Whisky Reading For The Holidays

This holiday season, surprise your spirits loving family and friends with the incredible un-told stories of the exciting and cutting-edge distilleries that are re-shaping Canada’s spirits industry. The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries is a beautiful, thoroughly researched and thoughtfully presented homage to the hard-working people who have infused new life into Canada’s whisky and spirits movement.

Join authors Davin de Kergommeaux and Blair Phillips in discovering more than 200 Canadian distilleries, nearly 100 of them making whisky. You and your whisky loving friends will soon be making plans to visit – or armchair visit – all of them. Maps, tips and suggestions of where to go next are just the start of this comprehensive, tasting, travel and cocktail guide.

The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries pairs well with de Kergommeaux’s earlier book Canadian Whisky: The New Portable Expert. Here he digs deep into the stories and histories of Canada’s top whisky makers, their people, products and distilleries. This highly popular whisky book is now in its second edition and ready for gift-giving or gift-getting.

As New York Times journalist and bestselling whisky author, Clay Risen puts it, “To call Davin de Kergommeaux the soul of Canadian whisky is an understatement—he is its guide, its historian, and its leading advocate. Now comes The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries, with Blair Phillips, as astounding in its breadth of coverage as its depth of insight. Make room in your library, spirits fans: these are must-own books.”

Make your whisky lover’s day with one or both of these carefully researched and beautiful books. Available in major and most independent bookstores, and all online booksellers.

NEW! Bushmills Causeway Collection
2001 Feuillette Cask

Introducing Bushmills 2001 Feuillette Cask: a Whisky Shop exclusive and the first product to launch in the UK as part of the Bushmills Causeway Collection – a new range of rare and unique single malt whiskeys inspired by the natural wonder of the Giant’s Causeway.

This one-of-a-kind whiskey has been aged for over 17 years in oloroso sherry butts and bourbon barrels before final maturation for over two years in a rare feuillette cask ­– the first ever red wine cask finish from Bushmills.

Expertly crafted by award-winning Bushmills Master Blender Helen Mulholland, this is some highly limited liquid – a single cask of just 168 bottles has been produced, at a cask strength of 49% VOL. Get ready for an intense palate of almonds, crème Anglaise, maraschino cherries and rich Christmas cake.

Bushmills 2001 Feuillette Cask
The Whisky Shop Exclusive

£200.00

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A Tantalizing Unsherried 28 Year Expression from a Speyside Icon
1992 Probably Speyside’s Finest (Glenfarclas) 28 Year Old “Old & Rare” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($179.99)
“It’s hard to argue for a better value in the 2020 whisky landscape than this.”
— Andrew Whitelely, K&L NorCal Spirits Buyer

For time-sensitive bottles this 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.

Not only is the 1992 Probably Speyside’s Finest (Glenfarclas) 28 Year “Old & Rare” bottling about as rare as hen’s teeth, it is also one of the sharpest Scotch buys we’ve encountered in 2020. Glenfarclas rarely releases casks to bottlers and never with the Glenfarclas name on it. Making it all the more unique, this is an unsherried cask, which allows one to experience the malt in its full, unadulterated beauty. Similar casks, when you can find them, often come with a price tag of $400 or more, making this deal all the more remarkable. But price and rarity are only part of the story here, as this single cask exclusive is downright delicious. A dazzling dram through and through, it combines wonderfully expressive fruit with a cascade of exotic spice. Balanced and pure, this 28 Year Old would be a welcome addition to any Scotch collection. If you wish to experience the nuanced side of Glenfarclas, this is your perfect chance.

1992 Probably Speyside’s Finest (Glenfarclas) 28 Year Old “Old & Rare” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($179.99)

The renowned old distillery in Ballindaloch does not generally sell their whisky to blenders. When they do, it will never include the famous name that the family regards as its exclusive trade property. For that reason, this incredible single malt will never be sold to blenders or bottlers with the distillery name included. We, in fact, have never been offered this whisky by any of our partners in Scotland before as a single malt, although a few of our partners do sell similar whiskies. If you know the exceptional Blairfindy malt from the Blackadder brand, you’ll be well aware of the quality this cask represents and since that whisky sells stateside for upwards of $450 for the same age statement as this, we think we’ve got a pretty good deal going here. It is, indeed, unusual to see this distillery filled into non-sherry cask in general, but there’s something extremely satisfying about experiencing this incredible malt in a completely mature unsherried style. The depth of the spirit itself truly shines through here in a way that the distillery bottings don’t express. The result is a whisky whose bold malt character has been tamed into deep expressive fruit and nuanced complexity unlike any we’ve ever sold before.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 02, 2020

This whisky immediately makes me feel like a kid in a candy store. The excitement upon opening it was intense. The color is pure joy—a cross between goldenrod and marigold. The first nosing completes the candy store picture by screaming peach rings. It’s creamy and luscious and is an extremely easy drinking 47.4% ABV at cask strength. The cask influence is relatively minimal, especially when compared to most bottlings of Glenfarclas which typically feature some sherry maturation. The refill barrel really makes way for the complexity of Speyside’s Finest to shine after 28 long years in cask. It’s one of those whiskies that is incredibly hard to break apart into individual descriptors because everything is so perfectly integrated. The fruitiness is unmatched. There are stone fruits, citrus, berries, ripe sweet persimmon, and a touch of the tropical. The barrel spices are there, but seamless. Under all that fruit is sweet cinnamon and nutmeg, vanilla, allspice. Milk chocolate and more cream linger on the finish. It’s a beautiful dram and wildly underpriced. It’s hard to argue for a better value in the 2020 whisky landscape than this.

GlenAllachie 31 Year Old

1989 vintage singe sherry cask for the UK market. Last bottles!

Glenallachie 31 Year Old 1989 vintage Speyside single malt Scotch whisky. Single cask Oloroso Hogshead #6118 bottled August 2020 for the United Kingdom market. 339 numbered bottles.

NOSE: Heather honey, mocha, nutmeg, pineapple and eucalyptus.
TASTE: Waves of dark chocolate, mocha and almonds, followed by orange zest, grapefruit and ginger.

BUY NOW

Glenallachie Distillery is a Speyside distillery sitting on the eastern edge of Ben Rinnes mountain where it is rather exposed to the elements and is often to be see sitting within the snowline. A modern building and its architect William Delmé-Evans created a distillery which is rather pleasing on the eye. Glenallachie was commissioned in 1967 with two stills which increased to four in 1989 in order to meet blenders ever increasing demand for Glenallachie malt whisky. Whilst official releases are few independent releases are more numerous with those from Signatory Vintage and Cadenheads proving popular.

I DON’T HAVE TO GO THROUGH AN AIRPORT TO GET THIS ANYMORE!! THE JOY!

I’ve waited for a solid opportunity to talk about this whisky when it wasn’t disappearing onto planes, literally. Finally avaliable for purchase from all specialist retailers, Makers Mark Cask Strength is an abundance of brown sugar and tobacco. Providing all of the elegant Makers style with some Kentucky power, which is very welcome here in Manchester! Cheers!

https://youtu.be/ja5i3SdB0wM

Whyte & Mackay invites whisky fans into the sample room with new podcast 

A new whisky podcast from Whyte & Mackay granting exclusive access to the people, places and stories behind some of Scotland’s top distilleries has gone live today, with world-renowned master distiller Richard Paterson featuring as its first guest.

Live From the Sample Room explores the remarkable careers, and groundbreaking techniques used by the people responsible for crafting Scotland’s most loved whiskies.

Hosted by food and drink columnist Abbie Moulton, the first season will see the release of a series of episode specials, each focusing on an inimitable guest who has made a lasting impact on the whisky industry. Guests will bring on a whisky of their choice for a tasting to finish each podcast.

Whyte and Mackay’s whisky making credentials are unrivalled, with prized single malt’s The Dalmore, Jura, Fettercairn and Tamnavulin, the shining stars in its portfolio.

The podcast’s first episode will feature one of the world’s best known whisky personalities – the prolific master distiller of The Dalmore, Richard Paterson.

The debut episode takes a rare deep dive into Richard’s five-decade strong career as a whisky maker and explores how his passion for the spirit has led to him becoming one of the most recognisable faces in the industry. 

Kieran Healey-Ryder, Head of Whisky Discovery from Whyte and Mackay, said: “We’re incredibly excited to launch Whyte & Mackay’s first ever podcast. In this production, we are bringing whisky enthusiasts into the sample room to meet the personalities behind Scotland’s most famous export. The first series is bursting with never-heard-before content which casts light on the stories and personalities behind our whisky making.”

Podcast host, Abbie Moulton, said: “So often, whisky is something we only get to enjoy from afar and for that reason it can, at times, feel quite mysterious. It’s been a real joy to be able to delve deep into the casks for the stories and the secrets behind each of these highly respected distilleries, and to uncover the personal stories behind the processes that make their quality so admired around the globe. From the forward-thinking innovations of Gregg Glass, to the jewels of wisdom shared by Richard Paterson, and all of the journeys in between, I hope this series opens up the world of Scotch and all of its pleasures.”

Other episodes in the first series include an intimate look at life on the Isle of Jura – with Brand Home Manager Mark Bruce talking about the logistical challenges of making whisky on one of Scotland’s most remote islands.

The series will also feature Fettercairn distillery manager Stewart Walker who will sample a cask that he laid down over a decade ago live on the podcast; experimental pioneer and blender, Gregg Glass talks about the Scottish Oak Programme and how he is innovating the category using wood in entirely novel ways; and Joanne Reavely, distillery manager of Speyside’s Tamnavulin, explains how a previously silent distillery rose to meteoric levels of popularity.

This series has been produced by Rethink Audio, makers of a wide portfolio of award-winning podcasts including Fearne Cotton’s Happy Place, The Week Unwrapped with Olly Mann and Tales of Silicon Valley with The Sunday Times.

The first episode is now available to download from Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts:

• Spotify – HERE
• Apple – HERE
• Google – HERE

Notes:

Whyte & Mackay was founded in Glasgow in 1844, and today celebrates its 175th anniversary with a multi-award-winning portfolio of brands which includes The Dalmore, Jura, Tamnavulin and Fettercairn whiskies alongside its namesake Whyte & Mackay Blended Whisky.

Recent years have seen the addition of several new to world spirit brands to the Whyte & Mackay portfolio, including Shackleton Blended Malt, The Woodsman Blended Scotch, Wildcat Gin and the independent experimentation arm of the business, Whisky Works.

The global spirits business is headquartered in the heart of Glasgow, and employs over 500 people around the globe, across five international offices, five distilleries and a state-of-the-art bottling plant in Scotland.

Today, with the support of its owners Emperador Inc,. Whyte & Mackay is building a progressive, passionate and ambitious company for the future. Emperador is a subsidiary of Alliance Global Group, Inc (an international conglomerate listed on the Philippine Stock Exchange).For more information, please visit www.whyteandmackayltd.com 

About Live from The Sample Room

Live From The Sample Room is a new podcast from Scotch Whisky makers, Whyte & Mackay, exploring the people, places, and passions behind their Scotch Whisky. Join drinks columnist, Abbie Moulton, on a journey to unveil the stories and secrets of the whisky makers shaping the industry today – and crafting the whiskies of tomorrow. The podcast is available to stream on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts from November 2020. Follow Live From the Sample Room on Instagram for the latest updates.

A. Smith Bowman Distillery Receives Tasting Awards
at 2020 International Spirits Challenge 

FREDERICKSBURG, KY (Dec. 1, 2020) – Seven of A. Smith Bowman Distillery’s spirits took honors at the 2020 International Spirits Challenge, receiving Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals. The list of winners includes four whiskeys, three of which are bourbon whiskeys, and a gin, vodka and rum.

The three Gold Medal winners include Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Virginia Whiskey, Bowman Brothers Small Back Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey and John J. Bowman Single Barrel Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

Silver Medal honors went to Isaac Bowman Port Finished Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Sunset Hills Small Batch Gin and Deep Run Small Batch Vodka. George Bowman Small Batch Dark Rum took home a Bronze Medal.

“We are thrilled to have such a variety of spirits recognized by such well-respected judges across multiple categories,” Master Distiller Brian Prewitt said. “We strive to produce the highest quality spirits across the board and feel honored that our commitment was evident to the judges.”

The International Spirits Challenge launched in 1995 to promote spirits from across the globe, offering five medals per category. The ISC Tasting Awards establish their winners based on a rigorous judging process involving over 12 days of blind tastings by panels of more than 50 industry professionals. Complete results for the 2020 International Spirits Challenge can be found at https://www.internationalspiritschallenge.com/2020/en/page/2020-results.

About A. Smith Bowman

A. Smith Bowman’s distilling roots date back to the years before Prohibition when the

Bowman family had a granary and dairy farm in Sunset Hills, Virginia. They used excess grain

from the family estate to distill spirits. In 1934, after the Repeal of Prohibition, Abram Smith Bowman and his sons continued the family tradition and built a more modern distillery in Fairfax County, Virginia called Sunset Hills Farm.  The Distillery was moved in 1988 and is now nestled in Spotsylvania County near the city of Fredericksburg, 60 miles away from the original location.

As a small and privately owned company, A. Smith Bowman Distillery continues the time-honored traditions on which it was founded. Considered a micro-distillery by today’s standards, A. Smith Bowman produces an assortment of hand-crafted spirits distilled from only the finest natural ingredients and using the latest technology. This micro-distillery focuses on the production of premium spirits honoring the legacy of Virginia’s first settlers. As Virginia’s oldest and most award-winning distillery, its various brands have earned numerous prestigious awards over the years, including John J. Bowman Single Barrel, which was named America’s Best Non-Kentucky Single Barrel Bourbon at the 2020 American World Whiskies Awards. For more information on A. Smith Bowman, please visit www.asmithbowman.com.

Exclusive Apollo 10
Back Home. Almost.

“Snoopy” Strathmill 14 Year Old 2006

Fifty-one years ago Apollo 10 pioneered a full dress rehearsal for the first historic moon landing. Lunar module, dubbed “Snoopy” stopped short of landing on the lunar surface. As ‘Snoopy’ docked with command module ‘Charlie Brown’, Pilot Eugene Cernan proclaimed “Man, we is back home. Almost.” The seventh bottling in the Apollo series is a dark sherry butt from the Strathmill distillery located in the heart of Scotch whisky country. Sweet fruit cake, fudge, tobacco, spices and sherry soaked raisins. Marvellous!

Shop – Strathmill Back Home. Almost. – £125 / €138* / $140*

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Christmas inspiration: whisky gift sets

A special present for any whisky lover: our whisky gift sets include stunning glassware, branded goodies and more. Shop our top picks below.

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