2019 Diageo Special Releases

The much anticipated 2019 Diageo Special Releases are here. Pre-order now to guarantee yours! The range features some stunning expressions, with our personal favourite being the Mortlach 1992 26 Year Old.⁣ Each expression comes in a brand new bottle, including a new shape for Dalwhinnie, Cardhu and Glen Ord. These are now all tall round bottles, making them a departure from the usual bottle style.⁣

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WHY WE MADE MYTHS & LEGENDS

Myths & Legends is a series of three Limited Edition whiskies, created to challenge certain Scotch “myths” and celebrate the creative opportunities offered by blending.

Here’s why we made our latest release, Myths & Legends…

LOOKING BEYOND WHISKY’S RECEIVED WISDOM

In matters of Scotch whisky production, a number of myths have taken root. The role of blending especially is often misunderstood, typically associated only with whiskies of a certain category.

To emphasise the central importance of the blending process to all Scotch whiskies, we have created three distinctive blends. The series opens with two single malts, each the result of blending together a variety of casks from discrete distilleries. The final whisky is a blend of malt whiskies, some fruity and the others peaty, from different distilleries.

MYTH 1: SINGLE MALTS ARE THE POLAR OPPOSITES OF BLENDS

In fact, every major brand of single malt blends. Casks filled at the same distillery develop different flavours during maturation, so producers will blend numerous casks together to enhance the complexity of their single malts.

To demonstrate this, Myths & Legends I combines two contrasting parcels of whisky from a Northern Highland distillery. Our blend allows the flavours of both parcels to express themselves and reveals a fuller picture of distillery character.

MYTH III: WHISKIES FROM FAMOUS DISTILLERIES ARE TOO PRECIOUS TO BLEND

A distillery’s reputation should never limit how its whiskies are used. If a whisky is truly great, the whiskymaker can emphasise its virtues even further through blending.

For Myths & Legends III, we added casks from two celebrated island distilleries to some of the same whiskies used in Myths & Legends II. The fruitiness and notes of butterscotch remain, but they are now complemented and enriched by aromatic peatiness.

Creativity and quality matter more than legendary status, or the sanctity of a category.

CHALLENGE OLD ASSUMPTIONS

We love Scotch whisky’s countless stories, but when they impose limits on our enjoyment of the whisky itself it is time to think more critically.

The Myths & Legends series encourages whisky fans to examine old assumptions and to trust their own palate as the ultimate arbiter of quality. These whiskies reveal the beautiful forms and captivating flavours we can create through blending.

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Sirius 31 Year Old – 1988 | Limited Release 1
North Star Spirits

A shiny new brand named Sirius has joined the North Star Spirits family and they’ve gone big with the first release. Sirius, is a well aged Blended malt Scotch whisky, born in 1988 and matured in cask for 31 years. Bottled at cask strength and released as part of Cask Series 009.

It could well be the best batch to date. As well as Sirius, we have another 5 tops drams for Cask Series 009, including a new Vega and a special single cask Glenrothes, released to celebrate 10 years of Ralfy.com

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ralfy.com has a sherry-blast

https://youtu.be/n4R5sheeBig

Alcohol Beverage Industry Veteran Announces Launch Of New Poitín Founder kicks off his family’s legacy of poitín-making with Indiegogo campaign.

Decatur, GA, October 3, 2019— After 18 years in the wine and spirits business, Tom Lynch announced his plans for an early 2020 launch of an American-made poitín, which is getting a start now with a crowdfunding campaign on Indiegogo. Poitín is a famous and infamous spirit in Ireland and with the Irish diaspora. The spirit is making a (now legal) revival in Ireland and is growing in awareness and popularity in America.

“I’ve been making and marketing wine and spirits brands for 18 years” says Founder Tom Lynch, “but this is different. It is based on my family’s legacy of making great poitín that I heard about when I first went back to Ireland. It is a huge challenge and honor to make a poitín worthy of my family’s nick-name, “The Dinger” which they earned by being the best poitín-maker in their part of County Clare.”

Lynch is partnering with Independent Distilling Company in Decatur, GA. To make his poitín in their small, hand-made, direct-fire heated copper pot still. “That still is a poiín-maker’s dream,” said Lynch.

All proceeds from the crowdfunding go directly into the final stages of product development, initial production, packaging and local marketing. “Crowdfunding contributors love helping dreams come true. We’re being efficient and focused with their money so they will be able to see finished product in stores and pubs and know they had a part in helping to make the dream real,” explained Lynch.

The crowdfunding campaign has contributor “perks” including access to a local launch party and participation in local bottling (take your own bottle home with you after), a chance to be a “Distiller For The Day” where you work to help distill poitín then take home a case with your name on the label as a “guest distiller.” Other perks include a 2-liter barrel of un-aged poitín for contributors to age and/or drink as they choose, a unique 13 bottle vertical of samples taken throughout a 2 year barrel aging process, and a trip to County Clare Ireland, guided by Lynch, including a stop at the old Dinger Lynch farm.

About The Dinger Poitin – Back in the day, in rural parts of Ireland, when you were the best at something you were sometimes called “The Dinger.” When I went back to Ireland and heard my ancestors were “the dinger poitín-makers” before they immigrated, I knew one day I’d make a whiskey so bold and smooth and delicious it would be worthy of that name. The drive to live up to a family legacy of great whiskey-making is what drives us daily as we make small batch, single pot still poitín whiskey. Slainte!

About Independent Distilling Co. – Decatur’s Independent Distilling Co. is a no-frills garage distillery. It’s been more than 100 years since Atlanta was last seen as a hotbed of distilling, but we are finally starting to see glimpses of the city’s former glory. Among the four distilleries now operating in the metro area, Independent Distilling Co. has earned our admiration with its bootstrapped, artisan ways.

If you would like more information on this topic, please contact Tom Lynch at 310-248-0706 or thedingerpoitin@gmail.com

The Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign can be found at https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-dinger-poitin/x/22229018#/

HIGHLAND PARK BECOMES EXCLUSIVE WHISKY SPONSOR OF ESQUIRE TOWNHOUSE 

Highland Park has become the official whisky sponsor of Esquire Townhouse 2019

As part of the partnership, the Orcadian distillery has collaborated with Esquire to launch the limited-edition Highland Park Esquire Single Cask

Global Brand Ambassador, Martin Markvardsen, is hosting a series of masterclasses across the event 

14 October, 2019: Highland Park has become the official whisky sponsor of Esquire Townhouse with Breitling, the prestigious annual event hosted by Esquire.

Taking place between 17-19 October at Carlton House Terrace, St James’s, Martin Markvardsen, Highland Park’s Global Brand Ambassador, is set to host a series of workshops where guests will be given the opportunity to learn all about the award winning brand, before indulging in some delicious whisky and food pairings.

To celebrate the partnership, Highland Park and Esquire have collaborated to create the Highland Park Esquire Single Cask. The limited-edition single malt whisky is the first-ever single cask from Highland Park to be released in collaboration with a UK media house and will be served throughout the weekend.

The unique expression, which has notes of heather-honey and aromatic smoky peat, will also be available via The Whisky Shop (www.whiskyshop.com), allowing those unable to attend the event – as well as those who loved it so much they want more – the opportunity to purchase it to enjoy at home. RSP £200 ABV 60.3%.

During the event a choice of delicious Highland Park cocktails will be served at the Esquire Townhouse bar including firm favourites the Orcadian Cooler and Salted Honey Old Fashioned.

Scott McCaffer, Brand Manager at Highland Park said: “As demand amongst whisky lovers for new and exciting expressions continues to grow, we’re delighted to launch our latest Single Cask in partnership with Esquire.

“Launching the whisky at Esquire Townhouse is a really exciting opportunity for us as it is the perfect opportunity to engage with likeminded consumers, as well as those interested in exploring the category.”

Alex Bilmes, Editor-in-Chief, at Esquire said: ““We are excited to be working with Highland Park to produce a bespoke Esquire single cask whisky – a genuine first for us. We are looking forward to launching it, and of course, tasting it at Esquire Townhouse in October.”

Esquire Townhouse is an award-winning luxury brand experience featuring a compelling programme of live celebrity interviews, panel debates and masterclasses spanning fashion, culture, food & drink, design and travel.

For more information on the event please visit: https://hearstlive.co.uk/esquiretownhouse/

Notes: 

About Esquire Single Cask

RRP: £200

ABV: 60.3%

Volume: 70cl 

Tasting notes

Buttery vanilla aroma with a lingering sweet taste on the palette 

About Highland Park, the Orkney Single Malt with Viking Soul:

Whisky has been distilled at Highland Park in Kirkwall, Orkney since 1798.  Founder Magnus Eunson, was a direct descendant of Vikings who settled in Orkney over 1,000 years ago. A butcher and church officer by day and a bootlegger and smuggler by night, he set up an illegal whisky-making operation at a little bothy (a stone hut) at High Park, overlooking Kirkwall.

It is still the site of the distillery today and although we say Highland Park was founded in 1798, that’s actually the year the authorities finally caught up with Magnus.

Few trees survive the gale-force winds on Orkney. This makes the island peat woodless and rich in heather. This then helps create the trademark Highland Park flavour profile of aromatic smoky peat and sweet heather honey.

About Esquire UK

Esquire is the UK’s premium luxury men’s magazine brand. Esquire engages its stylish, sophisticated and affluent audience via an ecosystem which includes a premium bi-monthly print magazine, a dynamic website and digital channels, consumer experiences such as the Esquire Townhouse and Esquire Evenings, a standalone annual print magazine, The Big Watch Book, and a successful series of luxury branded products, the Esquire Edit.

A Divine, Sherried Expression from a Speyside Legend
2006 Glenlivet 12 Year Old “Signatory Unchillfiltered Collection” 1st Fill Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($99.99)
“A modern classic and stupendous value.” — David Othenin-Girard, K&L SoCal Spirits Buyer

It’s not often one finds a single cask expression of Glenlivet, and rarer still is finding one that’s a sherry first fill. Based on this pedigree alone, one might expect this 12 Year Old to cost upwards of $300. Remarkably, we are offering it for a very approachable $99.99. Sherried expressions of Glenlivet are always huge hits with collectors, and we expect this rendition will command equal interest. A soaring expression, as our NorCal spirits buyer notes, it “leaves nothing to be desired.” A captivating amalgam of exotic fruits, raisins, tea, herb, and sherry notes, it strides confidently from one strength to the next. History has shown that bottlings of this caliber sell out in the blink of an eye. If you gravitate toward a powerful Speyside style, then you owe it to yourself to add this singular expression to your collection.

2006 Glenlivet 12 Year Old “Signatory Unchillfiltered Collection” 1st Fill Single Sherry Butt Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($99.99)

For those who’ve been paying attention for the last decade or so, you’ll know that we’ve had some pretty incredible success with Signatory. Likely the most requested and reminisced about product we’d ever bottled from them was a series of heavily sherried Glenlivets we bottled nearly four years ago. Those stupendous casks from this blue chip distillery were really quite rare, and have become legends. But the quality of those incredible offerings and their scarcity resulted in an absolute explosion in their price. What we once stocked for under $100, now were pushing $300. So, we waited. And waited. Finally, nearly four years after our last cask was bottled, we stumbled upon this set of wonderful Glenlivets in the Signatory warehouse. Distilled on November 21 of 2006, this malt was filled into the highest quality sherry casks. Despite the availability of the standard releases, single casks of Glenlivet are a rarity on the market today. Because the distillery needs almost every drop they produce, there’s no need for them to trade or divest stocks to their competitors, as so many other distillers in Scotland do. But what’s shocking is that they’d ever let go of these stupendous casks at all. We are extremely lucky to have access to this incredibly high-quality malt, and this little 12-year-old might turn out to be the cask of the whisky season. Yes, you pay a little premium for Signatory, but it’s damn worth it every time. Sherry lovers rejoice!

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 05, 2019

We’ve been working with Andrew and Des from Signatory Vintage for almost a decade. We’ve been through thick and thin and found some of our most legendary casks in their little warehouses outside of Pitlochry. But few of their stocks have been more popular than the ’96-’97 sherried Glenlivets we sold back in 2012-2015. After a long dry spell, we’ve finally found something of a followup. This seemingly perfect youngish sherry bomb will be the stuff of legends one day. I don’t know what sort of SNAFU must have occurred in the administrative offices at Glenlivet to allow such high quality sherried malt to leave the premises, but I know I’m desperately grateful that they did. This one starts out dark and brooding. The nose is exotic hard wood, bitter herbs (cinchona, gentian), aged black tea, dried apricots, espresso beans, Seville orange peel, raisins, nougat. The palate is bold rich prickly and powerful. Big spice and nutty fudge. With a splash of water, the darkness dissipates revealing the prettiest possible tropical stewed fruits, pipe tobacco, spice box, tiny twinges of herbs again and now green teas. The palate is creamy and open replacing the fudge with vanilla and maple syrup. This one is pretty crushable, so be careful. Ever evolving in the glass, it’s fun to fill it up and adjust as you move through the glass. A modern classic and stupendous value in today’s complicated market.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 24, 2019

The only disappointing thing about this 1st fill sherry cask is that it had a cracked stave and therefore yielded only about half the whisky it should have! Everything else is perfection. Just 301 bottles came out of this butt of singular quality. It’s astoundingly dark in color and must have been dripping wet when filled. Leaving nothing to be desired it’s the epitome of classic sherry – dried Seville oranges, savory herbs, sweet candied nuts, a bit of varnish, dried cocoa powder and raisined grapes, dates, and figs. The weight of the sherry is borne beautifully by the malt backbone. While today Glenlivet is known for its lighter bourbon aged classic 12 year, it’s bottles like this – demonstrating the true range of complexity and nuance of the house that shows why it is one of the worlds’ best selling malts.

Cameron Hoppas | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 24, 2019

This is a sherried whiskey for sure. First thing you notice is how dark that color is. You could mistake it for Grade A maple syrup. It smells phenomenal. The sweet salty sherried notes come into focus with the density of the spirit that shows dark dried fruit, sweet malt and dark spices. It has great sweet caramelized sugar notes–toffee or maple. It has an incredible, mouth-filling, and round texture. This is a powerful whiskey and it’s incredibly smooth.

Neal Fischer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: September 24, 2019

Yup, that’s a LOT of Sherry. Scents of dried fruits and nuttiness come out swinging. There is almost a smell of cherries soaking in walnut liqueur and then pecan pralines as well (since no dessert is too decadent, natch). Salted toffee covered with milk chocolate hides the strength of the ABV to a dangerous degree. On the palate, the alcohol is more pronounced with a little bite, but the story here is still focused on the sweets. There’s more fruitiness with dried berries, apricots, prunes, and figs. This is a bold after dinner dram.

2019 GlenAllachie Casks UK Exclusives

Five single casks exclusive to the United Kingdom market. 2008-2011 vintages matured in sherry, Madeira and Marsala casks.

Shop – GlenAllachie UK Single Casks 2019

https://youtu.be/yqQNdGVylRc

 It’s Laphroaig Cask Strength, no need for other words.

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Heaven Hill Distillery Announces Larceny Barrel Proof Series Nationwide

Barrel Proof offering becomes first line extension for Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

First launched in 2012, Larceny is one of the most successful new-to-the-world Bourbons in the past decade, enjoying both critical and consumer acclaim. Leveraging the success of the mainline brand, Larceny Barrel Proof offers whiskey fans an opportunity to taste Larceny as Heaven Hill’s Master Distiller does, straight out of the barrel. Each release will be bottled at barrel proof, non-chill filtered and available at a suggested retail price of $49.99.BARDSTOWN, Ky. – Heaven Hill Distillery today announced the first line extension of Larceny Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Larceny Barrel Proof. Released on an allocated basis three times per year, the first release of this wheated Bourbon will ship with great consumer anticipation in January 2020 after already receiving a Double Gold from the 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Larceny Barrel Proof will be an ongoing offering released three times per year: January, May and September. Each release will have varying proofs and consist of barrels aged six to eight years. A naming convention for the release is shown on each bottle. The alpha character in the naming convention designates which batch of the year that bottle came from, the numeral that follows represents the month of the release, and finally the last two digits indicate the corresponding year of the release. For example, the first release will be A120, with “A” representing the first batch of that year, “1” representing January, and “20” representing the year 2020.

The new release will be offered in the traditional, distinctive Larceny pinched-waist, flask-shaped 750ml bottle, with the hallmark skeleton key logo and John E. Fitzgerald signature carried by a black label. The lower face label denotes “Barrel Proof” in red and includes the batch number, proof, and alc/vol for each particular release.

“Larceny’s wheated Bourbon mashbill delivers a taste profile that is very approachable and smooth, a true crowd-pleaser. The addition of this non chill filtered, barrel proof offering to the Larceny family allows us to showcase a deeper character, richness and depth of flavor from our wheated Bourbon mashbill,” said Heaven Hill Distillery Group Product Director Susan Wahl. “Drawing from its lineage within the Old Fitzgerald family, Larceny Barrel Proof is an opportunity for Bourbon fans to taste a historical ‘wheater’ in its purest form.”

Larceny is the heir to the wheated Bourbons that make up the historic Old Fitzgerald franchise acquired by Heaven Hill Distillery in 1999. Continuing the tradition of Old Fitzgerald using wheat in place of rye as the secondary grain in the mashbill, Larceny uses more wheat than any of its competitors for a softer, rounder character. The brand is inspired by the history of John E. Fitzgerald, who as a treasury agent in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s was one of the only people legally allowed to carry the keys to the barrel storage rickhouses. With a discerning palate for fine Bourbon, John E. Fitzgerald often used his rickhouse keys to gain access to some of the finest Bourbon barrels for himself. Those barrels from which he chose to help himself were often referred to as “Fitzgerald barrels” around the distillery.

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY: Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Heaven Hill has cultivated the traditions and history of America’s Native Spirit with its fierce independence, passionate family ownership, dedication to quality, and thoughtful innovation. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 1.6 million barrels aging in 58 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. It is home to an award-winning collection of American Whiskeys including Elijah Craig Bourbon, Larceny Bourbon, Evan Williams Bourbon, Pikesville Rye Whiskey, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky and Parker’s Heritage Collection. Heaven Hill Distillery currently holds the title of 2019 San Francisco World Spirits Best in Show Whiskey, and previously held titles of 2018 San Francisco Spirits Best Bourbon, 2017 Whisky Advocate Whisky of the Year, 2016 Whisky Magazine Distillery of the Year, 2016 Whisky Advocate American Whiskey of the Year and 2016 Rye Whiskey of the Year from “Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible.” For more information, please visit www.heavenhilldistillery.com.