GROWING IN STRENGTH – COTSWOLDS DISTILLERY RELEASES CASK WHISKY

Cotswold Distillery launches cask strength, single malt whisky, The Founders Choice

The whisky has rich and intense maturation, fruity spirit, toffee, oak and red fruit notes

The Founders Choice is available now from specialist retailers with an RRP of £64.95

The release comes one year after the highly anticipated launch of the distillery’s flagship whisky, the Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky

Award-winning Cotswolds Distillery has launched its cask strength single malt whisky expression, the Founder’s Choice.

The whisky, aged in their shaved, toasted and re-charred American oak red wine barrels and has a rich and intense maturation. The cask has a fruity spirit, with toffee, oak and red fruit notes as well as a beautiful deep colour.

Dan Szor, founder and CEO of the distillery said: “We were very fortunate to work with the late Dr Jim Swan on developing our wood programme – one of his key innovations was the ‘STR’ cask and it has always been my favourite of all our casks. Jim’s suggestion to me was that one day we release a 100% STR-aged whisky at cask strength and, based on the extremely positive reaction from everyone that’s tried it, that is what I’ve decided to do.”

The STR casks were designed by Dr Swan to optimise the extraction of flavour and colour from the oak, giving an extremely active maturation whilst avoiding the need for smaller cask sizes, which can sometimes result in an over-oaked effect. The intensely rich single malt has notes of dark chocolate and dried figs on the nose, with a warm palate of fresh red fruits and butterscotch. The finish has hints of spicy oak, dried fruit and a lingering nutty note.

Founder’s Choice is bottled at cask strength (60.9% ABV) non-chill filtered and with no added colouring. The whisky is available in specialist retailers from November at an RRP of £64.95.

The release comes one year after the highly anticipated launch of the distillery’s flagship whisky, the Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky. Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky has gone on to win nine medals and awards in its first year, and the distillery picked up a total of five ‘Liquid Gold Awards’ (scores of 94/100 or higher) in Jim Murray’s recently published Whisky Bible 2019. 

Notes

Founders Choice 

Founders Choice is available to purchase from Harvey Nichols and specialist retailers Master of Malt and Gordon and MacPhail.

The Cotswolds Distillery

Located in Stourton, Shipston-on-Stour, the distillery has become a premier local attraction, offering tours and tastings daily, and now receives 30,000 visitors a year.

Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky was launched in October 2017. Each bottle lists the barley variety, harvest year and local Cotswolds farm it was grown on. It recently won Gold at the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition and took 2 stars (one of only two whiskies to do so) in the 2018 Great Taste Awards.

Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky is available nationally and in 12 countries across the world. Key UK retailers include Majestic Wine, The Whisky Exchange and Laithwaites.

For more information, please visit www.cotswoldsdistillery.com.

At The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, we’re always on the search for intriguing flavours to surprise and delight our members. This pursuit has taken us to all corners of the globe, from the United States to India and beyond.

Today we’re bringing you two stars from the East in the form of these exceptional casks all the way from Japan. Distillery 130 has only been seen once before in the Society, back in 2013, but we can assure you these two new bottlings are well worth waiting for.

Cask No. 130.2: Tropical thunder will shower you with characteristics from our Spicy & Sweet flavour profile. Tropical fruits, honey, ginger marmalade and Chinese 5-spice – this whisky has it all going on!

DISCOVER MORE 130.2

In the Young & Spritely profile, Cask No. 130.3: Bamboo wood and cherry blossom boasts huge flavours and complexity for its age. Matured in a bourbon barrel before being transferred to a Pinot Noir barrique, cola cubes, tangy sweets and chocolate orange will hit your nose before sherry, sweet rose wine and grappa shine through on the palate.

DISCOVER MORE 130.3

We expect these rare Japanese gems to be in huge demand, so please be aware that they may disappear quickly, and will be strictly limited to one per member. We urge those lucky enough to get one to crack it open and enjoy – we don’t want to see them in an auction!

 AVAILABLE FROM 10AM TOODAY (GMT)

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

Incredible and Limited Mature Scotch Exclusives from Iconic Distilleries

The experience of enjoying extremely well aged Islay whisky is one you’ll never forget, a rite of passage for any serious Scotch lover, and no bottler will offer such a spectacular experience and value for your dollar than our “Old Particular” line. Every year we peer deep into the Scottish warehouses to find something unprecedented to bring back to our customers. Often, however, the very best isn’t unearthed, it is awarded. We’re extremely lucky to have built trusted relationships with our vendors over the years. Indeed it is thanks to our loyal customers that we’re afforded the incredible accesses that we do have. And when we inquire about what special malts might be hiding in the old warehouses at Douglas Laing, we are offered a plethora of rare casks. Often due to their incredible rarity, the price outweighs their potential viability, but on occasion, our suppliers bestow us with casks so special rare and delicious we must consider them. And even in those cases, a rare cask requires a value judgment. But when we see similar independently bottled single casks and distillery bottlings on the market for 200-300% more than what we are offering, we know we’re onto something.

That’s exactly what we’re looking at here. Two ultra rare Islays in completely different styles, aged beyond anything readily available on the market today. The first from the gorgeous Bunnahabhain near Port Askaig was distilled over 30 years ago. This unpeated Islay is still distinctly of that magical place and its 30 years in a refill sherry butt make it one of the most intriguing and unique casks we’ve ever bottled. The distillery offers a 25 year that pales in comparison to the depths of this cask, which often fetches upwards of $700.

The second is our old friend Caol Ila. The other distillery on the northern shore of Islay is one of the most underappreciated distilleries available today. We’ve had great success previously with old casks from this legendary distiller, but each additional year that goes by makes these old stocks more and more prized. The distillery’s 35 Year Old offerings command upward of $1000. The prices aren’t low, but the value is high.

1988 Bunnahabhain 30 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Refill Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($275.00)

Bunnahabhain whisky is a perfect fit for refill sherry maturation, and especially for long-term aging. And 30 years is a perfect age for any Scotch, especially from one of the world’s great distilleries. $275 is an absurdly low price for these two things in combination. In short, this opportunity was too good to pass up. This is as good as whisky gets, in our opinion. It’s dark, rich, and loaded with complexity. The unpeated, slightly saline and very full nature of Bunnahabhain plays perfectly with the refilled sherry butt. Over 30 long years, the whisky naturally proofed itself down to 44.5% ABV — a delightful bit of perfection for drinking neat. It’s rare that you taste something so special that everything around you drops away and time seems to stop. This is that whisky. Consider that the distillery’s 25-year bottling will easily run you $600 bucks or more, and the $275 for this 30-year cask feels like a gift. In fact, it’s the perfect gift to give your dearest friends and maybe even get a second one for yourself.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 12, 2018

Few whiskies will match the majestic complexity of old Bunnah in sherry. The fact that it’s in second fill makes it that much more special. Imagine where this butt might have been 18 years before it was filled a second time in 1988—probably in some old bodega’s oloroso solera dating back decades. So a refill cask from the ‘80s was likely originally coopered sometime around the First World War. The nearly century long journey of that barrel to our supplier’s warehouse and eventually to your glass makes this bottle particularly interesting. But ultimately, it’s the destination that makes it truly special. The otherworldly flavors that emanate from the glass are completely bewitching. A complex stew of dark fruit, exotic woods (particularly sandalwood and mahogany), burnt orange peel and this wonderful strange exotic salt. The palate is rich but not stewed or thick. Tons of bold spice and no bitterness even after 30 years. The lowish proof feels somehow like a benefit for once, but DO NOT add water as it’s in perfect balance right out of the bottle – a drop of water creates an interesting change in the nose but breaks the delicate palate. A truly distinguished old Islay unlike any other we’ve ever sold and not likely to be repeated ever again.

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

Unquestionably one of the finest bottles we have ever sold. The specs are flawless. The price, while high, is an absolute steal. The deep mahogany color entrances you from the get-go. You don’t even have to lift the glass to your nose to be hit with the sweet smell of cream, roasted pecans, caramelized sugar, and a faint sherry rancio note. Dive in and the full sensual glory of toffee, apple pie, and caramels fills you with joy. After you come to, you might lift the glass to your mouth and let the richness of the spirit roll over your tongue. An ever-changing array of sweet fruits, damp earth, fresh cream butter, rancio, chocolate, brandied pears cascades down your palate. The finish is dry and spicy with the sweetness of flamed orange peel lingering behind. It’s long and clean, endlessly pleasant and certainly of a quality you will not forget.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 06, 2018

A mature single malt that is lively and drinking well now. The nose is rich and full with sweet floral and dried fruit aromas. In the mouth it is a delicious nectar with rich malt and dried fruit flavors that are mouth-filling. There is a long finish. It was perfect without added water.

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

The nose is so floral, spicy, and heady! There’s lavender, lily, and lilac with clove and cardamom pods creating a very deep potpourri aroma verging on burning incense intensity. It also possesses aromas of toasted and candied nuts baking in butter. The ocean brine flavors here will be welcomed by any fan of Bunnahabhain (or other classic island Scotches for that matter). The palate gets dessert-oriented with the candied nuts showing up big, followed by flavors of apple pie and saltwater taffy. As sugar-oriented as it seems initially, when this Scotch moves into its final stages there’s bold leather, herbaceous notes, and brine as it ends very, very dry.

1984 Caol Ila 34 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($375.00)

No distillery is more representative of the state of the Scotch industry than this bewitching peater on the northern coast of Islay. The excellent shoreside stills have dutifully cranked out unbelievably delicious peated whisky since 1846, but it wasn’t until the malt floors were closed and the distillery began buying barley from the Port Ellen maltings that the current house style truly solidified. Caol Ila is known for their 12 Year Old in the US, but a huge majority of the spirit gets blended into the Johnnie Walker line. While the line has become slightly more available in the last few years, it still remains pretty elusive, especially in a significantly aged form. The last distillery on Islay where ultra-mature stocks are not in the $1,000 range, but they probably deserve to be. The spirit is impeccable and easily one of the most undervalued malts in Scotland. Oftentimes when we lament the loss of the old great peater Port Ellen, we’re reminded how lucky we are to have the beautiful beast that sits just north of Port Askaig. A 34 Year Old PE would easily cost you $1,500. Of course, whiskies of that age are always extremely rare, but this Caol Ila represents some of the most valuable stocks. The standard 30 Year Old, which is not available in the US, easily fetches over $500 in Europe. This single cask, nearly a half decade older than that, offers one of the best values for old Islay anywhere in the world. Absolutely no old peater offers as much luxury for your dollar.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 12, 2018

I literally said the words, “holy sh*t” under my breath when I first tasted this special cask. Now we’re no strangers to old Caol Ila—in fact we seek it out like blood hounds. Why? Because it’s one of the only old Islay heavy hitters that has been available at semi-reasonable prices. Well, at least up until now. All but this one very special source have dried up or are becoming so prohibitively expensive that they effectively don’t exist in our world. It’s true that last year we bottled a sister cask to this one and for $25, but this whisky is in a whole other league. That’s not to imply that last year’s special whisky was a slouch by any means and the appreciation this year is relatively minimal compared to other casks. Stocks similar to the ’83 Signatory 30 year we bottled 5 years ago (retail $300) would now retail for at least $1000. Old bottles from that same period are still selling around the world for around $700. If you’re lucky you might find the bottler’s current release in Europe for $500+ and if the distillery releases a 35 Year, it will command upwards of $1000 as well. But this whisky is more than just a good deal. It’s an absolute star. The first moment the whisky hits your glass you’re blasted with massive billowing smoke. As it aerates it begins to offer some more nuance—lemon skins scorched in a pile of burning spices, the embers of a fire on an Islay beach—the smells of the bay, dried seaweed, and fresh peat burning in homes over the hill. On the palate this thing just about cuts you in half. Sooty bold peat, oyster shell, brine, tangy lemon rind, ashen embers of expensive incense. The finish is long and lingering. Too long to calculate as it forces another sip. Normally I’d recommend avoiding water on something this old, but the beast can handle it. With just the tiniest drop of water, the whole package coalesces. Salted fruits, cured meats, smoked salty fish, high end nori, sweet Meyer lemon. On the palate the water actually brings the oily texture out, revealing an almost thick mouth feel that coats every taste bud and drowns it in sooty sea spray and sweet citrus. An absolute star that probably deserves to be much more expensive, but I hesitate to anoint it with the term “value.” Just too good to be ignored.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 01, 2018

“Buried how long?” Almost 35 years. “You had abandoned all hope of being dug out?” “Long ago.” My personal tastes for whisky have changed dramatically over the years. I’ve at times found myself going gaga over loaded sherry bombs, exalting the finesse of delicate drams, and seeking out the peatiest of peatys. One thing that has been a constant over the last decade of my Scotch drinking life is my affection for well-aged smoke. As heavily peated spirits age the intensity of the smoke falls away into richness and body. It’s a particular and special characteristic that cannot be counterfeit or short cut. This specimen is a perfect example of why it is so compelling. I’m not saying this isn’t a smoky whisky, it certainly is. It’s just also so much more than that. The smoke has become a rich and oily slip’n’slide of flavor. There is a slight brine characteristic to it, not iodine, but a lighter kind of salinity. Sweet malt marries perfectly with a bit of tangy BBQ sauce. The freshness of fruit, once readily apparent in this whisky’s younger days has developed into a rich tapestry of salted and cured fruits. A refilled hogshead was undoubtedly the perfect vessel for this whisky, tame enough to stand up to many long seasons in the warehouse, and rich enough to make sure that this whiskey, after many long years in darkness would be “recalled to life.”

Jackson Lee | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 06, 2018

As a casual drinker of Caol Ila, I was very much looking forward to trying this dram and it didn’t disappoint. Classic Caol Ila honeyed smoke on the nose, much like a slow smoked honey ham, followed by a little peat, green apple, and sweet soy sauce at the end. The palate mirrored the smoked honey note I got on the nose but also included pencil shavings, charred strawberry, and a hint of brine. That brine became more noticeable throughout the finish, pairing with a sweet note that reminded me of salted caramel just not quite as….caramel-y; add wood and a nice fruity note and it’s a wrap!

Introducing our new malt whisky blend, showcasing whiskies aged in Spanish wine casks.

Inspired by an eponymously named bespoke whisky we recently created for a bar in New York City called The Spaniard, we decided to explore the sherried style further to create a new whisky for our permanent range. The name is a nod to our founder’s chance encounter with a man in the South of Spain, where he was introduced to Sherry for the first time.

Bottled at 43% Not Chill-Filtered Natural Colour

In this, our first release, 48% of the whiskies have been aged in ex-Sherry casks and 25% in ex-Spanish red wine casks. You will find a whisky that is full, soft and sumptuous on the palate with flavours of citrus peel and pears poached in red wine and spices. It’s a whisky ideal for late evening sipping or stirring into a cocktail.

LEARN MORE

New whiskies and some old favourites

Great New Whiskies and Old Favourites

New 2018 bottling of Glengoyne 25 Year Old, alongside some of our favourite smokey and sherry matured single malts from Glenfarclas, Highland Park, GlenAllachie & Islay!

CLICK HERE

 

 

 Malt Messenger No. 93 – The Last One of 2018

It is officially time to panic; there are just 12 shopping days until Christmas! But it is still not yet time for the annual Malt Messenger Last Minute Christmas Gift Guide. It is, after all, a last minute gift guide, and we wouldn’t want to send it to you too soon! It will likely be out on Sunday or Monday. But until then there is still a lot of whisky news to get to, so let’s get started.

We had Shelter Point distillery manager Jacob Wiebe in-store last night to launch our two new KWM exclusive Shelter Point single casks! In addition to being our first ever single casks of Canadian whisky, one of them is also our first ever single cask of Rye whisky. I’m not talking “rye” in the colloquial sense (spoiler alert: you can call Canadian whisky “rye” even if it is 100% corn), but actual 100% rye! The Shelter Point Single Malt KWM Cask and Shelter Point Rye KWM Cask are both in-store now and open for tasting. If you haven’t been in to try them, you really should. They are excellent.

I have lots of tasting news for you in this Malt Messenger. The  2019 Calgary MS Whisky Festival is exactly 5 week away! Calgary’s biggest and best whisky festival will feature 250 whiskies from 40 different vendors. We have also just added an exciting Bourbon & BBQ Add-On Experience! Details below.

Our Winter 2019 Tasting Schedule is also online, and open for registration. There are lots of cool whisky and spirits tastings, including 4 Festivals. January 24 will be our Burns Bash here at the shop. The Islay Festival is February 21, and our first ever Not Scotch Whisky Festival is on March 28. We have also brought back by popular demand the Lassies Only Whisky Festival, on International Women’s Day, with proceeds going to the Brenda Strafford Society.

We have a new batch of Cadenhead Small Batch whiskies to tell you about, International Release #22. We also have a new Cadenhead 32 Year Cognac from Grosperin. There are also new independent bottlings from Whisky Base, including six fishy Archives whiskies!

There is a new limited edition Glenfarclas, a release celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the 105 Cask Strength. The Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength 22 Year only came in to Canada in very limited quantities. We are more than halfway through our allocation!

There are new whiskies from Dingle and Balvenie too, including the 4th and 5th Batches of the Tun 1509. We also have the latest annual edition of the Malt Whisky Yearbook.

We have six whiskies on sale until the end of the month, including a couple popular single casks. Savings of 20-25%. And last but not least, we are at the midpoint of Kensington Wine Market 2018 Whisky Advent. You can follow along on the KWM Blog, but !!!SPOILER ALERT!!!, it might ruin the surprise!

Lots to digest in this the 93rd Malt Messenger. Enjoy…

Slàinte!

Andrew

In This Edition

1. 2019 Calgary MS Whisky Festival
2. KWM Winter 2019 Tastings Schedule
3. WM Cadenhead Small Batch Release 22
4. New Cadenhead Cognac
5. Introducing: Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength 22 Year
6. Last Chance: anCnoc 1975
7. In Case You Missed It: Octomore 9.1 & 9.3
8. In Case You Missed It: Two Brewers Batches 12 & 13
9. Introducing: Dingle Batch 3
10. New Archives Whiskies
11. Malt Whisky Yearbook 2019 Is
12. New Balvenie Tun 1509s: Batch 4 & 5
13. New Old Armagnacs from Darroze
14. New Old Armagnacs from Castarede
15. Whisky Deals Until December 31
16. Whisky Advent Update

Andrew Ferguson

Kensington Wine Market

PS – Don’t forget you can follow me on Twitter:

@scotch_guy, Instagram: @thescotch_guy/

or @kwmwhisky and Facebook: facebook.com/scotch.guy.1

Last Chance: anCnoc 1975 

You Will Not Likely See Another OB 1970s Whisky At This Price 

We were offered the last 15 bottles of this lovely whisky, and at prices we will never see again. Exclusive is Western Canada to KWM. Oh and the price dropped $70 from the last time we had it in too!  Bottled in 2014 this limited edition release of anCnoc from Knockdhu distillery filled into three casks in 1975. The whisky is a product of both Spanish and American oak bottled at 44.2%.

anCnoc 1975 – 44.2% – European & American Oak – My Tasting Note: “Nose: right off the bat it is tropical, dark fruits, soft leather, white chocolate and Glosset Raisins; dried apple and orange peels with some soft floral notes; it has the classic antique elements of an older sherried whisky. Palate: very fruity with more tropical fruit: mango, papaya and melons, some raisin and darker fruits emerge; the whisky has notes of chocolate and dark spices like clove and anise but underneath there is a base of creamy vanilla and honey; there are also leathery, nutty and earthy tones but it is the fruits and chocolate that reign. Finish: soft, medium long and still very fruity; elegant.” – $620

 

2019 Calgary MS Whisky Festival 

Is Just 5 Weeks Away! 

The 8th incarnation of Calgary’s best whisky festival is just 5 weeks away. The 2019 Calgary MS Whisky Festival returns to the foyer of the Jack Singer Concert Hall on Thursday January 17, 2019. 40 exhibitors will be pouring close to 250 different whiskies. Best of all, all proceeds from the event go to charity, supporting the MS Society of Canada, through the Calgary and Area chapter. In the last two years alone, the event has raised over $105,000.00!

At the time of writing, there are only 23 VIP tickets left. In addition to getting you an extra hour before the general admission crowds arrive at 7PM, the VIP ticket includes some special pours and a cut crystal Glencairn glass. The VIP ticket package, including the VIP Glenmorangie Master Class with Dr. Bill Lumsden, is sold out.

We have also just set up an exciting add-on experience to the Calgary MS Whisky Festival. In partnership with Sazerac and Hayden Block, we are introducing the Bourbon & Brisket Add-On Experience. Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Allisa Henley will host a Bourbon tasting, including expressions of Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Blantons and EH Taylor. One of the whiskies to be sampled is the EH Taylor Four Grain, a highly sought after and award winning limited edition Bourbon. Participants will also have an opportunity to not just sample, but also bid on a very rare bottle of Bourbon from Buffalo Trace’s Antique Collection, all while enjoying some brisket and other fixin’s from Hayden Block. All proceeds from this tasting, including the auctioning off of the Antique Collection Bourbon, will go to the MS Society! The cost of the event includes transportation to Arts Commons for 5:30pm, in time to get there for the start of the VIP hour.

We also have two Master Classes running during the event, at 7:00pm we will have a Glengoyne focused Master Class with Gordon Dundas. and at 8:30pm we will have a Macallan Master Class with Canadian Brand Ambassador Cameron Millar. At the time of writing, the Glengoyne Master Class is nearly sold out. Both Master Classes will predominantly feature whiskies not available on the festival floor.

You can find more details on the 2019 MS Calgary Whisky Festival and purchase tickets at calgarywhiskyfestival.com.

 

KWM 2019 Tasting Schedule 

Is Now Online & Open for Registration  

Lots of exciting tastings to come in the New Year. Spaces are limited, and some tastings sell out quickly, so to avoid disappointment, don’t doddle.

1. Raking Bourbon Great Again – Wednesday January 9 – Trump is still an a-hole. However we still love Bourbon in spite of a less-than-great US President with no taste! We’ll take you on a trip down the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and rake some forest floors across America (as a forest management fire precaution), all in search of Great American Whiskey! This was our most popular tasting last session and the first to fill up. The previous description also offended one individual who admitted they didn’t drink anyway… We hope they enjoy this description even more! – $30
2. 8th Annual MS Calgary Whisky Festival – Thursday January 17 – Calgary’s Biggest Whisky Festival is back in the foyer of the Jack Singer Concert Hall, Arts Commons, 205 8 Ave SE, Calgary. KWM is a proud sponsor of this event, now in its 8th year. Over 220 whiskies will be available for sampling. Tickets available through: calgarywhiskyfestival.ca. – $120-200
3. Elements & Port Askaig w/ Chris Maybin – Friday January 18 – If Chris’s name sounds familiar that might be because he was John Glaser’s right hand man at Compass Box for years. He is now in charge of Speciality Drinks, owners of the Elements of Islay and Port Askaig lines. If you’re a fan of peated malts you won’t want to miss this tasting! – $35
4. Burns Bash Whisky Festival – Thursday January 24 – We’ll mark the birth of the Bard a day early, with a whisky festival that kicks off our Year End Inventory Sale. We’ll raise glasses to the Bard while you taste your way through a preview of some of the weekend’s best whisky deals! Entry includes a KWM logo Glencairn Glass. – $50
5. Very Curious Cadenheads – Thursday February 7 – The 23rd International Release of Cadenhead Small Batch Whiskies has some real curiosities… Paul John whisky from India, 20 Year Laphroaig and 1989 Highland Park to name just a few! – $60
6. I ❤ Whisky & Chocolate – Tuesday February 12 – A sumptuous whisky and chocolate tasting for lovers of both, or people who just love whisky or chocolate! Singles, couples and more complicated groupings all welcome. – $35
7. Feis Isle: The KWM Islay Festival – Thursday February 21 – We’ll be cracking as many Islay whiskies as we can put our hands on, as well as some Islay-ternatives. All in the name of peat and Scottish West Coast culture. Includes a KWM logo Whisky Glass. – $60
8. Asian Whisky Revival – Tuesday March 5 – We’ll highlight some world renowned whiskies from Japan, Taiwan and India, as well as some new rising stars from the East. – $40
9. Lassies Only Whisky Festival – Friday March 8 – Sorry gents, this whisky festival is just for the ladies. Our 2nd annual Lassies Only Whisky Festival is in support of the Brenda Strafford Society. 100% of the registration fees from this event will go to the Center which aids women and children escaping abusive relationships. Guests will be welcomed with a cocktail and have the opportunity to sample from up to 80 different whiskies. – $45
10. Masters of Malt – Thursday March 14 – Only the rarest and most special whiskies are showcased at this tasting which always highlights some of the most exciting new whiskies in the world! – $125
11. Irish Whiskey Renaissance – Friday March 15 – The last few years have seen a resurgence of interest in Irish whiskey. 5 years ago there were just 4 distilleries in the whole of Ireland, today there are at least 18 with plans for many more! We’ll look at Irish whiskey’s past, present and future while sampling some of the finest whiskies from the Emerald Isle. And we’ll of course raise a glass to Saint Paddy! – $40
12. The Not Scotch Festival – Thursday March 28 – A range of more than 80 whiskies from around the world will be featured: Blends, Single Malts, Rye, Single Pot, Bourbon and more… just no Scotch. Includes a KWM Logo glass. – $50

We also have a wide range of Wine and Beer tastings available too. Check out the tasting page on our website for more details!

Register in-store, by phone 403-283-8000, or on our website!

WM Cadenhead Small Batch Release 22 

10 Single Malts & a Blended Grain 

Stephen at Cadenhead’s on the Small Batch Release 22: “The best part of the small batch range is the ever changing variety that comes in over the year, from the young and exotic to the old and seasoned drams from across Scotland. So what are we releasing today? The simple answer is taste driven whiskies, pure and simple. Like the last release, we have a few younger yet very tasty drams from Speyside and the highlands available. People frequently ask which whiskies should they choose. Let’s dive into the tasting notes of these wonderful upcoming drams, that will continue the exquisite journey of our small batch range.”

1. Cadenhead Creations Blend 2007: Light, Creamy, Vanilla Batch 4 – 59.2% – 10 Year – Blended Single Grain (Do they mean a blend of grains?) – Cadenheads Tasting Note: “Nose: Custard and kiwi fruit. Very creamy. Taste: Vanilla ice cream, icing sugar and creme brûlée. Finish: Cream soda, light toffee and cola sweets.” – $115
2. *Cadenhead Small Batch An Islay 2007 – 54.9% – 9 Year – 1 Barrel & 1 Sherry Hogshead – Cadenheads Tasting Note: “Nose: Nose: Salted caramel, avocado on toast and some minty notes. Taste: Poached apples, parma ham. Oily coating on mouth. Finish: Cooked apples and liquorice. The smokiness gradually builds and gives a long finish.” – $170 – *1 Per Person!
3. *Cadenhead Small Batch Auchentoshan 1999 – 52.4% – 19 Year – 1 Hogshead & 1 Chateau Lafite Cask – Cadenheads Tasting Note: “Nose: Nose: Red cola, beef stock cube, strawberries. Taste: Red fruits, banana skin. Slightly waxy. Finish: Cherries, tannins from the wine come through. Also some menthol notes.” – $206 – *1 Per Person!
4. Cadenhead Small Batch BenRiach 2008 – 58.9% – 10 Year – 2 Hogsheads – Cadenheads Tasting Note: “Nose: Fresh with light citrus notes, sweet wood spice. Taste: Oily, old leather, hints of wood smoke, toffee biscuit. Finish: Buttered gingerbread, green apple, toasted coconut.” – $118
5. *Cadenhead Small Batch Caol Ila 1984 – 57.6% – 34 Year – Single Cask (not specified) – Cadenheads Tasting Note: “Nose: Cigar box, dried orange peel, tobacco leaf. Taste: Peaches, toasted marshmallows, smokey bacon crisps. Finish: Smoked kippers, campfire embers.” – $540 – !SOLD OUT!
6. Cadenhead Small Batch Cambus 1988 – 45.4% – 29 Year – Single Cask (not specified) – Cadenheads Tasting Note: “Nose: Nose: Mango, toffee, almonds. Taste: Butterscotch, home made tablet, barley sugar. Finish: Sweet candy floss and sugared almonds.” – $285
7. Cadenhead Small Batch Fettercairn 2008 – 57.8% – 9 Year – 2 Hogsheads – Cadenheads Tasting Note: “Nose: Honeyed barley, peppermint sweets. Taste: Mint toffee sweets, barley sugar, apple strudel. Finish: Breakfast cereal, custard powder, sage.” – $115
8. Cadenhead Small Batch GlenAllachie 1992 – 56.0% – 25 Year – 2 Hogsheads – Cadenheads Tasting Note: “Nose: Ginger biscuits, nettle leaves, linseed oil. Taste: Chocolate orange cake, green apples, tinned peaches. Finish: Quite fresh with peppermint sweets and tea leaf.” – $266
9. Cadenhead Small Batch Glenturret 1986 – 44.5% – 31 Year – Sherry Hogshead Finish (since June 2015) – Cadenheads Tasting Note: “Nose: Fruit crumble, stewed fruits and blackberries. Taste: Honeycomb, milk chocolate and ginger cake. Little waxiness coats the mouth. Finish: Dark fruits, raisins.” – $445
10. Cadenhead Small Batch Loch Lomond 1997 – 52.5% – 21 Year – 2 Bourbon Barrels – Cadenheads Tasting Note: “Nose: Kaffir lime leaves, sandal wood, pinecones. Taste: Tea leaves, herbs and lemon zest. Finish: Freshly cut grass, oak.” – $192
11. Cadenhead Small Batch Speyburn 2008 – 55.6% – 9 Year – 55.6% – 2 Hogsheads – Cadenheads Tasting Note: “Nose: Freshly cut grass, clementines, spearmint leaves. Taste: Crunchy honeycomb, wood oil, foam bananas. Finish: Menthol, pineapple sweets, deep fried seaweed.” – $118

Introducing: Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength 22 Year 

50 Years of the Worlds First Cask Strength 

A very limited special edition of the venerable Glenfarclas 105, released to mark the 50th Anniversary of the “105 Cask Strength”, the first regularly available cask strength distillery bottling. Bottled after 22 years at 60% ABV like the regular 105. They achieve the 60% mark through the careful marriage of casks, and not by dilution! Only 3500 bottles were produced, and just a shade over 200 are coming to Canada!

Distiller’s Description: “2018 is a very special year for Glenfarclas 105 as we launch this special edition to celebrate 50 years since it was first bottled. In 1968 Glenfarclas 105 was the first cask strength whisky on the market and it came out at 105 proof – the old way of measuring alcohol strength – the equivalent of 60% today. The 22 years old, bottled at 60% alcohol by volume like the whisky it honours, and there are 3,600 bottles available in selected markets around the world.”

Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength 22 Year – 60% – The cask type is not specified, but as this is Glenfarclas and based on the colour, there has to be a healthy sherry influence. – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: sweet and nutty, rich sherry tones; musty oloroso, syrupy px and Eatmore candy bars; lots of chocolate and yogurt tones to the nose balancing out the decadent fruits and spices; cooked raisins and medjool dates drizzled in honey. Palate: still sweet and very sherried, with more prominent oak, leather, tobacco and especially spices; more Eatmore, dark chocolate espresso beans and salty Dutch licorice; the syrupy PX tones are still there, as are the drier nutty Oloroso notes; the spices, though, seem to be the backbone, ranging from Candied ginger to cloves baked with honey. Finish: medium in body and length the whisky is coating and decadent with fading spices, chocolate, dark fruits and chocolate. Comment: very well balanced for its strength, and richly sherried; only very small quantities have come into Alberta, and they won’t last long!” – $205

 

In Case You Missed It: Octomore 9.1 & 9.3 Are Here! 

And they are flying off the shelves! 

I mentioned these in the last Malt Messenger Bulletin, but in case you missed it, we have received a small quantity each of the Octomore 9.1 and 9.3, and based on sales to date, we don’t expect them to last long!

1. Octomore 9.1 – 59% – 5 Year – 156ppm – Matured in American Oak – 100% Scottish Barley – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Character: Refined, sleek, confident in its youth. Older than its years. Aroma: Smoke and oak, intense sweetness from the cask, vanilla, cinder toffee. The smoke is thick, velvety and vegetal, peat and earthy. Taste: Soft on the palate- no aggression, nutty, fudge, nougat, delicate coconut and rose petal floral. Finish: Long peat finish, hints of treacle, warm sand/salt.” – $140
2. Octomore 9.3 – 62.9% – 5 Year – 133ppm – Matured in Predominantly Refill Barrels – 100% Islay Barley, Irene’s Field on Octomore Farm – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Character: Wild, Ileach, if this whisky could speak it would only speak in Gaelic. Atlantic coast raised. Out on the edge, the sense of place is strong. Aroma: Malted barley, Horlicks, the smell of the mash going into the mashtun. Heather wildfire, black tea, golden syrup, lemon sponge. Taste: Golden syrup in the tin, smoked tea, wort, malted barley, pear, peach melba. Sea spray, heather flowers. Finish: Smoke, toasted oak, rye bread, salt, ozone.” – $160

In Case You Missed It: Two Brewers Batch 12 & 13  

Whiskies That Were Never Supposed to Leave the Yukon!  

We weren’t expecting any new releases from Two Brewers this year, and then they practically sold out of everything else they had in Alberta. So a few cases each of Batches 12 & 13 of the Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt, which were only going to be sold in the Yukon, were shipped south to Alberta. They are in very small quantities and won’t last long!

1. Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt Batch 12 – 43% – Peated Style – Distiller’s Description: “Significant Munich malt mash used to build the body behind the peat. 60% liquid saw new wood. Bairds heavily peated malt is what we use, the specs give 25-50 ppm phenols.  Any peat added to a blend is from our 100% peat stock; releases 3, 7 & 12 are 24%, 37% & 57% respectively. Rel.12 has a much fuller base malt, so the peat perception still doesn’t come across strongly, but definitely builds on the palate. Not certain how much phenol losses are in the distillations, but also a consideration is losses in the barrel; much like yeast apparently, the barrel sucks up some of that concentration.” – Distiller’s Description & Tasting Note: “An unhurried nose, presents a complex peated medey, medicinal and smudgey, backed by the weighty base malt. A gentle, sweet and clean entry preludes a mid-palate burst of character. Caramel covered stone fruit in a swirl of smoky carbon, balanced, long and lingering.” – $100
2. Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt Batch 13 – 43% – Classic Style – Distiller’s Description:“Numerous specialty grains used in the blend, and a significant portion was more finely distilled than typical. (fine distillation =  utilizing the plates, which we have only 4 in our column, but makes significant variations in the run) For the product, the finer distillation increases the abv of the product (~70% for our coarse, ~82% for a fine), resulting in general a whisky with higher tone congeners, and overall a lighter bodied effect. Distiller’s Tasting Note: “The vibrant nose is a dusting of nutmeg over nuts and dried apricot. The light bodied entry moves easily to an indulgant mid-palate of silky nougat, sugared dried fruit and cracked black pepper. Sweetened granola grains join at the finish, all lingering for extended contemplation.” – $100

Introducing: Dingle Single Malt Batch 3 

The Hottest New Irish Whiskey  

Batch 3 of one of Ireland’s most exciting new whiskies is here! Batch 1 and 2 are fetching hefty prices on the secondary market. Dingle is the first among a wave of news distillers that is set to crest over the Emerald Isle.

Producer Description: “Batch No. 3 is a limited release of 13,000 bottles at 46.5%. Created by the marriage of meticulously selected casks, both Bourbon and Port, this single malt Irish whiskey is a small piece of history, unique and rare. A burst of blue/black fruits on the nose forms a tart almost jam like sweetness on the palate with some subtle notes of citrus peels, the liquid coats the mouth like warm honey, mixed berries and marmalade linger on the tongue.”

Dingle Single Malt Irish Whiskey – 46.5% – Matured in Bourbon & Port – My Tasting Note: “Nose: starts with Jujubes and peanuts; malty with floral vanilla and a lovely minerality (pebbles in a mountain stream); decadent candied orange. Palate: malty, honeyed and toasty; some musty oak dunnage notes and a touch of chocolate coming from the Port pipes; more floral vanilla and juicy malt with sweet candied citrus; late Dutch licorice, tobacco and crisp spices with soft old leather and prunes. Finish: smooth, malty and fruity; the floral vanilla and candied citrus continues with more chocolate and spice tones. Comment: very elegant and layered for a young single malt; the price point is high, but matched by the quality; layered and complex, this distillery’s whisky has a bright future!” – $139

 

New Whiskies from Archives 

Fishy with a Fishy Taste! 

Our friends at Whisky Base have some new whiskies in the market. We’ll be bringing them in as time permits.

1. Archives Aberlour 2006 – 12 Year – 56.8% – Barrel (very typical , CS Aberlour) – $195
2. Archives Bruichladdich 2005 – 52.2% 12 Year – Bourbon Barrel – 90pts Serge @ WhiskyFun.org: “More fish! Colour: white wine. Nose: it is, as expected, extremely similar. Perhaps a notch grassier? And a tad more mentholy? With water: lovely. Mouth (neat): okay. A touch of gentian. With water: lovely, nothing to add. Perhaps a few mushroomy notes, perhaps not. Finish: long, fresh, earthy, etc. Comments: an epitome indeed. It’s the purity that just strikes you. D.i.s.t.i.l.l.a.t.e. SGP:561 – 90 points.” – $290
3. Archives Glen Keith 1995 – 22 Year – 56% – Hogshead – Producer Description: “Glen Keith 1995, fresh green nose, cucumber, green apple peels, minerals and a bit of waxiness.In the taste: Waxiness, parafine, minerals and limestone, all covered in a layer of honey. Glen Keith at its best!” – $290
4. Archives Glentauchers 1996 – 46.7% – 21 Year – Bourbon Barrel (mineral and fruity , great cask) – $230
5. Archives Strathclyde 1987 – 30 Year – 48.4% – Bourbon Barrel – Producer Description: “A 30 year old Strathclyde with a very typical old grain character. Sweet, fruity with cotton candy and sponge cake. A nice creamy and thick mouthfeel and very drinkable.” – $315
6. Archives Tamdhu 2007 – 57.8% – 10 Year – Bourbon – $175
7. Whisky Base Glenallachie 1995 – 51.8% – 22 Year – Hogshead – $300

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2019 Is Here 

Our favourite annual anthology of Malt Whisky is In! 

We don’t know of any other annual whisky book worth reading!

“Malt Whisky Yearbook has become an authoritative book that whisky enthusiasts worldwide look forward to each autumn. This is the 14th edition – Malt Whisky Yearbook 2019.

The Yearbook is again fully revised and packed with new and up-to-date information on whisky distilleries from all over the world. Once again, distinguished whisky profiles such as Charles MacLean, Gavin Smith, Neil Ridley, Jonny McCormick, Ian Buxton, Ian Wisniewski, Becky Paskin, Joel Harrision and Stefan van Eycken contribute with initiated features penned exclusively for the Yearbook. Malt Whisky Yearbook 2019 lists hundreds of whisky shops, whisky sites and new bottlings. A comprehensive summary of the whisky year that was and all the latest statistics is also included. More than 200 tasting notes describing the flavour of single malts from all working distilleries in Scotland and Japan. Finally, with more than 500 colour photographs (most of them new since the last edition), Malt Whisky Yearbook 2019 is as much an essential reference guide as a book to read for pleasure.”

Purchase in-store, by phone 403-283-8000 and online, $34+gst.

Introducing: Balvenie Tun 1590 Batches 4 & 5 

Get Your David Stewart Fix While You Can. He’s Retiring Soon!  

We just received both the Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 4 (2017) & Batch 5 (2018) at the same time. Batch 4 has a full producer description and tasting note. We are still waiting on this info for Batch 5. But I have copied the tasting notes from the tin and provided some details on it. The Balvenie Tun 1509 series is a series of limited editions highlighting a marriage of hand picked special casks. The whiskies are blended together and spend several months marrying in Tun 1509, in warehouse 24.

1. Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 4 – 51.7% – Producer Description: “For the 2017 release, The Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 4, David C Stewart MBE carefully selected 23 casks – 13 traditional American oak barrels and 10 European oak sherry butts – from the distillery’s precious aged stocks. All were transferred to Tun 1509, which sits in Warehouse 24, for several months before bottling. Tun is a rare interpretation of the marrying process and allows our most mature casks of various vintages to come together to create a unique expression of The Balvenie that is greater than the sum of its constituent parts. ” – Producer Tasting Note: “NOSE Rich and malty, sweet toffee vanilla fudge, layers of honeycomb and citrus. TASTE Luscious malty notes and concentrated honey gradually developing into deeper richer oak with some dried fruits and a cinnamon and ginger spiciness. FINISH Luxurious and honeyed with delicate spices and oak.” – $585 (2 in-stock)
2. Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 5 – 52.6% – 10 Ex-Bourbon Barrels / 8 Ex-Sherry Hogsheads / 3 Refill American Oak Casks / 8 Ex-Sherry Butts – Producer Tasting Note: “Rich and intensely fruity on the nose. A spicy outburst on the palate, then sweetened with a deep sherry character. Lingering and luscious with dried fruit and elegant oaky notes on the finish.” – $585 (2 in-stock)

 

Whisky Deals Until the End of the Month! 

SAVE 20-25% on These Six Whiskies 

1.  Berry’s 25 Year KWM Single Barrel Blend – Our first exclusive cask of Blended Scotch Whisky, bottled for our 25th Anniversary. Andrew sampled 6 different single casks of 25 year old Blended Scotch Whisky in May of 2016. The whiskies had been blended, put back into barrels to marry, and then forgotten. Andrew selected cask number 46572 to be bottled exclusively for KWM, as a 25th Anniversary bottling. The whisky was acquired by Berry Bros. & Rudd in barrel, and beyond the age, the contents remain a mystery… Bottled at 46%. Just 222 bottles. – Regular: $200+gst – Save 25% – Now: $149.99+gst (only 9 left)
2. Cadenhead Dailuaine 2004 KWM Cask– Our 1st ever KWM exclusive single cask of Dailuaine and our 2nd cask from WM Cadenhead. The whisky has been bottled at 55.9% after maturing 12 years in a very active Refill Hogshead. This whisky was featured on Day 1 of our 2017 Whisky Advent Calendar. – Regular: $120+gst – Save 20% – Now: $95.99+gst
3. Cadenhead Glen Moray 1992 KWM Cask– One of the most exciting 25th Anniversary releases we’ve received… the whisky is both 25 years old and distilled in 1992, the year we opened. The whisky was matured in a refill American oak hogshead, bottled at 51.1%. The cask yielded 246 bottles, only available at Kensington Wine Market! – Regular: $205+gst – Save 20% – Now: $163.99+gst
4. Cadenhead Small Batch Speyside 1991 – Only 18 bottles of this old single malt are coming to Canada, exclusively to KWM. The whisky is from the Speyside Distillery, which now goes by the name Spey, to avoid being confused with the Speyside Region. The whisky is the product of 2 Bourbon Hogsheads bottled at 50.5% after 24 years. – Regular: $230+gst – Save 25% – Now: $172.49+gst (Only 4 left!)
5.  Cooper’s Choice Ardmore 2001 – 30 bottles of this 16 year old cask strength Ardmore are coming to Alberta, exclusively to KWM. Bottled at 51.5% after maturing in an Ex-Bourbon cask. – Regular: $145+gst – Save 25% – Now: $108.74+gst
6. Cooper’s Choice Skara Brae –  A mystery Orcadian malt with gentle peat. Wonder which distillery it is from? The Cooper’s Choice Skara Brae is exclusive to KWM, bottled at 46% after maturing 12 years in a Bourbon cask. We think it is Highland Park, but that is speculation… Skara Brae is the name given to an ancient archeological site on the Orkney mainland, famous for the 8 stone dwellings found there which date back to before 3000 BCE. – Regular: $110+gst – Save 25% – Now: $82.49+gst

KWM 2018 Whisky Advent Calendar Update  

We have less than 30 of the 5th Edition Left! 

Whisky Advent now well into its 2nd week. Today is Day 13 and we have just crested the top of the hill. If you have been following along, you can check out our Social Media feeds and the KWM Blog for more details. We are selling the Calendars while they last for $375+gst.

We are really excited about the  Kensington Wine Market 2018 Whisky Advent Calendar. For the first time we have a Japanese whisky in our Whisky Advent Calendar. We also have two different Canadian single malts, both of which are really exciting. One of them is from a cask bottled exclusively for KWM, and the other is a highly sought after limited edition whisky. We also have award winning whiskies from England and France, and that is just a taste of what is to come! We have more than a dozen single casks whiskies in this year’s edition, and a number of distilleries never before featured in the Kensington Wine Market Whisky Advent Calendar. The bulk of the Calendar (over 75%!) is Single Malt Scotch whisky, but there are also a pair of exciting Blended Malt Scotch whiskies.

The  KWM 2018 Whsky Advent Calendar is available for pickup and purchase in-store and online!  The KWM Whisky Advent Calendar consists of 24 50ml premium whiskies, one for each day of Advent. There is also a bonus 25th bottle, a 100ml Scotch Malt Whisky Society cask strength, single cask, single malt Scotch whisky. This year’s Society whisky will only be featured in the Calendar. You can follow along on social media with us, as well as on the KWM Blog, as we highlight the day’s whisky and its producer. The Whisky Advent Calendar also includes a discount card, giving you the chance to save on any must have bottles…

You can order the Kensington Wine Market 2018 Whisky Advent Calendar in-store, by phone 403-283-8000 and  online.

Thank You for Reading the Malt Messenger! 

Contact & Disclaimers 

If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store.

All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change and don’t include GST. In the case of discrepancies in pricing, the price in our in store point of sale will be taken as correct.

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger.

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson

Owner & Scotchguy

Kensington Wine Market

403-283-8000

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

www.kensingtonwinemarket.com

Tullibardine Single Cask

Bourbon Hogshead – 46.0%vol – 120 bottles

Single Cask Bottling

Bourbon Hogshead

46.0%vol

Natural Colour

Highland Region

70cl

Total bottled – 120

Just £32 (included in our free UK Next Day Delivery Service)

We also ship worldwide, please send us a message if your country is not listed when checking out.

Buy Tullibardine Now

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ARTFUL DODGER WHISKY COLLECTIVE LAUNCHED NEW INDEPENDENT BOTTLER

Fine wine and spirits merchant Woolf Sung Ltd are proud to announce the launch of the Artful Dodger Whisky Collective; a range of independently bottled, single malt Scotch whisky.

The Artful Dodger declare they are:

“A collective of professional whisky thieves, dedicated to liberating the world’s finest casks, freeing them from the lips of the few and releasing to the appreciative. The rarest, most special whiskies do not belong in a dusty distiller’s secret vault, locked away from the deserving. We are sworn to save them, one cask at a time, and deliver to a select group of like-minded, ethically-challenged individuals.”

The first batch of releases are as follows:

Clynelish 20 Year Old – distilled in 1997 and matured in an ex-bourbon hogshead, bottled at 55.9%abv with an RRP of £119.95. The Clynelish won a silver medal at the Spirits Masters 2018 and was awarded 90 points from Serge Valentin at Whisky Fun.

Strathclyde 27 Year Old – distilled in 1990 and matured in an ex-bourbon barrel, bottled at 51.8%abv with an RRP of £81.95.

Glenturret 23 Year Old – distilled in1994 and matured in an ex-Pedro Ximinez octave, bottled at 50.7%abv with an RRP of £94.95. The Glenturret won a gold medal at the Spirits Masters 2018.

Port Charlotte 8 Year Old – distilled in 2009 and matured in an ex-Sauternes cask, bottled at 64.2%abv with an RRP of £64.95.

Bimber London New Make Spirit – made from 100% English barley and bottled at 63.5%abv with an RRP of £44.95.

Each release is bottled in 50cl apothecary bottles with conical cork stoppers and a torn label design. The gift box is made entirely from black foam with gold typography. The foam perfectly protects the bottle when in transit whilst retaining a striking presence on the shelf. The whisky has been left at natural cask-strength and has not been chill-filtered or had any artificial colouring added to it. The Artful Dodger Whisky Collective is available from select retailers.

W O O L F / S U N G Ltd was established in 2012 with the aim to source the very finest wine for their international client base. Notably acquiring the agency for the world’s most expensive Champagne, Boërl & Kroff. In recent years, W O O L F / S U N G has proactively worked to highlight the superb whisk(e)y emerging from Scotland, the United States of America and the rest of the world, which has seen tremendous growth for the company. This has included gaining the agency for several American whiskey
brands and releasing a 40 year old Glenglassaugh, the first in a series of ultra-premium Scotch bottlings named The Woolf Sung Collection.

Highland Park 2002 Single Cask Exclusive

Awarded Liquid Gold in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2019 with a score of 96 points!

This release from Highland Park’s Single Cask Series is exclusive to Loch Fyne Whiskies. Distilled on Orkney in 2002 and matured in a single refill butt (number 3374) for 15 years before being chosen for bottling for our customers in 2018. Only 458 bottles have been filled, each one at a natural cask strength of 58.4% abv.

£150 Buy Now
Now in stock!