Compass Box “Flaming Heart” Sixth Limited Edition Blended Malt Whisky (700ml) ($129.99)

95 points Wine Enthusiast: “Inspired by a rock song by M. Ward, this is a blend of single malts, plus peated Islay whiskey. The original limited edition was released in 2006; this is the sixth release, debuting in the U.S. in September 2018. Overall, this is a soft sipper for those who love peat. Look for a straw hue and lightly smoky scent with a whiff of sea breeze. The velvety palate mingles peat smoke with lemon cream and vanilla, lingering into a gentle fade accented by black pepper. (KN)” (12/2019)

94 points Whisky Advocate: “Refined elegant smoke, quayside ropes, liniment oil, waxed lemon, cake mix, ripe peach, and a buoyant maltiness, as Flaming Heart roars back with a vengeance. After the controversy surrounding the 15th Anniversary edition, this time it’s all about the whisky. Sweet tangy orange, bitter peel oils, dark chocolate, clove, peppercorn, and nutmeg glide into menthol, spice, beeswax, and espresso on the finish. Solid gold: this is what they do best. *Editors’ Choice* (JM, Winter 2018)”

K&L Notes: This is the sixth release from 2018 but bottled in 700ml bottles consolidated from other markets outside the U.S. Compass Box’s well-loved, limited-edition peater is back in stock thanks to the change in U.S. law that allows us to sell 700ml bottles. The sixth edition has reintroduced a subtle sherry-cask character. First released in 2006, the Flaming Heart was the first whisky to combine the robust flavors of Islay peated malt with the complex spice of new French oak. Compass Box is the leading bespoke blender in the U.K. They’re refining and redefining the often-maligned category through innovative use of ultra-high-quality malt and thoughtful barrel selection and management. They’re also about as transparent as the law allows with their blends. In this case, we have: 39% refill bourbon barrels from Caol Ila, 29% refill hoggies from Deanston, 11% re-charred hoggies and 6% refill hoggies from Clynelish, and finally 15% Custom French/first-fill Sherry/refill American oak with a blend of Highland malts (these vattings consist of whiskies from Clynelish, Dailuaine, Teaninich, Benrinnes, Glen Ord, and Allt A Bhainne). It’s a complicated recipe that exemplifies the powerful yet balanced nature that has become so renowned with Flaming Heart.

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Kensington Wine Market’s Whisky E-Newsletter

MALT MESSENGER BULLETIN –

THE ONLINE ONLY 29TH BIRTHDAY SALE

STARTS NOW!

It’s that time of the year again, Kensington Wine Market is turning 29 years old this coming weekend, and we’re celebrating with our Annual Birthday Sale.

As mentioned in my last Malt Messenger, due to the current Covid-19 environment in Alberta, we have decided to close the store to walk-in traffic for the duration of the sale; Thursday, May 13, through Sunday, May 16.

The long and short of it is this: We didn’t want to postpone the sale as we did last year, but with the government asking everyone to stay home as much as possible, it is not appropriate for us to encourage in-store shopping and lineups at the door.

So after a lot of thought and deliberation our 29th Birthday Sale will be going ahead online, but not in-store!

If you are curious about our reasoning, I’ve attached an updated rationale at the end of this newsletter.

While we encourage everyone who can to order online, we will be accommodating phone and email orders from those of you who struggle with online ordering. We will also be taking cash and debit at the door for those who have ordered ahead, and don’t want to pay by credit card.

Please be patient with your phone, email, and online orders. We will work through all the requests as quickly as we can, and in the order that we receive them.

Patience is also requested from anyone requesting packing. We are expecting high volumes, and we won’t be starting on the packing list until Tuesday!

The sale deals and terms are below.

Before jumping to the sale pricing, we have a new tasting to announce. Scott Adamson and Scott Fraser of Tomatin Distillery will be joining us on Friday, May 28, for a Tomatin Vertical tasting to launch our new Tomatin 2006 KWM Cask. We will be showcasing an awesome range and a pair of special guests.

While we’ll miss seeing our regulars during this weekend’s Birthday Sale, we are hopeful this will be a one-time-only occurrence.

As always, in the event of a price discrepancy, the point of sale at KWM will be taken as correct.

Happy bargain hunting!

Sincerely,

Andrew Ferguson

Kensington Wine Market

IN THIS EDITION

1. New Tomatin Cask Launch Virtual Tasting with Scott²

2. In Case You Missed It: Our New KWM Exclusive Tomatin 2006 Cask

3. Other Up-Coming Virtual Whisky Tastings

4. 29th Birthday Sale Deals & Rules

5. Why We Decided Not to Allow In-store Shopping During Our Birthday Sale (In Case You Were Note Aware)

NEW TOMATIN VIRTUAL CASK LAUNCH TASTING WITH SCOTT²

Tomatin Cask Release with Scott Fraser & Scott Adamson

·     Date: Friday, May 28

·     Time: 5 PM

·     Cost: $35

·     Pick-Up Date: Available Now!

We have just received our 2nd KWM exclusive cask of Tomatin, and to mark the occasion we will be joined for a special Tomatin vertical tasting with not one, but two Scotts… Scott Adamsom (Global Brands Ambassador) and Scott Fraser (Regional Sales Manager) will be joining us live from Scotland for a virtual tasting of 8 Tomatin single malts: 12 Year, 14 Year, 18 Year, Cask Strength, 1984, the KWM 2006 Cask and the Tomatin Contrasts. 8 whiskies, 15ml samples of each, 2 Scotts of Tomatin, and a Scotch Guy or two from KWM. Just $35 to taste arrange of more than $1500 worth of whisky in fine company! 5 PM, Friday, May 28. AVAILABLE FOR PICK-UP NOW!

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

OUR NEW KWM EXCLUSIVE TOMATIN CASK

When asked what “must visit distilleries” people should be sure to hit when in the Highlands and Speyside area, I almost always list Tomatin. Aside from the facts they are some of my favourite whisky-folk in Scotland, and also make some excellent whisky, Tomatin is also one of the most interesting distilleries in Scotland. It was at one time the largest malt whisky distillery in the country and its site high in the Cairngorm mountains is enormously outsized for its needs today. It is also unashamed of its rough edges, a proud working distillery, which contrasts nicely with the picturesque and carefully manicured visitor centers of the better-known distilleries.

We have just received our second KWM exclusive single cask of Tomatin. We picked it last August, and due to Covid, Brexit and shipping challenges it has only just arrived. There are just 297 bottles, at a very good price!

Tomatin 2006 KWM Cask 33283 – 57.1% – 14 Year – Recharred American Oak Hogshead – My Tasting Note: “Nose: soft, doughy and toasty; vanilla, white chocolate, almonds, and citrus: lemon, lime and orange rinds; wine gums; decadent and floral with chewy malt. Palate: thick, honeyed, and coating; it is warming with Demerara sugar, vanilla extract, and crisp decadent spices; more juicy malt and loads of citrus; more wine gums and strawberry Twizzlers. Finish: medium in length, soft, coating, and spicy; fading honey, vanilla, citrus, floral tones, and toasted oak. Comment: decadent, juicy, and refreshing, this is a lovely addition to our stable of KWM exclusive whiskies; it is also excellent value!: – $118*

*This new cask will not be on sale!

OTHER UP-COMING

VIRTUAL WHISKY TASTINGS

All of our virtual whisky tastings include a range of 15ml samples, sealed for your protection and labeled according to AGLC regulations. The estimated pick-up date is provided for each tasting. Our preference is for pick-up (either in-store or curbside), but they can be delivered within Calgary-city limits for a $10 fee, or shipped within Alberta (packaging and shipping extra). A zoom code will be emailed for each tasting a day or two prior to the event.

KWM Casks – The First Half of 2021

·     Date: Tuesday, June 8

·     Time: 8 PM

·     Cost: $35

·     Pick-Up Date: TBC (Target May 18)

We’ve received some very cool single casks this year. Normally we’d offer samples for interested parties in-store, but sadly circumstances have not allowed for that this year. What to do? One of our staff suggested we hold a virtual tasting, highlighting our new KWM exclusive casks. So we’ll be pouring our new casks from Benromach, Old Pulteney, Two Brewers, Tomatin, Teeling (if it gets here in time), Kilchoman and our 25 Year Glenfarclas Cask Strength. In all, we will sample 8 KWM exclusive single casks, carefully selected by your friends at KWM! 8 PM Tuesday, June 8.

Independents Day: Feis Isle 2021

·     Date: Tuesday, June 15

·     Time: 8 PM

·     Cost: $45

·     Pick-Up Date: TBC (Target May 25)

We have some very cool Islay whiskies arriving soon, which got us thinking, we’re long overdue for a KWM Feis Isle (Islay Festival) Tasting. It will have to be virtual this year, but the range won’t disappoint, including the Port Askaig 12 Year Autumn Release, Elements of Islay Bn8, Cl13 & LP11 as well as the Peats Beast PX Finish & 27 Year. In all we’ll sample 7 whiskies (15ml samples of each) from the Queen of the Hebrides, none of them ever before featured in a KWM tasting! 8PM Thursday, June 15.

Introducing: The Whisky Trail with Julie Hamilton & Celine Tetu

·     Date: Friday, June 25

·     Time: 5 PM

·     Cost: $45

·     Pick-Up Date: TBC (Taget June 7)

We will be joined by Elixir Distillers Brand Ambassador Julie Hamilton, and International Sales Manager Celine Tetu, as we introduce a new range of independent bottlings with really cool labels, The Whisky Trail. We are starting out with 7 whiskies from the Retro Cars and Video Games labels. Our range will include single cask bottlings of Ben Nevis 1996, Cambus 1990, Glen Elgin 2007, Glenrothes 1989, Invergordon 1987, and a pair of Ardmores’ from 2009 and 1998. Participants in the tasting will not only be the first people in Canada to sample these whiskies, but they will also have the first opportunity to purchase the bottles. Friday, June 25, 5 PM.

*We will be donating $15 per ticket to the Brenda Stafford Center, a local women’s shelter.

29TH BIRTHDAY SALE DEALS & RULES

Now Through Sunday, May 16

Most In-Stock Whisky and Spirits are 10-50% off, excluding most Scotch Malt Whisky Society Whiskies, and a few other mostly newly arrived items. We do have a dozen or so SMWS whiskies on sale too!

Sale Rules

There are always conditions, but we believe ours are fair!

1. In the spirit of the current Covid-19 environment, there will be No In-Store Shopping!

2. Please place your order online, by email, or by phone.

3. In the event of a discrepancy in price, the point of sale at KWM will be taken as correct.

4. Prices quoted do not include GST.

5. Sale pricing will not be applied retroactively or extended on orders placed beyond the end of the sale Sunday, May 16 at 11:59 PM.

6. The sale pricing applies only to in-stock inventory.

7. Sale pricing cannot be combined with other discounts or promotions.

8. Payment info is required at the time of purchase and or order.

BROWSE WHISKY DISCOUNTED 15-50%

WHY WE DECIDED NOT TO ALLOW IN-STORE SHOPPING DURING OUR BIRTHDAY SALE

In case you didn’t see the rationale for the online-only sale in one of our prior newsletters and were wondering why…

As some of you well know, we celebrate our Birthday Sale every year, in mid-May. This is our 29th, which means our 30th Anniversary is also looming…

As with last year, as the date approached, we were faced with a tough decision. Last year we decided to put off the Birthday Sale until June as we were all still feeling our way through the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, and adjusting precautions almost daily.

Covid-19 numbers are currently at record levels in Alberta and especially Calgary. Even in the best-case scenario, the number of active cases will still be uncomfortably high in the weeks ahead. We want to push ahead with the sale, but don’t think it is responsible for us to encourage in-store shopping and lineups at this time.

In recent weeks, my staff has been confronted by members of the public not wanting to wear masks. These were not people with bonified exemptions, just folks who don’t like the restrictions. I understand as much as anyone how long the last year has been, and the disruption restrictions have had on people’s lives. Patrons of our store need only wear a mask while they are in the shop. My staff and I have to wear masks for our entire workday. We don’t set the rules, but we are expected to encourage customers to respect them. I know people are frustrated and tired, but it is neither fair nor appropriate to take out that frustration on the front line, retail, and service sector employees who are just trying to do their jobs. (we have had two additional incidents in the last few days)

In the spirit of the government’s request for Albertans to stay home as much as possible, and out of an abundance of precaution to protect the health and safety of our staff and customers, we decided not to allow any in-store shopping during our Birthday Sale.

If you come down to the shop over the next few days, you will find the door locked. If you just need some beer or a bottle of wine for the weekend, please order ahead. If you are looking to do a curbside pick-up, you can knock on the door, or call us at 403-283-8000 when you are parked out front.

If you would like to take advantage of the sale deals, we encourage you to order online at kensingtonwinemarket.com, or if online ordering is not your thing, you can call or email in your order.

For the month of May in general, we encourage everyone to strongly consider staying home as much as possible and shopping online or by phone. We also encourage you to take advantage of curbside pick-up and our offer of Free Delivery in Calgary for orders over $100 (flat rate of $10 for orders under).

So please stay home if you can, and don’t forget to support all the other small businesses and restaurants that are struggling right now!

Thank you in advance for your patience, support, and understanding.

Sincerely,

Andrew Ferguson

Owner

Kensington Wine Market

403-283-8000

888-283-9004

(Non-Sale) Store Hours

Sunday: 11am – 6pm

Mon – Wed: 10am – 8pm

Thu – Fri: 10am – 9pm

Sat: 10am – 8pm

*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.

Heaven Hill Distillery Unveils First Bottled Bourbon from Artisanal Distillery at Evan Williams Bourbon Experience 

Square 6 pays homage to the plot of land that housed Kentucky’s first commercial distillery

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Heaven Hill Distillery today announced the launch of Square 6 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, the first bottled Bourbon produced at its artisanal distillery located in the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience at 528 W. Main Street in Louisville, Ky. Square 6 designates the original plot of land where Evan Williams built Kentucky’s first commercial distillery in 1783, sharing the same block on Louisville’s Whiskey Row where the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience first opened in 2013. This initial launch from the one barrel per day, hand-crafted, copper pot still facility is a testament to Heaven Hill Distillery’s commitment to quality, craft and patience. Square 6 is only the beginning in a series of craft products to come from the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience.

As a High Rye Bourbon, the Square 6 mashbill consists of 52 percent corn, 35 percent rye and 13 percent malted barley, a new Bourbon recipe under the Heaven Hill Distillery portfolio. Artisanal Distiller Jodie Filiatreau distills one barrel of American Whiskey per day at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience and is continually crafting innovative mashbills and tweaking the hand-crafted process for each new recipe. Since the building of the craft distillery, Heaven Hill has been patiently waiting as the barrels quietly age to maturation. During this aging process, a team of master tasters samples each recipe at various stages until that specific mashbill has been deemed to have achieved a taste profile worthy of bottling. Square 6 High Rye Bourbon is the first result of this process and the first bottling from the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience stills. A testament to Heaven Hill’s patience and hallmark extra-aging, Square 6 High Rye Bourbon was aged to perfection before being bottled at 95 proof. Square 6 has a golden amber color, with notes of tobacco, fig and honey on the nose, earthy notes with cardamom and cinnamon to taste, and a short, dry finish.

“Today marks another milestone in the educational, interactive experiences offered at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience as we can now experience the aroma and taste of this truly hand-crafted process from the grain to the glass,” said Max L. Shapira, Heaven Hill Distillery President. “From the first day Artisanal Distiller Emeritus Charlie Downs turned on the stills nearly eight years ago to Artisanal Distiller Jodie Filiatreau patiently waiting years for this product to come of age in the barrel, today we celebrate Heaven Hill’s commitment to quality and attention to detail.”

Square 6 will be released in a 750ml, stylized, squared off glass bottle with the face label depicting the original map where Evan Williams’ distillery was originally located. The packaging also includes Evan Williams’ signature and the product recipe. The limited release of Square 6 High Rye Bourbon will be available in small quantities as a unique offering at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience and available at select Kentucky retailers for a suggested retail price of $89.99.

To celebrate the occasion, a commemorative barrel was rolled down Louisville’s Main Street by Heaven Hill Distillery President Max Shapira, Artisanal Distiller Jodie Filiatreau, Artisanal Distiller Emeritus Charlie Downs, Louisville Tourism President & CEO Karen Williams, and Louisville Tourism Chief Operating Officer Cleo Battle. These representatives signified a pillar of the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience and Whiskey Row industry: family legacy, artisanal craft production, Bourbonism, and hospitality. Max Shapira then unveiled the first Bourbon put in bottle made from the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience at a press conference in the lobby.

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY: Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Heaven Hill has cultivated the traditions and history of America’s Native Spirit with its fierce independence, passionate family ownership, dedication to quality, and thoughtful innovation. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 1.8 million barrels aging in 63 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. It is home to an award-winning collection of American Whiskeys including Elijah Craig Bourbon, Larceny Bourbon, Evan Williams Bourbon, Pikesville Rye Whiskey, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky and Parker’s Heritage Collection. Heaven Hill Distillery currently holds the title of 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition Distillery of the Year, Best in Show Whisky, and previously held the titles of 2018 San Francisco Spirits Word Spirits Competition Best Bourbon, 2017 Whisky Advocate Whisky of the Year, 2016 Whisky Magazine Distillery of the Year, 2016 Whisky Advocate American Whiskey of the Year. For more information, please visit www.heavenhilldistillery.com.

ABOUT THE EVAN WILLIAMS BOURBON EXPERIENCE: The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience® (www.EvanWilliamsBourbonExperience.com) celebrates the legacy of Evan Williams, Kentucky’s first commercial distiller, through an immersive visitor’s center experience which brings to life the history and tradition of Kentucky’s native spirit. An official stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, the facility offers guests a historical glimpse back in time to see Evan Williams’ original distillery through high definition video recreations of the Louisville wharf and Main Street in the late 18th Century, plus recreations of Whiskey Row building facades along Main Street from the 1890’s through the present. Meanwhile, visitors learn the essential differences between distilling during Evan Williams’ era and Heaven Hill’s modern Bernheim Distillery operations.

AVAILABLE NOW

This 2007-vintage, thirteen-year-old whisky – distilled just two years after Kilchoman fired up its stills – has been matured in a single ex-bourbon barrel, before being bottled in February 2021, exclusively for The Whisky Exchange. This ex-bourbon maturation has left the whisky rich with orchard fruits and sweet-citrus notes, alongside earthy dark-chocolate, sun-baked hay, fresh green chilli and lashings of Kilchoman’s meaty, peat-smoke flavour.

Founded in 2005, Kilchoman was the first new distillery to be built on Islay in more than 120 years. The island’s only single-farm distillery, Kilchoman prides itself on managing its whisky from barley to bottle.

BUY NOW

PURCHASE YOUR OWN CASK OF WHISKY

Established in 2019, Holyrood is Edinburgh’s first single malt distillery in almost a century, a fact of which they are immensely proud. The founders had a vision to create a new kind of distillery, one that would reflect the dynamism and diversity of present-day Edinburgh. Marrying craft traditions with bold new approaches to flavour, they are dedicated to delivering something that is worthy of Scotland’s capital city.

EXCLUSIVE PRICE

FOR HARD TO FIND WHISKY CUSTOMERS

SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY CASK

Limited Supply | Spanish Oak Sherry Cask | 250 Litre

£3,750
per 250 Litre Sherry Cask

Request More Information

 

Set your pulse racing and find your whisky rhythm as we celebrate the latest batch of bottles!

VELVET UNDERGROUND

CASK NO. 1.228

CASK TYPE:  Ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  8 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Juicy, oak & vanilla

SWEETNESS SOMERSAULTS AROUND THE MOUTH

CASK NO. G1.10

CASK TYPE:  Refill ex-bourbon hogshead

AGE:  21 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Spicy & sweet

CINNAMON FLAVOURED BLACK TEA LEAVES

CASK NO. 112.65

INITIAL CASK:  Ex-bourbon hogshead

FINAL CASK:  1st fill Limousin oak hogshead

AGE:  15 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Spicy & sweet

RAIDERS OF THE LOST FRIDGE

CASK NO. 36.176

INITIAL CASK:  Ex-bourbon hogshead

FINAL CASK:  2nd fill barrique

AGE:  11 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Deep, rich & dried fruits

SPICE CANNON

CASK NO. N/A

CASK TYPES:  Ex-Oloroso and ex-PX casks

AGE:  10 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Spicy & sweet

THE GARDEN SHED OF ENGLAND

CASK NO. 137.6

CASK TYPE:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  8 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Peated

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada
Suite 160
104 – 1240 Kensington Road NW
Calgary, AB  T2N 3P7
403-969-8225
curious@smws.ca
www.smws.ca

IRONTON DISTILLERY ANNOUNCES NEW WHISKEY

RiNo, Denver, CO — Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse is releasing a new limited edition whiskey starting June 19th. Switchback Single Malt is A Whiskey Made for Adventures. The lightweight, durable aluminum bottle is easy to toss in with any outdoor gear and take along into the backcountry. Once the whiskey has been enjoyed, the bottle can be refilled and used again as a water bottle.

Switchback Single Malt is made of 100% malted barley. It’s distilled and aged at Ironton’s RiNo distillery by head distiller, Laura Walters. On the nose, there’s notes of cantaloupe, stone fruit, cinnamon and caramel. On the palate, it’s sweet, bright, and grassy with a light mouthfeel and defined finish.

Switchback Single Malt in reusable aluminum bottles is a limited edition release for Summer 2021. Bottles are available for pre-order online at a special price of $45 and can be picked up directly from Ironton during the Stay Wild Market on June 19th. Ironton’s Stay Wild Market celebrates Colorado’s incredible outdoors with local vendors that encourage guests to get outside and explore. The market will be free to attend with strict COVID protocols in place.

Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse is proudly Distilling the Spirit of Colorado with our lineup of small batch liquors. Named after a lost, but not forgotten, mining town in Southern Colorado and the 19th century ‘Ironton Addition’ of Denver that would become known as RiNo today, we were born out of the adventurous heritage and spirit of our state and city. Every sip of our spirits and cocktails captures our love of craftsmanship and our desire to explore.

More information on Ironton Distillery & Crafthouse can be found at http://www.irontondistillery.com or on social media @IrontonDistillery.

Set your pulse racing and find your whisky rhythm, we’re celebrating Festival Month with our flavour and music matches.

SEE ALL NEW BOTTLES

READ OUTTURN

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

With the distillery doors open to the public and our peat fire lit once more we’re delighted to be giving a warm welcome to those who have managed to join us in Tarbert as lockdown eases.

We’re also very proud of all our local health service staff and vaccination volunteers who have ensured such a safe and swift roll-out of inoculations here in the Outer Hebrides.

Every member of our distillery team has now had at least one of their Covid injections and we’re grateful to NHS Western Isles for all their efforts over the last twelve months.

So, as we look ahead to better days our attention is turning to the arrival of The Hearach Single Malt as we get closer to the day we can share our first historic dram with the world.

Exactly when that will be, only time and taste will tell but expect to hear a lot more from us on the whisky front over the coming months as the story unfolds.

Tonight, we get things started with a visit to our cask warehouse in Ardhasaig as more samples are drawn to take stock of our progress. Join us over on this week ‘s Journal story for more…

And, a big thanks to all our US friends for such an enthusiastic response to last week’s news that we’ve arrived on your shores.

I’ll get around to replying to all your emails eventually but we’ve enjoyed reading every word of them so far!

Have a great week, from all of us at the Harris Distillery…

Le dùrachdan,

Mike Donald
Isle of Harris Distillery Storyteller

The Wait Is Over: The Most Anticipated Rye Release of the Year Has Arrived
Elijah Craig Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml) ($29.99)

“A modern classic, no doubt, and one that has managed to stay true to everything I expect from Elijah Craig.

No easy feat considering the very high bar I hold for the mark.”
— Andrew Whiteley, K&L Spirits Buyer

Rarely do we wait so patiently and with bated breath for a new release whiskey at a price point under $30, but that’s exactly the case with Elijah Craig’s much-anticipated inaugural straight rye bottling. Well, we can finally say it—the Elijah Craig Kentucky Straight Rye is in stock and available. Wow, does that feel good! This wonderful dram has been the subject of much praise and accolades, eventually landing at #7 on Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 Whiskies of 2020 list, and the accompanying 94-point review sums up what we’ve been expecting from this gem all along: “…this rye delivers powerful flavors that feel excitingly untamed, and will impress bourbon and rye lovers alike.” With the amount of anticipation and hype surrounding this release, we are certain to see it fly out the door, so act faster than you ever have before to secure your desired quantities.

Elijah Craig Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (750ml) ($29.99)

94 points Whisky Advocate: “Elijah Craig always impresses with value, but until now has been confined to bourbon. This foray into rye whiskey sticks close to Elijah Craig’s bourbon roots by using only the minimum-required 51% rye in its formulation; however, it does achieve a nice departure in flavor. Aromas include butterscotch, caramel-nut clusters, and peppery spice. The spice ramps up on the palate, carried forward by the full body, hearty proof, and mouth-coating texture, as cherry cola, baking chocolate, and darker fruits emerge. Priced a notch below comparable peers, this rye delivers powerful flavors that feel excitingly untamed, and will impress bourbon and rye lovers alike. *Ranked #7, Top 20 Whiskies of 2020* (JL, Winter 2020)”

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: May 06, 2021

I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of Elijah Craig Rye since it was first released to limited markets in the U.S. in early 2020. Over a year and many prominent awards and critical reviews later, it feels like I’ve waited a lifetime. Fortunately, now that it is actually in my glass, it has actually lived up to my expectations and the hype. It has fully delivered on the value proposition that is the Elijah Craig brand, a move that makes Heaven Hill one of the greatest in the business. The whiskey is bursting with flavor; rye obviously takes center stage, but it is so well supported by the high corn and malted barley content that it never overshadows its co-conspirators. Sweet spice (i.e. not peppery spice) envelops the palate. Generous toasted oak leans towards coconut. The caramels and vanillas are also there; I want to say prominent, but it isn’t the right word, because while it’s robust, there are no hard edges. It’s a rounded rye in style and texture. At 94 proof (the same as EC’s small batch Bourbon) it has the easy drinkability I associate with the brand without missing the punch so many modern whiskey fans love and expect. A modern classic, no doubt, and one that has managed to stay true to everything I expect from Elijah Craig. No easy feat considering the very high bar I hold for the mark.