Jim Beveridge is the master blender for Diageo’s Johnnie Walker whiskies, which means he’s responsible for some of the world’s best-selling Scotch whiskies. It also means he doesn’t have time to do interviews very often, and I’ve wanted to talk with him for several years…so when we had the chance to connect for a few minutes, I jumped at the chance. We’ll discuss his latest creation, Johnnie Walker Double Black, which has jumped from travel retail into mainstream markets, along with the art and science of whisky blending. In the news, Suntory prepares to export Hakushu single malts to the U.S., the 2012 Malt Whisky Yearbook has been published, and more!

Visit WhiskyCast at www.whiskycast.com   

Madison Malt Drinkers hosts a “Master Distiller – Thriller Showdown!”
 
 Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let’s Get Ready to Taaaaaaaaaaaste!

The Park Avenue Liquor Shop’s very own Marlon Paltoo (“The Single Malt Guy”) and his MMD aka “Madison Malt Drinkers” have graciously opened up extra seating to their October 31st Master Distiller Thriller event.

Two world famous innovators of Single Malt will appear to share their wealth of knowledge as well as some of their drams for one unforgettable night at Nat Sherman in New York City.

In the Islay corner is Jim McEwan of Bruichladdich and representing the of Isle of Jura is Willie Tait. See all of the information below.                                        

We are also happy to offer a selection of Dalmore single malts on sale in honor of NY upcoming Whisk(e)y Fest. See below for details.

Please note that these bottles can only be purchased at the sale price by contacting the store and mentioning this email blast.
See below for the specially discounted bottlings.

Cheers!
Jonathan & Eric
Park Avenue Liquor Shop
292 Madison Avenue
New York NY, 10017
212-685-2442 – PH
212-689-6247 – FAX
info@parkaveliquor.com
www.parkaveliquor.com

Marlon Paltoo & the MMD present:

 
Park Ave Liquor Shop: Limited time sale on select Dalmore single malts.

We are happy to offer the following Dalmore single malts in a limited time sale. You must contact the store and mention this sale to get the special prices. Sale ends October 21st.

This is a great opportunity to get an early holiday gift or try something new for yourself.

Dalmore King Alexander III
Over the course of our history The Dalmore’s remarkable spirit has been filled to French wine barriques, Madeira drums, sherry butts from Jerez, Sicilian Marsala barrels, port pipes from the Douro and bourbon barrels from Kentucky.

Each of these casks has now been united to create an exceptional malt where the individual characteristics of each work together to form a rich, deep spirit. This release commemorates the Mackenzie Clan ancestor’s heroic act in saving King Alexander in 1263. Taste Notes Aged aromatic oloroso butts and Madeira drums provide citrus orange, spice and nuts, whilst redolent bourbon barrels deliver warm vanilla notes.

Rich Port and Marsala woods add hints of wild berries and fleshy plums, enhanced with red fruits from vintage Cabernet Sauvignon barriques.

Current Price: $225

Limited Time Sale Price: $200

Dalmore 18 Year Old

As reviewed by John Hansell:

“Aged in American oak for 14 years and then finished off in Spanish sherry butts for several more. A rich, lush, sherried Dalmore expression. Fruity notes of succulent orange, strawberry rhubarb tart, and sultana on a bed of toffee and vanilla. A peppering of cinnamon, lemon rock candy, chocolate-covered coffee bean and lavender adds complexity. Perhaps a little heavy-handed with the sherry. But still, it’s a solid effort and a Dalmore to enjoy after dinner or as a nightcap:. Malt Advocate magazine rating: 87

Current Price: $160

Limited Time Sale Price: $144

Dalmore Mackenzie

Dalmore Mackenzie is a limited edition bottle supporting the Clan Mackenzie Society. The package features a print of the Benjamin West painting “Fury of the Stag”, by John Mackenzie, the head of the Clan.
This famous Highland Clan owned Dalmore for almost 100 years, and they are still connected through the family icon, the stag head, which The Dalmore uses to adorn their bottles. The partnership aims to raise funds to refurbish the Clan’s Castle Leod.

The nose is fragrant and fruity with redcurrant, cherry and fresh citrus (oranges, grapefruit). A hint of ginger. Underneath is a subtle aroma of mocha glaze and roasted nuts. On the palate it has a lot of body with tremendous spice. It’s also nutty and even slightly smoky. Nutmeg and ginger make their presence felt. Still some dried fruits (prunes) appear with hints of vanilla. The finish is spicy with a return to candied oranges.
Extremely smooth and balanced.

Current Price: $200

Limited Time Sale Price: $180

Dalmore: Cigar Malt

This one is not part of the sale but is an exciting re-introduction. A very limited re-introduction. Dalmore Cigar Malt was matured for the majority of its life in bespoke Oloroso “Matusalem” sherry butts and bottled at 44% alcohol by volume, the body and character of this extraordinary expression is the perfect complement to a fine cigar.

Deep amber gold in colour with glittering highlights; aromas of orange marmalade, honey and citrus fruits abound in sensual profusion. The long years spent in the finest Oloroso sherry wood deliver intense notes of crushed almonds, cinnamon and spice to complete the nose of this remarkable expression. On the palate creamy vanilla, toffee and sweet pineapples open, followed by rich mango, crushed pear and kiwi fruits.
An aftertaste of unsurpassed elegance.

Matured 70% Oloroso Sherry Wood; 30% Bourbon American White Oak.

Only 50 six packs were delivered to the United States.

Price: $125

Seating at the MMD event is limited and cannot be guaranteed. Due to ever changing inventory we cannot guarantee bottle availability. The Dalmore sale ends at the conclusion of business (7pm EST) on Oct 21st. Not responsible for typographical errors.

www.ralfy.com  puts on a silly hat to make a serious point in Whisky Review 222 – Stewart’s Cream of the Barley

Hello Fellow Scotch Lovers –

Last weeks’ email was about a rare whisky called Ardbeg Alligator and, as many of you unfortunately learned, rare whiskies go fast.

This weeks email is about an exceptional blended whisky, Dewar’s Signature Blended Scotch Whisky.

Dewar’s Signature is the result of over 160 years of blending experience. The whisky’s secret lies in combining an Aberfeldy Single Malt of great age, with other distinct and mature whiskies, each carefully selected for its exceptional character and balance. The final marrying process brings the whiskies together to create a mellow, silky blend with notes of rich fruit and dark honey.

The whisky is a limited edition blend, with each individually numbered bottle marked with the signature of founder John Dewar. World renown whisky critic Jim Murray called Dewars Signature “an outstanding addition to the highest echelons of blended Scotch whisky”.

We usually sell a bottle of Dewars Signature for around $230, but thanks to some great “negotiating” by our man Nicky The Neck, the price for a bottle of Dewars Signature is just $189.95. That’s a savings of over $40 on a bottle!

I hope you will take advantage of this exceptional opportunity, and do it it fast….because as always, once our limited supply is gone, its gone.

Until next Wednesday….

Doug Stone
Founder
www.ForScotchLovers.com

_________________________________________________________________________

DEWAR’S SIGNATURE BLENDED SCOTCH WHISKY

____________________________ TASTING NOTES – Courtesy of our friend Dr. Whisky

Fresh and fruity off the start, soft and sweet with lots of honey and berries. Chocolate and cream. Some aged grain whisky, corn and some sweet smoke. Earl Grey tea. Satsuma tangerine Body Shop soap. Like with the Dewars 18, one can sense the growth of the malt flavours in the glass.

Gentle, but active. Christmas-y spices and apricots. A bit of baby powder. French toast/eggy bread. Burst of dry sherry that comes and then goes, firesmoke, and then some pine or sappy oak. Flavours linger through the finish, but in a subdued manner, with the more aged malts making their presence known.

A Tale of Wonder

Once upon a time there was a poor distillery, unloved by its owners who no longer had any need for its fabled whiskies. The dust was gathering in corners of the building, water was coming through holes in the roof and small items like pumps were disappearing.

Then after a period of around 21 years along came a group of investors who wanted to buy a distillery which could produce whiskies of the highest quality that they would be proud of. Samples of whisky were taken, consumed and it was declared that here was a whisky of the very highest quality, capable of winning the ultimate accolades. So discussions took place, money exchanged hands and soon the distillery was under new ownership, new hands were on the helm and the distilling equipment was being lovingly refurbished, ready for use.

On the 24th November 2008, 22 years after it fell silent, Alex Salmon, first minister of Scotland started the inaugural milling for the first mash of a new era for Glenglassaugh distillery. The first mash itself took place on the 28th November and the first spirit distillation on the 4th December with the first cask being filled on the 16th December of 2008.

In the meantime the owners faith in their investment has been rewarded with the aged whiskies winning the most prestigious awards of “Best Single Cask Scotch Whisky” and “Best 40 Year Old Scotch Whisky” at the International Wine and Spirit Competition 2009 plus a double gold medal for the 26 year old whisky at San Francisco International Spirits Competition and voted best 40 year old Scotch Whisky in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2010.

Those first casks filled in 2008 which will become 3 years old and officially single malt scotch whisky on the 16th December 2011.

To mark this momentous occasion Glenglassaugh Distillery Company is pleased to announce the release of a very special bottling. The very first cask, a refill butt, that was filled on that “first cask filling day in 2008” was emptied and refilled into 2 smaller casks on the 16th December 2010. These smaller casks were a first fill ex-Pedro Ximenez (PX) sherry hogshead and a first-fill ex-Palo Cortado sherry hogshead. On the 16th September 2011 the whiskies were returned from these two casks into the original butt and are now marrying for a period of exactly three months.

On the 16th December 2011 the cask will be emptied and approximately 650 bottles will be filled with the whisky, at cask strength, at natural colour and with no chill-filtration, by the employees of Glenglassaugh. It will then be shipped to those lucky individuals who can pre-purchase one of these unique and very rare bottles and we will try to achieve this in time for Christmas.

The bottles are now available for pre-ordering by either purchasing direct from the on-line shop, www.glenglassaugh.com  or by visiting us at the distillery.

The 700ml bottle which will be packaged in an outer tube with a certificate of authentication and will cost £90.00 plus shipping. It is possible to pick-up the bottle direct from the distillery from 19th December onwards in which case there will be no shipping charge.

The Small Print

There will be no discounts for cask owners on this purchase.

Sales will be restricted to one bottle per person per email address and anyone who tries to purchase multiple items will have any money paid refunded for the second and any subsequent purchase and there will also be an administration charge added.

All orders received through the on-line shop will be accepted as confirmation of purchase of a bottle, unless the money is refunded due to duplication of order.

More Octave Developments

Our initial sales of ex-sherry Octaves for filling and maturing, was so successful that we had started a waiting list for the second shipment even before we had received the first delivery. Well most of the first orders have all now been filled and the good news is that the second, larger order, should be here before the end of the month. So far we have not sold it all out but even as I type this blog, another order appears so we may end-up pre-selling them all before they arrive.

All of the original delivery of the sherry Octaves had been ex-Oloroso sherry but in the next delivery we will be able to offer the alternative of ex- Pedro Ximenez Octaves too. We will also be able to offer filling either type of cask with peated or un-peated spirit.

If you have already ordered your sherry Octave and it is due to be filled from the second delivery then please let us know whether you wish an ex-Oloroso cask or an ex-PX cask.

Once again please feel free to leave any comments.

Slange

Stuart

I’m now here in Sydney, and what a beautiful city it is. Whilst I will never understand why Alexander Johnston sold his share of Laphroaig, I do now understand why he fell in love with Australia. The weather is vastly different to the brisk winds I left back on Islay!

The production team have already started setting everything up and I’ve had a chance to look around the location. I’m very excited, the views of the Opera House and the harbour are stunning. Certainly makes a nice contrast to the warehouses we have broadcast the previous shows from.

Anyway, we have a lot to do today so I will keep it short. Don’t forget to tune in to www.laphroaig.com/live tonight at 8pm Sydney time (AEST) for the live show (10am in the UK and 11am if you are in Europe). If you haven’t yet checked what time this will be in your timezone, you can do so here. I’m looking forward to receiving your questions later. Remember, if your question is read out then you will be sent a special prize.

See you soon!

Slàinte,

John Campbell
Distillery Manager, Laphroaig

Join the Friends of Laphroaig

Canadian Club 1.75L…$16.99
Canadian LTD 1.75L…$10.99
Chivas Regal Scotch…$19.99
Crown Royal Scotch…$17.99
Cutty Sark Scotch 1.75L…$19.99
Dewar’s White Label 1.75L …$4267.99
House Of Stuart Scotch 1.75L…$14.99
Jack Daniels Black 1.75L…$34.99
J & B Scotch 1.75L…$24.99
Jim Beam Bourbon 1.75L…$21.99
Jim Beam Red Stag…$15.99
Johnnie Walker Black Label 1.75L…$54.99
Johnnie Walker Red Label 1.75L…$28.99
Seagram’s VO Canadian 1.75L…$18.99
Southern Comfort 1.75L…$19.99

*Prices valid W/Binny’s Card October 5 thru October 11, 2011. Not responsible for misprints or typographical errors.  Sizes 750ml unless otherwise stated. Advertised items limited to quantities on hand.Don’t forget to use your Binny’s Card! Get discounts on mixed case wine purchases and work towards a 2% rebate on every $500 of eligible purchases. Get your free card at a Binny’s near you.

Visit Binny’s at www.binnys.com

Hello everybody,

This week I have been invited to join the audience for the recording of the new series of Piers Morgan’s Life Stories. Those of you who live in the UK will probably be familiar with this hugely popular show which is broadcast on Saturday nights on ITV.

As sponsors of the show, we receive a…

THE LINK

Kind regards,

Ludo

Gerry Tosh of Highland Park has been promoted from the position as Head Of Brand Education to the role of Global Marketing Manager.

Visit Highland Park at www.highlandpark.co.uk

A merry, fun Blended Scotch which does not take itself too seriously, and it can be found getting talked about at Ralfy’s – whisky review 221 – Grand Macnish blended Scotch

See for yourself at www.ralfy.com