Elevate your whisky knowledge with our Focus on Flavour education course, developed in partnership with The Edinburgh Whisky Academy – and before you ask, yes, there are drams included! Uncover what’s really happening inside your glass, as you learn about every step of the whisky creation process. Our course is designed for all levels – from seasoned whisky lovers to dabbling drammers.

Focus on Flavour pack with four 50ml drams

A one-hour fully accredited course developed in partnership with The Edinburgh Whisky Academy

Unlimited access to course materials with videos, articles and more

A certificate upon completion

TAKE ME TO THE PACK

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

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 540: Mars Maltage Cosmo Malt Selection vs Wine Cask Finish

Mark Dermul, Belgian whiskyblogger, tries not one, but two whiskies from the Land of the Rising Sun. Mars Maltage Cosmo is a release by the Japanese company Hombo Shuzo, most likely containing whisky from both their Komagatake and Tsunuki distilleries, but is special as it’s what Mark would call a hybrid blended malt. After all, their Cosmo also contains a Scottish single malt from an undisclosed Speyside distillery. And there are two releases: the Malt Selection and the Wine Cask Finish. He puts those head-to-head!

https://youtu.be/PrbJXUUEIac

Glenmorangie serves up new limited edition inspired by the

delights of the ice cream parlour

 — Highland Distillery shares A Tale of Ice Cream as fifth expression in imaginative series of single malts —

Sweet, indulgent and wondrously creamy, Glenmorangie’s latest limited edition encapsulates the ice-cream parlour’s delights. Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream is the fifth release in the Highland Distillery’s award-winning A Tale Of… series, which showcases its whisky creators’ relentless imagination. Inspired by the irresistible flavours of an ice-cream parlour menu, they used high-vanillin casks for the first time to bring Glenmorangie’s sweetest, creamy vanilla notes to their tantalising best. Combining melting notes of peach melba, scoops of vanilla and lemon sorbet, topped with coconut flakes and toffee sauce, A Tale of Ice Cream is a delicious treat.

For more than 180 years, Glenmorangie’s whisky creators have been endlessly imaginative in their quest to create evermore delicious single malts. Led by Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden, they are constantly challenging themselves to take whatever captures their imaginations and turn it into whisky.

Some time ago, Dr Bill began to imagine how he could capture the lavish flavours found in an ice-cream parlour in a single malt, bringing out even more sweet and creamy vanilla-like flavours in Glenmorangie’s spirit. And after a host of experiments, he and Master Blender Gillian Macdonald united single malt aged in bourbon casks with Glenmorangie’s first whisky finished in high-vanillin casks. These new oak casks had been especially toasted to bring out more vanilla qualities; rippling with notes of ripe peaches, vanilla and coconut, A Tale of Ice Cream takes Glenmorangie’s sweet, fruity flavours to a decadent peak. This whisky’s pastel-toned presentation box evokes the mouth-watering hues, swirls of sauce, textures and toppings found in the most luxurious ice-cream parlours.

Dr Bill said: “Ice cream is an irresistible indulgence and inspired by the flavours you might find on an ice-cream parlour menu, we imagined creating a whisky of melting decadence and lavish swirls of flavour. By ageing Glenmorangie in bourbon and high-vanillin casks we have deliciously magnified our whisky’s sweetest, creamiest side. With notes of peach melba, lemon sorbet, coconut flakes and rich vanilla, sipping Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream is like sinking your spoon into a carousel of flavour. We invite whisky lovers old and new to indulge their sweet tooth and enjoy this ultimate treat!”

Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream is now available to purchase online at glenmorangie.com, at the Distillery Visitor Centre in Tain, and at select retailers for an RRP of £76.00. A limited number of A Tale of Ice Cream-themed lambswool sweaters, designed by Scottish knitwear designer Donna Wilson, will also be available to purchase at the Distillery Visitor Centre in Tain.

The limited edition has also inspired a menu of tempting cocktails exploring its delectable flavours, which can be found at glenmorangie.com.

For exclusive access to new releases, news and events, join Glenmorangie’s World of Wonder at https://www.glenmorangie.com/members

TASTING NOTES

Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream is bottled at 46% ABV and non chill-filtered.

RRP: £76

Colour: Bronze

Aroma: A burst of manuka honey, with lemon-flavoured butter candy, baking raisin bread, candied orange peel, peaches, toffee and a hint of spice. With a splash of water, there is vanilla crème anglaise, a hint of coconut and a suggestion of almond marzipan.

Taste: The texture is thick, rich and creamy. It is followed by a huge burst of sweet and spicy flavours – brioche, almond marzipan, honeycomb, fudge, lemon sherbet and desiccated coconut. Spices warm the palate, with cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and clove.

Finish: A long, lingering aftertaste combines hints of toffee apple, sweet popcorn and a note of aniseed.

About Glenmorangie: 

Glenmorangie’s whisky makers use endless imagination and five key ingredients – wood, water, barley, yeast and time – to dream up delicious single malt whiskies. They’ve been honing their craft for more than 180 years. They create a delicate and fruity spirit in stills as tall as a giraffe to allow for more taste and aroma. Led by Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden, this crackerjack crew are on a mission to bring new flavours and possibilities to the world of single malt.

Glenmorangie celebrates the joy of delicious single malt in every part of its universe, from its boutique hotel Glenmorangie House to its colourful brand campaign, shot by famed photographer Miles Aldridge. With its tagline “It’s kind of delicious and wonderful”, Glenmorangie invites whisky lovers old and new to venture into its world.

About Glenmorangie’s whisky creators:

Glenmorangie’s Whisky Creation Team’s favourite phrase is “What if?”. And they are constantly challenging themselves to take whatever captures their imaginations and turn it into whisky – be that their memories of a favourite place (A Tale of Tokyo), the beguiling flavours of freshly brewed coffee (Glenmorangie Signet) and more.

At the helm of the team is Dr Bill Lumsden, Director of Whisky Creation. With a PhD in biochemistry and decades of experience, Dr Bill has all the skills needed to bring these ideas to life. Already, he has earned the admiration of his peers many times over. For instance, he has taken his place in the Icons of Whisky Hall of Fame. He has won the International Whisky Competition’s award for Master Distiller of the Year more times than anyone else. And he has been named Master Blender/Distiller of the Year by the International Spirits Challenge twice.

Working hand-in-hand with Dr Bill is Gillian Macdonald, Glenmorangie’s Master Blender. Gillian combines art and science in her role, with her main responsibilities including the daily sensory analysis of the new-make spirit, core range recipes and the co-ordination of the Company’s sensory panel. Gillian manages the New Product Development pipeline for Glenmorangie which involves nosing hundreds of casks a year for final recipe selection. 

About the making of Glenmorangie A Tale of Ice Cream:

To evoke the flavours of an ice-cream menu in a whisky, Glenmorangie’s whisky creators married whisky aged in bourbon casks with a parcel of whisky finished in high-vanillin casks. These new oak casks were toasted differently, to create higher concentrations of vanillin (an aromatic compound which brings vanilla flavours to whisky). Glenmorangie’s Whisky Creation Team experimented with woods toasted in various different ways, before selecting the casks which would best accentuate Glenmorangie’s sweet, creamy style – and result in optimum deliciousness.  

About Glenmorangie’s A Tale Of… series:

This award-winning series of experimental limited editions showcases the relentless imagination of Glenmorangie’s talented whisky creators. Crafted to bring joy to whisky lovers old and new, its single malts have inspired playful collaborations with fellow creatives, as well as a host of delicious cocktails.

• The series began with Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake, released in 2020. Capturing the magic of a cake moment, this sweet, multi-layered whisky finished in Tokaji dessert wine casks, is lusciously reminiscent of cake. Renowned pastry chef Dominique Ansel created a series of cocktail and cake pairings, known as CakeTails, to accompany the whisky.
• Second in the series, Glenmorangie A Tale of Winter encapsulates the magical feeling of sitting in front of the fireplace as snow blankets the world outside. Finished in Marsala wine casks, it swirls with a flurry of wintry aromas and flavours. The whisky’s knitted-style packaging inspired designer Donna Wilson to create knitted clothing and accessories.
• Glenmorangie A Tale of the Forest is the series’ third whisky. Inspired by Dr Bill’s walks in the woods near his home, it is Glenmorangie’s first single malt crafted from barley kilned with woodland botanicals. With flavours as lush and leafy as a forest, the whisky’s artwork featured a fantastical, technicolour forest illustration created by Thai illustrator Pomme Chan.
• The series’ fourth whisky is Glenmorangie A Tale of Tokyo. Marrying Glenmorangie’s first whisky aged in sought-after Japanese Mizunara oak casks with bourbon and sherry casks, it is as full of delicious contradictions as Tokyo – a favourite city of Dr Bill. Inspired by the whisky, artist Yamaguchi Akira created a stunning cityscape of Tokyo, which is depicted on the whisky’s packaging. It won a double gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

About Donna Wilson:

Donna Wilson, who also collaborated with Glenmorangie for A Tale of Winter, is a Scottish knitwear designer, who has been designing, manufacturing and distributing her luxurious lambswool cushions, knitwear and home accessories since 2003. Her designs are made with the finest fabrics in vibrant colours. Named Elle Decoration’s Designer of the Year in 2010, over the course of her career, Donna Wilson has collaborated with brands including Hermès, Merci, Penguin Random House and LeSportsac, leading cultural institutions including V&A, and The Whitney Museum of American Art, and has exhibited her work around the world.

www.donnawilson.com

William Grant & Sons announces plan to acquire The Famous Grouse

23 September 2024: Today, William Grant & Sons has announced it has reached an agreement to purchase The Famous Grouse and Naked Malt brands from The 1887 Company.

 Founded in 1896 in Perthshire, Scotland, The Famous Grouse is a quality blended whisky and much-loved brand that would add to William Grant & Sons’ award-winning portfolio of renowned whiskies and spirits.

 A spokesperson for William Grant & Sons commented: “Having been around for over 125 years, The Famous Grouse has a rich history and would be a significant addition to our portfolio. The brand has potential for innovation and international growth in a number of markets, and we’re excited about what the future holds.”

 The acquisition is subject to customary regulatory approvals, including from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority.

Westie Sponge Five is the final entry in this series and contains a 1998 25 year old single refill hogshead of Ben Nevis, bottled at natural cask strength. It also matured its entire life at the distillery for added ‘Westieness’.

They absolutely love this wee series and, truth be told, they could have gone on with it. But seeing as they did that Springbank 1999 in different glass as number Three, the only way to achieve visual symmetry with the series was to stop at Five. And they do appreciate visual symmetry!

But it’s a great way to stop and, after all, less is often more. Angus was determined to include a Ben Nevis in this series and it feels like a very fitting way to conclude it, with this most iconic of West Highland makes. It’s a beautiful and extremely pure example of Ben Nevis, very mineral, waxy and with lovely citrus and white fruit character. It’s old style, highland, distillate-driven malt whisky.

£284.00

TyndrumWhisky.com
The Green Welly Stop
Tyndrumwhisky, Tyndrum
Crianlarich, Perthshire FK20 8RY
United Kingdom

Carsebridge
45 Year Old

70cl | 51.3% ABV

Distilled at the now silent Carsebridge in 1976, this Single Grain delivers a tongue prickling mouth-feel with rich vanilla fudge and a bourbon twist.

£447.95

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Distilled at the now silent Carsebridge in 1976, this Single Grain delivers a tongue prickling mouth-feel with rich vanilla fudge and a bourbon twist.

Nose: Sugary and gently oaked, running to spiced Americana cereal.

Palate: Barley sugar, tongue-prickling style, with vanilla fudge and corn.

Finish: Vanilla richness and golden syrup

Established in 1948, Douglas Laing is a proudly independent, family owned Scotch Whisky business in its third generation. Abiding to the philosophy of presenting Whisky as the distiller intended, Douglas Laing’s Old Particular and Xtra Old Particular Collections enable Whisky lovers around the world to come as close as they possibly can to sampling a dram straight from the cask.

MALTSTOCK 2024

We’ve had a relaxed anniversary Maltstock!

Maltstock 2024 was a blast and the dust of our relaxed morning walk and little get-together has now long settled. So has the dust from the afterparty we had with our crew to celebrate 15years of Maltstock! A big ‘Thank you!’ to all our guests and sponsors for celebrating our 15th anniversary with us!

So many relaxed memories were made, new friend found and friendships renewed! And all of that within the relaxed atmosphere of Maltstock and while tasting great whiskies!

We are looking back at our 15th edition with gratitude and a big, big smile and we  hope to meet you again at Maltstock 2025, or sometime earlier at one of the many events we attend ourselves!

Annette, Bob, Klaas, Stan and Teun & our super relaxed crew!

We threw a bit of a relaxed afterparty for our crew this year. 15 years of Maltstock would not have been possible without the wonderful people in the picture above! Thanks guys!

Extended Early bird offer

As a last gesture for our 15th anniversary we run our early bird offer for an extra couple of days this year! It’s on up and until the 31st of October 2024.

Use the couponcode ‘EB25’ to get €25 off on every ticket you purchase for Maltstock 2024.

Click here to go directly to our shop.

Hope to see you in 2025!

EXPLORE THE
BUNNAHABHAIN RANGE

The Bunnahabhain distillery lies on the peaceful, sheltered north-eastern coast of Islay. Built in 1881 its name comes from the Gaelic, Bunnahabhain (Bu-na-ha-venn), meaning ‘mouth of the river’, a reference to the Margadale, the river from whose clear spring waters the whisky is distilled.

  SEE THE RANGE 

Springbank 18YO 2024

The time has finally arrived, Springbank has arrived on the channel, and it was courtesy of a friend of the channel, Gabriel! Thank you very much, indeed, Gabriel.

Solely matured in 100% ex-bourbon casks for its life, this batch of Springbank 18 really had my attention, alas, I wasn’t able to source one from anywhere. God bless friends in whisky places.

Springbank 18YO has always been the one that nobody paid too much attention to. Sights were always on the 15YO, 12 Cask Strength, 10YO, and whatever else was released. The 18YO always seemed to be the batchiest release, varying the most in character. This one is loaded with some of the freshest and zestiest smells that I’ve ever come across on a Springbank release.

Creamy white chocolate and some caramel nut notes fill out a lot of blank space between that first hit of classic, ashy Springbank smoke.

I enjoyed drinking this and would savour it at RRP, but folks, don’t overpay for this. It’s good, quite good, but it isn’t worth the nearly £200 secondary price.

East Asia Whisky Company releases stunning Macallan Mizunara Single Malts crafted in partnership with Glencairn Crystal

Macallan Mizunara 33-Year-Old 1990 Komorebi Edition 

Award-winning independent bottler, East Asia Whisky Company, is releasing a number of exclusive, very limited-edition Macallan single malt scotch whiskies this autumn, all encased in exquisite decanters hand-crafted by Glencairn Crystal, the internationally renowned Scottish glassware company.

Three rare whiskies will be released from early October onwards: Macallan Mizunara 33-Year-Old 1990 Komorebi Edition – as the third in a previously released set of stunning single malts, as well as Macallan Origins – a unique set of two whiskies that have been curated alongside Ephemerus Concepts, available to purchase as a duo. 

Macallan Mizunara 33-Year-Old 1990 Komorebi Edition:

This edition is inspired by the Japanese term ‘Komorebi’ meaning ‘sunlight filtering through trees’.  Distilled in 1990 at the Macallan Distillery and aged for 31 years in an ex-Bourbon cask, this single malt was then placed in a Japanese oak cask made of Mizunara, the oak grown for over 200 years in the pristine forests of Hokkaido. With only 100 bottles available, this is the third and final release in a highly sought after series comprising the 1989 Macallan Mizunara No. 2 (released in 2022 with Ephemerus Concepts) and 1988 Macallan Mizunara Edition No. 1 (released in 2019) both of which completely sold out.

To pay homage to this extraordinary liquid, East Asia Whisky Company worked closely in collaboration with the talented team of designers and craftspeople at Glencairn Crystal to design and create an exquisite, handcrafted decanter to bring the Japanese Komorebi concept to life. The complexity of the infilled engraving on each decanter took many hours to complete.

An intricate engraved silver oak blossom branch design wraps around the bottle with an elegant paint stroke running down the back on which appears translucent raised Kanji* reading ‘Macallan Mizunara Komorebi’. This delicate oak blossom design is also featured on the previous two decanters in the series, and with each release the branch grows and flourishes to reach around the bottle a little further each time.

The Macallan Mizunara 33-Year-Old 1990 Komorebi Edition will be launched via Bonhams Finest Whisky & Spirits online sale from 23^rd September until 3^rd October.

If any whisky lovers miss the opportunity to purchase at auction, this special bottling will also be available through select retailers from mid-October onwards. Price will be available upon application.

Macallan 33-Year-Old Origins:

In October, Ephemerus Concepts in conjunction with East Asia Whisky Company will also release a very special limited edition pair of 33-Year-Old Highland Single Malts distilled at The Macallan Distillery, paying homage to the history of the Macallan distillery and the barley used, as well as the journey the whisky went through in two casks of different origins. This duo is the unique outcome of single cask whiskies that began their journey with a single sherry cask, half of which underwent a separate finish in curated Hokkaido Mizunara for nearly two years.

This project marks the inauguration of a “study in oak” that allows the connoisseur to experience both the original liquid as it was intended to be enjoyed next to the Mizunara aged “twin” for the very first time in whisky history.

The two whiskies are presented in beautiful matching lead-free crystal decanters of the highest quality handcrafted by Glencairn Crystal. The lettering on the front of each bottle is hand engraved in gold while the beautifully engraved designs build the bridge between the Scottish origins and the Asian influence on this extraordinary liquid.

The original Sherry Cask expression bears an ornate Pictish* crescent with arrow engraving – a design that has been part of Scottish heritage since the ninth century, symbolising strength and valour as a representation of warrior culture, however it is also rumoured to have acted as a harvest calendar to grow grain. The Mizunara Cask expression bears a matching and equally ornate engraving of a broken Japanese fan with cherry blossoms growing out of it to symbolise transformation as a nod to the whisky undergoing a transformation as it ages in the Mizunara Oak. The fan also represents a warrior function as historically military leaders used fans to signal commands on the battlefield.

Macallan 33-Year-Old Origins will be launched as a set in a single leather-bound box by Bill Amberg Studio at Bonhams in late October.

Christian Leusder, East Asia Whisky Company Director, said: “The whisky spent years perfecting in these very rare casks. With such precious spirits it is vital that they are housed in decanters worthy of them. This is why our collaboration with Glencairn Crystal is so important – we have the same core values in terms of the simplicity of design, attention to detail, and the pursuit of perfection.”

Scott Davidson, Glencairn Crystal’s New Product Development Director said: “It has been a privilege to be a part of the journey of these incredible whiskies. The design and creation of these striking decanters has challenged our design team and craftspeople to push beyond their creative limits and the end products are beautiful pieces of art – something to be very proud of”.

East Asia Whisky Company is renowned for its rare and exceptional spirits and collaborating with some of the world’s most decorated distilleries and brands. This year will also see the release of The Spirit of Shangri-La – a collaboration with the world-renowned luxury hotel group and bottling of another fine and rare Macallan single malt, encased in a hand crafted and decorated Glencairn Crystal decanter. This will be available this autumn via the Singapore Shangri-La hotel bars.

For more information about Glencairn Crystal please visit: www.glencairn.co.uk and for further details about East Asia Whisky Company please visit www.eastasiawhisky.com

*Kanji are the logographic Chinese characters adapted from the Chinese script used in the writing of Japanese.

*The Picts were the descendants of native peoples of Scotland 

About Glencairn Crystal:

Award-winning Glencairn Crystal has been at the cutting edge of high-quality decanter and glassware design, innovation, and creativity for four decades. Regarded internationally as one of the finest crystal decanter and glassware manufacturers, the family-run Scottish company has handcrafted prestigious decanters often for the rarest and most luxurious spirits ever released.

Glencairn Crystal also produce the Glencairn Glass for whisky. Officially launched in 2001, it is now the world’s favourite whisky glass with millions of glasses being sold each year across the world. www.glencairn.co.uk 

About East Asia Whisky Company:

EAWC is an award-winning boutique Independent Bottler of fine Scotch and Japanese Whisky as well as Caribbean Rum. Founded in 2016, the company specialises in developing luxury spirits to the highest standards, providing tailored solutions, concepts and execution around cask aging, bottling, and packaging. www.eastasiawhisky.com 

About Ephemerus Concepts:

Ephemerus Concepts is an independent bottler focusing on the creation of bespoke, one-of-a-kind experiences captured in crystal and oak. Founded out of Singapore in 2018, Ephemerus strives to push the boundaries of traditional whisky heritage without straying too far from the path of what is considered puristic. www.ephemerus-concepts.com

About Bill Amberg Studio:

Bill Amberg Studio has existed for over 30 years, and today stands as an industry leader in bespoke leather products, interiors and furniture. www.billamberg.com