We’re excited to share two new additions to our Chapter 7 selection! 

ALLT-A BHAINNE and AULTMORE 9yrs

ALLT-A BHAINNE 9 YEARS OLD

RRP: $64.99
60.7% alc.

This single cask was distilled at Allt-A-Bhainne distillery in Speyside on 04.08.2008 and bottled on 04.09.2017 at cask strength, without chill-filtering to keep the quality of the whisky untouched. The cask was finished in a first fill bourbon hogshead to give more depth to its character.

AULTMORE 9 YEAR OLD

RRP: $69.99
62.2% alc.

This single cask was distilled at Aultmore distillery in Speyside on 03.04.2008 and bottled on 04.09.2017 at cask strength, without chill-filtering, to keep the quality of the whisky untouched. The cask was finished in a first fill oloroso sherry cask to give more depth to its character.

And now, about the brand…

The premise of Chapter 7 is simple – each cask of whisky is unique, and each one tells a story. The wood, age, temperature, location in the warehouse… Everything makes a difference. Two casks of a distillery filled at the same time and sitting next to each other can taste different. This is why bigger single malt brands marry casks in large vats so that the master blender can try to make the taste of the brand consistent.

Chapter 7, a Swiss brand, is the brain-child of Selim Evin. He is a world-traveling entrepreneur living in Switzerland who was inspired by his Scottish grandfather’s passion for whisky. Selim thinks that each cask should remain singular to tell its own unique story. He was taught at an early age that casks are not just vessels but they give the whisky its character and soul. So he travels to Scotland and Ireland to hand-select single casks from different distilleries. Then he custom bottles each one with its own story. Chapter 7 editions are bottled at cask strength and are non-chill-filtered to present the characteristics of the whisky untouched. It is more than a business, it is a passion.

Chapter 7’s minimalist and natural design and packaging texture attracts a trendy and younger consumer profile with design awareness. Gift buyers that represent a large proportion of whisky buyers are attracted by the minimalist design and exclusivity. Each cask is chosen by whisky connoisseurs from the trade. Some casks are from distilleries that do not have their own distillery bottlings hence are interesting as collectables. Each bottle is hand-numbered to offer personalization.

“This photo evokes memories of days gone by. Studious men seeking knowledge amongst the chaos. Much like the Malt Masters of old learning their art in the pursuit of whisky greatness, When I raise a dram, I like to think of all great men who have been involved in crafting it. From the cooper to the Malt Master and everyone in between. Slainte.” – Selim Evin

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

GlenDronach Allardice

The mighty Allardice from GlenDronach returns to our start of year #whiskysale!

Limited stock available at this amazingly good price! The latest batch we have in stock was bottled in 2018.

ORDER NOW

View all whisky sale items! 

Ardbeg “An Oa” Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

SKU #132309993 points Whisky Advocate

$59.99

 Ardbeg doles out occasional limited releases for their avid fans, but for nearly a decade the core range consisted of just three whiskies: 10 year old, Uigeadail, and Corryvreckan. The addition of An Oa, matured in a combination of virgin oak, Pedro Ximénez sherry, and bourbon barrels, and married in a French oak ‘gathering vat’ prior to bottling, marks a reason to celebrate. An Oa is a more approachable Ardbeg. It lacks some of the typical oiliness, but flavor and complexity abound with hot peat, black tea, and peppery cloves. Die-hard Ardbeg fans should have no complaints, and new converts have a real treat in store. *Top 20 Whiskies of 2017* (GS)  (12/2017)

K&L Notes

For the first time in a long time, we’ve got a permanent new member of the Ardbeg portfolio to tell you about. This isn’t some new committee release or another $100+ bottle of limited edition, space-themed, gimmick-oriented Islay malt. This is the new “An Oa,” a reasonably-priced and absolutely delicious new addition to the trio of 10 year, Uigeadail, and Corryvreckan that not only brings value back into the LVMH peated empire, but also serious flavor and enjoyment. Believe it or not, it’s not always easy to enjoy a bottle of whisky when it costs you three figures, you can only buy a limit of one bottle, and you’re scared to drink each sip for fear you’ll never be able to replace the experience. With the An Oa, Ardbeg is bringing not only functionality back to their core range, they’re bringing fun and flavor, to boot. The distillery’s notes: “A welcome new addition to the Ultimate range. Ardbeg An Oa is singularly rounded, due in no small part to time spent in our newly established bespoke oak Gathering Vat where whiskies from several cask types – including; sweet Pedro Ximenez; spicy virgin charred oak; and intense ex-bourbon casks, amongst others – familiarise themselves with each other. The result is a dram with smoky power, mellowed by a delectable, smooth sweetness. Hallmark Ardbeg peat, dark chocolate and aniseed are wrapped in smooth, silky butterscotch, black pepper and clove, before rising to an intense crescendo of flavour.”

SPIRIT BEGINS TO FLOW AT GLENWYVIS DISTILLERY
TO CELEBRATE BURNS DAY 2018 

The team at GlenWyvis was celebrating this week as distillation commenced at the world’s first 100% community-owned distillery. On Burns Day, 25^th January 2018, the GlenWyvis master distiller, Duncan Tait, announced this final memorable milestone in the journey to bring distilling back to Dingwall after almost a century.

GlenWyvis, which is entirely powered by sustainable energy, sits high on a hill overlooking the historic town. Established as a Community Benefit Society, the distillery aims to take a lead role in the regeneration of Dingwall and the wider community. And with gin distillation moving to the site in the Spring, GlenWyvis is set to be one of a few dual whisky and gin producers in Scotland – as it seeks to offer something truly innovative and different in the burgeoning Scottish drinks market.

David O’Connor, chairman of the distillery board, said: “Duncan and the distillery team have been busy behind the scenes since the official opening of the distillery on the 30^th of November. The results of their endeavours are now there for everyone to see. It is a truly historic day for the town and the distillery, and we have the casks onsite ready to fill with spirit that we believe will make GlenWyvis a name to reckon with in the whisky world.”

John McKenzie, founder and managing director, added: “Duncan and myself always had the 25^th of January as a target date, not just because it’s my own birthday, but because it’s the day we celebrate one of Scotland’s greatest icons, Robert Burns. The GlenWyvis connection with Burns – through the old Ferintosh Distillery that once operated just outside Dingwall, and which Burns lamented the loss of in his poem Scotch Drink – made today a fitting date to bring whisky distilling back to Dingwall.

“As a Community Benefit Society, thousands of people have come together to help build this distillery, and, in turn, this will help with regenerating the town, creating jobs, and, of course long-term, we will also see the profits being passed onto other worthwhile community projects both locally and further afield. With our first whisky now laid down, we must look to maximise the benefit to the town from visitors. Tourism, renewable energy, and food and drink – these are three huge things in Scotland – and a distillery that is 100% powered by green energy ticks all three.”

Meanwhile, GlenWyvis continues to reap national and international recognition. The latest addition to a number of high profiles features sees the release of a short film from Co-operatives UK that looks at the ethos driving the GlenWyvis projects. The film can be seen here – and its release also coincides with a further surge of investment from new members seeking to secure part-ownership of a distillery – with over £450,000 now invested in the GlenWyvis second open share offer.

Notes

Duncan Tait, Distillery Manager, Biography

Duncan has worked for Diageo across all aspects of distillery and distilling management with an impressive track-record over 26 years in the industry. Working mainly in Speyside – but also with distillery experience in the Lothians and on the West Coast – he is moving from his current role as distillery manager at Mortlach Distillery.

He brings with him an impressive knowledge of all aspects of distillery, production development and retail management including overseeing the upgrade and expansion work of numerous distilleries. In addition, he has a wealth of Scottish tourism, event management and heritage experience and has worked with many international visitors and markets.

Second Share offer investment

The GlenWyvis second open share offer has brought that total number of investors in the distillery to over 3,400 – with some 830 new members investing more than £450,000 since 3^rd August 2017. The share issue was launched to capitalise on continued investment interest from locals and visitors alike. The minimum investment is £250, and supporters are also able pay extra to have their name added to the distillery wall.

Full details of the open share offer are on the GlenWyvis Distillery website at www.glenwyvis.com

Investment can be made online via www.crowdfunder.co.uk or www.glenwyvis.com

Saturday, January 27th

2:30-5:30 PM

Glenlivet

“The Single Malt that Started it All,” Glenlivet distillery was founded in 1824 in Moray, Scotland- and has operated almost continuously since. Guests will be treated to a selection of award-winning drams, with distillery representatives and whisky experts present throughout.

Pourlist to be revealed as event approaches – RSVP to find out soonest.

Click Here to RSVP

THE WHISKY EXCHANGE;

Glenglassaugh: Revival, Evolution and a new chapter

When it comes to revivals, Glenglassaugh has had one of the more impressive crawls back from the dead in recent years. A decade of stuttering resurrection has been rewarded with the dawning of a new era for the distillery, with a future that’s still to be decided.

The distillery is a few miles to the east of the Highland/Speyside border, on the coast at Sandend. Rather than the more maritime spirits that many coastal distilleries produce, Glenglassaugh focuses on old-school fruity flavours. While that fruitiness is reminiscent of sister distillery Benriach‘s famous character, Glenglassaugh has a more modern feel – it may be more than 140 years old, but the distillery’s current incarnation is much more recent.

In the beginning…

A hodge podge of architectural styles, expanded over more than 100 years

While Glenglassaugh opened in 1873, it’s seen extensive rebuilding over the years and the current distillery only settled down into its current state in the 1960s. A casualty of the industry downturn of the 1980s, it was mothballed in 1986 and it looked like the end was in sight. For 22 years, the distillery sat silent, but in 2008, the current chapter begun.

A new challenger

It started with an investment group, which bought the distillery, refurbished it and started production again. With a minimum of three years to wait before the spirit could be called whisky, the distillery released old stock as well as some youthful spirits to raise capital – the older releases remain legendary, while the younger are a curiosity that are well worth trying.

Eventually, in 2011, a whisky appeared – Revival, the first spirit to be distilled at Glenglassaugh in more than 25 years. It wasn’t enough to keep things going, however, and in 2013 a seasoned player stepped in: The Benriach Company.

The Benriach Company

Former Burns Stewart director Billy Walker had struck out on his own in 2004, leading a group that bought Benriach distillery. In 2008, he added Glendronach to the company’s portfolio and by 2013 he was looking for a third distillery. Glenglassaugh was the perfect fit.

While reviving Benriach and Glendronach had given the company experience with creating ranges that relied on spirit distilled before they took over, Glenglassaugh gave them a unique challenge – no whisky at all between five and 27 years old. They rose to the challenge, launching Evolution, a whisky vatted from bourbon casks distilled since the reopening, and a a 30-year-old, drawing on the extensive stocks in the warehouses.

Brown-Forman

It looked set to continue, with Benriach and Glendronach taking the limelight, and Glenglassaugh slowly building up its stocks, now including peated whisky, released as Torfa. But in 2016, things changed again – The Benriach Company was bought by Brown-Forman, the American distillers best known for producing Jack Daniel’s.

Rachel Barrie, contemplating whisky and the meaning of life. while trying not to fall out of a boat

Billy Walker was replaced by experienced master blender Rachel Barrie, known for her work with Glenmorangie and Ardbeg, as well as more recently curating the ranges at Auchentoshan, Glen Garioch and Bowmore. With production now settled after 10 years of distillation and the core range of whiskies tasting better than ever, Rachel has arrived ready to push the distillery into the next era of its development.

The range

It all starts with fruity new-make spirit – it’s packed with estery fruit – pear drops and Fruit Salad chews – as well as a touch of farmyard funkiness. The Revival, bottled at around three years old, takes that fruitiness and adds in layers of sherry-cask spice, thanks to a short finish before bottling. The result is a whisky that has changed a lot since its initial release, now showing that young whisky doesn’t need to be run through with peat to taste good.

Spirit running from the Glenglassaugh stills

Like many distilleries across Scotland, Glenglassaugh has been making smoky whisky alongside its more traditional unpeated output. This has resulted in Torfa, which allies the Revival’s combination of fresh fruit and sherry spice with smouldering peat and singed citrus. Again, it’s a youthful dram, but zesty and full of life – another whisky that has developed since its first appearance on the market.

The present

For the past few years, the distillery’s focus has been on its whiskies produced since reopening, but the warehouses are far from bare – while there’s a two-decade gap after 1986, there’s still a lot of whisky from before then, and it’s still tasting excellent. I look forward to seeing what the new owners decide to do with this nest egg.

The latest arrivals from Glenglassaugh – a range of four cask finishes

While Benriach and Glendronach have continued as before, it’s Glenglassaugh which has received the most attention since Brown-Forman arrived on the scene, with four new releases arriving at the end of 2016. Focusing on more mature spirit, peated virgin oak and unpeated Pedro Ximénez finishes are joined by both peated and unpeated port-finished whiskies, giving a hint as to what Glenglassaugh has hiding in its warehouses and maybe what might appear in the future.

With Rachel Barrie taking up the blending reins and supported by an experienced team at the distillery, the next few years should be interesting. With the 10th anniversary of the stills restarting popping up later this year, we will hopefully see more from Glenglassaugh even sooner.

Russell’s Reserve K&L Single Barrel #998 Kentucky Bourbon (750ml)

If you’ve ever dipped your nose into a box of cinnamon red hots and inhaled all that sweetly-spiced goodness, then consider yourself well prepared for our latest single barrel (#998) from Wild Turkey Distillery, the spiritual home of fine Kentucky Bourbon. We rummaged through the warehouses with both Jimmy and Eddy Russell to dig out this concentrated cask and there was a unanimous sense of awe in the room after we tapped this particular barrel. Originally filled in October of 2008, we bottled this baby right after its 9th birthday, right about the time Jimmy Russell believes these Wild Turkey whiskies show their best. Emptied at 118.4 proof, everything about this whiskey showcases the textbook and trademark characteristics of the distillery style: loads of baking spices, vibrant oak tannins, creamy corn, and a finish of both savory pepper and sweet vanilla. Getting to select a barrel like this with the father and son duo is about as fun as our job gets-if you don’t count the part where we actually get to drink it. Only 120 bottles from this tiny, concentrated cask.

$59.99

Product Reviews:

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 1/11/2018 
Eddy, Jimmy, and I dug through about ten barrels to reach this cask, #998, located in the heart of the H warehouse at Wild Turkey. When it comes to the Kickin’ Chicken, I’m not looking to reinvent the wheel. I’m not searching for the anomaly or the unique gem that stands in contrast to what made Russell’s Reserve famous. I wanted classic, true to form Bourbon that tastes like vintage Wild Turkey and that’s exactly what I got from this 9 year old single cask. Everything in harmony, just dialed up in proof. Vanilla, oak, creamy corn, and that youthful vigor that pops on your palate like a bag full of cinnamon candy. Jimmy Russell doesn’t like any Bourbon older than 10 years old, which I think is awesome. I’m trying to be more like him, so with this cask I relied completely on his guidance.

By: Gary Westby | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 1/11/2018 
I love this whiskey! The feral rye character of this Bourbon marries perfectly with corn richness and fabulous new American oak vanilla roundness. The Russell’s have another winner with this big, 110 proof whiskey. Our stocks of this are limited, so I better buy my bottle of this single barrel stuff now.

Thursday, January 25th 5-7PM

Bourbon Tasting: Smooth Ambler

Hailing from West Virginia, Appalachia distillery Smooth Ambler is a world-class spirit crafter. From grinding their own carefully selected regional grains, to labeling and signing each bottle, Smooth Ambler does everything by hand, the old-fashioned way. Their signature bourbon, Contradiction, has been highly praised by mixologists and bourbon fans alike, scoring 96 points in the 2017 American Bourbon category for The Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

We’ll be pouring a variety of favorites and new releases, presented by distillery representatives and our own in-store whiskey experts.

 Click Here to RSVP

Ralfy travels across the Irish Sea for Ralfy Review 710 – Dunvilles PX 10yo @ 46%vol.

GlenDronach 18 Year Old 2018

Bottled January 2018. A Whisky Barrel favourite from the Highland distillery matured in the finest Oloroso sherry casks. Shhh.. the price is increasing significantly very soon… stock up now while you can! Sweet aromatics of fudge and muscovado sugar. Fruit compote and glacier morello cherries provide added complexity. On the palate remarkable flavours of stewed fruits and all-spice marry together with classical aged Oloroso and toasted walnut bread and chocolate orange. Glendronach  Distillery was established north east of Huntley in the Highland whiskey region by James Allardice in 1826. The malting floors at Glendronach Distillery closed in 1996 and it was the last distillery in Scotland to heat its stills directly with flames from a coal-fired furnace, until it had to comply with new regulations in 2005. Glendronach Distillery is resplendent with a traditional cask iron mash tun, wooden washbacks, four stills. Famous for its well-aged and top quality sherried single malt, for example Glendronach 21 Year Old Parliament, and single cask releases. The distillery is now owned by Brown Forman of America.

Buy – £76.72