Glenfiddich – Snow Phoenix

Abbey Whisky has just taken stock of Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix!

We have not even advertised this bottle yet, and would like to exclusively offer Abbey Whisky Subscribers the first chance to buy this amzazing release by Glenfiddich…. This bottle sold out very quickly upon release…

£90.00, free postage… Only 2 bottles in stock…

The story behind the bottle…

On the evening of January 7th, after weeks of heavy snow and low temperatures, four feet of compacted snow covered the Glenfiddich distillery roofs, which housed hundreds of casks of fine aged whisky.

A number of warehouse roofs collapsed under the weight, leaving the oak casks exposed to the winter sky. In temperatures of -19°C, distillery staff worked to clear the snow.

Snow Phoenix was created by marrying together whiskies from the damaged warehouses, natural strength and non-chill filtered casks of different ages and finishes, including American oak and Oloroso sherry.

Given the name Snow Phoenix, this cask strength limited edition release will only be bottled in 2010.

If you are interested in this bottle, please email enquiries@abbeywhisky.com

Slainte

Mike & Peter

Abbey Whisky

www.abbeywhisky.com

enquiries@abbeywhisky.com

Specialist supplier of rare, collectable and exclusive malts.

A whisky that shines above all others.

The Northern Lights is a shimmering, kaleidoscope of colours often seen from the Dalmore distillery and the inspiration for the Dalmore Aurora, a sublime 45 year old single malt that is both rare and magical.

Set to cask on 29th April 1964 this brilliant malt has been left in slumbering contentment in the finest oak woods, selected by our Master Distiller.

At first, enchanting nuances of honeyed pear, banana and passion fruit stimulate the senses. Then bright, evocative bursts of blood oranges, figs, fleshy peaches and roasted Colombian coffee are followed by Black Forest fruits, crushed apples and spicy cinnamon.

Only 200 decanters of this dazzling malt have now been released worldwide, making The Dalmore Aurora a spectacular addition to any collection.

For further enlightenment, please visit www.thedalmore.com/aurora or email aurora@thedalmore.com.

Dear Customer

On the run up to Christmas we have a big number of new bottlings, being fifteen (15) from the OLD MALT CASK, with four (4) PREMIER BARREL ceramics- three (3) of them with the new labels, four (4) OLD & RARE, two (2) DOUBLE BARRELs, and four (4) CLAN DENNY Grains.

The Tasting Notes for OLD MALT CASK follow:

OMC 1954 Laphroaig 12 Year Old
Nose: Opens to old style hairdressing – warms sweet ‘n’ peaty.
Palate: Distinctly phenolic, tarry, creosoted – still sweet.
Finish: Ashy, rather sooty – as above, still sweetly phenolic. (F)

OMC 1958 Macallan 15 Year Old
Nose: Honey sweet, floral, lightly oaked, gristy.
Palate: Still honeyed – richly fruited + (dark) spices/molasses.
Finish: Smoke trails through spices and a real barley quality. (F)

OMC 1962 Blair Athol 15 Year Old Sherry Matured
Nose: Opens sweetly – carrying a golden syrup + oranges style
Palate: Warmingly spiced – running to a sweet mocha character
Finish: long, still spicy with a tangy – burnt orange peel – quality (J)

OMC 1947 Laphroaig 17 Year Old
Nose : Big, feisty, salty, ozone-y peaty and Islay in style.
Palate: Opens more softly – then the tar, creosote and phenols hit
Finish: Ashy and sooty – now rather sweet (F)

OMC 1961 Littlemill 19 Year Old
Nose: Spices and fruit abound – warms to barley sugar plus citrus.
Palate: More (concentrated) citrus now apparent + cloves + cinnamon.
Finish: All over spicy and warming. Sweet and appealing. (F)

OMC 1957 Lochside 19 Year Old
Nose: Distinctly citric + light oak, spice and dry barley.
Palate: Gristy and peppery – with more mocha and spice than fruit.
Finish: Warmingly spiced plus that initial citrus returns. (F)

OMC 1950 Glen Moray 19 Year Old
Nose: Creamy, spiced, drying as it warms to whisky warehouse style.
Palate: Gristy – still spiced (specifically camphor), dry, lightly smoked.
Finish: Lingers with that same smoke, camphor, and malt quality (F)

OMC 1967 Dalmore 20 Year Old Sherry Finished
Nose: Fruity and gristy in style + polished oak + a fresh herbal quality
Palate: Tingling, sparkling – running to an attractively spiced dryness
Finish: Medium long – warmingly spiced – tailing to a soft dry style (F & J)

OMC 1969 Aultmore 20 Year Old
Nose: Opens clean & fresh – runs to a freshly cut pine tree style
Palate: Spicy + a fruity sweetness with a late dry malty character
Finish: still spicy – long + oak & fruit intertwining + late ashes (J)

OMC 1964 Rosebank 20 Year Old
Nose: Opens with a herbal quality running to a fruity – vanilla style
Palate: Peaches in vanilla syrup + a green malt quality – still herbal
Finish: Medium long & spicy + more vanilla now running drier. (J)

OMC 1945 Linkwood 26 Year Old
Nose: Gentle, sweet spices preface citrus, grist and light peat.
Palate: Still lightly peated, with juicy barley and soft oak/smoke
Finish: The peat is still there with the same barley + dark sugar. (F)

OMC 1956 Port Ellen 27 Year Old
Nose: A smoking malt kiln + a sweet camphor style + flamed lemon peel
Palate: Still sweet runs to a “Fisherman’s Friend” quality + smoking embers
Finish: Long and carries a burnt cocoa chocolate style + sweet liquorice (J)

OMC 1963 St Magdalene 28 Year Old
Nose: Clean & fresh – carrying a spicy & gristy sweet character
Palate: Opens fruitily sweet (peaches) – running to a honeyed quality
Finish: Round & mellow + a sweet malty style + a late orange tang (J)

OMC 1933 Glenlivet 33 Year Old
Nose: Fresh & lively, gristy sweet with a dried herbal tea character
Palate: Opens sweet & spicy – runs to a milk chocolate & chilli quality
Finish: Llong, still sweet + a dark chocolate & mint style + light smoke (J)

OMC 1953 Auchroisk 35 Year Old
Nose: Wooden fruit box in style + light spice and grist.
Palate: Lightly oaked – still fruity + barley and dry spices.
Finish: Spices dominate the crunched sugar back drop. (F)

Tasting Notes for the CLAN DENNY Grains:

DEN 00056 Invergordon 44 Year Old
The nose is sweetly spiced, carrying a vanilla and milk chocolate quality – reminiscent of a box of pralines plus a fruit box quality. The palate carries a round & mellow sweet character plus light oak, running to honey and spicy flavours. All of these are replicated in the finish and slowly fade out in a moreish way. (J)

DEN 0057 Strathclyde 33 Year Old
The nose carries early fruit with a deep, warming quality plus rich spices and a barley sugar aspect – revealing elements of its sherry heritage. The palate reflects aspects of the nose with a dark chocolate/red fruit style and a leather & spice character. The finish is surprisingly long carrying a sweet, spicy quality. (J)

DEN 0054 Cambus 45 Year Old
Carries old fashioned bubble gum early on the nose – it is at once spicy sweet with even more overtly sweet muscovado sugar tones. Attractively oaked – buttery, even creamy – it carries summer fruit and gentle ginger/spices all on the palate. The finish points towards burnt sugar and dark fudge, before its fast fade. (F)

DEN 0055 Caledonian 45 Year Old
Rich, round and sweet initially on the nose – it heads as it warms to honey – crunched sugar – and a light oakiness. It carries an interesting early palate – with a distinct citric tang – then heads to a Hot Toddy style plus barley sugar. Typically, the finish is short, yet distinctly fruited. (F)

The OLD & RARE Tasting Notes:

OAR 0112 Bowmore 23 Year Old Sherry Matured
Big, phenolic, maritime, smoky, beachy – and self evidently from Islay on the nose – the only hint of Sherry is evident from its colour. Very interesting on the palate by way of its overtly perfumed spiciness – initially dry with even some Wright’s coal tar soap (!) plus yesterday’s ashy bonfire. Its finish starts to show only now – some late sweet Sherry beyond its Islay style. (F)

OAR 0113 Macallan 33 Year Old Wine finished
On the nose this wine finished Macallan carries a dry, red fruit influence – plus some nutmeg, cinnamon and even liquorice – ahead of its sweet barley quality. Palatewise, it opens with a mature fruit “tang” – then turns honeyed, fruity – still with some late liquorice and more malt/barley, all running to a rather spiced finish – camphor in particular – ahead of its ongoing honeyed gristiness. (F)

OAR 0111 Bunnahabhain 36 Year Old Sherry Matured
On the nose detect alcohol soaked in fruit – heavily spiced – plus distinct toffee and orange pith aromas. Palatewise it is still massively spiced – with vanilla evident in its fudge which is lightly salted – also lightly peated – carrying attractive and delicate oceanic flavours too. The finish carries ginger, pepper, light oak, black coffee and more marinaded dark fruit (F)

OAR 0114 Probably Speyside’s Finest 45 Year Old Sherry Matured
Opens warming and richly spiced on the nose, running to toffee and a caramelised, spiced orange character before a soft leather quality appears. The palate is rich and mouthcoating and the orange style returns – now in a sweet & spicy liqueur style – before running drier. Walnuts and chewed leather run on the long and dry finish – think of extra rich dark chocolate. (J)

The PREMIER BARRELs taste something like these fun and “wordy” indications:

PBR 0088 Ardmore 7 Year Old
I ‘arbour, ardent, ardour for this Ardmore! For ‘tis palatewise probably a paradigm of palpably percolating peated panache with pep – yet its seductively sugary swirl symbolises Speyside (F)

PBR 0089 Laphroaig 10 Year Old
A litany to the lustrous – lusty – laudable – lavish – lovable – lenitively lubricating liquor – the Laphroaig of Lore. What the “L”!?! (Tremendously tarry too). (F)

PBR 0086 Bowmore 12 Year Old
Beware – a boon of a Bowmore! – with its suffusion of sumptuously seaweedy smokiness – saliently and sympathetically spiced – yet full bodied, first rate and frightfully fructiferous! (F)

PBR 0087 Highland Park 12 Year Old
Your Highness – ’tis Highland Park! – with its overtly ozone-y , oceanic overture, overflowing into a cunning conclusion of cultivated credentials ……. a citric, creamy canon of credence. (F)

Quite a big selection we believe for Christmas consideration and we hope they may be seen by you as potentially interesting stock additions. We wish you good luck for some good sales that you will have over the next few weeks and beyond into 2011 with these and our other Whiskies!

Best wishes

Fred Laing

Visit Douglas Laing & Co. Ltd. at www.douglaslaing.com

The Claymore Times
~ All The News That’s Fit To Drink ~

25 year old Benromach (LCBO # 969642)

Originally opened in 1898 this distillery which is located in the ancient market town of Forres in the Speyside region of North East Scotland, went silent in 1983 until purchased by Gordon and MacPhail, renovated and officially opened by Prince Charles 1998 exactly a hundred years after its inception.

One of the smallest distilleries in Scotland keeping strictly to the old ways (you won’t find any computers at this distillery). Definitely worth a visit to the centre where you’ll be met by Sandy, shown around and offered a wee dram, an absolutely wonderful experience!

Matured in refill American hogsheads, Benromach 25 Years Old delivers the fruit and spice characteristics of Benromach balanced with the subtle sweetness of the American oak. 

 “Confident, articulate, and in a mood to talk.” says Michael Jackson

Description

Without water

Nose: Toasted spices with a sharp fruitiness – citrus oils. There is also a subtle vanilla note.
Palate: Spicy, almost peppery with a rounding creaminess. The fruitiness develops with the spices, reminiscent of rich fruitcake

With water

Nose: Floral note more dominant now and the soft fruit element remains. A little toffee and vanilla sweetness.
Palate: Hints of smokiness, charred oak and cinnamon. A rich fruit flavour developing.
Body: Clean and fresh.
Finish: Sweet, spices with a little fruitiness.

Cask Type: Matured in refill American hogsheads.

You can order directly from any LCBO store quoting LCBO# 969642 at a cost of at $174.95 or pick up at one of these locations.

Also arriving very soon: Benromach 10 yo, Dhallas Dhu and a Glen Grant, we`ll keep you posted.

Regards,

Bill
Claymore Imports Inc.
Mail: claymoreimports@rogers.com

Dear Customer

This month we have thirteen (13) new bottlings under the PROVENANCE label.

The PROVENANCE Tasting Notes are:

PRV 0675 Ardmore 7 Year Old
The nose takes you immediately – and wrongly – to a lightly peated Islay Malt. Still with a sweet phenolic style on the palate – detect also a light camphor background and a hint of its own youthful spirit. Then its finish is spiced, still sweet but now in a more barleyed and gristy style. (F)

PRV 0679 Longmorn 8 Year Old
On the nose – early, it is fruity, malty and lightly spiced with later oak and smoke. Palatewise – it is very sweet – more spiced than its nose – barleyed and sugary. All this runs to a finish with a cough drop and peppery style. (F)

PRV 0650 Craigellachie 10 Year Old Sherry Matured
The fresh and lightly spiced nose carries a cookie dough sweet character that runs to a freshly varnished boat quality. The palate is round, still spicy, now sweetly toffee’d plus a caramelised fruit character. More spices linger on the finish, still fruity (is it mango ?) and sweet. (J)

PRV 0667 Bowmore 10 Year Old
Self evidently from Islay on the nose – beyond the initial peated back drop hard fruit candy boiling then appear masked by hot dry sand smell. Palate wise – it is distinctly peaty and lightly ashy initially – the heads more to the same sweet fruits hard candy taste – all replicated (plus light tar and spiciness) on the finish. (F)

PRV 0666 Tamdhu 11 Year Old
The nose opens with a fresh and gristy sweet character running to a fruit and honey style. The sweet palate is still fresh carrying a milk chocolate quality and runs to sweet vanilla – “American Cream Soda” style. The vanilla and honey sweet quality runs through on the finish before a soft oak tang appears. (J)

PRV 0065 Glen Moray 11 Year Old
Opens clean and fresh on the nose carrying a fruity – floral character. The palate carries a sweet barley then crushed sugar style, running to a candied orange quality. The finish is fresh with a sweet malt character running to an orange pith style. (J)

PRV 0672 Glen Ord 11 Year Old
Very clean – fresh and gristy on the nose – with a sugary late twist. On the palate detect that same crunched sugar quality – plus light spices – barley and a hint of citrus. That is well replicated on the finish which may now be a shade creamier. (F)

PRV 0676 Jura 11 Year Old
Attractively/sweetly scented on the nose – it warms to hints of toffee and dry spices. Palatewise – it is now more distinctly spiced with an earthy quality – running to a finish which is very dryly spiced initially – tailing more sweetly. (F)

PRV 0657 Allt-a-Bhainne 12 Year Old Sherry Matured
The nose is fresh (almost mentholated), sweetly spiced and carries an orange liqueur quality. The palate is mouthcoatingly rich, warming, still distinctly spicy and carries an orange pith character.
More spices on the medium long finish run to a dark chocolate and orange tang. (J)

PRV 0674 Highland Park 12 Year Old
Honey and ozone appear early on the round full nose – which then turns to soft sweet spices. On the palate there is definitely a wee hint of peat – interacting with barley, vanilla, and the same spices. All are wrapped together very neatly in an attractively long finish (F)

PRV 0677 Arran 12 Year Old
Opens fresh and fruity (ripe banana?) on the nose, running to a sweet, creamy vanilla character. The palate is amazingly spiced, even lightly smoked (surprisingly!) – carrying a burnt toast and honey quality. The finish is long – still spicy and runs drier now. (J)

PRV 0678 Linkwood 12 Year Old
The nose opens with a fresh, clean, floral quality running to a sweet vanilla and grist character. The palate is still fresh & sweet with more vanilla (creamy custard style) apparent. The finish is medium long carrying a tangy maltand- orange quality. (J)

PRV 0646 Royal Lochnagar 12 Year Old
Opens sweetly on the nose with candied apples and candy floss then a Brylcreem type quality appears. The sweet palate carries vanilla and caramel (waffles?) before a light smoky character appears. The finish is refined, still fruity, with smoked spices and dried orange zest. (J)

Quite a big selection we believe for Christmas consideration.

Best wishes

Fred Laing

Visit Douglas Laing & Co. Ltd. at www.douglaslaing.com

Christmas Parcels: The Seasonal Snifters

Peace on earth? Not quite. Christmas is filled with present buying befuddlement. Luckily, we’ve sniffed out the ideal gift ideas to delight even the Scroogiest.

The Christmas Parcels bring the best of the Society’s Whisky Season bottlings, perfectly packaged together with a nip off their prices too.
 
The Tasting Panel’s Peaty Choice
27.86 Colour Co-ordinated Whisky (Campbeltown)
33.95 A calm day on Islay (Islay)
3.164 Baby powder on a forest fire (Islay)
£129 inc free p&p (save £32.70)
                                                                    
Speyside Pair
7.61 As good as it gets  (Speyside Lossie)
76.72 Sunday Roast (Speyside Spey)
£104 inc free p&p (save £23.70)

10 Year Old Pair
29.92 Sweet and smoky intensity (Islay) £45.70
121.41 Oreos and Florentines (Highland Island) £42.20
£74 inc free p&p (save £13.90)
Buy individually or as a pair

Stocking fillers:
1.154 Under the moonlight (40yo Speyside Spey) £197
4.147 Impeccable manners (Highland Island) £49.79
Cask 3. Spicy toffee apples (Somerset Cider Apple Brandy) £37.50

SMWS Whisky Tasting & Events
Tis the season to be jolly well-entertained.  And the Society once more is bringing you a wintery wonderland of events to warm your fingers, tongues and toes…..

New Outturn Open Tasting – London, Mon 6 Dec
Island Whisky Tasting – London, Wed 8 Dec
Island Whisky Tasting – London, Thu 9 Dec
Wokingham Christmas Tasting – Cantley House Hotel, Thu 9 Dec
Whiskies for Winter – Queen Street, Mon 13 Dec
World Whisky Tasting 2 – The Vaults, Fri 17 Dec
The Vaults Christmas Carvery – The Vaults, Sun 19 Dec

Visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at www.smws.co.uk

Dear Whisky Connoisseur,

Now that the dark nights are drawing in, and the snow is falling , what better time to sit back and relax in front of the fire with something special from the Wemyss Archive!

Bonfire Embers (Bunnahabhain) 1997    £50

Toffee Apples (Glenrothes) 1990               £50

Ginger Treacle (Glen Elgin) 1991               £55

Fruit Bowl (Glen Garioch) 1989                 £55

Honey Harvest (Longmorn) 1997              £50

Autumn Leaves (Bunnahabhain) 1997   £50

These releases are strictly limited, and on a first-come-first-serve basis, so if you would like to take advantage of this fabulous offer, please email us at sales@wemyssmalts.com to ensure you secure your bottle before they all disappear!

Please note that we can only ship to the UK and EU, and apologies for any inconvenience this may cause.

Best Regards,

Susan

www.wemyssmalts.com

Over the last few weeks we’ve had a veritable treasure trove of whisky arrive here at Arkwrights.  Just for starters, there are some fabulous 10th Anniversary limited edition expressions from Compass Box (including a new Flaming Heart – which I know will make many of you very happy to hear about as the last edition was just so delicious), the latest in the GlenDronach single cask releases (bound to sell out fast), the 200th Anniversary 21 year old Jura (which comes with a chance to be one of the lucky few to be selected to stay at the Jura Lodge) and a variety of small batch American whiskies.  Click on this link to have a browse and there’s sure to be something that takes your fancy http://www.whiskyandwines.com/new-products-week-ending-20th-november-c-122_219.html

As if that wasn’t enough, we also have two new releases from Bruichladdich (yes, really – just the two) and a selection of bottlings from those wonderful people at Douglas Laing.  To see this selection of goodies just click here http://www.whiskyandwines.com/new-products-week-ending-27th-november-c-122_220.html

Any (or all!) of these whiskies would make a great Christmas gift (to yourself or someone else) so get browsing!

Slainte!
Fran and Ken
www.whiskyandwines.com

Master of Malt Launches Cask-Aged Whisky Bitters

Master of Malt have launched their own cocktail bitters which have been aged in a 38 year old Glen Grant cask! The bitters have been specially created with authentic, rare ingredients sought from all over the world before being painstakingly blended together using a unique array of artisanal techniques.

Master of Malt’s Sales Director, Ben Ellefsen, explains:

“We wanted to create a new breed of bitters, one which was utterly uncompromising in every respect. We started by developing what we considered to be the ideal flavour profile for a whisky bitters – flavours that would complement the best whiskies and Bourbons, not cut against them – so we’ve used lots of ‘Christmassy’ spices (cloves, cinnamon, orange peel, Cardamom) as well as a frankly obscene amount of fresh vanilla.”

The bitters join the marketplace alongside bartenders’ favourites including Angostura and Peychaud’s. For the uninitiated, bitters are like salt and pepper for cocktails – a mix of herbs, spices and other flavours to bring the best out of cocktails, and add an extra dimension to many classic drinks. Master of Malt believe they have discovered a niche in the market:

“To our knowledge, these bitters are the highest proof, most costly to make, and most expensive ever released for sale. To ensure that everyone can try them, we’ve released a 100ml bottle, and also a smaller, 50ml bottle for those who use bitters only occasionally, but still demand the best.”

You can purchase Master of Malt’s 100ml Cask Aged Whisky Bitters for £9.95 here: http://www.masterofmalt.com/bitters-and-vermouths/master-of-malt-cask-aged-whisky-bitters-1st-edition-10cl-bitters/

Or purchase the 50ml version here: http://www.masterofmalt.com/bitters-and-vermouths/master-of-malt-cask-aged-whisky-bitters-1st-edition-5cl-bitters/

About Master of Malt
•     Established in 1985
•     One of the UK’s leading online whisky and spirits retailers
•     A highly rated independent bottler, all of whose single cask whiskies scored over 90 points in the Jim Murray Whisky Bible 2009
•     http://www.masterofmalt.com

Read the Master of Malt blog: http://www.masterofmalt.com/blog or follow Master of Malt on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/masterofmalt
And facebook: http://www.facebook.com/masterofmalt

The first sign of frost has been sighted on the island! Time to get those log fires burning and wrap up warm. As we edge into winter there’s one new arrival we’re all very excited about: the release of the new Jura 21 year old limited edition whisky created to commemorate 200 years of the Jura Distillery.

To tell you the truth, Jura and whisky have been together since way before the distillery first opened in 1810. However, the distillery as we all know and love today, was re built by two local estate owners Robin Fletcher and Riley-Smith along with distillery architect Delme-Evans in the year 1963 bringing new life and hope to the island. And that is why we’re celebrating 1810 with a limited edition 21 year old malt finished in an original cask from 1963! Two memorable years, one exceptional malt. And what a malt it is!

The unique vintage 1963 Oloroso sherry casks from Gonzalez Byass have done their bit to create a rich and full-bodied masterpiece. Now if you ask me, this would make an ideal collectors item, but I like to drink my whisky so I hope you will too and think fondly of Jura while you enjoy a dram of this wonderful spirit. Willie T (the other Willie as he’s sometimes known) has put together his very own tasting video which covers everything you need to know about the malt and its history. You can view it here.

We want you to be a part of this special occasion and should you get your hands on a bottle of our beloved 21 year old then I’ll invite you to come over and meet the team. I’ll give you a tour of the distillery and your own private tasting session. We’ll go through the range, one by one and even share a dram or two from a few of our more exclusive expressions that we keep safely locked away! Now where better to enjoy our precious malt than in the very place that made it on the occasion of our 200th anniversary?

I’ve kept my diary clear in anticipation. Until then.

Slainte

Willie Cochrane
Jura Distillery Manager

P.S. Click here ( http://www.isleofjura.com/distillery/limited-editions/21-year-old.aspx ) to find out more about the Jura 21 year old, and remember if you have friends or family who also share your passion for Jura whisky and might like to become Diurachs, send them to www.isleofjura.com where they’ll discover more about our mystical isle.