Malt Messenger Bulletin 

Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers, 

I hope you’ve had a wonderful summer and an excellent Labour Day long weekend. Kensington Wine Market’s fall tasting schedule is now online and open for registration, in store, by phone (403-968-1056) and online https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/register.php . A lot of time, thought and planning goes into putting this schedule together, and every year I feel we’ve outdone the last. This year’s schedule is no exception, and by far the most interesting we’ve ever put on. 

We have a number of special guests who will be stopping by the Kensington Wine Market to conduct tastings for us. First up is Willie Tait, the travelling brand ambassador from Jura distillery is a great story teller and has a wonderful way with words. Next up we’ll be giving the floor to Davin de Kergommeaux, Canadian whisky expert, magazine contributor and author to take us through a lineup of Canadian whiskies he feels are second to none. Later in October Alistair Walker will be in town to help us launch 3 casks of whisky, two for the KWM and another for the Companions of the Quaich. The next night Michael Urquhart from Gordon & MacPhail will be in store to launch the Gordon & MacPhail Glen Grant 60 Year Diamond Jubilee bottling. This special tasting will feature a 60 year old whisky as the star of an otherwise impressive lineup with proceeds going to charity. And last but certainly not least George Grant will be back in late November to launch the new Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength 20 Year at a special family casks tasting which will also include vintages going back to 1962! 

There are plenty of Society events too, including the usual First Friday tastings, but also an Anniversary celebration which is already half sold out-members get a forewarning about Society events www.smws.ca -and a Society launch in Edmonton. This is to say nothing of our Fall Single Malt Festival, Closed Distilleries Dinner, Rum and even an Armagnac v Cognac tasting. There is something for everyone this year, and a little more besides. All of these events will fill on a first come first serve basis, so don’t hesitate, and hopefully we’ll see you at one or more of our tastings this fall! 

Slainté! 

Andrew Ferguson 

1. Jura Distillery with Willie Tait – If you’ve not sat through a Willie Tait tasting, you don’t know what you’re missing. We’ll sample a range including the Boutique Barrels and 1976. Tue Oct 2 – $40
2. Raucous Rums – A roundup of some of the finest sipping rums in the world. We’ll be sampling some old, some rare and some new rums to the Alberta scene, including one from 1941. Thr Oct 4 – $60
3. Scotch Malt Whisky Society First Friday Tasting 6-7PM – The tasting will feature 7 cask strength single cask whiskies bottled by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society exclusively for its members. Members pay $35 and guests $45. Fri Oct 5, Fri Nov 2 – $35/45
4. Scotch Malt Whisky Society First Friday Tasting 8-9PM – The tasting will feature 7 cask strength single cask whiskies bottled by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society exclusively for its members. Members pay $35 and guests $45. Fri Oct 5, Fri Nov 2 – $35/45
5. Whisky & Chocolate- Not just for women anymore, we’ve opened up our ever popular whisky & chocolate pairing to anyone curious to see just how well they match! Fri Oct 12 – $50
6. Canadian Whisky with Davin de Kergommeaux – Join Canada’s foremost whisky expert, and Whisky Magazine/Whisky Advocate contributor Davin de Kergommeaux for a special tasting and book signing featuring some of Canada’s finest whiskies. Mon Oct 15 – $25 
7. Classic Single Malts – This is our classic introduction to the world of single malt Scotch whisky. You’ll discover a little history, how it’s made and sample six distinct styles. Tue Oct 16 – $30
8. Scotch Malt Whisky Society 1st Anniversary Festival Tasting – Come celebrate the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s first anniversary in Canada with a festival tasting featuring 12 different single cask, cask strength, single malt, Scotch whiskies. This event will be a standup event at the Kensington Wine Market. $35 Members $45 Nonmembers Fri Oct 19 – $35/45 
9. Scotch Malt Whisky Society Edmonton Launch – The World’s largest whisky club is heading north in Alberta to the provinces capital for a grand tasting. The event will feature 12 cask strength, single cask, single malt Scotch whiskies. The event will be held at the Prince of Wales Armouries, Governors Room, 10440 108 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta. $35 Members $45 Nonmembers Sat Oct 20 – $35/45
10. BenRiach Cask Release w/ Alistair Walker – Alistair is in town again to help celebrate the launch of two new KWM casks and another for the Companions of the Quaich. This mini-festival style tasting will feature other BenRiach and Glendronach whiskies including: Sependicum and Authenticus 25 Year, and a whisky glass! Mon Oct 29 – $30
11. Ancient Malts with Michael Urquhart – Gordon & MacPhail have stocks of old whisky that are the envy of the entire industry. Only they could release a 60 year old whisky, filled into cask the year Elizabeth took the throne. You’ll sample it along with 5 other older whiskies, with proceeds going to charity. Please not you are registering for either the 6-7 or 8-9 event. Tue Oct 30 Two tastings: 6-7PM or 8-9PM – $175
12. Scotch Malt Whisky Society First Friday Tasting 6-7PM – The tasting will feature 7 cask strength single cask whiskies bottled by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society exclusively for its members. Members pay $35 and guests $45. Fri Nov 2 – $35/45
13. Scotch Malt Whisky Society First Friday Tasting 8-9PM – The tasting will feature 7 cask strength single cask whiskies bottled by the Scotch Malt Whisky Society exclusively for its members. Members pay $35 and guests $45. Fri Nov 2 – $35/45
14. Fall Single Malt Festival – Our iconic whisky festival is back for another year with a lineup of 100 premium whiskies from some of Scotland’s finest distilleries. Don’t hesitate; it sells out every year, and tickets are limited! Thr Nov 8 – $60
15. Closed Distilleries Dinner – We’ll be heading over to Buchanan’s (738 3rd Avenue SW) for another sumptuous whisky dinner featuring a three course meal paired with six whiskies from closed distilleries. Start time is 7:00 PM. Fri Nov 9 – $150
16. Glanfarclas Family Casks Tasting with George Grant – Another evening of rare whiskies and humorous anecdotes with the one and only George Grant, featuring whiskies from the Family Cask line. Location to be announced 7:00 PM. Tue Nov 20 – $175
17. Armagnac vs. Cognac – We’ll pit some of the finest Armagnacs against equivalent Cognacs to see which reigns supreme, all while learning about the history, techniques and terroir of the various regions. Tue Nov 27 – $80
18. Master Malt – Only the most rare and special whiskies are showcased at this tasting which always highlights some of the most exciting whiskies in the world! Fri Nov 30 – $99  

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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, and don’t include GST. In the event of discrepancies, the point of sale will be taken as correct. 

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger. 

Slainte! 

Andrew Ferguson

Manager & Scotchguy

Kensington Wine Market

403-283-8000

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

www.kensingtonwinemarket.com 

Owner & Operator

Ferguson’s Whisky Tours

www.fergusonwhiskytours.com