Blue Run “High Rye” Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

$99.99

SKU #1580125

Blue Run Kentucky Straight High Rye Bourbon is a small-batch whiskey and is the first Blue Run product with Bourbon Hall of Famer Jim Rutledge serving as the official Master Distiller, on all previous Blue Run products, except Golden Rye, Jim served as the Liquid Advisor.

Michel Couvreur 10 Year Old “V.J. Maturation” K&L Exclusive Tissot Vin Jaune Barrel Aged Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml)

$119.99

SKU #1413564

Two exceptional names in their respective fields coming together in this extremely rare and unique offering. The Single Malt spirit was distilled on February 5th, 2009 and shipped to the Burgundian cellars carved in the rock in Bouze-les-beaune. There it was filled into 5 casks that had previously held the exquisite Vin Jaune from one of the Jura’s finest producers, Stephan Tissot. After decades being used for this unique wine, something in between grand cru Burgundy and fino sherry, the barrels are completely impregnated with the complex flavors of the special wine. The two producers traded barrels and there is indeed a small batch of Vin Jaune from Mr. Tissot that is aged in ex-whisky barrels from Couvreur’s cellar. But it seems that the whisky maker probably had the better deal, since these old casks are very hard to pry from the cellars of the Jura producers. After 10 full years maturing in the most humid part of Couvreur’s cellars this whisky is now brimming with the intense energy of the special wine that was once made in these barrels and the enigmatic man who made them. At full cask strength here with no additives of any kind except for 10 long years in Couvreur’s underground cellars. The whisky displays strong deposits (the lees and the voile) as the barrels were filled fresh without any intervention to remove the leftover wine deposits. This whisky loves a drop of water (just one) to open up the rich complexity and vibrant intensity.

From Euan, our spirits manager: There’s a beautiful balance to this, which was first matured in bourbon hogsheads before we transferred it to 125-litre oloroso quarter casks that were supplied to us by our partners in Jerez, José y Miguel Martin. After that, we put it back into second fill bourbon barrels that we’d recently emptied, giving it time to relax and marry before bottling. The result is a superb dram with the big, dark and intense flavours you would associate with oloroso sherry maturation, but with the lush tropical notes from the bourbon casks as well.

A REWARD FOR PATIENCE

Speyside Festival Batch 2022
Distillery No. 36

Cask: First fill oloroso quarter casks & Second fill bourbon barrels

Age: 10 years

DISCOVER MORE

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

KENTUCKY SENATOR SPIRITS IN STOCK THIS SUMMER

Releasing Its Third Bourbon since the Company Brand Revival

Andre Regard (left) and Damon Thayer (right)

LEXINGTON, KY— Kentucky Senator’s third Bourbon offering, the John G. Carlisle Release, is hitting shelves this summer. This highly-anticipated release is labeled after the esteemed U.S. Senator John G. Carlisle because he was a stabilizing force in the liquor industry and a leader of the Bourbon Democrats in Washington D.C. He was a major advocate for the Bottled-In-Bond Act of 1897, which is celebrating its 125^th anniversary this year. Aged seven years in oak barrels, this pleasantly sweet Bourbon is 107 proof with a mash bill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley. The suggested retail price will be $119.99.

The limited edition release is available at liquor stores, bars and restaurants throughout Kentucky, with single barrel private selections at Liquor Barn, Party Mart and DEP retail outlets. The John G. Carlisle Release is also available online at www.BourbonOutfitter.com and will be featured at Jack Rose Dining Saloon in Washington, D.C. It has been distilled and aged in Kentucky, bottled at Bluegrass Distillers in Lexington and is being distributed by Kentucky Eagle Distributing.

“We’re proud to bring this third release of Kentucky Senator Bourbon to the marketplace,” said co-manager Andre Regard, “and in doing so honoring the father of the Bottled in Bond Act, Senator John G. Carlisle.”

“We are featuring the same mash bill as our second bottling, this time aged seven years,” said co-manager Damon Thayer. “As always, Kentucky Senator will be released at 107 proof. We continue our commitment to Kentucky’s fine Bourbon spirit and will continue to deliver superior taste and experience in each pour.”

The Kentucky Senator brand originated from Crigler and Crigler in northern Kentucky. The brand was later distilled and bottled by Double Springs Distillers, Inc. in Bardstown. Today, Kentucky Senator has been given a fresh look thanks to local managers Andre Regard and Damon Thayer. Both men possess a unique background in Bourbon that they bring to the management team of Kentucky Senator Spirits, LLC.  More can be read about the management team in their online bios (https://www.kysenatorbourbon.com/).

Kentucky Senator was featured last year in a Forbes article written by noted bourbon author, Fred Minnick. Minnick mentioned Kentucky Senator’s first release on his top 100 Whiskeys of 2021 and he named it the top-rated 15-year-old bourbon. Link to Article

Each release of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey carries the name of a U.S. Senator from Kentucky. To learn more about why John G. Carlisle was chosen for Kentucky Senator’s third release, visit the company website, KentuckySenatorBourbon.com

Peated Glen Scotia + Pedro Ximénez Casks

Each years Campbeltown Malts Festival bottling is highly-anticipated, and the 2022 edition brings heavily peated spirit together with Pedro Ximénez sherry cask maturation for what we believe is a match made in heaven. Pair that with 56.5% abv cask strength, natural colour and no chill filtration and you’re onto a winner.

Sea spray leads on the nose alongside beach bonfire smoke, moving to notes of treacle, spice and more rich peat and finishing with satisfying savoury salinity

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£55.00
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Old Grand-Dad 114 Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

$29.99

SKU #1131543

90-95 points Wine Enthusiast

 Nice bouquet that includes defined aromas of buttered corn-on-the-cob, sawdust, freshly sawed pine, cedar, baking spices and dried fruit. Entry is vividly spirited and potent but not harsh or overpowering; the midpalate highlights corn meal, breakfast cereal, orange rind, dark chocolate and toffee. Sophisticated, yet powerful and assertive. *Best Buy*  (12/2008)

K&L Notes

The classic Jim Beam expression – big spice, lots of cinnamon and clove notes, with great richness cutting through the high proof.

GLENGOYNE 53 YEAR OLD

Timing is everything here at Glengoyne, and no more so with our oldest single malt whisky we have ever released: Glengoyne 53 Year Old. For over a half-century, this exceptional single malt has been patiently maturing in a few hand-selected sherry casks. This rarely encountered 53 Year Old whisky has unique richness and depth of aromas and flavours, a true reflection of our slow maturation.

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EXCEPTIONALLY RARE

This highly limited-edition single malt was recently launched exclusively with China Duty Free Group and will roll out to other selected luxury travel retail operators over the coming months. With only 100 decanters available globally, each individually numbered, Glengoyne 53 Years Old offers a unique opportunity to own a piece of Glengoyne history.

Priced with an RRP of c. £26,000, the 53 Year Old Glengoyne is presented in a crystal decanter and housed in a beautiful solid oak presentation box, with a 25ml miniature included, allowing you to sample this truly exceptional single malt.

DISCOVER THE SPIRIT OF TIME COLLECTION

GET READY: MAY FLAVOUR HUNTERS FESTIVAL

Join us at our Flavour Hunters Festival this May. You’ll find plenty of unique tastings at our Members’ Rooms, local venues or Partner Bars. There’s even a virtual tasting event so you can join from home. Or if you’re looking for the sip of a lifetime, come join us on Islay!

Take part in the thrill of the taste too, we’re taking a different approach to our festival bottlings this year with our range of ‘Rare Releases’, a series of six small batch single malts that we’ll be able to share across our global membership.

Discover more about our Flavour Hunters Festival this May over on our website.

JOIN THE FLAVOUR HUNT

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

The Gauldrons unveils first Limited Edition Release –

The Gauldrons Sherry Cask Finish

Leading distiller, blender and bottler, Douglas Laing & Co, today announce the first ever Limited Edition under their award-winning Campbeltown Malt Scotch Whisky brand: The Gauldrons Sherry Cask Finish.

Joining the core expression which launched in 2017, The Gauldrons Sherry Edition is strictly limited to no more than 2,125 bottles. A marriage of Single Cask Single Malts exclusively from Campbeltown, the Blended Malt enjoyed a finishing period in specially selected Spanish Sherry Casks. Such is the philosophy of the Douglas Laing family business, the small batch bottling is offered at a high alcohol strength of 46.2% and is without colouring or chill-filtration.

The Gauldrons, inspired by the eponymous dark sandy coves on Campbeltown’s west shores, literally means “bay of storms”. It was here King Robert the Bruce, having been defeated by his enemies, was inspired watching a spider building his web with great patience but great difficulty, to try, try and try again. The spider has become synonymous with the core The Gauldrons expression, featuring too on this new limited edition.

Packaged in a sleek black bottle, red colourways bring to life the Sherry cask maturation, hinting at the rich character of the Scotch Whisky inside. Gold foil detail and a mini booklet, placed around the bottle neck, complete the product’s premium packaging.

Commenting on the new release, Cara Laing, Marketing Director, said: “We’re thrilled to launch the first ever Limited Edition for The Gauldrons. The classic Gauldrons spirit is always a standout dram for us, earning rave reviews from the industry and delighting consumers at events the world over. Experimenting with these exceptional-quality Sherry casks has resulted in a classically Campbeltown dram with smoky sweetness balanced by rich spices, and we truly can’t wait to share it with whisky aficionados across the globe.”

The Gauldrons Sherry Cask Finish will be available from specialist spirits retailers and online from late April 2022. It is expected to retail at £60.00. 

Tasting notes    

A remarkably sweet nose with toffee apples, marshmallows, caramelised sugar and candyfloss.  The palate delivers crème brûlée, evolving to ginger, nutmeg and red apple with lingering smoked barley. A sharp finish with tangy orange sweets, stewed red fruits and black pepper covered strawberries

ABOUT THE GAULDRONS

Instagram: @thegauldronswhisky

Facebook: /dlthegauldrons 

Established in 2017 by Douglas Laing & Co, The Gauldrons represents the “ultimate distillation of Campbeltown” in a small batch marriage of Single Cask Single Malts exclusively from the Campbeltown region of Scotland. The Gauldrons, literally meaning ‘Bay of Storms’ presents a classically Campbeltown style of salty and maritime with a spicy finish. The Gauldrons is proudly offered at high strength and without colouring or chill-filtration – adhering to the Douglas Laing family’s ‘As Natural As It Gets’ ethos.

ABOUT DOUGLAS LAING & CO.

www.douglaslaing.com

Douglas Laing & Co. is a leading independent Scotch Whisky distillery, blender and bottler specialising in the selection and release of Single Cask Single and Small Batch Malt Scotch Whiskies.

The company was founded by Fred Douglas Laing in 1948 and is still owned and run by the Laing family – Fred Laing Jr and his daughter Cara Laing.

The company philosophy is to bottle the way the distiller intended – at a high strength and without chill filtration to preserve the robust and unique character of the Whisky. Douglas Laing’s industry reputation and many awards is testament to this ethos.

Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts, the Ultimate Distillation of Scotland’s Malt Whisky Regions, encompasses The Epicurean Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky, Timorous Beastie (Highlands), Scallywag (Speyside), The Gauldrons (Campbeltown), Rock Island (Islands) and Big Peat (Islay).

Beyond its Blended Malts expertise, the award-winning Douglas Laing portfolio also includes Provenance, Premier Barrel, Old Particular, Xtra Old Particular and XOP Black, collectively known as the firm’s “Exceptional Single Casks”.

A Sublime Rarity from a Beloved Speyside Standout
2007 Mortlach 15 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Hogshead Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Pre-Arrival) ($109.99)
“A fabulous, contemplative whisky and a thrilling contrast to the vibrant, fruity, mid-aged Highlanders we’re bringing in this year.” — David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

Fresh off their latest pilgrimage to the old country (i.e. Scotland), the spirits team is feeling inspired, and their latest haul is full of can’t-miss treasures that will have any Scotch collector beside themselves with joy. Today we’ve got a sublime, aged Speyside specimen from a distillery that we rarely see bottled as a single-malt and almost never see with this kind of age on it. The Mortlach 15 Year Old K&L Exclusive Cask from our friends at Old Particular is one for the thinkers and the patient drinkers among our Scotch fans. Mortlach’s well-earned reputation as one of the more brooding, dark-hearted malts out there is on full display in this bruiser. Spirits buyer Andrew Whiteley sums it up nicely when he observes, “You’ve got to want it, to take the time to coax it out.” Aeration, water, and a great deal of waiting bring out a spectacularly weighty and wide-ranging profile that pays full respects to the quintessential character of the Beast of Dufftown. It’s a stirring and serious dram that will require something of you, but the rewards are very much worth the effort, and then some.

2007 Mortlach 15 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Hogshead Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Pre-Arrival) ($109.99)

K&L Notes: The Mortlach distillery is one of Scotland’s very best. Located in the heart of Speyside, this special distillery is very rarely found as a single malt. The little valley at the southern edge of Dufftown has been the location of a licensed distillery since 1823, but it was most likely the site of illicit distillation long before that. It was Dufftown’s first legal distillery after excise reform and would anchor the town as one of Scotland’s most important distilling communities. The spirit was prized from the very beginning and was purchased by John Walker & Sons exactly 100 years after its founding. It remains a core element in the entire Johnnie Walker line, but the distillery did not get a widespread single-malt expression until 2014, when two NAS expressions and two expensive, age-stated offerings were released. They’ve since retooled the distillery line, and it remains one of Diageo’s most well-regarded offerings despite recent price increases. This little cask represents a continuation of stocks that we’ve bought several times over the years starting in 2014, now with significantly more age. At 15 years, we’re starting to see the malt’s more mature characteristics take shape, which is particularly interesting without a huge amount of oak or sherry to obscure the character.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: October 13, 2021

It’s not often we get a ‘naked’ Mortlach. It smells dense, if that’s a thing. It’s a bit cliché to say Mortlach is brooding, but there it sits, just all packed tight into the glass. You’ve got to want it, to take the time to coax it out. It’s not a particularly meaty expression at first nosing, very unlike the recent Sovereign 10-year bottling we had in stock briefly. There is a bit of zesty citrus fruit on the nose buried under a layer of dew-soaked grass. It conjures an ocean breeze on a foggy morning when you add some water. The palate is very full and mouth-coating, almost a touch waxy. There is a stony, crushed rock component. Over time, richer flavors of cocoa and fatty pork belly begin to come through. The morning dew on the grass dries off into a much more complex bouquet of thyme, marjoram, and alfalfa. Just as you finish your glass, you are treated to more fresh fruit and vanilla, and a dollop of honey. You’ll have to go back for a second pour to unlock the rest of this dram.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: September 10, 2021

We’re getting pretty used to having young Mortlach in our selection. It seems like these refill hoggies are relatively available in the 8-10 year range. This is a bit of a different story, moving into a different age range, which seriously changes the complexity of this special malt. The color is pale straw. It’s definitely not a fruity one and starts pretty subtle. With some air and a few drops of water though, this big old malt starts to come to life. The darker malt character that comes out is slightly tamed by some bitter citrus peel, cacao, lightly roasted espresso beans, and some snappy saltiness. On the palate, it’s richly textured and somewhat savory although not fully into the bouillon side of Mortlach. This one needs time and air to really start giving everything it’s got on the nose, definitely one to avoid for the rushed drinker. Surprisingly, the palate is really open and complex, but the nose takes time to match. A fabulous, contemplative whisky and a thrilling contrast to the vibrant, fruity, mid-aged Highlanders we’re bringing in this year.