International Whisk(e)y Day Charity Auction is Live!

International Whisk(e)y Day is a gathering of whisk(e)y fans from across the globe, celebrating the greatest spirit in the world on the late Michael Jackson’s birthday.

We are hosting a charity auction which will be live from 20th March until 27th March. Let’s do our best to:

Raise a glass
Raise Spirits
Raise Money
Raise Awareness

All proceeds of this auction will go towards Parkinson’s research.

For more information on International Whisky Day take a look at their website: http://www.internationalwhiskyday.org/

View International Whisky Day Auction

WHISKY TASTING at The Black Watch Castle and Museum (Perth)

  

We are leading a whisky tasting on Tuesday 8th April at The Black Watch Castle and Museum! You’ll be offered a taste of the Red Hackle blend (a nod to the venue!) before sampling five single malts from the following distilleries: Bladnoch, Glen Moray, Glenfarclas, Springbank, and Ardbeg. Tickets should be purchased in advance by calling 01738 638152.

Selling whisky couldn’t be easier!

With our 5% commission rate for sellers and low listing and reserve fees we can ensure you get the most from the sale of your bottle(s).

March 28th

Manchester
Milton Keynes
Luton
Reading

We are travelling down the M6 and can collect from points along this route for more information please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

March 30th

Devon and the south west
Bristol
Gloucester
Worcester
Birmingham

Next full whisky auction goes live on the 28th March
Free Registration and World Wide Shipping available.

 

 

THREE SHIPS BOURBON CASK FINISH NAMED AFRICA’S BEST SPIRIT IN CHINA

The proudly South African Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish has been named as Africa’s Best Spirit receiving a trophy and gold medal at the 2014 China Wine and Spirits competition, the first South African whisky to achieve such an accolade at this competition. Entries were tasted and judged by the top buyers, importers, distributors and retailers in the Far East who were awarding those offering the best value.

Andy Watts, master distiller at the James Sedgwick Distillery, said the Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish is South Africa’s first 100% blended whisky and this award adds another first for the South African whisky industry.

“When we launched the whisky in 2005 our aim was to show the world that South Africa is ready to produce a world-class whisky. The whisky is the first where both the malt and grain components are distilled and matured in SA. Since then the whisky and the others in the Three Ships range have enjoyed phenomenal results at international competitions and has been lauded by whisky connoisseurs and bloggers across the world, making us enormously proud of the whiskies we produce locally.”

The Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish is made from the finest malt and grain, distilled in both pot and column stills and after an initial maturation of three years the final blend is matured for a further six months in bourbon casks, rounding off the whisky’s golden hue and unique palate.

The whisky is soft and warm with a honeyed sweetness, vanilla notes and subtle hints of pepper and spice. “Considering the relatively short time the Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish spends in the bourbon casks, we are amazed every time by just how much flavour gets extracted,” Andy said.

The range of Three Ships whiskies are produced at the James Sedgwick Distillery in Wellington. Since the launch of the Three Ships brand over three decades ago the distillery has undergone several upgrades which has transformed it into a state-of-the-art facility, the only of its kind in Africa.

The Three Ships Bourbon Cask Finish is available from leading liquor outlets for around R149.

 

Thursday, March 20th, 2014

Gordon & MacPhail Single Malt Tasting
with Gary Keimach
Tonight at 4:30 P.M. or 6:00 P.M.

We’ll have all the scotches below at both sessions. Pick the one that works best for you, but as tasting regulars know, space is limited so please be prompt. We will let people in 10 minutes before each tasting.
Regular Price – Sale Price

Benromach:
Benromach 10 Y.O. 43% $53.99 – $49.99

Gordon and Macphail:

Glenturret 11 Y.O. 43% $69.99 – $ 62.99

Mortlach 13 Y.O. C.S. 57.6% $119.99 – $107.99

Mortlach 15 Y.O. 43% $79.99 – $71.99

Mortlach 21 Y.O. 43% $159.99 – $144.99

Caol Ila 10 C.S. 59.2% $110.00 – $99.99

We will also have some Glencairn scotch tasting glasses on sale.

Joe Howell
Federal Wine & Spirits
________________________________________
Email: joe@federalwine.com
Phone: (617) 367-8605
Web: http://www.federalwine.com/

 

 

Cutty Sark is delighted to announce the launch of Prohibition Edition, a permanent addition to the whisky brand’s core range.

Released 80 years after the end of the era which it celebrates, Cutty Sark Prohibition Edition has been crafted as a salute to the notorious Captain William McCoy, who smuggled Cutty Sark blended Scotch whisky into America during the Prohibition era of the 1920s.

Captain McCoy’s impeccable reputation for fairness and dealing only in the finest, genuine and unadulterated liquor gave rise to Cutty Sark being referred to as “The Real McCoy”.

 

Handcrafted in small batches from top quality grain and single malt whiskies it’s matured in American oak casks and bottled at 50% ABV (100 Proof).

Taste-wise, it’s even smoother than Cutty Sark Blend and has a higher than normal alcohol content – 100% proof rather than the 80% proof of our major competitors. Prohibition Edition is an old-school, authentic Scotch, smooth on the tongue but with a massively big finish!

And, although created especially for the USA – with its striking black glass, authentic looking label of the era and stunning liquid created by Kirsteen Campbell our Master Blender – we are delighted that this exciting new expression is now available to buy from our on-line shop at a RRP of £23.00.

We’d love to hear what you think – enjoy!

 

Other than whisky (And beer. And vermouth. And noodles. And Lego) one of the biggest loves of my life is coffee. I have a hand grinder that I imported from Japan (well, bought from a Japanese store on Amazon) in the office, buy my beans from a small London based coffee roaster, have used a thermometer and stop watch on occasion to ensure consistency, and use a set of scales to measure the water I need (because it’s more accurate. And a lot more pretentious). While I’ve calmed down slightly in recent times (I don’t use the scales in the office) I’m still slightly obsessed, but haven’t ever really tried combining coffee with my first love – whisk(e)y.

 

Ban this sick filth!

I’ve had an Irish Coffee before, I suspect there are few whisky drinkers who haven’t. I didn’t like it. The whisky turned into little but a pure alcohol hit, in both vapour and liquid form, and the coffee lost any complexity it might have had behind a heavy coat of cream and sugar. However, with a little tweaking the combination of whisky and coffee can work quite well.

The other week I met up with a bunch of (mainly) whisky fans to try this out at The Department of Coffee and Social Affairs in Clerkenwell. Bossman Tim Ridley is a whisky fan who has worked with the guys at Cask Strength in the past, as well as running a coffee tasting for a bunch of whisky fans a couple of years ago, which left me more broken than any alcohol filled evening has – I didn’t sleep for two days. With St Patrick’s Day on the horizon Tim and recently appointed Teeling Ambassador Sam MacDonald got together to come up with a different take on the classic combination of whiskey and coffee.

The traditional story behind the first Irish Coffee is that it was made for a group of tired American travellers on a stopover in Shannon airport in the 1940s. Joe Sheridan, bartender at the time, saw they were cold and damp, having walked to the terminal in the rain, and added a tot of Irish whiskey to each of their drinks. One of the guys asked if it was Brazillian coffee, to which Joe replied “No, it’s Irish Coffee”. Drink named, legend created.

The problem with mixing whisky of any kind with coffee is that it’s hard to balance – coffee is a strongly flavoured, bitter drink and whisky is normally sweet and alcoholic, not an easy combination. Sam and Tim spent a few afternoons experimenting with various different combinations and eventually came up with one that worked rather well thanks to a specific element – cold-drip coffee.

The regular method of making coffee is simple – grind coffee beans, allow them to come into contact with water for some time, drink the resultant liquid. The various different methods are all elaborations on that theme and cold-drip goes for slow infusion using cold water.

The machine above is basically just a regular drip coffee machine, however the little handle on the side adjusts the rate at which water drips out of the reservoir at the top onto the coffee in the basket below. Tim set up the dripper to take 9 hours to drip 700g (~700ml for those who prefer ‘inaccurate’ units) through 50g of ground Ethiopian coffee – specifically this was from the Kochere co-operative in the south of the country.

Using cold water extracts different compounds from the coffee beans, giving lower acidity and a ‘purer’ flavour (based on my limited experiments of varying levels of success as well as Tim’s expertly prepared coffee), with much less of the transformed, ‘cooked’ flavour you get with hot extraction.

Oh, it was also served cold.

Cold-dripped Kochere

Nose: Dark chocolate sweetness and light funkiness, with freshly turned earth, blackcurrants and mulchy fruit.

Palate: Bitter hit to start but a light body of cocoa (real 100% stuff), red fruit, charred wood and freshly ground beans.

Finish: Lingering char notes and umami meatiness.

Comment: I’ve seen Tim produce some incredible coffees before so was expecting something quite special, but even so we were all surprised by how good it was. Lots of flavour at the same time as being delicate and very easy to drink. We were warned that it was quite high in caffeine, so I did ensure that it was drunk in moderation. This time…

The coffee was only half of the story, with the intention being to match it up with some of Sam’s whiskey. Along with the rum cask finished Teeling Blended Whiskey, which I’ve been a fan of since it arrived last year, he also brought along the latest addition to the range – Teeling Single Grain.

Back in 2011 the Teeling family sold their business, the much acclaimed Cooley distillery, to Beam Inc, the owners of Jim Beam, Laphroaig and many other brands. They didn’t hang around for long, and while John Teeling, the founder of Cooley, has now retired, his son Jack started up a new whiskey company – The Teeling Whiskey Company. He has been joined by a number of his former colleagues, including his brother Stephen and Alex Chasko, their product development head.

 

The new Teeling distillery – why do artist’s renderings always include someone pointing?

Teeling have released a few bottlings, including the previously mentioned blend, some Poitin and the much acclaimed Teeling 21 year old, and have plans for many more – part of the deal when selling Cooley was a good supply of whisky to keep them going until they start producing their own. Their distillery, being built in Dublin at the moment, is well on its way, with the plans currently having production commencing later this year. With the experience of running Cooley behind them we expect great things to appear a few years down the line.

In the meantime they have spirit that they’ve been able to select from their previous stocks, which they have combined with Alex’s love of interesting maturation. The Single Grain is married and then finished in American Cabernet Sauvignon casks before bottling without chill-filtering. A risky move, with many red wine cask matured whiskies getting a bit of stick, but recent bottlings such as Glenmorangie Companta have shown that good things can come from wine casks.

 

Teeling Single Grain Whisky, 46%, £38.95

Nose: Meaty and sweet, with tannic touches, toffee, fudge, dark chocolate, marmalade, some green anis and herbal, leafy notes.

Palate: Toffee, more tannins, big spicy notes, some red fruit, grape skin, wood polish and an overarching buttery sweetness.

Finish: Lots of winey notes, although focused on spice, along with butter and shortbread.

Comment: Another entry in the world of successful wine cask finishes. Spicy, sweet and quite complex for relatively young grain whiskey. Mr Chasko seems to know what he’s doing when it comes to finishing.

However, the final test was combining the whiskey and coffee. Rather than mixing loads of coffee with a small amount of whiskey and topping the combination up with cream and sugar, Sam and Tim went simple – about 2:1 whisky to coffee.

 

Nose: Lots of fruit, chocolate and hints of sweet wood smoke. Moccachino with sprinkles, toffee and jelly babies.

Palate: Milk chocolate and caramel, digestive and Nice biscuits, red fruit jam, spice and a touch of green, leafy mintiness.

Finish: Even more chocolate (you can probably see a theme developing), oats and oak, and a hint of menthol.

Comment: A great combination that takes elements from both ingredients and creates something quite different. A few bartenders in the room started asking Tim where they could get a cold drip coffee machine…

A successful evening of experimentation and a new drink added to my repertoire. My mission of this St Patrick’s day is to see whether it works with the coffee I have in the cupboard, although brewed hot as I don’t have 9 hours to spare…

Irish Coffee image by Denkhenk and used under a CC license

Whisky Ramblings Via Video #82

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, enjoys the Jameson Distillery Reserve, which is only available at the Jameson Experience at the Midleton Distillery where this triple distilled Irish whiskey is now being produced. Enjoy! 

http://youtu.be/pZDNBGMKwcg

 Whisky & Chocolate pairing Masterclass Whisky Fest 29 March

GOLD FOR BAIN’S CAPE MOUNTAIN WHISKY IN CHINA 

Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky, South Africa’s first single grain whisky made from the finest local grain, has taken a gold medal at the 2014 China Wine and Spirits competition, the biggest and most prestigious of its kind in Hong Kong and China. Entries are tasted and judged according to price, and medals awarded to those offering the best value, a crucial indicator for sales success in China. 

Eliska Botha, global marketing manager for Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky, says receiving a gold medal at this competition, which is judged by the top buyers, importers, distributors and retailers in the Far East, puts this proudly South African whisky and title holder of the World’s Best Grain Whisky at the 2013 World Whisky Awards, in a very favourable position. 

“Although Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky is only exported to a few countries in Africa, North America and Europe, the Chinese market has become very important for spirits brands from all over. Consumers in the Far East have a particularly keen interest in and palate for whiskies and the market there is fast becoming one of the largest in the world. 

“It’s heartening to know that the Chinese market awards our proudly South African whisky and this award could open doors for us when we are ready to export to the Far East.” 

Crafted at the James Sedgwick’s Distillery situated in one of South Africa’s most picturesque regions near the Bainskloof Pass, the whisky is inspired by the area’s magnificent peaks, cool, sparkling streams, wooded valleys and an unmatched wealth of indigenous fynbos. Only the finest South African grain is used together with water that flows over 850 million year old sandstone and indigenous fynbos, setting Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky apart from any other whisky produced in the world. 

The whisky is quite uniquely double-matured, first for three years in casks previously used for Bourbon before being revatted into a fresh set of casks for a further maturation period that results in its exceptionally smooth and unique taste. 

Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky retails in South Africa for about R220 and is available at leading liquor outlets. 

 

Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky kry goud in China 

Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky, Suid-Afrika se eerste enkelgraanwhisky wat van die allerbeste plaaslike graan gemaak word, het by die 2014 China Wine and Spirits-kompetisie, die grootste en glansrykste van dié aard in Hongkong en China, ’n goue medalje verower. Inskrywings is aan die hand van prys geproe en beoordeel, en medaljes is toegeken aan dié wat die beste waarde bied. In China is dít ’n baie belangrike aanwyser wat verkope betref. 

Eliska Botha, die globale bemarkingsbestuurder vir Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky, sê die verowering van ’n goue medalje by dié kompetisie, waar die voorste kopers, invoerders, verspreiders en kleinhandelaars in die Verre Ooste as beoordelaars optree, plaas dié trots Suid-Afrikaanse whisky en houer van die 2013 World Whisky Awards se titel van Beste Graanwhisky ter Wêreld in ’n baie gunstige posisie. 

“Hoewel Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky na net enkele lande in Afrika, Noord-Amerika en Europa uitgevoer word, het die Chinese mark vir talle spiritualieë-handelsmerke van oraloor baie belangrik geword. In die Verre Ooste stel verbruikers veral in whisky belang, en ontwikkel hulle ’n smaak daarvoor. Daardie mark word baie gou een van die grootstes ter wêreld. 

“Dis bemoedigend dat die Chinese mark ons trots Suid-Afrikaanse whisky beloon. Dié toekenning kan deure vir ons oopmaak wanneer ons gereed is om na die Verre Ooste toe uit te voer.” 

Die whisky word by die The James Sedgwick’s-distilleerdery in ’n prentjiemooi streek naby die Bainskloofpas gemaak. Die bergpieke wat bo die gebied uittroon, die koel, helder strome, digbegroeide valleie en weergalose weelde aan inheemse fynbos is die inspirasie vir die whisky. Net die allerbeste Suid-Afrikaanse graan word vir die whisky gebruik, asook water wat oor sandsteen van 850 miljoen jaar oud en deur die inheemse fynbos loop. Dit sorg dat Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky anders as enige ander whisky ter wêreld smaak. 

Die whisky word heel uniek dubbel verouder – eerstens drie jaar lank in vate wat voorheen vir Bourbon whisky gebruik is, en dan in ’n vars versameling vate vir nóg ’n verouderingstyd wat vir die uitsonderlik gladde en unieke smaak sorg. 

Die kleinhandelprys van Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky in Suid-Afrika is omtrent R220, en dit is by die voorste drankwinkels te koop.

March 2014 Outturn Offerings

Cask No. 72.29                       $235

Luxurious afternoon tea

Speyside, Lossie

Lively, fresh and fruity on the nose, it presents biscotti and Battenburg cake, espresso coffee, buttered toast with marmalade, honey pancakes, Danish pastries and chocolate cake with butter icing. The texture is thick and buttery and curiously soapy; sweet then sour, with orange chocolate in the aftertaste, and a trace of rosemary in the finish. Water depresses the aroma but adds warm sandalwood and tablet, but now the taste is much reduced: musty with gentle caramel and rhubarb sweets. Best enjoyed straight. The distillery draws its water from the Black Burn in the grounds of Pluscarden Abbey, which once made ale so good ‘it filled the abbey with unutterable bliss’.

Drinking tip: In a Continental café, after shopping

Colour: Tawny gold

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 30 years

Date distilled: November 1982

Alcohol: 53.2%

USA allocation: 90 bottles

Cask No. 26.95                       $100

Rose petals on a tropical breeze

Highland, Northern

The nose was a fresh, sweetly tropical breeze, carrying suggestions of lemon drizzle cake, lime, rose petals, toffee waffles, honey and vanilla; with white wine, grass, wood and wax all deepening the complexity. The neat palate had the mouth-nipping warmth of nutmeg and other woody spices, but was also fruity and juicy – lemon juice, Frutella, honey on toast, Demerara, shortbread and donuts – we were salivating. The reduced nose continued perfumed and sweet – apricot Danish pastries, chocolate and polished wood. The palate now – so tasty – cinnamon-dusted crème brûlée – gentle spices teasing and playing with perfumed, waxy fruits. From Diageo’s most northerly distillery.

Drinking tip: To accompany any summery situation – or just to recall summer when it seems so far away

Colour: Polished straw

Cask: First-fill barrel

Age: 10 years

Date distilled: June 2003

Alcohol: 61.3%

USA allocation: 114 bottles

 

Cask No. 33.130                     $110

The Farmyard and the Chip Shop

Islay

This presented two distinct scenarios which had the panel scratching collective heads. Malt in hessian sacks, sillage, tomatoes and compost in one camp. Fish and chips, in paper, oyster shells and lobster pots in the other. Vanilla pods and apple chutney and some tropical fruits popped up. Then the Islay personality roared into action with coal buckets, Germoline and barbeque smoke. With water it reminded one of a cedarwood chest of blankets with mothballs and another of laundry day at the beach. A curious creamy mouthfeel of peach yoghurt left the panel scratching their heads to the last drop.

Drinking tip: Eating a chippie on the pier

Colour: Silvery locks

Cask: Second-fill barrel

Age: 11 years

Date distilled: April 2002

Alcohol: 56.1%

USA allocation: 84 bottles

Cask No. 36.62                       $170

The Italian Job

Speyside, Spey

We were greeted by a fresh, chalky and slightly mineralic aroma; laundry drying in a sea breeze, fresh cut wood and a hint of grappa-esque eau de vie. A light sweetness is lingering in the background, refreshers and Campino fruit bonbons. Fizzy on the tongue to start, then turning sweeter into grape juice and Rowntree’s Randoms. Herbal flavours follow; ciabatta bread, Parma ham and hard parmesan cheese grated on top. With water becoming even more mineralic, almost flinty, like an austere white Lombardian wine enjoyed on a terrace overlooking Lake Como late in the afternoon. The taste has an intriguing balance of sour cream crisps and a honey yogurt ice cream – Salute!

Drinking tip: Whilst on holiday in Italy

Colour: Virgin olive oil

Cask: Second-fill hogshead

Age: 21 years

Date distilled: October 1991

Alcohol: 51.3%

USA allocation: 89 bottles

Cask No. 66.46                       $110

‘Pretty Woman’ in a new Maserati

Highland, Eastern

Apart from plum, dark cherry and smoky ribs on beach barbeques – this nose was all leather and wood – the interior of a new Maserati, polishing rifles in log cabins – one panellist imagined cedar ball-gags and Julia Roberts in ‘Pretty Woman’ boots. The taste also held plenty of wood – ‘trees growing in clove fields’, bamboo shoots – and ‘a baseball bat in the mouth’; besides that – tar, dry smoke, toffee and chicory coffee – fantastic intensity! The reduced nose elicited comments about bagpipe bladders, Bovril and old pipe stems. The palate developed Biltong, pecan brittle, hickory chips, treacle and chocolate. From Kennethmont’s 1899 distillery.

Drinking tip: While watching a DVD of Bruce Springsteen in concert – or a football match

Colour: Ox-blood brogues

Cask: Refill Sherry butt

Age: 11 years

Date distilled: July 2002

Alcohol: 56.7%

USA allocation: 180 bottles

Cask No. 127.38                     $100

Enticing fume of a peat reek

Islay

This nose is big and with so many facets that it will be difficult to describe with the limitations of a tasting note. Sweet smoke, bacon crisps, pork cracklings, honey and soya sauce, slightly burnt corn on the cob, oily mackerels, Germolene and tarry drift wood. The taste was absolutely huge, stunning, WOW! Sweet, smoky, ashy, briny; like a peat fire blazing in a croft house by the edge of the Atlantic grilling mackerels and honey smoked bacon. With water less intense sweet peat smoke with earthy (compost), herbal aromas like that of a good fish stock. The taste now Mediterranean pork with sage plums and oven roasted tomatoes rolled in herbs.

Drinking tip: Just drink it!

Colour: Honeycomb

Cask: Refill Sherry butt

Age: 10 years

Date distilled: August 2003

Alcohol: 66.3%

USA allocation: 120 bottles

Cask No. G3.6                        $270

Fascinating reminder of a bygone era

Grain

Everyone in the Panel relaxed and felt very comfortable with nosing this rare sample from the now closed Edinburgh distillery built in 1855. Very deep wood and new leather aromas are all very well integrated; smoked aromatic wood, polished wood but also freshly cut wood and sawdust. There is an underlying sweetness best described as breakfast waffles with vanilla ice cream. The taste surprises with a sweet smoke and a volcanic ashyness to start, then very smooth, floral and sweet; chocolate honeycomb, muscovado sugar and Black Jacks. With water the aroma becomes slightly chalky and soapy and the taste ashy, fruity (apples and watermelons) and a Starburst candy sweetness.

Drinking tip: We all agreed that this dram is enjoyed best without adding water

Colour: Tarnished bronze

Cask: Refill hogshead

Age: 33 years

Date distilled: May 1979

Alcohol: 53.2%

USA allocation: 60 bottles

Please visit the Scotch Malt Whisky Society at http://www.smwsa.com/

Single Track Spirits (the other distillery in Wyoming) in Cody is ready to release its first batch of whiskey! It is Wheat Whiskey made from local grains (93% wheat, 7% barley) in small batches on a 250 gallon copper pot still.  This is a small, one man operation situated in a 90 year old log barn converted to distillery and quantities are very limited- the first batch should be 80-100 cases and includes whiskey from the first 6 barrels made.  Aging is in new charred oak barrels for 17 months. The whiskey will be bottled at cask strength (115 proof) and is smooth with nutty, honey flavors and floral tones on the nose and back of the palette.  It is very fine.