Ralfy mingles peat and speyside with Ralfy Review 688 – Balvenie 14yo Peat Week @ 48.3%vol

EARTH MOVING LAUNCH FOR TOMATIN 

Scotch whisky distiller, Tomatin, will this month launch its third expression in its popular Five Virtue Series – Earth.

The natural elements involved in its whisky production process has inspired Tomatin’s limited edition single malt series, Five Virtues: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. The Wood and Fire expressions were well received when the Highland distiller launched them earlier this year, heightening anticipation for the Earth launch.

The Earth single malt has a distinct character, as a consequence of having been distilled with peat-dried malted barley; giving it richly intense and, unusually for Tomatin, peaty flavours. The Earth expression offers an alluring mix of vanilla, burning heather and black fruit aromas with sweet, light smoke on the palate.

Graham Eunson, Tomatin Distillery Manager, responsible for curating the Five Virtues collection, said: “The Earth expression is unique within the Five Virtues series – and indeed our entire range of single malts – because of its peaty profile. We only distil with peated barley for two weeks of every year and this spirit is never usually released under the Tomatin brand name.”

Jennifer Masson, Tomatin Distillery Marketing Manager, said: “Off the back of our incredibly successful Five Virtues launch, we are very excited to bring the third expression in this limited edition series, Earth, to the global market.

“The Wood and Fire expressions have been extremely well received in all of our international markets, with buyers eager to add Earth to their collection.”

To celebrate the launch of the third in the Five Virtues series, Tomatin have collaborated with Scottish adventure bloggers, North, and created the Tomatin Route 501 to give whisky fans an opportunity to bring to life their limited edition ‘Five Virtues’ series of whiskies through stunning Scottish landscapes that reflect the elements and names of the five single malt whiskies – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. The adventure can be viewed here: www.tomatin.com/route501

The Tomatin Five Virtues series comes uniquely packaged in cartons adorned with contemporary art, created by Eva Ullrich. To mark the launch of the new Earth expression, Tomatin will exhibit all five of the stunning paintings by Eva Ullrich in a gallery within the distillery’s Still House.

Earth, the third expression in the Five Virtue Series will launch at the Whisky Exchange Show in London on 29 September 2017. It has a limited run of 6,000 bottles and can be enjoyed from specialist whisky retailers from 30 September 2017 at £49.99 for 70cl.

The final two expressions, Metal and Water, will be released early 2018. For additional information, please visit www.tomatin.com/5virtues.

Tomatin was awarded Distiller Of The Year 2016 and Brand Innovator Of The Year 2017 at the Icons of Whisky Scotland Awards. Tomatin currently ranks in the Top 10 Single Malt brands in the USA and is one of the fastest growing in the UK.

Notes:

Each of the Five Virtues malts comes with its own distinct complexity and character;

• Wood has been aged in French, American and Hungarian oak casks,
• Fire is matured in heavily charred oak, simulating fresh vanilla flavours.
• Earth exhibits rich and intense peaty flavours as a consequence of maturing in peat-dried malted barley casks.
• Metal is expressed by the distillery’s 12 beautiful copper stills.
• Water is distinguished by its naturally pure soft water from the Alt-na-Frith burn, which is drawn year round, but employs a winter-distilled spirit to enrich the final flavour.

Bringing the Five Virtues alive on Tomatin Route 501 (this site will go live on Friday 28^th September) – www.tomatin.com/route501

More information on the Tomatin Five Virtues – www.tomatin.com/5virtues

https://whiskyshow.com/london/

OCTOBER TASTING SERIES

In recent years, and beyond, it has become clear that whiskies from Asia CAN compete with the best of Scotch. Come and be amazed and delighted with this latest blind tasting series as we pit Asian whiskies against their Scottish equivalents…

A slightly different format where we (and you) focus purely on the whisky in the glass, with no packaging or frippery visible to distract us. The whiskies will only revealed once you have voted for your favourites…What better way to spend an evening, than trying some thought-provoking and delicious whiskies?  We hope to see you at one of our wonderful partner venues in a city near you!

Sheffield: Monday 16th October- 7pm

Leeds: Wednesday 18th October- 7pm

York: Saturday 21st October – During the Yorkshire Whisky Festival

Liverpool: Wednesday 25th October- 7pm

Newcastle: Thursday 26th October- 7pm

Manchester: Friday 27th October- 7pm

London: Saturday 28th October – 4.30pm

Brighton: 22nd November – 7pm

BOOK NOW

1994 Auchroisk 23 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml) $89.99

While our previous cask of Auchroisk 15 year was a hot deal while it lasted, this advanced and equally brilliant 23 year old edition may have it beat. Absolutely brimming with sweet stone fruit, rock sugar candy, and syrup, this barrel of 53.3% cask strength single malt whisky from Diageo’s Highland distillery brings yet another bang for your buck under the guise of Old Particular. The nose has all the classic aromas of malted barley, vanilla, and oak spices, but it’s the initial blast on the palate where this whisky ultimately shines. Rich and robust on the finish, it’s a classic Scottish malt through and through and the unbeatable price reflects our continued effort to combat the current market with affordable, mature, and exciting whiskies straight from the source.

By: Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member

By: David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member

Kilkerran 12 Year Old (2017)

Fresh from the bottling hall, the new 2017 batch of Kilkerran single malt distilled at Glengyle distillery in Campbeltown.

Buy – £36.95

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 178: Isle of Jura 24 Year Old 1988 for The Whiskyman

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries an Isle of Jura from 1988. Isle of Jura is a whisky that does not appear on Mark’s scope very often, but in this case he gladly brings it up, for two reasons. One, it is an independent release by a (retired) Belgian bottler that he knows personally – Dominiek Boeckaert aka The Whiskyman – and two, it is probably the best Isle of Jura whisky he has tried so far. Originally, this 24 Year Old was bottled for Viking Lines, but a couple of bottles found their way to the Belgian market as well.

https://youtu.be/t2gDrW-dxSs

The Five Virtues of Route 501

Tomatin adds to the NC500 route

Tomatin Distillery have gone the extra mile giving the famous North Coast 500 route, Scotland’s No.1 coastal adventure, a unique whisky theme.

They have created the Tomatin Route 501 to give whisky fans an opportunity to bring to life their limited edition ‘Five Virtues’ series of whiskies and it takes in stunning Scottish landscapes that reflect the elements and names of the five single malt whiskies – Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water.

To mark the launch of the Tomatin Route 501 this week, the Highland distillery challenged North Blog adventurer Tristan Cameron-Harper to experience and capture the best of the new route.

Adding a stop to his NC500 journey, with a visit to the Tomatin Distillery for a tour and tasting session, the explorer sampled whisky at some of Scotland’s most picturesque locations and embarked on a series of challenges along the North Coast 500 to celebrate Tomatin’s Five Virtues whisky series.

Inspired by the five natural elements involved in its production process, the Five Virtues series includes the Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water editions. North blogger Cameron-Harper engaged with each of these elements at some of Scotland’s most famous beauty spots, including: Inverewe Gardens, Kildonan Burn, Smoo Cave and Fairy Glen Falls.

A deep-rooted love for the Scottish landscape and taste for adventure, makes Cameron-Harper perfectly suited to explore Scotland’s wealth of natural elements, in order to understand their intrinsic importance to the whisky making process.

Referred to as Scotland’s answer to America’s Route 66, the route has attracted an additional 29,000 visitors and an additional £29 million in its first year to the Highlands. 2016 saw a record 1.7 million people visit distilleries north of the border, with the largest proportion of visitors coming from Germany, Scotland and other parts of the UK, the USA and France.

Jennifer Masson, Tomatin Marketing Manager, said, “We’re incredibly excited to have Tristan launch the Tomatin Route 501 project. We think that his insatiable thirst for adventure in the natural world, and our expert handling of these natural elements, are representative of the perfect marriage distilled in each of the Five Virtues single malt expressions.”

She added, “Scotland was recently voted the world’s most beautiful country and we hope that visitors will follow our alternative Route 501 and experience some of the country’s idyllic scenery, as well as its most famous export.”

To celebrate the complexity of flavours embodied by each distinct expression in the whisky series, Cameron-Harper engaged in a number of exciting challenges, including glassblowing and panning for gold.

Speaking about his travels on the North Coast 500, adventurer Tristan Cameron-Harper expressed the profound effect the landscape had on his experience of Tomatin’s single-malts: “Being able to interact with the Scottish landscape while enjoying a nip of one of the Five Virtue whiskies, adds a whole new level to the whisky tasting experience. It heightens your appreciation of the whisky itself, bringing out a range of tasting notes and complexity of character I’ve never before experienced.”

The first two expressions in the limited edition Five Virtues series, ‘Wood’ and ‘Fire’ are available now from all specialist whisky retailers, and can be enjoyed at the price of £49.99. The third expression will be made available from the 29^th of September, with the final expressions ‘Metal’ and ‘Water’ to be released early 2018.

Tomatin was awarded Distiller Of The Year 2016 and Brand Innovator Of The Year 2017 at the Icons of Whisky Scotland Awards. Tomatin currently ranks in the Top 10 Single Malt brands in the USA and is one of the fastest growing in the UK.

Notes:

Each of the Five Virtues malts comes with its own distinct complexity and character:

• Wood has been aged in French, American and Hungarian oak casks,
• Fire is matured in heavily charred oak, simulating fresh vanilla flavours.
• Earth exhibits rich and intense peaty flavours as a consequence of maturing in peat-dried malted barley casks.
• Metal is expressed by the distillery’s 12 beautiful copper stills.
• Water is distinguished by its naturally pure soft water from the Alt-na-Frith burn, which is drawn year round, but employs a winter-distilled spirit to enrich the final flavour.

Eighth Generation Beam Family Member Freddie Noe Introduces Annual Limited Release Series, Little Book™ Whiskey

Clermont, KY (September 20, 2017) – The Beam family is proud to officially announce the launch of Little Book™, the first and highly anticipated product release from Freddie Noe, eighth generation Beam family member and son of current Beam master distiller, Fred Noe. The debut of Little Book marks an exciting step forward for the next generation of Beam family whiskey makers.

Named after the childhood nickname given to Freddie by his grandfather, legendary master distiller, Booker Noe, Little Book™ is an annual, limited release series that will feature a new and unique blend each year, presented uncut and unfiltered1. Guiding each year’s release will be Freddie’s passion for crafting high-quality, interesting blends different from anything else on the market.

“I’m humbled and honored to share Little Book with the world,” said Freddie, who currently serves as the distillery’s fermentation manager. “When I joined the family business five years ago, I told Dad I wanted to learn everything there was to know about making whiskey. Along the way, I discovered I’m particularly fascinated by the endless taste profiles that can be created through blending. I’m excited for whiskey fans to taste the first batch of this annual release, and I look forward to sharing new, one-of-a-kind blends every year. It’s a real honor to carry on my family’s legacy, and I hope I’ve done them proud.”

The inaugural batch release of Little Book, called Little Book “The Easy,” draws inspiration from what the Beam family is known for – great bourbon whiskey. Little Book “The Easy” is a blended straight whiskey that features four unique components: uncut and unfiltered1 corn, rye and malt whiskies – representative of the three grains commonly found in a bourbon mashbill (or recipe) – balanced with uncut, unfiltered1 Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. Creating the final liquid for Little Book “The Easy” was a labor of love for Freddie, who worked on the final recipe for over a year and tried more than 25 different blends of the liquid before he decided that it was just right and worthy of his debut release.

“It’s exciting to watch my son, Freddie, follow in the family footsteps and share his passion for blending with the release of Little Book,” said Fred Noe. “My dad, Booker, and I used to always say that if Freddie ever decided to join the family business, his distinct palate and nose, along with his eagerness to learn, would take him far. Freddie’s coming into his own as part of the next generation of whiskey makers, and I couldn’t be more proud to support him as he launches his first product.”

Bottled uncut at its natural proof, Little Book “The Easy” is meant to be just that – easy to enjoy however you like it best, whether that’s neat, over ice or with a splash of water. Little Book “The Easy” was blended by Freddie Noe and developed with the following characteristics:

• Blend Overview:
  4-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey
  13-year-old corn whiskey
  About 6-year-old 100% malt whiskey
  About 6-year-old high-rye whiskey
• Proof: 128.2
• Tasting Notes: Little Book “The Easy” leads with caramel and oak notes, then moves into flavors of toasted nuts and hints of corn grain. The finish is long and packed with peppery rye, making this liquid approachable and easy to enjoy.
• Sipping Suggestions: Neat, over ice or with a splash of water.

Little Book “The Easy” will be available nationwide beginning in October in limited quantities with a Suggested Retail Price of $79.99 for a 750mL bottle.

For more information about Little Book Whiskey, visit http://www.beamsuntory.com/brands/little-book

About Little Book™
Little Book™ is the first-ever product release from Freddie Noe, eighth generation Beam family member, son of seventh generation Beam master distiller, Fred Noe, and grandson of legendary Beam master distiller, Booker Noe. An annual, limited release series, Little Book will feature new and unique blends each year that bring to life Freddie’s passion for blending and his curiosity for the limitless tastes that can be achieved through the process. Each blend will be uncut and unfiltered1 to allow the nuanced taste profiles to shine through and fans to enjoy it the way they choose.

In 2017, Freddie introduced his inaugural batch of Little Book, called Little Book™ “The Easy,” and he will continue to carry on his family tradition of innovation in the industry by creating new releases for Little Book each year, always with the goal of developing new and interesting blends.

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

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

Old Pulteney 1983 Vintage

46% vol. / 70cl

£500.00
Ex VAT £416.67
Pre-Order Now

Orders will be delivered week beginning 9th October

Distilled in 1983 at Wick’s Pulteney Distillery, this limited edition Highland single malt has matured for over 33 years in a combination of American and Spanish oak casks, creating an elegantly balanced single malt.

Nose: stewed fruit and toffee before a building chocolate note, spicy vanilla and oily citrus.

Palate: full-bodied with a sweet and savoury heart, salted caramel and dried fruit atop a vibrant honey and vanilla note.

Finish: creamy, long and elegant.

Saturday, October 21st, 12-3PM:

Compass Box 

Start your weekend with a whisky tasting, courtesy of the award-winning Compass Box Distillery! Lavishing care on both their whiskies and the bottles they’re presented in, Compass Box is well known for the quality of their drams, as well as their dedication to transparency.

Click Here to RSVP