Macallan 42 Year Old Rarest 1969 Decanter 41.6% ABV | 70cl

Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky presents Rarest: a collection of some of the world’s most exclusive whiskies. Carefully selected from the company’s coveted reserves, each release embodies unparalleled luxury, refinement and scarcity.

Uncompromised by chill filtration and bottled at natural cask strength, Rarest Macallan represents the peak of the distiller’s art and stands as a glowing testament to the knowledge and skill that informs Duncan Taylor’s rigorous cask selection process.

Rarest Macallan is presented in a decanter of the finest Scottish crystal, intricately engraved with adornments of silver that mirror the whisky’s exquisite refinement. Bringing the monumental journey full circle, the decanter is housed in an elegant display case, crafted from the very cask that matured the whisky to perfection.

Generations of passion, knowledge and craftsmanship continues to drive Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky today. Rarest is the culmination of the company’s vision; to provide the most authentic Scotch whisky without compromise.

Tasting Notes..

Colour: amber

Nose: fresh juicy fruits, lots of fragrant orange notes, peaches and dark cherries. With time becomes creamier with spearmint and then some blackcurrant cordial.

Taste: rich and oily, dried oranges, delicate oak and milk chocolate. Soft kiwi fruits, lychee and more creaminess emerge with time.

Finish: lingering toffee, stewed fruits, praline and some fresher grassy notes.

Comment: a big robust whisky but ultimately soft and soothing.

Price: £10,000.00 ex VAT
£12,000.00 inc VAT

Auchentoshan® Single Malt Lowland Scotch Whisky Introduces Auchentoshan® American Oak

Glasgow, Scotland (October 7, 2014) – Auchentoshan® Single Malt Lowland Scotch Whisky known for triple distilling every single drop, introduces Auchentoshan® American Oak. Releasing flavor layers of vanilla, caramelized sugars, coconut and oak spices, Auchentoshan American Oak is the first ever Auchentoshan to be matured exclusively in first fill ex bourbon casks. The name harkens to the 100 year old oak trees (of the Quercus alba species) grown in the North American mountains which become bourbon casks that will eventually age Auchentoshan Scotch Whisky’s newest expression. Auchentoshan American Oak will become a permanent member of the core Auchentoshan portfolio, which includes 12 Years Old and Three Wood. Auchentoshan American Oak is available nationwide with a suggested retail price of $39.99/750ml.

Auchentoshan is Always Triple Distilled
Auchentoshan prides itself in its unique tradition of triple distilling every single drop. This means that the spirit produced reaches 81.5% alcohol by volume, significantly higher than most single malt whisky distilleries in Scotland. The lightness of the liquid enables it to more readily absorb every characteristic it is exposed to in the cask.

American Oak Maturation
Auchentoshan creates a smooth and complex spirit that ages beautifully in first fill ex-bourbon casks. The North American oak barrels used for American Oak maturation are first seasoned with American bourbon whiskey, which serves to remove the harsher bitter oak tannins and break down the oak to re lease even more vanilla, coconut and silky maturation oils.

Judicious Cask Selection
The maturing Auchentoshan spirit is regularly sampled by Rachel Barrie, Auchentoshan Master Blender, drawing hundreds of samples from different positions in the warehouse. Auchentoshan has found that higher positions in the warehouse promote more spice and intense bourbon vanilla extraction from the oak, whereas casks matured nearer ground level promote softer peach and citrus fruit top notes and silky coconut. Barrie hand selects the casks that are then married together for several months to achieve a multi-layered balance of vanilla sweetness, clean citrus scent and a refreshingly smooth taste.

With a nod to its triple distillation and American oak maturation, Auchentoshan American Oak presents several cocktails where American Oak can be used as a delicious substitute:

Make it a Triple | Riff on a cocktail that is typically made with Irish whiskey, Auchentoshan American Oak works well because of its triple distillation.

• 1 oz. Auchentoshan® American Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• .25 oz. Lillet® Vermouth
• .25 oz. Pierre Ferrand® Dry Curacao
• 2 Dashes Orange Bitters

Stir all ingredients together and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with lemon peel.

Seelbach | A pre-prohibition cocktail famously made with bourbon, Auchentoshan American Oak works well here because of its bourbon barrel maturation.

• 1 oz. Auchentoshan® American Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• .25 oz. Pierre Ferrand® Dry Curacao
• 7 dashes Angostura® Bitters
• 7 dashes Peychaud’s® Bitters
• .25 oz. Champagne

Stir ingredients over ice, strain into a chilled flute, top with Champagne and lemon twist garnish.

Triple A | Punch created by Julieta Campos of The Berkshire Room, Chicago.

• 1 oz. Auchentoshan® American Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• .25 oz. Ginger Syrup
• .5 oz. Lemon Juice
• .25 oz. Apricot Liqueur
• .25 oz. Aperol® Aperitif

Serve in tumbler/punch cup. Top with a few Maldon® salt flakes.

TASTING NOTES: Auchentoshan American Oak Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 40% ABV
To the eye:  Bright gold.
To the nose:  Bourbon vanilla and coconut with layers of zesty citrus fruit.
To the tongue:  Refreshingly smooth yet lively with vanilla cream, coconut and white peach.
To the end:  Crisp, with sugared grapefruit and a hint of spice.

ABOUT AUCHENTOSHAN SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

The award winning Auchentoshan portfolio includes Auchentoshan 12 Year Old, Three Wood, 18 Year Old and the limited release 21 Year Old, in addition to select vintage, limited edition releases. Auchentoshan is available nationwide in the U.S and in more than 45 countries worldwide. The Auchentoshan portfolio is imported to the U.S. by Beam Suntory, Inc. For more information about Auchentoshan, visit www.auchentoshan.com, https://www.facebook.com/auchentoshan, and on Twitter @theauchentoshan.

ABOUT BEAM SUNTORY INC.

As the world’s third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World.  Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the flagship Jim Beam bourbon and Yamazaki Japanese whisky, as well as world renowned premium brands including Maker’s Mark and Knob Creek bourbons, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher’s,  Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Sauza tequila, Pinnacle vodka, and Midori liqueur.  The company generates annual worldwide sales of approximately $4.6 billion excluding excise taxes.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and entrepreneurial culture.  Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan.  For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.

CHIVAS BROTHERS NEW CASK STRENGTH (50cl) RELEASES

GLENBURGIE
20 year old
£59.95

 MILTONDUFF
16 year old
£47.95

 GLENALLACHIE
14 year old
£46.50

If you have ever attended our annual Whisky Fringe event you should be familiar with our ‘Half Time Orange’ dramming concept. What’s more if you visited the Pernod Ricard stand when the whistle was blown, you would have been treated to some quite exceptional ‘drawn straight from the cask that very week’ samples from the esteemed Mr Logan. On several past occasions he has provided quite stunning drams from the lesser known distilleries of Glenburgie, Miltonduff and Glenallachie. Which is why we are very excited to get our hands on these new additions to the Chivas Brothers Cask Strength range (click on the link for the full range, including new Scapa and Tormore) which were previously only available to purchase when actually visiting the distilleries.

New release WW1 Remembrance In light of the momentous occasion that 2014 signifies – a century since the start of WW1. We thought this was a date worth noting and so have designed a label, bottle and contents worthy of remembering 1914 and those that fought for us. The whisky itself has gentle undertones of smoke and an earthiness to it – our way of giving a nod to the battlefields. The English Whisky Co. are going to donate £2 to the Poppy Appeal for each bottle sold. The bottling is limited to 1499 bottles.

Chapter 13 Batch 3 Tasting Notes

Nose Sweet raisins, warm vanilla and slightly spicy. Hints of bread and butter pudding and caramelised sugar. Also a slight savoury and earthy background note.

Palate Initially dry, then sweet, spicy (think white pepper), malty and oaky. Again the savoury, earthy notes come through. Slight touch of anise along with lovely warm vanilla, just like a vanilla sponge fresh from the oven. Finish is long and the dryness kicks

£49.99 A donation of £2 per bottle to Poppy Appeal

BUY NOW

HIDDEN SPIRITS NEW RELEASE “BLAIR ATHOL BLA.214”

From now is available the New Hidden Spirits Independent Label Release;

Blair Athol “BLA.214” is an 11 years old Highland Single Malt Scotch whisky matured in ex bourbon hogshead.

BLA.214 is an elegant Single Cask Whisky full of character.

BLAIR ATHOL 11yo “BLA.214” (2002 – 2014)

Independent Bottling of

HIGHLAND SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY

 distilled at

 BLAIR ATHOL distillery

Independent Label: Hidden Spirits;

Bottling: Independent (Hidden Spirits);

 Single Malt Whisky Region: Highland;

Distillery: Blair Athol;

Aged: 11 yo (2002- 2014);

Matured: Ex-bourbon hogshead;

Cask number: ref. 10614;

48%abv.

Available from October 2014 HERE

Something more HERE

Following the modest, recent release of Mortlach Rare Old, the new super-dooper, super premium Mortlach 25 year old has finally arrived! Mortlach is described as ‘The Beast of Dufftown’ for its rich and powerful flavours, which might partly have something to do with the unique and complicated partial triple distilling process. Previously used primarily for adding depth to some great whisky blends, Mortlach is now enjoying some seriously heavy investment, which will double the capacity of the distillery and firmly reposition the brand straight to the top of the global luxury and travel market. We have been fortunate enough to sample a wee dram and it doesn’t disappoint. After tasting it (click through for our tasting notes) one member of staff remarked; ‘If a had the money in my hand right now, I wouldn’t hesitate in handing it over for this bottle of Mortlach.’

Welcome to Haig Club

Forget everything you thought you knew about Scotch. Haig Club is a new Single Grain Whisky developed in partnership between Diageo and global sporting icon David Beckham and British entrepreneur Simon Fuller. Seen by many to be Scotland’s hidden gem, single grain whisky is being predicted by experts as the next trend in whisky.

Haig Club has an ultra-smooth taste, with delicious notes of butterscotch and toffee. This makes it enjoyable served neat, over ice or in a long refreshing cocktail.

Click here to buy

Arran Machrie Moor

“Machrie Moor is named after a peat bog located on the west coast of the Isle of Arran where bronze age stone circles and standing stones are strewn across the terrain…”

Arran Machrie Moor / Fifth Edition

The fifth edition of Arran Machrie Moor has arrived and is the first release of this series at a peating level of 20PPM – (The fourth edition was 14PPM). Sure to be another solid release from Arran distillery, bottled at 46% vol.

£39.98  (£33.32 ex vat)

Click here to purchase Arran Machrie Moor 5th Edition

Arran Machrie Moor Cask Strength
First Edition

The first release of Arran Machrie Moor, cask strength edition…Only 480 bottles of this limited edition bottling released to the UK. A peating level of 20PPM, bottled at 58.4% vol.

£47.98  (£39.98 ex vat)

Click here to purchase Arran Machrie Moor Cask Strength 1st Edition

Arran Machrie Moor / Fourth Edition

The fourth edition of Machrie Moor from Arran distillery, named after a peat bog located on the west coast of the Isle of Arran where bronze age stone circles and standing stones are strewn across the terrain… Bottled at 46%, this fourth release has been released at a peating level of 14PPM.

£41.95  (£34.96 ex vat)

Click here to purchase Arran Machrie Moor 4th Edition

Arran Single Cask #815 / 1998

The 2014 Spring release from Arran distillery is single sherry cask #815. A limited edition release, distilled in 1998 and aged for 15 years. Bottled in 2014 at 55.3% vol, 269 bottles filled.

£66.95  (£55.79 ex vat)

Click here to purchase Arran Single Cask 815

Arran 17 Year Old

A limited edition release from Arran distillery produced from un-peated malted barley and aged for 17 years in casks that previously held Spanish sherry.

This bottling is the second in a series marking the countdown to the launch of The Arran Malt 18 year old in Spring 2015.

£66.95 (£55.79 ex vat)

Click here to purchase Arran 17 Year Old

October 2014 Outturn Offerings 

Cask No. 50.56                                           $180

‘Oh I do like to be beside the seaside!’

Lowland

Tiddly om pom pom! The panel found vanilla ice cream in the cone with Monkey blood (raspberry sauce) and cinnamon toffee apples. The benches were newly varnished and aroma of boot polish floated over the morning air. To taste they found blackcurrant and Navy rum laced with chewy, ashy licorice. With water, they were reminded of freshly cut wood and vinyl on the jukebox, with bagfuls of citrus Turkish delight and Blackpool candy. The finish was soft like tea soaked prunes and soothing like ginger and honey pastilles. A heady cocktail of Grenadine and red mints concluded the seaside stroll.

Drinking tip: For a bracing moment

Colour: Red pear skin

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 23 years

Date Distilled: July 1990

Alcohol: 60.3%

USA allocation: 105 bottles

Cask No. 7.100                                           $210

Hawaiian holidays

Speyside, Lossie

The nose was wonderfully juicy with Sauternes, cola and rum soaked fruits in trifle topped with maraschino cherries. A warm forest of cedar and pine sap. To taste it was all red: Big Red chewing gum, cherry cola, cinnamon sticks and strawberry jam. The addition of water was like a tropical rain storm. One astute botanist observed the floral aromas of plumeria and tuberose in a Hawaiian lei. ‘Beef Hoola Hoops!’ Honey glazed monkfish washed down with Mai Tai’s on the beach. The final fling of the holiday was feet up, hippy pipe tobacco and heavily waxed leather.

Drinking tip: On a hot day

Colour: Tabby cat

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 28 years

Date Distilled: September 1985

Alcohol: 58.7%

USA allocation: 90 bottles

Cask No. 27.105                                        $125

Too Cool for School

Campbeltown

The panel was in unanimous agreement this was as good as it gets. Imagine dipping ginger nuts in rich creamy latte with strawberry syrup. Throw in mint chocolate ganache and bramble jam. Old leather books in a library and waxed church pews with a puff of hickory smoke. The taste was of toasted marshmallow and peppered tuna steak. Ginger snap baskets with red berries and a drizzle of honey. Our American described her bizarre habit of dipping French fries into chocolate milk shake. On the finish, Coco pops and creme caramel. The panel thought it must be using fake ID.

Drinking tip: Only for loved ones

Colour: Polished conker

Cask: Refill Sherry hogshead

Age: 13 years

Date Distilled: March 2000

Alcohol: 53.9%

USA allocation: 150 bottles

Cask No. 53.197                                        $150

A stoker in drag

Islay

A smoky, coal tar nose, with dried lavender and old fashioned marker pen scents behind. A clean, sweet, fresh, maritime taste, still with a hint of perfume, but also of Bovril and soy sauce. Light olive oil emerges with water; the smoke recedes and the lavender (now faded) is joined by aloe vera leaves. Still sweet, salty and smoky to taste – consistent with its taste unreduced. Many would say the operators at this distillery have the finest view from any still-house.

Drinking tip: With teppanyaki steak

Colour: Vin gris

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 18 years

Date Distilled: August 1995

Alcohol: 57.4%

USA allocation: 150 bottles

Cask No. 66.49                                           $110

Art class enchantment

Highland, Eastern

There was something of the art class in the nose (poster paints, charcoal, paper, pencils, leather satchels); also ginger snaps, pepper, hazelnuts, Pears soap, wood-smoke and venison sausages. The palate was delightful – a gentle marriage of smoky, sweet and light savoury flavours – mild chilli, lemon bonbons, pears, vanilla and honey on burnt toast. The reduced nose suggested old libraries and sweetie shops, with rainbow drops, popcorn, pepper and hessian sacks of smoky barley. The palate now discovered heathery, herbal notes; butterscotch and malt extract, while the muted, measured sweet smokiness continued to enchant us. The distillery was built by Teachers.

Drinking tip: To relax with, after work, as the sun goes down

Colour: Buttercup gold

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 11 years

Date Distilled: July 2002

Alcohol: 54.4%

USA allocation: 150 bottles

Cask No. 76.113                                        $110

John Barleycorn was a hero bold

Speyside, Spey

The nose weaved an intriguing tale (chiefly in the Scottish dialect). Oak shavings, linseed oil and new pine furniture in the National Library of Scotland. Then, we dream’d we lay where flowers were springing (heady scents of marigolds and lavender). A citric sharpness appeared with barley sugars, tea caddies and mild tobacco. Water softened – wood and laundry conjured up Steamie washboards; also butterscotch, Barbour Jackets and snuff. The unreduced palate was sweet, tart and tasty – ‘soor plooms’, lemon peel, apple scones and pear skins with traces of heather honey and tongue-tingling spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove). With water, lemon meringue pie and stewed apples jostled chummily with oak, cedar, chilli and menthol. The wee witchie from Tam O’Shanter lives here.

Drinking tip: To accompany fine literature

Colour: Sultry summer sun

Cask: First-fill barrel

Age: 11 years

Date Distilled: April 2002

Alcohol: 58.5%

USA allocation: 90 bottles

Please visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at http://www.smwsa.com/

Balvenie Tun 1509 / Batch 1

Balvenie Tun 1509 is combination 42 of casks! – 35 traditional American oak barrels and seven European oak sherry butts… Transferred and matured for several months in Tun 1509 which holds 4 times as much liquid as Tun 1401.

Batch 1 of Tun 1509 has been bottled at 47.1% vol.