Booker’s 7 Year 2 Months 4 Days”Barry”s Batch” #2025-01 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

(750ml) $89.99 View

The first US release of Booker’s 2025 Collection is named in honor of Barry Berish, former Beam Chairman. He was a legend at Beam, guiding the organization for over 40 years.

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

ralfy review 1074 – Cragganmore 12yo @40%vol:

Tomatin Distillery cooper named among world’s best with prestigious award win

Allan Bartlett, cooper at Highland distiller Tomatin, has been named ‘Cooper of the Year’ at the 2025 Icons of Whisky Awards.

Allan has been coopering at Tomatin Distillery for 21 years, including five years of training under the distillery’s former head cooper, Iain Duthie, who served for 39 years.

Allan previously won ‘Cooper of the Year for Scotland’ in the 2025 Icons of Whisky regional awards, before progressing to take the global title.

Allan is only the third person to take home the prestigious ‘Cooper of the Year’ accolade in the 19-year history of the awards, and the second from a Scotch whisky distillery. Introduced in 2023, the coveted award was won by Andy Moore from Loch Lomond Distillery in its inaugural year, and by Rafa Cabello from Casknolia in Spain’s Andalusia region in 2024.

As part of his role as Tomatin Distillery’s cooper, Allan is responsible for inspecting each and every cask before it is filled and making repairs when required. In his time at Tomatin Distillery, Allan has worked on more than 37,000 carefully selected casks.

Tomatin is one of just four distilleries in Scotland to have an on-site cooperage. This facility is essential to the distillery’s first-class maturation policy, which begins with the cask. By bringing barrel repairs in-house, Tomatin can closely guard its reputation for quality and work with a wider range of suppliers than most other distilleries.

As well as purchasing casks from cooperages, Tomatin also works directly with wineries, breweries and distilleries to source barrels for maturing its exceptional Highland single malt, allowing the expert team to produce a diverse range of whiskies.

Allan Bartlett, cooper at Tomatin, said: “To be internationally recognised by the Icons of Whisky Awards as a leading figure in the industry is a real privilege, and I’m thrilled to take this award home to Tomatin Distillery. I wouldn’t be here without Iain Duthie, who taught me the tricks of the trade.

“Coopering is a traditional craft which requires care, commitment and skill, taking years to master. I’m proud to play a role in preserving this important part of Scotch whisky heritage at Tomatin.”

With a proud heritage dating back to the 15th century, Tomatin has been a home for the whisky-making team’s dedicated craftsmen and their families since the current distillery was established in 1897.

Run by the team at Whisky Magazine, the Icons of Whisky awards aim to celebrate the best and brightest people and places in the sector.

For more information, visit https://tomatin.com.

About Tomatin Distillery

Tomatin is located in the Scottish Highlands, 16 miles south of Inverness, and is famous for its portfolio of refined and elegant whiskies.  The distillery has a proud heritage stretching back to the 15th century when illicit production was likely to be taking place, but it wasn’t until 1897 that the first formal distillery was established by John MacDougall as the Tomatin Spey Distillery Company.

In 2022, Tomatin was awarded ‘Scotch Whisky Producer of the Year’ and ‘Outstanding Spirits Producer of the Year’ at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC). Later that year, it was recognised as ‘Sustainable Distillery of the Year’ at Whisky Magazine’s Icons of Whisky 2023, in recognition of its continued contribution to sustainably at the distillery.

In 2023, Tomatin’s success continued when the distillery’s ‘Legacy’ was awarded Gold at IWSC. That same year, Tomatin also took home seven awards at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, while Cù Bòcan, took home three. Tomatin’s 36 Year Old was crowned the ultimate winner at SFWSC for malts, being named ‘Best in Show’, officially making it one of the best whiskies in the world.

Building upon this triumph, 2024 saw Tomatin’s 18 Year Old secured Double Gold for the third consecutive year at the SFWSC, elevating it to Platinum status. Meanwhile, both Tomatin’s 45 Year Old and 12 Year Old, alongside Cù Bòcan’s 15 Year Old took home Double Gold Awards, and Cù Bòcan’s 12 Year Old also secured a prestigious Gold Award.

At the 2024 IWSC Awards, Tomatin Legacy was awarded the IWSC Trophy for no age statement single malt Scotch, demonstrating its exceptional quality as best in class.

This year, Tomatin has been awarded Gold designation for its Tomatin Sherry Collection Ximénez Edition and Silver for both its Sherry Collection Manzanilla Edition and Sherry Collection Palo Cortado Edition in the inaugural 2025 Whiskey Wash Awards.

‘To What Matters’ is the latest chapter in the brand’s evolution; it is a positive call to arms that represents the spiritual DNA of Tomatin – a belief in savouring what is truly important in life and time spent together.

Tomatin is owned by the Japanese company Takara Shuzo International: www.takara-intl.co.jp/en/

​MAJOR MILESTONE AS CASK TRADE OPENS FIRST WAREHOUSE

Cask Trade is opening its own warehouse this month in a milestone move that will elevate its clients’ cask ownership experience. The bonded warehouse with a bespoke tasting room will allow customers to enjoy whisky masterclasses hosted by industry experts, taste whisky straight from their cask, and even watch their own single cask be bottled.

All of this will be in the biggest malt whisky region in Scotland, Speyside. The unit, located in Forres, has the capacity for up to 25,000 casks.

Founder and CEO of Cask Trade, Simon Aron, says the move is an exciting step forward for the company.

“Opening our own warehouse is a natural progression for the business and will enhance the effective management system of our client’s whisky, something we have been working hard to make even better over 2024. This will allow us to provide Delivery Orders (DOs) with greater ease for customers who wish to have one. The amazing location also means we can offer a total single-cask whisky experience for our customers.”

Just 30 minutes from Inverness airport, the warehouse is surrounded by more than 50 world-renowned single malt distilleries and a range of hotels, making Forres the perfect place for customers to visit their cask and explore “Malt Whisky Country”. Visitors will have access to breathtaking landscapes, from stunning beaches on the Moray Firth to mountainous forests in the Cairngorm National Park.

This is another highlight in a successful twelve months for the company, having featured in; The Financial Times Fastest Growing Businesses in Europe for 2024, won The Drinks Trust Caused Based Marketing Campaign for 2024, and been included in Start Ups 100 for the year.

Cask Trade have sold casks from over 170 distilleries across Scotch whisky, rum, Cognac, and Armagnac, making them a leading global company in the sector. They are committed to transparent cask ownership where selling is as important as buying. On top of industry expert account managers, their annual Beyond The Cask magazine helps customers through the whole process of cask ownership.

To take a look inside Cask Trade’s warehouse, you can view a YouTube video here.

To visit the website click here.

ABOUT CASK TRADE:

Cask Trade was set up by Simon Aron in 2018, born from his personal experiences of buying casks as a passionate whisky collector for more than 20 years.

Having found cask ownership difficult to navigate with few reputable companies operating, he envisioned creating a marketplace that made buying and selling casks transparent, open, and honest.

Cask Trade has grown from strength to strength, building its success off several core values:
•    Stockists, not brokers – Cask Trade own all its stock, giving buyers a 100% transactional guarantee and the peace of mind that all casks have been through stringent quality checks.
•    Market leading stocklist – since 2018, Cask Trade has represented over 170 distilleries across the world of whisky, rum, Cognac and Armagnac.
•    End-to-end support – Cask Trade nurtures client relationships beyond the point of sale and offers full cask management, sampling, re-gauges, and multiple exit options when customers come to sell on their cask.
•    Trust and transparency – The company’s casks are held in the best HMRC bonded warehouses, regularly visited and approved by Cask Trade whisky masters. All stock holdings have a complete paper trail.
•    Expert team – above all, the Cask Trade team are passionate about cask ownership and strives to help clients achieve their goals, whether they are looking to buy, sell or bottle their casks.
Alongside cask sale and ownership, Cask Trade has two unique services which help clients sell and bottle their liquid when the time is right:

Auction Your Cask
Auction Your Cask is the world’s first dedicated online cask auction site. With four auctions a year, clients as well as the public can either submit a cask to sell or bid on other casks with 0% seller fees and an agreed reserve.

Regent Street Cask Bottlers
For clients looking to bottle their cask, Cask Trade offers a unique bottling service – Regent Street Cask Bottlers. The expert team take the hard work out of bottling, helping customers bottle for trade purposes, to celebrate a special occasion, or even buy pre-bottled casks.

Recognition
Acknowledgement for the achievements of Cask Trade has been recognised by the FT1000 when the business was ranked as one of the fastest-growing companies in Europe; listed in The Sunday Times Hundred fastest-growing private companies in Britain and named among the UK’s most innovative new businesses’ by StartUps 100 Index.

Our April Outturn is live, and as always, an intriguing selection of whiskies is now available to keep you on your whisky adventure!

WALTZING WITH A MOSCOW MULE

CASK NO. 39.265

CASK:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  10 years

THE STORM BEFORE THE CALM

CASK NO. 55.82

CASK:  1st fill oloroso hogshead

AGE:  15 years

HEATHERY AND LEATHERY

CASK NO. 78.83

CASK:  1st fill HTMC hogshead

AGE:  11 years

RAISIN TOFFEE JAM

CASK NO. 2.138

CASK:  1st fill oloroso butt

AGE:  16 years

SEASHELLS IN A BOX OF BURNT PENCILS

CASK NO. 4.344

CASK:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  12 years

COAL SHARDS ON CLOTTED CREAM

CASK NO. 53.457

CASK:  1st fill oloroso hogshead

AGE:  9 years

BROWSE APRIL OUTTURN HERE

VIEW ALL BOTTLINGS

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Welcome to

The Murray McDavid Whisky Shop! 

Whisky lovers, we have exciting news!

Today, we open the doors to our first-ever permanent whisky shop, right in the heart of Forres — the Murray McDavid Whisky Shop at The Old Bank. Housed in the stunning former Bank of Scotland building (est. 1852), this isn’t just a shop, it’s set to be a new whisky hub for locals and tourists alike!

We can’t wait to welcome you in for a dram!

READ MORE

Sláinte,

The Murray McDavid Team

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Join our Murray McDavid Whisky Club for  a look behind the scenes and opportunities to join in with unique tasting sessions.

EVENTS

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The Scotch whisky distilleries using worm tub condensers

While shell and tube condensers are more modern, easier to repair and thought to provide better copper contact, some distilleries still use traditional worm tubs and maintain that this type of condenser affects the characteristics of their spirit (texturally complex, meaty and sulphury are the typical notes given). This blog post lists the Scotch whisky distilleries that use worm tub condensers.

💻 Read the Post

https://youtu.be/_73qKy0uMO4

Jack Daniel’s with an age statement… not something as new as you would’ve imagined.

This style is not a replica as such, but a reimagination of stocks that would have been released over a century ago, under the guidance of the original master distiller, Jack Daniel’s. Now, under the helm of Chris Fletcher, we have a selection of barrels that have been carefully monitored and moved throughout a few different warehouses across Jack Daniel’s estate.

This is the same mash-bill as the much loved Old NO. 7 – with 80% corn, 12% rye, and 8% malted barley. Bottled at a rather tasty 48.5% ABV for those of us wanting as big and manageable flavour that can still deliver without the need to be cask strength.

This was brilliant! The first time I tried, it was rushed, and I just didn’t think much of it. With time in a glass and under calmer conditions, this is an absolute delight of a bottle. It is rich, heavy, layered, oak driven just enough to be flavourful, and backed up by a wonderfully adventurous contrast between the nose, palate, and finish.

If you’re into older, more premium American whiskies, then I wouldn’t overlook this in any way. It is one of the bottles of the year for me.

Whisky Reviews every Wednesday

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Douglas Laing & Co. Unveils Strathearn Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky, Batch 02

Following the exceptional reception of its inaugural release, independent Scotch Whisky specialist Douglas Laing & Co. proudly presents the second batch of Strathearn Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky. This eagerly anticipated release continues to showcase the meticulous craftsmanship and distinctive character of Scotland’s smallest traditional distillery.

Batch 02 remains true to the signature cask composition that defined the inaugural release—expertly marrying ex-Bourbon, Virgin Oak, and ex-Sherry Oak casks. However, with a deliberate reduction in Virgin Oak influence, Batch 02 delivers heightened creaminess, freshness, and overall balance, offering an evolution of Strathearn’s uniquely rich spirit. Comprising a vatting of 31 carefully selected casks, this release includes both inherited stock and casks distilled under Douglas Laing’s ownership, highlighting the ever-developing expertise of the Strathearn team.

Each production shift at Strathearn Distillery yields just one single cask, a testament to the small-batch craftsmanship that defines this super premium Highland Single Malt. The dedicated team of three distillers at Strathearn meticulously handcrafts each barrel, ensuring that quality remains paramount. Maris Otter barley continues to be the grain of choice, lending its signature ultra-rich, creamy character with buttery biscuit notes, honey, and a gentle sweetness.

Bottled at 50% ABV, without chill-filtration or added colouring, Strathearn Batch 02 embodies Douglas Laing’s commitment to authenticity and purity. This second release stands as a testament to the ongoing journey of discovery at Strathearn, refining and enhancing the spirit’s distinctive character while staying true to its artisanal roots. 

Cara Laing, Managing Director of Douglas Laing & Co., comments: 

“The launch of our inaugural Strathearn release was a momentous occasion, and the response exceeded all expectations. With Batch 02, we continue to honour the distillery’s heritage while refining our understanding of its unique spirit. Every bottle of Strathearn embodies the passion, skill, and dedication of our small but mighty team—and we’re incredibly proud to share this latest chapter with whisky lovers worldwide.”

THE GLENALLACHIE CROWNED WORLD’S BEST

SINGLE MALT TWICE IN QUICK SUCCESSION

 Prestigious World Whiskies Awards handed out its top

accolade to the brand’s 12-year-old single malt

Leading independent Scotch whisky brand The GlenAllachie has been named the World’s Best Single Malt at the World Whiskies Awards for the second time, with its 12-year-old expression claiming the title.

Owned by industry veteran and qualified chemist Billy Walker, whose career in whisky spans 53 years, the Speyside-based distillery previously won the same title in 2021 with its 10-year-old Cask Strength Batch 4 single malt.

The GlenAllachie is the only Scottish whisky brand to win the hotly contested commendation since 2017, with recent winners coming from England, Israel and Japan.

The distillery, built in 1967, produced whisky destined for premium blends until Walker acquired it in 2017.

Since its core range of single malts was launched in 2018, the brand has experienced exponential growth thanks to Walker’s unparalleled reputation and is now distributed to over 50 countries globally.

The GlenAllachie has become renowned for its “heather honey house style” and Sherry-forward maturation regime.

The award-winning 12-year-old (UK RRSP £58) was matured on-site in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso Sherry, red wine and virgin oak casks.

According to the judges, the result is a flavour profile of “dried apple, gourmet chutney, orange zest, nutmeg and cinnamon.”

Commenting on the exceptional achievement, Walker shares:

“The whole GlenAllachie team are absolutely thrilled at this extraordinary endorsement of the 12-year-old: our flagship expression. When we took the reins at the distillery almost 8 years ago, it was beyond our wildest dreams that a previously low-profile whisky would be crowned the world’s best single malt twice – especially within such a short timeframe.

“At The GlenAllachie, we’re all about offering quality whiskies at approachable prices, and so the fact it’s our signature bottling within our core range that has scooped this top accolade highlights this. This wonderful news will only further motivate our expert team to continue our pursuit of absolute perfection, not absolute consistency. Our whisky is in the best possible hands.”

The GlenAllachie 12-year-old is available worldwide via specialist retailers (more information) and online here.

ABOUT GLENALLACHIE:

At The GlenAllachie, each decision in creating our award-winning Speyside single malt merges logic with instinct. In the experienced hands of legendary whisky maker Billy Walker, a culture of precision, patience and perseverance has been instilled in his small yet accomplished team of whisky experts.

Being independent offers us the freedom to prioritise what matters most: quality. The pursuit is not of consistency, but perfection. Never resting on our laurels, we work tirelessly to refine and enhance each batch of whisky, striving to better the last.

The result of seamlessly coordinated collaboration is a range of carefully crafted and cask-perfected whiskies, each personally approved by Billy. With a quietly confident team of passionate whisky enthusiasts behind The GlenAllachie, you can be sure we have our whisky in good hands.

Our other brands are Meikle Tòir Peated Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky, MacNair’s Boutique House of Spirits—which encompasses Lum Reek Blended Malt Scotch Whisky and Exploration Rum—and White Heather Blended Scotch Whisky.

Further information on the distillery and company can be found at www.theglenallachie.com

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 TASTING NOTES: 

The GlenAllachie 12-year-old – 46% ABV

• Colour: Deep Amber.
• Nose: Hints of dark chocolate, treacle and heather honey, with cinnamon, espresso and sticky raisins in the background.
• Taste: Marzipan and orchard fruit tones, followed by warming mocha, butterscotch and grated nutmeg.