Dear Malt Messenger Subscribers,

I hope this Malt Messenger Bulletin finds you well. The Labour Day Weekend is fast approaching, and I’m sure most of you are focused on your plans for the last weekend of the summer. I know technically the summer doesn’t end on Monday but it kind of feels that way, doesn’t it? Kids go back to school, business starts to pick up and the evenings get shorter. The fall can be a lonely and foreboding time, but it doesn’t need to be that way. The Kensington Wine Market has more than a dozen reasons for you to step boldly out into the cool crisp air this fall; our Fall Tasting Schedule is now online! You can view and register for tastings online at https://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/tastings/register.php , or give us a call at 403-283-8000. As always, many of the tastings will fill up quickly.

The next full Malt Messenger will be out next week. This Fall Preview Edition will be full of information on the exciting new releases we will be bringing to you from now through December. In the meantime I’ll share a few tidbits below on some of the new whiskies to have come in over the last few weeks. More to follow next week…

And one final piece of business. I don’t want to create a Stampede—though the last few times I announced this that was the result—but we’ve managed to get our hands on a little more of both the Alberta Premium 30 Year and the Highland Park St. Magnus. This is not a case of me “Crying Wolf”, I have been assured by the importer Beam Global that this is the last of both in the Province, and very likely, Canada! We managed to acquire 48 more bottles of the Alberta Premium 30 Year, the world’s oldest straight rye whisky. It retails for $54.99 + GST which is ridiculously cheap for a 30 year old whisky; even if they did sell the 25 year for about half the price (they may just as well have given it away). Many of these have already been sold and the rest won’t last long. And as for the Highland Park St. Magnus, we’ve picked up the last 18 bottles of it, and there is but 4 of them which weren’t already spoken for. It retails for $124.99 + GST.

I hope you enjoy this Malt Messenger Bulletin and take pleasure in the waning days of summer!

Slainté!

Andrew Ferguson

PS-Don’t forget to follow me on twitter @ twitter.com/scotch_guy and check out our new store Blog at http://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com/blog/..

 

FALL TASTING SCHEDULE

1. Classic Single Malts – This is our classic introduction to the world of single malt Scotch whisky. You’ll discover a little history, how it’s made and sample six distinct styles. – Tue Sep 20 7pm – $30.00

2. Raucous Rums – A roundup of some of the finest sipping rums in the world. We’ll be sampling some old, some rare, and some new rums to the Alberta scene. – Tues Sept 27 7pm – $50.00

3. MacKinley’s Shackleton Whisky Launch – Ernest Shackleton, the great Antarctic explorer, was forced to abandon 3 crates of whisky in 1907 to try to save his doomed expedition. Discovered 100 years later, these rare malts have been painstakingly recreated by the distiller Whyte and MacKay. The presentation package is authentic, inspired by the original crates, the bottle was made with the same imperfections as the original and the label has been hand drawn to reproduce a now extinct typeface. This is no gimmick; the whisky has been carefully blended to duplicate the original, and is mostly composed of whisky from the original, now closed Glen Mhor distillery. Only 180 bottles of this very limited whisky are coming to Alberta, all of them to Kensington Wine Market. We will be throwing a party to celebrate the launch, with special guests, a commemorative glass and your first opportunity to sample whiskies from the Fettercairn distillery! – Fri Sept 30 7PM – $30.00

4. Rare Malts – Only whiskies 20+ years of age, from closed distilleries or the very rare, need apply for this staple of our tasting schedule. – Mon Oct 3 7pm – $75.00

5. Kilchoman – Anthony Wills, founder of the Kilchoman micro distillery on Islay, will be in town for a special vertical tasting of whiskies from his cult distillery, including our now sold out Kilchoman KWM Fresh Bourbon Cask and the new Kilchoman KWM Sherry Cask! – Tue Oct 11 7pm – $30.00

6. Glenfarclas Family Casks w/ George Grant – George Grant, Glenfarclas’ larger than life ambassador will be back for the fourth annual Family Casks tasting at the Petroleum Club. 319 – 5th Ave Sw..This year we have a special treat, a 40+ year old special bottling, The Chairman’s Reserve, celebrating the distillery’s 175th year. – Mon Oct 31 7pm – $160.00

7. Scotch Malt Whisky Society Friday I – This is the first of our monthly SMWS tastings. $25 for members and $35 for neophytes. These tastings will highlight 5 new releases every month from the most prolific bottler of single cask, cask strength, single malt whisky. You have to be a member to buy the bottles, but we’ll let you have a taste, and membership is open to all… For more information on the Society visitwww.smws.ca or call our Scotch Guy at 403-283-8000 – Fri Nov 4 7pm – $35.00

8. Jura Distillery with Willie Tait – Jura’s brand ambassador and employee of nearly 37 years, Willie Tait, will be in town to shed some light on the distillery, its whiskies and the mysterious island they come from. – Tue Nov 8 7pm – $40.00

9. Glendronach 1972 Launch Dinner – Our exceptional new cask will be launched this night during a special whisky dinner with Alistair Walker at Buchanan’s Chop House, 738 3 Avenue, SW. – Wed Nov 9 7pm – $135.00

10. Fall Single Malt Festival – Our iconic whisky festival is back for another year with a line-up of up to 100 premium whiskies from some of Scotland’s finest distilleries. Don’t hesitate, it sells out every year, and there are only 100 tickets! – Thr Nov 10 7pm – $60.00

11. Whisky, Women & Chocolate – Nothing pairs better with whisky than chocolate, so gather the gals for a sumptuous ladies only sampling of fine single malt Scotch and premium chocolate. Fri Nov 25 7pm – $50.00

12. Master Malt – Only the most rare and special whiskies are showcased at this tasting which always highlights some of the most exciting whiskies in the world! – Tue Nov 29 7pm – $99.00

13. Scotch Malt Whisky Society Friday I – This is the second of our monthly SMWS tastings… $25 for members and $35 for neophytes. These tastings will highlight 5 new releases every month from the most prolific bottler of single cask, cask strength, single malt whisky. You have to be a member to buy the bottles, but we’ll let you have a taste, and membership is open to all… For more information on the Society visit www.smws.ca or call our Scotch Guy at 403-283-8000 – Fri Dec 2 7pm – $35.00

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If you have any whisky questions or comments concerning The Malt Messenger please contact me by e-mail, phone, or drop by the store. Feel free to forward me any whisky news you feel should be included in a future issue of The Malt Messenger; it might just get included.

All of the products mentioned in THE MALT MESSENGER can be purchased in store, over the phone or from our website at http://www.kensingtonwinemarket.com.. All prices quoted in the Malt Messenger are subject to change!

Thanks for reading the Malt Messenger!

Slainte!

Andrew Ferguson

KWM Scotchguy

403-283-8000

888-283-9004

1257 Kensington Rd. NW

Calgary, AB, Canada

T2N 3P8

scotchguy@kensingtonwinemarket.com