Kensington Wine Market’s Whisk(e)y Newsletter

Happy Belated Canada Day!

It’s about this time of year that when we all let ourselves feel a little more patriotic. At KWM we stand a little taller and wave our pride a little higher, and of course increase the spotlight on Canadian-made Wines, Whiskies, Beers, and other spirits.

We have been reminded over the last few weeks that our nation’s history has its share of blemishes. There is much still to be learned, and work done redressing past wrongs, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still be proud to live in a country willing to confront these challenges and learn from its mistakes.

Now through the end of the weekend (midnight July 4), all Canadian Wines and most Canadian Whiskies are on sale. There are some very good deals to be had, on products we can all feel proud of!

Browse the sale page showing everything on sale!

Or… download a PDF with all the deals by clicking on this text! I’ve included the Canadian wines on Sale through July 4 and the current Whisky Bin End Deals.

Turning our eyes to the new and noteworthy, our 2nd Teeling Cask, a 15-year-old single malt finished in an ex-Armagnac cask, has at long last arrived… We have only been talking about this beauty since February, but as I’ve said before, shipping is not exactly predictable at present!

But it’s here, and it is another tropical fruit bomb, this time with a kick of spice!

We have also just added a new tasting to the schedule:

Stumbling Blindly into Some Exciting New Whiskies, on July 29. We wanted to add one more tasting to the July schedule before we take our August break from tastings. It boils down to two things. Firstly, we’ve had a lot of requests for a blind tasting. And secondly, I saw some things I want to try, and I didn’t want to push them off until the Fall… they might not be here that long.

We are also expecting a new release from our friends at Yukon Brewing & Distilling next week: the Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt Release 26. And at long last, we’ve had a top-up from Tamdhu & Glengoyne Distilleries.

Everything in this newsletter can be ordered/purchased online, so please try to do that if you can. If you email me rather than order online, you might miss out on something. It may not often seem like it, but I do have a life outside of work (refer to above photo)… your order might come in while I’m on my mountain bike or out SUPing!

As always, in the event of a price discrepancy, the point of sale at KWM will be taken as correct. Please don’t hesitate to email me with any questions or comments. But be patient, even if I am at the shop, I may be head down, working on our new website, which will be launching next month.

Sincerely,

Andrew Ferguson

Kensington Wine Market

IN THIS EDITION

1. Introducing: The Teeling 15 Year KWM Armagnac Cask

2. New Tasting: Stumbly Blindly into Some Exciting New Whiskies

3. New From Two Brewers: Single Malt Release #26 – Classic

4. The Glengoynes & Tamdhus Are Back!

INTRODUCING:

THE TEELING 15 YEAR KWM ARMAGNAC CASK

Our second exclusive single cask from Teeling is a 15-year-old, finished in an Armagnac cask (#16570), and it has just arrived! We’re huge fans of Teeling, and feel they are one of the most compelling whiskey makers in Ireland. The juice from this beauty won’t have been distilled at Jack and Stephen Teeling’s distillery in Dublin’s Liberties, but rather at their father John’s old Cooley Distillery. Cooley was sold to Beam Suntory in 2011, but as part of the sale, the Teelings walked away with a good chunk of the maturing inventory… including the juice in this bottle!

Teeling 15 Year KWM Armagnac Cask 16570 – 58.4% – Finished in an Armagnac Cask – My Tasting Note: “Nose: thick, decadent and fruity with a backbone of oak spices; doughy with dried apricots, honeydew melon, and bright citrus; marzipan and buttery toasted oak make way for cinnamon, fennel, and clove. Palate: Bright, fruity, and decadent with a firm but yielding backbone of spice; licorice root and cinnamon sticks; still doughy, almond paste croissants and chocolate-orange marzipan; very fruity, green mangoes, dried apricot and melons galore; some jammy strawberry and quince paste; warming, coating and rich. Finish: long and coating with decadent buttery oak tones, exotic fruits, and crisp spices. Comment: this is another fine example of why we love Teeling Whiskey; the Armagnac cask finish has kicked up the spice when compared with our last cask, but the fruits… oh the fruits… they are still there, and in abundance!” – $150

NEW TASTING

Stumbling Blindly Into Some Exciting New Whiskies

·     Date: Thursday, July 29

·     Time: 8 PM

·     Cost: $40

·     Pick-Up Date: Available Now

Andrew couldn’t help himself… he saw a few new arrivals and, wanting to taste them himself, threw together a wee lineup. Also, and this is an important point, he wanted the tasting to be blind. Our range is, as usual, 7 whiskies deep, all of them single malts, stretching up to 27 years of age! They range in style from light and floral, to big and spicy, to almost over-the-top peated. We’d really like to tell you what the whiskies are – as we know it would whet your appetite even more! – but then it wouldn’t be a blind tasting, would it? 8 PM Thursday, July 29. 7x50ml samples

*SAMPLES READY FOR PICK UP NOW!

NEW FROM TWO BREWERS:

RELEASE #26 CLASSIC

Is it a coincidence that we are hosting a Two Brewers tasting with owner Bob Baxter tonight? Absolutely, yes!

Release #26, a classic expression, was made from a blend of malts, three different mashes, and was aged in first and second fill ex-Bourbon as well as ex-Brandy casks. 71% of the whisky was matured 6 years and the balance 7 years, before blending and bottling.

Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt Release 26 – 46% – ex-Bourbon & Brandy Casks – Producer Tasting Note: “Bright meadow tones are braced with fresh cedar, oak, and hints of treacle. An elegant malt profile swells from entry, pinches of oak and spices dusting the edges are whisked in, shrouding the palate in a gently satisfying linger of sweet malted milk.” – $105

THE GLENGOYNES & TAMDHUS ARE BACK

We have just received a load of whiskies from Tamdhu and Glengoyne, so you know what that means… Sherry! And the Glengoynes, they come in new kit, because, you know… the old ones were tired and needed refreshing! 🙄

I actually kind of really miss the old 25 & 30 labels… a lot!

1. Glengoyne Cask Strength Batch 008 – 59.2% – 29% First-Fill Sherry casks. 16% First Fill Bourbon Barrels​. 55% Hand-selected quality Oak Refill casks. – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Enticingly malty with apple pie, peach, vanilla, nutmeg, and white chocolate​. Palate: Thick rounded mouthfeel, buttery toffee popcorn, banana, soft oak, and fruit.​ Finish: Long with summer fruits, digestive biscuit, and kiwi.” – $98

2. Glengoyne 12 Year – 43% – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Coconut oil, honey, lemon zest, dried oak. Palate: Toffee apples, cinnamon spice, ginger, orange, shortbread. Finish: A hint of sherry and soft oak. Very well balanced. ” – $75

3. Glengoyne 18 Year – 43% – 35% 1st Fill European Oak Sherry. 15% 1st Fill American Oak Sherry, 50% Hand-selected quality Oak Refill casks. – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Awash with red apple and ripe melon. Heavenly and well rounded, it drifts into hot porridge topped with brown sugar. Palate: Full-bodied, round and rich. At first macerated fruits, marzipan and walnuts; then warm spices, dry cocoa, and lingering Seville marmalade. Finish: Long, warm and dry.” – $150

4. Glengoyne 21 Year – 43% – 100% Sherry Casks. Predominantly 1st Fill European Oak Sherry Casks. – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Red apples, spicy strudel, toffee, sherry and dried fruits. Christmas cake in a glass. Palate: Lots of Sherry, honey, oak with a developing aromatic sensation. Ends with a heavenly cinnamon nip. Finish: Long, sherry, spicy, warm and dry.” – $235

5. Glengoyne 25 Year – 48% – 100% Sherry Oak Matured – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Red Fruits, old leather and brown sugar. Palate: Soft oak, cinnamon, stewed fruits and a Seville marmalade tang. Finish: Very long, with spicy liquorice, slowly drying.” – $520 – Taking Orders for September

6. Glengoyne 30 Year – 46.8% – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Black Cherry, Sherry Trifle, Marmalade, Tea Rose, Rum & Raisin Chocolate. Palate: Burst of sweetness changing quickly to Plum compote, Cinnamon, Cloves and Tangy Marmalade. Finish: Soft Oak dryness and Cinnamon. – $1100 – Taking Orders for September

7. Tamdhu Batch Strength 005 – 59.8% – Oloroso Sherry Matured – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Subtle waft of warm vanilla, followed by cinnamon spice and roasted brazil nuts. Palate: A luxurious, thick mouthfeel, sharp summer berries cutting through rich double cream. Finish: Long and lingering, delivering warming spices and the crisp sweetness of clementine zest.” – $105

8. Tamdhu 12 Year – 43% – Matured in Sherry Casks – Nose: Rich and enticing, iced cinnamon rolls, orange boiled sweets, fresh sweet oak with raisins and the faint hint of mint. Palate: Silky texture that coats the mouth with banana, berry jam, malt biscuit and classic sherry oak depth. Finish: Pleasantly long and balanced with ground spice, dried fruit and soft Scottish tablet – finally unveiling the merest wisp of peat smoke.” – $84

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*All Prices Quoted here are subject to change and do not include GST. In the case of pricing discrepancies, the price at our point of sale will be taken as correct.*Kensington Wine Market Copyright © 2021. All Rights Reserved