ROYAL BRACKLA® SINGLE MALT: THE FIRST WHISKY FIT FOR A KING

Glasgow, Scotland, 25^th August 2015 – John Dewar & Sons Ltd. has unveiled a new range of proprietary bottlings from Royal Brackla distillery, one of Scotland’s oldest and most venerable distilleries.

The new expressions of this regal single malt, ROYAL BRACKLA® 12 year-old, ROYAL BRACKLA® 16 year-old and ROYAL BRACKLA® 21 year-old will be available initially in 10 markets from September 2015; a regal opportunity to savour whisky fit for a King.

Standing on the fertile farmland of the Cawdor Estate, Royal Brackla Distillery was established in 1812 by the fiery Captain William Fraser who returned to the family farm after military service and took advantage of the fine barley it grew. Within 25 years his distillery’s reputation for spirit of sterling taste received its crowning moment when King William IV bestowed ‘Royal’ status to Brackla, in 1835. It thus became the first ever Scotch to garner a royal warrant, a revelation that led to its nickname: ‘The King’s Own Whisky’.

Traditional production techniques help to protect a distilling heritage that spans more than two centuries and preserves the unparalleled quality of a rather special spirit. To allow for the development of intriguing complexity and fruitiness, extra time is taken at the fermentation stage, which acts for up to 80 hours; far longer than most Scottish distilleries.

The notably tall stills run at an unusually slow pace. Their height allows plenty of reflux, with the leisurely nature of the operation increasing the contact that the spirit shares with copper, thus filtering out unwanted sulphury notes. Instead, delicate and lightly perfumed notes of grass and green foliage develop, alongside inviting fruity aromas. Crucially, the whisky is finished in premium first-fill sherry casks, enriching it with notes of muscovado sweetness and dates, alongside opulent walnuts.

Stephen Marshall, Bacardi’s Global Marketing Manager – Single Malts says: “This is the one that was described as ‘The Drink Divine’ by the Royal household in the 1830s, that’s no small claim, so we had to take our time and the entire team have done an amazing job that really does justice to Royal Brackla’s incredible heritage. There’s only one whisky in the world that can be the first Royal whisky, I feel privileged to have worked on this”.

The new portfolio consists of three age statements, each bottled at 46% ABV: Royal Brackla 12 Years Old, Royal Brackla 16 Years Old and Royal Brackla 21 Years Old. Each expression has been launched in 10 initial markets around the world including Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Sweden, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States and Global Travel Retail.

http://www.lastgreatmalts.com/

Tasting Notes

Royal Brackla 12 Years Old, 40% ABV

Salute a superior Scotch: almonds, vine fruits, opulent spices; steeped in sherried richness. Ennobled nectar, fit for a king.

Royal Brackla 16 Years Old, 40% ABV

A royal flush of flavour: vanilla, soft caramel, ripe apricots; replete with sherry tones. Hold court with a monarch of the glens.

Royal Brackla 21 Years Old, 40% ABV

All hail a high-born spirit: summer berries, dark chocolate, star anise; infused with sherry sweetness. A member of malt aristocracy. 

About ROYAL BRACKLA Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Founded in 1812 by Captain William Fraser, ROYAL BRACKLA’s regal malt has a remarkable history. The distillery itself is over two centuries old and its malt’s nickname of ‘The King’s Own Whisky’ stems from its distinction as the first single malt to be granted a royal warrant.

High-grade barley, flawless water from the Cawdor Burn and slow distillation produce a truly refined spirit, before it’s matured in the finest first-fill oloroso sherry casks. This rich, robust whisky offers muscovado sweetness, dates and walnuts within its opulent, sherried depths.

The brand new portfolio comprises of three ROYAL BRACKLA single malts: the 12 Years Old, 16 Years Old and 21 Years Old.

The single malt brand of ROYAL BRACKLA is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.

http://www.royalbrackla.com/

About John Dewar & Sons Ltd.John Dewar & Sons Ltd. employs 300 people at seven locations throughout Scotland. The Company currently operates whisky distilleries in Aberfeldy, Macduff, Aultmore, Craigellachie and Nairn with ageing, blending, bottling and packaging facilities in Glasgow and additional maturation facilities in Poniel in Central Scotland.

http://www.lastgreatmalts.com/

For more information on the new single malt expressions, the five distilleries, tasting notes, crafting, and heritage, please visit http://www.lastgreatmalts.com/

ENJOY THE LAST GREAT MALTS RESPONSIBLY. 

ROYAL BRACKLA & THE LAST GREAT MALTS DEVICE ARE TRADEMARKS

Imperial 19 Year Old

Bottled July 2015 by Signatory Vintage, distilled at the lost Imperial Distillery September 1995.

Buy – $66.37

Imperial 19 Year Old 1995 vintage Speyside single malt Scotch whiskey. Hogshead casks #50204 & #50205 of the lost Scottish distillery. Bottled July 2015 by Signatory Vintage for the Un-Chilfiltered Collection.

Springbank Society Newsletter

August 2015

Greetings Society Members,

I hope you are all enjoying a nice Summer and have been experiencing some warm weather wherever you are! Unfortunately the Campbeltown weather hasn’t been too kind to us this year but I suppose it just makes us even more thankful for the odd sunny day that we’re blessed with! The Summer seems to have flown by, I can’t believe that we will be in September soon so I thought it was best to drop by with the latest news for you all!

Information for New Society Members

We have welcomed a large number of new members to the Springbank Society over the past few months so a big hello to all of you and welcome aboard!

Just a quick reminder of the process – you will receive updates from the Society whenever there is a new general release from the distillery, whenever there is a new Society release or just when there is some important news to share with you. You will receive information on new bottlings via email but other general news will tend to be added to the Society Blog on the Springbank Distillers website, which you should have been informed about when you joined. Regrettably, I haven’t been able to update this as much as I would like to since the website went live, as things have just been so busy over the past few months, but I will hopefully get more updates on there soon.

If you would like to order bottles after a new release, or at any time throughout the year, you can email me at society@springbankwhisky.com or call on +44 (0) 1586 55 2009. Unfortunately we are currently unable to ship bottles to America and Canada due to strict import laws but can ship to all other counties worldwide. For the Society releases, we do have a source in Canada who can import them for members so you can still order the exclusive Society bottlings when they are released. I will explain this in more detail when the next bottling is available.

If you would like the shipping prices for a particular country sent over to you then just ask and I will be more than happy to provide them for you. Also, if you have any general questions at any time then please do not hesitate to get in touch and I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible. At busy times, this can take longer than I would like but I do try my hardest to reply as quickly as I can.

News from the Distillery & Sales Team

We’ve welcomed a record breaking number of visitors to the distillery this Summer, with September already looking to be the busiest month of all with lots of large group bookings in the diary. It’s always fantastic to see so many people making the long journey to Campbeltown to visit us and we really do appreciate each and every visitor. We know Campbeltown is not the easiest place in the world to get to but hope that it is worth it for our visitors when they get here and that they leave happy! There have been plenty of tour guides on hand to show the visitors round with Jim, Martin, Cameron, Donald, Mhairi and Lea all working very hard and gaining more experience and confidence each day.

Gavin and his team at the distillery are currently malting on both malt floors which is always one of my favourite sights to see at the distillery. The team will malt until the end of October when they will move all the malted barley up to Glengyle to distill until mid- December. The spirit from Glengyle is maturing beautifully at the moment and we are all getting increasingly excited about the launch of the 12 year old next year. Apparently there is a sample bottle of the upcoming 12 year old doing the rounds in the office so I will need to try and get my hands on that soon!

The Sales Team have their diaries fully booked for the next few months with lots of trips scheduled. Between them, Ranald, Melanie, David and Grant will visit Germany, Belgium, Japan, France, Poland, Switzerland, North America, Norway, Sweden and Italy as well as a few festivals within the UK. I will be attending the Glasgow Whisky Festival with Grant in November so I’m already looking forward to that and will hopefully see some of you Society Members there!

Springbank Whisky School Dates 2016

Some of you have possibly already noticed the Springbank Whisky School dates for 2016 on the Society Blog but here is some information for those who haven’t:

The dates for the Springbank Whisky School 2016 have now been announced and spaces are filling up quickly already, with people who had registered their interest earlier in the year. For those of you who don’t know about the Whisky School, during the Summer months we offer whisky enthusiasts the opportunity to come and work in the distillery. Whisky School students get to experience traditional distilling methods first hand at Springbank where they will work for a period of 5 days under our expert supervision. During the week, students will gain knowledge and experience in all stages of the whisky making process including malting, mashing, distilling and bottling as well as gaining some ‘tasting’ experience along the way!

The dates for next year are:

Term 1: Week commencing Monday 16th May 2016 – FULLY BOOKED

Term 2: Week commencing Monday 23rd May 2016 – FULLY BOOKED

Term 3: Week commencing Monday 30th May 2016 – SPACES AVAILABLE

Term 4: Week commencing Monday 6th June 2016 – FULLY BOOKED

Term 5: Week commencing Monday 13th June 2016 – SPACES AVAILABLE

Term 6: Week commencing Monday 20th June 2016 – SPACES AVAILABLE

Term 7: Week commencing Monday 27th June 2016 – SPACES AVAILABLE

Term 8: Week commencing Monday 4th July 2016 – SPACES AVAILABLE

If you would like further information on prices, availability and what exactly is involved, please email Janet at whiskyschool@springbankwhisky.com.

Campbeltown Malts Festival 2016

Continuing on from the success of the 2014 & 2015 Campbeltown Malts Festivals, Springbank, Glengyle, Glen Scotia and Cadenhead’s will team up again next year to host the Campbeltown Malts Festival 2016. The festival will take place from Wednesday 18th-Friday 20th May 2016 and I can’t wait to start the planning! As always, Thursday (19th May) will be dedicated to Springbank Open Day with Glengyle, Glen Scotia and Cadenhead related events taking place on the Wednesday (18th) and Friday (20th).

There was a fantastic turn out for the 2015 festival and it was great to see so many Society Members coming all the way to Campbeltown to visit us! A review of this years festival was posted on the Society Blog at the beginning of July so for those who couldn’t make it over, head to the blog to read all about the events which took place. More information on the various 2016 events will be released at the beginning of next year so I will email you as soon as any plans are confirmed.

Upcoming Releases & Current Products

August has been an extremely busy month for our Bottling Hall staff who have been working very hard, making sure we have plenty stock of all our core products. Included in the recent bottling programme is our new version of the ever popular Springbank 12 year old Cask Strength. This has been matured in a combination of 70% Sherry casks and 30% Bourbon casks, been bottled at 53.8% and is very limited with only 9,000 bottles for worldwide distribution. The price for the Springbank 12 year old Cask Strength is £47.00 and as it is part of our core range, members receive their 10% discount on it, working out at £42.30 for Society Members. The UK allocation of this bottling is extremely limited and our shop will only receive a small number of bottles so it will be strictly limited to one per person and will likely sell out within a day or two. The tasting notes for the August 2015 release are:

Nose: There’s a saltiness similar to Campbeltown Loch fishing creels, a typical Springbank maritime style. Spicy notes are very dominant: cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon sticks and some ground black pepper.

Palate: Lip licking – thickly buttered gingerbread, sticky toffee pudding and crème brûlée. Cream and butter really coat the mouth in classic Campbeltown style.

Finish: Dry finish ending with barbecue smoke and chicory sauce.

Also recently bottled is the 2015 version of Longrow Red. This is the 4th in the Longrow Red series which has produced bottlings matured in Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Port casks so far. The new edition has been matured in Pinot Noir casks and is 12 years old. It has been bottled at cask strength of 52.9% and again, there are only 9,000 bottles available for worldwide distribution. The price for this is £58.00 and as a Society Member, you will get your 10% member discount, meaning it will cost you £52.20. Again, please note this bottling will be limited to one bottle per person as it is just so limited. The tasting notes for the new Longrow Red are:

Nose: There’s a cornucopia of fruity aromas: marmalade, strawberry preserve, fruit coulis and orange sherbet. Not forgetting the tobacco smoke which is associated with Longrow whiskies.

Palate: The fruit theme continues with raspberry jam, and strawberry jam with cream sponge. The whisky has a sweet side too, rich toffee, honeycomb and candy floss.

Finish: Very soft, this Longrow whisky doesn’t disappoint with campfire smoke and charred embers dominating the finish.

Both new releases will be hitting shops around the UK this week including our Cadenhead shops in Campbeltown, Edinburgh and London. They will also be available in various other countries very soon, including our Cadenhead shops in Cologne, Berlin, Salzburg, Odense and Baden. Both bottlings are likely to sell out from our Campbeltown shop very quickly so if you would like to order a bottle then please let me know ASAP and I will try my best to get one for you. I am going to be on annual leave from Tuesday 1st September until Wednesday 16th September so if you are placing an order from Tuesday 1st September, please call the Whisky Shop directly on +44 (0) 1586 55 1710 (option 1).

As mentioned, we have recently stocked up on all core products so here’s a reminder of what we have, including the up to date prices of each:

– Hazelburn 10yo:” £38.00 (-10% Society discount) = £34.20

– Hazelburn 12yo:” £50.00 (-10% Society discount) = £45.00

– Springbank 10yo:” £38.00 (-10% Society discount) = £34.20

– Springbank 12yo:” £47.00 (-10% Society discount) = £42.30

– Springbank 15yo:” £53.50 (-10% Society discount) = £48.15

– Springbank 18yo:” £84.50 (-10% Society discount) = £76.05

– Springbank 21yo:” £180.00 (-£10.00 for Society Members) = £170.00

– Longrow Peated:” £38.00 (-10% Society discount) = £34.20

– Longrow Red:” £58.00 (-10% Society discount) = £52.20

– Longrow 18yo:” £84.50 (-10% Society discount) = £76.05

Next Society Bottle

As previously mentioned, the next Society bottling is due to be released at the end of September. Unfortunately I am unable to provide any other information on it at the moment but I will send details as soon as I can so thank you for you patience!

Support the continuation of the Campbeltown Ferry Crossing

Many of you will already know that as well as my various Springbank related tasks, part of my job is also to administrate and organise events for Explore Campbeltown. For those who don’t know about Explore Campbeltown, it is a marketing initiative founded in 2013 by Springbank Distillery, the Ardshiel Hotel and Machrihanish Holiday Park. Since February 2013, we have been working together with the local businesses of South Kintyre to help promote the area, showcasing what wonderful goods and services the  Kintyre peninsula has to offer and to encourage more people to visit/spend their holidays here. As well as creating a website to showcase our local businesses, we have hosted many successful events including two Christmas Markets in the Malt Barns at Springbank, a Fashion Show and a Wedding Fayre with many more lined up for the future.

At the moment, we are working closely with the Campbeltown Ferry Sub-Group to campaign for the current 3 year trial summer ferry service from Ardrossan-Campbeltown to be made permanent. The summer service, which started in May 2013, is in the final year of its 3 year trial and it’s important that the ferry continues beyond the current trial period to provide a vital link between the central belt and Kintyre. The first CalMac ferry from Ardrossan arrived in Campbeltown on Thursday 23rd May 2013 and the final ferry, this year, is scheduled for Sunday 27th September 2015.

We are currently working with local businesses to gather information which will help us compile statistics for us to argue our case. We are very keen to get the community and visitors involved in supporting the continuation so we have created a Facebook page titled ‘Keep the Campbeltown Ferry Crossing’. It would be great if those of you on Facebook could ‘like’ and ‘share’ the page to help spread the word. We are encouraging ferry users to interact on the Facebook page by sharing their stories, opinions and photographs and if we get a good, positive response to this, it will hopefully help in our bid to keep the ferry in service beyond the current 3 year trial period.

The service has been an extremely positive addition to Kintyre and many of our visitors travel to Campbeltown using the ferry so we are desperate to make sure we do all we can to try and make the crossing a permanent service. We are in the process of designing a short questionnaire on Survey Monkey which will ask a few questions about the service, targeting ferry users out-with the local community. When this goes live, it would be great if any of you who have used the service could help us out by answering the few questions. The link to the survey will be posted on the Ferry Facebook page as well as the Springbank and Explore Campbeltown Facebook pages as soon as it goes live so it would be really great if you could fill out the survey.

I think that is all the news I have for you at the moment but I will be back in touch at the end of September to give you all the details about the next Society release.

Sláinte,

Mairi

For the Springbank Society

To join the Springbank Society please contact Janet at society@springbankwhisky.com

Save Lars Whisky – The Final Edition

August 2015

At last, the third and final limited fan edition of the Save Lars Whisky Trilogy has arrived!

The Save the Lars Homestead project, in which the iconic Star Wars movie location was restored by fans from around the world, was a great success. To celebrate, two of the project’s crew – Mark Dermul and Imanuel ‘Manny’ Dijk, both whisky aficionados – released 100 bottles of a wonderful Bruichladdich 20 Year Old 1990.

After searching hard and long Mark & Manny found a worthy successor and were proud to announce the Save Lars Whisky – Second Fan Edition: a fantastic Auchentoshan 24 Year Old 1989, again limited to 100 bottles. The first and second edition are now highly sought after bottles.

And now, after more than a year of searching for an exceptional cask to conclude the bespoke Save Lars Whisky Trilogy, they stumbled upon a sherry cask matured Speyside malt: Balmenach 14 Year Old 2001, bottled at a cask strength of 50,2% ABV!

Click here to find out more about this Final Fan Edition! Yes, you read that right. This is the final edition. So do not miss out on this one! It is your last chance to own one of these bespoke bottles of fine single malt in commemoration of a fantastic project.

Expected bottling date: September 2015. Expected delivery date: October/November 2015.

MAY THE MALT BE WITH YOU.

Tasting Notes

Nose: fairly sweet nose on banana and pineapple, but it is dominated by sweet malt. Some silver polish that I quite like, as if it was poured by R2-D2 on Jabba’s Sail Barge. Some pine and grain biscuits. The fruit evolves towards the candied variety. Some vanilla and gooseberries. Nice nose.

Palate: the arrival is powerful and peppery. Immediately sweet on white fruit, pineapple and some banana (although less than on the nose), but now some citrus fruit kicks in. Think grapefruit and lime. Light and fresh with a good body. This is quite enjoyable.

Finish: the finish may be short, but it is spicy with some pepper at the death.

Lovely and accessible whisky that would do well in Chalmun’s Cantina in Mos Eisley and hence a wonderful conclusion of the bespoke whisky trilogy in commemoration of the Save Lars project.

SEPTEMBER PREVIEWS: SMASH HITS

Inside: Get next month’s essential Whisky Smash now! Concerto zenzero reveals 5 easy tricks to spice up your life in a day. The truth about 4 August bottlings even smart people thought were gone forever. This edition is Bursting with interest and imaginings so dive in for all the latest gossip…

Oily & coastal

4.210 Whisky Smash. Trimming your privet hedge, planning your next DIY project or examining an old upturned boat whilst you are drinking a sweet peat smoked infused ‘Whisky Mash’…16 years old.  First fill ex-bourbon barrel £61.20

Old & dignified

37.65 Bursting with interest and imaginings. The nose evokes perfume, leather, toffee, vanilla, blossom honey, sandalwood, sherry-soaked sultanas and a French polisher’s after-shave. The palate is awash with perfumed, exotic fruits…29 years old  Refill ex-bourbon hogshead  £124.60

Spicy & dry

48.61 Concerto zenzero. The nose is a study in ginger (ginger biscuits, iced gingerbread) with cinder toffee, marshmallows and stewed apple and rhubarb. Ginger, cinnamon and chilli give the palate tongue-nipping heat…13 years old  First fill ex-bourbon barrel  £44.70

Expect your next email on Friday 4 September

Browse New Outturn >
Browse All Bottlings >

*We release a small number of bottles as a preview- it’s one of the perks of being an email subscriber! But don’t worry if you don’t get one tonight; the majority of bottles are released on First Friday.

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

United States – Kentucky

Old Forester K&L Exclusive Single Barrel Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whisky 750ml $34.99 Buy

Scotland

Glengoyne 25 Year Old Single Malt Whisky 750ml  $299.99 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

The most expensive bottle of Tasmanian single malt whisky 

At $10,000 Tasmania’s leading whisky distillery, Sullivans Cove, has created the most expensive bottle of Tasmanian whisky to date. Made from extremely rare French oak single malt from the distillery’s top awarded casks including French Oak HH0525 – the World’s Best Single Malt Whisky, French Oak HH0390 – the Best Australian Single Malt 2015 and French Oak HH0509 – 96.5/100 Jim Murray’s Whiksy Bible 2013, the Sullivans Cove Manifesto gives connoisseurs the opportunity to own a piece of whisky history.

Limited to only two bottles, the Sullivans Cove Manifesto decanters were hand made by Tasmanian glass sculptors Anne Clifton and Peter Bowles and each 6kg decanter comes with its own specially blown glass “spirit thief”, a hand moulded “travel” stopper made from rare Tasmanian Huon pine and Portuguese cork and a matching glass stopper for everyday use. The decanters are housed in hand made Huon pine cases lined with doeskin.

Speaking from the distillery in Cambridge, malt master Bert Cason said, “Sullivans Cove and Tasmanian whisky in general have come a very long way and we wanted to create something really special that captures this. Using whisky from our top awarded casks plus some of our finest unreleased casks, we’ve created a malt that stands head and shoulders above the rest and promises the connoisseur the treat of a lifetime, not to mention a slice of whisky history. “

One decanter is available from the distillery cellar door or online at www.sullivanscovewhisky.com, while the other is available from Dan Murphy’s Double Bay.

.A. Smith Bowman Distillery Releases Limited Edition High Rye Bourbon
Release is Extremely Limited, Mostly Only in Virginia

Fredericksburg, VA. (Aug. 6, 2015) – A. Smith Bowman Distillery announces the latest release in its Abraham Bowman line of expressions, the Abraham Bowman Limited Edition High Rye Bourbon. Using a bold bourbon recipe that contains five times more rye than A. Smith Bowman’s standard bourbon recipe, this limited release was aged for seven years and nine months in Virginia before being deemed ready to bottle. At 100 proof, it is a powerful whiskey full of flavor.

The aroma of slight peppery notes opens up to sweet vanilla, caramel, and toasted oak. Honey, praline, and spice mingle with baked apples and cherry notes in the flavor. A long, slightly dry finish lingers on the tongue.

Master Distiller Brian Prewitt leads the whiskey experiments at A. Smith Bowman and is excited to release this high rye limited edition. “This high rye bourbon has such a distinct nose and taste profile that I think fans looking for a full-bodied bourbon with lots of spice will really enjoy. It’s been fun to release experiments like these, and we look forward to creating even more interesting expressions that are a good fit for our Abraham Bowman line in the future.”

The Abraham Bowman Limited Edition High Rye Bourbon is part of a series of limited edition whiskies, named after Abraham Bowman, the commander of the 8th Virginia Regiment in the American Revolutionary War. Each edition of the Abraham line is a different expression and a new release is offered a few times a year. This is the twelfth release in the Abraham line. The Abraham Bowman Limited Edition High Rye Bourbon will be available at retail in August. However, quantity is very limited and it will mostly be available only in Virginia. It is 100 proof. Suggested retail pricing is $69.99.

About A. Smith Bowman

A. Smith Bowman’s distilling roots date back to the years before Prohibition when the Bowman family had a granary and dairy farm in Sunset Hills, Virginia. They used excess grain from the family estate to distill spirits. In 1934, after the Repeal of Prohibition, Abram Smith Bowman and his sons continued the family tradition and built a more modern distillery in Fairfax County, Virginia called Sunset Hills Farm. In response to the rapid rise of taxes in Northern Virginia, the Distillery was moved in 1988 and is now nestled in Spotsylvania County near the city of Fredericksburg, 60 miles away from the original location.

As a small and privately owned company, A. Smith Bowman Distillery continues the time-honored traditions on which it was founded. Considered a micro-distillery by today’s standards, A. Smith Bowman produces an assortment of hand-crafted spirits distilled from only the finest natural ingredients and using the latest technology. This micro-distillery focuses on the production of premium spirits honoring the legacy of Virginia’s first settlers. For more information on A. Smith Bowman, please visit www.asmithbowman.com.

Cask No. 36.76                       $150

A sweet Winter Warmer

Speyside, Spey

A lush and intense sweet oaky aroma was the first impression on the nose neat. Out of the many descriptors the ones we all agreed on; honey glazed parsnips, honey dew melon, freshly baked croissants, Danish cinnamon swirls and freshly made tablet. The intensity and sweetness continued in the taste; tingly, warm, spicy oak tannins, iced gingerbread and a dry finish of cocoa powder. Water added a floral dimension with roses and carnations and the spiciness of stewed apples and apple crumble with ginger and nutmeg. The taste now lively like popping candy, fizzy sweet cola cubes and sour apple fruit jellies in the finish.

Drinking tip: After a long walk

Colour: Gold with a peach tint

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 17 years

Date Distilled: November 1996

Alcohol: 59.3%

USA allocation: 48 bottles

Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet

Cask No. 35.109                             $215

A class act

Speyside, Lossie

This dram oozes class therefore give it some time, don’t rush and you will be richly rewarded. Aromas of Millionaire’s shortbread, lemon, orange and banana marzipan fruits, baked apple filled with pecan, cinnamon and raisins, brandy butter ice cream, sandalwood and fresh tobacco leaves are all jostling for your full attention. The taste is silky smooth like runny honey or toffee sauce, Sauternes soaked raisins coated in dark chocolate and an elegant cup of jasmine tea with a slice of marzipan cake. Careful adding water; turning slightly dusty and nutty like Alpen muesli with macadamia nuts as well honey glazed walnuts and an overall pleasant creamy mouth-feel.

Drinking tip: We recommend adding no water or very little!

Colour: Honeycomb

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 28 years

Date distilled: March 1985

Alcohol: 46.7%

USA allocation: 48 bottles

Flavour profile: Old & dignified

Cask No. G4.7                        $170

Flying saucers and foamy shrimps

Grain

The initial nose was bright, fresh and lively (lemon, rhubarb, pine resin); then came Demerara, Christmas cake, candy floss, vanilla, toffee and golden syrup – followed by cedar-wood and tobacco. The palate displayed delightful sweetness (maple syrup, crème brûlée, white chocolate) tempered by mouth-drying tobacco, white pepper, liquorice and a surprising gooseberry fizz. Amazingly vibrant for its age, the reduced nose combined rum and raisin ice-cream, flying saucers, lychee and grape with pine resin and restrained oak. The palate sustained our interest – old oak, tobacco and figs, tropical juice and foamy shrimps combined to make an easy-drinking experience from Scotland’s biggest distillery.

Drinking tip: We all had different ideas – so I guess that makes it a versatile dram for any season

Colour: Polished gold

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 34 years

Date Distilled: May 1979

Alcohol: 51.9%

USA allocation: 72 bottles

Flavour profile: Juicy, oak & vanilla 

Cask No. 121.74                     $135

A box of Chocs

Highland, Island

Sweet caramel on the nose – Tunnock’s Caramel Wafers to be exact – then Newberry Fruits (sugar–covered fruit jellies with runny centres), then a host of other fruity scents – mango, light orange, raspberry, apricot. The first taste matches some of this – ‘mango cream fondant chocolate’; ‘Thornton’s Summer Fruit Chocolates’ – but there is also a tropical spiciness like mango chutney with a dash of chilli. With water the nose folds into emulsion paint for a moment before resuming the fruity/chocolate theme – Maltesers, Bakewell tart, croissant with strawberry jam, white chocolate. The taste? Sweet and fruity (Gallia melon), with light spice and peppermint Aero in the finish.

Drinking tip: After school

Colour: Sahara gold

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 14 years

Date distilled: December 1999

Alcohol: 55.7%

USA allocation: 120 bottles

Flavour profile: Juicy, oak & vanilla 

Cask No. 3.227                       $145

Tasty Farmhouse cooking

Islay

The room was immediately filled with the warm and rich smells of a beef consommé with a good splash of aged Sherry added. This we then poured over an old fashioned rabbit casserole with rosemary, celery and roasted carrots and let it simmer on a wood burning stove. The taste is good farmhouse cooking, intense flavours of fresh tomato soup as well as honey roasted sweet potatoes prepared with ginger, cumin and coriander. With water a sweet earthy note is added reminding some of us of compost using pine sawdust and pine needles or of peat stacks out to dry. The taste now welcoming and juicy like a tender pork stew with light herb dumplings.

Drinking tip: Whilst cooking for or with friends

Colour: Polished copper pots and pans

Cask: Refill butt

Age: 16 years

Date distilled: September 1997

Alcohol: 56.4%

USA allocation: 120 bottles

Flavour profile: Lightly peated

Please visit www.smwsa.com for further details

North of Scotland 43 Years

Distilled December 1971, bottled April 2015, this is a very rare expression of the lost Lowland distillery which closed in 1980.

Buy – $209.92