2000 Bowmore 11 Year Old K&L Exclusive Sovereign Single Sherry Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($72.99) This one took quite a while to secure, but we finally landed another slam dunk cask: a sherry-aged barrel of delicious Bowmore single malt! I’ll never forget looking at David OG’s face as we sat in the tasting room of the Sovereign offices tasting this whisky – “Tennis ball can?” we both said, nosing the complex whirlwind of aromas emanating from the glass. Vanilla, rich raisined fruit, creamy sherry, and yes a bit of tennis ball can! The palate is where the Bowmore campfire smoke and peat moss creep in and lead one’s mouth to a succulent, savory finish. However, the nose is the real jewel of this whisky and David OG sat for more than twenty minutes just smelling it and smiling. Who doesn’t love sherry-aged Islay whisky, especially when it’s from Bowmore? -David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer

1965 Caledonian 45 Year Old K&L Exclusive Sovereign Single Barrel Cask Strength Grain Whisky (Pre-Arrival) ($149.99) Closed forever in 1988, Caledonian was a Lowland grain distillery that was once famed for having Europe’s biggest patent still. The nose is salted caramel and sticky Sauternes with rich and enticing aromas of sweet goodness. The palate however is grain all the way – lean and herbal, odd and exciting, crazy cool and super fun – truly a difficult malt to truly explain. Knowing this was going to be for the true whisky nerds out there, we originally decided to pass on this cask even though we loved it. However, when the owners let us deal via our own importer, we were able to work out a ridiculous price for such an ancient collectable (the closest comparison we could find was a 45 year Caledonian selling in the UK for more than $200). Similar grains of this age have sold at K&L in the past for over $300. While this bottle isn’t for everyone, it is meant for the curious collector looking to branch out and understand the various styles of Scotch. Grain whisky has always been an important element of blended whisky and continues to provide the backbone to legends like Johnnie Walker Blue and Chivas Regal. While it has recently fallen out of “style,” there is a strong grain whisky revival festering once again and we’re glad to be, as usual, at the forefront of all whisky movements. -David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer

1980 Caol Ila 30 Year Old K&L Exclusive Sovereign Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($174.99) If you can’t believe your eyes at the price of this Caol Ila 30 year old single barrel, cask strength bottle, we can’t blame you. Is it a close out? No. Is it just not good? Sorry, we don’t buy bad whisky. How is it that K&L is able to get an entire barrel of elegant, smoky, mature Islay whisky and sell it for $175? We’ll let you in on a secret – we worked very hard to get these casks imported directly and we’ve enlisted the help of a few friends to get these incredible prices. Do a Google search and you’ll find that the official Caol Ila comes in at about $350 while other expressions bottom out at around $280. This new relationship we’ve started with Sovereign from our recent trip to Scotland is the beginning of something very big – top level whiskies, all at cask strength, all at wholesale prices for our retail customers! -David Driscoll, Spirits Buyer

Oban 18 Year Limited Edition Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Elsewhere $149.99) ($99.99) We only got a few bottles! BUY, BUY, BUY, ASAP! This is a limited edition bottling for the US only. As the cannister states, “only so much can be made, it is never enough.” John Hansell writes, “I really like this whisky. Drier, less toffee and fruit, more dried spice and oak when compared to the standard Oban 14 year old. A beautiful combination of rich, nutty toffee balanced by polished oak, salt, pepper, seaweed, distant smoke and dried fruit. Somewhat oily in texture. Wonderful depth too! An improvement on what is already the biggest selling Diageo single malt scotch in the U.S. Very exciting and dynamic.” -Malt Advocate

Johnnie Walker Blue Blended Scotch Whisky 750ml ($179.99)

W. L. Weller 12 year old Bourbon 750ml – 11 available ($24.99)

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

RARE AND AFFORDABLE ALBERTA PREMIUM 30 YEAR OLD LIMITED EDITION® WHISKY TO BE RELEASED THIS JUNE

Toronto, ON  – Starting this June, in time for Father’s Day, Canadian whisky lovers in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan are in for a rare and special treat. Calgary, Alberta-based Alberta Distillers Ltd., the producer of Alberta Premium®, will release a limited amount of its rare Alberta Premium 30 Year Old Limited Edition® – a must-have addition to any whisky lovers’ collection.

What makes this a unique whisky is both its age and limited availability. Developed by Alberta Distillers Ltd., owned by Beam Global Spirits, Alberta Premium 30 Year Old Limited Edition has been aged for 26 years in charred oak casks until its smooth and unique taste emerged, decanted and then casked again for four more years.

According to Rob Tuer, Director of Operations at Alberta Distillers, whisky fans can expect Alberta Premium 30 Year Old Limited Edition to deliver a unique blend of wood, spice, chocolate and a hint of smoke. Tuer describes the rare liquid as having rich, full- bodied, extremely smooth and mellow taste with distinctive rye notes.

“Alberta Distillers is proud and excited to introduce this rare, top quality whisky to Canada,” says Tuer. “This small batch 30 Year Old Limited Edition is an exceptional opportunity for Alberta Premium lovers and whisky connoisseurs to enjoy.”

Whisky connoisseurs consider Alberta Premium a top quality rye whisky. It is heralded for its flavour, bouquet and value, and is one of the few 100 per cent rye whiskies still made in North America. Accolades for the brand are global.

In his 2011 edition, whisky expert Jim Murray, author of the Whisky Bible, calls Alberta Premium a “throbbing, pulsing rye on a variety of levels: full and juicy, dull and dusty, firm and flinty. Unique and unmistakable; the first whisky of my day – and it needs to be.” Alberta Premium has been awarded “Canadian Whisky of the Year” by Murray in his 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 Whisky Bibles. The 25 Year Old Limited Edition bottling won “Canadian Whisky of the Year” in the 2008 version. Alberta Premium also won the 2010 San Francisco World spirits competition Gold Medal.

Availability

Alberta Premium 30 Year Old Limited Edition will be available in Ontario, British Columbia (in July), Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan at a retail price of $49.95 / 750 mL bottle.

About Alberta Distillers Ltd.

Calgary-based Alberta Distillers Ltd. is one of the few remaining 100 per cent Canadian rye whisky producers in North America. They have produced quality whisky for over 50 years. The Alberta Premium brand has a strong focus on heritage and western rural values, and has won numerous prestigious awards for its excellent quality. As of 2010, Alberta Premium is owned by Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc., a unit of Fortune Brands.

About Beam Global Canada Inc.™

Beam Global Canada is building brands people want to talk about. Inspiring conversations in Canada and around the world, our brands include Canadian Club® Canadian Whisky, Jim Beam® Bourbon, Sauza® Tequila, Courvoisier® Cognac, Maker’s Mark® Bourbon, Laphroaig® Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Cruzan® Rum, Banff Ice® vodka, and Alberta Premium® Canadian Whisky. Distribution partnerships in Canada include: The Macallan® and Highland Park® Single Malt Scotches, The Famous Grouse, Brugal® Rum, Russian Standard® vodka and Bols® Liqueurs.

Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc. is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO), a leading consumer brands company. For more information on Beam Global Spirits & Wine, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, visit www.beamglobal.com and www.drinksmart.com.

Sept Outturn Previews: 121.43 & 53.153 (save £10)
We’ve released a pair of previews from September’s Outturn – and what a lovely pair! Enjoy 121.43 & 53.153 for only £86.70 and save £10.

53.153 Lovehearts in a coal sack
Islay
£52.60 inc. free p&p
A fabulous mix of smoke, scorched heather, TCP and clean seaweed with marshmallows, vanilla and fresh laundry

121.43 Songbirds and golden eagles
Highland Island
£44.10 inc free p&p
The palate sang extravagantly, like a bird in spring, of vanilla slices on bakery shelves, Parma violets, sherbet, cooked apple and flower beds

Try our August Recommendations: ENDING SOON!
PAIR OFFER: Buy 4.154 & 3.177 for only £84.90 (save £10)
4.154 Edinburgh rock and bath salts
3.177 The gentle giant

TRIO OFFER: Buy 50.44, 73.43 & 93.45 for £132.20 (save £15)
50.44 A pleasant little charmer
73.43 Meadow flowers and herbs de Provence
93.45 An unusual sweetie shop

CASE: Take the Aug PAIR, TRIO and ADD 28.23 for £274.50 (save £30)
28.23 Attention grabbing spicy wood

Browse all bottlings
(45 single casks online)

Society Tastings & Events (51 Society tastings online)
Winchester Preview Tasting – Royal Hotel, Fri 19 Aug
Chester Preview Tasting – New Blossoms Hotel, Fri 19 Aug
Durham Preview Tasting – Oldfields Restaurant, Fri 19 Aug
Aberdeen Preview Tasting – Caledonian Thistle Hotel, Thu 25 Aug
Sept Preview Tasting with Cheese – 28 Queen Street, Tue 30 Aug
Sept Preview Tasting for Meat-Lovers – 28 Queen Street, Wed 31 Aug

More Society tastings

Edinburgh Festival Fever is HERE
Celebrate the Edinburgh Festival at the Society with our programme of Tutored Tastings – three specially selected Society drams and a bit of chat for only £12! Dates available:

Fri 19 Aug at The Vaults
Sat 20 Aug at 28 Queen Street
Thu 25 Aug at 28 Queen Street
Fri 26 Aug at The Vaults
Sat 27 Aug at 28 Queen Street

Plus get you hands on last few tickets to our Festival Tasting with John Campbell

Win Tickets to Whisky Live in Glasgow:
Sat 3 Sept – ends tomorrow
The nice folks at Whisky Live have kindly given us a PAIR of complementary tickets to this year’s Whisky Live in Glasgow. You could be in with a chance of winning the tickets by simply emailing us with your name and contact details. Competition ends TOMORROW (Saturday)!

Enjoy Full Day access to the show along with tickets to one of the master classes being held. CAN’T WAIT? – We’ve also secured an exclusive 10% discount for SMWS members just use promo code’SMWS10′ on their website. More Whisky Live 

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.

The Chosen Few – Ronnie Routledge
Glenglassaugh 35 Year Old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

The first of a new range of distillery single cask releases, each bottling chosen by a different member of the team. This cask was chosen by Ronnie Routledge and is a fine example of Glenglassaugh aged in a sherry butt. This is a limited edition of 654 bottles, bottled at the distillery at cask strength, without the use of chill filtration and with no caramel added.
 
Age: 35 year old
Volume: 700 ml
Strength: 49.6% abv

Tasting Note

Colour: Amber Gold
Nose: A nose packed with sweet barley sugar, peaches, pineapple and plums – giving way to millk chocolate, Brazil buts, Oloroso sherry and toasty oak-spice.
Palate: Soft and juicy, bursting with pineapple and mango fruit puree. Ample sherry, cocoa beans and toasted rich oak notes.
Finish: Drying with gentle toasted oak, coconut and sherry.
 
Excl. VAT: £250.00  Incl VAT £300.00
BUY NOW
 
Contact Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
phone: 0845 6066145

email: info@singlemaltsdirect.com

web: www.singlemaltsdirect.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bruichladdich Octomore 4_167 5yo OB 62.5%Abv.

LFW tasting note soon…

Official tasting note:

Original Cask: 100% Bourbon

Colour Primrose/Chartreuse

Body The body is lean and muscular with the smouldering heat of a heath fire just being held in check by the strength of the oak. This is a spiritual soul, unconfined, independent and masters less – Hallelujah!

Nose / Palate Your expectations are about to be rewarded as a heat haze of peat smoke, bog myrtle, heather, wild thyme and juniper all harmonise to lift the awaiting senses into a state of total joy. Next, a beautiful note of yellow riverside flowers – primrose, buttercup and wild Lilies can be detected then the wind changes and now the aromatics are of warm barley fields just before harvest, plus the sweet vanilla notes from the Bourbon soaked oak. Then, as time slips by little aromas of soft green citrus fruits, lemon zest and clover honey all slipstream on a cooling marine sea breeze arrive. It’s a hedonistic aromatic experience. After some aeration and interaction the notes all rise as one, completely blowing your mind. It’s only when you taste the spirit that you wonder how a spirit so heavily peated can provide such harmonisation of aromas and flavours at such a young age. The answer is slow distillation, the tightest middle cut ever and maturation in fresh American oak casks next to the Atlantic Ocean. So you’re not just tasting peat, peat and more peat. This is a strong flavoursome handsome proud young son of the Stills with a warm open Gaelic heart, unconfined by Phenolic overload, untainted by additives, not stripped of its pride by chill-filtration and made by real people with passion and almost rare skills. Discerning followers of this Islands’ malt whiskies deserve nothing less.

Finish The finish is long and mellow and will end on a beautiful sunset of smoke and fruit syrup. Its 100% Islay DNA and I am delighted you have been introduced to the latest addition to the Bruichladdich family.

Price excluding VAT: £68.75
£82.50 Including VAT at 20%

Visit Loch Fyne Whiskies at www.lfw.co.uk

Outturn Update: August Top 5

With the bottles from our August Outturn being scooped-up fast, here are the Top 5 member favourites. We’re pleased to see our single cask grain whisky G5.2 on there – it’s an outstanding grain dram from a new toasted oak hogshead, we’ve never came across one like it!

1) 3.177 The gentle giant
2) 4.154 Edinburgh rock and bath salts
3) 23.68 Smoky Pavlova
4) 50.44 A pleasant little charmer
5) G5.2 Strumming the strings of the soul

Try our August Recommendations:
PAIR OFFER: Buy 4.154 & 3.177 for only £84.90 (save £10)
4.154 Edinburgh rock and bath salts
3.177 The gentle giant

TRIO OFFER: Buy 50.44, 73.43 & 93.45 for £132.20 (save £15)
50.44 A pleasant little charmer
73.43 Meadow flowers and herbs de Provence
93.45 An unusual sweetie shop

CASE: Take the Aug PAIR, TRIO and ADD 28.23 for £274.50 (save £30)
28.23 Attention grabbing spicy wood

Browse all bottlings (60 single casks online)

Society Tastings & Events (51 Society tastings online)
New Members’ Tasting – London, Thu 18 Aug
Winchester Preview Tasting – Royal Hotel, Fri 19 Aug
Chester Preview Tasting – New Blossoms Hotel, Fri 19 Aug
Durham Preview Tasting – Oldfields Restaurant, Fri 19 Aug
Aberdeen Preview Tasting – Caledonian Thistle Hotel, Thu 25 Aug
Sept Preview Tasting with Cheese – 28 Queen Street, Tue 30 Aug
Sept Preview Tasting for Meat-Lovers – 28 Queen Street, Wed 31 Aug

More Society tastings

Edinburgh Festival Fever is HERE
Celebrate the Edinburgh Festival at the Society with our programme of Tutored Tastings – three specially selected Society drams and a bit of chat for only £12! Dates available:

Thu 11 Aug at 28 Queen Street
Fri 12 Aug at The Vaults
Sat 13 Aug at 28 Queen Street
Thu 18 Aug at 28 Queen Street
Fri 19 Aug at The Vaults
Sat 20 Aug at 28 Queen Street
Thu 25 Aug at 28 Queen Street
Fri 26 Aug at The Vaults
Sat 27 Aug at 28 Queen Street

Plus get you hands on last few tickets to our Festival Tasting with John Campbell

Win Tickets to Whisky Live in Glasgow:
Sat 3 Sept
The nice folks at Whisky Live have kindly given us a PAIR of complementary tickets to this year’s Whisky Live in Glasgow. You could be in with a chance of winning the tickets by simply emailing us with your name and contact details. Competition ends Fri 19 August

Enjoy Full Day access to the show along with tickets to one of the master classes being held. CAN’T WAIT? – We’ve also secured an exclusive 10% discount for SMWS members just use promo code’SMWS10′ on their website. More Whisky Live

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. 

North African spice market

Cask No. 73.40
Highlands, Speyside (Isla)

Amid comments of ‘this is a quietly confident whisky’ that ‘has quality’ this wowed the Panel. With so much going on the Panel felt that this was more about the journey: we were transported to the hot house at the Botanics with ‘mad, vibrant tropical flowers’. With warm and comforting notes on the palate it was still ‘positively lively’. Water brought everything together making it extremely well balanced; this time we were in a North African spice market while to taste it was ‘an experience’ with a delicate perfumed quality, still fresh for its age. Means ‘Bug Burn’ in Gaelic.

Drinking tip: This deserves a third and fourth dram

Colour: Autumn sunset
Cask: Second-fill sherry butt
Age: 28 years
Date distilled: April 1982
Alcohol: 53.2%

$170

Sweet and savoury

Cask No. 33.105
Islay, South Shore

Runny honey, Golden Syrup, Lindt chocolate and toffee inched forward but a meaty note – uncooked cured smoked gammon and heather soap soon showed up. On the palate scorched heather, green tea, ginger nuts, witch hazel, fresh mint and eucalyptus make an appearance. And to round everything off burnt caramelised honey that had been blackened from a gammon joint. Banana cake, desiccated coconut, Murray Mints, flying saucers, cola bubblegum and macaroon bars were just some of the aromas after water, while to taste it turned meaty – gammon steaks with blackened pineapple, bacon crisps, salty heather and overripe bananas. It draws its water from Loch Uigeadail.

Drinking tip: To contemplate over as a curiosity

Colour: Cheap gold
Cask: First-fill barrel
Age: 9 years
Date distilled: October 2001
Alcohol: 57.5%

$90

Ticklish and dreamy

Cask No. 35.49
Highlands, Speyside (Lossie)

This intriguing sample tickled our noses, its ginger and nutmeg spices dancing with aromas of marmalade, barley sugar, raisins, coconut, honey buns, toffee and chocolate brownie. The palate also tickled, with toffee, dark chocolate, orange oil, prunes and apricots balancing shredded tobacco and leather. The reduced nose had lime flowers, apple brandy and honeysuckle, then Christmas associations of mulled wine spices and unshelled nuts. The reduced palate, initially sweetly satisfying (toffee, honey, cherry and chocolate) went on to develop deeper leather and tobacco notes; then a mouth-drying, dreamy, lingering finish. The distillery is near Bilbohall hospital (previously Elgin Pauper Lunatic Asylum).

Drinking tip: After dinner with coffee, or to evoke the spirit of Christmas

Colour: Amber light reflected in hazel eyes
Cask: Refill ex Chardonnay barrique
Age: 10 years
Date distilled: May 2000
Alcohol: 59.5%

$90

Pass the Flapjacks

Cask No. 50.42
Lowlands, Borders

Immediate sweet, apple scents – some said Granny Smith, some Coxes, some dried– backed by All-Bran and a clean laundry scent. A mellow aroma, slightly nose-drying. At full strength, the taste was sweet and spicy, then dry overall, with nougat and cheese rind in the aftertaste. With water the aroma immediately became more buttery – condensed milk, Elmlea cream substitute and baking lard – then oaty biscuits, all resolving into flapjacks. The texture is smooth and the first taste is of sweet white chocolate, then it dries out with more flapjacks, spicy oatcakes and a typically short finish. From our most southerly distillery.

Drinking tip: Teatime after a windy walk

Colour: Full gold
Cask: Refill hogshead
Age: 18 years
Date distilled: October 1992
Alcohol: 56.9%

$130

You may join the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America at www.smwsa.com

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

1994 Bruichladdich 16 Year Old K&L Exclusive Single Ardbeg Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($99.99) One of our good-natured business deals from Scotland ended up providing us with the chance to secure a single barrel of something quite special and unbelievably rare – an unpeated Islay whisky aged inside the cask of another peated Islay whisky! This 16 year old Bruichladdich spent its first 13 years in hogshead, lending it the standard vanilla and sweet grains the malt is known for. For the last 3 years however it sat soaking up the flavor from a barrel which had formerly held some super-smoky Ardbeg whisky. The residue left inside the wood was enough to turn a mild-mannered Bruichladdich into something smoky and aggressive. Very light in color, the nose is a combo of fresh malted barley and vegetal peat moss aromas. The palate is lean and mean with spicy pepper and wisps of smoke meandering in between the salty vanilla notes inherent in the malt itself. The finish is all peat smoke, but it’s an unfamiliar smoke – not peated Bruichladdich, but not Ardbeg either. As a fan of both distilleries, I find this marriage of the two styles exciting, delicious, and utterly fascinating. This will be a big hit with Islay fans and collectors everywhere. -David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer

Highland Park 15 Year Old Alchemist Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 1 available ($59.99)

Glenlivet XXV 25 year old Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Elsewhere $390) – 2 available ($299.99)

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

Dear Customer

This month we offer you seven (7) new bottlings under the OLD MALT CASK label, one (1) new PREMIER BARREL, two (2) from OLD & RARE ,two (2) Old CLAN DENNY GRAINS, and six (6) new ADVANCE SAMPLE 20 cls bottlings. Also available this month is a new “big hitter” from the DOUBLE BARREL series – being Laphroaig/Mortlach.

Tasting notes for OLD MALT CASK follow –

OMC 2069 Glen Ord 14 Year Old
Nose: Opens clean & fresh – running to sweet fruit + a gristy style
Palate: Still sweet – a macerated ripe fruit character + gentle spices
Finish: Long – sweetly spiced with pleasant orange bitters lingering (J)

OMC 2067 Macallan 15 Year Old
Nose: Fresh & fragrant – carries a gristy/honey’ed sweet character
Palate: More honey combined with a rich spiced fruit & toffee quality
Finish: Long, carrying a real barley quality with spices and smoke lingering (F)

OMC 2070 Laphroaig 15 Year Old
Nose: Feisty –fresh – barleyed – spiced – and lightly oaked
Palate: Very fruity with crunched sugar, toffee, juicy barley + spice
Finish: Caramel sweet/warmingly spiced + with a camphor/cough drop style (F)

OMC 2073 Arran 15 Year Old
Nose: Opens sweetly + a crushed sugar quality + vanilla & ripe grapes
Palate: Still fruity – carrying a honeyed style + a fresh, sweet, citric trait
Finish: Remains sweet – now with a little tangerine – marmalade character (J)

OMC 2064 Laphroaig 21 Year Old
Nose: A subtle example – salty and earthy with hot beach sand + sweet barley.
Palate: Carries some real sweet peat + cinders & chewy muscovado sugar.
Finish: Detect: Camphor, iodine, phenols + spicy warmth + sugar and vanilla (F)

OMC 2072 Tamnavulin 21 Year Old
Nose: Opens sweetly spiced +tobacco & a bees wax quality + toffee waffles
Palate: Sweet & spicy running to ginger snaps + orange zest & chocolate
Finish: still spicy + more citrus (now spicy mandarin liqueur style) & tobacco (F & J)

OMC 2057 Glenlivet 34 Year Old
Nose: Opens sweetly running to a citrus style – lemon meringue pie
Palate: Smooth – softly spiced – carrying a hard candy sweetness
Finish: Long – still sweetly fruited – now with a lemon pith quality (J)

ADVANCE SAMPLES

SMC 0395 Glentauchers 11 Year Old
SMC 0399 Glen Grant 12 Year Old
SMC 0397 Highland Park 13 Year Old
SMC 0398 Allt A’Bhainne 14 Year Old
SMC 0400 Mortlach 14 Year Old
SMC 0396 Glen Ord 14 Year Old

Tasting Notes for CLAN DENNY GRAIN –

DEN 0069 Cambus 36 Year Old
Opens sweet & spicy and runs to a toffee & vanilla style with a honey-on-porridge character. Instantly detect the light oak and spicy nuances on the palate which continue in a sweet and warming, lightly peppered, rich quality. The finish is medium long, rich and smooth, reminiscent of sweet mocha butter cream. (F & J)

DEN 0068 Cameronbridge 37 Year Old
Opens sweetly on the nose carrying a rich toffee – and maybe even coffee – character plus a concentrated creamy vanilla style. The big palate is sweetly spiced and is round and mellow,
confirming the American/Bourbon origin of the cask reflected by the rich vanilla quality. The finish is typically short – carries a fruit cake style and is very attractively spiced, in a more-ish kind of way.(F&J)

Tasting Notes for OLD & RARE –

OAR 0135 GLENROTHES 21 Year Old Sherry Matured
It noses in a very spiced style and warms to barley with citrus – akin to a clove studded orange – whilst carrying a palate packed with sugary sweet Scotch tablet, more orange, and now some late cough drop type spices. The finish reflects the palate – though it is a little drier – still being spiced and still laced with an orange liqueur. (F)

OAR 0137 Speyside’s Finest 46 Year Old Sherry Matured
The nose opens with an appealing rich and “darkly” spiced character carrying a fresh leather & ground nuts (hazelnuts?) quality. The palate is mouth coatingly spiced with soft wood tones and runs to black cherries in alcohol and dark chocolate. The finish is long, gently oaked, and remains warmingly spiced with a “candied ginger coated in (more) dark chocolate”-style. (J)

Tasting Notes for PREMIER BARREL –

PBR 0102 Glen Grant 12 Year Old
Give me the Glen Grant! No I shan’t! Why! It’s my masterful mollifying meritorious malt mash which is now chock a block with choc that – then portrays peaches and vanilla virtuosity …… a veritable
peach (Melba) of a GG! (F)

We hope you will find some interesting Malts from this month’s selection and, as always, we send you best wishes.

Yours sincerely

Fred Laing

Visit Douglas Laing & Co. Ltd. at www.douglaslaing.com

Single Malts Direct is pleased to announce the arrival of whisky ranges from the distilleries of Lagavulin and Highland Park.

Located on the rocky south coast of Islay, Lagavulin distillery is well known for producing whiskies with a distinctive mix of peat and smoke flavours. These characteristics are exemplified in the 2010 bottling of a limited edition 12 Year Old, the ninth in a series of special twelve-year-old releases from the original distiller’s stocks. With a golden-yellow colour, this is an attractive single malt reminiscent of sunlit straw. On the nose, the 12 Year Old is initially smoky and peaty, followed by sweetness with hints of apples, vanilla and toffee. You might also notice a slight saltiness showing through.

This saltiness is continued on the palate, where it develops into a light iodine taste. Citrus notes also emerge; but the main attraction here is the strong smoky flavour, which is married with a fitting dryness. The aftertaste is long and powerful, with a lingering lightly-charred flavour.

Bottled at cask strength, the 12 Year Old is perfect for the connoisseur and anyone with a penchant for Islay whiskies. The addition of a little water will help to define the flavours and reveal the whisky’s depths.
Highland Park is a highly regarded distillery situated atop a hill in the Orkney capital of Kirkwall. You’ve probably already heard of their 18 Year Old, which revered spirits writer F. Paul Pacult has named the “Best Spirit in the World”, commenting “it’s totally in harmony, there are no rough edges and everything is melded together brilliantly.” The whisky has a natural, burnished gold colour and a rich nose and taste. Sniff this malt and you’ll notice the scents of mature oak and butter tablet. On the palate, the 18 Year Old has a rich peaty flavour with the sweetness of heather honey. Overall, this is a complex whisky with a finish both long and soft .
As well as the acclaimed 18 Year Old, Single Malts Direct also stocks a number of Highland Park’s other offerings; and each one is a truly unique character in itself. The 40 Year Old is a magnificently matured single malt that you’ll want to linger over. Due to the nature of the bottling, supply is always limited; so think about adding this one to your collection soon. Another real character is the 8 Year Old produced as part of the MacPhail’s Collection. It may seem young, but this whisky – matured in sherry casks for a warm reddish colour and a distinctive finish – has an impressive body, interwoven with smoky and spicy flavours. Bottled exclusively for whisky specialists Gordon & Macphail, this single malt is not widely available and is being offered at a great price.

Visit Single Malts Direct at www.singlemaltsdirect.com