Okayama Japanese Cedar Cask Strength
$949.99
From the Miyashita Sake Brewery, which has been producing a very limited amount of single malt whisky since 2011, comes this mysterious little gem. Matured for 3 years and 9 months in a cask tricked out with Japanese cedar heads, it would seem. Cedar? We're beyond intrigued. This wouldn't fly in Scotland, of course, but Japan is a bit more 'Wild West' (Wild East?) when it comes to their regulations. A high price point, for sure, but is there anything like this out there? This release was from Cask No. 1514, and it is bonified made in Japan single malt whisky.
Natural colour, non-chill filtered, and bottled at 60% abv.
Miyashita Shuzo has been brewing sake since 1915. In 1994 they started brewing beer, becoming one of the pioneers of craft brewing in Japan. They began experimenting with distillation in 2003, putting their hoppy beer through a shochu still. After being granted a license to produce malt whisky in 2011, they began distilling single malt whisky. Since 2015 this has been done in a hybrid copper pot sill.
BenRiach 16 Year
$194.99
There's simply not enough BenRiach on the market anymore. We miss the days when Billy Walker owned the distillery, and this fruit-driven malt was everywhere. Sadly, that's not the case any longer, but the arrival of this 16-year-old has us buzzing. Hopefully, it's a sign of things to come.
Producer Note: "After sixteen years of maturation, Benriach develops a richly balanced evolution of our signature Speyside style. Three cask maturation in bourbon, sherry and virgin oak brings layers of stone fruit, smooth creamy malt, wild honey and nutty oak spice."
From Master Blender, Rachel Barrie: "Our signature Speyside style blossoms at ten years old, finding depth and richer layers of orchard fruit character as it turns sixteen. Our core flavour components of fruit, malt and oak become more concentrated, enriched with age at sixteen years old, bringing layers of stone fruit, smooth creamy malt, wild honey and nutty oak spice."
43%
Whisky Agency Macduff 2011 51.8%
$189.99
A MacDuff (aka Deveron/ Glen Deveron) that spent a decade in ex-Sherry Hoggy #900359. One of only 395 bottles.
Natural colour, non-chill filtered, and bottled at 51.8% abv. 87.00 pts Whiskybase
Macduff Distillery was founded only around 60 years ago back in 1960 and resides near the mouth of the River Deveron near where it empties into the North Sea. That puts it in the Highlands, just north and east of Speyside. It's nearest distillery neighbours include Glenglassaugh Distillery which is about a 20-minute drive to the west along the A98 as well as Knockdhu Distillery which is about a 25-minute drive to the south and west if you start on the A98 and then connect to the A95.
G&M Distillery Label Mortlach 15 Year
$154.99
This whisky was featured on Day 14 of our 2023 KWM Whisky Calendar. You can check out Evan's blog post on the whisky here.
Matured in First Fill and Refill Sherry before bottling at 46%, this 15 year old Mortlach is part of the G&M Distillery Label range.
Shelter Point 10 Year Single Malt
$114.99
Big changes going on at Shelter Point. New owners, new management, new vision. While we're a little sad about the changing of the guard, we're also keen to see what comes next for this little island distillery. An infusion of new blood could mean very exciting times ahead.
But in the meantime, let's celebrate a coming of age! 10-year-old single malt that came from the first year of production. We've been patiently waiting for this moment. Well... some of us not so patiently, actually. Hopefully, this 10-year-old becomes the distillery's new flagship expression. Fingers crossed.
Natural colour, non-chill filtered, and bottled at 46% abv.
Macallan Classic Cut 2023
$224.99
The replacement for the beloved Macallan Cask Strength is the Classic Cut. It is released as an annual NAS bottling. 50.3%
Producer Description
"The 2023 Edition explores dynamic, multisensory dimensions inspired by the whisky's unique tasting notes, while the addition of 'one cut' of water opens up a new, sensorial world from pear to almond biscotti. This high strength release demonstrates The Macallan’s ongoing quest to seek out the extraordinary."
GrainHenge Whisky Meeting Creek No.3
$111.99
From Grain Henge/Troubled Monk in Red Deer, Alberta, this single malt whisky release was matured in cask for at least 3 and up to 6 years is bottled at an impressive 56.4%.
The whisky is made from a mash of 2 Row, Amber, Brown Malt, Chocolate Malt, and Crystal Malt. This is somewhat similar to the mash used to make Troubled Monk Brewing's Open Road American Brown Ale.
Cask types used:
- #2 Char New American Oak (Aged 39 Months)
- #3 Char New American Oak (Aged 73 Months)
- Ex-Bourbon (Aged 55 Months)
Producer Description
"Introducing Meeting Creek No. 3, the latest release in our GrainHenge Whisky line—a small-batch, Alberta-crafted single malt with deep, roasted flavours and rich notes of caramel and chocolate. Following in the award-winning footsteps of its predecessors, Meeting Creek No. 1 and No. 2, which have each earned awards, this edition brings the same dedication to craft with a bold, refined character."
Raasay NaSia Gold Medal Peated Chinkapin
$149.99
This cask was not merely selected by Canadian importer Gold Medal Marketing, but rather Andy Dunn bought it as a future, and patiently waited while it matured. This is a peated Raasay, matured in a freshly charred and toasted, custom-made Chinkapin oak cask, bottled at 61.4%.
Chinkapin oak or Quercus Muehlenbergii, is a type of American white oak cask native to central and eastern North America.
Amrut Kurinji Single Malt
$114.99
Kurinji was a neat little surprise when we were tasting our way through the Victoria Whisky Festival. Our good friend Ashok pulled this out and poured a dram, with a big smile on his face. It was easy to smile along. This is a ridiculously pretty little sipper. Easy going and very charming. The label says Batch 1, so hopefully we see more editions in the future.
46% abv