https://youtu.be/4elGzp33awQ

A foundation of whisky; to a certain degree, you could even call it a powerhouse product. Selling around two million cases per year as well as featuring in numerous songs, TV shows and films, Canadian Club is no slouch when it comes to reputation. Now, this isn’t a whisky that is setting ridiculous standards in the modern world, but given current circumstances, it’s a cheap and readily available option for when you don’t want to break your wallet in half. Cheers!

‘Dial a Dram’ for Glen Moray’s new 2020 Distillery Edition

Glen Moray has today (15^th July) unveiled three new limited edition ‘wine-finish’ expressions for its annual Distillery Edition release – which this year will be available to buy through a ‘Distillery dial-in’ service, especially for fans who can’t visit the whisky’s Elgin home in person.

Whisky enthusiasts will be keen to get their hands on the trio of single cask malts – the oldest wine-finished whiskies the Distillery has ever released, each one bursting with the flavours of full maturation in hand-selected Chardonnay, Burgundy and Chenin Blanc casks respectively.

The Distillery Edition is usually reserved exclusively for Distillery visitors, and isn’t sold in shops or online. Whilst Glen Moray is re-opening to visitors today, the team is aware that the ongoing effects of lockdown mean some may not be able to make the trip.

To ensure whisky fans don’t miss out, Glen Moray will offer personal phone consultations over peak visitor season in July and August, where four members of their team – all with a serious passion for whisky – will guide callers through the range, make recommendations, answer questions and take orders in person.

Brand Ambassador and Distillery Visitor Centre Manager Iain Allan will lead the effort alongside Hannah Levy (Assistant Manager), Ieva Hancock (Visitor Centre Assistant) and Laurie-May Macdonald (Café Supervisor). Iain came up with the idea as a contrast to all the virtual, online whisky events that have been taking place during lockdown, and as a way to deliver a personal touch during the buying process. He commented:

‘Buying a bottle of Glen Moray from our annual Distillery Edition is as much about the experience of a visit to the Distillery as it is about buying a wonderful new whisky. For the many people who would normally make the trip and take away one of these special bottles, we wanted to find a way to make the range available but avoid making it just a basic transaction over email or the internet. Everyone working at the Distillery enjoys nothing more than talking about whisky with fellow enthusiasts, answering questions and sharing behind the scenes stories of how Glen Moray is made. So if you can’t make the visit in person this year, please just pick up the phone and dial our distillery team.’

The three expressions in the 2020 Distillery Edition range have been fully matured in ex-wine casks for between 16 and 17 years, after being laid down between 2003 and 2004 in the Distillery’s Warehouse 1 – home to Glen Moray’s curious casks and maturation experiments.

Chardonnay Cask (cask 7670)

Colour: Tawny

Nose: Opens with sweet freshly cut pineapples drizzled in toffee sauce then sprinkled with white pepper.  A very sweet and enticing aroma.

Taste: Raspberry jam and freshly buttered warm toast, followed by hints of bubblegum and citrus.  A flavour which is subtly complex.

Finish: Drier wood spices coming to the fore and leaving you wanting more.

Burgundy Cask (cask 213)

Colour: Auburn

Nose: Aromas of almond and marzipan are at the forefront, covering over lighter notes of fresh orange peel and pine resin.

Taste: A first sip brings out flavours of chocolate coated cherries with a slight earthy note hiding in the background. With the slightest drop of water this is allowed to become more pronounced along with a previously hidden tang of lemongrass.

Finish: The grand finale of this whisky is a crescendo of spices filling the palate with a glorious warmth.

Chenin Blanc Cask (cask 341)

Colour: Auburn

Nose:  A delightful combination of pear drops and freshly made camomile tea.  A robust honeycomb and apple pairing completes the wonderful flavours exuding from the glass.

Taste: Ginger and Seville orange create the opening salvo of a flavour laden explosion on the palate. Tropical fruits mingle with camomile notes, with almonds following the strong opening.

Finish: With all its opening intensity this whisky softly fades into a whisper of ginger, floral hints and a mineral finale.

All three expressions are non-chill filtered, bottled at cask strength and with natural colour. They are available to buy at the distillery, or by calling Iain and the team at Glen Moray Distillery to chat or book a phone consultation on 01343 550900, 9am and 5pm.

Glen Moray Distillery will re-open today (Wednesday 15^th July), Monday to Friday from 9am until 5pm (not weekends) will a full list of health and safety measures in place. Visitors are asked to pre-book tastings and café visits due to limited numbers. Distillery tours are not currently available.

www.glenmoray.com

www.facebook.com/GlenMorayDistillery

www.instagram.com/glen_moray_whisky

www.twitter.com/glenmoraydist

GLEN MORAY

Glen Moray is one of Scotland’s best loved single malt whiskies. It has been crafted since 1897 in the ancient town of Elgin, the capital of the Speyside whisky region, on what was once the Elgin West Brewery site on the banks of the River Lossie. Pure waters from the river, locally malted barley, distillation in traditional copper stills and maturation in American ex-bourbon casks combine to give the whisky its smooth, well-balanced, classic Speyside character. Glen Moray has always been a place where curiosity about flavour and cask maturation has been encouraged. Records dating back to the early days show new make spirit maturing in a wide variety of different casks – a highly unusual practice at this time. A passion for experimentation and a deep knowledge of wood have been passed down through generations of Glen Moray distillers. The result is today’s exceptional and extensive range of whiskies, offering a flavour and style to suit all tastes. Glen Moray is the 5th biggest malt whisky brand by volume in the UK and is growing in international markets.

Our July auction is now LIVE!

Place your bids from Friday 17th July until Sunday 26^th July.

www.whiskyhammer.com

Every month, we present an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits to our members right across the globe. You will find everything here from limited edition releases and vintage bottles to whole casks of rare whisky. There is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest or enjoy!

Macallan (1938) & Macallan (1950)

Port Ellen – 40 Year Old 

Cask sales – Macallan (1989) American Oak & many more.

Karuizawa – 21 Year Old (1991 Vintage)

Yamazaki – 25 Year Old (1999)

Selling whisky? Why not arrange the pick-up of your bottles using our global courier service? If you’re based in Scotland, you might want to arrange the personal collection of your bottles. Wherever you’re based in the world, we will make getting your bottles into our monthly auction as simple as possible. Get in touch with the Whisky Hammer team now by dropping them a message at sales@whiskyhammer.co.uk.

A Limited New Release of a Benchmark Bourbon
Cream of Kentucky 13 Year Old “Batch #4” Kentucky Straight Bourbon (750ml) ($129.99)

NOTE: Our walk-in retail locations are currently closed. We have curbside pickup and low cost (often free) delivery options available in ZIP codes where we can ship lawfully, including anywhere in California. We can also include any new or existing will call orders in your delivery batch. Choose local delivery at checkout to learn if you qualify.

While we may not know the mashbill or even the distillery where Cream of Kentucky is made, we do know that it is consistently one of the finest aged bourbons on the market. The origins of Cream of Kentucky date back to 1888, with its heyday in the 1930s and 1940s, when it became one of the most trusted brands in the United States. With J.W. Rutledge’s re-introduction of this iconic brand, whiskey drinkers have an opportunity to taste a classic bourbon in its most pure and unadulterated form. Rutledge, who previously worked as the master distiller at Four Roses for over two decades, has a special talent for picking out casks that show remarkable depth, range, and complexity. Batch #4 very much follows in the tradition, revealing a whirl of vanilla, mocha, and woodsy notes. Previous releases of this timeless classic have sold out in a matter of hours, and we expect much the same here. Whiskey with such a significant age statement can often cost a princely sum, but our price of $130 is highly competitive, especially when you take into account this bourbon’s pedigree. Don’t miss out on your chance to own one of the finest aged bourbons money can buy.

Cream of Kentucky 13 Year Old “Batch #4” Kentucky Straight Bourbon (750ml) ($129.99)

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 14, 2020

This is easily my favorite of the four releases of Cream of Kentucky so far. Jim has outdone himself with the 13-year-old release. This batch makes the Cream of Kentucky moniker speak for itself. Creamy is simply the best way to describe it. It tastes like a vanilla cream cheese frosting meets a pound cake laced with cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s full-flavored and dangerously easy to drink. Every phase shows that soft cream, but also offers a unique spin—the nose hints at a bit of grass and dill, the palate tastes like meringue, and the finish takes more of a pumpkin pie drizzled in caramel sauce approach. It’s perfect bourbon through and through. Just a little different and wonderfully delicious.

We’ve started July with a bang so far, but we’ve still got some sparkling surprises to bring with an exciting selection of mid-month bottlings. From a magical member-favourite distillery, to a fruity wee Islay number and even a Peated flavour profile offering all the way from Taiwan, we have something to brighten up any evening.

VIEW ALL NEW WHISKIES           VIEW ALL WHISKIES

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

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 325: Springbank 10 Year Old

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky vlogger, travels to Campbeltown! Springbank is – together with Glengyle and Glen Scotia – one of the last surviving distilleries on Campbeltown and is unique as it produces three types of malt: peaty Springbank, heavily peated Longrow and unpeated Hazelburn. The entry level Springbank is their 10 years old, of which I will try a release from 2005, meaning that the malt has spent more time in the bottle than it did in the wooden casks.

https://youtu.be/TmfCbxfmwl8

NORTH UIST DISTILLERY ACQUIRES HISTORIC BUILDING 

NUNTON STEADINGS WILL BECOME BASE FOR WHISKY PRODUCTION 

North Uist Distillery today (16th July 2020) announced the acquisition of the iconic Nunton Steadings on the Isle of Benbecula.

Nunton Steadings was the scene of several important chapters in island history and is one of the oldest surviving structures in the Western Isles.

Now the local landmark is set to be the site of another historic development, as the base for production of the first whisky to be legally distilled in the southern islands of the Outer Hebrides.

Jonny Ingledew, Master Distiller, and Kate MacDonald, Creative Director, are delighted to have completed the purchase of the steadings, which will be redeveloped as a distillery and visitor centre, and give the couple the space to distil whisky and build on the success of their popular range of premium ‘Downpour’ gins launched in 2019.

“Our main goal has always been to put the islands on the whisky map and therefore we are incredibly excited to have secured Nunton Steadings which will allow us to fulfill our whisky dream,” commented Jonny.

Kate and Jonny plan to make whisky using a grain that local crofters produce, Bere barley, which is one of the oldest cereals grown in the UK.

“At one time all whisky would have been made from Bere barley but it was changed out for higher yielding barleys. Bere tastes incredible and is not mass produced, so it retains a remarkable flavor that we want to harness,” explained Jonny.

Jonny and Kate are keen to work with crofters to create a supply chain of Bere barley on the islands with the intention of one day being able to malt the barley, allowing for full grain to glass production in the new premises, Nunton Steadings.

Nunton Steadings was constructed in its current form in the early 1700s on the site of a nunnery dating back to 1300. Bonnie Prince Charlie took shelter there while on the run in the aftermath of Culloden.

Built on what was then a substantial farm, the structure was seized with the land when crofters raided Nunton in the aftermath of the Great War. Local crofters housed cattle and stored animal feed inside the building until it fell into disrepair and was transferred to the Uist Buildings Preservation Trust, later renamed Nunton Steading Trust, which saw the building renovated in the late 1990s. Nunton Steading Trust placed the building on the market earlier in 2020.

Kate MacDonald commented: “Nunton Steadings has beautiful original features, such as the cobbled floors on the south side of the building, which will be the perfect home for our whisky casks during maturation.

“We will be providing tours which will cover the whisky and gin production process and also share the stories of this historic building and the surrounding areas.”

North Uist Distillery is now working on ambitious plans to bring Nunton Steadings back into use as a hub for the community and visitors with pop up events and a visitor centre.

Kate and Jonny are keen to give the community ownership of this venture and will be running a crowdfunder later in the year to raise money to procure whisky equipment, which has been sized to create a single cask with each production run. It is anticipated the kit will be purchased in March 2021, once finance is secured, with production commencing in 2022.

IMAGES:

Images credit Am Pàipear)

Aerial shots of Nunton Steadings credit Richard Davis

NOTES

Nunton Steadings, a u-shaped building and prominent local landmark, is set in an ideal location, close to the main centre of population, Balivanich, on the Isle of Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides.

Studio Hebrides architecture firm and Allen Associates process engineers are now working with the North Uist Distillery team to redevelop Nunton Steadings into a distillery and new visitor centre on Benbecula.

North Uist Distillery started to trade in 2019 with ‘Downpour’ dry Scottish gin, described as a strong and bold-flavoured premium gin, drenched in extra-strength botanicals, crafted to capture the spirit of life in the Hebrides.

Later in 2019, North Uist Distillery launched ‘Downpour Sloe and Bramble’, which uses local heather and brambles as the main botanicals, making the product a real taste of North Uist.

Both the ‘Downpour’ gins are available to purchase from the website (www.northuistdistillery.com).

Earlier this month (July 2020) North Uist Distillery won ‘Gold’ in the Spirits Business Gin Masters 2020 for both the original ‘Downpour’ and ‘Downpour Sloe and Bramble’.

Having been awarded Visit Scotland’s ‘We’re Good to Go’ stamp of approval, we are thrilled to announce that we will reopen our distillery doors to visitors from Saturday 1st August 2020.

This means we are adhering to the respective Government and public health guidance, have carried out a COVID-19 risk assessment and have the required processes in place to reopen safely and with confidence.

The distillery’s popular  Glengoyne Tasting Experiences will return, and can be attended by a maximum of 20 people from ten households. While the unique Malt Master experience will be available to book for up to four people from a maximum two households.

Each experience will allow visitors to enjoy in-depth insights into Glengoyne’s history, and of course taste our award-winning whiskies.  Tickets must be booked in advance, with up to five sessions available per day.

Protecting our colleagues and visitors continues to be our top priority, so we are asking our visitors to wear masks or face coverings on arrival and while moving around on site. There will be dedicated hygiene stations, with readily available hand sanitizer, around the site.

Access to the stills is prohibited; however, guests are welcome to enjoy our Tasting Experience whilst we share the wonder-filled tales of Glengoyne and our award-winning range. All whiskies will be served in sealed containers for guests to pour themselves.

A video showing the distillery’s revised measures is available to watch.

Glengoyne’s distillery shop will also reopen, with guests being asked to register on arrival for contact tracing before being able to browse and purchase Glengoyne’s range of whiskies and other gifts.

For more information, or to book an experience visit www.glengoynewhisky.com. Alternatively, you can email reception@glengoyne.com

A warm welcome awaits you.

Sláinte!

Glengoyne Distillery

GET IN TOUCH

Glengoyne Distillery, Dumgoyne, Near Killearn, Glasgow G63 9LB
Tel. +44 (0)1360 550 254

Email: reception@glengoyne.com

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Arran Machrie Moor Cask Strength Peated Single Malt Whisky (750ml) $79.99  View

Arran “The Bothy” Quarter Cask, Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml) (Elsewhere 100) $79.99 View

Port Dundas 21 Year Old “Barrel to Bottle” Single 1st Fill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (750ml) $99.99 View

Glen Grant 22 Year Old “Munros” K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Unchillfiltered Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $109.99 View

Highland Park 10 Year Old “K&L Exclusive” Cask #7774 Refill Sherry Hogshead Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $139.99 View

The Tweeddale 28 Year Old “The Evolution” Blended Scotch Whisky (750ml) $149.99 View

Saturday July 25th, 5:30PM: 

Highland Park

An award-winning distillery based on the Isle of Orkney, Highland Park is known for its striking bottlings and hard-to-find releases. Their whiskys have received high honors at the World Whiskies Awards, Scotch Whisky Master Awards, and the San Francisco World Spirits Competition among many others.

Tasting Pourlist:

Highland Park 12 Year Old

Highland Park 18 Year Old

Highland Park Valkyrie

Click Here to RSVP

Get 10% off all Highland Park with coupon code ‘VIRTUAL‘ at checkout