This week Joe Ellis reviews the Highland Park 18 Year Old Single Malt.

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AUCTION NOW LIVE

Place your bids! 

Whisky Hammer is delighted to announce the launch of its inaugural auction which is now live with a selection of whiskies in over 200 Lots.

See the auction now at

www.whiskyhammer.co.uk

www.ralfy.com revisits an auld acquaintance with Whisky Review 574 – Bunnahabhain 12yo re-reviewed 2016

Elements of Islay – the peat generation

Our fortnightly London tastings follow a theme, often a single type of spirit or a range of products from one brand. Sometimes it coincides with the launch of a new product, as was the case for our recent Elements of Islay tasting with occasional blog contributor Oliver Chilton, where we were treated to the first public outing of the brand’s new blended malt: Peat.

Elements of Islay was launched in 2008 by our sister company Speciality Drinks. Selected by Oliver, for the past eight years, the Elements range has been a series of cask-strength single malts from Islay distilleries, each approved by a signature from an influential character in the whisky world. This changed last month with the release of Peat, a blended malt from across the island bottled at 59.3%. Even though its drinkablity and moreishness defies the strength, there’s good news for those who don’t like cask-strength whiskies – Oliver told us a 46% version will be appearing later in the year.

While the reason for the tasting was Peat (which you can read more about in Billy’s post), there were seven other bottlings to try on the night – some current and some dearly departed.

We tasted eight whiskies from the Elements of Islay range, including the new Peat

We tasted

Br6 – distilled in 1992; clean, sweet and grassy Bw5 – a vatting of two vintages, the youngest of which was 1996; complex, fruity and floral Lp6 – distilled in 1998 and finished in first-fill ex-Buffalo Trace barrels for a decade; sweet peat, coconut and vanilla Peat – blended malt with the youngest component aged for seven years; meaty with a maritime character Bn6 – 2001 vintage whisky aged in a sherry butt; waxy texture with peach, butterscotch and ginger flavours Lg5 – bottled in its teenage years; smoked meat and tropical fruit Ar4 – distilled in 2000; big, bold and smoky with bourbon-cask sweetness Oc2 – peated to around 160ppm; balanced by sweetness from ex-Spanish wine American oak

Best #TWETASTING Tweet

Billy Abbott @cowfish It’s so good, I put my name on it! [Bn6]

Whisky of the night

Peat showed exceptionally well on the night – the combination of smoky meat (bacon) and coastal character (brine and sea spray) is very well integrated with sweet fruit, the latter becoming more apparent with water. However for me, the star of the night was one of last year’s releases: Lp6.

Lp6, 51.3%

The Marmite of Scotch whisky, Lp bottlings are known for being big, bold and medicinal. Lp6 was finished in first-fill bourbon barrels.

Nose: Surprisingly restrained for an Lp; needs time for the notes of iodine, brine and black pepper to come through.

Palate: As with the nose, there’s an elegance to this sixth release. The peaty character is very much in evidence, but there’s a hint of vanilla in the background. Water brings this out, as well as pineapple and mango.

Finish: Long and dry, with underlying vanilla spice.

Comment: A versatile dram – if you’re after a big savoury whisky, this is the one for you. On the other hand, if you like more fruit to balance the smoke, then adding water does the trick. Depending on my mood (and the British weather), I’d be happy with either!

Oliver chose eight whiskies to show off the variety of the range, from unpeated Br6 all the way to the super-heavily-peated Oc2. Every bottling was chosen by a guest as their whisky of the evening, and with the aforementioned 46% version of Peat on the way, the series offers something for every Islay-whisky fan.

Ballindalloch, March 2016

J & G. Grant proudly announce the release of the Glenfarclas 50 Years Old, which now joins the special Collector Series as the third edition of this limited family range. This expression represents the third generation of the Grants of Glenfarclas, George Grant (1874-1949), who inherited the distillery alongside his brother John, leading to the formation of their private family company J. & G. Grant at the turn of the nineteenth century.

The Glenfarclas 50 Years Old has been matured in the typical Glenfarclas style in ex Oloroso Sherry Casks, producing 937 bottles to be sold worldwide. A non-chill filtered bottling at 41.1%, on the nose it reveals wonderful fresh sweet sherry with an unexpected youthful aroma from such a whisky of its age. With time in the glass, hints of crème caramel and butterscotch develop. Its flavour reveals an assertive spiciness but never overpowering followed by treacle toffee, chocolate ice-cream and sherry soaked raisins. On the finish, a wonderful balance of sherry, spiced fruits and cinnamon and aneverlasting sweetness which you would expect from 50 years in our finest sherry casks.

  The bottle is presented in a black leather box with a silver emblem of George Grant, third generation of the family and features III in Roman numerals etched underneath. As a matter of holding true to traditions, the Grants have created yet another vintage whisky from treasured casks dating back to the 1960s. Bottled in late 2015, this expression is set to create much curiosity and intrigue for collectors around the globe.

George Grant, Glenfarclas Sales Director, comments “we’re very excited to have reached the half way mark in our Family Collector Series. Thanks to my family’s foresight in laying down stock for the future, today we’re able to enjoy impressive age statements which is certainly a luxury worth sharing!”

www.glenfarclas.co.uk

NEW TO THE PARTY

Widow Jane 10yr Bourbon – The 8 year was excellent, and this 10 year is even better. We’re excited to see a new product from this great NY distillery.

Sonoma County Cask Strength Rye and 2nd Chance Wheat Whiskey – Sonoma County Distillery works from grain to glass using direct fire pot stills. It’s an old school way to make delicious traditional whiskey.

11 Wells Prototype Bourbon 375ml and Rye 375ml – The founders of 11 Wells are keeping true to their origins in Minnesota. The Prototype line is unique in that different types of wheat and rye will be used and market tested. They want to hear what you think, so help them make good whisky great!

Redemption Rye 8 Year Barrel Proof – It’s back and as big as ever. This is the limited top-shelf selection from Redemption and comes in at full cask strength.

Wild Turkey Forgiven – Be sure to stock up if this is one of your go-to Wild Turkey whiskies. We are told Wild Turkey will be discontinuing Forgiven as a regular item, and it will become a once a year limited time offering from here on. Get it while the gettin’ is good!

Jack Daniels Honey and Fire Combo Set – What a convenient way to try JD Honey and JD Fire. One combo pack, a couple mixers, and some friends and you have a party.

Jack Daniels Glass Set – For the same price of a fifth of Jack, you can get two designated JD drinking glasses!

Ardbeg 10 Year Glass Set – The packaging looks like a bottle of Ardbeg and two glasses were the original test products to be frozen in carbonite on Cloud City, right before Han Solo. It’s a cool package and the Scotch is the same awesome Islay malt it’s always been.

Rosebank 23 Year Gordon & MacPhail – You are reading that correct, TPS has some Rosie in stock. Ok, so it’s not Port Ellen, but it’s also not $2,500 either. Here’s one of the greats. Keep it in mind for your best client, or chip in with some friends and taste a bit before it’s gone forever.

Gordon & MacPhail Arrivals – See here for our replenished stock of G&M bottlings.

Arran – We restocked these awesome single malts from the lesser known Isle of Arran. Check out what’s back.

Glenmorangie w 50ml – This is a great scotch to keep on hand, and in doing so you get to try a 50ml of two of their higher end selections. One is the sherry cask finished Lasanta, and the other is the port cask finished Quinta Rubin

Benromach 10yr 50ml – If you’re heading on a flight, love scotch, and don’t want to pay $8 for a 50ml of Dewars, fear not. Take as many of these Benromach 50mls, in a quart sized plastic bag, in your carry-on as you wish. You can buy toothpaste anywhere, pack minis to make your flight a little smoother.

John Barr Blended Scotch – Here’s a historical label of blended scotch. Now owned by the master scotch blenders of Whyte and McKay, it’s a super smooth blend that is good on its own, or will undoubtedly make a great scotch and soda.

www.thepartysource.com

95 Riviera Drive, Bellevue, KY 41073  (859) 291-4007

Quintessentially Canadian Magazine launches Canada’s newest Whisky magazine: QC Relish and Whisky.

A quarterly publication devoted entirely to the excesses of fine food and heavenly spirits. 

QC Relish and Whisky highlights the best of distilleries, expert advice for the whisky connoisseur, product innovations, and stories and details from the lives beyond the glass. Filled with recipes from the master chefs of the culinary world and new perspectives to open your eyes on spirits near and far. With a setting for all to enjoy, a comfortable visual escape, where questions are answered and curiosity is evoked. Local gastronomic to the Angels’ share.

Read online here

As we are settling into our new premises we would just like to make you aware of the parking facilities that are available to our customers. There is free parking available directly outside our premises and across from us in the visitors parking area. Please refrain from parking in the spaces outside of the Plumb and Drain Centres which are either side of ourselves. If there is no available parking outside the auction please use the on street parking which is very reasonable.

Thanks,

SWA Team

Singleton of Glen Ord 15 Year Old – Malt of the Month

I’ve been intrigued by Glen Ord for years. Back in the dim and distant past, I became aware of the distillery when I was asked to write about them in 1001 Whiskies to Try Before You Die – I tried a few drams and really liked them. However, it’s only more recently that I’ve managed to visit and learn about more about the distillery first-hand.

Situated a short drive away from Inverness – and easily accessible by train for those like me who shouldn’t be in control of a motor vehicle – on the edge of the village of Muir of Ord, the distillery has been operated without much interruption since 1838. It sits on the south-western edge of the Black Isle, a fertile peninsula well known for its grain production, and when it opened it was one of almost 20 distilleries operating in the area. Times have changed, and these days it’s the Black Isle’s only distillery and one of the most important in Diageo’s malt portfolio. Add to that the large maltings a few minutes walk away – a facility that provides malt to a some of Diageo’s best-known distilleries – and you have site that’s involved in the production of a lot of whisky.

The Ord maltings are impressive – a cathedral dedicated to malting barley

Until 2015, the distillery had a capacity of 5 million litres of alcohol per year, putting it in the top 20 malt producers by volume in Scotland. But a major distillery expansion has now bumped that to 11 million, pushing it into the top five, at about the same level of production as Glenlivet and Macallan. However, unless you go behind the scenes at the distillery, you can’t tell – the buildings are still the same as before for the most part, with the expansion mostly happening in the disused buildings that once housed the on-site saladin maltings.

The plan was simple: double production by doubling the number of stills and washbacks and adding an extra mash tun, while keeping all the original buildings in place. As the project progressed, they found some more space and added in a couple of extra washbacks, removing a pinch point in production and kept the complex jigsaw of spirit production running smoothly. Along with the extra washbacks and mash tun, they also needed to find space for some stills. This is actually a new building, hidden behind the old site and filled with seven new copper pot stills.

Seven new stills – still shiny

The spirit they produce is classified – using Diageo’s internal definitions – as ‘grassy’. One of the key parts of getting that character is how they condense the spirit vapour into liquid. The distillery uses shell-and-tube condensers: wide pipes filled with small tubes full of water, which cool the spirit vapour as it flows through, turning it into liquid. While we usually think of the water used for cooling the vapour as being cold, Glen Ord uses warm water. This allows the vapour to stay as vapour for longer, increasing its interaction with the copper of the condenser and producing a lighter, grassier spirit.

My first introduction to Glen Ord was a double-bill tasting of the now-discontinued 12 and 28 Year Old, but further exploration was hampered by an annoying sales decision – Glen Ord’s whisky was only available in Asia. As the third distillery in Diageo’s Singleton range – along with Dufftown and Glendullan – Ord was confined to shops on the other side of the globe. However, Diageo has now decided to open up the range to the whole world, and to celebrate, Singleton of Glen Ord 15 Year Old is our Malt of the Month – we’ve knocked £8 off for the whole of March.

Singleton of Glen Ord 15 Year Old

Nose: Soft and waxy with orchard fruit – apples and pears – backed up by soft spicy notes and a hint of the tropical. As it sits in the glass, honeysuckle and butterscotch develop, along with a touch of buttery pastry.

Palate: Slightly oily texture with the fruit from the nose complemented by orange zest and a touch of bitter citrus oil. Spice is more noticeable on the palate, with ginger and nutmeg sitting on top of vanilla and creamy notes.

Finish: Quite long, with sharper fruit softening to a spicy end.

Comments: A rounded and waxy dram with richer flavours providing a solid background for lighter and sweeter notes.. A great every day sipper.

While the lack of easily findable Ord has given me an excuse to visit the distillery a couple of times, the extra-availability will hopefully make it easier for everyone to grab a bottle and find out why it’s my favourite in the Singleton stable.

Punxsutawney Phil says an early spring, but baby it’s still cold outside.

Here are some warming whiskies.

Compass Box 10th Anniversary Peat Monster Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

Scotch Vatted Malt of the Year: Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2015.$119.99

High West Double Rye D&M Barrel Select Whiskey

This right here is an interesting beast!$49.99

D&M, 2200 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115