December is here with just 17 shopping days left until Christmas. Christmas can certainly be a stressful time, something I know all too well having worked in retail as long as I have. For the past decade I’ve been putting together a Christmas gift guide to help our customers simplify their decision making process. Finding the right gift can be daunting, especially if you’ve not been indoctrinated into the world of whisky.
Our 2014 Christmas Gift Guide starts with unique gift packs, accessories and miniatures, all perfect for stocking stuffers. The meat of the gift guide though is my whisky recommendations. I’ve given both peated and unpeated offerings in 9 different price ranges from under $70 to well over $2000 per bottle. I hope it gives you a little inspiration and helps make your shopping experience that much more relaxed! Most of the whiskies on the list are available for sampling, just in case you want to try them yourself. So print this off and, with paper in hand, pop by to pay us a visit.
Our Winter 2015 Tasting Schedule is also out and open for registration. I’ve highlighted all the whisky and spirits tastings below. The full tasting schedule can be viewed on our website. Highlights include Scots Wae Hae! our annual celebration of Robert Burns and Whisky, the Islay Mini Festival (our own little Feis Isles!) and The Bourbon Trail which will feature slides from my recent whisky pilgrimage to Kentucky.
Finally the the MS Calgary Whisky Festival is coming early in January. Tickets are $99, are for a great cause and make an excellent gift. Don’t hesitate, see the side pannel. Buy your tickets by December 15th and you’ll be entered to win the early bird draw.
I hope you enjoy the Malt Messsenger Christmas Gift Guide.
Slainté!
Andrew Ferguson
In This Issue
1. Winter 2015 Tasting Schedule is Now Online
2. December KWM Winetime is Online and in the Mail
3. 2015 Malt Messenger Christmas Gift Guide
4. MS Calgary Whisky Festival Update
Slainte!
Andrew Ferguson
Kensington Wine Market
PS- PS – Don’t forget you can follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/scotch_guy and Facebook: facebook.com/scotch.guy.1 . www.fergusonwhiskytours.com
2015 MS Calgary Whisky Festival
Thursday January 15 2015
The 2015 Calgary Whisky Festival in support of the MS Society of Calgary is set to be another barnburner of an event. Last year’s festival drew 400 attendees and featured nearly 150 whiskies from distilleries in Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the US, Japan and India. This year’s event is set to be even bigger and better with more whiskies, more presenters and a capacity of 500 participants. Buy your tickets before December 15th and you’ll be entered in the draw to win the gift basket pictured above which is a $400 value and includes a sold out Silver Seal Glendronach 22 Year! $99
Buy Tickets Now
Winter 2015 KWM Tasting Schedule
A Range of Exciting Tastings Including a Mini Festival Dedicated to Islay!
You can view the full KWM Winter 2015 Tasting Schedule Online including all or our wine, whisky, beer and other spirit tastings. Here is a breakdown of our winter spirits tastings:
1. Hello Darkness – Tuesday January 13 2015, 7PM – Good old sherried whisky is increasingly hard to come by, as demand for sherry is plummeting while that for Scotch whisky is soaring. We’ll sample six heavily sherried whiskies to tease out the darkness within. – $60
2. MS Calgary Whisky Festival 2015 – Thursday January 15, 7PM – The 2015 Calgary Whisky Festival in support of the MS Society of Calgary is set to be another barnburner of an event. Last year’s festival drew 400 attendees and featured nearly 150 whiskies from distilleries in Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the US, Japan and India. This year’s event is set to be even bigger and better with more whiskies from over 30 presenters and a capacity of 500 participants.Tickets are going fast and are available exclusively from the MS Society. – $95
3. Lost in Translation – Thursday January 22 2015, 7PM – For nearly 100 years the Japanese have been making whisky in the Scottish style, albeit with their own twist. Their reputation is soaring, as some of their whiskies are among the finest in the world. – $75
4. Scots Wha Hae – Sunday January 25 2015 7PM – Caledonians Unite! It’s time to celebrate all things Scottish. Glendronach and BenRiach are the distilleries we’ll be focusing on for this our 9th annual Robbie Burns Supper. We’ll have bagpipes, poetry, haggis with neeps and tatties and six amazing single malts all from Glendronach and BenRiach distilleries, including some new exclusives to KWM! No previous whisky experience required. Location: Fort Calgary 750 9 Avenue, SE – $99
5. Bob Kyle’s Rare Drams – Thursday January 29 2015, 7PM – Don’t let the fact that Bob cheers for Dundee United get in the way of the fact that he puts on a good tasting, besides, he has the accent! We’ll sample whiskies from Glencadam, Tomintoul and Carn Mor. -$50
6. Classic Single Malts – Thursday February 5 2015, 7PM – 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. – $35
7. The Bourbon Trail – Tuesday February 10 2015, 7PM – Follow our whisky expert Andrew Ferguson on a virtual tour of Kentucky’s Bourbon country while sampling a range of carefully selected Kentucky whiskies. – $35
8. Rare Malts – Thursday February 19 2015, 7PM – Only the rarest whiskies, those more than 20 years of age or from closed distilleries are considered for this very special tasting. – $80
9. Islay Mini Festival – Thursday February 26 2015, 7PM – Islay’s annual Islay Festival, or ‘Feis Isle’, usually takes place in Scotland in May, but with so many peaty Islay malts available, why wait till May! Surely a cold February night will work just fine. – $40
10. The Whisky Isles – Tuesday March 10 2015, 7PM – Islay’s not the only island whisky made in Scotland. Join us as we journey to all the other whisky isles starting with Arran and ending on Orkney’s mainland. Tue Mar 10 – $50
11. The Irish are Coming! – Tuesday March 17 2015, 7PM – The Irish Are Coming! $35 Will you be celebrating Saint Paddy’s Day with us? Ah, it’s sure to be a right Irish treat. Irish beer and Irish whisky. Is there a better way to be putting on the green? – $35
15. Master Malts – Thursday March 26, 2015, 7PM – Only the rarest and very special whiskies are showcased at this tasting which always highlights some of the most exciting new whiskies in the world! – $99
Miniatures
1. Auchentoshan 12 Year 50ml – Auchentoshan’s flagship bottling in all its glory. $3.99
2. Big Peat 50ml – Same Big Peat blended Islay malt whisky with a dash or Port Ellen in it, much smaller bottle! – $10.99
3. Bowmore 12 Year 50ml – The distillery feels it is best paired with oysters, probably best not to put those in the stocking too! – $3.99
4. Glendronach 21 Year 50ml – If you think the full size bottle is bargain priced, check out the miniatures. Very low stock! – $7.99
5. Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength 50ml – The only cask strength miniature in the market. – $10.99
6. Glenfarclas 40 Year 50ml – At this price it is almost the same price per ml as the full size bottle! A great whisky and a top notch stocking stuffer. – $55
7. Jura Superstition 50ml – Jura’s moderately peated expression is a perfect stocking stuffer. – $4.99
Gift Packs
1. KWM’s Wee Whisky Gift Box – We’ve taken four 50ml miniatures (Auchentoshan 12 Year, Bowmore 12 Year, Jura Superstition and Glendronach 21 Year Parliament) and tucked them into a Christmassy box, that you won’t event need to wrap. It’s all ready to go! – $29.99
2. Auchentoshan Collection – Three 50ml single malts from this Lowland distillery in a compact gift pack. – $25.99
3. Bowmore Collection – Three 50ml single malts from Islay’s oldest distillery. Bowmore 12, 15 and 18 year olds. – $25.99
4. Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength, 12 & 15 Year – Glenfarclas’ entry level gift pack includes the world’s first cask strength whisky, the 105 and the 12 and 15 year olds. – $35.99
5. Glenfarclas 15, 21 & 25 Year – It’s not often you see gift packs featuring older whiskies like these, and the price is great! – $49.99
6. Kilchoman Gift Pack – Includes a full size bottle of Machir Bay and two Glencairn glasses, for about $5 more than the bottle alone! – $79.99
7. Tomatin Gift Pack – 12, 15 and 18 year olds in a compact stocking stuffer. – $22.99
8. Tomintoul Tri-Pack – This pack like the Glenfarclas has some mature malts in it, 10, 16 and 33 year olds! – $32.99
9. Scotch Malt Whisky Society New Members Kit – Much more than just a gift pack, this is your portal to membership in the World’s largest whisky club. The Society bottles single cask cask strength whiskies exclusively for its members and launches 7 new ones every month in Canada. For more info visit: www.smws.ca – $230.00
Accessories
1. Glencairn Glass – The classic glass for drinking whisky, specifically single malt Scotch whisky. – $15.99
2. Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2015 – The most comprehensive list of tasting notes on world whisky updated annually. We will remove the dust jacket for you at no added cost. – $21.99
3. Malt Whisky Yearbook 2015 – The best annual reference on the world of Malt Whisky, highlighting all Scottish, Irish and Japanese malt whisky distilleries, as well as many of those in the world beyond. My favourite annual whisky book. – $29.99
4. Glencairn Cut Crystal Glass – Take the classic Glencairn glass and make it fancy. This elegant glass is a must for the connoisseur. If only it were available in Ron Burgundy’s day, he would certainly have swapped a tumbler for it. – $49.99
5. Glenfarclas an Independent Distillery – A wonderful book on Scotland second oldest family owned distillery. – $49.99
Whiskies Under $70
1. Bowmore Small Batch – Naked Bowmore, malty, grassy and briny; youth is its asset! – $54.99
2. Glenglassaugh Torfa – The first peated whisky to come out of Glenglassaugh may be young, but it is sweet, lightly peate and citric with white fruits. – $64.99
3. Compass Box Great King Street – This is an easy drinking crowd pleasing blend at a great price. – $49.99
4. Tomatin 12 Year French Oak – Sweet and creamy with lots of spice, this limited edition will not last long, especially at the price. – $66.99
5. Breuckelen 77 Rye & Corn Whiskey – A curiosity to be sure, 85% rye and 15% corn mash, matured in small batches. – $67.49
Whiskies Under $100
1. Tomatin Cu Bocan Sherry Ltd. Ed. – Big sherry meets big smoke and they live happily ever after. Nice addition. – $80.99
2. BenRiach 15 Year Madeira Finish – We used to stock this years ago as an exclusive, and it has come back, once again exclusively from KWM. Sweet spicy and very smooth! – $87.99
3. BenRiach 15 Year PX Finish – Also exclusive to KWM, this BenRiach is finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry and is syruppy and fruity, but still soft and smooth. – $87.99
4. Hepburn’s Choice Braeval 12 Year – You don’t see Braeval, AKA Braes of Glenlivet bottled very often but this sherry matured independent bottlings stands tall. Rich, nutty and creamy with spices and dark fruits. – $87.99
5. Kilchoman 100% Islay 4th Edition – Both classic Islay and Kilchoman with both the sweet Bourbon notes and the medicinal, salty peat shining through! – $99.99
Whiskies Under $150
1. Glendronach 2003 – Our latest cask, and 5th from Glendronach landed only 3 weeks after the 1993. Matured in PX Sherry it is a sweetly sherried malt and flying off the shelves. – $114.99
2. G&M Glentauchers 1994 – A malt you almost never see bottled, this stunner from Gordon & MacPhail caught our attention, as well as that of the 2014 Whisky Bible, 96.5pts. – $114.99
3. Whistle Pig 100/100 Straight Rye – Canadian rye whisky from right here in Alberta matured 5 years in new American oak and finished in Ex-Bourbon. Sweet, dark, decadent and spicy with layers of spice. – $119.99
4. Arran 1996 KWM Cask 526 – One of the oldest Arrans ever bottled, this KWM exclusive sherry cask is a delight with candied fruits, spices and a very smooth finish. – $129.99
5. Berry’s Aberlour 1994 KWM Cask – A very unusual Aberlour, in that there is no trace of sherry, with prominent Bourbon notes: honey, toasted oak and nutty tones. Bottled exclusively for KWM. – $139.99
Whiskies Under $200
1. Yoichi 15 Year – Our best selling Japanese whisky is one of our best drams under $200. Tropical with subtle smoke and lots of spice. – $144.99
2. Springbank Society Madeira 15 Year – You have to be a member to buy Springnbank Society bottlings, but membership is just a onetime fee away. This Madeira finish is Springbank at its finest. – $159.99
3. Duncan Taylor Deanston 1994 – Finished in 80L Octave sherry casks this malt is more delicately sherried than its sister Mortlach bottling. Only six of 71 bottles left! – $179.99
4. Cadenhead Glen Garioch 1990 24 Year – Juicy and toasty the palate is surprisingly peated with lots of clean, crisp smoke – $195.99
5. Glendronach 1993 KWM – This 20 year old stunner from the hills north of Huntly has been bottled exclusively for KWM. It is deep and very fruity with lots of spice. – $199.99
Whiskies Under $300
1. Signatory Bruichladdich 1990 – Aged Bruichladdich is getting hard to come by these day, this 23 year old from a Refill Sherry Butt is an anomaly and an exceptional dram. Exclusive to KWM. – $234.99
2. Tasliker 25 Year 2011 – When this started to fly last week when we announced the price pending increase we snapped up a couple extra cases. Tropical fruits, clean salty smoke and classic Talisker cayenne spice. – $249.99
3. Signatory Bunnahabhain 1988 – This 25 year old was matured in a Refill Sherry Butt and have been very popular with our customers. Exclusive to KWM. – $274.99
4. Cadenhead Linkwood 1987 – This 26 year old Linkwood is the product of two Sherry butts, though the sherry influence is very subtle. Lush, coating and toasty with French baked goods, candied orange and melons; becomes more floral, with white chocolate and juicy oak. – $284.99
5. Highland Park Freya – The 3rd release in the Valhalla series is matured in American oak and is a big departure from the earlier two bottlings. Very limited and selling quickly! – $299.99
Whiskies Under $600
1. Yoichi 20 Year – More than just the big brother to the 15, this is the oldest core expression in the distillery’s range. Only 24 bottles came to Alberta, all to KWM, and just 3 remain. – $329.99
2. Signatory Caol Ila 1983 30 Year – A different single cask than the one we just sold out of, this one was matured in a Hogshead and bottled at 51.6%. Only 187 bottles, with just 6 coming to Canada exclusively to KWM. – $399.99
3. Black Gold Bunnahabhain 1995 – Mahogany in colour the whisky is 18 years old and a sherry monster. We only received 6 bottles and have just 2 left! – $399.99
4. Highland Park 30 Year – I remember when I could order this for the shop anytime I wanted. Now it’s not so easy to come by, we have just one bottle coming. Big fruit, balanced sherry, honey and peat. – $549.99
5. Glendronach Grandeur 24 Year – Batch 5 is yet a stunner, 48.9% from a small parcel of sherry casks. It was a hit at Ancient Malts. Notes of maple syrup, treacle, chocolate and classic sherry cask notes. Only a handful left! – $519.99
Whiskies Under $750
1. Glencadam 1982 32 Year – Like drinking silk this very limited single cask of Glencadam showed very well at Ancient Malts. Lots of melon, white chocolate and toasty oak. – $629.99
2. BenRiach 1977 Cask 7114 – Only 12 bottles of this 37 Year Batch 11 release have come to Canada, exclusively to KWM. Matured in Sherry and Finished in Bourbon. Well received at Ancient Malts. – $574.99
3. BenRiach 1977 Cask 1891 – A 37 Year old Dark Rum finish, only 6 bottles have come to Canada, all to KWM. Notes of Demerara, boiled sweets, toffee and vanilla with berry fruits. – $574.99
4. BenRiach 1978 Cask 5469 – A 36 year old release from Batch 11 matured exclusively in ex-sherry, and bottled at 41.7%. Only 12 bottles for Canada, all from KWM. Fairground candy apple, cinnamon and delicate ground black pepper mellow to touches of fig, sultanas and stewed sweet barley. – $524.99
5. Glenglassaugh 1972 KWM – If you haven’t sampled our 39 year old single sherry cask of Glenglassaugh, make your way down to KWM for a sample. of the 150 bottles we had filled of the very tropical, lightly sherried whisky, only about two dozen reamain! – $699.99
Whiskies Under $2000
1. Glenfarclas 40 Year – This used to be $500 a bottle, and if you’re taken aback by the new price, $720, consider this, the price is going up again and will be over $1000 next year. They could sell everything they make to Taiwan, and are struggling to keep up with demand. At $720, this is still excellent value and a beuatiful Speyside malt. – $719.99
2. Brora 35 Year – Available by request this bottling of Brora is one of the finest ever from the distillery which closed in 1983. A fine expression and available by special order. – $949.99
3. Benromach 1969 42 Year – Sampled with Michael Urquhart at his farewell tasting in November, this is the last of the bottles we brought in exclusively this fall. Big Christmas Cake, spices, chocolate and some deep tropical fruits. – $1,299.99
4. G&M Port Ellen 1979 34 Year – I thought this was the last sub $2000 Port Ellen, but I’ve bee proven wrong, see below. Regardless this is a stunner at 34 years of age, from an unusual vintage, 1979. – $1,449.99
5. Executive Decisions Port Ellen 30 Year – Just when I thought we’d seen the last of the Laing family’s Port Ellen casks, and state as much in my newsletter, this pops up! – $1,649.99
Whiskies $2000 And Up
1. Bunnahabhain 40 Year – The star of our Ancient Malts tasting late last month, this rare whisky is all about finesse. Tropical with some faint maritime notes, it is a study in subtlety. – $2,899.99
2. Macallan ‘M’ – The pinnacle bottling of the 1824 Series now has company, see below. We’ve sampled this in store and it is a stunning dram, available by special order. The palate opens rich in wood spices, slowly showing all their viscosity. Wood smoke flits in and out. – $3,799.99
3. Macallan No. 6 – Is a celebration of the collaboration between Macallan and it sherry producers matured in first fill casks. Heavy and sumptuous. Like a rich fruit cake with raisin, dates and figs, apples, sultanas, orange; then ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and hints of clove. – $3,899.99
4. G&M Glen Grant 1952 60 Year – Just 2 of 85 decanters have found their way to Alberta of this Diamond Jubilee bottling. Matured in a single 1st fill sherry cask laid down just days before Elizabeth’s coronation, the whisky is very well balanced and soft for its advanced age, showing no signs of exhaustion. It scored 92pts from Whisky Advocate: “Superb mature nose with subtle whisky rancio, mixing fragrant mango with a little mint, rosewater, and waxiness; there’s even some custard and a whiff of woodsmoke before sandalwood brings back the exotic edge. The palate is delicate with an amazingly fresh acidity that becomes herbal (basil and tarragon).” and 92.5pts from the Whisky Bible. – $13,999.99
MS Calgary Whisky Festival Update
Thursday, January 15, 2015 w/ 2 Ticket Options
The Macallan Reflexion
The 2015 Calgary Whisky Festival in support of the MS
Society of Calgary is set to be another barnburner of an event. Last year’s festival drew 400 attendees and featured nearly 150 whiskies from distilleries in Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the US, Japan and India. This year’s event is set to be even bigger and better with more whiskies, more presenters and a capacity of 500 participants. New this year we are offering a VIP package, which will include a Macallan Master Class featuring a very rare and special bottling. The VIP Ticket is $149 (SOLD OUT) and the regular ticket $99. Only 40 VIP tickets are available!
Get your tickets now, they won’t last long.
Order tickets through the MS Society by clicking here!
Thank You for Reading the Malt Messenger!
Contact & Disclaimers
If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store.
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, don’t include GST. In the case of discrepancies in pricing, the price in our in store 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 & Opperator
Ferguson’s Whisky Tours
www.fergusonwhiskytours.com
scotchguide@fergusonwhiskytours.com
Kensington Wine Market
403-283-8000
