Website now fully updated!

Tickets go on sale this coming Monday March 26 at 10am, and the Spirit of Toronto website has now been fully updated including the schedule for our 2018 Masterclass Series. For those of you attending the show for the first time, these are sit-down tastings presented by a variety of guest speakers on the lower level of Roy Thomson Hall.

Masterclass seats may be reserved when buying tickets for the show. Those opting for Early Admission can attend one of the pre-show sessions starting at 5:30pm, and enjoy priority entry into the main tasting hall when the class is over.

Spirit of Toronto Goes Global

Get set for an edition of Spirit of Toronto that is truly international in scope, from a Taste of Italy courtesy of the Italian Trade Commission, to our World Whiskies showcase being presented by SofT friends Johanne McInnis and Graham MacKenney, to a stellar line-up of masterclasses that spans Canada, Scotland, France, Ireland, The Netherlands, Italy and the Caribbean.

We are further excited to be hosting twin entrepreneurs Joyce and Raissa de Haas for the Canadian launch of Double Dutch, their award-winning range of premium mixers billed as the perfect twin for your spirit.

In the mood for more jetsetting? Then don’t miss ‘le cinq à sept’ as imagined by Martell Cognac, or the chance to soak up the sounds and flavours of Cuban nights, thanks to our friends at Havana Club.

2018 Masterclass Series

The schedule for our 2018 Masterclass Series is now online and we’re happy with the variety it offers, be it something that appeals to seasoned connoisseurs, novice tasters or those simply looking for an adventure on the palate.

Kicking off our 2018 series is another exceptional opportunity to taste and learn with Angus MacRaild as he presents ‘That ’80s Tasting’. Dr. Don Livermore also returns to present a sneak preview of his 2018 Rare Release and fans of Lot 40 will once again not be disappointed.

You can never go wrong with the classics and with that in mind we are pleased to be showcasing some of Scotland and Ireland’s finest whiskies including Benromach, anCnoc, Old Pulteney, Aberlour, Redbreast, The Glenlivet, Greenspot and the Last Great Malts that make up John Dewar’s Fine Whisky Emporium. Closer to home Forty Creek and Canadian Club are set to present the best in Canadian whisky.

Those of you looking to explore something different will certainly find it in the ‘History and Mystery of Absinthe’ presented by Ted Breaux, distiller Patrick Zuidam’s collection of outstanding Dutch whiskies, the flavours of rum-rhum-ron presented by Benjamin Jones, or Luca Cinalli’s 5pm class on Italy’s contribution to the art of the cocktail.

Automatic Ticket Notification

Those subscribed to this list will receive an automatic notification the night before tickets go on sale. We’re often asked about the best way to purchase tickets in order to secure your first choices but regrettably we can offer no guarantees as tickets will be available online, by telephone and in person, and all three purchase methods are certain to experience a queue. Nonetheless, we look forward to welcoming you back on May 5 — see you then!

Ruby is the pinnacle of The Macallan 1824 Series and we are pleased to tell you that we have a limited quantity available of this hard-to-find liquid.

Designed to showcase and celebrate The Macallan’s commitment to natural colour, Ruby is the most rich and deeply coloured single malt in the series, with glinting hues of red that speak to its intense flavours.

Secure this jewel of a Macallan now.

BUY NOW

The Macallan Gold, Amber and Sienna are also now available to purchase from The Macallan Online Shop.

BUY NOW

Four Roses K&L Exclusive OESK (9 Years Old, 7 Months) Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $64.99

Lagavulin “Distiller’s Edition” Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Elsewhere $125) $109.99 

Redbreast 21 Year Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey (750ml) (1 bottle limit) 96 $219.99 

SHERRY-SOAKED EXOTIC BLISS

Prepare your senses for sherry-soaked bliss, batch two of Exotic Cargo has landed on Leith shores. With overwhelming approval from members on our first bottling, we’re continuing our journey into flavour by releasing another batch of our blended malt. This second bottling is also from a selection of ex-sherry casks containing whisky distilled in 2006 and matured from day one in first-fill Spanish oak hogsheads. We selected these casks due to the intensity of their sherry influence, giving this new 11-year-old blended malt bottling an added richness and a longer finish.

With a Deep, Rich & Dried Fruits flavour profile, members can expect an enticing mix of intense sweetness and exotic fruity splashes. Bottles are likely to sell fast, please order now before this new batch sets sail.

In order to share this bottling with as many members as possible, purchases are limited to 2 bottles per member.  Additional or duplicate orders exceeding this limit will be cancelled and refunded.

“A sumptuous nose! A banana sprinkled with brown sugar and gleefully blowtorched followed by suggestions of trail mix, malt loaf and touches of mint tea. Water brings earth after rainfall, bracken and still-warm coal hearths. The palate is dense and chocolatey with notes of various cured meats, wet earth, sorrel, dried herbs, turmeric and pears baked in cognac. There is a beautiful and curiously old-school aspect to the sherry. ”

Age: 11 years
Casks: First-fill Spanish oak hogsheads
Price: £47

BUY NOW

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

#OURWHISKY LAUNCHES TO ILLUSTRATE THE FACE OF THE MODERN WHISKY DRINKER 

London, UK, 6^th March 2018, Becky Paskin, Editor of Scotchwhisky.com and Georgie Bell, Global Whisky Specialist, have partnered to launch #OurWhisky – a new movement designed to challenge perceptions of the stereotypical whisky drinker.

This is the world’s first campaign to unite the global whisky industry and whisky lovers in a combined bid to dispel common myths of who modern whisky drinkers are.

Although the consensus within the industry is that whisky is a drink with widespread appeal, the perception remains among many consumers that whisky is still a “man’s drink” – an opinion perpetuated by decades of male-oriented advertising.

As an on-going global project, #OurWhisky aims to showcase the inclusiveness of whisky and the diversity of its drinkers through a photographical social media series, launching on 6th March in the run-up to International Women’s Day (on 8th March).

For the launch, Georgie and Becky have invited women from across the global whisky industry – ambassadors, distillery managers, blenders, whisky lovers, journalists and bartenders – to participate. By showcasing the diversity that exists within the whisky industry, Becky and Georgie are hoping to inspire whisky lovers all around the world to join the #OurWhisky movement.

The initial drive for the campaign will be to encourage women to tag @OurWhisky in a photo of themselves that illustrates how they like to drink whisky – at a bar, at home with their partners or with friends, and use the hashtag #OurWhisky. Their photos will then be retweeted, regrammed and shared with fellow whisky enthusiasts to build a digital community that reflects the face of the modern whisky drinker.

Becky comments: “We are asking whisky lovers all over the world to take a photo of themselves that illustrates how they like to enjoy whisky, whether in a cocktail, from a hipflask on a wintry walk, as an accompaniment to their favourite meal, wrapped in a blanket on the couch, hanging out with friends or doing something more adventurous!”

“The campaign is called #OurWhisky as our first and foremost priorities are equality, gender parity and inclusiveness. Whisky is a drink that can be enjoyed by everyone, and we feel it’s important to demonstrate that by celebrating the gender and cultural diversity of the modern day whisky drinker.”

Georgie says: “Whisky still widely succumbs to misconceptions amongst consumers. The more people we get involved in spreading the message that whisky does in fact have a broad appeal, the stronger it will become.”

She adds: “This is something we both feel really strongly about, a true passion project – it’s not a branded piece but instead a rally cry to unite whisky lovers and the industry together.”

Following the initial launch, the #OurWhisky campaign will evolve to encompass diversity, highlighting different ethnicities and cultures, to move forward against preconceived notions of what a whisky drinker ‘should’ look like.

The tagged photos will be collated and published on the @ourwhisky Instagram, Twitter and Facebook accounts.

Notes:

OurWhisky is an on-going global campaign to highlight the diversity of the whisky industry, the inclusiveness of whisky and the variety of its drinkers. The project is designed to challenge opinions of what a whisky drinker looks like through a photographical social media series. Spearheaded by Becky Paskin, Editor of Scotchwhisky.com, the leading online whisky magazine, and Georgie Bell, Global Whisky Educator, they hope to inspire people all over the globe by showcasing how diverse the whisky industry really is.

About Becky and Georgie:

 Becky Paskin

Becky Paskin is editor of online magazine Scotchwhisky.com, the world’s leading website for whisky lovers. She was the first journalist to gain a General Certificate in Distillation with the Institute of Brewing and Distilling – a qualification usually reserved for distillery operators. Becky has been writing about drinks for over 10 years, is a member of exclusive society Keepers of the Quaich, and is an expert in all manner of spirits. She regularly presents educational whisky seminars at global drinks shows including Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans and The Whisky Show in London.

Georgie Bell
Georgie Bell, Global Whisky Specialist, started her career in the drinks industry as a cocktail bartender. Going on to study for a diploma in distillation at the Institute of Brewing and Distilling she achieved the highest mark globally, leading to The Worshipful Company of Distillers to grant their International Award and accepting her in to the exclusive society. Georgie began educating through her various whisky brand ambassador roles starting at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, before moving to Diageo and now as a Global Malts Ambassador for Bacardi.

Pot Still Whiskey – Ireland’s Secret Weapon

Irish whiskey is booming. For a long time it has been seen as Scotch whisky’s less-popular sibling, but the past few years have seen it explode in popularity. The biggest driver is Jameson, a blended Irish whiskey, but also growing is a style of whiskey not found anywhere else: pot still whiskey.

Pot still: isn’t that what you use to make malt whiskey?

First off, the terminology is confusing. In Ireland, along with blended, grain and malt whiskey, you also have pot still whiskey. Distillers make malt whiskey in a pot still, but it’s not pot still whiskey. Confused yet?

A pot still used to make pot still whiskey. It’s deliberately confusing

The difference between pot still and malt whiskey is the ingredients: pot still uses both malted and unmalted barley.

On top of that, all pot still whiskey you can currently find is single pot still whiskey. The ‘single’ just means that it’s made at one distillery.

The history

In classic fashion, the development of pot still as a style of whiskey comes from taxation. Back in the 1700s, the government started taxing malt. Enterprising distillers, keen to save money, replaced some of the now-expensive malt with cheaper, unmalted grain. The result was pot still whiskey.

Barley, happily malting away with no interference from the tax man

Historically, distillers also threw in oats, rye and wheat as well as barley. The legal definition of pot still allows up to 5% other grains, but it’s rare to see them used these days.

How is it made?

It’s made in almost exactly the same way as malt whiskey. The main difference is that the grain used is a mixture of malted and unmalted barley.

As usual, the distillers mill the grain and steep it in hot water. They then strain off the sugary liquid, add yeast and leave the mixture to ferment.

The resulting boozy liquid – wash – is then distilled.

Triple distillation

As is traditional in Ireland, all the distilleries currently producing pot still whiskey triple-distil their spirit.

The three stills at Slane distillery – wash, intermediate and spirit

Triple distillation is talked about a lot in whisk(e)y circles, and there are a few myths to be busted:

• there are several distilleries in Scotland that triple distil – it’s not only an Irish thing
• triple distillation does not necessarily lead to a high-strength, low-flavour spirit.

The latter point is especially interesting. Each distillation typically increases the purity of the spirit – it removes flavour. However, pot stills are inefficient beasts, and that inefficiency gives the distiller options. They can emphasise and quieten flavours in the final distillate: the third distillation is a polishing of the spirit.

This is especially true of pot still whiskey, where the unmalted barley adds in large amounts of flavour. The spirit needs sculpting to create the fruit, grass, grain and spice character that the distiller and drinker expect.

How does it taste?

Only Irish Distillers’ Midleton distillery has pot still whiskey on the market, but expect to see more appearing soon. Ireland has loads of new distilleries and many of them are planning on making pot still whiskey, if they aren’t already.

For now, the two classics of pot still are Green Spot and Redbreast.

Green Spot focuses on bourbon-cask maturation, giving a very clean insight into pot-still character. Redbreast is all about the sherry casks, adding in layers of spice and dried fruit.

Redbreast 12 Year Old

Nose: Rich spiced fruit, hints of orgeat sweetness, toast with generic red jam and creamy porridge with brown sugar.

Palate: Softer and creamier than the nose suggests. Spiced sponge cake packed with dried fruit and smothered with soft, buttery icing.

Finish: More cream and fruit, fading into dark and spicy wood.

Comment: This is the ‘entry level’ whisky in the Irish Distillers Single Pot Still range? An excellent whiskey.

Green Spot

Nose: Big green apple notes, candle wax, olive oil and some raisiny sweetness with a bit of cereal hiding underneath.

Palate: Soft and creamy apple – baby-food apple purée? Fresh and piney edges with green rhubarb and tropical fruit squash.

Finish: A big hit of both real apple and apple chews, slowly fading to leave sweet grain.

Comment: A very different whiskey to the Redbreasts – very fresh and green, but with a heavy oiliness as well. My favourite of the range.

Redbreast was the whiskey that made me fall in love with Irish spirit, and Green Spot was the one that kept me hooked. With new distilleries now getting into the pot still game, we can expect lots more to try in the future. I look forward to trying them.

You can find a wide range of Irish whiskey, including lots of pot still, over on our website.

Originally published on The Whisky Exchange Blog – Pot Still Whiskey – Ireland’s Secret Weapon

Ralfy finds a beefy-sherry bomb in Ralfy Review 717 – Ben Nevis 14yo Single Cask @ 46%vol (2007)

Celebrate St Patrick’s Day at The Whisky Shop!

Notable Irish distilleries will be featured at two in-store tastings this month!

On St Patricks day proper, enjoy Slane Triple-Casked Whiskey. Then on the 23rd, try 6th-generation distillers Egan’s and ancient celtic-inspired distillery Barr an Uisce. Both tastings will be presented by whisky experts and feature new and rare drams. RSVPs are highly encouraged.

Saturday, March 17th 1-3 PM:
Slane Triple Casked

Located on the legendary grounds of Slane Castle, Slane distillery starts their whisky with pure water from the Boyne river of Ireland. Their unique triple-casking method and purity of ingredients results in a world class whiskey – smooth, complex, and balanced.

Click Here to RSVP

Friday, March 23rd 5-7 PM:
Barr an Uisce & Egan’s

Discover the world of Irish Whiskey at our tasting of two notable Irish Distilleries, the ancient celtic-inspired Barr an Uisce and 6th generation Irish distillers Egan! We’ll be pouring a variety of drams from both distilleries, with whiskey experts present for all your whiskey questions.

Click Here to RSVP

Just Whisky Auction Ends This Weekend!

End date: Sunday 18^th March 8:00pm UK Time

Just Whisky’s latest auction doesn’t have long to go! We’re delighted to bring you the most exciting Whiskies the World has to offer this month. Some real crackers are nestled within the pages of Just Whisky’s auction catalogue, but don’t just take our word for it – browse the entire auction now!

Auction Highlights

Macallan 65 Years Old – Lalique VI

Macallan 40 Years Old – 2017 Release

Clynelish 21 Years Old 1965 – Duthie For Corti Brothers (75cl)

Browse the entire auction now and place your bids! Bidding ends on Sunday 18^th March 8:00pm GMT.

www.just-whisky.co.uk

Milk & Honey Distillery – Israel’s first whisky distillery

is launching a second edition of its single malt whisky Experimental Series

After making history on International Whisky Day 2017 with the first single malt whisky in Israel, the Milk & Honey Distillery will launch a second edition of single malt whisky at “Whisky Live 2018 “

After making history in 2017 with the first  ever single malt whisky in Israel, sold at a particularly successful international public auction, Milk & Honey Distillery is launching an exclusive second edition of lightly peated  single charred barrel.

Similar to the first single malt whisky, this cask is also part of the Experimental Series, distilled in the early stages of setting up the distillery – before establishing the distillery in south Tel Aviv and acquiring the current industrial equipment, and before crowd-funding through Indiegogo. This cask was distilled during April 2014.

Distillation of the cask was carried out in a small pot still in a warehouse in the Sharon region by head  distiller Tomer Goren, accompanied by the late Dr. Jim Swan, an international master distiller, in his role as consultant to the distillery at the time. This was a period of experimentation for Dr. Swan and Tomer Goren, using various interesting raw materials, and in this special cask they first experimented with peated malt, which was crafted in house and gave the  distillate light smoky notes.

The liquid was aged and matured over 43 months in two types of barrel – first in a new 225 liter American oak cask, and then, after 28 months, it was transferred to an ex-bourbon cask for the remainder of the period in the distillation warehouse in Tel Aviv, and bottled at the optimal time.

This series is a harbinger of what is to come: a unique Israeli whisky, mature for its age thanks to aging in Israel’s hot climate.

The Milk & Honey Distillery products, including the single malt, are distributed and marketed exclusively by Hacarem Spirits Ltd., and sold at hundreds of points of sale across Israel. The second edition of single malt whisky can be tasted and purchased for the first time at ” Whisky Live 2018″ event. Afterwards the new single malt will be available at specialized stores around the country. 

Tasting impressions

Nose – a delicate maltiness with a hint of lemon in the background, combined with light oak notes and cinnamon, all enveloped in light  peat smoke  appearing in the background.

palate – light-bodied with a malty sweetness, lemon and orange peel notes followed  by a light tang of black pepper and delicate peat smoke. These combine to make a whisky that is both balanced and complex.

Finish – long. Delicate peat dominates the finish, with a hint of maltiness in the background and dark chocolate notes.

General – a balanced and complex whisky. The combination of delicate maltiness and light  peat that creates an interesting whisky that develops as you drink.

Price: Edition 2 Single Malt Whisky 500 ml NIS 449 

About the distillery

The Milk & Honey Distillery is the first and largest whisky distillery in Israel. The distillery produces superior spirits, and is working on an Israeli single malt whisky to be marketed commercially, whose first edition, the Founders Edition, sold out in a successful crowd-funding campaign, is aging in barrels and will see the light in 2019. All the raw materials, equipment, barrels, and processes have been chosen with the aim of ensuring that the final product – whether clear spirit or aged whisky – meets the most stringent standards of quality and taste, without making compromises or cutting corners on the long journey to produce the whisky: guidance and advice from the late Jim Swan, a world-renowned master distiller specializing in hot climate aging; specially designed equipment; carefully selected barrels; and the best raw materials available.

The Milk & Honey Distillery

16 HaTehiya St., Tel Aviv – 03-6320491

mh@mh-distillery.com

www.mh-distillery.com/he/visit-our-distillery