The Scotch Malt Whisky Society of America has redesigned their website (and it’s very nice). To see for yourself and possibly to join as a member, visit them at http://www.smwsa.com/ The ‘members area’ has their latest edition of Outturn, the current bottling list.
MAKER’S MARK BOURBON TASTING
The tickets for the Makers Mark tasting on the 20th of May at 7pm are now on sale. They are £15 each with a maximum of 2 tickets per ooking and are obtainable by calling us on 0207 403 8688.
Please remember we only have one phone line, so patience is a virtue.
Many thanks,
The Team
Compass Box NAS Peat Monster (46%, OB, +/-2009)
From John Glaser, Whiskymaker:
Complex and Multilayered
A malt whisky for real peat heads, and for lovers of complex, multilayered whiskies. What makes it fit into the Compass Box house style is the balance of richness and subtle sweetness that the old casks of Ardmore provide to the smoky-peaty Islay malts. This is the great benefit of combining single malts from different distilleries. We are not limited to the produce of one distillery. Like a wine maker blending grape varieties, we can create layers of complexity. And, as of late 2007, we’re introducing even more complexity by adding some south shore Islay malt to enhance the peatiness and earthiness. As with all our whiskies, several months of marrying before bottling allow the flavours of each of the whiskies to knit together.
Peat Monster is part of the Signature Range from Compass Box. Each is made from casks chosen individually, cask-by-cask, to ensure perfect maturity. The casks are combined according to recipe and returned to wood for “marrying” up to 12 months before bottling. Steps like these enhance complexity, flavour integration and soft mouth feel. Extra steps, but we think they’re worth it.
For those who love big, rich smoky-peaty malt whiskies, this is your whisky. Peat Monster combines very smoky and peaty whiskies from the island of Islay with rich, medium-peated Speyside whisky. The result is a balanced, very drinkable peaty malt.
W.I. tasting note;
The nose is of peat smoke right off, no prisoners, no malt, oak just a charge up the face and into the head. After a moment to gather the senses there is now earthiness and sweetness in the form of milk chocolate (think of the aromas of a chocolate bar that has been accidentally left in the sun); altogether it is vey nice. The taste is malty, peated along with some oak spice and dry cocoa (not the sun enhanced milk chocolate) and some hints of fruit (tinned & not berries) and a hint of heather which floats in and out. Again this is very good and very drinkable. The finish is of bbq’d pork rind, more of the chocolate oak, dryness, some hints of sweetness and some gentle peat that carries on for quite some time. At the tail end of the finish there is the sudden arrival of a little bit of orange to mix with the chocolate and peat; like an Islay Terry’s Chocolate Orange.
C$58
Score 87 points
GLENFIDDICH COOPERS MAKE PIONEERING CLIMB UP BEN NEVIS
Team of ten build 40kg barrel at the top of Britain’s highest mountain
Dufftown, 10th May 2010: A team from Glenfiddich, the world’s most awarded single-malt Scotch whisky, this weekend (8th May 2010) completed a pioneering 1,344 metre climb up Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain, armed with a 40kg barrel – which they re-constructed at the summit.
The feat, organised to celebrate cooper Jackie Ross’ retirement after 42 years as a Glenfiddich cooper, took a gruelling three hours to complete. The team of ten, which collectively have more than 200 years of service at Glenfiddich, included six coopers and a piper.
Jason Roberts, leading the team said, “We wanted to do something special to mark the end of Jackie Ross’ career at Glenfiddich and what better way to echo Glenfiddich’s pioneering spirit than to do something truly unique with his final cask?”
The climbers raised a total of £1,000 for local causes, including the Girvan Muat Thai Class, Girvan under 10 football team and Girvan under 19 football team.
Notes
* The eleven coopers’ names are;
· Jason Roberts
· Paul Ross
· Robert Davidson
· James Brown
· Peter Copland
· Kenny Doak
· Barry Cunningham
· Wallace Sheddon
· Tam Houston
· Taylor Davidson
About William Grant & Sons
William Grant & Sons is an independent family-owned distiller founded by William Grant in 1886 and today still controlled by the fifth generation of his family. The Company distils some of the world’s leading brands of Scotch whisky, including the world’s favourite single malt Glenfiddich®, the handcrafted range of The Balvenie® single malts and one of the world’s leading blended Scotches, Grant’s®, as well as selected other spirits, including Hendrick’s® Gin and Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
Click on www.williamgrant.com for more information on the Company and its brands
The Loch Ness Whisky Festival
14 – 15 May 2010
Two days of whisky events celebrating our northern highland distilleries here at Fiddler’s, Loch Ness.
WHISKY TASTINGS – WHISKY CRUISES-MASTERCLASS – DISTILLERY VISIT – BARBECUE-MUSIC – CHARITY AUCTION
Highlights include:
TALISKER/RNLI WHISKY CRUISE
– FRIDAY 14TH 7p.m. – £20
Meet at Fiddler’s at 7 O’clock for a Pre-cruise Festival Dram then get picked up by minibus and taken to Temple Pier Harbour where you will jump aboard one of two locally skippered boats and taken on an evening cruise. After a demonstration of the RNLI’s rescue boat Mitch Bechard the Brand Manager for Talisker will guide you through a vertical tasting of Skye’s famous dram in the shadow of Urquhart Castle, from New-make to 25 year old. After the tasting you will be transported back to Fiddler’s for a late supper at about 9.30. At Ten O’clock there will be a charity auction.
There is a bad weather plan with the tasting being held indoors.
20 tickets available
BALBLAIR WHISKY PARLIAMENT TASTING
– FRIDAY 14TH 7p.m. – £20
Meet at Fiddler’s at 7 O’clock for a Festival Dram then join members of the Loch Ness Whisky Parliament for one of its Quarterly Sessions, this time in the company of John Macdonald of Balblair Distillery who will guide us through the best of Edderton’s Highland Drams. Distillery Bottlings will be accompanied by the usual wildcard Independent Bottlings to give a full and comprehensive illustration of Balblair.
After the tasting there will be a late supper served at about 9.30.
At Ten O’clock there will be a charity auction.
35 tickets available
GLEN ORD PARLIAMENTARY VISIT
– SATURDAY 15TH 11a.m. – £20
Join the first ever Loch Ness Whisky Parliament Juncket on its first fact-finding tour. Meet at Fiddler’s to be transported to Glen Ord Distillery for a tour of our Local Distillery. After a nosing visit to one of Glen Ord’s warehouses a tasting of Glen Ords past and present will take place accompanied by one of the Distillerie’s Senior Guides. Delegates will be transported back to Fiddler’s in time for the Afternoon Tasting Session.
12 tickets available
TOMATIN WHISKY CRUISE
– SATURDAY 15TH 12 a.m. – £20
Come and have a Dram with The Locals, Gordon Menzies, Skipper of the Morag-ma-criche and Douglas Campbell, Manager of the Tomatin Distillery. Get picked up at 12 a.m. and be taken by minibus to Temple Pier Harbour where you will join Gordon and Douglas on a cruise to Urquhart Castle and find out a little bit more about Loch Ness and Tomatin’s Big Whisky.
10 tickets available
FIDDLER’S AFTERNOON OF WHISKY AND FOOD
– SATURDAY 15TH 2 till 5 O’clock
Welcome to Fiddler’s Malt Whisky Bar, Malt Whisky Bar of the Year 2007, 2008 & 2009. From 2 O’clock to 5 O’clock our doors will be open for both Whisky-lovers and future Whisky Lovers. Taste our Northern Highland Malts and find out why we think they are amongst the best Scotland has to offer. Speak to Distillery Representatives and let them explain why they are so proud of what they produce. Enjoy some of Fiddler’s Scottish Food in our Comfortable Restaurant. Remember the day with one of our Nosing Glasses.
8 Tasting Tickets – £5
8 Tasting Tickets and Nosing Glass – £10
Food Ticket – £7.50
8 Tasting Tickets, Nosing Glass and Food Ticket – £15
Distilleries represented (so far):
BALBLAIR – BEN NEVIS – BRORA – CLYNELISH – DALMORE – GLENMORANGIE – GLEN ORD – OLD PULTENEY – TALISKER – TOMATIN – GLEN ALBYN – GLEN MHOR – MILLBURN – ABHAINN DEARG – LOCH EWE
For more information phone us on 01456 450678 info@fiddledrum.co.uk
– All funds raised over the festival will go to The MacMillan Unit at Raigmore Hospital, Inverness and the RNLI –
It’s that time of the year again…it’s the last tasting of this semester!
Laphroaig vs. Ardmore at the Orchid Bar!
We have had a super year – so lets go out on a BANG! (not literally)
NOTE: This event will not be at the Chaplaincy.
Directions to ORCHID!
Head along King Street (or other) to Union Street. Walk until you see the Peckhams on the right hand side. Turn Left – when you see Oddbins – Turn Right and the bar is on the left after about 200m
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Limited tickets are on sale (from Chaplaincy office) now – we hope you can come!
Orchid Bar
Langstone Place (behind Union Street)
West End,
Aberdeen
Directions to ORCHID!
Head along King Street (or other) to Union Street. Walk until you see the Peckhams on the right hand side. Turn Left – when you see Oddbins – Turn Right and the bar is on the left after about 200m
7.30pm START – Wednesday 12th May
Come along early for some drinks and feel free to stay at the end for more drinks!
Are you “attending?”
University of Aberdeen Malt Whisky Society
The Chaplaincy
High Street
Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire AB24 3TT
aberdeenwhisky@googlemail.com
The starting point for any great whisky is the new make spirit. The liquid that comes off the still is, literally, the essence of single malt Scotch whisky. I’ve always thought we make excellent spirit and that we should sell it. At last, the powers that be have seen sense.
As you know, Highland Park is the most respected single malt in the world: Earl Magnus winning New Release of the Year at the World Whisky Awards 2010 is simply the latest in a long line of awards for every expression we produce.
This wouldn’t happen without the highest quality spirit. It always surprises me by its freshness and complexity; the spirit already features the trademark balance between sweetness and peat. Highland Park’s spirit forms the DNA of the flawless character of every expression of our award-winning whiskies. Now you can taste it for yourself…
It is distinctively aromatic, full-bodied and floral. Orkney peat – thousands of years old and based on hardy heather – imparts wonderful honey sweetness. The shape of the stills, coupled with the expertise of our stillman, emphasises the delicious fruity flavour.
The judicious addition of water assists in the revelation of the sprit’s complexity; peat, pear drops and freshly cut grass are immediately obvious. These flavours develop until the arrival of a lingering, smoky aftertaste which gently dries the mouth.
Highland Park New Make Spirit is being sold reduced to 50% abv. Why reduced, you ask? Well, although we sell whiskies at a higher strength than this, they are at a much higher price. At £20 for a 35cl bottle we would not like to be thought of as being socially irresponsible by bottling at full strength.
Highland Park New Make Spirit is available exclusively from our secure on-line store and the distillery.
For more information on the Best Spirit in the World visit www.highlandpark.co.uk
Gerry
Whisky Brand Ambassador of the Year, 2010
Mark at WhiskyCast reports;
Dennis Hendry is one of the true characters of the whisky business. He manages the visitors center and leads tours at Aberlour, and is regarded as one of the top distillery tour guides in Scotland. You’ll hear why in this week’s episode, along with some of the behind-the-scenes stories that usually never see the light of day. In the news, a new lawsuit reveals the reason for Sazerac’s split from the Kentucky Distillers Association, results of the latest McTear’s whisky auction, and the cartoonists do it again…taking a swipe at Glenfiddich!
Listen to episode# 252 at http://www.whiskycast.com/
MAKER’S MARK BOURBON
Just before that on Thursday 20th May we have the honour of hosting a small informal evening here in the shop with Kevin Smith (no, not Silent Bob) the Master Distiller at Maker’s Mark.
Maker’s Mark is one of the few Bourbons to eliminate the use of rye in its mash bill, replacing it with red winter wheat, which gives it a lovely light delicacy, with no bitterness.
We will taste Maker’s Mark as it grows up – from the ‘white dog’ (straight from the still), all the way up to an over-aged version that shows us that age does not necessarily mean wisdom!
Needless to say, this is a rare opportunity to actually meet the guys behind one of the most popular American Whiskeys around today.
Tickets for this fabulous evening will go on sale on Tuesday 11th May at the usual time of 3pm. They are £15 each and are limited to 2 tickets per booking. There are very limited places to this tasting so please be quick.
http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/Vinopolis
