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Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada August 2016 Outturn

Posted on August 9, 2016



The August Outturn of Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada whiskies is out, and it is another great range. Some of the guests on Friday in Calgary felt it was one of our best Outturns of the year. Hard to disagree with such high praise, but in truth we hear similar comments most months... The six new whiskies this month were great, but before I get into the details of all of them, I feel the need to interject myself into the debate surrounding one of the whiskies (71.41: Curious and intriguing) which was at the very least divisive, if not controversial. One of the things that I love about Whisky, especially Scotch Whisky, is the tremendous breadth of flavour, profile and styles. I also love the debates they can provoke among whisky drinkers. The Drinking Tip for 71.41 alludes to debate and difference, suggesting the malt is "A dram for debating with friends".  Some people aren't fond of debate however, preferring their opinion be taken as gospel. The fact is there are no rights and wrongs when it comes to taste, only preference, which is personal. This is partly why I find the concept of one man getting to pick "World Whisky of the Year" so ludicrous.

The specific opinion I am alluding to, is the debate over sulphur in whisky, and whether it is always a flaw, or another flavour component. A certain over rated (IMHO) whisky writer promotes the view that it is always a flaw, and unfortunately he has way too many disciples. He has provoked a witch hunt among some whisky drinkers, who look for even the faintest traces of sulphur, immediately rejecting the whisky as flawed. The fact of the matter is sulphur can find its way into whisky from the grain and by increased copper exposure during distillation. Some distilleries, Mortlach and Dailuaine come to mind, intentionally aim for this component to give their whiskies a "meaty" style. That being said, the most prominent source of sulphur in whiskies, is when producers burn a sulphur candle in wine or sherry casks to sterilize them before shipping to Scotland. The sulphur in the smoke can contaminate the barrel, and the new make spirit filled into the cask can quickly incorporate it into the liquid. This can result in anything from just a faint trace of sluphur, to a whisky that is completely dominated by it and everything in between. But is any trace of sulphur always a flaw, or can it be part of a complex flavour profile?



While I have come across whiskies, where the sulphur is so dominant that it ruins the experience, I can think of far more where it was just a part of an interesting palate, especially when peat and salt are also present. If it isn't abundantly clear yet, I don't always dislike a little sulphur in my dram. I think the Society has taken a very balanced approach to sulphur notes in whisky, recognizing it as a component of many sherry cask matured whiskies. Some of my favourite whiskies from the Scotch Malt Whisky Socie...

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New Beers August 3, 2016

Posted on August 3, 2016

Howdy folks! Long time no see! It's been a little while since I've put one of these updates out, and I apologize for that.  Going forward I'll be putting these out every week.

Firstly, I have to get this out of the way: GROWLERS! That's right - at long last, we here at Kensington Wine Market are the proud owners of a growler bar! We have 4 rotating taps that will feature local breweries, mostly keg only, and possibly exclusive beers! Fills are available in 1 or 2 liter volumes, and we have our own growlers for sale if you have yet to get in on the trend! At the moment, the taps are filled with:

-Last Best IPA
-Banded Peak Plainsbreaker (super dank hoppy wheat ale)
-Dandy kettle sour (the only keg of it they sold!)
-Wild Rose Peach and Apricot Berliner Weisse



They are all just too delicious, and I can't drink them all by myself or Andrew would likely kill me.

Of course aside from that awesome news, I also have the new and returning beers for this week:



New beers!


Breakside Pilsner: A German style pilsner made as authentically as possible. Breakside imports German pilsner malt and sources their own Hallertau hops, along with using natural lagering techniques. Spicy, bready, and ridiculously crisp. ($8.99 for a 650mL bottle)

Breakside Lunch break ISA: A light, hoppy session ale that's perfect for those mid day hop cravings. Light, but sturdy malts absolutely loaded to the gills with Simcoe, Amarillo, Cascade and Centennial hops.  ($8.99 for a 650mL bottle)

Phillips Atomic Buffalo: An unusual fusion of a few styles! Is it a saison? A red ale? Rauch? In reality it's kind of all of them! Bready and fruity, unfiltered with hints of banana and smoke. ($7.99 for a 650mL bottle)

Postmark Summer Saison: A low alcohol, light, tasty saison, just how we like 'em! Mild malt sweetness with aromas and flavors of orange, zest and spice. Light on the hops and booze, but big on the flavour! ($6.79 for a 650mL bottle)

Tofino Blonde ale: A straight and to the point blonde ale by this well-loved brewery. A mild beer with generous biscuity character, but crisp and clean with refreshing earthy hop notes.

Returning favourites!


The unique collaboration between Dieu du Ciel and Trou du Diable is back for the 3rd consecutive summer! La Divine Comedie is considered a white pilsner to some, and genre-less to others! Each brewery brews this recipe in their respective facilities and is an amazing example of what a difference brewing equipment and location can make for a beer! Both editions are in now and are not expected to last long!

A few months ago we were treated to a hoppy wheat ale from BC's iconic Driftwood, but alas it didn't last very long at all! Well as luck would have it, the devilishly tasty Entangl...

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Monday Malt Musings with Hunter Edition 1 - July 18 - 3 Possibly Lagavulins!

Posted on July 26, 2016

Hunter has been at the Kensington Wine Market for the last 5 years, most of his adult life. We call Hunter the Whisky Socialist, for while he sympathizes with the common man, his taste in whisky strays into the territory of the 1%. Hunter has a way with words, which is all his own. Customers love his tasting notes which are so evocative, they can transport people into Hunter's world, if only for a moment. Monday nights in the summer are slow, so each Monday night we're letting Hunter tackle a range of whiskies in his own words. Unabridged, without colouring or chillfiltering.

Monday Night Malt Musings Edition 1 - 3 Possibly Lagavulins

[caption id="attachment_4148" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Yes that is a Macallan 25 Hunter is riding with in the water bottle holder!"][/caption]

Trying a line up of three potential Lagavulins, only one of these bottles is a sure thing. What makes this line up of supposed Lagavulins really exciting is the ages, all roughly 8 years old. Not often one can try a horizontal of 8 year old Lagavulin. Here's what to expect:



Lagavulin 8 200th Anniversary - The experience starts by setting your mind on a wharf while a sea squall forms up, passing the time, digging into a tropical fruit salad largely consisting of pineapple and papaya chunks. Heading inside for desert, banana sea salt water taffy and crispy lemon meringue whilst in the comfort of a smoldering fireplace, hickory sticks strewn among peat remnants. Lastly, to warm the cockle, a steaming bowl of beef bouillon broth accented by a touch of verbena. Silky and sweet, the distillery bottling combines the best aspects of the well rounded style of Lagavulin. - $105

The Whisky Agency Islay 8 Year - Not a guaranteed Lag but after digging through the notes some intuition driven parallels seem to be present. A backyard bonfire with the kitchen sink thrown in, cedar, oak, maybe some treated planks accidentally pitched in too. On one side of the fire smores are fired, warm graham, salted dark chocolate and charred marshmallow wafting through the smoke while a leg of scorched ham sizzles nearby. Keep the fire going by throwing some dry hay and diesel into the mix, chow down on the salted pork leg, get some fixings for that ham, hoisin and HP sauce to cook into the char with some lime salt rubbed in. - $170

Ileach Cask Strength - Another possible Lagavulin, this bastard bottling is raw power and intensity, on the opposite side of the Anniversary 8. Location, bayou swamp meets peat bogs, gator grill off is the theme. Blankets to keep warm in the damp weather, fresh out of the dryer, liniment for that thrown out back from wrestling that gator. Roasted vegetables, carrots and potatoes, right next to the pot boiling the crayfish. A real muddy, earthen experience in this glass with tannic smoke to finish. A simpler expression of Lagavulin but enjoyable nonetheles...

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Scotch Malt Whisky Society July 2016 Outturn Tasting

Posted on July 10, 2016



This month the Scotch Malt Whisky Society's Canadian arm released six new single cask single malt whiskies in Canada. The tastings at Kensington Wine Market in Canada were a big hit. We had some very strong and interesting releases, including a pair of delicious Ileachs, a seductive closed Lowland single malt, a very complex youngster and a very balanced malt from Distillery No.1. Here is the July 2016 Outturn:



1.197: Jackpot! - 57.4% - 21 Year - Refill Hogshead - Speyside -
Flavour profile:
Juicy, oak & vanilla - Outturn:229 bottles - Panel's Tasting Note: "The nose had wonderful oaky footprints (cabinet-makers’ workshops, vanilla, coconut, toasted almonds); cinder toffee and honey sweetness and delightful fruity, floral perfumes (peach blossom, pear, raspberry, gooseberry, lemon zest). The palate was like a first date with someone both intelligent AND beautiful – Jackpot! We got lemon sherbet and tart fruit astringency, hints of ginger and white pepper and sophisticated sweetness (caramel, Manuka, juicy sultanas, Crunchie bars). The reduced nose had caramel/coconut biscuit, juicy fruits, soft oak, peach Melba and blueberry pie. The palate now became lip-smackingly tasty with elderflower sherbet, Danish pastries and mouth-kissing spicy tingles." - Drinking tip: "A first date seduction dram - especially over a summer picnic" -
$215


54.38: Confectionary and carpenters - 8 Year - 62.8% - Refill Barrel - Speyside - Young & spritely - Outturn: 210 bottles - Panel's tasting note: "The Panel were carried on a wave of sweetness: white vanilla chocolate, fizzy lemon zest, juicy peaches and wood spice. One panelist was reminded of licking the bowl when making sponge cake with raspberry filling. They found intense heat which made tongues tingle, then smooth with freshly sliced peach layered with white chocolate ice cream. Water enhanced the juiciness with tinned fruit salad laden with glace cherries. It stirred an earthy note that evoked memories of cleaning out the spice cupboard, with nutmeg and cinnamon. To finish, fresh summer flowers with pencil shavings and fresh planks of wood in a carpenter’s workshop." - Drinking tip: "With a slice of lemon drizzle cake" - $125

25.66: Bette David doing DIY - 57.8% - 23 Year - Refill Hogshead - Flavour profile: Spicy & sweet - Outturn: 157 bottles - Panel's tasting note: "A zippy impression of fresh hay and root ginger followed by softer lemon posset and passion fruit. Ms Davis was attempting some do-it-yourself; the Panel found wood glue and warm balsa wood. The taste was tingling and fizzy like a smack on the lips, then star anise and chili spice. Her capricious character then softened when it was safe to come out, with water. Peaches and cream, lemon meringue and white chocolate. Blossom and damp grass after rainfall. DIY forgotten, she recli...

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Border Wars: Canada VS US Rye - June 30th, 2016

Posted on February 24, 2020

by Evan

American Rye has been exploding in sales lately. We are in the midst of a Bourbon Boom but caught up with that is the fact that American Rye sales have increased astronomically in the past few years. As consumers come to love the bold, big flavour of American Rye we are seeing more come into our market as well.

One guy who writes a book deemed Crown Royal Northern Harvest to be his whisky of the year. This made us all turn around and take a closer look at whisky hailing from our fair land ­ bottles we may have been passing over lately in favour of more exotic pursuits whisky­wise. It is a good time to take a look ­ and not just because that one guy wrote something nice about one of them. The Canadian Whisky market is becoming a more widely varied landscape with more experimentation involving virgin oak barrels and higher than 40% alcohol content ­ all leading to a rich and exciting dram. It isn’t all just your parent’s and grandparent’s mellow mixer any more.

On the evening before Canada Day we held a comparison Rye tasting here at Kensington wine market. It gave us a chance to see how Canadian and American Rye fare when they face off. Eight different bottles were tasted ­ all hailing from right here in Canada or from the USA ­ except for one surprise.

To add to the excitement we did the tasting blind.


After we tasted through the whisky as a group we voted on our favorites and then went back through the lineup again to reveal what had been tasting. Here is the lineup in the order tasted:



1. ­ Gooderham & Worts Four Grain Canadian Whisky ­ 44.4% ABV ­ $55

This new bottling of Gooderham & Worts is Four Grain Canadian Whisky was put together at Hiram Walker Distillery in Windsor, Ontario. It is the third part of a trilogy that also includes the excellent Lot No.40 Single Copper Pot Still Rye and Pike Creek Double Barrelled.

This dram has notes of mint/menthol, toffee, cinnamon/nutmeg and rye bread along with hints of chocolate and oak. This is a great addition to any Canadian Whisky drinker’s cabinet.




From Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky. Containing the bare minimum required 51% Rye ­ the mash bill for this whisky also contains 39% Corn and 10% Malted Barley.

Compared to whisky #1 Sazerac is a little bit softer on the rye spice note with more sweetness in the form of red twizzlers and toffee coming through. Candied orange and ginger also come through.

3.  ­ Dry Fly Washington Triticale Whiskey ­ 44%ABV ­ $88

This whiskey is completely new to me. I cannot say that I have ever had a whisky made from Triticale ­ which is a hybrid made from the combination of Wheat and Rye together ­ before this bottle. Dry Fly Distilling Co. resides ...

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