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Sale
Rapid Ship
Spirits
1.0Ltr
Bottle: $9.18 $12.75
A newcomer to the marketplace, this velvety, blended Irish whiskey offers sweet, malty flavors that incorporate baked...
WE
94
Instore only
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $10.99
A newcomer to the marketplace, this velvety, blended Irish whiskey offers sweet, malty flavors that incorporate baked...
WE
94
Sale
Rapid Ship
White
750ml
Bottle: $12.96 $15.00
An inviting nose of peaches, sliced pears and dried orange peel. Medium-bodied with delightful texture. Bright and...
JS
90
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $59.90 $63.19
The 2021 Fire By Night, formerly known as Broom Ridge, has a lovely, seductive bouquet with mirabelle, jasmine and...
12 FREE
VM
94
WS
93
White
750ml
Bottle: $59.90
6 bottles: $58.70
12 FREE
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $16.20 $18.00
12 bottles: $14.25
Crisp passion fruit and lemon leaf with a whiff of white pepper on the nose. The same flavours make an immediate...
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $27.74 $29.20
12 bottles: $26.60
TOP 100 SPIRITS 2019. This easy-drinking whiskey has a straw hue, mild vanilla aroma and feather-light feel on the...
WE
92
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $13.58 $14.30
12 bottles: $11.40
Dry, easy drinking wine with notes of quince, pear and granny smith apples.
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $17.10 $18.00
12 bottles: $14.25
Brilliant clear yellow. Seductive nose with lovely fruit aromas (pear, pineapple) and delicate floral notes. Smooth...
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $17.44 $18.79
12 bottles: $17.10
A fresh and pure unwooded Chenin Blanc, made to express the delicious purity of the grape. A lovely wine to enjoy on...
Rapid Ship
White
750ml
Bottle: $34.84
Rated 95 -Year in, year out, this exceptional Chenin Blanc vineyard delivers the goods.... it produces a wine with...
12 FREE
WNR
95
VM
91
Case only
Spirits
750ml - Case of 6
Bottle: $45.03
12 FREE
Sale
White
1.5Ltr
Bottle: $25.81 $27.17
6 bottles: $16.68
The Basics This wine is meant to be enjoyed with a variety of foods, ranging from Asian to Mexican dishes. The Taste...
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $12.43 $13.08
The Basics This wine is meant to be enjoyed with a variety of foods, ranging from Asian to Mexican dishes. The Taste...
Sale
White
750ml
Bottle: $25.84 $28.80
100% Chenin Blanc. From 10-15-year-old, certified-organic vines on clay-limestone soils. Fermented to dryness (2...
White
750ml
Bottle: $32.94
12 bottles: $32.28
Rated 96 - Intense, stony and layered, it's a wine that builds on the palate, with effortless concentration, Loire...
12 FREE
Instore only
Sale
Spirits
1.0Ltr
Bottle: $32.82 $34.55
Inviting aromas of roasted grains, wildflower honey, apple pastry, and lemon tart introduce this classic whiskey. In...
UBC
91
WE
90
Sale
Spirits
375ml
Bottle: $20.56 $21.64
Inviting aromas of roasted grains, wildflower honey, apple pastry, and lemon tart introduce this classic whiskey. In...
UBC
91
WE
90
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $60.87 $64.07
6 bottles: $49.91
Rich aromas of toasted marcona almonds, saltine crackers, and hay are earthy, savory and ethereal. Equally powerful...
12 FREE
WE
92
UBC
92
Sale
Spirits
750ml
Bottle: $60.87 $64.07
6 bottles: $60.47
Pours an inviting amber color and shows complex aromas of preserved lemon, toasted grains, dried peach, and honey...
12 FREE
UBC
92
WKY
91

Chenin Blanc Irish Whiskey Japanese Whiskey Vermentino Nero

Originating in France yet now grown in many parts of the New World, Chenin Blanc is one of the most versatile and highly regarded white wine grape varietals on earth. These green skinned grapes hold a relatively high acid content, and as such can be used for making still white wines of exceptional quality, as well as superb sparkling wines (such as the Crémant wines of the Loire Valley) and extremely aromatic dessert wines. Their natural transparency means that they are a fine grape for expressing their terroir in the bottle, and winemakers often experiment with this varietal to coax unusual and intense flavors from the grapes, such as allowing the development of noble rot on the fruit in order to make sweet and viscous wines of a unique character.

The Irish are hailed as being the original producers of whiskey in the British Isles, and their innovations and techniques were so successful, that neighbouring Scotland were quickly influenced by them in the 15th century. Centuries later, it was the Irish who brought whiskey to America, and their style of whiskey has since become popular all over the world.

However, it wasn’t always plain sailing for the Irish whiskey industry - from being a dominant force in the 19th century, whose produce was considered far superior to that of Scotland, political upheaval and war saw the Irish whiskey almost disappear forever in the early 20th century. Today, the Irish whiskey manufacturers are back on their feet, and they are once again proving that the original is often the best. With new distilleries opening every year, it is safe to say that Irish whiskey is very much back.

Irish whiskey differs from Scotch whisky in a number of ways, and not least the spelling - the extra ‘e’ was said to be added in the 19th century as a way of distancing the Irish drink from what they saw as an inferior Scottish product. Irish whiskey was traditionally made in enormous stills, as a way of ensuring consistency from bottle to bottle, and maintaining the quality and complexity their reputation was founded on. The typical tasting notes of fine Irish whiskey include apple and vanilla, alongside spicy and sweet touches of nutmeg and fresh hay, making this a highly pleasant and smooth drink, made for relaxation and stimulating conversation about times past.

Whisky might not be the first thing that springs to mind when we think of Japanese fine produce, but over the past one hundred years, this fascinating and multi-faceted country has diligently forged a unique whisky identity which is growing in popularity, and which is entirely its own.

The story of Japanese whisky begins in 1918, when Masataka Taketsuru was sent to Scotland to undertake a tour of single malt distilleries in the Highlands, and bring home a knowledge of whisky and distillation skills. He returned full of inspiration, helped no doubt by his new Scottish wife, and alongside his friend, Shinjiro Torii, set up what would become a successful whisky industry.

Today, the Japanese whisky industry is spread over a relatively small handful of distilleries, which continue to use Scottish techniques and recipes, but with a hefty dose of distinctly Japanese experimentalism. This is displayed most obviously in the barrelling techniques the Japanese use - to create a distinctly Oriental set of tasting notes, native Japanese oakwood casks are used for ageing, alongside casks taken from plum wine producers, which impart a beautiful set of floral flavors to the whisky.

While some distilleries produce some excellent single malts, the majority of Japanese whiskies are blended, which reveals a unique set of flavors and aromas ranging from honeysuckle and orange blossom, to toffee and acetone.