Canadian Club 43 Year Old “Chronicles Issue #3: The Speakeasy” Canadian Whisky (750ml) $299.99 View

95 points Whisky Advocate

 The third in the Chronicles series offers a slightly closed nose that soon shows high esters, cinnamon, and eggnog, while hints of mint hide among old dry barn boards in a gorgeous, creamy palate. Mild caramels fade into peppery heat, restrained grassy herbs, and pulling tannins. Burley tobacco leaves replace Canadian Club’s signature dark fruits. Finishes long, hot, and vaguely dry. (DK, Winter 2020) 

K&L Notes

Canadian Club’s newest release makes it the oldest Canadian whiskey available on the market. Don’t miss “The Speakeasy,” #3 in the Chronicles series.

Titanic Distillery plans given green light

Titanic Distillers plans approved to convert Pump-House into distillery and tourism centre

PLANS have been approved for the conversion of the historic Titanic Pump-House in Belfast into a new whiskey distillery and world class tourist attraction.

A listed building in the heart of Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, the Pump-House, along with its neighbouring dry dock, first opened in 1911 and is the world’s only authentic Titanic landmark.

Now, Belfast drinks company Titanic Distillers has been given the green light by Belfast City Council to convert the Pump-house into a working distillery with associated visitor tour.

Included in the plans are the installation of three large stills on a mezzanine floor overlooking the original pumping engines which are situated deep in the pump-well.

All the original pump equipment and associated internal historic features of the building will be retained and available to view as part of a visitor tour, with tourists also able to relax in the adjacent tourism centre, which will include an on-site ‘speakeasy’ bar and café with free wi-fi, gift shop, exhibition space and an enlarged mezzanine floor with tasting rooms.

Aside from restoration requirements, the exterior of the pump house would remain largely untouched under the plan but will be open for tourists to view the famous Thompson dry dock, which was built in 1911 to accommodate the massive White Star transatlantic liners Olympic and Titanic.

“We are very excited that our planning application has been approved,” said Titanic Distillers Director Richard Irwin.

“Titanic Distillers is inspired by the people who worked in Belfast’s shipyard more than a century ago – and now tourists will be able to walk in their footsteps in the very pump-house and dry dock that represent such an authentic part of the Titanic story and indeed the history of Belfast. 

“At Titanic Distillers, we are very aware that we have a big responsibility as custodians of a hugely historic and global brand, and it is crucially important that we preserve the historical integrity of this building and its surrounds. 

“The Pump-house has survived remarkably well for more than 100 years in a very harsh environment but it is in much need of repair and any further decline would represent a major risk to its future – so our first priority is to restore the building and bring it back to its former glory while maintaining and securing its long-term future,” he added.

“As a listed building and such an important piece of our history, all care and attention will be devoted to preserving the building’s features and ensuring that they meet modern-day standards.  

“All distillery equipment and new internal mezzanine floors will be supported by a steel structure within the pump-house to avoid any harmful intrusive works to the fabric of the building. 

“Whilst today represents a major milestone for us, we know that the hard work really starts here and we are now collaborating with stakeholders and funders, including Invest NI, to bring these exciting plans to life. Hopefully, we will be in a position to make a further announcement on this in the not-too-distant future,” concluded Richard.

Once completed, visitors to the Pump-House will ‘clock in’, as workers did a century ago, to view the workings of the distillery and hear the story of Belfast’s whiskey tradition, why it disappeared and how it has returned with the city’s first working whiskey distillery in more than 100 years.

“In the days before Prohibition, Belfast was once the largest producer of Irish Whiskey on the island of Ireland,” said Titanic Distillers Director Peter Lavery.

“Whiskey has played an important part in the history of our city.  We want to revive this great distilling tradition and bring Belfast back to the forefront of Irish Whiskey production, while at the same time telling the story of a glorious past when Belfast led the way globally – not just in shipbuilding but across many areas of industry, manufacturing and innovation. 

“We are excited to tell this story through our whiskey and our vision to develop the Pump-House to create a truly authentic experience that will allow visitors to feel they were really there.”

The Titanic Pump-House is within walking distance of Titanic Belfast, the world’s biggest Titanic exhibition centre and Northern Ireland’s number one tourist attraction, clocking up more than 800,000 visitors per annum in the days before Covid-19.

Also resident in the Titanic Quarter is the SS Nomadic tender ship which ferried passengers to the ill-fated liner, and HMS Caroline, a decommissioned C-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy that saw combat service in the First World War and served as an administrative centre in the Second World War.

Torabhaig Allt Gleann – The Legacy Series 2nd Release

Limited stock now available of ‘Allt Gleann’, the second expression of single malt Scotch whisky from Torabhaig distillery, released as part of The Legacy Series. Torabhaig is the first distillery to be build on the Isle of Syke in 190 years.

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Register Your Interest:
Bowmore x Aston Martin

The Masters’ Selection by Bowmore is where two worlds collide. This limited edition 21-year-old is a stunning collaboration between Ron Welsh, Bowmore’s Master Blender, and Marek Reichman, Chief Creative Officer of Aston Martin, each of them a master of their own art. Register your interest at the ballot link below and we will then contact all successful entrants with a link to buy.

ENTER THE BALLOT

Bowmore x Aston Martin
Masters’ Selection 21 Year Old

‘The Golden Ratio’ is at the heart of every Aston Martin design – a principle that they believe achieves balance and beauty from any angle. Bowmore were hugely inspired by this approach to creativity, crafting the Masters’ Selection which comprises a base of 21-year-old Bowmore matured in first fill Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks, with an additional four casks selected for a strong influence of European fortified wines.

This special single malt is bottled at a cask strength of 51.8% abv for optimal flavour experience. The nose leads with aromatic Manuka honey and toasted hazelnuts alongside leather and tobacco, before a warming palate with vibrant sherry notes, a punch of Islay peat smoke, dark chocolate and tangy cherries. The finish lingers with woody spice and satisfyingly sweet coconut.

Bowmore x Aston Martin 21 Year Old Masters’ Selection

ENTER THE BALLOT HERE

Expand your flavour horizons with this stunning new cask selection, guaranteed to put you in a party spirit this festive season. We’re heading into the week with a range of 15 new bottlings from across our most popular flavour profiles. Whether you find yourself ‘sprawling on the lawn’, ‘sheltering in a bothy’ or ‘just beneath the snowline’ this week – there is a dram especially for you.

ALL BOTTLES ONLINE NOW

SHOP ALL NEW BOTTLINGS

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WHAT’S ON IN DECEMBER

We’re celebrating Christmas in style this year, paying homage to the spirit of the 1920s – dressing dapper, dancing the night away and enjoying a whisky cocktail (or two!). We’ve got a packed calendar of events in our Members’ Rooms, so head to the website and find out what is happening near you.

TAKE ME TO EVENTS

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

A Treasure Trove of Fully Mature Scotch Rarities:
Singular Collectibles from Macallan, Ardbeg, Aberlour, & More
Plus, a thrilling selection of sublimely aged spirits from around the world…

Just in time for the holidays, we’ve combed our nearly unrivaled selection of the world’s rarest, highly allocated Scotch whiskies to bring you a collector’s dream list that’s sure to impress even the most seasoned aficionados. From age statements to barrel regimens to regional styles, the diversity on offer here is simply astounding, and they’re all in stock and ready to ship. While the usual suspects like Macallan, Aberlour, and Springbank all give tour de force renditions, several under-the-radar gems are more than worthy of your attention.

Not to be missed is the 1992 Glentauchers 28 Year Old Speyside Single Barrel from the incomparable Hart Bros. This outstanding dram arrived as a miniscule 90-bottle allocation, and it’s sure to disappear in short order. A 1989 Tomatin 25 Year Old Single Sherry Butt from Hunter Laing is a world-class example of what a long rest in Sherry oak can do for a top-flight Highland malt, while the 1997 Ben Nevis 24 Year Old “Chapter 7: A Whisky Anthology – Monologue #16” puts on a stunning display of ex-bourbon hogshead ageing at cask strength—no shrinking violet, this one.

Finally, we have an absolutely rocking Islay standout from everyone’s favorite peat monster. The Whisky Advocate 95-point Ardbeg 19 Year “Traigh Bhan – 2021 Release” Batch #3 Islay Single Malt is the latest edition of a stellar new age-stated entry in the distillery’s line-up, the first such in over 20 years, and the results couldn’t be more astounding. Whether you’re shopping for a hard-to-please whisky fan or that hard-to-please whisky fan is you, this entire range is a must-have treasure trove of singular, one-of-a-kind rarities that belong in any world-class collection.

Lost Lantern Announces First Annual Winter Whiskey Wednesday Drop with a Trio of New Limited Edition Single Casks

Light Up the Holidays with McCarthy’s, Smooth Ambler, and Starlight Whiskies 

NOVEMBER 19, 2021—On Wednesday, December 1^st, Lost Lantern – the independent bottler of American whiskey that launched in late 2020—will celebrate the upcoming holidays with its first Winter Whiskey Wednesday drop, a release that will take place on the first Wednesday of December every year. On this new tradition, Lost Lantern Co-Founders Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski said, “While we don’t normally reveal release dates far in advance, fans can expect a Lost Lantern winter drop timed to the holiday season the first Wednesday of December every year. This release, beginning with our Winter 2021 collection, will include some of our most exciting whiskies of the year, selected with celebration, cold weather, and gift giving in mind.”

The Winter 2021 collection will feature three limited-edition single casks, available exclusively via Seelbachs.com as of December 1^st and on LostLanternWhiskey.com at a later date. All are bottled at cask strength, are non-chill-filtered, and have natural color.

• 2021 Single Cask #6, McCarthy’s 6 Year Old Oregon Peated Single Malt (248 btls): SRP, $140
• 2021 Single Cask #7 Smooth Ambler West Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey (195 btls): SRP, $80
• 2021 Single Cask #8 Starlight Indiana Straight Rye Whiskey (211 btls): SRP, $70

Blake Riber, founder of Seelbach’s is excited to launch the new collection. “We’re thrilled to have the exclusive Lost Lantern Winter Collection on Seelbach’s! Most of their fall release sold out before we even had a chance to announce it. Lost Lantern is pushing the boundaries for independent bottlers in American Whiskey. This is exactly what we want to showcase on Seelbach’s.”

All three of these distilleries and states are new additions to Lost Lantern’s single cask lineup. “Clear Creek has been making McCarthy’s for over 20 years and has a well-deserved cult following,” said Nora and Adam. “Smooth Ambler is best known for sourcing and blending but has also been distilling their own whiskey for years, so we’re excited to present their own West Virginia-distilled wheated bourbon. Finally, Starlight showcases Southern Indiana’s terroir, climate, and agriculture and is quickly becoming one of the darlings of bourbon drinkers.”

Lost Lantern released 10 single casks in its first year (all sold out) and debuted five more on their one-year anniversary in October (one of which is sold out). All were hand-picked from some of America’s most exciting distilleries: Santa Fe Spirits (NM), Cedar Ridge (IA), New York Distilling Company (NY), Ironroot Republic (TX), Whiskey Del Bac (AZ), Balcones (TX), Watershed (OH), Boulder Spirits (CO), Spirit Works (CA), and St. George Spirits (CA). Single casks are an essential piece of the Lost Lantern model, inspired by the long tradition of independent bottlers in Scotland. These highly limited, one-of-a-kind single casks consist of unique and deeply expressive whiskies produced by some of the finest distilleries in the United States.

Lost Lantern’s flagship blend, American Vatted Malt Edition No. 1 (SRP $120) also remains available. Created with some of the most exciting names in American single malt (Balcones in TX, Copperworks in WA, Santa Fe Spirits in NM, Triple Eight in MA, Westward in OR, and Virginia Distillery Co. in VA), American Vatted Malt represents the spirit of collaboration and community in the American distilling world.

ABOUT LOST LANTERN’S WINTER 2021 SINGLE CASK COLLECTION

Lost Lantern single casks show that the best whiskey reflects where it’s made, how it’s made, and who made it, and demonstrate that compelling whiskey comes from all across the United States.

2021 Single Cask #6: McCarthy’s 6 Year Old Oregon Peated Single Malt

(248 btls | 111.2 Proof): SRP, $140

McCarthy’s is arguably the first American single malt, and this single cask, aged for six years, is one of the oldest McCarthy’s whiskies ever released. Made from U.K. barley malted with Islay peat, it was fermented, distilled, and aged in Oregon. Single Cask #6 was aged in a 228-liter 3rd-fill Oregon oak cask with a medium toast and medium char. This whiskey’s deep smokiness, savory notes of smoked meats and leather, and balance of oak and French vanilla will enthrall lovers of peated single malt.

2021 Single Cask #7: Smooth Ambler West Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey

(195 btls | 124.2 Proof): SRP, $80

Smooth Ambler has long been on the vanguard of sourcing and blending whiskey with transparency and integrity. They’ve also been distilling and aging their own whiskey all along as they forge a new whiskey tradition in West Virginia. This is Lost Lantern’s first wheated bourbon selection, distilled on Smooth Ambler’s own column still in West Virginia. It was aged in a 53-gallon barrel for 5 years. The nose has notes of dried ginger, clove, and rosehips, while the palate bursts with dark chocolate, candied walnut, and robust oak flavors. 

2021 Single Cask #8: Starlight Indiana Straight Rye Whiskey

(211 btls | 113.2 Proof): SRP, $70

Starlight Distillery is part of Huber’s Orchard & Winery, an Indiana institution since 1843. While Starlight is just across the Ohio River from Kentucky and about 20 miles from Louisville, the climate, conditions, and culture are quite distinct from their counterparts to the south. This straight rye whiskey was aged for 4 years in a 53-gallon barrel. Made with 85% locally grown rye and 15% malted barley, it has a robust rye spice, with notes of cardamom, molasses, burnt caramel, and lemon zest. This is Indiana whiskey at its finest.

ABOUT LOST LANTERN

Founded by Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski, Lost Lantern is an independent bottler of American whiskey. Inspired by the long tradition of independent bottlers in Scotland, the company seeks out the most unique and exciting whiskies being made across the country and releases them as single casks and blends, always with a deep commitment to transparency. Currently, the Lost Lantern portfolio consists of American Vatted Malt Edition No. 1, a blend of American single malt whiskey made in collaboration with six distilleries from across the U.S., and eighteen single casks. Lost Lantern debuts new hand-selected whiskies throughout the year and announces one-off limited releases from time-to-time. Subscribe to Lost Lantern’s newsletter to learn about new offerings as they become available. Lost Lantern Whiskey is available for purchase at LostLanternWhiskey.com, at Seelbachs.com, and at select retailers in California, Kentucky, and Alberta.

Engage with Lost Lantern Whiskey on the following channels:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lostlanternwhiskey

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/lostlanternwhiskey

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LostLanternDram

Online whisky marketplace platform Caskshare is set to launch ‘The Collective’, a new exclusive cask movement. 

Since its launch earlier this year, Caskshare has been bringing an array of specialist cask sellers to the market, revolutionising the way that consumers engage with distilleries and cask owners to experience single cask whiskies, a bottle at a time. Buyers can choose from a wide range of casks, from more traditional ex-Bourbon to innovative casks such as Barossa Valley ex-red wine and Tokaji Aszú casks, all of which are uniquely imparted with distinctive flavours and aromas.

The brand is now set to launch The Collective, which gives whisky lovers the opportunity  to access new cask releases, Collective-only exclusive distillery releases, as well as plenty of other perks and benefits throughout the year. Members of The Collective (priced at £125 per year) will receive tasting packs full of samples of the finest maturing spirit stock every 6 months, allowing the unique chance of experiencing whisky as it is developing, getting inside the processes involved in making whisky and helping them make their selections for their own personal collection. Cask samples will range from mature casks nearing their bottling date to young casks starting on their maturation journey, delivered directly to their door.

As a unique feature of The Collective, Caskshare is also launching their BarrelBank, allowing members to save funds and choose the whisky they want when they want. All funds used from the Caskshare BarrelBank attract a 5% interest which can be used in conjunction with additional exclusive discounts on selected caskshares and the luxury ready bottled shop.

www.caskshare.com/the-collective

The latest Warehouse 1 release from Glen Moray

The final release in the Warehouse 1’s inaugural year of bottlings – here we have a spirit distilled in 2008, matured in ex-bourbon casks with a finish in Manzanilla sherry barrels and left at cask strength of 54.6% abv. The popular series has shown Glen Moray’s skill in experimenting with less common casks to create exciting and unique expressions. Limited to only 1,240 bottles – don’t miss out!

Buy here now →

Glen Moray 2008 Warehouse 1 Manzanilla Finish Description

The Causeway Collection: 2000 Port Cask

20 Year Old | 70cl | 54.1% ABV | Cask Strength

The 2000 Port Cask is a limited edition, cask strength Irish Single Malt. This expression has spent its entire life in rare first-fill ruby port casks. After maturing for 20 years, the malt is imbued with bold and luscious red fruit flavours. The fortified port wine cask has added waves of sweet, caramelised toffee notes, balanced by a hint of sweet chilli.

UK Exclusive Release With Only 2,322 Bottles Available

£259.95