Edradour Small Batch 2023
Oloroso, Barbaresco, Madeira, Manzanilla & Burgundy
Replacing the now discontinued STFC (Straight from the Cask) series, Edradour introduce the Small Batch series for 2023 now in 70cl bottles. Fully matured in especially selected wine casks – some batches have as few as 1,300 bottles.
Shop – Edradour 2023 Small Batch Release.
Now Open for Ordering
The KWM 2023 Whisky Calendar
& KWM 2023 UBER Whisky Calendar
This is our 10th annual KWM Whisky Calendar, and we have taken the opportunity to make a significant change. In recent years it has become increasingly difficult to source interesting mini bottles of whisky for the Calendar, and last year, despite ordering 6 whiskies more than we needed, we almost didn’t have enough arrive in time to complete the project.
In 2012 we brought the first Whisky Calendar into Canada, the Master of Malt Whisky Advent Calendar. It was well received, but we felt we could offer better value. So in 2013, we decided to produce our own Whisky Advent Calendar and chart our own path.
It is in that same spirit that this year, frustrated by our recent experience with supply chain difficulties, the lack of options for mini bottles, and ever-increasing prices, we have made the decision to become masters of our own destiny again…
Moving forward, the KWM Whisky Calendar will be filled with whiskies we bottle ourselves, and this is going to open up a lot of exciting possibilities.
The largest volume we are allowed to fill is 28ml, so we have sourced 1 oz bottles, and have redesigned the Whisky Calendar box accordingly. We also wanted to continue the tradition of including a whisky glass with our Calendars, though to accommodate the smaller box it is now a Wee Glencairn Glass…
While the volume of whisky in the calendar has come down, we are able to offer a much more interesting selection of whiskies, at a better price. Most of the whiskies in this year’s Calendar are aged 14 years or more, and there are a pair each of 21 and 25-year-olds too!
As with the past couple of years, you have two options to reserve a KWM 2023 Whisky Calendar: the Pre-Pay Early Bird offer, and the full price Pre Order & Pay Later Option.
If you select the Pre-Pay Preorder option, you will save $40!
There is one other advantage to taking more of the production into our own hands. We can now be more certain than ever about when the Calendar will be ready for pickup. If something we were counting on doesn’t arrive on time, we can replace it with something comparable. So we expect the Calendars will be ready for pickup the week of October 31st.
There is one more difference this year too. When we started floating the idea of filling our own bottles for this year’s Calendar, a number of you asked if we would be creating a higher-end version too. So we have taken that idea and run with it. We are also producing a very limited number of KWM 2023 UBER Whisky Calendars.
There is also a special offer for any who wish to purchase both Calendars. Details on that are below.
If you need your Calendar packed for shipping, please make a note of that in the memo field. We will be determining the cost for that at a later date. But it will be similar to or less than previous years.
About the KWM 2023 Whisky Calendar
The KWM Whisky Calendar, aka “25 Days of Dram Fine Whisky”, is back for the 10th straight year. Not only will it have a fresh new look this year, but it will be in a completely redesigned box. This year’s Calendar includes 25 28ml premium whiskies, and a custom logo wee Glencairn glass. You can follow along on the KWM Blog starting December 1st, or on one of our various social media channels as we introduce and discuss each day’s whisky.
The KWM 2023 Whisky Calendar artwork will be revealed in a few weeks’ time!
We will also be hosting the Whisky Calendar Recap Tastings throughout the month of December. Purchasers and recipients of the KWM 2023 Whisky Calendar will be able to join us for any or all of the 5 virtual tastings on December 5, 10, 15, 20 and after Christmas on the 27th, at 7 PM MT. Each of them will cover the 5 previous day’s whiskies in the Calendar.
We always keep the exact whisky list a secret, there are too few surprises left in this life… but we can tell you this year’s Calendar includes 3 KWM exclusive casks, a Scotch Malt Whisky Society bottling, at least five whiskies in their 20s, and more new distilleries and producers than we have featured in a long time. We are confident that this is the best Whisky Calendar lineup we have ever produced!
Best of all, if you select the pre-pay preorder option, you will save $40… but this offer is only open for two weeks, until the end of the day, Wednesday, September 20th!
We anticipate the KWM 2023 Whisky Calendars should be ready for pick up by October 31st.
Two Options to Order
the KWM 2023 Whisky Calendar
1) KWM 2023 Whisky Calendar Pre-Pay Early Bird Special Offer – Select this option if you wish to save $40 on the regular price of $290, by prepaying now in full (please note this cannot be combined with other offers or discounts). You will be charged $250+gst when we receive your order. – EARLY BIRD PRICING OPTION ENDS ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20th, 2023!
2) KWM 2023 Whisky Calendar Pay Later Full Price – If you want to reserve a KWM 2023 Whisky Calendar and pay the full price of $290+gst later, please select this option to submit your order, and you will not be charged until a few days before the Calendar is ready for pick-up.
About the KWM 2023 UBER Whisky Calendar
The KWM 2023 UBER Whisky Calendar, aka “25 Days of Dram Fine Whisky”, is like our regular Whisky Calendar, but we have kicked the range up into a whole different stratosphere. It consists of 25 uber premium whiskies and a custom logo wee Glencairn glass. You can follow along on the KWM Blog starting December 1st, or on one of our various social media channels as we introduce and discuss each day’s whisky.
The KWM 2023 Whisky Calendar artwork will be revealed in a few weeks’ time!
As with the regular Calendar, we will also be hosting UBER Whisky Calendar Recap Tastings throughout the month of December, if there is interest. Purchasers and recipients of the KWM 2023 UBER Whisky Calendar will be able to join us for any or all of the 5 virtual tastings on December 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th and after Christmas on the 27th, at 8:30 PM MT. Each of them will cover the 5 previous day’s whiskies in the UBER Whisky Calendar.
We like to keep the exact whisky list a secret, as there are too few surprises left in this world… but we can tell you this year’s UBER Whisky Calendar consists primarily of whiskies aged 21 to 49 years of age, with an average of 29! Most of the whiskies selected retail for $500 to $1000, and one of them is well over $2000. Three of the whiskies are from closed distilleries. It is an impressive list!
A bagger range comes with a bigger price tag, but also a bigger early bird discount. Select the pre-pay preorder option, and you will save $125… but this offer is only open for two weeks, until the end of the day, Wednesday, September 20th, or until they sell out… we are only producing 25!
As an extra bonus, customers who purchase both the KWM 2023 Whisky Calendar, as well as the KWM 2023 UBER Whisky Calendar, will save an additional $50.
We anticipate the KWM 2023 UBER Whisky Calendars should be ready for pick up by October 31.
Three Options to Order
the KWM 2023 UBER Whisky Calendar
1) KWM 2023 UBER Whisky Calendar Pre-Pay Early Bird Special Offer – Select this option if you wish to save $125 on the regular price of $1000, by prepaying now in full (please note this cannot be combined with other offers or discounts). You will be charged $850+gst when we receive your order. – EARLY BIRD PRICING OPTION ENDS ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20th, 2023!
2) Both KWM & KWM UBER Whisky Calendars – Select this option if you wish to save $215 by pre-paying for both the KWM 2023 Whisky Calendar & the KWM 2023 UBER Whisky Calendar. on the regular price of $1000, by prepaying now in full (please note this cannot be combined with other offers or discounts). You will be charged $1075+gst when we receive your order. – EARLY BIRD PRICING OPTION ENDS ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20th, 2023!
3) KWM 2023 UBER Whisky Calendar Pay Later Full Price – Pay Later Pre-Order – If you want to reserve a KWM 2023 UBER Whisky Calendar and pay the full price of $1000+gst later, please select this option to submit your order, and you will not be charged until a few days before the UBER Calendar is ready for pick-up.
Please order online if you can (using the links above), or by phone at 403-283-8000 if you can’t.
As always, in the event of a discrepancy in price, the point of sale at KWM will be taken as correct. Please don’t hesitate to email me with any questions, comments, or requests.
Sincerely,
Andrew Ferguson
Kensington Wine Market
403-283-8000
Store Hours
Mon – Wed 10AM – 8PM
Thurs & Fri 10AM – 9PM
Sat 10AM – 8 PM
Sun 11PM to 6PM
*All Prices Quoted here are subject to change and do not include GST. In the case of pricing discrepancies, the price at our point of sale will be taken as correct.*
The past few decades have seen the attention to detail when selecting casks to mature whisky in rise to new levels. Here we highlight some of the pioneering Scotch whiskies for pushing the way we use casks to transform a spirit and making us look deeper into the casks we mature in.
Get a taste of history with a modern sherry monster and the first-ever cask-strength core release from a distillery by Glenfarclas, an original Balvenie that was one of the first-ever whiskies to undergo secondary maturation, and Dalmore’s experimental King Alexander III for which master blender Richard Paterson vatted whiskies matured in Port pipes, madeira drums, marsala barrels and wine casks.
Blanton’s Gold Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon
(700ml)(European Import)
$240.00 View
The rare Blanton’s Gold has become beloved by connoisseurs and collectors world wide. The ultimate single barrel bourbon and founder of the category, Blanton’s has become one of the most asked for and hardest to obtain bourbons on the market today. We’ve found some limited stocks of European bound product that would otherwise have not been available. The famous “Gold” Blanton’s is so named for its unique golden horse and golden writing. Bottled at a perfect 103 proof, the Blanton’s Gold ups the complexity considerably from the standard release without the heat that the Straight From the Barrel offers. This is the perfect whiskey to offer nearly any bourbon lover if you’re looking for a special bottle that they’ve never had. It’s a true Kentucky benchmark and should be considered one of the truly great whiskies on the market today.
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
Glen Moray single malt whisky issues ‘invitation to play’ with new Twisted Vine Campaign
The only rule is there are no rules! Glen Moray has today (22nd August) announced a new partnership campaign which encourages drinkers to cast their single malt rule books aside and get creative when enjoying their latest expression – Glen Moray Twisted Vine.
Launched in July this year and inspired by Glen Moray’s long history of cask exploration, the delicious Cognac cask matured whisky has gone down a storm with single malt drinkers in the UK thanks to its sweet, spicy flavour and bold design.
To celebrate its ethos of putting your own twist on whisky, the Glen Moray team is challenging like-minded partners to experiment and give single malt their own modern makeover.
First up is the London-based pioneering duo behind the popular drinks magazine, website and podcast ‘The Cocktail Lovers’. The pair – Gary Sharpen and Sandrae Lawrence – have done what they do best, creating a refreshing serve inspired by the sweet, fruity notes in the whisky – and featuring a surprising ingredient that’s not typically associated with whisky-based drinks: pineapple.
Their Pineapple DiVine cocktail is simple yet delicious, mixing Twisted Vine with pineapple syrup and fresh lemon juice, before topping it up with Prosecco.
This first partnership in the series will be rolled out over social media and other online platforms over the coming months, whilst Glen Moray followers will be encouraged to reimagine how they too can elevate their single malt whisky experience.
Glen Moray UK Marketing Manager James Collins said: ‘Historically Glen Moray was one of the first distilleries in Scotland to explore the effects of using unusual casks on whisky maturation, and it’s something we still do to this day. It’s this playful approach that we wanted to underline in our new campaign. Teaming up with like-minded partners is an exciting way to showcase that there really shouldn’t be any set rules when it comes to enjoying single malt. As The Cocktail Lovers have done, we hope our drinkers will get inspired and explore flavours and ingredients for themselves, to put their own twist on our new single malt.’
The Pineapple DiVine
Ingredients
50ml Glen Moray Twisted Vine
25ml homemade pineapple syrup (recipe below)
20ml fresh lemon juice
40ml Prosecco
Grape for garnish
Method
Shake the first three ingredients over ice and strain into a large wine glass filled with ice cubes. Top with the Prosecco and garnish with a grape.
Homemade Pineapple Syrup
Ingredients
¼ fresh pineapple
120ml brown sugar
120ml water
¼ teaspoon mixed spice
Method
Cut the pineapple into small chunks and add them, along with the sugar, mixed spice and water to a saucepan. Bring to the boil and simmer very gently for around 30 minutes, occasionally mashing down the pineapple to make a puree. Leave to cool and strain off the lovely pineapple syrup. (Don’t throw away the remaining puree, its great mixed with ice cream for dessert.)
Distilled and matured in Elgin, in the heart of Speyside, Glen Moray Twisted Vine is the perfect marriage of spirit and cask wood: sweet and woody with notes of dried fruit, nuts and spice. It is available in Asda, Morrisons and Coop stores across the UK as well as specialist whisky and spirits outlets. Bottled in 70cl at 40% ABV, RRP: £29.
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www.facebook.com/GlenMorayDistillery
www.instagram.com/Glen_Moray_Whisky
ABOUT GLEN MORAY
Glen Moray is one of Scotland’s best loved single malt whiskies. It has been crafted since 1897 in the ancient town of Elgin, the capital of the Speyside whisky region, on what was once the Elgin West Brewery site on the banks of the River Lossie. Pure waters from the river, locally malted barley, distillation in traditional copper stills and maturation in American ex-bourbon casks combine to give the whisky its smooth, well-balanced, classic Speyside character. Glen Moray has always been a place where curiosity about flavour and cask maturation has been encouraged. Records dating back to the early days show new make spirit maturing in a wide variety of different casks – a highly unusual practice at this time. A passion for experimentation and a deep knowledge of wood have been passed down through generations of Glen Moray distillers. The result is today’s exceptional and extensive range of whiskies, offering a flavour and style to suit all tastes. Glen Moray is the 4th biggest malt whisky brand by volume in the UK and is growing in international markets.
ABOUT THE COCKTAIL LOVERS
ForFor the last 14 years husband and wife duo, Gary Sharpen and Sandrae Lawrence, have been serious in their mission to share their passion for the people, places and products behind their favourite drinks. Not only with the growing number of cocktail curious consumers but with industry professionals all around the world.
Through their website https://thecocktaillovers.com/ , along with their award-winning The Cocktail Lovers magazine and award-winning The Cocktail Lovers podcast, you’ll l find everything from news, views and interviews with the people moving and shaking things up in the cocktail world, in addition to recipes, previews of the most inspiring new cocktail menus, product launches and a whole lot more.
Their awards include Best Broadcast, Podcast or Online Video Series: Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards 2022: Best Food & Drink Podcast: The Publisher Podcast Awards 2022; Best Cocktail & Spirits Publicatiob: Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards 2016 and two appearances on The London Evening Standard 1000 Most Influential People 2015 & 2017.
The Shirakawa Distillery is one of Japan’s lesser known silent distilleries, situated in the Fukushima Prefecture, around 200km North of Tokyo. It was built in 1939 by Daikoku Budoshu, who were also responsible for building the legendary Karuizawa Distillery. They owned the distillery for around 8 years, until, in 1947 it was purchased by Takara Shuzo.
In 1951, Shirakawa became one of the first distilleries in all of Japan to produce malt whisky, however at this time the Single Malt market was almost non-existent, both at home and abroad. The malt whisky produced at Shirakawa was used in “King Blended Whisky”, which achieved moderate success around Japan, but never made it onto the international market. The distillery continued producing malt whisky right up until 1969, however they never released a single malt whisky onto the market.
The distillery was demolished in 2003, and in 2011, Takara Shuzo gifted the land where the distillery once sat to the Japanese government, in order to build emergency housing to accommodate the locals who had been displaced by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.
Nose
Waxy oak aromas, sweet fruits, gentle nuts, candied pineapple and orange liqueur, gradually making way for cut grass, honeysuckle, coconut and a waves of spices, floral tones and woody aromas.
Palate
Freshly sliced apple, zingy lime curd, soft marzipan and white chocolate evolving into a tropical trail mix with a dusting of cinnamon and ginger.
Finish
Fruity aromas, a soft nuttiness, light spice and just a touch of smoke.
We are delighted to announce that the Shirakawa 1958 is now available to purchase on dekanta. Limited quantities of this iconic whisky remain, with most bottles already being snapped up by collectors and aficionados around the world.
This is a rare opportunity to own your very own piece of Japanese whisky history, and it’s one you don’t want to miss out on. Order online today to secure yours.
Rare & Collectable at The Whisky Shop
Deemed some of the best collectables on the market, these drams are highly sought-after, and are equally good for new investors and avid collectors alike. We have some incredible bottles on our site so delve into the selection below…
Free Next Day Delivery for 12 Months For just £14.95 you can enjoy free next day delivery on all your orders for a whole year! Geographic restrictions apply, see full T&Cs. Find out more ❯
1997 Blair Athol 25 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml)
$279.99
This beautiful cask of Blair Athol is truly the star of our 2023 campaign. We rarely get access to such exceptional old malt and if you’ve been following the K&L Exclusives, this will easily compare to the wonderful 25 year Cragganmore we sold last year. The Blair Athol malt is an absolute dream and when you put it into high quality casks, it can produce one of the Highland’s most complex and delicious whiskies. Founded in 1798 by John Steward and Robert Robertson, it changed hands many times until eventually being mothballed in 1932. IT was after that that Arthur Bell purchased the distillery to make it the home of his Bell’s Blend. Production start up again in 1949 and continues to produce the top dressing malt for blends. But a few special casks make it out of the system and we’re extremely lucky and proud to have procured this exceptional whisky. Fewer and fewer casks are able to offer this old malt experience for a relatively reasonable price. Any one looking for great old highland sherry should look no further. This is the best around.
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
HIGHLAND PARK ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF LONDON EDITION
AS PART OF ITS SINGLE CASK SERIES
Orkney-based distillery Highland Park has unveiled its new Single Cask Release as part of its limited-edition Single Cask Series. The Highland Park London Edition will be available in the UK from 11th September at an RRP of £390, with an ABV of 58.5%.
The launch of the 18-year-old London Edition sees Highland Park release just 642 bottles from a specially chosen cask in one of its 23 stone warehouses. The whisky, distilled in 2002 and bottled in 2021, is a naturally light, elegant golden colour, matured in a refill sherry-seasoned European oak cask. The cask – #4627 – was hand selected by Master Whisky Maker Gordon Motion.
Fans of Highland Park should expect the brand’s signature earthy, smoky tones from the new release, allied to a deep, rounded nose spanning vanilla sponge, oak and nutmeg. Flavours of pears, aniseed and rich cedar wood mark the palate, with a gentle peaty note and lingering sweet spice.
With casks contributing up to 60% of the flavour of Highland Park’s whisky, the distillery works closely with Spanish bodegas to source the finest sherry-seasoned casks available. Sherry’s relatively low alcohol content means it takes less from the cask, leaving more elements to influence the flavour of whisky as it matures.
“Some of our most outstanding single-cask bottlings come from refill casks, as they have often previously held whisky for only a short period of time, so have much to give in subsequent maturation,” says Motion.
For the Single Cask Series, Motions says he is “looking for the exceptional – a unique aroma, an outstanding character or simply a superb example of Highland Park’s uniquely complex balance of flavours”. The cask he chose for the London Edition was marked out by its particular marriage of “diverse yet harmonious flavours”, he adds, via a palate that features notes of pear, vanilla, nutmeg and peat. “When it comes to whisky that’s matured for 18 years and more, I have fewer casks to choose from so those in our Single Cask Series are, quite simply, the most exceptional Highland Park casks available.”
Highland Park whiskies are filled at approximately 63.5%, and during maturation they naturally lose some alcohol and water to evaporation, or the so-called Angels’ Share. As Motion points out, however, the flavours themselves intensify rather than evaporating. “By bottling at cask strength, we encourage whisky enthusiasts to experiment with adding water or ice to reach their preferred drinking strength and flavour,” he says.
To find out more about Highland Park visit: www.highlandparkwhisky.com
About the release of Highland Park Single Cask #4627 18-Year-Old London Edition
RRP: £390
ABV: 58.8%
Total production: 642 bottles
On sale date: 11th September 2023
Appearance: Elegant light golden colour
Tasting notes: Deep, rounded aromas of vanilla sponge, fresh Galia melon, oak, nutmeg and light peat tones. Flavours of pears, aniseed and rich cedar wood mark the palate, with a gentle peaty note sweeping through the mid-palate, finishing with a lingering sweet spice and woody character.
About Highland Park
We’ve been crafting our award-winning whisky at the Highland Park Distillery in Kirkwall, Orkney since 1798. Now, 225 years later, we are one of the ten oldest working distilleries in Scotland. Age, experience and respect for tradition may define our whisky but it’s Orkney that differentiates us. And it’s not just the influence of the finest sherry-seasoned oak casks on our whisky as it matures, it’s the salty sea winds that batter Orkney’s rugged coastlines, the intensely floral character of our treeless but heather-rich peat, and the fiercely independent Viking spirit that drives us. These are the elements that go, untamed, into our whisky-making to create a wild harmony of sweet-smoky flavours that is, uniquely, Highland Park.
About Edrington UK
Edrington UK is the UK’s number one whisky supplier, part of the global Edrington family and responsible for the UK sales, marketing and distribution of a portfolio of ultra-premium brands including The Macallan, Highland Park, The Glenrothes, The Famous Grouse, Naked Malt and Brugal. As a valued distribution partner of Beam Suntory, Edrington UK also represents many of its brands in the UK marketplace, such as Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Bowmore, Laphroaig, Courvoisier and The House of Suntory range of Japanese craft spirits.
The GlenDronach 29YO PX Puncheon Cask #6738 Exclusively for Dom Whisky /53,3%/
The single cask edition presented here brings whisky from a different era – distilled in June 1993, when the distillery was owned by Allied Distillers, spent almost three decades in PX sherry puncheon # 6738 (in our opinion, the best type of wood for this whiskey). This nectar was bottled at cask strength (53.3% abv) exclusively for us, for DOM WHISKY, in 2023. The cask yielded 694 bottles.
Nose: creamy cappuccino, chocolate-coated raisins, roasted almonds, vanilla, hints of herbs (thyme and sage), ripe cherries and plums, delightful combination of sweet, dark fruit and the spiciness of toasted oak.
Taste: silky smooth and multi-layered, mocha, gingerbread, a dash of cinnamon, melted butter, plenty of dark fruit, especially plums and blackberries, roasted walnuts, and tobacco leaf.
Finish: long and evolving, from sweet layers of honey and blackberries to a subtle spiciness and mixed nuts playing a final cord.
