Kensington Calgary Alberta – Malt Messenger Bulletin – Whisky Democracy III & Return of the Bowmore
Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,
There is an air of excitement when cask samples arrive at the store for tasting. This morning 6 clear glass bottles filled with amber coloured liquid arrived at the store ready for consideration. This most recent set of cask samples is not for another cask of single malt Scotch whisky, we already have three casks on the way (Springbank, BenRiach and Tullibardine), no this latest batch of samples are from Jack Daniels Distillery in Lynchburg Tennessee. I know everyone is feeling a little burned by the recent election fraud in Iran, and the allegations of such coming from Afghanistan. Many of you are worried about your vote counting? We have the cure, Whisky Democracy III – Jack Daniels. See below!
On another subject, if you’ve been by the store lately (since Wednesday), you’ll know that we have somehow come into the possession of a whisky which we’ve sold out of twice. This whisky is one of my favourites, a port cask matured (note this means it was matured not finished in port pipes) 16 year old Bowmore distilled in 1991. While it has the dose of peat you come to expect with Bowmore, it is also massively chewy and chocolaty! When Rob White, the agent for Bowmore in Alberta, told me there was a chance he could find a few more cases for the store a couple of months back, I jumped at the opportunity. This whisky is a onetime release, and while we may see something just as good down the line, when the Bowmore 1991 is gone, it’s gone. We managed to get our hands on 78 bottles, 9 of which have sold without any effort or marketing. I have my bottles, do you have yours? More info below!
Finally, a minor typo of mine in last week’s Malt Messenger caught the attention of Robert Ransome of Glenfarclas Distillery. With respect to the Glenfarclas Family Cask Tasting we have running November 26th, I mentioned that George Grant (the man who selected the Family Casks, and who will be here to conduct the tasting) was one of the family owners of “Glen Grant” distillery. It obviously should have read “Glenfarclas distillery”, an understandable oversight given his last name. Robert wrote: “No harm done, but I think you owe George a Campari & Soda…” (Campari Group of Italy, owns Glen Grant distillery) Fair enough… but I think I’ll ask George what he wants before I muddy up his palate with Campari. To clear the air I’ve provided below an edited description of the Glenfarclas Family Cask Tasting… Glens, and Grants and Farclases oh my!
Slainte!
Andrew Ferguson
scotchguy@kensingtonwinemarket.com
Whiskey Democracy III – Jack Daniels – Wednesday September 16th – $30
Jack Daniels is surely unique among world distilleries in that its whiskey is produced in a dry county. The distillery is built and operates in Lynchburg Tennessee, even though the sale of alcohol is illegal in its county, Moore. Over the past two years the Kensington Wine Market we has bottled its own casks of Bourbon (Buffalo Trace and Evan Williams respectively), both of which were a big hit. This year we are planning to do something a little different, we’re going to bottle our own cask of Jack Daniels, which is not bourbon, but Tennessee Whiskey. The principal difference is that Jack Daniels is filtered through sugar maple charcoal before being filled into new American oak casks for aging.
Jasper Newton (Jack) Daniels, the distillery’s namesake, is believed to have been born in September of 1850, though other sources state 1846 as the year (a fact which can’t be confirmed owing to a courthouse fire). That’s not the only date in dispute; the distillery’s founding date is also in question. A biographer of Jack Daniels has pointed to land deeds which indicate the distillery wasn’t founded until 1875, while the distillery asserts that it was in fact 1866. If the distillery is right, then Jack Daniels may have begun distilling whisky at the age of 16!
As part of a new democratic approach to cask selection Kensington Wine Market would like your help to select a cask of Jack Daniels to be bottled for our store. We have enough whiskey for 16 of our customers to help us chose. If you would like to have your vote heard, call the store at 403-283-8000 to register, or do so on our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com . It should be noted, that the Kensington Wine Market is not a perfect Democracy, and our Scotch Guy Andrew Ferguson reserves the right to make the final decision. This democracy isn’t perfect, but it does try to be benevolent!
Bowmore 16Yr 1991 Port Cask Matured
This is, without a doubt, one of the best Bowmore’s bottled in years. Released in 2007 it was the 3rd release in a trilogy of 16 year olds released by the distillery in ’05, ’06, and ’07. The first release was matured in Bourbon Barrels, the second release in Oloroso Sherry Casks and the 3rd and final release was matured in Port Pipes. Many distilleries finish their whiskies in port pipes, as they are often used to add a richness and depth to whiskies which lack them. Generally speaking, most whiskies finished in port casks are chewier and chocolatier than their stillmates. This whisky is no exception and, most interestingly, is not finished in port pipes but matured in them for a full 16 years. This gives the whisky a richness and depth it might otherwise lack.
When first released to the Calgary market in the Fall of 2007, long before glowing reviews from the whisky pundits, the port matured Bowmore 1991 sold out. Just before Christmas 2008 it came to my attention that Alberta would be receiving a small shipment of the product, the leftovers of an allocation not fully purchased by the American market. We jumped on the opportunity to get this whisky back in the store and purchased a big chunk of it. Of the 102 bottles we purchased all sold in 3 months. A couple of months ago I was informed that another small cache of bottles had been found by the distillery and we jumped at what will likely be our last opportunity to acquire more of them. I don’t know if or how much this whisky will accrue in value over the years, but I can tell you I won’t part with my two bottles without some convincing. Collecting aside, this whisky is—to borrow the line of another distillery—eminently drinkable. 18,000 bottles were originally released worldwide by the distillery; I’d be surprised if more than quarter of them remain unopened. If you’re an Islay drinker, or a fan of the island’s oldest distillery (Bowmore), this whisky is a must for your collection (especially if you collect to drink). $93.99
Nose: Rich stewed fruit berries, sweet black cherries and hints of bitter, dark chocolate underlined by a lighter Bowmore smokiness. Palate: Warm and rounded, packed full of fruit flavours’ of brambles and damson jam followed by a subtle earthy peat smoke. Finish: Warm and satisfying. Truly an impressive Bowmore with a rich, round palate.
Glenfarclas Family Cask Tasting w/ George Grant – Thursday November 26th – 7PM – @ The Petroleum Club – $150
This is round 2 of Kensington Wine Market’s Glenfarclas Family Cask tastings. Last fall we were fortunate enough to have Robert Ransome of Glenfarclas on hand to do the tasting. This fall we are proud to present special guest George Grant, family owner of Glenfarclas and the man who selected the casks for an incredible tasting of 6 different vintages: 1954, 1962, 1978, 1984, 1985, and 1987. This is one event not to miss!
If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store. Feel free to forward me any whisky news you feel should be included in a future issue of The Malt Messenger; it might just get included.
All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com . All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change!
Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger!
Slainte!
Andrew Ferguson
KWM Scotchguy
403-283-8000
888-283-9004
1257 Kensington Rd. NW
Calgary, AB, Canada
T2N 3P8
