NEON CACTUS WINES

This is “The Quincentennial Malt” celebrating the 500th Anniversary of King James IV’s coronation.

The 1988 is a light, refreshing malt that exhibits all the quaffable characteristics of the Tullibardine family of single malts. With hints of vanilla on the nose and white chocolate in the finish, this is a well-mannered malt, an easy-going whisky that’s simply a pleasure to drink. Fine, rare, smooth and mellow. $92.95*

This nectar of life fuses single malt whiskies made from barley grown and malted from two geographically distant regions. The bulk of the barley originates at the feet of the great Himalayas and the rest is peated barley from Scotland, both mashed and distilled independently and matured in old and new American oak barrels at the Amrut Distillery (established 1948) in Bangalore, India. These special malts are combined to give your palate an exquisite fusion of East and West, denoting the spiritual values of Unity, Peace and Prosperity.
Tasting notes: Fresh oak, hints of vanilla and fruit with sublime peat on the nose. The taste is initially fruity, transcending to sheer delicacy of fruity peaty notes. The finish is long with the supremacy of the peat-fruit combination excellently balanced. $74.95*

The name came about because British farmers have long referred to whisky as Sheep Dip. There was a time when farmers distilled their own “home-made” whisky and in order to avoid paying taxes to the revenue man hid the whisky in barrels marked “Sheep Dip.”
Farmers’ merchants continued this tradition by entering cases of whisky as “Sheep dip” on farmers’ bills and so “pulling the wool” over the farmers’ wives eyes.

Colour: Rich, golden copper highlights.
Nose: Delicate and refined. Soft sensual floral notes arise in perfect harmony supported by an attractive array of complex fruit flavours. Melon, pear and orange with a hint of almonds conclude this profusion of charming nuances.
Taste: Finesse and elegance gives way to a majestic assertion of pure malty flavours drawn from the four distilling regions of Scotland. Each area forges and makes its own inimitable contribution to this outstanding pure malt ~ the main accent being expressed from the Highlands and Speyside Valleys. $53.95*

Unchilfiltered Té Bheag, pronounced “chey vek,” means “the little lady” or “a wee dram” in colloquial Gaelic. Smooth and slightly peated from its West Coast origins, this connoisseurs’ blend has a high malt content (40%), which contributes to the smoothness of the blend, and a hint of sherry from maturing in selected casks. This is a fresh, rich whisky with a delicate peaty flavour and a toffee-like richness that finishes with a soft spirited character. $43.95*

Gold Medal ~ 2009 International Wine & Spirit Competition

A wonderful award-winning Island malt bottled at above-average strength with a comforting smooth afterglow.
Appearance: Brilliant gold.
Nose: Peat-smoke with sea-water saltiness, the liquor of fresh oysters, a citrus sweetness.
Body: Full.
Palate: A rich dried-fruit sweetness with clouds of smoke and strong barley-malt flavours, warming and intense. At the back of the mouth is an explosion of pepper.
Finish: Huge, long, peppery finish with an appetising sweetness.
$78.95*

Cragganmore 12 Year Old
Dalwhinnie 15 Year Old
Glenkinchie 12 Year Old
Lagavulin 16 Year Old
Springbank Longrow CV

There are about 40 different kinds of scotch in stock at Neon Cactus Wines, the best wine and scotch store in Cochrane!

Powerful and demanding with a dominant aroma and a dry, peaty-smoky flavour complemented by a hint of sweetness. The dryness is at first offset by the sweetness of the sherry. As the palate develops, oily, grassy and, in particular, salty notes emerge in a long, sustained, aggressive, attack. The finish is a huge, powerful, bear hug of peat. $123.95*

Enjoy a big, crisp, dry and very aromatic nose with hints of heather and peat on this single malt scotch. Light to medium body. Smooth, soft and lasting flavours of heather, honey sweetness and vanilla followed by deeper citrus-fruit flavours and hints of malted bread. Long, lingering, surprisingly intense finish that starts sweetly, then gives way to smoke, peat and malt. $79.95*

This single malt scotch has refreshing, creamy sweetness on the nose: fruitcake, licorice toffee and floral notes, with toasty oak below. Intense, focused palate with lemon tartness to start. Smooth, round, freshness mellows into clotted cream, tangerine and a crisp oak, very much in tune with the nose. The finish is surprisingly dry, continuing the same aromatic path. $76.95*

Fans of peaty, citrussy young drams will not be disappointed. The nose is dry smoke, cigars, canvas, rock pools, wet stone and rain-moistened tweed. Water makes it more like oilskins (maybe put on over the tweed?) and turned earth. Young but enigmatic. On the palate, first experience smoke and then an unctuous thick feel that clings to the tongue, with flavours of deep syrupy fruit, semi-dried peach. Brooding, powerful and complex single malt. The finish is black treacle. $75.95*

Gold in colour with complex aromas of sweet floral, riverside herbs and flowers, with vanilla and honey. With a light to medium body, this scotch has a strong malty taste accompanied by hints of sweet wood smoke and sandalwood. Long malt-driven finish with light smoke and bits of sweetness. $74.95*

This is the perfect expression of luxury malt: a rare and desirable whisky, with an outstanding reputation amongst whisky cognoscenti, paired with packaging that combines effortless simplicity and total attention to detail. The nose is pleasantly fruity and rather flat. A light veil of smoke hiding discrete malty notes. In the mouth, light hints of yeast merged with fruity notes and nutty hints. Generally good behaviour, some complexity but no more. The finish is specially long and marked by hazelnut and maybe some chocolate. $86.95

Buy excellent wine and scotch at Neon Cactus Wines, the best wine store in Cochrane!

Distilled in 2000 and finished for 48 months in Madeira casks, this light-bodied golden amber single malt was bottled in September 2008 and only 3,000 bottles were filled. Undiluted: The nose has pronounced spice, sweet and floral notes reminiscent of a Madeira cake and delicate wood influences interlaced with vanilla influences. Mouth warming on the palate, initially spicy but becoming more mellow with heavy sweetness. The finish is long and drying. With water: There is prominent sweetness on the nose, some delicate smoky influences and some spice evident. Mouth-watering palate with sweet smoke influences and a very subtle spice in the background. The finish is long and mellow. $79.95

“Or” means gold in both Gaelic and French, while of course “Nectar” is the drink of the gods. A captivating single malt whisky for the sophisticated, luxury spirits drinker who enjoys delicious extravagance and sensual pleasures. With a tremendous gourmand appeal, The Nectar D’Or is Glenmorangie’s delicious, complex base spirit that, after a minimum of 10 years in ex-bourbon casks, is then extra matured in specially hand-selected Sauternes wine barriques.
Rich, with a heady, luscious, beguiling spectrum of aromatic patisserie desserts that helps create a memorable occasion whenever you drink it. Key flavour notes are lemony, sumptuous and syrupy.  $83.95*

This rare and original find among Irish whiskies is a single malt, beautifully gilded in peat reek. Cooley Distillery resurrected the traditional Irish custom of drying the malted barley over peat fires. The smoke rising through the malted barley during this drying process confers the whisky with a distinct peaty flavour and aroma. These traditional distilling methods combined with natural ingredients and long years in oak casks continue to create a whisky that is simply exceptional! $59.95*

After twenty years maturing in Boubon barrels, the Laddie was coyly introduced to spicy Mourvedre wine casks from France’s Mediterranean coast. It was a flirtation, a holiday romance, that was almost over before it had began. The result of this dalliance is that the expected profound spirit shows the gentle nuances of alluring fruit flavours, with just a hint of subtle spice aromas adding to the overall multi-layered experience. The passion of this brief encounter was enough to bring a blush to the Laddie’s cheek. $179.95*

Rich and mellow, enjoy for its Islay character of distinctive spiciness and surprising drinkability, Caol Ila is a lively whisky, peaty and full of flavour, without undue intensity. Its availability is limited, so it has remained an almost secret Islay malt. Pronounce the name “culleela”  Gaelic for “Sound of Islay.” Quaff without water, and notice the aromas of sherry and dried fruit (figs and raisins) laced with smoky (bonfire embers) and herbal notes. On the palate, taste sweet treacle with rich fruit flavours, a burst of ash and peat smoke with a touch of ground coffee. With water, the nose is sweet chocolate with hints of figs and prunes, some briny/driftwood notes and a subtle peatiness. On the tongue there is sweetness perfumed with ozone, ash flavours and a little sherry. The body is very smooth and the finish is ashy with a perfumed edge. $109.95*

Fontalloro Finish ~ Limited edition release
Colour: Ruby red.
Nose: Earthy and spicy with hint of cigar box.
Taste: Rich and oily. A blast of sweet fruit and confectionary are accompanied by smooth tannins, which give structure and body.
Finish: Lingering complexity. Each sip reveals new depths! $84.95*

Tokaji Finish ~ Limited edition release
Colour: Deep gold.
Nose: Honey, Seville oranges and apricot preserves.
Taste: Rich and lush with just enough of the classic Arran citrus character to balance the syrup sweetness.
Finish: Long and lingering. Pure nectar! $84.95*

Arran 10 Year Old
Colour: Ripe golden barley
Nose: Vanilla, kiwi, banana, cantaloupe, melon, hint of cocoa.
Taste: Soft, sweet texture with a spicy edge and classic Arran citrus notes against a background of sweet oak.
Finish:  Drifts over the tongue like golden syrup and fades ever so slowly. $54.95*

Robert Burns Blend
A dram worthy of the Bard himself!
With the acclaimed Arran Single Malt at its heart, this golden amber-coloured ambrosia is a superb example of the Master Blender’s art. Aromas of sherry, almonds, toffee, treacle, hot sponge cake, banana and a hint of oak anticipate the taste treasures to come. The dry, oaky vanilla palate is saturated with rich flavours of toffee and figs. A superlative Scotch with a medium finish and a hint of spiciness. $33.95*

Benromach Peat Smoke
Using pure spring water from the Romach Hills and heavily peated Scottish barley, two men at Speyside’s smallest working distillery crafted this bold, complex, intense, challenging, yet balanced, single malt. It delivers seriously smoky character tempered by a fruity elegance. Undiluted, the nose yields sweet, burnt sugar aromas with wood smoke, gentle medicinal note and hints of Granny Smith apples. The palate is peat smoke and ash followed by sweet, toasted malt. Hints of spice and charred oak are followed by subtle phenolic flavours. With water, the sweetness is still evident on the nose but the phenolic character is more pronounced, laced by a smoky, earthy aroma and a delicate floral edge. The palate is smoky with hints of creosote and birch wood. A sweet, treacle toffee note follows with a rich, mulled fruit flavour adding balance. $81.95*