anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky launches first Single Cask to mark 60^th anniversary of La Maison du Whisky

Premium Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, anCnoc has announced it is set to release its first ever single cask bottling to mark 60 years of French whisky specialists La Maison du Whisky.

The exclusive liquid will officially become available at Whisky Live Paris on 24^th-26^th September to celebrate the role of the country’s largest rare whisky retailer in the evolution of the French market for premium whiskies.

Matured for over 11 years in first-fill American oak ex-bourbon barrel number 427, anCnoc 2005 is rose gold in appearance and has a unique and complex character. On the nose, wood smoke and burned stewed apples with elegant liquorice overtones are underpinned by the distillery’s signature rich vanilla and honey sweetness.

To taste, flavour notes include thick smoke on grated lemon peel and summer fruit salad. Honey and vanilla balance this out, eventually revealing spicy ginger. The finish is a combination of fruit and smoke; powerful and long-lasting.

anCnoc Brand Manager Stephanie Allison said: “There are only a few hundred bottles available of this single cask which our distillery manager Gordon has carefully selected for its exceptional flavour. This is the first time anCnoc has released a single cask – and what better reason than to commemorate this landmark anniversary for La Maison du Whisky.” 

Bottled at a cask strength of 58% vol, anCnoc 2005 will be available from 24^th September exclusively through La Maison du Whisky. RRP 119€ for 70cl.

Notes

About anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

anCnoc Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is part of the Inver House Distillers portfolio, and is produced at Knockdhu Distillery – established in 1894 and one of the smallest and most enchanting in the Scottish Highlands. It is renowned the world over by malt enthusiasts for bringing a contemporary twist to the traditions of fine malt whisky, producing a single malt that is accessible and versatile for all occasions. Cutter has been ranked in the Liquid Gold category of Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2016 with a score of 96.5 adding to anCnoc’s portfolio of award-winning expressions. Whiskies in this category are deemed by Jim Murray as “superstar whiskies that give us all a reason to live.”

About International Beverage

International Beverage Holdings (www.interbevgroup.com) was established in 2005 as the international arm of ThaiBev, one of South East Asia’s leading alcohol beverage companies. With a network of regional offices in Asia, Europe and North America, the company is responsible for the production, sales, marketing and distribution of a portfolio of premium global brands in over 80 countries and territories.

Inver House Distillers (www.inverhouse.com) is globally integrated into International Beverage Holdings and drives the distillation and maturation of Scotch through its five distilleries.

International Beverage brands include:

• Chang Beer: Thailand’s iconic beer brand
• Single Malt Scotch Whiskies: Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc, Speyburn
• Blended Whiskies: Hankey Bannister
• Mekhong: ‘The Spirit of Thailand’ since 1941
• Caorunn – a small batch distilled Scottish Gin infused with 5 Celtic botanicals
• The company’s success is built on the combination of a strong understanding of local cultures and markets with the creation of a truly global operational network. Brand building pays respect to heritage, provenance and craftsmanship whilst delivering innovative and highly effective strategies at global level. A skilled and dedicated team of more than 12 nationalities speaking over 14 languages delivers the highest standards of customer service and attention to detail across all aspects of the business.

The highly anticipated annual Special Release from Diageo are now available to pre-order from The Whisky Shop. Always special and always highly sought after, this year’s collection includes the oldest release from Port Ellen and a 12 year old commemorative Lagavulin among other treasures. Pre-order now to secure your bottle!

Free delivery on orders over £75 Worldwide delivery available

The Macallan 18 Year Old Now Available to Order

The Macallan 18 Year Old Sherry Oak 2016

The Macallan is the third most popular single malt brand in the world. and the latest release of the 18 Year Old Sherry Oak makes it clear why. Matured exclusively in sherry seasoned oak from Spain and America for a beautifully dark, full flavoured single malt whisky. The nose has dried fruits, cinnamon and ginger with hints of citrus and vanilla. The palate is rich with dried fruits, spices, orange and wood smoke while the finish is full with dried fruits, spices, sweet toffee and a hint of wood smoke.

£199.99 Buy Now

Limited to 2 bottles per customer In stock and available for immediate dispatch

A gift pack edition of Kilchoman’s first ongoing bottling – Machir Bay. This young and peaty dram is accompanied by a pair of branded Glencairn glasses to help you share and enjoy this whisky from Islay’s smallest distillery.

This pack contains a 750ml bottle of Machir Bay and two Glencairn tasting glasses. The perfect gift for Kilchoman fans.

Named after the most spectacular beach on Islay, Machir Bay is the flagship of the Kilchoman range. Machir Bay is a unique and complex combination of ex-bourbon barrels and Oloroso sherry butts.

The Machir Bay range was first launched in 2012 when it won the prestigious IWSC 2012 Gold Award – Best in Class.

“Machir Bay has a beautiful balance of vanilla, smokey butterscotch and rich fruitiness each contributing in complexity and combining to create a truly unique Islay dram”

– John MacLellan, Distillery Manager

Tasting Notes

Nose: Soft cooked fruits with strong peaty aromas.

Palate: Soft mixed fruits and vanilla with an intense sweetness.

Finish: A Classic islay malt now showing the benefit of additional ageing. A long lingering finish.

Awards

• IWSC 2012 Gold Award – Best in Class

• International Whisky Competition 2011 Whisky of the Year Silver

• International Whisky Competition 2013 Best Scotch Whisky Silver

• International Whisky Competition 2013 Whisky of the Year Gold

• International Wine and Spirit Competition 2011 Gold

• Best Islay Whisky under 12 yr old – Scotch Whisky Masters 2015

• IWSC 2015 – Gold Medal • Whiskies of the World 2015 – Best in Class

• Whiskies of the World 2015 – Gold Medal

• The Fifty Best 2016 – Gold Medal

• IWSC 2015 – 2nd Place Best Single Malt Whisky  / 1st Place Best Peated Whisky / 2nd Place Best Single Malt Scotch NAS / 1st Place Best Single Malt (Islay) • IWSC 2016 – 1st Place – Best Peated Scotch Whisky • IWSC 2016 – 1st Place – Best Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

• IWSC 2016 – 2nd Place – Best Single Malt Scotch Whisky (94.5 points)

Please feel free to reach out for more details: office@impexbev.com

Glencadam 43 Year Old 1972 Signatory Rare Reserve Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky

 

Whisky Live Festival Calendar Entry 

The world’s largest Whisky Live Festival opens its doors from 9 – 11 November 2016 at the Sandton Convention Centre, showcasing the widest selection of whisky in SA under one roof! A range of luxury lifestyle products are accessible from 17h00, while the Tasting Hall opens at 18h00 until 22h00. Tickets are available at www.ticketpros.co.za starting from R220 and include a tasting glass, 16 tasting vouchers and a bottle of Consol Still Water.

For more information visit www.whiskylive.co.za, email info@whiskylive.co.za, Tweet us @whiskyliveSA or find us on Facebook at Whisky Live Africa.

Buffalo Trace Distillery Unveils New Look for Weller Bourbon 

New Bottles and Labels Coming Soon; No Price Increases Planned

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (September 14, 2016) The well-respected W.L. Weller Bourbon brand will receive a packaging upgrade starting this December. Weller Special Reserve, Weller Antique, and Weller 12-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskey will use a brand new bottle design that is taller and more sophisticated, while maintaining the curves of the current Weller bottle.

Each whiskey will have its own distinctly colored face label, which has been enlarged and includes a large cursive “W” on the front.  The brand name “Weller” has been enlarged on the front label for stronger and easier consumer brand name recognition, and the newly added back labels include information about William Larue Weller and the whiskey. These back labels share the life story of William Larue Weller, along with tasting notes for each respective expression. Born in 1825, William Larue Weller was one of the early distilling pioneers in Kentucky. After serving with the Louisville Brigade in the 1840s, Weller returned to Louisville to join the family tradition of whiskey distilling. He developed his original bourbon recipe with wheat, rather than rye in the mash bill. Weller’s original wheated recipe bourbon became so popular he was forced to put a green thumbprint on barrels to ensure that customers were receiving the real deal. His namesake company eventually went on to merge with Pappy Van Winkle’s A. Ph. Stitzel Distillery to form the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, one of the most iconic and beloved distilleries in Kentucky.

The Weller name is still so famous it is played up in the new label design, bearing “Weller” in a magnificent gold color front and center of the bottle and on the necker, making the brand easily identifiable on shelves and back bars.  The gold accents continue throughout the front label to add to the upscale feel.  The initials “W.L.” have been removed the front of the label in order to provide the correct amount of space for the newly enlarged brand name. The cap closure for each bottle has been upgraded as well to a high quality aluminum cap.

“The Weller Bourbons have an exceptionally smooth taste, and we wanted to design the new package to fully reflect the quality of the bourbon inside,” said Kris Comstock, marketing director, bourbon. “This new look is indicative of our strong commitment and plans for continued growth for the brand in the future.” The production of the Weller recipe has been steadily increasing the past several years at Buffalo Trace Distillery so there are no plans to slow down or stop production.  “We are committed to Weller and have no plans to discontinue or change the recipe, proof, or age of any of the Weller whiskeys,” added Comstock.

Over the past few years the Weller brand has won a host of awards, including: a Gold Medal for Weller Antique 107 at the 2016 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition; a Gold Medal at the 2015 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for Weller 12 Year Old; and a Double Gold for Weller 12 Year Old at the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, among others.

Weller Special Reserve and Weller Antique should be available in the new packaging this December, as with the next release of Weller 12 Year Old scheduled for spring of 2017.  This new look will affect 750mL, Liters and 1.75L size bottles. There is no price increase planned.  Suggested retail price for the 750ml bottles of Weller Special Reserve is $17.99, Weller Antique 107 is $19.99, and Weller 12-Year-Old $24.99 each.

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 1786 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 seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Whisky Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit http://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/.

SEPTEMBER AUCTION NOW LIVE!

If Summer feels like a distant memory fear not, our September Auction is here to brighten things up! It is an absolutely stunning sale full of superb old vintages, rare independent bottlings and Japanese gems. Take a look at just a few of the highlights before heading over to our website to see the full sale!

KARUIZAWA NOH SINGLE CASKS 

We couldn’t pass up the chance to shine a spotlight on a superb range of Karuizawa Noh Casks. With labels inspired by classical Japanese theatre they make for an imposing group but with whisky that good inside they won’t scare us off! 

ST MAGDALENE 20 YEAR OLD / 100 YEARS OF WATERLOO 

One of the few older official releases from this incredible lost distillery! Only 396 bottles of this stunning whisky were released, each one coming with a letter of authenticity. 

JURA 1966 20 YEAR OLD & BOWMORE 1964 22 YEAR OLD 

Two exceptional independent bottlings by RW Duthie & Co for the Corti Borthers Sacramento. One of the rarest indie bottlings of Jura around! 

MORTLACH 75 YEAR OLD GORDON AND MACPHAIL 

At a stunning 75 years old this incredible Mortlach is the oldest whisky ever bottled. 100 of these handcrafted crystal decanters were released by Gordon and MacPhail, accompanied by a presentation plinth, crystal glasses and leather travel bag. An astounding whisky! 

YAMAZAKI 1986 OWNER’S CASK MIZUNARA BUTT 

September features four very rare single cask bottlings from Japan’s first distillery. Each one distilled in 1986 before being matured in mizunara butts, lovely stuff! 

LAGAVULIN JAZZ FESTIVAL 2016 

Surely it can’t have been a whole year since the last Jazz bottling was released?! This year’s offering totals 6000 bottles matured in refill American oak and first fill ex bourbon casks. 

Auction runs Friday 23^rd September to Monday 3^rd October

There is no registration fee, our commission structure is very competitive and we offer worldwide shipping. For our terms and conditions please click here. 

Happy bidding!

Our first offering of limited edition whisky from Compass Box has arrived! For those of you who missed out on four of last year’s most coveted, celebrated, and revered Scotch whiskies, this is your chance to right those wrongs! The Flaming Heart, Lost Blend, Hedonism Quindecimius, and “This is not a Luxury Whisky” releases were mostly purchased by our staff members back in 2015 and few of these bottles actually made it on to the sales floor. For the time being, however, we have limited quantities in stock. There is a strict one bottle limit for each expression, but the inventory is live for as long as it lasts!

COMPASS BOX HAS ARRIVED!

Compass Box Flaming Heart 15th Anniversary Limited Edition Malt Whisky $119.99

The Flaming Heart series is about as close as we can get to peated Brora these days, and in some instances it can be just as heavenly. This is one of those instances. While insiders have always loved Glaser’s Clynelish/Caol Ila marriage, it doesn’t get nearly the fanfare some of the other rare malts do. Made from: 27.1% 30 year old Caol Ila; 24.1% 20 year old Clynelish; 10.3% 7 year old Teaninich aged in new French oak, and 38.5% 14 year old Caol Ila. The whisky is almost perfect, in my opinion. It starts with a bit of malt, then the smoke comes in, and then comes the finish. This whisky is ALL ABOUT the finish. It’s sweet vanilla mixed with campfire smoke, with butterscotch covered all over it. The oiliness of the Clynelish kicks in ten seconds later, and five minutes after your first swallow you’re still getting feedback from the Flaming Heart satellite. Incredible, pure and simple. If I didn’t have a one bottle limit on this I’d tell you to buy six.

Compass Box Hedonism Quindecimus 15th Anniversary Limited Edition Scotch Whisky $179.99

A veritable super blend of North British, Port Dundas, Dumbarton, and another unnamed mystery component, the Hedonism Quindecimus is always one of the most anticipated releases of the year with its creamy, oak dominated, rich and supple profile and smooth, butterscotch finish. Very limited.

Compass Box “This Is Not A Luxury Whisky” Limited Edition Scotch Whisky $189.99

Our absolute favorite whisky of 2015 is back for another extremely limited run. Complex, rich, lightly smoky, and opulent with notes of sweet sherry, cocoa, and a creamy coconut character. Composed of 79% sherry aged Glen Ord (just like our 5th & Harrison release), 10.1% Strathclyde, 6.9% Girvan, and 4% Caol Ila. This is like a super high end version of Johnnie Blue but with much, much more single malt as the base. Those looking for utter elegance and polish, look no further.

Compass Box “The Lost Blend” Blended Malt Whisky $104.99

Inspired by The Lost Blend, a short story written by O. Henry in 1907, this is an elegantly complex union of two fruity Highland single malts from the Clynelish and Allt-A-Bhainne distilleries and a peaty Islay single malt from the Caol Ila distillery. The style is a homage to our own Lost Blend, Eleuthera, that we sadly retired in 2004. It has a sweet, ethereal fruit and herbal character buttressed by an underlying smokiness.

David Driscoll K&L Spirits Buyer daviddriscoll@klwines.com 650.556.2736 http://spiritsjournal.klwines.com

Our furry friends Glen & Turret had to be on their best behaviour this month when The Famous Grouse Experience got a special visit from VisitScotland Assessors.  Not ones to miss being the stars of the show, they thoroughly charmed the assessors and are taking full credit for us retaining our five-star rating. They do love having a home that’s an ‘exceptional’ tourist attraction…

#BESTSCOTTISHWELCOME We kicked off Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight by giving tourists who had just touched down at Edinburgh Airport a Famous surprise. Scotland’s oldest distillery proved that a dram, some tasty Scottish shortbread and bagpipes are the perfect ingredients for the #BestScottishWelcome. Keep your eyes peeled for the video…

FAMOUS FOR A REASON It’s an unusual marriage at first glance: the public face of a whisky mega brand in a tiny working distillery nestled in the Highlands of Perthshire. Find out more about how we came to become the spiritual home of The Famous Grouse on the blog…

Mellow Gold is a premium blend with an emphasis on sherry-seasoned casks that delivers a smooth, velvety dram with vanilla and subtly sweet spice. Pick up your bottle of this month’s Dram of the Month online and in The Famous Shop.