Kilchoman Original Cask Strength

$112.49

The first batch of the distillery's new Kilchoman Original Cask Strength has been bottled at 59.2% and has been matured solely in Refill Bourbon Casks. Very limited availability, this release is a great new addition to the range.

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: wow, butterscotch, honey and Werthers caramels with clean maritime smoke bringing up the rear; soft citrus notes, green Jolly Ranchers wet leaves and floral top notes with soft oak.

Palate: soft honeyed oak, more wet leaves, crisp citrus, more green Jolly Ranchers and buildiing peaty smoke with fragrant smoke and juicy malt; become more medicinal and smoky with some tarry oak and salty licorice.

Finish: classic Islay big, brooding and moody with earthy smoke, more juicy malt and maritime notes.

Carn Mor Ledaig 16 Year

$103.49

This peated whisky from Tobermory is from a pair of hogshead casks bottled at 46%. A total outrun of 609 bottles. On the nose it is a typical Ledaig, quite rubbery, but the palate is lovely, moderately peated and layered.

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: nutty, rubbery and leathery with wet clay, damp grains and building salty smoke; some fruit and honey but they are shy.

Palate: sweeter than expected, draws me back to childhood hard licorice candies and other grown up treats, soft eathy peat and lots of barley sugars; still earthy but not as rubbery as expected;

Finish: long, light and surprisingly clean, more barley sugars and clean peaty smoke;

Comment: not a fan of the nose but the palate was interesting.

Balblair 1990

$179.99

We jumped at the opportunity to take this whisky on as an exclusive, as a historic release. A replacement for the old 1989 vintage, this 1990 is the 2nd release of that vintage, bottled in 2017. It was matured in a mix of American oak ex-Boubon casks and European oak ex-Sherry. The whisky was bottled at 26 years of age. 89pts Serge @WhiskyFun.org.

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: dark chocolate shavings with orange peels and dark fruits: figs, dates and prunes; some soft old leather and a touch of tobacco; waxy, and antique-y with assorted Jelly Bellies, melons and mango; a slightly earthy dunnage warehouse note with wood spices.

Palate: rich, round and fruity; more Jelly Bellies, Fruit Source bars, dark fruits: raisins, dates and figs; soft leather with more chocolate, tobacco and earthy dunnage warehouse notes; honey with a base of creamy vanilla; light decadent spices: ginger and cinnamon; fresh and fruity.

Finish: long, elegant and coating with the darker sherry notes leading the charge; more decadent, candied fruit tones with fading spices, leather and tobacco leaf.

Comment: Balblair is one of the forgotten gems of the Highlands; they are currently going through a rebranding, moving towards age statements; this 3rd edition of the 1990 is a beautiful older malt with a lovely sherried profile; we won't have this beauty much longer. 

89pts Serge @ Whisky Fun

"Which release is this? Not too sure, but it was launched around September last year. Colour: deep amber. Nose: ah, yes, this is superb Balblair, akin to what they had been distilling in the 1960s. Which means that it is much more tropical, that it’s got mangos, honeydew, aromatic herbs, figs, and high-end raisins that suggest that there was some good sherry involved. Great nose. Mouth: notes of rum, triple-sec, citron liqueur, then rather hay and tobacco, then mangos and papayas. High class, for sure. Finish: medium, excellent. Crystallised oranges, figs, raisins, honeydew, sweeter spices. Cinnamon cake. Hints of peachy Cognac in the aftertaste. Comments: we’re making excellent progress, aren’t we? More proof that with whisky, time does mater. Please don’t believe people who are getting paid to tell you otherwise. SGP:561 - 89 points."

Scotch Malt Whisky Society 73.63

$113.39

VANILLA SPICE LATTE

An 11 year old Speysider from a refill butt bottled at 59.8%

Flavour profile: "Juicy, oak & vanilla"

Outturn: 426 bottles

Panel's Tasting Note: "We were greeted by an enticing fruity and sweet aroma of caramelized sugar, apple pie and lemon drizzle cake. There was also the freshness of an Appletiser Mojito with mint leaves over crushed ice which carried on in the taste neat, fizzy and spritely with a kick of chili flakes and Cayenne pepper. With time sweeter; lemon sponge cake, vanilla fudge and dark chocolate. Water added the creaminess of butter frosting on a chocolate cup cake and it turned a bit ‘mulshy’ – wet grass, damp logs and pine needles. The taste is now salty and sweet; salted caramel, green apple Starburst and a vanilla latte."

Drinking Tip: "After a wet walk"

Scotch Malt Whisky Society 77.35

$121.49

FRESH, VIBRANT & ATTRACTIVE

This 11 Year Highland whisky was matured in a refill barrel and bottled at 58.4% 

Flavour profile: Young & spritely

Outturn: 203 bottles 

Panel's tasting notes: "Our panellists were transported from November drizzle to sunny, summer meadows and hay lofts – it was young, fresh, vibrant and attractive (the whisky, not the panel), with oranges and lemons, jam tarts, pears, apples and grapes; hints of bourbon and vanilla. The palate gave us pleasant tingling heat (chili, ginger, cardamom, clove, liquorice) with sapid citric flavours of blood orange and sherbet lemon fizz – not complex, but a good bitter-sweet duality. Water brought more woodiness to the nose, with quinine, quince and orange blossom, while the palate sweetened up nicely – cloudy lemonade, apple sponge and lemon drizzle cake. An ordacious dram."

Drinking tip: "A good session starter or aperitif - served with the Ord-oevres?"

Wilson & Morgan Tobermory 18

$125.99

This 18 year old Tobermory was finished in a single Pedro Ximenez Sherry Butt 5046. Distilled in 1994 and bottled in 2013 and bottled at 54.3%, yielding just 609 bottles. Only a small quantity have found their way to Canada!

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: spicy with soft leather, honey, round chewy malt, pipe tobacco and marmalade; some Christmas cake, sea salt caramel and subtler floral tones.

Palate: loads of candied fruit, more salty caramel, Christmas  cake and soft leather; building spices: licorice, clove and fennel; big brown sugar, musty oak and dark chocolate.

Finish: long, rich, leathery and fruity with loads of lingering spice.

Comment: this is a sherry bomb that hasn't gone over the edge!

First Edition Auchentoshan

$134.99

This 1998 vintage Auchentoshan has been bottled at a cask strength of 53.4% after maturing in a Refill Hogshead. Only 321 bottles released with a small quantity having come to Alberta.

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: waxy, creamed honey and dried orchard fruits; very malty and floral with toasty tones and barley sugars.

Palate: green, very toasty, more creamed honey and malt; very floral with more dried fruits.

Finish: long, coating, toasty, floral and smooth.

Scotch Malt Whisky Society 29.150

$161.99

HAND-ROLLED CUBAN CIGARS

This 18 year old Ileach is 59.2% after maturing in a Refill Barrel.

Profile: "Heavily peated." 

Panel's Tasting Note: "We all agreed that we are visiting a harbour watching the fishing boats unloading their catch which is mostly shellfish like clams, mussels, oysters and scallops. It is early in the morning and aromas of bacon rolls with brown sauce are mingling with the fresh, salty sea breeze. The taste is chewy and juicy like wine gums but at the same time there is the earthiness and smokiness of a peat hearth combined with the spiciness of cinnamon and nutmeg. With water turning fresh and fruity like an apple ginger lemon juice, sweet as a vanilla cupcake and the flavours of sweet tobacco – premium hand- rolled Cuban cigars."

Drinking Tip: "Switch off and let the world go by."

First Edition Ben Nevis

$118.79

This 1998 vintage single cask Ben Nevis bottling has been bottled at a cask strength of 57.6% after maturing in a Sherry Butt. Curiously only 256 bottles from this Butt after 15 years, typically there would be 500-600+.

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: loads of dried fruits, nutty, a hint of rubber, some earthy tones and lots of licorice; very prominent orange, brandy soaked cherries, brown sugars and spice.

Palate: leathery and nutty with dried fruits and loads of spice; this is a big sherry bomb, brown sugar and massive amounts of licorice with clove, fennel and anise.

Finish: long, smooth and nutty with more spice and dried fruits.