April Outturn: Honk, Honk!
Throw caution to the wind and rush headlong into our Spring offerings…

April Pair: Only 70 available at £106
35.86 Sumptuous breakfast dram &
76.101 Juicy & gum-smacking
More
 
Regional Trio: Only 65 available at £169
26.92 Hard glazed pretzel sticks PLUS
35.86 Sumptuous breakfast dram &
53.182 Keep it neat
More

Case Offer: Only 20 available at £320
78.40 Tantalisingly sweet and savoury
77.30 Attractively accessible and mouth-watering PLUS
April Regional Trio: 26.92, 35.86, 53.182
More

Browse April Outturn

*35.86 & 76.101 are exclusive to April Offers

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.

Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,

I hoped you had a wonderful Easter/Passover, and if you indulged in Easter eggs, that you’ve come down from the sugar high. What a day, it almost hit 20 degrees Celcius in Calgary, and yet there is a possibility of snow tonight… welcome to Spring in the Foothills of Alberta! We’re back to work today and our Spring Tasting Schedule is now active online. We have some great tastings planned for the next three months, including: Tequila, Rum, American Whisk(e)y, Irish Whiskey, Japanese Whisky and more than one Single Malt Scotch tasting. We’ve even planned a cocktail course with a certified bartender. The highlights for me are without doubt the Really Raucous Rums tasting on April 12^th and the Ultimate Ardbeg Experience Featuring Double Barrel. There are only a few spots left for the former, which is the most spectacular rum tasting we’ve ever put on. It will include a sampling of the new Appleton 50 Year Jamaican Independence, which retails for $4,302.99 bottle. The latter of the two is a very exciting Ardbeg tasting, featuring the Double Barrel, a set of two different 1974 vintage Ardbegs which retails for $15,210.49. The event will be hosted at the Pioneer Club, and will feature a range of 7-8 different Ardbegs.

There is something for everyone in our fall tasting schedule and many of these tastings, like our Spring Single Malt Festival will sell quickly, so don’t delay. Our 2013 Spring Single Malt Festival is planned for the day before the Ultimate Ardbeg Experience to give some of our out of town friends an enticing reason to make a trip out here. I have attached a description of all of the spirits tastings below, they can also be found at: https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/register.php , where you can also register online. Luddites, kidding of course, can also register in-store or by phone: 403-283-8000.

There are also a couple of new whiskies I’d like to plug, in advance of our next full Malt Messenger. There is the Glendronach Cask Strength Batch I, which is a steal at $83.99. Only about 250 bottles of this whisky have found their way to Alberta, and at this price they won’t last long. There is also the very limited Balvenie 17 Year Peated Cask, $142.99, which we may see as few as a dozen bottles of. Finally there is the Compass Box Hedonism, $95.99, which made a cheeky return to the market last week as a KWM exclusive. This Blended Grain Scotch whisky was a huge hit at our International Whisky Day celebrations, and sold out it store; but don’t fret we’ll see more next week. For more info on these tantalizing whiskies scroll down, I’ve provided a short write-up on each.

I hope this Malt Messenger Bulletin finds you well, and that we’ll see you at one of our many interesting tastings this spring.

Slainté!

Andrew Ferguson

PS- Don’t forget you can follow me on twitter www.twitter.com/scotch_guy and Facebook https://www.facebook.com/scotch.guy.1 .

KENSINGTON WINE MARKET SPRING 2013 SPIRIT TASTINGS 

1. The  Irish Strike Back – Irish Whiskey is going through a renaissance; new distilleries, new whiskies and a general fresh air of excitement. We’ll  sample some incredible new Irish whiskies like the Teeling Hybrid, Adelphi      Limerick Slaney 1988, Midleton Very Rare 2011, Jameson 18 and Bushmills 21 year, to name a few! – Tuesday April 16^th – $50
2. Classic  Single Malts – Our fun and friendly introduction to the world of single malt whisky. We’ll teach you how to taste and appreciate the world’s finest spirit. – Tuesday April 23^rd – $35
3. Whisky Tour of Islay – You’ll sample 7 of Islay’s finest whiskies-including 2 Port Ellens-while  virtually touring the island and soaking in its sights. Whisky will range from light and unpeated to very smoky. –  Tuesday April 30^th – $50
4. Rare Malts – Only the rarest whiskies, more than 20 years of age and from closed distilleries, are considered for this very special tasting. –  Tuesday May 7^th – $80
5. Whisky, Women & Chocolate – Gather the gals and head on down to the Wine Market for a pairing of everyone’s two favorite food groups, whisky and chocolate! – Friday May 10^th – $50
6. Whisk(e)y  Americano – Bourbon may hog all the attention, but there’s much more to American whisk(e)y in the lower 48 States than the products of Kentucky. – Tuesday June 4^th – $50
7. Spring Single Malt Festival – Our famous biannual whisky festival may be limited to just 100 participants, but there will be just as many whiskies to sample in this festival style tasting. Warning! Tickets sell out very quickly. – Thursday June 13^th – $60
8. The Utlimate Ardbeg Experience Featuring Ardbeg Double Barrel– 1974 is the most sought after of all Ardbeg vintages, and we’ll be sampling two 1974 single casks from the very rare Ardbeg Double Barrel ($15,210.49) set. In  addition, participants will sample a selection of other Ardbegs including: 10 Year, 17 Year, Corryvreckan, Uigeadail, Galileo, Ardbog Day and possibly another rare vintage! The event will feature some tasty morsels, and will be held at the Southern Alberta Pioneers Hall, 3625 4th Street S.W., Friday June 14^th at 7:00PM. – Friday June 14^th –  $300
9. The Last Samurai – While the whisky of the closed Karuizawa distillery is slipping ever closer to oblivion, Ichiro’s malt at Chichibu Distillery is on the rise. We’ll taste a range of very special rare whiskies from these two lesser known Japanese distilleries, while enjoying some photos from Andrew’s recent whisky tour of Japan! – Tuesday June 18^th -$100
10. Master Malt – Only the most rare and special whiskies are showcased at this  tasting which always highlights some of the most exciting whiskies in the world! – Tuesday June 25^th – $95

To register visit: https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/register.php , pop by the store, or give us a ring at 403-283-8000. 

GLENDRONACH CASK STRENGTH BATCH I – $83.99

Glendronach has been on the rise since it was bought by BenRiach Distillery Co. in 2008. The distillery, famous for its heavily sherried whiskies has gone from relative obscurity to one of our bestselling malts, and a contender for the King of sherry cask whisky. To date we’ve bottled 2 different casks from Glendronach, a 1995 and an epic 1972 (cask 711). We also have access to small amounts of the vintage single cask Glendronachs released biannually in batches of 5. The two most recent batches (6 and 7) both largely sold out before hitting the floor. The Glendronach Cask Strength is the latest in the distillery’s core range which consists of 12, 15 and 18 year olds. It will be released in batches, and thus vary from one to another, with this current batch being the first release. Bottled at 54.8% without an age statement, it matured in Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks. As few as 250 bottles have found their way to Alberta. 

Tasting note by Serge Valentin of www.whiskyfun.org : “This is a brand new one and a vatting of oloroso and PX casks. I know Glendronach isn’t officially a Speysider but I think it does behave like a Speysider. Ahem. Colour: amber. Nose: … and yet a very similar profile, I wouldn’t say that the PX brought much more roundness and sweetness – so far. So a lot of dried fruits again, Corinthian raisins, rich tobacco, chocolate, bacon, mint… and quite some fresh walnuts as well (skins). With water: more leather, game and tobacco (cigar humidor) as well as whiffs of black truffles. Mouth (neat): now it’s sweeter, and quite unusual too. Oh, and rather brilliant. Starts quite nervous, on pink grapefruits and ginger tonic, before some beautiful notes of tangerine liqueur and gingerbread join in the dancing. Absolutely lovely. With water: more bitter oranges and more ‘greenness’ (herbs, chlorophyll) that go very well with this profile. Finish: long, creamy, not cloying at all. Great balance. More black raisins, cocoa powder and cardamom in the aftertaste. Comments: well, it seems that they did it again. Big yet impressively balanced. Not too sure about the price but it’ll probably be a bargain. SGP:562 – 91 points“

* Available in store next week! Order here!

BALVENIE PEATED CASK 17 YEAR – $142.99

An unusual Balvenie, this limited edition 17 year old was matured in “traditional” casks before being transferred for a period into casks which had previously contained heavily peated whisky. The peated whisky had been produced at Balvenie, avoiding concerns around an earlier Balvenie, the “Islay Cask”, about whether it was still a single malt, having absorbed peated spirit from the cask which had been distilled at another distillery. The peated batch was distilled in 2001, emptied, and 17 year old Balvenie was filled into its casks for a short finishing period. This is the result: 

Balvenie 17 Year Peated Cask – 43% – Distillery’s Tasting Note: “NOSE: Gentle floral aroma with hints of violet and lavender. Delicate smoke beautifully balanced with honeyed vanilla and spicy oakiness. TASTE: Prominent smoke softens to reveal oaky honey and vanilla. Cinnamon and nutmeg develop with time. FINISH: Sweet and spicy with a hint of smoke.” – $142.99 

* Available in store next week! 

COMPASS BOX HEDONISM – $95.99 

Hedonism is unique in the Scotch whisky world, one of very few, if not the only Blended Grain whisky. Single malt may hog all the attention, but grain whisky does much of the work in Scotch whisky. Most blends consist of more grain whisky than malt, the former being the base or body with the latter used to add layers and complexity. Most grain whisky is fairly uniform, one dimensional and bland, but there are some exception single casks out there as members of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and others can attest. Compass Box, famous for its Blended Malts, has taken a similar approach in the creation of Hedonism, a Blended Grain. The components of Hedonism have been matured in 100% First Fill American Oak barrels and rejuvenated American Oak Hogshead casks. After blending they are married for 2 years before bottling at 43% without colouring or chill filtering. Compass Box Hedonism is currently exclusive to KWM! 

Compass Box Hedonism – 43% – Blended Grain Scotch Whisky – American Oak – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: soft and floral, loads of gentle honey, delicate grainy oils, buttered popcorn, toasty oak and crème brule; there are some fruits too, fresh sliced apples and green grapes; Palate: soft and creamy, very toasty and sugary with Demerara sugars and more crème brule; sweetly decadent with coconut cream icing, buttered corn on the cob and more white fruits and grapes with a tinge of peppery spice; Finish: moderate length, coating and creamy, with more toasty oak, a floral grassiness and fresh Taber corn. – $95.99

* Temporarily sold out, more available in store next week!

If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store. Feel free to forward me any whisky news you feel should be included in a future issue of The Malt Messenger; it might just get included.

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

http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=fh5lvqmab.0.nkqtknmab.68sk67iab.4863&ts=S0896&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.fergusonwhiskytours.com

scotchguide@fergusonwhiskytours.com

Each year Maker’s Mark, in collaboration with Keenland, releases a special iconic bottling of Maker’s Mark Bourbon. This year Maker’s Mark has chosen to honor UK Basketball star Dan Issel, who played at UK from 1967 to 1970. This special bottling is limited to only 20,028 bottles. As with every limited Keenland Bottling, all proceeds from this release will be donated to a variety of Kentucky charitable organizations.

Dan Issel is one of Kentucky basketballs iconic legends. Fondly known as “Big Dan”, he was a phenom on the court to the delight of thousands of on looking UK basketball fans. Issel’s achievements are long and include twice named All American, ABA Rookie of the Year and six-time ABA All-Star and Round 8 NBA pick. During his career at the University of Kentucky he broke and set 23 records, two of which still stand today: 2,138 career points and 1,078 career rebounds. In honor of his achievements his jersey hangs in Rupp Arena.

The Party Source is proud to carry a limited number of this special bottling. Due to intense demand, there is a limit of one (1) bottle per customer with first come, first served.

Size: 1 Liter

Price: $48.99

Date: Friday, April 5th (that’s today folks!)

Time: 8:00 am

In-Store Location: Case Central

Online Purchase: A limited number of the 2013 Commemorative Keenland Bottle will be available beginning at 8:00 am, Friday, April 5th at the following link.

This month we have selected for the PROVENANCE range four (4) new bottling – more to follow next week .

Tasting Notes for PROVENANCE:

PRV0971 Glencadam 8 year old

Barley sweet and soft as it opens on the nose – it warms to sherbet and a light citric/spiced tone. The palate is bigger than the nose suggests – full of fudge, vanilla – crunched sugar in honey – all of which is neatly replicated on the finish (F)

PRV09723 Mortlach 10 year old

Opens fresh and fragrant on the nose, developing to a sweet, malty character. The palate is sweet and fruity, carrying a sugar sprinkled strawberries style. The finish is medium long, attractively toffee’d with a lemon tang. (J)

PRV 0974 Dalmore 12 year old

Opens clean on the nose, carrying a green malt character plus a honey and fruit quality. The palate is light and fresh, running to an American Cream Soda style. The finish is medium long, softly spiced with a lingering orange pith character.

PRV0972 Glengoyne 13 year old

Opens clean and fresh, carrying a sweet, fruity quality + a soft malt character. The palate remains sweet, with crushed sugar and is smoothly spiced with a fresh orange style. The finish is medium long, spicy, still citric (grapefruit style now) plus orange pith. (J)

We hope you will like them as much as we do.

Yours sincerely

Fred Laing

Managing Director

PS. Just off the production line – is a wonderfully maritime Ledaig 7 Year Old – whose tasting notes are: Massively peated as it opens on the nose- with a real ferry engine room character! – say no more. Truly sweet on the palate – with a more subtle phenolic approach, hinting at coal dust and late tar, then its finish is toffee sweet plus a coal cellar and distinctly spiced character. (F)

Visit Douglas Laing at www.douglaslaing.com

TOP PICK

• 1996 Clynelish K&L Exclusive 16 Year Old A.D. Rattray Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($99.99)
  When we go on the hunt for top quality single barrels at K&L, we do our best to provide variety as well. We try not to double up on too many names and we’re always looking for whisky that’s a bit different than last time around. That being said, we’re now introducing our third barrel of privately-bottled Clynelish in less than four years because we just can’t say no to this delicious single malt no matter how many times we’ve bottled it in the past. Unlike the two previous casks, however, this version of 16 year old Clynelish from a refill-sherry butt is the most classic of the three. Our 27 year barrel offered maturity, the 20 year old brought rich and heavy sherry flavor, but this 16 year barrel tops them all. It does everything the distillery is renowned for and it does it extremely well. Lemony citrus, candle wax, oily fruits, and rich vanilla round out this lightly supple spirit. The wax is what makes Clynelish so famous and has made the whisky an in sider favorite (many distillers from rival companies will secretly confide that Clynelish is the best single malt in the business). We loved the two previous barrels because they were very un-Clynelish. We love this cask because it’s vintage Clynelish. For $100, this is as good as whisky gets. At full proof, this malt needs a bit of water, so add a few drops when you pour it. Then sit back, nurse your  dram, and enjoy the complexity of one of Scotland’s finest single malt whiskies. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)

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

The Glenlivet Alpha is now available to pre order only via whiskyshop.com

The whisky shop is pleased to launch the next big thing in the whisky industry… The Glenlivet Alpha!

Take a step into the unknown with the mysteriously unique and thought provoking expression from The Glenlivet.

This expression will be released next week but you can pre order now at The Whisky Shop only while stocks last.

One of only 3350 bottles available worldwide, this expression is already been talked about as the next big thing in the whisky industry.

So why is so special and what is so unique about it?

Well what you see is what you get with this bottle with the release containing no tasting notes or any cask reference. This whisky is for you to explore from a blank canvas.
The tasting notes, bottling information and maturation dates  will be available a full six weeks after the release.

To help unlock The Glenlivet Alpha’s flavour and enhance the experience when drinking other single malts consumers can take part in a series of digital sensory challenges on The Glenlivet’s Facebook page.

Only £99.00 Click here to buy

The Whisky Shop
Tel 0141 427 2919
info@whiskyshop.com
www.whiskyshop.com

BOWMORE^® ISLAY SINGLE MALT SCOTCH WHISKY LAUNCHES

– BOWMORE TEMPEST 4 –

THE FOURTH IN THE AWARD WINNING SERIES OF SMALL BATCH, CASK STRENGTH SINGLE MALTS

Bowmore, Islay’s first Single Malt whisky, has announced the highly anticipated launch of Tempest 4. This complex and rewarding dram is non-chill-filtered and aged for a decade in first fill bourbon casks. A true product of its environment – wild, raw and untamed – each mouthful is as fresh as Islay’s bracing sea-air with wisps of peat smoke and sweet citrus. Less than 2,000 cases have been released worldwide, priced at £49.99 RRP in the UK, 55.1% ABV.

As with each of the Tempest series of small batch releases, Tempest 4 presents subtle nuances whilst retaining Bowmore’s unique quality – perfect balance. Thanks to a decade maturing in the legendary No 1 Vaults, the oldest in Scotland, Tempest 4’s tastes more textured and fresh than many other Islay Scotches with a mouth-filling minerality and a long, salty finish.

Master Blender Rachel Barrie describes the dram as “Effervescent waves of citrus and ocean spice, tempered by warm ripples of smooth vanilla and wispy smoke”.

“It’s like being out on a boat in the ocean waves, with bracing sea air, ocean spices and salty drizzle sharpening the senses and clearing the mind,” said Barrie. “As you get closer to shore, the bright sun breaks through the clouds bringing a satisfying warmth, rewarding you with sun-drenched fruit and vanilla sweetness.”

Completing the experience, Barrie suggests a unique food pairing that fuses sweet andsavoury. “Vanilla ice cream, olive oil drizzle and a sprinkle of sea-salt served with mandarin and pistachio meringue.

Tempest 4 is available from May.

@bowmore1779

TASTING NOTES:

On the eye deep amber gold.

Breathe in menthol and sweet coconut fused with toasted vanilla and an ocean breeze. As the liquid ebbs and flows, ripe oranges and kumquat burst from the glass with cedar wood.

Sip bursts of tangy ripe clementines, lemon sherbet and grapefruit.  Deeper layers of peppery peat, pistachio and pine nuts are carried by a wave of smooth vanilla.

Savour rippling layers of citrus, bourbon vanilla spice and wispy smoke.

Add a splash of water and Tempest explodes with flavour releasing tangy seaweed tempered by sweet vanilla ice cream and sugared almonds.

The latest Bowmore Tempest release follows previous award-winning Tempest batches, which include Tempest 2, which won Best Islay Single Malt 2011 at the World Whisky Awards  and Tempest 1 which was awarded Gold at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in 2010.

For more information, please visit www.bowmore.com and www.facebook.com/bowmore

For all enquiries contact Morrison Bowmore Distillers on +44 (141) 558 9011

NOTES:

Bowmore

The best-balanced Islay Single Malt whisky is the perfect reward after your outdoor experience.

Founded in 1779, Bowmore is the oldest Distillery on Islay, one of the Scottish isles, which make up the region known as the ‘Islands’ in the lexicon of Whisky. The other regions are the Highlands, Speyside and the Lowlands. Islay malts are famous for their characteristic smokiness and Bowmore is no exception; we carefully smoke our malt and use skills handed down from generation to generation to craft a perfectly balanced Single Malt.

Bowmore’s adherence to traditional production methods helps to shape the character of our Single Malts. We’re one of only a few distilleries anywhere which still produces its own floor malted barley, hand-turned by traditional wooden malt shovel and hand drawn machinery. For our whiskies we draw water from the Laggan River, with its rich peaty overtones, and it’s the same Islay peat that fires the malt-drying kiln.

Bowmore Distillery’s close proximity to the sea is also vital in determining the final character of our spirit. The legendary Bowmore No. 1 Vaults is where most of our whiskies spend their long lives resting quietly in the cool, dark, damp cellars below sea level, oblivious to the waves thrashing the Vault’s sea-facing wall.

They mature in oak casks, previously used for bourbon, sherry or claret, gradually developing rich and mellow flavours.

It’s this combination of peat, barley, sea breeze, water, wood, people and tradition that together create the perfectly balanced warm and smoky character of Bowmore Single Malt Whiskies.

The Bowmore domestic product range:

• Bowmore Legend
• Bowmore 12 Years Old
• Bowmore 15 Years Old ‘Darkest’
• Bowmore 18 Years Old
• Bowmore 25 Years Old

Islay

Islay is the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides, and is also known as “The Queen of the Hebrides.” Its mild climate and rich peaty soil make it ideal for creating whisky, and despite having a population of not much more than 3,000, it’s home to no fewer than eight distilleries.

Highland Park Valhalla Collection:

Loki, 15 Year Old 

This whisky was aged for 18 years and finished in a Moscatel cask #4491. Reddish walnut color with thick legs. There is a slight hint of mint and pepper to the nose. Very pretty with soft malt, candied fruits- pineapple and cherries with heather notes. There is sweetness right before a fiercely hot finish. A couple of drops of water really tames the heat.

Special D&M pricing! $79.99

Loch Fyne Whiskies Stocks: Highland Park Loki’

Highland Park Loki 48.7% abv

£120.00 inc vat
£100.00 ex vat

Best regards,
Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk