Inaugural Release: Macaloney’s Triple Distilled Potstill Whiskies

As Macaloney’s Island Distillery Whiskymaker, I am proud to let you know that the long-awaited, first ever, ‘inaugural release’ of our triple distilled potstill whiskies is going live now, exclusively in Canada. Please check out https://victoriacaledonian.com/ for details including free shipping across Canada (for 2 bottles or more).

This limited release includes Killeigh (‘Canadian Best‘ @ World Whiskies Awards) and Kildara Whiskymaker’s Signature Expressions whose cartons proudly display ‘Batch 1’ on the front, plus the Kirkinriola Single Cask release which displays the cask #. Bottles of all three whiskies are individually numbered by hand to enhance their collectable value.

Did you know that our investors get early access to new releases like these? Preferred shareholders also receive a 10% discount on their purchases and an annual whisky dividend. Click here to learn more.

Killeigh – Whiskymaker’s Signature Selection 

Killeigh won Best Potstill Whisky in Canada at the prestigious 2022 World Whiskies Awards.  It was created with a combination of Kentucky Ex-Bourbon wood, European oak, and Virgin American oak casks.

The nose presents cream soda, soft vanilla and oak, with apricot, pear, hints of banana, sweet pea flowers, milled oats and honey. The white wine European oak is delicate and layered.  The palate is velvety-creamy with more tropical fruits including sweet lychees, mandarin orange, and delicate banana embellished with honey and barley water. Fresh rose petals and a potpourri of dried flowers and wood spice yield to vanilla, oak and coconut with a hint of linseed, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Kildara – Whiskymaker’s Signature Selection – lightly Sherried

Kildara is the culmination of carefully selected and married Spanish Oloroso, Kentucky Ex-Bourbon, Virgin American Oak, and Pedro Ximénes (PX) casks. The result is a full bodied, triple distilled single potstill, island whisky with delicate Sherry notes.

On the nose, you’ll enjoy notes of dried fruit cake, vanilla crème laced with cinnamon, demerara sugar, and old seasoned leather. Abundant tropical fruits include candied orange, dried apricot, figs, ripe blackberries, blackcurrant jam, dried raisins and roasted nuts are also apparent. The palate is velvety-soft, resplendent with full bodied Sherry and tropical fruit. Oatmeal develops to oak spices, coffee, dark chocolate orange, nectarines, stewed plums, blackcurrant, red currant and sultana’s, coming together as sweet dark fruitcake and honey.

Kirkinriola: Single Cask Moscatel  

Kirkinriola Moscatel is our first triple distilled single cask whisky release. This whisky is for the purists and collectors who want to experience the Moscatel Sweet White Wine cask in its unadulterated form.

The nose is resplendent of Muscat grape, sweet white wine and a well-developed European oak presence including vanilla, honey, and marzipan, walnut and nutmeg. Barley, oatmeal and malted milk yield to abundant tropical fruits including dried apricot, ripe peaches and sultanas. The creamy mouthfeel leads to full bodied moscatel and oak, vanilla beans, dried ginger, ripe cherries, pear, lychees, dried coconut and lemon zest. The juicy barley and malt suggest digestive biscuits layered with treacle, followed by linseed, comfortable leather furniture, walnut, almonds and pecans, with a hint of salt and dry oaken finish.

What’s behind this new range of Triple Distilled Potstill whiskies?   

These triple distilled potstill expressions are a tribute to Dr. Swan by our Master Whiskymaker Dr. Graeme Macaloney. Dr. Swan had always wanted to apply his methods to triple-distilled potstill whiskies but sadly passed away before he could do so. Graeme, studied the traditional methods for distilling this style of whisky and overlaid Dr. Swans methods here in Canada. The result is that the patient, yet purposeful, triple distillation produces a complex, layered and balanced new-make spirit.  Dr. Swan described our original new-make which trickles off our copper pot stills as:

“the best that I have tasted in any distillery at this stage, super fruity.”

This triple-distillate is even smoother and fruitier!  When we submitted the newmake underpinning all of these triple distilled potstill whiskies to the World Whiskies Awards, it took a gold medal, ‘Best in Canada‘, and ranked top 2 in the World!

AWARD-WINNING WHISKY WEDNESDAYS

We’d like to invite you to an exclusive members-only event in celebration of the bumper batch of awards and medals we’ve won recently, in the UK and around the world.

We’re thrilled to receive so many awards accolades, but this really is THANKS TO YOU, our members. We simply couldn’t do it without you. Our members are at the heart of everything we do and that includes selecting whiskies with the Society WOW-factor.

To say a special thanks to our members, we have planned a series of award-winning tastings at each of our Members’ Room, every Wednesday throughout July. These tastings are a gift from us to you at no cost, where we’ll be pouring some of the last drops of our award-winning whiskies.

READ AWARD NEWS

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

Kentucky Bourbon Affair™ Fantasy Camp Postponed

FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Distillers’ Association announced today that its annual Kentucky Bourbon Affair™ fantasy camp won’t happen in September 2022, but the prestigious event is being reimagined for 2023.

The KDA created the KBA eight years ago as a world-class celebration featuring daily behind-the-scenes access at the nation’s most iconic distilleries, with elite nightcap dinners and fetes in Louisville starring Kentucky’s historic Bourbon culture and top-shelf culinary scene.

KDA President Eric Gregory said participating distillers simply don’t have the bandwidth and workforce to manage the immersive, week-long showcase – and many are already booked for months as visitors have returned in droves to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour.

“These intimate, rare, backstage experiences are what make the Kentucky Bourbon Affair such a magical event, and we’re concerned that it would not live up to the high expectations from our devoted fans, many of whom come back year after year,” Gregory said.

With 50 members now across 40 Kentucky counties, Gregory said the KDA is taking the time to reimagine the Kentucky Bourbon Affair™ with plans to return in 2023. It has been postponed since 2020 due to the COVID pandemic.

“The Bourbon Affair is a bucket list adventure and the only event that’s exclusively produced by the distilleries themselves,” he said. “We look forward to a fresh, new approach to the KBA next year and thank all our fans for their patience and understanding.”

Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is the historic voice for Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Its diverse and growing membership produces 90 percent of the world’s Bourbon, from legendary, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are fostering the next generation of the Commonwealth’s timeless craft and treasured economic engine. Member benefits include media relations, international trade development, private sampling events, technical assistance, economic development support, networking, legal defense, marketing strategies, governmental and regulatory advocacy and innovative tourism experiences through the KDA’s world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® adventures. The KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving. Learn more at www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com.

KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL CRAFT TOUR®, KENTUCKY BOURBON AFFAIR™, KBT®, BOURBON TRAIL™, KENTUCKY BOURBON HALL OF FAME®, ORDER OF THE WRIT®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TALES®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL WELCOME CENTER®,, URBAN BOURBON TRAIL® and THE PROOF IS HERE® are trademarks/service marks of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. 

The Maltstock venue

As you might know, this year we have a different venue. After 13 years in the forest near Nijmegen, we now head to the beautiful Dutch country side near Lievelde. Next year we expect to be back at our regular venue, when the Ukranian refugees have hopefully returned home safe.

Bob, Klaas, Stan & Teun

New venue

Last week we visited this year’s venue for a second time. And we’re still very happy! It’s a very relaxed and suitable accommodation. We have great indoor and outdoor space. We have even more beds available, and we have a campground on site as well, for those of you who prefer camping.

There’s a very relaxed outdoor area where we can all gather, share drams and meet old and new friends. We’ll have masterclasses and “drinks with…” session as usual. Wullie from the Hielander in Alkmaar will provide us with a relaxed Scottish breakfast again.

There’s food, drinks, a detox walk, a raffle and of course there will be a midnight café as well!

So new venue, new dates, same relaxedness!

Please check our website for more info on the venue: https://www.maltstock.com/venue-beusink

Program

In the next few weeks we’ll be telling you more about the Maltstock program. Follow us on Facebook to stay updated. Some very relaxed people have already confirmed their presence. So as always we’ll have plenty of very relaxed masterclasses and “Drinks with… “ sessions for you to choose from. And of course these are included in your ticket. How very relaxed!

New dates

The venue we found had only one weekend still available in September. This means that this years Maltstock will be held from 23 to 25 September.

Tickets

Quite a few tickets have already been sold, but it’s not too late for you to join the relaxed fun. You can get your ticket here: www.maltstock.com/shop

Looking forward to meeting you all!

ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE^® 2022 Results Announced

 WHISKY – CANADA

WhistlePig The Boss Hog VIII LapuLapu’s Pacific Straight Rye

WHISKEY – IRELAND

Blended: J.J. Corry The Gael

Single Pot Still: Redbreast 21 Years Old

Single Malt: Knappogue Castle 21 Years Old 

WHISKY – SCOTLAND

Blended: Dewar’s Double Double 32 Years Old

Blended Malt: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Batch #13 Tabanco Time 11 Years Old

Single Malt-Highland: Glenmorangie Truffle Oak Reserve 26 Years Old

Single Malt-Island: Highland Park Viking Honour 12 Years Old

Single Malt-Islay: Ardbeg Uigedail

Single Malt-Speyside: Mortlach Cowie’s Blue Seal 20 Years Old

WHISKEY – USA

Bottled-In-Bond: Old Fitzgerald Spring 2022 Edition 17 Years Old

Bourbon: Eagle Rare 17 Years Old

Rye: Smooth Ambler Founders’ Cask Strength Series

Single Barrel: Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel

Single Malt: Courage & Conviction Cuvée Single Cask, Cask No. 1266

Tennessee: Jack Daniel’s 10 Years Old

Wheat: Bainbridge Battle Point Two Islands Islay Cask

Other: Barrell Whiskey Private Release DJA1 Blend 1 Finished in a St. Agrestis Brooklyn Amaro Cask

WHISK(E)Y – WORLD

Japanese: Matsui The Kurayoshi Sakura Cask Japanese Single Malt

World: Seven Seals The Age of Pisces Oloroso Sherry Wood Finish Single Malt

June 8, 2022 (Hawthorne, NY) – Ultimate Spirits Challenge (USC), since 2010 the world’s most prestigious global spirits competition, today releases the results of the 2022 Challenge. USC 2022 proved to be the thirteenth consecutive year of record submissions. Entries arrived from more than 50 spirit-producing nations.

The judging, held through May and early June, determined 57 Chairman’s Trophy winners, 274 Finalists, 446 Great Values, and 143 Tried & True Award winners. As always, USC was conducted at the custom-designed Ultimate Beverage Challenge (UBC) Evaluation Center, located in Hawthorne, NY.

Says UBC Co-Founder and Judging Director F. Paul Pacult, “Aside from being the largest USC ever, this year’s Challenge was likewise the most global, with an impressive array of quality distillates from places as far away from New York as China, Australia, Ecuador, India, and Chile. Virtually all categories saw healthy gains, most notably gin, Ready-to-Drink cocktails, mezcal, rum, tequila, rum, vodka, and all whiskey and brandy categories.

“Since producers tend to enter their top-shelf marques into USC, it’s clear that they look to us for the most accurate and unbiased data in the industry. We already look forward to USC 2023!”

ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE…No shortcuts. Just honest, impartial judging

After undergoing careful analysis through multiple panels, all products are rated on the 100-point scale by the spirits industry’s most renowned judges including buyers, journalists, educators, authors, and bar owners.

Spirits scoring 85+ points receive a detailed tasting note. All spirits scoring 80+ points receive an individual results page, which provides all downloadable marketing material.

USC results are promoted globally and on social media.

ABOUT ULTIMATE BEVERAGE CHALLENGE

Ultimate Beverage Challenge (UBC) provides expert evaluation of spirits for producers, importers, and marketers through its innovative annual competition: Ultimate Spirits Challenge. UBC partners are F. Paul Pacult, Sue Woodley and David Talbot.

Whisky regions… relevant or redundant?

It is only over the last few decades that whisky marketers have really begun using the Scotch whisky regions to promote regional variations (in a similar way that wine producers have for many years). The usefulness of regional classification, however, has always been questioned by some in the whisky industry. 

When the Scotch Whisky Association originally named five regions (which included the Islands as a sub-category of the Highlands), there were only a small handful of Island distilleries. However, with the opening of distilleries from Shetland to the Outer Hebrides and others, an Island region is arguably justifiable. But does it really matter?

READ MORE

In-person Stateside study

Excitement is building for our first in-person teaching trip to the USA this September. There are two opportunities to study the Diploma in Single Malt Whisky with us in-person. First up, we’ll be in New York at Kings County Distillery (10 & 11 Sep) before moving to New Hampshire for a special ticketed event (13 & 14 Sep) ahead of the Highland Games & Festival (16-18 Sep). Places are filling up for both courses, so if you – or someone you know – might be interested in attending, be sure to secure the spot(s) soon.

LEARN MORE

Father’s Day 2022: Old Pulteney’s Taste of The Sea 

Whisky and Seafood Masterclass

To celebrate Father’s Day this year, Old Pulteney, The Maritime Malt, has partnered with a top Manchester cooking school, to create the ultimate whisky and fish cooking experience for you and your dad.

An unforgettable gift experience for a dad who enjoys spending time in the kitchen, Old Pulteney’s Taste of the Sea Whisky and Seafood Masterclass aims to teach attendees everything they need to know about preparing fish dishes at home, from removing bones to filleting, all enjoyed over a dram of Old Pulteney’s 12 Years Old Single Malt, the definitive expression in the distillery’s collection.

The relaxed evening class will include basic fish preparation skills, including how best to use your fishmonger and tips and tricks on how to create sumptuous coastal recipes at home. Attendees will also learn three delicious recipes, all created with Old Pulteney’s delicious core collection.

While you cook, experts will guide you through the tasting notes of the Maritime Malt and explain how its unique flavour compliments each dish.

Each expression in Old Pulteney’s range of single malt scotch whiskies captures the essence of its home on the Northerly shores of the Caithness Coast, in rural Scotland.  Matured by the sea, Old Pulteney casks breathe the sea air year after year, leaving a distinctively briny taste that pairs perfectly with seafood dishes.

A perfect Father’s Day gift, the experience aims to create an opportunity for fathers across the UK to spend quality time with loved ones, but can also be enjoyed solo. Afterwards, dad will receive an Old Pulteney recipe book so that he can make more delicious dishes at home.

The three hour masterclass takes place on Saturday, July 02 at Manchester’s Food Sourcery cooking school. Tickets cost £95 per person and can be purchased here.

To learn more about Old Pulteney, visit their website here.

Aberdeen Whisky Shop
Price
£30.00

Join our virtual mystery dram tasting on Friday the 24th of June at 7 pm. A fun and informative evening showcasing some more unusual and overlooked drams. A great way to discover new flavours and find a new favourite.

Your tasting set will include 6 x 20ml drams and will be hosted by Bryan Roberston of Aberdeen Whisky Shop. Please note to join the tasting you will need a device with access to zoom.

BUY IT NOW

Personalise your bottle for dad!

Get personal and add a special touch to that bottle of whisky! Nothing will brighten up your dad’s day better than a new bottle of the water of life and a wee heartfelt message – aww. All the bottles below can be personalised so take a gander!

🔥 Free delivery over £75 🔥

Check out Personalised bottles → 

Until midnight on Tuesday 14th June, we’re offering you the chance to receive a complimentary branded Glencairn Glass, worth £6.95, when you purchase one of our single malt whiskies online and in-store.* The perfect addition to your whisky cabinet, it also makes for a beautiful gift to which you can add a personalised gift note.

SHOP NOW