The Whisky Shop Dufftown Challenge for Independent Bottlers: Speyside

The Whisky Shop Dufftown threw down the gauntlet and challenged the independent bottlers to find the best Speyside Single Malt.  Our guests at The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2016 voted for their favourite in blind tastings. The winner was Old Malt Cask Speyside 1993 21 Years Old from Hunter Laing.

First Place:

• Old Malt Cask Speyside 1993 21 Years Old (£86.95)

Second Place:

• Adelphi Glenrothes 1991 25 Years Old (£189.00)

The Whisky Shop Dufftown Challenge for Independent Bottlers:  Rest of Whisky

The Whisky Shop Dufftown threw down the gauntlet and challenged the independent bottlers to find the best whisk(e)y not from Speyside – it could be any whisk(e)y just not a single malt whisky from Speyside.  Our guests at The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2016 voted for their favourite in blind tastings. The winner was Adelphi Bunnahabhain 2005 11 Years Old.  We should also mention the Old Perth Sherry which coming in second place and at that price is amazing!

First Place:

• Adelphi Bunnahabhain 2005 11 Years Old (£75.95)

Second Place:

• Old Perth Sherry cask from Morrison & MacKay (£29.95)

Each year, Mike as Chairman of the awards, has a look at the whiskies that did not win to see if there is another one that did really well with the public but also shows value for money considering how highly it was placed.  If he sees one then he will award it The Chairman’s Award for a Cracking Dram.  This year he has decided there is a deserving dram and that is the Old Perth Sherry which to beat off competition from much older more expensive whisky to come second place in the Rest of Whisky category makes it worth £29.95 of any one’s money.

The Best Tasting Note

 As part of the Challenge for Independent Bottlers we ask our guests taking part in the judging to write tasting notes for the whiskies as well as picking their favourites.  At the end of the festival we pick the best tasting notes and the winner receives a bottle of their favourite whisky from the competition.

This year it was won by Ruth Ball and she wins a bottle of Old Malt Cask Speyside 21 Years Old.

Mark Dermul, Belgian Whisky blogger, tastes a bourbon for a change. Elijah Craig is one of the few brands produced by the family owned Heaven Hill Distillery in the States. Bottled at 94 proof, which translates into 47% ABV, the 12 Year Old is one of the bestselling bourbons they put out. Those 12 years on casks have turned this entry level bourbon into a round and rich drink. This is value for money. 

https://youtu.be/jkWQ_IyVX04

The Loch Fyne The Living Cask^®

Say hello to the newest member of the family!

Here in our workshop on the shores of Loch Fyne, The Living Cask® takes pride of place. Our own unique creation, The Living Cask® is an ever-evolving vatting of whisky and now we’re ready to release the latest expression, Batch 4. Next day delivery available on UK orders. Worldwide shipping also available

The Loch Fyne  The Living Cask®
Batch 4

The latest edition of our legendary The Living Cask®, Batch 4 is another unique expression, completely different from its predecessors. Fresh creamy aroma with a dry citrus burst, fresh pine needles and lovely fresh oakiness, it opens nicely with time to reveal fresh apple, pear and rhubarb with a sweet heather bouquet. It has a creamy mouth-feel with a waxy texture, carrying a lot of flavour, autumn fruits with cherry, peaches and plums combining well with a dry wood spice and a little cinnamon. Adding a touch of water releases a more softer sweeter flavour, marshmallow and creamy coconut with a hint of wood smoke on the finish. A most perfect, warming beach bonfire companion.

£45 Buy Now

Hi Folks.

A piece of bright news in the post-Brexit gloom. We’re revamping our website with some exciting new measures, including a crisp new look, better search options, and an all-new app. We’re changing our pricing structure too and bringing back our hugely successful commission-free deal for our sellers. Insert fees will be £5 per lot plus VAT if applicable and £5 for reserves, also plus VAT if applicable.

There is sure to be a great demand for this incredible offer, so contact us now to arrange for deliveries and collections. Last date for entries to the 64th auction is July 15, so get in touch now. But don’t worry if you can’t get bottles to us by then – our commission free deal for sellers will be around for a while.

Best wishes from Glasgow

The SWA Team – Bidding to be the Best

Glenglassaugh 30 Year Old

Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

$236.67

500 Barrels of Fun:

It’s been just over 7 months since we fired up our copper stills to produce the very first batch of Virginia Single Malt, and although that incredible moment still feels like yesterday, we’re so proud to announce that we filled our 500th barrel this month! Our distillery team has been hard at work making whisky and filling barrels – judging by the beautiful spirit running off the still, Virginia Single Malt is going to be well-worth the wait.

See for yourself what all the fun is about. Join us for the Virginia Whisky Experience to learn more about Virginia Single Malt and our production process. Tours are offered daily on a variable schedule. For more information and to book a tour (and tastings), visit us online at http://vadistillery.us8.list-manage.com/track/click?u=bc7abbe9bcccc654437ea6d18&id=44e09f5611&e=4ead9d863b.

Hooray for Virginia: Cocktails Now Being Served!

Virginia’s new law takes effect today, which means we can now serve full-sized cocktails at the Visitors Center. This is in light of a new law that increases the tasting limit to 3 ounces per person, per day. We’re adding a full-sized version of our seasonal, the Shenandoah Peach.

We’ve put a summertime twist on the classic whisky sour by adding a hint of peach, the perfect use for all of the delicious local peaches coming from Chiles Family Orchard. Better start planning your trip!

If you can’t make it in to see us, try the recipe at home. It is sure to please friends and family, just in time for the holiday weekend.

This recipe makes one cocktail: 1.5 ounces of Virginia Highland Malt 1 ounce of lime juice 1 ounce of lemon juice 1 ounce of peach simple syrup (see recipe below) Slice of fresh peach from a place like Chiles Family Orchards and a sprig of mint to garnish Combine the ingredients in a glass. Fill the glass with ice and stir. Garnish with a peach slice and mint sprig. Sit back and enjoy! To make peach simple syrup: Bring 3 cups distilled water to a boil in a 2 to 3 quart heavy saucepan over moderately high heat. Add 3 cups of sugar and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and add 4 peach tea bags. Let steep for 20 minutes and then remove the tea bags. You may put leftover simple syrup into a container and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Now Accepting Private Event Requests:

We’re excited to start sharing the Visitors Center and grounds with guests for private event rental requests. We offer flexible use based on party size and event style, between our interior space and our outdoor patio and porch. In addition, we have room for tent set-ups for larger groups. We can work with caterers and provide assistance with cocktails and the bar elements. If you have a small wedding, family celebration or corporate event coming up, shoot an email to events@vadistillery.com with event details to get rate information.

Updated Hours:

Today, we introduce a slightly modified tour schedule. Tours will run daily at 11:30AM (except for Sundays), 1:30PM and 3:30PM. On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, we’ve added a 4:30PM tour. Starting July 17th, we’ll be opening the Visitors Center at 12PM on Sundays. That’s an extra hour to enjoy Virginia Highland Malt!

Upcoming Events:

Midsummer Drams and Jams, July 16, Visitors Center: Get out of the sun and under the shade of our outdoor patio umbrellas  for some whisky, music and fun to celebrate midsummer! Enjoy sipping on our award winning Virginia Highland Malt Whisky while listening to the regionally praised talent Willie DE play guitar from 2-5PM.

Two Brothers Food Truck will be on site from 12-5PM.  Farm Country Feast, July 16, 6-9PM, Richmond: This all-inclusive inaugural event will be held in the beautiful ballroom of John Marshall Hotel in downtown Richmond from 6PM to 9PM. Tickets include tastings of Virginia Highland Malt Whisky along with dozens of other Virginia craft beverages and a full menu of smoked, southern, soul & Cajun cuisine from some of RVA’s finest chefs. Don’t miss this!

Central Virginia Blues Society Festival, July 23, 4 – 10PM, RVCC: We’ll be serving our Virginia Highland Malt Whisky at Central Virginia Blue Society Blues Festival. Join a wonderful group of talented musicians for the CVBS’s, 1st Blues festival at Rockfish Valley Community Center. This will be the first of hopefully many festivals from the CVBS. There will be local food, beer, wine, spirits and vendors on hand.

Wintergreen Summer Music Series,  July 26, 7 – 8:30PM, RVCC: Bring a blanket and a picnic dinner, and enjoy the festive sounds of Albemarle Pipes and Drums, a traditional Scottish and British Isles-style pipe and drum corps from Charlottesville, Virginia for “No Plaid Required”. We’ll be serving our Virginia Highland Malt Whisky from 7PM-8:30PM to top off this Scottish-themed event, one of several included in the Wintergreen Summer Music Series. Donations will be shared between Wintergreen Performing Art’s and Albemarle Pipes’ educational initiatives and Rockfish Valley Community Center’s community work.

Veritas Wine and Whisky Dinner, at the Farmhouse, July 29: Join Virginia Distillery Company along with the team at  Veritas for a fun and delicious evening of  wine and whisky. The dinner will be at the Farmhouse at Veritas, and each course will be paired with a Veritas wine or a Virginia Highland Malt cocktail, or poured neat. Ticket information will be posted soon – check the events section of our website soon for booking information.

Barrels, Bottles & Casks, July 29 & 30, Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest: We’re venturing to Popular Forest’s Barrels, Bottles, and Casks for a second time this year by popular demand! This event returns with a focus on the beverages and spirits Thomas Jefferson and the plantation’s enslaved community consumed during the hot summer months. These guided tours begin in Jefferson’s kitchen and progress through the house with stops along the way to sample different 19th century beverages and share insights into the types of foods enjoyed on the plantation during Jefferson’s time. We will be serving up our version of the historic Cherry Bounce, a favorite cocktail among our founding fathers.  Tours are available Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30 at 6:00 and 7:00 p.m. each night. Admission is $25 per person and can be purchased here or by calling the Museum Shop at 434.534.8120.

NADURRA 16 YEAR OLD BATCH 1214E

70cl / 60.2%

£49.95 WAS £59.95

Nadurra is Gaelic for ‘natural’, and this bourbon-cask matured whisky from Glenlivet is a pure reflection of the elegant, fruity whisky made at this Speyside distillery. Bottling at cask strength with no chill filtration allows the whisky’s fruity character shine through, while the cask adds richer notes of vanilla.

This week Joe Ellis reviews Noah’s Mill Bourbon Whiskey

https://youtu.be/B9eacbNC_FY

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Blanton’s Original Single Barrel Bourbon (750ml)

($49.99) 95 points Wine Enthusiast: “Pour it, and let it sit awhile; this one opens up and gets more aromatic, rich and flavorful, like wine. It starts off with a candied sweetness and touches of coconut and tea on the nose, then opens up to deeper caramel tones. Orange and caramel flavors, mellow, smooth, linger on the finish. Light-bodied, despite the bold, luxurious flavors. And oh, that pretty bottle, like an oversized perfume flask. Add this one to your gift list.” (09/2010) Wine Spectator: “Custard, pepper, orange peel and grassy rye fill the nose. In the mouth, it’s a breakneck ride: an initial rush of dry corn and grassy rye, a broad wave of sweeter corn in the middle, and a finish of sugar and rough spearmint. One of the first specialty Bourbons, and still one of the best. ” (02/2012) K&L Notes: The nose is very deep and satisfying. The taste has a masterful start with powerful dry vanilla notes in perfect harmony with strong hints of honey and caramel. The long, creamy caramel holds the fort until some late soft peppers arrive to spice things up. The underlying dryness amid the spice and honey really makes for a bourbon that should suit all tastes. “Double Gold Medal” winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2011, 2012 and 2013.

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

www.ralfy.com uncovers a secretive side to American grain spirits with Whisky Review 590 – two Bottled In Bond Bourbons