Glenglassaugh Octaves Classic
$124.99
An Octave cask is one of the smallest casks used in whisky maturation containing a scant 50 litres of alcohol. This release from Glenglassaugh Distillery was matured entirely in Octave Casks which should lead to more oak and wood characteristics coming through at a young age.
Bottled at 44% ABV. Non chill-filtered. No colouring added
Glenglassaugh Octaves Peated
$114.99
Glenglassaugh Distillery definitely has a thing for using smaller Octave casks. This peated batch from the distillery aged in a combination of resized Octaves that once held Bourbon, Port and Oloroso Sherry. Bottled at 44%.
Springbank 21 Year
$385.99
More stock available.
The current batch (15/52) is superb, Andrew's tasting note is coming soon. Bottled at 46% without colouring or chill-filtering, this lightly peated Campbeltown malt is matured in?
Andrew's Tasting Note Batch 15/52
Nose: creamy, savoury and comforting; vanilla, clotted cream and salted caramel envelop you in a warm embrace; dried apricots, peaches and cream; wood smoke from a beach bonfire and steamed mussels.
Palate: round, creamy, salty and still very savoury; vanilla bean, clotted cream, silky honey and salted caramel; the beach bonfire wood smoke is still there, but clean, without a sharp edge; more peaches and cream, dried apricot and cantaloupe.
Finish: medium in length, it is creamy, coating and fruity with savoury salted caramel tones and clean smoke.
Comment: lovely; I compared it to Batch 12/18 and this is heads and shoulders a better whisky; more akin to the legendary Springbank 21s of more than a decade ago!”
Distiller's Tasting Note
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.
Teeling Revival Volume II 13 Year
$146.69
This 2nd edition of the Teeling Revival was produced to celebrate Teeling Distillery's year in operation. This 13 Year Old Single Malt Irish whiskey was distilled in 2002. It spent the first 12 years of its life in ex-Bourbon casks. After this it was finished in 12 months in Calvados casks.
We will be getting at least 8 bottles - possibly a little more after that but they likely won't last long! The whisky has been released to mark the 1st anniversary of the opening of Teeling Distillery in Dublin. Teeling Distillery is the the first new distillery in the city in 125 years, and the only one currently in operation.
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: ginger snaps, short bread cookies, lemon zest and bright cooked apples; crisp grassy malt and polished oak.
Palate: soft, silky and honeyed; more biscuitty notes: shortbread and ginger snaps but also a creamy backbone of vanilla and white chocolate; very appley, classic apple pie, poached pear and zesty citrus notes; round and chewy there is more toasty oak.
Finish: long, coating and smooth; loads of fading barley, vanilla, honey and white orhard fruits; just a hint of citrus.
Comment: another lovely release of Teeling, the casks they kept after selling the Cooley ditillery continue to impress; can't wait to sample the spirit from their new Dublin distillery!
Adelphi The Glover 18yr
$239.99
The Glover 18yr from Adelphi is a unique Blend of both Japenese and Scottish Malt Whisky. The Japanese malt comes from the closed, legendary Hanyu. The whisky on the Scottish side comes from the Glen Garioch and Longmorn distilleries.
This series is named after Thomas Blake Glover - a Scottish gentleman who helped modernize Japan in the 19th Century.
48.6% ABV
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 66.90
$116.99
STEAM TRAIN THROUGH A PHARMACY
This 12 year old Highlander is from a refill barrel and comes in at 58.5%
Flavour profile: Peated
Outturn: 204 bottles
Panel's tasting note: "The nose delivered an immediate, unmistakable blast of vanilla smoke – then cigar ash, walnut shells, polished wood pharmacy counters – eventually pine forest freshness. To taste, the smoke had a more tarry character (the taste left after working with bitumen roofing sheets), Buckley’s Mixture and eucalyptus – the balancing sweetness reminded us of aniseed-flavoured Liquorice Allsorts and blackcurrants. The reduced nose had cleaner, more clinical smoke, causing one panellist to recall a journey on the Jacobite steam train (wood, leather, smoke, heather, pine). The palate now flooded our mouths with sweet, succulent easy-drinking joy – restrained hickory smoke and blackcurrant Halls."
Drinking tip: "To make the last hour of the day (before going to bed) something special"
Cadenhead Small Batch Glendullan 1996
$174.99
This Cadenhead bottling of Glendullan comes from two ex-bourbon barrels distilled in 1996. 480 bottles total with only 12 coming to Canada - exclusively to Kensington Wine Market. Bottled at 53.4% ABV
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 55.24
$199.99
CHERRY PIE MOONSHINE
This 20 year old Speysider is from a 2nd fill hogshead and comes in at 52.7%
Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet
Outturn: 189 bottles
Panel's tasting note: "We are in a scene from chapter two of Mark Twain’s book ‘The Adventures of Tom Sawyer’ back in the 19th century in the Midwest. Tom has to whitewash a big wooden fence but convinces his friends to pay him to have a go themselves. Evocative aromas of late summer cornfields, pumpkin pie, corned beef hash sandwiches and homemade lemonade fill the air. The taste neat was like corn on the cob with salted butter or homemade blackcurrant jam on crusty bread. Water added to that autumn feeling; root beer, candied ginger snaps and to top it all ‘cherry pie moonshine’."
Drinking tip: "Whilst reading the 'Autobiography of Mark Twain'"
Scotch Malt Whisky Society 4.217
$214.99
NORDIC NOSH
From a refill hogshead, this 19 year old from Orkney is 53.9%
Flavour profile: Oily & coastal
Outturn: 234 bottles
Panel's tasting note: "We felt like filling our plate from the buffet at a garden party. Whilst some got smoked mackerel salad with beetroot, sweet potato and horseradish seasoned with red wine vinaigrette, others enjoyed sweet cured marinated herring and new potato salad with sour cream. The main course was sweet and slightly ashy, barbecued succulent herbal sausages, Swedish meatballs, dry-cured smoked ham and summertime sweet pickles. With water, the vegetarian option, grilled glazed kebab skewers with zucchini, eggplant, cherry tomatoes and pepper in a honey mustard oil dressing and in the finish, slightly burnt with a hint of ash, marshmallows."
Drinking tip: "At a garden barbecue party"