Booker Noe’s Legacy Honored With Two Unprecedented Limited Edition Releases

Clermont, KY (May 18, 2016) – Booker’s® Bourbon and Knob Creek® Bourbon are proud to introduce two ultra-premium, limited edition releases to whiskey fans this month – Booker’s® Rye Whiskey and Knob Creek® 2001 Limited Edition Bourbon – each paying tribute to Booker Noe, the Beam Family’s 6th Generation Master Distiller and founder of The Small Batch Bourbon Collection®.

These special releases are each made from some of the last barrels laid down by the late Booker Noe in the final years of his life and will each be available as limited, one-time offerings. As the first rye whiskey ever offered from Booker’s Bourbon, Booker’s® Rye Whiskey was made from a very limited number of barrels of a previously unreleased rye mash bill in Booker’s signature uncut and unfiltered style. Knob Creek® 2001 Limited Edition Bourbon debuts as the longest-aged expression ever released from Knob Creek, the ultimate expression of the bourbon’s big, full flavor.

“When Dad helped pioneer the small batch movement nearly 30 years ago, he introduced a whole new way of thinking about how whiskey could be made – introducing small batch, high quality whiskies like Booker’s Bourbon and Knob Creek Bourbon with flavor like nobody had tasted before,” said Fred Noe, Beam Family’s 7th Generation Master Distiller. “Now, all of these years later, we’re excited to keep this tradition alive by giving our fans something really special with these two limited releases made from some of the last barrels Dad laid down. Dad knew exactly what he wanted when it came to making whiskey, and I know these releases would make him proud.”

The hallmark of Booker Noe’s innovative spirit, Booker’s Rye Whiskey is made from a never before released rye mash bill, bottled uncut and unfiltered1 at its natural proof and full of robust flavor, just the way Booker preferred his whiskey. The supply of Booker’s Rye is about half that of Booker’s® 25th Anniversary Bourbon from 2014. Aged for 13 years, about twice as long as a standard batch of Booker’s Bourbon, Booker’s Rye is now available nationwide with an SRP of $299.99 for a 750ml bottle.

Like all batches of Booker’s Bourbon, Fred Noe watched over these barrels to ensure that the liquid was released the way Booker intended so many years ago. It was selected with the following characteristics:

• Age: 13 years, 1 months, 12 days
• Proof: 136.2
• Color: Deep amber
• Taste: An intense flavor profile with pronounced, well-balanced notes of wood and oak from the longer aging process. The liquid offers a complex aroma with spicy notes from the rye in the mash bill. This uncut rye has a spicy, robust flavor, but it is not overpowering.
• Sipping Suggestions: Booker’s Rye is best enjoyed neat or on the rocks.

Knob Creek 2001 Limited Edition Bourbon commemorates a significant year for Knob Creek, as late in 2001, the tradition and responsibility of stewarding Knob Creek Bourbon was passed from Booker to Fred – from father to son. This release, made from barrels that Booker laid down in 2001, was finished by Fred Noe in honor of all he learned from his father and stays true to the pre-prohibition standards that Booker sought to restore when he introduced Knob Creek Bourbon. Bottled at 100 proof and aged for 14 years, longer than any other Knob Creek release to date, this bourbon has an even bigger, fuller flavor than what Knob Creek fans have come to love. It will be released in three limited batches, each accentuating distinct notes of the 14-year-old liquid, for a suggested price of $129.99 for a 750ml bottle.

Packaged in a commemorative wooden case, Knob Creek 2001 Limited Edition Bourbon was selected with the following characteristics:

• Age: More than 14 years
• Proof: 100
• Color: Deep golden amber
• Aroma: Robust oak and char notes balanced by sweet vanillas and caramels with a hint of warm brown spice
• Taste: Complex oak and char notes with subtle vanilla and warm spice
  • Batch One: Higher in sweet notes, vanilla and caramel; very smooth
  • Batch Two: Higher in wood and oak notes; more tannic in nature
  • Batch Three: Mid-way between Batch 1 and Batch 2, slightly favoring notes of wood
• Finish: Smooth and warm sweetness

For more information on Booker’s Rye, visit: www.BookersBourbon.com and for more information on Knob Creek, visit: www.KnobCreek.com.

About Booker’s® Bourbon

Booker’s® Bourbon was inspired by a 200-year-old family tradition and came to life when Booker Noe selected the first bottles of Booker’s as holiday gifts for his friends and family. With its instant popularity within Noe’s close circle, Booker’s Bourbon was soon after bottled and made available on shelves for everyone to enjoy. Booker’s Bourbon is one of the only bourbons bottled straight-from-the-barrel at its natural proof, which varies from batch to batch. It is crafted in small batches and aged for six to eight years in charred oak barrels, which are stored in the center of the rack house. Today, Fred Noe personally selects every batch of Booker’s Bourbon to ensure every bottle contains a robust, full-bodied whiskey that has a taste, aroma and proof that matches Booker’s whiskey preference.

About Knob Creek® Bourbon

Knob Creek® Bourbon has been making extraordinary full flavored bourbon with intriguing taste and bottled in unique flask shaped packaging for over 20 years. Aged for a full 9 years in new, charred American Oak barrels and bottled at an honest 100 proof, Knob Creek® Bourbon upholds the standard for what great bourbon ought to be with its big, full signature flavor. Launched in early 1992, at a time when the term “super-premium” bourbon didn’t exist, Knob Creek® Bourbon is named after the small town in Kentucky where President Abraham Lincoln was born.  In recent years, Knob Creek has expanded its portfolio releasing Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve (120 proof / 60% alcohol by volume) in 2011 and Knob Creek Rye (100 proof / 50% alcohol by volume) in 2012 and Knob Creek Smoked Maple (90 proof / 45% alcohol by volume) in 2013.

About Beam Suntory Inc.

As the world’s third largest premium spirits company, Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits Brands that Stir the World.  Consumers from all corners of the globe call for the company’s brands, including the iconic Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbon brands and Suntory whisky Kakubin, as well as world renowned premium brands including Knob Creek bourbon, Yamazaki, Hakushu and Hibiki Japanese whiskies, Teacher’s, Laphroaig, and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Sauza tequila, Pinnacle vodka, and Midori liqueur.

Beam Suntory was created in 2014 by combining the world leader in bourbon and the pioneer in Japanese whisky to form a new company with a deep heritage, passion for quality, innovative spirit and commitment to Growing for Good. Headquartered in Deerfield, Illinois, Beam Suntory is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information on Beam Suntory, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit www.beamsuntory.com and www.drinksmart.com.

Single Malt Scotch Tasting
with independent bottler Gordon & MacPhail
Thursday, June 9th
4:30 P.M. or 6:00 P.M.

Next week we will have Joe Swanson in the store to host this tasting. He will pour a number of single malts, some new and some that we have not seen for a while. Father’s Day is less then two weeks thereafter, and we suspect that the whiskies in this tasting would make very nice gifts indeed. A full list of malts will be announced on Monday.

Joe Howell

Federal Wine & Spirits

Email: info@federalwine.com

Phone: (617) 367-8605

Web: http://www.federalwine.com/

Get bidding this weekend on Stitzel‑Weller bourbons and more!

This month we have some very rare bourbons from Stitzel‑Weller distillery bottled in Lawrenceburg between 1983 and 2002 – some of the greatest bourbons ever made and incredibly hard to find.  Japanese whiskies are leading the auction, but there are many other great whiskies to bid on.

Get bidding, and good luck! The Whisky Auction team.

We are hosting 2 more Whisky Tasting Fundraisers for the displaced people of Fort McMurray. Some of the residents will be able to start heading back to town to check things out this week but it will still be awhile before the cleanup is such that they can actually move back to their homes. These are our men, women and children and they still need our help.

As I mentioned in our last email we are partnering with our food and whisky providers to raise money for the Canadian Red Cross’ Alberta Fire Appeal. The Canadian Red Cross is, along with other agencies, assisting our displaced citizens with food, clothing, necessities, lodging and counselling. The deadline for the federal government’s Canadian Red Cross donation matching is today, May 31st. We were hoping to make one large donation after our whisky fundraisers were complete but today we made a donation of $5000 to ensure the government top up.

The Edrington Group, the owners of The Macallan and Highland Park distilleries have offered to match the $1320 we raised from our first whisky tasting fundraiser we hosted. Thank you very much Dan and the folks at Edrington!

We committed to hosting  a series of 5 Whisky events to raise money for our fellow Canadians, our goal was to raise $10,000 and we’re still heading that way.  We looked at all the agencies fundraising and the Red Cross has the lowest administration costs with 91% of all money raised going to support those in need.

In addition to the generous support from our whisky partners we would also like to thank our food partners for their generous donations as well:

Gordon Food Service

Cioffi’s Meats

Hallmark Poultry

D’Original Sausage Company

Finest at Sea

Click here to donate directly to the Canadian Red Cross Alberta Fires Appeal

Whisky Tasting Monday, June 6th @ 7pm

Our fourth whisky tasting fundraiser is gonna be a bit different. Ryan Cheverie from Brown-Forman is gonna hang with us pouring some of the finest American made whisky while ya’ll enjoy some down home country cookin’.

Brown-Forman owns some of the best known whisky brands around: Woodford Reserve, Collingwood and of course Jack Daniels. B-F has also just acquired 3 Scottish distilleries; Glendronnach, BenRiach and Glenglassaugh. Who knows what he’s gonna bring along!

So come on down to The Kitchen for our early summer American Picnic, sip some whisky, hear some tales, have some great food and enjoy some southern charm and all for a good cause.

Our talented kitchen team will be creating a great southern picnic to accompany some of Brown-Forman’s greatest whiskies.

So grab one of our limited tickets and join us and Ryan on Monday, June 6th for a whisky picnic here at The Kitchen.

As always there are only 30 tickets available and I can assure you they sell out fast.

Be sure to plan for a safe ride home!

The cost for this event is only $60 plus GST and is open to only 30 people!  click here to register

Whisky Tasting Wednesday June 7th @ 7pm

The fifth and final whisky tasting in our Fort McMurray Fundraising series is our Independent Bottlers tasting, hosted by Roberto Roberti and The Fountana Group.

The Fountana Group represents some of the finest independent bottlers around: Gordon & MacPhail, Dewar Rattray, Blackadder and others.

Roberto will be here showcasing some of the best from these Independent Bottlers and . . . ? a surprise or 2?

There will be light fare prepared by our culinary team to accompany these wonderful whiskies.

So grab one of our limited tickets and join us and Roberto on Wednesday June 8th for this fundraising whisky tasting here at The Kitchen.

There are only 30 tickets available and I can assure you they sell out fast.

Be sure to plan for a safe ride home!

The cost for this event is only $60 plus GST and is open to only 30 people!  click here to register

Compass Box: ‘The Circus’
Park Ave Liquor Shop’s newest star attraction.
Plus: Two price changes that will AMAZE!

We hope everyone is enjoying Spring finally acting like Spring – or actually more like early Summer. As the subject line said, ‘The Circus’ IS in town as we’ve received a small allocation of this highly-anticipated Limited Edition from Compass Box. It’s an opportunity to jump on a Father’s Day gift for the Dad who already owns or has tried every whisky. And for Dads who love a bargain – We’ve lowered the price on two great single-malts.  If you’re interested in any of these fine malts – Please contact us here at the store.

So – Come one, come all! The details are below.

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@gamil.com (Marlon)
www.parkaveliquor.com

Feast your eyes!!!

Compass Box: The Circus = $290/btl
PLEASE CONTACT THE STORE OR CALL TO ORDER AS THIS PRODUCT IS IN VERY LIMITED SUPPLY.

Here’s what Whiskymaker John Glaser has to say about ‘The Circus’. “I have a longstanding belief that there is a magic to certain combinations of Scotch whisky. Such blends – like the very best of circuses – have the capacity to take us outside of ourselves for just a moment, to elevate the senses beyond the everyday and – following the sentiment of Charlie Chaplin’s immortal clown – to raise our eyes upwards to consider horizons new.  Such is the case with this whisky, for which we were lucky enough to uncover that rarest of finds – old parcels of Blended Scotch and Blended Grain whisky that had been aged pre-blended in cask for many years.  In such parcels, what you get are whisky blends so seamless, so complex that they function for us as single components.  We know little of the component distillery whiskies used in these blends for The Circus, only that they contain both single malt and single grain whiskies and that the ‘marrying casks’ are sherry butts. However, the provenance of the components isn’t important to us now, as what we have are old casks containing whiskies that are extraordinary.”

Flavor Descriptors

“A lithe frame and opulent mouthfeel showcasing the  supple softness of mature grain and the complexity of aged Blended Scotch Whisky. Brimming with dried fruit character, a luscious maltiness and nuances of almond and hazelnut.”

The following items have been marked-down and we’re telling our online family first.

Glenmorangie: Tusail ‘Private Edition’
WAS: $125 ~ NOW: $90
Please call or email the store for this Special pricing.
While supplies last.

Ardbeg: Perpetuum
WAS: $125 ~ NOW: $90
Please call or email the store for this Special pricing.
While supplies last.

This offer is valid while supply of each item lasts. No further discount can be applied to Sale items. We are not responsible for any typographical errors or Captain America’s defection to Hydra. Please contact the store with any questions.

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

Japan

Ohishi Single Brandy Cask Japanese Whisky (750ml) $69.99 View

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

Glenfarclas 21 Year Old & 101 World Whiskies to Try Before You Die

A whisky pairing that is guaranteed to please!  This 21 year old expression of Glenfarclas is rich and full-bodied with fruity spice on the nose. Smooth on the palate with notes of malty biscuits and a touch of oak smoke, with a long and smooth finish.Once you have whet your appetite, Ian Buxton’s 101 World Whiskies to Try Before You Die is on hand to provide a map to your next dram.

£69 Buy Now

MICHEL ROUX JR AND THE BALVENIE JOIN FORCES IN THE ULTIMATE EXPLORATION OF CRAFTSMANSHIP

‘The Craftsmen’s Dinner’: a new film series featuring leading experts in various fields ranging from pottery to salmon smoking unearths the true meaning of craftsmanship.  

The Balvenie has a rich history of celebrating excellent craftsmanship; however the launch of ‘The Craftsmen’s Dinner’ – a six part short film series in which exceptionally skilled individuals in various fields are met and profiled by multi award winning chef Michel Roux Jr – will mark the brand’s foremost exploration of outstanding artistry to date.

The YouTube film series sees the two Michelin starred chef – naturally a master of his own trade – set out to unveil the true meaning of craftsmanship by meeting and discussing the talents and secret skills of six equally gifted people; including one of the only knife makers left in Britain, a music-loving salmon smoker, an organic farmer, a potter and a sparkling wine producer.

The series culminates with Michel creating the mouthwatering ‘Craftsmen’s Dinner’ for each of the individuals, using contributions from each artist; including salmon for the guests to enjoy, and beautiful hand crafted plates to serve it on. The first instalment of the series will launch at https://www.youtube.com/TheCraftsmensDinner on the 15^th March 2016, and will be released on a fortnightly basis thereafter.

Michel Roux Jr commented: “I have tremendous respect for people who dedicate the years required to mastering and perfecting their trade, so it was a fantastic experience to work with The Balvenie on this project, and to meet such talented individuals.”

Scores of captivating stories emerge from the films; including Ole Hansen: a salmon smoker who lovingly plays piano music to his produce every day in the belief that it adds a certain dimension to the taste. And Will Ferraby: a Sheffield-based knife maker whose chef’s knives are famously so precise that they perfectly slice a tomato in two, even when dropped from a height.

Jonny Cornthwaite, Senior Brand Manager, The Balvenie commented: “Celebrating exceptional craftsmanship is at the heart of everything we do for The Balvenie; so it is a privilege to work with Michel Roux Jr and these six individuals who really capture the heart of our brand ethos. ‘The Craftsmen’s Dinner’ is our largest and most ambitious project to date; and we’re very excited to introduce the series to the public.”

The films will be released at www.youtube.com/TheCraftsmensDinner on the following dates:

• 15^th March 2016 (Ferraby Knives)
• 29^th March (Grierson Organic)
• 12^th April (North Street Potters)
• 26^th April (Ridgeview Wines)
• 10^th May (Hansen & Lyderson)
• 24^th May (Craftsman’s Dinner) 

About The Balvenie: 

• The Balvenie is a unique range of single malts created by David Stewart, The Balvenie Malt Master, who celebrates his 54th year at the distillery in 2016. Each has a very individual taste, but each is rich, luxuriously smooth and underpinned by the distinctively honeyed character of The Balvenie.
• The Balvenie is dedicated to the five rare crafts that are used to create The Balvenie’s distinctive taste. It is the only distillery that still grows its own barley, uses traditional floor maltings and keeps both coppersmiths and coopers on site – making The Balvenie the most handcrafted of malts.
• The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky is produced by William Grant & Sons Ltd, an award-winning independent family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1886 and today run by his direct descendants.

Adam Hannett, head distiller at Bruichladdich

Islay native Adam Hannett has some very big shoes to fill. As head distiller at Bruichladdich since summer 2015, he and distillery manager Allan Logan have taken over the running of one of Scotland’s best-loved distilleries, producing Bruichladdich, Port Charlotte and Octomore spirit. Retired production director Jim McEwan may cast a long shadow, but after 12 years of mentoring and training, Adam is now in charge of continuing the cult distillery’s reputation for making great whisky.

I spoke to him last month, during the build-up for this year’s Islay festival.

‘Growing up on Islay you take whisky for granted – you think everyone’s got eight distilleries on their doorstep’

‘In 2004 I dropped out of university – I didn’t enjoy it and wanted to come home to Islay. I came around to the distillery and met Jim McEwan, who took me on for a few months, just tour guiding and working in the shop. The first day I came home and my eyes had been opened – I’d absolutely fallen in love with the way whisky is made‘

‘What do I do in a normal day? Generally, whisky things. No two days are the same – that’s the joy of it’

‘The casks we have are amazing. The spirit is unbelievably good. My job is an absolute joy. It’s dealing with people who are at the top of their game – absolute craftsmen – and ingredients – whether it’s casks or barley or whatever – that are all the best quality’
‘I hear the term “master distiller” bandied around a lot. I’ve been working here for 12 years and I don’t think I’m anywhere near being a master of anything yet. You are constantly learning, constantly surprised by the little things. If someone else thinks that it’s the title for me in 20 years from now, then fair enough, but I’ll always be the guy who’s looking to learn‘

‘I’ll never rest and say “I know everything”, because the day you do that is the day you’ll have lost the spark for whisky making’
‘If I’m making a whisky, I don’t want to be doing it off a spreadsheet. I want to go to a cask, pull a sample and nose and taste it – keeping everything local means I can do that’

‘Sometimes when you’re walking around the warehouses you find something you forgot you even had: the experiments that Jim had, things you find in dark corners, things you see and say “Oh, I remember we did that!”‘

On Bruichladdich Classic Laddie] ‘It’s a very complicated recipe, and it changes. And that’s ok. We don’t mind if we get a bit of variation, as the whisky is about the flavour and ingredients we’ve got. Whatever nature gives us, whether it be through the barley or the casks, that’s what we need to put in the bottle’

On our wish list of things we’d like is to have our own maltings and malt our own barley here. It’s a missing piece of the jigsaw. How we do that, we don’t know yet. One day…’

It’s a Victorian distillery, we have to respect it. Doing things slowly slows down the process and limits how much we can make. But we’re not trying to flood the market, we’re just trying to make the best whisky we can‘

You can see Adam in action below, hosting his first Islay Festival masterclass last weekend.

JUNE TASTINGS

Glen Moray Tasting – The Vaults, Mon 6 June More >

Old & dignified Tasting & Dinner – 28 Queen St, Fri 17 June  More >

Jazz & Whisky Tasting – 28 Queen St, Fri 24 June  More >

Edinburgh Whisky Solstice 2 for £40 – Assembly Rooms Edinburgh, Sat 25 June  More >

July Outturn Preview – The Vaults, Thu 30 June  More >

UK-WIDE PREVIEWS WITH UISGE SOURCE

Aberdeen: Taster Menu Whisky Dinner at MUSA – Thu 16 June More >

Our Highlight Whisky Event of the yeart: 5 delicious courses of contemporary food paired with 5 SMWS drams…

Manchester – Malmaison, Fri 24 June  More >

Dundee – Malmaison, Fri 24 June  More >

Melrose – Town House Hotel, Fri 24 June  More >

FREE EVENTS AT THE VAULTS

Leith Jazz & Blues Festival  – Fri 3 June  More > & Sat 4 June  More >

Flavour Behaviour Members’ Experiment – Mon 13 June  More >

Sample rare whiskies and learn something about yourself in the name of scientific research…  

Browse All Events & Tastings >

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video