New whisky

DEWAR’S CASK SERIES

Innovation has been at the heart of Dewar’s whisky for more than 150 years, and the new Dewar’s Cask Series stands testament to that. Launching with two brand-new expressions – Dewar’s Caribbean Smooth, aged in ex-rum casks and Dewar’s Ilegal Smooth, the first Scotch whisky to be aged in ex-mezcal casks – Dewar’s prove once again that they’re still at the forefront of cask maturation.

Established by John Dewar in 1846, Dewar’s is one of Scotland’s best-known and most-awarded blending houses, and it is innovation that has driven the company’s reputation for more than 150 years.

Ageing has always been at the heart of the Dewar’s philosophy, and the people behind the whisky pride themselves on the fact that every expression that bears the Dewar’s name also bears an age statement. In the new Cask Series, Dewar’s enthusiasm for age statements meets its passion for innovation, as the team behind more than a century of great whisky meticulously matures spirit from its extensive stocks in carefully-selected and often unusual cask types – with surprising, exciting and delicious results.

ABOUT DEWAR’S

Dewar’s blended Scotch whisky has amassed more than a thousand awards in its century-and-a-half, and it’s easy to see why. From its inception, Dewar’s whisky was focused on considered ageing, careful blending and a quality product – and those philosophies remain at the heart of Dewar’s to this day. As the rules and regulations around Scotch whisky production and maturation continue to shift and change, we can’t wait to see what this true heritage producer and inspirational innovator does next.

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Our latest Golden Dram giveaway:
Win a bottle of Aberlour 21 Year Old Single Cask!

In the latest edition of our Golden Dram giveaway we are highlighting expressions from within the Aberlour range: the 14 Year Old Double Cask, A’Bunadh and Casg Annamh. If you purchase one of these wonderful whiskies between now and the 15th of June you will be in with a chance to win the Aberlour 21 Year Old Single Cask from The Distillery Reserve Collection!

Limited to only 768 bottles from a single second-fill sherry butt, this 21-year-old Aberlour offers up aromas of juicy raisins and ripe plums which balance perfectly with sweet notes of liquorice and soft treacle toffee on the palate. Left at a cask strength of 58.9% ABV and free from chill filtration, this is a beautiful example of a rich and fruity exclusive Speyside single malt.

A winner will be chosen at random from any orders placed between now and the 15th of June… So good luck!

Aberlour 14 Year Old Double Cask+ Golden Dram giveaway entry

£53.99

Aberlour A’Bunadh

+ Golden Dram giveaway entry

£79.00

Aberlour Casg Annamh

+ Golden Dram giveaway entry

£54.99

Have a look at the range below and see what you fancy👇

Balcones K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Single Barrel #16584 Texas Single Malt Whisky (750ml) $79.99 View

Clocking in at a monsterous 130.8 proof, this K&L Exclusive barrel from Balcones is also among their oldest bottlings. Aged for 4 long Texas years in new European oak it packs an extraordinary amount of flavor. The huge and rapid temperature swings common to Waco, TX have penetrated that new oak in a way that feels a lot like Kentucky bourbon, but it is the 100% Scottish Golden Promise single malt barley distilled on Balcones’ Scottish Forsyth stills that make this barrel a truly unique specimen.

Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

https://youtu.be/VkkPKr5Ey34

Whisky collection time! Featuring an old matress and a badly lit room. It’s been a while since you’ve all seen the collection, this seems like the perfect time to do so! Enjoy and let me know what you folks currently have at home!

WHISKY FROM BLUE CHIP DISTILLERIES TRIUMPHS AT BONHAMS HONG KONG WHISKY SALE

New auction record for Karuizawa ‘Samurai’ series

Bonhams Director of Wine and Whisky Asia Daniel Lam commented: “After a strong start in our January sale, the whisky market in 2021 continues to be robust and healthy. Collectors showed huge interest in the finest editions from the ‘blue chip’ distilleries such as Macallan, Karuizawa, and Yamazaki, the fame of which is enjoying a new high due to the auction world record we set last year. Overall, Karuizawa whisky has seen a growth of up to 30% over the past six months, and this time we are pleased to establish a new auction record for the Karuizawa ‘samurai’ series.

Browse all results here:

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/26983/

Notable highlights include:

Top lot of the sale:

Lot 482 Macallan Lalique-50 year old

Estimate:HK$750,000-950,000

Sold for HK$1,178,000

Lot 702

Karuizawa-1984-30 year old-#3139-侍 (1)

Karuizawa-1984-30 year old-#7963-侍 (1)

Karuizawa-1984-30 year old-#3656-侍 (1)

Karuizawa-1984-30 year old-#8354-侍 (1)

Karuizawa-1984-30 year old-#3139-侍 (1)

Karuizawa-1985-30 year old-#4201-侍 (1)

Karuizawa-1985-30 year old-#3622-侍 (1)

Karuizawa-1985-30 year old-#6432-侍 (1)

Karuizawa-1985-30 year old-#3620-侍 (1)

Karuizawa-1985-30 year old-#7843-侍 (1)

Estimate: HK$500,000-700,000

Sold for HK$818,400

**New auction record for a Karuizawa ‘Samurai’ series**

Lot 686

山崎 Yamazaki-35 year old. This is only one of the 200 bottles released.

Estimate: HK$720,000-850,000

Sold for HK$868,000

Lot 880

山崎 Yamazaki-Mizunara-1979-#RF1037

Estimate: HK$150,000-230,000

Sold for HK$347,200, over doubling the pre-sale estimate.

Lot 701

Karuizawa-1967-#6426-TWE

Estimate: HK$150,000-200,000

Sold for HK$272,800

NOTES 

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest and most renowned auctioneers, offering fine art and antiques, motor cars and jewellery. The main salerooms are in London, New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong, with auctions also held in Knightsbridge, Edinburgh, Paris, San Francisco and Sydney. With a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 22 countries, Bonhams offers advice and valuation services in 60 specialist areas. For a full list of forthcoming auctions, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com. bonhams.com

Liquid History of Islay

Port Ellen 36 Year Old

1983 vintage Eidolon 1st release from Hunter Laing

Receiving a huge 93 point score from the eminent Serge @ Whisky Fun, this is a another example of the quality whisky that was produced from this (currently) lost distillery. Only 638 bottles were yielded  at 53.5%. With a resurrected Port Ellen distillery on the way, this is pure, old style PE. Port Ellen 36 Year Old 1983 vintage Islay single malt Scotch whisky. Eidolon is the first in a three-part series of Port Ellen limited-edition bottlings from Hunter Laing & Co. Limited release of 638 bottles.

Port Ellen Distillery was established by Alexander K. Mackay on the southern coast of the Isle of Islay at Port Ellen in 1825. Port Ellen was a malt whisky distillery but closed in 1983 and whilst some of the distillery buildings remain Port Ellen drum maltings occupy part of the site. During the winter of 1823-24 James Fox tested his newly designed spirit safe at Port Ellen Distillery prior to its introduction in all Scottish licenced distilleries by 1825 in order to comply with enactment of the Excise Act of 1823. Thus Port Ellen Distillery was the first Scottish distillery to install a spirit safe and James Fox was paid £428 for his work. Official bottlings of Port Ellen single malt whisky include the Port Ellen Annual Release and independent release from Hunter Laing & Co. are highly prized.

BUY NOW – Port Ellen 36 Year Old

Last Chance at Retail for a Groundbreaking American Whiskey Icon
High West “Campfire” American Whiskey ($54.99)
“…the sheer boldness of mixing high quality American whisky with heavily peated Scotch… truly put these guys on the map.” — David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

A blend of bourbon, rye, and peated Scotch, High West’s now-iconic “Campfire” American Whiskey started as an idea that no other blender had the fortitude to take on, as it was yet unproven in the market. Over the years, though, the “Campfire” has more than vindicated the wisdom of High West’s gambit, as it’s found immense favor with whiskey lovers everywhere. The fine, seamless expression of all the best qualities of each of its component whiskies “offers something that few else can,” as spirits buyer David Othenin-Girard puts it. When the brand recently announced that the whiskey would no longer be sold in the retail market but only through the distillery in Utah, we knew what we had to do. We secured as much of it as we could get our hands on, and we’re letting High West fans everywhere know that this is your last chance to pick some up, unless of course you have a road trip to Park City on your schedule. There’s no telling how long it’ll be available in California (hint: not long), so stock up while you can.

High West “Campfire” American Whiskey (750ml) ($54.99)

91 points Whisky Advocate: “An oddball that crosses the divide between American whiskey and scotch by literally mixing the two, Campfire combines straight Indiana rye, straight Indiana bourbon, and peated blended malt scotch, marrying them together in heavily toasted French and Hungarian oak wine barrels. The scotch adds hearty, meaty flavors to the dry, spicy, and rich bourbon and rye. This is a robust and beefy whiskey, with smoke reminiscent of Southern barbecue. Earlier releases of this ambitious whiskey didnt quite hit the mark. Now, its right on target. *Top 20 Whiskies of 2017* (AP)” (12/2017)

91 points Wine Enthusiast: “An unexpectedly wonderful pairing with a sweet chocolate or a sticky caramel dessert, Campfire blends straight rye whiskey, straight Bourbon and blended Scotch. Altogether, its big and smoky, with lots of iodine, but doesnt completely overwhelm, settling into a pleasing mix of toffee and peat. Gift a bottle to a Scotch lover to introduce the joys of American whiskeys. (KN)” (07/2013)

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 26, 2021

To say this is the end of an era is an understatement. High West “Campfire” has long stood as a symbol of the risks that the special Utah distiller was willing to take as well as their prowess as blenders. It is indeed their ability to acquire and expertly blend whiskies that made High West the exceptional property that it is today. But the sheer boldness of mixing high-quality American whisky with heavily peated Scotch to create a new category of whisky truly put these guys on the map. Many were skeptical at first, writing off their efforts as a gimmick or a novelty, but ultimately this product has been embraced by so many in the whisky community who appreciate its balance and versatility. Now, with word that they’ll be transitioning this product to a distillery-only release, there’s been a renewed sense of urgency from many of those who have come to rely on this bottle when they found themselves craving something, shall we say, “in between” categories. Still now, years after its initial release, the “Campfire” offers something few else can. The nose is a luxurious amalgam of sweet new oak, tangy rye spice, and deep, sooty smoke. On the palate, the wood does a lot of the talking and falls distinctly in the texture range of a good straight bourbon or rye. The sweetness is tempered perfectly by the top note of clean Islay peat, while twinges of ash and iodine don’t distract at all from the gorgeous caramel and spice. Altogether an idiosyncratic expression that won’t necessarily make everyone happy all the time, but for times when you’re in the mood and there’s nothing else that can quite scratch that itch, it’s probably a good move to grab one or two just in case, since you’ll have to head to Utah to get this one in the future.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 26, 2021

Word on the street is that High West is transitioning “Campfire” to be a Utah-only product. They’re not going so far as to yank product from other markets but will just naturally let it run dry and no longer replenish it after March 2021. This means unless you’ve got a post pandemic trip to Park City in the works, you’ll have to stock the bar now. It’s what we did. There’s no telling when it’ll be sold out in CA for good, but the end is near. It’s a tragedy for whisk(e)y lovers without ties to Utah, as “Campfire” has been one of the more creative and interesting whiskies available for quite some time. It’s a beautiful mélange of bourbon’s classic highlights of sweet corn, vanilla, caramel, and butterscotch mixed with an impossibly complex rye profile. Cracked pepper, sweet cinnamon, nutmeg, spicy black pepper, and cut grass all work harmoniously with the bourbon. The kicker, though, is the peated Scotch. This component really ties it all together in an unexpected way that just works. The slightly salty and robustly smoky elixir makes its presence known from nosing through to finish, but it never overwhelms. The “Campfire” name really is perfect. If you’re dying to get outside and have a drink around the fire with friends, this is a great place to start.

Hello, yes that’s right! It’s that time again and we’re ready with our May auction, however this ain’t just any old auction…..Drum roll please…..for we’re celebrating the 10th anniversary of Scotch Whisky Auctions! Boy do we have some treats for you!

We would like to take this moment to thank everyone who has joined us on this incredible journey so far, our whisky friends from all corners of the globe who appreciate the joy of a good dram as much as we do. What better way to celebrate than to release a special edition bottle.<

For this month only, you have the option to purchase, on a  ‘buy it now’ basis, a bottle of Glenfarclas 1991 30 year old. EXCLUSIVE FROM US it’s from a 2nd fill Hogshead and rich in colour. We’ve had a little swig of the stuff and believe us, it’s a cracker! You’ll have to be quick though as there’s only 537 to be grabbed. Once they’re gone, they’re gone!

View Auction

We’re also giving you the chance to join us in a virtual tasting experience hosted by Glenfarclas’ very own George Grant (Sales Director, Glenfarclas) & Peter Donnelly (Director of Spirits, Pol Roger), we have 5 of the best drams the distillery has to offer.

This month also boasts some new releases from Campbeltown’s Online Tasting Week 2021. Each edition of Springbank, Hazelburn, Longrow and Kilkerran we’re sure will live up to high expectations, being aged in rum, PX and oloroso casks to name a few.

FREE UK COLLECTIONS

We continue to offer free doorstep collections for over 10 bottles or collectively worth a minimum of £1000. Contact us to find out more and check availability. Collection requests can be made here.

ralfy review 877 Extra Extras – Defence of GlenDronach

WATERFORD DISTILLERY ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH ARTIST LEAH HEWSON FOR THE LAUNCH OF ITS FLAGSHIP WHISKY: THE CUVÉE

Leading Irish visual artist, Leah Hewson, has released her latest work, but you won’t find it in a gallery or exhibition.

Partnering with Waterford Distillery, Hewson has created Binary Assimilation – an original artwork for the bottle label of the distillery’s flagship single malt whisky coming this autumn: The Cuvéee.

Hewson’s aim was to celebrate the ‘many layers and complexities within Waterford’s distillation process and the immense sensory experience of consumption’.

Waterford’s unique methodology is terroir-driven. The concept, which is commonly practised by the world’s greatest winemakers, is based on the principle that factors such as weather, soil, and microclimate influence the flavours found in barley and the whisky made from it.

To make its multiple award-winning Single Farm Origin whiskies, Waterford Distillery maintains the integrity of each crop of barley by harvesting, storing, malting and distilling it separately. Each Single Farm Origin has been produced separately using barley grown only on individual terroirs throughout the South of Ireland.

This individuality can be celebrated in its own right, but the ultimate aim is to layer these component spirits together – in precisely the same manner as a Grand Vin in Burgundy, or Grand Cuvée in Champagne – for ultimate complexity. The whole, greater than simply the sum of its parts.

This means – for the first time in whisky production anywhere – Waterford Distillery is assembling 23 different Single Farm Origin component single malts to create the definitive Waterford Whisky: The Cuvéee. It is a lodestar for the brand and a milestone bottling.

Leah Hewson’s original artwork reflects the intricate nature of such a milestone product. Two computer-generated images that are depicted in paint have been divided into strips and overlaid with opaque and transparent red and green stripes, and a neon squiggle in to create ’ambiguity and illusion’.

Leah Hewson said: ”Binary Assimilation celebrates the many layers and complexities of Waterford’s approach to whisky production. The brand’s scientific and methodical approach reflects my own and this provided an inspiration to sync art, flavour and character into something visually striking. By building the piece in layers through colour, I was able to create new dimensional effects to match the concept of The Cuvéee.”

Mark Reynier, Founder and CEO of Waterford Distillery said: “This is no ordinary whisky – it’s our lodestar, a key milestone on our terroir-driven journey – our raison d’etre. Its vision, evolution derived from unprecedented logistics, merits an equally outstanding label. We commissioned one of Ireland’s leading artists, Leah Hewson, to create a contemporary image that was unlike another whisky label. One that shared the elemental construct, evoking vibrancy, a bold statement and a multi-layered feel. A label unlike any other, for a whisky unlike any other.”

ABOUT WATERFORD DISTILLERY 

Influenced by the world’s greatest winemakers, Waterford Distillery obsessively brings the same intellectual drive, methodology and rigour to single malt whisky.

Using 100% Irish barley, widely considered to be the world’s finest, its Single Farm Origin series is an uber-provenance range of limited-edition natural whiskies that explore Irish terroir one farm, one place, at a time. They are expressions of precision and rarity, showcasing barley flavours derived from individual Irish farms and harvests. The distillery’s aim is that these component single malts come together to create the world’s most unique, complex and profound whisky.

ABOUT LEAH HEWSON

Hewson has a First-Class BA (Hons) degree in Fine Art from IADT. She has accomplished four solo exhibitions, the most notable of which were ‘Ammo Veil’ at The Hillsboro Fine Art gallery in July 2018 and ‘Scintilla’ at The Royal Hibernian Academy, Dublin in February 2017. This was the culmination of work produced during a six-month residency at The Royal Hibernian Academy School.

Other residencies include a six month residency at the NARS Foundation in Brooklyn New York in 2018, SIM Residency in Berlin in 2019 and Wilton Park Studios Residency, Dublin in 2019/2020.

Hewson won the Whyte’s Award for painting at the 190th RHA Annual Exhibition, was shortlisted for the Hennessy Craig Biennial Award in 2019, is accredited with the Elizabeth Fitzpatrick Travel Bursary Award 2018 and won the ‘Special Prize for Contemporary Art’ at the ‘Biennial of Humour and Satire in Art’, Bulgaria in 2017.

Her work continues to be internationally collected by private collectors in New York, Australia, Germany, France, Norway, and Spain. Public collections include The Trinity College Dublin History of Art collection, The Office of Public Works, Dublin, The Law Society of Ireland, and the Microsoft Collection. Other recent activity includes the commissioning of ‘Abiding Traces’, by IPut. This 8 x 27 metres piece was exhibited on Sir John Rogersons Quay from May 2019 to August 2020. Hewson was also in the group exhibition ‘Assemble’ at Atelier Maser in August 2020.