Category Archives: Distilleries

Jewish Whisky Company Announces Significant Changes in 2019 for Single Cask Nation and Whisky Jewbilee – Whisky News

Jewish Whisky Company Announces Significant Changes in 2019 for Single Cask Nation and Whisky Jewbilee

Building off 2017’s successful expansion of Single Cask Nation from a membership-only model to offering additional single cask bottlings of malt whisky, grain whisky via retail stores, Jewish Whisky Company plans a further expansion of their Single Cask Nation line of independently bottled whiskies into UK, European and Canadian markets in 2019.

“We constantly see great demand for our whiskies from many non-US markets,” said Jason Johnstone-Yellin, the company’s COO, “and as a result, we are keen to break into these markets while mirroring how we currently operate in the US.”

Jewish Whisky Company offers two separate outlets for Single Cask Nation sales: online, referred to internally and amongst their membership as ‘Special Projects Division,’ and retail. Single Cask Nation retail bottlings are currently available in the following US states: CA, CT, IL, LA, MA, NJ, NY, RI, WI, and IN with additional states being added as part of a national rollout in 2019.

“We’re proud of the fact that we bottled 28 casks in 2018 across both online and retail platforms,” said Joshua Hatton, the company’s CEO, “but we have every intention of tripling that number in 2019.”

With grand plans in place for 2019 and beyond the company has decided to mothball their globally regarded Whisky Jewbilee whisky festival to allow the needed time and focus to successfully realize their 2019 Single Cask Nation aspirations.

Whisky Jewbilee was built as a whisky geek’s whisky festival and, in the minds of Hatton and Johnstone-Yellin, must continue to evolve and innovate, challenging those very same whisky geeks who helped reinforce the reputation of the events across the United States. With an aggressive expansion plan in place for Single Cask Nation in 2019 there is no longer adequate time or focus to keep the Whisky Jewbilee held in high regard. Accordingly, the decision has been made to mothball the Whisky Jewbilee while tickets remain in high demand. All thirteen events have sold out and online publications like the Spirits Business and ScotchWhisky.com have named Whisky Jewbilee among the world’s top whisky festivals.

“We never want to phone-in any Jewbilee event,” said Hatton, ”The support Whisky Jewbilee has received in New York City since its inception in 2012, combined with the support it has garnered since it first started moving west to include Chicago in 2015 and Seattle in 2016, has been unbelievable and very much appreciated. Whisky Jewbilee attendees have a reputation unsurpassed on the whisky festival circuit. We’ll miss seeing so many familiar faces at future Jewbilee events but we’ll still visit these wonderful markets to share new Single Cask Nation releases.”

While both Hatton and Johnstone-Yellin lament the need to mothball Whisky Jewbilee, Johnstone-Yellin said “when we launched our company in 2011 it was with the intention of being an independent bottler first. While operating a whisky festival has been fun it’s time to refocus on our number one priority and, as such, mothballing the event is necessary to ensure that our UK, European, and Canadian expansion starting in 2019 is as successful as we can make it.”

About Jewish Whisky Company:

Established in 2011 , Jewish Whisky Company is the first and only US-based independent bottler of scotch, bourbon, rye, rum, and other world spirits. Owned and operated by Joshua Hatton and Jason Johnstone-Yellin, the company is home to Single Cask Nation, Whisky Jewbilee, WhiskyGeek Tours, and One Nation Under Whisky podcast. For more information, visit www.jewishwhiskycompany.com or contact Joshua & Jason at INFO at JEWISHWHISKYCOMPANY dot COM.

A Westland Distillery Two’fer – Winter and Peat Week, 2016 style

 

Lets face it. 2016 was a punch in the face for everyone in some way, shape, or form. However, it was a good year for good whisky.

Today’s good whisky will be televised (or, youtube’vised – see below).

Westland is, in my opinion, one of the world’s best producers of single malt and, heck, they’re only 5 or 6 years old! Imagine what’ll happen in 5, 10, 15 years?

Today, instead of writing a review, I thought it’d be good to record my review of two lovely Westland whiskies:

  • Westland Winter 2016 – special limited edition
  • Westland Peat Week 2016- special limited edition

I hope you enjoy!

Happy Christmukwanzikkah, everyone!

Things that’ve impressed the hell out of me this year.

 

Fukano Japanese Whisky Cask 300Things that’ve impressed the hell out of me this year?

Almost nothing.

2016 has be a crap year with too many good people dying and various tragedies that there just doesn’t seem to be an end to (take your pick).

Thankfully, there is whisky.

This single cask of Fukano Japanese whisky (distilled from rice), however, impressed the hell out of me.

Region – Japan – ABV – 41.8% (natural cask strength)

On the nose — Say what?! Nose this blindly and I would have guessed/assumed this was a 20+ year old Willett Rye.

Wonderful oak framing with a spiciness that is so rye-like.

Fukano Japanese Whisky Cask 300Chocolate, Vanilla (with hints of raspberry) tarts and seasoned oak. Top note of acetone that plays well with warmed dill sauce.

Crisp starfruit that leads into notes of Mexican chocolate, deep vanilla and fresh coconut.

A better nose than most American rye whiskies I’ve had. Wonderful to find this profile in Japanese hooch. I could just smell this for 20min straight.

Fukano Japanese Whisky Cask 300In the mouth — Easy and oily entry with a growing waxy mouthfeel.  The palate is very similar to the nose but somehow, warmer.

Nutmeg and chocolate come to the fore but so does a great deal of vanilla bean.

Mild pickling spices, gentle yet rich red fruits, boozy butterscotch verging on Werther’s Original candies.

Fukano Japanese Whisky Cask 300Finish — Long and lovely (that’s what she said?) with lasting notes of a spiced vanilla latte.

In sum — I am massively impressed with this whisky. There have been some stand-offish nay-sayers when it comes to whisky distilled from rice.

I say – take the Pepsi challenge. Taste this blind and you will be more than pleasantly surprised.

At only $69/bottle, I suggest you grab one and drink the shit out of it.

Crazy good Balblair from 1993, matured in a first fill sherry puncheon, bottled by Gordon MacPhail

 

Region – Speyside – ABV – 53.4% ABV – Cask 1962 – First Fill Sherry Puncheon – This was around $150

Gordon MacPhail 1993 Balblair first fill sherry puncheon cask 1962It wasn’t long ago that I had a chance to sit down with my good friend Jonathan Bray to review this Balblair.

Actually, yes, it was quite some time ago…. back in May/June based on my tasting notes and the published date of Jonathan’s review. Ugh.

♬ Ti-i-i-ime is not on my side, no it isn’t! ♬ Where does the time go?!

My apologies to you, dear reader, and my apologies to Jonathan, for not getting this review up sooner.

Gordon MacPhail 1993 Balblair first fill sherry puncheon cask 1962On the nose — A host of notes you’d come to expect from a heavily sherried whisky: pickled walnuts, cherry pits, German brown bread, cola syrup, and dark bitter chocolate.

What you’d not expect (or maybe you would) is a quite present phenolic component giving off notes of a fireworks finale, burning cardboard, and what I can only assume is the scent of the Heaven’s Gate cult compound living quarters. They kept quite clean, as I understand.  You know, before the end…

Gordon MacPhail 1993 Balblair first fill sherry puncheon cask 1962A-a-a-a-a-nyway, I’m also detecting sulphured figs and dried papaya, too.

In the mouth — Chewy, unctuous, moreish, dare I say massive.

Tasting notes aside, my initial reaction is “damn, this is good tasting juice!”

Gordon MacPhail 1993 Balblair first fill sherry puncheon cask 1962Deep and dark fruits (insert Landry list here) which is countered by Balblair’s natural tropical fruit notes but they’re dried (more papaya, candied medjool dates, black currant, and interestingly some raw coconut flesh).

This is near flawless on the palate.

Finish — Perfectly timed tannins, sweet Thai chili sauce, decent length

In sum — While the nose presented some slightly off/sulphuric notes, the palate delivered in a way that few heavily sherried whiskies do. Stunning delivery of flavors and a finish that makes you want to sip more. Without getting into too much detail, the addition of water turns this into a vorpal +4 whisky of drinking. You basically roll a natural 20 on a d20 when adding water and the fruits just multiply.

Oy, Oi, Oy, this is a cracking good dram and if you can still find a bottle, you could consider yourself *very* lucky.  Not convinced?  Be sure to check out Jonathan’s review of this gem.

Kilchoman US East Coast Tour Itinerary

 

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From September 26th to October 9th, the whisky-loving Wills brothers will embark on a tour down the East Cost of the US spreading the word of Kilchoman, Islay’s Farm independent Distillery. James and Peter Wills, sons of Kilchoman Founder Anthony Wills will travel from Boston to Washington DC in their custom Land Rover making stops along the way to share a few drams and a story or two of Kilchoman, Islay and growing up in a distillery.

A special edition cask strength, 58.9% ABV, US Tour bottling of the distilleries flagship expression Machir Bay has been created especially for the tour. Just 840 bottles of the special edition will be available exclusively from stops made on their journey.

Recently awarded Best No Age Statement Single Malt Scotch at the International Wine & Spirits Competition and Best Peated Scotch Whisky at the International Whisky Competition, Kilchoman has quickly established itself in the whisky world. Tasting during the tour will feature all the latest Kilchoman releases as well as one or two surprises.

Check here for more information on Kilchoman. We’ll keep you posted about the Kilchoman tour and other ImpexBev brands on Facebook and Twitter.

Kilchoman US East Coast Tour Itinerary

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MONDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2016

6pm – Brandy Library private room event
Address: 25 N Moore St. New York, NY 10013
Phone: 212.226.5545
Email: info@brandylibrary.com
Website: http://www.brandylibrary.com/

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2016

7pm — Park Ave in-store Seminar
Address: 270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016
Phone: 212.685.2442
Email: whiskyconn@gmail.com
Website: https://www.parkaveliquor.com/

9:30pm — Bar St. Andrews event
Address: 140 W 46th St, New York, NY 10036
Phone: 212.840.8413
Email: barstandrews@gmail.com
Website: http://standrewsnyc.com/#home

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2016

2:30pm to 4:30pm – Federal Wine & Spirits Bottle signing event
Address: 29 State St, Boston, MA 02109
Phone: 617.367.8605
Email: joe@federalwine.com
Website: http://www.federalwine.com/

7pm – Julio’s Liquors Exclusive Whisky Wednesday event
Address: 140 Turnpike Rd, Westborough, MA 01581
Phone: 508.366.1942
Website: http://juliosliquors.com/wp/

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2016

7pm – Town Wine & Spirits Dinner event
Address: TBD
Phone: 401.434.4563
Email: malt@townwineri.com
Website: http://www.townwineandspirits.com/

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 2016

1:30pm – 2:30pm – Mora’s Fine Wine and Spirits
Address: 280 Main St East Setauket, NY 11733
Phone: (631) 941-4458
Website: http://www.moraswines.com
Bottle signing event

7:30pm – Cambridge Wines and Spirits Seminar
Address: 10 Lafayette Ave #2, Morristown, NJ 07960
Phone: 973.984.9463
Website: http://cambridgewinesnj.com/

SUNDAY OCTOBER 2, 2016

1pm-3pm – The Wine & Spirit Co. of Greenville tasting
Address: 4025 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, DE 19807
Phone: 302.658.9463
Website: http://www.wineandspiritco.com/

5pm – Stoney’s British Pub dinner event & tasting
Address: 3007 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19803
Phone: 302.477.9740
Email: mjstone2001@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.stoneyspub.com/

MONDAY OCTOBER 3, 2016

6.30pm-8 pm – Frank’s Wine tasting
Address: 2216 Pennsylvania Avenue, Wilmington, DE 19806
Phone: 302.429.1978
Email: frank@frankswine.com
Website: http://www.frankswine.com/

TUESDAY OCTOBER 4, 2016

Whisky Blasphemy – Private tasting by invitation only
Address: Langhorne, PA

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 5, 2016

7pm – Judge’s Bench private tasting
Address: 8385 Main Street, Ellicott City, MD 21043
Phone: 410.465.3497
Email: info@judgesbenchpub.com
Website: http://judgesbenchpub.com/

THURSDAY OCTOBER 6, 2016

4.30pm-8.30pm – Petite Cellars open tasting
Address: 11079 Resort Road, Ellicott City, MD 21043
Phone: 410.750.0562
Website: https://www.petitecellars.com/

FRIDAY OCTOBER 7, 2016

7pm – Stateline Liquors tasting
Address: 1610 Elkton Road, Elkton, MD 21921
Phone: 410.398.3838
Email: stateline@comcast.net
Website: http://www.statelineliquors.com/

SATURDAY OCTOBER 8, 2016

1pm-2.30pm – Restaurant RIS (Arrowine) tasting
Address: 2275 L Street NW, Washington, DC 20037
Phone: 202.785.0785
Email: mpetree@arrowine.com
Website: http://www.risdc.com/

3pm – Jack Rose Dining Saloon event
Address: 2007 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
Phone: 202.588.7388
Email: info@jackrosediningsaloon.com
Website: http://jackrosediningsaloon.com/