New lines added to our Price Drop…
As some of the deals will start to expire, we have added a handful of new deals to the Price Drop. View the full line-up below for a tasty selection. Bag a bargain, or two…once they’re gone, they’re gone!
🔥 Free delivery over £75 🔥
Peated Malt Distilled at Tobermory Distillery
Ledaig (Tobermory) 20 Year Old
Selected exclusively for the United Kingdom market for the Connoisseurs Choice series.
Single refill sherry butt bottled May 2022. Expect stewed red fruit flavours, to cocoa powder, orange zest and a spicy finish with smoke, aniseed and toffee
Ledaig 20 Year Old 2001 vintage Island single malt Scotch whisky distilled at Tobermory distillery. Single refill sherry butt #285 bottled May 2022 for the United Kingdom market by Gordon & MacPhail for the Connoisseurs Choice series. 498 bottles. Bright apple and autumunal spice aromas gve way to brown sugar. Stewed red fruit flavurs lead to cocoa powder and orange zest. Full spicy finish with smoke, aniseed and toffee.
Buy – Ledaig 20 Years – £160 / $160* / €157*
Tobermory Distillery was established by John Sinclair in 1798 and is situated in the harbour town of Tobemory on the Isle of Mull off the west coast of Scotland. Equipped with four stills fitted with unusually twisted lyne arms to create a light and fruity Tobermory malt spirit. The distillery produces an unpeated single malt whisky called Tobermory and a peated single malt whisky called Ledaig. In addition to the core range which includes the Lediag 18 Year Old some excellent young aged Ledaig is available from independent bottlers including Signatory.
BOWMORE TASTING
Bowmore it is smoke, reminiscent of beach bonfires, mingles with a distinctly saline note, flowers, cereal, citrus and underneath a touch of tropical fruit. It is this character which, when matured in refill casks for a long period of time, becomes the primary aroma, the peat seemingly disappearing completely.
A significant percentage of the make is aged in ex-Sherry butts which take Bowmore off in another direction – one of dark fruits, chocolate, coffee, citrus and smoke.
The extensive range picks and chooses between these extremes. A significant percentage of the distillery’s whisky is matured on the island, with the distillery’s No.1 Vaults being have the most extraordinary microclimate, with the sea and temperature influencing the whiskies that are stored in the Vault, This chill, damp environment of the vault lies below sea and Loch Indaal, one wall makes up the town’s sea wall – is seen as ideal for long-term maturation.
The brand Ambassador David Miles will be taking us through the line-up below:
Bowmore 12yo
Bowmore 15yo
Bowmore 18yo
Bowmore 25yo
Summer 2022 Berry Bros. & Rudd has landed
Established in 1698, the famous Berry Bros. & Rudd wine and spirit merchants know a thing or two about whisky. And this Summer batch of independently bottled drams are truly stunning! We are intrigued by the Staoisha: a powerfully peaty 9-year-old dram from Bunnahabhain. Have a browse of each and see which ones take your fancy.
Saturday, September 10th, 1 PM – 5 PM
Local Spirits: Glyph Molecular Whiskey
Come by for this spotlight tasting of Glyph Molecular Whiskey. the first whiskey made from the molecule up. To make Glyph, distillery Endless West begins by mapping out a desired flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel, then selecting the exact molecules from sources like fruit, citrus, yeasts, and sugars to build their spirit, eschewing traditional aging and distilling methods to create a delicious whiskey in record time. The results are then hand-bottled in the historic Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco, just a few miles away from The Whisky Shop.
(or email us at info@whiskyshopusa.com)
American single malt whisky is a growing category that I’m paying quite a lot of attention to.
Having had seen some rules for the establishment of rules for American single malt whisky, receiving this bottle was a surprise in itself. Shipping a whole bottle from North Carolina to the UK isn’t the easiest thing to do, and it’s something which I can now delve into over time. I’ve lived with all sorts of whisky for years, now I can add American singe malt to that list.
MIZUNARA CASK WHISKY REVEALED AS
SECOND RELEASE IN 50TH ANNIVERSARY SERIES
Prominent whisky maker Billy Walker marks astonishing milestone with
second release in commemorative Past, Present & Future Series
The GlenAllachie Distillery today announces the penultimate bottling in The Past, Present & Future Series as an ultra-rare Japanese cask finished Single Malt Scotch Whisky: The GlenAllachie Billy Walker 50th Anniversary Present Edition 16-year-old Mizunara Virgin Oak Cask Finish.
Launched in May, the landmark range honours foremost whisky master Billy Walker’s remarkable half-century-long career in the Scotch whisky industry, with each release symbolising a key milestone for the veteran blender.
The Present Edition is revealed today as a Mizunara Virgin Oak Cask Finish (UK RRSP 280), Walker’s first-ever use of the highly unusual oak species, representing the pioneering wood policy he is currently implementing at The GlenAllachie Distillery.
With a particular focus on experimenting with interesting and rare casks from small-scale, premium producers, the Speyside distillery’s annual cask budget for 2022 stands at an eye-watering 2 million (US $2.6m).
The ground-breaking 16-year-old underwent a lavish maturation journey beginning in rich Pedro Xim鮥z and Oloroso Sherry wood before being transferred into incredibly uncommon Mizunara virgin oak casks with a medium level of toasting and charring.
Mizunara is a very scarce species of Japanese oak rarely utilized in the whisky sphere due to its expense and the multitude of challenges it poses to production.
Its tendency to twist as it grows creates issues for stave production, and its porous nature – which on one hand is beneficial, allowing for greater interaction between whisky and wood – makes it much more inclined to leak during maturation, impacting the final outturn. Additionally, the trees must grow to be around 200 years old before being felled; twice the age of most oaks used for casks.
Following a luxurious two-step maturation journey, the consequential chestnut-hued single malt boasts indulgent notes of dark chocolate fondant, forest fruits, stem ginger and coconut shavings.
Due to the scarcity of Mizunara oak, the release is limited to just 2,900 bottles globally; each proudly presented at a high strength of 48% ABV, without added colouring or chill filtration.
Walker, who was inducted into Whisky Magazine’s prestigious Hall of Fame last year, has spearheaded The GlenAllachie Distillery since 2017. In that time, it has racked up enviable awards including the fiercely contested title of World’s Best Single Malt (World Whiskies Awards, 2021).
Commenting on his historic release, Walker said:
“As a Master Distiller, I’m regularly asked what proportion of the flavour profile of a whisky I attribute to the wood, to which I answer at least 70 per cent. As a chemist, I find supervising the flavour development of our whisky as it interfaces with interesting cask types truly fascinating. One thing I’ve absolutely learnt in the last 50 years is that there are no short cuts to achieving quality.
“I’m incredibly proud to release my first ever Mizunara virgin oak finished whisky; a cask type that has of course been on my radar to experiment with, not deterred by its undeniable challenges! I was confident that it would perfectly complement the bold nature of The GlenAllachie, and we’re delighted with the outcome. A very proud moment for a special personal milestone.”
The Present Edition joins the first release in the range, The Past Edition: 16-year-old 100% Sherry Matured Single Malt Scotch Whisky, released to great acclaim in May 2022.
The GlenAllachie Billy Walker 50th Anniversary Present Edition can be purchased through global specialist retailers, with a UK RRSP of 280.
ABOUT BILLY WALKER’S CAREER:
Graduating from the University of Glasgow in 1967 with a BSc Honours Degree in Chemistry, a youthful Billy Walker had the perfect foundations to enable him to build an intimate knowledge of the science behind whisky making and flavour development.
Billy’s whisky journey began in 1972 at Hiram Walker & Sons – the company behind Ballantine’s at the time – where his role covered almost all aspects of production. After four years, he moved on to Inver House Distillers, taking up the position of Master Blender in 1976.
Fast-forward to 1982, Billy joined Burn Stewart Distillers where he went on to spend two decades, most notably playing a key part in the resurrection of Deanston and Tobermory Distilleries. When the company was sold, an entrepreneurial Billy was left to decipher his next move.
The next twelve years saw him acquire BenRiach, GlenDronach and Glenglassaugh Distilleries, each of which were either mothballed, closed or under exposed to the market. It was at this point in his career where Billy truly made a name for himself within the industry, leading the brands’ rejuvenation and subsequent phenomenal success.
Billy’s next move was to his current position as owner and Master Distiller at The GlenAllachie Distillers Company, encompassing The GlenAllachie single malt, White Heather blended Scotch and MacNair’s Boutique House of Spirits. 2021 saw Billy delve into a new spirits category for the first time, releasing a new experimental rum line under the MacNair’s label; Exploration Rum.
It’s from this incredible record of success that Billy has earnt widespread acclaim and recognition for being one of the most prominent whisky figures of his generation.
ABOUT GLENALLACHIE:
One of Scotland’s few independently owned and managed distilleries, The GlenAllachie is led by industry veteran, Billy Walker, who boasts a 50-year tenure in whisky. With an emphasis on wood policy, The GlenAllachie’s cask budget for 2022 stands at an eye-watering 2m/$2.6m. With 16 on-site warehouses holding over 50,000 casks, we have complete control of the end-to-end maturation process.
The GlenAllachie focusses on quality over quantity, which is why we chose to reduce our production capacity from 4m to 500,000 Litres of Alcohol and increase our fermentation period to 160 hours for an ester rich, fruity spirit.
We believe age and integrity matter, which is why all our whiskies carry an age statement, and are bottled at a minimum of 46% ABV, natural colour and non-chill filtered for maximum flavour experience.
Our other brands are MacNair’s Boutique House of Spirits – encompassing Lum Reek Blended Malt Scotch Whisky and Exploration Rum – and White Heather Blended Scotch Whisky.
Further information on the distillery and company can be found at www.theglenallachie.com
Facebook – @TheGlenAllachie | Twitter – @TheGlenAllachie | Instagram – @theglenallachie_
TASTING NOTES:
The GlenAllachie 50th Anniversary Present Edition – Mizunara Virgin Oak Finish 16-year-old – 48% ABV
Taste: Waves of heather honey, cinnamon and crystalised ginger, followed by demerara sugar, dried dark berries, hazelnuts and fig syrup
Some people are well worth waiting for!
Over the next few weeks we will be announcing these relaxed additions to our program in newsletters and on social media, so watch this space!!
Bob, Klaas, Stan & Teun
It took us 12 years, but this year the very relaxed Kathrin Baltruschat is coming to Maltstock. Of course she will be bring some always realxed bottling from the Scotch Single Malt Circle. Maggie has been picking very nice casks for many years now.
Kathrin will be hosting a couple of “Drinks with…” sessions at Maltstock. Not to be missed!
…And a couple of old friends!!
Usualy we post a photo of the very relaxed Scottish breakfast we have at Maltstock. This we thought we’d show you the hard working crew of the Hielander Scottish Restaurant preparing that breakfast.
So even though it’s a new venue and new dates, we’ll still have the amazing relaxed Scottish breakfast by Wullie and his team.
Ok, last year they left their Mark through virtual session. This year Watt Whisky will be present live at Maltstock, for the first time representing Watt whisky live at Maltstock!! Hosting a couple of our very relaxed “Drinks with…” sessions.
Kate and Mark have been bottling some very relaxed whisky for drinkable prices. We love it!
Please check our website for more info on the venue: https://www.maltstock.com/venue-beusink
The venue we found had only one weekend still available in September. This means that this years Maltstock will be held from 23 to 25 September.
Get relaxed while you can!! Tickets are available from:
Looking forward to meeting you all!
“House Malt” Blended Malt 2012 Sherry Vintage 70cl 57.1%
This Blended Malt in the name (it’s ‘tea-spooned’, so 99.9% from a single distillery), this is a 2012 Sherry Vintage, aged entirely in a first-fill Spanish Oak Oloroso sherry butt. Distilled on the 4th of July 2012, it’s everything you would expect it to be, full of rich, dark fruit, roasted Arabica coffee, bitter chocolate, and toasted nutty old dunnage character. Another triumph from the House Malts’ offerings showcasing all we love about first-fill sherry and bottled at 100 ̊ proof (57.1%). Only 729 bottles were produced.
Waterford founder Mark Reynier is this issue’s cover star, as he discusses his lifelong mission to champion barley, and the role that land plays in creating flavour. Reynier has become somewhat of a religious figurehead in the whisky world thanks to his vast and exceptional experience, and this issue provides a fascinating insight into his brilliant character. Along with a tremendous feature on the Irish distillery, this issue also includes two Waterford whiskies in the tastings section.
We hope you enjoy this issue!
Christopher Coates
Editor, Whisky Magazine
