulteney 1990 is neither chill-filtered nor coloured and is bottled at its natural cask strength of 46% ABV. It has a RRP of £288 per bottle.

For further information about Old Pulteney visit www.oldpulteney.com

Notes 

Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Old Pulteney is one of the world’s finest and most distinctive single malt Scotch whiskies. Known as the ‘Maritime Malt’, it is crafted in the windswept coastal town of Wick, home to the Pulteney Distillery which is one of the most northerly on the Scottish mainland. The distillery was established in 1826 in the heart of ‘Pulteneytown’, the town created to house fishermen during Wick’s famous herring boom which drew a fleet of over 1000 boats and 7000 workers to this remote and rugged harbour.

Old Pulteney is the embodiment of this place, its people and its remarkable history. The skilled Pulteney Distillery team continues to craft whisky using the most traditional and time-honoured techniques that most others have long abandoned. This includes the uniquely shaped Pulteney stills, which are reflected in the design of the Old Pulteney bottle on shelves today.

Matured in hand-selected oak casks, the resulting whisky has been acclaimed for its excellence, its smooth drinking style and faint hint of the sea. Old Pulteney holds the coveted title of ‘World Whisky of the Year’ for 2012 in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible – one of the industry’s highest accolades – and most recently the ‘World’s Best Single Malt Whisky’ of 2016 by the prestigious World Whiskies Awards. The whisky also achieved top ten status in the UK single malt market in 2012 and is flourishing in many other countries around the world.

About International Beverage

International Beverage Holdings (www.interbevgroup.com/) was established in 2005 as the international arm of ThaiBev, one of South East Asia’s leading alcohol beverage companies. With a network of regional offices in Asia, Europe and North America, the company is responsible for the production, sales, marketing and distribution of a portfolio of premium global brands in over 80 countries and territories.

Inver House Distillers (www.inverhouse.com/) is globally integrated into International Beverage Holdings and drives the distillation and maturation of Scotch through its five distilleries. The holding was also named ‘Distiller of the Year’ 2016 and 2017 in the Scotland round of Whisky Magazine’s annual Icons of Whisky Awards.

International Beverage brands include:

• Chang Beer: Thailand’s iconic beer brand
• Single Malt Scotch Whiskies: Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc, Speyburn
• Blended Whiskies: Hankey Bannister
• Mekhong: ‘The Spirit of Thailand’ since 1941
• Caorunn – a small batch distilled Scottish Gin infused with 5 Celtic botanicals

The company’s success is built on the combination of a strong understanding of local cultures and markets with the creation of a truly global operational network. Brand building pays respect to heritage, provenance and craftsmanship whilst delivering innovative and highly effective strategies at global level. A skilled and dedicated team of more than 12 nationalities speaking over 14 languages delivers the highest standards of customer service and attention to detail across all aspects of the business.

About Heathrow:

Heathrow is Europe’s largest airport and one of the world’s top international aviation hubs. As the UK’s global gateway, Heathrow welcomes more than 76 million passengers every year with a commitment to making ‘every journey better’. The airport is home to more than 80 airlines and is Britain’s largest cargo port, helping to drive British trade growth by connecting the nation to more than 190 destinations around the world. Following an investment of more than £11 billion over the last 10 years, Heathrow is currently ranked by passengers as the ‘Best Airport in Western Europe’ for the third year running and the ‘Best Airport for Shopping’ for eight years in a row.

Rùdhan wins gold at Global Travel Retail Spirits Masters 2017 

Premium Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, anCnoc is pleased to announce GTR exclusive Rùdhan as a gold winner at The Sprits Business Global Travel Retail Spirits Masters 2017 ¾ less than a year after it launched.

Rùdhan, the latest limited-edition travel retail expression to join anCnoc’s much acclaimed Peaty collection, was described as ‘young and vibrant’ by the judges and was one of six awarded gold in the category.

Bringing together dark peaty smokiness and light subtle flavour, the elegant dram takes its name from the peat harvesting process. The term ‘rùdhan’ [roo-an] refers to the final stage, in which the peat is stacked for several weeks to dry out ahead of burning to create the signature smokiness associated with the range.

Measuring 46% ABV and pale straw in appearance, the initial fruity aromas give way to the strong scent of woody smokiness. To taste, the famous earthy peat flavour is followed by warming spices and burnt sugar, ending with a long and smooth finish.

International Beverage Marketing Director Karen Walker commented: “As a brand we have seen a growing demand for Peaty expressions and launching Rùdhan to travel retail was a real opportunity for us to introduce anCnoc’s darker side to a new audience of thousands of travellers. We’re thrilled it’s received the recognition it deserves at The Spirits Business Global Travel Retail Spirits Masters.”

Rùdhan is available at $65 (USD) for 1L.  For further information visit www.ancnoc.com/peaty/rudhan

Notes

About anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is part of the Inver House Distillers portfolio, and is produced at Knockdhu Distillery – established in 1894 and one of the smallest and most enchanting in the Scottish Highlands. It is renowned the world over by malt enthusiasts for bringing a contemporary twist to the traditions of fine malt whisky, producing a single malt that is accessible and versatile for all occasions. Cutter has been ranked in the Liquid Gold category of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2016 with a score of 96.5 adding to anCnoc’s portfolio of award-winning expressions. Whiskies in this category are deemed by Jim Murray as “superstar whiskies that give us all a reason to live.”

About International Beverage 

International Beverage Holdings (www.interbevgroup.com/) was established in 2005 as the international arm of ThaiBev, one of South East Asia’s leading alcohol beverage companies. With a network of regional offices in Asia, Europe and North America, the company is responsible for the production, sales, marketing and distribution of a portfolio of premium global brands in over 80 countries and territories.

Inver House Distillers (www.inverhouse.com/) is globally integrated into International Beverage Holdings and drives the distillation and maturation of Scotch through its five distilleries.

International Beverage brands include:

• Chang Beer: Thailand’s iconic beer brand
• Single Malt Scotch Whiskies: Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc, Speyburn
• Blended Whiskies: Hankey Bannister
• Mekhong: ‘The Spirit of Thailand’ since 1941
• Caorunn – a small batch distilled Scottish Gin infused with 5 Celtic botanicals

The company’s success is built on the combination of a strong understanding of local cultures and markets with the creation of a truly global operational network.  Brand building pays respect to heritage, provenance and craftsmanship whilst delivering innovative and highly effective strategies at global level. A skilled and dedicated team of more than 12 nationalities speaking over 14 languages delivers the highest standards of customer service and attention to detail across all aspects of the business.