World Premiere at Maltstock 2010 with Four Roses

The fledgling “festival” Maltstock will have its second edition this year. It isn’t a festival really, it’s more of a worldwide gathering of whisky-lovers who come together for a weekend of fun, whisky and stories with the known and unknown.  Maltstock is different from the many whisky festivals. At Maltstock people come together for a whole weekend. We eat, drink, sleep and have fun all at the same venue. Visitors take their own bottles and share the contents with likeminded people, but there are importers too, presenting special bottlings that are difficult to obtain. All in a very unique, relaxed atmosphere.

Maltstock is the brainchild of Teun van Wel and Bob Wenting, aka The Bruichladdies. Whisky aficionados themselves, they act as guides to the uninitiated at the Dutch whisky festivals and organise whisky trips to Scotland for small groups who want to taste the cratur at its origin: the distillery.

Last year Maltstock welcomed Jim McEwan as honorary guest, among others.  He captures the essence of Maltstock in this statement about the first edition:

“I think it is a totally unique event, there is nothing like it in the world. It is inexpensive, the venue is perfect. The people who attend are really into malts and they were happy to share their whisky and their stories with complete strangers. And when the time came to say goodbye, there were no strangers, only friends, and they will remain that way for a long time.

This is when the Magic of Malt comes alive, when it is shared willing with people who share the same passion. This event provides the perfect stage for it all to come alive. Slainte.” 

For Maltstock 2010 the founding fathers wanted to create an original experience with bourbon, not limiting their scope to single malts. This spring, Teun and Bob attended the Four Roses “white dog” tasting at the Groningen Festival (WFNN) conducted by master distiller Jim Rutledge and whisky writer Hans Offringa. For those who do not know, Four Roses uses five yeast strains and two different mash bills with which Jim Rutledge and his crew create 10 different “white dogs” (new make spirit as it is called in the USA). No other distillery does this.

In April this year Hans was in Chicago judging a whisky competition and met Brett Pontoni of Binny’s, who happened to be on the jury as well. Brett told Hans that Binny’s – the largest wholesaler and retailer of whisky in Illinois – stocks the 10 different single barrel Four Roses, made out of the 10 different recipes.  When Hans informed them, Teun and Bob knew how to create an unique experiment at Maltstock 2010:

Organize a tasting where the participants could not only taste the 10 white dogs, but also the 10 mature versions, bottled after having been in the barrel for several years! Something which has never been done before anywhere in the world. It will be an unique opportunity to find out if yeast really does matter!

Jim & Hans

The Bruichladdies asked Hans if he could arrange white dog for Maltstock and Jim consequently supplied Bob and Teun with 10 sample bottles. With the help of Jim, Hans, Brett and Pernod Ricard NL (the importer of Four Roses in The Netherlands), Maltstock was able to obtain the 10 different single barrel bourbons and will present them on Saturday September 4 in a special tasting.

This has never been done before and Jim Rutledge is very enthusiastic about it. Since he cannot be in Europe at the time, he asked Hans Offringa to conduct this unique tasting. The two have known each other for years and enjoy working together.  Jim recently assessed Hans’ manuscript “Bourbon & Blues” and says about it: “I read Hans’ book on a plane and I think it is fantastic. A very ‘easy’ flow and read.”

The book is scheduled for publishing Spring 2011 and no doubt Four Roses plays an important part in it. Hans says about it: “I have been a devotee of Four Roses straight bourbon since my late teens and I can truly tell there is a lot of Four Roses in this book … and in its writer! I am honoured to host this unique tasting at Maltstock 2010.”

Don’t miss out on a unique event and register for Maltstock 2010 now. Simply go to www.maltstock.com, register first and then go to the online web shop to order your tickets. Hope to see you at Maltstock!

Slainte,

The Maltstock Crew
Arthur, Bob, Eline, Rogier and Teun