Greetings whisky-lovers From TWL HQ! 

We are genuinely chuffed to share with you the news that..

WHISKY SCHOOLS ARE COMING BACK TO LONDON ON 26th NOVEMBER 3rd DECEMBER and 10th DECEMBER!

We hope to have news of more around the country soon, so watch this space!

Here’s what you need to know…

Ever wanted to know more about the most diverse spirit in the world?

The Whisky School is designed for anyone with an interest in whisky and wants to learn more in an informal but informative fashion. All in the atmospheric and grand setting of the Malmaison.

Find out how whisky is made and discover the different styles produced all over Scotland and the rest of the World. The history, regionality and provenance will be discussed as well as in-depth looks at wood maturation and the new-make spirit.

PLUS attendees will get the chance to blend their very own whisky, choose a brand name for it and take a miniature of it home with them!

After completing the course and successfully passing a final exam, the ‘candidate’ will receive a signed certificate and more importantly the confidence to speak the ‘language of whisky’.

A rough outline of the ‘syllabus’:

Introduction.

History overview. Look at whisky regions of Scotland and tasting.

Production:

Looking at what makes each single malt ‘tick’. All processes looked at with particular emphasis on maturation and wood management.

Blending Workshop:

History of blending, tasting and hands-on blending workshop

World Whiskies:

History and production of world whiskies (Japanese, Taiwanese, Indian, American). Maturation/wood management.

Final Exam & ‘graduation dram’

The price includes:

All whiskies sampled (around 20-25)All course material2-course light lunch A Glencairn Whisky Tasting Glass to take home with you. A signed Whisky Lounge ‘Whisky School’ Certificate – for successful candidates!

BOOK NOW!

Nottingham Whisky Festival 19th November 12-4pm

That’s it. For now, but stay alert!We hope you are all well and look forward to seeing you all somewhere, soon!

Slainte!

Eddie

The Whisky Lounge Team

SMWS KELOWNA TASTING

We’re thrilled to announce a Scotch Malt Whisky Society tasting at ARC Liquor in Kelowna! SMWS Canada founders Rob & Kelly Carpenter will be on hand to take you through six SMWS whiskies alongside some light bites in this sit-down event. Bottles and memberships will be available for purchase at ARC Liquor.

This is open to members and non-members alike, so forward this to your whisky-loving friends and join us for what is sure to be a fun evening. Sign up below:

SMWS KELOWNA TASTING

at ARC LIQUOR – 1973 Harvey Ave.

Saturday, Nov. 19th  7:30pm  $55(+GST)

Please enjoy our products responsibly; no drinking and driving

SIGN UP HERE

MALT OF THE MOMENT

These dark, driech November days already have us day dreaming about last summer when we gazed across at the beautiful Isle of Raasay. In memory of sunnier times, we’re offering Raasay as our latest Malt of the Moment.

The latest single malt release from Raasay distillery! R-01.1 has been created from peated and unpeated Raasay spirit matured separately in first fill Rye whiskey, Chinkapin oak and first fill Bordeaux red wine casks, then combined resulting in a lightly peated dram. Raasay R-01.1 was bottled in 2022 at 46.4% vol on the Isle of Raasay using water from their on site well.

Peat Level: Barley 48-52ppm

Fermentation Time: 3 and 5 day fermentations

As ever if you have any questions or queries, please just ask.

Slàinte Mhath

SHOP NOW

Once upon a time, all of Scotland’s malt whisky distilleries malted their own barley. The wet grain from the steep would be spread over a stone floor for a week to begin germination, and it had to be turned regularly to prevent the little rootlets from matting together. Malt men would march up and down flipping the grain over their shoulders with malt shovels, known as shiels. Some developed repetitive strain injury causing one arm to hang low like a monkey’s.

In 2005, long after anyone had wielded a shiel in earnest, Monkey Shoulder was released as a hip new brand of Scotch from the house of William Grant & Sons.

In this particular evening Callum Rixson will be talking us through the modern whisky drinks serving us some delicious drams of Monkey Shoulder alongside some beautiful cocktails.

Monkey Shoulder Original
Smokey Monkey
Fresh Monkey

Buy Now

Whisky of the Year 2023

Our highly-anticipated annual tasting is back! Come on a journey to help us decide what will be our Whisky of the Year 2023. Join us in person and tell us your opinion by blind tasting and voting on a carefully selected line-up chosen by industry professionals.⁠ We can’t wait to see which one you crown the winner!⁠

THE DETAILS
Venue: Bridewell Hall, 14 Bride Ln, London EC4Y 8EQ
Date: 17 November
Time: 7-9pm
Price: £65

BOOK NOW 

Celebrate St Andrew’s Day with the Scottish Whisky Industry

Individuals, teams and businesses working in Scotch Whisky are now gathering in numbers for the industry’s annual dinner and celebration which takes place on St Andrew’s Day. The 4^th annual Scottish Whisky Awards is now just five week’s away and finalists are being urged to book their place at the event which has over 300 guests already confirmed.

Don’t miss out on this important whisky industry networking event which will present medals and awards in over 20 categories. Are you a finalist?  Don’t forget to tag us #scottishwhiskyawards.

We are looking forward to welcoming you to the awards!

Sláinte!

The Scottish Whisky Awards Team

Book Now

View Finalists 2022

HIBIKI BLOSSOM HARMONY 2022 BALLOT

Hibiki Blossom Harmony 2022

Opting for a finish in sakura wood is tricky to find a balance due to the bold, spicy character of the wood and its challenge to work with compared to oak. This balance is expertly achieved, showcasing notes of floral honey, fragrant spice, ripe fruits and toasted oak.

£175.00
Register Your Interest

Upcoming ballot for Hibiki Blossom Harmony 2022 – Register Your Interest now!

Hibiki’s latest release highlights expert blending, incorporating whisky from Suntory’s Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries. The twist on Blossom Harmony 2022 is the finish in sakura (Japanese cherry blossom) wood which has a distinctive subtly flora and spicy character to impart into the blend. Register now to receive information when the ballot opens at the start of November! This will be exclusive to members of The W Club so sign up below if you haven’t already.

Sign up to The W Club →

NEW WHISKY RELEASES for Holiday Tables, Cocktails + Gifting

BOURBON

Hardin’s Creek, crafted at the James B. Beam Distilling Co is a new brand that charts the ongoing story of the Beam family legacy, one that is more than 227 years in the making, through these highly limited and rare releases. Hardin’s Creek is the next generation of boundary-pushing, premium American Whiskey inspired by the expertise of seven generations of Beam Master Distillers.

• Hardin’s Creek Jacob’s Well Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (SRP: $149.99), is a thoughtful blend of two ultra-aged expressions: one 16-year-old-traditional bourbon and one 15-year-old high-rye bourbon blended to achieve a depth of flavor unlike any other in Beam history. Freddie Noe distilled it using precious barrels laid down years ago by other hands, which he then intuitively hand-selected, blending together centuries of expertise with a vision for the future.

• Hardin’s Creek Colonel James B. Beam Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (SRP: $79.99), is an homage to Colonel James B. Beam aka Jim Beam, who got the Clermont distillery up and running in just 120 days post-prohibition. In honor of that legacy, Colonel James B. Beam was crafted taking a page out of his signature style. The limited-edition, two-year-old whiskey achieves a depth of flavor usually reserved for more mature bourbons by taking it off the still at a lower distillation proof, imparting more flavor from the fermentation process and letting the barrel’s characteristics shine through at a younger age.

JAPANESE WHISKY

For more than three generations, the master blenders at the House of Suntory, the Founding House of Japanese Whisky, have devoted themselves to pursuing the harmony of Japanese nature and craftsmanship to produce the legendary Yamazaki, Hakushu, Hibiki and Toki whiskies.

• Just launched in October, Hibiki Blossom Harmony Limited Edition (SRP: $160.00) blended whisky features whiskies finished in Sakura casks. Sakura Blossom season in early spring has always been an occasion for celebration in Japan, with many gathering around the beautiful flowering Sakura trees that inspire the Japanese to appreciate life as it blooms. Hibiki Blossom Harmony blends a rare selection of whiskies finished in Sakura wood casks with diverse matured malt and grain whiskies from Suntory’s Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries.

• Hibiki 30 Year Old (SRP: $5,000.00) was first released in 1997 as a rare, limited edition. It is the paragon of the Hibiki brand and the art of Japanese craftsmanship. For the first time, this exquisite bottle will be available in the U.S. as of October. Hibiki 30 features a select blend of Yamazaki® malt whiskies that are 30 years and older from Suntory’s treasured historic collection, with mild grain whiskies that have also matured at least 30 years. With a mere few thousand bottles produced each year, each is bottled by hand. This luxurious liquor has received accolades and awards from whisky connoisseurs around the world and it represents the pinnacle of whisky making at Suntory. 

• With the launch of the 2022 Yamazaki Limited Edition Tsukuriwake Selection, the House of Suntory unveils a fundamental piece of its unrivaled craftsmanship and introduces the foundational pillars of Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky – Puncheon, Peated Malt, Spanish Oak and Mizunara. The collection honors Tsukuriwake, which means “artisanship through a diversity of making” and is embraced by the Founding House of Japanese Whisky.

• • The Puncheon is considered as the “heart” of what makes Yamazaki Single Malt, Yamazaki. The Yamazaki Puncheon Single Malt Whisky (SRP: $450.00) is comprised of meticulously selected malts aged exclusively in puncheons crafted by Suntory artisans from hand selected American oak.

• • The Peated Malt is considered the “hidden accent” giving Yamazaki its complexity and lingering finish. The Yamazaki Peated Malt (SRP: $450.00) is comprised of meticulously selected heavily peated malted barley that is masterfully blended to create the quintessential Yamazaki Peated Malt that is gentle and refined.

• • The Spanish Oak is considered as the depth-enhancer giving Yamazaki its quintessential multi-layered full flavor with mature fruity notes. The Yamazaki Spanish Oak (SRP: $450.00) is comprised of meticulously selected malt whiskies matured in the highest quality oak casks originating from Northern Spain.

• • Mizunara is a species of oak native to Japan and is considered the signature enhancer giving Yamazaki its quintessential Japanese character and elegance. Whiskies which undergo a long maturation in Mizunara casks take on a distinctive Japanese spiciness and incense-like flavor of sandalwood and agarwood. The Yamazaki Mizunara Single Malt Whisky (SRP: $620.00) is comprised of meticulously selected long-matured malt whiskies showcasing the rare, distinctive beauty of the hand crafted Mizunara casks.

SCOTCH

Made at the first distillery on Islay since 1779, Bowmore Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky is known as one of the most balanced Islay whiskies, which are often thought to be the smokiest Scotch whiskies in the world.

• Released earlier this year, Bowmore Masters’ Selection (SRP: $400.00) is a collaboration between Bowmore and Aston Martin, imagined and defined by two Masters, Bowmore Master Whisky Blender Ron Welsh and Aston Martin Executive Vice President and Chief Creative Officer Marek Reichman. This whisky marks the first time Bowmore has adopted the “Golden Ratio” principle – the mathematical ratio found in nature that creates aesthetically pleasing compositions – which sits at the heart of the design of every Aston Martin. Taking inspiration from an engineered approach, Masters’ Selection incorporates the divine proportion of 61.8% formed from a base of 21 year old Bowmore matured in first fill Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. The remaining parts are made up of exact ratios of each other, in line with the Golden Ratio theory, and include exceptionally aged Bowmore matured for over 35 years.

• Bowmore ARC-52 (SRP: $75,000.00), the most recent release in the storied partnership between Bowmore and Aston Martin, is sold in a cutting edge, strikingly futuristic and inspiring decanter – an appropriate homage to the oldest and rarest release to date from the two luxury brands. Just 100 decanters of Bowmore ARC-52 exist in the world, representing a highly exclusive, limited release and the height of achievement in collaborative bottle design. At its heart, ARC-52 is a celebration of how Bowmore and Aston Martin champion constant evolution and ingenuity to provoke, inspire and excite appreciators of true luxury. Available in select markets.

LOVE WHISKY? JOIN THE CLUB! LONDON IS GETTING A NEW WHISKY CLUB

Bill Shearer, brand ambassador for Bruichladdich

Whisky lovers are celebrating with the launch of southwest London’s first whisky club.

From Thursday night 10 November, whisky fans can meet monthly at The Greyhound pub on beautiful Kew Green to sample some top drops and trade tasting notes, and meet the makers.

The club kicks off with special guest, Bill Shearer, brand ambassador from the innovative Islay distillery, Bruichladdich.

Bill Shearer, brand ambassador for Bruichladdich

London whisky influencer Don Howarth (AKA The Whisky Don) says the club is a ‘fun way to explore the world of whisky’ with tasting treats planned from the big name brands and indie distilleries alongside new wave whiskies to watch from Scotland and beyond. ‘Plus a couple of distillers might bring a bottle of something really special to try only at the club, he said.

Mr Howarth said that whether you’re a dram dabbler or a collector, everyone who likes to drink the water of life is welcome, ‘No smoking jacket required!’ he said.

He set up the club following the huge number of requests he was getting for private events in people’s homes. ‘I’ve been absolutely blown away by the number of people I’ve met who said they loved drinking whisky and they wanted to learn more about it.’

‘But it’s not all about the casks and water. How much you enjoy your whisky can be all about who you’re sharing it with,’ Mr Howarth said.

He said the groups had got ‘too big for the living room’ so it was time to move the meetings to the pub ‘where we can continue to grow.’

‘There are already clubs in north and east London but it’s time for the dram fans from southwest London to share the whisky love,’ he said.  https://www.thewhiskydon.com/

Co-founders Bill Dobbie and Alasdair Day first met in 2013 and formed R&B Distillers with the common goal of building Scotland’s leading artisanal distiller. Focusing on local production, provenance, quality and doing things differently.

By 2015, they had identified the Isle of Raasay as providing the ingredients for the perfect dram, and planning permission to begin work revitalizing the Isle of Raasay’s nineteenth century Borodale House into a state-of-the-art distillery, visitor center, and luxury accommodation was granted in 2016.

Starting with a blank sheet of paper, they set about designing a distillery to create exceptional whisky that develops elegance, complexity, and depth early on in the maturation process and a handcrafted Hebridean gin that encapsulates Raasay’s style, character and impressive geological variety.

On the 31st of October we will be taking you through a journey of Single Cask Sample from the Raasay Distillery and the line-up will be the below:

Unpeated Ex-Rye Single Cask Sample – Cask Strength
Unpeated Chinkapin Single Cask Sample – Cask Strength
Unpeated Ex-Bordeaux Single Cask Sample – Cask Strength
Peated Ex-Rye Single Cask Sample – Cask Strength
Peated Chinkapin Single Cask Sample – Cask Strength
Peated Ex-Bordeaux Single Cask Sample – Cask Strength

Buy Now