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Whisky Geek Paradise - Thursday, February 23rd, 2017

Posted on March 21, 2017

Whisky Geek Paradise

By Hunter Sullivan

Over the last five years that I have worked at the Kensington Wine Market, the rotating whisky tasting schedule has almost always included the “Classic Single Malts” class. Usually, after performing one of these tastings, I would write a short synopsis of the event, describing in short the whiskies tasted along with a brief description of what the intent of the tasting was. Even now I am tempted to write something similar, saying that “We don’t intend to just show you the classic malts of Scotland, we want to show you more.” Though such descriptions are true to our philosophy at the Kensington Wine Market, being a guide to the lesser known whisky world is becoming less of an expedition into unknown territory and more of a roped off tour into a well lit tourist destination. To be clear, what I am getting at is the current state of the whisky market. As more people become acquainted with this joy bringing liquid, the less there is hidden. Only the most out of the way, darkened corners are yet to be explored and even those are not far off from being byword names in the whisky industry.

Lamentation aside, a new direction must be taken to maintain the intrigue of whisky expert aspirants and new comers alike. If names like Tomatin, Wolfburn, and Arran become common place all the better, but allow us to go beyond the fold of the classics and taste something a little off the beaten trail.



Arran Cask Strength 12 Year - $80

At the moment, Arran is part of the handful of distilleries that I truly respect. Now that may not be much coming from this 25-year-old whisky virtuoso but I would argue that if there is any distillery that should have a special place on your whisky shelf, Arran is it. The spirit will speak for itself.

This particular release is matured in sherry wood barrels, Pedro Ximénez once held within the walls, adding a velvety decadence to Arran’s already oily character. A perfumed wood box that contained demerara candied mandarin orange slices and ginger blooms on the nose. Among the bright tones are wisps of darker characters, figs, dates and golden raisins wrapped in new leather. The full proof of this bottling is a trifle held against the silky oils, creating such a harmony of character that this bottling may usurp my favourite release from Arran’s flagship range, the 14-year-old.

Tomatin French Oak 12 Year - $68

Not all distilleries need a lengthy foreword to describe their nature, Tomatin would be one of those. What is important is Tomatin’s ability to create and sell great whisky at great prices, the main factor in my choice to include this bottling in the line up.

As described in the name, this release is matured in French oak barrels, the kind of wood that perhaps may have been used to mature Ar...

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En Français, Édition Vallée de la Loire - 17 Février, 2017

Posted on March 1, 2017

Quelle fantastique vendredi soir! Je dois l’admettre, nos soirée “En Franҫais” sont mes dégustations préférées du calendrier pour deux raisons: la langue et le thème. Avoir la chance de discuter avec des francophones et francophiles de partout à propos de vins franҫais, que pourrais-je demander de mieux? C’est toujours un réel plaisir. Par souci de diversifier l’événement , j’ai pensé cette fois changer un peu la formule. 22 personnes rassemblées autour d’une merveilleuse sélection de fromages et charcuteries de Peasant Cheese dans un format un peu plus interactif, axé sur l’échange, peut-être un peu moins formel et plus convivial. Je peux très certainement affirmer que l’objectif a été atteint avec succès.

Voici les vins de la Loire mis en vedette pour la soirée. J’ai demandé, fidèle à mon habitude, à toutes les personnes présentes de choisir leur deux favoris de la soirée lors d’un vote à main levee et le résultat fut une fois de plus surprenant…

NV, Domaine des Aubuisieres Vouvray Brut $25.99
100% Chenin Blanc

Un bulle exceptionnellement fine et soutenue, extrêmement typique des vins effervescent à base de chenin blanc comme on les fait si bien dans la Loire. Bernard Fouquet est l’un de nos producteurs préférés au KWM. Ce Vouvray brut est même notre meilleur vendeur!  Plein de saveur et débordant de pomme fraîche, d’abricots au miel et de poire, ce mousseux vous séduira par son acidité racée et sa générosité en bouche. On aime!

2005, Domaine du Haut Bourg Muscadet Grand Lieu $27.99
100% Melon de Bourgogne

Provenant de vignes de 70 ans, ce Muscadet a été élevé sur lie fines pendant 120 mois en cuve souterraine. Une belle robe dorée avec des reflets verts et au nez, des arômes de coquillage et de citron et un soupҫon de féculent. Très belle minéralité. Très riche en bouche, beaucoup de gras et une très belle longueur. Les vins de la Loire Atlantique accompagneront à merveille vos repas d’huîtres ou de fruits de mer.

2013, Domaine Jonathan Didier Pabiot Pouilly-Fumé $26.99
100% Sauvignon Blanc

Porteur d’un patronyme courant à Pouilly-sur-Loire, Jonathan Pabiot est le fils de Didier, vigneron aux Loges. Il a repris les vignes de son grand-père en 2005. Décidé à remettre le vignoble à l'honneur, avec des pratiques exigeantes et hautement qualitatives (faibles rendements, agriculture bio), il a affiné son style et progressé rapidement. Le Pouilly-Fumé (un autre produit exclusive au KWM!) est un très beau blanc d'équilibre, parfait pour la table. Profonds et amples, les vins de Jonathan Pabiot font oublie...

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New beers - February 23, 2017

Posted on February 24, 2017

Hey thirsty beer fans!

I want to give you a quick update on what’s going on this week as I have some amazing new beers along with a special tasting for the weekend! Most of the new beers this week are from overseas, namely Denmark and Iceland, though the replacement for New Belgium’s Snapshot has also hit the shelves. Take a look at these tasty bottles!



Tartastic Lemon Ginger Sour by New Belgium: Strangely enough, New Belgium decided to replace their incredibly tasty and tangy Belgian wheat beer. The Tartastic seeks to fill that lightly sour and fruity void with lemon, ginger and lacto! Refreshingly tart, and mildly sweet beer with heavy lemony notes and mild spicy background ($3.69 for a 330mL bottle)

Myrkvi Nr. 13 Porter by Borg: More Icelandic beer yay! Roast coffee with hints of cacao, toffee and dried fruit. Full bodied with a hint of roasty bitterness ($4.49 for a 330mL bottle)

Surtur Nr. 30 by Borg: This is a big smokey, dark chocolate and ash bomb. A well hidden 9% ABV floats around a huge malt profile with plenty of smoky goodness and rich sweetness. ($5.79 for a 330mL bottle)

Mr. Blue Blueberry Saison by TO OL: This rustic saison is brewed with rye, wheat and oats, and then a bunch of blueberries. Big yeasty esters and a moderate sweet quality with nice semi-subtle fruit character coming out. ($9.09 for a 330mL bottle)

Mr. Orange Imperial Citrus ESB by TO 0L: More of a Belgian strong, this is another in To 0L's "Reservoir dogs" inspired beers. Tasty citrus notes from the added tangerine and mandarin oranges. Hearty maltiness and big Belgian yeast and a hint of tartness. ($8.49 for a 330mL bottle)

No Regratz Smoked Sour by TO 0L: A smoked sour! Don't see too many of these around. The old Polish style known as Grodziskie, or Grätzer is a lightly smoked wheat beer. To OL takes this a step further by combining that with a kettle sour, giving us a very unique and complex beer. This one boasts a mostly fruity profile with light smoke undertones. Pleasantly tart with a medium body and a decently dry and still tart finish ($8.29 for a 330mL bottle)

The growler bar is also full to the brim with a nice variety of brews. This week I’m pouring:



-Dandy’s new Wild Sour (using a new and super fruity strain of souring yeast)

-Cold Garden’s Red Smashed In Buffalo Jump (Irish red ale)

-Banded Peak’s collaboration with New Westminster’s Steel & Oak Highfives and Handshakes (an amazing dry Belgian pale).

And finally:

-Outcast’s Make that a Double! Is an imperial pale that has a heavy handed hop profile of Columbus, Mosaic and Citra, and is currently the top rated Alberta beer on Untapped.com. Founder and brewer Patrick will be in the store from 4-6 this Friday (Feb 24th) ...

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Love at First Sip - February 14, 2017

Posted on February 23, 2017

February 14th on our winter tasting schedule is always an easy one to plan… What works better than Champagne and sweets on Valentine’s Day? For us at KWM, on the other end, it is always a struggle, and for more than one reason. For one: how  do we reinvent ourselves after conducting the same Valentine’s Day tasting year after year? But most importantly: which staff member is going to devote their Valentine’s Day evening to teach a class instead of spending time with his or her sweetheart? Serendipitously, the answer was right in front of us this year… As the most passionate consumers of bubbly of all genres and partners in life, Christine and Sebastian were the perfect match to direct our Valentine’s tasting.

To change things up, we decided to present the tasting as one of our “dynamic duo” classes, putting Christine in charge of presenting the classic sparkling wines from Champagne, and Sebastian presenting some serious bubbly contenders from elsewhere. The one thing that each of the bottles presented had in common is that all of these sparkling wines were made in the Traditional method, or Méthode Champenoise. What this means is that all of the wines that we poured were bottle-fermented and have been done in the same time and money consuming manner that is known to produce the most refined type of bubbly booze in the world.

With world class sparkling wines, high quality sweets from Yann Haute Pâtisserie and Manuel Latruwe, and amazing guests, we both had a wonderful time and great conversations!

Our Selection:



2012,  Pierre Paillard Les Terres Roses Bouzy Grand Cru Extra-Brut $62.99
The Paillard family has been growing vine and making wine in Bouzy since 1768. Classified as Grand Cru as early as 1935, Bouzy is the historical heart of the Champagne area. This is one of the most delicate and refined rose Champagnes, and one of the absolute best value on the market. A combination of 65% Chardonnay, 28% Pinot Noir (vinified white), and 7% Bouzy Rouge Old Vine Pinot Noir, with a 4.5g/L dosage. It is made 100% from estate-grown fruit from the grand cru of Bouzy on the south-facing slopes of the Mountain of Reims and farmed without pesticides. Subtle and chalky, this minerally rosé frames hints of white raspberry, smoke, biscuit and preserved lemon with firm acidity and a light floral overtone. If you are a fan of rose Champagne with lobster, you have found your perfect bottle!

2012 (Bottled 2016), Fattori Ronca Methodo Classico $44.99
We’ve been working with this winery for a few years now at KWM as an Alberta exclusive, starting with the excellent value Pinot Grigio and Soave, and eventually bringing in the whole Valpolicella lineup including the Amarone wines. The new additions this year are two sparkling wines made of local grape varietal Durella (AKA Durello) which is su...

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To Peat Or Not To Peat - Feb. 21st, 2017

Posted on November 27, 2024

When we think of Single Malt Whisky we first and foremost think of Scotch - and for good reason. Single Malt Whisky from Scotland easily takes up more shelf space than any other type of whisky (or whiskey) here at Kensington Wine Market.

If you come into our shop and ask me to recommend a single malt one of the first questions I will ask you is what kind of style you are looking for. Typically this is shorthand for one very specific question: Do you like peaty and smoky whisky?

Over the years - thanks mostly to marketing but also books and articles and blogs that talk about scotch - we have gotten used to the idea that the flavour and style of any given single malt has to do with the place it resides in. Speyside whisky is meant to be soft, fruit forward and easy drinking. Islay malts are monstrous, smokey brutes that put hair on your chest.

Breaking up style by some nebulous region is impossible and shortsighted. For the most part, it never made any real sense -and it definitely does not work now. In the current whisky boom, we find everybody and their cousin is doing a peated malt in Scotland. Those that aren’t making peated whisky directly experiment by aging or finishing their unpeated spirit in barrels that once held heavily peated whisky.

All this is happening within Scotland. We haven’t even mentioned the experiments in Single Malt happening all around the world at younger distilleries that can experiment without being shackled to a traditional style to hamper innovation - or replication of another’s style as the case may be. Both Scotland and abroad have come to realize that modern consumers of their whisky are not going to stick to one brand out of taste or loyalty. They are much more likely to seek out new styles themselves.

That is what we looked at for this tasting. I chose four distilleries - two from Scotland and two from elsewhere in the world - that are creating both unpeated and peated single malt whisky. It seemed like a great way to debunk that whole region idea. It also shows that while the Scots might remain the kings of single malt - they are definitely not the only players in town.

Here is the lineup we tasted our way through:



Paul John

The Paul John line of single malt whisky hails from John Distillery in Goa, India which was established in 1992. Like Amrut which is also in India, the John distillery loses a tremendous amount of liquid during maturation in the barrel to evaporation: the angel’s share is around 12 to 13% per year.

1.) Paul John Brilliance - 46%ABV - WAS $63 - CURRENTLY SOLD OUT
Made from six-row barley grown in the foothills of the Himalayas and distilled and matured in Goa. Paul John Brilliance is unpeated. Matured in ex-bourbon barrels.

2.) Paul John Edited - 4...

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