2010 Christmas Gift Guide
Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,
Season’s Greetings!
There are only 15 shopping days left until Christmas, and if you have a whisky lover on your list I have a recommendation or two for you, whether it be for a whisky book, a stocking stuffer, or a bottle to put under the tree. My Christmas picks are categorized by price, with peated and unpeated choices at each and every price point.
This is at least the fourth or fifth year I’ve offered a Gift Guide to the whisky buying public. This year I’m taking it up a notch, in addition to this electronic copy I will have paper copies of it available in store to make for easier browsing and section. Purchases can be made in store, online and over the phone. Feel free to call 403-283-8000/888-283-9004 or email me scotchguy@kensingtonwinemarket.com if you have any questions or require a further recommendation.
Finally there are still a few spots left for tonight’s Gordon & MacPhail/Benromach tasting with Michael Urquhart. Proceeds go the Children’s Hospital Aid Society. 8 premium single malts and a great cause. More details are available at the bottom of the email.
I hope you find the Malt Messenger 2010 Christmas Gift Guide helpful, and I hope you and yours have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Slainté!
Andrew Ferguson
Books & Glasses
1. Glencairn Single Malt Glass – A lowball glass won’t cut it anymore for the discerning whisky drinker, they want a glass specifically designed for the nosing, tasting and enjoyment of whisky. This glass is available with or without the KWM logo. – $17.99
2. Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2010 – Jim Murray has established himself as one of the world’s foremost critics of whisky. I don’t always agree with his scores, but his tasting notes are a great resource when looking for your next bottle. – $21.99
3. Malt Whisky Yearbook 2010 – In my opinion the most interesting whish book on the market, profiling every single malt distillery in Scotland, Ireland, Japan and the rest of the world. Updated every year the Malt Whisky Yearbook gives a detailed description of all of Scotland’s distilleries as well as a year by year history and a couple tasting notes. The book also features articles from some of the most noted whisky writers in the world. No whisky bar, or gentleman’s bathroom is complete without a copy! – $29.99
4. Whiskey: A Difinitive World Guide by Michael Jackson – The late Michael Jackson (whisky writer) may have not intended it to be his legacy, but this book easily could be. Full of beautiful photos, easy to understand diagrams and more information than you’ll know what to do with this book takes the complex world of whisky makes it easy for anyone to understand. $49.99
5. Whisky Aroma Nosing Kit – Do you have a whisky drinker on your list that’s impossible to shop for? Instead of buying them a nice bottle give them a kit that will help them train their nose. Who knows maybe they’ll become the next Michael Jackson, John Hansel or Jim Murray! $224.99
Gift Packs
Bowmore Collection 3 x 50ml – A stocking sized sampler of the Bowmore 12 Year , 15 Year Darkest and 18 Year core expressions. – $15.49
Auchentoshan Collection 3 x 50ml – A handsome little sampler of Auchentoshan 12 Year, 18 Year and 3 Wood. – $21.49
Connemara Gift Pack – A bargain sampler of lightly peated Irish whiskey complete with a Connemara glass. $27.49
Glenmorangie Gift Pack – This elegant folding gift set includes 100ml bottles of Glenmorangie Original 10 Year, Lasanata (sherry finished), Quinta Ruban (port finished) and Nectar D’Or (sauternes finished). – $56.49
Springbank CV Set – Scotland’s oldest family owned distillery, Springbank makes three styles of whisky, its 2 ½ times distilled lightly peated namesake expression Springbank, the heavily peated and double distilled Longrow and the triple distilled and unpeated Hazelburn. You get 3 200ml bottles, one each of Springbank CV, Longrow CV and Hazelburn CV. – $59.99
Whiskies Under $60
Finlaggan Old Islay Reserve – Historically one of our best selling whiskies this little mystery malt from Islay is a soft, smooth and chocolaty expression of one of Islay’s lesser know but highly respected distilleries. Exclusive to KWM! – $50.99
Laphroaig Quarter Cask – Bottled at 48% this young Kildalton malt is rich, robust and full of flavour. $50.99
Isle of Arran 10 Year – Honeyed, malty and grassy with a soft smooth character, this is one of the best whisky bargains period. – $53.99
Highland Park 12 Year – The 12 year is a classic introduction to the notes of honey and soft chocolaty peat that underline the Highland Park range. – $56.49
Glenmorangie Original with Tumbler – Just in time for Christmas this whisky comes with a glass. The starting point of the Glenmorangie range is softly oak, with round toasted notes, cocoa and a trace of light clean smoke. – $58.99
Whiskies $60-80
Duthies Ledaig 13 Year – Briny, rubbery and sweet this heavily peated Tobermory from the island of Mull is a robust little dram. Exclusive to KWM! – $79.99
Logrow CV – Springbank’s heavily peated expression is an elegant smoky whisky that could easily be mistaken for an Islay malt. – $63.99
Amrut Fusion – Jim Murray proclaimed this the 3rd Best Whisky in the World last year, I’m not sure I agree, but it is an excellent dram. – $75.99
The Big Peat – Only Douglas Laing & Co. has enough Port Ellen that they could consider spilling some into an Islay Blended Malt Whisky. This vatting of Bowmore, Ardbeg, Caol Ila and Port Ellen has taken four of Islay peatiest malts and made something even peatier… – $79.99
Glendronach 15 Year – The new owners of Glendronach haven’t taken long to hit their stride, look out Macallan, there’s a new master of sherry on the block! The 12 and 18 year old expressions are also good, but the 15 steals the show! – $77.99
Whiskies $80-100
Bowmore Tempest – Over the last year this has been our best selling whisky by a considerable margin, matured in only first fill bourbon casks it is creamy with rich vanilla, tropical fruits and a backbone of salty peat. Exclusive to KWM! – $81.99
Duthies Hazelburn 9 Year – This whisky recently won a gold medal in Whisky Magazine. It is a single cask triple distilled Springbank matured in an Oloroso sherry cask. It is soft, and very fruity with no bitter or rough edges! Exclusive to KWM! – $84.99
BenRiach 15 Year Madeira – A few years back this whisky got a 94pt score in the Whisky Bible, matured in bourbon casks and finished in Madeira it is sweet, spicy and very soft! Exclusive to KWM! – $82.49
Edradour Caledonia – The Scottish flag adorns this bottle which was inspired by Dougie MacLean’s 70’s folk hit Caledonia. Matured 9 years in Bourbon and finished for three in sherry casks, this whisky from Scotland’s smallest distillery balances the cream vanillas notes of the early bourbon casks with the dark fruit and spice of the later sherry casks. Exclusive to KWM! – $93.99
Duthies Caol Ila 13 Year – Caol Ila is the Chameleon of Single Malt Scotch, it is many things to many people, and unique bottlings can range as much as any distillery in Scotland. This single cask expressions is sweet, soft and earthy. Exclusive to KWM! – $87.49
Whiskies $100-150
Springbank 1996 KWM Oloroso Cask – Less than a quarter of our amazing Springbank bottling is left, next to the Tempest this is our second best selling whisky by a wide margin. Rich, spicy and caramelized with dark fruit and salty smoke. Exclusive to KWM! – $109.99
Ardbeg Corryvreckan – This cask strength Ardbeg replace the 1990 Arigh Nam Beist which is no longer available. 96.5pts Jim Murray: “so many layers of almost uncountable personalities…” – $109.99
Kilchoman KWM Fresh Bourbon Cask – We are one of but a handful of stores in the world, and the only one in Canada to be given the privilege of bottling a cask of Kilchoman, Scotland’s hottest new distillery. Massively creamy with soft vanilla balancing out the loud salty smoke at its core. Exclusive to KWM! – $114.99
Glendronach 1996 KWM PX Sherry Puncheon – After sampling the new 15 year old distillery bottling I had to have our own cask. This Pedro Ximenez sherry matured Puncheon is sweet, rich and very chocolaty. Exclusive to KWM! – $114.99
Octomore 3 – The most heavily peated bottle of whisky ever… this Octomore is remarkably balanced for such a heavily peated malt. Far from being obnoxious it is a very pleasant darm. $149.99
Whiskies $150-250
Glenfarclas 25 Year – I’m tempted to refer to Glenfarclas as Macallan for people on a budget but that gives too much credit to Macallan and not enough to Glenfarclas. This is quite simply and excellent, rich whisky at an incredible price. – $152.99
The Dalmore MacKenzie – This is the silkiest, softest whisky in the store. Notes of lush dark fruits, chocolate and the smoothest body of any whisky in store. Exclusive to KWM! – $189.99
Glenmorangie Signet – Made from a mix of chocolate malt (heavily roasted barley) and old sherried whiskies this is one of the most unique whisky creations ever, and it comes in a very classy, elegant bottle! – $226.49
Glenglassaugh 21 Year – The whisky is actually 24 years of age, but some early marketing advise told the distillers that they needed to start their range at 21 years even though the distillery, having been closed 22 years didn’t have any such whisky. This is a rare, balanced and very complex whisky. – $256.49
Highland Park 25 Year – The odd man out in the Highland Park Distillery core range, this Orcadian is rich deep and very chocolaty. – $262.49
Whiskies $250-500
Mannochmore 18 Year – This is a very obscure single malt seldom bottled by the distillery. Big and chewy, with chocolate, coffee and strawberries. – $274.99
OMC Probably Speyside’s Finest 41 Year – A 40+ year old whisky for less than $1000 is a bargain no matter how you look at it. This Glenfarclas is doubly so, cheekily named “Probably Speyside’s Finest Distillery” because the bottler doesn’t have the distillery’s permission to use its name. Exclusive to KWM! – $275.99
Port Ellen 8th Release 29 Year – Scotland’s most mourned distillery has released a bottling from this closed Islay distillery for each of the last 11 year. This 8th release, a 29 year old is very deep, and more than likely the most reasonably priced distillery bottled Port Ellen you will ever see again. – $361.99
G&M KWM Glen Grant 1966 41 Year – Bottled exclusively for our store, this old bottling of Glen Grant comes handsomely packaged in glass fronted rosewood box. The whisky, individually numbered is soft and fruity with notes of toasted oak, citrus and some caramelized fruit. Exclusive to KWM! – $449.99 (Price reduced from $500)
Auchentoshan 1977 Sherry Matured – Only 18 bottles in Alberta, and 240 total in the world. This is a heavily sherried expression of Auchentoshan which has retained the delicate citrus notes Auchentoshan is famous for. – $506.99
Whiskies $500 and Up!
Signatory Bowmore 1972 36 Year – I have frequently referred to this whisky as the poor man’s Black Bowmore. Rich, sweet and chewy, burnt fruits, milk chocolate and dry heathery peat; there is some tropical fruit here but its drier and not as moist as that with the Black; Finish, drying, sweet, fruity milk chocolate and some clean salty smoke. Exclusive to KWM! – $634.99
Signatory Springbank 1969 40 Year – 40 year old Springbank is exceptionally rare, and this bottling does not disappoint. Sweet, smooth, spicy and rich with soft caramelized fruits, sauternes wine, Manuka honey, black liquorice, vanilla ice cream and Christmas spices; Finish: smooth with loads of sweet spices, hints of sherry and black liquorice. $1,267.99
The Last Drop 1960 –In 1972 a 12 year old blend consisting of 70 whiskies was laid down to marry. It ended up maturing 36 more years in sherry casks before being bottle in 2008 after 48 years. 95pts John Hansel of Malt Advocate: “enormously complex, with notes of molasses, fig cake, dried fruit, tobacco, dark chocolate, old pot still rum, and polished leather.” – $2,034.99
Gold Bowmore 1964 44 Year – The third bottling in the Bowmore 1964 Trilogy (which included the White and Black) is from a mixture of Bourbon and Sherry casks. 96pts John Hansel: “texturally soothing whisky on the palate, which continues to evolve in waves—first the sweet honey, coating vanilla, and lively fruit, then turning quite visceral, with juicy oak, damp earth, deep peat smoke, and charcoal, followed by another wave of fruit (this time, dried fruit), finishing off with subtle charred oak and roasted nuts. “ $4,389.99
Macallan 57 Year Lalique 3 – For the man or woman who has everything this 3rd in the Macallan Lalique series looks like something out of James Bond., especially the presentation case which looks very space age! – $17,099.99
Whisky Tastings
Scots Wha Hae? 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—we hope—a new single cask bottling exclusive to KWM!. No previous whisky experience required. Location: Fort Calgary, 7:00pm. Wednesday January 26th. $99
Classic Malts Back to basics, “Classic Malts” is our introduction to the world of Scottish single malt whisky: its regions, history and taste profiles. No this won’t be a “Diageo Classic Malts” tasting, though we may include a few of those for good measure. This is a great opportunity to learn why Scotch is the hottest spirit in the world! Tuesday February 8th. $35
Rare Malts Only the oldest and rarest whiskies need apply! Taste whiskies that have been matured more than 20 years in oak, and are from closed distilleries or are exceptionally rare! Thursday February 24th. $75
Whisky, Women & Chocolate Round up the gals and join our Scotchguy, Andrew Ferguson, for a pairing of fine whisky and premium chocolate from Calgary’s only true “chocolatier”, Chokolat, located in Inglewood. No whisky experience needed, we’ll convert even the most sceptical into a lover of fine whisky! Friday March 4th. $50
Ancient Malts Our blockbuster tasting for 2011 is going to feature the Gold Bowmore 1964, a 44 year old Bowmore bottling valued at $4389.99 which scored 96pts. We’ll also sample 5 other whiskies 30 to 50 years of age! We’ll only do one tasting like this all year, don’t miss it! Tuesday March 15th. $225
6. Diageo Special Releases Dinner Caol Ila 10 Year Unpeated, Mannochmore 18 Year, Pittyvaich 20 Year, Benrinnes 23 Year, Port Ellen 30 Year and Talisker 30 are the rare whiskies you will sample at Buchanan’s Chop House while enjoying a 3 course meal! If you haven’t been to one of our whisky dinners yet, you don’t know what you are missing! Thursday Mach 31st. $140
Tours
If you’re looking for something more than a whisky, tasting or book, why not consider one of my whisky tours. I have tours departing for Islay and the Southwest Coast as well as the Speyside and the Southern Highlands in May. My tours are 7 days, feature 8-15 distilleries, opportunities for golf, master class tastings, warehouse samplings, fine food, historic sites, great company and in general the kind of experience you won’t get on your own or with a large coach tour. For more information check out my website: www.fergusonswhiskytours.com or drop me an email. scotchguy@kensingtonwinemarket.com..
GORDON & MACPHAIL/BENROMACH TASTING WITH MICHAEL URQUHART – Thursday December 9th 7-9PM – $50
Michael Urquhart is in town for the week, and with some new G&M exclusives and Christmas on the way it seemed like a great opportunity for a tasting. Further, it’s a great opportunity for us give back to the community, in this case the proceeds from the night’s event will be going to the Children’s Hospital Aid Society. For just $50 (at least $30 of which will go to CHAS) you will enjoy a tasting of 8 single malt whiskies led by Gordon & MacPhail’s co-Director. We will be tasting the following whiskies:
1. G&M KMW Glen Grant 1966 – Exclusive – $449.99
2. G&M Cask Strength Imperial 1997 – Exclusive – $114.99
3. G&M Connoisseurs Choice Glen Keith 1993 – Exclusive – $87.99
4. G&M Connoisseurs Choice Convalmore 1984 – Exclusive – $182.99
5. Benromach 10 Year – $68.99
6. Benromach Origins #2 Port Pipes – $83.49
7. Benromach Origins #3 Optic Barley/Oloroso – 83.49
8. Benromach 21 Year – $129.99
Gordon & MacPhail is Scotland’s second oldest independent bottle—est. 1895—and unlike most independent bottlers they purchase their whiskies as new make spirit, filling it into their own barrels. In 1993 Gordon & MacPhail bought Benromach Distillery. It took them 5 years to get it in ship shape, but it has been back in action since 1998 and is the smallest distillery in the Speyside. Michael will be available to sign any bottles purchased that evening, and there will be some excellent deals on both G&M and Benromach whiskies.
The Children’s Hospital Aid Society or CHAS is volunteer group of 70 Calgary women who raise money for the Children’s Hospital and other Calgary agencies which advocate on behalf of children. The organization has been in existence since 1908 and in the last 20 years has raised over 4 million.
This will be an excellent event, with proceeds going to a worthy cause. Hope to see you there.
For more information or to register call 403-283-8000 or visit our website www.kensingtonwinemarket.com.
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You can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/scotch_guy..
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
