Founders Cask 0116 / Triple Distilled

Founders Reserve Cask 0116, a triple distilled English whisky matured at St. George’s Distillery in a 1st fill bourbon cask that previously held Jim Beam American whiskey. Distilled by David Fitt on 12th September 2007, cask 0116 was matured for 5 years before being decanted into 95 bottles on the 19th September 2012.

£148.00 (£123.33 ex vat)

Click here to buy English Whisky Co. Cask 0116

Founders Cask 0787 / Peated Sauternes

Distilled by David Fitt on 12th November 2007, single cask 0787 from the Founders Private Cellar was laid to rest in a 1st fill Sauternes cask for just shy of 5 years. A Peated malt which was bottled 17th September 2012 at 61.2% vol, 250 bottles filled.

£148.00 (£123.33 ex vat)

Click here to buy English Whisky Co. Cask 0787

Founders Cask 0859 / Port Cask

Single cask 0859 from The Founders Private Cellar cask series by the English Whisky Co, was distilled by Ian Henderson on 20th June 2007, just before he retired. The whisky has been matured for 5 years at the St. George’s Distillery in a cask that previously held Port. Bottled 21st September 2012 at 59.3% ABV, with only 95 bottles filled.

£148.00 (£123.33 ex vat)

Click here to buy English Whisky Co. Cask 0859

Abbey Whisky enquiries@abbeywhisky.com www.abbeywhisky.com 0800 051 7737

BACK IN STOCK… (items we’ve carried in the past that have just arrived again)

Bourbon and Rye

• Old Overholt Rye Whiskey 1Liter – 12 available ($19.99) Old Overholt is amongst the oldest more-or-less-continuously available distilled products in America. (They’ve operated for at least 150 years.) When one speaks of rye, others are most likely to think of this product, if they think of anything. Their Straight Rye product – which may well be their only product – is readily available at a moderate price. Like the Jim Beam, the Overholt had a subtle nose with hints of raisin, fruit (orange perhaps), and possibly almond. Overholt’s taste is light and similar to the Beam, but with slightly medicinal and bitter hints. Overholt did not have a particularly complex effect on a cocktail, though an anise presence appeared.

• Balcones Brimstone Corn Whisky 750ml – 9 available ($49.99) Named 2012 Craft Whiskey Distillery of the Year by Whisky Magazine. Balcones Distillery in Waco, Texas, is making some really exciting contributions to the American whisky tradition. Founder and Head Distiller Chip Tate is an innovator focused on working with sources and traditions native to the Americas, and “Brimstone” is made from 100% Blue corn smoked with Texas scrub oak instead of peat. This is Texas’ answer to Islay Single Malt and it’s totally out of control! Gold Medal winner in Brown Spirits in the 2011 New York World Wine & Spirits Competition.

• Jefferson’s Reserve Very Old Bourbon 750ml – 7 available ($39.99) Whisky Advocate: “The whiskey’s formula has been improved, and now consists of a higher percentage of older whiskies (into the high teens) than the original release…Nicely balanced, with candied fruit, blackberry jam, soft vanilla, kettle corn, and a kiss of mint. Pleasant, unpretentious, and uncomplicated. (Vol. 20, #3)” K&L Notes: A medium-weight, small batch, aged bourbon that delivers richness and elegance. Aromas of peaches, vanilla, raisins and butterscotch carry through to the palate, which also shows flavors suggestive of dates, orange and blackberry. Sweet, and warm through to the smooth, Cognac-like finish. 94 points Beverage Testing Institute: “Deep amber copper color. Sexy aromas of dark chocolate, dried cherries, and roasted nuts. A vibrant supple entry leads to a fruity-yet-dry medium-full body of rich toffee, nut, and dried cherry and golden raisin flavors with a long, hearty and sweet finish. Wonderful rich flavor and a lingering, warming finish.”

Canada – Rye

• Pendleton “1910” 12 year Straight Rye Whiskey 750ml – 4 available ($36.99) The old Pendleton Rodeo is at it again. Created as an homage to the first ever Pendleton Round-Up in 1910 and sourcing this distinctive Canadian Rye from the same distillery as their exceptional 25 year blend, this is the first 12 year Canadian 100% Rye on the market. While details about it’s exact origins are cagey, this should be the first 100% Rye coming from Alberta rather than Toronto. It’s richly spiced and very mellow. Wish there was a bit higher proof, but all in all, an interesting and incredibly drinkable limited offering bottled at the Hood River Distillery. -David Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

Scotland – Single Malt Scotch

 • Glenfarclas 40 year old, Distillery Bottling 750ml – 6 available ($469.99) 95 points Whisky Advocate: “Glenfarclas has a proven track record for aging very well. I’ve enjoyed some amazing 25 and 30 year old expressions, in addition to some older vintage offerings. Does this new 40 year old follow suit? Absolutely! It’s complex and well-rounded, with great depth and no excessive oak. Lush, candied citrus (especially orange), old pot still rum, maple syrup, fig, roasted nuts, and polished leather, with hints of mocha, candied ginger, and tobacco. A bit oily in texture (which I find soothing) with good tannic grip on the finish. A classic, well-matured Glenfarclas — and a very good value for its age. (Editor’s Choice) ” K&L Notes: Glenfarclas is one of the Highlands’ finest, but somehow they managed to get the extra old whisky out for less than $500, which makes this, in my opinion, one of the finest values in single malt…period! (David Othenin-Girard, 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

THE GLENROTHES UNVEILS RARE CASK COLLECTION 

The Glenrothes single Speyside malt whisky, distributed by Maxxium UK is bolstering its range even further with the unveiling of a new series of single cask bottlings from the late 1960s and 1970s.

Since 1994 The Glenrothes has released less than one single cask a year. However, The Glenrothes newest series, The Extraordinary Cask Collection, will be welcomed by whisky enthusiasts who have expressed great demand for older and rarer bottlings.

The popularity of The Glenrothes spirit amongst the whisky industry’s master blenders has increased so much that, unlike some distillers, there has until now been no remaining older stock at the distillery.

However, the first of this new series, The Glenrothes 1970 Extraordinary Cask #10573 came to the attention of Ronnie Cox, Brands Heritage Director following a process of assessment where a small number of casks were subsequently selected.

Ronnie Cox said; “Extraordinary is a term associated with the heritage of the wines sourced and endorsed by Berry Bros. & Rudd. It applies equally to these casks selected for their personality and excellence, allowing them to stand alone as examples of the supremacy of The Glenrothes bloodline. The first of these is a whisky distilled in 1970 which, in keeping with The Glenrothes’ philosophy to bottle at peak maturity, is now ready to be committed to glass. The anticipation for this release is such that the first Extraordinary Cask is on allocation only.”

Commenting on the new release Peter Sandstrom, Marketing Director for Maxxium UK said: “The appeal of The Glenrothes is growing from strength to strength with its reach expanding.  This will be enhanced with the release of the new Extraordinary Cask Collection, which we anticipate much excitement for within the industry and strongly believe it will be warmly received by whisky enthusiasts.” 

The shape of the instantly recognisable iconic Glenrothes bottle has been enhanced further, using hand-blown lead crystal, for the single cask decanter. It is also in keeping with the elegance of the whisky and the heritage of The Glenrothes.

Each decanter has been individually created by a master craftsman at Atlantis Crystal in Alcobaca, Portugal, using the purest form of crystal. Brass has also been used for the hand-engraved collar on the neck of the decanter, supplied by Charles Stott, of the Edinburgh-based Scottish Silversmiths. In addition, the head of the stopper is fashioned from the wood of the very cask # 10573 in which the whisky has matured.

The Glenrothes 1970 Extraordinary Cask #10573 will initially be available from Berry Bros. & Rudd and its representatives in keymarkets. Prices will start at £3,000 (€4,000 or $5,000) and upwards per bottle.

www.theglenrothes.com  

Tasting notes for The Glenrothes 1970 Extraordinary Cask #10573

Appearance: Clear and bright with rich golden hues.

Nose: Distinctly earthy and autumnal, windfall apples and cider cellar. Toffee apples with icing sugar, sponge fingers with custard, puff pastry with apple.

Palate: Lightly peppery and fresh with citrus and eucalyptus. Subtle and supple, satin feel with a texture of crêpe de chine.

Finish: Long and beguiling with very, very dark chocolate. 

Notes: 

• The Glenrothes was founded in 1879
• Little more than 2% of the distillery capacity is bottled as Single Malt to ensure exceptional quality
• Of the 16 Vintages released to date, 12 have entirely sold out
• It is matured in a combination of Spanish and American oak casks – the best of both worlds
• The Glenrothes Select Reserve won a Gold Medal at the The San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2012
• The Glenrothes Select Reserve was voted Best in Class at the World Whiskies Awards 2008 and won two Double Golds at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2007
• The Glenrothes 1972 was awarded a Trophy at the 2005 International Spirits Challenge
• The Glenrothes 1978 Vintage was voted Best Speyside Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards 2008
• The Glenrothes 1975 won a Double Gold award at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2008
• The Glenrothes 1991 won a Gold Medal at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2010
• The Glenrothes 1994 won a Gold Medal at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2010
• The Glenrothes Alba Reserve won a Double Gold at The San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2010
• “I have always felt that Glenrothes deserved to be more widely appreciated. Beautifully rounded…sophisticated after-dinner malt.” Michael Jackson’s Malt Whisky Companion
• Jim Murray, in his Whisky Bible, refers to The Glenrothes Select Reserve; “One of the softest deliveries on Speyside, the silky barley and citrus caress the tastebuds with rare tenderness” and scores it 24 out of 25

Duncan Taylor’s latest releases from the Rarest of the Rare collection are just in time for Halloween (not quite – WI). The Rarest of the Rare Banff 1975 comes from the now deceased Banff distillery which has a history of disaster. In 1877 most of the distillery was devasted in a fire. In 1941 a German Junkers plane bombed one of the warehouses and in 1991 another fire destoyed it completely. Duncan Taylor are please to announce this exclusive and rare bottling! This bottle is a 37 year old and is 45.1% ABV. There are only 155 bottles made.

Tasting Notes
Nose: Orange, lemon grass with tropical fruits. Vanilla with toffee emerging Taste: Dry taste with lime. Syrupy with a hint of tropical fruits – mango and grapefruit
Finish: A slight nutty finish with peaches and mangoes and a hint of toffee
Comment: A stunning Banff!!

£360.00 BUY NOW

The Caperdonich distillery was constructed as a sister distillery to Glen Grant and was named Glen Grant 2 for some time. It finally closed in 2002 after being mothballed. The only official bottling was a cask strength released in 2005. Duncan Taylor has now released the Rarest of the Rare Caperdonich 1992 which is a 20 year old whisky that is 54.7% ABV. There are just 282 bottles.

Tasting Notes:
Nose: Toffee apples with a hint of mint. Slightly nutty with a hint of fruit
Taste: Apples, nuts, toffee and vanilla
Finish: Butterscotch, vanilla and toffee finish.
Comment: Delicious!!

£169.00 BUY NOW

Single Malts Limited | 36 Gordon Street | Huntly | Aberdeenshire | AB54 8EQ

The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show brought with it a number of interesting TWE exclusive bottles and what better way to show off the Glenlivet ‘Minmore’ – a single cask exclusively bottled by the distillery especially for TWE – than by welcoming international brand ambassador Ian Logan to talk us through their fine range of Speyside malts.

The Glenlivet has been around since the earliest days of legal distilling and is one of the best selling brands of Scotch Whisky in the world, with the 12 year old challenging for the number one single malt whisky spot. However, their range is much deeper than that, with a great selection of aged and interesting drams. Ian will be leading us through a selection of these excellent whiskies as well as pouring some of our exclusive Minmore single cask, which will, stocks allowing, be available to buy after the tasting.

You can expect some of the usual highlights, and maybe a surprise from Ian’s tasting cupboard, as well as a great evening of whisky related banter with one of the industry’s top ambassadors.

The tasting will take place on Monday 12th November, 7:30pm.

£30 per person. Tickets are on sale now!

As ever, tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis and are limited to two per customer

To book your ticket call us: 020 7403 8688 or visit our shop

www.ralfy.com delves a bit further into the blended malts with Whisky Review 316 – Blue Hanger Blended Malt (Edition 6)

• 1982 Port Ellen 30 Year Old “K&L Exclusive” Sovereign Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($599.99)
Whoever said that persistence pays off was so freakin’ right. The only reason we ever got a hold of this baby was that we’ve built some great relationships in Scotland. So when we asked at Sovereign, again, eyebrows raised, “Do you have anything you could offer us?” They offered. We tasted. We loved. They bottled. And it’s a true glory. The nose shows soft, earthy peat and struck match igniting pipe tobacco. The palate is all weathered leather tempered by sweet, mellowing dark wood. This long and powerful malt turns the phenols back up to 11 for a spicy, peaty finish. We’re not sure we’ll see another one of these. Diageo has been buying the few remaining casks back from bottlers well above market price for their 12th annual Port Ellen release, which retails for over $1,000. They bottled nearly 3,000 of those; there will only be 150 of ours. (David Girard, 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

Tomatin Celebrates Best Drink Accolade

Tomatin Distillery is celebrating success as winner of the ‘Best Drink’ award at the Highlands & Islands Food and Drink Awards last week. Over 260 people from food and drink businesses in the Highlands and Islands gathered at the Drumossie Hotel in Inverness for the eighth annual awards hosted by Celebrity Masterchef finalist and television presenter Kirsty Wark.

The core range of Tomatin Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky (12, 15 and 18 year old expressions) was entered into this brand new award category, aimed at identifying businesses that can demonstrate success in the drinks market. Fighting off competition from another distillery and two breweries, Tomatin was announced the winner with Kirsty Wark citing the “smooth flavour” and “bold packaging” as elements of the entry which most impressed the judging panel.

Stephen Bremner, Sales Director, said: “We are very proud to have won this award. These Awards showcase and celebrate the contribution that Highland and Islands food and drink companies are making to the UK economy, something we should all be proud of.

Our core range of Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky contains multi‐award winning expressions, but this is the first award for the range as a whole. The Tomatin brand has been growing from strength to strength in recent years and we look forward to continuing this in the coming years.”

Notes

 http://www.hifoodanddrinkawards.com/2012‐winners.html
 The other shortlisted entries for the ‘Best Drink’ category were Bruichladdich Distillery, Black Isle Brewery and Cairngorm Brewery.
 The Tomatin Distillery Co Ltd is a producer and blender of Scotch whisky, boasting a strong core range of single malt whiskies along with a range of popular blends.
 Website: www.tomatin.com  Facebook: www.facebook.com/Tomatin1897  Twitter: www.twitter.com/Tomatin1897
 The distillery was established in 1897, and while historically the whisky produced was primarily sold for use in other brands of blended whisky, the company is now very focussed on growing the Tomatin single malt brand in its own right.
 The company’s most popular blends are The Antiquary, The Talisman and Big ‘T’.
 The distillery is owned by Japanese company Takara Shuzo: http://www.takarashuzo.co.jp/english/index.htm

Angels fly into Perth.

Angels whisky club; a flight of angels recently landed upon Perth, Scotland. Reason; celebrations! 1; Pre Halloween dramfest, and 2; Celtic Barcelona pre fixture challenge.

Halloween; a flight of angels pounced on Christies pub again, myself (Paul), Ming, Boab, Lizzie & Kev. With a little help from our friends (Ron, Billy and Irish Paul). Settlin doon at the usual corner of the bar (it’s a round bar in here) we set upon a pre fest thirst quencher. A mix of Dark Island (suitable for all Hallows), Black Bush and a pear cider (apples you see), telly was on sky sports. Ahead of us lay some weird animals, may the Lord be truly thankful. First dram was a refreshing Sheep Dip; The name came from Scots farmers –  a time when farmers distilled their own whisky, to avoid paying taxes to the excise man they put the whisky in barrels marked “Sheep Dip”.  A golden colour,  floral and fruity, pear, orange the main accent from the Highlands (Dalmore) and Speyside Glens. A nice easy start, we all dipped again! Then moving on to a Pigs Nose; came to the market in 1977 as a stable pal for Sheep Dip… the whisky in the bottle was as smooth as a pig’s nose. 16 different malts go into Sheep Dip, while Pig’s Nose has a high malt content of 40 per cent. Enough from the farm, we moved onto the water and sampled an Alligator; one of a brood from Islay with a bite and a snap to it. Flowery, chocolate notes, yer granny’s out of date humbugs and smokey bacon crisps (er, that could be Boab with his damn bag of prawn cocktail) developed into peat/smoke, this alligator is perfectly happy out of water! So what did we do? Added a wee pool of water to our glasses. Ardbeg’s drams always sing goin doon.

Time for a breather, Lizzie was getting tearful (farmers girl so she is) with all these animals consumed. As part of the brand campaign for Black Bottle Whisky a new Halloween party has been announced at Film City Glasgow in October. The campaign has been launched on the Black Bottle Whisky facebook pages. Further online and offline activities will be revealed at a later stage pre and post the event.  www.facebook.com/BlackBottleWhisky  – be quick! So we tried one, much to Boab’s displeasure, its his bottle!

After a few snacks from Helen & Billy, we dived into Halloween again, Raven’s Blood cocktail; grenadine, a good slosh of Black Bush whiskey  a lemon/lime to taste, many thanks go to Karen behind the bar for this concoxion. It certainly woke us all up! Reminded me of a Grouse with ice and appletise. This drink created some amusement in the bar, or was it us? Anyhow, onwards, on the “broom”stick trail with my first ex (she will be flyin aboot anytime noo) … see what we are doin here? Actually there is no need to introduce Dave Broom. He is one of the best whisky writers out there, you have read at least one of his books or magazine things already. So he does like a good whisky; “a Cutty Sark and soda in a bar about half an hour ago. The perfect drink for the moment”. See, even a credible expert admits to a soda! So we had to try it, (Paul just happened to have a bottle of the new Cutty Sark Storm). Too clever I know; witches, brooms and storms. Just then the local black cat wandered in through the open front door, took one look, and wandered back oot.

We ended our travel to Halloween with a Satsuma tangerine each, a perfect citrus finale.

Celtic Barcelona pre fixture challenge. we all were surprised and delighted we were only beaten 2 – 1 at the Nou Camp, Barcelona. Even then, it was 3 and a half minutes into extra time before the second fell into our net. So we end today with a salute to Celtic Football Club, with a suitable dram – a Wild Geese hot toddy – it started to snow here so we thought it apt!

Patrick Sarsfield’s army is defeated at the decisive Battle of The Boyne (July 1^st 1690). From this point on, his attempts to oust the English and place James II (see the Scottish link here) on the throne, were doomed. There followed the Treaty of Limerick where Sarsfield’s army was given a stark choice. Those that chose to live under English rule filed one way, others like Sarsfield and his followers turned the other way, to board French ships to take them to France. They took the name The Wild Geese in the hope and belief that this would be a temporary strategic exile in Europe much the same as Celtic’s season last time in Europe. Come on the hoops, lets give the Barca’s something to remember us by! Slainte!

Story written down (as remembered) by Paul McLean, www.angelswhiskyclub.com