Woodford Reserve Master's Collection Historic Barrel Bourbon Whiskey
In the 1830s the Woodford County distillery was the setting for a series of discoveries and innovative practices that would define the bourbon industry for generations to come. Today that pioneering and innovative tradition is embodied in the Woodford Reserve Distillery's Master's Collection. A tradition beginning when Master Distiller James Crow joined distillery owner Oscar Pepper to create the first true Kentucky bourbon whiskies. In 2004 the Woodford Reserve Distillery introduced a new era of innovation to the historic Kentucky Bourbon industry with the first release of its Master’s Collection, “Four Grain”. For this 2022 release Master Distiller Chris Morris and Assistant Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall have drawn upon the rich history of Kentucky Bourbon and their own interests for inspiration. When “new make” Bourbon is entered into the barrel it begins the maturation process. There are many factors involved in this and barrel entry proof plays an important role. Proof is controlled both as it enters the barrel (barrel entry proof) and as it leaves the barrel (bottle proof) by adding water to achieve a desired flavour profile. A higher concentration of water added as it enters the barrel, resulting in a lower proof, allows for less water to be added upon exit, which results in a greater concentration of the natural flavours absorbed from the charred oak. Barrel entry proof has changed over the past two centuries. The bourbon of the 19th century had a barrel entry of 100 to 103 proof. After the repeal of Prohibition, barrel entry proof levels began to increase. In 1962 the barrel entry proof was increased to the present 125 proof standard. This 2022 Master’s Collection features the 100 proof entry of a bygone era and is presented at 90.4 proof. The result is this Historic Barrel Entry, a rich and darkly robust expression of Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. A deep russet orange in colour with an alluring medley of aromas of vanilla bean and dried apple dusted with nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon with a hint of cocoa. Roasted coffee and hazelnut soften into notes of dark cherry and plum muddled with spearmint. On the palate there are flavours of rich toasted oak is tempered by overripe banana and a medley of cooked berry fruits. Hints of leather, coffee, and baking spice trail into minty dark chocolate. A lingering finish of charred oak, leather, and orange oil.
Glendalough 7 Year Old Mizunara Finish Single Malt Whiskey
The Glendalough Distillery was established by a group of friends from Wicklow and Dublin who shared a deep passion for reviving the rich heritage of craft distilling in Ireland. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Ireland was home to over 200 licensed distilleries, producing diverse styles of poitín, whiskey, gin, and even absinthe. However, in recent times, that number has dwindled to a small handful. After many discussions, the friends decided to take a chance on something more meaningful and built a craft distillery near their favourite spot in the Wicklow Mountains, Glendalough. The area, known as "the garden of Ireland," is renowned for its natural beauty and Glendalough, or the Glen of two Lakes, is one of the most visited valleys in Ireland. It is also home to a 6th-century monastic settlement founded by St. Kevin, a legendary monk who is the man on the Glendalough bottle. Monasteries like Glendalough were the birthplace of distilled drinks. A key influence on the flavour of Glendalough whiskey is the wood in which it has spent time. Countless nuances affect how the wood injects flavour, from the straightness of the tree or fineness of the grain to the size of the barrel or depth of the char. To make their gins, Glendalough forages wild plants from the mountains around the distillery. All the plants are sustainably foraged by one person, and what they pick goes fresh into the still within hours of foraging. The story of St. Kevin is where Glendalough draws its inspiration. He abandoned safety and comfort to follow his passion and create something more meaningful in the mountains. St. Kevin was born into Irish royalty, but he felt like a man apart. He disappeared into the mountains and became one with the wild, living off the land by the upper lake of Glendalough for seven years while pondering his place in the world. One of the many stories that spread around Ireland and inspired people to seek out this holy man and his deep, hidden valley is that of a blackbird landing in his hand. He stood day and night until the eggs hatched and the chicks fledged, showcasing his unwavering resolve and connection with nature. Eventually, he built his "City of 7 Churches" by the lower lake, which still stands 14 centuries later as a testament to his legacy. The Glendalough Distillery places great emphasis on the wood used to mature their whiskey, with countless nuances affecting the flavour, from the straightness of the tree or fineness of the grain to the size of the barrel or depth of the char. Their whiskeys mature in American white oak Bourbon barrels, which lay the flavour foundation that has become the backbone of the Irish whiskey taste. They also finish all of their whiskeys in a second, very different cask. They use Spanish Oloroso sherry butts to finish their Double Barrel, Dublin porter barrels for their 7-year-old single malt, and legendary Mizunara oak for their 13-year-old single malt. They are also proud to play a part in bringing Irish oak back into use for aging Irish whiskey, helping to manage these ancient forests, and doing their bit for the regeneration of these beautiful, broad-leaf, deciduous woods. Glendalough Distillery embarked on a relentless search for the most flavourful oak in the world, taking them from their own wooded mountains in Wicklow to the volcanic north of Japan, Hokkaido, where they discovered Mizunara, the most sought-after oak in the whiskey world. The resulting whiskey is vivid yet delicate, with seamless depth and a vibrant, fruity and floral nose. It boasts a luxuriously smooth mouthfeel with notes of dark chocolate orange, sandalwood and cinnamon that are synonymous with Mizunara whiskeys. The Mizunara 7-year single malt from Glendalough benefits from an exceptionally long finish of toasted oak and oriental spices, with the dark chocolate lingering even longer, making for a truly exceptional whiskey.
Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Five-Malt Stouted Mash Whiskey
In the 1830’s our Woodford County distillery was the setting for a series of discoveries and innovative practices that today define the bourbon industry. Today that pioneering and innovative tradition is embodied in the Woodford Reserve Distillery's Master's Collection. A tradition beginning when Master Distiller James Crow joined distillery owner Oscar Pepper to create the first true Kentucky bourbon whiskies. For this 2021 Master’s Collection release Master Distiller Chris Morris and Assistant Master Distiller, Elizabeth McCall have drawn upon that rich history and their own interests for inspiration. In Kentucky, a fermented grain mash is traditionally called “distiller’s beer”. Distillation converts this “beer” into a spirit that will become a “Whiskey” once barrelled. The result is the Fall 2021 Master’s Collection release named Five-Malt Stouted Mash, a rich and darkly robust expression of Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskey. A nose of roasted malt, toasted nuts, chocolate and orange leads to warm oak, cherry and shortbread. The pallet is malty with toasted hazelnut and cocoa highlights atop a layer of baked fruit, crisp spice and zest bounce about the depths and more malt and chocolate notes to finish.
Redbreast Strength 12 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey
The Robin Redbreast is the only bird which sings continuously throughout the dark irish winners and is one of the very few small birds that choose to winter in Ireland. It is this enduring spirit which inspires its namesake, Redbreast Whiskey. When the world demanded lighter, more accessible whiskey styles, Redbreast stood steadfast in its belief of the tradition and significance of single pot still Irish whiskey. For the past century, Redbreast has been the standard bearer for this quintessentially Irish style of whiskey. Made from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and then triple distilled in copper pot stills. Redbreast 12 displays the characteristic full and complex flavour of pot still whiskey, with the distinctive influence of pot still whiskey, which has been matured in sherry casks. The legendary sherried Redbreast style is a joy to behold in each and every bottle. This very special cask strength expression gives a rare glimpse of Redbreast 12 in its natural, full flavoured state. Tasting Notes Aroma - Succulent exotic fruit with a little citrus, complementing deeper notes of dried apricot and sultana. Infusion of pot still spices and toasted wood. Taste - Rich, fully rounded and mellow with luscious fruit and typical pot still oils and spices. Sweetness of vanilla and a touch of oak. Finish - Satisfyingly long with the sophisticated combination of fruit and spices slowly giving way to toasted oak, then barely.
Mackmyra Destination Swedish Single Malt Whisky
Mackmyra was Sweden’s first whisky distillery and 20 years after being established continues to innovate and evolve. Mackmyra Destination is a non-peated whisky that to a large extent has been aged in casks that previously held port wine. These casks give the whisky deep notes of red grapes, raisins and a beautiful chestnut colour. Together with American oak casks that contribute with notes of vanilla fudge. The finished result is balanced, yet complex and round. Make sure to let the whisky breathe for a while before enjoying it. This will open up the palette to sparkle with beautiful notes. This whisky is an invitation to whisky lovers all around the world to come and visit us at one of our many destinations. Pear and raisins on the nose is a lovely combination, followed by sweet notes of fudge and almond. The palate has more prominent notes of vanilla fudge and almond coming from the American oak casks along with sweet raisins and berry-like nuances of white heart cherry and blackberry. On the finish is hazelnut with lively notes of oak.
Westland Colere 1st Edition American Single Malt Whiskey ( Release)
The Westland Colere 1st Edition American Single Malt Whiskey marks a monumental step forward for not just Westland but the whiskey industry as a whole. Colere (latin for cultivate) is the first release in what will be an ongoing series utilising unique forgotten varieties of barley from the pacific northwest with flavour first as a goal. Colere Edition 1 is made with the varietal that began it all, Alba (a six-row winter barley) and intentionally matured in only used casks to relegate the oak influence to a supporting role and focus the attention on the grain itself. The maturation was broken down to 2nd Fill ISC Cooper’s Reserve (62%), 1st Fill Ex-Bourbon (38%) Released in 2020, only 2,893 Bottles produced.