The Rarest Midleton Very Rare In The World?

Four fantastic new bottles are available to buy now on the Mark Littler Shop, including a Midleton Very Rare 1988. 

The Mark Littler Shop is infamous for listing incredibly rare and collectable whiskies such as the Balvenie 1937 50 YO (sold in 2021) and the Springbank 1919 50 YO (sold in 2022). Now another spectacularly rare bottling is available for one lucky purchaser, the Midleton Very Rare 1988.

The Midleton Very Rare 1988 is perhaps the rarest release in the series, the first of which was the 1984 release. It is said that only one cask was bottled for the 1988 version, hence the fact that this bottle has only appeared at auction 16 times since 2009. When the bottle does appear at auction, it sells almost exclusively in Ireland, making this UK-based opportunity one that shouldn’t be missed.

This particular bottle was purchased by Mark Littler Ltd’s client in Dublin in 1991 for just £32 whilst the family were in Dublin celebrating a birthday and is available to buy now on the Mark Littler Shop. 

Also available to buy on the Mark Littler Shop are two Macallan James Bond 60th Anniversary bottles. These bottlings were released via ballot on the Macallan website in September 2022 to great fanfare, and prices on the secondary market skyrocketed within days. Is there a gap in your collection?

The Macallan James Bond Decade IV and Decade V are now available to buy on the Mark Littler Shop.

And finally, a stunning Dalmore 1973 33 Year Old is also available to purchase. Dalmore distillery is often credited with being the first distillery in Scotland to perform a luxury rebrand in the year 2005. As such, the twelve-point stag has become synonymous with the brand. This beautifully presented vintage whisky sold just 5 times in 2022 and is now available to buy.

The Mark Littler Shop carries rare and collectable Scotch, Irish, Canadian, and Japanese whiskies with free UK delivery and 1-3 day shipping.

About Mark Littler Limited

Mark Littler is an independent whisky broker, market analyst and consultant with over a decade of experience in the industry. Each week he publishes new videos on his YouTube channel about topics such as cask investment fraud (and how to avoid it), the history of distilleries and bottles, debunking whisky investment myths and much more. For more information visit www.marklittler.com

If you are interested in the Macallan James Bond Series or would like to chat to one of the team about our other services, please get in touch.

Email: whisky@marklittler.com

Telephone: 01260 218 718

SPEYSIDE CLASSICS

MACALLAN DOUBLE CASK

Founded in 1824, Macallan has grown over almost two centuries to become one of the most respected names in whisky. Famed for its generously sherried style, this old Speysider sets the standard for luxury single malts.

Macallan grew from humble beginnings as a small farm distillery by the River Spey. From those early days, one of the things that distinguished this pioneer of single malt was its sourcing of excellent casks – originally from Spain and later from the United States. The Double Cask range is a continuation of that legacy, each one a perfect marriage of Macallan’s heavyweight spirit and finest quality oak.

  SHOP MACALLAN 

Get these whisky deals whilst you can!

The previous deals have expired and are now refreshed with new bargain tipples. Bag a bottle, or two…once they’re gone, they’re gone!

🔥 Free delivery over £99 🔥

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CELEBRATING 50 YEARS:
FIVE DECADES OF WHISKY

Though The Whisky Exchange was founded in 1999, the journey began in the 1970s when Sukhinder and Rajbir’s parents opened an off-licence in West London called The Nest. In honour of their family’s 50th anniversary in the drinks business, we are releasing a range of exclusives, including a whisky from each decade of the family’s history, from the 1970s to the 2010s.

Featuring a poem about the whisky industry and the family’s role within it on each label, the five-bottle series includes single malts from Caol Ila, Clynelish, Ardbeg and Linkwood, as well as a sherry cask-matured Speyside blended malt, all aged for between 21 and 50 years. Bottled exclusively for The Whisky Exchange by Elixir Distillers, this series of collectible and drinkable whiskies is a result of delving into casks they had been nurturing for a special occasion just like this.

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It is often forgotten that blended brands make up more than 90% of the global sales of whisky. It’s a phenomenal amount of market share, and it is fair to say that if we ceased creating malts tomorrow, within the week, whisky would be on its knees.

There are the classic names, Chivas Regal, Johnnie Walker, Famous Grouse and many more, but there are some lesser known, wonderful blends on the market today.

Blended whiskies are often seen as the ‘Cinderella’ of the whisky world – certainly in the UK! They do all the work behind the scenes, keeping the industry ticking over and ensuring that everything is clean and tidy.

On the face of it, the Single Malts often take the glory and the limelight, being the sought after whiskies on the market. The ‘Ugly Sisters’, per say.

So, what is a blend, and how is it different to Single Malt?

The vast majority of whisky is made up of casks that have been vatted together to create a flavour profile. This goes for Single Malts too. Nearly all Single Malts are, in practice, Blends. The only difference here is that the whisky being used has all been created in one disitllery, hence the term ‘Single’ – this is a nod to the fact that one single distillery produced all the spirit.

With Blended Whisky, more than one distilleries products have been used. They are then combined with a product called Grain Whisky. Grain whisky was introduced to Scotch whisky production in the 1800’s when an Irishman by the name of Aeneas Coffey created the Coffey Still (now known as the Column Still) which was patented in 1831.

Grain Whisky is distilled to a higher abv than Malt Whisky, which strips more flavour from the spirit and allows the creation of a lighter, more consistent drink. The amount of Grain Whisky used in a Blend varies from around 80% for the mainstream names, down to 50% for some niche market and ‘Deluxe Blends’ (there is no legal definition of what makes a Blend ‘Deluxe’).

This allowed for the Scottish Whisky market to expand globally with consistent products and the creation of Blended Whisky was the true birth of our worldwide fame as a whisky producing nation.

Blended Malt

Blended Malt is kind of a hybrid between the two styles, Blended Whisky and Single Malt. Effectively this is a blend of Single Malts with no addition of Grain Whisky. This gives the producer the ability to marry together the flavour and mouthfeel of Single Malts and get the consistency and bulk volume of a Blended whisky.

The Future of Whisky?

With the prices of casks ever increasing and the tendency for these to be held for investment rather than bottling, Independent Bottlers are finding the release of Single Cask Single Malts every more challenging.

Many are now looking to create a consistent, Blended Malt to allow an affordable, yet top quality whisky to bear their name and help create a whisky to appease demand.

With Lady of the Glen, Dram Mor, Berry Brothers & Rudd, Mossburn and Little Brown Dog amongst the host of brands looking to branch into Blended Whiskies, expect to see more on our shelves. Grab one and enjoy!

So remember, the next time someone turns their nose up at your choice of Blend, remind them that their fancy Single Malt is probably blended too, and would undoubtedly not exist if you weren’t enjoying your Blended Scotch Whisky.

Brilliant Blends at Inverurie Whisky Shop

Clear Creek McCarthy’s 6 Year Old “K&L Exclusive” Cask Strength Single Barrel #367 Peated Single Malt Oregon Whiskey (750ml) ($109.99)

K&L Notes: This wonderful barrel of whisky was distilled on January 4th, 2016 at the original Clear Creek facility in Portland before being filled into refill Oregon oak at a filling proof of 55% ABV. Like all McCarthy’s Whisky, it was double distilled on small copper pots from heavily peated Scottish barley, fermented naturally, and bottled without the use of additives or chill-filtration. The barrel would have been transferred shortly after filling to the new Hood River distillery, where it aged for more than six years in the unique Cascadian climate. Harvested on August 29th, 2022, it rested in tank for an additional two months before bottling on October 10th, 2022. Hand-selected by K&L’s Spirits Buyers, this is one of the few true cask-strength single barrels ever to make it to our shelves and easily one of the most special. McCarthy’s does an incredible job to produce whisky of great complexity and maturity at a young age, and this is pushing the limits of the oldest we’ve ever come across. Showing powerful smoke and a zesty, cleansing oceanic character balanced by a sweet malty core, no Islay drinker will be able resist this special cask-strength single barrel from one of the America’s original craft distillers. A true gem by any measure!

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: February 22, 2023

This wonderful cask strength single barrel from the excellent Clear Creek distillery in Hood River, Oregon represents the legacy of one of the most important and skilled craft distillers in the U.S. Sadly, the legend himself Steve McCarthy passed away on January 2nd. His bold and innovative distillery would set the stage for a craft distilling revolution, and his exceptional single-malt whiskey has been sold at K&L since its release decades ago. His big idea was to take peat-smoked malted barley from the great malters in Scotland and distill this excellent barley on his tiny pot stills. Then he’d age it in Oregon oak. One of the founders of the American Single Malt category, we’ve always loved Steve and when he stepped away from the business, we knew he’d chosen an excellent steward to continue his legacy. Hood River Distillers has kept the brand going providing much needed capital and expanding their selection to include a 6-year-old offering. Now we’re finally able to select cask-strength, single-barrel 6-year-olds, and they’re just as amazing as you’d expect. This cask is one of the very last to be distilled in the original Clear Creek facility in Portland before the brand (and all the barrels) were moved to the new, larger facility in Hood River. While it was aged in fourth-fill barrels, the Garryana is still incredibly prominent yet exceptionally well-integrated.

Let’s taste it! The color is an attractive, deep gold. The nose is a perfect explosion of dense peat smoke, complex ocean character, dense herbal oak, and malty sweetness. With air, the complexity continues to expand into hints of salted fish, Sharpie marker, tanned hide, camphor, lanolin, citrus oil, and Velcro. On the palate, it’s exceptionally sweet with powerful lemon oils, licorice bark, sweet smoke, bunches of fresh green herbs, and an almost Ardbeg-like white smoke. With a drop of water, it adds a sweet, honeyed character, greengage, gooseberry, roasted espresso bean, still some Sharpie, and clean background smoke. On the palate, by contrast, more peat than before, a zingy ocean minerality, and some wildly exotic spices round out the long, satisfying finish. This is an absolutely exceptional cask that captures the essence of McCarthy’s and turns everything up to the maximum without being overwhelming. A fitting sendoff to the great man that captured our hearts and palates for decades. This one is for you, Steve. We love you brother.

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Here at the distillery we’re getting ready for a new season of our own and as we prepare to relight our peat fire for the year and open our doors to the public once more.

Perhaps the only distillery tour in the world which combines Harris Tweed and jelly beans returns. Our tour diary is now open and bookings can be made online for the first time. Take a look behind the scenes, sample our new-make spirits, meet the distillers, and learn all about our story. Our shop also reopens on the 13th from 10am when we relight our peat fire for the year ahead. We hope to see you soon, a warm Harris welcome awaits…

Book A Distillery Tour Today!

Our casks and the Clisham hills covered in fresh snow.

We often think Harris is the most beautiful place on Earth…and then it snows and we know we’re right. Shona, Harry, Billy, and Domhnall were well-wrapped up from the cold at our Ardhasaig warehouses earlier this week. Our island elements and our people will weave together to make their mark on the whisky we make. Just what the results will be, only time will tell….

Meet The Hearach…

Snow clouds head towards Niseabost.

It’s been a wonderful week of winter weather as spring tries to take hold but the snow still prevails. Here’s a simple picture from Mairi on our team, captured on her regular morning stroll at Niseabost beach…

Make Plans To Visit Harris

Smooth Ambler 6 Year Old “Old Scout” K&L Exclusive Barrel #24778 Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml)

$54.99

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Smooth Ambler is a relatively new—by whiskey standards— distillery born in the hills of West Virginia. They not only acknowledge but embrace their differences from Kentucky style bourbon as their “fiercely independent spirit.” This six-year-old- release is exclusive to K&L and features stocks from Indiana.

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Join the ImpEx Team  on Wednesday, March 15th for an ImpEx Distillery Deep Dive featuring Elements of Islay along with Ollie Chilton and Chanel Liquori from Elixir Distillers on Facebook and YouTube

EOI (Elements of Islay) is introducing its re-imagined core range of blended malt whiskies to the US this month.

The multi-awarded brand, which has won a loyal following over the years for its various limited batch editions, presents three core whiskies that each capture the essence of their origin: Islay.

The three expressions, Elements of Islay Cask Edit, Elements of Islay Bourbon Cask and Elements of Islay Sherry Cask are small-batch, expertly sourced, independently bottled whiskies; have no added color and are non-chill filtered.

Each expression is inspired by a different element of maturation and aimed at curious whisky drinkers who have a desire to experience, taste, and explore the unique flavors of Islay.

Oliver Chilton, Elixir Distillers, Master Blender comments, “ImpEx Beverages has long been at the forefront of introducing innovative whiskies across the US and expanding the whisky audience, so we couldn’t have chosen a better partner to launch the new Elements of Islay malt whisky range. The passion and expertise of the ImpEx team and their strong relationships with top retailers and bars across the country will help us ensure that whisky fans and people looking to discover the incredible category of Scotch Whisky will be able to enjoy Cask Edit, Bourbon Cask and Sherry Cask as much as we do.” 

Sam Filmus, President of ImpEx Beverages said, “Having Elements of Islay for my personal enjoyment was a long-term dream of mine.    Working with Elixir Distillers to add this line to other exciting offerings they represent has become a passion project. Not only are we blessed enough to enjoy this whisky but also to represent it as the Exclusive US Importer where we can make this available to whisky connoisseurs across the country.”

Cask Edit is a union of two Single Malts aged in Bourbon and Sherry casks leading to the creation of an exceptionally peaty Islay whisky showing the perfect balance of drinkability and personality at 46% ABV. The whisky also lends itself particularly well in cocktails.

Bourbon Cask is on the bolder side and matured in first fill and refill Bourbon barrels then bottled at 54.5% to fully demonstrate the whisky’s dominant Islay personality.

Sherry Cask offers a synthesis of flavor with notes of dried fruits, dark chocolate, lemon oil, and smoke. Bottled at 54.5%, it aims to challenge the status quo of what it means to be an Islay whisky.

The Elements of Islay Core Range is now available at specialty retailers near you!  For more information on where to buy please email the office at Office@ImpExBev.com.

About Elixir Distillers

Elixir Distillers is a creator, blender, and bottler of fine spirits; seeking to combine aesthetically beautiful design with delicious, characterful spirits. Their expertise is primarily Scotch whisky, together with Rum, Irish, Japanese, and American whiskies as well as Tequila. Their core brands include Port Askaig, Elements of Islay, Single Malts of Scotland, and Black Tot which they export to more than 20 International markets. Every member of the Elixir Distillers team is a spirits enthusiast with immense product knowledge, looking to produce the world’s next great drink.

About ImpEx Beverages

In 2008, ImpEx Beverages was founded with the vision to import premium and rare spirits from around the world, with a special emphasis on the best of what Scotland has to offer.
Today, ImpEx boasts an impressive portfolio, including some of the most notable small to medium sized distilleries and independent bottlers; importing Whisky, Gin, Rum, and Mezcal from Scotland, Wales, Japan, Israel, Mexico, England, India, and New Zealand with future anticipated additions from unexpected destinations. ImpEx also features a fine line of Liqueurs and Cordials produced in the US.