Hello Fellow Scotch Lovers –

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: “size matters”. This weeks Whisky Wednesday offering is all about size…as in size small. A small production whisky, from the smallest distillery in Scotland.

Once again, the relationships that resulted from my trip to Scotland this past April have paid off. And so this week I am thrilled to be able to offer you a very rare bottle of Edradour 2003 Port Cask #379 Whisky. Produced by Edradour, the smallest distillery in Scotland, the whisky is not chill-filtered, and was bottled in 2009.

What is really wonderful about this whisky is the fact that it isn’t finished after the usual maturation on bourbon or sherry casks. Instead, this whisky is fully matured in port bodega butts previously used to mature port for a period of at least 20 years. The color is a bit like rosé wine, but a shade darker. This release is from a batch of 10 such port casks, put to sleep in November 2003.

This is a limited production whisky, with only four releases in total planned. But with our man Nicky-The-Neck on the job, we’ve been able to secure more than our fair share.

The ForScotchLovers retail price is only $72.50. If you’re interest, please purchase your bottle(s) ASAP. We have a limited inventory available to us, and once they’re gone, they are gone.

Doug Stone

Founder

www.ForScotchLovers.com

EDRADOUR 2003 PORT CASK #379 WHISKY

EDRADOUR 2003 PORT CASK WHISKY – TASTING NOTES

Colour – Like rosé wine, but a bit darker

Aroma – Wave after wave of aromatic ecstasy…like riding a bicycle through a flower garden: Dark berries, redcurrant, gooseberries (a whole jar of berry jam). Creamy coffee liqueur (like Baileys) with quite a bit of spices.

Palate – Crisp with loads of fruit – exotic like strawberry and pineapple – extremely sweet (even more than on the nose) and very clean.

Finish – Long and luscious fruit finish. If that’s up your alley, then you’ll surely appreciate this Edradour.

ABOUT THE EDRADOUR DISTILLERY

Edradour is the smallest whisky distillery in Scotland; possibly the smallest legal distillery of any kind in the world. John Reid and his two assistants hand-craft Edradour without automation, using skills handed down through generations…

It takes the man-power of just three men to produce Edradour – three men whose expertise and attention to detail produces the most unique malt whisky in the world.

Using skills handed down over the generations, the men of Edradour distillery follow the standards of those who have gone before. John Reid, David Ramsbottom and James Kennedy continue to produce the finest single malt whisky available.

Our Russian Facebook Page

Hi,

Our Russian Ambassador, Anastasia Bakhtina, has launched a facebook page where she plans to interact in Russian with our local fans. As well as publishing pictures of events across Russia, answering questions and relaying some of the stories I share on this blog, Anastasia will be writing about her experiences as she travels across the…(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…

http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2011/06/our-russian-facebook-page/

Kind regards,
Ludo

Happy 4th of July From Maker’s Mark Bourbon!

With Fourth of July around the corner, let’s talk about something distinctly American…bourbon. Bourbon is America’s official native spirit, and Maker’s Mark, made in Loretto, KY since 1953, was the first premium bourbon ever produced in the US.  Its signature red wax dipped bottleneck is an international icon signifying American tradition and craft and its distillery is a National Historic Landmark.

We at Maker’s Mark have put together a few must haves for a traditional 4th of July cookout – recipes for a refreshing summer cocktail and perfect side dish for burgers and hot dogs, plus the ultimate grilling apron.

*****

Mark Collins (our twist on the traditional Tom Collins)

2 parts Maker’s Mark® Bourbon

1 part fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon sugar

Club soda

Cherry and orange garnish

In a shaker half filled with ice, combine the Maker’s Mark, lemon juice and sugar. Shake well. Strain into a Collins glass (tall glass) filled with ice. Add the club soda. Stir gently and garnish with a cherry and lemon slice.

*****

Maker’s Mark may have just created the definitively cool grilling apron. Besides the necessary utility strength pockets, it has an insulated pocket perfect for keeping an ice cold beer or Maker’s Mark cocktail cold and a bottle opener attached to a retractable string so you never lose it.

$29.95 Available at www.makersmark.com.

*****

Drunken Cowboy Beans           

Makes 8 cups

By Sheamus Feeley Executive Chef & Partner, Farmstead Restaurant (Saint Helena, CA)

Prep Time: 1 day beforehand. Cook Time: 2 hours. Level: Intermediate

Cooked Beans:

1 lb. Rancho Gordo dried pinquito beans, soaked in cold water overnight

1 small onion, peeled and quartered with the root still intact

1 medium carrot, peeled and quartered

2 stalks of celery, cut into 3” pieces

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, 1 sprig thyme, 8 peppercorns), tied up in cheesecloth

1 tablespoon kosher salt

8 cups water

Combine all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a medium simmer and cook the beans until they are tender but still firm, about 30 minutes. Drain the beans and discard the vegetables and aromatics, reserving 4 cups of the cooking liquid.

Cowboy Beans:

1 lb. Benton’s Slab Bacon, cut ¼” x ¼”

1½ cup yellow onion, minced

¼ cup garlic, minced

2 tablespoons cumin seed, toasted and ground

¼ cup chili powder

2 tablespoons dried oregano

4 cups chicken stock or pot liquor from beans

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1 recipe cooked beans

2 cups barbecue sauce, vinegar based

2/3 cup Maker’s Mark® Bourbon

Salt to taste

Render the bacon until crisp in a large pot over medium-high heat, stirring often, about 10 minutes.
Add the onion and sweat on low heat for 3-4 minutes.  Do not brown.
Add the garlic and cook for 10 seconds.  Do not brown.
Add remaining ingredients, except for the barbecue sauce and Maker’s Mark®.
Simmer for an hour.  Remove from the flame and stir in the bourbon and barbecue sauce.
Return the pot to the heat and cook for an additional 15 minutes on low heat, until alcohol is not “hot.” Adjust the seasoning with salt.
Place in a cast iron skillet, or casserole dish and bake at 500°F until the sides begin to caramelize and bubble.  8 – 10 minutes. Serve immediately. 

Notes from Chef Feeley: “I only use Rancho Gordo beans in the restaurant, as I feel they are the best dried bean available.  I never have to soak them and they cook fast, with great tasting pot liquor.  Pinquito beans are a classic side to Central Coast barbecue (Santa Maria style) here in California.  I call them “Cowboy beans” when I serve them with my whole-hog barbecue. But with a little Maker’s… I think “drunken cowboy beans” is a better title.  Think Blazing Saddles campfire scene…”

Notes: Benton’s Bacon, which you can also order online, just happens to be some of the smokiest bacon in the country. You can substitute any other bacon, but we highly recommend you get your hands on some Benton’s bacon anyways, especially if you happen to be a connoisseur of America’s favorite cured pork delight. 

Vignettes – Moments in Whisky – Auchentoshan Visit – ‘Bottle Your Own & Toshan Man 1975 Experiment’

Distillery Visit

On Saturday 18th June 2011, Mark – together with his friends Niek & Ilse – returned to the Auchentoshan Distillery.

Jeremy Stephens, who’s become a close friend, moved on from being Head Distiller to Senior Blender for the Morrison-Bowmore group, allowed us to shoot some videos explaining the production process, but also allowed us to conduct a unique experiment in the Blender’s Room.

Warm Welcome

It was a pleasant surprise when the pulled into the parking lot of the Auchentoshan distillery to be welcomed by the guard at the gate with the words: ‘Ah, Mr Dermul, they are expecting you!’ Even more pleasant was to see the anticipation in the eyes of the Auchentoshan staff when we entered the visitor center. It felt like coming home. And in a sense, it was.

Mahj, Paula, Jenny, me, Jeremy and Christopher - my Toshan family!

Niek, Ilse and myself settled our purchases first, as our experience last year had taught us that we wouldn’t be leaving until long after the visitor center had closed. We were able to upholster our collections with quite a few wonderful bottles, such as the newly released Auchentoshan Valinch – a cask strength edition of the Classic, the first creation of newly appointed Senior Blender Jeremy Stephens (former Head Distiller). I was also eagerly looking forward to getting my hands on the Auchentoshan 1975, a limited edition of 500 bottles of this 35 Year Old whisky.

Production Process

After getting acquainted with the staff (it was a pleasure to meet Mahj, Paula, Jenny and Christopher), Jeremy took us along for another tour. We had done this before, of course, but this time we shot some informative videos in which the former Head Distiller explains the production process. Be sure to check that out here.

Mash Tun

After explaining about the mashing process, we moved on to the washbacks where the mysterious interplay between the wort and the yeast takes place to create the wash that will be charged into the wash still.

Washbacks

There are, of course, three stills at Auchentoshan: a wash still, the intermediate still and the spirit still. Jeremy went to great lenghts explaining why this is different from other distilleries and how that creates the strongest spirit in Scotland. Ah, the magic of triple distillation!

The stillhouse

We then moved into Warehouse Number 3, where the casks are stacked three high, during their long maturation. About 80% are Bourbon barrels, 20% sherry butts and a few wine barrels. Jeremy goes on to explain that whisky needs to be put in oak casks for a minimum of three years before it can be labeled whisky and also shows the effect of charring.

The warehouse

We then get the chance to fill up our own bottles.

Bottle Your Own – again!

When we were at the distillery last year, we bottled directly from a 1996 bourbon cask. It was – at the time – a 13 Year Old. Today, that cask is still there, but it’s nearly empty.

Bourbon Cask 11507 from November 1996

And since the cask was filled in november 1996, that meant that it had celebrated yet another year and it was now a 14 Year Old. That will make for an interesting comparison. We can taste both samples again and see what the extra year has done to the golden liquid.

It took quite a bit of work to get the whisky out of the cask, as it was nearly empty. That just made it all the more fun, of course. The valinch (which is the copper pitpette used to draw the whisky straight from the cask) went up and down quite a few times. And it meant that the spirit even had a few bits of the cask in it as well, as I pointed out to Jeremy. Exquisite!

After putting the labels on our bottles and stashing them in their own beautiful boxes, we took a walk around the grounds of the distillery and were amazed to see that it’s actually a domain of 78.000 sq meters! It was quite a walk! But very invigorating (apart from the occassional shower).

Toshan Man ‘Experiment 1975’

Walking into the Blender’s Room is always a rare treat. This is a beautiful place and not only because it’s nicely decorated. The sample cabinet is breathtaking and leaves us drooling in silence for several minutes. Jeremy offers us a few samples as well as a taste of the newly released Auchentoshan Valinch (the cask strength version of the popular Classic), the first whisky he put together as Senior Blender. After the first sip, I knew Morrison-Bowmore had put the right man on the right place. Jeremy knows his stuff, alright. The Valinch is marvellous. It’s got crème brûlée on the nose, with lots of vanilla, and pretty creamy too. It is a powerful whisky with a nice round body and great mouthfeel and tastes of toffee and orange peel. The lingering finish is quite sweet and lively. So I got me two bottles to start with!

But then something magical happened. Jeremy invited me to conduct an experiment. He offered me 8 cask samples from 1975 (!), 7 bourbon casks and 1 sherry hogshead. He put a blender’s glass in front of me and told me to create my very own ‘Toshan Man 1975’. I could hardly believe my luck. What an honour!

Cask Samples

You’ll appreciate the fact that this is quite a unique whisky as no notes were taken and the whiskies were poured into the glass ‘from the hip’, so to speak. A splash of this and a drop of that, on impulse. Hit or miss? Well, you can hardly go wrong with 1975 Auchentoshan, now can you? So it was bound to be good. And… it wasn’t. It was out of this world! A very creamy, lively dram with toffee, candid sugar, butter sprinkled with demarara, dark honey and some citrussy notes with a touch of raisins. But it was surprisingly lively, considering the cask samples were all 35 years old.

 
You must see the video as this was such good fun, we want to share it with all Toshan Men and Women.

Understandably, I was instructed to create just one dram – after all, these are precious cask samples not to be trifled with. But I did get to fill up a little sample bottle and still was able to taste my own Toshan Man 1975 expression and share it with the rest. The votes were unanimous: this was a fantastic dram. I plan to keep the sample for another few years in my cabinet, to open it up when I turn 50. I will then toast to Auchentoshan and that wonderful day in June 2011.

A big thank you goes to all the staff of Auchentoshan, for allowing me to conduct this unique experiment.

Niek, my friend who was born in 1974, was allowed to create his own ‘birthday dram’ as well from four cask samples from that same year. He was as happy as a kid in a candy store. Can you blame him?

We look forward to visiting the distillery again next year, during its Open Day, and hope to meet up with many of you!

Send us your own ‘Vignettes – Moments in Whisky’. If you have a whisky moment please feel free to submit your moment and we’ll do our best to publish it.

Kilchoman Inaugural 100% Islay 50%abv

(LFW comments) Hugely entertaining peaty dram from Islay’s new go-it-aloners.

Kilchoman’s remarkable history develops with this limited first release of whisky entirely sourced, produced and packaged on site. Is this all-Islay production the first ever such achievement? This is also the first appearance of their new bespoke (at 2kg, very-heavy-for-shipping-overseas) bottle.

A glass-filling aroma that canoodles the nose; soft, peaty, lemon, biscuit, lime, smoke………. Sea-spray made with butter…

A unique tongue experience! It neutralises the sweet and goes straight to bitter, then salt, then the sweet recovers and the swallow clicks with the sour, it’s hardly balanced – but it is very instructive, hugely entertaining and sooooo subtly overstated! Returning to the glass it’s vegetative, salty with a lively smoke, weirdly both very peaty and yet only subtly phenolic. With water it becomes something that should be served in ‘lashings’ (as in “a picnic with lashings of pop! Hurrah!”) Best served in pint pots.

Still the peat comes and goes… Chewy and nutty with a long playful finish. Another perfect whisky that dismisses concepts of age in single malts, and an ace, well done!

On the Flavour map I have it in square F10
On the smoky side of light and smoky

Kilchoman Inaugral 100% Islay
Barcode: 5060210700140

Very limited and so strictly restricted to 2 bottles per customer.

Overseas Customers: This is a very heavy bottle and a shipping supplement is applied.

Price excluding VAT: £56.58
£67.90 Including VAT at 20%

Anthony Wills & his 100% Islay Kilchoman

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

Glenglassaugh Distillery with Ronnie Routledge Friday 15th July
……………………………………….
Ronnie last visited us back during his Duncan Taylor days, having previously done a chunk at Gordon MacPhail’s famed Elgin store. On this occasion we are delighted to receive him again as Glenglassaugh ambassador at a time when this distillery is undergoing a rebirth. www.glenglassaugh.com closed from 1986 to 2008. We shall be tasting malts on the night from eras past and new to include the Glenglassaugh 26 YO !!
 
Tickets : £20 per head
 
Time : 7:00pm start
Food : Cheese n Oaties
www.nickollsandperks.co.uk

 Please book via: 01384-394518

Slainte

 David

Johannes reports that Foreign correspondent Benjamin Chen just submitted an E-pistle about the whisky world in Singapore. Check out: http://www.maltmaniacs.org/whisky-articles/Malt-Maniacs-2011-05-Whisky-In-Singapore.pdf

Bushmills Irish Whiskey…$15.99
Canadian Club 1.75L…$16.99
Canadian LTD 1.75L…$10.99
Crown Royal…$17.99
Crown Royal 1.75L…$37.99
Dewar’s White Label 1.75L …$26.99
House Of Stuart Scotch 1.75L…$14.99
J & B Scotch 1.75L…$25.99
Jack Daniels Black 1.75L…$34.99
Jim Beam Bourbon 1.75L…$21.99
Johnnie Walker Black Label…$25.99
Johnnie Walker Black Label 1.75L…$53.99
Johnnie Walker Red Label 1.75L…$27.99
Maker’s Mark Bourbon…$22.99
Seagram’s 7 Crown 1.75L…$15.99
Seagram’s VO Canadian 1.75L…$18.99
Southern Comfort 1.75L…$19.99

*Prices valid W/Binny’s Card June 29 through July 5, 2011. Not responsible for misprints or typographical errors.  Sizes 750ml unless otherwise stated. Advertised items limited to quantities on hand.Visit Binny’s at www.binnys.com

IAN MACLEOD DISTILLERS BUYS A SECOND DISTILLERY – SPEYSIDE’S TAMDHU

29 June 2011, Edinburgh:  Ian Macleod Distillers, the independent, family-owned distiller, blender and bottler has purchased Tamdhu distillery in Speyside from the Edrington Group.

Established in 1897, Tamdhu’s distillation capacity of four million litres of alcohol per year will support the continued growth of Ian Macleod’s existing brands, including Isle of Skye, Lang’s and the King Robert II blends. The Tamdhu Single Malt brand is also included in the sale, and Ian Macleod Distillers plans to significantly develop its sales both within the UK and abroad.

Leonard Russell, Managing Director of Ian Macleod Distillers, said: “Having purchased Glengoyne Distillery from Edrington in 2003, we are delighted to be acquiring a second distillery from them, safe in the knowledge that it has been maintained to a very high standard and comes with a reputation for producing exceptional quality single malt.

“I am also pleased that we will be securing and creating new local employment during these uncertain economic times. We are looking forward to developing the Tamdhu single malt following our successful growth of Glengoyne”.

Ian Curle, Chief Executive of The Edrington Group, said: “The Edrington Group is delighted to complete the sale of Tamdhu to Ian Macleod Distillers. Edrington and Ian Macleod have a good relationship stretching back many years, and we know the Tamdhu Distillery and brand will be in good hands.  From Edrington’s perspective, the sale will further de-complex our business, allowing us to continue to focus on the growth of our five key brands, The Famous Grouse, The Macallan, Brugal, Cutty Sark and Highland Park.”

Since purchasing Glengoyne distillery in 2003, Ian Macleod Distillers has more than doubled sales of Glengoyne Single Malt. Ian Macleod has built four additional maturation warehouses, capable of housing up to 5 million litres and has invested in the visitor experience with renovations and improvements increasing visitor numbers to nearly 50,000.

The Glengoyne brand is currently promoting a new long-term marketing initiative based on the fact that Glengoyne is ‘distilled more slowly than any other Scotch Whisky for the highest quality’ and is investing upwards of £1 million in the UK drive alone over the next two years.

Ian Macleod Distillers recently announced improved financial results for the eighth consecutive year, with group turnover increasing 22% to £31.9 million in 2010. The purchase of Tamdhu Distillery was concluded on 28 June for an undisclosed sum.

Alan Anderson : Whisky Fir Dummies

Venue: Just The Tonic @ The Tron (Venue 51) Hunter Square, Edinburgh
Time: 9pm (55mins)
Dates: 4th – 28th August

‘Impressive… amusing… bargain of a night out’
Adelaide Advertiser

‘Hilarious… not just for whisky drinkers’  Talkfringe.com  Glaswegian comedian Alan Anderson loves Single Malt Scotch Whisky and he wants you to love it too. Anderson is trying to dispel the stereotype of the cheap Scot by giving away high quality booze. During his show there are six whiskies to be tasted and many laughs to be had.

A former architect, DJ and tour guide, Alan Anderson has been one of the most in-demand comedians in Scotland for over a decade, with six years of sell out shows at the Glasgow Comedy Festival. Whisky Fir Dummies is his Edinburgh Fringe debut.

Whisky Fir Dummies premiered at Australia’s Adelaide Fringe Festival in February 2011. Alan Anderson performed Whisky Fir Dummies for 18 nights, receiving rave reviews and sell out audiences… probably something to do with the free whisky he hands out during the show to his favourite audience members.

There is no denying that Scotland has a drink problem. That problem is that too many Scots drink poor quality cheap alcohol such as alcopops, methadone and Buckfast. Whisky however is Scotland’s greatest export, 2010 was a record year with over £3Billion’s worth of Scotch being exported around the world. This helped HMRC rake in over £1Billion in tax. Anderson asks what whisky – compared to golf, Sean Connery or Nessie – says about the Scots, and will minimum pricing kill the golden goose?

Hae a dram, some cheeky banter and learn about Scotland’s greatest export with Glaswegian comedian Alan Anderson. Every show a new, unique whisky sodden tale.

‘delivered in boisterous and friendly manner… Anderson educates his audience… keeping them rolling with laughter…. a warm and hilarious get-together.’ Chortle

‘Excellent show. Excellent whisky. Excellent chat.’ Talkfringe.com

‘Scottish Comedy Veteran’ Daily Record

‘Festival institution’ Evening  Times

‘There was whisky to be had. And laughs too, of which there were many. I can find no other way to describe Whisky Fir Dummies other than to say that it is the best way to have a dram of whisky in a room with strangers. ’ Adelaide Art Beat

For more information please visit www.whiskycomedian.com Alan Anderson is managed in-house and is represented by Ha Ha Comedy. www.hireacomedian.co.uk For further information email alan@hahacomedy.co.uk or call 07930312135