Happy Lunar New Year from your friends at dekantā. Your friendship and support over the past year has been overwhelming, thank you doesn’t begin to express our gratitude.
Dekanta
2-49-7 Minamiikebukuro Toshima-ku, Tokyo,
One Spirited Collaboration: Foundry Distilling Company Set To Release New Peace Tree Blonde Fatale Single Malt Whiskey
West Des Moines, IA (February 12, 2021) – When worlds collide, amazing things can happen. And amazing did happen with a Brewer-Distiller Alliance partnership between an Iowa distillery and brewery. Collaborating with Peace Tree Brewing Company, based in Knoxville, Iowa, on a spirit inspired by the company’s Blonde Fatale Blonde Ale beer, Foundry Distilling Company is proud to announce the upcoming release of the Blonde Fatale Whiskey on March 27, 2021.
Distilled and bottled at the Foundry Distilling Company, this one-of-a-kind single malt whiskey was crafted from the mash bill of Peace Tree’s ever-popular Blonde Fatale Ale beer. Aged in 30-gallon charred American oak barrels, the collaboration produced 1,000 bottles total.
Blonde Fatale Whiskey is a bold 100-proof spirit with notes of earthy, black tea, and sweet bread aromas. Staying true to the enticing allure of the Blonde Fatale Ale, one sip of this whiskey and the flavors of malt, bread, and light banana–with a beer-malt finish–are sure to draw drinkers of this spirit back in for more.
“All of us here at Foundry Distilling and our Brewer-Distiller partners at Peace Tree Brewing are truly excited to share this unique whiskey with the world,” said Scott Bush, owner of Foundry Distilling Company. “We’ve set out to work with the best breweries and create whiskies that are exceptionally interesting, and the Blonde Fatale Whiskey hits the mark.”
For those looking to get their hands on this latest creation of the Brewer-Distiller Alliance, the Blonde Fatale Whiskey will only be sold in limited quantities at the Foundry distillery in Wes Des Moines, Iowa. Foundry Distilling is hosting a Blonde Fatal release event on March 27th, opening its doors at 10:00 am to the public. The first 100 people in line at this event will receive a free branded tumbler. Interested parties can also reserve a bottle for themselves by visiting BrewerDistillerAlliance.com.
Spearheaded by Foundry Distilling Company, the Brewer-Distiller Alliance is a unified initiative to work with outstanding breweries across the nation to produce remarkable, distinctive whiskies from their beer recipes. The breweries produce the wort using their recipes, and Foundry then distills and barrel ages the spirit to create whiskey. Foundry Distilling Company and its partners have generated a diverse collection of exclusive whiskies.
“The Brewer-Distiller Alliance continues to be a great success,” added Bush. “Peace Tree is a great brewery to collaborate with, and we are glad to have had the opportunity to do so.”
For more information about the Blonde Fatale Single Malt Whiskey or the Brewer-Distiller Alliance, visit BrewerDistillerAlliance.com.
About Foundry Distilling Company
A one-of-kind craft distillery located in Historic Valley Junction in West Des Moines, Iowa, Foundry Distilling Co. strives to be one of the most innovative distilleries in the world by producing unique products, offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences, like our Private Barrel Club, and collaborating with an alliance of nationally recognized breweries, known as the Brewer-Distiller Alliance.
Foundry Distilling Co. also offers Private Party Rentals, Daily Tours (M-SA), and various exciting products, including custom-label spirits for businesses, groups, and organizations.
About Peace Tree Brewing
Peace Tree Brewing Company is dedicated to brewing handcrafted, full-flavored beers with great attention to quality. The brewery began in 2009 in a former Nash Rambler car dealership on Main Street in Knoxville, Iowa. Today, Peace Tree Brewing has 14 full-time employees who brew, package, and sell a diverse range of beer and products.
Clynelish 1999 21 Years of Friendship – Sukhinder Singh & Toru Suzuki
While we finished celebrating our 20th birthday at the end of last year, it’s not the only anniversary that deserves some attention. Over the past couple of decades, we’ve met many whisky people from around the world, and this year marks the 21st anniversary of one of them not only discovering TWE, but also the start of a long-standing friendship between him and our co-founder. To celebrate, we have bottled a whisky: Clynelish 1999 – celebrating 21 Years of Friendship between The Whisky Exchange’s Sukhinder Singh and The Mash Tun’s Toru Suzuki.
Toru Suzuki, hard at work in his bar, The Mash Tun
When The Whisky Exchange started back in 1999, many of our first customers were from outside the UK. Sukhinder had built up a wide network of international contacts through his whisky collecting, and when he started selling whisky, people knew to come to him to find the weird, wonderful and rare. Among them was a Japanese bartender and whisky collector called Toru Suzuki.
At the time he was managing The Speyside Way – one of Tokyo’s excellent whisky bars – but soon had opened his own establishment – the famed Mash Tun. Sukhinder headed over to Tokyo regularly during the early years of The Whisky Exchange, and while he visited lots of customers, he always ended up in Suzuki-san’s bar.
The Mash Tun is a treasure trove of hard to find and old bottlings of Scotch whisky
When it comes to interesting whisky, Tokyo is one of the hottest destinations in the world. There are lots of fantastic whisky-focused bars which have some of the world’s rarest whiskies not only on their shelves, but also open to taste.
In those early days, Sukhinder was exposed to whiskies entirely unobtainable in Europe. Suzuki-san led him through a range of drams that he’d not had the chance to try, helping him learn more whisky, and continue to build his knowledge of old and rare bottlings. Sukhinder returned the favour with European releases, and two decades later, the pair are still friends, swapping whisky stories and tips over email rather than in the post.
When The Whisky Exchange hit 20 years old, Toru dropped Sukhinder an email, reminding him that it was also 20 years since they’d met. Plans were hatched for a celebratory bottling, but before we could a bottle on the shelf, the pandemic hit and everything stalled for a few months. By the time things had started moving again, not only had the cask passed its birthday, but so had the anniversary of Sukhinder and Toru’s first meeting.
The label was updated, the whisky was bottled, and we are very proud to present this special Clynelish 1999, celebrating 21 years of friendship.
Nose: Maraschino cherries and dark fruit cake to start, with cherry bakewells, singed raisins, new leather and dried figs following. Oaky notes provide a backdrop: old well-polished tables, damp dark wood, and spice-forward freshly cut boards. Thick, sweet, cherry-and-berry coulis covers everything.
Palate: Rich, sweet, dark fruit leads: raisins, dates, plums, cherries, sultanas – like a fruit cake made of nothing but fruit. Spice notes build around the fruit – cinnamon and nutmeg – with hints of chocolate-covered raisins developing alongside aniseed, dark-brown sugar and brown butter. Old, polished-oak notes hide at the back.
Finish: Dried fruit slowly fades away to leave wax-polished oak and browning autumn leaves.
Comment: Old-fashioned, big-sherry single malt – the style of whisky that Sukhinder Singh and Toru Suzuki love. This is the perfect celebration of 21 years of friendship: well aged and well worth the time spent creating it.
The whisky has now landed – it’s available to buy from The Whisky Exchange and also at The Mash Tun in Tokyo.
£117.46
Tomatin 25 Year Old 1994 vintage Highland single malt Scotch whisky. Single sherry butt #18213 bottled 2020 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the First Editions series. 402 bottles. A nose of plums, salted caramel, and chocolate. The palate is smooth, with hints of chocolate, nuts, red apples, and moss. The finish is long, with lingering oak.
BOTTLER: Hunter Laing & Co. CASK TYPE: sherry butt CASK:18213 ABV:47.9% REGION: Highland
Tomatin Distillery was established in 1897 and operated with two stills until 1956 after which there were frequent and numerous additions culminating in 23 stills in 1986 making Tomatin the largest distillery in Scotland at that time. However, eleven were subsequently closed and it is currently equipped with twelve but operating with eight. Tomatin Distillery is a Highland distillery situated close to the Cairngorms National Park and, sitting at an altitude of 315m, it is the third highest distillery in Scotland. The official range includes Tomatin 12 Year Old, 18 Year Old and the peated Cu Bocan range.
With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, romance is in the air, and whatever your plans this year, we’re inviting you to fall in love with flavour and embrace a new world of enchanting whisky experiences.
To help you find your perfect partner, we’ve got 28 special new casks online, ideal to cuddle up with this month. The full February Outturn will be available to buy at 12 noon today (UK time) so head over there now and make a match!
CHECKOUT UPDATE
For our friends in the EU: Please note that Paypal is currently not available. This will be up and running again in the next weeks.
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
BRUICHLADDICH RELEASE 2012 VINTAGE OF SINGLE MALT DISTILLED FROM HOME-GROWN ISLAY BARLEY
Barley exploration has always been a mission at Bruichladdich. Since their resurrection in 2001, the distillery has pioneered the concept of “terroir” in single malt whisky. Bringing ideals of connection from the world of wine, they have focussed on re-connecting the liquid in the glass back to the ingredients; to the soil it was grown in, the climate it was exposed to, the varietal and how it was grown and to the all-important growers who gave it life.
Nowhere is the exploration of terroir more prominent in Bruichladdich Distillery’s back catalogue of spirits, than in their home-grown Islay barley range. In 2004, Raymond Stewart was encouraged to grow the first crop of barley destined for distillation in living memory. The distiller’s Islay barley project has developed into quite the success story since those early years. 19 farmers now grow barley across the island, allowing Bruichladdich to explore the subtle nuances of their primary ingredient in their locale while their farming partners are given the opportunity to share in the burgeoning economy associated with distilling.
This community project is showcased in liquid form in the newly released 2012 vintage of unpeated single malt. Barley grown in 2011 by eight farmers from western and central farms has been dried, malted and later distilled in 2012. The barley-forward spirit has matured in a combination of 75% first fill American whisky casks and 25% French wine casks. Warehoused at Bruichladdich on the shores of Loch Indaal for a minimum of eight years, it is a unique expression of place. Each Islay Barley vintage offers a subtle difference in flavour profile, with this 2012 edition revealing a nose of citrus fruits and coconut, leading into salty notes, charred oak, caramel and brown sugar in the finish.
“The components at work in this whisky come together to tell the story of where this whisky is from. It speaks of its place in the world with honesty and openness – Islay grown barley, Islay distillation, and Islay maturation. There’s honesty and pride at the heart of this single malt.”
– Adam Hannett, Head Distiller at Bruichladdich Distillery
Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2012 will arrive in retailers and online at Bruichladdich.com from February 2021. It has been bottled at the distillery on Islay at 50% abv and will replace the current vintage of Bruichladdich Islay Barley 2011 within the barley exploration range.
Notes :
On Bruichladdich Distillery
Bruichladdich Distillery is situated on the southwestern tip of the Hebridean island of Islay.
Bruichladdich Distillery crafts four different spirits:
The distillery was first established in 1881 by the Harvey brothers. It survived through periods of closure including world wars and economic uncertainly, only to be closed for 7 years in 1994. The closure left all but two redundant.
The distillery was reopened by Mark Reynier, Simon Coughlin and Jim McEwan in 2001. The team have breathed new life into the community by keeping as much of their operations on Islay as possible. They installed a bottling hall in 2003, first grew Islay barley in 2004 (now 45% of production) and have since added additional warehousing to ensure all single malts are conceived, distilled, matured and bottled on the island. They are one of only two distilleries on the island (9 total) to make those claims.
The independently owned Bruichladdich was purchased by luxury spirits company Remy Cointreau in 2012. They continue to invest in the values of the business, in being Islay-based, and in the local community.
In 2020, Bruichladdich became one of the only distilleries in the world to be B Corp certified. They are the first gin and whisky distillery in Europe, and one of two globally, to be recognised for balancing profit and purpose.
On Islay Barley
45% of the distillery’s annual production was grown locally in 2020. The barley from a select number of individual farms were kept aside, designated to be a single farm origin. Others will be mixed to meet the minimum malting requirements at the distillery’s malting partner, Baird’s Malt, based in Inverness. The annual harvest is spread across all three single malts brands including Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore.
Islay barley takes its place within a catalogue of barley-forward spirits distilled at Bruichladdich. Exploration into the ancient landrace Bere barley, and Organically grown barley can be tasted alongside this new Islay-grown vintage in the Barley Exploration series. Spirits not yet released include the experimental Regional Trials, featuring the same varietal grown on the Scottish mainland in the Lothians, Aberdeenshire and in the Black Isle, and biodynamic barley, rye, and conventionally grown on the Scottish mainland.
Between wild, Atlantic storms, torrential rain, and migratory geese, growing Islay barley is a battle of wills. Yields are often lower than mainland-grown barley.
New Exclusives: Edradour and Ballechin sherry casks
We’ve been working with the team at Edradour to release excellent exclusive single cask bottlings of whisky for years, and our latest pair of whiskies has arrived – an 11-year-old Edradour and a 14-year-old Ballechin, both matured in ex-sherry casks.
Edradour may no longer be the smallest distillery in Scotland – not only have smaller ones opened, but Edradour has also built a second distillery next door to the first – but it’s still a lesser-known gem of the Highlands. Our heads were turned years ago, when we tried some sherry casks while visiting the distillery, and ever since have been grabbing as many of them as Andrew Symington and his team will let us have.
The latest pair we’ve managed to sneak out of his warehouses showcase both sides of Edradour’s spirit – regular unpeated Edradour and big, rich and smoky Ballechin.
This was distilled on 28 November 2008 and filled into a single first-fill sherry butt. It was bottled on 8 May 2020 after 11 years of maturation, yielding 709 bottles.
Nose: Sticky dark fruit cake, studded with glacé and maraschino cherries, and fed for months with dark rum. Rich molasses and brown sugar notes build, with a buttery background, more than a spoonful of mixed spice and core of sweet banana bread.
Palate: Lighter than expected, with icing sugar sweetness diving quickly into a bucket of raisins. The glacé cherries are back, along with the fruit cake, but there’s now a layer of apple and caramel sauce sticking it all together. A touch of bitter char sits at the back.
Finish: Warming spice slowly grows accompanied by dates, raisins and dried figs. Polished oak hides underneath.
This was distilled on 15 August 2008 and filled into a second-fill sherry hogshead. It matured for 14 years before being bottled on 8 May 2020 and there are only 296 bottles available.
Nose: Leathery smoke shrouds a vanilla sponge cake. Cherry and sultana notes develop, accompanied by a touch of menthol and freshly opened plasters. Green notes – hops, grass and leaves – float through the middle with gravel and a burst of mineral-laden smokiness.
Palate: Soft, sweet and sooty to start, with spice slowly building. Dark mint chocolate chips are joined by pine needles, singed ferns and some aniseed ball heat. The mint chocolate becomes chocolate-covered fondants as earthy notes build.
Finish: Mint imperials and cocoa nibs fade to leave sweet glacé cherries, fresh leather and leafy hints.
Black Velvet Whisky Introduces Black Velvet Apple
A natural fit for the Black Velvet flavors lineup, apple continues to see heightened success across brown spirits as the leading flavor. Black Velvet Apple delivers a smooth, balanced taste with a burst of tart, green apple followed by a bright, crisp finish. Apple joins Black Velvet Toasted Caramel to further expand the current flavor offerings in the franchise.BARDSTOWN, Ky. – Black Velvet Whisky, the second-largest selling Canadian whisky in the world, today launched Black Velvet Apple. With its perfect blend of original Black Velvet Canadian Whisky and natural apple flavors, the new flavor is ripe for success amongst a growing category.
“Black Velvet Apple is an approachable flavor that marries the quality of Black Velvet Whisky with the hottest flavor in brown spirits today for an extraordinary taste,” said Hannah Venhoff, Group Product Director, Heaven Hill Brands. “With renewed attention and investment in Black Velvet, we are invigorating the brand with thoughtful innovation that honors the Black Velvet legacy and brings new consumers to this iconic brand.”
Heaven Hill Brands acquired the Black Velvet Distilling Company in November 2019, quickly moving forward on infrastructure developments to build upon the success and experience of the Black Velvet team in Lethbridge, Canada. Building on the success of Toasted Caramel, flavor innovation with Black Velvet Apple introduces the next phase of investment in the historic brand, welcoming in new consumers and providing choice to current fans. Black Velvet Apple will be supported at retail with point of sale and displays, as well as across trade media.
Black Velvet Apple will be available in limited markets February 2021 at a suggested retail price of $10.99/750ml. Bottled at 70 proof, Black Velvet Apple will be produced in 1.75L, 750ml, and 50ml.
Enjoy Black Velvet Apple served neat, over ice, with your favorite mixer, or in one of the following refreshing cocktails:
Canadian Mounty Mule
½ oz. Lime Juice2 oz. Black Velvet Apple
3 oz. Ginger Ale
Build all ingredients in a mule mug or collins glass over ice, stir, and garnish with lime
Oldman Old Fashioned
1 ½ oz. Black Velvet Whisky¾ oz. Black Velvet Apple
3 dashes of Angostura Bitters
2 dashes of Orange Bitters
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir well until chilled. Serve over ice and garnish with orange peel.
ABOUT HEAVEN HILL BRANDS: Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY -based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Larceny, and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye Whisky; Deep Eddy and Burnett’s Vodkas; Admiral Nelson’s and Blackheart Rums; Black Velvet Canadian Whisky; Lunazul Tequila; The Christian Brothers Brandies; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; Carolans Irish Cream Liqueur; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur.
The Archive Series
A wonderful selection of Exceptional Casks selected by Gordon & MacPhail to highlight some of the fantastic age that their cask selection and management expertise yields.
One of, if not the oldest Independent Bottler in the world, Gordon & MacPhail does things differently. By maintaining it’s own casks and filling with spirit direct from the distilleries, the team in Elgin manage every step of maturation that their casks undergo.
Here, we are delighted to expose to you some of the oldest, rarest whiskies available from their collection.
£5,000.00
£2,000.00
£2,250.00
£1,100.00
Raising your glass to the extraordinary
Inverurie Whisky Shop
1 Burnside, Inverurie, AB51 3RY, United Kingdom
To join the Springbank Society please contact them at society@springbank.scot
From today, Friday 12th February the following whiskies will be for sale in the UK.
Due to ongoing delays in shipping, they will not be available in Europe yet but will follow soon. Keep in touch with your local Springbank stockist to alert you when the new expressions arrive.
Due to shipment times, releases throughout the rest of the world will be at different dates.
Longrow Red (52.5%ABV)
This edition of 10,000 bottles has been matured for 7 years in bourbon casks then a further 3 years in refill malbec red wine casks. The Malbec barriques for this expression have been sourced from De Toren Private Cellar in Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Nose
Aromas of chewy vanilla fudge and butterscotch with a hint of tart and sticky stewed rhubarb and grape juice.
Palate
Delicate peat smoke is balanced with notes of juicy red apples and ripe black cherries. Freshly baked pretzels, vanilla and sugar-coated almonds offer buttery, sweet characteristics whilst there is a developing earthy hint of tobacco leaves towards the end.
Finish
The ashy, earthy, buttery characteristics continue with notes of burnt embers and warm buttered toast.
Available from 10am at Cadenhead’s Campbeltown, Cadenhead’s Edinburgh and Cadenhead.shop for £57.00 .
PLEASE NOTE: THERE IS NO SOCIETY DISCOUNT
AVAILABLE ON THIS BOTTLE.
BUY HERE: FRIDAY 10AM (GMT)
Please join the Society to reveal the link!
Shipping to UK and Rest of World only. Shipping to EU not currently available.
Available at local retailers, if you are interested in this edition click below to find one near you.
ALSO, BEING LAUNCHED ON FRIDAY…
Kilkerran 8-Year-Old Cask Strength (56.9%ABV.)
Springbank’s sister distillery, Glengyle, will also be launching a new edition of Kilkerran 8-Year-Old Cask Strength.
This cask strength whisky has been fully matured in fresh sherry oloroso casks, giving it a rich, dark, treacly colour.
Nose
Well-balanced, rich and softly peated.
Juicy and sticky with notes of maraschino cherries, vanilla fudge, toffee pudding and coffee beans. Jam and fruit, balanced with a light smoky aroma.
Palate
Lovely dark fruit flavours continue with plum, cherry and sweet raspberry. Cooking apples, lemon glazing, a dusting of dark chocolate powder and a dry yet delicate peat smoke towards the end. A familiar coastal brine influence draws out the unique Campbeltown characteristics.
Finish
Notes of sea salt, dark cacao, smouldering campfire, sandalwood, BBQ meat and dry peat smoke.
Available from 10am at Cadenhead’s Campbeltown, Cadenhead’s Edinburgh and Cadenhead.shop for £48.00.
PLEASE NOTE: THERE IS NO SOCIETY DISCOUNT
AVAILABLE ON THIS BOTTLE.
BUY HERE: FRIDAY 10AM (GMT)
Please join the Society to reveal the link!
Shipping to UK and Rest of World only. Shipping to EU not currently available.
Available at local retailers, if you are interested in this edition click below to find one near you.
Slainte,
The Springbank Team
To join the Springbank Society please contact them at society@springbank.scot
