Glenfiddich

Gran Reserva – 2022 Chinese New Year Edition

21 Year Old | 70cl | 40% ABV

Presented in a stunning box designed for Chinese New Year 2022, this Glenfiddich has been created using casks that once contained premium Caribbean rum. It then spends a further four months finishing in Gran Reserva barrels which are hand selected by Malt Master Brian Kinsman, adding to its distinctive and complex flavour and thus giving this expression its name.

£164.95

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Johnnie Walker

Blue Label – Year Of The Tiger Edition

70cl | 40% ABV

To the one who never walks alone, to the one whose steps inspire yours – celebrate prosperity and good fortune this Lunar New Year with the new limited edition 2022 design for Johnnie Walker Blue Label. The intricate design marks the Year of the Tiger and is illustrated by Chinese artist Shan Jiang.

£189.95

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John Walker & Sons

King George V – 2022 Lunar New Year Edition

70cl | 43% ABV

The stunning design marks the beginning of a new year and is inspired by the Oriental myth of the Bai Ze, a mythical creature that symbolises virtuousness, nobility and protection from evil. Drawn from extremely rare, precious casks, including irreplaceable whiskies from the now silent distillery of Port Ellen. This elegantly rich and creamy Whisky has rarity reflected in every drop.

£549.95

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Add a unique, one-off dram to your whisky collection…

Our exclusives range contains some very special whiskies, selected by us and bottled by the distillery exclusively for our customers. They are usually single casks, but are always limited. Spot a distillery or region you enjoy below, and experience the uniqueness of that one-off dram you won’t find anywhere else!

View all exclusives →

https://youtu.be/ahpzkoPPa4o

I never thought I would be this flabbergasted by any whisky. When you’ve been tasting spirits for this long you don’t really think that anything can shock you in a new way anymore. How wrong I was, and it took this exquisite bottle of Bushmills to prove me wrong.

Spending the first thirteen years of it’s life in ex-bourbon and ex-oloroso casks, it was then transferred to maderia casks for sixteen years! Bit of a stretch of the word ‘finish’, but it works, nonetheless.

A huge amount of this whisky, for me, is the nose. The melding of toffee, coffee, tobacco and this wonderfully sweet and mouth watering minty aroma is jaw dropping. Other whiskies have had this this? Yes, they have. But none have delivered it quite the way this one has.

Nostlagia in the tobacco note is a key thing for me, so many smells of childhood captured in a liquid.

This is the best Irish whisky I’ve ever tried, it even surpasses the greats of Redbreast 15 and 21YO, but it is a single cask. As a result, numbers are low and it has to be treated as the exception that it is. With that said it is still on a different level of extraordinary.

BRUICHLADDICH DISTILLERY LAUNCH ONLINE EXCLUSVE – OCTOMORE TEN AGED YEARS

“At that age, with the quality of those casks, this Octomore is absolutely singing.”

Adam Hannett, Head Distiller at Bruichladdich Distillery

ISLAY, SCOTLAND – Bruichladdich Distillery have today announced the concluding chapter in their Octomore 12s series – a 10 year old, sold exclusively on the distillery website and in the Laddie Shop on the island of Islay.

The 12^th series of the world’s most heavily peated single malt was launched in October 2021, and introduced all three .1, .2, and .3 globally to domestic markets for the first time ever. Challenging conventional whisky wisdom, this Octomore trio was malted to 80+ PPM, matured to five aged years, and were bottled above 55% ABV. The series explores the influence of barley provenance and cask exploration combined with super heavily peated malt – including a stripped back ex-American oak maturation in the 12.1, Sauternes cask maturation in the 12.2 and Pedro Ximenez sherry cask matured Islay barley spirit in the 12.3. In a closing statement to the series, this new Octomore Ten Aged Years brings a heightened texture and depth to its youthful counterparts.

Distilled from the 2009 harvest of Scottish grown Optic barley, this 2010 vintage was then malted to 90.3PPM. It would spend its first five years maturing in first fill ex-American oak casks, before being recasked into wine barriques for its final five years. Hailing from a bodega in northern Spain, this Ribera del Duero wine is known for its intense flavour and complexity, owing to its altitude (~900m), exposure to wind and organic production methods. The resulting Octomore single malt is viscous, sweet and structured, with a touch of dryness from the tannic European oak.

Bottled at 56.3% ABV and limited to 3,500 bottles, the Octomore Ten Aged Years is available online at www.octomore.com from the 1^st of February 2022. As with all Bruichladdich Distillery malts, it is conceived, distilled, matured and bottled on Islay.

The International Wine & Food Society

Yes, now ‘s the time for blended Scotch to shine. A brand new publication, singing the praises of #blendedScotch, has been released by The International Wine & Food Society (IWFS) – ‘Exploring Blended Scotch’.

This new title investigates a topic which the authors believe has not been given the coverage it deserves – the sheer delights of blended Scotch whisky – uncovering many of the hidden treasures of what is the ‘foundation of the Scotch whisky industry’. The IWFS agreed that blended Scotch is a style of whisky that is worthy of further investigation and have published this almost pocket-sized booklet for its members and beyond. Chapters covered include its fascinating history, blending, appreciation, leading blends, old blends, cocktails, pairing whisky with food and finishing with some delicious recipes.

“Exploring Blended Scotch” is the product of a collaboration between two writers from both sides of the Atlantic. It has been co-authored by Charles MacLean MBE (Scotland), one of Scotland’s leading experts in writing, tasting and lecturing about whisky and Stuart Leaf (USA) who is a knowledgeable, passionate collector and taster of old blends (and IWFS member). They first met, over a glass of Scotch back in Edinburgh, three years ago. Stuart says “Although conducting joint tastings was challenging across the Atlantic, writing this monograph was a truly fun and engaging distraction during the depths of Covid. Needless to say, most discussions were dutifully enhanced with an appropriate dram!”

“Exploring Blended Scotch” aims to be an insight into an exciting array of different blends, both old and new, which Scotch lovers are encouraged to try. It may also be just the introduction that newcomers, to the delights of whisky, are looking for.

For now, please put your feet up with a glass of #blendedScotch, with or without water (bottled soft water is best!), and get ready to explore the many interesting and tasty elements of blended Scotch whisky.

As well as being distributed to the 6,000-strong international membership of the IWFS, which has branches from Toronto to Tokyo and Honolulu to Helsinki, this title is also available to both public and trade.

This title can be purchased from the IWFS website via the following link: https://www.iwfs.org/secretariat/purchase. The cover price is £9.99 (US$13.99 approx). A Japanese translation will be published in February. An e-book will also be available via various platforms in due course.

The IWFS is an independent non-profit making organisation, run by volunteers, it is also one of the largest wine and food societies in the world. When members enroll they receive a quarterly food and wine magazine and wherever they travel are welcomed by branches worldwide. Branch events encompass all aspects of food and wine appreciation and learning, visits to food and wine producers plus international and regional festivals.

We are proud to offer a whole host of drams from the lost distilleries of Scotland. These are whiskies from distilleries that have reached near-legendary status, such as Brora, Rosebank and Lochside. More and more of these hard-to-find gems are added to our old & rare range every week.

If you’re after something special, take a look at our recommendations below, including a 1970-vintage Brora bottled by Douglas Laing as part of their Platinum Selection series, a special bottling from Dallas Dhu, a 1975 vintage from Linlithgow and much more.

EXPLORE LOST DISTILLERIES

Macallan Afternoon Tea

The British tradition of afternoon tea, has been elevated over the years from a simple ‘cuppa’ and a biscuit to an elegant affair. Here at The Dram House we have taken it a step further and created a high tea experience with our friends at Macallan.

Our Macallan High Tea is a bookable experience we are now offering (minimum 2 people per experience), marrying one of the world’s leading whisky brands, with our preeminent chef to curate a selection of whiskies and snacks to wile away an afternoon.

The experience consists of the new (and hard to find!) Macallan Harmony Rich Cacao, paired with our Haggis & Guinness Bon Bons. Next is the classic Macallan 12 Sherry Oak, paired with our Quail Scotch Eggs, and to finish is the Macallan Rare Cask 2021 Release, paired with our Manchego Stuffed Gordal Olives. No high tea would be complete without Scones (with clotted cream & raspberry jam) and a portion of our world renowned Three Cheese Croquettes!

Our Macallan High Tea is £120pp and is a 1.5 hours long.

See below for information on how to book!

Each of our Macallan High Tea tickets (£120pp + 12.5% optional service) includes:

1 dram (25ml) of each of the Macallan expressions

1 serving of our: Haggis & Guinness Bon Bons, Quail Scotch Eggs, Manchego Stuffed Gordal Olives, Three Cheese Croquettes & Scones (with clotted cream & raspberry jam).

Our Macallan High Tea runs Tuesday to Saturday (4pm – 9pm)

48 hours notice needed for all bookings, cancellation policy applies

If you would be interested in booking one of these experiences please get in touch:

tastings@milroys.co.uk

We look forward to seeing you all soon!

A 97-Point, Top-100 Single Malt from a Treasured Highland Gem

Aberfeldy 18 Year Old Côte-Rôtie Red Wine Finished Batch No: 2921 Highland

Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($119.99)

“I’m rarely impressed by red wine cask finishes on Scotch, but the Aberfeldy 18, finished in Côte-Rôtie barrels, truly wowed me.” — Andrew Whiteley, K&L Spirits Buyer

A critical component of Dewar’s for the past century, Aberfeldy’s signature honeyed charm is now reaching a wider audience with the recent releases of some wonderful old, age-stated barrels. This 18-year-old stunner takes an unconventional approach to aging, as it was finished in red wine casks that once held powerhouse Syrah from Côte-Rôtie in the Northern Rhône. A yin/yang match that shouldn’t work on paper comes together to form a truly unique dram that garnered 97 points and a Top 100 Spirits of 2021 nod from Wine Enthusiast. As spirits buyer Andrew Whiteley describes, “The natural fruitiness and sweet honey notes of Aberfeldy actually mesh perfectly with the intense dark berry fruit of the world’s best Syrah. The power of the wine brings out some of the earthier tones of the malt for an exceptionally well-balanced and pleasant drinking experience.” There are few profiles like it in the whisky world and fewer still at 18 years of age. Finally, throw in the stellar price that’s a fraction of what many big-name single malts in this age range go for, and you have an unequivocal winner that all collectors and Scotch fans need to experience.

Aberfeldy 18 Year Old Côte-Rôtie Red Wine Finished Batch No: 2921 Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($119.99)

97 points Wine Enthusiast: “This starts off with earthy, oaky aromas. The palate opens dry in tones of cedar and a hint of tingly spice. Adding water brings mouthwatering vanilla forward, along with coconut and a nutty tone reminiscent of pecan pie. The finish is long and drying, with plenty of baking spice and ginger tingles. Finished in Cote-Rotie red wine casks. *Top 100 Spirits of 2021* (KO)” (12/2021)

K&L Notes: The Golden Dram, as Aberfeldy is known, is an appropriate name derived in equal parts from the marked golden honey notes of the whisky itself and the fact that gold is still panned in the Pitilie Burn, the distillery’s water source. The distillery is a critical component of the Dewar’s blend and has been since the Dewar’s built it in the 1890s. Today under Bacardi ownership (Diageo was forced to sell Dewars and its attendant distilleries in 1998 by the UK Monopolies Board), the single malts from Aberfeldy are finally getting the attention and focus they deserve. The core whisky lineup has been revamped and the extremely sought-after 18 year release has expanded from being exclusively released for travel retail, to being more widely available. Still quite limited in availability, this release is finished in red wine casks—specifically for batch #2921—the powerful Syrah wines from Côte-Rôtie. The result is a perfect mesh of Aberfeldy’s natural honey sweetness and the intense red fruits and structure of Côte-Rôtie.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: January 18, 2022

I’m rarely impressed by red wine cask finishes on Scotch, but the Aberfeldy 18, finished in Côte-Rôtie barrels, truly wowed me. The natural fruitiness and sweet honey notes of Aberfeldy actually mesh perfectly with the intense dark berry fruit of the world’s best Syrah. The power of the wine brings out some of the earthier tones of the malt for an exceptionally well-balanced and pleasant drinking experience. The color is a rich copper. The nose is redolent of vanilla, blackberries, plums, raspberries, and raw honey. The deep earthy tones of cedar, tobacco leaf, and a thin veil of smoky oak comes out with more time in the glass. A small addition of pure water brings forward more citrus, in particular, a sweet, zesty orange peel, which matches the luscious honey perfectly. The palate is robust. It feels thicker and more substantive than expected from the nose. Perhaps it’s a bit of the wine’s famous tannins imparting a firmer structure than you often find in Scotch. I’m not clear on where exactly it’s coming from, but I’m certain that it works. The finish has a beautiful reprise of the orange peel freshness, gobs of spice (the work of top notch French oak?), and of course, Aberfeldy’s signature nectar—golden honey.

ralfy review 911 Extras – Beginners guide to an Infinity bottle

NEW COLLECTORS FLOCK TO WHISKY MARKET AT BONHAMS HONG KONG SALE

Link to catalogue: https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/27715/

Karuizawa-1960-47 year old-#5627. Sold for HK$1,240,000.

Estimate: HK$ 450,000-600,000.

Hong Kong – Bonhams Whisky Sale on 21 January 2022 totalled HK$23.4 million, led by a Karuizawa-1960-47 year old – the oldest vintage known from the famed Karuizawa Distillery. It sold for HK$1,240,000, nearly tripling its estimate. Of the top ten lots of the sale, more than half sold above high estimates and nine of them were Japanese whisky.

Bonhams Director of Wine and Spirits Asia Daniel Lam commented: “The market demand for fine and rare whiskies continues to be insatiable. The January sale, held only two months after the previous flagship auction, saw strong interest and robust bidding across the board, showing that the market appetite builds fast. First-time buyers are one of the driving factors, as nearly one in every five bidders from the sale were new to Bonhams. After some very strong seasons for Japanese whisky, we are excited to see how the Scotch – now looking attractively-priced in comparison – will perform in 2022.”

The Scotch section, 80% sold, is underlined by star performers from Macallan, Bowmore and Highland Park. A Macallan Millennium-1949-50 year old Decanter sold for HK$384,400, eclipsing the high estimate.

Click here to view full results:

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/27715/

Sale: Whisky Sale

Location: Hong Kong, Admiralty

Date: 21 January

NOTES

Bonhams, founded in 1793, is one of the world’s largest and most renowned auctioneers, offering fine art and antiques, motor cars and luxury. The main salerooms are in London, New York, Los Angeles, Paris and Hong Kong, with auctions also held in Knightsbridge, Edinburgh, and Sydney. With a worldwide network of offices and regional representatives in 22 countries, Bonhams offers advice and valuation services in 53 specialist areas. For a full list of forthcoming auctions, plus details of Bonhams specialist departments, please visit bonhams.com