Virtual Whisky and Chocolate Tasting!
The Singleton x COCO Chocolatier

Whisky and chocolate lovers rejoice! We have the ultimate treat for you.

On Thursday 27th May at 19:30 GMT we will be hosting a virtual tasting led by Diageo Brand Ambassador Jo Last, where she will be guiding us through the core range of single malts from The Singleton – the 12, 15 and 18 Year Old expressions. These will be paired with indulgent chocolates from Edinburgh based COCO Chocolatier featuring their Orange and Rhubarb & Ginger Milk Chocolates.

Tickets are now live and cost £24.95pp. The perfect tasting for a sweet tooth – why not treat yourself (or a friend!) and join in?

The Singleton
Whisky and Chocolate Tasting

27/05/2021 19:30 GMT

£24.95

Buy Now

We hope you all are managing to stay relaxed and healthy. I’m sure you all had your fair share of MS Teams and Google Meet sessions. Often with some very relaxed drams. I know we certainly did! But, let’s Zoom in on Maltstock!!

Will Maltstock 2021 go ahead as planned?

The short answer is: we don’t know yet. But… we are rather hopeful. So do pencil it in the dates 10-12 September.

Let us be very clear: Maltstock will only happen if it can be done in a safe way. The health of our guests and our crew is our number one priority. Also there will be no Maltstock if social distancing rules are still in place.

So why are we hopeful?

Things are slowly but surely improving. People are getting vaccinated. And if everyone at Maltstock has been vaccinated or has a negative test result, we should all be safe.  A vaccination passport will certainly help us. The question remains of course if the speed at which people are being vaccinated is high enough. But more should be clear on that in a month or two.

Of course, social distancing rules will have to be lifted as well before we can have a relaxed Maltstock. We just need to be a patient for a bit longer. We expect to be able to get back to you by the end of June.

Again, we will only organize Maltstock this year if we can do it in a safe and relaxed way. If you for whatever reason do not wish to come to Maltstock this year, not a problem at all. Your ticket will remain valid for any future edition. We have our fingers crossed we will see most of you the September at Maltstock. How relaxed would that be!

Stay healthy stay relaxed!

Annette, Bob, Klaas, Stan & Teun

PS

If you haven’t bought a Maltstock ticket yet, you can still get yours here. It will be valid for the next edition of Maltstock. Which of course we hope will be this year!

Stewart Buchanan, Benriach Global Brand Ambassador

GLOBAL WHISKY FANS LOG INTO CELEBRATE SPIRIT OF SPEYSIDE

From Turriff to Tokyo, 688 guests from 15 countries from around the world logged into Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival’s first online event, which took place last week.

Benriach’s World of Flavour proved to be the top pick of the festival, with Global Brand Ambassador, Stewart Buchanan, leading a tasting of their core range, giving a sneak peek behind the scenes of their new visitor centre in Elgin. Virtual distillery tours were also high on the agenda for visitors, with tours of Benromach and Tamdhu distilleries being the second and third most popular events.

In addition to the main festival events, guests were invited to join virtual booths hosted by distillery managers, brand ambassadors, and whisky experts to chat with like-minded whisky lovers. The festival saw 2,877 visits to the 20 available booths, with guests using a total of 2,254 emojis and enjoying drams from 836 tasting kits.

James Campbell, Chairman at The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, said:

“This year’s Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival might have been very different from years gone by, but the distilleries rallied to create one of our most engaging and internationally visited events in our 21 year history.

“With guests from every corner of the globe from Australia to The Philippines, Canada, Germany, Mexico and across the UK, whisky lovers rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in the whisky industry.

“But nothing beats being together to celebrate the world’s largest producing whisky region. We have our fingers and toes crossed that we can welcome back whisky explorers in person to the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival from 3-8 November 2021, subject to government guidelines”

Updates on the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival will be posted on https://www.spiritofspeyside.com and across social media. This will be subject to government guidelines and may be subject to change.

The 2022 festival will take place 27 April to 2 May 2022.

Notes 

About the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

First launched in 1999, the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival’s annual celebration of Scotland’s national drink has developed into one of the largest events of its kind anywhere in the world. The Festival is a mecca for the curious beginner and the whisky connoisseur alike. Over the past 20 years, festival events have taken place throughout Speyside, the biggest whisky producing region in Scotland, located in the Moray area in the North-East of the county between Aberdeen and Inverness. This year is the first year that the festival has adopted an online format.

Over the years, the Festival has developed close links with many Speyside businesses and communities who help to fund the festival. It is a true team effort to deliver an ever-improving range of events and services to make the Festival a truly unforgettable experience.

The company is limited by guarantee, it runs the festival with a voluntary board of directors drawn from key areas of the whisky industry along with other local businesses and tourism organisations.

Despite the lack of tourists, spring has been a hugely busy time at the distillery. We took advantage of the cool damp weather before Easter to have our best-ever production period, with our mashmen and stillmen working long hours to produce great volumes of spirit, and without any loss of quality – quite an achievement. Simultaneously we were lucky enough to take delivery of an entire truckload of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso hogsheads; these have all now been filled and we look forward to seeing the results in five, ten, fifteen years… in this game it pays to be patient.

Happily the lack of tourists is now behind us, as the distillery formally reopened for visitors today – something we have been looking forward to for many months. All tours are fully compliant with current covid guidelines – Click here for details on how to book.

Today we are also announcing a brace of new bottlings: our Fathers Day special (last year’s was a huge hit, so we thought a sequel would be a good idea) and the much-anticipated issue of bottles from Iain’s private cask: the Manager’s Cask release. They’re now both be released from our webshop.

Finally, we’re offering our friends and followers a chance to win both the new releases: if you’re feeling lucky and fancy getting hold of a Fathers Day and Manager’s Cask bottle, please enter our competition. Wishing all our friends and followers a very happy summer!

Slàinte

The Wolfburn Team

Awards are always appreciated!

We are so pleased to announce the 2021 winners of this prestigious competition from our portfolio.  Some you may know well, while others may be new friends… all of them are delicious experiences!

SFWSC medal winners range from some of the most renowned international distillers to small-batch producers. Not only is an SFWSC medal a testament to your hard work, it’s a universally recognized indicator of exceptional quality and craftsmanship.

DOUBLE GOLD
Awarded to the entries that receive a Gold medal rating by all members of the judging panel; these are among the finest products in the world.

GOLD
Exceptional spirits that are near the pinnacle of achievement; these products set the standard for their categories.

 

MacNair’s Mastered the Double Gold Medals

Ne’er happier than when exploring the globe or the spirit from the golden still, Harvey MacNair was – in the parlance of his native Glasgow – a man or ‘lad o’pairts’: a true Victorian entrepreneur. A trader, thereby a traveler, an inventor of all sorts of mechanical contraptions, his genius lay in the blending of fine whiskies. He loved and championed the natural, unadulterated color of whisky. “Pure gold’ he said with a wink.

Today’s Lum Reek is the creation of Master Blender Billy Walker, raising his hat to the top hatted Victorian. It’s a peated malt, marrying Islay & Speyside whiskies with rich GlenAllachie, to extend the flavour profile. Lum Reek is matured in GlenAllachie’s warehouses, bottled at 46% (and above) and unchilfiltered, allowing its natural colour to shine like those golden autumns Harvey MacNair enjoyed decked out in his waders.

‘Lang may yer lum reek’, literally meaning ‘long may your chimney smoke’, is a traditional Scots way to wish someone a long and healthy life.

LUM REEK PEATED 12 YEARS OLD
Introducing the first age range statement from MacNair’s, the Lum Reek 12 years old, bottled at 46% ABV, reflects Billy Walker’s vast experience as a blender, his creative skills and his expert knowledge of wood management. A combination of whiskies from first fill Bourbon, Red Wine and Pedro Ximenez casks were blended together to produce this smoky malt.

COLOR: Copper Bronze.
NOSE: Sweet peat reek combining with butterscotch and mocha.
TASTE: Lashings of rich peat reek with mature heather notes, bog myrtle, butterscotch, toffee and sweet spices.

LUM REEK PEATED 21 YEARS OLD
A blend of some of the finest Islay and Speyside peated malts combined with richer, older GlenAllachie, the Lum Reek 21 years old, voted Worlds Best Blended Malt 2020, was aged in Oloroso, Virgin Oak and Red Wine casks. Non chill filtered, natural colour and bottled at 48% ABV, Billy Walker has recreated the peated whiskies of 100 years ago for the modern-day palate.

COLOR: Butterscotch.
NOSE: Aristocratic peat smoke with dark chocolate and fudge.
TASTE: Tobacco, leather, cedar wood and waves of peat reek with oodles of cocoa, vanilla, honey and spices.

M&H Shocked the Judges with a Vision of Things to Come

While this exciting Double Gold Winner is not available in the US, it is a true testament of the quality that M&H Distillery delivers.  This expression is a reflection of the difference that maturation at the Dead Sea can make in the hot climate of Tel Aviv, Israel and is a truly unique and special whisky.

To learn more about the M&H Apex Expression that are available here in the US you can visit our Bottle Images and More here.

For other M&H Expressions and content you can view our product page here.

Kurayoshi Crushed It

Kurayoshi 18yr Malt Whisky – 50% abv, 750ml – A deep and rich fragrance of the highest quality makes you feel the long-term maturation of over 18 years. The complex and deep flavor profile joins the sweet taste of honey mixed with smoke and spice, a mellow sweetness of vanilla, and a refreshing touch of mint. It is a drink that can satisfy the best whiskey enthusiasts.

It was so exciting to see Kurayoshi be so well received by the judges this year earning them these medals:

Gold – Kurayoshi Pure Malt
Gold – Kurayoshi Sherry Cask
Gold – Kurayoshi 8 yr
Gold – Kurayoshi 12 yr
Double Gold – Kurayoshi 18 yr

For more information on these and other expressions from Kurayoshi, you can visit our product page here.

Meet Matsui Umetsu

Tottori is the line of sourced blended whiskies brought together by the Kurayoshi distillery in Tottori, Japan. Kurayoshi is known for its fresh spring water which is best-suited for producing whisky. The name “Kurayoshi” in Japanese was originated from the phrase “Kurashiyoshi”, which is translated to “Good Living” in English.

This whisky is characterized by mellow sweetness and aroma. The mouth feel is refreshing with a faint fruity sweetness and an ornate finish. The finish is soft and lasting. Perfect for any style of drink, on the rocks, High Ball, and soon.

Thank you all so much!  We will be in touch as the year drinks on 🥃

If you have any questions or would like any additional information, please don’t hesitate to email office@ImpExBev.com.

LIVE VIRTUAL TASTING

We’re delighted to invite you to join us for our next Live Virtual Tasting on Thursday, 27th May at 6:00pm BST.

Streaming live from Facebook and YouTube will be our hosts Robbie Hughes and Gordon Dallas plus distinguished guests Charles MacLean, Author and Master of the Quaich, and Food and Drink journalist Rosalind Erskine.

The tasting will feature Glengoyne 10 Year Old, 18 Year Old and Cask Strength, Batch 008. You can join in on the tasting experience from the comfort of your home by purchasing one of our Tasting Kits.

THREE FANTASTIC DRAMS

The Tasting Kits are priced at £27.50 and contain 5cl drams of Glengoyne 10 Year Old, 18 Year Old, Cask Strength, Batch 008, plus a Glengoyne Glencairn glass, allowing you to fully appreciate the aroma, mouthfeel and lingering notes of the whisky on your palate.

THE SOCIETY HAS GOLD RUSH AT SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITON 

All whiskies entered by the SMWS took either Double Gold or Gold at prestigious awards

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) have continued their annual success at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition by taking home a ‘Best in show’ award along with a host of ‘Double Gold’ and ‘Gold’ awards.

The Society took home the coveted top award for their bottle 46.104 Turn Me Inside Out as well as a range of other ‘Double Gold’ medals for G7.18 A Colourful Oldie and 112.75 Queen of Tarts.

There was also ‘Gold’ accreditation at the 2021 awards for casks 112.74 A Preternatural Good-Striker and 35.264 Midnight Marmalade, overall recognising the consistently outstanding quality of their whiskies across the board.

Founded in 2000, the influential San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) is the oldest of its kind in the U.S. and has become one of the world’s most respected spirits competitions. A SFWSC medal is a universally recognised indicator of exceptional quality and craftsmanship.

A seasoned panel of experts review over 1,000 whisky entries before world-class judges score and award only the highest calibre liquids with a globally prestigious SFWSC medal.

The Society, which is ‘the world’s most entertaining whisky club’, specialises in single cask whisky and takes a unique approach to their bottlings by celebrating the flavours across whisky through 12 flavour profiles.

Membership to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society includes access to buy from their unique whisky range, as well as entry to exclusive Members’ Rooms, partner bar discounts, colourful tasting events, whisky education and content including a monthly members magazine Unfiltered, all for only £65: https://smws.com/whisky-club-membership

Kai Ivalo, Spirits Director at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society said: “We’re excited to have continued our success and picked up another haul of prestigious awards for our excellent array of single malt whiskies. These triumphs demonstrate that now is the perfect time to get on board with our entertaining whisky club.”

Full awards listed below:

Double Gold

• Best Independent Merchant Single Malt Scotch,DOUBLE GOLDMEDAL, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask 46.104 Turn Me Inside Out, Scotland, United Kingdom [57.2%] $120. Importer: MHW, Ltd www.smwsa.com  — Award Code: 414
• DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask G7.18 A Colourful Oldie, Scotland, United Kingdom [54.5%] $210. Importer: MHW, Ltd www.smwsa.com— Award Code: 413
• DOUBLE GOLD MEDAL, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask 112.75 Queen of Tarts, Scotland, United Kingdom [59.1%] $120. Importer: MHW, Ltd www.smwsa.com— Award Code: 416

Gold

• GOLD MEDAL, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask 112.74 A Preternatural Good-Striker, Scotland, United Kingdom [56.8%] $120. Importer: MHW, Ltd www.smwsa.com— Award Code: 415
• GOLD MEDAL, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Cask 35.264 Midnight Marmalade, Scotland, United Kingdom [46.1%] $595. Importer: MHW, Ltd www.smwsa.com— Award Code: 417

https://www.smws.com/

f: https://www.facebook.com/thesmwsuk

i: https://www.instagram.com/smws_uk/

t: https://twitter.com/SMWSUK

yt: https://www.youtube.com/user/SMWSsilverscreen/videos

#SMWS

 Notes:

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society 

• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society was established in Edinburgh in 1983 and now has more than 27,000 members and branches around the world
• The SMWS bottles rare single cask, single malt whisky, and a range of other spirits
• The Society bottles single malts, unique single casks and exclusive blends
• The Society has bottled whisky from more than 146 distilleries from Scotland and beyond
• The Society offers a new batch of around 20 single cask, single malt whiskies every month
• The Society offers a variety of membership packages which can be tailored. Please see https://bit.ly/2uqKanT
• For more information about the Society, visit https://bit.ly/2HHiNyC
• Twitter: @SMWSUK Facebook: @thesmwsuk Instagram: @smws_uk

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Kensington Wine Market’s Whisky E-Newsletter

MALT MESSENGER BULLETIN –

THE ONLINE ONLY 29TH BIRTHDAY SALE

STARTS NOW!

It’s that time of the year again, Kensington Wine Market is turning 29 years old this coming weekend, and we’re celebrating with our Annual Birthday Sale.

As mentioned in my last Malt Messenger, due to the current Covid-19 environment in Alberta, we have decided to close the store to walk-in traffic for the duration of the sale; Thursday, May 13, through Sunday, May 16.

The long and short of it is this: We didn’t want to postpone the sale as we did last year, but with the government asking everyone to stay home as much as possible, it is not appropriate for us to encourage in-store shopping and lineups at the door.

So after a lot of thought and deliberation our 29th Birthday Sale will be going ahead online, but not in-store!

If you are curious about our reasoning, I’ve attached an updated rationale at the end of this newsletter.

While we encourage everyone who can to order online, we will be accommodating phone and email orders from those of you who struggle with online ordering. We will also be taking cash and debit at the door for those who have ordered ahead, and don’t want to pay by credit card.

Please be patient with your phone, email, and online orders. We will work through all the requests as quickly as we can, and in the order that we receive them.

Patience is also requested from anyone requesting packing. We are expecting high volumes, and we won’t be starting on the packing list until Tuesday!

The sale deals and terms are below.

Before jumping to the sale pricing, we have a new tasting to announce. Scott Adamson and Scott Fraser of Tomatin Distillery will be joining us on Friday, May 28, for a Tomatin Vertical tasting to launch our new Tomatin 2006 KWM Cask. We will be showcasing an awesome range and a pair of special guests.

While we’ll miss seeing our regulars during this weekend’s Birthday Sale, we are hopeful this will be a one-time-only occurrence.

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

Happy bargain hunting!

Sincerely,

Andrew Ferguson

Kensington Wine Market

IN THIS EDITION

1. New Tomatin Cask Launch Virtual Tasting with Scott²

2. In Case You Missed It: Our New KWM Exclusive Tomatin 2006 Cask

3. Other Up-Coming Virtual Whisky Tastings

4. 29th Birthday Sale Deals & Rules

5. Why We Decided Not to Allow In-store Shopping During Our Birthday Sale (In Case You Were Note Aware)

NEW TOMATIN VIRTUAL CASK LAUNCH TASTING WITH SCOTT²

Tomatin Cask Release with Scott Fraser & Scott Adamson

·     Date: Friday, May 28

·     Time: 5 PM

·     Cost: $35

·     Pick-Up Date: Available Now!

We have just received our 2nd KWM exclusive cask of Tomatin, and to mark the occasion we will be joined for a special Tomatin vertical tasting with not one, but two Scotts… Scott Adamsom (Global Brands Ambassador) and Scott Fraser (Regional Sales Manager) will be joining us live from Scotland for a virtual tasting of 8 Tomatin single malts: 12 Year, 14 Year, 18 Year, Cask Strength, 1984, the KWM 2006 Cask and the Tomatin Contrasts. 8 whiskies, 15ml samples of each, 2 Scotts of Tomatin, and a Scotch Guy or two from KWM. Just $35 to taste arrange of more than $1500 worth of whisky in fine company! 5 PM, Friday, May 28. AVAILABLE FOR PICK-UP NOW!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

OUR NEW KWM EXCLUSIVE TOMATIN CASK

When asked what “must visit distilleries” people should be sure to hit when in the Highlands and Speyside area, I almost always list Tomatin. Aside from the facts they are some of my favourite whisky-folk in Scotland, and also make some excellent whisky, Tomatin is also one of the most interesting distilleries in Scotland. It was at one time the largest malt whisky distillery in the country and its site high in the Cairngorm mountains is enormously outsized for its needs today. It is also unashamed of its rough edges, a proud working distillery, which contrasts nicely with the picturesque and carefully manicured visitor centers of the better-known distilleries.

We have just received our second KWM exclusive single cask of Tomatin. We picked it last August, and due to Covid, Brexit and shipping challenges it has only just arrived. There are just 297 bottles, at a very good price!

Tomatin 2006 KWM Cask 33283 – 57.1% – 14 Year – Recharred American Oak Hogshead – My Tasting Note: “Nose: soft, doughy and toasty; vanilla, white chocolate, almonds, and citrus: lemon, lime and orange rinds; wine gums; decadent and floral with chewy malt. Palate: thick, honeyed, and coating; it is warming with Demerara sugar, vanilla extract, and crisp decadent spices; more juicy malt and loads of citrus; more wine gums and strawberry Twizzlers. Finish: medium in length, soft, coating, and spicy; fading honey, vanilla, citrus, floral tones, and toasted oak. Comment: decadent, juicy, and refreshing, this is a lovely addition to our stable of KWM exclusive whiskies; it is also excellent value!: – $118*

*This new cask will not be on sale!

OTHER UP-COMING

VIRTUAL WHISKY TASTINGS

All of our virtual whisky tastings include a range of 15ml samples, sealed for your protection and labeled according to AGLC regulations. The estimated pick-up date is provided for each tasting. Our preference is for pick-up (either in-store or curbside), but they can be delivered within Calgary-city limits for a $10 fee, or shipped within Alberta (packaging and shipping extra). A zoom code will be emailed for each tasting a day or two prior to the event.

KWM Casks – The First Half of 2021

·     Date: Tuesday, June 8

·     Time: 8 PM

·     Cost: $35

·     Pick-Up Date: TBC (Target May 18)

We’ve received some very cool single casks this year. Normally we’d offer samples for interested parties in-store, but sadly circumstances have not allowed for that this year. What to do? One of our staff suggested we hold a virtual tasting, highlighting our new KWM exclusive casks. So we’ll be pouring our new casks from Benromach, Old Pulteney, Two Brewers, Tomatin, Teeling (if it gets here in time), Kilchoman and our 25 Year Glenfarclas Cask Strength. In all, we will sample 8 KWM exclusive single casks, carefully selected by your friends at KWM! 8 PM Tuesday, June 8.

Independents Day: Feis Isle 2021

·     Date: Tuesday, June 15

·     Time: 8 PM

·     Cost: $45

·     Pick-Up Date: TBC (Target May 25)

We have some very cool Islay whiskies arriving soon, which got us thinking, we’re long overdue for a KWM Feis Isle (Islay Festival) Tasting. It will have to be virtual this year, but the range won’t disappoint, including the Port Askaig 12 Year Autumn Release, Elements of Islay Bn8, Cl13 & LP11 as well as the Peats Beast PX Finish & 27 Year. In all we’ll sample 7 whiskies (15ml samples of each) from the Queen of the Hebrides, none of them ever before featured in a KWM tasting! 8PM Thursday, June 15.

Introducing: The Whisky Trail with Julie Hamilton & Celine Tetu

·     Date: Friday, June 25

·     Time: 5 PM

·     Cost: $45

·     Pick-Up Date: TBC (Taget June 7)

We will be joined by Elixir Distillers Brand Ambassador Julie Hamilton, and International Sales Manager Celine Tetu, as we introduce a new range of independent bottlings with really cool labels, The Whisky Trail. We are starting out with 7 whiskies from the Retro Cars and Video Games labels. Our range will include single cask bottlings of Ben Nevis 1996, Cambus 1990, Glen Elgin 2007, Glenrothes 1989, Invergordon 1987, and a pair of Ardmores’ from 2009 and 1998. Participants in the tasting will not only be the first people in Canada to sample these whiskies, but they will also have the first opportunity to purchase the bottles. Friday, June 25, 5 PM.

*We will be donating $15 per ticket to the Brenda Stafford Center, a local women’s shelter.

29TH BIRTHDAY SALE DEALS & RULES

Now Through Sunday, May 16

Most In-Stock Whisky and Spirits are 10-50% off, excluding most Scotch Malt Whisky Society Whiskies, and a few other mostly newly arrived items. We do have a dozen or so SMWS whiskies on sale too!

Sale Rules

There are always conditions, but we believe ours are fair!

1. In the spirit of the current Covid-19 environment, there will be No In-Store Shopping!

2. Please place your order online, by email, or by phone.

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

4. Prices quoted do not include GST.

5. Sale pricing will not be applied retroactively or extended on orders placed beyond the end of the sale Sunday, May 16 at 11:59 PM.

6. The sale pricing applies only to in-stock inventory.

7. Sale pricing cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions.

8. Payment info is required at the time of purchase and or order.

BROWSE WHISKY DISCOUNTED 15-50%

WHY WE DECIDED NOT TO ALLOW IN-STORE SHOPPING DURING OUR BIRTHDAY SALE

In case you didn’t see the rationale for the online-only sale in one of our prior newsletters and were wondering why…

As some of you well know, we celebrate our Birthday Sale every year, in mid-May. This is our 29th, which means our 30th Anniversary is also looming…

As with last year, as the date approached, we were faced with a tough decision. Last year we decided to put off the Birthday Sale until June as we were all still feeling our way through the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, and adjusting precautions almost daily.

Covid-19 numbers are currently at record levels in Alberta and especially Calgary. Even in the best-case scenario, the number of active cases will still be uncomfortably high in the weeks ahead. We want to push ahead with the sale, but don’t think it is responsible for us to encourage in-store shopping and lineups at this time.

In recent weeks, my staff has been confronted by members of the public not wanting to wear masks. These were not people with bonified exemptions, just folks who don’t like the restrictions. I understand as much as anyone how long the last year has been, and the disruption restrictions have had on people’s lives. Patrons of our store need only wear a mask while they are in the shop. My staff and I have to wear masks for our entire workday. We don’t set the rules, but we are expected to encourage customers to respect them. I know people are frustrated and tired, but it is neither fair nor appropriate to take out that frustration on the front line, retail, and service sector employees who are just trying to do their jobs. (we have had two additional incidents in the last few days)

In the spirit of the government’s request for Albertans to stay home as much as possible, and out of an abundance of precaution to protect the health and safety of our staff and customers, we decided not to allow any in-store shopping during our Birthday Sale.

If you come down to the shop over the next few days, you will find the door locked. If you just need some beer or a bottle of wine for the weekend, please order ahead. If you are looking to do a curbside pick-up, you can knock on the door, or call us at 403-283-8000 when you are parked out front.

If you would like to take advantage of the sale deals, we encourage you to order online at kensingtonwinemarket.com, or if online ordering is not your thing, you can call or email in your order.

For the month of May in general, we encourage everyone to strongly consider staying home as much as possible and shopping online or by phone. We also encourage you to take advantage of curbside pick-up and our offer of Free Delivery in Calgary for orders over $100 (flat rate of $10 for orders under).

So please stay home if you can, and don’t forget to support all the other small businesses and restaurants that are struggling right now!

Thank you in advance for your patience, support, and understanding.

Sincerely,

Andrew Ferguson

Owner

Kensington Wine Market

403-283-8000

888-283-9004

(Non-Sale) Store Hours

Sunday: 11am – 6pm

Mon – Wed: 10am – 8pm

Thu – Fri: 10am – 9pm

Sat: 10am – 8pm

*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.

We are delighted to announce that we are now taking bookings for our:

ST GEORGES TOUR

ULTIMATE TASTING TOUR

 DISTILLERS PRIVATE TASTING TOUR. 

All our tour options are the perfect day out for anyone with a passion for lovingly crafted whisky. All tours start with a visit to our magnificent distilling floor and one of our barrel warehouses, followed by a whisky tasting (number of whiskies and time is dependent on which tour you book).

BOOK YOUR TOUR

TOUR VOUCHERS

If you are unsure of dates now, or need to purchase a tour as gift for someone else, buying a tour voucher is the perfect solution. Valid for 12 months from purchase.

BUY A TOUR VOUCHER

Please find information below on Craft Whisky Club’s latest virtual tasting event, hosted by global brand manager of Torabhaig, Bruce Perry on Thursday 20th May.

The guided tasting will take participants, whether knowledgeable whisky drinkers or newcomers to the scene, on a journey from inception to bottling, opening up the methods, ingredients and flavours which have brought these whiskies to life. The virtual event will be the perfect evening for those keen to learn more about their favourite spirit, as well as developing the key skills in tasting and understanding whisky.

For the occasion, Craft Whisky Club have put together a special tasting set containing 5 x 3cl samples; one 2017 Torabhaig inaugural release and four private bottlings from Mossburn Distillers & Blenders. All the samples in the tasting set have been selected to demonstrate a real range of exciting and innovative whisky making methods and flavour profiles. Bruce Perry will be talking through all five liquids along with providing background on the Torabhaig Distillery and the very sought-after inaugural release.

The Torabhaig Legacy 2017, an extremely limited bottle was released to Craft Whisky Club members last month, a real scoop with the initial release selling out almost instantly amongst whisky fans. With coastal peat and island aromas such as salt, seaweed and limestone on the nose, the pale copper gold of this whisky takes influence from its surrounding and heritage to create a strong profile of peat, alongside aromatic herbs, peaches, vanilla and roasted almonds.

The tasting packs are available to purchase for both members and non-members directly from the site here. This special Tasting Pack includes a virtual ticket to the event and is priced at £30. Anyone can purchase a Tasting Set (if based in the UK), or members can join to hear all about Torabhaig and Mossburn whilst tasting from their own bottle of Torabhaig.