GLENGLASSAUGH RELEASES TWO NEW EXPRESSIONS IN ITS “MASSANDRA CONNECTION” RANGE 

AWARD-WINNING Glenglassaugh has added two stunning whiskies to its renewed “Massandra Connection” series. 

They are a 35 Years Old Madeira Wood finish and a 41 Years Old Sherry Wood finish, and are available worldwide as of today (29 May). 

Both are non chill filtered, at natural colour and finished in the finest Massandra casks. 

These casks had previously been used to mature the very finest wines from Massandra, the oldest winery in the Crimea and a favourite of Tsar Alexander III. 

Built between 1894 and 1897 near Yalta, the Massandra winery benefits from a subtropical climate and the protective shield of mountain chains which provide perfect conditions for the production of high-quality fortified and dessert wines. 

Some of our whisky has enjoyed a period of additional maturation, or finishing, in the various different casks from Massandra, with these wine casks dramatically evolving the flavour and style of the maturing whisky.

The results are simply spectacular, as the tasting notes show.

Glenglassaugh Massandra Connection 35 Years Old Madeira Wood Finish (41.7% vol):

Colour: Antique dark oak.

Nose: Rounded creamy notes of cantaloupe melon open to beautiful depths of gentle sweet oak. Waves of a subtle sea air coastal note balance the rich ripe fruit character.

Palate: A fantastic contrast of luscious ripe melon and sharp sour plums softens to boiled sweets and dried apricots with the smallest hint of ripped mint in the background. A gentle dry oak note sweetens to a dusting of iced sugar on the palate.

Finish: Layer upon layer of subtle fruit characters come together with delicate aged oak to give a delicious range of flavours in the unique Glenglassaugh style. 

Glenglassaugh Massandra Connection 41 Years Old Sherry Wood Finish (44.5% vol):

Colour: Warm harvest gold.

Nose: Dried pineapple, bananas and golden sultanas warmed by hints of stem ginger and white pepper spice. Candied peel notes soften to a unique sweet oak character.

Palate: A fresh crisp lime zest flows over green apples and pears. Hints of tantalising ripe tropical fruits emerge in the mid palate and combine with delicate cigar box spices and a gentle oiliness, bringing great depth to the long exclusive vintage.

Finish: A fantastically vibrant expression for a malt of this vintage, giving a diverse combination of classic fruit and spiced flavours.

Sales Director Alistair Walker said: “In 2010 Glenglassaugh brought over the first casks from the Crimea to create the unique new “Massandra Connection” series with five distinctive Sherry, Muscat, Madeira, Port and Aleatico finishes.

“It was the first time that the Massandra winery had allowed its casks to be exported and also the first time that Crimean fine wine casks had been used by a Scottish distillery for finishing.

“These remarkable new expressions launched today show how the subtle effect of the wonderful Massandra casks on our coastal Highland malt has resulted in two quite exceptional whiskies.”

The Balvenie Single Barrel Sherry Cask 15yo – My Sherry Amour

Ears certainly pricked up at TWE HQ when news came in of a new release from The Balvenie. There will be those still mourning the loss of the bourbon-matured 15 Year Old Single Barrel (officially discontinued, but we still have a few bottles left). Well, cheer up, because we have good news: it’s been replaced by The Single Barrel Sherry Cask 15 Year Old. 

This new Balvenie follows on from last year’s Single Barrel First Fill 12 Year Old, which we rather liked. David Stewart (we’re still impressed by the coolness of his job title, ‘Malt Master’) and his team drew 650 bottles from each oloroso sherry butt. Our sample was from butt number 4440 – obviously, each cask is different, so flavours will vary, but note that this is an ongoing release, not a limited edition.

So, how does this new sherrified 15YO compare to its younger brother? Well, as expected, it doesn’t pussyfoot around. There’s much more depth and richness compared to the lightly honeyed, floral notes of the 12YO First Fill. It feels more grown up, like that buzz you get when you’re get in to see a 15-certificate film for the first time, leaving the 12s behind – from Spiderman to Final Destination, if you will.

The dried-fruit elements are more pronounced on the nose, with more obvious oak influence, too. On the palate, real swathe of sherry influence, with rich dried fruits and nuts, burnt sugar and a hint of milk chocolate, finishing with a creamy flourish. 

The Balvenie Single Barrel Sherry Cask 15 Year Old

Nose: Rich aromas of candied fruit and mixed peel, slight creaminess, with notes of almonds, Christmas cake and Toffifee, countered with some soft fruits – green apple and pear.

Flavour: Obvious sherry influence: concentrated dried fruits, toasty oak, milk chocolate and burnt sugar, with some biscuit in there.

Finish: The creaminess mingles with the rich fruit. Very precise.

In all, a good crowd-pleaser, and Balvenie fans will not be disappointed. And towards the end of the year – hey, just in time for Christmas – The Balvenie will be releasing its third Single Barrel release: a 25 Year Old drawn from refill American oak.

The Balvenie 15 Year Old Single Barrel Sherry Cask is now available on the TWE website for £77.95.

Originally published on The Whisky Exchange Blog – The Balvenie Single Barrel Sherry Cask 15yo – My Sherry Amour

GLENLIVET VERTICALS

With the warmer weather here (yes, really), our sights move to those whiskies with a more summery theme and flavour. What better then, to be tasting in the coming weeks, than the sweet and complex whiskies from the distillery that ‘started it all’ in Speyside terms.

Although one of the best-selling single malts in the world, whisky enthusiasts rarely get a range tasting of this magnitude. From the much-loved 12 year old, through 15yo French Oak, the powerful 16yo Nadurra and then older expressions. One of the highlights will surely be the opportunity to taste 25 Years Old, which currently retails at £200 a bottle…

These tastings are starting this week but there is still time to get involved with a handful of tickets remaining in most venues. Tickets are just £20 each and include all samples.

Date, venue and times;

WEDNESDAY 4TH JUNE   LONDON             THE RED LION, CROWN PASSAGE, SW1
THURSDAY 5TH JUNE      BRIGHTON          HILTON METROPOLE, KING’S ROAD
WEDNESDAY 11TH JUNE LIVERPOOL        JENNY’S BAR, FENWICK STREET
THURSDAY 12TH JUNE    LEEDS                 THE CROSSKEYS, WATER LANE
FRIDAY 13TH JUNE           MANCHESTER   BRITONS PROTECTION, GT. BR’WATER
SATURDAY 14TH JUNE     YORK                  BRIGANTES, MICKLEGATE

Just click on the date you would like to attend and get booking!

THE #JURATASTIVAL BOTTLING 2014 IS ARRIVING AT LAST!

Let the flavour revolution continue…

Our drams are at the ready, the cooperage waiting and friends from far and wide are beginning to arrive on our beautiful island. Our journey into the heart of the flavour experience continues as the curtain finally rises over the #JuraTastival 2014, and a new limited edition Jura bottling is born.

Aren’t able to join us for this year’s celebration? We understand. Jura is an un-get-at-able island after all. But not to worry! You can still experience the flavour of this year’s festival with our #JuraTastival Bottling 2014, available from 10am on Friday in our online shop. A limited number of bottles are available for shipping to UK addresses only, so be sure to act quickly and secure yours.

Let your mind wander as you savour that first dram and your senses awaken. Explore the myriad flavours in every sip, and share your personal tasting notes with us for the chance to join us on the island for #JuraTastival 2015.

Visit us at http://www.jurawhisky.com/en/what-are-we-up-to or on Twitter @jura_whisky to get started.

Viva la #JuraTastival Revolución!

Willie Cochrane and everybody at the Jura Distillery.

www.ralfy.com continues exploring obscure, less-known single malts with Whisky Review 460 – Royal Brackla Cask Malt 16yo @ (Adelphi)

Isle of Arran set to rock with distillery’s Malt and Music Festival 

The team at Isle of Arran Distillers is gearing up to host the island’s fifth Malt and Music Festival this summer. 

Taking place over the last weekend in June, Scotland in Miniature will come alive to the sound of bands from Arran and the mainland, all enjoyed with a dram of the distillery’s finest single malt.

The schedule of events is broad and ranges from an exclusive White Stag Dinner on Friday 27^th to the Texas Scramble – a tournament at the Lochranza Golf Course – on Sunday 29^th, though the main event takes places on Saturday 28^th June. 

Doors at the distillery site open at 11am and the £5 entry fee includes a spey dram glass, a drink token and the opportunity for a guided tour of the distillery. 

Throughout the day, the team will be hosting a range of expert masterclasses including sessions ideal for whisky novices such as the ‘Whisky is Fun Masterclass’.  More avid whisky fans can enjoy workshops such as ‘A Foray into Finishes’ which looks at the influences different wood types have on the spirit. 

For the evening festivities, the team will be hosting an evening to remember in The Grand Marquee in the Distillery grounds including ceilidh dancing and music*. 

Euan Mitchell, Managing Director of the Distillery, said: “We really look forward to our Malt and Music Festival each summer as the event is a celebration of everything we love about Arran and whisky.

“As well as being a great party, the festival gives people the opportunity to really get to know the team behind Arran Distillers, which is something that not many distilleries offer.

“For nearly two decades we’ve been producing unique malt whiskies for discerning drinkers around the world. We are delighted to again welcome people to enjoy the stunning location that is our home, some great music and the Arran Malt.” 

The fun continues on the Sunday with the Survivors’ Lunch and Masterclass where Euan will host a traditional meal of haggis, neeps and tatties, accompanied by a selection of drams chosen by the man himself. 

The unique and collectable Arran Malt and Music Festival Bottling 2014, which has become a key souvenir of the weekend for many, will be on sale on the Saturday only from the Visitor Centre priced at around £130. 

Tickets are available at http://www.arranevents.com/. 

*Tickets for the evening event cost £10 

Tickets to the Festival and Masterclasses can be purchased from http://www.arranevents.com/ 

About Isle of Arran Distillers:  

For more information visit http://www.arranwhisky.com/ 

Accolades for Isle of Arran Distillery include Winner for: Best New Exporter (2004), Queen’s Award for International Trade (2005), Scottish Distiller of the Year (2007) and Scottish Drinks Producer of the Year (2007.) 

Product awards include: Best Whisky Liqueur (2007), ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 12 Years & Under’ for The Arran Malt Amarone Cask Finish (2008) ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for The Arran Malt Sherry Single Cask 1998 (2010) and ‘Best Single Malt Scotch 11-15 Years’ for the Icons of Arran Peacock (2011.) ‘Double Gold Award’ for Arran’s 14 Year Old Single Malt and ‘Gold Award’ for Arran’s 10 Year Old Single Malt at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2012). Double Gold in FiftyBest.com awards (2012). Double Gold Medal for the 12 year-old Cask Strength in the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (2013). Double Gold for both the 10 year-old and 12 year-old Cask Strength at the China Wine & Spirits Best Value Awards 2014.

Stock Image

Arran Premium Sherry Single Cask 1997 2014 Release

Cask number: 217
Bottled date: 02/05/2014
Distillation date: 02/17/1997
53.2% alc. by vol.
562 bottles total.

Stock Image

WHISKY AUCTIONEER’S LATEST AUCTION DRAWING TO A CLOSE

Whisky Auctioneer’s current auction will finish from 19:00 (GMT) Monday 2^nd June (Tonight)

Johnnie Walker 1805 Celebration Blend

Our May auction highlight is this stunning bottle and box, produced to mark the 200^th anniversary of John Walker’s birth. This extremely limited Johnnie Walker was never available for public sale as all of the bottles were given to people who, in Diageo’s words, “made a significant contribution to modern life.”  Blended from nine whiskies all aged between 45 and 70 years old and limited to only 200 bottles, this is bound to be a hotly contested bottle this month. 

Whether you are looking for an Ardbeg Supernova Stellar Release, Laphroaig 40 year old or a Macallan 1981 18 year old, we have almost 300 whiskies on offer this month.

The auction will end Monday 2^nd June, 2014!

This month, the auction will end after 19:00 on Monday the 2nd. From 19:00, activity on any item will prolong the entire auction by a further five minutes; the auction will end when there has been no activity on any item for five minutes. 

International Shipping 

Whisky Auctioneer has a successful record in shipping whiskies internationally, including to the USA. To find out more information on our very competitive shipping charges, take a look at the delivery page: 

http://www.whiskyauctioneer.com/shipping  

Whisky Auctioneer can also provide insurance if required; contact us for more information. 

Future Auctions

Entries for future auctions are always invited.  Whisky Auctioneer makes selling whisky online easy!

With a low sellers’ commission rate of 5% and competitive listing and reserve fees, there is no better place to sell your bottle(s) or collection.

The deadline for the next auction will be June 11th; the auction will begin on June 20^th. 

Happy Bidding!

Loch Fyne Whiskies ‘The Balvenie Single Barrel 15 Year Old Sherry Cask’ 

Join us as we sit down with the exquisite Balvenie Single Barrel 15 Year Old Sherry Cask; it makes for great company! Read full review…(Please click on the link to read the full article)

THE LINK 

david@lfw.co.uk
Loch Fyne Whiskies

JUNE EVENTS

10 Year Anniversary Jazz Improvisation Tasting, 28 Queen St, Edinburgh – Wed 4 June
10 Years of Queen Street Tasting, 28 Queen St, Edinburgh – Fri 6 June
New List Open Tasting, 19 Greville St, London – Sat 7 June
Steak & Whisky Tasting, 19 Greville St, London – Mon 9 June
Scotch on the Rocks, 19 Greville St, London – Wed 11 June
Speyside Tasting, 28 Queen St, Edinburgh – Thu 12 June
Global Whisky, 19 Greville St, London – Wed 18 June
Society on the Road: Glenkinchie, The Vaults, Leith – Sat 21 June

Browse all events

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