Canadian Whisky Awards Banquet

Last Call 

Final preparations for the Canadian Whisky awards banquet and dinner are underway but there is still time if you would like to join us. 

The dinner and ceremony to present medals and awards to the makers of Canada’s finest whiskies will be held on Thursdsay, January 16, 2014 at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Victoria BC. 

Tickets to the event include a full hot and cold buffet and a chance to be the first to know which whiskies a panel of judges has deemed the finest of 2013. 

Tickets may be purchased by contacting James Burrough at the Hotel.  jburrough@hotelgrandpacific.com 

We look forward to having you join us in celebrating Canada’s whisky celebrities. 

The organizers of the awards gratefully acknowledge the support of the Victoria Whisky Festival.

The Grand Compass Box Dinner With J. Wheelock

Challenge convention, step outside of your comfort zone and add a little Spice Tree to your life. VWF 2013 was the year for “Being John Glaservitch”, this year it’s “Whose Compass Box Is it Anyway?” Well-versed in the art of food and drink pairing, and how to make a (Peat) Monster-ously great cocktail, J. Wheelock will share in the passion and Heart of this dynamic whisky-making company. We won’t break the rules, we’ll just blend them.

Price $99 per person. Please note tickets to this event are available only from the Manager of the Mark Restaurant at (250) 380-4478. (A few tickets are still available!)

 

 

New Year – New Arrivals at Park Ave

We interrupt the ‘Polar Vortex’ to bring you this special annoucement. Nothing beats bone-chilling record low temperatures quite like new products at the Park Avenue Liquor Shop. Well, we like to think so. Here’s a small list of new bottles at Park Ave that we think are more interesting than talking about the weather.

Cheers to your health and happiness in 2014!

Jonathan & Eric
Park Avenue Liquor Shop
292 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10017
212-685-2442
info@parkaveliquor.com
http://www.parkaveliquor.com/

Our spirited sources tell us that Johnnie Walker ‘Odyssey’ will soon be freed from the shackles of ‘travel retail only’ (aka ‘duty-free shops’) and land on good ‘ol regular retail shelves. We also know that this is going to be an extremely allocated item – so for starters we won’t be getting more than a couple of bottles. Be sure to check in with us if you are interested.

Ransom: The Emerald 1865, Straight American Whiskey

“Thanks to colorful folklore passed down through the generations, we know that the Irish whiskey of today little resembles its 19th century predecessors. Trouble was, there was none left of the traditional whiskey to taste in our quest to recreate the long lost gems of the Emerald Isle. Fortune gave us two good turns; a British excise agent who recorded an Irish mash bill in 1865, and our friend David Wondrich, who found said recipe poring over the microfiche annals of history and passed it along to us. With this mash bill as our guide, we set out to create our own interpretation of a traditional Irish whiskey. To call our version modern might be a stretch- We grow a percentage of the barley organically on our farm, our grains are milled, mashed and fermented in small batches at our distillery and farm in the emerald hills of Sheridan, Oregon, and we distill according to our senses in our handmade, direct-¬-fired alembic pot still. The Emerald matures in a mix of French and American oak for three years, and is hand bottled, capsuled, and labeled. The result is a highly aromatic spirit with the weight, richness, and complexity of its forbearers.”
– Tad Seestedt Proprietor, Ransom Spirits

Our price: $90/btl

Nikka: Miyagikyo (Aged 12 years)

Miyagikyo is located on the island of Honshu, two hours by high-speed train to the northeast of Tokyo. Built in the foothills of the Miyagi prefecture, at the heart of a region famous for its waterfalls and many hot springs. The distillery is a true haven of peace. This site was chosen by Nikka founder, Masataka Taketsuru for its pure air and high humidity levels, ideal for aging in barrels. The environment is similar to that of the Cairngorms region in the heart of Scotland. Miyagikyo, uses large stills that produce a spirit that is rich and fruity with elegant aromas.

Our price: $130/btl

Glenrothes: 2001 Vintage

“The Glenrothes Vintage 2001, bottled in 2012 was selected from a variety of casks to deliver soft but stimulating and conversational properties. It combines the maturity of oaky vanilla, with the fullness of ripe black cherries and has a lingering, typically Glenrothes finish of soft spices. It has wonderful length and depth, hugely satisfying and an excellent demonstration of the Malt Master’s skill and dedication to the art of wood management.”
– TheGlenrothes.com

Appearance: Golden straw, clear and bright
Bouquet: Lemon meringue pie, sandalwood and a hint of black cherries
Palate: Oaky vanilla, cream topped with grated nutmeg
Finish: Sweet oaky vanilla with lingering soft dry spiciness

Our price: $67/btl

Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr: Single Barrel

Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. is widely considered one of the founding fathers of the bourbon industry, fighting for the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897, nearly three decades after he purchased what is now called Buffalo Trace Distillery. During his time, Taylor implemented several innovative methods still used today, including climate controlled aging warehouses. E.H. Taylor, Jr. Single Barrel is aged exclusively in Warehouse C, which was built by Taylor in 1881 and proven to be an excellent aging warehouse. Each barrel is hand-picked and Bottled in Bond at 100 proof to honor its namesake.

TASTING NOTES:
The aroma carries lightly toasted oak, with dried figs and butterscotch. One sip brings flavors of sweetness balanced with tobacco and dark spices. The finish is just long enough to prepare the palette for another sip. The bottle itself is a likeness to Colonel Taylor’s original design used over a century ago.

Our price: $80/btl

Hillrock: Double Cask Rye

Hillrock Estate Double Cask Rye Whiskey is handcrafted from small batches of organically grown rye that are harvested from the Hillrock Estate. Once harvested, its mashed and fermented, before being distilled through a custom-made, 250-gallon copper-pot still which was built in Kentucky to Master Distiller, Dave Pickerell’s exact specifications. It’s a testament to his extraordinary control over the character and quality of the whiskey.
After distillation, the rye is matured in traditional oak casks before being double-barreled, in secondary casks. These casks are composed of American oak and have been charred with a #4 char. In addition, the staves of the secondary casks were air-seasoned for over two years prior to the casks’ assembly. As a result, the secondary casks contribute strong notes of vanilla and caramelized wood sugars to the rye, while minimizing bitter tannins that are often present in kiln dried oak.

‘Double Cask Rye’ has a deep golden amber color, along with a warm aroma of vanilla and caramel that is complemented by touches of prunes, apricots and rye. The aroma gives way to notes of caramel and rye, along with touches of cloves, cinnamon and butterscotch, and leads to a long, warming finish. The rye is a store favorite in the Hillrock line-up.

Our price: $95/btl

Due to our ever-changing inventory – we cannot guarantee bottle availability. Not responsible for typographical errors. Prices are subject to change. Please contact the store with any questions. Lastly, we believe that the concept of “Dryuary” is just plain silly.

As for Dryuary – we at WI, agree with the above sentiment!

Dryuary – The Urban Dictorianry

Suntory Whiskies Hibiki, Yamazaki, and Hakushu Brands Take Total of Nine Gold Medals at the International Spirits Challenge 2013

Nine whiskies from Suntory Liquors won prizes at the eighteenth International Spirits Challenge 2013, the worldwide liquor competition held in the UK. The winning blended whiskies were Hibiki21 Years Old, 17 Years Old and 12 Years Old, and the winning single malt whiskies were Yamazaki 18 Years Old, Puncheon 2012, Mizunara 2012 as well as Hakushu 25 Years Old, 18 Years Old and Heavily Peated 2012.

At this year’s competition, we received the honor of having nine of our brands win a gold medal in the Whiskies – Whiskies Worldwide category (whiskies other than Scotch). Since first being awarded a gold medal from the International Spirits Challenge in 2003 for Yamazaki 12 Years Old, Suntory’s whiskies have taken medals at the competition eleven years running, a fact that Suntory views as a meaningful testament to the ever-rising evaluation of its whiskies.

About the International Spirits Challenge

The International Spirits Challenge is a competition held every year in the UK, the home of real Scotch whisky. In the whisky division, medals are awarded by based on the unanimous approval of discussions by the team of nine tasters, all of whom are blenders, distillery managers and other industry professionals, and who perform sensory inspections on each of the roughly 400 whiskies submitted from around the world. The competition is seen as an authoritative arena for judging the quality of the entries by the exquisite sensory skills of the panel of whisky-making professionals.

The Award-Winning Whiskies

Suntory Whisky: Hibiki 21 Years Old

This whisky is a blend of painstakingly selected ripe grain malts aged over 21 years and a key Yamazaki sherry cask malt. With a fragrance of sweet dried fruit and a spicy flavor, it is characterized by a solemn, refined richness and profound, lingering echoes.

Suntory Whisky: Hibiki 17 Years Old

This whisky is blended using carefully selected malts aged over 17 years, and ripe grain malts of the same age. With a gorgeously sweet fruit fragrance and a cask aroma like milk caramels, this whisky stands out for its weighty and mellow richness.

Suntory Whisky: Hibiki 12 Years Old

This whisky is blended using painstakingly selected malts aged over 12 years, and multiple types of ripe grain malts of the same age. We use plum liqueur cask malts aged in casks for storing plum liqueur to further bring out the gorgeously sweet fragrance that distinguishes Suntory whiskies.

Suntory Single Malt Whisky: Yamazaki 18 Years Old

This single malt whisky comes from malts 18 years or older, vatted primarily in sherry casks. With an impressionable fragrance of sweet dried fruit and a fragrant aroma, it is characterized by a mature flavor with complexity and depth.

Suntory Single Malt Whisky: Yamazaki Puncheon 2012

This whisky is made by vatting only carefully select malts aged in puncheon casks crafted from North American white oak. With a gold, transparent hue, it has an impressionable, gorgeously rich cask aroma of white oak reminiscent of sweet vanilla.

Suntory Single Malt Whisky: Yamazaki Mizunara 2012

A part of any discussion about Suntory whiskies, this brand comes purely from carefully selected rare malts vatted in casks of Japanese mizunara wood. With a reddish amber hue, it is characterized by an oriental smell and taste of sandalwood and aloes-wood.

Suntory Single Malt Whisky: Hakushu 25 Years Old

This well mellow whisky has been patiently crafted from a lovingly chosen array of creamy yet powerful malts, smoky peat-dried malts and sherry cask malts with voluptuous fruit aromas, all from a stock of rare malts aged over 25 years.

Suntory Single Malt Whisky: Hakushu 18 Years Old

Left fresh and untouched, Hakushu malts aged 18 years or longer are characterized by a gorgeous and deep aroma reminiscent of ripened fruits as only a well-aged malt can be. With a brilliant harmony of complex richness and sweet cask aroma, the delicately smoky scent characteristic of the Hakushu brand echoes pleasantly through you.

Suntory Single Malt Whisky: Hakushu Heavily Peated 2012

For this whisky we exclusively use smoky malts from those used to create the flavor of the Hakushu brand. With an impressionably delicate yet sweet smoky aroma, once it enters your mouth it creates smoky, long-lasting echoes in a harmony of gentle fragrance and soft sweetness.

(this press release is published for historical reference – WI)

WHISKY TASTING

at The Kilderkin, 65 Canongate, Royal Mile, Edinburgh, 7.30pm – 10.00pm

Thursday 13th February 2014

tickets: £15 – 100% to the charity

Crown Royal 40%

Clynelish 14yo 46%

unique Marie Curie tasting blend

Glendronach 12yo 43% sherry cask matured

21yo single Islay malt 40%, bottler: The Wine Society

ENTRY BY PRE-PAID TICKET ONLY
*£3 discount to first timers & members. P/O/U/R/S = Peaty/Old/Unusual/Rare/Sherry

THE JOLLY TOPER

UK vlogger Joe Ellis from Whisky Wednesday reviews Cutty Sark Storm 

http://youtu.be/Zx0PeFpjaKQ 

http://Facebook.com/whiskytube 

http://Twitter.com/whiskytube

WILLIAM GRANT & SONS AWARDED TOP HONOURS

Global premium spirits business and independent family distillers William Grant & Sons has won two highly prestigious and sought after titles. It has received the Distiller of the Year Trophy and the International Spirits Producer Trophy at the 2013 International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC), which took place at London’s Guildhall on November 13th.

In the individual product honours, the Glenfiddich 40 Year Old received the Single Malt Cask Strength Scotch Whisky Trophy, The Balvenie 40 Year Old scooped the Single Malt Scotch Whisky Trophy over 15 Years Old and Grant’s 18 Year Old won The Independence Trophy For Blended Scotch Whisky.

This is the sixth time William Grant & Sons has been awarded the top honour of Distiller of the Year since 1999. The Company was lauded by the judging panel for “striving to progress by increasing investments and seeking new markets in order to stay at the top” and received praised for “sticking to its roots whilst refusing to be constrained by them”.

Brian Kinsman, William Grant & Sons’ Malt Master and Master Blender, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be named ‘Distiller of the Year and ‘International Spirits Producer of the Year’. It is fantastic to be recognised in this way and is truly testament to the hard work the whole team puts in to crafting our award winning portfolio of premium spirits.”

(This article appears here as a historical reference – WI)

Angels club; Best Dram of the Year! 2013     We have had many whisky tours and tastings during 2013, we kept a record of what we had to taste, to sample and delve into. Here – from the many bottles – are the top five drams of 2013.

Ben Riach single cask, Pedro Ximinez Sherry Finish, 1995, a 16 year old single malt. Where ever and whoever, always up there in the top 3.

Balvenie, Caribbean Cask, extra matured in rum casks, a 14 year old single malt. Another favourite everywhere, specially Liz.

Ben Riach, Curiositas. A 10 year old single peated malt. Peaty is no to everyone’s taste, but – those who liked it, REALLY liked it!

Aberlour, Warehouse No. 1. Single cask single malt, sherry cask, 16 years old. Another one to applaud everywhere we took it.

Glenfarclas single malt, 15 year old, for lovers of all Glenfarclas releases, no more needs be said.

http://angelswhiskyclub.com/awc/2013winner.asp

SO WHAT DRAM CAME TOP? it was hard fought, we had many, many drams over the year, it’s a hard job recording the tours and tastings, so many people with different tastes. So many diary notes, bits of paper, memories! But there has to be a winner – or does there? In fact we had TWO WINNERS, aye, two drams came equal in the year; Ben Riach Pedro Ximinez Sherry Finish and Aberlour, Warehouse No. 1. To the others, really well done, to those we tried throughout the year, we loved you all, to the winner(s); we only have a drop left of each, so Paul and Liz will finish them off celebrating!

paul@angelswhiskyclub.com   http://www.angelswhiskyclub.com/ 

Angels is a FREE members whisky club with members worldwide. Charlie Maclean is the Patron.

A new video about Tamdhu (with some obligatory mistakes -as the media always makes when talking about whisky)

See the video here