OLD PULTENEY ANNOUNCES NEW LIMITED EDITION COLLECTION INSPIRED BY COASTS AROUND THE WORLD

Old Pulteney is launching ‘The Coastal Series’, a collection which comprises four exciting new whiskies that have been matured in seaside casks

The first in the series is an expression created with Pineau des Charentes casks, from the Charente-Maritime region in France

The expression brings together the coastal flavours of an iconic French aperitif and the Maritime Malt

The Coastal Series is made up of four expressions, which will be released annually from 2022. 

Old Pulteney, The Maritime Malt, has today announced the introduction of a new collection of whiskies: The Coastal Series.

The Coastal Series brings drinkers on a worldwide voyage of exploration with Old Pulteney, with four limited edition expressions. To create the series, Old Pulteney has partnered with spirits makers from coastal locations around the world, further maturing its much-loved whisky in a specialist selection of casks and creating four beautifully unique, limited edition expressions that bring wonderful new coastal flavours to the ‘Maritime Malt’.

The Coastal Series launches with Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes, bringing flavours of the French coastline to The Maritime Malt. In new territory for the brand, Old Pulteney’s whisky is further matured in ex-Pineau des Charentes wine casks, carrying echoes of the iconic, sweet aperitif native to the Charente-Maritime region on the southwest coast of France, and intertwining them beautifully with the flavours of the North that Old Pulteney is known for.

Old Pulteney hails from one of the most northerly shores of the Caithness Coast, in rural Scotland. Matured by the sea, Old Pulteney casks breathe in the North Sea air year after year, leaving a distinctively briny taste that captures the essence of its

home. Matured in Wick, the whisky is influenced by coastal notes from the North Sea.

Taking on the same careful craftsmanship and process that goes into every expression, Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes is the most innovative cask maturation yet, offering a lighter, sweeter taste layered on the classic Old Pulteney base.

The whisky is first matured in traditional American oak casks, before further maturation in hand-selected ex-Pineau des Charente casks, created with French oak and carefully selected by Stuart Harvey, Master Blender. The whisky then slowly absorbs the delicious sweetness of the aperitif, resulting in a beautiful sweetness that perfectly complements Old Pulteney’s signature salty flavour saltiness, delivering a wonderful dram.

With sweet and light notes of candied oranges, warm spices and creamy vanilla, the expression replicates the warmth of sunny days at the coast. A lingering finish showcases notes of caramelised hazelnuts and ground spices, broadening in sweetness, and then drying ever so slowly towards a savoury finale of coastal minerality.

Presented in a stunning gold gift box that replicates the colour of golden sands with an intricate illustration of the French coastline, the expression will retail at £75 and will be available to purchase from 3rd October in the UK, France and Germany from The Whisky Exchange, Old Pulteney Visitor Centre and other specialist whisky retailers.

Malcolm Waring, Distillery Manager at Old Pulteney, said: “We’re very pleased to introduce Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes, the first in a new, exciting series by the brand. Old Pulteney’s past, present and taste is influenced by its home by the sea on the Caithness Coast,​ and The Coastal Series beautifully explores cask maturations that highlight wonderful expressions influenced by their global coastal homes.

“Our Pineau des Charentes expression is a beautifully light, fruity single malt that showcases both the flavours of our wonderfully matured spirit, but balanced with the rich sweetness of the Pineau des Charentes, resulting in a truly exquisite expression.”

For more information on Old Pulteney, and the Coastal Series, please visit OLD PULTENEY

About Old Pulteney:

Old Pulteney’s story, distillery, and whisky is shaped by the sea itself. The unique combination of brisk sea air and meticulous cask selection makes its flavour unlike other single malt Scotch whiskies.

The Coastal Series is a collection of whiskies that have been matured in seaside casks. The series is made up of four expressions, which will be released annually from 2022. The first expression to be launched is Old Pulteney Pineau des Charentes.

 

 

MONDAY 3rd October 2022 – 6:30pm – Soho

There are many distilleries in Scotland which started life as mills, but none of them had quite the scale of Deanston. This huge plant was constructed on the banks of the fast-flowing River Teith in 1785 by Richard Arkwright who used it as one of the sites for the development of the Spinning Jenny. It also had what was claimed to be the largest water wheel in Europe. It can claim to be one of the greenest distilleries in Scotland. All of its power is generated by a turbine house which processes 20 million litres of water an hour. Brendan McCarron will be coming down in this particular evening taking us through the line-up below:

Deanston Virgin Oak
Deanston 12 Years Old
Deanston 2000 Vintage organic
Deanston 2007 Calvados
He will also bring a special cask sample to share with all of you!

Buy Now

MONDAY 10th October 2022 – 6:30pm – Soho

Masataka Taketsuru was born in 1894 into a sake distilling family that resided in Hiroshima. In 1918, the young Taketsuru embarked on a trip to Scotland to learn about the process of making Scotch whisky. He was fascinated by whisky and was excited to learn more. He enrolled at the University of Glasgow, taking chemistry classes. He also apprenticed at multiple distilleries. These distilleries include Longmorn, Hazelburn, and James Calder.

Taketsuru met and married a Scottish woman named Rita, and in late 1920 the couple returned to Japan. In 1923 he signed a 10-year contract with Kotobukiya Limited (Suntory). This position saw him direct in the construction of Yamazaki, the first whisky distillery in Japan, and subsequently, become involved in the production of Yamazaki whisky.

Taketsuru left Kotobukiya in March 1934, and later in the year established his own company: Dai Nippon Kaju Co,. Limited (later Nikka). The company was based in Yoichi in Hokkaido. Yoichi Distillery started distillation in 1936. In 1940 the first Nikka Whisky was launched.

In this particular evening Nathan Shearer will be taking you through the history of Nikka and the different expressions that characterises the distillery.

Nikka Super
Nikka Coffey grain
Nikka Miyagikio
Nikka Yoichi
Nikka Taketsuru
Nikka Tailored

Buy Now

MONDAY 17th October 2022 – 6:30pm – Soho

The Glen Grant distillery is nestled in Scotland’s bucolic Speyside region. Rivers brim with cool, fresh water fed by hundreds of natural springs, and the fields boast the ideal conditions for growing barley. That is why Speyside is the undisputed champion of producing premium single malt Scotch whisky. The Glen Grant’s Scotch Whisky distillery is located in the northern end of the village of Rothes in Speyside. In this particular evening there will be Chris Dennis the BA for Glen Grant distillery, which will take us through the drams that characterise the distillery, the line-up is going to be:

Glen Grant 10years Old
Glen grant 12Years Old
Glen Grant 15years Old
Glen Grant 18Years old
Glen Grant 12years old non-chill-filter
Mystery dram from the distillery!

Glen Grant and their team has also organised an incredible ruffle for the evening, where the lucky person will be taking home a nice and special gift from the Distillery!

Buy Now

MONDAY 24th October 2022 – 6:30pm – Soho

The original distillery held a set of pot stills with rectifying plates in their necks (also known as Lomond stills), allowing different flavour streams to be produced. Expansion in 1990 saw a second pair of the same design being installed, before the distillery installed two continuous stills three years later in which to make its own grain whisky. Two ‘traditional’ swan neck pot stills were added in 1998, before an additional continuous still, set up to produce grain whisky from a 100% malted barley mash, was installed in 2007. With the recent addition of two more Lomond stills, Loch Lomond has the capability to produce 11 different distillates for its whisky brands (not including the spirit coming from Glen Scotia). Wine yeasts have also been used to help create different flavours. In many ways it is more akin to a Japanese approach to distilling than a Scottish one.

In this particular evening Gary mills will talk us through their expressions with a real breadth of flavours!

Loch Lomond Peated Single Grain 
Loch Lomond 12 Years Old
Loch Lomond 12 Years Old Inchmurrin
Loch Lomond 12 Years Old
Loch Lomond 14 Years Old
Loch Lomond 18 Years Old
And a special dram to finish of the evening direct from the distillery!

Buy Now

MONDAY 31st October 2022 – 6:30pm – Soho

Co-founders Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day first met in 2013 and formed R&B Distillers with the common goal of building Scotland’s leading artisanal distiller. Focusing on local production, provenance, quality and doing things differently. By 2015, they had identified the Isle of Raasay as providing the ingredients for the perfect dram, and planning permission to begin work revitalising the Isle of Raasay’s nineteenth century Borodale House into a state-of-the-art distillery, visitor centre, and luxury accommodation was granted in 2016. Starting with a blank sheet of paper, they set about designing a distillery to create exceptional whisky that develops elegance, complexity, and depth early on in the maturation process that encapsulates Raasay’s style, character and impressive geological variety. On the 31st of October we will be taking you through a journey of Single Cask Sample from the Raasay Distillery and the line-up will be the below:

Unpeated Ex-Rye Single Cask Sample – Cask Strength
Unpeated Chinkapin Single Cask Sample – Cask Strength
Unpeated Ex-Bordeaux Single Cask Sample – Cask Strength
Peated Ex-Rye Single Cask Sample – Cask Strength
Peated Chinkapin Single Cask Sample – Cask Strength
Peated Ex-Bordeaux Single Cask Sample – Cask Strength

Buy Now

EAT, SLEEP, DRAM, REPEAT

Come and immerse yourself in all things Springbank, Kilkerran and Cadenhead’s in our exciting new whisky experience: Eat, Sleep, Dram, Repeat!*

Encompassing all three companies under the J&A Mitchell banner, this new experience invites guests to spend three nights in our guesthouse in Campbeltown. During your stay, you will have the opportunity to enjoy a Springbank blending session, a range of exclusive tastings, access-all-areas tours of each distillery and lots more.

*subject to availability

FIND OUT MORE

Springbank Distillers Ltd, 9 Bolgam Street, Campbeltown, Scotland, PA28 6HZ
http://experience.springbank.scot/
tours@springbank.scot

2005 Glenrothes 16 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single First Fill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml)

($109.99)

Our friends at Old Particular have come through with a barn-burner of an Exclusive Cask. From one of Scotland’s most famous blue-chip names, this 2005 Glenrothes single cask is a rarity to be coveted by any serious Scotch aficionado. Due to the distillery’s business model and brand philosophy, it’s quite an unusual occurrence to find a Glenrothes cask on the independent market, but it’s simply unheard-of these days to find one with this kind of age and in a top-quality, first-fill sherry butt, no less. Buyer David Othenin-Girard declares, “This is really the quintessential profile from this distillery.” Apart from being authentically Glenrothes, it’s just an eminently pleasurable whisky by its mind-boggling complexity (especially with a few drops) and its rich, decadent profile. David’s colleague Andrew Whiteley notes, “This is the kind of fun, middle-aged malt that really knocks your socks off and reminds you just how purely enjoyable Scotch is.” You’ll want to beat a quick path to securing your bottles, as we don’t expect to see the likes of this again any time soon.

ralfy review 946 Extras – Some Bothy perspective.

This is just a subtle, ALL CAPS AND IN BOLD reminder that if you are interested in purchasing this year’s KWM Whisky Calendar and taking advantage of our Early-Bird pricing option, you only have until WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5th, 2022 to do so.

If you have already purchased your KWM 2022 Whisky Calendar or are not currently interested then you are free to sigh in relief and scroll further down the page and browse our upcoming virtual and in-store whisky tastings.

Cheers,

Evan

ENDING SOON! –

THE KWM 2022 WHISKY CALENDAR EARLY-BIRD OFFER

ENDING SOON!

THE KWM 2022 WHISKY CALENDAR EARLY BIRD OFFER

Pre-Pay Early Bird Special Offer ENDS OCTOBER 5TH!

Select this option if you wish to save $60 on the regular price of $460, by prepaying now in full (please note this cannot be combined with other offers or discounts). You will be charged $400+gst when we receive your order.

$400+gst

(no discounts)

EARLY BIRD PRICING OPTION ENDS ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5th, 2022!

The KWM Whisky Calendar, aka “25 Days of Dram Fine Whisky”, is back for the 9th straight year. Once again the calendar will have a fresh new look, which will be revealed in a few weeks’ time. This year’s calendar includes 24 50ml premium whiskies, a custom logo Glencairn glass, and a 100ml Scotch Malt Whisky Society whisky for Christmas Day. You can follow along with us on the KWM Blog starting December 1st or on one of our various social media channels as we introduce and discuss each day’s whisky. And there is more…

Because they were such a big hit the last two years, we will once again be hosting the Whisky Calendar Recap Tastings throughout the month of December. Purchasers and recipients of the KWM 2022 Whisky Calendar will be able to join us for any or all of the 5 virtual tastings on December 5, 10, 15, 20 and after Christmas on the 28th, at 7 PM MT. Each of them will cover the 5 previous day’s whiskies in the Calendar.

We always keep the exact whisky list a secret – there are too few surprises left in this life – but we can tell you this year’s Calendar includes 3 KWM exclusive casks, a couple of whiskies in their 20s, and more than a dozen distilleries and producers never before featured in any of our prior Whisky Calendars. We are confident that we have put together another fantastic Calendar this year, and we know you are going to love it!

Best of all, if you select the pre-pay preorder option, you will save $60! This option was very popular last year, and completely sold out 2020’s original production in just 2 weeks!

We anticipate the KWM 2022 Whisky Advent Calendars should be ready for pick up in early November. That is, so long as everything goes as planned, which, in the Post-Covid Era, you can never be 100% sure of. But we’ve planned accordingly, and ordered early from all of our suppliers!

UPCOMING TASTINGS

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

North & South Star Whisky with Iain Croucher

·     Date: Friday, September 30

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $30

·     This is an in-person tasting!

Iain Croucher, the man behind North Star and South Star whiskies, as well as the coming new Dál Riata Distillery in Campbeltown, is coming to town for the first time, so we are rolling out a fine range of malts. We’ll sample 8 expressions of North & South Star whisky, including the Blended Malt for Ukraine, a 13-year-old rather sherried GlenAllachie, and a 26-year-old Tobermory. A steal for $30.

Friday, September 30 @ 7PM.

SMWS October 2022 Virtual Outturn

·     Date: Wednesday, October 5

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $55

·     This is a VIRTUAL TASTING!

Log in, pour your drams, and join us from home, the beach, or the woods for the October 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, October 5, 7 PM.

*Active SMWS Members will Save $10 on one set of samples for the tasting. For the $10 discount, individual SMWS members must register independently. The price will not show online when you submit but will be adjusted when we review and process the order.

Wednesday, October 5th @ 7 PM

SMWS October 2022 In-Person Outturn 6 PM

·     Date: Thursday, October 6

·     Time: 6 PM

·     Cost: $60

·     This is an in-person tasting!

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada’s October 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, October 6 @ 6 PM.

 

Amrut Whisky with Ashok Chokalingam

·     Date: Friday, October 7

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $55

·     This is an in-person tasting!

Our friend Ashok is returning to Calgary for the first time in a number of years and we are thrilled to have him in store for an in-person tasting. A lot has changed since we last saw Ashok, he is now Amrut’s Distillery Manager. We will sample 7 Amrut expressions, including, if the stars align, a special treat.

Friday, October 7th @ 7 PM

OLD first MALT edition CASKs

·     Date: Tuesday, October 11

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $50

·     Virtual Tasting

Now that’s a mouthful, isn’t it? Excuse the cheek, but we feel this is going to be an awesome tasting! We’ve recently received a curious new range of Old Malt Cask and First Edition whiskies from our friends at Hunter Laing. The tasting will include 7 single cask whiskies from Ben Nevis, Glenburgie, Highland Park, Jura, Linkwood, Miltonduff, and Royal Lochnagar. All in all, we will dabble in 141 years of single malt Scotch whisky.

Tuesday, October 11th @ 7 PM

KWM Casks Bruichladdich Cask Launch – In-Store Tasting

·     Date: Thursday, October 13

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $50

·     This is an in-person tasting!

We’ve somehow managed to keep a lid on the fact that we have had a new KWM exclusive Bruichladdich cask quietly slumbering up at our warehouse for months. Thanks to our favourite Bogyman – “Supply Chain Issues” – we have received no fewer than a dozen single casks in the last 3 months; a typical year’s worth. One of the last of the dozen casks to arrive, we made the decision to hold the Laddie back for a Fall release to give some of our other casks a chance to shine. In addition to being the first consumers to sample our new Bruichladdich cask, tasting participants will also have the opportunity to sample our prior Bruichladdich cask and a selection of 5 other recent KWM single cask bottlings. If history is any guide, this Bruichladdich cask won’t last long. So the icing on the cake for those who attend our virtual or in-person tasting is that they will have an opportunity to purchase a bottle a week before any other consumers!

Thursday, October 13th @ 7 PM

KWM Casks Bruichladdich Cask Launch – Virtual Tasting

·     Date: Friday, October 14

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $40

·     Virtual Tasting

Same as above, but Virtual. From the comfort of your own home!

Friday, October 14th @ 7 PM

Shelter Point Returns with Chris Read

·     Date: Tuesday, October 18

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $20

·     This is an in-person tasting!

One of our favourite Canadian Distilleries, Shelter Point, has been on a bit of a hiatus from Alberta in recent months. Now they are coming back, and in fine form too, with new whiskies, a new brand ambassador, and a new importer. Brand Ambassador Chris Read will be our guide as we sample through 7 Shelter Point whiskies, including the soon-to-be-released Evans Family Reserve, and Shelter Point 10 Year.

Tuesday, October 18th @ 7 PM

Rye Not Rye? Virtual Tasting

·     Date: Tuesday, October 20

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $40

·     Virtual Tasting

If all you know of Rye is Crown Royal, we are sorry (mostly because we believe Rye Whisky should actually contain…well…rye; absurd, right?). Rye is making a comeback and as a city that is home to one of the best Rye producers in the world, we are not strangers to good old-fashioned (not the cocktail) near-100% Rye whiskies. Luckily more and more people are jumping on the rye train and the flavours are vastly different even if the mash bills are the same. Canada has very loosey-goosey rules when it comes to what makes Canadian Rye Whisky, other countries have more firm rules on how Rye Whisky can be made and we want to share those with you. Harmony and Evan are proud to present a lineup of near-100% Rye-based whiskies that are sure to knock your boots off.

Tuesday, October 20th @ 7 PM

Glenfarclas KWM 30th Anniversary Tasting with Deborah Stewart – 6 PM & 8 PM

·     Date: Tuesday, October 25

·     First Seating Time: 6 PM

·     Second Seating Time: 8 PM

·     Cost: $40

·     These are both in-person tastings!

Glenfarclas’s Deborah Stewart will be our special guest as we celebrate the launch of our Glenfarclas 1992 KWM 30th Anniversary Family Cask with an incredible vertical tasting. We will sample the Glenfarclas 15, 21, 25, 30, and 40-year-olds, as well as the KWM Cask Strength 21 Year and our new 1992 Family Cask. In all, 181 years of liquid history for just $40!!!

Tuesday, October 25th @ 6 PM andTuesday, October 25th @ 8 PM

Kinda Rare & Old Whiskies: 20 is the new 30

·     Date: Wednesday, October 26

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $150

·     Virtual Tasting

You should know the drill by now: the big man has identified a range of whiskies he wants to taste, and the range is unlikely to disappoint. This time around we have a range of 8 whiskies: 6 in their twenties and 2 in their early thirties. We have a trio of old Edradours, a pair of Millstones distilled in the 1990s, a Gordon & MacPhail Miltonduff from 1989, and OB single casks of BenRiach (1997) and GlenDronach (1990). In total, you’ll enjoy just shy of 200 years worth of single malt whisky!

Wednesday, October 26th @ 7 PM

Bog v. Bodega: Peat Monsters & Sherry Bombs

·     Date: Thursday, October 27

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $80

·     This is an in-person tasting!

Peat and sherry are unquestionably the big guns in the whisky world. While these are arguably the most polarizing styles of whisky out there, they’re also far and away the most in demand. The theme for this tasting is elegantly simple: dark-sherried beauties meet bold smoky beasts. From the bodegas of Jerez to the peat banks of Scotland, we’ll work our way through some of the most intense flavours on the spectrum. Though not a tasting for the faint of heart, Curt has pulled together some special bottles for this range!

Thursday, October 27th @ 7 PM

Boutique-y North-West Euro Express w/ Dave Worthington

·     Date: Saturday, October 29

·     Time: 5 PM

·     Cost: $50

·     Virtual Tasting

Can you think of a better way to spend an early Saturday evening in October than geeking out on whisky with Boutique-y Dave and the KWM crew? We have selected 8 whiskies for the tasting, released as a part of Boutique-y’s North-West Euro Express. The range highlights single malts, ryes, and a buckwheat spirit (that can’t legally be called whisky) from North West European Distilleries. We’ll be sampling drams from Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, and Switzerland.

Saturday, October 29th @ 5 PM

Glenfarclas Family Casks 2021 – The 1990s

·     Date: Tuesday, November 1

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $100

·     Virtual Tasting

On the one hand, this tasting was a great opportunity for us to feature our new Glenfarclas 1992 KWM 30th Anniversary Family Cask… But it also has the added benefit of allowing us to sample some of the amazing Summer 2021 Glenfarclas Family Casks we received in the Spring. There were too many to fit into one tasting, so we broke them down into the 1990 and the 2000s. This tasting will feature the following S21 vintages: 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1996, and 1998; as well as our own exclusive 1992 cask.

Tuesday, November 1st @ 7 PM

Elixir Distillers Single Casks w/ Celine Tetu

·     Date: Friday, November 4

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $50

·     This is an in-person tasting!

Elixir Distillers has become one of our best partners in recent years, and they keep feeding us some absolutely amazing single casks. The most recent batch was selected in the Winter or Spring of 2021, but due to all the challenges around logistics these days, they only just arrived in the late Spring! We did a version of this tasting in the summer with Elixir Distiller’s Celine Tetu, and now she’s coming to town, so we’ll feature the same range in-store. Guests will sample 7 Single Malts of Scotland bottlings, with 6 of them being cask strength, single cask whiskies. Participants will try the 4 most recent KWM casks: Ardmore 11 Year, Glenburgie 22 Year, Imperial 22 Year, and Mannochmore 13 Year, and 3 others: Ben Nevis 1997, Linkwood 11 Year, and Reserve Casks Glencadam 10 Year.

Friday, November 4th @ 7 PM

…By Any Other Name: Secret Whiskies from Not So Secret Distilleries

·     Date: Tuesday, November 8

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $40

·     Virtual Tasting

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

A little bit of Romeo and Juliet for you, folks. But what is in a name? We sorta think that’s a topic for group discussion. And a discussion is almost always more enjoyable over a few drams (this is incontrovertible truth). There are a few distilleries in Scotland that are very protective of their brand. There are others that simply produce a handful of in-house styles under different names. In both cases, we often find labels that make us second-guess our distillery knowledge. For this event, we’ll be tasting a few very well-known distilleries bottled under some very different names. We’ll tell some stories and maybe even speculate a bit in some cases. Join us for an evening of sipping, sleuthing, and secret revealing. Curt was really excited about this range, and we can assure you it won’t disappoint.

Tuesday, November 8th @ 7 PM

Fall Single Malt Festival – Night 1 & Night 2

·     Date 1: Tuesday, November 10

·     Date 2: Tuesday, November 24

·     Time: 7 PM to 9 PM

·     Cost: $75

·     This is an in-person festival tasting!

As we did in the Spring for our 30th Anniversary, we are offering two more-or-less identical Fall Single Malt Festivals, two weeks apart, both for a moderately smaller crowd than usual, to give as many of our whisky friends as possible a chance to attend. There will be up to 100 whiskies to sample, and the price includes a 30th Anniversary KWM logo glass. As always, our neighbour Peasant cheese will be lining your stomachs with delicious cheese, charcuterie, sausage rolls, and other treats! Both Festivals are limited to 80 participants and we are asking people to only register for one date or the other, not both, out of respect for other customers.

Thursday, November 10, 7 PM – 9 PM & Thursday, November 24, 7 PM – 9 PM.

Boutique-y Cool & Unusual Whisky w/ Dave Worthington

·     Date: Saturday, November 12

·     Time: 5 PM

·     Cost: $70

·     Virtual Tasting

This will surely be one of the most fun ranges we sample with Boutique-y Dave. It includes 4 recently release That Boutique-y Whisky Co. Blends at 22, 32, 42 and 52 years of age! The last one is a real curiosity, as having fallen below 40% it isn’t legally whisky… but it will be interesting to try! To round out the lineup we are adding Ledaig 21 Year, Allt-A-Bhaine 23 Year, and a teaspooned presumably Glen Scotia 24 Year. 216 years of liquid history, with one of the industry’s most entertaining hosts!

Saturday, November 12th @ 5 PM

Glenfarclas Family Casks 2021 – The 2000s

·     Date: Tuesday, November 15

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $65

·     Virtual Tasting

No, we won’t be sampling the KWM 30th Anniversary Family Cask in this session, but we still have an incredible lineup of Glenfarclas single casks. We held back a bottle each of some of the highlights from the Summer 2021 Glenfarclas Family Cask releases. In this session, we’ll sample bottlings from 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006.

Tuesday, November 15th @ 7 PM

Kinship Collection 2021 +1

·     Date: Tuesday, December 6

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $225

·     Virtual Tasting

Who doesn’t love old Islay malts? We bought a couple of sets of the 2021 Kinship Collection from Hunter Laing because we knew we were going to want to open one for a tasting. The set consists of:

Ardbeg 19 Year, Bowmore 33 Year, Bruichladdich 29 Year, Bunnahabhain 31 Year, Caol Ila 40 Year, and Laphroaig 23 Year. But that’s only 6 whiskies, and we like to have at least 7 at our tastings, so we are tossing in a lovely sherried First Edition Laphroaig 14 Year to round out our range. Join the KWM team as we sip our way through 189 years of Islay glory!

Tuesday, December 6th @ 7 PM

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

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Thurs & Fri 10 AM – 9 PM

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Sun 11 AM to 6 PM

NEW 18 YEARS OLD MARKS FETTERCAIRN’S

FIRST EVER SCOTTISH OAK RELEASE

Landmark moment for progressive whisky making

First release from Scottish Oak Programme, led by pioneering whisky maker Gregg Glass

First-ever 18-Year-Old latest innovation for the relaunched Fettercairn, which will be an annual release

First Fettercairn Scottish Oak Release with complete finish in Highland Scottish Oak

Fettercairn distillery today announced the arrival of a new dawn in its progressive whisky making with the launch of its inaugural 18 Years Old single malt and its first ever whisky finished in locally sourced Scottish Oak. The culmination of years of planning and innovation, Fettercairn 18 Years Old is the very embodiment of Fettercairn’s commitment to the future and to its local communities.

Fettercairn 18 Years Old has been realised from a refined marriage of American White Oak casks with an exceptionally hand-crafted finish in 100% Scottish Oak, sourced from the Scottish Highlands.  Progressive and innovative in style and substance, this whisky celebrates what makes Fettercairn different – from the surprisingly tropical -house style achieved by the distinctive copper cooling ring distillation; to their future focused, innovative approach to local sourcing and working with the land in Aberdeenshire – ‘The Garden of Scotland’.

Bottled perfect to be enjoyed at 46.8%, natural in colour and non-chill filtered, this single malt showcases a meticulous approach to cask management and whisky making.   With a character defined by richness and depth, it plays on mature fruit flavours, toasted oak, fresh patisserie aromas and rich mouthfeel with soft spice balances cacao and berry fruits.

Gregg Glass, Master Whisky Maker, explains: “Fettercairn 18 is a culmination of an approach to whisky making I have developed across a number of years. This first release reflects the dedication not just of myself, but of our partners ‘from Forest to Field’, who each played a role in rekindling the skills required to harvest Scottish Oak. At Fettercairn we are passionate about the potential of Scottish Oak and the unique flavour characteristics it offers to the whisky maker.”

Brought to life through our ground-breaking Scottish Oak programme and calling on a 100% finish in Scottish oak sourced from the Scottish Highlands, this whisky represents a long-term vision coming to life.  Born from an initiative which extends far beyond cask production to the creation of a circular economy and the future-proofing Scottish Oak for the next generation of whisky makers. 

www.fettercairnwhisky.com

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TASTING NOTES

Colour: Golden amber

Nose: Sugared almonds, baking spices and tropical sweetness of passion fruit and guava

Taste: Exotic syruped fruits, patisserie sugars, brioche and spices with soft hints of berry fruits

Finish: Soft spice, cacao and natural vanilla

About Fettercairn 

Driven by a progressive ethos at the heart of our distilling philosophy since 1824, today Fettercairn Distillery lives by a long-standing commitment to unfettered thinking.

We’re not like other distilleries and we’ve never been afraid to tread our own path.  It’s only by defying convention, tradition and expectation, we can adopt an enlightened and progressive approach.

Take our cooling ring, our home grown Scottish oak and single estate whiskies, the special collaboration with 200 local farmers, the Warehouse 2 Collection. And not forgetting the unicorn on our bottle!

Our vision is future facing, so we don’t need to look back to move forward.  But ultimately, all of this leads to an unwavering commitment to a prosperous and sustainable future for whisky making.

We are Fettercairn; the home of enlightened whisky making. 

www.fettercairnwhisky.com

About Gregg Glass- Master Whisky Maker

Respected whisky maker Gregg Glass joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016, where he has been a leading light in the rejuvenation of Fettercairn alongside Distillery Manager Stewart Walker.

Gregg enjoyed a childhood in the heart of whisky making country, the Black Isle. With 22 years in industry notably 11 years at innovative whisky maker Compass Box, Gregg joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016 to work alongside renowned Master Distiller Mr Richard Paterson OBE.

Gregg has enjoyed 15 years career as a blender and whisky maker. At Whyte and Mackay Gregg has led whisky development for Fettercairn Single Malt Whisky, Jura Single Malt Whisky and in 2017 launched Whisky Works – an independent innovation wing of Whyte and Mackay.

Gregg is devoted to his craft and believes in flavour-led hands-on whisky making. Gregg is passionately involved in every aspect of the whisky making process from ‘acorn to glass’ and since 2020 leads whisky making across the Whyte and Mackay portfolio. 

Award-Winning Whisky Makers Whyte and Mackay

Whyte and Mackay is home to a collection of multi-award-winning Single Malt Whiskies including The Dalmore, Jura and Fettercairn. With a premium spirits portfolio that includes contemporary whisky brands Shackleton, Woodsman and John Barr, alongside popular alcohol brands Wildcat, Fundador and Harveys Bristol Cream and Aperitivo. In the UK the company produce Whyte & Mackay, an award-winning ever-popular Blended Whisky, which recently launched the market-leading ‘Whyte & Mackay Light’ – a lighter spirit drink from Scotland, bottled at a lower ABV.

In 2020 the company were publicly recognised by the First Minister of Scotland for their support of the national pandemic response. Whyte and Mackay are official partners to SAMH – Scottish Association for Mental Health, which saw Whyte and Mackay employees worldwide complete a virtual-race-around-the-world to raise awareness for the charity.

Founded in Glasgow 1844, the whisky makers celebrated their 175 year anniversary in 2019. Today Whyte and Mackay have offices from New York to Singapore. In Scotland, Whyte and Mackay operate a state-of-the-art Bottling Hall and Distribution Centre in Grangemouth and a Whisky Production and Warehousing Centre in Invergordon.

Whyte and Mackay’s whisky making is led by Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE and pioneering Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass.

A Long-Awaited Bourbon Release Unlike Any Other
Fortuna Sour Mash Small Batch #1 (Bottled 9/22) Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) ($84.99)
“…this has all the presence and character of the great small batches from the big dogs but adds a level of nuance and complexity that’s rarely seen in modern bourbon.”
— David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

This might be the most anticipated craft bourbon brand release of the year, and for so many good reasons. The team at the trailblazing bottler Rare Character is responsible for some of the most compelling new bourbons hitting the market, and Fortuna might just be the pinnacle effort of the whole project. Painstakingly recreated by master blender Pablo Moix from a legendary 19th-century whiskey of the same name, it isn’t merely a new run of juice made according to an original recipe. Instead, Pablo composes each six-barrel batch guided only by his own palate’s impression of the original Fortuna spirit itself, drawn from his own personal collection. It’s artisanal blending in the most authentic fashion. Distilled by one of the legacy Kentucky distillers (we can’t say by whom), the result is a sour mash spirit unlike any other. As David Othenin-Girard declares, “I’d be genuinely shocked if anyone else is taking so much time and energy to put together such a delicious product.” Supremely balanced yet decadent and packed with old-school bourbon character, Fortuna is everything we thought it would be when we first heard of its impending release. New brand releases with this kind of pedigree are unicorns, and this first batch of Fortuna is very likely set for legendary status down the road, so savvy collectors will want to take full advantage of the very first offering in California, before it inevitably sells out.

Fortuna Sour Mash Small Batch #1 (Bottled 9/22) Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) ($84.99)

K&L Notes: The Fortuna Brand was once one of the most sought-after and well regarded names in Kentucky. Founded by Phil Hollenbach in the 1870s and distilled at the once famous Glencoe Distillery, the Fortuna brand is finally back. Reimagined by the Rare Character team, Pablo Moix, Andy Shapira and Pete Nevenglosky, the goal of the brand has remained the same for more than a century—to share “the taste of good fortune.” Hollenbach was a legendary gentleman. Having emigrated from Germany in 1869, he was running a successful blender and bottler by the late 1870s. His partners, the Stitzle Bros., distilled Fortuna and Glencoe at the facility in Louisville until at least the early 1900s. The modern story is much the same. The greatest bourbon brands are great because of the exacting commitment to quality of their owners. There’s no question that Rare Character has been able to source top-tier juice for this special product. Beyond the quality of the spirit, each batch is carefully blended by Pablo Moix, one of the world’s most experienced palates, to mimic the character of an original bottling of the Fortuna brand. That’s right—Pablo meticulously puts each six-barrel batch head to head with the original Glencoe juice to get as close as humanly possible to that legendary pour. This is the first batch to be released and was bottled in September of 2022. We’re proud to be selling Fortuna in California, and we’re extremely excited to share this special product with our customers.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: September 21, 2022

The story behind the Fortuna brand is only eclipsed by the incredible quality of the spirit in the bottle. Re-established by Pablo Moix of the prominent Rare Character bottler, the original brand was once one of Kentucky’s most sought-after. Phil Hollenbach created the brand to share his “good fortune” with the world, and now we’re extremely grateful and lucky to do the same. Each tiny, six-barrel batch is hand-blended by Pablo. While he can’t tell us who is distilling for him, he can tell us who is not. The product is produced “on the shelf,” referring to the famous limestone shelf that makes bourbon country, and its water, so special. It’s not a sweet mash or a pot still, so not being sourced from any number of new distillers. So that leaves one of the legacy distillers, which to be honest is absolutely incredible on its own. There are no new brands that get access to stocks from legacy distillers—even ones that seem to have access from certain places are working through limited brokered stocks. But beyond the access that Fortuna has garnered, Pablo’s incredible breadth of tasting knowledge and experience is unprecedented. Here, Mr. Moix tries his hand at blending, and I have to say he’s hit an absolute home run. Guided by samples of the original stocks, which come out of his personal collection, Pablo carefully mingles these stocks with the goal of capturing the original character of this historic whiskey brand. I’d be genuinely shocked if anyone else is taking so much time and energy to put together such a delicious product. Let’s taste it! Right out of the bottle the nose is absolutely singing. Big, sweet aromas of marzipan, vibrant red cherry, caramel candies, Seville orange oil, roasted clove, and fresh-ground cinnamon. The nose is absolutely enchanting and exemplifies the goal of recreating the flavor profile you might expect from a pre-pro bottling. It even seems to have that little twinge of dustiness that I always associate with whiskies that have been in the bottle for many decades, albeit not to an overwhelming degree. On the palate, an extremely velvety texture and rounded mouthfeel, with even more cherries, candied now, plus gingerbread, sweet vanilla bean, brown sugar syrup, and baking spices of all kinds. The finish is long and very easy. No tannin or burn coming through whatsoever, but the ultra-sweet caramel character is tempered by a slight spicy bite. The key takeaway here is balance! So many whiskeys we drink these days are just absolute bombs, and this has all the presence and character of the great small batches from the big dogs but adds a level of nuance and complexity that’s rarely seen in modern bourbon. I guess that’s why they call it Rare Character. We’re all so FORTUNATE to have Pablo bringing these incredible barrels to our shelves and proud to be Fortuna’s first customer in California.

Michael Pires | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 23, 2022

This is one of the best sour mash bourbons I have ever tasted! The higher proof and oily texture give this bourbon more body, making it pleasant, balanced, and complex. Aromas of caramel, stone fruit, curaçao, and oak spice shine, and a little water opens this bourbon up nicely. A great sipper that would pair fantastically with a cigar.

Austin Jenkins | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 23, 2022

Wow, it’s not very often we get to encounter something so “new” and so refined. New is in quotation marks because Fortuna has a history. With that being said, however, this bottle is nothing to scoff at. The aromas just off the initial pour alone are enough to get the mouth watering; brown sugar and maple, with the most subtle char. The flavors are heavy on the warmed spice side but not so intense to the point of unbalance. It’s chased by caramel for a long-lasting finish. The texture is extremely silky. Even now as I’m writing this, I’m considering going back for a second dram. This is a legendary bottle produced by a soon-to-be (if not already) legendary team. I foresee this bottle sweeping out in the coming days. And considering at the time of posting this the juice was bottled only one day ago, so get it while it’s hot—or rather, get it while you can.

Illya Haase | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 22, 2022

I love Bourbon! I also lean towards high proof and a high-rye mash bill. But, sometimes one comes across my desk and shakes me out of my preference. The Fortuna shattered that preference! One word: balance. Water need not apply. From start to finish, it’s near perfection. It opens up with white honeysuckle just like the kind that we used to pick off the bushes in Kentucky. Fresh-cut wood and roasted peanuts. Candy caramel and butterscotch. That is just the nose. First sip is lively and bright with flavors of spearmint and baking spice. Mid-palate is heavy with wonderful array of creamy caramel and bright cherries. Balanced flavors, where nothing over takes the other. The finish is long with that Kentucky hug right down in the chest. Even though it is not a crazy high proof, it has an amazingly lengthy finish. I can hear it now. Well, “it is only a six year.” Like I say all the time, “I don’t really care how old it is, it has to be good!” And damn, this is good!

ARDNAMURCHAN AD/09.22

The latest cask strength offering from Ardnamurchan distillery has arrived, crafted from Highland single malt distilled in 2016 and matured in ex-bourbon barrels. This latest expression has a higher proportion of heavily peated spirit, perfect for the colder months ahead!

We’ve just sampled some of this latest batch and can confirm it’s another stellar release from Ardnamurchan distillery.

Available now and as ever, if you have any questions, please just get in touch.

Slàinte Mhath

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