Delos is the whiskymakers’ first limited-edition of 2023

February 2023: Award-winning Scotch whiskymakers Compass Box introduce a new, limited-edition expression with Delos; a delicate and soothing Scotch inspired by flavours of the past (RRP £265, ABV: 49%).

Available from February, Delos is a reimagined study of Compass Box’s much admired extinct blend, Asyla. Delos focuses on capturing Asyla’s vibrancy and soothing sweetness, turning to older stocks to achieve this. First created in 2001, Asyla was the ethereally beautiful cornerstone of the core range until its retirement in 2018.

Delos is the second release from the whiskymaker’s Extinct Blends Quartet series and will only have 5,520 bottles available worldwide. The Extinct Blend Quartet celebrates discontinued characters and flavours, reappraising four very different expressions of blended Scotch. The remaining two from the series will be introduced in late 2023 and early 2024.

Named after a Greek island said to be the birthplace of the god Apollo that is blessed with mosaics and ruined ancient temples, Delos signifies Asyla’s beauty and serenity as a whisky. Blended to entice the senses, the sumptuous and meditative flavours of Delos provide a moment of sanctuary, embodying a rare escape to a sun-kissed paradise of great antiquity.

With an interplay of grain and malt, Delos balances some of Compass Box’s rarest and most idiosyncratic stocks of whisky to create an elegant and refined flavour. Malt whiskies from the much sought-after Glen Elgin, Imperial and Miltonduff distilleries – all aged in American oak barrels – bring a sweet yet mellow medley of ripe pear, pineapple, orange, and vanilla notes, while the maturity of the grain whisky gradually builds to reveal guava, heather honey, and chai spices.

The captivating label art features a female lute player from the original Asyla label, reimagined in mosaic form. However, she now plays a lyre, the instrument classically associated with Apollo, with the outline of the tiles broken away to reflect the coastlines of Delos and Greece.

James Saxon, Compass Box lead whiskymaker says, “While inspired by the style and recipe structure of Asyla, Delos has richer and rounder flavours from using older stocks of whiskies which amplify the character, bringing more grandeur to it and making it more resonant. The delicate mouthfeel and transportive aromas within Delos are nevertheless familiarly delicious. For me, sipping Delos feels like a holiday.”

Curious whisky lovers can find out more about Delos and other Compass Box whiskies at compassboxwhisky.com or follow @compassboxwhiskyco on Instagram.

Compass Box whiskies are available to purchase at compassboxwhisky.com, masterofmalt.com and thewhiskyexchange.com.

 ABOUT COMPASS BOX

Compass Box are Scotch whiskymakers. The word ‘whiskymaker’ is their word – it does not appear in a dictionary. For over 20 years they have been relentlessly focused on reinventing Scotch whisky, with every new blend designed to help make the world of whisky a more interesting place. They have not done it on their own and have collaborated with some of the world’s most visionary bartenders and designers to really push the boundaries of what is possible. They are always experimenting, always looking for sparks of creativity that will deliver something totally compelling, yet completely surprising. This vision motivates them as whiskymakers. 

ABOUT COMPASS BOX LIMITED EDITIONS

Compass Box’s Limited Editions allow them complete creative freedom, often using smaller parcels at greater ages. Each Limited Edition is one-off in nature. Every year, Compass Box creates a number of Limited Editions from very rare releases of a few hundred bottles to more accessible runs of several thousand bottles. Each one boasts a different identity, each expresses deliciousness in Scotch whisky in a different way.

Mark Littler Ltd Creates Comprehensive List of World Record-Breaking Whisky Sales 

The extensively researched list is the subject of Mark’s new YouTube video. 

It might come as a surprise to know that, until now, there has been no comprehensive list of all of the world record-breaking whiskies sold at auction. Even the Guinness Book of World Records only lists the most recent title holder: The Macallan 1926 60 Year Old. Whilst this particular bottle has certainly set an extremely high bar with a £1.5 million sale, there has been a long history of world record-breaking whisky sales dating all the way back to 1983.

In their new YouTube video and an extensive article, published in issue 15 of Cask & Still magazine, the Mark Littler Ltd team shed some light on this long history of auction records and the surprising bottles that have once held the title of ‘World’s Most Expensive Whisky’.

Check out the video and the article and let Mark Littler Ltd know your thoughts.

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 have any thoughts on the video/article or would like to chat to one of the team about our services, please get in touch.

Email: whisky@marklittler.com

Telephone: 01260 218 718

Oh Canada! We’re feeling the love this month as we celebrate the first ever Canadian single malt to be bottled by the SMWS in its 40 year history – Cask No. 152.1 “Vibrant and vigorous.”

And of course we have several other wonderful whiskies in this Outturn, including the first Rye Whiskey to be released by SMWS Canada – Cask No. RW5.3 “Exploring new frontiers” and an elegant small batch Speyside single malt – “Full Bloom” – that spent time in Australian Muscat wine barriques.

There’s a lot to love in February’s Outturn, and you can also look forward to another Vaults Collection release in mid-February, this time a 31 year old sherry-matured whisky from Speyside’s most famous distillery, so watch your email for details!

SWEET MEMORIES ON DESERTED BEACHES

CASK N0. 48.138

CASK TYPE:  Refill ex-bourbon hogshead

AGE:  12 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Spicy & sweet

BOTTLE NOTE:  “The cool sea breeze touching our warm cheeks as we enjoyed peppermint tea and saltwater taffy. Water added marshmallows and Dutch stroopwafels.”

FULL BLOOM

FB18

INITIAL CASKS:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrels

FINAL CASKS:  Ex-Muscat wine barriques

AGE:  18 years

“For the creation of this small batch single malt we teamed up with our friends at Nebb Whisky Barrels, who specialise in Australian vintage wine barrels. We selected some top quality Speyside single malt that had matured for 16 years in 1st fill bourbon barrels. We then transferred the whisky to some beautiful barriques that had been filled for 20 years with heady Muscat wine in a family run winery in New South Wales.”

EXPLORING NEW FRONTIERS

CASK NO. RW5.3

CASK TYPE:  New oak barrel

AGE:  5 years

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Sandalwood, orange oil and spicy Jamaican dark chocolate rum truffles with candied almonds. 95% rye and 5% malted barley.”

VIBRANT AND VIGOROUS

Cask No. 152.1

CASK TYPE:  1st fill ex-bourbon barrel

AGE:  9 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Young & spritely

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Attractively sweet (caramel log, toffee, Lebkuchen, marzipan); but zingy and vibrant at the same time (citrus, white pepper, wasabi, pine).” 

GOING LUXE

CASK NO. 64.127

INITIAL CASK:  Ex-bourbon hogshead

FINAL CASK:  1st fill custom hogshead

AGE:  12 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Sweet, fruity & mellow

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Sweet Virginia tobacco, frankincense and a chocolate and raspberry crème brûlée followed by churros dipped in hot chocolate and café con miel.” 

TANNIC, SHAMANIC, OCEANIC

CASK NO. 16.64

CASK TYPE:  Refill re-charred hogshead

AGE:  8 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Peated

BOTTLE NOTE:  “Sauna wood and burnt twigs, bonfire of driftwood and peat (tatties roasted in the embers), burnt sage leaves; caramel popcorn and neoprene.”

THROW THE CORK AWAY!

DISTILLERY 53 SMALL BATCH

INITIAL CASKS:  Ex-bourbon hogsheads

FINAL CASKS:  1st fill Oloroso hogsheads

AGE:  8 years

FLAVOUR PROFILE:  Peated

BOTTLED FOR THE 2022 ISLAY WHISKY FESTIVAL

LIMIT ONE BOTTLE PER MEMBER

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada
Suite 160
104 – 1240 Kensington Road NW
Calgary, AB  T2N 3P7
403-969-8225
curious@smws.ca
www.smws.ca

ROSEBANK ROSES
ENCHANTMENT

It’s a big day for Rosebank fans and collectors as we launch the final instalment of 21-year-old single malt from Elixir Distillers’ extremely rare Rosebank Roses series. Matured in a combination of bourbon and madeira casks, Enchantment brings together the lost distillery’s signature floral and grassy character with orchard fruit sweetness and subtle spice.

Closed for more then 20 years, Rosebank distillery produces some of the rarest and most sought-after Scottish single malts. We have a limited number of bottles available for purchase via ballot until 23:59 GMT on Wednesday 15 February 2023. Details of how to enter are below.

  ENTER BALLOT 

Blanton’s Gold Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon (700ml~European Import)

$240.00

View

The rare Blanton’s Gold has become beloved by connoisseurs and collectors world wide. The ultimate single barrel bourbon and founder of the category, Blanton’s has become one of the most asked for and hardest to obtain bourbons on the market today. We’ve found some limited stocks of European bound product that would otherwise have not been available. The famous “Gold” Blanton’s is so named for its unique golden horse and golden writing. Bottled at a perfect 103 proof, the Blanton’s Gold ups the complexity considerably from the standard release without the heat that the Straight From the Barrel offers. This is the perfect whiskey to offer nearly any bourbon lover if you’re looking for a special bottle that they’ve never had. It’s a true Kentucky benchmark and should be considered one of the truly great whiskies on the market today.

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/G2aI9TxNGeU

It’s been so long since I’ve reviewed a Loch Lomond product that the time has come! Aged for a majority of its life in ex-American Oak, and then being finished for a short period in Limousin Oak casks, this is a rich, volumous, and very flavourful single malt. Encompassing all parts of the flavour chart, including that subtle smoke that the standard Loch Lomond is famous for. This is another epitome of classic Highland style.

VISITORS TO HARRODS WILL ENJOY AN INTERACTIVE JAMES BOND EXPERIENCE AND A REMARKABLE NEW WHISKY 

Monday 13^th February 2023 – The world’s most iconic department store, Harrods, is to host an interactive James Bond-themed experience to mark the release of an extraordinary 007 whisky from, The Macallan.

The Macallan James Bond 60^th Anniversary Release is a unique single malt presented in a collection of six limited-edition bottles to mark the six decades of the Bond film franchise. From Sunday 19^th February, for 4 weeks visitors to the Knightsbridge store will be able to travel through an interactive journey filled with memorabilia and moments from the 007 films.

The experience, on the Ground Floor of Harrods, will be accessed directly from the Door 9 Entrance on Hans Road. Immediately on entering, visitors will follow a lit path to navigate through the exhibits, most of which are housed in – and visible from – the Exhibition Windows on the Brompton Road.

Central to the experience will be a timeline composed of original illustrative designs, concept art and storyboards showcasing the creative development process of the Bond films, also featured on the distinctive packaging of the whisky collection. At the heart of the timeline will be the original Little Nellie, the compact autogyro flown by Sean Connery in You Only Live Twice (1967). Guests will be able to have their Instagram-ready photo taken in a virtual cockpit to put themselves at the controls of the Wallis WA-116 Agile autogyro.

The final space takes the form of Moneypenny’s office, with filing cabinets showcasing a retrospective of memorabilia from the six decades of James Bond films. Inside various cabinets, visitors will uncover Bond’s passport from GoldenEye (1995), his government Whitehall ID as seen in Skyfall (2012) and a gold bar from Goldfinger (1964), signed by Sean Connery, the inhaler belonging to Le Chiffre in Casino Royale (2006), the metal teeth of towering henchman Jaws from The Spy Who Loved Me (1977), and the steel-rimmed bowler hat worn by Oddjob in Goldfinger (1964).

The Macallan James Bond 60^th Anniversary Release is a limited-edition Scotch whisky created by The Macallan Master Whisky Maker Kirsteen Campbell to capture the character of Bond – a single malt with extreme grace balanced by remarkable strength and depth of character. The expression is presented in six individual packaging designs – one for each decade of the film franchise – featuring original illustrations from the film archives to showcase the creative process behind some of Bond’s most iconic moments. Exclusively for Harrods in the UK, the collection is presented in its entirety in a limited-edition Globe-Trotter case crafted specially to hold the six bottles.

In addition to the London activity, a series of similarly curated experiences will take place in selected markets around the world as The Macallan in Cinema exhibit is celebrated across the globe.

‘The Macallan has become one of James Bond’s favoured whiskies, a reflection of his appreciation of the finer things in life,’ said Neil Skinner, Director of Marketing at Edrington UK, The Macallan’s brand owner. ‘Both are the modern innovators willing to push boundaries and linked by their Scottish heritage. We’re delighted to partner with Harrods – another global icon – for the first of what we hope will be many such initiatives. Innovation and craftsmanship is at the heart of what we do, and we are thrilled to be showcasing these qualities in such a fitting and distinguished setting.’

Alex Unitt, Partnerships Director at Harrods said: ‘We are delighted to be partnering with The Macallan on this special project, which marks the coming together of four iconic British brands. The Macallan, James Bond, Globe-Trotter and Harrods are all synonymous with luxury and discerning taste, something which resonates hugely with our Harrods customer in the UK and beyond. Harrods is proud to bring the rare and exclusive to our audience in every corner of our business and this is no exception. The level of craftsmanship and dedication to quality is remarkable at The Macallan distillery, and these are values that we hold very dear at Harrods. The interactive experience is not to be missed; we can’t wait to see it come to life for our customers to enjoy.’

Notes 

The launch coincides with a series of immersive experiences to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of Bond films, which was celebrated on 5^th October 2022, making it one of the longest running movie franchises, spanning twenty-five films, six decades and six lead actors. From September 2022, The Macallan in Cinema exhibit at The Macallan Estate has provided visitors to the distillery’s ground-breaking Speyside home with a retrospective of the brand’s history in Hollywood and the six decades of James Bond in cinema as well as a series of exclusive screenings of Bond films. Consumers visiting The Macallan Estate will experience a bond focused visual takeover through design and bespoke Bond serves at The Macallan Bar.

The Macallan is also partnering with The Langham hotel to serve a series of bespoke cocktails; other London hotels will also be serving The Macallan dedicated cocktails during February and March.

About Harrods

Harrods began as a wholesale grocer and tea merchant in east London, first opening its doors in 1834. Since then, it has grown to become the world’s most famous department store, known for its unrivalled range of luxury merchandise. As well as exclusive brands and myriad departments, one of Harrods’ most renowned attributes is its unparalleled service. Harrods continues to be guided by its philosophy of “anything is possible”, and, to this day, our customers remain at the heart of everything we do.

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 EON Productions 

EON Productions Limited and Danjaq LLC are wholly owned and controlled by the Broccoli/Wilson family. Danjaq is the US based company that co-owns, with Metro Goldwyn Mayer Studios, the copyright in the existing James Bond films and controls the right to produce future James Bond films. EON Productions, an affiliate of Danjaq, is the UK based production company that has made the James Bond films since 1962 and together with Danjaq controls all worldwide merchandising. For more information, visit007.com & 007Store.com

19^th Annual

Wee Tipple Party

Scotch Malt Whisky Society

Master Class
with Adam Bradshaw

Saturday, March 4, 2023

3:00-4:30

4898 Rutherford Road

The Grand Hotel

$60.00

A Burn’s Night celebration like no other

​A BURN’S NIGHT CELEBRATION LIKE NO OTHER

Managing Director of Cask Trade, Simon Aron with Directors Lee Tomlinson and Colin Hampden-White

Cask Trade and Speyside Distillery (Harvey’s Of Edinburgh) in association with Historic Royal Palaces hosted a unique Burn’s Night Experience for 200 people at HM Tower of London on 25^th January 2023 to launch the exclusive Spey Royal Choice Limited Edition.

Welcomed by the sound of  bagpipes, whisky lovers were treated to a private tour of the Crown Jewels before turning their attention to the liquid gold served in the White Tower and enjoyed an exclusive tasting of the last aged whisky from Speyside Distillery.

Guests were taken on an award-winning dram journey tasting; Speyside Distillery’s 2013 Barrel, 2014 Hogshead, and 2015 Barrel, as well as three SPEY tasting expressions – Trutina, Tenne and Fumare.

Founder of Cask Trade Simon Aron says: “It was a fantastic Burns Night at the Royal Palace launching the limited edition – SPEY Royal Choice. It was a joy seeing passionate whisky lovers do what we do best – taste brilliant single malt from one of the best in the art of making it.” 

The evening also included a special preview of artwork by Joanna McDonough, the Speyside Distillery’s Artist in Residence.

*Picture Caption (left to right): Managing Director of Cask Trade, Simon Aron with Directors Lee Tomlinson and Colin Hampden-White.

ABOUT CASK TRADE:

Founded in 2018 by Simon Aron in partnership with several of the world’s foremost whisky masters, including Keeper of the Quaich Colin Hampden-White, Cask Trade buys and sells exceptional cask whiskies.

The company is unique because it owns all the casks it sells, giving the customer 100% transactional guarantee. Cask Trade only sells whole casks: it is not a whisky cask broker and it does not offer fractional sales.

A passionate whisky collector for more than 20 years, Simon Aron suffered many false promises from whisky investment companies and this drove his ambition to create a real and trustworthy marketplace for whisky collectors and investors, and bottlers:

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.

•          Delivery orders from supplier to Cask Trade

•          Invoices for transfer of ownership, storage insurance, re-gauging, sampling or movement

•          HMRC-issued WOWGR (warehouse keepers, warehouse premises, owner of goods and registered consigners): a fully regulated and closely monitored license requiring due diligence on suppliers as well as customers.

•          HMRC-issued AWRS Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme: Licenced to wholesale, bottle and retail.

Included in its extensive list of customer services, Cask Trade’s rigorous processes means that the company will guarantee to buy back from its clients the casks they buy from and have had managed by Cask Trade.

It also offers:

•          Regular sampling and re-gauging of casks

•          Re-racking (sherry wine, port etc)

•          Estimates of bottles and strength in cask (effects of angels’ share 0ver years of maturations)

•          Financial modelling for each cask based on age and rarity with estimated % returns

•          Costings for bottling, labelling and shipping (duty & tax)

•          Regularly updated cask ownership guide which includes statistics from two authoritative third parties (independent of Cask Trade)

•          Cask Trade will arrange for clients to receive samples of their whiskies and visit their barrels(s), upon request – wherever possible.

Cask Trade started the first live auction website dedicated to exceptional whisky casks: auctionyourcask.com.

Hosted four times a year and helping private owners/investors sell their cask to independent bottlers and other investors all around the world. All casks will be re-gauged ready for auction and a full 70cl sample will be drawn so that bidders have the opportunity to try the whisky before they buy, wherever possible.

Cask Trade validate all the sellers and confirm proof of ownership and the history of the cask enabling bidders to safely buy. With complete transparency and no sellers’ fee customers receive the actual hammer price. The low buyers’ fee of 15% + VAT offer the opportunity to buyers, trade or private, to buy rare casks.

https://www.casktrade.com

https://www.auctionyourcask.com

ABOUT THE SPEYSIDE DISTILLERY

SPEY Whisky was voted the best single cask single malt at the World Whisky Awards 2021.

The beautiful boutique distillery has an annual production of 850,000 litres and is met by high demand from markets such as Taiwan. When it comes to luxury whisky in Asia,

SPEY Whisky stands out.

SPEY has a royal link that dates back almost 200 years when Lord Byron is understood to have gifted King George III with a barrel of Spey whisky to celebrate his marriage to Annabella Milbanke in 1815. Historic records show this barrel was dispatched to the King’s family home at Kew Palace. The whisky is produced exclusively under licence from Historic Royal Palaces – the independent charity that looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Banqueting House, Kensington Palace and Kew Palace.