Malt Messenger Bulletin – Spring 2018 Tasting Schedule

Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,

Our Spring 2018 Tasting Schedule opens for registration today, and it is an exciting one. Our team has put together a fine range of whisky and other spirits tastings to see us through to the end of June. That is not to mention some great wine and beer tastings too! In addition to the usual fare, we have a couple of marque events, including the Ardbeg 1815 Grand Tasting, which will see us open the 200th Anniversary Ardbeg 1815 bottling ($8000), only 3 of which have come to Alberta. The event will be hosted by Brendan McCarron, head of maturing whisky stocks at Glenmorangie and Ardbeg. The event includes the 1815, a range of other Ardbegs and dinner.

We will also be holding the first incarnation of Ancient Malts at KWM in more than a year. This edition of Ancient Malts will feature 7 very old and rare single malts, including a pair of 1968s, a pair of Broras, the Convalmore 32 Year and more. The Ancient Malts tastings will be taking place over the course of two nights in June (your choice of June 15 or 21), one of which is the day after our Spring Single Malt Festival, June 14. We have planned this intentionally as both events tend to draw out of town visitors, and we want to make your trek worthwhile. Speaking for the Spring Single Malt Festival, you won’t want to drag your feet too long getting tickets for it, as it always sells out early.

Other notable events include the Compass Box Hedonism Muse Launch on Monday May 14, which will see the first tasting of Compass Box Hedonism Muse in Alberta. There will also be a very special Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt Vertical Tasting with founder Bob Baxter on Thursday May 24. And don’t forget to save the date for Ardbeg Day 2018 on Saturday June 2nd. More details on this very fun and groovy event will be announced soon.

The full listing of whisky and spirits tastings in the 2018 Spring Schedule are detailed below. You can  view the full Kensington Wine Market Spring Tasting Schedule and register for the tastings online.

To round out this Malt Messenger Bulletin, I thought I would highlight a couple of KWM Casks which are getting close to selling out. If you are a fan of our Old Malt Cask Bowmore 1996 KWM Cask, Duncan Taylor Octaves Bunnahabhain 2008 KWM Cask, Millstone 100 Rye KWM Cask or the Arran 1996 KWM Cask 964, and you want another bottle, time is running out… details on all of these whiskies can be found below.

I hope you enjoy this Malt Messenger Bulletin, and that it finds you well! If you have any comments, questions or requests don’t hesitate to send me an email.

Slàinte!

Andrew

In This Edition

1. Spring 2018 Tasting Schedule
2. Only 13 Bottles Left: Old Malt Cask Bowmore KWM Cask
3. Only 15 Bottles Left: Duncan Taylor Octaves Bunnahabhain KWM Cask
4. Only 20 Bottles Left: Millstone 100 Rye KWM Cask
5. Only 23 Bottles Left: Arran 1996 KWM Cask 964

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

KWM’s Spring 2018 Tasting Schedule 

One of our most exciting schedules ever

There is a lot to be excited about in our Spring Tasting Schedule. Spaces are limited, so if there is something you are interested in, don’t wait too long to register… As always you can register in-store, by phone at 403-283-8000 or online: kensingtonwinemarket.com

1. Classic Malts – Wednesday April 18 – Our introduction to the world of single malt Scotch whisky. Highlands, Lowlands, Speyside and Islay… all almost meaningless terms in the modern day! Don’t believe us? We’ll show and taste! – $35
2. NAS Whisky Wars – Wednesday April 25 – Nothing in recent years has stirred up as much controversy in the world of whisky as the re-emergence of NAS (no age statement) Whisky… but is it all bad? We’ll present the facts, and you’ll have to take a side! – $40
3. Going with the Grain: Very Old Edition – Tuesday May 8 – When they are good, they can be stunning. Scotch Whisky’s least understood and appreciated incarnation is also one of its best value propositions. Especially when it comes to very old ones! – $75
4. Compass Box Muse Launch – Monday May 14 – Andrew and Compass Box’s Canadian Brand Ambassador James Bornn will mark the launch of “Compass Box Hedonism The Muse” with a special Master Class highlighting Compass Box blended grains! – $30
5. KWM’s 26th Birthday Mini-Whisky Festival – Thursday May 17 – Consider this the “Sneak a Peek” for the whisky deals during our birthday sale weekend. Includes a Glencairn glass and the opportunity to sample from a range of more than 80 different whiskies! – $50
6. Two Brewers Single Malt Release Vertical with Bob Baxter – Thursday May 24 – We will sample our way through the Two Brewers Releases 04-09, and another treat, with co-founder/owner Bob Baxter. He’ll highlight the broad range of single malt whisky styles coming from this award winning Yukon distillery! – $25
7. Ardbeg 1815 Grand Tasting with Brendan McCarron – Tuesday June 29 – Special guest Brendan McCarron, head of maturing whisky stocks at Glenmorangie and Ardbeg will take you on a very special tasting including the extremely rare 200th Anniversary bottling, Ardbeg 1815 ($8000.00). You’ll also indulge in dinner and a range of other Ardbeg whiskies. – $200
8. !!!!SAVE THE DATE!!! Ardbeg Day – Saturday June 2 – Ardbeg Day 2018 will be a celebration of Peat & Love all over the world. More details to follow. So SAVE THE DATE for a Groovy Day of fun, whisky and flower power! – Location & $TBA
9. Spring Single Malt Festival – Thursday June 14 – Our annual spring festival of all things malt whisky will feature at least 100 single malts from Scotland and around the world. It sells out quickly, so don’t hesitate. 25th Anniversary tasting glass included. – $65
10. Ancient Malts – !!!Choice of Two Nights!!!: Friday June 15 or Thursday June 21 – It’s been over a year since we’ve put on an Ancient Malts tasting, and frankly, we’re overdue! We have some very special bottles selected for this one, including a pair of Broras, two 1968 vintage single malts and three other treats. Includes a special cut crystal Glencairn glass! – $250
11. The Spirit of Canada – Wednesday June 27 – Canadian whisky has caught the world’s attention in the last few years, just as a surge of craft Canadian whiskies are about to hit the market. We’ll feature some of the best new releases! – $35

Register in-store, by phone at 403-283-8000 or online: kensingtonwinemarket.com

 

Only 13 Bottles Left – Old Malt Cask 1996 Bowmore KWM Cask 

A Whisky That Took us Over 10 Years to Find…

This was one of the most exciting whisky launches we’ve had in recent years. Firstly, because I had been wanting to bottle a single cask of Bowmore for more than a decade. Secondly, because by pure serendipitous coincidence, Jim McEwan, who had been distillery manager at Bowmore when this whisky was distiller, just happened to be in Calgary the day the first bottles arrived in store. He was kind enough to pop in and sign the first 90 bottles, which sold out in mere hours.

Our first KWM Single Cask Bowmore is from Old Malt Cask and bottled after 21 years at 50%. Normally we prefer all of our casks to be bottled at cask strength, which would have been around 53% for this whisky. But to bottle it at cask strength, in the “First Editions” packaging, would have added nearly $75 to the price. So we were willing to compromise. Bottled at 21 years old from a Refill Hogshead, distilled March 1996 and Bottled June 2017.

Old Malt Cask Bowmore 1996 KWM Cask – 50% – Refill Hogshead – 21 Year – My Tasting Note: “Nose: creamy, floral and sweet; a touch of Parma Violets (sweet lavender candies) clotted cream, Crème Brule and salted caramel ice-cream; light-savoury-smoke, lemon and pear drops, vanilla bean Jelly Bellies and wine gums. Palate: creamy, buttery, oily and fruity; silky layers of honey and vanilla are rolled out with lots of soft fruits: guava, Midori melon, green banana and lots of citrus; more wine gums; the smoke is delicate, floral and decadent, with more lavender and peppermint; the clotted cream caries through on a dry Brittish scone; more ice-cream too: a double scoop of salted caramel and Earl Grey tea. Finish: long, silky and creamy with layers of fruit, floral tones, elegant smoke and gentle toasted oak. Comment: this was worth the wait; a beautiful malt; my kind of Bowmore! Comment: this whisky was worth the wait, when we cracked the sample from Hunter Laing, we knew we had a winner. – $200

Only 15 Bottles Left – Duncan Taylor Octaves Bunnahabhain 2008 KWM Cask 

Young, but with a Profile Mature Well Beyond It’s Years…

It seems like it only just got here, but sadly it is nearly gone. Our most limited KWM exclusive single cask in a while, just 66 bottles were produced and just 15 remain. Matured 9 years in oak casks and finished for 4 months in a bespoke Duncan Taylor Sherry Octave. Bottled at 52.6%.

 Duncan Taylor Octaves Bunnahabhain 2008 KWM Cask – 52.6% – 9 Year – Finished 4 Months in a Sherry Octave – My Tasting Note: “Nose: jujubes and a leather barber’s strap; old-fashioned shaving soap in a polished wooden bowl; a touch of chocolate, raisins and figs dipped in honey. Palate: big, heavy and malty with bold sherry notes over a base of honey-vanilla; a thick chocolate base with orange, raisins figs and decadent spices; more polished wood and old-fashioned shaving soap; still leathery, musty and oaky, soft nutty tones and more jujubes; spices transition into candied fennel and a touch of clove. Finish: long, drying and bold; the palate is coating and leathery with more chocolate, citrus, dried dark fruits and spices. Comment: if this was an SMWS malt, I would call it “Eating chocolate & jujubes in a barber’s chair.” – $100

Only 20 Bottles Left – Millstone 100 Rye KWM Cask 

Our First Single Cask of 100% Rye…

This is our first single cask of Millstone whisky, and it will not be our last! It is also our first exclusive single cask of 100% rye whisky, and our first ever exclusive cask of whisky from the Netherlands. This 100% whisky is distilled in pot stills from a mash of 50% malted and 50% unmalted rye grain milled in Dutch windmills. The only way it could be more Dutch is if the distillers were wearing clogs. It was matured in a single virgin American oak cask, bottled at 53.2%. Only 144 bottles were produced, and just 20 remain!

Millstone 100 Rye KWM Cask – 53.2% – Matured in Virgin American Oak – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: sweet, creamy and honeyed with fresh Jujubes and dill pickle juice; some orange sherbet and vanilla icing sugars; toasted oak and firm spices; doughy and fresh with a hint of liquorice. Palate: big, round and earthy; perfumed and oily; more liquorice and assorted fresh Jujubes; tangy citrus meets spicy-oily rye tones; juicy and toasty with Demerara sugars.

Finish: big, rich, bold and lasting; fruits, liquorice and spices linger through a long creamy finish. Comment: the virgin oak has leant this whisky and maturity and richness beyond its years, also a silky backbone which tames the bold 100 rye spirit.” – $88

 

Only 23 Bottles Left – Arran 1996 KWM Cask 964 

My Favourite of the Two 20 Year Old KWM Arran Casks…

Although this is a Sherry Hogshead matured whisky, we believe it to be an American oak hoggie based on its colour and profile. One of two single cask, cask strength, 20 year old Arrans, bottled exclusively for KWM in 2017. It is my favourite of the two and a classic elegant old single malt. The whiskies are the oldest Arrans yet to come to Canada…, until our 21 year olds arrive this Spring. Bottled at a cask strength of 52.5% after maturing in a sherry hogshead filled on 12/08/1996 and bottled 05/04/2017.

Arran 1996 KWM Cask 964 – 52.5% – Sherry Hogshead – 20 Year – Andrew’s Tasting Note

Nose: bright, floral and citrussy; lemon slices, peeled orange and tangerines; cinnamon spiced honey butter and soft leather leads to apricots and dried dark fruits; all along there is a creamy base with bright floral top notes. Palate: very honeyed: liquid, honey butter and honey sticks; more orange and tangerines, big juicy citrus tones and a base of creamy, floral vanilla bean (American oak?); chewy with sweet waxy Starburst fruit candies and a touch of darker dried fruits; more dried apricot and soft silky leather; some gentle earthy tones and soft leather hinting at sherry seasoning and dunnage warehouse maturation. Finish: long, sweet, coating and citrussy with more bright floral tones and all kinds of honey. Comment: despite its age which has given it a silky backbone, this malt is still bright, fresh and layered; it is to borrow a phrase, eminently quaffable; perhaps dangerously so!” – $150

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