This month we offer two (2) new PROVENANCE bottlings.

The PROVENANCE Tasting Notes are:

PRV0969 SPEYBURN 8 YEARS
Butterscotch abounds on the nose initially – then it merges into malty gristiness with citric tones, oak, and vanilla. More of that butterscotch shows early on the palate – running to a Scottish tablet/fudge-y and malty sweet influence ….. and all this is replicated on its finish, plus some late spices. (F)

PRV098 CRAIGELLACHIE SHERRY 10 YEARS
Aromatic, and carrying a mature fruity nose initially – it opens to light spices, barley and oak. Gristy – and with more inherit barley sweetness on the palate – it warms to vanialla toffee and softer fruit tones. The finish is long, warmly spiced, with a hint of liquorice apparent late. (F).

We hope you will like.

Yours sincerely

Fred Laing

Managing Director

www.douglaslaing.com

Concannon Irish Whiskey

Background: Launched in U.S. in early 2012, Concannon Irish Whiskey is the independent spirit of Ireland. Developed as a joint collaboration between Livermore Valley-based Concannon Vineyard and Ireland’s renowned Cooley distillery.

Brand Ambassador and 4th Generation Vintner, John Concannon, is continuing his family’s legacy of blending rich tradition with pioneering innovation with the development of Concannon Irish Whiskey. “Our Irish roots run deep, and entering the Irish Whiskey market symbolizes building an eternal bond with the past by creating a bold, new chapter in our Concannon Family History.” Concannon Irish Whiskey, a special tribute to his Great-Grandfather, James Concannon, in admiration for his adventurous spirit, vision and ambitious endeavors. James Concannon also celebrates his birthday on St. Patrick’s Day.

Product: Concannon Irish Whiskey is a refined blend of malted barley and corn, craft distilled for proper balance of character and purity. It is matured in bourbon barrels for a minimum of four years, then mellowed in Concannon Petite Sirah wine barrels for four months before blending. This is known as the “Concannon Effect”, which gives Concannon Irish Whiskey a uniquely fruity character with a full, clean and balanced taste.

Tastings Notes: Visual: Light golden wheat color

Nose: Toasted malt, red fruit and vanilla

Palate: Balance of honey sweet, spice, and citrus flavors

Finish: Medium-length. Warming and round, with hint fresh oak.

Price: $24.99 for a 750ml bottle, 40% ABV.

Accolades: Concannon Irish Whiskey received Best New Irish Whiskey of the Year in 2012 from International Spirits Competition (NYISC).

Distribution: Nationally distributed in the U.S.

Website: http://concannonirishwhiskey.com/

Duncan Taylor Smokin’ Blended Scotch Whisky 40%

Whisky as it used to be. Smokin’ Scotch whisky perfectly balances robust peat smoke flavours and smooth notes of toffee and vanilla. Paying homage to the legendary blends of yesteryear, renowned for their rich flavor and uncompromising character, Smokin’ is a full bodied experience to be savored.

Tasting Notes

Colour: Pale gold
Nose: Initial punch of peat smoke, citrus spice and zesty lemon peel, moving on to caramelised sugar, toasted oak and clotted cream. Vanilla and sandalwood to finish
Taste: Smokey with fresh cream, butter biscuits and toffee. Hint of tobacco and leather
Finish: Clean, dry and malty
Comment: Churchill would have approved

www.duncantaylor.com

Talisker Storm – Now Shipping – Whisky Galore @TGWS

New in stock: It’s whipping up a storm…. TALISKER STORM.

ORDER NOW

In Brief: Talisker Storm has a more profound maritime smoky flavour, taking the intense maritime experience to a new level.

How is the flavour achieved?

The Talisker Distillery Character:

Talisker is made by the sea on the remote and storm battered shores of the Isle of Skye.

Creating the unique  distillery character begins with the careful distillation process. The unusual shape of the stills and the traditional worm tubs, that minimise copper contact during the condensation process, help create a rich and complex spirit.

The peat  and malted barley used by the Distillery create the smoky and briny base notes of the Malt.

These factors all work together with the casks in a way that, even now, is not fully understood, delivering the gentle and late arrival of the smoky flavour that is so unique to Talisker.

Enhancing the Distillery Character. Talisker STORM.

The next stage of the flavour development is the preparation of the casks. Our rejuvenated American Oak casks are lightly roasted and then charred before being filled. The initial contact with the charring removes any impurities from the liquid. As time passes it reaches the toasted layer of wood, where the marrying of flavour really begins.

In contrast, the liquid selected from our refill casks has a greater conversation with just the wood, giving a different depth of flavour. A carefully selected combination of refill and rejuvenated oak casks, known only to our Master at the distillery, is used to create the smoothness, sweetness and woody spiciness that form the next layer of flavour in Talisker Storm.

Cask Selection for Talisker Storm:

In the final  stage, our Master Blenders have painstakingly worked on selecting the perfect balance of  differing aged casks  to marry the vibrant distillery character with a smoother, woody richness. The result is a new expression of Talisker that brings an exhilarating and intense taste experience.

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TALISKER STORM

New Port Askaig Islay Single Malts available at The Whisky Exchange

The latest releases from Speciality Drinks Ltd’s Port Askaig range of single malt whiskies are now available at The Whisky Exchange. Sourced from an undisclosed distillery on the famed whisky-producing island of Islay they are selected to show a classic Islay profile across a range of different ages.

The Port Askaig 12 years old, released at The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show in October 2012, is now joined by two additions to the range, aged for 19 and 30 years respectively and bottled at cask strength.

Port Askaig 12 years old – 45.8% abv

Nose: Very fresh and invigorating, with bracing sea air, seashells, a minerally character like wet slate, plus phenolic notes of ash and wet burnt wood. Faint honeyed, leafy notes in the background. Becomes earthier with time.

Palate: Mediumweight, but packs a punch. Very minerally initially, then salty and sweet at the same time. Becomes ashy and drying, with the brininess increasing as the smoke, dry turf and chalky, flinty notes assume control mid-palate.

Finish: Some lemony acidity breezes in to keep things fresh as the ashy smoke and turf linger.

Comment: More savoury than some drams from this distillery, this 12yo has impressive depth of character for a relatively young malt, but remains light enough to encourage a refill. Very more-ish.

Port Askaig 19 years old Cask Strength – 50.4% abv

Nose: Quite rich, with a great contrast of pure, clean, lemon-creamy malt and some deliciously dirty, turfy, earthy, sooty, oily phenols. Medicine cabinet hints of bandages, liniment, Savlon and swimming pools in the background. Gets more like a smoky lemon cheesecake with time in the glass.

Palate: Lemon & tart apple fruit at first, then big phenolic grunt, with lots of hot bitumen, ash, tar, soot; then creamy lemon and honey, a minerally note and burning turf.

Finish: The lemon cheesecake returns as the heavy phenols slowly disperse, leaving a sweet tingle at the death.

Comment: Although only a few % higher in abv, this 19 year old Port Askaig certainly raises the intensity compared to previous batches. Water releases a little sweetness.

Port Askaig 30 years old Cask Strength – 51.1% abv

Nose: Lots going on: rich honey sweetness, some strong melon notes, bananas in various forms – fresh, foam and milkshake, then some barley sugar and very light smoke emerges.

Palate: Quite full and generous, with very rich flavours following on from the nose, and a luxurious oily texture. Sweet initially, but the phenols are much more evident on the palate than the nose, with thick smoke and rich wet peat alongside more subdued melon and banana fruit notes from the nose. A thread of honeyed lemon runs through the whole ensemble.

Finish: Good length, sweet and lightly sooty, with the fruit lingering much longer than expected.

Comment: We’ve normally bottled this at the traditional 80 proof, but the vatting was just far too good to add water to. Superb stuff.

The Port Askaig 12yo, 19yo Cask Strength, and 30yo Cask Strength are now available from The Whisky Exchange website and London shop: http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/B-40-Port_Askaig.aspx

Notes:

The Whisky Exchange

The Whisky Exchange (TWE) is a family business founded in 1999 that has grown to be the internet’s No.1 specialist retailer of whisky and fine spirits, serving thousands of satisfied customers every week through their website www.thewhiskyexchange.com

The Whisky Exchange has won a string of industry awards, including Independent Spirits Retailer of the Year and Online Retailer of the Year at the Drinks Retailing Awards, Icons of Whisky Online Retailer of the Year and Independent Spirits Retailer of the Year at the International Spirits Challenge.

The TWE website currently stocks over 5000 whiskies, of which the majority are Scottish Single Malts, Bourbons & Irish Whiskeys, with the remainder coming from as far afield as South Africa, India, Sweden, Australia and Taiwan.

TWE also stocks a wide range of other fine spirits, including hundreds of gins, vodkas, cognacs, armagnacs, brandies, rums, tequilas, mezcals, liqueurs and many other drinks from all over the world.

As well as an online outlet, The Whisky Exchange also operates a shop in Vinopolis near London Bridge. Further details can be found at http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/Vinopolis.aspx

We’re delighted to let you all know that, based on multiple requests and growing popularity of Isle of Skye 8 YR, we have added 1.75 liter size to the line.

We’re confident this addition will add more value to the brand and will lead you to the sales increase.

Please see attached the image. The RRP is $ 59.99.

Cheers,

ImpEx Beverages Team

March Previews: Close to the edge of extreme
From the intense to the extreme, we’ve released two pretty big previews from our March Outturn.  Enjoy the full release on Friday 1 March (Spring is finally in the air!)

24.124 Close to the edge of extreme
Speyside Spey
£71.00
The sherry influence dominated, almost overpowered the nose – layers of wood (cedar, polished furniture, varnished wood, wood-sap, salted peanuts, matchbox) and tons of treacle; plus toffee, tobacco, syrup of figs, leather, orange and gammon cooked in coca-cola. The unreduced taste was huge and mouth-drawing – a real ‘stoater’…
More

53.179 Jelly-fish onthe rocks
Islay
£68.80
The palate was a classic intense mix of sweetness and smoke – some tar, clean oil, macadamia nuts, smoked paprika and prawn tempura, with a long, liquoricy after-taste. The reduced nose introduced a powerful floral note (Little Shop of Horrors?) and a mineral element (our scientist-turned-blender remembered drying jelly-fish on rocks)
More

February Outturn

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.

New Arrivals

United States – Bourbon and Rye

• Dancing Pines Colorado Bourbon 750ml – 12 available ($46.99)

• 2003 Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon 750ml ($24.99)

Back in Stock

Ireland – Irish and Blended Scotch

• Tyrconnell 10 year Port Casks Single Malt Irish Whiskey      750ml ($79.99)

• Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey 750ml – 3      available ($33.99)

Scotland – Blended Scotch

• Chivas Regal 25 year old Blended Scotch Whisky750ml ($349.99)

• Samaroli Evolution 2011 Multi Vintage Pure Malt Scotch      Whisky 750ml – 5 available ($319.99)

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

• Glendronach 15 year old “Revival” Distillery      Bottling Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 5 available ($75.99)

• Talisker Distiller’s Edition Single Malt Whisky 750ml –      8 available ($85.99)

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

Late February 2013 Outturn Offerings 

In a gentleman’s club 

Cask No. 4.160                                             $115

Highland, Island

The nose had polished wood, cigars and leather chairs ‘like a gentleman’s’ club’, lots of cinder toffee, chocolate fingers, pastrami and various fruits (orange jelly, cherries in syrup, plums, figs). The initial palate was somewhat fierce but surprisingly enjoyable – moist ginger cake, Caramac, orange, smoked ham and burnt sticks in birch syrup. The reduced nose had incense, struck match, Trail Mix (dates, raisins, etc.) Horlicks, cinnamon and slightly over-done Christmas cake. The palate now found flambéed bananas, sweet dark toffee and abundant spice (musk, myrrh, cinnamon) at the end. The distillery is supposedly haunted by the ghost of Magnus Eunson.

Drinking tip: Prefect dram for the ferry to Orkney – otherwise after dinner

Colour: Dark rum                                         Date distilled: April 1997

Cask: Refill gorda                                        Alcohol: 56.1%

Age: 14 years                                               USA allocation: 90 bottles 

Mermaids at play in Lochindaal 

Cask No. 3.186                                             $120

Islay

This intriguing and rather unusual sample from the oldest distillery on Islay divided the panel. The nose initially delivered solventy, glue notes, but these turned more perfumed as it opened up – the perfumed and briny character stimulated conversation about mermaids! We also found hay, fresh ginger, coal, apple, banana, lemon and lime. The palate was also perfumed, with lots of gin-like botanicals, yet surprisingly sweet (candy floss, vanilla). The reduced nose suggested sherbet, pear flan and Plasticine. The palate now improved considerably – some mineral notes emerged and the escalating sweetness gently embraced the perfumed mermaid creating a triumphant final balance.

Drinking tip: As an aperitif or while snuggling up with your partner

Colour: Bright straw gold                           Date distilled: April 1995

Cask: Refill hogshead                                 Alcohol: 57.9%

Age: 16 years                                               USA allocation: 90 bottles

Scottish Heidi 

Cask No. 66.33                                             $95

Highland, Eastern

Aromas of a rock garden with a variety of herbs like sage, fennel and turmeric as well as a floral note of Edelweiss, whilst in the background fresh tar being laid on a road. On the palate smoky Swiss cheese with digestive biscuits then becoming sweeter, brownies and dark mint chocolates with a trace of teasing lavender smoke. Adding water, dry and dusty then turning fresh like a Ricola Lemon mint followed by a nougat note of dark Toblerone. The taste with water is of pork sausages, water biscuits with peppered cream cheese and a dry volcanic ashy note to finish. This distillery is believed to be named after a peninsula between Cardross and Helensburgh.

Drinking tip: After skiing with a Cheese Fondue

Colour: Blushed apricot gold                               Date distilled: November 2001

Cask: Refill barrel                                                    Alcohol: 58.0%

Age: 10 years                                                           USA allocation: 72 bottles 

Matron’s sick bay and Angostura Bitters 

Cask No. 93.51                                             $105

Campbeltown

The immediate impression is mineralic – we were strongly reminded of WD40 lubricating oil – with a growing medicinal aroma, a passing phase of quality wax shoe polish, becoming ‘grilling lamb chops and black cherries on a beach barbeque’. The taste at natural strength is sweet and reminiscent of ‘matron’s sick bay’ – Friar’s Balsam, crepe bandages, arnica, cloves – and Christmas spices. A little water makes it more medicinal, with scents from a workshop (again, WD40, with light smoke), raspberry ripple, ginger creams, then Angostura Bitters. Sweet and gingery to taste; mouth-cooling, with a lightly smoky finish. Bags of character from Campbeltown’s ‘other’ distillery.

Drinking tip: In the gun-room, with the Sunday papers

Colour: Mid gold                                         Date distilled: July 1999

Cask: Refill barrel                                        Alcohol: 61.4%

Age: 12 years                                               USA allocation: 102 bottles

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

Hello whisky lovers,

This offer has been put together by the LCBO and is a chance to purchase nine of the world’s finest Single Malts, some of which will never be offered again. This remarkable selection from Gordon & MacPhail includes their Cask Strength, several Private Collection bottlings plus the highly sought-after 30 Years Old Benromach. You can order online by clicking Scottish Virtuosity on Vintages magazine (see below) or call VINTAGES at 416-365-5767 or toll-free at 1-800-266-4764 during normal business hours. Orders will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. There is no minimum order size but quantities are limited.

Product, LCBO # & PRICE

GORDON & MACPHAIL PRIVATE COLLECTION LINKWOOD CÔTE RÔTIE FINISH ’91 316901 $179
BENROMACH 30 YEARS OLD SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT 288043 $499
GORDON & MACPHAIL CONNOISSEURS CHOICE AULTMORE SINGLE MALT ’00 319210 $79
BENROMACH SASSICAIA WOOD FINISH SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT 2005 316935 $73
GORDON & MACPHAIL CASK STRENGTH CAOL ILA SINGLE MALT ’00 316919 $134
GORDON & MACPHAIL CASK STRENGTH HIGHLAND PARK SINGLE MALT ’01 316927 $115
BENROMACH 10 YEARS OLD SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT 191817 $75
GORDON & MACPHAIL PRIVATE COLLECTION BALBLAIR CROZES-HERMITAGE FINISH ’91 316869 $185
GORDON & MACPHAIL PRIVATE COLLECTION LEDAIG ST. JOSEPH FINISH ’93 316877 $112