1990 Inchgower 30 Year “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Hogsheads Cask Strength

Single Malt Scotch Whisky (700ml) (Pre-Arrival)

$249.99 View

Review by: David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 9/10/2021 

MAKER’S MARK® INTRODUCES LIMITED RELEASE: FAE-02, COMPLETING TWO-PART SET OF 2021 WOOD FINISHING SERIES BOURBONS

Fall Release is a Sensory Showcase of Wood’s Impact on Texture and Mouthfeel

Loretto, Ky. – Maker’s Mark®, the iconic Kentucky bourbon brand, today debuted the latest entry in its innovative Wood Finishing Series, Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series 2021 Limited Release: FAE-02. The distillery’s newest stave-finished bourbon is the second of a complementary pair of 2021 limited edition releases and was thoughtfully crafted as a texturally rich, softer complement to spring’s FAE-01.

Every whisky in the distillery’s Wood Finishing Series tells a story about the purposeful way Maker’s Mark has been crafted since its inception. Maker’s Mark has never chill-filtered its whisky, a decision that allows the classic bourbon to retain its signature character and depth of flavor by leaving naturally present fatty acid esters (FAEs) in the whisky. Using the distillery’s pioneering wood stave-finishing technique, the 2021 Limited Releases FAE-01 and FAE-02 celebrate and amplify characteristics that stem from that choice – namely dark, woody notes and a rich, full-bodied texture, respectively.

2021 Limited Release: FAE-02 is produced using double-heat-treated virgin French Oak barrel staves that undergo an infrared exposure prior to a flame toast finish. The process yields a Maker’s Mark bourbon that exhibits a distinctly luscious mouthfeel. Unlike FAE-01, which used American Oak staves to amplify notes of dark leathery tobacco and barrel-aged fruit, FAE-02 is characterized by a gentler, mouthcoating palate of light caramel and deep oak.

“Our first 2021 release was crafted to hit you in the face with big, bold aroma and flavor, just like standing in a barrel warehouse – wood, tobacco and spicy dried fruit,” says Jane Bowie, Director of Innovation at Maker’s Mark. “With FAE-02, we wanted to explore the softer side of our 2021 taste vision by placing more of the focus on rich, consistent texture and tone that stems from fatty acid esters. Just like the things we find so comforting about artisanal butters, olive oils and creamy spreads, FAE-02 delivers a fattier, full-bodied, mature Maker’s Mark bourbon that makes for an ideal sip on a Fall evening.”

Like all Wood Finishing Series offerings – including Maker’s Mark 46® and Maker’s Mark® Private Selection – FAE-02 was crafted by finishing fully-matured, cask strength Maker’s Mark in secondary barrels fitted with the proprietary wood staves. The barrels are stored in Maker’s Mark’s limestone cellar for additional aging, where the cask strength bourbon interacts with the wood staves to develop the expression’s unique taste profile.

Bottled at 109.1 proof, the Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series 2021 Limited Release: FAE-02 is rolling out now in limited quantities to retailers across the country, available while supplies last. The new bourbon will retail for a suggested price of $59.99. FAE-02, along with FAE-01, will also be included in the September shipment of The Whisky Drop, a new direct-to-consumer program from Maker’s Mark available in very limited quantities in Kentucky and Washington D.C. Each season, eligible program subscribers age 21 and older will receive a package containing two hand-selected, limited bottles of Maker’s Mark, delivered right to their doorstep.

About Maker’s Mark® Bourbon

In 1953, in Loretto, Kentucky, Bill Samuels, Sr., fulfilled his dream to create a handmade and delicious bourbon. He decided to make his whisky in small batches, using soft red winter wheat to enhance the softness and sweetness. He then rotated each barrel by hand for consistency, and finally, aged each barrel to taste. Bill Samuels, Sr., transformed bourbon from a “commodity” into a premium handmade spirit, and today Maker’s Mark® continues to make its bourbon the same way. In recent years, Maker’s Mark has introduced thoughtful, super-premium innovations to its portfolio including Maker’s Mark 46®, Maker’s Mark® Cask Strength, and Maker’s Mark® Private Selection, the brand’s first-ever custom barrel program. In 1980, the Maker’s Mark distillery became the first distillery in America to be designated a National Historic Landmark and has also been decreed as the “world’s oldest operating bourbon whiskey distillery” by Guinness World Records. It remains one of the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s most popular tourist destinations, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. For more information, visit makersmark.com.

WE MAKE OUR BOURBON CAREFULLY.  PLEASE ENJOY IT THAT WAY.

Maker’s Mark®, Maker’s Mark® Cask Strength and Maker’s Mark 46® Bourbon Whisky, 45-57% Alc./Vol.

Maker’s Mark Distillery, Inc., Loretto, KY.

OCTOMORE 12s 

Octomore defies logic. Rewards the unreasonable. It takes courage and belief. But, for the seeker of truth there is light.

The industry norm is not accepted here. Assured in its convictions, Octomore is five years old, super heavily peated and bottled at cask strength. The makers of the world’s most heavily peated spirit challenge you, like the spirit itself, to push beyond the expected and explore new realms of flavour. This endlessly alluring, delicate but powerful, supercharged single malt must be experienced to be believed.

Now entering its 12th series, Octomore demonstrates its 100+ PPM prowess with muscularity in each youthful drop. As with previous editions, the 12.1 acts as the base or control of the experimental range, as a necessary springboard for new domains of discovery. The 12.2 offers an alternative maturation to its .1 counterpart, this time in a sublimely balanced ex-Sauternes cask profile. Finally, the 12.3 explores Islay grown barley and the terroir of the distiller’s home-grown grain combined with sherry maturation for the first time in history.

The troika will appear together in specialist retail stores for the first time ever. Offering a cohesive schooling on Bruichladdich Distillery’s most experimental peat endeavours, this series will become available in October, 2021.

OCTOMORE EDITION: 12.1

PPM: 130.8

AGED: 5 YEARS

Nowhere is the dualism of the Octomore super heavily peated series more pertinent than in the .1 edition. Never as expected, delicate but powerful, this is unadulterated heavy smoke balanced with vivacious and dynamic, fruity and floral distillate.

While Octomore in itself does not conform to tradition, Head Distiller Adam Hannett is inclined to mature Octomore .1 editions solely in ex-American oak casks for 5 vibrant years. Octomore 12.1 is the necessary control for the rest of the series, as experiments within an experiment, but this baseline should not be underestimated.

Mainland grown Scottish barley is distilled in a patient and considered trickle. The stripped back maturation profile allows a sensory conversation that highlights the cereal-rich, malty notes of this barley-forward single malt. Vanilla, citrus and fudge culminate in an enigmatic challenge to received whisky wisdom.

OCTOMORE EDITION: 12.2

PPM: 129.7

AGED: 5 YEARS

Octomore 12.2 follows in the footsteps of previous Sauternes legends. The now infamous Octomore 4.2 (Comus) became one of the most acclaimed and sought-aſter whiskies in our distillery’s portfolio, confirming that heavy peat smoke combined with sweet dessert wine of Sauternes is an incredible pairing.

This Octomore 12.2 would spend three and a half years in ex-American oak casks, building a solid foundation of fruity and floral spirit in our lochside warehouses before being recasked in to impeccable quality Sauternes casks.

The pivotal role of the Sauternes casks would add 18 months of supercharged fruit. Melon, white peach, honeysuckle and coconut add a real twist and sweetness to compliment the peat smoke of this heavily phenolic malt.

OCTOMORE EDITION: 12.3

PPM: 118.1

AGED: 5 YEARS

Octomore 12.3 is single vintage, single field, single malt. Raised in Church Field on Octomore Farm by farmer James Brown, this Islay grown barley was trickle distilled through tall narrow necked stills just two miles from where it was grown.

The terroir-driven spirit would take two separate journeys before being combined; 75% was filled into ex-American oak casks, while the remaining 25% spent five years maturing in genuine Pedro Ximenez Solera casks from Jerez-based bodega Fernando de Castilla.

This Islay barley spirit has breathed slowly and delicately for five aged years, its salty citrus marine note is an ode to where the barley was grown and the warehouse’s proximity to the sea. The Pedro Ximenez casks contribute sweet dried fruit notes which highlight the rich dry peat smoke of Octomore.

We know many of you share our delight in the details of whiskymaking. So as we launch Orchard House, we’d like to dive into some of the geekier aspects of its story. The fruity, spirit-forward style of Orchard House is a result of key decisions we’ve made in the whiskymaking process, as well as changes in barrel profiles over time. Here’s our whiskymaker James Saxon to explain more…

Finely judged filling strengths
Many years ago, the late, great Dr Jim Swan inspired us to begin filling spirit at 58% ABV, rather than the industry standard 63.5%. Research had found more sugars – many derived from the breakdown of cellulose and hemicellulose – can be drawn from the oak at strengths below 60% ABV. Orchard House is a great example of this, and with nearly two-thirds filled at the lower strength, you get added vanilla creaminess and citrusy sweetness. Also, once maturation is completed, less water is required to reach bottling strength and the finished whisky experiences less dilution.

The changing face of Bourbon barrels
Orchard House uses whiskies aged in ‘water-rinsed’ first fill ex-Bourbon barrels, Oloroso Sherry-seasoned butts and our French oak custom barrels. Water-rinsing barrels after they are emptied of whiskey in the US before shipping to Scotland has become widespread in recent years. This process extracts the maximum amount of alcohol from the barrel to the benefit of the American distillers, but also removes a degree of the oak’s intensity.

The sweet spot between first and second fill
This is serendipitous whiskymaking. We thought we were sourcing classic ‘first fill’ barrels, but the maturation profile of the casks falls somewhere between first and second, offering comparable quantities of vanilla and honey notes with less intense oily spice and creamed coconut flavours. This has opened up a whole new world to us, perfectly preserving and enhancing the fragrant nature and syrupy texture of our sourced spirits, enabling the delicate deliciousness of Orchard House to come to fruition.

Share & Enjoy!

James Saxon
Whiskymaker

P.S. You can buy Orchard House in Europe and other select regions now and from mid-October in the US. Please get in touch if you need any help finding your nearest stockist.

Collectible Gems: Limited Availability and New Releases

Collectible spirits don’t have to be sold out to be special. We have a few absolutely brilliant examples that speak loudly to this, from George Dickel’s award-winning 13 Year Old to Daftmill’s treasured “Summer Batch.” For a piece of history, don’t miss Leopold Bros’ amazing Three Chamber Rye crafted around pre-prohibition era recipes.

2007 George Dickel 13 Year Old “2021 Release” Bottled In Bond Tennessee Whisky (750ml) $44.99 View

Wild Turkey “Rare Breed” Small Batch Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml) $59.99 View

Calumet Farm 15 Year Old “Single Rack Black” Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $119.99 View

2009 Daftmill “Summer Batch Release” Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $229.99 View

Leopold Bros. “Collector’s Edition” Bottled In Bond Three Chamber Rye Whiskey (750ml) $249.99 View

WATERFORD WHISKY LAUNCHES BIODYNAMIC: LUNA – THE WORLD’S FIRST BIODYNAMIC WHISKY

Waterford Whisky is pleased to announce BIODYNAMIC: LUNA – the world’s first whisky made from biodynamic barley.

As part of its pioneering quest to unearth whisky’s most natural flavours, Waterford Distillery has introduced the radical biodynamic farming philosophy, as lauded by many of the world’s legendary winemakers, to the conservative whisky industry.

The bottling is the latest whisky in the distillery’s Arcadian Series, which showcases the flavours produced by forgotten ways of farming and rare barley varieties.

BIODYNAMIC BARLEY

For the Demeter-certified BIODYNAMIC: LUNA three Irish growers – Trevor Harris, John McDonnell and Alan Mooney – stepped up to the challenge of applying unusual agricultural practices to growing barley. They run their farms according to esoteric principles derived from a 1924 series of lectures by the Austrian polymath Rudolf Steiner.

Steiner created a codified agricultural system for post-WW1 farmers, who were worried about the industrialisation of agriculture, the degradation of the land and the loss of millennia of farming know-how – bios meaning life, and dynamos energy.

Having been adopted by many of the world’s greatest wine producers seeking the ultimate of pure and intense flavours, biodynamics today stands at the cutting edge of regenerative agriculture. Some say it is an advanced form of “über-organic” farming, in which each farm is its own self-sustaining organism where elements including soil, crops, animals, people and the ‘spirit of place’ are all interconnected. For Waterford, it is the ultimate expression of their terroir discoveries.

The approach includes an array of seemingly controversial practices such as burying manure-packed cow horns to ‘ferment’ underground; the creation of simple plant treatments and natural compost fertilisers to stimulate microbial activity; all following the natural rhythms of the lunar calendar. The purpose is to produce vibrant, chemical-free living soil.

As barley makes malt whisky the most complex spirit in the world – the very source of its flavour – biodynamics will contribute to an even purer and more intense expression. Indeed, to create the ultimate natural whisky.

Mark Reynier, Waterford Distillery CEO, explains: “During the 1980s in the vineyards of Burgundy and Alsace, following decades of agro-chemical excess and the race for yield over quality, I witnessed the renaissance of terroir and modern winemaking. Out of this, biodynamics blossomed – a new philosophy that at first seemed outlandish, but after tasting the results increasingly proved its worth.

“Biodynamics is, after all, merely a self-contained farming system, but one that consists of the culmination of 16,000 years of agricultural optimisation – trial and error, life and death – before the vicissitudes of industrialisation and intensification dumbed down individuality.

“During my career I’ve had the fortune to taste the world’s greatest wines, it’s no surprise to see the ever-increasing adoption of biodynamics in the search for intensity and purity of flavour. If for the grape, why not the grain?”

THE ARCADIAN SERIES

BIODYNAMIC: LUNA is matured in a combination of 35% first-fill US oak; 17% virgin US oak; 26% Premium French oak; and 22% Vin Doux Naturel oak.

Tasting notes: apricot jam, lemon drizzle cake, milk chocolate with almonds, earthiness, bread pudding, brown sugar, tea, with intense spices, dark chocolate, a vibrant maltiness and extreme flavour persistence.

21,000 bottles of Biodynamic: Luna are available worldwide, with a RSP of approximately €85-95/$125/£89.95 (varying by location).

In addition to Luna, a new bottling of ORGANIC: GAIA has been released, drawing from the 2016 harvest. This has been matured in a combination of 39% first-fill US oak; 17% virgin US oak; 19% Premium French oak; and 25% Vin Doux Naturel oak.

Tasting notes: Orange peel, fresh soil, bread crust, brown sugar, milk chocolate, fresh fruit salad, fig roll biscuits, lavender, white pepper, grapefruit, liquorice, and cherries, with a dry, spicy finish.

30,000 bottles are available worldwide, with a RSP of approximately €75-86/$115/£77 (varying by location).

ABOUT WATERFORD WHISKY

Waterford Whisky is on a quest to unearth whisky’s most natural flavours.

Unashamedly influenced by the world’s greatest winemakers, we obsessively bring the same intellectual drive, methodology and rigour to barley – the very source of malt whisky’s complex flavour.

Extolling a hundred exclusive farms of Irish-grown barley, we search for natural flavours via three paths: our Single Farm Origins pursue the individualism of terroir-derived flavour; our Arcadian Series expresses the intensity of flavour from alternative philosophies and long-forgotten varieties; whilst our Cuvées revel in the ultimate sophistication, where the whole is greater than the sum.

For more information, visit waterfordwhisky.com.

• Waterford Distillery is certified by Demeter, and follows a rigorous auditing regimen each year. Biodynamic: Luna is also certified by Demeter.
• The distillery has produced around 500 barrels of spirit made from local biodynamic barley, and annually incorporates biodynamics as part of its ongoing ambition to create the most flavoursome and natural expressions of whisky imaginable.
• A recent study by Professor Magali Delmas at UCLA analysed tasting scores given to more than 128,000 French wines from 1995 to 2015, discovering that biodynamic wines scored 11.8% higher compared to conventional or sustainable wines.
• Many of the world’s greatest winemakers follow biodynamic principles. Burgundian legends of Romanée Conti, Leroy, Leflaive, Trapet and Sauzet. Alsacians Zind Humbrecht, Faller, Ostertag, Kreydenweiss, Deiss, and Zusselin; And increasingly the mighty Bordeaux chateaux such as Latour, Lafite, Yquem, Climens, Pontet Canet, Angelus and Palmer .
• Waterford Whisky is the first producer to bring biodynamic spirit to the market, following Mark Reynier’s tentative trials of English-grown biodynamic barley whilst at Bruichladdich Distillery, Scotland.

Pioneering yet another Indian Single Malt revolution – Amrut Distilleries launches the ‘Single Malts of India’ bouquet with Neidhal

Bangalore, India

Amrut Distilleries, the pioneers of the Indian Single Malt revolution and makers of iconic brands such as the Fusion, Spectrum, Naarangi and Amalgam have embarked on a new venture to further cement their repute as the pioneers of Indian Single Malt Whiskies. While Amrut is revered the world over for their obsessive dedication to the art of the craft, the distillery has yet again pushed the boundaries of how Indian Single Malts can be enjoyed.

Amrut has now conceived and launched a new umbrella brand – ‘Single Malts of India’ to showcase some of the hidden gem malts of India. The first chapter of this release, titled the Neidhal will be a limited release of 12,000 bottles across the world, with 1200 bottles being allocated for India.Ancient Tamil texts, dating back to the Sangam period (300 BC – 300 AD), classify mother earth into five regions called Tinais, each being associated with its own distinct literary style, grammar, mood, subtle as well as overt form of romance, culture and even cuisine. “Neidhal”, according to this classification comprises all Oceans and neighboring regions or in short Coastal Plains and the way of living one associates with them.

Neidhal is a single malt eponymously sourced from a Neidhal or coastal region and exhibits traits that uniquely spring from the locale – notes of tropical fruits, vanilla punctuated by soft phenols and above all sea salt on the nose. On the palate, it is fruit cocktail and mesmerising phenols with a touch of iodine. The middle ground is an essay in chewability and a finish that is phenolic with a touch of sweet vanilla.

Quote from Ashok Chokalingam, Head Distiller – Amrut Distilleries “What we have done this time, is dug deep and discovered an uncut gem. We have then procured the gem, carried it to Amrut, caressed it with our touch and polished it with our expertise. What you discover bottled, is truly an amazing whisky showcasing it’s real potential. Watch out, we as an organisation are now sailing into unchartered waters of independent bottling”

About Amrut:

Founded in 1948 by the late Shri. Radhakrishna Jagdale, the history of Amrut Distilleries is as old as independent India itself. The journey started under the name and style of ‘Amrut Laboratories’. In the early years, Amrut was a leading manufacturer and supplier of Rums, Brandy and Whisky for domestic consumption.

Amrut Single Malts were a consequential product of our organisation’s founding principles: Uncompromising Innovation, Unflinching R&D and the Undeterred Courage to always offer exceptional products to our customers. The initial chapters of this journey started when Rakshit was completing his dissertation in the UK; and as part of this project he conducted a market survey to check the acceptance of Amrut Indian Single Malt. The response was very encouraging to say the least – everyone who tried the malt were impressed that fortified our confidence leading to the launch of the brand.

Amrut Indian Single Malt launched in 2004 in Glasgow, Scotland, UK the heart of Scottish whiskies, creating history as the first Indian Single Malt to ever be launched outside India. The journey was extremely tough and challenging as India’s image producing quality whisky was very bad. We also had to undergo many struggles as our Indian identity did not always lead to favourable conditions in the developed world. However, we were absolutely confident about the quality we had to offer and we continued to strive and pursue endlessly our goal of bringing the Indian Single Malt to the world.

Teaninich 1975

Available now to purchase

Click here for more details and to Buy

Teaninich 1975 Aged 45 Years

Single Cask Bottling

Bourbon Hogshead

Cask Strength – 49.5%vol

Natural Colour

Highland Region

70cl

(Please note the wood type for the boxes may differ slightly from the photos.  Also there may be a slight delay on some wooden boxes towards the end of the run, but we can send these on as soon as they are ready.)

Well hello autumn! We’re embracing the changing of the season with six heart-warming preview drams from our October Outturn. Each of these whiskies transports the senses and evokes fond memories, from enjoying a stroll through meadows of hay bales, to sitting in a leather armchair with a cigar, to licking a flamenco dancer’s shoe – we hope you have fun exploring these new whiskies.

We will release the October Outturn Friday, 1 October at 9am.

VIEW NEW WHISKIES

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

GlenAllachie 2006 Single Cask #6624
Loch Fyne Whiskies Exclusive

Lucky you! There are still a handful of bottles left from this limited run of 589 sherry bombs that were released at the end of 2020. Matured for over 14 years in a PX sherry cask and bottled at an eye-watering 60.1% abv cask strength, prepare to be bowled over by the huge bombardment of sherried notes on offer!

Sherry bomb alert! Introducing our latest Loch Fyne Whiskies single cask exclusive in collaboration with GlenAllachie Distillery. Matured for over 14 years in a PX sherry cask and bottled at natural cask strength (an eye-watering 60.1% abv), prepare to be bowled over by the huge bombardment of sherried notes on offer.

Highly limited, cask #6624 produced an outturn of just 589 bottles.

HAMISH SAYS

£109.95
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