Cambus 26 Year Old 1988

As the curtains close on 2014 we say goodbye for good to Imperial Distillery now demolished. Here are our favorite releases from lost Scottish distilleries…

Cambus 26 Year Old $111.56

Spirit of Hven – the appliance of science

With all the romance of whisky, it’s easy to forget that distilleries are, in essence, factories, and production is just cold, hard science. One distillery that takes an extraordinarily scientific approach is Sweden’s Spirit of Hven (pronounced ‘veen’). Distiller and joint owner Henric Molin is a chemist by trade and uses his background to create a range of spirits, predominantly using nosing and chemical analysis.

Spirit of Hven distillery on an overcast, windy October morning – not many takers for cycling!

The distillery is situated on the island of Ven (the ‘h’ prefix is the older Swedish spelling, and is also used in Danish) which lies in the Øresund strait between Denmark and Sweden. Henric and his wife Anja Engdahl-Molin have been running the on-site hotel in Backafallsbyn since 1997, and a decade later decided to start distilling: ‘We needed to do something to keep the staff busy during the quiet season,’ Henric told me. The brand was only exported for the first time in 2012, part of a plan to do things themselves without outside financial help, and to grow slowly: ‘We wanted to keep control of the whole process; it was important to us.’

I simultaneously manage to look dapper and please Swedish Health and Safety

The operation at Hven uses scientific methods including in the tasting room, where the temperature and humidity is often subtly altered during events to see how it affects perceptions. The pièce de résistance is the gas chromatography-mass spectometry machine which analyses spirit samples and shows the chemical breakdown. This allows Henric to assess the ageing capability of a certain spirit before it is put in a cask, or to see whether it contains too high a percentage of undesirable elements, such as feints (the spirit produced at the end of the distillation). The machine is the only one of its kind in the EU to be used for spirits, and Henric analyses samples for around a quarter of the world’s distilleries.
They produce a wide range of spirits: whisky, aquavit, gin, vodka, and seasonal winter and summer spirits, and have been experimenting with apple brandy and an agricole-style rum using sugar beets from the island.

Spirit of Hven Seven Stars No.1 Dubhe, 45%. £87.95 (50cl).

The first release in the distillery’s Seven Stars series, in which seven whiskies are to be released over the coming years, all named after stars in The Plough constellation. A medium-peated whisky (around 40ppm), this was aged for around four years in 25 oak casks – a combination of Spanish, French and American.

Nose: Complex with sweet nutmeg, ripe strawberry and dark chocolate.
Palate: A flavour explosion! The nutmeg and dark chocolate from the nose joined by orange zest, cinnamon and vanilla.
Finish: Medium in length, with the orange zest the most prominent flavour at the end.
Comment: An intriguing whisky, every sip is slightly different. It’s one of those that I could sip and think about for hours – a real gem.

I tasted a range of other spirits – Summer Spirit (vodka, elderflower, rhubarb and apples), Winter Spirit (vodka, cassia and other spices) and a single-wine-cask-finished whisky (Sankt Klaus), all of which were delicious and great examples of their categories. All the spirits were matched with food. The best? Aquavit and pickled herring (matjesherring) – they complemented each other perfectly.

Spirit of Hven is unlike any distillery I’ve ever visited – the scientific approach lends another dimension, with exceptional attention to detail at every stage. Tasting the spirits, it’s hard to forget the brand is only seven years old, and I eagerly await future releases.

My week visiting Swedish distilleries highlighted the progress being made in the country, which had no whisky production 15 years ago. With the spirits from Smögen and Box coming of age, the future is bright for Swedish whisky – I’ll be visiting again soon.

Can you believe it is only a few days until Christmas? If you missed my Malt Messenger Christmas Gift Guide, you can still view it online, or you can view it on Whisky Intelligence. (Heh! That’s us!) We have lots of great gift ideas in store, so come pay us a visit or check us out online!

December has flown by at Kensington Wine Market and the whiskies are flying out the door. Our exclusive single casks are doing especially well. Topping the charts right now is our new Glendronach 2003 Cask, which we are struggling to keep in stock. We have another Glendronach Cask, a 1993, and it is also selling briskly. A little more mature and refined it is one of the finest whiskies in our store. Our Arran 1996 Cask is also doing very well, thank you very much; less than 40 bottles left out of a total of 334. Our Glen Garioch 1998 Cask is also pulling a disappearing act, just 37 of the 220 bottles we launched in mid-November remain!

Speaking of a disappearing act, we were very saddened by the theft of our four Christmas trees from in front of the store earlier this week. We’d like to thank Rob and Kelly from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada for donating a pair of replacement trees. Thank you!

There is lots to tell you about in this Malt Messenger. The 11th Batch of BenRiach single casks has just arrived, and BenRiach is this edition’s Distillery in Focus. We’ve also just received our exclusive new Darkness whiskies by Master of Malt. Japanese whisky has been very hot this fall, owning in no small part to the Whisky Bible naming a Yamazaki bottling Whisky of the Year. Sadly Yamazaki and all Suntory products aren’t currently available in Canada, but we do have a huge shipment of whiskies from the rival Nikka Whisky Co. due to land in just a few days.

If you’re in the Kensington area this afternoon, Andy Dunn of Gold Medal will be in to spread some Christmas cheer. We’ll be featuring the new Kilchoman 100% Islay 4th Edition $100. It is a beautiful, elegant, peated dram. We’ll also be pouring Springbank, Benromach, Tullibardine, Gordon & MacPhail and a host of other whiskies!

There is a lot to tell you about in this issue, so I’m going to cut this short and let you get on with browsing the 62nd full Malt Messenger. I hope you enjoy it, and on behalf of everyone at Kensington Wine Market let me wish you a Very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Safe and Prosperous New Year!

Slainté!

Andrew Ferguson

In This Issue
1. BenRiach Batch 11 Whiskies are Here
2. Distillery in Focus: BenRiach
3. Introducing: Darkness by Master of Malt
4. Japanese Whiskies Back in Stock Soon
5. New Whiskies from Compass Box
6. Introducing: Tomatin Cuatro
7. Two New Macallans
8. Price Increase Looming on Glenfarclas 30 & 40 Year
9. Introducing: The Dalmore 25 Year
10. Bruichladdichs Back in Stock
11. MS Calgary Whisky Festival 2015
12. Scot’s Wha Hae: KWM’s 9th Annual Burns Supper
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

BenRiach Batch 11 is Here

14 New Single Cask BenRiachs Exclusive to KWM in Canada!

We are very fortunate to be the only retailer in Canada, that gets access to BenRiachs Batch vintage whiskies. We’ve been a huge supporter of the brand since the distillery was bought by Billy Walker and a network of investors in 2004. There has been no looking back since that date. BenRiach has gone from virtual unknown to an industry pioneer in innovation. This 11th Batch of vintage releases is no different. We have sherry matured whiskies finished in Ex-Bourbon, and peated Speyside whisky from the 70s. This caught me off guard as I had believed the distillery only started peating some of their malt in the mid-80s. KWM has exclusive access in Canada to the following BenRiach vintage whiskies, but in very limited quantities:

BenRiachs Batch 11 Whiskies:

1. BenRiach 1976 Cask 529 – 44.2% – 37 Year – Bourbon Barrel (Sherry Cask Matured, Bourbon Finish) – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Gentle honey infused with figs, ripe plums and toasted oak spice softens to hints of pineapple. Taste: Fresh, crisp oak and cereal combine with sweet plum syrup and develop to an elegant soft tropical fruit and toasted coconut finish. – $574.99 (Only 3 Left)
2. BenRiach 1976 Cask 5463 – 51.9% – 37 Year – Bourbon Barrel/Peated (Sherry Cask Matured, Bourbon Finish) – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Rich chocolate holds touches of sweet dates, balanced perfectly with a sharp citrus kick and hot pepper spice. Taste: A lively black pepper heat infuses through dark fruitcake followed by delicate waves of soft peaches dusted with cocoa.” – $574.99 SOLD OUT
3. BenRiach 1977 Cask 7114 – 48.3% – 37 Year – Hogshead – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Buttery apples and ripe pears soaked with wild flower honey develop to ripe bananas and gentle white pepper. Taste: Classic aged oak combines with floods of tropical fruits. Green apple peel and barley grist add a crisp back note to the traditional Speyside style. – $574.99
4. BenRiach 1977 Cask 1891 – 43.2% – 37 years old – Dark Rum Barrel (Dark Rum Finish) – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Succulent cane sugar spills over roasted orchard fruits. A lingering toffee and biscuit note gives added depth. Taste: Demerara and boiled sweets burst on the palate and seamlessly soften to waves of toffee and vanilla. Barley-dusted stewed gooseberries give a great contrast and balance throughout the palate.” – $574.99
5. BenRiach 1978 Cask 5469 – 41.7% – 36 Year – Bourbon Barrel (Sherry Cask Matured, Bourbon Finish) – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Oven roasted red apples with caramelised Muscovado sugar warmed by fragrant toasted allspice and peppercorns. Taste: Fairground candy apple, cinnamon and delicate ground black pepper mellow to touches of fig, sultanas and stewed sweet barley.” – $524.99
6. BenRiach 1984 Cask 488 – 51.1% – 29 Year – Hogshead/Peated – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Dark, smoky wood notes fill the nose and flood through a distant prune and sundried raisin fruit character. Taste: Subtle earthy peat reek and a lingering aged oak note give an elegant quality to the unique peated character, which holds rich fruitcake, cinnamon and warm oak spices.” – $269.99
7. BenRiach 1984 Cask 4051 – 50.3% – 29 Year Tawny Port Hogshead/Peated (Tawny Port Finish) – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Sweet wild strawberries and dark blackcurrants infused with gentle charcoal smoke, delicate garden herbs and distant hints of mint. Taste: A mouth-watering explosion of burning hillside heather smoke merges with sharp cranberry and wild meadow honey. Earthy and grassy peat lingers satisfyingly on the long palate. – $269.99
8. BenRiach 1994 Cask 1703 – 55.6% – 20 Year – Tawny Port Hogshead (Tawny Port Finish) – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Rich amber with a tawny heart. Taste: Gentle red cherries with a crisp citrus kick mellow to roasted red apples and toasted spices.” – $169.99
9. BenRiach 1994 Cask 5626 – 53.2% – 20 Year – Madeira Hogshead/Peated (Madeira Finish) – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Sweet campfire wood smoke engulfs orchard fruits dusted with barley grist. Taste: Earthy, leathery peat combines seamlessly with dried apricot and touches of cantaloupe melon. A crisp, sweet barley finish.” – $169.99
10. BenRiach 1996 Cask 7176 -52.4% – 18 Year – Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon (Pedro Ximenez Sherry Finish) – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Delicious soft chocolate, dates and vanilla merge gently with warm oak spices. Taste: Luxurious chocolate and roasted coffee beans hold hints of cherry and ground almond, surrounded by contrasting hot spiced oak.” – $146.99
11. BenRiach 1997 Cask 4435 – 56.1% – 16 Year – Marsala Hogshead (Marsala finish) – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Cracked black peppercorns delicately warm candy apples infused with a touch of mint. Taste: A fantastic contrast of crisp green apple skin, white pepper and ginger mellows to ripe summer fruits and a soft barley finish.” – $130.99
12. BenRiach 1998 Cask 5171 – 57.9% – 16 Year – Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon/Triple Distilled (Pedro Ximenez Sherry finish) – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: A clean, gentle nose of date, fig and cocoa holds an elegant twist of fragrant herbs and nutmeg. Taste: Vibrant oak spice, orange bitters and dark chocolate give exceptional depth. Stewed barley and orchard fruits softly roll through the long ever-changing palate. – $130.99
13. BenRiach 2000 Cask 38131 – 59.3% – 14 Year – Bourbon Barrel – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Touches of candied peel compliment sweet caramelised pear. Buttery vanilla pod surrounds the classic nose. Taste: Rich tarte Tatin with grated, crisp lime zest explodes to cinnamon-infused stewed orchard fruits and sultanas. Freshly-sawn oak and barley sugar give a long, crisp edge to vibrant palate. “- $109.99
14. BenRiach 2005 Cask 3781 – 58.7% – 9 Year – Virgin American Oak Hogshead/Peated (Virgin American Oak finish) – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Burning heather smoke and toasted oak spices surround a delicate, buttery nose of dried apricots and sultanas. Taste: Floods of sweet peat reek in rich caramelised apple and pear gently soften to dried apricot and desiccated coconut. An exquisite oak balance develops to a classic, sweet cereal finish.” – $89.99

Distillery in Focus: BenRiach

One of the Speyside’s Most Dynamic Distilleries

2014 is the BenRiach Distillery’s 10th Anniversary under the stewardship of Billy Walker and his team at the BenRiach Distillery Co. With the backing of a group of South African investors Billy Walker purchased the then silent distillery from Pernod Ricard. Within three months the new team at BenRiach had a launched a new core range. Two months later the distillery was in fully operational again. Over the last decade BenRiach has risen like a Pheonix from the ashes of its past.

For much of BenRiach’s history the distillery was largely unloved. , the distillery has been closed more years than it has been open since its stills first fired in 1897. In 1903 the distillery was shuttered after just a couple years of production when a whisky boom the industry had rode for the previous two decades dramatically turned to a bust. The distillery would remain closed for the next 62 years, though it survived owing to its proximity to another distillery, Longmorn.

Longmorn distillery made use of the malting floor and warehouses at BenRiach to assist in its own production. The distillery’s event had a short line of track between the to transfer stocks and raw materials. BenRiach was sometimes referred to as Longmorn #2. When BenRiach reopened in 1965 a new whisky boom was in its early stages. This one too would have a rough landing in the early 1980s. Once again a large proportion of Scotland’s distilleries closed, many of them forever. BenRiach limped along however, largely unloved, but needed for the peated production it produced, and its malting floor which was in use until 1999. The distillery closed again in 2002, in the eyes of the accounts, surplus to the needs of Pernod Ricard, its new owners.

BenRiach’s most recent closure was not to last long. Even if many of the producers hadn’t fully grasped it, the industry was once again on a major upswing. Billy Walker and his group acquired the distillery and its stocks for a song, and they’ve never looked back. The distillery is easily one of Scotland’s most dynamic and innovative. When Billy opened the warehouse doors he found a wide variety of stocks, both unpeated and peated, maturing in a wide range of casks. In the last few years the distillery has also conducted trials with its malting floors, which is has returned to a usable condition. One of only 8 distilleries in Scotland that can malt some of their own barley on site in traditional floor maltings.

BenRiach’s rise over the last decade has been impressive. It has been named distillery of the year several times by different whisky magazines, most recently by Whisky Magazine. We’ve had a long standing relationship with this maverick distiller, and are always eager to see what’s next.

BenRiach Whiskies Available from KWM:

1. BenRiach 12 Year – 43% – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Honey, vanilla, floral, fruity with well balanced wood overtones. Palate: Rounded medium to full bodied, rich honey, vanilla with hints of cream, spice and chocolate.” – $63.99
2. BenRiach 12 Year 4.5L – 43% – Same whisky as above, just 4.5L, or 6 bottles worth of it! – $399.99
3. BenRiach 12 Year Sherry Matured – 46% – Matured in Oloroso & Pedro Ximenez Sherry – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Mocha, dark chocolate, sultanas and rich spices. Palate: The combination of Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez Sherry casks gives a wonderful balance of mocha and dark chocolate interwoven with figs, sultanas, vanilla, fruits and rich spices.” – $74.99
4. BenRiach Curiositas 10 Year – 46% – Peated Speyside Whisky – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: An explosion of aromatic peat reek, with fragrant hints of honey, fruit and mellow oak. Palate: An avalanche of peat, followed by an extravagant and complex mix of fruit, heather, nuts, oak wood and spices.” – $58.99
5. BenRiach Septendicem 17 Year – 46% – American Oak Matured – Peated Speyside (Latin for 17) – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: A robust mix of fresh peaty aromas, constructed around a central core of apples and toasted nuts which have been dowsed in wild mountain honey. Palate: Sweet concentrated peat flavours dominate from the start. Bold and intense. The peaty heart is united with honey-infused raisins, roasted nuts and a luxurious leather impression. Full-bodied with fantastic length. A real heavyweight, which will impart a lasting impression on the palate.” – $93.99
6. BenRiach Authenticus 25 Year – 46% – Peated Speyside – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Elegant aromas of ripe pineapple, fresh mountain herbs and a profusion of sweet peat. A huge pungent blast of peat smoke emerges, partnering the peated element perfectly. Full bodied and audacious. Palate: A fantastic fusion of rich peat and smouldering embers bound together by fresh herbs – oregano, aniseed and chicory in particular. A rush of sweet, wild honey provides a lovely contrast to this lively, intense expression.” – $224.99

Two 15 Year BenRiach Finishes Exclusive to KWM, produced in very limited quantities:

1. BenRiach 15 Year Madeira Finish – 46% – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Vanilla and spices with watermelon and peaches, with a rich backdrop of Madeira and oak wood. Palate: An avalanche of butterscotch, hazelnuts, peaches and spices, with a rich Madeira finish.” – $87.99
2. BenRiach 15 Year Pedro Ximenez Sherry Finish – 46% – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Honey, sultanas, dark chocolate with a flood of Pedro Ximenez Sherry. Palate: Cream and honey, infused with papaya, rosehips, eucalyptus and dark chocolate, all interwoven with rich Pedro Ximenez Sherry and oak wood.” – $87.99 (Bronze Medal From the Malt Maniacs!)

Introducing: Darkness by Master of Malt

Six New Exclusive Sherry Bombs for KWM

Darkness is a new range of whiskies from Master of Malt. The company had Speyside cooperage build them custom 50L Octave casks from Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. The whiskies were only finished in them for 3 months, but given the reduced ratio of surface area to whisky, the results were stunning. KWM has brought in a limited release of these whiskies, and they are not expected to last long. These whiskies sold out a long time ago in the UK, it’s taken a while to get our share of the bottles here. I should also note a debt of gratitude is owed to Kelly Carpenter of the Soctch Malt Whisky Society Canada who tipped me off to these drams. Thanks Kelly!

1. Darkness! Clynelish16 year old Oloroso Cask Finish – 54.9% – 16 Year – 94 bottles – MoM Tasting Note: “Nose: Mixed candied peels, dried apricot, dates and a little chutney tang. Buttered crumpets, fudge and honeysuckle. A little jaffa cake too, all underpinned by some rich walnut. Palate: Chocolate HobNobs, rich, dark caramels and pleasantly pervading peach skin. Finish: More peach and dates especially, slightly sweet and nutty.” – $194.99
2. Darkness! Aberlour 20 Year Old Pedro Ximenez Cask – 53.7% – 20 Year – 97 bottles – MoM Tasting Note: “Nose: Initial cinnamon, green apple and meringue with clove and anise developing. Palate: Red apple, nutty oak, cakeyness and again clove develops to add wonderful depth. Finish: Dates, sultanas, fruit salad and something unexpectedly herbal pops up too (a little menthol?).” – $159.99
3. Darkness! Aultmore 16 Year Old Oloroso Cask Finish – 53.6% – 16 Year – 81 bottles – MoM Tasting Note: “Nose: Cherries, baked apples and freshly baked bread. Milka chocolate bars develop. Palate: Oooh, it’s like we’ve broken into the tuck shop and come out with bags full of chewy toffees and chocolate covered raisins. There’s a subtle hint of red chilli during the mid-palate too. Finish: Long with boiled sweets, blackcurrants and a little oak.- 53.9% – 96 Bottles – $159.99
4. Darkness! Dailuaine 15 year Old Pedro Ximenez Cask Finish – 53.9% – 15 Year – 96 Bottles – MoM Tasting Note: “Nose: Chocolate drops and freshly harvested cereals. Nuts, barley sugar and deep, subtle dried fruit depth. Palate: The rich meatiness you hope for from Dailuaine is present here alongside nutty dates and rich spice. Finish: Choc chip and hazelnut cookies. I’m in heaven. – $181.99
5. Darkness! Glen Moray 22 Year Old Oloroso Cask Finish – 57.8% – 22 Year – 88 Bottles – MoM Tasting Note: “Nose: With just a little water herbal, honeyed notes emerge with dried apricots, raisins, rich strawberry sauce and hints of syrupy tropical fruits too. Cashew nuts and rosemary honey develop. Palate: Honey drizzled all over fruit salad and sultanas with a bag of roasted chestnuts from a roadside stall chucked in for good measure. Finish: Nutty oak with alternating notes of pecan, cashew nut and chestnut.- $249.99
6. Darkness! Tomintoul 18 Year Old Oloroso Cask Finish – 52.7% – 95 Bottles – MoM Tasting Note: “Nose: Complex with barley, custard, juicy prunes and sweet biscuits. Palate: Caramel latte (not that I’ve ever had one of those) or a Werther’s Original eaten with a sip of Americano. Finish: Ginger, cinnamon, sultana, creamy malt. Into darkness chocolate.”- $181.99

 Japanese Whiskies Back In Stock Soon

A Dozen Whiskies from Nikka Whisky Co.

Nikka is Japan’s second oldest whisky company, cerlebrating its 80th Anniversary this year. The company’s first distillery was established by Masataka Taketsuru

Exclusive to KWM:
1. Miyagikyo 15 Year – Single Malt – 45% – Meaty with a very fruity palate, lots of spices, fruit and soft oaky flourishes. – $159.99
2. Nikka Coffey Grain – 45% – Grain Whisky – Mellow and sweet this whisky shows a lot of corn, silky oils and floral notes. – $88.99
3. Nikka Coffey Malt – 45% – Column Still Single Malt – Surprisingly chewy and malt with lots of vanilla and soft toast oak. – $88.99
4. The Nikka Box – 6 Whiskies & 2 Tasting Glasses – The Japanese art of origami meets the coolest coffee table adornment a whisky lover could ever ask for. Contains bottles of Nikka: From the Barrel, Pure Malt Black, Coffey Grain, Miyagikyo 12 Year – Yoichi 15 Year & Taketsuru 21 Year – $1149.99

Other Nikkas Coming In:
1. Miyagikyo 12 Year – Single Malt – 45% – Faint peat with lots of vanilla, tangy fruits and chewy malt. – $129.99
2. Nikka From the Barrel – Blended – 51.4% – This blended Japanese whisky is a steal, rich, spicy and fruity. – $54.99
3. Nikka Pure Malt Black – Blended Malt – 43% – Mainly composed of Yoichi distillery malt, Black is characterized by powerful peat, rich taste and firm flavor. – $59.99
4. Nikka Pure Malt Red – Blended Malt – 43% – Mainly composed of Miyagikyo distillery malt, Red is characterized by lightly sweet vanilla nose and a soft and gentle taste. – $59.99
5. Nikka Pure Malt White – Blended Malt – 43% – Mainly composed of Miyagikyo distillery malt, Red is characterized by lightly sweet vanilla nose and a soft and gentle taste. – $59.99
6. Nikka Taketsuru 17 Year – Blended Malt – 43% – Spicy with citrus and building peaty notes, the Taketsuru 17 is rich, complex and very smooth. – $129.99
7. Nikka Taketsuru 21 Year – Blended Malt – 43% – Rich, spicy, fruity and very elegant the 21 is a very complex malt and was named Blended Malt of the Year in the 2010 World Whisky Awards. – $169.99
8. Yoichi 10 Year – Single Malt – 45% – This moderately peated single malt shows light peat and lots of fruit with a velvety finish. – $85.99

Two New Compass Box Whiskies

The Lost Blend $119.99 & Great King Street Glasgow $49.99

Compass Box is bringing the sexy back to blended whisky, and we have two great new releases from them, both quite limited. The Glasgow blend was inspired by the blends mentioned by Aeneas MacDonald in his 1930 book “Whisky”. Glaswegians apparently preferred fuller bodied more flavourful whiskies, and that is what Compass Box has tried to recreate here. From the Producer: “For decades, The Wellington Statue, outside Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art, has been cheekily topped by a traffic cone, something the local population has taken to heart as a symbol of their sense of humour. It has become one of Glasgow’s most iconic images, and graces our label for the Glasgow Blend.”

Great King Street Glasgow Blend – 43% – 33% Lowland Grain/67% Islay, Speyside & Highland Malt – 20% Laphroaig, 33% Sherried Aberlour & 47% Clynelish – 1st Fill Sherry, 1st & 2nd Fill Bourbon and some French oak finishing. – Producer’s Tasting Note: “Full, rich and smoky on the palate, with notes of baking spices and sherry wine notes.” – $49.99

In 2001 Compass Box created and released Eleuthera, its first Blended Malt. It was composed of 80% Highland malt with the rest being peated malt from Islay. 3 years into production their supplies of these base whiskies were suddenly cut off, so the whisky was retired in 2004. John Glaser, Compass Box’s creative genius, had long hoped to revive the blend, but had not been able to… until now. John had a name he’d been saving for a special whisky, “The Lost Blend”, a reference to the O. Henry story about life in a New York Bar in the early 1900’s. The business partners in the establishment were hoping to create a blend of spirits with supernatural properties. From the Producer: “Having been blending Scotch whiskies as an amateur and a professional for the better part of 20 years, I can say with confidence that I believe there exist “magic” combinations of whiskies. For me, they are like the whisky blending equivalent of spiritual truths. And what better name to lend to our lost blend, but “The Lost Blend”!

Compass Box The Lost Blend – 46% – 12,018 Bottles – Whiskies from Clynelish, Allt-A-Bhainne & Caol Ila – No age statement, but much of the whisky is close to 20 years of age. – Producer’s Tasting Note: “An elegantly complex union of two fruity Highland single malts and a peaty Islay single malt. An ethereal fruit and herbal character and a sweetness on the palate is buttressed by an underlying smokiness.” – $119.99

Introducing the Tomatin Cuatro

4x 700ml Bottles of Tomatin Finished in 4 Different Types of Sherry Casks – $364.99

This is a set of 4 700ml bottles, distilled in 2002 and bottled in 2014. Each of the whiskies was matured 9 years in American oak and then transferred to four different types of sherry casks for a finishing period of just over 3 years. Each of the whiskies has a unique style owing to the extra maturation in different cask types: Fino, Manzanilla, Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez Sherry. The whiskies are available from only two stores in Calgary, and KWM is only selling them as a set of 4.

Two New Macallans

The first shipment has sold but there is another coming!

The Macallan ‘M’ has been a huge success for the distillery, regardless of whether it has an age statement. We sampled it here at the store as part of one of our Ancient Malts tastings and it did not disappoint. We’ve sold nearly 20 of them in a little over a year. There is still some ‘M’ available on the market, but there are also two new expressions.

Two new Macallans have just come into the market:
1. Macallan Reflexion – 43% – From the Distillery: “Reflexion is a masterpiece in style, featuring angular facets that reflect the light to showcase the deep mahogany of the whisky within. Its unique colour and flavour is drawn from maturation in carefully selected hogshead casks which allow for a greater surface area of wood to interact with the spirit. Bold and full bodied, the initial citrus zest with new oak quickly gives way to a juicier sweetness of lemon and orange.” – $1449.99
2. Macallan No. 6 – 43% – From the Distillery: No.6 brings together two Masters, our whisky maker and masters of crystal, Lalique, to create a piece of timeless elegance. The angular decanter with six facets holds a complex single malt using only first fill Spanish sherry seasoned oak casks. Heavy and sumptuous, No. 6 tastes like a rich fruit cake with raisin, dates and figs before offering silky smooth oaky notes and boasts a rich dark walnut colour. – $3899.99

We can also still get our hands on Macallan ‘M’

 • Macallan ‘M’ – – 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’ve yet to try it, but we have our fingers crossed that we will be able to in the near future. 44.7% Andrew’s 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. ” – $4799.99

 Our Exceptional New Glen Garioch Cask

It only just got here, and more than half of the bottles are already sold!

I was just informed last week that Glenfarclas’ cheap as borsht 30 and 40 year old whiskies would be facing a price correction in the New Year. These whiskies have long been underpriced. Many of you will have already noticed that the price of the 40 year jumped from $500 to $720 earlier this year. Well it is going up again in January, from $720 to $1075. The 30 Year jumped earlier this year from a little over $300 to $416; it will be increasing to $569.99. Only limited stock is available ahead of the price increase:

1. Glenfarclas 30 Year – 43% – Distillery’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Full complex aromas with fruit and full sherried malty tones. Flavour: With Sherry, cognac, brandy, fruit, nuts, marzipan (and even icing), this is a wonderfully indulgent Christmas cake, in a glass! Finish: A whisky you never want to end and it very nearly doesn’t. The finish is exquisite with a real taste of burnt chocolate at the back of your mouth.” – $415.99 -> $569.99 (Feb 1)
2. Glenfarclas 40 Year – 46% – Distillery’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Antique leather, walnuts and chocolate covered raisins. Flavour: A sweet initial taste, orange segments, chocolate. Then a lovely flavour of burnt brown sugar. Finish: The dry finish oozes big tannins and more rich dark cocoa beans. Let the whisky breathe a little or add a drop or two of water to fully open up the dram. – $719.99 -> $1074.99 (Feb 1)

Introducing: The Dalmore 25 Year

Already Sold Out in Most of the World, it has Just Landed in Alberta!

Matured initially in American white oak, this rare whisky is then carefully divided into hand-sourced 25 year old sweet Palomino Fino sherry butts and 1980 first fill bourbon casks. These exceptional whiskies are then expertly married together in bourbon barrels before being transferred, for the final time into Tawny Port pipes from Portugal, for an outstanding triple wood finish.

The Dalmore 25 Year – 42% – Distiller’s Tasting Note: Aroma: Exotic fruits, marzipan, vanilla pods, treacle toffee, fig cake and sweet balsamic; Palate: Orange peel, chocolate truffles, liquorice, sweet damsons and sherry soaked raisins; Finish: Demerara sugar, maple syrup, bitter chocolate, and spiced gingerbread.” – $1029.99

Bruichladdich Octomore 6.1 & Black Arts 4 Are Back

Very limited stocks!

Bruichladdich Black Art 4 – 49.2% – Distillery Tasting Note: “Nose: The aromas rise and mingle beautifully creating an olfactory symphony in your hand. Little notes of rich, plump, crystallised grapes flirt over heavier notes of honey. Go deeper and you will find the tang of lemon and lime – This is the DNA of our Bruichladdich spirit; the terroir of ancient peat lands and Islay’s exposed coastline, living, breathing proof that magic really does exist. Palate: Without water the first thought that enters my head is wow! This is strong and my cheeks flush, my eyes water but my heart is in heaven. Its so, so mellow and mature and yes, you can find all of the aromatics on the taste buds and more!!! I get chocolate and coconut, tangerine and papaya and a wonderful infusion of barley sugar with a pinch of cinnamon and aniseed. Completely mesmerising. Finish: Grilled peach and apricot sprinkled with demerera sugar, quite outstanding.” – $239.99

Octomore 6.1 – 57% – From the Distillery: “The world’s most heavily peated whisky, this is the sixth edition of the uber-experimental cult Octomore. Titanic amounts of peat but with a light, delicate complexity and a beguiling finesse. Young, yet eminently mature, it defies us. It remains an enigma. We embrace that. Here, we pay tribute to its pedigree, to the land from which it came and the raw materials that gave it life: Octomore Scottish Barley. We believe challenging convention matters.” – $131.99

MS Calgary Whisky Festival Update

Thursday, January 15, 2015 w/ 2 Ticket Options

The 2015 Calgary Whisky Festival in support of the MS Society of Calgary is set to be another barnburner of an event. Last year’s festival drew 400 attendees and featured nearly 150 whiskies from distilleries in Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the US, Japan and India. This year’s event is set to be even bigger and better with more whiskies, more presenters and a capacity of 500 participants. New this year we are offering a VIP package, which will include a Macallan Master Class featuring a very rare and special bottling. The VIP Ticket is $149 (SOLD OUT) and the regular ticket $99. Nearly 300 of the 500 tickets have already sold. Don’t hesitate, get your tickets now, they won’t last long.

Through the month of December, KWM had a small quantity of tickets available for sale in store!

Order tickets through the MS Society by clicking here!

Scots Wha Hae: Our 9th Annual Burns Supper

This year’s event is all about Glendronach! Sunday January 25 – 7PM – $99

Caledonians Unite! It’s time to celebrate all things Scottish. Glendronach is the featured distillery for this 9th annual Robbie Burns Supper. Our Burns Supper blends the traditional event with an addressing of the Haggis, music, poetry, dance and a tasting of a range of 7 Scotch whiskies from the Glendronach Distillery. We’re featuring two new single casks selected by and bottled exclusively for Kensington Wine Market, and they are superb! The event will also feature a three course dinner, including but not limited to haggis with neeps and tatties! No previous whisky experience required. Location: Fort Calgary 750 9 Avenue, SE 7:00pm start time. Sunday Jan 25

Call 403-283-8000 to register, or do so online!

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2015 Makes a Great Gift for the Whisky Lover

The 10th Anniversary Edition – $30

This year’s edition includes articles by respected whisky authors: Johnny McCormick, Neil Ridley, Dominic Roskrow, Gavin D Smith, Charles (Charlie) McLean, Ian Buxton and Bernard Schafer. There 135 pages on malt whisky distilleries in Scotland, and another 100 pages on whiskies from around the world. If there is one must have annual whisky book, this is it!

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2015 – $30

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

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY RELEASES LAST EXPERIMENTAL COLLECTION BOURBONS OF 2014 

An Expansion of the Aging Experiment on Three Different Warehouse Floors

Using 12-Year-Old Wheated Bourbon 

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Dec. 9, 2014) Earlier this year, Buffalo Trace Distillery released an experiment consisting of barrels aged for the same length of time on different floors in the same warehouse.  The experiment was met with great interest, as many bourbon connoisseurs are thirsty for knowledge about how atmosphere affects the taste of their favorite spirit.

Buffalo Trace continues that experiment, this time using wheated bourbon instead of the rye bourbon mash bill used in the previous experiment.

The Warehouse Floors Experiment was started in 2001, when Buffalo Trace filled 15 barrels with their Wheat Bourbon Mash Bill and placed five barrels on floors one, five, and nine of Warehouse K. This brick warehouse has nine wooden floors in total and was chosen for this experiment due to the variety of tastes it provides during the aging process. Here’s how the experiment panned out:

The barrels aged on the first floor of Warehouse K resulted in a bourbon with a mild nose and hints of vanilla. The flavor is described as sweet with slight caramel and butterscotch notes. The body is said to be mild with an easy and approachable palate.

Barrels aged on the fifth floor of Warehouse K yielded a bourbon with an aroma full of herbal notes and a mouth full of savory flavors and cooked cinnamon and clove balanced with caramel and butterscotch. The finish is smooth and balanced.

The ninth floor of Warehouse K resulted in a bourbon with a rich and delightful aroma of charred oak.  The initial flavor fills the mouth with toasted almonds and walnuts. The mouth feel is medium bodied with a dry finish.

“This experiment was an interesting comparison to our rye bourbon warehouse floors experiment, especially since both were aged in the same warehouse and on the same floors, said Harlen Wheatley, master distiller. “As with the rye bourbon experiment, the higher floors yielded a different taste profile than the lower floors, giving us a richer and full bodied taste. Also, we noticed a higher evaporation rate on the wheat recipe experiment vs the rye bourbon recipe experiment.  The wheat evaporated between 42-51% over the twelve years, depending on what floor the barrel was aged.  The rye experiment evaporated between 25-49% over the twelve years, with significantly less on the lower floors.  This higher evaporation rate is expected in wheated recipes, but it’s interesting to see it up close with the rye experiment.”

These barrels are part of the more than 2,000 experimental barrels of whiskey aging in the warehouses of Buffalo Trace Distillery. Each of them has unique characteristics that differentiate them from all others. Some examples of experiments include unique mash bills, type of wood, and barrel toasts. In order to further increase the scope, flexibility and range of the experimental program, an entire micro distillery, named The Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. “OFC” Micro Distillery, complete with cookers, fermenting tanks, and a state-of-the-art micro still has been constructed within Buffalo Trace Distillery. Buffalo Trace has increased its commitment to experimentation with the recent addition of its Warehouse X. Although small in size, Warehouse X is designed to explore the limits of environmental influences on the quality of whiskey.

The Experimental Collection is packaged in 375ml bottles and packed 12 to a case, with three bottles from each warehouse floor in a case. Each label includes all the pertinent information unique to that barrel of whiskey. These whiskeys retail for approximately $46.35 each. These particular rare experimental bottles will be available in December.  For more information on the Experimental Collection or the other products of Buffalo Trace Distillery, please contact Elizabeth Hurst at ehurst@buffalotrace.com.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1773 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 17 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named “Brand Innovator of the Year” by Whisky Magazine at its Icons of Whisky America Awards 2015.  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 300 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.

• Crown Royal Monarch 75th Anniversary Edition Canadian Whisky 750ml (ships in a 1.5 liter shipping box) (Elsewhere $75) ($49.99) 96 points Whisky Advocate: “Monarch, the 75th anniversary limited edition of Canada’s best-selling whisky, raises the already high Crown Royal flavor bar. Zesty rye from an ancient Coffey still is the throbbing heart of this blend, balancing cloves, ginger, cinnamon, glowing hot pepper, and that gorgeous sour bitterness of rye grain against crispy, fresh-sawn lumber, fragrant lilacs, dark fruits, and green apples. Butterscotch, chocolate, toffee, mint, pine needles, and sweet pitchy balsam enrich a luscious, creamy mouthfeel carefully tempered by grapefruit pith. ” K&L Notes: While many of us in the “serious” whisky crowd tend to avoid Canadian whisky because of all the myths we’ve heard about caramel coloring and neutral spirits, it turns out we’re actually missing out on one of the great renaissances of the genre. There’s a new movement north of the border; a flourishing of new distillation that ranks right there with Kentucky and Scotland in terms of quality and innovation. It also turns out that one of the biggest brand names in the business, Crown Royal, is at the epicenter of this movement. After speaking with renowned Canadian whisky writer Davin de Kergommeaux, I was forced to change my tune.. “Have you tried their new Monarch?” he asked me, “It’s the best Canadian whisky I’ve tasted….probably ever.” I was in shock. I immediately ordered a bottle from our vendor, interested in learning more about the 75th anniversary edition crafted to resemble Sam Bronfman’s original expression for the visiting King and Queen. It turns out that Crown Royal used a large chuck of their “Coffey rye” in the marriage; a delicate and flavorful rye whiskey run through the Coffey still at the Gimli distillery. I received my bottle and poured myself a glass. The nose was a like a lighter rye whiskey highlighted with caramel notes and vanilla; hints of pepper and dill. The palate is lean and haunting, showcasing lighter wood extraction and mellow toffee. This is beautiful whisky; easy to drink, complex, and not at all sweet. Why have we not been drinking this?

• SMWS 36.82 Benrinnes 17 Year Old “Rare Release” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($149.99) We’re continuing our relationship with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society with this 17 year old cask of Benrinnes; a Speyside distillery that we’ve grown quite fond of here at K&L. Bottled at cask strength, this whisky is a bold blast of rich vanilla and toffee. Perhaps the Society’s own notes say it best, however: “Warm velvet, dusty carpet and oil paintings. A rhumptof of red apples and rhubarb. Pea shoots and tomato leaves in a greenhouse. Juicy sultanas then liquorice and cola cubes. Rhubarb and custard chews with cinder toffee. Lemon posset and cookie dough to finish.” That’s exactly what we were thinking when we picked out this delicious cask! In all seriousness, this whisky is to die for. One of only 198 bottles from this fantastic cask.

• Cut Spike Nebraska Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($59.99) At first we couldn’t believe our mouths. We knew that Cut Spike single malt had just taken Double Gold honors at the 2014 San Francisco Spirits competition (the highest possible honor), so obviously other people thought it was good, too. But after tasting so many mediocre American attempts at single malt whisky, we had become accustomed to the idea that the Scottish style of distillation would never be recreated here at home. There would be spin-offs, and experimental gasps at greatness, but that supple, malty profile would simply be something we needed to import from abroad. Then the folks at Cut Spike sent us a sample of their two year old Nebraskan single malt whisky made from 100% malted barley on a pot still crafted in Rothes, Scotland. Fermented at the brewery next door to Cut Spike in La Vista, the malt was matured for two years in new American oak with varying levels of char. The result is an incredible hybrid: soft, barley and vanilla-laden whisk y that tastes somewhat like your standard Scottish single malt, but has its own unique character simultaneously. It’s the kind of whisky that you taste once and enjoy, but then the next day suddenly crave intensely. It impresses you instantly, yet doesn’t really reveal its full character until weeks later. The new oak blurs seamlessly into the malty mouthfeel, adding a richness on the finish normally not tasted in standard Scottish selections. Cut Spike is a major accomplishment for American distillation, pure and simple.

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

SPARKLE, SHARE & SAVE: £15 DISTILLERY OFFER

Enjoy perfectly matured, luxurious whisky with a delectable £15 off bottlings from distilleries 9, 59 & 72 – there’s nothing under 21 years old! These will make impressive gifts, but only if you can bear to share… Still stuck? Bring loved ones into the Society fold: give the gift of membership and until Thursday you’ll double your referral voucher to £30!  #happysharing

Distillery 72

72.40

An infinity of concinnity
Old & dignified
31 years old
Refill ex-bourbon hogshead
Was £161.00
Now £146.00

72.29

Luxurious afternoon tea
Old & dignified
30 years old
Refill ex-bourbon hogshead
Was £125.50
Now £110.50

Distillery 9

9.92

Perfect balance of sweetness and spice
Spicy & sweet
23 years old
Refill ex-bourbon hogshead
Was £82.80
Now £67.80

9.76

Out of Africa
Deep, rich & dried fruits
25 years old
Refill ex-sherry butt
Was £98.00
Now £83.00

Distillery 59

59.51

A refined cocktail
Old & dignified
30 years old
Refill ex-bourbon hogshead
Was £137.60
Now £122.60

59.44

Mountain days and fun on the beach
Old & dignified
30 years old
Refill ex-bourbon hogshead
Was £137.20
Now £122.20

£15 DISTILLERY OFFER>

Browse All Bottlings>

Last orders for Christmas delivery midday Friday 19 December

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

Waiting is the hardest part this time of year so we’re pleased to release December’s decadent drams!

For full tasting notes and to purchase please visit www.smws.ca but for now here are the bottle notes to get you in the spirit:

Cask No. 28.25 Sweet nutty personality
Spicy & dry
23 years old; refill hogshead; 51.9%
The nose weaves creamy sweetness (crème Anglaise, chocolate éclairs) and some fruit through linoleum, sandalwood, new car and allotment shed. The palate is sweet and nutty – Crunchy Nut cornflakes, peanut brittle ice-cream, hazelnuts, muesli and digestive biscuits – more honeyed with water.

Cask No. 36.72 Zorba’s dram
Sweet, fruity & mellow
16 years old; refill barrel; 57.2%
Before water; raspberry muesli with peach yogurt. To taste bread and butter pudding with sugared almonds. With water the scent of Amalfi lemons and ice cream. To taste wax dipped pineapple and mango.

Cask No. G10.4 A witch’s Christmas tipple
Old & dignified
23 years old; refill hogshead; 57.9%
A Christmassy nose – oranges, pecan pie, Brazils, pine trees, floral perfumes, dark chocolate, coconut fudge and spice. The palate is medicinal (menthol, throat lozenges) with a bubbling cauldron of dark sweetness (molasses, sticky marmalade, treacle scones, cinder toffee and coffee dregs).

Cask No. 35.111 A chalet girl’s dram
Deep, rich & dried fruits
12 years old; refill chardonnay hogshead; 59.3%
Be transported to an alpine cabin with pork crackling with red currant jelly. Rich sherried ginger snaps. Hot ski wax. A meaty feast of biltong and coq au vin. Hot chocolate and tangerines in brandy. A leather pig skin football. Curious and quirky.

Cask No. 3.219 Never far from the sea
Peated
13 years old; first fill barrel; 54.3%
The nose has seaweed, whelks and ship’s timbers; wood-smoke, syrupy pancakes, lemon peel, pepper and minty toothpaste – fresh laundry with water. The palate delivers sweet, floral smoke, marmalade, smoked salmon with lemon and pepper and tobacco and eucalyptus to finish.

Cask No. 29.151 Polished violins and vintage cars
Peated
24 years old; refill sherry butt; 54.3%
The nose exudes excitement (vintage cars, Iranian rugs, polished violins) – also hibiscus flowers in syrup, sticky dates, honey cake and oysters. The palate is lip-smacking, delightful and integrated – barbecued ribs, honey-smoked ham, cigar ash, treacle toffee, clove, leather and heathery smoke.

Cask No. 10.77 Beware of the monster
Heavily peated
6 years old; refill hogshead; 61.4%
Wine gums, mackerel skins and antiseptic on the nose. Smoke is present but something bigger is lurking… Take a sip to unleash the full wrath of this peat monster, tongue singeing with hot charcoal and lavender ash. Tamed with water to bring heather, gorse, mussels and spare ribs.

www.smws.ca

A STORM BREWING: NEW RARE PAIRINGS RELEASED!

The clouds are ominous, the wind is getting stronger, a few snow flakes drift close. Looks like a storm on the horizon. Has a distant butterfly flapped its wings? No. We think it might be our fault. You loved last week’s unique Japanese bottlings enough to scoop them up in minutes. We scoured the warehouse and found just a handful more from distilleries 119 & 120. Will it be enough to cause its own weather system? Log on to find out. Plus, there’s heart-warming value to be had with a pair of rarely seen Irish bottlings, gifting galore with Santa’s Sophisticated Set (two of them are 29!) and medal winners from the Independent Bottlers’ Challenge. But hurry on inside, it’s cold out there and the bottles are starting to blow away…

Snow-capped Japanese Peaks Pair

119.14

Raspberry imperial stout

Deep, rich & dried fruits
11 years old
First fill bota corta
£155.00

120.7

Sweet, fragrant and satisfying

Deep, rich & dried fruits
14 years old
First fill butt
Exclusive to the pair

Only £289 BUY >

Glinting Irish Icicles Pair

117.5

Smouldering, brooding and alluring

Deep, rich & dried fruits
22 years old
Refill ex-sherry hogshead
£251.10

118.3

Self-assured, buxom and rewarding

Spicy & sweet
22 years old
Second fill ex-bourbon barrel
Exclusive to the pair

Only £329 BUY >

Santa’s Sophisticated Set

26.105

Bumblebees by the sea

Light & delicate
29 years old
Refill ex-sherry butt
Exclusive to the pair

30.78

A warming comfort blanket

Old & dignified
23 years old
Refill ex-bourbon hogshead
£87.20

35.103

The Great Easter Bake Off

Old & dignified
29 years old
Refill ex-sherry butt
£124.60

Only £249 & 55 trios available! BUY >

Browse New Bottlings>
Browse All Bottlings>

Last orders for Christmas delivery midday Friday 19 December.

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

• Craigellachie 23 Year Old Single Malt Whiskey 750ml ($274.99) Oh magnificence, tis and old school malt through and through. Very limited supplies. Here’s what Serge at Whiskyfun thought, “Colour: gold. Nose: right, we’re way above both the 13 and the 17, for sure. This is much more complex, with more herbs and tart fruits, kiwis, grapefruits, rhubarb, then tobacco and clay, marzipan, then more earth, citrons, old style mouthwash (we had one called Eau de Botot a long time ago), then a steely touch, metal polish… I have to say this baby noses older than 23, and once again I cannot not think of some great old Rosebank, such as the official 20yo white label. A great surprise. Mouth: good, this is really very good. Love the nutty/almondy character, the waxy mouth feel, all the lemons and grapefruits, the light peppery side, the evanescent medicinal profile (good antiseptic – should that exist), the touches of absinth and limoncello (again), the solid peppery backbone… Really high class! Finish: long, chisel led, like a great old dry chenin from a good house. Comments: an impressively zesty and yet fat profile, right between the northern style (Clynelish) and the southern one (Rosebank.) I love this style, especially since no oaky trick’s been played, apparently. Try to try this great new baby!” 91 points. That’s a huge score for Serge. Anything that’s anything like old Clynelish is a must buy in my book.

• 1972 Macallan 42 Year Old Gordon & MacPhail Speymalt Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 8 available ($1,099.99) Whisky Advocate: “On more familiar ground with this G&M bottling of one of Speyside’s most iconic single malts, this is Macallan in full-on sherried form. Highly aromatic with powdered clove, hints of incense and fig, behind which is cacao, Bolivar cigar, and molasses. The palate has immediate smoke and surprisingly gentle tannins — the inherent oiliness of the spirit keeping any grip at bay. Very long, leathery, prune-like (think armagnac), and dense. A classic after-dinner mouth-filler. (Vol. 20, #4)” K&L Notes: Aged entirely in first-fill sherry barrels, this is quite possibly the best Macallan I’ve ever tasted. The concentration of sherry is absolutely unreal. It’s almost impossible to tell where the sherry ends and the whisky begins – it all gets lost in a seamless flavor of rich toffee, syrup, and caramel. I have to believe that anyone who is willing to pay the price will get exactly what they expect from this bottle. It tastes expensive, unlike so many pricier malts that get you on rarity or collectibility only. Bottled in 2013.

• Tao’s Lightning 17 Year Old K&L Exclusive Cask #15 Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey 750ml ($109.99) This cask from our first purchase at this little distillery in New Mexico is another 17 Year Old Indiana Straight Rye. Bottled at a barrel proof of 45%, it has a completely different profile than #16. Deep dark aromas of cedar and dill remind us instantly that’s an LDI product. This one has a lot more sweet oak on the palate, but makes up for it with a peppery dark graininess. Texturally more profound and powerful, the contrast between the two continues through the finish. Tremendously smooth and complex, it’s definitely old whisky. While all the edges have softened, the herbal dill and subtle pepper keep you guessing. Hopefully there are more of these great old caskscasks out there somewhere, but for now this is the oldest rye in the store. I still don’t get how we snagged them for such a great price -only a few bucks more than their standard 15 year old expression, which is pretty great by the way. The wacky label and unusal provenance only make it better.

• Tao’s Lightning 17 Year Old K&L Exclusive Cask #16 Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey 750ml ($109.99) I have to say, we got lucky with these two casks. How often does a tiny craft distillery have old rye whiskey? Never! Seriously. It’s never happened. Maybe we’ve got some 7 year floating around. Back in the day, High West had some of that old barton stuff at 16 and 21 years. There was a little older rye coming out a little while back (Willett, BMH, Pepper), but right now it’s totally dry. When these guys came in with a some barrels just hanging around my jaw nearly dropped. Apparently, this stuff was picked up a few years back before the proverbial fan started spinning, so we’ve also avoided the any unwarrented price inflation. These two casks represent two opposite styles we get out of the great distillery in Lawrenceburg. After a few years maturing in Santa Fe’s semi-arid continental climate, they’ve suffiently mellowed these and neither whiskey is a hig proof power bomb. Instead, the subtle elegance of age has tempered the intensity we’re used to in the younger expressions. Cask #16 shows off a regal bouquet of candied orange peel, soft vanilla, and distant spice. Almost ethereal on the palate, the lightness is striking. It’s a whisper of a whisky at first, but with air becomes quite complex with tons to offer. It’s significantly lighter in color than the sister, but impressive in that it’s so approachable and alive. I’d feel comfortable pouring a glass of this for almost anyone from a geek to a grandma.

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

WhiskyBrother brings in 400 bottles of rare premium selected whisky from a single cask 

WhiskyBrother, an iconic speciality whisky store in Hyde Park (Johannesburg, South Africa) is delighted to announce the arrival of a new whisky bottled from a single cask.  The cask in question was personally selected by well-known whisky enthusiast and founder of the store, Marc Pendlebury, chosen on behalf of the store, and was bottled exclusively for WhiskyBrother.

Earlier this year Pendlebury travelled to Scotland to fulfil his dream of selecting a whisky directly for the cask to be bottled for WhiskyBrother, a dream that far preceded his plan to open a whisky shop.  On a cold Monday in February just outside the quaint town of Pitlochry, an afternoon was spent tasting various single malts from across Scotland in the maturation warehouse of the independent bottler, Signatory.

The benefit of an independent bottler is the huge selection and variety of whisky that they can offer.  It is often a misconception that independent bottlers produce whisky.  Independent bottlers buy casks from distilleries across Scotland and in some cases around the world, and bottle it under their own label.  They are also not restricted to a core range, style or age.  Pendlebury explains that, “every release is different, and the whisky selected solely on its merits and interest factor.  The practise dates back centuries and independent bottlers are an integral part of the whisky world, although not widely known by South African whisky drinkers”

Out of the several whiskies that were tasted at the independent bottler, three samples were brought back to South Africa for final selection.  “The winning cask was chosen solely on the whisky we thought was best, we didn’t concern ourselves with which distillery it came from or how old it was,” explains Pendlebury.

The selected cask which was distilled on the 28^th of August 1998 and bottled on the 24^th of March 2014, has finally arrived.  “It is interesting, is a cask strength, limited, individually numbered, presented in a beautiful bottle, very well priced for what it is, tastes brilliant (in our humble yet experienced opinion) and best of all, we get to share it with our fellow South African whisky enthusiasts,” says Pendlebury.

“It is a rare experience to try a single cask 15 year old Glenlivet whisky, particularly one that was matured in a 500 litre butt, which previously contained Oloroso sherry.  The unique aspect is that the wood absorbs the flavours from the sherry, which are then subsequently imparted into the whisky contributing to its full-bodied profile,” explains Pendlebury.  The 500 litre cask yielded exactly 419 bottles, evidence of the angel’s share and leakage over the casks lifetime.

The bottle which has a cask strength of 54.8%, is particularly special because the vast majority of whisky in South Africa is bottled at an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 43%. It is felt that a cask strength whisky is in a more natural state and has a richer flavour, making this a preferred option amongst serious whisky enthusiasts. “Most whisky drinkers do not want such a high alcohol content as it can be challenging to drink.  The term ‘cask strength’ on the bottle means that the whisky has not been diluted, and has been bottled at the same strength it was when lying in the cask just before being bottled,” advises Pendlebury.

This 15 year old independent Glenlevit, Speyside single malt whisky is unchill-filtered and naturally coloured; it meets all the right criteria for a full-bodied, memorable experience.  “One can expect juicy plums and apricots, with chocolate and pipe tobacco.  Plenty of rich spice, sherry-soaked fruits, vanilla and coco, with a hint of oak, Pendlebury concludes.  The limited supply is now exclusively available at WhiskyBrother and retails at special launch price of R1,300 incl. VAT. 

About the WhiskyBrother store:

For years WhiskyBrother was just a blog started by Marc, until 2 years ago when he decide to take the plunge and extended his passion for all things whisky to open a boutique whisky store, WhiskyBrother. Situated in Hyde Park Corner shopping centre in Johannesburg, the store stocks whiskies from around the world, as well as related paraphernalia such as whisky glassware, books and magazines. Holding more than 300 different whiskies, with new stock coming and going on a monthly basis. Its aim is to be a focal point in the South African whisky community: a place to taste and explore all things whisky, no matter the knowledge or experience of the drinker.

WhiskyBrother, Hyde Park Corner, Shop number 16 D

Website:     www.whiskybrother.com

Blog:            www.blog.whiskybrother.com

Twitter:      @WhiskyBroShop