Saturday, April 21st  11AM – 6 PM

Scotch Tasting: 

Edradour & Signatory Vintage 

Treat yourself to a traditional single malt at our all-day scotch tasting! Traditional Scotch distillery Edradour and legendary independent bottlers Signatory Vintage will be featured, with new and rare releases presented by scotch experts throughout. Click the RSVP link for more information about both distilleries, plus pourlist as it’s revealed.

Click Here to RSVP

ralfy.com visits a pal with Ralfy Review 720 – Mike’s malt bar !

INTRODUCING THE MACALLAN 50 YEARS OLD:

A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY IN THE MODERN ERA

March 27th, 2018 (New York, New York) – The Macallan, the world’s most admired single malt Scotch whisky, unveils a new and remarkably rare limited edition single malt whisky – The Macallan 50 Years Old – 2018 release. A peerless single malt that has slowly matured over five extraordinary decades, The Macallan 50 Years Old reflects The Macallan’s journey of discovery in the modern era. It is a whisky defined by years of dedication and craftsmanship which reveals the unrivalled commitment to the mastery of wood and spirit for which The Macallan has been known since it was established in 1824.

The Macallan 50 Years Old was created at a time when the distillery had the future in mind. By increasing the number of curiously small stills that help to concentrate the ‘new make’ spirit, the foundations were established all those years ago to ensure the full-bodied, rich and fruity flavors that are characteristic of The Macallan today. Acquiring a robust elegance from these curiously small stills, the spirit was then laid down in a single European oak Sherry butt from Spain and left to mature slowly and quietly for fifty long years. During these decades of slumber, the ancient wood shaped the spirit – delivering the greatest contribution to the character, natural color, distinctive aromas and full flavors at the heart of this single malt.

The Macallan 50 Years Old is testament to the exceptional oak casks, which have been sourced, crafted, toasted and seasoned under the watchful eyes of The Macallan’s masters of wood and delivered through the years to the exacting specifications of generations of master distillers.

A rich and complex whisky presenting sweet oak vanilla and blackcurrant characters with a beautiful, vibrant amber natural color. Wood vanillas open on the nose with a hint of spice before ripe blackcurrants and an earthy tone combine, with a background of subtle peat. The palate leads with flavors of sweet oak vanilla, fudge and toffee, soon making way for black peppercorns to provide a gentle warming, with deep sweetness joining from orange peels and figs. The finish is an incredibly viscous mouth coating, which is long and slightly dry from the subtle peat notes.

Nick Savage, Master Distiller at The Macallan, said: “After being left to mature for half a century, this wonderfully rare single malt is full of rich flavor and beautiful natural color. Coveted by whisky connoisseurs and collectors around the world, The Macallan 50 Years Old is an incredible addition to our expanding range of unique, mature whiskies and marks another pinnacle of The Macallan whisky makers’ art. With a finite volume of only 200 individually numbered bottles worldwide, this highly limited 2018 release will likely be in very high demand.”

Bottled at an ABV of 44% The Macallan 50 Years Old is presented in a solid oak box featuring an etched face inlaid with a matte gold badged age statement. The bottle label is reminiscent of the 50 and 25 Years Old bottling’s of yesteryear. This 2018 release will be available starting in April 2018 and is limited to 200 bottles worldwide, with only 35 bottles allocated to the USA, at a suggested retail price of approximately $35,000.

For further information visit us.themacallan.com

Whisky Makers Notes:

Color: Vibrant amber

Nose: Wood vanillas open with a hint of spice. Ripe blackcurrants and an earthy tone combine, with a background of subtle peat

Palate: Sweet oak vanillas, fudge and toffee coat the mouth from the start. Distinct black peppercorns follow to provide a gentle warming, with deep sweetness joining from orange peels and figs

Finish: Incredibly viscous mouth coating, which is long and slightly dry from the subtle peat notes

About The Macallan

Founded in 1824 in the heart of Speyside, The Macallan was one of the first distilleries in Scotland to be legally licensed. Since then it has built a reputation as one of the world’s finest single malt whiskies.  The story of The Macallan is built on the Six Pillars, each influencing the whisky in its own distinct way.  From the spiritual home of Easter Elchies House; curiously small stills giving richness to the pure spirit; finest cut of the distillation, to exceptional oak casks which account for up to 80% of the final flavor in the whisky; natural color and finally peerless spirit, The Macallan itself.

Wood sits at the heart of The Macallan. The vital contributing influences of Spain, North America and Scotland, together with true mastery, set it apart from the rest. For more information on The Macallan, visit us.themacallan.com. The Macallan can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Power-Packed and Potent: A Whistle Pig to Remember

Whistle Pig 10 Year Old “K&L Exclusive” 118.2 Proof Single Barrel Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey 
“Of the four exclusive Whistle Pig barrels we’ve purchased over the last four months, this expression is the biggest, boldest, and most complex.” – David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer

When it comes to artisanally-crafted rye whiskey you simply won’t do much better than Whistle Pig. Since its founding in back in 2007, this Vermont-based distiller has quickly become the go-to choice for rye aficionados from around the globe. There are plenty of reasons for this, but chief among them is the raw potency these whiskies possess. These are no-nonsense bottlings that beautifully highlight the robust, spicy character of Rye while at the same time offering unparalleled smoothness. As the distillery puts it, they are a linebacker and a ballerina all rolled into one.

Hence, we jumped when we were given the opportunity to secure four exclusive casks from Whistle Pig and offer them over the course of the winter. The first three casks came and went in a flash, but don’t fret if you haven’t had a chance to enjoy one of these beauties. The fourth, and arguably the best, has just arrived. Power packed at an impressive 59.1% ABV, this 10-year-old expression is not for the faint of heart. With a modest splash of water it really begins to shine, revealing a delightful melange of sweet and savory flavors including vanilla, graham cracker, dill, and freshly cracked black pepper. For those who love deeply complex and layered whiskies, this 10-year-old rendition is right on the money. As with the previous casks, we expect this fourth installment to sell in no time, so don’t delay in securing yours today.

For more on this singular bottling, check our our recent Spirits Journal post.

Whistle Pig 10 Year Old “K&L Exclusive” 118.2 Proof Single Barrel Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml) ($89.99)

This is the fourth and final cask from our Winter edition single barrels of Whistle Pig 10 year and this particular cask comes in at over 118 proof and packs a big dollop of both sweet and savory spices in addition to all the rich oak flavors and vanilla. With dill, pepper, and sweet baking spices on the finish, this 59.1% beast of a whiskey brings the power and the punch for those who like their rye potent. It starts with rich and decadent aromas of vanilla and sweet oak, but it ends with a fireworks display of savory and herbaceous splendor.

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 19, 2018

Of the four exclusive Whistle Pig barrels we’ve purchased over the last four months, this 59.1% ABV expression is the biggest, boldest, and most complex. There’s an equal amount of big sweet vanilla, dill, and peppery herbaceous character in full effect. The near-120-proof heat makes this whiskey a powerful beast to deal with, and there’s a lot to unlock with a few drops of water. There’s a graham cracker finish that bolsters the clean rye flavor with beautiful balance, making this easily the best rye whiskey in the store right now. It’s quite special.

We’re really excited to be stocking this latest series of blends launched by Berry Bros & Rudd. Four different styles released for the first batch of ‘The Classic Range’ – Sherry, Speyside, Peated and Islay. BBR are known for bottling very good whisky, the presentation is sophisticated & stylish and the price point is beyond excellent! The liquid inside is said to contain some very high quality malts. What’s not to love!

Buy Now

Who can resist the alluring charms of these April Outturn preview bottlings? Five sultry single casks that deliver a voluptuous sensory experience. Each whisky comes from a different cask type, giving a great diversity of sweet flavours to explore – kissed brandy snaps and Belgian waffles, toffee and honeycomb, crème caramel and maple syrup, all make it extremly hard to resist.

A great opportunity to buy before next month’s First Friday but be quick to order, only a limited number of bottles are available ahead of the full Outturn release on Friday, 6 April at 9am.

 ALL PREVIEWS

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

New Landmark— ‘The Barrel’—Opens in Louisville’s Bourbon District Visitor destination and design firm Solid Light creates iconic art structure 

Louisville, KY — March 23, 2018 — At the center of Louisville’s Bourbon District is ‘The Barrel’—a new art piece that serves as a gathering space and celebration of the city’s bourbon renaissance and roots in the Commonwealth’s storied bourbon history. Unveiled today, the iconic structure, designed and built by Louisville-based Solid Light, a full-service firm that plans, designs and builds exhibits and visitor destinations, is an entirely new visitor experience located at the intersection of Fourth and Main Streets—the heart of the Bourbon District.

‘The Barrel’—a creative interpretation of a whiskey barrel that tops just over 11 feet in height—allows visitors to walk through the ADA-compliant structure and take photos of this new landmark and iconic Kentucky image. It represents the second phase of Louisville’s Bourbon District and Solid Light’s collaboration with the Louisville Downtown Partnership (LDP) to develop the area.

“We are passionate about all of our projects but designing and building a piece of art in our hometown is especially meaningful for us,” said Solid Light Owner/President Cynthia Torp. “We’ve brought to life an iconic image associated with Kentucky and Louisville—a whiskey barrel—by designing a structure that is not only a must-stop photo opportunity that visitors can walk through, but through our specific design elements, will also give visitors a greater sense of what makes a bourbon barrel unique. It’s a distinctive feature and hallmark of the Louisville bourbon experience.”

The piece has five hoops that grow in height and width, mimicking the design of a whiskey barrel. The two smallest hoops are 9’3” in height, 11’3” in width, progressing to two larger hoops that are 10’3” high and 13’4” wide, with the middle hoop reaching 11’3” in height and 15’5” in width.

The materials used to create the enormous structure reflect those of an actual oak barrel.  The hoops are made to look like the end-grain of oak which is commonly used in barrel-making. The visible texture was hand-carved into slabs of clay and those reliefs were then cast in multiple to create a positive image. Finally, the positive reliefs were cast into concrete to form each cross-section of a barrel stave. The outside is lined with corten steel, reflecting the metal hoops used on a bourbon barrel.  The insides of the hoops are lined with a black powder coated steel, imitating the char found in barrels after they are fired, an essential step in the bourbon-making process.

“Every element of this structure was created with great attention to detail and purpose so that visitors are immersed in the remarkable design of a bourbon barrel, down to the char found in the barrels,” said Mike McCarthy, Chief Operating Officer at Solid Light. “As they walk through the structure, visitors will have a fun and engaging experience that will give them an appreciation for this iconic image.”

At the entrance of ‘The Barrel’ is an interpretive sign also designed by Solid Light that provides an overview of the bourbon industry in Downtown Louisville.  The sign includes a map showing all the bourbon historical sites and attractions in the district.

Featuring historic signs, destination signs, banners and a pop-up event scape, the Bourbon District is a collaborative effort led by LDP, Louisville Metro Government, the Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau (LCVB), and the Louisville Water Company, in cooperation with Downtown’s bourbon community. The first phase of the Bourbon District, completed in April 2017, featured historic site signs and destination signs designed by Solid Light. The area has four distillery experiences—including the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience developed by Solid Light—and three more scheduled to open this year.

“The Bourbon District honors Louisville’s cultural heritage while looking to the future of Bourbonism® in the city.  We are excited to share this experience with visitors and found an important partner in Solid Light,” said Rebecca Matheny, Executive Director of the Louisville Downtown Partnership. “Solid Light shares our passion for this project and it’s evident in the approach, design and development of ‘The Barrel’ and Bourbon District.”

About Solid Light

Solid Light designs and builds exhibits and visitor experiences that engage, enlighten, and inspire.  We are passionate champions of a client’s vision, bringing powerful stories to life through comprehensive, start-to-finish content, design, fabrication and installation services. https://www.solidlight-inc.com/

HAPPY EASTER!

TWO KENTUCKY ICONS LINK UP TO CREATE THE JIM BEAM® NATURAL WATER SANCTUARY ALLIANCE AT BERNHEIM ARBORETUM & RESEARCH FOREST

Alliance aims to protect natural water, restore wildlife habitats and reintroduce native plants and trees