The Penderyn Dragon Range
70cl, 41% ABV. The Penderyn Dragon Range of 41% whiskies: Legend with a Madeira finish Celt a Peated finish and Myth a Bourbon finish. Each is presented in a handsome new pack featuring a new dragon animation commissioned by Penderyn. Both Legend and Myth received gold awards in the World Whisky Masters 2015.
Myth £34.25
Celt £36.50
Legend £34.57
The Glenturret Triple Wood Edition, part of the new Glenturret Core Range. 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. Want to know more? Here’s Lucy with her Triple Wood Edition tasting video. Enjoy!
Available to buy online and in store now!
A japanese whisky for every taste and any occasion
Japanese whisky has never been so popular, with the quality and reputation at an all time high. Here at The Whisky Shop we have a terrific selection of some of the finest Japanse whiskies available anywhere. The Yamazaki Distiller’s Reserve is a wonderful balanced whisky. Full of soft, fresh fruits and Mizunara (Japanese Oak) aromas, this is a classic example of Japan’s number one whisky. Accompanied by The ice sphere mould to make the perfect ice ball and a stylish whisky tumbler.
HIBIKI JAPANESE HARMONY
A new blend from Suntory that brings to life the harmony of Japanese nature and craftmanship. A delicate and well balanced expression that is both subtle and complex. A blend of more than 10 malt and grain whiskies to create a harmony of flavours and aromas.
Pale amber in colour. A delicate scent of polished copper and light vanilla to start with, developing complex floral, green, mossy then fresh oaky notes, changing all the time. A surprisingly dry mouthfeel, and a lightly sweet, then chilli-pepper taste, at full strength, mellowing with a little water, leaving a charred, oaky aftertaste.
Hibiki 12 year old
Hibiki means resonance in Japanese. It speaks to the soul and emotions of the most discerning whisky lover. The legendary Hibiki represents true harmony, the ideal of perfection, the paragon of ‘The Art of Japanese Whisky’ and its artisans.
Numerous pure single malt whiskies aged in a variety of cask types, including Mizunara, a rare Japanese oak, all combine to create a dazzling, echoing roundness in the Hibiki 12 year old.
Taketsuru 21 year old
The Taketsuru range is named after the founder of the Nikka Whisky Company, Masataka Taketsuru.
The Taketsuru whiskies are a combination of single malt whiskies from Nikka’s two distilleries, Yoichi and Miyagikyo. This award winning bottling is made up of whiskies which have been aged for a minimum of 21 years.
Taketsuru 17 year old
In the 17 year old, a high percentage of the whiskies have been aged in ex-sherry casks, resulting in a deep, rich, complex whisky with more than a hint of smoke and oak.
The strength of this whisky lies in the way the subtle aroma of peat builds up over time,” says world-renowned British whisky critic Jim Murray in appreciation of Taketsuru 17 Years Old. Its mellow, well-rounded nose and palate are sure to please.
Nikka Taketsuru Pure Malt
Released in 2014, this no-age statement Taketsuru bottling is a blend of malts aged 10 years on average in different types of oak casks A high percentage of Miyagikyo malt gives a fresh fruity character, joined by mature aromas from an important sherry-cask influence.
Both masculine and feminine, traditional and innovative, this outstanding pure malt whisky is a worthy tribute to Masataka Taketsuru, the father of Japanese whisky and founder of Nikka.
Miyagikyo
In the heart of a preserved natural setting, the MIYAGIKYO distillery in Japan combines expertise and modernity in a constant search for finesse and elegance. Intense fruit aromas characterize the younger malts of the Miyagikyo distillery. Smooth and delicious, light yet intense, this no age statement Single Malt bottling is a fine whisky to enjoy before a meal, and a fine introduction for those new to Japanese whisky.
This week Joe Ellis reviews the the Swiss Santis Malt Cask Strength Peated Single Malt.
Canadian Whisky Speaks For Canada
OTTAWA, Nov. 26, 2015 – Canada’s new telegenic Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is not the only Canadian turning heads. In drinking circles, the Canadian getting all the attention these days is Crown Royal.
This sudden popularity at home mirrors skyrocketing interest in Canada and Canadian whisky right around the world. It also provides the new government with an opportunity to raise a glass to Canadian farmers.
Sales of Canadian whisky have been increasing steadily for three years, so why this sudden enthusiasm? On Thursday, November 19, acclaimed whisky writer, Jim Murray named Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye: the Best World Whisky of 2015. Miffed, Scotch whisky writers dismissed his choice just as the whisky buying public jostled for the next available cashier.
Gimli, Manitoba, is the home of Crown Royal. Joel Carleton, president of the Manitoba Bartenders’ Guild was thrilled with the news. “I am excited to see so many people celebrating the Canadian whisky category. It draws more attention to my beloved local whisky, and highlights the rye grain that gives Canadian whiskies their distinct spicy, complex flavour.”
This sudden interest masks how popular Canadian whisky is already. It is, after all, firmly established as one of the four great world whisky styles (beside Scotch, Irish, and bourbon whiskies) with annual sales of over 250 million bottles.
Still, Canadian whisky makers have reason to celebrate. Not only will this attention bring long-lasting notice to Canadian whisky, it will also help assure the future of the thousands of Canadian farmers who supply the grain required to make it.
You disagree with Murray’s specific choice? It doesn’t really matter. Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye is now the ambassador for Canadian whisky worldwide.
Previous Speakers of the House have stuck to Scotch when naming their annual official Speaker’s Whisky. Perhaps Prime Minister Trudeau will take a page out of Murray’s book and suggest the new Speaker recognize a Canadian whisky this time.
Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye: yet more accolades for Canadian whisky.
Diageo’s Gimli, Manitoba distillery where Crown Royal is made.
Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert
The world’s first in-depth book about Canada’s national spirit.
WINNER, GOURMAND BOOK AWARDS BEST SPIRITS BOOK CANADA 2012
WINNER, 2013 IACP BOOK AWARDS WINE, BEER AND SIRITS
Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert is published by McClelland & Stewart and distributed by Penguin Random House. It is available from most book shops and on-line book sellers.
THE CHRISTMAS WHISKY GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING
Membership of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society lasts longer than just another bottle
This Christmas, treat adventurous spirits enthusiasts and whisky aficionados alike to a gift that keeps on giving – membership to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is an international whisky club that bottles the world’s widest selection of single cask, single malt whisky for its members.
Each month, the Society releases around 15 whiskies to its members, with each one coming under one of its 12 unique flavour profiles such as ‘Juicy, oak and vanilla’, ‘Old and dignified’ and ‘Heavily peated’.
Society membership is the first step on an ever-changing sensory adventure that takes members on a mouth-watering journey of whisky discovery.
Membership also provides a perfect present to place under the Christmas tree in the form of a beautifully presented membership gift box, which includes:
A membership of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society costs from £122 and grants members exclusive access to the Society’s monthly releases of single cask, single malt whisky, as well as special grain whiskies, bourbons and even rums. It’s an ever-changing selection, which will satisfy all, from the curious newcomer to the experienced connoisseur.
In addition to receiving award-winning members’ magazine, ‘Unfiltered’, members can also attend special tasting events and gain access to The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s beautiful private Members’ Rooms in Edinburgh and London. Members can sign up to three guests into the Members’ Rooms.
To purchase membership of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society for £122, visit www.smws.co.uk or call the sales team on 0131 555 2929
Notes for Editors:
About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
1995 Benrinnes 20 Year Old K&L Exclusive Signatory Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($99.99)
In our opinion, Benrinnes might be the most underrated distillery in all of Scotland. We’ve purchased a number of casks from the Diageo-owned Speyside producer over the years and we’ve even taken a detailed tour of the space. In just about every interaction with both the whisky and the people who make it, we’ve been completely impressed in just about every way. That being said, the 20 year old cask that we pulled in this year from Benrinnes might be the best whisky yet. It’s a jaw-droppingly delicious single malt that brings big vanilla, big spice, loads of ripe fruit, and a creamy, soft mouthfeel for a screaming deal of a price. Two decades in wood at full proof for $99.99? If the label said Glenmorangie or Glenlivet instead of Benrinnes, you’d no doubt be looking at $180 per bottle or more, but the fact that this is Benrinnes cuts that price point right in half. The irony, however, is that we’d rather have the Benrinnes! The finish even flirts with a phenolic note and hints of smoke, despite the fact that Benrinnes doesn’t make peated whisky. Do not miss this whisky. It might be the best of this year’s Signatory crop.
href=”http://www.klwines.com/PersonalReviews/Bio?PRID=2108&ReviewerType=S”>Andrew Stevens | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 15, 2015
After tasting through the new Signatory Cask Strength line up this 20 year old from Benrinnes, a distillery I was not actually familiar with, was my hands down favorite. Elegantly balanced between smooth peat and a little smoke this whisky started and finished super well. The best thing about it was how well the distiller was able to underlay the sweet vanilla notes with a touch of smoke that made me want to immediately take home the bottle.
Heather Vander Wall | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 09, 2015
This whisky is head and shoulders above almost any I’ve tasted this year. I’m not the biggest whisky drinker, but I love complexity, depth and character to my drinks, and this bottle over-achieves in all areas. Of the new Signatory lineup it is by far the softest, and most mild with a lighter body than the others, yet offering subtle complexities of spice and fruit characteristics. Don’t hesitate on this bottle, it is well worth your while
Jeff Garneau | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: November 04, 2015
Have you ever attended a party where everyone you met was articulate, fascinating, compelling…yet by the time you left you abruptly realized you had spent virtually the entire night talking with just one person? If so, you have some idea of what it was like tasting through the first wave of K&L barrel selections to arrive from Scotland. The ’85 Linkwood was unbelievably creamy in texture, the ’90 Glen Elgin delightfully spicy, the ’88 Blair Athol decadently rich and sweet, and yet…and yet it was the ’95 Benrinnes I kept going back to. Classic notes of wood spice and vanilla, and something I can only identify as “black cardamom” – at once smoky and lightly herbaceous (though David assures me there is no peat used here). I found this to be the most complex and layered of the whiskies I tasted, revealing more of itself each time I returned to the glass. I asked Kyle and David if they had a favorite and without hesitation they both answered “Benrinnes”. Hmm. I have always been more of a wine guy, but David’s relentless insistence that I taste everything he brings through the door may finally be paying off.
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
Win The Last Great Malts!
Dewar’s have a great selection of distilleries, but other than Aberfeldy, until recently they’ve been quiet about them. No longer! Starting in late 2014, they have been revamping their range under the banner of The Last Great Malts. With Royal Brackla on the market and The Deveron (aka Glen Deveron aka Macduff) coming very soon (after being launched at The Whisky Show in October), the series is complete, and we’re celebrating with a prize draw:
That’s eight bottles of whisky worth more than £1,000, which is not to be sniffed at.
The three distilleries whose whiskies we’ve chosen to be in the draw are very different. Aberfeldy is well known for their weighty and sherry-heavy style, while Craigellachie produces a meaty spirit but focus on bourbon casks, creating a whisky that’s far from light, but is packed with tropical fruit and a hint of smoke. Aultmore straddles the spectrum, with the light and elegant 12 Year Old and the rich and earthy 25 Year Old. All in all, something for everyone.
Head to the prize draw page now for full details – the draw will close at 11.59pm on 10 January 2016.
A personalised 20l barrel of French Oak is one of the best things a whisky lover could dream of…we fill a cask for you, put your name on it and let it mature in our bondstore before bottling and sending it to your home where you can enjoy the fruits of our labour. The only downside is you have to wait a few years while the whisky matures, and that’s why this Christmas you get front-of-queue access to our latest French Oak release, the delicious cask HH435, when you purchase a barrel. Offer closes at midnight on the 31st of December, so hurry to get your hands on a bottle now.
Tasmania Distillery
Lamb Pl
Cambridge, TAS 7170
Australia
Whisky Ramblings Via Video #120
Mark Dermul, Belgian Whiskyblogger, tries a Glenallachie. It is a Speyside distillery that produces almost exclusively for the blending industry. Being founded in 1967 it is a very young distillery indeed. The name is derived from Gaelic and means as much as the rocky valley. It is currently owned by Chivas Brothers. If you want to try it as a single malt, you will need to look at independent bottlings. The one Mark tries today is some such, bottled exclusively for a Belgian whiskyclub called Maltlovers. This is a 9 year old single cask at a whopping 50,7% ABV.
