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Banff 1976 / 24 Year Old / Bot.2001 - Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
70cl / 55.8% / Signatory – An old Signatory bottling of the extinct Speysider Banff, this is from the 1976 vintage and was one of just 284 bottles released in 2001..
Price: £ 150.00 BUY IT NOW
You can buy it here: Banff 1976 / 24 Year Old / Bot.2001 – Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Or you can compare prices from a selection of suppliers here.
Smokehed - A rollercoaster of peat and spice with some delicate sweetness
The Sons of Icarus have been crowned the first ever winner of the UK’s largest unsigned band competition, the Marshall Ultimate Band Contest (UBC).
Sponsored by rock icon Marshall Amps, the Lick Library and Smokehead Islay Single Malt Whisky, the UBC came to a thrilling conclusion, with five finalists battling head to head at a live gig at Marshall’s Milton Keynes HQ.
Judged by a panel of influential industry heavyweights including Ian Williamson of Classic Rock Magazine, Kim Waller of The Lick Library and Chris George, International Demonstrator for Marshall Amplification, The Sons of Icarus were voted the unequivocal champions, winning not only the honour of being the first ever Marshall Ultimate Band but also get a full Marshall Endorsement (previously bestowed on the likes of Slash and Jimi Hendrix).
The Sons of Icarus will also receive a substantial equipment loan, a Limited Edition bottle of Smokehead Extra Black each, LickLibrary DVDs, a re-master of four tracks by famed Metropolis Studio and a covermount CD by Classic Rock Magazine.
Described as a modern rock band, The Sons of Icarus (formerly The Fury) are based in Guildford and consist of Andy Masson (vocals/ guitar), Alex Masson (bass/ backing vocals), Mike McQuillan (Drums), Steve Balkwill (Lead Guitar), who study together at the Academy of Contemporary Music, Surrey. The band reached the final thanks to fans voting online and the final was also broadcast by Lick Library via a webcast and was viewed by nearly 1,700 visitors.
The Sons of Icarus
Iain Weir of Smokehead Whisky and UBC judge said: “We were thrilled to be able support the first ever UBC and The Sons of Icarus were deserving winners. Over the last 12 months we have increasingly grown Smokehead’s rock credentials, not only with our work with Marshall and Lick Library but also by our continued support of key events in the rock calendar including the Classic Rock Hall of Fame Awards.
“The Marshall UBC was a great success and we cannot wait until Year Two of the Marshall Ultimate Band Contest – this is just the beginning.”
Smokehead Whisky, the powerful Islay Single Malt which has become the drink of choice at rock events including High Voltage Festival and, for the second time, the Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards.
Described as being like a cannonball, Smokehead is an explosive combination of peat, smoke and spice with some delicate sweetness. The single malt flavour is described as fresh, fruity and immense, with notes of sherry, iodine, toffee, smoke and sea salt. The taste hits the palate at once with cocoa, peat and some honey sweetness, before exploding with peppery spice and more earthy peat.
In his new book 101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die, Ian Buxton says of Smokehead 18 Years Old: “I saw Extra Black compared to the amplifier that goes all the way up to 11 in Spinal Tap. This is just as rock and roll as that.”
Tasting notes:
Nose:
Heavy smoke and peat. Amazing richness. Lemon, fresh ginger, plum jam. Salty and spicy.
Body:
Like a cannonball – hits the palate at once with cocoa, peat and some honey sweetness then explodes with peppery spice and more earthy peat. Spreads to all the areas of your mouth with more peat and light sweetness.
Finish:
Even more peat, spice, mandarin – then dries up. When you think it’s all over the peat comes back to hit you again.
Impression
A rollercoaster of peat and spice with some delicate sweetness.
Glenfarclas 1955 / Sherry Cask / The Family Casks - Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
70cl / 46.1% / Distillery Bottling – The Glenfarclas Family Casks series is a new range of vintage casks from one of Speyside’s best distilleries. All but three of the range (1952, 1979 & 1984) are from first fill or refill sherry casks..
Price: £ 799.00 BUY IT NOW
You can buy it here: Glenfarclas 1955 / Sherry Cask / The Family Casks – Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Or you can compare prices from a selection of suppliers here.
Whisky Galore! Rabbie's New Whisky Tours For 2011
The luxury small-group tour company Rabbie’s Trail Burners is launching two brand new tours to tease the palette – eight days of immersion in a whisky connoisseur’s dream, taking in the most famous whisky producing regions in the world.
The Whisky Coast Explorer tour includes the opportunity to visit a host of distilleries in Scotland’s Highland, Islay and Island regions including Kilchoman, Bruichladdich, Bowmore, Ardbeg, Laphroaig and Oban.
First, visit the beautiful island of Islay, renowned for its peaty, smoky malt whiskies before enjoying a four island feast including the rolling mountains of Mull, spiritual and ever peaceful island of Iona, the extraordinary view over the dramatic basalt columns on Staffa and the majestic rugged landscapes of Skye.
The tour departs from Edinburgh and Glasgow on Fridays (returning to Edinburgh only) starting from 29 April 2011 and costs £478 for adults, £448 for concessions.
The Islay, Edinburgh and Speyside tour starts by taking in the famous Islay distilleries of Bowmore, Kilchoman, Bruichladdich, Ardbeg and Laphroig followed by a trip to Oban, and its distillery. The next two nights are spent soaking up culture and history in the city of Edinburgh, where guests can continue the whisky theme with a visit to The Scotch Malt Whisky Experience to see the world’s largest whisky collection of over 3,000 bottles.
The tour then continues north to Speyside, home to more than half of Scotland’s malt whisky distilleries, including stops at Dalwhinnie, Benromach and Glenlivet as well as the Speyside Cooperage to see how barrels are made. The tour also takes in Loch Fyne, Loch Lomond, Cairngorm National Park, Balmoral and historic Dunkeld.
Tour departs from Edinburgh and Glasgow on Fridays (returning to Edinburgh only) starting from 29 April 2011 and costs £348 for adults, £328 for concessions.
All accommodation is charged separately to suit individual tastes and budgets but both trips include the opportunity to stay at the beautiful self-catering Bowmore Cottages, within the grounds of the distillery.
Time off the bus is very important to Rabbie’s Small Group Tours and the team has personally researched and tested every stop on every route to ensure visitors are seeing the very best of what Scotland has to offer. Combining comfort with fun, history, anecdotes and in-depth knowledge brings the authentic Scotland to life. All trips are restricted to 16 passengers, to ensure these intimate tours take visitors off the beaten track to experience the real Scotland, its people and culture. Rabbie’s guarantees visitors will enjoy their trip – or their money back.
To book visit www.rabbies.com.
Littlemill 12 Year Old - Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
70cl / 40% / Distillery Bottling.
Price: £ 27.95 BUY IT NOW
You can buy it here: Littlemill 12 Year Old – Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Or you can compare prices from a selection of suppliers here.
Glenlivet / Special Export Reserve / Bot. 1970's - Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
75cl / 43% / Distillery Bottling.
Price: £ 299.00 BUY IT NOW
You can buy it here: Glenlivet / Special Export Reserve / Bot. 1970's – Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Or you can compare prices from a selection of suppliers here.
The Whisky Exchange has 38 New additions to it’s range this week with whiskies from regions such as: Campbeltown, Highland, Island, Islay, Lowland and Speyside.
The brands include Aberfeldy, Benromach, Bruichladdich, Bunnahabhain, Caol Ila, Clynelish, Dailuaine, Glen Elgin, Glen Scotia, Glencadam, Glenfiddich, Glenmorangie, Glenrothes, Highland Park, Ileach, Imperial, Inchmurrin, Isle Of Jura, Laphroaig, Longmorn, Old Pulteney, Rosebank, Speyside & Tobermory.
The ages of the new whiskies range from 8 to 45 Year Old malts.
| Supplier | Brand | Bottle Size |
Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Whisky Exchange |
Benromach Traditional – Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Country: Scotland Region: Speyside Age: Strength: 40% Summary: 70cl / 40% / Distillery Bottling – The first new bottling since the distillery began production in 1998 after a 15-year lay-off. The whisky is year oldung, but has a delicious dollop of peat and plenty of fresh, ripe flavours. A very welcome return. |
70cl | £ 21.95 BUY NOW |
| The Whisky Exchange |
Bunnahabhain 12 Year Old – Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Country: Scotland Region: Islay Age: 12 Year Old Strength: 40% Summary: 70cl / 40% / Distillery Bottling – Bunnahabhain 12 year old is a very lightly-peated malt that serves as perhaps the mildest introduction to the Islay style. A winner at the World Whisky Awards 2010. |
70cl | £ 34.95 BUY NOW |
| The Whisky Exchange |
Glen Elgin 1971 / 32 Year Old – Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Country: Scotland Region: Speyside Age: 32 Year Old Strength: 42.3% Vintage: 1971 Bottler: Summary: 70cl / 42.3% / Distillery Bottling – Very few expressions of Glen Elgin have been bottled, so this is a rare treat. Released in 2003, this is a delicious honeyed, fruity dram from an often overlooked distillery that has long been rated 'First Class' by blenders lists. |
70cl | £ 260.00 BUY NOW |
| The Whisky Exchange |
Glenmorangie Cellar 13 / 10 Year Old – Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Country: Scotland Region: Highland Age: 10 Year Old Strength: 43% Summary: 100cl / 43% / Distillery Bottling – Matured in a warehouse by the sea, this Glenmorangie has a more salty, fresh character with a whiff of iodine. Originally for Duty Free only. |
100cl | £ 59.95 BUY NOW |
| The Whisky Exchange |
Glenrothes 1967 / 35 Year Old / Cask# 6998 – Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Country: Scotland Region: Speyside Age: 35 Year Old Strength: 46.3% Vintage: 1967 Bottler: Summary: 70cl / 46.3% / Distillery Bottling – A phenomenal single cask bottling of Glenrothes from 2002, this was rated 94 points by Jim Murray in the inaugural Whisky Bible, describing it as 'Glorious…Glenrothes at its most seductive and complex. Now this is a classic: not just as a Speysider but among all Scotland malts'. |
70cl | £ 850.00 BUY NOW |
| The Whisky Exchange |
Aberfeldy 21 Year Old – Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Country: Scotland Region: Highland Age: 21 Year Old Strength: 40% Summary: 70cl / 40% / Distillery Bottling – An excellent value 21 year old Aberfeldy, showcasing the richer end of the Highland spectrum with plenty of sherry influence. Winner of a Gold Medal and Best in Class at the International Wine & Spirits COmpetition 2010. |
70cl | £ 85.49 BUY NOW |
| The Whisky Exchange |
Bruichladdich 12 Year Old / 2nd Edition – Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Country: Scotland Region: Islay Age: 12 Year Old Strength: 46% Summary: 70cl / 46% / Distillery Bottling |
70cl | £ 33.49 BUY NOW |
| The Whisky Exchange |
Imperial 1991 – Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky Country: Scotland Region: Speyside Age: Strength: 43% Vintage: 1991 Bottler: Summary: 70cl / 43% / Gordon & Macphail |
70cl | £ 36.54 BUY NOW |
| The Whisky Exchange |
Isle Of Jura 21 Year Old – Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky Country: Scotland Region: Island Age: 21 Year Old Strength: 43% Summary: 75cl / 43% / Distillery Bottling – An explosion of soft citrus fruits, yet spicy and warm, as the lingering wood tones unfold in perfect harmony. A great whisky at a great price for this age. |
75cl | £ 94.95 BUY NOW |
| The Whisky Exchange |
Tobermory 10 Year Old – Island Single Malt Scotch Whisky Country: Scotland Region: Island Age: 10 Year Old Strength: 40% Summary: 70cl / 40% / Distillery Bottling – The unpeated malt from the producers of Ledaig, Tobermory hails from the Isle of Mull and is a more gentle medium-bodied, accessible malt than its peated sister. A good aperitif malt. |
70cl | £ 29.95 BUY NOW |
| The Whisky Exchange |
Bruichladdich Peat – Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Country: Scotland Region: Islay Age: Strength: 46% Summary: 70cl / 46% / Distillery Bottling – A replacement for the highly successful '3D' series, Bruichladdich Peat apparently 'does what it says on the tin' with phenol levels of 35ppm. No age statement, but it is cheaper than the old 3D releases and, shockingly, has escaped from the the distillery without being finished. Doubly unique 'Laddie! |
70cl | £ 29.95 BUY NOW |
| The Whisky Exchange |
Laphroaig 1999 / 8 Year Old – Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Country: Scotland Region: Islay Age: 8 Year Old Strength: 57.6% Vintage: 1999 Bottler: Summary: 70cl / 57.6% / Speciality Drinks Ltd – A vibrant, exuberant year oldung Laphroaig, bursting with sooty character and peppery tingle. A delightful 'Froyg. |
70cl | £ 41.41 BUY NOW |
Auchentoshan 1965 / 31 Year Old - Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky
70cl / 45.5% / Distillery Bottling – An old 1990s bottling of Auchentoshan 1965, bottled from a single hogshead..
Price: £ 450.00 BUY IT NOW
You can buy it here: Auchentoshan 1965 / 31 Year Old – Single Lowland Malt Scotch Whisky
Or you can compare prices from a selection of suppliers here.
Glen Grant 1948 - Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
70cl / 40% / Gordon & Macphail – An ancient dram aged for nigh on sixty years. Thankfully, Glen Grant is one of those special Speysiders (like Glenfarclas and Macallan) that is capable of withstanding immense oak ageing without tasting like a pile of wet sawdust..
Price: £ 520.00 BUY IT NOW
You can buy it here: Glen Grant 1948 – Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Or you can compare prices from a selection of suppliers here.
Macallan 1965 / 36 Year Old / Fine & Rare - Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
70cl / 56.2% / Distillery Bottling.
Price: £ 2,450.00 BUY IT NOW
You can buy it here: Macallan 1965 / 36 Year Old / Fine & Rare – Single Speyside Malt Scotch Whisky
Or you can compare prices from a selection of suppliers here.
