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1257 Kensington Road NW
1 (403) 283-8000 / atyourservice@kensingtonwinemarket.com
Batch 9 of Altt-A_Bhainne from That Boutique-y Whisky Company is a 23 year old, bottled at 49.5%. The story behind the label is well worth the short read below!
Producer Description
"Our ninth batch from the Allt-a-Bhainne distillery is a 23 Year Old, drawn from a single butt that was laid down in March 1995 It’s a release of just 430 bottles at 49.5% abv. The distillery was built to supply bulk whisky to the Chivas blended Scotch whiskies, mostly notably 100 Pipers brand. The distillery is a modern open plan unit and was one of the first designed to be be run by one man per shift."
About the Label
"Ahh, Allt-á-Bhainne! An excellent Speyside distillery that opened its doors in 1975, with lots of its output making its way into blends. However, their single malt is excellent indeed, as you’ll certainly see in our bottlings. When you think about it, Allt-á-Bhainne sounds a bit like House of Pain, and it literally means ‘River of Milk’. Once we clocked these facts, we obviously had to put them on our label, along with the bovine embodiment of The Whisky Squad!"
500ml mlProducer Tasting Note
Nose: Baked orchard fruits, a sprinkle of brown sugar and a hint of creamy custard..
Palate: Peppery spice fills the mouth, there’s oranges and cinnamon with an earthiness emerging, finishing with a fruity burst of apples and pears.
That Boutique-y Whisky Company (TBWC) is part of the Atom Group, which also owns the UK retailer Master of Malt and a number of other subsidiaries. They are a dynamic and innovative firm, who by example invented the Whisky Advent Calendar concept. Established in 2012, TBWC is famous for its playful and colourful labels, which often feature prominent whisky industry figures, tell a story, and or elude to an inside joke. The labels are typically laced with hidden elements and "Easter Eggs."
TBWC bottles whiskies from around the world, though the bulk of their offerings are of Scottish origin. Most of their offerings are small-batch releases, Blended Malts, and Blends. Their "Head of Whisky" is Canadian Sam Simmons.
We are big fans of not only their whimsical labels but also the consistently high standard of liquid they bottle.
Browse all in-stock products from That Boutique-y Whisky Company.
$219.99
It is finally here... we have been teasing and talking about this whisky for months, and it was worth the wait. We are thrilled to introduce you to our first ever KWM exlcusive single cask from That Boutique-y Whisky Company. Although the bottle doesn't explicitly tell you which "Highland" distillery the whisky is from, there are clues on the label... 578 bottles have been filled exclusively for Kensington Wine Market at 51%. But we have nothing holding us back from telling you that Boutique-y Highland #2 is Clynelish... That's right, this is 20 year old Clynelish!
Andrew's Note on the Whisky & Label
Could that be a cat in the clouds, a Wild Highland Cat perhaps? Is it not strange to see a waxy candle-powered balloon? Incidentally, it is lifting the KWM whisky team aloft. And what of the monument? If we told you it was a controversial monument near the town of Golspie dedicated to the infamous Duke of Sutherland, would that give you all the information you need to know? What Highland Distillery has a Wild Highland Cat as its symbol, a waxy profile, and an infamous Duke as its founder?
This label is a cheeky take on a shared memory, with embellishments, embedded details, and Easter eggs, in the tradition of the best Boutique-y Whisky Company Labels. More importantly, it tells a story, which is personally important to my family. My mother was born into the Clann Gunn in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Her ancestors roamed swaths of what is now Caithness and Sutherland in northern Scotland. That is until they were compelled to leave Scotland in the late 18th century, cruelly and rudely displaced to make way for sheep during the early days of the Highland Clearances.
On the label there is a ship at sea, heading to Canada presumably, as hinted at by the flags (the Canadian flag as it is today was only introduced in 1965). On the flat coastal plain at the base of the mountains sheep can be seen grazing. In front of the monument stand a pair of Canadians stand in hockey jerseys. Sam Simmons, Head of Whisky at Atom Brands, and a native Torontonian, stands closest to the monument in what appears to be a hockey jersey. Further back, a native Calgarian, yours truly can be seen waving a white hat, an iconic symbol of "Cowtown", whilst sporting a local hockey team jersey of his own. In the balloon Keith, Evan, Shawn & Curt can be seen waving at Andrew & Sam below. Speaking of those two, what are they doing atop Ben Bhraggie? Funny story that.
When TBWC offered us this cask of Highland Malt, they asked us what we wanted on the label, and I had a cheeky idea. In 2006 I made my first trip to Scotland, and on that trip, I hiked up Ben Bhraggie, a small mountain (really a foothill by Canadian standards) to see the monument of the infamous Duke. Someone had spraypainted the word "Monster" in neon green at the base. When I was sure no one was looking I dropped trow and relieved myself on it. I sent Sam an email of this tale, my connection to the area and my idea for the label. I was sure it was just a little too edgy...
Minutes later my phone was ringing... it was 3 AM in the UK, but Sam wanted to make sure I had seen his reply. He too had hiked Ben Bhraggie in 2005, and he had also paid his own respects to the infamous Duke of Sutherland...
One last little nugget, Keith, who is a personal trainer and headed to Beijing as a Team Canada Skeleton coach, felt his arm didn't look appropriately burly, in an early draft of the label. So we had the artist, Emily Chappell, 'bugs bunny' his arm... In case it isn't already apparent, nothing is sacred (especially when it comes to The Duke of Sutherland and Keith's pipes)!
And the rest as they say is history. On the back of every bottle, That Boutique-y Whisky Company includes the following text: "We are passionate about great whisky, we don't take ourselves too seriously and we LOVE a good story." No wonder these chaps are such a great fit to work with!
$194.99
This 21 year old Blair Athol is from a marriage of two ex-Bourbon Hogsheads distilled in 1997, bottled at an impressive 60.2%.
Producer Description
"Our twelfth batch from the Blair Athol distillery is a 21 Year Old,and comes from a marriage of two ex-Bourbon Hogsheads, distilled in February 1997. It’s been bottled at batch strength with an outturn of just 266 bottles. The central Perthshire town of Pitlochry sits on the banks of the River Tay and has had a distillery since 1798, making its plant one of the oldest legal whisky-making sites in Scotland."
About the Label
"The Blair Athol distillery resides happily in the highlands, producing whisky for a number of blended whiskies, one of the most notable being Bell’s.The label sees a chap with a beard and glasses trimming the distillery's famous flora into some appropriate shapes. No, not otters - bells!"
$264.99
Distilled in 1994, this 23 year old undisclosed Speyside single malt is possibly from Glenlivet, finished in First Fill Ex-Bourbon before bottling at 45.7%.
Producer Note
"A cracking 23 Year Old Single Malt from an undisclosed Speyside distillery that allegedly started it all! For the USA Series, we’ve finished this mature malt in a first-fill ex-Bourbon barrel from our favourite wax-dipped Kentucky bourbon distillery."
About The Label
"This label is based on the beginning of a Manga-inspired story featuring Dave Worthington as a ‘Wild West of Scotland’ a whisky warrior. This will be the first story of the series of labels of his detailed adventures. Beginning with this one the bestowing of his powers by the Whisky Gods. The setting is dark with just a few single spot lights on Dave to give light around him. There are heads carved within the stone surrounding him, as he is in a chamber. To the left hand side in the foreground is a cloaked women with her hood down. Her head is raised, mouth open and arm raised aloft, clutching Banjolnir, a Banjo, the mystical instrument of the Whisky Gods which is fizzing with light energy. In the centre Dave is kneeled with his head bowed but in respect, not fear, mindful of the awesome responsibility being given to him. He is dressed in jeans, a shirt and waistcoat, with a single leather, Bandolero strap across his chest - with, instead of bullets, a range of different pipes as well as a couple of harmonicas in it. His beard should have some real quality to it - it is quite likely that his beard may turn out to be where his power is held as the story evolves.""
$384.99
This 29 year old single cask of Allt-A-Bhainne was filled into a Hogshead cask in 1993, and has been bottled at 46%. It is nicknamed "After Derby Day".
