Happy 2012 from Ralfy!

… a friendly vlog awaits you at www.ralfy.com to help you welcome the New Year.

The Claymore Times

~ All The News That’s Fit To Drink ~

1963 Glen Grant (LCBO# 262865) and a 21 year old Glen Grant (LCBO # 262832)

This New Year we have a double release from the Glen Grant Distillery. We have a very rare 1963 which can only be found at five locations in Ontario (see Locations below) – the uniqueness of this fine single malt is reflected at a price point of $504.95. The second new release is a lovely 21 year old Glen Grant at $138.95 which can be found at several locations (see Locations below).

Glen Grant Distillery was the first of five to be built in the town of Rothes. It was built by John & James Grant, two brothers who had previously been involved in illicit distilling. The Glen Grant stills are a unique shape with an almost square section between the pot and the neck. This, together with purifiers on the lyne arms, contributes to Glen Grant’s light, gentle character. Glen Grant is one of the world’s biggest-selling Malt Whiskies, with Italy being a significant market.

1963 Glen Grant

· COLOUR Pale amber.

· Body Light and clean.

· Finish Short, slightly fragrant.

· Cask Type Refill Sherry casks.

· Style Light and delicate – aperitif.

Tasting Note

· AROMA without water

Sherry wood, fruit – ripe apples and dusted melons. Touch of spice and cereal notes.

· TASTE without water

Delicate fruit and floral flavours with an underlying Sherry wood.

Glen Grant 21 year old

· COLOUR Gold.

· Body Balanced.

· Finish Fruity.

· Cask Type Refill Sherry Casks.

· Style Bursting with fruit aromas and flavours.

Tasting Note

· AROMA without water

Clean with soft fruit aromas – peaches and pears. Slight honeyed note.

· TASTE without water

Spicy with sweet – vanilla pod hints. Fruity – apples and grapes.

· AROMA with water

Fresh fruit salad with sweet malty notes.

· TASTE with water

Delicate smoky flavour with Sherry notes and a sweet, creamy element.

Locations for the both Glen Grants

1963 Glen Grant LCBO # 262865

TORONTO-NORTH YORK 2901 BAYVIEW AVENUE
OTTAWA 275 RIDEAU STREET
TORONTO-CENTRAL 10 SCRIVENER SQUARE
 TORONTO-CENTRAL 2 COOPER STREET
OAKVILLE 321 CORNWALL DRIVE

21 yo Glen Grant LCBO # 262832
 
TORONTO-CENTRAL 10 SCRIVENER SQUARE
OTTAWA 275 RIDEAU STREET
TORONTO-CENTRAL 2 COOPER STREET
TORONTO-NORTH YORK 2901 BAYVIEW AVENUE
TORONTO-ETOBICOKE 2946 BLOOR STREET WEST
TORONTO-NORTH YORK 1838-1844 AVENUE ROAD
OAKVILLE 321 CORNWALL DRIVE
TORONTO-CENTRAL 147 LAIRD AVENUE
OAKVILLE 251 OAK WALK DR.
RICHMOND HILL 8783 YONGE STREET
WOODBRIDGE 7850 WESTON ROAD
VAUGHAN 9970 DUFFERIN STREET
LONDON 109 FANSHAWE PARK ROAD
OTTAWA 1980 BANK STREET
WOODBRIDGE 8260 HWY. # 27
TORONTO-CENTRAL 55 BLOOR STREET WEST

Just to let you know, the Jim Murray’s whisky bible scored Benromach 25yo 92 points and the Benromach 30yo won best single malt whisky for its class. There’s still 9 bottles of the Benromach 25yo on the shelves, ask for LCBO # 969642 at a cost of $174.95

The LCBO are hosting a wee tasting; ten whiskies and food for $99. If you’re interested in attending register at  http://www.vintages.com/events/scotches_event.shtml.  The event is being held at the four seasons in Toronto.

If your local establishment is planning on hosting an event in the month of January please let me know.

The latest edition of PUB Magazine http://www.pubmagazine.ca/upcoming_issue.php

Other Whiskies coming soon

Caperdonich
15 yo Mortlach
Aultmore
1997 Dailuaine
Glendullan
 
Sláinte

Bill Somerville
Global Operations Director
Claymore Imports Inc.
Mail:     bill@claymoreimports.ca

December 2011 saw the final whisky tour of 2011 for MCLEANSCOTLAND.

A lucky couple from Johannesburg won the trip organised by Diageo/Brandhouse in South Africa.

As Liz (MCLEANSCOTLAND) said;

“Paul met the couple at Glasgow airport, then transferred to Edinburgh, where the couple stayed their first night in Scotland, an exclusive hotel – one not to forget!

He checked them in then dropped them to the city for some shopping. Next day 09.30 they set out to cross the River Forth on the road bridge, heading to Perth where I (Liz) joined them. WE all set out for the highlands, travelling through beautiful countryside to Tynedrum, stopping at the Green Welly Shop, not only for food, but sampling whisky in their fine whisky shop. By now we were in white conditions, heavy snow had fallen, we travelled on to Oban for the first distillery; Oban of course, where we had a private VIP tour and quite a few drams (not Paul, he was still driving), eventually dropping the couple off at their 4 star hotel overlooking Oban Bay to Mull.

Saturday – day 3, we all headed to Rannoch Moor and Glencoe, giving our guests a great view of Scotland in the snow. They were well and truly amazed! Through the glen to Fort William where we took a good lunch at the Crannog restaurant, snow, loch and seafood! Then driving through wonderful scenery to meet the ferry at Mallaig, to take us to Skye. Once there dropping our guests at Kinloch Lodge, home to the Clan Chief of MacDonald of Sleat, a very impressive wee private hotel, dinner awaited them here also. Paul and myself travelled on to Portree, the roads were a wee bit icy so we took care and time here. Back to meet our couple next day and an island trip lay ahead, the road became very tricky after reaching the “old man of Storr” so here we turned back to Portree for lunch and a few pub visits, even watching the game on tv. Returning to their hotel and wee two back to Portree, roads very bad tonight! One large lorry and 5 cars came off the road tonight.

Monday; first call of the day; Talisker distillery, for a grand tour and tasting of several drams. The Talisker 18 year old was the most popular dram here. Then a long drive to the mainland, stopping at Spean Bridge for lunch, another taster dram here and some whisky purchases. Whilst we all sampled drams in the car, poor Paul was driving, being driven mad by the wafting aromas of certain drams! We arrived at Dalwhinnie for some photos etc before heading down the road to Pitlochry, where they stayed the final night in the turret suite of an excellent hotel. Paul took me home from here, that was my last day on tour. Next morning Paul meet them and took them to Blair Atholl distillery, the final one of the trip. Then, sadly the drive to the airport and farewells!”

Paul; “we are always happy working with Diageo and many other whisky experts, this was our final tour of the year, I must say at times we were driving at 15mph! No the best conditions to tour, but fantastic scenery. We now have new friends in Jo’berg who have promised to return – for more whisky! They are also now members of our Angels Whisky Club. At superb ending to the touring year for us, looking forward to 2012 where we have tours booked in.

Liz and Paul
www.mcleanscotland.com
www.angelswhiskyclub.com  

The Malt Maniacs have just published a new e-pistle by Paul Dejong called “The Cleaning of the Augian Stables Or, How to tackle an Herculean Task” and it can be read here

I can’t believe that a year has gone by since my last end-of-year fireside recommendation and message!

So here is the latest with Whisky Review #240 – Whisky Of The Year 2011

Have a good New Year when it comes malt-mates.

Ralfy

Whisky Intelligence has added a new category called ‘Vignettes – Moments in Whisky’ which will feature whisky moments as experienced by the readership. If you have a whisky moment please feel free to submit your moment and we’ll do our best to publish it.

Go on, you know you want to be famous….

Happy Holidays Whiskey Enthusiasts,

Please read this email carefully as there are terms and conditions that apply and will strictly be enforced.

Santa Source found a couple more items for those who have been really nice this Holiday Season and he wanted to give them an opportunity for something special. Santa Source with his infinite wisdom knows all the good boys and girls shop at The Party Source. With that said, The Party Source is pleased to announce a limited offering of a scarce number of very elusive whiskeys. Our aim is to give every Party Source online customer an opportunity to enjoy these very sought after Whiskeys. In order to spread Holiday cheer from near to far, we’re keeping track of who is naughty and who is nice. The naughty ones will have their orders canceled in their entirety without notice and the nice ones will move to the front of the line. To be nice please follow the bottle limitations as they will strictly be enforced.

VAN WINKLE Wheated Bourbon

Our first limited offering is the Van Winkle line of classic Bourbons. As the First Family of Wheated Bourbon, these legendary whiskeys need no introduction.

Sales of Van Winkle Whiskeys are limited to only one bottle of Van Winkle Bourbon per person/per household.

Please choose only one of the following:

OLD RIP VAN WINKLE 10 Year 90 Proof
OLD RIP VAN WINKLE 10 Year 107 Proof
VAN WINKLE FAMILY RESERVE 12 Year Lot B
VAN WINKLE FAMILY RESERVE 13 Year Rye
PAPPY VAN WINKLE 15 Year 107 Proof
PAPPY VAN WINKLE 20 Year
PAPPY VAN WINKLE 23 Year

>>> Click here to for our Van Winkle Wheated Bourbon Selection

E.H. TAYLOR Single Barrel

In 2010, Buffalo Trace acquired the rights to one of the great names in Bourbon history: E.H. Taylor, credited as the father of the modern Bourbon industry and the founder distillery known today as Buffalo Trace. They have wasted no time in creating some dynamic whiskeys for the Taylor name, and this single barrel, bottled-in-bond 100 proof whiskey is no exception.

Sales of E. H. Taylor are limited to one bottle per person/per household.

>>> Click here for our E. H. Taylor Selection

BUFFALO TRACE Single Oak Project

Buffalo Trace’s other project of late is a stunner, probably the most ambitious project ever launched in the Bourbon industry. It’s called the Single Oak Project, and it is a whopper: 192 barrels of Bourbon, each in a barrel that was selected from a single tree for certain special characteristics, such as fine/coarse grain, or top-of-the-tree/bottom-of-the-tree. On top of the special barrels are such variables as wheated or rye-recipe Bourbon, and low or high barrel entry proof. The barrels are released 12 at a time, and all the barrels in a given release will vary from each other in only a few variables, allowing the taster to draw comparisons between any two barrels in a given release. These 192 barrels will be released quarterly over the next four years, and to spread the wealth, BT bottles them in 375 ml bottles only. Buffalo Trace has a dedicated website for Single Oak, where tasters can register and record their own tasting notes. Please visit the Single Oak Project website for a full description of this incredible program.

The Party Source is offering a limited amount of each Single Oak release online. Due to the unusual nature of this project, we are selling the bottles only in pairs. We cannot fulfill requests for specific barrel numbers, but we do promise you will receive two barrels from the same release, which will allow a close comparison of the variables between the two barrels. We also hope everyone will fully participate in the online tasting note program, and help Buffalo Trace gather information about these special barrels. Sales of the Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project are limited to only one release per person/household. The price of each pair is $111.98 ($55.99 per bottle). Currently available are Single Oak release No.1, No. 2 or No. 3. Please do review the story of this astounding adventure in Bourbon whiskey and consider participating.

Sales of Buffalo Trace Single Oak Project are limited to only one Single Oak Release per person/per household.

Please choose only one of the following:

BUFFALO TRACE SINGLE OAK PROJECT First Release (two bottles)
BUFFALO TRACE SINGLE OAK PROJECT Second Release (two bottles)
BUFFALO TRACE SINGLE OAK PROJECT Third Release (two bottles)

>>> Click here for our Buffalo Trace Single Oak Selection

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Holiday Season,
The Party Source

Whisky Review 239 3/3 – Glenfarclas Ship Room with George Grant of Glenfarclas at www.ralfy.com

Merry Christmas & Happy 2012

We trust you had a fantastic Christmas? Hopefully the Society played some part in your celebrations whether it was enjoying a single cask dram, catching-up with friends and family at our Members’ Rooms and tastings or watching their face light-up as you passed on gift membership.

Looking forward to 2012, it makes us smile at the thought of thousands of our members around the world toasting the New Year with their favourite Society dram. Many thanks for your continued support.

Here’s to another wonderful Society year in 2012, we hope you will raise your glass with us…

Members’ Room Sale…starts today
So that you are never without a Society drop at this most wonderful time of the year, our Members’ Rooms at The Vaults, 28 Queen Street and in London will be open over the holidays. Opening Hours

Our Members’ Rooms will also be holding a Bottling Sale in the run-up to the New Year, pop-in to pick up yours…

28 Queen Street: open TODAY!
Enjoy the venue’s selection of Cask End Parcels and up to 40% off selected single casks. FREE hot drinks will also be on offer to members

The Vaults: open TODAY
Where members will be treated to three mouth-watering parcel savings…
enjoy The Vaults ‘Lucky-Dip’ Pair at £75, the ‘Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of Rum’ Trio at £110, and an Islay Pair at £80. Parcels are limited.

19 Greville Street: open TODAY
As well as a selection of Mystery Malt Cask End Parcels, London have put together a very exclusive ‘Old & Rare’ Trio Parcel at £200 (a MASSIVE saving).

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society,
The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ
Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm).

Visit the Society at http://www.smws.co.uk/memberships for your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers.

Raising a glass to Don Ramsay

Hi all,

Our longest serving cooper, Don Ramsay, retires today(Dec 22nd) after 50 years’ service in Dufftown. I know he would have rather left without a fuss but I couldn’t help visiting our cooperage this morning for a chat.

Don started his apprenticeship aged 15 on Christmas Day 1961. As he explains: ‘I left school on my birthday…(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…

THE LINK

Kind regards,
Ludo