Maligne Range Excelsior Batch #1 KWM
$129.99
This single-cask Canadian whisky was made from a 50/50 mash of peated malt and malted wheat, matured 8 years in a First Fill ex-Bourbon cask. The first 'Excelsior' release from the Maligne Range is a collaboration with Kensington Wine Market, bottled at 48%.
7 years ago Andrew made this whisky with Bryce Parsons at Last Best Brewing in Calgary. The whisky was filled into an ex-Bourbon Barrel, which had previously matured a Jefferson's Reserve Bourbon KWM exclusive bottling. When they made the whisky, they had no idea when, or under what brand it would be bottled.
Way back in October of 2016, Kensington Wine Market had a once used Jefferson's Reserve Bourbon Barrel, from one of our store-exclusive bottlings. It had a lot of life left in it, so we set about finding something to do with it. Working with Bryce from Last Best Brewing & Distilling, it was decided we should fill the cask with spirit. A little more than 8 years later, that whisky is spirit. Limit 1 Per Customer!
This whisky was distilled at Last Best Brewing & Distilling in Calgary, though in time, the brand's spiritual home will be the Maligne Distillery under construction in Jasper.
Producer Description
"Introducing our first Excelsior specialty release, a Canadian whisky that defies tradition with its bold character and distinctive flavour profile. Crafted in collaboration with Kensington Wine Market, this whisky boasts a robust 48% ABV and a unique blend of peated malt and malted wheat, aged in a first-fill Russell Reserve Barrel. Excelsior is the name of a majestic peak over looking the town of Jasper."
About The Maligne Range
"The Maligne Range is an independent Canadian malt whisky-maker and blender. We distill small batch whiskies that are the vital essence of our expressions. These highly-flavoured whiskies from unique grain bills are the character actors on our whisky stage. We allow them to age in oak casks for a minimum of 5 years, affected by the capricious Alberta climate. We then blend with an ensemble cast of blending whiskies – some we distill, others are collaborations with renowned Canadian distilleries. The result is a range of Canadian whiskies that blaze new trails into the remote Western Canadian wilderness of possibility.
"The Maligne Range is the result of decades of experience brewing some of Western Canada’s best craft beers. The people who created Jasper Brewing, Banff Ave Brewing, Last Best Brewing & Distilling, and Campio Brewing have built on their experience and passion for craft spirits with this uniquely Canadian whisky brand. Like those breweries, The Maligne Range aspires to become a community cornerstone through the celebration of the craft of making Canadian whisky.
"In late-spring 2024 we will be inviting visitors to our new home in Jasper. The Maligne Range experience centre will be a celebration of Canadian whisky and elevated dining with a unique Jasper twist. Set against the spectacular backdrop of the Athabasca Valley, our guests will discover the full Maligne Range of products including house exclusives, curated cocktails and gastronomy that complete the experience."
Signatory Linkwood 2012 46% Dark Sherry
$149.99
We won't know for sure until it arrives in-store, but we believe this Linkwood is an 11 year old, distilled in 2012, and bottled at 46%. The producer described it as "Dark Sherry"!
G&M CC Glentauchers 2006 KWM Cask
$127.49
Gordon & Macphail continues to tee up amazing single casks for us. This 16 year old Glentauchers is from a Refill ex-Bourbon Barrel, bottled at 58.8%.
Doc Swinson's Bourbon KWM Single Barrel
$118.99
Barrel filled on November 24th, 2017 @ MGP Distillery of Indiana. Partially matured in Washington by Doc Swinson's, then selected by Kensington Wine Market. Bottled at a cask strength of 55.85% on August 9th, 2023. The Bourbon is 5 Years and 8 Months old.
This barrel of Bourbon is from MGP's 21% Rye Bourbon Mash Bill: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, and 4% Malted Barley
Harmony and Evan are very excited about this.
Waterford Single Farm Sheestown 1.2
$101.99
This single farm origin single malt was produced from barley grown by Philip O'Brien at Sheestown Farm in County Kilkenny. Distilled in 2016 and bottled at 2020 after 4 years at 50%. Matured in a a mix of 33% ex-Bourbon, 19% Virgin American Oak, 25% ex-French Wine & 23% Vin Doux Naturel casks. Produced from the Irina barley variety, and fermented with Mauri Distiller's Yeast for an impressive 131.5 hours.
About Sheestown Farm
Baile an fhasaigh, the ‘place of the lush grass’, is surely a fitting place to grow barley. The Shees clan settled here to the west of the Nore river in the 15th Century. Defined by a geology of limestone and sandstone, Sheestown is a rolling, lowland terroir of well-drained loamy soil with outcrops of gravel and drier hilltops. Philip O’Brien has farmed here for half a century, while his daughter, Maura, works with us at the distillery.
Sheestown takes its name from the Shees, a family from Kerry who settled in Kilkenny and became loyal supporters of the House of Butler, earls of Ormonde, during the 15th century. Sir Richard Shee was deputy to the Lord Treasurer of Ireland during Queen Elizabeth’s reign but his descendant, Marcus Shee, was outlawed as a Jacobite in 1691 and fled to France. One of Marcus Shee’s descendants was the charismatic Duke of Feltre, who served as Napoleon Bonaparte’s Minister of War.
Waterford Single Farm Hook Head 1.1
$101.99
This single farm release was produced from barley sown and harvested in 2015, malted in 2016 and distilled in February on 2017. The whisky was bottled February 14, 2021. Produced from Popino barley, fermented for 142 hours with Mauri Distiller's Yeast. Bottled at 50% after 3 Years, 8 Months, & 25 Days of maturation in a mix of ex-Bourbon (46%), Virgin American Oak (22%), ex-French Wine (15%), & Vin Doux Naturel Casks (17% / Mostly Marsala & Some Sherry).
Broken Oak Alberta Rye Whisky
$65.99
From Broken Oak Distilling Co of Grand Prairie, Alberta. Bottled at 43% ABV
Producer Description
"Our signature offering, the sublime Alberta Rye Whisky, is an excitement in every sip. We age our 100% Rye for a scrumptious 3-years in once used Bourbon barrels and our wheat, barley, and oats follow suit in a separate barrel. The origination of our unique concoction? Merging these barrels to form an incredible blend that's approx 50% Rye Whisky!"
Waterford Single Farm Ballymorgan 1.2
$101.99
Distilled in 2016 and bottled in 2020, this 4-year-old Irish single malt whisky was bottled at 50% after maturing in a typical Waterford mix of casks: 34% First Fill ex-Bourbon, 20% Virgin American Oak, 23% ex-Wine French Oak and 23% Vin Doux Naturel. The barley for the whisky was grown by Robert Milne in County Wexford. Produced from Overture barley, and fermented with Mauri Distiller's Yeast for 136 hours.
Producer Tasting Note
Nose: Dried herbs, malt, red apple, plums, milk chocolate, vanilla, fennel seeds and custard.
Taste: Apple crumble with toffee, milk chocolate, slight fudge, cloves, a green apple collated in caramel, with pepper heat and aniseed.
Finish: Lingering spice heat with a mouth-watering oiliness that turns mouth puckering.
87pts Whisky Fun
"A single farm and some more wood-sorcery (US first fill, US new oak, French oak, vin doux naturel). I had thought Ballymorgan 1.1 was superb (WF 88), I can't wait to try Waterford al natural (refill and basta). Colour: straw. Nose: some fruity varnish and a lovely touch of natural rubber, then rather pine liqueur and damp chalk, all that on a bed of gooseberry jam. With a glass of Monthélie blanc on the side. With water: chalk, some lemon now, quinces, and more Monthélie blanc. Mouth (neat): a few pears for starters (it's young) and notes of orangettes, plus fresh panettone, and a little pepper and cinnamon. With water: gets breadier. After all, this is made out of barley. Finish: the new oak feels a little more. More cinnamon, white pepper, nutmeg. Comments: absolutely lovely but I have to confess I liked the 'Organic Gaia' even better the other day. I will buy a bottle of this Ballymorgan, but I would buy a case of that Organic Gaia. And that's got nothing to do with the fact that it is organic. Also, it is not impossible that I like Ballymorgan 1.1 a tiny notch better than Ballymorgan 1.2. SGP:561 - 87 points."
About Ballymorgan Farm
In the rain shadow of the Wicklow Mountains, the Slaney river winds its way southwards through County Wexford. Here Robert Milne exploits one of Ireland’s premier barley terroirs. Farming now with his son and nephew, five generations of his family have farmed these fertile fields with their loamy, clay soils derived from slate and granite, and where the famous Clonroche Series of soils dominates.
There’s something about the spirit derived from Robert’s barley in 2015. In our tastings at the distillery, we have been drawn to glass containing his whisky particularly frequently, and we’re delighted to share it with drinkers.
Glenfarclas 21 Year KWM Cask Strength #2
$199.99
The 4th and possibly final bottling in the "Andrew's Ego Collection" series is a Glenfarclas 21 Year, bottled at 51.9%, bottled exclusively for Kensington Wine Market. This bottling celebrates the 10th Anniversary of the night in 2011 our own Andrew Ferguson, and Glenfarclas' George Grant, were inducted into the Keepers of the Quaich; hence the nickname: "10 Years Keeping Quaich-y with it!" We had originally hoped this bottling would arrive in 2021... but you know the story... logistics! Once more this is not a single cask, but a batch of Glenfarclas 21 Year, bottled at cask strength!
If you are unfamiliar with the story behind the Andrew's Ego Collection, it all started with a cask strength Glenfarclas 21 Year we called Ferg in the Spey! Long story short, it is a play on a bottling Glenfarclas did for an American called "Ferd (Ford) in the Spey," which was bottled to commemorate a visit to Glenfarclas that ended with a Ford rental car in the Spey River. It was intended to be a one-off, but was so popular that it was followed with a cask strength Glenfarclas 15 Year, which we called Ferg in Front of the Store. Now we were starting to have some fun with it...
So a third bottling was commissioned, a 25 Year bottled at 50%, the Ferg in Homage to George Grant. Andrew wanted the third bottling to be even more whimsical or if you prefer, ridiculous, than the first two. It takes its inspiration from an advertisement for Glenfarclas circa 15 years ago featuring a reclining George Grant in a kilt with a selection of whisky in front of him. Our versions features Andrew in homage, with the 5 prior KWM exclusive Glenfarclas bottlings laid out in front of him. Some of our customers referred to it as "Reclining Ferg" and "Homage to Burt Reynolds."
While Andrew's ego would continue to inflate with a 5th release, the 4th bottling may very well be the last in the series. It almost never happened... Demand is finally catching up with Glenfarclas, and all of the whiskies over 21 years of age are going to be tightly allocated in the years ahead.