Happy 2nd Ramnaversary!
Today, we are marking the second anniversary of what we at Kensington Wine Market have come to call the “infamous Dodge Ram incident.” At 4:56 AM on February 11, 2022, an individual used a stolen Dodge Ram pickup truck to let himself into the store.
The break-in was not exactly a precision operation. Only $500 worth of whisky was stolen, but the collateral damage to property, product, and loss of income was more than 500x times that. It was a very disruptive event, and though we were well looked after by our insurer in a material way, we still lost more than we gained. We couldn’t let customers into the store for more than a week, and it was more than a year before the store was completely restored.
But most importantly no one was hurt, so we picked up the pieces and got on with things.
During the highs and lows of the months which followed, we did our best to stay positive. And in proper KWM fashion, we never lost our sense of humour… remember the “I assure you we are open” banner? (That’s a “Clerks” reference for those who don’t know.)
Last year, we chose to mark the anniversary with a “Door Crasher Sale.” Now, following two years of effort, cleanup, and a whisky wall relocation, we are launching a “Door Crasher Bottling.” You might think it a bit macabre for us to be making light of the occasion in this way, but it is very much on brand. When life gives us lemons, we make lemonade… then we distill said lemonade, shove it in a used Bourbon barrel we had lying around, and then find a way to turn it into a marketing campaign!
The image below is from the back label of the bottle!
People have often asked me what happened to the perpetrator, and the truth is, I don’t really know. I was told by an officer he was caught not long after the incident (red-handed as it were) and that he would be spending a fair amount of time behind bars.
Others have asked if I know his name, and once more, I do not, and frankly, I am happier not knowing. I don’t know what hardships or life decisions led us to the point where our paths collided (not just figuratively), but in any case, I forgive him and sincerely hope he finds peace and happiness in his life.
I am thrilled to be releasing our first Kensington Wine Market “Door Crasher” bottling this morning. It’s another excellent whisky from our friends at Glenfarclas, it’s great value for its age, style and quality, and most importantly, it’s fun!
Whether you treat yourself to a bottle or not, I hope the label will at least give you a chuckle.
Oh, and before any of you get any crazy ideas or feel compelled to do something rash – like let yourself into the store before we open at 10 AM – let me assure you that we have plenty of bottles available… and despite the fact, we don’t open for another 5 hours… you can order a bottle online now!
Sincerely,
Andrew Ferguson
Kensington Wine Market
In This Edition
1. Introducing: The Glenfarclas 15 Year KWM Door Crasher Edition
2. Upcoming Tastings
Introducing: The Glenfarclas 15 Year KWM Door Crasher Edition!
The idea to do a door crasher bottling was born within a couple of months of the break-in, and it was initially hoped we could release one on the first anniversary. That was in retrospect overly optimistic, as the bottling only just arrived in time for the second anniversary.
This is our 9th KWM exclusive bottling of Glenfarclas, and this is the 5th time that they’ve let us take some creative liberties with the label. Glenfarclas has been a great partner for my entire career, and time and time again they continue to offer us incredible value!
This is not a single cask, nor is it cask strength. This is a batch of 15 year old Glenfarclas, matured in sherry, and bottled specifically at 56%, because the break-in on February 12, 2022, took place at 4:56 AM. There are also 456 bottles…
Glenfarclas 15 Year KWM Door Crasher Edition – 56% – Sherry Casks – My Tasting Note: “Nose: rich, round, and sherried with classic Christmas cake notes; both dried and stewed fruits; orange peel heavy mincemeat, chocolate covered almonds and Glosset Raisins; nutty toasted oak, soft new leather, and tobacco leaf; oily and enticing. Palate: rich, oily, and fruity with firm building spices; more Christmas cake, dried, and stewed fruits, and mincemeat pie to boot; big hits of licorice root, pickled ginger slices, and a touch of clove; more chocolate, leaning to the dark baker’s chocolate side; Eatmore, earthy dunnage notes, leather and tobacco; treacle sauce and crème caramel. Finish: warming, oily and fruity with fading nuts and spices; long and coating. Comment: this is our third KWM exclusive bottling of Glenfarclas, and it might be the most sherried yet; it has a lovely balance of fruits, spices, and oak; it is a privilege to put our name on it… and a cheeky sketch!” – $150
