70cl / 43.4% abv

Part of the refreshed line-up from ‘the Beast of Dufftown’, this expression from Mortlach has been matured exclusively in American oak ex-sherry casks, with a percentage of refill wood, and bottled at 43.4% abv. The oldest expression in the range, this 20-year-old is affectionately named ‘Cowie’s Blue Seal’, in tribute to one of the very first bottlings of Mortlach dating back to 1909.

The WHISKY TOKEN introduces itself 

How do you bring whisky the liquid gold to the blockchain — And how do you create perfect synergies?

Individual whisky bottles are now traded for € 1.000.000. Interest in high-quality bottling aged for a long time in noble barrels is growing worldwide, especially in Asia. New fillings are becoming smaller and more expensive. As can be seen on pages like whiskystats.net, annual double-digit returns are not uncommon.

Most people are unlikely to be able to participate in this growth. Single bottles often cost more than 2.000€ and are sold out very fast. In addition, many bottlers bring hundreds of new bottlings onto the market each year, not all of which are a good profitable line.

The German WHYTOKEN GmbH wants to use the attractive secondary whisky bottle collector market to bring more stability to the crypto market. Currently, almost all crypto currencies are threatened by high volatility. The WHISKY TOKEN (WHY) is different! The innovative Asset-Back Mechanism limits the risk for investors.

On 01 December 2018 the ICO starts and 95% of the money raised is invested in a high-performance whisky bottle portfolio. Should the market capitalization of the WHISKY TOKEN fall below the value of the portfolio for more than one month after the WHISKY TOKEN is traded on the crypto exchange, then WHYTOKEN GmbH will start with the buyback of WHISKY TOKEN. These are repurchased at the current and fair market value of the portfolio until the market capitalization of WHISKY TOKEN again exceeds the value of the portfolio. Tokens purchased by WHYTOKEN GmbH are permanently destroyed (burnt). Investors thus have a very low risk.

The location Germany offers a high legal security. The ICO is advised by the Winheller law firm, which has already advised well-known names in the crypto world. BaFin agrees with the expert opinion of Winheller and sees no security token in WHISKY TOKEN.

WHYTOKEN GmbH uses statistical models as well as the concentrated and long-standing expertise of the various and independent consultants in compiling the portfolio. Relationships with various distilleries and bottlers ensure optimal and extremely exclusive market access.

The WHISKY TOKEN ICO starts on 1 December and is divided into three phases. Each phase is limited and has only a small number of WHISKY TOKEN. The first phase starts with an attractive 33% discount. A WHY costs 0.80€ and can be purchased with Ether, Bitcoin or Fiat. The minimum investment is only 30€, so everyone can participate in the WHISKY TOKEN.

Further information can be found in the Whitepaper and in the Explainer-Video.

https://medium.com/@WHISKY_TOKEN/introduction-8f92ecc8ffe0

Use the code XMAS?? (join to find out the code) at check out to enjoy a £10 discount on any bottling online*. Happy shopping and Merry Christmas from all of us at SMWS.

SHOP NOW          LATEST 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

Kentucky Bourbon at Its Finest
Maker’s Mark 46 “K&L Exclusive Barrel #905”
Private Select Kentucky Bourbon (750ml) ($69.99)
“Another slam dunk from the little distillery in Loretto.”
—David Othenin-Girard, K&L SoCal Spirits Buyer

One of the most successful programs in our Spirits Department is the Private Select project done in partnership with Maker’s Mark. Through this innovative program, our spirits buyers are given the opportunity to blend their own unique K&L bottling based on the addition of different wood stave types to a barrel of Maker’s 46. The barrel is then stored in a specially designed warehouse carved into the side of a hill that allows the perfect aging conditions. The results carry the trademark characteristics of Maker’s Mark, yet possess their own distinctive stamp.

Barrel #905 is a magical concoction. Unmistakably a wheated bourbon, it shows a wonderful depth of flavor showcasing flavors of Madagascar vanilla, coconut, toasted marshmallow, and subtle wood spice. Clocking in at 110.1 proof, it isn’t timid, but still manages to show remarkable balance. If you are a fan of Pappy and other high-wheat styles, then you really need to give the #905 a try as it delivers the goods, but for a fraction of the price. If you’ve had previous bottlings of the Private Select, we highly recommend this tantalizing rendition.

Maker’s Mark 46 “K&L Exclusive Barrel #905” Private Select Kentucky Bourbon (750ml) ($69.99)

We cannot get enough of the wonderful Maker’s Mark 46 cask program. With no end in sight to the clamor for high-proof wheated bourbon like Pappy, any chance we have to snag these barrels we take. Never mind the fact that Maker’s Mark makes some of the very best wheated bourbon on the market, they add a spectacular level of intrigue with the unique 46 program. Each of these casks sees additional aging with added staves hanging in the upright barrels. This allows for a truly amped-up, but perfectly integrated flavor profile. This particular cask has a mix of 6 Baked American Pure 2 staves to dial up the vanilla and sweetness, 3 Seared French Cuvée for amazing spiciness and a little more caramel, and 1 classic Maker’s 46 stave, the only stave used in the original 46 whiskey. The end result is a rocking bourbon that tips the scales at 110.1 proof and is a powerful, sweet, complex and hedonistic dive into wheated bourbon.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 07, 2018

Maker’s Mark Private Select is quickly becoming one of our most beloved single barrel programs. We’ve messed around with several different recipes but this particular mixture of wood types seems to be the sweet spot. Many of our customers have compared these exceptional whiskies to the very best available, if not better. This awesome barrel is just more of the same deliciousness. The incredible, rich, sweet wheat of the cask-strength Maker’s is bolstered significantly by the heady vanilla and spice of the various staves. The powerful concoction is balanced on the palate, drinking way below its proof, with absolutely no burn. Instead, a dark roasty coffee bean and stewed tropical fruit keep the spice and caramel in check on the palate. Another slam dunk from the little distillery in Loretto.

Neal Fischer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 30, 2018

For the Private Select program, Maker’s Mark lets us choose the stave types going into the barrel for extra maturation. K&L spirits buyers selected a mix of American white oak, extra seared French oak, and a little of the classic Maker’s 46 staves. Bold spice is instantly noticeable with notes of cinnamon, fresh ground pepper, and clove. Then the wash of fresh vanilla bean, creme brulee, and caramel comes through with some fruity elements, most particularly coconut. The different wood types and char levels of the various staves really present themselves on the palate. This bourbon is downright toasty! It has very bold char flavors, a little campfire, burnt marshmallow, and then the coconut comes back all toasted too.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 30, 2018

The power of this bourbon is terrific. It’s a full throated roar of sweet, spicy, creamy, and woody flavors. The unique Maker’s Private Select program allows us to craft endlessly interesting additions to the already nearly perfect classic Maker’s Mark. Not only is it incredibly satisfying to see the nuance each stave type brings, it’s incredibly delicious. Here we essentially chose to amp up the natural intensity of bourbon by going heavy on the baked American staves, bring in some added wood complexity with the spicy French oak, and one classic Maker’s 46 stave for good measure. Full proof wheaters don’t come along often, especially those with such a pedigree. Barrel 905 is a wonderful example of why K&L will continue to support this program as long as they’re willing to keep doing it!

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 29, 2018

This is a really good bourbon. In the past few years bourbons with a high wheat content like Pappy Van Winkle have been very much in demand. The Maker’s 46 is a bourbon with a high wheat content with added barrel influences. The nose is inviting with an expressive sweetness. In the mouth it is rich, elegant and spicy. There is a nice mouthfeel and a long finish.

William Beare | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 27, 2018

The Maker’s Mark Private Select line is where for us, as both retailers and serious whiskey nerds, we really start giddily rubbing our hands together as we get an opportunity to put a truly unique influence on a whiskey we already adore. The whiskey begins as the classic Maker’s– fully matured, but left at barrel-proof. Specially treated staves (the ribs of a barrel) are then added to the pot, and left to age for nine weeks in a cool limestone cellar. The back of the bottle shows which staves were used for this selection– six virgin American oak staves (oven-baked at low temperatures), three ridge-cut, seared French oak staves, and one of the staves used to create the ordinary Maker’s 46 (also French oak at a different level of toast). The nose is full of brown sugar, oak, vanilla, and light winter spice. It hits the tongue with a burst of fruit and baked wood shavings that linger through the finish.

With the final countdown to Christmas underway, it’s as good a time as any to reflect on our 35th anniversary year. We’ve had fun, from celebrating our special birthday to tasting and exploring a wonderful spectrum of whiskies – we’d like to thank members for sharing a dram with us.

But as the year draws to a close, we’re already setting our sights on even more colourful whisky events and tastings in the year ahead.

 READ MORE

NEW ANNIVERSARY RELEASE

35 AND STILL ALIVE!

Cask No. 12.22
Cask type:
Refill bourbon hogshead
Age: 35 years
Price: £295.00

A perfect illustration of aromatic, complex, tertiary, mature single malt. A starry spectrum of refill-influenced earthy, mineral qualities.

 BUY

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

Hankey Bannister 21 Year Old Expression re-launched as new blend and design unveiled

Hankey Bannister, the award-winning blended Scotch whisky from International Beverage, has today (Thursday 13^th December) unveiled a striking new design and blend for its 21 Year Old Partners’ Reserve Blended Scotch Whisky.

The company’s Master Blender Stuart Harvey has hand selected rare and exceptional casks to craft the blend, each allowed to rest for a minimum of 21 years in the finest Spanish ex-sherry and ex-bourbon oak, as well as American oak ex-bourbon casks. The result is an indulgent and luxurious Scotch, perfect for special occasions and gifting.

The influence of contrasting wood imbues Hankey Bannister 21 Year Old Partners’ Reserve with a complex, characterful flavour. Spanish casks slowly create distinctive aromatic nuances of spiced citrus fruit, with chocolate and raisin on the palate. Creamy vanilla and toffee overtones are derived from the American oak, culminating in a smooth, creamy, slightly spicy chocolate finish.

Complementing the quality of the whisky is a new super-premium geometric bottle, enhanced by gold foil decoration, an embossed metallic label and a dark wood cork closure. A soft leather-like, subtly embossed box completes the exquisite packaging.

The new 21 Year Old release is part of Hankey Bannister’s ongoing investment to bring the story and sartorial appeal of its pioneering founders to life – the ‘style’ of flamboyant London socialite Beaumont Hankey and the ‘substance’ of his astute business partner, Hugh Bannister.

Hankey Bannister Brand Manager Lynne Buckley commented: ‘We believe that this striking new pack works brilliantly in communicating Hankey Bannister’s substance with style brand story, whilst also reflecting the exceptional quality of the whisky. There is huge demand in the global marketplace for a blended whisky that combines a high quality product with a distinctive brand story and, with Hankey Bannister, we are spoiled on both counts. Our founders provide us with a rich brand proposition. And whilst centuries may have passed, the qualities they stood for – tradition, craftsmanship, originality, sophistication and style – are all completely relevant for modern-day whisky drinkers.’

Hankey Bannister 21 Year Old Partners’ Reserve is crafted to an original recipe from single malts selected from International Beverage’s five distilleries, which are then expertly combined with more delicate Grain whiskies to produce a unique blend. Produced as a small batch of just 3000 bottles, it retails at £105 and will be available in Hankey Bannister’s core markets across Russia, Eastern Europe and Asia from December 2018. 

About Hankey Bannister

Messrs Hankey and Bannister’s wines & spirits business was originally established in 1757 at John Street in London’s stylish West End. When these two remarkable men took charge, their focus was on making superior Scotch whisky blends to suit the sophisticated tastes of their renowned society clients – which included The Prince Regent, William IV, Prime Minister Winston Churchill and writer Evelyn Waugh. In 1901 Hankey Bannister received its first royal warrant from George V, with a second being granted in 1940 by George VI – extended for a further ten years in 1950.

Hankey Bannister was purchased by Inver House Distillers, now part of International Beverage, in 1988. The blend is meticulously crafted to the original recipe of its founders, using the finest Highland malts in the International Beverage portfolio, including single malts from Pulteney, Balblair, Knockdhu, Speyburn and Balmenach distilleries. These are then expertly combined with more delicate grain whiskies to produce a distinctive blend.

The resulting whisky has been highly acclaimed, with Hankey Bannister 40 Year Old winning Gold at the World Whiskies Awards 2014 and International Spirits Challenge; and Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend receiving Gold again at the World Whiskies Awards 2018.  To this day, the unique blend of charisma and acumen of Messrs Hankey and Bannister – their ‘substance and style’ – continues to be celebrated and appreciated by whisky drinkers around the world. 

About International Beverage Holdings

International Beverage Holdings Limited is one of the industry’s most dynamic global drinks businesses. Established in 2006 as the international arm of ThaiBev, the company specialises in developing distinctive, premium local brands for global growth, with a portfolio that is led by a range of high quality Scotch whiskies and includes some of the fastest growing and most prestigious beers, spirits and whiskies on the market today. These high quality brands are enjoyed by consumers in over 85 global markets and include:

• Chang, Thailand’s iconic global beer brand
• Single Malt Scotch Whiskies: Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc, Speyburn
• Blended Scotch Whiskies: Hankey Bannister, Catto’s, MacArthur’s
• Caorunn, a super premium small batch distilled Scottish Gin infused with 5 Celtic botanicals
• Thai spirits: Phraya, Mekhong

International Beverage’s international operation is headquartered in Hong Kong, with two major bases in China and Scotland and a growing number of regional hubs around the world, such as the USA. The business is focused on the delivery of winning investment, sales and marketing strategies. International Beverage is committed to producing brands of character, representing the care and craftsmanship of the people that make them – from the brewers of Chang Beer in Thailand, to the distillers of the fine single malt Scotch whiskies Old Pulteney and Speyburn in Scotland. Crucially, the global development of every brand continues to be rooted in its home territory, supporting the company’s mission to build authentic brands of outstanding character.

International Beverage is investing in ambitious growth across its global operation, employing over 850 highly skilled people across production, sales, marketing and finance, together forming an effective and expert international team. In 2011 the International Beverage portfolio outperformed the market with outstanding sales across all categories.

Single Cask Nation Joins the ImpEx Family!

ImpEx Beverages is proud to announce that it will be representing Single Cask Nation .. Nationwide!

ImpEx has a proven track record of supporting great independent bottlers such as Chapter 7, Port Askaig and Exclusive Malts, and now Single Cask Nation joins our family of exquisite single cask picks for you to savor.

“I’m delighted that I get to work with Joshua Hatton and Jason Johnstone-Yellin.  These guys not only make excellent cask selections and are passionate about all things whisky, as evidenced in their podcast – One Nation Under Whisky.  In addition, they’re both amazing people with great heart, honesty and honor, and with their help I’m looking forward to bringing top-tier spirits to our fans for years.”  ~ Sam Filmus, President of ImpEx Beverages

“As you can imagine, we’re incredibly excited by this latest development and there will be plenty more single cask offerings in 2019!” writes Joshua Hatton, President and CEO of Single Cask Nation.

In the meantime, check out the first three expressions:

Craigellachie 10 Year – 67.3%

Color: White tea

Nose: Opens with a pungent thick peat reek but in time a sweetness develops with candy necklaces and pear drop hard candies, then a brininess that also includes ground grey pepper (unmistakable cask presence)

Palate: Meaty and juicy upon entry with warm malted barley, powdered confectioner’s sugar, a burst of ground clove, Garibaldi biscuits, and distinct barrel char!

Finish: Long and warming with lingering barrel char, dark chocolate with sea salt, more confectioner’s sugar, and damp oak

On the label: Known for it’s typically heavy style of whisky, this Craigellachie falls right into line. Its departure, however, is in the heavily peated character of this spirit. Dank and pungent with earthy smoke, however, don’t fret, rich fruits, an oily mouthfeel, and a bread-like malty backbone remain.

Macduff 13 Year – 57.2%

Color: Bronze

Nose: Big funky sherry at first blush but opens to reveal frozen chocolate covered bananas to the fore, brown Licorice All-Sorts, grilled apricots, angel food cake in the background, sticky sweet molasses, sherry spice

Palate: That delicious sherry funk returns but now with clean dishwashing gloves ultimately giving way to coffee ice cream with chocolate covered almonds, hints of sweet BBQ sauce

Finish: Sassafras leaves and cold coffee with dark chocolate nibs

On the label: A bit of old sherry cask funk upon opening but quickly gets chocolatey. Nutty, and fruity. Notes of sticky molasses, coffee ice cream, and sweet barbecue sauce help make this cask a beguiling one, to be sure!

Stones Of Stenness 18 Year Old – 54.8%

Color: White Tea

Nose: Pleasing light peat to open followed by a slight medicinal note, linen closets, honey drizzled over fresh cantaloupe, roasted hazelnuts, and lit tinder sticks

Palate: Floral smoke with hints of grass and cereal with a building vegetal quality, dried mangoes and melons, cask char mid palate, beach stones, pleasantly salty

Finish: White chocolate, sea salt, ground grey pepper

On the label: A perfect balance between lightly peated malt and a rich melon-like fruitiness. Quite different from the distillery’s offering of the same age. The ex-bourbon maturation allows a different side of the distillery’s house style to shine through.

Glen Garioch 25 Year Old – 1993 | AW 10th Anniversary

We’re finishing off 2018 in style, teaming up with Wine & Spirits Merchant Berry Bros & Rudd, to bottle this exemplary single malt Glen Garioch, for the next instalment in our 10th anniversary series. A robust and complex Highland malt, that still retains that hint of smoke and older characteristics that we dearly love from a ‘Geery’ distilled prior to 1994… 78 bottles only!

Buy Now

Grand Gift Sets

Christmas presents can be a bit of a hassle, but fortunately we’ve got a cracking range of gift sets that take the pain away! With glass sets and luxury dram box sets, all you’ll have to do is wrap it up and stick it under the tree. Free Standard Delivery on UK orders over £75. We ship all over the world.

Highland Park 12 Year Old Gift Pack

This fantastic whisky from ‘The Orkney Malt with Viking Soul’ was first released in 1979 and has a established a firm reputation as a great all-rounder. This beautifully presented gift pack includes two Highland Park branded whisky glasses.

£37 Buy Now

Daftmill 2006 Summer Batch

Distilled in 2006 at the family-owned and operated Daftmill distillery in the Kingdom of Fife, this Lowland single malt is part of a limited release of just 1,665 bottles produced in the summer of 2018.

£195 Buy Now
Limited to 1 per customer

Tamdhu 2000 Aged 18 Years ‘Christmas 2018’

Sherry Hogshead – 54.3%vol Cask No. 18035 – 343 Bottles

Tamdhu 2000 – An exceptional ‘Christmas Malt’ from award winning bottler Malts of Scotland.  A perfect blend of sherry and age make this an ideal dram for the festive period

Tamdhu 2000