Raise a dram with the Cotswolds Distillery this Burns Night

Fancy trying something different this Burns Night? For most people, Scotland is, and always has been the home of whisky. However, why not try something different and celebrate with something from south of the border with one of the Cotswolds Distillery’s award-winning offerings?

The Cotswolds Distillery Single Malt

The Cotswolds Distillery Single Malt is the first ever whisky to be created in the Cotswolds ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ and is created using only Cotswolds-grown barley. The inaugural whisky is rich and fruity in style and has been matured in a combination of first-fill ex-Bourbon barrels and specially shaved, toasted and re-charred red wine casks. The young expression bursts with notes of honey and butterscotch, layered with light fruits (peaches, apricots) and a hint of marzipan. To taste, the whisky is rich with malt, oils and dark sugar. Spice and caramelised bitter orange lead into a long, resinous finish with dark red fruits and a hint of treacle.

Perfect For: A whisky enthusiast looking for something different to toast Burns Night with friends. 

RRP: £44.95

Stockist: www.waitrose.com

The Cotswolds Distillery Founder’s Choice

The award-winning Cotswolds Distillery recently launched its first cask strength single malt whisky expression, the Founder’s Choice. The whisky is aged in their shaved, toasted and re-charred American oak red wine barrels and has a rich and intense maturation. The cask has a fruity spirit, with toffee, oak and red fruit notes as well as a beautiful deep colour.

Perfect for: Something special to commemorate this age-old Scottish tradition.

RRP: £64.95

Stockist: www.cotswoldsdistillery.com  

Notes

The Cotswolds Distillery

Located in Stourton, Shipston-on-Stour, the distillery has become a premier local attraction, offering tours and tastings daily, and now receives 30,000 visitors a year.

Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky was launched in October 2017. Each bottle lists the barley variety, harvest year and local Cotswolds farm it was grown on. It recently won Gold at the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition and took 2 stars (one of only two whiskies to do so) in the 2018 Great Taste Awards.

In Jim Murray’s 2019 Whisky Bible, the Cotswolds Distillery received 5 ‘Liquid Gold’ awards. Three of Cotswolds’ whiskies scored 95 points, with all of the distillery’s samples scoring over 88 out of 100.

Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky is available nationally and in 26 countries across the world. Key UK retailers include Waitrose & Partners, Majestic Wine, The Whisky Exchange, Harrods and Laithwaites.

 The distillery also produces Cotswolds Dry Gin, which was named Best London Dry at the 2016 World Gin Awards and received the top Gold Outstanding award in the 2017 International Wine and Spirits Competition. Difford’s Guide recently ranked the Gin as one of the top 20 Gins available in a survey of 450 brands.

Cotswolds Dry Gin is on sale nationally and in over 25 countries.  Key national accounts include Waitrose & Partners, Majestic, Oddbins, Laithwaites, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, and Fortnum & Mason.

For more information, please visit www.cotswoldsdistillery.com.

JUVENILES

Can a whisky be jovial?  We’ve tried to make one with our latest Juveniles limited edition. Made in collaboration with whisky lover Tim Johnston of Juveniles Bistrot à Vins, one of the iconic wine bars of Paris.  We’ve tried to reflect the good-humoured nature of Tim and his restaurant in this whisky, right down to the bell in the punt of every bottle!

LEARN MORE

Saturday, January 26th, 11AM-4PM:

Mystery Scotch with Sam Filmus

Master of all things Scotch and guiding light of JVS Imports, our friend Sam Filmus returns to The Whisky Shop with a selection of world-class single malt! Sam Filmus’ previous tastings have included some of the rarest and oldest drams ever tasted at The Whisky Shop. Whether you’re looking for a unique new scotch experience or simply thirsty for a taste of whisky, this tasting is sure to delight and surprise.

More Details & RSVP 

Where to drink whisky this Burns Night (25th January) 

Drama cocktails at Beaufort Bar at The Savoy 

In the autumn of 2018, The Savoy’s Beaufort Bar launched a new menu entitled Music, Magic & Drama. Alluding to the Beaufort Bar’s previous incarnation as The Savoy’s cabaret stage, and its jet-black and burnished gold décor, the ‘Drama’ section of the menu explores dark and atmospheric drinks that take guests late into the evening and includes a section of Scotch whiskies, divided be region.

The whiskies at the Beaufort Bar range in style, age, region and complexity, pleasing both malt connoisseurs and curious neophytes alike, and Head Bartender, Elon Soddu would be happy to advise drinkers which Scotch to sip on Burns Night.

Balancing the whisky component in each serve with aperitifs, liqueurs and Champagnes, the mixed drinks in this section are not all merely stirred down and brown and guests can choose from both lighter long and strong short mixed drinks including Birnham Wood (£40) Lagavulin 12 Year Old Whisky, Chartreuse Verte VEP liqueur, Seedlip Garden non-alcoholic spirit, sugar. 

Alberlour at The Gallery | West Hampstead

The Gallery in West Hampstead has become synonymous with two things: Whisky and Beer. With over 101 whiskies behind the bar – including many impressive and lesser-known scotches – and a strong beer list, it is the go to West London bar for a boilermaker. To celebrate Burns Night, The Gallery has created a specialist menu to commemorate Scotland’s greatest wordsmith, Robert Burns, using quintessentially Scottish ingredients.

From Thursday 24^th to Sunday 27^th The Gallery will be serving a dedicated drinks menu which showcases some of the team’s favourite whiskies and Scottish beers expertly paired to create the ultimate boilermakers such as 10-year old Aberlour with Gipsy Hill Hepcat (£7.50). The Gallery will also be serving an eccentric Haggis Tortellini with preserved tomato ragu and crisp sage followed by a cranachan mille feuille. Wash this down with the drink of the hour ‘The Antidote’ which combines 10 year old Aberlour Whisky with zingy lemon and ginger syrup.

Glenfiddich at Skylight Rooftop | Wapping

On Friday 25th January, Glenfiddich whisky will be taking over London’s most imaginative rooftop destination, Skylight at Tobacco Dock for London’s biggest Burns Night celebration. This evening will also kick off the closing weekend of Skylight’s winter season.
In honour of the great Scottish poet, Robert Burns, the rooftop will undergo a boozy makeover from the multi award-winning distillery, bringing with them signature whisky tipples. Entertainment, aside from the rooftop ice rink, will come from traditional Scottish musicians alongside the spectacle of a highly-anticipated rooftop ceilidh. Expect music, singing, whisky tastings and dance.

Guests will be greeted with a Glenfiddich cocktail on arrival and will then be able to cosy up under the heated pergola or grab a table and settle in on the lower floor, equipped with DJ to dance the night away. Skylight’s rooftop igloos will also be available to book – the perfect place to pull up a blanket and sip on mulled drinks to warm the cockles. Street food will also be on offer.

Founded in 1887 and situated in Dufftown, the Glenfiddich Distillery is one of the worlds best known whisky brands and is home to the world’s most-awarded single malt.

Tickets available here.

Kavalan Vinho Single Cask – exclusive to The Whisky Exchange

We’re kicking off the new year with a brand-new exclusive release – please welcome our Kavalan Vinho single cask, freshly arrived from Taiwan.

Kavalan – Taiwanese Malt

If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you’ll know that I’m a bit of a Kavalan fan. I first tried the distillery’s whisky back in 2010, before I started working in the whisky world, after a long search to find any in the UK. In 2012, it finally landed at The Whisky Exchange – here’s my gushing blog post – and since then it’s grown to be hugely popular.

Kavalan Distillery – it’s definitely not in Scotland…

Kavalan are Taiwan’s first distillery to export whisky around the world. Founded in 2005, it started producing in March 2006 and this year is the tenth anniversary of its spirit legally becoming whisky. It’s another distillery where you can see the work of the late, great Jim Swan, the whisky expert responsible for many of the world’s top new distilleries: Kavalan, Penderyn, Cotswolds, Kilchoman, Lindores Abbey, Spirit of Yorkshire, Milk & Honey, Victoria Caledonian, Annandale, Amrut…the list goes on.

Vin-who?

The Vinho releases are matured in American-oak wine casks and are famed for their rich character – as the World Whiskies Awards’s notes say: it’s like bourbon-infused milk chocolate.

Kavalan master blender Ian Chang picks up yet another award…

Kavalan Solist Vinho was the first release to properly catch the public eye after being crowned World’s Best Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards in 2015. Ever since then, Vinho has been the most sought-after whisky in the Kavalan range.

When it came to choosing an exclusive Kavalan, we received a wide selection of samples across a variety of cask types, and TWE director Sukhinder and head buyer Dawn unanimously chose the Vinho.

Kavalan Vinho Single Cask W120614028

The whisky was distilled on 14 June 2012, matured in a single American-oak wine cask for six years and bottled on 1 October 2018. It finally finished the long trek from Taiwan to our warehouse earlier this week.

Nose: Danish pastries with wine-soaked raisins to start. Baked apples drizzled with toffee sauce follow, along with rich lardy cake packed with soft brown sugar. Caramel shortbread develops – heavy on the caramel – with cherry jam, spiced butter and a touch of chamois leather. Char notes hide underneath, gentle and balancing the brown-sugar sweetness.

Palate: A punch of liquorice and blackcurrant leads to dry, toasted spice – cinnamon sticks, cloves and a smashed nutmeg. Tannic berry skins build, with spiced shortbread, black treacle and richly-flavoured maraschino cherries. Dried mango and spicy baked apples pop up at the back, squashed on toasted black bread and sprinkled with crushed, spicy speculaas biscuits.

Finish: Liquorice and char linger, with sweet apple and spiced sponge cake fading in and out.

Comment: A full-on Kavalan with a big sherry-like wine cask giving stacks of berry and dried fruit character. Intense and intimidating as it is, Kavalan’s fruity spirit still shines through, with apple and mango uncowed.

Our exclusive Kavalan Vinho Single Cask is now available on The Whisky Exchange website and will shortly be in our Fitzrovia and Covent Garden shops.

Robert Burns Whisky Sale

In celebration of Burns Night (Jan. 25th)

our Robert Burns single malt is 10% off!

The only single malt endorsed by The World Robert Burns Federation, Arran. Distillery’s Robert Burns whisky is a crisp, fruity dram with a free tasting glass included in the price.

Limited number available! Click here for more details and Purchase link

2010 Caol Ila 8 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $69.99 View

2009 Talisker 8 Year Old “Old Particular – K&L Exclusive” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $72.99 View

1974 Garnheath 44 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (750ml) $299.99 View

The Ultimate Whisky and Luxury Spirits Experience. Expanding the collection of Fine and Super Premium Spirits.

Buy your tickets

Gordon & MacPhail launches oldest release from famous distillery as part of its ‘Private Collection’

Gordon & MacPhail, the single malt Scotch whisky creator, has unveiled a new addition to its ‘Private Collection’: Gordon & MacPhail 1948 from Glen Grant Distillery. At 70-years-old, it is the oldest expression from the Speyside distillery ever bottled.

The latest release closely follows the acclaimed 50-year-old Gordon & MacPhail 1968 from Caol Ila Distillery, the oldest single malt ever bottled from the Islay distillery.

The rare and exclusive Gordon & MacPhail 1948 from Glen Grant Distillery was matured in Cask 2154, a first fill Sherry butt filled on 11 June 1948 – six years before barley rationing restrictions were lifted following the Second World War. Only 210 decanters of this highly sought-after whisky are available to purchase.

The ‘Private Collection’ comprises a selection of rare single malts from celebrated, little-known, or closed distilleries personally selected by members of the Urquhart family, owners of Gordon & MacPhail.

Members of four generations of the Urquhart family nurtured Cask 2154. John Urquhart selected the cask with his son, George, back in 1948. George oversaw storage of the cask in the fabled Warehouse No. 5 at Glen Grant Distillery. His eldest son, Ian, monitored the whisky and, in May 1968, arranged for the Sherry butt to be moved to Gordon & MacPhail’s Elgin warehouse. Ian’s nephew, Stuart, the company’s Operations Director, selected Cask 2154 for bottling on 19 October 2018.

Stephen Rankin, Gordon & MacPhail’s Director of Prestige and member of the fourth generation of the Urquhart family, reflected: “Our family has matured single malt whiskies for 123 years, each generation passing on its knowledge of how to combine spirit and oak to create exquisite whiskies. Four generations of my family have carefully nurtured Cask 2154 over its 70 years to produce this unique whisky.

“My great-grandfather, John, selected the first fill Sherry butt in 1948 to fill with new-make spirit from Glen Grant. My family has patiently watched over this cask, regularly monitoring and sampling the whisky, recognising the right moment to bottle it at its ultimate peak. This masterpiece epitomises the skill and craft involved in matching a cask to new-make spirit, as well as our dedication to creating unique and intriguing whiskies.

“Thanks to the notable influence of the Sherry butt on the spirit over the years, the elegant whisky displays flavours of dried fruit, orange zest, and cracked black pepper whilst maintaining a long, smooth charred oak finish. The remarkable 70-year-old malt also has delicate smoky notes, a reminder that, in 1948, the distillery would have been using traditional practices on their floor maltings and local peat as a fuel.”

Bottled at cask strength (ABV 48.6%), the amber coloured single malt is presented in an exquisitely engraved, hand-blown crystal decanter. The stunning whisky is framed in a striking wooden presentation case, with doors which smoothly slide open to reveal the precious contents.

In April 2018, Gordon & MacPhail streamlined its portfolio of single malt Scotch whiskies. Over recent months, the company has unveiled several remarkable ‘Private Collection’ releases: Gordon & MacPhail 1968 from Caol Ila Distillery and Gordon & MacPhail 1954 from Glenlivet Distillery.

Gordon & MacPhail 1948 from Glen Grant Distillery will be available for purchase worldwide from selected specialist retailers* (UK RRP £17,500**).

For more information, please visit www.gordonandmacphail.com.

#GordonandMacPhail

*Gordon & MacPhail 1948 from Glen Grant Distillery will be available to purchase in the US in spring 2019.

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

Notes 

Tasting Notes

Gordon & MacPhail 1948 from Glen Grant Distillery (Private Collection)

48.6% ABV, outturn of 210 bottles, UK RRP of £17,500.

Colour: Amber.

Aroma: Initially sweet – vanilla fudge, strawberry, and raspberry nuances develop into thick apricot jam. Waxy polish aromas emerge and mix with cinnamon and candied orange peel. Gentle and lingering smoky traces complement the balanced mature oak notes. With time, a subtle, fresh mint note unfolds.

Taste: Smooth; subtle Sherry-soaked fruit flavours fuse with fresh orange zest and cardamom undertones. A slightly dried herbal element develops and transforms into mouth-warming cracked black pepper and aniseed flavours. Delicate smoky notes endure.

Finish: A smooth, long, lingering finish introduces elegant charred oak and flashes of citrus.

Gordon & MacPhail Whiskies

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.