Royal Lochnagar 12 Year
$107.99
Royal Lochnagar is Diageo's smallest distillery, nestled into the banks of the River Dee, just upstreaming from Balmoral Castle. It is bottled at 40% after maturing 12 years.
Royal Lochnagar was said to be Queen Victoria's distillery, located but a mile from Balmoral Castle. The Queen granted the distillery a Royal Warrant and gave it the right to use the prefix: "The Royal." The Queen is said to have made the mistake of mixxing Royal Lochnagar single malt with Claret (wine from Bordeaux) and in the words of the late Whisky writer Michael Jackson, "thereby ruining two of the world’s great drinks.”
Distiller's Tasting Note
Nose: Not obvious to begin with. Planed wood, light toffee, boat varnish. Linseed oil behind, even putty, and later a lychee-like acidity. With water the acidity comes through (acid drops), and the nose sweetens. Still a pleasant fresh woodiness, followed by warm sand. After a while, coffee with brown sugar.
Body: Medium.
Palate: Pleasant; an initial sweetness is quickly overtaken by acidity.
Finish: Dry; medium-length, with an attractive lingering sandalwood aftertaste.
Old Ballantruan 10 Year Peated Speyside
$124.99
Old Ballantruan is a peated version of Tomintoul single malt, named for the distillery's spring. With a peat spec at an impressive 55ppm for the malt, this should be a must-try for peated whisky fans. The first issue of this whisky with the 10-Year-Old age statement was launched in 2012. It is bottled at 50%.
Mortlach 25 Year
$999.99
The 25 year is bottled at 43.4%, which the Master Blender feels is the best bottling strength for the distillery. it has been matured exclusively in 100% Re-Fill Ex-American oak barrels. Beautifully packaged, the bottles pay tribute to the distillery's onetime owner George Cowie who was also a Victorian architect involved in the design of railway bridges and viaducts.
Diageo stirred up a lot of attention when they decided to launch a core range of Mortlach this year, mainly due to the whiskies prices, and the fact that most markets will be getting 500ml bottles. Well, rest asured Canadians, our proximity to the US has ensured we get 750ml bottles, and while the price for this 25 year old expression is high, it is better the European prices, and the quality is there. Mortlach has long been a popular whisky with single malt drinkers, and until recently was primarily only available from independent bottlers. There was an official bottling under Diageo's Flaura & Fauna series, but this has been discontinued. The distillery counters the questions around price noting the very small number of barrels selected to ensure the best level of quality. The Mortlach 25 Year is available only in very small quantities.
Andrew's Tasting Note:
Nose: classic older whisky notes, smooth leather, silky white chocolate and beeswax and subtle sweet perfumes; salted caramel vanilla icecream, mangoes and papaya, powdered spice.
Palate: beautiful, very honeyed, more beeswax and tropical fruits with an overall antique character; even more elegant than the 18 but still very vibrant and fruity; layer upon layer; more fuzzy peaches, jujubes and some of the early browning apple.
Finish: very elegant, extremely smooth and layered; the waves keep coming.
Antech Blanquette de Limoux Brut
$28.99
This family-owned producer is one of the most prolific in the Languedoc. Antech (pronounced AWN-tesh) is an incredible value, a beautiful, well-balanced sparkling wine that is a wonderful alternative for anyone who doesn't have the budget for Champagne. A blend of mostly Chardonnay, with some Chenin Blanc and Mauzac, this beauty is aged on the lees and has gorgeous honeyed apple and peach notes.
Uncle Val`s Pepper Gin
$60.99
For those who like a real gin "kick" here's Uncle Val’s Peppered Gin. This is an excellent sipping gin and a highly versatile mixing gin for cocktails. Uncle Val's offers a unique flavor profile, starting with sharp peppercorn (red bell pepper, black pepper and pimento) and evolves into char and juniper. Bold yet smooth, it stays true to the Uncle Val’s line of gins. And here's a bonus: it's gluten free!
Knob Creek Rye
$48.99
From the well-regarded Knob Creek - best known for bourbon, but also makers of Kentucky rye! "Made with a blend of the finest quality rye to create an extraordinarily smooth yet spicy finish," according to the Knob Creek team. "Color: Shades of gold to light amber. Taste: Bold rye spiciness with undertones of vanilla and oak. Aroma: Expansive notes of herbs and rye with nuances of oak. Finish: Warm and smooth with spice throughout."
Taylor Vargellas 2005 Vintage Port 375ml
$40.99
92 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate for the 2005 vintage! The review: "A deep black/opaque hue. A very pure, well-defined nose of black cherries, cassis and plum with a certain “coolness” about it."
Eau Claire Prickly Pear EquineOx
$53.99
Eau Claire Distillery's first offering for Spring 2015 is Equinox. Bottled at 40% serve it chilled or in a cocktail.
Eau Claire is Alberta's first modern craft distillery. It was founded in 2013 and resides in Diamond Valley, Alberta.
From the Distillery
"Quintessential Alberta – this sweet elixir showcases Prickly Pear Cactus, along with a special blend of spring flavours. Serve it on ice or enjoy it as a complement to your favourite cocktail. Pair it with longer evenings as you migrate to patio living – the definition of refreshment. Let the spirit of Spring Equinox fly!"
Rabl Riesling Langenlois
$28.99
Rabl is one of Austria's best-known producers, and you'll know why when you try this fine Riesling. The family-owned winery is located in Austria's Kamptal region, a small but prestigious district located about 55 kilometres northwest of Vienna. Pair with pork tenderloin, pork chops or Asian takeout.