Peated Speyside whiskies

MEIKLE TÒIR

Glenallachie distillery’s new peated whisky range Meikle Tòir – meaning ‘big pursuit’ – has arrived. Led by celebrated master distiller Billy Walker, this trio of peated single malts were matured for five years to capture more of its bold smoke flavours, using a variety of casks such as virgin Chinquapin oak, sherry and rye casks.

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Make sure to get involved with the events happening at the Society this October! It’s one thing to enjoy a dram in your own home. But Society whisky comes to life when it’s shared with fellow members, guests and our expert and entertaining SMWS ambassadors.

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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

ralfy review 999 – AnCnoc 24yo @46%vol: (2023)

Black Bottle Blends the Rules, unveiling Captain’s Cask as the latest ‘experiment’ in its award-winning Alchemy Series range. 

      Black Bottle’s Captain’s Cask is a rum-cask finished blended whisky, with notes of pineapple, coconut and vanilla alongside a signature Black Bottle smoky tail. 

      The fifth expression in Black Bottle’s Alchemy Series, Captain’s Cask combines smooth older malts with intense, explosive ones to create a powerful yet balanced taste. 

      The new expression follows on from last year’s multi-award winning releases, Andean Oak and Smoke & Dagger.

Black Bottle Blended Scotch Whisky has today announced the latest single-batch-produced, limited edition expression in the award-winning Alchemy Series – Black Bottle Captain’s Cask. Available globally today, UK-based fans can get their hands on the release online via Master of Malt or Amazon.

Captain’s Cask has been finished in rum casks, offering deliciously tropical flavours & notes of the Caribbean. Perfect on its own or as part of a longer serve, drinkers can expect notes of pineapple, vanilla and coconut, alongside the signature Black Bottle smoky tail the brand is notorious for.

Captain’s Cask can be enjoyed neat or to add an unconventional, Black Bottle twist to more traditional cocktail recipes like a Dark & Stormy or Mojito. Black Bottle encourages customers to blend the rules that are typically associated with cocktail recipes and explore new ways to enjoy their blended portfolio. For recipe inspiration, see blackbottle.com

Drawing inspiration from the story of the brand’s founders over 140 years ago, the Alchemy Series pays tribute to the relentless experimentation of Gordon Graham and his brothers, who created the original Black Bottle blend. This year’s ‘experiment’ follows on from the success of last year’s Alchemy Series expressions which received incredible acclaim, scooping awards at the ISC, IWSC and World Whisky Awards.

Master Blender Julieann Fernandez went all out with this expression, using peated malts that had been finishing in the finest Caribbean rum casks to enhance the tropical notes of the grain. Packed full of ripe pineapple and toasted oak, this complex blend has layers of toffee, hazelnut and freshly burnt kindling, with a sprinkle of cracked black pepper.

Julieann Fernandez said: “Captain’s Cask combines smooth, older grain with intense, explosive malts for a powerful yet balanced taste alongside our signature Black Bottle smoky tail. The Alchemy Series is all about experimentation and finding flavour combinations in unlikely places. That’s why Captain’s Cask combination of rum finished malt and bourbon matured grain is the perfect new addition to the range, offering customers a new whisky experience to enjoy. I’m excited for whisky drinkers to try it for themselves and tell us what they think!”

Captain’s Cask is bottled at 46.3% ABV, featuring natural colour and no chill filtration and has an RRP of £29.

The latest limited-edition expression joins a list of highly successful Alchemy Series releases, as well as Black Bottle’s Original and 10-year-old expressions.

For more information on Captain’s Cask or to enquire about listing opportunities, please contact  blendedwhisky@cvhspirits.com

Tasting notes

Colour: Deep Gold

Nose: An initial burst of tropical fruit, predominantly fresh pineapple roasted in demerara sugar, with notes of coconut, vanilla, toasted malt and a gentle wave of smoke.

Palate: Passionfruit and papaya are intertwined with smoky notes of charred oak, salted caramel and chocolate covered hazelnuts, with hints of coffee and a layer of ripe pineapple.

Finish: Lingering notes of toffee and cracked black pepper.

 About Black Bottle

Established in 1879, Black Bottle has had an unusual journey to back bars and liquor cabinets across the globe.

It began with Gordon Graham and his two brothers, who left the sleepy Scottish town of Torphins for the bustling city of Aberdeen, where they quickly built a name for themselves as master tea blenders. But despite their success, the brothers remained restless. Destiny called them to a new adventure, and leaving the tea trade behind, they ventured into the bold new world of whisky-making.

Casting off the chains of tradition and armed with years of blending experience, the trio dabbled in unconventional flavours and unorthodox methods; experimenting, refining and perfecting. Until, at last, they arrived at an extraordinary alchemical delight: an unusually bold whisky that was equal parts method and maverick flair. To this day, the brothers’ spirit remains untouched by the withering hands of time and is as unfalteringly extraordinary as it’s always been – always made without compromise.

KILLOWEN BARÁNTÚIL CASK #KD200
BARRY GROUP EDITION
ABV: 59.3%

Killowen Distillery are delighted to announce their Barry Group exclusive, which means that Barantúil will be available in every corner of the Island that boasts a Carry Out store on Thursday 19/10/23.

As such Killowen have worked extremely hard to create a wonderful Single Pot Still Whiskey fitting of this honor. The Single Pot still was originally aged in 2 smaller ex bourbon casks for three years before finishing in a larger fresh luxurious wet Muscatel cask. This is the first time Killowen have used a Muscatel cask for whiskey which works perfectly with the Pot Still distillate.

FLAVOUR EXPECTATIONS

Forget pot still as you know it, Killowen Single Pot Still is all about big flavour, a perfect marriage of pot still spice and fruit.

NOSE A hugely floral arrival along with a generous serving of lemon drizzle cake, to a lesser extent there is a hint of vanilla spice and nutmeg.
PALATE Thick and chewy distillate with apricot flesh and orange peel in abundance among hints of cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.
FINISH A buttery end with thick creamy pallet, allowing long lasting flavours of orange & lemon peel, the pot still spice notes of vanilla pod and ginger linger on with the fruitiness.

Killowen Distillery focus more on long slow, handcrafted production methods more than any other distillery. Their unique approach to spirit making allows for long wild open top fermentations, flame-fed distillations and worm-tub condensation all of which where all but extinct in Ireland until re-established by Killowen. The result is a more complex and full bodied spirit that real whiskey enthusiasts love.

The celebration of mashbill culture is something dear to Irish distillation history and in this whiskey the perfect portions of malted barley, unmated barley, oat and wheat are used in harmony while all offering different flavours and textures to the whiskey. Much more of this wonderful information is available inside the packaging to be enjoyed by the whiskey connoisseur.

BARRY GROUP EDITION IN HONOUR OF
JAMES A. BARRY

This bottling is to acknowledge Barry Group founded in 1955 by James A Barry, since then the Barry Group has successfully grown from a local business to a leading wholesale distribution company, with over 250 employees operating from its headquarters in Cork, Ireland

The Grand Whisky Auction IS NOW LIVE!

There are 2600+ lots to browse and bid on this month with one of the highlights being Ben Nevis Butt!

Interested in selling whisky in our next auction?

T.+44 (0)1463 210 427 – sales@thegrandwhiskyauction.com

Over 60% Off a Historic Craft Irish Whiskey
Kilbeggan Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (750ml)
(Previously $40) ($14.99)
“Sublimely good Irish whiskey.” — Whisky Advocate

For anyone who hasn’t thought about Irish whiskey lately, this stupendous deal should ignite your interest in quick fashion. Kilbeggan has been quietly turning out exceptional craft whiskeys that capture the perfect essence of the Irish style, and now at a mind-boggling Insider’s price of over 60% off.

Kilbeggan Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey (750ml) (Previously $40) ($14.99)

93 points Whisky Advocate: “The follow up to Small Batch rye, this single pot still is double-distilled at the historic Kilbeggan Distillery with a mashbill containing 2.5% oats, inspired by a Locke family recipe from the late 1800s. Pot still spices hit the nose first, with candied peel, baked peach, apricot, creamy vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ground pepper. Flavors of orange, apricot, cake, and vanilla combat fizzing pot still spices. Sublimely good Irish whiskey. *Best Value* (JM, Spring-2020)”

93 points Wine Enthusiast: “Fresh cut apple and a hint of smoke lead the nose. The robust, flavorful palate offers a surprising plummy note, finishing long and drying with cayenne and clove heat. Altogether, the pleasing effect is like spice cake doused in whiskey. *Top 100 Spirits for 2021* (KN)” (04/2021)

K&L Notes: 100% distilled and matured at Ireland’s oldest licensed distillery. Kilbeggan closed in 1953 only to be refurbished and reopened by the king of Irish craft whiskey, John Teeling, the founder of the Cooley distillery, in 2010. This is the oldest expression to be released to date and represents the most traditional style of Irish whiskey, a first to be featured in the modern Kilbeggan era. Designed to be sumptuous and appealing to almost any palate, this new limited release bodes well for the future of the ever-expanding Irish whiskey category, not by offering innovation, but by returning to the category’s roots in the perfect way.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: October 11, 2023

The great correction that people have been waiting for in spirits pricing is finally here, and like all corrections, it is swinging farther than it needs to in some cases. Kilbeggan is a classic, old, single-pot Irish whiskey brand of impeccable pedigree. At $40, it was fairly priced for the quality, but suffered from a crowded field and a lack of focus from its corporate owner. At $15, it is a steal of a deal you cannot ignore. A textbook example of overcorrection. From the consumer side, it was lost without an age statement or big branding efforts to sharpen the focus on its quality and heritage. The fact is, Ireland’s unique single-pot style (a mix of malted and unmalted barley in the same mash and pot-distilled) is poorly represented in the whiskey world. Brands like Redbreast and Green Spot hold up the mantle, but other greats like Kilbeggan are available and worth your attention. Originally founded in 1757, Kilbeggan is Ireland’s oldest licensed distillery. With the demise of Irish whiskey in the early 20th century, it shuttered and wasn’t revived until 2010, well into the category’s resurgence. Mellow in texture and yet full and chewy Kilbeggan offers tons of fresh fruit ranging from juicy citrus to succulent stone fruit, sweet malt, grain tea, and gentle baking spices. It’s creamy on the palate, sweet, and easy-going on the finish. If you love the wares of the Emerald Isle, you’d be silly to not add at least one bottle to your bar at this wild price.

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

Macallan Amber Meadow available now!

The latest in the Harmony Collection of drams from The Macallan is Amber Meadow, a trendy and sustainable collab with Stella and Mary McCartney to celebrate the lush and fertile lands of Scotland. Get your bottle now whilst we have some!

Buy Macallan Amber Meadow →

The Harmony Collection is back for the third edition! This time The Macallan have collaborated with Stella and Mary McCartney to celebrate the lush, fertile lands of Scotland. A combo of both sherry seasoned oak and bourbon casks create warm, citrus, malty notes reminiscent of Scottish barley fields, with discarded meadow cuttings giving new life to help craft the sustainable packaging.

Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year

ISLE OF RAASAY 2018

Introducing the oldest whisky release from Isle of Raasay to celebrate its Distillery of the Year award at the Scottish Whisky Awards 2022. Distilled in 2018, this unpeated single malt was aged in ex-Four Roses bourbon casks and finished in Colombian oak casks, resulting in notes of vanilla, butterscotch, black cherries and crème brulée.

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A special release from Isle of Raasay distillery that was bottled in celebration of its success at the 2022 Scottish Whisky Awards, where it was crowned Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year. Distilled in 2018 and bottled in 2023, the limited-edition Distillery of the Year release is the oldest whisky Isle of Raasay has released to date. This unpeated single malt was first matured in ex-Four Roses bourbon casks before being finished in Colombian oak casks, creating notes of vanilla, butterscotch, caramel, black cherries and creme brulee throughout the palate.

Benrinnes Distillery

Situated in the Heart of Speyside, Benrinnes Distillery is one of 7 that take their water from a source running of the areas most famous mountain. It is, of course, the only one that takes its name from the Corbet, and its striking red chimney can be seen from the road like a beacon announcing its location.

A favourite amongst blenders, the distillery is not shy of finishing, its robust spirit stands up to most cask styles and in particular, Sherry casks. While blenders love it and take the lions share of produce, it is also a regular choice for the finest independent bottlers around.

You can find a host of single casks available on our shelves, finished or matured in differing styles but all having the same core spirit at the heart of them.

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Benrinnes Range