Highland Park 19 Year Old
Sherry hogshead bottled August 2015 for the Carn Mor Celebration of the Cask Black Gold series. Luxurious 1995 vintage Orcadian malt.
Malt Messenger Bulletin – Fall Tasting Schedule 2015 & Other Exciting News!
If you’re anything like me, September is your favourite month of the year. I’m sure a few of you think I’m nuts! What’s so great about September? Summer is drawing to a close, and Fall and Winter aren’t that far away, but (here it is) September is when the whisky world starts gearing up! September is when our fall slate of tastings come out and they’re all live now!
We always have a great of range of tastings at KWM: Scotch, Whisk(e)y, Wine and Beer. But the fall scheduleis special because it is when the brand ambassadors come to town. Our Whisky Week(s) celebrations include Master Classes with brand ambassadors from: Gordon & MacPhail/Benromach, Springbank, Kilchoman, Old Pulteney, BenRiach, Glendronach and more. Those 2 exciting weeks are capped off by our Fall Single Malt Festival which sells out within a week of tickets going on sale. As I write 1/3 of the tickets have already sold.
As exciting as November will be, you don’t have to wait until then for an exciting whisky tasting. In less than 2 weeks we have our 200 Years of Laphroaig Tasting which will feature 3 different vintages of Laphroaig 25 Year as well as a yet to be released special treat! We’re marking the 200th Anniversary of one of Scotland’s most iconic distilleries in style! We’ve also got a pair of Classic Malts classes with Hunter and a Bourbon Casks Tasting which will feature two new single casks of American whiskey exclusive to KWM. There is a huge range or options, and some very tempting wine and beer tastings too!
September is also an exciting time because new whiskies start flooding into the market. Last month our exclusive KWM single cask Jura 1995 Boutique Barrels Sauternes Cask $160 showed up. It’s been a huge hit, 1/4 of the bottles have sold in just a month! This month it is our 4th exclusive single cask from Islay’s cult boutique distillery that has trickled in. Our Kilchoman 2010 Bourbon Cask 440 $140 is another gem, and it won’t disappoint! Our next three casks slated to arrive are BenRiach, Glendronach and most excitingly, the first official exclusive single cask bottling of Old Pulteney in Canada!
And, it’s not just exclusive whiskies that are rolling in. The Benromach 15 Year $135 has also popped up, the oldest whiskies distilled and bottled by Benromach’s owner Gordon & MacPhail. There is also the newest release of the perennial favourite Glendronach Cask Strength, Batch 4 $115. Like the previous incarnations, it will not last long! And then there are the newest releases from Glengyle Distillery, Kilkerran Work in Progress 7 Sherry $75 & Bourbon Cask Strength $85. The whiskies are 11 years old, the oldest Kilkerran releases to date and there is a lot of buzz around the cask strength Bourbon release especially!
Slainté!
Andrew Ferguson
In This Edition
1. Whisky Advent 2015 – Price goes up September 15
2. Fall 2015 Tasting Schedule
3. Our New Exclusive Kilchoman 2010 KWM Cask 440
4. Introducing Benromach 15 Year
5. Introducing Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 4
6. Introducing Kilkerran Work in Progress 7 Whiskies
Andrew Ferguson
Kensington Wine Market
PS- PS – Don’t forget you can follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/scotch_guy and Facebook: facebook.com/scotch.guy.1 .
www.fergusonwhiskytours.com
2015 KENSINGTON WINE MARKET WHISKY ADVENT CALENDAR
25 Days of Dram Fine Whisky…
Save $25 on the Kensington Wine Market Whisky Advent Calendar by Ordering Before September 15th!
Kensington Wine Market’s Whisky Advent Calendar is back! Last year’s calendar, our second and the first one we produced entirely in house, was a huge hit. It sold out before it hit the shelves. This year’s is even better. It still includes 24 x 50ml whiskies and a custom Glencarin whisky glass. But, that is not all! We are offering an even wider range of whiskies and we are also including an extra 25th bottle. As a special treat for Christmas morning, there will be a 100ml Scotch Malt Whisky Society single cask bottling. This is a rare treat indeed, and usually only available to Society members. All of this year’s whiskies are different from 2014 and we are really excited about the range. There are 23 single malts from Scotland, Ireland, India and Taiwan, as well as a boutique blend and a boutique blended malt. Whether it is for yourself or to give as a gift, we know it won’t disappoint. Don’t hesitate! This one is sure to sell out fast, and the price goes up September 15!
You can pre-order the 2015 Kensington Wine Market Advent Calendar online, by phone 403-283-8000 or in store. A $150 deposit will be taken for each calendar requested at the beginning of August. The calendars will be available at the “early bird price” of $375 until September 15. After September 15 the Calendar’s price will go up to $400. The calendars should be ready for pick-up before the end of October.
Pre-Order the 2015 Kensington Wine Market Whisky Advent Calendar $375+GST
______________________________
Fall Tasting Schedule Now Open for Registration!
Three months worth of amazing whisky tastings and experiences…
Our fall tasting schedule is the best of the best we have to offer all year. There is something for everyone in here, and lots of new and exciting events! I know you’ll find much t salivate over and enjoy!
1. 200 Years of Laphroaig – Tuesday September 15 – 7pm – We’re putting together a special tasting to mark the 200th Anniversary of one of Scotland’s most iconic distilleries. We will sample the core range plus three different vintages of Laphroaig 25 year, including 2013, 2014 and a long lost one! – $65
2. Classic Single Malts – Tuesday September 29 – 7pm – 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. – $35
3. Bourbon Cask Tasting – Tuesday October 13 – 7pm – We have some exciting new American whiskies on the way including exclusive casks from Barton, our own 1792 Ridgemont Reserve cask, and a first in Canada, our own exclusive cask of Bernheim Kentucky Wheat Whiskey from Heaven Hill. – $35
4. Classic Single Malts – Friday October 16 – 7pm – 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. – $35
5. Rare Malts – Tuesday October 20 – 7pm – Only the rarest whiskies, those 20+ years of age, those from closed distilleries and/or the exceptionally rare qualify for this tasting. –$80
6. Gordon & MacPhail w/ Richard Urquhart – Sunday November 1 – 4pm – We have an excellent range for this tasting of Benromach and Gordon & MacPhail whiskies which will build to a finale including very rare offerings from Rosebank and Port Ellen. – $100
7. Springbank w/ Ranald Watson – Monday November 2 – 7pm – One of our favourite ambassadors Ranald Watson will be in to do a grand tasting of Springbank including a new exclusive Society bottling and the 21 and 25 year olds! – $50
8. Kilchoman w/ Anthony Wills – Tuesday November 3 7pm – Kilchoman is one of our favourite Islay whiskies and our 4th exclusive single cask in here. We’ll sample it against our last bottling as well as at least 4 other big smoky Islay whiskies. – $30
9. Old Pulteney, Once in a Lifetime w/ Gordon Stevenson – Thursday November 5, 7pm – KWM is thrilled to be the first store in Canada to obtain our own exclusive cask from this legendary Northern Highland distillery. We be sampling it as well as the whole Old Pulteney Range up to and including the 40 Year priced at $3000. – $150
10. BenRiach/Glendronach Cask Launch w/ Alistair Stevenson – Wednesday November 11 – 7pm – To celebrate the launch of our 5th and 6th casks we are throwing a party with Alisdair Stevenson featuring whiskies from BenRiach and Glendronach as well as their sister distillery Glenglassaugh. – $30
11. Fall Single Malt Festival – Thursday November 11 – 7pm – Our famous biannual whisky festival featuring over 100 single malt whiskies. Space is limited to the first 100 to sign up, and tickets go fast. Pre-Christmas sale prices will be in effect. – $60
12. Master Malt – Tuesday November 24 – 7pm – We pull out all the stops at this tasting featuring whiskies that are very old, very rare and very pricey. This is a tasting that will never be repeated again. – $125
Register for our tastings in store, by phone 403-283-8000 and online!
Our New Exclusive Kilchoman 2010 KWM Cask 440!
Prepare to get your peat on…
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
Introducing Benromach 15 Year
The oldest Benromach ever distilled and bottled by the distillery’s current owners…
Only 240 bottles of this landmark whisky are coming to Canada, and many have already sold. This is the first 15 year old expression bottled by Benromach Distillery that was distilled by the new/current owners, Gordon & MacPhail. The whisky was matured in a mix of Bourbon and Sherry casks and bottled at 43%.
Benromach 15 Year – 43% – Distillery’s Tasting Note: “Nose: There’s a lot going on… beautifully balanced sherry aromas with vanilla pod, zesty orange and spicy ginger complemented by delicate chamomile and menthol notes. With Water: The whisky shifts into another gear with subtle hints of cocoa, nutmeg and cinnamon giving way to sweet honey notes and hints of bonfire embers. Palate: There’s luscious, rich fruit cake with stewed plum, red apple skin and the sharp edge of kiwi fruit. With Water: It’s a very satisfying palate with traces of charred oak complementing sweet tangerine, plum and nectarines… completed by a gorgeous touch of milk chocolate. – $135
Introducing Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 4
More heavily sherried goodness…
The 4th batch of this insanely popular whisky has been bottled at 54.7% from Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. It is a limited release bottled at cask strength without colouring or chill-filtering. Like the previous batches it won’t last long!
Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 4 – 54.7% – PX & Oloroso Sherry Casks – Distiller’s Tasting Note: Nose: Delicious molten toffee and wild honey poured over ripe figs and dates. Subtle hints of tangerine, coffee grounds and a dusting of cinnamon add a perfect balance to the nose; Palate: Vibrant oak spices and warming stem ginger complement the rich sherry and dark fruit characteristics. Waves of sour plums and subtle gingerbread combine with stewed barley and roasted coffee beans, softened by a gentle hint of walnut; Conclusions: A perfect harmony of the finest sherry casks and traditional Highland characteristics.” – $115
Introducing Kilkerran Work in Progress Batch 7 Whiskies
The Final Work in Progress Release…
The Kilkerran single malt from Glengyle distillery is nearly 12 years of age, and we are on the final releases of the Work in Progress Series, batch 7. There are Bourbon and Sherry cask matured releases, both 11 years of age. The Bourbon cask is also cask stength, a first! Very small quantities, these will not last long!
1. Kilkerran Work in Progress 7 Bourbon Cask Strength – 54.1% – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Immediate hit of lush green apples mixed with marzipan and hot baked vanilla buns. A gentle smoke hugs the fruit notes throughout. Let it breathe in the glass for a quarter of an hour and you are greeted by immense Madagascan vanilla pod seeds in warm full fat milk; Palate: Puff of smoke mixed with tangy apple, yet elegant and mature – fantastically well rounded dram. Finish: Long, smooth and luxurious.” – $84.99
2. Kilkerran Work in Progress 7 Sherry – 46% – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Toasted pink marshmallows spinning around fresh rhubarb and green apples. Toffee and treacle adds to the sweetness but an earthy note keeps this whisky well balanced and not overpoweringly sweet; Palate: Heather honey and digestive biscuits. Creamy milk chocolate, black cherries mix with oak and wood spice. A truly complex and interesting dram; Finish: Dry nutty finish with some gentle peat lingering along with some further oak notes… delicious. – $74.99
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
BenRiach and Glendronach – new TWE exclusives
We spend a large amount of time at The Whisky Exchange looking for great whisky. While this sometimes appears as obscure old bottles and hard-to-find things from overseas, we also work closely with distilleries to snap up exclusive bottlings. We’ve convinced the folks at BenRiach Distillers to let us have another pair of single casks – one from BenRiach and one from Glendronach.
The BenRiach warehouses are a treasure trove of casks
BenRiach is known for its experimentation. Even before the current owners bought the distillery in 2004, BenRiach was playing with triple distillation, and since the takeover they have continued, with peated spirit, cask finishes and other tinkering going on.
Our latest exclusive from the distillery is one of the triple-distilled batches, produced on 27 May 1998 and bottled in July this year, after some time finishing in a Pedro Ximénez sherry puncheon – a big, short and fat cask. Triple distillation produces a much lighter spirit than regular double distillation, and combining it with a rich and active PX puncheon is a gamble – will the cask influence swamp the spirit or complement it? It certainly paid off in this whisky:
BENRIACH 1998, 17 YEARS OLD, CASK #7758. TWE EXCLUSIVE
Tasting notes by Stuart P (as I’m down with a cold and can barely taste Lemsip)
Nose: Toasty and nutty, with tempting aromas of walnuts and hazelnuts, beefed up with rich mocha, bitter orange marmalade and cinnamon. A touch of raisiny sweetness from the PX barrel but not heavy or overdone.
Palate: Rich, smooth texture. Lovely decadent dark chocolate cake, coffee, barrel char and sponge-cake batter, but crucially, not sweet or cloying. The palate is perked up by clove, nutmeg and fresh orange peel.
Finish: Rich but not sweet, with the mocha notes adding a rich bitterness.
Comment: A delightfully rich after-dinner dram that would go really well with a chocolate dessert, or alongside a coffee.
Along with the BenRiach, we also managed to convince the team to part with a cask from their second distillery: Glendronach. When BenRiach Distillers took over the distillery in 2008, they put lots of money into buying sherry casks, taking Glendronach back to their roots as a producer of excellent sherried whisky. This exclusive bottling is from a Pedro Ximénez puncheon, like the BenRiach, and you can tell from the first sniff:
GLENDRONACH 1995, 19 YEAR OLD, CASK #4028. TWE EXCLUSIVE
Tasting notes by Stuart P
Nose: Big, big aromas of juicy raisins and sultanas along with dark chocolate, rum and espresso. There’s some marzipan in there, too, as well as candied mixed peel, honey and malty cereal. Very plush, ripe and comforting.
Palate: As expected, a rich hit of dried fruit, especially raisins, but accompanied by toasty cinnamon, hazelnuts and Demerara sugar. There’s some welcome espresso bitterness to counteract the sweetness, with some rum-like depth to add weight. Generous mouthfeel.
Finish: The rich raisin note persists, fading slowly along with the mocha and spice.
Comment: Unapologetically full-flavoured, this really shows off the quality of the cask it was aged in, while the spirit is rich and robust. This would be ideal served alongside crème brûlée.
A pair of bruisers – packed with flavour and a must for sherry heads. I’m hoping that I can shift this cold before the tasting bottles sitting in our office get polished off by the rest of the team…
Longrow Red 12 Year Old – Pinot Noir Casks
The 2015 release from The Longrow red series has been aged for 12 years in total, spending its final year maturing in fresh Pinot Noir casks from New Zealand. A much sought after release, bottled at a cask strength, 52.9%. Very Limited Stock!
Springbank 18 Year Old – Second Edition
The second edition release of Springbank 18 Year Old, an award winning Campbeltown single malt Scotch whisky. New packaging for this latest release…
A Speyside Legend
Prometheus, Titan of ancient Greek mythology, is remembered today for his greatest deed. When an angered Zeus took fire from man, Prometheus rebelled against the Father of Gods. He captured a flame from the hearth of Mount Olympus and carried it back to man.
Today, the spirit of the fire-bringer and champion of man lives on.
Twenty-six years ago, one of the Olympians of Speyside created a new kind of single malt: a whisky to marry the rich complexity of the Highlands with the intensity of peat smoke from the Islands.
As with all great malts, time was needed for this new Titan to mature. But while the young whisky lay sleeping, hidden from expectant eyes, the heavens shifted. The whisky’s creator departed and a malt that could be both sophisticated and powerful was seen, by some, as a threat.
Protectors of the orphan Titan kept him hidden until, in the summer of 2014, they met in secret to plan his release.
Prometheus would be free, but on two conditions: he would be mortal – destined to live a short, but glorious life – and he could never reveal from whence he came.
So we give you Prometheus. A titanic Speyside with the inner strength of barley malted over peat smoke. A whisky of sublime sophistication and balance, bottled at the peak of its powers. A truly unique Single Malt Scotch Whisky, available in the most limited quantity for just one moment in time.
First Release | Full-bodied 26 Year Old Single Malt
Produced by one of the finest distilleries in the world. This is the first release and only 1,000 bottles will be available in North America. Rich, refined and full-bodied, a 26 year old single malt Highland whisky from Speyside. Filled with character, this magnificent whisky was matured in sherry casks, hand crafted from Spain.
Appearance
Rich amber with coppery hues.
Nose
A warm and welcoming bouquet with sweet notes of butterscotch, aromatic heather, orange zest and smoky charcoal.
Palate
Satisfyingly longlasting, creamy and peppery with aromas of roasted nuts, nutmeg and clove entwined with hints of Madagascan vanilla, dark chocolate, rich fruitcake, heather honey, candied fruits and smoke.
Born of fire. | Great on the rocks. | A connoisseur’s whisky.
Prometheus; an epic Speyside with Titanic power, a perfect blending of barley malted by burning peat. A whisky of sophistication and elegance, bottled at the height of its power, twenty-six years old. Welcome this Single Malt Scotch Whisky of secret origins, available in the most limited quantity for an exclusive few.
SINGULAR FINE AND RARE WHISKIES
Japan
Kikori Japanese Whisky 750ml $39.99 Buy
Scotland
Balblair 21 Year Gordon & MacPhail First Fill Sherry Cask Strength Single Barrel Single Malt Scotch 750ml $229.99 Buy
1983 Brora 18 Year Signatory Vintage Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky 750ml $449.99 Buy
1981 Brora 21 Year Unchillfiltered Collection Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Elsewhere $1400) $499.99 Buy
1978 Brora 35 year old Gordon & MacPhail Rare Old Single Malt Whisky 750ml $1,199.99 Buy
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
St Magdalene 32 Year Old – 1982
Only 282 bottles of this ultra rare Lowland single cask whisky were released by Cadenhead’s. Distilled in 1982 at the St Magdalene (Linlithgow) distillery and aged for 32 years, before being bottled at cask strength 58.1% vol.
Very Limited Stock!
Yamazaki 18 Year Old
Award winning Yamazaki 18 Year Old from Suntory. Recently awarded ‘Best Japanese Single Malt’ at the the 2015 World Whisky Awards.Very Limited Stock!
Caol Ila 1994 Sassicaia Wood Finish
Bottled by Gordon & MacPhail under their Private Collection series is this Caol Ila Islay malt whisky distilled in 1994. After maturing in traditional casks for ten years, the whisky was then transferred to Sassicaia casks for further eight years maturation. Bottled in 2012, a limit edition release of 1100 bottles.
Curtain rises on world’s most exclusive whisky
Whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail raised the curtain today (Wednesday 2 September 2015) at The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, on what it believes to be the world’s most exclusive single malt Scotch whisky.
Mortlach 75 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail is the latest offering in the Generations range from the family-owned Scotch whisky firm. It was unveiled by members of the Urquhart family, together with whisky writer and connoisseur – and occasional film star – Charles MacLean. He was joined by renowned Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith.
On 17th November 1939, John Urquhart, the first generation of the family to be involved in Gordon & MacPhail, instructed the first-fill Sherry cask to be filled with new-make spirit from Speyside’s Mortlach Distillery. Seventy-five years later, the cask was emptied and the precious amber liquid was carefully transferred into beautiful crystal decanters.
With notes of dried apricots and pomegranate, followed by hints of spice and creamy vanilla, the latest release to the luxury Generations range has a smooth and lingering smoky finish which remains long after the dram has been savoured.
Founded in 1895, Gordon & MacPhail is known the world over as the custodian of some of the oldest and rarest single malts. The fourth generation of the Urquhart family involved in the business uphold the same traditions and dedication to whisky which embedded in the company’s philosophy since it was first established.
Stephen Rankin, great grandson of John Urquhart introduced the special whisky saying: “We’ve been anticipating this moment for a long time. Having been nurtured and cared for by four generations of our family it gives us great pleasure to release this unique and incredibly rare single malt.
“Our family has been immersed in the whisky industry for more than one hundred years and we’ve built up an expertise and knowledge, handed down from generation to generation.”
Members of the third and fourth generation of the Urquhart family poured the single malt for the assembled guests before Charles MacLean invited everyone to join him in tasting the whisky, describing it as “Smooth and highly sophisticated – elegant as a grande dame…the Ingrid Bergman of malts!
“Gordon & MacPhail is one of the few, if not the only company in the world who could have produced this rarest of whiskies. Generations of the Urquhart family have taken a long term view to maturing Scotch whisky, guided by a simple family saying – The future is shaped by what we do today. Today reveals what we did in the past. This philosophy has enabled the current generation to unveil this exquisite whisky,” he added.
Generations Mortlach 75 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail is presented in the iconic teardrop-shaped Generations decanter. Each decanter is uniquely numbered and skilfully handcrafted with 75 multi-level “cuts”; each cut representing a year of the whisky’s maturation. The decanter sits on a white presentation plinth with two specially designed crystal glasses.
The decanter is packaged in a luxury Aniline leather travel bag and accompanied by a specially commissioned book, Seven Nights with Mortlach. Acclaimed whisky writer, Charles Maclean and international bestselling author, Alexander McCall Smith have joined forces to tell tales of Scotland, whisky and the people behind this special malt, accompanied by illustrations from up and coming Scottish artists.
Mortlach 75 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail was matured in a first-fill Sherry butt cask. Only 100 decanters, bottled at cask strength (44.4% ABV), have been released for worldwide sale.
The RRP of Generations Mortlach 75 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail is £20,000, although prices may differ in international markets due to local taxes and duty.
For more information visit www.gordonandmacphail.com/generations
Notes
About Gordon & MacPhail
Gordon & MacPhail is an independent, family-owned spirit and wine merchant who have been based in Elgin, Moray, since 1895. Four generations of the Urquhart family have continued the tradition of selecting, maturing and bottling Single Malt Scotch whiskies.
Since its foundation, Gordon & MacPhail’s policy has been to send casks to distilleries throughout Scotland, fill them with ‘new make’ spirit and mature them either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouses in Elgin.
Now the world’s leading malt whisky specialists, Gordon & MacPhail exports to more than 50 countries. It offers more than 300 expressions of own-bottled single malts. In 2009 and again in 2013, Gordon & MacPhail was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade, reflecting their successful growth in exports over a ten year period.
The company’s guiding philosophy states: “The future is shaped by what we do today. Today reveals what we did in the past.”
Tasting Notes for 75 Years Old Mortlach single malt Scotch whisky
Written by: Charles MacLean
Appearance: Mid-amber, with rubious lights.
Aroma (Nat. Str.): Fresh and clean; very slight nose prickle: still lively. A highly perfumed, floral top note – lily of the valley, barber’s shop, scented hand cream, soft leather lady’s dress handbag – with a fruity complex in the middle (dried figs, pomegranate, ripe pear. Peach juice); creamy vanilla (Crème Anglaise), even vanilla fudge, and a faint trace of coffee in the background.
Aroma (@30% Vol): Water reduces the floral notes with scented oil (bath oil? Teak oil?), increases the soft leather note and dries out the aroma somewhat (warm sanded hardwood).
Taste (Nat. Str.): Sweet to start, but not as sweet as expected; considerable fresh acidity and slightly mouth drying. Bitter almonds. A most unusual trace of hemp ropes and very faded creosote, lending a slight smokiness. A medium-length finish, leaving an attractive aftertaste of sandalwood.
Taste (@30% Vol): Lightly sweet; slightly oily texture; mouth drying; then slightly bitter finish. Some spice across the tongue. Warming, even at this lower strength.
Comment: A most unusual taste – never before encountered. Smooth and highly sophisticated – elegant as a grande dame – the Ingrid Bergman of malts!
About the Packaging
Generations Mortlach 75 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail is beautifully presented in the iconic teardrop-shaped Generations decanter. Each of the 100 decanters released worldwide is uniquely numbered and skilfully handcrafted with 75 multi-level “cuts”; each cut representing a year of the whisky’s maturation.
The decanter nestles on an elegant white presentation plinth, delicately sculpted with ripples to resemble the movement of the water used to create this whisky in 1939. Two crystal glasses, uniquely designed for the enjoyment of this exclusive Single Malt, sit either side of the decanter.
Accompanying the presentation is a book written by acclaimed whisky writer, Charles Maclean and international bestselling author, Alexander McCall Smith. In “Seven Nights with Mortlach” the authors relate tales of Scotland, Scotch Whisky and the people behind the Single Malt. Seven beautiful poems, written by McCall Smith, accompany the narrative. The poems are accompanied by illustrations commissioned for the book by emerging Scottish based artists.
Completing the presentation is a luxury travel holdall. Handmade using the finest Aniline leather, the holdall is finished with exquisite detailing.
New Season Malts – September
The first releases of the new season are about to start arriving this week. We start with the New Longrow Red 12 matured in Pinot Noir wine cask 52.9% Vol 9000 bottles and the new Springbank 12 year old 53.8% Vol 9000 bottles.
A NOTE FROM US ON REVIEWS AND COLLECTOR ITEMS
Before I go into more detail about the new products, I want to touch on the reviews and points given for some products that can cause a little mayhem from time to time.
As you know a number of web sites offer reviews on single malt’s, some that we bottle along with many more from other bottlers or companies big and small. After the Littlemill 24 review, things got a little crazy as people rushed to find a bottle or 3 of the now rare bottling we had stock of since June.
I understand that some of you might not be aware of the latest releases until the on-line review has been released and as a result you miss the chance of savoring the latest malt to get the highest score. While this can be disappointing one has to remember that we have a finite number of bottles available at any one time due to the fact we mainly bottle from single casks or in the case of the Small batch black label 2 casks can be married together to create some rather legendary drams.
We will try to give you our advice in the newsletter as to what is good but that like any on-line review is subject to personal opinion or as i am often doing adding customer comments to the web shop especially if that vintage has been tried and enjoyed in the tasting room.
So my advice is read the newsletters check the web shop where you will find the tasting notes alone with any comments about the product before the actual tasting note itself, the comments are feedback not our personal opinions.
Now back to the whiskies…
Due to high demand and the Bank holiday weekend we will ship all web orders on Tuesday to avoid them being lost in a backlog at the delivery company.
Longrow Red 12 years in a Pinot Noir caskABV 52.9% Vol 9000 bottles in the world
We are aware that this new Longrow is going to sell very fast just as it did last year. We sadly have a limit of 1 bottle per customer due to the high demand and limited availability. If we get anymore we will naturally release it as and when it comes in just as we have done with several vintages in the past.
Allocations are not in my control, what I get is all done back in Scotland by head office who need to keep not only our web shop and retail stores stocked they also need to supply to customers around the world so in the case of Longrow Red 9000 bottles will not last that long.
Springbank 12 cask strength 53.8% Vol 9000 Bottles in the world
This is truly limited availability for August / September 2015, so limited it might not make it onto the web shop! However don’t worry too much if you miss this one as another batch is due in January 2016 that should give us a few more cases!
If you missed the archive bottles that hit the web shop across August (We only had 1 bottle of some of the products so it was blink you will miss it) We have a few more to add as soon as we have compiled the full list.
WHAT’S NEXT?
At the moment we are finalising the next small batch release, around 12-13 new products should be on the next newsletter with age ranges from 14 years to 38 years, one of them is a trademark blended malt of 26 years that I know will be gone very quickly, more on that and why we are advising that it’s a trademark product in the next newsletter.
We also have a rather special Speyside vintage 26 years old in a sherry cask again, it’s rather stunning but I must confess I have a special place in my whisky collection for any malts from the distillery.
Two Islay malts are also in the next batch not Ardbeg so no panic just exceptional tastes for Islay lovers.
TUBE STRIKE AND TASTINGS
As some of you who live in London know we have had several months of Tube Strikes taking place with the knock on effect for customers wishing to attend the Tasting Room events we run daily.
It can take several weeks to book a Tuesday-Thursday or Friday evening if not months starting in September I should guess given the rate of enquiries we are getting each day.
Because so many have cancelled due to the now moronic strikes we will be busier than usual for some of the Tuesdays and Thursdays as people try to re-book, with this in mind we are looking at holding a few on Wednesday evenings assuming the strikes are close to over (If TFL/ Unions and the Mayor can sit down and talk that is rather than act like brats)
As and when the situation clears up we will let you know via the newsletter or on the web site.
SHIPPING
Just a short reminder that our London store does not ship to the EU or the rest of the world just yet due to so many changes in the law and to be honest price hikes that make it dreadfully expensive to do so, we know London is expensive but some of the prices we get quoted are truly shocking, no matter how much we would try to explain this during the ordering process we would have so many complaints and cancelled orders it’s currently not economical to offer this service.
Well that’s it for this short newsletter I will be sending another out shortly with the full details of new products.
All the best
Stephen at Cadenhead’s London
Balblair 21 Year Gordon & MacPhail First Fill Sherry Cask Strength Single Barrel Single Malt Scotch 750ml
( $229.99) Only 5 cases for California and we got them all! This is massively sherried Balblair at the peak of maturity. A true Sherry Bomb if you’re in the market for one. Dark like coffee, rich like molasses. It’s a dream for any lover of the Sherried style, but also a great introduction to the unusual Balblair Distillery.
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
