GRAND DRAMS 1ST RELEASE!!
We are very excited to share exciting opportunity to pre order our first single cask release!
#GD01 is a super Fresh Sherry 15 Year Old Bruichladdich and there is only 280 bottles from the cask! It has been bottled at natural strength 50.3%, natural colour and non chill filtered!
Do you need further information?
T.+44 (0)1463 210 427 – Sales@granddrams.com
Our whisky inventory is as loaded as it’s ever been with ultra-rare and coveted collectibles as we head into the holidays. A quartet of exclusive casks from Old Particular and Dramfool highlight the depth of our independent bottler relationships across the pond, demonstrating the unparalleled collectible value that the category offers. Finally, a superb, sub-$100 buy from a rising star in bourbon will make a handsome addition to any well-appointed home bar.
| Bardstown Bourbon Company “Discovery Series #9” Blended Whiskey (750ml) (Previously $120) | $88.99 | View |
| Blair Athol 25 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) (Previously $280) | $199.99 | View |
| Laphroaig 22 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Hogshead Cask Strength Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) | $349.99 | View |
| Ardbeg 17 Year Old “Dramfool – Red Bag” Bourbon Hogshead Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) | $399.99 | View |
| Bruichladdich 14 Year Old “Dramfool’s Jim McEwan Signature Collection 6.1” First Fill White Wine Barrique Cask #2513 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) | $479.99 | View |
Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA
Spearhead eyes growth as Loch Lomond Group brings UK distribution of the innovative single-grain whisky back into its portfolio
Whisky brand, Spearhead, which is part of the Loch Lomond Group, has announced plans to accelerate growth of the innovative spirit.
As part of the plans, Loch Lomond Group will part ways with its UK distributor, Mangrove, and bring distribution back in-house, allowing it to focus on expansion of the brand.
Launched in 2021, Spearhead is a unique single-grain scotch whisky crafted using 100% malted barley. The spirit undergoes an extended fermentation time of 92 hours, before being distilled in a continuous Coffey style still.
Spearhead is matured in ex-bourbon barrels before finishing in a combination of fire and infra-red toasted American oak barrels, which creates a lighter whisky with a complex range of rich, sweet notes.
The product is now available in 26 markets worldwide, including top UK accounts such as TT Liquor, Callooh Callay, Nauticus, Silverleaf, Gungho!, Tom Thumb and Smithfield Social.
Loch Lomond Group’s decision to bring distribution back in-house follows a series of successful UK trade events hosted with Mangrove over the past 18 months, including Passing Fancies Industry Night in Birmingham, a bar takeover at Bread & Jam in Bath, and the Alternative Burns Night with artist LVRA at The Lower Third in London.
John Grieveson, Chief Marketing Officer at Loch Lomond Group, said: “Spearhead is a community spirit that brings like-minded people together. This, alongside our unique proposition as a single-grain whisky, has seen demand for the brand grow, and our focus now is on continuing to expand our customer base across the world. We thank Mangrove for all their support in helping us to establish the brand.”
The distribution change will take effect from 1st December 2023.
Spearhead is bottled at 43% ABV and has a RRP of £30.
For more information, visit www.spearheadwhisky.com
About Spearhead
Spearhead is a single grain whisky crafted at Loch Lomond Distillery in Alexandria, Scotland.
Matured in ex-bourbon barrels, Spearhead is finished in a unique combination of infra-red toasted and fire-toasted virgin American oak barrels. This process creates a boldly sweet spirit, rich in character and distilled with flavour at its heart.
Spearhead works with a cooperage in Kentucky to select custom toast levels for these infra-red toasted barrels. The toast levels are set to a profile that extracts properties in the wood, which results in sweet notes appearing in Spearhead whisky. These notes are impossible to achieve with traditional toasting.
Spearhead is ideal for mixing, or serving alongside craft beer.
About Loch Lomond Group
Loch Lomond Group markets a diverse portfolio of high-quality whisky, gin, vodka and Champagne brands that are sold in more than 125 countries worldwide, including Loch Lomond Whiskies, Littlemill, Glen Scotia, Noble Rebel blended malt whisky, and Ben Lomond Gin.
Loch Lomond Distillery has been producing the finest single malt whiskies since 1814. An independent distiller and blender of some of the finest and rarest Scotch whiskies in the world, Loch Lomond Distillery’s heritage is amongst the oldest in the industry.
The dark days of December have arrived but the low light of winter transforms our island in wonderful ways. Shadows lie long, and the stark landscapes are in high contrast making for many beautiful moments as the cold fronts and wilder weather rolls in.
It’s the season of light in so many ways, from the flicker of fires in the hearth to the first twinkles on festive trees. Our home village of Tarbert will soon come to life as the annual Christmas decorations appear along the main street, strung out like long fishing lines, linking all the small shops together.
And, our peat fire continues to burn guaranteeing a warm welcome always awaits those who come through our doors. Even if you can’t be with us here in Harris, there are many ways we can still stay connected.
Read on as we bring you this week’s island Journal to find out more!
Stay warm, stay well….
Le gach deagh dhùrachd,
Mike Donald, Chief Storyteller
As Christmas approaches, many here are eagerly awaiting the return of friends and family to our island shores. The population of the Isle of Harris has declined by almost 50% over the last 50 years as young people leave to seek work far from our shores.
These changes threaten local traditions, culture, and language as well as leaving schools and village numbers dwindling. The Isle of Harris Distillery was built to help address these issues by creating sustainable local employment and offer long-term careers for those who wish to stay and set down roots here.
Together with other like-minded island enterprises we seek to act as a catalyst of change and a symbol of promise for this generation and those still to come that Harris can always remain their home.
We make The Hearach single malt whisky in batches of around 12,000 bottles, each to the same recipe. However, there will be subtle, natural variations between them which reflect the casks chosen and the length of time we ‘marry’ the vatting.
There’s a special combination of letters and numbers on every stopper seal which helps you to learn more about the dram in the bottle you’ve bought or plan to buy. Each code has an accompanying ‘batch sheet’ to help you learn about the way your whisky was made, read tasting notes from an islander, and enjoy a short story from Harris…
We want everyone who enjoys The Hearach single malt whisky to take some time to connect with us here in our Outer Hebridean island.One of the ways we can help you do this is through sound and a sense of quiet ceremony.
So, light the fire, put life on pause, pour a dram, and press play on our specially created immersive soundscape by young island audio artist Fraser MacBeath. Fraser recently won the RSA Benno Schotz Prize at the Royal Scottish Academy 197th Annual Exhibition, and spent much of 2023 traveling around Harris, speaking to local people and exploring hidden corners with his recording equipment.
The resulting piece of work weaves past and present, the noises of the natural world, and the lyrical melody and music of the men and women who call this place their home.
INTERESTED IN A FRONT ROW SEAT FOR THE NEXT DECADE?
As our 40th anniversary celebrations end, there’s still time to join us in the 50th Anniversary Cask Club. We’re excited that so many of you have already joined us, with some of the cask types already selling out.
We’ve carefully hand-selected batches of new-make spirit from two prestigious Scottish whisky distilleries, placing them into casks where they will mature into remarkable, one-of-a-kind whiskies. Once bottled, the whisky from these casks will form part of a unique 50th Anniversary range in 2033, only available to those members who are part of this programme.
Whether you’ve dreamt of maturing your own whisky or are simply looking to deepen your connection to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, this is your chance to be part of something truly remarkable.
Don’t let this exclusive opportunity slip away! Visit the website to discover everything you need to know about the 50th Anniversary Cask Club.
JOIN THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY CASK CLUB TODAY
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
Distilled 11th December 1996.
Bottled 30th October 2023.
Matured in an Oloroso Sherry Butt.
Cask Number 11383.
One of 567 bottles.
Distilled at Clynelish Distillery, Bottled by Signatory Vintage Scotch Whisky Co.
TyndrumWhisky.com
The Green Welly Stop
Tyndrumwhisky, Tyndrum
Crianlarich, Perthshire FK20 8RY
United Kingdom
Connoisseur’s Delight: K&L Exclusive Cask Bourbons
This trio of single-barrel standouts showcase the depth and breadth of our Exclusive Cask program, with a pair of Kentucky favorites and a rising cult star from Indiana’s renowned MGP distillery. Of course, any single barrel from Elijah Craig is bound to pique the interest of Heaven Hill’s legions of fans, while serious connoisseurs will be drawn to a rare opportunity at a cask-strength Angel’s Envy for under $100. Finally, Pinhook’s Vertical Series has taken collector’s circles by storm over the past few years, and this 8-year-old cask, selected from that coveted range, offers one of the finest expressions of MGP bourbon on the market today.
| Item Name | Retail | Link |
| Elijah Craig Barrel Proof “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel #6783770 Kentucky Straight Bourbon (750ml) | $84.99 | View |
| Angel’s Envy “K&L Exclusive” Cask #230367 Private Select Port Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon (750ml) | $89.99 | View |
| Pinhook 8 Year Old “K&L Exclusive” Single Barrel #3156 Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) | $99.99 | View |
Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA
Exploring English Whisky Launches Inaugural “Explorer Series”
Exploring English Whisky are delighted to announce the launch of their inaugural “Explorer Series” release. This is the first release by Exploring English Whisky and has been created in partnership with Whiskyside.com, an online retailer of English Spirits, who hold the largest known collection of English Whisky at their bar in Yorkshire. Deviating from their traditional cask shares model on stillincask.com, Exploring English Whisky have joined forces with Adnams, a renowned brewery & distillery, for this limited-edition release.
Exploring English Whisky’s journey, catalysed by an online St. George’s Day tasting during the first Covid lockdown, has evolved into a membership club and an annual festival held in Birmingham. Founder Richard Foster remarks, “There’s not much to thank Covid for, but we’re one of the feel-good stories from that period of time. I love English Whisky and the people behind every bottle, it’s a fascinating category so I wanted to shine a light on it and help spread the word so more people could enjoy it across the UK and dispel a few myths about non-Scotch along the way!”
Adnams make multiple styles of whisky with different mash bills, but this is their single malt recipe and it’s been maturing for 7 years in Adnams’ signature second-fill French Oak casks. The liquid is then finished for approximately 2 years in French sweet Sauternes wine casks – an increasingly popular choice in whisky maturation. The French Oak casks impart a Bourbon-like character with a twist, delivering delightful notes of melted butter, fennel, stone fruits, and grappa – before washing over the tongue with more smooth buttery deliciousness, a layer of apricot jam and a sprinkling of baking spices. The finish is a warm, rich, and spicy symphony, maintaining a bright and lively quality from the influence of the exquisite Sauternes wine casks.
Foster expressed his excitement about the release, stating, “There are very few age statemented English Whiskies on the market, so we are excited to be able to stamp nine years onto this bottle – in part to showcase the lengths that Adnams have gone to in maturing this whisky in such a great combination of casks – but also due to the surprise most people have when they find out how long Adnams has been making whisky for. Not only is English Whisky ‘a thing’ – but it’s also now able to compete alongside Scotch in the traditional age brackets of 8, 12 and 15 years, albeit in far smaller quantities.”
He emphasises the craft and sustainability of Adnams, using locally sourced barley, long fermentations, and slow, careful distillation, resulting in a distinct distillery flavour profile that relies less on wood for flavouring. He notes, “Craft whisky distilleries like Adnams do more than just make whisky, and when this opportunity arose – I knew I had to jump on it.”
“This whisky has a clear salinity that – I believe – comes from Adnams’ proximity to the North Sea – probably more so through the maturation, but every process takes place in Southwold so the coast always within view of this whisky until it’s bottled. That’s why we put the coast on the label – a nod to mother nature’s power and impact on whisky through ageing in unique micro-climates like the one Adnams finds itself in Southwold, on the Suffolk coast.” Regarding the bottle’s design, Foster states, “Creating our first label was a big moment for us,” describing it as a fusion of brand identity and a unique representation of the distillery, featuring an ‘Explorer Series’ black ‘X’—the symbol of the range. The remaining elements, such as the textured paper and gold foiling add layers of opulence to the design – reflecting the rarity and quality of Sauternes wines and Suffolk whiskies.
The Explorer Series launch marks the beginning of an exciting journey for Exploring English Whisky, with promises of more unique bottlings to come in the years ahead.
The release is limited to 700 bottles and is available for £70 from Whiskyside.com, members of Exploring English Whisky can also enjoy £10 off per bottle.
For more information, visit EXPLORING ENGLISH WHISKY
TASTING NOTES
Nose: Melted butter, fennel seeds and stone fruits washed down with grappa
Palate: Buttery smooth with apricot jam and baking spices
Finish: Warm, spicy, and rich
RECOMMENDED SERVE
“Southwold Lighthouse”
This twist on a “Mott & Mulberry” (named after an intersection in NYC) features our Adnams 9yo ex Sauternes Cask in place of spicy American Rye Whiskey. We think it’s delicious and a perfect Autumn / Winter cocktail. Give it a go:
30ml Adnams 9yo
30ml Benedictine (or Amaro / Chartreuse / Cynar)
30ml English Cider (ideally from Suffolk)
10ml Lemon Juice
10ml Maple Syrup (or Demerara sugar syrup)
Shake all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice. Strain and pour into a tumbler. Garnish with thinly sliced apple on a skewer over the glass.
Redacted (Thompson) Bros 6 Year Old “TB/BSW” Blended Scotch Whisky (700ml) $54.99 View
The beauty of the Thompson Brothers is that they’re willing to take risks. This offering is indeed a risky proposition for a bottler, the very reason the big guys were willing to let it go. On paper it reads like a very expensive blended scotch. But why add an age statement, when a 12-year-old Johnnie Walker is a fraction of the price? The age statement tells the entire story here and our friends at Dornoch care little for artificial labels and quality statements, all they care about is getting damn good whisky into your glass for an incredible price. So, when one of the largest players in the single malt game came to them with a large vatting of 99% sherried 12-year-old of the highest caliber that had accidentally been mingled with a tiny bit of 6-year-old grain, the boys didn’t hesitate and neither did we. This is a throwback to a bygone era where 50 or so dollars was all you needed to get top quality well aged malt. We can split hairs about the nomenclature, but what we care about most at K&L is flavor and the TB/BSW over-delivers in an incredible way. Easily bests 12-year-old single malts that trade for $30-40 premium over this splendid find. No other Scotch on the market today offers so much value, so if you’re willing to not judge a book by its cover, we’re willing to keep selling this excellent bottle at an extremely affordable price!
Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA
Sheringham Distillery
WHISKY PRESALE!
As the holiday season approaches, we find ourselves reflecting on the incredible moments and shared experiences that have defined this year. From the clinking of glasses to the laughter and dedication that echoes through our distillery, we’re honored to be part of your celebrations and memorable occasions.
WHISKY PRESALE
Story: Jason’s whisky-making dream took its inaugural steps in our original distillery, perched overlooking the picturesque Juan de Fuca Strait in Shirley, B.C. This vision expanded to our Sooke distillery, where Jason continued to craft exceptional whisky, using exclusively local B.C. grains. Our commitment to sustainability extends to our spent grain, which was repurposed as feed for local farm animals. Jason’s meticulous approach to aging whisky ensures that each bottle becomes a coveted collector’s item.
The excellence of Jason’s craft was acknowledged, with the debut batch of whisky claiming the “Best In Class” title at the 2019 at the Canadian Artisan Spirit Competition (CASC) and a Gold award in the “Merrit in Terroir” category in 2021.
Anticipation is growing as we prepare to unveil our latest whisky offering. It brings us great joy and honor to share this batch of rye whisky with you.
Process: This whisky was crafted in Sooke, British Columbia, using exclusively B.C. grain and traditional distillation techniques. The mash bill, consisting of rye, wheat, and malted barley, has been distilled in small batches and aged for a minimum of three years in premium American new white oak barrels. The robust and full-bodied flavour of this whisky comes from a combination of the mash bill, traditional distillation methods, the use of new American oak to age the spirit and the pure love of making whisky.
Tasting Notes: Experience a deep and complex rye spice, complemented by notes of pepper, vanilla, cooked fruit, brown sugar, and a subtle hint of leather.
Whisky is available for pre-sale only at this time. Pre-sale is limited to British Columbia residents, with shipping exclusively within the province. Orders expected to ship February/March 2024.
Join the presale for a special limited time offer of $79.99 CAD for the month of December.
