You probably don’t want to hear any talk of the nights drawing in let alone mention of the ‘C’ word. However at some point we all have to accept the reality of our situation. It is autumn and Christmas is less than 8 weeks away. There I said it. Sorry.

But wait, it’s not all bad. We have some fantastic ideas to help warm you and yours over the coming weeks and months, including tasting packs, tastings in January and Newcastle Whisky Festival 2015…

Add to that a bit of news and banter and we’ve got you covered for the 5 minutes or so it takes you to read this.

TASTING GIFT PACKS

After the roaring success of our experimental tasting packs over the last few months, we have decided to expand our range to ensure there’s something for everyone.

They really are a fantastic way to sample whisky from home without investing in a whole bottle of something you’re not sure you’re going to like.

Therefore we have the following packs for your delectation over the next couple of months…

ISLAY FESTIVAL BOTTLINGS £45

We plundered a number of ‘Feis’ bottlings when we visited back in May and thought other folks might like to try these incredible whiskies. Whiskies from Ardbeg, Caol Ila, Kilchoman, Laphroaig, Lagavulin, plus for a limited time, Octomore (Bruichladdich) are all included. At only £45, this is a fantastic opportunity to taste these sought after bottlings…Click HERE for more.

WORLD WHISKIES £30

Ever wondered what whiskies from around the world taste like? Are they any good?  Well we can certainly answer positively to the second question, but you’ll have to sample for yourself for the answer to the first.  A fantastic pack full of flavourful whiskies from far-flung corners of the world, just waiting to prove to you that good whisky needn’t always be Scottish…Click HERE for more.

OLD & RARE £70

Fancy trying something a little more hard to come by? Don’t fancy forking out for a full bottle? Our ‘Old & Rare’ pack could be the answer with some cracking whiskies from the archives of time. The 1st Edition includes a 35 Year Old Glenturret, a 1974 Glenlivet and the Lagavulin 2013 Feis Ile bottling…click HERE for more.

BURNS(ISH) NIGHTS JANUARY 2015

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 website.

Click on the relevant date and venue for tickets…

BURN(ISH) NIGHT – DATES AND VENUES:

LONDON Weds 21st JAN 7pm SALT BAR, SEYMOUR St. W2
LEEDS Thursday 22nd JAN 7pm CROSSKEYS, WATER LANE
NEWCASTLE Friday 23rd JAN 7pm BLACKFRIARS, FRIARS STREET
MANCHESTER Friday 23rd JAN 7pm BRITONS PROTECTION
YORK Saturday 24th JAN 7pm BRIGANTES, MICKLEGATE
SHEFFIELD Announcement shortly
LIVERPOOL Announcement shortly
BRIGHTON Announcement shortly

Just click on the venue closest to you to book now.

EARLY-BIRD 2 FOR £40  FOR…

We are proud to present our first Whisky Festival of 2015!

Now in its 7th year, Newcastle Whisky Festival has become unmissable for the fine whisky-loving folks of Tyneside. Whiskies from Scotland and all over the world will be on show (and tasting of course) from the people who make and sell it.  Add to this masterclasses and the opportunity to purchase on the day and your in for a good one.  We are doing things slightly differently this year, with 2 sessions to choose from – 11am to 3pm or 4pm to 8pm.  We have 50 pairs of tickets for each session on this special 2 for £40 Early Bird – so be quick in order to take advantage of this! Click HERE or on the banner.

BLIND ISLAY FURY £20

With all of this excitement it is perhaps easy to forget that we have our most popular series of the year about to start. We have already sold out 3 of the venue tastings but still have some places in the others.  As always, in these blind sessions, we are tasting six whiskies ‘blind’ so therefore creating an even playing field and really testing your palate. As previously, if you’re not able to make it to one of the tastings, you can get involved by buying one of our tasting from home packs.

BLIND ISLAY FURY – DATES & VENUES

LONDON Weds 5th NOV 7pm SOLD OUT
LIVERPOOL Weds 12th NOV 7pm JENNY’S BAR, FENWICK ST.
LONDON Weds 12th NOV 7pm SOLD OUT
LEEDS Thursday 13th NOV 7pm CROSSKEYS, WATER LANE
NEWCASTLE Friday 14th NOV 7pm SOLD OUT
MANCHESTER Friday 14th NOV 7pm BRITONS PROTECTION
YORK Saturday 15th NOV 7pm BRIGANTES, MICKLEGATE
SHEFFIELD Tuesday 18th NOV 7pm THE TAP, SHEFFIELD STATION
BRIGHTON Weds 19th NOV 7pm LORD NELSON, TRAFALGAR ST.
NEWCASTLE Friday 28th NOV 7pm BLACKFRIARS, NEWCASTLE

MOVEMBER

As some of you will know, we are big fans and supporters of Movember. This fantastic charity traditionally raises awareness for male prostate cancer but has added further strings to its bow this year.  We continue to support through our Movember tasting in York on the 28th of November and, new for this year, we are presenting a couple of special tastings at The Whisky Sessions on the 21st and 22nd.  Eddie is shaving his much-loved beard off as we speak (it takes a while) and would love for you to support him in his ‘mo growing endeavours – click HERE if you would like to.

We hope you agree there’s something for every whisky-lover in this little lot. We will have more news soon on further festivals, our customer trip to the Feis Ile 2015 and a new competition as we couldn’t fit it in this time!

Take care and we hope to see you over a dram soon.

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

Here is my new press release for you to schedule for this coming Wednesday.

Please use the usual photo. 

This week Joe Ellis reviews Johnnie Walker Swing! 

http://youtu.be/c53kTKvEzOI 

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

https://www.facebook.com/whiskytube

 

 

www.ralfy.com chills out with a successful double cask matured malt-option with Whisky Review 498 – Glenmorangie Lasanta 12yo @ 46%vol

 

Mackmyra – a very Swedish style of whisky

This year I decided to overcome the post-Whisky Show blues by visiting a distillery (and a country) that’s been on my bucket list for a few years – Sweden’s Mackmyra. ‘The founders wanted to create a whisky that was Swedish. But what did that mean? It had never been done before’, area sales manager (and half-Scot) Lisa Collins told me – a statement that highlights the ethos of the distillery from the beginning.

I made a brief stop at the original Mackmyra distillery – operational 1999-2013

The distillery, named after the village in which the originally distillery was located, is pronounced ‘mack-moyra’ and translates from old Swedish as ‘small mosquito’. I questioned whether including ‘mac’ in the name was a nod to the Scots, but as Lisa pointed out, the founders were trying to make its Swedishness a point of difference, discounting the theory.

Area sales manager Lisa Collins with 30-litre casks in the ‘forest warehouse’

The founding group of four couples included a chemist, an economist and a marketer, and when Angela D’Orazio, the current master blender, joined from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society in 2004, everything was in place to create an internationally renowned whisky brand. The distillery started by selling 30-litre casks to customers under the Reserve programme.

Customers can choose between one of two recipes – elegant (unpeated) or smoke (peated) – and the type of cask: bourbon, sherry, Swedish oak or ‘gravity’ (a bourbon cask with Swedish oak ends). In an effort to ensure the customers feel closer to their casks (in Lisa’s words, ‘taste from, touch, photograph and sign them’), they are housed in one of five warehouses dotted around Sweden, depending on the customer’s location – at the distillery (in the east) Fjäderholmarna (an island off the coast of Stockholm); Häckeberga Castle (in the south); Smögen (in the west); and the Bodås mine (central) – as well as one in Germany (Gut Basthorst near Hamburg).

A tunnel in the huge Bodås mine

My visit began in Gävle, the city that houses the new distillery. Birch trees (easy to spot due to their white bark, and also the inspiration for one of their new whiskies) lined the roads throughout the 40-minute drive to the company’s underground warehouse in the former Bodås mine. I was immediately struck by both the sheer scale and the smell of the place. With thousands of Swedish oak casks stored there, the pungent smell from the spicy wood – reminiscent of horseradish – filled the air and was overpowering at times.

The mine stays at around 7°C at all times, so maturation is slow, dispelling another accusation aimed at the company, that the use of 30-litre casks was chosen to speed up the ageing process. In reality, the company’s first pot still produced 30 litres of spirit at a time, and it was taking more than a week to fill 100-litre casks, so they found a Swedish cooper to rebuild the casks into smaller ones. Lisa says: ‘He was happy; up until then, he’d been rebuilding casks for people to use in their gardens!’

Mackmyra’s new gravity distillery

Leaving the mine, we headed via the original distillery – no longer regularly producing spirit, although the equipment is still in place (the listed building was unsuitable for expansion) – to the new whiskyby (whisky village). Built in 2011 on the site of an ex-military shooting range, the new distillery has enabled production to be doubled, and uses gravity rather than electricity in many aspects of the production process.

Taking the lift to the top (eight floors up), I was rewarded with a stunning view over the forest, highlighting the natural environment surrounding the distillery. Making our way past the washbacks which, after a competition among cask owners, are named after 12 of them, we reached the stills. Made by Forsyths of Rothes (proving the distillery hasn’t turned its back on all things Scottish), they are replicas of those at the original distillery. Lisa told me: ‘We’ve done tastings between the old and new stills, and while the end result is the same high quality, there’s more of it – a bigger heart’. Mackmyra produces both unpeated and peated whisky and all the barley for the latter is malted on site. It’s estimated that there is peat underneath 25% of Sweden, so in keeping with the distillery’s ethos, all the peat used is from the nearby Karinmossen peat bog and for an extra-Swedish touch, twigs of juniper are added to the kiln during peating, to add a sweeter note.

Due to local laws only allowing spirits sales through the government-owned retailer Systembolaget, it was the first distillery I’d been to where you can’t buy bottles. In addition, the distillery has had to add a restaurant to even be allowed to let customers sample their whiskies, although Mackmyra have taken advantage of this by creating a menu around whisky pairings using local ingredients, as well as the services of a chef who used to work at the UK’s three-Michelin-starred Fat Duck. To end my visit, we decamped to a local hotel that carries a large amount of Mackmyra’s produce for a tasting with food – it seems us Brits pair food with wine, Germans do it with beer and the Swedes with whisky. Here are my views on four quite different expressions:

Mackmyra Vit Hund, 46.1%, £33.45 (50cl)

Vit Hund (‘white dog’) is the distillery’s new-make offering, made using unpeated barley, watered down to drinking strength and bottled without ageing.
Nose: Grappa-like nose with fruity notes of green apples, pears and grapes.
Palate: Raw and warming, with the apple and pear notes from the nose joined by pineapple and sweet nutmeg spice.
Finish: Medium in length, with the spiciness increasing to the end.
Comment: The house style is evident here, with notes of green apple and pear which are found in many of the distillery’s whiskies.

Mackmyra The First Edition, 46.1%, £44.45
The first single malt to be released by the distillery, The First Edition was launched in 2008. Predominantly aged in ex-bourbon casks (of which half are 100 litres and half are 200 litres), with a small number of sherry casks and 5% Swedish oak in the mix.
Nose: Fruit led, with green apples, pears and a hint of mango.
Palate: Creamy texture, with apple, pear and dried apricots; a clove spiciness from the Swedish oak, and a vanilla undertone.
Finish: Medium, with the vanilla the last flavour to dissipate.
Comment: This is the expression that put Swedish whisky on the map, and it’s still going strong six years later – the distillery’s benchmark bottling doesn’t disappoint.

Mackmyra Midnattsol, 46.1%, £55.95
A very Swedish style of whisky, matured in a combination of sherry, bourbon and ‘gravity’ casks, before a finishing period in casks which used to hold birch-sap wine – this should be different:

Nose: Sour lemons, horseradish (that’ll be the Swedish oak), with the trademark pear note and sweet nutmeg in the background.
Palate: Mouth-coating texture, with a warming horseradish spiciness, pear and vanilla from the American oak more prominent than on the nose.
Finish: Medium, with the spicy oak notes continuing to a drying finale.
Comment: The flavour profile is unlike any whisky I’ve tasted before. This isn’t for everyone, but for those who are adventurous and like a spicier style, it’s worth trying.

Mackmyra Bee Honey Whisky Liqueur, 22%, £28.45 (50cl)
Bee is a combination of Swedish whisky and malt vodka, with organic honey collected from the surrounding area (Gävle and Valbo) – is a mixture of dandelion, linden and forest honeys, with some raspberry flowers.

Nose: Dry honey (floral rather than sweet), lavender, iced tea, and a hint of cinnamon (remiscent of Dentyne Classic).
Palate: It tastes exactly as it smells, with the iced tea turning into cold tea, with the associated dry tannins.
Finish: Short to medium, with a slightly-sweet honeyed ending.
Comment: A very different style of honey whisky liqueur. No sugar is added, so all the sweetness (albeit a small amount) comes from the honey. It’s refreshing, but doesn’t quite satisfy my sweet tooth – a liqueur for those who usually find the category too sweet for them.

One of the aspects of whisky I find the most interesting is how different distilleries use the same three ingredients (water, barley and yeast), but make their own style of whisky. I applaud Mackmyra’s ideal of making whisky in a very Swedish manner and staying true to the founders’ roots at all times, something Lisa told me she fell in love with, when first discovering the brand. If you are sceptical about whiskies from outside Scotland, I’d thoroughly recommend a trip to Mackmyra, After years in the trade, I remain convinced the best way to understand a product (or a brand), is to go to where it’s made and discover its home environment.

What a busy fall its been. I spent 10 days in Scotland in September, mostly on the west coast, leading a pilgrimage to Islay, Campbeltown and Arran. I came back for a flurry of events over two weeks and then took off again on another whisky pilgrimage this time, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Both were amazing trips. Once again I returned to a flurry of events which will hit fever pitch starting on Saturday when Michael Urquhart pops in for a farewell tasting.

I’ve known Michael nearly as long as I’ve been with KWM. Michael is one of the fourth generation Urquharts to own and manage Gordon & MacPhail. For the last five years or so he’s been their Managing Director. We’ve had a great relationship with Gordon & MacPhail over the years, and have done well with their brands including the Benromach Distillery which they acquired in 1993. Michael announced his retirement earlier in the year, and we jumped at the chance to throw him a farewell tasting at our store. We’ve got an incredible range for it including a pair of Port Ellens, a 1975 Dallas Dhu (closed) and 5 different Benromachs including the 1969 ($1300) and 1976 (coming soon). You’ll regret missing this event if you do, and the good news is we still have a few open spots, A Farewell to Michael Urquhart $130.

Next week is our busiest week of whisky tastings all year. On Monday night we are launching Springbank Society bottlings for the first time in Canada with Ranald Watson, Springbank Society Launch $30. Then on Tuesday we’ll be turning up the heat with some heavily peated Kilchomans presented by the distillery’s founder and director Anthony Wills, Kilchoman Master Class $30. Wednesday is the Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s November Outturn tasting and then on Thursday it is time for Glen Garioch… KWM has a new cask of Glen Garioch coming, and we’re having a mini festival to celebrate its launch, Glen Garioch Cask Launch $25. Info on all these tastings can be found below. Our sold out Fall Single Malt Festival follows on the 13th.

One little item that’s kept us very busy this fall is the 2014 Kensington Wine Market Whisky Advent Calendar. We’ve put our hands on 24 different 50ml whiskies, one of which is 40 years of age and retails for $750 for a full size bottle. Each calendar includes a special Glencairn glass for tasting and a great range of whiskies. We built 288 of them, and at the time of writing just 35 remain unsold! They’ll likely be gone by the end of this week!

There are some other great whiskies to tell you about in this Malt Messenger Bulletin, including the new Glenmorangie Companta, the final edition of the Arran Devil’s Punch Bowl and a cool new Ardbeg Escape gift pack. There is also other news on Ardbeg, Glenmorangie, Old Pulteney and the Malt Whisky Yearbook 2015.

Finally, tickets are now on sale for the 2015 MS Calgary Whisky Festival. There are two ticket options this year, standard $99 and VIP $149, the latter of which includes earlier access and a special tasting feature a new top shelf Macallan. Hope to see you there!

I trust this email finds you well and that you are easing into the cooler weather ahead with a warming dram or two.

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

Whisky Week Tastings Start this Saturday

Springbank Society Launch – Scotland’s oldest family owned distillery launches a couple of limited release Sprigbank Society bottlings every year for their members. These weren’t available to Canada, until now. Ranald Watson from Springbank will be here for a special a mini festival tasting featuring 4 Society bottlings, and a range of other whiskies from Scotland’s most traditional disitllery. We’ve added room for an additional 20 participants. $30

Kilchoman Distillery Master Class – Kilchoman Distillery Founder and Director Anthony Wills will be our guest of honour for the evening leading us through a tasting a presentation on his Islay distillery which turns 10 years old next year! We have a great range including 2 limited expressions, Kilchoman Small Batch and the soon to arrive Port Wood! – $30

Glen Garioch Cask Launch – Kensington Wine Market has an exceptional exclusive Glen Garioch cask on the way, it will be here next week. To celebrate we’re throwing an open house, mini-festival style tasting. You’ll have the chance to sample a range of whiskies from Auchentoshan, Bowmore and Glen Garioch, including our new cask! – $25

Visit us online at HERE to see our full tasting schedule and register, or call us at 403-283-8000.

The 2014 KWM Whisky Advent Calendar is Here

And it selling quickly… only 50/288. – $360+GST

Last year’s Whisky Advent Calendar from Master of Malt was a huge success. It sold out quickly, and customers loved it, but we felt we could do a little better for the price point. For 2014 we’ve put together our own calendar, complete with a bespoke Glencairn glass and 24 50ml bottles (last year’s were 30ml). The actual list of whiskies is a surprise, but here’s a hint: One of the whiskies is 40 years old and retails for more than $700 a bottle (750ml)! This is the perfect pre-Christmas gift for the whisky lover in your life and a great way to lift your spirits.

The calendars are available in store and online while supplies last. As of this morning there are just 35 left!

Introducing: The Glenmorangie Companta

The Latest Release in the Private Collection Range

Every year Glenmorangie releases a unique expression in its Private Collection range. The 2014 release is called Companta, Scots Gaelic for “friendship”. This 5th Private Collection release follows Sonnalta, Finealta, Artein and Ealanta, all now sold out, and is a worthy successor to the range. The whisky has been created with inspiration from Dr. Bill Lumsden’s (the director of Whisky Creation and Distilling for Glenmorangie and Ardbeg) travels through France looking for the finest casks. After maturing in American white oak, the whisky was ‘extra matured’ in hand selected wine casks from one of the most celebrated Grand Cru vineyards in Burgundy, Clos de Tart. These Burgundian casks add berry fruits and citrus notes. Other whiskies were also blended (yes it is still a single malt) from other casks which once contained a fortified wine from the Cotes du Rhone.

As with all the Private Collection releases before it the Companta is very limited and will not last long. KWM has already sold through 1/4 of our allocation, and it just got here!

Glenmorangie Companta  – 46% – My Tasting Note: Nose: “Immediately a massive hit of butterscotch, leather, candied nuts, dark fruits, tobacco and chocolate; a little like a Negroni, with a very creamy and fruity base; Palate: dark and fruity, loads more candied nuts, dark spices like clove, anise and fennel, leathery and chocolaty with more tobacco and some tart Negroni-like notes; a big hit of Cherry Halls over some creamy honey and vanilla; Finish: long and a bit Halls like; more fading cherries, tart fruits and spices. – $114.99

Introducing the Arran Devil’s Punch Bowl III

The final release in the trilogy: Chapter III The Fiendish Finale!

The Isle of Arran has released some exciting and very tasty whiskies since it started distilling in 1995. There have been a number of one offs over the years, but none have been quite so well received as the Devil’s Punch Bowl trilogy. I don’t recall the distillery mentioning it before, I may have missed the fact, but I was a little surprised when the 3rd whisky was released and they announced that it would be the final edition. The first two were very popular, and there is no reason to suspect that the 3rd would be any different.

The Devil’s Punch Bowl series is named for a prominent and dramatic geological feature (a glacial hollow) on the northeastern end of the Isle of Arran. The three releases in the series, though slightly different from one another, have all shared a strong sherry influence and the introduction of some prominent peaty tones. Arran has been distilling peated malt for almost a decade, but other than the Devil’s Punch Bowl releases, the only peated Arrans are bottled under the Machrie Moor Label. So these Arrans are quite uncharacteristic of the house style.

Appropriately this final release is called the Fiendish Finale, following Chapter III: Angels & Deamons. The whisky is appropriately limited to 6,660 bottles worldwide, with probably no more than 300 having found their way to Canada. The whisky is a marriage of 8 sherry butts, 8 French oak barrque and 5 ex-bourbon barrels, bottled at 53.4%. KWM has already sold through nearly half of the 60 bottles we acquired.

Arran Devil’s Punchbowl III – 53.4% – Andrew’s Tasting Note (sampled at the distillery in September): “Nose: at first some melon and tropical fruits, quickly displaced by clean smoke and grassy malt; some leather, dark fruits and spices linger; some of the classic honeyed floral notes; Palate: a tad punchy, and very fruity, excellent balance, building smoke and spices with a base of creamy vanilla oak and honey; some dark fruits and leather; Finish: leather, tobacco and chocolate with some malt and citrus fruits; medium finish. – $120.99

Ardbeg Escape Gift Packs

Not quite “Life Proof” but they look that way! $79.99

Looking for a great gift pack, a whisky and glasses you can “travel rough” with, or something to just stand out on your shelf? These new Ardbeg 10 Year gift packs will do the trick. They come complete with two “shorty glasses” and a bottle of damn fine whisky. Very limited quantities available!

Distiller’s Tasting Note for Ardbeg 10 Year: “Nose: A burst of intense smoky fruit escapes into the atmosphere – peat infused with zesty lemon and lime, wrapped in waxy dark chocolate. Bold menthol and black pepper slice through the sweet smoke followed by tarry ropes and graphite. As you dip your nose in further, savour the aroma of smoked fish and crispy bacon alongside green bell peppers, baked pineapple and pear juice. Palate: An explosion of crackling peat sets off millions of flavour explosions on the tongue: peat effervesces with tangy lemon and lime juice, black pepper pops with sizzling cinnamon-spiced toffee. This is followed by a wave of brine infused with smooth buttermilk, ripe bananas and currants. Smoke gradually wells up on the palate bringing a mouthful of warm creamy cappuccino and toasted marshmallows. As the taste lengthens and deepens, dry espresso, liquorice root and tarry smoke develop coating the palate with chewy peat oils. Finish: The finish goes on and on – long and smoky with tarry espresso, aniseed, toasted almonds and traces of soft barley and fresh pear.” – $79.99

Order a set. – $79.99

MS Calgary Whisky Festival Tickets Now On Sale

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 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!

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2015

The 10th Anniversary Edition – $30

This year’s edition includes articles by respected whisky authors: Johnny McCormick, Neil Ridley, Dominic Roskrow, Gavin D Smith, Charles (Charlie) McLean, Ian Buxton and Bernard Schafer. There 135 pages on malt whisky distilleries in Scotland, and another 100 pages on whiskies from around the world. If there is one must have annual whisky book, this is it!

Malt Whisky Yearbook 2015 – $30

Coming Soon: Ardbeg Supernova 2014

A New Committee Release of the World’s Peatiest Whisky – $194.99

ETA mid-November, the latest incarnation of Ardbeg’s Supernova, the distillery’s peatiest release! From the Distillery: “Ardbeg’s first experiment in space has been slowly doing its thing for 3 long years. However, we predict excitement is set to gain momentum as we announce that the experiment is returning very soon and with it… a brand new limited edition Committee bottling of Ardbeg SUPERNOVA.”

Ardbeg Supernova 2014 – 55% – My Tasting Note (Sampled at the Chateau Lake Louise Launch): “Nose: clean ashy smoke, kelp drying on the rocks of a windswept beach, cooling bacon fat and Port Askaig lagostines in butter; creme caramel and chococlate whisky mouse; Palate: big and firey, massive oils, maritime notes, pine resin and earthy spice; burnt bacon, more steamed mussles, dark chocolate and espresso beans with clove and black licorice; as the palate adjusts it becomes creamier and sweeter with dark earthy smoke; Finish: long creamy and coating with dark yet smooth smoke, more seafood notes, dark spices and some bold cigar smoke; a surprising late surge of malt. – $194.99

Coming Soon: Glenmorangie Taghta

The World’s First Crowd Sourced Whisky – $114.99

ETA late November, this is the world’s first crowd sourced whisky. If you attended one of the many Cask Masters tastings held at KWM, accross Canada or one of 29 other countries around the world, you aided in its creation! Very limited quantities of this sherry finished whisky are to be released at a strength of 46%. Taghta is Scots Gaelic for selected!

From the Distillery: “Each of our unique expressions is a glorious marriage of wood and whisky. How the two complement each other is crucial. In the case of Taghta, we extra matured our Glenmorangie original whisky in three cask varieties for a number of years. Each one imparted its own unique flavour, depth and character into our whisky. Finally, we asked you to decide which one you preferred.”

Glenmorangie Taghta – 46% – Producer’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Curiously nutty and salty at full strength, reminding you of brazil nuts embedded in toffee, hints of linseed oil, and some savoury cured ham. A splash of water opens up the whisky, bringing into play a burst of aged balsamic vinegar, dried fruits, tangy-orange, and a gentle reminder of Christmas incense and spice. Taste: The texture is oily and viscous, with a delicious primary flavour of caramelised orange and lemon, plump sultanas, a hint of brown sugar, but then a wave of salty, briny notes – olives, salted cashew nuts and some nice, toasty oak flavours, like walnut and leather. Finish: The long aftertaste is rich, mellow and soothing, with flavours of toffee, caramel, chocolate and dates.” – $114.99

Old Pulteney Whiskies Back in Stock

Old Pulteney 17 and 21 Year Back for a Limited Engagement

For the first time in months we have stock of Old Pulteney 12, 17 and 21 year expressions. The later two won’t last long, as demand is high globally and there are rationed out to different markets. Old Pulteney was the northernmost mainland distillery in Scotland, until the nearby Wolfburn distillery opened.

Old Pulteney was built during a herring boom in the north of Scotland in 1826. Established near the tail end of the Highland Clearances the distillery was part of the Pulteneytown settlement named for Sir William Pulteney who had died in 1805. He was reputedly the wealthiest man in the United Kingdom in his day. The distillery’s early days were fueled by the seasonal fishing village who’s thirst for whisky was prodigious. According to legend half a liter per person, per day for every man, woman and child!

The distillery’s whisky was long underated until it’s 21 year was named world whisky of the year in the Whisky Bible in 2012. The 12 year has long been a reliable standby at its price point and as highly rated as the 21 year is, I’ve always been fond of the 17 (though it has changed considerably over the years).

Old Pulteney 12 Year – 40% – Matured in Ex-Bourbon – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Medium to high intensity, dry with a briny hint of sea air. Palate: Sweet, floral, citrus: lemon and lime plus dry banana skin. Smooth and faintly salty. – $64.99
Old Pulteney 17 Year – 46% – Matured Entirely in Ex-Sherry European Oak – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Sweet with traces of apples and pears: slightly woody with a hint of butterscotch. Palate: Sweet with soft fruits: kiwi, guava, peach. – $124.99
Old Pulteney 21 Year – 46% – Matured in Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry – Distiller’s Tasting Note: “Nose: Full bodied with traces of fruits (apples and pears); slightly fragrant with spicy overtones. Palate: Creamy, toffee, vanilla, baked red apple with a hint of smokiness and a dry finish. – $167.99

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

The Telegraph Whisky Experience

The Telegraph Whisky Experience, in partnership with The Whisky Shop, will bring together the UK’s leading industry experts, exclusive master classes and the world’s finest and rarest whiskies for a unique and unforgettable tasting experience.

This four hour private whisky fair will be held at the beautiful, historic setting of One Whitehall Place, London on Monday, December 1, 2014 with a choice of start times of 1pm and 6pm.

Guests will experience the newly released Haig Club as well as leading whiskies including Glenfiddich, Girvan, Aberfeldy, Craigellachie, Glengoyne and Macallan. Join us to enjoy these malts plus many more and take the opportunity to purchase them at the event through the Whisky Shop.

READ MORE

Meet the host –  Whisky Expert Charles Maclean

Charles will be sharing his insider knowledge at The Telegraph Whisky Experience through a specially designed tasting guide featuring two contrasting whiskies – part of the Whisky Experience ticket.

READ MORE

Attend an exclusive Masterclass

Limited masterclasses will offer guests an insight into two leading whiskies. Choose between the Glenfiddich and Aberfeldy masterclasses and meet master blenders for an educational and inspiring session.

READ MORE

John, might I first say a big thanks to all the staff who looked after our guests from Sweden recently, also looking after myself and Liz with sample drams and cups of tea!

Q; With properties becoming available next door to the distillery, I know there are huge plans to expand, can you tell me what plans and a timescale?    A; It is a little early to talk about our plans in detail, however we will be looking at the possibility of adding additional warehousing and potentially bottling to the distillery.

Q; Will you be adding more stills?

A; We are happy with the level of production that we are achieving at this time.

Q; Staying with stills, what age are your stills just now and when would you look to replace?

A;  We have a regular maintenance program in place for our stills and so this is not something which we are currently looking at.

Q;  How will the new developments affect production?

A; With the plans that we are looking at for the site there would be no effect on production.

Q; Can we move to the actual whisky, many readers/members will not know just how many brands you have and how many different expressions you release, can you elaborate?

A;  Tullibardine has a core range of Tullibardine Sovereign, which is our signature malt, and three finishes – 225 (Sauternes), 228 (Burgundy) and 500 (Sherry).  We then also have a 20yo and 25yo expression.  We also own the Highland Queen and Muirhead’s brands of Scotch Whisky, which are widely distributed around the world.

Q; On a personal note, and for all drivers, will future plans include a coffee shop/restaurant?

A; We are focused on our whisky, so it is unlikely that we will put in a full coffee shop.  Tea or coffee are also available though for drivers at our visitor centre.

Q; Whilst there last week, I saw this fabulous bottle for £16,000, can you tell me all about this release please?

A;  We are in the process of launching the Tullibardine Custodian’s Collection, which is our exclusive super premium range.  Whiskies in the collection have a minimum age of 40 years, and are all bottled in the Custodian’s Decanter which has been handcrafted for us by Baccarat.  The whisky you saw is the Tullibardine 1952, which is bottled from the oldest cask that we own and is the first product in the collection, which will be officially released later this year.  The whisky is 60 years old.  We will also be introducing the Custodian’s Club at the same time, which is our exclusive distillery membership club.

Q; What is the oldest cask you have in the warehouses at the moment?  And do you have any plans for it?

A;1952 – which is being officially bottled later this year as the first product in the Custodian’s Collection.

Q; There are many finishes on offer from the distillery, is this something you may be doing more of in the coming years?

A;  There are only three finishes which are part of the core range.  We have no plans to introduce any more at this point.

Q; We all know that casks play a huge part in the final whisky, where do you obtain/select casks from?

A; All of the whisky for the Tullibardine brand is aged in first fill bourbon barrels.  Today we buy these directly from a source in the US to ensure that we control the quality of the wood that we are using.

Q; Do you feel awards and good write ups in books and magazines actually affect sales?

A; They definitely help the process and give reassurance to both the distiller and the consumer.

Q;How do you see the whisky industry advancing in the coming years?

A; The industry continues to develop strongly, and there is still great potential in many of the emerging markets which give us a very positive outlook for the future.

Q; Finally, at the end of the day, you sit down and relax with a dram – what dram would you select?

A; Tullibardine Sovereign!

John, many thanks for your time and we hope to see you again soon, as we bring our tours in to visit Tullibardine.

You can find out more on this Perthshire distillery at www.tullibardine.com

Should your group, club, or business wish to take a tour here, we can assist; www.mcleanscotland.com

MCLEANSCOTLAND recently hosted another whisky tour of Scotland, unknown to us at the time – until the final day – they were taking notes and voting on distillery visits, here are their results;

Dear Liz and Paul.  Warmest thanks also from me for an excellent arrangement and so many valuable visits. I have found my new knowledge about whisky much more fruitful than all the attended salsa- and tango courses. I would like to come back in order to visit Orkney and probably a revisit to Speyside including a few more distilleries. As Bjoooorn (Bo) indicated, I’ll give you the complete result of our Distillery evaluation, built on following factors:

1. Environment   B. Cleanness   C. Pot stills   D. Washbacks   E. Whisky Tasting   F. Logistics  we mean that it is easy to get around to the different parts of the distillery and it is easy to have an overview over different parts of the process. That things are not in a mess.

Here are the final results from the Swedish jury:

1. Gold medal! Edradour. 128 points.
2. Silver medal. Macallen. 118 points.
3. Bronze medal. Tullabardine. 109 points.
4. Strathisla. 101 points.
5. Strathearn. 97 points.
6. Aberlour. 82 points.

Mats Söderberg

A recent whisky tour with a wee group from Sweden; Bjorn, Bo, Matts, Bengt, Mats. The tour began at Aberdeen airport, where we met the guys from Sweden, all into the vehicle and away we went! North to Keith and our first distillery tour at Strathisla. A good private tour here followed by four drams; Strathisla single malt, a grain and two Chivas Regal blends of different ages. Liz joined in … while Paul (driver) sat doon with a cup of tea! Just a 100 yards away we stopped for lunch, grand food indeed and a beer for most. We then drove south again, stopping at Huntly, Duncan Taylor for a few drams with our friend Ronnie – some interesting drams here from their own bottlings, whilst Liz and the guys drammed, Paul had a chat with owner Euan – and – a cup of tea. Across country to Dufftown, then Craigellachie, where a visit to the Speyside Cooperage followed. Following this a 5 minute drive to Glenfiddich, a tour, 3 drams and a final visit of the day. Driving to Elgin and the hotel, more drams and beers (and a cup of tea) before Liz and Paul headed off to their apartment, Paul quickly caught up on the whisky!

Day two saw the group depart after breakfast for Glen Moray distillery and a brief visit to the ruined Elgin cathedra. Booked in for 11am, we then hot Macallan, Liz and Paul left the guys here whilst they did some work and visits locally (whisky industry friends). A dash to Aberlour and the Mash Tun for a pre arranged lunch of Cullen Skink and sandwiches, before the 2pm Aberlour tour, which we all did, great! At the tour end there were 6 drams (Paul had the drivers share; tea!). We then drove to Sandend harbour for sightseeing and Portsoy for a pub dinner and photos. Thanks Jimmy for your hospitality. Back to Elgin, arrived around 8pm, dropped off the group and headed back for a deserved dram or 6.

Day three a drive ahead, through Speyside stopping at Dalwhinnie distillery a while, to Blair Atholl and a visit to Blair Castle, lunch in Pitlochry and a visit (best of the tour the guys said) to Edradour distillery. While the group took a tour, Liz and Paul chatted and interviewed own Andrew – see other story, over a fed drams (Paul nosed, Liz drank, guess what Paul drank!), following their tour, they joined us for drinks, a good visit. Straight to Perth and 20 minutes on, Strathearn distillery to meet one of the owners Tony, a private tour and tasting of gins. A long day almost over, back to the hotel in Perth, Liz and Paul stayed at Paul’s apartment. We all met for dinner and drinks followed at Paul’s local pub Christies – until we were thrown out at closing time!

Day four; directly to Tullibardine distillery, another private tour, with Gavin our pal, Liz and Paul – aye you guessed, sat around with Liz dramming and Paul with tea! Three good drams and a whisky beer followed. Then to Edinburgh, a quick city tour, check in luggage, say goodbyes (the group stay in Edinburgh two nights) and we head home, reached it at 5.45, tired, so drams flared up! It was a good tour, lots of fun, even more whisky and 5 more Swedish friends to add to our growing list!

 A very good short tour, the guys are coming back!

Paul McLean  www.mcleanscotland.com   www.whiskytourscotland.com   www.angelswhiskyclub.com

 

October 2014 Auction Ends on Monday 3^rd November!

View October Auction

Our October auction is now live and will finish on November 3^rd from 19:00.

There are over 800 lots in this auction and this Macallan is without a doubt one of our highlights! Macallan 1945 Speymalt 68 Year Old, which is the OLDEST Macallan ever bottled.

We also have a great selection of Karuizawa, too many to list! This is a small teaser for you. Here we have a 1982, 2000 and 29 Year Old single cask to share with you.

So these are just a very few examples of the 830 lots that we have available. Our auction ends on Monday 3^rd November from 19.00.

Please remember!

The auction does not end at 19.00 on the dot; the system ends the auction when there have been no bids made on any item within the last five minutes. The auction often takes between 90mins and three hours to end.

There is no registration fee, our commission structure is very competitive and we offer worldwide shipping. For our terms and conditions please click here.

With over 10 years of experience in the whisky industry, Whisky Auctioneer specialises in auctioning whisky whether it be fine, old, rare, collectable or affordable. Formed in 2013 and based in Perth, central Scotland, we aim to be the most comprehensive website for the buying and selling of whisky online.

http://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/

Happy Bidding!

Diageo Special Releases 2014 – they’re here….

It’s cold, it’s dark, people are starting to wear winter coats, and Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible has appeared. There’s still one thing missing: the Diageo Special Releases.

The full set of Diageo Special Releases 2014

While Rocky got a pre-pre-launch tasting a few weeks ago, the main launch party was on Tuesday night, and the bottles have hit our shelves today. If you’re in a rush, you can find the complete list of available bottles here. If you’re after the Port Ellen or Brora, I’d head over there immediately – they don’t usually last long.

In case you’ve not heard of the Special Releases, they are a range of whiskies released by Diageo, the worlds largest drinks company and owner of the largest portfolio of Scottish whisky distilleries. It’s a set of unusual drams, including closed distilleries, lesser-known names and different takes on the big brands, and its arrival each year causes a bit of a splash. There are 11 whiskies in this year’s release, so here goes… To start with, the latest release of the whisky that makes the most noise – Port Ellen 14th Release:

Port Ellen 1978, 35yo, 14th Release, 56.5%, 2,964, £2,200

The fuss about the Port Ellen is its price, which has been rising steeply over the past few years: £300 in 2011, £600 in 2012, £1500 in 2013 and now £2200 in 2014. We’ve not seen any slowing in sales despite the price, and we expect this one to disappear as quickly as usual. If you’ve read this far and want to buy one, then you should probably click through quickly – they won’t last long. This year’s bottling is their oldest yet, distilled in 1978 and matured for 35 years in a mixture of refill European and American oak casks.

Nose: Seashells and hazelnuts, ferns and menthol, all covered with a maritime air – sharp ozone and seaspray. Aniseed balls and fruity touches (pineapple and sweet apple) are joined by a touch of salty prosciutto.
Palate: Sweet and spicy, with a (pleasant) touch of rotting straw in the background. The spice comes from clove-studded oranges and the sweetness from dark chocolate. Behind that there are leafy notes, with forest floor, damp bark and pine joined by some sultana touches.
Finish: Rock pools, damp wood and old oak rancio, with sweet cinnamon butter and rich earth lingering.
Comment: A more maritime and zingy Port Ellen than many of the recent releases, and all the better for it. A good balance of dark and light.

Next, the other top-end staple – Brora 35yo 13th Release:

Brora 1978, 35yo, 48.6%, 2,964 bottles, £1,200

Brora is another bottle that’s gone up sharply over the years, but as the availability of whisky from the closed distillery has been shrinking at quite a rate, it’s understandable – other than the yearly Special Release and the impressive 40 year old Diageo released earlier this year, we’ve only had one new bottle of Brora through our doors in a while, and that sold out immediately. While we managed to get a cask sample of 1978 Brora for the Aurora Brorealis masterclass at The Whisky Show this year, we don’t think there’s much left and don’t see large amounts coming on to the market again.

Nose: Mulchy straw, cream and pineapple, with floral touches, honeysuckle, salted butter and damp hay.
Palate: Creamily textured, sweet and buttery to start, with spice and earthiness coming in behind. Sweet lemon, with bitter pith, and building woody spice are joined by pine needles, mint leaves and touches of chocolate.
Finish: Earth and pine, with a touch of fruit. Gentle smoke and oaky spice linger.
Comment: My style of Brora: not as farmyardy as some, but with the sweet fruit and smoke mixing with a little bit of mulch.

Now we’ve got the two immediate-selling bottles, on to the more intriguing middle of the range, starting with the Benrinnes 21yo:

Benrinnes 21yo, 1992, 56.9%, 2,892, £240

Benrinnes is one of Diageo’s quieter distilleries. It doesn’t get a lot of exposure and, like many in the porfolio, other than in blends only really sees the light of day in a Flora & Fauna release. Its heavy and meaty character lends itself well to sherry-cask maturation, which has started building popularity with a new generation of whisky geeks, looking for something a little different to the classics. It’s not the first time it’s popped up in the Special Releases, with 2009 seeing a 23yo heavily sherried bottling in the line-up, which split opinion thanks to its savoury and heavy character.

Nose: Chocolate tiffin to start – cocoa, cherries, raisins, oats and a touch of spice. That’s backed up with struck match and leather, along with rich riverbank earth and salty liquorice. As it sits (and my nose got used to it), some of the heavier notes roll away to reveal some fragrant leaves and pine needles.
Palate: Sweet cherry and liquorice up front, getting rapidly heavier, with chocolate fudge and cinnamon building. Leather sits in the background with baked apples, cinnamon and a touch of brimstone. Despite those dark flavours, it sits relatively lightly on the tongue, with some fresh apple zinginess.
Finish: Mineral touches, more cocoa, leather and sweet chocolate cookies.
Comment: I expected it to be a sherry monster, and it was. However, it avoided the Bovril/Marmite-like touches of the previous release, instead bringing in a fresher and more fruity character.

Sticking with the lesser known distillers, next is Strathmill 25yo:

Strathmill 25yo, 1988, 2,700 bottles, £275

Strathmill is best known as the core of Diageo’s J&B blended whisky and, like Benrinnes, is mainly known through its Flora & Fauna bottling. They go for a light, grassy and fruity style, which at 12 years old, the age of the F&F, is not that memorable. But with a bit of age, the spirit comes into its own. This bottling sits in the middle, age-wise, going for a balance of elegance and maturation.

Nose: Buttery and sweet to start, changing quickly from being zesty with sharp lemon, and then on to oatcakes, with spice and lemon-rind chunks. It doesn’t really settle down, jumping around and changing a lot, with touches of cinnamon sugar, white wine vinegar, butter icing and lemon sherbet also making an appearance.
Palate: Much more stable, with lemon sherbet, candy floss, barley sugar on top, and heavier notes underneath: brown cinnamon toast, Crunchy Nut Cornflakes (no milk) and sprigs of mint.
Finish: Long, with spicy oak, digestive biscuits and leafy mint.
Comment: The first Strathmill that I have notes for (or remember trying) and a good ‘un. The nutty and toasty notes give a solid base and the minty touches on the finish really work.

Next up, and the first I tried on the evening, is a welcome return from closed Lowlander Rosebank:

Rosebank 21yo, 1992, 4,530 bottles, £299

Rosebank has cropped up a few times in the Special Releases, with this year’s being very reminiscent of the appearance from 2011: a 1990 vintage 21yo with an outturn of almost 6,000 bottles. At the time, we mentioned that with the distillery closing in 1993, and casks rumoured to be in short supply, we didn’t think we’d see many more. This release may only be three quarters the size of the last one, but it’s good to see that they do still have some casks left in the Diageo warehouses. That said, it’s become even more rare in recent years, and yet again we wonder if this could be one of the last releases.

Nose: Sweet butter, honeysuckle and hay, with creamy grain. Pears and nectarines give a fruity centre, with grassiness, pear drops and citrus oil providing a sharper contrast.
Palate: Initially soft and sweet, but quickly developing elegant polished-oak notes, orange zest and toasted almonds. Bitter oak grows, but is balanced by sweet grass and meadow flowers. There’s some darker aniseed and liquorice notes hiding at the back with some woody spice, but it’s restrained and doesn’t overpower.
Finish: Long and warming, with anise and oaky spice. Candied lemons and sherbet develop.
Comment: Almost exactly what I was expecting, although with a bit more weight and richness. A classic Rosebank.

Now on to the better-known Speysiders, starting with the Singleton of Glendullan 38yo:

Singleton of Glendullan 38yo, 59.8%, 3,756 bottles, £750

Glendullan isn’t often seen in the UK these days, with it’s official bottlings being the US edition releases in the Singleton range – Europe get Singleton of Dufftown and Asia get Singleton of Glen Ord. At 38 years old, it’s this year’s oldest Special Release, and it’s also the first appearance from ‘Dullan. This was filled into cask at a punchy 68.5% abv rather than the more usual 63.5%, which has helped it keep its strength over the past three-and-half decades. However, high strength also changes the way it matures and the flavours that develop…

Nose: Oak, toasted grain and green ferns, with sweet toffee and fudge – flapjacks on a picnic? Nougat, Mr Sheen polished tables and marshmallow sit on top of a layer of elegant old oak.
Palate: Sharp apple edges, with toffee, white pepper, cinnamon sugar, lemon oil and damp oak. Damp leaves and old oak dominate, with layers of woody spice and elegant oak.
Finish: Light and sweet with golden sugar, tree bark and – surprise surprise – old oak.
Comment: This year’s wood masterclass, with layers of oak providing elegance, spice and some sweetness. Excellent lingering finish.

And another classic Speyside stalwart: Cragganmore 25yo:

Cragganmore 25yo, 1988, 51.4%, 3,372 bottles, £299

Cragganmore seems to get overlooked in Diageo’s portfolio, even though it’s one of the Classic Malts, and it’s one that I often like returning to – it’s earned its place in that range. This release shows some of Diageo’s 1980′s experimentation, with the whisky matured in refill American oak casks fitted with new wood heads, to add a bit of fresh-oak spiciness to the mix.

Nose: Candied hazelnuts, lime chews, squirty cream, pink marshmallows and Tunnock’s Tea Cakes to start, but with darker notes behind: glacé cherries, earthy touches, toasted grain and a hint of chocolate.
Palate: Soft and oaky, with vanilla cream, golden syrup, oaky spice, green leaves, aniseed balls and sliced apples, with menthol touches sneaking in at the end, with cloves.
Finish: Zingy Granny Smith apples, barley sugar, cocoa and rolled oats. Dark oak and toffee remains.
Comment: Just what I was hoping for – intense, with a balance of green, dark and sweet notes. The finish is immense.

The next on the list is the release in the list that has both dismayed and pleased me the most: Clynelish Select Reserve:

Clynelish Select Reserve, 54.9%, 2,964 bottles, £499

Not only is this the first time that geek-favourite Clynelish has appeared in the Special Releases lineup, it’s also the first no-age-statement whisky in the range. A combination of things that the outspoken whisky fans love and hate, all in one bottle, along with a not-inconsiderable price tag of £500. A whisky that I am almost certainly going to like, but presented in a way that will annoy the whisky geek in me – a dilemma. The story is that Diageo master blender Jim Beveridge was given a brief of producing the best Clynelish that he could, and given that he was behind the table pouring it at the launch, it sounds quite likely.

Nose: Lemon posset with seashells, sweet fruit and classic Clynelish waxiness. Honeysuckle and pink shrimps are joined by a zingy citrus note tingles the nose hairs. A drop of water adds cocoa, spice and a tiny hint of match.
Palate: Cream, tropical fruit and wax-polished oak, with a hint of brine and a stack of sweetshop notes: white-chocolate bobbles, milk gums, more pink shrimps and jelly tots. Darker oak sits behind, with menthol touches. Water smooths everything out into lemon cream with oaky spice.
Finish: Sweet and buttery, with candied apple, waxed fruit, lemon touches and spicy oak.
Comment: This was designed to be a show-stopping Clynelish and it succeeds – oaky where it needs to be, but zesty and showing off the classic distillery character. It also takes water very well, transforming it into something different, but still definitely Clynelish. My previous dilemma has been solved: I really liked it.

Despite most of the Special Releases being at the premium end of pricing, there are two regular entries that are more affordable. The first of those is Lagavulin 12yo 13th Release:

Lagavulin 12yo, 13th Release, 54.4%, 31,428 bottles, £79.95

While this is usually the most popular bottling in the Special Releases each year, with the number of bottles released showing the demand, it is also normally one of the best when it comes to price/value. However, there was a little but of rumbling after the preview tasting that it wasn’t necessarily all that.

Since then, there have been more positive reviews from subsequent tasters, and since it recently appeared in a few shops in mainland Europe the buzz has been good – this was one I was keen to try for myself.

Nose: Green and spicy, with lime pith and peel, cooling menthol, tarragon, clove and lots of sea spray ozone.
Palate: Rich earth, smouldering peat and mint chocolate, with cinnamon biscuits, freshly crushed grain and some green leafiness. It’s quite syrupy in texture with some woody spice.
Finish: Sour fruit, burning leaves and chocolate cookies, with a dry minerality lingering.
Comment: The dry finish turned off a few tasters, but I quite liked it. It’s not as sweet as some previous releases, but the smoke is more integrated, giving it a rounded flavour.

The other reasonably priced bottle in the range has usually been the one that’s ended up in my whisky cupboard. This year, a 1998 vintage: Caol Ila 15yo Unpeated:

Caol Ila Unpeated 15yo, 1998, 60.39%, 10,668, £76.95

While the unpeated Caol Ilas have varied a lot in their peatiness over the years, generally featuring a touch of smoke that belies the name, they’ve always been a different take on the distillery’s usual spirit. Oily, maritime spirit with fruit and a touch of smoke (left over in the distillery from previous batches?) is normally right up my street:
Nose: Punchy, with sea spray, green leaves and mint chocolate. Some mulchy apples and sweet fruit, along with candy floss.
Palate: Sweet, hot and intense, with candied fruit and leafy touches. A touch of dilution shows a syrupy mouthfeel, chocolate milk, cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s heavier than I expected, with dark oak spice and chocolate flapjacks.
Finish: Syrup, chocolate sauce, toast and damp oak notes.
Comment: Not the most complex whisky on display, and definitely in need of some water, but good for it.

Last, but not least, the (spoiler alert) best of the night: Caol Ila 30yo:

Caol Ila 30yo, 1983, 55.1%, 7,638, £425

While the young unpeated Caol Ilas are great, long-aged peaty whisky is something quite different. The peat smoke often disappears to leave an elegant fruitiness that I seek out in whisky, and the promise of a 30yo Caol Ila is something that I’ve been looking forward to:

Nose: Seashells, farmyards and old, damp straw – a combination of the bits of Brora and Port Ellen that I like the best. Green ferns and toffee apples develop, along with some dustiness, candle wax and orange oil.
Palate: Quite hot initially, although not overpowering, with oaky spice. Once you get through that initial barrier, liquorice builds in intensity, with lemon rind, anise and dark rye bread. Sweetness then comes through, thanks to dried mixed tropical fruit (mango and papaya), and a touch of cracked-black-pepper spice.
Finish: Spicy, with damp earth, liquorice and sweet grass. Bitter oak builds, with sweet aniseed balls and toffee apples.
Comment: My favourite of the night, as I expected from reading Rocky’s notes. A combination of the best bits of old peated drams with Caol Ila’s freshness, giving a fruity but spice and slightly farmyardy whisky.

All in all, a good crop with something for everyone. They are all now up for sale, although if you’ve read this far, at least a couple will have already sold out. You can find all of the whiskies we have in stock on our Diageo Special Releases 2014 page.

Update: The Glendullan and Rosebank are running late and will be available by early next week, but the rest are now up on the website.