THE HOUSE OF SUNTORY WHISKY PROUDLY INTRODUCES A NEW EXPRESSION FROM THE CELEBRATED HIBIKI RANGE:

HIBIKI^® JAPANESE HARMONY^™

Deerfield, IL (August,  2015) – Hibiki^® Japanese Harmony™ encapsulates the harmony that exists between Japanese nature and people. Inspired by the riches and subtleties of Japan’s 24 seasons of the traditional Japanese lunar calendar and mastered by Suntory’s Art of Blending, Hibiki Japanese Harmony is a meticulous blend of the finest select whiskies from the House of Suntory Whisky. It is a symphony of at least 10 malt and grain whiskies, aged in five different types of casks, from Suntory’s Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita distilleries. This delicate blend creates a oneness unfolding a full orchestra of flavors and aromas.

The Suntory Whisky blending team is led by third-generation Master Blender and great-grandson of the founder, Shingo Torii, and fourth Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo.

“In philosophy and making, Hibiki Japanese Harmony is the new dawn of Hibiki, optimizing the same key malt and grain whiskies from the original Hibiki blend. I envisioned a luminous harmony of flavors and aromas.

A pure and simultaneously complex harmony that was at the core of every Hibiki blend.”

Chief Blender Shinji Fukuyo

Hibiki Japanese Harmony is heralded as the foundation of the Hibiki range, leveraging the same key malt and grain whiskies from the original Hibiki blend, Hibiki 17 Years and Hibiki 21 Years. American White Oak malt whiskies create a solid base. The rare Mizunara (Japanese oak) and sherry cask malt whiskies are the dressing. The smoky malt whiskies enact as subtle accents to create depth and further complexity. Grain whiskies from Suntory’s Chita distillery act as the “dashi,” or broth, to complete the personality of the malt whiskies and enhance their overall harmony.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony is extremely versatile. Whether enjoyed neat, on the rocks, blended with water or mixed as a cocktail, the harmony of this blend remains complete. It is a delicately balanced, smooth and subtly sweet blended whisky that enhances any dining experience. We recommend it be enjoyed with a hand-carved ice ball for the ultimate Japanese whisky experience.

Hibiki is embraced as the paragon of the Art of Japanese Whisky. It is not only Japan’s most highly awarded blended whisky, but also among the most prestigious and honored whiskies in the world.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony is the perfect introduction to the award winning Hibiki portfolio from the House of Suntory Whisky.

Hibiki Japanese Harmony is packaged in a glass decanter bottle cut in 24 facets, which represents the 24 hours in a day and the 24 seasons of the traditional Japanese lunar calendar, portraying Hibiki’s maturation over a long period of time throughout our four seasons.

TASTING NOTES: HIBIKI JAPANESE HARMONY – 43% ABV

Luminous. Delicate. A transparency that unveils complexity.

Color: Amber

Nose: Rose, lychee, hint of rosemary, mature woodiness, sandalwood

Palate: Honey-like sweetness, candied orange peel, white chocolate

Finish: Subtle, tender long finish, with hint of Mizunara (Japanese oak)

About Beam Suntory Inc.

As the world’s third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits Brands that Stir the World.  Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon brands and Suntory whisky Kakubin, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek bourbon, Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher’s, Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Sauza tequila, Pinnacle vodka, and Midori liqueur.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and commitment to Growing for Good.  Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan.  For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com

Quietly flying under the radar, continuing to produce more impressive malts with each release, is the island distillery of Arran; one of Scotland’s more modern distilleries, built in 1993 before the boom. There are precious few producers left who will let K&L purchase directly from their live inventory, and even fewer who will quote us a more moderate price for such treasures. To get a fifteen year old, cask strength, sherry hogshead in this market is like asking for the moon. To get it distillery-direct for $129.99 is a no-brainer. This whisky, to me, represents the perfect marriage of malted barley and sweet sherry. Both elements are in complete balance, yin and yang, constituting an equal 50/50 of the flavor profile. There’s a huge note of sweet malted vanilla, but it gives way at the back to fruitier notes of Oloroso goodness. At 56.8% ABV, the heat is dialed up, adding an extra blast to all that intensity. As long as Arran keeps letting us in the door, we’ll keep knocking. This is textbook Scotch.

2000 Arran 15 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($129.99)

We’ve grown awfully fond of the little-distillery-that-could on Scotland’s Isle of Arran. Every time we make a visit and search for a new cask, we seem to find just the right barrel to bring back home. We’re batting 1.000 with their sherry-matured inventory, and this new hogshead cask is quite possibly the grand slam of finds. It’s not a sherry bomb by any means, as it beautifully meanders from stonefruit and creamy malt into elements of cakebread and spice, but then back to the soft vanilla of the malt again. At 56.8%, it’s a powerful dram, but one that can handle water like an Olympic swimmer. In the whisky boom era, finding distilleries that can directly sell us casks of the highest quality (that aren’t obvious leftovers from the recent batch), from their very best stocks is not easy. Most distilleries that still offer cask programs have increased their pricing by 25-40% over the last year. But Arran keeps on chugging away, fully showing us that they’re a distillery and a relationship worth investing in. This latest 15 year old sherry cask is all the proof you need.

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 11, 2015
Arran just continues to quietly pump out some of the best single malt in Scotland, under the radar and without much pomp or circumstance. This 15 year old sherry hogshead beautifully balances the malty core of great single malt whisky with the lovely accents of sweet Oloroso sherry. A real winner in a market with fewer and fewer values.

Ryan Woodhouse | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 10, 2015
We are super lucky here at K&L…we get to taste / drink a ton of great booze. We sip Port Ellen 30, single casks of Glenfarclas from the ’60s and Johnnie’s George V…but if I’m completely honest with you, several of the most impressive bottles I have tasted in my time at K&L have come from Arran. I don’t know what it is about these whiskies but they just resonates with me. They seem to have such great concentration of flavor, richness, texture and length. The malts have freshness, spicy, honeyed yellow fruits, toasted grains, lovely sherry derived cake spices and rancio tones. It’s rich, supple and satisfying but also refined and graceful. Pretty magic stuff at any price point, and at this price…crazy good. If you’ve skipped over Arran before for its more famous Islay neighbors, you should really give this a try.

Jeffrey Jones | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 08, 2015
It is always a treat to taste a single malt from Arran. This Arran 15 has expressive aromas that offer malty floral notes with a hint of salt.It opens up with some water offering a nice round malt with a balanced sherry influence. It is pretty, easy to drink and very good.

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

News release from The Shetland Distillery Company  

First ever whisky from Shetland Islands goes on sale

A unique and exclusive series of whiskies from the country’s most northerly distillery has been launched.

Until now, Shetland has been the only part of Scotland never to have produced a legal single malt Scotch whisky.

But (Bottled in Shetland) Shetland Reel Single Malt Scotch Whisky marks a new chapter in the history and geography of the multi-billion pound Scotch whisky industry.

Four different cask strength whiskies, distilled in Portsoy but bottled in Unst by the Shetland Distillery Company, have gone on sale.

Stuart Nickerson, director of The Shetland Distillery Company, said: “This a hugely exciting development for us and for Scotch whisky.

“It literally puts Shetland on the map as far as whisky production is concerned – and for the first time.”

“These four casks represent a start to whisky production in Shetland and we have plans to introduce more ‘Bottled in Shetland’ Scotch whiskies, with the long term plan being to install our own distillery and start distilling Scotch whisky on Unst.”

The casks of whisky were distilled and matured on the mainland of Scotland and then shipped from Aberdeen to Lerwick on the overnight ferry. They were then transported via another two ferries and across the island of Yell before reaching their final destination in the far north of Unst.

Only after a suitable period of resting were they bottled as the first ever “Bottled in Shetland” single malt Scotch whisky.

All of the casks emptied were octaves (50L capacity). Two of them were refill Scotch whisky casks and two were German virgin oak casks.

Twenty-one bottles have been produced of a peated whisky from one of the German oak casks. This has a price of £130 per bottle.

The remaining 151 bottles from the other three casks are on sale at £100 per bottle.

The whiskies are non-chill filtered, bottled at cask strength, and no colouring has been added.

The whiskies will go on sale on 1st September 2015 but further information can be sought by emailing whisky@shetlandreelgin.com and pre-ordering will also be available at the same email address.

Mr Nickerson has a 35-year pedigree in the Scotch malt whisky industry, having managed several distilleries and revived Glenglassaugh Distillery before selling it to the BenRiach Group.

He and his wife Wilma own The Shetland Distillery Company along with Frank and Debbie Strang, owners of the Saxa Vord Resort in the beautiful island of Unst.

Be Inspired

As we were inspired by you..

For years, customers have come into our shop and stared in wonder at our huge array of whiskies. ‘Can we help you?’ we ask politely.. to be answered with a sheepish smile and.. ‘I’m just looking for inspiration..’

Well, now you need look no further than the latest private bottling by Drambusters. We had this cask filled at Tullibardine Distillery in June 2006 and have left it quietly sleeping there for the last 9 years – taking a bottle from it every year and carefully tasting and contemplating its progression as it matured.

The cask was a first-fill sherry hogshead, and it has been a cracker – imparting a deep dark molten chocolate colour to the whisky almost from the beginning. With the ripening fruit, spice and nutty flavours getting more pronounced with each year, we took the decision to bottle at 9 years old while the spirit balances beautifully with the cask influence. A truly magical dram – silky smooth and delightful mouth feel with an explosion of fruitcake, citrus and chocolate, spice and toasted nutiness bouncing over the palate. But don’t just take our word for it.. with only 318 bottles drawn from the cask it won’t be around for long!

£50*

*If you’re a ‘Drambuster’ having paid your 2015 membership fee, you’ll get £8 off this delicious whisky but you’ll need to call us on +44 (0)1387 256 601 to take advantage of this offer.

We’re in the dog days of summer and we have some hot little numbers in the August Outturn including treats from a closed distillery and Japan!

Enjoy the brief bottle notes below and visit http://www.smws.ca/ for the full tasting notes:

Cask No. 25.65  The whispered kiss 

22 years old; refill barrel; 50%; Light & delicate

A whispered kiss from a ghost. Delicate peach skins and apple blossom. Honey glaze on dainty cinnamon pastries. Musky perfume departments. Rose petals in a warehouse. Childhood memories evoked by tinned peaches, talcum powder, citronella candle.  A gentle earthy warmth hovered while silky fruit syrup lingered.

Cask No. 44.56  Sweet and sour creative tension

23 years old; refill hogshead; 51.8%; Juicy, oak & vanilla

The nose bursts with honey and vanilla – also barbecued ribs, lemon, wood-sap, grass, leather-bound books and sweet pipe tobacco. The palate intertwines chocolate muffins, crème brûlée, and toffee with stewed fruits, Haribo sours, orange and blueberry; all framed in pleasant wood.

Cask No. 35.119  An Alice in Wonderland dram

16 years old; 1st fill barrel; 57.7%; Spicy & sweet

An explosion of camphor, mint candies and golden syrup.  A crazy teaparty of ham baked in Coke, gingerbreads and then biscotti, macadamia, orange water and buttermilk icing. The panel were exhausted there was so much going on – had they fallen down the rabbit hole?

Cask No. 120.7  Sweet, fragrant and satisfying

14 years old; 1st fill bota corta; 55.5%; Deep, rich & dried fruits

The nose carries fragrant blossom and Pedro Ximenez as well as sweet rolling tobacco.  Espresso with lots of brown sugar was replaced by coffee cream dark chocolates.  To taste, we found kirsch cocktails with burnt orange skin, caraway seeds and teriyaki glaze.  “It has everything!”

Cask No. 23.73  The Vital Spark’s engine room

11 years old; refill barrel; 61.5%; Oily & coastal

A dry beach, then light medicinal scents and salt-water taffy; becomes more smoky with water. A sweet and salty taste with a whiff of smoke.

Cask No. 66.38  An Oriental barbecue

8 years old; refill barrel; 59.2%; Lightly peated

Crispy bacon, maple syrup and charred coal to begin with, then a soldering iron in the ‘everything else’ drawer.  The palate has teriyaki beef, black bean sauce and barbecue smoke.  Aniseed and lemon meringue pie when reduced and subdued sweet smoke.

http://www.smws.ca/

WHISKY Michel Couvreur – Burgundy

Hand-crafted boutique whisky company that sources its raw whiskies from various distilleries in Scotland, then ages them in sherry casks in their Burgundian underground cellars. Yearly production is about 50,000 allocated bottles.

Of Belgium origin, the Burgundian wine merchant, Michel Couvreur, arrived in Scotland in 1964. He got involved in the Scotch business and became known for selecting the most ancient strains of cereals and using extremely rare sherry casks for aging. In the 70’s, Michel Couvreur returned to Burgundy where he matures his Scotches in rare Pedro Ximenez and/or Palomino casks to craft exceptional whiskies.

• The Unique | Grain whisky • +503730 • [W] $71.51 – [R] $82.29
• Intravaganz’a | Clearach • +84434 • [W] $88.58 – [R] $100.99
• Overaged Malt | Best European whisky 2013 • +209007 • [W] $98.58 – [R] $111.99
• Pale Single Single | Floral and salty • +514620 • [W] $128 – [R] $143.99
• Candid | Lightly peated and sweet • +775080 • [W] $ 137 – [R] 154.99
• Blossoming Auld Sherried | Elegance and strength • +656074 • Sold out

WHISKY Guillon – Champagne

Founded in 1997 in the Champagne region of France, Guillon Distillery offers a range of single malt whiskies matured in various cask types  selected from famous French vineyards. The barley is sourced locally from a Champagne cooperative. During the fermentation process, Guillon uses champagne yeast (saccharomyces bayanus), which give a more regional character to their products. Double distilled, all the whiskies are then aged for a minimum of five years in white Burgundy barrels before being finished in various barrels for various length of time. All the barrels are stored outside the distillery in a dry shipping container allowing temperature variations throughout the year.  Guillon is the official supplier of L’Élysée  (the Residence of the President of France).

• Guillon 46 (Maury wine barrel finish) • +643239 • [W] $86.61 – [R] $98.79
• Guillon Sauternes wine barrel finish • + 491266 • [W] $108.36 – [R] $122.69
• Guillon Côteau du Layon wine barrel finish • +473447 • [W] $108.36 – [R] $122.69
• Guillon Banyuls wine barrel finish • +624007 • [W] $108.36 – [R] $122.69
• Guillon Puligny Montrachet wine barrel finish • +565101 • [W] $112 – [R] $126.69
• Guillon  Mixed Pack (2x N°46; 2x Puligny; 2x Banyuls) • +583138 •  [W] 582.34 – [R] $661.69 / case

NOTE: Only 1 case left of Guillon 46, Guillon Sauternes, Guillon Côteau du Layon and Guillon Puligny Montrachet. 

WHISKY Pro$hibition – Jura

Nestled in the foothills of the rocky spur of the village of Château Châlon, the Tissot family has a long time established history of wine makers and roving distillers (Bouilleur de Cru in French). Pascal Tissot (11th generation) uses a very unique distillation method of three 1934 French Blavier stills, originally designed and built to distil lavender for the perfume industry. Local ‘Feuillettes’  size barrels, which hold 114 litres – half the size of a Burgundian wine barrel, are then filled with the new spirit and matured for a period of three to four years in the rustic Jurassians cellars. The batches are then bottled independently cask by cask. Only 1,000 bottles of each version are produced every year.

• Pro$hibition Vin de Paille single cask | 90 pts The Whiskey Jug  • +453605 • [W] $113.50 – [R] $128.39
• Pro$hibition Vin Jaune single cask | 91 pts The Whiskey Jug  • +856120 • [W] $113.50 – [R] $128.39
• Pro$hibition Macvin single cask | 92 pts The Whiskey Jug  • +70664 • [W] $113.50 – [R] $128.39

G.Rozelieures – Lorraine

  Established since 1870 in the Lorraine region, the Grallet Dupic family is locally renowned for their fruit brandies and eaux de vie distillation. It was in early 2000, back from a trip from Scotland, that Christophe Dupic decided to batch the first of its kind Whisky de Lorraine using the barley crop (620 acres) the family produced.  The eaux de vie distillation savoir-faire has definitely shaped the identities of their whiskies that are characterized by fruitiness, delicateness, smoothness all along with a touch of masculinity through the use of peat.

• G.Rozelieures Rare Collection  | Lightly peated, soft and fruity • +838938 • [W] $82.26 – [R] $94.09
• G.Rozelieures Fume Collection  | Smoky, smooth and delicate • +392670 •  [W] $94.96 – [R] $107.79

The Loch Fyne Blend

We’ve spoken with our customers about what they want in a dram and we’ve used this knowledge to craft this smooth, mellow blend from the finest whiskies we could find. We call this the malt drinker’s blend and we’re constantly hearing very good things about it.

Only £24

The Loch Fyne Living Cask

A whisky that’s different every time it’s bottled. This first batch is made up of carefully selected Islay and Speyside single malts, married perfectly together to create the Loch Fyne Living Cask Batch One. Only 3000 bottles of batch one are available.

Only £42

The Loch Fyne Living Cask 1745

The Loch Fyne Living Cask 1745 is at the heart of our Living Cask Batch One. Inspired by Inveraray’s location as the gateway to Islay, this is made up of 100% Islay single malts, rumoured to include whiskies up to 25 years of age, but no-one will let such secrets slip!

Only £75

Personalised Loch Fyne Whiskies

Make your gift a wee bit more special with our personalised engraving service. All you have to do is decide is what to say, and we will ensure that your message is hand engraved onto the bottle and beautifully presented. We offer this service on our own three Loch Fyne products.

From £34

AUGUST OUTTURN: PROPER LUSH

August’s Outturn brings a luxurious bounty of juicy single casks with 15 new whiskies that are sure to make your mouth water. And taking advantage of the last few rays of sunshine, we’ve created some proper lush cocktails using 3 of our new whiskies. Try them at our Members’ Rooms this month, or have a go at re-creating them at home. Share your own whisky cocktail suggestions with fellow members at  #cocktailhour

Sweet, fruity & mellow

37.64 A real charmer £146.20

Spicy & sweet

7.115 Mojitos in a library £49.50

36.88 Fruitilicious!  £49.20

121.81 Intense, lively and delicious £49.20

Spicy & dry

39.110 Builders at breaktime £48.10

Deep, rich & dried fruits

58.15 Gravitas in a glass £85.50

Old & dignified

G1.13 Summer Fete and flower shows £124.10

Juicy, oak & vanilla

9.102 Gun cabinets and flying saucers £69.10

Oily & Coastal

4.209 The Cinderella cottage £76.00

66.67 An apothecary on a motorcycle £46.10

Lightly peated

93.64 Holidays at the beach £59.60

Peated

3.244 Film noir £72.90

53.225 Comfortably smoky*

29.166 ‘Elementary, my dear Watson’

Browse New Outturn >
Browse All Bottlings >

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

2000 Arran 15 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($129.99)

We’ve grown awfully fond of the little-distillery-that-could on Scotland’s Isle of Arran. Every time we make a visit and search for a new cask, we seem to find just the right barrel to bring back home. We’re batting 1.000 with their sherry-matured inventory, and this new hogshead cask is quite possibly the grand slam of finds. It’s not a sherry bomb by any means, as it beautifully meanders from stonefruit and creamy malt into elements of cakebread and spice, but then back to the soft vanilla of the malt again. At 56.8%, it’s a powerful dram, but one that can handle water like an Olympic swimmer. In the whisky boom era, finding distilleries that can directly sell us casks of the highest quality (that aren’t obvious leftovers from the recent batch), from their very best stocks is not easy. Most distilleries that still offer cask programs have increased their pricing by 25-40% over the last year. But Arran keeps on chugging away, fully showing us that they’re a distillery and a relationship worth investing in. This latest 15 year old sherry cask is all the proof you need.

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

MARLEE’S GREEN TEA WHISKEY: “ALL THE GOODNESS OF GREEN TEA, AND MUCH MORE FUN” 

NEW YORK – Turning over a new leaf on flavored whiskey, Marlee’s Green Tea Whiskey is taking it back to the colonial days with a blend of ingredients that are a natural fit. Crafted in the whiskey capital of the world, Bardstown, Kentucky, Marlee’s Green Tea Whiskey does what your great, great grandmother likely did: mix up some whiskey and tea. Marlee’s takes a thoroughly modern slant on an old tradition by expertly blending American rye whiskey, with Chinese gunpowder green tea and a touch of organic Mexican blue agave resulting in a well-balanced, ready-to-drink whiskey beverage with an intriguing flavor profile that keeps it simple.

Jared Berlin, creator of Marlee’s Green Tea Whiskey, knew that tea and whiskey was a common coupling dating back to the 1800’s and wanted to create a premium ingredient product that would appeal to the modern consumer.

“When properly blended, whiskey and tea together create a stunningly refreshing drink that retains the integrity of both the tea and whiskey,” said Berlin. “I set out to develop a product unique from anything else currently in the market – using only amazing ingredients in the right balance – to celebrate this fantastic combination.”

Green Tea and whiskey are still ever present in Asian nightlife and culture. The Green tea is unfermented, which allows the natural enzymes to survive, bursting with antioxidants and natural energy, resulting in a whiskey with all the benefits of a green tea – and much more fun! While still an alcoholic beverage, and thus should be consumed in moderation, it contains 140.8 mg of polyphenols per 8 ounce serving, more than most cups of green tea! Polyphenols are the central compound in green tea that delivers much of its antioxidant benefit.

The process behind creating Marlee’s Green is just as unique as the drink itself. It begins with its proprietary blend of green tea, a special formulation created by tea sommeliers uniquely for Marlee’s Green, sourced from select farms in China. The tea is then brewed and blended with American rye whiskey and a touch of agave, which not only provides sweetness and fullness to the flavor of the whiskey, but also makes Marlee’s Green a low calorie alternative to other flavored whiskeys. The mixture is then filtered to remove the larger particles that form when working with all natural ingredients. It is then bottled and labeled in Bardstown– ready to be opened, poured and enjoyed.

Marlee’s keeps it simple, using only a handful of natural ingredients, and it is recommended that you drink it the same way – simply. Just pour it over ice, or add a touch of lemon, muddled mint sprig or a splash of ginger beer. If you want some added inspiration find some delicious recipes online. Marlee’s Green makes cocktailing simple, fun and delicious.

Marlee’s Green Tea Whiskey launched Florida in July 2015 and is available online and soon in markets around the country. Marlee’s Green Tea Whiskey, (14.95% ABV) MSRP $17.99