Submitted by Phil Adobewan…

Whiskey and Whisky lovers all over the country have been trying to get hold of Traditional Steartite Whiskey Stones for years (I know I am one of them) and they are HARD to find. They are a great thing for Australian drinking conditions, cooling the drink without ice.  They don’t chill like ice, that is actually a very bad thing to do, it dilutes and pollutes!

Whiskey stones gently keep your bevvy at ‘cellar temperature’ and are reusable and will not affect the drink in any other way, they are chemically inert and non-toxic.  (They are made from the same stone that talcum powder is made from.

Search ‘Whiskey Stones’ on ebay australia or:

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Whiskey-Stones-First-time-offered-hand-made-RARE-AS-/330522207872?pt=AU_BarwareCollectables&hash=item4cf4a8a680

Good morning to all!
 
I am writing to you today because over the past several months, each of you has contacted Lark Distillery in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia about the availability of their wonderful whiskies here in the United States.

Marsalle Company in Franklin Park, IL has been appointed the U.S. importer for Lark Whiskies, and we have been working hard in preparation for their arrival in this country.

I am very pleased to tell you that Lark Whiskies will be arriving here in the U.S. in late March, with the formal launch planned for April. We will be launching three different whiskies here in the U.S.:

Lark Single Cask Single Malt Whisky   43% abv
Lark Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky   58% abv
Lark Distiller’s Selection Single Cask Release   46% abv

We are in the process of appointing distributors in a number of states across the country. These distributors will be handling sales and distribution of Lark Whiskies in their appointed markets.

We expect to launch Lark Whiskies initially in California, New York, New Jersey, Florida, Illinois, Texas and Massachusetts, with additional markets to follow as supply will allow.

The initial quantities are limited, as you might expect with high quality, hand-crafted whiskies such as Lark. For this reason we will be rolling these products out on an allocated basis to make sure we can meet expected demand in the marketplace.

The good news here is that we expect the available supply of Lark Whiskies to increase sufficiently to meet the market’s needs by summer/fall of this year.

We are very excited about the upcoming launch, and we appreciate your enthusiasm for these award-winning whiskies. If you would like further details regarding launch timing, distributor information in your state, or if you have any other questions for us, please feel free to contact me. My contact information is listed below.

Thanks for your interest in Lark Whiskies – your patience is about to be rewarded!

Robert Imperial
Marsalle Company
11550 King Street
Franklin Park, IL 60131
847-451-6300
rob@marsalle.com

March Previews: Brown Sugary Goodness

With March First Friday just around the corner we’ve decided to release two sweet little numbers early – a taste of what’s to come..

Buy March Previews 121.40 & 7.63 for £85 (save £17.50)

121.40 Black tea with brown sugar
Highland Island
£40.00 inc. free p&p
Twiglets, Marmite Cheddars and yeasty brown-bread buns, so the intense sweetness when we tasted came as a surprise –Muscovado sugar, molasses, treacle – giving way to meaty, Marmite flavours

7.63 In place of pudding
Speyside Lossie
£62.50 inc. free p&p
Excellent colour, with a rich scent of French apple tart, then peaches and custard, then settling as syrup sponge with stem ginger and Crunchie

March Outturn Released:
Thu 3 Mar (just around midnight!)

February Outturn Offers (ends Thu 4 Mar):
PAIR: 53.146 & 36.51 for £90 (save £17.70)
THREESOME: 29.89, 64.28 & 44.48 for £131 (save £26.40)
CASE OFFER: 53.146, 36.51, 29.89, 64.28, 44.48 & 1.156 for £259.50 (save £50.00)
  
Society Tastings & Events (48 Society tastings online)
Wokingham Preview Tasting – Cantley House Hotels, Fri 25 Feb
Harrogate Preview Tasting – Hotel du Vin, Fri 25 Feb
Stirling Preview Tasting – Golden Lion Hotel, Fri 25 Feb
Birmingham Preview Tasting – Malmaison, Fri 25 Feb
Brighton Preview Tasting – Hotel du Vin, Fri 25 Feb
6 Nations Ireland V Scotland Lunch – The Vaults, Sun 27 Feb
6 Nations Ireland V Scotland – Queen Street, Sun 27 Feb
Bon Voyage Tasting – The Vaults, Wed 2 Mar
New Outturn & Sunday Roast Tasting – The Vaults, Sun 6 Mar

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 http://www.smws.co.uk/memberships for your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers.

We’re pleased to announce the arrival in BC of the long-awaited 1.14 litre size of Forty Creek Barrel Select Canadian whisky:

+605733 Forty Creek Barrel Select 1.14 – spec, retail: $37.49, case: 6 x 1.14 litre

With annual sales of more than 2.3 million dollars and sustained growth rate of 60% over the last 12 months, Forty Creek brand is no doubt the ‘hottest’ entity in the Canadian whisky sector in BC right now. It is indeed the fastest growing and the highest rated Canadian whisky brand across Canada, including beautiful British Columbia!

Despite its eligibility for LDB store listing, the new 1.14 litre size is being kept (for now) as speculative sku i.e. order by the case. Please note that LDB wholesale warehouse carries inventory of the new product to provide you with faster turn around order time.

Please visit www.fortycreekwhisky.com to learn more about the brand. If you have any questions or need assistance with ordering, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Hello Fellow Scotch Lovers – 

It just keeps getting better: This week I am as excited as ever to offer you the opportunity to purchase another highly collectible whisky: Knappogue Castle Sherry-Cask Finished 16 Year Old Irish Single Malt.

Knappogue Castle is a producer of super-premium single malt Irish whiskies. Their new 16-year old single malt whiskey, Twin Wood, is aged in two types of barrels…a first for the brand. After 15 years and three months in bourbon casks, this latest offering from Knappogue Castle, spent a final nine months aging in sherry casks – hence its name.

This is an extremely limited edition whisky, with only 1,900 signed and numbered bottles produced of the Twin Wood 16 Year Old. So if you want a bottle, please purchase your Knappogue Castle 16YO Twin Wood Irish Single Malt now, and this year celebrate St Patricks Day in style.

As always with opportunities like this, once it’s gone, it’s gone!

Doug Stone
Founder
www.ForScotchLovers.com  

Whisky Liqueur for Single Malt Connoisseurs

Master of Malt have created a whisky liqueur for single malt Scotch whisky drinkers.

Master of Malt’s (http://www.masterofmalt.com/) Whisky liqueur is made exclusively with all-sherry matured, 10 year old single malt whisky from a very famous Speyside distillery. It is flavoured with many Christmassy spices including cinnamon and cloves, and two kinds of orange peel. The result is a rich and complex liqueur aimed at the discerning single malt whisky connoisseur.

Master of Malt’s Sales Director, Ben Ellefsen, described the thinking behind the new venture: “We wanted to go against the grain and say “here’s a liqueur that a whisky connoisseur can enjoy”. Our new liqueur is made with all natural ingredients, based around an absolutely superb 10 year old Speyside single malt whisky, which was matured solely in sherry casks. The flavours we added were chosen to complement the Scotch, and bring it to a new level – this is in contrast to many of the mass-marketed liqueurs which use huge levels of sweetness and flavourings to hide the lack of complexity in the (often cheap, young, grain) whiskies they are based on.”

“Our new whisky liqueur is delicious neat or in a Rusty Nail cocktail, but we heartily recommend you have it in an ice-filled tumbler, garnished with a freshly cut strip of orange zest…”

You can buy Master of Malt 10 Year Old Speyside Whisky Liqueur for £26.95 here: http://www.masterofmalt.com/liqueurs/master-of-malt-10-year-old-speyside-whisky-liqueur/

Master of Malt Whisky Liqueur

–          Made exclusively with 10 year old, all-sherry matured Speyside Single Malt

–          Flavoured with Christmassy spices including cinnamon and cloves, and two kinds of orange peel

–          Handmade in very small batches

About Master of Malt

–          Established in 1985

–          One of the UK’s leading Online Spirits Merchants

–          A highly rated independent bottler, all of whose single cask whiskies scored over 90 points in the Jim Murray Whisky Bible 2009

Master of Malt Blog – http://www.masterofmalt.com/blog

Master of Malt Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/masterofmalt

Master of Malt Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/masterofmalt

Master of Malt – http://www.masterofmalt.com/

February Outturn: J’adore FOUR more?

We’re flaunting our ongoing love of the single cask by releasing four additional new bottlings this February Outturn…

25.58 Floaty and relaxing (Closed distillery)
Lowland
£83.60 inc free p&p  
Bright, floaty and relaxing, with dimpled, cheeky smiles; sweet perfumed toffee, floral soap, apricot, peach, lemon, brown sugar, pastry and pleasant woody notes

125.43 Dancing dolls in flower meadows
Highland Northern
£71.20 inc free p&p
Enchanting – lots of gorse flowers, coconut macaroons, dark chocolate-covered almonds, brown sugar, tablet, marmalade, coffee and vanilla – also hints of sandalwood, oak, charcoal and smoke

35.49 Ticklish and dreamy
Speyside Lossie
£47.50 inc. free p&p
This intriguing sample tickled our noses, its ginger and nutmeg spices dancing with aromas of marmalade, barley sugar, raisins, coconut, honey buns, toffee and chocolate brownie

3.174 Herbal and hot, with muted smoke
Islay
45.30 inc. free p&p
The nose had discreet smoke (far off bonfires), magazines in a fireplace, wood shavings, and barrel staves. We also found candles, perfumed soap, bath balls, honey and Murray Mints

Not forgetting our February Offers:
PAIR: 53.146 & 36.51 for £90 (save £17.70)
THREESOME: 29.89, 64.28 & 44.48 for £131 (save £26.40)
CASE OFFER: 53.146, 36.51, 29.89, 64.28, 44.48 & 1.156
for £259.50 (save £50.00)

Society Tastings & Events (47 Society tastings online)
Wokingham Preview Tasting – Cantley House Hotels, Fri 25 Feb
Harrogate Preview Tasting – Hotel du Vin, Fri 25 Feb
Brighton Preview Tasting – Hotel du Vin, Fri 25 Feb
Stirling Preview Tasting – Golden Lion Hotel, Fri 25 Feb
Birmingham Preview Tasting – Malmaison, Fri 25 Feb
6 Nations Ireland V Scotland Lunch – The Vaults, Sun 27 Feb
6 Nations Ireland V Scotland – Queen Street, Sun 27 Feb
Bon Voyage Tasting – The Vaults, Wed 2 Mar
New Outturn Open Tasting – London, Sat 5 Mar
New Outturn & Sunday Roast Tasting – The Vaults, Sun 6 Mar
New Outturn Open Tasting – London, Mon 7 Mar
Spanish Wine Dinner – The Dining Room, Queen Street, Tue 8 Mar
Springbank Tasting – The Vaults, Thu 10 Mar

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 http://www.smws.co.uk/memberships for your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers.

Brown-Forman Releases Collingwood Canadian Whisky

Introducing the only toasted Maplewood mellowed Canadian whisky

February 14, 2011, Louisville, Ky. – Brown-Forman announces the release of Collingwood, a new premium Canadian whisky which is set to hit shelves in February. Collingwood will be the only Maplewood mellowed Canadian whisky available on the market.

Every batch of Collingwood starts with the finest Canadian grains, pure spring water from Ontario’s Georgian Bay and its very own, hand-crafted, Maplewood mellowing process. The whisky is triple distilled for smoothness and then matured in white oak barrels. In Collingwood’s unique finishing step, the whisky rests with toasted Maplewood to complete its smooth character.

“By now, people have figured out fancy bags and bottles don’t make great whisky, it’s what’s inside that counts,” said Brown-Forman Master Distiller Chris Morris. “With passion and perseverance, we set out to create nothing short of the smoothest Canadian whisky ever made. Collingwood has arrived to set the new standard for smoothness and to revolutionize the Canadian whisky category.”

The gentle Maplewood mellowing process Collingwood undergoes is something unique in the Canadian Whisky category. It has a refined character that can be enjoyed on the rocks or mixed in a whisky cocktail.

Collingwood’s unique over-cap, flask shaped package was created by the media & design group at Brown-Forman based in Louisville, Kentucky.

“The brand objective was to communicate and personify smoothness to the discerning whisky drinker,” said Webb Blevins, Global Creative Director at Brown-Forman. “We believe Collingwood is the smoothest whisky ever made, and because of this, we wanted the package to really show off the liquid inside. We tried to immediately communicate premium without shouting or trying to impress, because Collingwood is for those who have nothing to prove to anyone but themselves.”

Collingwood will launch an ad campaign to coincide with the product’s release in several trade magazines and out of home billboards in launch markets. Available in Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas initially, more markets will be added later in 2011. Each bottle is presented at 80 proof with a suggested retail price of $26.99 for a 750ml bottle.

The Claymore Times

~ All The News That’s Fit To Drink ~

Glen Grant 25 Year Old ( LCBO # 204081) 

Here’s a wee suggestion for St Valentine’s day; buy your significant other a stunning 25yo Glen Grant whisky.  It can be found at 19 LCBO stores in Ontario at a cost of $159 which will make your gift rather special.

Glen Grant Distillery was the first of five to be built in the town of Rothes. It was built by John & James Grant, two brothers who had previously been involved in illicit distilling.

The Glen Grant stills are a unique shape with an almost square section between the pot and the neck, this, together with purifiers on the lyne arms, contributes, to Glen Grant’s light, gentle character. Glen Grant is one of the world’s biggest selling Malt Whiskies, with Italy being a significant market.

TASTING NOTES

WITHOUT WATER:

Nose: Sherry, fruity – bruised apples with rum toffee notes. Polished leather aromas also present.

Palate: Cereal and nutty (almonds and walnuts) elements with burnt flavours, Sherry more evident now.

WITH WATER:

Nose: Fruity as before with developing cherry liqueur aromas. Sherry wood.

Palate: Drying with charred wood, fruitcake and Sherry flavours. Treacle toffee notes.

Body: Medium.

Finish: Clean drying

Cask type(s): First Fill and Refill Sherry Casks.

Colour: Golden brown.

INFORMATION:

Region:                Rothes. Speyside.

Founded:             1840.

Water Source:      Caperdonich Well.

Owner:                 Campari.

Status:                 Operational.

Locations for Glen Grant 25 yo (LCBO # 204081)

1. TORONTO-CENTRAL 10 SCRIVENER SQUARE
 YONGE & SUMMERHILL
 (416)922-0403 
 
2. TORONTO-CENTRAL 2 COOPER STREET
 QUEENS QUAY & YONGE
 (416)864-6777 
 
3. WINDSOR 3165 HOWARD AVENUE
 HOWARD & E.C. ROW EXPWY (ROUNDHOUSE CTR)
 (519)972-1772 
 
4. TORONTO-NORTH YORK 2901 BAYVIEW AVENUE
 BAYVIEW & SHEPPARD (BAYVIEW VILLAGE)
 (416)222-7658
 
5. OAKVILLE 321 CORNWALL DRIVE
 CORNWALL & TRAFALGAR
 (905)845-8100 
 
6. OTTAWA 275 RIDEAU STREET
 RIDEAU & KING EDWARD
 (613)789-5226 
 
7. TORONTO-NORTH YORK 2625D WESTON ROAD
 HWY 401 & WESTON (CROSSROADS)
 (416)243-3320 
 
8. TORONTO-CENTRAL 232 DUPONT STREET
 DUPONT & SPADINA
 (416)922-7066
 
9. KINGSTON 34 BARRACK STREET
 BARRACK & KING
 (613)549-5092
 
10. BRANTFORD 50 MARKET STREET SOUTH
 MARKET SOUTH & ICOMM
 (519)753-0541 
 
11. TORONTO-ETOBICOKE 2946 BLOOR STREET WEST
 BLOOR & ROYAL YORK (KINGSWAY)
 (416)239-3065 
 
12. WOODBRIDGE 7850 WESTON ROAD
 HWY 7 & WESTON
 (905)851-2500 
 
13. TORONTO-NORTH YORK 675 WILSON AVENUE
 WILSON & DUFFERIN
 (416)636-5349 
 
14. TORONTO-NORTH YORK 1838-1844 AVENUE ROAD
 AVENUE & LAWRENCE
 (416)785-6389
 
15. TORONTO-CENTRAL 200 BAY STREET SOUTH,
 FRONT & BAY (ROYAL BANK PLAZA)
 (416)368-9644
 
16. TORONTO-CENTRAL 415 KING STREET WEST
 KING & SPADINA
 (416)598-1482 
 
17. RICHMOND HILL 8783 YONGE STREET
 YONGE & HWY 7
 (905)886-3511 
 
18. TORONTO-CENTRAL 55 BLOOR STREET WEST
 BAY & BLOOR (MANULIFE CENTRE)
 (416)925-5266 
 
19. TORONTO-CENTRAL FIRST CANADIAN PLACE
 BAY & KING (FIRST CANADIAN PLACE)
 (416)594-9040 

NOTES:

I just purchased a 70yo Mortlach (oldest whisky in the world), I’ll keep you posted upon its arrival.

Regards,

Bill Somerville

Global Operations Director

Claymore Imports Inc.

Mail:     bill@claymoreimports.ca