Tomatin takes home the gold at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition

Award-winning Highland distillery, Tomatin, has added another ten accolades to its growing collection, after sweeping up at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC).

Located in the heart of the Highlands, the Tomatin distillery is known for its elegant spirit which has continued to excite the industry and consumers with a remarkable range of premium single malt whiskies.

Judges at the SFWSC 2023 awarded Tomatin:

• 36 Year Old single malt – Double Gold
• 30 Year Old single malt– Double Gold
• 18 Year Old single malt – Double Gold
• 12 Year Old single malt – Gold
• Legacy single malt – Gold
• Cask Strength single malt – Gold
• 14 Year Old – Silver

It is the second year in a row that the distillery’s 18 Year Old has picked up Double Gold at the world renowned competition.

Judges at SFWSC 2023 also recognised Cù Bòcan, a single malt brand distilled at the Tomatin distillery in limited batches every winter, focusing on unusual cask maturations.  Judges awarded the Cù Bòcan Signature and 15 Year Old with Double Gold, while its Creation #5, the latest release which was only revealed last month, took home a Gold.

The SFWSC is one of the world’s most prestigious spirits contests, with experts from the drinks industry leading the judging process. The 2023 event was held at Hotel Nikko in San Francisco from April 13th until April 15^th and was another record-breaking year with more than 5,500 entries from all corners of the world.

Graham Eunson, Master Distiller at Tomatin Distillery, said:

“What an honour to receive such praise of our distillery at one of the world’s best spirits competitions. The breadth and depth of our liquid profile has really shone through, with judges selecting the best of our core range and premium editions.

“These kinds of accolades serve as fantastic recognition of our efforts, and the great work of the Tomatin team, who are central to the quality of whisky that we produce here.”

Tomatin’s origins date back to the 15th century, with the first formal distillery established in 1897. Passing through generations of craftspeople working at Tomatin, many for their entire lives, the distillery is embedded in the community. Today Tomatin is renowned for its collection of smooth whiskies.

Tomatin is located in the Scottish Highlands (near Inverness) and is famous for its portfolio of soft and mellow whiskies, including a core range, a limited-edition range and a premium archive range (prices range from £35 – £17,500). Tomatin Single Malt is owned by Japanese company Takara Shuzo International: https://www.takara-intl.co.jp/en/

Tomatin has been dedicated to protecting its craft, its environment and particularly its community, which is at the very heart of the brand. Many of the craftspeople working on site have been doing so their entire working lives – all working towards producing a wide range of single malts, beloved across the world.

In 2022, Tomatin launched its new brand platform, ‘To What Matters’ – designed to remind people about the important things in life. ‘To What Matters’ is the latest chapter in the brand’s evolution; a positive call to arms that represents the spiritual DNA of Tomatin – a human belief in what’s truly important in life. The significant moments.

Recognition of the Highland distillery’s craftsmanship continues to grow globally.

In 2022, Tomatin was awarded ‘Scotch Whisky Producer of the Year’ and ‘Outstanding Spirits Producer of the Year’ at the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Later that year, it was recognised as ‘Sustainable Distillery of the Year’ at Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky 2023, in recognition of its continued contribution to sustainably at the distillery.

In 2023, Tomatin’s Legacy single malt, part of the core range, was awarded Gold at the International Wine & Spirit Competition. It also took home seven awards at the San Fransisco World Spirits Competition, while Cù Bòcan, which is produced at the distillery in limited batches every winter, took home three.

Purchase Loch Lomond and receive a free gift…

Today is the final day of The 151st Open at the stunning Royal Liverpool. Get in the spirit of the golfing occassion and shop the latest limited edition releases from Loch Lomond’s The Open collaboration. Get a free limited edition bottle bag with each purchase from their whole range.

SHOP LOCH LOMOND →

Free gift with Loch Lomond!

The 151st Open tees off this week at Royal Liverpool! Get in the spirit and shop the latest limited edition releases from Loch Lomond’s Open collaboration. Get a free limited edition bottle golf bag with each purchase! There’s also a ballot coming soon for the rare 25-year-old exclusive cask – register your interest!

SHOP LOCH LOMOND →

Loch Lomond x The Open 2023

Loch Lomond The Open Special Edition 2023
+ free gift!

Get a limited edition golf bag to keep your bottle of Loch Lomond safe and sound. Purchase any of the 70cl bottles from their range to receieve this free gift with your purchase! Matured in American oak casks, with a finish in Rioja Alta Reserva casks. These rich, exceptional red wine casks have imparted red berry and dark chocolate flavours.

£43.00

Buy Now

Kensington Wine Market’s E-Whisky Newsletter

Well the post-Stampede depression, and/or hangover, has likely set in by now. For the record, I did don my jeans and hat to attend the rodeo finals, despite how hot it was. It was quite the show, and nice to see so many Canadians win!

We are still working our way through a deluge of new inventory,  we also have a trove of new whiskies from Adelphi, Maltbarn, and yes, once more, Gordon & MacPhail too… Even more exciting than the new G&M releases, are some of the returning past releases!

Also, Evan has once more gone into one of his corners… once more on the Bourbon side of things.

That’s all for this edition of the Malt Messenger. The next one, in August, will have details on some new casks, more new whiskies, and most of our September and October tasting schedules.

As always, in the event of a discrepancy in price, the point of sale at KWM will be taken as correct. Online ordering and in-store purchasing are always our preferences. You can email your requests in… but they won’t be dealt with as quickly as the web orders!

Sincerely,

Andrew Ferguson

Kensington Wine Market

New Whiskies from Adelphi

A trio of new releases from Adelphi are available for sale. There is also a Chichibu, however, we are only receiving 2 bottles of it, so it will be going into a tasting, with the remaining bottle sold by ballot to tasting participants! That tasting will be announced in August.

1. Adelphi Benrinnes 2009 – 54.6% – Refill Sherry American Oak – 14-year-old Benrinnes in well-worn sherry wood; this could be a treat! Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Summer peaches, warm from the sun and dipped in honey, cinnamon bark, Sunday lunch, roasted game, redcurrant and mint jelly, malted chocolate biscuit. Palate: Toasted almonds and milk chocolate, hints of cinnamon. Finish: Thick Manuka honey and salty molasses toffee.” – $160

2. Adelphi Caol Ila 2010 – 57.4% – Refill Sherry Butt – Sherried Caol Ila is a special thing. We don’t see enough of it lately, and there’s a reason bottles don’t hang around long. Expect sweet and smoky, deep and rich. Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Beach, swimming pool, Savlon cream, driftwood, smoked cheese, clove pierced gammon. Palate: Dulce de leche, smoked meats, prune juice, leather, walnuts and hazelnuts. Finish: Long, ashy and wonderful.” – $175 – 88pts Whiskybase

3. Adelphi Breath of the Isles 2007 – 57.4% – Breath of the Isles could pretty much mean any of the isles, excepting Islay. Do we know for certain which distillery this is? Nah. But when the whisky is great, does it matter? This one is now 16 years of age. Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Peach, gorse, hay, pastries – croissant, milk chocolate, hot buttered toast, popcorn. Palate: Crème caramel, Werther’s toffees, digestive biscuits, pepper, honey, apricots. Finish: Long lasting and mineralic.” – $195

New Whiskies from Maltbarn

We have quite a range of bottlings from German independent bottler Maltbarn and most of them are scoring in the high 80s on Whiskybase! Unfortunately, there are only 4 bottles of each coming and they won’t last long!

1. Maltbarn Ardmore 2003 – 51.9% – 18 Year – ex-Sherry – $370 – 87.54pts Whiskybase

2. Maltbarn Balmenach 2002 – 55% – 19 Year – Bourbon Cask – $370 – 86.47pts Whiskybase

3. Maltbarn Ben Nevis 1996 – 48.6% – 26 Year -ex-Bourbon – $750 – 89.88pts Whiskybase

4. Maltbarn Bruichladdich 2002 – 55.3% – 20 Year – ex-Bourbon – $600 – 87pts Whiskybase

5. Maltbarn Caol Ila 2007 – 52.1% – 15 Year – Sherry – $300 – 88.44pts Whiskybase

6. Maltbarn Glenburgie 2003 – 51.6% – 19 Year – Sherry – $420 – 89pts Whiskybase

7. Maltbarn Glenlossie 1992 – 49.5% – 29 Year – ex-Bourbon – $560 – 88.72pts Whiskybase

8. Maltbarn Glenrothes 2009 – 53.5% – 11 Year – Sherry – $190

9. Maltbarn Glen Garioch 2010 – 55.6% – 13 Year – Sherry – $250

10.  Maltbarn Glen Moray 2007 – 53.5% – 13 Year – ex-Bourbon – $196 – 88pts Whiskybase

11.    Maltbarn Glen Mosset 2013 – 54.2% – 10 Year – ex-Bourbon – $215 – 87.3pts Whiskybase

12.  Maltbarn Glen Ord 2012 – 53.9% – 9 Year – ex-Bourbon – $182

13.   Maltbarn Granville 2000 – 54.9% – 22 Year – ex-Bourbon – $410 – 87.23pts Whiskybase

14. Maltbarn Inchgower 2008 – 54% – 12 Year – ex-Bourbon – $196

15. Maltbarn Inchgower 1997 – 51.7% – 25 Year – Sherry – $510 – 89pts Whiskybase

16.  Maltbarn Invergordon 1972 – 44.4% – 49 Year – ex-Bourbon – $710 – 87.5pts Whiskybase

17.  Maltbarn Port Charlotte 2001 – 54.9% – 20 Year – ex-Bourbon – $570 – 89.22pts Whiskybase

18.  Maltbarn Speyside 1995 – 51.9% – 26 Year – Sherry – $480- 88.19pts Whiskybase

19.  Maltbarn Tullibardine 2007 – 52.9% – 13 Year – ex-Bourbon – $190

 

Even More New & Returned Whiskies

from Gordon & MacPhail

There are a couple of cool new releases here, but I am most excited about the returning bottlings!

NEW – Coming Soon!

1. Connoisseur’s Choice Caol Ila 2009 Sassicaia Finish – 45% – 13 Year – Finished in Sassicaia Casks for 2 Years – Producer Tasting Note: “Dried fig aromas with cured meats and cinnamon spice. Redcurrant flavours give way to black pepper and lemon peel. A medium finish with pepper, forest fruit and smoke.” – $158

2. Connoisseur’s Choice Teaninich 2009 Canada Cask – 55.9% – 13 Year – First Fill Sherry Hogshead – Producer Tasting Note: “Stewed red berries intertwine with festive spice aromas and baked apple. Smooth fruitcake flavours complement demerara sugar and raspberry compote. A full finish with lingering chocolate and mature oak.” – $150

RETURNED

As I said, I’m really excited about the returned whiskies here. The 2008 Dailuaine is a steal, and we’ve been lucky to get a good chunk of it. One final traunch landed last week, and won’t last long. Then there is the Highland Park 1995, which sold out quickly in the Spring after I wrote a tasting note for it. We featured it a few months later in a tasting, and many participants were feeling the FOMO… luckily we were able to get some of them a bottle, and we have a handful more available.

There there are the two 1990, heavily sherried Glenburgie and Miltonduff, which were part of a trio. We sold out of them months ago, but lucked into a few more bottles.

Last but not least is another Miltonduff, this one a 1989, which is not a sherry bomb like the 1990, but rather a gorgeous tropical old refill cask… my favourite style!

RETURNED

1. Benromach Cask Strength Batch 2 – 59.9% – First Fill Sherry & Bourbon – This one was a made from a vatting of 11 casks. Unfortunately, that means that the outturn won’t be huge. – Producer Tasting Note: “Our cask strength single malt whisky delivers sweet sherry aromas, dark forest fruits and subtle chocolate with a palate of black pepper, red berries, zesty orange and soft smoke.” – $110

2. G&M Connoisseurs Choice Dailuaine – 59.4% – 13 Year – First Fill Sherry Hogshead – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: candied nuts, Christmas cake, soft leather and leafy tobacco; Mandarin orange, Luxardo cherries, and decadent spice: cinnamon hearts, candied ginger, and anise. Palate: rich, fruity and spicy with a velvety backbone; Christmas cake, jujubes, candied ginger, Mandarin orange and Luzardo cherries; dark chocolate with a touch of cayenne pepper; Cuban cigars, firm new leather and toasty oak tones; chocolate dipped espresso beans and fennel seed. Finish: long, warming and spicy with candied fruits, Christmas cake, leather, tobacco, and chocolate. Comment: this is not a sherry bomb, but it is a very good sherried whisky, and when you consider that it is $125 and cask strength too, it is a steal!” – $125

3. G&M Connoisseurs Choice Highland Park 1995 – 59% – Refill Sherry Butt – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: this takes me back… old school sherried HP… we don’t see this often anymore; dark honey from an old-fashioned honeypot; medium-dark goat’s milk chocolate, worn old leather armchairs, and sticky toffee pudding; a faint hint of peat, Dutch licorice, and dark fruits: figs, dates, and prunes. Palate: the sherry and peat waft in together with more medium-dark chocolate and Dutch licorice; this is a big, rich, sherried Orcadian malt, but with a deft touch; time has mellowed HP’s famous soft peat, and only subtle maritime traces can be found; the sherry is rich, nutty, and spicy but balanced; more sticky toffee pudding, Christmas cake, and even a touch of Mom’s mincemeat; more dark honey too. Finish: warming, spicy, and sherried with subtle peat smoke, honey, and dark fruits. Comment: this is how I will always remember the classic sherried old school Highland Park 25 of yesteryear… before it lost its way… anyone else remember the mid-late 2000s bottlings in the stubby round bottles that came in a black wooden box with a brass buckle for a latch… those were the days… this whisky will get you close, at a much better price than you’ll get from the distillery!” – $435+gst – Limit 1 Per Customer! – 90.6pts Whiskybase

4. G&M Connoisseurs Choice Glenburgie 1990 – 52.9% – 31 Year – First Fill Sherry Burtt – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Dark forest fruit notes complement clove spice and treacle. Toasted hazelnuts give way to rich stewed apples and charred oak. Taste: Smooth morello cherry flavours intertwine with dark chocolate and black pepper. A hint of liquorice develops alongside toasted almonds. Finish: Full and long with mature oak and bitter marmalade.” – $1,249.99 – 91.36pts Whiskybase

5. G&M Connoisseurs Choice Miltoduff 1989 – 52.9% – 31 Year – Refill Sherry Hogshead – My Tasting Note: “Nose: waxy, tropical, and decadent… ooh this is right up my alley…; macadamias, toasted walnuts and Marcona almonds; honeycomb, homemade candles, window putty, and freshly plastered drywall; then the fruits, grilled pineapple, ripe papaya, and melons galore. Palate: bright, fruity, and decadent, with a waxy coating body; honeycomb and baklava; toasted oak, crisp spices, and loads of nutty tones: more almonds, macadamias, and walnuts, with some honey roasted peanuts too; those tropical fruits are still there: melons, papaya, pineapple, along with oranges and candy apple. Finish: long, toasty, and increasingly spicy, with a lingering waxy body; but mostly it’s the fruits you notice. Comment: this is an elegant old malt, with a profile more reminiscent of Refill ex-Bourbon than Refill Sherry, but perhaps it is was an American oak Refill Sherry Seasoned Hogshead… or maybe not… but really, who cares? this is quite simply beautiful!” – $1200 – 90.5pts Whiskybase

6. G&M Connoisseurs Choice Miltonduff 1990 – 54.6% – 31 Year – First Fill Sherry Butt – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Dark Toffee intertwines with orange oil and roasted coffee beans. Dark Chocolate comes to the fore accompanied by subtle marzipan and a hint of aged leather. Palate: Orange marmalade gives way to cinnamon and ginger spice. Raspberry licorice combines with stewed red fruit and spiced plums. Finish: Long with hints of citurs and salted almonds.” – $1,249.99 – Limit 1 Per Customer! – 91.14pts Whiskybase

Evan’s Bourbon Corner

Andrew has you covered when it comes to Scotch, but what is new and interesting for Bourbon and American Whiskey? Read on below!

Puncher’s Chance The Left Cross – 14-Year-Old Bourbon – 48% – This curious release comes from Wolf Spirit of Eugene, Oregon. The Bourbon was sourced from Kentucky, according to the producer’s website, but that might be an error. The mash bill is listed on Wolf Spirits’s website as 84% Corn, 8% Malt, and 8% Rye, which lines up with the mash bill for the great George Dickel/Cascade Hollow Distillery – but that is in Tennessee… What is known is that this 14 Year Old Straight Bourbon was finished for up to six months in casks that previously held 12-year-old Jamaican Rum. The result was then bottled at 48% ABV. $170

Little Book Spotlight

If you ask a Bourbon lover what their favourite Jim Beam-made bottle is, the one that most often comes up is Bookers. The Booker Noe Bourbon is a hard one not to like if you are into high-proof Bourbon. It is robust, full-flavoured, and the bottlings are usually around 62% or 63% in strength.

I am a big fan of Baker’s myself – especially since they moved to the single barrel version we currently get in. It is a touch lower in alcohol at 53.5% but insanely well put together.

Beam puts out other great bottles at a great price as well, such as the Bottled in Bond duo of Old Grand-Dad and Old Tub. Maybe I will delve more into those at another time.

Another Beam bottle that has been exciting to try and often buy for me has been the Little Book series. I was first introduced to the limited edition series of bottlings back in 2017 when Andrew and I toured Kentucky. I tried the first edition of Little Book when we were in Louisville. It never came to Canada, though. The following year we did get Little Book Chapter II in, though, and it was fabulous. Sadly, that bottle is long gone from retailer shelves (and my own, which I am sure you agree is even sadder), but we have continued to see these annual releases come to Canada. Each one focuses on a slightly different aspect of American whisky craft. We currently have Chapters IV, V and VI all available, and Chapter VII should come in later this year if the release pattern continues.

Little Book Chapter VI – 58.7% – Chapter IV is an intriguing blend of 4-Year-Old Straight Malt Whiskey aged or finished with four different cask types: barrels containing cherrywood staves, others containing Maplewood staves, Applewood smoked barrels and hickory smoked barrels. A 5-year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon ties it all together, adding sweet notes up front to compliment the savoury smoke and chocolate notes offered by the Straight Malts. $210

Little Book Chapter V – 58.4% – Chapter V is a marriage of Kentucky Bourbon and Rye Whiskey young and old (from 2 years to 15 years of age). The combination lends a more toffee and butterscotch-driven experience along with the wood spice and subtle, vanilla-driven smoke offered by the older whiskeys in the blend. $198

Little Book Chapter IV – 61.4% – Chapter IV includes Bourbon Whiskey aged between 4 and 8 years old, including some from Jim Beams Bourbon mash bill that includes Brown Rice, as well as both the Old Grand-Dad High Rye Recipe and the lower rye regular Jim Beam mash bill. The result is the most typical of the Jim Beam style of the three, made all the better with the high proof. $189.99

Looking for more Bourbon to taste? Check out our upcoming Virtual Bourbon tasting, which is listed in the tastings section below!

Past Events On Sale

We have a few tasting kits left from the first half of 2023, so we put them on sale a couple weeks back. Some are sold, but there are a few left over! The tasting kits are mostly 7x15ml, and have a QR code on the box linked to the tasting video on YouTube. Here’s what’s available:

2. Past Event: 30 for 30: KWM 30th Annv Tasting Pt.2 – Retail $225 – SAVE 25% – Now $168.75

3. Past Event: Bladnoch Distillery Vertical – Retail $50 – SAVE 35% – Now $32.50

4. Past Event: Boutique-y 10th Anniversary Tasting with Dave Worthington – Retail $125 – SAVE 25% – Now $93.75

5. Past Event: Flagships v. Distillers Editions – Retail $45 – SAVE 35% – Now $29.25

6. Past Event: Glenmorangie Grand Tasting w Ruaraidh McIntyre – Retail $75 – SAVE 35% – Now $48.75

7. Past Event: Lost in Translation Virtual Japanese Whisky Tasting – Retail $45 – SAVE 35% – Now $29.25

8. Past Event: Milk & Honey Tasting with Oded Weiss – Retail $40 – SAVE 35% – Now $26

9. Past Event: Rest & Bruichladdich Virtual – Retail $55 – SAVE 35% – Now $35.75

10.    Past Event: SMWS June 2023 Virtual Outturn – Retail $55 – SAVE 25% – Now $41.25

11.     Past Event: Spongeworthy Whiskies #2 with Angus MacRaild June – Retail $120 – SAVE 25% – Now $90

Upcoming Tastings

Nothing but North Star Whiskies

·     Date: Tuesday, August 1

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $90

·     VIRTUAL TASTING

You had us at 31-year-old GlenDronach. We recently received some cool new releases from Iain Croucher at North Star Spirits, and we can’t resist the temptation to try them. On the young side of things, there is the new Tarot Blend, a Campbeltown Blended Malt, and only the second-ever bottling from Dalmunach. We love a good Blair Athol, and how often do you see an indie bottle of Dalwhinnie? But the icing on the cake of this tasting will be the GlenDronach 31-Year. You almost never see indie GlenDronach, and this one has some great reviews!

Tuesday, August 1st @ 7 PM

OLD First MALT Editions Casks – Round 2

·     Date: Thursday, August 15

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $60

·     VIRTUAL TASTING

We’re super excited to do a part 2 tasting to one we did at the tail end of 2022. Another handful of really cool Hunter Laing whiskies landed recently, so of course we tasted through ’em with our friend Lee (the local importer) and immediately started to conspire about sharing these with a bigger audience. The name of this event may be a mouthful, but trust us… the whiskies are even more so. This range of Old Malt Cask, First Edition and Old & Rare ranges includes 7 single-cask whiskies from Ben Nevis, Knockdhu, Craigellachie, Cragganmore, Tamdhu, Linkwood, and Glen Garioch.

Tuesday, August 15 @ 7 PM

Berry Bros.’ & Rudd KWM Casks & More

·     Date: Tuesday, August 22

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $45

·     VIRTUAL TASTING

We are fortunate to have a strong relationship with British Wine merchants and independent bottler Berry Bros. & Rudd. We have four new Berry’s KWM casks hitting shelves, plus an exclusive blend, so it is time to put them all in a tasting! This lineup includes .5oz samples of a 1993 Tullibardine and the Berry’s Perspective 21-Year-Old Blend, plus our Berry’s Tobermory 2008 KWM Cask and our new Dailuaine, Glen Moray, Inchgower, and Rhadh Mhor (peated Glenturret) KWM single cask selections.

Tuesday, August 22nd @ 7 PM

Blinded by Bourbon August 2023 Edition

·     Date: Thursday, August 24

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $40

·     VIRTUAL TASTING

Harmony and Evan are back at it for the third time this year! Join the dynamic duo for a new blind lineup of eight whiskies that includes some new bottles they are itching to share with you and possibly even try themselves for the first time. What will be chosen for this blind Bourbon tasting? SPOILERS: The lowest ABV in the lineup is 46% and the highest is nearly 64%. There will be Bourbon. There may be Rye. There may even be a curveball or two thrown in the lineup just for fun! Find out by joining us online via Zoom on Thursday, August 24th @ 7 PM.

Exploring Glen Lomond & Loch Scotia

·     Date: Tuesday, August 29

·     Time: 7 PM

·     Cost: $55

·     VIRTUAL TASTING

Yeah, we struggled for a name for this one. Just go with it. Evan is on vacation at the time of this writing, so our funny bones are not being sufficiently tickled at the moment. Anyway… the recent arrival of our brand-spanking-new KWM-exclusive Loch Lomond cask was the catalyst for this tasting. And then it occurred to us that we also have a bespoke Glen Scotia cask. The icing on the cake was the recent arrival of just a wee handful of bottles of the now elusive distillery-bottled Glen Scotia 25-year-old. We immediately fleshed out the range with a couple more official bottlings from each distillery, and voila! The confusingly named ‘Exploring Glen Lomond & Loch Scotia’ tasting was born. Pssst… we promise the drams will be better than the name.

Tuesday, August 29th @ 7 PM

New Whisky Trail Whiskies and a Few Bangers

·     Date: Tuesday, September 9

·     Time:  7 PM

·     Cost: $120

·     VIRTUAL TASTING

We’ll provide the bangers, but you’re on the hook for your own mash. If you’re not ‘UK-culinarily-informed’ enough to grab that reference, please excuse the bad dad joke. Nothing to see here. A few new arrivals from the Whisky Trail Silhouette range – Ben Nevis, Caol Ila, Croftengea (peated Loch Lomond), and a 1973 Carsebridge – will be complemented by a teenage Mannochmore from SMOS, a 21-year-old Rosebank(!) and a 44-year-old Bunnahabhain. Yes… 44. This line-up is crazy, and unquestionably one of the most interesting tastings we’ve pulled together in quite some time. Did we mention Rosebank?

Tuesday, September 12th @ 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.

We are expecting high demand for delivery after the sale so please be patient!

403-283-8000

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.

The Kensington Wine Market | 1257 Kensington Road NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 3P8 Canada

Whisky Blending Experience

Have you ever fancied yourself as the next Johnnie Walker and blended your own whisky? At our new Distillery School, we will be hosting whisky blending sessions where you can release your inner master blender while discovering more about the history of this fantastic spirit.

Book Now

Something exciting is happening at our London Bridge store. With education at the heart of what we do, it was only a matter of time before we opened up our own Distillery School.⁠ We’re now hosting fun and interactive sessions digging down into how to make spirits with a chance to blend your own whisky

THE MACALLAN REFLECTIONS ON THE RIVER SPEY JOINS THIS SUMMER’S

CALENDAR AT THE ESTATE

The Macallan Estate has announced a remarkable new theatrical and musical experience to join its repertoire of performances this summer.

The Macallan Reflections on The River Spey shares vignettes of life at The Macallan Estate from centuries past, interweaving enchanting tales from The Macallan’s pioneering figures with music and enlightening conversation from one of Scotland’s most acclaimed classical guitarists, Matthew McAllister.

Matthew, who is from Glasgow and holds the post of Classical Guitar Lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, has been delighting audiences around the world with his insightful performances in a concert career spanning more than 20 years.

He is a highly accomplished musician with 10 critically acclaimed albums to his name, and has toured extensively throughout north and south America, Europe and Asia, both as a soloist and a chamber musician. Unfolding on the banks of the River Spey, this exclusive performance follows the inspiring life and times of Roderick Kemp, who took over The Macallan Distillery in 1892.

Theatre-goers can also delve into the real-life story of former managing director, Janet Harbinson, who was known as ‘Nettie’ and inspired The Spirit of 1926, The Macallan’s first biopic, which was released in November 2022.

The release of tickets for The Macallan Reflections on The River Spey follows the premier of The Macallan Pioneers, a theatrical journey which made its debut on Saturday 8 July.

Both theatre experiences are written by actress and voice artist Debora Weston, whose film credits include Patriot Games, Thunderbirds, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Launching on Friday 11 August and running until Sunday 27 August 2023 and taking place within The Macallan’s open-sided marquee on the banks of the River Spey, guests can enjoy select drams of The Macallan single malt Scotch whisky throughout the two-hour performance.

The Macallan Reflections on The River Spey is brought to life through the talents of professional actresses and actors.

Guitarist Matthew McAllister said:

“It’s a privilege to perform at The Macallan Estate this summer, and I’m thrilled to share our artistic collaboration with guests visiting from near and far. Having performed around the world, The Macallan Estate is truly a location like no other. The tranquil hills of Speyside have inspired me to curate the musical score for The Macallan Reflections on The River Spey, which pays tribute to bygone days in this beautiful part of Scotland.”

Stuart Cassells, General Manager at The Macallan Estate: “As the only single malt Scotch whisky distillery to tell the story of our rich heritage through live performance, we’re proud to unveil a new opportunity for guests to join us this summer, and learn more about the characters who have informed The Macallan’s  past and played a significant role in shaping our future.

“The Macallan Reflections on The River Spey is an exciting new event in our calendar, marrying the tales of quiet heroism and pioneering spirit for which The Macallan is renowned, with music and storytelling by the incredibly talented Matthew McAllister.”

Located amidst breath-taking natural landscapes in the heart of Speyside, The Macallan Estate is a world-leading hospitality destination.

Home to every bottle of The Macallan’s incomparable single malt whisky, the serene countryside estate offers much more than just a whisky experience, with fine-dining, private shopping and fishing all available on site.

The Macallan Reflections on The River Spey is priced at £100 per guest and is available to book for a limited period, running on select dates from Friday 11 August until Sunday 27 August 2023. All experiences must be booked in advance with The Macallan Estate.

To book The Macallan Reflections on The River Spey, visit HERE .

For further information, visit https://www.themacallan.com/ or contact estate@themacallan.com.

About The Macallan 

Founded in 1824 on a plateau above the River Spey in north-east Scotland, The Macallan is renowned globally for its incomparable craftsmanship, creativity and innovation with each bottle of single malt whisky revealing its unique mastery of wood and spirit.

Social and environmental sustainability is at the heart of The Macallan, and as part of its commitment to establishing a positive legacy it revealed its award-winning new Distillery in 2018. Designed by internationally acclaimed architects, the building takes inspiration from the surrounding ancient Scottish hills and is located on The Macallan’s beautiful 485-acre Estate. To this day, the single greatest influence on The Macallan’s sought after portfolio of single malts is its sherry seasoned oak casks from which its whiskies derive their distinctive flavours, aromas and natural colour.

Crafted without compromise. Please savour The Macallan responsibly. 

About Janet Harbinson

Janet Harbinson, known as ‘Nettie’ is a remarkable figure in The Macallan’s history. In 1918, just months before the end of the First World War, her beloved husband Alexander, who had been running the distillery at the time, sadly passed.

Nettie was highly committed to the local community and following his death, she assumed control of the distillery as it was the best way to secure The Macallan for its employees and help the community. Through her passion and care for those around her and her dedication to craftsmanship, she kept the business afloat and helped to rebuild the local area.

Without setting out to do so, she also crafted The Macallan Fine & Rare 1926, which achieved legendary status after it fetched £1.5m at Sotheby’s in 2019. Several years on, it continues to be the world’s most valuable bottle of wine or spirit ever sold at auction. Its very existence is a direct legacy of Janet Harbinson’s commitment to doing the right thing for her family, the community and The Macallan.

About Matthew McAllister

Widely regarded as one of the most exciting and talented guitarists in Europe, Matthew has been delighting audiences worldwide with his insightful performances and effortless presentation for more than a decade.

Matthew has performed at major venues around the world such as The Concertgebouw Amsterdam; The Purcell Room & St Martin in the Fields, London; Teatro Britanico, Lima; The Sage, Gateshead; Cenart, Mexico City; Caesars Palace, Las Vegas; Eugene O’Neil Theater in San Jose, and Dom Armije in Sarajevo. Matthew has toured extensively throughout North and South America, Canada, Europe and Asia both as a soloist and chamber musician, and has also produced an extensive discography with Baros Records.

Matthew holds the posts of Classical Guitar Lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and is the Director of the Classical Guitar Retreat.

Multi-award-winning Highland distillery, Tomatin, crowned best whisky in the world 

Tomatin’s 36 Year Old single malt has been named ‘Best in Show’ in the whisky category at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC) 2023, officially making it one of the best whiskies in the world.

The SFWSC is a prestigious international contest, where leading figures from the industry come together to judge spirits from the finest producers in the world.

‘Best in Show’ is the highest honour of the event, where one whisky is crowned out of thousands of entries after winning in its category which Tomatin’s 36 Year Old was awarded for ‘Best Single Malt Scotch’.

Judges praised the distillery for its continued dedication to its craft and superior skills in cask maturation with esteemed whisky journalist and SFWSC judge, Joseph V Micallef, saying “without a doubt, this is one of the world’s greatest Scotch whiskies”.

It is the second time the 36 Year Old has been awarded the accolade after previously being recognised in 2017.

Released in 2015, with 1,200 bottles released globally every year, Tomatin’s 36 Year Old is a whisky of incredible complexity. Matured in a combination of ex-Bourbon and ex-Oloroso sherry casks, this smooth and creamy dram offers a mixture of aromas including baked fruits and leather balsam, toffee, walnut, and crystallised ginger.

Bottled at 45.1% ABV cask strength, natural colour and non-chill filtered, it is priced at £1,200 and comes displayed in a premium wooden box with a numbered certificate for each custodian.

Tomatin’s recognition in the industry and amongst consumers continues to grow globally. In 2022, the distillery was awarded ‘Scotch Whisky Producer of the Year’ and ‘Outstanding Spirits Producer of the Year’ at the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Last month, Tomatin revealed it has received 10 accolades at the initial SFWSC judging, with the 36 Year Old also taking home a Double Gold award.

Graham Eunson, Master Distiller at Tomatin Distillery, said:

“This is a truly fantastic milestone for the Tomatin Distillery, especially for everyone in our team who works so hard to produce, promote and honour the finest Highland Scotch, day in and day out.

“Our 36 Year Old single malt is a really special dram. A marriage of casks, a refill hogshead and an Oloroso sherry butt, gives us a remarkably smooth yet complex whisky that keeps you intrigued with lively top notes of peach, apricot, honeydew melon and mango which bring vibrancy to this rich and warming expression.

“We know how many eyes of the world are on the results from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition every year, so it’s a real pleasure to be honoured with this recognition which we hope encourages many more people to explore the magic of Tomatin and the Scottish Highlands which we are lucky to call home.” 

Stephen Bremner, Managing Director at Tomatin Distillery, added:

“This is a phenomenal win for us and a real testament to the hard work of every member of the Tomatin team involved in the production of our 36 Year Old. To be recognised by such a prestigious organisation at this international level and out of so many other fantastic brands is a huge accomplishment for the business.”

Tomatin’s origins date back to the 15th century, with the first formal distillery established in 1897. Passing through generations of craftspeople working at Tomatin, many for their entire lives, the distillery is embedded in the community. Today Tomatin is renowned for its collection of smooth and elegant whiskies.

Available globally, the Tomatin 36 Year Old can be purchased from https://tomatin.com/our-whisky/prestige/36-year-old/.

Tasting notes:

• Nose: Lively top notes of peach, apricot, honeydew melon and mango bring a vibrancy to this rich and warming expression. Layers of sherry-driven aromas like demerara sugar, polished wood and treacle toffee add a huge amount of depth with enticing spices of nutmeg and cinnamon. A perfect synergy of well-aged bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry butts.
• Palate: Initially very soft with fruity tones of guava, apple and apricot developing into increasingly intense waves of dried fruit, dark chocolate, gingerbread, and salted caramel. The depth offered on the nose continues to deliver notes of spice.
• Finish: Long, alternating between sweet tropical fruits and drying winter spices.

Tomatin is located in the Scottish Highlands (near Inverness) and is famous for its portfolio of soft and mellow whiskies, including a core range, a limited-edition range, and a premium archive range (prices range from £35 – £17,500). Tomatin Single Malt is owned by Japanese company Takara Shuzo International: https://www.takara-intl.co.jp/en/

Tomatin has been dedicated to protecting its craft, its environment and particularly its community, which is at the very heart of the brand. Many of the craftspeople working on site have been doing so their entire working lives – all working towards producing a wide range of single malts, beloved across the world.

In 2022, Tomatin launched its new brand platform, ‘To What Matters’ – designed to remind people about the important things in life. ‘To What Matters’ is the latest chapter in the brand’s evolution; a positive call to arms that represents the spiritual DNA of Tomatin – a human belief in what’s truly important in life. The significant moments.

Recognition of the Highland distillery’s craftsmanship continues to grow globally.  In 2022, Tomatin was awarded ‘Scotch Whisky Producer of the Year’ and ‘Outstanding Spirits Producer of the Year’ at the International Wine & Spirit Competition. Later that year, it was recognised as ‘Sustainable Distillery of the Year’ at Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky 2023, in recognition of its continued contribution to sustainably at the distillery.

In 2023, Tomatin’s Legacy single malt, part of the core range, was awarded Gold at the International Wine & Spirit Competition. It also took home seven awards at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), while Cù Bòcan, which is produced at the distillery in limited batches every winter, took home three. In June 2023, Tomatin’s 36 Year Old single malt was recognised as ‘Best in Show’ at the SFWSC, officially making it one of the best whiskies in the world.

Win an incredible box of Tobermory treats…

Tobermory is the latest feature in our Golden Dram giveaway. We have collaborated to put togther an incredible prize with a bundle of Tobermory delights: Tobermory 12 & 21 Year Old, Ledaig 10 & 18 Year Old, and plus others.. Purchase any 70cl from the Tobermory Distillery range to enter. Closes 31st July – get involved now!

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Win a special meal at The Gannet Glasgow

Buy any bottle from the Fettercairn range for the chance to win a trip to the highly-acclaimed Glasgow restaurant, The Gannet. Enjoy a five-course tasting menu, inspired by Fettercairn, accompanied with paired wines and three drams, as well as an overnight stay in the city & UK travel.

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Giveaway: Fettercairn x The Gannet

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Win A Special Meal at The Gannet Glasgow

Fettercairn and The Gannet share a passion for local sourcing and partnering with their local communities. At Fettercairn, the next 100 years are more important than the last with a commitment to the future through the founding of the 200 Club, meaning for generations to come, every golden ear of barley used in the making of Fettercairn will be harvested from fields within a 50-mile radius of the distillery, grown by local farmers. At The Gannet, a seasonally changing multi-course menu is inspired by a network of small artisan producers, foragers and farmers to create a distinctly modern Scottish fine dining experience.

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