Ralfy talks old and new versions with Ralfy Review 665 – Glen Grant 12yo @ 43%vol

Here are some of the newest additions to the Whisky Wall. The new season of ‘Game of Thrones’ … like ‘Winter’ itself…is coming. This got us thinking of our ‘Wall’ and what has been added to it. Whether you’re a ‘G.O.T.’ fan or not ~ here are some worthy new single malt scotches for you and your kingdom.

Contact the store (no ravens please) with any questions you may have.

Cheers!
Jonathan, Eric & Marlon
The Park Avenue Liquor Shop
270 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
212-685-2442
jonathan@parkaveliquor.com
eric@parkaveliquor.com
whiskyconn@gmail.com
www.parkaveliquor.com

Highland Park: Valkyrie

‘Valkyrie’ is the first installment of Highland Park’s ‘Viking Legends’ series. The bottling is meant to celebrate HP’s rich Nordic ancestry in Orkney, where they were once part of a vast Viking kingdom. The packaging was designed by internationally renowned designer and Viking Soul, Jim Lyngvild.

COLOR: Firey Amber
PALATE: Green apples – Sun-ripened lemons – Oriental spices – Vanilla – Preserved ginger – Dark chocolate – Salty licorice – Warm aromatic smoke.
Chairman’s Trophy in the 2017 Ultimate Spirits Challenge, scoring 99 out of 100. PRICE: $96/btl

Glenglassaugh: Evolution

Glenglassaugh Evolution is created by maturing the whisky in a unique combination of the finest hand-picked ex-Tennessee first-fill whiskey barrels. This expression shows great depth of character and finesse, a harmonious combination of whisky and oak. Bottled at 50%, natural color and non chill filtered.

Color: Crisp harvest gold.
Nose: A syrupy combination of sweet barley, pineapple and waves of soft buttery vanilla. Deeper oak spices and caramelized pear develop and warm the nose.
Palate: Robust, peppery oak floods through with green apple and fresh cracked barley. Some salted caramel emerges alongside hints of ripe banana and fruit salad syrup.
Finish: A combination of oak spices and soft fruits surrounded by fragrant of vanilla bean.
PRICE: $74/btl

Aberfeldy: 16 Year Old

The core of the Dewar’s brand ~ Aberfeldy has been a source of pride in Pirthshire and a source of joy to all who sip their whisky. New to us is this 16 year old – with an Oloroso Sherry finish.

Nose: Waves of honey, with robust floral notes.
Palate: Fresh fruit cocktail drenched in syrup. Backed by a strong malted quality – dark chocolate covered biscuits. Buttered toast, apricots, stewed apples – and yet more honey .
PRICE: $130/btl

Mars Shinshu: “KOMAGATAKE”
Nature of Shinshu Series Kohiganzakura

Okay let’s this out of the way – right away. Yes – this is not a single malt scotch…BUT it is new and in very limited quantity so we thought you should know about it too.  This is the second edition of Mars’ Komagatake Nature Of Shinshu series – “Kohiganzakura” – named for the Cherry Blossum – released in Japan in late November 2016.  Bottled again at 52%, it includes some lightly peated single malt distilled at Mars’ Shinshu distillery in 2013 that was matured in ex-Japanese wine casks.  PRICE: $180/bottle – LIMITED AVAIL

anCnoc: 18 Year Old

The anCnoc 18 Year Old has matured in Spanish oak ex-sherry casks & American oak ex-bourbon barrels and has been bottled in its natural form, neither chill-filtered nor colored. As a result this dram may develop a light haze with the addition of water or if kept at a cold temperature. This haze is a natural characteristic of non chill-filtering.

Color: Bronzed amber.
Nose: Gentle spices and intense sweetness of dried fruits are topped with chocolate, ripe oranges and oiled leather.
Taste: Full-bodied and bold, aromatic spices, fruit loaf and candied lemon are followed by a surge of vanilla, honey and caramel. The finish transforms from peppery and hot to deliciously sweet and smooth.
PRICE: $116/btl

Due to ever-changing inventory we cannot guarantee bottle availability. We are not responsible for any typographical errors or the Knicks sad showing in free-agency. Please contact the store with any questions.

 The Park Avenue Liquor Shop | 212-685-2442 | 212-689-6247 | parkaveliquor.com

Vega – 23 Year Old Blended Malt

1993 vintage blended malt from North Star Spirits – this first release of just 400 bottles contains Speyside malt whiskies matured in Spanish and American oak bottled at natural cask strength. The result is a sweet and spicy Scotch.

Buy – £57.60

https://youtu.be/7jNPsQMe8OI 

Week 2/4 – and another look at a distillery that has been long confined to the history books. Gerston is an awesome example if a sweet and moreish highland style whisky. Probably my favourite in the whole range. Cheers! 

Whisky Reviews every Wednesday
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The Loch Fyne Aultmore 10 Year Old

We have hand-picked this outstanding Aultmore that was filled to a sherry cask in March 2007. At 10 years old, it delivers an exceptional array of flavours and aromas for our customers to savour and enjoy. We have chosen to bottle it at 46% abv, which in our opinion is the optimal strength for full appreciation.

£65 Buy Now

Limited to just 1130 bottles

The Loch Fyne Glentauchers 8 Year Old

We have sourced for our customers this rare Glentauchers single malt whisky from the Speyside region. Distilled in May 2008, it has been matured for eight years in a top class sherry cask. Subjecting it to the absolute minimum filtration, it is presented at 46% abv for our customers to enjoy and appreciate its great qualities.

£55 Buy Now

Limited to just 1100 bottles

Messenger No. 75 – Summer Tasting Schedule, a New KWM Cask & More

Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers, We are still a couple of weeks from the Dog Days of Summer, but it is smoking hot in Calgary… Stampede is upon us, for Kensington Wine Market that means we have a little time to catch up. A couple of weeks of reprieve before things heat up again with Summer Tastings and loads of new products.

Our Summer Tasting Schedule is now online and there is a lot to be excited about. Though it is hot outside we have six weeks of fun summer wine, whisky, beer and spirits tastings to help you stay cool. Things get started next Friday, July 15, with special guest Cameron McGeachy of WM Cadendhead; Scotland’s oldest independent bottler. This is the first visit to Canada from someone at Cadenhead, and accordingly we are going to do things right by hosting a proper rare and old whisky tasting.

Rare Old Cadenhead Malts will take place at 7 on Friday July 15, and will cost $50 for a tasting that will feature at least 7 whiskies between 24 and 43 years of age! You won’t want to miss this one, the tasting should be more than double the price we are charging… We recently came across A couple of great Whisky deals from the Fountana Beverage Co. Both tasty malts, they are 18 and 24 year old single casks from the Speyside and Strathmill distilleries. They were good buys in my opinion at full price, much better deals now.

The Speyside 18 Year has gone from $140 to $125 and the Strathmill 24 Year from $210 to $180. My tasting notes and further details can be found below. The Fountana Group also lined us up with an awesome Glenrothes single cask, exclusively for KWM. Matured in a Sherry Butt the Kensington Wine Market Glenrothes 1997 does not have the most glamorous label, but it is the liquid that is the star of the show. This malt is a full on sherry bomb, big, unapologetic and fruity. The closest parallel I can draw is to PX Sherry matured Glendronach. We have only 84 bottles coming and in just the first week more than 1/4 of them have already sold! We have a very cool range of old and rare Cadenhead Small Batch whiskies coming into the shop over the next two weeks. Highlighted in the newsletter are 9 single malts and a single grain which my wordy associate Hunter would be sure to describe as “intriguing”. The whiskies are all between 20 and 43 years of age and are limited to between just 5 and 12 bottles of each. They won’t last long. If you are wondering why some are limited to just 5 bottles, some of them will be appearing in the Cadenhead tasting with Cameron next Friday! 

The second release of Tamdhu Batch Strength is here and it is flying off the shelves. If you don’t recall anything about Batch 001, that is because we only received about 18-24 bottles and they disappeared almost as soon as they arrived. Batch 002 was selected as Whisky Magazine’s Editor’s Choice in their most recent issue… High Praise, and in our opinion well deserved! On the “Coming Soon” side of things, there is a lot to be excited about, so much so that I will have another newsletter out in a few weeks with info on whiskies from Hven (Sweden), The Whisky Agency, Maltbarn, Whisky Fassel and 4 new Kensington Wine Market Exclusive single casks. In the meantime I have news on a new batch of Two Brewers, “The Glenturret” official bottlings and a storied blended Scotch whisky called the Syndicate 58/6. I hope you are enjoying your summer, and that this Malt Messenger newsletter finds you well. As the most interesting man in the world says… “Stay Thirsty My Friends!” Slàinte! In This Edition

• The Summer Tasting Schedule is Online
• A Couple of Great Whisky Deals
• NEW Kensington Wine Market Glenrothes 1997 Cask
• New Rare Old Cadenhead Small Batch Bottlings
• Introducing Tamdhu Barrel Strength Batch 002
• COMING SOON Two Brewers Release 06
• COMING SOON “The Glenturret” Distillery Bottlings
• COMING SOON The Syndicate 58/6
• Tech Sheets for Our Exclusive Compass Box Blend

Andrew Ferguson

Kensington Wine Market

PS – Don’t forget you can follow me on Twitter:@scotch_guy, Instagram: @thescotch_guy/or @kwmwhisky and Facebook: facebook.com/scotch.guy.1

Kensington Wine Market403-283-8000

The Summer Tasting Schedule is Online 

Lots of Hot New Tastings to Help You Stay Cool!

Our summer tasting schedule is online and open for registration. Call 403-283-8000 to register, or  register so online!

1. Rare Old Cadenhead Malts – Friday, July 14 – Join us for a range of 8 Cadenhead Small Batch bottlings, including a new 25-year-old 1992 exclusive single cask bottled for KWM’s 25th Anniversary. The range with highlight the incredible depth and variety of casks which Cadenhead bottles from and the exceptional quality of their whiskies. – $50
2. Hot Weather, Hotter Bourbon – Thursday, July 20th – Baby it’s hot outside, so let’s cool things off with some of the hottest new Bourbons! – $30
3. Samaroli Malt Whisky & Friends – On Thursday, July 27th we will pour 7 whiskies to sample in this tag team tasting of malt whisky up to 26 years of age… Evan and Jonathan will be your spirit guides on this quest! – $40
4. Independents’ Day – Tuesday, August 8 – With the prices of older Distillery-bottled single malts skyrocketing, some of the best value is coming from Independent Bottlers! – $50
5. Garden Party Cocktails – Tuesday, August 15 – Looking for some refreshing summer cocktails for your garden party? Look no further! – $20
6. Whiskies of Summer Festival – Thursday, August 17 – We have a boat-load of new whiskies landing this summer, so we’re putting on a Festival to crack some open! Includes a complimentary Glencairn glass! Proceeds from the event will go to the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank. – $50
7. All About Arran: Cask(s!) Launch Mini Festival – We have TWO new Arran casks coming, and on Thursday, August 24th we are throwing our doors open to introduce them to Calgary. This mini-fest is “All About Arran!” – $25
8. Whiskies of the World Unite – Scotland look out, the distilleries of the World are starting to make World Class Whisky… On Tuesday, August 29th we will showcase a wide range of whiskies from around the Globe. – $35

View our full tasting schedule including whisky, where you can also purchase tickets. You can also register in-store or by calling 403-283-8000.

A Couple of Great Whisky Deals 

On a Speyside 18 Year and a Strathmill 24 Year!

We have an amazing deal on two whiskies from the Fountana Group. The whiskies have been discounted so we are passing the savings on. The whiskies are both good, and quantities are limited. Here are my tasting notes on both:

1.  Fountana Speyside 18 Year – 56.3% – 1998 – Sherry Butt 2380 – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: decadent, wines gums, earthy tones and wet leaf litter; waxy-creamy base with polished new leather and almond brittle. Palate: big, spicy and rich with a creamy-waxy base; still decadent with more wine gums and orange rinds dipped in an Old Fashioned; dark sugars and spicy bitters; more polished new leather and almond brittle. Finish: long and coating with big waxy tones, more wine gums and orange rinds. Comment: this malt is big juicy and layered; it reminds me of a bold Old Fashioned cocktails enjoyed on a new leather coaster while chewing on wine gums; bold and unapologetic, but the layers more than compensate! – Original Price $140 – Special Price $125
2.  Fountana Strathmill 24 Year – 55.8% – 1990 – Sherry Cask 5524 – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: hard toffee, floral tones and old tallow candles and powdered sugar on French crepes with lemon juice; emerging melons and Starburst candies; soft and juicy; some chewy malt and milky-white chocolate. Palate: round and fruity with a bold but silky delivery of honey and caramel; building spices and toasted oak notes; I still get the Starburst candies with melons and lots of citrus: fresh queezed lemons on French crepes with powdered sugar (still stands), along with some juicy orange; lots of waxy-coating milk chocolate tones. Finish: coating, warming and spicy; juicy fruits and spicy-toasty-oak. Comment: this has oxidized nicely with time; it is not mind blowingly complex, but it is very drinkable; good value for its quality, age and price.” – Original Price $210 – Special Price $180

We also have a handful of bottles left of a very good Auchentoshan. No special deal on this one. Only 24 bottles came to Canada, all of them to KWM.

•  Fountana Auchentoshan 20 Year – 52.6% – Ex Bourbon – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: perfumed, honey, vanilla and malt; a touch of crisp citrus and Strawberry Twizzlers; doughy and very floral, almond paste, linseed oil and some floral tones. Palate: honeyed, very creamy and floral with loads of toasty oak and some crisp citrus; loads of berry fruits, more Strawberry Twizzlers, winegums and licorice jujubes; some leather, cold tea and earthy tones. Finish: long, coating and fruity with oak spices, loads of citrus and more berry fruits; slowly fading leather and earthy tones. Comment: this is a beautiful old Auchentoshan, lots of layers and complexity; still juicy, fruity and floral.” – $180 Only 8 left!

NEW Kensington Wine Market Glenrothes 1997 

A Very Tasty and Very Limited Single Cask!

As many people know, I have not always been a fan of Glenrothes,

I generally find it uninspiring! Sherry cask matured Glenrothes is especially dicey, but this Sherry Butt (7153) mautred cask, bottled for KWM is an exception. It is insanely fruity, massively tropical, layered and complex. Only 84 bottles have been filled for KWM at 58%… and they won’t last! The label isn’t amazing, but who cares, the whisky is fantastic.

Kensington Wine Market Glenrothes 1997 – 58% – Sherry Butt 7153 – Andrew’s Tasting Note: “Nose: decadent, fruity and very sherried; like PX matured Glendronach… loads of dark fruits; maple syrup, a hint of smoked bacon and dark chocolate; big spices, leather and tobacco. Palate: round, fruity, decadent and rich; the syrupy Maple syrup notes hit first, then the big dark fruits, chocolate and nutty tones; mid palate it settles down into notes of cedar, fatty smoked bacon and spices, before the big leather, tobacco and spice notes set it; lots of layers here, the sample blew us away, but the bottled version is even better. Finish: long and still decadent, fruity syrupy sherry tones and more leather, tobacco, chocolate and spices; this is no shrinking violet! Comment: the is a sherry bomb, the closest thing we have seen PX Glendronach in the skin of a Glenrothes ever… lots of layers and complexity!” – $200

NEW Rare & Old Cadenhead Small Batch Bottlings 

9 Single Malts and a Very Old Single Grain! 

We have some limited and I suspect very sought after Cadenheads Small Batch Bottlings coming soon to KWM. All are limited, and if the past three years of Cadenhead Small Batch bottlings are any measure, these won’t disappoint. The whiskies are either single casks or extremely Small Batch, just 2-3 casks! A few of them are limited to 1 per customer. The Bunnahabhain got a good review from Serge, 89pts. The rest have not yet been reviewed. They are without doubt the best value older single malt whiskies (and one grain) that we can put our hands on:

1. Cadenhead Small Batch Blair Athol 1988 – 53.6% – 28 Year – 2 Bourbon Barrels – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Floral, with cut grass, dried apricots and sweet toffee. Palate: Chocolate eclairs, soft all spice, more toffee and whipped cream. Finish: Blueberries, hints of menthol with cherry cake and dark chocolate.” – $340
2. Cadenhead Small Batch Bunnahabhain 1976 – 49.4% – 39 Year – 3 Sherry Butts – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Spiritous, rich and polished wood. Coffee liqueurs with cream, apples and rich cooked fruit. Palate: Initially ginger and cinnamon spiciness which then smooths out to boiled sweets and pecan pie with rich wood undertones. Finish: Slightly drying but very warm and spicy. Distillery Fact: The second smallest whisky producer on Islay with 2.7million sites of pure alcohol coming off its stills every year, Bunnahabhain  distillery actually closed between 1982 and 1984.” – $630 89pts Serge
3. Cadenhead Small Batch Caol Ila 1983 – 50.2% – 33 Year – Bourbon Hogshead – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Acrylic paint, very oily with bags of citrus and coastal grasses. Palate: leg of lamb with rosemary, lots of mineral notes with hints of rabbit and crispy sage. Finish: The harbour, soft distant smoke, dry ash, hints of seaweed and white wine vinegar.” – $515 – 1 Per Customer
4. Cadenhead Small Batch Fettercairn 1988 – 55.4% – 28 Year – 3 Bourbon Hogsheads – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Autumnal forests, banana loaf, and soft ashy notes. Palate: Marzipan, icing sugar, crystallised oranges and soft oakiness. Finish: Red fruits, melted tablet, dunnage warehouses with a salty edge.” – $340
5. Cadenhead Small Batch Glen Keith 1973 – 43.2% – 43 Year – Bourbon Hogshead – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Peaches, Red Grapes, limes, syrupy with clotted cream. Palate: Hazelnuts with tropical fruits and hints of oakiness and faint flinty notes. Finish: Chocolate covered hazelnuts with lingering fruit cocktail.” – $760
6. Cadenhead Small Batch Glentauchers 1990 – 52.6% – 26 Year – 3 Bourbon Barrels – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Grapefruit and lime, syrupy notes with vanilla and coconut. Palate: Blackcurrants, cherries, brown sugar, green apple skins and very chewy. Finish: Chocolate milkshake, cocoa butter and dry spice.” – $325
7. Cadenhead Small Batch Highland Park 1996 – 50.6% – 20 Year – Hogshead – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: New leather, touch of sea salt, with a little vanilla and cooked apple. Palate: Little lemon, citrus note, vanilla, loads of cream, apples crumble, sugar icing and an pear tart. Finish: Oily with citrus notes, milky, salt reemerges, very coastal finish.” – $230 – 1 Per Customer
8. Cadenhead Invergordon 1972 – 48.3% – 43 Year – 2 Bourbon Barrels – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Vanilla, caramel custard, milk butter and marzipan. Palate: Cream, butter, salted popcorn and oatcakes. Finish: Cheesecake, lemon zest, oranges and pears with milk bottle chews. Distillery Fact: The distillery started operations in 1961, four years later Ben Wyvis single malt distillery started up, closing in 1977. The stills from Ben Wyvis are now at Glenglye Distillery in Campbeltown, itself set up by Frank McHardy who started his career at Invergordon.” – $385
9. Cadenhead Small Batch Mortlach 1987 – 48.2% – 30 Year – Bourbon Hogshead – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Creamy, minty, fruit coulis, hints of praline and toffee sauce. Palate: Leather, straw, maple syrup and condensed milk. Finish: Sweet, crispy cakes, syrup, vanilla and raspberries and white chocolate.” – $425
10. Cadenhead Small Batch Tomatin 1976 – 43.8% – 39 Year – Bourbon Hogshead – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: light a very delicate with honey and lightly salted butter. Palate: slight citrus and zestiness, pink grapefruit. Finish: more citrus flavours, a refreshing fruit punch finish. Distillery Fact: Tomatin Distillery used to own and run an eel farm on a commercial basis until 1984, this also allowed them to make use of the waste hot water. – $630

Introducing Tamdhu Batch Strength 002 

Whisky Magazine Editor’s Choice Issue 144

We only received just 3-4 six packs of the first release of Tamdhu Batch Strength, 001, they didn’t last long. Batch Strength 002 is said to be even better, it was Whisky Magazine’s Editor’s Choice in the most recent issue. The whisky is bottled at 58.5% from hand selected sherry oak casks. It is very good, I haven’t had time to write it up, but the distiller’s tasting note is below, as is Evan’s!

Tamdhu Batch Strength 002 – 58.5% – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose:  Warming golden syrup, brown bread with peanut butter, cinnamon, white pepper and cocktail cherries. Palate: Mouth coating sherry oak, lightly heated berries and creamy vanilla – adding water brings out cookie dough, gentle spice and fresh fruit. Finish: Spicy notes continue long into the finish with dried fruits, hazelnut and vanilla.” – $110+GST

Evan’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Big Sherry. Honey, vanilla bean, chamomile, golden raisins, dates, backing spices, orange peel, candied ginger, nutmeg, toffee and milk chocolate with hints of white chocolate mixed in. Palate: Thick and rich delivery. Coats the palate and then the spices start to arrive. Dried apricot and mango, ginger. Honey glazed almonds and sesame seeds. Creme brulee with the caramelized top and all. Candied orange slices, chocolate coated chillies and hints of black pepper. Finish: Good length. The mouth coating sweet notes are balanced with the spicy tingle. The faintest hint of peat comes out at the finish. Comment: A well-priced high strength and sherried official bottling. Puts other sherry bombs on notice: another contestant has entered the fray.”

Coming Soon: Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt Release 06 

The first “Classic” release since Release 01! 

An 8-year-old single malt release from Two Brewers in the Yukon! Release 6 is bottled at 43% ABV and limited to only 1050 bottles.

Release 6 falls under Two Brewers ‘Classic’ moniker which the state contain ‘Malts of wide varying character, but typical of mainland Scottish style whiskies’.

Two Brewers Yukon Single Malt Release 06 – 43% – Evan’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Barley-forward. Ripe bananas, sponge toffee, marshmallows, toasted pecans and wood spice. Slivered almonds and creamy peanut butter. Palate: Toasted pecans again, banana chips, apple cinnamon strudel, hints of cayenne in the wood spice and a slight touch of mocha mousse. Finish: Sweet with hints of spice that fade into creamy malted barley notes. Comments: Unadulterated. My first time experiencing a Two Brewers release without a cask finish or peated malt or different type of fermentation/distillation. A lot of fun to see the cleaner style.” – $100

Coming Soon: “The Glenturret” Distillery Bottlings 

Three NAS Single Malts from Scotland’s Oldest Active Distillery

 

Three distillery bottlings of Glenturret will be here shortly. The first time in Canada. Here are the details:

1. The Glenturret Sherry Edition – 43% – Distiller’s Note: “A combination of American sherry oak, European sherry oak and American bourbon oak casks have been used to create the distinct oaky flavour of the Triple Wood Edition.” – Distillery Tasting Note: “Nose: Homemade syrup sponge meets sweetness and warmth. Taste: Puff candy layered with aromatic sandalwood and smooth, sweet spices. Finish: Medium sweet, good length with lingering spiciness.” – $95
2.  The Glenturret Tripe Wood Edition – 43% – Distiller’s Note: “The Sherry Cask Edition has been matured in Spanish oak sherry seasoned casks, delivering a sweet spiciness with a soft oak background.” Distillery Tasting Note: “Nose: Fresh orange peel, vanilla and peardrops. Taste: Cedarwood, cinnamon coated marzipan and a hint of coconut. Finish: Lingering oakiness. – $95
3.  The Glenturret Peated Edition – 43% – Distiller’s Note: “The Peated Edition delivers a heavy smokiness through the use of malted barley dried over peat fires, a taste akin to the whisky produced when the distillery first got its license in 1775.” Distillery Tasting Note: “Nose: Warm bitumen and freshly baked brownie. Taste: Sweet, smoky flavour with slightly salty notes. Finish: Lingering soft peat.” – $95

About Glenturret Distillery (Courtesy of Glenturret)

Nowhere has the phrase “time-honoured” been used more appropriately than at a workplace with a heritage dating back to 1775. That’s the year before America achieved its independence, a time when Robert Burns was still in his teens.

Steeped in 240 years of history, Glenturret Distillery is the oldest working distillery in Scotland, and still a thriving business today with an average of 80,000 visitors every year. Established in 1775 as a single malt distillery by John and Hugh Drummond, Glenturret was the first of several distilleries drawn towards the soft and pure waters of Turret Burn in the Perthshire countryside.

The distillery has survived many tough periods in its 240 year history from the great depression of the 1830s, to US prohibition in the 1920s. It wasn’t until the 1950s that the distillery was revitalised by whisky enthusiast James Fairlie and opened as a visitor attraction that same decade.

Coming Soon: The Syndicate 58/6 

A Storied 12 Year Blended Scotch Whisky

This Blended Scotch Whisky has quite the story to tell. In 1958 a parcel of 10 cases of Rare Blended Scotch whisky (filled into cask in 1954) was found in William Muir Bond 9 Limited. The whisky had been blended to the specification of a recipe from the 1800s which had been served to and enjoyed by Royalty. In 1966 the whisky was bottled at 12 years of age for the directors of William Muir Bond 9 Limited and some of their friends. The syndicate consisted of 6 lawyers and accountants, and they called themselves Syndicate 58/6. The Blend consisted of 18 Blends and 4 Grains matured in a Solera System and finished for a year in Oloroso Sherry. Master Blender Richard Paterson’s signature is on the bottle.

The Syndicate 58/6 12 Year Blended Scotch Whisky – 40% – Finished 1 Year in Oloroso Sherry – 18 Malts & 4 Grains – Producer Tasting Note: “The Syndicate blend contains 18 Single Malt Whiskies and 4 Single Grain Whiskies. The quality and consistency of the blend has been maintained over the years by operating a ‘Solera’ system whereby when additional 12 year Old whiskies are added they are reblended with the older stock. Thus the Syndicate blend still contains small quantities of the original 1958 blend. One of the things that sets the Syndicate blend apart from other blends is that it is ‘married’ and finally matured for up to 2 years in 4 year old Oloroso Sherry casks which we import from the Spanish region of Andalucia. This final marrying and maturation process serves to give the Syndicate blend its exceptionally smooth and distinctive taste.” – $80

Fact Sheet for our Compass Box Kensington Wine Market 25th Anniversary Blend 

These are so cool we had to share them!   

For the past couple of weeks we have been basking in the afterglow of the launch of our Compass Box bespoke blend. We had an amazing series of tastings with John Glaser in Calgary to launch the whisky, and it has been flying off the shelves.

Early this week the distillery sent me fact sheets, with the specifics of our blend on them. Compass Box pride’s itself on being one of the most open and transparent company’s in the whisky business. If you haven’t checked out their Campaign for  Scotch Whisky Transparency, you should. Compass Box has an available fact sheet for each of their whiskies. They aren’t allowed to share all of the details of each whisky on the packaging or even their website, but if you ask you shall receive. Each of the products they bottle has a recipe, and it can vary from batch to batch. You can go on to Compass Box’s website to request the specifics of the whisky you are drinking, and they will email it to you. So cool.

When they produced our blend, I asked them if they could prepare just such a sheet for us, and they have. Here it is:

This is one of the most exciting things I have ever had the opportunity to work on in my 16 years in the industry. It was an honour and a priviledge to work with John and his team on this. It is a dream 10 years in the making, blending my own whisky, and it has come true. If you missed the details on the Compass Box Kensington Wine Market 25th Anniversary Blend in our last Malt Messenger, you can find them below!

My Original Post on Our Compass Box Blend

This whisky is a project who’s origins stretch back nearly a  decade. At the time Compass Box was making its name as the most innovative blender of Scotch whisky. I was impressed by their unique offerings like Spice Tree, Hedonsim Maximus, Double Single and the Peat Monster. Kensington Wine Market had been bottling single casks of whiskies for a couple of years, and it was around this time that for the first time I had the idea of creating my own custom blend for KWM. About five years later I broached the idea with John Glaser, the founder and visionary behind Compass Box. He was interested but not in a position to act on it.

While on a trip to London in March of 2016, with Kensington Wine Market’s 25th Anniversary looming, I broached the subject again with John and the Compass Box team. Could we collaborate to produce a bespoke blend to mark KWM’s 25th Anniversary. Well the answer was clearly yes… over the space of about a year we tinkered with the blend until both John and I were happy with it. The final product has greatly exceeded my expectations.

The whisky is bottled at a cask strength of 45%. The reason the strength was so low is that it contained a large proportion of old grain whiskies whose strength had diminished greatly. The body consists of leftover heavily peated malt from a batch of Flaming Heart left to mature in cask and some old sherried malt. Components of the whisky have been matured in American Oak, Ex-European Oak Sherry and French oak giving it a rich and complex palate.

Compass Box Kensington Wine Market 25th Anniversary Blend – 45% – My Tasting Note

“Nose: silky and sultry, soft vanilla and Earl Grey tea creme brule; savoury hints of pork belly, mouth watering gentle peat and salted caramel; clean tendrils of Manuka honey a touch of beeswax. Palate: rich, fruity and smoky with building spice, rich dried fruits and dark chocolate; lots of layers, the decadent spices being the most dominant, followed by dried fruits: ranging from apricots and pineapple to raisins and figs; there is a touch of cocoa powder, bees wax and more indulgent Earl Grey infused creme brule; the grain adds a silky backbone that contrasts nicely with the touch of pork belly and soft ashy peat. Finish: coating, creamy and decadent; the palate stays warm in the lingering light of fading spices, genteel ashy smoke and soft fruits. Comment: we were hoping for a whisky that combined the firm peat of Flaming Heart, the rich spices of Spice Tree and the elegance of Compass Box’s legendary older expressions; we got all that and more!” – $160

John Glaser’s Tasting Note: “Rich and complex, with the soft cushion of decadent aged grain whisky providing an indulgent taste on top of which the bold, spicy and dark fruit notes are able to shine.”

What John Glaser had to say about the whisky:

“We have been fortunate to work with Andrew Ferguson of Kensington Wine Market for many years, bringing our Compass Box whiskies to the Scotch enthusiasts of Canada.

“For years we’ve been talking with Andrew about creating a bespoke whisky for him.  We originally wanted to name it “Fort Whoop-Up”, after the notorious 19th century Alberta trading post, allegedly a centre for whisky smuggling and all sorts of illegal activities, near what is now Lethbridge.

“But with the 25th anniversary of Kensington Wine Market upon us, we’ve decided to name it in honour of the anniversary, so Andrew can showcase the whisky throughout his year of celebrations.

“Developed from an original brief by Andrew, this blend is a showpiece for the deep complexity that well-aged malt and grain whiskies from exceptional oak casks can deliver.  It is composed of one-third decadent old grain whiskies aged in American oak; and spicy, smoky malt whiskies aged in both American oak and sherry casks.  The combination is rich and complex, with the soft cushion of the old grain whisky providing an indulgent base on top of which the bold, smoky and dark fruit notes of the malt whiskies are placed.

“We believe this whisky is a fitting tribute to Kensington Wine Market and also to Alberta’s long history of enjoying, exploring and indeed smuggling fine whisky!  But with partners as committed and knowledgeable as Kensington Wine Market in place there will be no need to smuggle this bottle into the province – and for that we are all grateful!

“However you source this whisky, wherever you drink it, whoever you share it with, above all, please share and enjoy.

John Glaser Founder & Whiskymaker”

Thank You for Reading the Malt Messenger! 

Contact & Disclaimers 

If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store.

All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change and don’t include GST. In the case of discrepancies in pricing, the price in our in store point of sale will be taken as correct.

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger.

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson

Owner & Scotchguy

Kensington Wine Market

403-283-8000

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

www.kensingtonwinemarket.com

2017 program online

Our crazy packed 2017 program has gone online last week. If you want to check out all the Maltstock goodness that is coming your way this summer: Click here

If you want to be part for this, but haven’t got a ticket yet… Relax! Tickets are still available, although availability is limited of course. Click here to ride the digital highway to our shop and treat yourself to a fun packed relaxed weekend!

Masterclasses

There are a stunning 10 masterclasses to choose from this year. We are very proud to announce Joshua Hatton from Single Cask Nation as one of our Masterclass hosts! Singe Cask Nation Amanda Schuster of The Alcohol professor: “A thirst for whisky can become an obsession. When one delves deep into its world – nosing, tasting, discussing, note-taking, collecting, more discussing, writing, traveling, the near Beatlemania level of fandom for favorite producers – whisky moves far beyond a mere hobby. It becomes a passion, a way of life. One can even say that whisky is a language unto itself. Single Cask Nation, founded by Joshua Hatton and Jason Johnstone-Yellin, is an independent bottling company that was conceived out of that level of shared passion. Click here for more information.” (https://www.alcoholprofessor.com/blog/2017/06/06/the-story-of-single-cask-nation/) As usual all masterclasses are included in the ticket prize.

Music

This year the music on the main square will be performed by Trio Iglo! The coolest band in town! This band is famous in the whole of Nijmegen. (and far beyond, depending on who you speak to and where you are) They play rock, blues and lots of Stones covers. So whisky on the rocks at Maltstock this year!

Tickets

Maltstock tickets are all inclusive. All your food, beverages and all of our program is included in our entry fee.* You do, however, get to choose if you want to stay with us, and most of our guests do, which makes Maltstock an unique social event! If you want to camp outside or stay in a hotel nearby you are welcome to do so at your own expense. Maltstock tickets are for the whole weekend. We do not sell day or session tickets. Tickets are available at our online shop: http://www.maltstock.com/shop *There can be additional costs involved if you want to taste exclusive or rare whisky at the stands of our private collectors, importers and shop keepers.

Tomatin 12 Year Old

Our malt of the month for July, is this superb 12 year old expression from Tomatin distillery. A very smooth and easy drinking dram which started it’s life in traditional oaks casks, then transferred into Spanish Oloroso sherry casks for up to 9 months. Now available for only £30.50! RRP: £39.99

Ralfy finds a fresh young malt to be rather good with Ralfy Review 664 – Benriach 10yo @ 43%vol

 

KARUIZAWA “GOLDEN GEISHAS” GO UNDER THE HAMMER…

Your chance to bid on the world’s rarest whisky!

Originally released exclusively by The Whisky Exchange, the most recent release of Karuizawa will go under the hammer at online whisky auction “Whisky Hammer” on Friday 21^st July www.whiskyhammer.co.uk

“This pair of exclusive single-cask bottlings showcases the Karuizawa character perfectly. Long maturation in sherry casks has produced rich, deeply flavoured whisky that is almost black in colour.” (The Whisky Exchange) 

The auction for these stunning whiskies is sure to be popular, additional details are as follows: 

Karuizawa 33 Year Old – Sherry Cask #3579

ABV: 63.4%

Number of bottles released: 129 

Karuizawa 31 Year Old – Sherry Cask #3667

ABV: 59.4%

Number of bottles released: 225

Bidding starts at 7pm (BST) on Friday 21^st July – register to bid now at www.whiskyhammer.co.uk!