This week Joe Ellis teams up with Ben from “A Dram A Day” YouTube reviewer and reviews The Glenlivet Guardians Chapter Single Malt,
Introducing a new core expression from Isle of Arran: Arran 18 yr old
~ Independently Owned & Independently Minded ~
THE ARRAN 18 YEAR-OLD SINGLE MALT BAKED PEACHES & TOASTED ALMONDS
We are proud to present the first ever 18 year-old in Arran core range when distillery turns 21. The Arran 18 year-old is a wonderfully balanced expression of The Arran Malt which displays the tremendous depth of character of our Distillery.
Caramelised citrus and tropical notes on a background of toasted oak have created an intense, well rounded dram with charm and personality. A balanced mix of our finest aged ex-Sherry and ex-Bourbon Casks, this fully mature expression of The Arran Malt is exceptional. We are the only Distillery on the Isle of Arran and a proudly independent Scottish Company. We celebrate 18 years of independence with pride.
Tasting Notes
Color: Honeyed gold
Aroma: Baked peaches with syrup and toasted almonds. Vanilla and light cinnamon spice.
Palate: Sweetness dances on the tongue with chocolate, ginger, caramelised brown sugar and vanilla. Water uncovers floral notes and aromatic orange fondant creams.
Finish Long, lingering and luxurious. The classic Arran citrus and orchard fruits mingle with milk brioche and dark chocolate. A memorable depth of character, Arran is fully mature at 18 years-old.
RRP $140.00
The Exclusive Dram Team are thrilled to announce that we are now open for pre-orders with order fulfilment to take place from the 14-07-16. We are a new family run business set up to fulfil everyones needs to sample the Rare and Luxurious whisky the world has to offer. We have whisky ranging from the 47 year old Glendronach to Mackmyra – Moment Bärnstvn, come in and have a look there is something for everyone.
Come visit us at www.theexclusivedram.co.uk.
Best Regards
David Smith
The Exclusive Dram Team
Get ready for Independence Day!
It’s just a couple of weeks until 4 July – Independence Day – and to celebrate, we’ve selected some of our favourite whiskies, all ideal if you’re planning a party, whether you’re in the US or not. We’ve chosen whiskies from across the globe – smooth bourbons, complex Scotch, whisky from the Far East and a mix of ages and prices, so you’re sure to find something good.
First up, two great bourbons from Blanton’s. Blanton’s Original is an award-winning textbook example – each bottle is filled from a single unblended cask. The Gold Edition is sensational, too. Bottled at 103 proof, it’s bursting with aromas of dried fruit, milk chocolate and honey. Ironically, it’s very hard to find in the US itself – but we have it!
A trio of tasty Scotch whiskies next, all exclusive to The Whisky Exchange. We are lucky enough to be able to taste individual whiskies straight from the cask and bottle them for our customers. One example is Clynelish 1996 18 Year Old, a big, rich, sherried whisky we selected from independent bottler Signatory Vintage. Another is Kilchoman 2010 PX Finish, a delicious mix of peaty Islay whisky given an extra layer of rich fruit and spice from extra maturation in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks.
The third Scotch is a mature, venerable example from one of the best-known Speyside distilleries: Glenlivet. This sherry-matured example was distilled back in 1981, and adds a rich layer of spice to Glenlivet’s fruity spirit. You won’t find these whiskies anywhere else.
Our two Irish whiskeys have more in common than just provenance. Both were chosen by our customers at an Irish Distillers tasting we held in London (read more about it here). The first, Redbreast 1999 Sherry Cask, was aged for around 15 years, with vanilla, coffee and wood spice the dominant notes. The second is a 1991 Midleton aged for 24 years in a first-fill bourbon cask – a cinnamon-tinged whiskey with delicious vanilla and tropical-fruit notes. Both are exclusive to The Whisky Exchange.
Our final two whiskies are from Asia. The Nikka 12 Year Old is the latest release from this revered Japanese distillery – it’s an excellent blend, with toffee, butterscotch and fruit cake the key notes. And from Taiwan, we have Kavalan Solist Bourbon Cask – a rich, fruity whisky aged in ex-bourbon oak. Kavalan has won acclaim from renowned whisky writers around the world – definitely one to try.
Nine whiskies covering a wide range of styles, flavours and ages – all are available here. Choose your favourite and have a great 4th of July!
Scotland
Arran 18 Year Old Single Malt Whisky (750ml) $119.99 View
Kilkerran “Work In Progress #7” Bourbon Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (750ml) $74.99 View
Ireland
Redbreast 21 Year Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey (750ml) (1 bottle limit) $249.99 View
K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA
Whisky Ramblings Via Video #134
Mark Dermul, Belgian Whisky blogger, has just released his second bottling for MMM – Mark & Manny’s Malts. This time around, it is a candy-like Tamdhu at drinking strength, matured on an ex-bourbon cask. It is again limited to only 50 bottles. It turned out to be a very honest Tamdhu: WYSIWYG whisky.
CANADIAN WHISKY NEWS
Speaker Favours Scottish Producers Over Canadian
Geoff Regan, Speaker of the House of Commons and MP for Halifax West
There are so many exciting happenings to report about Canadian whisky (e.g. see Gibson’s below), that it is hard to keep up. However, it seems our political leaders still suffer from the classic Canadian inferiority complex. If it is made in Canada, no matter how good it is, it is not as good as the same thing made anywhere else.
Today, Sun News reported that Speaker, Geoff Regan has selected a new official Scotch for Canada’s House of Commons. Yes, once again a foreign whisky is Canada’s official whisky. It will be poured and presented as a gift at all kinds of official events funded using Canadian tax dollars.
This will happen despite the reality that Canadian whisky makers generate $5.8 billion in GDP annually; that Canadian whisky outsells Bourbon, Irish whisky AND Scotch combined, in North America; and that right around the world knowledgeable whisky connoisseurs are turning more and more frequently to Canadian whisky. Canadian whisky is poised to be the “next big thing” in whisky everywhere but in Canada’s own House of Commons.
Most whisky aficionados enjoy a good single malt Scotch. Mr. Regan has selected Aberlour 12 year old and he’ll get no quibbles over that. It is very tasty. However, true whisky aficionados know that while Scotch is a safe introduction to whisky there are so many other equally great whiskies available these days. Some of these are made here in Canada.
For the $75 that the Speaker’s whisky costs, he could have had three bottles of Canadian Club 100% Rye or two of Forty Creek Barrel Select.
Gibson’s Venerable 18 year old, Gooderham & Worts, Wiser’s Legacy, Crown Royal Reserve, Pike Creek (which many mistake for Scotch), Lot No. 40, Collingwood, Alberta Premium Dark Horse or any of the winners of the Canadian Whisky Awards are all available in that price range, most of them well below it. And all are equally enjoyable, and worthy ambassadors for Canadian producers.
Even if Mr. Regan and his parliamentary colleagues who helped select Canada’s official whisky are stuck in the era of Scotch-is-best, they did not have to look abroad to find worthy drams for their celebrations and gift giving.
In Whitehorse, for example, Yukon Distillery produces superb single malt whisky that is very much in the Scotch single malt vein. British Columbia’s, Pemberton Distillery is drawing accolades for its single malt whisky, as is BC’s Shelter Point Distillery (reviewed below.)
Toronto’s Still Waters Distillery makes single malt whisky that competes nose-to-nose with Scotch on flavour and price (and their rye is spectacular.) Still Waters was recently voted one of the three best micro-distilleries IN THE WORLD by an independent panel of whisky experts, heavily weighted with Scottish judges. And it is pretty difficult to get more Scottish than Glenora distillery right there in Mr. Regan’s home province of Nova Scotia.
However, today it is Canadian whisky in the traditional style that is winning awards and gaining new converts here at home and right around the world.
Mr. Regan, you’ve bought your whisky, had special labels printed, and have begun distributing it. Canadians are patient and forgiving people, so go ahead and use what you have on hand. But please, when those bottles are gone have a look at some of the great whiskies made right here in Canada. The whisky world is changing and Canada’s producers are leading the charge. Help Canada’s whisky makers turn that $5.8 billion GDP into $8, $10 or $12 billion.
Slainte, Mr. Speaker, Canadian slainte!
Note: By press time, Mr. Regan’s office had not returned a call asking for comment on why he had selected Scotch, rather than Canadian whisky, as Canada’s official parliamentary whisky.
Canadian whisky lovers who have waited patiently for a new Gibson’s whisky are about to be amply rewarded. Gibson’s Finest Bold is exactly what the name implies. A rich nose redolent of rum, kola beans, vanilla, and sweet rye, ably predicts the robust palate. It is just loaded with similar notes along with a hot pleasing spiciness and the classic grapefruit pith finish. Bottled at 46% abv, this 8 year old is just lovely whisky, sure to be another winner from Gibson’s. And since summer is upon us try it too with cola or long over ice. Available in Alberta, BC and Ontario for now. Get some.
Shelter Point Artisanal Single Malt 46%
Patrick Evans grows barley on his farm near Campbell River B.C. Then, Scottish Distiller, Mike Nicolson – ex-Diageo – turns it into single malt whisky in two copper pot stills that Evans brought in from Scotland. Complex, beautifully balanced whisky, it smells of cereal, dry grass, and Werther’s caramels. On the palate it is rich and mature with more cereal and just a smidgen of red licorice. Evans planned to release this whisky last summer. However, it was not quite ready when he and Nicolson tasted it, so they chose to give it another year and we are glad they did. Another world-class single malt made right here in Canada.
Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert published May 2012 and May 2014 by McClelland & Stewart, an imprint of Penguin Random House, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
VINTAGE
Gift giving timed to perfection
Whisky-loving fathers will relish the gift of Balblair. Every year our Distillery Manager, John MacDonald, selects whiskies that have reached their exact point of ‘optimum maturation’, the peak of perfection. That’s why we only create Vintages timed to perfection.
It’s the aspect of timing, rather than time that sets our collection of whiskies apart from the rest and makes Balblair a truly special choice this Father’s Day, now all that remains is to explore our collection of exclusively Vintage single malt whiskies.
VINTAGE
Balblair Vintage 2005
Only a handful of American oak, ex-bourbon casks laid down in 2005 were selected by John MacDonald to form this classic Balblair expression. Light, fruity and refreshing, this classic Vintage embodies Balblair’s house style.
Appearance
Light sparkling gold in colour.
Aroma
Full bodied with the classic aromas of fresh green apples, ground spices and honey. The American oak ex-bourbon barrels used in maturation impart notes of oaky vanilla, leather and oranges with a hint of fragrant cut flowers and smoke.
Palate
Balblair’s signature style of citrus orchards is followed by intense sweetness of toffee and vanilla.
Finish
Rounded off by a deliciously spicy, long finish. The superb dram is bright and full of character, a ray of sunshine in a bottle.
VINTAGE
Vintage 1999 2nd Release
With influence from both American and Spanish oak, this perfectly rounded mid-range Vintage is a true testimony to the craft of traditional whisky-making.
Appearance
Balblair 1999 2nd release is copper in appearance with flecks of sparkling bronze.
Aroma
The American oak, ex-bourbon barrels and Spanish oak, ex-sherry butts used for maturation impart the signature Balblair aromas of honey and green apples, as well as notes of rich, fruity Christmas cake with a hint of spice, citrus fruits and vanilla.
Palate
On the palate, it is full bodied, sweet and spicy in character, with hints of honey, vanilla and leather.
Finish
The finish is warm, smooth and long-lasting.
VINTAGE
Vintage 1990 2nd Release
Matured in American oak ex-bourbon casks and Spanish oak ex-sherry butts Balblair Vintage 1990 2nd release is truly exceptional. This luxurious expression is the perfect after-dinner treat.
Appearance
The second release of Balblair 1990 is deep copper in appearance with hints of sparkling amber.
Aroma
The aroma is spicy yet sweet and is punctuated with notes of raisins, toffee and honey. Hints of vanilla, chocolate and citrus fruits are also present.
Palate
On the palate it is full bodied; sweet and spicy in character with hints of honey, raisins and zesty fruits.
Finish
The finish is smooth and long-lasting.
VINTAGE
Balblair Vintage 1983
Matured over three decades in one of Balblair’s traditional dunnage warehouses, this exceptional Vintage developed aromas of butterscotch, toffee and fresh vanilla, with Balblair’s signature tropical fruitiness completing an exquisitely balanced profile.
Appearance
The first release of Balblair 1983 has a rich golden appearance.
Aroma
On the nose there are warm aromas of butterscotch, toffee and vanilla that come from the long years of maturation in American oak ex-bourbon barrels. Citrus fruits can also be detected in the aroma adding to the complexity of this exceptional Vintage.
Taste
On the palate it is sweet and spicy; with overtones of fresh fruits and honey.
Finish
A long, warming and full bodied finish.
VINTAGE
Visit Balblair Distillery
The Balblair Distillery visitor tour is intimate and personal – an insight into our pursuit of producing the finest quality Vintage Malt Whisky, using methods that have changed very little over the years.
Just Whisky’s June auction ends this weekend. There are over 1000 lots to bid on and some of the bottles are very exciting indeed.
Highland Park Pure Malt – John Scott Kirkwall (98° Proof)
This bottle has created quite a stir here in the office. It’s a fantastically well-preserved bottle of Highland Park Pure Malt Whisky from licensed Grocer and Ironmonger, John Scott. John Scott has a long history in Orkney. The firm was originally a licensed grocer but John Scott obviously saw some potential in other products and it was no time before he was also selling hardware. After a while, the firm outgrew its premises and John Scott made the decision to move to 15-19 Bridge Street, where the company remains to this day. After World War 2 the decision was taken to turn the firm into a limited company and so, on 29th December 1955, the firm was incorporated and its name was changed from ‘John Scott’ to ‘John Scott & Miller Ltd’. This label features the pre-1955 name ‘John Scott’ and we date the bottle to the early 1950’s. Bottled at 98° Proof. This is a rare chance to sample an incredibly old whisky from a bygone age.
Wow! This Ardbeg is truly stunning. Just 261 hand blown decanters have been produced and contain an incredible 40 year old Ardbeg 1965 vintage malt. This set is beautifully put together and extremely high-quality, and comes with a glass museum case, black plinth & lid, 2 locking pins in black pouch and even some white gloves to handle this incredibly desirable lot. For those of you who wish to sample the precious liquid without opening the full sized bottle, Ardbeg has been thoughtful enough to include a 5cl version of the whisky.
This week sees the arrival of Ardbeg’s much anticipated limited edition Dark Cove at The Whisky Shop.
This new release from Islay’s Ardbeg Distillery is a limted edition created to mark the end of Ardbeg Day during the Islay Festival of Music & Malt. Matured in ex-bourbon and dark sherry casks, this expression harks back to the days of illicit stills and bootleggers hoping to avoid the notorious Excise Men.
The nose entices with dark chocolate, rich treacle and distant bonfires. The palate smoulders with charcoal and wood polish, raisins and dates emerging from the shadows. The finish is long and spicy with cured ham and squid ink noodles lingering.
