Malt Messenger 2016 Christmas Gift Guide
Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,
Christmas is just 9 days away and Kensington Wine Market is buzzing. The Annual Malt Messenger Christmas Guide is finally ready. It is full of great last minute whisky suggestions and gift ideas. We have a comprehensive selection of Single Malt Scotch Whiskies organized by price, but also our Top 5 Picks for Bourbon, Canadian, Irish, Japanese and Other World Whiskies.
Our Winter 2017 Tasting Schedule has been online for a few weeks now, and many of our tastings are starting to sell out. KWM Wine, Beer and Whisky tastings make a great gift. We are also able to offer gift cards for your recipient. The Winter 2016 Wine Times Newsletter is also available online – a paper copy was mailed out to our newsletter list a few weeks back.
We are thrilled with the success of our 2016 Whisky Advent Calendar and we hope those of you already working through one are enjoying the ride. We’ve had some great feedback and comments thus far on our social media feeds. There are still a few 2016 Kensington Wine Market Whisky Advent Calendars available, and they make a great Christmas gift. We are down to just a little over 5% of our opening inventory. Every day of Whisky Advent we will be posting that day’s whisky, the distillery it comes from, and our own tasting note on the KWM Blog. So far there are 15 posts up you can browse through.
Tickets for Calgary’s best whisky festival on Thursday January 19 are flying, and are already close to 80% sold. The VIP Master Class with Ruaraidh MacIntyre is sold out, and there are just over 40 VIP early entry tickets left! The VIP early entry tickets are a deal at $150, considering they include a special cut crystal Glencairn glass valued at $50. The general admission tickets are now $110. Further details are available below, or by clicking the above link!
We have lots of whisky news to share, but much of that will have to wait until the New Year. If we are not in touch again this season, on behalf of everyone at the Kensington Wine Market, I hope you have Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Joyous Festivus, and a safe and prosperous New Year!
Sláinte!
Andrew Ferguson
Kensington Wine Market
In this Edition
KWM Winter 2017 Tasting Schedule is Now Online
Our Two New Arran Cask Are Coming This Week!
2016 Whisky Advent is 3 Days In!
MS Calgary Whisky Festival 2017
New Japanese Whisky
PS- PS – Don’t forget you can follow me on Twitter:
@scotch_guy, Instagram: @thescotch_guy/ or @kwmwhisky and Facebook: facebook.com/scotch.guy.1
Malt Messenger’s Annual Christmas Gift Guide
From tastings to Single Malt, Bourbon, Canadian & Irish Whiskey, we’ve got your picks!
There is something for everyone in our curated Christmas gift guide. Act before December 19 and we can guarantee it will be in store before Christmas!
Top 5 Canadian Whiskies
Lot 40 – There aren’t a lot of true ryes in Canada, though they are on the rise. This is one of the best, and best priced. – $49
Canadian Rockies 21 Year – There is not a lot of 21 year old anything for under $70 a bottle. This Canadian whisky is a gem, light, clean and smooth. – $68
Shelter Point Inaugural Run Single Malt – This farm to bottle Canadian singe malt has been one of our best selling whiskies at KWM this year… just don’t call it Scotch! – $80
Forty Creek Founders Reserve – This is the 10th annual special release from Forty Creek Distillery, bottled as a tribute to the distillery’s founder John K Hall. – $82
Two Brewers Single Malt Release 4 – This Canadian single malt, mostly matured in Bourbon was finished in Fresh Bourbon and Virgin Oak. Another brilliant release from this new producer. - $98
Top 5 Bourbon & American Whiskies
1792 Ridgemont Reserve KWM Cask – Selected by and bottled exclusively for KWM, there aren’t may of these wheated Bourbons left. – $70
Bernheim Kentucky Wheat KWM Cask – Also selected and bottled exclusively for KWM, this American wheat whiskey is soft, clean and honeyed! – $70
EH Taylor Small Batch – Named for a founding father of the Bourbon industry, this stunning Bourbon is produced by Buffalo Trace. – $100
Stagg Jr. Bourbon 65% – The younger brother of George T. Stagg from Buffalo Trace distillery is around 8 to 9 years old and a very high proof Bourbon. – $85
Wyoming Bourbon Alberta Single Cask – A very good limited single cask Bourbon from the Wyoming distillery. – $92
Top 5 Irish Whiskies
Teeling Single Grain – This will change your mind about grain whiskey, matured in California Cabernet casks. – $65
Redbreast 12 Year Cask Strength – Bottled at 57.4% this single pot still Irish whiskey has loads of character. – $100
Jack Ryan 12 Year Single Malt – A 12 year old single malt distilled at Cooley. Bottled for a family with 100+ years in the pub trade.- $110
Cadenhead Irish 13 Year Single Malt – Bottled from a single ex-Bourbon barrel at 46%, exclusive to KWM in Canada! The whisky is almost certainly from the Cooley distillery. Only 30 bottles. – $130
Maltbarn Irish Malt 2001 – A 14 year old Cooley Irish single malt from Maltbarn, bottled at 48.3% from a Bourbon Barrel; only 30 of 167 bottles coming to Canada! – $230
Top 5 Other Whiskies
Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky – The first South African grain whisky, aged 5 years after maturing in first fill Bourbon. - $50
Mars Shinshu Iwai Tradition – A step up on the Iwai Whisky from the Mars Shinshu Distillery, in Japan, the Iwai Tradition is 75% malt and 25% grain, bottled at 40%. - $75
Paul John Bold – Paul John Bold is made up entirely of peated malt. The peat is sourced from Islay in Scotland and used in the malting of Indian six row barley. It is distilled at the John Distillery in Goa. – $75
Amrut 2010 KWM Virgin Oak Cask – Our first exclusive single cask of Amrut was finished in Virgin Oak, only 90 bottles are coming to Canada, they won’t last long. – $135
Kavalan Solist Bourbon – A superb bottling of Kavalan, bottled from a single Ex-Bourbon American oak cask, at cask strength. – $138
Top 10 Gift Packs & Great Gifts
Ardbeg Uigeadail 50ml - One of Islay’s most legendary whiskies, bottled at 54.2% after maturing primarily in sherry. - $50
Kilchoman 2011 KWM PX Cask - A 50ml of our exceptional new single cask of Kilchoman, finished in a PX Cask. – $18
Benromach 10 Year w/ Two Glasses – A highly undervalued whisky, this brilliant single malt and two Glencairn glasses at a great price. – $83
Kilchoman Machir Bay w/ Two Glasses – Kilchoman’s flagship single malt and two glasses for barely more than the whisky alone. – $93
Glenfarclas 40 Year 50ml - Add up the cost of these wee bottles, and they will work out to less than a full bottle. I know I want one in my stocking. – $55
Glenmorangie 4x100ml Gift Pack – Original 10 Year, Lasanta, Nectar D’Or and Quinta Ruban. – $50
Wee Whisky Gift Box 4 Whiskies & a Glass – 4x50ml whiskies and a KWM logo Glencairn glass in a festive Christmas box. – $50
Wee Whisky Gift Box 8 Whiskies & a Glass – 8x50ml whiskies and a KWM logo Glencairn glass in a festive Christmas box. – $100
Scotch Malt Whisky Society Membership Kit - The portal to the World’s largest whisky club includes three 100ml Society whiskies, a notebook and a membership pin. The kit also includes your first year’s membership and a quarterly subscription to unfiltered. More details at www.smws.ca . – 230
KWM Whisky Advent Calendar 2016 – Our 3rd Edition of the KWM Whisky Advent Calendar has 24 premium 50ml whiskies and a special 100ml bottling from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society for Christmas Day. It also comes with a special KWM glass. – $400
Top 5 Under $75
Glen Garioch 12 Year - A great value single malt for 12 years and 48%, frankly they are giving it away. – $52
Jura Elixir 12 Year - This 12 year old expression from Jura is a bargain at just over $60. The whisky has been matured in both Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry with the former giving a creamy back bone and the later adding dark fruits. - $62
BenRiach Curiositas 10 Year - One of the first prominent heavily peated malts not from Scotland. - $72
Glencadam 10 Year – A soft, decadent and complex single malt, matured in American oak and bottled at 46%. $75
Glenrothes Sherry Reserve - Formerly a KWM exclusive whisky this whisky offers enormous bang for buck. – $75
Top 5 Single Malts Under $100
Arran 14 Year – The only Arran bottling we like more than the 14 is the 18 year old. Bottled at 46% after maturing in Ex-Bourbon and Ex-Sherry. – $80
BenRiach 12 Year Sherry Matured – One of the best buys in the shop, the label says 12 year, but the whisky is supposedly closer to 17 years of age! – $80
G&M Distillery Label Miltonduff 10 Year – The closest thing you will find to a distillery label Miltonduff in Canada. Quite sherried and bold for 8 years. – $80
Port Charlotte Islay Barley – Bottled at 50%, Port Charlotte is the name Bruichladdich gives to their second from most heavily peated style. – $90
Springbank 12 Year Cask Strength 56.3% – The Springbank 12 Year Cask Strength is one of the distillery’s most popular releases. This batch is matured in 70% ex-Sherry casks and 30% Bourbon casks and is bottled at a natural cask strength of 56.3%. - $92
Top 5 Single Malts Under $125
Springbank 15 Year – In the 15 years I’ve been selling whisky, and simultaneously a fan of Springbank, this current batch is the best this whisky has ever tasted! – $112
Aberfeldy 21 Year – Billed as one of “The Last Great Malts”, Aberfeldy is a hidden gem from the Highlands. The whisky is creamy, layered and fruity. I’ve been wondering for a while if it is an overlooked pricing error. – $115
Glenmorangie Milsean - This is the 2016 Private Collection release from Glenmorangie, in sharp packaging reminiscent of a candy striper! Milsean is Scots Gaelic for “sweet things” and is pronounced “meel-shawn”, and is composed of single malt matured in ex-Bourbon casks before extra maturing in re-toasted wine casks. – $115
Talisker Port Rhugie – Bottled at 45.8% from whisky matured in ex-Bourbon barrels and finished in Ruby Port casks.- $116
Arran 18 Year – The oldest whisky in the Arran core range is superb, a step up even from last year’s Arran 18 Year limited edition. – $120
Top 5 Single Malts Under $150
Edradour Straight From the Cask Sherry - Bottled at 60%, this is a massively sherried 10 year old Edradour. – $130
Ardbeg Perpetuum – We long sold out of our initial allocation of Ardbeg’s 200th Anniversary bottling, thankfully the BCLD couldn’t sell all of theirs, so we exclusively received a generous top up! – $135
Gordon Macphail Caol Ila 2005 KWM Cask - Bottled at 54.2% from a Refill Bourbon barrel, this 11 year old Caol Ila has been selected and bottled exclusively for KWM. It is juicy and very fruity with loads of smoky malt, medicinal toes and bacon! – $135
Arran 1997 KWM Cask 1085 – We are really thrilled with this exceptional new single cask bottled exclusively for our store, and we know you will be too… pop in for a sample. – $145
Berry’s Glengoyne 2000 – This 46% single cask from Berry Brothers is exclusive to KWM in Canada. It offers more sherry than the distillery bottling. – $150
Top 5 Single Malts Under $200
BenRiach 17 Year PX Finish – This new exclusive replaces our old exclusive the old 15 Year PX, it looks brilliant, tasting note coming soon! – $155
Old Malt Cask Miltonduff 20 Year – Miltonduff is one of the most underated single malts in Scotland, this 20 Year old is excellent value; very fruity, creamy and layered. – $175
Berry’s Own Caol Ila 1997 – I don’t recall why they bottled this lovely Caol Ila at 40%, which is uncharacteristic of Berry Bros, but they had a reason and this sherried single cask is superb! – $190
Cadenhead Cragganmore 1993 – Independent bottlings of Cragganmore are rare, and this 22 year old is a curiosity given the distillery’s core range. Bottled at 56.3% from from a Bourbon Hogshead just 12 bottles came to Canada, exclusively to KWM! – $195
G&M Imperial 1996 – We can’t keep this exclusive bottling from the closed Imperial distillery in stock. It is the closest thing to an official bottling, it is very tropical and the best priced Imperial you will ever seen again! – $200
Top 5 Single Malts Under $250
Balvenie Double Wood 17 Year – This has been one of our best selling Balvenies over the last few years, a solid benchmark malt. – $205
Old Malt Cask Tormore 27 Year – Bottled at 50% from a Refill Sherry Butt. Only 18 bottles have come exclusively to KWM in Canada, it is a steal for 27 years at just over $200. – $210
Jack Wiebers Islay Malt – This is a big sherried Islay mystery single malt bottled at 53.7%. Only 30 bottles have come to Alberta. We’ve bought them all and there are just a handful left! – $215
Signatory Imperial 1995 – This is the second best priced Imperial we will ever have at KWM, Bottled at cask strength it packs a bit more oomph than the G&M bottling. – $215
BenRiach 1996 KWM Cask 189 – This 19 year old Bourbon Barrel matured whisky is our 5th exclusive single cask from the distillery, bottled at 54.8%. – $220
Top 5 Single Malts Under $400
Glenfarclas 25 Year KWM Cask Strength 25th Anniversary – We are very excited about our first 25th Anniversary exclusive whisky bottling. Bottled at 52.0% with our 25th Anniversary logo, this beautiful single malt has great gift written all over it! – $285
Maltbarn Glen Scotia 1992 – This Glen Scotia is a maritime, oily, dirty Campbeltonian single malt. This single Bourbon barrel was bottled after 23 years at 53.3%. Just a dozen bottles came to Canada exclusively to KWM. – $310
Cadenhead Small Batch BenRiach 1986 – Independent bottlings of BenRiach are not common, this 29 year old bottled at 50.1% was matured in a Bourbon barrel. Just 12 bottles came to Canada! – $350
Signatory Mortlach 1990 – This 24 year old Sherry Butt matured single cask was bottled at 55.5%. It is roughly a 1/4 the price of the distillery bottled 25 year. – $340
Springbank 21 Year Single Cask - This cask strength single cask 21 year old Springbank was matured in an Oloroso sherry cask. It is surprisingly less expensive than the regular 46% bottling of Sprinbank 21. - $350
Top 5 Single Malts Under $500
Glengoyne 25 Year – This is one of our favourite new bottlings this year, a big sherry bomb with loads of layers and character. A contender for the new king of 25 year old sherried whisky. – $410
Balblair 1983 – Lush, tropical and very fruity, Balblair is an underappreciated malt and one of the best of their recent releases. – $440
Cadenhead Small Batch Tomintoul 1985 – This Ex-Bourbon barrel matured single cask of Tomintoul was bottled at 50.7%. Just 6 bottles have come to Canada of this rare old malt. – $445
Craigellachie 23 Year – A little known independent bottler until the distillery was released as part of the Last Great Malts. This is a lovely, flora and fruity malt. A distillery to keep an eye on. – $450
Coopers Choice Glen Esk 1984 – Only the 3rd bottling of Glen Esk we’ve ever seen at KWM, we aren’t likely to seen many more of these in the future. – $500
Top 5 Single Malts Under $700
Sansibar Springbank 1993 22 Year – Exclusive in Alberta to KWM, this 1993 distilled Springbank was bottled in 2015 after 22 years at 51.8%. Very layered and tropical. Only 150 bottles came from the cask.- $600
Cadenhead Miltonduff 1978 – Only 2 bottles left of this 1978 vintage Miltdonduff, one of our favourite lesser know distilleries. Great price for age and quality! – $620
Cadenhead Royal Brackla 1976 – This single cask of Royal Brackla is a gem, a beautiful malt and curiously peated. 38 year old Royal Brackla is from a single Bourbon Hogshead cask. – $620
Dalwhinnie 25 Year 48.8% – Released as part of Diageo’s 2015 special releases, this is only the 2nd Dalwhinnie 25 year old ever bottled. Distilled in 1980 and matured in Refill American Oak, 3000 bottles were released at 48.8%. Only 6 bottles coming to KWM! – $680
Glenglassaugh North American Cask 37 Year – More heavily sherried than some of the other recent old releases of Glenglassaugh. This 37 year old cask was bottled exclusively for North America and is a stunner. 92pts Whisky Advocate, #6/10 fall releases 2012 – $700
Top 5 Single Malts Under $1000
Glendronach Grandeur 25 Year – Glendronach is a strong contender for the new King of Sherried whisky. Their releases of Grandeur are the pinnacle of the core range. We only see a half dozen or so bottles a year. Stunning whisky, beautifully presented. – $725
Cadenhead Small Batch Glenlivet 1972 – Easily 1/10th the price of an official bottling of 40+ year old Glenlivet, this 42 year old, bottled at the very low cask strength of 40.2%. Of the 18 bottles we received, only 4 are left. - $800
Cooper’s Choice Lochside 1967 Single Malt – The best priced 49 year old single malt you are likely to ever see again. Only 12 bottles coming to Canada of this whisky, from a very obscure and rare closed distillery. This distillery also produces single grain, this is a single malt. – $800
Author’s Series Littlemill 1988 26 Year – Littlemill has become very rare and expensive very quickly in the last few years. This Author’s Series bottling has been bottled in honour of Gustave Flaubert. 56%. – $815
Tomintoul 1976 – This is a rare vintage expression of Tomintoul bottled at 40% in 2007. Scored 93.5pts in a book we can’t name by an author we won’t. If you are into it, he said the following: “Truly great whisky which, paradoxically, both celebrates and belies the years. – $880
Top 5 Single Malts Under $2000
Benromach 1976 – Bottled in 2012, this 1976 vintage Benromach is one of the oldest and rarest whiskies currently available from the distillery. Matured in sherry it is rich, fruity and smooth! – $1100
G&M Glenlochy 1979 – Exclusive in Canada to Kensington Wine Market, this is only the 2nd bottling of Glenlochy we’ve ever had at our shop. Bottled at 46% in a Refill Sherry Hogshead from Gordon & MacPhail’s “Rare Old” collection. – $1150
Laphroaig 30 Year 2016 – A new Limited Edition Laphroaig 30 Year, distilled in 1985 (so ltd. Edition) and bottled at 53.5%. Much more complex, interesting and beautiful than the 32 year… wish we were getting a lot more of this! $1450
Lagavulin 25 Year 200th Anniversary – Bottled at 25 years of age to mark the 200th Anniversary of one of Islay and Scotland’s most beloved distilleries at 55%. 8,000 bottles released world wide, only a tiny fraction of that is coming to Canada. Apparently matured in sherry casks. – $1650
G&M Strathisla 1967 – This distillery label bottling of Strathisla from 1967 recently won the top award, a Gold Medal at the International Spirits Competition. Only 12 bottles are coming to Canada, exclusively to KWM. Matured in First Fill Sherry Butts this is a big old Strathisla. Know anyone turning 50 next year… this would be one hell of a gift! – $2000
Top 5 Single Malts Sky is the Limit
Balblair 1969 - Available by request, if order is placed by December 19. - Release to replace the now discontinued 1965, this whisk was bottled at 41.4% from an Ex-Bourbon Hogshead at 43 years. – $3200
Macallan No. 6 – Available by request, if order is placed by December 19. – This bottling is a reference to Macallan’s Six Pillars. The whisky has been matured in First Fill European Oak sherry, and has been bottled at 43% without an age statement in a Lalique crystal decanter. – $3900
Macallan ‘M’ – Available by request, if order is placed by December 19. – Bottled at 44.7% in a Lalique Crystal decanter, this top of the line Macallan set the world abuzz when a 6L version set the World Record for most expensive whisky ever sold. Over $600K USD. The whisky has no age statement but it is older with some of the whisky having been distilled in the 1940s. Occasionally we have a bottle in stock otherwise it is available often on request. – $5300
Glendronach 1968 Cask 5837 – Available by request, if order is placed by December 19. – The oldest Glendronach in Batch 13, and the oldest Glendronach ever bottled at 47 years. Matured in a Pedro Ximenez Sherry Hogshead and bottled at a cask strength of 45.9%. Of the 10 bottles KWM has received, we have but 1 left! – $5500
Bowmore 50 Year – Available by request, if order is placed by December 19. – Distilled one very cold day in December 1961 and laid down in two ex-bourbon hogshead casks, our Bowmore 50 Year Old has spent half a century maturing in Bowmore’s legendary No. 1 Vaults. 40.7% – $32,000
Top 5 Blends
Compass Box Great King Street – This original Great King Street is composed of 46% Lowland Grain, 45% Single Malt from the Northern Highlands and 9% Speyside Single Malt. – $60
Compass Box The Lost Blend – Bottled at 46% this is an attempt to recreate Compass Box’s legendary but lost Eleuthra. Only a handful left! – $121
Eiling Lim Older Than Old – Bottled at 46.5% by Eiling Lim, a woman revered for her knowledge of Scotch whisky in Germany and Asia. Only a dozen bottles are coming to Canada, exclusively to KWM! – $305
Wilson & Morgan Home Blend 35 Year – Matured in Sherry Butt #26 and bottled at 47.6%, 529 bottles were released with just 30 coming to KWM. It is rare to see old age statement blends like this, especially ones from a single cask. This blend was distilled in 1980 and bottled in 2015. Only 9 of 30 bottles left! – $315
Duncan Taylor Black Bull 40 Year 1st Edition – Best priced 40 year old whisky, hands down. Batch 7 which is coming out this year will be over $1500! Black Bull 40 Year Batch 1 has been bottled at a low 40.2%, which is its natural cask strength! This non-chillfiltered blend scored 92pts in Whisky Advocate. 90% malt and just 10% grain… – $350
Top 5 Single Grains
Nikka Coffey Grain 45% – This is a curious little gem from Japan, a single grain whisky, distilled in a Coffey still and bottled at 45%. – $87
Cooper’s Choice Garnheath – Exclusive to KWM, the only ever release of Garnheath we’ve ever seen… This 28 year old Bourbon cask matured Single Grain Scotch Whisky is from a single Bourbon Barrel cask 22156, and bottled at 48.5%. 410 bottles produced, 60 of which are coming to Alberta! – $270
Jack Wiebers Invergordone 1972 – Only 30 bottles of a total of 126 produced, are coming to Canada from this quirky independent bottler. Bottled by Jack Wiebers, a boutique independent bottler from Germany, under their Locomotive Breath line! 49.4% – $350
Sovereign Cambus 40 Year – Distilled in 1975 and bottled in 2015 at 57.7%. Only 12 bottles have comein to Calgary exclusively to KWM. The whisky was matured in a Refill Hogshead cask. The distillery closed in 1993. – $440
Cooper’s Choice Garnheath 1967 – Only the 2nd bottling we ever seen of Garnheath, the other is mentioned above. This one is from a a Bourbon Cask, bottled at 41.5%. Just 170 bottles released, only a dozen have come to Canada, exclusively to KWM. 48 years old! – $575
KWM Staff Christmas Picks
Here are Evan, Marty and Hunter’s unabridged, unadulterated Christmas Staff Picks
We have a very knowledgeable and experienced Scotch team at Kensington Wine Market. Easily the best in Canada. That is first and foremost why we have been internationally recognized on multiple occasions. It is for that reason and many more than we wanted to give Evan, Marty and Hunter an opportunity to share their top Christmas picks with you. There may be some overlap with Andrew’ gift guide above. We gave them carte blanche to give us their top 5 whisky and spirits picks!
Evan’s Top 5
Shelter Point Single Malt – This wonderfully approachable single malt comes to us from Shelter Point Farm and Distillery on Vancouver Island. Chocolate and fruit notes meld together to make one delicious dram. – $80
Arran 19yr KWM Cask 1085 – It might say sherry hogshead on the bottle but we are pretty sure this is a misprint. Either way – this is exactly what you want out of a single cask arran – loads of juicy stone fruits along with vanilla and toffee and hints of wood and spice on the finish. – $145
Kilchoman KWM Cask 446 – It is always a good idea to have something heavily peated and cask strength around for those cold nights – or when you need to go out and shovel the sidewalk. Our latest Kilchoman Single Barrel fits the bill with smoke, salt and brine balanced out by that approachable Kilchoman Distillery style and the Pedro Ximenez Sherry finish. - $160
G&M Imperial 1996 – In my mind this imperial at 43% ABV is better than some cask strength bottlings we have seen from this closed and demolished distillery. Tropical fruit notes slide in underneath the oak and vanilla notes up front. - $200
Marty’s Top 5
Redbreast 12 Year Cask Strength – Finally we get to see more of the Redbreast line than just the normal 12 year. This cask strength version of the triple distilled whiskey showcases the pot still fruit and spiciness with the bourbon cask influence adding in ample creamy vanilla and then more fruit notes from the sherry influence. - $100
Amrut 2010 KWM Virgin Oak Cask 891 –
That’s right! We’ve got our own single cask Amrut whisky and it’s 6 years old – making it an ancient malt by distillery standards. Intense spice and dark sweet fruit on the palate. The oak influence is clear but not overdone. If you like your whiskies big – this one is for you. – $135
The Whisky Agency Blended Malt XO – An intriguing blend of single malts from a German independent bottler. This single cask bottling is a mix of old malts from Macallan and others blended with a young Glenfarclas and then further aged in a Sherry butt. Loads of dark dried fruits, spices and savoury notes. – $200
G & M Imperial 1996 – A KWM exclusive from the forever closed Imperial. A mix of first fill and refill ex-sherry casks. Lots of big fruit notes with cooked apples, apricots and peaches dominating, with dried dark fruit and spice showing more on the finish. This may be the next closest thing to an official distillery release. – $200
BenRiach 1996 KWM Cask 189 – a richly textured 19 year old bourbon matured whisky from a single cask bottled for KWM. The bright citrus, melons, creamy honey and floral characters make this single cask worthy of more attention in the shop than it has received. Definitely worth taking a second look at while we still have it. – $220
Hunter’s Top 5
Bernheim KWM Wheat Whiskey – For the everyman and woman, a bottle to tide off a long days work. Don’t want to get fancy with a snifter? Bernheim’s Wheat Whiskey expression is a timeless throwback to traditional soft wheat spirit that anyone can get into and thoroughly enjoy, from blue collar to city slicker. Cocktail idea: pour a couple fingers of Bernheim into your preferred glass. Now pour a few more, and voila, there you have it. The perfect Bernheim cocktail. – $70
Arran 7 Year KWM Cask – If you don’t know Arran yet then you aren’t keeping up with single malt current events. The fine folks from this island distillery are offering amazing quality whiskies for seriously astonishing prices. Though there are many different expressions of Arran to wet your whistle on consider our newest single barrel. With Arran putting a ton of focus on their spirit’s personality opposed to barrel character, each and every expression has a stamp of Arran beauty all over it. Just imagine, a tin of peach preserves, delicately smoked over beech wood, coastal oils and sultry sweet tones. - $105
Berry’s Brothers Glen Grant 19 – This bottle could read “Glen Grant’s First Interesting Release in the Last 5 Years!”. It really should be a headline. That being said Berry Brothers and Rudd have managed to snag a really beautiful expression of Glen Grant that is exceedingly well rounded, tasty, soft, elegant; all the things that I want out of an American oak single malt. If I have ever been proven wrong in the whisky industry, it is by presuming a distillery can not make something good. Thank you Glen Grant. – $150
SMWS Membership – For those that feel they have been around the block and seen the standard single malt sights. For those that feel an old favourite beginning to wane, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society offers bottlings of behind the scenes liquid. Reinvigorate your love for that old flame with the Society. – $220
Whisky Agency Glen Keith – One for the “Whisky Intellectuals” out there. Initially, I really didn’t get this bottling. Knowing that German single malt fanaticism would never let me down with their cultish tastes for odd spirit, but I still felt bamboozled. “Maybe there isn’t anything to it…” I thought, “maybe they’re just folk like me with a false sense of palate godliness”. What a fool I was, to not see that this is not the ankle deep lake of a big sherry cask. This is a cavernous grotto of a single malt, one couldn’t possibly explore every nook of it without coming up for air. Through repeat exposure, you will find this spirit offers much more than any run of the mill drams on the market. – $240
Runner up 2 years in a row_ Whisky Magazine Icons of Whisky Single Outler Retailer of the Year
Our Two New Arran Casks Are Here and Flying!
Pop into the shop for a sample!
Our 6th and 7th exclusive Arran single casks are due in shop on Wednesday. We’ve had a chance to snap a photo of the bottles, and more importantly write a tasting note. I’m very happy with these whiskies, the lightly peated 2008 cask is full of character for a 7 year old whisky with no rough edges. Think of it as a single cask of Arran Machrie Moor. The other barrel is our oldest Arran yet, but at a very competitive price. There was a slight mixup in the bottling hal with the label, and while it says it is a Sherry Hogshead on the label, it is an Ex-Bourbon Hogshead. We don’t want a detail like that to get in the way of a good bottle of whisky, so we won’t… Here are my tasting note on these two great KWM exclusive Arrans!
Arran 2008 KWM Cask 131 - 56.8% – 7 Year – Ex-Bourbon Barrel – Lightly Peated – 270 Bottles – My Tasting Note: “Nose: very soft, loads of cream and especially honey: honeycomb and creamed honey; elegant smoke wafting over tender grassy barley; toffee chews and treacle sauce with fresh picked oranges and lemons. Palate: a surge of silky honey and soft peat oils; more tender malt and added notes of Demerara and barley sugars; fresh orange and lemon peels with building spices and firmer earthy peat tones; a touch of dark bakers chocolate and clove. Finish: long but lithe; more gentle fading peat oils, all sorts of honey and citrus peels with spice. Comment: very interesting to compare with the sister cask bottled for the Companions of the Quaich. The latter was more juicy and oaky with this one I find to be a little more elegant, but also even more smoky!” – $105
Arran 1997 KWM Cask 1085 – 51.4% – 19 Year – Ex-Bourbon Hogshead – 258 Bottles – My Tasting Note: “Nose: dates squares, chocolate-orange marzipan, Fig Newtons and layered coconut cream cake; sweet orange, ripe honeydew melons and sliced mango appear on the fruit side of things; heather honey and gentle floral tones. Palate: big, rich and creamy with a firm but balanced oaky backbone; very fruity, juicy, more sweet orange, melon and mango; a touch of cooked pineapple too, the Fig Newtons are still there with dates, raisins and and honey; gentle oak spices emerge with some delicate floral malty tones; the palate keeps coming in layers a touch of leather, darker spices and more fruit. Finish: long and toasty with loads of coating-mouth-watering fruits; floral vanilla and honey all the way to the far off end. Comment: big but balanced American oak notes meet the gentle spirit of Arran and give birth to a beautiful, joyous malt; there is something in this whisky for everyone!” – $145
2016 KWM Whisky Advent Calendar
Very few left, wraps easily, perfect for under the tree!
We are really excited about our 2016 KWM Whisky Advent Calendar. For the third straight year we have designed and built our own exclusive Whisky Advent Calendar, featuring a custom logo Glencairn glass, 24 50ml whiskies and a 100ml Christmas Day bottling from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society (The Society). The Society is the world’s largest whisky club, and bottles whiskies exclusively for its members. This year’s Calendar has a single cask from the Society that has been selected and bottled exclusively for the Calendar and Canadian Society members (750ml bottles will be made available to Society members in January!). In collaboration with the Society’s Canadian branch, we were even given the opportunity to name the whisky… Since Society whiskies are exclusively available to Society members, this is an opportunity for non-members to get their hands on a Society whisky. Recipients of the KWM Whisky Advent Calendar will be the first people to sample this exciting new whisky!
The Kensington Wine Market Whisky Advent Calendar is more than just a product for us, it is a way for us to share and connect with other whisky lovers in Calgary, Alberta and across Canada. Details on the whiskies released and their distillery will be posted on the KWM Blog each day. Recipients of the Calendar are encouraged to share their thoughts with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The KWM Whisky Advent Calendar also comes with a 10% discount card, good for any of the whiskies in the Calendar (excepting the Society whisky), subject to availability.
Order a Kensington Wine Market 2016 Whisky Advent Calendar $399.99+GST
MS Calgary Whisky Festival 2016 Tickets Now On Sale
Early Bird Deadline Extended Until November 30 & There is a Prize!
Now in its 6th year, the MS Calgary Whisky Festival, Calgary’s best whisky event
of the year is back! We are expecting more exhibitors this year and even more whisky. There are three ticket classes this year:
- VIP Early Admission & Master Class (5PM) $175
- VIP Early Admission (6PM) $150
- General Admission (7PM) $100 Until November 30 $110 Thereafter
VIP ticket packages include a cut crystal Glencairn glass to enhance your tasting experience. 100% of proceeds from the event go to the MS Society. Last year we raised $50,000. Help us do even better this year!
Tickets are going fast, more than 75% sold!
Tickets are available online from the MS Society: http://calgarywhiskyfestival.ca/tickets/
Thank You for Reading the Malt Messenger!
Contact & Disclaimers
If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store.
All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at www.kensingtonwinemarket.com. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change and don’t include GST. In the case of discrepancies in pricing, the price in our in store point of sale will be taken as correct.
Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger.
Slainte!
Andrew Ferguson
Owner & Scotchguy
Kensington Wine Market
403-283-8000
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
www.kensingtonwinemarket.com
Owner & Operator
Ferguson’s Whisky Tours
www.fergusonwhiskytours.com
scotchguide@fergusonwhiskytours.com