Ortega Ezquerro Tudelilla Crianza
$30.99
Their story began with Quintín Ortega in 1986. A humble figure with some good ideas and the determination to carry them out, he decides to plant vines and start what is now the winery, led by his great-grandson, Carmelo Ortega. In the 90s, Carmelo established the winery headquarters in an old house that served as a winery for many years, now a site where an enotourism project is being developed to encourage tourism in the region. Their property covers approximately 700 hectares of scrubland, almond fields and vineyards, all of which are sheltered by the nearby mountains, which create climatic conditions that include a reduced risk of frost and a controlled level of humidity in the summer. This set of features and factors, together with the characteristics of the soil (pebbles, low organic matter), creates a unique grape-growing microcosm, which has allowed them to develop the “village wine” style they are looking for to define the wines of Tudelilla (the village where they are situated in the heart of the Rioja Baja region).
This tasty Rioja is a blend of 90% Tempranillo and 10% Viura that goes through Carbonic Maceration, resulting in a fresh, juicy red with notes of wild strawberry, raspberry, and a hint of spice.
Aberfeldy 21 Year
$124.79
In terms of age statements at least, the 21-year-old sits at the apex of the Aberfeldy family. It's no geriatric, to be sure, but a couple decades in oak has put this one firmly in beautiful, mature whisky territory. If we're being honest though, 40% seems a bit scrawny by today's standards. Despite that wee hangup, it's hard to argue that the flavour isn't spectacular. And if we're continuing with this whole honesty thing, the simple reality is that some whiskies are going to be a bit lighter (read: lower alcohol) but are still absolutely deserving of attention on the merits of intrinsic quality. This is just such a one.
40% abv
Boutique-y Clynelish 20 Year KWM Cask
$219.99
It is finally here... we have been teasing and talking about this whisky for months, and it was worth the wait. We are thrilled to introduce you to our first ever KWM exlcusive single cask from That Boutique-y Whisky Company. Although the bottle doesn't explicitly tell you which "Highland" distillery the whisky is from, there are clues on the label... 578 bottles have been filled exclusively for Kensington Wine Market at 51%. But we have nothing holding us back from telling you that Boutique-y Highland #2 is Clynelish... That's right, this is 20 year old Clynelish!
Andrew's Note on the Whisky & Label
Could that be a cat in the clouds, a Wild Highland Cat perhaps? Is it not strange to see a waxy candle-powered balloon? Incidentally, it is lifting the KWM whisky team aloft. And what of the monument? If we told you it was a controversial monument near the town of Golspie dedicated to the infamous Duke of Sutherland, would that give you all the information you need to know? What Highland Distillery has a Wild Highland Cat as its symbol, a waxy profile, and an infamous Duke as its founder?
This label is a cheeky take on a shared memory, with embellishments, embedded details, and Easter eggs, in the tradition of the best Boutique-y Whisky Company Labels. More importantly, it tells a story, which is personally important to my family. My mother was born into the Clann Gunn in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Her ancestors roamed swaths of what is now Caithness and Sutherland in northern Scotland. That is until they were compelled to leave Scotland in the late 18th century, cruelly and rudely displaced to make way for sheep during the early days of the Highland Clearances.
On the label there is a ship at sea, heading to Canada presumably, as hinted at by the flags (the Canadian flag as it is today was only introduced in 1965). On the flat coastal plain at the base of the mountains sheep can be seen grazing. In front of the monument stand a pair of Canadians stand in hockey jerseys. Sam Simmons, Head of Whisky at Atom Brands, and a native Torontonian, stands closest to the monument in what appears to be a hockey jersey. Further back, a native Calgarian, yours truly can be seen waving a white hat, an iconic symbol of "Cowtown", whilst sporting a local hockey team jersey of his own. In the balloon Keith, Evan, Shawn & Curt can be seen waving at Andrew & Sam below. Speaking of those two, what are they doing atop Ben Bhraggie? Funny story that.
When TBWC offered us this cask of Highland Malt, they asked us what we wanted on the label, and I had a cheeky idea. In 2006 I made my first trip to Scotland, and on that trip, I hiked up Ben Bhraggie, a small mountain (really a foothill by Canadian standards) to see the monument of the infamous Duke. Someone had spraypainted the word "Monster" in neon green at the base. When I was sure no one was looking I dropped trow and relieved myself on it. I sent Sam an email of this tale, my connection to the area and my idea for the label. I was sure it was just a little too edgy...
Minutes later my phone was ringing... it was 3 AM in the UK, but Sam wanted to make sure I had seen his reply. He too had hiked Ben Bhraggie in 2005, and he had also paid his own respects to the infamous Duke of Sutherland...
One last little nugget, Keith, who is a personal trainer and headed to Beijing as a Team Canada Skeleton coach, felt his arm didn't look appropriately burly, in an early draft of the label. So we had the artist, Emily Chappell, 'bugs bunny' his arm... In case it isn't already apparent, nothing is sacred (especially when it comes to The Duke of Sutherland and Keith's pipes)!
And the rest as they say is history. On the back of every bottle, That Boutique-y Whisky Company includes the following text: "We are passionate about great whisky, we don't take ourselves too seriously and we LOVE a good story." No wonder these chaps are such a great fit to work with!
May Clynelish's waxiness never wane!
Rosebank `The Roses` 21 Year Unity
$1,999.99
The 6th release from "The Roses" range by Elixir Distillers, Unity is also the second last ever release of these Rosebanks expected to come to Canada. Unity is a 21 year old matured in a mix of ex-Bourbon & Madeira casks before bottling at 52.7%. Limit 1 Per Customer / 91.4pts Whiskybase!
This whisky is sold out in Europe, and already selling at a premium on auction sites... for whatever that is worth!
Arran Signature Ed.2 Barrel Bonfire
$134.99
The 2nd Edition in The Signature Series from Arran, which is planned to span four releases in total. Barrel Bonfire showcases and embraces the Lochranza Distillery's batches of peated spirit. The 42ppm malt was distilled in and filled into ex-Bourbon Barrels in 2012. It was transferred into ex-Koval Distillery quarter casks that previously matured Bourbon in September of 2018. The result was bottled in early 2024 at 50% ABV.
Producer Description
"Over the course of the secondary maturation, the intensity of the heavily peated whisky has taken on an even more complex and full-bodied character. The smaller the size of cask, the greater the surface contact area between the wood and the spirit, effectively creating an environment for ‘express’ maturation. The resulting whisky has the benefit of more intense flavours which add depth and greater nuance to the final dram. Smokier notes mingle with the well-loved charred citrus and sweet vanilla spices of Arran Single Malt, evoking a bonfire made from barrel staves."
Benromach 2002 KWM Cask 969
$334.99
This is our 6th KWM exclusive cask of Benromach, and the 4th since the move to the new packaging. More precisely, it is our 3rd from the early 2000s, and it is yet another Brora-esque twenty-something Benromach with creamy smoke and tropical fruits. Matured in a First Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel for 21 years before bottling at 57.9%. Only 179 bottles!
G&M Recollection Rosebank 1991
$3,799.99
This 1991 vintage Rosebank has been bottled as a part of the Recollection Series 3 at 51.2% after 32 years in a First Fill ex-Bourbon Barrel.
Producer Description
"The history of Rosebank Distillery has been directly linked with the Forth & Clyde canal which sits in its shadow. The waterway linked Scotland’s west and east coasts, and therefore its two main cities, Glasgow and Edinburgh. A distillery called Rosebank was operating as early as 1817. From 1840, under the ownership of the Rankine family, Rosebank prospered. The canal, however, became neglected and the distillery eventually closed its doors in 1993. It was reopened under new ownership to great fanfare in 2024. This release, a lost work of art, is one of the oldest and rarest Rosebank single malts ever released."
Laphroaig Elements 2.0
$204.99
This limited edition Laphroaig was made from spirit fermented for 115 hours, rather than the usual 55 hours. It was matured in ex-Bourbon casks before bottling at 59.6%. 87pts Whisky Fun / Whisky Advocate Whisky of the Year 2024
Producer Description
"Elements 2.0 is a bold, non-chill filtered whisky showing the flavour impact of an extended fermentation process. The result is fruity and smoky, with notes of stewed green apples, zesty orange peel and smoky peat. Awarded Whisky of the Year 2024, by the Whisky Advocate.
“Laphroaig Elements 2.0 is an unexpected fruitier whisky with the same peaty character you’ve come to know and love – made possible by over double the typical fermentation period."
Decadent Drams Glenlitigious 12 Year KWM
$184.99
This KWM exclusive bottling of Glenlitigious (cough: "Glenfarclas") is from a 2013 vintage PX sherry seasoned American oak hogshead, bottled after 12 years at 53%. Note this is not cask strength, rather it was diluted to 53%, partly because Angus felt it was more drinkable, and partly to keep the price down. While we generally go for cask strength, Decadent Drinks frequently dilutes some of their bottlings (as do some others) a few degrees to an ABV they feel best suits the individual whisky.
The Glenlitigious labels from Decadent Drams are for bottlings of Glenfarclas, a famously litigious distillery, who doesn't appreciate independent bottlers identifying it by name. Our Glenlitigious label features Walter in a powdered wig sitting in judgment over a ram stuffy, his paw on a squeaky toy gavel, and his tail playfully wagging. This is a not so subtle nod at our last KWM exclusive Glenfarclas bottling, the Door Crasher Edition, which featured a Trojan ram on wheels speeding towards the front of our shop. That whisky was bottled to mark the 2nd anniversary of the Infamous Dodge Ram incident of February 11th, 2022, when a stolen pickup truck was employed to enter our store outside business hours.
Angus' Back Label Text
"Walter is a good judge, both of character and casks. This richly sherried, Speyside single malt, from a rather notoriously prickly family-owned distillery, is a classical example of the make and got Walter's tail wagging approvingly. We've called it 'Glenlitigious', it's suitable for wee dogs and Canadians, but no ram raiders allowed!"