In the last Malt Messenger, I shared the good news that our new entrance was nearly completed and that we’d finally be able to pull the store back together. That was sadly a tad premature… We are still at the mercy of supply constraints, and waiting on a pair of security gates… so the saga continues!

But we are rolling with it, and whether the work is done in time or not, we are pushing ahead with our Surprise Summer Sale this coming weekend! Almost everything in-store will be on sale, but there will be a focus on products where we have just a little too much volume. Thanks to the feast-to-famine conditions of supply chains right now, we have been inundated with stock over the last few months. Our warehouse is full to bursting, and we need your help to thin it out a little!

The Surprise Summer Sale runs Friday, August 26 through Sunday, August 28 in-store and online only. A separate Malt Messenger highlighting all of the deals will go out Friday morning!

In case you missed it, and I don’t think many of you have, we launched our GlenAllachie 2006 KWM Cask exactly 20 days ago, and in that time more than 400 of the 686 bottles have sold… at this pace the remainder won’t last long!

Online ordering and in-store purchasing are always our preferences, but if you must, feel free to send me an order by email.

As always, in the event of a discrepancy in price, the point of sale at KWM will be taken as correct.

Sincerely,

Andrew Ferguson

Kensington Wine Market

In This Edition

1. SAVE THE DATE: Summer’s Over Warehouse Sale!

2. In Case You Missed It: Our GlenAllachie 2006 KWM Cask Is Here: And 60% of the Bottles Are Sold!

3. Holyrood Spirits Merchants Blow Out

4. New Tastings

5. Other Upcoming Tastings

SAVE THE DATE: OUR SURPRISE SUMMER SALE IS THIS WEEKEND!

AUGUST 26-28 IN-STORE & ONLINE

Surprise, we’re having a sale… we typically have a storewide sale in August, but the date changes from year to year, just to keep you on your toes. Almost everything in-store will be on sale, with the exception of some new arrivals, like our many new KWM casks.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

OUR GLENALLACHIE 2006 KWM CASK

IS HERE… AND 60% OF THE BOTTLES ARE SOLD!

Our first cask of GlenAllachie arrived in-store a little over a week ago. I could tell you that we intentionally held this newsletter, and my tasting note back to coincide with our virtual launch tasting this Saturday with Ronan Currie, but that would be stretching the truth more than a little. The truth is I’ve been more than a little preoccupied with other things, and I know many of you are in summer mode, and probably not daydreaming as much about whisky as you are most of the year. That hasn’t stopped you from buying it. In just 9 days, close to 1/3 of the whisky has sold.

Distilled in 2006 it has been bottled from an Oloroso Sherry Puncheon (cask 4785) at 15 years of age and 59.2%. 686 bottles!

GlenAllachie 2006 KWM Cask – 59.2% – 15 Year – Oloroso Sherry Puncheon – My Tasting Note: “Nose: it is an unapologetic sherry bomb right from the popping of the cork; loaded with dark fruits: raisins, dates and figs in syrup; classic old-school Christmas cake notes, dark chocolate and warm sticky toffee pudding in treacle sauce; leathery and earthy with some Cuban cigars and Aussie licorice; After Eights. Palate: rich, warming and spicier than expected; more juicy raisins, dates and figs; the oak spices are dark, toasty and decadent; more Aussie licorice with Goodies and candied fennel; the oak is musty with prominent dunnage notes and hand-rolled Cuban cigars; Manuka honey, dark milk chocolate and more After Eights; the Christmas cake and sticky toffee pudding are still there, with the latter drowning in French vanilla ice cream and drizzled with treacle sauce; finally some nutty tones at the back end. Finish: long, rich, warming and spicy with fading fruits, chocolate, and syrup; elegant, flawless sherry tones. Comment: this is proof positive of what we all knew Billy Walker could do with GlenAllachie; when his consortium bought GlenAllachie I said he was going to GlenDronach GlenAllachie, but I think he might even outdone those expectations; this is unquestionably a finish, but it is so well done, and so much more heavily sherried than most of even the best GlenDronach single casks from the glory days in the late 20000s and early 2010s; what a privilege to be able to put our name on something this good… I only hope we’ll get to do it again!” – $182

HOLYROOD SPIRITS MERCHANTS BLOWOUT!

ON SALE BEFORE THE SALE!

Holyrood Distillery is the brainchild of Rob & Kelly Carpenter (pictured with David Robertson, Evan and Andrew), whom many of you will know are the owners of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada. Holyrood opened its doors in the summer of 2019 in a converted 180-year-old train shed in Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park neighbourhood.

Located a short walk from the city’s famous Royal Mile, at the foot of Arthur’s Seat, Holyrood has been laying down casks of whisky for over a year now. While supplies last, all Holyrood products are 30-35% off!

Whisky

The whiskies are all 700mls, created by the team at Holyrood whisky to help tell their story, while their own whisky comes of age.

1. Holyrood Spirits Merchant Fruity Blended Malt Scotch – A Campbeltown Blended Malt created to highlight a “fruity” profile. – Was $60 – SAVE 30% – Now $42

2. Holyrood Spirits Merchant Smoky Blended Malt Scotch – A peated Blended Malt Scotch whisky, created to emphasize it’s “smoky” profile. Was $60 – SAVE 30% – Now $42

3. Holyrood Spirits Merchant Spicy Blended Malt Scotch – A Blended Malt Scotch whisky created from single malts matured in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks. Was $60 – SAVE 30% – Now $42

4. Holyrood Spirits Merchant Sweet Single Grain Scotch – A mystery Single Grain Scotch Whisky which was finished in Alligator Heavy Char Barrels. Bottled at 46%. – Was $60 – SAVE 30% – Now $42

NEW TASTINGS

Our Fall Tasting Schedule is coming soon, but in the meantime, here are a few events to entertain and delight you!

WATERFORD WHISKY WITH MARK REYNIER 

·     Date: Friday, September 16

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $35

·     This is an in-person tasting!

Mark Reynier’s Waterford Distillery is one of the new generation of Irish distilleries and has been making waves in the whisk(e)y world even before its first few releases hit the market a few years ago. Thanks to Waterford’s terrior and single farm-driven approach, the distillery’s first whisky releases have received acclaim from critics and consumers alike. Mark Reynier is finally able to join us in Calgary for a tasting in-store, where we will taste our way through seven different bottlings from Waterford including the Organic Gaia and The Cuvée. Due to time constraints, this tasting is limited to one seating with only 20 spots available, so it is likely to see out quickly!

Friday, September 16th at 7 PM.

OTHER UP-COMING TASTINGS

BOURBON BONDED – 100 SHADES OF PROOF 

·     Date: Friday August 26

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $50

·     Pick-Up Date: Ready Now!

·     Only 4 spots left!

Bonded Bourbon isn’t just a kink – it is a lifestyle! Time to get down and dirty as we explore ties that bind Bottled in Bond American Whiskey history. Prepare to get spanked a bit by these 50% ABV offerings and learn how not to get embarrassed explaining it to friends. All experience levels are welcome – but make sure to have your safe word on the tip of your tongue and ready in case things get a little out of hand.

Bonded experts Evan and Harmony will help you discover the intricacies of Bottled in Bond whiskies, why they are so important and why they came into being way back at the end of the 1800s. The duo will lead you blind through the selected lineup so that all have a chance to let go of our preconceived notions and inhibitions. Who knows – maybe we will even discover some new favourites and learn something about ourselves along the way!

WHISKY – AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 MINUTES 

·     Date: Thursday, September 1

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $40

·     Pick-Up Date: Ready by July 20!

·     Virtual Tasting

Okay – the name is a bit of a fib because we all know KWM has never finished a whisky tasting in only 80 minutes. We don’t plan on changing who we are today – the fun play on words in the title was just too hard to resist! Join Harmony and Evan on a quest ’round this giant blue ball we all reside on.

The goal of this expedition? To explore how single malts fare when made outside of Scotland. Single Malts are synonymously known for being made in Scotland but there is no rule saying they can’t be made in other countries. Let us stamp our whisky passport as we discover 8 exciting Single Malts made from other lesser-known regions of the world – all from the comfort of your own home!

SMWS SEPTEMBER 2022 VIRTUAL OUTTURN TASTING 

·     Date: Wednesday, September 7

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $45

·     Pick-Up Date: Ready Now!

·     Virtual Tasting

Log in, pour your drams and join us from home, the cottage, or work… for the September 2022 Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada Virtual Outturn Tasting. The KWM team will be your guide as you sample through an exciting range of 7 new, never-before sampled SMWS whiskies. Wednesday, September 7, 7 PM.

You don’t have to be a member to attend, that is unless you’d like to buy a bottle or two! More membership info here!

SMWS SEPTEMBER 2022 IN-PERSON OUTTURN TASTING 

·     Date: Thursday, September 8

·     Time: 6 PM

·     Cost: $55

·     Pick-Up Date: Ready by July 20!

·     In-Person Tasting

While we are not likely to ever go back to offering 4 back to back SMWS tastings every month, we will be offering at least 1 or 2. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada’s September Outturn tasting will feature new, never before featured whiskies. The range will be the same as the virtual tasting the night before but will also include nibbles from our friends at Peasant Cheese, and the comradery that can only come from 20 SMWS Members in our tasting room. Please note we will not be holding back stock of the Outturn bottles specifically to purchase for this in-person tasting, though there will likely be bottles of most whiskies still available. Thursday, September 8, 6 PM.

You don’t have to be a member to attend, that is unless you’d like to buy a bottle or two! More membership info here!

FREE DELIVERY

We are proud to offer Free City Wide Delivery on all orders over $100 Monday-Friday! Orders under $100 are subject to a flat rate $10 delivery fee.

CURBSIDE PICKUP

Physical distancing is made easy with curbside pickup. Order online or by phone, wait for confirmation your order is ready then call us when you are parked in the back or out front. Be sure to let us know what your vehicle looks like!

403-283-8000

888-283-9004

Regular Store Hours

Mon-Wed 10 AM – 8 PM

Thurs & Fri 10 AM – 9 PM

Sat 10 AM – 8 PM

Sun 11 AM to 6 PM