Ludo, Grant’s Global Ambassador, was interviewed by the Lithuanian Press, details can be viewed at http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2010/09/grant%e2%80%99s-in-lithuanian-press/

 This week’s episode comes from the Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh, Scotland, which has been completely renovated to provide state of the art whisky education for both consumers and professionals. We’ll hear from the Experience’s Julie Hunter on the changes, which include the addition of the Claive Vidiz Collection of whiskies to the exhibits on display. We’ll also catch up with Alastair Day on the success of his Tweedale Blend whisky and Victor Brierley tells us about a new tour service for Glasgow’s great whisky bars.

Visit WhiskyCast at www.whiskycast.com

History, heritage and location

The story of BenRiach – ‘the Hill of the Red Deer’, is typical of the great Speyside distilleries. Built in 1898, the distillery is sited amongst the rolling barley fields that rise to the foothills of the Grampian mountains. The barley used in crafting the whisky was grown around the distillery and the water was, and still is, drawn through the rock that lies deep below the distillery.The barley harvested from the fields surrounding the distillery would be spread across the floors of the malting loft to germinate. Peat, cut from the hills, fired the kiln and produced the heat required to control the germination process, and the distinctive peat scented smoke would be seen curling upwards from the malting chimneys throughout the year.

The distillery manager would oversee the slow and deliberate crafting process of BenRiach whisky – managing the transformation from malted barley to wash, to distilled spirit and into high quality oak casks, in which the whisky would then mature. This was the beginning of the BenRiach story.

From www.benriachdistillery.co.uk

BenRiach 23yo 1986/09 (56.1%, OB, Binny’s/PLOWED, Peated/Pedro Ximinez Finish, 314 Bts., C#3182)

A single cask bottled for Binny’s Chicago and selected by the PLOWED Society from a peated hogs head and finished in Pedro Ximinez casks. The nose is of peat smoke and a myriad of deep rich dark fruit and Christmas cake along with some hints of diesel and coal smoke. All in all a very good combination. Also sherry, hints of nutmeg and raisins. The taste is peated, woody (& hints of char) and once again the fruit is much in evidence however there is some dryness and this over takes the other characteristics some what but this does not detract. This is very good. The finish is warming, syrupy and dark raisiny sweet along with some super dry oaky moments with a back ground of white chocolate. It is quite long and consistent.

Very well balanced and a good combination of peat smoke and the Pedro Ximinez sherry and great depth.  The BenRiach character has vanished however but no matter as this is very nice.

US$170 at www.binnys.com

Score 85 points

A note from Gerry Tosh:

I wrote in November of last year from deepest darkest Canada in some bar Cadet Wheelock led me astray in (shame on you Wheelock) about Earl Magnus, a high-strength, limited edition Highland Park which followed hot on the footsteps of Hjarta. Earl Magnus was the first of a trilogy; it sold out very quickly and has recently been awarded Gold Best in Class at the International Wine & Spirits Competition.

It is my great privilege to introduce to you the second in the series; Saint Magnus is a vatting bottled at 55% abv. The whisky has been largely matured in Spanish oak casks, of which approximately 20% were first-fill. The youngest whisky in the vatting dates from 1998.

Saint Magnus is one of six saintly Norsemen born in the 11th and 12th centuries when the Orkney Islands belonged to Norway. Saint Magnus was murdered by his treacherous cousin Haakon and was canonized only 20 years later. His influence spread far and wide; more than 20 churches have been dedicated to Saint Magnus. The forename became popular in Orkney, most notably in the case of Magnus Eunson, our man forever associated with the founding of Highland Park distillery in 1798.
 
  
The whisky has been created by my mate Max MacFarlane, Whisky Maker extraordinaire, and is bottled at 55%. These are his thoughts on the tasting notes for Saint Magnus:

Appearance: Copper toned honey, clear and bright.

Nose: At natural strength there is terrific intensity with classic dried fruits and honey sweetness. Thereafter glorious notes of cinnamon, dried apple and hints of exotic fruits emerge, followed by a whiff of aromatic smoke.

Palate: Immediately intense and rich, the whisky lingers on the palate emphasizing the perfect balance between sweetness and aromatic smoke.

Finish: Long and gently smoky.

Saint Magnus is available at £85 per bottle and is limited to 11,994 bottles.

 For information on The Best Spirit in the World visit www.highlandpark.co.uk

Yours sincerly
Gerry Tosh
Head of Brand Education Whisky Ambassador of the Year

Binny’s Algonquin Location

SCOTCH TASTING OPEN HOUSE

Saturday, September 11, 1:00-4:00pm

Taste over a dozen different Scotches and get a look at the many different styles of Scotch Whisky. 

Call (847)458-2470 for more information or visit Binny’s at www.binnys.com

Ballechin #5 (peated Edradour) OB 46%alc.

LFW comments;

The Festival of Ballechin, here at Loch Fyne Whiskies, celebrates the arrival of a new bottling and we are clearing up after the arrival of the latest of Andrew Symington & Edradour’s ‘Discovery Series’. Much-peated Ballechin #5 is hewn from a Marsala cask offered at 46%, unchillfiltered and, as it says on the tube, is “natural colour” – unlike the colour of the tube, which is not natural.

Contrasting with #4 (from Oloroso sherry wood) the sweet, fortified, Italian wine cask has not contributed much to the whisky; it’s primarily peaty, not so much neat on the nose but when tasted and nosed with water it’s very peaty. There are distinct fruit notes (as cherry Tunes® – menthol sweets) and other esters with water added. Overall it’s sweet peat and will be another big seller in the shop – after the application of a petit gout…

On the flavour map it’s in D10:
on the smoky side of Light and Smoky

Added to LFW.CO.UK 9-SEPTEMBER-2010

Price excluding VAT: £50.64
£59.50 Including VAT at 17.5%

Visit Loch Fyne Whiskeis at www.lfw.co.uk

Ballechin #5 (peated Edradour) OB 46%alc.

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

The Douglas Laing Single Malt Scotch Whisky Tasting  from 6 to 8 pm

Further details to follow…

Visit the Brandy Library at www.brandylibrary.com

Last chance to win two £500 bottles of 40 year old whisky

From Richard Paterson;

Hectic day (hectic month) so I’ll be quick. To help celebrate my 40th anniversary as a Master Blender at Whyte & Mackay, we are giving away two bottles of 40 year old – one via the internet and one in Glasgow – this weekend. Here’s what you need to do:

To win in Glasgow, come along to Whisky Live and find the Whyte & Mackay stall at around 1.45pm. If you are dressed like me – some marketing wag dubbed it a ‘tache mob’ – or looking like me you’ll get a free dram of the 40 year old and the best lookalike will win a bottle.

If you can’t make Glasgow, post a pic of yourself impersonating me and send a link – put it in the comments below or place it on our Facebook page – and again, the best one will win a bottle of 40 year old. Closing date is midnight Sunday, UK time.

We might do some runner-up prizes as well… good luck everyone and have fun!

The 'tache' below 'the nose'