ralfy review 1028 – AnCnoc 12yo @40%vol: (2024)

THE COUNCIL OF WHISKEY MASTERS

Names 9 new MASTERS OF SCOTCH, 2 new MASTERS OF BOURBON and 6 MASTERS OF WHISKEY

following the 2024 Annual Master Exams held on the Isle of Raasay

Isle of Raasay Distillery, West Highlands, Scotland April/May 2024

More than 40 members and candidates of THE COUNCIL OF WHISKEY MASTERS, a global body dedicated to whisk(e)y education, convened at the Isle of Raasay Distillery, near the Hebridean island of Skye, to conduct annual Master examinations and to name newly confirmed Masters in the Scotch and Bourbon specialties, as well as the first ever Masters of Whiskey named by the Council for their global whiskey knowledge.

The international judging panel consisted of Council board members, who are globally acclaimed whiskey authorities and accomplished industry veterans. Many have served on the Council’s board of advisors since its founding in 2019: Steve Beal, Dave Broom, Martin Duffy, Sébastien Gavillet, Monique Huston, Charles MacLean, Becky Offringa, Hans Offringa, exam chairs Martin Duffy, Tobias Gorn and Arthur Nägele, chairman of the board Bernhard Schäfer, as well as Masters of Scotch Dan Crowell, Adam Edmonsond, Nik Kosobucki, Siddharth Sawkar, Guy Sporbert, John Wabeck, Sam Wright, and Master of Bourbon Tom McCormick.

The examinations included intense blind tastings, in-depth oral theory exams, as well as essays on a wide range of topics. Candidates were reviewed on all aspects of their chosen specialization, covering history, production, all major distilleries, knowledge of the trade, tasting competence, regulations and standards of identity, and more.

Judges evaluated all candidates independently and elected new Masters based upon agreed standards developed and consistently upheld by the Council. To become a candidate in the Master program, individuals must first pass the first and second levels of the program through remote study. The study program is open to all individuals worldwide, and enrollment details are available at www.WhiskeyMasters.org.

25 qualified individuals were enrolled in the 2024 Master program, and 17 of them passed the exams. THE COUNCIL OF WHISKEY MASTERS is pleased to announce the following exceptionally talented and dedicated professionals as new Masters:

JAMES BALL, MASTER OF SCOTCH

ALESSANDRO DI BERARDINO, MASTER OF SCOTCH (first Master in Switzerland)

WILL BRESLAW, MASTER OF SCOTCH

BRUCE DENG, MASTER OF SCOTCH (first Master in China)

MARK GRIFFITH, MASTER OF SCOTCH

MICHAEL HITCHCOCK, MASTER OF SCOTCH

TY KINTER, MASTER OF SCOTCH

AI KURODA, MASTER OF SCOTCH (first Master in Japan)

ANDY WESTLEY, MASTER OF SCOTCH

CARMEN HARTWICH, MASTER OF BOURBON (first Master in Australia)

KEVIN MALTA, MASTER OF BOURBON

As of April 19th, 2024, the above individuals are full members of THE COUNCIL OF WHISKEY MASTERS for life, subject to the Council’s code of conduct.

The following six professionals, who had previously passed the Master of Scotch or Master of Bourbon exams, and who were already full members of the Council, became the first to ascend to the highest designation awarded by the Council, Master of Whisk(e)y:

DAN CROWELL, MASTER OF WHISKY

ADAM EDMONSOND, MASTER OF WHISKY

NIK KOSOBUCKI, MASTER OF WHISKY

TOM MCCORMICK, MASTER OF WHISKEY

SIDDHARTH SAWKAR, MASTER OF WHISKY

SAM WRIGHT, MASTER OF WHISKEY

(The Council allows program graduates to choose their preferred spelling of the word “whisk(e)y,” consistent with their specialization.)

Many candidates who did not pass the exams are expected to continue in their studies and will be supported and mentored by the Council toward success in later examinations.

Alasdair Day, Master Distiller of the Isle of Raasay Distillery, has also joined the Council as the newest member of its advisory board, after serving with distinction as a guest examiner and judge.

Additional Masters named by the Council in past years are:

CHASE HENRY, MASTER OF BOURBON

JAY JORDAN, MASTER OF BOURBON

MARK RUCKER, MASTER OF BOURBON

JUSTIN STRUMPFER, MASTER OF BOURBON

JUSTIN BOYER, MASTER OF SCOTCH

JERAD JUSTESEN, MASTER OF SCOTCH

THE COUNCIL OF WHISKEY MASTERS currently consists of more than 60 full members worldwide. Since its inception in 2019, the Council has developed and supported thousands of certification examinees, from more than 50 countries.

The next Master exams are scheduled for April 2025, to take place in the United States. Enrollment is open now.

The Council thanks and appreciates Glencairn Crystal, our global partner and exclusive tasting glass. The Council thanks and appreciates Isle of Raasay Distillery, our 2024 examination venue partner in Scotland.

All program and contact information can be found at www.WhiskeyMasters.org

The full list of board members is published at www.whiskeymasters.org/whiskey-masters

Little Book’s first release of 2024 – Little Book Chapter 8, “Path Not Taken.”

Path Not Taken explores the future of American Rye by blending a unique range of ryes together – showing you that rye still has plenty of stories left to tell. This blend consists of seven liquids ranging from 4 years old, to 18 years old, with an ABV of 59.1% and an SRP of $149.99.

“Path Not Taken” is about reimagining the variety that rye grain has to offer and pushing the limits of what it can be. Freddie looked across America’s oldest whiskey frontier from a new vantage point and created a complex, redefined, and differentiated profile by blending ryes of different age, char, and mashbill.

This is Freddie’s first concerted effort to blend an expression based on the influence and unique flavors of rye whiskey and the nuances of the rye grain primarily in the American Straight Rye styles selected, as well as its mashbill influence within high-rye bourbon.

Liquid Notes

18yrs Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (High Rye)

11yrs Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

7yrs Kentucky Straight Rye Malt Whiskey

5yrs Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (KY Family-Style, Char 4)

5yrs Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (PA Family-Style, Char 1)

5yrs Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (PA Family-Style, Char 4)

4yrs Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

Elderly Elvis Tilting #2 (Glenlivet) 25 Year Old “Dramfool” Bourbon Barrel Aged Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) (Pre-Arrival) $249.99 View

Jim McEwan.  Colour: August Barley Aromas – Opens on a foundation aroma of malted barley, crisp and sweet. Moving into a harmonious Heather in bloom freshness with hints of candied almonds. Next its a gentle drift of charred oak & bourbon which takes you back in time to its original occupant which adds a spicy sweetness that works beautifully with the oak. Palate – At 25 Years old maturing in a bourbon barrel cask the flavours are outstanding. The sweet spiciness from the bourbon cask works beautifully with the vanilla & the spice plus the caramel flavour from the toasted oak then add the skills of the Distilling team, time and the malted barley produced by the farmers and that’s what makes this such a beautiful spirit.

K&L Notes. The 69th release from Dramfool, “Elderly Elvis Tilting,” comes from one of the most renowned Speyside distilleries. Distilled on October 6th, 1998 and matured for an impressive 25 years in bourbon barrel #4406979, it was bottled at 55.4% ABV cask strength on October 10th, 2023. Rarely do we see this kind of well aged blue chip cask bottled for a reasonable price anymore. While many famous distilleries are pushing 300-400 dollars for the 18 year releases, you can still find incredible value on the independent market. Dramfool has made an exceptional name for themselves through the quality of the casks they select to bottle. This 25 year from Glenlivet Distillery (a careful anagram of Elderly Elvis Tilting so as to not officially divulge the ‘secret’ distillery) is a massive coup for the team at Dramfool to be able to offer at this 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

This extremely rare single malt from Laphroaig Distillery on the isle of Islay was aged for 30 years in sherry casks before bottling at 43 % ABV.  The bottle comes in the original wooden box.

£1,350⁰⁰

THE VIDEO

Glen Scotia 9YO Fino Cask Finish, Campbeltown Whisky Festival, 56.2%

Last year’s release of peated, white port cask really didn’t float my boat in any way. Tried it numerous times and it just never sat with me. That’s okay, though, whisky will always be a dividing thing when it comes to flavour.

This year’s release of a 9YO fino cask finished, unpeated style made me quite excited straight away for a few different reasons:

1 – Loving lower peat/unpeated coastal stuff right now.

2 – Fino sherry is quickly becoming a favourite of mine. It just does unexpected things to every distillate that I’ve been lucky to try it with.

3 – Glen Scotia is excellent across the board.

All of these things together made for a rather easy purchase for me.

Let me know all of your thoughts on this new release, it’ll be an easy sipper for me this summer.

J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery Honors Veterans with

Mogadishu Mile Commemorative Bourbon

Kentucky Wounded Heroes Will Receive Donation from Bottle Sales; Bottle Launches with On-Site Event Memorial Day Weekend

FRANKFORT, KY (May 16, 2024) – J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery, created by Jeff Mattingly, a descendant of distilling pioneer John Graves Mattingly, will honor military veterans Memorial Day weekend with a commemorative bourbon bottling in remembrance of Mogadishu Mile. The Battle of Mogadishu took place during Operation Restore Hope and was one of the bloodiest battles American Soldiers had seen since Vietnam.  Eighteen U.S. soldiers died during the battle, and two days later a 19^th soldier was killed in a mortar attack.

In remembrance of this sacrifice, J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery is releasing its Mogadishu Mile Bourbon, a commemorative edition bottling comprised of 19 barrels blended together to create a limited edition available online and in-store on Memorial Day weekend.  Only 500 bottles are available for purchase.  A portion of the sale of each bottle will go towards Kentucky Wounded Heroes, a nonprofit organization serving Kentucky’s current or former members of the United States Armed Forces and first responders who have been injured during combat operations or line-of-duty service.  This is the fourth year J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery has partnered with Kentucky Wounded Heroes on a Mogadishu Mile Bourbon bottle.

The bottles will go on sale on Saturday, May 25^th online and at a Memorial Day event at J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery in Frankfort, Ky. to recognize our country’s military who gave the ultimate sacrifice.  The event will include a food truck, local beer, cocktails for purchase and local vendors from veteran-owned businesses.  Limited edition commemorative glassware etched with the word “Veteran” and the American flag will be complimentary with the purchase of a cocktail.

The significance of the 19 war heroes who lost their lives as a result of the battle and the 19 barrels selected for this bottling is not lost on the blending team at J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery.  “Early on in the tasting phase of the barrels, it was noticed by a member of Kentucky Wounded Heroes that 19 barrels had been pulled for consideration to make this blend,” said Harry Richart, president and chief operating officer.  “Normally we would cull down the number of barrels used in a blend into a smaller number, but we felt it was meant to be that 19 barrels had been selected initially, so our blending team created this year’s blend using parts of all 19 barrels and we’re ecstatic with the result.”

The Mogadishu Mile Bourbon is a 6.5-year-aged bourbon bottled at 115 proof.  Its orange-amber color lends itself to a nose of sweet and gently smokey oak with chocolate, citrus and baking spices.  On the palate, one will find a soft, yet oily texture which has a nice slightly dry oak mid palate, leading to a smooth finish.  There are lots of citrus notes with mild baking spices and a lingering taste of chocolate and oak.  Pricing starts at $120 for a 750 mL bottle with $20 from each bottle sale going to Kentucky Wounded Warriors.

Details for the Memorial Day Event are as follows:

Who:               J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery

What:              Memorial Day Event

When:             Saturday, May 25, 2024

8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Where:            J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery, located at 20 Reilly Road, Frankfort, KY

Why:             To honor our military veterans.  Food truck, local beer, local vendors from veteran-owned businesses and cocktails for purchase.  Complimentary commemorative glassware honoring veterans with purchase of cocktail.   J. Mattingly’s Mogadishu Mile Bourbon will go on sale upon opening at $120 in-store for 750 mL.  Admission to the event is complimentary.

About J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery

The Mattingly family has been synonymous with distilling in Kentucky for more than two centuries, having a hand in the development of at least nine separate distilleries in the Commonwealth, and with connections to some of the most illustrious names in the distilling industry, including George Garvin Brown, the Willetts and the Samuels.

It all started in 1845, with John Graves Mattingly’s first distillery in Marion County, Kentucky, Registered Distillery #2.  Many historians today believe his distillery was the first registered distillery in Kentucky.

In 2010 Jeff Mattingly took up the family mantle and started his own craft bourbon business.  Today, Jeff’s son Cameron has joined the team as Vice President of Production, continuing the legacy into the latest generation for J. Mattingly Distillery 1845 in Frankfort, Kentucky. Together father and son offer their proprietary double staving process as well as a custom bourbon blending experience unparalleled in the spirits industry, available on-site in Frankfort or online at https://jmattingly1845.com/build-a-bottle/

For more information about J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery visit www.JMattingly1845.com.

SINGLE CASK BOTTLER TURNS WHISKY FLAVOUR ON ITS HEAD

photo credit Mike Wilkinson

To celebrate the whisky month of May, Fife-based independent whisky bottler, The Single Cask, launches an innovative new method that solves one of scotch whisky’s biggest dilemmas – how to categorise whisky flavour.

Scottish Whisky bottler The Single Cask, takes on the challenge of demystifying whisky flavour as they relaunch their brand. By using five mood categories, whisky fans can quickly navigate to whichever whiskies they are in the mood for.

With every one of the 3000 casks in The Single Cask’s Glenrothes warehouse easily fitting within one of the five mood categories, the independent bottler has also announced a brand-new release of whiskies to celebrate the whisky month of May.

Using the categories: Cheerful, Playful, Bold, Curious and Easy-going, flavour fans can get a feel for the whisky’s character without feeling bewildered by the label information and tasting notes. The development displays the depth of The Single Cask’s commitment to being the ultimate champions of single cask whisky.

Among their first release of new whiskies, The Single Cask are offering limited edition bottlings from iconic Scottish distilleries such as Bunnahabhain, Glen Spey, and a special Feis Ile cask of Bruichladdich to celebrate the famed whisky festival on Islay at the end of May.

Scotch whisky has arguably the most wide-ranging and complex range of flavours of any drink. To classify whisky by flavour is a challenging task that results in many different categories. So many that new whisky fans can feel confused, overwhelmed, and mystified.

The Single Cask’s fresh perspective builds on the natural inclination to describe whisky in terms of its character and personality. Much like having a flavour compass, whisky lovers use five categories to direct to whichever whiskies they are in the mood for. It also helps whisky drinkers to understand that, for example, not all peated whiskies are bold and overpowering – some can be very mellow and easy-going.

Leveraging their decades of experience in the scotch whisky industry, Brand Marketing Manager, Helen Stewart, and Whisky Sensory Expert, Kami Newton, developed the five mood method to classify every whisky style, character, and personality in the simplest way.

With so many unique casks to manage and evaluate, The Single Cask has assembled an expert panel of sensory whisky assessors. Titled the Taste Masters, this sensory panel are tasked with ensuring only the most outstanding casks are selected for bottling. Alongside the selection process, they are also responsible for designating each whisky to the most appropriate mood category.

The first category of whiskies are the Cheerful types; well-mannered, joyful, effortless, and dependable crowd-pleasers that suit any occasion. Playful whiskies are the ones that bounce around your nose and mouth, full of life, vigour, enthusiasm and excitement.

The Bold category is for seekers of big, powerful, and strong whiskies – with assertive, rich and deep characters. The Curious whiskies are those unusual characters that break the rules of whisky flavour. They represent the surprising, uncommon, oddball whiskies that are the hidden treasure for die-hard fans.

The final category are those Easy-going, laid back, and mellow drams for when you’re in the mood to simply unwind and relax.

The Single Cask celebrates whisky in its purest form; with each single cask of whisky only yielding just a few hundred bottles that will never again be repeated. Their many years of assessing single casks of whisky brings invaluable knowledge about whisky flavour. This experience inspired their brand-new approach by shining a light on the beauty and brilliance of single cask whisky.

Helen Stewart, Brand Marketing Manager at The Single Cask, said: “We feel this brand-new way to explore our single cask whiskies will open whisky lover’s eyes to a new world of experiences. We want to be the brand who helps people to easily discover their perfect dram, and enjoy that ultimate, unique single cask whisky experience.”

“At The Single Cask, we believe the overall ‘charisma’ of a dram is more important than its individual flavours, and when we picture whiskies as personalities, they become easy to relate to. We can instantly identify with the mood of the whisky. That ability to move and connect people, to make us feel alive in ways unimaginable and open our minds to new experiences.”

Kami Newton, Whisky Sensory Expert, explains: “One of the biggest challenges with flavour is that it’s a different experience from one person to the next. For example, to some people coriander tastes like a delicious, fragrant herb. But others have a genetic variation that makes coriander taste like disgusting soap. Add to this flavours that are culturally specific and the challenge of pigeonholing whisky by flavour becomes clear. The five mood method takes a whole new approach that is less confusing and creates an emotional connection with whisky drinkers.”

The Single Cask pride themselves on bottling only the most outstanding, characterful, and distinctive single casks of whisky. The company values the distinct personality and cherishes the individuality of every single cask – celebrating whiskies that start conversations through their irresistible attraction: https://www.thesinglecask.co.uk/

More to explore:

The Single Cask Whisky Moods – https://www.thesinglecask.co.uk/pages/whisky-by-mood
First Feelings of Summer Collection – https://www.thesinglecask.co.uk/collections/first-feelings-of-summer
2024 Official Feis Ile Bottling – https://www.thesinglecask.co.uk/products/bruichladdich-12-year-old-cask-r11-281-46

The Single Cask
The Single Cask was founded in 2010 by Ben Curtis, built on the belief that the search for the ultimate dram never ends. Bottling unique spirits, hand-picked one cask at a time – The Single Cask bottles award-winning whiskies at natural cask strength, without any intervention such as chill filtration or artificial colours.

Powered by the incredible sense of togetherness whisky creates and a growing fascination with the one-of-a-kind personality of single cask bottlings, the passion soon led to the launch of their first bar in Singapore.

Now with a Glenrothes-based warehouse home to over 3000 casks, new retailers, on-trade partners and importers (such as the newly appointed High Spirits in the Netherlands) they are creating an ever-growing fan club family.

The Single Cask’s expertise is in the sourcing of casks and in the maturation – a bold pursuit to uncover whiskies that are both of exceptional quality and character. All their bottlings are tasting panel approved by The Single Cask Taste Masters – an exclusive panel of experts who seek out the thrill of the taste, helping it to become the best experience possible.

Website – https://www.thesinglecask.co.uk/

Social media:

Facebook – @thesinglecaskuk

Twitter – @thesinglecask

Instagram – @thesinglecask

SOTHEBY’S TO HOLD INAUGURAL SPIRITS AUCTION IN GENEVA

OPEN FOR BIDDING FROM 20 MAY TO 3 JUNE

ROYAL SALUTE TIME CHAMBER

“For decades, we have had the great privilege of bringing to auction many of the world’s most prestigious wine collections sourced from private Swiss collectors, and it is a great honour to hold this auction in Geneva, the homeland of so many rare bottles that have enriched the lives of wine collectors around the world. With this exciting, new, long-awaited initiative, we aim to provide wines and spirits sellers in Switzerland with the greatest access to the global market, and buyers from all around the world the ability to acquire some of the rarest bottles.”

NICK PEGNA, GLOBAL HEAD OF WINE & SPIRITS, SOTHEBY’S

For more than fifty years, Sotheby’s has been offering the finest wines and spirits, first in London, then New York and subsequently Hong Kong. In 2021, the company expanded its presence in Continental Europe, launching a regular series of successful sales in France, including the prestigious Hospices de Beaune charity auction. Now, Sotheby’s is set to present its debut auction of wine and spirits in Switzerland. Comprising 43 lots carrying a combined estimate in the region of 550,000 CHF, Legends I The Inaugural Wine and Spirit Sale I Geneva will be open for bidding from 20 May to 3 June.

Royal Salute Forces of Nature by Kate MccGwire 53 Year Old

The sale also highlights a shared culture of appreciation for tradition, quality, and the finer things in life with a desirable selection of significant whisky and Cognac. Whisky highlights include two of the most limited bottles of Royal Salute ever produced, released as part of ‘The Art of Wonder’ pinnacle collection. Designed in collaboration with respected British artists Kate MccGwire and Conrad Shawcross, these rare pieces were both bottled at over 50 years of age and each takes inspiration from blending to perfectly marry the two worlds of fine art and whisky with the bottles either being presented alongside sculptures or even becoming sculptures themselves.

Please see below for a selection of highlights. View full catalogue here.

Royal Salute Time Chamber by Conrad Shawcross 53 Year Old, 1 bottle, est. 100,000-150,000 CHF

Royal Salute Forces of Nature by Kate MccGwire 53 Year Old, 1 bottle, est. 90,000-140,000 CHF

About Sotheby’s Wine

Founded in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s leading destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s facilitates access to and ownership of exceptional works of art and luxury goods through auction and immediate purchase channels, including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by a state-of-the-art technology platform and a network of specialists covering 40 countries and 70 categories, including Contemporary Art, Modern & Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Art, Jewellery, Watches, Wine & Spirits, Design, as well as Collector Cars and Real Estate. Sotheby’s believes in the transformative power of art and culture and is committed to making our industries more inclusive, sustainable and collaborative.

* Estimates do not include buyer’s premium or overhead premium. Prices achieved include the hammer price plus buyer’s premium and overhead premium and are net of any fees paid to the purchaser where the purchaser provided an irrevocable bid.

Glengoyne Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky Batch 010

This Glengoyne dram is bottled at 59.5%, the same strength as it emerges from the cask, meaning it’s the closest thing to opening the cask personally. Matured in a combination of American and European oak, it creates a rich, indulgent and fruity whisky that truly brings the signature Glengoyne style to life. Notes of crisp apple, juicy blackberries and the decadent flavour of vanilla custard slices, complete with a long lingering finish that’s rich with honey and cut with refreshing citrus. Batch No. 010 marks a decade in the history of the Cask Strength series of limited annual releases. As Scotland’s slowest distilled malt whisky, drinkers are encouraged to enjoy this dram unhurried.

Glengoyne Cask Strength (59.5%) is available to purchase from Glengoyne.com. RRP £88.00

Glengoyne 15 Year Old

This truly special whisky is the perfect balance of bourbon and sherry cask maturation – the result is a complex dram that’s recognisably Glengoyne, but from a different perspective. Spiced dried fruits, vanilla, freshly baked crumble, cinnamon and a hint of tropical fruit gives the dram a clean taste with  a gentle sweetness. As Scotland’s slowest distilled malt whisky, Glengoyne 15 YO is a sweet, fruity Single Malt that’s made to be enjoyed ‘unhurried’ with your nearest and dearest.

Glengoyne 15 Year Old (43% ABV) is available to purchase from Glengoyne.com. RRP £92.00.