www.ralfy.com mentions gardening disinfectant in relation to Whisky Review 584 – Lagavulin 8yo @ 48% (200th anniversary)

Whiskey Thief

“Behind the mysterious mask hides our wonderfully unique bourbon, fusing time-honoured methods with rare and innovative techniques to create a mature flavour as rich as the Whiskey Thief story.”

Welcome to the Global launch of Whiskey Thief, the bourbon that fuses whiskey-making tradition with innovation, to offer the modern consumer an intriguing, contemporary brand with a smoother, more mature flavour.

Whiskey Thief is authentic to its core, created by Bourbon experts specifically to fill a gap in the market, offering consumers something refreshingly different. From its distinctive mask-style label to its

contemporary typography and bold colour scheme, Whiskey Thief is very much the antithesis to most bourbon brands that follow a well-trodden design path and apply similarly traditional themes, names and motifs. Everything about Whiskey Thief reflects the ethos and independent spirit of its UK-based creators.

The Bourbon in every bottle has been developed over several years with MGP Distillery in Lawrenceberg, ‘Malt Advocate’s 2015 Distiller of the Year’. During this development process, the team ran a particularly exciting experiment which utilized new innovation made available from the barrel industry. The results were truly captivating as they discovered a method, which helped the clock tick a little faster and accelerate the maturation process. The finished taste profile is a mature and truly well-rounded flavour, with a pleasant sweetness, an undercurrent of fruit spice and delicate vanilla and mocha notes. 

Whiskey Thief is delicious either as a smooth, sipping drink or in a refreshing cocktail. Its initial run is limited to 80 barrels meaning that every drop is created with a labour of love.

Whiskey Thief is perfectly poised to capture the imagination of bourbon connoisseurs and newcomers alike and its mystery surely won’t remain a secret for long.

Follow Whiskey Thief on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – @WhiskeyThiefWT. For PR please contact Kitty Lester – kitty@childhoodpr.co.uk and Laura Martin – laura@reallifepr.com.

Whiskey Thief will be distributed in the UK exclusively by Amathus Drinks Plc – www.amathusdrinks.com.For more information, please contact holly@amathusdrinks.com.

Islay Festival whisky offers – save on your favourite drams

We’ve got 17 whiskies with 17 great offers

It’s that time of year again. If you know any whisky geeks online, then Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are probably already filling up with pictures of the Scottish countryside, Calmac ferries and the Port Askaig petrol pump – it’s time for Fèis Ìle, the Islay Festival of Malt and Music.

Unfortunately, the blog team aren’t going to be on the island this year, but here at The Whisky Exchange we believe in bringing the festival into people’s homes. By which we mean we’ve got a load of special offers on Islay drams – you can find them all on our Islay Festival Favourites page.

The festivities kick off today, but the whisky programme proper starts tomorrow with Lagavulin’s open day. It’s the distillery’s 200th anniversary, and while details of the special bottle that will be on sale only at the distillery are somehow still secret, the limited-edition celebratory 8 Year Old is available from our website  – you can read all about it here. Or if you’re after something richer and more relaxed, we have £7.70 off the ever-popular Lagavulin 16.

The weather forecast suggests that it may not be like this at Bruichladdich this weekend…

Sunday is traditionally the biggest party day on the island, as most of the residents aren’t working and can join in. Bruichladdich has snagged it for its open day and fills its courtyard with drams, music and more. It’s a big year for the Bruichladdich team, as it’s the first without recently retired Jim McEwan – former production director and brand ambassador since the distillery reopened in 2000 – but they seem to have everything under control. Keep an eye on the blog next week to hear from head distiller Adam Hannett, but in the meantime we’ve got £10 off the hard-to-find Bruichladdich 22 Year Old.

Mr Chilton in his…element? (No bad puns. You have been warned – Ed)

If you are heading up to Islay, then don’t miss out on a pair of excellent tastings on Monday, presented by our occasional colleague and blog contributor Oliver Chilton. He’s donning his Speciality Drinks whisky-creator hat and will be pouring both the Elements of Islay and Port Askaig ranges on board Irene, a beautiful ketch moored in Port Ellen during the festival – you can grab tickets here and here. But don’t worry if you can’t make it – join in the fun with a bottle of Elements of Islay Peat poured in the comfort of your kitchen, now £3 off.

We’ll have more about the festival next week, but for now head to our Islay Festival page to see all of the offers.

Eric at Fets writes; Compass Box is our favourite blender, always pushing the boundaries and antagonizing The Scotch Whisky Association. Chris Maybin, the Commercial Director for The Compass Box Whisky Company will be here for his first visit to The Kitchen. Compass Box is a boutique blending company producing some of the finest and interesting blends on the market.

Join us and Chris for a great cause and great entertaining whiskies here at The Kitchen and hear about their latest releases.

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

So grab one of our limited tickets and join us and Chris on Monday May 30th 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

Learn More Here

Fets Whisky Kitchen, 1230 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, British Columbia V5L 3X4 Canada

Hi everyone, as you are all aware the residents of Fort McMurray and the surrounding area were evacuated as the massive fire razed their city. With nearly 90,000 people being forced to flee their homes and the uncertainty of when and in some cases if they will be returning, we wanted to do something for them. These are our men, women and children and they need our help.

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 federal government has offered to match all donations made the the Canadian Red Cross for the victims of this catastrophic event.

Fet’s Whisky Kitchen will be hosting a series of 5 Whisky events to raise money for our fellow Canadians, our goal is $10,000 with the fed matchup we can raise $20,000. Why the Canadian Red Cross? 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

!!!Ardbeg Day/Night is This Weekend!!! 

KWM is Hosting Three Master Classes Featuring the new Dark Cove

Join us Saturday May 28th at the Kensington Wine Market for 3 back to back Ardbeg Master Classes celebrating the launch of Ardbeg Dark Cove, billed as the Darkest Ardbeg ever! We will be sampling the core range of Ardbeg 10, Corryvreck and Uigeadail, as well as the new and soon to be released Dark Cove, Perpetuum, and Supernova 2014. The Master Classes are $25+GST. Ardbeg night festivities will follow just down the street at a location to be announced. The Master Class sessions at KWM are as follows:

1. Ardbeg Master Class 1 – 1-2PM
2. Ardbeg Master Class 2 – 3-4PM
3. Ardbeg Master Class 3 – 5-6PM

Ardbeg Night Festivities take place at PRLR Lounge, 124 10th Street NW between 7 and 11PM. Tickets are $25 and include: a sample of the new Ardbeg Dark Cove, the remainder of the Ardbeg range and Ardbeg themed: games, prizes and appetizers. Access to the party is through a hidden door on the south side of the building. Email ardbegdayab@gmail.com by Tuesday May 24 to RSVP.

You can register for the Ardbeg Day Master Classes in store, by phone (403-283-8000) and online: https://kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/tasting-schedule/.

This week Joe Ellis is celebrating the Feis Ils 2016 and reviews the SMWS 53.209 Viking Fire Funerals Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

https://youtu.be/fETLS3UfwEQ

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

https://www.facebook.com/whiskytube

New Limited Edition Full Proof Bourbon Released by 1792 Distillery 

BARDSTOWN, kENTUCKY (May 17, 2016) – A stout 125 full proof bourbon is the latest limited edition release in the 1792 Bourbon line up.  Bottled at the same proof it was originally entered into the barrel, the bourbon was distilled, aged, and bottled at the historic Barton 1792 Distillery.

New oak barrels were filled with 125 proof distillate in the fall of 2007 and left to age in Warehouses E, N, and I for eight and a half years. Warehouse I is one of the oldest warehouses at Barton 1792 Distillery. All of these warehouses are seven stories high, metal clad, with concrete bottom floors, and windows all the way around the outside, allowing some direct sunlight inside.

After the barrels were emptied, the bourbon underwent a distinct filtering process, forgoing the typical chill filtration, and instead was only passed through a plate and frame filter.  This allowed the bourbon to maintain a robust 125 proof for bottling, as well as the rich and bold flavor. The aroma is powerful – with vanilla and dried cherries notes.  The first taste is intense as it meets the tongue, oaky and full bodied, but continues with flavors of caramel and jam-like fruit, before an enduring finish.

This is the fourth limited edition release of 1792 Bourbon expressions, the Full Proof joins previous releases of Sweet Wheat, Port Finish, and Single Barrel Bourbons. Although the 1792 Full Proof Bourbon is very limited in quantities, it will be released annually for the next few years. The 1792 Full Proof Bourbon will be available at retail starting in late May. Suggested retail pricing is $44.99.

About Barton 1792 Distillery

Barton 1792 Distillery is part of Barton Brands.  Barton Brands has facilities in Bardstown, Ky., Carson, Calif., and Baltimore, Md. Barton Brands is owned by the Sazerac Company, an American family-owned company based in New Orleans, La. Barton 1792 Distillery was established in 1879 and continues today as the oldest fully-operating Distillery in the “Bourbon Capital of the World.” The Distillery is located on 196 acres and includes 28 warehouses, 22 other buildings, the Morton Spring and the Tom Moore Spring.  Distilling, aging and bottling fine Bourbon whiskey are hallmarks of the historic Barton 1792 Distillery. 1792 Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is produced at Barton 1792 Distillery. This whiskey is named for the year Kentucky became a state and is the recent gold medal winner at the 2015 Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition. To learn more visit www.1792bourbon.com/.

1792 PORT FINISH BOURBON NAMED TROPHY FINALIST AT ULTIMATE SPIRITS CHALLENGE

Three other Barton 1792 Distillery whiskeys honored 

BARDSTOWN, kENTUCKY (May 18, 2016) – Judges awarded four bourbons from Barton 1792 Distillery with high honors at the 2016 Ultimate Spirits Challenge, and selected 1792 Port Finish Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey as a Chairman’s Trophy Finalist.

            1792 Port Finish Bourbon was released in limited quantities in the fall of 2015 as part of a series of limited edition bourbons from Barton 1792 Distillery. In addition to 1792 Port Finish’s designation as a Chairman’s Trophy Finalist, Barton 1792 Distillery garnered several high honors for its bourbons.

            1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and 1792 Port Finish Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey each received the distinction of “Extraordinary, Ultimate Recommendation.”

            Kentucky Tavern Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was honored as “Excellent, Highly Recommended,” and Zackariah Harris Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was awarded the distinction of “Very Good, Strong Recommendation.”

            Kentucky Tavern, 1792 Small Batch, and 1792 Port Finish were each deemed to be “Great Values.”

            This competition, in its seventh year, is judged by a panel of the spirit industry’s most renowned judges including award-winning authors, buyers, journalists, educators and bar owners, who rate each spirit on a 100-point scale.

            Complete results for the 2016 Ultimate Spirits Challenge can be found at www.ultimate-beverage.com/usc2016results.

About Barton 1792 Distillery

Barton 1792 Distillery is part of Barton Brands.  Barton Brands has facilities in Bardstown, Ky., Carson, Calif., and Baltimore, Md. Barton Brands is owned by the Sazerac Company, an American family-owned company based in New Orleans, La. Barton 1792 Distillery was established in 1879 and continues today as the oldest fully-operating Distillery in the “Bourbon Capital of the World.” The Distillery is located on 196 acres and includes 28 warehouses, 22 other buildings, the Morton Spring and the Tom Moore Spring.  Distilling, aging and bottling fine Bourbon whiskey are hallmarks of the historic Barton 1792 Distillery. 1792 Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is produced at Barton 1792 Distillery. This whiskey is named for the year Kentucky became a state and is the recent gold medal winner at the 2015 Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition.

May Outturn Offerings 

Cask No. 82.20                              $150

Big, bold and beautiful

Highland, Eastern

The aromas evoked feasting with scented pomander, dried flowers, cranberries and sandalwood. Our panel imagined nibbling on Christmas cake and bourbon biscuits while sipping an oloroso sherry and puffing a pipe while reclining in an old leather armchair. Beef gravy and roasting meat wafted from the kitchen. Strong dark chocolate orange, red berries, crème brulee and marzipan; all served on a polished desk fragrant with roses and honeysuckle. The chewy texture evolved with plums, apple and blackberry crumble sprinkled with demerara sugar. Baked banana with caramel sauce and pork medallions fried in butter rounded up the finale of this beauty.

Drinking tip: It will get you in the mood for old fashioned style celebrations

Colour: Tawny chestnut

Cask: Second-fill butt

Age: 17 years

Date distilled: May 1998

Alcohol: 54.9%

USA allocation: 102 bottles

Flavour profile: Deep, rich & dried fruits 

*President’s Choice*

Cask No. 36.87                       $150

Dinner at the diner

Speyside, Spey

The initial nose was brimming with strawberry and peach topped with fudge sauce and served with coffee flavoured toffee and cream soda. To taste it tingled with nutmeg and cinnamon, with warm woody spice numbing the tongue. Water opened a big bag of berry fruits and gummy confectionary, newly planed wood counter polished with linseed oil, crystallised angelica and eucalyptus. It reminded one panelist of a ladies cabinet with pressed powder, scented creams, fragrant lotions and potions. It retained a nippy sweetness with lemon bonbon, honey fudge offset with sharper citrus and mint. An invigorating and perky dram.

Drinking tip: Easy drinking

Colour: Strawberry gold

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 17 years

Date distilled: August 1997

Alcohol: 57.7%

USA allocation: 90 bottles

Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet 

Cask No. 39.104                             $135

Getting steamy in the sauna

Speyside, Lossie

A peppery bite softens into blood orange, pear, peach and banana bread with honey. A steamy aroma reminiscent of saunas meshed with sunny orchards and freshly cut daffodils. Cheek clenching at first with some black tea and lime pickle but dissolved into tinned peach and pineapple. It had oily black olives that morphed into pine resin and Ambre Solaire when watered. Then bountiful sugared almonds, on iced fairy cakes, shortcrust pastry, blackcurrant cordial and cherry Bakewell tart bounced from the glass. The finale was of flapjacks and Digestives with dates, prunes and hazelnuts. Pine nuts had the final shout.

Drinking tip: A perky wee dram and needs the water

Colour: Spanish sun

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 14 years

Date distilled: June 2000

Alcohol: 58.5%

USA allocation: 90 bottles

Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet

Cask No. 50.70                              $200                    

Big bear hug

Lowland

We were greeted by an enticing combination of citric and sweet aromas with lemon cookies, lemon meringue pie, lime sorbet, candied citrus peel and a white chocolate and lime mousse.  The taste was like a big bear hug, a nice gentle feeling of warmth. Flavours still citric; lime and sea salt dark chocolate and a rose petal ice cream with ginger lemon shortbread. Water changed the nose and palate substantially; chalky, dry and a minerality for which the Mosel Rieslings are well known and liked for. In the long finish, there was a nice spicy sweet crystallised stem ginger note.

Drinking tip: Reminiscing the good old days

Colour: Manzanilla Pasada

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 25 years

Date distilled: January 1990

Alcohol: 54.2%

USA allocation: 96 bottles

Flavour profile: Spicy & dry

Cask No. 10.88                              $100 

An old tar

Islay

Once you get past the nose-prickle, the scent is reminiscent of the rubber-bands inside a golf ball but quickly becomes medicinal (Germoline cream), with tinned fruit cocktail, waxed jacket and lactic cows. The taste starts sweet and finishes like bitter Colombian coffee, with ‘a warm hot water bottle’ in the middle and coal dust in the aftertaste. Water increases the water-bottle note slightly, then introduces Bavarian smoked cheese, smoked sausage and synthetic ham wrapped in linen, with lingering coal dust. The taste is very sweet, lightly salty and vinegary, with smoked dulse and sweetened hot milk, finishing with ‘Finnish Tar Syrup’.

Drinking tip: To accompany a plate of smoked meats

Colour: Tarnished silver

Cask: Refill barrel

Age: 9 years

Date distilled: December 2005

Alcohol: 58.6%

USA allocation: 72 bottles

Flavour profile: Peated

Please visit http://www.smwsa.com/ for more information.

The Valhalla Collection, four stunning whiskies celebrating Highland Park’s Norse heritage. ODIN, the King of Asgard himself, joins Thor, Loki and the beautiful Freya to complete this stunning collection.

This highly sought-after collection comes in original packaging and is guaranteed to be a worthwhile addition to any whisky lover’s collection.

£2,850.00 incl. VAT

Buy now

Tasting Notes

Odin

Nose: This intense whisky possesses a fierce spice. Cinnamon bark and nutmeg rise from Odin’s spirit. Behind the spice, toasted walnuts smoulder with pulsating explosions of smoke. Odin cuts an ominous figure and this whisky is no different.

Palate: A huge, powerful palate draws on the complexity of Odin’s character. Layers of peat uncover thousands of years of wisdom. Dense oak combines with rich charred walnuts.

Finish: Throughout is a subtle sweetness, sharing the knowledge of well-seasoned sherry wines. Plums and soft fruit disappear into the dark as the peaty embers glow into a smoky finale

Thor

Nose: Concentrated and forceful, with an explosion of aromatic smoke, pungent fresh ginger, antique copper, stewed plums, and golden syrup. With water, earthy notes emerge, like a garden after a heavy rain shower.

Palate:  Thor’s high strength grabs the palate and refuses to let go. Initially dry, with fiery gingerbread then vanilla, blackberries, fresh mango, peach and hints of cinnamon. As its big flavours swirl around the mouth, some softer, sweeter notes develop, giving Thor and unexpected layer of complexity and depth.

Finish: The finish thunders on, leaving behind lingering notes of sweet vanilla and an intense spiciness.

Loki

Nose:  A spirited lift of dried bitter orange, which quickly turns into lemon peels. Cardamom notes trick then tease the nose, before an enticing hit of gingerbread develops. With water, liquorice and aromatic smoke are both unleashed.

Palate:  The true shape-shifting ability of Loki springs to life on the palate: its waxy texture is amplified by an intense smoke that doesn’t appear on the nose, shattering the light citrusy illusion of the aroma. All is not what it seems. The smoke fades as liquorice and rich spiced apple flavours come out to play. Lemon and grapefruit are consistent throughout this elusive, yet intriguing character. With a touch of water, lingering notes of melted dark chocolate over spent embers leave a soft smoky impression.

Finish: As Loki departs, he leaves behind toasted cloves, hickory smoke and soft vanilla. It is constantly changing, from appearance to finish. Loki is an enigma and truly another whisky of the gods.

Freya

Nose: Almond and Madagascan vanilla. White chocolate followed by candied cherries makes way for a vibrant wave of mango and melon, riding upon a cloud of cream soda.

Palate: Orange peel, butterscotch and rose petals provide the sweetness along with orange blossom and ginger. Lively popping candy, lemongrass and tropical fruits are lightly shrouded in peat smoke.

Finish: Complex and beautiful, the finish gives lingering spice and soft peat smoke intertwined with soft orchard fruits, toasted coconut and a light char, providing a rounded depth and allowing this whisky to soar.

(Official Tasting Notes)