Alberta Spirits Not Dampened By Floods 

Word out of badly flooded High River, Alberta is that despite some losses, the Fall schedule of new releases from Highwood Distillers is on track.  We are particularly excited about a new whisky called “Ninety,” which will be available in Canada only, in five and twenty-year-old versions.

Artisinal Milling & “Grain to Glass” Distilling in Ontario

Craft milling? You bet your bottom dollar! Some craft distillers in Ontario can tell you the actual field their grain was grown in. And working with a third-generation artisinal miller just north of Toronto they mill that grain to their own exact specifications. While they are not calling the resulting spirits “single farm” whiskies or grain spirits, they could. This attention to every detail is what the expression “grain to glass” is all about. The best part? The robust grain-rich flavour.

http://www.canadianwhisky.org/

Tasting Notes: Tamdhu 10 Year Old

We’ve had a number of relaunches over the last year, with reactions to the new whiskies being rather mixed. There’s been unfairly maligned releases like the Macallan 1824 Series and slightly confusing launches like the new Glen Scotias, but one from … Continue reading >>

UK vlogger Joe Ellis a.k.a Whisky Wednesday reviews Glen Garioch 1997 Whisky Shop Bottling

http://youtu.be/2wSsZ1m0qPQ

http://Facebook.com/whiskytube

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

Competition Reminder

You’ve only got two days left to enter our prize draw for a chance to win Orvis luggage!

To recap: In partnership with Orvis, the country clothing and equipment experts, we are offering Clan Speyburn members a chance to win an Orvis backpack and duffel bag worth over £500 (rrp)*.

To enter the prize draw all you have to do is email us at distillery@speyburn.com and include ‘USA’ or ‘UK’ in the subject line.

If you know someone who might like to be part of Clan Speyburn, just forward this note to them, and if they visit our website and apply to become a member they too will have a chance to enter this exclusive competition.

Regards,
The Speyburn team

Whisky Ramblings Via Video #55

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, enjoys a good sherried whisky at cask strength from time to time. This Aberlour a’bunadh (which means ‘from the source’) is right up his alley. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/NtFQLRWQiDM

Select American Whiskey 10-15% Off at Mora’s Fine Wine & Spirits (E. Setauket, New York)

Save 10-15% on these fine whiskeys from the good ol’ US of A. All were recently featured at our monthly Wednesday night spirit tasting and will be on sale through Friday, July 26^th. Don’t miss your chance to save. Join our email list to receive advance notice of all of Mora’s spirit events and specials!

James E. Pepper 1776 15 Year Old Straight Bourbon 92 Proof

Sale Price: $89.99   Regular Price: $99.99

“A super rare, fine old Bourbon. Over 38% Rye in the Mash Bill and bottled at 92 Proof and not chill-filtered. Rich and full Bodied, a classic old bourbon; honey, chocolate & toasted oak.” -The Distillery

Koval Single Barrel Bourbon Chicago 94 Proof

Sale Price: $42.49 (Save 15%!)  Regular Price: $49.99

“Koval Bourbon, our newest release, is aged in heavily charred new oak barrels from Minnesota. Its mash bill includes ancient grains, and it is bottled at 94 proof. Grains are sourced from a local organic farmer collective in the Midwest. Made using only the ‘heart cut’ of the distillate, no ‘heads’ or ‘tails.’ Single Barrel.

Rebellion Bourbon 94 Proof

Sale Price: $28.79   Regular Price: $31.99

“Rebellion Bourbon a 6 year old, 94 proof Bourbon distilled in a copper still and aged in oak from a mash bill of 70% corn and 30% small grains, such as rye and barley. Sweet notes of honey are followed by smokey, oaky nuances making this a smooth, easy-drinking Bourbon. A small batch production consisting of 5640 bottles, every one of which is hand numbered. The first seven batches commemorate significant years in the history of Opici.” -Opici Wines

James E. Pepper 1776 Straight Rye Whiskey 100 Proof

Sale Price: $26.09   Regular Price: $28.99

“James E. Pepper 1776 Straight Rye is a vibrant and full bodied whiskey created from a mashbill containing over 90% rye. Bottled at 100 Proof and not chill-filtered the 1776 Straight Rye offers notes of spice, chocolate, cloves and honey. A great sipper neat or on the rocks, and also makes a mean Manhattan.” -The Distillery

Georgetown Trading Company Pow-Wow Botanical Rye 90 Proof

Sale Price: $36.89   Regular Price: $40.99

“Inspired by an old Pow-wow recipe for infusing Rye whiskey with herbs & spices, we have taken a fine Rye whiskey matured in new, charred oak barrels, and carefully infused it in tiny batches, over an extended period of time, with Saffron (also grown by early settlers), Orange Peel, and other whole botanicals. No extracts or artificial colors are added. Pow-wow is slowly handcrafted with the finest ingredients to create unique, botanical layers of complexity not found in any other whiskey. Pow-wow Botanical Rye can be enjoyed like any fine whiskey: neat, on the rocks or in a variety of cocktails.” -The Distillery

Mora’s Fine Wine & Spirits

www.moraswines.com

631-941-4458

sev.clemens@moraswines.com

July 2013: Islay’s independent farm distillery, Kilchoman, is proud to release the latest edition to its popular 100% Islay range.

100% Islay is unique in that it is the only Single Malt in Scotland where every stage of the whisky making process, from the barley grown in the surrounding fields to the malting, distillation, maturation and bottling, takes place at the distillery.

As the 3^rd Edition of Kilchoman’s 100% Islay, the Single Malt is a vatting of four and five year old fresh bourbon barrels. Only 10,000 bottles of the limited edition will be available worldwide and are expected to sell quickly.

With a delicate and floral nose of soft fruits and pear drops, 100% Islay goes on to explode with peat smoke in the mouth, complimented by a long, sweet and lingering finish that blends with the softer tones of peat smoke.

Anthony Wills, managing directorof Kilchoman,said: “The previous two editions of the 100% Islay range were extremely well received and we’re delighted with the way the Single Malt’s character is developing. The range is unique in that every stage of production, from barley grown to the hand-bottling takes place at Kilchoman. As a traditional working-farm distillery, 100% Islay epitomises what we’re all about.”

As with the two other core ranges in Kilchoman’s portfolio, Machir Bay and Loch Gorm, a new edition of 100% Islay is periodically released as the whisky matures.  A number of limited edition single casks are also released each year.

With an ambition to take whisky production back to its traditional roots, Anthony Wills built and founded Kilchoman Distillery in 2005 on a farm situated on the rugged west coast of Islay. The first distillery on the island for 124 years, Kilchoman is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland and one of only a handful left that still practice the traditional floor malting method.

100% Islay is bottled at 50% ABV and is now available from specialist drinks and whisky stores, priced at RRP of £59.95, 70cl. Available from www.kilchomandistillery.com UK stockists include RoyalMileWhiskies, The Whisky Shop and The Whisky Exchange.

www.kilchomandistillery.com

facebook.com/pages/Kilchoman-Distillery

twitter.com/Kilchoman05

Malt Messenger Bulletin – Two New KWM Casks, Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 2 & a Whisky Advent Calendar!

With the flood of the century and the 101^st Stampede behind us we are back to business as usual at Kensington Wine Market. Our hearts go out to all of those who are still suffering from the effects of the flooding, but are also filled with pride at how the city and province have pulled together. Our Scotch Malt Whisky Society July First Friday tastings raised $600 in support of Red Cross Flood Relief and our Canada Day store sale even more! We have another event coming up on July 30^th that will help raise further funds for flood related charities. Dan Volway, brand ambassador for The Macallan, has agreed to donate all the whiskies for the tasting at our store on condition that the proceeds go to charity. It will be another chance to help those stricken, while enjoying a few good drams. You will find the details on the Macallan 1824 tasting below.

In addition to the Macallan 1824 tasting on the 30^th, we have a free tasting at 6PM this coming Tuesday. Graeme Macaloney will be giving a presentation on the proposed Victoria Caledonian Distillery and Brewpub. The tasting starts at 6PM, includes a complimentary whisky tasting and will take roughly an hour. There is no charge for the event, but you must register for it. You can do so through our website at https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/register.php , or by phone 403-283-8000. Further details are provided below.

We have a lot of exciting whisky announcements to roll out over the next 4-6 weeks, including: a weekend whisky event in Banff, a Kentucky Bourbon Tour and some very cool new products. I’ll get the ball rolling today by announcing two new KWM casks, the arrival of Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 2 and a really interesting gift idea which will be here early in the fall.

First and foremost our Benromach casks are slated to arrive in store at some point in the next two weeks. If you attended our Spring Single Malt Festival in June or our Robbie Burns Supper in January then you may have already sampled them. The casks, both First Fill Ex-Bourbon Barrels are very tasty, one peated, one not. Both of them will retail for less than $85, and from now until the day they arrive in store you can pre-commit to bottles from one or both casks and save 10% on their purchase. Tasting notes and details on both whiskies are provided below.

Secondly, Batch 2 of the Glendronach Cask Strength has just landed! Batch 1 sold out in a matter of weeks this spring, and I expect Batch 2 will be just as popular. Fewer than 300 of the 12000 total bottles produced have come to Canada, of which KWM has a healthy allocation. I’ve sampled both and feel that Batch 2 is just as good if not better than Batch 1. My tasting notes on both can be found below.

Finally, we have a really interesting gift idea for the whisky lover in your life! We have acquired the Whisky Advent Calendar produced by Master of Malt in the UK as a Canadian exclusive. The Whisky Advent Calendar consists of 24 30ml bottles of Scotch whisky, one of which is a 50 year old. We first announced this last week on Twitter, and within minutes we had orders for nearly 20 calendars. This could be the hottest whisky item in Canada this fall. More information can be found on the Whisky Advent Calendar below. You can pre-order yours through our website at: https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/products/details/inventory/18692/index.php

I hope this Malt Messenger Bulletin finds you well, and that you are having a wonderful summer. Stay tuned to the Malt Messenger for some other exciting announcements in the coming weeks.

Slainté!

 Andrew Ferguson Kensington Wine Market

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

MACALLAN 1824 TASTING W/ DAN VOLWAY – Tuesday July 30^th – $50

Macallan Brand Ambassador Dan Volway will be coming to town to put on a tasting of the new 1824 collection for our customers. The tasting will feature the Gold, Amber and Sienna bottlings pitted against the Travel Retail (Duty Free) Collection releases. As a special treat we will also be sampling the Macallan Ruby; the oldest bottling in the new 1824 Collection. Part of Proceeds to be donated to an Alberta flood related charity. These new Macallans have stirred up quite a debate. Why not come formulate your own opinion on them, and support a great cause.

You can register online at https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/register.php or by calling the store at 403-283-8000.

MACALONEY DISTILLERS TASTING – Tuesday July 23^rd – FREE (But you have to register!) 

Join us for a free tasting and information session, Tuesday July 23rd with Graeme Macaloney of Macaloney Distillers. Graeme Macaloney PhD, an experienced fermentation engineer and a Scotsman, is launching a full scale single malt & pot still whisky distillery, and real ale brew pub – the Victoria Caledonian Distillery. He will be conducting a complimentary “Show & Tell” presentation on his plans, including a complimentary whisky tasting. Graeme has lined up some industry heavyweights behind his project, and is intensely touring the Country building support.

More info will be posted on our BLOG, later today. https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/blog/

You can register online at https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/register.php or by calling the store at 403-283-8000.

OUR BENROMACH CASKS ARE NEARLY HERE – Pre-Order & Save 10%

When Michael Urquhart agreed to being our special guest for this year’s Burns Supper, Andy Dunn of Gold Medal Marketing and I came up with the idea of including a cask selection in the evening’s proceedings. Most of the 120 participants had a chance to sample the four cask samples and vote on their favourites. Later that month I sat down with my tasting panel to review the whiskies and count the votes. To my surprise there were not one, but two casks that stood out. We asked Benromach to bottle them for us and the whiskies have only just landed in Alberta. Here are my tasting notes on the two casks:

1. Benromach      2004 KWM Cask 246 – 60.4% – 9 Year – 1^st Fill Bourbon      Barrel – 258 Bottles – My Tasting Note: “Nose: very creamy and      grassy with celery, toasted coconut chips, honey dew melon and orange      slices; doughy with a faint hint of peat and juicy malt; Palate:      loads of honey, cream, fruits and malt; there are both citrus and soft      melon fruit notes with vanilla milk shake and sweet chewy malt; though      more than 60% alcohol the spirit is soft and smooth; Finish: lingering,      sweet and malty with more melon notes, late dried orange and      vanilla/honey; Comments: proof positive you can have a very complex      whisky at a young age!” – $84.99
2. Benromach      2005 KWM Cask 126 – 60.4% – 8 Year – 1^st Fill Bourbon      Barrel – 245 Bottles – My Tasting Note: “Nose: very malty and      chewy with honey and clean wood smoke; there is some orange peel and a      hint of chocolate with aloe like vegetal notes and a trace of cantaloupe; Palate:      sweet, smoky and slightly salty to start; honey, chocolate, orange peels      and big chewy malt quickly follow; there are notes of melon and white      fruits under the smoke, malt and big honeyed oak; peat and chocolate are      the last elements to come to the party; Finish: juicy and sweet      with soft peat smoke honey and malt; Comments: this is a Benromach      for Islay drinkers and those wanting to dip their toes into peatier      waters!” – $82.49

Pre-order one or more of either of these whiskies and save 10%!  

GLENDRONACH CASK STRENGTH BATCH 2 IS HERE! – $84.99 + GST

One of the most popular whiskies to come through our doors this year was the Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 1. In just three weeks this April 150 bottles sailed through our doors. Well the hotly anticipated Batch 2 release is in, and I decided to sit down and sample them side by side. Both heavily sherried and cask strength, they were similar but noticeably different. Both were very fruity, with Batch 2 showing more leather and wood notes. They are very close, but if I had to pick a favourite, Batch 2 slightly edged out the first. Don’t believe me, come try them for yourself.

1. Glendronach      Cask Strength Batch 1 – 54.8% – Matured in Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez      Sherry Casks – My Tasting Note: Nose: fruit leather, fruit compote,      pan-seared strawberries, fresh raspberries and maple syrup; loads of brown      sugar and soft spice; Tiger Tail ice cream, and round candied fruit; Palate:      more berry fruits, with chocolate, Demerara and brown sugars; very      sweet with notes of maple syrup and a range of spice from hot cinnamon, to      clove and black peppercorn; a little tarry and leathery this is a round      full dram with lots of layers; Finish: fruity, leathery and sweet      with some hints of tobacco and long lingering dark spices! – $83.99      – 6 bottles came in with Batch 2, we have 3 bottles available, 1 per      customer first serve!
2. Glendronach      Cask Strength Batch 2 – 55.2% – Matured in Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez      Sherry Casks – My Tasting Note: Nose: treacle sauce, musty-earthy      oak, candied nuts, tobacco leaf and Black Licorice Nibs; honey and malt      with soft leather; fleshy orchard fruit (plums & peaches) with orangey      citrus; Palate: big, leathery, sweet and spicy with tobacco and      more musty-earthy oak notes; the dark sugars and candied fruit are there,      but it is woodier and more leathery than Batch 1; still a richly sherried      whisky though with espresso bean, dark chocolate and salty Dutch licorice;      Finish: long, leathery and sweet with the sweet dark sugars      reemerging along with candied fruit. – $84.99 – If we run out in store,      there is more on the way, leave us an order! 

PRE-ORDER THE “WHISKY ADVENT CALENDAR” – $299.99

Kensington Wine Market is very pleased to announce that we have acquired Master of Malt’s Whisky Advent Calendar as a Canadian exclusive for our store in Calgary! This could be this fall’s hottest whisky gift idea in Canada… Within 30 minutes of announcing it on Twitter we had a dozen orders! Behind each of the 24 doors is a different 30ml sample of delicious whisky! The exact contents are a surprise, but we can tell you that behind one of the doors is a sample of 50 year old Scotch whisky, the full-sized bottle of which is worth $600! The Whisky Advent Calendar will retail for $299.99 +GST and is Exclusive to KWM in Canada!

You can pre-order your Whisky Advent Calendar by clicking this link to the product page and placing a request through our website. Or you can call us at 402-283-8000 or 888-283-9004 and leave your information.

——————–

If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store. Feel free to forward me any whisky news you feel should be included in a future issue of The Malt Messenger; it might just get included.

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

Single Malt Scotch never sleeps!

We are constantly on the lookout for new and exciting bottles of single malt scotch. Tasting single malts. It’s a rough job, but someone has to do it. Jon and Marlon recently tried some phenomenal bottles from private bottler Chieftain’s that they had to have, as well as a new bombshell from The Arran. We’d also like to send a special ‘Thank You’ to the Walker Family who recently purchased Glenglassugh and making their distillery bottles finally available in New York.

All of the bottles listed here arrived today and are not yet listed on our website. Please call or contact the store if you are interested in any of these items. We are happy to discuss these or any item we carry and hope our friends in the U.S. are staying cool.

Cheers!

Jonathan & Eric

Park Avenue Liquor Shop

292 Madison Avenue

New York, NY 10017

212-685-2442

info@parkaveliquor.com

www.parkaveliquor.com

Also New in store

Glen Moray 16 Year Old

We welcome back with open arms and expectant pallets, Glen Moray 16 year old. It  has been about 4 years since we’ve had a distillery bottle of Glen Moray and the 16 year old does not disappoint. It has a rich, mature nose with robust dried fruit, figs, raisins, mixed with chocolate and spices. A hint of leather and linseed oil are also present giving an overall impression of depth of character. Taste is sweet, full and exceptionally well-rounded with a good firm body.  The texture is gently oily and mouth-coating with chewy oak tannins. The flavor is initially of toffee, progressing to mint and barley sugar followed by a hint of peat smoke flavors. Finish is medium to long with a flavor and texture reminiscent of barley sugar. On Sale: $47/btl

Chieftain’s: Laphroaig 1998, 14 Year old

Laphroaig is a household name in the world of peated single malts. Prince Charles of Wales has hand selected barrels in their warehouse and we believe Chieftain’s has selected a winner here. It is no wonder that Laphroaig has been the best selling Islay malt whisky in the first decade of the third millennium. Looking beyond the peat, this 14 year old expression is loaded with citrus, spice and brine. At 121 proof, the malt is creamy and is perfectly balanced. Our price: $142/btl

Chieftain’s: Glentaucher’s 1992, 20 Year old

Glentauchers (pronounced glen-TOCH-ers) was built in 1889 by James Buchannan, the creator of the famous Black & White and Buchannan blends. The malt whisky is a key component of Ballantine’s and Teacher’s blends, which is why bottlings are rarely found. This particular bottling was distilled the year Glentauchers was re-opened after an 8-year closing. After 20 years in used bourbon casks, the whisky is reminiscent of flowers, baking spice and citrus. The richness of the malt carries these flavors and more for a very long finish. Our price: $190/btl

Chieftain’s: Linkwood 2000, 12 Year old

The Linkwood distillery was founded in 1821; a time when whisky distillation wasn’t quite yet legal. The founder, Peter Brown, ran the distillery for almost 50 years. It stayed in the Brown family until 1897 and is now currently owned by Diageo. Although there are a few official bottlings from the distillery, most of the Linkwood produced is used in Johnnie Walker and White Horse. This 12 year old bottling is unique becauseof the port wood finish. With its pinkish hue and berry nose, the single malt is inviting and juicy without being overly sweet. Our price: $97/btl

The Arran Malt: 12 Year old, Cask Strength

For Batch #2 of The Arran Malt 12 Year Old Cask Strength, Master Distiller James MacTaggart has selected a combination of 17 First-Fill Sherry Butts and 4 Second-Fill Sherry Hogsheads which have been bottled at Natural Cask Strength. The influence of the Sherry Casks has enhanced the classic Arran characteristics of sweet fruit and spicy oak to create a rich and powerful new edition of The Arran Malt. Our price: $83/btl

Glenglassaugh: “Revival”, 12 Year old

The first Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the re-furbished Glenglassaugh Distillery which is available through normal distribution channels. The Glenglassaugh “Revival” is a combination of first and refill cask styles, finished in 1st fill Oloroso sherry butts for a period of 6 months. Non-chill filtered and natural color, a Highland  Single Malt with a coastal charm. Our price: $71/btl

Glenglassaugh: 26 Year old

Glenglassaugh 26 year old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is a marriage of the finest casks which were filled at the distillery in 1983. It is bottled at 92 proof and the result is a complex yet light whisky which still retains much of the youthful elements and light fruits of the original spirit. There are rich Sherry aromas with hints of fudge, toffee and boiled sweets. The 26 year old comes in a distinctive “tear shaped” bottle which is engraved with the distillery’s distinct logo. Our price: $285/btl

We are not responsible for typographical errors. Due to ever-changing inventory, we cannot guarantee bottle availability. Please contact the store with any questions you have.

www.ralfy.com goes cheap but cheerful with Whisky Review 378 – William Lawson’s scotch whisky