Blackadder Raw Cask Auchentoshan 23 Year
$260.99
This Blackadder 23 year old Auchentoshan was filled into cask on December 9 1992, and has been bottles at 54.5%. From the Raw Cask line, this whisky has been bottled with only the most basic screening and no filtering. There are some chunks of charred oak in each bottle from the cask it was matured in, Barrel No. 3061. Exclusive to KWM in Calgary, only 6 bottles have come into the shop!
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: honey suckle, lilacs, brandy soaked cherries and orange rind; mango and some tropical fruits with a touch of Demerara sugar, licorice and cinamon sticks.
Palate: very floral, more honey suckle, lilacs, rose petals and other flowers; the whisky is sweet with more Demerara, brandy soaked cherries and orange rind (a little like a classic old fashioned); the fruits emerge with citrus, mellon and mango.
Finish: long, coating, creamy and still very floral; very elegant.
The Nikka 40 Year
$5,399.99
Only one bottle of this whisky has come into Canada, and there may not be a second. This 40 year old Nikka was released to celebrate the Nikka Whisky Company's 80th Anniversary, and to mark 120th Anniversary of its founder-Masatak Taketsuru's birth.
The whisky is a Blended Malt or Pure Malt - yes they can still use that term in Japan - consisting of whskies from the Yoichi and Miyagikyo distilleries. One of the Yoichi wiskies used in the vatting was distilled in 1945 and there is also some Miyagikyo 1969. Only 1000 bottles were released World Wide at 43% in a bespoke decanter and beautiful presentation box.
Signatory Bunnahabhain 1988 26 Year
$260.99
Bowmore Tempest VI
$96.99
Matured exclusively in First Fill Ex-Bourbon casks in the storied No. 1 Vaults of the Bowmore distillery. The series was released to highlight the island's stormy and tempestuous environment, and the affect that has on the distillery's whisky. Batch 6 has been released at 54.9%.
Distiller's Tasting Note
Breathe in a tropical fruit explosion of sweet mandarin, zingy pineapple and papaya.
Sip toasted coconut, sweet almond and mellow peat.
Savour passion fruit, pomegranate and tropical ocean dew finish.
Jura Boutique Barrels 1995 Sauternes
$143.99
It is finally here... I can't emphasize "finally" enough! Our own exclusive cask of Sauternes Finished Jura, cask No. 8, distilled in 1995. The whisky was bottled in August of 2013 and was matured in Ex-Bourbon before finishing in a Sauternes Barrique. Yes, we have been waiting ages for this one, but the wait is finally over. Of the original 270 bottles released at the distillery, 204 of them have found their way to our shop!
We were originally offered the whisky in the Spring of 2014, about 8 months after it had first been bottled. We reviewed about 3 or 4 different casks and this one was the standout winner. It was supposed to be here in time for Christmas 2015, but a change of agency and some other hiccups delayed its until just now! Bottled at 58.9% you barely notice its impressive strength on the nose or palate. Each bottles is numbered and bares Willie Cochrane's signature.
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: soft creamy and coating with vanilla, citrus and floral malty notes - a little like a fine French soap; Wine Gums and darker notes of leather, eather and oak slowly start to emerge; there are also underlying silky tendrils of honey;
Palate: it starts light and soft but quickly builds with more honey, citrus and oak; the alcohol is held very well in check by soft and subtle layers of fruit, chocolate, leather and earth; more Wine Gums, building spices and nutty notes;
Finish: long, layered and fruity (lots of orange) with fading spices and coating oaky oils;
Comment: this one was well worth the wait; the staff loves it and so will you!
Nikka Taketsuru 25 Year
$1,043.99
This is a bloody rare whisky, only 120 bottles have been exported from Japan to the west and KWM has been able to put our hands on a dozen of them, with just 2 left for sale! The whisky is bottled at 43% and is exceptionally floral and tropical! Made from malt whiskies aged at least 25 years, this new flagship offers floral aromas with soft sherry notes and a touch of sweetness from its long oak maturation. A hint of peat comes through on the complex finish.
First introduced in Japan on May 29th 2012, the limited release Nikka Taketsuru 25 Year, like the rest of the Taketsuru range, is a Pure of Blended Malt. The range also includes 12, 17 and 21 year olds which are increasingly rare and hard to find. The whisky hails from the two Nikka distilleries in the north of Japan: Yoichi and Miyagikyo. Created as a tribute to their founder Masataka Taketsuru, the Taketsuru whisky range is subtle, elegant and refined.
Distiller's Tasting Note (Suspect this is translated from Japanese, something may have been lost a little in translation!)
Nose: Refined aroma. A flamboyant and floral fragrance is tempered by a moderate sherry scent and sweet barrel-aged aroma. Add to this an accent of peat, with further delicate notes of citrus, raisins, and cookies.
Palate: Graceful taste. A rich, all-prevailing mellow barrel sweeteness is balanced by a touch of bitter acridity of peat. Sit back and savour the haunting bitter after taste that follows the initial elegant sweetness.
Glenfarclas £511.19s. Family Reserve
$150.99
More coming next week!
From the Distillery: "Family Reserve to celebrate the 150th anniversary of family ownership of the Glenfarclas distillery. On the 8th of June 1865, John Grant, 1st generation of the Grant family, bought the distillery for £511.19s.0d. His grandsons, John and George, later formed the company J. & G. Grant and to this day it remains an independent business and firmly in the hands of the family’s 5th & 6th generation.
"The £511.19s.0d Family Reserve, a non-chill filtered bottling at 43%, is a vatting of predominantly first fill sherry butts which proudly embodies the distillery’s sherry profile, bringing together all the character of this great spirit across the generations. Sweet and rich sherry, like a toffee syrup over a freshly toasted French baguette, the nose promises fresh fruit smothered in heather honey, ending almost like a sweet port. Then a dry yet sweet taste, a lovely balance of fruit, light nuttiness and milk chocolate develop, followed by a very palatable long and easy finish. A copy of the original bill of sale is included with each bottle along with a note from George Grant explaining the significance of the £511.19s.0d Family Reserve to the Grant family tradition."
BenRiach 35 Year
$818.99
Glendronach Cask Strength Batch 4
$103.49
The 4th batch of this insanely popular whisky has been bottled at 54.7% from Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. It is a limited release bottled at cask strength without colouring or chill-filtering. Like the previous batches it won't last long!
Distiller's Tasting Note
Nose: Delicious molten toffee and wild honey poured over ripe figs and dates. Subtle hints of tangerine, coffee grounds and a dusting of cinnamon add a perfect balance to the nose.
Palate: Vibrant oak spices and warming stem ginger complement the rich sherry and dark fruit characteristics. Waves of sour plums and subtle gingerbread combine with stewed barley and roasted coffee beans, softened by a gentle hint of walnut.
Conclusions: A perfect harmony of the finest sherry casks and traditional Highland characteristics.