Rare Character 5.5 Year Old (Observatory) “K&L Exclusive” Single Barrel #TNR-04 Cask Strength Tennessee Rye Whiskey (750ml) $79.99 View

Rare Character 5 Year Old (Hollywood Sign) “K&L Exclusive” Barrel #IRT-21 Cask Strength Indiana Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $69.99 View

Westland Outpost Range “Garryana Edition 6” Limited Edition Single Malt Washington Whisky (750ml) $139.99 View

The cask profile for Westland’s Outpost Range “Garryana Edition 6” is as follows: 65% 2nd fill ex-Pedro Ximénez Butt, 25% Virgin Oregon white oak, a.k.a. Quercus garryana, 5% 1st fill ex-Calvados, 2% 1st fill ex-American grape brandy, and 3% 1st fill ex-Washington apple brandy. Aged for 41 months. An all-malt mash bill includes: Washington Select Pale, Munich, Extra Special, Pale Chocolate, and Brown. Only 5,922 bottles produced.

Email: wine@klwines.com
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

ralfy review 909 – Ledaig 10yo @ 46.3%vol: (2022)

SOMETHING OLD FOR A NEW YEAR

HIGHLAND PARK 50 YEAR OLD & OTHER RARE SCOTCH AT BONHAMS FIRST WHISKY SALE IN 2022 

Highland Park – 50 year old. Estimate: HK$210,000-250,000. 

Highland Park – 50 year old. Estimate: HK$210,000-250,000. 

Bonhams global wine and spirits auction calendar in 2022 will begin in Hong Kong with Whisky sale on Friday 21 January. The sale, 470-lot strong, spotlights a series of rare but attractively-estimated Scotch whiskies, led by an exclusive charity lot of a Highland Park 50 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky, donated by Edrington Hong Kong in support of the environmental cause Green Power. The special lot carries an estimate of HK$210,000-250,000.

Released in 2020, this is the third 50-year-old created in the Orkney-based distillery’s 223-year history, with only 274 bottles ever produced – this is numbered ‘1’. It was produced using a traditional solera system – best known as a method of maturing Sherry – via which contents carefully selected from nine refill casks, originally laid down in 1968, were married together in 2008, before it was re-racked into a handful of the finest first-fill sherry seasoned oak casks. After a further twelve years of maturation, one of these limited casks was blended with a small quantity of the whisky from the last 50 Year Old released by the distillery.

Signed by Highland Park Master Whisky Maker, Gordon Motion, the prized bottle is presented in a hand-made wooden box, crafted from walnut by Scottish Master Craftsman, John Galvin. The whisky is encased in an embossed heavy-weight glass bottle featuring a design inspired by the Norse heritage of Orkney – the home to the distillery – which dates back over 1200 years.

The sale proceeds will benefit Green Power, a Hong-Kong-based NGO dedicated to addressing diverse environment issues in a local context.

Bonhams Director of Wine and Spirits Asia Daniel Lam commented: “Our newly-added January sale is a response to a robust and growing market. Demand for whiskies, not only Japanese but also Scotch, remains strong and wide, and our January sale offers a wide selection of collectors’ favourites – all with attractive estimates.”

Further Scotch whisky highlights of the sale include:

·         Macallan Lalique Steam Train-1937-36 year old. Estimate: HK$520,000 – 600,000. Over the years, this edition has developed a unique character defined by a vibrancy of flavour on the palate. It celebrates the mystique of the 1930s – a golden age of rail travel – as well as the dedication and craftsmanship of the people at the distillery who went to great lengths to create this rich and enticing single malt whisky.

·         Macallan Fine & Rare-1946-56 year old. Estimate: HK$ HK$380,000 – 450,000.

·         Macallan Fine & Rare-1937-37 year old. Estimate: HK$380,000 – 450,000. The second oldest whisky from Macallan’s Fine & Rare Series, with a palate of citrus fruits and spices balanced with peat smoke, dried fruits and aged wood.

·         Macallan Millennium-1949-50 year old Decanter. Estimate: HK$320,000 – 400,000.

·         Macallan Fine & Rare-1940-35 year old. Estimate: HK$300,000 – 400,000.

Sale: Whisky Bonhams Hong Kong 21 January 2022 https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/27715

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

A final reminder that we will have our collection teams on the road from next week, please register your interest before the deadline dates noted below. Below you will find our first UK Collection schedule of 2022. Please note the week we collect is now a week later with the exception of the North West of England. Please pay attention to the deadline dates as we are now on a tight schedule to get the North West routes planned.

To register your interest in a collection please complete the form which can be found here.

Please note home collections are available to those customers sending 10+ bottles or bottles to the value of £1000 and above in towns and cities where we do not offer a collection point. Please get in touch if your area is not listed below but you would like a home collection. We will do our best to accommodate all requests.

Collections are limited and by appointment only. If you would like to attend please complete the form which can be found here. Please note dead lines apply for collection requests. It would be appreciated if bottles could be packed for uplift. In addition the attached submission form and label should be completed.

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.

TOMATIN DISTILLERY

25 Year Old 1994 Old & Rare

Evan Williams 12 Year Old “Red Label” Kentucky Straight Bourbon

(750ml) (Japanese Import)

$199.99 View

Here we have it! Bourbon aficionados will know that it’s extremely rare to find an age-stated whiskey from Heaven Hill, and that’s what makes the Evan Williams 12 Year Old “Red Label” such a discovery. Bottled at 101 proof, it’s an amped up version of everything the EW devotees love about this brand. The nose is dominated by classic tones of maple and brown sugar with a little bit of praline and toffee to take things even further into opulence. The rich palate conveys honeyed almonds, butterscotch, candied orange peel, and hints of fresh tobacco leaf. At this proof, there is heat to this dram, but the overall intensity of the profile more than stands up to the heat. This is a bottling that any fan of Heaven Hill should have behind their bar, in their cabinet, or stashed away for special friends or special occasions.

Email: wine@klwines.com
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

A BRIGHT NEW YEAR

Happy New Year and here’s to a fantastic 12 months of whisky exploration, entertainment and friendship ahead. We’re keeping optimistic about a year packed with Society adventures.

UNFILTERED 65 – JANUARY EDITION ONLINE NOW

Starting with a BIG BANG, this month’s Unfiltered magazine has landed, with Moa Nilsson providing a calendar of events and occasions to inspire any whisky adventurer. That calendar kicks off with our annual celebration of Scotland’s national poet Robert Burns. Discover his associations with whisky alongside a celebration of the Scots language with modern poet Len Pennie.

READ UNFILTERED

WATCH UNFILTERED PREVIEW

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Amazing Whisky Magazine January price crash… 

Enjoy 3 issues of Whisky Magazine for just £5*

Guarantee savings of up to 87% OFF the regular rate

Receive magazine delivery direct to your door

Open up the gateway to the world of whisky

Order by 31st January to guarantee your exclusive subscription rate of 3 issues for £5*.

ORDER TODAY

* Your 3 issues for £5 offer is valid in all countries and for all currencies…

Europe: 3 issues for €5
US/Canada: 3 issues for $5
RoW: 3 issues for £5

IRISH DISTILLERS CELEBRATES REMARKABLE RESULTS FOR THE 2021 AWARDS SEASON 

Irish Distillers, maker of some of the world’s most enjoyed whiskeys, is celebrating yet another outstanding awards season after being honoured with 183 individual medals from the world’s leading taste and design competitions in 2021. The impressive haul of medals, an increase of 11 medals versus 2020, includes several of the top accolades in the Irish Whiskey Category for the distillers’ diverse portfolio.

Testament to the quality and craftsmanship of the world’s best loved Irish whiskey, Jameson Irish Whiskey, which enjoyed sales of 8.6 million cases globally in 2020/2021[1], was awarded a Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and Gold at the International Spirits Challenge. Jameson Black Barrel, achieved recognition across the board, taking home Gold Outstanding (98 points) at the International Wine and Spirit Competition and winning the overall trophy for Best Irish Whiskey at the International Spirits Challenge, while Jameson Bow Street 18 Years achieved a Platinum Medal (96 points) at the Beverage Tasting Institute.

Redbreast continued its legacy as the world’s most decorated single pot still Irish whiskey, securing 29 medals of Gold and above, including a Platinum Medal and a top score of 100, for Redbreast 27 Year Old from the Beverage Tasting Institute. Redbreast also won the coveted Chairman’s Trophy (98 points) for its much-acclaimed 12 Year Old Cask Strength. Elsewhere, the Redbreast range collected six Master medals at The Irish Whiskey Masters, while Redbreast 21 Year Old was crowned the World’s Best Pot Still at the World Whisky Awards.

Further reinforcing Midleton Very Rare’s standing as the pinnacle of Irish whiskey, Midleton Very Rare Dair Ghaleach Knockrath Forest was awarded a Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and named the Best Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey. The range’s only permanent expression, Midleton Very Rare Barry Crockett Legacy, also achieved high praise including Gold Outstanding (98 points) at the International Wine & Spirits Competition.

The innovative and exemplary whiskeys produced by hand at Midleton’s Micro Distillery were also recognised with the METHOD AND MADNESS collection winning five Double Golds at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition and two Master Medals at the Irish Whiskey Masters – the highest accolade at the competition.

The iconic Powers collection, which celebrated its 230^th anniversary this year, was recognised by a multitude of award bodies for both its distinctive distillate flavour and bold design. Powers Three Swallow and Powers John’s Lane both achieved Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, while John’s Lane also took home a Design & Packaging Master following the brand’s bold redesign, which was described by judges as eye-catching and prominent.

Last but not least, the return of Blue Spot to the historic Spot Family was warmly received by judges across the globe, winning five Gold medals and above and a prestigious spot in the Ultimate Spirits Challenge Top 100 Spirits list. The other expressions in the range were equally decorated, including a Double Gold for Green Spot at the San Francisco Spirits Competition, Gold for Red Spot at the International Spirits Challenge and a Master for Yellow Spot at the Irish Whiskey Masters.

Commenting on the success of the 2021 awards season, Kevin O’Gorman, Master Distiller at Irish Distillers, says: “It has been another tremendous season across the portfolio, and we are beyond proud to see so many of our whiskeys securing several of the top accolades in the Irish Whiskey Category.

“The Jameson family continues to excite and delight whiskey fans across the globe with its smooth taste and signature DNA, while our prestige portfolio continues to solidify Irish Whiskey’s standing as a luxury spirit on the world stage.

“These awards demonstrate the dynamism of the category – from reimagined heritage brands such as The Spot Range and Powers – to innovative whiskeys from Redbreast, to METHOD AND MADNESS with distillate experimentation such as Rye and Malt and our Midleton Very Rare Dair Ghaleach series, which showcase wood experimentation and maturation.

“These achievements are a testament to my colleagues at Midleton Distillery who work tirelessly to apply their knowledge and passion to produce whiskeys of unrivalled quality.”

About Irish Distillers

Irish Distillers is Ireland’s leading supplier of spirits and wines, and producer of some of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys. Led by Jameson, our brands are driving the global renaissance of Irish whiskey. Jameson is the world’s bestselling Irish whiskey, experiencing 30 years of consecutive growth up to 2019 and hitting sales of 8.6m cases in 2021. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets.

Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and Cork Distilleries Company. In 1988 Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard, gaining access to unprecedented levels of investment and an extensive global distribution network. Since 2012, we have invested over €400 million to double our production and bottling capacity to meet global demand for our products.

We employ over 600 people across our operations in Cork and Dublin.

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales of €8,824 million in FY21. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has developed through organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry, including: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard’s brands are distributed across 160+ markets and by its own salesforce in 73 markets. The Group’s decentralised organisation empowers its 19,000 employees to be true on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of “Créateurs de Convivialité.” As reaffirmed by the Group’s strategic plan, “Transform and Accelerate,” deployed in 2018, Pernod Ricard’s strategy focuses on investing in long-term, profitable growth for all stakeholders. The Group remains true to its three founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a strong sense of ethics, as illustrated by the 2030 Sustainability and Responsibility roadmap supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), “Good times from a good place.” In recognition of Pernod Ricard’s strong commitment to sustainable development and responsible consumption, it has received a Gold rating from Ecovadis. Pernod Ricard is also a United Nation’s Global Compact LEAD company.

Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN Code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 and Eurostoxx 50 indices.

[1] Irish Distillers’ Results for the year ending 30^th June 2021

Our latest auction will end very soon. For the benefit of our first time bidders, this is how it works:

From 7pm UK time the software has been monitoring activity on the site, and at an unspecified time it will shut down the auction. This feature has been designed to beat sniper software.

In our experience it is some time after 9.00pm before the auction ends.

If you are looking to collect the bottles from the office please note that we are now operating an appointment only system. Appointments are available from 10am-7pm Monday-Friday. You can book online when you select bottles for collection from your ‘My Collection’ within your account. Please note bottles must be paid for before they are transferred automatically into ‘My Collection’

We hope you have enjoyed the auction.

Kind regards from Glasgow,

The SWA Team.

View Auction