Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 481: Old Rhosdhu 29 Year Old 1993 for The Roots

Mark Dermul, Belgian whiskyblogger, tries a 29-year-old malt! Belgian bottler The Roots selected a hogshead from the Loch Lomond distillery that was filled in 1993 with a spirit type that they produced between 1966 and 2000. The malt was given the name Old Rhosdhu. The hogshead, on which this malt lay dormant for almost three decades, yielded 222 bottles at cask strength. The malt was neither colored nor chill filtered.

https://youtu.be/HhT7VF3zMv8

Loch Lomond Group launches new whisky brand Noble Rebel

Innovative blended malt is available in three diverse flavour expressions

Loch Lomond Group has launched Noble Rebel; an innovative and bold new blended malt Scotch whisky brand that creatively pushes boundaries in the pursuit of flavour creation, combining the nobility of single malt whisky with the rigour of craftsmanship.

Drawing on centuries of know-how and deep bonds with like-minded distilleries, Noble Rebel blended malt whiskies are forged on the innovative spirit of Loch Lomond Distillery, the exquisite dram of Glen Scotia, and riveting liquids from trusted partners.

Available in three distinct expressions – Orchard Outburst, Smoke Symphony and Hazelnut Harmony – the flavours of Noble Rebel are brought to life through a series of vivid illustrations that detail the intricate stories, layers and tasting notes of each expression.

Each bold illustration is complemented by Noble Rebel’s premium embellished bottle, designed to replicate the heavy, intricate base of an old-fashioned rocks glass in tribute to the characterful flavours found within. Finished with the words ‘Noble’ and ‘Rebel’ embossed on opposite sides of the bottle lip, this intricate touch demonstrates the two faces of the brand; to visually showcase the nobility of single malts combined with Noble Rebel’s rebellious nature and ethos of pushing the boundaries of creativity in whisky blending.

Matured in ex-bourbon casks, Orchard Outburst balances crisp, ripe orchard fruits with surprising flavours of crashing salty ocean waves, resulting in an explosion of zest with hints of zingy lemon and lime. This intriguing malt contains whisky distilled with Chardonnay wine yeast, an unusual ingredient in whisky distillation which helps to intensify fruit and citrus flavours in the finished blend.

Smoke Symphony weaves threads of peat and smoke with hits of chilli. Lightning bolts of rich red body married with subtle berry tartness create a truly intriguing dram. Finished in Rioja wine casks, Smoke Symphony conveys notes of smoke, spice and dark berries.

Hazelnut Harmony mingles nuts with a hint of sweet honeycomb, with subtle pear undertones meeting imprints of warm oak. Completing the trio of expressions, Hazelnut Harmony is finished in toasted American oak casks, which adds a sweet flavour of honey, vanilla and hazelnut to the whisky.

Each expertly blended, no-age-statement blended malt whisky is non-chill filtered, natural in colour and bottled at 46% ABV.

All three Noble Rebel expressions are sealed with an emblem containing a droplet to represent the distillation process, a barrel to symbolise the maturation process, and a nosing glass in tribute to Loch Lomond Group’s blending prowess.

Each Noble Rebel expression is distilled, matured and blended under the expert eye of Master Blender, Michael Henry, at Loch Lomond Distillery. Using a combination of traditional swan-neck, and its signature high and low-cut straight-neck pot stills, Loch Lomond Distillery has a whisky-making capability like no other. The straight-neck stills, which are entirely unique to the distillery, provide Michael with greater control over the distillation process, allowing him to carefully manipulate the flavour profile of each whisky. In crafting Noble Rebel, Michael is both the artist and curator, combining the noble art of whisky distillation and blending with a knack for rebellion.

Michael Henry, Master Blender at Loch Lomond Group, said:

“Noble Rebel is an exciting new addition to the growing Loch Lomond Group portfolio. At the heart of each expression is our shared passion for blending finely curated malts into a product of beauty. Bringing new ideas to old ways and deeply-rooted traditions, our drams are modern masterpieces that welcome newcomers with open arms, and delight old friends alike.”

Each edition of Noble Rebel blended malt whisky is available from 16 February on the Noble Rebel website, RRSP £40 per 70cl bottle. Noble Rebel will also be available from 1 March 2023 at The Whisky Exchange.

Noble Rebel is part of the Loch Lomond Group, which also includes Glen Scotia, Littlemill and Loch Lomond Whiskies.

To discover more, visit: https://noblerebelmalts.com.

Join the conversation on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/noblerebelmalts

https://twitter.com/noblerebelmalts

https://www.facebook.com/noblerebelmalts

About Noble Rebel

Shaped by expertise and expressivity, Noble Rebel is a blended malt Scotch whisky unlike any other.

Skilfully curating the finest malts, each with a history of their own, and artfully blending them into striking whisky masterpieces, Noble Rebel pushes the boundaries of flavour with courage, craftsmanship and creativity. Respectful of tradition and inquisitive about the future, Noble Rebel heralds a new dawn of whisky mastery.

About Loch Lomond Group 

Loch Lomond Group is an independent distiller based in Alexandria and is home to several award-winning brands that are sold in more than 125 countries worldwide.

Loch Lomond Distillery has been producing the finest single malt whiskies since 1814. Images and interviews with key staff from the Group are available upon request.

For further details, please visit www.lochlomondgroup.com.

Three year sponsorship deal confirmed for The Glencairn Glass and

the Bloody Scotland Scottish International Crime Writing Awards 

Award winning Scottish family business Glencairn Crystal has announced that it will continue its sponsorship of the McIlvanney Prize for the Scottish Crime Book of the Year and the Bloody Scotland Debut Crime Novel of the Year with its famous Glencairn Glass for the next three years.

Glencairn Crystal had produced the trophy for the winner of The McIlvanney Prize over many years and in 2020 it was a natural progression for the company to come on board with its iconic Glencairn Glass as an official sponsor of both the prizes. The new three-year deal agreed will secure the company’s commitment and sponsorship until the end of 2025.

Both of the prestigious literary prizes are awarded as part of the annual Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival which takes place each September in Stirling. This year it will take place from the 15th to the 17th of September. The festival has brought hundreds of new and established crime writers to the stage with exciting events covering criminal topics such as fictional forensics, police procedurals, psychological thrillers and serial killers, along with enthusiastic festival attendees since 2012.

The McIlvanney Prize, in memory of William McIlvanney (the crime-writing ‘Godfather of Tartan Noir’), is Bloody Scotland’s annual prize awarded to the best Scottish crime book of the year.  Last year it received over 80 entries and was won by Alan Parks with ‘May God Forgive’. In 2019 Bloody Scotland also introduced a new prize to recognise new talent emerging within crime writing – the Bloody Scotland Scottish Crime Debut of the Year – and in 2022 it was awarded to Tariq Ashkanani with ‘Welcome to Cooper’.

The Glencairn Glass’s involvement with the Bloody Scotland literary awards is the perfect fit for the Scottish family owned company. Scottish crime writing, like The Glencairn Glass, is uniquely Scottish with an international following and the company is proud to continue the partnership and to celebrate and reward the rich and talented tradition of Scottish crime fiction.

Kirsty Nicholson, Glencairn’s Design and Marketing Manager, said: “We are delighted to extend our sponsorship of such prestigious writing prizes. Like Scottish crime writing, the Glencairn Glass is a truly global phenomenon and we look forward to working with Bloody Scotland in celebrating great crime novels.”

Bob McDevitt, Director of The Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival said: “We are so pleased that The Glencairn Glass has extended its sponsorship of our prizes, helping us to celebrate new and established voices in Scottish crime writing.”

Both the McIlvanney Prize for the Scottish Crime Book of the Year and the Bloody Scotland Debut Crime Novel of the Year will be awarded on 15th September at the Bloody Scotland Festival. The McIlvanney Prize includes a £1000 prize, a giant Glencairn Glass trophy and nationwide promotion in Waterstones. The Bloody Scotland Debut Prize winner will receive £500 and a Glencairn Star trophy.

In 2021, as well as sponsoring the Bloody Scotland literary prizes, The Glencairn Glass also launched its first ever crime short story competition – in partnership with the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival and Scottish Field Magazine – attracting entries from both novice and experienced crime writers around the world. The competition was launched again for the second time last year and the winners will be announced in March 2023.

The Glencairn Glass is the world’s favourite whisky glass with over 5 million glasses now being sold each year across the globe.

For further information visit:

www.bloodyscotland.com, www.glencairn.co.uk and www.whiskyglass.com

The Grand Whisky Auction is now LIVE!

There are 2100+ lots to browse and bid on this month with one of the highlights being this 52 Year Old single malt from Bowmore.

The auction closes on the 21st February @ 9pm!

Interested in selling whisky in our next auction?

T. +44 (0)1463 210 427 –  sales@thegrandwhiskyauction.com

Hello from Shelter Point!

We hope that some of you were able to enjoy the good times at Victoria Whisky Festival. It was great to be back in person after such a long time. The range of masterclasses was amazing, it presented the opportunity to try so many great whiskies from such prestigious brands. It was great to see our Brand Experience Manager, Chris Read, presenting a masterclass as well, for those that missed it, it did include a sample of our 10 Year Old, more information on that will come later in the year.

Another highlight of the Whisky Festival was the confirmation of what had possibly become one of the worst kept secrets in Canadian Whisky. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Masterclass contained a sample of release 152.1 – which originated from this very distillery. Rumours of this release had been coming out of the UK late last year and it was with great pride that the news was confirmed in January. We were overwhelmed by the outpouring of appreciation that flowed from the announcement, we received some lovely coverage on Global News and CTV and received messages of support from far and wide. Releases 152.2 and 152.3 have also come out in different locations around the globe and it is fantastic to think that Shelter Point single malt is being enjoyed around the world.

This little flurry of exposure has come at a good time as we are also very excited about some other developments:

·         Our Single Malt Whisky is now being stocked in BC Liquor Stores across the province. Again this has taken a while to put into place so it is lovely that our flagship product is now out there in our broadest distribution ever. We’re working on plans to improve our distribution across Canada and this is a great step in the right direction. Keep an eye out too for the Evans Family Reserve which will be available exclusively in the BCL Stores soon.

·         We can’t forget our friends south of the border either! We have also just launched our direct to consumer service in the US, this means that we can ship our products to most locations in the States. The page can be found here with our Single Malt, Ripple Rock and Smoke Point currently available.

UPCOMING EVENTS

If you are in the area we would love to see you at these events!

Victoria
Island Craft Festival Winter 2023 Edition
Sun February 19^th , 5:00–10:00 a.m.
Wicket Hall, 919 Douglas St

Vancouver
Shelter Point Showcase
February 22nd, 2023
6:30PM-8:30PM
Taste of Legacy
Beside Legacy Liquor Store
1637 Manitoba Street

North Vancouver
Sip Around The World
February 23, 2023
The Pipe Shop
115 Victory Ship Way
North Vancouver

Winnipeg
Winnipeg Whisky Festival
March 3^rd & 4^th 2023
Hotel Fairmont Winnipeg, 2 Lombard Place
Winnipeg, MB

Nanaimo
Wee Tipple – Nanaimo’s Whisky Festival
March 4^th  2023
The Grand Hotel
4898 Rutherford Road
Nanaimo, BC

Vancouver
Vancouver Cocktail Week
Golden Era Cocktail Revival Gala
March 11^th 2023
Pacific Ballroom, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver
6 to 7 pm VIPs • 7 to 11 pm Partygoers

Duncan
10th Annual Cowichan Valley Whisky Festival
March 11^th 2023
Ramada by Wyndham Duncan Cowichan Valley,
140 Trans-Canada Hwy, Duncan, BC

We hope to see you at an event soon, in the meantime continue to enjoy a dram of Shelter Point.

Cheers!

Rossville Union “K&L Exclusive” Barrel #1339 Barrel Proof Straight Indiana Rye Whiskey (750ml) $59.99 View

It began in 1847 with a bold, satisfying taste that would make Indiana the rye capital of the world. For nearly 200 years, Lawrenceburg’s master distillers and blenders have been perfecting the original handcrafted rye blends in one of America’s last Prohibition-era distilleries. Rossville Union is a return to the golden age of rye with an authentic taste that could only come from Whiskey City.

Rossville Union “K&L Exclusive Barrel #1557” Barrel Proof Straight Indiana Rye Whiskey (750ml) $59.99 View

This is a special-edition from our friends and master distillers at Rossville Union. The distillery sits directly atop a natural aquifer in Lawrenceburg, Indiana which gives its whiskeys their inimitable character – unlike water from the nearby Ohio river and other sources, this aquifer provides water with naturally lower levels of iron and sulfur which naturally allow the whiskeys’ spicy notes to shine.

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 964 Extras – Why is Springbank Distillery so important ?

THE MACALLAN ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF £260,000 ARTISAN APPRENTICESHIP FUND

 Proceeds from auction of The Reach will help to preserve legacy skills

The Macallan has revealed details of four recipient businesses to benefit from its recently launched Artisan Apprenticeship Fund.

Four UK firms will each receive a portion of £260,000 funding awarded by The Macallan to enable the recruitment and training of new apprentices.

Scottish businesses Alexander Manufacturing, Glasstorm and Powderhall Bronze, alongside London-based Shepherds Bookbinders, will each benefit from a share of funds to support and perpetuate key generational skills and crafts.

The Artisan Apprenticeship Fund is delivered through The Macallan Artisan Collective, a creative forum for likeminded master makers to network, exchange ideas, innovate and collaborate via live gatherings and digital events. Established in 2021, it champions and celebrates the artisans, their philosophies, knowledge and skills as well as the critical role they play in local and global economies.

In the same year, The Macallan created Artisan Apprenticeship Fund in recognition of the need to preserve and safeguard legacy crafts, trades, skills, and values to support employment for generations to come.

Proceeds for the fund have been generated primarily through the auction of The Reach 81 Years Old single malt, the oldest whisky ever released in the history of The Macallan.

A one-of-a-kind special edition of this release, crafted from a single, sherry seasoned oak cask, was sold at Sotheby’s London in October. The auction lot featured an exclusive bottle of The Macallan The Reach, encased in a display cabinet lined in red leather. This reflects the red thread that has run through the brand since it was founded almost 200 years ago, rather than the traditional cream leather which features on the original whisky release.

Elizabeth McMillan, Head of Insight & Sustainability at The Macallan, said:

“At The Macallan, we thrive as a local brand with a global presence because of the remarkable communities and networks with whom we enjoy strong interdependent relationships built on shared value creation.

“The Macallan holds a deep affinity with all luxury artisans and master makers. Dedication to creativity, craftsmanship, innovation and collaboration are a key part of our brand DNA, and through The Macallan Artisan Collective and Artisan Apprenticeship Fund, we aim to establish a legacy of positive action by fostering meaningful progress for our key communities through partnerships, collaborations, and fundraising.

“Preserving and safeguarding legacy crafts, trades, skills, and values is an essential part of this, to help support employment for generations to come. We’re proud to play a part in training and guiding the next generation of artisans throughout Scotland and beyond.”

The Macallan Artisan Apprenticeship Fund will enable recipient businesses to attract and recruit new apprentices into key trades, as well as providing existing artisan apprentices with the opportunity to take part in specialist training and skills development programmes.

Alexander Manufacturing is a luxury garment manufacturer, based in North Lanarkshire which specialises in the production of handmade coats for the slow fashion and apparel industry. With funds in place, Alexander Manufacturing will create four new, full-time apprentice positions.

Tain-based contemporary glass studio Glasstorm specialises in hand-crafted bespoke works in glass and will use the funding to create one apprentice role.

Based in Musselburgh, East Lothian, fine art foundry Powderhall Bronze is seeking to onboard two apprentices, training one existing employee and one new team member, while Shepherds Bookbinders, based in London, will use proceeds from The Macallan Artisan Apprenticeship Fund to offer training to an existing employee.

For further information about The Macallan Artisan Collective and The Macallan Artisan Apprenticeship Fund, visit The Macallan Positive Society and Community Initiatives.

About The Macallan

Founded in 1824 on a plateau above the River Spey in north-east Scotland, The Macallan is renowned globally for its incomparable craftsmanship, creativity and innovation with each bottle of single malt whisky revealing its unique mastery of wood and spirit.

Social and environmental sustainability is at the heart of The Macallan, and as part of its commitment to establishing a positive legacy it revealed its award-winning new Distillery in 2018. Designed by internationally acclaimed architects, the building takes inspiration from the surrounding ancient Scottish hills and is located on The Macallan’s beautiful 485-acre Estate. To this day, the single greatest influence on The Macallan’s sought after portfolio of single malts is its sherry seasoned oak casks from which its whiskies derive their distinctive flavours, aromas and natural colour.

Crafted without compromise. Please savour The Macallan responsibly.

About Alexander Manufacturing

Alexander Manufacturing Ltd is a luxury Scottish garment manufacturer, located in North Lanarkshire and specialising in coat making for the luxury slow fashion and apparel industry. The garment manufacturing facility specialises in tailoring and coat making, with the company’s unique specialism producing vulcanised handmade garments.

Production Manager, Ann Clark, works alongside a talented team of skilled workers covering all aspects of coat making, handmade coat makers, machinists, cutters, and finishers. Owner, Nadia Alexander, invested in the facility following a desire to support Scottish garment manufacturing and to play a role in producing the highest quality garments, made in Scotland, and supporting Scottish mills and fabric houses. Sustainability is key to Nadia and is at the heart of all that Alexander Manufacturing does.

About Glasstorm

Established in 2005 in Tain, in the Scottish Highlands, Glasstorm is now firmly established as one of Britain’s most exciting and vibrant hot glass studios, providing a friendly, confidential and bespoke range of services including glass design, consultancy, proto-typing and manufacture.

Glasstorm is led by Brodie Nairn and Nichola Burns, who have each worked internationally within the glass industry for more than 20 years. Brodie and Nicky bring a wealth of technical knowledge and creative flair to all the projects they undertake, and the creative team has developed a reputation for being experts and pioneers in the niche field of luxury glass products.

About Powderhall Bronze

Based in Musselburgh, East Lothian, the artisans of Powderhall Bronze are experts in sculpture, metal working and engineering. The team’s combined knowledge of the casting and founding process means artisans can work closely with clients, ensuring a hand finished product of the highest quality. The foundry also offers a complete conservation and restoration service, returning existing bronze castings to their original glory. Powderhall Bronze specialises in scaling and casting of models, and in high quality metal fabrication.

About Shepherds Bookbinders

Shepherds Bookbinders has been based at Rochester Row in the City of Westminster for more than 25 years. The workshop incorporates the long-established firms of Zaehnsdorf, founded in 1842, and Sangorski & Sutcliffe, established in 1901. The bindery employs craftspeople with a broad range of traditional and modern skills, such as paper conservation, hand-sewn pages, gilt edges, fine leather covers and gold finishing.

Stunning Quality and Value from a K&L Speyside Favorite

2006 Craigellachie 15 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Single Sherry Butt 

“These sherried Craigellachies are an absolute delight … when they keep dropping these on us and the price goes DOWN, we just can’t say no.”
— David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

Bottled at cask strength from a first-fill sherry butt, this is a spectacular expression of the Craigellachie style, as the distillery’s singular profile is a perfect match for the barrel’s influence. This 15-year-old iteration offers arguably higher quality and an absolutely more distinctive profile than a previous 16-year-old cask, and for a significantly better price.

2006 Craigellachie 15 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Cask Strength Single Sherry Butt Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) ($99.99)

K&L Notes: Another stupendous sherried Craigellachie from Old Particular. Like 2021’s 16 Year Old, this butt retains significant distillery character while not forgetting that it aged in a sherry butt for a decade and a half. The fabulous distillery just across the river from the famous Macallan distillery was once one of Speyside’s most undervalued. Now, due to repositioning and tariffs, even the entry-level distillery offerings seem out of reach in value terms, let alone their extremely well regarded “Exceptional Cask” bottlings, which have gone up in price 30-40% over the last year. We’ve managed, on the other hand, to lower the price of this exceptional malt by over $20 for something of equal or greater quality and just one year younger than the former offering. The bold, sometimes funky malt character of Craighellachie does wonders when married with sherry, and the resulting malt won’t disappoint sherry lovers, although it’s not the sweet, raisiny style some drinkers have come to associate with modern, sherry-matured single malts. Instead, it’s a deeply complex and slightly esoteric style that will appeal to drinkers looking for something more classical and contemplative.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: June 08, 2022

These sherried Craigellachies are an absolute delight. We don’t like to do the same thing year in and year out, but when they keep dropping these on us and the price goes down, we just can’t say no. This new one is a classic funky Craigie, which reminds us that this is one of Speyside’s most flavorful malts and loves to play against a great sherry butt. The color is deep gold. The nose offers that great Craigellachie funk, industrial and old school, which few modern malts offer. The sherry is there, but it doesn’t feel artificially vinous like some modern bottlings can. We get almond butter, roast pecans, bright red fruit, slight camphor smoke, wisps of engine oil, black olive, kirsch, and golden raisins. On the palate, it’s sweeter than expected, now offering some gorgeous dark chocolate, Figgie pudding, sweet candied plums, and a slight minty note on the finish. With water we add some nutty notes on the nose, but it stays pretty much in line. On the palate, there’s now a wonderfully rich, velvety texture and more tropical fruit. This is an absolutely wild whisky and definitely one for the lovers of a bit of funk, although I waffle on whether to add water or not. It’s not sulphuous though, so if you’re sensitive to that, I don’t think it will be a problem. I feel like this is a very underrepresented style that I wish we saw more of—even last year’s excellent 16-year was much more straightforward, and this one offers much more nuance.

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