Bottled to celebrate Ardbeg Day 2021 and Islay’s definitely-real-and-totally-not-made-up flavour breathing dragon, Ardbeg Scorch is a dram with an almost mythical flavour profile. Our whisky wizards have been hard at work, chanting incantations and conjuring spirits, concocting one of the Distillery’s most fantastical whiskies yet. Matured in ex-Bourbon American oak casks, fiercely charred and packed with smoke, discover lair upon lair of flavour in Ardbeg Scorch.

This edition of Ardbeg Scorch will be available in the below countries – if an exact date isn’t specified, make sure you’re a Member of the Ardbeg Committee to be kept up to date!

TASTING NOTES

COLOUR: Bright brushed gold

NOSE: On the nose, frighteningly intense aromas of soot and smoke lie in wait. Hints of aniseed and fragrant patchouli interlace with bold notes of quenched steel and saddle soap. With a drop of water, herbal top notes of briarwood, sage and pine wisp their way to the fore.

TASTE: Take a sip and experience lair upon lair of flavour. An oily mouthfeel grips the senses. Billowy clouds of sweet smoke and dragon charred oak permeate the palate, while grilled fare and black liquorice weave between notes of medicinal lozenge.

FINISH: A long and heroic finale, with a subtle tarry aftertaste. A finish that will drag on, well into its happily ever after.

Small and broad leafed, the Tobalá maguey is found in high desert canyons. It is slow growing so we are careful to harvest responsibly and limit our production. Tobalá is sought after for its sweet nose, intoxicating range of flavors, and long, smooth finish. In Doña Vega Mezcal, it produces a true connoisseur’s spirit, a seemingly endless series of sensations, a depth of experience that continually inspires and surprises.

Rounder and more subtle smoke profile. Creamier, velvety mouth feel, doesn’t offer the same “heat” as espadín.

Tasting notes: macadamia, walnut, crema, soft hickory, dehydrated fruit, cocao nib, nougat, vanilla, toasted oak

The process for Siembra Valles Ancestral Blanco starts with agaves that are created from natural pollination vs cloning (hijuelos) which adds a few additional years to their growing process before harvesting.

The mature agaves are cooked in a earthen pit over wood and lava rocks, then hand-macerated with wooden mallets.

Del Maguey (pronounced ma–gay), Single Village Mezcal was founded in 1995 by internationally renowned artist and Mezcal visionary, Ron Cooper. Ron introduced the world to previously unavailable 100% certified organic, artisanal Mezcal produced the original handcrafted way. Through deep cultural relationships with Zapotec Mexican Indian producers in the remote villages of Oaxaca, Mexico, Del Maguey harnesses ancient, original organic processes. Combining these methods with varying micro-climates and terroir gives each creation its own unique, rich, sweet and smoky character. Every product in their collection is made by individual family palenqueros (producers) in old-style villages. They are the first producer to credit each product after the village where our liquid is made. When you see their beautiful green bottles you know it’s Del Maguey. Most of Del Maguey's mezcals are distilled to proof, so the ABV will vary slightly between batches.

In June of 2017, international spirits company, Pernod Ricard, purchased majority stake in the company. Del Maguey is now part of their portfolio that includes Jameson Whiskey, Absolute Vodka, and Havana Club Rum.

Exiliado Tobasiche is produced by mezcalero Artemio García in San Dionisio Ocotepec, Oaxaca. This mezcal is made with wild-harvested maguey Tobasiche (Agave karwinskii). The agaves are cooked in an underground pit over, milled by tahona, and double distilled in copper.

Germain-Robin XO is an icon of California Brandy. Distilled exclusively in Pruhlo Charentais Pot Stills and aged in Limousin Oak Barrels, XO highlights the unique flavor and characteristics of California Pinot Noir grapes.

DISTILLER'S NOTES:
The high-quality California wine grapes in Germain-Robin XO showcase unique flavors and layered textures. The signature grape, Pinot Noir, provides a dark cherry character and a rich silky mouthfeel. Colombard distillate adds a fresh apple character while Sémillon provides richness with peach and apricot notes. The balance of both fruit and oak flavors is unique to Germain-Robin XO. The vanilla and toast flavors from the French oak complement the fruit which creates layers of complexity that only can be found from sourcing great fruit. The fermentation and distillation is driven with the goal of emphasizing fruit and mouthfeel and then paired with aging in select Limousin Oak Barrels. Texturally, the brandy is extremely smooth and has an incredibly long finish.

SIGNATURE FLAVORS:
Cherry, Vanilla, Oak

Kujira Whisky 12 Year Old Sherry Cask is a single grain whisky whose originality is to be made from 100% indica long grain rice fermented with yeast like whisky and black Koji, a variety unique to the Okinawa islands, distilled in traditional stills according to the manufacturing method inherited from awamori, the traditional spirit of the region.

This Kujira whisky is a blend of single grains aged for 12 years in Sherry casks only, under a subtropical climate whose influence is expressed through a tasting profile balanced between sweetness and complexity.

At the opening it is first the notes of rum, cognac, molasses and corn that express themselves followed in the mouth by the sweetness of fruity aromas of blueberry and dried fruit. In the finish, we note the lightness and sweetness of its aromatic profile that persists until the last moment.

Distilled, aged and bottled in Japan, this single grain is a creation of the Kumesen Syuzo distillery located in the south of Japan in the tropical archipelago of Okinawa, formerly known as the kingdom of Ryukyu. 

Both whisky and awamori, the single grain rice whiskies also called Ryukyu whiskies, represent an enriching blend of age-old know-how.

Calumet Farm Single Rack Black 15 Year Old Bourbon Whiskey is the pinnacle of the Calumet Farm Bourbon family. It represents the premium quality our brand is known for, as well as the hard-earned badge of patience. Allowing our bourbon to age slowly in Kentucky-only rick houses is a testament to doing things the right way - the way bourbon should be done. All barrels used to craft these rare batches are aged in a single, center cut rack. This expression of the Calumet Farm Bourbon family is our most aged and highest proof to date. It is Non-Chill Filtered for added depth of character and color.

Tasting Notes

Color: Deep amber throughout with shimmering highlights of copper and sun-yellow

Nose: Upon Uncorking: notes of oak and wood char are notable

Nose: After Breathing: complex scents of dark fruit and sweet corn

Taste: Bold flavors of oak, aged spice and toasted grains are present while toffee and a subtle smoky-sweetness roll across the palate

Finish: A lingering finish mellows, leaving sweet tobacco and rye flavors with a slightly dry mouth feel

Some distilleries are renowned for their meatier spirit style; underneath the fruitiness or maltiness lurks something that is just a little bit animalic. We were inspired to search out malts with this touch of the wild about them – whether from their distillation or subsequent maturation – and bring them together in our Menagerie.

FLAVOUR PROFILE

Menagerie boasts a complex aroma of baking spices, leather, tar and musky fruits. The palate is engagingly lush with even more fruit, while oily smoke and forest floor notes linger in the finish.

5 Sentidos Cuishe from Tio Tello was initially released as a California-only batch of Cuishe (A. Karwinskii). It is one of the first batches made by master palenquero Eleuterio Perez Ramos that Cinco Sentidos has exported to an international market. Eleuterio, who is also known as “Tio Tello,” harvested the ripe agaves in Miahuatlan de Porfirio Diaz, Oaxaca. Post harvest, he roasted the agaves in a conical oven with mesquite firewood for at least four days. After cooking the agaves, Tio Tello, along with friends and family members, chopped the agave into small pieces with a machete, and then mashed them with large hammers made of mesquite in a wooden trough. Once mashed, Tio Tello allowed the mash to ferment with well water in cypress sabino tanks. He then distilled the fermented mash in a single copper alembic style still at his small palenque in El Nanche, Oaxaca. Adjusted with heads, hearts and tails. The California-only batch was approximately 210 liters, distilled in March 2007, and bottled January 2021.

The Ancestral Collection is a selected line of limited edition Mezcals. Every production is crafted in micro batches with ancestral distillation methods original from the state of Durango: Clay & Wood. Every bottle is a pice of art, as they are hand painted by local artists, with different designs depending the agave type.

This line include special Mezcals made with rare and unique agave varieties that are found within the Durango borders.

The first edition of our collection of Mezcal Burrito Fiestero Ancestral is made with Agave Masparillo, found in the lower areas of El Mezquital, Durango. Wild and scarce, this small maguey has very short and wide leaves, with a yellowish green color. It has a 1.5 to 2 m. diameter and 1 m. height, delivering piñas that weigh 70 kg. in average.

The first edition of our collection of Mezcal Burrito Fiestero Ancestral is made with Agave Masparillo, found in the lower areas of El Mezquital, Durango. Wild and scarce, this small maguey has very short and wide leaves, with a yellowish-green color. It has a 1.5 to 2 m. diameter and 1 m. height, delivering piñas that weighs 70 kg. on average.

5 Sentidos is named after the five senses that their mezcaleros use to produce their agave spirits. The producers of this mezcal do not use any model machinery or tools, being guided only by their senses throughout the production process. The brand was launched by El Destilado restaurant in centro Oaxaca. The restaurant is known for it's creative menu, unique cocktails, and exceptional selection of agave spirits. The brand is a curated tour of Mexico with a wide range of expressions that are made by some of the best mezcaleros in the region. Cinco Sentidos is uncertified mezcal and is labeled as "Destilado de Agave".

This bottling is made with maguey Sierra Negra. The agave is hand mashed, fermented with spring water and tepehuaje bark in stone. This bark provides an organic source of nitrogen that is used to stabilize the fermentation. Albarradas is approximately 7,500 feet above sea level and too cold to ferment the agave without some sort of stabilizer. Once fermented, this mezcal is double distilled in clay pot stills. The ABV of each batch will vary slightly.  

The nose opens with a creamy note, cabbage, lemony cheese, light funk, barnyard,and salt. The palate goes much fruitier, with tart cherry, pomegranate, lime zest, hay, and earthy notes. Finish is long, sweet, and fruity. 

Far Niente Winery was established in 1885 by John Benson, a forty-niner of the California gold rush and uncle of the famous American impressionist painter, Winslow Homer. Benson hired architect Hamden McIntyre, creator of the former Christian Brothers winery—now the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone—to design the building. Constructed against a hillside in western Oakville, Far Niente functioned as a gravity flow winery, gently moving the grapes through each stage of production.

In 1979, Gil Nickel purchased the winery and adjacent vineyard and began a three-year restoration of the property, which resulted in placement on the National Register of Historical Places. During restoration, the original name, Far Niente, from an Italian phrase that romantically translated means “without a care,” was found carved in stone on the front of the building where it remains to this day. Today, the winery continues to focus on producing only the two varietal wines.

This wine is their 2018 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a blend of 93.3% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3.8% Petit Verdot, 2.3% Cabernet Franc, .5% and .1% Malbec aged 17 months in French oak (65% new, 35% once-used). This wine combines grapes from select vineyards in Rutherford, Calistoga and St. Helena that complement the fruit from their Oakville estate vineyards.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine awarded this a "Cellar Selection" and scored it 95 points saying "This memorable Cabernet Sauvignon has small amounts of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec blended in. Aged 17 months in a majority of new French oak, it unfurls flavors of red fruit, dried herb and clove over a core of youthful tannin and spicy oak. Best from 2028–2038."

5 Sentidos Madrecuixe from Tio Tello was initially released as a California-only batch of Madrecuixe (A. Karwinskii). It is one of the first batches made by master palenquero Eleuterio Perez Ramos that Cinco Sentidos has exported to an international market. Eleuterio, who is also known as “Tio Tello,” harvested the ripe agaves in Miahuatlan de Porfirio Diaz, Oaxaca. Post harvest, he roasted the agaves in a conical oven with mesquite firewood for at least four days. After cooking the agaves, Tio Tello, along with friends and family members, chopped the agave into small pieces with a machete, and then mashed them with large hammers made of mesquite in a wooden trough. Once mashed, Tio Tello allowed the mash to ferment with well water in cypress sabino tanks. He then distilled the fermented mash in a single copper alembic style still at his small palenque in El Nanche, Oaxaca. Adjusted with heads, hearts and tails. The California-only batch was approximately 200 litres, distilled in April 2014, and bottled January 2021.

Banhez Arroqueño is comprised of 100% arroqueño agave, an enormous species taking up to 25 years to reach full maturity and found only in rural regions of Oaxaca. This delightful mezcal is earthy and dark, with subtle smoke and underlying sweetness.

AGAVE: AMERICANA OAXACENSIS

MAESTRO: APOLONIO PATRICIO LOPEZ

ORIGEN: SAN AUGUSTÍN AMATENGO

ELEVACIÓN: 4480 FT/ 1365 M

FERMENTACIÓN: LEVADURA NATURAL, 5-6 DIAS

DESTILACIÓN: COBRE

Don Mateo Silvestre is a unique expression based solely on the agave. This product is produced using only wild agave cupreata plants on the mountainsides of El Limon, where they thrive with the help of cows and chickens, herbicide and pesticide free.

• Made with Wild Cupreata Agave
• Stone pit oven roasting
• Oak wood fermentation
• Pine and Oyamel Filipino Style Alambique
• Heads and Tails for Alcohol Adjustments
• Natural Spring Water for Alcohol Adjustments
• 1 year rested in glass

An un-aged 100% agave tequila, which reflects the purest expression of the 100% pure agave flavour.

TASTING NOTES

COLOR: Crystalline, clear

BODY: Medium body

NOSE: Cooked agave, hints of citrus and herbaceous notes

PALATE: Soft and gentle yet with much character. Full agave flavor, hints of fruit especially Granny Smith apples and pears in the long, lingering aftertaste

Mal Bien Refugio is a testament to Alejandro Calzada's mastery in crafting exceptional spirits distilled from agave. With Papalote Spirits, Calzada brings forth an exquisite expression of the Refugio agave varietal, honoring its complexity and depth. This artisanal creation encapsulates the essence of the land, showcasing the rich terroir of Oaxaca. Each sip of this meticulously crafted spirit unravels a symphony of flavors, from earthy tones to hints of citrus and a lingering sweetness, leaving a lasting impression of the artistry and dedication poured into its creation.

As delightful as a bouquet of honeysuckle, narcissus and jasmine, floral artist Azuma Makoto’s design for this limited-edition gift box reflects the enticing fragrance and vibrancy of Glenmorangie’s rare single malt.Honey gold in colour, citrus and floral on the nose, and sweet and spicy on the palate, this is a perfectly balanced whisky with hints of woodsmoke, caramelised fruit and nuts.