Bunnahabhain
27 Year Old 1989
Old & Rare
£365.20

Bunnahabhain 27 Year Old 1989 vintage Islay single malt Scotch whisky. Single cask refill hogshead bottled March 2017 by Hunter Laing and Co. for the Old & Rare Platinum collection. 198 bottles. A beautifully colour whisky with a delicious nose of home baking and creamy caramel followed by a delicate floral note and a hint of seaweed. On the palate it is smooth and creamy with vanilla the primary taste, then bananas and pears adding fruitiness and body. Ths leads to a late salty note at the end, leaving a dry, long lasting finish. Bunnahabhain Distillery was established in 1881 on the north eastern tip of the Isle of Islay by the shore of Bunnahabhain Bay and overlooking the Sound of Islay. All the building materials were transported by puffer and unloaded at the distillery pier. Now tucked away at the end of the single track ‘main’ road with spectacular scenery all the way. Bunnahabhain Distillery is equipped with four huge pear shaped stills and produces Scottish malt whiskey which is released in blends and in single malt and single cask bottlings. A participant in Feis Ile, the annual Islay Festival of Malt and Music. Core editions include Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old and 18 Year Old.

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– Cameronbridge 1982 –
Aged 36 Years

Single Grain – 40.3%vol – Cask No. 8289 – 192 bottles

We are pleased to bring you a brand new bottling bought from Bartels Whisky. Single Grain Cameronbridge.  From a single cask (cask no. 8289) 192 bottles were produced.  Distilled 15/02/1982 and bottles 26/11/2018.

All bottles are Free, Next Day Delivery.

Buy here for Christmas

TOMATIN RELEASES ITS FIRST 50 YEAR OLD DISTILLERY BOTTLING

Tomatin, the award-winning Highland whisky distillery, has today (Monday 17^th December) announced the release of its highly anticipated single malt, the Tomatin 50 Year Old, distilled on 24^th November 1967.

Following 50 years of maturation at the distillery, the deep-honey coloured expression has been bottled in its most natural form, yielding just 70 special bottles at 45.3% abv.

Stephen Bremner, Managing Director of Tomatin, said: “It is with great pleasure that we announce the release of Tomatin’s oldest expression – the Tomatin 50 Year Old. This special expression has been quietly resting for half a century,  and it is wonderful to see it presented in all its glory.”

The whisky, finished in a first fill Oloroso Sherry Butt, cask number 35817, is encased within an individually numbered, handblown Glencairn crystal decanter. The decanter is luxuriously presented within a striking Italian crafted wooden box, furnished with soft, premium Italian leather. Sealed with a wooden transit cork, an engraved, solid brass gold-plated and glass stopper is also provided. Each box comes with an individually-numbered book, hand-signed by Distillery Manager, Graham Eunson. Finally, a premium leather carry bag completes the presentation. 

The Tomatin 50 Year Old delivers a myriad of rich and complex flavours. On the nose, aromas of freshly felled oak in an orchard of apples, pears and plums can be expected. Once on the palate, it releases bursts of exotic tropical fruits and dried apricots, sweetened with flavours of vanilla toffee, crème caramel and flame raisins. Spice and fruits balance perfectly, providing a luxurious and velvety finish.

Graham Eunson, Distillery Manager at Tomatin, said: “This dignified expression is elegant and flavourful – a complex whisky with layers of taste sensations to delight the senses. Those privy to a taste of this whisky can expect warming spices which are mellowed by lashings of Manuka honey.”

The Tomatin 50 Year Old is the distillery’s oldest expression and is expected to retail at £10,000 for a 70cl bottle in the UK within specialist retailers.

Notes: 

Tomatin Distillery has been producing and blending malt Scotch whisky since 1897. Over the last 50 years, the distillery has borne witness to vast change. At its peak in the 1970s, Tomatin was the largest distillery in the world operating 23 stills and producing 12 million litres of alcohol every year. Over the last decade, significant time has been invested in rediscovering the distillery, people and values, and in refining the business model to move away from the formerly lucrative bulk commodity market to now focus on Tomatin’s core range of single malts, the release of Tomatin 50 year old is a testament to that dedication.

Tomatin is located in the Scottish Highlands (near Inverness) and is famous for its portfolio of soft and mellow whiskies, including a core range, a limited-edition range and a premium archive range (prices range from £35 – £2,500). Tomatin is one of the fastest growing whisky brands in the UK and recently announced that it is officially the fastest growing top ten single malt whisky in the USA. Tomatin recently reported its turnover increased by almost 25% during the company’s most recent financial year (Dec 2016 – Dec 2017). Tomatin won Distiller of the Year 2016 and Brand Innovator of the Year 2017 at the Icons of Whisky Scotland Awards.

About The Tomatin 50 Year Old:

• Cask Number: 35817
• Cask Type: First fill Oloroso Sherry Butt
• Strength: 45.3% alc./vol.
• Distilled on: 24^th November 1967
• Number of bottles: 70

Tamdhu 30 Year Old 1988

Single cask sherry butt bottled November 2018 for Old & Rare Platinum. Three decades in sherry oak has resulted in all the sweet, rich and creamy flavours you’d expect from this Speyside distillery. Just 184 numbered bottles. Tamdhu Distillery was founded in Speyside in 1896 and in production the following year. Designed by Charles Doig this distillery was originally equipped with two stills that were increased to four in 1972 and then six in 1975 in order to cope with the ever increasing demand for Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark blends of scotch to which Tamdhu was a major contributor. When the nearby railway station closed in 1965 the ticket office was subsequently converted into the Tamdhu Distillery visitor. But the visitor centre closed and then the distillery itself in March 2010 and with it the last working Saladin malting boxes in Scotland. A year later and Ian Macleod Distillers purchased Tamdhu Distillery and re-opened it in 2012. Single malts include Tamdhu 10 Year Old and Batch Strength.

Buy – £316.74

Exclusive Spirits

At K&L, we have a very robust direct-import spirits program. Our buyers fan the globe searching for those special gems you won’t find anywhere else—and at unbeatable prices. This list represents some of our sharpest buys from this category and includes some very special K&L exclusive bottlings.

Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel “#17-400” (Rick House D, Floor 3, Row 30, Level 1) K&L Exclusive Kentucky Straight Bourbon (750ml )$64.99 View

1996 Auchroisk 21 Year Old “Hepburn’s Choice” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $89.99 View

1982 Cambus 35 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (750ml) $179.99 View

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

From a tea blender in Kilmarnock to a global phenomenon, Johnnie Walker and the iconic Striding Man is a symbol of quality Scotch Whisky the world over. Discover the range at The Whisky Shop today.

Unique | Different | Interesting

John Walker & Sons
Private Edition 2018: The Midnight Blend

This fifth and final release in the John Walker & Sons Private Collection has been created with whiskies aged at least 28 years from distilleries including Cambus, Strathmillon, Caol Ila and Clynelish for a rich and warming whisky, limited to just 3,888 bottles.

The nose has rich citrus and toffee to the fore, with Islay smoke and vanilla emerging slowly. The palate has creamy vanilla and butterscotch with tropical and fresh fruit notes, before a long, sweet and warming finish with hints of spice.

£650 Buy Now

Johnnie Walker Blenders’ Batch
Directors Edition 2016

Limited to just 501 sets, this collection of two 50cl bottles features Blenders’ Batch Experiments #5 and #6, entitled Major Peat and Bacchus respectively.

Major Peat has Island smokiness from Talisker and Caol Ila combined with smooth grain from Cameronbridge and Port Dundas, giving ripe autumnal fruit flavours and a vanilla sweetness. The Bacchus has delicate layers of Speyside fruitiness from Roseisle matured in wine casks, married with aged grain whiskies to give a sweet honey vanilla flavour.

£2,995 Buy Now

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.