Ralfy talks old and new versions with Ralfy Review 665 – Glen Grant 12yo @ 43%vol

SMWS dram & tennis ball Credit – David Parry

WHISKY BAR SERVES UP SPECIAL MENU OF WIMBLEDON COCKTAILS 

Kaleidoscope Bar in the City sets up ‘Murray Lounge’ in the outdoor courtyard at Devonshire Square 

Tennis fans can get into the Wimbledon spirit at Kaleidoscope Whisky Bar’s pop-up ‘Murray Lounge’ on 12^th and 14^th July.

The ‘Murray Lounge’ will bring a taste of SW1 to the bar’s outdoor space in the western courtyard at 9A Devonshire Square in the City.

Featuring tennis-themed décor, the pop-up bar will serve up a special menu of tennis-themed whisky cocktails along with strawberries and cream, which guests can enjoy while lounging on deck chairs and playing swingball.

Created by Kaleidoscope’s manager and mixologist Michael Cook, the drinks include the 40 Love, which features ‘Let’s Get The Party Started’ single cask whisky, orange bitters and soda and the Deuce Juice, which features ‘A Class Apart’ single cask whisky, aperol and martini rosso.

Also on offer are a number of suitably summery drams of the Society’s single cask malts and other spirits, such as the Swaying Palm Trees, an exclusive Kaleidoscope London release which boasts hints of pineapple and Haribo cola bottles and the Tooty Fruity Booty, which is described as light and fruity.

Kaleidoscope, which was opened in June by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, sits beneath fellow Scottish outpost, Mac & Wild. The bar stocks more than 200 of the Society’s rare single cask malts and other spirits such as rum, bourbon and cognac.

Aside from its Murray Lounge cocktails, Kaleidoscope also offers a menu of other whisky cocktails including the Bloody Scotsman, Blood and Sand, and Old-Fashioned. A range of wine, Champagne, craft beer, and light snacks from Mac & Wild, are also available in the bar.

Kaleidoscope’s Michael Cook said: “With the sun shining and Wimbledon on everyone’s minds, what better way to get into the spirit of things if you can’t get a ticket than by kicking back on a deckchair outside with a refreshing whisky cocktail.

“We can’t guarantee that Andy Murray will win Wimbledon, but one thing we can promise is that ‘rain won’t stop play’ for us as the courtyard outside Kaleidoscope where our ‘Murray Lounge’ is situated is covered!”

For more information:

Kaleidoscope Whisky Bar https://www.smws.com/kaleidoscope-london

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society www.smws.com

@SMWSUK 

Deuce Juice cocktail – Credit – David Parry

Notes

About The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is an international whisky club that bottles rare single cask, single malt whisky, and a range of other spirits
• The Society was established in Edinburgh in 1983 and now has more than 26,000 members and branches around the world
• The Society only ever bottles single casks – each cask is unique, making every Society bottling a limited edition
• The Society has bottled whisky from more than 132 distilleries in its history
• The Society releases a new batch of around 30 single cask, single malt whiskies every month
• The Society offers different levels of membership

o   Membership Pioneer with gift box containing three samples, £122

o   Member at £61.50 – without gift box

o   Sample Subscription – free.

Tastings at Milroys

Upcoming Tastings

“The light music of whiskey falling into a glass – an agreeable interlude.” – James Joyce

Come along to one of our infamous tastings, one of our in house specialists will talk you through the world of whisky in the comfort of London’s Oldest Whisky Specialist.

July 24th Ardbeg

July 31st  Old Vs New Blind Tasting

Aug 7th  Scotland Vs the World

Aug 14th  Hunter Laing

Aug 21st  Douglas Laing

Aug 28th  Sherlock Holmes Tasting Event and Book Launch

Sept 4th  Fine and Rare

Sept 11th  Michters

Sept 18th  Balvenie

Tickets available on the Milroys Web Store

Here are some of the newest additions to the Whisky Wall. The new season of ‘Game of Thrones’ … like ‘Winter’ itself…is coming. This got us thinking of our ‘Wall’ and what has been added to it. Whether you’re a ‘G.O.T.’ fan or not ~ here are some worthy new single malt scotches for you and your kingdom.

Contact the store (no ravens please) with any questions you may have.

Cheers!
Jonathan, Eric & Marlon
The Park Avenue Liquor Shop
270 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
212-685-2442
jonathan@parkaveliquor.com
eric@parkaveliquor.com
whiskyconn@gmail.com
www.parkaveliquor.com

Highland Park: Valkyrie

‘Valkyrie’ is the first installment of Highland Park’s ‘Viking Legends’ series. The bottling is meant to celebrate HP’s rich Nordic ancestry in Orkney, where they were once part of a vast Viking kingdom. The packaging was designed by internationally renowned designer and Viking Soul, Jim Lyngvild.

COLOR: Firey Amber
PALATE: Green apples – Sun-ripened lemons – Oriental spices – Vanilla – Preserved ginger – Dark chocolate – Salty licorice – Warm aromatic smoke.
Chairman’s Trophy in the 2017 Ultimate Spirits Challenge, scoring 99 out of 100. PRICE: $96/btl

Glenglassaugh: Evolution

Glenglassaugh Evolution is created by maturing the whisky in a unique combination of the finest hand-picked ex-Tennessee first-fill whiskey barrels. This expression shows great depth of character and finesse, a harmonious combination of whisky and oak. Bottled at 50%, natural color and non chill filtered.

Color: Crisp harvest gold.
Nose: A syrupy combination of sweet barley, pineapple and waves of soft buttery vanilla. Deeper oak spices and caramelized pear develop and warm the nose.
Palate: Robust, peppery oak floods through with green apple and fresh cracked barley. Some salted caramel emerges alongside hints of ripe banana and fruit salad syrup.
Finish: A combination of oak spices and soft fruits surrounded by fragrant of vanilla bean.
PRICE: $74/btl

Aberfeldy: 16 Year Old

The core of the Dewar’s brand ~ Aberfeldy has been a source of pride in Pirthshire and a source of joy to all who sip their whisky. New to us is this 16 year old – with an Oloroso Sherry finish.

Nose: Waves of honey, with robust floral notes.
Palate: Fresh fruit cocktail drenched in syrup. Backed by a strong malted quality – dark chocolate covered biscuits. Buttered toast, apricots, stewed apples – and yet more honey .
PRICE: $130/btl

Mars Shinshu: “KOMAGATAKE”
Nature of Shinshu Series Kohiganzakura

Okay let’s this out of the way – right away. Yes – this is not a single malt scotch…BUT it is new and in very limited quantity so we thought you should know about it too.  This is the second edition of Mars’ Komagatake Nature Of Shinshu series – “Kohiganzakura” – named for the Cherry Blossum – released in Japan in late November 2016.  Bottled again at 52%, it includes some lightly peated single malt distilled at Mars’ Shinshu distillery in 2013 that was matured in ex-Japanese wine casks.  PRICE: $180/bottle – LIMITED AVAIL

anCnoc: 18 Year Old

The anCnoc 18 Year Old has matured in Spanish oak ex-sherry casks & American oak ex-bourbon barrels and has been bottled in its natural form, neither chill-filtered nor colored. As a result this dram may develop a light haze with the addition of water or if kept at a cold temperature. This haze is a natural characteristic of non chill-filtering.

Color: Bronzed amber.
Nose: Gentle spices and intense sweetness of dried fruits are topped with chocolate, ripe oranges and oiled leather.
Taste: Full-bodied and bold, aromatic spices, fruit loaf and candied lemon are followed by a surge of vanilla, honey and caramel. The finish transforms from peppery and hot to deliciously sweet and smooth.
PRICE: $116/btl

Due to ever-changing inventory we cannot guarantee bottle availability. We are not responsible for any typographical errors or the Knicks sad showing in free-agency. Please contact the store with any questions.

 The Park Avenue Liquor Shop | 212-685-2442 | 212-689-6247 | parkaveliquor.com

Vega – 23 Year Old Blended Malt

1993 vintage blended malt from North Star Spirits – this first release of just 400 bottles contains Speyside malt whiskies matured in Spanish and American oak bottled at natural cask strength. The result is a sweet and spicy Scotch.

Buy – £57.60

https://youtu.be/7jNPsQMe8OI 

Week 2/4 – and another look at a distillery that has been long confined to the history books. Gerston is an awesome example if a sweet and moreish highland style whisky. Probably my favourite in the whole range. Cheers! 

Whisky Reviews every Wednesday
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Youtube.com/whiskywednesday

HOLYROOD DISTILLERY HIRES TOP TEAM OF INDUSTRY EXPERTS 

Holyrood Distillery has reached another major milestone in its aim of bringing back malt whisky distilling to Edinburgh, with the recruitment of a top team of whisky and drinks industry experts.

In a major coup for the project, Holyrood Distillery has recruited three of the whisky industry’s leading lights including Jack Mayo as Head Distiller, Bill Farrar as Sales and Marketing Director and Laura Anderson as Director of Finance.

Jack Mayo has joined the Holyrood team as Head Distiller, arriving after three years at Glasgow Distillery. Jack’s innovative approach to experimenting with flavour combinations aligns perfectly with Holyrood’s desire to build its brand with an emphasis on flavour and creativity.

Bill Farrar joins as Sales and Marketing Director with 30 years of experience in the drinks sector, most recently holding the position of Managing Director, Super Premium for The Edrington Group. Prior to this, Bill was the Group Sales and Marketing Director, with responsibility for global sales, marketing and distribution of The Macallan and Highland Park single malt brands as well as Famous Grouse and Cutty Sark blended scotches.

In his new role with Holyrood Distillery, Bill will focus on growing sales through the on and off trade, in Scotland, the UK and overseas.

Laura Anderson has joined the team as Director, Finance and is responsible for all financial matters related to the distillery’s fundraising and financial controls. Laura is a Chartered Accountant and has a long history in the whisky industry, having worked with Edrington in roles as diverse as Commercial Analyst; Director, Global Pricing and Brand Protection and most recently as Head, Super Premium Strategy Development.

Also providing advice to the Holyrood team is well-known botanicals expert Hamish Martin, owner of Edinburgh’s Secret Herb Garden, and former co-founder of Inverarity Vaults, once Scotland’s largest independent wine merchants.

Rob Carpenter, Managing Director, Holyrood Distillery said: “I’m thrilled by the team we’ve now got in place. Everyone involved brings with them their own unique talents and, importantly, years of experience working at the very top of the whisky industry. The combined experience of our team will not only help us create a distillery which is distinctly different from anything else out there, but will also help us deliver a range of flavour-packed spirits which capture the imagination of today’s consumers. Our immediate priority is to complete our fundraising, so we can crack on with the next stage of getting Holyrood distillery up and running.”

Holyrood Distillery recently launched a £5.5 million funding drive to help fund the balance of its ambition to create a distillery and pioneering visitor centre, spanning 11,969 sq ft, in the heart of Scotland’s capital.

A joint development by David Robertson, former Master Distiller for The Macallan, and Rob and Kelly Carpenter, founders of the Canadian branch of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, Holyrood Distillery will be Edinburgh’s first single malt whisky distillery since Glen Sciennes closed in the 1920s.

The distillery will produce a range of single malts, gins, liqueurs and other spirits. Its innovative approach to ingredients, distilling processes and maturation will set Holyrood apart from more traditional approaches.

Once again, our annual whisky festival returned to our island distillery with a host of one-of-a-kind tasting experiences and new ways to enjoy Jura Single Malt Whisky.

For 2017, we threw open the rather heavy doors of our cooperage to a day of live music from acts including the legendary Scots Trad band Rura, served whisky, cocktails and a specially created Tastival baby ale by Drygate at our new look bar.

In the Grain Store, we welcomed you to join us at the Jura Long Table to sample local Jura cuisine from our neighbours at The Antlers Tea Room, while sharing a whisky and getting to know some of our distillery team and locals.

Meanwhile, whisky lovers discovered the different sides of Jura and learned how our landscape and community has inspired our range of whiskies, donning their wellies and much needed waterproofs as they headed out by bus to explore the island in our All Terrain session.

Some visitors were also lucky enough to shake hands with Gregg Glass, our new Blender & Whisky Maker, as he hosted an exciting tasting session with bubbles, pastilles, lollipops and all; and a special visit from our very own Whisky legend and Master Distiller, Richard Paterson. In fact, all around the distillery we enjoyed celebrating our beautiful island home and community over a glass of whisky with friends new and old.

We hope you agree, Jura Tastival 2017 was truly special! Thank you to all who came, and to those who didn’t make it, we hope to welcome you to the distillery in years to come.

For the chance to win* a bottle of special edition Jura, tell us what makes Tastival a great experience for you in our short survey.

 TAKE SURVEY

Whether you attended or not, your opinion matters to us. We know our island is a long way from home, so what would make a future trip worth it for you?

From Everybody at the Jura Distillery
Slainte Mhath

#JuraTastival

* Open to entrants aged 18+ in the UK and Europe only. Entries close on 1st August 2017.
Prize is non-transferrable.

Tasmanian Whisky Week, the celebration of all things Tassie Whisky, is fast approaching and what better way to get involved than with a Sullivans Cove single malt whisky tasting!

Join our Head Distiller, Patrick Maguire, and resident whisky expert Fred Siggins on Tuesday 8th August, 6pm at The Glass House & Brooke Street Larder on Franklin Wharf, for an in-depth tasting and discussion of seven rare and award winning whiskies from our vault.

The tasting includes: –

3 x French Oak single cask –

3 x American Oak single cask –

Double Cask single malt –

Hobart. No. 4 Single Malt Gin cocktail on arrival

Canapés featuring local Tasmanian producers supplied by the Glasshouse kitchen and cheese from Brooke Street Larder will be served throughout the evening. This is a great opportunity to experience the individuality of each cask and taste whiskies yet to be released with our Head Distiller.

Please click on the link below to purchase tickets ($140pp)

PURCHASE NOW

We’re excited to also be open on the weekends during Tasmanian Whisky week. Special opening hours: Saturday August 5th – 11am – 3pm Sunday August 6th – 11am – 3pm Saturday August 12th– 11am – 3pm Sunday August 13th – 11am – 3pm For tour and tasting reservations click on this link – tour bookings – or call the distillery door on (03) 6248 5399. From September 2nd we will be open 7 days a week for tours and tastings.

We look forward to celebrating Tasmanian Whisky Week with you!

Cheers

The Sullivans Cove Team

Compass Box 2017 Double Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($159.99)

Before you get too smitten with these new whisky releases, however, make sure you nab your bottle of Hubert Calvados for all those Jack Rose cocktails you’ve been jonesing for this summer. The best value in French apple brandy just came back into stock and I can finally answer the 100+ emails I have sitting in my inbox from rabid customers wondering when this was coming back! There’s a reason this stuff is so popular!