This week Joe Ellis reviews DYC 10 Year Old Spanish Single Malt.

https://youtu.be/Y5zpAVUdZkY

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Whiskey Obsession Festival Panel and Classes Announced

The Fourth Annual Whiskey Obsession Festival will be held in Sarasota, Florida from March 30 to April 1, 2016.  The three day event is one of the largest whiskey festivals in the U.S. and features a dance party, interactive panel discussion, master classes, VIP pours, on site package sales, cigar pairing, culminating with a grand tasting with 250 whiskies from around the world.  Dozens of master distillers and professional ambassadors participate, sharing their knowledge and passion for fine spirits from Japan, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, France, and the United States.

Fourth Annual Whiskey Obsession Festival Schedule of Events

Wednesday, March 30, 2016

The Dram Dance @ The Gator Club

8:00 pm to 11:00 pm

Enjoy our special chillwave musical guest Brothertiger at a private Whiskey Obsession Festival event upstairs at the Gator Club, featuring a performance by Black Diamond Burlesque.  $10 ticket includes one Old Forester cocktail.

Thursday, March 31, 2016

The Panel of Whiskey Experts Interactive Tasting and Discussion @ The Francis

7:00 pm to 10:00 pm

Join four master distillers and four brand ambassadors for this unique interactive panel and tasting as they share and discuss sixteen of their favorite spirits.  Tickets are $45 and seating is limited to 75 guests; please reserve early.  Panelists are:

Chris Morris, Woodford Reserve Master Distiller & the Chairman of the Kentucky Distillers Association

Pam Heilmann, Michter’s Distiller

Brendan Coyle; High West Distiller

Rob Dietrich, Stranahan’s Distiller

Bernie Lubbers, Heaven Hill Ambassador and Whiskey Professor

David Blackmore, Glenmorangie and Ardbeg Master Ambassador

Gardner Dunn, Yamazaki Ambassador

Philip Pepperdine, Bowmore Ambassador

Friday, April 1, 2016

Grand Tasting and Master Classes, Michael’s on East

• 6:30 pm VIP Admission
• 7:30 pm General Admission
• 8:00 pm Class I, II, and III
• 9:15 pm Class IV, V, VI
• 10:30 pm Last Pour
• 10:45 pm After Party at Made Restaurant

Session 1, 8:00 pm to 8:45 pm

• Class I The History of North American Whisk(e)y History One Sip at a Time with Michael Ring, Brown Forman Brand Champion
• Class II Michter’s: It’s All About the Whiskey with Pam Heilmann, Distiller
• Class III The Art of Japanese Whisky with Gardner Dunn, Yamazaki Ambassador

Session 2, 9:15 pm to 10:00 pm

• Class IV Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey with Jess Graber, Founder of Tincup Whiskey
• Class V Glenmorangie: Finishes and More with David Blackmore, Global Brand Ambassador
• Class VI: Cigar and Whisky Pairing with Montecristo cigars presented by Atul Solanki, owner of the Cigar Castle in Tampa and Philip Pepperdine, Bowmore Ambassador.

With 250 whiskies available to sample, the Grand Tasting features dozens of the world’s premium global brands as well as many emerging craft distillers.  Taught by industry professionals, our six seminar-style master classes present an opportunity for in-depth learning and interactive tastings with distillers and brand ambassadors.

Ticket levels are available:

VIP $195:

• VIP admission is limited to 150 guests and includes one commemorative Glencairn glass and one hour early entrance at 6:30 pm.
• VIP hour pours of ultra-premium, fine, expensive, and rare spirits (details will be available on the event website).
• One $50 retail voucher for purchases and special orders placed on Friday, April 1, 2016 during the Whiskey Obsession Festival grand tasting.
• Greater opportunity to interact with distillery ambassadors and industry professionals.
• Unlimited tasting of over 200 spirits.
• Priority seating at small group seminar classes (first come first served).
• Wine, soft drinks, buffet and hors d’ oeuvres.

General Admission $95:

• General admission is limited to 500 guests and includes one commemorative Glencairn glass and entrance at 7:30 pm
• Unlimited tasting of over 200 spirits.
• Seating as available at small group seminar classes (first come first served).
• Wine, soft drinks, buffet and hors d’ oeuvres.

Companion $45:

• Companion admission is limited to 75 guests and includes entrance with VIP or general admission ticket holders.
• Wine, soft drinks, buffet and hors d’ oeuvres.

For Information Please Contact

Turner C. Moore

President, Whiskey Obsession LLC

Turner@WhiskeyObsessionFestival.com

941-400-9889

Video:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=effaR6VmB6g (2016)

and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVwmQOkOVfs (2015)

Photos: https://www.instagram.com/sarasota_whiskey_obsession

Website: www.whiskeyobsessionfestival.com

Facebook events:

Dram Dance: https://www.facebook.com/events/1522059821428001/

Panel: https://www.facebook.com/events/816724438437560/

Grand Tasting: https://www.facebook.com/events/1825168421043341/

Addresses of Venues

Gator Club, 1490 Main Street, Sarasota, Florida  34236

The Francis, 1289 North Palm Avenue, Sarasota, Florida 34236

Michael’s on East, 1212 East Avenue, Sarasota, Florida 34239

AILSA BAY

A new whisky which has created its very own position on the flavour map!  A uniquely balanced single malt whisky which combines the flavours smoky and sweet perfectly. Distilled at the trailblazing Girvan distillery, Ailsa Bay’s singular vision of precision-balance in whisky is driven by whisky visionaries Peter Gordon, Brian Kinsman, John Ross and Conn Lynch. Bottled at 48.9% volume.  Official Tasting Notes:  Palate: Zingy, peaty kick layered with beautiful sweetness. A meaty character too – crispy rasher with a hint of maple syrup.

£55 Click to buy

GLENFIDDICH 1992 WHISKY SHOP EXCLUSIVE

Distilled on 13th March 1992, matured in a refill bourbon cask, and bottled at 55.6% ABV. This whisky really shows off the Glenfiddich distillery character, with lots of sweet, fruity notes, including apple, pear, and just a hint of oak and spice.  Click here to discover how this whisky was created and selected.  Tasting notes:  Apple, oak and citrus combine beautifully to create a warming and lasting whisky.

£1200 Click here to buy

LADYBURN 1974 40 YEAR OLD THE WHISKY SHOP EXCLUSIVE

Ladyburn was the shortest-lived distillery in Scotland and is therefore source of some of the rarest malt whiskies in the world.  Built by William Grant & Sons on the same site as their Girvan grain distillery, Ladyburn produced malt whisky for less than ten years from 1966 to 1975 and was then demolished.  Watch the video of this exceptionally rare whisky here.  Cask 89/199 No.74 has produced only 157 bottles.

£2600 – Click here to buy

Amrut Everest – Standing by Nepal

Posted: 10 Feb 2016 07:29 AM PST

Behind the scenes, The Whisky Exchange is a very international company. We have people from all over the world throughout the business, from Spanish web developers to Romanian photographers, Portuguese designers, Finnish spirits advisers and even the occasional Scot. Among the variety of nationalities, we have a strong contingent from Nepal and when we heard about the devastating earthquakes in the country last year, we decided to do something. Cue a charity whisky bottling – Amrut Everest.

Originally launched at The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show 2015, Everest is a collaboration between TWE and Amrut. It’s a single cask which yielded about 100 bottles, first offered to those who had come to the show and tried it. We’ve got a small number left, so are now opening up those remaining bottles to everyone else.

AMRUT EVEREST CHARITY BOTTLING IN AID OF THE HELP NEPAL NETWORK, £150

Nose: Honey-glazed apples, creamy porridge with a squeeze of lemon, and gentle spiciness. It develops marshmallow and banana notes, as well as vanilla cream and more zingy citrus.

Palate: Big, rich and spicy, with lemon, dried tropical fruit, cinnamon fireballs, foam bananas and sugar-sprinkled raisins, before picking up dark and earthy notes of black liquorice, clove and cardamom seeds.

Finish: Liquorice and spice, with lingering ripe red apple, black pepper and buttery biscuits.

Comment: Classic Amrut, with spice and fruit well-balanced, and excellent intensity of flavour. And to focus on the outside of the bottle for a moment, the label is some of our design team’s best work yet.

The proceeds from the sale of the whisky are all going to the Help Nepal Network, which is providing volunteers and on-the-ground supplies in the areas still trying to rebuild after the earthquakes.

We’ve been collecting money for Nepal for almost six months and have already raised £225,000 thanks to the Karuizawa tasting at The Whisky Show. One of our directors is heading over to the country next month to speak with those affected and see how we can help further.

Stay tuned for more details, but in the meantime, grab a bottle of Amrut Everest.

FEBRUARY UPDATE: RUMBLING, REVERBERATING RESONANCES

Feel the subsonic rumble of a cheering crowd and the echoing notes of a Welsh choir – has the Wales-Scotland match started already? Arriving from the Welsh valleys just in time is tomorrow’s rarely seen new release, 128.6 Rumbling, reverberating resonances. Prepare your palate for a fully immersive experience as deep, rich sweetness resonates with cinnamon spice to bring flavour into three dimensions. Prefer the quiet life? Check out your fellow members’ favourites but don’t take too long; the final whistle has already blown on 4 February bottlings…

NEW RELEASES FRIDAY 12 FEBRUARY

Spicy & sweet

128.6 Rumbling, reverberating resonances  £79.90 

Young & spritely

77.41 Citric zing and spicy tingles  £49.10

FEBRUARY OUTTURN TOP 5

No. 1: Oily & coastal

42.17 Beachcomber’s dram £47.40

No. 2: Young & spritely

48.71 An amazing technicolour dram £49.10

No. 3: Peated

3.257 Jacobite trip to the kitchen £69.20

No. 4: Spicy & dry

50.74 Lazing on a summer afternoon £129.40

No. 5: Spicy & sweet

46.36 Old Fashioned Manhattan £99.80

Browse Current Outturn >
Browse All Bottlings >

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm).

Visit the Society 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

United States – Kentucky

Jefferson’s Groth Cabernet Matured Small Batch Bourbon (750ml) $79.99

United States

King’s County Distillery Bourbon 200ml  $22.99

King’s County Distillery Chocolate Whiskey 200ml  $22.99

Smooth Ambler Contradiciton Old Bourbon (750ml) (1 bottle limit)  $59.99

Tuthilltown Hudson Baby Bourbon (375ml) $42.99

Tuthilltown Hudson Maple Cask Rye (375ml) $49.99

Canada

Whistle Pig 12 Year “Old World Marriage” Rye Whiskey (750ml) (1 bottle limit – ships as 1.5L)  $119.99

Scotland

Aberlour 12 Year Old Non Chillfiltered Single Malt Whisky (750ml)  $54.99

Aberlour 12 Year Old Speyside Single Malt Whisky (750ml) $39.99 

Glenlivet “Nadurra” 16 year old, Non-Chill Filtered Single Malt Whisky (750ml)  $69.99 

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

Gordon & MacPhail named Drinks Wholesaler of the Year

Gordon & MacPhail has been named Drinks Wholesaler of the Year at the Drinks Retailing Awards 2016.

The judges said the Elgin-based company, one of the UK’s top independent specialist wholesalers, “provides an all-round package which it delivers with high standards of service.”

Organised by Off Licence News, the Drinks Retailing Awards, held at The Dorchester in London on 2 February, brought together hundreds of leading retailers and key suppliers.

Established in 1895, and owned and managed by the third and fourth generations of the Urquhart family, Gordon & MacPhail stocks 4,000 product lines, including more than 800 wines, a wide range of beers from Scottish microbreweries, ciders and premium spirits. The company also aims to stock every UK distillery bottling of Scotch Whisky available in the UK.

Stephen Rankin, Gordon & MacPhail’s Director of UK Sales, who picked up the award, said: “We are delighted to win this award for the fourth time in five years.

“We have a skilled and dedicated team at Gordon & MacPhail and this award is testament to their hard work.

“We work closely with all our customers to ensure our service meets their needs and continually refresh our product portfolio to make sure we provide the best quality products on the market.”

Gordon & MacPhail employs 150 staff at its base in Elgin and has a 20-strong sales team that covers the length and breadth of the UK. The company operates wholly-owned and duty paid warehouses along with its own transport network, supplemented by courier.  

About Gordon & MacPhail

The family owned and managed firm of Gordon & MacPhail is located in Elgin, Scotland. The iconic retail shop on South Street still thrives today on the site where the business began in 1895. Since those early days the company has grown significantly and has business interests as a bottler, exporter, distiller and wholesaler.

As a wholesaler

Gordon & MacPhail is one of the UK’s leading independent specialist wholesalers and distributors, stocking over 4,000 products, including an extensive portfolio of wines, spirits and UK specialist beers and ciders.

As a bottler and exporter 

Since its foundation, Gordon & MacPhail’s policy has been to send casks to distilleries throughout Scotland, fill them with “new make” spirit and mature them either at the distillery of origin or in the firm’s own bonded warehouses in Elgin.

The World’s Leading Malt Whisky Specialist, Gordon & MacPhail bottles more than 300 expressions of Single Malt Whisky under various ranges – selling them throughout the UK and exporting to more than 50 countries worldwide. In 2009 and 2013 the company won the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade.

As a distiller 

Gordon & MacPhail owns Benromach Distillery located on the outskirts of Forres.  Established in 1898, the distillery went through many changes of ownership and closures before being “rescued” by Gordon & MacPhail, who purchased it in 1993. The distillery was extensively re-equipped over a five year period before it was officially opened by HRH Prince Charles in 1998.

Photo Caption

(Left to right): Marcus Brigstocke, Comedian and awards presenter; Paul Seenan, Customer Marketing Manager, Maxxium UK; Fiona Fullarton, UK Sales Support Manager, Gordon & MacPhail; Stephen Rankin, Director of UK Sales, Gordon & MacPhail; Martin Green, Editor, Off Licence News.

Tasting the 2015 Diageo Special Releases

Our yearly tasting calendar is a varied list of events, taking in everything from whisky to spirits and liqueurs, with even an occasional foray into the world of fizzy wine. However, there’s one that’s become a regular fixture and is anticipated through the year – The 2015 Diageo Special Releases with brand ambassador Colin Dunn.

Colin took a while to choose which box to pose with, but in the end went for the Port Ellen

In short, the Special Releases are a yearly collection of limited releases that pulls casks out of the dusty corners of Diageo’s extensive warehouses and gets them out into the world. There are some names that you’ll recognise and a few from distilleries whose whisky rarely sees the light of day as a single malt. It’s a privilege to try them, and Colin’s yearly visit always sells out quickly.

Colin’s long been a friend of The Whisky Exchange, known for his no-nonsense banter and horrific pun-making, and his Special Releases roadshow sees him taking them around the country, getting as many people as he can to try this range of whiskies that don’t get opened and enjoyed anywhere near enough. We’re one of his first stops and had seven of the nine bottlings from 2015 on the tasting mat.

You can find more details of each of the whiskies in Stu‘s Special Releases post, but here’s what we tried on the night, what Mr Dunn thought, and my tasting notes:

PORT ELLEN 1983 – 15TH RELEASE

‘It’s not every day you can say “Let’s start with a Port Ellen”… here we have Port Ellen in a leather coat’

Nose: Cracked pebbles, chamois leather and seaside notes – ozone-heavy sea spray, damp seaweed and fresh rock pools. Smoke sits at the back, with fruity peat, ham and raisins, balanced out by green and leafy notes.

Palate: Wax, sweet smoke and liquorice – an aniseed-scented aromatherapy candle? Leathery notes build, along with sweet raisins, smoked ham and singed baked apples. The apples intensify to the point of going overboard into overripe sweetness, but are tempered by barrel-char smokiness and dunnage-warehouse earthiness.

Finish: Sweet and earthy, with soft peat smoke, nutmeg, chocolate cake and cherry sweetness.

Comment: An austere Port Ellen, with lots of minerality rather than the rich sweetness that has appeared in recent years.

LAGAVULIN 12 YEAR OLD – 15TH RELEASE

‘Laphroaig is dirty peat. Ardbeg is sweet peat. Lagavulin is oily peat’

‘In the evening I like some Lagavulin with Grand Marnier and Lapsang Souchong tea, poured over dry ice – Smoke on the Water’ [this was not the last pun of the evening…]

Nose: Ash and lemons, abandoned beach bonfires, damp forests, and medicinal notes of bandages and freshly peeled sticking plasters. The citrus continues to grow, becoming zesty and sharp, with the medicinal nature becoming more like swimming pools. While it’s punchy and not as rich and heavy as some years’ releases, it has sweet vanilla hiding underneath the provide a respite.

Palate: Lots of minerality and austere smoke – cracked stone, burnt tree stumps and rock-lined firepits. It gets richer as it sits, but is balanced by more bitter flavours – chocolate, caramel and pungent wood smoke, with a background of barrel char. Spice dances around underneath, with cinnamon and black pepper providing heat.

Finish: Liquorice, pine and rich earth, fading to cinnamon spice and menthol.

Comment: An in-your-face and zingy whisky, avoiding the weightier flavours that the distillery is often known for and focusing on smoke, zest and minerality – Lagavulin in its purest form.

THE CALLY – CALEDONIAN 40 YEAR OLD

‘The Cally has picked up what I like to call “a Japanese nose”. I could smell it for hours’

Nose: Freshly varnished wood, model glue and polish – classic old grain whisky character. Behind those lighter notes sits a mature dram: salted caramel and vanilla toffee spiced up with freshly cracked black pepper.

Palate: Rich and thick toffee, more sea salt, and baked apples sprinkled with raisins. As it develops in the glass, concentrated fruity flavours start to come to the front – orange squash (with real fruit) and unsweetened blackcurrant juice.

Finish: Lots of spice – liquorice root and cinnamon – fading through nutmeg to a gently tannic and pleasantly sour end.

Comment: A well-looked-after grain whisky – at this age, the cask influence can often become too much, but this whisky shows the toffee character of American oak and well-balanced spice without going too far.

DAILUAINE 34 YEAR OLD

‘This whisky is a perfect balance of grain and European oak casks’

Nose: Floral notes to start – sugared flowers, rose bushes and honeysuckle in full bloom. Weightier flavours of Portuguese custard tarts with singed edges, sugar and spice, and little flashes of dried fruit come in behind that, along with slightly sour and yeasty notes – salted lemons and sourdough bread.

Palate: More savoury than expected, with sharp fruity notes, dry spice and layers of spiced baked apple and a touch of sour-apple skin. Water softens things and reveals hidden depths: vanilla, dusty spice and rich dried, poached and baked fruit – apples, pears and raisins. Spiced fruit sponge cake sits at the back.

Finish: Liquorice and menthol, lime skin and green leaves fade to spicy notes and a touch of rich vanilla.

Comment: Some people found this to be more sherried than me, but I felt it was, as Colin says, an excellent balance of distillery character and cask. The sherry casks have added weight while allowing the fruitiness of Dailuaine’s spirit to shine through.

PITTYVAICH 1989 25 YEAR OLD

‘Pittyvaich has the whackiest Gaelic name of any distillery: it means “place of the cowshed”. It was originally built to make gin…’

Nose: Flowers and nuts off the bat – honeysuckle, rose, hazelnuts and almonds. Sweetness develops, with the almonds gaining a sugary shell, a sprinkling of icing sugar and a balancing squeeze of lemon. Polished tables with a hint of beeswax sit behind the sweetness along with sweet white grape juice.

Palate: Sharp and spicy to start, with little of the nose’s sweet and floral character. However, with some time in the glass and a drop of water, the freshly sawn oak and sappy twigs soften to reveal sweet and zesty apples and spice – cinnamon and nutmeg.

Finish: Spiced apple and its skin, slowly fading to liquorice and black pepper.

Comment: An inviting and fruity nose leads to a spicy body that shows the whisky’s age. A drop of water is essential, despite its relatively low cask strength, revealing layers of fruit and spice.

CLYNELISH SELECT RESERVE 2ND EDITION

‘I asked Michael Jackson, the whisky writer, to tell me about Clynelish. “Do you drink sherry?” he asked me. “Clynelish is the manzanilla of the north.”‘

Nose: Hugely waxy – the classic Clynelish character dialled up to 11: melting tea lights, floral candles and a tiny bit of waxed jacket. Sweet-shop sweetness sits alongside thin vanilla custard, with candy necklaces and marshmallows joined by foam strawberries and hints of violet. Water brings out a sherbety fizz and candied lemons.

Palate: Waxed lemons, Love Hearts, floury apples and custard tarts lead. Creamy notes develop, with vanilla toffee providing sweetness, and cinnamon and clove giving a spicy contrast. The sweet-shop notes from the nose also build, laying down a fragrant, sweet and floral backdrop.

Finish: Menthol and flowers appear initially, before fading slowly to freshly polished tables and sweet orange juice.

Comment: An over-the-top Clynelish that focuses on the waxy and floral side of the distillery’s character – the rumour is that older spirit has amplified those flavours, with some younger whisky added to temper the vatting into a well-rounded dram. If you like your whisky waxy, then you’ll love this.

BRORA 37 YEAR OLD – 14TH RELEASE

‘Whisky’s like wine: it can have a sleeping period. A few years ago, Brora was getting a bit woody – too tannic – but now it’s come back’

Nose: Sweet waxed fruit, mulching straw and muddy farmyards, with hints of violets and gentle, earthy smoke. As the whisky develops in the glass, maritime ozone and sea spray appear, along with richer notes of leather, driftwood and smoked ham.

Palate: Sweet and gently floral, with polished tables, freshly cut boards and a wisp of smoke. Delicate fruit emerges from behind the spice and smoke – baked apples, lemon and raisins – along with the ham from the nose and sweet-cured bacon. The sweetness slowly fades on the palate, leaving barrel-char bitterness, bung cloth and earthy dunnage warehouse floors.

Finish: Charcoal smoke and lingering liquorice.

Comment: For me, this is the perfect balance of Brora character – sweet, fruit and floral with a hint of farmyard, earth and smoke.

To close the evening, Colin gave us all an extra, secret dram. It split the room, with many loving it and many really not enjoying it. It was Crown Royal Northern Harvest Rye, Jim Murray’s World Whisky of the Year – a whisky that perfectly demonstrates how personal taste is. As Colin said, to close the evening:

‘None of you need Jim Murray to tell you what to drink. You need me to tell you what to drink! In the end, it’s all opinion, and everyone has their own. Have an open mind. Have new experiences. And go to The Whisky Exchange!’

I think we’ll let him come back next year…

Macallan 25 Year Old 1990 Old & Rare Platinum

Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

$743.95

Macallan 25 Year Old 1990 vintage Speyside single malt Scotch whisky. Single cask refill hogshead bottled January 2016 by Hunter Laing & Co. for the Old & Rare Platinum Selection. 212 numbered bottles. A light golden coloured whisky with a rich, mellow, sweet nose. Aromas of spiced fruits, citrus and vanilla give a depth of character along with hints of chocolate and boiled sweets. Buttery smooth on the palate with vanilla and dark chocolate to the fore then more rich fruits and citrus notes appearing late, leaving a lingering sweet finish with a hint of oak. The Macallan Distillery was established by Alexander Reid in 1824 near Easter Elchies House on the Easter Elchies estate. Easter Elchies House dates back to 1700. Macallan Distillery is a malt whisky distillery situated in Scotland’s Speyside whisky region. The old still house was re-commissioned in 2008 and now Macallan Distillery operates with two still houses sheltering twenty-one copper stills. On-site maturation is carried out in traditional dunnage warehouses and by racking in large new warehouses on the estate. The Macallan visitor centre welcomes visitors throughout the year and offers distillery tours. The Macallan Distillery also participates in the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival

United States – Kentucky

Jefferson’s Ocean Voyage #6 Aged at Sea Very Small Batch Bourbon (750ml) $82.99

United States

2015 Garrison Brothers Texas Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $79.99

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