The Good Dram Show – Episode 542 ‘Thompson Brothers’

Welcome to this week’s episode of the show in which I’ll be taking a look at a few Independent releases from Phil and Simon Thompson. The Good Dram Show with Chris Goodrum Episode 542 – I Say, Tin Tin, It’s Remarkably Good..! Filmed in The Study Nottingham.

Featuring

Thompson Brothers Sutherland Blended Malt 5 year old ‘2023 Edition’ 48.5%

Thompson Brothers Lowrie’s Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky 45.7%

Thompson Brothers Inchmurrin 2014 (9 year old) 48.5%

Thompson Brothers Blair Athol 2006/2011 (12 year old) 50%

Thompson Brothers Glenrothes 2011 (11 year old) ‘Error 502 Series’ 57.1%

Thompson Brothers Croftengea 2006 (16 year old) 50%

THOMPSON BROTHERS

TRIPLE CROWN FOR WOLFBURN WHISKIES

The 2024 edition of the world renowned Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible has just been published, and Wolfburn Distillery has been highlighted as one of the world’s best whisky producers.

Three of Wolfburn’s single malt scotch whiskies were awarded gold medals by Mr Murray: the sherry-cask matured 10 Year Old, lightly-peated Morven, and the renowned cask-strength Langskip.

‘In recent years we have won many prestigious awards,’ says Iain Kerr, Distillery Manager. ‘But Jim Murray is by some margin the most influential industry critic, and for him to award us three gold medals like this is almost unparalleled.’

Morven is Wolfburn’s highest-scoring whisky, being crafted from lightly-peated spirit matured for over six years in top-quality bourbon barrels. ‘Whisky fans globally have been loving it since launch five years ago,’ comments Iain. ‘It’s one of our top selling expressions and benefits from the uniquely high quality casks we use. Hopefully this latest award helps spread the word even further.’

Photographs:

1. Wolfburn’s top-scoring Morven whisky
2. Wolfburn Distillery Manager Iain Kerr

ABOUT WOLFBURN:

The original Wolfburn Distillery was founded just to the west of Thurso by William Smith in 1821.  In its day it was one of the largest distilleries in Scotland, producing, according to HMRC records, 28,056 “gallons of proof spirit” in a single year.  Taking its name from the stream that provided the water – the Wolf Burn – the distillery operated until around 1870.  The reasons for its closure are lost in time, but by 1877 the newly produced Ordnance Survey maps showed it being in ruins.

In 2011 plans were laid to resurrect the old distillery. Construction began in 2012 and in January 2013 the new Wolfburn Distillery commenced production, thereby becoming the most northerly distillery on the Scottish mainland.  Situated 300m from the site of the original distillery, the new Wolfburn operates in much the same way as the old: craftsmen use traditional methods to produce fine spirit, which is laid down in best quality oak casks to await the day when it is bottled as single malt scotch whisky.  Wolfburn’s single malt scotch whiskies have won numerous international awards and are now distributed in 40 countries globally.

Wolfburn Distillery, Henderson Park, Thurso, Caithness KW14 7XW

www.wolfburn.com

www.facebook.com/wolfburn

Discover the Tasting Panel’s origins, an integral part of the Society since starting in Pip Hills’s Edinburgh kitchen more than 40 years ago. In the 1980s, they pioneered a language to describe single cask, single malt whisky, all while challenging conventions within the whisky world.

Fast forward to our February Outturn – the Tasting Panel remains the linchpin. Even as the Whisky Team crafts small-batch wonders, the Panel’s rigorous evaluation persists, ensuring quality along with a playful presentation of names and notes.

Discover the enduring legacy of a process born in Pip’s kitchen – from Panel to palate by viewing our February Outturn now!

EXTRAVAGANCE MEETS TIMELESS ELEGANCE

CASK NO. 85.73

REGION:  Speyside

INITIAL CASK:  Ex-bourbon hogshead

FINAL CASK:  2nd fill Sauternes barrique

AGE:  16 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Juicy, oak & vanilla

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Lemon tagliolini with taleggio and truffle shavings followed by grilled honey balsamic-glazed fruits before we enjoyed tutti frutti ice cream.”

TOASTED PEANUT BUTTER AND JAM SANDWICH

CASK NO. 146.3

REGION:  England

CASK TYPE:  1st fill STR barrique

AGE:  5 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Sweet, fruity & mellow

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Harvest time in an apple orchard, enjoying toasted peanut butter and jam sandwiches, oak-aged calvados and a pear caramel upside-down cake.”

AVAILABLE ONLY IN BC, AT STRATH LIQUOR MERCHANTS IN VICTORIA AND LEGACY LIQUOR STORE IN VANCOUVER

WHISKY BABA

SMALL BATCH BLENDED MALT

REGION:  Speyside

CASK TYPES:  Ex-bourbon hogsheads and ex-rum French oak barriques

AGE:  12 years

“To create this expression, we opted for some rather unusual casks. Crafted from French oak, these barriques had previously been used to mature Jamaican rum in the Cognac region of France. We filled them with a selection of Speyside malts for a period of 28 months of additional maturation. We then blended selected casks together to create this intensely fruity dram.” Double Gold Medal winner.

FULL FRONTAL DICHOTOMY

CASK NO. 39.275

REGION:  Speyside

INITIAL CASK:  Ex-bourbon hogshead

FINAL CASK:  1st fill oloroso hogshead

AGE:  16 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Deep, rich & dried fruits

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Light aromas of toffee apples, dessert wine and grilled pineapple developed into burnt toffee, molasses and marmalade-glazed pork belly.”

BULL AND BEAR

CASK NO. 143.3

REGION:  Seattle

CASK TYPE:  1st fill barrel #2 char

AGE:  3 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Spicy & sweet

BOTTLE NOTE:  “An intoxicating herbal and minty scent was followed by a ‘bear’s paw’ before water added walnut cake served with a ‘Blood and Sand’ cocktail. Made with Great Western pale malt.”

THAT HEILAN’ FEELIN’

CASK NO. 94.34

REGION:  Highland

CASK TYPE:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  13 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Spicy & sweet

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Rich and sweet but also textural, nicely waxy, old school and full bodied. A charming Highland character full of honey, tweed and porridge.” 

SMOKE DEVILS AND TIPSY ANGELS

CASK NO. 156.2

REGION:  Lowland

CASK TYPE:  2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  5 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Peated

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Smoke devils swirl in a kiln, plus some sweetness (fruit and juice-flavoured mini candy chews, lemon drizzle cake), BBQ gloves, briny ships’ timbers and nutty dark chocolate.”

AVAILABLE ONLY IN ALBERTA, AT KENSINGTON WINE MARKET IN CALGARY

NOTHING TO SEE HERE

LIMIT ONE PER MEMBER

CASK NO. 53.445

REGION:  Islay

INITIAL CASK:  Ex-bourbon hogshead

FINAL CASK:  Refill PX sherry hogshead

AGE:  15 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Peated

BOTTLE NOTE:  “This is not an exquisite, exceptionally rare fusion of gorgeous, single-tear inducing sherry and peat. It is best avoided and not purchased.”

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada
Suite 160
104 – 1240 Kensington Road NW
Calgary, AB  T2N 3P7
403-969-8225
curious@smws.ca
www.smws.ca

We’re delighted to introduce the latest expressions in our very own Soho Selection and Vintage Reserve collections. We love sourcing and sharing extraordinary whiskies, and our January line-up features some of our favourite releases yet.

Milroy’s Vintage Reserve is a series of remarkable bottlings selected by our in-house experts. Typically long-aged in ex-bourbon barrels and hogsheads, they allow a distillate’s inherent personality to shine through. We’re delighted to unveil Benriach 27 Year Old 1996 Milroy’s Vintage Reserve and Glenburgie 27 Year Old 1995, two classic releases from iconic Speyside makers.

Meanwhile, Milroy’s Soho Selection embraces the more curious side of whisky-making. These bottlings embrace younger, vibrant spirits and unusual cask finishes. That’s just what we’ve got with Highland Peated Malt 19 Year Old 2004 and Campbeltown Blended Malt 6 Year Old 2017.

Scroll on to discover the new line-up, or pop into our Soho bar for a dram before 14 February.

EXPLORE

Glenlivet 1986 33YO Connoisseurs Choice Cask #16601801 47.5%

£795.00

This release is from Glenlivet Distillery. Coming in the ‘Cask Strength’ range of Connoisseurs Choice. Notes:Sweet aromas of stewed pear lead to cinnamon spice with a hint of oak. Fresh flavours of strawberries and raspberries combine with liquorice. A medium-bodied finish with lingering summer fruits.

Distilled: 1986
Bottled: 13th March 2020
Batch number: 20/002
Cask number: 16601801
Cask Type: Refill Sherry Hogshead
Aged for 33 Years
One of only 303 bottles
Bottled by Gordon & MacPhail

TyndrumWhisky.com
The Green Welly Stop
Tyndrumwhisky, Tyndrum
Crianlarich, Perthshire FK20 8RY
United Kingdom

To mark our 25th anniversary celebrations, we’re offering you an exclusive Special Selection tasting pack featuring five amazing craft Scotch whiskies. And because it’s Burns Night (it was ~ WI), we’re offering a 15% discount on our Whisky Special Selection—just use the code WHISKY15.

What’s in the pack?

Each limited-edition pack contains five 50ml bottles of craft Scotch whiskies from the following brands:

Arbikie

Lochlea

Nc’nean

Torabhaig

Wolfburn

Plus a free one-year digital subscription to Whisky Magazine (worth £29).

Review ~ Johnnie Walker Red Label 1970’s & Clynelish 14YO

https://youtu.be/2Ir6AX2Xhtg

Here’s a fun one this week! Thanks again to Mark Little LTD for sending me these really cool miniatures, some of which I’ve always wanted to buy or try. A 1970s bottle of Johnnie Walker Red Label bottle at 70 proof. This thing was a little more 2D than I wanted it to be, but it’s still a pretty cool bit of whisky history.

A bottling of original Clynelish 14YO Flora and Fauna release, the pre-Clynelish 14 that we all know of today, bottled at 43% rather than the 46% we’re now accustomed to. This was a little different from what I was used to.

Tales of The Macallan Volume II

THE FOUNDER OF THE MACALLAN

Tales of The Macallan Volume II pays tribute to our founder, Alexander Reid, in our 200th anniversary year. With an incredible complexity only achieved through age and patient maturation, this exceptional single malt celebrates our founder’s journey to mastery. Revealing exquisite craftsmanship in every aspect, from flavour to presentation, this remarkable whisky encapsulates Alexander’s story and the legacy he left behind.

A CREATIVE COLLABORATION

The bespoke hand-crafted crystal decanter that encases this distinguished expression was created by our long-standing collaborator, master French crystal maker Lalique.

Etched with depictions of Alexander Reid’s journey, the decanter is secreted within an impressive 852-page tome. With chapters beautifully illustrated by Andrew Davidson, it hosts imagery from the time of Alexander Reid. Printed by Imprimerie du Marais, the book is handsewn and bound by Shepherds, Sangorski & Sutcliffe and Zaehnsdorf, London.

Guided by legacy, Craig Armstrong composed a score inspired by Scottish folk instruments in Speyside during Alexander Reid’s time. The resulting soundtrack echoes The Macallan’s enduring heritage, as Armstrong, drawing from his Scottish roots, weaves a magnificent melody tracing Reid’s journey from teacher to farmer and distiller.

EXCEPTIONAL CHARACTER

This remarkable single malt was carefully crafted by The Macallan Lead Whisky Maker, Euan Kennedy. Distilled in 1949 and bottled in 2022, this rare expression, with beautiful tones of bronzed oak and subtle reds, captures the spirit of Alexander Reid.

Aromas of sweet woodsmoke, rich forest fruit, leafy herbs and indulgent spices will transport you to landscapes and adventures past. Just like the Distillery at Easter Elchies Estate, this liquid masterpiece recounts a timeless tale in every drop.

DISCOVER

Auction closes from 8pm (GMT) TONIGHT!!! (Tuesday 6th February) 

www.speysidewhiskyauctions.co.uk

Macallan – 37 Years Old – 1964 – Fine & Rare

A stunning bottling of Macallan which was distilled in 1964. The natural beech colour and rich, perfumed character strongly indicates this was matured in first Fill American Oak Sherry Cask.

Filled on 5th September 1964 and aged for 37 years in a single hogshead cask #3312 which was selected as the best current expression of that year. Left to lie until it was then bottled in 2002 at natural cask strength with no chill filtration. Allowing this whisky to get all of its colour naturally from the 37 years it spent in the cask.

Glenfarclas – 50 Years Old – Bicentenary of John Grant’s Birth

This special bottle from the famous family-owned Speyside distillery was distilled on the 30^th September 1955 and was matured over a long 50-year period before being bottled in 2005 to celebrate the Bicentenary of the birth of John Grant, who had purchased the distillery in 1865. Only 110 of these elusive bottles were released and they don’t show up often, so be sure to head online now and bid while you can!

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Imperial 26 Year Old – 1995 | Single Malts of Scotland – Marriage of Casks

BY ELIXIR DISTILLERS

This very rare expression has been created from single malt distilled in 1995 at the Imperial distillery and matured in American oak refill barrels for 26 years. Only 198 bottles have been produced of this well aged Imperial, from the sadly now lost distillery. Imperial distillery closed its doors in 1998 and was demolished in 2013. Bottled by Elixir Distillers as part of the excellent Single Malt of Scotland series.

£845.00

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