2005 Aberlour 15 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Hogshead Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Pre-Arrival)

($89.99)

*Pre-arrival item expected to be available for shipment or pickup in summer 2022.

K&L Notes: For years, we never saw Aberlour bottled by independents. Considering the current interest in the distillery, it doesn’t seem prudent for the current owners to be releasing stocks for others to bottle, but nevertheless we’ve seen three or four barrels of Aberlour pop up on the independent market over the last couple of years. One of the most interesting and exciting parts of enjoying independently bottled single malts is finding unique expressions of distilleries you know and love. Connecting the familiar with the idiosyncratic nature of each individual barrel is a wonderful sensory experience. The Aberlour distillery is simply one of Speyside’s finest. The character exemplifies the region in a way that few other distillers do, and while many associate it with big, bold sherry, its creamy, rich character and complex malt profile are on full display here. It’s an insightful and intriguing example that expands our understand of the distillery’s profile. But best of all it just really tastes great. That said, please do add some water, as it’s simply a shadow of itself without it.

Andrew Whiteley | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: October 13, 2021

One of my favorite aspects of independent casks is that you get a chance to see a distillery’s character unvarnished by the master blender’s hand. Any one cask may seem an oddity, but as part of a complete understanding of any distillery, the insights they yield are invaluable. While A’bunadh put Aberlour on the map as a sherry-wielding powerhouse, and in recent years Alba has showcased the beauty of American oak hung on Aberlour’s frame, it is often in a refill hogshead at a respectable age that the character of the malt itself is best revealed. Straight away there is abundant fruit on the nose, a touch of fresh cream, and a little bit of sweet milk chocolate. The palate is rich and sweet in its own right, even at its big 63.5% ABV. With water, everything changes. The general fruitiness breaks apart into clear and pronounced ripe beauties ranging from snow peaches to bursting nectarines, golden apples, and even blackberry. The cream and milk chocolate seem to shift into more of a chocolate pudding situation as you get to the mid-palate. While it’s easy to call Aberlour a big, bold spirit, that’s often confusing it with the heavy sherry influence of A’bunadh. In reality, this cask of whisky shows more of a Sugar Ray Robinson kind of power and versatility. The finish ties a nice bow on the whole package with a bit of spice, a very easy-going savory note, and a reprise of all that sweet fruit.

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: September 10, 2021

This pretty little Aberlour is starting to offer some excellent complexity even in this relatively youthful and naked style. We all know Aberlour can be excellent, but there’s so little experience with it not totally overshadowed by sherry or even fresh bourbon casks. While it might not be the big punch in the gut the A’bunadh provides, we’re definitely starting to tease out some gorgeous distillery character at this fine age. Please note that the ABV is quite high, and this whisky is but a whisper of its true self without at least a few drops of water. The color is pale gold. The nose has yellow flowers and ripe pear, a bit of fresh hay, and a tiny dusting of cocoa. Add water and a bit of air and the complexity improves significantly, moving toward greengage, mirabelle, hints of fresh hessian, and clean pulverized limestone. On the palate, it’s much more supple and round with water. Sweet barley tea, fresh biscuits, Bartlett pear, a slight gravelly quality, and a lovely peppery spice on the finish. Not as tropical and fudgey as the one we sold last year, but so vibrant and alive. Please, please, please skip this one if you’re against adding water.

The Balvenie
16 Year Old
Pineau French Oak Finish

An abundance of vanilla spice and warm honey notes alongside grapefruit, geranium, glazed fruits and vibrant ginger

£130.00
buy now

Balvenie 16 Year Old French Oak Description

ralfy review 926 – Laphroaig 6yo @ 61.8%vol: (Williamson BB&R)

HOUSE OF SUNTORY ANNOUNCES THE RETURN OF

THE DOJO ADVOCACY PROGRAMME 

Built with the hospitality community in mind, the DOJO programme will immerse bartenders in the art of Japanese bartending through culturally immersive and educational sessions 

London, 5^th May 2022 – The House of Suntory has announced the return of its highly successful advocacy programme for the third year running, set to educate bartenders on their premium portfolio of Japanese premium sprits: Roku gin, Haku vodka and Toki and Hibiki whiskies. Kicking off in June 2022, the DOJO programme aims to deepen bartenders’ understanding of the philosophies behind the art of Japanese bartending.

The DOJO Academy and DOJO Senpai together form the full programme for DOJO this year. The DOJO Academy will provide 50 bartenders with insights from Japanese Craft Masters which can be applied to strengthen any hospitality career. Authentic Japanese Masters of Craft will host four modules over two “Monozukuri Masterclasses” in July and September, led by James Bowker, House of Suntory’s Brand Ambassador, which will immerse bartenders the craftsmanship, techniques and culture of bartending in Japan.

James and the Masters will also offer 25 bartenders a unique opportunity to take part in the DOJO Senpai program. This separate, elevated program provides bartenders with growth and development opportunities across a six-month period. A Senpai welcome lunch will be held in May 2022 to introduce the program and the House of Suntory spirits portfolio before a series of “Monozukuri Masterclasse”s which will run from June until September.

Each masterclass will take place at Japan House in London and the bespoke Japanese inspired sessions will be centred around the three pillars of House of Suntory: WA (being in harmony with Japanese nature), Monozukuri (traditional Japanese principles of craftsmanship) and Omotenashi (authentic Japanese hospitality). The “Monozukuri Masterclasses” will focus on:

Sushi and Seasoning – A masterclass on balance and seasoning, including a Haku tasting

Ikebana and Aesthetics – A masterclass spotlighting the art of Ikebana flower arranging and how to adapt it to cocktail garnishing, focused on Japanese aesthetics and beauty. The session also includes a Roku tasting

Kaiseki and Psychology – A masterclass teaching the skills and techniques behind traditional multi-course Japanese dining. The session will also include a tasting of the blending components of Toki

Chadō and Hospitality – A masterclass in Japanese hospitality, explored via the traditional Tea Ceremony, including an in-depth tasting of Hibiki

Additionally, inspired by the concept of Kaizen – “continual improvement” – participants will apply this concept via Kaizen Challenges over the duration of the summer. This will involve participants showcasing their newfound skills and applying them to a classic cocktail, selected prior to the first masterclass.

As part of this challenge, those who demonstrate the art of refinement and continuous improvement during the masterclasses will be invited to the DOJO Finale, taking place in November. The finale will bring together finalists from the DOJO Academy and DOJO Senpai programmes to take part in one last competition, hosted by James Bowker and famed Bar Master Hidetsugu Ueno of Bar High Five in Tokyo. At the end of the Masterclass, the group will present their Kaizen Classic to Hidetsugu Ueno, James Bowker and peers, with two lucky bartenders winning a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Japan.

Throughout the year there will also be several Japanese inspired DOJO mini events held in different London locations, including Japanese tea tasting and a Kanpai sake brewery tour.

Commenting on the return of DOJO for the third year running, James Bowker, Brand Ambassador for the House of Suntory, said: “We’re extremely delighted to bring back DOJO for a third year, and this time, we’re back in person after two years of virtual sessions. Japanese food and drink remain the UK’s fastest growing sector in hospitality (CGA Report 2021) and following a challenging period in our industry, the programme aims to motivate bartenders through incomparable experiences and authentic Japanese bar training. 

Those taking part will develop new ways to bring creativity to the art of Japanese bartending and gain unique insights into creating better guest experiences. I am really looking forward to welcoming the future DOJO ambassadors to our close-knit, yet growing community.” 

For more information on DOJO, please visit www.suntorydojo.com

Monozukuri Masterclasses 2022 dates:

The DOJO Academy

The DOJO Senpai

The three pillars of House of Suntory include:

WA – being in harmony with Japanese nature

Omotenashi – the enjoyed experiences of Japanese Hospitality and culture

Monozukuri – elevated Japanese Craftsmanship; and this programme will educate bartenders on all of these principles 

About Suntory Whisky

Since 1923, Suntory has been renowned as the pioneer of Japanese whisky for its House of Master Blenders and for their Art of Blending. The founding father of Japanese whisky Shinjiro Torii built Japan’s first malt whisky distillery in Yamazaki, and the Suntory legacy continued with Torii’s son, Keizo Saji, Suntory’s second master blender who continued to establish distilleries including the Hakushu distillery. As the generations of Suntory’s master blenders carry on, Suntory Whisky remains committed to heritage and innovation. The House of Suntory Whisky has been named four-time Distiller of the Year at the International Spirits Challenge in London, UK (2010, 2012, 2013, 2014).

Suntory Whiskies are subtle, refined and complex. The portfolio includes two single malt whiskies:  Yamazaki—Japan’s N°1 Single Malt, multi-layered and profound, Hakushu—verdant, fresh, and delicately smoky; and two blends: the noble blend, Hibiki—Japan’s most highly awarded blended whisky and Suntory Whisky Toki.

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Glenturret 30 Year Old

The Glenturret 30 Years Old has been shaped by three distinct distillery visionaries from both Scottish and French influence. This expression has been drawn from eight casks. American oak refills sweet and fruity evolving over time. European oak first fill add depth, vibrancy, and texture. These cask influences brought together create this luxuriant single malt.

Shop Now

£1,650.00

Natural colour and non-chillfiltered.
One of only 750 bottles available worldwide.

Tasting notes:

Toffee Bonbons, dried fruit soaked in brandy. A citrus edge appears but only just with milled mature oak. The oak softens allowing vanilla to come through as a creamy dessert. Wood spices drift late coming alive on the palate. Wisps of ginger, gentle cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg mingle with rich dark fruits. Harmonious. Sweet fruit and toffee interwoven before oak meanders to a gentle warm finish.

Tomatin 30 Years Old Batch 5

This award-winning single malt from Tomatin Distillery was aged for 30 years in a combination of an ex-bourbon and oak casks. It was bottled without chill-filtration or artificial colouring.

NOSE: Soft fruits, golden honey and smooth white chocolate.

PALATE: A fusion of tropical fruits and creamy buttered vanilla mingle in an explosion of sensational mixed spices.

Only 3900 bottles were produced.

£430.00

A Singular Sherry Cask from at a Jaw-Dropping Price
2006 Ledaig 15 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Refill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Pre-Arrival) ($99.99)
“One thing is for sure, you’re in for a wild ride everytime you buy a Ledaig—but of the many we’ve bottled over the years, this may be one of the most obviously delicious.”
— David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

As part of our recent haul from our friends at Old Particular, we’ve brought in a spectacular cask from everyone’s favorite iconoclast, Ledaig. From the treasured Tobermory distillery on the far-flung Isle of Mull, Ledaig is always a hotly debated topic among connoisseurs, for the simple fact that it has one of the most singular and estoreric profiles in Scotch whisky. Of course, no two single barrels are the same, and it’s safe to say that the casks of Ledaig to come through our doors in the past several years compare to nothing else in our program. Today’s cask is one for a broader audience than your usual Ledaig. To start, it’s just compellingly delicious, but not without its trademark Ledaig features. It’s a powerhouse of a whisky that does well with water, but the savory complexity is off the charts (as is the peat), and it carries the refill sherry butt with a subtle flair. As buyer David Othenin-Girard puts it, “The sherry is there but takes a serious back seat to the powerful spirit … just pure peat and wild, oceanic Ledaig character behind.” Best of all, we’ve sourced this utterly unique gem at a jaw-dropping, sub-$100 price, making it an undeniable steal for those savvy enough to get in on it.

2006 Ledaig 15 Year Old “Old Particular” K&L Exclusive Single Refill Sherry Butt Cask Strength Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Pre-Arrival) ($99.99)

David Othenin-Girard | K&L Spirits Buyer | Review Date: September 10, 2021

A second fabulous Ledaig, this time slightly leveled by sherry, which we acquired at a seemingly outrageous value. The Tobermory distillery on the hard-to-reach Isle of Mull is one of the least explored. The lovely town of Tobermory is famous for its colorful houses, but the distillery has stayed off many drinkers’ radars for lack of availability. We’ve managed to score several casks of the limited production smokey variant like this one, pronounced “La-chick,”, and they’ve been among the most controversial bottlings in our history. One thing is for sure, you’re in for a wild ride everytime you buy a Ledaig—but of the many we’ve bottled over the years, this may be one of the most obviously delicious. The sherried expressions of Ledaig are highly sought-after, although their profiles range wildly from the extremely unusual to the only slightly strange. This falls toward the slightly less crazy flavor profile, although it still has plenty of dense umami, gorgeous peat, and measured sherry character. Still don’t expect complete smooth sailing. The route to Mull is always a bit unpredictable, and this nicely aged peater in refill sherry is no exception. The color is pale gold. Much more restrained and approachable than the 12 Year. A pungent nose of amino acids, overripe tropical fruit, dark tarry smoke and pine sap. On the palate, the peat turns up, with a lovely meatiness and a big peppercorn finish. This one loves water—six drops in a half-ounce pour. Very much more open now. Bacon smoke, orange marmalade, pine again, leather, rust, hyssop, seagrass, barnacles, old wooden trawler, snuff box. The sherry is there but takes a serious back seat to the powerful spirit. This is clean for a sherried Ledaig with no sulphur at all, just pure peat and wild, oceanic Ledaig character behind.

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 441: Wolfburn Private Cask 2017/540 re-visited

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, re-visits a cask. Last year Mark tasted this private cask from Tom after he had let it come to Belgium just before the Brexit  troubles. Well, not the whole cask, though. He bottled 36 bottles. The 3-year-old gem was then at 61.2%. At the end of 2021 Tom had another 36 bottles shipped and that makes this very interesting. The malt has therefore been in the cask for exactly one year longer. Let’s see what evolution this Wolfburn has gone through. Mark puts the first one next to it to make a real comparison.

https://youtu.be/Tef3ruaVj5E

GORDON & MACPHAIL UNVEILS 64-YEAR-OLD WHISKY AS SECOND EDITION IN THE ‘MR GEORGE LEGACY’ SERIES 

The latest single malt in a series of timeless classics to emerge from the Gordon & MacPhail warehouse has been revealed.

Honouring Mr George Urquhart, a member of the second generation of the company’s owning family and the man who helped bring single malt whisky to the world, the Gordon & MacPhail Mr George Legacy 1957 from Glen Grant Distillery is the second expression to be released as part of the whisky creator’s annual Legacy series.

It was laid down 64 years ago while ‘Mr George’, as he was known to those who knew him best, was at the helm of the business. Only 298 bottles of this single cask whisky are available, highlighting the scarcity of this rarely seen vintage from Speyside’s Glen Grant Distillery.

The Mr George Legacy 1957 from Glen Grant Distillery celebrates Mr George’s long-term approach to maturation, where he was guided by the philosophy that whiskies take as long as they need to mature into the perfect dram. Achieving great quality and flavour takes time, and patience and trust in the process is still very much at the heart of Gordon & MacPhail’s ethos today.

Distilled on Thursday 10^th October 1957 and spending its entire maturation in cask no. 3483, a first-fill Sherry butt, the second edition of the Legacy Series [RSP £6000*] was bottled on Tuesday 9^th November 2021 at a cask strength of 56.1% ABV.

On the nose, the rich mahogany whisky releases aromas of fruitcake, festive spices, marmalade and treacle. To taste, notes of morello cherries, tobacco and garden mint greet the palate, followed by ripe red apple, citrus peel and subtle aniseed. It finishes in an explosion of flavour, with lingering notes of spice, forest fruits and charred oak.

As the second whisky in the Legacy series, the Mr George Legacy 1957 from Glen Grant Distillery celebrates the expertise and patience required to match cask to spirit for long-term maturation.

Stuart Urquhart, grandson of Mr George and Gordon & MacPhail’s Operations Director, said: “In some industry quarters my grandfather was fondly thought of as slightly eccentric due to his relentless focus on maturation, painstakingly selecting the right cask to match with each particular spirit. He was intrigued to know how long the whisky might take to reach its peak and would have known he might not be around when that moment came. That is his legacy to our family and to whisky drinkers who love the rich complexity of the ultra-aged single malts he laid down decades ago.

“The latest release in the Legacy series comes from Glen Grant distillery, for which my grandfather had a particular affinity. Local to us in Speyside, Glen Grant was the first distillery to use a purifier in distillation which resulted in a lighter spirit. Back in the 1950s, the spirit would have been slightly smoky due to floor maltings and a small level of peat being used – which is a style rarely seen in today’s modern Speyside whiskies – giving this whisky a charred oakiness that is perfectly balanced by long-term maturation in a Sherry cask made of American oak.”

Charles Maclean, whisky expert, noted: “This is a gorgeous whisky, rich and multi-layered, still vibrant and vital in spite of its great age. A worthy tribute to the man who first drew the world’s attention to the glories of single malt – Mr George Urquhart”.

Celebrating its 125^th anniversary in 2020, Gordon & MacPhail has built up an impressive collection of whiskies from over 100 distilleries housed in its liquid library, a testament to the close relationships forged with Scotland’s distilleries over many decades.

For more information, visit www.gordonandmacphail.com

#GordonandMacPhail            

*Prices in international markets may vary due to local taxes and import duties.

Tasting notes: Gordon & MacPhail Mr George Legacy Series, 1957 from Glen Grant distillery
Matured in cask 3483, a first-fill Sherry butt, and bottled at 56.1% ABV. Outturn of 298 bottles. 

COLOUR: Mahogany

AROMA: Rich FRUITCAKE aromas intertwine with FESTIVE SPICES; CINNAMON and GINGER. Notes of ORANGE MARMALADE is accompanied by DARK TREACLE and a hint of BEESWAX POLISH.

TASTE: MORELLO CHERRIES are followed by subtle dried TOBACCO and GARDEN MINT. Ripe RED APPLE undertones combine with CITRUS PEEL and soft ANISEED.

FINISH: A SPICY full-bodied finish with lasting flavours of FOREST FRUITS and CHARRED OAK.

About Gordon & MacPhail Whiskies:

For over 125 years, Gordon & MacPhail has been driven by a simple mission: to create single malt Scotch whisky of exceptional quality.

Through four generations of family ownership, the company has matched spirit from over 100 Scottish distilleries to its own bespoke casks.

It is this unique depth and breadth of experience that enables Gordon & MacPhail to combine oak, spirit and time to create a portfolio of iconic whiskies found nowhere else in the world.

• ‘Discovery’ – This flavour-led range is the perfect introduction to our portfolio of quality single malt Scotch whiskies
• ‘Distillery Labels’ – A range celebrating our long-standing relationships with Scotland’s distilleries
• ‘Connoisseurs Choice’ – The heart of our portfolio. Always unique, these non-chill-filtered, natural coloured, small batch expressions are genuine one-offs.
• ‘Private Collection’ – Greatly-aged single malts from celebrated, little-known, or closed distilleries specially selected by members of the Urquhart family
• ‘Generations’ – A prestigious collection of old, rare, and exclusive masterpieces