Boutique-y Clynelish 20 Year KWM Cask
$164.99
It is finally here... we have been teasing and talking about this whisky for months, and it was worth the wait. We are thrilled to introduce you to our first ever KWM exlcusive single cask from That Boutique-y Whisky Company. Although the bottle doesn't explicitly tell you which "Highland" distillery the whisky is from, there are clues on the label... 578 bottles have been filled exclusively for Kensington Wine Market at 51%. But we have nothing holding us back from telling you that Boutique-y Highland #2 is Clynelish... That's right, this is 20 year old Clynelish!
Andrew's Note on the Whisky & Label
Could that be a cat in the clouds, a Wild Highland Cat perhaps? Is it not strange to see a waxy candle-powered balloon? Incidentally, it is lifting the KWM whisky team aloft. And what of the monument? If we told you it was a controversial monument near the town of Golspie dedicated to the infamous Duke of Sutherland, would that give you all the information you need to know? What Highland Distillery has a Wild Highland Cat as its symbol, a waxy profile, and an infamous Duke as its founder?
This label is a cheeky take on a shared memory, with embellishments, embedded details, and Easter eggs, in the tradition of the best Boutique-y Whisky Company Labels. More importantly, it tells a story, which is personally important to my family. My mother was born into the Clann Gunn in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Her ancestors roamed swaths of what is now Caithness and Sutherland in northern Scotland. That is until they were compelled to leave Scotland in the late 18th century, cruelly and rudely displaced to make way for sheep during the early days of the Highland Clearances.
On the label there is a ship at sea, heading to Canada presumably, as hinted at by the flags (the Canadian flag as it is today was only introduced in 1965). On the flat coastal plain at the base of the mountains sheep can be seen grazing. In front of the monument stand a pair of Canadians stand in hockey jerseys. Sam Simmons, Head of Whisky at Atom Brands, and a native Torontonian, stands closest to the monument in what appears to be a hockey jersey. Further back, a native Calgarian, yours truly can be seen waving a white hat, an iconic symbol of "Cowtown", whilst sporting a local hockey team jersey of his own. In the balloon Keith, Evan, Shawn & Curt can be seen waving at Andrew & Sam below. Speaking of those two, what are they doing atop Ben Bhraggie? Funny story that.
When TBWC offered us this cask of Highland Malt, they asked us what we wanted on the label, and I had a cheeky idea. In 2006 I made my first trip to Scotland, and on that trip, I hiked up Ben Bhraggie, a small mountain (really a foothill by Canadian standards) to see the monument of the infamous Duke. Someone had spraypainted the word "Monster" in neon green at the base. When I was sure no one was looking I dropped trow and relieved myself on it. I sent Sam an email of this tale, my connection to the area and my idea for the label. I was sure it was just a little too edgy...
Minutes later my phone was ringing... it was 3 AM in the UK, but Sam wanted to make sure I had seen his reply. He too had hiked Ben Bhraggie in 2005, and he had also paid his own respects to the infamous Duke of Sutherland...
One last little nugget, Keith, who is a personal trainer and headed to Beijing as a Team Canada Skeleton coach, felt his arm didn't look appropriately burly, in an early draft of the label. So we had the artist, Emily Chappell, 'bugs bunny' his arm... In case it isn't already apparent, nothing is sacred (especially when it comes to The Duke of Sutherland and Keith's pipes)!
And the rest as they say is history. On the back of every bottle, That Boutique-y Whisky Company includes the following text: "We are passionate about great whisky, we don't take ourselves too seriously and we LOVE a good story." No wonder these chaps are such a great fit to work with!
BenRiach 1997 24 Year Cask 14493
$487.49
Bottled exclusively for Alberta, this 24 year old BenRiach was distilled in 1997 and matured in a Bourbon Barrel (#14493) before bottling in 2022 at a cask strength of 56.5%. Selected by Rachel Barrie, only 176 total bottles have been released!
Samsara Priorat
$40.79
"Samsara, a new project from Priorat produced by the team of enologists Eva Escudé, Coca i Fitó and Trossos del Priorat in Gratallops. Samsara is an approachable, modern wine that brings Priorat to the palates of the world. Samsara is made from Garnacha (50%) and Cariñena (35%), with small amounts of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon, all of them from the Gratallops and Vilella Alta areas. The vines are 15 to 70 years old! The nose offers aromas of ripe red fruit, tangerine, light balsamic, and delicate spice. The palate is fresh and nervy with ripe supple tannins."
Coca i Fito Maragda
$31.49
A Kensington Wine Market exclusive, and fantastic value for a wine from Montsant, one of Spain's top wine regions! Montsant, like the Priorat, is a remarkably beautiful region with steep mountains that rise more than 3,300 feet above sea level. The climate is harsh: hot summers and bitter winters.The vines are planted directly on the steep hillsides, on what are called "costers" or terraces. Made from a blend of Grenache, Carignan, and Syrah, this gem serves up meaty flavours that quickly melt into sensations of ripe red fruit. Nice spicy finish with balsamic notes.
Coca i Fito Tocat de l`Ala Blanco
$43.34
An exciting KWM exclusive! Made from the indigenous grape varieties white Grenache and Macabeu and aged “sur lies”, the resulting wine is refreshing, citric, pleasant and makes our palate salivate. Good citric and tropical fruit notes, ripe white-fleshed fruit and perfumed flowers. This wine personifies DO Empordà wines, whisking us away to the rugged Costa Brava coastal coves at every sip. Enjoy with freshly grilled seafood, tapas, pasta and clams, or on its own.
Waterford Biodynamic Luna 1.1
$63.24
This 3 year old Waterford Single Malt is billed as the world's first Biodynamic whisky. The barley was grown on a number of farms and the spirit was matured in a mix of First Fill Ex-Bourbon, Virgin American Oak, Bordeaux, and Vin Doux Naturel casks.
From the Producer
"Eccentric to some, regenerative to others, biodynamic agriculture goes beyond the ordinary ecological mindset. Drawing upon ancient lore of lunar cycles & exotic preparations, it seeks to charge soils with vitality & barley with vibrancy. Practised by the most visionary & curious, we too are intrigued about the most natural flavours we can capture in spirit. For this landmark whisky, distilled from Ireland’s only biodynamic barley, we invoke the goddess of the moon for our most esoteric & evocative bottling."
Composition
35% First Fill ex-Bourbon
17% Virgin American Oak
26% French Wine Barriques
22% Vin Doux Naturel
Waterford The Cuvee
$59.99
Bottled at 50% after 4 1/2 years in a mix of First Fill Ex-Bourbon, Virgin American Oak, Bordeaux, and Vin Doux Naturel casks, The Cuvee is "the "Difinitive Waterford Whisky!"
Producer Description
"We rigorously apply the ancient terroir methodology to today’s verdant landscape of Ireland, home of the world’s finest barley. Now for the first time in single malt whisky – unashamedly inspired by the legendary châteaux of France – we reach the apogee of this radical philosophy.
"Our distillery, the technological marvel we call the Facilitator, enables us to create elite whisky – farm by farm, terroir by terroir. State-of-the-art equipment marries with ancient knowledge, locally grown Irish barley with extended fermentations, unhurried distillation & an array of exceptional oak. It has provided a unique library of Single Farm Origins – each expressing its own identity, its own voice.
"This unprecedented spectrum of flavours must now reach its crescendo: we have celebrated & explored the singles; now we produce our more immersive concept album. For layered together inthis cerebral fusion of flavours, these component Waterford Whiskies come together, culminating in our ultimate experience: textured, complex & compelling.
"The Cuvée, a synthesis of Single Farm Origins, an enigmatic gestalt, a milestone in our journey. The definitive Waterford Whisky. Our LodeStar."
Waterford Arcadian Sr. Organic Gaia 2.1
$60.49
This is the 3rd release we've seen of the Arcadian Series, Organic Gaia. Bottled at 50% after maturing 4 years in a mix of First Fill Ex-Bourbon, Virgin American Oak, Bordeaux, and Vin Doux Naturel casks.
Composition
39% First Fill ex-Bourbon
17% Virgin American Oak
19% ex-Bordeaux
25% Vin Doux Naturel
Tolo do Xisto Ruxe Mencia
$26.34
Ruxe is made by Andrea Obenza of Coca i Fitou, a highly respected producer based in Montsant. This Ribeira Sacra project is made from the Mencía varietal, a red grape that is gaining favour around the globe. The wine is made with the notion of conveying the mineral essence of the area by blending grapes from different schist soils found on the banks of the Sil River. An Atlantic wine, mineral, saline, aromatic, excellent acidity, tart fruits, soft tannins, herbaceous notes and sweet and savoury spices. The result is a medium-bodied wine with excellent length.. Pair with seafood, tapas and white meats. A KWM Exclusive.