Christmas gift 2022: Learn how Cook Coastal with Old Pulteney

Old Pulteney, The Maritime Malt, has created the ultimate Christmas gift experience for any whisky and food lover, by partnering with top Manchester cooking school Food Sorcery to create the Coastal Cooking class.

The perfect gift idea for anyone who enjoys cooking with friends and family, Old Pulteney’s Coastal Cooking class is an interactive lesson that aims to teach attendees new kitchen skills in a relaxed atmosphere. Attendees will learn how to cook two seafood-inspired dishes, before sitting down and tucking into their hard work, all enjoyed over a dram of Old Pulteney’s 12 Years Old Single Malt, the core expression in the distillery’s collection.

The Coastal Cooking class is as much about learning and eating as it is about chatting and having fun, and each ticket admits two people. Attendees will learn to make a beautiful starter of butterflied prawn bruschetta with Old Pulteney & sea salt butter, followed by a main of monkfish kebabs with crispy greens and parmentier potatoes. A desert will be prepared by chefs, so attendees can tuck in and enjoy their meal.

Each expression in Old Pulteney’s range of single malt scotch whiskies captures the essence of its home on the Northerly shores of the Caithness Coast, in rural Scotland.  Matured by the sea, Old Pulteney casks breathe the sea air year after year, leaving a distinctively briny taste that pairs perfectly with seafood dishes.

A perfect gift for any whisky lover or foody fan, the experience aims to empower people to feel confident in the kitchen and create delicious dishes at home.

The Coastal Cooking with Old Pulteney class takes place on Saturday 21st January at Food Sorcery’s Manchester school. Tickets are available to purchase from Food Sorcery’s website. One ticket admits two people, and is priced at £160.

To learn more about Old Pulteney, visit their website here.

A One-of-a-Kind Speyside Single-Malt from Hunter Laing
1991 Longmorn 21 Year Old “Old Malt Cask” K&L Exclusive Single Refill Hogshead Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) ($149.99)
“It might be one of the most atypical whiskies I’ve tasted this year, but I really like it … it’s a treat to drink.” — Andrew Whiteley, K&L Spirits Buyer

Our intrepid spirits team continues to unearth singular rarities that even the most seasoned collectors find intriguing, and this highly distinctive 21-year-old Speysider from Longmorn more than fits that bill. While most of our exclusive-cask offerings have come to us recently bottled, this unusual gem has been resting patiently in glass for the last decade, only to be released earlier this fall by the incomparable independent bottler Hunter Laing. As old malts go, it certainly shows its cards with a big, deep flavor profile, but the additional twist of vibrant, tangy citrus features left our buyers thoroughly charmed. Historically speaking, it also bears some significance in that it was one of the last malts distilled on Longmorn’s unique, coal-fired still, which no doubt contributed to its now wild, untamed character. Even as malts of similar ages are going for well north of $200 or more, this one-of-a-kind rarity comes in at a cool $149.99, making it one of the savviest buys in well-aged Scotch in our inventory.

1991 Longmorn 21 Year Old “Old Malt Cask” K&L Exclusive Single Refill Hogshead Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) ($149.99)

K&L Notes: Hunter Laing has been sitting on this one for some time. This is not a true K&L Exclusive, as it was sold in the UK and Europe, but it’s sat in bottle at the Hunter Laing warehouses for almost ten years now. This is a fun peppery style from Longmorn that offers rich, malty citrus oil and savory spice. The Longmorn Distillery was founded outside of Elgin in 1894 by John Duff. Just one year later, he built a second adjacent distillery now called Benriach. Longmorn was unique in the area for keeping their direct-fire stills operational until 1994. That means that this old bottling is likely some of the last malt to be distilled over burning coal embers and perhaps this is what gives it such wild, old-school character. The intensity of flavor is unique and somewhat surprising, as modern Longmorns can be very soft and creamy, but certainly for anyone who loves an old style malt, this will be a very fun and exciting bottling. No color added, no chill-filtration.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: November 16, 2022

A Margarita and High Ball walk into a bar … wait, no. They meet in a bar? Collide? I don’t know. Whatever it is, this whisky is an unusual find and tastes a bit like a Margarita—tart and peppery, yet weirdly satisfying like old malt should be. Sitting in bottle for ten years, this cask was suddenly made available to us. The beauty of these kinds of offers, as rare as they are, is that we can frequently secure a price that isn’t too far off what you might have expected to pay ten years ago when it was bottled! This cask is surprisingly fresh and, like most long-bottled spirits, takes some time to open up. It’s got a zippy acidity like a lemon drop, sweet, yet tart. Tons of raw barley and pepper spice dominate the nose and are present on the palate. A sweet jammy note mixed with a fine sugar rim and crushed apples spring forth. It might be one of the most atypical whiskies I’ve tasted this year, but I really like it. It’s a hard one to describe for sure, but it’s a treat to drink.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: November 29, 2022

This wild little Longmorn is kind of an antique. Bottled over a decade ago, we’re not at all sure why our suppliers held onto it so long, but we’re happy to take this fabulous whisky off their hands. One of the few expressions we’ve ever released that’s not cask-strength but instead bottled at Old Malt Cask’s traditional 100 proof. The distillery no longer uses open coal flame to distill this malt, so this relic should be seen through that lens. The color is yellow gold. It’s a bit rugged compared to modern, sometimes slightly monotone Longmorns. A big, dark malt character coupled with a soft peppery note and an earthy bass note. The savory, meaty nose does a complete about-face on the palate, which offers zingy citrus, vibrant malt, and gorgeous roasted oak spice. The finish moves darker again, adding more pepper, while retaining the citrus. A wild, tingly malt with lots of vibrancy. It’s not the typical Longmorn, but has this very odd and appealing profile for those that don’t mind a bit of meaty savory character in their whisky.

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

From a Mystery Islay Distillery, that sounds a bit like La-Frog and has an almost identical label, is this wonderful peated single malt from Hart Brothers. Bottled at a solid 50% abv this encapsulates the spirit of Islay and is a perfect gift under £50 for the peated, smokey whisky lover. Hart Brothers Peated Islay single malt Scotch whisky from a mystery distillery. Brought to you by Hart Brothers, this single malt encapsulates the spirt if Islay.

Buy – Laphroaig Peated – £40.96 / $42*

Deep smoky flavours remeniscent of evening campfire embers. Peat bog vistas and damp moss on north facing peaks. Fruit and spices arrive on ships, in the wake of sea sprey from the briny deep. Truly apotheosis of taste from the Scottish isles.

MYSTERY MALT SINGLE MALT WHISKY

Mystery single malt that don’t want to reveal their true identity. Rummage around and with a bit of investigation you are sure to find a rare unspecified bottling from independent bottler.

K&L Exclusive Cask from a Legendary Indiana Distillery

“A totally fabulous barrel deserving of more attention than anyone is giving it.”
— K&L Spirits Buyer David Othenin-Girard on the Stellum Cask Leo F3

Everyone knows the big names from Kentucky and Tennessee that dominate the bourbon landscape, but the true connoisseurs put a real premium on the whiskeys from Indiana’s historic MGP distillery. The pair of standout exclusives casks on offer today show exactly why MGP products are some of the most in-demand on the craft bourbon scene. First up, Stellum is unquestionably one of the most exciting entries in the craft bourbon market in recent years, presenting exceptional character and quality for spectacular prices. Many of our most devoted bourbon fans are well familiar with the exceptional single casks coming from Barrell Craft Spirits, so you’ll be happy to know that it’s this same team of ace professionals who select and blend the Stellum line. Previous exclusive casks have proven the brand’s mettle, and Cask Leo F3 picks up the torch and runs with it. K&L buyer David Othenin-Girard declares, “The diversity of flavors that these barrels achieve is truly shocking. I still don’t understand their filing system and have no idea how old this whiskey is or any other details, but I love how it tastes.”

Right there with the Stellum in terms of quintessential Indiana/MGP class for a killer price is the George Remus Cask #222. A high-rye (49%) heavy hitter at a cask-strength 57.1% ABV, it’s not for the faint of heart. On the contrary, it’s a spice-driven showstopper that opens up beautifully with water, and it really shines in a cocktail role. As David’s colleague Andrew Whiteley notes, “The creative bartender will find that this can pop in many different ways based on how you use it.” With prices on the craft bourbon market verging on obscene, it’s always a can’t-miss score when you find not one but two sub-$60 single barrels from one of the country’s most important distilleries, but they certainly won’t be around for long.

Stellum “Leo F3” K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Single Barrel Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) ($54.99)

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: December 08, 2022

Another top tier MGP barrel from our friends at Stellum/Barrell Craft Spirits, selected by my esteemed colleague, Andrew Whiteley. The diversity of flavors that these barrels achieve is truly shocking. I still don’t understand their filing system and have no idea how old this whiskey is or any other details, but I love how it tastes. The nose, after a bit of air, opens to a bevy of sweet and savory flavors. Lots of sweet corn, roasted nuts, and caramel candies, followed by hints of cinnamon and spice. Tasting blind, I’d have probably guessed this was 12-year-old Knob Creek. With a bit more time, we start to get more complex minty notes, which I love. Now I’m feeling like it’s a bit more toward the Four Roses profile. A chameleon is always exciting to see, even if it moves slowly. Now it’s opening toward more citrus oil—bitter orange and sweet navel—and sweet wood. On the palate, it’s very forward and sweet with plenty of the citrus oil. Is this a pre-mix Old Fashioned? Quite luscious with nice robust spice on the sides and a gorgeous clove finish. Great texture and length, shedding most of its nuttiness with air and time. A totally fabulous barrel deserving more attention than anyone is giving it. Chameleons are after all experts at camouflage.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: December 08, 2022

While many, many brands out there are selling young MGP whiskeys at super-inflated prices, Stellum was specifically created as a value brand to showcase the incredible stocks and blending chops at Barrell. And boy did they succeed. While they don’t give exact dates, they did tell us this is at least five years old, which brings this single barrel in at right around the $10/year mark for one of the choicest barrels we’ve seen come through the program. At a whopping 120.86 proof, it feels big and bold at first, but with time, there is so much nuance here to explore. I’m no astrologist, but according to a quick google, Leos apparently are confident and like to be the center of attention—that seems to fit here. This bourbon could certainly be the star of the show in a line-up. The nose is spicy right off the bat, showcasing a ton of cinnamon and nutmeg, the sweeter spices. Add to that a little minty, herbal complexity and a pepperiness that stands tall. The snap of green apples and lots of vanilla and saltwater taffy play foils to all that spice. Moving onto the palate, there is a lot of barrel sweetness at play. Vanilla and caramels are quick to coat the tongue. Then the high alcohol seems to evaporate all at once, leaving you with an impression that the whiskey is very even-keeled. The finish is medium in length and leaves a prominent, sweet wood note on the palate, like you’ve been working in a woodshop or on a Christmas tree farm sawing fresh wood. It’s a delight!

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

This month we’ve added a range of new perfect measure tasting sets, including 12-year-old whiskies from around the world, Japan’s best whiskies from Ichiro’s Malt and Nikka, and top-notch single malts from some of Scotland’s newest distilleries.

Focusing on different regions, styles and spirits, our tasting sets are designed to allow drinks lovers to explore, contrast and enjoy whilst finding exactly what suits their tastes.

SHOP NOW

2009 BenRiach 12 Year Old “K&L Exclusive” Peated Rye Barrel #13467 Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Previously $120) $84.70 View

The long and complicated history of BenRiach includes an optimistic vision, a long closure, a rebirth, a short closure, and finally, a modern renaissance – of which we are now in full swing. Built in 1897 by John Duff, BenRiach sits next door to Duff’s hugely successful Longmorn distillery. BenRiach boasts a huge floor malting facility and five on-site, traditional, stone-walled and earthen-floored dunnage warehouses. It is one of the most traditionally-styled distilleries in all of Scotland. Sadly, shortly after it was built, the market fell out of Scotch and it was shuttered for over half a century. When it was reborn in 1965, it was controlled by Seagrams for a time, then taken over by Pernod Ricard, then shuttered again in 2001. Fortunately for whisky fans everywhere, the inimitable Billy Walker purchased the facility in 2003 and with this change in ownership, BenRiach’s fortunes began to change. Walker had spent years blending whiskies and knew the magic that lied within BenRiach. Over his tenure the quality of their releases skyrocketed, and the popularity of the distillery soared. This grabbed the attention of Brown Forman, who took over in 2016. It is now under the watchful eye of one of Scotland’s finest Master Blenders, Rachel Barrie. This special K&L cask spanned both Mr. Walker and Ms. Barrie’s tenure. The peated distillate, laid down in 2009, drinks like a supremely old-school Speysider. Tropical fruit and intense spice mingle perfectly with the smoke.

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

From the deepest depths of our Vaults comes this nectar of the gods. If you’re looking for something truly exceptional this Christmas, let it be this. With its unmissable waxy mouthfeel and tantalising deliciousness, NEW Vaults Collection Cask 26.211 Ambrosial nectar brings a sweet oiliness combined with candied orange peel and rosewater. Prepare for a heavenly adventure.

Keep on scrolling to discover our new nectar and exceptional Vaults Collection bottles available now in our online shop. Or click over to our website now to explore all our unique and wonderful whiskies.

BROWSE ALL BOTTLINGS

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

Beam Suntory Partners with RSPB Scotland to Launch Phase II of $4M Peatland Water Sanctuary™ Initiative

Beam Suntory contributes more than £400,000 funding for four-year project with RSPB Scotland to restore 160 hectares of peatland at Airds Moss Reserve in East Ayrshire

Anna Graham, Head of Environment, Science & Innovation, Scotch Whisky Association talks with Councillor Douglas Reid (SNP), Leader of East Ayrshire Council attends at peatland at the Airds Moss reserve.
SCOTLAND, UK (7 November 2022) – Beam Suntory, a world leader in premium spirits, today announces a new partnership with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) for the restoration of peatland in Scotland, promoting carbon sequestration and protecting invaluable biodiversity. This marks the start of the second phase of the Peatland Water Sanctuary™ (PWS™) initiative, a joint $4 million conservation project launched in 2021 by Beam Suntory and its parent company, Suntory Holdings.
Beam Suntory will contribute more than £400,000 to restore and regenerate approximately 160 hectares of peatland at the Airds Moss reserve in East Ayrshire, Scotland which is owned by RSPB Scotland. Restoration will take place over four years and the partners will provide annual updates on the impact of the project.
Credit: Euan Cherry for Beam Suntory

SCOTLAND, UK (7 November 2022) – Beam Suntory, a world leader in premium spirits, today announces a new partnership with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) for the restoration of peatland in Scotland, promoting carbon sequestration and protecting invaluable biodiversity. This marks the start of the second phase of the Peatland Water Sanctuary™ (PWS™) initiative, a joint $4 million conservation project launched in 2021 by Beam Suntory and its parent company, Suntory Holdings.

Beam Suntory will contribute more than £400,000 to restore and regenerate approximately 160 hectares of peatland at the Airds Moss reserve in East Ayrshire, Scotland which is owned by RSPB Scotland. Restoration will take place over four years and the partners will provide annual updates on the impact of the project.

The first year will involve extensive fieldwork; completing surveys and analysis to design a restoration plan. Physical work is expected for winter 2023, at which point work will be carried out to re-establish original peatland vegetation to promote the regeneration of peat.

This restoration builds on the success of the first stage of the PWS initiative, which began with work to restore and conserve peatland near the Ardmore distillery in November 2021. Since then, approximately 13 hectares of peatland have been successfully restored in partnership with the James Hutton Institute and Forestry and Land Scotland.  An expansion of the Ardmore PWS™ project is currently being scoped.

Beam Suntory is also keen to improve education and awareness about the importance of peat and biodiversity and recently ran a peatland restoration training event at its Laphroaig Distillery on Islay. The company is planning to replicate the event at further sites across Scotland.

Alistair Longwell, Head of Distillation & Environment, Beam Suntory comments: We’re now a year in since launching our PWS™ initiative and it’s rewarding to be using our accumulating knowledge and expertise to make a significant impact to Scotland’s ecosystems. Working across the Airds Moss Reserve in partnership with RSPB Scotland represents a great step forward in our goal to restore 1,300 hectares of peatland by 2030.

Anne McCall, Director for RSPB Scotland adds: We are delighted to be working in partnership with Beam Suntory to restore peatland at our Airds Moss nature reserve. Peatlands are incredibly special and fragile habitats, with an enormous importance in the fight against climate change. RSPB Scotland Airds Moss is of international importance for its blanket bog habitat and supports some wonderful species, including hen harrier, golden plover, fantastic carnivorous sundews and large heath butterfly.

Robbie Millar, Managing Director Scotch & Irish, Beam Suntory adds: As the home of our iconic Scotch whiskies including Bowmore, Laphroaig and Auchentoshan, we are committed to helping to build a prosperous future for Scotland. This means working both within and beyond our own distillery sites, partnering with local communities and organizations like RSPB Scotland to drive initiatives like Peatland Water Sanctuary™ and set higher targets to protect our natural environments.

Harumichi Seta, General Manager, Sustainability Management Division, Suntory Holdings comments: A year ago, we launched the PWS™ initiative to contribute to sustaining healthy peatlands essential to the production of quality Scotch whisky and to protect Scotland’s ecosystems. Today, we are excited to see tangible progress and expansion of our PWS™ initiative – we are determined to fulfil our responsibility as a company that relies on the blessings of nature and water and continue our journey to give back more peat than we use in the production of our whiskies.

Alan Brown, Member of Parliament for Kilmarnock, Scotland said: Peatlands and heather are what makes Scotland’s landscape so special, particularly within my constituency of Kilmarnock and Loudoun where the restoration and protection of this land is taking place. The environmental benefits of peatland as a carbon store are well known so this helps combat climate change. It’s great to see Beam Suntory spearhead this work within our community alongside RSPB Scotland.

Through PWS™, Beam Suntory and Suntory Holdings have committed to invest more than $4 million in the restoration and conservation of 1,300 hectares of peatlands by 2030, enough to produce the same amount of peat that Beam Suntory uses every year in making its Scotch whiskies on an ongoing basis. Beyond this, there is a longer-term aim to restore sufficient peatlands by 2040 to equate twice the volume of peat that Beam Suntory uses.

The PWS™ initiative aligns with the Suntory Group Sustainability Vision and Beam Suntory’s ambitious Proof Positive sustainability strategy, as well as the Scotch Whisky Association’s environmental commitments. In addition to the long-term positive impact of peatland and watershed restoration and conservation on water retention and quality, the work will also support carbon sequestration and biodiversity in the local area, helping to maintain and protect the important role of peatland ecosystems in Scotland’s natural environment.

About Beam Suntory
As a world leader in premium spirits, Beam Suntory inspires human connections. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam® and Maker’s Mark® bourbon brands and Courvoisier® cognac, as well as world renowned premium brands including Basil Hayden®, Knob Creek®, and Legent™ bourbon; Yamazaki®, Hakushu®, Hibiki® and Toki™ Japanese whisky; Teacher’s, Laphroaig® and Bowmore® Scotch whisky; Canadian Club® whisky; Hornitos® and Sauza® tequila; EFFEN®, Haku® and Pinnacle® vodka; Sipsmith® and Roku™ gin; and On The Rocks® Premium Cocktails.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and vision of Growing for Good, which now includes its transformative sustainability strategy, Proof Positive. Headquartered in New York City, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.

About RSPB 
RSPB Scotland is part of the RSPB, the UK’s largest nature conservation charity. Protecting habitats, saving species and helping to end the nature and climate emergency. Nature is in crisis. Together we can save it.

Click Whisky Auction’s inaugural online whisky auction ENDS SOON!

ENDS THIS EVENING AT 8PM!

With a small but varied assortment of distilleries and bottlings to choose from. One of our featured bottles is this Ardbeg.

25 Year Old Lord of the Isles, a truly iconic bottling. Check out the range of single malts on offer, including Macallan, Lagavulin, Dalmore, Highland Park and much more. Auction ends Sunday 18^th December from 8pm.

Visit www.clickwhiskyauctions.com to browse what’s on offer or contact support@clickwhiskyauctions.com for further details.

GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 11

Richly spiced bramble wine and treacle toffee interweave with chocolate raisin, cinnamon maple and sultana. Need we say more? This expression is presented at natural cask strength, as was the custom before the turn of the 20th century. Add a drop or two of water to reveal a cornucopia of flavour – from richly spiced bramble wine to chocolate raisin and lingering Seville orange peel. Such is the reward of their eleventh batch of the GlenDronach Cask Strength, a richly sherried Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky matured in fine Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso Sherry Casks.

Colour: Deep Bronze

Nose: Mulled cranberry, orange and clove liqueur meld with dark honeyed treacle on a base of nutty oak.

Palate: Richly spiced bramble wine and treacle toffee interweave with chocolate raisin, cinnamon maple and sultana.

Finish: Lingering seville orange peel and nutmeg layered with caramel and maraschino cherry.

Only £74.90 >