These bottles all reminded us of various escapades across these islands and will have you traveling through Scotland with every sip. If you’re in need of some inspiration for your next whisky adventure – look no further. Get ready to toast a fantastic staycation! Dive into a world of delightful drams and irresistible discounts. It’s the perfect time to treat yourself and your friends, PLUS save big on your favourite bottlings!

SHOP ALL THE BOTTLES

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

The House of Suntory Announces the Launch of Its Groundbreaking 2024 Tsukuriwake Series

The unique and exclusive four-expression series further explores diversity, innovation, and craftsmanship at the Yamazaki and Hakushu Distilleries.

NEW YORK, US, JUNE, 2024 — Today, The House of Suntory announces the launch of the 2024 Tsukuriwake Series – showcasing the exceptional blending and diversity of Japanese whisky. The series is comprised of Yamazaki Golden Promise, Yamazaki Islay Peated Malt, Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt, and Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara.

Tsukuriwake (pronounced soo-koo-ree-wah-keh) means ‘artisanship through a diversity of making,’ and the limited-edition 2024 Tsukuriwake Series is a true reflection of this. Suntory’s 5th Generation Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo has pushed the boundaries of whisky making with this series by using ingredients like wood, and processes that expand the previous Tsukuriwake range to showcase the diversity of whisky making.

Following last year’s milestone 100th Anniversary of pioneering Japanese whisky, The House of Suntory continues to innovate the category with the 2024 Tsukuriwake Series. The previous selection was released in 2022.

“Tsukuriwake translates to ‘artisanship through a diversity of making’, which is truly what the 2024 Series represents with each of the four liquids included,” says Chief Blender of Suntory Shinji Fukuyo. “While past releases from the collection focused mainly on the details of the casks, The 2024 Tsukuriwake Series emphasizes the elements of whisky making, such as ingredient selection, peat, and cask. This series is the ultimate showcase of the incredible diversity of choices that goes into the making of Yamazaki and Hakushu whiskies.”

In previous years, the Tsukuriwake Series has mainly focused on the casks matured in the lands of Yamazaki. The 2024 Series reveals that the Tsukuriwake approach goes beyond diversifying the whiskies in multiple casks to  incorporate elements of whisky-making, such as ingredient selection, peat and cask. See below:

Yamazaki Golden Promise
Yamazaki Golden Promise is made from golden promise barley, a standout grain cultivated in Scotland in the 1960s. Distilled in Japan since 2009 and aged in American Oak casks, it delivers a maltier, richer Yamazaki profile. It is perfect for more mature whiskies and has been added to Yamazaki 12 Year Old, imparting its deep and rounded flavor. Yamazaki Golden Promise offers a rich and full palate featuring notes of orange marmalade, custard and a sweet, lasting finish.

Yamazaki Islay Peated Malt
Islay Peat is often recognized as a distinctive character amongst scotch, with a softer and sweeter mouthfeel than Scotland’s mainland peat. The water and maturation process used to create Yamazaki Islay Peated Malt yields a balanced sweetness that complements the smoke, that adds complexity to the long enduring finish of Yamazaki. On the palate, it has a smooth sweetness of brown sugar with hints of bitter orange citrus and a warm, smokey finish.

Both Yamazaki Golden Promise and Yamazaki Islay Peated Malt, enhance the intricate, multi-layered flavor profile of the Yamazaki core brand.

Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara (Tsukuriwake 2024 Edition)
Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara (2024 Tsukuriwake Edition) introduces a limited-edition label for Suntory’s flagship Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara, celebrating The House of Suntory’s legacy of mastering Mizunara oak: a Japanese oak notoriously difficult to work with, but now known as a signature enhancer of Suntory whiskies. The complex, deep flavor of Mizunara gives depth to the multi-layered profile of Yamazaki. A long maturation period reveals its signature spiciness and incense-like sandalwood and aloe wood flavors that comprise this 100% Mizunara whisky. It offers subtly spiced orange notes and a long, lingering finish with hints of clove and dried coconut.

Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt (2024 Tsukuriwake Edition)
Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt (2024 Tsukuriwake Edition) introduces a limited-edition label for Suntory’s celebrated Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt. To honor the art of diverse blending at the Hakushu distillery, it enables The House of Suntory to produce more than 100 different malt whiskies and constant refinement of the Japanese peated malt whisky. The refined and elegant smokiness of Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt lends a refreshing quality to the liquid, evoking the essence of a serene forest. A lengthy maturation process in Hakushu’s pristine and pure water reveals a distinct smokiness with spicy, peppery notes, deepening to unveil herbaceous minerals and ripe apple undertones.

The Yamazaki 18 Year Old Mizunara and Hakushu 18 Year Old Peated Malt, launched last year for the House of Suntory’s 100th anniversary and were continued due to their popularity among consumers.

For more information on the limited-edition whiskies, please visit us online here. All four are available in select markets around the world.

About The House of Suntory
Since 1923, Suntory has been renowned as a pioneer of Japanese Whisky for its House of Master Blenders and for their Art of Blending. Founder Shinjiro Torii built Japan’s first malt whisky distillery in Yamazaki, and the Suntory legacy continued with Torii’s son and Suntory’s second Master Blender, Keizo Saji, who continued to establish distilleries including the Hakushu Distillery. As the generations of Suntory’s master blenders carry on, Suntory Whisky remains committed to heritage and innovation. The House of Suntory has been named four-time Distiller of the Year at the International Spirits Challenge in London, UK (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014). Suntory Whiskies are subtle, refined and complex. The portfolio includes Yamazaki, Hakushu, Chita, Kakubin, Hibiki, Suntory Whisky Toki and Ao. The House of Suntory portfolio also offers Roku Japanese Gin and Haku Japanese Vodka. Created from Japanese ingredients by the master artisans at The House of Suntory, Roku Gin and Haku Vodka represent the nature and spirit of Japan. Last year, Suntory Whisky celebrated one hundred years of whisky innovation—a major milestone not only for the brand’s history, but for Japanese spirits culture as a whole. To mark this anniversary, The House of Suntory rolled out its centennial campaign throughout 2023.

About Suntory Global Spirits
As a world leader in premium spirits, Suntory Global Spirits inspires the brilliance of life, by creating rich experiences for people, in harmony with nature. Known for its craftsmanship of premium whiskies, including Jim Beam® and Maker’s Mark®; Japanese whiskies, including Yamazaki®, Hakushu®, Hibiki® and Toki™; and leading Scotch brands including Laphroaig® and Bowmore®, Suntory Global Spirits also produces leading brands such as Tres Generaciones® and El Tesoro® tequila, Roku™ and Sipsmith® gin, and is a world leader in Ready-To-Drink cocktails, with brands like -196 and On The Rocks™ Premium Cocktails.

A global company with approximately 6,000 employees in nearly 30 countries, Suntory Global Spirits is driven by its core values of Growing for Good, Yatte Minahare and Giving Back to Society. The company’s Proof Positive sustainability strategy includes ambitious goals and investments to drive sustainable change and have a positive impact on the planet, consumers and communities. Headquartered in New York City, Suntory Global Spirits is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information, visit www.suntoryglobalspirits.com

This is an old-style whisky from a bygone generation or distillers. No doubt made using a more traditional barely variety, likely longer slow fermentation and truly traditional ways. Due to the vintage, they are certain this would have been matured close to the edge of Lochindaal in one of the original Victorian dunnage warehouses, with a close eye kept over it by Duncan McGillivray through its distillation, distillery closure and mothballing to reopening. It has stood the test of time through the ‘whisky loch’ of the 1990’s, the rejuvenation of the distillery, the boom of the 2000’s onwards, and only now is it ready to leave the cask and find a home in Dramfool’s GOLD and, we hope, be enjoyed.

It has been a long wait but well worth the time!!

£630.00

Tasting notes from Jim McEwan MBE

Colour – Liquid Gold Body – Mellow, Mature & Pure Magic!

Aromas – Its a gentle mature aroma that can only come from a spirit matured a stones throw from the Atlantic Ocean. The spiciness from the bourbon soaked staves works beautifully with the sweetness of the barley, slow distillation by a team of locals who knew only one way and at 32 years its an olfactory delight. Light notes of melon and pear drift in on a marine overture, little hints of Flora & Fauna drift by inviting you to the Island of wonderful spirits and generations of Islanders who provided the pride and passion you hold in your hand.

Taste At 32 years it’s an irresistible mature spirit. The oak, the malt and the passion of the people who distil while we sleep. The marine freshness does not allow the oak to dominate thus you experience the skill of the men who have inherited the art of distillation from their forefathers.

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

SOCIETY ‘ON TOUR’

EUROPEAN TASTING TOUR

PART 1 – AUGUST 2024

We’re taking the Springbank Society on the road, but this time it’s for a European Tasting Tour! Listed below are the dates for Part 1 of this Tour (August 2024). Join Andrew Wallace for an in-person tasting as he guides you through a flight of whiskies from Springbank Distillery & Glengyle Distillery. A total of 7 whiskies will be poured on the night.

Upon arrival, guests will receive a dram of Campbeltown Loch, then a mixture of cask samples from our upcoming 2024 / 2025 releases, and the most recent Springbank Society bottling. This is your opportunity to be some of the first people in the world to taste these whiskies! Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

They are also limited to 1-per-person per-tasting and Society members will have the first chance to purchase tickets. The dates and venues for Part 2 of this Tour (September to October 2024) will be released in due course. This will include Society Tastings in the following countries:  Denmark, France. Norway, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Poland and Sweden.

To join the Springbank Society contact them at society@springbank.scot

Kentucky Distillers’ Association To Celebrate 25^th Anniversary of World-Famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Tour

Launching a sleek new kentucky bourbon trail® brand and continued growth of bourbon tourism

(Louisville, KY ) – The Kentucky Distillers’ Association is joining elected officials and Bourbon luminaries to celebrate 25 years of Bourbon tourism on the world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail®experience. As part of the celebration, a bold new brand and digital experience will be unveiled to usher in a new era of the Kentucky Bourbon legacy – bringing authentic, innovative spirits to the world and building strong communities across the Bluegrass State.

WHAT: Kentucky Bourbon Trail® 25^th Anniversary and Landmark Announcement

WHEN: Thursday, June 20^th at 2:30 p.m. EST.  Doors open at 2 p.m.;  press conference begins promptly at 2:30

WHO: U.S. Congressman Andy Barr, Co-Chair of the Congressional Bourbon Caucus,  U.S. Congressman Morgan McGarvey, Co-Chair of the Congressional Bourbon Caucus, Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, Jes Pendergrass – KDA Chair, General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer at Heaven Hill and Eric Gregory – President, Kentucky Distillers’ Association.

WHERE: Frazier History Museum,  First Floor Great Hall,  829 West Main St., Louisville, KY 40202

RSVP REQUIRED: Attendance is by invite only and not open to the public.

LIVE STREAM: The event will be live streamed on KDA’s Facebook page.

2012 GlenAllachie 11/12 Year Old “Signatory” K&L Exclusive First Fill Oloroso Sherry Cask

Cask Strength Non Chillfiltered Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

(700ml & Pre-Arrival)

$79.99

View

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

Big Bad John’s Northern Promise Single Malt Batch 1 

The Unbottling

Adam and Andrew hang out in the legendary BBJ’s to show off the brand new collaboration between The Strath and Fermentorium Distillery. Discover the unique story behind this historic new release that’s been 70 years in the making.  Order your bottle right now!

PREORDER Big Bad John’s Northern Promise – Single Malt Batch 1

Bladnoch Distillery unveils The Wave – a new limited-edition series showcasing the five pillars of whisky making

Bladnoch, Scotland’s southernmost whisky distillery, has launched The Wave, the second chapter within the Master Distiller’s Collection. 

The Wave is a five-part limited-edition series which demonstrates the marrying process of whisky casks, with each annual release revealing one of the five whisky making pillars used by master distiller, Dr Nick Savage.

Released  June 2024, Wave I: Time & Maturation epitomises Bladnoch’s method of selecting casks at the peak time in their maturation process to ensure optimal flavours in the whisky.

The Wave is a natural progression from The Waterfall Series, which concluded with the release of Bladnoch Waterfall 05 2024 which was unveiled at the distillery’s annual Waterfall Day festival in May. Both The Waterfall Series and The Wave form part of Bladnoch’s Master Distiller’s Collection.  

To embark on The Wave journey, Dr Nick Savage selected five 1,500 litre Amontillado sherry tuns.  Each tun is filled with whiskies from various combinations of cask types to marry together from the distillery’s 207-year-old bluestone warehouses. Each year the cask types will be revealed and depict another pillar of Bladnoch whisky making. The remaining whisky will be decanted into the following year’s tun, creating a common thread and a wave effect throughout the series, with the fifth and final release featuring components from the full collection.

Under Nick’s exceptional care, the first Amontillado sherry tun used to craft Wave I: Time & Maturation was filled with a combination of remarkable ex-bourbon casks from Bladnoch’s maturing stocks and married with the remaining whisky from Waterfall 05 2024 Edition of the first Master Distiller’s Collection. This unique approach connects both series in an infinite whisky voyage.

Over the course of five years, each release in The Wave series will be accompanied by a music track which represents the whisky’s unique journey and signifies how each cask takes notes from the other, building year on year. The piano composition released with Wave I: Time & Maturation reflects how the whiskies develop over time.

Dr Nick Savage, Master Distiller at Bladnoch Distillery, said: “We only ever select a cask when the time is right, not because it’s old or has reached a certain age. That right ‘time’ is determined by our deep understanding of maturation dynamics. It’s the moment of peak flavour in our warehouse environment – a climate where nothing is forced.

“The Wave is a strong example of Bladnoch’s taste-first approach to whisky making and a real demonstration of our bold Galloway spirit. With these single malts, we not only strive to take people on a journey into whisky making, but also to provide them with a taste experience, aiming to challenge preconceptions and build understanding along the way.”

Bottled at 53.8% ABV, non-chill filtered and natural in colour, Wave I: Time & Maturation opens with floral pine needles, fresh cut oak on the nose and imparts notes of sweet oak and toasted coconut on the palate, with a sweet, warm, refreshing finish.

The edition is limited to 1,817 bottles in tribute to the year the distillery was founded and has an RRSP of £150. It is available exclusively in the UK and Australia from bladnoch.com.

To celebrate the new chapter in The Master Distiller’s Collection, the distillery will host Bladnoch Wave Weekend in June 2025. Details will be released first to those who purchase Wave I: Time & Maturation.

Dating back to 1817, Bladnoch Distillery is one of the oldest single malt Scotch whisky producers in the world and is enjoying a bold and powerful revival. The legacy brand has been revived in recent years by David Prior, who purchased Bladnoch Distillery in 2015 and is the first Australian businessman to own a Scotch whisky distillery. 

Tasting notes  

Floral, oak, sweet

Nose: Floral pine needles with fresh cut oak

Palate: Sweet oak and toasted coconut

Finish: Sweet, warm and refreshing

ABV: 53.8%

About Bladnoch Distillery

Bladnoch Distillery was established in 1817, making it the oldest privately owned Scotch whisky distillery in the world. As the southernmost distillery in Scotland, Bladnoch is commonly referred to as the ‘Queen of the Lowlands.’

Hand-crafted using malt from British growers and the pristine water from the River Bladnoch which flows alongside the distillery, Bladnoch single malts are non-chill filtered to ensure the truest flavours shine through.

This legacy brand has been revived in recent years by Master Distiller, Dr Nick Savage, formerly of The Macallan, and owner David Prior, who purchased Bladnoch Distillery in 2015 and is the first Australian businessman to own a Scotch whisky distillery.

The team at Bladnoch is truly passionate about the preservation of the environment and the local community’s generational involvement in this iconic distillery.

JUNE AUCTION HALFWAY POINT!

We are half way through our June auction. It may be small but it has some mighty good whiskies, including three wonderfully aged Duncan Taylor bottlings; Cameronbridge 1979 25 Years Old, Mosstowie 30 Years Old and a stunning Macduff 35 Years Old.

We have several vintage bottlings available this month, including this superb 1971 Glenmorangie, released in 1993.

Here is another fine vintage. Distilled in 1965 by the now closed Inverness distillery Glen Mhor and bottled in 1994 by bottling royalty Gordon & MacPhail.

This bottle of 21 Years Old Springbank was released in the early 1990’s, featuring the parchment label signed by Hedley G. Wright, the distiller of that era.

These are only a few of the bottles in our June auction, to view more wee gems visit clickwhiskyauctions.com. Register to bid. Remember, you’ve got to be in it to win it! Auction ends Sunday 23^rd June from 8pm BST.

We have launched a brand new rewards scheme, which will grant all of our customers the ability to collect points with every purchase to trade for money-off vouchers. There will be three tiers of The W Club Rewards: Points, Delivered and Premium.

It is super easy and free to join and can be used online and across our 20 stores in the UK.  We look forward to welcoming you!

EXPLORE NOW ❯

W Club rewards tiers

The free Points tier gives those with an account the ability to earn two points per pound and, also, a sweet birthday treat. Delivered expands upon our previous Unlimited offering which gives members free unlimited next day delivery. This tier is £15 per year, and now grants members three points per pound.

The Premium tier is the place to be for those looking to expand their whisky world. Building upon the W Club, and absorbing all current members, the top tier brings an almost endless array of benefits, including a subscription to Whiskeria (our industry-leading magazine), ballots, discounts, in-store tasting invites and many more treats throughout the year. A bargain for £30 per year.

EXPLORE W CLUB REWARDS ❯

JOIN TODAY & CLAIM 10% OFF!

As a special sign up treat, everyone who signs up to our W Club Rewards scheme will receive a massive 10% off their next purchase!  Once you follow our super simple sign up process, you will receive your sign up offer via email.  Take the QR Voucher into store or copy the code at checkout to enjoy this offer!

If you already have a Whisky Shop account with us, you are now in our Points tier. Check your Account here, as we have added a bundle of points to spend for every member. If not, it’s super easy to join and we’ll give you 10% off your first purchase just for being a member. We look forward to welcoming you!

JOIN NOW ❯