Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 356: Talisker Distillery Exclusive 2007

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries a distillery exclusive from Skye. As long as there is a pandemic, Mark will continue his online whisky tastings, the so-called WhisQy Masterclasses. WhisQy with the Q of Quarantine of course. They are quite popular which makes him happy, for it allows him to share drams and stories despite the crisis. In the fifth edition Mark presented a line-up of Talisker which included this Distillery Exclusive from 2017. Some 6.000 bottles were released  and the label reveals the following: ‘First matured in refill oak casks, then specially charred American Oak hogsheads, before finally maturing in old European Oak puncheons’.

https://youtu.be/ayf5FJkBt7c

A missing link on Orkney

Wideford distillery – Islands Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Wideford distillery was located about two miles from Kirkwall on the slopes of Wideford Hill and on the Burn of Hatston, which was likely its water source. Wideford was licensed to Mr W. Traill in 1813 and he distilled there until its closure in 1825. In 1825 it closed, cannee find much info about it. A missing whisky link to our past, has anyone got more details of this lost distillery?

What I did find; Wideford Hill Chambered Cairn – built some 5,000 years ago on an artificial terrace on a steep hillside. It’s placed in a location with views out across Wide Firth and other Orkney islands. The nearby Cuween Hill chambered cairn is also visible. The cairn was intentionally in-filled during prehistory, though when and by whom is unknown, it had been opened and robbed of any contents before any antiquarians were able to investigate it in the 1800s. Its layout comprises: a narrow entranceway, a central chamber, with side walls reaching almost 3m in height, three complex side cells. Today entrance from the cairn is no longer through the low, narrow passage. Visitors now have to enter by descending through a modern roof. Part of the original roof survives and the large lintels forming the passage’s roof and the cells were constructed with architectural expertise, think about that, built so long ago, who had the brains?. The form and architectural techniques here are similar to Maeshowe. On the tomb walls there are still rare examples of Neolithic art. The presence of such imagery reinforces the relationship between tombs such as Wideford Hill and other settlements such as Skara Brae, where similar marks have been found. The Wideford Cairn faces west and as such is bathed in the light of the setting sun from the end of February. The entrance to the cairn is very low and small, unlike Maeshowe’s grand entrance to welcome the light of the midwinter sunset. The name “Wideford” probably comes from the Norse “vide-fjord” referring to the hill’s proximity to the stretch of sea known as the Wide Firth.

A few miles to the west, and facing the Wideford Hill tomb, is the Cuween Hill cairn. The name “Cuween” derives from the Old Norse, “kúa-eng”, meaning “Cattle Pasture”. The current spelling of the name “Cuween” is a fairly recent corruption. In the early years of the 20th century the hill was still written as “Kewing”, in common with other “Kewing” placenames in Orkney. Like many others in Orkney, the Cuween Cairn was thought to be the home of fairies. As a result, the local name for the cairn was simply “The Fairy Knowe.”  Building a chambered cairn required considerable effort. Working only with stone tools, the Neolithic craftsmen erected structures that are estimated to have taken between 10,000 and 100,000 man-hours to complete. The sheer manpower required for the structures confirms their significance to the Neolithic people of Orkney. Stone blocks and flagstones had to be quarried, often from sites some distance from the site of the cairn, and where the chambers were cut into hills, such as Cuween, the main chamber had to be carved from solid bedrock before work on the roof could begin.The builders’ work, even by today’s standards is impressive. Their drystane walls are neat and level and the interiors today, after many thousands of years, are still stable and dry.

Orkney-Cromarty cairns: These are made up of a single long chamber, divided into stall-like “compartments” by stone uprights, found in Orkney and the Scottish mainland. Although the Orkney-Cromarty tombs do not have side cells, a few hybrid chambers, such as Unstan in Stenness, have incorporated them in their designs.  Maeshowe-type Cairns: This style is unique to Orkney. The tombs have one main central chamber that is reached by a low, long entrance passage. One, or more, side chambers branch of from the main central chamber. Regarding the Maeshowe-style cairns, their construction, with larger, well-cut and fitted stones, is more monumental.

Firstly a big hello to all our lovely customers.  We hope you have been keeping well.  Things have been quiet our end but most importantly we just hope everyone is keeping safe and as positive as can be in this time.

We couldn’t not release something for Christmas and came across a leaking cask so we have a very special low run of Laphroaig 2006. Just in time for Christmas we are pleased to offer this extremely low run of Laphroaig.  Due to a leaking cask only 48 bottles were saved.  We are lucky we spotted in it time for this short run bottling! Aged for 14 Years old this Laphroaig has gained a good colour naturally from it’s bourbon barrel, especially because the liquid was very concentrated.  Beautiful bourbon flavours along with classic Islay peat and a strength that a dropped to 40.3% makes for a superb dram.

– Laphroaig 2006  –
Aged 14 Years

Distilled 14.8.2006 – Bottled 16.8.2020 – 40.3%vol – Cask No. 01 – 48 bottles

£90

Click here to buy

Bartels Whisky

4 The Old Glebe

Loughborough, LecLE12 8LB

United Kingdom

Free, Next Day Delivery.
(order before 12pm)

TyndrumWhisky.com’s

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

For our 12th day, originally for travel retail, but we know how hard they’ve been hit this year, We understand this retails around £110 in ‘Airport venues’.

NOW ONLY £60

We’ll keep all our deals of Christmas open until the stock is finished, even if you miss the previous day,

Dalmore – Order Now >

Celebrate the festive season in style! The latest drams to drop at whiskyshop.com are the perfect tipples to toast Christmas, Hogmanay and Chinese New Year.

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Glen Scotia unveils rare 30 Year Old Single Malt 

Only 500 limited edition bottles available worldwide  

Award-winning independent distiller, Glen Scotia, has introduced a new rare 30 Year Old Single Malt scotch whisky to its range.

Presented in a luxurious hand-made case, created from sustainably sourced solid oak, the Glen Scotia 30 Year Old is extremely limited, with only 500 bottles available to purchase worldwide.

This exceptional liquid has been created by using a single distillation from 1989, which has been matured in European Oak hogshead sherry casks, giving it the distinct, sweet flavour that Glen Scotia is renowned for.

The Glen Scotia 30 Year Old Single Malt offers exquisite floral notes of violet and lavender on the nose, that develop into hints of green apple and spice. On the palate, the liquid is wonderfully soft and silky, with initial flavours of honeyed pear and candied lemon coming to the fore.

In the mouth, the flavours intensify, with warm notes of cinnamon and ground ginger, leading into dark chocolate and coffee. The finish is long, and ends with sugary sweetness and waves of warming spice.

Iain McAlister, Master Distiller at Glen Scotia, said: “The Glen Scotia 30 Year Old Single Malt is an exceptional new addition to Glen Scotia’s portfolio. The flavour profile is deep and distinguished, showcasing the complex flavours and maritime influence that Glen Scotia has become known for.

“Like our distillery, the Glen Scotia 30 Year Old is steeped in history and after three decades of maturation, I am proud to finally be able to unveil this new expression to the world.”

Non-chill filtered to ensure it is enjoyed as nature intended, Glen Scotia 30 Year Old is bottled at 50.8% ABV and presented in a striking case created using sustainably sourced British oak, keeping each individually numbered bottle in place. Inside, the case boasts elegant black lining.

Priced at £850, Glen Scotia 30 Year Old is available to purchase now from specialist retailers, including Master of Malt.

Glen Scotia is a whisky made by history, reflecting the centuries of craftsmanship and experience associated with the fifth and smallest malt producing region.

Cambeltown is Scotland’s smallest malt producing region. Throughout the Victorian era, it was known as the whisky capital of the world and was home to more than 30 distilleries.

To raise awareness of the importance of the region to Scotland’s whisky history, Glen Scotia campaigned for Campbeltown to be recognised as the “whiskiest place in the world”. A parliamentary motion on the issue lodged at Westminster received cross party support.

For more information, please visit www.glenscotia.com

Tasting notes: 

Nose: Notes of violet and lavender mix with seaspray. Green apple and a gentle spice of nutmeg and allspice.

Taste: Honeyed pear and candied lemon before notes of cinnamon, ground ginger, dark chocolate and espresso.

Finish: Long, with a roasted sugar sweetness and warming cinnamon.

About Glen Scotia: 

• Independent distiller Glen Scotia has been producing single malt whisky in Campbeltown since 1832.
• Glen Scotia is one of three surviving distilleries in Campbeltown.
• Glen Scotia 25 Year Old Single Malt Scotch whisky was awarded a Double Gold medal at the prestigious 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for the second year running. Almost 30,000 spirits were judged by the competition, the largest number of entries in its 19-year history. A Double Gold Medal is awarded when every judge on the panel gives a Gold medal to the expression.
• Glen Scotia Double Cask was awarded a Gold Medal at the Scottish Whisky Awards 2019.
• Glen Scotia 18 Year Old won Best Campbeltown Malt at the World Whisky Awards 2018.
• Images and interviews with key staff from Glen Scotia are available upon request.
• www.glenscotia.com /Twitter: @GlenScotiaMalts

Cask Collection No.62

Few things have remained constant over the tumultuous last 6 months, but mercifully our whisky has been maturing and developing as ever, in warehouses across the country.

For obvious reasons, our 62^nd Cask Collection arrives later than planned. And this bumper edition of 10 casks and will be our final Cask Collection release of 2020.

Understandably it has not been straight forward to get whisky from cask, to bottle, labelled and distributed around the world, but we have done it!

We would like to thank our customers, and everyone involved in the production of this release, for their patience, help and support during a year that has seen a huge impact on our lives both professionally and personally.

We know whisky may not be a top priority in the grand scheme of things, but we hope our love and passion for Scotch can bring some cheer to you when it is much need.

So without further ado… we bring you our latest Cask Collection release.

Our 62nd Cask Collection highlights include the ever-popular combination of sherry and peat in our Ardmore 2013, a full-flavoured and intense Mannochmore 2008 and a wonderfully tropical Vintage Cask Collection Dalmore 1992. Combining several A. D. Rattray favourites with a few lesser seen distilleries, we hope you agree it is a collection that has been well worth waiting for.

Click here to view the full Cask Collection latest release.

Our December auction is now LIVE!

Place your bids from Friday 18^th December until Sunday 3^rd January, 2021.

www.whiskyhammer.com

Every month, we present an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits to our members right across the globe. You will find everything here from limited edition releases and vintage bottles to whole casks of rare whisky. There is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest or enjoy!

Glenfarclas – 63 Year Old (1953) Pagoda Sapphire Reserve

(*Brought to auction for the first time ever.)

 Hanyu – Joker Monochrome

  Macallan – 40 Year Old (1979) Fine & Rare

 Laphroaig 13 Year Old (1967) & Laphroaig 14 Year Old (1970) 

Selling whisky? Why not arrange the pick-up of your bottles using our global courier service? If you’re based in Scotland, you might want to arrange the personal collection of your bottles. Wherever you’re based in the world, we will make getting your bottles into our monthly auction as simple as possible. Get in touch with the Whisky Hammer team now by dropping them a message at sales@whiskyhammer.co.uk.

A Glorious Single Cask Exclusive from Hector Macbeth
1997 Hector Macbeth (Glenfiddich) 23 Year Old “Hepburn’s Choice” K&L Exclusive Single Sherry Butt Finish Cask Strength Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($119.99)

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.

We’ve featured some pretty incredible “teaspooned” casks in the past, but this delightful 23 Year Old from Hector MacBeth takes things to a whole new level. For those unfamiliar, teaspooning is when a big name Scotch brand sells a cask to the independent market. Before doing so, it adds in a small amount of another distiller’s Scotch, to prevent it from being marketed under their name. The rationale being that they want to preserve their brand’s identity while having easy access to some fast cash. It’s a win-win-win situation for everyone, as it allows us to offer some genuinely spectacular spirits for a fraction of what they would be under their original branded name. In this instance, this cask comes to us from Glenfiddich (you have to say it with a whisper) and is one of the finer examples we’ve encountered. Cask strength, raised in sherry butt, and with 23 years of age, it hits all the marks seasoned Scotch collectors are looking for. Because it doesn’t officially have the Glenfiddich name, we are able to offer it at a very competitive $119.99. Either as a gift or as an addition to your own collection, this is the perfect dram for the holidays and well beyond.

1997 Hector Macbeth (Glenfiddich) 23 Year Old “Hepburn’s Choice” K&L Exclusive Single Sherry Butt Finish Cask Strength Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($119.99)

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 8 years of aging doesn’t hurt either.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 11, 2020

I’m generally skeptical of finishes, and I know I’m not the only one. That’s not because I don’t believe they can do great things, but because so many people use finishing to try to “save” or “hide” flawed whisky. If you start with great juice and use a great barrel to bring something more special to a whisky, then I’m all for a good finish. Here, though, we’re fully into a double maturation range. We started with the same awesome ‘Fiddich base that we’ve selling for several years. Two of these gorgeous hogsheads were dumped into a freshly emptied sherry butt more than three years ago. The result is something absolutely unique and undeniably delicious. None of the pancake syrup (thanks for that one Todd!) character that you sometimes get with finished whisky. Because the barrel was originally used for many years to age single malt, we’re getting that it’s very different than the seasoned sherry barrels that we normally see used for finishes. The color is auburn. The nose is an exotic bouquet of toasted vanilla bean, exotic wood, nougat, clean fresh leather, dried apricots and Christmas spice. The palate is medium bodied with extremely well integrated red fruit, nutty compote and baking spice. With water the nose explodes with dried stone fruits, exotic honey. nutmeg, clove and fresh sweet buns. On the palate it’s definitely very zesty and easily drinkable, but the water adds texture and length. I couldn’t be happier to have more than 500 bottles from this cask, it’s easily one of the best values we’ve ever put our name on. Stupendously high quality 20 year old malt aged for an additional three years in quality old sherry butt for less than $120? It’s so good I just don’t get why the distillery isn’t doing the same themselves.