Nothing sells faster at K&L than a new Ardbeg whisky release. We’ve been peppered with phone calls, emails, and questions for the past month about the release of the new Perpetuum, and we’re happy to tell you it’s finally here! We’ve been solid partners with Ardbeg for the last decade, which means we always have a healthy supply of their special editions, but unfortunately never enough to meet demand.

Ardbeg “Perpetuum” Limited Edition Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($99.99)

The 2015 limited edition Ardbeg release is here, and from what we’ve heard, Dr. Bill Lumsden dug deep into Ardbeg’s remaining stocks of past projects and blended some of them with younger stocks of future projects to create a whisky showcasing both old and new single malt whiskies. Here are the notes from Ardbeg: “The past, present, and future in a glass. Classic notes of Ardbeg’s yesteryear on the nose as mellow, rich, and enticing Ardbeggian flavors mingle with dark chocolate, treacle, and nutty oak. Then, like standing on Ardbeg’s pier this morning, water brings forth briny sea-spray with a pine resin lime top note for a remarkably fresh bouquet. On the palate, robust peat smoke and savory smoky bacon meet creamy sweet vanilla, milk chocolate with the hint of sherry casks, culminating in a taste of the future…and aftertaste that is never ending.” VERY LIMITED.

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

Delectable notes of honey, fresh orange peel, vanilla….

Limited Release Glenturret – The Brock Malloy Edition #Cask328  The Brock Malloy Edition #Cask328 has been described as one of the best malts ever produced at Scotland’s oldest working distillery.  Tradition reigns supreme at Glenturret where whisky is a genuinely handmade small batch product. By hand and by heart is the only way to produce Glenturret’s unique whisky and that is why the Brock Malloy Edition #Cask328 tastes so good!

Stuart Cassells, General Manager of The Famous Grouse Experience at Glenturret Distillery, said:

“Cask 328 has always been known to be special and I’m delighted we are able to give people the opportunity to purchase and taste this rare whisky.”

With delectable notes of honey, mellow oak, spiciness and ginger, you really need to try this special edition. Stuart and Neil were lucky enough to have a sample in the Glenturret bar; you can see what they make of it in this video

With over half the available bottles already gone, make sure you don’t miss the opportunity to add this rare whisky to your collection.

Priced at only £200 per bottle, you can purchase online here

Tasting Notes

Appearance – Deep burnished gold, clear and bright

Aroma – Old polished wood, fresh orange peel, walnuts with oranges and hint of jasmine when diluted

Taste – Honey, mellow oak, spicy (ginger) and vanilla

Finish – Medium sweet, good length with lingering spiciness

Buy your bottle TODAY.

SPRINGBANK 12 YEAR OLD PORT PIPE

We’ll let you in on a little secret we’ve got quite a few exciting Boubons to announce next week, however, so as not to show bias, we thought it best that we announce some of our recent Scotch arrivals too. Of particular note is the stunning Springbank 12 year old, matured exclusively in a port pipe. Bizarrely it doesn’t have that classic red berry flavour profile you’d expect from a port cask, rather this is a light, estery Springbank bottled at cask strength. If this isn’t your thing then we’ve found a few other bits that have been hidden away!

SPRINGBANK 12 YEAR OLD

2003 – PORT PIPE MATURED – 58.3% – £64.95

Premier family-owned Campbeltown distillers Springbank, have just released this single cask port pipe matured single malt. Only 696 bottles were yielded from the cask which has rested for 12 years until this April just gone. Expect estery notes of plum, rhubarb and gooseberry on the nose, with full bodied fruit on the palate with additional notes of spice and boiled sweets, finishing with that idiosyncratic smoky, oily Springbankness. This is one for those who enjoy the 15 year old but want it with a cask strength punch!

Milroy’s of Soho angus@milroys.co.uk

Tamdhu Batch Strength limited release is here!

A Tamdhu for the devoted malt fan, this magnificent edition is bottled un-chill-filtered at natural color and high strength. Each batch is unique and varies slightly in style and intensity. As with every bottle of Tamdhu, once distilled it is matured exclusively in hand-selected sherry oak casks. Our oak is amongst the finest in the industry, with a high proportion being first-fill and teeming with flavor. Finally, patience is required to allow these fine casks to do their work, giving Tamdhu its deep color and exquisite quality. Tamdhu Batch Strength arrives with a great award on its shoulders: San Francisco’s Worlds Spirits Competition crowned it with the Golden Medal in its most recent edition.

The Macallan 18 year old 1997 Sherry Oak

Often referred to as the Rolls Royce of whiskies the Macallan boasts a fantastic range of whiskies prized by connoisseurs around the world. The Macallan 18 year old 1997 expression is incredibly smooth – the whisky combines notes of rich dried fruits and sherry with some gentle wood smoke and spicy flavours.

£160 Buy Now

The Macallan 30 year old  Fine Oak 

As with all the Fine Oak series, this 30 year old Macallan is matured in a combination of both ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks and showcases a lighter style of Macallan than the Sherry Oak series, with more of the distillery character coming through. The 30 year old expression is bottled at 43% abv, and is described as heady and aromatic with a silky, elegant finish.

£1400 Buy Now

The Macallan 25 year old Sherry Oak 

The sumptuous Macallan 25 year old Sherry Oak is becoming harder to find and delivers everything you would expect from an older, sherry-matured expression from this highly-revered distillery. This is a full and rich whisky, with lots of dried fruit and cinnamon flavours and hint of woodsmoke and spice. Bottled at 43% abv.

£750 Buy Now

The Macallan Lalique No. 6

The Macallan No. 6 brings togther the art and knowledge of the Macallan Whisky Maker and the craftmanship of Lalique to create a stunning whisky encased in a beautfiul crystal decanter. A rich, complex single malt that has been exclusively matured in first-fill Spanish sherry casks, this is a perfect example of the exquisite quality and character expected of The Macallan distillery.

£2800 Buy Now

The London limited edition bottle is engraved with a beautiful design featuring several of the city’s famous landmarks including Big Ben, the Gherkin, Nelson’s Column and Tower Bridge.

Limited to just 2500 individually numbered bottles, only available to purchase within the UK. Presented in a limited edition London sleeve and Johnnie Walker Blue Label box.

£199 Pre-order Now

The Edinburgh limited edition bottle is engraved with some highlight’s from the city’s skyline including Edinburgh Castle, The Scott Monument and the Duke of Wellington statue.

Limited to only 1500 individually numbered bottles, presented in a Johnnie Walker Blue Label box with a limited edition Edinburgh sleeve.

£199 Pre-order Now

THE FIRST OF THE LAST GREAT MALTS

AULTMORE 12 Year Old £43.95

 CRAIGELLACHIE  13 Year Old £42.95

 CRAIGELLACHIE 17 Year Old £81.95

ABERFELDY  21 year old £114.95

 CRAIGELLACHIE 23 year old £264.95

 AULTMORE 25 year old £294.95

It’s been a six year labour of love for Stephen Marshall, Bacardi Global Whisky Marketing Manager, developing these new whiskies. Having recently sampled some of them a staff tasting session we can whole heartedly say that his efforts have not been in vain. They are great drams and we highly recommend them.

In the past Bacardi have under-utilised the product from their whisky distilleries, preferring to focus primarily on maintaining the world wide success of their Dewars and Lawsons blended Scotch whiskies. Now, however, you will be able to enjoy some fine single malts from not only Aberfeldy, but also Craigellachie, Aulltmore and in due course The Deveron (Macduff) and Royal Brackla. This is great news for whisky lovers and, contrary to current trends, all these new and beautifully packaged malts will carry an age statement. We can’t help but admire the refreshingly old fashioned approach of letting the whiskies speak for themselves at a variety of different age statements. It’s also quite wonderful to have the chance to try brand new single malts from distilleries that have a history of being highly rated by blenders, but are relatively unknown to single malt drinkers.

RIPE FOR THE PICKING: PAST EXCLUSIVES RELEASED FOR SALE

Here’s your chance to harvest a juicy, elusive exclusive – previously only seen as part of a parcel, now available by the bottle. There are only a few of these rare berries left on the bush so gather them into your basket before they’re picked off…

Spicy & sweet

35.127 Pineapple Upside-Down Cake £51.80

The last spoonful in a tin of Madras curry powder, tea leaves and toasted coconut on the nose neat, whilst the flavour is of a ginger spiced fruit cocktail. Water releases aromas of a freshly brewed coffee and warm apple strudel. 16yo, First fill ex-bourbon barrel

Spicy & dry

G10.6 The Spice Temple – Grain Whisky £66.60

Rich rum soaked fruits and toffee sauce. Pop corn, crumble topping then balsa wood. Exotic chilli heat with orange oil, Tiger Balm and licorice. Roasted pork with star anise and curry powder. Eucalyptus, dried rose petals and polished brass. 25yo, Refill ex-bourbon barrel

9.88 A heart-starter £99.00

Dry and unusually smoky: Brazil nuts, over steeped jasmine tea, mushrooms, high strength cocoa powder, treacle toffee. Some liquorice, salted caramel, fig pigs, dark chocolate, coffee and burnt toast (with jam) on the palate. Very different from the familiar light-weight proprietary bottlings. 25yo, Refill ex-sherry butt

Young & spritely

2.91 Buck’s Fizz and Gewurtztraminer £58.20

The nose eventually finds honey and fruit (peach, pear, apple, kiwi) – Juicy Fruit gum and Gewürztraminer with water. The palate is bright and tongue-coating, with waxy green leaf, pear, fizzy chews, bubble-gum and Key lime pie – nutmeg and clove to finish. 12yo, Refill ex-bourbon barrel

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

Cask No. 30.86                       $175        

Tutti Frutti, sweet and juicy

Speyside, Spey

From the first nose the panel found this oozing with ripe peach, mango and pineapple set against more earthy notes of a garden shed lined with freshly cut rush matting. The panel found intensely sweet cherries in syrup and fresh raspberries in Bakewell tart, followed by Peach Melba with vanilla ice cream. The texture was slightly effervescent with a pithy bite but this softened with water. It opened the door of a greenhouse with freshly cut lilies. An abundance of sweetness burst forth with spiced pineapple chunks and an explosion of tutti frutti cup cakes. ‘Mouthwateringly delicious!’

Drinking tip: A tea party dram

Colour: Titanic bullion

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 21 years

Date distilled: June 1993

Alcohol: 50.3%

USA allocation: 128 bottles

Flavour profile: Juicy, oak & vanilla

Cask No. 72.43                       $105  

Bunsen burner and burnt capacitors

Speyside, Lossie

There was smoke in the air; slightly burnt buttered toast or ginger biscuits, smoked apple pie and smoked mackerel risotto but also burnt capacitors, a fuel spill and a distant struck match – could this possibly be a lethal combination! Let’s try it; the struck match was for a Bunsen burner to scorch a crème caramel, some runny egg yolk still in a bowl nearby, but also to start the barbeque with some firelighters. Water defused the situation; toffee popcorn, chocolate dipped cherries, Reese’s peanut butter cups and in the taste slightly burnt sweet fruit quiche and potato wedges with a roasted garlic dip.

Drinking tip: For those heated moments

Colour: Toffee apple

Cask: First-fill white wine hogshead

Age: 10 years

Date distilled: September 2004

Alcohol: 59.8%

USA allocation: 95 bottles

Flavour profile: Deep, rich & dried fruits

Cask No. 1.185                       $240   

Russian, Jamaican, Turkish, Thai

Speyside, Spey

Opulent and elegant, the nose wove a textured fabric of sweetness (tablet, butterscotch, caramel, manuka honey, dark chocolate, peanut brittle) shot through by threads of garden exotics, tobacco leaf, sandalwood, After Eights and soft leather. The palate combined effervescent citric tingles with treacle toffee and old oak – Cossack-dancing Russian caramels smoked cigars while Jamaican gingerbread men limbo-danced on polished floors. The reduced nose evoked Botanic Gardens, posh Kensington cabinet makers, mint and lemon Turkish Delight and Thai spice. The palate – sweetly sophisticated with citric élan – strawberry, blackcurrant and lemon Fruit Polos, ginger snaps and tobacco – a Marypark marvel worth savouring.

Drinking tip: A captivating after-dinner dram (preferably on a large yacht).

Colour: Aztec gold

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 30 years

Date distilled: May 1984

Alcohol: 54.4%

USA allocation: 120 bottles

Flavour profile: Old & dignified

Cask No. 44.63                               $140

Zesty, zingy and alive

Speyside, Spey

The nose was attractively light, citric and biscuity (vanilla, iced gems, crème Anglaise, cherry cola, stewed apricots); some panellists detected deeper notes of sawdust, pepper and earthy elements. With water it seemed even fresher, softer and sweeter – almost floral now (rainbow drops, Dolly mixtures, lemon Edinburgh rock, honeycomb, pear orchards and grass). The palate core contained a pleasant sweetness, but with a zesty side – lemon Creamola Foam, strawberry compote, sherbet, sweet pear and sweet chilli sauce. Green grass and laundry suggested freshness and the mouth-feel was youthful, zingy and lively; acceptable chilli heat and some citric bitterness dried out the finish.

Drinking tip: A picnic aperitif dram

Colour: Pale straw

Cask: Refill butt

Age: 15 years

Date distilled: August 1999

Alcohol: 55.4%

USA allocation: 138 bottles

Flavour profile: Light & delicate

Cask No. 29.158                     $135

The Smoking Gun

Islay

Initially a rich, soft, sweet peat smoke followed by aromas of chestnuts roasting on an open fire, crème caramel and caramelized brown sugar. Also noted was Prosciutto dry cured ham and that of a well-used leather saddle. The taste was that of hickory smoked almonds and cashew nuts and a tussle between honey sweetness and peat smoke like preparing a ‘Smoked Old Fashioned’ using a smoking gun. With water we all moved to the fish market by the sea; tarry ropes, fish boxes and salted codfish on the nose and flavours of peat smoked salmon and haddock – probably not infused by a smoking gun.

Drinking tip: Chilling out with friends

Colour: Chestnut

Cask: Refill butt

Age: 14 years

Date distilled: April 2000

Alcohol: 61.7%

USA allocation: 90 bottles

Flavour profile: Peated

www.smwsa.com

CULT MALT PREPARES TO TOAST 200 YEARS OF ISLAY WHISKY ON ARDBEG DAY WITH NEW LIMITED EDITION PERPETUUM 

– LOYAL ARDBEG FANS PREPARE TO TAKE OVER THE VINYL FACTORY, SOHO FOR ARDBEG DAY 2015 

It has been 200 years since Ardbeg single malt whisky was first distilled on the Scottish island of Islay and 15 years since the legacy of this cult whisky was safeguarded by the foundation of the Ardbeg Committee.

The future of the distillery was guaranteed in 2000 when it formed one of the most passionate and devoted whisky fan clubs in the world with the creation of the Ardbeg Committee – to ensure “the doors of Ardbeg never close again”. Today the Committee has 100,000 members in over 130 countries and Ardbeg Day has become a global annual event.

To mark these memorable events, at this year’s Ardbeg Day on 30th May 2015 with a ‘Past, Present and Future’ theme, committee members will have the opportunity to buy tickets (£199 per person)  to attend the celebratory London event held at The Vinyl Factory, commemorating the distillery’s bicentenary and be amongst the first to taste Perpetuum, the new limited edition.

Ardbeg Perpetuum is inspired by the many styles, ideas and quirks of fate which have influenced Ardbeg over time; it combines different styles, flavours, dreams and trials. Connoisseurs will taste a never-ending, rich and enticing combination of classic Ardbeggian notes and incredibly creamy flavours.

Dr Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg’s Director of Distilling and Whisky Creation, said: “Ardbeg’s character has endured for 200 years and we hope it will continue for centuries to come. The 2015 Ardbeg Day anniversary bottling, Ardbeg Perpetuum, celebrates this milestone year with a recipe that includes some very old and young Ardbeg, silky Ardbeg from bourbon barrels and some spicy Ardbeg from sherry casks.  The resulting expression combines classic notes of dark chocolate and treacle with sea-spray, peat smoke, vanilla and a hint of sherry casks, to create an unforgettable single malt with an aftertaste that is never-ending.”

Ardbeg Perpetuum, launched for this bicentenary, will be available to purchase from 30th May 2015 at Ardbeg Embassies* for a two week exclusive period. From June 13^th, Perpetuum will be available at Ardbeg Embassies, Whisky specialists and department stores with a RSP of £84.99.

Ardbeg Perpetuum is non-chill filtered and is bottled at 47.4% ABV.

More details about Ardbeg Day and to purchase tickets to the event, please visit http://www.ardbeg.com/, where fans can also sign up to join the Ardbeg Committee. 

Notes to Editors: 

Tasting Notes:

Ardbeg Perpetuum is a deep amber-coloured single malt, containing the unmistakable Ardbeggian aroma of tar, soot and pine resin, with dark chocolate, treacle and sea-spray.  Its intense taste juxtaposes peat smoke and spice with creamy vanilla and milk chocolate notes, followed by a never-ending aftertaste of linseed oil, a hint of sherry cask, creosote and tar.

Ardbeg Day:

Every year, the Islay Festival of Malt and Music takes place in May or June on Ardbeg’s island home.  On the festival’s final Saturday, Ardbeg Day, the Distillery traditionally throws open its doors to welcome fans from all over the world.  In 2012 Ardbeg Day became a global event, enabling the whisky’s passionate international following to take part in a worldwide celebration of all things Ardbeg.  This year, Ardbeg Day celebrates the single malt’s 200th anniversary by looking forward to the next 200 years.  Fans of the whisky will be invited into a retro-futuristic version of Islay in 2215, where hover boards and robotic dogs are the norm at the Ardbeg Distillery.

Ardbeg:

Ardbeg prides itself on being The Ultimate Islay Malt Whisky.  Established in 1815, Ardbeg is revered by connoisseurs around the world as the peatiest, smokiest and most complex of all the Islay malts.  Despite its smokiness, Ardbeg is renowned for its delicious sweetness, a phenomenon that has affectionately become known as ‘the peaty paradox’.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Ardbeg suffered from an uncertain future and it was not until the brand was purchased by The Glenmorangie Company in 1997 that the Distillery was saved from extinction.  Since then, the Distillery has risen like a phoenix and today Ardbeg is well established as a niche, cult malt, with a passionate following.

Ardbeg Committee:

The legacy of the whisky was safeguarded in 2000 by the formation of the Ardbeg Committee.  The Committee is made up of thousands of Ardbeg followers worldwide who are keen to ensure that “the doors of Ardbeg never close again”.  Today there are over 100,000 members of the Ardbeg Committee in more than 130 countries.  Committee members are regularly consulted on new bottling’s and expressions, and are offered exclusive Committee bottling’s.  Members also receive invitations to special gatherings, tastings and events.  The Committee is free to join at www.ardbeg.com

Ardbeg Embassies*

You’re never far from an Ardbeg Embassy – the distillery’s homes from home. With the warmest of welcomes and the widest selection of Ardbeg, you can experience a little piece of Islay closer to home.

     The Vintage House, 42 Old Compton Street, London W1D4LR                       http://www.sohowhisky.com/

     Royal Mile Whiskies, 379 High Street, Edinburgh EH1 1PW                           http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/

     Cambridge Wine Merchants, 32 Bridge Street, Cambridge CB2 1UJ                http://www.cambridgewine.com/

     The Wee Dram, 5 Portland Square, Bakewell, Derbyshire DE45 1HA http://www.weedram.co.uk/

     Luvians Bottle Shop, 93 Bonnygate, Cupar, Fife KY15 4LG                http://www.luvians.com/

     The Whisky Exchange, Vinopolis, 1 Bank End, London SE1 9BU                    http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/

     Gordon & MacPhail, 58-60 South Street, Elgin, Moray, IV30 1JY                    http://www.gordonandmacphail.com/

     Whiski Rooms Bistro, 4,6 & 7 North Bank Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2LP             http://www.whiskirooms.co.uk/ 

Awards:

Ardbeg was voted ‘Scotch Whisky of the Year’ three years in a row by Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible and was awarded ‘World’s Best Single Malt’, ‘Best Islay Single Malt’ and the ‘Global Icon Visitor Centre Manager of the Year’ at the World Whiskies Awards 2013.  At the 2014 awards, Michael Heads of Ardbeg was voted ‘Distillery Manager of the Year’.

The Glenmorangie Company:

The Company is one of the most renowned and innovative distillers and marketers of Scotch whisky brands worldwide and is part of Moët Hennessy, the wine and spirits division of Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.  Headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, the Company produces Glenmorangie Single Highland Malt whisky and Ardbeg Single Islay Malt.

Responsible Drinking:

Ardbeg and The Glenmorangie Company advocate responsible drinking and suggest that drinkers savour Glenmorangie whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.