GLENFIDDICH TASTING

The story around the  building of Glenfiddich has the air of a Victorian fairy tale.

It was in 1886 that William Grant of Dufftown decided to leave his position as manager of Mortlach and start up on his own. He had saved assiduously and, fortuitously, was starting his project just as Elizabeth Cumming was revamping Cardhu and replacing her old small stills. Along with his wife and nine children, William built his distillery near to the Fiddich river by hand.

The first new make trickled from the stills Christmas Day, 1887.

Around the mid to late 1800’s more distilleries were founded in the area but not all managed to succeeded in the way Glenfiddich did and indeed still does, with a mass influx of brokers offering to bankroll the boom it’s no surprise so many failed, it was the determination and tenacity of William with his passion for whisky above all else that made the distillery thrive.

Whenever we try a glass of Glenfiddich we are drinking a piece of history.

Today, Glenfiddich remains the world’s best-selling single malt with sales more than a million cases a year.

The range has expanded to cover more ages and cask styles than ever before with incredible tastes from each vintage and style.

Alex Walker the Brand Ambassador for the Glenfiddich distillery will be taking us through the line-up below:

Glenfiddich 2009 Red Wine Cask Matured 63%

 Glenfiddich 2002 Light Sherry 60.8%

 Glenfiddich 12yo French Exclusive 40%

 Glenfiddich Grand Reserva 21yo 40%

 Glenfiddich Grand Cru 23yo 40%

 Glenfiddich Grande Couronne 43.8%

Buy Now

July 2022 Auction  29 July – 8 August

ENDS SOON: July Auction

A warm welcome to our July Auction. Featuring over 9,500 rare whiskies and fine spirits, this is a unique opportunity to bid on some of the world’s most sought-after bottles.

We have legendary vintages from pioneering independent bottlers, grandeur aplenty from established distilleries and unique and experimental drams from the hottest names in the whisky industry right now.

Browse the auction in its entirety and you may just discover one of your favourites, that elusive bottle you’ve been searching for or an amazing gift for someone special.

Prima and Ultima | First and Second Release

Exceptional Kingsbury Independent Bottlings

The Macallan Raffles Hotel Singapore

Rare and Collectible Glenfiddich

Cadenhead’s Curiosities

Interested in selling in our next auction? Fill out our Seller Form today.

 Welcome to this week’s episode of the show in which I’ll be taking a look at a selection of English whisky.

KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL® TOUR ADDS 21c MUSEUM HOTELS IN LOUISVILLE & LEXINGTON AS TOP-LEVEL SPONSORS

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Distillers’ Association announced today that 21c Museum Hotel’s original Louisville location is now joined alongside 21c Lexington as an official, top-level Barrel sponsor of the world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® adventure.

Andrew Carter, Area General Manager for both 21c Louisville and 21c Lexington, said partnership with the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® is a natural fit.

“We are honored to be an official sponsor of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour. We look forward to being a place for Bourbon travelers to recharge, refuel and reflect between tours,” Carter said. “This will also enhance our presence as a destination for Bourbon explorers and is a great way to collaborate with our local distilleries and the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.”

Located in the heart of downtown at 700 W. Main St., 21c Museum Hotel Louisville is the flagship property for the locally founded boutique hotel chain bolstered by world-class art collections and acclaimed chef-driven restaurants, including Lockbox in Lexington and Proof on Main in Louisville.

What began in 2006 as an effort by local preservationists and contemporary art collectors Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson to restore and revitalize their beloved hometown has since developed into an award-winning boutique hotel brand with properties across the country. Currently, there are nine locations with plans for more to come.

“21c Museum Hotels are well known in Kentucky and beyond for providing unique, elevated experiences for hotel guests, restaurant diners, locals and travelers alike interested in visiting the museum galleries,” said Mandy Ryan, Director of the KDA’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail® experiences.

“Visitors to the Bourbon Trail™ are always looking for ways to round out their trips to our legendary distilleries by choosing the best dining, accommodations, and attractions Kentucky has to offer,” Ryan continues, “and our partners at 21c deliver all three in spades.”

For more information about 21c Museum Hotels, go to www.21cmuseumhotels.com.

The hotels join the Butchertown Grocery Bakery, Campbell House Hotel, Independent Stave Co., Marriott Louisville East, Mint Julep Experiences, Pegasus Distillery Experiences, Seelbach Hotel and VisitLex as Barrel level sponsors.

There are eight KBT® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® distilleries in Louisville including, Angel’s Envy, Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, Michter’s at Fort Nelson, Old Forester, Rabbit Hole Distillery, Stitzel-Weller Distillery, Kentucky Peerless Distilling, and Copper & Kings Distillery. There are four KBT® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® distilleries in Louisville including, Town Branch Distillery, Barrel House Distilling Co., Bluegrass Distillers and James E. Pepper Distillery.

Louisville is an official Gateway of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and home to the Frazier Museum at 829 W. Main St. on historic Whiskey Row, which also serves as the KDA’s official Kentucky Bourbon Trail Welcome Center®. Lexington is an Official Trailhead to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®.

Kentucky Bourbon is one of the Commonwealth’s most historic and treasured industries, a thriving $9 billion economic engine that sustains more than 22,500 jobs. Bourbon-related tourism and hospitality jobs are vital to Kentucky’s economy.

Bourbon visitors took 1.5 million distillery tours in 2021 – down only 14% from the pre-pandemic record in 2019 of 1.72 million tours. Total attendance would have set a new record in 2021 if not for distillery closure and tour limits due to Covid.

The KBT Craft Tour® set their own record in 2021 clocking in over 600,000 distillery stops – that’s a 35% increase from the previous 2019 record.

Learn more at www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com.

About 21c Museum Hotels

21c Museum is a multi-venue museum located in nine cities. One of the largest contemporary art museums in the U.S., and North America’s only collecting museum dedicated solely to art of the 21st century, each property features exhibition space open free of charge to the public, combined with a boutique hotel and restaurant. It was founded in 2006 by Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson; philanthropists, preservationists, and collectors, committed to expanding access to contemporary art as a means of catalyzing revitalization and civic connection. 21c presents a range of arts programming curated by Museum Director, Chief Curator Alice Gray Stites, including both solo and group exhibitions that reflect the global nature of art today, as well as site-specific, commissioned installations, and a variety of cultural events. The organization collaborates on arts initiatives with artists and organizations worldwide, including Speed Art Museum, North Carolina Museum of Art, MASS MoCA, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, Creative Capital Foundation, Creative Time, and others.

For more information visit 21cMuseumHotels.com

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Distillers’ Association, the Bourbon Crusaders charitable organization and Bourbon curator Fred Minnick are joining forces again, this time to support recovery and rebuilding efforts from the catastrophic flooding in Eastern Kentucky.

The Kentucky Bourbon Benefit will feature an online auction of exclusive private barrel selection experiences, rare and vintage spirits, and unique tasting and tourism offerings from Kentucky’s signature distilling industry and hospitality and charitable partners.

“Kentucky’s Bourbon industry was there for our Western Kentucky families following the tornadoes, making the single largest donation to that relief fund – and now I am proud to see this industry stepping up once again to support our Eastern Kentucky families affected by the devastating flooding,” Gov. Andy Beshear said.

“I know this will make a tremendous impact for our people and I am grateful for the continued support.”

The partnership raised about $3.4 million in December during a similar auction to help ease suffering and restore hope for residents of Western Kentucky whose communities were ravaged by a tornado outbreak.

“We prayed that we’d never have to get this group together again in the face of disaster, but our friends, families and neighbors in Eastern Kentucky are braving through unspeakable tragedy and devastation,” KDA President Eric Gregory said. “It’s our duty as a signature industry to help.

“We were so impressed and humbled by the outpouring of support for Western Kentucky, and we hope that Bourbon aficionados and bidders show the same unparalleled generosity for the thousands of Eastern Kentucky residents who desperately need our assistance.”

The online auction will begin Thursday, Aug. 11, at noon EST and run until Sunday, Aug. 21, at 11 p.m. EST.  Go to www.kybourbonbenefit.com to view auction items and bid. Westport Whiskey & Wine in Louisville is coordinating collection and distribution of donated items.

All proceeds will go directly to the state’s official Team Eastern Kentucky Flood Relief Fund to assist those impacted by flooding.  The website to learn more or make a donation is https://secure.kentucky.gov/FormServices/Finance/EKYFloodRelief.

RJ Sargent, President of The Bourbon Crusaders, said, “The core purpose of the Bourbon Crusaders is to make a difference in the lives of others, and once again the state we love so much needs our help.

“When the tornadoes hit Western Kentucky last year, we joined the KDA and Fred Minnick to help raise over $3 million from our generous supporters. Now with the recent flood disaster, many more Kentuckians have had their lives upended. We are joining forces again and hope our friends will step up, too. The Bourbon community sticks together.”

Minnick said, “I wish we didn’t have to do this. But the Bourbon community deeply feels for their neighbors in Eastern Kentucky, as we did for the Western Kentucky tornado victims, and we will do everything within our power to ease the situation for the flood survivors.

“This is about our friends, family and neighbors. We must be there for them.”

Chris Zaborowski, owner of Westport Whiskey & Wine, said, “We were heartbroken to see the devastation brought to Eastern Kentucky with the recent flooding. We knew we wanted to team up with the KDA again to help raise the much-needed funds for our fellow Kentuckians.”

Gregory said many KDA members are once again offering private barrel experiences where Bourbon enthusiasts can personally taste and select their own one-of-a-kind barrel. Each barrel usually yields 150-200 bottles depending on age and proof.

Whiskey aficionados with the Bourbon Crusaders are raiding their collections and donating dozens of limited edition and single barrel expressions of Bourbon, rye and Scotch whiskies. Distillers also are donating rare bottles that disappeared from retailer’s shelves long ago.

Minnick, a best-selling author and expert on all things Bourbon, is using his renowned distilling and celebrity connections to reap a treasure trove of bottles, private experiences and memorabilia to fulfill any whiskey lover’s dream.

Kentucky distillers also are sending tanker trucks and totes of fresh water to Eastern Kentucky, along with contributing thousands of dollars to organizations and relief funds involved in the cleanup and recovery.

“We deeply appreciate the support of all our member distilleries and friends with the Bourbon Crusaders, Fred Minnick and the team at Westport Whiskey & Wine for their partnership in helping our fellow Kentuckians,” Gregory said.

“Bourbon is America’s native spirit and Kentucky is its birthplace. It’s our honor and obligation to step up and help our fellow Kentuckians in times of need. Thank you to everyone who is helping in the recovery and rebuilding efforts, and please continue praying for our beloved Commonwealth and its people.”

About the Kentucky Distillers’ Association 

Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is the historic voice for Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Its diverse and growing membership produces 90% of the world’s Bourbon, from legendary, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are fostering the next generation of the Commonwealth’s timeless craft and treasured economic engine. Member benefits include media relations, international trade development, private sampling events, technical assistance, economic development support, networking, legal defense, marketing strategies, governmental and regulatory advocacy and innovative tourism experiences through the KDA’s world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® adventures. The KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving. Learn more at www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com. 

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Whiskey Del Bac Releases New Limited Annual Expression Normandie

[Tucson, AZ, August 1, 2022] – Whiskey Del Bac will release Normandie, a new limited annual expression available in select markets on August 6, 2022. Normandie is Whiskey Del Bac’s Classic American Single Malt Whiskey, aged in charred, new American white oak barrels, then finished an additional 13 months in Calvados brandy barrels. The American single malt is named after the coastal region of Normandie (the French spelling), France, which is known for its creamy cheeses, rich seafood, and an abundance of apples and pears.

“The richness and culinary culture of Normandy reminded us of the culinary scene in our hometown of Tucson, a UNESCO City of Gastronomy,” said Whiskey Del Bac Co-Founder Stephen Paul. “Blending the bright apple flavors from these Calvados barrels with the earthy and caramel tones of our Classic American Single Malt to create this expression has been an adventure in whiskey making. We couldn’t be more happy with the way this expression turned out.”

Normandie is the second whiskey release included in the Whiskey Del Bac Global Cask Collection, which includes a total of three limited annual releases, all inspired by European regions. The first release – Frontera, finished in Pedro Ximénez Sherry botas – was inspired by the bold and complex sherry wines of Jerez de la Frontera. The third and final release from the Global Cask Collection, a heavily-mesquited Winter Release coming this December, is a Desert Southwest interpretation of the heavily-peated Islay Scotches. These expressions will be released at the same time each year moving forward.

Normandie’s Calvados finish with a base of Classic was formerly released as the Whiskey Del Bac 2018 Summer Distiller’s Cut that quickly sold out.

“Much like the response from the original sherry cask-finished Distiller’s Cut that then became Frontera, fans of Summer Distiller’s Cut 2018 were so enthusiastic about the Calvados finish we had to bring it back for the annual release of Normandie,” said Amanda Paul, Whiskey Del Bac Co-Founder.

Only 900 bottles of Normandie will be available at select restaurants and stores in national markets where Whiskey Del Bac is distributed including Arizona, New York, California, and Illinois. Spirit Hub will have a limited allocation for the 40 states that they deliver in. Bottles can also be shipped directly to the consumer in Kentucky. Arizona residents will also be able to purchase directly from the distillery onsite starting at 11:00 a.m. on August 6, 2022 or purchase online starting at 9:00 a.m. and have it shipped anywhere in the state. Normandie is bottled at 48.5% ABV/97 proof. The suggested retail price will be $90 a bottle.

Normandie’s tasting notes:

On the nose, you may find caramel-dipped apples, sour cherry, and dulce de leche.

On the palate, you may taste bright citrus, peppery notes across the mid-palate, and it finishes with short-but-sweet caramel and stone fruit.

The recommended serving for Normandie American single malt is with one large ice cube.

About Whiskey Del Bac

Whiskey Del Bac is a brand of American single malt whiskeys made by Hamilton Distillers. Based in Tucson, AZ, Whiskey Del Bac is best known for its mesquited American single malt, Dorado — which has been awarded a 90 rating by Whisky Advocate. Also popular is its award-winning single malt, Classic, which was included in Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 Spirits list in 2021. Known as innovators in southwestern whiskey by using mesquite smoke in the malting process, the Hamilton Distillers team releases other unique expressions seasonally under the Distiller’s Cut and Global Cask collection. The distillery is located in the heart of Tucson, AZ and is open for retail and tours. To learn more about Whiskey Del Bac and Hamilton Distillers, visit www.whiskeydelbac.com

VELVET FIG

Velvet Fig is a small-batch, hand crafted malt whisky that is full of deep rich fruit flavours, a velvety smooth mouthfeel and complex wood character. Aged in 9 first fill ex-sherry hogshead European oak casks of single malt and 6 first fill ex-sherry butt European oak casks of single malt, Velvet Fig gives notes of ripe figs, sultanas, milk chocolate, walnut and nutmeg.

Approx. 45% – Six Oloroso sherry hogsheads casks of Scotch single malt

Approx. 55% – Four ex-Oloroso sherry butt casks of Scotch single malt

All are carefully blended to create a smooth malt whisky with deep flavours of rich fruits and complex wood character which is bottled without chill-filtering and at 46% ABV. 

TASTING NOTES

COLOUR Dark gold

NOSE The nose is vibrant with red and black berry fruits, figs coated in milk chocolate with hints of marzipan and walnuts coated in toffee sauce.

PALATE Luscious fruit flavours such as ripe figs, Medjool dates, apricots and deeper fruit notes like raisin and sultanas. Milk chocolate spiced with nutmeg and ginger and yielding sweet chestnut and toasted walnuts in the finale.

FINISH Luxurious and complex wood flavours appear as cinnamon and pipe tobacco envelops the palate with endless subtle spice.

70cl | 46% ABV | £43.95

BUY VELVET FIG

Don’t Miss a Collectible Trophy Coveted Among Rye Fanatics
Wolves in Collaboration With Willett Family Estate “Batch 2” Cask Strength A Blend Of Straight Rye Whiskeys (750ml) ($289.99)
“…it easily delivers a similar quality experience to the coveted Willett single barrels I’ve tried.” — David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

In the realm of luxury, collectible rye whiskey, Willett sits at the absolute pinnacle of the pyramid as one of the most coveted (and expensive) names in the market. What’s a rye fanatic to do when a bottle of Willett single barrel will often cost you up to four figures? You turn to the remarkable collaborative bottlings from Wolves, a California-based distiller that first came to our attention with their inaugural release of this jaw-dropping blend of 6- and 7-year-old rye casks from the iconic Kentucky distillery. With a touch of older stocks from Indiana’s MGP distillery blended in, Batch 2 of the collaboration is a quintessential, cask-strength Willett expression that has already seen intense action from trophy hunters across the U.S. market. As a result, it’s now almost impossible to find, but we’ve secured enough supply to offer it out to our most committed rye collectors. K&L spirits buyer David Othenin-Girard declares, “it might just be better than any single cask on the market today,” and we’ve already moved through our allocation at quite a clip, which means anyone seeking the very best collectible treasures should act fast to add this to their stash while they can.

Wolves in Collaboration With Willett Family Estate “Batch 2” Cask Strength A Blend Of Straight Rye Whiskeys (750ml) ($289.99)

K&L Notes: The Wolves is a creative collaboration based in California. They’ve released several single malts with Marko Karakasevic of Charbay Distillery, but it’s this project with the Willett Family Estate that put them on the map. This is the second batch of this smash hit, which is similar to the first but older and bottled at cask strength. This whisky is made up of 6- and 7-year-old rye hand-selected by Willett Master Distiller, Drew Kulsveen. Using the 74% rye mashbill from Willett House A, South Rick 14, and House H, South Rick 6, the team deftly blends the exceptionally rare and well-regarded whiskey with older stocks distilled at MGP in Indiana. A bottle of single barrel Willett Rye in the 7-year range easily commands close to four figures, and this wonderful blend highlights the very best of these two special distilleries. Extremely limited and already sold out throughout the country, we’re very lucky to have received a significant allocation, but we’ve already sold most of it so don’t wait any longer if you’re on the fence.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: July 27, 2022

The craziest thing about Willett is how consistently unavailable it is. People go absolutely nuts for their single casks, but we haven’t seen a single cask in years. So, to get high-proof, aged Willett, you’ve got to pay secondary market prices, which in this day and age will run you a truly outrageous mark-up. Of course, this is neither single barrel nor all Willett, but it might just be better than any single cask on the market today. They’ve put a lot of thought into making this special dram. Let’s taste. The color is a vibrant tawny. The nose is full-on Willett rye, offering a gorgeous mixture of powerful pine sap, lacquer box, burnt orange peel, candied pecans, cinnamon apple candy, and earthy mineral character. On the palate, big, rich, toasted cinnamon, dense minty rye, sweet caramel-covered apples. This is a big boy and needs plenty of time in the glass. I think it easily delivers a similar quality experience to the coveted Willett single barrels I’ve tried and adds nuance through blending, which gives balance and character. Obviously this one is very expensive, but it will nonetheless be gone very soon. Enjoy it while you can.

New Irish whiskey

TEELING WHISKEY GINGER BEER CASK

A sweet and spicy Teeling single malt that has been finished in ex-ginger beer casks from Umbrella London. Master distiller Alex Chasko sent Teeling ex-bourbon casks to Umbrella to hold its feiry ginger beer for two years. Teeling’s whiskey was then finished in the casks for six months to create a rich dram led by notes of fresh ginger, rich molasses and sweet malt.

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GET READY FOR THE GATHERING

Assemble your whisky loving friends, your flavour enthusiasts or anyone you’d like to share a dram with. It’s time to celebrate the Gathering once again. Some events that you will not want to miss are now online. Make sure you book your tickets now to share a dram, all together now.

DISCOVER ALL OUR UK EVENTS

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