Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 276: Johnnie Walker A Song of Ice & Fire

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, puts two Johnnie Walker Blends head-to-head. Diageo clearly is not yet finished with Game of Thrones. After last year’s White Walker, they now present two blends: A Song of Ice around Clynelish and A Song of Fire around Caol Ila. Mark was not very enthusiastic about the White Walker and hopes these two will finally hit the spot.

https://youtu.be/HrUgmFhE6R0

SAZERAC COMPANY OPENS SAZERAC HOUSE IMMERSIVE SPIRITED EXPERIENCE 

New homeplace celebrates New Orleans cocktail culture in completely restored historic building; brings first whiskey distillery to downtown New Orleans 

NEW ORLEANS, LA (October 2, 2019) The Sazerac Company, an American family-owned company based in New Orleans since 1850, today opened the Sazerac House, an immersive, spirited experience exploring the history of New Orleans through its cocktails. The Sazerac House, located at the intersection of Canal and Magazine Street, is just a few hundred yards from the original 1850 Sazerac Coffee House—the site where the Sazerac Cocktail was first introduced and the company was born.  Cutting-edge, immersive exhibit technology throughout the experience allows guests to dive into the French Quarter in the 1800s, take a seat at a simulation of the original Sazerac House café tables, chat with virtual New Orleans bartenders about their signature drink recipes and learn how to build drinks from the famous Mr. Boston guide, based on their favorite flavor profiles. The Sazerac House is open Wednesday through Saturday from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm through the end of November 2019, and will then be expanding its hours. Complimentary tickets, available at www.sazerachouse.com, are required for entry.

Inside, guests will learn about the roots of the Sazerac family, which date back to the 1630s in France, explore interactive exhibits about the iconic Sazerac Cocktail, as well as learn about the impact of New Orleans on international cocktail culture. The Sazerac Company worked with a number of archivists to thoroughly research and document all of the information in the exhibits. More than a museum, guests can also take part in the production of Peychaud’s Bitters and Sazerac Rye Whiskey—marking the first time that whiskey has been legally distilled in the New Orleans Central Business District.

“The opening of the Sazerac House gives us a show-stopping homeplace in the heart of New Orleans, in a building with a history that aligns so closely to ours,” said Mark Brown, president and chief executive officer of the Sazerac Company. “The Sazerac House showcases our roots in this remarkable city, our commitment to our guests to create an incredibly memorable experience and our celebration of the Sazerac Cocktail.”

Upon arrival, guests will travel past a three-story-tall bottle wall featuring signature Sazerac brand spirits to elevators that bring them to the third floor, where the self-guided journey begins. Guests will first immerse themselves in New Orleans in the 1800s before traveling to the second floor exhibits which feature modern day cocktail craftsmanship.  Finally, visitors will explore whiskey production in the distillery before exiting through the retail store on the first floor. Along the way, guests who are age 21 and over will enjoy sampling stations with a variety of Sazerac products or cocktails, which will vary by day of the week and the season. 

Sazerac House Highlights Include:

• Sophisticated Spirits
  • Sit down, choose a drink and enjoy a virtual cocktail mixed up by a New Orleans bartender. Four bartenders who represent the city’s diverse cocktail culture share their craft, cocktail history, and personal stories. Watch an expert in action and along the way, learn about important tools, ingredients, spirits, and lore. Visitors leave feeling inspired and empowered to order or make new drinks.
• Café Culture
  • Café Culture captures the Sazerac House, c. 1902, one of the city’s top destinations–a place where the who’s who went to cut deals, handle business and discuss politics.  Visitors use physical coasters to activate the three stories and touch to expand upon story elements. Guests will meet the Sazerac House’s famous bartenders, enjoy tales of its spirited history, learn methods for making its most famous drinks, and get a taste for some of the celebrations. At the end, visitors can take the coaster as a souvenir, which has a drink recipe printed on the back.
• Magic Mirrors
  • Using hidden motion sensors, seemingly regular mirrors magically reveal a series of animated films. Through each of the three mirrors, visitors will see historic advertisements, photographs, and iconic Sazerac products, including Herbsaint, Sazerac de Forge & Fils Cognac, and Sazerac Rye Whiskey.
• The Power of the Dash
  • Visitors discover that bitters are a versatile product with the power to elevate cocktails and food recipes. They learn what bitters are, how they’re made, and simple pairings for each of the three featured Sazerac products. While learning about bitters as a concept, guests will also be able to view production and bottling of the famous Peychaud’s Bitters.
• Mr. Boston
  • Inspired by the Mr. Boston Bartender Guide, this interactive exhibit offers a curated-but-extensive menu of cocktails and a playful mode to find just the right one. Spin the virtual wheel to locate the perfect drink based on favorite flavors and spirits. Visitors can also browse recipes and learn about how drinking has changed since the first Mr. Boston guide was published in the 1930.
• Sazerac Rye Distillery Exhibit
  • One of the showstoppers of the Sazerac House is the Distillery Exhibit, which includes a new, custom-built still on the first floor of the Sazerac House. The 60-inch diameter, 500-gallon capacity still, which will produce Sazerac Rye Whiskey, is viewable from two stories through a glass front facing Canal Street, making it a prime attraction in the heart of downtown New Orleans. Sazerac Rye will also be bottled on site and available for sale in the Sazerac House retail shop. A 2,200 gallon thermal energy tank, viewable in the Distillery Exhibit, makes 14,000 pounds of ice at night to cool and condition the distillery equipment during the day.
• Retail Shop
  • At the close of their visit, guests will have the opportunity to purchase items from the retail shop, including apparel, bar tools, exclusive gift sets and even the spirits represented at the Sazerac House.

The Sazerac House is a full renovation of two nearly 200-year-old buildings which were previously vacant for more than 30 years. Local historic preservation architects Trapolin-Peer Architects and Ryan Gootee General Contractors led the renovation efforts of the 48,000 square foot space over the course of two years. Throughout the renovation there was a focus on restoring and reusing historic elements of the building, which reduced landfill load by 5300 tons and saved 2.557 metric tons of CO2.

Gallagher & Associates, a museum design company known for its work on the National WWII Museum, The Spy Museum, and many other notable attractions designed the exhibits. The New Orleans-based Solomon Group fabricated and installed the exhibits, and provided audio-visual integration.

In addition to exhibit space, the Sazerac House provides state of the art meeting and event space, with a capacity of up to 400 guests. Private events can include tastes of the spirits portfolios of the Sazerac Company with cocktail experts.

The buildings also house Sazerac company offices, which are home to 60 employees, 45 of which are new positions due to the Sazerac House creation.

Sazerac has a history of buying hidden gems and restoring them to their natural beauty. In 1992 the company bought Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, complete with ramshackle buildings, barbed wire fences surrounding the property, and an employee base which had dwindled down to 50 from its thriving post World War II days of 1,000 employees.  Today, Buffalo Trace Distillery is one of only 2,600 national historic landmarks in the United States, employing nearly 500 workers, and welcoming more than 250,000 visitors a year who enjoy its lush gardens and picturesque campus.

Sazerac is projecting 200,000 visitors within the Sazerac House’s first year of operation. The purchase price and renovation price is not being disclosed.

About Sazerac House

Standing proudly in a historic building at the corner of Canal and Magazine, and just a short stroll from the original 1850s era Sazerac Coffeehouse, the Sazerac House is an immersive exploration of the spirited culture of New Orleans. Featuring three floors of interactive exhibits across 48,000 square feet, including private event venues, an on-site Sazerac Rye distillery, and Peychaud’s Bitters production facility, the Sazerac House welcomes visitors to experience New Orleans history through the stories of its cocktails.  For more information on the Sazerac House, please visit www.sazerachouse.com 

About the Sazerac Company

            Sazerac is one of America’s oldest family owned, privately held distillers with operations in the United States in Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Maryland, California, and global operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, India, Australia and Canada. For more information on Sazerac, please visit www.sazerac.com

LAPHROAIG UNVEILS POP-UP SMOKEHOUSE AT LONDON COCKTAIL WEEK

• Laphroaig to launch a pop-up Smokehouse bar serving cocktails with an unusual smoky twist

• Members of the public have the chance to choose exactly how smoky they want their drink from “Gently Smoked” through to the intense “Bonfire Bite”

• Drinks will be matched with Laphroaig cold-smoked bar snacks inspired by opinions of the whisky’s unique, and often divisive taste, submitted by members of the public via #OpinionsWelcome

• Launching on 9^th October at The Cocktail Village, 146 Brick Lane, members of the public can sign up via drinkup.london/events/27504/laphroaig-smokehouse/

3 October 2019: Laphroaig is setting the capital’s drinks scene ablaze with a pop-up Smokehouse, appearing exclusively at London Cocktail Week.

Launching on the 9^th October in The Cocktail Village on Brick Lane, the Smokehouse brings to life the famously intense smoky, heavily peated flavour of Laphroaig. The Smokehouse offers classic cocktails with an unusual smoky twist, alongside cold-smoked bar snacks.

Guests can choose exactly how smoky they would like their drink, from “Gently Smoked” through to the intense “Bonfire Bite”. With each playing on the intense cold-smoked flavour that has made Laphroaig famous, the cocktails bring to life the unique and complex flavour of the liquid in truly new and innovative ways.

As well as personalising the smoke level of your cocktail, guests can choose from a range of Laphroaig cold-smoked flavoured bites including haggis, fudge, sausage and beef jerky. The Smokehouse emulates the cold smoking process that is responsible for the tarry note typical of Laphroaig.

Open from midday through to 11pm Wed-Sat, and midday through to 7pm on Sunday, The Smokehouse is open to the public throughout London Cocktail Week. It is set to bring a sense of theatrical intrigue that whisky lovers and those new to the liquid can enjoy. Created with an Instagram moment in mind, discerning drinkers can look on as original Islay peat is infused via bespoke pipes and bell-jars to richly infuse every sip with the iconic Laphroaig taste. The Smokehouse emulates the cold smoking process that is responsible for the tarry note typical of Laphroaig.

Nick Ganich, head of brands at Edrington-Beam Suntory, commented: “The Laphroaig Smokehouse is a unique celebration of the many divided opinions this iconic liquid conjures among its fans. Laphroaig is the UK’s number one Islay malt whisky and we’re seeing a rapid growth of demand for the iconic brand.”

“Although we hope to introduce this Islay malt to a great many more potential enthusiasts, we know a dram of neat Laphroaig is not a thing for everyone. However, there is always a cocktail and food pairing that make Laphroaig universally enjoyable. The Smokehouse will not only celebrate our unique taste, but also will showcase Laphroaig’s unexpected versatility.”

“All opinions are welcome at The Smokehouse, and we will even go so far as to adorn our walls with evocative statements ranging from the compliments to a lyrical description of Laphroaig tasting ‘Like bacon if your Grandma dropped her cigar into the cooking pan – twice.”

The Laphroaig Smokehouse will be open to the public from noon on the 9^th October – 7.00pm on the 13^th October, at The Cocktail Village, 146 Brick Lane, London, E1 6RU.

Alongside The Smokehouse, whisky lovers can participate in Laphroaig dining and cocktail experiences across the city during London Cocktail week. Baptist Bar within L’oscar hotel, Gilray’s Steakhouse & Bar, Smith & Wollensky, as well as Harvey Nichols Knightsbridge are all offering specially created Laphroaig cocktails. Additionally, Hawksmoor has developed a delicious 3-course meal perfectly paired with cocktails and drams.

For more information on The Smokehouse or to sign up for the cocktail-making masterclasses, tasting sessions and an exclusive supper club, go to https://drinkup.london/events/27504/laphroaig-smokehouse/

About Edrington-Beam Suntory Distribution UK

Edrington-Beam Suntory Distribution UK is one of the UK’s conjures spirits sales, marketing and distribution companies. It is a joint-venture company jointly owned by Edrington and Beam Suntory.

Edrington-Beam Suntory UK represents leading spirit brands in categories including:

Blended Scotch (The Famous Grouse, Naked Grouse and Teacher’s)

Malt whisky (Highland Park, Laphroaig, The Macallan and Ardmore)

Japanese whiskies (Yamazaki, Hibiki, Hakushu, Toki and Chita)

Bourbon (Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark and Knob Creek)

Imported whiskies (Canadian Club and Kilbeggan Irish whiskey)

Gin (Roku and Larios)

It also handles UK sales and distribution for Courvoisier cognac, Snow Leopard vodka, Brugal 1888 rum and a portfolio of liqueurs and specialities (including Sourz, Bols liqueurs, Galliano and After Shock).

Introducing the brand new Laphroaig 30 Year Old

This 30-year-old single malt is the first release in The Ian Hunter Story from Islay’s Laphroaig distillery and is sure to be in high demand! The Ian Hunter Story is a fifteen-part series of rare aged single malts, celebrating chapters in the life of Ian Hunter, the last member of the distillery’s founding family to own and manage Laphroaig. This 2019 release is aged for thirty years in first-fill American white oak bourbon barrels and bottled at a strength of 46.7% abv free from chill filtration, with just 4,800 bottles produced.

£699.00

Pre-order Now

The 2019 Kilchoman Mid-West Meet The Peat Tour is almost upon us, but it’s not too late to make plans to attend one of the events!

This extremely limited edition Cask Strength Machir Bay, bottled at 58.6% abv is available to be signed by James Wills at the tour stops (along with some great free gifts with purchase), so get plans made now, or tell your friends who live in the area to secure their seats!

You can read Kilchoman Distillery’s article here, describing the tour in more detail. Here are the stops as of now, though some might change or be adjusted.

Thursday, October 10th
Binny’s Lincoln Park (N. Marcey St.) | Chicago, IL

Friday, October 11th
Whisky & Barrel Nite | Chicago, IL

Saturday, October 12th
Surdyk’s Liquor and Cheese Shop | Minneapolis, MN

Saturday, October 12th
Ace Spirits | Hopkins, MN

Sunday, October 13th
Merlin’s | Minneapolis, MN

Monday, October 14th
The Wine Company Open House (Trade Only) |
St. Louis Park, MN

Tuesday, October 15th
Ray’s Liquor | Milwaukee, WI

Wednesday, October 16th
Warehouse Liquors | Chicago, IL

Wednesday, October 16th
Delilah’s | Chicago, IL

Thursday, October 17th
Vine & Table Exclusive Kilchoman Master Class. | Indianapolis, IN

Friday, October 18th
Vine & Table Indy’s Whisky & Fine Spirits Expo | Indianapolis, IN

Saturday, October 19th
Independent Spirits | Chicago, IL

Saturday, October 19th
Fountainhead | Chicago, IL

If you have any issues getting tickets or seats for any of the events, or have any questions at all, please reach out to us.  We will do our best to help you out.

Remember to spread the word to whisky fans in the region!

Here is a link to our post about the tour, to make it easy for you to share on Facebook.

BUNNAHABHAIN 10 YEAR OLD 2009
(ADELPHI)
70cl | 49.3%

A single cask Bunnahabhain aged
for 10 years in a first fill Sherry cask.

SHOP NOW

With First Friday on the horizon, click over to our website to view our next botting list release. October Outturn sees us celebrating our founder Pip Hills, with 22 new casks to taste and explore. Plan your wish list now and make sure you place your order fast to avoid disappointment. October Outturn will be released on Friday, 4 October at 9am (GMT). Get ready to order your favourite bottling.

NEW BOTTLINGS        READ OUTTURN

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, The Vaults, 87 Giles Street, Leith EH6 6BZ

Contact: sales@smws.com or call 0131 555 2929 (Mon-Fri 9am-4.45pm). Visit the Society at here for membership information

This is your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers!

Spot the SMWS bottles in this amusing You Tube video

Mark’s Whisky Ramblings 175: Mackmyra Vintersol

Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, tries the latest Mackmyra. It’s brand new, this Mackmyra Vintersol. It means Winter Sun which explains why it will only be available in Sweden – via Systembolaget – as of the 4^th of October. It’s another one of those Seasonal whiskies by Mackmyra, this time finished in port casks from Quinta Do Vallado – one of Portugal’s oldest port producers in the Douro Valley, founded in 1716. The finish lasted 16 months!

https://youtu.be/eXY5HsWOW48

If you like some Whisky distilled before you were born (well some of you), you might like the Glen Grant 1953 bottled by Gordon & MacPhail in their Private Collection range (Lot 99); a particularly fine looking bottle of Glenrothes 28 Year Old distilled in 1947 (Lot 19); a similarly aged Bunnahabhain 28 Year Old also from 1947 (Lot 85); or a Signatory bottling of Cambus 1964 (Lot 21).  We also have a fine selection of younger and more accessible whiskies including entries from Springbank; Dallas Dhu; Convalmore; Glenlochy; Talisker and many others.

All in all there is a bit of something for everyone so click onto our website www.mulberrybankauctions.com to view the catalogue in its entirety or through one of the online bidding portals www.easyliveauction.com or www.the-saleroom.com .