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Scotch Malt Whisky Society June 2014 Outturn

Posted on June 7, 2014


Another month, another release of single malts from the Scotch Malt Whisky Society's Canadian arm. Last night's tasting were a hit, featuring 6 new whiskies, and a 7th past release. The November release, 73.51: Mead Sherry & Butterscotch was pitted against another whisky from the same distillery, 73.57: Jamaican Rumtopff...; 23 and 21 years of age respectively. They couldn't have been more different! My highlights from the range were 48.37: Real old-fashioned lemonade a very smooth and characterful 9 year old, 30.77: This is nuts! a very nutty sherry bomb and 31.26: BBQ smoke by a rolling sea a tropical but peaty old whisky from the Isle of Jura (I'll leave it to your imagination to divine the distillery)!

June's Outturn whiskies are available to sample while the heels last at KWM (some of them were quite small as a result of two packed tastings). Due to a snag with our liquor delivery this past week, none of the bottles are available for sale until Wednesday, June 11, but we are taking orders! Here are June's new releases:


70.8: Youthful and zesty - yet complex! - 59.4% - 7 Year - Refill Barrel - Northern Highland - Outturn: 206 Bottles - Panel's Tasting Note: "Youthful whisky at its best – nosing of cut grass, delicate florals, dry white wine and lemon sherbet – attractively spring-like, but also complex – pencil shavings, clove, vanilla, crème brûlée and eventually liquorice. The palate showed a good personality –marzipan and honey sweetness, grapefruit and lemon zestiness, plenty of fruit (apple, grape, blackcurrant), some slate mineral notes and substantial heat leaving a mellow after-glow. The reduced nose seemed sweeter – pear juice, American Cream Soda and Jolly Ranchers. The palate increased the wood and flint notes but became milder, the heat more a tingle and less of a nip. Nearest distillery to Glenmorangie." Drinking Tip: "The light, zesty character would make this a good spring or summer aperitif." - $98.99
48.37: Real old-fashioned lemonade - 58.6% - 9 Year - First Fill Barrel - Speyside - Outturn: 230 Bottles - Panel's Tasting Note: "First to note is the oiliness of the sample with very slow thick legs almost hanging on the side of the glass. Initially a very dusty sourdough rye bread developing with time into a freshly baked fruit malt loaf. Further aromas are of an earthy garden theme at springtime with bursts of angelica and fresh mint leaves appearing. The taste carries on with this sweet herbal theme; cinnamon sticks in dried oranges, nutmeg and an empire biscuit decorated with a glacé cherry. With little water sweeter and fruitier like a lemon cordial or a lemon drizzle cake and the additional freshness of a bar of Mint Aero. The taste is now a lemon meringue pie and real old-fashioned...

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Rare Malts Tuesday June 3rd, 2014

Posted on June 6, 2014

Rare Malts is one of our corner stone tastings, and we have been doing it since before I started working at Kensington Wine Market more than 13 years ago. The tasting highlights whiskies 20 or more years of age, those from closed distilleries and the very rare. This occasion was for the most part no different, with older whiskies and one particularly rare closed one. That said I couldn't resist starting things off with a 19 year old. Our superb new Aberlour single cask from Berry Bros. & Rudd is a cracker. Participants didn't seem to mind this slight transgression, the Aberlour is very tasty, and the rest of the range more than lived up to the billing!



As always our range was tasted blind, and participants were kept in the dark with respect to age, distillery, region, cask type and strength. We sampled in the following order:

Berry's Aberlour 1994 KWM Cask - My Tasting Note: "Nose: very toasty with lots of honey and vanilla extract; as the oak settles down a little it becomes very nutty with ripe orchard fruits, brown sugar and a touch of orange; Palate: big, rich and toasty with coating vanillans and loads of sweet honey; it becomes creamier with more ripe white orchard fruit, sweet Mandarin orange and some decadent spices: ginger and cinnamon; Finish: long, nutty and toasty with more rich honey, white fruits and sweet Mandarin." - $139.99
Cadenhead Linkwood-Glenlivet 1987 26 Year – 56.8% - Sherry Butts – 972 Bottles – My Tasting Note: “Nose: floral, toasty and citric with a hint of pine; French bakery notes, fruit flan, orange and melon; Palate: lush, coating and toasty with more French baked goods, candied orange and melons; becomes more floral, with white chocolate and juicy oak; the spices develop in layers first candied ginger, then cloves, cinnamon and finally black pepper; Finish: long, coating and toasty with drying oak, floral tones, gentle spice and a return of the hints of pine. - $284.99
Cadenhead Auchroisk 1989 24 Year – 57.5% - Sherry Butts – 1140 Bottles – My Tasting Notes: “Nose: leathery and earthy with raisins, dates and figs, roasted nuts and under ripe oranges; rich Oloroso sherry notes and musty old oak; Palate: big-nutty-Oloroso sherry, firm leather, damp tobacco, cloves, black licorice, burnt orange peel and black pepper; burnt raisins, bacon wrapped dates and Christmas cake; Finish: long, rich, nutty and leathery with fading raisins and Christmas cake.” - $190.99
Glendronach 1991 Cask 5405 – 49.9% - 21 Year – Pedro Ximenez Sherry Puncheon – 702 Bottles – My Tasting Note: “Nose: syrupy with leather, tobacco, chocolate, candied fruits and Christmas cake; raisins, dates and figs, melons and some citrus; Palate: very fruity and...

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Ardbeg Day Part II - Launch of the Auriverdes

Posted on June 5, 2014

The second half of the Ardbeg Day Calgary festivities took place on the afternoon of May 31st. Participants gathered at a Calgary Bowling Green to celebrate all things Ardbeg. In the spirit of the soccer theme participants were asked to participate in a series of drills and a foosball tournament. Food was provided by Brazen Meats, and included some delicious haggis meat balls. The event started with an Ardbeg Ceaser, before participants were given the opportunity to sample the 10 Year, Corryvreckan and Uigeadail from the Ardbeg core range!

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The highlight of the afternoon event was a tasting of the new Ardbeg Auriverdes. The Ardbeg Day 2014 special release. The Auriverdes (Latin for Green and Gold) is a tip of the hat to the distillery's golden nectar and it's iconic green bottle. There is a secondary significance to this in 2014, with Brazil hosting the World Cup of  Soccer, and it's side known as the Green and Gold! The whisky was filled into cask in 2002, Refill Ex-Bourbon barrels fitted with specially toasted heads. How special? Well the distillery isn't saying, its a secret. The whisky has been bottled at 49.9%, and is expected to retail for between $125 and $130. Pre-orders for the whisky have been strong, as it is a limited edition. It is not not expected to last long!

The whisky was very well received by all. Here is our Scotch Guy, Andrew Ferguson's preliminary tasting note, taken from a sample bottle while visiting Islay in May:

Ardbeg Auriverdes - 49.9% - 2002 Vintage - Matured in Refill Bourbon Barrels w/ specially toasted heads. - Andrew's Tasting Note: "Nose: honeyed and floral, toffee, coconut butter and a hint of mocha; there is subtle peat, bacon infused chocolate and hints of exotic fruit: Palate: honeyed, very toasty and creamy with more floral notes, toffee and coconut icing; very decadent, sweet, dark spices like cloves, black pepper and anise; prominent peat smoke and more bacony-chocolate; Finish: toasty and creamy with more dark spices and more prominent oily peat. - $125-30 (Projected Retail Price)

After an afternoon of whisky, games and great food, many moved on to Buchanan's Chop House for the after party! This wonderful event would not have been possible without the support of Charton Hobbs, Moet Hennessy, Ardbeg and the Kensington Wine Market. Special thanks to everyone who attended....

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Ardbeg Day 2014 Part I - Green v Gold

Posted on June 5, 2014

Ardbeg Day began as the distillery's Open Day, during Feis Isle, or the Islay Whisky Festival, held in late May every year. Ardbeg Day is now celebrated in cities all over the world through a network of Ardbeg Embassies. Our Scotch Guy attended Ardbeg Day festivities in Tokyo last year! Kensington Wine Market was the first Ardbeg Embassy named in North America, and this was our third year participating in Ardbeg Day festivities here in Calgary.
Every year a special bottling is commissionedfor Ardbeg Day . Two years ago there was the Ardbeg Day bottling, and last year it was Ardbog. This year's release is Auriverdes, latin for Green and Gold. A tribute to Ardbeg's golden nectar and its signature green bottle, Green and Gold also happens to be Brazil's colours. So the bottle is also paying homage to the World Cup of Soccer, which gets underway in that country in just under a month. 

Fittingly, Ardbeg Day  in Calgary began with a soccer match between two teams: Auri and Verdes; the Gold and the Green. Our Scotch Guy, Andrew Ferguson, took the helm of Team Gold (Auri), while whisky blogger Curt Robinson ( www.allthingswhisky.com ), captained Team Green (Verdes). Bragging rights and a handsome trophy were up for grabs. Teams were selected in the school yard fashion, with the match was preceded by a toast to Ardbeg.

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The game was tight with Team Gold taking a 2-0 lead in the first half. Andrew's selection of players based on their having cleats (and how fancy they looked) seemed to have paid dividends. But Team Green came roaring back in the first ten minutes of the second half to tie the match at 2-2. It was anyone's game.... And then, the TSN Turning Point, a penalty was taken by the Gold just in front of their own net, and a penalty shot was awarded. Team Gold's Captain, and Keeper, Mr. Ferguson made a miraculous stop, keeping the game  tied. Gold would go  on to edge the defenders 4-3. It was a glorious afternoon and great fun was had by all. Talk of a rematch was already sprouting as the final whistle blew.

The party then moved on to the main Ardbeg Day festivities, the details of which will be posted tomorrow! Special thanks to all those who participated. We would also like to thank our sponsors, Charton Hobbs, Moet Hennessey, Ardbeg and everyone at Kensington Wine Market for making this game possible!

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Posts from the Post

Posted on June 3, 2014

THURSDAY MAY 29

The weekend celebrated the 10th Relais & Chateau Wine Summit at the Post Hotel, Lake Louise. Andre and George Schwartz, brothers in arms and owners of the Post, pull out all the stops for the hundred plus guests who fly in from all over the world to be seduced by some of the greatest wines made, as well as the excellence of the Post's kitchen. The wine greats are here: Hamilton Russell from South Africa, Kistler from California, Frescobaldi from Italy, Spottswoode from Napa valley, Catena from Argentina, Chateau D’Esclans, Provence, and Chateau Rauzan Segla from Bordeaux.  There are no "export managers" representing the wines. The people behind the tasting table are the owners. That's the rule of the Summit.



Thursday night was a meet and greet, western style. A delicious buffet supper: bison chile, slow roasted pork ribs, salads of every variety, corn muffins, and the juiciest slab of beef imaginable, was all washed down by a smorgasbord of delicious wines. The Hamilton Russell Sauvignon Blanc was fresh and clean; Spottswoode's was at the other end of the spectrum, smoky and complex. The Kistler Pinot was like silk, a perfect match for the ribs. Dessert was an array of pies and crisps and homemade ice cream. George introduced all of the summit wineries and, in true Stampede Style, presented each with a white Stetson. The western band played up and those not made sleepy by the chilly mountain air, line danced the night away. Above are Nicolas and Elena Catena, Argentina.









FRIDAY MAY 30





Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi, seated on the right, represents 30 generations and 700 years of wine making in Tuscany. Lamberto is president of the family operations and was in charge of all wine making prior to his appointment as president. The lineup included 2007 Castel Giocondo Brunello, 2001 Giocondo Brunello, and the 2001 Castiglioni Giramonte, the latter has been in the family since 1052. Lamberto's style is relaxed and funny. He spoke of his family's history in Florence, how they first made money by building a bridge across the river Arno and then charging the residents  of Florence money to cross to the other side. They have been bankers, but are now mostly land owners and farmers. The 2001 Brunello was ethereal, beautifully flora and a lesson that we need to wait for the best to come. The 2007, available in the market place now, is magnificent. Full, rich, but not overpowering. These are wines to collect and savor. Next pairing was the 2001 and 2010 Nipozzano Mormoreto. The wines expressed themselves very differently. The 2010 very smoky, full in the mouth, with great length and lingering taste. The 2001 showed a brick color, still big, but a lot more integration. The blend is Cabernet, ...

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