ralfy review 1085 – West Cork 10yo Irish Whiskey @40%vol:

Hidden Barn Releases Latest in Series One Bourbon, “Slow Fade”

Slow Fade marks 10th Release in Series Created by Jackie Zykan

SPARTA, KY (Dec. 12, 2024) –Hidden Barn Bourbon is releasing its latest offering in its Series One expression, titled Slow Fade, named for its sweet, slow fade on the finish.  Slow Fade is the tenth release under the Series One line, the bourbon brand started by Master Blender Jackie Zykan in 2022 in partnership with Neeley Family Distillery.

Slow Fade is a blend of five-to-six-year-old barrels distilled by Royce Neeley and blended by Jackie Zykan. The mashbill consists of Neeley’s flagship of 70 percent corn, 20 percent rye and 10 percent malted barley.  Like all Neeley Family Distillery distillates, this bourbon was double pot distilled after fermenting with wild-crafted Appalachian yeast, a practice the Neeley Family has used for generations.  The unique process also includes utilizing sweet mash as well as open cypress fermentation tanks to achieve products with rustic depth and dimension.

Tasting notes from Zykan describe this release as “Very well balanced, with brown butter, black cherry, and a bit of orange zest on the nose.  Dark cacao and hazelnut lead the palate and the mouthfeel is perfectly viscous.  The sweetness slow fades on the finish, rounding out with balanced warmth and clean longevity.”

Slow Fade was bottled at 106.5 proof with only sediment filtration. Suggested retail pricing for the Hidden Barn Series One Slow Fade Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is $79.99. It is available at the Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta, Ky, online, and at retailers in Kentucky, Indiana, New York, California, Georgia, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico.

About Hidden Barn Bourbon

Hidden Barn’s name harkens back to the local communities who painted their barns black in solidarity with distillers during Prohibition.  This sense of community is continued today through the passion for quality whiskey and camaraderie shared by its three partners, Jackie Zykan, Royce Neeley and Nate Winegar.  Together, the three friends bring their own strengths – a superior palate, distilling prowess, and a powerhouse connector to form Hidden Barn Bourbon.  Previous Hidden Barn Series releases have earned Best of Class in the Small Batch Bourbon Up to 5 years by The Tasting Alliance, Double Golds at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2023 and 2024, and Best Small Batch, 1st Place at the 2023 New Orleans Bourbon Festival.  Hidden Barn Bourbon is owned by Neeley Family Distillery.   The brand is available online and in select states. For more information visit hiddenbarnwhiskey.com

The ReCollection Series #3   

Since 1895, Gordon & MacPhail has been driven by a simple mission: To create Single Malt Scotch Whiskies of exceptional quality in their own casks. The Recollection Series revives the spirit and character of now closed or long time silent Scottish Distilleries. Series #3 features six single cask whiskies from Rosebank, Glenlochy, Port Ellen, North Port, Imperial and Convalmore Distilleries, each bottled at cask strength.

Working with Emmy award-winning illustrator, Bruno Mangyoku, these distilleries have been brought back to life through artworks which celebrate their former glory. These vanishingly rare whiskies provide a unique opportunity to enjoy forgotten masterpieces

Rosebank Distillery 1991
32 Year Old
£2100.00

The history of Rosebank Distillery has been directly linked with the Forth & Clyde canal which sits in its shadow. The waterway linked Scotland’s west and east coasts, and therefore its two main cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

A distillery called Rosebank was operating as early as 1817. From 1840, under the ownership of the Rankine family, Rosebank prospered. The canal, however, became neglected and the distillery eventually closed its doors in 1993. It was reopened under new ownership to great fanfare in 2024.

This release, a lost work of art, is one of the oldest and rarest Rosebank single malts ever released.

Convalmore 1984 39 Year Old
£2300.00

Opened as the fourth of Dufftown’s famed seven stills in the heart of Speyside in 1894, Convalmore’s waxy, fruity spirit has very rarely been seen as a single malt whisky. Dedicated almost entirely to blended whiskies, production was interrupted in 1909 by a fire.

The distillery expanded in 1964 but was mothballed in 1985. The original buildings are still on the site but the production equipment has been removed. This 39 year old single malt, matured in a bespoke Gordon & MacPhail cask, is a forgotten masterpiece; a lost work of art that revives the spirit of a bygone era

Glenlochy 1979 44 Year Old
£4000.00

Founded in 1898, on the banks of the River Nevis shortly after the completion of the West Highland Railway, Glenlochy was well positioned to transport its whisky to Glasgow. The bulk of spirit from its stills was destined for blends so any release featuring the distillery name is extremely rare.

Glenlochy was eventually closed in 1983 and sold for redevelopment as a hotel in 1991. All of the original buildings have since been demolished apart from the kiln building, but within this single malt,its spirit endures

North Port Distillery
1981 44 Year Old

£3850.00

Single malts featuring the distillery’s original name, Brechin Distillery, are vanishingly rare. Founded in 1820 near Scotland’s east coast by three brothers, David, John and Alexander Guthrie,the distillery stood half a mile from the River Esk.

It remained in family ownership for over a century, renamed North Port Distillery, before new owners closed its doors in 1928. It reopened after the Second World War only to fall silent again in 1983, with the site demolished in 1994.

Whisky writer, Michael Jackson, described its spirit as ‘dry and fruity’ and this whisky, matured in a Gordon & MacPhail cask, is a forgotten masterpiece that revives the spirit of a bygone age.

A Gift Fit For Royalty

We have proudly partnered with Highgrove to create our limited-edition Royal Gardens Single Malt Whisky, the perfect gift for any whisky lover this Christmas! This special edition whisky has been crafted using heritage Plumage Archer barley grown exclusively at Highgrove Estate and aged in a combination of ex-red wine and first fill bourbon casks. Only 400 bottles were produced, each presented in a gift box which features a watercolour of Highgrove House painted by His Majesty King Charles III.

This whisky is now exclusively available to purchase on Highgrove’s website. Purchase yours below while stocks last!

SHOP HIGHGROVE HERE

Douglas Laing’s Gift Guide

Something For Everyone…

Timorous Beastie

18 Years Old

You can expect a richer, sweeter profile of vanilla, juicy barley and dark chocolate… culminating in a decadent finish of macerated dark fruits and spiced orange.

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Big Peat

Hameldaeme Edition

Anticipate Islay peat smoke combined with spiced fruit, toffee, and honey, fused with waves of almond and vanilla.

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The Epicurean

Calvados Edition

Sweet, juicy pears dominate the palate, complemented by smooth, creamy toffee.

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There’s still time to pick up Ben Nevis 1996 25 Year Old – the perfect pour this Christmas.

Ben Nevis 25 Year Old 1996 Milroy’s Vintage Reserve #20

£375.00

Still in the market for a top Christmas bottle? The great news: if you’re in the UK you can order with us up until 20 December for delivery ahead of the big day.

And if you’re looking for a delectably indulgent recommendation, may we suggest Ben Nevis 25 Year Old 1996. Part of an early iteration of our celebrated Vintage Reserve collection, it offers an array of sumptuous fruity notes backed by a deep leather complexity. Ben Nevis is one of our all-time favourite Scotch distilleries. And this bottle shows why.

Ballantine’s Unveils Chapter Two Of Its Masterclass Collection: A New 40 Year Old Blend Joins The Prestigious Series Celebrating The Legacy Of Its Iconic Master Blenders

Multi-award-winning Scotch whisky, Ballantine’s, continues to celebrate its legacy of skilled makers, unveiling the anticipated second chapter of the revered Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: Chapter Two ‘The Waiting’.

‘The Waiting’ is an all-new expression within the Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection; a precious series of five unique 40 Year Old blends that pay tribute to the valued skills and knowledge passed through the privileged lineage of just five Ballantine’s Master Blenders. ‘The Waiting’ captures the essential element of patience in blending high-aged Scotch whiskies, and the reward it can bring in allowing nature’s work to reach its flavourful peak over decades of maturation.

Drawing on the lessons taught to him as an ambitious young apprentice from his then Master Jack Goudy, Ballantine’s Master Blender Sandy Hyslop hand-selected and brought together whiskies from casks laid down by Jack Goudy himself more than four decades ago to craft this exceptional new blend. As has become synonymous with Ballantine’s distinctive house style, the influence of American Oak casks delivers a powerful experience of flavour depth and intensity. The result is an opulent and complex whisky, with smooth sweet tones and a hint of gentle smoke. ‘The Waiting’ is bottled at cask strength, at ABV 45.4%, preserving the authentic touch of both men’s hands.

Commenting on the release of Chapter Two in the Ballantine’s Masterclass Collection, Sandy Hyslop, said:

“Time brings distinction to a whisky, but it also brings huge responsibility. You need a combination of patience, passion and dedication to meticulously monitor and nose hundreds of samples a day to pinpoint the exact moment that a flavour profile has reached its maximum potential. It has to be exactly right because there’s no turning back the clock! Jack Goudy taught me how to play the long game, and I’m repeating these lessons to my own team to preserve the stature and legacy of Ballantine’s for many years to come.”

Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: Chapter Two ‘The Waiting’ is presented in individually numbered bottles, with a design reflecting the exceptional rarity of this 40 Year Old blend, decorated by hand. The stunning bottle is housed inside an elegant presentation box, dressed in a delicate 3D paper art piece, created exclusively for the Masterclass Collection and unique to each chapter by celebrated Scottish artist, Kyla McCallum.

A limited release of just 108 bottles of Ballantine’s 40 Year Old Masterclass Collection: Chapter Two ‘The Waiting’ will be made available for purchase globally from December 2024 at specialist retailers for RSP $12,000 USD. Chapters Three and Four will be released in 2025 and 2026 respectively, leading up to the fifth and closing chapter of the collection being released in 2027 to mark the iconic Scotch’s 200^th anniversary.

2005 Secret Orkney (Highland Park) 19 Year Old “Signatory” K&L Exclusive #DRU 17/A63 #28 First Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt Cask Strength Non Chillfiltered Orkney Single Malt 

(700ml) $179.99 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

The English Trio Gift Set

Our Trio Gift Set is a great introduction to The English whiskies. The set now includes three of our most popular whiskies, including ‘World’s Best Single Malt’ in travel-friendly 5cl bottles. The perfect gift for the whisky lover in your life!

The gift set includes:

The English Original Whisky 5cl: our ‘at home anywhere’ whisky – a remarkably easygoing, unpeated single malt

The English Smokey Whisky 5cl: our peated single malt with layers of savoury smoke, balanced with just the right amount of peppery heat and sweetness

The English Sherry Cask Whisky 5cl: Take one sip and you’ll understand why The English Sherry Cask won the distinction of ‘World’s Best Single Malt’ at The World Whiskies Awards 2024.  Full bodies, elegant and layered with a rich refined sweetness.

£25.00

Rock Island

The Sherry Edition

Bring a touch of festive charm to your gifts this season with the Rock Island Sherry Edition. A harmonious marriage of Single Cask Single Malts from Islay, Arran, Jura, and Orkney, this island-inspired Whisky has been matured exclusively in Spanish Sherry casks. Bottled at 46.8% and offered without colouring or chill-filtration, it’s as pure and natural as Whisky gets – a perfect gift for those who appreciate a maritime twist to their dram.

Anticipate a smoky, earthy nose, a spiced palate with buttered toast and cured meats, and a finish of mocha, brown sugar, and allspice.

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