Every year – the most updated whisky book on the market!
Malt Whisky Yearbook 2021 will be published 1st October

This is the 16th edition of a book that whisky enthusiasts look forward to every autumn.

The main part of the book (200 pages) covers 665 malt whisky distilleries around the worldwith all the facts updated
New exciting articles by distinguished writers such as Charles MacLean, Gavin D Smith,
Neil Ridley, Jonny McCormick, Joel Harrison and Ian Wisniewski
More than 200 tasting notes, including independent bottlings
New feature – meet seven Whisky Legends with 358 years of experience between them
A listing of more than 150 of the world´s greatest whisky shops
The Whisky Year That Was – the most comprehensive summary you´ll find of the news and trends in the industry
An entire chapter about the world´s leading independent bottlers
All the latest info on bottlings and web sites as well as the latest statistics and figures
More than 500 colour photos

The Malt Whisky Yearbook is the brainchild of editor Ingvar Ronde and was first published in autumn 2005. Since then a new and completely revised edition has been published yearly. What started out as a go-to book for whisky enthusiasts wanting to keep abreast of the ever-changing malt whisky world, soon became a tool also for the whisky industry. Many producers now buy it for their staff (brand ambassadors, tour guides, sales people etc.) to keep them informed about the latest developments.

The Malt Whisky Yearbook 2021 is sold through www.maltwhiskyyearbook.com
for £14.95 plus shipping. Available for preorder now with shipping starting 1st October.
Ingvar Ronde – Editor Malt Whisky Yearbook and Keeper of the Quaich
ingvar.ronde@magdig.com

The Character of Islay Whisky Company exists to offer a range of distinctively smoky and flavoursome whiskies with Islay at their heart; for whom the Islay stories are well versed to new explorers alike. 

The Character of Islay Whisky Company launched in 2019 with Aerolite Lyndsay 10 year old single malt. The brand releases Islay whiskies that play on the mythical notions of the island, with tongue in cheek names and exceptional peat-forward liquid. Each expression explores legends and myths associated with the island and embodies a different fictional ‘character’.

BROWSE OUR FULL CHARACTER OF ISLAY RANGE HERE

A FRESH NEW LOOK, THE GLENGOYNE WAY

Today we’re excited to unveil a brand-new look and feel across our award-winning Glengoyne Collection.

Taking inspiration from our unhurried and uncompromising approach to whisky-making, the new design celebrates our unique connection to time in everything we do at Glengoyne. The new look rolls out across The Glengoyne Collection this month.

SHOP NOW

NATURE AT WORK

Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do, so this exciting overhaul also sees The Glengoyne Collection move to 100% recyclable and locally sourced packaging. Free of plastic and magnets, and with nearly all of the material originating from Scotland, this marks another milestone in our long-standing commitment to sustainability and the future.

Our distillery is one of Scotland’s most beautiful and we are committed to keeping it that way. Not only does 100% of our electricity come from renewable energy, we also have our own wetlands and beehives on site.

LEARN MORE

Suntory Hakushu 12 Year Old Japanese Peated Single Malt Whisky (750ml) ($119.99)

91 points Wine Enthusiast: “This golden, silky single malt mingles vanilla and honey with fresh apple and pear aromas. These notes are echoed on the palate alongside a wave of peat smoke. Add a splash of water to offset the modest but persistent alcohol heat and further coax out the fruity-smoky flavors. (KN)” (12/2015)

K&L Notes: Suntory’s Hakushu, known as the “forest distillery,” was built in 1973 as a sister distillery to Suntory’s Yamazaki (previously the only Japanese single malt available in the United States). The facility is located at a high-elevation site next to the pristine waters of the Ojira River, which are used to dilute the whisky itself. Hakushu distillery uses different styles of oak barrel to age their single malt, but mainly hogshead, which, according to the distillery is, “suitable to the clear air and cool humid climate.” The 12-year old from Hakushu is lightly peated and very delicate in its flavor profile. The light and fruity style of the whisky is quite similar to the Yamazaki 12, but the smoke really makes up for any lack of richness. We’ve seen insane price increases over the last five years on Japanese whisky and inventory getting tighter and tighter, but for a limited time, we have Hakushu 12 in stock and available to sell, and at a fraction of the price you’ll see at many other retailers across the country.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: June 27, 2019

Hakushu has always been my favorite of the Suntory malts. The sweet and elegant malt profile is rounded out beautifully by the gentle peat smoke giving the whisky more body and texture than its brothers. The “forest distillery” also produces a verdant whisky – it feels green and fresh, cool and earthy. Moist peat and cool mint gently hold up the bouquet of flowers and cereal notes. The palate is extremely balanced with pepper and cinnamon playing off of the sweeter grain notes. The smoke is more rich body than intense fire. A long and earthy finish is sweetened by a maple syrup and caramel note that leaves a very pleasant aftertaste. With Japanese whisky being so hard to get these days, you have to get while the gettin’ is good.

Make Mine a Double!
The Whisky Bible’s Two Editions.

Apart from being the most authoritative and detailed book on whisky in the world, Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible has always set out to be the most comprehensive and easy to use, too. That is why there is now both a standard and North American edition.

So, if you are in a hurry and have only moments to make a quick decision about buying a whisk(e)y, then if it is bourbon, rye and other American whiskeys you are looking for, the North American edition now lists those at the front of the guide lining up the brands alphabetically as well as by State. And this followed directly by the Canada section, making this edition of the Whiskey Bible even more North American user friendly.

For Scotch lovers around the world, the standard Jim Murray Whisky Bible presents you the single malts section distillery by distillery alphabetically as before.

whiskybible.com
The only place to order personally dedicated copies.

Angel’s Envy 100 Proof Rye Whiskey (750ml)

$79.99 View

 This honey-hued rye has a remarkable aroma, melding cookie dough, hazelnut and marzipan. The same luscious flavors show up on the palate, rich and sweet, leading into a confected finish of Nutella sprinkled with nutmeg and cinnamon. The sugar-and-spice effect is due to 18 months finishing time in casks that first held Cognac, then Caribbean rum. *Top 50 Spirits 2013* (KN)  (7/2013)

90 points Whisky Advocate

 The folks at Angel’s Envy once again push the envelope with this 95% rye whiskey finished in Caribbean rum casks. Vibrant, spicy rye notes (cinnamon and mint) are tamed by rich maple syrup, graham cracker crust, nutty toffee, candy floss, subtle tropical fruit, and creamy vanilla. Warm, spicy, rummy finish. This is a mood whiskey—not one I would drink every day—but the flavors marry nicely and the sweetness tames this high-testosterone rye whiskey. Bonus points for uniqueness. *Editors’ Choice* (Summer 2013) 

The results are in … and we couldn’t be more pleased!

There are many spirits competitions out there, but not all of them are like the Ultimate Spirits Challenge, which stands out among the rest.  Its mission, under the direction of director Paul Pacult, is to create and establish a new and higher standard of evaluation for spirits that provides accurate, meaningful and useful results in recognizing and promoting the quality of alcohol beverage products.

KILCHOMAN TRIUMPHED

Sanaig, Kilchoman’s core expression with a focus on its Sherry influence was crowned the highest scoring Islay whisky at 97 points!!  This beauty beat other well known Islay whiskies to the peaty punch.  If you’d like to see if it’s available in your state, check out our page on Grapein.

Kilchoman’s other core expression, Machir Bay, scored a point higher than last year at 95 points, beating out other popular competitors.

Determined by a formula that includes the aggregate scoring of the judging panels, the scoring curve based upon the number of entries, and the overall categorical scoring average, the Chairman’s Trophy is bestowed to the highest scoring entry per category. Finalist status, the products deemed to be in the running for the Chairman’s Trophy, are decided upon by the Judging Chairman based on their favorable results.

WHISKIES FROM JAPAN ASTOUNDED

At 96 points, not only did the fantastic Fukano 10 beat out other prominent Japanese whiskies, but it earned a spot in the Top 100 Spirits of 2020.  Quite the honor for this humble distillery.  To see the states it’s currently available in, check out our Fukano page on Grapein.

The Matsui Distillery has been making amazing whisky since 1910, and with this Chairman’s Trophy they’ve cemented themselves into the top tier of Japanese Distilleries.

Tottori is Matsui Distillery’s brand as well, and it is fantastic in cocktails.  Both the Blended and the ex-Bourbon barrel expressions placed in the nineties, scoring 93 and 92 points, respectively.

Ohishi distillery was founded in 1872, and produces unique rice whisky utilizing water from the Kuma river.  This year two Ohishi favorites brought home medals, with its Islay cask finish at 91 points and the Sherry cask at 90.

BELGIAN BELIEVERS BLOSSOMED

Ultimate Spirits Challenge’s methodology raises the standard for competitive beverage evaluation by instituting more rigorous judging. Each product is reviewed under ideal tasting conditions over a period of time that allows the product to express its best characteristics and evaluated blindly by panels in multi-stage assessments to remove any inherent or individual bias.

Het Anker has a time-honored tradition of producing award-winning Belgian beer.  In 2010, the first distillate for Gouden Carolus left the boilers.  A decade later, this fine Belgian Single Malt has been awarded the honor of being considered a finalist and earning 92 points.

www.impexbev.com
Our mailing address is:

ImpEx Beverages Inc.

360 Swift Ave

Side B # 9

South San Francisco, CA 94080

Midleton Very Rare

One of the most sought-after ranges of Irish whiskey, the Midleton Very Rare series was created in 1984 by master distiller Barry Crockett. Every year, a handful of specially-selected casks are blended together to create the newest release of Midleton Very Rare.

A new whiskey is released every year and so far only two master distillers have influenced this series: Barry Crockett and Brian Nation. Over the years, there has been a change in the whiskies available, with stocks becoming older and more complex.

Very Rare Beginnings – 1984

The whiskey that started it all, created by Barry Crockett and released in 1984, was made with a combination of grain whiskey and pot still whiskey that was matured in ex-bourbon casks for up to nine years.

Nose: Apricot, nutmeg and cinnamon aromas mingle with plums and crystalised ginger.

Palate: Crunchy green apples, clotted cream and shortbread initially fill the palate, before being joined by spicy black pepper, oak, sultanas and delicate lavender.

Finish: Sweet crystallised ginger, spicy black pepper and stewed peaches linger in the finish.

The start of a new era – 1997

In 1997, Brian Nation started working at Irish Distillers, a career that would eventually lead him to his position as master distiller. At this time the team at Midleton had worked to better document their whiskey stocks – this gave them better visibility of what they had available. A combination of pot still and grain whiskey that had been matured in first-fill American oak casks for between 13 and 18 years was chosen for the 1997 release.

Nose: Sticky toffee pudding opens on the nose, followed by creamy vanilla, sweet shortbread, ginger biscuits, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Palate: Rich toffee mingles with cinnamon and cloves, a hint of orange plays at the edges and sweet malty notes break through.

Finish: Ginger breaks through on the finish, and rich, sweet golden syrup builds into summer flowers and brown sugar.

Brian Nation takes the stage – 2014

In 2014, after 17 years at Midleton, came Brian’s first release as master distiller. Matured for up to 22 years, this combination of grain and pot still whiskey has rich layers of vanilla and summer flowers.

Nose: Vanilla and oak aromas meet geranium, ginger, mint, cinnamon and apricot, even a subtle hint of green banana.

Palate: Sweet dried apricots, rich dates and toasted oak take the fore, ginger joins the fray as well as apples, oranges and salted caramel.

Finish: A big hit of ginger stands up to strong notes of cloves, toasted oak, sharp citrus and creamy vanilla. A hint of bittersweet coffee lingers behind.

the new release – Midleton Very Rare 2019

Last year’s release is the oldest so far to join the series, made with whiskies that have been matured in ex-bourbon casks for between 13 and 34 years and boasts bold flavours of tropical fruit, chocolate and sweet spices.

Nose: Caramel, toffee and apples build quickly, followed by ginger, bananas, milk chocolate and delicate orange.

Palate: Citrus is closer to the fore, backed up by ginger, apple and caramel, before toffee, black pepper and pineapple take the stage. A strong vein of mango and passion fruit steal the attention before sticky toffee pudding fight their way through.

Finish: Ginger and mango make themselves known, alongside caramel and milk chocolate.

New beginnings

Since the launch of the 2019 release, there have been some changes at Irish Distillers: after 23 years, seven of which he spent as master distiller, Brian Nation has left the team and will be joining O’Shaughnessy Distilling Co in Minneapolis as its master distiller next summer. Taking over as master distiller is Kevin O’Gorman and I am very much looking forward to seeing where the Midleton Very Rare series goes with him at the helm.

As America’s foremost spirits magazine, Whisky Advocate delivers everything you need to know to enjoy whisky, and much more!

From new product releases and breaking news, to hundreds of ratings and reviews, Whisky Advocate is America’s top source for whisky enthusiasts. Throughout your subscription, you’ll enjoy:

• Our annual Whiskies Of The Year (that are actually attainable)
• Top whisky travel destinations
• Exciting, new whisky releases
• Must-try whisky cocktails

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