Springbank Distillery 21y/o 46% 2014

Colour: Pure Gold

Nose: A creamy delight. The soft richness of this classic dram provides the backdrop for toffee and cereal notes, interspersed with bursts of freshly picked strawberries and ripe watermelon.

Palate: Robust and steadfast. A dry creamy oiliness points to the Fino Sherry casks used in maturation while background maritime influences demonstrate this is a true Campbeltown Malt. Sugared almonds are heavily present as well as a dash of cinnamon.

Finish: Creamy with an evolving length which coats the mouth and finally gives up it’s peaty origins.

Late February Outturn Offerings

Cask No. 121.65 $130

A well-oiled Baseball glove

Highland, Island

There is right at the start a musty note of fermenting grapes which is soon replaced by sweet aromas of fudge, molasses, caramelised Demerara sugar and treacle. In addition some spiciness and the vinous character reminded us of a Muscat wine or Oloroso Dulce Sherry. The taste split the Panel; some got struck matches followed by cooking Sherry whilst others enjoyed flavours of hazelnuts and roasted chestnuts combined with dried apricots and bitter orange chocolate. With water; lighter fluid and lamp oil moved quickly on to nut oil, stewed red fruits and honey on baked pears. The taste is salted liquorice, raisins, duck terrine and a hint of turmeric; someone described it as a ‘well-oiled Baseball glove’.

Drinking tip: Watching the ‘World Series’ of the MLB

Colour: Vin Santo Italian dessert wine

Cask: Refill Sherry butt

Age: 14 years

Date distilled: July 1999

Alcohol: 58.3%

USA allocation: 120 bottles

Cask No. 23.73 $110

The Vital Spark’s engine room

Islay

Mineralic and nose-drying (a dry beach), then scents of mouthwash, bandages, antiseptic cream which increase in strength until they become a full-blown First Aid kit, while at the same time becoming sweeter, like salt-water taffy. The taste, straight, is very dry after a sweet and salty start, with a spicy finish. Water introduces a grubby, old-fashioned engine room (maritime, with exhaust fumes). ‘Hard salt Swedish liquorice’ was also noted. The taste is now lightly sweet and salty, with a whiff of holy smoke. From the distillery which brought us ‘Yellow Submarine’.

Drinking tip: After an industrial accident

Colour: Golden sunlight

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 11 years

Date distilled: July 2002

Alcohol: 61.5%

USA allocation: 90 bottles

Cask No. 48.37 $95

Real Old Fashioned Lemonade

Speyside, Spey

First to note is the oiliness of the sample with very slow thick legs almost hanging on the side of the glass. Initially a very dusty sour dough rye bread developing with time into a freshly baked fruit malt loaf. Further aromas are of an earthy garden theme at springtime with bursts of angelica and fresh mint leafs appearing. The taste carries on with this sweet herbal theme; cinnamon sticks in dried oranges, nutmeg and an empire biscuit decorated with a glace cherry. With little water sweeter and fruiter like a lemon cordial or a lemon drizzle cake and the additional freshness of a bar of Mint Aero. The taste is now a lemon meringue pie and real old fashioned lemonade.

Drinking tip: When the sun is over the yardarm

Colour: Olive oil

Cask: First-fill barrel

Age: 9 years

Date distilled: March 2004

Alcohol: 58.6%

USA allocation: 72 bottles

Cask No. 64.46 $120

Rice Pudding with clotted cream

Speyside, Lossie

The first impression neat on the nose is of fresh cut grass and morning dew on green leaves in early springtime. Fruity and sweet notes develop; apple bubble gum, raspberry cream cheese tart and strawberry jam doughnuts. In the taste crystallised sweet pineapple cubes, candied orange and citrus peel and pink grapefruit sprinkled with sugar. In the medium length finish there is a bitter but pleasant aftertaste some describing it as the quinine in tonic water others as a soluble Aspirin. With water the aromas are less intense, unripe blueberries, an empty sweet jar and apricot jam. The taste is best described as minimalistic but very pleasant, sweet like a rice pudding with clotted cream and a very dry finish.

Drinking tip: As an aperitif instead of a Fino Sherry

Colour: Polished new brass

Cask: First-fill barrel

Age: 12 years

Date distilled: March 2001

Alcohol: 56.7%

USA allocation: 90 bottles

Cask No. 70.8 $90

Youthful and zesty – yet complex

Highland, Northern

Youthful whisky at its best – nosing of cut grass, delicate florals, dry white wine and lemon sherbet – attractively spring-like, but also complex – pencil shavings, clove, vanilla, crème brûlée and eventually liquorice. The palate showed a good personality – marzipan and honey sweetness, grapefruit and lemon zestiness, plenty of fruit (apple, grape, blackcurrant) some slate mineral notes and substantial heat leaving a mellow after-glow. The reduced nose seemed sweeter – pear juice, American Cream Soda and Jolly Ranchers. The palate increased the wood and flint notes but became milder, the heat more a tingle and less of a nip. Nearest distillery to Glenmorangie.

Drinking tip: The attractive, light zesty character would make this a good spring or summer aperitif

Colour: Buttery, lemon gold

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 7 years

Date distilled: May 2006

Alcohol: 59.4%

USA allocation: 102 bottles

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

Two long awaited Irish Whiskies have landed at the Park Avenue Liquor Shop.

This is more newsworthy than the amount of snow we’re getting.

Let’s talk about something besides the weather.

We’re happy to announce that two great Irish Whiskies are now on the shelves at the Park Ave Liquor Shop.

We’ve long been fans of Redbreast Irish Whiskey. We were fortunate to sample it a few weeks ago and it is not to be missed.

Green Spot has been a ‘white whale’ for many Irish Whiskey lovers in the U.S. More times than we can count, we’ve had people inquire about its availability. Now we can proudly say, ‘Sure, we have that.”

Both bottles are currently in-stock but are not yet on our website. Please contact the store to secure a bottle.

To all who are being affected by the winter storms – Stay safe.

Cheers!

Jonathan & Eric
Park Avenue Liquor Shop
292 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
212-685-2442
info@parkave;iquor.com
www.parkaveliquor.com 

Redbreast: 21 Year Old

Tasting Notes for Redbreast 21 Year Old:

Nose = “Remarkable aroma, spanning fresh tropical fruits, nuts and rich dried fruit.”

Taste= “Soft vanilla, toasted oak, sherry nuttiness with a dusting of pot still spices. Luscious fleshy fruit notes complete the creamy mouthfeel.”

Finish = “Lingers, seemingly forever, to oak and pot still spices and then, the final bow from barley – where it all began.”

Our Price: $225/btl

Green Spot: Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

Tasting Notes for Green Spot:

Nose = “Fresh aromatic, oils and spices with orchard fruits and barley on a background of toasted wood.”

Taste = “Full spicy body. A hint of cloves along with the fruity sweetness of green apples rounded off with toasted oak.”

Finish = “Lingering flavors of spices and barley.”

Our Price: $55/btl

FEBRUARY UPDATE: HEARTS AFLUTTER FOR 3 NEW BEAUTIES

February’s 14: we loved them; you loved them so much that just a week in they’re running low. Fear not though because we’ve come to the rescue with three brand new lovelies to set your hearts aflutter…

Light & delicate  
46.23      A sweetie shop in a park

A gentle, unassuming nose – slight suggestions of scorched wood and small insinuations of acidity – but mainly a sweetie shop (vanilla, Turkish Delight, strawberry fondant) in a park (meadowsweet, laurel, gorse, wood sap, flowers). The palate held a happy balance of sweet (chocolate-coated raisins, iced vanilla sponge-cake) and bitter…

12 yo
Refill ex-bourbon hogshead
£50.70

BUY

Young & spritely 
39.95 Caressing, warm and friendly

The nose, fresh and attractively youthful, tumbled aromatic antics of vanilla, gorse flowers, sandalwood, scented candles and melon, plus plentiful sweet suggestions  (stroop waffles, toffee ice-cream, lemon puffs, Edinburgh Rock, white chocolate). The palate also provided intense sweetness…

9 yo
Refill ex-bourbon barrel
£44.00

BUY

Spicy & sweet
4.188 A ploughman’s picnic

A bracing start to the day with breakfast of granary toast with marmalade, caramelised apple and fresh grapefruit. Our ploughman strides past hedgerows, damp woods and gorse bushes. The flavours are exotic with a dramatic blast of ginger, cinnamon stick and orris root…

13 yo
First fill ex-bourbon barrel
£51.80

BUY

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 http://www.smws.co.uk/memberships for your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers.

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

CASK ISLAY – A New Single Malt Scotch Whisky

A D Rattray are delighted to announce a new addition to their award-winning whisky portfolio – CASK ISLAY, a Small Batch, Single Malt Scotch Whisky. Specially selected by their experts to embody classic Islay characteristics, this exciting new product will delight lovers of Islay whiskies and tempt many to try their first whisky from Islay.

When poured, the golden glow of the spirit is a promise of the warmth to come and the palate offers a journey from dry to sweet, with toffee, juicy barley and rich peat smoke.

Lively, peaty and full of flavour, CASK ISLAY is unforgettable.

Tasting Note
Colour: Golden Islay sunset.
Nose: Warm & fiery, roasting peat kiln, some citrus notes after the smoke.
Palate: Oily, burnt toffee, juicy barley and rich peat smoke.
Conclusion: Lively, peaty and full of flavour.

Notes

1. Cask Islay is available to buy from the A D Rattray Whisky Shop, Kirkoswald, Ayrshire KA19 8HY, Tel: 01655 760 308 and from selected UK and International retailers.
2. AD Rattray was founded in 1868 and has a reputation for their extensive knowledge and expertise in the whisky industry. They are best known for their Stronachie brand and a range of top quality single cask bottlings,  the A D Rattray Cask Collection.

The February Outturn has arrived – just in time to warm you up in these chilly temps! An overview of the seven new releases is below; for more detailed tasting notes and to purchase please visit http://www.smws.ca/.

Cask No. 1.172 Sophisticated, delicate and feminine

19 years old; refill hogshead; 55.7%

The sweet fresh nose has elderflower, white jelly babies, heather soap, pot-pourri and scented candles – complicated by tobacco, marmalade and aromatic duck.The palate is sweet (toffee, honey, poached pears) but with spicy fruit (apple chutney), perfumed sandalwood and flowers.

Cask No. 2.83 Intense explosion of taste

19 years old; refill hogshead; 55.2%

The nose is interesting and full – summer fuits, maple syrup, Turkish Delight, tobacco and old books; black-jacks and foamy shrimps with water. On the palate, tuttu-fruitti bubble gum, apple sours, blackcurrant and lavendar honey detonate with gingerbread, cinnamon and treacle scones.

Cask No. 26.71 The great outdoors

25 years old; refill sherry butt; 57.3%

The fresh nose has chalk, shellfish and fruit (starfruit, bananas, nectarines) with sea breeze and menthol, becoming soapy and savoury with water. A salty and waxy taste with citronella, seaweed and bacon; water softens with marshmallows and lemongrass.

G8.2 Spun sugar and spooned honey – mmm!

23 years old; refill hogshead; 62.4%

The comforting and luxurious nose suggests toffee, butterscotch, creme caramel and vanilla ice-cream – also hay, red berries and roast beef – spicier with water. The palate is mellifluously mouth-coating, with strawberry sauce, hot fudge, rum and raisin, new wood and spooned honey.

3.197 Body shop and bath salts

14 years old; refill sherry butt; 55.6%

Fresh and mineralic – bath salts, limestone, an up-market spa – with some light toffee; laundered towels and a clean smokiness with water. The texture is smooth, the taste sweet then smoky, with flowering currants in the aftertaste.

93.54 Manly, robust and reassuringly honest

10 years old; refill barrel; 58.2%

The nose has coal, hessian, honey, coconut, seaweed, garages and minty sweetness; peppery herbs, Manzanilla and lemon with water. The palate is manly, robust and reassuringly honest – ash, pepper, bitter chocolate, orange rind and woollen mitts.

127.32 A manly dram

10 years old; refill barrel; 65.2%

Big nose – medicinal, tarry, smoky, creosote, pine cones, harbours, caramelized parsnips, burnt toast, seared scallops, vanilla, HP sauce on bacon rolls, coffee, cinnamon, moth balls. Bigger taste – tiger balm, tar, smoke, ash, embers, charred mackerel, toffee sauce, dark chocolate gingers.

For more tasting notes and to purchase visit http://www.smws.ca/  (Visit the Society and join today!)

FEBRUARY OUTTURN: THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM

Love it or dread it, you can’t ignore it. February is the month for amorous advances, heartfelt gestures and romantic clichés. So how about breaking the mould this year? Nothing says ‘I love you’ like a bottle of the world’s finest single cask whisky. And as fate would have it, we have 14 absolute beauties for you to choose from…

RARE CASK:
CLOSED DISTILLERY 25
Light & delicate
25.65 The Whispered Kiss
A whispered kiss from a ghost of a distillery. The nose tip toes around delicate peach skins, apple blossom and papaya… MORE
£112.50 – 1 bottle per member so please call us to order: 0131 555 2929 (9am – 4.45pm)

Young & spritely

26.96 ‘Le Trou Normand’
BUY
£49.40
64.53 Retro and kitsch
BUY
£46.10

Sweet, fruity & mellow

36.69 Totally tropical, man!
BUY
£92.40
121.67 Energising and enigmatic
BUY
£47.10

Spicy & sweet

2.85 Vibrant & tongue-dancing
BUY
£48.40

Spicy & dry

73.61 A work of art
BUY
Exclusive to offers

Old & dignified

35.103 The Great Easter Bake Off
BUY
£124.60
76.112 Spiced Champurrado
BUY
£126.00

Light & delicate

1.177 Tutti-frutti ice cream
BUY
£45.00

Peated

3.219 Never far from the sea
BUY
£51.80
10.76 Duelling banjos dram
BUY
£52.20
29.151 Polished violins and vintage cars
BUY
£101.60

Heavily peated

53.201 True love on a pebble beach
BUY
£71.70

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 http://www.smws.co.uk/memberships for your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers.

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

The Highland Park Freya is now available to order online @ The Whisky Shop. Only available while stocks last.

The Highland Park Freya is the third release in the highly collectable Valhalla Collection. The Norse Goddess Freya was regarded as a serene, spiritual and giving goddess bringing bounty and hummanity.

Colour:
The Fair One, golden.
Aroma:
Almond and Madagascan vanilla shimmer in the distance like the Aurora Borealis.
Taste:
Orange peel, butterscotch and rose petals provide the sweetness along with orange blossom and ginger.
Finish:
The finish gives lingering spice and soft peat smoke intertwined with soft orchard fruits, toasted coconut and a light char.

Bottled at 51.2% volume.
£149.99 – Pre order only

Simply click here to buy