The Whisky Barrel releases the second of two exclusive bottlings courtesy of independent Scotch Whisky Merchants, Morrison and MacKay. 

Specialist online whisky shop, TheWhiskyBarrel.com, is proud to release the Imperial 23 Year Old 1995 from the fantastic Càrn Mòr “Celebration” range by Morrison and MacKay, selected exclusively for TheWhiskyBarrel.com.

The Imperial 23 Year Old 1995 was distilled at the now lost Imperial Distillery in May 1995. The Imperial Distillery produced single malt Scotch between 1897 and 1998. Located in Carron, Speyside, the distillery was demolished in 2013 and a new distillery, Dalmunach, was established on the site two years later.

Morrison and MacKay are a family owned and managed company based in the Heart of Perthshire. Their ‘Celebration of the Cask’ range is a limited range of whiskies from all over Scotland. Each bottle in this range is non-chill filtered and individually numbered; once gone these cannot be replaced as they are one off bottlings from a single cask.

Bottled in October 2018, with just 42 bottles from Bourbon Barrel 4191, the Imperial 23 Year Old 1995 single malt really is a rare and special find.

Available exclusively from The Whisky Barrel, shipping to customers Worldwide including the United States of America, Canada and Japan.

Imperial 23 Year Old 1995 Càrn Mòr “Celebration” of the Cask | Cask No.4191 | 44.4%

Tasting notes 

Colour: Light gold, natural colour.

Nose: Summer fruits with a hint of vanilla. 

Taste: Warm fruit with hints of cinnamon, reminiscent of fruit crumble. 

Finish: A biscuity long finish. 

Price: £199.95 GBP / $218 USD (+ P&P) 

The Whisky BarrelE: info@thewhiskybarrel.com

Visit www.thewhiskybarrel.com T: +44 (0)845 2248 156Find us on: Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

NOTES

1. Q) What is the product called?
   A)  Imperial 23 Year Old 1995 Càrn Mòr “Celebration” of the Cask.
2. Q) When will this product be released/was it released?
   A) Thursday 8^th November 2018.Q) Where is it available?
   A) Scotland, off-trade, TheWhiskyBarrel.com.Q) Is this product already available in other markets?
   A) Scotland only, TheWhiskyBarrel.com ships worldwide.

   Q) How much is it?
   A) £199.95 GBP / $218 USD (+ P&P)

4. Q) Who handles the product’s distribution?
   A) In-house at TheWhiskyBarrel.com.Q) What is the ABV of this product?
   A) 44.4% ABV
5. Q) Why has this product been launched?
   A) Limited Edition single cask distillery exclusive for The Whisky Barrel. 

The Whisky Barrel is a specialist online whisky and spirits merchant based in Fife, Scotland and  was established in 2007. The Whisky Barrel won Whisky Magazine Online Retailer 2018 and was International Wine & Spirits Competition runner-up in 2016.

N.B. Prices correct at the time of publishing and are subject to currency fluctuation.

From The Glenrothes distillery to your door

The Soleo Collection is now available at our online shop

The Glenrothes Soleo Collection has been a true labour of love for our Master Whisky Maker, Gordon Motion. Consisting of a 10, 12, 18 and 25 Year Old, as well as our Whisky Maker’s Cut, the Soleo Collection offered Gordon an opportunity to explore the extraordinary stock of sherry seasoned casks available at the distillery. Using his expertise and knowledge, a collection of exceptional single malts has been crafted, marking a historic moment for us at The Glenrothes.

“The new Soleo Collection is a testament to our craftsmanship and quality. By highlighting the natural colours and the diverse range of spicy, fruity and sweet flavours provided by sherry seasoned casks, it also represents a chance for us to go to the heart of what makes The Glenrothes truly special”.

Gordon Motion, Master Whisky Maker.

Get your bottle

The Glenrothes Soleo Collection 10, 12 and 18 Year Old can now be purchased directly from our online shop. We currently ship to 27 countries. Stay in touch with the Spirit of Rothes to hear about our limited editions, as well as the latest releases at our online shop. From The Glenrothes distillery, directly to your door.

The new 12 Year Old

Of all the whiskies in the new Soleo Collection, it is perhaps the 12 Year Old that most closely reflects the ‘house style’ that epitomises The Glenrothes single malt. “With the 12 Year Old, we were looking to create an expression of all the sweetness and spiciness of a sherry cask, with the balance and smoothness that characterises our whisky”, says Gordon Motion. The result is an elegant, finely balanced single malt that delivers notes of vanilla, melon and cinnamon.

Buy Now 

The 12 Year Old Rob Roy

What’s the best way to enjoy our new 12 Year Old? Neat? Over ice?
Try The Glenrothes Rob Roy, the perfect way to wind down this Autumn weekend.

• 60 ml The Glenrothes 12 YO
• 30 ml Martini Rosso sweet vermouth
• 2 Dashes of Angostura Aromatic Bitters
• 5 ml Maraschino Cherry Syrup
• Garnish: Maraschino Cherry
• Serve: Martini Glass

Stir all ingredients with ice, then gently strain into a chilled Martini glass.

The luxurious, rich cherries in this cocktail elevate the sweet sherry notes in our ‘house style’ Soleo Collection 12 Year Old.

Soleo causes a stir

We’re very happy to say that the response to the new Glenrothes Soleo Collection has been extraordinary. The prestigious “Ultimate Spirits” awarded our new 10 Year Old an impressive score of 95%, while the 25 Year Old was given an exceptional 97%.

#SpiritOfRothes

The Good Dram Show – Episode 291 ‘Talisker’ – This weeks episode of the show show asks, what’s the character of Talisker and how do Independently bottled single casks deviate from the distillery releases.

https://youtu.be/n4-fb9sc_OE

Gordon & MacPhail celebrates its ‘Private Collection’ range with a new look

Single malt Scotch whisky creator Gordon & MacPhail has unveiled a new look for its ‘Private Collection’ range: rare and exclusive single malts personally selected by members of the Urquhart family, owners of the company for four generations.

The first releases comprise an ultra-rare whisky from Inverleven Distillery and a forty-four-year-old single malt distilled at Glenrothes Distillery.

In 1985, Gordon & MacPhail sent Cask 562, a refill bourbon barrel, to the Inverleven Distillery located in Dumbarton within the area known in whisky terms as the ‘Scottish Lowlands’. The distillery had been making spirit for only forty-seven years and new-make would only flow for another six years before the Inverleven still was mothballed. The site was demolished in 2002, never to produce again. This exceptional single malt has matured for thirty-three years before being bottled at cask strength (ABV 57.4%). It retails for £1,000* (RRP).

Among Gordon & MacPhail’s maturing stocks are casks from no fewer than twenty-six closed, mothballed or demolished Scotch distilleries – a liquid archive unrivalled anywhere else in the world.

The second ‘Private Collection’ release dates back to 1974 when a refill Sherry puncheon was filled at Glenrothes Distillery in Speyside. The rich, mahogany whisky has an ABV of 49.5% and retails at £1,250* (RRP).

Presented in ridged heavyweight bottles housed in veneered wooden boxes, both ‘Private Collection’ releases were selected for bottling by Stuart Urquhart, Gordon & MacPhail’s Associate Director of Whisky Supply and member of the fourth generation of the owning family.

Further ultra-rare releases from the new ‘Private Collection’ will be revealed in coming months.

Stephen Rankin, Gordon & MacPhail’s Director of Prestige and member of the Urquhart family, said: “For over a century my family has been maturing whisky and using our skills, experience, and passion for single malts to recognise exactly the right moment to bottle a spirit that will be loved by discerning whisky drinkers around the globe. These two exquisite malts are complemented perfectly by the beautiful new packaging.”

For more information, please visit www.gordonandmacphail.com

*Prices in international markets may vary due to local taxes and import duties.

#GordonandMacPhail

Notes 

Private Collection from Inverleven Distillery 1985, 57.4% ABV – RRP £1,000*

Cask 562, a refill bourbon barrel, had an outturn of 130 bottles

Colour: Dark Gold

AROMAS: Intense tropical fruit aromas to begin – cooked pineapple, honeydew melon, coconut cream, and little burst of sharp yet sweet lime. A sweet creaminess continues with notes of vanilla ice-cream, sugared red apples, apricot jam, and white chocolate. Hints of overripe cherry and almond marzipan develop into flowering gorse.

FLAVOURS: Creamy and mouth-coating; warming white pepper notes transform into sweet flambéed banana, Madagascan vanilla pod, and salted toffee. Subtle spicy undertones remain as toasted malt comes to the fore; a drying cocoa and charred oak edge develops.

FINISH: A long and lingering charred oak finish with a subtle floral edge.

Private Collection from Glenrothes Distillery 1974, 49.5% ABV – RRP £1,250*

Cask 18440, a refill Sherry puncheon, had an outturn of 276 bottles

Colour: Mahogany

AROMAS: Complex; aromas of Sherry soaked fruitcake filled with stewed sultanas mingle with sticky Medjool dates. Dark chocolate and citrus peel notes develop; a gentle woodiness with a delicate herbal edge comes to the fore.

FLAVOURS: Elegant, smooth, and sweet; Subtle cinnamon and nutmeg flavours balance the mature oak and Sherry influences. Notes of fruit and nut chocolate and hints of raisin and toasted walnut emerge and evolve into zesty citrus. Salted toffee develops towards the end.

FINISH: A modest, medium sweet finish fades; hints of charred oak and chocolate remain.

Gordon & MacPhail

Established in 1895, family-owned Gordon & MacPhail is curator of some of the world’s finest and rarest single malt Scotch whiskies from over 100 distilleries. Four generations of the Urquhart family have continued to pursue the perfect partnership between spirit and cask.

Since its foundation, Gordon & MacPhail has carefully matched spirit to the highest quality oak casks which are sent to distilleries throughout Scotland, filled with new-make spirit, and matured either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouse in Elgin.

It is this simple but endlessly complex pairing that creates an intriguing and unique portfolio of expressions – single malts that Scotch whisky lovers will not find anywhere else.

In April 2018, the company unveiled its streamlined portfolio:

• Discovery – Utterly dependable, this flavour-led range is the perfect introduction to our portfolio of quality single malt Scotch whiskies.
• Distillery Labels – A range celebrating our long-standing relationships with Scotland’s distilleries.
• Connoisseurs Choice – The heart of our portfolio – always unique, these non-chill-filtered, natural coloured, small batch expressions are genuine one-offs.
• Private Collection – Greatly-aged single malts from celebrated, little-known, or closed distilleries specially selected by members of the Urquhart family.
• Generations – A prestigious collection of old, rare, and exclusive masterpieces.

New Releases

Four new whiskies have arrived at The Whisky Shop from around the globe, including a single cask from Campbeltown, a rare blend from the four corners of Scotland, an exclusive bourbon from Kentucky, USA, and a unique limited edition blend from… Westeros?

Next day UK delivery available
International shipping

Johnnie Walker White Walker

Winter is here! Made north of the wall, this brand new limited edition blended Scotch pays tribute to Game of Thrones, George RR Martin’s incredibly successful book series and its HBO television adaptation.

This new blend features malts from Cardhu and Clynelish and is presented at 41.7% abv, in honour of the seven kingdoms and one iron throne. Best served cold directly from the freezer, the bottle’s design changes with temperature revealing an icy message from Westeros.

£33.99 Pre-Order Now
Orders will be dispatched w/c 12th November

Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Ghost & Rare: Port Ellen

Crafted using eight hand-picked whiskies with liquid from the iconic Port Ellen distillery at its heart, this second edition of Blue Label Ghost & Rare features liquid from two other closed distilleries, Caledonian and Carsebridge, as well as rare malt from Blair Athol, Oban, Mortlach, Cragganmore and Dailuaine. Presented at a strength of 43.8% abv, each bottle is individually numbered.

The nose is sweet with creamy vanilla, before waves of waxy citrus on the palate, with rich malt, tropical fruit and the unmistakable maritime smokiness of Port Ellen in the finish.

£275 Pre-Order Now
Orders will be dispatched w/c 12th November

The Loch Fyne
Springbank 28 Year Old

This single cask from Loch Fyne Whiskies was distilled at Campbeltown’s Springbank distillery in 1989 and matured for almost three decades before bottling in 2018 produced just 211 bottles.

This limited edition was awarded the accolade of Liquid Gold in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2019 and was described as “a big, soft, archetypal Springbank that delivers an encyclopaedia of aromas and flavours, from honeyed sweetness to spiced ripe fruit with a long, warming and delicate finish.”

£350 Buy Now

Maker’s Mark
Private Select Batch 1
The Whisky Shop Exclusive

Taking inspiration from the process used to create Maker’s 46, this single barrel bourbon is crafted with a bespoke selection of different wooden staves, chosen by a team from The Whisky Shop. The final selection used five French oak staves cooked at high temperature in a convection oven, three seared in an infra-red oven, and two more of the same with ridges cut into the surface.

Limited to just 270 bottles, the nose is cooling, with oak shavings and spearmint emerging with toffee and linseed oil. The palate is sweet and dry, with oak wood lingering on into the spicy finish.

£85 Buy Now

Laphroaig 8 Year Old 2010 Exclusive

Single cask hogshead bottled at natural cask strength 63.4% by Morrison & MacKay exclusive to The Whisky Barrel. Just 284 bottles of peat and smoke.

Shop – £66.53

Imperial 23 Year Old 1995 Exclusive

Rare expression from the lost distillery. Just 42 bottles from a very leaky cask! Selected by Morrison & MacKay exclusively for The Whisky Barrel.

Shop – £199.96

LET THE SHARING BEGIN

Whether you share them in the spirit of the season or decide that they are most definitely yours alone, these hand-picked drams are sure to warm up your winter nights until Christmas. Pick your gifts:

OUTTURN WHISKIES              READ OUTTURN

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

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Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 221: Oban 21 Year Old 1996 Diageo Special Release 2018

Mark Dermul, Belgian whiskyblogger, tries one of Diageo’s Special Releases 2018. Someone whispered into his ear that the Oban 21 ‘does not deliver’. That’s a pity. But allow him to try it for himself. Lo and behold: it is a sniper. It starts somewhat closed, almost sneaky, but given enough time, this one is actually a grand malt!

https://youtu.be/sQhpdTVyzBc