Matured in the finest American oak barrels and married in first-fill bourbon casks before bottling, this Campbeltown single malt from Glen Scotia distillery has spent a quarter of a century coming of age. The nose brings maritime notes akin to a bracing Atlantic breeze. The palate offers red apple, orange peel and vanilla syrup with a sweet caramel note, before a long lingering finish with spicy ground ginger.
Auchentoshan The Bartender’s Malt
Welcome to the New Malt Order
With their tag line “Distilled Different”, lowlands distillery Auchentoshan is on a mission to shake up the world of the single malt. A bespoke collaboration of whiskies from 5 different decades, matured in a variety of casks and selected by 12 of the world’s most innovative bartenders, this limited edition single malt is the first of its kind.
KINGSBARNS DISTILLERY RELEASES 2 YEARS OLD SPIRIT DRINK
Kingsbarns Distillery is proud to reveal that a 2 Year Old Spirit Drink has been bottled and is available to purchase exclusively at the Kingsbarns Distillery and Visitor Centre.
Kingsbarns 2 Year Old Spirit Drink is the first release from Kingsbarns to be matured in oak casks however it cannot be called Scotch whisky as it has not been matured for over 3 years. The release, available in a 200ml bottling is a combination of 2 casks that have matured single malt spirit, for over 2 years, in 1st fill ex-bourbon barrels. It has been bottled non chill-filtered and at the natural cask strength of 62.8%abv.
Having previously released in August 2015 Kingsbarns Spirit Drink in a 200ml bottle at the ‘filling strength’ of 63.5% the aim remains to bottle the very first Kingsbarns single malt Scotch whisky as a ‘Founders’ Reserve’ exclusively for the Founders’ Club in 2018. Kingsbarns Founders’ Club membership is still available and can be bought at the Visitor Centre or online at www.kingsbarnsdistillery.com
Distillery Manager Peter Holroyd gave his first impressions of the new bottling at a Kingsbarns Founders’ Club members tour and tasting on Friday July 23rd “We are delighted to announce the limited release of our 2yr old spirit which can be purchased exclusively here at the distillery. It has a sweet, floral nose and on the palate I get ginger biscuits with a slightly dry finish. Its very exciting to see how our spirit is progressing so far, and with only one more year to go until we can call what we produce Scotch whisky, the team here at Kingsbarns are all looking forward to releasing our first malt in 2018”
William Wemyss on behalf of the family stated “When establishing Kingsbarns distillery great effort was dedicated to acquiring the finest casks for maturing our precious spirit and it is fantastic to see how in just 2 years, the spirit had developed and transformed. Expectation and demand for this exclusive one off bottling will be intense given the continuing popularity of the Kingsbarns new make spirit and the whisky enthusiast’s ever thirsty curiosity regarding the progress of this new Lowland malt.”
The release is limited to just 1,800 200ml bottles and is available for purchase, 1 bottle per person, exclusively at the Kingsbarns Visitor Centre although telephone order will be available to Founders’ Club members in the UK and Europe.
www.kingsbarnsdistillery.com
Twitter: @KingsbarnsDist Facebook: Kingsbarns Distillery & Visitor Centre
Notes:
Part of the peated Island Collection from Loch Lomond Whiskies. Distilled in 1992 in the distillery’s unique straight neck pot still and collected at a high abv strength. Matured in refill bourbon casks to allow the spicy peat and fruit flavours of the spirit to combine with softer bourbon influences.
The nose has a gentle medicinal quality with peat, toasted oak, vanilla and peppermint. The palate is balanced with the peat and fruit distillery character combining with subtle oak, resulting in pineapple, vanilla and cinnamon. The finish is long and warming with cinnamon and elegant oak aspects.
I hope this email finds you well, and that you and yours have a very Happy Canada Day weekend. We have been celebrating our great Nation’s 150th Birthday with Canadian tastings all week: Beer was on Tuesday, Whisky was last night and Wine is this evening. We are also marking the occasion with a sale on all things Canadian all weekend long. The sale is in-store and online and the details are below. I hope you’ll raise a glass to our Nation’s birth with one of our native spirits!
We have two new exclusive bottlings of whisky in the shop, a very cool Blended Scotch Whisky and a new Bourbon. The Blend is a very special whisky collaboration between ourselves and Compass Box. The Compass Box Kensington Wine Market 25th Anniversary Blend is a stunning whisky, bottled at a very low cask strength of 45%, owing to the inclusion of some very old grains. It was a hit at the launch tastings we held for it with John Glaser two weeks back. We also have our first ever exclusive Wyoming Whiskey Single Barrel Bourbon. The barrel is currently sitting on the shop floor while we decide what to do with it. Beer? Whisky? The world is our oyster…
Some other exciting new whiskies have just landed including the Bruichladdich Black Art 5.1, which is in my humble opinion the best yet. We have received both 200ml and 700ml bottles. KWM has the Calgary exclusive on the Ledaig 19 Year Marsala Finish, which has been a big hit with the staff and customers. Only 30 bottles are coming to Alberta, 24 of them to KWM. We were also offered 4/10 bottles of the Dewar’s 30 Year Ne Plus Ultra, a whisky normally only available at Duty Free (for about $175 more…).
We’ve got a pair of limited availability Japanese whiskies back in stock: The Nikka 12 Year and The Super Nikka. Both have become tightly allocated owing to the shortage of Japanese whisky. They won’t last long. And last but not least there is the new to Alberta Glen Garioch 1995 Vintage. We are looking to crack a bottle soon, so there will shortly be some KWM tasting notes on this one. I hope you enjoy this full edition of the Malt Messenger. Keep your eyes open for the Summer Tasting Schedule which should be out next week. And from me and everyone at KWM I would like to again wish you and yours a very Happy Canada Day weekend.
Slàinte!
In This Edition
Andrew FergusonKensington 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
NEW Compass Box KWM 25th Anniversary Blend
This is one of our most exciting exclusive whiskies ever… It is a Compass Box Blend that we’ve created in collaboration with John Glaser of Compass Box. The whisky was inspired by some of John’s greatest hits, and it is stunning.
$160
Canada 150 SALE!
Today through Monday in-store and online!
We are marking Canada’s 150th Birthday with a sale on all Canadian wine, whisky, beer and gin. Save 15-25% on all in-stock Canadian wine, 10-25% on all in-stock Canadian whisky and 10% on all Canadian beer and gin. Pop into the shop or checkout the website to browse the deals!
We have one feature whisky special. Save 25% on the Canadian Rockies 21 Year while supplies last! Regular $68, this weekend it is $51…
This Canadian whisky, sourced from an Alberta distillery, was originally only for export to Taiwan. But demand was such that the producer was good enough to make some available in Alberta. The whisky was selected and blended with the consultation of Davin de Kergommeaux, the foremost authority on Canadian whisky.
Producer Tasting Note by Davin de Kergommeaux
: “Nose: A complex synthesis of red cedar, sweet plums, white pepper, and lilacs rides a surging wave of butterscotch. Rich and full yet oh so elegant and clean with wafting vanilla and whiffs of sweet baking spices. A teasing citrus zestiness tickles the nose. The full bouquet takes time to develop and patience is rewarded. Palate: Sweet and sour kumquats, lots of spicy heat, and subtle hints of cedar move quickly to the foreground, only to be replaced by creamy caramel on the second sip. Hot chili peppers and sweet baking spices bathe in the richness of buttery corn. The whisky breathes lilacs, mint, vanilla, and hot black pepper with tinges of anise, all the while maintaining its elegance and subtlety. Then earthy tones and new-cut wood lead it in another direction. As the peppery temperature rises, a soothing creamy cushion mellows it. Slightly pulling tannins turn to quintessential cleansing Canadian grapefruit pith as the flavours move towards their finish. Multi-layered, very subtle, complex, and ever-changing. Finish: Medium-long to long. A refreshing citrus pith that moves freely through oak, toffee, fresh flowers, cedar, and hot spices as it slowly fades. Spicy, creamy and so soft. Empty Glass: Butterscotch, sweet kumquats, suggestions of oak, cloves, and lilacs.”
Call 403-283-8000 to register, or register online!
Introducing Dewar’s 30 Year Ne Plus Ultra
The Oldest Dewar’s Blended Scotch Whisky
We were offered two 2packs of this 30 year old Blended Scotch Whisky. I didn’t know much about it, but some research online shows it is a Duty Free release, and that it runs up to $500… It is the oldest blend in the Dewar’s range. The label is a revival of one used by the brand in the 1800s, reserved for its most special bottlings. The whisky’s name is Latin for “The Ultimate”.
From the Producer: “Finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry casks for a sweet and incredibly smooth finish.”
Dewar’s 30 Year Ne Plus Ultra Blended Scotch – 40% – PX Sherry Finish – Producer Tasting Note: “Perfect balance of soft fruits and rich spices with creamy notes of vanilla, plump vine fruits and citrus. The smooth finish lingers with a hint of cocoa and coffee.” $325
The First of Two New Summer Tastings
There are more to come!
We’ve been Cadenhead’s exclusive retailer in Canada for the last 3 years and over that time we’ve seen an incredible range of whiskies. Perhaps it is the firms plucky independent spirit, or the extravagant buying of casks by its owner Hedley Wright in the 60′-00’s, but of the more than 100 different Cadenhead Small Batch releases we’ve brought into the store in over 3 years, not more than 1 or 2 have disappointed! In fact, Cadenhead is in our opinion, one of the most consistently good independent bottlers, with very competitive prices. As part of Kensington Wine Market’s 25th Anniversary celebrations, we have purchased an exclusive single cask of Cadenhead Small Batch Glen Moray 1992, bottled at 25 years of age. Cameron will be here to lauch said cask and lead our guests through a range of interesting, rare and very tasty Cadenhead Small Batch bottlings.
The name Samaroli may not be familiar to many of you, but the firm is one of the world’s most respected independent bottlers. Our own Evan Eckersley and Jonathan Bray of Secret Spirits will be your guide for a range of 4-5 Samarolis and two other interesting and aged single malts from Jonathan’s portfolio.
Call 403-283-8000 to register, or register online!
New Compass Box Kensington Wine Market 25th Anniversary Blend
One of our most exciting exclusive whiskies ever!
This whisky is a project who’s origins stretch back nearly a decade. At the time Compass Box was making its name as the most innovative blender of Scotch whisky. I was impressed by their unique offerings like Spice Tree, Hedonsim Maximus, Double Single and the Peat Monster. Kensington Wine Market had been bottling single casks of whiskies for a couple of years, and it was around this time that for the first time I had the idea of creating my own custom blend for KWM. About five years later I broached the idea with John Glaser, the founder and visionary behind Compass Box. He was interested but not in a position to act on it.
While on a trip to London in March of 2016, with Kensington Wine Market’s 25th Anniversary looming, I broached the subject again with John and the Compass Box team. Could we collaborate to produce a bespoke blend to mark KWM’s 25th Anniversary. Well the answer was clearly yes… over the space of about a year we tinkered with the blend until both John and I were happy with it. The final product has greatly exceeded my expectations.
The whisky is bottled at a cask strength of 45%. The reason the strength was so low is that it contained a large proportion of old grain whiskies whose strength had diminished greatly. The body consists of leftover heavily peated malt from a batch of Flaming Heart left to mature in cask and some old sherried malt. Components of the whisky have been matured in American Oak, Ex-European Oak Sherry and French oak giving it a rich and complex palate.
Compass Box Kensington Wine Market 25th Anniversary Blend – 45% – My Tasting Note
“Nose: silky and sultry, soft vanilla and Earl Grey tea creme brule; savoury hints of pork belly, mouth watering gentle peat and salted caramel; clean tendrils of Manuka honey a touch of beeswax. Palate: rich, fruity and smoky with building spice, rich dried fruits and dark chocolate; lots of layers, the decadent spices being the most dominant, followed by dried fruits: ranging from apricots and pineapple to raisins and figs; there is a touch of cocoa powder, bees wax and more indulgent Earl Grey infused creme brule; the grain adds a silky backbone that contrasts nicely with the touch of pork belly and soft ashy peat. Finish: coating, creamy and decadent; the palate stays warm in the lingering light of fading spices, genteel ashy smoke and soft fruits. Comment: we were hoping for a whisky that combined the firm peat of Flaming Heart, the rich spices of Spice Tree and the elegance of Compass Box’s legendary older expressions; we got all that and more!” – $160
John Glaser’s Tasting Note: “Rich and complex, with the soft cushion of decadent aged grain whisky providing an indulgent taste on top of which the bold, spicy and dark fruit notes are able to shine.”
What John Glaser had to say about the whisky:
“We have been fortunate to work with Andrew Ferguson of Kensington Wine Market for many years, bringing our Compass Box whiskies to the Scotch enthusiasts of Canada.
“For years we’ve been talking with Andrew about creating a bespoke whisky for him. We originally wanted to name it “Fort Whoop-Up”, after the notorious 19th century Alberta trading post, allegedly a centre for whisky smuggling and all sorts of illegal activities, near what is now Lethbridge.
“But with the 25th anniversary of Kensington Wine Market upon us, we’ve decided to name it in honour of the anniversary, so Andrew can showcase the whisky throughout his year of celebrations.
“Developed from an original brief by Andrew, this blend is a showpiece for the deep complexity that well-aged malt and grain whiskies from exceptional oak casks can deliver. It is composed of one-third decadent old grain whiskies aged in American oak; and spicy, smoky malt whiskies aged in both American oak and sherry casks. The combination is rich and complex, with the soft cushion of the old grain whisky providing an indulgent base on top of which the bold, smoky and dark fruit notes of the malt whiskies are placed.
“We believe this whisky is a fitting tribute to Kensington Wine Market and also to Alberta’s long history of enjoying, exploring and indeed smuggling fine whisky! But with partners as committed and knowledgeable as Kensington Wine Market in place there will be no need to smuggle this bottle into the province – and for that we are all grateful!
“However you source this whisky, wherever you drink it, whoever you share it with, above all, please share and enjoy.
John Glaser Founder & Whiskymaker”
New Wyoming Whiskey KWM Single Barrel Bourbon
Our first exclusive Bourbon from Wyoming!
Wyoming Whiskey has only been on the scene in Alberta for a little over a year now, but we’ve been fans since the beginning… Our first exclusive cask of Bourbon from Wyoming Whiskey, in Kirby Wyoming is bottled a 112.72 Proof, or 56.36%. This barrel proof Bourbon can be found nowhere in the world but Kensington Wine Market! Only 192 bottles were produced, and it won’t last long!
Wyoming Whiskey KWM Single Barrel Bourbon – 56.36% – My Tasting Note: “Nose: puff wheat squares, Aunt Jemima’s Butter Flavoured Syrup on buckwheat pancakes soaked in butter with a side of pork sausage; a hint of pecan pie and juicy raisin. Palate: thick, spicy and round; very fruity: caramelize bananas, more raisins and pecan pie; still very syrupy, more Aunt Jemima on buckwheat pancakes with some greasy pork sausage; fennel and anise with Demerara sugars and woodspice; late lime with honeydew melon. Finish: fresh, clean, decadent and fruity; more pecan pie, syrup, flapjacks and melon. Comment: although there is a spicy backbone, the sweet creamy tones, syrup and fruits make this a very approachable Bourbon; I expect it will be a crowd pleaser, and it won’t last long!” – $100
From the Producer: “This Private Stock Single Barrel of Bourbon was chosen for you because its unique character left an impression on all who have sampled it. Ancient limestone water, high-prairie grains, and five years in the best charred American oak, made this Bourbon what it is. It is 192 bottles that can’t be found anywhere else. And this bottle is yours.”
Introducing Bruichladdich Black Art 5.1
Available in 700ml and 200ml formats…
The 5th release of Bruichladdich’s Black Art, 5.1, is a bit of a departure from the first four, it is the first produced by Adam Hannet, but I think it is also the best. A 1992 vintage, we believe bottled at 25 years of age and 48.4%, it is available in both 200ml and 700ml bottles. The 200ml comes without tube, but is none the less very cool. The 700ml is very well priced in Canada, the same whisky is selling for £275.00 in the UK… same with the 200ml, £95 for the 200ml which is selling for $85.
I hope to have my own tasting note out soon!
Bruichladdich Black Art 5.1 – 48.4% – 1992 – 25 Year – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: It takes time to decipher the full array of sensory magic on offer. As the warmth of your hand heats the glass you will tease the threads apart to find lavish fruit notes of cherry, mango, apricot, damson and a warming orange citrus all swathed in an oak blanket of soft brown sugar, vanilla and figs dipped in syrup. Each time you go back to the glass there will be different notes coming to the fore as the constant evolution of flavour hints at the depth and secret complexity of this dram. Palate: There is a grace with which the whisky gently settles on your palate; a black velvet quality that comes from the age of the spirit, with the pedigree of casks coming together to give you a mouthfeel that is unlike anything else. The influence of great wood is decadently expressed through the never-ending release of fruit. On the nose, you find damson, mango, pineapple, melon strawberry, plum and apricot. One after the other they weave in and out of focus on your palate while the structure of the oak gives honey, tobacco, vanilla and hints of spicy cinnamon. as elegant and refined a dram as you will find. Finish: The true DNA of Bruichladdich spirit shines through on the finish. Light stone fruits and a cream texture are a delight with a perfect balance of oak, malt and fruit. As the flavours begin to fade a gentle floral mellowness settles to leave a lasting impression. Mood: while walking in the dark warehouses drawing inspiration for my first edition of Black Art, I would recall the lessons learned at the hands of the legendary distiller. Finally arriving at this moment has been a spiritual journey in every sense for me.” – $300 (700ml) / $85 (200ml)
Introducing Ledaig 19 Year Marsala
Only 30 Bottles are Coming to Alberta, 24 to KWM!
Ledaig, the name given to peated whisky from the Tobermory distillery, has been increasingly in vogue as of late. We’ve seen some very interesting independent bottlings as of late, and then this unusual bottling dropped in our laps… Only 30 bottles of the Ledaig 19 Year Marsala Finish are coming to Alberta, 24 of them to Calgary, exclusively to KWM. Bottled at 51% it recently scored 89pts from Whisky Advocate!
Distiller’s Tasting Note: Beautiful rich single malt with a mouth-filling sweetness of berries and dark chocolate with a full peat explosion of black pepper and bonfire smoke.
89pts Whisky Advocate: “Some of the first peated spirit produced in the late 1990s at Tobermory Distillery has gone into this bottling, which has been finished in Marsala wine casks. The nose yields earthy malt, new leather, printer’s ink, and a final fragrant note. Big, bright flavours of orchard fruits and sweet peat on the palate, plus black pepper and dessert wine. Ashy peat, burnt oak, and lingering pepperiness in the finish.”
Ledaig 19 Year Marsala Finish – 51% – Evan’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Pungent, earthy peat. Ashy smoke and oak, grass fire, salt and pepper seasoning, strawberry quince jam, oranges, cloves, roasted sweet potatoes, dark chocolate drizzled on crispy bacon. Palate: Ash and spice right up front lead into strawberries, green apples, orange marmalade, chocolate chips, bacon bits, lemons roasted on the barbeque, rooibos tea, root beer and candied ginger. Finish: Lingering earthy smoke and chocolate. Comment: An ashy, smoke driven older Ledaig with finesse. The Marsala cask finish has added nuance to the often carbon-heavy delivery of heavily peated Tobermory.” – $285
Limited Japanese Whiskies Back in Stock
The Nikka 12 Year & The Super Nikka
Japanese whisky is becoming as rare as Hen’s Teeth. These two just re-emerged, they won’t last long. Just 12 and 24 bottles respectively…
The Nikka 12 Year – 40% – Evan’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Grain, custard, hints of earthy peat, white chocolate fudge, peeled apples and pears, dried mango and dried pinapple slices. Palate: Citrus, honeydew melon, tart green apples, pineapple, black pepper, light smokey peat, new leather, grain cereals, oily and creamy with a hint of spice. Finish: whispy peat smoke stays with you along with black pepper and light honeydew melon notes. Comment: The elegance that you expect from Japanese Whisky as a whole with the light, ethereal peat that seems to be Nikka’s signature. Lovely stuff.” – $166
The Super Nikka – 40% – Producer Description: “One of Nikka’s classic brands, the Super Nikka was introduced to the market in 1962. Its luxuriant aroma, gentle hints of peat and scent of vanilla and chocolate are all in harmony, and its flavor is smooth, rounded and well-balanced.” – $73
Introducing Glen Garioch 1995
Only 30 bottles coming to KWM!
Just 120 bottles of this vintage Glen Garioch has landed in Alberta. We’ve taken 30 of them. Great value for a cask strength whisky from this vintage.
Glen Garioch 1995 – 55.3% – First Fill Ex-Bourbon – 87pts Whisky Advocate: “One of two new Glen Garioch vintages to be produced under the auspices of Morrison Bowmore Distillers’ master blender Rachel Barrie, this 1995 offering is limited Globally to 6,000 bottles and maturation has taken place in first-fill bourbon casks. Spice, vanilla, pears, honey, and very discreet smoke on the nose. Hazelnuts, baked bananas, apple strudel, and lots of spice on the sweet creamy palate, backed up by a gentle note of lingering char.” – $120
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
403-283-8000
We’re giving members a taste of things to come by releasing five preview bottlings from July Outturn. Each of these preview releases is from a different flavour profile, celebrating the diversity of flavour that the single cask brings. A great opportunity to buy before next month’s First Friday. Be quick to order, only a limited number of bottles are available ahead of the full Outturn release on Friday, 7th July at 9am.
Preview samples from the entire new Outturn are available at our Members’ Rooms in Edinburgh, Leith, London & our new London Devonshire Square venue.
PEATED
Tasting Notes
Returning back to dry land after a windswept day out at sea, the aromas of briny air, tarry ropes and wooden fish boxes starting to become a distant memory as we entered a cottage. The roaring peat fire and the scent of making cinder toffee and roasting chestnuts made us all feel very relaxed. We then ate hot smoked salmon, grilled sardines and Arbroath Smokies. After a drop of water we went back outside and enjoyed a beach barbeque of slightly burned lemon and herb sausages. After seven years in an ex-bourbon barrel, finished in a custom made virgin oak barrel.
CASK No. 66.104
Home sweet home
8 Years
£46.50
LIGHTLY PEATED
Tasting Notes
The nose delivered a mellifluous flood of honeycomb, toffee and golden syrup sweetness; then deeper notes of charred wood, glazed ribs on a barbeque and salty ship’s timbers. The palate was rich, deep and pretty big – warming and mouth-coating with treacle toffee, tarry ropes, smoky bacon crisps, bonfire embers and liquorice paper roll-ups. The reduced nose had charred heather stems (moor-burn by the sea), burnt toffee, and well-fired white bread crusts, salted caramel and balsamic oysters. With water (and it takes plenty), the palate found the peat smoke, charred staves and cigar ash elbowing the butterscotch sweetness slightly into the background.
CASK No. 4.230
Sweet and salty, smoke and ash
12 Years
£66.90
SPICY & DRY
Tasting Notes
“Shimmering Sahara sunset” someone described the colour as they poured it into the glass and the complex aroma which greeted us was rich but at the same time soft and gentle. Lemon butter biscuits, toasted coconut marshmallows, a well-used leather tobacco pouch, red cedar oil and dried apricot and pineapple jam. The taste neat had plenty of wood spice and bitterness like a dark chocolate ganache with red tea, rooibos blended with cinnamon, orange peel, ginger, star anise, cloves and black pepper. Water added roasted hazelnut brownies, orange marmalade cookies and on the palate, spicy, tangy and sticky like Moroccan lamb and kumquat tagine.
CASK No. 35.187
Gentle confidence
9 Years
£49.40
SPICY & SWEET
Tasting Notes
As soon as the bottle was opened it was like springtime had entered the room. Birds began singing and the air filled with the fragrance of rose gardens, fruit blossom and freshly cut grass. The smell of peaches and lychees combined with the aromas of fresh herbs and the revitalising tang of menthol and camphor. A spicy element was present like fruit chutney, hot cross buns and cigar tobacco. A sprinkling of water unveiled new pastures of coconut, chocolate and nutmeg. The palate assumed a fizzy and lively demeanour with the fruity sweetness of apricots, poached pears and yellow plums. The finish however was rich in oak timber and the pleasant presence of wood spice.
CASK No. 2.99
Joyful rambling
10 Years
£59.40
DEEP, RICH & DRIED FRUITS
Tasting Notes
A floral fragrance of blooming daffodils and hyacinths greeted the Panel at first before deeper and darker aromas took centre stage. Sultanas, currants, ginger, cinnamon and black pepper – like a black bun, a fruit cake wrapped in pastry, as well as figs marinated in PX Sherry. The taste neat was a chewy, slightly burnt Christmas pudding and cherries soaked in sweet red wine syrup. With a drop of water toffee apples, dark chocolate covered Brazil nuts and orange blossom flavoured candles on the nose were followed by liquorice sweetness and caramelised honey crème brulee. At thirteen years old, we transferred this whisky from an ex-Oloroso butt to a virgin oak hogshead with a heavy toast and a medium char.
CASK No. 44.82
A sweet and special character
13 Years
£56.10
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
Springbank 1995 Port Cask
If you try just one whisky this year… Hamish has unearthed one of the most incredible single casks we have ever tasted. Distilled in December 1995 and filled to a fresh port cask (no. 15/286-11) where it matured for the next twenty years before bottling in October 2016, producing just 216 bottles. Bottled at a natural cask strength of 51% abv.
£295 Buy Now
Only available while stocks last
This highly anticipated bottling will be released in selected countries across the world via our network of global distributors in July this year.
It will also be released for sale from our own web shop and in our Visitor Centre from 11am on Wednesday 12th July.
It is also available through selected specialist retailers worldwide. You can check out who distributes The Arran Malt in your country by clicking on the Where to Buy section of our web site.
The sale of this edition from our web shop is likely to be very busy and our web site is likely to experience high volumes of traffic. We will be monitoring our web site closely throughout the sale and should the site crash at any time we will be working hard to bring it back online ASAP.
Please note that there is a strict limit of one bottle per person going to any one address from our web shop. If you try to purchase more than one bottle, we will have to refund your multiple purchases. Adding more than one bottle to your basket will also slow down your check out process and you will run the risk of missing out.
Date of release in our web shop: Wednesday 12th July from 11am.
Strength: 56.8% abv.
Price: £92.99.
Limit: There is a strict limit of one bottle per person from our web shop, and one bottle per person for those purchasing in person from our Visitor Centre shop in Lochranza.
In this Smugglers’ Series Vol.3 ‘The Exciseman’ we conclude our popular series which pays tribute to the exuberant character of those striving to outwit the Government’s representatives in the pursuit of the production of the famed Arran Waters. The Madeira casks used in this final volume, are similar to the ones utilised by Arran’s illicit distillers, who often stored and transported locally produced whisky in old Madeira casks brought over from the continent by their smuggling counterparts. The Quarter Casks are a nod to the type of small casks which would have been the easiest to transport. The resulting liquid is complex, full of character and a wonderful way to end a series which has so perfectly paid tribute to the independent characters of Arran over the centuries.
Tasting Note:
NOSE: The rich honeyed character is immediate on the nose, luxuriously decadent. The fresh coastal character is also evident. Apples, vanilla and a touch of spice are also subtly present with a hint of toasted oak.
PALATE: It coats the tongue and the notes of apple and vanilla are in abundance. No hint of dryness on the palate, it grows in sweet intensity and provides a rounded mouthfeel. The addition of water opens up the complexity beautifully and reveals a lighter sweetness of candied lemon.
FINISH: Long, luxurious and yet delightfully fresh. The notes of apple and citrus give a lightness of character whilst the body remains solidly complex and robust. A typical Arran with an added layer of sweetness.
30 SEPTEMBER – 1 OCTOBER 2017, 11:30AM – 6:30PM
OLD BILLINGSGATE, LONDON
Design your own Whisky label
We’ve been getting creative with whisky for years and now we want you to do the same.
Show us what The Art of Whisky means to you and you could see your art on a whisky label!
Our expert panel will select one entry to adorn the label of one of the Whisky Show bottlings.
The winner will receive:
Two tickets to The Whisky Show on Sunday 1 October
Two tickets to the private viewing of The Affordable Art Fair on Wednesday 18 October
A bottle of the special whisky labelled with their artwork.
Entries must be submitted by 19 July 2017
Full competition details are available on our website
100% ISLAY
The 2017 Kilchoman 100% Islay Limited Release Has Arrived!
All parts of the production process for the 100% Islay have taken place at the distillery – from barley to bottle; grown, malted, distilled, matured and bottled, making for a unique character. Kilchoman distillery is proud to be the only Islay distillery distilling single malt from barley both grown and malted on Islay. Bottled at 50% ABV and peated to a lower level to that the other releases, 100% Islay has a lighter, fresher feel to it. Citrus and lemon notes come through with soft peat smoke and a long smooth finish. First launched in 2010, a new edition of the 100% Islay has been released every year since.
• Every bottle of Kilchoman is hand bottled on Islay at a minimum of 46% ABV allowing for the full-bodied character of the whisky to shine through.
• Kilchoman Distillery ships all their barrels whole directly to Islay. Their Bourbon Barrels are sourced exclusively from Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, and their Sherry Casks from Miguel Martin in Jerez, Spain.
• Kilchoman Distillery’s stills are amongst the smallest in Scotland, increasing copper contact and creating unmatched balance and complexity.
• Kilchoman Single Malt is never chill-filtered or colored; the whisky is a pure, unfiltered representation of traditional whisky distilling.
Nose: Light, fresh and vibrant with soft peat smoke.
Palate: Fresh and light with citrus and lemon notes with sweetness on the finish.
Finish: Long, clean and sweet with graceful peat smoke.
“At seven years old, this is the most mature 100% Islay we have released to-date, we are very proud of it’s quality as well as the traditional methods revived to create it”.
