Whisky & Whiskey New Arrivals – Courtesy Of Edencroft!

Kentucky / Vintage Small Batch Bourbon

Summary: Country/Region: USA / Kentucky.
ABV: 45%.
Light, but not to be confused with lacking in complexity, just a very elegant, easy-sipper that is truly wonderful on it's own or a slight splash of water. This is an example of a versatile Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey!.
Nose: Oranges, lemon, tangerines, clover honey.
Palate: Ginger, butter, apples, light mouth-feel, creamy texture.
Finish: Short to Medium finish; White pepper, almonds, evergreens.
Ratings: 94.5 Points / Jim Murray's 2016 Whisky Bible.
 

Nikka / Pure Malt Black

Summary: Country/Region: Japan.
Unit: 50cl
Alc: 43%
The "Black" is a Pure Malt (Blended Malt) whisky which is characterized by powerful peat, rich taste and firm flavour.
The unique bottle that has a laboratory feel to it was designed by the same designer who created From the Barrel.

Nikka Whisky / 10 Year Old Yoichi / No Box

Summary: Country: Japan.
ABV: 45%.
Unit: 70cl.
NIKKA’s historical Single Malt, guardian of tradition, YOICHI is a revelation for those seeking an uncompromising whisky. With its coastal and delicately peated aromas, supported by a perfectly balanced oak maturation, this exceptional Single Malt displays a truly authentic character.
This 10 year old bottling unmistakably carries the Yoichi pedigree, which propelled Japanese whisky to international recognition. Peat notes surround a core of ripe fruit aromas, while a rich texture and underlying power make this the most masculine of Japanese single malts.

Speyburn / 10 Year Old Hepburn's Choice

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Highlands.
Unit: 70cl
Alc: 46%
Age: 10 Years Old.
Distilled: 2004
Bottles: 2015
Cask: Filled from a Sheery butt.
Bottles Filled: 444
Always from a specially selected single cask, the Hepburn's Choice is bottled at 45% alcohol, and naturally without artificial coloring or chill-filtration.
Each bottle is chosen to showcase the specific characteristics of one of Scotland’s whisky producing regions or those of a distillery in particular.
This range is named in honour of one of the directors of Hunter Laing’s late maternal grandfather William Hepburn, who travelled the globe with his job in the Diplomatic Service, with a fine judgement honed at many Embassy Functions. Mr Hepburn was a connoisseur of his homeland’s whiskies, with this in mind we believe these bottlings would indeed have been Hepburn’s Choice.
 

Port Charlotte / 12 Year Old Smws Cantina Mexicana / Cask # 12744

Summary: Country/ Region: Scotland/Islay.
Alcohol by volume: 65.9%
Bottler: The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
Cask No: 127.44
Age: 12 years.
Cask Type: Second fill Oloroso butt.
Bottles Filled: 588
Society Brand Ambassador Phoebe previews our special release Feis Ile bottling: I was lucky enough to taste last year’s SMWS Feis Ile bottling at the 2015 SMWS open day at Islay House – it was my first time on Islay so it was a particularly special dram for me. Needless to say, I was very excited to sample this year’s release – Cantina Mexicana!
Not only does it look lovely in the glass – a wonderful deep amber colour – but its aromas manage to fill the room before I’ve even begun nosing. The powerful nose transports me to the ‘The Great Outdoors’ – campfires and their dying embers on an autumnal evening – commingling with fresh pine needles on a warm breeze. Campfires became BBQ’s – smoked pork, Manzanilla olives and a leafy rocket side salad with a balsamic dressing.
Patience before feasting eventually reveals a clandestine sweetness – toasted almonds, rock candy and salted Moffatt toffee reveal the cask’s heritage.
On the palate it was smoke pork, especially pork scratchings – initially crisp, salty and dry. The BBQ smoke and nutty sweetness of the nose is mirrored in the palate though tasting transforms the nose into a more perfumed, floral, sherried character.
It becomes incredibly salty and maritime – smoked salmon and rock salt on board an old trawler. Despite the hubbub of the fireside camp found in the nose, the palate is deceptively mild-mannered and like the perfect dinner guest, regales and entertains without overstaying its welcome. The finish is peppery and rich, with cinder toffee, chocolate, liquorice and peppered steak.
If you don’t make it to this year’s Feis Ile, then one sip of this whisky does a very good job of transporting you there.
 

Aberlour / 12 Year Old Double Cask Matured

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside.
Unit: 70cl
Alc: 40%
Age: 12 Years Old.
The 12 year-old expression is a fine example of how the distinctively crisp, citrus character of Aberlour’s raw spirit is deftly softened by double cask maturation. Traditional oak and seasoned Sherry butts are both used to great effect, as the mellowed spirits within are combined to deliver a subtly balanced flavour.
Colour: Golden amber with hints of ruby.
Nose: Soft and rounded, with fruity notes of red apple.
Palate: A fine sherried character, balanced with rich chocolate, toffee, cinnamon and ginger spiciness.
Finish: Warming and lingering – sweet and slightly spicy.

Aberlour / 15 Year Old Double Cask Matured

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside.
Unit: 70cl
Alc: 40%
Age: 15 Years Old.
Aged in a mix of Bourbon ‘Hogshead’ and Sherry butts for 14 years, the casks are then blended together and refilled into a new sherry cask to achieve a unique finish.
Demonstrating the perfect harmony of the Distiller’s art and Blender’s skill, this process adds considerable depth and complexity to the whisky.
Colour: Elegant golden ochre.
Nose: Opening with flowery, grassy notes, with an underlying citrus burst of pink grapefruit.
Palate: A creamy balance of sweet sherry nuttiness, orange and toffee, with smoky undertones. Wonderfully rounded, thick and velvety.
Finish: A buttery smooth finish, with superb length and balance.

Dailuaine / 8 Year Old Hepburn's Choice

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside.
Unit: 70cl
Alc: 46%
Age: 8 Years Old.
Distilled: 2007
Bottles: 2016
Cask: Filled from a Sherry butt.
Bottles Filled: 391
Always from a specially selected single cask, the Hepburn's Choice is bottled at 45% alcohol, and naturally without artificial coloring or chill-filtration.
Each bottle is chosen to showcase the specific characteristics of one of Scotland’s whisky producing regions or those of a distillery in particular.
This range is named in honour of one of the directors of Hunter Laing’s late maternal grandfather William Hepburn, who travelled the globe with his job in the Diplomatic Service, with a fine judgement honed at many Embassy Functions. Mr Hepburn was a connoisseur of his homeland’s whiskies, with this in mind we believe these bottlings would indeed have been Hepburn’s Choice.
 

Compass Box / The Lost Blend

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Islay/Speyside.
ABV: 46%
In 2001, Compass Box created their first single malt blend which they called Eleuthera. It was an elegant and simple blend of approximately 80% unpeated Highland and 20% peaty Islay single malts. Alas, after 3 years, they were suddenly no longer able to obtain one of the key whiskies required for the recipe so, sadly, they retired Eleuthera in 2004. Quietly, they have always been looking for whiskies that we could use to bring it back, even if temporarily, but not with any luck. Until now.
I’ve had a name that I’ve been waiting to use for a whisky project like this—The Lost Blend, inspired by the O. Henry story of the same name. This sharp and witty portrait of life in a New York bar in the early 1900s was published in 1907 and centres around two business partners who try to recreate a blend of different spirits with close to supernatural properties.
Having been blending Scotch whiskies as an amateur and a professional for the better part of 20 years, I can say with confidence that I believe there exist “magic” combinations of whiskies. For me, they are like the whisky blending equivalent of spiritual truths. And what better name to lend to our lost blend, but “The Lost Blend”!
John Glaser, Whiskymaker.
Availability: A limited edition of 12,018 bottles. Bottled in August 2014.
Flavour Descriptors: An elegantly complex union of two fruity Highland single malts and a peaty Islay single malt. An ethereal fruit and herbal character and a sweetness on the palate is buttressed by an underlying smokiness.
Distillery Sourcing: Single malt whisky (of a certain age) from the Clynelish distillery, and a small cache of extraordinary whisky from the Allt-A-Bhainne distillery, aged in American oak barrels and just a few years shy of two decades old, combined with malt whisky from the Caol Ila distillery.
The Labels: Compass Box have created three different front label designs all around the same theme: lost items. The whisky behind each label is the same, and the three labels have been randomly bottled and put into cases, which allows you an additional discovery to the whisky itself: which label did I get?
Ratings: 96.5 Points and Scotch Vatted Malt of the Year / Jim Murray's 2016 Whisky Bible.

Compass Box / Double Single

Summary: To celebrate their 10th anniversary Compass Box brought back a small-batch whisky they first and last made in 2004. “Double Single” was a marriage of two single whiskies – one single malt and one single grain. The idea highlighted the true virtue of blending grain whisky with malt whisky to create a truly elegant style.
“Double Single 10th Anniversary” was a one-off, limited release of 876 bottles made of 18 year-old single malt whisky from the Glen Elgin distillery (76% of the vatting) combined with a single cask of 21 year-old grain whisky distilled at Port Dundas (24%).
Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside/Lowland.
ABV: 57%.
Unit: 70cl.