Kensington Wine Market’s E-Whisky Newsletter
We’re back! Technically we didn’t go anywhere, at least the store didn’t, but we did slow some product and tasting launches down to give our team a breather. 2021 was our busiest year ever, and it didn’t slow down much in January… After our busy year-end inventory sale, we had a lot of pick-ups, deliveries and packing to get caught up on before the big count. And then there are the tastings…
The one area in which we’ve most acutely felt supply constraints over the last year is the sample bottles we use for our tastings. We work with a number of suppliers, and some of them have been back-ordered for months. Thankfully we just struck the motherload, so we won’t be worrying about that for a while.
Given all that we had going on, and with our inventory count on Monday, we just needed a quiet week to get caught up before we dialled up any more excitement or FOMO…
From a business perspective, we have just started a new year as of yesterday, and with the contents of this newsletter, we’re kicking it off with a bang. We’ve got a pair of new KWM casks, lots of new whiskies (pre-emptively try to calm your FOMO), and a few more tastings to add to the mix too.
As the intro suggested, we kept the lid on a few new arrivals to give ourselves a break, so there is a lot of catching up to do. I’ll keep the preamble short because there is a lot for you to read through in this Malt Messenger, including the first of a number of Kensington Wine Market 30th Anniversary bottlings!
One last thing, “gong hei fat choy” to all of our friends on the lunar calendar. Happy year of the Water Tiger!
I didn’t know this previously, but apparently, I am a Fire Snake… so govern yourself accordingly!
As always, in the event of a discrepancy in price, the point of sale at KWM will be taken as correct. Please don’t hesitate to email me with any questions, comments, or requests (but online ordering works too, in fact, it might be faster…).
Sincerely,
Andrew Ferguson
Kensington Wine Market
In This Edition…
1. Introducing: Two New Compass Box KWM Exclusives!
2. Compass Box No Name No. 3
3. Glenmorangie A Tale of Winter
4. Glen Allachie 10 Year Batch 6
5. Other New & Returned GlenAllachies
6. Introducing: The
7. Introducing: Lindores Abbey Commemorative Single Malt
8. Introducing: Tomatin Decades II
9. New Whiskies from Burn Stewart
10. A Mixed Ballot of Various Limited Editions
11. Glenfarclas Price Increases Coming
12. A Few New Tastings
13.Other Up-Coming Tastings
Introducing: Two New Compass Box KWM 30th Anniversary Exclusive Blends
These are the first of two of three KWM 30th Anniversary Compass Box bottlings expected this year. We have a bespoke blend due in the Spring, similar to our Compass Box KWM 25th Anniversary Blend. While we wait for the Compass Box KWM 30th Anniversary Blend, we have two new exclusive Great King Street Marryings Casks. One each of the Artist and Glasgow Blends. Our second of each as a matter of fact!
The Artist Blend is predominantly Clynelish and the Glasgow Blend is predominantly Craigellachie.
Compass Box GKS Artist’s Blend KWM Cask 2 – 49% – Married January 2020 in a French Oak Custom Barrel – Bottled August 2021 – Cask No. 546 – My Tasting Note: “Nose: fruity, nutty and doughy with decadent spice; damp Jujubes, Wine Gums, and peaches n cream; baked apple and poached pear; candied almonds, beer nuts and polished oak; corn syrup, fresh ginger and candied fennel. Palate: soft, fruity and lush with a creamy backbone of vanilla and honey; stone fruits, melon, bitter orange and more Wine Gums and Jujubes; peaches n cream, marshmallows and creamed honey; morn corn syrup and even a touch of diluted agave nectar; warming polished oak and decadent spices: ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg; the grain add some finesse and silky floral tones. Finish: warming, decadent and fruity; more soft candies, stone and citrus fruits and a lovely balance of spicy and creamy tones. Comment: this is gorgeous, decadent and dangerously easy drinking; it is a fine example of both Compass Box’s skillful blending as well as their superior cask management.” – $90
Compass Box GKS Glasgow Blend KWM Cask 2 – 49% – Married April 27, 2020 in a American Oak Barrel – Bottled August 18, 2021 – Cask No. 130 – My Tasting Note: “Nose: deep, dark, rich and peaty with a volcanic heat of hot spice; dark chocolate infused with cayenne pepper, cinnamon hearts and charcoal embers; strawberries dipped in chocolate, cranachan and beef jerky; chilli oil and Frank’s Hot Sauce. Palate: big, rich and dark with more hot spice and coal smoke; licorice Jujubes, cinnamon hearts and candied ginger; boatloads of chocolate: bacon and strawberries dipped in chocolate, chocolate infused with cayenne pepper and chocolate marzipan; beef jerky and beef brisket with a smoky barbeque sauce; salty and a touch medicinal, the peat smoke is firm but clean; chewy malt accented by silky grains. Finish: rich, chewy and chocolatey with a lovely balance of peat and sherry; more beefy tones with just a trace of salty medicinal notes. Comment: this is everything you’d want and expect from a young sherried and peaty single malt… and this is a Blend; once again masterfully crafted by Compass Box, the grain is an accent to the spirit and not filler; so much chocolate, so much beef and BBQ; it is very moreish!” – $90
Compass Box No Name No. 3
Laphroaig, Bowmore, Mortlach, and Clynelish… YAASSSS, please!
This third edition of Compass Box’s No Name Series is primarily composed of two Islay malts from the Suntory stables and comes in another badass bottle. 48.9%.
Producer Notes
“Our series studying heavily-peated malt whisky reaches a somewhat OTT crescendo with this, the third and final No Name. Since 2017, we have used the same recipe structure to explore different smoky double acts. Whether it was the crème-brûlée-on-freshly-laid-tarmac effect of the inaugural release or the bonfire-in-a-cherry-orchard style of No Name, No. 2, fans of the series have been treated to radically different expressions of smoke.”
“No Name, No. 3 marks a further point on the spectrum of peat. It is older, wilder and weirder than the previous No Names. Seaweedy and barbecue-scented single malt from the Laphroaig Distillery takes top billing, with malt whisky from the Bowmore Distillery lending compelling hints of mango and pineapple at the very limits of ripeness. Seashells and sage; pineapple and allspice; smoke that moves in oily waves. This is the perfect whisky for introducing a little drama to proceedings – and a fitting conclusion to our peaty trilogy.”
Compass Box No Name No. 3 – 48.9% – Composed of Laphroaig, Bowmore, Mortlach & Clynelish – Producer Tasting Note: “Even fruitier than No Name, No. 2 and almost as smoky as No Name. The peat character is more medicinal than No Name, with a beautiful heathery and tropical fragranceLusciously freewheeling, with succulent scents of pear and Laphroaig vanilla, honeysuckle and oranges.” – $175 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
Glenmorangie A Tale of Winter
What is Glenmorangie’s Tale of Winter? Other than the follow up to the Tale of Cake, “it is donning a label that looks like a holiday sweater gift from your in-laws that you wore one time before burying it in the back of your closet only to bring it out years later to wear to an ugly sweater party…” (Clearly Evan’s inlaws have bought him a sweater he’s not willing to peacock in…) A Tale of Winter 13-year-old Glenmorangie is finished is ex-Marsala casks. 46%
Producer Notes
“Snowed in at home, our Director of Whisky Creation, Dr. Bill, began dreaming of this whisky. His goal was to capture the snug and magical feeling of sitting in front of the fireplace as snow blankets the world outside. In pursuit of rich, radiant taste and wintery aroma, he finished the 13-year-old single malt in Marsala wine casks from Sicily.”
Glenmorangie A Tale of Winter – 46% – Marsala Finish – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Curious and slightly sharp, with the classic Marsala top-note of slightly oxidised fruits. Hints of orange toffee intermingles with a fragrant top note of lavender honey and sweet rose. Palate: A juicy viscous, but slightly peppery mouthfeel, leads in to a burst of sweet, nutty flavours – coco powder, red pepper, brazil nut toffee and sweet barley malt. Finish: Sweet demerara sugar and a long lingering spicy aftertaste of clove, ginger and cinnamon.” – $125 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
GlenAllachie 10 Year Batch 6
Batch 4 won an award, and the FOMO on Batch 5 dwarfed the available inventory. Fortunately, we have enough of Batch 6 that we don’t need to worry about putting it in a ballot. But we are still limiting it to 1 per customer. Matured in a mix of PX & Oloroso Sherry, as well as Virgin Oak and Rioja casks. 57.8%.
GlenAllachie 10 Year Cask Strength Batch 6 – 57.8% – Matured in PX & Oloroso Sherry, Virgin Oak and Rioja Casks – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Lashings of heather honey, dark chocolate and mocha, with almonds, cinnamon and orange peel. Taste: Waves of dark chocolate, treacle. mocha, heather honey and almonds, fused with cinnamon, marmalade and grapefruit.” – $125 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
Other New & Returned GlenAllachies
The following limited edition GlenAllachies are all limited to 1 per customer. The first three are from the Wine Cask Finish range, while the 18 and 30 years are both core range bottlings, but very limited.
1. GlenAllachie 11 Year Grattamacco Cask – 48% – Matured in American Oak / Finished in Super Tuscan Barriques from the Grattamacco Winery in the Bolgheri area of Tuscany, Italy – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Waves of honey, peaches and apricots, with toffee, almonds and orange peel. Taste: Toffee, heather honey, red berries and peaches, fused with apricots, orange peel and nutmeg. – $125 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
2. GlenAllachie 12 Year Sauternes Cask – 48% – Matured in American Oak / Finished in Sauternes Casks from Bordeaux for Nearly Two Years – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Waves of heather honey, peaches and grapefruit, with hints of cinnamon and almonds. Taste: Heather honey, treacle and pineapple, with peaches, sweet grapefruit and cinnamon.” – $128 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
3. GlenAllachie 13 Year Rioja Cask – 48% – Matured in American Oak / Finished for almost two years in Spanish Oak Rioja Barriques – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Waves of red berries, honey, grape must, orange peel and almonds. Taste: Rich heather honey, sultanas, almonds and red berries, with barley sugar, grapefruit, orange peel and a hint of aniseed.” – $132 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
We have a few bottles of the GlenAllachie 18 Year, which will be offered to participants in the Mo’ Whisky FOMO tasting, see below…
Also available, but only by ballot, see a few sections below. No begging, or pleading, just enter the ballot and maybe you get a bottle, maybe you don’t. There are less than a handful, so please only enter this ballot if you have not acquired one elsewhere!
GlenAllachie 30 Year – 48.9% – Producer Description: “Bottled at cask strength of 48.9%, non chilfiltered and natural colour, this small batch release truly showcases GlenAllachie in its purest form, the perfect unison of cask and distillery character. A combination of nine hand-selected PX, Oloroso and Chinquapin Virgin Oak casks, Batch 1 is limited to just 2,000 bottles worldwide.” – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Fruit cake, raisins and mocha, with honey, cinnamon and coconut. Taste: Layers of dark chocolate, fruit cake, raisins, honey and figs, with treacle, orange zest and nutmeg.” – $1050 – Available by Ballot (see below)!
Introducing: The Gordon & Macphail Private Collection Linkwood 1973
1973 doesn’t seem like that long ago, especially to someone born in the 70s… but it was 47 years ago!!! 93pts Whisky Base
G&M Private Collection Linkwood 1973 – 51.4% – 47 Year – Refill Sherry Hogshead – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Rich vanilla aromas complement sweet treacle and Medjool dates. Milk chocolate notes develop alongside festive spice. Taste: Smooth and creamy flavours of stewed apples lead to soft citrus zest. Subtle cracked black pepper gives way to sultanas and toasted almonds. Finish: A long and full finish with lingering spice and mature oak.” – $3050
Introducing: Lindores Abbey
Commemorative Single Malt
aka “First Release!”
Lindores Abbey Distillery is founded on the site of the first recorded manufacture of whisky anywhere in the world. In 1491 King James IV of Scotland permitted “Friar John Cor of Lindores Abbey being granted ‘eight bolls of malt wherewith to make acqua vitae’.” Originally founded in the 12th Century, in Newburgh, Fife, on the south bank of the Firth of Tay, the Abbey was sacked in 1543 “by a mob”, and again in 1559 by John Knox and his supporters. It was finally dismantled in 1584, and has been but a ruins since.
The Abbey ruins are located on the farm owned by Drew & Helen Mackenzie-Smith. It had long been Drew’s dream to build a distillery on the site, which finally came to fruition in 2013 with the help of 3 investors. Early on work had to be delayed due to discoveries made during excavation of the site. The distillery and visitor center were finally completed in 2017, respectfully incorporating and building on some old farm buildings and some of the Abbey ruins.
The legendary late Dr. Jim Swan was a consultant for the distillery, which began producing single malt spirit in December of 2017. Since 2000 the distillery has be exclusively producing with locally grown Lindores barley.
We have two products from Lindores Abbey the whisky, and the curious Aqua Vitae, which I sampled at the distillery a few years ago. It is a very good and unique product, but it is not a whisky!
Lindores Abbey Aqua Vitae – 40% – Producer Description: “The earliest Aqua Vitae was made at Lindores as long ago as 1494, and we’ve authentically recreated that recipe and reimagined it as an inquisitively versatile spirit. Today, our own spirit is distilled in pot stills and then infused with a blend of spices and herbs, including cleavers, and sweet cicely, which grow in our gardens, amidst the grounds of the ancient Abbey. It is entirely natural, with no added sugars.” – $65
Lindores Abbey Commemorative Single Malt – 46% – Matured in ex-Bourbon, Sherry, & Wine Casks – My Tasting Note: “Nose: creamy, malty and floral; walnuts and Marcona almonds; white fruits, melons and citrus with gentle toasted oak; grocery store-bought gouda and aged cheddar. Palate: juicy, fruity and malty with a backbone of soft oak spice; light fresh and nutty with more white fruits, underripe melons and crisp citrus; more cheese and Demerara sugar in tea dregs. Finish: soft, floral and malty with white fruits, shelled nuts and toasted oak. Comment: this is young but balanced and brimming with promise; a good first release!” – $80
Introducing: Tomatin Decades II
Composed of whiskies from 2013, 2009, 2000, 1995, 1988, 1977, 1975 & 1973, this multi-vintage single malt was finished in First Fill Oloroso Sherry Butts before bottling at 46%.
Producer Description
“Decades II is truly a unique and exquisite expression, a marriage of 21 casks, selected from key years throughout the last five decades. It is a testament to the Tomatin way of life, and the generations of staff that to this day remain custodians of this exceptional Scotch Whisky. With time spent maturing in a mix of Scotch Whisky, ex-Bourbon, ex-Sherry and re-charred French oak casks from the last 50 years, Decades II is a rich and complex expression. With initial bursts of fruits giving way to hints of sweet pastry and wood shavings, and aromas of both cooked fruits and floral coconut tones. The remarkable expression is unctuous, with notes of Christmas cake, maple syrup and fresh red berries giving way to tropical fruits ahead of a long waxy, tropical finish. “
Tomatin Decades II – 46% – Composed of vintages from 1973-2013 – Finished in First Fill Oloroso Sherry Casks – Producer Tasting Note: “Aroma: An initial burst of citrus fruits gives way for hints of sweet pastry and wood shavings. Cooked fruits are balanced by softer floral and coconut tones. There is an overall sense of maturity with dried fruits, almonds and exotic spices adding real depth. Palate: Unctuous with Christmas cake, maple syrup and fresh red berries. In time tropical fruits emerge with orange peel and ginger. Finish: Long and waxy with tropical fruit, chocolate and spice.” – $350
New Whiskies from Burn Stewart
We have four limited editions from Burn Stewart Distillers. All are limited to 1 per customer, and FOMO not if they sell out, all of them are being featured in our Mo’ Whisky FOMO – No Fooling! tasting on April Fools day. Participants will be able to enter a tasting-specific ballot for these and other bottles.
1. Bunnahabhain Anoadh – 56.3% – 10 Year – Matured in Sherry / Finished in Port – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Rich creamy vanilla with notes of brandy butter, caramel, indulgent berries and a subtle hint of oak. Palate: Sweet red and black fruits are complimented with a cinnamon spice, roasted nuts and a slight saltiness coming through at the back. Finish: Long finish with a fading spice reminiscent of chilli chocolate and hints of floral candy.” – $205 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
2. Bunnahabhain 18 Year – 46.3% – Sherry Cask Matured – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Fragrant with notes of dried fruit, rich honeyed nuts, toffee and slight hints of spice. Palate: Notes of mellow sherried nuts, dried fruit and rich oak, with toffee and a slight tang of salt from its maturation of 18yrs at the coast. Finish: A dry fruit finish with a hint of spice and salt.” – $176 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
3. Deanston 2008 Oloroso – 52.7% – 12 Year – Oloroso Sherry Cask Matured – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Cherries and chocolate reminiscent of a black forest gateaux, followed by sweet spice, nutmeg and sultanas. Palate: Treacle toffee, dark fruits and festive spice with hints of mocha and a touch of pine. Finish: Long and warming finish with notes of gingerbread and nutmeg.” – $128 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
4. Tobermory 2004 Oloroso Cask – 55.9% – 17 Year – Oloroso Cask Matured – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Packed full of toffee and caramel, followed by almonds, blackcurrant and a hint of spice. Palate: Rose petals, tropical fruit, walnuts, cherry and creamy toffee balanced with oak, tannins and hints of leather. Finish: Unusually dry and nutty finish with a ginger spice.” – $230 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
A Mixed Ballot of Limited Editions
Many of you have asked about one or more of these whiskies at one time or another. In the case of the Ardbeg, we have been sitting on it for a few months, afraid to even mention we have it. But it is time to deal with it, and a couple of others too. The odds will be slim, but if you are interested in any of the three bottles below, enter the ballot before midnight February 4 and you will be included in the draw(s). No one will get more than 1 of any of the 4, and unfortunately some are likely to get none at all… sadly that’s the way she goes.
1. Ardbeg 25 Year – 46% – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: A pungent burst of smoked cream, peppermint and toffee, with Ardbeg’s classic fennel and pine resin. Distant earthy bonfires mix with herbal and fruity (banana and tropical) notes, along with fragrant candle wax. Palate: An extremely vibrant, hot peppery mouthfeel leads into a burst of sherbet lemon sweetness (candied apples, pears and orange), hints of carbolic soap and tar, more creamy toffee, aniseed and chilli pepper. Finish: A long, mellow, lingering aftertaste, with lots of cream, fudge and delicate antiseptic notes. An elegant, soothing style of Ardbeg.” – $950 – Enter the Ballot below for a chance to purchase.
2. Benromach 45 Year – 42.1% – Sherry Casks – Producer Description and Tasting Note: “Benromach 45 Years Old impresses with its dark, amber color. Rich sherry flavors merge with brown sugar and a hint of citrus peel. Fragrant, cooked apples add a touch of sweet, dark honey. On the palate, it is smooth with notes of creamy milk chocolate and a leathery fullness, balanced by soft white pepper. Subtle oak notes develop, which lead to a long and full, slightly dry finish, dominated by red berries and a mild spice.: – $1500 – Enter the Ballot below for a chance to purchase.
3. GlenAllachie 30 Year – 48.9% – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Fruit cake, raisins and mocha, with honey, cinnamon and coconut. Taste: Layers of dark chocolate, fruit cake, raisins, honey and figs, with treacle, orange zest and nutmeg.” – $1050 – Enter the Ballot below for a chance to purchase.
4. Glenmorangie Grand Vintage Malt 1996 – 43% – 23 Year – American First Fill White Oak Casks – Producer Tasting Note: “Aroma: Fresh and perfumed, like a bouquet of roses, carnations and jasmine, with a piquant hint of coriander. Mandarin orange and pear follow on, enhanced by a fruity, candied sweetness. A splash of water reveals more carnations, scents of geraniums and gentle, buttery vanilla. Taste: A zesty, citrus mouthfeel brings a surge of oranges and lemons, tempered by ripples of vanilla and fudge. Next, with remarkable finesse for a whisky of such age, come subtle notes of ginger, sweet chilli and oak. Finish: Delicate and dancing, with the softness of cake mix, almonds and pear.” – $1100 – Enter the Ballot below for a chance to purchase.
Glenfarclas Price Increases Coming Soon!
Even with the pending price increases, Glenfarclas still has some of the best priced aged single malts out there. We stocked up ahead of the price increase, but even still, these whiskies won’t last:
1. Glenfarclas 17 Year – More Details Online – Now $130 – Increasing to $140
2. Glenfarclas 21 Year – More Details Online – Now $170 – Increasing to $200
3. Glenfarclas 25 Year – More Details Online – Now $278 – Increasing to $360
4. Glenfarclas 30 Year – More Details Online – Now $710 – Increasing to $840
5. Glenfarclas 40 Year – More Details Online – Now $1300 – Increasing to $1500
A Few New Tastings
We’re going to try and squeeze in a couple of more tastings before the Easter break. These are just the first two.
· Date: Friday, April 1
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $50
· Pick-Up Date: ETA Late Ferbruary!
There was so much FOMO surrounding our last Whisky FOMO tasting that we knew there would need to be another… and then some other limited whiskies fell into our lap, and it seemed we had no choice but to double down on the FOMO. We would have announced this tasting 2 weeks ago, but then the sample bottle shortage struck. We were starting to face some FOMO ourselves… but thankfully we have hit the sample bottle motherload! This time around we have a trio of Bunnahabhains (18, 2008 Manzanilla & Aonadh), Deanston 2008 Oloroso, Laphroaig Cairdeas 2021, Tobermory 2004 Oloroso, GlenAllachie 18 Year & the Glenmorangie A Tale of Winter. Not all of these bottles will only be offered to participants of the tasting, but for some of them, like the Laphroaig, GlenAllachie and Bunnahabhain 2008 that will be the case. In any case, we will hold back 6-12 bottles of each of the other whiskies just for participants in the tasting. But that’s not all… not to add to your already overwhelming sense of FOMO, but unlike the first tasting, this one will be capped at 40 and cannot be increased… Friday, April 1, 7 PM.
· Date: Firday, April 8
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $30
· Pick-Up Date: ETA Late Ferbruary!
We have not one, but two new KWM exclusive whiskies from our friends t Compass Box. They are both Single Marrying Casks, one each of the Artist Blend and Glasgow Blend, the first of three Compass Box KWM 30th Anniversary Blends expected this year. To round out the lineup we will also be sampling our first two KWM Marrying Casks, the sold-out Peat Monster Arcana, the sought-after No Name No. 3 and the hot new Orchard House Blended Malt. Our guide for this liquid adventure will be Scott Ellis Western Region Manager for Compass Box Whisky. Friday, April 8, 7PM.
Other Winter 2022 Tastings
We started rolling out our Winter tastings in December, and many of them have already sold out, others have but a dozen spots left. We added space to the FOMO and Bruichladdich tastings, and the former is now completely sold out. This morning we took most of our March tastings, 8 new events, live online too. We are working hard to get these set up and poured as quickly as possible.
For all tastings, we will notify you when they are ready for pickup. Each tasting takes one of our employees a full day to pour, label and box up.
· Date: Tuesday, February 8
· Time: 8 PM
· Cost: $40
· Pick-Up Date: Ready Now!
Bourbon is the name of the game in the United States. Canadian Whisky has been getting renewed attention. What has been not-so-quietly winning over whisk(e)y lovers both North and South of the border is Rye. Join Evan for an exploration of Rye whisky from both countries – and possibly from the other side of the pond as well! Participants in this tasting will have a good chance of securing a bottle of Alberta Premium Cask Strength Batch 3! Tuesday February 8, 8 PM
· Date: Thursday, February 12
· Time: 5 PM
· Cost: $50
· Pick-Up Date: Ready Now!
· Only 1 spot left!
Our friend Dave Worthington from That Boutique-y Whisky Company will be joining us again for an irreverent tasting of Boutique-y Whiskies. We have a cool lineup planned, including whiskies from Finland, New Zealand, Texas, and a few stalwart Scottish distilleries like Blair Athol, Glenrothes, and Glen Scotia. We will also be featuring our new exclusive single cask of 20-year-old Clynelish… 5PM, Saturday, February 12.
· Date: Friday, February 18
· Time: 8 PM
· Cost: $55
· Pick-Up Date: The Day of the Tasting, February 18.
Who emerged victorious in Round One of Wine vs. Whisky? Although it was close call, it’s Abi that took the win back in October of 2021. Like the sore loser he is – Evan called shenanigans and took it personally. Join us for Round Two on February 18 where Evan will have to step up his game if he wants to take the crown from Abi. It is National Drink Wine Day on February 18th. Did Evan plan that with the hopes of unfairly persuading the judges? Join us and watch the sparks fly from the comfort of your own home.
• Tasting kits will be ready for pick up, day of- on February 18, 2022
• This tasting cannot be delivered.
What’s included:
3 x 50ml samples of wine
3 x 15ml samples of whisky
A few snacks for pairing fun!
· Date: Saturday, February 19
· Time: 5 PM
· Cost: $40
· Pick-Up Date: Ready Now!
· Only 11 spots left!
We’ve had a love affair with Kilchoman, ever since the launch of their first whisky, a 3 year old in 2009. Over the last 13 years, we’ve had the privilege of bottling 13 exclusive casks. We will sample 4 of them including the new 2013 Mezcal Cask, the 12 Year KWM, and the 14 Year bottled for the MS Society. We will also be featuring a very limited bottling of Kilchoman, which is not available for sale… so you won’t want to miss this very peaty affair! Saturday, February 19, 5 PM.
· Date: Tuesday, March 1
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $50
· Pick-Up Date: Ready by February 7
· Only 14 spots left!
We have some really exciting single casks right now, including a 20 year old Clynelish with a cheeky label, which dare not speak its name; a pair of Mortlachs 11 and 22 years of age; a lovely 17 year old Highland Park; a very tropical 25 year old Tormore; a funky Mezcal finished Kilchoman; and a lovely new Benrinnes, our first-ever bottling from the distillery. We’ll romance you on some of the best whiskies in-store right now, while you taste along with us! Tuesday, March 1, 7 PM.
· Date: Friday, March 4
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $50
· Pick-Up Date: Ready by February 7
· Only 9 spots left!
An Islay single malt by any other name would smell as peaty… and are usually better value! True, the Peat’s Beast range is not exclusively Islay single malts, we have come to believe that the NAS range are actually Ledaig, from the Tobermory Distillery… even if the bottler won’t confirm our suspicions. But the 27, 30, and 34 are thoroughbred 100% Islay single malts, and IMHO (Andrew’s) likely Laphroaig, Caol Ila and Bowmore. I’m very confident about that last one. We’ll sample the 6 whiskies in the Peat’s Beast range, and a surprise 7th malt, as we release the beast! Friday, March 4, 7 PM.
· Date: Tuesday March 8
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $40
· Pick-Up Date: To Be Confirmed
Behind many of our favourite whiskies, there is a woman, or many… This is not a new trend, many women have made their mark on whisky. From Helen Cumming, the woman responsible for the rise of Cardhu, and the legendary Bessie Williamson of Laphroaig, to the BenRiach Distillery Co.’s Rachel Barrie, and Caitlin Quinn of Turner Valley’s Eau Claire Distillery, women have helped shape the whisky industry. We’re highlighting Women in Whisk(e)y to mark International Women’s Day, and hosts Harmony and Chelsey have a lot to choose from. Thanks to the generous support of some of our partners, 100% of the ticket price collected from this tasting will be donated to The Brenda Strafford Centre, a local women’s shelter. Tuesday, March 8, 7 PM.
· Date: Tuesday, March 15th
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $40
· Pick-Up Date: To Be Confirmed
What is the best way to get ready for St Patrick’s Day? To drink Bourbon, of course! Evan hasn’t put together a lineup for a Bourbon tasting since January, and he is itching to get back in the saddle again. What new bottles and old friends will make the cut for this Blind Bourbon tasting? Only time will tell because Evan hasn’t even decided yet! Tuesday, March 15, 7 PM.
· Date: Thursday, March 17
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $40
· Pick-Up Date: To Be Confirmed
· Only 17 spots left!
The approach of St. Paddy’s Day means everyone’s feeling a little more Irish, and it is high time for a focused Irish Whiskey tasting. We’ll take you on a wander across the Emerald Isle, tasting our way through some of the finest whiskey the island has to offer. We’ll sample single malts and single pot still whiskies aged up to 21 years from Bushmills, Redbreast, Teeling, Tullamore D.E.W., Tyrconnell, Waterford and more. Thursday, March 17, 7 PM.
· Date: Thursday March 24
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $165
· Pick-Up Date: To Be Confirmed
· Only 16 spots left!
The concept here is pretty simple, even if the price tag appears eye-watering… there are a lot of rare and old things Andrew wants to try, and if he’s interested in them, there’s a good chance you might be interested too! For this round, we have selected a range of 8 single malts aged 25 to 31 years of age, 231 years of whisky, all of them very limited, and getting great reviews. When was the last time you had 30 year old Aberlour, 27 year old Clynelish or 25 year old Ledaig? Our selection also includes old bottlings of Glentauchers, Bunnahabhahain, Blair Athol, Craigellachie and Tormore. It is a fine range, and one Andrew’s dying to taste… we don’t think he’s alone! (Note the bottles pictured are not the ones we are tasting!) Thursday, March 24, 7 PM.
· Date: Tuesday March 29
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $80
· Pick-Up Date: To Be Confirmed
· Only 6 spots left!
Do you ever look up at a wall of whisky and wonder if the $400 or $500 bottles are actually that much better than the $150 to $200 ones? Whisky lovers and aficionados are constantly debating the point. Stand around our whisky wall and you’ll hear people ask how good that new release is, while others lament that their old favourites just aren’t as good as they used to be. Are there bottles that deserve more attention than they get? Is there a connection between price and quality? So many questions and considerations, but the reality is this, there are plenty of over and underachieving whiskies out there, and in this tasting, YOU get to decide which bottles meet, exceed or fail to meet our great expectations. There is just one catch, the tasting will be blind! Tuesday, March 29, 7 PM.
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.
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
*All Prices Quoted here are subject to change and do not include GST. In the case of pricing discrepancies, the price at our point of sale will be taken as correct.*
