Sovereign Carsebridge 42 Year
$524.99
Only 167 bottlesbottled at 53.1% from a single Refill Hogshead cask. Distilled in May 1973 at the now closed Carsebridge Distillery (Founded late 1700s/Closed 1983) the whisky was bottled in April of 2016. KWM will receive just 12 bottles! It is retailing for £499.95 on Royal Mile Whiskies, and appears sold out at most other places. It is lovely, very sweet and rum-like!
Carsebrige was a Grain Distillery located in the Lowlands of Scotland. It began production way back in 1799 and was closed for good in 1983. The distillery itself is long since demolished.
Andrew’s Tasting Note
Nose: soft and fruity, loads of caramel and a touch of chocolate; molasses and treacle – very old-rum like; vanilla pods with dates and figs.
Palate: sweet, spicy and toasty; so much molasses, brown sugar and decadent spice; still very rum-like, very old Jamaican rum notes… raisins, dates and figs; candied ginger and cinnamon hearts; burnt orange peel, some late tobacco and faint earthy tones with building star anise.
Finish: long, light, fresh and sweet.
Comment: I can help but think of fine old Jamaican rum while sipping this; it is decadent and dangerously drinkable!
Producer’s Tasting Note
Nose: A copper coloured whisky with a rich nose of vanilla initially, then sultanas, raisins and liquorice.
Palate: On the palate it is smooth bodied and pleasant with sweet vanilla, rich fruits and milk chocolate with nuts.
Finish: The finish is long, satisfying and sweet with a fruity aftertaste.
Duncan Taylor Octaves North British 2007
$94.99
A 10 year old single grain, something you rarely see so young, supercharged for 4 months in a bespoke sherry seasoned Octave cask. 10 yeard old and 51.9%.
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: molasses, silky vanilla and buttery oak.
Palate: soft and floral, loads grainy oils; silky vanilla and syrupy molasses and more buttery oak; becomes drier and more peppery; Marcona almonds, sour cherries and bitter orange.
Finish: butter oak and fruit, with fine grain oils.
Comment: you don’t see a lot of young grains, this one is curious and toasty.
Cadenhead Small Batch Port Dundas 1988
$229.99
Aged for 27 years in Bourbon Hogsheads, this 1998 Port Dundas Single Grain was bottled in 2016 by Cadenhead at 50.9% ABV
Located in Glasgow, Port Dundas was once Scotland's largest distillery.
Cooper's Choice Cameronbridge 1995
$114.99
This Cooper's Choice bottling from Cameronbridge Distillery was distilled in January of 1995 and aged in a single ex-Bourbon cask for 21 years. Bottled in 2016 at 46% ABV.
Cameronbridge Distillery is probably the largest Whisky Distillery in Europe. It is owned by Diageo and supplies grain whisky for for numerous brands including much of the Johnnie Walker line as well as making Smirnoff Vodka. Don't hold Haig Club against it - Cameronbridge makes some very good single grain Scotch - you just have to look for it!
Cooper's Choice North British 1991 26Yr
$139.99
Only 30 bottles have come in to Alberta, exclusively to KWM. This is an insanely inexpensive 26 year old! Distilled in 1991 and matured in a Bourbon Cask, the whisky was bottled after 26 years at a very low cask strength of 42.5%. Cask 304, 380 bottles...
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: butterscotch, Toffifee, applesauce and white chocolate Hershey's Kisses; silky, dusty, strawberry Twizzlers; sliced orange and lemon with a touch of plata tequila.
Palate: sweet, silky, floral and creamy; loads of caramel, butterscotch, more Toffifee and white chocolate; loads of dry citrus: orange, lemon and lime; more strawberry Twizzlers; herbal tequila-mezcal notes emerge later with fennel.
Finish: light but long, it stays sweet, floral and toffeed; reminds me of a fine mezcal; elegant and smooth.
Comment: sweet, fresh and delicate; this is a bargain whisky... a 26 year old single grain, single cask whisky for less than $140; amazing!
Cadenhead Small Batch Strathclyde 1989
$139.99
Bottled at 46.0%, only 6 bottles of this 28 year old single grain are coming to Canada. Exclusively to KWM. Matured in an Ex-Bourbon Barrel.
Producer Tasting Note
Nose: Cinnamon dominates with white chocolate coming through in the background.
Palate: Cinnamon continues in the palate followed by brown sugar and caramel.
Finish: Chocolate fudge, cardamom the a fresh minty note comes through.
Xtra Old Particular Caledonian 40 Year
$549.99
One of only 291 bottles filled from a single Refill Hogshead after 40 years at 55.1%. Distilled April 1976 and Bottles June 2016.
Producer Tasting Note
Nose: maple syrup, sweet and distinctly spiced: ginger style – plus late citrus.
Palate: think mature Americana, incredibly sugary with corn, oil and vanilla.
Finish: with a surprising length for a grain – all those flavours create a medley.
Compass Box Hedonism Muse
$374.99
The latest limited release from Compass Box is Hedonism Muse, a Blended Grain Scotch Whisky built around an “exceptional” mysterious old grain whisky. The whisky has been bottled at 53.3% with a label designed by Compass Box as a tribute to the roll women play in the industry, especially at Compass Box. Just a dribble over 3,000 bottles were produced with only a tiny fraction of this coming to Canada. KWM is getting 48 bottles, half of which as pre-sold!
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: very honeyed, floral and decadent; silky, toasty and fruity; candy apple, poached pear and lemon drops; premium white chocolate, dried apricot and ripe figs.
Palate: big, silky, honeyed and sweet; decadent toasty oak, molten white chocolate, vanilla bean ice cream and Manuka honey; warm with decadent spice, more white fruits, apricot and figs.
Finish: sweet, silky, honeyed and drying; elegant toasted oak, bright white fruits and fading decadent spice.
Comment: very pretty (no surprise there), decadent and layered; dangerously drinkable.
John Glaser’s Description: “When we recently discovered a cask of exceptional aged grain whisky of unknown origin in the spectrum of flavours of a Hedonism whisky, we were inspired once again to go back to where it all started. This time, the label design reimagines the woman portrayed at the centre of all our Hedonism labels – the first woman, as far as we know, ever to feature on a Scotch whisky label. Women now make up the majority of our team here at Compass Box, which is unusual in our industry. This diversity of perspective makes us, I believe, a better business. Hedonism, The Muse combines this single cask with other rare and remarkable grain whiskies of varying ages from four distilleries to create something we believe is utterly compelling; a whisky that has all the flavour hallmarks of our classic Hedonism, with even greater depth and intensity. We invite you to join us, in this, our toast to women in whisky.”
Producer Tasting Note
“Aromas and flavours reminiscent of vanilla, marzipan and honey. Full on the palate, round and with a very sweet impression. Very long finish that echoes the vanilla and marzipan.”
Signatory Carsebridge 1982 34 Year 49.9%
$514.99
Only 12 bottles are coming to Canada of this 1982 Carsebridge single grain Scotch whisky. This is only the 3rd bottling of whisky from the closed and obscure Carsebridge distillery, which we have ever seen! Matured in a Refill Sherry Butt #76403, bottled at 49.9%.
Carsebrige was a Grain Distillery located in the Lowlands of Scotland. It began production way back in 1799 and was closed for good in 1983. The distillery itself is long since demolished.
Andrew's Tasting Note
Nose: dark chocolate, tobacco and soft leather; this is a grain?; big orange tones, demerara sugar and barrel-aged maple syrup; wet Jujubes and toasted coconut chips; silky vanilla and cooked white fruits.
Palate: round, fruity, layered and rich; the bold but balanced sherry tones kick in first: dried dark fruits, chocolate and spices with leather and tobacco; the delicate floral tendrils of grain poke through; not sure I would have identified this as a grain, tasted blind; the orange notes and cooked white fruits emerge later along with the more candied jujube and coconut notes; a touch woody, but far from over the hill.
Finish: long, coating and smooth; a fine balance of bold sherry tones and soft silky grain notes.
Comment: would I have singled this out as a grain if I didn't already know it was one? hard to say; what I can say is that this is a lovely single grain, and a fine whisky at the price; it is also exceptionally rare, only the 3rd Carsebridge we've ever seen, and the best priced!