• Four Roses K&L Exclusive OBSK (9 Years Old, 6 Months) Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon 750ml ($59.99)
  Another feather in our Four Roses cap comes in the wonderful cask of the OBSK (60% corn, 35% rye, 5%). This recipe has gained some notoriety for its part in the well regarded 120th Anniversary Limited Edition Small Batch. This bourbon features the high rye recipe and the spicy K yeast strains. The full throttled style on display here is packed to the brim with sweet woody aromas. Like fresh oak resin laced with layers of baking spice and doused in cream, the complexity is surprising at this age. Bottled half way through its 10th year, this cask is a real treat for those who enjoy a dryer style with tons of dark power flavors like gravel, graphite, vanilla bean and dark roasted cacao.

• Four Roses K&L Exclusive OBSV (11 Years Old, 4 Months) Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon 750ml ($59.99)
  We’re amassing a collection of cask strength Four Roses because it’s one of the best bourbons in production and they keep sending us these choice casks. We can’t keep these in stock so it’s been hard to consistently offer all ten recipes. Everything these guys put in the barrel is gold. We just can’t get enough. This Recipe, OBVS, may be the most important for the distillery. Their regular offering, Four Roses’ Single Barrel, is exclusively made from OBVS. It’s probably the best readily available bourbon on the market. Renowned for its creamy rich body and delicate character, we’re lucky to have come across this cask strength version of this special bourbon. Get this quick as we rarely see OBVS over 11 years old.

• Four Roses K&L Exclusive OESK (10 Years Old, 4 Months) Single Barrel Cask Strength Bourbon 750ml ($59.99)
  The OESK (70% corn, 20% rye, 5% malt) recipe is full and spicy. It, like all Four Roses’ bourbons, goes through an exacting souring process including rigurous testing for quality before being parcelled out between the distilleries 24 fermentation tanks. K yeast tends to create bourbons of great power and depth. It’s one of the two yeasts strains present in the distilleries Small Batch offering, which contains both high and low rye bourbons fermented with either the K or O yeast strains. This excellent cask balances that spicy earthiness out with a rich texture and a round sweet finish. Powerful aromas of sandlewood & cinnamon on the nose and persist throughout the palate. Only at the very end does a sweet Werther’s Original like caramel note raise it’s voice. It’s a veritable concerto of spice and oak.

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

anCnoc ‘Cutter’ makes its mark as new peated whisky unveiled at midnight gathering

The latest expression from anCnoc’s collection of limited edition peated malts was unveiled in Edinburgh last night, as whisky enthusiasts gathered under cover of darkness to share a midnight dram of the smoky new single malt.

anCnoc ‘Cutter’ is officially released to the global market today (1^st September), but as the clock chimed to greet the 1^st September launch date last night, an intimate group of anCnoc friends and fans stayed up late at the city’s Last Word bar to enjoy a first taste and toast the arrival of this much anticipated new release.

anCnoc launched its peated collection earlier this year with three expressions of varying peat strength – ‘Rutter’, ‘Flaughter’ and ‘Tushkar’  – aiming to help drinkers find a peaty dram to suit their palate and to ‘shine a light’ on the dark, enigmatic world of peat.

With drinkers embracing the new collection , the ‘Cutter’ launch marks the start of a new anCnoc tradition which will see a new peated expression unveiled every year on 1^st September, alongside a midnight celebration of anCnoc’s dark and mysterious side.

‘Cutter’ is the most peated of anCnoc’s single malts to date, with a phenol content of 20.5 PPM (parts per million). Light gold in appearance, it has an intense, thick and oily smoke structure on the nose which reveals a sharper, more medicinal phenolic layer with a piercing burst of fruity ripe peaches and just a touch of oak. It has an ashy taste, with slight apple-core bitterness and notes of leather and spicy vanilla lingering at the back, accompanied by sharper notes of pink grapefruit and ripe orchard fruits.  A long, elegant finish brings a kaleidoscope of spicy and peaty notes that die out with a juicy burst and a loud call for another sip.

The new whisky’s traditional yet contemporary packaging retains the striking dark green glass bottle of the first peated releases but this time features a traditional ‘cutter’ peat tool emblazoned in silver on the pack’s distinctive black label and tube design. 

anCnoc Assistant Brand Manager Stephanie Bridge commented:  ‘Given the popularity of anCnoc as a contemporary, easy drinking malt whisky, we are thrilled with the reception our new dark, peaty side has had amongst drinkers since we launched the collection back in April this year. We wanted anCnoc’s peated malts to find their way to the many people out there who love whisky but think that peat is not for them, and initial feedback shows that we are starting to build the appeal of a peated dram amongst our drinkers which is good news. We are delighted to have Cutter join this exquisite collection, bringing a slightly smokier, stronger peated option that has all the quality, character and taste that every whisky made at Knockdhu distillery enjoys. The 1^st September is now officially anCnoc Peaty day and a date to put in the diaries of whisky fans in years to come.’

2000 cases of anCnoc ‘Cutter’will be available online and in specialist and independent UK whisky retailers from 1^st September, rrp£52. Cutter is bottled at 46% ABVand in its most natural state – neither chill-filtered nor coloured.

http://www.ancnoc-peaty.com/

#LightOnDark 

Notes

About anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is produced at the Knockdhu Distillery which was established in 1894 and is one of the smallest and most enchanting in the Scottish Highlands. It’s renowned the world over by malt enthusiasts for producing a single malt that makes every day a special occasion.

The new peated collection from anCnoc aims to unravel the mysteries of peated whisky for modern drinkers, this new range from the Knockdhu Distillery features anCnoc’s classic light, easy-drinking style but with a dark, distinctive and smoky twist.The first three releases in the collection Rutter, Flaughter and Tushkar were unveiled at a launch event in early 2014.

About International Beverage 

International Beverage Holdings (www.interbevgroup.com) was established in 2005 as the international arm of ThaiBev, one of South East Asia’s leading alcohol beverage companies. With a network of regional offices in Asia, Europe and North America, the company is responsible for the production, sales, marketing and distribution of a portfolio of premium global brands in over 80 countries and territories.

Inver House Distillers (www.inverhouse.com) is globally integrated into International Beverage Holdings and drives the distillation and maturation of Scotch through its five distilleries.

International Beverage brands include:

• Chang Beer: Thailand’s iconic beer brand
• Single Malt Scotch Whiskies: Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc, Speyburn
• Blended Whiskies: Hankey Bannister
• Mekhong: ‘The Spirit of Thailand’ since 1941
• Caorunn – a small batch distilled Scottish Gin infused with 5 Celtic botanicals

The company’s success is built on the combination of a strong understanding of local cultures and markets with the creation of a truly global operational network.  Brand building pays respect to heritage, provenance and craftsmanship whilst delivering innovative and highly effective strategies at global level. A skilled and dedicated team of more than 12 nationalities speaking over 14 languages delivers the highest standards of customer service and attention to detail across all aspects of the business.

Be in with the chance to win a unique piece of art to celebrate the release of the Single Barrel, Aged 25 Years

Our Single Barrel Traditional Oak, Aged 25 Years will very soon see the light of day, having spent its time maturing in a refill American oak cask. Once our Malt Master, David Stewart has carefully sampled the matured whisky, he will select those casks that are most characterised by subtle spices and rich, honeyed sweetness to be bottled.

The age-old craft of whisky-making and the alchemy of wood, spirit and time are perfectly embodied by this unique expression. Each cask tells its own story and its yield is, by nature, one of a kind as each bottle is one of no more than 300 drawn from a single cask.

To mark the release of this new expression, we have commissioned Mr Smith’s Letterpress Workshop – one of the few remaining traditional letterpress workshops in London, to create a framed limited edition A1 print, each of which will be signed by David Stewart.

The Balvenie Single Barrel Aged 25 years will be appearing shortly, so do keep an eye out for it. In the meantime, we’ll be emailing you details of our competition to win a rather special piece of artwork.
Slainte mhath,

David Mair
The Balvenie Distillery Ambassador

LEARN MORE

Box Distillery Master Class – toasty morsels

Some time ago, while taking a whisky cruise from Stockholm, I came across the lovely guys at Box Distillery in Sweden. On my return home, I decided to have a try of their first educational release – The Box Advanced Master Class Course No.1 tasting kit.

The Box stills

Box Distillery is located in Bjärtrå, about 300 miles north of Stockholm, and started producing spirit in 2010. The Course 1 Master Class is a way of raising awareness of what they do while giving their stock time to mature. The format is simple – the box contains five 20cl samples of malt spirit aged in casks with different toasting levels. You are also provided with a log-in for the website that gives you access to the ample course material. Once you have read through the course – and believe me, it goes into serious detail – you should have a thorough understanding of the ways in which toasting affects the spirit.

The course itself breaks down the different aspects of maturation, examining in depth the chemical compounds of oak and how treatment affects the flavour. The layout is relatively easy to follow, although I feel it could do with being a little more interactive. The chemical analysis is interesting, if a little dry.

The tasting itself is done blind. The five samples are in no particular order, but you are given tasting notes for the different styles of toasting. The liquid itself showed some promise, but if I’m honest it was not my cup of tea for general drinking. Having used 100-litre casks for a short period of time, I found the wood/spirit ratio a little unbalanced.

I imagine, however, given time in full-size casks, this spirit will make something rather special. What’s more, the spirit is clean, and if you favour big oaky notes shown in some New World whiskies on the market, then you will love these. And it’s important to stress that this is not a gift pack of sipping whiskies; this is very much an educational tool aimed at whisky aficionados.

Box Advanced Master Class Course No.1, £185

Box No 1

Nose: Malty with dry varnish. A background treacle note with a warm-bread-dough feel to it.
Palate: Liquorice and vanilla. Lots of spice, nutmeg and cinnamon supporting dark tobacco notes.
Finish: A touch of tobacco smoke.

Box No 2

Nose: Pears and dried apricots. Some white pepper and classic American oak coconut.
Palate: Fresh hay stacks and almond powder. Some sweet vanilla, bay leaf and dry spice.
Finish: Star anise and dried limes.

Box No 3

Nose: Spice and dried fruit with a hint of marzipan. Boiled oranges pricked with nutmeg.
Palate: Slightly overcooked caramel and pine nuts with a hint of throat lozenges.
Finish: Milk chocolate and cola bottles that dries out and lingers on.

Box No 4

Nose: Buttery vanilla with yeasty notes. Rye bread straight out of the oven.
Palate: A big sour note – dried limes? – with a very peppery surround.
Finish: Some mango and guava but dries out quickly, leaving a touch of mint.

Box No 5

Nose: Brown sugar and ruby red fruit. Freshly waxed wood.
Palate: Thick and syrupy, like cola concentrate. Warm spice and candied orange.
Finish: Rum-and-raisin fudge, with a touch of bread yeast.

The Box Advanced Master Class Course No.1 is available now at The Whisky Exchange.

‘Aye, the nights are fair drawing in.’

As shadows cast become longer and the nights fade into darkness ever more quickly, draw some warmth from a fine dram. After all, there’s always plenty to choose from. 

MORTLACH
Old & Rare (50cl)
£54.95

‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating.’ Or rather, in our case – the drinking! It’s a brand new release, but it’s not like we didn’t know it was coming. Out with the tasty old and in with the tasty new.

GLENDRONACH 18
Tawny Port
£67.95

Upgraded by a further 3 years maturation, this 18 year old replaces the discontinued Glendroanch 15 Tawny Port. It is a permanent addition to the core range. Rich, fruity & warming.

AVAILABLE TO PRE-ORDER NOW!

KILCHOMAN
Port Cask
£67.95

First sampled at our annual Whisky Fringe event at the start of August and subsequently much in demand. Luscious stuff! Rich, potent, peaty Kilchoman entirely matured in ex-ruby port casks for 3 years.

GLEN GARIOCH
Renaissance
£76.95

The first in a series of four limited editions from Glen Garioch, being released over the next 3 years. Each chapter will have been distilled in 1997, when the distillery re-opened and switched to using unpeated malt.

GLENDRONACH
UK Exclusives
£89.95 & £104.95

Not one, but two new limited edition Glendronachs – 1995 Cask #3326 & 1993 Cask #39. One has been matured in a former PX cask and the other in a ex-Oloroso cask. Both of these fine drams are only being released to the UK market.

GlenDronach 1995 / Single Cask #3326 UK Exclusive

One of two UK exclusives released towards the end of Summer 2014 from GlenDronach distillery. Single cask #3326 has been aged for 19 years in a Pedro Ximénez sherry puncheon before being bottled at cask strength, 55% vol with an out-turn of 661 bottles.

£89.90 (£74.92 ex vat)

Click here to purchase GlenDronach Single Cask 3326

GlenDronach 1993 / Single Cask #39 UK Exclusive

A UK exclusive from GlenDronach distillery and sure to be another very popular release. Single cask #39 was distilled in 1993 and aged in a Oloroso sherry butt for 21 years. Filled in 2014 at 58.8% vol with an out-turn of 567 bottles.

£109.95 (£91.63 ex vat)

Click here to purchase GlenDronach Single Cask 39

BenRiach 1995 / Single Cask #182044 UK Exclusive

Single cask #182044, a UK exclusive release from BenRiach distillery. Launched towards the end of Summer 2014, this single cask release is a classic Speyside Scotch whisky, matured in an ex-bourbon barrel. Only 208 bottles filled at 52.5% vol.

£84.90 (£70.75 ex vat)

Click here to purchase BenRiach Single Cask 182044

GlenDronach
2 New Single Casks

Two new single sherry cask bottlings from GlenDronach Highland distillery.

Glendronach 1995 $136.93

Glendronach 1993 $159.06

Introducing the latest single cask offerings from BenRiach and Glendronach. All exclusive to the UK and limited to only a few hundred bottles. As always these will sell very quickly!

Glendronach 1995 Single Cask Bottling 19 year old UK exclusive

Nose: Soft, well-rounded oak spices combine perfectly with rich plum juice and dates. Hints of citrus and cedar wood add a crisp contrast to the initial soft nose.
Palate: Lashings of dark fruit syrup and a dark chocolate depth are warmed by cracked black pepper and touches of orange bitters. The long finish explodes with traditional sherry characteristics.
One of only 661 bottles. Bottled at a natural cask strength of 55% volume. Drawn from a Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon Cask number 3326.
£100 Click here to buy.

Glendronach 1993 single cask bottling 21 year old UK exclusive

Nose: A rich, meaty character filled with dark fruit-cake and roasted coffee beans, leading to a gentle balance of sugared dates, zested orange and hints of red chilli.
Palate: Fantastic depths of allspice, dark chocolate and espresso coffee combine with delicate, warm, toasted oak spices. A soft, floral fruitiness appears in the long, unique sherried finish.
Bottled at 58.80% volume One of only 567 bottles Cask number 39 Drawn from a Oloroso Sherry Butt.
£115 Click here to buy.

BenRiach 1995 single cask 18 year old UK exclusive

Nose: Classic crème caramel combines with ripe pear and apricot. Gentle waves of lime zest add a contrasting, crisp fresh edge.
Palate: Fruit salad syrup, vanilla pod and touches of toasted coconut combine to give the delicious, classic-Speyside character. Barley sugar and toasted oak give a sweet, warm and lingering finish.
One of only 208 bottles Drawn from a bourbon barrel Bottled at a natural cask strength of 52.50% Cask number 182044.
£93 Click here to buy.

SEPTEMBER PREVIEWS: GALLEON ATTACKED BY PIRATES

In the warm waters of the Caribbean, an opulent, cargo-laden galleon is under attack by pirates: aromas of ginger, nutmeg and chocolate blend with musket smoke and gunpowder borne on a salty sea breeze. While evoking a sun-drenched scene, we’re aware that autumn is just around the corner bringing a whole new harvest of flavours from field and forest: could one of these warming bottlings be a mouth-watering match to autumnal fare? Be the first to get the juices flowing with September’s early releases…

Spicy & sweet

2.88 Cinderella weeping over matchmakers

Rich fruit cake, black bun, ginger snaps and matchmakers with oak and vanilla. The palate showers the mouth with muscovado, dark chocolate and treacle…

20yo; Refill ex-bourbon hogshead

BUY £80.50

Lightly peated

3.225 Galleon attacked by pirates

Cigars, fruits, spices, coffee, smoke, charred wood, sea-spray, tarry rope and gunpowder suggest a pirate attack. The taste is rich and dark…

16yo; Refill ex-sherry butt

BUY £60.00

Browse Full 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

Malt Messenger Bulletin – Kensington Wine Market’s Fall 2014 Schedule is Now On-Line!

Our Fall 2014 tasting schedule is now on-line with an excellent array of tastings and events. It starts Tuesday September 9th with the legendary Jim McEwan of Bruichladdich, who is returning to KWM for two back to back tastings. We have a lot of unique tasting events scheduled with special guests from Springbank, Glendronach, Jura, Glen Garioch and other distilleries. Our Fall Single Malt Festival will be Thursday November 13th, it always sells out a month ahead of time, so don’t hesitate purchasing your ticket. Details on all of our whisky and spirits tastings can be found below. You can jump to the full list on our website now by following this link!

I’m off to Scotland in a week’s time. The best place to follow my adventures is my Twitter feed: twitter.com/scotch_guy. Time permitting I will also be posting to my whisky tour company fergusonwhiskytours.com/blog/. I’m heading up into the Highland for a few days of work before guiding a troupe of intrepid whisky pilgrims on a west coast adventure to Islay, Jura, Arran and Campbeltown.

One other note, I took the ALS Icebucket Challenge yesterday, the video is up on YouTube. In return I’ve nominated some others to follow in my footsteps, to see who , watch the video, check out my Twitter feed or have a look at the wee post on our KWM Blog.

Don’t forget, we are taking pre-order for: The Kensington Wine Market 2014 Whisky Advent Calendar. We first sent out notice of them on Thursday last week, and already 1/3 of the 288 units are spoken for. The perfect pre-Christmas gift for the whisky lover in you life, and a great way to toast the season.

I hope this email finds you well and that you enjoy the rest of your summer.

Slainte!

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

Bruichladdich Tastings with Jim McEwan

Tuesday September 9
5PM -or- 7:30PM $30

Jim McEwan was the chief visionary behind the revival of Bruichladdich and is one of the most captivating brand ambassadors in the world of whisky. We’ll be putting on two back to back tasting with Jim to highlight this very special distillery and its cult whiskies.

More Information

The Kensington Wine Market Fall 2014 Whisky and Spirits Tasting Schedule

More than enough to keep your thirst quenched this fall!

Our Fall Tasting Schedule is now On-Line and open for registration. You can register on our website, in-store and over the phone. We have special tastings marking the release of new exclusive casks and exciting guest presenters like Willie Tait, Jim McEwan and Iain MacCallum. There is also our Fall Single Malt Festival, and another edition of Ancient Malts. I hope we’ll see you this fall!

1. Bruichladdich w/ Jim McEwan – Tuesday September 9 5:00PM or 7:30PM. – Jim McEwan was the visionary behind the revival of Bruichladdich and is one of the most captivating brand ambassadors in the world of whisky. We’ll be putting on two, back to back, so everyone gets a chance to taste the highlights of this very special distillery. The same whiskies will be served at each event. Register for. – $30
2. Independent Macallan – Tuesday September 16 – There is perhaps no more iconic single malt whisky than The Macallan. It is the Cadillac of single malts and an aspirational brand the world over. We’ll take a look at the distillery, exclusively, with independent bottlings going back to 1970! – $80
3. Classic Single Malts – Tuesday September 23 – 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
4. Give Thanks for Bourbon – Our resident Bourbon expert, Hunter Sullivan, will take you on an exploration of America’s biggest contribution to the World of whisk(e)y. You’ll sample whiskies you’ll be very thankful for! – $35
5. Rare Malts – Only the rarest whiskies, those more than 20 years of age, or from closed distilleries are considered for this very special tasting. – $80
6. A Duriach Supper w/ Willie Tait – He may be five foot nothing, but his personality is that of a giant. Jura’s Brand Ambassador Willie Tait will entertain you with the mysteries of Scotland’s least populated whisky island, and guide you through a range of fine whiskies while you enjoy a three course meal at Buchanan’s Chophouse, 738 3 Ave SW. – $100
7. Modern Cocktail – What makes a great cocktail? Let our “mixologist” Phil Grandbois be your guide. You’ll learn the tricks, the techniques, and the ingredients… all put together with a dash of fun! – $35
9. Springbank Society Launch – This mini-Festival style tasting will celebrate the launch of the Springbank Society in Canada. We’ll be sampling a wide range of whiskies from Scotland’s oldest family owned distillery, including a selection of whiskies exclusive to members of the Springbank Society. – $30
10. Glendronach Casks Tasting w/ Stewart Buchanan – Stewart will be in town to guide us through a range of Glendronach single malts including two casks bottled exclusively for the Kensington Wine Market (1993 and 2003). – $40
11. Glen Garioch Cask Launch – Kensington Wine Market has an exception exclusive Glen Garioch cask on the way. To celebrate we’re throwing an open house, mini-festival style tasting with Morison Bowmore’s Master of Malt Iain McCallum. You’ll have the chance to sample a range of whiskies from Auchentoshan, Bowmore and Glen Garioch, including our new cask! – $25
12. Fall Single Malt Festival – Thursday November 12 – Our famous biannual whisky festival may be limited to just 100 participants, but there will be just as many whiskies to sample in this festival style tasting. – $60 – !!!Warning! Tickets sell out very quickly!!!
13. Classic Cadenhead Single Malts – Thursday November 20th – W.M. Cadenhead is Scotland’s oldest independent bottler, and they sit on a treasure trove of old and rare whiskies. We’ll sample a range of 7 Cadenhead whiskies, exclusive to KWM, from 10 to 48 years of age. – $85
14. Ancient Malts – Wednesday November 26 -or- Thursday November 27 – This tasting features the rarest of the rare, whiskies from 30-50+ years of age and it never disappoints. We’re keeping tight lipped on this one for now, but suffice to say it will be another fabulous event! The same whiskies will be served at each event. – $250

!!ALL TASTINGS START PROMPTLY AT 7:00 PM Seating is strictly limited so book early to avoid disappointment. Telephone: 283-8000 to register or do so online. It is recommended that those attending wine tastings use public transportation. Tastings are complete with light snacks!!

Taking Pre-Orders: Kensington Wine Market 2014 Whisky Advent Calendar!

Nearly 1/3 are already spoken for! “24 Days of Dram Fine Whisky!”

Kensington Wine Market 2014 Whisky Advent Calendar – Although it sold out well before its arrival, we didn’t feel last year’s Advent Calendar was good value, so this year we’ve put our own together. A total of 288 will be produced, and we are taking orders for them now. They will retail for $359.99 + GST. You can reserve them now for a $150 deposit. Each KWM 2014 Whisky Advent Calendar contains 24 unique 50ml whiskies and a specially marked Glencairn glass. The actual list of whisky is a surprise, and we’ll know you’ll enjoy it. If you are looking for an enticement, one of the whiskies is 40 years old and retails for more than $700 a bottle (750ml)! This is the perfect pre-Christmas gift for the whisky lover in your life, and a great way to lift your spirits. Slainté! $359.99

The Macallan ‘M’ is Available Again!

The Pinnacle Dram in the 1824 Collection

This has been our hottest selling premium whisky over the last 10 months. Frankly we’ve had a hard time working through our list of requests. Well we’ve finally done so, and I have 2 further bottles available to us. It is a stunning whisky, classic older sherry cask whisky in a beautiful decanter. This is the pinnacle of Macallan’s 1824 Series, and by far the oldest and rarest whisky in their stable. A 6L version sold at auction in January 2014 for north of $630,000.00 US, making it the world’s most expensive whisky! We poured it at a tasting this winter, and it was a huge hit!

Macallan ‘M’ – 44.7% – My Tasting Note: “Nose: raspberry sauce, damp Christmas cake, nutty Oloroso sherry and tingling spices; some hints of vanilla and dark sugars with treacle sauce and chocolate coated coffee bean; melons, pineapple and other tropical fruits emerge with some patience before being replaced by leather and tobacco; and then it is on to the spices, cinnamon sticks, powdered ginger and cardamom; Palate: immediately fruity with flavour tendrils spreading in a bewildering number of directions; classic Christmas cake and nutty sherry notes make way for the finest soft leather and soft cigar tobacco; more chocolate, coffee bean, maple syrup and now some sweet Panda Brand black licorice; the fruits emerge again as the sherry and leathery notes recede showing some orange peel, melons, mangoes and a hint of pineapple; I could go on; Finish: varies by sip, at times a wave of spices rippling across the tongue; other sips fade into soft leather and nutty sherry or old earthy Dunnage sherry notes; but it is always long, complex and fruity; Comments: the haters will say what they will about the lack of an age statement and the price point, that is until they try it, this is one hell of a good whisky. ” – $3799.99

Last chance to join the October Kentucky Bourbon Tour!

6 days and 7 nights in Bourbon Country!

The trip will begin in Louisville and conclude in Lexington. The price will include accommodation for 7 nights, 2 in Louisville, 1 in Bardstown and 4 in Lexington; October 4-11. The reason four nights are being spent in the latter location is the proximity of distilleries. I have two prices for the trip, one is for single occupancy and the other is for double whether as a couple or two individuals with separate beds. The costs are approximate and will be confirmed 1 month prior to the trip. Estimates:

– Single Occupancy $3615/person
– Double Occupancy $5469/couple ($2735each)

Price includes:

• Accommodation at good hotels.
o Marriot Louisville Downtown
o Hilton Lexington
• Ground Transportation
• Dinner on the Lexington Dinner Train
• Distillery Visitor Center and Tasting costs.
Price doesn’t include:
• Flights
• Most meals.
• Golf or Other add on activities.
The rough itinerary is as follows, some items may shift and or be replaced:

Day 1 – Saturday October 4 – Calgary to Louisviller
– Accommodation – Louisville
Day 2 – Sunday October 5 – Louisville Area
– Golf AM or Alternate Activity
– Evan Williams Bourbon Experience
– Jim Beam Distillery
– Accommodation – Louisville
Day 3 – Monday October 6 – Bardstown
– Heaven Hill
– Barton
– Willet
– Accommodation – Bardstown
Day 4 – Tuesday October 7 – Bardstown to Lexington
– Marker’s Mark
– Four Rosses
– Wild Turkey
– Accommodation – Lexington
Day 5 – Wednesday October 8 – Lexington
– Golf or Alternate Activitiy
– Other Activity
– Accommodation – Lexington
Day 6 – Thursday October 9 – Around Lexington
– Wild Turkey (if not above)
– Woodford
– Town Branch
– Accommodation – Lexington
Day 7 – Friday October 10 – Around Lexington
– Buffalo Trace
– Accommodation – Lexington

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