PROFESSOR BARRY SMITH

For our latest Yearbook, the founding director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses at the University of London gave us some fascinating insights into the mysteries of aroma. Professor Barry Smith talked about why blending shapes so much of what we enjoy in flavour, and debunked the age-old myth of the superior single malt – with a splash of science.

BLENDING CAN BE FOUND IN UNEXPECTED PLACES

“The majority of single malts are blends of different casks. Blending evens things out. It’s the pursuit of balance. Some of the most famous wines in the world are blends – Bordeaux is a mixture of grape varieties, and Champagne too is a mixture. Always.”

Our senses don’t distinguish between blends and single malts.

“The results of scientific studies with single malt versus blended Scotch whisky have repeatedly concluded there is no essential difference in the perception between a well-made single malt and well-made blends. Even when tested in different countries with differing levels of familiarity and expertise, the results and conclusions come back the same. When asked to sort whiskies from various Scotch categories blindly, tasters made sensible groupings but no one divided them into blends and single malts.”

THE BLENDING OF AROMAS IS STILL A MYSTERY

“We still don’t understand the science behind the merging of compounds into a single, unified aroma. A single molecule, such as benzaldehyde, can smell like a mixture of cherry and almond, whereas collections of more than 800 molecules can smell like a single thing: coffee. For now, at least, the blending of aromas and flavours still relies on art as well as science.”

Look out for subtle almond notes in an upcoming Compass Box Limited Edition. Just bear in mind that benzaldehyde won’t be listed on the back label.

You can hear more from Professor Smith in a five-part radio documentary The Art and Science of Blending, available now on the BBC.

Professor Barry Smith is director of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of London’s School of Advanced Study, and the founding director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses.

FIND OUT MORE AT OUR WEBSITE

From a strong sense of obligation to protect the health and the well-being of our employees, guests, friends, family and everyone at large in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made the decision to temporarily close our restaurant as of today, March 16. Our last service was Sunday evening.

This weekend we announced the efforts we had been taking to keep everyone safe. Upon heartfelt reflection we didn’t feel the efforts we were taking would change the course of this pandemic and made the decision to close our doors until further notice.

In light of the clear and strict recommendations of Canadian and provincial health officials for social distancing, we were compelled to act swiftly and decisively to help combat the spread of COVID-19. Along with the collective governmental and societal efforts to contain this pandemic, we hope that this decision contributes to bringing us closer to putting this behind us, getting our people back to work, and once again fully enjoying the relationships that we’ve nourished over the years. Aside from public safety our highest priority is to ensure employees are looked after. As we await details on emergency government relief funding, we will be making every effort to properly assist our employees through this crisis.

Now is the time to be safe, be smart, and to take care of yourself, your family, and your friends. We are very hopeful and optimistic that with broad cooperation and prudence, this will pass, and we will again be greeting our guests here at The Whisky Kitchen in the very near future. In the meantime, our whisky is hibernating and ready to awaken in the springtime.

We wish everyone well, keep an eye on your neighbours, help out where you can and be safe. Remember we’re all in this together.

Allura & Eric, proprietors

Trending at The Whisky Shop Auctions
Daftmill 2007 12 Year Old Winter 2019 Release – UK Exclusive

Distilled at Fife’s Daftmill distillery in 2007, it is a farm distillery owned and operated by the Cuthbert family, it is a distillery which produces whisky seasonally during the farm’s quiet periods. Created by using a combination of seven first fill bourbon casks and it has then been matured for over a decade before being limited to only 1,785 bottles produced.

You may be stuck inside, but there’s no reason you can’t make it fun. Online ordering is now up and running on our website. You can place your order online and have it delivered right to your door if you are in the local KY area, you can pick it up in-store, or pick it up curbside! The options are endless so there’s no reason to let the bar run dry.

Orders can be placed online or by phone.

For curbside pick up, please call (859-291-4007) or text (859-652-0169) the store upon arrival. Let us know the name on your order, where you are parked and the make and color of your car. You will need your credit card and ID ready and it must match the order information.

Place Online Order Now

Delivery FAQs

COVID-19 is a very fluid situation here in our nation and we are doing everything we can to stay on top of it. If you have any questions as to how we are handling the situation, please see the link below.

A note to our customers about COVID-19

thepartysource.com
95 Riviera Drive, Bellevue, KY 41073
 (859) 291-4007

Welcome to this weeks episode of the show. Today I’m looking at the range of bottlings from the new Irish distillery Hinch.

https://youtu.be/DyhV1JDppMY

WHISKY ANGEL WITH SILVER LOCKET LAUNCHED BY GLASSMAKERS

A glass angel holding a silver locket and filled with rare whisky from a `lost distillery’ is the latest innovation from Stirling firm Angels’ Share Glass.

The talented glassmakers have joined forces with Stirling jewellers Lily Blanche to create a batch of just 25 limited-edition Littlemill Angels.

The Angels are hand-filled with 26-year-old Littlemill Whisky and feature a silver locket decorated with a single golden feather. The lockets can also be personalised by adding a photograph inside.

Angels’ Share Glass Managing Director Karen Somerville said: “With our limited-edition angels, we always select a whisky which is rare and no longer widely available.

“Littlemill Distillery closed many years ago and is now what’s known as a `lost distillery’. We were lucky to source its whisky for the Angels as only 234 bottles were ever released.

“The distillery now exists only in memories and photographs and it was that notion which sparked the idea for an Angel holding a locket since they are also very much linked to memories and photographs.

“There’s a real synergy there and we also used a feather on the locket design to reflect the popular saying `When feathers appear, Angels are near’ which seemed very apt.”

Mrs Somerville commissioned Gillian Crawford, managing director of Lily Blanche, to create the Angel’s locket.

Both women are Ambassadors with Women’s Enterprise Scotland (WES) and leading figures in the Scottish business world.

Ms Crawford said: “We loved collaborating with Karen and the team at Angels’ Share Glass on this limited-edition Angel.

“We share the same values of craftsmanship, love of Scotland’s heritage and traditions and attention to detail as our friends at Angels’ Share Glass, so we were delighted when they commissioned us to make the lockets for this special Angel.

“The finished product is stunning and we are really pleased with it.”

The Littlemill Angel costs £225 and only 25 are available – each with a batch number inside the locket.

They are around 70mm in height with wings made of platinum and a halo made of gold and are placed on an oak stand.

Each one is filled with 25ml of Littlemill whisky which represents the `Angels’ Share’ – the measure of whisky lost to evaporation during the maturing process which, according to distillers’ legend, is taken away by angels.

They also come complete with a Lily Blanche silver locket which can be personalised with images.

For more details and to order the limited-edition Littlemill Angel, go to www.angelsshareglass.com/collections/angels/products/new-limited-edition-littlemill-angel

For more information about Angels Share Glass, visit www.angelsshareglass.com

For more information about Lily Blanche, visit www.lilyblanche.com

Notes:

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

Lily Blanche is based in Kings Park, Stirling and was founded by Gillian Crawford. She is also a director of the Institute of Ecommerce and chair of the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs. Ms Crawford is an Ambassador for Women’s Enterprise Scotland and a commentator for the Sunday Times. For more information visit www.lilyblanche.com

We’re open for business

We thought we’d send you an update on our business and how we are coping with the current situation.

Despite being a small family firm we’ve taken steps to respond to what is happening. Most of us can and will work from home. When in the office and warehouse we are washing hands thoroughly and regularly and taking extra precautions in line with official guidance and advice.

Trade is moving Worldwide and throughout the UK. We have multiple logistic partners, a very fortunate position to be in, so your parcels will be delivered – there just might be a delay of a day or two to your door. Now, more than ever, we all need a good dram!

The continued support of our customers during this period has been incredible and we value your ongoing support.

Keeping you in good spirits.

Alastair & Chris @ The Whisky Barrel

Our San Francisco store will be closed for the next few weeks, and all in-store tastings effectively cancelled until further notice.

We’re still open online!

You can still order scotch, single malt, whiskey, spirits and more at

 whiskyshopusa.com

The Spirit of Song event at Glengoyne Distillery, due to take place this Friday (March 20^th), has been postponed.

Speaking about the decision to postpone the evening of music and whisky, Scottish singer/songwriter and the event’s host Kerri Watt said “We have made the decision to postpone this Friday’s event ‘The Spirit of Song’ at Glengoyne Distillery. The health of our audience, performers and the Glengoyne staff and their families are our priority. However, we are excited about rescheduling the event for later in the year – hopefully on a gorgeous summer evening! Thank you so much to everyone who has supported us – stay safe and we’ll see you soon!”

The new date will be announced on Kerri’s website kerriwatt.com and social media @KerriWatt

Ticket holders should contact point of purchase for refund.

For more information email me at jade@republicmedia.net

New and exclusive

SINGLE CASK WORTHY PARK
AND BENROMACH

The latest bottles to join our range of 20th anniversary exclusives come from very different places. One is a dry, fruity and powerful 12-year-old rum from Worthy Park by way of Dornoch Castle and the Thompson Brothers, who bottled it for us. The second is an eight-year-old, single sherry-cask single malt from Benromach distillery – a vibrant and fruity whisky with a rich and smoky undercurrent.

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New and exclusive
LEDAIG, GLENBURGIE AND LAPHROAIG –
BOTTLED BY THE WHISKY EXCHANGE

Our next wave of exclusive, single cask whiskies has arrived: a fresh, fruity and subtle Glenburgie, a rich, smoky and beautifully integrated sherry-cask Laphroaig, and a 13-year-old Ledaig. Bottled from our own stocks, this range contains only the whiskies we like so much that we’re willing to put our name on them.

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Sale
SAVE ON GAME OF THRONES
SINGLE MALTS

While stocks last, you can now save up to 33% on Diageo’s range of Game of Thrones single malt whiskies. Whether you’ve been dying to try them, need gifts for an upcoming occasion, want to run a great tasting for your whisky club, or just want to add some great bottles to your collection from some of Scotland’s best-known distilleries, now’s your chance!

SHOP NOW