Scotch Whisky & Royal Warrants

Ahead of the Coronation of King Charles III last week, we asked whisky writer Iain Russell to explore Scotch whisky’s history with Royal Warrants.

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ARDBEG DAY RETURNS TO LONDON WITH A PLANET ARDBEG ‘DETECTIVE NOIR’

THEMED IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE FOR WHISKY LOVERS

This year’s Ardbeg Day celebration in London invites whisky lovers to transport themselves into the graphic novel universe of Planet Ardbeg to uncover the mysteries behind Ardbeg’s latest limited edition release, Heavy Vapours… 

Islay’s single malt Scotch whisky, Ardbeg, is excited to be bringing back its mythical, graphic novel universe, Planet Ardbeg this summer. The immersive experience will take place for Ardbeg Day in London on Saturday 3rd June 2023 at The Light Bar on Shoreditch High Street and is inspired by its 40-page sci-fi anthology which launched last year.

Returning for 2023, this year’s Planet Ardbeg Day celebrations are inspired by the creation of Ardbeg’s limited edition single malt scotch whisky – Heavy Vapours. For the first time ever, Ardbeg’s whisky has been distilled without a purifier, making the liquid the most full-blown, distinctive, and experimental whisky to be matured in Ardbeg casks.

The mystery of what happened to the untamed purifier, responsible for maintaining the balance between extreme peat and floral fruitiness, remains unsolved. Ardbeg will be inviting whisky lovers to locate the elusive purifier in this year’s immersive ‘Detective Noir’ Planet Ardbeg celebrations. Guests can expect to be fully immersed into the world of Planet Ardbeg as they embark upon their mission through a series of activities. Through solving riddles and cracking codes hidden amongst Planet Ardbeg graffiti, working with an investigative journalist in the Ardbeg Times office, and taking part in an exclusive Heavy Vapours whisky tasting with Agent 46, consumers will work to find the missing purifier and claim exclusive Ardbeg Day merchandise. A lucky few will also have the opportunity to win bottles of Ardbeg’s limited edition Heavy Vapours!

Planet Ardbeg Day 2023 celebrations will take place on Saturday 3rd June 2023 at The Light Bar, 233 Shoreditch High Street, London E1 6PJ from 2-7pm. Tickets are priced at £40, and will include admission to the event, three delicious Ardbeg whisky cocktails, participation in all activities including the Heavy Vapours tasting, and food from ‘Shortie’s Smokehouse’.

Tickets are available to purchase now HERE

Ardbeg Heavy Vapours will be available to buy from Ardbeg Embassies, whisky specialists, online retailers and from the Distillery Visitor Centre from 23^rd May, RRP: £120. For more news on Ardbeg Day 2023 and all things Ardbeg, smoky malt whisky fans can join the Ardbeg Committee at Ardbeg.com.

About Ardbeg Day

Ardbeg Day is a global, annual celebration of all things Ardbeg, held on the final Saturday of Islay’s Festival of Music and Malt – the Feis Ile. In 2023, Ardbeg Day falls on Saturday 3rd June, with festivities set to take place at the distillery in Islay and online.

www.ardbeg.com

Follow Ardbeg on:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ardbeg
• Twitter: @Ardbeg
• Instagram: @ardbeg

ARE YOU GOING TO WHISKEY LIVE THIS WEEKEND IN DUBLIN?

If so, we will see you there, same stand as last year!

As a heads up for those going, and those that are not, we will have an exclusive bottling for Whiskey Live. This bottling marks the end of our Cooley stock which we loved dearly.

It’s the same good Rum and Raisin Single Malt we used to have in the early batches but it was rested for a year in Acacia wood. It’s brilliantly fruity with just enough wood spice.

The bottles are exclusive to Whiskey Live and all are purchased through the CWS shop. You must collect your hessian sack at our stand first before making your way to the shop where CWS staff will redeem your sack with your bottle purchase.

As we are not policing the shop there is no limit per person, but there are less than 200 available at a generous price of €54.95 RRP.

As usual this bottling follows the Killowen commandments: cask strength, non chill filtered, no colouring, integrity bottling and all round loveliness.

We look forward to seeing you all at Dublin Whiskey Live and if you can’t go get a friend going to pick up a bottle for you!! ;D

Sláinte

The Killowen Distillery Team

Killowen Distillery Ltd
29 Kilfeaghan Road
Rostrevor
Newry, County Down BT34 3AW
United Kingdom

KILLOWEN DISTILLERY
WINS TWO AWARDS AT THE
SAN FRANCISCO SPIRIT AWARDS

We at Killowen have been somewhat sceptical of Spirit Awards in the past but having seen other spirits we regard highly winning awards we thought we would give it a go!

Having looked at the many, many Spirit Awards that are on offer globally we decided to jump right in with the longest running and largest of its kind – The San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Founded in 2000 this Spirits Competition has become one of the most prestigious and influential awards in the world. So with a good dose of ‘Go Big or Go Home’ we entered our Pangur Irish Poitín and Signature Blend Single Malt Irish Whiskey – Rum & Raisin.

With the assistance of our USA Importer we got out bottles submitted, crossed our fingers, toes and anything else we could and waited. Then just at the end of last week we got the joyous news that not only did we win but we received two awards.

Up against a growing category of Irish Poitín producers and Single Malt Irish Whiskey producers we where over the moon to win – Double Gold for our Pangur Irish Poitín and Silver for our Rum & Raisin Single Malt Irish Whiskey.

The timing on this also couldn’t be better, as this Thursday 4th May at 6pm we are having an official launch of Pangur Irish Poitin at Trademarket Belfast. So if your around why not join us to find out more about the native spirit of Ireland and try this award winning poitín for yourself – neat, in a long drink or even a cocktail whatever takes your fancy!

Sláinte

The Killowen Distillery Team

Killowen Distillery Ltd
29 Kilfeaghan Road
Rostrevor
Newry, County Down BT34 3AW
United Kingdom

Kensington Wine Market

Established 1992

Happy Birthday To Us!

The doors at Kensington Wine Market opened for the first time 31 years ago today… which is why we decided to run our birthday sale through to the end of today – Monday, May 15th, 2023.

We have had the great good fortune of being supported by wonderful customers, suppliers, and partners, as well as a vibrant community over the years. And we couldn’t have done it without all the talented wine, beer and whisky experts who worked with us over the years.

It’s gratifying and uplifting to look back and see how far we’ve come, but on this occasion, we raise our glasses to you, because without you, we simply wouldn’t be here!

Our next big sale is in August, so this is your last chance at store-wide savings until then. It runs until 8 PM in-store, and midnight tonight online!

Sale details and links to the best deals can be found below!

While we have your attention, we would also like to congratulate a member of our team, Valeriia Stepanenko!

Today is Valeria’s last full-time shift at KWM, although happily, she will still be doing some part-time work helping keep our social media posts popping.

Valeriia joined our team in August, having packed up her life in Ukraine and immigrated to Canada in hopes of a better life. Something most of us have a hard time fathoming. We took a chance and hired her despite her lack of wine or whisky knowledge. From her first shift, she immersed herself in wine books and asked questions, lots and lots of questions, and to say she absorbed a lot in a short amount of time would be an understatement.

Valerria’s family has now joined her in Calgary, she was recently engaged, and she has a new job that will not only allow her to put her Master’s Degree to better use (did we mention she speaks three languages?), but also give her a path to permanent residency in Canada.

While we will all miss not seeing as much of Valeria as we’ve gotten used to, we couldn’t be happier for her. We hope you’ll join us in extending heartfelt congratulations to her!

Sincerely,

Your friends at Kensington Wine Market

Sale Details!

The sale is online and in-store only. No phone orders, please.

You can save:10-40% on most in-stock Whisky

To make your browsing a little easier, we have linked PDF files below highlighting  Whiskies Discounted 15%-40%.

The CSPC in the left-hand column on both lists can be used in addition to the product name to search for and order products on our website.

Browse Whiskies Discounted 15% – 40%

Shop in-store or online at:  www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/

 In-store pickup will be available throughout the sale and we will also offer Free Delivery for orders over $100. Customers wanting to pay by cash or debit are encouraged to shop in-store. 

The Sale Fine Print

·     No additional discounts or promotions can be applied to the sale price.

·     Prices do not include GST.

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

·     Sale pricing will not be applied retroactively or carried forward past the end of our Anniversary Sale at 8 PM in-store and midnight (11:59 PM) online, Monday, May 15, 2023.

·     The sale is in-store and online only.

·     Phone orders are ok, but will be written down, time-stamped and fulfilled in the same queue as our web orders.

·     Email orders are also welcome, we will follow up with you as we are able!

·     If you order online, please wait for confirmation that your order is ready before heading down to the shop.

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

Ready, Set, Save…

Can you believe it? Kensington Wine Market will be 31 years old on Monday… Curiously that fact isn’t as hard to wrap my head around as the end of our 30th Anniversary year is… but I digress.

As we do every year, we are celebrating another trip around the sun with our annual Birthday Sale. The sale starts at 10 AM today (Friday, May 12) in-store, and is already live online.

There are nearly 4000 products on sale, discounted 10-50%.

There are almost 400 whiskies discounted 15-40%.

This is our last store-wide sale until August, so it’s a good time to stock up.

Whether we see you in-store, online, or even if you resist temptation and sit this one out, thank you for 31 great years!

Happy Hunting!

Andrew Ferguson

Kensington Wine Market

The Deets!

The sale is online and in-store only. No phone orders, please. You can save: 10-50% on most in-stock Whisky.

To make your browsing a little easier, we have linked PDF files below highlighting Whiskies 15%-50% off.

BROWSE WHISKIES DISCOUNTED 15-50%

The CSPC in the left-hand column on both lists can be used in addition to the product name to search for and order products on our website.

Shop in-store or online at: 

www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/ 

In-store pickup will be available throughout the sale and we will also offer Free Delivery for orders over $100. Customers wanting to pay by cash or debit are encouraged to shop in-store.

The Sale Fine Print

• No additional discounts or promotions can be applied to the sale price.
• Prices do not include GST.
• In the event of a discrepancy in price, the point of sale at KWM will be taken as correct.
• Sale pricing will not be applied retroactively or carried forward past the end of our Fall Super Sale at midnight (11:59 PM), Monday, May 15, 2023..
• The sale is in-store and online only.
• Phone orders are ok, but will be written down, time-stamped and fulfilled in the same queue as our web orders.
• Email orders are also welcome, we will follow up with you as we are able!

If you order online, please wait for confirmation that your order is ready for pickup before heading down to the shop.

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.

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.*

A Week of Whisky Diplomas

We’ve been back at Arniston House this week hosting another sold out Diploma in Single Malt Whisky. It’s been a pleasure teaching enthusiastic learners from all around the globe, with attendees from Austria, Canada, China, Germany, Latvia, Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Sweden, UK & USA.

Due to popular demand, we’re pleased to announce a second September date for the course which means we’ll be hosting a full week of whisky Diplomas!

Monday 18 & Tuesday 19 September
Diploma in Single Malt Whisky
SOLD OUT

Wednesday 20 September
Diploma in the Art of Tasting Whisky

Thursday 21 & Friday 22 September
Diploma in Single Malt Whisky

Put yourself in the picture and earn your SQA Diploma (or two) with us at Arniston this September. 2024 dates will be announced soon.

Browse Courses

WIN a bottle of Royal Salute

27 Years Old with BlockBar

The blockchain-authenticated marketplace is offering one reader the chance to win a bottle of Royal Salute 27 Years Old – read on to find out more

Founded in October 2021 by Dov and Sam Falic, BlockBar offers a blockchain-authenticated online marketplace with exclusive wines and spirits. The company also provides its buyers with storage, insurance, and on-demand global shipping or convenient pickup at over 250 duty-free America locations. Best of all, as all products sold by BlockBar are sourced directly from producers, the bottles are always guaranteed to be authentic.

In less than two years, BlockBar has collaborated with luxury wine and spirits brands including Moët Hennessy, Diageo, Rémy Cointreau, Bacardi, Treasury Wine Estates, Pernod Ricard and William Grant & Sons, and its 29 whisky releases to date have included exclusive bottlings of Ardbeg, The Dalmore, Midleton Very Rare and Royal Salute.

What’s more, one of the industry’s most respected authorities on fine and rare wines and spirits, Jamie Ritchie, is to join BlockBar as its chief operating officer. Ritchie, who has been with Sotheby’s for nearly 33 years and was most recently the auction house’s worldwide chairman of wines and spirits, will start with the tech startup in July.

BlockBar is offering one Whisky Magazine reader the opportunity to win a bottle of its Royal Salute 27 Years Old. Currently selling for US$965, this exceptional blended Scotch whisky was expertly crafted by Royal Salute master blender Sandy Hyslop, exclusively for BlockBar.com.

Once matured and blended, the expression was fully finished in an individual cask; a first-fill hogshead which has held a rare oloroso for 18 months, before being filled with the venerably aged blended Scotch and left to mature for a further six years.

To enter, simply sign up via the link below. The competition is now live and ends at 8pm on 21 May 2023. T&Cs apply.

ENTER HERE

Longmorn 33 Years Old

The Rare Collection

Longmorn Distillery perhaps has one of the most loyal followings of any distillery. However, it flies under the radar due to a large proportion of its output being used for blends. Indeed, its fruity character was central to the recipe of Finn’s Grandfather’s bottlings of Beneagles, which is why he was happy to have a number of casks from the distillery from the late 1980s. On the face of it, two of these casks are almost identical. Both are hogsheads with some Oloroso sherry influence giving an amber glow, as well as coffee, dark chocolate and a chewy texture that coats the mouth. Both could be bottled today as incredible examples of aged whiskies from this remarkable distillery. The only point of difference is that this cask chosen for bottling has taken on some added elements from the wood, giving it a more mature and complex taste than its sister cask (17154). It is undoubtedly ready for bottling now while it still has that underlying trademark Longmorn fruitiness.

Limited time deal.

£475.00

£525.00

Shop now

2023 FESTIVAL RARE RELEASES

Flavour Hunting season is OPEN, and we’re delighted to offer members a stunning selection of small-batch releases, lovingly created and curated by our Spirits Team in celebration of FESTIVAL MONTH this May. Enjoy an amazing range with six small-batch single malts – as well as a one-off custom distilled small-batch single grain.

Bottled at cask strength, each regional Rare Release has its own ‘cask bill’ recipe – a different selection of casks that we’ve worked to put together to create something interesting and special. Our Festival Rare Release small-batch series offers a wide range of flavour profiles depending on where your tastes lie. Let’s GO flavour hunting….

FLAVOUR HUNTING PROGRAM

VIEW ALL EVENTS

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video