Whisky-Meet 2013 in Bergen, Norway

Thursday, February 14^th:  Arriving in Bergen for my second Whisky-Meet festival. Had some time before my only tasting this day, so I headed up to Henriks øl & vinstue, a bar I had heard good things about. Well, 40-something beers on tap, so I was not disappointed. Even if some of their taps were out of service this day, I still had a lot of good choices. As all good bars should have, they had some specially brewed beers just for them. The barkeeper told me more taps were on its way, so the selection of beers should be over 50 in a short time. Highly recommended place for any beer/ale geek.

Now it was time for more beer, as my only tasting for the day was the Kick-Off Tasting. This is a tasting always held on the day before the festival itself, and always contains just beer. This year it was beers from Brewdog and Ægir, presented by Josie and Vegard. Six beers were presented, Punk IPA, Libertine Black Ale and Dog A from Brewdog, and IPA, Ratatosk double IPA and Natt Imperial Porter from Ægir. All good beers…but since I had tasted five of them before, no real surprises here.

Called it a night….after some whiskies at the Terminus Whiskybar.

Friday, February 15^th: After some food and beer it was finally time for the real reason I was here…bring on the whisky! I realized I had booked so many tastings, that I had to make the best of the time I had available at the festival hall. This year Terminus, together with Adelphi, had bottled a special festival-whisky, a 15yo Clynelish, hand bottled by Mr. Frode Harring himself. A nice dram indeed, Clynelish seldom disappoints.

First tasting of the day was a Glendronach vertical, hosted by Stewart Buchanan. Seven drams were presented; 8yo Octarine, 12yo Original, 15yo Revival, 18yo Allardice, 21yo Parliament, 31yo Grandeur and the Cask Strength NAS. Glendronach remains one of my favorite distilleries, so it’s safe to say I really enjoyed myself! Stewart managed to hold a really informative lesson about the distillery and the whiskies, to no surprise. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I think I have to pick the CS, fantastic stuff!

As a bonus this year, the festival put up an area only dedicated to beer, a nice touch I hope they will continue in the future. So after some beers, and more whiskies, it was time for yet another tasting-session…this time with some mixed expectations.

After keeping us waiting for half an hour, Jim Murray was ready to do his thing. Nine whiskies were presented for a blind tasting. Jim started off by calling the brand ambassadors present at the festival cynical liars, only interested in selling their whisky. Well Jim, how many times did you encourage us to by your book? He continued by telling us we do everything wrong while nosing and tasting whisky. But himself couldn’t tell the difference by two of the whiskies when the order was messed up a little, blaming the staff for putting their after-shave soaked fingers into his glasses. Why not use a chart with numbers to put the glasses on to keep track, it would make a much smoother tasting, without all this back and forth. I really like to have some water between my whiskies at a tasting, but for some reason Jim doesn’t allow that. I know he doesn’t like us to put water in the whisky, but if I want a glass of water on the side, what’s the problem? Ok, I will admit he has some good point about tasting whisky…but in its entirety, this was not my cup of tea.

Saturday, February 16^th: Got time for a couple of whiskies before my first tasting-session, so tried out the Taiwanese Kavlan…surprisingly good I have to say. Then it was time to taste some Glenfarclas Family Casks, with Robert Ransom. Glenfarclas also being one of my favorite distilleries, I really looked forward to this. Of all the tastings, this had the least amount of whisky, but what quality! We got to taste the 1982, 1981, 1972, 1971 and 1965 Family Casks….1972 and 1965 being my favorites. The tasting felt a bit short and rushed, and not as informative as Glendronach, but the quality of the whiskies made up for it.

A Benriach vertical tasting next, again with Stewart Buchanan. Being afraid he was boring us with all the details, but I think we all enjoyed his knowledge. Seven drams presented here, 12yo, 16yo, 20yo, 15yo PX Finish, 17yo Septendecim, 34yo Sauternes Finish and as a really nice bonus, a two day’s old new make. After two tastings with Stewart, I have to say this man knows his stuff, and held the two best tastings of the festival in my opinion.

Time for the last tasting of the weekend, Isle of Jura. I haven’t tasted that many Juras before, so I was quite curious on this one. Scott Milne guided us through the history of Jura and the distillery, and I must say…I really fancy going there. Fun fact for Paul; the Campbell’s of Jura were described as “a bunch of mean fuckers”. Six whiskies presented here, 10yo, Superstition, Prophecy, 1996 Boutique Barrel, 30yo Camas an Staca and 1977 vintage….the last one being my favorite and an absolutely stunning dram.

To sum it up…

Best tasting-session: Benriach

Best beer: Brewdog Dog A

Biggest surprise whisky: Kavlan Solist Sherry Cask

Most promising whisky: Glenglassaugh peated cask sample (at approx. 63% ABV and distilled in 2009, this was smooth as hell! Can’t wait for an official release)

Biggest mystery: How all that Chinese food got in my hotel room!?!

 -Ravn

Ravn is a member of www.angelswhiskyclub.com and lives in Norway. To see his report with pictures follow; http://angelswhiskyclub.com/awc/whiskymeet2013.asp

So you want to start a whisky appreciation club? Good for you, it can be very rewarding and you’ll meet a lot of very interesting people along the way. Here are some suggestions.

Recruiting Fellow Members & Where to Meet 

Sometimes it may seem that you’re the only person in your area that has a passion for whisky, this is unlikely. Most liquor store that sell premium whiskies will know their customer base and will put you in touch with like minded people. They’re out there and they can be found, use your local knowledge and imagination. Hold the first meeting in members’ home, the cost is very reasonable! 

The Number of Whiskies to Taste per Session 

Depending on the group and the length of the meeting you might want to start with two to three whiskies per meeting. Its general practice to start nosing & tasting the lighter whiskies at the beginning of the session and to finish with the heavier whiskies at the end of the evening.

For a great description of how to nose and taste whisky please visit http://www.whiskymag.com/nosing_course/  

Glassware

There is a myriad of glass ware on the market but I suggest that in the beginning you look for a simple & inexpensive but functional glass and the best for small groups is a small brandy snifter, about 10 cm or 4 inches tall. They are quite suitable for nosing and tasting whisky and you can easily cup the glass for hand warming and the curved sides help concentrate aromas. On this side of theAtlanticthis style of glass can be found in many second hand & charity stores which have any kitchen related inventory. I presume there are such stores in most urban centers. These little brandy snifters usually sell for about .25 cents, saving valuable funds for whisky purchases. As your experience with whisky grows you can look towards purchasing blenders nosing & tasting glasses or Glencairn glasses.

When cleaning whatever glassware you choose remember to hand wash them with a gentle dish soap rinsing very well to eliminate any residual soap. Avoid cleaning your glassware in a dishwasher as dishwashers tend to leave a soap reside which will negatively impact the next whisky. 

Tasting Sheets 

If you want to use tasting sheets to write down your impressions and to score your whiskies you can make them up making note of nose, palate and finish with some space for comments. Some people add in legs and color and over all balance, it’s up to you. If you would like some sample score sheets please email me and I’ll be happy to send them to you in Word format, you can adjust them as you see fit.

Water 

To add water or to not add water? This can be quite contentious issue for some odd reason. However you might want to take a clue from distillers, they add water when assessing a whisky. With experience you will be able to determine which whiskies are suitable for the addition of water. As a general rule and in particular in the case of scotch whiskies, those whiskies that are matured in new oak or ex-bourbon casks  tend to be able to accept more water than those matured or ‘finished’ in ex wine casks such as sherry, port or table wines. It is also advisable to have a glass of still water per person to clean the palate in between drams. Still water is generally the best, avoid sparkling water, it just doesn’t work when making an assessment of a whisky. Ice? Don’t. It’s a disaster. 

Banking & Dues 

Don’t go over board, in the beginning a simple system is the best and you may find you don’t actually need a bank account, one trusted person can keep a small cash on hand fund with a simple list of dues paid and expenditures. In my Club we have a general prohibition on discussing Club finances at our meetings; we are focused on the whiskies being presented. Our finances are not secret however they are certainly boring and thus open to all; they can be discussed via email if required. We collect dues once a year but since you are just starting out you may opt for a shorter period, perhaps once every three months. As an aside, I had a friend who was very much consumed by bourbon and tried to start a club based on his passion, however he just couldn’t get past the feeling that he absolutely needed a bank account and was very much stuck on that point. I suggested an envelope to keep the money in, a suggestion that he rejected out of hand. He never did open that bank account or start a club. Kind of missed the point, didn’t he? Pity.

Newsletters & Communication of Meeting Dates 

Once again the key to success is to keep it simple and if possible communicate by email; this reduces the cost of communication as compared to letters and stamps and is very speedy. Again email communication is economical and leaves more money for whisky purchases. This is important.

Left over whisky 

Whatever you do with the remainders or ‘heels’ of the bottles be fair, either distribute them amongst the members or auction them off to the highest bidders, the resulting funds can be used for buying……you guessed it, more and better whisky. Another options is to save them and have a nosing party at the end of each year, we pair this event with a meal, and it works out very well.

Perfume, Hand Creams & Aftershave 

These and other such products should be eradicated at all costs, the attendees need to be educated about the negative effect these products have on the sense of smell. Whisky is generally a product that is quite delicate and since most people tend to marinate themselves with copious amounts of pollutants they will spoil the event for all. Hand creams are particularly odious and they can cling to the glass, there’s no proper nosing happening with such a polluted glass. Ugh! 

Food 

It is not a good idea to serve food when making an initial assessment of a whisky, if you feel it will add some benefit to the evening then wait until the nosing & tasting is complete. Pairing whisky and food in a social setting is another aspect altogether and can be quite enjoyable. I frequently enjoy whisky with my meals. 

Sharing the Work Load 

Don’t try and do everything yourself, try and share the work load among your fellow members, if you don’t you’ll burn out and leave. This would be a shame, no?

Women

Yes, they live on this planet also and they really like whisky, so why not include them too? A roomful of grunting silent males is simply not that amusing and quite frankly the female of our species has a much better sense of smell and is much more adept at turning what she smells into words. Since most whisky appreciation groups are more than mere ‘drinking’ clubs the ability to turn what you smell and taste into words is of high value.

Friends & Family who Travel 

If you are having a difficult time sourcing whiskies locally then you can always turn to friends and family who travel, you’d be surprised how often they can help you acquire a hard to find bottle. Ideally these people should not have a taste for whisky otherwise they’ll be shopping for themselves, the selfish bas……. 

Drinking & Driving 

Don’t do it. Show some leadership and ensure that all participants have a safe way home, set a proper example. The down side of such irresponsible behavior is generally irreversible and ruins lives.

If there is a single theme that I’ve tried to communicate is to keep it simple in the beginning and stay focused on the whisky and the people, the rest will fall into place as your group gains experience. Have fun and…….Slainte!

This article was originally published on Whisky Fun and is written by Lawrence Graham

Mark Davidson…

Of a distinguished Banff 1968 vintage Mark Davidson has a short but full body and so marries well (& subsequently producing two limited editions), frequently seen at whisky fairs in Scotland yet curiously difficult to find outside his domestic market it is hoped his inaugural launch on the Canadian scene will be well received. He is at home in independant bottling circles being most commonly found in the William Cadenhead livery where he has enjoyed a 13 year finishing period, however as a stand alone single expression under the Jolly Toper brand he can come into his own while being a fine mixer.

A message from Oliver at the Malt Maniacs world HQ in regards to their latest e-pistle….

“I am happy to announce the first E-pistle of the year. Jacob Krodel is one of our Facebook group regulars, and he has submitted an E-pistle about his experience of starting a whisky club in South Korea where he is currently stationed with the US Army. Nothing too geeky in here, but quite a good advertising to get involved with whisky.

http://www.maltmaniacs.net/E-pistles/Malt-Maniacs-2013-01-Whisky-Clubs.pdf

Cheers,

Olivrer”

www.tullibardine.com 

Glenfarclas Whiskies      

Glenfarclas prides itself in being owned by the same family for the last 175 years as well as remaining fiercely independent, a rare combination these days in a world of global companies and spirit monopolies. Situated in the heart of Ballindalloch, 6 generations of the Grant family have led the distillery proudly through times both good and bad.  The Glenfarclas pot stills are still directly fired and have the original rummager chains in the base of the still to stop the wash from burning and creating a foul distillation. The warehouses currently hold around 52,000 maturing casks and annual production for 2013 stands to be 3,400,000 litres. They were also one of the first distilleries to open a dedicated visitor centre in 1973 and their tasting room is beautifully lined with wood from the ship RMS Empress of

Australia which was built in 1919. Glenfarclas is well known for its wonderful sherried expressions revealing flavours of cloves, vanilla and of course dried fruits. The core range consists of a 10 year old through to a 25 year old and in addition there are the family casks and historic bottling’s.

Buy ANY Glenfarclas 70cl bottle now and recieve a free Glenfarclas glass!

We’re changing things up for the March Outturn Tasting!

We are thrilled to be participating in Tip A Wee Dram – a whisky festival sponsored by Edgemont Fine Wines, Spirits & Ales and Team Hope (for which Crystal, Edgemont’s General Manager, rides) in support of The Ride to Conquer Cancer/BC Cancer Foundation.

This year’s event falls on Friday, March 8th which is one week after our regular “First Friday” when we release our new whiskies, so we’ve decided to pour the seven March releases at the festival instead of doing the usual tasting hosted by Edgemont.

Along with the March new releases, there will be some past releases (good news if you haven’t had a chance to try them yet), as well as some teasers of future releases!

We encourage you to come out and support this fantastic festival where you can sample over 60 whiskies while supporting a great cause.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Rob & Kelly Carpenter
Founders, SMWS Canada

4th Annual Tip A Wee Dram

Friday, March 8th
7:00 – 10:00pm
Vancouver Scottish Cultural Centre
8886 Hudson Street

VIP Early Access ticket (entry at 6pm) – $80
or
General Admission ticket (entry at 7pm) – $60

Purchase tickets here:
www.tipaweedram.com

Jura 1977 vintage, 26 years old

Whyte & Mackay says this vintage takes its name from the Gaelic word for the Yew tree. Going back to its roots the Jura Vintage 1977 honours the Yew tree,or “Juar” in Gaelic, a conifer with ancient symbolic associations with … Continue reading →

Edradour’s Unique Finishing: Ingelheimer Frühburgunder

Ernie – Ernst J. Scheiner, The Gateway to Distilleries at www.whisky-distilleries.net

The Perthshire distillery is known for its finishings in wine casks. Wine finishings are not always showing the results one really expects. However, Edradour’s recent bottlings from November 2012 are very remarkable indeed. They are excellent in their aromas and their taste.

Wine growers from Ingelheim sent French barriques to Edradour. Andrew Symington, owner and manager of the well visited distillery near Pitlochry, took advantage of the special German surprise offer. He knew the famous German wine growing region along the Rhine River as he had worked in the five-star hotel Nassauer Hof in Wiesbaden which is just fifteen miles from Ingelheim. Of course, the renowned red wine from Ingelheim was known to him.

In Ingelheim – a town which is strongly connected with Charlemagne – the red wine is made predominantly from Pinot noir grapes.  But there is also a special grape which is called in German Frühburgunder (literally translated „early Pinot noir“ or in French „Pinot noir précoce“). This commonly  and widely unknown grape is usually ripening a fortnight earlier than the traditional Pinot noir grapes.  Frühburgunder vineyards cover only 0,2% of the total area under vines cultivated in Germany.

This very rare wine can be desribed as very velvetly in texture with a deep red colour having strong aromas of blackcurrants and other dark fruit.

Klaus and Matthias Singer-Fischer – the latter is a whisky enthusiat himself – sent three traditional French barriques (two of 225 litres and one of 228 litres) to the Perthshire farm distillery. The casks came originally from the famous French cooperages  Vernou in Cognac and Francois Frères in Burgundy. They held for four years Frühburgunder and Pinot noir  from the renowned Ingelheim vineyard site Heilighäuschen. In September 2010 they were emptied and sent straight away – without any cleaning – to Edradour. Immediately after arrival Andrew Symington filled the barriques with an unpeated Edradour malt whisky which had previously matured for nine years in first-fill Bourbon casks. After 24 months of second maturation the whiskies were bottled in two versions,  two at natural cask strength and one reduced to 46% abv. It was Andrew Symington who decided upon the length of the second maturation.

The labels are absolutely unique in the Scottish whisky industry as they present the Scottish whisky maker and the German wine maker in a equal partnership.  The label on the back is written in English and in German to explain this very special partnership. The bottles are sold either at the distillery or at the German wine-growing estate. There, the each whisky will be accompanied by two bottles of red wine which had previously matured in the two barriques made of French oak and one of American oak.

Information about Edradour

Edradour is one of the smallest commercial distilleries in Scotland – the smallest, however, is Loch Ewe Distillery near Gairloch. It is the only surviving farm distillery in Perthshire and owned by the well-known independent bottler Andrew Symington. The idyllic picturesque setting is an ideal location where the King‘s Royal, a drama series of a Scottish distilling family was filmed. No wonder Edradour is well visited by coach parties passing the tourist hot spot Pitlochry in the Highlands.  Since 2002 the new owner has improved the site, renovated the buildings, built a new visitor centre and a new warehouse (2011).

Alfred Barnard toured the Scottish distilleries between 1885 and 1887. His description of 1887 is still true today: „The Distillery, which was built in 1837, is situated at the root of a steep hill on the road side, and consists of a few ancient buildings not unlike a farmstead, past which flows one of the most rampant and brawling streams in the district. On either side of this river, heather in rich abundance hangs from the banks and jutting corners of the rocks, and there is water power sufficient to drive several water-wheels. The works consist of a Barley Barn, Malting House, and Mill, all in one building. The Mash Tun has a capacity of 1,000 gallons, and there are four Washbacks holding the same quantity. The Still House is across the yard, and contains a Wash Still and a Low-wines Still, the farmer holding 740 and the latter 420 gallons, there are three Warehouses, a Spirit Store and small cask shed, and at the end of the yard a cart-shed, stable, and same outhouses.“ (Alfred Barnard. The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom. London, 1887.)

Edradour Malt in form of the Blended Whisky King‘s Ransom was also on its way to America on the famous S.S. Politician which sank off the shore of the Hebredian Isle of Eriskay in 1941. The film Whisky Galore made this historic event unforgetable.

The annual production is about 90.000 litres of spirit. Almost 95% goes into single malt bottling. Some casks are also warehoused at BenRiach Distillery, near Elgin. There is also a modern bottling hall.

Ballechin is the peated expression of Edradour, first produced by the then Distillery Manager Iain Henderson (formerly Manager of Laphroaig Distillery) in 2003.

The Edradour-Ingelheim-Wine-Finishings can obtained either at the

Wine-Growing Estate Singer-Fischer

www.singer-fischer.de, Telephone ++49 6132 944000

or at the

Edradour Distillery Shop

www.edradour.co.uk, Telephone: ++44 1796 472095

About the Author: Ernie – Ernst J. Scheiner M.A. was a director in an adult education centre. Ernie offers courses on whisky distilling, writes for newspapers and magazines in Germany.

He is the editor of The Gateway to Distilleries at www.whisky-distilleries.net

which gives an excellent photographic and educational insight into the whisky industry of Scotland, Ireland, Europe and Asia.  Photos copyright by Ernst J. Scheiner 2013.

Please see also: http://www.whisky-distillery.net/www.whisky-distilleries.net/Highland/Seiten/Edradour.html

To mark the holiday, select food trucks nationwide will take a bite out of this pork-lovers holiday by offering limited time only custom treats infused with Maker’s Mark Bourbon. What better occasion to spread the love of bourbon and bacon and encourage your readers to get out and try The Southbound Hog from Big Ass Sandwich in Portland, the Bourbon and Blondies Sundae made with Bacon Bourbon, Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream and Browned Butter, Bacon & Bourbon Blondies from Little Baby’s Ice Cream in Philadelphia, the Maker’s Mark® Bourbon Hawaiian Pork Belly Bites from The Peached Tortilla in Austin, or the Bacon + Syrup Wafel with Maker’s Mark® Bourbon Amber Maple Syrup from Wafels & Dinges in New York City?

Below are some additional details on menu items for each of the participating trucks for your review. Please check each truck’s Twitter page for their day-of location on March 1^st!

New York City 

Wafels & Dinges

Bacon + Syrup Wafel with Crispy Bacon Baked Inside and Maker’s Mark® Bourbon Amber Maple Syrup

Potato (de Bastogne Wafel) with Thick Cut Bacon and Maker’s Mark® Bourbon Amber Maple Syrup

@waffletruck 

Nuchas

Bourbon Marinated Hampshire Pork Shoulder Empanada

@nuchasNYC

Created with Chef German Lucarelli of Soho House (@SohoHouse)

Kimchi Taco

Korean Al Pastor Taco with Makers Mark® Bourbon Pineapple & Gochoo Garoo Glaze

@kimchitruck 

Mike ‘N’ Willie’s

Mango Bourbon Pulled Pork Slider

@mikenwillies

Frites ‘n’ Meats

Bourbon Pulled Pork Sandwich

@fritesnmeats

Eddie’s Pizza

Makers Mark® Bourbon Bacon with Pineapple Pizza

@eddiespizzany 

Philadelphia 

Dapper Dog

Grilled Hot Dog Topped with Homemade Pulled Pork, Pickle Chips, and Maker’s Mark® Bourbon Spicy Onion Sauce

@thedapperdog

Spot Burgers

Maker’s Mark® Bourbon Pig Wings with Bourbon Glaze

@Spotburgers

Little Baby’s Ice Cream

Bourbon and Blondies Sundae made with Bacon Bourbon, Bourbon Vanilla Ice Cream and Browned Butter, Bacon & Bourbon Blondies

@LittleBabysIC

Mac Mart

Kickin’ Kentucky Bourbon Bacon Mac

@MacMartTruck

Austin 

Boss Hog Kitchen

Smoked Turkey and Gouda Sandwich with Spicy Maker’s Mark® Bourbon Hog Sauce

@bosshogskitchen 

The Peached Tortilla

Maker’s Mark® Bourbon Hawaiian Pork Belly Bites

@peachedtortilla 

Gourdough’s

Sticky Kentucky Swine, Maker’s Mark® Bourbon, Caramel, Candied Bacon and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream

@gourdough

Seattle 

Happy Grillmore

Pulled Pork Sandwich with Bourbon Slaw

@happygrillmore

Pinky’s Kitchen

Pinky’s Maker’s Mark® Bourbon Triple Threat Pulled Pork

@pinkyskitchen

Portland 

Big Ass Sandwich

The Southbound Hog – Salt/Sugar Cured, Braised Pork Belly, Caramelized Onions, and a Serrano Pepper Maker’s Mark® Bourbon Sauce with Hand-Cut Fries

@bigasssandwich

Los Angeles 

Vizzi Truck

Honey Glazed Bourbon Pork Taco with Roasted Corn & Diced Jalapeños, Drunken 2-Way Apples, and Melted Brie

@vizzitruck