Made in Speyside

LOST IN TIME SERIES

This new and exclusive series features eight single cask whiskies selected by Chivas Brothers and The Whisky Exchange to showcase some of Speyside’s great distilleries. Each one has been bottled at a point where distillery character and the influence of ageing are in perfect balance.

  LEARN MORE 

Exceptional single malts, bottled at the perfect moment in their maturation. These limited-edition whiskies provide a snapshot of Speyside at the turn of the millennium. Exclusively at The Whisky Exchange.

Castle & Key Restoration Rye “K&L Exclusive” Single Barrel #3583 Barrel Proof Straight Kentucky Rye Whiskey (750ml) $64.99 View

Jack Daniel’s “K&L Exclusive” Single Barrel #24-00240 Cask Strength Tennessee Whiskey (750ml) $74.99 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

ralfy review 1019 Extras – Beginner malts & Advanced malts

BALLANTINE’S AND RZA TURN UP THE HEAT WITH FLYING GOOSE SRIRACHA SAUCE

For the final drop in their partnership, Ballantine’s Scotch whisky and RZA spice things up with a mouth-tingling hot sauce, created with Flying Goose.

Wu-Tang Clan frontman, RZA, and Ballantine’s, the world’s second-largest Scotch whisky, have joined forces to launch a tongue-tingling, Ballantine’s-inspired hot sauce, made in collaboration with Flying Goose, the home of the original sriracha chilli sauce.

The partnership between the pair, which has so far seen the launch of a bespoke Crosley record player and speaker, and a fashion collaboration with Japanese streetwear brand NEIGHBORHOOD, is all about celebrating doing things your own way and going against the grain. RZA is now bringing the Scotch whisky and cult hot sauce, Flying Goose, together to create an unexpected condiment inspired by his passion for Asian food and culture, showing there’s really no wrong way to fuse your favourite flavours.

To create the hot sauce, Flying Goose took inspiration from Ballantine’s 7 American Barrel – a blended Scotch whisky aged for a minimum of seven years – resulting in a unique alcohol-free condiment reminiscent of the unmistakable taste of the Scotch, whilst keeping the heat of the brand’s iconic sriracha. The final product is a taste sensation of soft red apples, intermingled with ripe pear and creamy caramel, combined to create a bold flavoured sriracha sauce that will tantalise your taste buds.

Whether you’re a seasoned chef who regularly cooks up a storm in the kitchen or looking for ways to upgrade your takeaway, the limited edition vegan hot sauce is the perfect spicy sidekick to transform any dish. Mix it with a creamy tofu ramen like RZA’s secret speciality, use it as a dip for your favourite corn fritters or to spice up your fried chicken.

When asked about the partnership, RZA said:

“I’m vegan and I like to get extra creative with how I make and cook food, experimenting with bold flavours, textures and ingredients. I’m bringing Ballantine’s and Flying Goose together to break the mould of what incredible flavour should taste like, to bring something truly original, surprising and unexpected to the world. This condiment is a one-of-a-kind fusion, and I can’t wait for everyone to try it on different recipes at home.”

Paul-André Vacheron, Ballantine’s Marketing Director at Chivas Brothers adds:

“The final drop in our series with RZA is – quite literally – our hottest yet, blending the unexpected to create something truly against the norm. Much like the process of making whisky, we’ve gone to great lengths to ensure the blend and balance of flavours in this new Ballantine’s-inspired hot sauce hit all the right notes. We look forward to seeing people get creative with their sriracha – because there’s no wrong way to experiment with individual taste.”

Jittiporn Jantarach, CEO of Flying Goose, says:

“As a fan of Scotch whisky, I was delighted to have the opportunity to work with Ballantine’s and RZA to blend our unique skills and create a limited-edition sriracha hot sauce that is unlike any other. Try it in your favourite recipes to discover distinct tasting notes of soft red apples, ripe pears and creamy caramel – all with a Scotch-inspired kick.”

To get your hands on the limited-edition RZA Presents: Ballantine’s x Flying Goose Sriracha Sauce, with an RRP of £4.99, visit Sous Chef, Amazon.co.uk and www.Ballantines.com/RZA.

Ballantine’s has also partnered with Uber Eats to offer London-based fans a chance to snap up a bottle of the limited-edition spicy hot sauce. From 14th November, and for a limited time only, customers purchasing from five ramen restaurants** across London will receive a free bottle of the spicy condiment to celebrate its release.

For more information on Ballantine’s partnership with RZA, and to be the first to hear about exclusive content and future drops, visit www.Ballantines.com/RZA or follow @Ballantines on Instagram.

This article appears here well after the original publication date and as a matter of interest.

There’s just a few more short days to wait until the next release of The Hearach Single Malt Whisky!

Batch No.s 09 / 10 / 11 / 12
TUESDAY 26TH OF MARCH 2024
10.00 GMT

All batches will be on sale through our online store and at the distillery shop here in Tarbert that morning while stocks last. You can also buy bottles from our network of specialist retailers and independent stores across the UK from that date as well.

Our global friends can also find this new release of batches as they begin appearing in their countries from this month onwards.

We shared some kind words from the whisky writing world last week, and here’s a few more!

 “The dram is so delicious…” 
Joel Harrison, Club Oenologique 
 
“Ultimately it’s delicious, moreish and sweet, with grassy and herbal notes and a thread of smoke”
Rosalind Erskine, The Scotsman 
 
“It’s got a subtle smokiness that adds both complexity and texture…Although it’s youthful, it’s never overly exuberant or flat…In fact, there’s a lot going on here…” 
Kristiane Sherry, whisky writer 
 
“It’s easy going, very moreish, sippable and disappears quickly. It has all the hallmarks of an accessible whisky too – biscuits and key lime pie. What’s not to like?”
Dougie Crystal, Dramface

We’re also delighted to share the tasting notes from the next four forthcoming batches, each provided by our fellow islanders who sat down with us for a dram and a chat earlier this week.

Scroll down to read more and if you like what you see then please join us next Tuesday to buy a bottle (or 4!)….

Le gach deagh dhùrachd,

Mike Donald, Chief Storyteller

VISIT THE HEARACH SHOP

CASK TRADE NAMED AS ONE OF THE FASTEST-GROWING COMPANIES IN EUROPE

Cask Trade has been listed in the Financial Times 1000 fastest-growing companies in Europe.

The London-based cask whisky business is ranked 146th in the prestigious FT1000 list published this month (March).

Cask Trade is a cask whisky merchant for collectors, enthusiasts and independent trade bottlers and is the only cask focussed business to be recognised in the annual list.

Ranking Europe’s most promising companies exhibiting the highest levels of absolute growth and compound annual growth, the FT1000 report is published by the Financial Times in partnership with research company Statista.

As well as ranking within the top 15% of all companies in Europe, Cask Trade comes in as the 4th highest overall in the Food and Beverage sector and is ranked 29th highest of the UK businesses.

Commenting on the achievement, founder and CEO Simon Aron says: “It’s extremely rewarding for myself and the team to be recognised in the FT1000 list among the fastest-growing companies in Europe.
“In 2021 we opened in Asia with an office in Hong Kong. In 2024 we celebrate our fifth year and we are now proud to be selling casks of whisky and other fine spirits on every continent around the world,’ says Simon.

The FT1000 ranking comes hot the heels of Cask Trade being named as one of the UK’s most innovative new businesses when it was placed 24th in the StartUps 100 2024 index and follows a 21st position listing in the 2023 Sunday Times Hundred fastest-growing private companies in Britain.

Despite difficult trading conditions over the last few years, Cask Trade continues to grow its team and customers.
Recently celebrating their 5th anniversary, which will be marked by a tasting event in June, Cask Trade also offers market leading services including Auction Your Cask (founded in 2020) – the world’s first online auction platform for cask whisky and other cask spirits – and Regent Street Cask Bottlers (founded 2021) – a bottling service for cask owners looking to bottle their casks.

The FT1000 ranking, compiled with German research company Statista, showcases those European companies that have grown fastest. They are listed in order of highest compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in revenue over the period 2019 to 2022. This year, a minimum average growth rate of 36.3 per cent required for inclusion.

To view the full FT1000 list visit: https://www.ft.com/ft1000-2024

ABOUT CASK TRADE:

Founded in 2018 by Simon Aron in partnership with several of the world’s foremost whisky masters, including Keeper of the Quaich Colin Hampden-White, Cask Trade buys and sells exceptional cask whiskies.

The company is unique because it owns all the casks it sells, giving the customer 100% transactional guarantee. Cask Trade only sells whole casks: it is not a whisky cask broker and it does not offer fractional sales.

A passionate whisky collector for more than 20 years, Simon Aron suffered many false promises from whisky investment companies and this drove his ambition to create a real and trustworthy marketplace for whisky collectors and investors, and bottlers:

The company’s casks are held in the best HMRC bonded warehouses, regularly visited and approved by Cask Trade whisky masters. All stock holdings have a complete paper trail.
•    Delivery orders from supplier to Cask Trade
•    Invoices for transfer of ownership, storage insurance, re-gauging, sampling or movement
•    HMRC-issued WOWGR (warehouse keepers, warehouse premises, owner of goods and registered consigners): a fully regulated and closely monitored license requiring due diligence on suppliers as well as customers.
•    HMRC-issued AWRS Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme: Licenced to wholesale, bottle and retail.

Included in its extensive list of customer services, Cask Trade’s rigorous processes means that the company will guarantee to buy back from its clients the casks they buy from and have had managed by Cask Trade.
It also offers:
•    Regular sampling and re-gauging of casks
•    Re-racking (sherry wine, port etc)
•    Estimates of bottles and strength in cask (effects of angels’ share 0ver years of maturations)
•    Financial modelling for each cask based on age and rarity with estimated % returns
•    Costings for bottling, labelling and shipping (duty & tax)
•    Regularly updated cask ownership guide which includes statistics from two authoritative third parties (independent of Cask Trade)
•    Cask Trade will arrange for clients to receive samples of their whiskies and visit their barrels(s), upon request – wherever possible.

Cask Trade started the first live auction website dedicated to exceptional whisky casks: auctionyourcask.com.

Hosted four times a year and helping private owners/investors sell their cask to independent bottlers and other investors all around the world. All casks will be re-gauged ready for auction and a full 70cl sample will be drawn so that bidders have the opportunity to try the whisky before they buy, wherever possible.
Cask Trade validate all the sellers and confirm proof of ownership and the history of the cask enabling bidders to safely buy. With complete transparency and no sellers’ fee customers receive the actual hammer price. The low buyers’ fee of 15% + VAT offer the opportunity to buyers, trade or private, to buy rare casks.

https://www.casktrade.com      https://www.auctionyourcask.com

Our March 2024 Auction ENDS SOON!

100th AUCTION!

Place your bids until 3pm (GMT) Sunday 24th March.

www.whiskyhammer.com

Every month, we present an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits to our members right across the globe. You will find everything here from limited edition releases and vintage bottles to whole casks of rare whisky. There is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest or enjoy!

Brora – 40 Year Old (1972) Cask Strength

Macallan – 1949 Millennium 50 Year Old

Karuizawa – 1999-2000 (Koi Fish Collection) Wealth Solutions (3 x 70cl)

Tomatin – 50 Year old (125th Anniversary) 70cl + 5cl

Ardbeg – 1976 (Single Cask #2390)

Highland Park – 1955 (R.W. Duthie for Corti Brothers) Narsai’s Restaurant (75cl)

Selling whisky? Why not arrange the pick-up of your bottles using our global courier service? If you’re based in Scotland, you might want to arrange the personal collection of your bottles. Wherever you’re based in the world, we will make getting your bottles into our monthly auction as simple as possible. Get in touch with the Whisky Hammer team now by dropping them a message at sales@whiskyhammer.com.

Old School Malts 31 Year Old Blended Malt Whisky

A Blended malt whisky from Signatory Vintage containing whiskies from a vast number of distilleries across Scotland, including many ‘ghost’ distilleries such as Dallas Dhu, Port Ellen, Rosebank, Lochside and More!

£294.95 >

This release contains whiskies from: Ardbeg, Balvenie, Bruichladdich, Banff, Brora, Caperdonich, Clynelish, Coleburn, Convalmore, Dallas Dhu, Dunglass, Dufftown, Glen Albyn, Glen Mhor, Glenfarclas, Glendronach, Glen Garioch, Glenugie, Glenlochy, Glenury, Imperial, Killyloch, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Ledaig, Littlemill, Linlithgow, Lochside, Longrow, Macallan, Millburn, Oban, Pittyvaich, Pulteney, Port Ellen, Rosebank, Springbank, Scapa, Strathisla, Talisker and many more.

LAPHROAIG ELEMENTS 1.0

70cl | 58.6% ABV

The first release in the Elements series is a fusion of modern and traditional whisky making at the Laphroaig distillery. They have amped up the flavour by incorporating a larger mash tun (last used pre-1990) and using cloudy wort to add more peat and tropical fruit notes.

This experimental Single Malt is packed with flavours of charred sweet pineapple and cracked black pepper, alongside bold phenolic notes of smoke and peat. Packaged with a unique design inspired by images of the distillery expansion in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

£159.95

Add to Basket

TASTING NOTES:

NOSE
Salty and smoky bacon with woody bonfire embers that overlay hints of sweet strawberry jam and charred pineapple.

TASTE
Spicy and peppery flavour on the tongue with hints of tropical fruit followed by wintery cloves and liquorice.

FINISH
A warming and smoky mouthfeel with a drying, long peaty finish.

SCOTTISH ISLAND WHISKIES
ISLE OF ARRAN

A forerunner of the whisky revival of the 21st century, Arran distillery came online in 1995. Rather than pursuing a coastal profile like many of its fellow islanders, the small site at Lochranza produces grassy, honeyed single malts that performs well in a variety of cask types.

In 2019 it was joined by Lagg distillery, a sister site on the south of the island intended to produce a totally different style of whisky. Earthy and smoky with a wild aspect achieved through long fermentation, Lagg’s single malts are quickly establishing the distillery as a rising star in the Scottish islands.

  SHOP NOW