Study whisky at your leisure

We’re delighted to announce that our online Introduction to Whisky Certificate is now available in Spanish, German & French (with more languages coming soon). Explore the fascinating world of whisky at your leisure, learning everything from the history, business and production to the bottling and blending of Scotch. You’ll come away having earned a certificate and enhanced your appreciation and enjoyment of all things whisky.

If you’re not quite ready to join the course, you can also now sign up for a free taster. Simply enter your details on the course page and we’ll send you the free access link by email. You’ll get a feel for the course material, functionality and level of difficulty.

Thinking about Christmas? Let a loved one appreciate the magic behind their favourite spirit by gifting one of our concise, SQA-certified courses that are enjoyed by whisky connoisseurs and professionals alike. Perfect for anyone with a thirst for whisky knowledge, the Introduction to Whisky Certificate is now at a new lower price for the festive season.

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ralfy review 849 – Dalwhinnie 15yo @43%vol:

BLADNOCH MASTER DISTILLER, DR NICK SAVAGE, ANNOUNCES
INNOVATIVE ‘WATERFALL COLLECTION’ IN A DISTILLERY EXCLUSIVE

Bladnoch Distillery has announced the first installment in its five-part annual Waterfall Collection, which explores the importance of cask selection in the maturation process of whisky making.

Since joining Bladnoch Distillery in 2019, Master Distiller Dr Nick Savage has developed an impressive range of new products for Bladnoch’s award-winning range. Now, he is embracing the Waterfall Collection as his most creative project, highlighting the intricate journey of maturity that Bladnoch whisky takes in developing its distinct flavours and character.

“The Waterfall Collection gives us the opportunity to develop a whisky in a very fluid way that highlights the maturation journey a single whisky can take in five years. Each year we will decide the cask types for the next stage of the waterfall maturation, but only when we fully understand how our whisky has evolved and matured in the previous year. This approach enables us to present the journey of this finite and ever reducing liquid, and showcase how the quality of whisky is assured at Bladnoch, in a way like never before,” said Dr Savage of the project.

Each release in the Waterfall Collection demonstrates a different way the same aged Bladnoch Single Malt can be matured in oaked casks, resulting in a completely unique taste. To cover the five years of releases,
sufficient aged Bladnoch Single Malt has been set aside from a combination of sweet ex Bourbon casks and intense Oloroso Sherry casks that are maturing in the archives.

In this first year, Dr Savage will sample the whisky at the beginning of its maturation journey and in each ensuing year, the remaining liquid will be decanted into a new type of cask for a fresh layer of finishing where the character will develop further.

After assessing how the whisky has matured and only deciding what the next cask type will be at the end of each year, Dr Savage’s approach to the Waterfall Collection means the final whisky is yet to be defined.

Dr Savage will unveil only 1,000 bottles for each annual release, with Batch 1 of the Waterfall Collection in limited stock and available exclusively through www.bladnoch.com. The remaining bottles will go on sale at the Bladnoch Distillery Visitor Centre.

To celebrate the release, Bladnoch have announced a special Waterfall Tour at their state-of-the-art Visitor Centre. Tours will include a more in-depth walkthrough of the production site followed by an extended
Waterfall tasting beside the casks maturing for the remaining releases.

Bookings are essential and can be made in advance through www.bladnoch.com/visit-bladnoch/

Tasting Notes

Cask: Ex Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry
ABV: 48.8%
Nose: Raisins and lemons with subtle orange peel
Palate: Dried apricots with lemon cake
Finish: Medium, with sweet freshness and a slight warming

About Bladnoch

Bladnoch Distillery is Scotland’s southernmost distillery, and one of a handful that remain independently owned. Since being purchased in 2015 by Australian entrepreneur David Prior, Bladnoch has enjoyed a renaissance. Their rangee of award-winning Bladnoch Single Malt Whiskies and Pure Scot, their contemporary Blended Scotch Whisky, has been launched in over 30 countries. In 2017, Bladnoch Distillery celebrated its 200 year anniversary making it one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in Scotland. In June 2019, Bladnoch Distillery’s state-of-the-art visitors centre was opened, welcoming guests to the distillery once again after significant renovations. Master Distiller, Dr Nick Savage joined the Bladnoch team in July 2019. Visit www.bladnoch.com or @bladnochwhisky for more information.

EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL RELEASE SOUTH AFRICAN WHISKY FOR UK, EU & NORDICS LAUNCHED

In a first for the UK and Europe, Three Ships Whisky has launched a special release 12-year-old single malt in limited quantities.

Crafted at the James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington, a small town about an hour’s drive from Cape Town’s City Centre, South Africa, the Three Ships Whisky 12-Year-Old is the first release in the Master Distiller’s Private Collection.

The single malt is natural in colour, un-chillfiltered, bottled at a strength of 46.3%, and presented in its most natural form.

Internationally awarded Three Ships Whisky Master Distiller, Andy Watts, distilled malted barley in copper potstills in 2007 and matured the spirit for a minimum of 12 years in a special selection of older and younger American oak casks.

Although the warmer South African climate results in a much higher angel’s share, the accelerated interaction between the spirit, cask and atmosphere, gave rise to a spectacular single malt with depth of flavour, balance and extraordinary smoothness.

Watts, who holds the titles, amongst other, of the 2018 Global Icon Whisky Master Distiller/Master Blender and the 2020 Global Icon World Whisky Ambassador Award, says he is overjoyed to be sharing this South African whisky with consumers abroad.

“Crafting a single malt is definitely the pinnacle for every Master Distiller and it’s an honour to be able to launch this special release for the overseas market. The whisky represents our innovative approach to crafting whisky that excites and expands the World Whisky category.”

It’s been just over four decades since the first Three Ships Whisky was launched and the years since have been filled with many milestones and achievements for the brand, including World’s Best Blended Whisky award at the 2012 World Whisky Awards as well as gold and double gold at all the major international whisky competitions.

“Making whisky is not something that happens overnight. It takes immense planning and a lot of patience!” says Watts. “It’s incredibly rewarding for me to see just how far we have come since those first days of producing whisky in South Africa.”

Watts says that over the years they have established their own unique style of whisky-making, harnessed the warm climate to great advantage, invested in modern technology and refined their selection of barrels for maturation.

“Our successes certainly didn’t come easily or without challenges. But we never compromised on our vision for making whisky in a country that in the traditional sense, was never destined to make whisky.”

The Master Distiller’s Private Collection Three Ships Whisky 12-Year-Old Single Malt is light golden in colour with layers of shortbread, dried fruit, soft leather, cherries, roasted nuts and notes of floral and mocha on the nose. The evident smoky, peaty influence is complemented by pepper, dried peaches, citrus, hints of Christmas Pudding and an earthiness that reminds of a pine forest. The finish is warm, creamy and savoury, the finish is long with delicate liquorice that lingers in the mouth.

The only commercial whisky distillery in Africa, The James Sedgwick Distillery has been at the forefront of innovation with state-of-the-art equipment and ingenious sustainability projects, and was recently awarded as the Sustainable Distillery of the Year 2020 Icons of Whisky Awards held annually by Whisky Magazine in London and recognised with the prestigious Green Company of the Year award hosted by the BIG (Business Intelligence Group) Awards for Business towards the end of 2019.

The Master Distiller’s Private Collection Three Ships Whisky 12-Year-Old Single Malt will be available exclusively to the UK and European market at a retail selling price of £40-50.

For listing enquiries, please direct communication to Ann Gardner on ukorders@distellinternational.com

PRE-SALES LAUNCH FOR FIRST COMMUNITY-OWNED WHISKY 

Almost 3 years after filling its first cask of whisky, GlenWyvis Distillery is excited to open pre-sales for their inaugural Single Malt Scotch Whisky — the first to be distilled in Dingwall in almost 100 years.

GlenWyvis Distillery opened in late 2017 with the first cask of whisky filled in early 2018. It is the world’s first 100% community-owned distillery, crowdfunded by over 3,500 shareholders. Since spirit started flowing, GlenWyvis have filled their on-site warehouse with over 600 casks of whisky.

Their inaugural release, due by Christmas 2021, will be a careful selection of 1^st Fill Bourbon and Sherry casks, bottled at just over 3 years old and at a strength of 50% ABV. The new make spirit is the result of a long, slow fermentation, unusual in the industry, giving GlenWyvis a unique Highland character.

Distillery Manager, Matthew Farmer said: “Having our warehouse right next door, it’s been fascinating to snapshot this new spirit in all its different stages, particularly how it interacts with all our various cask types over time. Picking which ones to show first is no easy task! 3 years is a special milestone for us, as our hard work legally becomes ‘whisky’ for the first time, but it’s really just the beginning.”

The whisky is priced at £100 per 70cl bottle and is available to purchase from the GlenWyvis online shop from 10am on the 22^nd of October. 5% of all online sales will go into the GlenWyvis Community Benefit Fund. Once a certain amount has been reached, funds will be made available on an application basis.

Earlier this year, the distillery launched their 2020 cask offering bringing in a range of cask types and sizes, making it possible to buy your own cask of GlenWyvis Single Malt Whisky.

Notes  

GlenWyvis Distillery is a community benefit society, which means that a share of all our future profits will be invested back into community projects both locally and further afield. More than 3,500 people from 40 countries have invested £3.8 million to join us on the journey. Currently the distillery contributes 5% of all their online sales into the GlenWyvis Community Benefit Fund.

Pre-sales will go live at 10am on the 22^nd of October.

Full details of the whisky pre-order are available at the GlenWyvis Distillery website at – https://glenwyvis.com/product/inaugural-whisky-release

Kaiyo “K&L Exclusive” Cask #541 Cask Strength Japanese Whisky (750ml) ($99.99)

Like so many Japanese whiskies that have come to the market in recent years, Kaiyo remains an enigma. It tastes delicious, there is a tantalizing background story to the brand, but the level of detail a whisky geek desires always seems in short supply. No matter, ultimately when the price is right and the whisky tastes great, we are here to pull the trigger. Japanese in origin, presumably teaspooned malt, this was placed into Mizunara oak for nearly 7.5 years and then made Kaiyo’s hallmark ocean voyage. The gentle rocking, salt air, temperature and humidity changes are all a part of the whisky’s story. Cask #541 sees a yearlong finishing in a refill hogshead barrel. This adds a bit of complexity to the profile yet preserves the Mizunara oak as the defining characteristic. It’s a masterclass in Mizunara. Over time in glass you can pick out a wide array of sweet tropical notes ranging from juicy fruits to toasty coconut and a cabinet full of exotic spices. At 56% ABV and unchillfiltered, there is power, weight, and texture to bolster what is otherwise an elegant and complex dram.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 24, 2020

The first selection ever of a Kaiyo single cask. After 7.4 years in Mizunara oak, this beauty was transferred to a 2nd fill hogshead for a little mellowing. It’s chockablock full of vanilla, coconut, honey and sandalwood. The stylistic preference in Japan for whiskies that are balanced and nuanced is clearly present, but this is not a shy malt. The barley shines from the get go, but add a little water and it explodes. At 56% ABV it’s a robust and full throttle whiskey that screams of its time in Mizunara with a bold and spicy wood profile.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: March 24, 2020

The enigmatic and opaque Kaiyo whisky has become a staple on our shelves. It does a lot of things right in the very complicated Japanese Whisky genre while maybe skirting some of the most obvious pitfalls. And I still have no information about what is actually in these bottles, but we can assume that this has been aged in Japanese Mizunara and are likely sourced from malt distilled in Northern Japan (Hokkaido & Sendai). And while these distilleries are some of the world’s finest, it is clearly the barrel that is the star of the show here. This cask is the most quintessential expression of the flavors I’d expect from Mizunara. The nose is tight at first and needs a drop or two of water to open up. Now we get tons of sandalwood, ceremonial incense, plum wine, coconut husk. On the palate, tons of red cherry and big spice – cinnamon, clove, nutmeg etc. It’s long bold and peppery. This one is really pretty intense, designed for those who like more bold flavors. Adding water doesn’t necessarily diminish that but adds some depth and sweetness.

The spiritual home at The Vaults has a special place in the heart of all Society members. With a history as a home for fine wine and spirits since the 1700s, its little wonder that some of our rarest and oldest Society whiskies are named after the iconic building.

The latest unique bottlings from the deepest corners of our warehouse started their journey at two distinguished distilleries, both of which are firm favourites with Society members, before being aged to perfection by our spirits team. So, we encourage you to ‘seize the day’ and indulge yourself in a moment of nostalgia with these spectacular drams as you secure yourself a piece of history.

CASK No. 76.146 DANCING SEVILLANAS IN THE MOONLIGHT

The first sniff evokes sherry wine, leather boots and the inside of a jazz guitar – also apricot flan, chocolate orange, iced gingerbread, prune juice and toffee apples. The mouth-filling palate suggests sherry trifle, pastel de nata, orange peel, spiced raisins, sticky dates and café crème cigars. Water shifts the nose to polished mahogany, dry savannah, blackcurrant jam, liquorice root, cinnamon swirls and honey on burnt toast. The palate is easier but still rich and satisfying, with rum baba and thick-cut marmalade – feels like dancing Sevillanas in the moonlight. After 30 years in bourbon wood we transferred this into a first-fill oloroso hogshead.

CASK No. 53.322 CARPE DIEM

Wow! Words cannot do it justice but imagine a winter’s afternoon walk along the beach and, when the sun dipped below the horizon, you started to feel the cold and walked towards the cottage where a crackling log fire and this dram awaited you. Sit back, relax and reflect. After a drop of water, you immersed yourself in a free-standing Victorian bathtub filled with lavender-infused hot water. In this almost elated state of mind you could even hear the heavenly choir of ‘greedy angels’ in what must have been one of those blissful moments of your life – ‘Carpe Diem’!

Finding some ‘me’ time has never been more important, so next time you relax with a whisky, don’t forget that there’s an abundance of content over on the Society website to keep you entertained. You’ll find live streams and bottle reviews, podcasts and playlists, and our new, monthly interactive digital Unfiltered magazine. So, pour a dram from your favourite bottle, put your feet up and escape for while on your fascinating whisky journey.

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

TOMATIN

1977 VINTAGE – 42 YEAR OLD WAREHOUSE 6 COLLECTION 4TH EDITION

Single Cask | Single Malt | 49% ABV | 70cl

In the heart of the distillery grounds there is a quiet corner. In these sacred surrounds sits a traditional dunnage warehouse. Within, Tomatin’s most treasured casks. These exclusive casks enjoy a magnificent atmosphere, laid low on antique wooden rails above cool earthen floor and stacked single level – unencumbered – so Tomatin’s warehousemen may keep vigil on the gently maturing spirit.  At Tomatin’s very core, Warehouse 6 is a truly special place.

With patience, comes reward. After forty-two years, Master Distiller Graham Eunson has declared that the spirit in cask 38863 is in its prime, and ready to be savoured.

This Luxury Whisky is the first in the Distillery’s history to be matured in a sauternes wine cask, resulting in an exceptional explosion of tropical flavours.

Limited Release: Only 390 Bottles

£2,999.95

ADD TO BASKET

GLENGLASSAUGH RELEASE COASTAL CASK COLLECTION TO CELEBRATE DISTILLERY REAWAKENING

Glenglassaugh Distillery, standing at the edge of Sandend Bay on the Moray Firth coast of Scotland, lay silent for over two decades before reawakening in 2008. Since then, the small, coastal distillery has gone on to release a range of award winning boutique younger whiskies and now celebrates the release of a collection of cask bottlings all aged between 10 and 11 years.

The collection, hand selected by Master Blender Dr. Rachel Barrie, captures the lush, coastal character of this traditionally-crafted Highland single malt, defined by its location and elemental influences. As time passes and character evolves, the full collection has taken all of its deepening colour from coastal maturation in oak. The coastal warehouses benefit from the invigorating North Sea air which influences the cask maturation, creating Glenglassaugh’s signature colour and palate.

Each cask bottling in the collection was distilled shortly after the distilleries re-awakening and by its very nature, is an exclusive one-off: bottled from a single cask, individually hand-numbered and with only a limited number of bottles available.

Glenglassaugh Master Blender Rachel Barrie said: 

“No matter what is happening in the world around us, each day the surf rolls in on Sandend Bay and the invigorating North Sea air passes through our coastal distillery and warehouses. That’s the beauty of Glenglassaugh’s coastal casks, each truly a distillation of nature’s elements, come wind, rain or shine. 

Over a decade since the spirit reawakened in 2008, Coastal Casks is the first global release of a selection of Glenglassaugh cask bottlings at 10 and 11 years old. Like the surf in Sandend Bay, each cask brings rolling waves of flavour that intensify and evolve in each and every sip.  

Nurtured by the coast, each Glenglassaugh Coastal Cask shares a unique and luscious sweetness. With tasting notes ranging from raspberry fruit jam to salted caramel; tropical fruit syrup to chocolate profiterole and clotted cream,  this collection is a celebration of Glenglassaugh’s coastal malt journey, which I hope you will savour to the full.” 

The Glenglassaugh Coastal Casks collection are of natural cask colour, bottled at 51.1% – 57.9% ABV, non chill filtered, prices range from £89 for a 10 year old cask to £99 for an 11 year old bottling. Each coastal cask will be made available in a different location worldwide. Global pricing and date availability may vary.

Notes:

Glenglassaugh Tasting Notes:

Cask R11-008-1 (Australia/New Zealand/Canada/India/Middle East/Africa)

Aged: 11 Years Old

Cask Type: Madeira Puncheon

Spirit Type: Classic Unpeated

Colour: Sunset gold

Nose: Dried apricot and mandarin with oregon pine, salted caramel and toasted almond

Palate: Burst of tropical fruit syrup with papaya, lychee and the lingering balance of pine nut oil

ABV: 54.7%

Cask 957 (Poland & Eastern Europe)

Aged: 10 Years Old

Cask Type: Sherry Puncheon

Spirit Type: Classic Unpeated

Colour: Mellow gold

Nose: Buttered raisin brioche with baked pineapple and lingering raisin fudge

Palate: Toasted nutmeg, rich cocoa, salted butter and Seville orange marmalade

ABV: 57.9%

Cask 888 (South East Asia)

Aged: 10 Years Old

Cask Type: Spanish Wine Hogshead

Spirit Type: Classic Unpeated

Colour: Varnished cherrywood

Nose: Chocolate toffee, hazelnut, sultana with raisin and berry fruit

Palate: An explosion of ripe and stewed fruit, blackberry, sultana, chocolate cream and lasting salinity

ABV: 56.7%

Cask 7497 (China/Japan/Korea/Hong Kong)

Aged: 11 Years Old

Cask Type: Pedro Ximénez Butt

Spirit Type: Classic Unpeated

Colour: Stained teak

Nose: Waxed cherry and fruitcake laced with brandy and salted olive oil, filled with raisin and sultana

Palate: Date and prune oil with notes of dark vanilla, salted black olive and a lingering sherry sweetness

ABV: 55.8%

Cask 559 (UK)

Aged: 10 Years Old

Cask Type: Bourbon Barrel

Spirit Type: Peated

Colour: Harvest gold

Nose: Fruit syrup and salted sea samphire with smoked barley and rhubarb

Palate: Rhubarb custard and salted mango puree with lingering pineapple, toasted sesame and coconut

ABV: 55.9%

Cask 1830 (Belgium/Netherlands/Germany/Nordics)

Aged: 11 Years Old

Cask Type: Port Pipe

Spirit Type: Classic Unpeated

Colour: Ruby

Nose: Blackcurrant jam and clotted cream with raspberry, treacle and buttered pastry

Palate: Full bodied richness of blackberry pie with macadamia nut and lashings of custard cream

ABV: 55.4%

Cask 1346 (Distillery exclusive)

Aged: 10 Years Old

Cask Type: Bourbon Barrel

Spirit Type: Classic Unpeated

Colour: Light gold

Nose: Bourbon vanilla, apple and crisp pear with buttercream and tropical fruit syrup

Palate: Pineapple, grapefruit and chocolate profiterole pastry with almond butter and lingering trace of fresh sea salt

ABV: 54.7%

Cask 1138 (Taiwan)

Aged: 11 Years Old

Cask Type: Oloroso Sherry Butt

Spirit Type: Classic Unpeated

Colour: Darkest mahogany

Nose: Sun-dried raisin bread with black treacle syrup, liquorice, sultanas and brown sugar

Palate: Full-bodied with treacle, luscious sherry oils and lingering dark honey and walnut

ABV: 55.7%

Cask 2428 (France, Italy, Iberia, Mediterranean)

Aged: 10 Years Old

Cask Type: Pedro Ximénez Butt

Spirit Type: Classic Unpeated

Colour: Walnut brown

Nose: Dried fruit and candied pineapple with dark molasses, treacle toffee and espresso

Palate: Baked pineapple and dark chocolate with a drizzle of olive oil and salted date caramel

ABV: 57.8%

Cask R12-213-1 (USA)

Aged: 11 Years Old

Cask Type: Oloroso Hogshead

Spirit Type: Classic Unpeated

Colour: Honeyed gold

Nose: Chocolate ganache, caramel roasted coffee and seaside toffee and pistachio nut brittle

Palate: Orange and sherried fruit explosion with sun dried raisin and buttered croissant with lashings of chocolate spread

ABV: 51.1%

About Glenglassaugh Distillery:

On the crescent beach of Sandend Bay stands Glenglassaugh Distillery, producing a luscious coastal malt, shaped by the rich abundance of land and sea, with rolling waves of flavour. A complete distillation of its natural surroundings. A whisky whose essence is distilled from the visible and invisible influences of land, sea, air and spring water. Its heritage stretches back to 1875 when the distillery was founded by Colonel James Moir. It was on the banks of Glassaugh stream that the distillery was built, and its name ‘Glenglassaugh’ – meaning ‘valley of the grey-green place’ – has been taken from its beautiful surroundings. Despite being mothballed for over twenty years, the distillery has a history of elegant maturation, with award-winning old vintages dating back to the 1960s, and an award winning range of boutique younger whiskies, released in the years following the distillery’s reopening in 2008. As this jewel of a coastal malt is discovered and enjoyed, it promises to become a cult, contemporary classic.

GLENGLASSAUGH DISTILLERY:

www.glenglassaugh.com

Twitter: @Glenglassaugh

Instagram: glenglassaugh

Facebook: /GlenglassaughDistillery