Rev that throttle bikers and malt-mates, Ralfy wheelies in with Whisky Review #208 – Dewars 12yo with biker-buddy Andy !

vroom vroom !

See for yourself at www.ralfy.com

Whisky Intelligence has added a new category called ‘Vignettes – Moments in Whisky’ which will feature whisky moments as experienced by the readership. If you have a whisky moment please feel free to submit your moment and we’ll do our best to publish it. The very first Vignettes – Moments in Whisky was published on Monday May 30th and was submitted by Joe Barry of South Africa, click here to read it.

New Compass Box: The Great King Street Artist’s Blend

The chaps at Compass Box do seem to like keeping busy. After celebrating their 10th anniversary for most of last year they got their noses back to the grindstone and started work on some new whisky. We can happily say that the wait has not been in vain and we’ve got our hands on some  of their latest bottling, the start of a new range of whiskies – Great King Street: The Artist’s Blend.…(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…

THE LINK

Pulteney Distillery celebrates its 195th anniversary this year in the North Sea fishing town of Wick, Scotland. It’s the home of Old Pulteney single malt whisky, and distillery manager Malcolm Waring takes us on a tour in this week’s episode. In the news, new whiskies from Islay, Colorado, and the Lowlands of Scotland, an old whisky returns home to Islay, and the winners of the first WhiskyCast Father’s Day competition.

Visit WhiskyCast at www.whiskycast.com

Celebrating Fathers Everywhere!

Well, it’s summer now on Islay, although it could be any season to be honest.  We are all still recovering from the Islay Festival, in May, which was rather windswept this year, but everyone still had a great time.  The remainder of the year won’t be quiet, as  my official day job takes me to distant shores for our next ‘Laphroaig Live” show in October. The show is slated to be at a spectacular location – more details soon.  In addition, later in the year I will land in North America, including Western Canada.   Again more information soon!

Meanwhile, an unspoken Scottish tradition dictates that there are two things dads will want this Father’s Day – one is Scotch whisky… and well, that’s really all that matters!

Tradition is also the heart and soul of the distillery at Laphroaig. Generations upon generations have succeeded one another, and fathers have passed down knowledge and craftsmanship to sons and daughters since 1815. Weathered, grainy photos bear evidence to the men long-since passed who have braved seasonal extremes in their effort to create the most richly flavoured of all Scotch whiskies. I too am a 3rd generation of my family to work at Laphroaig, and so keeping up with traditions.

The spirit of Father’s Day is best said in Scottish Gaelic:

An uair as làine ‘n cupan, ‘s ann as dorr’ a ghiùlan
When the cup is fullest it is most difficult to carry

Here’s to all the fathers, past and present, who make this day so special.

“Slàinte mhòr agad!” (SLAHN-tchuh VORR AH-kut!)
“Great health to you!”

Slàinte

John Campbell
Distillery Manager
http://www.laphroaig.com/friends

Amrut Special Reserve Tasting Notes

After a slight (ok, considerable) delay, the final TWE 10th anniversary bottling has finally arrived. Amrut has been one of the major success stories in the UK market over the last couple of years, and we’re delighted to present our own Amrut Special Reserve from this up-and-coming superstar distillery.      First, though, a quick update …(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…

THE LINK

Ahoy there land-lubbers we are aboard the Tall Ship ‘Antigua’ for a precious Scotch moment!  Whisky Review 207 – Cutty Sark 18yo aboard the ‘Antigua’ with compliments from www.ralfy.com

Mortlach 16 Year Old

The quiet giant of Speyside, this 100% sherry barrelled whisky has toffee and raisins in abundance. Very limited offer while stocks last.

£37

To place an order please visit milroys.co.uk, call Lee on 020 7437 2385 or email Lee.Tomlinson@milroys.co.uk

Win Tickets to our True Tales Event in Canada

Hello,

You may remember I recently wrote about one of our True Tales events that was being held in Philadelphia and what a great time I had. There’s something really interesting about hearing another person’s story being told from the heart and the emotions it stirs in them.

A similar event is next being held at the………(please click on the link below to read the remainder of the article)…

http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2011/06/win-tickets-to-our-true-tales-event-in-canada/

Hi all,

Hope you are all well and warming up nicely for your summer heatwave, which is bound to be as predictable as the rest of the year!

Fresh from my IWSC judging duties (only the 150 whiskies over 3 days…) I have come to the conclusion that whisky is good. Not particularly technical or revelatory but I thought you might like to know what goes on – in fact I may write a little ‘diary’ of the three days for the Facebook page.

I have also come to realise that this coming weekend and week sees the last of our tastings for the first half of the year and until August. There are still places available on all, although not many, but it would be a shame not to have a full house for the fantastic whiskies on show!

They are, of course;

Berry Brothers & Rudd, Manchester, Britons Protection – Friday 17th June
Seafood & Whisky Extravaganza, Newcastle, Blackfriars – Sunday 19th June
Berry Brothers & Rudd, London, Red Lion, Crown Passage – Tuesday 21st June

The Berry’s tastings are £22 per person and are highly recommended (as usual!) with some extraordinary whiskies that are not widely available. The Seafood and Whisky Extravaganza involves the pairing of various lovely drams with a specially designed 6-course taster menu. If you have never tried anything like this before, it is going to be an eye-opener! Cost of this is £45 – bargain!

To find out more or to book any of these, please click here or go to the website.

Festivals

I am pleased to announce there are six further Whisky Festivals from The Whisky Lounge this year! They are, in date order;

Brighton 3rd September
Liverpool 10th September
York 17th September
Stratford Upon Avon 1st October
Manchester 15th October
Leeds 12th November

Phew, I think that’s it so get them in the diary! Tickets and details for the first three will be up very shortly, with the last three very soon after – watch this space…

Chivas Tastings
These were a great success and thanks to all that attended and took part – hope you agree they were excellent tastings. I am writing up the results and some random musings on the Whisky Lounge Facebook page, which can be accessed here. If you don’t do Facebook (and I don’t entirely blame you if you don’t) and would like a copy, I can email it to you. Just send me an email requesting this and I will get it to you as soon as possible.

That’s all for now but I hope to see you at one of the raft of events for the rest of 2011!

Slainte,
Eddie

Eddie Ludlow
Whisky Evangelist

thewhiskylounge
www.thewhiskylounge.com
eddie@thewhiskylounge.com
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IWSC Spirit Panel Judge 2009-present