SCORCHING SUMMER OFFERS:
WIN WHISKY FOR A YEAR & GET GIFT MINIS

As the mercury hits record levels, we’re donning our flip-flops, lighting the barbecue and serving up two sizzling summer offers. For one week only, buy two 70cl bottles and receive a highly desirable 10cl Mighty Mini gift bottle; one of 4.125 or 27.98. Buy three bottles and get a Mighty Mini and a chance to win Whisky for a Year: one brilliant Panel-picked bottle every month for a year! T&Cs apply* Dreaming of a cooling dip? Try a lighter dram from our heatwave selection.

PEATY DRAMS ALL INCLUDED IN OFFERS:
BUY 2, GET GIFT MIGHTY MINI
BUY 3 & ENTER TO WIN WHISKY FOR A YEAR

Lightly peated – NEW TODAY

29.189 Jumping for joy
Age: 21 years
£96.80
BUY >

Peated

42.26 ‘Chim, chim, cher-ee’
Age: 10 years
£60.00
BUY >

Peated

66.86 Dancing round the campfire
Age: 10 years
£49.50
BUY >

Peated

53.235 ‘Smoke and Mirrors’
Age: 24 years
£135.10
BUY >

Browse Current Outturn >
Browse All Bottlings >

*Terms & Conditions;  Offer strictly valid for purchases of individual bottles between 5pm Thu 21 and midnight Wed 27 July 2016; excludes discounted bundle offers and retrospective awards. Number of transactions not limited – one competition entry per separate 3 or more bottle purchase.

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

Pikesville 6 Year Old – 110 Proof

Very Limited Stock!

Bottled at 110 Proof, Pikesville from Heaven Hill is a premium, multi-award winning American straight rye whiskey, distilled from at least 51% rye with the addition of corn and barley and aged for at least 6 years.

£73.20

Parker’s Heritage Collection

Only a few remain!

The 2015 release of Parker’s Heritage is a Kentucky straight malt whiskey, with a mash consisting of 65% malted barley with 35% corn. Age for eight full years on the 5th and 7th floors of the Rickhouse Y in Bardstown. Bottled at 108 proof (54% vol), without chill filtration.

£169.90

THE WHISKY SHOP PARIS

Johnnie Walker Salon Privé

With the launch ofthe website for The Whisky Shop Paris, we can’t help but rave about our French store’s incredible range. Today we take a look at the Johnnie Walker range available in the luxurious and elegant Salon Privé, hosted by the iconic brand.

Worldwide delivery available from whiskyshop.fr

Blue Label Willow The Whisky Shop Paris Exclusive

This exceptional expression embodies the know-how of the Walker House. Presented in a porcelain bottle, the limited edition Willow pack features a finely detailed illustration in blue ink by Good Wives and Warriors artists.

Stretching around the four sides of the bottle, the work celebrates the unique adventure of the Johnnie Walker blend, pioneering whisky from Scotland to conquer the world. On the front, the Striding Man tees off at Gleneagles, inviting us to relive the adventure by discovering every continent, portrayed with originality by the two artists.

The prestigious Blue Label, the gem of the Walker House is presented here at Cask Strength. Bottled at 55.8% abv, the limited edition Willow offers a powerful and intense taste. Johnnie Walker Blue Label is a big flavoured whisky that reflects the Walker family’s belief that neither whisky age alone, nor whisky from a single location, is enough to achieve the creation of an unrivalled masterpiece today.

€460 Buy Now

Private Collection 2015

The second in the series of annual, limited releases, from John Walker & Sons. The Private Collection 2015 Edition showcases the craftsmanship and innovation of John Walker & Sons blended Scotch Whisky. Master Blender Jim Beveridge handpicked just 29 casks from irreplaceable bespoke and experimental stocks to create this unique blend.

Only 8,888 decanters of the John Walker & Sons Private Collection 2015 Edition were made. Each of these striking dark red glass decanters is individually numbered, with a distinctively bold design that echoes the famous Johnnie Walker slanted label.

€809 Buy Now

Blue Label ‘Year of the Monkey’ Limited Edition

With only 750 individually numbered bottles produced of this limited edition, Johnnie Walker celebrates the Chinese New Year: the Year of the Monkey. Blue Label is one of the best blends and certainly the most famous in the world. This bottle is full of character, delivering a powerful bouquet in several strata, a deep richness on the palate and the smoke, which combines honey and fruit, before a gentle finish.

€225 Buy Now

Rye Cask Finish

Johnnie Walker has not finished surprising us! Jim Beveridge has carefully selected first fill American oak barrels and at least 10 years, which are added a finishing cask Rye Whisky. The result, bottled at an unusual strength of 46% abv, is different from other Johnnie Walker expressions, finding a power approaching a single malt. This expression is available exclusively at The Whisky Shop.

The nose is decidedly exotic: vanilla, rum and brown sugar. The palate is frank and direct, with notes of candied papaya and mango, but also sweet spices to finish with white chocolate. The Rye has really left its mark on this whisky! The finish is long and straight, revealing spicy and sweet touches, between fruit and caramel.

€60 Buy Now

Winner!

Calgary Area Retailer of the Year

Alberta Liquor Store Association

Runner-Up 2015 & 2016

Whisky Magazine Icons of Whisky: Rest of the World

Retailer Single Outlet “Highly Commended”

Malt Messenger Bulletin – Summer Tasting Schedule & New Whiskies

Wherever you are, whether it be on the dock at the cottage, toiling in the office or travelling the world, I hope that this email finds you well! The 2016 Calgary Stampede is now just a memory, and the city is returning to normal after one of the wettest, stormiest starts to summer I can ever recall. Stampede is a slow time for us in Kensington, but rest assured we keep busy. I often regard the week as an opportunity to catch up and catch up we did. I have a full Malt Messenger going out later this or early next week, and we’ve put together an amazing little summer tasting schedule.

Our summer 2016 tasting schedule includes some great whisky, wine, beer and cocktail events, highlighting our best and most exciting new products in store. We get rolling tomorrow night on the whisky side of things with a very cool tasting featuring whiskies from the First Edition and Author’s Series ranges. For just $45 our guests will enjoy 7 whiskies from: Littlemill, Springbank, BenRiach, Laphroaig, Highland Park, Bunnahabhain and Auchroisk distilleries. This tasting with a range of whiskies worth $3000 would be a bargain at twice the price.

This is not the only super cool whisky tasting this Summer! We have other great events highlighting Wilson & Morgan single cask single malts, new Signatory single casks and the big daddy, the Glendronach Batch 13 Vertical. The full range of 9 Batch 13 Glendronach vintage single casks is worth nearly $8,000, and at $200 this tasting is a steal. We sincerely hope we are wrong, but this will almost certainly be the last Glendronach vertical tasting at Kensington Wine Market, and possibly in Canada. A change of ownership at the distillery will eventually mean Glendronach, BenRiach and Glenglassaugh will fall under the Brown Forman umbrella. We fear this will not be good for Alberta fans of these distilleries. Say what you will about the number 13… this will be an incredible tasting!

Details on all of our Summer Whisky Tastings can be found on-line and below.

We have only just finalized the details on our Kensington Wine Market 2016 Whisky Advent Calendar, and it is now open for pre-orders! I am especially excited about this year’s Calendar, as the Scotch Malt Whisky Society has bottled a special single cask for it… we even had the opportunity to name it! Order before September 15 and save $35 off the $400+GST retail price. Many more details included below.

We have some exciting new whiskies both in stock and on the way. Over the next two weeks we are expecting the first ever release from the Wolfburn Distillery, Scotland’s new northernmost distillery. It will be exclusive to KWM in Alberta for the first little while! Kensington Wine Market is also going to be getting the first ever release of whisky from the Shelter Point Distillery on Vancouver Island. The Shelter Point Inaugural Run Single Malt will be exclusively available in Alberta from KWM! More details below.

There are a pair of huge Malt Messengers coming out over the next month chalk full of of new whiskies from Signatory, Wilson & Morgan, Glendronach, Chichibu, Edition Spirits, Cadenhead, Adelphi and more. But there are two new whiskies, which deserve a bit of special attention beforehand however. Firstly, there is the new Lagavaulin 8 Year, marking the distillery’s 200th Anniversary this year. It is getting great reviews, and has been flying off the shelves… it won’t be around for long! There is also a new Canada exclusive single cask from Amrut, a peated Port Pipe at 59%. It is in all respects the most massive Amrut I’ve ever sampled, and one hell of a dram. More details below.

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger Bulletin!

Andrew Ferguson

Kensington Wine Market

In this Edition

1. Summer 2016 Tasting Schedule
2. Kensington Wine Market 2016 Whisky Advent Calendar
3. COMING SOON: Wolfburn Single Malt First Release
4. COMING SOON: Shelter Point Inaugural Run Single Malt
5. Introducing Lagavulin 8 Year 200th Anniversary
6. Introducing Amrut Peated Port Pipe 2011 Cask 2712

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

twitter.com/scotch_guy, Instagram: instagram.com/kensingtonwm/

 and Facebook: facebook.com/scotch.guy.1 .

www.fergusonwhiskytours.com

Summer 2016 Whisky Tasting Schedule

We have more than a few ways for you to stay cool this summer!

Our summer tasting schedule, including wine, whisky, beer and cocktail sessions run now through the end of August. All of our summer tastings start promptly at 6PM and are located at the Kensington Wine Market. Space is limited to book early!

1. New Wilson & Morgan Whiskies – We have an exciting range of Wilson & Morgan single malt whiskies coming including: Clynelish, Mortlach, Bunnahabhain, Tobermory and more. We’ll be sampling all six as well as the award winning Home Blend 35 Year. – Thursday July 28 – $45
2. New Signatory Single Casks – Signatory is one of our favourite independent bottlers, and they manage to put their hands on some stellar single casks. We’ll sample 7 whiskies including pairs of both Clynelish and Fettercairn as well as Bunnahabhain, Glen Keith and Imperial. – Thursday August 4, 6PM – $60
3. Glendronach Batch 13 Vertical – Could this be the last ever batch of Glendronach single casks to come to Canada? Lucky 13 may be a double edged sword… We’ll sample all 9 single casks up to and including the 1968 Cask 5837 ($5500), the oldest Glendronach ever bottled. – Tuesday August 9, 6PM – $200
4. Maltbarn & The Whisky Agency – We’ve got some really cool new single casks in from German independent bottlers Maltbarn and The Whisky Agency, and we’re opening 7 of them up for a sizzling summer tasting. – Thursday August 11, 6PM – $25
5. Classic Summer Cocktails – Is there anything more refreshing than a perfectly balanced summer cocktail? We’ll show you some of the tricks of the trade! – Tuesday August 16, 6PM – $25
6. Boutique Bourbons – Sure the big guys hog all the attention, but does that mean they make the best whiskey? Evan wants to introduce you to some of his favourite, truly small batch Bourbons! – Thursday August 18, 6PM – $35

You can register online, in store or by phone 403-283-8000.

2016 KWM Whisky Advent Calendar 

We are taking pre-orders for October delivery!

For the 3rd year in a row, Kensington Wine Market is producing its own Whisky Advent Calendar. 2014 and 2015’s editions were a huge hit, and sold out well before the start of Advent. Save $35 by pre-ordering your calendar before September 15.

We are really excited about our 2016 KWM Whisky Advent Calendar. For the third straight year we have designed and built our own exclusive Whisky Advent Calendar, featuring a custom logo Glencairn glass, 24 50ml whiskies and a 100ml Christmas Day bottling from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (The Society). The Society is the world’s largest whisky club, and bottles whiskies exclusively for its members. This year’s Calendar has a single cask from the Society that has been selected and bottled exclusively for the Calendar and Canadian Society members (750ml bottles will be made available to Society members in January!). In collaboration with the Society’s Canadian branch, we were even given the opportunity to name the whisky… Since Society whiskies are exclusively available to Society members, this is an opportunity for non-members to get their hands on a Society whisky. Recipients of the KWM Whisky Advent Calendar will be the first people to sample this exciting new whisky!

The Kensington Wine Market Whisky Advent Calendar is more than just a product for us, it is a way for us to share and connect with other whisky lovers in Calgary, Alberta and across Canada. Details on the whiskies released and their distillery will be posted on the KWM Blog each day. Recipients of the Calendar are encouraged to share their thoughts with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The KWM Whisky Advent Calendar also comes with a 10% discount card, good for any of the whiskies in the Calendar (excepting the Society whisky), subject to availability.

Save $35 by ordering before September 15. A $150 deposit will be taken per calendar requested starting on August 1st. The balance will be charged when the calendar is ready for pickup!

Pre-Order a Kensington Wine Market 2016 Whisky Advent Calendar $364.99+GST (until September 15).

COMING SOON: The Wolfburn Single Malt First Release

The first ever whisky release from the new northern-most distillery in Scotland, is coming first to the Kensington Wine Market!

Kensington Wine Market is thrilled to be the first store in Canada to launch the new Wolfburn single malt. It has been bottled at 46% after just three years in Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry quarter casks which previously held Islay whiskies. The early reviews are pretty good, considering the spirit is still young, just 3 years old. $85

In May of 2011 a team went in search of the long lost distillery of Wolfburn, which closed for ever some 150 years ago. Nothing of the original distillery survived except the cold clean water they used to produce their spirit. The following year, again in May, work began to rebuild what would supplant Old Pulteney as the northernmost mainland distillery. Construction was completed with impressive speed in just 7 months, and on Robbie Burns Day 2013 (January 25th) spirit began to flow off the stills for the first time.

Although the original Wolfburn was in its heyday one of the largest distilleries in the Highlands, all of the whisky it produced would have been consumed in the surrounding area, and there are no surviving bottles or traces of its whisky. The owners of the new Wolfburn distillery have a blank slate from which to craft the new whisky. At the moment they are primarily producing unpeated malt.

Tasting Note by Serge at whiskyfun.org 85pts: “The very first official whisky by Thurso’s Wolfburn Distillery! Some trustworthy sources say they’ve bottled no less than 62.000 bottles of this new baby, that’ll be out a little later this month. It’s a 3 years old, obviously. We already tried a 20 month old last year, and found it good. Colour: white wine. Nose: Very fresh, with white asparagus and green apples (not the other way ’round), then a welcome touch of ink, ‘new magazine’, a smidgen of curry and caraway, and damp chalk. That’s all very nice, it seems that there’s some texture. That was the case with the 20 mo, but that one was ex-Islay cask. No roughness in this genuine whisky. Mouth: there’s an unexpected smokiness in the arrival, some branches and grass, a touch of blond tobacco, a little pepper, traces of soot, and again, maybe, some sweet white asparagus (which I simply adore). At the fruit department, rather plums than pears. Ripe greengages, I’d say. Very nice texture, slightly oily. Finish: medium, fresh, with fresh almonds and more greengages. Rather pink grapefruits in the aftertaste. Comments: thank you Alexander aus Aarau in der Schweiz! I find this little baby extremely good, and am so pleased that they didn’t decide to bury it under various heavy oaks and wines. The natural ones will win! Worth a very high score in my book, despite its very young age. SGP:551 – 85 points.”

Whisky Advocate Tasting Note 83pts: “The first release from Wolfburn distillery is 3 years old. Matured in a mix of Spanish and American oak quarter casks previously used by an Islay distillery. The nose is soft and belies its youth, offering vanilla, lemon, ginger, and light smoke. The early palate is grassy. Sweeter fruit notes soon develop with more vanilla and ginger, plus white pepper. The finish is quite long and slightly smoky. Much to look forward to as this ages!” (Summer 2016) Reviewed by: Gavin Smith 

Pre-Order Wolfburn Single Malt First Release – $85+GST

COMING SOON: Shelter Point Inaugural Run Single Malt 

The first ever release from the Vancouver Island distillery is exclusive to KWM in Alberta!

The first ever release from the Shelter Point distillery on Vancouver island is exclusive in Alberta to KWM. Bottled at 46%, the whisky is made from two row barley, grown on the distillery’s farm, doubled distilled in copper pot stills and matured in American oak.

Originally this first ever release of single malt whisky from a new Canadian distillery was not supposed to come to Alberta or the rest of Canada at all! But we weren’t prepared to let that be the final word, especially after sampling it. So we begged and pleaded and the distillery agreed to give us exclusivity on the whisky in Alberta!

Shelter Point Inaugural Run Single Malt – 46% – American Oak – Andrew’s Tasting Note:

“Nose: fresh, floral and fruity, honey and loads of malt; very doughy, dried orange cubes, very sugary and baked apples with cinnamon. Palate: thick, honeyed and malty with prominent licorice and loads of sugars including white, brown sugar and darker Demerara; still floral and vegetal with crisp toasty oak. Finish: long, coating and malty with touches of spice, oak, white fruit, sugars and spice. Comment: if this is a hint of things to come, then Shelter Point is on the right track, young but balanced and complex.” – $80

Pre-order Shelter Point Inaugural Run Single Malt – $80+GST

Introducing Lagavulin 8 Year 200th Anniversary 

The latest Islay whisky to turn 200 marks its anniversary with a bold new limited edition expression! 

It’s not every year that an iconic distillery turns 200 years old. Last year we celebrated Ardbeg and Laphroaig, this year it is Lagavulin’s turn! The distillery has been congratulated for its transperency, putting an age statement under 10 years on the label. Some early reviews are very favourable. The whisky is in part a tribute to the most famous whisky writer of the Victorian age, Alfred Barnard, who visited the distillery in the 1880s:

“In the late 1880s, Alfred Barnard, the first ever whisky journalist and traveller, sampled an 8 Year Old Lagavulin during a visit to Islay, describing it as “exceptionally fine” and ‘held in high repute’. He went on the declare Lagavulin to be “one of the most prominent” of the few Scotch Distillers that can turn our spirit for use as single [Malt] Whiskies.”

Great Review from Serge at whiskyfun.org 90pts!  “I think it’s very smart that whilst the whisky’s quite young, they have decided to disclose its age, and to go ‘transparent’. That’s true modern luxury if you ask me (relation plus story plus DETAILS), while other, ach, erm, brands are issuing innumerable new NAS bottlings with only stories these days, and are really starting to blur their image and reputation (which are tomorrow’s sales, remember). As always, my humble opinion, and after all, we’re here for the whisky. So… Colour: white wine. Nose: precision, that’s the first word that springs to mind. Bandages, cane juice, hay, and marzipan, then seaweed, oysters, and diesel oil, then ink, mezcal, grist, and wet wool. Plus one blueberry. Mouth: this is where it kills the IB. This is much better chiselled, purer, better focused, much more distillate-driven, and sharp. And it’s very ashy, sooty, smoky, you’d almost believe you just ate the ashtray. It surprises me a bit that they didn’t decide on a rounder and sweeter style, but for obvious reasons, I won’t complain. Love this style! It’s actually very dry. Also fresh walnuts. Salted fresh walnuts. Strength and body are perfect. Finish: long and austere, on pretty much the same flavours, but drops of orange juice are playing it a little sexier in the aftertaste. Perhaps a little ginger tonic? Comments: it’s really the words purity and precision that rule here, there’s no make-up, no Botox, no dye, and no silicone. Some pure, totally crystalline Lagavulinity (what?) that makes you want to take the next flight(s) to Islay and to go kiss the Distillery Manager on both cheeks. Huge quality/age ratio. Happy 200th, Lagavulin! SGP:358 – 90 points.”

Lagavulin 8 Year 200th Anniversary – 48% – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Immediately quite soft with clean, fresh notes, faint hints of milk chocolate and lemon and then developing fragrant tea-scented smoke alongside nose-drying, maritime aromas, with subtle cereal. A prickliness seen earlier now develops, while the trademark Lagavulin dryness emerges as fresh newsprint. Softly sooty. Softer, fuller and more rounded with water: it’s not hugely fruity but there’s just a trace of red berry preserve, perhaps, beneath the smokiness, which comes sharply into focus. Body: Light, growing pleasantly oily. Palate: A soothing light texture, with a magnificently full on Lagavulin taste that’s somehow even bigger than you expect; sweet, smoky and warming, with a growing, smoky pungency, then dry, with more smoke. Charred, with minty, dark chocolate. Beautifully balanced midpalate then salty, oven-charred baked potato skins and smoke. Water rounds things, the taste still mighty yet more succulent, sweeter, spicier and now tongue-tingling, mint-fresh and warming. Finish: Lovely; clean, very long and smoky. Smoothly, subtle minted smoke surrounds chocolate tannins, leaving a late drying note to emerge in time. It’s warming, soft and still smoky with water, not as long or intense now, yet still leaving the palate dry as sweet smoke lingers on the breath.” – $100

Introducing Amrut Peated Port Pipe 2011 Cask 2712 

A new single cask of Amrut bottled exclusively for Canada! 

Bottled from a single port pipe at 59% the entirity of this peated Indian single malt cask, is coming to Canada. Cask 2712 is a monster, made of peated malt and matured a little over 5 years, but in Bangalore India, so it drinks much older! Distilled in January 2011 and bottled in February 2016, 660 Bottles.

Amut Peated Port Pipe 2011 Cask 2712 – 59% – 5 Year – Peated Malt – Port Pipe Finish – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: smoky bbq sauce and salsa; Dutch licorice, sea salt, cayenne infused dark chocolate, lightly burnt bacon, grilled prosciutto wrapped dates and figs; musty old wood, Late Bottle Vintage port wine and black tarry smoke. Palate: a pleasant but powerful assault of smoke, sea salt, malt, Dutch licorice and burnt bacon; leather and sharp tobacco make way for pineapple, melon and mango; more smoky bbq sauce and salsa; bacon infused dark chocolate, grilled figs and dates and firm wine tannins. Finish: long drying, coating and anesthetizing with a mild numbing sensation; the bbq notes, salt, fruit, smoke and leather linger long. Comment: this is the biggest, badest Amrut I’ve ever had, a monster; fans of Islay single malts like Supernova and Octomore will love this! – $155

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.

Sláinte!

Andrew Ferguson

Owner & Scotchguy

Kensington Wine Market

403-283-8000

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

www.kensingtonwinemarket.com

J. & G. Grant are proud to release the Glenfarclas 1981 Port Cask IV, the fourth limited edition bottling from the Family Collector Series. Full maturation in a Port Cask, as opposed to the more typically used Oloroso Sherry Casks, promises an excitingly different Glenfarclas single malt. With only 521 bottles available worldwide, this rarity is set to stir intrigue among Glenfarclas enthusiasts.

The last distillery bottling matured in Port Casks dates back to 2012, which at the time was a limited edition 31 Years Old, making the current 1981 Port Cask IV the oldest Port Cask matured whisky to be released by J. & G. Grant. At 35 years old and bottled at cask strength (47.9%), this single cask whisky reveals a distinctive character accentuated by a sweet port influence.

The packaging ties in with the previous Family Collector Series designs; a black leather box featuring a silver emblem of the Grant family’s 4^th generation, George S. Grant. This was the current Director of Sales, George Grant’s grandfather, who was custodian of Glenfarclas for 52 years. Future generations can now appreciate this unique whisky, laid down in the family warehouses during George S. Grant’s tenure.

George Grant, 6^th generation, comments: “We wanted to make an innovative Family Collector Series, which incorporates bottlings from Fino Sherry, Oloroso Sherry, and now, Port Cask matured whisky. I believe this truly showcases the variety and skill that Glenfarclas has to offer to our valued customers around the world.”

Glenfarclas
Email: info@glenfarclas.co.uk
Website: www.glenfarclas.co.uk
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/glenfarclas/
Tel: +44 (0) 1807 500257
Fax: +44 (0) 1807 500234
Address: Glenfarclas Distillery, Ballindalloch, Banffshire AB37 9BD, UK

Japanese Gift Sets

Japanese Whisky has been growing in popularity for a number of years now, consistently ranking in Jim Murray’s Top 5 and Top 10 Whiskies of the Year and claiming the top spot in 2015. Start exploring the Land of the Rising Sun with our range of great gift sets.

Price Drops & Free GiftsWhether you’re on the lookout for money off or something extra to sweeten the deal, this week we have exactly what you’re after! From savings of almost £30 on Johnnie Walker Blue Label to a stylish journal and designer pen from Glenfiddich, these offers likely won’t be around for long so now’s your chance to get your hands on a bargain!

Kininvie 23 Year Old Batch 3

Created using a combination of American hogsheads and sherry casks, this third batch from Speyside’s Kininvie distillery contains whisky from the distillery’s very first batch in 1990.

The nose is fresh and clean with light and delicate grassy notes, malted barley with hints of honey, lemon and vanilla. The palate is light, vibrant and zesty, with vanilla, honey and white chocolate developing into warming wood spices. The finish is short, fresh and citrusy with the sweeter elements giving way to malty cereal and woodspice.

£99 Buy Now Was £120 – Save £21

Glenfiddich 21 Year Old Gran Reserva

Drawn from casks that once held premium Craibbean rum, the whisky in this Single Malt from the iconic Glenfiddich distillery in Speyside is matured for 21 years and settled for 4 months in Gran Reserva barrels before being carefully selected for inclusion in this expression.

The nose offers an intense sweetness, with vanilla, banana, figs, rich toffee and oakiness on the palate, beofre a long and dry finish with spiced fruit coming through.

£120 Buy Now Free Glenfiddich branded Cross pen & journal

Glenfarclas 21 Year Old

The Glenfarclas distillery is renowned for being one of the oldest family-run distilleries in Scotland, being purchased for the sum of £511.19s.0d in 1865 by John Grant and is still run by his descendants today.

The 21 year old is a full-bodied and incredibly rounded whisky that will leave you refreshed and contented. The nose is rich in sherry tones and tropical fruit, with nutmeg, almonds, vanilla and very subtly sweet smoke. The palate is fruity and spicy with a pale wisp of smoke, before a long finish that brings chocolate notes.

£69 Buy Now Free “101 World Whiskies to Try Before You Die” book by Ian Buxton

Lagavulin 16 Year Old

Famed for being one of the whiskies that made drinking peaty whisky popular the world over, this expression from Islay-based Lagavulin distillery is aged in oak casks for at least 16 years.

The nose brings peat burning on the fire, with sweet spices emerging from the smoke. The palate is dry with oak and peat smoke, ground coffee and a fruity sweetness becoming apparent. The finish is long and peaty with spiced fruit and notes of sea spray.

£46.50 Buy Now Was £53 – Save £6.50

Johnnie Walker Blue Label Edinburgh Edition

Limited to only 1,500 individually numbered bottles, this edition of Johnnie Walker’s famous Blue Label Blended Scotch is etched with landmarks from the Scottish capital including Edinburgh Castle, the Scott Monument and the Duke of Wellington Statue.

The nose offers big dried fruit aroma, some woody notes and polished mahogany with mixed berries and dry woodsmoke. The palate brings honey and rosewater, fruitcake with spice and molasses. The finish is long with rich fruit and a wave of smoke.

£171.60 Buy Now Was £199.99 – Save £28.39

July 2016 Outturn Offerings 

Cask No. 76.124                                     $270

A symphony of oak

Speyside, Spey

Nosing this one neat was an awe-inspiring moment, like stepping into a grand house standing in the entrance hall with open eyes and mouth. Aromas of polished wood and shiny marble mixed with luxurious leather and the sensual fresh scent of orange blossom. The taste was like a symphony of oak played in perfect harmony with spicy notes of ginger and clove and the bittersweet finish of a Turkish coffee. Water transported us into an antique woollen mill still using the old fashioned spinning jenny and the flavours dry, bitter, oaky, sweet and fruity, all beautifully interwoven like in a Persian oriental rug.

Drinking tip: With a dark chocolate mousse

Colour: Thick-cut orange marmalade

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 28 years

Date distilled: September 1987

Alcohol: 55.9%

USA allocation: 120 bottles

Flavour profile: Old & dignified 

*PRESIDENT’S CHOICE*

Cask No. 70.13                                       $100

Neat heat, turning mellow and sweet

Highland, Northern

The nose had various elements – pencil shavings, Weetabix and hay, toffee bonbon and honey sweetness, Murray Mints and Pandrops plus subtle hints of Imperial Leather soap. The minty heat came through on the palate – aniseed, chilli, white pepper and Extra Strong Mints – we also got a lot of biscuity sweetness (Hobnobs, Digestives) and some exotic fruits. The reduced nose suggested a variety of unconnected things – plastic poolside furniture, citrus, raisins and tomato ketchup crisps. The palate had mellowed somewhat, replacing lively heat with moreish drinkability – now combining sweet, mild spices with tangy citrus, Atholl brose (honey, oats) and a chocolate fountain.

Drinking tip: A Sound of Music dram – mountain air, log cabins etc.

Colour: Orion’s belt buckle

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 9 years

Date distilled: May 2006

Alcohol: 57.8%

USA allocation: 90 bottles

Flavour profile: Young & spritely

Cask No. 95.20                                       $155

Glazed cocktail sausages

Speyside, Spey

Crème brulée then thick custard over pears, soon becoming more savoury (“quiche Lorraine with brown sauce”), chorizo sausage, Bovril, with traces of treacle toffee. At natural strength the taste echoes this: burnt sausages with toffee glaze – meaty and spicy. Water raises classic Spanish oak notes initially: dry overall, with matchbox striker, dusty dried fruits and baking spices. jam roly-poly pudding in the mouth, then a return of the savoury flavours (Marmite, Bovril), drying towards a spicy finish.  Umami…After 17 years in a refill hogshead, we transferred this whisky directly into a sherry butt for the remainder of its maturation.

Drinking tip: Kirkaldy prom on market day

Colour: Pale amber

Cask: Second-fill butt

Age: 18 years

Date distilled: August 1997

Alcohol: 53.2%

USA allocation: 90 bottles

Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet

Cask No. G1.14                                      $215

Banana walnut cornbread

Grain

The nose neat was clean and fresh, but at the same time invitingly rich, like a newly, well-polished wooden bar top. In time, a seductive sweetness developed; candied almonds, toffee apples, fondant fancies and a quality ice wine. Given its age the taste was surprisingly vibrant with a ginger, chilli heat but again the attractive sweetness of caramel apple cake and lemon blossom honey. Water released honey porridge, scones with clotted cream and toasted flaked almonds. On the palate now a dry spiciness of banana walnut cornbread and cinnamon rolls, all washed down with a sparkling elderflower fizz.

Drinking tip: After dinner playing snooker or pool

Colour: Honey Gold

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 37 years

Date distilled: August 1978

Alcohol: 54.1%

USA allocation: 60 bottles

Flavour profile: Spicy & dry

Cask No. 53.231                             $160   

Eat until I die

Islay

The hunger pangs began on first nosing. One panellist was transported to a Mediterranean village, sat outside enjoying sun dried tomatoes, Serrano ham and fresh tarragon.  There was also a green element, like tomatoe vines and stripped twigs.  The taste was “super spicy” and brought smoked salmon sushi with wasabi to the table.  The delicate oak let the smoke do the talking but provided a subtle guiding hand to keep things in order.  With water, sweet roast pork with crackling, hickory BBQ smoke, peanut brittle and a platter of mixed fruits to finish (white grapes, lemon and grapefruit).

Drinking tip: A fishing trip hip-flask filler

Colour: Morning sun

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 19 years

Date distilled: September 1996

Alcohol: 59.3%

USA allocation: 90 bottles

Flavour profile: Heavily peated

Please visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America at www.smwsa.com

Here at K&L we’ve been bringing you exclusive casks of malt whisky since 2008, traveling abroad in search of the rare and unique, and we’ve pulled out some serious gems over the years: sherry butts of the elusive Brora, hogsheads of the prestigious Port Ellen, as well as the only barrels of Karuizawa ever bottled for the U.S. We’ve worked directly with distilleries like Glenfarclas on customized vattings, resurrected the ghosts of Ladyburn and Glenlochy; we’ve even created our own Faultline brand. Yet, with the recent arrival of our highly-anticipated “5th & Harrison” special edition whisky – a tribute to our new San Francisco location – we may have raised the bar to its highest possible rung. It’s taken five years of planning, preparing, and pushing, but we think our collaboration with Compass Box may be our magnum opus. We’re not sure whisky can get much better than this and we’re worried it may be all downhill from here.

Compass Box “5th & Harrison” K&L Exclusive Limited Edition Malt Whisky (750ml) ($179.99)

It’s one thing to purchase an entire cask of Scotch whisky and an entirely different thing to create a customized blend. Whereas tasting one whisky is a fairly straightforward exercise, one we’ve become quite skilled at over the years, blending those individual flavors into something even more majestic requires an expertise beyond our merchant training. That’s why we first approached award-winning blender and industry icon John Glaser from Compass Box about a collaborative project back in 2011, when the idea of a bespoke project seemed not only exciting, but plausible. But creating a special blend of whiskies isn’t just a more difficult process, it’s also a lengthy one. You need a concept, a muse, a vision, and an ideal. We needed to brainstorm and to find the right whiskies for the job. Heck, it took us four years just to get the project onto a physical calendar and another two to get the finished product into the bottle once we even knew what we wanted. It was worth the wait, however, because we haven’t seen anything this good in the K&L whisky department for some time. Utilizing a 19 year old sherry-matured single malt from the Glen Ord distillery and a 31 year old hogshead cask from Caol Ila distillery, John and his team managed to create our ultimate ideal: a mature, rich, textural, complex, smoky, peaty, full-proof symphony of luxurious splendor. It’s a whisky that covers every base, checks every box, dots every “i” and crosses every “t”. The “5th & Harrison” is a wave of richness that begins with supple sherry sweetness and morphs slowly into a seamless sea of endless reward. It has our staff in total awe. It’s arrival has the internet whisky intelligencia buzzing. Compass Box and K&L joining forces? It’s true, we’ve done it – and we’ve done it right. The “5th & Harrison” is everything you hope it will be. It’s a high-quality, limited edition, cask strength, unfiltered dose of Scotch perfection. It took us quite a while to make it happen, but we think you’ll agree: the best things are worth waiting for.

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 13, 2016

Prepare to be transported back in time; back to an era when old malts of incredible complexity were available 24/7 and four-figure price tags were unthinkable. This project has been in the works for years and the casks have been on reserve for us since John proposed the idea way back when, which is the only reason whiskies of this quality were available for this 5th & Harrison blend. In fact, the whiskies were allowed to marry for an additional year in cask after being blended simply because of all the delays from the logistics involved with doing something like this! You can taste that extra vatting in the whisky. It’s like liquid silk on the palate, accented with peat and smoke from the Caol Ila, and it’s of a quality that I haven’t tasted maybe since we bought two incredibly old casks of Glenfarclas back in 2012. This is the type of whisky you buy now for loved ones, months in advance of the holiday gift giving season. You squirrel extra bottles away for a rainy day. You buy as many of these as you can afford because I can promise you you’ll be looking back on this opportunity years from now wishing you had more of this incredible elixir. If this was the last whisky project I ever worked on for K&L, I would go out happy. I don’t know if we’ll ever top this. I think this is as big of an achievement as we can ever hope to accomplish. I can safely say this is on the level of some of the rarer Port Ellen bottlings we’ve carried and it’s a fraction of the price.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 17, 2016

This whiskey is truly a time capsule and a major achievement. It immediately brings me back to a time when scotch was simply meant to be enjoyed. It’s blended to taste good. Remember when whisky was supposed to just taste real good and not try to do anything else? There is just the right amount of smoke, intense, but not over powering. The texture is oily and inviting. The aromas are enticing filled with butterscotch and orange/apricot preserves. There are soft and sweet grain notes. It’s endlessly complex, the sort of dram you can sit with quietly for an evening or pour for a rowdy group of friends who will appreciate it. Most impressive is the finish. It lingers for a very long time allowing you to taste new flavors without having to revisit the glass. All around this is a great bottle, with great pedigree, and most importantly, a great price tag. Don’t miss it.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 14, 2016

5th and Harrison is a celebration of taste and enjoyment. It showcases the artistry of blending two mature single malts so that best aspects of both come out. There are very expressive and intense aromas of honey with a back note of smoke. In the mouth, delicate honey is enhanced with a kiss of smoke that is inviting but not dominating. It is refined, round and has a long finish. There is also an extra bonus bottle tag with a wonderful poem.

Gary Westby | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 13, 2016

Wow- it is not too often that I taste something in the $200 price range and think to myself “this is under-priced!”, but what a malt! This has got everything, rich depth, complex smoke, a lift that makes you want more and near infinite length. I thought the days of great old Scotch at under $1000 were over and my chance to own such treasures a thing of the past, but this 5th Harrison has given me another shot. It might be my last…

Kyle Kurani | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: July 13, 2016

Scotch like this, no longer exists in this world. The only reason we have it, is the fact that it took 5 years to complete, 5 years in which the Scotch market has seen unprecedented growth; with every last corner of every last warehouse laid bare. Those 5 years of limbo now act as a time portal back to a time in whisky long since passed. 30 year old Caol Ila and 20 year old Glen Ord? Those aren’t things that exist in my world for any sort of reasonable price. Compass Box has had simply the best old stores of Scotch, and have been the best at creating blends where the sum is far greater than the parts, even when those parts are practically beyond reach on any mere mortal not deeply plugged into the booze industry. “This is Not a Luxury Whisky” was my malt of the year last year.The 5th and Harrison Blend is now the frontrunner for this year, and it isnt really close. Deep, rich, and luxurious, the synergy between the two malts brings this to euphoric heights. Opening with a nose of rich mahogany and brandy soaked figs, kisses of maple custard, and supple undulating smoke. Intensely complex and opulent on the palate, hickory smoked maple bars, sweet pralines, rich nutty toffee clusters are seamless companions to a weighty, almost oily mouthfeel. Vanilla and spice cake, candied hazelnuts linger on a finish that is close to flawless. We are so excited that this project has come together, and from the first, incredible sip, it is clear that it was worth.

K&L Wine Merchants http://www.klwines.com/ Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637) Email: wine@klwines.com San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

New Spirits at Park Ave.
Here are some summer arrivals that recently hit our shelves.

“Summer sippin’ had me a blast!”
– From ‘Grease’…If we wrote it

As you bask in the dog days of summer we thought we’d drop in and let you know about some interesting items to arrive at 270 Madison Ave.

All listed items are currently in-stock.

Feel free to contact us with any questions.

Cheers!
Jonathan & Eric
The Park Avenue Liquor Shop
270 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
212-685-2442
jonathan@parkaveliquor.com
eric@parkaveliquor.com
www.parkaveliquor.com

Glenburgie 20 Year Old
by (Private bottler -Five Lions)
$196/btl

Nose: full-bodied, sugary-sticky candy, maple syrup, herbs, lavender, pronounced vanilla aromas.
Palate: Dryness and sweetness are pleasantly balanced. Heavy, sweet vanilla flavor dominates in the foreground, followed by herbs and oak-cask-aromas as well as a trace of citrus fruits.
Finish: very long, creamy, lasting, Bourbon-vanilla, herbs.

Compass Box: Limited Editions
Circus & Enlightenment
(sold separately)

Limited Edition Circus $290/btl

A quick note about ‘Circus’. We emailed our customers about this bottle last month and mentioned its ‘highly limited supply’. So, why is back? Well after allocations are were made available – a small supply was left over so we jumped on it. Now those who missed out have another opportunity.

“We know little of the component distillery whiskies used in these blends for The Circus, only that they contain both single malt and single grain whiskies and that the ‘marrying casks’ are sherry butts. However, the provenance of the components isn’t important to us now, as what we have are old casks containing whiskies that are extraordinary.” – John Glaser
Notes:
“A lithe frame and opulent mouthfeel showcasing the supple softness of mature grain and the complexity of aged Blended Scotch Whisky. Brimming with dried fruit character, a luscious maltiness and nuances of almond and hazelnut.”

Limited Edition Enlightenment $115/btl

“Since launching the Compass Box Whisky Co., I have always been a firm believer in the spirit of enlight- enment – that the more information we can share with our customers about the Scotch whisky we produce, the better. Alas, it transpires such beliefs fall foul of current EU and UK regulations, which prevent us from sharing information about the age of every component whisky used in the creation of our blends.”
– John Glaser
“Inspired by the writers, philosophers and scientists of the Age of Enlightenment it sets out to encourage the industry to consider the absurdity of a system that prevents producers from telling consumers exactly what has gone into the whiskies they are drinking.”
Limited Edition release of 5,922 bottles worldwide.
Notes: “Fresh, vibrant and uplifting with a mouthfeel that is moreish and mouth-watering. On the nose you will find bright apple and pear, vanilla cream and light violet; on the palate soft spice, gentle citric notes and more of that uplifting orchard fruit character.”

Paul John: Peated Select (Cask Strength)
Indian Single Malt
$98.00/btl

Nose: ‘The smoky, sweet and earthy fragrances have mellow resonances of spice.’
Palate: ‘As the crisp Muscovado and Demerara sugars create layered nuances, the smokiness of the Single Malt sets in, creating a perfect balance. A hint of spice radiates from the hickory and Dominican-style cocoa.’
Finish: ‘The delicate finish of this Single Malt has notes of Dominican cocoa laced with the tart edge of marmalade.’

Paul John: Classic Select (Cask Strength)
Indian Single Malt
$91.00/btl

Nose: ‘Fruity, malty aromas are intertwined with honey. A hint of bourbon teases your senses.’
Palate: ‘With the very first sip, flavours of malted barley greet you. A heady mix of bourbon and manuka honey-liquorice makes for an attractive spine. And while you relish this experience, the unexpected flavour of toasted honeycomb takes you by surprise.’
Finish: ‘This Single Malt has an absolutely elegant finish, with juicy Demerara tones ensuring a soft, friendly finish.’

Due to ever-changing inventory we cannot guarantee bottle availability. We are not responsible for any typographical errors. Please contact the store with any questions.
The Park Avenue Liquor Shop | 212-685-2442 | 212-689-6247 | parkaveliquor.com