Archives for 2017

Blantons / Original Bourbon

Summary: Country/Region: America/Kentucky. Unit: 70cl Taken from the centre-cut or middle sections of the famous Warehouse H, Blanton’s Original was once designated for ambassadors, dignitaries, and Colonel Blanton’s family and friends. Today, everyone has access to the world’s first single barrel bourbon. The taste profile is sweet with citrus and oak. A creamy vanilla nose features hints of nuts, caramel, orange and light chocolate. Blanton’s Original set the standard for single barrel bourbons. Best served neat or on the rocks. Type: Bourbon Whiskey Recipe: Corn – Rye – Malted Barley Mash Type: Sour Still Proof: 70% Alcohol by Volume – 140 proof Entry Proof: 62.5% Alcohol by Volume – 125 proof Warehouse: H Barrel Type: White Oak Maker: Independent Stave Staves: 6-month air dry Treatment: #4 Char Filtration: Chill Filtered Bottle Proof: 46.5% Alcohol by Volume – 93 proof Colour: Reddish Amber Colour Nose: A spicy aroma of Dried Citrus and Orange Peels with a hint of Caramel and Vanilla. Palate Entry: Full and soft, marked by a mix of Burnt Sugar, Caramel, Orange, and Cloves. Finish: Balanced with Vanilla, Honey, and Citrus. Best Served: Straight, on ice, or used in a premium cocktail. Awards: 2016 Gold Medal San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

William Larue Weller / 12 Year Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Summary: Country/Region: USA/Kentucky.
Unit: 
ABV: 45%
Age: 12 Years Old.
The Original Wheated Bourbon Whiskey features an exceptionally smooth taste, substituting wheat for rye grain. Bottled at 90 proof, this bourbon stands out with its burnt orange colour. Its softer flavour notes make this bourbon great for sipping or making cocktails.
TASTING NOTES: A sweet nose with a presence of caramel. Tasting notes of honey, butterscotch, and a soft woodiness. It's smooth, delicate and calm. Features a smooth finish with a sweet honeysuckle flair.
Rating: 93.5 Points Jim Murray's Whisky Bible.

The Macallan Oscuro and Lalique Gift Pack

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside. ABV: 46.5% Unit: 70cl. Bottler: Distillery Bottling. The Macallan and the historic French crystal brand Lalique have designed and launched a most unusual presentation for The Macallan Oscuro, which is exclusive to a select number of duty free and travel retail outlets in Asia. The Macallan Oscuro and Lalique gift pack contains a bottle of exceptional single malt whisky, which is part of The Macallan 1824 Collection, and a Lalique crystal “Cheval Kazak Running Horse” which, with its streaming mane and tail, symbolizes speed and freedom. With just 300 having been made, this limited edition of The Macallan Oscuro and Lalique gift pack was unveiled at the end of January at Hong Kong International Airport. “This is our first local partnership with Lalique and we are very happy to have developed this exclusive gift pack together,” says Edrington’s Regional Marketing Manager Claren Wong. “The pack provides consumers with a unique and attractive choice for their gifting during festival season.” “The Macallan Oscuro and Lalique gift pack is a perfect match; both names stand for excellence, artistry and a pursuit of perfection,” adds Lalique General Manager Montiza Tornow-Siu. The Macallan is one of the most awarded and applauded single malts in the world and its peerless reputation is testament to the skill of the Masters of Spirit and Wood at The Macallan’s home in Scotland who have been responsible for its creation and maturation over the last two centuries. About The Macallan Oscuro and Lalique The Macallan Oscuro, whose name derives from the Spanish word for “dark,” has a rich deep color and intense flavor. Exclusively matured in sherry-seasoned oak casks, many of which were first fill, and bottled at 46.5% ABV, The Macallan Oscuro is a whisky of outstanding quality. Lalique, the renowned crystal brand, is not only a part of the heritage of France but has been embraced by international markets. This whisky is being sold for a private client, the price shown is the price to be paid, no tax can be reclaimed.

Benchmark / No 8 Straight Bourbon

Summary: Country/Region: USA/Kentucky.
Unit: 70cl.
ABV: 40%.
Named after the McAfee brothers who surveyed a site just north of Frankfort in the late 1700s, this rye recipe bourbon is yet another label that honors the storied history of the Distillery and the land it sits on.
Tasting Notes: The nose bears caramel notes with a delicate stone-fruit backdrop. A robust and sturdy palate with some fine leather notes mingling with dry tobacco, a touch of oak and a hint of dried cherries. The finish is smooth and calming.
Ratings: Gold Medal / 2015 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Colonel EH Taylor / Small Batch Bourbon

Summary: Country/Region: USA/Kentucky. ABV: 50%. Unit: 75cl. As founding father of the bourbon industry, Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. left an indelible legacy. His dedication to distilling began at the close of the Civil War when he purchased O.F C. Distillery. There, he developed innovative techniques that are still in use today. Made by hand, this Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey has been aged inside century old warehouses constructed by E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrels are evaluated and selected to create a perfect blend of distinctive character that is like no other. This bourbon is a true sipping bourbon that honours the uncompromising legacy of E.H. Taylor, Jr. Tasting Notes: Tastes of caramel corn sweetness, mingled with butterscotch and liquorice. The aftertaste is a soft mouth-feel that turns into subtle spices of pepper and tobacco. Ratings: Gold Medal / 2015 Sanfrancisco World Spirits Competition.  

Elijah Craig / 12-Year-Old Small Batch Bourbon

Summary: Country/Region: America/Kentucky.
Unit: 70cl
ABV: 47%
Named after the Rev. Elijah Craig 12-Year-Old this is a true Small Batch premium Bourbon, and had the distinction before the term even existed.Bottled exclusively from a dumping of hand selected casks, the brand carries the name of the Rev.
NOSE: Notes of toasty oak, toffee, spicy stewed fruits, a touch of resin and a lovely crème anglaise character.
PALATE: Full and sublimely smooth with notes if stewed Bramley apples, malmsey, a touch of aniseed and a hint of spice.
FINISH: Good length with toasty oak notes and a creamy sweetness.

John E Fitzgerald / Larceny

Summary: Country/Region: America/Kentucky. Unit: 1 Litre ABV: 46% Larceny was hand selected by the Master Distillers to have a taste profile of a six-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Made with wheat as the secondary grain, instead of the traditional rye. NOSE: Fresh bread and toffee, with a note of butterscotch. PALATE: Buttery caramel and honeyed notes, with a rich mouth-feel. FINISH: Long, gently sweet and savoury.

WhistlePig / 15 Year Old Straight Rye Whiskey

Summary: Country/Region: America/Vermont. Unit: 75cl ABV: 46% The first WhistlePig product aged in Vermont Estate Oak harvested right from the farm. It is their oldest whiskey. Vermont oak rings are tighter than the standard oak used in whiskey barrels. Each ring is an opportunity to impart more flavour and depth in the whiskey. This Rye has been waiting for 15 years to reach your lips, and time is something that no amount of money can buy. Nose: Deep and rich, dominated by caramel, vanilla, and oak with hints of allspice and burnt orange Palate: Warm, rich, and slightly creamy. Loads of butterscotch and baking spice with leather and a hint of tobacco Finish: Ultra long and rich, warm, and inviting

Gordon & MacPhail / Speyside Collection

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland.
Unit: 6 x 70cl.
ABV: 43%, 40%, 43%, 43%, 43% and 43%.
Leading whisky specialist Gordon & MacPhail has launched an exclusive Speyside Collection, offering customers the chance to purchase six exquisite single malt Scotch whiskies from some of Scotland’s finest Speyside distilleries.
Established in 1895, the fourth-generation family business is custodian to some of the world’s oldest and most unique single malt Scotch whiskies. Allowing whisky fans the chance to savour an inimitable piece of Scotland’s liquid history, the Speyside Collection brings together 329 years of knowledge, expertise and whisky maturation.
The first release, limited-edition, Speyside Collection hosts a range of flavour profiles, from the fruity and peppery notes of Gordon & MacPhail Smith’s Glenlivet 1948 43%, to the long and slightly smoky finish of the Glen Grant 1949 40%, and the exotic fruit, sherry and crushed almonds flavours in Strathisla 1953 43%.
Showcasing whiskies from across the region, the Speyside Collection also offers Gordon & MacPhail Mortlach 1954 43%, a spicy and creamy whisky, the award winning Longmorn 1967 43%, which is bursting with warming spiciness followed by stewed fruit and citrus flavours, and Linkwood 1972 43%, with its flavours of chilli spice, banana and dark chocolate.
Since the founding of the business, Gordon & MacPhail has sent casks to distilleries throughout Scotland to be filled with new make spirit, before being matured under the custodianship of generations of the Urquhart family.
Developing relationships with distilleries across Scotland throughout the company’s history, the whiskies in Gordon & MacPhail’s Speyside Collection are uniquely labelled using the original distillery labels.
Stephen Rankin, director and a member of the fourth generation of the Urquharts, the family who own Gordon & MacPhail, said: “Four generations of our family have passed on skills and knowledge for matching spirit to quality casks and maturing whiskies for many years.
“The six vintages in the Speyside Collection are testament to our philosophy of producing high quality single malt. We hope malt whisky lovers will be able to enjoy and savour these special Speyside drams.”

Tomintoul / 15 Year Old Portwood Cask Finish

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Highlands. Unit: 70cl ABV: 46% Tomintoul Speyside Glenlivet 15 Years Old Portwood Finish has been created by the careful selection of mature whisky “finished” in Port wood. The malt whisky was transferred from Bourbon casks into the hand-picked Port pipes to “finish” its maturation for a generous period of time. This process of “finishing” bestows on the whisky refined characteristics, most notably, tones of fruity Port sweetness. Our Master Distiller deemed that the time was right to bottle the whisky at 15 years of age when the malt whisky flavour notes had reached harmony with the sweet attributes of the Portwood. Colour: Rose Gold Nose: Summer fruits, strawberries and blackberries tempered with some toffee sweetness and cigar box spiciness. Palate: Lush clean malt modified by fruity sweet port and some spicy oak tones. Finish: Full and rich with lingering herbal spices and toffee sweetness. Ratings: 94 Points – Jim Murray's 2017 Whisky Bible.  

Auchroisk / 12 Year Old Hepburn's Choice

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside.
Unit: 70cl
Alc: 46%
Age: 12 Years Old.
Distilled: 2003
Bottles: 2015
Cask: Filled from a refill hogshead.
Bottles Filled: 375
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.
 

Gordon & MacPhail / Cask Strength / Glentauchers 1998

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Highlands.
Category: Single Malt from Speyside, Scotland.
Distillery: Glentauchers.
District: Speyside.
Bottler: Gordon & MacPhail.
Bottling serie: Cask Strength.
Vintage: 07.10.1998
Bottled: 11.04.2016
Age: 17 years old.
Casktype: Refill Sherry Casks.
Casknumber: 2410, 2412 & 2416.
Strength: 56.8 % Vol.
Size: 700 ml.

Inchgower / 8 Year Old Hepburn's Choice

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside. Unit: 70cl Alc: 46% Age: 8 Years Old. Distilled: 2008 Bottles: 2016 Cask: Filled from a wine finished hogshead. Bottles Filled: 395 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.  

Gordon & MacPhail / The MacPhail's Collection / Glen Scotia 1992 Vintage

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Campletown.
Unit: 70cl.
ABV: 43%
Distilled: 1992
CASK TYPE: First fill bourbon barrels and remade American hogsheads.
STYLE: After dinner dram.
AROMA: Sweet vanilla with fresh pear and red apple aromas. These combine with a subtle hint of beeswax polish.
COLOUR: Dark Gold.
BODY: Medium.
TASTE: Cracked black pepper with ripe banana, green apple and orange flavours are complemented by a lingering milk chocolate edge.
FINISH: Long, sweet and creamy.

Springbank / 21 Year Old / 2014 Release

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Campletown.
Unit: 70cl.
ABV: 46%
With its warm golden glow, the 21-year-old is inviting, creamy and offers unbelievable complexity. The maritime influences uncovered in this single malt will take you on a journey to its Campbeltown home.
Nose: A creamy delight. Toffee and cereal notes interspersed with bursts of freshly picked strawberries and ripe watermelon.
Palate: Robust and steadfast with a dry, creamy oiliness. Sugared almonds are heavily present as well as a dash of cinnamon.
Finish: Creamy with an evolving length which coats the mouth and finally gives up its peaty origins.

Highland Park / Fire

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Orkney. Unit: 70cl ABV: 45.2% Bottler: Distillery Bottling. Bottled: 2016 Highland Park FIRE Edition is a special release 15 year old single malt which has been matured in 100% refill Port wine seasoned casks – a first for Highland Park. This follows on from the release of ICE Edition and completes the two-part series of special edition bottlings which celebrate some of the myths and legends emerging from the Viking age. Tasting Notes: Natural in colour, the vibrant and intense aromas of ruby red fruits and warm vanilla complement the fiery bitter sweetness of cinnamon bark and the richness of devilishly dark chocolate.

Gordon & MacPhail / The MacPhail's Collection / Bunnahabhain 2006 Vintage

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Islay.
Unit: 70cl.
ABV: 43%
Distilled: 2006
CASK TYPE: First Fill and Refill Sherry Hogsheads.
STYLE: Aperitif.
AROMA: Delicate Sherry influences mingle with toasted malt and orange citrus aromas. Hints of mango, apricot and fresh gooseberry are complemented by a subtle rose water note.
COLOUR: Pale Gold.
BODY: Light.
TASTE: Rich orange zest flavours combine with ripe banana and kiwi. Roasted hazelnut and milk chocolate complement delicate bonfire embers on the tongue.
FINISH: Medium and creamy.

Old Ballantruan / The Peated Malt

Summary: "Old Ballantruan" Speyside Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky is only one of a handful of peated malt whiskies from the Speyside region.
After 'sleeping' for many years in hand-picked oak barrels, this whisky has been bottled at 50% volume and without any chill-filtration, to retain its layered and integrated peaty flavours.
Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside.
Unit: 70cl
ABV: 50%
Nose: Heathery smoke balanced with subtle floral notes.
Taste: Gentle "peat reek" flavours with hints of citrus tones and malty nuttiness.
Finish: Lingering smoke and peat with touch of malted barley sweetness.
Colour: Warm gold.

Tomintoul / 16 Year Old Single Malt

Summary: Country/Region: Scotland/Speyside.
Unit: 70cl
ABV: 40%
Pure ingredients and the natural environment add to smooth and mellow character of our award-winning Tomintoul Speyside Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky, “the gentle dram”.
Multi-award winning Tomintoul Speyside Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 16 Years has been lovingly crafted, from a selection of the finest bourbon casks, each aged for at least sixteen years.
Colour: Amber;
Nose: Rounded softness. Hints of hazelnut and candied peel;
Palate: Full flavour, nutty with spicy overtones;
Balance: Enduring. Cream at first with spicy finish.
Ratings: 94.5 Points – Jim Murray's 2017 Whisky Bible.