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| | SOME SCOTCHES WE LIKE:
Prices are current as of March 2010
GLENROTHES 1994 $79.99
Glenrothes 1985 $109.99
 The
Glenrothes distillery has supplied a fair quantity of its fine whisky to Berry
Brothers & Rudd, bottlers of a blended Scotch called Cutty Sark.
The Glenrothes is offered in this strange-looking bottle, a replica of some of
the lab sample bottles used at the distillery. The distillery started out
in 1878 as part of the Glen Grant group, before being swallowed up by a firm
called Highland Distillers. This, in turn, was taken over by the Edrington
Group (they own brands such as Famous Grouse, Highland Park, Cutty Sark,
Glenturret, Tamdhu and The Macallan).
We like the sweet fragrance of this spirit, with a faint suggestion of smokiness and a hint of
peatiness. Some tasters find a pear-like tone in their Scotch.
The 1994 seems to veer toward vanilla and a mild spice note.
The 1985 has all the
notes, it seems, of the 1994 and 1987 along with a hint of jammy tones.
- SPRINGBANK
 Years ago, well
before we had customers with any interest in "single malts,"
Springbank was regarded by those "in the know" as the
top-of-the-line whisky.
Without any of the fanfare surrounding other, more highly-publicized single
malts, Springbank still is a leading producer of great whisky.
Located in Campbeltown, there are several features to their work which makes
Springbank unique. They distill their spirit two-and-a-half times, as
they like to say. It's first distilled in a fairly standard
method. The second "round" of distillation takes place in a
spiral-necked still, something they claim is nearly unique in Scotland (due
to cost of producing such an apparatus out of copper). Then, something
like 80% of what comes out of this second "tier" goes into a third
still for further refinement.
I might point out Springbank is owned by descendants of the founder of the
distillery and is still independently owned and operated.
Springbank takes an active role in every phase of whisky production, from
the cutting of the peat to malting the barley and distilling and
bottling. No caramel for color and no chill-filtering. Sherry
barrels, typical, are used for maturation.
We have an independent bottler's offering of a 9 year old from Springbank
and this is a really interesting spirit. There are some sweet notes on
the nose, but it's certainly not sweet on the palate...honey?
In Stock: 10 Year Old 92 proof (List $65) SALE
$59.99
15 Year $109.99 (Sold Out presently)
10 year old 100-proof $71.99
12 Year "Amontillado" Wood (List $110) SALE
$99.99
Fino Sherry Wood (List $110) SALE $99.99
Murray McDavid "Springbank" 9 Year old $71.99
GLENFARCLAS Though the
name Grant is somewhat common in Scotland, this firm is owned by J. & G.
Grant and are not affiliated with any of the others. The distillery
was founded in 1836 and has been in the Grant family since 1865. A
Speyside producer, their whisky is the product of pot stills, rather than a
continuous still. More work.
Sherry barrels are used here to create this rich, lush Scotch of
Glenfarclas. We have their "105," a 105-proof whisky which
is said to be somewhere around eight to ten years old. It is a
full-throttle spirit, with notes of butterscotch and a mildly peaty
note. The finish lasts for quite a while.
Probably best known is their "basic" 12 year old, a mildly-peaty
whisky with a mildly oaky note on the finish.
The 17 year old shows some sherry-like notes and a hint of a buttery
quality. The 21 year old version of Glenfarclas is even more intense,
with raisiny notes and a mildly spicy finish. And the 25 year is
sublime and still reasonable considering it's close in quality to Macallan's...
- Currently in stock: 12 year old $43.99
17 year old (List $105) SALE $89.99
21 year old (List $120) SALE $104.99
"105" Proof $85.99
25 Year Old $159.99
GLENDRONACH
 This brand
has undergone a variety of changes over the past years. At one point
we saw but a 12 year old bottling...then nothing but a 15 year old.
Now they're back to a 12 year old spirit. It's quite nice, though. This has a touch of smokiness, too.
The 33 year old is a deluxe splurge, but it's a rarity and a remarkable
sip...
I am not certain if Glendronach's distillery is currently active, though I
believe they still use the facility (Allied Distillers, the owners) for
aging purposes.
- Currently in stock: 12 Year Old (List $55) SALE
$49.99
33 Year Old (List $365) SALE $315.99
GLENMORANGIE
 The ads talk
about the "16 men of Tain" who man the operations at
Glenmorangie. I read that only 6 men have held the position of general
manager of the firm over the past 150 years! And to think the
restaurant down the block has had that many chefs in the past two years...
The firm has grown tremendously over the past 20 years to the point where
they're presently the largest selling malt whisky in Scotland! To
think they had only two stills as of 1980!!
The whiskies produced by Glenmorangie are quite aromatic and fruity or
flowery. They've expanded the range of spirits over the years,
offering numerous bottlings.
We have their basic 10 year old, a light-colored spirit with a touch of a
flowery note and some sweet, spicy notes.
The 18-year old Glenmorangie
has more nutty elements, perhaps some sherry cask-influence showing to this
one. It's mildly oaky and has a longer and smoother finish than the 10
year old.
They offer a series of different "woods." These are
matured first in used Bourbon barrels before being placed in other wood
containers for a couple of years.
Nectar is finished in barrels which had been used in France's Sauternes
region. Ruban is a single malt finished in Port barrels. La
Santa was finished in used Sherry casks.
- Currently in stock: 10 year old (list $48)
SALE $39.99
Nectar (list $74) SALE $64.99
Ruban (list $69) SALE $59.99
La Santa (List $69) SALE $62.99
18 year old List $110 SALE $139.99(sale)
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THE MACALLAN
 Years ago people
who wanted a "different" Scotch would buy a bottle of Glenlivet or
Glenfiddich. Those were the "standards." Today those
brands remain standard, but today's benchmark whisky is The
Macallan.
This Speyside distillery has grown tremendously over the past few decades, a
result of their dedication to make a distinctive whisky and one of high
quality.
Macallan has always maintained the notion of aging its whisky in sherry
barrels. They have, we're told, purchased wood in Spain, loaned the
new cooperage to bodegas in Jerez and then reclaims them after some period
for aging The Macallan.
Macallan has changed over the years. It used to be distilled entirely
from Golden Promise barley. This type accounts for about 30% of the
grain used for The Macallan.
A wide range of bottlings can be found at the distillery. In the U.S.
we see the 12 year, 15 year, a couple of 18 year bottlings, a 25 year and a
30 year old offering.
Independent bottlers also offer Macallan,
usually at cask strength.
The 12 year has sweet notes of Sherry, a sort of honeyed and nutty
character. This is amplified a bit in the 15 year old bottling.
The regular bottling of 18 year is darned good, a classic in fact. The
"Gran Reserva" 18 year differs in that it's been aged in
first-fill casks, so the Sherry notes and spicy, oaky notes are more
pronounced. So is the price.
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- We have a couple of interesting bottlings from Murray McDavid...both are
bottled at 14 years of age...one was matured in barrels from Chateau Petrus
and the other in cooperage used once at Chateau d'Yquem. These are
terrific.
- Currently in stock:
Please note: Macallan's raises its prices twice a
year. Please call for current pricing.
12 year old SALE $42.99
12 year old $24.99 - 375ml
Cask Strength (list $57) SALE $49.99
15 year Old (List $75) SALE $65.99
18 year old (list $160) SALE $142.99
25 year old SALE $539.99 (1 bottle in stock...no
shipped orders)
Murray McDavid Bottlings 14
years $84.99
LAGAVULIN Lagavulin
makes a tremendously aromatic and flavorful whisky, one which vies with its
neighbor at Laphroaig for being the standard bearer for Islay malts.
(There's a serious challenge to these, as well, from Bowmore and
Ardbeg.)
It's been said that the peaty soil and the relatively exposed location on
the southern/eastern part of Islay accounts for some of the particular
character of Islay malts. You can almost sense the salt air of the sea
in a sip (or two) of Lagavulin.
A 16 year-old bottling is featured in
our shop.
They recently issued a 1993 vintage bottling that's been aged in a sherry
cask...
- Currently in stock: 16 year old SALE $76.99
1993 Special Edition
SALE $94.99
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- MORE WHISKIES
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