Archives for July 2017

Elijah Craig / 12 Year Old Cask Strength

Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: America/Kentucky.
UNIT: 70cl.
ABV: 69.7%
BATCH NO: B516
RELEASE DATE: May 2016
Made in the same tradition as other award-winning Elijah Craig Bourbons, this bottle is an essential experience for lovers of great-tasting Bourbon. Uncut, straight from the barrel without chill filtering, the nose, taste, and finish created by twelve years of aging are preserved in their simplest form.
At full Barrel Proof, you can enjoy Elijah Craig much the same way our Master Distillers do when they sample straight from the barrel in our Kentucky rickhouses. Or, add water to reduce the proof to exactly where you want it.
 

Tomatin / 1972 Warehouse 6 Collection

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Highland's.
Distillation Date: 20th November 1972
Cask Numbers: 23404, 23405 & 23406
Cask Type: Sherry Hogsheads.
Bottling Date: 10th February 2014
Strength: 42.1% alc./vol.
Number of Bottles: 380
In the heart of the distillery grounds there is a quiet corner. In these sacred surrounds sits our traditional dunnage warehouse. Within, our most treasured casks. These exclusive casks enjoy a magnificent atmosphere, laid low on antique wooden rails above cool earthen floor and stacked single level – unencumbered – so our warehousemen may keep vigil on the gently maturing spirit.
Cask numbers 23404, 23405 and 23406 have been lying peacefully in Warehouse 6 since being filled on November 20, 1972, gently and slowly maturing the precious spirit within. Over time – indeed over four decades of watchful waiting by the casks’ custodians – the spirit has given way to the angels who have claimed more than their fair share.
Having waited patiently for the perfect moment to catch this spirit in its prime, our distillery men have captured the heart of the distillery in this bottling.
In perfect harmony, aromas of autumn fruits, golden syrup and bursts of summer meadow wildflowers meet soft flavours of sweet almond, brown sugar, coffee and winter spices before a full, oily finish.

Balvenie / 17 Year Old Doublewood

Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Speyside.
CATEGORY: Single Malt.
DISTILLERY: Balvenie.
BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling.
BOTTLING SERIE: DoubleWood.
BOTTLED: 
STATED AGE: 17 years old.
CASKTYPE: Sherry Cask Finish.
STRENGTH: % Vol.
SIZE: 700 ml.
To craft The Balvenie DoubleWood 17 year old single malt whisky Malt Master David C. Stewart MBE returned to one of his most celebrated achievements – consecutive maturation in two different types of cask, a process often referred to as ‘cask finishing’.
This technique is at the heart of The Balvenie DoubleWood – it sees the whisky matured first in American oak barrels, which impart soft sweet vanilla notes, before being transferred to European oak sherry casks, where the second cask ageing adds rich spicy flavours and a depth and fullness of flavour.
The DoubleWood 17 year old is an elder sibling to DoubleWood 12 year old and shares its honeyed, spicy characteristics, but it is distinctly different, with deeper vanilla notes, hints of green apple, creamy toffee and a striking richness and complexity.
NOSE: Elegant and complex oak, vanilla, honeyed sweetness and a hint of green apple.
TASTE: Sweet with dried fruits, sherbet spice, toasted almonds and cinnamon, layered with a richness of creamy toffee notes and traces of oak and deep vanilla.
FINISH: Vanilla oak, honey and spicy sweetness.

Glen Grant / 8 Year Old Gordon & MacPhail Cask Strength

Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Speyside.
CATEGORY: Single Malt.
DISTILLERY: Glen Grant.
BOTTLER: Gordon & MacPhail (GM).
BOTTLING SERIE: Cask Strength.
VINTAGE: 18.08.2008
BOTTLED: 06.2017
STATED AGE: 08 years old.
CASKTYPE: First Fill Sherry Hogsheads.
CASKNUMBER: 900011 & 900014
STRENGTH: 56.7 % Vol.
SIZE: 700 ml.
NOSE WITHOUT WATER: Rich fruitcake aromas mingle with marzipan and festive spices. Brown sugar, stewed fruit, and a touch of liquorice develop.
PALATE WITHOUT WATER Spicy and slightly drying initially. Intense cinnamon and clove flavours are followed by chocolate, orange peel, and summer berries. A menthol finish develops.
NOSE WITH WATER: Sweet aromas with sugared almond, brown sugar, and candied peel. Prune and vanilla notes combine with a touch of cocoa powder.
PALATE WITH WATER: Baked apple, vanilla, and a hint of orange zest lead to dark chocolate on the tongue. Cinnamon spice and oak are accompanied by liquorice flavours.
BODY: Medium.
FINISH: Long, spicy with lingering citrus notes.

Glenrothes / The Wine Merchant's Cask / Ridge No 10

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside.
Unit: 70cl
ABV: 55.1%
Age: 24 Year Old.
Series: Wine Merchant's Collection.
Cask: Ridge No 10.
Bottles from Cask: 240.
Distilled/Bottled: 1992/2016.
Having spent more than two decades in American oak, the Wine Merchant’s Collection whiskies have then been “finished” by introducing them into casks which formerly held some of the world’s most coveted wines.
This particular whisky was distilled in 1992, and matured until 2014 in Hogshead casks. Having rested in these casks, we then introduced it into an American oak barrel, formerly containing Zinfandel, from Ridge Vineyards, one of the leading lights of California’s wine scene, to add an extra layer of complexity to the spirit.
Ridge Vineyards is famed for producing fine wines that are every bit the equal – in both quality and desirability – of Bordeaux First Growths or Grand Cru Burgundy. Since winemaker Paul Draper’s appointment in the late-1960s, the estate has been at the vanguard of the Californian industry. When, less than a decade after his arrival, Draper’s wines saw off French competition at the now-notorious Judgement of Paris tasting, the estate shot to fame overnight. Its silky, smooth reds with fine tannins and glorious fruit have been in high demand ever since.
The Glenrothes whisky experts kept a close eye on the spirit until, at last, it was judged to be perfectly balanced and mature – only then was it bottled. Unchill-filtered, natural in colour and bottled at cask strength resulting in an intense, distinctive and unusual expression.
Appearance: Clear and bright.
Bouquet: Almonds, orchards and whisky warehouse.
Palate: Nutty, caramelised sugar, soft.
Finish: Mid-to-long finish.

Glenrothes / Vintage 2000 Single Cask #2364

Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Speyside.
CATEGORY: Single Malt.
DISTILLERY: Glenrothes.
BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling.
BOTTLING SERIE: UK Exclusive.
VINTAGE: 2000
BOTTLED: 2017
CALCULATED AGE: 17 years old.
CASKTYPE: Sherry Butt.
CASKNUMBER: 2364
NUMBER OF BOTTLES: 575
STRENGTH: 58.7 % Vol.
SIZE: 700 ml
NOSE: Quite bright, stewed fruits, praline, Clean.
PALATE: Good build up, chewy, ripe berry fruit, peppery.
FINISH: Long, spicy. Exceptionally good.

Macallan / 21 Year Old Cask Strength

Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Speyside.
UNIT: 1 x 70cl
DISTILLERY: Macallan.
BOTTLER: Distillery Bottling.
BOTTLING SERIE: Fine Oak.
BOTTLED: 2011
STATED AGE: 21 years old.
STRENGTH: 43% Vol.
LABEL: 3 Barrel Label with Ribbon.
This whisky is being sold for a private client, the price shown is the price to be paid, no tax can be reclaimed.

Hakushu / Distillers Reserve

Summary: Country: Japan.
Unit: 70cl
The Hakushu Distillery was founded half a century after Yamazaki. Keizo Saji inherited his father’s vision in his quest for innovation and constructed this second Suntory distillery in 1973.
Built amidst the deepest forests of Mt. Kaikomagatake in the Japanese Southern Alps, the Hakushu Distillery is without question one of the highest distilleries in the world. The majestic forest that surrounds the Hakushu Distillery shelters an abundance of plant varieties reflecting the many expressions of Japanese nature.
The malt whiskies born here are simultaneously blessed with a very particular microclimate, verdant forests, and water offering a rare softness and purity, only made possible by filtration of rain and snow through thousand-year-old granite rocks.
Fresh with citric notes.
Colour: light gold.
Nose: peppermint, melon, cucumber.
Palate: yuzu, grapefruit, lemon thyme.
Finish: refreshing, subtle smoke.

Yamazaki / 12 Year Old

Summary: Country: Japan.
Unit: 70cl.
The Yamazaki Distillery is Japan's first and oldest malt whisky distillery established in 1923 by Suntory's founder Shinjiro Torii.
Inspired by traditional Scottish whisky, Torii envisioned a Japanese approach by choosing a terrain and climate completely different to those of Scotland to create a unique kind of whisky. The Yamazaki Distillery is thus the birthplace of Japanese whisky. Nestled proudly on the periphery of Kyoto, this region was formerly referred to as "Minaseno", where one of the purest waters of Japan originates.
Yamazaki is also home to Sen no Rikyu, Master of "The Way of Tea." Yamazaki Distillery is where the Katsura, Uji and Kizu rivers converge, providing a unique misty climate and one of Japan’s softest waters. The diversity of this region’s temperature and humidity creates ideal conditions for cask aging, known as the signature “Suntory Maturation.”
Japan’s premiere single malt with a delicate and elegant taste that makes it a superbly drinkable whisky with layers of complex aromas. It continues to capture the hearts of whisky lovers the world over.
Tasting Notes: Sweet vanilla and fruity notes derived from white oak casks are accented with fine aromas of spirits aged in sherry and Japanese oak casks.
Colour: pure gold
Nose: Peach, pineapple, grapefruit,clove, candied orange, vanilla, Mizunara (Japanese oak).
Palate: coconut, cranberry, butter.
Finish: sweet ginger, cinnamon, long finish

Miltonduff / 7 Year Old Hepburns Choice

Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Speyside.
UNIT: 1 x 70cl
CATEGORY: Single Malt.
DISTILLERY: Miltonduff.
BOTTLER: Langside Distillers.
BOTTLING SERIE: Hepburn's Choice.
VINTAGE: 2009
BOTTLED: 2016
STATED AGE: 7 years old.
CASK TYPE: Finished in a Sherry Hogshead.
CASK NUMBER: 
NUMBER OF BOTTLES: 429
STRENGTH: 46% Vol.

Douglas Laing / 18 Year Old Timorous Beastie

Summary: COUNTRY/REGION: Scotland/Various.
UNIT: 1 x 70cl
CATEGORY: Blended Malt.
DISTILLERY: Dalmore, Blair Athol and Glen Garioch.
BOTTLER: Douglas Laing.
BOTTLING SERIE: Timorous Beastie.
BOTTLED: 2017
STATED AGE: 18 years old.
NUMBER OF BOTTLES: 7258
STRENGTH: 46.8% Vol.
The original Timorous Beastie, immortalised in Robert Burns’ famous Scots poem “To a Mouse” was a timid, little field mouse. Echoing our national bard’s wit, ours is most certainly not for the fainthearted! Timorous Beastie captures the essence of The Highlands; a marriage of the regions finest malts including Dalmore, Glengoyne and Glen Garioch. It is, of course, proudly without colouring or chill-filtration and bottled at 46.8% alcohol, resulting in an oily, chewy spirit that brings an incredible mouth-feel.
Timorous Beastie 18 Years Old is beautifully aged, Highland “Vatted” Malt, that is proudly offered without colouring or chill-filtration. Bottled at 46.8% alcohol strength, Timorous Beastie 18 Years Old's tasting notes include gentle spices, complemented by honey, vanilla and juicy barley. The third release under the brand to carry an age statement, Timorous Beastie 18 Years Old follows 2016’s globally acclaimed 40 Years Old and 21 Years Old bottlings.
The Timorous Beastie 18 Years Old is gently spiced initially on the nose, warming to honey, vanilla and juicy barley. All are similarly apparent on the intricate palate plus a late layer of macerated dark fruit. The finish shows cough drop spices, more of those dulcet flavours replicated from the palate, running to a bone dry finale.