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Kensington Wine Market Brews News - Edition #9

Posted on November 5, 2012

September 13, 2012
Edition #9

Well, it's nearly fall now, school is back in session, the days are getting shorter, and the threat of frost is looming in the night air. Hopefully we have a few more days like today so we can enjoy a good beer or two on the patio.

I would to thank everyone who purchased the Westvleteren gift packs from our store. This may well be the only release of this beer we ever see in North America. The beer is usually only available at the abbey in Belgium, and then only after making an appointment. The gift packs, which contained six Westvleteren XII bottles and two glasses, arrived in the store July 20 and sold much faster than anticipated. At the time of writing, there are only two of these packs left for sale in the store. These final two packs are available on a first come first serve basis, 1 per person, to the first two individuals to reply to me by email.

New Arrivals:

We've had a lot of new beers come in over the last couple of months, including some from new breweries. There have been so many new beers this summer I can't list them all, so here are some of the highlights. Many of these beers are very limited and won't last long.With fall and Halloween in our near future there are several Oktoberfest and Pumpkin themed beers which have arrived or are expected very shortly.

 

Alley Kat: We have several new seasonal releases from this Edmonton brewery in stock in the store:

Ein Prosit! Oktoberfest - $15.19 (6 x 341 ml) - This is an Oktoberfest Marzen beer with higher strength and stronger flavour than is usual for a lager. Available only for the next 6 weeks or so.

Indigo Dragon - $6.39 (650 ml) - This 70+ IBU double IPA is bittered with Warrior hops and dry-hopped with Cascade. Available for about one month longer until the next Dragon edition.

Pumpkin Pie - After a two year absence, this pumpkin ale has returned in the 650 ml format for your enjoyment. Available for the next two months.

 









Orkney : This brewery is located near Skara Brae in the Orkneys in northern Scotland.

Red MacGregor Premium Bitter - $6.69 (500 ml) - a mid-gravity ruby red with good floral character and a generous hoppy nose.

 

3 Fonteinen: Two geuzes from this well known lambic blender are now available.

Oude Geuze - $10.69 (375 ml) - a 100% lambic blended from 1, 2 and 3 year old lambic from four different lambic brewers.

Golden Blend - $19.39 (375 ml) - a mix of 4 year old barrel aged lambic and 1,2, and 3 year old lambic.

 

Brew Dog: These Scottish lads have made quite a name for themselves by consistently brewing great beers that tend to push the envelope on beer styles.

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Scotland September 2012 - Day 2 - Glenisla and Scottish Liqueur Center

Posted on November 5, 2012

From my hotel in Edzell I made my way west toward the foot of the Grampiam Mountains and a mountain bike ride. I found a list of some trails online and took a chance on one near the Kirkton of Glenisla near Glen Prossen. It was largely fire road with some quick descents and lovely views but no single track. After my ride I continued driving west through Blairgowrie and beautiful little hamlet of Dunkeld. The scenery was incredible with a rich green canopy over the road and sun glinting off of small lochans through the trees. At Dunkeld I headed down the A9 to Bankfoot and the Scottish Liqueurs Center.

The Scottish Liqueurs Center produces its own whisky liqueurs as well as others for different clients including Edradour distillery. The liqueur business is still doing well, but it is their single malt business that I’ve come to see, which is really taking off. I was here to meet with Kenneth MacKay, the manager and his Canadian importer Bob Kyle of Rare Drams. Since 2005 the company has been owned by Brian Morrison (of the Morrison Bowmore Morrisons), who brought Kenny MacKay along with him when the family sold the remainder of its interest in its three malt distilleries: Auchentoshan, Glen Garioch and Bowmore. The SLC was founded on the Isle of Mull some 30 years ago.

Brian Morrison brought some casks with him from Morrison Bowmore and with Kenny MacKay some expertise in selecting individual casks to bottle as single malts. The company bottles single malts under the Càrn Mòr line. Càrn Mòr is the name of a mountain in the Nevis range, and is translates from Scots Gaelic as “big cairn”. I sampled five whiskies at the Scottish liqueur center:

Càrn Mòr Arran 1996 – 46% - 15 Year – Refill Sherry Butt – My Tasting Note: Nose: toffee, floral-barley, white chocolate Hershey’s Kisses, marmalade and orange peel with chocolate caramel; Palate: very honeyed, some chewy malt with toffee, candied orange, more marmalade with grassy floral tones and emerging dark fruit with spice; Finish: soft and a little creamy with more grassy malt. - $76.99 + GST (approx.)
Càrn Mòr Clynelish 1995 – 46% - 16 Year – 2 Hogsheads – My Tasting Note: Nose: classic Clynelish with notes of beeswax, lemon drops, floral tones and honeyed sugary malt; Palate: still very honeyed and creamy, Highland toffee, big citrus notes and floral tones; Finish: drying with more beeswax and cream. - $87.99 + GST (approx.)
Càrn Mòr Bunnahabhain 2001 – 46% - 10 Year – Sherry Puncheon – My Tasting Note: Nose: immediately nutty, peppery and leathery then some dark chocolate and clove; Palate: nutty but very soft with creamy sherry and leather with dried fruits:...

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Scotland September 2012 - Day 1 - Glenturret & Famous Grouse

Posted on November 5, 2012

My first day in Scotland got off to a bit of a shaky start. My flight was late leaving Calgary and so I missed my connection in Amsterdam. Three hours late landing in Edinburgh, I was lucky to be only 30 minutes late for my first appointment. Glenturret was officially founded in 1775; making it Scotland’s oldest distillery, though there is evidence that distilling has been taking place on the site since 1717. Yet as noteworthy as this is, Glenturret is one of Scotland most obscure distilleries, because the lion’s share of its production goes into blended whisky, mainly Low Flyer, AKA the Famous Grouse. Famous Grouse is Scotland’s best-selling Scotch whisky, and Glenturret is the distillery’s spiritual home.

The distillery was closed from 1921 through 1957 when it was reopened and largely rebuilt. Curiously for the home of one of the world’s best-selling Scotch whiskies, the distillery only produces 148,000L making it one of Scotland’s smallest. The stills are relatively large, crammed into small old buildings. In January 2009 the distillery started working with some heavily peated malt. The specifications are for the barley to be peated to between 80 and 120ppm phenols, and the resulting spirit is called Ruaidh Maor (named for a hunting lodge at Loch Turret) to differentiate it from the regular Glenturret. Burns is said to have written a poem at Ruaidh Maor.

The distillery is currently having a contest to name its new distillery cat. The kitten sleeps in the still room on a special litter. One of its predecessors, Towser, ruled the roost at Glenturret for nearly 24 years from 1963 through 1987. She was reckoned to have killed 28,899 mice over her lifetime earning a Guinness Book of World Records title for World Moussing Champion.

The distillery sits on some beautiful grounds next to the River Turret. While it has gone through a series of major refurbishments and upgrades over its 240 years some of the original buildings survive. The distillery has some creative interactive exhibits as part of the Famous Grouse Experience, a tastingroom, a well-run café and a nicely-appointed shop. No wonder it attracts more than 100,000 visitors a year, making it one of Scotland’s most appointed distilleries.

Whiskies Sampled:

Famous Grouse 30 Year – 40% - My Tasting Note: Nose: very toffee’d and fruity and a touch tropical; Palate: soft, fruity and grainy with soft fruits and oily grain with subtle peat and floral notes with dark fruit and chocolate; Finish: more chocolate and dried fruit with oils and malt.
Naked Grouse – 40% - My Tasting Note: Nose: toffee, fudge and honey, citric sugars and something medicinal with some dark fruit; Palate: very soft and very grainy with some sherry notes that eventually...

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Scotch Malt Whisky Society Canada September Outturn

Posted on November 5, 2012


The Canadian Arm of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, the world's largest whisky club, launched 7 new drams this past Friday night. They are as follows:

35.44: Entrancing & Delightful – 35 Year – 55% - Speyside (Lossie) – Refill Hogshead Ex-Bourbon – Outturn: 167 Bottles – Panel’s Tasting Note: “The nose was entrancing and delightful! Honeycomb, marmalade and cherry liqueur; exotic fruits and flowers; polished mahogany and leather. The palate was lively but never frivolous – brown sugar in espresso coffee dregs and Grand Marnier flavours mingling and tingling in the mouth, “everlasting joy” exclaimed one panellist. On the reduced nose, the orange theme developed even further –candied orange dipped in luxurious chocolate, Jaffa cakes, orange jelly – also a slight whisper of cardamom or something medicinal. The reduced palate had a special, urbane, adult sweetness; toffee and spice and all things nice. The distillery is sometimes flooded by the Lossie.” Drinking Tip: “After dinner - preferably wearing a dinner jacket.” - $253.99
39.86: Femme Fatale – 21 Year – 45.5% - Speyside (Lossie) – Refill Hogshead Ex-Bourbon – Outturn: 217 Bottles – Panel’s Tasting Note: “With the initial smell, she came out of her shell, and still she promised more. Peaches, coffee and spice were there to entice, and yet she promised more. The flavour neat, had woodiness and heat, all the while she’s promising more. Sweet cherry lips, plum brandy on ships, again she’s promising more. Water brought milkshake, vanilla ice cream (no flake), and still she promised more. Toffee, nougat, nuts and soap, on our tongues gave us hope. Surely, there’s some more? Dear drinker take heed, of her last victim’s greed, the fellow begged for more. He took her to task, and fell in his glass, Drink her if you dare!” Drinking Tip: “Drink at your peril, as a gift to yourself!” - $159.99
26.86: Massage in a Bottle – 21 Year – 50.5% - Northern Highland – Refill Ex-Bourbon Barrel – Outturn: 182 Bottles – Panel’s Tasting Note: “Initial essences of beeswax and guitar polish led the panel down an extremely aromatic path. Potpourri, scented candles and orange oil tickled our olfactory senses, fresh laundry (maybe towels) caused us to sink into our seats. Lavender and orange blossom emerged on the palate, coating the mouth with a waxy chocolaty finish. Water heightened our spiritual experi...

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AUGUST LONG WEEKEND SALE EXTENDED

Posted on November 5, 2012

Our owner has extended the “August Long Weekend Surprise Sale”, or maybe I was mistaken thinking it was just for that weekend. Either way the following whiskies will remain on sale for at least a few more days. So if you missed out before, here’s another chance.



Armorik Classic Breton Single Malt - Regular $62.99 - Save 10%
Berry's Own Selection Bowmore 1994 - Regular $95.59 - Save 10%
Bowmore Laimrig - Regular $87.99 - Save 10%
Duthies Longrow 9 Year - Regular $91.49 - Save 10%
Glenfarclas 1997 KWM Family Cask - Regular $98.99 - Save 10%
Glenfarclas 175th Anniversary Chairman's Reserve - Regular $703.99 - Save 10%
Gordon & MacPhail Generations Glenlivet 1940 70 Year - Regular $21999.99 - Save 10%
Kilchoman KWM Sherry Cask 322 - Regular $114.99 - Save 10%
MacKinlay's Shackleton Replica - Regular $209.99 - Save 10%

* Prices quoted do not include GST.
There are incredible wine deals too, with many wines marked down 15% or more! Check out our sale page for all the details:
http://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/products/on_sale.php...

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