Before we get to the news regarding our latest glorious new-ish (it arrived on the 3rd) KWM exclusive cask, I have some good news and a caution.
The good news, after 6 months of waiting, we finally have a shiny new entrance… It will still be a couple of weeks before it is fully completed. Seems the original contractor, despite being told numerous times, forgot that we needed shatterproof coatings and security bars… but the end is finally in sight, and just in time. Our patio door (we’re open) solution was in the process of falling apart. In a week or two, everything will be put back to normal, but it already looks a lot better, and we are thrilled!
The word of caution relates to limited bottles and flipping. I know this is becoming something of a tired theme in our newsletters, but we genuinely try to be fair and make sure that as much as possible, rare and sought-after bottles get into the hands of the faithful, and not those with other motives.
When I was in Edinburgh in June, I chatted with the Royal Mile Whiskies staff about the increasing scarcity of some whiskies and the resulting inverse demand curve. The issue of flipping came up, and they told me that they have a blacklist, of customers, whom they know flipped bottles immediately after purchasing them for a profit.
To be clear, I hate selling bottles by ballot, it creates a lot of extra work, especially when there are multiple bottles being offered at the same time. It is also more than a little depressing when we have to disappoint the vast majority of those who enter their names… But of all the ways we have tried or considered to sell bottles such as these, and imperfect though it is, by ballot seems to me the fairest and most transparent solution.
So it is especially disappointing when it comes to our attention, that rare bottles we have offered for sale by ballot, turn up for sale within hours or days online.
I will neither confirm nor deny whether we have our own blacklist at KWM. And I don’t want my email to become a tip line for reporting suspected flippers. But I will point out that online ballots have one other advantage, they allow us to weed out people we suspect to be entering their name(s) for the wrong reasons!
It is frustrating to feel the need to dedicate 6 or more paragraphs of writing about something I love and am deeply passionate about, again, to complain about flipping. But this is where we find ourselves. Whisky is meant to be shared, is supposed to be fun, and the world of true anoraks is small. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, please don’t be a dick…
Now on to the fun stuff, our first, and possibly last KWM exclusive single cask of GlenAllachie has finally arrived in-store… This 15 year old was finished in a very active Oloroso sherry cask and is an unapologetic sherry bomb. There are more than 600 bottles, so we aren’t putting any limits on it (within reason.) Although it has just landed, the first quarter of the bottles are already gone!
There are other new whiskies to fill you in on as well, such as the Glenfiddich 30 Year (which we haven’t seen in a while), a 29 year old Jura, and a couple of GlenDronachs. Then there is the ballot…
We also have some Holyrood News, in two parts. Holyrood is an Edinburgh Distillery founded by Calgarians Rob & Kelly Carpenter. The first bit of news is the phasing out of the gins, liqueurs and whiskies, that we have been selling for the last year or so, to make way for some new products arriving this fall. Accordingly, we are helping them blow out the existing stock, all of which is now on sale at deep discounts.
The other bit of Holyrood Distillery news concerns their cask offer, which I shared last year as well. This is your chance to purchase a cask of Holyrood whisky (technically spirit until it has reached at least 3 years of maturation) to be bottled down the road.
Last but not least, we have added some new tastings for August and September, and there are spaces left for some of the other upcoming events too.
Whether you are passing the dog days of summer at work, at home, at the cabin or sitting by the lake, there is a lot to digest in this edition of the Malt Messenger. I hope you find something that entices you!
Online ordering and in-store purchasing are always our preferences, but if you must, feel free to send me an order by email.
As always, in the event of a discrepancy in price, the point of sale at KWM will be taken as correct.
Sincerely,
Andrew Ferguson
Kensington Wine Market
In This Edition
1. KWM Casks Recap!
2. My Teasing Tasting Note for Our GlenAllachie Cask
3. Other New GlenAllachies
4. Introducing: SMOS Isle of Jura 29 Year
5. Glenfiddich 30 Year
6. New Whiskies from BenRiach & GlenDronach
7. Another Round of Whisky Ballots!
8. Evan’s (Andrew’s) SMWS Corner – The SMWS August Outturn
10. Holyrood Made by Edinburgh Cask Offer
11. New Tastings
12. Other Upcoming Tastings
KWM CASKS RECAP
IN CASE YOU’VE LOST TRACK…
WE NEARLY HAVE!
We have received in the last 3 months, the number of single casks we normally expect in a year. So it’s a good thing we moved into a larger offsite warehouse in March… Still, it has been hard to space them out and give each the proper due they are owed.
That is the main reason why we delayed the launch of our GlenAllachie 2006 KWM Oloroso Cask. And there are two others we are holding back too… More on that in September!
So if you lost track of them, you are not alone… here is a recap of the casks that have landed since the beginning of May:
Daftmill 2008 KWM Cask #20 – It is hard to believe that this only arrived in May, and it is a bit of a miracle that we still have a handful of bottles left… But, we did limit sales to one bottle per customer, that is until now. We have just over a dozen bottles left, and you are welcome to a 2nd – $260
SMOS Imperial 22 Year KWM Cask 103317 – Our 4th exclusive single cask of Imperial is another tropical fruit bomb, but more oak forward than past releases. This might also be our last ever cask of Imperial… we never expected to get this one, and it would have been sold out a couple of months ago had we, not limited sales. The 1 bottle per customer limit has been increased to 2! – $300
SMOS Glenburgie 22 Year KWM Cask 751404 – Our second KWM exclusive cask of Glenburgie is more cask forward than our last one, with a thick, rich, decadent and very fruity profile. For some reason, this Hogshead of Glenburgie only produced 149 bottles… which raises some questions. Was it a leaky cask? Or perhaps did it excite the tastes of the warehouseman charged with its care? We may never know… – $205
SMOS Mannochmore 13 Year KWM Cask 3778 – Our first ever KWM exclusive cask of Mannochmore is absolutely gorgeous whisky, with an explosively fruity and floral profile. It is also very well priced for a 13 year old single cask. You really need a bottle of this whisky… no seriously – $115
Woodford Double Oaked KWM Cask Bourbon – Our first KWM single barrel Bourbon in a while and our very first ever from the Woodford Distilleryof Versailles, Kentucky. This Double Oaked Woodford Reserve Bourbon was finished in a New Heavily Toasted Lightly Charred Barrel before bottling at 45.2%. This is my kind of Bourbon, not too woody, but packed with aromatics and fruits; why go to the trouble of mixing an Old Fashioned, with all the added sugars, when you have this… just pour it in a glass and serve; whether to add an ice cube is up to you! – $100
Glenfarclas 21 Year KWM Cask Strength #2 (aka Ferg & George) – The 4th release in the Andrew’s Ego Series (as described by my staff) is a cask strength 21 year old Glenfarclas featuring yours truly and George Grant at our Keeper’s of the Quaich induction series in 2011. Lighter than I remember the standard Glenfarclas 21as being, but complex and packed with fruit leaning heavily in the tropical direction! – $200
Berry’s Tobermory 2008 KWM Cask – As with the Tomatin cask below, this whisky should have garnered more interest than it did, but timing… It is a rather sherried Tobermory, with a very faint whiff of peat; the alcohol might look daunting, but fear not this is a well-matured and very drinkable whisky… also our first ever KWM single cask of Tobermory! – $150
SMOS Ardmore 11 Year KWM Cask 707923 – A sub $100 cask strength single cask? That’s almost unheard of these days! Distilled on December 1, 2009, the whisky was bottled at 58.3% on May 20, 2021, after maturing 11 years in an ex-Bourbon Barrel. Then it took a year to find its way to us… but it was worth the wait! Oh, and it was almost certainly matured in an ex-Laphroaig cask! – $100
Tomatin 2006 KWM Cask 33306 – You could be excused for thinking this curious cask was sherried at first glance, but it’s not… That it was “Matured in French oak” explains why it is so decadent and spicy; but was it wine seasoned, virgin oak, shaved, toasted and re-charred? The fact is we don’t know… but what we do is that it is lovely, and a steal at $150! – $155
Compass Box KWM 30th Anniversary Blend – We launched this whisky last month, and it’s been very well received. Composed of whiskies aged 17-20 years of age from Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Mortlach and Teaninich, this Blended Malt is quite simply sublime… We are deeply honoured that Compass Box saw fit to help us mark our 30th Anniversary and we adore the label! – $195
THE GLENALLACHIE 2006 KWM CASK
Our first cask of GlenAllachie arrived in-store a little over a week ago. I could tell you that we intentionally held this newsletter, and my tasting note back to coincide with our virtual launch tasting this Saturday with Ronan Currie, but that would be stretching the truth more than a little. The truth is I’ve been more than a little preoccupied with other things, and I know many of you are in summer mode, and probably not daydreaming as much about whisky as you are most of the year. That hasn’t stopped you from buying it. In just 9 days, close to 1/3 of the whisky has sold.
Distilled in 2006 it has been bottled from an Oloroso Sherry Puncheon (cask 4785) at 15 years of age and 59.2%. 686 bottles!
GlenAllachie 2006 KWM Cask – 59.2% – 15 Year – Oloroso Sherry Puncheon – My Tasting Note: “Nose: it is an unapologetic sherry bomb right from the popping of the cork; loaded with dark fruits: raisins, dates and figs in syrup; classic old-school Christmas cake notes, dark chocolate and warm sticky toffee pudding in treacle sauce; leathery and earthy with some Cuban cigars and Aussie licorice; After Eights. Palate: rich, warming and spicier than expected; more juicy raisins, dates and figs; the oak spices are dark, toasty and decadent; more Aussie licorice with Goodies and candied fennel; the oak is musty with prominent dunnage notes and hand-rolled Cuban cigars; Manuka honey, dark milk chocolate and more After Eights; the Christmas cake and sticky toffee pudding are still there, with the latter drowning in French vanilla ice cream and drizzled with treacle sauce; finally some nutty tones at the back end. Finish: long, rich, warming and spicy with fading fruits, chocolate, and syrup; elegant, flawless sherry tones. Comment: this is proof positive of what we all knew Billy Walker could do with GlenAllachie; when his consortium bought GlenAllachie I said he was going to GlenDronach GlenAllachie, but I think he might even outdone those expectations; this is unquestionably a finish, but it is so well done, and so much more heavily sherried than most of even the best GlenDronach single casks from the glory days in the late 20000s and early 2010s; what a privilege to be able to put our name on something this good… I only hope we’ll get to do it again!” – $182
OTHER NEW GLENALLACHIES!
We have a limited number of bottles each from three new additions to the GlenAllachie Wood Finish range:
1. GlenAllachie 11 Year PX Finish – 48% – Producer Description: “This glorious rich mahogany malt has been matured for over nine years in American Oak Barrels. The additional maturation in richly seasoned Pedro Ximénez puncheons adds layers of complexity, resulting in a sweeter, fruitier flavour experience.” – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Waves of dark chocolate, plantains and sultanas, with pineapple and nutmeg. Taste: Dark chocolate, treacle and heather honey, fused with” – $120 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
2. GlenAllachie 12 Year Ruby Port Finish – 48% – Producer Description: “This gorgeous ruby red malt was initially aged for ten years in American Oak Barrels before being re-racked into Ruby Port Pipes. The secondary maturation period further develops the depth of flavour and complexity, as well as bestowing a vibrant, rich colour.” – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Lashings of heather honey, grape must, treacle, bananas and ginger. Taste: Heather honey, toffee, damsons and grape must, fused with orange peel and ginger.” – $125 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
3. GlenAllachie 13 Year Madeira Finish – 48% – Producer Description: “This glorious golden malt has been matured for over eleven years in American Oak Barrels, before being transferred into expertly selected Madeira Barriques which previously held wine made from Malvasia grapes. The result is a unique twist on the classic GlenAllachie style, with the perfect balance of sweet and spice.” – Producer Tasting Note: Nose: Waves of vanilla, apricots and plantains, with almonds, peaches and pineapple. Taste: Vanilla, treacle, apricots and peaches, fused with almonds, grapefruit and pineapple.” – $133 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
INTRODUCING: SMOS ISLE OF JURA 29 YEAR
Bottled as a part of the Single Malts of Scotland Marriage Series, this Jura is 29-year-old Jura was produced from a batch of five ex-bourbon barrels that were filled between 1991 and 1992, before being bottled at 42.9%.
SMOS Marriage Jura 29 Year – 42.9% – ex-Bourbon – Whisky Exchange Tasting Note: “Aromas of caramel, clove, nectarine, digestive biscuits, liquorice and hints of wood smoke fill the nose, complemented by notes of strawberry and white chocolate cheesecake, barley sugars, star anise, crunchy granola, burnt honey and toasted oak throughout the palate.” – $510
GLENFFIDICH 30 YEAR!
We haven’t seen a bottle of this in a couple of years… and we’ve only got 3, so it won’t come as a surprise that we are limiting it to 1 per customer!
Glenfidddich 30 Year – 43% – Producer Description: “An exceptional expression that has spent at least 30 years in Spanish Oloroso and American bourbon oak. Every cask nosed, selected and married by our Malt Master. For the finest balance of hearty oak and honeyed warmth. A 30 Year Old with deep, layered flavours and a masterful finish. Handcrafted by the expert.” – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: A finely balanced nose, with substantial oakiness matched by fruit and luscious sherry notes. Taste: The taste is complex and seductively woody, emphasised by a floral sweetness. Finish: Exceedingly long, honeyed and warm.” – $1650 – Limi 1 Per Customer!
NEW WHISKIES FROM
BENRIACH & GLENDRONACH!
Two new single casks, one each from BenRiach & GlenDronach, and the 10th release of GlenDronach Cask Strength have all just landed! The BenRiach cask was bottled exclusively for Alberta, and the GlenDronach was bottled for Asia, with a just few cases sent to Alberta!
1. BenRiach 1997 24 Year Cask 14493 – 56.5% – Bourbon Barrel – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Honeyed almond and molasses in tonka bean syrup, with raisin ice cream and bitter orange. Palate: Sun dried raisin, vanilla and coconut ice, with dark manuka honey, orange and lemon.” – $750
2. GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 10 – 58.6% – Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso Sherry – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Mocha, apricot and baked orange chocolate cake, with roasted almond, walnut and raisin on a base of aromatic toasted oak. Palate: Richly spiced fruitcake with nectarine, dark cherry and honeyed sultana. Finish: Lingering ripe apricot layered with ginger jam and indulgent caramelised date.” – $155
3. GlenDronach 1990 31 Year Cask 7423 – 56.9% – PX Sherry Puncheon – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Treacle and liquorice root with roasted coffee, blueberry preserve, sultana and raisin. Palate: Raisin oil and bramble fruit, with cocoa dusted plum, and velvety espresso coffee.” – $1800 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
ANOTHER ROUND OF WHISKY BALLOTS…
DON’T SET YOUR HOPES TOO HIGH. BUT WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO IMROVE THE ODDS!
This is not how any of us would like to see these whiskies sold, but it is where we find ourselves. To quote one of my colleagues, “these are strange times we are living in”, and there are more people than ever hunting for perceived unicorns. Of all the whiskies listed below, we have just 1-12 bottles of each available for sale. By grouping all of these gems together on a single ballot, some of which have been hanging around my office for weeks or months while we try to figure out what to do with them, we increase the chances that as many people as possible get a bottle of something cool.
We are implementing one change with this ballot, that will differentiate it from prior ones. Our June 7 ballots had roughly 6 times the number of entries as actual bottles, and we noticed many of those entering said ballot were not in our customer database, and at least as far as we could tell, they have not purchased from KWM in the past. If the same number of people enter this ballot, the odds of anyone having their name drawn for a chance to purchase one of the whiskies will be roughly 1:10, based on the number of bottles we have available this time around.
Those are long and discouraging odds, and it got me wondering how we could improve on them, especially for our most loyal customers. Why shouldn’t they be the ones catching the unicorns, instead of others who are just cherry picking, or worse?
Moving forward we will be restricting entry into ballots announced in the Malt Messenger to existing customers who have made a purchase at KWM in the last calendar year. But as this is the first time we’ve added this extra layer. We are going to be a little more generous with the time frame, as long as your name is in our customer database, and you’ve spent more than $0.01 at KWM since January 1, 2020 (more than 2 1/2 years), you are welcome to enter this ballot.
If the above does not apply to you, and you would like to be included in future ballots, we encourage you to support our business in-store or online and make sure you are entered into our customer database. We have lots of cool stuff here, especially our world-famous store-exclusive single casks (refer to the top section for more info), whiskies you won’t find in any other store in the world. They are our favourite kind of unicorn!
We are keeping some of the other ballot terms, conditions, and suggestions from prior offerings:
1. You are welcome to enter your name for only one, or all of the whiskies on the ballot, but please note we cannot accommodate preferences; please do not enter the ballots for any bottles you don’t intend to actually purchase.
2. We will be making an effort to make sure as many people as possible get at least 1 bottle of something, accordingly, no one will be selected to purchase more than one of the bottles on offer.
3. Don’t be a dick… please don’t enter the ballot for any bottles you have already acquired elsewhere or which you intend to flip for a profit right after picking them up. Refer to my intro if you need more context on this.
4. If your name is drawn you will be billed or contacted for your payment info within 1 week of the ballot closing.
5. Don’t call or email us asking if you were selected for a bottle… please wait until you hear from us!
6. Please do not submit more than 1 entry, or enter the ballot with an alias, on behalf of your spouse, children, roommate, dog or teddy bear. We aren’t stupid. If we feel you are trying to increase your chances of winning, you may be disqualified.
7. The ballot closes at midnight, Tuesday, August 16.
Here are the whiskies we are offering in this Malt Messenger’s Ballot:
We had a handful of the Compass Box Experimental Grain leftover from the tastings in July, so thought we’d toss it in too for good measure.
1. Bowmore 27 Year Timeless – 52.7% – Producer Description: “This 27-year old single malt has been carefully matured in Sherry and Bourbon casks for 15 years. Then, it was carefully moved to first-fill Oloroso butts. Here it remained for 12 years, only to be released once at its best and considered a worthy legacy.” – Producer Tasting Note: “Breathe In: Fruity cooked plums and prune jam. Corinth raisins and sultana notes with a strong Oloroso influence. Toffee and maple syrup, liquorice, grilled orange peel and smoked seaweed. Sip: Tobacco, rich cocoa and the warming Islay peat smoke. Savour: The finish is long with scented burnt wood notes, dry fruits and a touch of frankincense.” – $2350
2. Celebration of the Cask Laphroaig 2004 17 Year – 48.6% – Bourbon Barrel – Producer Tasting Note: “Sweet bonfire smoke, stone fruits and charred citrus peel.” – $465
3. Compass Nox Experimental Grain – 46% – A peated grain whisky? Yes sir! The whisky is composed of roughly 1/3 Loch Lomond Grain produced from peated malt, blended with grains from North British and Cameronbridge Distilleries as well as a portion of Hedonism Blended Grain whisky. Producer Tasting Note: “An appetizing aroma of contrasts: banana and toffee mingle with soft, savoury barbecue smokiness and hints of rum and raspberry. Enjoy a soft and oily palate of almond and vanilla before a curiously delicious flavour of burnt pine cones develops.” – $155
4. Kilchoman Madiera Matured – 50% – 5 Year – Producer Description: “The Madeira Cask Matured was distilled in May 2016 and matured for 5 years and 3 months in 46 fresh Madeira hogsheads, before being bottled at 50% abv in August 2021 and released in March 2022.” – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: caramel, orange zest and ripe plums with hints of mixed spices and rich smoke. Palate: bright citrus zest and peach notes, with raisins, walnuts, dark chocolate and integrated smoke. Finish: juicy fortified wine, burnt sugar, dark fruits, lingering smoke and Christmas cake.” – $155
5. Kilkerran 8 Year Port Cask – 57.9% – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: A delicate introduction to this dram with an earthiness apparent from the offset, opening up to notes of red currants and parma ham. Palate: A richness develops on the palate with fruit notes reminiscent of dark fruit gateau and cherry, along with hints of chocolate. Finish: The earthiness from the nose carries through to the finish along with a peppery note to round off this malt. – $125
6. Kilkerran 8 Year Sherry Cask – 57.9% – Producer Tasting Notes: “Nose: Aromatic citrus notes kick off this dram, with hints of orange peel and marmalade on the nose. A peppery, spicy note develops over time. Palate: Rich on the palate, with notes of barbequed meats hinting toward the peat smoke influence. Finish: There is a sweetness apparent in notes of sticky honey glaze and demerara sugar.” – $125
7. Springbank Local Barley 10 Year 2022 Edition – 56.2% – Farm: Glencraigs, by Campbeltown – Barley Variety: Belgravia – 100% Bourbon – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Delicate oral notes kick off this dram, along with hints of digestive biscuit and a cereal note reminiscent of the malt barns. The bourbon infuence is presented in notes of vanilla custard and custard creams. A fruity, cherry note develops over time. Palate: The vanilla note from the nose develops on the palate into flavours of sweet, creamy victoria sponge. There are hints of honey and syrup, balanced with fresh barley water. Finish: A light and sweet finish, with hints of salted caramel to round off this dram.- $260
8. Springbank Longrow Red 15 Year – 51.4% – Double Matured in Bourbon then Red Wine Casks – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Creamy and fruity on the nose, with notes of custard, bramble jelly, red apples and cherries. The Longrow character presents itself in smoky embers, along with hints of toffee and butterscotch. Palate: The smokiness continues on the palate and tannin flavours develop, balanced with sweet confectionary, cranberry and raspberry in this smooth, delicate malt. Finish: With briny, maritime elements and the persistence of the smoky embers, the Campbeltown influence is particularly apparent in the finish.” – $190
9. Springbank 25 Year 2022 Edition – 46% – 40% Bourbon, 60% Sherry – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Sweet and delicate on the nose, with notes of raspberry coulis. A mustiness develops reminiscent of dunnage warehouses and bung cloth. Palate: Initially smooth and syrupy on the palate, opening up to notes of sultanas, bananas and Demerara sugar crystals. Finish: The coastal influence presents itself in a saltiness in the finish, along with hints of barley water and grassy notes.” – $815
Enter The Ballot Here!
EVAN’S (ANDREW’S) SMWS CORNER
THE AUGUST 2022 OUTTURN
Evan couldn’t find his way out of the corner this month, so you are stuck with my thoughts… Overall it was an excellent Outturn this month. You can watch the tasting which featured Evan, Kelly Carpenter (SMWS Canada) and me on our YouTube page.
There were six whiskies this month, one of them being a Macallan. It was only sold by ballot and is all gone… We also re-tasted a Society Armagnac originally released a few months back. Despite the stellar outturn this month, A5.3: Fully-loaded sweet trolley stole the show… if I’m being honest!
REFILL THRILL
· CASK NO. 91.32
· CASK TYPE: 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel
· AGE: 12 years
· FLAVOUR PROFILE: Spicy & sweet
· BOTTLE NOTE: “Veering between spices and sweetness, this is classic refill wood maturation in great style. Showcasing an intricate and complex distillate.”
· ANDREW’S THOUGHTS: “This is a style I really love, spirit driving, and it is a whisky that needs time to open up. Water no bueno IMHO!”
· PRICE: $154.99
HITS THE SWEET SPOT
· CASK NO. 9.229
· CASK TYPE: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
· AGE: 17 years
· FLAVOUR PROFILE: Sweet, fruity & mellow
· BOTTLE NOTE: “Flowers on a summer meadow, Belgian waffles, carrot cake and a Moscato sangria were followed by hibiscus iced tea and maple syrup on pancakes.”
· ANDREW’S THOUGHTS: “This one had a lot of spruce/pine notes and a creamy velvety backdrop. The consensus was it wasn’t very sweet, but delicious nonetheless!”
· PRICE: $216.99
CANDY FLOSS ON A PINE TWIG
· CASK NO. G15.13
· CASK TYPE: 2nd fill ex-bourbon barrel
· AGE: 11 years
· FLAVOUR PROFILE: Juicy, oak & vanilla
· BOTTLE NOTE: “Malted grains and cereals arrived with coconut and linseed oil while juicy fruits and ginger merged with vanilla ice cream, rhubarb and herbs.”
· ANDREW’S THOUGHTS: “This is hands down the most fun of all of the whiskies in the Outturn, at times very rum-like, at others more like a very fruity oak aged gin. It was all over the place in the best possible way, and my second favourite whisky this month!”
· PRICE: $146.99
HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE DUNDEE CAKE
· CASK NO. 51.16
· CASK TYPE: 1st fill ex-bourbon barrel
· AGE: 16 years
· FLAVOUR PROFILE: Juicy, oak & vanilla
· BOTTLE NOTE: “Lemon bonbons, rich marmalade and vanilla custard tart. Then, dried fruits in a Dundee cake spread with hazelnut chocolate goodness.”
· ANDREW’S THOUGHTS: “It seems pricey at first glance, but after tasting it, and when you learn its Bushmills… it makes a lot more sense. Simply gorgeous, and very fruity… classic mid-teens Bushmills!”
· PRICE: $239.99
THE GLOW OF A BEACH BONFIRE
· CASK NO. 53.359
· CASK TYPE: Refill ex-bourbon hogshead
· AGE: 9 years
· FLAVOUR PROFILE: Peated
· BOTTLE NOTE: “A dark fruitiness joined chargrilled pineapple and dry roasted peanuts before heather arrived with lobster and seaweed on a seafood platter.”
· ANDREW’S THOUGHTS: “The most consistently good distillery strikes again… I didn’t want to love it, the Bushmills and the Loch Lomond Grain are excellent and deserving of more attention than they might otherwise get. But this liquid is excellent!”
· PRICE: $163.99
HOLYROOD SPIRITS MERCHANTS BLOWOUT!
Holyrood Distillery is the brainchild of Rob & Kelly Carpenter (pictured with David Robertson, Evan and Andrew), whom many of you will know are the owners of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada. Holyrood opened its doors in the summer of 2019 in a converted 180-year-old train shed in Edinburgh’s Holyrood Park neighbourhood.
Located a short walk from the city’s famous Royal Mile, at the foot of Arthur’s Seat, Holyrood has been laying down casks of whisky for over a year now. While we all wait for the whisky to mature, the distillery has produced Gins, Liqueurs, and some blended malt which we are proud to stock at KWM!
Last year the distillery revamped its product line built around the award-winning new Height of Arrows Gin, which is expected to arrive in Alberta this fall. Ahead of its launch, we have been asked to help clear out the old stock of Holyrood products. While supplies last, all Holyrood products are 30-35% off!
Whisky
The whiskies are all 700mls, created by the team at Holyrood whisky to help tell their story, while their own whisky comes of age.
1. Holyrood Spirits Merchant Fruity Blended Malt Scotch – A Campbeltown Blended Malt created to highlight a “fruity” profile. – Was $60 – SAVE 30% – Now $42
2. Holyrood Spirits Merchant Smoky Blended Malt Scotch – A peated Blended Malt Scotch whisky, created to emphasize it’s “smoky” profile. Was $60 – SAVE 30% – Now $42
3. Holyrood Spirits Merchant Spicy Blended Malt Scotch – A Blended Malt Scotch whisky created from single malts matured in ex-Oloroso Sherry casks. Was $60 – SAVE 30% – Now $42
4. Holyrood Spirits Merchant Sweet Single Grain Scotch – A mystery Single Grain Scotch Whisky which was finished in Alligator Heavy Char Barrels. Bottled at 46%. – Was $60 – SAVE 30% – Now $42
HOLYROOD MADE BY EDINBURGH CASK OFFER
Ever wanted to own your own cask of whisky? Holyrood Distillery offers that opportunity via its Made by Edinburgh program. It is not the only distillery to do so, but it does try to do things a little differently.
For 2022 distilling season, the Distillery is offering two options:
1. 225L Port Barriques filled with spirit made from a Rauch malt recipe
2. 250L Sherry Hogsheads filled with spirit made from Heavily peated mashbill
I’ve tried both spirits and can vouch for them that they are both very interesting. Full disclosure, KWM has previously bought a few casks from Holyrood, for bottling way down the line.
NEW TASTINGS
Our Fall Tasting Schedule is coming soon, but in the meantime, here are a few events to entertain and delight you!
· Date: Friday August 26
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $50
· Pick-Up Date: Ready Now!
· Only 9 spots left!
Bonded Bourbon isn’t just a kink – it is a lifestyle! Time to get down and dirty as we explore ties that bind Bottled in Bond American Whiskey history. Prepare to get spanked a bit by these 50% ABV offerings and learn how not to get embarrassed explaining it to friends. All experience levels are welcome – but make sure to have your safe word on the tip of your tongue and ready in case things get a little out of hand.
Bonded experts Evan and Harmony will help you discover the intricacies of Bottled in Bond whiskies, why they are so important and why they came into being way back at the end of the 1800s. The duo will lead you blind through the selected lineup so that all have a chance to let go of our preconceived notions and inhibitions. Who knows – maybe we will even discover some new favourites and learn something about ourselves along the way!
· Date: Thursday, September 1
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $40
· Pick-Up Date: Ready by July 20!
· Virtual Tasting
Okay – the name is a bit of a fib because we all know KWM has never finished a whisky tasting in only 80 minutes. We don’t plan on changing who we are today – the fun play on words in the title was just too hard to resist! Join Harmony and Evan on a quest ’round this giant blue ball we all reside on.
The goal of this expedition? To explore how single malts fare when made outside of Scotland. Single Malts are synonymously known for being made in Scotland but there is no rule saying they can’t be made in other countries. Let us stamp our whisky passport as we discover 8 exciting Single Malts made from other lesser-known regions of the world – all from the comfort of your own home!
· Date: Wednesday, September 7
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $45
· Pick-Up Date: Ready by August 22!
· Virtual Tasting
Log in, pour your drams and join us from home, the cottage, or work… for the September 2022 Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada Virtual Outturn Tasting. The KWM team will be your guide as you sample through an exciting range of 7 new, never-before sampled SMWS whiskies. Wednesday, September 7, 7 PM.
You don’t have to be a member to attend, that is unless you’d like to buy a bottle or two! More membership info here!
· Date: Thursday, September 8
· Time: 6 PM
· Cost: $55
· Pick-Up Date: Ready by July 20!
· In-Person Tasting
While we are not likely to ever go back to offering 4 back to back SMWS tastings every month, we will be offering at least 1 or 2. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada’s September Outturn tasting will feature new, never before featured whiskies. The range will be the same as the virtual tasting the night before but will also include nibbles from our friends at Peasant Cheese, and the comradery that can only come from 20 SMWS Members in our tasting room. Please note we will not be holding back stock of the Outturn bottles specifically to purchase for this in-person tasting, though there will likely be bottles of most whiskies still available. Thursday, September 8, 6 PM.
You don’t have to be a member to attend, that is unless you’d like to buy a bottle or two! More membership info here!
OTHER UP-COMING TASTINGS
· Date: Saturday, August 13
· Time: 5 PM
· Cost: $35
· Pick-Up Date: Ready Now!
· Only 2 spots left!
We are about to receive our first ever KWM exclusive single cask of GlenAllachie… and we are stoked! Ronan Currie, Sales Director, has generously agreed to stay up and join us live from Scotland to host a virtual launch tasting. Our range will include a number of limited-edition whiskies not even available for sale, including the GlenAllachie 10 Year Batch 6, GlenAllachie 11 Year Grattamacco Cask, GlenAllachie 12 Year Sauternes Cask, GlenAllachie 13 Year Rioja Cask, and GlenAllachie 21 Year Batch 1 (not pictured(. To round out our lines, participants will also get to sample the GlenAllachie 18 and our GlenAllachie 15 Year KWM Oloroso Cask! Saturday, August 13, 2022, 5 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.
CURBSIDE PICKUP
Physical distancing is made easy with curbside pickup. Order online or by phone, wait for confirmation your order is ready then call us when you are parked in the back or out front. Be sure to let us know what your vehicle looks like!
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