I hope this message finds you well. Summer is upon us, and the whiskies keep trickling into the shop. But before we get to that, a quick word on Covid-19, and Fall Tastings, which are somewhat connected.
It looks like Alberta, and Canada, have turned a corner on Covid-19, and I’m sure I’m not wrong in hoping it is for good! Among the things we have missed most due to the pandemic, is hosting in-store tastings and offering samples to customers visiting the store. I’m sure we will be able to resume offering samples to customers in-store in the months ahead. In-store tastings too will resume, but not likely until the New Year.
Protecting the safety of staff and customers has been our foremost concern over the last 15 months, and will continue to guide our policies and actions in the months ahead. I am proud of how my team has handled themselves over this difficult time. All of us have had at least one, if not both of our shots. I’m also grateful for the patience, understanding, and support of our customers, friends, and neighbours over these long months.
We will continue to balance protecting everyone’s safety with offering the highest quality of service we can. This will include, amongst other things, relaxing the number of customers we allow in-store at any given time, as well as lifting, eventually, the requirement to wear a face covering. I can’t say for sure when the latter will be, but foremost in our decision will be the comfort and safety of our customers and staff. We’ve gone 15 months without a single staff member catching Covid-19, and so we will take our time in letting our guard down.
As for in-store sitdown tastings, they will not likely return to KWM until February of 2022. It is possible this could change, but there are three reasons why we will not be rushing back into hosting them. Firstly, we had to cancel $50K worth of events at the start of the pandemic, and accordingly, I don’t want to get the cart ahead of the horse. Secondly, our tasting room has become a logistics and fulfilment area. Far more of our business is pick-up and delivery than ever before, and it will be hard to give up this space prior to Christmas. Finally, the virtual tastings have been well received, and the feedback we’ve received from customers is that they enjoy doing them from the comfort of their own homes. Not to mention the reduced risk, and the opportunity for customers outside of Calgary to take part in the tastings too.
The in-store tasting will return, but virtual tastings will see us through the end of 2021. And they will continue to be a part of our tasting program moving forward.
Our 2nd Teeling Cask, a 15 Year Armagnac matured whiskey, will be here next week! We’ll be sure to share the details with you when it arrives, but what I can tell you right now is that it was matured in an Armagnac cask, and it is another tropical fruit bomb!
In case you missed the last Malt Messenger Bulletin, our new Kilchoman 14 Year MS Society YYC Cask has arrived. It is the oldest whisky from this distillery ever to come to Canada, supplanting our 12 Year KWM Cask! $25 from every bottle sold will be going to the MS Society of Canada. More details below.
But this is not the only new Kilchoman cask to fill you in on. The distillery’s Alberta importer, Gold Medal Marketing, has bottled a Kilchoman 8 Year 100% Islay “Alberta Cask.” Details below.
We also opened up a slew of new virtual whisky tastings, which we mentioned in the last Malt Messenger, and many of them are filling quickly. They will see us through the end of July, after which we are going to slow things down for a bit. We will be using the month of August to plan for the fall. Details on all of our upcoming tastings can be found below or on our tasting page.
There are loads of other new whiskies to fill you in on too. We have 7 new whiskies from the Cadenhead Original Collection, including a couple of very sherried offerings. From Elixir Distillers, we have another round of Single Malts of Scotland, and 7 new whiskies from the new “The Whisky Trail” line. From Douglas Laing, there is the Big Peat Peatrichor (the 2021 Feis Isle bottling) and 3 XOP single casks, including 2 Port Ellens!
There are also a number of new releases from The Whisky Agency, almost 20 to be exact, and they look very interesting. There are also some newish-Cognacs from Vallein Tercinier. They’ve actually been here for a wee while, but they are very cool, and they are getting some phenomenal reviews.
We have also at long last finally received the Arran Explorers Series Drumadoon and a bit more of the Arran 25 Year. Neither are expected to last long!
Everything in this newsletter can be ordered/purchased online, so please do so if you can. I take Sundays off, so if you email me rather than order online, you might miss out!
As always, in the event of a discrepancy in price, the point of sale at KWM will be taken as correct. Please don’t hesitate to email me with any questions or comments. But be patient, I may be head down working on our new website, which will be launching next month.
As always, in the event of a discrepancy in price, the point of sale at KWM will be taken as correct.
Sincerely,
Andrew Ferguson
Kensington Wine Market
IN THIS EDITION
1. Upcoming Virtual Tastings
2. Introducing: The Kilchoman 14 Year MS Society Calgary Cask
3. Introducing: The Kilchoman 100% Islay Alberta Cask
4. New Whiskies from Cadenhead
5. New Whiskies from Exilir Distillers PT2.A – SMOS
6. New Whiskies from Exilir Distillers PT2.B – The Whisky Trail
7. New Whiskies from Douglas Laing
8. New Whiskies from The Whisky Agency
9. New Heads & Tails Whiskies from The Whisky Agency
10. Arran 25 Year & Explorers Series 4 Drumadoon
UPCOMING VIRTUAL TASTINGS
We will be taking a bit of a breather in August, as far as tastings go. But we are going full out through the end of July… Most of our tastings are getting close to sold out, but there are still some spots left!
Canada D’Eh: Shelter Point Distillery
· Date: Tuesday, June 29
· Time: 8 PM
· Cost: $25
· Pick-Up Date: Available Now
· Only 7 spots left!
With Canada Day approaching, we thought we’d shine a little extra light on some of our favourite Canadian Distilleries. We’re teaming up with our friends Jacob and Leon at Shelter Point to put on a virtual tasting of some of the finest whisky made in Canada. Our range will include 7 15ml samples of Shelter Point Whisky: The Collective, Smoke Point Batch 2, Double Barrel Batch 5, and The Forbidden, as well as some soon-to-arrive releases: Smoke and Oak, Ripple Rock & the 3rd and final KWM Rye (Alberta Distillers) Cask!
*SAMPLES READY FOR PICK UP NOW!
SMWS Canada July 20201 Outturn Tasting
· Date: Thursday July 8
· Time: 8 PM
· Cost: $55
· Pick-Up Date: Available Now
We’ve had enough interest to open a second bottle and expand the tasting… and you won’t want to miss this Outturn tasting. It includes a special bottle, from a distillery we rarely ever see!
Join the KWM whisky team for a virtual tasting of the July 2021 Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada Outturn. Registrations are limited to 2 per Member. The tasting will consist of 7 15ml samples from the July 2021 Outturn. The tasting will be hosted on Zoom at 8 PM on Thursday, July 8 at 8 PM. Samples will be available for pickup at KWM on Monday, June 21. They can be delivered in Calgary, subject to availability for a $10 fee, but we suggest picking them up in person or at the curbside. A Zoom code will be emailed out approximately 24 hours before the tasting.
*SAMPLES READY FOR PICK UP NOW!
Highland Park: We’re Not in Scotland Anymore… Are We?!
· Date: Thursday, July 15
· Time: 8 PM
· Cost: $65
· Pick-Up Date: Available Now
· Only 5 Spots Left!
While looking for tasting ideas we were surprised to discover that a couple of the Highland Park-themed whisky pairs were still kicking around. Highland Park went heavy on the Viking themes about a decade ago, the pinnacle of which was Light & Dark, Fire & Ice. We thought it might be fun to revisit these curiosities, along with a couple of friends. Join us for a dissection of Highland Park whiskies including Ice Edition 17 Year, Fire Edition 15 Year, The Dark 17 Year, The Light 17 Year, Valknut, Valfather, 18 Year, and an 18 Year IB single cask. 8x 15ml samples. 8P M, Thursday, July 15.
*SAMPLES READY FOR PICK UP NOW!
Really Rare & Old: Things Andrew Wants to Try
· Date: Thursday, July 22
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $300
· Pick-Up Date: Available Now
· Only 10 Spots Left!
If you think Andrew looks excited in the photo above, imagine him with the range below in front of him!
We’re back with another baller range of whiskies the big guy is dying to try. The Covid-19 pandemic hit just days before we were supposed to host our first-ever Rare & Old Whisky Festival. We were gutted to have to pull the plug, but it was the right decision, and it will likely be next winter before we return to sit-down in-store, let alone festival-style tasting… but we’ve still had some fun, and will continue to. There are more than a few old and rare whiskies we want to taste, and we know we are not alone in this. The first “Rare & Old: Things Andrew Wants to Try” tasting was a hit. So we are following it up by taking things to a whole other level, with “Really Rare & Old: Things Andrew Wants to Try”. This time our range includes: XOP Port Ellen 35 Year, XOP Blacks Glenrothes 30 Year, North of Scotland 50 Year & Teaninich 45 Year, as well as the official Rosebank 30 Year, Johnnie Walker Bicentenary Blend & Arran 25 Year. In all nearly 250 years of whisky worth north of $13K+gst, including 2 closed-ish distillery drams. 7 PM Thursday, July 22. Includes 7x15ml samples.
*SAMPLES READY FOR PICK UP NOW!
Kilchoman Virtual Tasting with Anthony Wills
· Date: Saturday, July 24
· Time: 5 PM
· Cost: $35
· Pick-Up Date: Available Now
· Only 2 Spots Left!
We are usually fortunate to welcome Anthony Wills of Kilchoman at least once a year for a tasting in-store. But due to Covid-19, it’s been a wee while. Since he last visited our shores, we’ve launched a 12 Year Kilchoman KWM Cask, and we’ve just received a Kilchoman 14-Year-old cask, bottled for the MS Society. So we are long overdue for a tasting and thrilled that Anthony has agreed to join us live from Scotland for a virtual Kilchoman tasting. In all, we have set aside a range of 8 Kichoman whiskies for the tasting: Machir Bay, Machir Bay Cask Strength (sold out), Sanaig 2021, Loch Gorm 2021, Fino Sherry Matured (sold out), 100% Islay 2020 (sold out) and the two casks: 12 Year KWM Cask and 14 Year MS Society YYC Cask. 5 PM, Saturday, July 24. 8x 15ml samples.
*SAMPLES READY FOR PICK UP NOW!
INTRODUCING: THE KILCHOMAN 14 YEAR
MS SOCIETY CALGARY CASK
As many of you know, the Kensington Wine Market is the title sponsor of the MS Calgary Whisky Festival. January 2021 would have been our 10th Annual event, but for obvious reasons, we had to pull the plug. Over the last few months, we hatched an idea with our good friend Andy Dunn of Gold Medal Marketing, to select and bottle a cask of whisky, as a fundraiser for the MS Society of Canada’s Calgary chapter.
Another good friend of KWM, Kilchoman Distillery’s Anthony Wills, offered something incredibly special… a 14-year-old Kilchoman. This is, by 2 years, the oldest Kilchoman ever to come to Canada. The next being our Kilchoman 12 Year KWM Bourbon Cask 338. The Kilchoman 14 Year MS Society YYC Cask arrived in-store this week, and we are selling it for $225+gst, with $25 from every bottle sold going to support the MS Society of Canada.
Kilchoman 14 Year MS Society YYC Cask – 53.4% – Bourbon Cask 78/2006 – Distilled: May 5, 2006 – Bottled March 15, 2021 – My Tasting Note: “Nose: soft, doughy and fruity with hints of spruce and beach bonfires; butter-poached scallops drizzled in butter and salty lime-mezcalritas; coconut icing on vanilla cupcakes; seaspray on a warm summer day. Palate: big, bold and earthy with a teetering balance of chewy malt, tarry peat, salty maritime tones and juicy citrus; more lime mezcalritas, lemon drizzled scallops and coconut icing; Dutch licorice, spruce tips and distant beach bonfires to round things out. Finish: long and warming with mildly medicinal tarry peat, loads of citrus, scallops and clean smoke. Comment: compared to our current 12 Year KWM Cask this 14-year-old is both bolder with respect to peat and tar, and brighter with respect to its citrus fruits; both are lovely, but completely different animals.” – $225 – $25 per bottle to the MS Society!
NEW KILCHOMAN 100% ISLAY ALBERTA CASK
Kilchoman’s Alberta importer, Gold Medal Marketing, also bottles its own “Alberta Casks” from time to time. The latest is my favourite Kiclhoman style, 100% Islay. The 100% Islay Kilchomans are produced from barley grown and malted on the distillery’s estate. They are the only farm to bottle whiskies produced in Scotland.
Kilchoman 8 Year 100% Islay Alberta Cask – 57.1% – Distilled 1/24/2103 – Bottled 26/2/2021 – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Creamy sweetness with salted caramel, fruit salad and floral smoke. Palate: Lemon tart, maple syrup with layers of smoke and sweetness. Finish: Long, clean finish with lasting floral character.” – $152
NEW WHISKIES FROM CADENHEAD
The second release of Cadenhead Original Collection whiskies is set to hit our shelves next week. They are definitely getting creative in their compositions, but there are some interesting and curiously dark treats on offer. WM Cadenhead is Scotland’s oldest independent bottler, and KWM has been proudly working with them for more than a decade!
1. Cadenhead Original Ardmore 8 Year – 46% – 50% Sherry / 50% Bourbon – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Old Fashioned cocktail, smoked bacon crisps, sweet fruit notes with a hint of smoke. Palate: Blood oranges, old leather furniture, pipe tobacco Finish: Sweetness continues with soft campfire smoke” – $99
2. Cadenhead Original Benrinnes 11 Year – 46% – 40% PX Sherry, 20% Rum & 40% Bourbon – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Buttered gingerbread, hot Christmas pie, orange marmalade. Palate: blackcurrant sweets, red apples, black olives. Finish: Stewed fruits, candy canes, slight hints of spearmint.” – $118 – 87pts Whisky Base
3. Cadenhead Original Bunnahabhain (peated) 7 Year – 46% – Bourbon – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Brine, medicinal notes, lobster creels. Palate: Soft smoke, cured ham, poached pears. Finish: Flax oil, salted peanuts, smoke continues but doesn’t overpower.” – $99
4. Cadenhead Original Craigellachie 12 Year – 46% – 65% Refill Sherry Butts & 35% Fresh Madeira – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Peaches, toffee sauce, demerara sugar. Palate: Cherries, plums, date and walnut cake. Finish: Icing sugar, biscuit base, BBQ donuts.” – $115
5. Cadenhead Original North British 35 Year – 46% – Bourbon – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Pineapple juice, honeycomb, custard powder. Palate: Butterscotch, green apples, white chocolate. Finish: Rich shortbread, white grapes, melted butter.” – $295
6. Cadenhead Original Tomintoul 14 Year – 46% – Refill Sherry Butts – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Fruitcake, honey, budding gorse. Palate: Chocolate orange, walnuts, alcohol soaked sultanas. Finish: Salted caramel, slightly hoppy, stewed apples.” – $138
7. Cadenhead Original Tullibardine 27 Year – 46% – 70% Bourbon & 30% Rum – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Nose: Mango, papaia, lime shavings. Palate: raspberry ripple ice cream, cinnamon, kumquat. Finish: Pineapple, coconut, caramelised sugar.” – $240
NEW WHISKIES FROM ELIXIR DISTILLERS
PT2.A – SINGLE MALTS OF SCOTLAND
While you can’t have too much of a good thing, it doesn’t hurt to spread them out from time to time… Accordingly, we held back a few Single Malts of Scotland releases, from last month, so we could sprinkle them out at a later date. The following are arriving next week.
1. SMOS Ben Nevis 1996 Cask 1641 – 48.9% – 23 Year – Hogshead – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Syrupy fruit notes of dates and figs waft in, followed by dry deciduous wood. Next arrives balsamic-roasted parsnip and carrot, followed by the fragrant dustiness of dried flowers from an old book. Palate: Juicy mandarin sorbet and a squeeze of bergamot coat the palate. There is some creamy white chocolate and just-brewed red lychee tea, followed by a hint of strawberry ice cream and patchouli rounding off the flavour. Finish: Stewed plum and blackberry compote linger with the spicy-sweet pickle of peppermint cand.” – $300 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
2. SMOS Blair Athol 2006 Cask 2620 – 54.6% – 14 Year – Hogshead – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: A loaf of brown soda bread, quite darkened on the crust, is spread thickly with tart rhubarb jam. Musky aromas of thyme and saffron combine with milk-chocolate-covered digestive biscuits. A shadow of soft pear drifts beneath. Palate: the tart quality evident on the nose emerges on the palate as fizzy jellies and under-ripe strawberries. Pineapple-and-lemon ice lollies mingle with fruit salad chewy sweets. Finally, nuttiness reappears in the form of an apple-and-cinnamon oat bar. Finish: Tangy pomelos and a smattering of pine nuts last on, with the hint of a sweet red pepper and a few vegetal green tea leaves following behind.” – $105
3. SMOS Ledaig 2005 Cask 900177 – 57.8% – 14 Year – Sherry Butt – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: fresh-yet-heavy at first, abundant in burnt grass and charred fruit. An amalgam of English breakfast tea with only a dash of milk, pear syrup and smoked pancetta leaves an impression of the flavours to come. Palate: More sweetness on the palate than on the nose – at first, fruit chutney with sweetened yoghurt. Cigarillo smoke evolves into oven-baked fairy cakes. Finally, the palate becomes both luscious and tart, like balsamic vinegar. Finish: Spiciness makes an appearance with a dusting of ground cardamom and cumin. The earthy sweetness of apple-and-cinnamon muffins leaves its impression, accented by the smoke from a smouldering bonfire” – $150 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
4. SMOS Teaninich 2008 Cask 715790 – 60.4% – 11 Year – Refill Hogshead – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Freshly-cut hay appears instantly, with an accompaniment of juniper berries lending an earthy sweetness. Elderflower drizzle cake and a juicy kiwi generously sweeten, while a flurry of crunchy autumn leaves contributes more rustic aromas. Palate: Sweeter on the palate than on the nose, with a silky quality, akin to butterscotch sauce and muscovado syrup. Bitterness elbows in, in the form of grapefruit juice – but when held longer on the palate, this is replaced by the creamy succulence of lucuma fruit ice cream. Finish: The earthy sweetness evident on the nose reappears and lingers – this time, its maple syrup drizzled on crispy granola. A warming tanginess rests on, with raw heather honey and yoghurt-covered cranberries.” – $100
NEW WHISKIES FROM ELIXIR DISTILLERS
PT2.B – INTRODUCING THE WHISKY TRAIL
We introduced The Whisky Trail range from Elixir Distillers to Canada last night with a tasting hosted by Elixirs Global Brand Ambassador Julie Hamilton and Lilly Tetu the Export Manager. The range was a hit, and a few of the whiskies are in short supply, and won’t last long… I especially enjoyed the Glenrothes, Invergordon, and Ardmore 1998!
1. Whisky Trail Ardmore 2009 Cask 707920 – 59% – 10 Year – ex-Bourbon Barrel – Video Games Label – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: A vanilla ice cream on a windy beach – with flake. Sherbert lemons and freshly-clipped seaside golf courses are joined by beach bonfires. Palate: Tropical notes of papaya and passionfruit breakthrough, followed by burnt bread crust. Caramel brittle leads on to the smoke of an open fire on an autumn day, followed finally by a hint of smoked paprika. Finish: Rose lemonade stays on, with juicy barbecued fruit and rich fig jam, finished out by the vegetal influence of a few bay leaves.” – $88 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
2. Whisky Trail Ardmore 1998 Cask 750789 – 51.4% – 20 Year – Hogshead – Classic Cars Label – Producer Description: “Nose: A vanilla ice cream on a windy beach – with flake. Sherbert lemons and freshly-clipped seaside golf courses are joined by beach bonfires. Palate: Rich, rounded and sweet. Apples and pears roasted over a beach barbecue with candied lemons, sweet peat and savory woodsmoke. Finish: Finish: Lemons and incense slowly fade to leave sweet vanilla and soft smoke.” – $198
3. Whisky Trail Ben Nevis 1996 Cask 1684 – 54.3% – 23 Year – Hogshead – Video Games Label – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: There is a certain forgotten intensity evident – like a bedroom in an old house, left closed up for decades. This blends with yuzu fruit, strawberry sherbet, and floral Turkish delight. Palate: The nostalgic sweetness of blueberry jelly beans is contrasted against a background of hot chili powder, funky miso, and crumbly digestive biscuits. Finish: Wood char lingers on, with amaretti di Saranno, ripe citron melon, and a smattering of fresh split peas.” – $280 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
4. Whisky Trail Cambus 1990 Cask 93596 – 52% – 29 Year – Hogshead – Video Games Label – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Aromatically grassy, with sugar-coated butter biscuits and brioche. Creamy citrus undertones follow – lemon-and-white chocolate truffles. There is an intense dustiness, like an old wooden box from a forgotten attic. Palate: Candy apples, covered in hazelnuts, lead on to vanilla essence, crystalized pineapple and chocolate-covered honeycomb. Very light chamomile tea adds a floral note. Finish: Quite mellow and slightly grassy – lentil -and-beetroot crisps, sweet mead, nutmeg, and sticky almond syrup.” – $225
5. Whisky Trail Glen Elgin 2007 Cask 801516 – 56.4% – 12 Year – Hogshead – Classic Cars Label – Producer Description: “Nose: Dried raspberries and strawberries scattered over fluty marshmallows and Turkish delight. The fresh, green, earthy aromas of cornflowers and freshly-cut grass express the classic springtime profile of this distillery. Palate: The fruit has been reduced to jam, spread between the layers of a Victoria sponge cake. More fruit follows: apricots and cantaloupe melon. Bowls of porridge are served with honey and a dusting of cinnamon. Finish: Freshly-milled barley, golden syrup, and banana slices give a soft, warm finish to this dram.” – $98
6. Whisky Trail Glenrothes 1989 Cask 18169 – 46.1% – 30 Year – Hogshead – Classic Cars Label – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Solid, old, waxed oak floors, velvet armchairs and a bowl of exotic fruit. Old books on newly-polished wooden shelves lead to an elegant spread of saron buns and oatcakes dusted with cinnamon and sprinkled with chopped mint. Palate: Dried mango slices and pineapple rings are tinged with a hint of menthol. A drop of water enrichens the texture, giving beeswax richness and flavour. Sweet Madeira, toasted brioche and sunflower seeds follow. Finish: A long and complex finish of coconut and mint, develops with soft woody tones and a little pine resin astringency.” – $430 – 89.67pts Whisky Base
7. Whisky Trail Invergordon 1987 Cask 88799 – 52.7% – 32 Year – ex-Bourbon Barrel – Video Games Label – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: A slice of pear-and-almond cake appears. Next, a spicy-sweet note, like cayenne pepper sprinkled on honey-glazed sweet potato wedges. The freshness of crisp paper mingles with wilting lilies. Palate: Bursting with tonka beans at first, leading onto a flaky maple-and-pecan pastry. Caramel notes of lucuma fruit blend with intensely sweet strawberry candy floss. Finish: Star anise rests on, with the dusty quality of dark chocolate coins, all rounded out by the citrusy tang of dried lemon slices.” – $235
NEW WHISKIES FROM HUNTER LAING
From the Douglas Laing side of things, we have a new Feis Isle edition of the Big Peat, called Peatrichor. In addition, we have 5 XOP bottlings, four of them XOP Blacks. We were supposed to see the XOP Port Ellen 35 in the fall last year, but better late than never, I suppose. Four of the whiskies will appear in Really Rare & Old: Things Andrew Wants to Try on July 22, 2021. Only 16 spots left!
1. Big Peat Peatrichor 2021 – 53.8% – “Producer Description: “We are delighted to unveil Big Peat’s “Peatrichor” Limited Edition for Summer 2021! Bottled at a natural cask strength of 53.8% alcohol, Big Peat’s latest bottling celebrates the Islay rainfall – after all, today’s rain is tomorrow’s Whisky! The word Peatrichor (or petrichor) describes the earthy scent produced with rain falls on dry earth / soil.” – $98
2. XOP Port Ellen 35 Year – 54.3% – Sherry Hogshead – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: shows a wonderfully smoky character alongside burnt brown sugar and cured meats. Palate: full of mocha, cocoa, BBQ smoke and stewed dark fruits. Finish: goes on and on with rich spices, peat and treacle.” – $3500 – 90.33pts Whisky Base
3. XOP Black Port Ellen 1979 – 49.6% – 40 Year – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Like a gently burnt scone initially, followed by the softest peated barley and brown sugar. Palate: Shows an eclectic mix of fudge, spices, chewed leather, more subtle peat and a saline quality with late coal dust and ash.” – $5800
4. XOP Black Teaninich 1975 – 41.6% – 45 Year – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Caramel developing to peaches, chocolate chip cookies and honey’d barley. Palate: Sweetly vanilla’d,with buttery biscuits, hints of ginger and cinnamon. Finish: Floral notes linger alongside spice, waxy oranges and pastry.” – $1700
NEW WHISKIES FROM THE WHISKY AGENCY
We have some exciting new whiskies in from The Whisky Agency. They aren’t the most inexpensive independent bottlings, but it is hard to argue with the quality of the liquid. Always consistently high. Oh, and the labels… insert bite lip gif!
1. Whisky Agency BenRiach 1997 – 50.7% – 23 Year – Sherry Butt – $415 – 88.21pts Whisky Base
2. Whisky Agency Blended Malt 2001 – 45.8% – 19 Year – Sherry Butt – $195 -86.36pts Whisky Base
4. Whisky Agency Glenrothes 1989 – 44.4% – 31 Year – Hogshead – $545 – 90.63pts Whisky Base – 88pts Whisky Fun
5. Whisky Agency Glenrothes 1996 3 Rivers – 49.4% – 23 Year – Hogshead – $335 – 89.20pts Whisky Base
7. Whisky Agency Secret Grain 1973 – 50.4% – 46 Year – Sherry Butt – $550 – 89.83pts Whisky Base
8. Whisky Agency Speyside 1973 – 45% – 47 Year – Hogshead – $1050 – 91.92pts Whisky Base – 90pts Whisky Fun
9. Whisky Agency Tomatin 1999 – 52.4% – 21 Year – Hogshead – $330 – 87.92pts Whisky Base
10. Whisky Agency Tomatin 1990 – 48.9% – 30 Year – Hogshead – $675 – 90.58pts Whisky Base – 89pts Whisky Fun
11. Whisky Agency Tormore 1988 – 47.1% – 32 Year – Hogshead – $500 – 89.08pts Whisky Base
NEW HEADS & TAILS BOTTLINGS
FROM THE WHISKY AGENCY
The Whisky Agency’s Canadian importer, Heads & Tails’ Igor Kossov, does a lot of its own bottlings. We are receiving 9 new ones. They are listed below with a few details and a few words about each courtesy of Igor!
1. Whisky Agency H&T Ardmore 1997 – 48.7% – 22 Year – Bourbon Hogshead – Igor Says: “Very fruity, malty, not overly peated, last my choice for peated malt nowadays!” – $275
2. Whisky Agency H&T Blended Malt 2001 – 46.4% – 19 Year – Sherry Butt – Igor Says: “very tasty, drinkable blend, not over sherried, old-style elegant.” – $187
3. Whisky Agency H&T Caol Ila 2007 – 52.9% – 13 Year – Bourbon Hogshead – Igor Says: “Very clean.” – $240
4. Whisky Agency H&T Glenrothes 1995 – 48.5% – Sherry Hogshead – 25 Year – Igor Says: “Excellent sherry, not boring, complex, lots of dried fruits!” – $320
5. Whisky Agency H&T Irish Whiskey 2002 – 48.7% – 18 Year – Bourbon Barrel – Igor Says: “Mango /papaya etc galore with typical Irish spice notes.” – $275
6. Whisky Agency H&T Ledaig 2008 – 52.1% – 12 Year – Bourbon Hogshead – Igor Says: “Typical “tennis rubber shoes ” – very popular style.” – $190
7. Whisky Agency H&T Longmorn 2008 – 56.6% – 12 Year – ex-Bourbon – Igor Says: ” Typical, malty, fruity, old school Longmorn, love it !” – $208
8. Whisky Agency H&T Secret Speyside 1998 – 50.3% – 22 Year – Sherry Butt – Igor Says: “Fruity and powerful very interesting!” – $245
A COUPLE OF VERY OLD ARRANS
Ok, so 23 and 25 years is not exactly ancient when it comes to whisky, but the Arran Distillery is only a little more than 26 years old, making this some of the oldest whisky they have. We received a small amount of the 25 Year earlier in the year. This little top-up was a pleasant surprise, courtesy of another market which, for some reason, didn’t see fit to take it… yes, please!
Arran 25 Year – 46% – Distilled 1995 – The initial maturation was in a mix of 35% ex-Sherry & 65% ex-Bourbon casks and finished 12 Months in 1st Fill and Refill Sherry Hogsheads. – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Rich oak with a gentle nutmeg note. Sweeter aromas of baked ripe figs, sultanas and black cherries. Palate: Fruit cake with toasted almonds and cinnamon. The juicy zestiness of oranges and mandarins mellows perfectly with manuka honey, muscovado sugar, baked apricots and an interesting white pepper note that provides even more complexity. Finish: Creamy and spicy with dark chocolate, walnuts and dark fruits compote.” – $540 – Limit 1 per customer!
Arran 23 Year Explorers Series Drumadoon – 49.5% – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: A burst of sweet apple with an underlying maltiness – a classic expression of well-aged Arran. The sweet notes linger and are enriched by baked pastry and a dusting of icing sugar (think Apple Strudel). Rich and nutty in the background, bringing to life the influence of the casks used. Palate: An initial wave of sweetness followed by spice; Spiced apple, cocoa powder and star anise. Flavours of dark chocolate and raisins also start to develop, creating a beautiful balance between Arran’s signature style and sherry cask maturation. Finish: A long and warming finish, reflecting the sweetness and spice found on nose and palate. A dram that will leave you wanting to pour another!” – $250 – Limit 2 Per Customer!
*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.*
The Kensington Wine Market | 1257 Kensington Road NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 3P8 Canada
News at the Cutting Edge From Glencairn Crystal Studio
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. *Best of 2016* (KN) 
(3/2016)
