Quite a few days! Had a (rare) night out on Saturday when one of my neighbours arranged a race night in a local hotel to raise funds for their daughter's athletics activities. Meggan Dawson-Farrell is a paralympic athlete and, at 19 years old (she's not a whisky!) is becoming a very accomplished wheelchair athlete. At a national event in Stoke in August, she came in third over 1500 meters behind a paralympic gold medallist and the world junior champion. She knocked 43 seconds off her persoanl best over 10k in Kelso a few weeks ago, coming away with the award for the best performance on the day.
She's 30th in the world rankings over 100 metres; 35th over 200 metres; 40th over 400 metres; 38th over 800 metres; 29th over 1,500 metres and 21st over 10,000 metres. She is aiming for the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and Olympics in 2016.
Her wheelchair costs £4,500.00, with, additionally, each wheel costing £1,500.00, never mind the travel and accommodation costs, so events such as this are essential if she is to continue to develop as a paralympic athlete.
I am pleased to say that they raised £2,000 on the night and hopefully will raise more on the back of the night.
Wednesday, 16 November 2011
Thursday, 10 November 2011
Tullibardine sold
Hot off the press!!
A deal was sealed at 1.00 p.m. this afternoon which saw the sale by Mike Beamish, Doug Ross and their backers of Tullibardine distillery in Blackford. No-one at the distillery would give me any information, but my source (in another whisky company) informed me that the buyer is a French company who are not currently involved in the whisky industry.
A deal was sealed at 1.00 p.m. this afternoon which saw the sale by Mike Beamish, Doug Ross and their backers of Tullibardine distillery in Blackford. No-one at the distillery would give me any information, but my source (in another whisky company) informed me that the buyer is a French company who are not currently involved in the whisky industry.
High Spirits Mesquite Smoked Single Malt
A single malt from Flagstaff, Arizona. Yup, I too was not aware of a whisky distillery in Arizona. This is apparently 7,000 feet above sea level. You obviously need oxygen masks at that altitude.
I assume that they use mesquite because they don't have any peat locally.
The bottle was brought to the Advanced Whisky class by one of the students, Jim Coleman of www.whiskyboys.com and I tasted it on the night he brought it a couple of weeks ago, but tasted it again today more clinically.
It's not my cup of tea, the mesquite smoke is characterful to say the least.
The nose is quite full-bodied, with vanilla, leather and mesquite (I assume, never having experienced mesquite) smoke; with water, the smoke becomes cigar smoke and fruit characters of melon and possibly mango are masked by the smoke.
The palate is full-bodied, quite rich and medium-dry with obvious mesquite (I hope) flavour, burnt paper, a nice, spicy touch and slightly medicinal and it finishes of medium length (surprisingly) with notes of bandages, hospital wards and, overpoweringly, mesquite smoke.
As a curiosity, it is well made, but its flavours are too over the top for me.
I assume that they use mesquite because they don't have any peat locally.
The bottle was brought to the Advanced Whisky class by one of the students, Jim Coleman of www.whiskyboys.com and I tasted it on the night he brought it a couple of weeks ago, but tasted it again today more clinically.
It's not my cup of tea, the mesquite smoke is characterful to say the least.
The nose is quite full-bodied, with vanilla, leather and mesquite (I assume, never having experienced mesquite) smoke; with water, the smoke becomes cigar smoke and fruit characters of melon and possibly mango are masked by the smoke.
The palate is full-bodied, quite rich and medium-dry with obvious mesquite (I hope) flavour, burnt paper, a nice, spicy touch and slightly medicinal and it finishes of medium length (surprisingly) with notes of bandages, hospital wards and, overpoweringly, mesquite smoke.
As a curiosity, it is well made, but its flavours are too over the top for me.
Wednesday, 9 November 2011
Advanced Whisky course Week 8
Part of the syllabus for the Advanced course is a visit to a lab where the students can ask difficult questions of the blender. Unfortunately, this year, I have been unable to tie in a lab visit, with bottling plants being closed in the evenings, blenders being on maternity leave, wandering the world as brand ambassador or just not answering their phones. So I threw in an extra classroom evening.
My theme was some of the industry's essentials, energy and water and the threats to their continuity.
Thanks to Kirsteen Campbell at Cutty Sark, I was able to demonstrate the essential nature of e150a (caramel colouring) and its lack of impact on flavour/aroma. I put less than 4ml from a teaspoon into an empty 2 litre water bottle and gradually filled it with water, allowing the students to see how little colouring is necessary to add colour. I probably should have had two bottles (memo to self - use 2 bottles next time), with the second having less than 0.5ml. The 4ml coloured the water such that it looked darker than a 50 years old first fill Sherry aged whisky - it was even darker than Loch Dhu. They were able to smell the caramel, but, with water, there are no other aromas to hide it and the aroma of the caramel was quite light.
Having done it this way, for next time, I will get a syringe and be much more clinical in the amounts I put in. In that way, the aroma will not be noticeable because the percentage of colour needed will be absolutely tiny.
The order of the evening's whiskies was completely random, with my taking, without looking, a decanting bottle in one hand and a whisky in the other when I decanted them an hour or so before the class. The order in which I presented them was:
1 The Co-operative's 12 yo Single Highland Malt
2 Black Grouse
3 Tobermory 10 yo
4 Arran 1998 The Westie
5 Buffalo Trace
6 Laphroaig 10 yo
7 Jameson's 12 yo
8 Grant's No. 2 (Sherry Cask Finish)
As always, they tasted the whiskies blind and there were several grumbles about a) the selection and b) the order in which I had set them out.
I have to say that the students did well, eventually setting them into a proper tasting order and knuckling down to tasting them.
1 was correctly identified by almost all as a Highland,
2 threw some who, understandably put it on Islay,
a couple correctly identified 3 as Tobermory 10,
most were correct in identifying 5 as a Bourbon,
everybody correctly identified 6 as Laphraoig 10,
a couple identified 7 as Irish and
8 threw almost all of them, with about half identiying it as a blend and some putting it as a poor Speyside.
That's this course completed - or maybe not, watch this space.
I now have 4 or 5 weeks where I get my Tuesdays back and can plan for the Scotch Whisky Trail Certificate course (the entry level course) which starts on 17th January.
My theme was some of the industry's essentials, energy and water and the threats to their continuity.
Thanks to Kirsteen Campbell at Cutty Sark, I was able to demonstrate the essential nature of e150a (caramel colouring) and its lack of impact on flavour/aroma. I put less than 4ml from a teaspoon into an empty 2 litre water bottle and gradually filled it with water, allowing the students to see how little colouring is necessary to add colour. I probably should have had two bottles (memo to self - use 2 bottles next time), with the second having less than 0.5ml. The 4ml coloured the water such that it looked darker than a 50 years old first fill Sherry aged whisky - it was even darker than Loch Dhu. They were able to smell the caramel, but, with water, there are no other aromas to hide it and the aroma of the caramel was quite light.
Having done it this way, for next time, I will get a syringe and be much more clinical in the amounts I put in. In that way, the aroma will not be noticeable because the percentage of colour needed will be absolutely tiny.
The order of the evening's whiskies was completely random, with my taking, without looking, a decanting bottle in one hand and a whisky in the other when I decanted them an hour or so before the class. The order in which I presented them was:
1 The Co-operative's 12 yo Single Highland Malt
2 Black Grouse
3 Tobermory 10 yo
4 Arran 1998 The Westie
5 Buffalo Trace
6 Laphroaig 10 yo
7 Jameson's 12 yo
8 Grant's No. 2 (Sherry Cask Finish)
As always, they tasted the whiskies blind and there were several grumbles about a) the selection and b) the order in which I had set them out.
I have to say that the students did well, eventually setting them into a proper tasting order and knuckling down to tasting them.
1 was correctly identified by almost all as a Highland,
2 threw some who, understandably put it on Islay,
a couple correctly identified 3 as Tobermory 10,
most were correct in identifying 5 as a Bourbon,
everybody correctly identified 6 as Laphraoig 10,
a couple identified 7 as Irish and
8 threw almost all of them, with about half identiying it as a blend and some putting it as a poor Speyside.
That's this course completed - or maybe not, watch this space.
I now have 4 or 5 weeks where I get my Tuesdays back and can plan for the Scotch Whisky Trail Certificate course (the entry level course) which starts on 17th January.
Christmas shopping
Yes, even I have to undertake this time consuming and mindless task.
My wife and I, who both positively hate shopping, chose some years ago to get it all done in one day early/mid November, before the mobs arrive.
A couple of years ago, we saw that this unpleasant experience has a possible pleasant one connected to it (for every action, there is a reaction). Get the shopping done in one day, stay over in Glasgow, have a pleasant night out, take the pain and misery out of the shopping experience. Sorted!
This year, we went into Glasgow last Saturday (daughter spent two nights with grandparents) arriving in the Buchanan Galleries car park at 9.20. We had lunch in O Sole Mio in Bath Street and shopping was finished, everything bought apart from an Amazon voucher, by 2.45.
This year, we had booked into the Crowne Plaza beside the SECC and watched the fireworks displays around the city from our room on the 14th floor.
We then went out and had a very pleasant dinner in The Pelican Cafe - my fourth attempt to eat here in the past year, finishe doff with an aniseed grappa.
Unfortunately, our room (no 1422 - avoid it like the plague) is close to some machinery, possibly the air-conditioning unit, which emits a low hume for 24 hours a day.
Our sleep was disturbed.
My wife and I, who both positively hate shopping, chose some years ago to get it all done in one day early/mid November, before the mobs arrive.
A couple of years ago, we saw that this unpleasant experience has a possible pleasant one connected to it (for every action, there is a reaction). Get the shopping done in one day, stay over in Glasgow, have a pleasant night out, take the pain and misery out of the shopping experience. Sorted!
This year, we went into Glasgow last Saturday (daughter spent two nights with grandparents) arriving in the Buchanan Galleries car park at 9.20. We had lunch in O Sole Mio in Bath Street and shopping was finished, everything bought apart from an Amazon voucher, by 2.45.
This year, we had booked into the Crowne Plaza beside the SECC and watched the fireworks displays around the city from our room on the 14th floor.
We then went out and had a very pleasant dinner in The Pelican Cafe - my fourth attempt to eat here in the past year, finishe doff with an aniseed grappa.
Unfortunately, our room (no 1422 - avoid it like the plague) is close to some machinery, possibly the air-conditioning unit, which emits a low hume for 24 hours a day.
Our sleep was disturbed.
Thursday, 3 November 2011
Someone helping me to educate the masses!
At last, someone is helping me to spread the good word. John Glaser of the Compass Box Whisky Co. is to take a lead in the educational drive around the new laws on Scotch Whisky that come into force from Wednesday 23rd November, 2011.
To mark the occasion, Compass Box will release a limited edition bottling, the Last Vatted Malt, made from a marriage of fine, old single malt whiskies from Islay and Speyside distilleries, that will be the last whisky to be labelled legally as a Vatted Malt.
As Compass Box founder and whiskymaker John Glaser explains: “At midnight on November 22nd, 2011, an era ends. After that point, it will be illegal for whiskymakers to use the term Vatted Malt to describe a Scotch whisky made from the combination of two or more single malts. From 23rd November 2011, this style of whisky will by law have to be labelled as a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. Vatted Malt is a term that has been in use since at least the 19th century. It represents a style of whisky in which Compass Box specialise, so it has special meaning for us. Therefore we have decided to take a lead in the education of whisky drinkers about the new legal definitions of the 5 styles of Scotch whisky. We feel that this is an important change to the law that needs to be explained to whisky lovers. As the new laws come into effect, we want to take this opportunity to educate, to look to the future and to help the industry as a whole.”
To commemorate this transition into a new era, The Last Vatted Malt Limited Edition from Compass Box will be on sale from 23rd November 2011 onwards at www.compassboxwhisky.com and from whisky retailers. It will be bottled at cask strength, and each bottle will be personally signed by John Glaser. Only 1323 bottles will be produced. The recommended retail price will be £175.00 per 70cl bottle.
Compass Box intend organising a number of activities through November to help promote awareness of the new laws, supported by a programme of communication on Facebook, Twitter and by email. These will include:http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
• A Twitter Q&A with John Glaser @CompassBox at 8pm GMT on Tues 15th November
• The Compass Box potted guide to all you need to know about the new Scotch Whisky laws at www.facebook.com/CompassBox
• Last Vatted Malt Day on Tues 22nd November encouraging whisky fans worldwide to bid adieu to Vatted Malt by raising a glass wherever they are.
• A ceremonial bottling of the last bottle of Vatted Malt at a mystery location in Central London by John Glaser at 11.59 on the night of Tues 22nd November – accompanied by a select Vatted Malt flash mob!
They say that “The Last Vatted Malt is a testament to the high merit of blending single malts—to create a whisky flavour profile that no single distillery can produce. This whisky combines intense aromas and flavours of dried fruits and maltiness underscored by a subtle, sweet smokiness, all robed in the revealing signs of whiskies of antiquity. It is composed of two single malts: approximately 22% of the recipe is whisky distilled at the younger of the two distilleries in the village of Aberlour in 1974 (36 years-old), aged in a first fill sherry butt. The balance is from the famed distillery in the village of Port Askaig on Islay, made in 1984 (26 years-old), aged in an American oak hogshead.”
If you can't work out what the whiskies are, come back at me and I will enlighten you.
To mark the occasion, Compass Box will release a limited edition bottling, the Last Vatted Malt, made from a marriage of fine, old single malt whiskies from Islay and Speyside distilleries, that will be the last whisky to be labelled legally as a Vatted Malt.
As Compass Box founder and whiskymaker John Glaser explains: “At midnight on November 22nd, 2011, an era ends. After that point, it will be illegal for whiskymakers to use the term Vatted Malt to describe a Scotch whisky made from the combination of two or more single malts. From 23rd November 2011, this style of whisky will by law have to be labelled as a Blended Malt Scotch Whisky. Vatted Malt is a term that has been in use since at least the 19th century. It represents a style of whisky in which Compass Box specialise, so it has special meaning for us. Therefore we have decided to take a lead in the education of whisky drinkers about the new legal definitions of the 5 styles of Scotch whisky. We feel that this is an important change to the law that needs to be explained to whisky lovers. As the new laws come into effect, we want to take this opportunity to educate, to look to the future and to help the industry as a whole.”
To commemorate this transition into a new era, The Last Vatted Malt Limited Edition from Compass Box will be on sale from 23rd November 2011 onwards at www.compassboxwhisky.com and from whisky retailers. It will be bottled at cask strength, and each bottle will be personally signed by John Glaser. Only 1323 bottles will be produced. The recommended retail price will be £175.00 per 70cl bottle.
Compass Box intend organising a number of activities through November to help promote awareness of the new laws, supported by a programme of communication on Facebook, Twitter and by email. These will include:http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
• A Twitter Q&A with John Glaser @CompassBox at 8pm GMT on Tues 15th November
• The Compass Box potted guide to all you need to know about the new Scotch Whisky laws at www.facebook.com/CompassBox
• Last Vatted Malt Day on Tues 22nd November encouraging whisky fans worldwide to bid adieu to Vatted Malt by raising a glass wherever they are.
• A ceremonial bottling of the last bottle of Vatted Malt at a mystery location in Central London by John Glaser at 11.59 on the night of Tues 22nd November – accompanied by a select Vatted Malt flash mob!
They say that “The Last Vatted Malt is a testament to the high merit of blending single malts—to create a whisky flavour profile that no single distillery can produce. This whisky combines intense aromas and flavours of dried fruits and maltiness underscored by a subtle, sweet smokiness, all robed in the revealing signs of whiskies of antiquity. It is composed of two single malts: approximately 22% of the recipe is whisky distilled at the younger of the two distilleries in the village of Aberlour in 1974 (36 years-old), aged in a first fill sherry butt. The balance is from the famed distillery in the village of Port Askaig on Islay, made in 1984 (26 years-old), aged in an American oak hogshead.”
If you can't work out what the whiskies are, come back at me and I will enlighten you.
Wednesday, 2 November 2011
Advanced Whisky course week 7
Yesterday evening, the task set to the students was to present for 5 minutes to their peers on the subject of a whisky of their choice. Each whisky was tasted blind and the student's presentation was to give information about the whisky without naming it or supplying the clue which would make it obvious to everyone.
I set it off with Eddu Grey Rock from Brittany which no-one guessed and some found a bit hard and unyielding.
Gary Ledgerwood then showed a 24 yo (1986) Cambus which no-one got, but he displayed as a part of his presentation, a Google Earth picture of the location which showed Diageo's huge warehouse complex at Blackgrange and my home here.
Alan Hall showed a 19 yo Longmorn from Creative Whisky which about half of the class got from his words.
Mark Connelly showed Bain's Cape Mountain Whisky, a 5 yo grain from South Africa which, with a bit of prompting, one or two got to South Africa, but no-one correctly identified either the whisky of Sedgewick's distillery.
James Farrelly showed Ballantine's Finest which most got when they read about the geese on his presentation. Apparently he lived locally and worked there as a student.
Ian Petrie showed Aberlour a'Bunadh Batch 37 which, surprisingly, none of the students got. He bought the bottle at a disgustingly low promotional price at Waitrose.
Stefan Kah showed Glen Scotia 17 yo from Gordon & MacPhail which a few were able to identify - with some help.
Bob Arnott showed Ben Bracken from Lidl, which is apparently Tamnavulin. I found this disappointing as I have a soft spot for Tamnavulin and the whisky was giving acetone and lots of it.
Jeff McKenzie also had Ben Bracken! I suppose that it had to happen! If you look at the post about last week's class, you will see that there was no duplication, so once in 30 cases isn't bad.
Drew Nicolson showed Macallan Fine Oak 10 yo which most people correctly identified and a few were surprised by how well it showed, having tasted it blind.
Andy Davidson also threw everyone with Kavalan from Taiwan. Some of the class had never even heard of Kavalan. It is a relative newcomer.
Jim Schultz also threw everyone with Old Ballintruan. He had shown the same whisky blind to the Helensburgh Whisky Group on Saturday with similar results. Just over half of the class were either on Islay or close to it with the whisky's flavour. The clues Jim put in to his presentation guided one or two to Tomintoul, but the peat threw them off the scent. The sweetness, however, should have taken them to somewhere other than Islay.
Then I put on 4 whiskies blind.
Each bottle is numbered and, like last week, they were not in the correct tasting order. Towards the end of this the Advanced course, the students should be able to taste them in the correct order.
The order they were given was:
1 Bunnahabhain 18 yo
2 Auchentoshan Classic
3 Dewar's White Label
4 Dalmore Gran Reserva
The order, of course, should have been either 3,2,4,1 or maybe, 3,2,1,4. Having already tasted 13 whiskies, their palates were confused so they didn't correctly identify any of them, but one or two were close with the Dalmore. The Dewar's showed very well with no-one slotting it as a blend, its soft, toffee character raising it in the students' opinions to a Single Highland Malt. The Bunnahabhain threw everyone completely because of the Sherry cask element and as the phenolics have almost completely dissipated over the 18 years.
A good night and showing how well the students have developed over the course of the classes.
Taking both the Scotch Whisky Trail Certificate course (which they have to complete first) and the Advanced Whisky course, they have now completed 15 nights, probably 35 hours of quite intensive education. They all came into the courses as maltheads, but now appreciate the quality of The Blend and some grains and also the importance of these to the industry.
Within the class, there are 3 whisky bloggers, one of whom is a whisky retailer; one, previously retired is now doing some work for David Stirk's Creative Whisky Co. and another is doing some work for Angus Dundee.
What next?
I set it off with Eddu Grey Rock from Brittany which no-one guessed and some found a bit hard and unyielding.
Gary Ledgerwood then showed a 24 yo (1986) Cambus which no-one got, but he displayed as a part of his presentation, a Google Earth picture of the location which showed Diageo's huge warehouse complex at Blackgrange and my home here.
Alan Hall showed a 19 yo Longmorn from Creative Whisky which about half of the class got from his words.
Mark Connelly showed Bain's Cape Mountain Whisky, a 5 yo grain from South Africa which, with a bit of prompting, one or two got to South Africa, but no-one correctly identified either the whisky of Sedgewick's distillery.
James Farrelly showed Ballantine's Finest which most got when they read about the geese on his presentation. Apparently he lived locally and worked there as a student.
Ian Petrie showed Aberlour a'Bunadh Batch 37 which, surprisingly, none of the students got. He bought the bottle at a disgustingly low promotional price at Waitrose.
Stefan Kah showed Glen Scotia 17 yo from Gordon & MacPhail which a few were able to identify - with some help.
Bob Arnott showed Ben Bracken from Lidl, which is apparently Tamnavulin. I found this disappointing as I have a soft spot for Tamnavulin and the whisky was giving acetone and lots of it.
Jeff McKenzie also had Ben Bracken! I suppose that it had to happen! If you look at the post about last week's class, you will see that there was no duplication, so once in 30 cases isn't bad.
Drew Nicolson showed Macallan Fine Oak 10 yo which most people correctly identified and a few were surprised by how well it showed, having tasted it blind.
Andy Davidson also threw everyone with Kavalan from Taiwan. Some of the class had never even heard of Kavalan. It is a relative newcomer.
Jim Schultz also threw everyone with Old Ballintruan. He had shown the same whisky blind to the Helensburgh Whisky Group on Saturday with similar results. Just over half of the class were either on Islay or close to it with the whisky's flavour. The clues Jim put in to his presentation guided one or two to Tomintoul, but the peat threw them off the scent. The sweetness, however, should have taken them to somewhere other than Islay.
Then I put on 4 whiskies blind.
Each bottle is numbered and, like last week, they were not in the correct tasting order. Towards the end of this the Advanced course, the students should be able to taste them in the correct order.
The order they were given was:
1 Bunnahabhain 18 yo
2 Auchentoshan Classic
3 Dewar's White Label
4 Dalmore Gran Reserva
The order, of course, should have been either 3,2,4,1 or maybe, 3,2,1,4. Having already tasted 13 whiskies, their palates were confused so they didn't correctly identify any of them, but one or two were close with the Dalmore. The Dewar's showed very well with no-one slotting it as a blend, its soft, toffee character raising it in the students' opinions to a Single Highland Malt. The Bunnahabhain threw everyone completely because of the Sherry cask element and as the phenolics have almost completely dissipated over the 18 years.
A good night and showing how well the students have developed over the course of the classes.
Taking both the Scotch Whisky Trail Certificate course (which they have to complete first) and the Advanced Whisky course, they have now completed 15 nights, probably 35 hours of quite intensive education. They all came into the courses as maltheads, but now appreciate the quality of The Blend and some grains and also the importance of these to the industry.
Within the class, there are 3 whisky bloggers, one of whom is a whisky retailer; one, previously retired is now doing some work for David Stirk's Creative Whisky Co. and another is doing some work for Angus Dundee.
What next?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)