Kilchoman Sanaig 46% ABV SHERRY CASK MATURED

Kilchoman, Islay’s Farm Distillery, has continued its recent success at the International Whisky Competition, where it was awarded Best Peated Scotch Whisky, with medals at both the Los Angeles Spirits Competition and San Diego Wine and Spirits Challenge.

Sanaig, the latest additional to the Kilchoman range scored a stunning 92 points “Best of Category Award” at the LA Competition and Double Gold at the San Diego Wine and Spirits Challenge. The results are even more impressive given the short history of Islay’s newest distillery, having only started distilling in 2005.  Founder Anthony Wills commented “results like these are extremely pleasing, we have a belief that what we do at Kilchoman is unique and such recognition reaffirms that believe. It’s only nice to get one over on your rivals”.

First launched in the US in 2009, Kilchoman has quickly established itself in the world of single malt. Sanaig, their latest core range release has a predominantly sherry cask influence, the Scotch first being matured in Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels before being transferred to further maturation in Oloroso sherry casks.  The result of this dual cask maturation allows for both the caramel and vanilla from the Bourbon barrel to combine with the richness of the sherry casks along with the signature maritime peat smoke, saltiness and citrus sweetness of Kilchoman.

Founded in 2005, Kilchoman is one of the smallest distilleries in Scotland and was the first distillery to be built on Islay for 125 years.  Kilchoman, the only independently owned Islay distillery is most famous as the only distillery in Scotland to produce a portion of it’s whisky from barley grown onsite, completing all stages of the whisky-making process themselves using traditional farm distillery methods. Kilchoman Sanaig is bottled at 46% ABV and is available in the majority of the US markets, priced between $70 and $75.

Tasting Notes: Kilchoman Sanaig Single Islay Malt Scotch Whisky

Colour: Beech wood

Nose:  Soft cooked fruits with caramel and vanilla.

Palate:  Toffee, peat smoke and citrus with lingering sweetness.

Finish:  A lovely balance of peat smoke, fruit and sweetness.

Notes: Kilchoman Distillery is a small family run farm distillery based on the rugged west coast of Islay. The distillery was established by Anthony Wills in 2005, the idea was to build a new distillery which took whisky production back to its roots. Anthony and wife Kathy have now been joined by their three sons: George, James and Peter.   Kilchoman produces its 100% Islay single malt from barley which is grown in fields surrounding the distillery and completes every stage of the whisky-making process at the distillery, including traditional floor malting. Kilchoman is the only distillery in Scotland to do this. Kilchoman is now very much a family affair:   Since the first bottling was released in 2008, Kilchoman has quickly established itself as a high quality Islay Single Malt Whisky with these notable awards:

• Kilchoman’s exceptional quality was recognised at the prestigious International Whisky Competition (IWC) when Anthony Wills was named Master Distiller of the Year 2013.
• Machir Bay was named Whisky of the Year at IWC 2013. Loch Gorm was also awarded Gold, Machir Bay received Silver and 100% Islay 2nd Ed was given bronze.
• Kilchoman 2007 Vintage received Whisky Advocate’s Award for Islay Single Malt of the Year 2013.
• In 2012 Machir Bay was awarded two prestigious IWSC Gold medals and a Silver medal, and was named in GQ’s Best 100 Things of 2012.
• Kilchoman won Malt Advocates Artisan Whisky of the Year 2011, only three years after the first bottling was released.

Armorik French Single Malt Whiskies

When was the last time you had the pleasure of trying a French Single Malt? That’s right, not Scotch, American, or Japanese single malt; but French Single Malt! These are a couple super-cool bottles of whisky to further diversify one’s collection, and please one’s palate. The Double Maturation is malty and dry, with orchard fruit and salty caramel undertones. The Sherry Cask is big and warming, with noticeable peat and sherry influence and a big long finish. Both have all natural color and are non-chill filtered. These are some super-cool whiskies.

1997 Glen Garioch 15 Year Old “K&L Exclusive” Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ( $89.99) Let me bring you back to March of 2013; back when whisky kids could still be kids. David OG and I drove to Glen Garioch to meet Rachel Barrie. We picked out a delicious 15 year old cask from the Morrison-Bowmore stocks. We toasted to a successful journey, placed our order, and left with a smile. Then a funny thing happened in between the time our cask was bottled and the time our cask was due to be received: Suntory and Beam merged, Campari (who was acting as an importer to the U.S. for Suntory) was given the boot, and all hell broke loose. We never got our cask. We never knew what happened to it. After a few years went by, we kinda just forgot about it. Three years later the cask has been found and finally delivered to K&L, more importantly for the same price we were quoted back in 2013. The whisky explodes on the palate with sweet grains, rich vanilla, malted barley, and stonefruit. You get spiced apples and notes of butterscotch as well. They still couldn’t get the peat out of the distillery even after halting peated whisky production in 1994 as there’s just a smidge of smoke on the finish. Distillery-direct casks from Scotland have become almost extinct at this point, making this selection that much more special. It took three years to get it here, but it was worth the wait. (David Driscoll, K&L Spirits Buyer)

K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Invergordon 30 Year Old 1984 Sovereign

Highland Single Grain Scotch Whisky

 

TWO A. SMITH BOWMAN DISTILLERY BOURBONS WIN GOLD

AT 2016 LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL SPIRITS COMPETITION

            Fredericksburg, VIRGINIA (July 5, 2016) – Two spirits from A. Smith Bowman Distillery were awarded Gold Medals at the 2016 Los Angeles International Spirits Competition. Bowman Brothers Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey and John J. Bowman Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey each received this honor.

            These spirits were ranked among 401 spirits that were submitted from a total of 29 countries.

            The Los Angeles International Spirits Competition was formed in 2007, with an esteemed panel of judges using a blind-tasting method to award medals to the best distilled spirits from around the world.  The award-winning entries will be displayed during the Los Angeles County Fair, Sept. 2 – 25, in “The Wine, Beer & Spirits Marketplace.”

            Complete results of the 2016 LAISC are available at www.laspiritscomp.com/.

About A. Smith Bowman

1. Smith Bowman’s distilling roots date back to the years before Prohibition when the Bowman family had a granary and dairy farm in Sunset Hills, Virginia. They used excess grain from the family estate to distill spirits. In 1934, after the Repeal of Prohibition, Abram Smith Bowman and his sons continued the family tradition and built a more modern distillery in Fairfax County, Virginia called Sunset Hills Farm.  In response to the rapid rise of taxes in Northern Virginia, the Distillery was moved in 1988 and is now nestled in Spotsylvania County near the city of Fredericksburg, 60 miles away from the original location.

As a small and privately owned company, A. Smith Bowman Distillery continues the time-honored traditions on which it was founded. Considered a micro-distillery by today’s standards, A. Smith Bowman produces an assortment of hand-crafted spirits distilled from only the finest natural ingredients and using the latest technology. This micro-distillery focuses on the production of premium spirits honoring the legacy of Virginia’s first settlers. For more information on A. Smith Bowman, please visit www.asmithbowman.com/.

Construction work to bring spiritual home of Scotch whisky back to life begins

Multi-million-pound project to create Lindores Abbey Distillery now underway 

Building work has begun in Fife on a multi-million-pound project which will see Scotch whisky produced in its spiritual home for the first time in over 500 years.

The brainchild of Drew McKenzie-Smith and his wife Helen, Lindores Abbey Distillery will incorporate ancient distilling techniques and ingredients to produce a world-class spirit. The couple are also planning to open a visitor centre on the site and produce a unique Scotch whisky which will be available by 2023.

Lindores Abbey is known as the ‘spiritual home’ of Scotch whisky thanks to Friar John Cor, who paid duty on malt in 1494 in order to make ‘aqua vitae’ for the king, an act that was recorded in the Exchequer roll and is the earliest written evidence of whisky distillation in Scotland.

Once completed, Lindores Abbey Distillery will sit next to the ancient ruins of the 12^th century abbey built by the Tironesian Monks who originated from France. The monks worked the surrounding land and brought modern methods of horticulture, brewing, animal husbandry and distilling from the continent.

Drew McKenzie-Smith said: “To us, the history of Lindores Abbey is just as important as the plans we have to create a distillery. If it wasn’t for the expertise of the Tironesian monks who came to Scotland in those dark and frightening medieval times we may not have the advanced industry we do today.

“Building a distillery on this site will bring the spiritual home of Scotch whisky back to life and we will initially produce and market an aqua vitae spirit.

“We’re working closely with various teams to ensure we respect and maintain the historic integrity of this unique site. We believe a whisky distillery and visitor centre will help drive tourists to this part of Fife and, in turn, have a positive impact on the local economy.

“We hope to draw upon our expertise gained from many years spent working in the luxury hospitality industry and in fact we are already hosting dinners and events within the Abbey grounds and Lindores Abbey House for visitors from all over the world who are keen to share in this special story at the early stages.”

The distillery is being built by converting and enlarging the original abbey steading. The current steading is made from original abbey stone and is over two hundred years old. Wood and stone from the surrounding area will be used as much as possible to carry on the tradition of local sustainability and to minimise the carbon footprint of the build.

Forsyths of Rothes have been appointed as fabricators with the building specifically designed by Organic Architects of Helensburgh. International whisky expert Dr. Jim Swan will contribute his skills and expertise to create a world-class whisky which Drew believes will appeal to a global market.

Drew continues: “We will be using specific yeasts which may include a species we believe was used by Friar John Cor. These will be joined by more modern, powerful flavour-producing varieties. Lindores Abbey Distillery will have three copper stills, one wash and two spirit stills where the copper will contribute to a smooth and mellow taste.”

Gareth Roberts, Director at Organic Architects, said: “We are delighted to have been given the opportunity to design the new distillery at Lindores Abbey. The building will contain various contemporary materials which will compliment the traditional stone buildings. This marriage of ancient and modern reflects the character of the whisky which will be produced here.

“Archaeological works were carried out before the construction started which have added more to the historical understanding of the abbey complex. Some of the archaeological trenches will be left open in and around the new building and it is very exciting to see the scale and quality of these buildings which have been buried for hundreds of years.

“Inside the distillery there will be a range of contrasting spaces; a dark and theatrical visitor area will take visitors to a large bright still room which looks over the abbey ruins. Even at this early stage you can see that the positioning of the stills will be spectacular. The new distillery will have one of the most atmospheric settings of any Scottish distillery.”

Construction work to create the distillery is now well underway following extensive archaeological digs around the abbey ruins which boasts the burial site of the ill-fated first Duke of Rothesay following his death in 1401. William Wallace, John Baliol and various medieval kings and queens also visited the abbey before it was destroyed under instruction of John Knox in 1559.

The Whisky Shop Dufftown Challenge for Independent Bottlers: Speyside

The Whisky Shop Dufftown threw down the gauntlet and challenged the independent bottlers to find the best Speyside Single Malt.  Our guests at The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2016 voted for their favourite in blind tastings. The winner was Old Malt Cask Speyside 1993 21 Years Old from Hunter Laing.

First Place:

• Old Malt Cask Speyside 1993 21 Years Old (£86.95)

Second Place:

• Adelphi Glenrothes 1991 25 Years Old (£189.00)

The Whisky Shop Dufftown Challenge for Independent Bottlers:  Rest of Whisky

The Whisky Shop Dufftown threw down the gauntlet and challenged the independent bottlers to find the best whisk(e)y not from Speyside – it could be any whisk(e)y just not a single malt whisky from Speyside.  Our guests at The Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival 2016 voted for their favourite in blind tastings. The winner was Adelphi Bunnahabhain 2005 11 Years Old.  We should also mention the Old Perth Sherry which coming in second place and at that price is amazing!

First Place:

• Adelphi Bunnahabhain 2005 11 Years Old (£75.95)

Second Place:

• Old Perth Sherry cask from Morrison & MacKay (£29.95)

Each year, Mike as Chairman of the awards, has a look at the whiskies that did not win to see if there is another one that did really well with the public but also shows value for money considering how highly it was placed.  If he sees one then he will award it The Chairman’s Award for a Cracking Dram.  This year he has decided there is a deserving dram and that is the Old Perth Sherry which to beat off competition from much older more expensive whisky to come second place in the Rest of Whisky category makes it worth £29.95 of any one’s money.

The Best Tasting Note

 As part of the Challenge for Independent Bottlers we ask our guests taking part in the judging to write tasting notes for the whiskies as well as picking their favourites.  At the end of the festival we pick the best tasting notes and the winner receives a bottle of their favourite whisky from the competition.

This year it was won by Ruth Ball and she wins a bottle of Old Malt Cask Speyside 21 Years Old.

Ends Sunday 17th July 20.00 GMT

July the month of summer & heat, although the recent weather here in Scotland would suggest it was the start of winter. So as we go live with our 32nd auction, we are sure there is plenty of amazing whiskies to heat things up! Our July auction brings us a huge array of Islay malts from Ardbeg, Bruichladdich & Kilchoman a perfect combination for the Islay fans!  Bidding starts an hour earlier than usual this month, so bidding will commence from 5PM today (UK Time) and comes to an end from 8PM on Sunday the 17th July.

Here are just a few handed picked from our Islay malts on offer this month.

VIEW AUCTION

Scotland

2004 Caol Ila Cask Strength Gordon & MacPhail Single Malt Whisky (750ml)  $99.99

Ireland

Redbreast 21 Year Old Pure Pot Still Irish Whiskey (750ml) (1 bottle limit)  $249.99 

K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Bruichladdich 25 Year Old 1988 Old Malt Cask

Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

 

Bruichladdich 25 Year Old 1988 vintage Islay single malt Scotch whiskey. Single cask refill hogshead #9810 bottled May 2013 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the Old Malt Cask series. 328 bottles. Bruichladdich Distillery was established in 1881 on the Rhinns peninsular on the island of Islay close by 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 malts. The Bruichladdich distillery visitor centre offers distillery tours including the bottling hall and the distillery participates in Feis Ile, the annual Islay Whisky Festival.