Categorie: Whisky nieuws

The Nikka Lounge, Warehouse 20, Bagpipes…

Bagpipes, cucumber dust, takoyaki — with so many moving parts to this year’s show, details are changing daily and it’s become a challenge to keep up, despite being the organizer. We somehow continue to welcome new brands, even as I type, and I have requested so many changes to the menus – all five of them – that I’m fairly certain the caterer is ghosting me on purpose.

But the show must go on! Especially being our 20th anniversary, and I’m humbled by the outpouring of support from our brand partners who are bringing their best to make this our most memorable event to date.

With less than three weeks to go, tickets are two-thirds sold and there are a few spots open if you’re looking to join a masterclass.

Still not sure if you’ll be coming out to play on May 4? We can promise you bagpipes as you enter the Hall, along with a few other treats once you’re inside – keep reading after the signature for some teasers.

See you on May 4!

Johanna Ngoh
Founder and Executive Producer

Given the hectic pace of organizing this year’s show, it makes even more sense that I reluctantly turned down an invitation to join Nikka Whisky as they kick off their 90th anniversary celebrations at the Yoichi distillery in Hokkaido this week.

But every cloud has a silver lining: we’re honoured that Spirit of Toronto has been chosen as the first stop of Nikka’s world tour to mark such an important milestone, and right now my focus is on welcoming Nikka’s delegation as our VIP room is transformed into a slice of Japan.

We’ve dubbed this space The Nikka Lounge, and we invite guests to join us for a deep dive into Japan’s rich drinking culture by exploring Nikka’s whisky portfolio alongside a few of the limited editions they’ll be pouring for this special occasion.

Highballs and cocktail culture are an integral part of Japan’s whisky scene, so even more exciting is a guest shift by rising star Keisuke Yamamoto. Keisuke is the founder of Bees Knees in Kyoto, one of Asia’s 50 Best Bars for the past three years and counting, and Nikka’s special guest for the evening.

With fond memories of our time spent in Japan’s many bars, we can’t wait for you lovelies to take in the vibes as Keisuke brings his Japanese Speakeasy to Spirit of Toronto, complete with a very bespoke list of ingredients that I seriously hope make it past airport customs.

To complete the mood, we’ve arranged a menu of Japanese street snacks and I won’t lie, it’s been a pleasure reliving past memories while sampling wafu katsu and the best takoyaki I’ve ever had – facts!

Spirit of Toronto ‘Warehouse 20’

You know those bottles you’ve been saving for a special occasion? Yep, us too. And our special occasion has now arrived…

And because we’re giddy at the thought of turning twenty, we felt the need to indulge ourselves by taking it a step further, and designing the appropriate setting to do justice to these amber gems.

Charles, being a guy, saw this as the perfect excuse to fire up his power tools and get to work. The result is a stageset of our very own dunnage warehouse that we’re calling ‘Warehouse 20’: our ode to the magic of the cask, and the years of patience it takes for something special to come about.

We’ve recruited our longtime friend Regis Lemaitre as our warehouse manager, who will be there alongside our trusty wingmen, Art, Graham and Franck, to act as your personal whisky sommelier and guide you beauties to the beauties we’ll be opening on May 4.

Cue the Bagpipes!

Yes, there will be bagpipes. With Scotland and Scotch whisky as our first love, we’ve always wanted to hear bagpipes at Spirit of Toronto, and this is the year it’s going to happen, because it’s my party and all that.

For those of you not loving the idea, rest assured that it will be outside, as you beautiful people file into the Hall for what’s set to be a magical evening.

And maybe just once more, when a certain bottle is ready to be opened? I’ve been told I’m bad at keeping secrets so I better stop here. Done!

Tickets to Spirit of Toronto can be purchased as follows —

Web at roythomsonhall.com
By telephone at 416-872-4255
In person at 60 Simcoe Street but note that Roy Thomson Hall’s Box Office is only open three hours before any given performance, so call ahead to make sure staff is on hand to assist.

See you on May 4!

Tune In To Our New Education Series

Introducing the first episode of our 8-part Education Series, ‘Marrying In Wood‘. Isabella Wemyss considers this aspect of our blending process pivotal, setting us apart from our competitors.
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Marrying whisky in wood enables a profound interaction with the oak, enriching its character. This meticulous process imbues the final product with enhanced depth and complexity, highlighting oak-derived flavours and aromas.⁠
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As one of the select few Independent Bottlers who also own and produce Single Malt at Kingsbarns, we benefit from numerous synergies in skillsets. Isabella’s proficiency in cask selection, blending techniques, flavour profiling, and quality assessment is seamlessly applied across both our distillery and bottling operations.⁠
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Watch the full length video below:

 

A Quarter Passed

Discover A Quarter Passed, an expression that honours patience and the passing of time in whisky making. This blend has been meticulously crafted and married in wood for six years, a rarity in the world of whisky maturation. Bottled at a generous cask strength of 53.6% ABV, this 25-year-old blended malt is a luxuriously sweet vanilla-rich dram, with hints of soft coconut, toffee, and lingering spice.

A Quarter Passed | Limited Release | 70cl

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A Coffey still, also known as a column still or continuous still, is a type of distillation apparatus patented by Aeneas Coffey in the 19th century. Unlike traditional pot stills, which operate in batches, Coffey stills enable continuous distillation, allowing for a more efficient and consistent production process.

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Redwood Empire Emerald Giant Rye, 45%

https://youtu.be/5akw3dJo8qc

It’s taken me a while to jump back into the world of rye, but I’ve taken the challenge on with gusto! For some reason, I have neglected this rather wonderful side of whisky, but Redwood Empire has been at the forefront of my new adventure, and I couldn’t have wished for a better kickstart to the style.

Situated in Sonoma County, California, the distillery’s moderate climate and rather lush surroundings allow for a gentle maturation in virgin oak. The Emerald Giant Rye, with its 95% rye mash bill, has catapulted me back into a world of whisky that can be very complex and often misunderstood. Most folks assume that rye is just one dimensional and a little spicy. You couldn’t be more wrong about the style as a whole. This long travelled bottle of whisky is lathered with gentle minty notes, tropical citrus, classic cocktail orange oil garnish, and an ever so faint smell of chocolate and soft baking spices.

A rather well-rounded and affordable expression of rye whisky that shall be sitting on my shelves for as long as it is available in the UK. Congratulations to Redwood Empire for a rather stunning example of their craft, I look forward to trying more of their stuff in the future. Cheers!

Nikka ‘Pure Malt Black’ (43%, OB, Japan, +/-2023)
Kanosuke 4 yo 2018/2023 (55%, OB, Japan, distillery exclusive #7, rechar bourbon cask, cask #20458, 814 bottles)
Shizuoka 2018/2024 ‘KS + WS’ (46.6%, OB, Japan, for Sushi + Soul, peated, bourbon barrel, cask #939)
Shizuoka 2018/2024 ‘KS + WS’ (46.3%, OB, Japan, for Sushi + Soul, peated, bourbon octave, cask #287)
Suntory ’60th Anniversary of Kotobuki Seihan’ (43%, OB, Japan, blend, 60cl, 2006)
Suntory ’50th Anniversary of Video Promotions, Inc.’ (43%, OB, Japan, blend, ceramic, 2010)

By Richard Thomas

Rating: B+

Lexington Brewing & Distilling’s Town Branch 7 Year Old Single Malt is a product of brewstilling synergy. Whether the whiskey was made with the distillery’s pot still is unknown, but what is known is that it was aged for seven-plus years in old Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale barrels. That drink, in its turn, is the brewery’s staple Kentucky Irish Red Ale aged in used bourbon barrels, and for years now at least some of those barrels have come from the distillery’s own bourbon output. The Kentucky single malt is bottled at 87 proof, very in tune with Irish and Scottish malts.

The Whiskey
The look here is green straw (meaning not dried, so pale yellow). The scent conjured nothing so much as a bowl of Roman pulsum to me, but I know it is most unlikely anyone reading this knows what I’m talking about, so I’ll break that down. It’s like pottage, a cooked cereals dish, flavored with things like leek and herbs. Sitting next to the bowl of pulsum is a cup of fruit cocktail.

Sipping on the pour reveals a pretty chewy whiskey. The scent isn’t really all that suggestive of the flavor profile, which is much sweeter, running with a malty, citrus blossom honey accented by a caramel note and a touch of cinnamon and wood. The latter is what runs into the finish initially, turning a touch peppery, but as that fades away it leaves a light barn tobacco note.

The Price
A bottle of this should set you back $40, and at that price it’s well worth picking up for anyone interested in American malts.

Last Drop Distillers has unveiled their 2024 Collection of three sourced bottlings: a 40 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Auchentoshan Distillery (Release No. 34), a 22 Year Old Infinity Rum Blend (Release No. 35) and a 55 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Tomintoul Distillery (Release No. 36).

Release No. 34, The Last Drop 40 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Auchentoshan Distillery

Auchentoshan Distillery is renowned for its unique production processes, honed over two centuries of whisky making. It is the only extant distillery in Scotland to distill its spirit three times, producing a liquid that is delicate, refined and luxurious. With Release No. 34, The Last Drop celebrates the craft and creativity of this Lowland distillery, famed for the soft mellowness of its single malts.

This release has been richly-aged for four decades and with just 74 bottles produced, it presents an inimitable characteristic of Auchentoshan with a surprising sweetness.

 

Release No. 35, The Last Drop 22 Year Old ‘Infinitum Rum Blend’

An ‘infinity rum’ presents the fruits of an experimental process of combining different aged rums from a wide array of distilleries. This example – bottled by The Last Drop – is a tribute to the dedicated process behind its creation. Release No. 35 is an extraordinary blend of rums from around the world; with origins in Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad, Barbados, Venezuela, Guadeloupe, Brazil and Fiji  – it is a liquid of international origin.

Sweetness and spice are plentiful in this rare liquid, born from hundreds of duty-suspended samples sealed in an oak rum cask and left to slumber in a Liverpool warehouse for 22 years. Vatted during the first year of the new millennium, only enough for 136 bottles remained at the point of bottling.

 

Release No. 36, The Last Drop 55 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Tomintoul Distillery

The Last Drop’s oldest single malt release to date was born in the ‘Swinging Sixties’ when Scotch whisky was booming and new distillation technology was changing the game. The spirit of innovation was ubiquitous when these casks were put down to rest in Speyside – a time when the Tomintoul Distillery itself was less than 5 years old.

After aging for more than 53 years in six oak casks, and the angel’s claimed their share, the remaining liquid was married into an Amoroso butt for a further 20 months resulting in a liquid of richness and complexity, yielding 582 bottles.

 

The Last Drop 2024 Collection will be rolling out in limited quantities to its United States distributor network, which will ship to select retailers, bars and restaurants as of May 2024 at a suggested retail price of $5,300 for the 40 Year Old Auchentoshan Single Malt Scotch (89.6 proof; 700ml + 50ml miniature); $3,100 for the Infitinum Rum (106.2 proof; 700ml + 50ml miniature); and $8,300 for the 55 Year Old Tomintoul Scotch Whisky (83.4 proof; 700ml + 50ml miniature); state taxes will vary per market.

By Richard Thomas

Rating: C-

In introducing the new drinks line in early 2023, Jim Beam declared that, come summertime, Kentuckians like to drink lemonade or fruit punch with bourbon on their front porches. Well, I’m a born and bred Kentucky horse farmer’s son, and I prefer to make mules with our native Ale-8-One or mint juleps, but I won’t quibble beyond that. I’m sure there are folks around who are sipping on lemonade and bourbon.

Those drinks are the basis for the RTD line of Jim Beam Kentucky Coolers. The line is a sprawling collection of smashes, punches and lemonades (the lemonade mixers alone include Black Cherry, Strawberry, Blueberry and Sweet Tea variants). Each Kentucky Cooler is formulated to be just 120 calories, fairly light compared to a typical mixer of similar size.

That lightness is where the problems with these RTDs start, and that is underscored by the alcohol content. Jim Beam did these in conjunction with the Boston Beer Company, makers of Sam Adams. So, the alcohol in the drinks is derived not from bourbon or any actual whiskey, but malt. The strength is a mere 5%, approximately the same as a typical lager, but not what one would normally get from the bourbon mixers these drinks were supposedly inspired by.

These drinks weren’t for me, but in fairness I also don’t think someone of my tastes was the target audience. With their light body, light flavor profiles and relatively low level of alcohol my guess is that these are meant to compete for the trendy seltzer market. I don’t care for those seltzers, so ’nuff said. The thing there, though, is that if a bourbon fan who enjoys a bold mixer or a strong cocktail picks up one of these, they’ll also come away as disappointed as I was by the general lack of heft, to say nothing of the absence of actual Jim Beam Bourbon.

The Price
Jim Beam Kentucky Coolers come in a 12-can variety pack for $16.99, $9.99 for a single flavor six-pack, and $3.49 for a single 24oz. can.

 

DOUBLE PRODUCT RELEASE

WHISKY SPONGE ED.91 GLEN GARIOCH

Here at Decadent Drinks we are big fans of Glen Garioch and have bottled a number of quite varied casks from this distillery throughout our short history. This latest one is a 1st fill hogshead of 2003 Glen Garioch, matured for 21 years and bottled at natural cask strength. It has everything we love about classic, highland style makes like Glen Garioch: abundant waxy texture, luscious fruitiness and fulness of body. This one is a terrific and extremely satisfying dram that should be perfect for anyone seeking a rich and hearty modern highland single malt with plenty of personality and distillery character.

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DOUBLE PRODUCT RELEASE

ISLAY SPONGE PART V BOWMORE 2004

We probably won’t be able to do an Islay Sponge bottling from every Islay distillery, but we are going to do our best! We’re certainly very proud of this latest find: a single refill hogshead of 2004 Bowmore that is an unashamed tropical fruit bomb, bottled at 20 years old and natural cask strength. Stunning fruitiness, layers of soft, wispy peat smoke and a huge coastal freshness. Everything we love about this incredible distillate and a perfect entry for the latest Islay Sponge bottling.

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Decadent Drinks Ltd DECADENT DRINKS LTD, WEST BUILDING RUTHVENFIELD GROVE, INVERALMOND

INDUSTRIAL ESTATE PERTH, Highlands PH1 3FN United Kingdom

Ready for a flavour adventure? Say hello to Cask No. 68.121: Sunseeker – a whisky bursting with excitement thanks to its short fermentation! But what’s all the fuss about fermentation lengths?

Let’s break it down: fermentation, the magical process where yeast works its alchemy on the wort created during mashing, is key to converting sugar into alcohol, generating carbon dioxide and heat in the process. Up to 80 per cent of the character of new-make spirit can come from fermentation, making it a crucial step in whisky production. As the old saying goes: ‘You can’t make good whisky without a good wash’, highlighting the importance of what happens during mashing and fermentation in creating quality spirits. And that’s just the beginning of our flavour journey!

In Montilla-Moriles, we dried grapes in the sun, producing a rich, fruity taste akin to sweet wine from a damp cellar, before crafting sun-baked bread, sipping prune wine from a leather wineskin, and aging our whisky in bourbon casks for 11 years before transferring it to PX barriques. Our 68.121 embodies this vivacious spirit, packing a punch of zesty goodness that’ll make your taste buds dance.

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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