Michel Couvreur “Blossoming Auld Sherried” K&L Exclusive Malt Whisky (750ml) $279.99 View

The chance to work with Michel Couvreur on a special K&L whisky project was something that David and I had been dreaming of for years. We had heard the stories. This crazy Belgian had moved to Burgundy in the ’60s, carved out a wine cellar inside a mountain, only to fill it with Scottish single malt whisky instead of Pinot Noir. He set up camp in Beaune, ordered new-make spirit to be delivered by tanker, and drove down to Jerez himself, selecting his own sherry butts to ensure the finest quality casks for his contracted spirit. Unfortunately, Michel Couvreur passed away in 2013 from pancreatic cancer, thus ending the career of one of the industry’s most courageous pioneers. Luckily for us, however, apprentice Jean-Arnaud has carried on after studying under Michel for more than a decade. When we visited the underground cave, we were all in total awe. The tunnels of dripping stone go on forever, and the amount of whisky stored in this secret lair is jawdropping. We put our trust completely in Jean-Arnaud and are happy we did. Our peated version of the incredible sherry expression is a seamless creation that drinks like the best version of Johnnie Black ever, mixed with the most supple and soft expressions of Macallan. It’s a lush, unfiltered, creamy, caramel-laden dream of a whisky composed only of malts 12 years and older. There’s a bit of peat on the finish, but the soft sherry is the star. (NOTE: do NOT cut the hard wax seal, use a wine opener to go through it)

Michel Couvreur “Peaty Overaged” K&L Exclusive Malt Whisky (750ml) $79.99 View

Michel Couvreur established his business selling Burgundy wines in the early 1950s in Scotland. In 1978, French friends suggested that he add a top-quality Scotch to his portfolio, which began Couvreur’s interest in the whisky industry. He believes that the oak whisky is aged in has an outsized influence on the character of the finished product. He also strongly prefers sherry casks for the maturation process, and has gone to great lengths to source what he believes are the finest casks from Andalusia. The Blossoming Auld Sherry is a recreation of the legendary malt whiskies of the Victorian era. An era when sherry and Scotch were both kept on hand in the cellars of England and Scotland’s great estates and drawn for consumption as needed. Matured in one single butt of the freshest possible Montilla-Moriles casks, this whisky is redolent of that great wine of Jerez in a way that’s simply not available in modern bottlings. This ultra-saturated butt from a solera started in the 1950s at Toro Albala is one of a kind. Couvreur is the only producer able to buy from the venerable Bodega and they receive the choicest butts delivered still wet to the cellars in Burgundy. The cask was kept in medium humidity for the majority of its maturation before being moved to the wettest part of Couvreur’s cellar where extractive atmosphere is at a maximum. Age is inconsequential in terms of the quality here, but it is indeed older than all but the most expensive of Couveur’s offerings. A triumph!

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 453: Suntory Old Special Quality

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries an older Japanese blend. Suntory Old is a popular whisky from Japan, which first appeared in the 1940s. It continued to lead the way until the 1980s when single malts began to grow in popularity and this fun blend lost its prestige somewhat. Mark was able to pick up a bottle from the 1990s with the strange contents of 760ml.  It is more than plausible to suspect that this contains quite a lot of Yamazaki, Hakushu and Chita, right?

https://youtu.be/gpyCcb6fCjs

FETTERCAIRN DISTILLERY UNVEILS NEW

16 YEAR OLD 2022 LIMITED EDITION

2022 marks the third limited release in the annual series, which showcases different maturation journeys from the distinctive distillery character

Fettercairn Distillery has unveiled the latest release of its popular 16 Year Old Single Malt Whisky. The collection launched in 2020 as a series of limited-edition annual releases of 16 Year Old Single Malt, each with their own distinct recipe. This 2022 release offers a taste of the Aberdeenshire distillery’s distinctive tropical house style, whilst exploring the influence of a unique finish for Fettercairn.

This highly anticipated release offers a rare experience of the distillery’s tropical character with accentuated notes of exotic fruits and syruped figs, underpinned by gentle roasted coffee. This 16 Year Old is an expertly balanced expression finished with a trilogy of casks; influence led by maturation in first fill Oloroso sherry cask, before further maturation in first fill Pedro Ximénez sherry casks and a final finish in ex Bourbon barrels, all shaping the unique character of this refined whisky.

This specially selected trilogy of casks illustrates Fettercairn Distillery’s curiosity – seeking to create and evolve flavour with each new release. The resulting 16 Year Old Single Malt whisky unites exotic fruity aromas in the form of ripe guava with patisserie spices, cocoa and a crescendo of natural vanilla to create layers of rich flavour bringing depth to the ripe exotic fruit characteristics typically found in Fettercairn spirit when it reaches its mid-late teens.

Bottled at 46.4%, natural in colour and non-chill filtered, this new 16 Year Old promises the very best of Fettercairn, unifying rare, matured spirit with a unique cask journey for Fettercairn, bringing to life a story of creativity and craft in the distinctive way which has come to define the distillery.

Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass: “In creating this recipe, selecting these casks, I set out to further explore the boundaries of what we can achieve at Fettercairn in our quest for true distinction whilst continuing to deliver on the tropical house character that defines Fettercairn.  Once again, the result is a very special, one-off creation that will never be repeated.  The challenge was to fine tune the balance of cask influence that would deliver the unique profile I was looking for. A unique drinking experience, which, with accentuated flavour characteristics, define Fettercairn.”

Fettercairn 16 Year Old 2022 release will be available across Europe including France, UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium from July onwards, extending to Global Travel Retail and key Asia markets into 2023, at an RSP of £72. The GTR edition will be in 1L formats with an RSP of £82.50.

TASTING NOTES

COLOUR – Amber gold with sunrise flecks.

NOSE – Dried exotic fruits, lightly syruped figs, grapefruit and notes of mature oak.

TASTE – Sunkissed raisins, ripe guava, patisserie spices and cocoa qualities elaborated with a crescendo of natural vanilla. Finish encompasses moist ginger cake, passion fruit, baked apple, underpinned with gentle notes of roasted coffee.

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About Fettercairn 

Driven by an enlightened ethos at the heart of our distilling philosophy since 1824, today Fettercairn Distillery lives by a long-standing commitment to unfettered thinking.

We’re not like other distilleries and we’ve never been afraid to tread our own path.  It’s only by defying convention, tradition and expectation, we can adopt an enlightened and progressive approach.

Take our cooling ring, our home grown Scottish oak and single estate whiskies, the special collaboration with 200 local farmers, the Warehouse 2 Collection. And not forgetting the unicorn on our bottle!

Our vision is future facing, so we don’t need to look back to move forward.  But ultimately, all of this leads to an unwavering commitment to a prosperous and sustainable future for whisky making.

We are Fettercairn; the home of enlightened whisky making. 

www.fettercairnwhisky.com

About Gregg Glass- Master Whisky Maker

Respected whisky maker Gregg Glass joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016, where he has been a leading light in the rejuvenation of Fettercairn alongside Distillery Manager Stewart Walker.

Gregg enjoyed a childhood in the heart of whisky making country, the Black Isle. With 22 years in industry notably 11 years at innovative whisky maker Compass Box, Gregg joined Whyte and Mackay in 2016 to work alongside renowned Master Distiller Mr Richard Paterson OBE.

Gregg has enjoyed 15 years career as a blender and whisky maker. At Whyte and Mackay Gregg has led whisky development for Fettercairn Single Malt Whisky, Jura Single Malt Whisky and in 2017 launched Whisky Works – an independent innovation wing of Whyte and Mackay.

Gregg is devoted to his craft and believes in flavour-led hands-on whisky making. Gregg is passionately involved in every aspect of the whisky making process from ‘acorn to glass’ and since 2020 leads whisky making across the Whyte and Mackay portfolio. 

Award-Winning Whisky Makers Whyte and Mackay

Whyte and Mackay is home to a collection of multi-award-winning Single Malt Whiskies including The Dalmore, Jura and Fettercairn. With a premium spirits portfolio that includes contemporary whisky brands Shackleton, Woodsman and John Barr, alongside popular alcohol brands Wildcat, Fundador and Harveys Bristol Cream and Aperitivo. In the UK the company produce Whyte & Mackay, an award-winning ever-popular Blended Whisky, which recently launched the market-leading ‘Whyte & Mackay Light’ – a lighter spirit drink from Scotland, bottled at a lower ABV.

In 2020 the company were publicly recognised by the First Minister of Scotland for their support of the national pandemic response. Whyte and Mackay are official partners to SAMH – Scottish Association for Mental Health, which saw Whyte and Mackay employees worldwide complete a virtual-race-around-the-world to raise awareness for the charity.

Founded in Glasgow 1844, the whisky makers celebrated their 175 year anniversary in 2019. Today Whyte and Mackay have offices from New York to Singapore. In Scotland, Whyte and Mackay operate a state-of-the-art Bottling Hall and Distribution Centre in Grangemouth and a Whisky Production and Warehousing Centre in Invergordon.

Whyte and Mackay’s whisky making is led by Master Distiller Richard Paterson OBE and pioneering Master Whisky Maker Gregg Glass.

Fancy investing in a whisky cask?

Holyrood is an exciting new distillery in the heart of Edinburgh. Auld Reekie has turned out to be a particular inspiration and is represented in their two smoky expressions. Through their cask programme, you can purchase a cask of heavily peated or lightly peated spirit, allowing you to make your own mark on Scotland’s whisky industry. W Club members receive a £250 discount until the end of August so join the club now.

Register your interest →

Cask programmes can make for excellent investment opportunities. If you decide to sell on the whisky from your cask, you could be making yourself quite the profit! Alternatively, you could pitch in on a cask with a group of friends or fellow whisky enthusiasts. Even if you don’t decide to sell on the whisky from your cask, you have a whisky of your very own to enjoy with family and friends.

If you are keen to find out more, you can check out Holyrood’s website here and read all about their cask programmes. If they sound right up your street, you can register your interest via our form below.

Register Your Interest

Holyrood Distillery
Lightly Peated Cask

Aged in a lightly toasted port wood, the lightly peated cask makes for a beautiful subtly smoked malt. The cask is filled with a combination of heavy peated malt and Rauch malt to create the smoky flavours, and East Lothian malt and Caramalt to add a sweeter note to the spirit. Edinburgh Ale yeast is used to create refreshing citrus flavours in the expression which wonderfully balance the more powerful smoky notes. The single malt will then spend ten years maturing in a 225 litre lightly toasted first fill port barrique.

£3,500.00
Register Your Interest

Holyrood Distillery
Heavily Peated Cask

The heavily peated expression is a true smoke bomb. It is made from 50% Islay peated malt, 38% Maris Otter, and 12% Amber malt which adds some sweetness to the smoke from the Islay malt. Some beer yeast is added to draw in citrus flavours, as well as Kviek yeast which is used in Norwegian Ales. The expression is then poured into a 250 litre Spanish sherry hogshead of your choice – either first fill Pedro Ximenez sherry or first fill Cream sherry – before a ten-year maturation.

£5,000.00
Register Your Interest

New lines added to our Price Drop…

As some of the deals will start to expire, we have added a handful of new deals to the Price Drop. View the full line-up below for a tasty selection. Bag a bargain, or two…once they’re gone, they’re gone!

🔥 Free delivery over £75 🔥

View the Price Drop →

Ledaig 20 Year Old

Peated Malt Distilled at Tobermory Distillery

Ledaig (Tobermory) 20 Year Old

Selected exclusively for the United Kingdom market for the Connoisseurs Choice series.

Single refill sherry butt bottled May 2022. Expect stewed red fruit flavours, to cocoa powder, orange zest and a  spicy finish with smoke, aniseed and toffee

Ledaig 20 Year Old 2001 vintage Island single malt Scotch whisky distilled at Tobermory distillery. Single refill sherry butt #285 bottled May 2022 for the United Kingdom market by Gordon & MacPhail for the Connoisseurs Choice series. 498 bottles. Bright apple and autumunal spice aromas gve way to brown sugar. Stewed red fruit flavurs lead to cocoa powder and orange zest. Full spicy finish with smoke, aniseed and toffee.

Buy – Ledaig 20 Years – £160 / $160* / €157*

Tobermory Distillery was established by John Sinclair in 1798 and is situated in the harbour town of Tobemory on the Isle of Mull off the west coast of Scotland. Equipped with four stills fitted with unusually twisted lyne arms to create a light and fruity Tobermory malt spirit. The distillery produces an unpeated single malt whisky called Tobermory and a peated single malt whisky called Ledaig. In addition to the core range which includes the Lediag 18 Year Old some excellent young aged Ledaig is available from independent bottlers including Signatory.

BOWMORE TASTING

Bowmore it is smoke, reminiscent of beach bonfires, mingles with a distinctly saline note, flowers, cereal, citrus and underneath a touch of tropical fruit. It is this character which, when matured in refill casks for a long period of time, becomes the primary aroma, the peat seemingly disappearing completely.

A significant percentage of the make is aged in ex-Sherry butts which take Bowmore off in another direction – one of dark fruits, chocolate, coffee, citrus and smoke.

The extensive range picks and chooses between these extremes.  A significant percentage of the distillery’s whisky is matured on the island, with the distillery’s No.1 Vaults being have the most extraordinary microclimate, with the sea and temperature influencing the whiskies that are stored in the Vault, This chill, damp environment of the vault lies below sea and Loch Indaal, one wall makes up the town’s sea wall – is seen as ideal for long-term maturation.

The brand Ambassador David Miles will be taking us through the line-up below:

Bowmore 12yo

Bowmore 15yo

Bowmore 18yo

Bowmore 25yo

Buy Now

Summer 2022 Berry Bros. & Rudd has landed

Established in 1698, the famous Berry Bros. & Rudd wine and spirit merchants know a thing or two about whisky. And this Summer batch of independently bottled drams are truly stunning! We are intrigued by the Staoisha: a powerfully peaty 9-year-old dram from Bunnahabhain. Have a browse of each and see which ones take your fancy.

View all New Releases →

Saturday, September 10th, 1 PM – 5 PM

Local Spirits: Glyph Molecular Whiskey

Come by for this spotlight tasting of Glyph Molecular Whiskey. the first whiskey made from the molecule up. To make Glyph, distillery Endless West begins by mapping out a desired flavor, aroma, and mouthfeel, then selecting the exact molecules from sources like fruit, citrus, yeasts, and sugars to build their spirit, eschewing traditional aging and distilling methods to create a delicious whiskey in record time. The results are then hand-bottled in the historic Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco, just a few miles away from The Whisky Shop.

Click Here to RSVP

(or email us at info@whiskyshopusa.com)

American single malt whisky is a growing category that I’m paying quite a lot of attention to.

Having had seen some rules for the establishment of rules for American single malt whisky, receiving this bottle was a surprise in itself. Shipping a whole bottle from North Carolina to the UK isn’t the easiest thing to do, and it’s something which I can now delve into over time. I’ve lived with all sorts of whisky for years, now I can add American singe malt to that list.

https://youtu.be/cBLjjlNmjmA