The madness of the holiday season is now over, we have all survived the stupidity of Black Friday, cyber Monday, Panic Saturday! How about wincing Wednesday or thumping Thursday and let’s not forget silly Sunday, let’s see the idiots who create such moronic names steal the last 3 thinking it’s a good idea to constantly give stupid PR driven names to anything they possibly can! (Rant over)
Our Christmas season started way back in September with release after release of stunning single casks and small batch malts, obviously the last one of the year was an incredible range selling out of everything bar 3 cases of Clynelish 19 in less than an hour, we even sold the reserve stocks normally held back for the in-store sales! Don’t think I can recall such a thing happening across the range before. I know the speed of sales caused too many of you to miss out we had no idea demand would outstrip supply all those decades ago when we purchased the casks or made the whiskies.
We have to remind our overseas customers that all bottles sold on the site are UK delivery only or collect in-store, we do not ship outside the UK at this time.
The tasting room is booking up solidly again for 2016 with all January evening tastings along with most of early February booked up and 5 of the 6 personal blending nights we had planned sold out with-in minutes. If we can fit a few more in this year we will do so soon.
A few thousand tasting room vouchers sold the last few weeks so get booking ASAP to secure a slot before the next holiday season starting March 25th (Good Friday) it will be upon us before we know it.
Over the last year I have been stocking up on Tamnavulin Glenrothes and Tamdhu simply because I quite like them to be honest. If you have not had one of our small batch vintages you will kick yourself if you don’t give them a try.
Now its time to look forward to a new year full of surprises from Scotland’s amazing distilleries. Our new season from Springbank kicks off with the long awaited 12 year old cask strength followed by the new 16 year old Local Barley later in the month (more about that later)
Our first new products of the year are due to hit the shops as you get this newsletter, along with the very new we have some very old so this is going to be a big release in London.
OLD & EXREMELY RARE
This is your chance to own some very rare and fine whiskies, there is only 1 bottle of each of these, so once its gone, its gone. But have a look in The Vault where you’ll find som rare gems.
Allt-A-Bhainne 1980 60.3% Bottle number 282 cask 100029 old picture label Cadenhead bottling.
Benriach 10 1986 bottled July 1996 61.2% Cadenhead green glass screen print bottle Cadenhead bottling.
Benrinnes 23 March 1962 bottled November 1985 46% brown glass Amber dump black & white label Cadenhead bottling.
Caol ila 22 May 1974 bottled July 1996 57.4% green glass screen print bottle Cadenhead bottling.
Dallas Dhu 12 Gordon & Macphails
Dallas Dhu 24 1970 60.6% rare malts bottle
Dallas Dhu 34 1980 43% Gordon & Macphails
Craigallachie 23 December 1962 bottled January 1985 46% brown glass Amber dump black & white label Cadenhead bottling.
Glenlochy 26 January 1958 bottled October 1984 sherrywood cask 46% brown glass Amber dump black & white label Cadenhead bottling.
Hillside 25 Glenesk distillery 1971 bottle 2070 62% rare malts with original carton
Lagavulin 1978 63.5% cask number 16 bottle number 97 Cadenheads picture label Cadenhead bottling.
Linlithgow (St. Magdalene) 24 December 1982 bottled May 2007 50% single cask 303 bottles. Old Malt Cask bottling
Rosebank 12 43% flora & forna bottling
Glenmorangie The original 10 year old (old label)
Lochside 10 Macnab Distillery bottling 40% 750mil picture label (some damage to lower part of the label.
Bowmore 15 year old sherry cask (Darkest) 1990″s seagulls picture label.
COMING SOON
Springbank 12 year old Cask Strength is due in by late January early February again this is going to be around 60-65% Sherry casks the rest will be Bourbon casks,
Springbank 16 year old Local Barley due early February, this is a welcome return to the Local Barley series, the last Local barley produced was way back in 1966 then released as a vintage in the 1990’s with the picture label showing hand drawn images of the distillery, quite a colourful label that i am sure some would love to see again! Well lets see what happens very soon.
Springbank 18 will not be bottled until later this year along with the new Kilkerran 12 year old expected in the summer.
Springbank 21 is almost gone we will add a few bottles to the site very soon from the 2015 bottling.
Springbank 15 is now heading into rare status until the next batch of casks are ready to bottle around August so any stocks we have in will be down to a max of 2 bottles per customer, this might be down to one bottle sooner than we would like if sales continue at the current pace.
Longrow 18 2015 bottling is also close to selling out until we re-bottle the next batch due April / May.
As soon as we have the Local Barley and Springbank 12 in stock I will send another newsletter.
A TRIBUTR TO UNCLE BRIAN
On January 2nd 2016 our most iconic member of staff passed away, He was known as Uncle Brian to customers who came to our shop in Covent Garden when we first opened in London just under 21 years ago.
Brian was one of those oh so few people who simply loved life and talking to customers, he never tried to sell the most expensive he simply wanted people to enjoy the best whisky they could.
One of his great skills was getting to know so many people (He would never say customers) personally that even today they ask how he’s doing. If you never had the chance to meet Brian then you missed a truly unique man who helped shape the direction of the shop in London.
So it’s with deep sadness that we must now close the chapter on our much loved Uncle Brian.
His family and friends will deeply miss him as will I and all those who have worked with him be it in London or from our head office and of course our customers who have been with us since May 1995.
All the best for 2016 everyone.
Stephen W Cadenhead’s London
