DECEMBER AUCTION NOW LIVE!
(ends Sunday 6th January, 2019)
…place your bids at www.whiskyhammer.co.uk
With an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits there is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest, enjoy!
Use the code XMAS?? (join to find out the code) at check out to enjoy a £10 discount on any bottling online*. Happy shopping and Merry Christmas from all of us at SMWS.
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
Kentucky Bourbon at Its Finest
Maker’s Mark 46 “K&L Exclusive Barrel #905”
Private Select Kentucky Bourbon (750ml) ($69.99)
“Another slam dunk from the little distillery in Loretto.”
—David Othenin-Girard, K&L SoCal Spirits Buyer
One of the most successful programs in our Spirits Department is the Private Select project done in partnership with Maker’s Mark. Through this innovative program, our spirits buyers are given the opportunity to blend their own unique K&L bottling based on the addition of different wood stave types to a barrel of Maker’s 46. The barrel is then stored in a specially designed warehouse carved into the side of a hill that allows the perfect aging conditions. The results carry the trademark characteristics of Maker’s Mark, yet possess their own distinctive stamp.
Barrel #905 is a magical concoction. Unmistakably a wheated bourbon, it shows a wonderful depth of flavor showcasing flavors of Madagascar vanilla, coconut, toasted marshmallow, and subtle wood spice. Clocking in at 110.1 proof, it isn’t timid, but still manages to show remarkable balance. If you are a fan of Pappy and other high-wheat styles, then you really need to give the #905 a try as it delivers the goods, but for a fraction of the price. If you’ve had previous bottlings of the Private Select, we highly recommend this tantalizing rendition.
Maker’s Mark 46 “K&L Exclusive Barrel #905” Private Select Kentucky Bourbon (750ml) ($69.99)
We cannot get enough of the wonderful Maker’s Mark 46 cask program. With no end in sight to the clamor for high-proof wheated bourbon like Pappy, any chance we have to snag these barrels we take. Never mind the fact that Maker’s Mark makes some of the very best wheated bourbon on the market, they add a spectacular level of intrigue with the unique 46 program. Each of these casks sees additional aging with added staves hanging in the upright barrels. This allows for a truly amped-up, but perfectly integrated flavor profile. This particular cask has a mix of 6 Baked American Pure 2 staves to dial up the vanilla and sweetness, 3 Seared French Cuvée for amazing spiciness and a little more caramel, and 1 classic Maker’s 46 stave, the only stave used in the original 46 whiskey. The end result is a rocking bourbon that tips the scales at 110.1 proof and is a powerful, sweet, complex and hedonistic dive into wheated bourbon.
David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 07, 2018
Maker’s Mark Private Select is quickly becoming one of our most beloved single barrel programs. We’ve messed around with several different recipes but this particular mixture of wood types seems to be the sweet spot. Many of our customers have compared these exceptional whiskies to the very best available, if not better. This awesome barrel is just more of the same deliciousness. The incredible, rich, sweet wheat of the cask-strength Maker’s is bolstered significantly by the heady vanilla and spice of the various staves. The powerful concoction is balanced on the palate, drinking way below its proof, with absolutely no burn. Instead, a dark roasty coffee bean and stewed tropical fruit keep the spice and caramel in check on the palate. Another slam dunk from the little distillery in Loretto.
Neal Fischer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 30, 2018
For the Private Select program, Maker’s Mark lets us choose the stave types going into the barrel for extra maturation. K&L spirits buyers selected a mix of American white oak, extra seared French oak, and a little of the classic Maker’s 46 staves. Bold spice is instantly noticeable with notes of cinnamon, fresh ground pepper, and clove. Then the wash of fresh vanilla bean, creme brulee, and caramel comes through with some fruity elements, most particularly coconut. The different wood types and char levels of the various staves really present themselves on the palate. This bourbon is downright toasty! It has very bold char flavors, a little campfire, burnt marshmallow, and then the coconut comes back all toasted too.
Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 30, 2018
The power of this bourbon is terrific. It’s a full throated roar of sweet, spicy, creamy, and woody flavors. The unique Maker’s Private Select program allows us to craft endlessly interesting additions to the already nearly perfect classic Maker’s Mark. Not only is it incredibly satisfying to see the nuance each stave type brings, it’s incredibly delicious. Here we essentially chose to amp up the natural intensity of bourbon by going heavy on the baked American staves, bring in some added wood complexity with the spicy French oak, and one classic Maker’s 46 stave for good measure. Full proof wheaters don’t come along often, especially those with such a pedigree. Barrel 905 is a wonderful example of why K&L will continue to support this program as long as they’re willing to keep doing it!
Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 29, 2018
This is a really good bourbon. In the past few years bourbons with a high wheat content like Pappy Van Winkle have been very much in demand. The Maker’s 46 is a bourbon with a high wheat content with added barrel influences. The nose is inviting with an expressive sweetness. In the mouth it is rich, elegant and spicy. There is a nice mouthfeel and a long finish.
William Beare | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 27, 2018
The Maker’s Mark Private Select line is where for us, as both retailers and serious whiskey nerds, we really start giddily rubbing our hands together as we get an opportunity to put a truly unique influence on a whiskey we already adore. The whiskey begins as the classic Maker’s– fully matured, but left at barrel-proof. Specially treated staves (the ribs of a barrel) are then added to the pot, and left to age for nine weeks in a cool limestone cellar. The back of the bottle shows which staves were used for this selection– six virgin American oak staves (oven-baked at low temperatures), three ridge-cut, seared French oak staves, and one of the staves used to create the ordinary Maker’s 46 (also French oak at a different level of toast). The nose is full of brown sugar, oak, vanilla, and light winter spice. It hits the tongue with a burst of fruit and baked wood shavings that linger through the finish.
The Good Dram Show – Episode 294 ‘Springbank & Glengyle’ – Welcome to the last episode of the show for 2018 and we’re going out with a bang! This week features some new releases from both Springbank and Glengyle, along with the first review of the yet to be released Kilkerran Heavily Peated.
DIAGEO SPECIAL RELEASES TASTING
WITH COLIN DUNN
DIAGEO WHISKY AMBASSADOR
Colin Dunn is European Whisky Ambassador for Diageo and a regular at The Whisky Exchange. With a career spanning more than 35 years, there is no one better to present these limited-edition Special Releases. Talisker 8 Year Old. Cladach Blended Malt. Oban 21 Year Old. Inchgower 27 Year Old. Pittyvaich 28 Year Old. Lagavulin 12 Year Old 2018. Caol Ila 15 Year Old & Caol Ila 35 Year Old
Monday 21 January 2019
7.30pm-9pm
£60
Please arrive at the venue from 7.15pm for a 7.30pm start
Tickets on sale now!
From Gift Sets to Special Treats: Hamish has the answer!
Still time to order your favourite whiskies – while stocks last!
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Highland Park 12 Year Old Gift Pack
This fantastic whisky from ‘The Orkney Malt with Viking Soul’ was first released in 1979 and has a established a firm reputation as a great all-rounder. This beautifully presented gift pack includes two Highland Park branded whisky glasses.
Distilled in 2006 at the family-owned and operated Daftmill distillery in the Kingdom of Fife, this Lowland single malt is part of a limited release of just 1,665 bottles produced in the summer of 2018.
£195 Buy Now
Limited to 1 per customer
Benromach recognised at Icons of Whisky Scotland Awards 2019
Susan Colville named Visitor Attraction Manager of the Year
Benromach Distillery is celebrating success at the prestigious Icons of Whisky Scotland awards, picking up the Visitor Attraction Manager of the Year Award and being highly commended in the Visitor Attraction and Distillery Manager categories.
Announced in a ceremony held in Edinburgh’s Surgeon’s Hall, the awards, which are organised by Whisky Magazine, pay tribute to the expertise that is poured into every bottle of whisky made around the world. Only those working in the industry can nominate an individual or brand, with the final winners chosen by a panel of expert judges.
Susan Colville, Brand Home Manager was recognised for the outstanding contribution she makes to the many thousands that visit Benromach Distillery each year. After receiving the coveted title of Visitor Attraction Manager of the Year, an accolade which Susan previously won in 2015, she will now go forward to compete for the global title which will be announced on the 29th March 2019 in London.
Susan Colville said: “I’m overwhelmed to receive this award again and it is particularly special to receive this at the end of our 20th anniversary celebratory year. 2018 has brought many highlights, ranging from the launch of Benromach Cask No 1 which raised money for charitable causes to hosting the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival opening gala dinner. We’re looking forward to growing our visitor numbers further in 2019 and giving every guest the up-close and personal tour experience, we’re known for.”
Earlier this year, Susan was made a Keeper of the Quaich, joining the international and select society which recognises those who have shown outstanding commitment to the Scotch whisky industry.
Benromach’s Keith Cruickshank was highly commended in the Distillery Manager of the Year category at the Icons of Whisky Awards. Benromach Distillery was also highly commended in the Visitor Attraction of the Year category in recognition of the personal experience the whole team strives to deliver to visitors every day.
Keith Cruickshank, Benromach’s Distillery Manager, said: “As our 20th anniversary year comes to an end, it is gratifying for the team at Benromach to be recognised at the Icons of Whisky Awards. Being acknowledged in this way by others working in the industry is particularly special.”
Notes
Benromach Distillery
Originally built in 1898, Benromach Distillery was brought back to life when the Urquhart family realised a lifelong dream to own a distillery and purchased it in 1993. The distillery was extensively re-equipped over a five-year period before it was officially opened by HRH The Duke of Rothesay in 1998.
In reopening Benromach Distillery, the Urquhart family wanted to create a single malt whisky that has a classic Speyside character: beautifully balanced with a light touch of smoke.
Benromach Distillery is located on the outskirts of the ancient market town of Forres. A five 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.
The holidays are about enjoying the moments. Through the hectic chaos of shopping, holiday dinners, and family get-togethers, don’t forget to take a minute for you. Here are a couple of spirits that will keep you in the spirit as you recharge throughout the Holidays.
KILCHOMAN MACHIR BAY Single Malt Scotch Private Barrel
Reg $64.99 | Sale $62.99
Established in 2005, one of Islay’s newest distilleries is also known as Islay’s Farm Distillery. Their 100% Islay range is Scotland’s only single malt produced from barley both grown and malted on Islay, using only local, traditionally cut peat. This collaborative vatting of Machir Bay utilizes a high proportion of bourbon barrels (85%) to sherry cask (15%) influence, creating a very special union of tropical fruitiness and aromatic smokiness.
Compass Box is one of those rogue bottlers and producers that blend Scotch Whiskies. Whether on purpose or by accident Compass Box continues to set the bar to new heights. They are great blenders with an eye looking forward, but they always have one steady foot firmly planted in the past and rooted in tradition. If you are looking to get started in the Scotch category, Compass Box is a great way to begin. Similarly, if you’re looking to freshen up your glass with something unique and artfully done, Compass Box has a complete line with a wide variety that will hit your palate in just the right place.
thepartysource.com
95 Riviera Drive, Bellevue, KY 41073
(859) 291-4007
Ahhh, Christmas: a time for family, food, good cheer and annoying singing Santa… ornaments? Are they ornamental? Are they toys? Singing Santas, anyway. And somehow all the silliness only contributes to the overall atmosphere of loveliness. It’s like being hugged (hygged?) by the world.
Christmas is also a time for great drinks. We gift them to each other, we get them in specially and we drink them together. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of the silliest and festive-est bottles we could find to help you get the absolute most out of your Christmas drinking. Brace yourselves…
We’ll ease you in gently. While not necessarily festive per se, nothing screams cosy like sherry-aged single malt and a good woolly hat. We’re running with it, so there.
Yes, you did read that correctly, and it’s exactly what it sounds like. A bottle of Maker’s Mark Bourbon Whisky, swaddled in an appropriately stylish – and presumably very itchy – Christmas jumper, complete with ABV. Because nothing says ‘Merry Christmas’ like properly-observed European labelling standards. No, seriously – they make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
The illustrated personification of flavour himself comes storming back in his whiskyful sleigh, bringing with him another edition of the perennially (obviously) popular, cask-strength, Christmas cheer-inducing dram.
Looking for something a little more sensible? This Speyside single malt whisky follows in the tradition of the Chairman’s Choice, whereby the Chairman of the company would select the best casks to share with his family on Christmas day. A quality dram we’d be proud to pour post-turkey.
With the final countdown to Christmas underway, it’s as good a time as any to reflect on our 35th anniversary year. We’ve had fun, from celebrating our special birthday to tasting and exploring a wonderful spectrum of whiskies – we’d like to thank members for sharing a dram with us.
But as the year draws to a close, we’re already setting our sights on even more colourful whisky events and tastings in the year ahead.
NEW ANNIVERSARY RELEASE
35 AND STILL ALIVE!
Cask No. 12.22
Cask type:
Refill bourbon hogshead
Age: 35 years
Price: £295.00
A perfect illustration of aromatic, complex, tertiary, mature single malt. A starry spectrum of refill-influenced earthy, mineral qualities.
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
