SHARE-A-DRAM KIT

If you are a collector who likes to share your favourite whiskies with friends, then the Whisky Connoisseur® Share-A-Dram Kit comes with everything you need. There are 12 pharmaceutical-grade glass bottles with leak-proof caps, our specially designed self-venting, no-spill funnel for easy filling, and 14 neck tags to identify each whisky. Also included is the Whisky Connoisseur® Sample Ledger Booklet for recording your samples. Perfect for sharing multiple whiskies with a friend without the hassle of transporting numerous bottles.

UPC 833514000071

CDA – MSRP $39

WHISKY CONNOISSEUR INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC.

http://www.whiskyconnoisseur.ca/

For further information contact: info@whiskyconnoisseur.ca

MASTER CLASS COLLECTOR’S KIT

Have you ever attended a whisky tasting or master class only to have whisky left over because you have to drive home? The Whisky Connoisseur® Master Class Collector’s Kit is for you. It comes with 12 pharmaceutical-grade glass bottles with leak-proof caps, 12 die-cast bottle medallions (six copper and six bronze), and a self-venting, no-spill funnel for easy filling. Record the whiskies in the Whisky Connoisseur® Sample Ledger Booklet and then savour the whiskies in the comfort of your own home or share samples with a friend later.

UPC 833514000088

CDA – MSRP $59

WHISKY CONNOISSEUR INTERNATIONAL GROUP INC.

http://www.whiskyconnoisseur.ca/

For further information contact: info@whiskyconnoisseur.ca

OUR STORY

Let me introduce ourselves…

We’re Ken and Lou Jaremco, and we’ve been partners in life and business for 40 years. We’ve traveled the world in pursuit of business opportunities and for pleasure, and after decades in the manufacturing business we think we’ve found the perfect retirement project. Best of all, it’s all about whisky: our love of whisky, our friendships with the people we’ve met through whisky, and our desire to save precious drams of whisky form going down the drain.

My first exposure to scotch was J&B in the late ‘70s. I developed a taste for it and decided I should explore other brands, which at that time were limited to blended scotch. One Christmas, Lou bought me a bottle of Chivas Regal – it was as good a gift as a man could ask for. I drank blended scotch for many years and continue to do so as the mood strikes me.

Then, one fall day, our neighbours Michael and Barbara Smith changed our lives forever when Mike introduced me to single malt scotch. This was nearly 20 years after my introduction to blended scotch and I never looked back. Over the years that followed, Mike and I enjoyed hundreds of different single malts and never found a bad one. Some are better than others and some have an acquired taste. There are so many ways to describe them: smoky, peaty, sherry, oaky, hints of citrus, vanilla, spices, chocolate, coffee, honey-flavoured, and so on. At first, these are difficult to detect, but over time taste profiles became easier to identify. Mike shared freely his vast collection of knowledge and spirits in the manner in which it was meant to be shared: unreservedly and without conditions.

In 2004, I joined the West Coast Whisky Society, a club with about 100 members based in Vancouver, BC. It was a new and wonderful experience to share a dram with like-minded friends in an environment where chitchat and precious spirits were abundant. The club presented many a good whisky during tasting events. At first, Lou endured my desire to attend, and—the wonderful wife she is—drove me to and from these events so I could enjoy the whiskies without worrying about keeping under the legal limit. But somewhere along the way, she also developed a fondness for some of the spirits, especially the sherry or port finishes.

This presented a dilemma: who would drive us home? Most of the events were too far for us to take a cab. So Lou would have a tiny sip and the rest went to waste. I can’t count the number of times we had to leave drams on the table because of this. Then, the solution dawned on us: we needed a way to bottle up the extra whisky that we were leaving on the table. Eureka! The Whisky Connoisseur® kit was born. We quickly developed a prototype and found that the more we used the kit, the more uses we found for it. The next step was to try it out on the perfect test market: our fellow whisky club members.

We built a basic kit with collection bottles and some foam inserts shaped to hold our whisky society monogrammed glasses, added a funnel, and presented it to our whisky club members. The response was overwhelming. The first batch of 90 kits sold out within a few months. Word of mouth was infectious. At every meeting I would get bombarded with inquiries. The fun came from hearing the comments from members about what a good idea it was. I especially love hearing the glowing reviews from the customers who continue to bring their kits to society tasting events and practice responsible drinking on a club-wide scale.

Since then, we have painstakingly improved and modified our original design based on feedback from that early prototype, resulting in the Whisky Connoisseur® Travel Kits, which come in Deluxe Leather or stylish Duck Cotton Canvas Fabric cases, the Share-A-Dram Kit, which is ideal for transporting spirits to share with friends, and the Master Class Kit, perfect for when you attend a tasting and don’t want to leave any of the special sips behind.

Each component was built on a central theme of connoisseur quality and how it contributed to the overall feeling when tasting whisky with friends. Every element had to reflect the history of the whisky industry in the old world. It also had to pay homage to the skilled people in the industry: the coopers who make the barrels, the stillmen who craft the spirts, the distillery managers who never lose the vision of pioneers before them, and the global ambassadors who travel the world plying the trade of well-made spirits to the masses.

Our whisky club members were invaluable in providing feedback, most of which focused on responsible drinking, which meant sharing a dram at an event and packing up the majority to sip in the comfort of your home. Many commented that the kits were such a simple idea, yet so useful. Sip. Save. Savour.

The more Lou and I used our kit, the more we found places to take it on our travels. So much so that now we bring two kits, one for Lou and one for myself. Like they say, double your pleasure – double your fun. Our whisky kits are now an integral part of any travel plans we make, and at club tasting events, not a single drop of the precious spirit goes down the drain. Good for the environment, good for the pocket book, good for the conscience and good for the soul.

I have sampled many whiskies, each unique unto themselves. It’s an adventure to be sure: travelling to places around the world, meeting and chatting with folks who also enjoy a good dram, all wrapped in a special spirit called whisky. My friend Mike has since departed, but every dram I raise in his name brings back fond memories of the good times we had. Mike, you’d never believe the adventure we’re on to now. Whisky Travel Kits, who knew?

In the spirit of all the friends we’ve met along the way, and to you, our fellow whisky connoisseurs, Slainte Mhath!

Ken & Lou Jaremco

July 2016

Email:  ken@whiskyconnoisseur.ca

Telephone: 1-778-552-5760

Canada

Crown Royal “Cornerstone Limited Edition” Canadian Whiskey (750ml) $52.99

K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Glenfarclas 1953

This Highland Single Malt is 1 of only 93 bottles drawn from the oldest cask owned by the family-run Glenfarclas distillery, having been distilled in 1953 and matured in a single Spanish oak sherry cask. Presented non chill-filtered and at a natural cask strength of 43.9% abv. The nose offers rich sherry, developing into lovely toffee notes and delicate oak. The palate is warm and spicy with stewed fruits and liquorice aspects, while the finish is incredibly long with toffee apples and cinnamon sticks.

£5,454 Pre-Order Now

Littlemill 25 Year Old

Hailing from the now lost Littlemill distillery on the banks of the River Clyde, this 25 year old Lowlands Single Malt is 1 of only 1500 bottles born from a selection of 10 casks from 1989 and 1990. Hand-picked by Master Blenders, John Peterson and Michael Henry, these represent the quality and style of the distillery which closed in 1994. The liquid has been drawn from American and European oak casks and married together and finished in first fill European Oloroso sherry casks. Unusually for a Lowland malt, the Littlemill distillery used a highland water source as well as peat from Stornoway and Perthshire. Known for its subtle floral, vanilla-rich sweetness, this incredibly rare liquid comes in a beautiful presentation case with a miniature taster and a piece of the cask used for maturation!

£2,250 Buy Now

Black Bull 40 year old released 

The eagerly awaited Black Bull 40 year old special release has been launched. 

Multi-award winning Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky has added this new, exceptionally rare whisky to its distinguished range. Only 1,500 bottles of the limited edition, batch 7, Black Bull 40 year old will be available globally with a retail price of £750 per bottle.

Loyal followers of Black Bull are expecting a whisky which packs a punch following the last batch that was produced in 2011. Whisky experts and enthusiasts poured huge praise on the last production of this blend, which received 94% rating in blind taste tests by industry leaders.

The character of this latest batch has been captured in abundance, blending high quality single malts including Aberlour 1975, Macallan 1969 and Glenlivet 1968. With an ABV of 47.6% this is no ordinary Scotch Whisky.  With a ratio of 86% malt to 14% grain it charts the journey of many a fine whisky from as far back as 1966.

CEO Euan Shand commented: “Black Bull 40 year old is a world class whisky and it has been worth the wait to add it to our portfolio. We are confident that it will take its place amongst the best luxury whiskies available today and cement our position in the market place.”

On the palate, the tasting notes for the new Black Bull 40 year old reveal a style that is rich, beautifully sweet and full bodied in character. Infused with toffee apples, milk chocolate, grapefruit and mango it gives a very smooth and gentle taste with a warm syrupy finish.  A truly indulgent, perfectly balanced whisky, which is a gorgeous amber colour.

Marking a new chapter in the unfolding story of Huntly based Duncan Taylor Scotch Whiskies. The company has ownership of one of the largest privately held collections of rare Scotch whisky casks.  This latest whisky is undoubtedly a must-have for Black Bull enthusiasts.

Due to hit the shelves this week, this limited edition is available from specialist retailers. For more information log onto www.blackbullwhisky.com

NOTES: 

1. Black Bull was first released in 1864 and is blended to the same formula today as it was back then, using a large percentage of quality Speyside and Highland malts, matured in sherry and bourbon casks.
2. Black Bull Scotch Whisky is the main sponsor of the Ecurie Ecosse and McLaren GT racing car.

In the comfort of our summer deck chair we’re enjoying world class flavours – from Danish pastries and lime caipirinha cocktials to tropical mango and pineapple, and tobacco pipes in a beach hut.

Settle in for a journey of the senses!

CASK No. 1.197  JACKPOT!

21 years old; refill hogshead; 57.4%; Juicy, oak & vanilla

The nose combines cinder toffee and honey with perfumes (peach blossom, pear, gooseberry, lemon zest) and oak (carpentry workshops, vanilla and coconut). The palate provides a jackpot of lemon sherbet astringency, sophisticated sweetness (caramel, Manuka, Crunchie bars) and warm spice.

CASK No. 54.38  CONFECTIONERY AND CARPENTERS

8 years old; refill barrel; 62.8%; Young & spritely

White vanilla chocolate, fizzy lemon zest, juicy peaches and wood spice. Tongues tingled with intense heat. White chocolate ice cream with tinned fruit salad and glace cherries. Nutmeg and cinnamon. Fresh summer flowers with pencil shavings and planks of wood.

CASK No. 25.66  BETTE DAVIS DOING D.I.Y.

23 years old; refill hogshead; 57.8%; Spicy & sweet

Zippy fresh hay and root ginger then lemon posset and raspberry-filled sponge cake. Wood glue and warm balsa wood. A fizzy chili smack on the lips. Peaches, cream and white chocolate. She plucked white grapes and sipped lime caipirinha.

CASK No. 85.35  COMPLEX AND FULL OF CHARACTER

9 years old; 1st fill barrel; 60.4%; Juicy, oak & vanilla

The nose is complex – wrinkled apples, mangoes, crème brûlée and currants in a cabinet maker’s workshop – lychees, dried pineapple and incense candles later. The palate is yummilly viscous – fruit syrup on pancakes, juicy sultanas and wine gums, with mild chili tingles.

CASK No. 53.207  COD WRAPPED IN PARMA HAM

20 years old; refill sherry butt; 58.7%; Peated

Sweet peat smoke as well as aromas of singed heather and grilled cod wrapped in Parma ham. The taste is that of sandalwood fragrance and pipe tobacco. Water releases a salty sea breeze and barbecued king prawns. The taste fried honey bananas and grilled pineapple skewers.

CASK No. 3.248  LIKE A HOT COAL IN THE MOUTH

17 years old; refill sherry butt; 57.7%; Peated

The nose balances rich sweetness (figs, sherry, Liquorice Allsorts) with smouldering sticks, nicotine tar, leather and brine. The unreduced palate has intense honeyed peat, tar, ash, sherry, hot coals, burnt wood, treacly ham, salted caramel, smoky bacon and dark chocolate.

SMWS Canada

WORLD TRAVELLERS CAN DISCOVER ISLAND INTENSITY AS JOHNNIE WALKER ISLAND GREEN LAUNCHES IN DUTY FREE

Johnnie Walker introduces first Blended Malt Scotch Whisky exclusive to world travellers 

Diageo GTME, 4th July 2016: Tempted to explore the fascinating world of Single Malt Scotch Whisky, but overwhelmed by choice? Johnnie Walker, the world’s No. 1 Scotch Whisky brand has introduced the perfect solution in an exciting new addition to its world famous portfolio – Johnnie Walker Island Green.

A rare blend of rich single malt whiskies from the four corners of Scotland, Johnnie Walker Island Green provides drinkers with a distinctive flavour experience allowing them to explore the character of these celebrated malts in a signature Johnnie Walker style. A duty free exclusive, Johnnie Walker Island Green is available solely to travellers, adding to its exclusiveness.

Aromas of wood smoke, pepper and spice mingle with layers of orchard fruit, gentle vanilla and sandalwood while the taste experience delivers all the character of a single malt but with greater depth and complexity amplified by the unique Island style.

Showcasing the same blended malt craftsmanship as the critically acclaimed Johnnie Walker Green Label, the exclusive taste of Johnnie Walker Island Green offers a more intense expression with a greater influence of smoky maritime malt whisky. This is balanced with robust fruity Highland malts including Clynelish™, lighter Lowland malts represented by Glenkinchie™ and the characteristically sweet and fragrant Speyside style of Cardhu™.

Jim Beveridge, Johnnie Walker Master Blender, said: “As whisky makers, we’re passionate about flavour. We captured the distinctive style of individual mature malts from the four main whisky regions of Scotland, ensuring Johnnie Walker Island Green offers all the character of a single malt, but with a richer flavour experience.”

Doug Bagley, Managing Director of Diageo Global Travel and Middle East, said: “Johnnie Walker Island Green is the perfect purchase for traditional Johnnie Walker fans or those seeking to explore the world of Scotch malts.

“The blend was recently awarded a ‘Master’ at The Global Scotch Whisky Masters 2016, the highest possible ranking available at this international competition, proving just how special a whisky it is. And, as an exclusive product to travellers which cannot be purchased outside of duty free, this is truly a unique addition to the Johnnie Walker range.”

Best enjoyed neat or on the rocks, global travellers can now discover true island intensity through the taste of Johnnie Walker Island Green.  Pick up a bottle in selected airports now and in duty free stores worldwide from July 2016.

For our global resource that promotes responsible drinking through the sharing of best practice tools, information and initiatives, visit DRINKiQ.com.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

Notes

JOHNNIE WALKER ISLAND GREEN has a RRP of $60

JOHNNIE WALKER ISLAND GREEN has an ABV of 43%

JOHNNIE WALKER ISLAND GREEN is available in 1L bottles

ABOUT JOHNNIE WALKER

About Johnnie Walker

Johnnie Walker is the world’s number one Scotch whisky brand, enjoyed by people in over 180 countries around the world. Since the time of its founder, John Walker, those who blend its whiskies have pursued flavour and quality above all else.

Six generations of skilled Master Blenders have pioneered and crafted bold new flavours that have transformed a small Scottish grocery store business, founded in 1820, into an international whisky business selling stylish, authentic, and iconic blends.

Today’s range of award-winning whiskies includes Johnnie Walker Red Label, Black Label, Double Black, Green Label, Gold Label Reserve, Platinum Label and Blue Label. Together they account for nearly 19 million cases sold annually (IWSR, 2015), making JOHNNIE WALKER the most popular Scotch whisky in the world.

ABOUT DIAGEO

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits, beer and wine categories.  These brands include JOHNNIE WALKER, CROWN ROYAL, J&B, BUCHANAN’S, WINDSOR, SMIRNOFF, CÎROC, CAPTAIN MORGAN, BAILEYS, DON JULIO, TANQUERAY

Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB, Buchanan’s and Windsor whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is a global company, and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world.  The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO).  For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com/.

Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.

Armorik French Single Malt Whiskies

When was the last time you had the pleasure of trying a French Single Malt? That’s right, not Scotch, American, or Japanese single malt; but French Single Malt! These are a couple super-cool bottles of whisky to further diversify one’s collection, and please one’s palate. The Double Maturation is malty and dry, with orchard fruit and salty caramel undertones. The Sherry Cask is big and warming, with noticeable peat and sherry influence and a big long finish. Both have all natural color and are non-chill filtered. These are some super-cool whiskies.

1997 Glen Garioch 15 Year Old “K&L Exclusive” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ( $89.99) Let me bring you back to March of 2013; back when whisky kids could still be kids. David OG and I drove to Glen Garioch to meet Rachel Barrie. We picked out a delicious 15 year old cask from the Morrison-Bowmore stocks. We toasted to a successful journey, placed our order, and left with a smile. Then a funny thing happened in between the time our cask was bottled and the time our cask was due to be received: Suntory and Beam merged, Campari (who was acting as an importer to the U.S. for Suntory) was given the boot, and all hell broke loose. We never got our cask. We never knew what happened to it. After a few years went by, we kinda just forgot about it. Three years later the cask has been found and finally delivered to K&L, more importantly for the same price we were quoted back in 2013. The whisky explodes on the palate with sweet grains, rich vanilla, malted barley, and stonefruit. You get spiced apples and notes of butterscotch as well. They still couldn’t get the peat out of the distillery even after halting peated whisky production in 1994 as there’s just a smidge of smoke on the finish. Distillery-direct casks from Scotland have become almost extinct at this point, making this selection that much more special. It took three years to get it here, but it was worth the wait. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)

K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA