Signatory Glenburgie 1995 55.2%
$179.99
A pair of Hogsheads (presumably Refill Ex-Bourbon, casks: 6534 & 6536) filled in 1995, have been married and bottled at 55.2% after 23 years!
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: Starburst fruit candies and Skittles; bright citrus tones, vanilla icing and mango sherbet; floral and decadent with creamed honey and strawberry puff candies.
Palate: silky, creamy and floral; thick with honey and caramel; more Skittles & waxy Starburst fruit candies; it becomes increasingly floral, buttery and waxy; white chocolate and candied orange make way for hot-sweet spices: candied ginger and cinnamon hearts.
Finish: creamy, honeyed, floral and fruity; long in length and elegant, the spices, oak and decadent fruits linger longest!
Comment: Glenburgie is almost exclusively produced for blending, and as such it is predominantly matured in Refill casks; the younger expressions often disappoint, because the whisky simply hasn't had enough time in the wood; mid-20's and older Glenburgie however seem to have the potential for greatness, and this single cask is no exception; it is delicious.
Signatory Glentauchers 1997 49.4%
$214.99
A 21 year old Glentauchers bottled from two Bourbon Barrels, filled in 1997 and bottled after exactly 21 years at 49.4%. Only 18 bottles are coming to Calgary, exclusively to KWM. Distilled: 23/07/1997. Bottled: 23/07/2018.
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: seductive... tropical... honeyed... and creamy... oh-boy, this is starting off very promising, my-style of old malt; decadent beeswax, sultry honey and sinful clotted cream; floral and fruity with lovely tropical tones; I want to be enveloped by the aroma.
Palate: the palate doesn't disappoint, easing in subtly the first sip is a bit muted but second blooms; more honey, beeswax and clotted cream; it retains its balance of floral and fruity tones; the former hints at rose petals with a minty freshness and the latter ranges from white fruits to melons and more exotic tropical tones.
Finish: long, soft, coating and elegant; creamy, honeyed, floral and very fruity.
Comment: the oak character is at once prominent, but balanced and delicate; this is a very elegant and dangerously drinkable malt.
Signatory Tormore 1988 45.8%
$274.99
A very well priced 29 year old cask strength (45.8%) Tormore from Signatory. Filled in to Hogsheads in 1988. This is a fine example of something we love talking about. Older whiskies from Refill Oak which develop beautifully if given enough time.
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: soft doughy and waxy with lychee fruit, sliced orange and melons; honeyed and decadent; soft, floral and delicately spiced with a touch of white pepper; a touch perfumed.
Palate: sweet, toasty and spicy with delicate floral top notes: roses, geraniums and violets; still decadent with some chewy malt, white chocolate and lots of spice: more white pepper, a touch of cayenne and chili flakes; melons, citrus and lychee fruits are still there, but they are overpowered by the oak spices and floral tones.
Finish: long, toasty and drying; still floral, fruity and spicy; soft coating oils.
Comment: almost 30 and not even close to over the hill; this is a delicate, floral and spicy malt with lots of staying power; a great summer sipper, and very well priced for its age.”
Curt's Thoughts
"It's truly a shame just how much amazing malt whisky gets buried on innocuous and unexciting blends. That's one of the reasons we at KWM hold the independent bottlers in such high esteem. Companies such as Signatory have, for long years now, been shining a light on some of the lesser known distilleries of Scotland. And Speyside giant Tormore is a perfect example of a distillery that deserves much more attention than it gets. While the standard bottlings may be a little...safe...these well-aged, cask strength beauties are knockout fare. This particular beauty was a marriage of two Hogsheads that had been left to mature for nearly three decades. The results are stunning. Deep fruits and gorgeous cream tones. Only 296 bottles in the world."
700 ml
Elements of Islay Peat Full Proof
$63.99
A cask strength Islay Blended Malt Whisky that is said to be a marriage of 60 casks from the north and south of the island. Bottled at 59.3%, this is possibly the best-priced cask strength whisky in Alberta, even when considering the bottle size.
“PEAT is the perfect expression of smoky whisky, with all the full-on coastal character you would expect from an island whisky, as well as balanced sweetness. On its own or in a cocktail, it is the go-to peaty whisky for all, balancing serious smoky flavour with a sense of fun.
Berry's Ardmore 2010 KWM Cask
$74.99
SOLD OUT
Our first exclusive single cask for a couple of years from Berry Bros. & Rudd is a 2010 8 year old Ardmore. The whisky has been bottled exclusively for KWM at 58.2% after matruing in an ex-Islay Bourbon Barrel... Ardmore is lightly peated as it is, but this is sure to kick it up a notch! As Ardmore is owned by the same company as Laphroaig, is it too much of a leap to assume this was matured in an ex-Laphroaig cask?
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: fresh, honeyed and ashy with juicy malt; heathery honey, marmalade and peanut brittle; a touch of pork belly with an apple jelly.
Palate: big, honeyed and ashy with loads of chewy juicy malty, more marmalade, a touch of tar and briny maritime notes; crispy pork belly with apple jelly and dark spices: clove and fennel.
Finish: big, long and coating; more juicy malt, ashy peat and honey.
Comment: young and rambunctious; we aren't going to try and pretend that this is enormously complex, it is 8 years old, but it is a layered, solid, peaty malt and a steal at $75 a bottle!
Glenfarclas Family Cask 1990
$584.99
Signatory Auchentoshan 1992 50.4%
$255.99
This is a spectacular small batch bottling of Auchentoshan, the marriage of two Ex-Bourbon barrels (#531 & #536). The whisky was filled in to cask February 19 1992 and bottled on the 23 of July 2018. Bottled at 50.4%, 18 bottles, exclusive to KWM.
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: floral, waxy and buttery; French butter croissants right out of the oven, some of them filled with almond paste; freshly sanded oak, sandalwood incense, loads of lemon and lime with macadamia nut butter.
Palate: silky, creamy and floral; still doughy, more French breakfast pastries and marzipan; more macadamia nut butter and bright-crisp floral tones--like walking in to a greenhouse; more toasted oak and sandalwood; baked apple with cinnamon and more firm lemon and lime citrus.
Finish: light but long in length and coating; fresh, sweet, fruity and floral; drying late with tingling spice.
Comment: this is a stunner of an Auchentoshan, and a bit of a naked bottling; Auchentoshan's classic floral-citric character is there accented by and gently uplifted by the oak; in summation this whisky is resplendent... pretty sure I have never used that word before!
Glenfarclas 15 Year KWM Cask Strength
$109.99
Our latest exclusive Glenfarclas is here, and it is another lovely dram. It is a cask strength version of Glenfarclas 15 Year, bottled at 58.2%, exclusively for Kensington Wine Market. Approximately 360 bottles.
Edradour / Ballechin Cuvee 2008 8 Year
$117.99
Distilled in 2008, this peated Edradour single malt is a marriage of 1 Sherry Butt and 3 Ex-Bourbon Barrels. Bottled at 46% this 8-year-old is a very balanced marriage of Bourbon, Sherry and ashy peat notes.
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: balanced notes of ashy peat and sherry provide a welcoming first pass; hickory and mesquite; beef brisket with spicy BBQ sauce and smoked turkey; notes of apple and pear.
Palate: there is a lot going on here; cupcakes with vanilla icing to start while wood ash rains down around you; soft leather, juicy malt and fruity sherry tones; more apple and pear; more mesquite and hickory with spicy BBQ sauce on beef brisket.
Finish: long, coating, ashy and meaty; very balanced and smooth.
Comment: I love the full disclosure of the label, and also the whisky; classic ashy Ballechin, with a balanced palate of Bourbon and Sherry notes.