2017

AT THE WHISKY EXCHANGE

We take a look back over the past 12 months at The Whisky Exchange – a year filled with wonderful whiskies, celebrity guests and sold-out events. Here are our highlights of 2017.

2017 In Numbers
5,000 NEW PRODUCTS

We added a whopping 5,000 new products to our website in 2017, covering all manner of things, as well as hundreds of delicious new whiskies.

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2017 In Numbers
4,750 GUESTS

As well as our two Whisky Shows, we also invite our customers to join us for our regular shop tastings in London. We’re delighted that so many of you – nearly 5,000, in fact – took the time to attend our special events in 2017.

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2017 In Numbers
7,500 CUSTOMER REVIEWS

We’re always keen to know what you think of the products we sell, especially as it helps our customers make choosing what to buy even easier.

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2017 In Numbers
101,937 VIEWS

We were the first to bring you the results from Jim Murray’s latest Whisky Bible, and with Jim’s forthright views on the world of whisky, it’s no surprise that this blog post was by far our most popular of the past 12 months.

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2017 In Numbers
1,112 LIKES

2017 saw a host of diverse photos on our Instagram page; our most-liked image was this shot of our extensive old and rare whisky range in our Covent Garden shop.

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2017 In Numbers
5,637 VIEWS

Our most popular YouTube video of the year was launched just before Father’s Day, when we asked members of the public to pronounce various whisky distilleries – with varying degrees of success!

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2017 In Numbers
SIX-STAR WHISKY REVIEW

‘This, to me, is the most astonishing whisky ever. It ticks all the boxes. I’ve tried the American Wood, the Three Wood, but this is absolutely remarkable. A true 6-star whisky’ – totters

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SEE YOU NEXT MONTH

Next month, we’ll look back on how we welcomed in the New Year, and we’ll share our head buyer Dawn’s hot tips for 2018. Thank you for your support and here’s to a great 2018!

THE WHISKY EXCHANGE TEAM

Lagavulin 8 Year Old Limited Edition Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) SKU #1267217

Whisky Advocate

Light in color it may be, but this is no wimp. The nose goes straight to the shore with mineral and salt, but it’s also sweet, which allows it to be fresh, lively, yet balanced. The palate delivers some menthol, bay laurel, more brininess, a hint of malt, and Parma violet. Everything remains very breezy, with peat smoke being blown from a kiln into salt-laden air. I prefer it to the 12 year old and the price is fantastic. (Summer 2016, Dave Broom)

K&L Notes

The 200th anniversary bottling of Lagavulin is finally here! A limited edition eight year old single malt whisky that packs all the peat, smoke, salt, and classic Islay flavor of the beloved distillery into a younger, brighter, more assertive expression. Sure to sell fast and sure to be one of the more popular whiskies we sell this year! The special edition celebrates a visit to the distillery be Alfred Banard (author of the classic “The Whisky Distilleries of Scotland”), where he recollected tasting a delicious eight year expression.

$59.99

The Whisky Exchange – Our Highlights of 2017

As we head into 2018, it’s time to look back at some of the best bits of the past 12 months. The Whisky Exchange blog team has chosen its favourite moments of 2017, including memorable whiskies, fact-finding trips and interesting encounters. We’ll see you in 2018…

Stuart

The year started well – I interviewed someone I had wanted to speak to for some time: Jim Murray. He didn’t disappoint: he talked about his career, how he fell in love with whisky and the lengths he goes to when it comes to tasting for his annual Whisky Bible.

Another highlight was travelling to Ireland to find out about a new project from Irish Distillers: Method and Madness. The concept is intriguing: classic styles of Irish whiskey given a twist with unusual types of cask, and a meeting of minds between the traditional whiskey-makers and their creative apprentices. My favourite was the single pot still bottling, aged in a combination of bourbon, sherry and chestnut oak, giving a rich, spicy character.

And at this year’s Whisky Show, I got the chance to try several examples from a category that had slipped under my radar: English whisky. First up was The Norfolk Farmers Single Grain from The English Whisky Company, a blend of eight types of grain. What flavour! Layers of rich, spicy apple pie dusted with cinnamon and with sweet notes of toffee and vanilla.

Next up was the inaugural release from The Cotswolds Distillery. Again, considering the youth of the whisky (three years old, so the bare minimum), this delivered bags of flavour: rich fruit and spice, toasty oak and candied orange peel. I am now an English-whisky convert, and it’s worth remembering (to those who still care) that both of these are not only NAS (non-age-statement) whiskies, but are also very young. If you’ve not tried English whisky, I urge you to give it a go.

Billy

This year’s gone rather well: I’ve drunk lots of nice things and managed to get around and see some interesting stuff.

Dornoch Distillery has a compact set-up: mash tun, hot water tank, iStill, condenser, spirits receivers (aka metal drums) stills and washbacks (more in the attic)

My first highlight of the year has been watching the growth of Dornoch Distillery. It fired up the stills for the first time earlier this year, and since then brothers Simon and Phil Thompson, along with distiller Jacob Crisp, have been working hard to perfect their gin recipe and fill a load of casks with spirit that will one day become whisky.

I visited in July and spent a day putting the caps on bottles, lugging bags of grain, pumping out pot ale, lugging bags of draff and, as the sun set, watching the distillery’s second-ever run of whisky spirit slowly come to an end.

My second highlight was more recent and happened closer to home: I met Fladgate Partnership winemaker David Guimarens at a tasting in our Covent Garden shop – you can read about it here: Port and Whisky. I’ve been a big port fan for years, but recently I’ve found my interest waning. Ten minutes in David’s company and not only am I a cheerleader for Portugal’s finest export again, but I now want to investigate the world of vintage port, having previously stuck with tawny and colheita.

Next year is a big birthday for me, and by complete chance I’ve acquired a Fonseca Guimaraens 1978 vintage port for celebratory drinking. It was put together by David’s father – the legendary Bruce Guimaraens – and I look forward to trying his handiwork.

caroline

I’ve been reliably informed that joining The Whisky Exchange team was the highlight of my year, so that’s that sorted…there have, however, been quite a few other moments since that point which have been almost – almost – as momentous as coming to work with Stuart and Billy (OK, that’s quite enough sarcasm – Ed).

My other highlight was attending a ladies’ night session, also at the shop, which examined the similarities between smoky whiskies and mezcals. The idea of women-only whisky tastings had filled me with horror, but it was a brilliant, in-depth and decidedly unpatronising evening that was exactly the same as any other tasting session, just with much fewer Y chromosomes. We tried some stunning mezcals that night, but for me the standout drink of the evening was Port Askaig 100° Proof – so much so that I’ve kept a bottle in my drinks cabinet ever since (it’s also much more affordable than the P2).

£1,248.00 Incl. VAT 

Macallan 28 Year Old – 1989 Cask 1047 Legends Collection

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Hart Brothers

COMING SOON

 ONLINE INTRODUCTION TO WHISKY CERTIFICATE

As we come to the end of our second year, we wanted to share some exciting news with you.  In January 2018, we will be expanding the Academy with the introduction of a brand new, accredited Online Introduction to Whisky Certificate.

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This is an online learning journey into the fundamentals of whisky. With access to insight and knowledge from leading industry experts – online, in your own time, where and when suits you.  The modules covered include: The Story of Whisky; Whisky Today; What Makes Whisky; How Whisky Is Made; Why Wood And Time Are so Important and The Final Product.

Accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority, our Online Introduction to Whisky Certificate requires around ten hours of online study, this is a great way to access excellent materials and expertise to enhance your own knowledge, or those in your business.

CLAIM YOUR 10% VOUCHER CODE

To claim this discount please click on the link below and fill out your details to receive your voucher code.

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2017 has been a great year for the Academy, thank you for your continued support.  We are looking forward to launching further courses in 2018 and continuing our journey of improving whisky education standards globally. We wish you and your loved ones all the very best for 2018!

Edinburgh Whisky Academy 

https://youtu.be/j6ZkqayNF2o

Octomore! The biggest, the peatiest, the most exciting, perhaps?  Welcome to the 8th season in this phenomenal run of experimental and diverse styles from the punk rock innovators, Bruichladdich. At a rather unusual age of 8, this whisky is show casing a few more delicate and balanced sides to what Octomore can do and indeed what can be done with it. A big hit of smoke and peat is what you expect, but hidden underneath it’s machismo and unparalleled power is a delicate hit of sweet and spirit-y styles. White chocolate, tequila, caster sugar and lighter, summer citrus notes of lemon and apple. There’s nothing to dislike about this whisky, it’s just a little beauty and if you view yourself as peat freak, get your gums around this thing and report back to me! Cheers.

Check Out These Amazing Awards!!

2017 was a bountiful year with regards to awards and medals for the ImpEx family. We are truly blessed and grateful for these gifts, and we hope you got a chance to enjoy them with us!

Check out some of the highlights below:

Port Askaig received the highest honors – 5 Stars from Paul Pacult’s Spirit Journal! This is a huge deal as he’s one of the toughest critics around!

Tamdhu 10 picked up a Double Gold medal from The Fifty Best! This is a huge honor and continues to show what a fantastic ongoing expression this is.

Last but certainly not least, Exclusive Malts Irish ’03 13yr made it to Whisky Advocate’s Top 10 Winter 2017 Buying Guide! They are very selective when it comes to their recommendations, and they chose well.

And since it’s not too late to get a New Year’s gift, you can still pick this one up for your favorite Irish whiskey lover!

This gorgeous whiskey has taken on a lot of sherry character from the refill sherry hogshead: cherry, prune, chocolate orange, baked pineapple chunks, and toasted spice. A good weighty structure boasting deep citrus intensity, with ginger and pepper snapping at its heels; a sensation only intensified with water. Lush fruits, butterscotch, and milk chocolate, with a finish of lively spices, stone fruits, and zesty orange muffins. (276 bottles) —Jonny McCormick

Lastly, we want to thank you all for being part of our family and partaking in this celebration with us.

We look forward to what 2018 will bring us!

Happy New Year!

Please feel free to reach out for more details on the bottlings: office@impexbev.com

Bowmore 26 Year Old Càrn Mòr Bequest – Chairman’s Legacy

Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Carn Mor

Upcoming Tastings Calendar

Follow The Whisky Shop on Facebook for up-to-date information 

Saturday, January 6th:

Balcones Bourbon

Friday, January 19th:

Scotch Tasting: Glen Scotia & Loch Lomond

Saturday, January 20th:

Scotch Tasting: Abelour

Saturday, January 27th:

Scotch Tasting: Glenlivet

Saturday, February 3rd:

Balcones Bourbon