Whiskey

Mortlach 1997 matured in bourbon wood, that’s pretty much the same recipe as the expensive Manager’s Choice released a couple of years ago. Mortlach 16 yo 1997 (51%, Liquid Treasures & The Whisky Agency2013, bourbon hogshead, 176 btl.) Nose: welcoming nose, on garden fruits (pear, apple, including its blossoms), rhubarb and vanilla. Develops on mineral notes and grasses. Also mint and buttercups. Mouth: similar development. Vanilla cake, fresh fruits but this time with a thick candy sugar / honey coating. Really sweet. White grapes, gooseberries, rhubarb jam again. Finish: only now do the oak and spices (ginger) come in play, but very lightly so. Also a youngish alcohol kick the end. No meaty or dirty aromas in this one, which is good news. Just a fresh whisky, youngish and sweet. Around € 75. Score: 83/100

Post by Stefan Van Eycken, Tokyo The two new Mars releases we wrote about in our TIBS/Whisky Live 2013 report have now been released. Just to refresh your memory: there’s a 22yo and a 24yo, and both are vattings of 4 casks, but they’re very different, indeed. The Mars Komagatake 22yo is a vatting of two American White Oak casks (#1042 and #1039), an ex-sherry cask (#384) and a refill (ex-Scotch) cask (#481), bottled at 43% abv (750ml) and with an outturn of 1,359 bottles. This retails for around 9,000 yen. Then, there’s the 24yo – and that’s really special. During yearly routine checks of their mature stock, the whisky makers at Mars discovered a quartet of ex-bourbon casks that they really liked. On further inspection, it became clear that the level in each of the casks was very low and that a release as single cask(s) was out of the question. So, they put the contents of the 4 casks together and bottled them at vatting strength (58%abv, also 750ml). The outturn? A mere 120 bottles. It shouldn't be too hard to find the 22yo. To secure a bottle of the 24yo however, you may have to jump through a few hoops (no pun intended). It would surprise me if the few retailers who actually managed to get hold of a few bottles have the chance to put it on their shelves/online. But you never know… Read more about Hombo Mars Distillery here.

Get a Vip Tour Around the World’s Most Famous Film Festival Thanks to Chivas Regal 25’s The Legend Of Cannes Online Experience Chivas Regal 25 is giving people around the world a unique insider’s look at the Festival de Cannes with a new experiential website called The Legend of Cannes at www.chivas.com/cannes. The site takes users on a virtual VIP journey through the world’s most prestigious film festival and features an interactive panoramic photograph that spans the length of the city, capturing everything that makes the Festival de Cannes extraordinary and legendary. The Legend of Cannes is the first time people can take a first-person virtual VIP journey through the world’s most prestigious film festival – without having to travel to the South of France. The site features original panoramic photography, interactive hot-spots, HD video content, and over 100 behind the scenes images from some of the festival’s most high profile parties including The Great Gatsby film premiere party and the Variety Studio at Chivas House interview lounge. Visitors to the site will be able to scroll through the iconic panoramic photo which documents the Festival experience, finding out about the history of the legendary festival and getting a glimpse into the exclusive events happening at locations like the Grand Hyatt Cannes Hotel Martinez, the Palais des Festivals and Chivas House, Chivas Regal’s exclusive pop up location on the Croisette. “Chivas Regal 25 and the Festival de Cannes share a heritage of luxury and exclusivity,” said James Slack, Global Brand Director, Chivas Regal. “We wanted to capture the history of this iconic festival and the legendary Chivas Regal 25 experience that our guests have and bring it to life online.” The Legend of Cannes is both a tribute to the stories that make the Festival de Cannes one of the most enduring and iconic festivals and a chance for people around the world to experience these stories first-hand. Visit www.chivas.com/cannes to experience The Legend of Cannes with Chivas Regal 25. Notes About Chivas Regal Chivas Regal is now in its fifth year as official partner of the Festival de Cannes – the most exclusive and celebrated international film festival. Chivas Regal is a truly global brand, selling 4.8 million 9L cases annually in more than 150 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific and Americas. The Chivas Regal range is the epitome of style, substance and exclusivity and includes Chivas Regal 12, 18 and 25 Year Old.

• 1990 Mortlach 22 Year Old K&L Exclusive Chieftain’s Single Sherry Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($169.99) If you’ve ever taken a sip of Johnnie Walker Black then you’ve tasted Mortlach whisky. The Speyside distillery is one of Diageo’s most-prized institutions, creating richly-textured whiskies that provide the backbone to many of its legendary blends. Yet because the whisky isn’t sold as a single malt in the United States, the name Mortlach doesn’t necessarily stir the emotions of the whisky-loving faithful. But there’s another reason Mortlach hasn’t achieved stardom abroad: most of what does make it to the States, under the guise of an independent label, is unsherried. To drink Mortlach out of an unsherried hogshead barrel is like drinking Laphroaig without peat or Macallan without richness. It’s not at all representative of what the distillery does best. Nevertheless, the occasional hogshead makes its way over every now and again, devoid of the toffee, the cake, the spice, and the power. It’s no wonder that these oddballs have done little to boost the distille ry’s rep. On our last visit to Scotland, however, we finally found a prize worthy of purchasing: an ancient, first-fill sherry cask of delicious, traditional, full-throttle Mortlach. Think Macallan 18 on steroids: big, opulent, dense, chewy, meaty, caramel, fudge, baking spices, herbaceous notes, and cakebread. Considering that Macallan 18 just took another price increase, this Mortlach looks like a super value. We’ve never found a cask of Mortlach this good, and we don’t expect to again. Just make sure to add water!  • Glengoyne 21-year-old Single Malt Whisky 750ml ($99.99) What a steal… • 1991 Cambus 21 Year Old K&L Exclusive Signatory Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Grain Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($99.99) Here we go! After two years of hunting for a replacement to our wildly successful single grain Girvan, we’ve finally found a cask of grain worthy of our discerning customers. Cambus is among the most difficult-to-find grain distilleries, for a couple of reasons: it’s been closed since 1993, and it’s rumored to be at the heart of the Johnnie Walker Blue bottlings. No surprise that it’s difficult to find–if Diageo is relying on this whisky to produce one of its most sought-after blends, it will certainly be controlling as much stock as possible. Occasionally, small lots slip out of the blender’s grasp and into our glass! Here we have a super-high quality grain in all its awkward splendor. This nose is all oak spice and vibrant fresh fruit. Clove, coriander, freshly grated nutmeg, apple skins, under-ripe mango. On the palate, the fruit takes over, plus vanilla cake frosting, and the baking spices remain subdued, with a bit of coconut and some fresh oak notes. A perfect example of why sometimes, we must not blend all of the grain. (David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer) • 1997 Laphroaig 16 Year Old K&L Exclusive Signatory Single Barrel Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky 750ml (Pre-Arrival) ($99.99) We love Laphroaig. Everybody loves Laphroaig (if they don’t hate it). Not a lot of people on the fence regarding Laphroaig. That’s why it’s really hard to get. It’s really expensive as well; this is both cause and effect. We’ve seen prices go up, while quality has remained consistent. We took on a middle-aged Laphroaig last year and sold it for what seemed like a reasonable $140. Now we have another cask of Laphroaig and it’s difficult not to oversell it. If we’re always so effusive about every whisky we taste, people start to question our judgment. So, I’m just going to say that this is top-tier Laphroaig. It’s in that prime moment between the intensity of a young Laphroaig and that depth of the older offerings from this legendary distillery. This was the whisky that we spent tim

The Hibiki range is now in stock and available to order! The stunning Hibiki 21yo & the Hibiki 30yo are now in stock. Both expressions are very limited and only available while stocks last! Hibiki 21 year old Only £150 Click here to buy  Hibiki 30 year old Only £900 Click here to buy The Whisky Shop Tel 0141 427 2919 info@whiskyshop.com www.whiskyshop.com

Here are the details for the event: Date: Friday June 7th, 2013. Time: 6:30pm to 8:00pm Location: The Strath Ale Wine & Spirit Merchants, 919 Douglas Street, Victoria. Price: $35 each for Members & Partners, $45 for Non-Members/Guests. (Reduction of $5 per ticket from previous events) The Tasting includes SIX new releases again this month and I will be pouring two whiskies from previous releases. (The bottle prices have gone down between $6 and $10 per bottle.) As always, appropriate food nibbles are included to assist your palate.  NON MEMBERS & GUESTS ARE MOST WELCOME  REGISTRATION:    1. Space is limited so you must register to secure your place. Please email or drop into the store or phone and speak to Richard White or Colin Southcombe Email: whisky@strathconahotel.com    Phone: 250-370-9463 2. Please pre-pay for your virtual ticket in advance.    The Tasting will start PROMPTLY at 6:30pm and will conclude no later than 8:00pm IMPORTANT: Please remember these are cask strength whiskies, so you should not be driving home after the tasting. PURCHASES: All Society whiskies, including the new June releases, are available for purchase on the night, on a first come first served basis.  Every member will be given a chance to buy a bottle of any available whisky before someone else can purchase 2 or more.  Any non-member who joins the Society on the night may also order product. Any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to contact me or Richard White. Slainté! Colin Southcombe General Manager The Strath Ale Wine & Spirit Merchants 919 Douglas Street, Victoria BC, V8W 2C2 Tel: 250-370-9463

Loch Fyne Whiskies , ‘UK Free Shipping on orders over £50 for a limited time’ If you spend at least £50 we will deliver it FREE to any UK address for a limited time. FREE SHIPPING Loch Fyne Whiskies david@lfw.co.uk

Loch Fyne Whiskies Stocks Invergordon BBR 1988 24yo Cask 9000 Invergordon BBR 1988 24yo 46%abv £63.00 inc vat £52.50 ex vat Official Notes: The nose gives toasted oak, apple and melon skins with an uplifting menthol note. There is some honeyed depth and cinnamon spice. The palate is beautifully expansive with bourbon cask notes, buttery vanilla and cream caramel. The delivery is almost angelic and long lingering. Best regards, Loch Fyne Whiskies david@lfw.co.uk

www.ralfy.com shares a location-moment at a little Canadian Distillers with Whisky Review 362 (6/7) – Still Waters Distillery with Barry and Barry

Post by Stefan Van Eycken, Tokyo "Whisky Talk" is the highlight of the year for whisky enthusiasts based in Fukuoka. The third edition was held last weekend and it's clear that the organizers have a soft spot for Ichiro's Malts. For the 1st (2011) and 2nd edition (2012), they bottled two young Hanyu casks with eye-catching labels sporting a wolf and a crane respectively. For this year's bottling, they're continuing the animal theme with what looks like a beaver, but this time they're going for a 3-year old Chichibu. It should be available soon - priced at 11,000 yen - so keep an eye out for it, if you're a fan of this young distillery's output. Read more about Chichibu Distillery here.