As many of you know, our Compass Box 30th Anniversary Blend is launching next week. We know you are excited because about 1/4 of the bottles are pre-sold. To celebrate we are hosting an in-person launch tasting at KWM next Wednesday, with Scott Ellis from Compass Box. We have also added additional space to the Compass Box Virtual tasting on Friday, July 29th with Whisky Make James Saxon. Detail below.
Due to demand, we have also added additional space to our Elixir Distillers Single Casks tasting with Celine Tetu on Friday, July 22. We know many of you want to return to doing in-store tastings, and accordingly, we have also added a new in-store version of Elixir Distillers Single Casks, albeit hosted by one of our staff…
We have also added two other new virtual tastings that are sure to be popular. GlenAllachie Sales Director Ronan Currie will be our guest on Saturday for our GlenAllachie Virtual Cask Launch. We will be launching the GlenAllachie 15 Year KWM Oloroso Cask in early August. The tasting will also be an opportunity to sample a number of other GlenAllachies not available for sale! Photo to the right… sorry for the tease!
The other new tasting is Wet Hot Whisky Summer – FOMO Warning! Once more we have strung together a selection of rare and in-demand whiskies that you’ll only have the opportunity to purchase if you take part in the tasting! Bowmore, Clynelish, Highland Park, Imperial (not our cask), Kilkerran, Laphroaig x2 & Springbank… new we say more?!
In new whisky news, we have whiskies from North Star Spirits, South Star Spirits, and Bimber Distillery to fill you in on. There is more, which will have to wait until next week’s full Malt Messenger, but we wanted to get the word out on these now, having freshly arrived in-store.
I do want to highlight one of them though, the North Star Spirits Blended Malt 7 Year for Ukraine. The producer has bottled the whisky as a fundraiser for Ukraine, saying “We have bottled the strongest whisky we have for the strongest people we know.” Both KWM and importer Gold Medal Marketing will be donating $10/each, from every bottle sold in support of Ukrainian refugees. Bottles can be pre-ordered now, and will be available next Wednesday!
I hope you enjoy this Malt Messenger Bulletin. The next full Malt Messenger is arriving a week from today.
Happy Stampede!
Sincerely,
Andrew Ferguson
Kensington Wine Market
In This Edition
1. A Whisky for Ukraine from North Star Spirits!
2. New Whiskies from North Star Spirits
3. Introducing: South Star Spirits
4. Introducing: Bimber Distillery
5. New Tastings
6. Other Up-Coming Tastings
A WHISKY FOR UKRAINE
FROM NORTH STAR SPIRITS
Both KWM and Gold Medal Marketing (the importer) will each donate $10 from every bottle sold to a charity in support of Ukranian refugees!
North Star Spirits released this whisky, in support and solidarity with Ukraine. Only 500 bottles have been released of this 7-year-old blended malt, bottled at 65.5%. North Star has donated 100% of its proceeds from this bottle to charity! In Their Words: “We bottled the strongest whisky we have for the strongest people we know.”
North Star Blend Malt 7 Year for Ukraine – 65.5% – Sherry Butt – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Stewed bramble jam and a touch of roasted coffee. Palate: Maple syrup, butterscotch and allspice. Finish: Fearless and defiant.” – $125 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
NEW WHISKIES FROM NORTH STAR SPIRITS
We have some interesting new whiskies from North Star, including a very dark, though dear, GlenAllachie… the picture doesn’t really do it justice!
1. North Star GlenAllachie 13 Year – 56.8% – Sherry Butt – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: dark chocolate, dried grape stems. Palate: immediate oloroso rush, coated with toffee chews & treacle. Finish: long, dry, chocolate-covered shortbread. – $220 – 88.2pts Whiskybase
2. North Star Glen Elgin 15 Year – 53.4% – Oloroso Hogshead – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: syrup sponge pudding with vanilla custard. Palate: Ginger tablet and soft herbs & spices. Finish: Liquorice allsorts & black coffee.” – $135
3. North Star Orkney 15 Year – 59.7% – Oloroso Hogshead – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: marzipan, sourdough pizza balls & white chocolate. Palate: instant hug to the taste buds, like treacle. Finish: malty almond paste with marshmallow fondant.” $135 – Limit 1 Per Customer!
4. North Star Secret Highland 13 Year – 42.9% – First Fill Oloroso Sherry Butt – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: rubber, sherry, dried fruits & toffee. Palate: Raspberry chocolate, waxy with some smoke. Finish: Warm tarmac, licorice, clean & fruity.” – $115
INTRODUCING: SOUTH STAR SPIRITS
There is a clear link to North Star Spirits here, but there is much more to it than that, but I’ll let them tell you in their own words…
In Their Own Words
“South Star Spirits Is a whisky bottling company born from 4 whisky enthusiasts who are building a distillery in the heart of one of Scotch Whiskies most cherished regions. We are celebrating this new addition to the magical world of distillation by releasing a small batch range of matured single malt whiskies to let you know we’re here…hello! The Dál Riata Distillery will be located in the heart of Campbeltown producing single malt scotch whisky with traditions and styles that are consistent with whiskies distilled and matured on the western seaboard. If you would like to learn more and join us on our journey, please visit….”
1. South Star Spirits Highland 10 Year Single Malt – 48% – Hogsheads – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Rich & intense smoke, some gentleness to it. Palate: Distinct peat, vanilla & salt. Finish: Lingering ashy notes with just enough oak.” – $96
2. South Star Spirits Islay 8 Year Single Malt – 48% – First Fill Hogsheads – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Dried oranges with a whiff of tobacco. Palate: Thick, nutty dark chocolate. Finish: Long, nutty & very clean.” – $96
3. South Star Spirits Speyside 10 Year Single Malt – 48% – First Fill Hogsheads – Producer Tasting Note: “Nose: Fruity, floral & citrusy lemon slice. Palate: Syrupy toffee with a touch of saltines. Finish: Cinnamon on baked apples & pears.” – $96
INTRODUCING: BIMBER DISTILLERY
Bimber Distillery was founded in 2015 on the outskirts of London. Whisky is made from barley, floor-malted for them at Warminster Maltings. The fermentations are long, in wooden washbacks, and the distillation slow in small-ish stills.
1. Bimber Apogee Pure Malt Whisky – 46.3% – 12 Year – Finished in ex-Bimber Distillery Casks – Producer Description: “Apogee draws from generations of historical expertise combined with modern virtuosity and elegance to offer an alluring, versatile and deeply captivating whisky. Artfully composed from a selection of the finest world whiskies, the aromas and flavours of Apogee have been enhanced further through sympathetic maturation in casks sourced from London’s award-winning Bimber Distillery. Apogee XII is a flawlessly balanced, meticulously crafted unity of exceptional world whiskies, created as a celebration of the fine art of blending. ” – $92
2. Bimber Canada Edition 2021 – 58.7% – Producer Description: “The Canada Edition Cask journey began at Bimber’s single farm, where 100% of their barley is grown. It is then traditionally floor malted, hand-mashed and fermented slowly for seven days in their wooden washbacks that were hand-made at the Bimber cooperage. They use direct fire to heat their small copper pot stills, and mature their spirit in hand-selected casks. This whisky was drawn from a remarkable ex-bourbon oak cask and bottled exclusively for PWS Imports.” – $152
3. Bimber ex-Bourbon Cask Batch No. 3 – 51.6% – Producer Tasting Note: “Aromas of green apples, dried apricots, milky cereal, vanilla sponge cake and coconut fill the nose, complemented by notes of vanilla, caramel, orchard fruits, baked apricots, peppery spice and charred oak throughout the palate.” – $115
THREE NEW TASTINGS
1 IN-PERSON & 2 VIRTUAL
We have 3 really exciting new tastings coming up in July. Details below!
ELIXIR DISTILLERS SINGLE CASKS – IN-STORE!
· Date: Thursday, August 11
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $50
· IN-STORE TASTING
Elixir Distillers has become one of our best partners in recent years, and they keep feeding us some absolutely amazing single casks. This recent batch was selected in the Winter or Spring of 2021, but due to all the challenges around logistics these days, they have only just arrived! Guests will sample 7 Single Malts of Scotland bottlings, 6 of them cask strength single cask whiskies. Participants will try the 4 most recent KWM casks: Ardmore 11 Year, Glenburgie 22 Year, Imperial 22 Year, and Mannochmore 13 Year, and 3 others: Ben Nevis 1997, Linkwood 11 Year, and Reserve Casks Glencadam 10 Year. This is the exact same range we are doing virtually with Celine, but in person at the store, hosted by one of the KWM team. 7PM, Thursday, August 11.
GLENALLACHIE VIRTUAL CASK LAUNCH WITH RONAN CURRIE
· Date: Saturday, August 13
· Time: 5 PM
· Cost: $35
· Pick-Up Date: July 16 (Estimate)!
We are about to receive our first ever KWM exclusive single cask of GlenAllachie… and we are stoked! Ronan Currie, Sales Director, has generously agreed to stay up and join us live from Scotland to host a virtual launch tasting. Our range will include a number of limited-edition whiskies not even available for sale, including the GlenAllachie 10 Year Batch 6, GlenAllachie 11 Year Grattamacco Cask, GlenAllachie 12 Year Sauternes Cask, GlenAllachie 13 Year Rioja Cask, and GlenAllachie 21 Year Batch 1 (not pictured(. To round out our lines, participants will also get to sample the GlenAllachie 18 and our GlenAllachie 15 Year KWM Oloroso Cask! Saturday, August 13, 2022, 5 PM!
WET HOW WHISKY SUMMER – FOMO WARNING!
· Date: Tuesday, August 16
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $85
· Pick-Up Date: Available NOW!
Consider this a warning… there is a FOMO storm on the horizon, expected to make landfall during the wet hot whisky days of summer. Our tasting range consists of: Bowmore 21 Year Aston Martin Ed., Highland Park Wild Rose Single Cask, Kilkerran Heavily Peated Batch 5, Laphroaig 10 Year Cask Strength, Laphroaig Cairdeas 2021, LMDW Clynelish 25 Year, SMOS Imperial 1995 25 Year (not our cask), and Springbank 21 Year. And we have bottles of all 8 of these whiskies available for sale (by ballot), but only for participants in this tasting. Tuesday, August 16, 7 PM.
OTHER UPCOMING TASTINGS
COMPASS BOX KWM 30TH ANNIVERSARY IN-STORE LAUNCH TASTING WITH SCOTT ELLIS
· Date: Wednesday, July 13
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $50
· IN-STORE TASTING
· Only 8 spots left!
Compass Box Whisky has been one of our best and most supportive partners over the last 30 years. We were honoured when, in 2017, they collaborated with us on the now legendary bespoke Kensington Wine Market 25th Anniversary bottling. To help mark our 30th Anniversary, they have once more come through for us in a big way. Over the last year and a bit, we’ve been working with John Glaser and whisky Maker James Saxon on another bespoke whisky. Well, the Kensington Wine Market 30th Anniversary Blend has just arrived, and to celebrate we will be hosting both in-person and virtual launch tastings. Scott Ellis, Western Regional Manager for Compass Box Whisky in North America, will be our guest for the in-store launch tasting. Guests will have the opportunity to sample 7 Compass Box whiskies, including both the KWM 25th and 30th Anniversary bottlings, the Vellichor, Experimental Grain, Flaming Heart 2015 and two other releases. Participants in the tasting will also have the opportunity to enter a ballot to purchase both the Vellichor and Experimental Grain. 7 PM, Wednesday, July 13 !SPACES ADDED!
ELIXIR DISTILLERS SINGLE CASKS WITH CELINE TETU
· Date: Friday, July 22
· Time: 5 PM
· Cost: $45
· Pick-Up Date: AVAILABLE NOW!
Elixir Distillers has become one of our best partners in recent years, and they keep feeding us some absolutely amazing single casks. This recent batch was selected in the Winter or Spring of 2021, but due to all the challenges around logistics these days, they have only just arrived! Celine Tetu, aka Lily, Elixir Distillers’ International Sales Manager, will be our guest as we sample 7 Single Malts of Scotland bottlings, 6 of them cask strength single cask whiskies. Participants will try the 4 most recent KWM casks: Ardmore 11 Year, Glenburgie 22 Year, Imperial 22 Year, and Mannochmore 13 Year, and 3 others: Ben Nevis 1997, Linkwood 11 Year, and Reserve Casks Glencadam 10 Year. 5PM, Friday, July 22. !SPACES ADDED!
COMPASS BOX KWM 30TH ANNIVERSARY VIRTUAL LAUNCH TASTING WITH JAMES SAXON
· Date: Friday, July 29
· Time: 5 PM
· Cost: $40
· Pick-Up Date: AVAILABLE NOW!
Compass Box Whisky has been one of our best and most supportive partners over the last 30 years. We were honoured when, in 2017, they collaborated with us on the now legendary bespoke Kensington Wine Market 25th Anniversary bottling. To help mark our 30th Anniversary, they have once more come through for us in a big way. Over the last year and a bit, we’ve been working with John Glaser and whisky Maker James Saxon on another bespoke whisky. Well, the Kensington Wine Market 30th Anniversary Blend has just arrived, and to celebrate we will be hosting both in-person and virtual launch tastings. James Saxon, Compass Box Whisky Whisky Maker, and creator of our 30th Anniversary Blend will be our guest for the virtual launch tasting. Guests will have the opportunity to sample 7 Compass Box whiskies, including both the KWM 25th and 30th Anniversary bottlings, the Vellichor, Experimental Grain, Flaming Heart 2015 and two other releases. Participants in the tasting will also have the opportunity to enter a ballot to purchase both the Vellichor and Experimental Grain. 5 PM, Friday, July 29.
!!NEW DATE!!! Oddball Distilleries – A+ Malts from the B Team
· Date: Tuesday, August 9
· Time: 7 PM
· Cost: $75
· Pick-Up Date: Available NOW!
· VIRTUAL TASTING
Overlooked, underappreciated, and in some cases, flat-out unknown distilleries will be the focus of this tasting featuring some of the most neglected distilleries in the Scotch Whisky world. We had to drag some of these poor unloved drams out from the orphanages, the cupboards under the stairs, and other assorted nooks and crannies, in order to bring you a line-up that is bound to appeal to the most discerning of whisky geeks. This has a truly stellar range if you can look past the brands and distilleries, to see some diamonds in the rough. 7 PM, Tuesday, August 9.
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. Note we likely cannot offer delivery before Christmas at this point!
CURBSIDE PICKUP
Physical distancing is made easy with curbside pickup. Order online or by phone, wait for confirmation your order is ready then call us when you are parked in the back or out front. Be sure to let us know what your vehicle looks like!
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