Macallan Fine and Rare Bottlings.

(A few editions available, exclusive to Alberta)
 
The following bottlings and cask numbers are available and can be facilitated either at a store where a buyer has an existing relationship, or the agent is able to suggest if need be.

1937 – Aged 37 Years, cask unknown
1938 – Aged 31 Years, cask unknown
1940 – Aged 35 Years, cask unknown
1952 Aged 49 Years, Cask 1250
1968 Aged 33 Years, Cask 5913
1970 Aged 32 Years, Cask 241
1976 Cask 1040, age To Be Confirmed

Visit the Macallan at http://www.themacallan.com/ and contact the Brand Ambassador J. Wheelock at JWheelock@edrington.co.uk

“The Macallan Rankin bottling has just arrived.  Only 6 of these are coming to Canada!  $1949.99/bottle.  Scottish whiskey making and Scottish photography combine with the launch of The Macallan Masters of Photography Rankin Edition. Rankin is a famed Scottish photographer and he was chosen to Easter Elchies House, the “spiritual home of The Macallan.” He spent a summer interpreting the The Macallan Estate through his camera lens. The result is 1,000 unique bottles of The Macallan Fine Oak 30 year old single malt whisky each bearing an original Rankin image, captured on Polaroid. Since Polaroid was discontinued this year,The Masters of Photography represents the end of an era. The black-and-white pictures include artistic studies of the lovely Tuuli, Rankin’s muse, shown on this bottle, as well as pictures of Easter Elchies House, shots of craftspeople at the distillery, and still life images of the surrounding flora and fauna at the estate. Each bottle comes in a black leather box lined with velvet and containing an original Rankin Polaroid. Each bottle will have an individually printed label which matches the specific Polaroid contained within the box and a booklet of authenticity signed by Rankin.

http://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/

Concert Event

On 29th August 2009, an estimated 20,000 fans will visit the shores of the Tay for a special Runrig concert event. This continues the band’s well travelled quest for live concerts in scenic and iconic outdoor locations that celebrate Scottish history and heritage.

The supporting bands for the day will include:
° Peatbog Faeries-traditional composer of the year
° Blair Douglas Band-featuring Kathleen McInnes
° King Creosote-new kid on the Fife block
° Fred Morrison-renowned piping sensation
The concert will be in the Scone Palace Parklands, half way between the North bank of the River Tay looking up towards the Palace itself. The venue campsite opens 12 noon on Friday 28th August and will close at 12 noon on Sunday 30th August.

Tickets are selling fast, so don’t miss this memorable event! For ticket sales and additional concert information, visit Runrig’s website at http://www.runrig.co.uk/scone/

Whiskie of Scotland Marquee

Duncan Taylor & Co will be exhibiting at the exclusive Whiskies of Scotland marquee located in the bars and stalls area within the general arena. We will be promoting the Scotch Whisky industry to visitors from the UK, Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands.

Visit the marquee and enjoy sampling select whiskies from Duncan Taylor & Co as well as twenty other exhibitors, relax with a dram from the bar, and place orders for products that will either be available when exiting the arena or shipped to you directly.

Dram of Destiny

Duncan Taylor & Co will also be releasing a limited edition ‘Dram of Destiny’ to commemorate this Homecoming 2009 Runrig event. The bottling is a Highland Park distilled in 1986 and at 46%. Each bottle features a custom label with details of the concert, cask and bottle numbers.

http://www.duncantaylor.com/ 

info@duncantaylor.com

From Preiss Imports;

We have some very exciting additions to our Lonach range from Duncan Taylor. These value whiskies don’t come along very often.
 
Springbank has released their first whisky from the new Mitchell’s Glengyle Distillery, Kilkerran. This will be available toward the end of this month. A unique chance to taste whisky from Campbeltown’s newest distillery in over 100 years!
 
Please be sure to check out this month’s SPOTLIGHT. We have a limited amount left of the truly rare Ayrshire Single Malt…
 
And, for the first time you will be able to download a current Scotch List of all our currently available bottlings.
 
Cheers,
 
Ken Young
Preiss Imports
ken@preissimports.com

New Lonach Blended Scotch Whiskies
Great Value / Superb Quality
 
As most of you know, the Lonach brand is produced by Duncan Taylor Co.-bottlings that make the most of DTC’s underproof barrels. Unable to be bottled as a single cask, this extraordinary stock of wonderful whiskies are blended together to create these Lonach gems. Take advantage of this terrific opportunity! 
 
Lonach Blended Scotch 35 yr old
Lonach Bunnahabhain 1969 39 yr old
Lonach Glendaroch 1966 42 yr old
Lonach Glendaroch 1967 41 yr old
Lonach Glenlivet 1970 38 yr old
Lonach Strathisla 1967 42 yr old
Lonach Strathisla 1968 40 yr old
Lonach Tomatin 1965 43 yr old
 
The best part about these bottlings is their incredible pricing – most of these will retail around $200, though it can vary greatly by market. It is a great opportunity for scotch enthusiasts to have some really mature whisky at value prices.

Kilkerran Single Malt

“Work In Progress”
 
Kilkerran is the first in a series of releases from the Mitchell’s Glengyle Distillery

AVAILABLE end of JULY

Mitchell’s Glengyle Distillery is Campbeltown’s first new distillery in over 100 years. This marks the inaugural global release from the distillery, and kicks off the “Work in Progress” series that will follow the maturation of Kilkerran Single Malt to 12 years of age.

Malt Advocate’s John Hansell interviewed Frank McHardy, Director of Distilleries for Springbank & Mitchell’s…Why Kilkerran when they are already producing three other malts?

“After all, he’s already making three different kinds of whisky at the Springbank distillery-lightly peated Springbank which is distilled 2½ times, heavily peated Longrow which is distilled twice, and unpeated Hazelburn which is triple-distilled.” Frank’s response was that he wanted to make a more traditional Campebeltown style whisky- distilled twice and lighty peated (about 10-12 ppm phenol).           
-maltadvocate.com

Kilkerran Single malt is lightly peated for 6 hours, and is double distilled.

Nose: An initial burst of perfume leads into a sweet, fruity and ultimately spicy aroma. Palate: Cloves, more fruits sweetness. Considering that this dram is a work in progress, it is already lively, zesty and full of flavor. Finish: The sweetness lasts through to the finish with hints of vanilla lingering on the tongue.

Duncan Taylor Rarest of the Rare 1973 Ayrshire 34 Year Old 
Truly Rare
 
Preiss Imports was lucky enough to get their hands on this little-known distillery bottling. Ayrshire, which is the name of the town where this malt was distilled, is a very rare single malt. It was distilled at Ladyburn in 1973 – though the name Ladyburn has not been used out of respect for the distillery’s owners.
 
The distillery was opened by William Grant & Sons in 1966. Its original intent was to sustain their needs for blended whisky. It is rumored that a few casks were set aside, and this is one of them. The distillery was shut down in 1975, just two short years before this malt was distilled.
 
To our knowledge, this is 1 of only 2 or 3 single cask Ayrshire single malts to ever be released. A true treasure!
 
Fittingly, this rare whisky comes in a beautiful mahogany box complete with a tasting glass and collector’s miniature.
 
Only 29 bottles remain in the Preiss Cellar…SRP around $1000

 
For full details on Preiss Imports please visit them at http://www.preissimports.com/

GlenDronach Releases Single Cask Batch One

The new owners of GlenDronach Distillery have selected five vintages for their first series of single cask bottlings since taking over the distillery last year.

In Batch One they have singled out malts from 1971, 1972, 1992, 1993 and 1996 in ages ranging from 38 to 13 years old.

All five are in the traditional GlenDronach style – richly sherried, from Oloroso Sherry Butts – and are being bottled this month.

Regional Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “Dating back to 1826, there have been few if any single cask bottlings from GlenDronach, so the launch of Single Cask Batch One is particularly significant and will be welcomed by our customers.

“We will repeat this exercise each year, hand-selecting a small number of the very best casks from the distillery warehouses to release as Single Cask bottlings.”

Alistair added: “Each will be bottled at cask strength, at natural colour and non chill filtered. Bottles will be individually numbered by hand and will be housed in a deluxe gift box.”

Batch One is being marketed in fifteen countries worldwide, with shipments to the UK, Europe, South Africa, Asia and New Zealand scheduled for the first week of August.

The full cask list is:

1971 cask 483, 38 years old
1972 cask 719, 37 years old
1992 cask 1140, 16 years old
1993 cask 523, 16 years old
1996 cask 193, 13 years old
Five images attached.

Ends                 17 July 2009

INFORMATION – Alistair Walker, 00441 324 682220

Visit the Glendronach at http://www.glendronachdistillery.co.uk/

Loch Fyne Whiskies News has posted a new item, ‘New miniature’

 Benriach Authenticus 21yo 5cl
 46% abv
 £7.90 inc vat
 £6.87 ex vat

Visit Loch Fyne Whiskies at https://www.lfw.co.uk/

You may view the latest post at
https://www.lfw.co.uk/blog/2009/07/17/new-miniature/

Best regards,
admin
ship@lfw.co.uk
                              Loch Fyne Whiskies

Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,

The Stampede hangover has descended upon Calgary… though I’m not sure its biting most of us back as much as it has in the past. The post Stampede can be a little depressing, for months the city builds itself up both emotionally and physically for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. Time clocks all over town count down in anticipation of the first day. Love it or hate it for 10 days every year the city lives and breathes Stampede. But for another year it’s over, the hangover is setting in and what better way to deal with a hangover than with a little of the “hair of the dog that bit yah”!

There are some excellent new whiskies in store this month: two expressions from Tobermory Distillery (In Alberta for the first time, the only distillery on the Island of Mull; and three expressions from Bunnahabhain, the Gentle Giant of Islay. You may recall the old Bunnahabhain 12Yr which some 8-10 years ago used to be available in the Province. It came in a stout bottle, in a squat tin, with a string handle and a saluting Highland mariner on the label. I used to love this dram in University, mainly because of the price… I dare not say what I used to buy it for, it’s considerably more now. Relatively speaking it’s still good value, and well worth a try. I’ll have more on Bunnahabhain and Tobermory in the next full Malt Messenger. There are very small quantities of all of these whiskies coming, so don’t delay. The new releases to Alberta from Burn Stewart Distillers are as follows:

1.       Tobermory 15Yr – A limited edition bottling matured in Oloroso sherry casks. – $112.59

2.       Ledaig 10Yr – Exclusive to Kensington Wine Market – This heavily peated expression of Tobermory from Mull is new and improved. Already winning a gold medal at the International Wine and Spirit Competition. – $73.99

3.       Bunnhabhain 12Yr – Nutty and malty with a hint of peat! –  $70.49

4.       Bunnhabhain 18Yr – Sherry, mint and cherries with a hint of cognac. – $110.99

5.       Bunnhabhain 25Yr – Older, more refined and more austere, very limited. – $261.99

These products will all be in store next Wednesday.  Some of them might not even make the floor, as they are in very limited quantities.

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson

____________________

If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store. Feel free to forward me any whisky news you feel should be included in a future issue of The Malt Messenger; it might just get included.

All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at http://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/.. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change!

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger!

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson

Story and two images follow.

ALAN CLARK
 
TWO NEW GLENDRONACH “FASCINATING AND FABULOUS” CASKS SNAPPED UP BY BANFF’S PARKER’S WHISKY

http://www.glendronachdistillery.com/

http://www.parkerswhisky.co.uk/

GLENDRONACH has made available two single cask bottlings to Banff-based Parker’s Whisky, providing 1200 stunning bottles from 1992 and 1994.
 
One is a GlenDronach 1992 Single Cask, Cask # 401. It was distilled 10 July 1992, bottling July 2009, aged 17 years old, and matured in Oloroso Sherry Butt with a cask strength of 58.8%.
 
The other is a GlenDronach 1994 Single Cask, Cask # 2311. It was distilled 25 November 1994, bottling July 2009, aged 14 years old, and matured in Oloroso Sherry Puncheon with a cask strength of 58.5%.
 
They are the first single cask distillery bottlings to be made available in the UK since Glendronach was purchased last year by Billy Walker and his associates at the BenRiach Distillery Company Ltd.
 
Available from late July, each 70cl bottle is individually numbered by hand and contains personal Tasting Notes from the author of the Whisky Bible, Jim Murray.
 
GlenDronach Regional Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “Richard Parker approached us with his interest in bottling a cask of GlenDronach towards the end of last year, before we had even started looking at our own selection of single casks to bottle, so it’s fair to say he was pretty quick off the mark.
 
“We were delighted to make these two casks available to Richard, as GlenDronach is the local distillery for Banff and Parker’s has been a good supporter of both of our malt brands, GlenDronach and BenRiach, over the last three or four years. The casks were personally selected by Richard himself and he clearly has good taste, as the chosen casks are truly exceptional.”
 
Richard Parker said: “This is a big coup for us. We sampled a number of different GlenDronach casks and found two we especially liked. But they were so good, we couldn’t choose between them so we ended up bottling both! We just came along at the right time and I’m delighted to say they’re pre-selling really well.”
 
Concluding that the malts are “fascinating and fabulous”, Jim Murray’s tasting notes underline how special and extraordinary the bottlings are – apparently the drams he tasted almost brought tears to his eyes! Selected excerpts from Jim’s tasting notes follow:
 
GlenDronach 1994 cask 2311
 
Nose – playfully light… fragile barley… lazy nuttiness…
Taste – mouth-watering barley pounds the tastebuds relentlessly from the start… a lively character…
Finish – minty chocolate… hazelnuts and vanilla… considerable length…
Balance – quite unique to this little-known distillery… fascinating and fabulous!
 
GlenDronach 1992 cask 401
 
Nose – Molasses sweetens the high roast Java…
Taste – the palate is swamped in luxuriant, lush sugar-coated burnt raisins…
Balance – ultra distinctive… unmistakable rum character on a sherry theme… a memorable and massive malt
Finish – excellent soft oils… a long fade… juicy barley finale…
 
Our pictures show the two bottlings.
 
For more information, contact sales@parkerswhisky.co.uk
 
ends                                                                                  16 July 2009
 
INFORMATION – Alistair Walker, 01324 682220
                                  – Richard Parker, 01261 812353

1975 Bottling Commemorates 40th Anniversary of Distillery Visitor Centre

Dufftown July 2009: The world’s most awarded single malt Scotch whisky, Glenfiddich, today, released details of the 1975 Vintage Reserve, a beautifully light and elegant whisky, bottled to commemorate the very start of Scotland’s whisky tourism industry.

In July, 1969, the pioneering Glenfiddich distillery opened the doors of Scotland’s first Distillery Visitor Centre and became the first whisky company to invite visitors to tour round a distillery.  Forty years later, a selection panel comprising five former and current tour guides returned to the distillery and joined the industry’s most respected and long-serving, Malt Master, David Stewart, to choose their favourite whisky from a pre-selected shortlist of exceptional quality casks, from 1975.

After much discussion, the panel selected cask no.22000, a European oak sherry butt with a current strength of 53.7% ABV*.  The cask will produce approximately 520 70cl cask-strength bottles, which will retail at a RRP of £480.

David Stewart commented: “Having joined the Glenfiddich Distillery, in 1962, I was part of the pioneering team there when it became the first distillery to welcome visitors. It was therefore extra special for me, and a great honour, this year, to be leading the panel selecting the Vintage Reserve that would commemorate the opening of the Visitor Centre doors, forty years ago’’.

Describing the Vintage Reserve selected, David added:  “Glenfiddich Vintage Reserve 1975 has a rich, vibrant aroma of ripe apricots and plums, balanced by vanilla oak notes from the European oak cask.  The taste is tremendously full bodied, with layers of tannin, spice and fruity sweetness.  The flavour of rich oak and soft vanilla develops a spicy character of cinnamon, nutmeg and spiced apple and has an exceptionally long, rich and oaky finish with a hint of bitter dark chocolate. In short, I think this whisky has aged magnificently, with every year spent in the oak sherry butt imparting delicate notes and flavours.”

This is the latest aged Vintage Reserve of over 30 years old to be released by Glenfiddich.  When many distilleries are facing shortages of aged whisky, with some even removing the age message from their bottles, the Glenfiddich Vintage Reserve 1975 is testament to the pioneering spirit of the distillery’s founder, William Grant, whose lifelong ambition was to produce the ‘best dram in the valley’.

The distillery he built by hand, accompanied by a stonemason and his seven sons, has barely changed since the first drop of spirit flowed from the stills, at the Glenfiddich Distillery, on Christmas Day, 1887.  Every year, thousands of tourists visit the only Highland whisky company with a team of coopers to mend and tend every cask, a dedicated coppersmith to maintain the stills and the only Highland malt to use a single source of pure spring water (from the Robbie Dhu spring) throughout every stage of production.

Each year, David Stewart and Apprentice Malt Master, Brian Kinsman, pre-select a few exceptional casks and, under their watchful eye, invite a panel of non-professionals to pick their favourite.  Previous panels include a team of coopers, international whisky journalists, perfumiers and excise men.

Glenfiddich Vintage Reserve 1975 joins the award-winning range of Glenfiddich single malt Scotch whiskies which also includes Glenfiddich 12 Year Old, 15 Year Old, 18 Year Old, 21 Year Old, 30 Year Old, 40 Year Old, The Glenfiddich Distillery Edition, and the world’s rarest and oldest single malt Scotch, Glenfiddich 1937 Vintage, which was bottled as a 64 year old, in 2001. 

– Ends –

 Notes to editors
 ·         Reigning ISC Distiller of the Year William Grant & Sons Ltd has been awarded seven gold medals at both the 2008 International Spirits Challenge (ISC) and the 2008 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) and for its highly regarded portfolio of premium spirits brands. 

·         William Grant & Sons is an independent family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1886 and today still controlled by the fifth generation of his family.  The Company distils some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world’s favourite single malt Glenfiddich®, the handcrafted range of The Balvenie® single malts and one of the world’s leading blended Scotches, Grant’s®, as well as selected other spirits, including Hendrick’s® Gin and Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum

Click on www.williamgrant.com for more information on the Company and its brands
 

Golin/Harris International Limited | Registered office: Ground Floor, 84 Eccleston Square, London SW1V 1PX, England | Registered number: 2713976

This message contains information which may be confidential and privileged. Unless you are the intended recipient (or authorized to receive

this message for the intended recipient), you may not use, copy, disseminate or disclose to anyone the message or any information contained

in the message. If you have received the message in error, please advise the sender by reply e-mail, and delete the message.

Thank you very much.

Visit the Glenfiddich at http://www.glenfiddich-whisky.com/

From Federal Wine & Spirits;

Prearrival Offer, 2 Fine, Rare malts; Springbank 18 Y.O. & Longrow 14 Y.O.

Springbank 18 Y.O. New Release
900 Bottles for the U.S.

This is one of the oldest Springbanks we will see for some time, Springbank Distillery is not holding very many casks of older scotch, this was being some of the oldest in the wharehouses. If you like Springbank, grab a bottle. The style of this 18 Y.O. will show like a much more mature and sophistacated fifteen Y.O.
I have just tasted The Springbank 18 Y.O. It is a wonderful Springer, one of the best for some time, It is the kind of scotch that made a cult of Springbank.
This is a beauty with a wonderful nose and a very balanced palate. The mid palate is extreme and elegant with a long, precious finish. The distillery tasting notes in the graphic above are very good and accurate. This is one not to miss.

Regular $194.99; Prearrival $174.99 Only 30 Available

The Longrow 14 Y.O. is going to touch us… Hosanna!

Longrow 14 has been in the U.S. for a couple of years, but never in Massachusetts. After much asking we’re getting the last leg of it.
We did get just one bottle of Longrow 18 Y.O. at $300.00 . The 14 Y.O. is not cheap, but midway in age between the 18 and the ten, it has quality closer to the 18 but the price more like the Ten.
The Longrow is brilliant and and worth all the effort to get it, We are the only store in the state with any, but only 18 bottles.
Tasting Notes: Dark gold, amber color. The full body and sweetness of the nose are represented by rich milk chocolate and cream. Further nosings provides a slight smokiness, and a subtle amount of fresh mint. This whisky is very well balanced on the palate. The initial sweetness soon give way to subtle peat and burnt embers. Satisfyingly smokey finish, without being overpowering. The name of an old Campbeltown distillery, Longrow was first distilled at Springbank in 1973.

Regular $139.99; Prearrival $119.99
Only available in Massachusetts at Federal Wine & Spirits

Visit Federal Wine & Spirits at http://www.federalwine.com/  or contact Joe Howell at  joe@federalwine.com

The Scotch will be here Thursday
Pre-Arrival pricing will be honored until Saturday 7/25/09