SPRINGBANK
25 YEARS  46%

UK RRP £500 – £510

NOSE
On the nose, we get intense cherry menthol sweets, rich blood orange, milk chocolate, stewed fruits and apple crumble.

PALATE
Upon arrival, we pick up lots of musty, earthy and oily notes from this whisky. There’s also subtle peat smoke, which is only apparent in the background. From the sherry casks, there’s demerara sugar, strawberry confectionery, liquorice and walnuts.

FINISH
This is a well balanced dram with a slight herbaceous note of tarragon and savoury deli meats in the finish.

SMWS 46.142 Mosambi Mojito (Glenlossie), 59.2%

https://youtu.be/mzULv22OeZU

The SMWS are such a solid stepping stone for everyone who is into whisky. Would you like it single barrel, cask strength, and as naturally presented as possible? Then they’re the people to go and see!

I was in Edinburgh last year when I decided to become a member, and I’m happy to say that it’ll be renewed as soon as it can. The trickiest bit, as is with any single barrel selections, is deciding what you want. It took me a good month or two before I could click checkout on things that really appealed to the nerd in me. This is the first of two bottles that we’re going to talk about.

Glenlossie is a relative unknown in a vast world of Speyside whiskies, and tends to be hidden deep away into the Diageo vaults. Prioritised as part of the Johnnie Walker blending selection, and rarely seen as a single malt outside of a Flora and Fauna 10YO, with the odd occasion of being involved with the Special Releases.

This SMWS bottling is sourced from first fill bourbon, cask strength, and all the good stuff! At a price of £62 per bottle, this really hits everything that the SMWS is about for me. Obscure. Naturally Presented. Affordable. Easy To Get Into.

Next weeks bottle is double the price, but still equally worth it in my mind. Cheers!

THE GLENLIVET REDEFINES SINGLE MALT WHISKY WITH LAUNCH OF ITS NEW FUSION CASK SERIES

Introducing The Glenlivet Rum & Bourbon Fusion Cask Selection; a first-of-its-kind innovation, offering an elevated taste experience that pushes boundaries in single malt Scotch whisky. 

The Glenlivet, the iconic Speyside single malt whisky, introduces The Glenlivet Fusion Cask Series: Rum & Bourbon Fusion Cask Selection. Offering a one-of-a-kind taste experience, this expression adopts a category-first technique that marries first-fill rum casks with American bourbon barrels to create one single, harmonious fusion cask finish. The release marks the beginning of The Glenlivet’s Fusion Cask series as well as this year’s bicentennial celebrations of 200 years of innovation and excellence from The Glenlivet.

The Glenlivet has pioneered two centuries of pushing boundaries in whisky, from its inception to this day, and remains committed to continuously setting new standards of excellence within the Single Malt category for the next 200 years. The Glenlivet Fusion Cask Series answers an increasing demand for prestige spirit drinkers seeking flavour experimentation and unique taste experiences, whilst boldly embracing an unconventional process, demonstrating its commitment to craftsmanship and innovation. Both a first for Chivas Brothers and in the whisky category at large, this pioneering approach to cask craft imparts a distinct finish and unparalleled taste experience.

For the first in the series, The Glenlivet Rum & Bourbon Fusion Cask Selection has been selectively finished* in recrafted first fill rum and American bourbon casks to create a bespoke fusion cask. These hand-selected barrels have been dismantled and reassembled – with the ends of one barrel put together with the body of staves from another – by expert coopers, offering a flavour profile transformed by the fusion of influences from two distinct cask types. The Glenlivet Rum and Bourbon Fusion Cask Selection delivers aromas of orange, vanilla custard, caramel, coconut and zest of lemon, notes of juicy apricot and peach, fresh apples, toffee-covered bananas and subtle cinnamon spice on the palate, and a sweet and smooth finish with enduring notes of orange.

The Glenlivet Cask Expert, Kevin Balmforth commented:

“This category-first innovation continues our commitment and 200-year legacy of pushing boundaries in whisky. As a team of makers at The Glenlivet, we work closely with our partners at the cooperage to ensure the handmade casks are of the highest quality, and this intricate dismantling and reassembling process to create new bespoke casks ensures a distinctive and expertly-crafted finish”.

The Glenlivet Fusion Cask: Rum & Bourbon Fusion Cask Selection will be initially available in the US for purchase from February 2024, priced from $99.99. Whisky enthusiasts are invited to experience this extraordinary blend, an embodiment of The Glenlivet’s commitment to craftsmanship, innovation, and a rich legacy of 200 years.

*A portion of the whisky spends time in the referenced cask

INTRODUCING
HOME COLLECTION, RIVER SPEY

Introducing the second release in The Macallan Home Collection, River Spey. This exquisite release captures the innate beauty of our home at The Macallan Estate and the River Spey, which flows through it.  We are proud custodians of our 1.5-mile stretch of the river, protecting its waters and the wildlife around it. This special single malt, inspired by the natural beauty of The Macallan’s birthplace and the River Spey, exudes complex flavours of rich raisin and sultana, rich velvety butterscotch, toasted oak and chocolate, and nutmeg with a hint of anise.

DISCOVER MORE

THE MACALLAN BALLOT

Home Collection, River Spey, is the second release of a Collection that showcases our extraordinary Estate. This single malt will be available for online purchase via The Macallan Ballot, launching on the 20th February 2024 12:00 GMT. We will notify you when the ballot is open for entries. In the meantime, please ensure that you have a Macallan account and your details are correct.

Bruichladdich 18 Year Old Unpeated Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky (blue wrap) (750ml) $189.99 View

We’ve waited almost 2 decades for this expression from the special distillery on Lochindaal. The beautiful Classic Laddie is all grown up now and their core range officiall expended. In conjunction with the release of a new sexy bottle shape, the famed “unpeated” Islay distillery is offering this exceptional, authentic expression of its most mature modern stock at an altogether reasonable price. Designed to capture the house style in its purest form, the 18 year is almost entirely made up of first fill ex-bourbon with just a handful of specially selected wine casks of undiclosed origins. The result is one of the most exciting malts we’ve seen in years. Textured and rich, briming with honey, tropical fruit, toasted oak and citrus oils. A benchmark malt that proves these guys were really onto something all those long years ago.

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

Old Malt Cask is one of the most prestigious and well established brands in the Scotch Single Cask Whisky market. To commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Old Malt Cask, Hunter Laing has released a collection of noteworthy single malts from across Scotland.

These exceptional Single Cask whiskies are bottled at 50% ABV, without chill filtration, and with no added colour. Every bottling is a unique expression that can never be repeated – when they are gone, they are gone.

THE RANGE

Maclean’s Nose

This amazing blend is the Ardnamurchan’s take on and old-fashion, high-malt content blended malt. The name is a reference to their long-established partnership with Charles Maclean as well as a nod to a local landmark which shares his name – Maclean’s Nose. This blend carries a West Coast Character with both, a high malt content (70%) and a high portion if ex-sherry casks. Bottled at the ABV of 46%, non-chill filtered and naturally coloured.

NOSE Burnt citrus peel, sea salt and bonfire. Nectarine syrup, lime marmalade, hay bales, coal bunker and oily shed.

PALATE Puffed rice, homemade rice pudding and white chocolate. Bright citrus lime pickle. Chantilly cream and Viennetta ice cream. Ferrero Rocher. Hessian. Burning heather and smoked praline.

£31.99

FROM GLENGYLE DISTILLERY

KILKERRAN 8 YEARS 
SHERRY  57.4%

UK RRP £58 – £60

NOSE
Notes of soft peat smoke, leather-bound books and sticky toffee pudding are present on the nose.

PALATE
The familiar rich and dirty character of our Kilkerran 8 year old sherry series is clear to taste. We also get thick date syrup, blackcurrants, cherries, redcurrants and a maritime coastal taste.

FINISH
As the whisky develops, there are notes of ashy medicinal smoke, ginger and chocolate oranges.

ralfy review 1014 Extras – Why Springbank is so important to Scotch.

CHIVAS BROTHERS OPENS PICTURESQUE GUEST HOUSE AND WHISKY RETREAT, LINN HOUSE IN SPEYSIDE

Demand for premium whiskies and VIP experiences takes Chivas Brothers into the business of hospitality

Chivas Brothers, the Pernod Ricard business dedicated to Scotch whisky and maker of Chivas Regal and Royal Salute, will extend its world-renowned visitor centre experiences with the opening of its first guest house, Linn House, this November. The magnificent Victorian manor, located in Keith on the banks of the River Isla, invites whisky lovers and explorers alike to enjoy a countryside getaway with traditional Scottish hospitality, unfettered access to a permanent whisky library and delicious fine dining prepared by its resident Chef.

With origins dating back to 1870, the building, designed by Scottish gentleman Robert Kynoch-Shand, has been reimagined for today with an impeccable renovation boasting luxurious amenities and rustic-chic interiors inspired by Chivas Brothers’ distilleries across Scotland. It is available to reserve in blocks of either six or 12 bedrooms, with both options offering sole occupancy of the house for the utmost privacy. Exclusive use of all the communal house facilities, including the charming living room with original Victorian fireplace, the oak-panelled mahogany dining room or the enchanting walled kitchen garden on the grounds of the estate, is offered with each reservation.

The carefully curated whisky library boasts an outstanding selection from the Chivas Brothers portfolio including Single Malt whiskies from The Glenlivet, Aberlour and Scapa, as well as blended whiskies from Chivas Regal, Royale Salute and Ballantine’s. Guests can discover these iconic whiskies through guided tastings, while learning about their rich heritage and sampling limited-release editions up to 30 years old, all from the comfort of the House.

Each reservation incorporates a culinary journey prepared by Linn House’s resident chef, who uses fresh, locally sourced produce to create elegant seasonal feasts for guests, including traditional Scottish dinners with an address to the haggis, served in the oak-paneled mahogany dining room, followed by a nightcap by the firepit under the starry Speyside sky.

Jacques-Henri Brive, Head of Brand Advocacy and Prestige Acceleration at Chivas Brothers spearheaded the project in response to the growing demand for luxury whisky experiences from global consumers. It also follows a recent report from the Scotch Whisky Association signaling whisky tourism has become the #1 attraction for visitors to Scotland in the last 12 months with more than £85m spent in total at sites across Scotland’s five whisky regions, up 90% since 2010 (SWA, 2022).

Brive commented,

“Linn House represents an opportunity for us to encourage global consumers to connect with the region in which many of our iconic whiskies are made. Just as a luxury fashion brand has an atelier, or a boutique perfumer has its by-invitation salon; the heart of our whiskies lies here in Scotland. As demand for whisky expands around the world, more consumers are intrigued to discover and explore our heritage. Linn House is an extension of our brand homes, affording anyone who visits the luxury of time: to rest, to indulge and to enjoy all that the region has to offer. It is our ambition that Linn House becomes a destination hospitality offering here in Speyside.” 

The dedicated team at Linn House will work closely with guests to design tailor-made itineraries for the ideal rural escape for whisky and nature lovers alike. For those interested in exploring the world of whisky, curated experiences at world-renowned distilleries The Glenlivet and Strathisla, an engaging cocktail masterclass or an exploration of the smuggler’s trails to learn more about the Speyside area’s illicit whisky distilling past, might be in order. Alternatively, guests can indulge in a range of local sporting and leisure activities, such as fly-fishing at the historic Ballindalloch Castle, a visit to the spectacular Hopeman golf course overlooking the sea or stargazing under striking dark sky sites.

Bookings enquiries can be registered at linn.house@pernod-ricard.com. Accommodating up to 12 guests in six rooms, the retreat is available at £9,600. Full house reservations grant guests access to all 12 rooms and accommodates up to 24 guests for £19,200. Both include a two night stay with breakfast and three course seasonal and/or Scottish dinner with wine selection, an ‘exploration’ drink package and a bottle of Linn House Reserve whisky for each guest. A minimum two-night stay applies for all bookings. Prices valid until 30th June 2024.