www.ralfy.com has some mixed-emotions about Whisky Review 506 – Dewars 12yo Legacy Scotch

December is here with just 17 shopping days left until Christmas. Christmas can certainly be a stressful time, something I know all too well having worked in retail as long as I have. For the past decade I’ve been putting together a Christmas gift guide to help our customers simplify their decision making process. Finding the right gift can be daunting, especially if you’ve not been indoctrinated into the world of whisky.

Our 2014 Christmas Gift Guide starts with unique gift packs, accessories and miniatures, all perfect for stocking stuffers. The meat of the gift guide though is my whisky recommendations. I’ve given both peated and unpeated offerings in 9 different price ranges from under $70 to well over $2000 per bottle. I hope it gives you a little inspiration and helps make your shopping experience that much more relaxed! Most of the whiskies on the list are available for sampling, just in case you want to try them yourself. So print this off and, with paper in hand, pop by to pay us a visit.

Our Winter 2015 Tasting Schedule is also out and open for registration. I’ve highlighted all the whisky and spirits tastings below. The full tasting schedule can be viewed on our website. Highlights include Scots Wae Hae! our annual celebration of Robert Burns and Whisky, the Islay Mini Festival (our own little Feis Isles!) and The Bourbon Trail which will feature slides from my recent whisky pilgrimage to Kentucky.

Finally the the MS Calgary Whisky Festival is coming early in January. Tickets are $99, are for a great cause and make an excellent gift. Don’t hesitate, see the side pannel. Buy your tickets by December 15th and you’ll be entered to win the early bird draw.

I hope you enjoy the Malt Messsenger Christmas Gift Guide.

Slainté!

Andrew Ferguson

In This Issue
1. Winter 2015 Tasting Schedule is Now Online
2. December KWM Winetime is Online and in the Mail
3. 2015 Malt Messenger Christmas Gift Guide
4. MS Calgary Whisky Festival Update

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson
Kensington Wine Market

PS- PS – Don’t forget you can follow me on Twitter: twitter.com/scotch_guy and Facebook: facebook.com/scotch.guy.1 .  www.fergusonwhiskytours.com

2015 MS Calgary Whisky Festival

Thursday January 15 2015
The 2015 Calgary Whisky Festival in support of the MS Society of Calgary is set to be another barnburner of an event. Last year’s festival drew 400 attendees and featured nearly 150 whiskies from distilleries in Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the US, Japan and India. This year’s event is set to be even bigger and better with more whiskies, more presenters and a capacity of 500 participants. Buy your tickets before December 15th and you’ll be entered in the draw to win the gift basket pictured above which is a $400 value and includes a sold out Silver Seal Glendronach 22 Year! $99

Buy Tickets Now

Winter 2015 KWM Tasting Schedule

A Range of Exciting Tastings Including a Mini Festival Dedicated to Islay!

You can view the full KWM Winter 2015 Tasting Schedule Online including all or our wine, whisky, beer and other spirit tastings. Here is a breakdown of our winter spirits tastings:

 1. Hello Darkness – Tuesday January 13 2015, 7PM – Good old sherried whisky is increasingly hard to come by, as demand for sherry is plummeting while that for Scotch whisky is soaring. We’ll sample six heavily sherried whiskies to tease out the darkness within. – $60
2. MS Calgary Whisky Festival 2015 – Thursday January 15, 7PM – The 2015 Calgary Whisky Festival in support of the MS Society of Calgary is set to be another barnburner of an event. Last year’s festival drew 400 attendees and featured nearly 150 whiskies from distilleries in Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the US, Japan and India. This year’s event is set to be even bigger and better with more whiskies from over 30 presenters and a capacity of 500 participants.Tickets are going fast and are available exclusively from the MS Society. – $95
3. Lost in Translation – Thursday January 22 2015, 7PM – For nearly 100 years the Japanese have been making whisky in the Scottish style, albeit with their own twist. Their reputation is soaring, as some of their whiskies are among the finest in the world. – $75
4. Scots Wha Hae – Sunday January 25 2015 7PM – Caledonians Unite! It’s time to celebrate all things Scottish. Glendronach and BenRiach are the distilleries we’ll be focusing on for this our 9th annual Robbie Burns Supper. We’ll have bagpipes, poetry, haggis with neeps and tatties and six amazing single malts all from Glendronach and BenRiach distilleries, including some new exclusives to KWM! No previous whisky experience required. Location: Fort Calgary 750 9 Avenue, SE – $99
5. Bob Kyle’s Rare Drams – Thursday January 29 2015, 7PM – Don’t let the fact that Bob cheers for Dundee United get in the way of the fact that he puts on a good tasting, besides, he has the accent! We’ll sample whiskies from Glencadam, Tomintoul and Carn Mor. -$50
6. Classic Single Malts – Thursday February 5 2015, 7PM – This is our “classic” introduction to the world of single malt Scotch whisky. You’ll discover a little history, how it’s made and sample six distinct styles. – $35
7. The Bourbon Trail – Tuesday February 10 2015, 7PM – Follow our whisky expert Andrew Ferguson on a virtual tour of Kentucky’s Bourbon country while sampling a range of carefully selected Kentucky whiskies. – $35
8. Rare Malts – Thursday February 19 2015, 7PM – Only the rarest whiskies, those more than 20 years of age or from closed distilleries are considered for this very special tasting. – $80
9. Islay Mini Festival – Thursday February 26 2015, 7PM – Islay’s annual Islay Festival, or ‘Feis Isle’, usually takes place in Scotland in May, but with so many peaty Islay malts available, why wait till May! Surely a cold February night will work just fine. – $40
10. The Whisky Isles – Tuesday March 10 2015, 7PM – Islay’s not the only island whisky made in Scotland. Join us as we journey to all the other whisky isles starting with Arran and ending on Orkney’s mainland. Tue Mar 10 – $50
11. The Irish are Coming! – Tuesday March 17 2015, 7PM – The Irish Are Coming! $35 Will you be celebrating Saint Paddy’s Day with us? Ah, it’s sure to be a right Irish treat. Irish beer and Irish whisky. Is there a better way to be putting on the green? – $35
15. Master Malts – Thursday March 26, 2015, 7PM – Only the rarest and very special whiskies are showcased at this tasting which always highlights some of the most exciting new whiskies in the world! – $99

Miniatures
1. Auchentoshan 12 Year 50ml – Auchentoshan’s flagship bottling in all its glory. $3.99
2. Big Peat 50ml – Same Big Peat blended Islay malt whisky with a dash or Port Ellen in it, much smaller bottle! – $10.99
3. Bowmore 12 Year 50ml – The distillery feels it is best paired with oysters, probably best not to put those in the stocking too! – $3.99
4. Glendronach 21 Year 50ml – If you think the full size bottle is bargain priced, check out the miniatures. Very low stock! – $7.99
5. Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength 50ml – The only cask strength miniature in the market. – $10.99
6. Glenfarclas 40 Year 50ml – At this price it is almost the same price per ml as the full size bottle! A great whisky and a top notch stocking stuffer. – $55
7. Jura Superstition 50ml – Jura’s moderately peated expression is a perfect stocking stuffer. – $4.99

Gift Packs
1. KWM’s Wee Whisky Gift Box – We’ve taken four 50ml miniatures (Auchentoshan 12 Year, Bowmore 12 Year, Jura Superstition and Glendronach 21 Year Parliament) and tucked them into a Christmassy box, that you won’t event need to wrap. It’s all ready to go! – $29.99
2. Auchentoshan Collection – Three 50ml single malts from this Lowland distillery in a compact gift pack. – $25.99
3. Bowmore Collection – Three 50ml single malts from Islay’s oldest distillery. Bowmore 12, 15 and 18 year olds. – $25.99
4. Glenfarclas 105 Cask Strength, 12 & 15 Year – Glenfarclas’ entry level gift pack includes the world’s first cask strength whisky, the 105 and the 12 and 15 year olds. – $35.99
5. Glenfarclas 15, 21 & 25 Year – It’s not often you see gift packs featuring older whiskies like these, and the price is great! – $49.99
6. Kilchoman Gift Pack – Includes a full size bottle of Machir Bay and two Glencairn glasses, for about $5 more than the bottle alone! – $79.99
7. Tomatin Gift Pack – 12, 15 and 18 year olds in a compact stocking stuffer. – $22.99
8. Tomintoul Tri-Pack – This pack like the Glenfarclas has some mature malts in it, 10, 16 and 33 year olds! – $32.99
9. Scotch Malt Whisky Society New Members Kit – Much more than just a gift pack, this is your portal to membership in the World’s largest whisky club. The Society bottles single cask cask strength whiskies exclusively for its members and launches 7 new ones every month in Canada. For more info visit: www.smws.ca – $230.00

Accessories
1. Glencairn Glass – The classic glass for drinking whisky, specifically single malt Scotch whisky. – $15.99
2. Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2015 – The most comprehensive list of tasting notes on world whisky updated annually. We will remove the dust jacket for you at no added cost. – $21.99
3. Malt Whisky Yearbook 2015 – The best annual reference on the world of Malt Whisky, highlighting all Scottish, Irish and Japanese malt whisky distilleries, as well as many of those in the world beyond. My favourite annual whisky book. – $29.99
4. Glencairn Cut Crystal Glass – Take the classic Glencairn glass and make it fancy. This elegant glass is a must for the connoisseur. If only it were available in Ron Burgundy’s day, he would certainly have swapped a tumbler for it. – $49.99
5. Glenfarclas an Independent Distillery – A wonderful book on Scotland second oldest family owned distillery. – $49.99

Whiskies Under $70
1. Bowmore Small Batch – Naked Bowmore, malty, grassy and briny; youth is its asset! – $54.99
2. Glenglassaugh Torfa – The first peated whisky to come out of Glenglassaugh may be young, but it is sweet, lightly peate and citric with white fruits. – $64.99
3. Compass Box Great King Street – This is an easy drinking crowd pleasing blend at a great price. – $49.99
4. Tomatin 12 Year French Oak – Sweet and creamy with lots of spice, this limited edition will not last long, especially at the price. – $66.99
5. Breuckelen 77 Rye & Corn Whiskey – A curiosity to be sure, 85% rye and 15% corn mash, matured in small batches. – $67.49

Whiskies Under $100
1. Tomatin Cu Bocan Sherry Ltd. Ed. – Big sherry meets big smoke and they live happily ever after. Nice addition. – $80.99
2. BenRiach 15 Year Madeira Finish – We used to stock this years ago as an exclusive, and it has come back, once again exclusively from KWM. Sweet spicy and very smooth! – $87.99
3. BenRiach 15 Year PX Finish – Also exclusive to KWM, this BenRiach is finished in Pedro Ximenez sherry and is syruppy and fruity, but still soft and smooth. – $87.99
4. Hepburn’s Choice Braeval 12 Year – You don’t see Braeval, AKA Braes of Glenlivet bottled very often but this sherry matured independent bottlings stands tall. Rich, nutty and creamy with spices and dark fruits. – $87.99
5. Kilchoman 100% Islay 4th Edition – Both classic Islay and Kilchoman with both the sweet Bourbon notes and the medicinal, salty peat shining through! – $99.99

Whiskies Under $150
1. Glendronach 2003 – Our latest cask, and 5th from Glendronach landed only 3 weeks after the 1993. Matured in PX Sherry it is a sweetly sherried malt and flying off the shelves. – $114.99
2. G&M Glentauchers 1994 – A malt you almost never see bottled, this stunner from Gordon & MacPhail caught our attention, as well as that of the 2014 Whisky Bible, 96.5pts. – $114.99
3. Whistle Pig 100/100 Straight Rye – Canadian rye whisky from right here in Alberta matured 5 years in new American oak and finished in Ex-Bourbon. Sweet, dark, decadent and spicy with layers of spice. – $119.99
4. Arran 1996 KWM Cask 526 – One of the oldest Arrans ever bottled, this KWM exclusive sherry cask is a delight with candied fruits, spices and a very smooth finish. – $129.99
5. Berry’s Aberlour 1994 KWM Cask – A very unusual Aberlour, in that there is no trace of sherry, with prominent Bourbon notes: honey, toasted oak and nutty tones. Bottled exclusively for KWM. – $139.99

Whiskies Under $200
1. Yoichi 15 Year – Our best selling Japanese whisky is one of our best drams under $200. Tropical with subtle smoke and lots of spice. – $144.99
2. Springbank Society Madeira 15 Year – You have to be a member to buy Springnbank Society bottlings, but membership is just a onetime fee away. This Madeira finish is Springbank at its finest. – $159.99
3. Duncan Taylor Deanston 1994 – Finished in 80L Octave sherry casks this malt is more delicately sherried than its sister Mortlach bottling. Only six of 71 bottles left! – $179.99
4. Cadenhead Glen Garioch 1990 24 Year – Juicy and toasty the palate is surprisingly peated with lots of clean, crisp smoke – $195.99
5. Glendronach 1993 KWM – This 20 year old stunner from the hills north of Huntly has been bottled exclusively for KWM. It is deep and very fruity with lots of spice. – $199.99

Whiskies Under $300
1. Signatory Bruichladdich 1990 – Aged Bruichladdich is getting hard to come by these day, this 23 year old from a Refill Sherry Butt is an anomaly and an exceptional dram. Exclusive to KWM. – $234.99
2. Tasliker 25 Year 2011 – When this started to fly last week when we announced the price pending increase we snapped up a couple extra cases. Tropical fruits, clean salty smoke and classic Talisker cayenne spice. – $249.99
3. Signatory Bunnahabhain 1988 – This 25 year old was matured in a Refill Sherry Butt and have been very popular with our customers. Exclusive to KWM. – $274.99
4. Cadenhead Linkwood 1987 – This 26 year old Linkwood is the product of two Sherry butts, though the sherry influence is very subtle. Lush, coating and toasty with French baked goods, candied orange and melons; becomes more floral, with white chocolate and juicy oak. – $284.99
5. Highland Park Freya – The 3rd release in the Valhalla series is matured in American oak and is a big departure from the earlier two bottlings. Very limited and selling quickly! – $299.99

Whiskies Under $600
1. Yoichi 20 Year – More than just the big brother to the 15, this is the oldest core expression in the distillery’s range. Only 24 bottles came to Alberta, all to KWM, and just 3 remain. – $329.99
2. Signatory Caol Ila 1983 30 Year – A different single cask than the one we just sold out of, this one was matured in a Hogshead and bottled at 51.6%. Only 187 bottles, with just 6 coming to Canada exclusively to KWM. – $399.99
3. Black Gold Bunnahabhain 1995 – Mahogany in colour the whisky is 18 years old and a sherry monster. We only received 6 bottles and have just 2 left! – $399.99
4. Highland Park 30 Year – I remember when I could order this for the shop anytime I wanted. Now it’s not so easy to come by, we have just one bottle coming. Big fruit, balanced sherry, honey and peat. – $549.99
5. Glendronach Grandeur 24 Year – Batch 5 is yet a stunner, 48.9% from a small parcel of sherry casks. It was a hit at Ancient Malts. Notes of maple syrup, treacle, chocolate and classic sherry cask notes. Only a handful left! – $519.99

 Whiskies Under $750
1. Glencadam 1982 32 Year – Like drinking silk this very limited single cask of Glencadam showed very well at Ancient Malts. Lots of melon, white chocolate and toasty oak. – $629.99
2. BenRiach 1977 Cask 7114 – Only 12 bottles of this 37 Year Batch 11 release have come to Canada, exclusively to KWM. Matured in Sherry and Finished in Bourbon. Well received at Ancient Malts. – $574.99
3. BenRiach 1977 Cask 1891 – A 37 Year old Dark Rum finish, only 6 bottles have come to Canada, all to KWM. Notes of Demerara, boiled sweets, toffee and vanilla with berry fruits. – $574.99
4. BenRiach 1978 Cask 5469 – A 36 year old release from Batch 11 matured exclusively in ex-sherry, and bottled at 41.7%. Only 12 bottles for Canada, all from KWM. Fairground candy apple, cinnamon and delicate ground black pepper mellow to touches of fig, sultanas and stewed sweet barley. – $524.99
5. Glenglassaugh 1972 KWM – If you haven’t sampled our 39 year old single sherry cask of Glenglassaugh, make your way down to KWM for a sample. of the 150 bottles we had filled of the very tropical, lightly sherried whisky, only about two dozen reamain! – $699.99

Whiskies Under $2000
1. Glenfarclas 40 Year – This used to be $500 a bottle, and if you’re taken aback by the new price, $720, consider this, the price is going up again and will be over $1000 next year. They could sell everything they make to Taiwan, and are struggling to keep up with demand. At $720, this is still excellent value and a beuatiful Speyside malt. – $719.99
2. Brora 35 Year – Available by request this bottling of Brora is one of the finest ever from the distillery which closed in 1983. A fine expression and available by special order. – $949.99
3. Benromach 1969 42 Year – Sampled with Michael Urquhart at his farewell tasting in November, this is the last of the bottles we brought in exclusively this fall. Big Christmas Cake, spices, chocolate and some deep tropical fruits. – $1,299.99
4. G&M Port Ellen 1979 34 Year – I thought this was the last sub $2000 Port Ellen, but I’ve bee proven wrong, see below. Regardless this is a stunner at 34 years of age, from an unusual vintage, 1979. – $1,449.99
5. Executive Decisions Port Ellen 30 Year – Just when I thought we’d seen the last of the Laing family’s Port Ellen casks, and state as much in my newsletter, this pops up! – $1,649.99

Whiskies $2000 And Up
1. Bunnahabhain 40 Year – The star of our Ancient Malts tasting late last month, this rare whisky is all about finesse. Tropical with some faint maritime notes, it is a study in subtlety. – $2,899.99
2. Macallan ‘M’ – The pinnacle bottling of the 1824 Series now has company, see below. We’ve sampled this in store and it is a stunning dram, available by special order. The palate opens rich in wood spices, slowly showing all their viscosity. Wood smoke flits in and out. – $3,799.99
3. Macallan No. 6 – Is a celebration of the collaboration between Macallan and it sherry producers matured in first fill casks. Heavy and sumptuous. Like a rich fruit cake with raisin, dates and figs, apples, sultanas, orange; then ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and hints of clove. – $3,899.99
4. G&M Glen Grant 1952 60 Year – Just 2 of 85 decanters have found their way to Alberta of this Diamond Jubilee bottling. Matured in a single 1st fill sherry cask laid down just days before Elizabeth’s coronation, the whisky is very well balanced and soft for its advanced age, showing no signs of exhaustion. It scored 92pts from Whisky Advocate: “Superb mature nose with subtle whisky rancio, mixing fragrant mango with a little mint, rosewater, and waxiness; there’s even some custard and a whiff of woodsmoke before sandalwood brings back the exotic edge. The palate is delicate with an amazingly fresh acidity that becomes herbal (basil and tarragon).” and 92.5pts from the Whisky Bible. – $13,999.99

MS Calgary Whisky Festival Update

Thursday, January 15, 2015 w/ 2 Ticket Options

The Macallan Reflexion
The 2015 Calgary Whisky Festival in support of the MS
Society of Calgary is set to be another barnburner of an event. Last year’s festival drew 400 attendees and featured nearly 150 whiskies from distilleries in Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the US, Japan and India. This year’s event is set to be even bigger and better with more whiskies, more presenters and a capacity of 500 participants. New this year we are offering a VIP package, which will include a Macallan Master Class featuring a very rare and special bottling. The VIP Ticket is $149 (SOLD OUT) and the regular ticket $99. Only 40 VIP tickets are available!

Get your tickets now, they won’t last long.

Order tickets through the MS Society by clicking here!

Thank You for Reading the Malt Messenger!

Contact & Disclaimers

If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store.

All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change, don’t include GST. In the case of discrepancies in pricing, the price in our in store point of sale will be taken as correct.

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger.

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson
Manager & Scotchguy
Kensington Wine Market
403-283-8000
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
www.kensingtonwinemarket.com

Owner & Opperator
Ferguson’s Whisky Tours
www.fergusonwhiskytours.com
scotchguide@fergusonwhiskytours.com

Kensington Wine Market
403-283-8000

Paul is chatting to Merry Beth Tomaszewski, Co-Founder/VP. MB Roland Distillery. 

http://www.mbrdistillery.com/

MB ROLAND DISTILLERY 137 BARKERS MILL RD PEMBROKE, KY 42266

Merry Beth, can you give me a brief rundown on the distillery.

A; MB Roland Distillery is a completely “grain to glass” craft distillery in Pembroke, Christian Co. KY, using local white corn to hand make a very unique “distillation & barrel proof” Kentucky Bourbon. The distillery was founded by myself (“MB”) and Paul Tomaszewski in 2009 as Kentucky’s first completely “grain to glass” craft distillery. Paul is a native of south eastern Louisiana and arrived to the area via nearby Ft Campbell, while MB is a local native. An Amish dairy farm came up for sale and proved to be a wonderful foundation for a Kentucky craft distillery.

Why at this location?

A; One of the major benefits of the location is the proximity to a local grain supplier, Christian County Grain, located in nearby Pembroke. The operation started out with Paul as the one and only full-time distiller in 2009. Since then our team has grown to more than 14 total employees, including myself coming over full time. The one constant with us with both our production process and our location is that we love what we do and strive to make that come through in our products, the distillery, and our onsite events.

How do you make your whiskey?

A; There is no minimum aging time for whiskey, but for certain whiskies (like bourbon or rye) to be designated as “straight,” they must be aged in the barrel for at least two years. However, there is one whiskey that, by law, does not need to be aged; corn whiskey. In fact, IF corn whiskey is aged, it can only be aged in used, charred oak, or toasted oak barrels. Unlike most other grain whiskies, corn whiskey also needs to be at least 80% corn, while bourbon, rye, and other whiskies need only to be at least 51% of their respective major grains. There are some specifics for the type of barrels that must be used (new vs. used charred, toasted, etc.) for certain whiskies, and that’s where it starts to get confusing. Bourbon is a whiskey that must be produced in America, distilled from at least 51% corn, and aged in new, charred oak barrels. There are some other specifics, but the main idea is that it’s American, corn-based and aged in new, charred oak. There is no requirement for bourbon to be made in Kentucky. However, 95% of all bourbon is made in Kentucky. At MB Roland Distillery, in addition to our bourbon we take pride in making other unique whiskies made a typical Kentucky distillery. We’ve made everything from our “Black Patch Whiskey” to a wheat-based whiskey. There’s no end to the variations and we’ll be trying out new things anytime we get a chance or an excuse to do so.

What is your description of moonshine? A; My description? Paul; sorry, US Moonshine – my cousins in Ireland make their own! A; Unlike whiskey, moonshine has no legal requirements. In fact, when you really get down to it, moonshine is simply ILLEGAL distilled alcohol. Over here in Kentucky, we take our moonshine seriously, so if you do a little looking into the “art of moonshine,” you’ll find our “True Kentucky Shine” is just like the real deal. First of all, it’s made with what we consider a true moonshine recipe, 50% corn and 50% cane sugar, hence the name “True Kentucky Shine.” Due to us using some sugar in the mash, it can’t be called whiskey. We don’t distil our shine to a pure alcohol (there’s an ethanol plant 5 miles away producing grain alcohol at 200 proof for your gas tank if you’re looking for proof as a sign of quality), we want some flavour to come through in the spirit itself. The flavour of our shine has influences from both the corn and the sugar, so it’s really in it’s own league when compared to an all-grain recipe. Furthermore, we only use white, food-grade corn.

Can you tell me about the equipment?

A; We opened 5 years ago with a 100 gallon pot still. That tiny still worked night/day until February of 2014. We now have a 600 gallon stripping still & a 300 gallon finishing still. The original 100 gallon still is now a water fountain gracing the front lawn of the gift shop. We also use a basic boiler system and have a 600 gallon mash tun. We double distil our product, stripping the whiskey on the 600 gallon still using a unique method for our secondary distillation, incorporating previous batch low wines to attain a lower proof finished spirit for a very full flavour.

Technical time; where did you get the stills from and the other equipment?

A; The stills & mash tun came from Trident Stills.

What made you select them?

A; We’ve known Jesse, the owner & maker for a number of years and knew he would make a product that would be reliable and that he would stand behind.

What will be the annual total litres distilled?

A; We currently distil approximately 40,000 litres per year, but we have the capacity to grow into 80,000 litres annually.

Where do you source your casks?

A; Kelvin Cooperage

Can you try and explain the state laws on alcohol? A; I’d certainly try, but those laws depend on what type of alcohol you’re selling and in what capacity. Beer, wine or spirits, liquor store, restaurant, distillery, brewery, winery or distributor. So you can see, that’s a long conversation needed over a nice pour…or two.

You offer tours I believe?

A; Certainly! We are open 10 AM – 6 PM Monday through Saturday Central Time and give tours on the hour.

Have you any favourite Scottish whisky? Or any whisky from around the world?

A; My husband and I enjoy quite a few Scotch whiskies, most notably Laphroaig.

How many different whiskies do you think you have tasted during your life?

A; That’s a tough one. I developed a palate for whiskies late in the game, so I can’t say I’ve tasted hundreds like many I know. But I’ve tasted enough to know good whiskies. I think that’s probably the best answer.

What Kentucky whiskey/bourbon would you recommend to someone who is a novice?

A; As a member of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, I can (and will) recommend many quality bourbons from various producers. However, I think Makers Mark is a good entry level Kentucky Bourbon.

What’s your most memorable experience in the industry?

A; Having our bourbon become so popular that it sells out within 30 minutes of release at the gift shop. While we are infinitesimal in the whiskey world, our bourbon has garnered an ardent local following. It is so exciting and personally satisfying to know that you’ve helped to create a spirit and demand for that spirit keeps growing. We’re making certain to grow as well.

Is there a best mixer for your drinks?

A;  Personally, I love Ginger Ale for our non-bourbon spirits! But if it’s bourbon, give it to me neat; meaning straight with no ice or water, just pour it in a glass and put it in front of me. At room temperature, please.

Merry Beth, many thanks for the time today, as mentioned previously, we are aiming to arrange a Kentucky/Tennessee whiskey tour in the future, would you be open to one of our tours dropping by? A; We would be honoured to have you at MB Roland Distillery.

Paul, I’ve answered all the questions to the best of my ability. Hopefully you will be able to come by the distillery one day soon! While I would love to send some of our Kentucky Bourbon all the way to Scotland, Kentucky doesn’t allow us to ship out of state! (see above) Regretfully, it is going to have to wait until you are able to make that trip in person, or Kentucky changes its law to let us ship our spirits (which I certainly hope happens!).

In the meantime, I hope we keep you entertained via Facebook. We also are on Twitter & Instagram if you care to follow us (@mbrdistillery).

Take care & cheers!

Merry Beth Tomaszewski

Co-Founder/VP

MB Roland Distillery

Paul McLean; http://www.mcleanscotland.com/  & http://www.angelswhiskyclub.com/

Paul was chatting to Kevan Fraser, General Manager (at Eden brewery & distillery, near St Andrews).

Q; What started you along this whisky road when you have a successful beer operation? A; It seemed the next logical step for us to progress in to distilling. Looking back at the history of our site it was a brewery and before that a distillery owned by the Haig family between 1810 – 1882 so its nice to be restoring the site back to its original use.

Q; talking of the beer, how is this going? A; The beers are going down well we are in the process of increasing capacity to keep up with demands with lots of interest in the export market.

Q; sorry, back to the whisky – Paul Mc’s note; wasnee my fault, he kept giving me beers as we chatted! – who has been involved during the whisky start up process? A; We have been consulting with David and Tony from Strathearn who are great

Q; where did the stills and equipment come from and why? A; From Hoga in Portugal to make the great 1000L Stills and do this in the small time frame we were looking for.

Q; where will the casks come from? And what size? A; We get casks from all over our PX and Sherry casks from Toneleria J.L. Rodriguez as a sherry finish will be our standard finish. But we will source casks from all over too try new and exciting finishes too.

Q; will you have the opportunity to “finish” differently? A; Yes we will and as we are all small batch gives us great flexible to experiment and try new things.

Q; who is the master distiller? (whisky) A; Scott Ferguson is the head of our distilling.

Q; will you be selling casks from day one? A; We are selling casks but only a limited number each year.

Q; I think also you mentioned new make sales, can you expand on this? A; We are looking at perhaps releasing a small amount of new make spirit to show people the progression of the spirit with the smaller octaves that mature at a faster rate than the larger counter parts.

Q; what will be the annual volume of whisky? A; 80,000L

Q; your plans are small but quality distilling? A; Yes Our aim is to create the best small-batch whisky in the world, alongside our award-winning craft beer and gin from a single, small site.

Q; so when do you expect the first dram to be ready? A; We expect our first dram to be ready in May 2018 Q; have you completed the label design and bottle shape? A; We are almost there but we have plenty time to fine tune the design.

Q; What whiskies have you been involved with over the years that you would consider extra special? In fact what is your background? A; I have always had a love for whisky , Beer and gin. But I built up my knowledge of whisky while managing the Dunvegan in St Andrews which had a great selection of malt whisky to offer all the golfers after the round on the Old Course

Q; Relaxing at home what whisky would you pour yourself? Same for a beer? A; At the moment I have been enjoying Edradour – Ruby Port cask matured 10yo, Beer of the moment just now is Siren Brewery – Soundwave IPA

Q; what is your least favourite part of the job ? A; Paper work not the best part but is essential

Q; what is your favourite part of the job? A; tours showing people round our small set up and sharing our passion and vision for what we are doing is what I enjoy most I am a people person and love meeting new people every day.

FINALLY … Q; what are the future plans at Eden for both beer and whisky? (you mentioned a gin and a whisky room, more warehousing etc etc) – A; The plans are really exciting looking to try new things and really push the boundaries in beer whisky and gin! We have also created whisky & gin experiences where people can come down and see what we are doing here at Eden. Mill and be a part of it.

http://www.mcleanscotland.com/ http://www.angelswhiskyclub.com/

It’s time. Time for you to start getting organised for the joys of Christmas. We here at Royal Mile Whiskies strongly believe that you can’t go wrong with giving a good bottle of Christmas cheer so here are a selection of suitable products for giving or receiving. We’ve hundreds of other products available, so if you still can’t decide what you need get in touch with us we’d be happy to help, just try not to leave it until the last minute!

CHECK OUT ALL OUR GREAT DEALS HERE.

Allow us to assist you in organising your seasonal gift giving to clients, associates, colleagues or staff. We would be more than happy to help you select from a vast range of suitable products to meet all your budget and quantity requirements. We can then make all the necessary arrangements, including gift messages, for swift delivery direct to the recipients. Please get in touch for further details either by email or by calling our office on 0131 524 9380.

BALLANTINE’S CHRISTMAS RESERVE
LIMITED EDITION MAKES ITS FESTIVE
APPEARANCE FOR 2014 27th NOVEMBER 2014

Ballantine’s, the world’s No.2 Scotch whisky, has today announced the global launch of its 2014 Christmas Reserve Limited Edition. The launch of this delicious and seasonal whisky blend will be supported with an integrated marketing campaign, ‘The Taste of Christmas’, which aims to maximise awareness and create demand by educating customers and engaging them with the festive drink.

First launched in 2010, the fifth edition of Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve is today available in 20 countries worldwide, including Korea, Turkey, Kenya, Estonia and Japan, who are stocking the whisky for the first time this year.
‘The Taste of Christmas’ campaign communicates the expression’s signature festive characteristics and captures the sensory experience of its seven tasting notes – ginger, moist raisin fruitcake, ripe pears, sweet candy apples, caramel toffee, tangy orange and liquorish root.

The print and digital advertising, for use across both on and off trade, features illustrations of the tasting notes. A Facebook and iPad App, ‘Discover Your Taste of Christmas,’ has also been developed, allowing fans to select their preferred tastes and Christmas elements which then results in a recommendation of the ideal Christmas Reserve serve for them.

A hugely popular signature cocktail, ‘The Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve Cinnamon Sleigh’, has also been developed to match the seasonal tasting profile of the expression. First created in 2013, the winter cocktail is served warm and uses cinnamon to underline the blend’s fruity depths.

Peter Moore, Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s, said: “We are delighted with the global sales success of Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve, which has more than doubled in growth since its 2010 launch.

“Our esteemed Master Blender, Sandy Hyslop, created this blend to naturally exude the spirit and taste of Christmas, resulting in a delicious drink for our fans around the world to enjoy – or gift for someone else to enjoy – during the 2014 festive season, and which stays true to both our Scottish heritage and quality values.”

The 2014 Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve Limited Edition is available now globally at an RRP of $26-29 USD in Duty Free.

About Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve

Different from other whiskies and inspired by Christmas, Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve is a blend of subtle details, aromas and tasting notes exclusive to this period: sweet candy apples, ripe pears, caramel toffee, tangy orange…it’s not just one of them, but the sum of them – together, their express its spirit. Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve is also soft, sweet, round and smooth – all signature characteristics of Ballantine’s. The malts and grains have been expertly selected for their sweet, fruity flavours, creating a unique blend that makes Ballantine’s Christmas Reserve the perfect drink to celebrate Christmas.

Tasting Notes

• Colour: The deep, dark colour reflects the complex toffee flavours that make the blend so sumptuous and perfect for Christmas indulgence.
• Nose: Rich, full and fruity with the flavours of luxurious moist raisin fruitcake and sweet candy apples. Perfectly balanced with caramel toffee and soft ripe pears.
• Palate: Deliciously sweet, with notes of succulent tangy orange. Bursting with fruit and finishing with superb hints of liquorice root and ginger.
• Finish: Long, round and honeyed.

About Ballantine’s

Ballantine’s is the No.1 Scotch whisky in Europe and the No. 2 Scotch whisky in the world with the range selling over 70 million bottles a year worldwide. Ballantine’s has won more than 130 trophies and medals at international competitions in the past 10 years for its outstanding quality, as a result of its unique richness of character and perfect balance. The range, from Ballantine’s Finest to the exclusive 40 Year Old, is the most extensive in the world of Scotch and is maintained by Master Blender Sandy Hyslop, continuing the brand’s tradition of Master Blenders that dates back to 1827. In 2013, Ballantine’s continued its innovative approach by launching Ballantine’s Brasil, a spirit drink made from selectively cask steeping Scotch whisky with Brazilian lime peel.  www.ballantines.com

@Ballantines

About Chivas Brothers

Chivas Brothers is the Scotch whisky and premium gin business of Pernod Ricard – the world’s co-leader in wine and spirits. Chivas Brothers is the global leader in luxury Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its portfolio includes Chivas Regal, Ballantine’s, Beefeater Gin, The Glenlivet, Royal Salute, Aberlour, Plymouth gin, Longmorn, Scapa, 100 Pipers, Clan Campbell, Something Special and Passport.  www.chivasbrothers.com

Well, here we are ladies and gentlemen. A month to go to Xmas and we are all being bombarded with penguins and fairies and all things in-between. Anything to part you from your hard-earned proverbial.

We here at TWL HQ are no different, excepting one thing. Well maybe two or three things. We can promise you no penguins or fairies for a start. But we can promise you plenty of Christmas spirit. Although we are all about whisky not just being for Christmas, we also recognise that lots of people either want whisky-orientated gifts or want to give said gifts. Therefore, without any further ado, we submit to you our ideas for you…

SALTY SEA-DOG Blended Malt Whisky 47.3%

Yes ladies and gentlemen it is back! Our very own label peaty little scamp is onto its third ‘litter’, with this one named ‘Littlest Hobo‘. Fans of THAT iconic 80’s TV show will remember the hero in question hitching around, helping people out wherever he went. Well our Hobo has been travelling the world, but with a mission of searching for peaty whiskies to blend for this bottling. We think he has done a cracking job, with the whisky within being smoky, minty, spicy and delicious. A 20cl bottle of this strictly limited batch is just £25 including UK delivery, or £35 with a smart TWL gift box and a pair of Glencairn Whisky Tasting glasses. Click HERE or on the picture to order. You’d be barking not to! (sorry)

TASTING GIFT PACKS

Possibly the greatest gift for the aspiring or even seasoned whisky-lover. Our gift-boxed tasting from home packs have everything covered for a tasting for one in the comfort of their own home. Why risk your money on one bottle of something they may not like when they can sample 6 outstanding whiskies from us? These incredible sets start from just £25 including delivery. Click HERE and select ‘Tasting Packs’ in the menu.

LONDON WHISKY WEEKENDER 2015

After the roaring success of last year’s inaugural ‘Whisky Weekender’ in the heart of old industrial London, we are set to repeat and better ourselves. MORE whisky, MORE food, MORE fun and with a firm emphasis on craft (distilling and more…), this should be THE whisky event of the year in London.

Details of the weekend will emerge in the coming weeks, but for you loyal customers, we have a juicy little ‘Early-Bird’ offer for you. The usual price of £30 will be foregone for the first 100 people to book onto each session, who are able to get a pair of tickets for £50! Click HERE or on the banner to get booking – and as always, we can produce PDF tickets for those wanting a physical gift to give.

‘ULTIMALT’ TASTING SESSIONS

We have been working on this little beauty of a series for what feels like years! Finally we have pinned down the inimitable Colin Dunn of Diageo and put together a real humdinger of a tasting. Colin has got out the big guns, and a for few lucky guys and gals, he will be presenting – in association with The Whisky Lounge – a mini-series featuring historic Diageo ‘Special Releases’ as well as a mystery bottle on each night. Dates are…

LONDON             THURS 26th FEB 7pm            SALT BAR, SEYMOUR St. W2

MANCHESTER   FRIDAY 27th FEB 7pm            BRITONS PROTECTION

NEWCASTLE      SAT 28th FEB 7pm                  BLACKFRIARS, FRIARS STREET

Tickets are £50, which is a bargain given the whiskies on tasting, and are strictly limited. Another perfect gift for the whisky-lover! Click on the relevant date and venue above for more detail.

Fèis Ìle 2015

For those with a want and need to go straight to source and fill their souls as well as their glasses, then this is what you want. The Fèis Ìle is a magical event on the magical island of Islay which is already a Mecca for peaty whisky-lovers. We are taking another lucky group of people with us next year – this time with an option to stay on a working tall ship as well as our regular house at Finlaggan. If you’re interested in coming with us, click HERE to find out more, check out comments from those that have been with us and then feel free to get in touch with questions you may have.

…GUIDE TO WHISKY

Have someone in your life that likes whisky but doesn’t know why? Would you like to learn a little more about your favourite tipple in a friendly, informal and cosy environment? Our ‘Whisky Lounge Guide to‘ nights are a brilliant way of brushing up and empowering yourself whilst kicking back with a few drams with one of our team. We have various dates at all our usual venues – the first of which are up on the website and take place in February. Click HERE and look for the ‘Guide’ to find out more.

BURNS(ISH) NIGHTS  

Our legendary and traditional new year tastings are back for 2015! At a venue near you we will be tasting some fantastic whiskies and feeding you with a yummy snack or meal – venue dependent. We may even read a poem or two in honour and remembrance of the Scottish bard – but the emphasis is on the whisky! Prices vary so please check the website. Due to popular demand we have put on further dates so pay attention! Click HERE and look for Burns in the list to find out more…

GIFT VOUCHERS

If you’re simply unsure of what to go for, we also have a our wonderful TWL Gift Vouchers that the recipient can use to buy tickets or products from the website. All you need to do is head over to the shop HERE, choose gift vouchers and add the appropriate number of vouchers to your basket and buy! If you then add the name of the recipient to the order notes on the checkout screen, we can then email you PDFs of the vouchers for you to print and trim and pop in a card. Don’t forget that we can also email PDF tickets for any of the above events to help you create the perfect gift. Add the recipient/s names to the order notes on the checkout screen and we’ll do the rest!

COMPETITION TIME

Very simple one this month as we are so snowed under! All we would like you to do is share and like this newsletter on Facebook – we want more people to know about us! Click HERE to go to our FB page and look out for when this newsletter hits it. We will then enter you in for a prize draw for our extensive stash of whisky-related goodies and cask samples. We are literally clearing up the warehouse in order to start the New Year with a squeaky clean space, so don’t miss out!

THAT’S ALL FOLKS!

That’s it for now, so plenty for you to Mull over (sorry again). No news this month as I’m sure, like us, you are busy enough, but we’ll get back on it next time. We will be in touch again before Xmas but in the meantime, be safe, keep dramming and we hope to see you soon.

Slainte, Eddie, Amanda and Joe The Whisky Lounge Team.

BenRiach 10th Anniversary 10 year old
To celebrate their 10th anniversary, BenRiach are releasing a special limited edition bottling. Crafted from four bourbon barrels distilled and filled during the first week that production re-started under the new owners in September 2004. This is a unique, one-off bottling, bottled at 46% abv and as you would expect from BenRiach, it is non-chill filtered with no additional colouring added.  £65
Click here to buy

BenRiach 35 year old
This 35 year old whisky is the latest addition to the distillery’s super premium and limited range, replacing the 30 year old expression. This expression is made up of a selection of whiskies, hand-selected by master distiller Billy Walker, which have all been matured for at least 35 years. Non-chill filtered, natural colour and bottled at 42.5% abv. £450
Click here to buy

Glenglassaugh 51 year old
This whisky was distilled and filled to cask 3301 on 15th February 1963, and has been maturing ever since. This is the oldest cask in Glenglassaugh’s inventory.  One of only 191 bottles filled from cask 3301, bottled at 41.7% abv. Each bottle is hand-numbered, and comes with a certificate of authenticity signed by Master Distiller and part-owner Billy Walker. £5000
Click here to buy

Glendronach Grandeur Batch 6 24 year old
The ‘Grandeur’ whisky from Glendronach is specially selected by Master Distiller Billy Walker from some of the distillery’s oldest and most unique Oloroso casks.  This expression is bottled at 48.9% abv, and is a perfect example of Glendronach’s full bodied and incredibly smooth style. One of only 1180 bottles. £300
Click here to buy

D&M Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Gift Pack

Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky 4 Bottle Gift Set

4 Bottle Gift Set: includes 100ml. bottle of each – Glenmorangie (original), Lasanta, Nectar D’Or and Quinta Ruban. A great way to try all expressions.

$29.99 Buy Now

Festive Malt of the Month – Port Askaig 19 Year Old

December’s Malt of the Month certainly fits the criteria – a stunning whisky that is often overlooked – Port Askaig 19 Year Old Cask Strength. Introduced by independent bottler Speciality Drinks in 2009, the range is named after Islay’s main port and encompasses a range of small-batch whiskies at various ages from undisclosed distilleries on the island. Initially bottled at 45.8%, the cask-strength edition of the 19 Year Old was released in August 2011, the extra alcohol adding complexity and intensity.

Port Askaig 19 Year Old, 50.4%, £74.95 until 31 December (usually £99.95).

Nose: Intense salty, maritime character, backed up by sour lemons and bitter oranges, with the smoke very much in the background.

Palate: The smoke comes to the fore in the mouth. Ashy, earthy and drying, with spicy cardamom and clove appearing and the fruity notes from the nose taking a back seat.

Finish: Medium to long – the ash and earth are joined by hints of tropical fruit (mango and pineapple), which slowly dissipate to reveal a dry, smoky ending.

Comment: An elegant yet complex aged Islay that combines classic peated-whisky notes of ash and earth with some fruitier tones. This is a sipper and definitely one to sit and take your time over.

A perfect choice for a Christmas whisky, this is perfect for sipping by the fire on a cold day. Why not head to The Whisky Exchange website to take advantage of the special price – we are offering 25% off for the month of December.