We have three exciting new tastings to fill you in on, and a new KWM Bourbon Cask to boot, so we thought we’d better get a quick newsletter out to share the news. Two of the tastings, one each in-store and virtual, are to celebrate the launch of our Kensington Wine Market 30th Anniversary Blend, so I’ve included a teaser on that too, even though we won’t be launching it until the 13th.

The Compass Box tastings will feature not just our 30th Anniversary Blend, but also the KWM 25th Anniversary Blend from 2017. They will also be your only opportunity to sample, and enter the ballot to purchase two other Compass Box releases, the Vellichor and Experimental Grain. Our allocation of both of these whiskies is small, so we have decided to reward participants in the tastings with an opportunity to purchase the bottles.

We have also got an Elixir Distillers tasting coming up next month. Our friend Celine Tetu will be joining us live from Scotland to sample through 7 Single Malts of Scotland whiskies, including the 4 new KWM single casks. Participants in the tasting will also have an opportunity to enter a ballot to purchase a SMOS Ben Nevis 1997.

In new whisky news, we have a new exclusive Bourbon cask. The Woodford Reserve Double Oaked KWM Cask is our first ever exclusive from the Woodford Distillery, and it arrived in-store today…

Finally, another new Scottish single malt has hit our shores, the Lochlea First Release. This Lowland single malt, bottled at 46% is made with estate-grown barley at the farm distillery. One curious fact, Lochlea was home to Robert Burns during his formative years.

As always, in the event of a discrepancy in price, the point of sale at KWM will be taken as correct.

I hope you enjoy this Malt Messenger Bulletin. Wishing you a safe and Happy Canada Day!

Sincerely,

Andrew Ferguson

Kensington Wine Market

In This Edition

1. Introducing: The Woodford Reserve Double Oak KWM Bourbon Cask

2. Coming Soon: The Compass Box KWM 30th Anniversary Blend

3. Compass Box Whiskies You Can’t Buy… Unless…

4. Introducing: Lochlea Single Malt

5. New Tastings

6. Other Up-Coming Tastings

INTRODUCING: THE WOODFORD RESERVE DOUBLE OAKED KWM BOURBON CASK

Our first ever exclusive Woodford Reserve Bourbon has just arrived, a Double Oaked single barrel. Woodford has long been one of my favourites of the legacy Bourbon makers, possibly because they distill in copper pot stills, and employ a sour mash. I’ve always thought of the Double Oaked as the Scotch drinker’s Bourbon!

Woodford Reserve Double Oaked KWM Cask – 45.2% – Finished in a New Heavily Toasted Lightly Charred Barrel – Cask #10042515 – My Tasting Note: “Nose: nutty, goat’s milk dark chocolate, polished oak and vanilla; caramel tarts and buttery pecan pie; brandy-soaked cherries and orange peel. Palate: more brandy-soaked cherries, and singed orange peel, with bitters… is this an Old Fashioned? loads of toasted oak, vanilla, and more of that game-y goat’s milk dark chocolate; still nutty too, with figs in honey and grilled dates. Finish: warming and spicy with lovely aromatics; both citrus and dark fruits; sweet, toasty and chocolatey. Comment: this is my kind of Bourbon, not too woody, but packed with aromatics and fruits; why go to the trouble of mixing an Old Fashioned, with all the added sugars, when you have this? Just pour it in a glass and serve; whether to add an ice cube is up to you!” – $100

COMING SOON: THE COMPASS BOX KWM 30TH ANNIVERSARY BLEND

I’m not going to go into the usual amount of detail on this exciting new Blended Malt just yet. Let’s save that (and my tasting note) for the next full Malt Messenger. But I do want to tease its pending release, which will be Wednesday, July 13, coinciding with the in-store launch tasting for the product. We have both In-Store (July 13) and Virtual (July 29) Launch Tastings planned, and open for registration now. Details below.

In the meantime, we are taking pre-orders, limited to 2 bottles per customer, and here is what John Glazer, Compass Box Founder & Whisky Maker had to say about the whisky:

“The city and the wilderness: two compelling spaces for the imagination to wander around. And few spots combine the appeal of both like Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Here you can find metropolitan comforts, but with something of a Wild West mentality. We have chosen to reflect this dualism through the whisky you hold in your hand, created with Andrew Ferguson of Kensington Wine Market to celebrate the store’s 30th Anniversary.

“Pour a glass and experience a whole basket of ripe peaches and golden apples from the farmers’ market, flavours delivered by single malts from the Mortlach and Teaninich distilleries, aged in active American oak barrels. They duke it out with the whiskies from the Caol Ila and Ardbeg distilleries, single malts from Scotland’s wild west coast. Like a ranger from the mountains, they stride into town with the scent of campfire on their clothes.

“Lush and fruity; complex and smoky – the city skyline and the Rocky mountains brought together in one whisky. Whether or not you are able to beat a path to Calgary in 2022, we hope you will join us in toasting Kensington Wine Market and 30 years committed to bringing delicious wines and spirits to Canada.

“John Glaser, Founder & Whiskymaker, Compass Box”

Compass Box KWM 30th Anniversary Blend – 49% – The whisky is composed of 37%* 20 year old Caol Ila, 30%* 20 year old Teaninich, 23%* 19 year old Mortlach, and 10%* 17 year old Ardbeg from Recharred, first-fill and refill American oak casks. – $195 – Limit 2 Per Customer – Pre-Order Now! 

*Funny story about the recipe for this whisky, it has a margin of error… more on that in the next Malt Messenger!

COMPASS BOX WHISKIES YOU CAN’T BUY… UNLESS…

We have just received two Compass Box whiskies, both in very small quantities. While we’d love to get everyone who wants one a bottle of each, we can’t. Especially with respect to the Vellichor. So rather than do a broad-based ballot, we will only be offering them to participants in one of our two Compass Box KWM 30th Anniversary Launch Tastings, listed below under New Tastings!

Here are the details on those whiskies you can’t buy unless you take part in a tasting!

1. Compass Box Vellichor – 44.6% – Producer Description: “‘Vellichor’ is a new word and refers to the aromatic atmosphere within second-hand bookshops. For this project, we have combined complex and impressively mature whiskies from renowned distilleries, as well as parcels of blends that have been aged for many years in ex-Sherry butts, to encapsulate this unique fragrance.” – Producer Tasting Note: “Hints of leather, polished furniture and the crackling dustiness of decades-old pages on the nose. The palate is stacked with sumptuous malty notes, tropical fruit and Sherry character, with a delicate but persistent peatiness. ” – $700 – Only Available by Ballot To Tasting Participants!

2. Compass Box Experimental Grain – 46% – Producer Description: “We have used a special parcel of whisky made at the Loch Lomond Distillery from peated malted barley, distilled in their copper Coffey still. Despite this being 100% malted barley, the use of a column rather than a pot still during distillation means this cannot be classified as a single malt – it is the perfect spirit around which to build a unique blended grain Scotch whisky. ” – Producer Tasting Note: “An appetising aroma of contrasts: banana and toffee mingle with soft, savoury barbecue smokiness and hints of rum and raspberry. Enjoy a soft and oily palate of almond and vanilla before a curiously delicious flavour of burnt pine cones develops.” – $155 – Only Available by Ballot To Tasting Participants!

INTRODUCING: LOCHLEA SINGLE MALT

Lochlea is an independent, family-owned farm distillery, in the Lowlands of Scotland. Historically, the farm was home to a young Robert Burns from 1777-1784, where he both lived and worked. The distillery’s whisky is made with its own barley, and its manager should be familiar: John Campbell, formerly distillery manager at Laphroaig.

Lochlea First Release Single Malt – 46% – First Fill ex-Bourbon & Pedro Ximenez Sherry Casks – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Bursting with fresh orchard fruit, apple, zesty orange, and pear drops. Some brown sugar, toffee, and vanilla fudge in the background. Palate: Rich and sweet, with burnt caramel and hazelnuts. Plenty of stewed fruit and now some toasted oats, cinnamon and clove coming through. Finish: Medium mouth coating, holding on to that fresh fruit, cereal sweetness and gentle spice.” – $88

THREE NEW TASTINGS

1 IN-PERSON & 2 VIRTUAL

We have 3 really exciting new tastings coming up in July. Details below!

COMPASS BOX KWM 30TH ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE LAUNCH TASTING WITH SCOTT ELLIS 

·     Date: Wednesday, July 13

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $50

·     IN-STORE TASTING

Compass Box Whisky has been one of our best and most supportive partners over the last 30 years. We were honoured when, in 2017, they collaborated with us on the now legendary bespoke Kensington Wine Market 25th Anniversary bottling. To help mark our 30th Anniversary, they have once more come through for us in a big way. Over the last year and a bit, we’ve been working with John Glaser and whisky Maker James Saxon on another bespoke whisky. Well, the Kensington Wine Market 30th Anniversary Blend has just arrived, and to celebrate we will be hosting both in-person and virtual launch tastings. Scott Ellis, Western Regional Manager for Compass Box Whisky in North America, will be our guest for the in-store launch tasting. Guests will have the opportunity to sample 7 Compass Box whiskies, including both the KWM 25th and 30th Anniversary bottlings, the Vellichor, Experimental Grain, Flaming Heart 2015 and two other releases. Participants in the tasting will also have the opportunity to enter a ballot to purchase both the Vellichor and Experimental Grain. 7PM, Wednesday, July 13

ELIXIR DISTILLERS SINGLE CASKS WITH CELINE TETU 

·     Date: Friday, July 22

·     Time: 5 PM

·     Cost: $45

·     Pick-Up Date: Available Friday, July 29!

Elixir Distillers has become one of our best partners in recent years, and they keep feeding us some absolutely amazing single casks. This recent batch was selected in the Winter or Spring of 2021, but due to all the challenges around logistics these days, they have only just arrived! Celine Tetu, aka Lily, Elixir Distillers’ International Sales Manager, will be our guest as we sample 7 Single Malts of Scotland bottlings, 6 of them cask strength single cask whiskies. Participants will try the 4 most recent KWM casks: Ardmore 11 Year, Glenburgie 22 Year, Imperial 22 Year, and Mannochmore 13 Year, and 3 others: Ben Nevis 1997, Linkwood 11 Year, and Reserve Casks Glencadam 10 Year. 5PM, Friday, July 22.

COMPASS BOX KWM 30TH ANNIVERSARY VIRTUAL LAUNCH TASTING WITH JAMES SAXON

·     Date: Friday, July 29

·     Time: 5 PM

·     Cost: $40

·     Pick-Up Date: Estimate July 5!

Compass Box Whisky has been one of our best and most supportive partners over the last 30 years. We were honoured when, in 2017, they collaborated with us on the now legendary bespoke Kensington Wine Market 25th Anniversary bottling. To help mark our 30th Anniversary, they have once more come through for us in a big way. Over the last year and a bit, we’ve been working with John Glaser and whisky Maker James Saxon on another bespoke whisky. Well, the Kensington Wine Market 30th Anniversary Blend has just arrived, and to celebrate we will be hosting both in-person and virtual launch tastings. James Saxon, Compass Box Whisky Whisky Maker, and creator of our 30th Anniversary Blend, will be our guest for the virtual launch tasting. Guests will have the opportunity to sample 7 Compass Box whiskies, including both the KWM 25th and 30th Anniversary bottlings, the Vellichor, Experimental Grain, Flaming Heart 2015 and two other releases. Participants in the tasting will also have the opportunity to enter a ballot to purchase both the Vellichor and Experimental Grain. 5PM, Friday, July 29.

SMWS CANADA JULY 2022 VIRTUAL OUTTURN 

·     Date: Thursday, July 7

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $45

·     Pick-Up Date: Available now!

·     VIRTUAL TASTING

The KWM Whisky Team will be your guide as you sample along through the July 2022 SMWS Canada Outturn. Share your tastings notes and comments with Evan and his co-host(s). Bottles from the Outturn will go on sale at the end of the tasting! Thursday, July 7, 7PM.

!!NEW DATE!!! Oddball Distilleries – A+ Malts from the B Team 

·     Date: Tuesday, August 9

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $75

·     Pick-Up Date: Available now!

·     VIRTUAL TASTING

Overlooked, underappreciated, and in some cases, flat-out unknown distilleries will be the focus of this tasting featuring some of the most neglected distilleries in the Scotch Whisky world. We had to drag some of these poor unloved drams out from the orphanages, the cupboards under the stairs, and other assorted nooks and crannies, in order to bring you a line-up that is bound to appeal to the most discerning of whisky geeks. This has a truly stellar range, if you can look past the brands and distilleries, to see some diamonds in the rough. 7 PM, Tuesday, July 20

FREE DELIVERY

We are proud to offer Free City Wide Delivery on all orders over $100 Monday-Friday! Orders under $100 are subject to a flat rate $10 delivery fee. Note we likely cannot offer delivery before Christmas at this point!

CURBSIDE PICKUP

Physical distancing is made easy with curbside pickup. Order online or by phone, wait for confirmation your order is ready then call us when you are parked in the back or out front. Be sure to let us know what your vehicle looks like!

403-283-8000

888-283-9004

Regular Store Hours

Mon – Wed 10AM – 8PM

Thurs & Fri 10AM – 9PM

Sat 10AM – 8 PM

Sun 11PM to 6PM