Sansibar Islay Malt 2008

$174.99

Which Islay distillery did this single cask come from? It is a mystery! Distilled in 2008, bottled at 8 Years old and a cask strength of 52.8%.

Sansibar Ben Nevis 1996

$284.99

Sansibar Speyside Very Old Chinese Mask

$214.99

Bottled at 46.3% under the "Chinese Mask Series" from Sansibar and "Spirits Shop Selection". Matured in a sherry butt and bottled and proclaimed: "Very Old", we don't know the age or the distillery (Speyside), but we can speculate.

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: bright and orangey, some musty old wood, cracked mixed nuts and green vegetables seared in olive oil; it is a touch salty with some liquorice, leather and candied fruits. 

Palate: very fruity and spicy; still musty with old oak and damp dunnage notes; more mixed nuts, cooked green veg in olive oil and soft leather; building spices: cinnamon hearts, candied ginger and more liquorice; it is far from over the top but has the feel of old whisky; still orangy, late tropical fruits.

Finish: medium in body, it is coating and long in length with the leather, musty oak and spices lingering longest.

Comment: I suspect this was the marriage of an old cask, below strength, with some younger, bolder malt; it is interesting and very drinkable!

87pts Serge @ Whisky Fun: "So we don’t know about the age, and we don’t know about the distillery. Thank God we know about the bottler… Colour: gold. Nose: smoke and seawater? Excuse me? And roasted chestnuts, used matches, stewed asparagus, damp black earth, new leather jacket, pine cones… Ah… Mouth: no, really, there’s some smoke, some ham, some tangerines in the back, some seawater even… It’s as if this Speysider spent its life in some ex-Islay cask. Which, obviously, did work very well here. Shall we ever know? Finish: long, lemony and smoky, with a Bowmore-y side. No, that is true. Comments: a surprising baby. Chance or destiny? It worked very well. SGP: 453 – 87 points"

Sansibar Glenlossie 1992

$309.99

This is from the Sansibar Spirits Shop line with a Japanese inspired label. Bottled after 23 years at 51.7% from a single Bourbon barrel. Only 12 of 317 bottles came to Canada, exclusively to KWM... oh and our staff love it! 

Andrew's Tasting Not - In Summary it is delicious!

Sansibar Glen Moray 1991 25 Year 50.9%

$334.99

This Glen Moray bottling from Sansibar was distilled in 1991 and bottled in 2016 at 25 years of age and 50.3% ABV.

Sansibar Highland Park 1992

$549.99

Exlusive to KWM - 90pts from both Serge & Ruben - Only 12 Bottles!

A 24 year old single cask of Highland Park from Sansibar bottled under the Chinese Mask label. Matured in an ex-Bourbon barrel (possibly a Hoggy given the outturn) and bottled at 51.4%. Only 12 bottles in Canada exclusive to KWM.

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: honeyed and floral; creme caramel and toffee apple; subtle smoke with coconut icing (with chunks) on a vanilla cupcake; lots going on here, both waxy and a touch dusty with wet slate; citrus and melons; it settles back into delicate decadent floral tones.

Palate:  creamy, waxy and floral with a lovely minerality--more wet slate; creamed honey, more coconut-vanilla icing and some tangy citrus: grapefruit pith and orange peel; there are some fleeting exotic fruits in the mid-palate, like guava and kiwi, but they are not the main drivers; becomes increasingly oily and a little tarry with clean elegant smoke and some bitter earthy peat; a late touch of unsweetened bakers chocolate, clove and anise.

Finish: long, coating and waxy; drying and warming, the palate is tingling with traces of honey, citrus, clean peat smoke and coconut; 

Comment: this is a stunning old Bourbon cask Highland Park; no faults, only a tinge of regret, I would like to have seen more tropical fruits; what's here however is very close to perfect!

90pts Serge @WhiskyFun.org: "This one may be pure and crystalline, let’s see… Colour: white wine. Nose: it is pure and crystalline. A very wee touch of coconut from the oak (right, not quite crystalline) and then a superb zesty (mint, lime), mineral (limestone, chalk), waxy (linseed, paraffin) and citrusy (bitter oranges) development. Pure HP. With water: gets chalkier, with is always welcome at WF towers. Fresh concrete. Mouth (neat): everything you’d expect from these batches. Passion fruits plus honey and beeswax, with tarter kiwis and rhubarb in the back. A perfect Clynelishy wax/lemon combo over all that. With water: tiny herbs and green citrus. Parsley, sage, lime, grapefruits… Finish: long, ultra-clean, zesty and mineral. Grassier aftertaste. Comments: the coconut was very temporary, most happily, it’s an immaculately natural HP. My favourite style. SGP:562 - 90 points."

90pts Ruben @WhiskyNotes.be: "Nose: a big mineral side, with wet gravel, linseed oil and waxy notes. Then more on sweet citrus (lemon, grapefruit, tangerine). A little banana and kiwi. Minty freshness. Hints of white chocolate as well. Beautiful combination. Mouth: a little sweeter and fruitier than expected, although the mineral sharpness is still present. Albariño wine. Yellow and pink grapefruits, tangerines, nectarines. Honey coated almonds. More herbal notes towards the end, with aniseed and a hint of bitter citrus. White pepper too. Finish: long, on heather and citrus. A light hint of smoke as well. Quite excellent: a very fine distillate coupled to a cask that’s supporting it well. Reminds us of a TNOTDD bottling of last year, but slightly more complex and a little less expensive. Around € 330."

Sansibar Caol Ila 1990

$484.99

Only 12 bottles are coming to Canada, exclusively to KWM of the 26 year old Caol Ila from Sansibar. Bottled in the "Chinese Mask" series, bottled at 49.2% after maturing in an Ex-Bourbon barrel!

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: soft, fruity, sikly and buttery; decadent, chalky and savoury: hints of salt and crisp but clean elegant smoke; buttery with a touch of scallops in a sweet and spicy Thai chilli sauce. 

Palate: sweet and spicy: more sweet Thai chilli sauce on scallops sauteed in butter; more clean smoke, buttery tarry-peat oils, delicate tropical fruits and chalky candies; bright orange and candied ginger.

Finish: long, coating and sweet with decadent spice, clean smoke and tarry peat. 

Comment: a beautiful and delicate Caol Ila; time has polished it beautifully; a unique older expression ow whisky much bolder in its youth; dangerously drinkable.

Producer's Tasting Note (Translated by Google from German)

Nose: Aromatic smoke, tobacco, with roasted nuts, iodine and a fine citrus note.

Taste: Sweet and salty, with fine smoke, vanilla, honey, cereals and bitter orange.

Finish: Still sweet, slightly ashy, with apples and floral notes.

Sansibar Tormore 1988

$354.99

A 29 year old Tormore bottled by Sansibar, distilled in 1988. Sold Out

Sansibar Blair Athol 1988

$351.99

No cask type declared on this one, likely a refill Ex-Bourbon Hogshead. Distilled in 1988 and bottled in 2016 after 28 years at 50.7%. 203 bottles produced with but a dozen coming to Canada. 90pts Serge @WhiskyFun.

Andrew's Tasting Note

Nose: creamy and floral, Old English Butterscotch, agave syrup and white fruits: poached pear and baked apple; surprisingly malty, oatmeal with a dash of Demerara sugar.

Palate: creamy, honeyed and slightly waxy; delicate, it rolls effortlessly off the tongue; still quite malty, cold oatmeal with a touch of Demera; white fruits abound with floral vanilla and a delicate nuttiness; hints of more exotic fruits are snuffed by Wine Gums.

Finish: elegant, fruity and floral; long and drying with the tastebuds tingling in anticipation of its return.

Comment: this isn't mindblowing, but it is excellent, elegant and refined; a might have pulled this from the cask a little earlier, but it has lots of life left!

90pts Serge @WhiskyFun.org: "Colour: pale gold. Nose: certainly very ‘Blair Athol’, that is to say breakfasty and malty. I’d mention muesli, brioche, a spoonful of porridge, vanilla, kugelhopf… And just not Champagne, we aren’t in Vienna after all. With water: gets very floral. A forest of lilies, and a pile of big fat golden sultanas. Mouth (neat): excellent, malty, orange-y, rich yet ‘nervous’, full of sweet bread, liquid caramel, milk chocolate, and roasted pecans and macadamias. In the background, the faintest hints of the best of quasi-neighbours Edradour. You know, this singular leatherness. With water: just beautiful. The whisky kind of deconstructs and reassembles itself on your tongue, which is a funny and rather thrilling feeling. Yes I’m fine. Finish: medium, fresh, and yet cake-y and malty. Mullein flower syrup in the aftertaste. Perhaps elderflowers. Comments: the epitome of this style. GP:551 - 90 points."