Tormore 28 Year Old 1988 vintage Speyside single malt Scotch whisky. Single cask sherry butt #14481 bottled November 2017 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the Old Malt Cask series. 106 bottles. Tormore Distillery was established in 1958 in the Speyside whisky region to supply malt whisky to blending houses. It was designed by Sir Albert Richardson, President of the Royal Academy and is set in stunning landscaped gardens. Resplendent with green-coppered roofs, decorative pagoda roofs, a clock tower and clock which still chimes Scottish tunes, a rectangular curling pond, topiary and houses for the staff. Tormore Distillery is now operating with eight stills in its tall still house and Tormore malt whisky is still mostly flowing into scotch blends. Whilst official bottling are sparse it features amongst the ranges of a number of independent bottlers including Signatory Vintage and Connoisseurs Choice.

Buy – £135.18

While Champagne may be the beverage of choice for Valentine’s Day, we’d argue the stronger spirits are a more than welcome addition to an evening of romance. Luckily, we have several new arrivals that are sure to titillate and arouse. Leading things off is a 22-Year-Old Single Cask from Tobermory. Loaded with flavors of peaches and cream, it’s a tippler that will appeal to the seasoned Scotch maven and casual imbiber alike. For those on the prowl for something a little more potent, the new exclusive Whistle Pig 10-year, at 117.1 proof, will heat things up real fast. Perhaps you are looking for something a tad more exotic? Then you’ll want to give the Domaine Hubert Pays d’Auge Vieux Calvados a spin. Fruity, feminine, and lissome, this delightful apple brandy from Normandy is all too easy to love. And lastly, to our way of thinking, Valentine’s Day simply wouldn’t be Valentine’s Day without some Dickel. Our new “K&L Exclusive” single barrel has arrived and it is pure temptation in a glass. Read on for all the juicy details…

The Newest “Sovereign” Single Barrel Release

Peaches and cream, that’s what they should call this new 22-year-old Tobermory, bottled for us by Sovereign. It’s loaded with fresh stone fruit and a rich creamy texture, to the point that I think even my wife is going to enjoy this one. Tobermory is on the Isle of Mull just across from Oban and it makes a similarly light and vanilla-laden malt. This particular single barrel edition is right on point: a very delicious expression of a textbook Scotch malt character, nothing weird or out of the ordinary, just damn good whisky, with age, at full proof, at a hot price. This will not be the bottle that you drink a tablespoon from every few weeks. You’re going to pour fingers of this stuff and it’s going to be empty before you know it. Dangerously drinkable liquid.

1995 Tobermory 22 Year Old K&L Exclusive “Sovereign” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($89.99) – The Isle of Mull, just north of Islay along Scotland’s west coast, is host to one of the most unassuming of distilleries, called Tobermory, which has quietly made outstanding, straightforward Scotch whisky since 1798. Never the most bold or brash of single malts, neither the loudest nor the most assertive, Tobermory does make a smoky island whisky called Ledaig, but the flagship malt is a fruitier, maltier expression that really starts to sing after two decades in wood. With this 22-year-old single barrel edition bottled for us by Sovereign, the oft-overlooked attributes of Tobermory come into full focus, beginning with an arousing bouquet of nectarines stewing in freshly milled barley. That stone fruit goodness emanates from the glass in waves, morphing into a sweet nectar of honey and peach on the palate. The vanilla from the oak aging starts to shape the whisky on the mid-palate, adding spice and richness toward the finish where the barley becomes the star. The malty, creamy finish is lifted by the 50.8% ABV and that extra proof tingles the taste buds for minutes. There’s nothing new to be had from this exceptional Tobermory expression, just a classically flavored malt whisky for a fabulous price. In a market currently full of anomalies and unique flavors, this is the bottle you’ll return to again and again.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 02, 2018

This is a beautiful single malt that is very easy to drink. The nose is very expressive with pronounced aromas of honey and wax. In the mouth it is round clean, soft and pretty with a long tongue coating finish. With a splash of water the nose becomes a touch more sweet and in the mouth a little softer.I like this producer and it is always a joy to have something from Tobermory in stock.

Andrew Stevens | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 02, 2018

This is a spectacular bottling of Tobermory which is a distillery I had long heard of but only tasted one other expression. The whisky here is what people have always told me happens from the place, all the beautiful richness that makes people fall in love with Scottish whisky. Warm white fudge with stone fruit and a creamy deliciousness all mix together perfectly here. Soft, supple, and way to easy to drink this is the best kind of dessert and single malt rolled into one.

Ryan Woodhouse | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 02, 2018

An increasingly rare chance to get you hands on some island (Mull not Islay) malt with 20+ years of age for under $90!? This is an unpeated expression of Tobermory that dances between golden orchard fruit / stone fruit, toasted barley, peanut brittle and buttercream. Then on the finish some lovely savory, saline nuances kick in to add another layer of coastal complexity. I also love that this single cask came down to a perfect 50.8% alc all of its own accord…pour it…drink it.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 24, 2018

As my colleague Alex said when I asked if he had tasted our sample bottle, “It’s one of the best scotches that has ever passed my lips.” I think that sums things up nicely. Especially when you consider the context. 22 years old, cask strength, single barrel, etc… I can’t argue. This whisky ranks. It’s loaded with citrus, fresh peat smoke, sugar candy and caramels. It’s a little salty. That classic brine character really shines through and complements the delicate fruitiness that lingers on the palate. Add in the complex herbaceous notes that waft in and out and you’ve got yourself a very complete, very balanced whisky. In short: you’ve got old Bowmore. I expect the only complaints we will register in the Spirits department on this one are about not having enough bottles to sell.

Alex Schroeder | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 17, 2018

This is one of the best expressions of Islay peat that I’ve ever tasted. The peat is subtle on this one, almost lost in the aromas of honeyed grains and marmalade on the nose. On the palate, the smoke shows up elegantly behind the rich creamy sweetness of the malt, eventually matching that intensity for a full proof, 51% abv masterpiece. The complex and delicious flavors stick around for an incredible finish.

A Perfectly Balanced (Yet Potent) Exclusive Dickel Single Barrel

The Tennessee whiskies of George Dickel have developed a significant following of late, so we’ve lined up several single cask expressions to meet the demand. This most recent arrival is tailor made to charm bourbon drinkers, as it is loaded with toasty grain notes, baking spices, and a healthy dose of sweetness (but not too much!). At under $45, there’s significant value going on here.

George Dickel “K&L Exclusive” 9 Year Old Single Barrel #L7233K1007 Tennessee Whiskey (750ml) ($44.99) – When you talk to passionate bourbon drinkers today, most of them are looking for the rich, sweet, boldly flavored, high-proof editions that seem to have completely evaporated from today’s market. Part of the reason the Van Winkle expressions (and the Weller bourbons by default) became so beloved, besides the pull of pop culture, has to do with their sweeter profile due to the lack of rye grain in the mash bill as a balance. While not technically categorized as bourbon (Dickel goes by Tennessee whiskey even though it qualifies as such), the distillery’s high corn, low rye mash of 84% corn, 8% rye and 8% malted barley results in a whiskey brimming with sweetness, with less of the peppery and herbaceous elements. The only thing that’s ever kept Dickel from becoming the next big thing in the American whiskey scene is the low proof, but that’s where the company’s single barrel program comes in: each K&L selected single cask of Dickel comes with a 9 year age statement and 51.5% ABV, dialing up the sweetness and sending serious bourbon fans into a frenzy. Barrel #1007 is the corniest of the bunch (in a good way) with lots of sweet grainy aromas and notes of buttered popcorn with baking spices on the palate. It’s never sweet or overtly rich, however, in spite of those characteristics. The finish is spicy and lively with hints of barrel char and rich oak that linger for minutes. It’s a whiskey for those looking for bourbon-like alternatives that still retain their favorite flavors.

Cupid draw back your bow, and let your arrow flow… February Outturn brings 7 rare and romantic drams that are sure to go straight to your heart.

CASK NO. 41.95  JOUSTING WITH FLOWERS

11 years old; refill barrel; 56.2%; Juicy, oak & vanilla

An epic battle with bouquets of flowers among conifer and eucalyptus trees with a sweet ending of vanilla ice cream and caramel wafers.

CASK NO. 70.20  SPICED SAINT-TROPEZ TART

10 years old; refill barrel; 57.6%; Spicy & sweet

Strawberry lemonade and vanilla cream-filled brioche followed by the sweet, tangy spiciness of tamarind date chutney – unusual but it worked!

CASK NO. 7.176  SILKY SMOOTH SENSATION

23 years old; refill hogshead; 51.6%; Juicy, oak & vanilla

Eating ginger banana cake whilst watching cricket in the Caribbean. Diluted; gentle cooling trade winds with coconut macarons at sunset.

CASK NO. 9.119  TASTY AND REWARDING

24 years old; 1st fill charred ex-red wine hogshead; 48.9%; Light & delicate

The nose has toffee and brown sugar, cinnamon swirls, glazed apple cake and prawn cocktail crisps. The tasty, rewarding palate gives chocolate fudge, plum jam,vanilla and honeycomb, with understated spice to finish. This previously inhabited an ex-bourbon hogshead.

CASK NO. 55.46  COMPLEX LAYERS OF FRUIT AND WOOD

16 years old; 1st fill barrique; 58.1%; Deep, rich & dried fruits

A wood-print of oak, tree bark and woody spice has been pressed on a spirit character of perfumed fruits. This was previously in a bourbon cask.

CASK NO. 4.229  VOLCANIC JAM

15 years old; refill butt; 60.3%; Lightly peated

A volcanic eruption of sweet heat like raspberry jam bubbling on the stove and roasted pork with herb and honey-coated vegetables.

CASK NO. 42.30  CHIMNEY SWEEP’S ROMANTIC BBQ

9 years old; refill hogshead; 60.6%; Peated

A powerful nose; musket-fire up a chimney and shellfish barbecues. An intense palate has peat smoke, toffee apples, bacon with wasabi and pickled ginger.

SMWS Canada

Every now and again the whisky gods smile upon us here at K&L and allow us to help more than just a handful of our passionate spirits customers attain a rare bottle of something truly spectacular. They open up the heavens and turn what was once just a tiny parcel of bottles into a volume that allows us to satiate a much greater demand, enough loaves and fishes to feed a much larger populace than originally anticipated.

This is one of those moments.

This past fall we received a tiny allocation of one of 2017’s hottest Scotch whiskies: the Compass Box Limited Edition “No Name,” a not-so-secret blended expression of Ardbeg married with a bit of Caol Ila and Clynelish to round out the edges. Those bottles vanished in the blink of an eye, gobbled up by our ever-vigilant whisky customers who maintain a constant watch over our new product feed. We thought that was the end, but when the holiday dust settled and our buyers went back out on the hunt, they managed to lock down a hidden treasure trove of unused allocations, foraged from all over the country. Those bottles have arrived at K&L, and they’re now available without bottle limits while supplies last.

The “No Name” project came to be when Compass Box blender John Glaser came upon similar good fortune, acquiring a parcel of bourbon-aged whisky from Pier Road, Islay (aka Ardbeg), unexpectedly. Those barrels turned into a highly acclaimed and limited 15,000-bottle release, a number of which have now made their way into our warehouse. If you’re a fan of peated Islay whisky, this is a bottle you won’t want to miss.

Compass Box “No Name” Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Elsewhere $170) ($139.99)

In late 2017, Compass Box released this outstanding limited-edition whisky called “No Name,” a blend of 75.5% Ardbeg, 10.6% Caol Ila, and 13.4% Clynelish with an additional 0.5% French oak-aged Highland malt for extra flavor. We sold through our allocation in a flash, even with the “one bottle limit per customer” dictate slowing things down in the sales queue. Now that the fervor of the Christmas shopping season is over, we managed to consolidate a large chunk of what was left in the States and get it all delivered to K&L. That means no bottle limits, no restrictions, and no risk of running out anytime soon. If you were a fan of the “Flaming Heart” or the “Peat Monster,” this is sort of like a combination of the two. You get the clean, focused, highly peated intensity of Ardbeg, tempered ever so slightly by the roundness of Caol Ila and the oiliness of Clynelish.

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 31, 2018

If you’re an Ardbeg fan, you’re going to want a bottle of this. Same goes for any fan of John Glaser’s outstanding Compass Box expressions. However, if, like me, you’re a super fan of both Ardbeg and Compass Box, then this is the type of whisky you go ga-ga for. In essence, it’s a malt that exudes the bold, peated character of Islay’s most famous whisky distillery, tempered by the finesse and the keen palate of Mr. Glaser. You get loads of smoke, brine, salt, and sweet barley flavors right off the bat, but the finish rounds out with more oak and weight than you usually find in any of the official Ardbeg editions. In short, the “No Name” is a perfect example of how an already fantastic single malt like Ardbeg can be heightened and improved with the addition of other whiskies, a feat unachievable in an official brand capacity. It’s a beautiful expression of Islay, presented in an entirely different way than we’re used to. It’s the definitely the iron fist in a velvet glove. You’re gonna want one..

Jeff Garneau | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 31, 2018

Subtly smoky on the nose with hints of iodine and earth. There’s a slightly honeyed top note that is quite intriguing. Sweet and fruity with notes of honey and stone fruits. A mélange of gingerbread spice. There’s a rush of smoke on the finish that builds and builds. Damn fine Islay whiskey, and a pretty good argument for blended Scotch… so long as someone as talented as John Glaser is behind the mix.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: January 31, 2018

John Glaser, the Alchemist, has done it again. He takes one thing, adds a little of this and a little of that, and he makes that one thing better and more valuable than anyone thought possible. Ardbeg and Port Askaig come together in the perfect marriage with a drop or two of Highland goodness to make one seriously peaty, but eminently drinkable Scotch. Campfire, both fresh-cut and smoldering dry peat are all bound together by maritime air and the magic that is Islay. There is a medicinal quality that will make you contract a serious case of Munchausen Syndrome. For a limited bottling we’ve managed to lock down a pretty serious allocation (thank you, David!) but it will be gone before you know it.

With the introduction of The Chess Malt Collection ® the Danish whisky importer LAGO-import has now also established the company as bottler of Scotch Malt Whisky. In Denmark LAGO-import is the exclusive distributer of brands like Arran, GlenDronach, Glenglassaugh, Tullibardine, Kilkerran, Hunter Laing and others.

The company that has been in the wine and spirit business since 1989 is owned by Ole Andreasen and Lars Gregersen. The last mentioned is also the co-author of the recognized Danish whisky book about the Scotch whisky industry called; “Skotsk Whisky – uden farve, uden filter”.

 The Chess Malt Collection ®

“The Chess Malt Collection” was introduced just before Christmas and there has only been made two bottlings. The no. 3 is on its way around 1st March 2018.

The bottlings will all be single cask single malts and they will all be selected only by Ole Andreasen and Lars Gregersen.

”You really need a great network in Scotch whisky industry these days to set up at concept like this. The challenge is not only to get your ideas build into labels, tubes and boxes but the real challenge is to get access to the good casks you need” says Lars Gregersen.

The design is developed by the company Scotch company “Black Square” which is situated in Stirling.

The first two bottlings

The first bottling was a Craigellachie, 1995 – 21 Years Old Speyside Single Malt – 52,3% (Sherry Butt). Only 323 bottles The second bottling was a Auchentoshan, 1997 – 20 Years Old Lowland Single Malt – 56,7% (Bourbon Cask) Only 132 bottles.

“Our ambition is not to be a big and important player on this market as an independent bottler. We will never be anyway. Of course its business, but it’s also fun. The whole pleasure is to have the opportunity to select the casks to be bottled instead of “just” to buy what other (of course competent people) has selected” Lars Gregersen says.

Highlander Inn whisky bar

”We have made an agreement with Mr. Tatsuya Minagawa at the fantastic Highlander Inn in Craigellachie. He will run the range in the bar in the future and the first bottling is already in the bar for tasting” says Lars Gregersen.

If you are interested in more information please have a look at:

www.chessmalt.com or at Facebook: facebook.com/chessmalt

Photo text (1)

Ole Andreasen (right) and Lars Gregersen (left)

Photo text (2)

The first bottling in The Chess Malt Collection

The Singleton whisky launches ‘Forgotten Drop Series’

The Singleton Glendullan 40 Year Old is the first release from the distillery’s Forgotten Drop Series, which will include limited edition whiskies drawn from reserves uncovered by The Singleton’s Master of Malts Maureen Robinson.

“The Singleton Forgotten Drop Series is an exciting collection to curate. We have been exploring the deepest corners of our warehouse to find hidden treasures that, due to the stocks, we could never release widely. The amount of time these liquids spent maturing in this type of cask makes it so precious. It’s whisky for whisky lovers and The Singleton Glendullan 40 Year Old is a stunning liquid to launch with.”

Maureen Robinson
Master of Malts for The Singleton

CAPTURE YOUR HEART’S DESIRE

Bottles from this month’s Valentine-inspired Outturn are selling fast, with many now gone forever. Don’t miss out, capture your heart’s desire by clicking over to our website now. To set your pulse racing, we’ve selected some of our favourite February flavours.

VIEW WHISKY               READ OUTTURN

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Compass Box “No Name” Blended Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Elsewhere $170)

In late 2017, Compass Box released this outstanding limited-edition whisky called “No Name,” a blend of 75.5% Ardbeg, 10.6% Caol Ila, and 13.4% Clynelish with an additional 0.5% French oak-aged Highland malt for extra flavor. We sold through our allocation in a flash, even with the “one bottle limit per customer” dictate slowing things down in the sales queue. Now that the fervor of the Christmas shopping season is over, we managed to consolidate a large chunk of what was left in the States and get it all delivered to K&L. That means no bottle limits, no restrictions, and no risk of running out anytime soon. If you were a fan of the “Flaming Heart” or the “Peat Monster,” this is sort of like a combination of the two. You get the clean, focused, highly peated intensity of Ardbeg, tempered ever so slightly by the roundness of Caol Ila and the oiliness of Clynelish.

$139.99

Sullivans Cove French Oak
Cask HH0377

The release of Cask HH0377 is a milestone for Sullivans Cove Distillery, marking the oldest French Oak we’ve released to date at 17 years old.

Aged in a 300L French Oak ex-Australian Tawny barrel, this single cask single malt whisky was distilled in 2000 and produced only 455 bottles.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Powerful oak & raisins
Palate: Cacao, cherries, burnt brown sugar, rich tannins
Finish: Lingering spice

Incredibly dark and complex, HH0377 is an exemplary example of our iconic French Oak expression.

As supporters, we’re delighted to offer our oldest French Oak released to date exclusively to you today – before its release to the public.

Please click on the link below to purchase ($500 per bottle)

PURCHASE NOW

SULLIVANS COVE

*Limit one bottle per customer