We've just got our first batch of Kilchoman New Spirit in 5cl miniatures at 63.5%.

This is from the new distillery on Islay and has a peating level of 50ppm but as it is less than 3 years old it cannot be called whisky.

We only have a limited number of these available.

Oh! and the next big event after this weekend's Burn's hoolies and what-have-you is the great highland celebration of St. Ballantine's Day; here we have a few cheeky suggestions...

As part of an ongoing LFW.CO.UK development we are starting to attach our Joynson's blind-tasting notes from seven years of the Scottish Field Merchant's Challenge - the whisky competition of which we have the most respect.

Every two months seven shop-keepers, hoteliers and un-noteworthy drunks (i.e. not great ‘experts’ like Jacko or ‘Bible’ Jim) are sent 16 or so numbered samples - we have no idea if they are malts, blend or what.

We assess each one, the numbers are crunched and comments edited by the enthusiast and creator Will Gardner for publication in Scottish Field Magazine. Now his website whiskychallenge.com is live with (so far) the last two years (moderated) results from all the judges, please go and investigate while we start to put Richard's unabridged comments throughout this site.

Our stock of whisky books has been updated to include many old titles as well as the latest releases.

We have now updated our current stock of miniatures and have added over 100 to our on-line list.

We have a very limited supply of Hazelburn 8yo 2nd Release back in stock.

Just added to the site:
Auchentoshan 1962 OB 41yo 40.2%abv
Bowmore 1971 OB 34yo 51%abv

Loch Fyne Whiskies has been described as 'the biggest whisky shop in Sweden' (!) and for many years we have been shipping to Sweden with no problems or disappointed customers. Breakages are guaranteed by us and the number of disappearances is negligible, most are replaced by us.

Two options for shipping to Sweden, Royal Mail Small Air packet and ParcelForce/Schenker.

For three of less bottles the most economic and successful option is Royal Mail, this has a 2kg limit so we send each bottle separately and to avoid interest of 'hostile' parties, two days apart, this has been very successful for many years, and fast - for example shipments sent on Monday tend to be delivered to your door on Friday.

After negotiating a new rate, ParcelForce is now an economic option for four or more bottles, however as a single shipment they are more vulnerable to 'interference'. As of January 2007 we understand the delivery agent is Schenker and that they probably don't deliver to private addresses, they will write and ask you to collect, please let us know how it goes.

Some may prefer to utilise the £10 each / single bottle option for more than three bottles, you have the choice as you check out.

UK Customers: After 6 years at £6.90 we have to increase our shipping charge (to £7.50), we held off through the Christmas rush but now have to bite the ParcelForce bullet.
To help ease the pain (ahem) of this we are offering a FREE Haggis* on all UK orders over £65.00 just in time for your Burns Supper!

*whilst stocks last. A real Scotch Haggis, in a skin, in brine, in a tin.Cooking instructions inside paper label. Minimum order £65.00 excluding shipping charge. Deliveries to UK addresses only. Loch Fyne Whisky available here

After over a year off-line a new COLLECTOR'S LOFT* is now live again, a few treats and plenty that's affordable.

*Collector's Loft, our occasional listing of 12 or so discontinued bottles of interest to the seeker of expired rarities, be advised the prices asked are not necessarily competitive, unlike our other pricing thorughout the rest of the site.

As per our previous post the Glengoyne Regis and Bowmore S 1970 are now all sold out - thank you!

Well the New Year is now upon us and we are tidying up after the hectic festive period. As such we have found a couple of gems in very limited numbers that came out in the last year or so which we thought had been long sold out:
Glengoyne OB 1990 15yo Regis Mad 58.2%
Bowmore S 1970 34yo 56.6%
First come first served now...