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Founded in 1825 by “Long” John Macdonald, the whiskies were hugely popular in the 19th century, both as single malts and for blending. Now owned by Japanese distiller Nikka, Ben Nevis produces a range of single malts and blends that are held in high regard. Often matured in ex-Sherry casks, the whiskies are typically bold and robust with a rich, chewy texture.
BROWSE OUR FULL BEN NEVIS RANGE HERE
Port Ellen! The one, the only, the infamous Islay. I’ve tried two in the past, three now; as to be expected, they’re all very good. Not life-changing but still extremely good whisky that shouldn’t be allowed to disappear before you get to try it. Samples are expensive, as indeed are measures at a bar, but I’d say its worth doing to tick off that box and be able to make up your own mind as well.
BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY RELEASES
COLONEL E.H. TAYLOR, JR. 18 YEAR OLD MARRIAGE
FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (May 5, 2020) – Buffalo Trace Distillery continues its homage to former Distillery owner Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. with a special release 18 year old bourbon whiskey which is a marriage of three mashbills, two rye bourbon mashbills and one wheated bourbon mashbill.
This 100 proof Bottled-In-Bond small batch bourbon was put into barrels in 2002. Barrels chosen for this special batch release matured using one of three Buffalo Trace mashbill recipes; wheated bourbon, rye bourbon #1 and rye bourbon #2. The whiskey from these 18-year-old barrels was married together to make this limited edition offering.
Tasting notes describe this bourbon as having a nose of vanilla butter cake, a taste of caramel and cinnamon, and a finish of toasted oak, cinnamon, and a hint of spearmint.
The Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. collection was first released in early 2011 and several subsequent releases such as Single Barrel, Barrel Proof, Straight Rye Whiskey, and Small Batch Bourbon have followed. A previous limited release, E. H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon, was named World Whiskey of the Year by renown whiskey reviewer Jim Murray in 2018.
Like some of the previous releases, this one-time-only bottling of E. H. Taylor, Jr 18 Year Old Marriage is very limited. Also consistent with past releases, this bottle displays a vintage label and is offered inside a distinct canister reminiscent of Taylor’s whiskey package from over one hundred years ago. These six bottle cases will be shipped in an impressive wooden box first used for the Cured Oak release in 2015. The boxes are modeled after the wooden crates used by Taylor to transport goods during the days before Prohibition.
Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the bourbon industry, fighting for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, nearly three decades after he purchased the distillery that is known today as the Buffalo Trace Distillery. During his time, Taylor implemented several innovative methods still used today by Buffalo Trace, such as climate controlled aging warehouses. In addition to his bourbon interests, Taylor had political ties. He was the great-nephew of President Zachary Taylor and elected the mayor of Frankfort, state representative to the Kentucky General Assembly and a member of the State Senate.
This special bottling of Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. 18 Year Old Marriage Bourbon Whiskey will be available starting in June in limited supply. The suggested retail price is $69.99 per 750 ml bottle.
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 1773 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 2nd and 3rd 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.
Please discover our unique Mini bar and Reserve, made out of US army wooden ammunition boxes from the 70s. Whisky lovers love them! They are real conversation pieces. Our collection is called BOITES DE LA PAIX, Peace Boxes!
1 minute video: https://.vimeo.com/263663215
website: www.boitesdelapaix.com
Here’s the Mini Bar in Antique color:
In Red :
The hinges, clasp and rope handles are original. We make sure we keep an original stamp at the back for history.
Part of two Museums collections, Boîtes de la paix were launched at the Toronto Interior Design show and exhibited in galeries in Canada, in USA and in Germany.
Here’s the triptyque: A Mini Bar + 2 Reserves
The Reserve is a liquor cabinet made with a very rare bigger size ammunition box. It’s offered in a very limited edition numbered out of 75.
Here’s the triptyque in Antique color :
Also very neat as a pair :
REmade in Montreal
Cheers!
Anne Lapierre & Bruno Chouinard
co-creators
BOITES DE LA PAIX
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
514-638-2833
Don’t miss our new video series filled with Japanese Whisky, comedy, music and more whisky. Watch the latest episode now.
Discover the famous whisky from one of Japan’s most renowned distilleries.
Glenglassaugh Distilley was founded in 1875 near the coastal town of Portsoy in North Eastern Scotland. A victim of the 1980’s whisky crash, the distillery closed its doors in 1986 and remained silent for over 20 years. Glenglassaugh was brought back to life by the Benriach Distillery Company who purchased the site in 2013. Led by Billy Walker, they provided the investment, commitment, and care that the distillery deserves.
Glenglassaugh is produced using the highest quality Scottish barley and traditional distilling methods. The whiskies are handcrafted by a small, highly skilled team who are dedicated to creating the highest quality product. The distillery style is medium weight, aromatic, and very fruity with a honeyed and floral character. Some peated spirit is also made.
BROWSE OUR FULL GLENGLASSAUGH RANGE HERE
Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 309: Scarabus Islay Single Malt
Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky vlogger, tries another undisclosed Ileach. Hunter Laing & Co, the company that runs the new Ardnahoe Distillery on Islay, jumped on the Feis Ile bandwagon in 2019 with the release of this single malt dubbed Scarabus. Mark will have you know there is a Scarrabus (with double ‘r’) Farm very close to Bridgend. Writings show that there was even a pot still there between 1817 and 1818, but apparently it was never operational. This still does not offer us any clue as to the contents of this bottle. But we can all agree, Mark feels, that the bottle looks stunning.
Scotch Malt Whisky Society Membership Packs
A Matter of Taste
The latest evolution of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society Membership pack marks the 5th iteration of the pack’s design and development in partnership with IPL Packaging over its several years of affiliation with the world’s leading whisky club.
“We’re understandably proud to have, once again, designed and developed a structural packaging solution for the SMWS Tasting Pack, creating a robust MDF box containing rigid board drawers, to which we applied the client’s branding,” comments LB Odendaal, Head of Design at IPL.
“As with previous configurations of the pack, we looked to combine innovation, functional minimalism and design to help heighten the user experience,” says Odendaal. “Designing a complete unveiling process that begins with mapping out the layers of engagement; including first contact, reveal, product extraction and post extraction, resulting in a memorable and tactile interface which enhances the final product and delivers a memorable user experience.”
The outer pack is wrapped in soft-touch paper and features gold foil and spot-varnished brand details to provide a luxurious, contrasting look. A PU leather carry-handle at top of the pack allows for ease of transport.
The box inner features suede lining on the main body, flocked EVA product fitments and silk ribbon pull-tabs.
In the first drawer sits a paper-wrapped product card with detailed brand information and a membership booklet that conceals three 10cl whisky taster bottles located in flocked EVA fitments
The second drawer of the pack contains flocked EVA fitments designed to hold two tasting glasses and a water jug.
“IPL Packaging has a unique perspective and a proven process for generating fresh design concepts in luxury packaging. The innovation behind these concepts is often based on longstanding relationships developed over many years of being trusted creative and manufacturing partners to our clients and developing a deeper understanding of their brands,” says Odendaal.
IPL PACKAGING A MATTER OF TASTE
World Whisky Day (16th May 2020) is just around the corner, and the question of which whisky to celebrate with remains a question on everybody’s lips. There are few things more perfect than a fine whisky; patiently matured and rich with flavour, taking the drinker on an unforgettable taste journey. Bringing together the finest ingredients and flavours, here is a selection of stand-out whiskies perfect to raise a Dram with for World Whisky Day, including classics from The Macallan, Maker’s Mark, The House of Suntory, and more.
Bowmore 15 Year Old
Bowmore is Islay’s oldest distillery, and home to the world’s oldest whisky maturation warehouse, the No. 1 Vaults. Matured first in bourbon barrels then Oloroso casks, there’s no finer example of a sherry cask finish than Bowmore 15 Year Old. The final three years spent in Oloroso sherry casks give Bowmore 15 Year Old the rich, deep colour and robust warming finish.
RRP: £60
Available to purchase from The Whisky Exchange and Amazon
The Macallan Estate
The Macallan Estate, created by Whisky Maker Sarah Burgess, is a tribute to The Macallan’s heritage and home. It is an extremely special new single malt containing rare spirit from a proportion of the barley grown at Easter Elchies estate, which is distilled just once a year over the course of a single week. The liquid delivers a subtle hint of citrus which balances the traditional sherried richness, resulting in a complex single malt with an extraordinarily long finish.
RRP: £195
Stockists: The Whisky Shop and The Whisky Exchange
Highland Park 16 Year Old Twisted Tattoo
In collaboration with Danish tattoo artist and modern-day Viking Soul, Colin Dale, Highland Park 16 Year Old Twisted Tattoo’s bold design celebrates the tattoo as a mark of both standing apart and being part of a tribe – just like Highland Park. The expression’s exquisite tasting notes include the likes of sweet vanilla, sun-ripened peaches, and full-bodied red wine, finished with a light peat smoke.
RRP: £80
Stockists: Master of Malt and The Whisky Shop
Laphroaig Lore
By maturing the liquid in small batches in five unique casks, Laphroaig has created a liquid that is rich, complex, varied and above all, storied. Laphroaig Lore uses different aged liquids ranging from 7 to 21 years, which allows the richest possible flavour. As the name suggests, this offering from Laphroaig is inspired by the knowledge and traditions passed down from generation to generation of its distillery managers, blenders and craftsmen.
RRP: £80
Stockists: Master of Malt and The Whisky Exchange
Maker’s 46
The first bourbon in Maker’s Mark’s wood-finishing series, Maker’s 46 was created by Bill Samuels, J., to amplify the flavours he loves most in Maker’s Mark. The innovative wood-stave-finishing process starts with fully matured Maker’s Mark at cask strength, after which 10 seared virgin French oak staves are inserted into the barrel. The liquid is then finished for nine weeks in a limewood cellar, resulting in a bolder and more complex flavour, but without the bitterness typical of longer-aged whiskies.
RRP: £40
Stockists: Amazon and Master of Malt
Toki
Meaning ‘time’ in Japanese, Toki brings together old and new – the House of Suntory’s proud heritage and its innovative spirit. A blended Japanese whisky that is both ground-breaking and timeless, the finish is subtly sweet and spicy with a hint of vanilla oak, white pepper and ginger.
RRP: £35
Stockists: Tesco and Master of Malt
Peat Fans Take Notice—A 20-Year, Age-Stated Stunner for a Song
1997 Ledaig 20 Year Old “Munros” K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Unchillfiltered Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky
NOTE: In accordance with local directives, our walk-in retail locations are currently closed. We have low cost and 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.
The latest stellar find from our K&L Exclusive Cask program is one that no aficionado of peat should pass on. Ledaig is a hidden gem for that classic peated malt profile, and over the years we’ve made plenty of Ardbeg and Laphroaig devotees very happy by turning them on to this largely unsung label distilled at Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. We scored three numbered barrels of the very rare 1997 Ledaig 20 Year Old, bottled under the Glasgow Whisky Company’s Munros brand, from one of our trusty suppliers at an unbelievable price, which makes this one of the can’t-miss whisky offers of the year (so far). While an abundance of smoky, charred overtones and cask-strength weight define this Islay malt, there’s also a remarkably broad-ranging complexity capped by the signature Ledaig hallmark of a briny, salty piquancy that lends a singular stylistic flair to what is otherwise a tried-and-true smoke bomb. This 20-year peat monster offers all the stunning character one could expect from a whisky with this much age, but it won’t set you back nearly as much as comparable bottlings from the larger production brands. Fans and collectors of heavily peated Scotch whisky owe it to themselves to get their hands on this once-in-a-blue-moon expression, because when it’s gone it’s unlikely we’ll see it again, and certainly not for less than triple digits..
The Munros are Scotland’s tallest peaks, all over 3000 feet, named for Sir Hugh Munro, who first compiled a list of Scotland’s 282 tallest individual mountain peaks. Becoming somewhat of an obsession for the UK’s mountaineering crowd, the Munros in Scottish culture represent the spirit of adventure and comradery that mountain climbing embodies. This tiny brand of high-quality single malts is bottled by the Glasgow Whiskey Company. Their US importer sadly passed away a few years ago and the stocks languished in a warehouse on the East Coast until one of our trusted suppliers came across them. This excellent cask strength offering is a vatting of three sequentially numbered American oak ex-bourbon hogheads filled at the Tobermory distillery on May Day 1997. Ledaig is the heavily peated spirit that comes out of the wonderful distillery on the Isle of Mull. The idiosyncratic style has won fans across the malt drinking world, but the relative rarity of this small production malt has pushed up prices recently. We are very lucky to have found these barrels at pre-tariff 2016 prices and bought every single bottle we could find.
Will Blakely | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 20, 2020
Fans of proper peat rejoice! All the rich, mossy earth and iodine and charcoal briquette you know and love are here in an impossibly well-priced package. While the malt is definitely the star of the show, boasting a golden char that brings sultana and citrus peel up from the peaty depths, that smoke is no joke. Dark chocolate full of chunky sea salt, seaweed and green leaves, barbecue pork and charred bananas all make an appearance, along with a cameo from something burning in the distance. It is difficult to find words to capture the fullness of flavor, but I have come to recognize Ledaig for its signature umami character. Few whiskies come close to that complete, slightly salty but entirely satisying feeling. And after recently closing temporarily to upgrade the equipment, the distillery will probably see a price increase for its coveted malt. Pick this one up while you can.
Keith Mabry | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: February 05, 2020
Deliciously sweet smoky peat flavors are rounded out with notes of incense and dried fruit. This rich and detailed version is a must for fans of Ardbeg’s more elite bottlings.
