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1257 Kensington Road NW
1 (403) 283-8000 / atyourservice@kensingtonwinemarket.com
$2,499.99
Distilled in 1981, this 30th Anniversary bottling from Signatory was bottled in 2018, at 57.2% after maturing 36 years in a Refill Sherry Butt. This is one of just a handful of whisky from the closed North Port Distillery--sometimes referred to as Brechin--we have ever had at KWM. 92 points Whisky Fun & 90.5 points Whiskybase!
700 ml Low Stock92 Points Whisky Fun
"What what what what what? Colour: straw. Nose: this was matured by time, not by wood (respectively wine, rum, sherry…) So the age is purely theoretical, because this butt was probably rather lazy, which is actually good news since complexity only comes with proper age. Are you following me? This is actually very subtle, with many herbal teas and flowers, lime blossom, honeysuckle, woodruff, orange blossom, also lighter honeys, acacia, all-flower honey, lavender (no, lavender honey isn’t strong at all)… And would you believe this, there’s some marshmallows in a long-forgotten 36 yo single malt whisky! With water: menthol up, as often with very old whiskies. Mouth (neat): I think it needed these 35+ years in lazy wood, and I’m sure it wasn’t ready yet at the ripe age of 30. That’s the magic of malt whisky. Amazing mix of flowers, nuts, and waxy fruits, while there are dozens of each. So a short summary: fresh almonds, nectarines, dates, chestnut pollen, propolis, macadamia nuts… and approx. 1,764,680 other tiny flavours. With water: sublime mead. Ambrosia, the drink of the gods. Finish: medium, fantastically beehive-y. Comments: mind you, it could be that this was the very last ‘new’ North Port we’ll ever taste. But we aren’t sad, should we be sad?... It’s a very brilliant bottle nonetheless, I utterly loved it for its intrinsic qualities. Very well done Signatory! SGP:551 - 92 points."
Signatory Vintage was established in 1988 by Andrew Symington. The quality of whiskies released by most Independent Bottlers can vary a lot, and be rather hit or miss. Signatory Vintage is an exception to this, and we have consistently been impressed by the quality of its offerings. Accordingly Signatory Vintage has been a staple in our shop for more than a decade.
One of the reasons for Signatory's consistently high level of quality is that it doesn't bottle casks in the hand-to-mouth fashion, of many other independent bottlers. But rather it purchases parcels of casks, storing them in their own warehouses, while patiently waiting for the whiskies to mature.
Originally located in Edinburgh, the business was moved to Pitlochry in 2002, after Symington purchased the Edradour Distillery from Pernod Ricard. Edradour is tucked into the hills above the scenic Highland town of Pitlochry. This farm distillery has a charming, rustic, and understated esthetic, which was maintained by Symington when building a new bottling facility and warehousing.
The distillery bottles single cask and small batch bottlings of both single malts and single grains. Its ranges include the Un-Chill Filtered and Cask Strength Collections. In 1988 the firm celebrated its 30th Anniversary with a range of specially chosen, exceptionally rare single casks.
$6999.99
This Gordon & MacPhail Recollection Series 3 bottling of North Port (aka Brechin) is a 1981 vintage, bottled at 50.9% after maturing 42 years in Refill American Hogshead.
Producer Description
"Single malts featuring the distillery’s original name, Brechin Distillery, are vanishingly rare. Founded in 1820 near Scotland’s east coast by three brothers, David, John and Alexander Guthrie, the distillery stood half a mile from the River Esk. It remained in family ownership for over a century, renamed North Port Distillery, before new owners closed its doors in 1928. It reopened after the Second World War only to fall silent again in 1983, with the site demolished in 1994. Whisky writer, Michael Jackson, described its spirit as ‘dry and fruity’ and this whisky, matured in a Gordon & MacPhail cask, is a forgotten masterpiece that revives the spirit of a bygone age."
$3799.99
Glenlochy is a closed distillery, and we don't see its whisky very often anymore. This Signatory single cask, was from Hogshead #3232, and was bottled after 35 years at 51.1%. 92.42pts Whisky Base and 93pts Whisky Fun (tasting note below).
$2849.99
Distilled in 1973 and filled in to a Refill Sherry Butt, the cask, No. 2518, was bottled after 45 years at 45.4%. Supposedly peated Glen Keith, no one is really 100% sure where it came from as Strathisla has also been suggested. Regardless, this is a peated malt, but an old one. 91pts Whisky Fun (See Tasting Note Below)!
A Very Curious Whisky
It is also one of the most unusual, controversial and hard to find Scotch whiskies. Independent bottler Signatory, the only company to have ever bottled Craigduff as a single, claims it is a curious double peated Glen Keith. But Chivas Brothers, who own both Glen Keith and Strathisla, have always insisted it is actually from the latter. Regardless of its origin, Craigduff was said to be double peated on account that both lightly peated malt was used, as well as “concentrated peated water” which was added to the charge in the wash still. Curious and controversial stuff it would seem!
$4599.99
Bottled as a part of Signatory's 30th Anniversary collection in 2018, this 50 year old Bunnahabhain was distilled in 1968. Matured in a Refill Sherry Butt before bottling at 41.8%. 91.79 points Whiskybase and