There are just 9 shopping days until Christmas. Where has the time gone? It’s been a busy couple of months with our festivals and tastings in November and Whisky Advent this month. We are posting each day’s whiskies on our Store Blog: And we are also posting on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. If you are tasting along with us this year we invite you to interact with us.
This Malt Messenger highlights three new(ish) exclusive single casks of whisky, selected by and bottled for KWM. We’ve had our BenRiach 1996 KWM Cask 189 and Glendronach 2003 Virgin Oak Finish 1750 for a month, so they may be old news to some of you. New this week at KMW is a Berry’s Miltonduff 1995 also selected by and bottled exclusively for our store. This whisky is a bit serendipitous as we were never looking for it. We know you’re going to love it.
Our December Wine Times News Letter is released, and our Winter 2015 tasting schedule is now online. More on that below as well as the great range of whisky and spirits tastings this winter. You’ll also find our annual Malt Messenger Christmas Gift Guide below. We have recommendations for every budget.
I hope this Malt Messenger Bulletin finds you well and we wish you and yours all the best this holiday season!
Slainté, and Merry Christmas!
Andrew Ferguson
Kensington Wine Market
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
Introducing our New Berry’s Miltonduff 1995 KWM Cask
Less than 200 bottles of this very tropical new malt…
This cask came about serendipitously while analyzing casks for a corporate client. Bottled at
About Miltonduff Distillery: (Courtesy of Berry Brothers & Rudd): Miltonduff distillery was built to the south of Elgin in 1824 in the Glen of Pluscarden, a short distance from the eponymous Abbey ruins. In 1964 two Lomond stills were added producing a different of whisky which was known as Mostowie
Berry’s Miltonduff 1995 KWM Cask – 55% – Refill Bourbon Barrel – 174 Bottles – My Tasting Note: “Nose: beeswax and pineapple wedges, hintes of cedar and pine; Madagascar vanilla, canteloupes and not quite fully ripened mangos; decadent, fruity and floral with a hint of white pepper; Palate: frim but delicate and layered, very fruity and creamy; floral and sweet with loads of Madagascar vanilla and floral malt; more hot white pepper, oily oaky tones and fruits, loads of fruits: more mangos, canteloupes, mushy banana with juicy malt; Finish: decadent, layered and complex, lots of sugars, fading fruits and spices; Comment: it has been 5-6 months since I requested this cask and I forgot how good it is… dangerously drinkable! – $169.99+GST
Order the Berry’s Miltonduff 1995 KWM Cask $170+GST
Introducing our BenRiach 1996 KWM Cask 189
A big bold new Amercian oak matured BenRiach… exclusive to KWM!
We take great pride in selecting single casks to be bottled for our store, and this one is no exception. Our 5th exclusive cask of BenRiach it was distilled in 1996 and bottled this year at 54.8% after 19 years in a Bourbon Barrel. Only 189 bottles exclusively available from KWM! There is
BenRiach 1996 KWM Cask 189 – 54.8% – Bourbon Barrel – 189 Bottles – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: creamy, toasty and very honeyed with bright citrus notes of lemon and orange; marzipan and melons, hot spices and barley sugars; thick and oily, though not enough to overshadow its more delicate nuances; Palate: bright citrus notes burst on the tongue with melons, creamed honey, toasted oak and wildflowers on a hot spring day; the decadence of the barley and oak is still there with the heat of hot spices: white pepper, cinnamon hearts and candied ginger; Finish: long, juicy and coating with more creamy, coating sugars, spices and citrus fruits; Comment: Bourbon meets Malt in this exceptional chewy Speyside dram. – $219.99
Order the BenRiach 1996 KWM Cask 189 $219.99+GST
Glendronach 2003 KWM Virgin Oak Cask 1750
A new twist on Glendronach…
We sell more Glendronach in our shop by a factor of two or three than our next best selling whisky, and it is no wonder why the whiskies are excellent quality and good value. The prices have been creeping up on Glendronach in recent years, but we still find them great deals. The virgin oak finished Glendronach is the 6th cask we have bottled from the distillery since the BenRiach Distillery Co. took it over in 2007. This is not your typical Glendronach, the virgin oak has given it a silkyness. We know you are going to love it… drop in for a sample!
Glendronach 2003 KWM Virgin Oak Cask 1750 – 54.5% – 12 Year – Sherry Matured Virgin Oak Finish – 228 Bottles (more than half sold) – My Tasting Note: Nose: cola cubes and coconut icing start things off, with Dulce de Leche, silky caramel and Demerara sugars; the is orange, melon and chocolate strawberries there too; Palate: silky and warming with building spices, more Dulce de Leche, Highland Tablet, Demerara sugars and eventually the soft caramel; more cola cubes, chocolate strawberries and orange rind; the melons and more exotic tropical fruits are there but buried by the weight of the sherry and virgin oak notes; Finish: long, coating, creamy, fruity and decadent with sugars, spice and everything nice; Comment: this is not your typical Glendronach, while the sherry notes are there the virgin oak has lent a wonderful silkiness to the nose and palate; if you are looking for a sherry monster, keep looking, if you’re looking for a slightly different twist on Glendronach, look no further! – $139.99+GST
Order the Glendronach 2003 KWM Virgin Oak Cask 1750 – $140+GST
And our Winter 2016 Tasting Schedule…
We’ve had to reinvent the wheel a little this winter, and on short notice too. Seems we, as with many other Alberta liquor stores, not correctly interpreting the rules governing tastings. Our Burns Supper for example has had to be turned into a Free in store tasting… disappointing, but I’m sure you can all live with that! Our Winter 2016 Tasting Schedule which is now online and open for registration!
Kensington Wine Market 2016 Winter Whisky Tastings
1. MS Calgary Whisky Festival – Heading into its 5th year the 2016 MS Calgary Whisky Festival is slated to be the biggest and best yet with a variety of ticket packages and over 200 whiskies. Tickets are available through: www.calgarywhiskyfestival.com . Art Commons, 205 8 Ave SE. – $99
2. Classic Single Malts – This is our “classic” introduction to the world of single malt Scotch whisky. You’ll discover a little history, how it’s made and sample six distinct styles. Fri Jan 15 – $40
3. Gin Glorious Gin – Is gin your secret weakness? Don’t worry you aren’t alone! Gin is going through a “Ginnaissance” on an international scale. Join us for a taste test of the best. Tue Jan 19 – $25
4. Great Grains – We’ll sample a wide range of grain whiskies, some of them very old to see what all the fuss is about in this fast growing category. – $60
5. Scots Wha Hae! – Arran Cask Release – Caledonians lament! On the cusp of our 10th Anniversary Burns Supper the
event tragically has to change. I wonder if the Bard would be aghast to learn that bureaucrats have gotten in the way of a night of whisky, song and friendship. In compliance with AGLC regulations we have had to take the supper out of the Burns Supper. Robbie might be turning in his grave, but perhaps it will put him at ease to know we can still serve the whisky! The one not so insignificant change in detail, which Burns would almost certainly approve of, is that the event is now free. Join our special guest Miss Louisa Young of the Isle of Arran Distillery for a toast to Robert Burns and the launch of two new KWM casks. Mon Jan 25 – $FREE
6. Glendronach Batch 12 Tasting – We’ll sample the full range of Batch 12 whiskies up to and including the 1972, 11 – 43 years of age! – $200
7. Classic Cocktails: Gin – Join us for a deconstruction of gin based cocktails. We’ll teach you the basics of the spirit and how to make some flashy gin based drinks to impress your friends. Tue Feb 16 – $15
8. Closed Distilleries of Scotland – The whiskies are getting older, rarer and more expensive with every passing year. We’re not saying this is the last hurrah… just that as time runs out supplies dwindle and prices goes up. Thr Feb 18 – $200
9. Rare Malts – Only the rarest whiskies, those 20+ years of age, those from closed distilleries and/or the exceptionally rare qualify for this tasting. Thr Feb 25 – $80
10. Speyside Whisky Festival – Most of Scotland’s distilleries are found in the watershed of the River Spey. This whisky festival will highlight these drams and the distilleries they come from. Thr Mar 10 – $50
11. Asian Whisky Icons – We’ll highlight some world renowned whiskies from Japan, Taiwan and India and try to taste what all the fuss is about. Thr Mar 17 – $60
12. Master Malt – We pull out all the stops featuring whiskies that are very old, very rare and very pricey. This is a tasting that will never be repeated again. – $130
13. Classic Cocktails: Whisky – Join us for a deconstruction of whisky based cocktails. We’ll teach you the basics of the spirit and how to make some classic whisky cocktails to impress your most sophisticated friends. Thr Mar 29 – $25
14. Classic Malts – This is our “classic” introduction to the world of single malt Scotch whisky. You’ll discover a little history, how it’s made and sample six distinct styles. Fri Apr 1 – $40
Drop in, call us 403-283-8000 or register online!
KWM 2015 Christmas Gift Guide
Great gifts at all price points…
Kensington has one of if not the best whisky selection in Canada. To help you wade through the all the whiskies on our shelf and website we’ve distilled things down to some of our top pics.
Books Glasses and Other Accessories
1. Ardbeg 10 Year 50ml – Minis of one of Islay’s most beloved whiskies. – $8.49
2. Glencairn Glass – Easily “the” whisky glass, every whisky drinker needs one or better yet a set of these durable and elegant glasses. – $15.99
3. Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert by Davin de Kergommeaux – Paper back study on Canadian whisky by the world’s leading authority! – $23.99
4. Whisky: The Manual by Dave Broom – A great book about enjoying whisky, covering all styles and debunking some whisky myths. – $24.99
5. Malt Whisky Yearbook 2016 – Our favourite annual tome on whisky. – $33.99
6. Glenfarclas an Independent Distillery – The history of one of Scotland’s oldest family owned distilleries. – $49.99
7. World Atlas of Whisky by Dave Broom – Explores more than 200 distilleries and 400 expressions. – $49.99
8. Glencairn Cut Crystal Glass – A weightier and more beautiful cut crystal version of the world’s most popular whisky glass. – $49.99
9. Glencairn 2 Glass Gift Box – Two of the best whisky glass in the world in a beautiful gift box. – $54.99
10. Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom by Alfred Barnard – One of the most important books on distilleries in Scotland, and Ireland, written in the late 1800s. – $64.99
Gift Packs
1. Tomatin Gift Pack – 3x50ml – 12 Year, 15 Year & 18 Year – $24.99
2. Auchentoshan Classic Gift Pack – 3x50ml – American Oak, 12 Year & Three Wood – $25.99
3. Bowmore Collection – 3x50ml – 12 Year, 15 Year & 18 Year – $25.99
4. Bowmore 3x200ml Gift Pack – 12 Year, 15 Year & 18 Year – $64.99
5. Bruichladdich Wee Laddie Pack – 3x200ml – Laddie Classic, Islay Barley & Port Charlotte Scottish Barley – $74.99
6. Wee Whisky Gift Box – 7x50ml assorted premium whiskies, a great cross section of single malts and a Glencarin glass. Produced in shop here at KWM! – $79.99
7. Benromach 10 Year with 2 Glasses – 2x Glencairn & Benromach 10 Year – $82.99
8. Benromach Tri-Pack – 3x50ml – Organic, Peat Smoke & 10 Year – $92.99
9. Glenmorangie 18 Year Golf Kit – Glenmorangie 18 in Golf Theme w/ 2 Glasses – $137.99
10. Tomatin Contrast – Two multi-vintage whiskies one American Oak one European Oak to compare and contrast! – $204.99
11. Scotch Malt Whisky Society Membership – So much more than a gift pack, it is the portal into the World’s Largest Whisky Club! – $220
Under $75
1. Forty Creek Confederation Oak – A perenial favourite Canadian whisky in our shop, creamy and spicy! – $65.99
2. Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt – A tropically fruity beast of a whisky, that is one of the best value buys in store! – $66.99
3. Benrheim Kentucky Wheat KWM Cask – Our exclusive cask of wheat whisky from Kentucky, think of it as Bourbon-light! – $69.99
4. Teeling Single Malt – A very well priced Irish single malt, from one of our favourite producers. – $69.99
5. Glenrothes Sherry Cask Reserve – One of our best selling whiskies and an Alberta exclusive, it is heavily sherried but elegant. – $74.99
Under $100
1. Glendronach 12 Year – A great entry level sherried whisky from our best selling distillery! – $75.99
2. Kilchoman Machir Bay – Big, creamy and peaty with lots of citrus, an amazing malt for it’s age! – $75.99
3. Arran 14 Year – Excellent value and great depth for a whisky of it’s age! – $79.99
4. EH Taylor Small Batch – We only see this Bourbon once a year, and we only get a tiny amount! – $94.99
5. G&M Connoisseurs Choice Caol Ila 2003 – A great smoky independent bottling at 46% from Islay’s most consistent distillery! – $99.99
Under $125
1. Hibiki Harmony – The first Suntory whisky in Canada in about 3 years has been a hit, A light but layered Japanese Blended Whisky. $105.99
2. G&M Glenturret 2000 – A sleeper hit this malt is a sherry bomb, and exclusive in Canada to KWM! – $109.99
3. Cadenhead Glengoyne 2001 – You don’t see too many independent bottlings of Glengoyne, but this one is a gem! – $109.99
4. Glenmorangie Companta – Yes, it is back and exclusive to KWM this time… One final flourish before it disappears forever! – $114.99
5. Amrut Bangalor Tiger Canadian Single Cask – Bottled exclusively for Canada this sherry forward Amrut blew us away! – $115.99
Under $150
1. Bruichladdich Octomore 7.1 – One of the most heavily peated whiskies in Scotland, this edition produced from Islay barley. $129.99
2. Kilchoman 2010 KWM Cask 440 – Our 4th exclusive single cask from Kilchoman is more classically Islay than the last one with a brash smoky style. – $139.99
3. Glendronach 2003 KWM Virgin Oak Cask 1750 – Our 6th cask of Glendronach is sherried like all the others, with a lovely silky backbone! – $139.99
4. Balblair 1999 – We weren’t sure what to expect from this one until it showed up in shop. Lots of candied fruit and malt! – $144.99
5. Cadenhead BenRich 1996 – Cadenhead Small Batch whiskies never seem to disappoint but this one was a real surprise, fruity and delicate! – $149.99
Under $250
1. Creative Whisky Company Glenturret 1994 – Talk about not seeing this one coming, the Clynelish was a hit and disappeared immediately. This one is just as good and a great price for a 21 year. – $159.99
2. G&M Glenrothes 1997 Quaich Cask – A lovely single cask bottled for a Calgary whisky club, this one will make you rethink Glenrothes! – $184.99
3. Ardbeg Supernova 2014 – Another surprise return, some other Province’s government didn’t want it… so it is all coming to KWM! – $194.99
4. First Editions Glen Garioch 1990 – A big bold whisky from Old Meldrum, lightly peated and sherry cask. A KWM Calgary exclusive. – $204.99
5. MacKinlay’s the Journey – The second edition of the very popular Shackelton range is back in stock. – $204.99
Under $500
1. Macallan 1824 Ruby – Rumour has it this whisky has been too popular, it might start getting rare. It is easily our favourite in the new range. – $269.999
2. Signatory Mortlach 1990 – Great buy for its age and strength, a quarter the price of the distillery bottling. – $289.99
3. Signatory Bruichladdich 1990 – Older Bruichladdichs are getting increasingly rare and hard to come by. Signatory seems to have found a vein with a few good older ones. – $319.99
4. Cadenhead Royal Brackla 1984 – Very floral, creamy and rich. You don’t see many older bottlings of Royal Brackla, let alone at 30 years and cask strength. – $434.99
5. Cadenhead Teaninich 1983 – Another rarity, this old Teaninich, which is a malt used almost exclusively for blends. – $439.99
Under $1000
1. G&M Rosebank 1991 – This was a hit at our tasting with Richard Urquhart a month ago. Rosebank bottlings are increasingly rare, and this one is lovely! – $649.99
2. Bowmore 23 Year Port Matured – Port finishes can be tricky, this Port Matured bottling is a winner and a really unique one off! – $659.99
3. Glenfarclas 1985 Family Cask – We sampled this recently and were blown away. Family Cask bottlings are getting more rare and expensive with every passing year. – $699.99
4. BenRiach 35 Year – One of a number of releases put our in BenRiach’s 10th year as an independent firm, and this is a gem with a lovely sherried component. Less than a dozen bottles in Alberta! – $909.99
5. Glenfarclas 1976 Family Cask – Another in Glenfarclas Family Cask line, know anyone born in 1976? Better to grab it now before the price goes up! – $999.99
Under $5000
1. Benromach 1976 – Pre-closure (1983) Benromach is getting rare, expensive and hard to come by. Fortunately the quality is holding up its end of the bargain! – $1099.99
2. G&M Glenlochy 1979 – Only the second Glenlochy we’ve ever had in store, very light, delicate and tropical. Glenlochy is one of the most seldom seen closed distilleries being bottled these days. – $1149.99
3. Glenfarclas 1966 Fino – The first in a range of six family cask bottlings, one for each of the Johns and Georges to own the distillery. – $1649.99
4. Blackadder Glen Esk 1983 30 Year – Even rarer still than the Glenlochy is Glen Esk and this one from Blackadder is a big sherried malt exclusive to KWM. – $1919.99
5. Bunnahabhain 40 Year – A beautiful malt and one of the highlights of our fall tasting schedule. We may just have the last bottle coming to Alberta! – $2899.99
Sky’s the Limit
1. G&M Glen Grant 1952 60 Year Diamond Jubilee – Only 2 bottles of this rare gem have come to Alberta, out of just 85 produced. Launched to commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s 60th year as monarch, it is a 60 year old Glen Grant filled into cask days before her coronation. – $13,999.99
* Please note in the event of a discrepancy in price the point of sale at Kensington Wine Market will be taken as correct.
**Inventory is available on a first come first serve basis.
MS Calgary Whisky Festival Tickets Now On Sale
Get em while their hot…
Tickets are now on sale for the 5th Annual MS Calgary Whisky Festival. The event takes place at the Arts Commons (formerly Epcor Center) in the foyer of the Jack Singer Concert Hall on Thursday January 14, 2016. Last year’s event was a sell out with 500 tickets sold and excellent feedback from suppliers and participants alike. This year’s event is expected to grow to 600 participants, where we will be capping it moving forward. It is very important that we continue to offer the best possible quality of experience for our guests.
This 2016 event is expected to feature more than 200 whiskies from more than 70 distilleries around the world, mostly Scotland. Like the last two years events there will be three Master Classes (details to be announced in December) held during the evening as well as an early entry VIP Master Class with Dan Volway which will feature the full Highland Park Valhalla range: Thor, Loki, Freya and Odin. Participants with the VIP Master Class ticket will also get an extra 50 minutes in the festival room, after the tasting, before the rest of the participants arrive. As the VIP Master Class is limited to 40 participants we have also opened 60 VIP Early Admission Tickets which will give participants a full hour before the rest of the participants arrive. General admission will begin at 6:30PM and the event will run through 9:30PM. Tickets are now on sale on the www.calgarywhiskyfestival.com website, with the following available:
1. 40x VIP Ticket with Highland Park Valhalla Masterclass – $150 (Master Class Starts at 5PM and will run for 40min)
2. 60X VIP Ticket with 5:30 Entry – $125
3. 475x General Admission Ticket – $99
Three 40 minute Master Classes running from 6:00-9:30PM will be announced in early December!
Tickets are available exclusively through www.calgarywhiskyfestival.com.
OUR EXCLUSIVE NEW KILCHOMAN SINGLE CASK
The best new peaty whisky in the shop…
In the 10 years since the distillery opened Kilchoman has made quite a name for itself. The distillery’s nearly flawless spirit and rigorous oak policy have ensured that their young whiskies can compete with the best in the world. Our previous three casks of whisky from this maverick Islay Distillery were all big hits and our 4th has just arrived. Distilled in 2010 and matured in an American Ex-Bourbon Barrel at 5 years of age it is another cracker! Only 221 hand numbered bottles are available at a cask strength of 60.4%.
Kilchoman 2010 KWM Bourbon Cask 440– 60.4% – 5 Year – ExBourbon Barrel – My Tasting Note: “Nose: fresh with big notes of marzipan, orange pith, toasty oak and sea salt caramel; underneath briny coastal notes begin mingling with tar and earthy smoke begin to develop; the are soft fruits too, Asian pear, honey dew melon and mango salsa; Palate: juicy, smoky and fruity there is immediately a lot going on: chewy malt, barley sugars; sea salt caramel, candied salmon and building earthy peat and dark spices; more Asian pear, mango salsa and a touch of melon, bright orange notes all atop a creamy base; the smoke is clean and firm but soft; sticky soft Panda brand licorice comes to the fore; Finish: refreshing, almost minty, with fading fruits, sugars, malt and smoke maritime flourishes; Comment: if you love peat, you are going to adore this one! – $140
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, 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
Manager & Scotchguy
Kensington Wine Market
403-283-8000
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
www.kensingtonwinemarket.com
Owner & Opperator
Ferguson’s Whisky Tours
www.fergusonwhiskytours.com
scotchguide@fergusonwhiskytours.com
Kensington Wine Market
403-283-8000
