Day 17 of the Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 3rd Edition Day 17 Blog #152 – Wemyss Malts Applewood Bake Invergordon 26 Year Old

Has everyone recovered from their trip to the hospital yesterday? I can almost still taste that Samaroli Islay even now. Well today we are almost doing the polar opposite in pulling out our wee bottle of the Wemyss Malts Applewood Bake Invergordon Single Grain.

As most of you are aware blended Scotch is made up of Single Malt and Single Grain. The percentages are determined by the bottler and the “Single” descriptor in both means single distillery. “Malt” has to be 100% malted barley but “Grain” can be any number of different grains.

The Invergordon distillery is located in the Highlands North of Inverness and was founded in 1959. Another distillery Ben Wyvis was contained within the complex but was closed in 1981. Invergordon has been owned by Whyte and MacKay since 1993 and the bulk of production of course is used for their popular blends and a number of other blended Scotch labels. What makes this fairly industrial distillery so cool is that it boasts its own pipe band.

I love Single Grain especially with a little age on it. The fiery nature of young grain fades away allowing more of the fruit character to complement the complexity imparted by the barrel.

Wemyss Malts Applewood Bake Invergordon 26 Year Old Single Grain aged in a refill butt number 86239 and bottled at the non chill filtration special ABV of 46%. No caramel here either folks.

Color:   Pale straw

Nose:   Completely delicate in comparison to yesterday. Apple cinnamon dusted fairy floss (cotton candy)

Palate:   Chocolate mint chips sprinkled on vanilla bean gelato over a base of stewed apples.

Finish: A delightful creaminess and extension of all the mid palate flavors.

This is absolutely delicious and would make a fantastic dessert dram for any occasion.

I must secretly let everyone in on the sneak peek we had at Andrew Hilton a few weeks ago with a couple of 3rd edition drams. Suffice to say that this particular whisky was the hit of the night.

On this day in the second edition we had the heavily sherried Craigellachie from A.D. Rattray.

Lets see what the esteemed Whisky Lassie is doing with today’s dram here.

Write in and let me know your thoughts on Single Grain whiskies. There have certainly been more available from independent bottlers in recent years and I think the category is fast gaining in popularity. This is especially so when you consider the price point for the equivalent number of years in barrel.

Tomorrow we will be having our annual comparison tasting. It is always amazing to try different barrels from the same distillery, especially from different perspectives. We will also be joined by a special guest but I will save all that for tomorrow.

Until then enjoy your Applewood bake and if you really enjoyed it you can email me at jonathan@secretspirits.com and I will happily direct you to some options so that you can pop one into your liquor cabinet.

Slainte

Jonathan – taster of secrets

http://www.singlemalting.com/category/whisky-advent-calendar-2016/

The Birmingham Whisky Club celebrates five years of dram fine drinking

• 5 sell out whisky festivals

• 265 whisky tasting events

• 5,247 bottles sampled

• 6,252 satisfied whisky fans 

Launched in 2011 by Amy Seton the Birmingham Whisky club celebrates five years of innovative events, festivals and tasting sessions.

Since launch the club has built a cult following of 1000s of whisky lovers from across the country.

Entrepreneur Amy started the club five years after noticing a gap in the market for whisky tastings in Birmingham. She also had a passion to make whisky more accessible to women.

Following the first successful event Amy has since gone on to build one of the country’s most successful whisky festivals outside of London attracting international brands and whisky fans from every corner of the UK.

The club launched with its first event in December 2011 – A beginners Guide to Whisky which was a total sell out.

Amy Seton said: “I started the club with one tasting event attended by 30 people. Much as I knew there was a huge opportunity to do something exciting in Birmingham I couldn’t have envisaged where we’ve got to today.

The last five years have been a huge roller coaster but it’s been worth every minute. What we’re doing here in Birmingham is pretty unique. I’ve travelled all over the country and met with countless whisky professionals who are inspired by the passion we have for whisky in this city.

The club has evolved from a handful of people to what it is today and there is still plenty more to come. You can expect some pretty big things to happen in the next 12 months.”

To celebrate this landmark, the club has hosted five fantastic events with iconic whisky brands over November and December.

The club kicked off with a ‘drink-along’ screening of Ken Loach’s award-winning ‘The Angel’s Share’ at the UK’s oldest working cinema; The Electric Cinema, with independent bottlers Douglas Laing.

Also as part of the celebrations Clements & Church tailors of Colmore Row held a tasting with Chivas Regal and The Wellington played host to Glenfiddich and Highland Park. The final tasting as a return of club favourite ‘Peat Freaks’ with co-founder and local whisky expert, Craig Mills.

Tickets for the club’s flagship festival, Whisky Birmingham 2017, held on Saturday March 4^th 2017 are now on sale.

For more information on The Birmingham Whisky Club’s upcoming events, head to their website. Further details about Whisky Birmingham 2017 can be found at www.birminghamwhiskyfestival.co.uk/.

Notes to editors

For information about The Birmingham Whisky Club please visit http://www.thebirminghamwhiskyclub.co.uk/ or contact Amy Seton on 07966 266511 or email Vicky@birminghamwhiskyclub.co.uk.

About The Birmingham Whisky Club

The Birmingham Whisky Club is Birmingham’s only dedicated whisky tasting events company. We offer a diverse range of tutored tastings and whisky-themed events in and around Birmingham, including themed and rare whisky night’s, events with distilleries, whisky and food matching, and private and corporate events. We welcome everyone, from complete beginners to the more hardened whisky buff.

Visit our webpage www.thebirminghamwhiskyclub.co.uk/ or find us on Facebook.

EXPOSURE OF FORGED RARE WHISKY JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG

Rare Whisky 101, the whisky analyst, broker and investment expert, has unearthed a trove of forged rare Scotch malt whisky, leading to concerns over the authenticity of rare old whisky currently on sale throughout the worldwide auction market.

The forged haul includes a fake bottle of Laphroaig 1903, potentially worth £100,000, and two fake part sets of Macallan Fine and Rare, one worth around £500,000 and the other worth around £250,000.

As a warning to unscrupulous rare whisky collectors and investors, these findings mark the first significant indication that professional fraud is more commonplace than ever previously considered.

As the Rare Whisky market continues to experience dynamic growth in volume and value it is forecast that the UK Whisky Auction market will trade around 55,000 bottles and turn over around £12,000,000 in 2016.

Key to this growth, for buyers and sellers, is absolute trust in the market. As demand continues to soar for very old and rare bottles, prices are continuing to rocket based on confidence in the market’s authenticity.

Rare Whisky 101 decided to embark on a quest to authenticate what was believed to be the oldest Laphroaig in existence. The quest has been captured in a short film by Rare Whisky 101. Purchased at auction by Rare Whisky 101 in 2015, the bottle of Laphroaig 1903 was subjected to a six month long series of forensic tests including:

• Glass dating to match the bottle with the methods used in early 1900s
• Cork and capsule assessment
• Organoleptic assessment of the liquid to prove quality and style fit the profile expected from a Laphroaig
• Analysis of peat derived compounds to prove Islay signature and provenance of smoke
• Analysis of malt and grain whisky derived compounds to prove single malt or blended scotch
• Carbon dating at Oxford University’s Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit to verify the year of distillation.

The conclusion from Rare Whisky 101’s investigation is that the whisky is a modern fake. Results from Oxford University’s Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit suggested a 75% chance that the liquid (a blended scotch) was created between 2007 and 2009, more than 100 years after its suggested label date!

About Rare Whisky 101

Andy Simpson and David Robertson launched Rare Whisky 101 in 2014 with the aim of offering a whisky valuation service, brokerage and consultancy for whisky connoisseurs, collectors and investors. Having tracked every bottle sold at UK auctions over the past 12 years, the business now offers the world’s first, only and most comprehensive online single malt Scotch & Japanese whisky dataset covering some 175,000 price records over 25,000 different bottle types. In the last 12 months, RW101 have brokered around 20,000 rare whisky bottles around the globe in addition to trading in aged casks from iconic distilleries such as The Macallan, Ardbeg, Bowmore, Springbank, Mortlach, Talisker, Caol Ila, Lagavulin and Highland Park.

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A New K&L Favorite Japanese Single Cask Whisky Ohishi Single Sherry Cask #1023 Japanese Whisky ($74.99)

Back in May we brought to you Ohishi’s Single Sherry Cask and it was an instantaneous hit. If we ever had any question whether single cask rice whiskies have a place in the market, the Ohishi answered with a resounding, “YES!” Given the enthusiastic response we went back to the well, or in this case the distillery, and were able to procure another barrel of this remarkable spirit. Every bit as good as the last cask, this bottling is so lively and so demonstrative it’s impossible not to become enraptured. Graced with ample notes of orchard fruit, raisins, honeyed nuts, cocoa, brown sugar, vanilla, and touches of earth it sings from start to finish. While packed with flavor, there is a composed presentation here which draws all of its many components into a superlative package with unparalleled balance. If you are a fan of Yamazaki, Hibiki, and Nikka, but are having a hard time tracking them down, then this is an ideal alternative. As with the last cask, there’s little chance this beauty will stay on our shelves long. Add to this the fact that we aren’t sure when we’ll be able to get another, this definitely becomes a must-act opportunity.

Ohishi “‘K&L Exclusive”‘ Single Sherry Cask #1023 Japanese Whisky (750ml) ($74.99)

The Ohishi distillery is located on the banks of the Kuma River, one Japan’s fastest flowing rivers. The distillery was founded in 1872 and produces some of the most exciting whisky coming out of Japan. Ohishi grows at least 30% of the rice that they distill, and the fertile soils and exceptional growing climate make for some of the finest base ingredients available. The strain of rice is called “gohyakumanishi” (meaning “five million stones”), and an organic method of cultivation is utilized that requires the use of koi carp for weed control. The rest of the grain is procured from local farms in Kumamoto prefecture and is of the short grained Mochi variety. The grains are partially malted and then distilled on the traditional Japanese stills before being filled into ex-sherry and brandy casks and aged for a long time time in high-altitude warehouses. This cask brings in a great balanced sherry influence and definitely feels more like Scotch than our single cask from the Fukano Distillery. This cask will likely be the only one we get for a while, considering the recent events in Kumamoto prefecture. Our last cask sold out in a flash, so we can expect this special cask to go very quickly as well.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 13, 2016

This magic little cask of Ohishi proves again there is just nothing wrong with rice whisky, nothing at all. The nose is wonderfully fresh and keeps you on your feet for a big dose of fresh cut apple, followed by a deep dark Oloroso note, and sweet caramelized citrus. Subtle yet full of life, the whole thing builds and brings you some lovely hints of funk around these very pretty fruit flavors. The palate is pretty weighty, but balance is the key factor. The freshness isn’t lost at all, and some cocoa and barrel spice along with dark vanilla bean and slight earthy warehouse funk take over. It’s so utterly drinkable it will be difficult to put down, if you know what I’m saying. Beware!

Olivia Ragni | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 09, 2016

What I love about the Ohishi is the combination of the beautiful texture you get from distilled rice and the wonderful balance of sherry characteristics imparted from again in sherry barrels. Aromas of white flowers and almonds lead to a soft palate of cocoa, almond skins, toasted walnuts, and raisins.

Purchasing unique barrels of cask strength single malt whisky isn’t a process that particularly lends itself to everyday value, mainly because of the added costs that bottling whisky at full proof and in small quantities entails. We hear from K&L customers all over the world on a regular basis who would love to participate more often in our exclusive whisky program, if only the costs were a bit more in line with the regular brands. The sad truth is, however: there simply isn’t much cask strength juice out there for under $75 and when we do manage to locate more value-priced selections they’re usually in the 5-7 year range, and often quite youthful in their character. With the three-tier distribution system set up the way it is in the United States, there’s really no way around that price point. But that’s why you shop at K&L, right? Because we know how trim down those margins, cut out those middlemen, and bring the booze directly to you for a more reasonable price!

We’ve performed a few magic acts over the years. We’ve located some rare whiskies, pulled out a few stops, and managed to drop the price on many an interesting spirit here and there, but we can’t remember having ever put together a Scotch deal like this one: two single barrels of cask strength, sherry-matured, dark and delicious Highland single malt whisky for less than fifty bucks. We’ve been sitting on our hands and biting our tongues, hoping to keep this deal a secret until December when we knew single malt shoppers would appreciate it most. Not only are these two sherry-matured whiskies sure-fire gift options for your Macallan or Balvenie-loving whisky drinker, they’re both loaded with flavors of shortbread, toffee, Christmas cake, and dark chocolate. Never in our store’s history have we been able to offer whisky this rich and this delicious at full proof for under fifty bucks. Buy a few for your loved ones, or buy a few for yourself; just don’t miss out on this offer. We think it’s the best single malt whisky deal of the year.

2005 Glenallachie 11 Year Old “Hepburn’s Choice – K&L Exclusive” Single Sherry Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($49.99)

Glenallachie is a Pernod-Ricard-owned distillery that sends most of its whisky to the blended Chivas Regal, but after our customers get a taste of this super-saturated sherry-matured delight, it’s going to be a household name at K&L. This 11 year old first-fill sherry bomb is like a darker, sweeter, older, richer, better version of another Pernod-Ricard classic: the Aberlour A’Bunadh. But whereas the A’Bunadh sells for $70 a bottle, this decadent Glenallachie comes in at a cool $49.99. For the age, quality, and concentration of the sherry here, this is right there with the Dailuaine 9 year old cask as one of the best single malt whisky deals we’ve ever offered. The nose is brimming with burnt vanilla, toasted nuts, and cakebread. The palate is a 59.8% beast of savory sherry, sweet pudding, candied citrus, and dark chocolate. If you’ve been dreaming of the 22 year old Mortlach sherry bomb we offered years ago that is still the stuff of legend today, this is the baby version of that whisky. We could probably sell this for $99.99 and few people would complain. We’d recommend buying this one by the case. Only 600 total bottles available.

Andrew Stevens | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 06, 2016

This is a delightful bottle of whiskey even without the sub $50 price tag. The nose showcases the traditional nutty richness from the sherry cask, but there is a more savory, almost touch of earth note alongside it. Amazingly smooth on the palate, like the nose, this Scotch brings an almost savory element to the sweet richness of the sherry influence. Hints of bitter chocolate, earth, and almonds mean that this will be perfect to warm up the many cool evenings that this time of the year brings.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 06, 2016

Weighing in at a whopping 59.8% this gem packs deep, rich, dense sherry into a garden full of fresh herbs and moist, rich humus. It’s chewy, nutty sherry with a touch of cocoa and all at an unheard of price point for cask-strength whisky in the market today. If you want a great gift for a big sherry whisky lover without dropping 100+ bucks, this is just the ticket.

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 06, 2016

I’ve been anxiously awaiting the release of this whisky for months, ever since I first tasted it back in Glasgow this past September. Once the price of the Pound dropped and I was able to rework a little math, I knew we had a chance to offer one of the best single malt deals in our store’s history. This is like a K&L Exclusive version of Aberlour A’Bunadh, but this version comes from another Chivas distillery called Glenallachie. This one also comes with an age statement (11 years) and a discount of $20 per bottle. Sherry bomb chasers haven’t seen a deal this good in a decade. This is every thing we say it is: dark, rich, chewy, raisined, concentrated, and full of sweet sherry. It’s almost 60% at cask strength and it’s a complete animal. For $49.99, I’m not sure if I should laugh or cry.

2007 Dailuaine 9 Year Old “Hepburn’s Choice – K&L Exclusive” Single Sherry Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($49.99)

Dailuaine is one of Diageo’s classic Speyside distilleries that produces a classically rich, nutty, and creamy Highland malt whisky. We thought this particular nine year old sherry butt-aged expression was so fruity and delicious that we practically jumped across the negotiating table to get our hands on it. Matured in a second fill cask, the toffee and shortbread notes of the Oloroso cask are more restrained and integrated, but they’re still front and center. They meld beautifully with the inherent maltiness of the whisky and build to a finish that pops at 58.3% with spice, rhubarb, and toasted almond notes. Fans of Glendronach, Macallan, and Balvenie should go ga-ga for this. The chewiness of the sherry is just apparent enough to add body and texture, but it never takes away from the pure malt flavor. Utterly drinkable and of profound quality for the price. Without a doubt, it’s one of the best deals we’ve ever offered for any cask of sherry-aged malt whisky in our store’s history.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 06, 2016

Stunningly smooth and approachable despite being bottles at a hefty 58.3%. Tons of intense sherry, candied nuts, and richness here, but not a huge sherry bomb in the classic sense. While there is the clear stamp of Spain’s finest fortified wines, there is also an elegance and balance due to a robust maltiness with a touch of heavy cream. All for $50 bucks, this is a heck of a deal.

Andrew Stevens | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 06, 2016

Super fun, tasty bottle that we picked up from Hepburn’s Choice that fulfills the niche that seems to be harder and harder to fill in the whiskey world. Namely good, smooth affordable whiskey. Here the sherry casks gives this 9 year old Scotch a nutty sweetness on the nose with hints of caramel. The palate has loads of rich baked fruit and the Sherry really sings with nutty spice and rich round tones. Even at cask strength this is a surprisingly smooth whiskey for anyone looking to get into a fun bottle that doesn’t have to be special occasion only.

David Driscoll | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: December 06, 2016

While the super sherry heads all fawn and freak out over the uber-rich Glenallachie 11, the fans of more restrained and balanced sherry-aged whisky should be surreptitiously stocking up on this 9 year old Dailuaine, hoping the masses don’t catch wind of this incredible deal. This sherry-aged delight drinks like a full proof version of Glendronach 12 or the Balvenie Doublewood. It’s half creamy malt and half toasted sherry deliciousness. The flavors of sweet barley and sweet sherry meander back and forth and trade places numerous times with each sip. Sure, it’s the price as the Glenallachie and it’s two years younger, but this is the bottle you’ll come back to over and over again. This is the one you’ll really miss when all 559 bottles are sold out.

Bruichladdich 10 Year Old 2nd Edition

The Laddie Ten second release has landed just in time for the holiday season. Matured in first-fill bourbon, sherry and French wine casks, here is the classic structure of Bruichladdich Islay single malt. Bruichladdich Distillery was established in 1881 by the Harvey family of distillers based in Glasgow. Situated on the Rhinns peninsular on the island of Islay close and close to the sandy bays of Loch Indaal. Re-opened in 2001 with much of the original Victorian equipment restored to working order. The first release of Bruichladdich’s new whisky was the highly acclaimed PC5, the first release in the limited Port Charlotte range. Also producing very highly peated Octamore, Organic using Islay grown barley, and triple and quadruple distilled single malt and single cask releases. Bruichladdich distillery participates in Feis Ile, the annual Islay Whisky Festival

£51.79

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Day 16 of the Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 

Scotch Whisky Advent Calendar 3rd Edition Day 16 Blog #151 – Samaroli Islay 8 Year Old

It’s been pretty cold here in Alberta of late to say the least so it is well overdue for another return visit to Islay the land or warming peat and smoke. Samaroli have done an amazing job with their blending of Single Malts over the years and I like to showcase how well this can be done by popping one or two of their new expressions each edition.

Today we are looking at a blended malt that is a combination of over 99% malt from one distillery. This cask comes under the definition of tea-spooning. This practice is a touch controversial in Scotland circles as some believe that there is no spoon….ing.

When a distillery releases a cask but does not want it interfering with their own sales they can prohibit mention of the distillery and even prevent it from being released as a Single Malt. They do this by allegedly throwing in a teaspoon of another malt into the barrel thereby transforming it into a blended malt. There is a considerable number that theorize the fact that the teaspoon never happens and that only on paper is it considered a blended malt. Of course it is impossible to tell either way as the tiniest dash of single malt from another distillery thrown into an entire barrel will have absolutely no impact whatsoever.

So unlike the Samaroli blended malts where various amounts from a number of distilleries are involved really in this case we are looking at an undisclosed Islay Single Malt for all intents and purposes. Lets see if we can figure out which distillery.

Samaroli Islay teaspoon-ed blended malt. Aged for 8 years in a new American oak Hogshead and then bottled at the Samaroli chosen strength of 43% with no chill filtration or caramel added. A bit of an indicator here is the cask number 1883 which tells us that it is just one cask.

Color:   Golden lager

Nose:     Team trainer bag, salt shaker and jerky.

Palate:   Distinctive bowl of burnt rubber and iodine leaking some organic citrus toothpaste (for the mouth feel).

Finish: Bitter lemon rind among the consistent notes of tanned leather, rubber gloves and medicine cabinet.

The medicinal character even goes so far as to give my palate a bit of a numbing effect and at only 43%. This is a very big whisky and again belies the light color. So you be the judge… spoon or no spoon? Distillery options anyone?

This should satiate even the hardcore Islay fan for at least a few days.

In the second edition on this day we had the Samaroli Benriach 1996 Single Malt which you can revisit here.

Lets see what the Lassie has to say about this Samaroli Islay.

For those of you looking for a bottle of this delicious Islay you can email me here at jonathan@secretspirits.com and I will point you in the right direction.

Tomorrow we are grabbing a ferry away from Islay and heading to the mainland for another visit to the Highlands to discover yet another style of whisky that we love to add in each edition but is largely unknown for lovers of Single Cask Scotch. This will be presented to us by the fabulous team at Wemyss Malts.

Looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow

Slainte

Jonathan – taster of secrets

http://www.singlemalting.com/category/whisky-advent-calendar-2016/

Toulvaddie Distillery is set to become the first Scotch Malt Whisky Distillery to be founded by a woman in almost 200 Years. 

In an industry which has been around for centuries it can be difficult to start something new which stands out from the crowd, however Heather Nelson is aiming to do just that. On an old naval air field in Ross-shire, Highlands of Scotland, Toulvaddie Distillery will be the first Scotch whisky distillery to be founded by a woman in almost 200 years, and the only one to be founded solely by a woman.

Toulvaddie Distillery will be a micro whisky distillery with the capacity to produce around 30,000 litres of alcohol per annum. The stills are a similar size and shape to those used by the whisky “smugglers” in days gone by. This size enables the whole process to be hands on and this is the element that appeals to Heather.

She explains-

“It’s great to see so many distilleries being built just now. However these are by men or are also producing gin as a way of making ends meet until the whisky has aged. I want to build a distillery which has its focus on a quality malt spirit resulting in a whisky I can be proud of. Due to fact that whisky needs time, and to ensure that production can continue, some year 1 casks are available to purchase. There is also a founders club which will receive exclusive bottlings which will never go on general sale from the distillery. I will also be releasing a spirit which has a much shorter maturation time which will tie into the history of the site.”

Women have always been involved in the production of whisky. From the farmer’s wives running the illicit stills after the Union between Scotland and England of 1707 up to the current distillery company CEOs, however Heather’s aim to start a distillery is not because she is a woman, it’s all about the creative process and the final product.

“People always ask – “why do you love whisky?” Well, why does anyone love whisky. It’s the complexity of the flavours, the sheer warmth it yields, and the fact that it just tastes good! The fact there are only three ingredients, but so many different tasting whiskies is what really got me thinking about what makes them different. Being the one who influences those flavours appealed to me and that’s when I started to look into the process in more depth. Yet at this point, being able to start my own distillery was just a dream, but the more I studied the stronger was my desire to actually make my own spirit, and have been working on turning that dream into reality ever since.”

The distillery is to be built on the site of an old Royal Navy Airbase where Navy bomber pilots trained on how to land on the decks of aircraft carriers. Incorporating the site history into the distillery is also important to Heather. “Much of the base has been returned to farmland and most of the buildings knocked down after it was no longer needed by the Navy. I want the distillery to retain some of that history and the spirit of the men and women who worked there and are currently in talks with the Fleet Air Arm Museum and the National Museum of the Royal Navy about doing just that.”

To find out more visit www.toulvaddiedistillery.com/

NOTES 

HMS Owl, Fearn is the Royal Naval Air Service Base where the distillery is to be built. Once an RAF Airfield and then taken over by the Royal Navy for torpedo bomber training.

The distillery will be built on a section of one of the now disused runways.

There are 100 Year 1 casks released for sale and a limited number of founding memberships and these will help the continuation of the distillery in the time waiting for the whisky to mature and are available to purchase now via the website.

There will be limited New Spirit bottlings available and there will also be a short maturation spirit commemorating the history of the site.

Heather Nelson, 37, who lives in Tain, Ross-shire, set up Toulvaddie Distillery Ltd in November 2015 and has received Approval in Principle from the HMRC for the distillation licence.

International Premiere for Yamazakura’s Premium Japanese Whisky

Discerning whisky drinkers can look forward to finding a rare gem under the Christmas tree this year, as 21-year-old Yamazakura 963 is offered for sale for the first time outside of Japan. This top-tier blended whisky of the celebrated Sasanokawa Shuzo distillery is available in just a handful of shops in its country of origin and online only at dekantā – the world’s largest online store for high-end Japanese spirits.

The Yamazakura 963 is meticulously blended using a combination of single malt and grain whisky and has been praised for its mellow fragrance and complex flavour. Instead of making a long trip to source a rare gift, international whisky connoisseurs can order this highly sought bottle online from Japanese whisky retailer dekantā and receive their purchase in 3-10 days.

Arriving beautifully gift-wrapped in the Japanese style, dekantā’s bottles make unique gifts for Christmas. With their wide selection and worldwide delivery, dekantā offers consumers across the globe the opportunity to savour a rare and distinctive Japanese whisky, whether as part of a relaxing evening, or over dinner with friends and family.

Japanese whisky has recently experienced exponential worldwide sales growth, attracting international attention and awards. Distilled in a similar manner to Scotch, Japanese whisky-making processes are refined to better appeal to the local palate. Non-Japanese drinkers often describe the experience of sampling more sophisticated Japanese whiskies as exotic and seductive.

Consumers who would like to learn more about Japanese whisky should visit the dekantā website, which boasts the most extensive repository of information dedicated to Japanese whisky, including distillery history and tasting notes for each bottle. Bilingual concierge service is available 24 hours a day, providing expert recommendations in both English and Japanese.

Read more about the Yamazakura 963 21-year-old on the dekantā website.

Notes:

About dekantā

A family owned and run business, dekantā’s founders have been selling collectibles since 1985 and specialize in rare, collectible, and new release single malt Japanese whisky. As well as Japanese grain whisky and Japanese blended whisky, dekantā offer an extensive range of Scottish whisky released for the Japanese market only.

Stocking rare bottles not available through traditional global distribution channels, dekantā offer world-leading Japanese whiskies to an international market. With a selection of more than 1000 bottles, ranging in price from £30 to £100,000; dekantā presents options for both the avid collector and those new to Japanese whisky.

About Sasanokawa Shuzo Distillery

Originally a producer of sake and shochu founded in 1765, Sasanokawa Shuzo Company Limited turned their hand to whisky production in 1946. They were soon able to compete with large whisky-producing rivals such as Nikka and Suntory, producing fine whiskies of renown.

For more information about the Yamazakura 963 21-year-old and the wide selection of rare and collectible Japanese whiskies available from dekantā, visit https://dekanta.com/.

Follow dekantā on Twitter: @dekantawhisky                                     Like dekantā on Facebook: facebook.com/dekantawhisky/