BUNNAHABHAIN 1990
32 YEAR OLD

We’re excited to present a powerful and concentrated Bunnahabhain single malt, distilled in 1990 and matured for 32 years in a single oloroso sherry butt before being bottled exclusively for our customers. Bunnahabhain distillery rarely releases retailer-exclusive bottlings, and it is rarer still for it to be a whisky as well-aged as this one.

The Whisky Exchange head buyer Dawn Davies MW worked closely with master distiller emeritus Brendan McCarron and his team to select a whisky with a rich and bold character. The oloroso sherry butt has imparted layers of sweet spices, sticky caramel and nutty chocolate that mingle with Bunnahabhain’s fruity and malty character. It is an explosion of flavour on the palate and a cask not to be missed.

£2,000

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BELL ROCK

Cask Strength

70cl | 61.1% ABV

Bell Rock Cask Strength is the latest limited edition single malt whisky from the Kingsbarns Distillery. This robust, full bodied single malt was matured in a combination of Bourbon and Oloroso Sherry casks, and bottled at 61.1% ABV

£74.95

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Tasting Notes:

THE NOSE – Rich velvety toffee, baked meringue, roasted almonds.
THE PALATE – Pecan pie, caramelised orchard fruits, fresh pastry.
THE FINISH – Caramel sauce, crème brûlée.

We are delighted to introduce The Macallan Colour Collection, a travel exclusive Collection exploring our commitment to Natural Colour and Sherry Seasoning. This Collection is designed in collaboration with the eminent artist and graphic designer, David Carson.

Comprising five expressions, aged from 12 Years Old to 30 Years Old, the Colour Collection explores the rich spectrum of natural colours, flavours and aromas imbued by our exceptional sherry seasoned oak casks from Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.

A travel exclusive, the Colour Collection will be available in The Macallan Global Boutiques, in key airports and selected duty free locations around the world from September 2023.

DISCOVER

Suntory Hakushu 12 Year Old Japanese Peated Single Malt Whisky

(750ml) (Elsewhere $215)

$169.99

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Whisky Advocate

 Although only two years older, this expression of Hakushu — the first to be launched in the U.S. — shows a fleshier side to the distillery’s wares. While it has retained the freshness of the 10 year old, it shows more pineapple and grapefruit on the nose, with a little fragrance of jasmine and osmanthus. On the palate, it’s fresh and lively with a hint of persimmon and a tickle of smoke. Recommended. (DB, Spring 2012) 

K&L Notes

Suntory’s Hakushu, known as the “forest distillery,” was built in 1973 as a sister distillery to Suntory’s Yamazaki (previously the only Japanese single malt available in the United States). The facility is located at a high-elevation site next to the pristine waters of the Ojira River, which are used to dilute the whisky itself. Hakushu distillery uses different styles of oak barrel to age their single malt, but mainly hogshead, which, according to the distillery is, “suitable to the clear air and cool humid climate.” The 12-year old from Hakushu is lightly peated and very delicate in its flavor profile. The light and fruity style of the whisky is quite similar to the Yamazaki 12, but the smoke really makes up for any lack of richness. We’ve seen insane price increases over the last five years on Japanese whisky and inventory getting tighter and tighter, but for a limited time, we have Hakushu 12 in stock and available to sell, and at a fraction of the price you’ll see at many other retailers across the country.

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

ralfy review 992 Extras – The evolution of whisky awareness by customers.

Welcome one and all to our now live 147^th auction!  We have a plethora of amazing drams in our auction this month, over 7000 bottles in total and some particularly special expressions amongst them.  Building a watchlist with this many potential purchases available is always hard, so to ease your burden we have picked out some interesting bottles to get you started.

Bowmore Black 1964 – 1st, 2nd & 3rd Editions 2 x 70cl, 1 x 75cl

Our first highlight contains not one, not two, but three absolutely fantastic bottles in one stupendous lot, the Bowmore Black 1964 – 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Editions.  These tremendous drams have achieved almost mythical status within the world of whisky, and with good reason.  All drawn from Oloroso Sherry casks and hovering around 50% ABV these famously dark and luxuriant tipples are something to behold and the chance to purchase the first 3 editions all in one go doesn’t present itself too often.

Macallan 52 Year Old 2018 Release

Next we have a bottle of supreme quality, a Macallan 52 Year Old 2018 Release.  As with most Macallan releases this whisky has been aged solely in sherry oak, but what stands it apart is the incredible 52 years it has spent ageing.  Hand-signed by Macallan Whisky Maker Sarah Burgess this is one of only 250 bottles produced so you can expect to have a fight on your hands if you want to add this one to your collection this month.

Springbank 1996 26 Year Old Whisky Sponge

Springbank has been growing in popularity on the secondary market for a while now with their prices creeping up and up but there are still some great independent bottlings out there which can be had for (slightly) more reasonable prices.  This is one such bottle the Springbank. 1996 26 Year Old Whisky Sponge.  Bottled by Decadent Drinks in collaboration with the irrepressibly sarcastic Whisky Sponge blog, this is an interesting bottle to look at with old style glassware and excellent label art.  Not to mention the well-aged first fill sherry Springbank contained within.

Karuizawa 1965 50 Year Old Single Cask #3037 Elixir Distillers 50cl

The last highlight this month comes from the land of the rising sun, a Karuizawa 1965 50 Year Old Single Cask #3037 50cl from Elixir Distillers.  One of the older bottlings of Karuizawa in existence this beautifully understated expression has spent an outrageous five whole decades being aged in sherry oak before finally being released in 2022.  Despite the long ageing process this has managed to retain an impressively high ABV of 58.3% and is one of only 318 bottles released.

Some really excellent bottles here for sure, but this is just the tip of the iceberg.  We have a terrific range of drams this month with something to suit everyone, so now is the time to dive in and start picking out your own personal favourites and building your watchlist.  Best of luck to everyone in the auction, and as always………..don’t lose your bottle.

Latest Updates

With just three weeks left until launch, life with The Hearach in the world is starting to feel very real. These are exciting times for all of us here in Harris as we bring the collective efforts of this young endeavour ever closer to fruition. If you’d like to help spread the good news about the forthcoming launch then please feel free to share our emails and social media messages with friends and family. And, if you have any questions then simply click HERE, HERE , and HERE to find the answers to lots of queries from your fellow whisky lovers. This week, we’re sharing some details about our batch numbering system, the creative sounds of ceremony, and a few words on tasting notes done Harris-style…

Slàinte mhor, and as ever here’s to The Hearach!

Le gach deagh dhùrachd,

Mike Donald, Chief Storyteller

Be Here With Us In Harris – 22.09.23 and 23.09.23

We are releasing our whisky with a ‘strip code’ – a special combination of letters and numbers found on every stopper seal. The code may refer to a specifically married batch, or a batch from a single cask, or a batch from a certain type of maturation, or other unique factor in its release. These codes will also be found on a dedicated page of our website at launch, allowing you to download an accompanying ‘batch sheet’ to help you learn about your whisky.  We aim to be as transparent about our drams as we can, by sharing information on our yeasts, barleys, peating levels, cut-points, fermentation times, and more… You’ll also be able to enjoy stories from the island written at the time of bottling alongside tasting notes from Harris people, more on which can be found below…

We want everyone who enjoys The Hearach to connect with us here in the Isle of Harris. One of the ways we can help you do this is through beautiful objects, audio, and a quiet sense of ceremony. We hope you’ll be able to put life on pause when you can, pour a dram of our whisky, and press play on our specially created immersive soundscapes.  The first creative collaboration from launch is with young island audio artist Fraser MacBeath. Fraser spent much of 2023 with us at the distillery, traveling around Harris, getting to meet local people and exploring hidden corners of our community with his recording equipment. The resulting piece of experimental work weaves past and present, the noises of the natural world, and the musings and music of the men and women who call this place their home.

We feel that the flavour of our whisky will be perceived differently by different people as they allow the complex character of our dram to unfold in their glass over time. So, we won’t issue any ‘official’ tasting notes and instead encourage folk to explore the scents and sensory experience of The Hearach single malt from a more personal point of view. We also understand that identifying notes on the nose, flavours, and finishes can be daunting for those not used to the more formal way of dissecting a dram. Therefore, each batch will come with some simple words written by someone from our local community as they enjoy a glass and delve a little deeper into their island memories and imagination, to help things along. We’d love you to share your notes with us too and any stories which become spun as you too spend time with our island spirit.

September 2023 is just the beginning. When the dust settles, rest assured there are a great many good things yet to come, and no end of creative ideas still to explore. We look forward to sharing every moment with you and hope you will be inspired to be part our our plans as The Hearach story progresses.

Slàinte!

Got More Questions? Click To Learn More!

Our mailing address is:

Isle of Harris Distillers Ltd is registered in Scotland.
Tarbert, Isle of Harris, HS3 3DJ

Celtic Honey leans into its key ingredient with Celtic Honey Beekeeper’s Blend

New packaging and reformulation at 80 proof complete Celtic Honey’s transition into the flavored whiskey category

St. LOUIS (Aug 26, 2023) – Celtic Honey – inspired by a honey mead recipe from the Irish Celtic tribes and believed to bring good luck – is poised to blaze a new trail with updated packaging and a new formulation that increases from 60 to 80 proof (30% – 40% ABV), transitioning the brand from a cordial to a flavored whiskey. Made in Northern Ireland with all-natural Irish honey, distilled Irish whiskey and flavors of native Irish flowers, plants and trees, Celtic Honey Beekeeper’s Blend is set to reach retail shelves across the country by August at a suggested retail price of $24.99 per 750 ml bottle.

Celtic Honey Beekeeper’s Blend features aromas of sweet vanilla, bee pollen and oak on the nose and flavors of clover, honey and vanilla spice on the palate. The blend is rounded out by a warm, yet delicate, finish with a welcomed note of Irish whiskey.

To complement Celtic Honey’s new formulation, the brand features updated packaging with a modernized, simplified logo. While the bottle is the same, new Celtic Honey packaging features an elevated capsule enclosure, as well as foiled treatment on a craft-paper label for a premium look and feel.

“Celtic Honey Beekeeper’s Blend is a great way to bring a touch of sweetness to any occasion,” said Allison O’Brien, brand manager for Luxco’s Irish Portfolio. “Highlighted by all-natural Irish honey, Celtic Honey Beekeeper’s Blend adds a deliciously floral flavor and texture, whether you enjoy it over ice, as a shot or as an unexpected ingredient in a cocktail.”

To find a bottle or learn more, visit celtichoney.com.

About Luxco

Founded in St. Louis in 1958 by the Lux Family, Luxco is a leading producer, supplier, importer and bottler of beverage alcohol products. Our mission is to meet the needs and exceed the expectations of consumers, associates and business partners. Merged with MGP Ingredients, Inc. in 2021 (Nasdaq: MGPI), Luxco operates as MGP’s Brands Division and manages all MGP/Luxco brands. This extensive and award-winning spirits portfolio includes well-known brands from four distilleries: Bardstown, Kentucky-based Lux Row Distillers, home of Ezra Brooks, Rebel, Blood Oath, David Nicholson and Daviess County; Lebanon, Kentucky-based Limestone Branch Distillery, maker of Yellowstone Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Minor Case Straight Rye Whiskey and Bowling & Burch Gin; Jalisco, Mexico-based Destiladora González Lux, producer of 100% agave tequilas, El Mayor, Exotico and Dos Primos; and Ross & Squibb Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, where Remus Straight Bourbon Whiskey and Rossville Union Straight Rye Whiskey are produced. The innovative and high-quality brand portfolio also includes Penelope Bourbon, Everclear Grain Alcohol, Pearl Vodka, Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream, The Quiet Man Irish Whiskey, Green Hat Gin and other well-recognized brands. For more information about the company and its brands, visit luxco.com.

The Gathering is officially upon us! And you are in for a treat as we have a PACKED calendar of tastings and events at our venues, partner bars, Members’ Rooms and more throughout the month. It’s a great time to get involved and make the most of your membership.

The Gathering is our annual celebration of everything that makes the Society unique. The festival is for all members, no matter where you are in the world. It’s the time of year you’ll hear our rallying cry ALL TOGETHER NOW!

NEW OUTTURN

GATHERING EVENTS

Our Gathering tasting events are just around the corner, so book your tickets now and don’t miss the party! Continue to browse ALL events at the Society or scroll on to see what events are close by so you don’t miss out on the celebrations.

SEE WHAT”S ON

GUINNESS WORLD RECORD: BIGGEST ONLINE TASTING

As part of our 40th anniversary celebrations this year, we’re attempting to set a Guinness World Record for the largest online whisky tasting. This will be a 45-minute, three-dram tasting on Saturday, 30 September 2023 at 2pm BST. For those of you who can’t join us at an in-person event, we invite you to join us in sharing these drams online at our virtual tasting.

We have virtual tasting packs available on the website NOW, so make sure you are part of this MAVERICK moment! BUY your tasting packs and be sure to read the instructions on how to make sure your tasting on the day counts.

PURCHASE YOUR TASTING PACK

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

ABERFELDY DISTILLERY 31 Year Old 1991 Connoisseurs Choice (2022) Cask #4190

1991 vintage single sherry butt from the Highland distillery. Aberfeldy 31 Year Old 1991 vintage Highland single malt Scotch whisky. Single first fill sherry butt #4190 bottled December 2022 by Gordon & MacPhail for the Connoisseurs Choice series. 530 bottles.

Buy Aberfeldy 31yo »

£760.00

Stewed sultanas with mixed spices amd caramlized demerara sugar. Flavours of baked apple and citrus are followed by toasted walnut and pepper. A medium bodied finish with fruit and peppermint.

Brothers John and Tommy Dewar established Aberfeldy Distillery in 1896 and commenced distilling there two years later in order to guarantee a supply of quality Scottish malt whisky for their John Dewar & Sons range of blended scotch. Aberfeldy is a Highland malt whisky distillery situated in the heart of the Perthshire countryside and these days produces malt whisky for its Aberfeldy 12 Year to Aberfeldy 21 Year Old range of single malts. This Highland malt whisky distiller’s four copper stills produce both un-peated and mildly peated whisky. Aberfeldy’s old malt barns house Dewar’s World of Whisky visitor centre.