Loch Fyne Whiskies Stocks ‘G&M Goodies’…
A spoilation of vintage, elderly and very interesting bottlings form G&M now up for grabs (most are one bottle only), see them here at our Just in… Page (which is not only for people called ‘Justin’ by-the-way).
You may read the remainder of the article by clicking on the link below;
Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk
Scotland – Single Malt Scotch
Kilchoman K&L Exclusive 100% Islay Single Sherry Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($109.99)
Our single sherry cask of standard Kilchoman was an easy choice. The malt was simply brilliant, so good that any Islay fan could easily fall in love with its power and complexity. It was the other barrel, however, sitting in the corner of the warehouse that brought out the whisky geeks in David and me. We had heard rumors that Kilchoman was sitting on a small batch of sherry-aged 100% Islay single malt, their ultra-delicious and incredibly-limited whisky made from a small crop of barley grown and malted entirely at the distillery. It’s no secret that the rest of Islay buys their barley from Diageo’s Port Ellen malting facility, but circumventing that route is difficult, not to mention costly. Is it worth it however? The answer to that question is a resounding “YES!” The spice on Kilchoman’s all-Islay whisky is totally different from the standard make – think blanco tequila meets smoky mezcal, with lots of citrus. When you add a sherry barrel to that equation the spice turns to cinnamon red hots, the fruit tropical and hedonistic, the peat to a sweet and vibrant tang. At cask strength, the malt overwhelms the palate, almost like a giant party in your mouth. We had to push hard for this cask, but when you see two young buyers jumping up and down and hugging each other in your warehouse after tasting it, it’s probably hard to say “no.” (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)
Faultline 10 Year Old North Highland Single Barrel 100 Proof Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($49.99)
In a single malt market where “value” is becoming a loosely defined word, we at K&L are working harder than ever to find new and interesting whiskies that everyone can enjoy. While many of our exclusive Scotland casks can be quite pricy due to the scarcity, age, and the high alcohol percentage, David and I really wanted to find a few great options that came in well under $75. Part of the problem, however, is that even young whiskies from single barrels are expensive, which is why we often opt for the older ones. It was David OG’s intuition, however, that took us outside of Glasgow to a small producer’s warehouse full of great whiskies at remarkable prices. Inside this tiny storage unit was a refill-sherry butt full of classically-flavored malt from one of the Highland’s most distinguished distilleries – one from which we practically never see independent offerings. After tasting the whisky, we were very impressed, but we felt that, at cask strength, the alcohol simply overpowered the flavor. A few drops of water really mellowed out the heat, bringing forward the fruit and highlighting the grain. The whisky is perfect at 100 proof. The nose offers fresh stonefruit and light vanilla, the palate is deceptively rich with a faint oiliness and incredibly subtle sherry tones that masterfully tame its youthful vigor. What we have here is good old-fashioned Scotch for people who like great whisky at a great price – exactly what the Faultline label is all about. (David Driscoll)
Kilchoman K&L Exclusive Single Sherry Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($99.99)
Getting to taste fresh Kilchoman, right of the still, was one of the highlights of the trip this year for David and me. Something magical is going on inside this tiny farm distillery. Their formula is so delicious, even as a white dog, that it hardly needs much aging at all. However, we were very curious to see what five years in a first-fill sherry cask would do to soften up some of the spice. Sitting in the warehouse with manager John MacLellan, we tapped into one of the fresh butts and poured ourselves a sample. This malt is loaded with fresh earth, chewy oils, petrol and peat smoke, mossy, dried grass, and a maritime sea air note that really hangs on the finish. It’s a beast of a whisky, showcasing everything we love about both Kilchoman and sherry-aged Islay whisky. Of all the Kilchoman whiskies we’ve tasted, this one by far had the most maturity and was precocious beyond its years. It was only a matter of seconds before David and I looked at each other, nodded, and added another distillery-direct cask to the list. Years from now, when Kilchoman is one of the most sought-after malts in the world, no longer bottling private casks, we’ll look back and say, “We used to buy them right out the warehouse.” These are heady days for Islay fans. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer).
1974 Glencraig, distilled at Glenburgie 30 year old, Duncan Taylor Rarest of the Rare Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 2 available ($199.99)
1992 Isle of Jura 18 Year Duncan Taylor Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 6 available ($99.99)
2006 Kilchoman 5 Year Old Sherry Cask Single Malt Whisky 750ml – 10 available ($75.99)
Johnnie Walker Black Blended Scotch Whisky 750ml – 8 available ($29.99)
Glenlivet 18 year old Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($79.99)
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
The Dalmore Constellation Collection Is 21 Vintages created at the the Dalmore Highland Distillery between the years 1964 and 1992
Consisting of 21 individual releases, these magnificent, bold whiskies have spent their lives finessing in the finest casks from around the world. Bottles at natural cask strength and at natural colour they have endured that none of the collection’s character has been diluted.
Dalmore Constellation Collection 1966
The special refinement of the whisky is matched by their presentation in hand blown crystal decanters housed in a bespoke lacquered presentation cabinet engraved by hand and adorned with a solid silver stag, each decanter is as unique as the spirit within.
Tasting notes for 1966 Constellation Vintage: Distilled in 1966 Cask number 7, 45 year old, bottled at 41.7% volume.
Colour: Mahogany Gold
Nose: Blood oranges, crushed apples and pear followed by Ogen melon, walnuts, Jamaican Jerk and cinnamon. Whispers of Bulgarian roses and jasmine coupled with coriander and cocoa powder complete the experience.
Taste: Ripe mandarins, kumquats, blackforrest fruits and pineapple tease, before a wave of ortaniques, ginger, black treacle and chewy liquorice follow with hints of vanilla, creamy caramel and Swiss Chocolate
Click Here To See The Full Range
Dalmore Master Blender Richard Paterson On The New Launch
“These single cask whiskies are a truly remarkable piece of craftsmanship. Each expression glows in its own natural brilliance to create a kaleidoscope of colour across the collection. As you would expect from Dalmore, each unique cask follows time honoured methods of artisanship, slowly maturing in our dark warehouses, naturally cooled by the damp maritime winds rolling in from the North Sea”.
The Whisky Shop Tel 0141 440 0600 info@whiskyshop.com www.whiskyshop.com
TRY THE GLENDRONACH TASTE AVALANCHE THIS SUMMER!
AN AVALANCHE of raisins and spices awaits visitors to GlenDronach this summer!
For the award-winning Aberdeenshire distillery has just bottled its latest Distillery Exclusive which once again promises to leave an indelible impression on the taste buds.
Distilled on the 24th of September 1993, and matured in an Oloroso sherry butt, cask number 1607 was bottled this June as an 18 year-old, at cask strength (56.1% vol). The whisky is rich ruby mahogany in appearance. On the nose, there’s the aforementioned avalanche of raisins and spices supplemented with cedar wood notes, while on the palate it offers the taste of fruit cake and sweet spices laced with figs, raisins and lashings of currants.
This exclusive GlenDronach expression is now available, but only to visitors to the distillery shop. It retails at £74.99, and with the cask generating just over 600 bottles, it is very much a limited release.
Also new at GlenDronach this summer is the latest outstanding Distillery Manager’s cask. Personally selected by Alan McConnochie, GlenDronach 1993 cask # 1616 is a classic, richly-sherried 18 year-old single malt redolent of all the wonderful things you associate with GlenDronach – raisins, chocolate, spices and dates. Visitors can hand-fill their own bottle at the distillery with a personalised label and take home a little bit of heaven.
The GlenDronach Visitor Centre is open seven days a week in the summer from 10.00am to 4.30pm. It offers regular guided tours (The ‘Discovery Tour’) throughout the day – at 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm.
The distillery also offers the ‘Connoisseur’s Tour’ – a more comprehensive, in-depth experience – which can be arranged by appointment only.
More information from the Visitor Centre visit www.glendronachdistillery.co.uk or email info@glendronachdistillery.co.uk
www.ralfy.com celebrates the water of life with water ! . . . Whisky Review 287 – Water with your whisky.
This Vlog is a watered down version!
A new blog post, taking a look at the history of Banff and Mill of Banff lost distilleries…(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…
It has been reported that Bruichladdich Distillery will soon be sold to Remy Cointreau; please read the article in the Telegraph for further details via the link below;
The Malt Maniacs have published their new Manifesto and it can be read here.
www.ralfy.com gets chatty with Serge the mega-blogger with Whisky Review #286 – Chat with Serge from Whiskyfun!
A quick message from the good folks at Scotch Whisky Auctions
Hi folks. Some of you may have noticed error messages over the last two weeks, Bad Gateway messages etc, leading to difficulty sometimes getting on to the site. We’ve been working with our American hosts to try to resolve this and have today upgraded our servers which should make the system more robust. If you still get error messages, please let us know.
Best wishes from Glasgow
Bill, Tam and Mick
