DECEMBER CÀRN MÒR RELEASE

Christmas is fast approaching and if you’re still looking for inspiration for a present for the whisky lover in your life (or something to add to your own Christmas list!) then we have the perfect festive release, appearing in shops and online now.

We have a very special UK exclusive – a Caol Ila 2013, finished for 3 years in a single Ruby Port Barrique. The result is a well-rounded, sweet and smoky dram with juicy blackberries and coastal peat.

For something a little different, we’re releasing a Fettercairn 2012 with a Tokaji barrique finish. This is our first experiment using barriques that had previously been used for the sweet and sophisticated wines of the Hungarian region of Tokaj and we are delighted with the outcome, achieving a good balance of distillery character with Tokaji sweetness and acidity. This excites the senses with freshly toasted granola served with ripe apricots and drizzled with syrup.

BenRiach is a whisky rarely seen outside of the official distillery bottlings so we are excited to share this 8-year-old which has been fully matured in Oloroso Sherry Butts and delights with milk chocolate, chewy cinder toffee and a lingering spice on the finish.

These expressions and more are on their way to a retailer near you.

DECEMBER 2022

A selection of whiskies from our latest release. As always, our range is non-chill filtered and with no added colour, with all of our Strictly Limited releases bottled at 47.5%.

SPEYSIDE
BenRiach
Distilled: 2013
Sherry Butt
Notes: Milk chocolate, chewy cinder toffee and a lingering spice on the finish.
Available in the UK, EU & South Korea

ISLAY
Caol Ila
Distilled: 2013
Ruby Port Finish
Notes: Well-rounded, sweet and smoky with juicy blackberries and coastal peat
UK ExclusiveHIGHLAND
Fettercairn
Distilled: 2012
Tokaji Finish
Notes: Freshly toasted granola, served with ripe apricots and drizzled with syrup
Available in the UK & selected EU Markets

SPEYSIDE
Glenburgie
Distilled: 2010
PX Sherry Hogshead
Notes: Well-balanced and mouth coating with dried fruits and a delicate spicy note.
Available in the UK & EU

SPEYSIDE
Miltonduff
Distilled: 2015
PX Sherry Hogshead
Notes: Warm apple crumble with raisins and an oaty, caramelised topping.
Available in all markets

TEAM MEMBER’S CHOICE –  ANNELIESE VERNER, COMPLIANCE AND PROJECTS OFFICER

For this festive release, we’ve asked Anneliese, our Compliance and Projects Officer to try a sample of each expression and pick her favourite dram.

Anneliese’s varied role involves working across all areas of the business focusing on compliance, environmental credentials and the smooth running of our operation.
‘My favourite of the new releases has got to be Glenburgie 2010. It is elegant, sweet and with a hint of spice – it reminds me of a mince pie. So for me, the perfect tipple for a winters evening.’

SUCCESS FOR MAC-TALLA AT THE SCOTTISH WHISKY AWARDS

Morrison Scotch Whisky Distillers enjoyed a successful night at the 2022 Scottish Whisky Awards, held in Edinburgh on 30th November.

In the Taste Awards, Mac-Talla Red Wine Barriques was awarded the Gold Award in the Single Malt Non Age Statement (Peated) category. The final bottles from this Limited Edition release are selling out quickly, but there are still a few retailers with some bottles available.

In the Business Awards, Mac-Talla was also awarded Excellence in Branding. For this award, the judging panel were looking for a creative and innovative brand identity and philosophy, which was implemented throughout the business including in the product creation, packaging, staff training and marketing and communications strategies.

The team were delighted to receive these accolades and we are extremely grateful for the support and loyalty of our customers who continue to support us and enjoy our whisky.

THE FINAL WHISKY EVENTS OF 2022

A very busy year of whisky festivals and tastings has drawn to a close. We’ve loved meeting—and sharing drams—with whisky fans from all over the world. Over the past few weeks we’ve been to Glasgow Whisky Festival, International Whisky Festival, The Hague, Netherlands and Whisky Festival Milano – we can’t wait to get back on the road again for 2023!

WHERE TO BUY

The new release is now on its way to our stockists and global distributors. Each bottling is small-batch with a limited number of bottles available so they do tend to sell out quickly. Click here to view our UK stockists and click here to find your nearest international distributor.

Christmas has descended on The Whisky Exchange and if you’re still looking for the perfect gift or just a treat for yourself, then look no further than a ticket to one of our multi-award-winning shows!

WHISKY SHOW 2023

The one and only Whisky Show is back for its 15th year! For three days we are returning to Old Billingsgate to bring you more than 1000 whiskies from around the globe as well as our guest spirits in the Flavour Zone. We’ll have exclusive masterclasses, free demonstrations, cocktails, whisky food-pairings and more! Meet the makers, speak to industry experts and experience the whisky universe like never before.

THE DETAILS
Venue: Old Billingsgate, London, EC3R 6DX
Date: 29 Sept – 1 Oct 2023
Time: Friday: 4pm – 9pm
Saturday & Sunday: 11.30pm – 6.30pm
Weekend tickets available
Three-day tickets available
Price: from £69

Book Early-Bird Tickets Now 

Early-bird tickets on sale now!

Book Early-Bird Tickets Now 

The just finished 138th auction turned out to be a record-breaker for us in more ways than one, with multiple hammer price records set this month.

Macallan Red Collection 71, 74 & 78 Year Old 3 x 70cl

This is now officially the highest price ever achieved for a single lot at Scotch Whisky Auctions, these bottles sold for an impressive £200,000 in the 138th auction.  We can’t say we’re surprised, it’s not everyday you get the opportunity to purchase three of the best bottles in the entire Red Collection in one fell swoop.

Bowmore 1969 50 Year Old Vaults Series

Another record-breaker this one, this lot certainly raised a few eyebrows when it sold for a whopping £36,000 in the last auction.  Combining beautifully aged whisky and some thoroughly impressive design this is now the highest price ever achieved by a Bowmore here at Scotch Whisky Auctions.

Springbank 1966 Local Barley Cask #441 75cl

While not taking the highest price ever achieved for a Springbank, the £8000 hammer price is the highest ever achieved for a Local Barley here at Scotch Whisky Auctions.  A tremendous expression and worth every penny given the ongoing success of Campbeltown whiskies in the secondary market.

Amazing results were achieved for our sellers last month in the top-end of the market, as evidenced by these record sales so roll on the 139th!

PERFECT CHRISTMAS DRAM!

Brig O’Perth 11 Years Old 

BLAIR ATHOL

This studiously chosen cask of Single Malt Scotch Whisky pays homage to a tradition of selecting the finest spirits and oak casks for maturation.  ‘Vino de Color’ is one of the oldest Sherry Wines of Spain, and the cask used to finish this whisky was over 150 years old and is believed to be one of only a few remaining to have contained a highly concentrated, syrupy, dark, rich unfermented Pedro Ximenez grape juice and Dark Sherry mix. After rinsing the cask with water, the whisky was finished for three months.

Only 475 bottles were produced.

£75.00

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 Aberdeen Whisky Shop
474 Union Street, Aberdeen, United Kingdom, AB10 1TS

Unbeatable Bourbon Bundles for the Savviest Aficionados

Our K&L bundle packs are arguably the best buys in our extensive spirits inventory, giving collectors, connoisseurs, and neophytes alike the opportunity to get their hands on some truly astounding whiskeys for prices that make exploring and collecting these inimitable gems more and more accessible to an ever-wider audience of spirits enthusiasts. The latest can’t-miss score, arriving just in time for the holidays, are these superb 2-packs from a powerhouse wheated bourbon star. Heaven Hill’s Larceny brand has quickly become one of the hottest names in all-star value bourbon, achieving levels of quality that have made these bottlings staples in countless go-to repertoires. Today’s bundle packs take the QPR to all-new heights with the chance to get your hands on not only the beloved Small Batch, but also your only chance to acquire the coveted, highly awarded, single-cask Barrel Proof bottlings. To complete the Heaven Hill one-two combination, we’ve also assembled must-have bundles from the iconic Elijah Craig that will thrill longtime fans of this beloved brand, as well as anyone who just loves unbeatable value-for-price whiskey. In both the 3-pack and 4-pack, avid bourbon aficionados will be able to re-stock on the always excellent Small Batch and Rye at a below-market discount, and they will also get their hands on one or two highly coveted offerings that have always been under tight allocation—the Barrel Strength Batch B522 (3-pack and 4-pack), which just garnered 92 points and an Editor’s Choice designation from Whisky Advocate for its “perfectly tempered sweetness and depth,” and the 93-point Toasted Barrel (4-pack only).

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

https://youtu.be/kYhR0G2DLM0

Was it good, or was it bad? Whisky in 2022 has been a bit of a rollercoaster, to say the least. Insane auction prices, auction drops, Springbank being more illusive than Shergar in Atlantis, unavailability, glassware scares, and, of course, Macallan.

But above all of this. What were your high and low points of whisky in 2022?

Hard Truth Distillery Co. introduces Master Distiller’s Reserve Collection

2022 Master Distiller’s Reserve release begins new annual tradition at Hard Truth

Nashville, Ind. (December 8, 2022) – Hard Truth Distillery Co. announced today the release of 2022 Hard Truth Master Distiller’s Reserve Collection – a limited time only bottling of three rye whiskey mash bills that embody Hard Truth’s dedication to bringing innovation to the whiskey world. All three come under Hard Truth’s award-winning Sweet Mash Rye label and will be available in extremely limited quantities in Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Massachusetts and Louisiana.

Launched on Black Friday, the new collection includes a Chocolate Malt (RW-3), Caramel Malt (RW-4) and Malted Rye (RW-6). Each is mashed, distilled, aged, and bottled by the distillers at Hard Truth in Brown County Indiana.

Each unique and innovative whiskey mash bill uses specialty roasted malts to impart the flavors of each expression. Chocolate malt is malted barley roasted to a very dark color which brings flavors of espresso and chocolate (like in a porter or stout beer). Caramel is roasted half as long and is more like caramel corn, sticky toffee in its flavor contributions. Malted Rye is a 100% rye whiskey which utilizes a portion of the mash bill in rye grain and a portion of rye grain that has been malted or sprouted and then kiln dried.

Each of these barrel-strength whiskeys originates from a select group of eight to 10 barrels hand-picked from the Hard Truth rackhouse and conscientiously blended for rich flavor, pleasant complexity, and a rewarding drinking experience.

“It is an annual tradition…beginning this year,” said Bryan Smith, Hard Truth Master Distiller. “The winter holidays now have some competition here at Hard Truth…moving forward we’ll be releasing special sweet mash offerings in the Master Distiller’s Reserve collection every year at about this time.”

The 2022 Hard Truth Master Distiller’s Reserve Collection

Chocolate Malt Sweet Mash Rye Whiskey (RW-3): Brings the deep, roasted chocolate espresso notes from chocolate malted barley to play with the sweetness of corn and the baking spice of rye grain. Batch 001 of mash bill RW-3 is a blend of eight barrels. A total of 300 six-pack cases will be available to all markets with the 2022 release. SRP is $89.99.

Appearance: Oloroso sherry

Aroma: Rich mocha, rye spice, and sweet cream with Dutch cocoa

Taste: Buttered brownie, toffee, and rye spice with a jammy layer of dried fruit

Finish: Bold lingering spice with fresh cracked black pepper and stone fruit that fade to coffee and a hint of oak

Caramel Malt Sweet Mash Rye Whiskey (RW-4): Exchanges the chocolate malt of Chocolate Malt Sweet Mash Rye Whiskey with caramel malted barley, providing caramel corn and sticky toffee notes to match the whiskey’s inherent sweetness and rye spice. Batch 001 of mash bill RW-4 is a blend of eight barrels. A total of 300 six-pack cases will be available to all markets with the 2022 release. SRP is $89.99.

Appearance: Oloroso sherry

Aroma: Caramel-draped vanilla custard with subtle hints of shortbread

Taste: Rich caramel, mocha, and maple lead to sweet cream and rye spice

Finish: Warm, lingering, and sweet with custard and apple that fade to light oak and bold spice

Malted Rye Sweet Mash Rye Whiskey (RW-6): A remarkable expression of 100 percent rye whiskey, showcasing the incredible depth and richness that can only come from the malting process, Batch 001 is a blend of 10 barrels. A total of 300 six-pack cases will be available to all markets with the 2022 release. SRP is $89.99.

Appearance: Auburn

Aroma: Sweet maple and butterscotch lead into bold spice and jammy fruit

Taste: Rich fruit, rye spice, and butterscotch with subtle notes of vanilla, oak, and cracked black pepper

Finish: Warm and lingering spice notes shift to toffee and dried fruit

About Hard Truth Distilling Co.

Headquartered in Nashville, Indiana, Hard Truth Distilling Co. produces more than 20 premium spirits, including critically acclaimed Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye Whiskey and top-selling Hard Truth Cinnamon Vodka, Hard Truth Toasted Coconut Rum, and Hard Truth Toasted Coconut Rum Cream.

Hard Truth’s spirits are distributed in Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin and Wyoming with several new states coming on board in late 2022 and 2023.

Founded in 2015, Hard Truth Distilling Co. quickly outgrew its original production facility, and, by 2017, construction had begun on its current facility, a distillery housed in a 50,000-square-foot building equipped with a state-of-the-art Vendome Copper & Brass distilling system. Hard Truth’s destination campus spans 325 wooded acres in Brown County, Indiana — an artists’ colony and tourist destination known for its natural beauty. Visit hardtruth.com for the complete Hard Truth experience.

The Macallan 1948 51 Year Old Select Reserve For Sale At Mark Littler Ltd 

A rare bottle of Macallan is now available for purchase on the Mark Littler Shop for £20,678; the lowest retail price globally.

The Macallan Select Reserves were released in the late 1990s, representing a distinct change from historic Macallan releases. When Macallan took charge of their own bottling and packaging in the 1980s, ending the tenure of Gordon & Macphail and a few others, the distillery began experimenting with packaging. The sleek and simple presentation lends itself to the simple luxury that is often associated with Macallan, and with the Fine & Rare series that followed, with the latter series having extremely similar packaging to the Select Reserves.

There are only two bottlings in the Select Reserve series: a 1946 52 Year Old, and a 1948 51 Year Old. The releases ascertained that there was a strong appetite for luxury Macallan bottlings on the market. And so, the Fine & Rare series was born. As a result, the Macallan Select Reserves are somewhat overlooked on the secondary market, often priced at thousands of pounds below their Fine & Rare counterparts.

The Macallan 1948 51 Year Old Select Reserve at Mark Littler LTD is presented with its original wooden tube as well as an outer presentation box. Each bottle from the series was labelled with a different date, allowing purchasers and investors to seek out bottles specific to a special date in their lives, such as a birthday or an anniversary. The bottle at Mark Littler LTD is dated 26th June. The whisky was bottled at 46.6% ABV in 1999.

The Macallan 1948 51 Year Old Select Reserve is priced at £20,678. Buy now on the Mark Littler Shop.

About Mark Littler Limited

Mark Littler is an independent whisky broker, market analyst and consultant with over a decade of experience in the industry. Each week he publishes new videos on his YouTube channel about topics such as cask investment fraud (and how to avoid it), the history of distilleries and bottles, debunking whisky investment myths and much more. For more information visit www.marklittler.com

If you are interested in the Macallan 1948 51 Year Old Select Reserve or would like to chat to one of the team about our other services, please get in touch.

Email: whisky@marklittler.com

Telephone: 01260 218 718

Laphroaig 34 Years

1987 vintage Ian Hunter Story: Book 4, 2022. Oloroso sherry cask. Laphroaig 24 Year Old 1987 vintage Islay single malt Scotch whisky. Double matured in first-fill European oak ex-oloroso sherry casks this is the 2022 edition of the Ian Hunter series book #4.

Buy Laphroaig 34yo »

Nose: Smoky and rich dried fruit, with notes of leaf tobacco, eucalyptus, fresh straw, and sweet notes of golden syrup, cinder toffee, heather honey and crushed black pepper.
Palate: Peaty and sweet, barbecued pork with sweet honey marinade together with notes of peach and orange blossom, a touch of iodine and earthy floral notes.
Finish: Ashy with wood smoke lingering.

Laphroaig Distillery was established in 1815 on the rocky south coast of the Isle of Islay off the west coast of Scotland. This malt whisky distillery continues to malt barley using its traditional malting floors and malt kiln. In 1994 the distiiley was awarded the Royal Warrant. The core range is quite extensive and supplemented by limited releases including a 21 year old was issued in 2015 to celebrate 21 years of Friends of Laphroaig. Independent bottlings are also available from Signatory, Cooper’s Choice and Hunter Laing. Laphroaig distillery also participates in Feis Ile, the Islay Festival of Malt and Music.

Longmorn 33 Years Old

Longmorn Distillery perhaps has one of the most loyal followings of any distillery. However, it flies under the radar due to a large proportion of its output being used for blends. Indeed, its fruity character was central to the recipe of Finn’s Grandfather’s bottlings of Beneagles, which is why he was happy to have a number of casks from the distillery from the late 1980s.

£525.00

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