Introducing Benriach Smoke Season

Say hello to Benriach Smoke Season: an intensely smoked small-batch release that celebrates this much-loved Speyside distillery’s sweet peat, distilled at Benriach in the summertime. Created with 100% peated malt.

Benriach Smoke Season has been double matured in both American virgin oak and bourbon casks and bottled at 52.8% abv. Spectacular stuff. The nose has orange peel, chocolate and rich caramel. The palate is decadently layered with sweetness from the virgin oak casks, with dark vanilla and stewed apple, alongside dry oak, woody smoke and gentle spice. The finish is nutty with a smoky peppercorn aftertaste.

Get this in your glass.

Shop Benriach Smoke Season ›

£53.00

We’ve delved into our historic stocks to bring you two new gems from our Vaults Collection this month. As pieces of whisky history, the bottlings will change your appreciation of these two classic distilleries, and are not to be missed.

These beautiful Old & Dignified drams will be amazing enough on their own, but as a game-changing experience, we’ve looked at how they could pair up perfectly with an Iberico ham, a rich cheese or even a barbecued steak.

Check out the website for more and take your appreciation of these incredible bottlings to the next level.

FIND OUT MORE

VIEW ALL VAULTS COLELCTION

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 here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

The glen of the wild geess, originally known as the Burnfoot distillery, then Glen Guin and now Glengoyne. A whisky distilled in the highlands but with cask maturation in the lowlands, thanks to the highland line for that.

No peat is used in the drying of its barley, just pure hot air. Which gives it a distinct difference from a lot of its highland brothers and sisters. Like a lowland, it is lighter, brighter and crisp.

American and European oak sherry casks go into its maturation, not sure of that is its whole maturation though, as the smells and flavours would invoke a higher bourbon cask influence.

https://youtu.be/Jd0wQscteL4

BIG PEAT HONOURS PANDEMIC HEROES
WITH LIMITED EDITION CHARITY BOTTLING 

The family firm behind award-winning Islay Malt brand, Big Peat, today announces a charitable bottling in honour of the heroes of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Big Peat “Heroes” Limited Edition will result in a bulk sanitiser donation to the value of £10,000.00 being made to a leading UK charitable organisation by Douglas Laing & Co.

Packaged in a rainbow-coloured premium gift tube, the Heroes Edition shows Big Peat himself tearing open his doctor’s coat to reveal a superhero costume underneath. The Whisky inside is a marriage of Single Cask Single Malts only from Islay, offered at 48% alcohol strength, without colouring or chill-filtration. It is limited to just 1,500 bottles and is exclusively for the UK, with the sale of each bottle contributing the equivalent of £6.67 worth of sanitiser to a worthy cause.

Says Cara Laing, Marketing Director and third generation in her family business, “When our Board met to establish our priorities for 2021, we unanimously agreed that we are focused on making tangible contributions to the UK’s recovery from recent catastrophic events.

We gathered our wider team on a Zoom call and between us, we came up with a number of initiatives – from donating to the BEN Society in support of the recovery of Scotland’s licensed trade, to offering our warehouse space for mass-vaccinations – plus Big Peat’s Heroes commemorative bottling. Every single individual in key worker roles deserves to be honoured, and this limited edition bottle is designed to do exactly that, by donating a substantial volume of hand sanitiser to a charity chosen by our consumers”.

Consumers are invited to vote for the charity of their choice via an on-pack QR code and Big Peat’s Social Media. The firm says it reached out to scores of UK charities, and arrived at a shortlist that includes: Erskine – caring for veterans of the British Armed Forces; Marie Curie – providing care and support for those with terminal illness and their families and Hearts & Balls, delivering financial and emotional support for rugby players affected by catastrophic injury.

Big Peat Heroes Edition will be available from late March from specialist spirits retailers across the UK and online, with an RRP of £45. Donations to Erskine, Marie Curie and Hearts & Balls can be made via the links below.

• Erskine.org.uk
• Mariecurie.org.uk
• Heartsandballs.org.uk

ABOUT BIG PEAT

Instagram: @bigpeatwhisky

Facebook: /bigpeat

Established in 2009 by Douglas Laing & Co, Big Peat has amassed a somewhat cult following throughout his tenure in the world of Whisky. The multi award-winning small batch Scotch is a marriage of Single Cask Single Malts distilled only on Islay, including those distilled at Ardbeg, Bowmore, Caol Ila and Port Ellen Distilleries, amongst others. Celebrated for “his” trademark smoky, sooty, ashy and sweet flavour profile, Big Peat is proudly offered at high alcohol strength and always without colouring or chill-filtration.

ABOUT DOUGLAS LAING & CO.

www.douglaslaing.com

Douglas Laing & Co. is a leading independent Scotch Whisky distillery, blender and bottler specialising in the selection and release of Single Cask Single and Small Batch Malt Scotch Whiskies.

The company was founded by Fred Douglas Laing in 1948 and is still owned and run by the Laing family – Fred Laing Jr and his daughter Cara Laing.

The company philosophy is to bottle the way the distiller intended – at a high strength and without chill filtration to preserve the robust and unique character of the Whisky. Douglas Laing’s industry reputation and many awards is testament to this ethos.

Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts, the Ultimate Distillation of Scotland’s Malt Whisky Regions, encompasses The Epicurean Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky, Timorous Beastie (Highlands), Scallywag (Speyside), The Gauldrons (Campbeltown), Rock Island (Islands) and Big Peat (Islay).

Beyond its Blended Malts expertise, the award-winning Douglas Laing portfolio also includes Provenance, Premier Barrel, Old Particular, Xtra Old Particular and XOP Black, collectively known as the firm’s “Exceptional Single Casks”.

VIRTUAL FIFE WHISKY FESTIVAL RAISES FUNDS FOR CHARITY

A virtual whisky tasting hosted by the team behind Fife Whisky Festival has boosted the funds of a local charity.

The `Fae Fife’ online tasting was organised specifically to support Age Concern Cupar raising £1,000 for the group.

It also brought some lockdown cheer to Scottish whisky lovers who were disappointed the annual Fife Whisky Festival had to be cancelled this year.

Instead, 40 whisky fans from across the country were treated to ten drams from a range of Fife distilleries during a two-hour tasting session.

Fife Whisky Festival co-founder Karen Somerville said: “When we realised we wouldn’t be able to have our usual 700-strong crowd gather for the Festival we decided to host the next best thing – a tasting from Fife distilleries.

“We always raise money for Age Concern Cupar at the Festival with a raffle and we didn’t want them to miss out this year especially when they need funding more than ever to support elderly people through the difficult times we are all facing.

“The distilleries and our festival retailer, Luvians, kindly provided the whisky for us and we were limited to just 25 tickets which meant we sold out in about three minutes as hundreds of whisky lovers tried to snap them up!

“It was a great night and everyone had fun – the drams were great; we heard some interesting presentations from the distillers and brand ambassadors and best of all we raised £1,000 for Age Concern through ticket sales and some generous donations.”

Anne Ronaldson, Manager of Age Concern Cupar, was delighted with the funds raised by the whisky tasting.

She said: “I’d like to thank the team at Fife Whisky Festival for their continued support which is much appreciated.

“We’re closed now, due to lockdown, but are looking forward to welcoming people back for activities and social evenings when we can and this donation will make a big difference to us.

“I really appreciate the organisers thinking about us and hosting the tasting to help us this year.”

The distillers and brand ambassadors involved in the event also enjoyed the evening.

Murray Stevenson, UK Sales Manager and Brand Ambassador at Lindores Abbey Distillery in Newburgh, said: “It’s a real honour to be part of an event showcasing the thriving industry of Fife Whisky distilling which has gone from strength to strength during the past decade with Single Malt Whisky from our little corner of the globe now among the most sought after worldwide. 

“For us here at Lindores Abbey Distillery attending the Fife Whisky Festival, be it virtual or the real thing, is one of our most important and enjoyable dates in our calendar. 

“With Lindores being a young distillery, we relish the opportunity to engage with whisky enthusiasts in our local community and introduce them to our phenomenal malt spirit, beautiful distillery and incredible history of the ancient Abbey that is on their doorstep. 

“The Festival is also a fantastic platform to communicate our brand and story to those further afield from Fife too and it is a real joy to be part of the new wave of whisky tourism coming to the area and welcoming the world’s whisky pilgrims to the Kingdom of Fife.”

The tasting session began with drams from Lindores Abbey Distillery and Lady of the Glen – an independent bottler whose new warehouses are in Dalgety Bay.

They were followed by a dram presented by Kingsbarns Distillery’s Peter Holroyd, who also treated viewers to a live tour of the distillery, before Francis Cuthbert presented a single cask whisky from Daftmill Distillery in Cupar.

The fifth dram was a single malt from Eden Mill Distillery in St Andrews followed by a taste of last year’s festival bottling of a 22-year-old Cameronbridge which was finished in a marsala cask for 12 months.

This dram was presented by Vince Fusaro, owner and founder of Luvians Bottle Shop, and Hugh Barron – Sales Manager for whisky specialists James Eadie who bottled the Cameronbridge.

The ‘Fae Fife’ finale featured four tasting samples in a deluxe pack from InchDairnie Distillery in Glenrothes and a presentation from distiller Scott Sneddon.

Karen Somerville and her co-founder Justine Hazlehurst are now planning the next Fife Whisky Festival which takes place in March 2022.

Ms Hazlehurst said: “We’ve already booked the Corn Exchange in Cupar for March 5 and aim to bring the Festival back to Fife bigger and better than ever.

“As usual we’ll have more than 30 distilleries and independent bottlers from all over Scotland showcasing their whisky wares.

“It will be an opportunity not to be missed and I think we’ll all be looking forward to it after having to cancel our 2021 event.”

Mrs Somerville, Managing Director of award-winning giftware firm Angels’ Share Glass, and Ms Hazlehurst, founder of Kask Whisky, launched Fife Whisky Festival in 2017 with the first event held in March 2018.

The annual Festival aims to showcase the renaissance of whisky-making in Fife by bringing together the best whisky producers from the region and beyond with the next event scheduled for March 4-6, 2022.

It will feature an Opening Dinner at Lindores Abbey on Friday March 4 followed by tasting sessions at the Corn Exchange in Cupar on Saturday March 5 with additional, smaller events on the Sunday.

Tickets for the 2022 event are due to go on sale in September this year.

For more details about the Festival, visit www.fifewhiskyfestival.com

Notes 

Fife Whisky Festival was launched in 2017 by Justine Hazlehurst and Karen Somerville and the first event, opened by endurance cyclist Mark Beaumont, was held at the Corn Exchange in Cupar on Saturday March 10, 2018. For more details, go to www.fifewhiskyfestival.com

Angels’ Share Glass is a family-run business based in Bridge of Allan, near Stirling. The firm is co-directed by Karen Somerville and her father Tom Young – a world-renowned Master Craftsman who has been glassblowing and making lamp-work glassware for nearly 60 years. More information about the company can be found at www.angelsshareglass.com

Justine Hazlehurst is the founder of Kask Whisky, a whisky events company based in Edinburgh. She has established the Fife Whisky Trail and the Leith Whisky Trail and works alongside Holyrood Distillery developing and leading the distillery’s Whisky Walking Tour. For more details about Kask Whisky, go to www.kaskwhisky.com

The first of many updates about our available and incoming Single Casks expressions. The mission of ImpEx Beverages has always been to seek fantastic drams that deliver excellent taste and amaze the drinker from distilleries whose stories and philosophies provide an overall delightful experience. This experience is often best exemplified by a Single Cask offering, which captures both the art of that distillery, and the potential that the people behind it can accomplish. The overall goal is to deliver a dram that creates a symphony comprised of the best nature can offer from the passion these amazing people possess.

READY FOR DRAMMING

While these are sold out of our warehouse, you may still find them on the shelves of selected retailers near you.  Feel free to email the office for more information on your local area.

Kilchoman ImpEx Cask Evolution
8 yo Calvados Cask Finished

This 8 year old Single Cask was matured in a Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrel for 8 years before being finished in a Calvados cask for 8 months prior to bottling.

56.6% abv    50PPM    Less than 250 bottles

NOSE – Fresh citrus sweetness, tropical fruit, and light peat smoke.

PALATE – Green apples, fresh vanilla, cinammon sweetness, and floral smoke.

FINISH – Waves of crisp citrus and rich, earthy peat smoke.

Penderyn 15yo ex-Bourbon

This whisky has been matured in ex-Buffalo Trace Bourbon casks.

59% abv    114 Bottles

NOSE – Soft honey, vanilla and pears make an entrance, accompanied by oaky notes and spices.

PALATE – Rich and syrupy like a sponge cake with marzipan. Some light oak and Bourbon sits alongside soft yellow fruits ringing with papaya and pineapple notes.

FINISH – Loaded with honey, light tropical notes and light spices.

Penderyn 13yo Rich Oak

This whisky at has been matured in ex-Buffalo Trace Bourbon casks, and then finished in an ex-European STR cask.

58.1% abv     232 Bottles

NOSE – A caramel and dark chocolate richness… sweet, jammy and thick. Full of tropical fruits notes such as melon, mango, papaya.

PALATE – A rich taste in the mouth, sweet and jam-like. Deliciously juicy like fruit salad in a glass, followed by spiciness and notes of oak tannins.

FINISH – Dried fruits such as prunes and sultanas, whilst the jammy sweetness dries in the fade.

M & H STR Cask

This unique cask was specially handpicked by ImpEx and The M&H team. It is a STR wine cask that was aged under the Tel Aviv sun and bottled at cask strength.

55 % abv    Kosher

NOSE – The mahogany color is reflected by the aroma of dark red fruits, coffee, and oak. Impressions of dark chocolate and warm spices are also felt.

PALATE – Strong oak notes and flavorful spice. Lighter touches of cracked black pepper, candied fruits, and Christmas cake.

FINISH – Medium-long with lingering notes of dark chocolate, dried fruits, and just a hint of black pepper.

M & H ex-Islay Cask

When the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean. This Single Malt whisky was fully matured in an ex-Islay cask that was used to age peated whisky for a decade in one of the renowned distilleries on the Scottish island before meeting the Tel-Aviv sun. With evident maritime and spicy notes, this whisky is exemplary for the fusion of tradition and innovation.

61% abv    Kosher

NOSE – Mineral and creamy, a mix iodine and salt meets stone fruit, mild peat spiced with white pepper.

PALATE – Charred herbs, dry ginger, a sweet swirl of marzipan and white chocolate.

FINISH – Pleasant with candied citrus peel, allspice, and chamomile.

COMING SOON
TO A DRAM NEAR YOU

These casks are either on their way to the U.S., or are in the process of whisky assembly, and will be on the way soon.  Either way, you will want to stay tuned so that you know when and where you can get access to these exceptional expressions.

• • The GlenAllachie 2006 14yr Port Pipe (click for the Press Release on this amazing expression)
  • Kilchoman Mezcal Finish
  • M&H ex-Rum Cask
  • Single Malts of Scotland Run 2.1
  • Single Cask Nation Release 7

SECRET TREASURE

Starting in April, our 3D (Distillery Deep Dive) Series is returning with new guests and a more robust Q&A Format.  Keep an eye out for news on what to expect in the series this year and the timing – we hope to see you there!

Thanks again for being part of our family and enjoying these fine whiskies with us!  Remember that during these uncertain times we encourage you to drink responsibly, so instead of quantity, drink quality!

We’ll be in touch about other exciting news as the year drinks on … 🥃

Please feel free to reach out for more details on the bottlings: office@impexbev.com

Our March auction is now LIVE!

Place your bids from Friday 19^th March until Sunday 28^th March.

www.whiskyhammer.com

Every month, we present an incredible selection of whiskies and other fine spirits to our members right across the globe. You will find everything here from limited edition releases and vintage bottles to whole casks of rare whisky. There is certainly something for everyone – whether you are looking to collect, invest or enjoy!

Bowmore – Black Bowmore DB5 (1964) 31 Year Old

Glenfarclas – 60 Year Old (1959) Single Cask

Macallan – 1990 (Hogshead)

Karuizawa – 35 Year Old (Fazzino)

Macallan – An Estate, A Community and a Distiller

Selling whisky? Why not arrange the pick-up of your bottles using our global courier service? If you’re based in Scotland, you might want to arrange the personal collection of your bottles. Wherever you’re based in the world, we will make getting your bottles into our monthly auction as simple as possible. Get in touch with the Whisky Hammer team now by dropping them a message at sales@whiskyhammer.co.uk.

Our online shop is closing

After three years of selling The Glenrothes on our Online Shop, we recognise the need to improve our offering and levels of customer service.

In order to address these changes, the shop will temporarily be closing.

Last orders can be placed up until 12pm BST on March 31st, so there’s still time to purchase one of the few remaining bottles.

We will notify you again as soon as our reopening plans are in place. Until then, please do contact us if you have any questions.

The Glenrothes Team

Visit the Online Shop

#SpiritOfRothes

Speyside Distillery Tasting 26th March 7pm

We have another fantastic value tasting event to enjoy with the little known Spey Distillery taking centre stage with 5 wonderful whiskies. Paul Dempsey will join Russell Brinklow in an informative but relaxed discussion about the distillery that lies the furthers upstream of all the Spey Distilleries. Also guesting will be Distillery Manager Allan Findlay, who brings his wealth of experience and humour to the night.

£20.00

SHOP NOW

Welcome to this weeks episode of the show in which I’ll be asking whether Australian distilleries are obsessed with sherry casks!

https://youtu.be/gN_fdbvy6fs