Malt Messenger Bulletin

Surprise Summer Sale Starts Now

The tags are up, the banner is hung and the pricing is live, our Surprise Summer Sale is on!

We only have 4 store-wide Sales a year at KWM. The Surprise Summer Sale is usually held earlier in August, but as we delayed our May Birthday Sale to June, we thought it best to push this one back by a few weeks too. So for those of you who thought we’d forgotten or skipped it this year, SURPRISE!

Before we get to the juicy details on the sale, there are a few other exciting tidbits we would like to share with you before it is too late…

Firstly, we have a really exciting pair of new Virtual Whisky Tastings scheduled for Saturdays September 12 & 26. For the Boutique-y Whiskies Double Header we will be joined from the UK by Special Guests Sam Simmons (Head of Whisky) and Dave Worthington (Global Brand Ambassador) for the Boutique-y Whisky Co. Just $80 for two tastings of six whiskies each, including 21 year old Ben Nevis & Clynelish, a 28 Year Cambus and a 24 Year Bourbon… More details below. These tastings are already 2/3 sold… only 35 spots left!

There is a new GlenDronach in town, a 2009 Vintage 10 Year, bottled exclusively for Canada. The whisky staff are all rather impressed with it, something you don’t often here. It has been a rather hot commodity over the last week. Note as a brand new arrival it is not on sale!

We also have an exciting whisky return, the Berry’s Blue Hanger 11th Limited Release is Back! This KWM exclusive has been gone for the shelves for a couple of years. We are doubly excited about its return, as it also dropped in price by $45/bottle… Only about 30 of the 60 bottles which just returned are left!

Now back to the Surprise Summer Sale. The pricing is live online now. As always, we have created PDFs with the best deals on Whisky & Other Spirits as well as Wine, to help you focus your shopping.

Please order through the website if you can, or swing by the store. You are welcome to pop down to the store, but if you do please wear a mask, be patient if there is a line, and respect our other Covid-19 Policies.

If you are looking to have your order packed for pickup please note we already have a healthy waiting list, and it could take up to a week for your order to be ready.

If you are requesting Curb Side pickup, please give us at least 4 hours to pull and process your order. Ideally please wait until you receive the confirmation it is ready.

We are expecting higher than normal demand for delivery in Calgary. Free Delivery for orders over $50 is still available, but again please be patient as we work through all the requests.

Happy Hunting!

Andrew Ferguson

Kensington Wine Market

Andrew Ferguson

Kensington Wine Market

PS – Don’t forget you can follow me on Twitter:

@scotch_guy, Instagram: @thescotch_guy/

or @kwmwhisky and Facebook: facebook.com/scotch.guy.1

New Virtual Whisky Tasting(s) 

The Boutique-y Whiskies Double Header with Sam Simmons & Dave Worthington!

If you’ve been paying attention to my emails over the last little while, you’ll have noted that we had to get creative with virtual tastings on account of not being able to pour samples… Hoping that will change in the near future, but in the interim, we’ve been using available gift packs and 50mls to put on virtual tastings. While scouting the available options I noticed there was a decent amount of last year’s “12 Whiskies of Christmas” from That Boutique-y Whisky Company left in the market.

The set is composed of 12 wax sealed 30ml bottles, and there are some cool whiskies in it: Cambus 28 Year Single Grain, 21 Year Clynelish & Ben Nevis, and a 24 Year Bourbon to name just a few. So we negotiated a deal (they originally sold for $110+gst) and purchased the lot of them with an eye to putting on some tastings. We approached the chaps at That Boutique-y Whisky Company about taking part in the tastings, and they jumped at the opportunity.

We will be splitting the whiskies over a pair of tastings on Saturday September 12th and 26th, at 5PM, to accommodate our friends in London. We will be joined in the tastings by Sam Simmons (Head of Whisky) and Dave Worthington (Global Brand Ambassador). The cost is $80+gst for the samples. We can pack them for out of town pickup. Free Delivery is available within Calgary city-limits. A zoom link and password will be emailed out the day before the tasting.

The people are thirsty, and demand is high, only 35 of the 95 spots for the tasting are still available!

 Boutique-y Whiskies Double Header with Dr. Whisky aka Sam Simmons – Saturday September 12, 5PM & Saturday September 26, 5PM – $80+gst

Register by phone at 403-283-8000 or  online.

Introducing: The Glendronach 2009 10 Year 

A Very Decent Place Holder for the GlenDronach 12 Year…

If you are wondering why we haven’t seen certain releases from the BenRiach and GlenDronach distilleries over the last few years, there is a very good reason for it. The GlenDronach 15 Year Revival has its own reasons for only infrequently being available, mainly owing to a shortage of suitable stocks.

For the rest of the BenRiach Distillery Co. Whiskies, which include BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh, many of the skus are tied up in a dispute between the old importers, and the new one. Until it is resolved -and apparently progress has been stagnant-, many of the products like the GlenDronach 12 and 18 Years won’t be returning to Alberta. In the interim, the distillery has bottled a 2009 10 year old small batch whisky for “Canada” to replace the 12 Year. It arrived in-store on Wednesday, we cracked a bottle and were suitably impressed. My tasting note below.

GlenDronach 2009 10 Year – 43% – Pedro Ximenez Sherry Casks – My Tasting Note: “Nose: nutty with soft leather, raisins, chocolate and syrup; doughy with baking spices, vanilla icing and dry grasses. Palate: rich and nutty its starts slow but builds in to decadent spices, syrup and cooked raisins; sweet and dumpy with black licorice and dark chocolate; candied orange and chewy malt; late vanilla, dunnage warehouses and minty-floral-tones. Finish: medium in length with leather, spices and candied fruit. Comment: released to replace the 12 Year, at least in Alberta; this is quintessentially GlenDronach and a lovely dram; I think it would have been improved at 46%, but I digress; the nose is good and the palate is better; very quaffable stuff!” – $96

Surprise Summer Sale 

The Best Deals & Fine Print!

We last saw this whisky about 2-3 years ago, and were thrilled when we had the opportunity to get it back. Especially when we found out the price was dropping nearly $50. Whisky Advocate Magazine gave this edition of the Blue Hanger Release a rating of 92pts and titled it their 2015 Blended/Blended Malt Whisky of the Year. As with the last time it was here, it is again exclusive to KWM, with only 60 bottles for Canada.

The 11th release is a vatting of a total of 8 casks:  4 hogsheads, 3 sherry butts and 1 puncheon. Amongst these is purportedly both peated and unpeated malt from Bunnahabhain distillery but the rest of the makeup is not known, or cannot be disclosed…

Berry’s Blue Hanger 11th Release – 45.6% – Hogsheads & Sherry Butts/Puncheons – My Tasting Note: “Nose: honey and marzipan mingle with clean smoke and chocolate salted caramel tarts; crisp lemon and orange with loads of creamy vanilla and dried fruits: raisins and apricots. Palate: round and immediately smoky, earthy and chocolaty all laid over a base of silky vanilla and decadent honey; firm spices develop including bright ginger, black licorice and candied fennel; there are dried fruits hinting at a sherry influence balanced out by muddier tones of sweet peaty malt. Finish: big, bold and malty with lovely vanillans, leather, dried fruits and spices; delicate clean salty smoke and gentle earthy peat underneath! Comment: lots going on here though it is not as peaty as some past releases, very layered and complex; a gateway whisky to more heavily peated malts?” – WAS $165 – NOW $120+gst

Whisky Advocate Tasting Note: “It’s the intensity of flavor that just grabbed me by the lapels and spun me round. It harbors intense tangelo juiciness; that unparalleled concentration of deep citrus skillfully mingled with dark vanilla, dried apricots, and gentle smoke. This goes the distance, delivering wave after delicious wave: peach juice, mandarin, pineapple cubes, and lemon zest. A firm, unctuous finish shows a little charred wood and dark sugar cloaked in fine smoke. Tongue pleasing and very special indeed. £90” (Spring 2015) 92pts Reviewed by: Jonny McCormick”

Surprise Summer Sale 

The Best Deals & Fine Print!

Most* in-stock Whisky, Gin, Rum, Brandy and Other Spirits are 10-50% off!

Browse Whisky & Spirits Discounted by 15% or More!

Most* in-stock Wine is at least 15% off, with savings up to 50%!

Browse Wines Discounted 20% or More!

All in-stock Beer is 5-30% off!

Sale Rules & Conditions

Due to Covid-19, we have a few more than usual!

• This Summer Sale is this weekend only: Friday, August 21 through Sunday, August 23, 2020. It will end at 6PM in-store and 11:59PM online.
• Most in-stock Wine is at least 15% off with savings of up to 50%. Excludes some new arrivals.
• Most in-stock Whisky is at least 10% off, with well over 250 products 15-50% off! Excludes some new arrivals.
• All in-stock Spirits, including, Cognac, Gin & Rum, are all at least 10% off, with many discounted 15-30% and a few up to 50% off!
• All in-stock Beer is at least 5% off with others discounted by up to 30%!
• Sale pricing will not be applied retroactively or carried forward from the end of the sale.
• Sale is on in-stock items only, with the exception of KWM exclusives (including SMWS on sale), on which we will honour the discount should we run out (provided we still have stock).
• In the event of a discrepancy in price or discount, the Point of Sale at Kensington Wine Market will be taken as correct.
• No additional discounts or promotions can be applied on top of these discounts. The best discount available will be the only one applied.
• No phone orders please.
• We strongly urge you to consider ordering online.
• Free Delivery and Curb Side Pickup Are Available.
  • Please give us at least 4 hours after placing your order for Curb Side Pickup
  • Deliveries will be arranged on a first come first serve basis next week.
• In-store shopping is limited to 6 customers at a time. Do not come in to the store if you have any Covid-19 symptoms. Please wear a mask, observe a 2 metre social distance with other customers and staff, refrain from picking up products unless you intend to purchase them. Kindly limit the amount of time you spend in-store out of respect to other customers who may be waiting to enter and shop as well. If you are asked to wait before entering please be patient.
• In-store Sale Hours:
  • 10-8 Friday
  • 10-8 Saturday
  • 11-6 Sunday

*Exclusions include some select new items, limited Nikka whiskies and most Scotch Malt Whisky Society whiskies.

Thank You for Reading the Malt Messenger! 

Contact & Disclaimers 

If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store.

All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change and don’t include GST. In the case of discrepancies in pricing, the price in our in-store point of sale will be taken as correct.

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger.

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson

Owner & Scotchguy

Kensington Wine Market

403-283-8000

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

www.kensingtonwinemarket.com

#ardbeg #untamed #islay #ardbegdistillery

ARDBEG ANNOUNCES THE APPOINTMENT OF A

NEW DISTILLERY MANAGER

<Ardbeg bids ‘farewell’ to Mickey Heads and extends ‘greetings’ to Colin Gordon>

In October of this year, Mickey Heads, Ardbeg’s Distillery Manager will retire after 13 years at the helm – leaving big boots (as well as casks) to fill at the Islay distillery.

Now Ardbeg is happy to announce the appointment of Mickey’s successor – Colin Gordon – who is joining as Distillery Production Manager. Colin will report into Pete Nelson, Operations Director.

Colin brings a wealth of whisky industry experience from his eight years at Diageo. His substantial knowledge of distillery production has been gained through a number of roles at the company. These include a stint as Site Operations Manager at the Port Ellen Maltings, which provides barley to eight of the 10 Islay distilleries. More recently, Colin was based at the Lagavulin Distillery on Islay as the Distillery Manager.

Colin is joining on 1 October 2020. Meanwhile, although Mickey Heads is leaving his post as Distillery Manager, he has agreed to continue in his role as Chair of the Ardbeg Committee, the worldwide army of Ardbeg fans.

Pete Nelson, Operations Director, said: “We’re delighted Colin is joining to lead the team at the Ardbeg Distillery. His knowledge will help take Ardbeg forward and shape the future of the Distillery. We have lots of exciting new expressions in the pipeline and Colin will play a major role in crafting those.”

Mickey Heads said: “I’ve known Colin for a long time and I can’t think of a more worthy successor. He’s joining a brilliant team whom I know will welcome him warmly and make him feel at home. As I continue as Chair of the Committee – and indeed, as just one of a legion of Ardbeg fans – I look forward to enjoying the fruits of his labours for years to come.”

Colin Gordon said: “Ardbeg is an iconic name in whisky with an immense reputation. I’m absolutely delighted to be joining an experienced team producing such an exceptional dram.

“Ardbeg has built a reputation for producing amazing whiskies with Mickey Heads at the helm. He is a huge name in the industry and will be a very hard act to follow. It’s a privilege to be chosen to take over the reins from him. Islay has been our home for five years and to be given the honour of overseeing the running of Ardbeg is very special indeed. I will do my very best to protect and enhance the reputation of the distillery and ensure it keeps producing the world class spirit of Ardbeg.”

www.ardbeg.com

Follow us on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ardbeg

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ardbeg_com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ardbeg/

NOTES: 

Ardbeg:

Ardbeg prides itself on being The Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky.  Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs around the world as the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts.  Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’.  During the 1980s and 1990s, Ardbeg suffered from an uncertain future and it was not until the brand was purchased by The Glenmorangie Company in 1997 that the Distillery was saved from extinction.  Since then, the Distillery has risen like a phoenix and today Ardbeg is well established as a niche, cult malt, with a passionate following.

Ardbeg Committee:

The legacy of the whisky was safeguarded in 2000 by the formation of the Ardbeg Committee.  The Committee is made up of thousands of Ardbeg followers worldwide who are keen to ensure that “the doors of Ardbeg never close again”.  Today there are more than 100,000 members of the Ardbeg Committee in over 130 countries.  Committee members are regularly consulted on new bottlings and expressions and are offered exclusive Committee bottlings.  Members also receive invitations to special gatherings, tastings and events.  The Committee, chaired by Mickey Heads, is free to join at ardbeg.com.

Awards:

Ardbeg is the world’s most highly awarded smoky single malt whisky.  Since 2008, Ardbeg has won more than 50 gold and double gold medals in key whisky competitions.  Ardbeg was voted ‘Scotch Whisky of the Year’ twice by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible (2008, 2009) and has twice been awarded ‘World’s Best Single Malt’ at the World Whiskies Awards (2010, 2013).  At the 2014 Global Icons of Whisky Awards, Mickey Heads was voted ‘Distillery Manager of the Year’.  The following year, Ardbeg’s expressions took the top three spots in Whisky Advocate magazine’s review of the best single malt Scotch whiskies under US$100.  Meanwhile, both Ardbeg Corryvreckan and Ardbeg Uigeadail have been awarded gold medals at the 2016 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. In 2019, Dr Bill Lumsden was awarded Master Distiller of the Year for the third time in four years. Ardbeg 10 Years Old also won the Best Single Malt Scotch 10 Year Old at the International Whisky Competition 2019, while the Ardbeg Distillery won the Distillery of the Year 2019. In 2020, the International Whisky Competition awarded Ardbeg Corryvreckan first place for Best Single Malt Scotch, Best Single Malt Scotch (No Age Statement), Best cask Strength (Over 57% ABV), Best Peated Scotch and Best Islay Single Malt. Ardbeg Wee Beastie also earned first place for Best Single Malt Scotch Under 10 Year Old and The Ardbeg Distillery achieved another Distillery of the Year award.

The Glenmorangie Company:

The Company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers and marketers of Scotch whisky brands worldwide and is part of Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.  Headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Company produces Glenmorangie Single Highland Malt whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay Malt.

Responsible Drinking:

Ardbeg and The Glenmorangie Company advocate responsible drinking and suggest that drinkers savour Ardbeg whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.

Garrison Brothers Distillery Expands West Coast Distribution Partnership with

Republic National Distributing Company/Young’s Market Company to include California and Washington

Austin, TX (August 12, 2020) – Garrison Brothers Distillery is excited to announce an expansion of distribution partnership with Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) together with Young’s Market Company (Young’s) to include Washington, effective immediately, and California starting September 1, 2020. Since 2015, RNDC/Young’s, has distributed Garrison Brothers throughout Arizona. While Garrison Brothers has been available in parts of California since 2015, this update in partnership will make the award-winning ultra-premium small batch bourbon more readily available across the entire state of California and Washington.

“We are excited to embark on this new chapter of Garrison Brothers’ California and Washington story with RNDC/Young’s. This expanded partnership will give West Coasters the opportunity to experience and enjoy the full line of our handcrafted bourbons, whether it be from the comfort of their own home or at their favorite bars and restaurants,” shares Cole Kephart, Garrison Brothers Western Sales Director.

Established in 2006, Garrison Brothers is the first and oldest legal whiskey distillery in Texas. Located on a beautiful ranch in the Hill Country, Garrison Brothers authentically produces straight bourbon whiskey one barrel at a time. Their expressions, which include Small Batch, Single Barrel, Balmorhea, Cowboy, HoneyDew, and Laguna Madre, have earned a devoted following across the country, with limited-releases regularly selling out. This month, Garrison Brothers released its HoneyDew 2020, a honey-infused expression. In addition to being served in the best bars and restaurants across 30 states in America, Garrison Brothers is available in liquor stores, markets, shops across the West coast as well as online at shop.garrisonbros.com. Bottle prices typically range from $89.99 to $299.99. 

ABOUT GARRISON BROTHERS DISTILLERY

Garrison Brothers Distillery is a small farm and ranch located in the beautiful Texas Hill Country that authentically produces straight bourbon whiskey. Garrison Brothers introduced the first bourbon whiskey legally made in Texas in 2010 and has since developed a rabid fan base. They currently have a waitlist of more than 15,000 just to volunteer on bottling days, and their Cowboy Bourbon™ normally sells out within hours of its release. Garrison Brothers is the first legal bourbon distillery in Texas history and is one of the first distilleries in America outside of Kentucky to produce authentic, handmade bourbon whiskey—and only bourbon whiskey. The business was founded in 2006.

Every expression of Garrison Brothers bourbon is made from a sweet mash bill and barrel-aged in the intense Texas climate. The extreme heat creates multiple aging seasons in a year, resulting in a darker, richer, and fuller bourbon; bolder than almost any other bourbon on the market.

At the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2020, the Garrison Brothers team was awarded a double gold medal for its Balmorhea Twice-Barreled Bourbon, a silver medal for its Single Barrel Bourbon, and a bronze medal for its Small Batch Bourbon. Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible named Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon “American Micro Whiskey of the Year” in 2014 and again in 2017. Whisky Bible awarded the same distinction to Balmorhea Twice-Barreled Bourbon for 2019 and 2020. Garrison Brothers was voted Best Craft Whiskey Distillery in America by readers of USA Today in 2017.

Garrison Brothers is a proud and active member of the communities of Blanco, Fredericksburg, Hye, Johnson City, and Stonewall. The distillery and its barrel barns are open to the public for tours in Hye, Texas. Anyone interested in learning more about Garrison Brothers Bourbon or in taking a tour of the distillery should visit garrisonbros.com or follow @garrisonbros on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Republic National Distributing Company  

RNDC, a world-class distributor of fine wines and spirits in North America, has operations in Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia. Young’s Market Company, a partner of RNDC, distributes wines, spirits, and select beverages in the western United States including Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. Visit www.rndc-usa.com, www.youngsmarket.com, or contact Reace Smith, Vice President, Corporate Communications at reace.smith@rndc-usa.com.

Howard Cai Select releases Grand Islay Peat & Sherry Single Cask range from Bowmore

Distilled in 1998 at Islay’s famous Bowmore Distillery and aged in Sherry Casks for 21 years within the walls of the legendary No. 1 Vaults, these whiskies are exclusively available at Howard Cai Select.

While each of the eight single casks has unique characteristics, they all share a robust peat profile, with complicated Sherry notes, rounded by the Hebridean sea air.

The whisky was then non-chill filtered and bottled keeping the spirits natural rich, deep colour. With a wonderfully long and delightful finish, this range of single casks results in a truly magical experience.

Plus, to celebrate the Year of the Rat, four of the casks were treated with traditional Chinese zodiac imagery.

About Howard Cai 

Established in 2009, Howard Cai Select is China’s first independent Single Malt Whisky bottler. A life member of The Keepers of the Quaich and renowned whisky expert, Howard has made it his mission to broaden people’s appreciation for fine Scotch Whisky in China. Howard successfully pairs these whiskies with Nouveau-Chinese cuisine in his exclusive fine-dining establishments. Each hand-picked cask is aged and bottled in Scotland at its original strength. Then detailed information of when the whisky was distilled and bottled is provided, guaranteeing provenance. Also, the packaging design includes Chinese-cultural elements to help celebrate this combination of East and West. Each batch is a truly unique experience.

For more information about Howard Cai Select Single Cask and the investment opportunity please contact: HowardCaiSelect@gmail.com

Virtual Whisky Show is shaping up to be the best drinks show of 2020! It features the largest tasting line-up of any virtual show, seven days of demos, sessions and seminars, and the opportunity to meet ‘face to face’ with some of the world’s top distillers and industry legends, all accessible wherever you are in the world. Add to that a selection of more than 70 Perfect Measure tasting packs, so that you can taste along with the experts, and your October just got a lot more interesting.

We have much more to tell you over the coming weeks, but in the meantime, you can grab your ticket to Virtual Whisky Show below!

Book now 

VIRTUAL DEMO SESSION

Goodbye Zoom! We’ll be hosting Virtual Whisky Show on a dedicated online show platform: Hopin. Join us for a demo session on 26 August 2020 at 7pm (BST) to take a tour of the home of Virtual Whisky Show, accompanied by some friendly faces. Register below for free – spaces are limited so don’t delay!

REGISTER NOW 

VIRTUAL EXHIBITORS

Virtual Whisky Show will host a dynamic selection of more than 50 exhibitors from around the globe. Exhibitors will soon be releasing their schedules, so you can plan out your dram-packed week well in advance.

SEE VIRTUAL EXHIBITORS 

TASTING PACKS

There will be a whopping selection of more than 70 Perfect Measure tasting packs available to purchase for Virtual Whisky Show. From discovering Scotland and indie bottlers, to getting your geek on, we’ll have something for everyone.

DISCOVER OUR TASTING PACKS 

JOHNNIE WALKER BLENDING SESSIONS

Previously part of our show at Old Billingsgate, this session lets you become an expert blender from the comfort of your own home with the tutelage of Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky ambassador Ali Reynolds.

LEARN MORE 

VIRTUAL SHOW DETAILS

2-9 October 2020
BOOK NOW 

The Whisky Exchange is the registered trademark of Speciality Drinks Limited.

Registered in England and Wales (Company No. 4449145).

Registered Office: Elixir House, Whitby Avenue, Park Royal, London NW10 7SF, UK.

ralfy review 839 – Arran 10yo @ 46%vol:

The Epicurean Launches Its 3^rd “Wood Series” Single Cask Bottling

Douglas Laing & Co has today released a Rivesaltes Wine Finished Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky as part of The Epicurean Wood Series.

The Epicurean’s latest specialist Single Cask release is bottled at a high alcohol strength of 48%, and offered without chill-filtration. The 100% natural bright gold colour of the spirit is imparted by the Rivesaltes-seasoned Single Cask used for maturing the award-winning Lowland Malt. With this innovative series, The Epicurean seeks to demonstrate that flavour is created throughout the Whisky-making process but most significantly during the interaction between the spirit when it is in oak casks.

The Epicurean Malt was first matured in premium American Oak wood barrels before being re-racked into hand-selected Rivesaltes Single Casks for a second maturation period of more than twelve months. The result is a full-bodied Malt with layers of complexity and character.

The Rivesaltes Wine casks hail from the town Rivesaltes in the south-west corner of the Languedoc-Roussillon wine region of France.

Chris Leggat, Managing Director, who selected the Rivesaltes casks used said: “The Epicurean brand is growing well – its spirit quality coupled with its versatile style is increasingly recognised but from time to time, we like to experiment and innovate with this Malt as it lends itself so well to cask finishes. The cask and the Whisky add their own unique personalities and with this Rivesaltes finish, the outcome is a balanced marriage of cask and spirit character – we are delighted with the result.”

With only two Single Casks of this specialist Malt released, the spirit is said to have a sweet, honeyed style showing sugared cereal, milk chocolate, hazelnuts and crystallised citrus fruits.

Packed in a premium gift tube, The Epicurean Rivesaltes Finish Limited Edition is expected to retail at £59.99 

ABOUT DOUGLAS LAING:

www.douglaslaing.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/douglaslaingwhisky

Instagram: @remarkable_malts

Douglas Laing & Co. is a leading independent Scotch Whisky blender and bottler specialising in the selection and release of Single Cask Single and Small Batch Malt Scotch Whiskies.

The company was founded by Fred Douglas Laing in 1948 and is still owned and run by the Laing family – Fred Laing Jr and his daughter Cara Laing.

The company philosophy is to bottle the way the distiller intended – at a high strength and without chill filtration to preserve the robust and unique character of the Whisky. Douglas Laing’s industry reputation and many awards is testament to this ethos.

Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts, the Ultimate Distillation of Scotland’s Malt Whisky Regions, encompasses The Epicurean Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky, Timorous Beastie (Highlands), Scallywag (Speyside), The Gauldrons (Campbeltown), Rock Islands (Islands) and Big Peat (Islay). Beyond its Blended Malts expertise, the award-winning Douglas Laing portfolio also includes Provenance, Premier Barrel, Old Particular and Xtra Old Particular, collectively known as the firm’s “Exceptional Single Casks”.

THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE MACALLAN MASTER OF PHOTOGRAPHY

To tell the Story of The Macallan Master of Photography we have to go back to the days before the Whisky market went crazy, back in those days there were no Whisky Auction Sites, when Macallan released a new bottle it sat on the shelves with no queues out the door, no ballots and certainly The Craigellachie Estate was never brought to a standstill like back in 2018 when Macallan released their Genesis Bottle.

Back in 2009 when Macallan released the first of the Master of Photography’s the Rankin Bottle things were certainly different. The legendary Photographer Rankin was invited and given free reign of The Macallan Estate with the task of taking 1000 individual Polaroid Picture’s, each would be made into a label and boxed with a 30 Year Old Fine Oak so you would have a 30 Year Old Whisky with a unique label, Polaroid and booklet signed by Rankin!

Except for 189 Polaroid’s which were taken in colour, a colour label was made and all were placed in a Red Leather Presentation Box. These unique limited edition bottles were not for the UK Market these were sent far and wide across the Globe.

In 2010 the second Chapter of The Macallan Master of Photography Albert Watson a 20 Year Old Sherry Oak was produced and again there were 1000 limited edition bottles. But this time Albert Watson was tasked with documenting the journey of the wood from the traditional Cooperage in Jerez Northern Spain a journey of 600 miles lasting 12 days, following a young couple on their journey to the home of The Macallan.

But this is not the whole story, yes they produced 1000 bottles 900 of which were for the UK Market and presented in a Black Box containing a 20 Year Old Sherry Oak Macallan bottled at 43% ABV including a set of 10 portfolio prints. The remaining 100 bottles were produced at a higher strength of 46.5% ABV presented within a Blue/Grey Presentation Box.

These 100 bottles were then sent far and wide around the Globe, 10 Bottles were sent to Hong Kong International Airport, 10 Bottles to New York, and 12 to Mexico all of which sold out within a matter of days, and the rest went to who knows where?

To date none of these Blue Box higher strength Macallan’s have shown up at Auction and can be classed as very rare indeed.

There were however a further 36 Bottles produced individually customised containing Macallan Whisky from 1946 the year that Albert Watson met his Wife Elizabeth, so you could in fact say that they produced 1036 Bottles of Master of Photography Albert Watson, these 36 Bottles must be amongst The Holy Grail of Macallan.

SCOTCH GALORE

We don’t do many press releases, but as an award-winning small independent bottler we wanted to get the message out about our new Winter 2020 outturn as they are all very different and have all been driven by consumer feedback and requests (sometimes demands!).

“Despite all the surreal times, tough times and frankly sad times we have all been through during 2020, the last twelve months have been an exciting year for GreatDrams as a business; we have started exporting our limited edition whiskies abroad, we have rebuilt our website and brand from the ground up, we have refocussed the company to offer more bottlings than ever before, to act as a cask brokerage too and we through challenging times we have built a thriving online virtual whisky (and gin) tasting platform too” – Greg Dillon, co-founder of GreatDrams.

As a company of two people, husband and wife duo Greg & Kirsty Dillon, we are able to be really nimble when it comes to what we do with our range, what we release and when we release new limited edition whiskies.

“Every whisky we release is limited edition, never repeated and never released for the sake of it”, as Kirsty likes to explain, “we deliberately set the company up to only release small releases of each product a it keeps it interesting for us, and for our customers who come back time and again, and really shape what we do as a business”.

And now we have three new releases going into the final few months of the year.

KNOCKDHU SINGLE CASK SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

This whisky is the first Port Cask-matured single malt we have released, having spent its whole maturation period in a First Fill Ruby Port Barrique. The flavour profile, a thick spirit owing to reduced reflux in the stills and the use of worm tubs in the process, is full of with luscious berry fruity notes and an indulgent dark chocolate note has a thick, creamy mouthfeel that will bring you back time and again.

“For the lucky few who have already got their bottles of this release, virtually all have said its their favourite of our releases to date; the rich flavour profile is stunning and we have been blown away by the positivity received for our Knockdhu already,” notes Greg.

Age: 8 Years Old     |     Distilled: 23rd April 2012     |     ABV: 48.2%     |     Only 183 bottles ever released

CHRISTMAS 2020 SPECIAL RELEASE SINGLE CASK SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

This much anticipated, and requested, Christmas Series release is a Single Cask Single Malt whisky from the Blair Athol Distillery in the Highlands. For this release we wanted something truly indulgent and Christmassy with a lovely sherried character to it – big winter fruit notes, some zesty orange and lime and subtle, soothing spice and a hint of marzipan notes create a luxurious flavour profile to conjure the flavour of Christmas cake, and with it a dram to reminisce with and to celebrate with those you love, no matter how surreal the year has been.

“Last year our Christmas release sold out in nine days which was hugely unexpected, so we are excited to see what happens with it this year!” – Kirsty

Age: 9 Years Old     |     ABV: 46.2%     |     Only 150 bottles ever released

GIRVAN 30 YEAR OLD SINGLE CASK SINGLE GRAIN SCOTCH WHISKY

An ancient grain whisky from the Girvan Distillery – distilled in 1989, this 30 Year Old has spent thirty years patiently sleeping, maturing, developing… This limited edition Girvan 30 Year Old Single Cask Single Grain Scotch Whisky bottling is a release of just 96 bottles globally. With fruity and buttery notes being the most forward, a lovely vanilla sweetness develops on the palate to give a luxurious texture, and a rather indulgent whisky to sip, savour and celebrate with.

Our oldest release to date, bottled at natural cask strength, this whisky comes from the Girvan distillery in Ayrshire, having been distilled just after Christmas, 1989.

Age: 30 Years Old     |     ABV: 54.5%     |     Only 96 bottles ever released

All our releases are non-chill filtered and of natural colour.

“We have been toying with when to release our ancient Girvan for a while now and it felt right to do so now as it is just over 30 years old, is so rich and luxurious in its flavour composition and, frankly, like all our releases, we fell in love with it… who doesn’t love an ancient grain whisky?!” – Greg

In addition to new releases, GreatDrams is now taking bookings for private virtual whisky and gin tastings September through December, so far since lockdown was announced GreatDrams’ virtual tastings – public and private – have had over 2,000 participants and has added a fun dimension to what we do. Greg notes that he “never expected to do virtual tastings, and set the first one up as a way to get around 20 people to have a drink with him to alleviate the monotony of lockdown and it just spiralled from there”.

To get in touch and talk whisky contact info@greatdrams.com or to buy limited edition whisky www.greatdrams.com/whisky-shop

ABOUT GreatDrams

www.GreatDrams.com
www.twitter.com/GreatDrams
www.Instagram.com/GreatDramsGreg
www.Facebook.com/GreatDrams

GreatDrams is all about raising spirits.

We launched GreatDrams, a family business, to bring great quality, limited edition whiskies to the people. Never repeating a release and never compromising on flavour. Award-winning from our first dram, we aim to make great whisky more approachable and available to whisky drinkers.

In 2019 we were crowned Cheshire Drinks Producer of the Year at the Taste Cheshire awards, picked up one double gold and one gold at the Great Taste awards and were awarded 91.5 points and 80.5 points in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2020 respectively for our two core releases of the year. We will introduce whisky drinkers to their next favourite dram.

We are experts in finding incredible tasting rare casks of whisky. Each bottle is hand numbered, is limited edition, only a finite amount of it will ever be bottled, and it is all available exclusively from us; once they’re gone, they truly are gone.

We also help ordinary people, businesses and anyone who’s interested in owning a cask of whisky make that dream or commercial objective a reality. Get in touch to discuss owning your own part of whisky history.

We love what we do and are constantly searching for whisky that not only has a story behind every drop and means something to us, but tastes sensational.

Our new episode of Japanese Whisky World is just minutes away. Tune in now.Discover the famous whisky from one of Japan’s most renowned distilleries.

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