Archives for September 2014

Tasting Notes – Kilchoman 5YO Exclusive Bottling From Abbey Whisky!

September 11, 2014 by Gary Leave a Comment

Tasting Notes – Kilchoman 5 YO Exclusive bottling

There is no doubt, it is official. Kilchoman is a very popular Islay malt whisky!

Not only does it fly off the shelves with each celebrated release but the whisky and it’s producers have also garnered a clutch of prestigious awards including Master Distiller of the Year 2013, Whisky of the Year at IWC 2013, Whisky Advocate’s Award for Islay Single Malt 2013 and Malt Advocates Artisan Whisky 2011.

From it’s first inception in 2005, the founder Anthony Wills was determined to get back to basics with whisky distilling.

Using barley which is grown in fields surrounding the distillery and traditional floor malting are just two of the processes undertaken at the distillery.

This dedication to detail is reflected in it’s flavour.

Seeing red can be a good thing!

Abbey Whisky has managed to secure themselves a cask of this dram nectar and because they are very kind people, they are willing to share it with us!

Cask #285/09 has been matured for over four and a half years in a fresh bourbon barrel before being transferred to a Pedro Ximénez cask for a further four months maturation.

The idea is the Pedro Ximénez finish softens things down a little but still allows the dram to hold the traditional taste & characteristics of a Kilchoman whisky.

I think they have succeded!

Tasting Notes – Kilchoman 5 YO Exclusive bottling ( Cask strength – 58.3% )

Nose: Golden amber colour. Peaty aromas with brown sugar and vanilla.

Palate: Thickly peaty, sweet caramel combined with plump sultanas and a full cask strength alcohol hit to knock yer socks off!

Finish: Long spicy finish with slight peatyness, a modicum of tanin.

Overall: This is a fine meaty dram – the 58.3% sure packs a punch but in a controlled, defined way. It is difficult to believe this is such a young malt, it’s flavours offer a maturity seen in much older drams.
A malt whisky that is wise beyond it’s years!

Can’t believe Abbey Whisky is releasing this cask – I’d be tempted to keep it for private consumption.

But then, the folks at Abbey Whisky are very generous!

Many thanks to Abbey Whisky (@abbeywhisky) for sending the sample!

Kilchoman 5 YO Exclusive bottling has a limited stock of 270 bottles and is available to buy from Abbey Whisky priced at £78.95

Permanent Release for The Glenlivet Nàdurra Range

September 9, 2014 by Gary Leave a Comment

The Glenlivet Nadurra First Fill

Glenlivet has unveiled a second new permanent expression to it’s Nàdurra range.

The Glenlivet Nàdurra First Fill Selection is drawn from casks made from American White Oak that have never before been used to mature Scotch whisky.

These casks have always been a popular choice of distillers at The Glenlivet since the early 1900s, imparting hints of creamy vanilla to the malt whisky.

The release follows the initial launch of The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso earlier this year and is supported by a new cask strength edition of this expression – The Glenlivet Nàdurra Oloroso Cask Strength.

The Glenlivet Nadurra Oloroso

Celebrating the highly skilful traditions of whisky making at The Glenlivet, all expressions in the Nàdurra range (Gaelic for natural) are bottled without chill-filtration, offering the additional complexity, body and texture of a whisky that has just been drawn from the cask.

The 19th Century production methods, combined with maturation in first-fill American Oak casks, imparts The Glenlivet Nàdurra First Fill Selection with an inviting aroma of soft vanilla, fudge and sweet, ripe pears, developing into a tropical mix of pineapple, banana and citrus on the palate and leading to a refreshing finish.

Nikki Burgess, Global Brand Director for The Glenlivet said, “Whisky enthusiasts have admired The Glenlivet for its signature smooth and fruity flavour profile for nearly 200 years so, with our Nàdurra range, we want to highlight the skill and craftsmanship behind The Glenlivet.

The Glenlivet Nàdurra has long held an extra special place in the hearts of single malt whisky connoisseurs and we are confident that our new Nàdurra innovations will satisfy their increasing appetite for excellence in single malt whisky craftsmanship.”

Ballantine’s Unveils Winning Night Market Bar

September 8, 2014 by Gary Leave a Comment

L’epicerie opens to the public at Parisian club, le Chacha

When Ballantine’s launched The Bar Project in France earlier this year, young mixologist Abderrahim El Asfar – known as “Abdou” – could only dream of his entry reaching the final stages and eventually being brought to life by Europe’s leading whisky brand.

However, last night, Abdou’s bar concept became reality, unveiled at a special launch event attended by some of Paris’s leading media and socialites.

“L’Epicerie” – Abdou’s imaginative bar concept which won the entrepreneurial competition with more than 50% of the public vote – is open to the public at popular Parisian nightspot “Le Chacha” now, opening Tuesday to Sunday for an exclusive six-week period.

Every week, customers will be able to join various sessions that will explore the characteristics of Ballantine’s, including the opportunity to sample some of the mixologists’ delicious concoctions that have been inspired by the whisky and its taste profile.

The bar is the product of a challenge set by Ballantine’s, inviting entrepreneurs from across France to submit their own vision for a dream bar.

The project saw more than 100 entries submitted via Facebook, which were whittled down to just three by a jury including Simon Baldeyrou, CEO of Deezer in France, and Laura Leonard, a renowned interior designer, the public vote then deciding the overall challenge winner.

El Afsar’s design is inspired by a traditional night market, in which customers are able to browse the ‘market’s’ evocative shelves, selecting their own ingredients which will then form the base of their cocktail. The mixologists behind the bar will then create an innovative whisky cocktail with these ingredients, selecting the most appropriate expression from the Ballantine’s range to match, which customers will be able to drink around the large host table that forms the centrepiece of the bar.

Peter Moore, Global Brand Director for Ballantine’s, said: “Given that our Founder George Ballantine is known to have created his first whisky in an ‘épicerie’ or delicatessen, it seems very fitting that it is this concept which we have been able to bring to life for the first time.

“The project has been so well received that it is to be repeated again in France next year and we have a number of other key markets who are also planning to run the competition. This means that more entrepreneurs around the world will have the chance to bring their own dream bar concept to life.”

Tasting The One – A British Isles Blend From Lakes Distillery!

September 5, 2014 by Gary Leave a Comment

The One – Floating On Water – Or Pretending To Do So!

Have you ever thought to yourself, “There are now distilleries producing whisky across the British Isles. Wouldn’t it be great to buy them all and make the perfect British Isles blend?”

Well relax, because The Lakes Distillery has beaten you to it and named their creation, The One.

They searched far and wide (high and low, in nooks and crannies, in old cupboards at your grannies … well, you get the picture) to bring together a range of very special whiskies from the British Isles.

These have been blended with great care and passion to create a perfectly balanced whisky.

The One is available from the whisky merchants below and from The Lakes Distillery own online shop – so, no travelling at all required!

They’ll also be displaying all the train and bus ticket stubs used to travel the country to collect the ingredients for The One in a special exhibition (details to be announced soon …)

Tasting Notes – The One ( 40% )

Nose: Pale straw colored spirit with a slight smoke aroma, hints of wood and fresh citrus.

Palate: Sweet, smokey with stewed sultanas, a hint of liquorice and melon.

Finish: Spicy and peppery with a dry oak finish. Quite short and little tanin feel on the tongue.

Overall: An excellent blended whisky. Warming, moreish and easily drinkable. This One has the lot!

The One – Award Winner & Looks Good Perched On A Rock!

Many thanks to The Lakes Distillery (@LakesDistillery) for sending the sample!

The One is available to buy from these Whisky Merchants:-

Edencroft – New Arrivals & Get Rewarded For Buying Whisky!

September 2, 2014 by Gary Leave a Comment

Buy Whisky – Get Rewarded!

Edencroft has 4 New additions to it’s range this week and you can now take advantage of their rewards scheme to boost your purchasing power even more!

Supplier	Brand	Bottle Size	Price
Edencroft	Benriach / 1995 / Uk Exclusive / Cask# 182044 Country: Scotland Region: Speyside Age: Strength: 52.5%. Summary: Distilled: December 1995. Bottled: July 2014. Age: 18 Year Old. Cask Type: Bourbon Barrel. Style: Classic Speyside Style. Colour: Bright harvest gold. Nose: Classic crème caramel combines with ripe pear and apricot. Gentle waves of lime zest add a contrasting, crisp fresh edge. Taste: Fruit salad syrup, vanilla pod and touches of toasted coconut combine to give the delicious, classic-Speyside character. Barley sugar and toasted oak give a sweet, warm and lingering finish.	70cl	£ 87.50 BUY NOW
Edencroft	Glencadam / 21 Year Old Single Malt Country: Scotland Region: Speyside Age: 21 Year Old Strength: 46%. Summary: Multi-award winning Glencadam Highland Single Scotch Malt Whisky Aged 21 Years is a fine example of centuries of craftsmanship and tradition. “The exceptional” malt with a beautifully lingering, true flavour. Nose: light Golden; Taste: floral and elegant with some sweet orange citrus tones; Palate: refined, gentle, floral with orange citrus and candied peel sweetness balanced by underlying peppery oak tones; Finish: lingering and dignified.	70cl	£ 72.50 BUY NOW
Edencroft	Glendronach / 1993 / Uk Exclusive / Cask# 39 Country: Scotland Region: Speyside Age: Strength: 58.8%. Summary: Distilled: Jan 1993. Bottled: July 2014. Age: 21 Year Old. Cask Type: Oloroso Sherry Butt. Nose: Rich dark crimson. Colour: A rich, meaty character filled with dark fruit-cake and roasted coffee beans, leading to a gentle balance of sugared dates, zested orange and hints of red chilli. Taste: Fantastic depths of allspice, dark chocolate and espresso coffee combine with delicate, warm, toasted oak spices. A soft, floral fruitiness appears in the long, unique sherried finish.	70cl	£ 110.00 BUY NOW
Edencroft	Glendronach / 1995 / Uk Exclusive / Cask# 3326 Country: Scotland Region: Speyside Age: Strength: 55%. Summary: Distilled: June 1995. Bottled: July 2014. Age: 19 Year Old. Cask Type: Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon. Nose: Deep amber gold. Colour: Soft, well-rounded oak spices combine perfectly with rich plum juice and dates. Hints of citrus and cedar wood add a crisp contrast to the initial soft nose. Taste: Lashings of dark fruit syrup and a dark chocolate depth are warmed by cracked black pepper and touches of orange bitters. The long finish explodes with traditional sherry characteristics. .	70cl	£ 93.50 BUY NOW