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New year drams, butties, chips and laughs
It was early new year, 2019 had no long disappeared into history, a new whisky year was with us. The food provided by my host (who had well disappeared) was good, it was a platter of “nibble food” to be taken as when needed and returned to. I was, I knew, in a bar. Wee sausages, cheese squares, odd bits of pie, for some reason salad, baby triangle sarnies and every now and then a plate of chips appeared. All liberally taken with various liquid refreshments. By 2am things were becoming a wee bit bleary, events unfolding in slow motion. Still standing (or flopped in some cases) were myself – just, Specky (he wore the strangest pair of goggles), Hamish one eye, Dagger (why he had a Skean Dhu nobody knew), Mary the Mouth, Billy the barman, Shameless Shona, the Crab (a fisherman), wee wonky Wilma and Danny the man. A group brought together by the drinks behind the bar, survivors until now.
There was a rumour of a party up the road, not for me, I was ready for bed, but a chat was goin on about who would go. As I dondered about looking for the boys room, I almost fell over Paddy the Piper, strewn along three seats half on half off, he had long given up. Out cold. As everyone knows, a piper gets free drinks when playing, Paddy played all bloody night! Returning from washin ma hands, the curled up triangle butties looked appealing, I bit into the now crusty salmon buttie with delight, one more dram and me fer bed. Smiling like the village eejit, I asked sober Billy for “a dram for the road”, I have known him a good few years, he said this was on the hoose and passed a wee Glencairn over. I think he had had a case of the hic cups when pouring it; it was almost to the brim. I looked at the dram, looked at Billy. He looked at the dram and looked at me. Both sets of eyebrows raised and I headed into it. Bootiful, a delicious 18 year old Glendronach, one of my favourites. It must have been an hour later some of this dram was still there, conversations had gone from football, politics, holidays, tourists to drinks. Many topics were joined and confused, we ended up almost arguing about a football playing politician who couldnee sing to save his life. By this time we had lost Danny the man and Mary the Mouth had fallen asleep, head on the bar. Shameless Shona was still trying it on with anyone awake, trying not to be conscious, I started slowly sliding from one end of the bar to the other, near to the door. My room was upstairs on the next floor, this was going to be difficult. Takin it slowly, I thought it better to go hands and knees, so as no to fall over. Getting to ma room was fine, but where was the key?
I woke up hours later with a mouth like a donkey’s hoof, needed some hot tea. As I was waiting on the kettle to boil I noticed a book on the bed – aye, I hadnee managed to sleep in the bed, just on it. Who had given me this? A book to love and read a hundred times “the fall of the house of Campbell”, someone last night knew me well. I spent most of what was left of the morning reading. Went doon for a bite to eat, then continued the book. A grand end to a grand evening in Speyside. More to follow. No animals were injured in the telling of this tale, a few humans maybe? PAUL MCLEAN/SEAN DALEY
WEMYSS MALTS ONLINE SHOP TO SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS WITH FREE UBER EATS GIFT CARDS
As an independent, family owned business, Wemyss Malts would like to do our part to support your local, small and independent food and drinks businesses as well as anyone who is self-isolating and staying home.
As of Wednesday the 18th of March, and for as long as we are able to, Wemyss Malts will give away a £10 Uber Eats voucher with any purchase from wemyssmalts.com that is over £40.
We encourage people to use this voucher to support their local, small and independent businesses.
After any £40 or more order on wemyssmalts.com online shop an Uber Eats voucher will be issued via email from Wemyss Malts within 24 hours of the online purchase.
If you are a UK based small or independent restaurant, café or venue that uses Uber Eats, please email Wemyss Malts on info@wemyssmalts.com and we will highlight your business in future emails to our customers, email subscribers and on our social media platforms.
Please follow and support your local with the hashtag #supportyourlocal
Wemyss Malts has also emailed Uber Eats to request the possibility of creating a ‘local supplier’ filter on their app and website so that they too can support smaller businesses.
BUSINESSES TO SUPPORT IN EDINBURGH & GLASGOW THROUGH UBER EATS
EDINBURGH
GLASGOW
To all our wonderful customers,
In response to the call to stop the unnecessary movement of people and to slow the spread of Covid-19 we have taken the very hard decision to close The English Whisky Co. to visitors, including The Kitchen at St George’s from tonight (18th March).
This includes the cancellation of all upcoming events including Tasting Tours, Mothers Day Lunch, St George’s Dinner, and our annual Easter Egg Hunt.
We will be contacting all customers that are due to visit us during this time to advise them of their options.
We will re-open when it is considered safe to do so and we will continue to post updates that we may have on our website, social media channels and through our mailshots.
Our amazing webshop will continue to operate, so please continue to support us when you can and order from www.englishwhisky.co.uk
We’re obviously devastated to be writing this, but want to thank all of our customers for your ongoing support and custom.
Please stay safe and see you all again soon.
Andrew Nelstrop
For our latest Yearbook, the founding director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses at the University of London gave us some fascinating insights into the mysteries of aroma. Professor Barry Smith talked about why blending shapes so much of what we enjoy in flavour, and debunked the age-old myth of the superior single malt – with a splash of science.
“The majority of single malts are blends of different casks. Blending evens things out. It’s the pursuit of balance. Some of the most famous wines in the world are blends – Bordeaux is a mixture of grape varieties, and Champagne too is a mixture. Always.”
Our senses don’t distinguish between blends and single malts.
“The results of scientific studies with single malt versus blended Scotch whisky have repeatedly concluded there is no essential difference in the perception between a well-made single malt and well-made blends. Even when tested in different countries with differing levels of familiarity and expertise, the results and conclusions come back the same. When asked to sort whiskies from various Scotch categories blindly, tasters made sensible groupings but no one divided them into blends and single malts.”
“We still don’t understand the science behind the merging of compounds into a single, unified aroma. A single molecule, such as benzaldehyde, can smell like a mixture of cherry and almond, whereas collections of more than 800 molecules can smell like a single thing: coffee. For now, at least, the blending of aromas and flavours still relies on art as well as science.”
Look out for subtle almond notes in an upcoming Compass Box Limited Edition. Just bear in mind that benzaldehyde won’t be listed on the back label.
You can hear more from Professor Smith in a five-part radio documentary The Art and Science of Blending, available now on the BBC.
Professor Barry Smith is director of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of London’s School of Advanced Study, and the founding director of the Centre for the Study of the Senses.
From a strong sense of obligation to protect the health and the well-being of our employees, guests, friends, family and everyone at large in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have made the decision to temporarily close our restaurant as of today, March 16. Our last service was Sunday evening.
This weekend we announced the efforts we had been taking to keep everyone safe. Upon heartfelt reflection we didn’t feel the efforts we were taking would change the course of this pandemic and made the decision to close our doors until further notice.
In light of the clear and strict recommendations of Canadian and provincial health officials for social distancing, we were compelled to act swiftly and decisively to help combat the spread of COVID-19. Along with the collective governmental and societal efforts to contain this pandemic, we hope that this decision contributes to bringing us closer to putting this behind us, getting our people back to work, and once again fully enjoying the relationships that we’ve nourished over the years. Aside from public safety our highest priority is to ensure employees are looked after. As we await details on emergency government relief funding, we will be making every effort to properly assist our employees through this crisis.
Now is the time to be safe, be smart, and to take care of yourself, your family, and your friends. We are very hopeful and optimistic that with broad cooperation and prudence, this will pass, and we will again be greeting our guests here at The Whisky Kitchen in the very near future. In the meantime, our whisky is hibernating and ready to awaken in the springtime.
We wish everyone well, keep an eye on your neighbours, help out where you can and be safe. Remember we’re all in this together.
Allura & Eric, proprietors
You may be stuck inside, but there’s no reason you can’t make it fun. Online ordering is now up and running on our website. You can place your order online and have it delivered right to your door if you are in the local KY area, you can pick it up in-store, or pick it up curbside! The options are endless so there’s no reason to let the bar run dry.
Orders can be placed online or by phone.
For curbside pick up, please call (859-291-4007) or text (859-652-0169) the store upon arrival. Let us know the name on your order, where you are parked and the make and color of your car. You will need your credit card and ID ready and it must match the order information.
COVID-19 is a very fluid situation here in our nation and we are doing everything we can to stay on top of it. If you have any questions as to how we are handling the situation, please see the link below.
A note to our customers about COVID-19
thepartysource.com
95 Riviera Drive, Bellevue, KY 41073
(859) 291-4007
We thought we’d send you an update on our business and how we are coping with the current situation.
Despite being a small family firm we’ve taken steps to respond to what is happening. Most of us can and will work from home. When in the office and warehouse we are washing hands thoroughly and regularly and taking extra precautions in line with official guidance and advice.
Trade is moving Worldwide and throughout the UK. We have multiple logistic partners, a very fortunate position to be in, so your parcels will be delivered – there just might be a delay of a day or two to your door. Now, more than ever, we all need a good dram!
The continued support of our customers during this period has been incredible and we value your ongoing support.
Keeping you in good spirits.
Alastair & Chris @ The Whisky Barrel
New and exclusive
SINGLE CASK WORTHY PARK
AND BENROMACH
The latest bottles to join our range of 20th anniversary exclusives come from very different places. One is a dry, fruity and powerful 12-year-old rum from Worthy Park by way of Dornoch Castle and the Thompson Brothers, who bottled it for us. The second is an eight-year-old, single sherry-cask single malt from Benromach distillery – a vibrant and fruity whisky with a rich and smoky undercurrent.
New and exclusive
LEDAIG, GLENBURGIE AND LAPHROAIG –
BOTTLED BY THE WHISKY EXCHANGE
Our next wave of exclusive, single cask whiskies has arrived: a fresh, fruity and subtle Glenburgie, a rich, smoky and beautifully integrated sherry-cask Laphroaig, and a 13-year-old Ledaig. Bottled from our own stocks, this range contains only the whiskies we like so much that we’re willing to put our name on them.
Sale
SAVE ON GAME OF THRONES
SINGLE MALTS
While stocks last, you can now save up to 33% on Diageo’s range of Game of Thrones single malt whiskies. Whether you’ve been dying to try them, need gifts for an upcoming occasion, want to run a great tasting for your whisky club, or just want to add some great bottles to your collection from some of Scotland’s best-known distilleries, now’s your chance!
Don’t Miss Out On the Final Stock of A Must-Have, Aged Single-Malt
2003 Glen Scotia “Malts Festival 2019 Limited Edition” Rum Cask Finish Peated Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky (750ml) (Elsewhere $100) ($69.99)
“I fell in love with this whiskey… It’s the perfect sweet peater.”
– Andrew Whiteley, K&L NorCal Spirits Buyer
Pretty much anything from Campbeltown is by default a niche whisky, considering the region is home to just three distilleries nowadays. So, what does that make Glen Scotia’s 2003 limited-edition, peated single-malt aged for 15 years in American bourbon casks and finished in demerara rum barrels? For starters, it’s about as niche as collectible whisky gets. Furthermore, it’s just flat-out delicious. To make a simple point: we believe in this whisky, so much so that we just had their U.S. importer gather up every last bit of stock they had in the country and ship it to us. When we sampled it, there was no question that we had to get this to as many of our clients as possible. We’ll lead with the bad news—once this stock is gone, there is no more on the way. This is your last shot. The good news? We’re offering this one-of-a-kind dram for under $70, while the rest of the market hovers in the vicinity of $100. Bottled at cask strength specifically for the 2019 Malts Festival, it was nonchillfiltered to capture the epitome of the “sweet peat” style. As Scotch whisky profiles go, the 2003 Glen Scotia Campbeltown Single Malt Rum Cask-Finish is as unique as it gets. As incredible bargains go, this stunning limited-edition might just take the cake.
93 points Whisky Advocate: “The nose has sweet smoke and more prominent aromas of banana, vanilla, guava, papaya, jasmine, hibiscus, and citrus oil, with some salinity and chalky minerality. The palate is consistent: intense tropical fruit—guava, mango, coconut—plus hazelnut, smoked almonds, milk chocolate, and salty kelp. It finishes with smoked nuts, toasted tobacco, chalky minerality, dry oak, and persistent fruitiness. Lots to unpack here, and it develops beautifully with water—take your time. (SSB, Fall 2019)”
K&L Notes: Once hailed as the whisky capital of the world, Campbeltown has seen its number of distilleries reduced to just three. All three make peated and unpeated whisky in a unique style that gives credence to Campbeltown’s designation as a unique whisky producing region in Scotland. This 2019 limited release for Campbeltown’s Malts Festival spent 15 years in American oak hogsheads and then an additional eight months in demerara Guyana rum barrels. The results are stupendous—sweet peat jives with malty goodness loaded with orange peel and sweet baking spices. The mellow smoke goes perfectly with the caramel and brown sugar notes of the American hoggies. Bottled at cask strength and unchillfiltered with no coloration, this is a pure celebration of Campbeltown from Glen Scotia.
Andrew Whiteley | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: October 11, 2019
I fell in love with this whiskey months ago when I tasted a preview sample. Now that’s it’s here I simply cannot get enough of it. It’s the perfect sweet peater, in fact it should be the definition of “easy peat.” There is just enough smoke to frame the presentation of the other aromatics and to bolster the intensity of the wonderful citrus and tropical fruit that takes over the nose. Sweet baking spices and molasses coat your palate. There is a bit of salinity, particularly on the finish, that leaves you satisfied and yet going back for sip after sip. While most other places are selling this at $110 bucks, we backed up the truck and are able to offer it at just $69.99! I suggest you do the same since this limited Malts Festival release won’t be around for long.
Alex Schroeder | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: October 12, 2019
This is the most expressive, balanced peated single malt I’ve tasted in a while. Aromas of bright tropical fruits like pineapple and mango mixed with honeycomb, wet gravel, toasted wheat, and scorched earth, with a rich mouthfeel and super-smooth profile. What a pleasure to sip!
Neal Fischer | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: October 11, 2019
Bountiful butterscotch and wisps of earthy smoke characterize this tasty Scotch. Glen Scotia is one of only three operational distilleries in the Campbeltown region, and I’m very happy they’re carrying on the tradition and keeping distillation alive in this historically important area in Scotland. Of course, none of that history matters much if the whisky isn’t good, and thankfully this bottling is great. The peat is very moderate (unlikely to scare away too many folks) and exquisitely proportioned with the influence of the rum cask finishing. Tropical aromas of freshly-opened vanilla bean morphs into salted caramel that then becomes rich butterscotch. Scents of buttery dessert biscuits topped with pepper-peach jelly make my mouth water. The palate has more dessert flavors without becoming cloying at all. Then that peat comes in, yet it always stays in check and never dominates the other flavors. It’s earthy, robust, and leathery with just a little medicinality. The rum and peat continue to roll over each other again and again on the palate, and it seems like there’s just no stopping this Scotch. There’s not really a finish in a sense because the whisky just melts into the tongue and stays with you.
