If I was to say Earl Magnus and Saint Magnus, I am pretty confident that you will say what about Earl Haakon? Well for some time now Highland Park fans around the world have been patiently waiting for the third, and final, edition in Highland Park’s Magnus Series.

But now I can exclusively reveal to you, and only you as an Inner Circle member and foot soldier in the Highland Park army, that Earl Haakon will be available from today.

The long-awaited and much anticipated Earl Haakon continues the story from the Orkney Inga Saga but reflects the darker, more sinister character by bringing the murderous cousin into the spotlight. Whilst the first two bottlings in the Series celebrated the influential 11th century Earl Magnus who was canonised to become Saint Magnus only 20 years after his untimely death, his cousin Haakon was far closer to the warmongering and violent Viking of legend. It was in fact Haakon who ordered the death of Earl Magnus under the most deceitful and murderous of circumstances.
 
The story of Magnus and Haakon is truly legendary in Orkney. The two were joint rulers of Orkney for a period of peace and harmony however things changed and they become enemies. Legend has it that the two agreed to meet for a peace meeting but the treacherous Haakon sailed up with eight fully-equipped warships, outnumbering Magnus and sealing his fate. Haakon had won the battle for supremacy over Orkney but it is Magnus who is remembered today.

Earl Haakon adopts the character of its namesake through 18 year old cask strength single malt giving a character-busting ABV of 54.9%. This Orcadian beast encapsulates the spirit of Haakon, a true berserker and warrior, to capture the depth of flavour of Highland Park’s multi-award wining 18 year old but adding a new dimension achieved through one vatting.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Rich russet, clear and bright
Nose: Shellac, hot fudge, gingercake, lemon zest and blackcurrants with a hint of damsons
Palate: Sweet vanilla, wood smoke, cedarwood and ginger
Finish: Lingering spiciness, medium sweet and long

This time around we are only making 3,300 bottles for the whole world, so I would set pretty good odds that this will sell out in record time and build on the success of both Earl Magnus and Saint Magnus. Earl Haakon will be available from www.highlandpark.co.uk at a RRP of £160.

I do hope that you will act quickly and take advantage of this once in a lifetime opportunity, as I’ve no doubt that Earl Haakon will become a legend in the history of Highland Park.

Slainte!

Gerry Tosh
Head of Brand Education,
Whisky Ambassador of the Year

August Outturn Previews: The Magic Number
THREE…terrific bottlings released early from our August Outturn. Buy 50.44, 73.43 & 93.45 for £132.20 (save £15)

50.44 A pleasant little charmer
Lowland
£56.50 inc free p&p
This little charmer pleasantly surprised us all – the nose had tropical fruits (orange, pear, lychee, glacé cherries) sunny splashes of flowers (violet, jasmine, geranium), grass and toffee and rum-and-raisin fudge

73.43 Meadow flowers and herbs de Provence
Speyside Deveron
£47.50 inc free p&p
The nose started clean and fresh with fruit (green apple, pineapple) flowers (lilies), butterscotch and polished wood, turning herbal later (herbes de Provence we were assured)

93.45 An unusual sweetie shop
Campbeltown
£43.20 inc free p&p
Treacle toffee, liquorice, aniseed, tattoo ink (what?) and moist ginger cake followed each other in rapid succession: a dark, rich nose, with a hint of yoghurt and a sweet, spicy taste of plain chocolate Smarties (and their tube!)

JULY SUMMER SIPPING SAVINGS (Offers ending soon):
SPORTY PAIR: 1.158 & 76.83 only £89.90 (save £10)
1.158 Cricketer’s Dram
76.83 Cocktails after rugby

Za Za Zoom Trio:
125.45, 36.53 & 29.101 for £135.40 (save £15)
125.45 Complex and thought-provoking
36.53 Syrupy zestiness
29.101 Tarred, feathered and set on fire

Harmonious six: All of the above PLUS 7.66 for
£283.70 (save £30)
7.66 Harmonious co-existence of flavour

Browse all bottlings  (66 single casks online)

Society Tastings & Events (55 Society tastings online)
Wokingham Preview Tasting – Cantley House, Fri 22 July
Falkirk Wheel Tasting – Queen Street, Thu 28 July
New Members Tasting – London, Thu 28 July
Greenock Prevew Tasting – The Tontine Hotel, Fri 29 July
Tunbridge Wells Preview Tasting – Hotel du Vin, Fri 29 July
Stirling Preview Tasting – Golden Lion Hotel, Fri 29 July
Blind Man Bluff – The Vaults, Fri 29 July

More Society tastings

Edinburgh Festival Fever: August is on the horizon
The Edinburgh Festival is nearly upon us, get your tickets NOW for our Big Malt Hitters events with Jim McEwan of Bruichladdich & John Campbell, Distillery Manager at Laphroaig. And your taste-buds are in for a treat; the casks we’ve squirreled away for our three-dram Tutored Tastings are fantastic!
Don’t miss out…. More

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. 

MILROY’S OF SOHO JULY NEWSLETTER

First off this month we have a quick run through of our newest arrivals, advance notice of a pair of gems (don’t delay in placing an order, especially at our exclusive Newsletter prices) and we wrap up with news on a couple of upcoming tasting events.

IN STOCK NOW

Kilchoman 100% Islay
Made from barley, grown, malted, distilled, matured and bottled at the distillery.
Exclusive Newsletter Offer Price £67.95
More info

Bowmore 1982, 29 Years Old
Aged in North American Oak, this is an extremely limited edition of only 501 bottles.
Exclusive Newsletter Offer Price £280

Yamazaki 1984
Voted the World’s Best Single Malt at the 2011 World Whisky Awards, the whisky is a perfect marriage of Japanese ‘Mizunara’, American and European oak casks. Extremely Limited Release.
£550

Longrow 18 Years Old
The fantastic new Longrow 18 is already sold out in many stores across the UK, but we still have a small amount left. So be quick!
£95
More info

COMING SOON

Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix
The long awaited return of the Snow Phoenix has finally come to an end…well almost. The Phoenix will be landing in store soon, so make sure you pre-order one now.
Exclusive Newsletter Offer Price £50

Auchentoshan 1975, 35 Years
Only 499 bottles at cask strength (46.9% abv) so order soon to avoid disappointment.
Exclusive Newsletter Offer Price £325

UPCOMING TASTING EVENTS

For an evening of fun, entertainment and a bit of learning you just can’t beat a whisky tasting.

Peated Whisky, 20th September 6.30pm – 8.30pm
When tasting that smoky, earthy flavour, most people immediately think of Islay whisky, however there are other areas of Scotland and indeed other countries that are now starting to produce excellent peated whiskies. Expect to taste some rare editions of old favourites as well as some quirky alternatives from ‘the rest of the world’ and discover the best peated whisky available today.
£45 per person
More info

How to taste Whisky, 4th October 6.30pm – 8.30pm
The perfect introduction to the world of whisky, this tasting is a must for those who are just starting to discover whisky and all its joys, as well as a great gift for those whose passion and palate for whisky is ever growing. All will become clear and you will leave with a broader understanding of this wonderful elixir.
£45 per person
More info

To place an order please visit www.milroys.co.uk
call Lee on 020 7437 2385 or email Lee.Tomlinson@milroys.co.uk

Our mailing address is:

Milroys
3 Greek Street
London, Eng W1D 4NX

United States – Bourbon and Rye

Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project #100 375ml – 1 available ($199.99)

Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project #131 375ml – 1 available ($199.99)

Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project #132 375ml – 1 available ($199.99)

Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project #163 375ml – 1 available ($199.99)

Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project #164 375ml – 1 available ($199.99)

Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project #3 375ml – 1 available ($199.99)

Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project #35 375ml – 1 available ($199.99)

Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project #36 375ml – 1 available ($199.99)

Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project #4 375ml – 1 available ($199.99)

Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project #67 375ml – 1 available ($199.99)

Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project #68 375ml – 1 available ($199.99)

Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project #99 375ml – 1 available ($199.99)

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

Turkish coffee in a barber shop

Cask No. 30.63
Highlands, Speyside (Rothes)

This split the panel, though the majority definitely approved; the nose had roasted smoked ham, chutney, crème brûlée, Christmas cake, toffee, marmalade and coffee creams; also a light sulphury note which one panellist called ‘old barber shops’. Water brought out raisiny sticky buns, wood polish and oily rags. The palate was dry, even drawing, and spicy at natural strength, with Turkish coffee, concentrated Tia Maria, Fernet Branca, walnuts and salted cashews. In reduction it had lots of pleasant sweetness but also dry, burnt and salty characteristics, not unlike dry roasted peanuts. The distillery sits between a castle and a graveyard.

Drinking tip: After dinner with coffee (better with water)

Colour: Late autumn trees
Cask: Refill sherry butt
Age: 20 years
Date distilled: May 1990
Alcohol: 55.8%

$145

Cornish pastie and plaster-board

Cask No. 31.20
Highlands, Jura

After a brief coir matting opening, the aroma reminded us of a new house – wet plaster and plaster-board – with a light grape-seed oil note, peppercorns and mixed spice emerging after a while. The taste, unreduced, is fresh, sweet and peppery, with a thread of smoke. Water moves the nose towards cooking scents: roasting tin (with lamb shanks), fatty Cornish pasty, Scotch broth with barley… and one found nasturtiums. The taste is now soft and sweet and lightly nutty: brown rice with Gouda cheese and a flick of soy sauce. The distillery was designed by Delme Evans and built in the early 1960s, overlooking Craighouse Bay.

Drinking tip: Lunch on-site in the new-build home

Colour: Pale gold
Cask: Refill hogshead
Age: 21 years
Date distilled: September 1988
Alcohol: 53.4%

$145

‘Hot, juicy and intense’

Cask No. 53.147
Islay, North Shore

Aromas of witch hazel, coal, pork crackling (with a dry mustard rub), charred scallops, dune grass, tar, black seaweed in rock pools and really good barbecue sauce (think Blumenthal), were mirrored on the taste; but there was an intense spicy, juicy lemon character that made us wanting more; one Panellist insisted he tasted Crème Egg. Water brought out pine sap (Christmas trees), sea salt, lint bandages, more dune grass, oh and smoke, glorious sweet perfumed smoke. To taste it was, sweet, salty, smoky and chilli hot, with dark bitter chocolate, sweet cured ham, and warm tarmac. From Islay’s largest distillery.

Drinking tip: An ideal dram for a lazy summer’s day while having a barbecue on the beach

Colour: Shiny lemon yellow gold
Cask: Refill hogshead
Age: 10 years
Date distilled: November 1999
Alcohol: 66.6%

$95

Vanilla malt shake

Cask No. 76.81
Highlands, Speyside (Dufftown)

The Panel found earthy, oily and floral notes as well as wet dog, tomato vines, malted barley, grist, worts & new make (not surprising considering the age) but also aromas of spearmint, raspberry cream and cherry Tunes. To taste it was hot, fizzy, sweet and malty– baked apples and pears in Calvados. The addition of water only lightened it more – vanilla, lemon, sweetened Alpen, Weetabix (still in the box), cheap milk chocolate and lime cordial or Tic-Tacs; while on the palate it was light, malty, easy drinking with plenty of creamy vanilla. From the first distillery to have a license.

Drinking tip: Perfect for sharing during summer picnics

Colour: Flaccid yellow
Cask: First-fill barrel
Age: 8 years
Date distilled: April 2002
Alcohol: 60.1%

$85

A Baker’s Delight

Cask No. 121.42
Highlands, Arran

The lively nose brought lemon hard boiled sweets, peach flan and barley sugar. Then, a multitude of layers unfolded with fudge, strawberry tarts and banana bread. There was a freshness too with clean linen and lavender scent. The neat palate was hot and spicy, reminiscent of a Bakewell tart with spices. Grapefruit, lemon peel and almonds brought more delights to the bakery. The reduced nose revealed strawberries and cream (double thick Jersey cream), with a squeeze of lemon. Pastry notes followed with icing sugar and cream tarts. The reduced palate became paradoxically thicker with water – chewy lemon meringue pie with whipped cream. This distillery, on the most southerly Scottish island, celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2010.

Drinking tip: With exceedingly good cakes

Colour: Sandstone
Cask: Refill hogshead
Age: 14 years
Date distilled: December 1995
Alcohol: 52.8%

$115

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

Heavenly Heavily Peated Chapter 11

New Release – 15th July 2011
www.englishwhisky.co.uk

Dear Friends

Chapter 11 – our first Heavily peated Single Malt (very smoky in taste to the non whisky buffs out there). The whisky critics who have tried it appear to want some more – so before they taste the whole stock – you have a few days headstart on everyone else to get an order in and secure a bit of heaven for yourself!

Click here to order your bottle now.

We only have a small amount of Chapter 11 for release this year with more to follow in July 2012.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sweet and creamy with hints of ginger biscuits, aniseed and white pepper. Also vanilla and pear drops along with the grappa nose.

Taste: Creamy and clean barley at first, then the peat and pepper slowly build and fill every corner of the mouth, without overpowering. Ginger biscuits, lemon and lime followed by savoury dry peat and then more tropical fruits (pineapple, mango).

Fruitier than the cask strength on the long, soft finish, but still lightly peppered and citrusy on the sides of the tongue. Very mouth watering and the peat is more prominent than on the cask strength.

Also available…

Chapter 11 will also be available in a decanter bottle which will be bottled at cask strength, 59.7%.

You can order this by clicking here.

Don’t forget…

We are open 10:00am – 5:30pm 7 days a week so please come and take a tour if you are passing through Norfolk this Summer. We would love to see you and are ready to welcome you.

Dear Customer

Running into July – we are offering ten (10) new bottlings from the OLD MALT CASK label – one being a terribly talked about Talisker and another being our Charity bottling on behalf of the Gurkha Benevolent Fund (see https://www.whiskyintelligence.com/2011/07/douglas-laings-annual-charity-bottling-scotch-whisky-news/ ). There are three (3) under the PREMIER BARREL label plus an ancient CLAN DENNY Grain and a dark Sherried Caol Ila from OLD & RARE.

Tasting Notes for OLD MALT CASK:

OMC2062 TALISKER 10 YEAR OLD
Nose: Opens sweetly – moves to soft peat – barley & late smoke.
Palate: Sweet spices abound – now sweetly peated + malt and honey.
Finish: Mocha flavours feature + vanilla & now drier spiced tones (F)

OMC2063 LAPHROAIG 12 YEAR OLD
Nose: Sweetly fragrant with peated barley + late salt and citrus
Palate: Mouthcoatingly oily/ashy/tarry + late gristiness and honey
Finish: Butterscotch + demerara sugar + peat + late liquorice (F)

OMC2059 MACALLAN 18 YEAR OLD
Nose: Cclean & fresh carrying an attractively spiced toffee & honey style
Palate: Opens with a sweet, creamy quality + a barley sugar character
Finish: Remains smooth – softly spiced throughout before it tails drier (J)

OMC2051 BENRINNES SHERRY 19 YEAR OLD
Nose: Fresh & fragrant + warm, spiced, caramelised peaches + burnt oak
Palate: Mouth coating – sweetly spiced + a creamy butterscotch quality
Finish: Medium long – still sweet & fruity – with a lingering oak tang (J)

OMC2039 ALLT A’BHAINE – GURKHA BOTTLING 20 YEAR OLD
Nose: Fresh & herbal + a sweet (candy floss) and fruity (peaches) quality
Palate: Sweet, still fruity (now orange zest) carrying a barley sugar character
Finish: Remains fruity (now orange pith) – drier towards the end (J)

OMC2065 BOWMORE 21 YEAR OLD
Nose: Distinctly barley sugared + late sweet tar and camphor
Palate: Peated – with tar and cough drop style warming spices
Finish: Lightly oiled – still phenolic – with liquorice and smoke (F)

OMC2040 MACALLAN 21 YEAR OLD
Nose: Fresh & fragrant + a sweet citrus style + pineapple in syrup
Palate: Sweet + a (oriental?) spicy character – mellow + a lemon zeste quality
Finish: Long + a cedar wood tangy style – still sweet + ripe pear character (J)

OMC2058 ROSEBANK 21 YEAR OLD
Nose: Clean & fresh – carrying a honeyed quality + a fruity sweet style
Palate: Instantly fruity, sweet, spiced character runs to orange bitters
Finish: Long – still spicy with an oak tang + herbal quality – now running drier (J)

OMC2049 STRATHMILL 36 YEAR OLD
Nose: Fragrant with a flowery/honeyed style + a creamy sweet quality
Palate: Fresh, mellow & delicately spiced – carrying a fruit tang character
Finish: Remains light – attractively sweet – now with a cedar wood style (J)

OMC2060 TOMATIN 40 YEAR OLD
Nose: Softly spiced – lightly (lemon?) citric – honeyed and sugary.
Palate: Sweetly fruited – subtly oaked + more honey and now barley.
Finish: Carries a warming cough drop style with a late vanilla character. (F)

PREMIER BARREL Tasting Notes:

PBR0098 LAPHROAIG 11 YEAR OLD
Oh la la – what a La-Laphroaig! Briny, beachy and braw – with a proclamation of prestigiously peated panache, portraying a palpably prepossessing packet of phenols. Ppperfect! (F)

PBR0099 AUCHENTOSHAN 12 YEAR OLD
Auchentoshan! Auchentoshan! Auchentoshan! Triple distilled and worth repeating – yes, and repeating (again). Sample substantially sugary swirls of syrup with a halcyon herbal and honeyed heritage – plus a vestige of vanilla. (F)

PBR0097 DALMORE 12 YEAR OLD
A Dalmore – devoid of deficiency – to dally daily with! A fabulously focused fusillade of fructiferousness, barley and honey, multifariously made munificently manifest ….. saturated saliently by seriously significant sugar and spice. (F)

Tasting Note for CLAN DENNY Grain:

DEN0071 INVERGORDON 45 YEAR OLD
Lightly smoked initially – then the nose develops fabulously to an old fruit bowl of softly ripening pineapple, citrus, pears and apples – with a hint of sherbet. Palatewise – it is extremely sweet and heavy with macerated fruit (particularly pineapple) and vanilla custard. The finish is really long for a grain and carries soft mocha, spice and “fruit chews” flavour …. really good with an expresso! (F)

OLD & RARE Tasting Note:

OAR0134 CAOL ILA SHERRY MATURED 27 YEAR OLD
The nose opens with a rich, oily quality carrying a spicy, smoked fruit character with burnt orange peel and dark chocolate. The mouthfeel is oily and the palate remains spicy, lightly peated, then runs to soft ashes and sweet leather. The finish is long with the spicy character slowly fading to be overtaken by soft smoke. (J)

We hope you find something there for you and your customers. Meantime more great bottlings are promised as we continue our efforts – and of course we hope your sales are good and that we can be of assistance to you with these and more malts.

Best wishes

Fred H Laing
Managing Director

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

Auchentoshan launches new expression

After the release of the Auchentoshan 1975 35 Year Old Bourbon Cask Matured and Auchentoshan Valinch last month, the Lowland distillery announced it newest expression on 5th July 2011.

They did so in avant-première through the social network site FACEBOOK at 6pm sharp (well, a few minutes after, but who’s counting?).

The Auchentoshan 11 Year Old 1999 Bordeaux Cask Matured is non-chill filtered and bottled at an ABV of 58%. It was matured solely on French Bordeaux casks.

The open grain of French Oak helps develop a full oaky character in this cask strength, non chill-filtered release. The result is pleasantly sharp, countering the sweet Auchentoshan style. Autumn sunset to the eye, the aroma is citric sharp balanced by lingeringcreamy sweetness. On the tongue there’s vanilla with layered fruit andwood spices – then a long, lingering finish. It will hit the shelves soon at a RRP of £46,99 (UK). Inside sources tell us that it will be available in the States as well as European markets soon.

Enjoy!

Mark Dermul
A Toshan Man
http://www.markdermul.be/toshanman

Douglas Laing & Company have launched a Single Cask bottling of their finest Old Malt Cask – chosen to commemorate Scotland’s long association with the Gurkhas – Nepal’s legendary fighting men. Gurkhas first fought alongside Scottish soldiers in 1817 and have continued to do so with courage and professionalism to this day. Their 13 Victoria Crosses bear testament to their unfailing valour and loyalty to the British crown.

As with our Allt-a-Bhainne Highland Malt, the Gurkhas also come from wild and high places.

Fred Laing the company’s MD says:”Every year we select a charity for which we will bottle a Single Cask from our stock. This year we have chosen the Gurkhas. Their famous war cry “Ayo Gorkhali!” translates as “The Gurkhas are here!”, and whilst Douglas Laing & Co has no such famous war cry, we are proud and happy to send all proceeds of this bottling to the Gurkha Welfare Trust.”

Only 298 bottles have been filled of this 20 years old Allt-a-Bhainne, with a rrp of approximately £75.

For any questions on availability – contact info@douglaslaing.com

Single Malts of Scotland Springbank 1999

A quick post today about a new bottling that we’ve just got in from our sister company, Speciality Drinks Ltd, as part of the Single Malts of Scotland range – an 11 year old Springbank. It was matured in a sherry cask, after being distilled in 1999 and bottled at the end of 2010. It’s .…(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…

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