Scotch Malt Whisky Society 3.295
$194.99
BOUQUETS AND SPADES
This 20 year old from Islay was matured in a refill hogshead and is 54.6%
Flavour profile: Lightly peated
Outturn: 228 bottles
Panel's tasting note: "On the beach was an unusual place to find a florist shop, however the perfumed bouquet of pink roses, heather and violets seemed to balance rather nicely with the nearby bonfire and the smouldering damp sticks that had been placed upon it. Someone was toasting marshmallows to go with melted chocolate on Belgian waffles whilst around the other side someone else was cooking bacon that had been stretched across twigs and drizzled with maple syrup. We had with us a punnet of peaches, perhaps we could smoke those on the bonfire too, sprinkled with a little brown sugar."
Drinking tip: "Drink when all the boxes need ticking"
Compass Box The Double Single 2017
$224.99
Wrong sku
The Whisky Agency Teaninich 1973
$649.99
Bottled after 43 years in a Sherry Butt, the whisky has been bottled at 48.8% under "The Perfect Dram" Label. Only 6 bottles have come to Alberta, only 1 is left at the time of writing.
VSMC K2007 Cask 50
$44.34
Maltbarn Caperdonich 1994
$349.99
Bottled from an Ex-Bourbon Barrel at 49.8%. Only 24 bottles are coming to Canada!
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: Old English Butterscotch ice cream; maple cream cookies and pralines; baked apple crumble and salted caramel; white chocolate truffles, graham waffers and orange rinds.
Palate: thick, creamy, buttery and toasty; more pralines, maple cream cookies, fortune cookies and baked apple crumble; salted caramel, white chocolate truffles and candied citrus: lemon and orange; more Old English Butterscotch ice cream and graham waffers; decadent (honey and Demerara), floral and very biscuitty.
Finish: coating, creamy and floral; it remains decadent, juicy and fruity; smooth and elegant.
Comment: Caperdonich is not the most sought after of the closed distilleries, and there is a reason for that; it was never much loved in its short history, and the quality of the bottlings over the years has been inconsistent; this one is excellent!
Capperdonich used to be one of the more common independent bottlings, though the stock has all but dried up in the last few years. The distillery was opened in 1897 at the start of the first Scotch Whisky Boom. It was an adjunct to Glen Grant distillery located just across the road in Rothes. The distillery only operated for three years until 1902 when it was forced to close by the Pattison Whisky Crash. During its few years of operation, it was known as Glen Grant Number 2. When it reopened in 1965 at the start of the next major whisky boom, it was renamed Caperdonich, as by that time two distilleries could not bear the same name. The distillery was closed again in 2002, dismantled, and the buildings are now occupied by Forsyths who produce stills and other copper-work for the industry. This Maltbarn bottling is the first Caperdonich we have seen in a number of years.
Kilkerran 8 Year Cask Strength
$84.99
A lightly peated 8 year old cask strength single malt from the Glengyle Distillery in Campbeltown. Apparently it is a limited edition, bottled 52.6% and matured entirely in Ex-Bourbon. Only a small amount has come to Canada, and it will not last long!
Distiller's Tasting Note
Nose: The peat aroma from the lightly peated barley is apparent from the off and some of the green apples which are becoming a feature of Kilkerran are also present. This whisky is like a favourite dessert, rhubarb crumble, stewed rhubarb, vanilla and all butter shortbread.
Palate: There’s an earthiness and saltiness, exactly what you want to taste in a Campbeltown dram. This is combined with icing sugar and puff candy which gives a sweetness to the whisky, along with milk chocolate and walnut flavours.
Finish: The peat remains, along with a sootiness, pencil shavings and a liquoriceinfluenced maltiness.
Springbank Hazelburn 13 Year Oloroso
$117.99
This 13 year old, triple distilled Hazelburn, was matured in Oloroso Sherry. Only about 120 bottles are coming to Alberta, KWM will see perhaps 24-30! They won't last long...
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: doughy, Strawberry Twizzlers, Christmas cake and candied nuts; malty with soft leather, orange pith and fresh flowers; almond paste filled croissants.
Palate: leathery, nutty and very sherried, though nowhere near over the top; polished new leather shoes, more Christmas cake, leather, tobacco and dark chocolate; fennel and clove with some espresso beans; more Strawberry Twizzlers and orange pith.
Finish: long, coating and decadenly spiced; more Christmas cake, soft supple leather and fruit tobacco.
Comment: a very nutty and rich triple distilled malt; the delicate floral and citrus tones are complemented by, rather than overrun by the rich sherry tones.
Distiller's Tasting Note
Nose: Initially raisins, marzipan, Demerara sugar followed by treacle, sticky toffee and wood shavings.
Taste: Homemade strawberry jam, sugary and filled with cream, orange zest, brandy snaps and a white chocolate creme brûlée.
Finish: Chocolate orange, creamy coffee liqueur, buttered popcorn, cocoa beans and mocha coffee with a delicate finish of sweet orange marmalade.
Springbank Longrow Red 13 Year Malbec
$111.99
This one will be gone in a flash, the lastest Springbank Longrow bottling. Bottled at 51.3% from red wine ex-Malbec casks, less than 120 bottles are coming to Alberta. KWM will see no more than 24-30 of these.
Producer Tasting Note
Nose: A very coastal beginning; sea salt with a fresh sea air breeze, then becomes very fruity. Sweet cocktail cherries, blackberries and red currants. A faint and subtle note of cigar boxes and tobacco comes through.
Palate: The fruitiness continues with rhubarb crumble, stewed apples and juicy plums. Cured ham follows with a very soft and delicate touch of peat with more coastal, sea salt notes.
Finish: Red wine tannins dominate, combined with smouldering campfire smoke and the ever present fresh fruit notes of prunes and cherries.
Whisky Agency Blended Malt XO 3 Rivers
$188.99
This is a curious Blended Malt, almost certainly ex-Edrington stock (AKA Highland Park, Macallan and Glenrohes), has been bottled at 45.8% from an Ex-Sherry cask. The whisky is a collaboration between The Whisky Agency and Three Rivers Tokyo. It is supposedly a marriage of mostly under-strength 50 year old Tamdhu and 3 year old Glenfarclas... It is worth noting that Tamdhu recently released a 50 year old that they want $25k+ for!
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: chocolate fudge, Caramilk bars, molten brown sugar, candied orange slices and some firm leather; some juicy tobacco, Eatmore and a hint of bacon infused dark chocolate with cayenne; plums, tropical fruits and chilli oil.
Palate: big, rich and spicy... very spicy; firm leather and juicy tobacco; very chocolaty too, creamy and silky; more Eatmore and Caramilk, cayenne infused dark chocolate with bacon bits and some moist Christmas cake; tropical fruits and plum jam underneath.
Finish: juicy, spicy and leathery; warming, chocolaty and fruity; long, coating and complex.
Comment: this is a curious malt, very layered and complex; it is also eminently drinkable... the balance of young and very old malt works brilliantly; if that is indeed what is going on here; I don't know about you, but I hope that is the case!