Glenmorangie unveils first Calvados cask finish as 12-Year-Old small batch whisky 

 –Uniquely fruity and floral release is latest in Distillery’s Barrel Select series

Glenmorangie Highland single malt Scotch whisky today reveals a uniquely fruity and floral whisky – its first ever finished in French Calvados casks. Glenmorangie Calvados Cask Finish is the fifth release in the Distillery’s Barrel Select Release series of small-batch single malts, which explores the flavours that arise from different cask finishes. Entwining scents of jasmine with baked apples and pears, this rare 12-year-old bottling offers new mellow depths to Glenmorangie’s signature fruity tones.

For 180 years, Glenmorangie’s whisky makers have been endlessly imaginative on their quest to create delicious single malt whiskies for more people to enjoy. Led by acclaimed Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden, they craft their delicate, fruity spirit in stills as tall as a giraffe to allow more space for taste and aroma, then age it in the world’s finest casks. Some time ago, Dr Bill became fascinated by the soft, orchard notes of Calvados, which is distilled from apples (and sometimes pears) in France. And he began to wonder how these casks – never used before at Glenmorangie – might further enhance the whisky’s classic, fruity finesse.

Inspired to experiment, he took a whisky which had spent more than 10 years ageing in American white oak bourbon casks, for Glenmorangie’s elegant style. He transferred that whisky into casks which, for 20 years, had held Calvados du Pays d’Auge, from Normandy, in France. After a carefully judged finish, Dr Bill’s creation was ready to share. Soft and delectably rich, Glenmorangie Calvados Cask Finish unites mellow fruits of baked apples and pears with subtle notes of jasmine, narcissus and vanilla.

Dr Bill said: “At Glenmorangie, we are always experimenting with ways to create delicious whiskies. Since Calvados casks have never been used before at Glenmorangie, I was intrigued to see how their elegant, orchard notes would complement our whisky’s award-winning fruity style, with a judicious finish. Glenmorangie Calvados Finish is a wonderful addition to our Barrel Select Release series of small-batch single malts. Entwining scents of baked pears, vanilla and jasmine with tastes of toffee apples, lemon balsam and spice, this rare whisky takes all that is good about Glenmorangie, to richly delicious new heights.”

Glenmorangie Calvados Cask Finish is now available exclusively in the UK at Glenmorangie.com, RRP: £75.

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Tasting Notes:

Glenmorangie Calvados Cask Finish is non chill-filtered and bottled at 46% ABV

Colour: Bright Gold

Aroma: A most fragrant whisky at full strength, with notes of baked apples, pears, vanilla, almond and a slightly waxy note. With water, some fragrant, floral notes emerge, like narcissus, jasmine and heather honey. Finally, the aroma of baking sweet pastries is found.

Taste: The mouthfeel is oily and spicy at the same time, and leads into a burst of rich sweet flavours.  Baked pears, toffee apple, almond marzipan, star anise and chocolate praline are found, along with some lemon balsam, eucalyptus and a touch of charcoal.

Finish: Long, lingering and almost slightly cooling in nature.

RRP: £75.00

 About the Barrel Select Release series:

Glenmorangie’s Barrel Select Release series comprises small-batch bottlings exploring the flavours which arise from different cask finishes. The first release in the series was the indulgently sweet and rich Glenmorangie Malaga Cask Finish, a 12-year-old whisky finished in Spain’s Malaga wine casks. The second release was Glenmorangie Cognac Cask Finish, an elegantly oaky and fruity 13-year-old whisky, finished in Cognac casks. Glenmorangie Palo Cortado Finish was the third release in the series. This deeply sweet and nutty 12-year-old bottling was Glenmorangie’s first ever to be finished in rare Palo Cortado sherry casks. The fourth release was the nutty and spicy Glenmorangie Amontillado Finish, inspired by Dr Bill’s favourite style of sherry. Floral and gently fruity, Glenmorangie Calvados Cask Finish is the fifth Barrel Select release. 

About Glenmorangie:

Glenmorangie’s whisky makers use endless imagination and five key ingredients – wood, water, barley, yeast and time – to dream up delicious single malt whiskies. They’ve been honing their craft for 180 years. They create a delicate and fruity spirit in stills as tall as an adult giraffe to allow for more taste and aroma. Led by Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden, this crackerjack crew are on a mission to bring new flavours and possibilities to the world of single malt.

Glenmorangie celebrates the joy of delicious single malt in every part of its universe, from its boutique hotel Glenmorangie House to its colourful brand campaign, shot by famed photographer Miles Aldridge. With its tagline “It’s kind of delicious and wonderful”, Glenmorangie invites whisky lovers old and new to see themselves in Glenmorangie’s world.

About Dr Bill Lumsden:

Dr Bill Lumsden’s favourite phrase is “What if?”. And throughout more than 25 years with Glenmorangie, the Distillery’s Creative Director has challenged himself and his team to take whatever captures their imaginations and turn it into whisky – be that the spirit and flavour of Glenmorangie’s homeland (the Cadboll Estate series), the magic of a walk in the forest (Glenmorangie A Tale of the Forest), a cup of coffee (Glenmorangie Signet), and more. With a PhD in biochemistry and decades of experience, Dr Bill has all the skills needed to bring these ideas to life. Already, he has earned the admiration of his peers many times over. He features in the Icons of Whisky Hall of Fame. He has won the International Whisky Competition’s award for Master Distiller of the Year more times than anyone else. And he was named twice Master Blender/Distiller of the Year by the International Spirits Challenge.

About Calvados:

Distilled from apples (and sometimes pears), Calvados is produced only in the department of Calvados within the Normandy region of France. Calvados Pays d’Auge is a sub-region of the department and has its own appellation d’origine contrôlée. The appellation’s renowned Calvados comes from fruit trees grown in the clay and limestone soils of the Pays d’Auge. It is double distilled in a traditional alembic pot still.

Responsible Drinking:

The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking and suggests that drinkers savour Glenmorangie whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.

Laphroaig 34 Year Old, The Ian Hunter Story Batch 5

This 34-year-old ex-bourbon barrel matured single malt is the fifth and final release in their series of rare and collectable aged whiskies to celebrate the story of the legendary Ian Hunter.

Tasting notes:

Colour: Deep, rich copper.

Nose: Lightly peaty with notes of iodine and burnt wood. Floral green malt, sweet candyfloss and vanilla fudge, and subtle blueberry and raspberry accents.

Palate: Sweet and spicy, with hints of classic Laphroaig peat and cold barbecue ash. Salted caramel and butterscotch, roast chestnut, a hint of peach, dried flowers and white pepper.

Finish: Peaty and malty, with a lingering sweetness.

Maturation: Double matured in a combination of first fill ex-bourbon American Oak barrels and Pedro Ximénez European Oak Hogheads.

£1,100.00 >

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Penelope Toasted Series Straight Bourbon Whiskey

(750ml)

$59.99 View

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San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Ross & Squibb Remus “K&L Exclusive – LISV Barrel #531″ Warehouse H, Floor 6, Single Barrel Barrel Proof Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

While any Bourbon drinker worth their salt is aware of Four Roses recipe coding system designating mashbills and yeast type, most aren’t aware of where that system actually came from. It was brought to Four Roses from Ross & Squibb (formerly Seagrams/MGP). The link between the two companies goes back to 1943 when Seagram’s, owner of the Indiana facility for many years, purchased Four Roses and shifted that brands focus to the Japanese market. The bond between the two companies strengthened even further when Jim Rutledge came over to run Four Roses after decades at Seagrams. LISV recipe from MGP denotes distillery, mashbill, distillation method, and yeast strain used just like the other famous Lawrencburg distillery. Here we have an unusual 51% corn, 39% rye, 10% malted rye mashbill (Mashbill I) and the V yeast strain (while they won’t confirm it, this is very likely the same V strain 4R uses, again thanks to the Seagrams connection). It’s bottled at 56.6% ABV without chill filtration. The L and S will always indicate ‘L’awenceburg, Indiana for the distillery and ‘S’ distillation method signifying traditional beer still to doubler distillation for the Remus barrel picks).

$59.99 View

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Lochlea marks 5^th Anniversary with

statement whisky from across half a decade

Multi-award-winning Ayrshire distillery, Lochlea, is celebrating its 5^th Anniversary this year, marking the milestone birthday with a limited edition first age-statement whisky release. 

Lochlea 5 Year Old is a vatting of five different casks from the distillery – each one showing a different side to the house spirit, hand-selected by Production Director John Campbell and the team.

This exclusive single malt whisky is incredibly special to the Lochlea team – it is their first ever age statement release since the distillery was founded half a decade ago on Lochlea Farm – where Robert Burns lived and worked, inspiring his thinking and development as a poet.

Two of the five casks used are from the very first filling in August 2018, making this the oldest Lochlea whisky that has ever been bottled and released!

The final spirit of this limited 5 Year Old release is made up from two first fill ex-Bourbon casks, one first fill Oloroso sherry cask, one double matured Oloroso Sherry cask and a double matured Pedro Ximenez Sherry cask, giving it a delicious rich flavour and texture.

John Campbell said: “To mark our 5th Anniversary milestone, we wanted to create a whisky that shows off the best of Lochlea spirit that has been matured in different styles of casks over the last half a decade. We have carefully chosen these five casks that have matured our single malt to perfection, then vatted them together to create a unique bottling of Lochlea that we won’t replicate ever again – it’s an incredibly special dram to mark our first special milestone birthday. And as always with our whiskies, it’s made entirely from barley grown on our farm here at Lochlea.”

“In celebration of this special milestone, we felt it was fitting to release it on Burns Night as a nod to Robert Burns who once worked the land that we rely on for our own barley and, ultimately, our final spirit.”

Lochlea is one of the very few full grain-to-cask distilleries in Scotland, growing all its own barley, distilling its spirit, and maturing all stocks on site at the distillery (and farm) in the stunning region of Ayrshire. Not only does this keep production quality consistent, but it also helps to ensure the distillery is naturally as sustainable as possible.

In addition to this special anniversary release, Lochlea has a range of limited-edition seasonal whiskies that are released each year to mark the seasons on the farm, as well as a Cask Strength series. The distillery also released a signature expression in 2022 – award-winning ‘Our Barley’, that is available in over 20 markets globally, throughout the year.

Limited edition Lochlea 5 Year Old is available from 25^th January onwards, from Lochlea stockists* while stocks last, RRP: £89.99.

Lochlea 5 Year Old

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Baked pineapple, brown sugar, hazelnuts, sourdough bread

Palate: Lemon zest, candied pear crumble, orange peel

Finish: Caramel with hints of black pepper, rose petals and leather

About Lochlea Distillery:

Lochlea was originally a 222-acre livestock farm before being purchased by Neil and Jen McGeoch in 2006. After much consideration of the future of the farm and a successful trial to grow its own barley in 2015, the couple transformed the land and existing farm buildings into a fully operational distillery in 2017 and started distilling the following year. The farming side has remained a unique part of Lochlea, with the move into barley production – paving the way for Lochlea to be one of the very few fully grain-to-glass distilleries in Scotland. It also has a rich Scottish heritage with strong links to Robbie Burns, with the bard having worked and lived on the farm a several years.

*For a full list of Lochlea stockists, visit: Lochlea Distillery stockists

Lochlea Distillery has recently won the following awards:

– Icons of Whisky Scotland 2024: Single Estate and Brand Innovator

– Icons of Whisky 2023: Single Estate Distillery of the Year

– San Francisco Spirits Competition 2023: Our Barley – GOLD

– Scottish Field Summer Whisky Challenge 2023: Distilleries under 10 Years Old – GOLD

SECOND-FILL
________________________________________

Our best kept secret until now, Second-Fill casks reveal Sullivans Cove’s spirit in its purest form. The Second-Fill range presents a softer, less oak-forward profile with a complexity that is unique to Second-Fill casks.

DISTILLED POTENTIAL

Sullivans Cove Second-Fill – ‘A whisky where you can properly taste the barley, the barley sugars, the copper, the time and then the cask.’

MATT BAILEY | BRANCH DIRECTOR
SCOTCH MALT WHISKY SOCIETY

Angel’s Envy “K&L Exclusive” Cask #231050 Private Select Port Finished Kentucky Straight Bourbon (750ml) $89.99

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Ben Nevis 10 Year Old Single Malt Whisky

Official notes from the back label

Nose – Abundance of character on the nose with floral, fragrant, honey, citrus fruits of orange and beeswax with elements of toffee and vanilla aromas. Taste – Initial spicy notes lead to cereal flavours. Smooth creaminess of dark chocolate invites you to sample another drop.

Non Chill filtered and Natural Colour. Ben Nevis Distillery was established by John MacDonald in 1825 and only pure highland water collected from the mountain source is used to make this fine whisky.

From Ben Nevis Distillery

£54.00

ORDER NOW

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United Kingdom

Incredible Collectible Buys from Two Single Malt Icons

2002 Caol Ila 20YO “Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur’s Choice” K&L Exclusive Cask #8378 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel Nonchillfiltered Cask Strength Islay Single Malt 
“This epic, first-fill bourbon barrel of Caol Ila offers well-aged, classic Islay distillery drinking at a very attractive price.” — Andrew Whiteley, K&L Spirits Buyer

2003 Glenlivet 20YO “Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur’s Choice” K&L Exclusive Cask #800366 2nd Refill Ex-Bourbon barrels Nonchillfiltered Cask Strength Highlands Single Malt 
“Rich, round, and utterly pleasing, this is gorgeous … If the distillery were selling stuff like this at this price, we’d be buying every drop.” — David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

Our friends at Gordon & MacPhail continue to make their case as the best independent bottler in the business with this pair of 20-year-old rarities from two of Scotland’s most iconic distilleries. Of course, the mature class and bearing should pique anyone’s interest, but the real kicker here is the price. It’s simply unheard-of to find single malts of this age and pedigree for well under $200.

2002 Caol Ila 20 Year Old “Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur’s Choice” K&L Exclusive Cask #8378 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrel Nonchillfiltered Cask Strength Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($170.00)

K&L Notes: A stupendous barrel of Caol Ila that’s simply being sold way under market prices. There’s no reason this special cask should be so affordable, but we’ve worked hard with our supplier to keep these prices reasonable and are able to offer this well below market for at least the short time it will remain on our shelf. Distilled in late 2002 and filled into a first-fill bourbon barrel for just under 21 years, it was bottled at cask strength without chill-filtration or coloring on August 30th, 2023. Only 157 bottles filled at 53.9% ABV. This gorgeous, old Islay malt is truly one of kind in today’s market. Extremely balanced and well apportioned—there are very few single malt lovers who will turn their noses up at this excellent cask.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: January 16, 2024

This gorgeous cask of Caol Ila is pure class. It’s not a peat monster or powerhouse. Instead, it’s a regal old dame of the highest order. But that by no means should indicate a malt that you should brush off. There’s great tension and depth here that is so difficult to replicate in these old Islay malts, particularly at this price point. In fact, there’s no old Islay at this price from what I can tell, but what’s most important here is the way it tastes. Here we go. A fabulous burnished color. The nose is a gorgeous mixture of sweet, ripe orchard fruit covered in white ash. Cured meats, granny smith, bergamot, dried mango, exotic spices, and sandalwood. On the palate, dense, rich smoke, powerful spice, big oak spice, big clean smoke, smoked meats, citrus oils, smoldering and supple. It’s such a fun, old-school vibe that reminds me much more of older distillery offerings than the punchier, weirder IBs we see. I’ll be very sad when this bottle is gone.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: January 02, 2024

As a result of the insane single-malt boom over the last decade, we’ve seen very little in the way of middle-aged malt at reasonable prices recently. Fortunately, our relationship with Gordon & MacPhail still affords us occasional access to gems like this. This epic, first-fill bourbon barrel of Caol Ila offers well-aged, classic Islay distillery drinking at a very attractive price. I’m stunned at how bourbon-like the nose is. Aside from the obvious fact that it is peated single malt, the vanilla, butterscotch, and peanut butter jump out like they’re on fire. Caol Ila’s famous fruit is on full display, paired beautifully with hot peat fire and smoldering BBQ brisket. The dusting of salt does wonders to bring out the intensity of flavors carried comfortably in 53.9% ABV. Yielding a tragically small 157 bottles, this cask (and my bottle) will be gone far too soon.

2003 Glenlivet 20 Year Old “Gordon & MacPhail Connoisseur’s Choice” K&L Exclusive Cask #800366 2nd Refill Ex-Bourbon barrels Nonchillfiltered Cask Strength Highlands Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($170.00)

K&L Notes: The iconic Glenlivet Distillery has become a name so associated with the sale of single malt Scotch that an entire region had to change its name due to its success. But more than a century ago, one company was in the business of selling Glenlivet single malt by the bottle. The famed grocer in Elgin made a nice business of buying malt spirit from the local distilleries and bottling it under now iconic labels. Those original bottlings were some of the first bottled single malt Scotch on the market, and Gordon & Macphail has continued their special relationship with the great distillers of Scotland until today. Only recently have they announced that they would no longer be filling contracts as they had for many decades, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have excellent stocks for the foreseeable future. Considering the provenance and quality of the bottler, this gorgeous single barrel of Glenlivet is an absolute steal. Distilled in early 2003 and filled into a once-used bourbon barrel, it aged for two long decades at the G&M warehouses in Elgin before being hand-selected by K&L Wine Merchants for our exclusive sale. Bottled on August 22nd, 2023 at cask strength without chill-filtration or coloring of any kind. Only 158 bottles were produced at 55.3% ABV. This extremely classically styled Glenlivet showcases the incredible delicacy for which the famous Speysider is renowned. A truly under-valued barrel which would normally cost multiples of this price on the open market.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: January 16, 2024

This little barrel of Glenlivet is going to be overlooked by many single malt fanatics because it may not seem so special or unique, but in fact, finding an old Glenlivet in the nude is unprecedented. It’s true there was a period where we were selling heavily sherried versions from Signatory that people loved, but honestly those casks could have been from any highlander, and no one would have known the difference. But to see the great Speysider in all its glory, unadulterated by wine influence of any kind, is a real treat. Let’s have a taste! The color is old gold. The nose is a nice balance of punchy fruit—kiwi, green mango, Fuji apple, strong citrus oil, and honeysuckle. Tiny wisps of wildflower honey, fresh vanilla bean, and ripe apricots. On the palate, it’s surprisingly zesty with a big, oily texture. A gorgeous interplay of rich maltiness, dense baked orchard fruit, and oak spice. It’s seamless at full strength, but a drop of water turns this into total velvet. Rich, round, and utterly pleasing, this is gorgeous stuff. Loves air and maybe a bit of water, but lovely right out of the bottle with 30 minutes rested in the glass. If the distillery were selling stuff like this at this price, we’d be buying every drop.

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
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