www.ralfy.com shares a few valuable minutes with one of the most obscure of Irelands whiskies with Whisky Review 348 – Knappogue Castle Irish Whiskey
This month, The House of Suntory Whisky proudly marks its 90th anniversary of whisky making. It has been 90 years since founding father, Shinjiro Torii, built the first whisky distillery in Yamazaki, Japan in 1923, and this new “art of whisky making” was born. Since then, the House of Suntory has grown to include its three luxury brands – The Yamazaki and The Hakushu single malts, and the blend, Hibiki – all which have gone on to earn high praise and global success.
Some highlights include:
– 1923 – Shinjiro Torii, established Japan’s first distillery in Yamazaki on the periphery of Kyoto
– 1973 – Torii’s son, Keizo Saji, completes Suntory’s second distillery, Hakushu
– 2002 – Shingo Torii, grandson of Shinjiro Torii is named the current Master Blender of the House, and continues to perfect the quality of Suntory’s Japanese Whisky
– 2012 – Suntory achieves global accomplishment, when named Distiller of the Year for the third time in three years
– 2012 – Suntory’s marks impressive global growth of shipments: The Yamazaki increased by 24% and The Hakushu increased by a remarkable 187%
– 2013 and on – Looking to the future, Suntory plans to strengthen their global presence by expanding to new markets, talking to new customers, and proposing new ways of enjoying their whisky. In 2013 and 2014, Suntory will be investing approximately 5 Billion Yen (US$50 Million) to increase productivity at the Yamazaki Distillery and the Ohmi Aging Cellars. This expansion and investment is to meet the increasing demand globally for Suntory whisky, specifically, in the US and UK.
Balcones Ambassador Night
Tuesday 19th March 2013, 6.30-8.30pm Milroy’s of Soho, W1D 4NX
Balcones Distilling in Waco, Texas, was founded in 2008 by renowned craft distiller and trailblazer, Chip Tate. Within the US craft whisky industry, Chip’s name is synonymous with expertise, innovation and precision, having produced some of the most highly acclaimed artisan whiskies to come out of the US over the last four years. From his award winning No 1 Single Malt through to his smoked Brimstone Corn Whisky, Chip’s whiskies are guaranteed to amaze the palate.
Join us for an evening sampling these craft whiskies with the man himself! As with all our Ambassador Nights the £20 ticket price can be redeemed against purchases made on the night.
Taste Virginia Highland Malt in Northern VA! ABC Stores Host Free Event
(a message frm the Virginia Distillery Company)
We hope you’ll stop by one of these ABC stores this weekend for a free tasting of Virginia Highland Malt Whisky. It will be hosted by our own Dan FitzHenry.
Friday March 15 – Burke Center Shopping Center, 6-8pm
Saturday March 16 – McLean Shopping Center 12-2pm,
Saturday March 16 – Ballston, N. Quincy St., 6-8pm
Saturday March 23 – Alexandria, Belle View Shopping Center, 12-2pm
Saturday March 30 – Centreville, Union Mill Shopping Center, 12-2pm
Friday April 12 – Reston, North Point Village Shopping Center, 6-8pm
Saturday April 13 – Leesburg, Fort Evans Plaza, 3-5pm
You can really help by sharing this event on Facebook and Twitter…We appreciate the support.
Virginia Distillery Company |Lovingston | VA | 22949
Kilchoman Machir Bay 2013, Islay Single Malt
The launch marks the second outing for Machir Bay, which is named after a beach close to the distillery on Islay. According to the distillery, Machir Bay 2013 is a vatting of 3-, 4- and 5 year-old peated malt (aged … Continue reading →
Select Scotch Whisky – New Post up!!
Select Scotch Whisky take a look at Lagavulin 16YO! See what Simon has to say.
http://www.selectscotchwhisky.com/2013/03/lagavulin-16yo.html
Tickets on sale Tues April 2 at 10am!
Mark your calendars! Tickets for this year’s Spirit of Toronto Whisky Gala go on sale at 10am on Tuesday, April 2, once again through Roy Thomson Hall. Full details will be online in the coming week but suffice to say that we have our fingers crossed that ticket demand does not bring down the servers as it did last year!
Tickets in 2013 are $135 for admission to the main tasting hall at 6:30pm, and $35 for early admission to the 5:30pm masterclasses. Once again you will be able to reserve seats in the 7pm and 8:30pm masterclasses for a nominal fee of $15. Full details to be published online at http://www.spiritoftoronto.ca and the full masterclass schedule will be available next week.
Some Highlights for 2013
The last masterclasses are being confirmed and our new website is almost ready to go live—in the meantime, here are a few of this year’s highlights to whet your appetite…
Charlie MacLean: Author, Raconteur and Bon Vivant
I hazard to guess that few of you who take Scotch seriously have yet to hear of the inimitable Charlie MacLean, speaker, scholar and author of several books on the subject, most recently ‘Whiskypedia’, essential reading for lovers of whisky minutiae. On a personal front Charlie’s antics are legendary, and almost as memorable as his contagious enthusiasm for the ‘water of life’.
Those of you who have had the pleasure of tasting whisky under Charlie’s tutelage know how very fortunate we are to have him join us in Toronto, in what is a very rare North American appearance. Fans of Islay whisky in particular will not want to miss his early bird masterclass—“Icons of Islay, from Past to Present”—a session that promises to unveil the stories and tastes of some of Islay’s legendary distilleries. (Please note that there will be a $20 surcharge for this session.)
Rumour has it that Charlie enjoys a fine cigar paired with whisky to wind down the evening. We’ve assured him that he will have plenty of company on the outdoor terrace and suspect he will be holding court at the end of the night with a few fortunate guests (weather permitting, of course!)
Chip Tate, Balcones Distilling
Founder of the first legal distillery in Texas since Prohibition, I doubt it would be an exaggeration to call Chip Tate the rockstar of the American craft distilling movement if what we’ve read in the New York Times, Imbibe and the San Francisco Chronicle are anything to go by. Having already tasted some of Chip’s handiwork, we are confident that those of you with an open mind and open palate will relish this new style of American whiskey being sampled for the first time in Canada at Spirit of Toronto 2013.
We’re so pleased to have Chip join us this year that we will be welcoming him with a 4-course Balcones Whisky Dinner on Friday May 11. Being held on the poolside terrace of Roy Thomson Hall, this will be an opportunity for a few lucky guests to meet Chip firsthand and enjoy a harvest table of down home goodness paired with his range of exceptional Texas whisky. Seating is limited and can be reserved when Spirit of Toronto tickets go on sale on Tuesday April 2. The full menu will be published online at www.spiritoftoronto.ca shortly.
Ralf Mitchell, www.ralfy.com
Thousands tune in regularly to Ralfystuff on YouTube to hear Ralf Mitchell’s carefully considered, methodical reviews, no nonsense commentary and wry banter on all things whisky. Spirit of Toronto is chuffed to not only have Ralfy in person covering the show, but he will be taping some of his whisky reviews—otherwise known as v-logs—at the event before our live audience.
Mark Gillespie, WhiskyCast
When you’re asked to keep the details of a masterclass secret you can’t help but get excited, particularly when it’s being hosted by one of whisky’s most intrepid and roving journalists!
There are few places in the globe that Mark Gillespie hasn’t visited as part of his coverage for the cask strength conversation of his weekly podcast at www.whiskycast.com Mark is also an accomplished photographer and a few lucky guests at this year’s show will enjoy the tastes and sights of some of these distillery visits as part of his masterclass entitled “What I’m Tasting Now”. We would love to reveal more about this blind tasting, but we’ve been sworn to secrecy! That said, those of you who follow Mark on his travels may find some clues as to what he intends to share with us at this year’s show.
www.ralfy.com explores a reviving area of Irish Whiskey with Whisky Review #347 – Powers ‘Johns’ Lane’ Pot Still Whiskey
Easy-going and uncluttered, but also not very complex. Balanced, straightforward notes of caramel, vanilla, creamed corn, subtle fruit, soft mint, and delicate cinnamon. A versatile bourbon: you won’t feel guilty using it in a cocktail, and it will do in a pinch to drink neat or with a splash of water.
82 Points, Whisky Advocate
