Tasting Note Tutorial with Ralfy at www.ralfy.com Whisky Review 209 (5/7) – Whisky Masterclass (tasting notes) … because malt-moments are precious and need some structure!
Heavenly Heavily Peated Chapter 11
New Release – 15th July 2011
www.englishwhisky.co.uk
Dear Friends
Chapter 11 – our first Heavily peated Single Malt (very smoky in taste to the non whisky buffs out there). The whisky critics who have tried it appear to want some more – so before they taste the whole stock – you have a few days headstart on everyone else to get an order in and secure a bit of heaven for yourself!
Click here to order your bottle now.
We only have a small amount of Chapter 11 for release this year with more to follow in July 2012.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sweet and creamy with hints of ginger biscuits, aniseed and white pepper. Also vanilla and pear drops along with the grappa nose.
Taste: Creamy and clean barley at first, then the peat and pepper slowly build and fill every corner of the mouth, without overpowering. Ginger biscuits, lemon and lime followed by savoury dry peat and then more tropical fruits (pineapple, mango).
Fruitier than the cask strength on the long, soft finish, but still lightly peppered and citrusy on the sides of the tongue. Very mouth watering and the peat is more prominent than on the cask strength.
Also available…
Chapter 11 will also be available in a decanter bottle which will be bottled at cask strength, 59.7%.
You can order this by clicking here.
Don’t forget…
We are open 10:00am – 5:30pm 7 days a week so please come and take a tour if you are passing through Norfolk this Summer. We would love to see you and are ready to welcome you.
The Story Behind Our Triangular Bottle
Hi,
One of the questions I am most frequently asked is about our triangular bottle. What does it stand for and more importantly, who designed it? I have heard many stories, such as each angle representing one of the three ingredients needed to make whisky or that, conveniently, the triangular shape prevents our bottle from rolling…(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2011/07/the-story-behind-our-triangular-bottle/
Kind regards,
Ludo
SEPTEMEBER IS NATIONAL BOURBON HERITAGE MONTH
Visiting Maker’s Mark’s Kentucky Distillery Brings History of America’s Native Spirit to Life
September is National Bourbon Heritage Month, an official observance declared by the United States Senate in 2007 to celebrate America’s native spirit. Bourbon whisky has been made in the U.S. since the late 18th century but only in the last few years has the market for bourbon dramatically taken off with new brands and special reserves being launched at a rapid pace.
Kentucky is home to the majority of America’s bourbon distilleries, with the most historic distillery belonging to Maker’s Mark, founded in 1953 by Bill Samuels, Sr. The Samuels family began making whisky in the U.S. in 1784, but, as Bill once said, the old family recipe was so harsh “it could blow your ears off.” Inspired by the desire to make an incredibly smooth sipping whisky and after much experimentation, Mr. Samuels created an innovative recipe that used soft red winter wheat instead of rye as the flavor grain to craft the world’s first premium bourbon.
Bill Sr.’s son, Bill Samuels, Jr., took over the distillery in the 1970’s. Growing up, he lived on Distiller’s Row with other famous whisky makers, including his godfather, Jim Beam. Today his son, COO and eighth generation distiller Rob Samuels, is in charge of the distillery which has been named a National Historic Landmark and declared by the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest operating bourbon whisky distillery.
As part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail (www.kybourbontrail.com), close to 100,000 visitors a year take advantage of Maker’s Mark’s free tours, which show how Maker’s Mark still crafts its bourbon the same way as Bill Sr. made the first batch. From using an antique roller mill and hand dipping and sealing every bottle in red wax to aging its bourbon to taste instead of an arbitrary date, Maker’s Mark has stayed true to its heritage and handcraftsmanship.
In honor of Bourbon Heritage Month, we at Maker’s Mark would like to encourage folks to come to visit our distillery to witness American craftsmanship at its finest or to check out the 20th Annual Bourbon Fest in Bardstown, KY (Sept. 13-18). And, for those who can’t make the trip, enjoying a Maker’s Mark on the rocks or in a cocktail is a good substitution. This recipe for a Whisky Smash from master mixologist Dale Degroff, is a real crowd pleaser.
Whiskey Smash
Recipe by Dale Degroff
RECIPE:
2 parts Maker’s Mark® Bourbon
4 mint leaves
¾ lemon
1 part simple syrup
Lemon wheel, for garnish
Sprig of Mint, for garnish
1. Muddle all ingredients except Maker’s Mark® Bourbon in a bar glass.
2. Add Maker’s Mark® Bourbon, and shake with ice. Strain into an ice filled rocks glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint and a lemon wheel.
Dale’s other variation is a Whiskey Peach Smash. Muddle 4 slices of fresh peach with the lemon, mint, and simple syrup. Add Maker’s Mark® Bourbon and shake with ice. Strain over ice filled rocks glass. Garnish with a fresh peach slice.
Park Avenue Liquor Shop’s ‘Bottles of Summer’
As the temperature goes up – so does our inventory. It seems like every day we get in a new, exciting bottle. While we scramble to find room in our store to showcase them all, we thought we’d share with you the ones that have already made this a summer to remember.
Feel free to contact us with questions about these or any bottle we carry.
Enjoy the summer and don’t forget that our 50% Off your second bottle of wine Sale is just weeks away. (Ask a salesperson for details.)
Cheers!
Jonathan & Eric
Park Avenue Liquor Shop
292 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
212-685-2442
info@parkaveliquor.com
www.parkaveliquor.com
Angel’s Envy Bourbon
This is the bourbon that could only be made by Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson. I guess that explains why he came out of retirement. The bourbon is aged at the highest levels of the rackhouse for the best conditions and to keep it closer to the angels. They use only mineral-rich Kentucky limestone water and only locally sourced non-GMO grains. Angel’s Envy is the only Kentucky distillery that finishes all of their bourbon in Port barrels.
Finishing the bourbon in Port barrels creates a whiskey that brings aromas of raisin, toasted nuts and coffee joined with cherry, apricot and oak. On the palate we found hints of vanilla, ripe fruit, maple syrup, toast and honey. The balance has to be tasted to be believed.
Our Price: $55
“Advanced Malt Advocate magazine rating: 93”
High West: 36th Vote ~ Barreled Manhattan
“The 36th Vote” commemorates Utah’s role as the deciding vote to end Prohibition. In fact, the Utah delegation WANTED to cast the final vote.
In their honor, High West developed a new bottling and has helped launch a new spirits category – The Aged Cocktail. Yep.
The 36th Vote is a bottling of a pre-Prohibition recipe Manhattan that includes, two parts rye whiskey to one part sweet vermouth and two dashes of bitters. They then married the mixture in the rye whiskey’s American white oak barrel for 90 days, allowing the flavors to integrate in a well-balanced harmony.
Our Price: $51
Note: due to the package design – we do not recommend shipping this bottle. Contact the store with any questions.
Laphroaig: Càirdeas (Ileach Edition)
Traditionally released solely in Europe, Laphroaig Càirdeas is now available for the first time to the U.S. market. This year’s “Ileach Edition” is an 8-year-old that has matured in 42 specially selected former Maker’s Mark Bourbon barrels. These barrels were placed on an earthen-floor and surrounded by stonewalls in Dunnage Warehouse No. 1, which sits at sea level, a few feet from the water. While this a somewhat young scotch, ‘Càirdeas’ shows great complexity and balance.
Càirdeas is Scots Gaelic for “friendship” and Ileach is defined as native of Islay. (Master distiller John Campbell, is the first Islay-born person to in that position at Laphroaig. Coincidence?)
The nose a floral character mixed with Bourbon and sweet vanilla. The ever-present Laphroaig peat is there, but as dominant in this bottling.
On the palate you’ll experience a campfire of smoke, along with licorice, toffee, butter, some citrus and mint. A layering of sugar and spice delight.
The finish takes its time leaving toast and orange citrus in its tracks.
Our Price: $66
Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr.: Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon
Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. has yet again left his indelible mark on the whiskey industry. The man who introduced the first climate controlled aging warehouses, used a patented sour mash technique, and fought for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 now has a premium bourbon bearing his name. The Buffalo Trace Distillery has recreated his traditional sour mash and produced a limited edition one-time offering of “Colonel E. H. Taylor Jr. Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon Whiskey.” This faithfully reproduced bourbon was carefully aged for nine years and “Bottled in Bond” at 100 proof. The sour mashing technique for this small batch bourbon was derived from a meeting several years ago with some Buffalo Trace Distillery retirees who recounted a method for making old fashioned sour mash whiskey. The process replicated the way in which E.H. Taylor, Jr. made sour mash back in his day.
“Sweet on the nose and palate (fruit gumdrops, sweet corn, vanilla wafer). Spicy too (cinnamon, evergreen), and clinging on the palate. The sweetness is rescued late, with a firm, dry oak finish. Reminds me of an exhilarating rollercoaster ride that puts the brakes on at the end.”
– John Hansell Malt Advocate
Our Price: $115
The Whisky Exchange Blog at Spirit of Speyside: Pt 3
This is the third part of Tim’s over-written journal from The Spirit of Speyside festival. Brave readers happening on this post for the first time may want to read Part 1 & Part 2 first. Proper breaks should be taken between posts for refreshment and the avoidance of headaches. Saturday proved to be another beautiful day with the sun ..… (please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article) …
Summer Sipping Recommendations: Bottled Sunshine!
The mouth-watering flavours in our single casks have our tongues wagging like a puppy at the best of times but all this mention of tutti-frutti ice-cream, puff candy and the likes (in this heat*) is making us simply melt….
Take it easy at a slow slow pace:
2.79 Puff candy on a tropical island
Speyside Spey
£71.10 inc free p&p
Wafts of barley sugar and puff candy come and go, as if on a warm breeze, then some light herbal scents (basil or nettles), with chocolate and almond oil. The taste at this stage is sweet and slightly cooling
18.30 Hippie dram (Can’t believe this laid-back bottle is still available!)
Speyside Spey
£77.50 inc free p&p
Luscious and syrupy: grapes and apple skins coated in golden syrup; lemon bonbons and Crabbie’s green ginger wine, salted honeycomb
64.22 Spring meadows and honey
Speyside Spey
£54.20 inc free p&p
Journey through spring meadows while tucking into white chocolate cookie dough ice cream and heather honey
125.43 Dancing dolls in flower meadows
Highland Northern
£71.20 inc free p&p
Little wooden dolls danced in the mouth, leading parades of bright, delightful flavours (chocolate, mint, lemon, ice cream, caramel, coffee)
Very limited bottling:
Of course if the weather takes a turn for the worst, you’ll need something to keep you warm, we found a very small quantity of this not-seen-in-a-while bottling…
55.21 Coastal storms and autumn leaf-fall
Highland Northern
£48.40 inc free p&p
The nose caressed us with sweet warmth (toffee, caramel, fudge, honey, syrup, vanilla, barley malt) then citrus developed (cranberry and cherry cereal bars, Ribena); finally hints of leather and brown sauce
JULY SUMMER SIPPING SAVINGS (stock running low):
SPORTY PAIR: 1.158 & 76.83 only £89.90 (save £10)
1.158 Cricketer’s Dram
76.83 Cocktails after rugby
Za Za Zoom Trio:
125.45, 36.53 & 29.101 for £135.40 (save £15)
125.45 Complex and thought-provoking
36.53 Syrupy zestiness
29.101 Tarred, feathered and set on fire
Harmonious six: All of the above PLUS 7.66 for
£283.70 (save £30)
7.66 Harmonious co-existence of flavour
Browse all bottlings (63 single casks online)
*At the moment of sending the sun is shining brightly over The Vaults
Society Tastings & Events (66 Society tastings online)
Steak & Chips Tasting – The Vaults, Fri 15 July
Wokingham Preview Tasting – Cantley House, Fri 22 July
Falkirk Wheel Tasting – Queen Street, Thu 28 July
New Members Tasting – London, Thu 28 July
Greenock Prevew Tasting – The Tontine Hotel, Fri 29 July
Tunbridge Wells Preview Tasting – Hotel du Vin, Fri 29 July
Stirling Preview Tasting – Golden Lion Hotel, Fri 29 July
Blind Man Bluff – The Vaults, Fri 29 July
Edinburgh Festival Fever: Extra tickets added
We’ve just added more tickets to our Big Malt Hitters events with Jim McEwan of Bruichladdich & John Campbell, Distillery Manager at Laphroaig. And your taste-buds are in for a treat; the casks we’ve squirreled away for our three-dram Tutored Tastings are fantastic!
Don’t miss out…. More
Whisky For A Year: Free Tasting Glasses ends Friday!
Get whiskyed away on a tide of ultimate single cask single malt Society bottlings..
Over the course of the year we’ll send you bottlings, hand-picked by The Tasting Panel, of the highest quality and intrigue.
Sign-up before Fri 15 July and we’ll include a pair of free tasting glasses with your first bottling (77.25 Notes of floral & tobacco)
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society,
The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ
Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm).
Visit the Society at http://www.smws.co.uk/memberships for your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers.
Announcing the first online Google+ live whisky tasting
Who fancies a dram with me? As I mentioned the other day I’m on Google+ and one of the features on there is being able have a group video chat with other people, so I was thinking why not get together, have a dram and talk whisky?
So here’s what’s being proposed. We’ll do one or two video hangouts on August 15 and 16 at around 7pm UK time.
Now, I’m told that Google isn’t allowing brands and businesses onto Google+ yet so to avoid accusations that we’re doing this to push just one brand, we’ll do drams from across the ranges:
Whyte & Mackay 13 year old
Whyte & Mackay 19 year old
Jura Superstition
Jura Prophecy
Dalmore 15 year old
Here’s how you can take part:
Leave your details in the comments section – name, email, country you are from and Google+ address
State if you can do either night or have a preference
We’ll then get in touch to send you samples of all the drinks – seems only fair – and get ready for a drink on the night.
Now, we’re going to restrict these first two events to people in the UK and mainland Europe. If they prove popular, we’ll try and roll events out for whisky fans in other continents.
So who fancies a dram then?
THE AUCHENTOSHAN SWITCH
A unique mixology programme like no other with Auchentoshan – The only triple distilled Single Malt whisky
This summer, Auchentoshan, the only Single Malt that triple distills every drop, has launched a cocktail competition that will offer two outstanding bartenders – one from the UK and one from the US – a career-changing, 14 day switch across the Atlantic, to work in one of the world’s leading bars – The Auchentoshan Switch.
Rising to fame in the cocktail world, Auchentoshan Three Wood is quickly gaining cult status among bartenders globally due to its unique complexity, having been matured in three different casks. The Auchentoshan Switch competition will see the brand collaborate with the award-winning den for the thinking drinker, London institution 69 Colebrooke Row and New York’s Apotheke, who will act as the host bars for the winning mixologists. The winners will experience world leading molecular mixology as they work in one of the world’s leading experimental cocktail bars.
Auchentoshan is a brand that likes to do things differently, by being the only single malt scotch to triple distil its spirit to make it arguably the smoothest and most versatile malt. This ethos is carried through to the selection criteria for the competition. The judging panel will be looking for something different and extra special from contestants. Whilst much of the attention will be focussed on the drinks, service and theatre is of equal importance, so applicants will be judged on how friendly, approachable and charismatic they are as well as the drink itself.
With this in mind only video entries will be accepted for the competition. Contestants will be asked to film themselves making two simple yet integral drinks: firstly a lemonade from scratch and secondly an Old Fashioned made with the unique Auchentoshan Three Wood.
Individual competitions in the UK and US will run simultaneously to find a winner in each country. Following the initial entry process, twenty finalists will be invited to a one-day final round, which is set to take place in central London during October 2011. The switch itself will take place in early 2012.
Hannah Fisher, brand manager for Auchentoshan, commented; “As Auchentoshan Three Wood continues to grow in popularity with bartenders, it’s great to be able to give them something back. As the first whisky brand to offer an internship that crosses the Atlantic, we’re excited to see the results and proud to be working with two of the best bars in the world.”
As part of the transatlantic switch the US winner will work at 69 Colebrooke Row and learn first hand the world of cocktail and food science in the only bar related drinks lab in the World – The Drinks Factory. They will have the opportunity to work with this team of hand- picked, leading mixologists, in a lab dedicated to furthering the craft of the cocktail and fully realising projects as they filter into the bar. Importantly they will also become incorporated into the daily procedures ofopening-up and working in the bar at 69 Colebrooke Row, visiting producers and sourcing of quality ingredients.
Marcis Dzelzainis, Operations Manager at 69 Colebrooke Row, commented on the programme, “The Switch programme is a very innovative way of promoting a brand that really thinks outside the box. At the bar, we enjoy using Auchentoshan Three Wood as its flavour profile lends itself to mixability and that it would nice to see Single Malts used more in cocktails!”
The winner of the UK competition will head to Apotheke in New York City, the hottest cocktail bar on the underground scene. Managed under the watchful eye of bar manager and USA judge, David Clelland. The winner will be able to learn from and work side by side with highly experienced bar chefs. With no menus, bar chefs cook up individually prescribed concoctions for the taste of the cocktail enthusiasts according to their mood. At Apotheke, the presentation of the cocktail is as dramatic as the cocktail itself. The winner will be simultaneously part of both a theatre performance and a chemistry lab in the mixology heart of the USA – NYC.
Candidates will be able to apply online from 1st July – 31st August 2011 through www.auchentoshan.com/switch
Three Days of Eades Double Malts THIS Weekend
We’ve had a tremendous response so far for our Eades Double Malt Whisky Weekend this Friday through Sunday in Richmond!
There are still a couple seats left for our elegant Whisky Dinner at TJ’s Restaurant this Friday at 7 p.m. inside the beautiful Jefferson Hotel. Contact Jonathan Kibiloski at 804-649-4672 or by email at jonathan.kibiloski@jeffersonhotel.com as soon as possible to make your reservation! Space is very limited, and you do not want to miss this gourmet whisky dinner.
The Sunday Funday Whisky Brunch at Julep’s New Southern Cuisine is virtually full, but call Julep’s at 804-651-8621 and you might just be able to grab that last spot.
Thank you all for the great response, and we’ll see you this weekend.
Oh, and don’t forget to follow Dan on Twitter @VADistilleryDan to find out where you can meet up with him Saturday night!
________________________
Friday-Elegant Whisky Dinner at TJ’s Restaurant
Join us Friday, July 15th at 7 p.m. for an elegant Eades Double Malt Whisky Dinner at TJ’s Restaurant inside Richmond’s historic Jefferson Hotel. Don’t miss Eades Speyside paired with house-cured bacon wrapped Scallops, Eades Islay paired with artichoke and oxtail stuffed quail, and for dessert Eades Highland paired with Scotch-spiked lemon pound cake. Cost for the dinner is $65 per person (not including tax and gratuity). Contact Jonathan Kibiloski at 804-649-4672 or by email at jonathan.kibiloski@jeffersonhotel.com for more information.
Saturday-FREE Eades Double Malt Tasting at Carytown ABC Store
Stop by the ABC store in Carytown (10 N. Thompson St) July 16 from 2-4 p.m. for FREE samples of Eades Double Malts. Meet up with VDC’s Dan FitzHenry later that evening at the best whisky bars in Richmond. Follow Dan on Twitter @VADistilleryDan to find out where he’ll be hanging out. No tickets or reservations required, just come out and enjoy!
Sunday-Whisky Brunch at Julep’s New Southern Cuisine
Finally, kick back for a relaxing, stress-free Sunday Funday Whisky Brunch at Julep’s New Southern Cuisine on Sunday, July 17 from 1-4pm. Enjoy an all-you-can eat brunch buffet featuring Julep’s modern Southern flavor while you sip Eades Double Malt Whiskies. Brunch buffet and tasting experience is $25 per person ($15 for restaurant industry professionals). Call 804-651-8621 for reservations.
