Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 334: Compass Box Oak Cross

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky vlogger, tries the Oak Cross. Compass Box only makes blended malts, blended grains and blends. They are whisky makers, so to speak. The Oak Cross one of those blended malts that has become part of the core range – or the Signature Range as they call it themselves. It consists of 60% Clynelish, 20% Dailuaine and 20% Teaninich. It matured on casks with American oak staves and French oak heads – hence the name Oak Cross. Shot at the Abbey Notre-Dame de Sénanque in southern France.

https://youtu.be/vEsV3-P7Io4

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLYROOD:

SMWS KICK OFF VIRTUAL FESTIVAL BY OFFERING CASK OF WHISKY TO ONE LUCKY MEMBER 

The world’s most colourful whisky club is partnering with Holyrood Distillery to offer a hogshead cask to one lucky member 

To celebrate The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s (SMWS) annual Gathering, it is offering one lucky member the chance to win a whole cask of whisky from Holyrood Distillery.

This is the first time SMWS has offered members the chance to win an entire cask of whisky from a partner distillery. The coveted prize is worth approximately £10K and includes all associated costs including production of spirit, maturation for up to 10 years, bottling and duty, surely the ultimate prize for any whisky-lover.

A CASK IN DEMAND

Holyrood Distillery, Edinburgh’s first city centre single malt whisky distillery for nearly a century, offers the widest breadth of flavour of any distillery in the country.

As part of their Custom Cask Programme, they allow a unique fully customisable option, where people can select flavour options to tailor their cask of whisky to their flavour preference.

The two Edinburgh-based leading whisky organisations have paired up for this special project, with the lucky SMWS member being able to select their own bespoke cask of whisky from Holyrood Distillery.

The competition will go live on Monday 7^th September, all SMWS members have to do is enter here: https://unfiltered.smws.com/win-a-cask

WORLDWIDE COMMUNITY OF WHISKY LOVERS

This year’s Gathering is taking place throughout September. Building on the success of its inaugural year last year, The Gathering 2020 will focus on the SMWS global community of over 27,000 members, uniting them in exceptional single cask whiskies.

A series of tastings (both virtual and in-person), whisky webinars, global ambassador at-home tastings, virtual pub sessions with global guests and a Twitter Tasting will take place throughout the month.

In a year where many whisky events and festivals have been forced to move online, SMWS are encouraging members to host their own Gathering events at home, with home tasting kits available to download. Tickets can be purchased for the full calendar of events here: www.smws.com/events

There will be a Virtual Tasting streamed live from The Vaults on 6^th September. All members need to take part is a limited-edition Discovery Pack, including five exclusive Gathering bottlings, which can be purchased here: https://www.smws.com/the-gathering-discovery-pack-2020

As well as these virtual events, there will also be events taking place at the Society’s spiritual home in The Courtyard at The Vaults on 4^th and 5^th September, bringing members together while adhering to all necessary social distancing guidelines.

The SMWS is now a truly global membership organisation, with members and partner bars across the world. Each SMWS branch around the world will have its own market-exclusive Gathering bottle.

The September SMWS bottling outturn will see The Gathering special releases available from Friday 4^th September. The Gathering Discovery Pack will be available with five exclusive bottlings for the virtual tasting element of the global Gathering festival.

Helen Stewart, Head of Marketing and Membership at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, said: “Can you imagine owning your own full cask of single malt whisky? That’s the incredible prize that is up for grabs to all the member of the SMWS.

“Without doubt it’s the biggest prize we’ve ever offered to our members and with our global festival The Gathering beginning on 31st August, it’s the perfect time to show the world what we do at SMWS – but you have to be in it to win it.

“It’s been tough for everyone in different ways, but nothing can stop us from celebrating our amazing membership. We’re encouraging members to join in on their own or organise their own Gathering at home and take part with friends. We’ll be celebrating all things Society at The Gathering from 31st August.”

For details on all The Gathering events, visit: www.smws.com/events

Notes:

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society 

• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was established in Edinburgh in 1983 and now has more than 26,000 members and branches around the world
• The SMWS bottles rare single cask, single malt whisky, and a range of other spirits
• The Society bottles single malts, unique single casks and exclusive blends
• The Society has bottled whisky from more than 138 distilleries from Scotland and beyond
• The Society offers a new batch of around 20 single cask, single malt whiskies every month
• The Society offers a variety of membership packages which can be tailored. Please seehttps://bit.ly/2uqKanT
• For more information about the Society, visithttps://bit.ly/2HHiNyC
• Twitter: @SMWSUK Facebook: @thesmwsuk Instagram: @smws_uk

HEPBURN’S CHOICE RANGE UNDERGOES VIBRANT RE-BRAND 

Hunter Laing & Co. reveals new look and feel for the range inspired by the directors’ grandfather who travelled the globe in the 1960s with his role in the Diplomatic Service

The family owned Scotch whisky distiller, blender and bottler Hunter Laing & Co. announces a brand-new look and feel for the Hepburn’s Choice range. The    new-look collection will be available worldwide from early September.

Each bottling, whether as a single cask or small batch, showcases the characteristics of a Scottish distillery. The colours of the new design denote the whisky region of the distillery, giving consumers a quick and handy reference as to flavour profile.

The range is named in honour of the directors’ late maternal grandfather, William Hepburn, who travelled the globe with his role in the Diplomatic Service. The new design harks back to the 1960s and William’s heyday, when he lived in places as diverse as Hong Kong, Istanbul, and Nairobi.

The Hepburn’s Choice range is bottled at 46% ABV and without artificial colouring or chill-filtration. The collection is also available to purchase from Ardnahoe Distillery which reopened to the public on Monday 20^th of July.

Commenting on the new design, Stewart Laing, Managing Director, said:“We’re extremely proud of the new design. We aimed to produce a refreshing, vibrant look and feel that would catch the eye of whisky fans worldwide, with a nod to our family heritage.”

Adding to his father’s comments, Scott Laing, Business Development Director, said: “The new look of Hepburn’s Choice is colourful, eye-catching and exciting, which we know will create intrigue with loyal fans of the range and whisky enthusiasts around the world.

“Our range is bottled as 70cls and has been matured in a variety of different casks. The liquid is as good as ever, and we can’t wait to see people’s reaction to the new branding.

“My grandfather’s long experience of attending embassy functions gave him a fine sense of appreciation for his homeland’s whiskies. We believe these bottlings would indeed have been ‘Hepburn’s Choice’.”

Facebook: @Hunterlaingwhisky

Twitter: @hlaingwhisky

Instagram: @hunterlaingwhisky

Notes:

• Hunter Laing & Co is an independent distiller, blender and bottler based in Glasgow and run by the Laing Family – father Stewart with sons Andrew and Scott
• Hunter Laing has been operating since May 2013 and owns a portfolio of much-loved whisky brands including Kinship, Old Malt Cask, Old & Rare, Hepburn’s Choice and Sovereign.
• It distributes to 65 markets around the world in Europe, Asia, the Americas and Australasia.
• Hunter Laing & Co reported pre-tax profits of £2.3m on a turnover of £8.4m for its last full year of trading (end April 2018).
• The Laing family are the owners of Ardnahoe Distillery on Islay, which began distilling in 2018.

Sotheby’s Largest Online Spirits Sale

Achieves £1.2 Million / $1.6 Million

Established Collectors and First-Time Buyers Compete for 250 Lots

Comprising Whiskies from Scotland and Japan

First Offering at Auction of Set #1 of the First Release of

The Prima & Ultima Collection Brings £26,840

“We are delighted to have finished the summer with a successful online auction where 47% of buyers were new to Sotheby’s and 40% of bidders were under 40 years old. It was also a privilege to offer the first release of The Prima & Ultima Collection with the proceeds being donated to WaterAid. The staggering values we achieved on the Macallan Fine & Rare collection are testament to the current strength of the spirits market. We look forward to continuing our success into October when we offer the Ultimate Whisky Collection Part II.”

Jonny Fowle, Sotheby’s Spirits Specialist 

LONDON, 3 September 2020: Distilled | The Macallan Fine & Rare and The Prima & Ultima Collection, an online sale featuring some of the very rarest whiskies to be offered at auction, closed on Wednesday, raising a total of £1.2 million, and just tipping over the pre-sale high estimate. Headlined by The Macallan’s most sought after releases, an array of rare Italian import Scotch, and the first set from the new Prima & Ultima Collection series, this was Sotheby’s largest online spirits sale by lot.

KEY FACTS AND FIGURES: 

• Sale realises £1,201,590 / $1,580,989 (pre-sale estimate: £860,750 – 1,176,600 / $1,132,661 – 1,548,288)
• 44% of lots sold achieve prices in excess of high estimate
• 47% of buyers were new to Sotheby’s and 40% of bidders were under 40 years old 

NOTABLE PRICES 

• Set #1 of the first release of The Prima & Ultima Collection sold for £26,840 / $35,249 (est. £16,000-28,000). The sale marked the first opportunity to acquire this collection at auction, following the recent inaugural launch of a new series of single vintage malt whiskies by distillery owner Diageo. Proceeds will be donated to Diageo’s charity partner WaterAid.

• Over 90 Macallan lots brought a combined total of £876,976 / $1,154,013 against a pre-sale estimate of £617,960 – 838,450 / $813,174 – 1,103,316, led by The Macallan Fine & Rare Collection featuring the most iconic whiskies from The Macallan distillery, including vintages spanning 1940 to 1976.

• Achieving the top price in the sale was a bottle of The Macallan Fine and Rare 56 Year Old 1945, sold for £46,360 / $60,885 (est. £35,000-48,000) – this is the second oldest age statement in the Fine & Rare Collection after the record-breaking 60 year old 1926, and one of only 152 bottles of this whisky to exist.

• The selection of independent bottlings was led by three bottles of Laphroaig Samaroli 16 Year Old 1970, all of which surpassed their pre-sale estimate, with two bottles selling for £17,080 / $22,431 each and a third realising £15,860 / $20,829 (est. £9,000-13,000) – final prices indicative of the rarity of seeing three bottles of this whisky in a single auction.

• An exceptional selection of Japanese whiskies was distinguished by 27 Karuizawa lots made up of Single Cask bottlings and vattings from Japan’s most popular closed distillery. Together they sold for a combined total of £113,018 / $148,720 (est. £74,300 – 98,100 / $97,771 – 129,090), led by Karuizawa Sapphire Geisha 36 Year Old Cask #5077, sold for £18,300 / $24,034 (est. £11,000-15,000).

• Eleven Port Ellen lots were 100% sold, with several bottles reaching prices in excess of their pre-sale high estimates, including Port Ellen Fourth Annual Release 25 Year Old 1978 (sold for £2,684 / $3,525, est. £1,000-1,400), and Port Ellen Tenth Annual Release 31 Year Old 1978 (sold for £2,318 / $3,044, est. £750-1,200). Leading the group was a bottle of Port Ellen 1979 40 Year Old Casks Of Distinction #1883, which realised £21,960 / $28,840 (est. £20,000-26,000).

Virginia Distillery Company’s Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky Now Available

LOVINGSTON, Va. (September 4, 2020) – Just in time for Virginia Spirits Month, a collaborative effort between the Virginia Distillers Association and the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority to support the Commonwealth’s burgeoning distilled spirits industry, the latest offering of Virginia Distillery Company’s Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky has made its way onto shelves at Virginia ABC stores. The whisky is also available for purchase online at vadistillery.com to customers in Virginia and beyond.

Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky is made from 100% malted barley, marrying American Single Malt whisky made on-site in Virginia with aged malt whisky from Scotland. The whisky finishes in casks sourced primarily from Virginia cideries such as Potter’s Craft Cider and Buskey Cider for an additional 8 to 20 months. The whisky retails for $59.99.

The Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky has received multiple awards in recent years, including being recognized by Whisky Advocate as one of the top 20 whiskies of the year in 2018, receiving a 90-point rating from the publication.

On Thursday, September 10^th at 3pm ET, Virginia Distillery Company will host a live virtual tasting on Instagram featuring the Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky.

“We’re thrilled to bring back our award-winning Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky during Virginia Spirits Month,” said Virginia Distillery Company CEO Gareth H. Moore. “Our Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky has a lot of fans and it’s the perfect time of year to enjoy it.”

To coincide with the latest release of Cider Cask Finished Virginia-Highland Whisky, Virginia Distillery Company collaborated with Pratt Standard Cocktail Co. on a cocktail kit available exclusively online for Virginia residents.

The cocktail kit, which is available for $69.99 on the Virginia Distillery Company website, includes Cider Cask Virginia-Highland Whisky (750ml bottle), Pratt Standard Cocktail Co. True Kola Syrup (16 oz. bottle) and a cocktail recipe card featuring two recipes, one that can be enjoyed hot and one that can be enjoyed cold.

The distillery launched Courage & Conviction, its signature American Single Malt whisky, this spring. The name is a nod to a phrase founder Dr. George G. Moore was often heard saying: “Have the courage of your convictions.”

Coinciding with the rollout of the Dr. George G. Moore batch of Courage & Conviction, Virginia Distillery Company released batch.info, a website hub that includes distillate and cask data, as well as bottling and process information for consumers. Virginia Distillery Company also recently launched a complete guide to American Single Malt whisky.

For more information, visit the distillery’s website at www.vadistillery.com.

About Virginia Distillery Company

Staffed by a local Virginia team mentored by Scottish consultants with decades of experience, Virginia Distillery Company is the largest dedicated American Single Malt whisky distillery in the U.S. The distillery has a current annual production volume of 80,000 4.5L cases and growing. At full capacity, the distillery can produce over 8,000 casks yielding 350,000 4.5L cases annually. The distillery produces Courage & Conviction American Single Malt on-site using malted barley from North America and water from Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. In addition, the distillery offers the award-winning Virginia-Highland Whisky series, made with 100% malted barley. Showcasing both Old and New World whisky-making, the award-winning line marries whisky made on-site in Virginia with whisky from Scotland.

Rye Whiskey at Its Best: Hand-Selected Casks Direct from WhistlePig

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.

When it comes to artisanally-crafted rye whiskey, you won’t do much better than WhistlePig. Since its founding back in 2007, this Vermont-based distiller has quickly become the go-to choice for rye aficionados worldwide. There are plenty of reasons for this, but chief among them is the raw potency these whiskeys possess. These are no-nonsense bottlings that beautifully highlight the robust, spicy character of rye while at the same time offering unparalleled smoothness. As the distillery puts it, they are a linebacker and a ballerina all rolled into one.

WhistlePig’s barrel program is notable for its size and consistency; hence it is always thrilling to pick out some exclusive casks for our customers. This duo might be the best to date, as they offer the signature WhistlePig profile, yet each has its own unique twist. Spicy and potent, they are wonderfully layered and complex—the kind of contemplative whiskeys that collectors so love. The unparalleled quality, coupled with the limited number of bottles produced, means these won’t be around for long. If you’ve purchased our WhistlePig exclusives before, you know these are a rare treat and among the finer examples of craft whiskey in the market today.

Whistle Pig 15 Year Old “K&L Swine Merchants” Barrel #2440 115.6 Proof Single Barrel Vermont Estate Oak Finished Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml) ($229.99)

WhistlePig offers one of the most extensive rye barrel programs in the country and with some of the very best whiskey available it has won award after award for its innovation. The newest addition to the barrel lineup is the 15 Year Vermont Estate Oak Finished. Vermont oak trees from the WhistlePig farm in Shoreham, VT are harvested and made into custom barrels for finishing. The growing season in Vermont is short and this results in an incredibly tight grained wood (more rings in each stave). The already ancient 15 year old whiskey spends an additional 6+ months in the custom toasted and charred barrels. The end result? An incredibly intense whiskey that is amped up to 11. The cask strength bottling can handle a fair bit of water. When you add it, a substantial oil slick will form in your whiskey adding visual proof to the intensity of flavor. 100% Rye. Distilled in Alberta.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 01, 2020

Yielding just 132 precious bottles, barrel #2440 possesses a deeper and sweeter caramel nose than barrel #2483. Its vanilla component sits right on top of the glass inviting you in, surely a sign of the estate oak’s influence on the ancient rye. An herbal component hides underneath the sweetness, a gentle and easy-going pickling spice hinting at the complexity in your glass. That gentle start is challenged in a big way when you take a sip at full strength (57.8%ABV). Its massive spice explodes across your tongue and bounces from sweet cinnamon to herbal dill and pepper then back again to nutmeg and allspice. Taking in the finish you feel as if you’ve run a race and need a moment to recover. After a pause and a deep breath, you have and you’re ready for another go. A big whisky from one of the biggest names in craft production.

Whistle Pig 15 Year Old “K&L Swine Merchants” Barrel #2483 115.8 Proof Single Barrel Vermont Estate Oak Finished Cask Strength Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml) ($229.99)

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 01, 2020

The nose is almost reversed from cask #2440. Barrel #2483 begins with more dill, oregano, tarragon on top. It’s herbal and a bit green with an underlying sweet oak that you have to dive into to discover fully. The palate is a bit richer and fuller-bodied than its sister barrel with a good balance between sweet and savory notes. It fills every nook and cranny of your mouth quickly and then it sits there. You taste it from the tops of your gums all the way to the back of your palate for a good 30 seconds. Not just feeling the 57.9% ABV, but each moment releasing more flavors. The lingering finish is all maple syrup and caramel candies. A beauty of a cask. These barrels are why we go back to the proverbial well on the farm in Shoreham over and over again.

Virtual Tasting Week

from Springbank, Kilkerran and Cadenhead’s

We are delighted to officially announce details of our upcoming week of virtual tastings as Springbank + Kilkerran + Cadenhead’s join forces to bring you 5 exciting evenings of online dramming.

Between Monday 26th – Friday 30th October 2020 there will be a tasting each night featuring Springbank, Longrow, Hazelburn, Kilkerran or Cadenhead’s whisky that will be presented by members of our sales teams and broadcast via our social media channels.

There will be tasting packs to accompany each event and, perhaps most excitingly of all, there will be a special bottle released alongside each tasting. That means there will be an opportunity to purchase 5 exclusive, limited bottles to celebrate our virtual tasting week.

The bottles and packs will be sold approximately 3 weeks before the event and we are currently working on a method to allow pre-orders for everyone who bought tickets for this year’s (sadly cancelled) Campbeltown Malts Festival.

We will be announcing more details in the coming weeks – we can’t wait for you to see what we have been working on.

Springbank Society
The Springbank Team

For information on how to join the Springbank Society please contact them at  society@springbank.scot

ralfy review 841 Extras – The Chill-Filtration Goblin !

This month we’re entertaining our global family of members with a feast of flavour and unique whisky experiences. We’d love for you to be involved in our whisky club celebrations, whether you join us online, at a tasting event or by raising dram with us throughout the month.

Celebrate the spirit that unites us with some exceptional bottlings from September Outturn. We’re releasing 24 new casks for you to taste and explore, including some hand-picked Gathering bottlings. Click over to our website to buy now or stay tuned for some highlighted recommendation from our spirits manager Euan Campbell.

READ THE OUTTURN      ALL OUTTTURN WHISKIES

READ FULL GATHERING PROGRAMME

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

A quick reminder that the latest auction will end this evening. For the benefit of our first time bidders, this is how it works:

From 7pm UK time the software starts monitoring activity on the site, and at an unspecified time it will shut down the auction. This feature has been designed to beat sniper software.

The auction does not end at 7pm, only the end process begins then. In our experience it is some time after 8.30pm before the auction ends, so there us no need to rush to bid dead on 7pm.

If you are looking to collect the bottles from the office please note that we are now operating an appointment only system. Appointments are available from 10am-7pm Monday-Friday and you can book online.

We hope you have enjoyed the auction.

Kind regards from Glasgow,

The SWA Team.