B.I.B. in the Bothy.

https://youtu.be/0y9WucVyPOI

Buffalo Trace Distillery Releases

Double Eagle Very Rare Bourbon

New Release is a 20-Year-Old Bourbon in a Custom Crystal Decanter

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Feb 6, 2019) – Fans of Eagle Rare Bourbon Whiskey are in for an unexpected treat, as Buffalo Trace Distillery announces the release of an ultra-rare, 20-year-old bourbon called Double Eagle Very Rare.

A luxurious crystal decanter and silver presentation box accompany this limited edition whiskey that has a name with double meaning. The 20-year-old bourbon matured twice as long as the standard Eagle Rare 10-year-old bourbon and the Double Eagle decanter features two beautifully sculptured crystal glass eagles, one inside the bottle, and one serving as the stopper.

The presentation box consists of two sliding doors, imprinted with a design reminiscent of eagle feathers. Sliding open the doors triggers spotlights above and below the bottle, to reveal the beautiful hand blown crystal decanter. Only 299 of these special bottles were produced. An individually numbered letter of authenticity is included with each.

“We’ve been waiting for this whiskey to mature for years. Even after two decades, these barrel are surprisingly balanced. Hints of vanilla, toasted oak and caramel lead to a gracefully aged oaky flavor,” said Kris Comstock, senior marketing director for Eagle Rare.   “We worked on the packaging for more than two years, and finally settled on what we think is a beautiful decanter inside an eye catching, yet tastefully decorated box.  Something that anyone would be proud to display on their bar. And it tastes even better than it looks.”

The suggested retail pricing for Double Eagle Very Rare is $1,999. The next release of this 90 proof whiskey will be spring 2020.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1773 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 21 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year by Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible 2018.  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 500 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.

Outstanding Value from a Cherished Island Distillery
1999 Finest Orkney (Highland Park) 18 Year Old “John Milroy” K&L Exclusive Single Refill Hogshead Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky ($99.99)
“This superb single barrel of Highland Park represents one of the greatest values we’ve ever offered.”
—David Othenin-Girard, K&L SoCal Spirits Buyer

Here we have round two of the absolutely unprecedented single barrel offerings from Highland Park! Last week it was a 12-year-old ex-sherry barrel for nearly $200, but this week it’s all about value. Over the past two years, something very unusual has happened with Highland Park. A distillery that has typically guarded its stock very closely has been popping up at bottlers across Scotland. Word on the street is that Edrington (their parent company) needed cash to fund their outrageous new Macallan distillery. Whether or not those rumors are true, it’s been incredible to finally taste some single barrel Highland Park at full strength from our suppliers. The only problem is that they know what they’ve got is really special, and their prices have reflected this quality.

To get an idea of the current market on Highland Park, consider this: we sold a 20-year-old Highland Park last year from Old Particular for $200 that felt like a deal compared to many other bottlers. We’re also seeing 18-year-old stuff in cask at close to £150 a bottle, which would translate to upward of $250-300 on the shelf stateside. Anything older is just priced out of range of most consumers. Were it not for a bit of perseverance and a keen eye, we’d be selling you this cask for nearly three times the price. That’s why we pay attention. We saw an opportunity and worked hard to get a great price for an incredible whisky that may never be repeated. Cask strength single barrel Highland Park for less than $100? It’s almost unfathomable. But even more special than the price is the gorgeous Orkney whisky inside the bottle. The purity and grace of nearly two decades in barrel with the complex heathery smoke that Highland Park is famous for are truly why we bought this cask. It’s a perfect contrast to the over-the-top flavors of 12-Year we sold. A true old-school glory in our book—the ridiculous price is just the icing on the cake.

1999 Finest Orkney (Highland Park) 18 Year Old “John Milroy” K&L Exclusive Single Refill Hogshead Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($99.99)

The Highland Park distillery has always been a favorite of aficionados. It’s risen to international prominence over the last several years thanks to a strong marketing push from their owners, the Edrington Group. Their move toward highlighting the Orkney’s Viking history has brought about a plethora of unique “limited” offerings and special editions. While many have been very good, the general theme is fewer age statements and higher prices. But, something has happened over the last couple of years. An unbelievable amount of “no name” Orkney casks have popped up at bottlers across Scotland. Most bottlers know that they’ve stumbled on a cash cow. Cask strength single barrel HP commands very high prices on the open market, so our suppliers didn’t think anything of expecting to get £150 ($300+ stateside) per bottle for this stuff. And several bottlers have gone ahead and done just that ’cause why not? The juice is delicious, and it sells well at the higher price. We want to offer value to our customers beyond what the regular market provides. If everyone can do it, we’re probably not interested. So when our friend Doug McIver came to use with this wonderful cask at bargain basement prices, we knew we had a winner. Cask strength single cask HP 18 for $100 retail? We’d buy 10 of these if we could. This is the real deal, old school, naked cask strength Orkney like nothing else on the market today.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 24, 2019

This superb single barrel of Highland Park represents one of the greatest values we’ve ever offered. We worked hard last year to get the price down of a single cask of 20-year-old HP from a refill hogshead. The great HP flood began nearly 3 years ago when I got an email from a supplier in Scotland offering us a parcel of THOUSANDS of Highland Park barrels at between 12-18 years old. I nearly choked on my morning coffee as a read the email. They wanted millions for the lot. While I briefly considered pitching the idea to our owners, I ultimately decided that we’d never be able to handle these quantities at our stores. So over the last couple of years we’ve watched as small lots of HP have popped up at bottlers across Scotland. Most had paid a premium to brokers for the prized malt. We weren’t prepared to indulge them, unless they were superlatively good, like the Old Particular from last year. When we commit to a barrel everything needs to come into place – the flavor, the price, the packaging. It’s gotta tick all the boxes. This is one of those whiskies. While not as heady or sherried as the OP, the purity and overt deliciousness of this cask is profound. The sweet and salt Orkney malt is vibrant and layered but somehow restrained on the nose. Flecks of oyster shell, lemon balm, earthy malt, honeysuckle and white pepper. On the palate that gorgeous Orkney peat pops up. Pristine with something floral behind (heather of course), and oceanic without the iodine of Islay, it’s pretty thick on the palate- oily, camphor, more pepper, bitter oranges, and green teas. Long and lingering. With water the nose opens, and the lemon becomes more prominent. The sweet malt falls away, and more peat comes through for some reason. All in all I’m not sure there’s a better way to spend $100 right now in the store.

Will Blakely | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 03, 2019

A rare treat at an unbelievable price. It starts with a sea breeze and soft golden malt on the nose, with a whisper of smoke. Then all at once the taste blows you away – rich and complex with ample smoke. Earthy citrus, dried fruit, sweet cereal, and decadent fudge all play like a symphony on the palate with saline, fennel, and spice as counterpoint. This feels bright and concentrated, youthful even, but with a sophisticated finish that can only come with age.

Give the gift of roses this Valentine’s Day with a bottle of Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon, accompanied by Prestat truffles and a… jar? Yes, a jar. I mean… ahem… a jar! I can confirm that context, jar and truffles do indeed make this a novelty, despite what you may think.

Buy now >

Friday February 22nd, 5-7PM:

The Macallan & Highland Park

Treat yourself to some of the most popular whisky names in the world! We’ll be pouring a variety of new releases and highly-rated favorites, with distillery representatives and our own in-store whisky experts present throughout.

More Details & RSVP

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 239: Isle of Jura 30 Year Old

Mark Dermul, Belgian whiskyblogger, goes Jura! It has been way too long since he last tried a whisky from the Isle of Jura. So let him go for the big guns and try a 30 Year Old that listens to the name Camas an Staca, which means as much as Standing Stones. It refers to some of the ancient stones spread over the island. The whisky matured for 27 years in American oak and then got a finish for three years on Spanish Amoroso sherry casks.

https://youtu.be/vjWIRl0Fkds

Stars align for launch of Littlemill 40 Year Old Celestial Edition 

Loch Lomond Group has launched the Littlemill 40 Year Old Celestial Edition (46.8% ABV) in the UK, the oldest expression ever to be released from the now lost Littlemill distillery.

The precious liquid, distilled by what is rumoured to be one of the world’s oldest distilleries, is available now priced at £6,000. Only 250 bottles will be produced in total, making this a much sought-after collector’s item.

Littlemill 40 Year Old Celestial Edition celebrates the life’s work of Littlemill owner Duncan Thomas. The spirit represents the culmination of his knowledge and experience and captures the spirit of his pioneering distilling process.

The stunning presentation box captures an exact map of the night sky seen above Littlemill Distillery on the evening that the liquid was barrelled. Inside, the hand-faceted Glencairn Crystal decanter, each engraved with its unique bottle number, is finished with a solid brass stopper made in Glasgow. Each box also contains a 5cl vial of the 40 Year Old liquid, for those who would like to sample the whisky while keeping the bottle intact.

Duncan Thomas was a true pioneer of Scotch Whisky, pushing boundaries and introducing innovation that would long outlive him. One of his more lasting legacies was the introduction of the straight necked pot still with rectifying heads, that made it possible to create variations on each spirit he produced, allowing him to retain control of the character of the final liquid. This philosophy was embraced by Japanese distilleries in the East, and to mark this, the 40 Year Old box shows the star chart on the night that the spirit was laid to rest, charting the two paths of Duncan Thomas and Japanese Whisky experimentation.

Michael Henry, Master Blender at Loch Lomond Group, said: “The Littlemill 40 year old Celestial Edition is a fitting way to celebrate the legacy left by Duncan Thomas, and the truly exceptional liquid is worthy of his name.”

Rumoured to be one of the oldest in Scotland, and possibly even the world, the Littlemill distillery has a long and fascinating history. Officially established and producing whisky legally from 1772 in Bowling on the banks of the River Clyde near Glasgow, the distillery fell silent in 1994 and was subsequently destroyed by fire in 2004, never to produce a drop again.

Littlemill’s rich history includes a number of owners over its lifetime and it was notably one of the first distilleries to have a female licensee, Jane MacGregor, in 1823.  In the 1930s, the distillery was known for triple distillation before moving to the more traditional double distillation now associated with Scotch whisky.

In 1931, under the stewardship of the American Duncan Thomas, Littlemill was at the forefront of still innovation with technical designs that could create three styles of single malts from full-bodied to light. These innovative stills provided the inspiration for the Loch Lomond Distillery, which was opened in the 1960s.

Rare amongst the Lowland malts in using a Highland water source, as well as peat from Stornoway and Perthshire, Littlemill whiskies are renowned for a subtly floral, vanilla-rich sweetness.

Littlemill 40 Year Old Celestial Edition is available to buy from specialists whisky stockists.

For further information visit www.lochlomondgroup.com 

Littlemill 40 Year Old Celestial Edition Tasting Notes

• Nose – Floral bursts of honeysuckle and elderflower, early summer hedgerow, with delicate honey sweetness and elegant oak spice of cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Taste – Opens with mouth-watering fruits, crisp green apple and fresh pineapple with grapefruit and lime citrus then richer dried fruits of sultana and raisins before vanilla toffee gives sweetness to the mid-palate.
• Finish – Long with layers of fruit and spice. Green fruits continue into the finish with gooseberry and kiwi before waves of warming cinnamon and clove spice.

About the Loch Lomond Group:

• Loch Lomond Group is an independent distiller based in Alexandria and is home to several award-winning spirit brands that are sold in more than 100 countries worldwide.
• Loch Lomond distillery has been producing the finest single malt whisky since 1814.
• Images and interviews with key staff from the Group are available upon request.
• www.lochlomondgroup.com

About the brands:

Littlemill:

• The Littlemill distillery was officially established in 1772 on the site of an old brewery that had been founded during the 14th century in Bowling on the banks of the River Clyde near Glasgow.
• It is rumoured that illicit distilling had taken place there since 1750 when the site was bought by George Buchan, a malt master, and according to the renowned whisky historian and writer Misako Udo in her book ‘The Scotch Whisky Distilleries’ distilling may have taken place there for many centuries before, possibly making it the world’s oldest whisky distillery.
• Littlemill fell into perpetual silence in 1994 and then the distillery was destroyed by fire in 2004.
• In 1931 Littlemill led whisky still innovation whereby its innovative design could create three styles of spirit under the stewardship of the American Duncan Thomas. It was these stills that provided the inspiration for the Loch Lomond Distillery that was commissioned in 1964 and commenced production in 1966.
• In 2015 Loch Lomond Group commenced the new Littlemill Private Cellar Edition.
• Twitter / Instagram: @LittlemillMalt, Facebook: @Littlemillwhisky

Springbank Society – February ‘19 Quarterly 

We are delighted to be back with the latest, exciting Society Quarterly. You’ve been hearing from us a lot recently, as we have been announcing Campbeltown Malts Festival information over the last couple of weeks.

Before we get into the main part of this newsletter, please allow us to remind you that the tickets for Festival events taking place on Thursday 23rd + Friday 24th May 2019 go on sale next week on Wednesday 13th February at 2pm (UK time). Last minute Valentine’s Day gift?

During this email we have some distillery news and production developments to let you know about, two new distillery releases to announce and a rundown of our Sales Team’s upcoming trips and events.

Distillery News

As part of these Quarterly Newsletters, we always like to take the opportunity to update all our Society members on what has been happening in and around the Distillery over the last few months. This time, we decided to ask a guest writer to let us know about all the work that has been going on…

Director of Production Findlay Ross brings us the latest from Springbank and Glengyle;

SPRINGBANK

Production at Springbank finished back in August and only recently started up again, so much needed maintenance was performed during the silent period. The gear and bearing on the mash tun was repaired and adjusted to allow a better rotation of the stirring arm, and the scraping arm on the bottom was adjusted to help clear more draff at the end of mashing (so less work for the production team hosing away draff!). The cast iron Hot liquor tanks were lined with stainless steel as some sections were starting to corrode, and the steam line to the washbacks was also replaced with stainless steel to allow for a better clean of the washbacks.

January saw us start a planned 34 weeks of Production! This is the most ever seen at Springbank in modern times. The mild weather at the start of the year was a big help to the malting team (although we have had some snow more recently) as they began producing Hazelburn malt to be distilled in a couple of months time.

GLENGYLE

November and December saw full time production at Glengyle, as we were able to utilise the new malt intake and new washback for the first time. We completed 12 weeks of production for the first time since the distillery re-opened, including a couple of “kilkeriments” that fans can look forward to tasting in the coming years. Kilkerran will now fall silent until September. Just like with Springbank during the silent period, again we will utilise this time in a productive way, allowing us to make some much needed repairs by replacing washbacks 1&2, along with a variety of pumps, valves and piping.

Two New Releases from Springbank Distillery.

We delighted to confirm the upcoming release of the new Longrow Red 11yo and the latest edition of our Springbank 25yo.

Both bottlings will be available from Friday 15th February 2019.

Longrow Red 11yo, Pinot Noir Cask Matured, 53.1%

The Longrow Red 11yo spent the first eight years in bourbon casks then three years in refill Pinot Noir Barriques from New Zealand.  There are approximately 9000 bottles available worldwide.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Creamy, red apples. Homemade rhubarb crumble with lots of confectionary notes. Red liquorice and maraschino cherries.

Palate: Delicate, soft and smooth. A perfect balance of Pinot Noir wine & Longrow. Red fruits, raspberry jam and cranberry. This is followed by burnt embers and tobacco leaf with hints of smoke.

Finish: More of the Longrow characteristics; creamy, smoky, sultanas and some nuttiness.

This bottling will be available from Friday 15th February – please note that the release date in various markets and countries is likely to vary. For details on when the Longrow Red 11yo is available near you please consult your preferred Springbank retailer or visit the “Where to Buy” section of our website to find a Springbank stockist.

• The Campbeltown Cadenhead shop will be selling this bottle for £55.00
• The 10% Society discount can be applied to this bottle (at each shop’s discretion)
• This is not a Society exclusive release.

Springbank 25yo 46%

The latest edition of the Springbank 25yo has been matured in 60% Sherry casks and 40% Rum casks with around 1200 bottles in total.

Tasting Notes

Nose: Initially parma violets and rhubarb. Barbecued meats and sugar cane molasses follow alongside tropical fruits and oloroso sherry notes.

Palate: Maturity and complexity at its best. A perfect balance of sherry and rum casks married in harmony. As it breathes; cured meat notes with a presence of tropical fruits and muscat wine.

Finish: Oh, yes, it’s definitely a true Springbank with coastal and earthy/musty dunnage warehouse notes, with sugary molasses in the finish.

This bottling will also be available from Friday 15th February – please note that the release date in various markets and countries is likely to vary. For details on when the new Springbank 25yo is available near you please consult your preferred Springbank retailer or visit the “Where to Buy” section of our website to find a Springbank stockist.

• The Campbeltown Cadenhead shop will be selling this bottle for £370.00
• There will be no Society discount for this release
• This is not a Society exclusive release.

As if this isn’t enough, we also look forward to bringing you the next edition of Springbank 21yo in March and Longrow 18yo and Hazelburn Sherrywood 14yo in April! More details will follow closer to the time.

And for those of you that follow Kilkerran please also look out for something special at the end of March as we grow the range.

Sales Team Event Schedule

Over the next few months, our Sales Team will be travelling to events throughout the UK, Europe and the world.

Check out the schedule below to find out where you can meet our team over the next few months. Details of these tours and tastings can be found on the Springbank website (or they will be added once relevant details are confirmed).

February

13th-15th: Denmark Tasting Tour – Mitch is on tour in Denmark. The tour will take him to Skanderborg, Herning and Ebeltoft.

14th-16th: Cinderella Cruise – Ronan represents Springbank on the Cinderella Cruise later this month and he is looking forward to meeting Springbank fans at the world’s largest floating whisky fair.

16th-17th: The Vault Biennale – Ranald makes a trip to Mumbai, India.

18th-22nd: France Tasting Tour – Grant is going on tour in France. We don’t often send Grant beyond British shores so this will be a rare chance to meet Grant on mainland Europe as he travels on this joint Springbank and Kilkerran tour. And you can try some wonderful Campbeltown whisky, too.

21st: Tasting at Geraldo’s – A trip to the lovely seaside town of Largs for David sees him make a stop at Geraldo’s for a Springbank and Kilkerran tasting.

22nd: Tasting at Robbie’s Drams – David’s time in Ayrshire contines, this time he pays a visit to Robbie’s Drams Whisky Merchants in Ayr for a Springbank and Kilkerran tasting.

27th: Tasting at The Balmoral – Mitch will be in Scotland’s capital for a tasting at The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh. Please contact the venue for details.

28th: Tasting at The Good Spirits Co. – David is in Glasgow for a Kilkerran tasting at The Good Spirits Co. Join Dave there to try a range of drams from our sister distillery.

March

2nd: Whisky Birmingham – Grant will be in Birmingham on the first Saturday of March for the city’s flagship whisky festival.

8th: Tasting at Dunnottar Wines & Spirits –  Grant leads a tasting at Dunnottar Wines & Spirits on Friday 8th with the chance to taste a range of Kilkerran and Springbank drams.

9th: Fife Whisky Festival – Grant and Ronan will be at The Corn Exchange in Cuper, representing Springbank and Kilkerran at the Fife Whisky Festival.

9th: Whisky & Friends – Mitch will be in Poland for Whisky & Friends in Warsaw.

12th-14th: Netherlands Tasting Tour – Ronan is going on a Kilkerran tour of The Netherlands. With masterclassed in Houten,  Bergen Op Zoom and Gendt.

16th: Newcastle Whisky Lounge – Mid-March sees Grant pop across the border to Tyneside, representing Kilkerran at the Newcastle Whisky Festival.

18th-28th: USA Tasting Tour – The focus is on Kilkerran for David as he heads to Boston, New York and Chicago for a USA tasting tour culminating at the World of Whiskies show at Binny’s, Chicago on Thursday 28th March.

19th-21st: Italy Tasting Tour – Ranald tours northern Italy for Kilkerran.

22nd-23rd: Midlands Whisky Festival – Springbank and Kilkerran will be on show in Stourbridge as Grant and Ronan share drams with guests at the Midlands Whisky Festival.

25th-30th: Belgium Tasting Tour – Kilkerran is going on tour in Belgium as Ronan travels the country, leading tastings for our sister distillery. Details TBC.

28th-30th: Whiskyschiff Luzern – Mitch is joined in Luzern by Springbank and Kilkerran Director of Production Findlay Ross.

29th: In-store pouring at Green Welly Stop – Grant will be in Tyndrum, Perthshire for an in-store pouring of Kilkerran where guests will get a chance to taste the new Kilkerran release

29th: In-store pouring at Valhalla’s Goat – Donald Brown is in Glasgow for an in-store pouring of Kilkerran where guests will get a chance to taste the new Kilkerran release.

29th: Tasting at TB Watson – Ranald is in Dumfries for a tasting at TB Watson.

29th: Woodwinters – Melanie will be in Bridge of Allan for an in-store pouring of Kilkerran where guests will get a chance to taste the new Kilkerran release.

April

4th: Tasting in St Andrews University – Mitch will be leading a tasting with the St Andrews University Whisky Society. Details TBC.

5th: In-store pouring in Luvians – Spending more time in St Andrews, Mitch will be doing an in-store pouring on Friday 5th April in Luvians.

6th: Alhambra Whisky Festival – Following his time in St Andrews, Mitch will be making the short trip east to Stirling for the Alhambra Festival for Kilkerran Single Malt.

13th: Bristol Whisky Lounge – Grant is in Bristol City Hall for their whisky festival representing our sister company, Kilkerran Single Malt. See you there!

20th: In-store pouring at Oban Fine Wines – Grant will be pouring Kilkerran drams in Oban Whisky and Fine Wines. If you want to sample whisky from Mitchell’s Glengyle distillery in Campbeltown, this could be the perfect chance.

20th: In-store pouring at The Whisky Exchange – Ronan is in Covent Garden in London for a Kilkerran themed in-store pouring.

27th-28th: Limburg Whisky Fair – A member of the Sales Team will be representing Springbank and Kilkerran at this year’s Limburg Whisky Fair.

Lastly, another reminder that tickets for Campbeltown Malts Festival events taking place on Thursday 23rd & Friday 24th May 2019 go on sale next week on Wednesday 13th February at 2pm (UK time) on Eventbrite.

We will be in touch again soon.

Slainte,

The Springbank Team

To join the Springbank Society please contact them at  society@springbank.scot

Bruichladdich Single Casks for UK Market

Selected exclusively for the United Kingdom market, two single wine casks #14006-14 & #1310 bottled for the Mirco Province series.

Bruichladdich 2006

11 Year Old single burgundy cask #14006-14 bottled for UK market. 306 bottles available.

Shop £112.44

Bruichladdich 2007

11 Year Old single Rivesaltes wine cask #1310 bottled for the UK market. 246 bottles available.

Shop £116.44