DALMORE 2008 VINTAGE 

70cl | 45.8% ABV

Every November, The Dalmore Whisky makers visit the distillery’s historic sandstone warehouses to explore the ageing casks. In the chill shadows, the casks are meticulously assessed – only a handful are selected from any one year. Carefully crafted, finely balanced and bringing together the very finest casks from one year, each limited release Single Malt will then take its rightful place in The Vintage Collection.

Matured in American white oak ex-Bourbon casks and enhanced by hand-selected Matusalem Sherry and PX Sherry casks.

TASTING NOTES:

NOSE: Milk chocolate, caramel, mandarin and cracked black pepper.

TASTE: Manuka honey, sweet cacao, poached apples, golden sultanas.

FINISH: Vanilla cream chocolate brioche, navelina orange, and light cinnamon warmth.

£159.95

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Introducing Founder’s Highlights Regular update from Dan

It’s been a whirlwind few weeks, with two major trade shows last week providing a chance to speak with bartenders in Manchester and a pub/restaurant owners from around the country.  This was followed by surprise news from France, that King Charles had been offered a dram of Cotswolds Single Malt by our fantastic French brand ambassador Hugues during his appearance in Bordeaux – an amazing coup which was picked up by many British newspapers.  Immediately following that was a day spent on our stand at the London Whisky Show, one of the highlights of the autumn whisky calendar.

A few days later I spent two days on our stand in Cannes at the Tax Free World Association’s annual conference, the largest international gathering of the duty-free and travel retail business.  Lots of good meetings and we hope to be back in nearly all UK airports by year-end.  Then off to a whisky masterclass in Nice, a visit with our Italian distributor in Genoa, and back home in time to host over 60 investors for the first of our two Investor Days.  And finally an enjoyable Sunday showing the Alessandro Palazzi (the venerable head Bartender from Dukes in London) and his team around the distillery.

One of the things I am most excited about is the near-finishing of work on our new Wetlands ecological treatment system.  It should be ready for commissioning in a few weeks, and will use plants to naturally treat the effluent from our whisky distillery.  Our investors were given a preview the other week, and seemed to be very impressed – I cannot wait to show it to all of you soon. Last week marked the official launch of our new Harvest Series whisky, Flaxen Vale, with beautiful artwork from local painter Annabel Playfair.

We rolled out our new whisky advertising campaign, ‘English for Whisky’, celebrating our position as the UK’s top-selling English whisky and leader in New World Whisky

And it was also the kick-off for an exciting new ad campaign – our first – for our whisky, which we hope you will all see very soon.  Then it was off to Northumberland for a meeting of the English Whisky Guild, October is always a busy month, but this year has to be a record!

Cheers
Dan

Whisky Magazine issue #195
Be the first to get your hands on our latest issue!

The cover stars for this issue are the team behind Holyrood Distillery. Edinburgh’s first whisky distillery to open in recent times is drawing inspiration from the city’s brewing heritage, from malts to yeasts, to create one of the country’s most innovative spirit ranges.

Make sure you don’t miss out!
Buy your copy of Whisky Magazine today.

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ralfy review 1,000 (2/5) – Return To Springbank. Kiln questions.

NEW WINE CASK WHISKIES

FROM THE GLENALLACHIE

Prominent Scotch whisky distillery rolls out three

new limited edition single malts matured in fine wine casks

Leading Scotch whisky producer The GlenAllachie today introduces a second tranche of single malt bottlings to join its acclaimed Wine Cask Series.

The trio of new bottlings include an 11-year-old Premier Cru Classé Cask Finish (UK RRSP £63), a 10-year-old Grattamacco Cask Finish (UK RRSP £58) and a 9-year-old Douro Valley Cask Finish (UK RRSP £57).

The rare oak casks were expertly sourced by The GlenAllachie’s Master Distiller and leading whisky maker of 50 years, Billy Walker, from three fine wine producers located in France, Italy and Portugal.

Each expression was initially matured in premium ex-Bourbon American oak barrels before being transferred to the various European red wine casks.

With 1,800 cases produced, the 11-year-old was aged in French oak that previously held a prestigious Premier Cru Classé wine, obtained from one of just five châteaux to hold this top Bordeaux wine classification. The subsequent whisky boasts “notes of blackcurrant cordial, warming mocha, truffle and gingersnap biscuits”.

Hailing from Italy, the certified organic Super Tuscan barriques from Grattamacco – the second winery established in the renowned Bolgheri region – have imparted “layers of pink grapefruit, wild honey, raspberry jelly and sweet spice” on the 2,600 cases of 10-year-old single malt created.

Douro Valley, one of the world’s oldest protected wine regions, holds some of Portugal’s most esteemed wine estates with the country’s highest classification: Denominação de Origem Controlada (DOC). The rare barriques have delivered “hints of dried apricots, cinnamon sticks and vanilla custard,” with a total of 2,000 cases of whisky available.

The three expressions are proudly presented at a high strength of 48% ABV, are unchill filtered and have no added colouring.

Remarking on the launch, Walker shares:

“We’re incredibly fortunate to have worked with some of the best wine producers in Europe for these wonderful releases. I’m a devoted wine enthusiast, so, on a personal level, this series brings together two passions: fine wine and Scotch whisky.

“We’re proud to have achieved a vast spectrum of flavour characteristics across these three bottlings: the Premier Cru Classé offers up rich dark fruit attributes; the Grattamacco overflows with brown sugar and honeycomb notes; and the Douro Valley delivers an elegant stone fruit quality.”

Last month, The GlenAllachie announced its new peated single malt brand, Meikle Tòir, with a portfolio of four products, including the coveted Turbo 2023 Edition with just 2,500 bottles released worldwide.

With UK RRSPs starting at £57, The GlenAllachie Wine Cask Series Batch 2 will become increasingly available over the coming weeks from global specialist retailers.

TASTING NOTES

The GlenAllachie 11-year-old Premier Cru Classé Wine Cask Finish – 48% ABV

• Colour: Polished Bronze.
• Nose: Waves of butterscotch, blackcurrant and heather honey, with hints of minerality, poached orchard fruits and orange zest.

• Taste: Layers of honeycomb, black fruits and dark chocolate, followed by coffee, truffle and cinnamon, with crème de cassis and ginger on the finish.

The GlenAllachie 10-year-old Grattamacco Wine Cask Finish – 48% ABV

• Colour: Rose Gold.
• Nose: Bursting with dark chocolate, butterscotch and heather honey, with notes of blackcurrant, caramelised brown sugar and cinnamon spice.

• Taste: Waves of ripe red berries, grapefruit and toasted honeycomb, followed by butterscotch, sugared fruit and black truffle.

The GlenAllachie 9-year-old Douro Valley Wine Cask Finish – 48% ABV

• Colour: Rich Redwood.
• Nose: Waves of plum jam, clementines and dried red berries, with notes of heather honey and vanilla spice.

• Taste: Bursting with dried apricots, heather honey and crystalised fruits, followed by hints of ripe black fruits, butterscotch and cinnamon spice.

ABOUT GLENALLACHIE:

One of Scotland’s few independently owned and managed distilleries, The GlenAllachie is led by industry veteran, Billy Walker, who boasts over a half-century’s tenure in whisky. With an emphasis on wood policy, The GlenAllachie’s cask budget for 2023 stands at an eye-watering £2.7m/$3.3m. With 16 on-site warehouses holding over 50,000 casks, we have complete control of the end-to-end maturation process.

The GlenAllachie focuses on quality over quantity, which is why we chose to reduce our production capacity from 4 million to around 800,000 LOA (Litres of Alcohol) and increase our fermentation period to 160 hours for an ester-rich, fruity spirit.

We believe age and integrity matter, which is why all our whiskies carry an age statement and are bottled at a minimum of 46% ABV, natural colour and non-chill filtered for maximum flavour.

Our other brands are Meikle Tòir Peated Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, MacNair’s Boutique House of Spirits – encompassing Lum Reek Blended Malt Scotch Whisky – and White Heather Blended Scotch Whisky.

Further information on the distillery and company can be found at www.theglenallachie.com

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Timorous Beastie Marks this Friday 13^th with new Thrilling “Meet the Beast” limited edition bottling

To mark the infamous Friday 13^th date, Douglas Laing today reveals the latest Timorous Beastie MEET THE BEAST limited edition.

This remarkable release comes with an ingenious ‘Illusion’ pack that adds a thrilling dimension to your tasting experience. Inside each pack is specially designed pair of glasses that will unveil the hidden secrets of this whisky as you prepare to confront the elusive beast.

Bottled at natural cask strength this “beastly” creation boasts a formidable 54.3% ABV and matured exclusively in bourbon casks, ensuring an intense and unadulterated tasting experience of a “burst of sweet vanilla and spiced citrus fruits with sweet meringue and fudge finish”. Alongside no colouring or chill-filtration, preserving the whisky’s true character.

Scott Morrison, Timorous Beastie Brand Manager, commented on the new release:

“We are truly thrilled to introduce ‘MEET THE BEAST’ 2023, our latest limited edition that pushes the boundaries of whisky experience. With its unique Illusion pack, natural cask strength, and exclusive bourbon cask maturation, this release embodies our commitment to innovation and quality. We invite whisky enthusiasts to join us on a journey where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and the BEAST is unleashed. Cheers to a truly exceptional tasting adventure!”

Timorous Beastie “Meet the Beast” 2023 is expected to retail at £55.00/€64.00 online and in specialist retailers around the world.

Key Features include of this unique bottling include:

• Natural Cask Strength: This beastly creation boasts a formidable natural cask strength of 54.3%, ensuring an intense and unadulterated tasting experience.
• The unique packaging comes to life with the help of the included glasses, offering a captivating visual element to your whisky enjoyment.
• 100% Bourbon Cask Matured: The whisky has matured exclusively in bourbon casks, infusing it with distinctive flavours from the American oak.
• No Colouring or Chill-Filtration, preserving the whisky’s true character.

Tasting Notes:

“Expect a colossal burst of sweet vanilla, spiced citrus fruits and juicy barley on the nose. The palate opens with freshly baked gingerbread, lashings of runny honey and gentle spice. The finish is long and lingering, with an abundance of sweet meringue and caramel fudge.” 

ABOUT TIMOROUS BEASTIE

Twitter/X @DLaingWhisky

Instagram: @timorousbeastiewhisky

Facebook: /dltimorousbeastie

Established in 2014 by Douglas Laing & Co, Timorous Beastie represents “ultimate distillation of the Highlands” in a small batch marriage of Single Malts distilled at Glengoyne, Glen Garioch, Blair Athol and Strathearn Distilleries, amongst others. The multi award-winning Scotch is distributed in over 50 markets globally and has amassed a loyal following.

ABOUT DOUGLAS LAING & CO.

www.douglaslaing.com

Douglas Laing & Co. is a leading independent Scotch Whisky distillery, blender and bottler specialising in the selection and release of Single Cask Single and Small Batch Malt Scotch Whiskies.

The company was founded by Fred Douglas Laing in 1948 and is still owned and run by the Laing family – Fred Laing Jr and his daughter Cara Laing.

The company philosophy is to bottle the way the distiller intended – at a high strength and without chill filtration to preserve the robust and unique character of the Whisky. Douglas Laing’s industry reputation and many awards is testament to this ethos.

Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts, the Ultimate Distillation of Scotland’s Malt Whisky Regions, encompasses The Epicurean Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky, Timorous Beastie (Highlands), Scallywag (Speyside), The Gauldrons (Campbeltown), Rock Island (Islands) and Big Peat (Islay).

Beyond its Blended Malts expertise, the award-winning Douglas Laing portfolio also includes Provenance, Premier Barrel, Old Particular, Xtra Old Particular and XOP Black, collectively known as the firm’s “Exceptional Single Casks”.

Why Whiskies Like This Glendronach Are To Thank For The Creation of Signatory Vintage 

Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh and the independent bottler, Signatory Vintage, have an interesting, shared history. 

This Glendronach 1970 18 Year Old Prestonfield House may be, in part, to thank for the creation of one of the most iconic independent bottlers in the Scotch whisky industry.

Prestonfield House Hotel is a 5-star luxury hotel in the heart of Edinburgh and has intrinsic links to Signatory Vintage through the founder of the independent bottling company, Andrew Symington. Symington worked at Prestonfield House as the Assistant Manager in the 1980s, when the hotel had a number of single malt whiskies bottled especially for the hotel and its exclusive clientele.

In the 1980s, single malt, single cask whiskies were not the done thing, and were relatively uncommon. As such, the Prestonfield House bottlings were something of an innovation, and allowed the hotel to offer something select for their guests. With the help of Andrew Symington, Prestonfield House bottled some incredible cask strength whiskies, and Symington found a new passion. Soon after, Signatory Vintage was established.

Since its inception in 1988, Signatory Vintage has bottled some very impressive whiskies including this stunning Rosebank 1960 32 Year OId and a 1967 30 Year Old Ardbeg matured in an Oloroso butt.

In 2023, Mark Littler Limited was contacted by a private client who was lucky enough to own one of the bottlings that started it all. This Glendronach 1970 18 Year Old was bottled for Prestonfield House in the same year that Signatory Vintage was born, elegantly tying together the history of the two companies. The whisky was bottled from casks 542-558 and is bottle number 2142 of a limited edition.

If you are a fan of Signatory Vintage, then this bottle truly is a piece of Scotch whisky history. Who knows, without bottlings such as this, would Signatory Vintage exist at all?

BUY NOW: Glendonach 1970 18 Year Old Prestonfield House 

About Mark Littler Limited

Mark Littler is an independent whisky broker, market analyst and consultant with over a decade of experience in the industry. Each week he publishes new videos on his YouTube channel about topics such as cask investment fraud (and how to avoid it), the history of distilleries and bottles, debunking whisky investment myths and much more. For more information visit www.marklittler.com

If you are interested in the Glendronach 1970 18 Year Old Prestonfield House, or would like to chat to one of the team about our other services, please get in touch.

Email: whisky@marklittler.com

Telephone: 01260 218 718

Collectible Whiskey at One-Time Pricing
St. George “40th Anniversary Edition” Single Malt Whiskey (750ml) (Elsewhere $585) ($399.99)

We’ve always had a strong affinity for everything that this beloved NorCal distillery produces. Today we’re featuring this anniversary single malt at one-time pricing for our spirits Insiders. In addition, we also have a limited number of St. George Single Malt Collector’s Packs containing this special anniversary edition, plus one bottle each of Lot 20, 21, 22, and the excellent Baller Single Malt. In one fell swoop, you can knock out several years’ worth of collecting!

St. George “40th Anniversary Edition” Single Malt Whiskey (750ml) (Elsewhere $585) ($399.99)

K&L Notes: When St. George Distillery opened up shop in Alameda in 1982, there was no intention to spearhead a craft whiskey boom in the United States, but that’s exactly what transpired over the next 40 years. Since then, founder Jörg Rupf’s visionary project has brought us everything from best-selling gins and vodkas to award-winning whiskeys. In celebration of four decades of excellence in the California craft spirits scene, they’ve turned out a highly limited 40th anniversary single malt that’s unlike anything else you’ll find in American whiskey.

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

A BLEND OF TRADITION:
ARDRAY BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY

A century ago, Shinjiro Torii set out to create a complex whisky inspired by those made in Scotland but with a distinctly Japanese character. Laying down roots in Yamazaki, Suntory Whisky was born and so was a tradition of dedication, passion and innovation in flavour.

The latest product of this legacy is Ardray, a blended whisky that is shaped by Scotland’s rugged landscape and refined by the precision and skill of Suntory’s blending team. Made with malt and grain whiskies from all across Scotland – from the Highlands to the Islands – Ardray is a harmonious medley of flavours that balances fruity, malty, spicy and smoky elements.

SHOP NOW

ralfy review 1,000 (1/5) – Return To Springbank.