Whisky Magazine issue #186

We’re excited to announce that our latest issue is out now, so make sure you don’t miss out!

Our cover star for this issue is Lisa Truscott, senior distiller at Archie Rose distillery. She was Australia’s youngest female chief distiller during her tenure at Old Kempton, an impressive feat that signaled the start of a promising career. Named one of the three Distillers of the Year at the 2022 Australian Whisky Awards, Truscott is now an integral part of Archie Rose distillery. This issue explores Truscott’s talents in evolving Archie Rose, and helping the distillery connect to whisky enthusiasts on a global level.

Make sure you don’t miss out!

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Maker’s Mark 46 K&L Exclusive “Maker’s Squared” 109 Proof Private Select Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $69.99 View

David and Andrew carefully crafted the two latest Maker’s Mark Private Select casks overlooking the on site reservoir behind the distillery. They had two goals in mind – transporting drinkers to this special spot in Loretto, KY with one dram and showcasing the brand new stave profile. In the end the goals required 2 seperate casks. Maker’s Squared is the transportation cask – working closely with the Maker’s team staves were chosen to truly highlight the soft wheat and sweet American oak that is so critical to the world reknowned profile of Maker’s Mark. 3 Baked American Pure staves amp up the vanilla and toasted coconut. 2 Seared French Cuvee staves bring out a bit more spice and tannic bite, which interplays with the higher 109 proof beautifully. 3 Roasted French Mendiant (the new stave) highlight a sweet milk chocolate profile that is often overlooked, but always present in the classic Maker’s. And 2 Toasted French spice staves act as a binding agent to bring the otehr 3 profiles together with Maker’s hallmark balance. The end result is perhaps the best barrel we’ve ever put together under this incredible cask program. Entirely Maker’s Mark, yet something more powerful and robust without yeilding balance. It could be called nothing but Maker’s Squared.

Rare Character 6 Year Old “Our Lady of the Angels” Barrel #RIO-234 Cask Strength Indiana Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $79.99 View

Rare Character has quickly become one of the most exciting and inventive new bottlers on the market today. This stock of exceptional MGP distilled high-rye bourbon (75/21/4) aged for more than 6 years in the famous warehouse B is more proof that Rare Character is able to source and select some of the countries most special bourbons. If you’ve tried any of the bourbons aged in this special warehouse you’ll know that something unique is happening here. At 534′ feet long, warehouse B is the world’s longest whiskey aging warehouse and it’s hundreds of windows create and almost wind tunnel like effect. The result is extremely mature tasting bourbons even at the relatively youthful (albeit often ideal) age of 6 years old. Like all Rare Character bourbons, it’s adorned with a gorgeous unique label this time a photo taken by Christopber Blakely (Father of SoCal Spirits Guru Will Blakeley). His stunning image of the famous Robert Graham sculpture at Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles is a striking homage to the wonderful city that we call home. A fitting vestment for this fabulous bourbon.

Suntory “Hibiki Japanese Harmony” Blended Japanese Whisky (750ml)

$84.99

View

SKU #121503891 points Wine Enthusiast

 The newest blended whisky offering from Hibiki is burnished gold in the glass and has a bold aroma that mixes vanilla, fresh pear and a hint of smoke. The smokiness comes forward at the first sip, wrapping around a core of oak and vanilla custard and finishing long, with a mouthwatering bitter chocolate note. *Wine Enthusiast Best of 2016* (KN)  (3/2016)

90 points Whisky Advocate

 Poised and complex, with typically lifted fruitiness: strawberry ice cream, pineapple, peach, balanced by delicate oak, bamboo shoot-like delicacy, then lemon. The palate is more rounded than that very forward nose, with toffee notes adding some weight. A touch of smoke comes along in the mid-palate, before fruits and caramelized coffee biscuits. Water allows the flavors to flood the palate. Exemplary blending skills and classically Hibiki. (DB, Winter 2015)  (12/2015)

Wine & Spirits

 You can’t be a Japanese whisky enthusiast without having noticed that there’s a shortage of the stuff. What once was readily available is now hard to find. What once was affordable now costs various bodily limbs. It is due to more than a fad. The best Japanese whisky is remarkable stuff, and none are better than the top single malts from Suntory, Yamazaki, Hakushu and the blended whisky Hibiki. Hibiki comes in 12-, 17- and 21-year-old expressions, but even the youngest of these is now allocated. Harmony, the newest release, carries no age statement, indicating that it contains younger whiskies than other bottlings. Nevertheless, this is a welcome concession, with Suntory’s classic sense of balance, nuance and delicacy. *Wine & Spirits Best of 2015* (JM)  (11/2015)

K&L Notes

The newest incarnation of Suntory’s hugely popular Hibiki series, this time without an age statement attached. The same soft, mellow, vanilla-laden flavor is still here, however. It’s a true harmony of pure Hibiki flavor. *96 points, Ultimate Spirits Challenge Top 100 of 2020*

Incredibly Rare Collectible Treasure at Best Pricing
Kavalan “Solist” Manzanilla Sherry Cask Strength 58.6% ABV Single Barrel Taiwanese Single Malt Whisky (750ml)
(Previously $600) ($249.99)
“This manzanilla cask is so rare and unusual that I really have little frame of reference…”
— David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

At the cornerstone of this coveted whiskey line, the sherry-aged casks present the quintessential Kavalan poise and grace that has won this iconic distillery its countless accolades and awards over the years, including the 2021 Distillery of the Year at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, as well as a near-maniacal following among the most committed collectors. We’ve some truly astounding single-cask treasures come through our doors recently, but this one is easily among the rarest Kavalan barrels we’ve ever gotten our hands on. It’s also one of the most singularly distinctive profiles in our entire inventory. “An absolutely unique and incredibly inviting style,” as described by spirits buyer David Othenin-Girard, it’s “extremely pungent and wild” as the sherry cask influence plays perfectly against the tropical character of the malt itself. It’s safe to say there is simply nothing else like this on the market, and at our jaw-dropping price of over 50% off the going market rate, it’s a must-have for any serious whiskey collector.

Kavalan “Solist” Manzanilla Sherry Cask Strength 58.6% ABV Single Barrel Taiwanese Single Malt Whisky (750ml) (Previously $600) ($249.99)

K&L Notes: Kavalan has spent the better part of the last decade racking up double gold medals and best-in-class awards for a ton of their different bottlings year after year, but none are more awarded than the Solist Single Casks. The Taiwanese distillery is famous for its intensely hot and humid aging, which extracts the most exquisite flavors from these special casks in a hurry. When you select the finest wood available, the results are some of the most intensely flavored malts produced anywhere in the world. Here we have a single manzanilla cask bottled without color or chill filtration at 58.6% ABV. If you’re not up on your Spanish sherry, manzanilla is akin to the fino style of sherry, but comes exclusively from San Lucar de Barrameda. The coastal town produces glorious fresh, briny, and mineral-driven wines that are delightful in hot weather. It’s the perfect environment for the development of flor in the sherry production process, which protects the wines from aging oxidatively like Oloroso. The result when this type of cask is applied to whisky is otherworldly. The whisky is still dark in color thanks to Taiwan’s harsh aging environs and has a lovely sweetness paired with that briny coastal nature of the manzanilla. It’s no wonder this whisky took Double Gold three years in a row at the SF Spirits Competition. *Please note the word ‘Solist’ does not appear on the bottles in the USA due to trademark issues, but this is the same lineup of single casks labeled Solist in Taiwan*

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: August 17, 2022

It’s just shocking that we’ve managed to acquire this much insanely rare Kavalan at such a stupendously under-market price. Not much more to say about this special distillery except that I hope their products become regularly available to us at this price. That, unfortunately, is a pipe dream, so we’ll just have to enjoy it while it lasts. This manzanilla cask is so rare and unusual I really have little frame of reference, only having tasted a handful of manzanilla sherry-aged malt in the last two decades. The obvious comparison is Kavalan’s own fino cask offering, which used to be more available and was always my favorite release. Let’s have a taste. An inviting, deep copper color. Immediately, the nose has that fino funk that I love. Extremely pungent and wild, but then it quickly transitions into a huge array of delicate fruit flavors—mirabelle, apricot jam, candied hazelnut, greengage, and behind that a subtle salinity adding a leathery, earthy character. The tiny hints of voile character are more subdued than in the fino and less raisiny. Still, there’s plenty of dried fruit and sweetness in the nose—an absolutely unique and incredibly inviting style. On the palate, it’s ultra-rich and starts very sweet on the entry before moving into a panoply of savory and sweet flavors—wet tobacco leaf, polished mahogany, nougat, dried apricots, salty caramel, and old, earthy oak. With water the tannins soften significantly, and the salted plum character explodes. I’m super into this, and it’s a gorgeous departure from the flavors of the oloroso without losing the opulence of the sherry.

Benromach 40 Year Old (2022 Release)

“Fragrant cinnamon and ginger spices complement flavours of Seville oranges, sweet Morello cherries, stewed berries and a hint of roasted hazelnut. This is combined with baked apple, liquorice, subtle black pepper and rich dark chocolate notes, before finishing with forest fruits and mature oak.” – Keith Cruickshank, Distillery Manager

£2,000.00
BUY NOW

Laid down in the highest quality oak casks for four decades since 1982, this rare single malt is a beautiful deep amber colour, left at a cask strength of 57.6% abv. Presented in a stunning black stained solid oak wooden box, this single malt is a batch of only 1,132 bottles. A stunning example of a classic Speyside malt!

Nose: baking spices, Seville oranges, toasted hazelnuts.

Palate: apple pie, dark chocolate, juicy cherries.

Finish: aged oak and dark fruits.

Love American whiskey? Treat yourself to a hard-to-find treasure from one of the biggest names in bourbon for insight into blending techniques and flavour profiles of years gone by. Get started with some of the latest rare discontinued American whiskeys we’ve discovered.

From a litre bottle of Maker’s Mark with a message of ‘Get out and vote!’ produced for the US elections to a 2019 bottling of George T Stagg bourbon from Buffalo Trace distillery. Or start exploring and find a favourite from our entire American whiskey collection…

SHOP ALL AMERICAN WHISKEY

Edrington joins Carbon Disclosure Project

Edrington, the international premium spirits company, has joined the Carbon Disclosure Project

Following on from the announcement of the company’s commitment to reach Net Zero by 2045, Edrington has joined the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), a recognised gold standard of environmental reporting which supports businesses, cities, regions and countries to disclose and manage their environmental impacts.

This commitment to annual public disclosure through CDP will play an important role in helping Edrington and our partners and suppliers to reach Net Zero by 2045.

CDP is fully aligned with the TCFD recommendations.

Glengoyne 25 Year Old

2022 bottling

Matured exclusively in hand-selected sherry casks for a quarter of a century. New 2022 bottling from Highland distillery and becoming increasingly rare to find. Expect red fruits, brown sugar, soft oak, cinnamon, stewed fruits and a Seville marmalade finish. Nose: Red Fruits, old leather and brown sugar. Taste: Soft oak, cinnamon, stewed fruits and a Seville marmalade tang. Finish: Very long, with spicy liquorice, slowly drying.

Buy – Glengoyne 25 Years – £395 | $393* | €289*

Glengoyne Distillery was established as Burnfoot of Drumgoyne Distillery in 1833 by George Connel in the Highland whisky region although its warehouses rest across the road in the Lowland region. Re-named Glengoyne in 1905, its stills were increased from two to three in mid 1960s and since all the malt used is dried by hot air so all Glengoyne malt whisky is unpeated. With maturation in sherry and bourbon casks in addition to some Japanese and Scottish oak casks Glengoyne offers a range of distillery releases including Glengoyne 10 Year Old, Glengoyne 21 Year Old and Glengoyne 25 Year Old.

Ready, Set, Save…

Our Surprise Summer Sale is on now with almost everything in-stock on sale. The sale in itself shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise, we have one every year, but this one is a little on the late side.

We considered calling it the Back to School Sale this year, but on a number of levels that just didn’t feel right. We also considered calling in the Warehouse Sale, as our warehouse is full to bursting with inventory right now. After 3 lean months for new arrivals early in the year, we’ve received nearly a year’s worth of inventory in the last 3.

Logistically speaking we’ve gone from famine to feast, so to avoid indigestion, it’s time for a cleanse!

Friday, August 26, through midnight Sunday, August 28, you can save 5-50% of most in-stock bottles & in-store and online.

You get a great deal, and we’ll have a little more room in our warehouse… it’s a win, win, whisk(e)y… whatever you’re into!

Sincerely,

Andrew Ferguson

The Deets!

The sale is online and in-store only. No phone orders, please.

You can save:

10-50% on most in-stock Whisky

To make your browsing a little easier, we have linked PDF files below highlighting  for Whiskies Discounted 15%-50%.

The CSPC in the left-hand column on both lists can be used in addition to the product name to search for and order products on our website.

Browse Whiskies Discounted 15-50%

Shop in-store or online at: 

www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/ 

In-store pickup will be available throughout the sale and we will also offer Free Delivery for orders over $100. Customers wanting to pay by cash or debit are encouraged to shop in-store. 

The Sale Fine Print

·     No additional discounts or promotions can be applied to the sale price.

·     Prices do not include GST.

·     In the event of a discrepancy in price, the point of sale at KWM will be taken as correct.

·     Sale pricing will not be applied retroactively or carried forward past the end of our Surprise Summer Sale at midnight (11:59 PM), Sunday, August 28, 2022.

·     The sale is in-store and online only.

·     No phone orders, please!

·     If you order online, please wait for confirmation that your order is ready for pickup before heading down to the shop.

One Must Have Hot Tip

A good deal just got even better… The importers for Tomatin found another stash of the Tomatin Contrast, and while stocks last you can buy it for half price! Already bought a set, buy another, you’ll never see another deal like this again!

This is a very interesting 2x half bottle release from Tomatin Distillery which shows the difference between ex-bourbon and ex-sherry barrels and their influence on Scotch. The distillery vatted whiskies from 4 decades, and then further matured it in ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry before bottling at 46%. That in itself is very cool. The fact that some of the whisky is from the 70s takes things up a notch.

You need a set of this, or better yet two!

Tomatin Contrast – Regular $210 – Save 50% – $105

FREE DELIVERY

We are proud to offer Free City Wide Delivery on all orders over $100 Monday-Friday! Orders under $100 are subject to a flat rate $10 delivery fee.

403-283-8000

Store Hours

Mon – Wed 10AM – 8PM

Thurs & Fri 10AM – 9PM

Sat 10AM – 8 PM

Sun 11PM to 6PM

*All Prices Quoted here are subject to change and do not include GST. In the case of pricing discrepancies, the price at our point of sale will be taken as correct.*

It’s Staff Pick #005

Susie is part of the foundations at The Green Welly Stop & TyndrumWhisky, having worked her way up to Team Leader, Susie has chosen not one, but THREE releases, all fantastic from South Star Spirits. We’ve put them on offer to tempt you!

All at £42
(The answer to everything)
South Star Spirits