KWM Whisky Advent Day 11 – Shelter Point Single Malt

When Shelter Point whisky burst on to the scene with their Inaugural Run Single Malt last year, they took Canada by storm. At least Western Canada. We all knew it was coming, the first of the wave of BC Craft Distilleries to get a mature whisky to market. The Inaugural Run Single Malt, and the follow up, the Shelter Point Distiller’s Select Cask Strength (a single malt/rye hybrid) were both very well received. Shelter Point actually out sold Crown Royal Norther Harvest Rye, at least in our shop. This fall they have released two very interesting new releases: Shelter Point French Oak Finish and the Shelter Point Single Grain Montfort Lot DL 141.

Shelter Point Distillery was founded by Patrick Evans in 2011 in Oyster River BC. The distillery and the farm it sits on are located half way up the eastern coast of Vancouver Island. Patrick is a third generation farmer in the Comox valley, his family having been early pioneers in the area around the turn of the 20^th Century. In 2005 Patrick and his family bought a University of British Columbia research farm that was once owned by his father. The farm sits on fertile land, ideal for the growing of barley, and atop a large natural aquifer.

The farm covers 380 acres with 2 kilometers of oceanfront. The farm is run in as sustainable a manner as possible. In the Distillery’s Words: “We do not plow or cultivate the soils. Instead, we use a heavy-duty grain seeder that cuts through the previous year’s stubble, opening up the ground with a round disc and allowing new seed to be dropped in the soil and then covered for germination. We over-seed harvested fields with winter wheat, rye or winter peas to increase the organic matter in the soil and rebuild the soil naturally. This action also benefits the many visiting waterfowl who overwinter on the farm, and minimizes the potential of soil erosion during winter rains. On some fields, we also apply a heavy spring application of compost or manure.”

In 2009 when the decision was made to open a distillery, Patrick wanted to make sure they did things right. With the help of some Scottish investors and the Diageo veteran Mike Nicholson, a Vancouver Island transplant the distillery construction was completed in 2010, with the first distillation taking place in the spring of 2011 with barley grown on the farm. The distillery produced a range of vodkas and liqueurs while the early casks of whisky lay sleeping.

Shelter Point’s first single malt, the aforementioned Inaugural Run Single Malt, was released in May of 2016. We had early exclusivity on the product and were very impressed by its quality. Subsequent releases have not disappointed.

Shelter Point Single Malt – 46% – Matured in American Oak – Andrew’s Tasting Note: Nose: fresh, toasty and honeyed; a touch of sour orange opens into oatmeal-raisin cookies right out of the over and corn syrup; a touch vegetal and quite malty with aloe-like oils. Palate: still fresh, malty and honeyed; the corn syrup is still there with some simple syrup and melons; the orange note is drying with some Demerara sugar and Russian coffee dregs; still vegetal and floral with loads of toasty oak; the oatmeal-raisin cookies are still there, right out of the oven… not enough raisins though! Finish: clean, crisp and toasty; more malty tones, sugars and honey with a floral finale. Comment: more mature by a hair than the first release; further proof that they are on the right track! – $87 per 750ml or $12 per 50ml

Ralfy gets comfortable with Ralfy Review 703 – Balblair ’03 vintage 12yo @ 46%vol

KWM Whisky Advent Day 10 – Glenfiddich 15 Year Solera Reserve

Before we dig into today’s Advent whisky, I have a confession to make. Until earlier this year I had written off Glenfiddich as a little boring, washed up, and increasingly irrelevant. Glenfiddich is the world’s bestselling single malt. One statistic claims that it accounts for 35% off all global single malt sales. That figure seems suspiciously high, but the point remains, Glenfiddich is huge, dominant and ubiquitous. A couple visits to the distillery in the last 8 months and several tastings of the whisky later am willing to admit I was wrong. I was too critical and dismissive of Glenfiddich, and not open to the possibility that their whisky could still be interesting and exciting.

William Grant & Sons, the parent company of Glenfiddich, and also owners of The Balvenie, is huge. On a tour a number of years ago I was given a figure for the volume of whisky they had maturing at their principal site in Dufftown. It was and still is a staggering amount, I did some quick math in my head, comparing it to then Scotland’s smallest distillery Edradour. At the time Edradour’s production was around 100,000L a year. It would have taken Edradour nearly 1500 years running flat out to produce the volume of whisky in William Grant’s warehouses.

Glenfiddich, which means “valley of the dear” was founded in 1886 in the town of Dufftown. Scotland was in the midst of a massive boom in distilling due to the surge of interest in Blended Scotch whisky. The distillery was built by hand by William Grant and his family (seven sons and two daughters) in the glen of the River Fiddich. Spirit ran off the stills for the first time on Christmas Day 1887. Business was so good that just a few short years later in 1892 the family opened their second distillery, Balvenie, just a few hundred meters away.

In 1898 Pattison Elder & Co., William Grant’s largest customer (also that of many other distilleries), filed for bankruptcy. It was the first domino is a massive collapse that knocked the industry on its knees. Many distilleries and whisky companies in turn went bankrupt as a result, but William Grant & Sons held fast. They saw an opportunity to produce and sell their own blends like the appropriately named Standfast. The prohibition era was a difficult time for the Scotch whisky industry, by the turn of the 1930s there were less than a dozen distilleries still operating in Scotland. William Grant & Son’s saw an opportunity. The Depression would eventually end, and then there would be a mad scramble to make more whisky, which would take years to mature. So during the Great Depression William Grant & Sons increased production to position themselves to supply future demand. It was a bet that would pay huge dividends, and put Glenfiddich at the head of the pack of malt whisky distilleries.

William Grants continued to invest in their distilleries and whisky production through the 1940s and 1950s, hiring their own coppersmiths and equipping the the Dufftown facility with its own onsite cooperage. In 1956 they launched their own bespoke and now iconic triangular bottle. A few short years later in 1961 they launched their single malt whisky with the Glenfiddich Straight Malt. Just two years later they took the pioneering step of introducing it to the world, giving birth to the global fascination with single malt whisky.

Glenfiddich 15 Year Solera Reserve – 40% – Matured in Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry Casks. Some of the whisky is finished 2 years in New American Oak. The whisky is mellowed in their famous Solera Vat before marrying in Portugese Oak tuns. – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: doughy, decadent and very fruity; elegant with lots of layers, caramel chews and waxy honeycomb; soft vanilla and crème brule. Palate: round and fruity in character with a base of waxy honey and vanilla; more caramel with milk chocolate and orange and dates; Fig Newtons circa 10 years ago before the changed the recipe; building sherry oak spices and earthy oak. Finish: medium in length, very pleasant and elegant. Comment: this is a very good malt for its age and price; I just wish they would kick up the ABV to 46%! – $80 per 750ml and $8 per 50ml

Ardbeg “Twenty Something” 23 Year Old Islay Single Malt

Here’s what I will tell you about the new Ardbeg 23 year old committee release that just landed in our warehouse: I was lucky enough to try it a few months back when Ardbeg’s distiller Dr. Bill Lumsden was in town for a promotional tour and we got the chance to eat lunch together. He pulled out a small flask and poured me a glass, asking me what I thought about the whisky without telling me what it was. I was utterly entranced by it. It was so soft and silky compared to the powerful and high proof Ardbegs like the Uigeadail and Corryvreckan. The smoke was heavy, but it was muted by rounded vanilla and creamy malt flavors. I knew it had to be old. The finish went on forever and I just sat there grinning as I licked my lips and asked him what I had just experienced. Bill smiled and said it was the upcoming Ardbeg “Twentysomething,” a new committee bottling from the distillery planned for a winter release in the states. It’s by the far the most luxurious Ardbeg I’ve tasted since the 1977 and Lord of the Isles releases of long ago and it’s a legit, top shelf single malt. I’m long past the point of being able to justify what’s worth it to whisky drinkers when they’re throwing down money like this for a luxury bottle, but if you’re worried about the quality here I can squash those concerns. It’s really good.

Ardbeg “Twenty Something” 23 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($549.99)

It’s that time of year again. Advent!

From December 1st to the 25th, some of you will be enjoying our special Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar. 

This year Secret Spirits is proud to release their 4th Edition of unique and rare Scotch Whiskies. 

Geek-out with us as we introduce Scotch Trooper as our guest blogger this year. 

You can find him and all his Trooper Elves at http://scotchtrooper-blog.com/category/reviews/ 

He’s also on Instagram: scotch_trooper 

Follow along as his little elves get into all sorts of mischief with their Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar this Christmas.  

Cheers!

secretspirits.com

Isle of Islay 10 Year Old 2007

Single cask sherry hogshead from a secret distillery which once contained the famed micro distillery Malt Mill, on the A846 between Laphroaig & Ardbeg. Freshly bottled by our chums at Creative Whisky Co. for the Exclusive Malts – just 352 bottles!

Shop – £99.95

KWM Whisky Advent Day 9 – Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban

In last year’s KWM Whisky Advent Calendar we featured the Glenmorangie Original, it was the first time we were able to include a Glenmorangie whisky. Glenmorangie is back this year in the 2017 edition, with the Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 12 Year. After maturing 10 years in Ex-Bourbon barrels, the whisky is finished a further 2 years in Ruby Port Pipes, hence the name Quinta Ruban. “Quintas” are the port houses or lodges in Villa Nova de Gaia where the wine is laid to mature before bottling. Ruban is a reference to ruby port.

Port is an interesting fortified wine style with deep roots and a strong connection to the British isles. The British had a great fondness for French wine, especially Bordeaux, which they call Claret. There was only one problem, the English & French were at war with each other more often than not in the 17^th and 18^th Centuries, and that made the importation of French wine impractical to say the least. The British naturally turned their attention to Portugal, a nation with which they had a long allegiance, but this was not as straightforward a solution as one might expect.

During the age of sail, it was seldom possible to sail directly from Portugal. The prevailing winds made the journey long and difficult. The conditions at sea were not favourable to the transportation of wine. So this lead to the birth of a new wine style, Port. Port is named for Oporto, the Portuguese port city at the mouth of the River Douro. After crushing the grapes were fermented as with all wines, but early in the fermentation a neutral grape spirit is added to stop the fermentation and preserve sugar. The combination of higher alcohol and sugar made the wine more durable and stable. And the British loved it! Port was shipped to the UK including Scotland in cask, and many of these barrels would then be used to mature whisky.

One surprising fact about Port, is that the Douro’s appellation is the third oldest in the world. It was granted in 1756 well before Bordeaux or Burgundy. The only older ones are Chianti 1716 and Tokaji 1730 are old.

There are a few distinguishing characteristics which make Glenmorangie unique. First and foremost, its stills, which are the tallest and most slender in all of Scotland. “They are 8 metres high (26ft 1/4 inches) with their long copper necks standing at 5.14 metres (16ft 10 1/4 inches), the same height as a fully grown adult giraffe!” These stills ensure that only the lightest and most delicate vapours make it to the condenser, thus resulting in lighter more delicate spirit. The distillery was converted from a brewery originally established on Morangie farm in the 1730. Rather than the more traditional dumpy pot stills, the founder installed a pair of 2nd hand gin stills in the distillery. Today’s stills are modeled on that design.

Glenmorangie also has a unique water supply. The distillery is fed by the Tarlogie Springs, which bubble up from a limestone aquifer, rather than the granite filtered water used by almost every other distillery in Scotland. These natural minerals give it its ‘hard’ water qualities and provide Glenmorangie with a raw ingredient unique amongst Highland distilleries.

Last but certainly not least, the distillery is famous for its Sixteen Men of Tain. Historically no more than 16 men worked at the distillery. As demand and production grew, there were never more than 16 men on shift at a time. Times have changed, and production techniques have changed too. There are many more than 16 men and women working at the distillery and for the brand today, at last count close to 400 (2004). The company now refers to the “Men of Tain”, craftsmen who make the whisky.

Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban– 46% – 12 Year – Matured in Bourbon Finished in Ruby Port – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: dried cherry and cranberry leap out of the glass; some musty old wood with dark chocolate, prune juice and cooked dates. Palate: big, nutty and wood; more dark chocolate with some firm old leather and sweet Cuban tobacco; the musty old wood is still there with some licorice nibs and decadent spice. Finish: medium-long and warming; the spicy oak holds on with a touch of chilli heat. Comment: I forgot how interesting this whisky is; I am not generally a fan of Port matured or finished whiskies, but this one is good! – $92 for 700ml – $11 for 50ml

Ralfy gets upset with cosmetic compromise in Ralfy Review 702 – Auchentoshan 12yo @40%vol:(Re-reviewed 2017)

KWM Whisky Advent Day 8 – Gordon Macphail Glentauchers 1996

Glentauchers Distillery was established in 1898, at the height of a major boom in whisky production. There was a surge in distillery openings in the 1890s as global demand for Scotch whisky surged. The distillery was built out of granite by the prominent blender James Buchanan. As with many distilleries built around the turn of the 20^th century, the legendary Charles Doig was the architect.

The distillery’s production surged in the 1960s during the next major whisky boom, when two new pairs of stills were added to the first set. Even though it had been modernized just 20 years earlier, that was not enough to save the distillery from the industry downturn of the 1980s. Glentauchers was mothballed in 1985 and sold off by Diageo in 1989 to one of its competitors Allied Distillers. Allied reopened the distillery in 1992 with an intention of using the whisky in its Ballantine’s blends. Allied became a part of the Chivas Group in 2005.

Bottlings of Glentuachers single malt have been almost non-existent for most of its history, with the exception of the odd independent bottling. The one major exception to this is Gordon Macphail, who have had a long standing relationship with the distillery. Glentaucher’s is one of the many distilleries with which Gordon Macphail has an arrangement to bottle and sell semi-official bottlings, the Distillery Label range. A few Chivas Visitor Center bottlings have been released over the last few years. Early this fall it was announced that Chivas would be releasing Glentauchers 15 Year single malt for the first time, along with Glenburgie and Miltonduff.

About Gordon Macphail’s Distillery Range: “Building and nurturing long-lasting relationships has always been key to curating our collection of single malt whiskies. It’s our relationships from the Sherry bodegas in Jerez, Spain, and the American Oak cooperages in Kentucky – where we source casks of the finest quality – to those who distil the Scottish malt spirit – which we fill into our casks – that has helped shape our foundations and continue to develop the future of Gordon & MacPhail. The result of the mutual support and friendship with some of Scotland’s single malt producers means that Gordon & MacPhail has traditionally matured and bottled whisky from a collection of distilleries, releasing them with a ‘house’ label, unique to each distillery.”

“From the Orkney distillery of Scapa, through to Speyside classics such as Strathisla, Longmorn, and Glen Grant, our ‘Distillery Labels’ series showcases individual producers with whom Gordon & MacPhail has been working, sometimes for over a century. It was these trusted relationships which allowed us to be amongst the first companies to capture examples of the unique styles and individual production from a variety of Scotland’s single malt distilleries, bringing them to the consumer. The ‘Distillery Labels’ range dovetails into the ‘Rare Vintage’ collection, home to our exceptionally rare single malts also featuring the original historic distillery labels.”

Gordon Macphail Glentauchers 1996 – 43% – First Fill Sherry Butts – Bottled 2016 – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: fresh, creamy and very fruity; loads of melon, lemon merengue, lime zest and cream cheese icing; milk chocolate and palines. Palate: still creamy, honeyed and nutty; loads of soft vanilla with a back bone of soft leather and light but nutty sherry; more cream cheese icing with lemon zest, some tart grapefruit and lemon merengue; the melon tones are still there but the citrus and oak are in control. Finish: light and elegant with a good length; creamy and citrusy with floral tones. Comment: sadly this is an Advent Calendar exclusive, there are no bottles to be had; just as well, this is a tempting breakfast dram! – !!SOLD OUT!!