• Ardbeg “Ardbog” Islay Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($99.99)
Ardbeg distillery manager Mickey Heads called the new “Ardbog” the best special edition of Ardbeg he’d ever tasted. We think it’s pretty good, as well. Manzanilla sherry casks featured heavily in the year’s limited release, creating a smoky, peaty, boggy creme brulee flavor that starts with vigor, but finishes with dessert-like richness. It’s quite a spectacular whisky and one we don’t plan on having for long.

• 2002 Bowmore 10 Year Old K&L Exclusive “Exclusive Malts” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($69.99)
We love us some Bowmore here at K&L. When Bowmore is on, it’s unstoppable, mainly because no other Islay distillery has the same richness of fruit and oily texture in conjunction with all the peaty campfire smoke. This young barrel of Bowmore we found outside of Glasgow represents everything we love about the distillery’s special style: light in color, smoked plums on the nose, fresh fruit and vanilla on the palate, swimming with the perfect amount of saline seawater and peat. The first thing David and I said to each other was: “this tastes like a younger version of the 17 year old!” Alas, the wonderful, magical, ethereal 17 year old is no longer in production at the distillery and we’d both finished our last bottles. The chance to perhaps replicate that gentle flavor profile at full proof was just too good to pass up. For the price, this is a no-brainer. There’s not one Islay fan out there who wouldn’t go ga-ga for this whisky. Supple, fruity, smoky, salty, luscious, nutty, complex, and tasty. Now we just have to hope there’s enough to go around for everyone. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)

• 1995 Fettercairn 17 Year Old K&L Exclusive “Exclusive Malts” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($84.99)
Fettercairn distillery has been around since 1824, when it was established by Sir Alexander Ramsay, and has enjoyed a tumultuous sales history since that time. It was sold in 1830 to Sir John Gladstone, turned over to his son John Roberts in 1890, who then bought out the other investors in 1912. The distillery was closed in 1926, but reopened in 1939 by new owners Associated Scottish Distillers. In 1971 it was purchased by the Tomintoul Distillery Co, which was subsequently bought out by Whyte & Mackay in 1973, who had nothing but mergers and buy outs over the next three decades. Today Fettercairn is owned by United Spirits, which is partially owned by Diageo, again leaving the distillery in a netherworld of confusion. Fettercairn is pretty much absent in the states because most of the whisky is used in bulk production for private UK businesses like Tesco and Asda, leaving the distillery little chance to showcase its potential as a single malt. This 1995 vintage barrel we found outside of Glasgow is simply charming with aromas of ripe fruit and flowers on the nose. The palate exudes a classic malty core of flavor with wood spices and rich vanilla on the finish. It’s almost too easy to sip. This is a fantastic deal for mature, full-proof, well-made Highland single malt whisky. It’s also a chance to learn more about a historic distillery completely lost in the shuffle of industry business and financial uncertainty. We jumped all over this. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)

Black Bull 12 Year Blended Scotch Whisky 750ml ($49.99)

Black Bull 40 Year Blended Scotch Whisky 750ml ($299.99)

1998 Longrow 14 Year Old Fresh Madeira Barrel Cask  Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 6 available ($139.99)

Longrow Rundlets & Kilderkins Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 6 available ($114.99)

1997 Springbank 15 Year Old Rechar Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 5 available ($144.99)

1996 Springbank 16 Year Old Amontillado Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 3 available ($169.99)

1995 Springbank 17 Year Old Refill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 3 available ($179.99)

United States – Bourbon and Rye

Belle Meade Sour Mash Bourbon 750ml – 12 available ($36.99)

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

Loch Fyne Whiskies  ‘New in Stock: Bruichladdich Renaissance 11.09.01’

Bruichladdich Renaissance 11.09.01

46% abv 9 Years Old

£68.50 inc vat £57.08 ex vat

Best regards,

Loch Fyne Whiskies

david@lfw.co.uk

New Spirit Arrivals June 2013: GlenDronach, Ardbog and more!

We are pleased to highlight the range of whiskies from High West Distillery in Park City, Utah, the first legally licensed distillery in Utah since the end of the Prohibition. High West Distillery was named 2011 “Whiskey Pioneer of the Year” by Whiskey Advocate, America’s leading whiskey magazine.

This month also sees the eagerly awaited release of Ardbog from Ardbeg distillery, celebrated on Ardbog day on 1st June!

High West Campfire
Marriage of two straight rye whiskies that combines the feisty properties of a high rye 2-year-old and the saddle smooth richness of a 16-year-old. The 2-year-old has a 95% rye 5% barley malt mashbill. The older rye has a “barely legal” rye mashbill of 53% rye and 37% corn. The extra age and corn provides some extra sweetness to calm the “bite” of the younger rye for a relationship that works. £55.00

High West American Prairie Reserve
A blend of two whiskies: Whiskey #1: 6 year old Bourbon. Mashbill from 75% Corn, 20% rye, 5% barley malt. Whiskey #2: 10 year old Bourbon. Mashbill from 60% Corn, 35% rye, and 5% barley malt. £46.95

High West Rendezvous Rye Whiskey
Marriage of two straight rye whiskies: a straight 6-year-old with a mashbill containing 95% rye and 5% barley malt; a straight 16-year-old with a mashbill containing 80% rye, 10% corn, 10% barley malt. £55.00

Fettercairn Fasque
Founded by Sir Alexander Ramsey in 1824 on his family’s Fasque Estate, Fettercairn is one of the oldest licensed distilleries in Scotland. This noble beast today adorns every bottle of the Fettercairn single malt whisky as a seal of the purity within.

Colour: Honey gold
Nose: Treacle toffee, spices and pear
Taste: Dark chocolate, coffee, cinnamon and nutmeg
Finish: Rich vanilla and citrus fruits
£49.95

Colonel Taylor Single Barrel Bourbon
This classic bourbon features a nose of lightly toasted oak with dried figs and butterscotch. Sweetness on the tongue remains perfectly balanced with tobacco and dark spices that finish just long enough to prepare the palette for another sip.
£88.95

Colonel Taylor Small Batch Bourbon
A smooth flavor of caramel corn sweetness is mingled with tones of butterscotch and licorice. The aftertaste is a soft mouth feel that turns into subtle spices of pepper and tobacco. £88.95

GlenDronach Cask Strength Batch 2
Wonderful rich aromas of honey drenched raisins and sultanas. Candied ginger and orange peel on the palate are spiced with a beautifully delicate back note of warm oak. Please email lee.tomlinson@milroys.co.uk to pre-register interest

Ardbog
The 1st of June is Ardbog Day with the launch of this long awaited new release from Ardbeg. Claimed to be the peatiest whisky in the world, this is surely a rare dram indeed! Availability extremely limited: please email lee.tomlinson@milroys.co.uk to pre-register interest

Our mailing address is:
Milroy’s of Soho
3 Greek Street
London, England W1D 4NX
United Kingdom

June 2013 Outturn Offerings 

Glowing embers on the tongue 

Cask No. 53.173                      $125

Islay

Typical sooty, briny and oily fish scents initially with citric, herbal and medicinal background notes but there were also shout outs for ‘wet fish boxes’, ‘peppered roast carrots’, ‘light honey on brown toast’, and ‘tart berries’. To taste the Panel agreed it had a very ashy texture – hot ash, ‘like glowing embers’ said one – but the vanilla and honey helped counterbalance the salty, smoky and sweet medicinal characters. The addition of water brought out harbourside notes with drying kelp, dried fish, and rock pools; less of an impact to taste but very refreshing nonetheless. This distillery was completely rebuilt in 1972.

Drinking tip: When you want to THINK of a long walk along the beach

Colour: Pale yellow                                              Date distilled: August 1995

Cask: Refill Sherry butt                                        Alcohol: 59.8%

Age: 16 years                                         USA allocation: 120 bottles 

Wedding cake and jelly babies 

Cask No. 50.51                       $155

Lowland

The nose offered juicy fruits (green apples, pineapple, vanilla, orange) framed in wood – walnut shells, hazelnuts, shelf of leather books; one panellist said ‘dunnage warehouses’, another said ‘church pulpits’ – would combining the two result in drams instead of psalms? The palate was big and tasty, with woody, adult sweetness – buttered gingerbread, marrons glacés, Snickers, vanilla, honey, orange creams and chewed pencils. Fruitier with water, the nose had apple pie, wedding cake, pineapple cubes and bags of jelly babies, while the palate found watermelon, coconut, crystallised ginger and perhaps even Elven Lembas. Whisky from the far south of Middle Earth.

Drinking tip: A winter evening, by the fire, reading Tolkein

Colour: ‘One ring to bind them all’                                  Date distilled: January 1990

Cask: Refill barrel                                                Alcohol: 55.8%

Age: 22 years                                         USA allocation: 90 bottles 

A promise of sophisticated desserts 

Cask No. 72.24                       $85

Speyside, Lossie

The nose was fabulously rich and evocative – loads of nuts, especially walnuts (coffee and walnut ice-cream, walnut whip), mocha, balsamico, five-spice, canvas and a pomander with orange and clove. The palate was richly rounded, deep and unusual with great character for its age – treacle, cola cubes, roasted hazelnuts and coffee-flavoured dark chocolate. The reduced nose offered dark, sticky honey cake with crushed nuts, chocolate cherries, Black Forest gateau and Toffee Crisp. The palate now promised sophisticated desserts – tiramisu, crème brûlée, sticky dates and golden meringues – sweet but very grown up – the finish ultra-dry. The distillery had connections with Pluscarden Priory.

Drinking tip: After dinner; with dessert, before dessert, even instead of dessert

Colour: Bright polished oak                                  Date distilled: September 2004

Cask: White wine hogshead                                   Alcohol: 60.9%

Age: 8 years                                           USA allocation: 90 bottles 

Bitter marmalade and boozy prunes 

Cask No. 121.55                      $110

Highland, Island

Initial nose impressions included gym shoes, candles and faint struck match – soon replaced by treacle toffee, light sherry and slightly over-done fruit cake – then vanilla, rhubarb and ginger crumble, peanut brittle and trifle with strawberry and coconut. With water the nose found cough lozenges, scallop shells, Bakelite and brine. The unreduced palate tasted of fruit cake, hard toffee, bitter marmalade, burnt plums and boozy prunes. Water improved it, taking away the bitter and the burnt elements – now soft toffee, liquorice allsorts, Oddfellows (spicy sweets), chocolate, glazed donuts, Aberdeen butteries and hints of mint. This Lochranza distillery was completed in 1995.

Drinking tip: Would go with food – or a tasty wee dram for early evening after work

Colour: Light rose gold                                        Date distilled: January 2000

Cask: Refill hogshead                                           Alcohol: 56.1%

Age: 12 years                                         USA allocation: 114 bottles

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

Top-Up Tipplers: which will you choose?
Ever come to our website for that special bottling, only to find that another lucky Member has snapped up the last one? We added an exciting selection of new-to-the-UK bottlings on Monday and they’re proving very popular with several already sold out. Here are your top five choices this week – but don’t worry: these are still available!

Online Exclusives: Members’ Top Five

1)  4.163 Soaring sweetness and ocean spray
11yo First-fill ex-bourbon barrel, £57.40Various bass notes grounded the nose (tobacco, creosote, burnt sticks, white pepper, chipotle chilli, balsamic reduction) but soaring on a breeze of clean, minty smoke and ocean spray, was a kite made of toffee, puff candy and chocolate melted over ice-cream More 

2)  35.86 Sumptuous breakfast dram
11yo First-fill ex-sherry butt, £43.90 The nose suggested sumptuous breakfasts – cinnamon toast, marmalade, bran flakes, prunes, coffee, pancakes with corn syrup, cranberries and Nutella on toasted bagels. More

3)  2.83 Intense explosion of taste
19yo Refill ex-bourbon hogshead, £80.50 The nose really grabbed our interest – so much in it – summer fruits, cherry Bakewell, apple and berry tea; maple syrup, toffee and Fry’s Turkish Delight; mulled wine, tobacco and old books. More

4)  27.101 Sweet and savoury, clean and earthy
16yo Refill ex-bourbon hogshead, £68.00 Smoky, oily and meaty – the nose evoked a restaurant kitchen’s back door – soft leather and wood  suggested upholstery shops – we also found dark chocolate, heather flowers, clove and citric notes intensifying over time. More

5)  35.80 Steamed Apple Sponge Pudding
21yo Second fill ex-bourbon hogshead, £66.90 We found ourselves in a cafe in a book shop with a variety of cakes on display; Viennese Apple Strudel, French Tarte Tatin, caramelised pineapple cake and slices of Battenberg. There is also a basket of oranges and Pink Lady apples to choose from. More

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.

WEB/CLUB SPECIAL PRICE £49

APPEARANCE – Rich golden amber with a crimson heart.
NOSE – Wonderful rich aromas of honey drenched raisins and sultanas. Candied ginger and orange peel are spiced with a beautifully delicate back note of warm oak. 
PALATE – A perfectly balanced traditional sherried character. An explosion of chocolate coated raisins and zest of orange, mellowed with sweet warm oak spices, hints of soft toffee and gentle sugared almonds. 
FINISH – A uniquely balanced classic finish

NEW English Whisky Coronation 60th Anniversary

2013 Sees Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II celebrate The 60th Anniversary Of her Coronation. To help celebrate this momentous occasion we have hand selected just 7 wonderful oak casks of Single Malt Whisky to create a unique whisky worthy of the event. This is the 3rd in a series of Royal commemorative bottlings. The 1st was the wedding of William & Kate and the 2nd was the Jubilee.

Limited Stock Available
PURCHASE NOW – £64.99

Exclusive online bottles just added
Our cup runneth over…we’ve just added a wide range of bottlings to our online shop.  Find the last few bottles from familiar friends and discover some never-before-released in the UK casks. 60+ wonderful whiskies await….

NEW UK Online Exclusives…

2.83 Intense explosion of taste
19yo Refill ex-bourbon hogshead, £80.50
The nose really grabbed our interest – so much in it – summer fruits, cherry Bakewell, apple and berry tea; maple syrup, toffee and Fry’s Turkish Delight; mulled wine, tobacco and old books. More

3.166 Salt-water spray on a yacht deck
11yo First-fill ex-bourbon barrel, £48.30
Primarily sweet (candy floss, toffee apples, toasted marshmallows, lemon Edinburgh rock, sweet summer meadows and black wine gums).we also found outdoor swimming pools, grilled langoustines and Germolene. More

4.163 Soaring sweetness and ocean spray
11yo First-fill ex-bourbon barrel, £48.30
Various bass notes grounded the nose (tobacco, creosote, burnt sticks, white pepper, chipotle chilli, balsamic reduction) but soaring on a breeze of clean, minty smoke and ocean spray, was a kite made of toffee, puff candy and chocolate melted over ice-cream More

27.101 Sweet and savoury, clean and earthy
16yo Refill ex-bourbon hogshead, £68.00
Smoky, oily and meaty – the nose evoked a restaurant kitchen’s back door – soft leather and wood suggested upholstery shops – we also found dark chocolate, heather flowers, clove and citric notes intensifying over time. More

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.

TEELING WHISKEY

Small Batch Bottling 

Since 1782 the Teeling family have been crafting Irish Whiskey. The Teeling’s are renowned for their vision in doing things differently and their Whiskeys embody this entrepreneurial spirit. This small batch bottling consists of hand selected casks which are given further maturation in ex-Flor de Cana Rum barrels imparting an extra sweet and smooth flavour unique to Irish Whiskey. By bottling at 46% with no chill filtration completes an Irish Whiskey of true character. Teeling Whiskey – Dare to be Different.

 Nose:

An inviting nose where vanilla and spice dances with bright sweet notes of Rum.

Taste:

While being very approachable the influence of the rum cask and higher percentage alcohol creates a unique smooth, sweet, slightly woody marriage that sparkles on the tongue.

Finish:

Slightly moorish, sweet spice finish complimented by woody undertones.

Loch Fyne Whiskies Stocks Bruichladdich BBR 1991 21yo Cask 2998 

Bruichladdich BBR 1991 21yo

51.6%abv

£78.00 inc vat £65.00 ex vat

Best regards,

Loch Fyne Whiskies

david@lfw.co.uk