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!
Signatory Cameronbridge 1983 33 Year
$339.99
Only 12 bottles coming to Alberta - exclusively to Kensington Wine Market.
This Signatory Vintage bottling of Single Grain Scotch from Cameronbridge Distillery was distilled in 1984 and matured in a hogshead. After 33 years it was bottled in 2018 at the cask strength of 46.2% ABV.
Carsebridge 48 Year
$875.00
This is only the 4th bottling we have seen from Carsebridge Distillery, and the only ever official bottling. It is bottled at 43.2% after maturing in American Oak. 90pts from Serge @WhiskyFun.
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.
Producer Description:
”The first release in this series of just 1,000 bottles of this ultra-rare grain whisky from a closed distillery, is also the oldest Carsebridge ever bottled. A fascinating whisky, it’s an unique, sophisticated and subtle old single grain that rewards patient study.”
Distiller’s Tasting Note
Nose: Delicate and fragile. Shy, then rich and tart. Sweet, floral notes of dried flowers and oil, in a dusty oak drawer. Like a bowl of extremely ripe fruit left in the sunshine; plum, peach and red apple. Hints of sawn oak, mint and white chocolate truffle. Unexpectedly light and balanced throughout.
Body: Medium. Thick textured.
Palate: A voluptuous mouthfeel and a big, soft, sweet taste, with juicy hints of apple, then oak shavings and gentle spice that together evoke an artist’s studio. A soft, fleeting and subtle floral note.
Finish: Light, volatile, and longer than expected. Discreet spice; light wood, grape stems, raisins and subtly, more oiled wood.
90pts Serge @WhiskyFun.org: “1970? Wasn’t that one of the greatest years for rock and roll? Let it Be, Morrison Hotel, Big Yellow Taxi, Spill The Wine, After The Gold Rush, Abraxas, Lucky Man, Layla… But also Janis… Okay, enough brochure-y little writings, let’s try this oldie… Colour: gold. Nose: it’s a thrill to have both the futuristic Invergordon and this one side-by-side. Both make you further understand that time is a key component, and that no whisky could be genuine whisky without time. In this very case we’re finding sweeter aromas, especially the ones that we often call ‘pina-colada-y’, mainly pineapple and coconut. We’ll add tinier notes of honeysuckle, orange blossom, marzipan, potpourri, ylang-ylang and perhaps hollyhock. Mouth: it is rounder and mellower than the Invergordon, but quality’s very equivalent. Crushed bananas, hay wine, overripe apples, quince jelly, hazelnut oil, a few drops of chardonnay (not the oaked junk they’re making at some places)… Finish: medium, rather fresh, and rather on bananas and vanilla fudge. Comments: the Invergordon was a wee notch more complex, but this ones just great as well. It’s fabulous that the oak hasn’t taken over one bit – but it’s also true that they have proper blenders at Diageo’s. Blenders that aren’t just salesmen. SGP:640 - 90 points.”
Scotch Malt Whisky Society G4.16
$220.49
MELLIFLUOUS CONTENTMENT
This 35 year old single grain whisky from the Lowlands spent 32 years in ex-bourbon wood before being transferred to a Sauternes barrique for the remainder of its maturation, and comes in at 49.8%.
Flavour profile: Juicy, oak & vanilla.
Outturn: 216 bottles.
Panel's tasting note: "The nose evokes the sweet end of the whisky spectrum (corn candies, dripping honey, ‘rocky road’) but time brings complexity – charred oak, lemon herbals and ox-eye daisies. The taste offers lip-smacking sweetness (banana toffee, butterscotch, pineapple), restrained spice and dry oak. On the nose, water intensifies that contented feeling – a picnic of desserts in a summer rose garden. The palate is now mellow, mellifluous and easy-drinking – rose Turkish Delight and mango, with light, bittersweet memories of oak on the finish; it may be old, but it’s in its prime. Transferred from ex-bourbon wood to a Sauternes barrique after 32 years."
Cadenhead Small Batch North British1985
$200.99
Another exciting North British Single Grain Scotch from 1985 from independent bottler W.M. Cadenhead. This single Sherry Butt was bottled in 2018 at 32 years of age and a cask strength of 55.2% ABV. Only six bottles are left in Canada, all exclusive to KWM!
Producer's Tasting Note
Nose: Oily. Green olives and cheese-cake base.
Palate: Chewy. More subtle than the nose suggests: ground cinnamon.
Finish: Dried spices and soft chewy toffee.