Black Bull 40 Year Old Batch 3 41.6% alc/vol

Black Bull 40YO batch 3 is a mix of 14.4% Grain Whiskies and 85.6% malt Whiskies from some of Scotland’s premium distilleries. The spirit in this, third bottling of Black Bull 40 year old contains whiskies from the following distilleries: Ben Nevis, Bunnahabhain, Caperdonich, Glen Grant, Highland Park and Invergordon.

Tasting Notes:

Colour: Bright Gold

Nose: Raisins, roasted almonds, butter scotch, dark chocolate, orange zest, freshly cut grass.

Taste: Citrus fruits, manuka honey, faint smoked oakiness, wild berries with a distance coastal flavour emerging.

Finish: Long mouth coating finish with a delicate traces of chocolate covered cherries, with salty traces fighting their way to the front.

Comment: This is a dram to be savoured and enjoyed.

£167.99 inc VAT

BUY NOW

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

Greetings Fellow WhiskeyLover!!

Next week my family and I will be headed into the woods of Maine for our annual summer vacation. So this will be my last email to you until early September.

With that in mind, I wanted this weeks email to feature a really special whisky. So I called my man Nicky The Neck, and asked him to consult his contacts. A few phone calls later, The Neck scored big…which brings me to this weeks featured whisky: Benromach 21YO Speyside Single Malt Whisky.

Duncan MacCallum and F.W. Brickmann founded the Benromach Distillery Company in 1898. The distillery is located on the outskirts of the ancient Royal Borough of Forres, and is Speyside’s smallest working distillery. Duncan MacCallum had previously been working at the Glen Nevis Distillery in Campbeltown and FW Brickmann was a spirit broker in Leith, Edinburgh. Construction work started at the sight of Benromach Distillery in 1898 however due to the depression in the Scotch Whisky industry in 1898 the distillery did not start producing whisky until 1900 and closed the same year due to a lack of money.

In 1911 Benromach was acquired by the London based Harvey McNair & Co who continued distilling until the onset of the First World War. After the war Benromach was acquired by Benromach Distillery Ltd and was run by this new private company until 1925. In 1938 Benromach was acquired by Associated Scottish Distilleries Ltd which later became a part of Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd. Between 1966 and 1974 the distillery was modernized and continued to run until 1983 when the distillery was officially closed.

In 1993 Gordon and Macphail took over the site and in 1997 they started to restore the distillery to a working order. Finally in 1998 the distillery was officially reopened by Charles, Prince of Wales and bottling of the new malt started in 2004.

Just two experienced distillers create Benromach 21YO using the finest Scottish barley and the purest spring water from the nearby Romach Hills. Matured in a mix of First fill and Refill Sherry casks, Benromach 21 Years Old is a rich, elegant Speyside Single Malt with rounding Sherry influence.

ForWhiskeyLovers Contributing Editor Gavin Smith described Benromach 21 as “A lovely, poised Benromach, with clear evidence of the good work done by the Sherry butts.”

This whisky is not longer being produced by Gordon & Macphail/ Benromach, and so it is incredibly difficult to find. But thanks to The Neck, we are able to offer you a bottle of Benromach 21YO for $130/ bottle, while supplies last.

So if you want a bottle, buy it now, because once it’s gone…it’s gone.

I wish you a most enjoyable remainder of your summer, and look forward to getting back in touch in September.

Until September….have fun!

Doug Stone

Founder

ForWhiskeyLovers.com

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BENROMACH 21YO SPEYSIDE SINGLE MALT WHISKY

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DISTILLERS TASTING NOTES

COLOR: Bright gold.

UNDILUTED NOSE: Sweet, fruits – peaches and nectarines. Hints of toasted malt and a green leafy aroma.

PALATE: Sweet, sherrywood flavours. Some charred oak and resinous flavours. Rich.

WITH AN ICE CUBE/ WATER NOSE: Sherry influence more prominent. Mulled fruits and a sweet chocolate aroma. Toasted maltiness remains.

PALATE: Sherry wood, sweet spices – cinnamon and a little dry grass, hay like note. Charred oak flavours lead to a drying finish.

BODY: Rich and smooth.

FINISH: Slightly dry with sherry overtones.

Ka Va Lan Whisky in Canada

Sitting on the east coast, Ka Va Lan is the only single malt whisky distillery in Taiwan. (See Mark Gillespie’s Whisky Cast on Ka Va Lan: http://youtu.be/WVIHFPFONB0). The Ka Va Lan Distillery is owned by one of the largest food group “King Car” in Taiwan. With the ambition to craft the best whisky from Taiwan, the whisky team spent one month in 2003 in Scotland in search of the perfect distill shape and variation in whisky making.

Ka Va Lan obtained consultation from Dr. Jim Swan on crafting the whisky flavours fitting for a hot and humid tropical weather in Taiwan. To date, there are four single casks variation and three single malts. The ex-bourbon and ex-sherry single casks are aged for more than three years where angel share is around 10 to 15%.

(Due to the tropical climate, the maturation of three years is comparable to that of 15 – 18 years)

The whisky distillery was built in 2005 with a purpose to be a tourism destination. The current visitor center can easily accommodate a couple thousand people with a Costco sized cafeteria to showcase the King Car group of products. Currently there are 45,000 barrels in the aging process.

Some virtual reality 360 view of the distillery

Lobby: http://vr.17high.com.tw/Entertainment/Yilan/Kingcar_Whisky/vr-03.html (this sure looks like a hotel grand lobby).

View of the warehouse and column distills: http://vr.17high.com.tw/Entertainment/Yilan/Kingcar_Whisky/vr-09.html

Outside the distillery: http://vr.17high.com.tw/Entertainment/Yilan/Kingcar_Whisky/vr-06.html 

The ex-bourbon and ex-sherry single casks are being offered exclusively at Kensington Wine Market in Calgary.

Black Bull 12 Year Old Competition

The theme of the competition is that of the Matador. In order to defeat the bull the Matador must observe and test the bull to gain as much knowledge of this robust opponent. However unpredictable the bull may be the matador must remain attentive and composed, slowly and cleverly gaining the advantage, until finally, truly understanding his opponent, he is able to overcome it. With the knowledge that he once shared a mutual understanding , a moment in time, with the one who opposes him, the matador can proceed with a better understanding of not only his opponent but of himself.

Answers the questions below to gain an understanding of the Black Bull and if successful, DT will feel obliged to give you the opportunity to take on the BLACK BULL. However, there can be only one winner!

So, take on the Black Bull, and grab it by the horns!!

Questions:
1. In what year did the Black Bull first emerge? (In other words, what year does the brand Black Bull date back to?)
2. What ratio is Black Bull 12 Year Old blended at?
3. What kind or type of bull is the Black Bull?
4. What style of cask was the single malt and single grain whiskies matured in?
5. Which artist painted the Black Bull image?

Email your answers to gordon@ducantaylor.com

Unfortunately, you may not be the only one to pass the test. So, all those who successfully answer the questions will be entered into a prize draw (like with most things there is an element of skill and luck involved).

World’s First Constellation Collection Sold to US Buyer

The world’s first Dalmore Constellation Collection has been sold through The Whisky Shop in the UK to a US based investor.

Mahesh Patel, an American entrepreneur and property developer, purchased the 21 bottles for £158,000 to add to his already considerable collection estimated to be worth $2 million. This includes the Dalmore Trinitas, which was the first bottle of whisky to sell for a six figure sum in 2010.

Patel has purchased set 13 as it’s his lucky number.

The Dalmore Constellation Collection consists of 21 individual whiskies created at the Highland distillery between the years 1964 and 1992. They have spent their lives finessing in the finest casks from around the world before being bottled at natural cask strength and at natural colour.

Prices range from £2,000 for a bottle of Vintage 1992 up to £20,000 RSP for a bottle of the Vintage 1964. Only 9 full set collections will be available and showcased in iconic cities across the world, including London, Paris, Moscow, Miami, New York, LA, Berlin, Hong Kong and Edinburgh.

The Whisky Shop is the first high street retailer in the world to stock the Dalmore collection.

The sale of the collection comes on the back of the news that The Dalmore is the fastest growing malt whisky in the world amongst the top 25 global malt brands, as verified by the IWSR (International Wine & Spirits Research), and is rated the top investment whisky by independent authority Whisky Highland.

Mahesh Patel:

“The Dalmore is up there with the best when it comes to quality, rarity and investment – and of course taste.

“I’m a big fan and I am delighted to get the set inscribed with my lucky number 13, and that is why I bought it from The Whisky Shop. The Constellation will have pride of place in my collection.”

Andrew Torrance, Managing Director, The Whisky Shop:

“The creation and sale of this prestigious collection shows that whisky goes from strength to strength. We have seen sales increase in the last year, and in a really tough economic climate. And premium bottlings like this have grown in our stores.”

http://www.whiskyshop.com

NOTES

The Dalmore

Dating back to the days of King Alexander III, The Dalmore gained its iconic 12-point stag emblem in 1263 when one of the Mackenzie clan saved the king from being gored by a stag.

Unlike other whiskies The Dalmore is produced in very limited quantities. Due to the distinctive distillation process no two batches will be exactly the same, ensuring that each release of the The Dalmore is unique.

A bottle of The Dalmore 62 Sinclair sold last year in Changi Airport, Singapore, for £125,000, making it the most expensive bottle ever sold in retail. The first whisky to break the six figure barrier, The Dalmore Trinitas, was launched in 2010 with only three bottles made available. Two were sold for £100,000 and the final bottle was acquired by Harrods and subsequently sold for £120,000 within 6 months of launch.

In the last two years The Dalmore has sold a number of rare and precious whiskies in record time. Dalmore’s Sirius peaked at £10,000 a bottle, and with only 12 available worldwide in 2009, the bottles sold out in four days and now change hands for twice that price.

Early August Outturn Offerings

Peeling tangerines in hospital 

Cask No. 3.182                          

Islay, Loch Indaal 

We found quite a bit of fruit on the nose – tinned pears, passion fruit and ‘someone peeling tangerines in a recently painted hospital’ – in addition we enjoyed lavender, orange blossom, patchouli, burnt paper, smoky bacon and well-kept stables – quite complex all in all. The palate had Elastoplasts and gauze bandages, star anise, walnut fudge, honeysuckle, nutty tobacco and baklava. Water brought freesias and parma violets, creosote and peat fires to the nose, while the palate became sweeter, developing slightly burnt treacle tart, sugar cane and dark chocolate coated marzipan with some coconut to finish. The distillery was built in 1779. 

Drinking tip: A good barbeque or camp fire dram 

Colour: Brass door knob                             

Cask: Refill hogshead                                                 

Age: 21 years                                         

Date distilled: August 1990

Alcohol: 46.4% 

$145

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Attractive as apple pie

Cask No. 7.69                     

Highlands, Speyside (Lossie) 

The enticing nose – ‘attractive as apple pie’ – offered maple syrup, toffee, vanilla, Danish pastries (with cinnamon and almonds) and hints of tobacco and hay. Even with water, it remained beautifully warm and inviting – ice-cream, toffee apples, fudge and jasmine perfume. The palate was hot but smooth – flavours of honey, apple, and butterscotch, spiked up by the zing of Fentimans Victorian lemonade with ginger; some tobacco and leather tannic dryness lengthened the finish. Water seemed to allow the toffee and syrup sweetness to come through, while retaining the chilli, peppercorn heat. The distillery has links to one Saint and many sinners. 

Drinking tip: Would suit early evening – but is very versatile 

Colour: Bright yellow gold                         

Cask: First-fill barrel                                                    

Age: 8 years                                          

Date distilled: May 2003

Alcohol: 61.6% 

$85

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Sweet, but with grown up flavours 

Cask No. 24.122                        

Highlands, Speyside 

The satisfyingly fragrant nose offered dried pear, green apple, fruits in syrup, scented soap, light Pernod, vanilla, caramel and dark chocolate gingers; also hints of smoke (from burning paper). The palate conveyed ample sweetness (amaretti biscuits, honey, bourbon creams) but also some quite ‘grown up’ flavours – cinnamon, clove, star anise, chilli, salt, menthol and gunpowder. The nose was much lighter with water – jasmine, daffodil and floral soap, alongside poached pear, creamy dragon fruit, plantains and tree bark. The reduced palate was sweetly fruity, with pleasant lingering Christmassy spices, carrot cake and Rooibos tea. The distillery lies between Aberlour and Craigellachie. 

Drinking tip: A perfectly reasonable alternative to afternoon tea 

Colour: Yellow gold                                                    

Cask: Refill hogshead                                                 

Age: 16 years                                         

Date distilled: September 1995

Alcohol: 53.0% 

$120

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Long, hot sweet delights 

Cask No. 30.68                          

Highlands, Speyside (Rothes) 

Salty, dry and earthy – this really didn’t hide its cask influence; we were getting treacle toffee, chestnuts, polished leather, mushrooms, smoked almonds, raisins, sandalwood bark, ink, dark Indonesian soy sauce, and matchboxes. The taste revealed savoury meaty notes of Szechuan peppered steak, wild mushrooms and tuna steaks but also the sweet delight of peaches in Sauternes. Water released Pedro Ximenez soaked prunes, more matchboxes, hot sandpaper, root veg (beetroot), electric storms (!), sticky dates and raspberry syrup. Long, hot, tannic to taste with dark chocolate, pine trees and raisins. From the distillery that is vintage bottled by its London owners. 

Drinking tip: Too big to take lightly 

Colour: Ripe apricots                                                  

Cask: Refill gorda                                        

Age: 10 years                                         

Date distilled: March 2001

Alcohol: 60.6% 

$95

Please visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America at www.smwsa.com for further information on their single cask bottlings.

The Relaxed Whisky Weekend

7 – 9 September 2012

Fellow whisky enthusiasts,

Less than six weeks until Maltstock. We now have the full program on our website. Lot’s of very exciting masterclasses and much more!

Exibitors
– Bresser & Timmer, Dutch importer of amongst others: Bruichladdich, Tomatin, Cadenhead, Chieftains, Compass Box, Daily Dram, Dewar Rattray, Single Malts of Scotland, Whisky Agency.
– Full Proof, Dutch collector with an amazing collection of whisky.
– WhiskyBase, Dutch importer of Silver Seal, Whisky-Doris, Whisky-Fassle and their own Archives series.
– Whisky Import Nederland, Dutch importer of amongst others: Adelphi, Berry Brothers, Creative Whisky Company, Douglas Laing, Duncan Taylor, Kilchoman, Wemyss and their own First Cask series.

Breakfast
Arguably the best Scottish breakfast around. We’re very proud to welcome back to Maltstock: the Highlander Inn. They will make sure everybody has the best possible start of the day. The Highlander Inn is a must visit place for every whisky enthusiast. Perfectly located in Cragaillachie in the hart of Speyside they provide excellent accommodation, fantastic food, an amazing selection of whiksy, and the best service! Visit their website for more details www.whiskyinn.com

BBQ
Those of you who were at Maltstock last year will definitely remember the excellent BBQ. Good news: BBQGuru will return this year and they already have some very exciting BBQ ideas. These guys are truly passionate about BBQ and that shows! They travel the world to go to BBQ competitions. Visit www.BBQGuru.nl for more information.

Club Bottle Battle
Don’t forget to enter your whisky club bottle for the unique Club bottle Battle. You can send the bottle by mail or bring it to Maltstock. But please let us know before 1 September if you will be entering this competition. A great opportunity to compare different Club bottlings .

Whisky Barrel race
You better start practicing because Balvenie has some fantastic prizes to be won with the Whisky Barrel Race!

WSD Whisky Quiz
As always there will be a whisky quiz on Friday night. A fun evening to test your whisky knowledge. This year the quiz will be properly hosted. Michael Lord, owner of the fabulous whiskyshop in Dufftown will put together and host the quiz. Apart from eternal fame there will also be some great prizes to be won.

Food market
On Saturday afternoon two great chefs will create culinary snacks to accompany whisky. The chefs will suggest some whiskies that will probably match their creations. But it’s up to you to try the delicious food and come up with your own suggestions. This is the only event at Maltstock that is not part of the all inclusive formula. But don’t worry: for just a few euro’s you can taste great culinary creations and combine them with whisky. And discuss with fellow whisky enthusiasts wich combinations work best.

Music and entertainment
– Reflecting elephants
– Scotch and Folk
– Yann Lawick

Ian Gray
Our resident artist Ian Gray will of course be present at Maltstock again. A perfect opportunity for you all to buy one of his beautiful prints. Ian has a lot of truly stunning Scottish landscape prints. And of course many beautiful distillery prints. If you would like a preview check Ian’s website: www.iangray.de.

Masterclasses
We have a record of 9 masterclasses for you this year. The schedule will be on our website from 1 Augustus. Between 1 Augustus and 31 Augustus you can let us know your preferences and we will do our very best to have everybody attending their favorite masterclasses.
– Glenfiddich Virtual Tour, Tony van Rooijen
– Speciality Drinks, Billy Abbott
– Nosing Academy, George Cairns
– “Something special”, Master of Malt
– Suntory, Tatsuya Minagawa
– Aberfeldy, Stephen Marshall
– Balvenie, Sam Simmons
– GlenDronach, Donald Maclellan
– Bourbon & Blues, Hans Offringa

Remember: there will be no ticket sales at the Maltstock gates. All tickets have to be ordered online in our webshop. So if you haven’t bought your ticket yet please visit our webshop now. If you can’t make it this year, we already have the dates for next year: 6-8 September 2013.

Hope to see you all in September, see you at Maltstock!

Arthur, Bob, Eline, Rogier & Teun
www.maltstock.com

Loch Fyne Whiskies Stocks ‘GlenDronach 1993 19yo Cask 487’

Exclusively available in the UK

As dark as a dark thing, (technically ‘dark mahogany’ or ‘treacle’ – according to our LFW tasting mats). A thick aroma you could climb up!, composed of vanilla, butter and spice, with a faceful of Dundee cake. Water reveals cloves and old paperback books. A magnificent taste that zeros in on the sour and then the bitter and sweet. It makes the juices run and run long after the swallow, there’s more of the Christmas pud (figgy too) and a splash of sauternes.

On the Flavour Map it’s as rich as rich can be, J5 – Rich.

A single cask for sale exclusively in the UK

Distilled 19 February 1993
Bottled July 2012
Matured in a Oloroso Sherry Butt # 487
Limited to 673 bottles

‘GlenDronach 1993 19yo Cask 487’

Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk

New Releases from Meadowside Blending’s – The Maltman range.

Strathmill 21 year old – Bourbon cask– 50.5%
Nose- sweet,honey,hint of aniseed
Palate-full bodied with some spice, vanilla and fruity notes melt in to a dark chocolate & warmth.
Finish- rich, slight smokeyness, warm, and satisfying.

Bunnahabhain 21 year old-Bourbon cask– 49.5%
Nose- honey, caramel, blackberry.
Palate- A really beautiful dram with incredible flavours coming through. Chocolate, subtle peat, a hint of mint, nutmeg, and sugared almonds.
Finish- smooth, velvety texture with good length and warmth

Glenrothes 18 year old- Bourbon cask– 55.7%
Nose-Aromatic, malt notes and fruit
Palate-medium bodies, subtle citrus notes appear with nuttyness, cherries and oak.
Finish-Clean, and smooth with butterscotch lip smacking you in the finale.

Ben Nevis 16 year old – Bourbon cask – 46%
Nose- Apple pie, custard, fruit, toffee, candy floss, think of the fun fair.
Palate- very nice indeed, soft and smooth with fruity notes all over, a lovely rich with the return of toffee. Dark chocolate, Black Forest gâteau and almonds.
Finish- medium length, velvety and sweet.

If you require more information on the Maltman range please check their webpage www.meadowsideblending.com or email info@meadowsideblending.com

Prince Harry’s Royal Salute Team Wins the Kent & Curwen Cup

The Royal Salute team triumphed at the Kent and Curwen Cup on Saturday, narrowly defeating the Westcombe Group team, 7-6.

Hosted by Lord and Lady Lloyd-Webber at Watership Down, their family estate in Berkshire, Prince Harry’s Royal Salute Team contested a closely fought match, emerging victorious.

The Best Player prize was awarded to Leonora De Ferranti from the Westcombe Group team.

The glamorous event, attended by Lady Gabriella Windsor, Kate Silverton, and singer and actor Aaron Kwok (Kent and Curwen Brand Ambassador), raised funds for the Tusk Trust and Sentebale charities, whose patrons are The Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry.

Neil Macdonald, Brand Director of Royal Salute said: “It was great that the British summer weather finally arrived for the royal charity polo match at Watership Down, a place that is surely one of the most beautiful venues for polo in the UK. We’re proud to have supported this prestigious event and we were thrilled to see the Royal Salute team take the trophy, after a closely fought game.”

Royal Salute Scotch Whisky is one of the world’s leading sponsors of international polo, with events that include:

• Australia Sydney Gold Cup, Sydney
• Brazil Copa Ouro Championship, Indaiatuba, São Paulo
• Brazil Sentebale Royal Salute Polo Cup 2011, Campinas, São Paulo State
• China Royal Salute China Open, Beijing
• India Royal Salute Maharaja of Jodhpur Golden Jubilee Cup
• South Korea Royal Salute Gold Cup, Jeju
• Spain Santa Maria Club Snow Polo, Sierra Nevada
• Spain: Sotogrande Polo Cup, Cadiz
• UAE Royal Salute Nations Cup, Dubai
• USA Royal Salute CV Whitney Cup, West Palm Beach, Florida

Notes

Teams

ROYAL SALUTE
1. Jonathan Munro Ford (-1)
2. Prince Harry (1)
3. Jonny Good (5)
4. Juan Cruz Guevara (6)

TOTAL 11

WESTCOMBE GROUP
1. Kola Karim (-1)
2. Leonora De Ferranti (0)
3. William Emerson (5)
4. Juan Ambroggio (6)

TOTAL 10

Royal Salute Scotch Whisky

Royal Salute starts where other whiskies end, as only the most precious Scotch whiskies aged for a minimum of 21 years are used to create its powerful and sophisticated blend.

The Royal Salute range includes Royal Salute 21 Year Old, Royal Salute Hundred Cask Selection, Royal Salute 38 Year Old Stone of Destiny, and Royal Salute 62 Gun Salute – the oldest permanent whisky expression in the world, with whiskies aged for a minimum of 40 years. Royal Salute has also released a number of limited editions including Royal Salute 50 Year Old and Royal Salute Tribute to Honour.