If you missed out on any of our October events, here is a great chance for you to binge on them (no cavities involved). Check out our YouTube Channel here, which has videos of our past Distillery Deep Dives, and links to our future ones.

The Holiday Season is upon us, and we’d love to spend some quality time with you sipping drams and learning about these amazing brands. Greetings and welcome, whisky friends.  We are planning a fantastic virtual education series and we’d love for you to join us! Sit back and fill your glass while Joshua Hatton takes the next four minutes to take you through our new ImpEx Beverages Distillery Deep Dive Series.

Now that you see the exciting vision we have for this project, let us help you put all of these events on your calendar so that we can share some excellent drams while doing a deep dive on these amazing distilleries and independent bottlers.

Below you’ll find a list of the events and their times, in order of their appearance.  If you click the the date of the event you’ll be taken to the ImpEx Facebook page event, where you can RSVP.  Links to the Facebook live event will be posted in those pages closer to the event.

If you click the title of the event you’ll be taken to the YouTube streaming link, which will start at the indicated day/time.

And if you can’t make the live streams, you can still watch the videos on the ImpEx Beverages YouTube channel.

November 8 (Sunday, 5pm EST, 2pm PST)
Milk & Honey Distillery with Tal and Tomer

M&H Head distiller with 18 years of Distilling and brewing experience Tomer is the Head distiller and blender at the Tel Aviv distillery. Tomer worked a long side the Late Doctor Jim swan from day 1 at the M&H distillery, planning all production process. Tomer is also a judge in international whisky competitions, and runs the Whisky Live Israel show as well as his independent bottling line. Tal Chotiner, the M&H head of International Sales has over 20 years of experience in the world of whisky. Tal used to work for Diageo in Israel and was a Johnnie Walker Brand Ambassador for the Middle East and “Single Malt advocate” from Diageo. When Tal is in Israel his job is to interrupt Tomer’s work with crazy ideas and stupid questions.

November 11 (Wednesday, 8:30pm EST, 5:30 PST)
Ohishi and Fukano with Chris Uhde

As ImpEx Beverages Vice President, Chris’ expertise lies not only in whisky as a product and symbol of Scottish culture and heritage, but he has also proven to be gifted in sales, marketing, and business operations from specialty exclusive accounts to large scale region-wide programs.

November 18 (Wednesday, 8:30pm EST, 5:30 PST)
Port Askaig with Oliver Chilton

Over the years Oliver Chilton has been involved in most parts of Elixir Distillers’ sister company, Specialty Drinks, having started out in the original Whisky Exchange shop at London Bridge before being moved to the head office to assist with running The Whisky Show in its early days.  His palate helped secure him a role selecting casks for independent bottling with the company – leading the way to the creation of Elixir Distillers.

December 2 (Wednesday, 8:30pm EST, 5:30 PST)
Single Malts of Scotland with Oliver Chilton

December 9 (Wednesday, 8:30pm EST, 5:30 PST)
Matsui Distillery brands with Chris Uhde

December 16 (Wednesday, 8:30pm EST, 5:30 PST)
Single Cask Nation with Jason Johnstone-Yellin

We’ll see you again around Thanksgiving for another update showing our gratitude to our faithful supporters in you, Whisky Lovers. And if you can’t make the live streams, you can still watch the videos on the ImpEx Beverages YouTube channel. If you have any questions or would like any additional information, please don’t hesitate to email office@impexbev.com. ImpEx encourages responsible drinking by those of legal age.

An Exceptional Single-Cask Exclusive for Fans of Glenfiddich

1997 Hector Macbeth (Glenfiddich) 23 Year Old “Hepburn’s Choice” K&L Exclusive

Single Sherry Butt Finish Cask Strength Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Pre-Arrival) ($119.99)

For time-sensitive bottles this November/December, please get your orders in early. Thanks and happy holidays! We appreciate your business. 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.

If you are a fan of the Sherry-finished expressions from Glenfiddich, then you must give this new single cask exclusive a spin. Among the finest “teaspooned” drams we’ve encountered this year, this 23 Year bottling is hauntingly seductive and is one of those single malts you find yourself coming back to again and again. Gorgeously appointed, this full-proof rendition offers all the range and complexity one hopes for in an aged, sherry-finished Scotch. While there’s no doubting its potency, this single malt is, as we’ve come to expect from Hector Macbeth, well-balanced and pure. Being a teaspooned bottling means we can offer this 23 Year Old for a sliver of what one would expect. So not only is it a world-class bottling of Scotch, but it’s a screaming value to boot. Available on pre-arrival, now is the optimal time to secure your bottles.

1997 Hector Macbeth (Glenfiddich) 23 Year Old “Hepburn’s Choice” K&L Exclusive Single Sherry Butt Finish Cask Strength Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Pre-Arrival) ($119.99) —This product is expected to arrive for shipment or pickup by late November 2020.

One of the original teaspooned malts here at K&L that longtime customers may already be familiar with is Hector Macbeth. While nearly all of this year’s blended malts had another distiller’s spirit dropped into it right before bottling, this was teaspooned at the time of production by the original maker with the intention of being sold off to the independent market. This is really how teaspooning came to be a thing in the first place. Blue chip distilleries, like Glenfiddich in this case, don’t want a bunch of people trading on their name. They do, however, still want to sell casks into the blending market to raise quick cash. While we don’t know what they put into the cask in this case (although our money is on the sister distillery next door—Balvenie) we do know that it tastes just like you’d expect sherry finished Glenfiddich at cask strength to taste. If you’ve ever had the excellent Glenfiddich 15 Year Sherry Solera bottling and thought, “I wish this was full proof,” this is the malt for you. The extra eight years of aging doesn’t hurt either.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: October 30, 2020

The excellent Hector Macbeth has now become a staple on our shelves each year. It keeps getting older and more delicious, but we’ve managed to keep the price more or less the same. This year, things are a bit different. We started with the same well aged famous Speyside (teaspooned at birth), two of the standard hogsheads’ worth. We dumped those two barrels into a sherry butt. Now this wasn’t any old sherry butt. Typically, when Scotch producers finish their products, they’ll use what are called “seasoned” sherry casks. These are created expressly for use in Scotch production and include the minimum required aging in Jerez before being dumped and shipped to Scotland. It is truly the cask that is the commodity in this system. But in this case, the Laings used an ex-sherry butt that previously held unpeated single malt for many years. The whisky spent three full years maturing in this gorgeous old barrel. This is pretty unusual for finishing and while it doesn’t impart the same fresh wine flavors as the seasoned casks, there’s still plenty of life in this old butt. The resulting whisky is less a finish and more a secondary maturation. Jim McEwan would have called it ACE’d, (additional cask enhancement) in his Murray McDavid, which he reserved for products finished for longer than a year typically. This was bottled exclusively for K&L. The nose is packed full of dark roasted malt, deep dark cocoa, wild honey and maple syrup. On the palate the great high proof doesn’t overwhelm at all and even with a decent splash of water it still offers tons of texture and richness. The gorgeous maltiness of the spirit here is not totally masked by the sherry and I’m grateful for that as there’s no question that this exceptional distillery is at its best unfiltered and cask strength. Expect some dried fruits and subtle exotic spice on the palate with the malt and sherry balancing out nicely for a long nutty finish. I think this will be many peoples’ surprise favorite since it ticks so many boxes and the benefit of finishing here is that we have a nice supply of it for now. Of course, if the real serious drinkers start bunkering it like the last one – even this relatively full sherry butt will be empty before we know it.

ralfy review 850 – Edradour 10yo @46%vol: (Signatory)

The Past, Savoured in the Present 

“A Timeless Creation. Defined, Shaped and Crafted by the Sands of Time” are the words etched into the packaging encasing Bowmore’s first annual limited edition 30-year-old single malt release.

Taking inspiration from the terrain that surrounds the Islay distillery, with cues from the detailed markings on driftwood and whisky casks to the refined polish of seaglass, the packaging solution, manufactured by IPL Packaging, is in perfect congruence with Bowmore’s “The Art of Time” campaign. .

Launched earlier this year, the global campaign introduced a striking new colour palette and visual feel, inspired by both Islay’s varied and diverse coastal landscape and the very essence of the whisky itself.

The packaging solution for the 30 YO reinforces the story of how Bowmore whiskies benefit from the power of time, becoming more beautiful and precious over the years.

In combining the naturally weathered look of wood on the exterior of the box with an oceanic-toned side panel reminiscent of seaglass, the packaging is a reflection of how natural elements are able to work in harmony with one another to shape complexity and richness of character.

Communicating quality at every touchpoint, copper hinges allow for 180 degree opening of the pack, and reveal a recessed copper plaque located in the interior lid. Evocative of the distillery’s copper stills, the plaque details the tasting notes of the burnished gold spirit contained within.

David Turner, Bowmore Distillery Manager, commented: “By adding an ongoing 30-Year-Old Bowmore to the portfolio, we are able to showcase how vital time spent in cask shapes and influences our spirit, making it even more exceptional and characterful.  Each annual release will tell the rich stories of Bowmore, but importantly each will have their own unique style and character.

“As for this release, this is another perfect example of classic Bowmore but with boundless depth and intrigue reflecting the long standing interaction of spirit and wood,” he concludes.

Limited to only 2580 bottles, Bowmore 30 YO is now available across a select number of whisky specialist customers.

AVAILABLE NOW

One of Islay’s most enigmatic distilleries, Bunnahabhain’s fruity, largely unpeated whisky has been adored by a comparatively small but particularly discerning drinkership for decades. Soft but bold, fruity, subtle and sophisticated, Bunnahabhain’s reputation is one of quiet, unassuming excellence.

This 43-year-old is not only an exceptional example of Bunnahabhain whisky, but has been deemed good enough to join the esteemed ranks of Elixir Distillers’ Director’s Special range. Aged full term in a single refill hogshead, this venerable dram is laden with tropical fruit flavours including bittersweet grapefruit, banana and juicy mango, all balanced by a vibrant, oaky spice.

Limited to just 341 bottles, this is a veritable treasure for fans of Bunnahabhain’s unique spirit.

BUY BUNNAHABHAIN 43 YEAR OLD

The Norfolk – Farmers

The Norfolk – Farmers. Single Grain Whisky. This is a very unique and special whisky, made from 8 different grains.  A totally new product from St Georges.  It is officially known as a Single Grain Whisky.  The Norfolk carries a bowler hat as it’s main label image – this is because the bowler hat was invented in Norfolk!

45% ABV

Receive 10% discount when you purchase 6 bottles of The Norfolk – Farmers 

Due to the updated Government guidelines our London collection scheduled for Sunday 8th November 2020 has been cancelled. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause. We are next scheduled to be in your area on Sunday 13th December 2020. In the meantime you are welcome to use our courier collection service. This is free to customers sending 10+ bottles or bottles to the value of £1000. Unfortunately loss and breakage cover can not be included with this service. To request labels please complete the form which can be found here Please ensure all bottles sent using this method are accompanied by a submission sheet

We are pleased to be offering our complimentary collection service in London on:

Sunday 8th November 2020
6-7.30pm by appointment only
St Paul’s Hotel, Hammersmith, W14 0QL

Collections are limited and by appointment only. If you would like to attend please complete the form which can be found here.

Please do not attend without an appointment or if you are feeling unwell in line with COVID 19 guidelines.

Additionally, please complete a Submission Sheet. This must be handed to the collections team.

A Winner in our auction? We are now offering a delivery (to collection point) service to customers who are dropping bottles off for a future auction. This service is charged at £12 (inc VAT), optional loss and breakage cover is available.

We are monitoring the COVID situation, this collection may be cancelled if infected numbers increase over the coming days.

Old Forester 150 Anniversary

Old Forester was founded by George Garvin Brown in 1870. The new Bourbon pays tribute to Brown’s original process and is composed of three batches, each unfiltered and presented at a different batch strength. Bottles are limited and will be sold this morning (Monday) beginning at 9 AM on a first come first served basis. Limit 1 per customer. When they’re gone, they’re gone! This is an in-store purchase only.

$155.99 + tax

The Party Source

95 Riviera Drive

Bellevue, KY 41073

(859) 291-4007

Sazerac’s Last Drop Distillers Launches First Autumn Collection,

Bourbon Offering Distilled in 1980

LONDON (Oct. 28, 2020) The Last Drop Distillers, curators of the world’s most remarkable spirits, will introduce its first Autumn Collection of rare, aged spirits, which will consist of three very limited releases including a Bourbon distilled in 1980.

Taking a page from parent company Sazerac’s annual Antique Collection release, the Last Drop Autumn Collection is available in very limited quantities and offers some of the rarest spirits in the world.

The 1980 Buffalo Trace Bourbon Whiskey was distilled in 1980, at what was then George T. Stagg Distillery, now known as Buffalo Trace Distillery.  In 1992 Sazerac Company purchased the Distillery in Frankfort, Ky, buying the whole site lock, stock, and literally barrel(s).

Quietly hiding away in one of Buffalo Trace’s warehouses, a few barrels rested until a complete inventory was taken in 1998, at which point the barrels were 18 years old. For two years, the barrels remained in place, until at twenty years old they were vatted into stainless steel, which is a very common process distillers use to halt the aging effects of the barrel on the whiskey.

However, as Sazerac knows from its experience with prolonging its Sazerac 18 Year Old Rye Whiskey, the taste and characteristics will change over time. After another 20 years in stainless, Sazerac and The Last Drop believe the forty years total maturation has produced one of the finest bourbons ever made.

Tasting notes describe this bourbon as “the definition of flamboyant, with an orchestra of flavors, each flavor harmoniously mingled. It transforms miraculously from a dark chocolate, almond, leather, caramel and oak to a gentle warming spiciness, concluding with a virtual symphony on your palate.”

The 1980 Buffalo Trace Bourbon Whiskey is release number 19 from The Last Drop and its second bourbon release, both of which hail from Buffalo Trace Distillery. Only 240 bottles of the ultra-rare bourbon are available worldwide.  It is 90 proof.  Suggested retail price is $4,600; state taxes will vary per market.

About The Last Drop Distillers 

The Last Drop has a passion for discovery and an equal passion for sharing. The sheer pleasure of tasting great old spirits in good company was what inspired two icons of the industry, Tom Jago and James Espey, to begin scouting the globe for its most remarkable spirits. Establishing their innovative business in 2008, following long, illustrious careers and ground-breaking releases which changed the trade forever, they began a personal hunt for the best aged spirits in the world. Tom and James’ daughters, Rebecca Jago and Beanie Geraedts-Espey, joined The Last Drop in 2014 to share their fathers’ vision with a wider audience. Now, as Rebecca takes the helm, a staunch advocacy for excellence remains as much a personal mantra as a professional one. The Last Drop is driven by integrity, and each of its small batch releases is saturated with stories of the journey.