THOMAS H. HANDY SAZERAC RYE, STAGG JR. NAMED CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY RECIPIENTS AT 2020 ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE

18 Buffalo Trace Distillery spirits recognized 

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (Aug. 20, 2020) Two Buffalo Trace Distillery whiskies received prestigious Chairman’s Trophies at the 2020 Ultimate Spirits Challenge, and seven other whiskies were named Chairman’s Trophy Finalists. Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Rye and Stagg Jr. claimed the Chairman’s Trophies. Additionally, nine Buffalo Trace spirits were deemed a Great Value, eight received Tried & True designations, and four were included in the competition’s Top 100 Spirits.

Those awarded the distinction of “Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation” were:

• Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Finalist for Chairman’s Trophy
  • Named a Great Value
  • Tried & True Award
• Eagle Rare 17 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
  • Chairman’s Trophy
  • Top 100 Spirits
• George T. Stagg Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Finalist for Chairman’s Trophy
  • Tried & True Award
  • Top 100 Spirits
• Stagg Jr. Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Chairman’s Trophy
  • Named a Great Value
  • Tried & True Award
  • Top 100 Spirits
• William Larue Weller Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Finalist for Chairman’s Trophy
  • Top 100 Spirits
• L. Weller CYPB Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Finalist for Chairman’s Trophy
  • Named a Great Value
• L. Weller 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Named a Great Value
  • Tried & True Award

“Excellent, Highly Recommended” honors went to:

• Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Named a “Great Value”
• Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Finalist for Chairman’s Trophy
  • “Tried & True” Award
• Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Finalist for Chairman’s Trophy
  • Named a “Great Value”
  • “Tried & True” Award
• Colonel E.H. Taylor Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
  • Finalist for Chairman’s Trophy
  • “Tried & True” Award
• Weller Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• L. Weller Antique 107 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Elmer T. Lee Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Named a “Great Value”

Awarded “Very Good, Strong Recommendation” was:

• L. Weller Special Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Named a “Great Value”

“Good, Recommended” distinction was given to:

• Buffalo Trace Distillery Bourbon Cream

This competition, in its 10th year, is judged by a panel of the spirit industry’s most renowned judges including award-winning authors, buyers, journalists, educators and bar owners, who rate each spirit on a 100-point scale.

Complete results for the 2020 Ultimate Spirits Challenge can be found at https://www.ultimate-beverage.com/ultimate-spirits-challenge-USC-Results/2020-spirits-results.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is an American family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich tradition dates back to 1775 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee.  Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational Distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is a National Historic Landmark as well as is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won 35 distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. Its Col. E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon was named World Whiskey of the Year by “Jim Murray’s Whiskey Bible 2018” and its William Larue Weller and Thomas H. Handy Sazerac were named 2^nd and 3^rd finest whiskeys in the world, respectively, in the “Jim Murray Whiskey Bible 2020.”  Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 1,000 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com.

Join The W Club today – for free!

For one day only, buy any 70cl (or above) bottle exclusive to The Whisky Shop and you’ll receive a complimentary one-year membership for The W Club, worth £30!

Perks of The W Club include exclusive tasting events, Whisky Wednesday flash sales and access to members-only bottlings, including the upcoming Daftmill release. Learn more about our membership here.

The range of exclusives up for grabs include distillery bottlings that have been specially selected for The Whisky Shop and can’t be found anywhere else.

Alternatively, we have a wide selection of independently bottled single cask expressions from family-run bottler Hunter Laing & Co. of Glasgow, including the renowned Old Malt Cask series.

You only have 24 hours to grab this one-off special deal – don’t miss out! Start your whisky journey with us today.

Shop our exclusives and claim your free membership now ›

Unlocking the mystery (of Daftmill)…

Daftmill 2006 Single Cask #35 W Club Exclusive is finally on its way!

We’re beyond excited to announce that our highly-anticipated Daftmill bottling will be landing this October. Due to its extremely limited nature, bottles will only be available to purchase via a ballot system for members of The W Club only.

This ex-bourbon expression was chosen in January by the W Club’s Cask Committee; follow the link to our blog below to check out the behind-the-scenes of this exclusive cask selection!

Read about our Daftmill cask selection ›

A New Source Delivers an Utterly Spectacular Sherried Single Cask
1998 Port Dundas 21 Year Old “Barrel to Bottle” Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($99.99)
“I’m absolutely in love with this selection from the team behind Barrel to Bottle.”
— David Othenin-Girard, K&L SoCal Spirits Buyer

NOTE: Our walk-in retail locations are currently closed. We have curbside pickup and low cost (often free) delivery options available in ZIP codes where we can ship lawfully, including anywhere in California. We can also include any new or existing will call orders in your delivery batch. Choose local delivery at checkout to learn if you qualify.

One of the most exciting additions to our spirits portfolio is “Barrel to Bottle.” This thrilling new project was born of three spirit enthusiasts who began bottling their own whiskies for a close group of friends. This trio proved to be remarkably adept at selecting the very best of the best, and in no time their reputation grew. It was only natural, then, that this passion project evolved into a full-fledged spirits brand—and one that has collectors taking note. With access to a treasure trove of prized casks from an unnamed distiller, the team has ferreted out the best specimens and brought them to market. The Port Dundas 21 Year Old featured here is the fruit of this endeavor. A rare sherried single grain bottling, it has precisely the kind of profile that makes whisky drinkers swoon. As our SoCal spirits buyer, David Othenin-Girard, notes, “it’s got a full rancio character with plenty of nuttiness, powerful vanilla extract, baked apple and banana.” High-proof but remarkably approachable, even without the addition of water, it is one of the most compelling grain whiskies we’ve ever encountered. Because single grain is still an emerging category, you can own this 21-year-old for just under $100—a razor-sharp price for a Scotch of this caliber. This is an excellent introduction to what is destined to be a go-to brand for Scotch collectors.

1998 Port Dundas 21 Year Old “Barrel to Bottle” Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Single Grain Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($99.99)

Barrel to Bottle is led by Reid Bechtle and Steve and Paul Schurman. The three friends have bottled hundreds of casks for their whiskey groups. Steve and Reid started selecting casks in 2008, bottling a number of now-famous casks of Willetts. They then went on to found 1789b, a private group of booze lovers focused on selecting single cask American whiskey. Likewise, Paul was the first to identify the incredible brandies being bottled by L’Encantada from Lous Pibous and bottled the first casks for the US for the “Brandy Brothers” via K&L Wine Merchants. Few have more experience or taste when it comes to brown spirits than these three amateurs. Now they’ve gone pro! A close personal connection to one of Scotland’s most prominent distillers and blenders is their impetus. Their incredible reputation has allowed them access to this brand’s entire selection of old high-quality grain whisky. This category is still in its infancy and this secret source rolled out 53 of their best casks. The team chose the three they felt would appeal most to their compatriots in 1789b and the wider dark spirits drinker. This awesome cask of single grain whisky was filled into a sherry butt on May 21st, 1998. A nose of roasted walnuts, dried plums, dark cacao, baked pears and exotic wood. On the palate, the bold character is clearly sherry-driven although unique since we don’t have the malt. Surprisingly drinkable at the very high proof, bridging the gap perfectly between bourbon and sherry.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: August 13, 2020

I’m absolutely in love with this selection from the team behind Barrel to Bottle. I’m also a bit jealous that they get access to these special stocks directly from one of the big boys in Scotland, but honored they thought of K&L as the right store to partner with on these special products. This Port Dundas is the best I’ve had from the distillery since the incredible sherried Port Dundas 36 year bottled by Sovereign years ago. We so rarely see sherry on grain and the last time we saw a dark sherry single grain was a Single Cask Nation Cameronbridge 26 year. That one sold for over $200. I thought they were joking, but they were dead serious. And that whisky sold, but this one is twice as good for half the price. Let’s have a look. The color is deep copper. The nose starts with red fruit, dark old wood, roasted vanilla bean, dried plum and toasted clove. On the palate, it’s got a full rancio character with plenty of nuttiness, powerful vanilla extract, baked apple and banana. Medium to full bodied and pretty oily for a grain, I thought this one went a little dumb with a drop of water, adding astringency that’s not there at full strength. But if you keep adding 10 or 20 more drops, it returns to equilibrium and offers more obvious sherry on the nose, a beautiful creamy texture, and tons of spice on the back end. An altogether exciting addition to the grain category, but this bottle should transcend anyone’s preconceived notion of what grain is or should be.

Pulteney 14 Year Old

2006 vintage single refill sherry butt. Bottled July 2020 by Hart Brothers at a cask strength 52.6% this is a rare example of an indie from the Wick distillery. Old Pulteney 14 Year Old 2006 vintage Highland single malt Scotch whisky. Single cask sherry butt distilled January 2006, bottled July 2020 by Hart Brothers.

PULTENEY SINGLE MALT WHISKY

Pulteney Distillery was established by James Henderson in 1826 in the coastal town of Wick, Caithness. Pulteney is a Highland malt whisky distillery equipped with worm tubs to cool the spirit from its single pair of particularly short stills. Thomas Telford designed the lade which originally carried all the water into the distillery, and a fragment of his stone channel survives in the back yard. The Old Pulteney 12 Year Old, 17 Year Yld and 21 Year Old form the core range supported by Clipper and Navigator in the non-aged bottling series.

£102.76 /  $111.91* / €113.86*

BUY NOW – Old Pulteney 14 Year Old >>

Our Casks of Scotland range are small batch single malt Scotch whiskies that capture the spirit of a whisky region and the warmth found in the people, the land and the whisky they craft. Our range has something to suit every taste and every mood.

VIEW THE FULL RANGE

ralfy review 840 Extras – Generations of Laphroaig

Tennants Auctioneers, The Auction Centre, Leyburn, North Yorkshire DL8 5SG

Tel: 01969 623780 Email: enquiry@tennants-ltd.co.uk Website: www.tennants.co.uk

WHISKY

A good selection of bottles are on offer from every Whisky region in Scotland, with an interesting mix of rare collectable bottles and affordable lots to drink.

Macallan continues to dominate the market, and the top bottles of whisky in the sale hail from the renowned highland distillery. On the top shelf is The Macallan 30 Years Old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky (estimate: £5,500-6,500), and The Macallan 25 Years Old Anniversary Malt (estimate: £2,000-3,000). A rare bottle, the Anniversary Malt was a special bottling in 1985, marrying two sherry matured casks of single malt whisky which were distilled in 1958 and 1959.

Good age statements to look out for include the Tomatin 36 Year Old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky; distilled in small batches in the Highland distillery south of Inverness, this bottle is number 14 of 800 in Batch 3 (estimate: £500-700). A Littlemill 1983 20 Year Old Single Lowland Malt Whisky, bottled by Direct Wines Ltd for their First Cask range (estimate: £200-400) is also of note, as is a 1980s bottling of Glenfarclas 25 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky (estimate: £400-600). Also of note to collectors is a bottle of Cambus 25 Year Old Single Grain Scotch Whisky (estimate: £120-180). Cambus was a distillery perched on the border between the Highland and Lowland regions, which closed in 1993; this is an independent bottling by That Boutique-Y Whisky Company and is number 280 of 349 bottles.

The Macallan 30 Years Old Single Highland Malt Scotch Whisky – Estimate: £5,500-6,500

SALE:               Fine Wine & Whisky

Auction:           26^th September 2020

Venue:             Tennants Auctioneers, Harmby Road, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 5SG

Details:            www.tennants.co.uk

ABOUT TENNANTS 

• Tennants Auctioneers is a fourth-generation family business and is one of the UK’s largest international Antiques and Fine Art auctioneers. Situated in Leyburn, North Yorkshire, Tennants holds over 80 sales a year.

• Tennants connects more than 200,000 buyers and sellers a year.
• As a family business, Tennants stays true to its Yorkshire heritage and offers its clients unrivalled service, expertise and value.
• In 2014 Tennants expanded the Auction Centre to 80,000sq ft with the development of The Garden Rooms – a dedicated venue for events, weddings, conferences and exhibitions. The venue is one of the region’s largest event spaces with a capacity of over 600 people.

375 PARK AVENUE SPIRITS AND THE RENOWNED JOURNEYMAN DISTILLERY OF MICHIGAN FORGE PARTNERSHIP IN THE U.S. MARKET

Louisville, KY (August 20, 2020)—Superior brand specialist, 375 Park Avenue Spirits, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a supply and distribution agreement with Journeyman Distillery effective January 1, 2021.  Under this agreement, 375 Park Avenue Spirits and Sazerac Company’s Bond and Royal craft division will assume responsibility for all sales and operational functions and will support the brand’s marketing efforts.

“When we explore potential strategic partners, it goes without saying that we evaluate the brand proposition, but we also want to ensure that we share a common vision with the owners and that they’re a good cultural fit for what we’re building.  I can honestly say unequivocally that’s the type of long-term partner we’ve found in Bill and Johanna Welter from Journeyman,” said Jason Schladenhauffen, president and CEO of 375 Park Avenue Spirits.  “From the history surrounding the building that now serves as the distillery, to the brand being 100% grain to bottle and certified organic, the unique points of difference and authenticity permeate from this brand like very few in the industry.  Couple all of that with the award-winning liquids that Bill and his team cultivate and our team feels poised to deliver big things for this portfolio in the years to come.”

Founded in 2010 by husband and wife team Bill and Johanna Welter, Journeyman Distillery opened its doors to the public in 2011. There was no great fanfare in the early days, setting the tone for business on the tail end of the Great Recession, at a time when few even recognized what craft distilling was. The Welters and three employees, bursting with entrepreneurial spirit and the American dream of creating their own startup, had high hopes and aspirations of owning and operating a multigenerational business.

“We welcome the opportunity to work with a world-class organization in 375 Park Avenue Spirits,” said Bill and Johanna Welter.  “In an effort to maintain one of our core visions of creating a multigenerational, family owned and operated business, we feel that the collaboration, with the like-minded 375 Park Avenue Spirits, will advance that mission. With the 375 Park Avenue Spirits expert sales team and guidance, we embrace the challenge for our authentic brand story, heritage, and carefully handcrafted artisan spirits, to reach a wider audience in the US. We are ready to embark on this ‘Adventure of Spirit’ together.”

About Journeyman Distillery:

Journeyman takes its place as one of the first to fire up its stills, during what would later be known as the craft distilling renaissance. Journeyman has focused on a grain to bottle process, creating award winning, certified organic and kosher spirits. We proudly reside in Three Oaks, a town of 1,000 people in the great state of Michigan. Journeyman Distillery is located in an 1800s corset and buggy whip factory once owned and operated by E.K. Warren a: visionary, philanthropist, industrialist, and prohibitionist. The distillery now attracts over 200,000 visitors a year.

Welter, having spent time living in St. Andrews Scotland, fell in love with Scotch whisky. That passion and entrepreneurial spirit would later translate into following his grandfather Bill and father, Chuck in the pursuit of a new kind of family business. Journeyman was born out of the idea of, creating hand crafted spirits, an authentic story, and a passion to take a small company and build it into much more.

With a focus on quality, locally sourced organic and kosher ingredients, and the signature inclusion of wheat across the product line, the once small startup, now boasts over 150 employees and distribution in 19 states and Europe. The family feeling and pride remains strong, as the Welter’s are still active in many facets of the business, in conjunction with building a management team that is an integral part of the evolving scene and growth.

Journeyman is now venturing into a new phase, embarking on a collaboration and partnership with the 375 Park Avenue Spirits team. Together we will work to make Journeyman a household name across America.

 About 375 Park Avenue Spirits

375 Park Avenue Spirits specializes in the premium- to luxury-spirit categories and our portfolio includes numerous expressions from leading international & domestic producers.  Founded as Luctor International, LLC in 1981, 375 Park Avenue Spirits joined the Sazerac Company in early 2015 to act as an independent, yet fully integrated sales and marketing affiliate. The company is known today for creating an environment of growth for supplier partners in the domestic market for renown brands like Van Gogh Vodka from Holland, Sobieski Vodka from Poland, Cutty Sark Blended Scotch, J.P. Wiser’s Canadian Whisky, Paul John Single Malt Whisky from India, Scapegrace Gin from New Zealand, Novo Fogo Cachaca and many others. For more information on 375 Park Avenue Spirits, please visit www.375park.com.

New whisky deals have landed!

Don’t miss exciting new additions to our whisky sale! Take up to 49% off world-class drams including Oban Distillers Edition, Highland Park 18 Year Old and Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old (complete with free Bunnahabhain mug!). Hurry: these prices are here this week only and while stocks last.

Shop the Sale ›

From preventing scurvy on naval ships to becoming a timeless classic, the Whisky Sour is a simple, bittersweet cocktail that everyone should know how to make! The 25th August marks National Whisky Sour Day and so we wanted to share with you all our favourite Whisky Sour recipe using our Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky.

Head over to our latest blog to learn how to make the perfect Whisky Sour with our Head of Mixology, Ollie.

GET RECIPE

Cotswolds Distillery
Phillip’s Field, Whichford Road
Stourton
Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire CV36 5EX
United Kingdom