January 25th is the birth of Scotland’s, if not the world’s most famous poet, Robbie Burns. Burns was born in Alloway, Ayrshire in 1759 and died at the tender age of 37 in 1796. He was to cram much into his short-life, rising from poor tenant farmer to national celebrity and left behind a rich legacy of work. More than ten thousand people attended his funeral but Burns’ popularity had reached an entirely new level in the years since his passing.
 
Whisky played a prominent role in the life of Burns and features regularly throughout his work – the Bard was reputed to have said that “Whisky and freedom gang the gither”. Therefore, please raise a glass of whisky and toast the life of an extraordinary Scotsman.

Immortal Memory & FREE Rabbie Burns Ale            
ONLY £21.98 

              

Glenfarclas10yo & FREE Glass & Jug
ONLY £24.98

Robert Burns Blended Whisky
ONLY £17.99

Scots Poet Blended Whisky
ONLY £13.99

Prepare for a Burns night of your own with friends and family with whiskies from Single Malts Direct at www.singlemaltsdirect.com

Glenfiddich – Snow Phoenix

Abbey Whisky has managed to source a very limited number of  Glenfiddich Snow Phoenix!

We won’t be advertising this bottle (but WI is for you!), and would like to exclusively offer Abbey Whisky Subscribers the chance to buy this amzazing release by Glenfiddich….

This bottle sold out very quickly upon release…

£90.00, free postage… (UK Only)

Very limited stock!

The story behind the bottle…

On the evening of January 7th, after weeks of heavy snow and low temperatures, four feet of compacted snow covered the Glenfiddich distillery roofs, which housed hundreds of casks of fine aged whisky.

A number of warehouse roofs collapsed under the weight, leaving the oak casks exposed to the winter sky. In temperatures of -19°C, distillery staff worked to clear the snow.

Snow Phoenix was created by marrying together whiskies from the damaged warehouses, natural strength and non-chill filtered casks of different ages and finishes, including American oak and Oloroso sherry.

Given the name Snow Phoenix, this cask strength limited edition release will only be bottled in 2010.

If you are interested in this bottle, please email enquiries@abbeywhisky.com

Slainte

Mike & Peter

Abbey Whisky

www.abbeywhisky.com

enquiries@abbeywhisky.com

Specialist supplier of rare, collectable and exclusive malts.

www.ralfy.com presents the next Vlog in the series… whisky review 177 2/7 – Springbank Distillery with Peter (part 2). All jolly good malt-fun.

www.ralfy.com has a new Vlog to present to the Malt-World which comprises the first of seven individual Vlogs being posted over seven consecutive days. A weeks-worth of Springbank Distillery Tour resulting in the largest Scotch Distillery walk-through EVER to appear on the internet. … enjoy malt-mates,    … enjoy.

 

Your boss wants you to take on a massive project…restoring a distillery that was abandoned for more than 20 years. Dave Scheurich of Brown-Forman took on that challenge with the old Labrot & Graham Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky. Today, it’s the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery, and Dave has just retired as distillery manager. He’ll share some of his stories with us in this episode. In the news, Shackleton’s whisky is heading back to Scotland, Bill Samuels Jr. turns over Maker’s Mark to the next generation, and much more!

Visit WhiskyCast at www.whiskycast.com

Please find below the some what tardy delivery of the Whisky Intelligence Tasting Notes/Whisky Reviews Scores for 2010. As you can appreciate W.I. has been mildy over tasked in 2010 posting hundreds and hundreds of articles relating to whisky.

This compilation is not in any regard an ‘Awards’ but merely a record from top to bottom of the whiskies reviewed in 2010. The vast majority have been purchased with private funds; a very few have been provided by agents or suppliers and are thus noted in the individual review. If you are curious to see which are the later, you may search through the Tasting Notes/Whisky Reviews archive and find them for yourself.

There is a distinct lack of neither rhyme nor reason in the compilation; they have merely been reviewed as they have come available. Some were new releases, some blends and some no longer available.

Additionally whiskies that have achieved an equal score (for example 88 points) have not been reliably listed alphabetically merely to further demonstrate the lack of neither rhyme nor reason.

93 Laphroaig 25yo 1984/2009 (51%, OB, Oloroso & American Oak Casks)
93 Port Ellen 24yo 1979/2003 (57.3%, OB, ‘Annual Release, 9,000 Bts.)
92 Mortlach 70yo 1938/2008 (46.1%, “Generations”, Gordon & MacPhail, 2010)
92 Springbank 21yo (46%, OB, Late 1990’s bottling, tall bottle with ‘ruffled label’)
92 Tullibardine 42yo 1966/2008 (49.9%, OB for Kensington, C#3509, HHD, 246 Bts.)
91 Glenfarclas 38yo 1965/2004 (61.9%, SMWS, 1.110)
90 Glenfarclas 41yo 1966/2008 (48.1%, SMWS, 1.141, 157 Bts.)
90 Laphroaig 16yo 1989/2008 (54.6%, SMWS of America 29.64, sherry)
90 Isle of Arran 13yo 1996/2010 (57.7%, OB, Sherry, C#536, 325 Bts.)
90 Isle of Arran 10yo 1999/2010 (57.1%, OB, Bourbon, Loch Fyne Whiskies, C#41, 219 Bts.)
90 Old Pulteney 30yo (44%, OB, +/-2009)
89 Ardbeg 14yo 1994/2008 (55.3%, MMcD Mission, Bourbon, 270 Bts.)
89 Balblair NAS 1989 (43%, OB, 2nd edition, +/-2010) 
89 Balvenie 17yo (43%, Sherry Oak, +/-2009)
89 Ben Nevis 25yo (56%, OB, C#98/51/1, 628 Bottles, Distilled 12/1984 Bottled 01/2010)
89 Bowmore 18yo (43%, OB, New presentation, +/-2009)
89 Dallas Dhu 26yo 1979/2006 (58.2%, MMcD Mission Gold, Bourbon/Marsanne, 240 Bts.)
89 Glen Scotia 17yo (46%, Duthies, 2009)
89 Laphroaig 10yo (43%, OB, +/-2009)
89 Springbank 39yo (43%, Chieftain’s Range, HHD, C#1542)
89 Tomatin 30yo (43%, Classic Cask, +/- 2005)
88 Ardbeg NAS ‘Uigeadail’ (54.2%, OB, +/-2009) Lot L7 325
88 Aberlour 10yo (43%, OB, ‘Sherry Cask Finish’, +/-2008)
88 Allt’ A’ Bhainne 31yo (43%, Chieftain’s Range, C#23041)
88 Balblair NAS 2000 (43%, OB, 2010)
88 BenRiach 12yo (40%, OB, +/-2008)
88 BenRiach 15yo 1994/2009 (57.1%, OB, for Kensington, Madeira HHD, C#4810, 250 Bts.)
88 Bunnahabhain NAS ‘Mòine’ (58.4%, OB, Brown Label, C#3180, 642 Bts., Feis Ile 2009)
88 Caol Ila 10yo 1993/2004 (60.7%, SMWS of America, 53.82, D 08 1993 B 07 2004)
88 Caol Ila 12yo 1992/2005 (50%, Douglas Laing OMC, C#1830, 388 Bts., D10/’92 B05/’05)
88 Clynelish 14yo (46%, Duthies, Sherry Cask, +/-2009)
88 Caol Ila 17yo (43%, Chieftain’s Range, HHD, C#4719)
88 Dalwhinnie 18yo 1991/2008 (43%, OB, ‘Distillers Edition’, D. SP. 312)
88 Glen Elgin 25yo 1984/2010 (46.5%, Dewar Rattray for Co-op Calgary, Hogshead, C#2858, 243 bts., D’01/11/81 B’ 07/06/2010)
88 Glenglassaugh 21yo (43%, OB, +/-2009)
88 Highland Park 15yo 1994/2009 (52.6%, OB, Earl Magnus, 5,976 Bts.)
88 Isle of Arran NAS (57%, OB, “100 Proof”, +/- 2009)
88 Isle of Arran 11yo 1995/2007 (50%, Douglas Laing OMC, Sherry HHD, C#3931, 355 Bts.)
88 Kavalan NAS Solist ex-Sherry (58.5%,OB, C#So60703013, 592 Bts., B’ 15/0/2009)
88 Macallan 17yo (43%, OB, ‘Fine Oak’, +/-2010)
88 Laphroaig 25yo (40%, OB, +/-2008)
88 Old Pulteney 12yo (40%, OB, +/-2009)
88 Smokehead NAS (43%, Ian Macleod, +/-2009)
88 Springbank 18 year old (46%, OB, +/-2010)
87 Amrut NAS (50%, OB, ‘Fusion’, Batch No. 01 July 2009)
87 Bowmore 16yo 1992/2008 (53.5%, OB, ‘Limousin Bordeaux Wine Cask Matured’)
87 Bowmore NAS Companions of the Quaich Canada 2000-2010 (54.6%, OB ‘Craftsman Collection’, 3,000 Bts.)
87 Bunnahabhain 10yo (46.3%, OB, 2010)
87 Caol Ila 25yo 1979/2005 (58.4%, OB)
87 Compass Box NAS Peat Monster (46%, OB, +/-2009)
87 Glenmorangie NAS Sonnalta (46%, OB, PX Sherry, +/-2009)
87 Glen Scotia 17yo (57.5%, SMWS, 93.39, Refill Butt, 329 Bts.)
87 Inverarity 8yo (40%, Islay, +/-2009)
87 Kilchoman NAS (61.9%, OB for Kensington Calgary, Bourbon, C#119/07, 264 Bts., D’30/5/07, B’ 21/7/10)
87 Laphroaig 11yo (46%, Duthies, 2009)
87 Linkwood 16yo (43%, Chieftain’s Range, HHD, C#7956)
87 Macallan 18yo (43%, OB, -/-2009)
86 Aberlour 10yo (43%, OB, ‘Sherry Cask Finish’, +/-2008)
86 Amrut NAS ‘Double Cask’ (46%, OB, C# 2874 & 2273, 306 Bts., 2010)
86 BenRiach 15yo Dark Rum Wood Finish (46%, OB, +/-2008)
86 Bowmore 12yo (40%, OB, +/-2009)
86 Bowmore 15yo Darkest (43%, OB, New presentation, +/-2009)
86 Bunnahabhain 25yo (43%, OB, +/- 2009)
86 Glendronach 12yo ‘Original’ (43%, OB, PX & Oloroso cask matured, +/- 2009)
86 Glen Garioch 12yo (48%, OB, +/-2009)
86 Glen Moray 12yo (40%, OB, +/-2009)
86 Glen Moray 18yo (43%, Chieftain’s Range, HHD, C#7279)
86 Kilchoman NAS 39.5 Months (46%, OB, ‘Spring Release 2010’)
86 Laphroaig 8yo 2001/2009 (46%, Signatory, UCF, refill butt, C#631, 859 Bts)
86 Port Ellen 25yo (43%, Chieftain’s Range, HHD, C#1522)
86 Springbank ‘Cask Strength’12yo (54.6%, OB, +/-2010)
86 Springbank 12yo (54.4%, OB, ‘Claret Wood’, 9360 Bts., D’05/’97 B’02/’10)
85 Amrut NAS (61.9%, OB, ‘Cask Strength’ bottled Sept 2007)
85 BenRiach 23yo 1986/09 (56.1%, OB, Binny’s/PLOWED, Peated/Pedro Ximinez Finish, 314 Bts., C#3182)
85 Big Peat No Age Statement (46%, Douglas Laing, 2009)
85 Compass Box NAS Oak Cross (43%, OB, +/-2009)
85 Dalmore Mackenzie 1992/2009 (46%, OB, 3,000 Bts.)
85 Dew of Ben Nevis 12yo (40%, OB, +/-2009)
85 Glencadam 22yo (43%, Chieftain’s Range, HHD C#3996)
85 Isle of Arran 14yo (46%, OB, 2010)
85 Kavalan NAS Solist ex-Bourbon (58.8%, , OB, C#B070611009, 196 Bts., B’ 19/08/2009)
85 Laphroaig 10yo 1999/2009 (46%, Coopers Choice, C#4211, 720 Bts., Refill Butt)
85 Springbank Vintage 8yo 2001/2009 (55.3%, OB, Batch No.1)
84 Glen Rothes 14yo (43%, Chieftain’s Range, Burgundy Finish, C#90851)
84 Kilchoman NAS (46%, OB, Autumn 2009 Release)
84 Ledaig 10yo (46.3%, OB, 2010)
84 Linkwood 10yo (40%, Inverarity, +/-2009)
84 Longmorn 13yo (43%, Chieftain’s Range, HHD, C#74879)
84 Longrow 10yo (46%, OB, +/-2009)
84 Te Bheag NAS Nan Eilean (40%, IB, +/-2009)
83 Isle of Arran 11yo 1998/2009 (55.6%, SMWS, refill butt/ex bourbon, 598 Bts., 121.30)
83 Isle of Arran NAS (50%, OB, Port, “Cask Finish”, +/-2010)
83 Springbank NAS (46%, OB, “CV”, +/-2010)
83 Sullivans Cove NAS ‘Double Cask’ (40%, OB, Bourbon & Port Oak, +/- 2009)
82 Amrut NAS (46%, OB, ‘Peated’ Batch. No. 01 B’24/09/2008)
82 Ardbeg NAS (57.1%, OB, Corryvreckan, 2009)
82 Dalmore 11yo (43%, Chieftain’s, Madeira Finish, C#90522)
82 Glen Grant 16yo 1992/2008 (46%, OB, ‘Cellar Reserve’)
82 Highland Park 10yo 1999/2009 (57.3%, SMWS of America, 1st Fill Ex Bourbon, 4.135, 109 Bts.)
82 Isle of Arran 13yo 1997/2010 (46%, OB, Rowan Tree Limited Edition, 6000 Bts.)
81 Isle of Arran 4yo 2005/2009 (57.7%, OB, Peated, Bourbon, C#116, 253 Bts., D’12/12/05 B’7/12/09)    
81 Double Barrel 8yo (46%, Douglas Laing, Macallan & Laphroaig, 2009)
81 Glenrothes NAS (40%, OB, ‘Select Reserve’ +/-2009)
81 Tobermory 10yo (46.3%, OB, 2010)
80 Glen Elgin 16yo (58.5%, OB, 9000 Bts, +/-2008)
80 Isle of Arran NAS (50%, OB, Amarone, “Cask Finish”, +/-2010)
80 Isle of Arran NAS (50%, OB, Sauternes, “Cask Finish”, +/-2010)
80 Glenturret 8yo (40%, OB, +/- 2009)
80 Edradour 12yo (57%, OB, ‘Gaja Barolo’, 464 Bts., D’ 23/01/1196 B’ 29/04/2008)
80 Wemyss 5yo ‘Peat Chimney’ (40%, OB)
79 Glenturret 10yo (40%, OB, +/- 2009)
78 Royal Brackla 10yo 1998/2008 (60%, SMWS of America, Refill Hogshead-Ex Bourbon, 55.19, 247 Bts.)
78 Ardbeg 1998/2008 ‘Renaissance’ (55.9%, OB) Lot L8 121 02:35 4ML
76 Mackmyra NAS Special ’03 (48.2%, OB, ‘Winter 09/10)
75 Glenturret 17yo 1990/2007 (40%, G&M ‘MacPhail’s Collection’)
61 The Bailie Nicol Jarvie NAS (40%, OB, ‘Very Old Reserve’,+/-2010

 

Whisky fit for a Vice Premier

Scotland was the host to a short state visit from the Vice-Premier of China which is now the second largest country in the world in terms of GDP. Vice Premier Li is tipped to be the next Premier of this huge country which is becoming increasingly influential on the world stage.

His day was very busy and was finished off with a state dinner in Edinburgh Castle great hall and of course the biggest question which faced our First Minister and his aides must have been, what whisky do you serve as the after dinner toast to such an important person?

Glenglassaugh 26 Year Old Single Malt Whisky of course.

A great occasion, a great dram and hopefully a great many more people who appreciate Glenglassaugh.

A change in the weather.

The extreme snow and cold temperature which we experienced in December 2010 presented us with a few problems resulting in an earlier than planned stop in production, due to a delay in casks arriving for filling. However we were kept busy with more bottle orders in both November and December which meant a welcome opportunity to work inside a warmer building for a while.

2011 has started with slightly milder conditions and we have been catching up on filling the casks which arrived at the end of the year . We have not started production yet in 2011 but are planning this for the end of this week.

Next Manager’s Legacy Release.

Later this month we will be releasing the third bottle in the Manager’s Legacy series and this one is a 1968 refill butt celebrating the contribution of Bert Forsyth who managed the distillery between September 1967 and July 1972. There are 300 individually numbered bottles available.

More information soon on the next whisky events which we will be attending plus the last in the series of the Manager’s Legacy range and some exciting and unique casks which we have obtained for filling.

Slange

Stuart

Pictures courtesy of Kenny Smith

Visit Glenglassaugh Distillery at www.glenglassaugh.com

 

We’ve survived another year, and if the doomsayers are right, this could be our last, so we’d better enjoy it! I have two pressing reasons for you to enjoy life this January, even if it’s cold enough to freeze your breath outside. The first is our 6th annual Robbie Burns Supper which will be taking place on the 26th of January. That’s right Caledonians, the fête of Scotland’s favourite son is nearly upon us. I’ve included some information on our Burns Supper, Scots Wha Hae below, and there will be much more in the next Malt Messenger due out on Tuesday.

The second and even more pressing reason to celebrate is our annual Year End Super Sale! We only have two sales a year (the other is in November) and we have some incredible deals on whisky this Friday, Saturday and Sunday… Selected whiskies are between 7 and 25% off. The sale is only available in-store and online (no phone orders will be accepted). The full list of sale items can be found below, but there are three deals worth highlighting:

1.       Springbank 1996 KWM Oloroso Cask: Our Spirngbank cask, which has been a huge hit over the last year, is 25% off. We normally sell it for $109.99, but this weekend, and this weekend only you can have it for $82.49 +GST. Less than 75 of the original 660 bottles remain!

2.       G&M Glen Grant 1966: This cask is one of the more elegant bottles of whisky we’ve ever stocked. It was chosen because for a whisky of more than 40 years, it wasn’t even close to over the hill. Smooth and soft with deft sherry notes and delicate citrus, we originally listed this whisky at $499.99, but dropped it to $449.99 a few months back. This weekend you can buy one of the less than 30 remaining bottles of our Glen Grant for just $337.49 + GST, 25% off our last list price!

3.       Glendronach 1995 KWM PX Sherry Cask: Our Glendronach cask, which contained closed to 660 bottles is now half sold after just two months in store. Normally selling for $114.99 it will only be 10% off this weekend, but while supplies last we will be giving away a Glendronach Glencairn glass with every bottle sold (the glass itself is an $18 value). Our Glendronach is the chocolatiest whisky I’ve ever tasted, and is an incredible value when compared to other sherried whiskies like Macallan 18 Year (also on sale) which lists for $175.00. I expect this cask to sell out before the summer.  Don’t hesitate!

These three whiskies and many of the others on sale are open for sampling! Hope to see you this weekend!

Slainté!

Andrew Ferguson

SCOTS WHA HAE! – Wednesday January 26th 7PM – $99

Caledonians Unite! It’s time to celebrate all things Scottish. Isle of Arran is the featured distillery for our 6th annual Robbie Burns Supper, and Andrew Hogan is our special guest. We’ll have bagpipes, poetry, haggis with neeps and tatties and six amazing single malts all from Arran, including a couple of new single cask bottlings selected by and exclusive bottled for KWM! One’s a bourbon cask and the other sherry. The tasting panel couldn’t decide between the two, and the price was right so we decided to bottle both! Our Burns Supper has grown into one of the most respected in town, and there is no previous whisky experience required. So buy a ticket and join us at Fort Calgary for a night of mirth, whisky and a lot of merry making!

More details to come in the next Malt Messenger.

YEAR END SUPER SALE

Sale Rules and Conditions:

1.       Applies only to marked items.

2.       Applies only to in-store items with the exception of exclusives.

3.       Items must be paid for at the time of purchase.

4.       Items may only be purchased online, in store or by e-mail (no phone orders).

5.       All sale items are final sale.

6.       Sale will begin at midnight on Thursday (tonight) and end at midnight on Sunday night.

Single Malt Whisky

1.       G&M KWM Glen Grant 1966 41 Year – Bottled exclusively for KWM this is massively complex whisky that has even after more than 40 years retained the delicate citrus notes which typify whiskies from this distillery. Of the 134 individually numbered bottles we have less than 30 left. The whisky comes packaged in a rosewood box with an etched glass window. This is the best deal of our entire sale! – Regular $449.99 – SAVE 25%

2.       Springbank 1996 KWM Oloroso Cask – Going, going, almost gone… our second cask of Springbank has been a huge success! Of the 660 bottles in the cask there are fewer than 75 remaining. If I were to sum up the experience I would have to say it is a little like crossing Macallan 18 with Lagavulin 16. You get the rich spicy sherry notes of the Macallan and the clean salty smoke of Lagavulin. If you haven’t tried it yet, don’t hesitate, before you know it, it will be gone. And at this price, how can you resist! – – Regular $109.99 – SAVE 25% 

3.       Glendronach 1995 KWM PX Sherry Finish – This recent private bottling is our best selling whisky by a long shot these days! Nearly half of our cask sold between the months of November and December.  It is massively chocolaty, rich, chewy and very smooth for its strength of 52.2%. While supplies last we are giving away Glendronach glasses with ever bottle purchased! – Regular $114.99 – SAVE 10%

4.       BenRiach 15 Year Rum Finish – Matured 14 years in Bourbon and finished for a final year in Jamaican Dark Rum casks. – Regular $82.49 – SAVE 15%

5.       BenRiach 15 Year Tawny Port Finish – Finished for one year in tawny port pipes the whisky is dark and chocolaty. – Regular $82.49 – SAVE 15%

6.       Bowmore Tempest Cask Strength – Until our Glendronach cask came in this was our best selling whisky. Creamy, buttery with salty-earth-peat! – Regular $81.99 – SAVE 15%

7.       A.D. Rattray Strathmill 31 Year – Regular $211.99 – SAVE 15%

8.       A.D. Rattray Tomintoul 30 Year – Regular $211.99 – SAVE 15%

9.       Duthies Caol Ila 13 Year – One of the finest independent bottlings of Caol Ila around, very earthy with some hints of sweet. Exclusive to KWM – Regular $87.49 – SAVE 15%

10.   Duthies Craggamore 15 Year – Big wet leaves and grassy notes with malt and sweet honey. Exclusive to KWM. – Regular $94.999 – SAVE 15%

11.   Duthies Glen Scotia 17 Year – Silver medal winner in a not to distant issue of Whisky Magazine this whisky is a little steely but overall a complex and very well balanced bottling from Scotland’s most neglected distillery. Exclusive to KWM. – Regular $101.99 – SAVE 15%

12.   Duthies Laphroaig 11 Year – Not quite as medicinal as your regular Laphroaigh it has plenty of peat, smoke and salt to balance out the oak. Exclusive to KWM. – Regular $98.99 – SAVE 15%

13.   Amrut Double Cask – 96pts Jim Murray, exclusive to KWM. – Regular 124.99 – SAVE 10%

14.   BenRiach 15 Year Madeira Finish – One of our best selling whiskies this dram is sweet, spicy and very soft. – Regular $82.49 – SAVE 10%

15.   Cadenhead Classic Green Label – The closest thing to Laphroaig 10 year! – Regular $72.99 – SAVE 10%

16.   Caol Ila 10 Year Unpeated Cask Strenght – At 65.1% you would think it was a monster, but in reality very soft with big notes of white chocolate and vanilla. – Regular $ 103.99 – SAVE 10%

17.   Compass Box Hedonism Maximus – Only 24 bottles of this exclusive to KWM whisky in Canada, it is a Blended Grains whisky composed of 70% 41 year old Invergordon and 30% 29 year old Carsebridge. A lovely smooth desert whisky. – Regular $ 259.99 – SAVE 10%

18.   Compass Box Peat Monster Reserve – Not just a different, peatier recipe than the original, but in a bottle twice the size too. 92pts Jim Murray. Exlcusive to KWM. – Regular $ 154.99 – SAVE 10%

19.   Coopers Choice Glen Mhor 1982 – Regular $178.49 – SAVE 10%

20.   A.D. Rattray Glenglassaugh 29 Year – Regular $198.99 – SAVE 10%

21.   Duthies Auchroisk 20 Year – An excellent, complex and balanced whisky from an obscure distillery. Exclusive to KWM. – Regular $96.99 – SAVE 10%

22.   Duthies Bowmore 17 Year – This whisky harkens back to the old distillery 17 year, and is a very elegant smoky dram. Exclusive to KWM.  – Regular $90.99 – SAVE 10%

23.   Duthies Hazelburn 9 Year – A recent Gold Medal winner from Whisky Magazine this little dram is soft and fruity with jujube notes on the palate. Hazelburn is the name given to triple distilled Springbanks. Exclusive to KWM. – Regular $84.99 – SAVE 10%

24.   Duthies Ledaig 13 Year – A somewhat raunchy, medicinal and massively complex bottling of heavily peated Tobermory. This dram will not disappoint, but is not for the faint of heart. – Regular $79.99 – SAVE 10%

25.   Duthies Longmorn 19 Year – Burnt caramel, vanilla and smoke with soft fruity notes, this is a smooth, elegant dram. Exclusive to KWM. – Regular $96.99 – SAVE 10%

26.   Edradour Caledonia – A lovely mix of both Bourbon and Oloroso sherry notes gives this dram from Scotland’s smallest distillery layers of soft, smooth, complex notes. – Regular $93.99 – SAVE 10%

27.   English Whisky Company Chapter 3 – Regular $61.49 – SAVE 10%

28.   English Whisky Company Chapter 4 – Regular $61.49 – SAVE 10%

29.   G&M Cask Strength Imperial 1997 – Big sherry notes from this single cask first fill sherry. A very reasonably priced whisky from a now closed distillery. Exclusive to KWM. – Regular $114.99 – SAVE 10%

30.   G&M Conn Choice Convalmore 1984 – Very soft and smooth with loads of creamy oak and big vanilla notes. The distillery which sits on the grounds of Balvenie is closed and will not likely ever reopen. Exclusive to KWM. – Regular $182.99 – SAVE 10%

31.   G&M Conn Choice Glen Keith 1993 – White fruits, chocolate and sweet vanilla abound on this little dram. Distillery closed just before the millennium, and is not expected to reopen. Exclusive to KWM. – Regular $87.99 – SAVE 10%

32.   Glendronach 14 Year Sauternes Finish – Regular $82.49 – SAVE 10%

33.   Glendronach 14 Year Virgin Oak Finish – Regular $82.49 – SAVE 10%

34.   Glendronach 15 Year Moscatel Finish – Regular $84.49 – SAVE 10%

35.   Glenglassaugh Spirit Drink – Regular $47.99 – SAVE 10%

36.   Glenmorangie Quarter Century – Regular $449.99 – SAVE 10%

37.   G&M Strathisla 25 Year – A combination of 1st fill and re-fill sherry cask this is a massively fruity whisky with notes of Chirstmas Cake, tobacco and leather. Exclusive to KWM. – Regular $182.99 – SAVE 10%

38.   Isle of Jura 10 Year – Regular $42.99 – SAVE 10%

39.   Kilchoman KWM Fresh Bourbon Cask – Kensington Wine Market is one of only 3 stores in North America and a handful more in the world to have acquired our own cask of Kilchoman single malt. Massive creamy vanilla-Bourbon notes balance out a surge of salty, smoky peat. Surprisingly approachable at an impressive strength of 61.9% this whisky is a must try for lovers of Ardbeg, Laphroaig or Port Ellen! – Regular $114.99 – SAVE 10%

40.   Macallan 18 Year – Regular $174.99 – SAVE 10%

41.   Macallan Fine Oak 10 Year – Regular $54.54 – SAVE 10%

42.   OMC Mortlach 12 Year – New and exclusive to KWM. – Regular $109.99 – SAVE 10%

43.   OMC Port Ellen 27 Year – New and exclusive to KWM. – Regular $349.99 – SAVE 10%

44.   OMC Rosebank 20 Year – New and exclusive to KWM. – Regular $189.99 – SAVE 10%

45.   PC7 (Port Charlotte 7 Year) – Regular $109.99 – SAVE 10%

46.   Port Ellen 29 Year – Regular $361.99 – SAVE 10% 

47.   Signatory Bowmore 1972 – Exclusive to KWM, this is the poorman’s Black Bowmore. Chewy, rich, massively fruity with faint tropical fruits. – Regular $634.99 – SAVE 10%

48.   Signatory Dufftown 1984 First Fill Sherry – Exclusive to KWM. This is a sherry monster! – Regular $209.99 – SAVE 10%

49.   Signatory Dufftown 1984 Refill Sherry – This sister cask to the other Dufftown 1984 couldn’t be more different. The sherry notes are still strong but with a much more deft, lighter touch. It is very elegant – Regular $209.99 – SAVE 10% 

50.   Signatory Glencraig 1976 – Exclusive to KWM. – Regular $252.99 – SAVE 10%

51.   Signatory Glenlossie 1985 – This is an elegant sherried whisky, smooth and full of flavour but without any of the stronger sherry notes. Exclusive to KWM. – Regular $209.99 – SAVE 10%

52.   Signatory Springbank 1969 40 Year – This is one of the most delightful whiskies I’ve ever had. Certainly in my Top 10. Bottled at an impressive strength of 54.4% this whisky is soft and massively complex with layers of honey, soft and dried fruits, a trace of light salty smoke, black licorice, Christmas spices and everything you could ever want in an older Springbank. – Regular $1267.99 Exclusive to KWM. – SAVE 10%

53.   Amrut Peat Cask Strength – Regular $102.49 – SAVE 7%

54.   Auchentoshan 1978 – Small batch vintage Auchentoshan limited to less than 500 bottles worldwide. – Regular $543.99 – SAVE 7%

55.   Auchentoshan 1977 – Only 18 bottles of this sherry cask matured bottling came into Canada out of a worldwide availability of just 240. KWM bought 15 of them, because it is a superb whisky! – $506.99 – SAVE 7%

56.   Bowmore 25 Year – Much improved over the last few years this sherry dominant top whisky in their core range is big and chewy. – Regular $302.49 – SAVE 7%

57.   Bunnahabhain 12 Year – Regular $71.49 – SAVE 7 %

58.   Dalwhinnie 15 Year – Regular $75.99 – SAVE 7%

59.   Dalwhinnie Distillers Edition – Regular $102.49 – SAVE 7%

60.   G&M Cask Strength Highland Park 1995– Regular $111.99 – SAVE 7%

61.   G&M Cask Strength Miltonduff 1996 – Regular $111.99 – SAVE 7%

62.   G&M Cask Strength Old Pulteney 1993 – Regular $119.99 – SAVE 7%

63.   Glen Elgin 16 Year – – Regular $99.99 – SAVE 7%

64.   Glen Garioch 12 Year – Regular $47.49 – SAVE 7%

65.   Glengoyne 21 Year – Regular $96.49 – SAVE 7%

66.   Glenkinchie 12 Year  – Regular $71.99 – SAVE 7%

67.   Glenkinchie Distillers Edition – Regular $98.49 – SAVE 7%

68.   Glenlivet 18 Year  – Regular $95.99 – SAVE 7%

69.   Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban – Regular $70.49 – SAVE 7%

70.   Highland Park 12 Year – Regular $56.49 – SAVE 7%

71.   Kilchoman Summer 2010 Release – Regular $89.99 – SAVE 7%

72.   Macallan 12 Year – Regular $69.99 – SAVE 7%

73.   Oban 14 Year – Regular $99.99 – SAVE 7%

74.   Oban Distillers Edition – Regular $143.49 – SAVE 7%

75.   Port Ellen 30 Year – Regular $449.99 – SAVE 7%

Bourbon

1.       Jack Daniels KWM Single Barrel – Regular $49.99 – SAVE 20%

2.       Pappy Van Winkle’s Reserve 20 Year – Regular $142.49 – SAVE 10%

3.       Knobb Creek – Regular $47.99 – Save 7%

4.       Maker’s Mark – Regular $46.49 – Save 7%

Canadian Whisky

1.       Alberta Premium  – Regular $23.49 – SAVE 7%

2.       Crown Royal – Regular $32.99 – SAVE 7%

3.       Forty Creek Barrel Select – Regular $27.99 – SAVE 7%

Other Whiskies

1.       Arran Robbie Burns Blend – Just in time for Robbie Burns Day! – Regular $35.99 – SAVE 7%

2.       Black Grouse – Regular $34.99 – SAVE 7%

3.       Johnnie Walker Black Label – Regular 44.99 – SAVE 7%

4.       Johnnie Walker Blue Label – Regular $241.99 – SAVE 10%

5.       PENDERYN WELSH WHISKY  – regular $76.99 – SAVE 7%

6.       Redbreast Irish Whiskey- Regular 41.99 – SAVE 7%

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!

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger!

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson
KWM Scotchguy

403-283-8000
888-283-9004
1257 Kensington Rd. NW
Calgary, AB, Canada
T2N 3P8

scotchguy@kensingtonwinemarket.com 

SHORT RAMBLINGS (too long for Twitter! ;-))

Tasting: how to make your inherent subjectivity a little more consistent

Friends, every once in a while, someone who’s usually charming but more or less anonymous appears on some forum or blog or else and claims that scoring whisky (or any other thing) is totally subjective thus irrelevant. That, by the way, seldom happens on Facebook, for instance, nor on mailing lists, maybe because most people using those platforms don’t do that anonymously. Ha, anonymity!
 
So, here’s my take again. First, what’s subjectivity? According to a dictionary and in this context, something subjective is something that’s ‘based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions.’

I won’t argue. Maybe except if you’re a professional taster or blender, you’ll indeed be influenced by your tastes when assessing a whisky. A score isn’t anything else than a way of expressing how much you enjoyed a particular whisky and your enjoyment depends on your tastes. Case closed? Not quite…
 
… Because what some good people will add ad libitum is that your ‘tastes’ or ‘feelings’ cannot be consistent as they depend on a variety of factors, including time, mood, shape, location, glassware, food and so on. In other words, that Monday’s 80 points will be Thursday’s 87 points. In my opinion, that’s correct as well, even if a trained taster should be a little more accurate than that (by the way, I’ve seen a famous master blender (not from Whyte & Mackay’s!) who, after having nosed a very peaty malt whisky (around 35ppm), claimed that it was a Lowlander and no, he wasn’t evoking one of these excellent peated Bladnochs!)
 
Anyway, so, scores are meaningless because no taster will be consistent enough, at least not as consistent as a machine such as a mass spectrometer, right? Yes and no. There are many ways of lowering your inconsistency, no matter how experienced you are. It’s not a matter of skill, it’s simply a matter of organization. The first thing that, in my opinion, is very important is that a score should always be comparative. You cannot indeed just quaff a single whisky and claim that it’s worth 85 (why not 80? Why not 90?)  Well, you can, but by doing so you’re indeed also scoring your mood, the place where you are, the friends who are around and the pepperoni pizza that you just wolfed down.
 
So comparison is paramount in my opinion, even more so than ‘consistent settings’ (place, time, glassware and such). The first thing you’ll have to do in my opinion, and I find it funny that no naysayers ever talk about that, is to use ‘reference’ or ‘benchmark’ whiskies to check whether your senses are in good shape or not, to calibrate them and to readjust your ‘internal scale’ before any new tasting session. Find a few rather consistent (avoid whiskies that are subject to too much batch variation) and popular malts, score them several times and then use them as benchmarks, that is to say malts you’ll always have a few drops of before any session, for instance Laphroaig 10 for a ‘peated’ session. Of course, using Octomore at cask strength won’t quite work ;-). So, does your Laphroaig 10 taste different than usual? You’d rather score it 78 or 92 instead of the expected 85? Cancel your session, you’re not in good shape! This is a main difference between tasting and scoring wine and tasting and scoring spirits. Using benchmark wines is much harder to do, as wines change a lot and as it’s not easy to crack open a new bottle of, say Chasse Spleen 2000 every time you’re having a few cabs ;-).
 
So, I tell you, whether you’re a beginner or a dedicated imbiber, you’ll improve your consistency by using benchmark whiskies. That quite a few old drinkers do not believe in ‘consistency’ at all mainly comes from the fact that they were never organized enough to do that, or never thought about that, and when they criticize others, it’s in fact themselves that they bash ;-).
 
Now, there’s also the issue of the 100-scale. I agree it’s not perfect, and 5 stars, for instance, can be enough for some tasters (that’s why I’m using both), but I must say I do need the 100-scale for my own use. Why? Because, again, I believe in comparisons and only in comparisons. Not only comparisons with a benchmark whisky this time, also comparisons with similar whiskies. No matter your tasting abilities, if you try, say two young Macallans ex-bourbon head-to-head, you’ll almost always like one a little better, even if both are very similar. That’s where the 100-scale comes handy! ‘A little better’ may translate into a difference of only one point.

So to sum things up and provided you’d be willing to score your whiskies as well (and were not traumatised by your school days), I humbly think that a fairly good solution is this:

Constant settings (location, glassware and such)
Benchmark whiskies (sets scale, check senses, makes relations and proportions between many scores a little more accurate)
Compare similar whiskies (fine tuning, nuances)

I believe that won’t make your scores any more objective, because your tastes and sometimes your emotions will always rule, but I think this wee method should make them more consistent and maybe less irrelevant both to yourself and to your friends if you’re mad enough to publish them (and are ready to take some flak!) Having said that, we’ll never be machines even we tried hard, and that’s very good news if you ask me.
 
Oh, one last thing and as I wrote several times before, I believe scores should always come with tasting notes that will explain why you scored The GlenWonka 100 years old only 39 points. But in all cases, everything will always remain personal opinions and the only thing we can maybe achieve is some kind of ‘fairly consistent subjectivity’. – Serge

Visit Serge and the excellent Whiskyfun at www.whiskyfun.com

Hello Fellow Scotch Lovers –
 
I trust our first Whisky Wednesday email of 2011 finds you in good health and spirits, and your year is off to a roaring start.

I get most excited when we are able to offer you a whisky that, for the most part, is not available anywhere else. And this is certainly the case with this weeks offering: Kilchoman Un-Chill-Filtered Islay Whisky – Summer 2010 release.
 
Kilchoman is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland with an annual production of 90,000 litres of alcohol.

This amazing whisky is matured in a combination of fresh bourbon barrels from Buffalo Trace Distillery, Kentucky and refill casks and fresh oloroso sherry butts, creating a sweet soft peaty flavor unlike any other I’ve tried.
 
The retail price is $59.95. If you want a bottle, please purchase it ASAP. We have an limited number of bottles of the Summer 2010 release, and once they’re gone, they are gone.

Enjoy!

Doug Stone

Founder

www.ForScotchLovers.com