Whiskyclub
Vintage Black & White Blended Scotch Whisky Advert
When was first made in 1879 was Initially known as Buchanan’s Blend and then House of Commons (after the British House of Commons), its nickname, referring to the black and white labelling, was eventually adopted as the official brand instead. The brand’s motif (featuring a black Scottish Terrier and a white West Highland White Terrier) was conceived by James Buchanan during the 1890s.
Our December 2023 Auction is now LIVE!
Browse our listings to bag a bottle worth bragging about!
Auction closes from 8pm (GMT) Thursday 4th January
www.speysidewhiskyauctions.co.uk
Gordon & Macphail – Speyside Collection (6 x 70cl)
An exceptional collection chosen with care by Gordon & MacPhail showcases four decades from the 20th century, spanning four generations of the Urquhart family-run business. Introduced to the world by Directors Michael and David, these bottles bear vintages from the lifetimes of their father and grandfather before him. The collection not only traces the history of the Urquhart family, but single malt whisky itself, featuring expressions from some of the best and best kept secret distilleries in Scotland’s most prominent whisky producing region, Speyside.
6 Bottles, 4 decades and over 3 centuries of whisky in this one box.
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George Dickel 15 Year Old (16 Years Old) “K&L Exclusive 104.6 Proof” Barrel #06E05-16907 Single Barrel Tennessee Whisky (750ml) $54.99 View
The famous Dickel 15 Year Old continues to deliver the absolute best value in old American whisky. This barrel distilled on May 5th 2006 and bottled on June 18th of 2022 is one of the highest proof expression we’ve yet to come across. The high corn style whisky is sometimes compared to some of the wheated whisky from Kentucky offering deep rich caramel and complex oak flavors. Few out there can boast stocks as old, but absolutely no one is CRAZY enough to sell 16+ year old whisky for $55. Only 108 bottles at cask strength were produced from this special barrel.
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
Say hello to Cask 38.40: Powder puffs, one of the last casks produced by a Speyside distillery that closed its doors in 2002 and was subsequently demolished. This is a lost gem that will never see the light of day again.
It’s also a great example of patience and time. This whisky has been maturing for the past three decades and our Spirits Team have sampled the whisky over several years, waiting until they found the perfect moment before bottling this rare spirit.
The result is a truly elegant whisky that’s both sweet and fruity – perfect for savouring slowly.
But that’s not all – we have plenty more rare and historic whiskies waiting for you to discover, many in limited stock. Follow on to discover more unique bottlings from our Vaults Collection.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ
Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information
This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!
Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video
Want to know if your favourite dram pairs best with blue cheese, cured meats or Christmas turkey? We’ve partnered with the whisky experts at Diageo to create a range of tasty food pairings to go with a selection of classic whiskies, from smoky Talisker to waxy Clynelish.
Our wine expert, head buyer and experienced sommelier Dawn Davies MW has matched up which snacks, dishes or desserts pair best with more than 100 whiskies. Simply click on your favourite whiskies to find out our recommended food pairings.
1950’s Spey Royal Advert
In 1815, when Lord Byron married Annabella Milbanke at Seaham Hall, he gave a cask of ‘SPEY’ whisky to King George III as a gift. The royal connection to SPEY whisky has continued in other ways, including this single malt from the Speyside Distillery – the SPEY Royal Choice.
The firm of W&A Gilbey began to concentrate on blended Scotch whisky alongside Gilbey’s gin when it bought into the Aberdeen blending firm of James Catto & Co. in 1916. It’s believed the Spey Royal blend was launched soon after. An advert in The Tatler from 1925 declared the blend was ‘worth hunting for’ – a statement emblazoned above a drawing of a huntsman blowing his horn. The ad claimed Spey Royal was ‘matured for many years in Sherry casks from the best distilleries in Glenlivet’. These were listed as Glen Spey, Strathmill and Knockando, all of which belonged to Gilbey’s.
The blend was once widely distributed from Manhattan to Milan and survived through the IDV years and into the 1970s under Grand Metropolitan. Today W&A Gilbey remains a dormant subsidiary of Diageo, which also owns the company’s associated trademarks. (credit scotchwhisky.com)
Kentucky Distillers’ Association Announces New Board Officers, Directors
FRANKFORT, Ky. – The Kentucky Distillers’ Association today announced that Jessica Pendergrass of Heaven Hill Distilleries has been elected Chair of the 143-year-old non-profit trade group that unites, promotes and protects the signature Kentucky Bourbon and distilled spirits industry.
Pendergrass, who is General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer at Heaven Hill, will begin her term Jan. 1, 2024, and serve through December 2024. The KDA Board of Directors elected officers during its Annual Meeting last month in Louisville.
Pendergrass first served as Chair in 2020, leading KDA through the global pandemic when the industry came together to create hand sanitizer and fill the supply chain void. She was the third woman to ever serve as Chair of the KDA Board of Directors when she assumed the role in 2020.
“The KDA leads the way for Kentucky Bourbon, America’s native spirit, and to be given the opportunity to serve as Board Chair once again is an honor,” Pendergrass said. “We have a bold strategic plan that will cement Kentucky Bourbon and KDA as the voice of this signature industry and spirit around the world.
“It’s such a dynamic time for our industry, and I’m ready once again to lead us forward.”
Pendergrass was the first woman to receive the KDA’s Esprit de Corps award for camaraderie in the distilled spirits industry in 2020 during her term as Chair. She also is the founder of the KDA’s DEI Advisory Panel to the distilled spirits industry and she led the formation of the KDA’s Lifting Spirits non-profit arm.
Pendergrass also represents Heaven Hill on the board of the American Distilled Spirits Alliance in D.C. She is the executive sponsor of Heaven Hill’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy and is a member of the Board of Trustees of Bernheim Forest and Arboretum.
The Board named Ken Lewis of New Riff Distilling as Vice Chair; Gigi DaDan, General Manager of Louisville Distilling Co. as Secretary; and Ryan Ashley, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Distillery Operations at Four Roses as Treasurer.
Other Board officers include Chris Morris, Master Distiller Emeritus at Brown-Forman, the Immediate Past Chairman; Ray Franklin, Founder and President of Garrard County Distilling Co., representing “Proof” level members; and Lynne Dant, Head Distiller, Chief Operating Officer and Co-Founder of Log Still Distillery, representing “Craft” level members.
Other Board members for 2024 include:
Bardstown Bourbon Co.: Mark Erwin, President and CEO
Castle & Key Distillery: Will Arvin, Co-Founder
Diageo North America: Antoine Smith, Vice President of Distillation and Maturation North America
James B. Beam Distilling Co.: Crady deGolian, Director of Public Affairs
Lux Row Distillers: Erika Lapish, Vice President of Human Resources
Michter’s Distillery: Andrea Wilson, Chief Operating Officer & Master of Maturation
Rabbit Hole Distillery: Kaveh Zamanian, Founder, Whiskey Maker & CEO
White Dog Trading & Storage: Tyler Harris, President
Wild Turkey: Marco Barassi, Government Relations and Sustainability Director, North America
Willett Distillery: Britt Kulsveen, President
Jackson Purchase Distillery: David Salmon, Chief Operating Officer
Kentucky Artisan Distillery: Jade Peterson, Master Distiller
Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co.: Robert Krass, Managing Director
Moonshine University: Clay Smith, Distillery Operations Manager
KDA President Eric Gregory, who is finishing his 16th year leading the historic organization, said he looks forward to working with Pendergrass and the entire Board of Directors as it implements the new three-year strategic plan to strengthen the KDA as the worldwide voice for Bourbon.
“The tremendous economic and tourism impact of Kentucky Bourbon continues to shape communities across the Commonwealth,” Gregory said. “We are excited to continue sharing that story of success around the globe.
“Bourbon brings people together, and that mission of unity and camaraderie has been the hallmark of the KDA since our founding in 1880. We have elevated Bourbon to an unprecedented level of success by working with industry leaders, elected officials, community members and farm families.
“We still have many challenges at home and abroad, especially with a looming crisis from retaliatory tariffs, but I know we can accomplish more by standing together than working apart. The sky’s the limit for where Kentucky Bourbon goes next.”
About the Kentucky Distillers’ Association:
Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is the legendary voice for Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Its diverse and growing membership produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s Bourbon, from historic, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are fostering the next generation of the Commonwealth’s landmark economic engine and its thriving, timeless craft. Member benefits include media relations, international trade development, private sampling events, technical assistance, economic development support, networking, legal defense, marketing strategies, governmental and regulatory advocacy and innovative tourism experiences through the KDA’s world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® adventures. A 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, the KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving. Learn more at www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com
Roseisle 12 yo ‘The Origami Kite’ (56.5%, OB, Special Release 2023, first fill and refill bourbon)
Aldunie 25 yo 1997/2022 (53.7%, Whisky AGE, blended malt, barrel, cask #1512, 172 bottles)
Benriach 25 yo 1998/2023 (57.4%, Hunter Laing, Old & Rare, Platinum, refill oloroso butt, cask #HL20597, 234 bottles)
Benriach 24 yo 1997/2021 (59.4%, malt grain & cane, hogshead, cask #7337, 197 bottles)
Benriach 25 yo 1995/2020 (49.1%, Maltbarn, sherry, 140 bottles)
Benriach 30 yo 1991/2023 (51.2%, La Maison du Whisky, Artist #13, second-fill sherry butt, cask #64182)
Benriach 40 yo ‘The Forty’ (43.5%, OB, bourbon and Port, 752 bottles, 2023)
By Richard Thomas
Rating: B+
An axiom in the whiskey trade is that a high age statement doesn’t necessarily mean a good whiskey, but what about the reverse? Can you have a great whiskey with a merely average age statement? Certainly much more than merely time goes into whiskey maturation, and if you doubt the truth of that statement, I suggest looking no further than the famous case of the Colonel E.H. Taylor Tornado Bourbon.
Heaven Hill‘s latest installment in the Old Fitzgerald line of bottled in bond, wheated bourbons raises this question because it rests at the bottom of the age range in that series, being just eight years old. That is still double the statutory minimum required by the Bottled in Bond Act, but the age statements on the series are often in the teens. The release has been accompanied by the usual croaking, despite the fact that this is only the second time the series has gone down to an eight year old expression, so that release certainly didn’t begin a race to the bottom for the series.
So, leaving aside the age statement of this 100 proof bourbon leaves the only question that really matters: how is it?
The Bourbon
The pour has copper, leaning to bronze appearance to it, which actually is rather suggestive of its age. That might be my mind playing tricks, but it is what I see, and generally speaking a lighter coloring speaks of a mature whiskey, rather than one that is middle aged or truly old.
The nosing yields the staple bourbon scents of melted brown sugar and caramel, coupled to current of nutmeg, clove and pine, with a fainter trace of cinnamon. Taking a sip revealed a more fruity dimension, but also a bit more tannic, so the brown sugar and caramel is jointed by peach tea, while the spicy notes all remain the same. Those spicy notes are what linger in the finish, and as a grouping at that.
In my estimation, Old Fitz Bonded Fall 2023 certainly punches above its weight. It’s flavorful, and has certain characteristics one doesn’t expect from an eight year old bourbon. To put this into perspective, Elijah Craig is said to be made from an eight to ten year old batching, so this is on the lower end of that range and is distinctively better. That said, I don’t think it is so much better as to merit the price tag (see below), seeing as how Elijah Craig Small Batch is a $35 bottle.
The Price
Officially, this bourbon is tagged at $109.99.
