2013 – The TWEBlog review of the year
There seems to be a long running tradition across the internets of writing round-up posts at the beginning of the year. I’ve not yet done so and am starting to feel left out, so here’s a bit of a look … Continue reading >>
TOMATIN DISTILLERY
Some older distilleries’ origins are difficult to be precise about, their documented story usually beginning with the issuing of a licence even though their history may have begun years before turning legal. Tomatin’s start-up, being established in the hey day of the liquid gold rush, seems to be more definite. In 1897 the Tomatin Spey District Company Limited was founded by some Invernessian businessmen. Perhaps its chosen location was a combination of factors: next to a rail line and road, not far from a market- it lies just over 10 miles south of Inverness and on the Allt na Frith (meaning ‘free‘) burn on its way to join the river Findhorn. The burn rises in the Monadhliath mountains from Carn Dubh and Beinn Bhreac then flows into the river Findhorn, where extra cooling water can be pumped from if necessary. It has been suggested that a very early still set up to supply drovers who met in the area was the inspiration for the foundation of the distillery. Credence for this comes in the name: ‘Tomatin’ translates to “Hill of the (Juniper) Bushes”, as juniper wood gives off no smoke while burning it has long been a favourite of illicit distillers who must keep their practice secret. Being at just over 1000 feet above sea level few Scottish distilleries are higher, is this high enough for atmospheric pressure to have an effect on the distillation process and even the character of the make?
Little is recorded of the individuals involved at the beginning but it is easy to believe the parties were local merchants connected to the trade who took a step up from either supplying the industry with services or material or being concerned at the other end of the process with the wholesale or retail of the finished article. At this time demand for ‘Scotch’ seemed to be unquenchable with more distilleries (eleven) being built in this year than any other while total production had been increasing significantly for some time. However circumstances were soon to conspire against the trade and the inevitable bust followed the boom. By 1906 the company had to fold. Three years later Tomatin Distillers Company Limited had been established to revive the fortunes of the still and set about rebuilding the distillery. From this point fate was kinder for quite some time with production only breaking during World War 1 and between 1941 and 1945- two major periods of disruption which effected nearly all production of whisky in Scotland.
However come 1956 the modern tale of Tomatin starts to take shape. After World War 2 another golden era for Scotch whisky began. Depleted stocks from a forced downturn and eventual freeze on production during war time had to be addressed in order that such a valuable export could contribute to getting a nation back on sound economic footing. During the decades following the lifting of wartime rationing on cereal supply for distillation new distilleries were built, mechanisation was broadly introduced, established distilleries were enlarged and most facilities operated at full production capability. What is peculiar about Tomatin is just how far these improvements and increases went.
In 1956 the original two stills, which were capable of producing 120, 000 proof gallons, were joined by another pair. Only 2 years later another two stills were added. Around this period an experiment into directly firing the stills with a flame from oil proved unsuccessful due to the heating being too harsh on the copper due to the sulphur content of the oil leading to metal becoming brittle, eventually a more reliable method of internal steam heating via an oil burning boiler was employed.. Once full capacity was realised it was again time to increase potential output and 1961 saw the total still count reaching 5 pairs with another single still joining them in 1964. These measures meant a ten fold increase in capacity in the twenty years following 1945. By 1970 Tomatin had become attractive to other whisky companies and an offer by the mighty Distillers Company Limited of 13 shillings per share (shares were at the time valued at 9 shillings) was confidently rejected. A few years later the tally increased once more, this time to 14. By 1973 all malting on site was discontinued, presumably to utilise the space occupied by the floors as there was soon to be the biggest extension yet. Before on site malting stopped even 60 tonnes of barley a week was insufficient to satisfy demand- the remaining requirement had to be out-sourced. 1974 saw the most significant boost to capacity with the total number of stills reaching 23 (12 wash and 11 spirit) requiring seven spirit safes and with the capacity to produce 5 million proof gallons. In the twenty years up to this point around £5m had been spent on the distillery, it has been said that this was more per employee than an oil refinery! However maximum potential output was never achieved with the record being set in 1974 at 3.149 million proof gallons. The stills were similar in design: both wash and spirit having reflux bowls, a capacity of 16,820L and lyne arms at almost right angles.
With such scale comes some impressive figures. As the largest malt distillery in Scotland at the time and second only to Japan’s Hakushu distillery as the biggest in the world Tomatin required quite a deal of equipment. For example having two (stainless steel) mash tuns is not uncommon in the grain distilling industry but is most unusual for malt production, Likewise the need for a second (Porteus) mill in order to adequately supply enough grist for the large scale of the set up again indicates output here was unusually high. A total of 24 washbacks were required, more modern stainless steel examples joining older cast iron examples, all at 41KL capacity. An expensive dark grains plant, recycling draff and pot ale into animal feed, was established in the year of the great expansion- as much as an incredible 300 tonnes of feedstuff was produced weekly. The whole facility took up a generous 136 acres.
In the days of heightened production fermentation time was about 48 hours however a slower, 56 hours, regime is currently in place following a 6 hour mash. There are presently 16 mashes a week through 6 pairs of stills eventually producing 45KL of spirit (2ML a year) the operation being worked five days out of seven. Spirit vapour is brought back to liquid via shell and tube condensers positioned outside of the still room in the open air.
Also among many of the ‘firsts’ at Tomatin was the inaugural use, in 1960, of the Lautering system of mashing. Common in brewing this method more efficiently produces and collects sugars from the mash tun. The word comes from the German for ‘filtering’, this method leads to clearer worts as opposed to the more traditional Scottish cloudy worts. Each mash requires 8 tonnes of grist. Another application of more sophisticated methods and again a first for a malt distillery was the installation of an automatic cask filling machine – understandable when around 80,000 casks were required annually. For all this wood 16 warehouses were required and total spirit storage was nearly 55 ML (over 200,000 casks), two facilities being of the traditional dunnage style the others being racked. At the moment all spirit remains maturing on site having been reduced to a standard 63.5%abv as a filling strength. Bottling is carried out in Dumbarton although blending is overseen at the distillery. During the 1970s improvements designers took advantage of the opportunity to organise the distillery’s layout so as to allow as much as possible of the production process to be observed from a single location. Other developments included the energy efficient pre-heating of wash entering the still by heat being exchanged with exiting hot pot ale. The attitude towards efficiency and economy has stuck with Tomatin, very recently a biomass steam boiler, the first of its type in the Scottish whisky industry, has been installed. This has helped reduce carbon emissions by a massive 80% and is a big step towards renewable energy sources.
Perhaps the most original experiment at Tomatin was the eel farm. It is known that eels are encouraged to grow when the water they live in is warmer, so as a distillery has an abundance of such a resource, for example from the condensers, a novel recycling system was developed. However despite an impressive tripling in the growth rate of the fish the farm was closed in 1984.
Despite a significant downsizing in production at the distillery, the 23 stills were reduced to the original 12 in the old still house in 1998 and the dark grains plant closed, it is interesting to note how valuable Tomatin remains to the area. In days of old distilleries were often responsible for a whole community – the direct need for labour as well as the necessary supplies and services resulted in essential industry and commerce for often rural parts. At Tomatin 30 of the original 47 houses built for staff are still occupied by some 80% of the 55 employees. Among the workforce there are two coopers, a surprisingly rare skill to be seen still practised at a distillery, automation, off site warehousing and labour costs conspiring against this particular trade from being commonly witnessed during a tour of a distillery.
Over time certain overseas markets began to take an interest in Scottish whisky, particularly conspicuous was Japan. By the late 1970s over 5M gallons were being shipped there, a significant portion of this quantity was Tomatin. Exporting was done on behalf of the company via its subsidiary Tomatin Distillers Exports Ltd who concerned themselves with exporting bulk blend, vatted malts and a line in substitute blends: where an existing style was required at a competitive price. The well known company Suntory was responsible for a large portion of these imports. During this period Tomatin was considered amongst the most important producers in the market place and one of the few distillers to offer their make as a single – initially at 5yo then also at 10yo. Another of the businesses involved in importing Tomatin into Japan, since the 1960s, was the Kyoto based Takara Shuzo a shochu distiller and a large and diverse alcoholic beverage producer which eventually (1992) also had interests in the American brand ‘Ancient Age‘ (currently Buffalo Trace). So when in 1984 the Tomatin went into voluntary liquidation with shares suspended (they were the first Scottish whisky company publicly quoted on the stock exchange) Takara Shuzou, saki and Shochu makers who closed their own Japanese whisky distillery Shirakawa ten years ago, joined with the respected Tokyo based trading company Okura, established in 1873, to form Tomatin Distillery Company Limited. This step marked the first time a Scottish distillery fell under Japanese ownership. After voluntary liquidation and before the Japanese take over the distillery continued to produce spirit under the watchful eye of the receiver in order that existing orders for fillings could be honoured. Along with the rest of the Scotch whisky industry the 1980s were difficult times for Tomatin- having no serious brand of their own the company almost entirely relied on orders from blenders to survive, so when retail sales shrunk their customers traded on stock reserves and placed few orders for new fillings effectively bankrupting the business. Not long before the difficulties of the mid-80s things must have been promising as a re-issue of shares resulted in a 20% stake of the company being taken by the Dutch beer giant Heineken, obviously fortunes can change and big companies are not necessarily immune. The distillery has been under the umbrella of the Marubeni group since 2000, Okura & Co. having sold their 20% share in the company to Takara Shuzo in 1998 after becoming bankrupt. Since 2006 distribution has been the responsibility of the Kokubu firm who are currently (2013) celebrating their 300th anniversary..
Joining the party, in 1996 when it was acquired from the long term custodian – Wm. Sanderson a subsidiary of United Distillers at the time, was the long established brand ‘Antiquary’ created around 1880. Originally produced by the Edinburgh tea, wine and spirit merchant John & William Hardie, a company set up by their father James in 1861 with offices at 4 Picardy Place. The firm were one time licence holders of Benromach distillery and held 50 shares at the creation on the North British grain distillery in Edinburgh. Come 1917 Hardie sold the Antiquary brand to J. & G. Stewart which in turn was eventually subsumed within the massive DCL concern. Ultimately the founder and the brand were reunited when, as a subsidiary of William Sanderson, J. & W. Hardie were also taken over by the inevitable DCL. The name comes from the title of a novel by Sir Walter Scott.
Other connections to the company include, historically, Alexander Dunn & Co. (Whisky Blenders) Ltd. responsible for the bespoke labelled brand Slaintheva 12yo. Also St. Andrews Ltd producers of golf themed bottlings such as a golf ball shaped bottle and a bottle in a leather miniature golf bag and trolley which were popular in Japan. Another blend brand ‘Talisman’ also originally belonged to an Edinburgh merchant: Lambert Brothers, has been owned by Tomatin for some time. As well as the Antiquary range – non-age statement, 12yo and 21yo (introduced in 2001) an important blend for the Tomatin portfolio is Big T. Finally there is another three blends owned by the group – Ancient Clan, Grand Alastair and Legendary Scot although sales of these are focused overseas. Finally rumour has it that ‘Prince of Wales’ Welsh whisky was actually sourced from Tomatin, the spirit was combined with herbs to replicate a style which would have been the norm before the benefits of oak maturation was appreciated.
As regards the character of this light to medium bodied Highlander it is interesting to note several earlier comments on the character of Tomatin mention peaty notes, something not too apparent currently, perhaps the in-house malting style led to a smokier dram but once the dried barley was out sourced a change of character was either desired or was deemed more convenient. Although over time there has been a general shift away from the smokier style apparent in many other malts too. Currently a lightly peated specification is supplied mainly by Simpsons in Berwick although three other more local suppliers are frequently used. For a number of years a week’s production is dedicated to a much more significant peating, levels have varied from 12 to 15ppm and future batches will be higher at 30 to 35ppm.
The current distillery manager is the very experienced Graham Eunson. He follows two dedicated Tomatin men in this position. Douglas Campbell MBE started work at the distillery in 1961 joining both his parents on the payroll, he is still employed as a blender and ambassador. Before him served John MacDonald who also went in his father’s footsteps at the distillery, his long career starting in 1948.
All distilleries are unique. In Tomatin we find a well established operation not without its dark days but a survivor who has embraced progress whilst not losing the human touch, keeping a community alive, enjoying well deserved praises for its current offerings and preparing for a future not in bulk shipments but rather catering more for the discerning appreciators of a fine dram.
Notes:
1 litre of pure alcohol (LPA) = 2.595 proof gallons
LPA has been the required measurement for alcohol since 1980.
Proof is 57.16% alcohol by volume (ABV)
4.546 litres = 1 Imperial (UK) gallon
www.ralfy.com big-up’s an unusual blended Scotch with Whisky Review 420 – Hankey Bannister Heritage Blend Scotch
The Blue Moon of whisky tastings, sort of.
A blue moon happens only rarely, right? Well, so it is when the First Friday and Second Saturday of a month wind up on consecutive nights. Such is the case in February and March of 2014.
February 7th and March 7th are the First Fridays of those two months. February 8th and March 8th are each month’s Second Saturday. What’s it all mean?
Well, it’s quite a good thing for whisky drinkers in and around central Wyoming. It means those two months’ single malt Scotch tastings are on consecutive nights at the Miner’s Delight Inn Bed & Breakfast in Atlantic City, Wyoming.
Thirty miles from gas and groceries, and situated along the southeastern foothills of the Wind River Mountain Range, Atlantic City—at 7,675’ (2,339m)—boasts dirt streets and about 25 year-round residents. In the winter months the fireplace and woodstove roar at the Miner’s Delight Inn, and on the Second Saturday of each month proprietors Barbara and Bob Townsend have been pouring single malt Scotch whiskies going on six years. They started their First Friday tastings in February 2012.
Climb the mountain, bring your cross-country skis if you’re so inclined—there’s a Nordic trail system six miles away—and settle in to sample the single malt spirits of Scotland.
You’ll find the featured whiskies for each night at the inn’s site: http://www.minersdelightinn.com/Scotch%20Whisky.htm
Top Picks
New Arrivals
Japan – Single Malt Scotch
United States – Bourbon and Rye
K&L Wine Merchants
http://www.klwines.com/
Phone: 877-KLWines (toll free 877-559-4637)
Email: wine@klwines.com
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA
Whisky Ramblings Via Video #75
Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries the PC5. Port Charlotte is not a distillery – at least not anymore and not yet (got it ?) – but the popular whisky is produced at the Bruichladdich Distillery on Islay. The PC5 was in fact their first Port Charlotte release, an aptly named 5 Year Old heavily peated malt. A gentle giant from Islay.
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
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
