Glenmorangie Private Edition Spios
$87.49
Just arrived!
The 9th annual release in Glenmorangie's Private Edition series is the Spios, Scots Gaelic for 'spice'. It is the first Glenmorangie to be matured entirely in casks that once contained American rye whiskey. 46%
Andrew' Tasting Note
Nose: creamy and spicy, stone fruits, clotted cream and Old English Butterscotch; thick and oily with juicy malt, cool mint and lemon oil wood polish.
Palate: juicy, fruity and very malty with a minty-herbal backbone; more clotted cream and Old English Butterscotch; dried apricots and peaches in cream with building-oily-spicy rye tones; German rye bread, clove and fennel; a sweet maple syrup on buckwheat pancakes note; assorted Jujubes.
Finish: medium, and light given the weight of the palate and spicy with fading spices and sugars.
Comment: there are lots of layers to this malt, which has picked up distinct oily-spicy rye tones from the casks; fruity and balanced, the finish is short-ish, but the palate is very drinkable!
Distiller's Tasting Note
Aroma: Fresh and herbal, with hints of cherry, clove, mint toffee and scents of green grass. With water, more perfumed notes emerge, crisp and clean, alongside an inviting herbal complexity.
Taste: Rye’s spice bursts forth on the palate, bringing tastes of toffee, clove, cinnamon and nutmeg, alongside buttery vanilla.
Finish: Rich, sweet and lingering with more toffee, Brazil nut and a suggestion of citrus.
Distiller's Description
The ninth annual release in our acclaimed Private Edition series, Glenmorangie Spìos is the first Glenmorangie ever to be fully matured in American ex-rye whiskey casks. Full-bodied and savoury, its innovative character was inspired by the bygone elegance of America’s golden whiskey era, when American rye whiskey was fêted in the country’s most prestigious saloons. Glenmorangie Spìos (Scots Gaelic for ‘spice’ and pronounced ‘spee-oss’) recalls the spirit’s elegant past, inviting rye’s rare notes of cinnamon and clove to shine through in the Highland Distillery’s uniquely smooth spirit, for a single malt whisky of sophistication and subtle spice.
85pts Serge @WhiskyFun
"NAS and a rye finish, that’s the thing these days. The Spice Girls have been a thing as well. Hold on, it is not a rye finish, it was fully matured in rye casks! But 100% rye, or just ‘American rye whiskey’? Not too sure… Never mind… Colour: straw. Nose: relatively light, bready, pastry-like, with touches of menthol and caraway. Hints of broken branches as well. I had thought this would be much bigger, but it’s rather whispering, which isn’t obligatorily a bad thing in my little book. Mouth: it’s coherent, sweet, certainly not ‘spicy’ as such – but we’ll check that in the aftertaste – and rather on maple syrup and mirabelle liqueur. The Nectar d’Or was rather bigger, to give you an example. I find it easy and indeed, well made. Finish: medium, rounded, with a little caramel, more mirabelle jam, and a very discreet spiciness. Comments: frankly, I like this. It’s uncomplicated, it’s not quite my style, but its got this huge drinkability that’s clearly an asset. In Alsatian we would say that it’s very ‘süffig’. A draw.
SGP:551 - 85 points."
Cadenhead Small Batch Dufftown 2007
$90.99
This 2007 Dufftown from Cadenhead was bottled at 56.8% ABV after being matured in two ex-Bourbon Hoggsheads. 606 bottles total with only 24 coming to Canada - exclusively to Kensington Wine Market.
Ardbeg Grooves
$146.99
The general release of Ardbeg Grooves is bottled at 46%.
Distiller's Tasting Note
Nose: Intense aromas of smoked cinnamon and paprika, antique leather and saddle soap, with classic Ardbeg scents of pine resin, tar and briny sea spray in the background. A distant hint of a fragrant bonfire by the shores of the distillery and, finally, an unusual savoury note, like chili-seasoned meats. A little splash of water releases some beautiful, unexpected aromas: lavender scented soap, ground white pepper, floral and herbal notes entwined. Fresh flowers mix with coriander leaves and mint.
Palate: A powerfully salty mouthfeel drifts into sweet vibes of treacle toffee, vanilla popcorn, salted fruits with soot and tar. Again, those distinctive savoury notes of smoky BBQ, paprika and mustard spice, fading into an unexpected haze of smoked pears and apples, almost like pear cider.
Finish: Smoked paprika and bonfires with a mellow sweetness throughout.
Distiller's Description
From the experimental folk at Ardbeg, comes this intensely mellow dram – Ardbeg Grooves. Here at Ardbeg, we’ve always been passionate about the benefits of an alternative lifestyle. We dig peat. But we also dig crofting, crocheting, Celtic crosses and campfires. And for this Limited Edition Committee bottling, we’re rolling back the years to an Islay time gone by – back to village of Peat & Love. Produced using our grooviest casks ever, aromas of smoked spices combine with distant bonfires fading into a mellow haze of apple and smoked pear. Ardbeg Grooves – It’s just good vibes…and good whisky, man.
Ardbeg Grooves Committee Edition
$194.99
We have a few more coming... woot woot!!!
You must be a Committee Member to buy, if you are not and would like to join the Ardbeg Committee please click here!
Ardbeg Day is nearly upon us, and the Ardbeg Grooves Committee Edition will be here shortly there after. Bottled at 51.6%, You must be an Ardbeg Committee Member to purchase the bottle, but anyone can sign up here for free!
Distiller's Tasting Note
Nose: Intense aromas of smoked cinnamon and paprika, antique leather and saddle soap, with classic Ardbeg scents of pine resin, tar and briny sea spray in the background. A distant hint of a fragrant bonfire by the shores of the distillery and, finally, an unusual savoury note, like chilli-seasoned meats. A little splash of water releases some beautiful, unexpected aromas: lavender scented soap, ground white pepper, floral and herbal notes entwined. Fresh flowers mix with coriander leaves and mint.
Palate: A powerfully salty mouthfeel drifts into sweet vibes of treacle toffee, vanilla popcorn, salted fruits (peaches) with soot and tar. Again, those distinctive savoury notes of smoky BBQ, paprika and mustard spice, fading into an unexpected haze of smoked pears and apples, almost like pear cider.
Finish: Smoked paprika and bonfires with a mellow sweetness throughout.
Distiller's Description
From the experimental folk at Ardbeg, comes this intensely mellow dram – Ardbeg Grooves. Here at Ardbeg, we’ve always been passionate about the benefits of an alternative lifestyle. We dig peat. But we also dig crofting, crocheting, Celtic crosses and campfires. And for this Limited Edition Committee bottling, we’re rolling back the years to an Islay time gone by – back to village of Peat & Love. Produced using our grooviest casks ever, aromas of smoked spices combine with distant bonfires fading into a mellow haze of apple and smoked pear. Ardbeg Grooves – It’s just good vibes…and good whisky, man.
Bruichladdich 2006 KWM Cask 3307
$124.99
!!!COMPLETELY SOLD OUT!!!
It is a curiosity to say the least. The spirit was distilled November 23rd 2006 from Chalice barley grown on Dunlossit Estate, Islay, and filled into a Rivesaltes wine barrique. The whisky was bottled on January 18, 2018, at 11 years of age and a massive 64.3%. But don't let that massive proof intimidate you... the spirit is soft without rough edges and drinks well with and without water! Just 270 bottles!
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: doughy, malty and very fruity; like walking into a French bakery with warm pastries and desserts fresh from the oven; jammy notes of raspberry, strawberry and boysenberry; earthy and nutty with some leather and big sweet spices and toasted oak.
Palate: buttery and fruity with rich spices and loads of velvety toasted oak; more jammy fruits, bright citrus fruits and liquid honey; some earthy-musty dunnage notes, fruit and nut chocolate and decadent spices; the barley plays a big role in this malt, round and chewy with a slightly flinty minerality; new leather.
Finish: warming and spicy with soft leather, loads of berry fruits, earthy tones and chewy malt; the finish is long, coating and drying.
With Water: with water the barley takes center stage on the nose with tart fruit; the creamy-doughy-bakery notes are toned down; the palate is more chocolatey with lovely spices, honey and fruit.
Comment: the nose and palate are warm, they would have to be at 64.3%, but the whisky is far from sharp and very drinkable neat; the whisky takes water very well, more so on the palate than the nose; this one is going to be a hit!
About Rivesaltes Wine
Rivesaltes is a type of naturally sweet, fortified wine, from the Lanquedoc-Roussillon wine region of France. It is an AOC, or "Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée". It is a "vin doux", a style of wine similar to "Muscat de Rivesaltes AOC", except the producer is not restricted to using Muscat. The wine cam be white or red and in addition to Muscat producers can also use Grenache Noir, Blanc and Gris as well as Mavoisie and Macabeu.
G&M Cask Strength Miltonduff 1997
$164.99
This is a 20 year old Cask Strength Miltonduff from Gordon Macphail, matured in a 1st Fill Sherry Butt and bottled at 58.8%.
Cadenhead Small Batch Glenrothes 1997
$143.99
This is a big sherry bomb of a Glenrothes. Candied, fruity and balanced. Bottled at 52.6% after maturing in 3 Sherry Butts.
Producer's Tasting Note
Nose: Peanut butter, figs and treacle Chewy.
Palate: Orange zest and juicy sultanas. Hint of ginger in background.
Finish: Nutmeg, paprika with orange peel and brown sugar.
G&M Cask Strength Mortlach 1999
$155.99
This is the only way Mortlach should ever be served up. You can't have a whisky known and revered as 'the Beast of Dufftown' offered up at anything less than natural cask strength. Now, having said that, this isn't 100% the Mortlach we know (and love!) either. And that makes it even better. Mortlach is usually very meaty and rather heavily-sherried. You may get some of that meatiness here (hey...it's mostly coming through from the method of distillation, right?), but this one has been disgorged from a single 1st fill Bourbon Barrel.
57.2% abv
Producer Tasting Note
Sweet vanilla and ripe tropical fruit aromas. The palate is creamy with butterscotch, stewed apple and melon flavours enhanced by fresh lime.
G&M Cask Strength Ardmore 1998
$224.99
This Gordon & MacPhail Ardmore was distilled in 1998 and bottled 19 and a half years later in 2018 at a cask strength of 53.5% ABV. Matured in refill sherry hogsheads.
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: big, stewed dark fruits, treacle, dark chocolate with chilli flakes and firm leather; damp tobacco, Christmas cake, plum pudding and black licorice pipes.
Palate: big, rich and sherried, very sherried, a beast in fact, but a friendly beast; big licorice, more spicy dark chocolate, treacle sauce on sticky toffee pudding, grilled figs, Christmas cake and plum pudding; the leather and tobacco are still there, there is some ashy (cigar) smoke too.
Finish: long and smooth, the beast has been tamed; big sherry, leather, chocolate, tobacco and ashy smoke slowly fade.
Comment: this is a sherry bomb, but a well-integrated sherry bomb; juicy, fruity and complex; no rough edges!