1995 Blair Athol 24 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single First Fill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Pre-Arrival) $119.99 View

This little distillery outside of Pitlochry is one of Scotland’s most picturesque. Few know it well on this side of the pond, but there’s a constant stream of visitors arriving to tour the famous home of Bell’s Blend. This regional blend is very popular in the U.K. and we’ve been lucky to have a steady stream of casks coming from the lovely distillery. Located just a few clicks south of the even tinier Edradour distillery, the beautiful stone buildings were originally constructed in 1798, but closed soon after opening. Now covered in vines, the distillery reopened in 1825 only to be mothballed again a century later in 1932. Finally, in 1949 it was purchased and reopened by Arthur Bell & Sons destined to become the heart malt for their eponymous blend. The distillery features 2 wash and 2 spirits stills and a total capacity of 2.5 million liters per year, although it’s unlikely they get close to that quantity. The spirits character is medium to full bodied with a distinct herbal character that lends itself nicely to maturation in sherry casks. We’ve managed to keep these excellent first fill sherry casks at an altogether reasonable price point despite the increasing age and unbelievable quality. This is one of the more complex and savory sherry butts we’ll see this year with a full body and an unctuous texture. It’s not designed for those expecting sweeter flavors, but also refrains from crossing the savory line toward sulfur. This butt turned out 262 bottles at cask strength.

2007 Daftmill “Winter Batch Release” Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $249.99 View

1995 Aberlour 25 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Hogshead Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Pre-Arrival) $299.99 View

The gorgeous little distillery at the entrance of the tiny town of the same name has quietly become one of the Scotch loving world’s darlings. The distillery, owned by blending giant Chivas Brothers (Pernod Ricard), was built in 1879 and features two 21 thousand-liter wash stills and a pair of each spirits stills, 20 and 15 thousand liters. The distillery’s name means “mouth of the babbling brook,” and indeed a stream meanders next to the distillery, but the distillery’s water comes from Ben Rinnes like many of the other distilleries around the famous mountain. We’ve never been offered a barrel of Aberlour much less one of such astonishing age. While the distillery itself has been focused on NAS bottlings like their popular A’Bunadh series, the older expressions have become extremely rare. This single hogshead was selected not only for the incredible provenance and rarity, but also its extreme deliciousness. Unlike many modern Aberlour’s, which have become synonymous with hardcore sherry, this is a much more nuanced and idiosyncratic. While by no means a value buy, it does represent a malt that is otherwise unobtainable at nearly any price and its inherent quality and unique character easily merit the price of entry. Only 184 bottles came out of this old Hogshead. It was bottled at cask strength without chill-filteration or coloring of any kind.

Ardbeg 19 Year “Traigh Bhan – 2020 Release” Batch #2 Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) $299.99 View

Named after Islay’s Traigh Bhan beach, known locally as the Singing Sands, this whisky will be available in limited batches produced on an annual basis. The whisky recipe is set to change with each batch, creating subtle differences between future iterations. Each batch of Ardbeg Traigh Bhan will feature a unique code on the carton and bottle, which drinkers can enter into the distillery’s website to find out more about the story of the whisky. Dr Bill Lumsden, Ardbeg’s director of distilling, whisky creation and whisky stocks, said, “A new, permanent aged Ardbeg is a rare occurrence, and cause for celebration. We hope that, by slightly tweaking the batch recipe year-on-year, Ardbeggians can have some fun exploring the finer details of this ever-changing dram.” Matured in American oak and ex-oloroso Sherry casks before being bottled at 46.2% ABV, this is the second batch of Traigh Bhan (pronounced Try-Van) bottled in 2020. Amazingly the price remains the same despite the incredible success of the first batch.

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 343: Nc’nean Organic Single Malt – Batch 1

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky vlogger, tries the first Nc’nean organic single malt. Nc’nean is a new distillery, one that holds nature in high regard. They grow their barley organically and use only renewables for energy. Even the packaging, both bottle and tube, are made of recycled material. In 2020 the inaugural release ‘Ainnir’ at cask strength was launched (1320 bottles), immediately followed by this general release – batch 1 – at drinking strength. This Batch 1 sold out pretty quickly. It’s a vatting of 14 casks, 65% STR red wine casks and 35% former bourbon casks.

https://youtu.be/yzGNedffeTY

MEET ROBIN REDBREAST 

REDBREAST IRISH WHISKEY BRINGS ICONIC ROBIN TO LIFE AND ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL 

Redbreast Irish Whiskey has unveiled Robin Redbreast, an engaging evolution of its iconic character to inspire a new generation of whiskey lovers. Elevating Robin Redbreast from the icon of the brand to the voice of the brand, Robin is a plucky yet charming character, with a dry wit and Irish sense of humour that reflects Ireland and the home of Redbreast in Midleton, Co Cork.

Evoking the quality and craftsmanship of Redbreast Irish Whiskey, Robin Redbreast’s new look is carved from wood, paying homage to the wood casks that help to make Redbreast Irish Whiskey so uniquely special.

Redbreast is also launching a global partnership with leading bird conservation charity, BirdLife International, to support the organisation on its mission to keep the common bird common. Redbreast Irish Whiskey will raise funds, help to conserve and restore bird habitats and support BirdLife International in its quest to monitor bird populations so that deeper environmental problems (and successes) can be rapidly identified.

“With the Robin being one of the world’s most recognisable birds, Redbreast Irish Whiskey is delighted to take the opportunity of the launch of its new character to announce its commitment to supporting BirdLife International and the welfare of not only Robins but all birds.” explains Laura Hanratty, Head of Prestige and Speciality Brands at Irish Distillers.

Commenting on the new partnership, Patricia Zurita, CEO, BirdLife International adds “We welcome this partnership with the iconic Redbreast Irish Whiskey which promises support for our conservation work in Ireland and globally. With the new Robin Redbreast ambassador launched, we’re looking forward to working with the Redbreast team as they join us in our mission to keep common birds, and not so common birds, common.”

The ongoing partnership between Redbreast and BirdLife International will aim to educate consumers on how to protect the common birds, and will see the first limited-edition Value-Added Pack launching later next month.

Redbreast is the world’s bestselling single pot still Irish whiskey, a style of whiskey which is historically unique to Ireland. First referenced in 1912, “Redbreast” was a nickname given to the whiskey by the chairman of Dublin whiskey bonders Gilbeys, who was an avid birdwatcher. The robin symbol has been synonymous with the brand’s growing reputation ever since.

Today Redbreast is considered the definitive expression of single pot still Irish whiskey and features a range of expressions from 12-Year-Old through to 15, 21 and now 27-Year-Old – as well as Redbreast Lustau Edition and the brand’s eagerly anticipated annual Dream Cask bottling of the rarest casks in the Redbreast inventory. The brand has built a global reputation for excellence by marrying a combination of the world’s finest aged pot still whiskeys, created at the world-famous Midleton Distillery in Cork, and finishing them in a combination of the very best bourbon, sherry and port casks.

With ambitious growth plans for Redbreast, which was also recently named in IMPACT’s top five-selling Irish whiskeys in the US, the introduction of Robin Redbreast has been designed to drive discovery with more whiskey fans, broadening its audience by creating a distinctive and memorable character for the beloved range.

Robin Redbreast will feature in a series of digital creatives, flying in to share brand news and celebrate occasions with whiskey lovers across the globe. Shot on location at Midleton Distillery, fans can also expect cameos from Irish Distillers’ expert whiskey blenders Billy Leighton and Dave McCabe.

‘We know that the Redbreast audience is driven by curiosity and that they discover new brands that they can engage with online. As we seek to widen the audience for the brand, it is a natural next step to introduce a modern-day digital evolution of our revered Robin that encapsulates the essence of the brand and the people who make it,” explains Laura Hanratty.

Robin Redbreast has been created by The Public House with CGI development produced by Jelly London and will be rolling out across global marketing channels from 1 October.

#PassItOn

#RobinRedbreast

#RedbreastIrishWhiskey

Watch Robin Redbreast: 

Introducing Robin Redbreast  

Robin Redbreast Blushing

How to Enjoy Redbreast -With Robin Redbreast 

Who introduced you to Redbreast – With Robin Redbreast

How did Redbreast get its name? – With Robin Redbreast

Notes: 

About Irish Distillers

Irish Distillers is one of Ireland’s leading suppliers of spirits and wines, and producer of some of the world’s most well-known and successful Irish whiskeys. Led by Jameson, our brands are driving the global renaissance of Irish whiskey. Jameson is the world’s bestselling Irish whiskey, experiencing 30 years of consecutive growth and hitting sales of 8m cases in 2019. Our brands are exported to 130+ markets, with over 70 of those experiencing double or triple-digit growth.

Irish Distillers was formed in 1966, when a merger took place between John Power & Son, John Jameson & Son and Cork Distilleries Company. In 1988 Irish Distillers joined Pernod Ricard, gaining access to unprecedented levels of investment and an extensive global distribution network. Since 2012, we have invested over €400 million to double our production and bottling capacity to meet global demand for our products.

We employ over 600 people across our operations in Cork and Dublin.

About Pernod Ricard

Pernod Ricard is the No.2 worldwide producer of wines and spirits with consolidated sales of €9,182 million in FY19. Created in 1975 by the merger of Ricard and Pernod, the Group has developed through organic growth and acquisitions: Seagram (2001), Allied Domecq (2005) and Vin&Sprit (2008). Pernod Ricard, which owns 16 of the Top 100 Spirits Brands, holds one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry, including: Absolut Vodka, Ricard pastis, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater gin, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes, as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate, Campo Viejo, and Kenwood wines. Pernod Ricard’s brands are distributed across 160+ markets and by its own salesforce in 73 markets. The Group’s decentralised organisation empowers its 19,000 employees to be true on-the-ground ambassadors of its vision of “Créateurs de Convivialité.” As reaffirmed by the Group’s three-year strategic plan, “Transform and Accelerate,” deployed in 2018, Pernod Ricard’s strategy focuses on investing in long-term, profitable growth for all stakeholders. The Group remains true to its three founding values: entrepreneurial spirit, mutual trust, and a strong sense of ethics. As illustrated by the 2030 roadmap supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), “We bring good times from a good place.” In recognition of Pernod Ricard’s strong commitment to sustainable development and responsible consumption, it has received a Gold rating from Ecovadis and is ranked No. 1 in the beverage sector in Vigeo Eiris. Pernod Ricard is also a United Nation’s Global Compact LEAD company.

Pernod Ricard is listed on Euronext (Ticker: RI; ISIN code: FR0000120693) and is part of the CAC 40 index.

About BirdLife International

BirdLife International is the world’s largest nature conservation Partnership. Together we are 116 BirdLife Partners worldwide and growing, with almost 11 million supporters, 7,000 local conservation groups and 7,400 staff. BirdLife is widely recognised as the world leader in bird conservation, a United Nations-recognised civil society observer, and our unique local-to-global approach delivers high impact and long-term conservation for the benefit of nature and people. Find out more at www.birdlife.org

Benromach launches 21 Year Old whisky as new look goes global 

To mark the worldwide release of Benromach’s new look, the Speyside distillery has launched a new permanent addition to its core range – the Benromach 21 Year Old.

Matured exclusively in first-fill sherry and bourbon casks, the 21 Year Old leads with sherry aromas followed by the taste of subtle spice, raspberry and Seville orange, with a soft smoky finish.

Benromach launched its new look core range, which includes the 10 Year Old, 15 Year Old and 2009 Cask Strength Vintage, in June and began shipping to several markets throughout Europe and Asia. These designs were inspired by the Speyside distillery’s history and traditional approach to making their award-winning single malt whisky, and are now beginning to hit the shelves.

Keith Cruickshank, Distillery Manager at Benromach, said: “The 21 Year Old is the oldest expression we have offered in our core line up since our team reopened the distillery 22 years ago. As an older whisky which is still grounded in our commitment to using only the finest first-fill bourbon and sherry casks, it provides a unique take on the classic Benromach style.

“We’re proud to see our new bottles which better reflect the Benromach story and approach to whisky making, now filling stockists’ shelves and drinks cabinets around the world. Made by hand for genuine character, Benromach is a traditional Speyside distillery owned by a family intent on producing single malt the right way. Our small team of distillers rely entirely on their expertise and senses to make the finest handmade whisky, matured exclusively in first-fill casks, with a subtly smoky character and authentic Benromach taste.”

Benromach 21 Year Old will be available at selected retailers worldwide from mid-October. Stockist information can be found on the brand website: https://www.benromach.com/stockists

Benromach 21 Year Old is priced at £129.99.  Prices in international markets may vary due to local taxes and import duties.

Notes

Tasting Notes: 

New addition to Benromach’s Core range:

Benromach 21 Year Old

Benromach 21 Year Old is bottled at 43% ABV

• Aromas: Sweet Sherry aromas with underlying citrus, ginger and oak notes, accompanied by a touch of smoke.
• Palate: Sweet initially with cracked black pepper, Seville orange and raspberry flavours lead to baked apple and subtle spice.
• Finish: Charred oak and soft smoke.
• Maturation: Matured in first-fill ex-sherry and ex-bourbon casks.
• RRP: £129.99 

About Benromach Distillery

Originally built in 1898, Benromach Distillery was brought back to life when the Urquhart family realised a lifelong dream to own a distillery and purchased it in 1993. The distillery was extensively re-equipped over a five-year period before it was officially opened by HRH The Duke of Rothesay in 1998.

In reopening Benromach Distillery, the Urquhart family wanted to create a single malt whisky that has a classic Speyside character: beautifully balanced with a light touch of smoke.

Benromach Distillery is located on the outskirts of the ancient market town of Forres. A five-star visitor centre is open to the public throughout the year for tours and tastings. Benromach Distillery is a member of the world-famous Malt Whisky Trail.

For more information, visit: www.benromach.com

Third Time’s a Charm: The Really Good Company goes for a Hat-trick with their 2020 Whisky Advent Calendar

The Really Good Whisky Company have launched their 2020 version of their Malt Teaser Advent Calendar which is ready to be shipped worldwide*. This year, the calendar contains 25 drams, one more than last year. The whisky included come from a range of distilleries from around the world with an emphasis this year on single malt Scotch. The whiskies range in age from the minimum 3 years and 1 day, going all the way up to a 28-year-old. The whiskies also vary in strength with the ABV ranging from 40% – 61%. 

Closer to Advent, The Really Good Whisky Company will release a short blurb on the website alongside a short tasting video which contains information such as the history of the distillery, details on the whisky-making process of the specific dram and brief tasting notes which aim to guide the recipient. 

The company has gone for a sleek design. Each dram comes in an individual box with a number on top indicating the day it is meant to be opened. The company understands if people want to keep the whisky a secret until the day of, however, they have included a list of all the drams available in order to be as transparent as possible about the quality of the whisky available. This list includes award-winning drams such as Machir Bay by Kilhoman and a 28-year-old Old Particular Cameronbridge.  

Managing Director, Shelley Kelaty said, “I am very excited to release a new calendar this year after last year’s success. This year we have decided to include an extra dram of whisky to allow our customers to taste an even wider selection from around the world. Our selection this year comes from Scotland, Ireland, North America and even as far as Australia. We love introducing customers to new whiskies and believe that the Advent Calendar is a great way to sample some of the best whiskies in our warehouse, making the run-up to Christmas a lot more enjoyable.” 

Whether you are looking to buy it for yourself or as a gift for someone else, the 2020 Malt Teaser calendar has something for everyone. It is also excellent for anyone looking to get into whisky as the calendar holds a varied selection of some of the best whiskies on offer for an accessible price. 

Reviews of 2019 Malt Teaser Advent Calendar:

The range and quality of these whiskies is exceptional… There genuinely isn’t a dull of duff product among them.

H – Two Thirsty Gardeners

This is 24 really good drams and it’s currently being sold for £125 which works out at a fiver a dram, go and find me a pub where you’ll get this sort of quality for a fiver a dram?

H – The Captain, Whisky Apocolypse 

*exceptions apply. 

The Really Good Whisky Company is a specialist online retailer for rare, collectable and drinkable whiskies. Along with its vast selection of bottles, it also carries its own line of miniature tasting packs and products, under its brand ‘Malt Teasers.’ The Really Good Whisky Company is based in London and ships product worldwide.

For further information, please contact Victoria Gilbert at The Really Good Whisky Company. Email: tori@reallygoodwhisky.com Telephone: 0203 872 7771

We’re reaching fizzy new heights: explore and enjoy our latest batch of dazzling drams.

SUNSHINE AFTER THE RAIN

CASK NO. 82.22

CASK:  2nd fill barrel

AGE:  8 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Juicy, oak & vanilla

SPOCK’S EARWAX

CASK NO. 59.59

CASK:  New oak hogshead

AGE:  10 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Spicy & sweet

TARANTELLA TONGUE DANCING

CASK NO. 37.131

CASK:  1st fill STR barrique

AGE:  15 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Deep, rich & dried fruits

OUT OF LEFT FIELD

CASK NO. 29.257

CASK:  1st fill Oloroso hogshead

AGE:  21 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Lightly peated

BATTLE AXE

CASK NO. N/A

CASK:  Refill hogsheads

AGE:  8 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Peated

COSY CONTENTMENT

CASK NO. 16.41

CASK:  Re-charred hogshead

AGE:  9 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Peated

As he’s done for the last several months, Adam from The Strath Liquor Store has reviewed the Outturn and posted it on YouTube.

You can watch it here!

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada
Suite 160
104 – 1240 Kensington Road NW
Calgary, AB  T2N 3P7
403-969-8225
curious@smws.ca
www.smws.ca

Enjoy a whisky tasting at home with our

WHISKY SAMPLE SETS

Great Whiskies in Small Packages.

Our Little Dram Sets are the perfect way to sample a selection of our delicious whiskies at home. You could even host your own tasting evening through a video chat with your friends… Get the opportunity to try a selection of our latest single cask whiskies with our Cask Collection Set or choose our Classic Set to go on a journey through our core range from our Bank Note premium blend through to our Cask Islay peated single malt.

Cask Collection Set

Sample a selection of single cask whiskies from our latest Cask Collection. Our Little Drams Set contains 5x 3cl cask strength whisky samples presented in a gift box.

Limited number of sets available

£35.00

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Classic Drams Set

Discover the full range of our whiskies of distinction with our Classic Little Drams Set. Our Little Drams Set contains 5x 3cl whisky samples presented in a gift box.

£25.00

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FREE MYSTERY SAMPLE

Every order comes with a free whisky sample and this month it will be an extra surprise with samples ranging from 5 years old to 25 years old… which treat will you get…with every order…FREE UK DELIVERY  |  FREE WHISKY SAMPLE  |  FREE BOTTLE WRAP Please note that at present our Whisky Shop is NOT open to visitors and we are not able to offer our Tasting Experiences for the foreseeable future. This remains under review so if this changes we will make another announcement.

TyndrumWhisky.com

Brings you

Benromach 21

The latest release and matured in the finest first fill casks.

With a nose full of Sweet Sherry aromas with underlying citrus, ginger and oak notes, accompanied by a touch of smoke.

Pre Order now for delivery in the next 7 days (or so).

Pre Order Now >

I’ve always called Bruichladdich – ‘Punk Rock Whisky’ and they’re still yet to deter me using that phrase.

The Classic Laddie: Bourbon, Sherry and Wine casks. A conglomerate of vast flavour at 50% ABV, Non-Chill Filtered & Natural Colour. It’s a powerful Islay that doesn’t have to use peat to get its point across, a wonderful thing to say in itself. Bringing together so many different and wonderful styles of Scottish whisky into one bottle is what this has always been about; they’ve succeeded.

https://youtu.be/s2ds6asw8lc