Glen Scotia unveils limited-edition ‘Campbeltown Malts Festival 2023’ release with its first-ever on-pack virtual experience with whisky expert, Becky Paskin 

Multi-award-winning distillery, Glen Scotia has unveiled its 2023 Festival release – a limited-edition bottling to mark the Campbeltown Malts Festival (23-24th May 2023), the yearly event hosted in the distillery’s hometown to celebrate the region’s rich history.

In keeping with its tradition of bold innovative styles and flavours for this annual global release, this year’s 11-Year-Old lightly peated single malt has been finished for 12 months in white port casks. It is brimming with bright spiced stone fruit flavours, fragrant prune and fig notes, and a sandalwood spice, all intertwined with a distinctly-Campbeltown soft smoke and sea salt.

In a first for Glen Scotia, the packaging of the latest release will be embossed with a bespoke QR code giving those unable to make the trip to the ‘Victorian Whisky Capital’ a chance to transport themselves into the heart of the distillery for a unique new digital experience, the Glen Scotia Whisky Experiment.

Led by award-winning spirits writer, TV presenter, and OurWhisky Founder, Becky Paskin, the virtual video experiment, shot in the dunnage warehouse and around the town, takes viewers on a sensory exploration, intentionally manipulating sight, colour, and sound, as Becky guides audiences to pour a dram and consider how its flavour is influenced by visuals and music in the experience.

She is joined by Glen Scotia master distiller and distillery manager, Iain McAlister, as the pair take a walk through the distinctive Campbeltown landscape. The region, which is characterised by its climate, nature, and location to the sea, is a deeply sensorial spot, defined by the elements, which also play an important role in its whisky-making.

The project follows Becky and Iain’s Whisky Experiment in-person at last year’s Malts Festival, as Glen Scotia continues to seek new ways to bring Campbeltown to audiences around the world.

Made by the experts behind Scotland’s ‘Distillery of the Year 2021’, this 2023 limited-edition release is another remarkable bottling that stays true to the classic Campbeltown character, while offering something intriguing and bold in its unique flavour profile. Available to purchase online and in specialist retailers around the world, the 70cl bottle (54.7% ABV) retails at £65.

Iain McAlister, Glen Scotia master distiller and distillery manager, said: “As our fanbase continues to grow around the world, we wanted to find a way to give those who might not be able to join us at the Malts Festival this year a rich experience of our home. The Whisky Experiment is just that, and provides a fascinating approach to whisky tasting, as Becky encourages us to reconsider what’s in our glass again and again, as the environment transforms in front of us. I love that it can be done time and time again with any Glen Scotia dram, wherever you are in the world.

“This year’s Festival Release is another superb, limited-edition that showcases the scope of what Glen Scotia can offer; the white port cask finish provides something interesting and different for us, while still maintaining that wonderful fruity, robust, and subtly saline Campbeltown signature profile.” 

Becky Paskin added: “We had such a brilliant time at last year’s Festival bringing to life the sights and sounds of Campbeltown through the medium of whisky, and we wanted to share this wonderful, sensorial experience with everyone.

“The idea behind the Glen Scotia Whisky Experiment is guided by the way our sense of taste is dictated by the environment we’re in; so, what we taste in our glass will be affected by our setting, and Campbeltown is a fantastic place to recreate.

“This is a chance to rip up the rule book on traditional whisky tasting notes, have an open mind, and find new possibilities, which is the most exciting part – drams can be completely re-imagined.”

The Campbeltown Malts Festival is a celebration of the region once known as the ‘Victorian Whisky Capital of the World’ due to its illustrious past and the role whisky-making has played in the town for over 200 years.  It celebrates the exceptional whisky-production capabilities of Scotland’s smallest whisky-making region through a series of events and tastings that explore Glen Scotia’s award-winning portfolio.

For further information on this year’s event, visit: www.glenscotia.com/pages/whisky-festival

Tasting notes:

Nose: warming spiced stone fruit, stewed white peach and cloves with a fresh lemongrass and a slight mineral element
Palette: Molasses, caramel sweetness with prune and fig notes, a waxed wood and sandalwood spice
Finish: Fills the mouth with a long fragrant finish

About Glen Scotia

Distiller Glen Scotia has been producing single malt whisky in Campbeltown since 1832 and is one of three surviving distilleries in Campbeltown.

Producing peated and non-peated whiskies, the distillery still maintains much of its original design, including the fermenters, the stillroom, and the dunnage warehouse. To this day, the distillery team follow in the footsteps of their founders, using traditional methods, carefully creating the subtly maritime Campbeltown style the brand has become world-famous for.

Recognition of Glen Scotia’s style and craftsmanship continues to be acknowledged globally.

In 2021, Glen Scotia’s 25-Year-Old Single Malt whisky was awarded ‘Best In Show Whisky’ at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Over 3,800 entries across thirty-one categories were judged with Glen Scotia being awarded the overall winner across all countries and styles. Only seven months later, Glen Scotia was also named Scottish Whisky Distillery of the Year at the Scottish Whisky Awards 2021.
In 2022, Glen Scotia’s Victoriana won Best In Class in the Distillers’ Single Malt Scotch – No Age Statement category at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
In 2023, Glen Scotia won ‘Best Single Cask Single Malt’ at the World Whiskies Awards 2023 for a single cask bottling distilled in 2009 and aged for 13 years exclusively in a first-fill bourbon barrel.

Twitter: @GlenScotiaMalts

Instagram: @glenscotiamalts

Facebook: @GlenScotiaWhisky

 Becky Paskin

Becky Paskin is an award-winning whisky journalist, presenter and consultant, and founder of OurWhisky and The OurWhisky Foundation. Formerly editor of leading online magazine Scotchwhisky.com and global trade title The Spirits Business, her whisky writing appears in a variety of publications from Club Oenologique and Waitrose to Whisky Magazine and the Daily Beast.

She is a regular drinks presenter for television and radio, including ITV’s Love Your Weekend, and regularly presents educational seminars at global drinks festivals including Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, Imbibe and The Whisky Show in London, and Australia’s The Bloody Big Drinks Summit, among many others.

Becky is one of the world’s leading advocates for breaking down cultural misconceptions about whisky. In 2022 she launched OurWhisky, the UK’s first whisky subscription club to be founded by a woman. A bright, modern subscription club with an ethos to celebrate whisky’s rich diversity of liquid and people, OurWhisky is proud to stand apart from other prevailingly male-dominated clubs by attracting a majority female membership.

In 2020 she was named Icons of Whisky Communicator of the Year, IWSC Spirits Communicator of the Year and listed as About Time Magazine’s Top 10 Women to Watch in Drinks. Becky is currently listed as the 21st most influential person in the global drinks industry by Drinks International.

Glenmorangie brings a deliciously spicy twist to its single-estate whisky

— Award-winning Highland Distillery captures the essence of its homeland in field to glass series’ third batch release —

Today, Highland Single Malt Glenmorangie shares the delectable taste and terroir of its homeland with the latest release in its Cadboll Estate series of single-estate whiskies. Crafted by Glenmorangie from field to glass, this limited-edition series brings the spirit and flavour of the Distillery’s cherished Highland home to whisky lovers around the globe. Aged for 15 years, the third batch of Glenmorangie The Cadboll Estate brings a nutty and spicy twist to the series’ award-winning flavour.

Glenmorangie’s Cadboll Estate lies just a short journey from the Distillery on the scenic Easter Ross peninsula, between the Moray Firth and the Dornoch Firth. Few live here – it’s a tranquil, rural place boasting wide-open skies, endless barley fields and beautiful beaches that come alive with the cycles of the seasons. Some years ago, Dr Bill Lumsden, Glenmorangie’s Director of Whisky Creation, became inspired to share the essence of the whisky’s homeland more widely in a series of single-estate expressions. And so, The Cadboll Estate series was born.

Each release in the series begins in the Distillery’s own barley fields located on the Cadboll Estate, planted and harvested to Dr Bill’s specifications. This Cadboll barley is then mashed and distilled in Glenmorangie’s towering copper stills (as tall as an adult giraffe to allow for a more elegant taste and aroma), to bring forth a uniquely delicious spirit.

Dr Bill imagined how he might bring hints of nuts and spice to that rare spirit’s softness. With these flavours in mind, he selected spirit created from two separate barley harvests and aged it in American oak bourbon casks to enhance those creamy depths. Then, picturing notes of hazelnut, toffee and clove, he finished a small portion in casks which once held Amontillado, his favourite style of sherry. After 15 years, Dr Bill reunited these whiskies in this series’ delicious third batch release; threading hints of toffee and spice around honeysuckle, peaches and cream.

Dr Bill Lumsden said: “Created at Glenmorangie from field to glass, our Cadboll Estate series captures the true essence of our Highland world for whisky lovers to experience, wherever they happen to be. Including a parcel of whisky finished in casks seasoned with Amontillado, my favourite sherry, the third Glenmorangie Cadboll Estate release adds wondrous sherried hints to our barley’s unique flavour. Soft and rich, with notes of deeply sweet spice, toffee, almonds and clove, this whisky celebrates the spirit, flavour and terroir of our homeland in a deliciously different way.”

The new Glenmorangie Cadboll Estate release will be exclusively available in the UK from 27th April via Glenmorangie.com and at the Distillery Visitor Centre for an RRP of £75. It will be available more widely in the UK and in local markets from 4th May onwards.

https://www.glenmorangie.com/

Follow Glenmorangie on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Glenmorangie

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glenmorangie

Tasting Notes: 

Glenmorangie Cadboll Estate third batch release is chill filtered and bottled at 43% ABV

Colour: Deep ochre.

Aroma: Wonderfully aromatic and fragrant, with touches of honey, hazelnuts, mandarin oranges and soft, sweet toffee. This is then followed by some fragrant, aromatic top notes, like sweet, ripening barley, followed by some baked peaches. A splash of water releases some flinty minerality, along with honeysuckle and jasmine flowers.

Taste: A gently spicy mouthfeel leads into a burst of sweet and spicy flavours – heather honey, gingerbread, hazelnut praline, fudge, toffee and a touch of clove. The Amontillado cask-derived nuttiness is always present, but always gently integrated with other, sweeter flavours.

Finish: The lingering aftertaste has touches of almond marzipan, coconut and finally a suggestion of baking fruit loaves.

RRP: £75

Release date: Glenmorangie The Cadboll Estate third batch release will be available from specialist whisky shops from 4th May. It will also be available from the Distillery Visitor Centre and online at Glenmorangie.com from 27th April. 

About Glenmorangie:

Glenmorangie’s whisky makers use endless imagination and five key ingredients – wood, water, barley, yeast and time – to dream up delicious single malt whiskies. They’ve been honing their craft for more than 175 years. They create a delicate and fruity spirit in stills as tall as an adult giraffe to allow for more taste and aroma. Led by Director of Whisky Creation Dr Bill Lumsden, this crackerjack crew are on a mission to bring new flavours and possibilities to the world of single malt.

Glenmorangie celebrates the joy of delicious single malt in every part of its universe, from its boutique hotel Glenmorangie House to its colourful brand campaign, shot by famed photographer Miles Aldridge. With its tagline “It’s Kind of Delicious and Wonderful”, Glenmorangie invites whisky lovers old and new to see themselves in Glenmorangie’s world.

About The Cadboll Estate series:

This unique series of field-to-glass whiskies was created to share the spirit and flavour of Glenmorangie’s ruggedly beautiful, yet remote homeland with whisky lovers old and new. It began with the first release of Glenmorangie The Cadboll Estate in 2020, a deep and creamy single malt distilled in 2004 and aged in first-fill American white oak bourbon casks. The release was named Best Single Malt 15 Year Old at the International Whisky Competition (IWC) in 2021 and won a double gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), and gold at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) that year. The silky richness of the second batch, distilled in 2005, wonderfully reflected the subtle changes each year brings to the Highlands. It was awarded gold medals at the IWC, SFWSC, ISC and Scottish Whisky Awards. The nutty, spicy and creamy notes of the third batch release are a deliciously sherried take on the series’ style. What is more, Dr Bill is already dreaming up further whiskies for the single-estate series. So whisky fans can look forward to enjoying further delicious tastes of Glenmorangie’s home, even if they are yet to explore the Highlands in person.

About Cadboll barley:

Found only in the fields of Glenmorangie’s 440-acre Cadboll Estate, Glenmorangie’s own barley is grown and harvested just as Dr Bill wishes – even down to the barley variety and the fields in which it is planted. When the barley is harvested, he arranges for it to be dried and malted exactly as he chooses, to bring a little extra creaminess to Glenmorangie’s wonderfully delicate spirit. Only enough barley can be harvested from the estate each year for one or two weeks of production at the Distillery. So as you can imagine, Cadboll barley is exceptionally precious.

About Dr Bill Lumsden:

Dr Bill Lumsden’s favourite phrase is “What if?”. And throughout his 25 years with Glenmorangie, the Distillery’s Creative Director has challenged himself and his team to take whatever captures their imaginations and turn it into whisky – be that the spirit and flavour of Glenmorangie’s homeland (the Cadboll Estate series), the magic of a cake moment (Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake), a cup of coffee (Glenmorangie Signet), a long balmy day in Madeira (Glenmorangie Bacalta) and more. With a PhD in biochemistry and decades of experience, Dr Bill has all the skills needed to bring these ideas to life. Already, he has earned the admiration of his peers many times over. For instance, he is a new entry in the Icons of Whisky Hall of Fame. He has won the International Whisky Competition’s award for Master Distiller of the Year more times than anyone else. And he has been named Master Blender/Distiller of the Year by the International Spirits Challenge twice.

Responsible Drinking:

The Glenmorangie Company advocates responsible drinking and suggests that drinkers savour Glenmorangie whiskies in moderation and in line with recommended daily guidelines for alcohol consumption.

OUR TOP PICKS

Fèis Ìle – Islay’s annual whisky celebration – returns this month and for those that can’t be there in person, we’ve selected our favourite single malts from the Scottish island’s world-famous distilleries, from peaty and rugged Laphroaig to fruity and spicy Bunnahabhain.

TOP 10 WHISKIES

Our May 2023 collection schedule has now been finalised.

Please click HERE for the list of dates, locations and to register your interest in this service. The deadline for collection requests is 12noon on Monday 15th May 2023.

Home collections are available for those customers sending 10+ bottles or bottles to the value of £1000. Unfortunately this service is not available in London or to those customer who live within 10 miles of a collection point.

Collections are limited and offered on a first come first served basis.

It is essential that a submission sheet is completed, you can do so under the selling section on your ‘My SWA’ page.

It would be appreciated if bottles could be packed for uplift with your name clearly marked on the front of the box.

A winner in our auction? We are now offering a delivery service to customers who are dropping bottles off for a future auction. This service is charged at £12 (inc VAT), optional loss and breakage cover is available.

Submission Form & Label

Green River Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (750ml) $39.99 View

Green River Distilling Co. was founded by J.W. McCulloch. He began making whiskey in 1885 and traveled the world to promote his brand. Green River Whiskey became synonymous with quality and known for producing some of the finest bourbon in Kentucky. Soon the whiskey was winning international awards, including a gold medal and “best of show” at the Paris Exposition in 1900, and later the grand prize at the 1905 Exposition in Belgium.

To this day, Green River lore is some of the most fascinating in the whiskey world. Known as the “most expensive spirit ever sold,” 20 barrels were once traded for interest in a Colorado gold mine. Songs were penned about the “whiskey without a headache,” and early reviews described it as a “king among whiskeys.”

Sadly, at the height of Green River’s popularity, a fire broke out on the distillery grounds. In just three hours, most of the buildings and whiskey barrels were reduced to rubble. The distillery was rebuilt, but Prohibition was passed and J.W. MCulloch wouldn’t live to restore Green River to glory. In the following decades, the distillery passed hands on several occasions. The Medley Distilling Company was the most well known to operate on the grounds.

BOURBON IN OWENSBORO

Daviess County—where our distillery resides—has a rich bourbon tradition. In fact, a distillery operated in the county as early as 1805. Owensboro has been a hub for bourbon production because of its location along a rail line and waterway, its tremendous limestone water source, its extensive oak forests, and because local farmers have always produced a great deal of corn. The location of the Green River Distillery has been producing Bourbon Whiskey since 1885.

THE WHISKEY

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

This Friday, May 19, seven premier Colorado distilleries announce the release of the Colorado Distillers Collaboration Straight Wheat Whiskey. The whiskey, five years in the making, is a coordinated distillation between 291 Colorado Whiskey, Bear Creek Distillery, Laws Whiskey House, Old Elk Distillery, State 38 Distilling, Wood’s High Mountain Distillery and Woody Creek Distillers. A rarity in the whiskey industry, the collaboration is a product of the group’s long standing relationships in an effort to highlight the unity and camaraderie among Colorado’s distilling community and create a one-of-a-kind Colorado wheat whiskey.

Sean Smiley, co-owner of State 38 Distillery, said “It is not uncommon to see breweries doing collaborations with other local breweries, even with distilleries, however I did find it strange that distilleries were not doing collaborative projects with other local distilleries, despite being a tight network that frequently meets and discusses strategies and recipes with each other. This is the first time in Colorado history that a group of distilleries who all make their whiskey from grain to glass has come together to produce a common blended product that we can share with our local community and not only raise awareness of our brands, but also raise money for our local charities.”

The collaboration began five years ago with three conditions agreed upon by all seven partners: first, only distillate made by the participating distilleries could be added to the collaboration; second, each distillery would use the same Centennial Wheat grown and supplied by Colorado Malting Company; and third, 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the collaboration whiskey would be contributed to Colorado nonprofits.

During the spring of 2018, each distillery individually distilled a 100% Centennial Wheat whiskey, an heirloom soft white spring wheat grown by the Cody family in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. The whiskeys were then transferred, married, and barreled together by Laws Whiskey House in Denver. After more than four years of aging, the collaboration whiskey is finally ready for release.

Adding to the spirit of this release, all materials were donated, including the wheat grain from Colorado Malting Company and the barrels from Independent Stave Company, Canton, and Atlas Barrel Company. The bottles were donated from O-I Glass, corks from Tapi Group, and the labels from Columbine Label Company. These contributions allow for 100% of the whiskey’s sales to go toward charitable causes.

The causes selected by the distilleries vary but are all focused on Colorado and its local communities. The organizations include Bridge of Hope, Urban Peak, Chaffee County Community Foundation, Larimer County Food Bank, and Cattlemen’s Days Tough Enough to Wear Pink.

“It’s amazing to look back at the relationships created over the last 10 years, to celebrate Colorado Whiskey and give back to our community”, 291 Colorado Whiskey founder Michael Myers says. “Each Colorado distillery brings its unique flavor profile, rich history, and the dedication of its distillers. This collaboration is a testament to the thriving craft distilling industry in our state and our collective spirit.”

The Colorado Distillers Collaboration Straight Wheat Whiskey will only be available from the tasting rooms of the participating distilleries. Each distillery has just 105 bottles available to sell for a price of $74.99

Kensington Wine Market

Established 1992

Happy Birthday To Us!

The doors at Kensington Wine Market opened for the first time 31 years ago today… which is why we decided to run our birthday sale through to the end of today – Monday, May 15th, 2023.

We have had the great good fortune of being supported by wonderful customers, suppliers, and partners, as well as a vibrant community over the years. And we couldn’t have done it without all the talented wine, beer and whisky experts who worked with us over the years.

It’s gratifying and uplifting to look back and see how far we’ve come, but on this occasion, we raise our glasses to you, because without you, we simply wouldn’t be here!

Our next big sale is in August, so this is your last chance at store-wide savings until then. It runs until 8 PM in-store, and midnight tonight online!

Sale details and links to the best deals can be found below!

While we have your attention, we would also like to congratulate a member of our team, Valeriia Stepanenko!

Today is Valeria’s last full-time shift at KWM, although happily, she will still be doing some part-time work helping keep our social media posts popping.

Valeriia joined our team in August, having packed up her life in Ukraine and immigrated to Canada in hopes of a better life. Something most of us have a hard time fathoming. We took a chance and hired her despite her lack of wine or whisky knowledge. From her first shift, she immersed herself in wine books and asked questions, lots and lots of questions, and to say she absorbed a lot in a short amount of time would be an understatement.

Valerria’s family has now joined her in Calgary, she was recently engaged, and she has a new job that will not only allow her to put her Master’s Degree to better use (did we mention she speaks three languages?), but also give her a path to permanent residency in Canada.

While we will all miss not seeing as much of Valeria as we’ve gotten used to, we couldn’t be happier for her. We hope you’ll join us in extending heartfelt congratulations to her!

Sincerely,

Your friends at Kensington Wine Market

Sale Details!

The sale is online and in-store only. No phone orders, please.

You can save:10-40% on most in-stock Whisky

To make your browsing a little easier, we have linked PDF files below highlighting  Whiskies Discounted 15%-40%.

The CSPC in the left-hand column on both lists can be used in addition to the product name to search for and order products on our website.

Browse Whiskies Discounted 15% – 40%

Shop in-store or online at:  www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/

 In-store pickup will be available throughout the sale and we will also offer Free Delivery for orders over $100. Customers wanting to pay by cash or debit are encouraged to shop in-store. 

The Sale Fine Print

·     No additional discounts or promotions can be applied to the sale price.

·     Prices do not include GST.

·     In the event of a discrepancy in price, the point of sale at KWM will be taken as correct.

·     Sale pricing will not be applied retroactively or carried forward past the end of our Anniversary Sale at 8 PM in-store and midnight (11:59 PM) online, Monday, May 15, 2023.

·     The sale is in-store and online only.

·     Phone orders are ok, but will be written down, time-stamped and fulfilled in the same queue as our web orders.

·     Email orders are also welcome, we will follow up with you as we are able!

·     If you order online, please wait for confirmation that your order is ready before heading down to the shop.

FREE DELIVERY

We are proud to offer Free City Wide Delivery on all orders over $100 Monday-Friday!

Orders under $100 are subject to a flat rate $10 delivery fee.

We are expecting high demand for delivery after the sale so please be patient!

403-283-8000

Store Hours

Mon – Wed 10AM – 8PM

Thurs & Fri 10AM – 9PM

Sat 10AM – 8 PM

Sun 11PM to 6PM

*All Prices Quoted here are subject to change and do not include GST. In the case of pricing discrepancies, the price at our point of sale will be taken as correct.

The Kensington Wine Market | 1257 Kensington Road NW, Calgary, Alberta T2N 3P8 Canada

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B-

The Old Elk brand got started with a blend of bourbons, crafted by former MGP Master Distiller Greg Metze. Their next step was to expand the line with a straight wheat and a straight rye whiskey. All three are sourced, and the sourcing remains undisclosed. Old Elk’s rye uses the familiar 95% rye mash bill, and is bottled at 100 proof.

While it is a good guess that at least some of the blend of bourbons and probably the wheat whiskey came from MGP, the rye whiskey isn’t so simple. On the one hand, Metze knows MGP’s products well, and the Indiana distillery remains the principal supplier of aged stock whiskey in America. Yet they are no longer the only distillery making 95% rye, 5% malted barley whiskey. At least two of other distilleries making that formulation are known to be in the contract whiskey trade, and could very well have entered the stock whiskey trade as well. After all, having a straight whiskey to sell on the market would require only two years of aging, although this particular rye is said to be aged for three years. Furthermore, certain statements made in Old Elk press materials strongly implies contract sourcing for at least some of their products.

The Whiskey
I found the pour to have a light, bright amber coloring, with a nose of stale pumpernickel bread, eucalyptus and spruce, and orange zest. Upon sipping, the whiskey puts a foot down into the barrel, taking on a thick caramel note to balance out all the evergreen and mint side of things, even as the spicy side expands out to add the cookie spice blend (ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg) into things. The finish runs spicy, but mild.

The Price
This bottle commands $90.

Laphroaig 34 Years

1987 vintage Ian Hunter Story 4. Oloroso sherry casks bottled at 46.2% for this limited release.  Laphroaig 24 Year Old 1987 vintage Islay single malt Scotch whisky. Double matured in first-fill European oak ex-oloroso sherry casks this is the 2022 edition of the Ian Hunter series book #4.

Buy Laphroaig 34yo »

£1,489.00

Nose: Smoky and rich dried fruit, with notes of leaf tobacco, eucalyptus, fresh straw, and sweet notes of golden syrup, cinder toffee, heather honey and crushed black pepper.
Palate: Peaty and sweet, barbecued pork with sweet honey marinade together with notes of peach and orange blossom, a touch of iodine and earthy floral notes.
Finish: Ashy with wood smoke lingering.

Laphroaig Distillery was established in 1815 on the rocky south coast of the Isle of Islay off the west coast of Scotland. This malt whisky distillery continues to malt barley using its traditional malting floors and malt kiln. In 1994 the distiiley was awarded the Royal Warrant. The core range is quite extensive and supplemented by limited releases including a 21 year old was issued in 2015 to celebrate 21 years of Friends of Laphroaig. Independent bottlings are also available from Signatory, Cooper’s Choice and Hunter Laing. Laphroaig distillery also participates in Feis Ile, the Islay Festival of Malt and Music

After more than a century in the whisky business, the team at Glenfiddich continues to make bold choices, and the Glenfiddich Grand Series is their latest innovative range. The whiskies have been specially created to celebrate grand occasions by bringing together traditions from across the world, combining Scotch whisky with flavours from France and the Caribbean.

The latest addition to the series, Grand Yozakura celebrates the Japanese tradition of viewing sakura flowers lit up at night, with Yozakura meaning ‘night cherry blossoms’ in Japanese. Discover the full series below.

SHOP GLENFIDDICH 

GLENFIDDICH GRAND YOZAKURA

This new release has been matured for 29 years in traditional oak casks and is the first Scotch whisky to be finished in Japanese awamori casks – an aged spirit native to the island of Okinawa made from rice. Expect indulgent layers of toasted oak, creamy vanilla toffee, crunchy green apple and bursts of spices.