SHIPPING DETAILS

This week Joe Ellis reviews Sazerac Rye Whiskey and also shows you how to make a traditional Sazerac cocktail! 

http://youtu.be/b_6Z3CswyGg 

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Unveiling the inner workings of maturation

Following investment in new facilities, we’re extending the Glengoyne tour to include a brand new display that offers a unique insight into the colour, flavour and evaporation changes that occur during maturation. For the first time, you will now be able to see for yourself where our award-winning whisky develops much of its distinctive character and flavour.  Read more.

www.ralfy.com finally makes it half-a-thousand with Whisky Review 500 – On location with sand, sea and Ardbeg.

Paul was chatting to Ian Buxton for Angels Whisky Club.

A Taste of Liquid Treasures

101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die; A fun and accessible guide to completing an education in whisky from a man who knows his whisky. Avoiding the deliberately obscure, the ridiculously limited, and the absurdly expensive, whisky expert Ian Buxton has scoured the shelves of the world’s whisky warehouses to recommend an eclectic selection of old favourites, newcomers, and mystifyingly unknown drams that simply have to be drunk. This witty, focused, and practical guide is not an awards list or a list of the 101 “Best” whiskies in the world in the opinion of some self-appointed whisky guru. It’s simply a guide to 101 whiskies that enthusiasts really must seek out and try—love them or hate them—to complete their whisky education. What’s more, it’s both practical and realistic as it cuts through the clutter, decodes the marketing hype, and gets straight to the point; whether from India or America, Sweden or Ireland, Japan or the hills, glens, and islands of Scotland—here are the 101 whiskies that every whisky enthusiast needs to try. Sláinte!

Ian is a former Marketing Director of Glenmorangie and has worked in the industry for more than 20 years. He was elected a Keeper of the Quaich in 1991, the highest honour of the Scotch whisky industry, and is a member of the international tasting panel for the annual World Whisky Awards and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Distillers. He writes regular columns for Whisky Magazine and has contributed to its sister title Scotland.  In addition, he writes for The Malt Whisky Yearbook, The Tasting Panel, WhiskyEtc, Whisky Advocate, 100 Points by Robert Parker; RiddleMagazine.com and elsewhere.  He has presented on the web based channel www.singlemalt.tv and at a number of tasting events. He advised the SWA and the National Archives of Scotland on the 2009 Homecoming exhibition Whisky and the Scots for which he also wrote the accompanying monograph.

His 101 Whiskies series (there are three of them now) have proved to be best-sellers with multiple reprints and foreign editions.  The latest, 101 Legendary Whiskies is already proving very popular, with the second printing now in shops.

Q; Ian; with so many whisky books out there in the marketplace, can I ask, what drives you on to write another book, where does your inspiration come from?

A; A pressing need to put food on the table and the bank off my back!

Q; I know you also contribute to The Malt Whisky Yearbook, I met Ingvar in Helsinki early this year at a whisky festival, a really nice fella, in fact he is bringing a few friends on tour here next year, we are taking care of him. How well do you know him and when did you start to contribute?

A; I have been writing for the Yearbook since its second issue (I think). Ingvar is, as you say, a delightful chap; it’s a pleasure to write for the Yearbook, not least because the format allows for longer and more thoughtful articles.

Q; Talking of whisky authors, you MUST know our whisky club Patron, Charlie Maclean (we like to keep things in the family!).

A; Charlie and I have been friends for longer than I care to remember, dating back to when I lived in Edinburgh.   We meet up from time to time to share news and views and that’s always a pleasure.

Q; Most whisky authors will upgrade their book, revise the following year and so on, do you do the same?

A; If the publisher agrees, and the demand is there, then yes. Some of my books e.g. corporate histories for Dewar’s, Glenfarclas, Glenglassaugh and so on, don’t date so fast but the initial 101 Whiskies has been revised once already and may need further revision in 2015.

Q; Do you find the whisky industry is moving on with progress or has it stumbled recently?

A; It’s in pretty good shape overall I think, with record levels of investment and new consumers entering the market. The recent drop in Scotch exports (-11% Jan-June 2014) is a worry though and the increases in prices seems troubling.

Q; What first got you interested in whisky?

A; I was working in London in the brewing industry but wanted to return to Scotland. I got a job with a whisky company – and the rest is history!

Q; Do you have any thoughts about finishing? Port, Sherry etc.

A; I actually developed the prototype product that became Glenmorangie Port Finish (the first one) so I was in on the ground floor! Done with care it’s a great way to show new aspects of distillery and spirit character. Done wrong, it’s a gimmick. But most people do it well.

Q; Here’s one to test your mind; what would happen if, for example, a distillery used beech or larch in place of oak casks?

A; Well, legally, it couldn’t be called ‘Scotch Whisky’. But custom and practice shows oak to be the best wood for casks. I guess it might make for an interesting, off-beat experiment – just for curiosity’s sake though.

Q; Weird question time; if Aliens came and took ALL our whisky in the world, what would you then do with your time?

A; Hunt down the little critters and show them no mercy.

Q; Do you have plans for the next book already in mind?

A; Indeed. A corporate history of Morrison Bowmore should be out just before Christmas and looks stunning. Then I am working on a book about gin right now.

Q; The 101 whiskies aforementioned; did you sample every one?

A; I might have tried 102. One has to be selective and some whiskies just didn’t make the cut.

Q; Apart from being immersed in distilleries and the trade, what are your outside interests?

A; I collect books (mainly about distilling I must admit); get to the theatre and opera as often as possible and have been seen in Ronnie Scott’s enjoying gigs there.

Q; A winter night in Scotland, it’s snowing and cold enough to scare monkey’s, it’s 9pm and you are sitting in front of the fire, what dram do you have?

A; Very kind of you to offer. I’ll have a Dalmore Trinitas please.  Oh, you mean I’m buying – well, you can seldom go wrong with a nice old Glenfarclas or Highland Park. And I’m getting more and more excited about some US rye whiskies (sorry) and various new world whiskies are there to explore. And then there’s the exploding Irish scene… Life is short; not enough wild, snowy nights to drink all the great drams out there.  Slainte!

Paul is owner of http://www.angelswhiskyclub.com/   http://www.whiskytourscotland.com/  http://www.mcleanscotland.com/

Okay, we surrender! Try as we have over the last few years to devise a fair method to allocate Van Winkle products to our customers, the rabid demand has become too much. We have tried to hold our supply in the past in order to trickle it out in December to unsuspecting customers, but it appears that we can no longer do that. We have had to re-evaluate this process due to overwhelming and unrelenting demand. So here it is:

When the doors open at 8:00 am EST, Friday, November 7, 2014, sales will be limited to the customer’s choice of ONE BOTTLE TOTAL of the following per person / per household, on a first come basis, while supplies last:

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 23 Year – $221.99

Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 20 Year – $125.99 Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Year – $67.95

Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Year – $83.99

Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year Lot B – $49.99

Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year 107 Proof – $41.99

In addition to this year’s Van Winkle allocation, customers may also choose ONE BOTTLE TOTAL of the following per person / per household, on a first come basis, while supplies last:

Willett Single Barrel Bourbon 12 Year TPS Private Barrel #8141 – $104.99

Willett Single Barrel Bourbon 10 Year TPS Private Barrel #1410 – $88.99

Willett Single Barrel Bourbon 10 Year TPS Private Barrel #1386 – $88.99

Willett Single Barrel Bourbon 9 Year TPS Private Barrel #7143 – $72.99 Again, sales of these whiskeys are first come, first serve. There is no waiting list, and The Party Source cannot hold or sell bottles in advance, or take sales by phone. These products are offered for in-store purchase only and will not be available online. Your Spiritual Advisors @ The Party Source

1966 Fino Cask Launch, Spain

J & G Grant are pleased to announce the release of new limited edition 1966 Fino Cask. Intended as the first in a series of 6 special bottlings from the iconic, family owned distillery, only 1444 bottles have been produced from 3 Fino Sherry Casks.

Following the official launch at the bodegas of José y Miguel Martin in Seville (24th September), the Fino Cask has now been released in the UK and will soon be rolled out in key export markets early 2015.

Each bottle is packaged in a black leather box bearing a silver coin which features a portrait of John Grant, George’s great, great, great grandfather who purchased the distillery in 1865. It marks the first in a series of 6 different special releases of Glenfarclas, one for each member of the family.

The family are accustomed to using Oloroso casks for maturation, as this is what is believed to best complement the character of their whiskies, however, here the Fino brings out a lighter side to Glenfarclas.

George Grant, Glenfarclas Sales Director says, “With casks this old, it is sometimes difficult to know their exact history. Fortunately my Grandfather always kept meticulous records, so from his diaries we discovered this small parcel of Fino casks that he had purchased from an Edinburgh broker back in the 1960s.”

60 Year Old Launch, Malaysia

John L. S. Grant, chairman of Glenfarclas distillery, has recently unveiled the 60 year old Glenfarclas in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in late October. Yet another mature age statement whisky to add to the family’s collection. With only 360 bottles available worldwide, and this being it’s second launch after the Las Vegas debut in April, the 60 year old has fast become a rare and exclusive commodity in the whisky world.

The event was held at Marini’s on 57, Kuala Lumpur’s highest rooftop bar & restaurant with incredible skyline views of the city’s famous Petronas Towers. Here John presented the 60 year old in its embellished crystal decanter, complete with a Glenfarclas themed decor in the restaurant’s dining room and pipe band accompaniment.

Thanks to generations of family ownership, and in particular to John’s father, who lay down so much stock in the 1950s, today the Grant family present a whisky with exceptional maturity. This unique 60 year old expression has been taken from a single first-fill Sherry butt at an impressive strength of 43.3% after so many years. It combines together perfectly the rich, fruity sherried character of Glenfarclas with years of family heritage and tradition.

Glenfarclas Family Casks at Hutchesons, Glasgow

On the 29th October 2014, J & G Grant’s Family Cask collection was launched in Glasgow’s fine dining A-listed restaurant, Hutchesons, making it one of very few establishments worldwide which is now home to the entire 45 Family Cask vintages dating back to a 1953 rare edition up to the most recent 1998 expression. Hutchesons is ambassador for Glenfarclas in Glasgow, providing an excellent backdrop for the enjoyment of this unique range of whiskies.

George Grant, Glenfarclas Sales Director, says: “I’m delighted to see the fame of our Family Casks grow and introduce the collection into one of Glasgow’s top-end restaurants. The Family Casks are unique to Glenfarclas, so to launch the entire range in a new context is something very special indeed”.

James Rusk, chairman of Hutchesons and George Grant, Glenfarclas Sales Director

Glenfarclas
Email: info@glenfarclas.co.uk
Website: www.glenfarclas.co.uk
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/glenfarclas/
Tel: +44 (0) 1807 500257
Fax: +44 (0) 1807 500234
Address: Glenfarclas Distillery, Ballindalloch, Banffshire AB37 9BD, UK

www.ralfy.com finds a peat-heavy option with Whisky Review 499 – Bunnahabhain Toiteach @ 46%vol:

Japan – Single Malt Scotch

• Ichiro Chichibu “The First” Japanese Single Malt Whiskey 750ml – 6 available ($189.99)

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

• Alexander Murray 30 Year Old “Monumental Blend” Scotch Whisky 750ml – 3 available ($129.99)
• Arran Devil’s Punchbowl Chapter III Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 1 available ($119.99
• Longmorn 21 Year Old Alexander Murray Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($85.99)
• Tobermory 19 Year Old Alexander Murray Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 4 available ($84.99)
• 1988 Tomatin Vintage Cask Strength Highland Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 6 available ($349.99)

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

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2015 – The Winners

The latest edition of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible is about to hit the shelves, and in usual fashion, his results are a little controversial.

While the number two and three positions in his top five whiskies are held by two of his Buffalo Trace Antique Collection favourites, the sold-out William Larue Weller and Sazerac Rye 18yo from last year, his number one is a first.

It’s a Japanese whisky – Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013.

It went on sale on our website in January 2014 and only lasted a matter of hours, as the reputation of the sherried Yamazaki releases has been well known for a while. For the first time since the Bible was first published in 2004, there are no Scotch whiskies in Jim’s top five this year. We’ll leave it to you to unpick his opinions on the Scotch whisky industry, carefully laid out in the Bible Thumping section of the book, but it’s certainly not been a year in the Scotch world that has made Jim happy.

Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2015 will be available soon from The Whisky Exchange – head on over to the website to sign up and receive an email when it’s in.

In the meantime, here’s Jim’s best whiskies in the world:

2015 World Whisky of the Year: The Yamazaki Single Malt Sherry 2013
Second Finest Whisky in the World: William Larue Weller 2013
Third Finest World Whisky in the World: Sazerac Rye 18yo 2013
Single Cask of the Year: Four Roses Single Barrel Limited Edition #3-4P

You can find all of the award winners we have in stock over on our Whisky Bible 2015 page on The Whisky Exchange website, but here is the full list of category winners:

SCOTCH

Scotch Whisky of the Year: The Last Drop 1965
Single Malt of the Year (Multiple Casks): Highland Park Loki
Single Malt of the Year (Single Cask): The Last Drop Glen Garioch 47yo
Scotch Blend of the Year: The Last Drop 1965
Scotch Grain of the Year: Sovereign Port Dundas 1978
Scotch Vatted Malt of the Year: Compass Box The Peat Monster 10th Anniversary

Single Malt Scotch:

No Age Statement (Multiple Casks): AnCnoc Rutter
10 Years & Under (Multiple Casks): Glen Grant 10yo
11-15 Years (Multiple Casks): Highland Park Loki
16-21 Years (Multiple Casks): Glenmorangie 1993 Ealanta
22-27 Years (Multiple Casks): Glenturret 1986 Famous Grouse Commonwealth Games
28-34 Years (Multiple Casks): Balblair 1983 1st Release
35-40 Years (Multiple Casks): Old Pulteney 40yo
41 Years & Over (Multiple Casks): Gordon & MacPhail Glen Grant 50yo

No Age Statement (Runner Up): Ardbeg Supernova
10 Years & Under (Single Cask): Alexander Weine & Destillate Port Charlotte 10yo
11-15 Years (Single Cask): Balvenie 12yo Single Barrel First Fill
16-21 Years (Single Cask): First Editions Clynelish 1996 17yo
22-27 Years (Single Cask): Gordon & MacPhail Linkwood 1988
28-34 Years (Single Cask): Old Malt Cask Caol Ila 1984 29yo
35-40 Years (Single Cask): BenRiach 1977 37yo Dark Rum Finish #1891
41 Years & Over (Single Cask): Last Drop Glen Garioch 47 Year Old

Blended Scotch:

No Age Statement (Standard): Ballantine’s Finest
No Age Statement (Premium): Ballantine’s Limited Release no. J13295
5-12 Years: Johnnie Walker Black Label 12yo
13-18 Years: Ballantine’s 17yo
19-25 Years: Royal Salute 21yo
26-50 Years: The Last Drop 1965

IRISH WHISKEY

Irish Whiskey of the Year: Redbreast 21yo
Irish Pot Still Whiskey of the Year: Redbreast 21yo
Irish Single Malt of the Year: Bushmills 21yo
Irish Blend of the Year: Jameson

AMERICAN WHISKEY

Bourbon of the Year: William Larue Weller 2013
Rye of the Year: Sazerac Rye 18yo 2013
US Micro Whisky of the Year: Arkansas Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon Whiskey #190
US Micro Whisky of the Year (Runner Up): Balcones Texas Straight Bourbon VII Bourbon

Bourbon:

No Age Statement (Multiple Barrels): William Larue Weller 2013
9 Years & Under: Ridgemont Reserve 1792 8yo
10-17 Years (Multiple Barrels): Four Roses Small Batch 2013 125th Anniversary
18 Years & Over (Multiple Barrels): Elijah Craig 21yo Single Barrel
No Age Statement (Single Barrel): Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon 1919-2013
10-17 Years (Single Barrel): Four Roses 2013 Limited Edition Single Barrel #3-4P

Rye:

No Age Statement: Thomas Handy Sazerac Rye 2013
11 Years & Over: Sazerac Rye 18yo 2013

CANADIAN WHISKY

Canadian Whisky of the Year: Masterson’s 10 Year Old Straight Rye

JAPANESE WHISKY

Japanese Whisky of the Year: Yamazaki Sherry Cask 2013

EUROPEAN WHISKY

European Whisky of the Year (Multiple): English Whisky Co. Chapter 14 Unpeated
European Whisky of the Year (Single): Belgian Owl Single Malt ‘64 Months’

WORLD WHISKIES

Asian Whisky of the Year: Kavalan Single Malt Whisky
Southern Hemisphere Whisky of the Year: New Zealand Willowbank 1988 25yo