BrewDog, Compass Box, Duncan Taylor and Zuidam have huddled together to release a new range of ‘boilermaker’ whiskies. The launch has been timed to coincide with the renaming of the brewery’s LoneWolf distillery as BrewDog distillery. The three whiskies in the new series have been created to bespoke recipes designed to pair with BrewDog’s beers as a boilermaker or hauf and hauf serve. Transistor, a blended Scotch by Compass Box’s John Glaser, is designed to partner with BrewDog’s flagship beer, Punk IPA. A blend, the whisky contains a ‘good proportion’ of grain from Cameronbridge, as well as malts from Linkwood, Teaninich, Dailuaine and Clynelish, with some maturation in French oak? Bottled at 43% abv, described as ‘pineapple, orange and lychee’ notes, with a sweetness that is cut through by the ‘spiky, tropical, hoppy bitter notes of the beer’. Who writes these notes?

Torpedo Tulip is a 100% rye whisky from Millstone, made at the Netherlands’ Zuidam distillery. Matured exclusively in ex-oloroso Sherry casks and bottled at 46% abv, the whisky is described as ‘rich stone fruit’ and ‘underlying spice’, and has been chosen to pair with BrewDog’s American pale ale, Dead Pony Club.

Skeleton Key is a blended Scotch whisky created in collaboration with Duncan Taylor to pair with BrewDog’s Jet Black Heart stout or Zombie Cake porter. Containing a proportion of peated Bunnahabhain and a high ration of single malt, including whisky from Glentauchers distillery, Skeleton Key (46% abv) is described as having ‘bold, maritime and peat smoke aromas’ which pair with the chocolate and coffee notes in the beers.

All three no-age-statement expressions are available to purchase in all BrewDog bars as well as through its online retail site for £52 for a 70cl bottle – a wee bit high if you ask me. The brewery recently appointed ex-Johnnie Walker boss David Gates as its managing director of BrewDog Distilling Co., the company’s spirits arm. BrewDog opened its own distillery at its Ellon site in 2016, and following years of barley, yeast, distillation and maturation trials, has now settled on a recipe for its flagship single malt. Now known as BrewDog distillery, the site is set up to produce a number of spirits, including vodka and gin. The LoneWolf brand will continue to be used for BrewDog’s gin. How will Diageo etc react to this news re their drams?  Paul McLean, Perth.

A personal blether from Paul McLean. www.whiskytours.scot

Glenfarclas 2019 Events Calendar

For more information about any of the below events, please contact info@glenfarclas.com

Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, 1st – 6th May 

Robbie Drams Festival, Ayr  Town Hall, Ayrshire Scotland, 1st June

Whisky Fringe, Royal Mile Whiskies, Edinburgh Scotland, 9th – 11th August

Whisky Social, Waterfront Hall Belfast, 14th September

Whisky Exchange, Old Billingsgate, London, 28th – 29th September

The Wee Dram Festival, Bakewell, Derbyshire, 19th October

Whisky Live, The Printworks, Dublin, 22nd – 23rd November

Glasgow Whisky Festival, Hampden Park Glasgow, 9th November

After an astonishing 46 years service, mashman Alistair Miller has officially retired from Glenfarclas.  He is pictured here with John and Ishbel Grant, who presented him with gifts including a bottle of 1972 Family Cask (distilled just before he started with us) and a framed picture of the distillery.  Many thanks for all your years of hard work, Ali!

Keepers of the Quaich Spring 2019 Banquet which was held at Blair Castle.

(In the picture on the left – Shareen Yew of Single Malt Sdn Bhd, with her husband, Ben Lip and in the picture on the right George Grant of Glenfarclas, Michael Urquhart of Gordon & MacPhail, Ian McWilliam of Glenfarclas)

Sunday, 3rd March saw the official “handing over” of a special 3 litre Glenfarclas bottle which John Grant donated to the CairnGorms Branch of The Gillies Club (Australia).  The bottle will be the perpetual trophy for the ‘Norman Case Whisky Of The Year Award’.

Norman Case was the first person to import Glenfarclas to Australia, so it was our honour to contribute to this memorial award in his name.

Macallan

The Macallan is one of the most highly revered whisky brands in the world. It is the third largest selling single malt whisky in the world and the second largest by value.

Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak 2018

This annual release of The Macallan’s popular 18 Year Old Sherry Oak is matured exclusively in sherry seasoned casks, built from both Spanish and American oak, providing a beautifully dark flavour with rich aromas. The nose opens with dried fruits, ginger and hints of citrus with vanilla and cinnamon. The palate is rich in dried fruits, spices, orange, cloves and wood smoke, before a full and lingering finish with sweet toffee, ginger and a hint of smoke.

70cl / 43% abv

£325.00 – Buy Now

Macallan 25 Year Old Sherry Oak 2018

The sumptuous Macallan 25 Year Old Sherry Oak is becoming harder to find and delivers everything you would expect from an older, sherry-matured expression from this highly-revered Speyside distillery. The nose has citrus notes balanced with cinnamon, sherry and wood smokehe palate is full and rich, with dried fruits and a hint of wood smoke and long smokey and spice finish.

70cl / 43% abv

£1,750.00 – Buy Now

Macallan No 6 1824 Series

This incredibly rare Macallan has been crafted from a hand selected first fill sherry seasoned oak cask resulting in a whisky that is full of the most luxurious rich flavours imaginable. To match this unparalleled whisky comes the sublime, handcrafted crystal decanter in which the whisky is housed in. Luxury defined!

70cl / 43%

£2,800.00 – Buy Now

Macallan M

Introducing the final part of the Macallan 1824 series. A whisky to get the heart racing, incredibly the Macallan M contains whisky from as far back as the 1940’s. Furthermore the whisky boasts possible one of the most luxurious of presentions we have ever seen. Housed in a crystal decanter created especially for this expression by legendary fashion designer Fabien Baron and crafted by Lalique who also collaborated with Macallan on earlier expressions. The Whisky is spectacular with rich, smooth notes balanced with the softest hint of wood smoke!

70cl / 44.5%

£3,700.00 – Buy Now

Orders shipped worldwide

ralfy talks ‘Game of Thrones’ stuff !

https://youtu.be/n8CC9PjK1WY

Only 3 More Sleeps. Buy Tickets.

Check your calendar – Spirit of Toronto is this Saturday May 4, and tickets are almost sold out. Read on for more details…

We broke the Internet – sorry!

We apologize to those of you who had trouble connecting with us online this past week! Higher than usual traffic crashed the Spirit of Toronto website but we are back up and running, and the remaining tickets can be purchased online through Roy Thomson Hall’s box office.

Rumour has it that some masterclass seats have become available thanks to last minute returns, so please call the box office directly at 416-872-4255 if you’d still like to reserve a seat!

Waiting until Saturday to see how your weekend shapes up? We understand, but please note that any tickets left will go up to $199 apiece.

Our biggest show to date!

We’ve come a long way since our humble beginnings in 2004, and fifteen years later we look forward to presenting our largest showcase to date!

Once again we invite you to stretch your wings and palate as we offer a taste of le cinq à sept courtesy of Martell Cognac, a piece of Islay courtesy of Bowmore, la dolce vita courtesy of the Italian Trade Commission, and the best of Scotland, Ireland, the US and Canada courtesy of our esteemed exhibitors. Of special note is Canada’s latest crop of homegrown whiskies which leave us much to be proud of. Last but not least fans of Islay and its whiskies are in for (another) treat – enough said.

In the mood for something off the beaten path? Seek and ye shall find hidden gems from Japan, the Caribbean and Europe (and Israel!) scattered throughout the show floors.

Some last minute reminders…

A few things to note, particularly if you’re joining us for the first time:

• We ask you that you eat dinner before coming to the show, but will provide a hot and cold table d’hote throughout the evening, and a smorgasbord of antipasti and salumi will also be available on the Mezzanine level. Bottled water will be readily available throughout the tasting halls so when you’re feeling thirsty please remember to hydrate!
• Should you have been fortunate enough to reserve a masterclass, pleasedo not be late. Empty seats will be allocated on a stand-by basis by the ushers 5 minutes before class starts.
• Please don’t lose your glass! It’s yours to keep and replacements must be purchased for $10 apiece (or a box of 6 glasses for $50, for those looking to stock their home bar – cash sales only)
• Consult the event programme once you collect your glass and use it to help plan your evening… but keep in mind that Spirit of Toronto is all about new discoveries and serendipity. See you this Saturday!

CLICK HERE TO BUY TICKETS

The Queen’s Award for Enterprise: International Trade 2019

ONLINE SCOTCH WHISKY RETAILER, THEWHISKYBARREL.COM, IS HONOURED TO HAVE WON THE QUEEN’S AWARD FOR ENTERPRISE 2019.

A family run company in the Kingdom of Fife has been honoured with The Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade 2019.

TheWhiskyBarrel.com is one of 200 organisations nationally to be recognised with a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise. Announced today (Tuesday 23 April 2019) TheWhiskyBarrel.com has been recognised for its excellence in international trade.

TheWhiskyBarrel.com was established in 2007 and since then has gone from strength to strength and become a World-renowned online retailer of premium Scotch whisky. The company collaborates with independent whisky merchants and micro distillers to make Scotch whisky and single cask rum available to international customers, primarily in North America and Asia-Pacific.

Managing Director, Alastair Brown, said “we are delighted that the company has been recognised for its achievements in and contributions to international trade. Winning this award is a great boost for TheWhiskyBarrel.com as we continue to expand over the coming years.”

TheWhiskyBarrel.com continues to grow rapidly and to further develop its own range of original and exclusive cask bottlings.

Now in its 53rd year, the Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious business awards in the country, with winning businesses able to use the esteemed Queen’s Awards emblem for the next five years.

TheWhiskyBarrel.com will celebrate its award during a royal reception at Buckingham Palace for Queen’s Awards winners in the summer.

Applications for Queen’s Awards for Enterprise 2020 open on the 1st May 2019.

For more information, visit  https://www.gov.uk/queens-awards-for-enterprise.

NOTES

Please find images attached to this email for use.

Q) What is the Queen’s Award
A)  The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise are the most prestigious awards for UK businesses, recognising and celebrating business excellence across the UK. Winners have demonstrated outstanding success in their respective fields of innovation, international trade, sustainable development and promoting opportunity (through social mobility.)

Q) What is the name of the Award won by TheWhiskyBarrel.com?
A) Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade 2019.

Q) When will TheWhiskyBarrel.com receive the award?

A) The award will be presented to TheWhiskyBarrel.com by the Lord-Lieutenant of the County in the early summer. In addition, HRH The Prince of Wales will be hosting a Reception for The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise winners at Buckingham Palace in the summer.

TheWhiskyBarrel.com is a specialist online whisky and spirits merchant based in Fife, Scotland and was established in 2007. TheWhiskyBarrel.com won Whisky Magazine Online Retailer 2018 and was International Wine & Spirits Competition runner-up in 2016.

Read our Blog article about winning a Queen’s Award for Enterprise for International Trade 2019.

Wemyss Malts strikes gold at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2019!

THE SAN FRANCISCO WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION (SFWSC), founded in 2000, is one of the oldest competitions of its kind with medals from the competition being recognized globally as an indicator of the highest calibre of quality.

Judging of spirits that are entered into the SFWSC is done so blindly to ensure impartiality and the competition is held in high global regard due to the esteemed and seasoned spirits experts on the panel.

With the former in mind it is with great honour and pride that Wemyss Malts can announce that The Hive has achieved the massive honour of winning Best in Class against all other Blended Malt Scotch Whiskies that were judged.

Further credit was bestowed on The Hive and Spice King, two of our Core Range malt whiskies as they both won Double Gold Medals in this year’s Best Blended Malt Scotch Whisky category.

Wemyss Malts ranges of blended malt whiskies have now achieved over 80 medals and awards.

THE HIVE is a honey-sweet and fruity malt whisky that is made from a carefully sourced and blended selection of Lowland, Highland and Speyside whisky. This quality malt whisky now boasts several medals and awards since its release including 93/100 points awarded by the Ultimate Spirits Challenge and a gold medal for The Spirits Business Scotch Whisky Masters.

SPICE KING; a complex whisky made from multiple malts from across Scotland with a peppery and maritime flavour has also won many awards since its release including 93/100 points awarded by the Ultimate Spirits Challenge and a Gold Medal with Concours Mondial Bruxelles.

INVERURIE WHISKY SHOP NEWS

Only a few bottles left of these Limited Editions

Tomintoul Single Cask 2004

This limited edition single cask has been bottled at Cask Strength to retain the whiskies unique and natural characteristics and subtlety taste. This 2004-vintage Tomintoul has been aged exclusively in a single oloroso sherry butt for 13 years, before being bottled in September 2018, one of 858 bottles. Nose Butterscotch sweetness, nutty with hints of praline chocolate . Taste Sherry to the fore with nutty, vanilla and glaze fruit, with a lingering sherry finish.

TAKE A LOOK

Glencadam Single Cask 1998

This Limited Edition Single Cask whisky has been bottled at Cadk Strength to retain the whisky’s unique and natural characteristics and subtlety taste. This 19 year old was distilled in 1998 and matured in a Pedro Ximenez Sherry Butt, the Bottled at 54.2%ABV on September 2018. Numbered bottles of 643. Nose Notable Sherry wood influence with raisiny and Sherry balance. Taste. Peppery spice backed by sweet raisiny Sherry with a lingering mix of sewer and pepper finish.

TAKE A LOOK

Save over 20% with price drops across the store!

Now that Easter is out the way we’re on the home straight of the lead up to summer, and weather’s been nae bad either!

Treat yourself to a beautiful bottle to share with friends in the sunshine…

Next day UK delivery available
We ship all over the world

Glenrothes 12 Year Old

This 12-year-old expression from Speyside’s Glenrothes distillery has been matured exclusively in sherry-seasoned oak casks before bottling at 40% abv as part of the Soleo Collection.

Nose: vanilla sponge and baked pears.

Palate: sweet and smooth with some orange zest and oak shavings.

Finish: drying with a touch of spice.

70cl / 40% abv

Was £45.00

Save 11%

NOW £39.95
BUY HERE

Balvenie 12 Year Old DoubleWood

A very highly regarded malt, matured primarily in bourbon casks and then transferred to sherry for polishing. Delightfully complex.

Nose: sherried trifle, apple blossom, honeycomb and fudge.

Palate: mellow, macademia nuts and cinnamon, sherried fruits and oranges.

Finish: long and warming with continuing fruity notes.

70cl / 40% abv

Was £40.00

Save 13%

NOW £34.95
BUY HERE

Laproaig Lore

It’s no secret that we love Laphroaig and when their latest premium release sample arrived at our door steps we were falling over ourselves to grab the first taste. Packed with that peat and smoke combination which comes as no surprise, however there is more; A rich and complex sweetness engulfs this dram in a way we haven’t seen from Laphroaig! This is a great whisky!

Rich and deep with distinctive smoke, peat and seaside minerality – this expression is unmistakably Laphroaig. This is a result of liquid being drawn from a selection of casks including first fill sherry butts, smaller quarter casks and their most precious stock capturing the timeless passion and very essence of the Laphroaig Distillery.

70cl / 48% abv

Was £89.00

Save 28%

NOW £63.90
BUY HERE

Highland Park 30 Year Old

This 30 year old expression is the second oldest in Highland Park’s range, and was released in 2013. A complex and award winning malt, that tops the bucket list of many whisky enthusiasts!

Nose: sweet festive spices fill the air with the darkest of chocolates accompanying them. Perfumed oaky notes also make an appearance.

Palate: full and juicy blood orange flavours dance across the tip of the palate before yielding to rich toffee and chocolate, all enjoyed with a rich peaty note in the background.

Finish: long, rich and smoky.

70cl / 45.7% abv

Was £650.00

Save 18%

NOW £529.95
BUY HERE

GlenDronach Parliament 21 Year Old

Named after the group of Ravens that live in the trees surrounding the distillery.  The story goes that the Ravens helped to warn the workers when the excise man was coming.

Nose: robust sherry soaked fruitcake, with hints of delicate wood smoke.

Palate: rich, dark fruits with rum and raisin fudge. A beautiful balance of rich and powerful flavours. Dark and viscous mouth feel.

Finish: rich and long with a half imagined wisp of smoke.

70cl / 48% abv

Was £124.00

Save 23%

NOW £95.00
BUY HERE

Macallan 12 Year Old Sherry Oak

This is the modern interpretation of the Macallan style for which the distillery is so well known – refined, rich, and rounded with plenty of sherry cask influence. Very definitely a dram to be enjoyed with friends.

Nose: fresh fruit salad, charming cloves

Palate: dark fruit, Christmas cake, rich almonds

Finish: stewed Apples and the sweetest prunes

70cl / 40% abv

Was £75.00

Save 8%

NOW £68.95
BUY HERE

Don’t miss out on these beautful, rare treasures

Here at The Whisky Shop we pride ourselves on being able to provide you with some of the rarest and most sought after whiskies in the world.

Take a look at some of our most popular rare expressions that we’ve just got back in stock.

Orders shipped worldwide 

Yamazaki

Yamazaki is Suntory’s flagship single malt. The surprising, delicate yet profound experience of a Japanese single malt was born at Yamazaki. Spiritual and deep, its signature multi-layered taste is highly praised by whisky connoisseurs all over the world. Today, Yamazaki is not only the No.1 single malt whisky in Japan, but is enjoyed in more than thirty-five countries.

Yamazaki 12 Year Old

Yamazaki 12 Year Old is a fantastic way to get into Japanese whisky, but is also enjoyed by veterans of the whisky world. A beautifully smooth whisky, this expression is succulent, multi-layered with soft fruit and and the unique Mizunara (Japanese oak) aroma.

70cl / 43% abv

£185.00 – Buy Now

Yamazaki 18 Year Old

Being one of Suntory’s most popular expressions Yamazaki 18 Year Old has won countless awards. And it’s easy to understand why. This is a real staple Japanese whisky and one of the finest whiskies out there. Many a collector would love to have this. This 18 Year Old is rich with mature autumn fruit with a slightly smoky profile.

70cl / 43% abv

£695.00 – Buy Now

Yamazaki 35 Year Old

Yamazaki is the oldest whisky distillery in Japan, having been established in 1923 by Shinjiro Torii, the father of Japanese whisky. With the distillery nearing its centenary year, the whisky has long held a place in the hearts and glasses of connoisseurs around the world. This 35-year-old expression is one of the oldest whiskies Yamazaki has ever created, crafted with liquid distilled in 1966 and 1970. Matured in special 90 litre second-fill Spanish sherry oak cask before bottling in 2006, this incredibly rare whisky is presented in a stunning hardwood case.

70cl / 43% abv

£84,995.00 – Buy Now

Hibiki

Priding themselves on creating blends that see innumerous malt and grain whiskies which are “meticulously blended to create a full orchestra of flavors and aromas”, there’s something special about Hibiki. Hibiki Whisky is Japan’s most highly awarded blended whisky and has won accolades worldwide.

Hibiki 17 Year Old

A world famous Japanese blend, made with aged malt and grain whiskies from all of Suntory’s distilleries. A rich and sweet masterpiece! The Hibiki 17 year old is the winner of many whisky awards including the World Whiskies Awards 2012 for Best Japanese Blend 13 to 20 years.

£560.00 – Buy Now

Hibiki 21 Year Old

In Hibiki 21 year old, numerous pure single malt whiskies aged in a variety of cask types, including Mizunara, a very rare Japanese oak, all combine to create a full orchestra of flavours and aromas and tenderly unfold a calm essence.

70cl / 43% abv

£750.00 – Buy Now

Orders shipped worldwide