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Single Malts Limited | 36 Gordon Street | Huntly | Aberdeenshire | AB54 8EQ |
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Very New! Glenglassaugh Revival
Revival is the first core bottling from Glenglassaugh since the refurbished distillery re-opened in December 2008 and limited to around 10,000 bottles.
Complex, fruity, spicy and sweet with alcohols that have mellowed very well in just three years. The best example of a young Scotch on the market today? We think so!
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The A-Z of the World’s Best Bars: O and P We’re in the second half of the alphabet now! Cracking on with the bar suggestions – and thanks to everyone who has posted a suggestion or tip. Plenty of bars for the team here to be checking out! OOld Stationhouse, London, England Old Stationhouse is a new dining pub which opened in January 2008. The building with its stunning architecture, ballroom and stone arched facade was built at the same time as the railway, and at one time was the waiting room for Chiswick station. Oran Mor means ‘great melody of life’ and this bar is certainly is one of the finest restaurants, nightclub and bar space that the city has to offer. This converted church is a sight to behold and hosts a varied programme of entertainment from comedy, to club nights and even has its own A Play, A Pie and A Pint, theatre series during the week (although we would prefer it was called a Dram and A Drama!). Olive Kitchen and Bar, New Delhi, India
PPump House, Bristol, England Pot Still, Glasgow, Scotland Paradise Point, San Diego, USA Located on a private 44-acre island, with tropical gardens, lagoons and amazing scenery. If that’s not enough to convince you to visit then they also have an excellent bar selection and menu available. Post 92, Pune, India |
Putting the Dram into Drama
Benromach Single Malt Whisky is building on its successful partnership with the National Theatre of Scotland as it continues to sponsor a UK tour of the Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart 2012 tour, following its support of the production at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe last year.
The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart takes theatre into pubs and other unlikely venues, where stories are told, re-told, sung and passed on. It’s an evening of supernatural storytelling, music and theatre inspired by the Border Ballads, Robert Burns and the poems of Robert Service.
The show opens at the Adam Smith Theatre Kirkcaldy on Wednesday 11 April before moving on to Blair Atholl, Nethy Bridge, Edinburgh, Torry, Kippen, Crianlarich, Kilcreggan, West Kilbride, Carlops and Kelso.
Their sponsorship is part of Benromach’s venture into the arts and will enable each audience member in Scotland (18 years and above) to share a dram of Benromach Whisky during the show.
Commenting on the sponsorship, David Urquhart Joint Managing Director of Gordon & MacPhail, owners of the Benromach Distillery in Forres, said: “We’re excited to be continuing our sponsorship of the arts as The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart grows in popularity across Scotland and the rest of the UK. It’s a pleasure to be associated with such an individual and artistic performance, which we feel reflects many of the distinctive qualities of the various expressions of our malt whisky.”
The tale of Prudencia Hart, an uptight academic, follows her as she sets off to attend a conference one wintery morning in Kelso in the Scottish Borders. As the snow begins to fall, little does she know who or what awaits her there. Her wild journey through the night takes her into and out of different supernatural and natural realms looking for folk songs.
The production will also appear at UK festivals; including the Norwich and Norfolk Festival, Mayfest, Bristol and the Brighton Festival. The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart will then tour the UK and internationally until 2013.
Those attending the performance will be invited to sample Benromach 10 Years Old, Benromach Organic or Benromach Peat Smoke at the bar after the performance.
Elly Rothnie, Development Director, National Theatre of Scotland said: “The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart was a huge success at the Fringe last year and our audiences loved sampling one of Scotland’s finest malt whiskies as part of the experience. We are thrilled to continue this important partnership in 2012 where we will take the production and Benromach whisky to new audiences throughout the country.”
The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart originally toured Scotland in February 2011 subsequently playing at Latitude Festival, Òran Mór, Glasgow, and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2011. The production has won two awards, a CATS Award for Best Music and Sound and a Herald Angel.
Notes:
About Benromach
Established in 1898, Benromach distillery changed hands many times and was virtually derelict when bought by Gordon & MacPhail in 1993. Drawing on generations of whisky expertise, the company carried out a painstaking refurbishment, and the distillery was officially re-opened by Prince Charles in 1998.
Just two men hand-craft Benromach using the finest Scottish barely and the purest spring water from the nearby Romach Hills. They fill new spirit into the highest quality casks before being left to mature at the distillery for many years. The Benromach portfolio includes the award winning Benromach 10 Years Old and the first fully certified organic single malt – Benromach Organic.
Benromach expressions include:
Benromach Ten Years Old
Benromach Ten Years Old is created from the finest Scottish barley and pure spring water from the nearby Romach hills. After being matured for at least ten years, it emerges golden in colour and displays rich fruit, sweet chocolate and delicate spicy aromas. With a rich sherry influence, the mouth-watering palate coats the senses with exotic fruit flavours, toasted malt and a delicate hint of smoke.
Benromach Traditional
A rich and mellow single malt with fruit and malty tones, balanced with a hint of smoke.
Benromach Peat Smoke
Full bodied, intense and challenging with a smoky character, yet balanced with the fruity elegance of Speyside.\
Benromach Origins
A series of special bottlings crafted to highlight how small changes in the art of whisky-making can help to shape the character of the final single malt.
Please visit www.benromach.com for details.
About the National Theatre of Scotland
The National Theatre of Scotland is supported by the Scottish Government. Since its launch in February 2006, the National Theatre of Scotland has been involved in creating 137 update productions in 125 update different locations. With no building of its own, the Company takes theatre all over Scotland and beyond, working with existing and new venues and companies to create and tour theatre of the highest quality. It takes place in the great buildings of Scotland, but also in site-specific locations, airports and tower blocks, community halls and drill halls, ferries and forests. The company has performed to almost 600,000 people
In the sleepy, picturesque village of Knock in Aberdeenshire, the Knockdhu Distillery is about to get a jolt of creativity from New York City.
Watch our video and register to be the first to know about something remarkable arriving from anCnoc. We’ll contact you when it’s here!
Register to be the first in the know
M C L E A N S C O T L A N D
T O U R S T O R E M E M B E R
THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY to sample a Scottish Clan Gathering and sample some excellent whisky! Aye, first and foremost it is a (group) coach tour of Scotland – so, why would whisky lovers enjoy this?
Well first; it is Scotland, home of the water of life.
Second; you get to sample Scottish life, culture and meet its people.
Third; need we go on? You get to sample EXCELLENT WHISKIES!!!
WEDNESDAY 20 June; arrive into Scotland where Liz and Paul will meet you at Glasgow airport. In the afternoon you will have the option of a coach tour around Glasgow. Staying at the Millennium Hotel, George Square, Glasgow. Dinner included, taken at your leisure. Time for a whisky pub crawl tonight! We know exactly where to go as you would expect.
THURSDAY 21 June; We depart Glasgow to sail on Loch Lomond. We then drive through Inveraray to Oban where you can explore the town for a couple of hours, with time for the Oban distillery. Then board the ferry to MULL at. We check into the Isle of Mull Hotel. Dinner this evening at the hotel. A nice wee traditional coaching pub is a wee walk away, with excellent drams waiting for you!
FRIDAY 22 June; The Coach will depart for Tobermory this morning where you will visit the Tobermory Distillery. Free time here. Dinner at Isle of Mull Hotel. More drams tonight at the pub!
SATURDAY 23 June; the main gathering day. We take you to Duart Castle 10.30 for the 100th Anniversary Gathering of Clan Maclean. All day at the castle. Dinner 6pm at Isle of Mull Hotel. This evening; another visit to Tobermory; sample another grand dram; The Isle of Mull blend (only 1000 litres made annually), sip a dram with the blender in his own pub.
SUNDAY 24 June; we take the ferry to the mainland and travel through stunning countryside to another wee ferry to Corran. We stop briefly at Inverlochy Castle then to Spean Bridge and the woollen mill for a lunch stop (not inc,) shop and whisky. We continue through the glens and lochs to Pitlochry. Staying at Scotlands Hotel, dinner is included.
MONDAY 25 JUNE; a day completely to yourselves, a visit and tour to the Blair Atholl Distillery (BELLS) at 3PM. Overnight at Scotland Hotel. Near Pitlochry we have more distilleries; Edradour and Dewar’s World of Whisky, we can also arrange a visit to one of these (or both).
TUESDAY 26 JUNE; we head to Inverness for a day trip. Visiting Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness and to the Battlefield and museum at Culloden Visitor Centre. Dinner at the Scotland Hotel. Tonight we will enjoy a whisky tasting in the hotel with your hosts. Four good drams hosted by our friend from a Scottish distillery, a good mix of drams tonight.
WEDNESDAY 27 JUNE; we head south to Edinburgh and the Carlton Hotel. A superb 4 star hotel in the heart of the city surrounded by great pubs, shops and restaurants, a minute from the Royal Mile!
THURSDAY 28 JUNE; a day of freedom in our Capital! Explore all Edinburgh has to offer – and that is a lot! A ticket to the Whisky Heritage Centre and a whisky dinner tonight on the Royal Mile, overnight at the Carlton.
FRIDAY 29 JUNE; a visit to Rosslyn Chapel and Rosslin village, before heading into Glasgow. We are staying at the 5 star Glasgow Hilton tonight. A farewell Dinner is planned, with whisky!
THE TOUR ENDS. This one – off Scottish tour is exclusive to MCLEANSCOTLAND and Members of Angels Whisky Club. We have a few places remaining, priced at 1500 pounds per person sharing. Airfare is not included. For full details please contact Paul or Liz at whisky@mcleanscotland.com
http://www.mcleanscotland.com/ http://www.angelswhiskyclub.com/
Hello Fellow WhiskeyLovers –
The 2012 Drammie Awards nominations are in..over 1,200 nominations from 14 countries around the world…and they’re counted. And now, we need you to vote on the finalists.
The mission of the Drammie Awards is to put the power of “recognition” in the hands of the whiskey consumer. That means YOU…and you YOUR VOTE! So in the name of all things whiskey, let your voice be heard and vote now! The voting is open until midnight on Sunday, April 15th.
As many of you know, I spent this past Saturday at the Whiskies of the World Expo in San Francisco, and what an event it was. The show was extremely well attended, and there were over 200 whiskies poured. Many of the major brands were there, but what makes the WoW Expo a real pleasure every year is the opportunity to try some of the worlds leading artisanal spirits.
This year, one of my favorites whiskies hailed from Texas, which brings me to this weeks Whiskey Wedneday featured whiskey: Balcones Baby Blue Texas Whiskey.
Balcones Baby Blue Whiskey is the first legal Texas whisky since Prohibition. It is a highly awarded aged corn whisky made from 100% roasted artisanal blue corn, a corn varietal that adds a unique nuttiness and freshness to the well-balanced spirit. After the the spirit is distilled, it’s aged in new American oak barrels that have been lightly charred so as to not over-oak the whisky but rather accentuate the blue corn’s unique flavor qualities. There is never any chill filtering or caramel coloring added to the whiskey.
Balcones Baby Blue Corn Whiskey was awarded a Double Gold at the San Francisco International Spirits Competition and a Gold, “Corn Whisky” by the American Distilling Institute in 2010. The awards continued in 2010 with F. Paul Pacult’s Spirits Journal giving the whiskey 5 STARS, “Highest Recommendation”. In 2011 the whiskey won a SILVER, “Best of Category” Corn Whisky, from the American Distilling Institute.
So I’m thrilled to be able to offer you a bottle of Balcones Baby Blue Texas Whiskey for $49.95/bottle. This is a great spring-time sipping whiskey, and a great whiskey to pour over a couple of ice cubes. If you want to try something totally different, give this a try. I promise you wont be disappointed.
Finally, for those of you lucky enough to be living in the greater NYC area, NEXT WEEK is WhiskyLiveNYC 2012, the Must Attend Whisky Event of the year for New Yorkers. There are phenomenal Master Classes, hundreds of whiskies to sample, wonderful food and music. If you’re a whiskey lover, you really owe it to yourself to attend this event.
This years show is on Wednesday, April 11th at Pier 60/ Chelsea Piers in Manhattan. ForWhiskeyLovers will be there with a booth, and we have an amazing deal on tickets to the show. Just enter the code “doug” in the promo /coupon field when checking out, and you’ll receive a 20% discount on the price of admission.
And until next week…have fun!
ForWhiskeyLovers.com
| ______________________________________ BALCONES BABY BLUE TEXAS WHISKEY
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______________________________________ DISTILLERS’ TASTING NOTES
NOSE: melted butter, kettle corn, vanilla, toffee, cinnamon, honey, bread PALATE: tropical fruits, brown sugar, cotton candy, smoked chilies FINISH: medium long warming, late cinnamon/leather spice, mint, green peppercorns |
Got a question about whisky? Ask Richard!
We did this on the previous blog and it seemed to go down quite well, so if you’ve got a question about whisky, feel free to ask it below and the guys will make sure I get you an answer as and when time permits. I’ve included some q’s from the past below so people don’t need to ask them again!
HIGHLAND PARK DEBUTS WITH SLOW FOOD RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR AWARD AT THE WORLD’S 50 BEST RESTAURANTS
Highland Park single malt whisky, distributed by Maxxium UK, and Slow Food UK, are set to introduce an innovative new award, the Slow Food Restaurant of the Year Award, at The World’s 50 Best Restaurants sponsored by S.Pellegrino & Acqua Panna. Organised by Restaurant magazine, the celebrations will take place in London’s Guildhall on 30 April.
Reinforcing its credentials in the food arena, Highland Park will sponsor the Award at this prestigious event. 2012 marks the 10th anniversary of the awards ceremony – a globally recognised and respected reference point which showcases the leading trends and the very best of global dining. This new award, judged by Slow Food UK, Restaurant magazine, Highland Park and renowned food critic Matthew Fort, will go to the restaurant within the World’s 50 Best that creates pleasurable food with an outstanding commitment to community and the environment.
With shared beliefs and values, promoting a passion for flavour and craftsmanship, Highland Park and Slow Food UK established a dynamic new initiative, the Slow Food Chef Alliance, and the new award is a natural progression for the partners. Going from strength to strength, the Slow Food UK Chef Alliance, supported by Highland Park, is engaging with chefs in actively supporting Slow Food UK, by championing small scale producers and sustainably sourced, quality produce.
Peter Sandstrom, marketing director, Maxxium commented: “We are extremely excited about our involvement with The World’s 50 Best Restaurants and this annual gathering of the world’s culinary greats. It’s fantastic to be bringing a different dimension to this year’s celebrations with the new award, in partnership with our friends at Slow Food UK. I look forward to presenting the award on the night with great anticipation.”
Catherine Gazzoli, Slow Food UK CEO, commented: “It’s a great opportunity for us to encourage and fully acknowledge the importance that many chefs are attaching to offering their diners an authentic and involving experience.
“The award will also highlight our plight to save edible biodiversity; honouring those chefs who have demonstrated a willingness to use and promote Ark produce, a catalogue of forgotten foods which will disappear if chefs and others fail to use them.”
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list is an annual snapshot of the opinions and experiences of over 800 international restaurant industry experts and is a credible indicator of the best places to eat around the globe. Last year’s best restaurant winner was top Danish restaurant Noma, known for its dedication to foraging. The shortlist and winners of the Highland Park Slow Food Restaurant of the Year Award will be revealed on the night in front of some of the world’s top culinary masters.
“We are delighted to be collaborating with Highland Park and Slow Food UK on this new initiative,” says William Drew, editor of Restaurant magazine. “Now feels like the perfect time to highlight and reward those restaurants within the World’s 50 Best list that best reflect notions of locality, heritage, sustainability and the revival of forgotten foods. One deserving restaurant will emerge with the coveted new title of Highland Park Slow Food Restaurant of the Year on April 30.”
Notes:
http://www.highlandpark.co.uk/
Highland Park:
Five keystones contribute to making the Best Spirit in the World:
Established in 1798 on Orkney, Highland Park is one of the most remote Scotch whisky distilleries in the world. For over 200 years, the distillery has combined time old tradition and the very best craftsmanship to achieve perfection. Its core range of 12, 18, 25, 30 and 40 year old single malt is consistently acclaimed by connoisseurs and experts.
Slow Food UK:
In the fast modern junk food environment, Slow Food, a non-profit organisation, is the voice of calm reason and quality. We work to promote the greater enjoyment of food through a better understanding of its taste, quality and production, Working with local member groups across the country, our network of chefs and artisan producers, we deliver educational projects and events to reconnect people with where their food comes from, how and where it is produced and the implications of the choices we make on the environment, biodiversity and our own health.
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants:
Restaurant magazine is the UK’s leading publication for restaurateurs and chefs, and has been publishing The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list since 2002 and the Awards since 2003. Restaurant magazine is solely responsible for organising the awards, collating the votes and producing the list.
S.Pellegrino and Aqua Panna are main sponsors of the awards. S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna are the leading natural mineral waters in the fine dining world. Together they interpret Italian style worldwide as a synthesis of excellence, pleasure and well-being.
The results and the awards are staged and published by Restaurant magazine in the UK.
Sponsors:
Acqua Panna & S.Pellegrino – Main event sponsors, official water suppliers, ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ sponsor, ‘The Highest New Entry Award’ sponsor
Veuve Clicquot – ‘World’s Best Female Chef’ sponsor and official Champagne supplier
Lavazza – ‘Slow Food Reception’ sponsor and official coffee supplier
Birra Moretti – Official beer supplier
Silestone – ‘Chefs’ Choice Award’ sponsor and official quartz work surface supplier
Cacao Barry – ‘Highest Climber Award’ sponsor and official chocolate supplier
Highland Park – ‘Slow Food Award’ sponsor and official whisky supplier
Les Concierges – ‘The One to Watch Award’ sponsor and official concierge services supplier
Action Against Hunger – Official Charity Partner
For more information about 50 Best Restaurants of the World please visit: http://www.theworlds50best.com/
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Kavalan NAS ‘Solist’ (58.3%, OB, C#S060814018, 536 Bts., 08/10/2010)
A Fino sherry cask matured single malt from Kavalan Distillery (King Car Distillery) in Taiwan. ‘Single Cask Strength’ and Non Chill- Filtered and bottled at Natural Strength. It’s a safe bet that this is fairly young whisky since a0 the distillery is not that old and b0 due to the climate the whisky matures at a much faster rate than in Scotland for instance. So actually once all this is taken into account it could have some ‘local’ age to it. None the less on the nose there is sour plums, over ripe fruit, shoe leather (which quickly vanishes) and then some magnificent fruit and sherry backed by green tobacco (some slight ‘green’ notes lurking in the back ground). With water there’s a little more of the sour plums and the over ripe fruit. And malt. The undiluted taste is sherried (but not heavily like from a PX cask) and some really nice malt and chili peppers; slightly eye watering so time for some water. With water things calm down some what and the chlies have taken a back seat to some excellent honeyed notes along with some proper cask influence; both are in balance and it really works. The finish is a jumble (in a good way) of the black pepper, chilies, sherry and malt and it all hangs together rather well with the malt carrying the day towards the ultimate goal line. Rather long too.
All quite good, very vibrant, interesting and some really good sherry/malt moments in there. Well worth seeking out. NEEDS WATER!
$?
Score 86 points
