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We’re delighted to let you all know that, based on multiple requests and growing popularity of Isle of Skye 8 YR, we have added 1.75 liter size to the line.
We’re confident this addition will add more value to the brand and will lead you to the sales increase.
Please see attached the image. The RRP is $ 59.99.
Cheers,
ImpEx Beverages Team
March Previews: Close to the edge of extreme
From the intense to the extreme, we’ve released two pretty big previews from our March Outturn. Enjoy the full release on Friday 1 March (Spring is finally in the air!)
24.124 Close to the edge of extreme
Speyside Spey
£71.00
The sherry influence dominated, almost overpowered the nose – layers of wood (cedar, polished furniture, varnished wood, wood-sap, salted peanuts, matchbox) and tons of treacle; plus toffee, tobacco, syrup of figs, leather, orange and gammon cooked in coca-cola. The unreduced taste was huge and mouth-drawing – a real ‘stoater’…
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53.179 Jelly-fish onthe rocks
Islay
£68.80
The palate was a classic intense mix of sweetness and smoke – some tar, clean oil, macadamia nuts, smoked paprika and prawn tempura, with a long, liquoricy after-taste. The reduced nose introduced a powerful floral note (Little Shop of Horrors?) and a mineral element (our scientist-turned-blender remembered drying jelly-fish on rocks)
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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 http://www.smws.co.uk/memberships for your chance to join and to take advantage of their great offers.
Talisker™, the famous Single Malt Scotch Whisky from the Isle of Skye, is to have a new family member.
TALISKER STORM™ is an exuberant new expression of Talisker, calculated to delight and intrigue the many adorers of this celebrated island whisky: more intense and smoky, with enhanced and vibrant maritime notes, smoothly balanced with Talisker’s signature hot sweetness.
It will be available early 2013 through domestic retail channels and whisky specialists in selected European markets.
Full gold in appearance, and assembled by Diageo’s master blenders from both rejuvenated and refill casks at different ages to deliver a perfect balance of vibrant distillery character and smoother woody richness, it is bottled at the traditional Talisker strength of 45.8% ABV, without an age statement.
The consensus among early tasters reads:
‘The sweet warmth and briny, peppery finish that are the symbol of the Talisker character have been carefully accentuated through a skilful blend of differing aged Talisker casks. The profound maritime character achieves a deeper intensity, like a warm welcome from a wild Hebridean sea.”
In price terms Talisker Storm sits between the Talisker 10 year old and the Talisker Distillers Edition expressions.
How the whisky makers developed this stormy new addition to an already celebrated family of highly distinctive single malt whiskies is explained by Master Blender Dr Jim Beveridge:
“We wanted to focus on distillery character – the bedrock of Talisker Storm. So we sought out some great mature Talisker, enriched and mellowed by time spent in carefully rejuvenated casks, and brought that together with some very fresh distillery character preserved by maturation in refill casks. The result is Talisker’s unique distillery character delivered by aged, mature whiskies, integrated in one vibrant dram.”
Talisker Distiller Manager Mark Lochhead added:
“Any new member of the Talisker family has a lot to live up to and I am proud to say that Talisker Storm does just that. The distinctive whisky we create with such passion and care here on Skye speaks very boldly of the dramatic island where it was born. Everyone here is delighted at the skill with which our malt masters have put together this vivacious new Talisker. Talisker Storm is indeed the right name for it!”
Further exciting new expressions of Talisker will be launched later in 2013.
TALISKER STORM TASTING NOTES
TALISKER STORM™ Full tasting notes read: Appearance: Full gold. Nose: At first restrained yet spicy, with a hint of struck matches; fresh-clean and growing in complexity like a gathering storm to reveal a honeyed sweet maltiness with ripe red berry fruit. Eventually a little well integrated mellow smoke drifts across the scene as a wild sea turns up briny, fresh clean notes, and an oily explosion of pepper. Body: Medium. Palate: At first sweetly mellow and rich in the mouth then quickly very spicy and increasingly stormy as the Talisker heat comes through. It’s as if the pure, tongue-coating sweetness joins hands with a deep nutty smokiness to embrace those spicier notes. The flavour is elegantly drawn out with a good balance between sweetness, smoke and salt, which is all the more evident when a little water is added. Finish: Clean and of medium length, warming, with a lasting, smooth aftertaste, in which late peaty burnt embers can be found.
Whisky Tastings, Whisky Festival, Whisky Sale!
Carn Mor Ambassador tasting – Thursday 21st March 2013
A rare opportunity from Nickolls and Perks
Peter Mackay is a 2nd generation family member of the organisation that runs the Scottish Liqueur Centre in Perth. They independently age single malt whiskies under the Càrn Mòr label. Nickolls and Perks were lucky to receive slim stocks of these irreproachable malts into their Stourbridge store in late 2012 and now very much look forward to showcasing this unique selection for you.
How does an independent bottler go about choosing casks ?
Find out the answer to this question and taste the rare drams on 21st March with Peter Mackay in our tasting cellars here at the shop.
Start 7:30 pm. £25.00 inc VAT
NB : Saturday 13th April is the NEXT Midlands Whisky Festival -200 whiskies, Dream Drams, Masterclasses, discount vouchers and more!
Book now at www.whiskyfest.co.uk or at www.Nickollsandperks.co.uk Cost £35 per ticket
And finally, check out the N&P Whisky Sale – ends 28th February!
Genuine savings – 15% off!
Ludo is back and full of energy (as you can see), we decided to publish these all at once rather than all 17 individually. Please click on the individual links to read the remainder of each article- WI
It’s cold in Dufftown
Today is my first day back in the office and what a drive it was (see the pictures below).
I had better head home soon!
PS – thanks Ian for braving the weather and taking these pictures – the next dram is on me!
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2010/01/its-cold-in-dufftown-2/
Grant’s YouTube Channel!
My friends in our marketing team have been working on a series of videos dedicated to Grant’s. You can see the first below with Gregor, our mixologist, demonstrating how to make the perfect Grant’s Manhattan whisky cocktail.
A Grant’s Manhattan is one of the all time classic cocktails (Kent123, if you liked…
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2010/01/grants-youtube-channel-2/
One from the archive – Grant’s delivered in the Philippines
I was speaking to Paul, our company archivist, earlier today about a picture I came across in an old book (see below). It shows an old car advertising Grant’s in the Philippines. The picture must have been taken only a few years after Charles Gordon started his journey around…
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2010/01/one-from-the-archive-grants-delivered-in-the-philippines-2/
Grant’s internal rivalry (just a bit of fun!)
I was at our Girvan distillery yesterday and everybody kept talking about how the snow we had in Dufftown was nothing compared to the cold they had in Girvan. As a whisky ambassador (although admittedly not always a diplomat!), I thought I would ask a neutral crowd (you!) to be the judge. Their entry in…
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2010/01/grants-internal-rivalry-just-a-bit-of-fun-2/
Grant’s cocktails anyone?
I thought you might want to know that new videos of Gregor, our cocktail mixologist, have been posted on our YouTube channel.
If you’re soon to be entertaining guests or simply keen to perfect your cocktail making skills, why not take a quick look at Gregor in action and pick up some useful
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2010/02/grants-cocktails-anyone-2/
Grant’s Whisky is now on Twitter!
Did you know that you can now follow Grant’s on Twitter?
For all you whisky enthusiasts, this is another chance for you to follow the latest news and information on Grant’s Whisky, as well as to share stories and experiences on all things whisky with your friends.
The adventures of Mister ‘G’
I’m often asked where the idea for our famous triangular bottle came from. I have heard many different stories but the one below is my personal favourite.
‘The adventures of Mister G’ is actually part of a series of print adverts which I believe were produced in the 1960s. I’ll need…
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2010/02/the-adventures-of-mister-g-2/
How much barley and wheat is there in a bottle of Grant’s?
Last week I was in London judging this year’s best whiskies for Whisky Magazine’s World Whiskies Awards. It was an excellent day as usual, with many extraordinary whiskies (particularly a Balblair single malt from 1975, which sadly, didn’t win the best single malt award, despite the 10/10 mark I gave it; never mind!) and…
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2010/03/cereal-in-a-bottle-of-grants-2/
The adventures of Mister ‘G’…continued
Following on from my post a few weeks ago on the adventures of Mister ‘G’ (which stirred up quite a bit of interesting conversation, to say the least!), I thought I would share the rest of the 1960s print adverts with you.
Perhaps not quite as (ahem!) bold as the first…
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2010/03/mister-g-continued-2/
A taste from the past – Grant’s Royal 12 Years Old (bottled in the 1980s)
The best thing about working in a distillery is that no matter which cupboard I open, I am likely to find a bottle of whisky.
As you might know, I am always very interested in our company’s history and particularly the whiskies we used to blend. You might remember the 18 Year Old Classic…
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2010/03/grants-royal-12-years-old-bottled-in-the-1980s/
A new Grant’s whisky website!
After recently launching a YouTube channel, Facebook and Twitter pages, we’ve been busy crafting a new website. Grantswhisky.com now features videos of our Chairman, Peter Gordon, our Master Blender, Brian Kinsman and yours truly, which I hope won’t put you off visiting ;-). We take you inside the Grant’s world…
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2010/04/new-grants-whisky-website-2/
Grant’s live on TV in Canada
I visited Canada at the beginning of the month and while on a short stopover in Vancouver, I was interviewed live on the morning TV news. As is customary with these programmes, the interview was short but I still think many of you will find it interesting. It has now been…
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2010/07/grants-live-on-tv-in-canada-2/
A taste from the past – Grant’s Best Procurable
I am often asked what the best part of my job is. Travelling, meeting interesting people and cultures or working for an internationally recognised Scotch whisky may seem appropriate answers but the truth is that as a whisky enthusiast, the most enjoyable part of my job is being able to sample some of the world’s…
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2010/08/grants-best-procurable-2/
The Best Grant’s Bars in the World
I’m in Paris at the moment to meet with a few journalists at our Charles De Gaulle shop and whilst working in my hotel room last night, I started wondering about where to go for a drink.
I have been to Paris many times but as hard as I tried, I couldn’t remember a good…
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2011/02/the-best-grants-bars-in-the-world-2/
Grant’s Real DIY Stories
Today, I would like to make you aware of a competition that’s being held for a second year in the United States. Grant’s Real DIY Stories offers do it yourself enthusiasts the chance to win a home entertaining makeover worth $10,000.
This competition is only open to US residents, but I would encourage everyone to take…
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2011/03/grants-real-diy-stories-2/
Grant’s on WhiskyCast
I met with Mark Gillespie from the world-famous WhiskyCast, while on a short visit to Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago. Now in its sixth year, the internet’s best whisky podcast comes to life a few miles outside Philly in ‘the charming yet regrettably dry town of Haddonfield’, as Mark so eloquently puts it….
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2011/03/grants-on-whiskycast-2/
A Taste from the Past – Grant’s 25 Year Old Character Jug
It seems many of you enjoyed my recent review of one of our old Royal Doulton decanters with over 1,000 of you ‘liking’ our Facebook post. I love social media sites in that respect, as they give me instant feedback on what our fans enjoy reading. And so, this week I have found another…
http://blog.grantswhisky.com/2012/08/a-taste-from-the-past-grants-25-year-old-character-jug/
Kind regards,
Ludo
Whisky Ramblings Via Video #34
Mark Dermul, Belgian whisky blogger, launches a mini-series of 5 videos in which he explores independent bottlings of Auchentoshan. First up is the Auchentoshan 18 Year Old from The Maltman. Enjoy!
Whisky-Meet 2013 in Bergen, Norway
Thursday, February 14th: Arriving in Bergen for my second Whisky-Meet festival. Had some time before my only tasting this day, so I headed up to Henriks øl & vinstue, a bar I had heard good things about. Well, 40-something beers on tap, so I was not disappointed. Even if some of their taps were out of service this day, I still had a lot of good choices. As all good bars should have, they had some specially brewed beers just for them. The barkeeper told me more taps were on its way, so the selection of beers should be over 50 in a short time. Highly recommended place for any beer/ale geek.
Now it was time for more beer, as my only tasting for the day was the Kick-Off Tasting. This is a tasting always held on the day before the festival itself, and always contains just beer. This year it was beers from Brewdog and Ægir, presented by Josie and Vegard. Six beers were presented, Punk IPA, Libertine Black Ale and Dog A from Brewdog, and IPA, Ratatosk double IPA and Natt Imperial Porter from Ægir. All good beers…but since I had tasted five of them before, no real surprises here.
Called it a night….after some whiskies at the Terminus Whiskybar.
Friday, February 15th: After some food and beer it was finally time for the real reason I was here…bring on the whisky! I realized I had booked so many tastings, that I had to make the best of the time I had available at the festival hall. This year Terminus, together with Adelphi, had bottled a special festival-whisky, a 15yo Clynelish, hand bottled by Mr. Frode Harring himself. A nice dram indeed, Clynelish seldom disappoints.
First tasting of the day was a Glendronach vertical, hosted by Stewart Buchanan. Seven drams were presented; 8yo Octarine, 12yo Original, 15yo Revival, 18yo Allardice, 21yo Parliament, 31yo Grandeur and the Cask Strength NAS. Glendronach remains one of my favorite distilleries, so it’s safe to say I really enjoyed myself! Stewart managed to hold a really informative lesson about the distillery and the whiskies, to no surprise. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I think I have to pick the CS, fantastic stuff!
As a bonus this year, the festival put up an area only dedicated to beer, a nice touch I hope they will continue in the future. So after some beers, and more whiskies, it was time for yet another tasting-session…this time with some mixed expectations.
After keeping us waiting for half an hour, Jim Murray was ready to do his thing. Nine whiskies were presented for a blind tasting. Jim started off by calling the brand ambassadors present at the festival cynical liars, only interested in selling their whisky. Well Jim, how many times did you encourage us to by your book? He continued by telling us we do everything wrong while nosing and tasting whisky. But himself couldn’t tell the difference by two of the whiskies when the order was messed up a little, blaming the staff for putting their after-shave soaked fingers into his glasses. Why not use a chart with numbers to put the glasses on to keep track, it would make a much smoother tasting, without all this back and forth. I really like to have some water between my whiskies at a tasting, but for some reason Jim doesn’t allow that. I know he doesn’t like us to put water in the whisky, but if I want a glass of water on the side, what’s the problem? Ok, I will admit he has some good point about tasting whisky…but in its entirety, this was not my cup of tea.
Saturday, February 16th: Got time for a couple of whiskies before my first tasting-session, so tried out the Taiwanese Kavlan…surprisingly good I have to say. Then it was time to taste some Glenfarclas Family Casks, with Robert Ransom. Glenfarclas also being one of my favorite distilleries, I really looked forward to this. Of all the tastings, this had the least amount of whisky, but what quality! We got to taste the 1982, 1981, 1972, 1971 and 1965 Family Casks….1972 and 1965 being my favorites. The tasting felt a bit short and rushed, and not as informative as Glendronach, but the quality of the whiskies made up for it.
A Benriach vertical tasting next, again with Stewart Buchanan. Being afraid he was boring us with all the details, but I think we all enjoyed his knowledge. Seven drams presented here, 12yo, 16yo, 20yo, 15yo PX Finish, 17yo Septendecim, 34yo Sauternes Finish and as a really nice bonus, a two day’s old new make. After two tastings with Stewart, I have to say this man knows his stuff, and held the two best tastings of the festival in my opinion.
Time for the last tasting of the weekend, Isle of Jura. I haven’t tasted that many Juras before, so I was quite curious on this one. Scott Milne guided us through the history of Jura and the distillery, and I must say…I really fancy going there. Fun fact for Paul; the Campbell’s of Jura were described as “a bunch of mean fuckers”. Six whiskies presented here, 10yo, Superstition, Prophecy, 1996 Boutique Barrel, 30yo Camas an Staca and 1977 vintage….the last one being my favorite and an absolutely stunning dram.
To sum it up…
Best tasting-session: Benriach
Best beer: Brewdog Dog A
Biggest surprise whisky: Kavlan Solist Sherry Cask
Most promising whisky: Glenglassaugh peated cask sample (at approx. 63% ABV and distilled in 2009, this was smooth as hell! Can’t wait for an official release)
Biggest mystery: How all that Chinese food got in my hotel room!?!
-Ravn
Ravn is a member of www.angelswhiskyclub.com and lives in Norway. To see his report with pictures follow; http://angelswhiskyclub.com/awc/whiskymeet2013.asp
So you want to start a whisky appreciation club? Good for you, it can be very rewarding and you’ll meet a lot of very interesting people along the way. Here are some suggestions.
Recruiting Fellow Members & Where to Meet
Sometimes it may seem that you’re the only person in your area that has a passion for whisky, this is unlikely. Most liquor store that sell premium whiskies will know their customer base and will put you in touch with like minded people. They’re out there and they can be found, use your local knowledge and imagination. Hold the first meeting in members’ home, the cost is very reasonable!
The Number of Whiskies to Taste per Session
Depending on the group and the length of the meeting you might want to start with two to three whiskies per meeting. Its general practice to start nosing & tasting the lighter whiskies at the beginning of the session and to finish with the heavier whiskies at the end of the evening.
For a great description of how to nose and taste whisky please visit http://www.whiskymag.com/nosing_course/
Glassware
There is a myriad of glass ware on the market but I suggest that in the beginning you look for a simple & inexpensive but functional glass and the best for small groups is a small brandy snifter, about 10 cm or 4 inches tall. They are quite suitable for nosing and tasting whisky and you can easily cup the glass for hand warming and the curved sides help concentrate aromas. On this side of theAtlanticthis style of glass can be found in many second hand & charity stores which have any kitchen related inventory. I presume there are such stores in most urban centers. These little brandy snifters usually sell for about .25 cents, saving valuable funds for whisky purchases. As your experience with whisky grows you can look towards purchasing blenders nosing & tasting glasses or Glencairn glasses.
When cleaning whatever glassware you choose remember to hand wash them with a gentle dish soap rinsing very well to eliminate any residual soap. Avoid cleaning your glassware in a dishwasher as dishwashers tend to leave a soap reside which will negatively impact the next whisky.
Tasting Sheets
If you want to use tasting sheets to write down your impressions and to score your whiskies you can make them up making note of nose, palate and finish with some space for comments. Some people add in legs and color and over all balance, it’s up to you. If you would like some sample score sheets please email me and I’ll be happy to send them to you in Word format, you can adjust them as you see fit.
Water
To add water or to not add water? This can be quite contentious issue for some odd reason. However you might want to take a clue from distillers, they add water when assessing a whisky. With experience you will be able to determine which whiskies are suitable for the addition of water. As a general rule and in particular in the case of scotch whiskies, those whiskies that are matured in new oak or ex-bourbon casks tend to be able to accept more water than those matured or ‘finished’ in ex wine casks such as sherry, port or table wines. It is also advisable to have a glass of still water per person to clean the palate in between drams. Still water is generally the best, avoid sparkling water, it just doesn’t work when making an assessment of a whisky. Ice? Don’t. It’s a disaster.
Banking & Dues
Don’t go over board, in the beginning a simple system is the best and you may find you don’t actually need a bank account, one trusted person can keep a small cash on hand fund with a simple list of dues paid and expenditures. In my Club we have a general prohibition on discussing Club finances at our meetings; we are focused on the whiskies being presented. Our finances are not secret however they are certainly boring and thus open to all; they can be discussed via email if required. We collect dues once a year but since you are just starting out you may opt for a shorter period, perhaps once every three months. As an aside, I had a friend who was very much consumed by bourbon and tried to start a club based on his passion, however he just couldn’t get past the feeling that he absolutely needed a bank account and was very much stuck on that point. I suggested an envelope to keep the money in, a suggestion that he rejected out of hand. He never did open that bank account or start a club. Kind of missed the point, didn’t he? Pity.
Newsletters & Communication of Meeting Dates
Once again the key to success is to keep it simple and if possible communicate by email; this reduces the cost of communication as compared to letters and stamps and is very speedy. Again email communication is economical and leaves more money for whisky purchases. This is important.
Left over whisky
Whatever you do with the remainders or ‘heels’ of the bottles be fair, either distribute them amongst the members or auction them off to the highest bidders, the resulting funds can be used for buying……you guessed it, more and better whisky. Another options is to save them and have a nosing party at the end of each year, we pair this event with a meal, and it works out very well.
Perfume, Hand Creams & Aftershave
These and other such products should be eradicated at all costs, the attendees need to be educated about the negative effect these products have on the sense of smell. Whisky is generally a product that is quite delicate and since most people tend to marinate themselves with copious amounts of pollutants they will spoil the event for all. Hand creams are particularly odious and they can cling to the glass, there’s no proper nosing happening with such a polluted glass. Ugh!
Food
It is not a good idea to serve food when making an initial assessment of a whisky, if you feel it will add some benefit to the evening then wait until the nosing & tasting is complete. Pairing whisky and food in a social setting is another aspect altogether and can be quite enjoyable. I frequently enjoy whisky with my meals.
Sharing the Work Load
Don’t try and do everything yourself, try and share the work load among your fellow members, if you don’t you’ll burn out and leave. This would be a shame, no?
Women
Yes, they live on this planet also and they really like whisky, so why not include them too? A roomful of grunting silent males is simply not that amusing and quite frankly the female of our species has a much better sense of smell and is much more adept at turning what she smells into words. Since most whisky appreciation groups are more than mere ‘drinking’ clubs the ability to turn what you smell and taste into words is of high value.
Friends & Family who Travel
If you are having a difficult time sourcing whiskies locally then you can always turn to friends and family who travel, you’d be surprised how often they can help you acquire a hard to find bottle. Ideally these people should not have a taste for whisky otherwise they’ll be shopping for themselves, the selfish bas…….
Drinking & Driving
Don’t do it. Show some leadership and ensure that all participants have a safe way home, set a proper example. The down side of such irresponsible behavior is generally irreversible and ruins lives.
If there is a single theme that I’ve tried to communicate is to keep it simple in the beginning and stay focused on the whisky and the people, the rest will fall into place as your group gains experience. Have fun and…….Slainte!
This article was originally published on Whisky Fun and is written by Lawrence Graham
How to host a whisky tasting
by Mark Davidson
Here are some general pointers to keep in mind if you are thinking of socialy or even professionally hosting a whisky tasting. Very important is to bring your personality to the event. A too casually organised event will be obviously flawed however a sterile presentation will deduct from the main attraction: the drams.
To begin with, there are loosely two distinctions in tastings. In one style the whisky is chosen and attendance is open to all. Alternatively, a group is looking to have a tasting tailored to their needs.
There is usually a pattern to proceedings, most notably the layout. Best practice is to have all drams poured before the start so give yourself enough time for the filling of glasses and the arrangements of places. For comfort, a seat with everything laid out on a table in front of the taster is better than standing. Consider the shape of the room and where best to stand while addressing the group. Arrange the tables and chairs to maximise the space. The devil is in the detail: how far must all the glassware be carried to the room? how long will this take? do you have access to drinking water? how will this be contained? do the tables need set up? table clothes, etc.
Glassware
Glassware is very important. Essentially we want to capture the aromas on offer while allowing the gentle warming of the contents. Outwardly fluted or straight sided glasses will not arrest the bouquet as well as a bowl style body. The thickness of the glass when too great as well as a solid base will reduce ability for the heat of your hand to warm the spirit. As many elements in the whisky are thermoactive it is important to bring these to the fore to fully understand a dram’s character. Stemmed glasses present a whisky much better than the traditional shape, although there is nothing quite like a heavy cut crystal tumbler, they seem to fit into the hand so naturally but perhaps best left to casual drinking at home.
Ideally each glass will come with its own lid. More than one variant is available but as long as the aroma is kept in, the ‘noser’ will be given the best chance of finding the whisky’s soul on removal of the cover. If lids are not to be got then any covering will help.
If people are sitting, then each placing will benefit from a glass of water to cleanse the palate and and rehydration, some relatively neutral nibbles like oatcakes or crackers for the same reason, a pen and paper for notes (possibly tailored to the event or more simply a generic sheet) as well as a small glass water carafe or jug for diluting and maybe even a pipette for controlled diluting.
If the host wants the participants to leave with information, for marketing or educational reasons it is an idea to supply notes of the main points of interest, even if they will be covered in the discussion. A brief distillery profile and/or an overview of production, industry history and distinct styles of taste will all help illuminate any dark corners in the taster’s understanding.
How Much?
How many drams should be offered? In practice, no fewer than three, with five or possibly six maximum. Little will be learnt with one or two as comparison will be impossible or minimal. Too many drams and the palate will tire, with the nuances of flavour lying unappreciated.
For this reason it is also important to work through the drams in a sensible order. The first should be the lightest. Perhaps a blend. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that blends are inferior and not worthy of study. Quality blends can outshine many a low end malt, although to be fair, these two categories are so different comparison can often be impossible. Other than a blend, a Lowland or light Speyside can be an excellent appetiser in a Scotch whisky tasting.
Looking at the end of the tasting, it is normal to finish on a peaty drop. Big Islays are hard acts to follow with perhaps only the most sherried stealing the show. For this reason, the Spanish cask example is usually in the penultimate position. As we have covered light, sherried and peaty, we may fill the remaining glasses with either a good grain whisky or something of venerable age. Grain whiskies account for more than half the maturing stocks in Scotland but remain frustratingly elusive as singles.
To bring the evening to a close, consider a game like getting those present to guess the drams by nose alone. This will need opaque glassware so colours don’t give the game away. Alternatively take a popularity poll. Perhaps the cheapest will win or maybe the grain will conquer the malts with its popular sweet vanilla kick.
Whatever, always remember whisky is like life… too important to be taken too seriously.
Mark Davidson…
Of a distinguished Banff 1968 vintage Mark Davidson has a short but full body and so marries well (& subsequently producing two limited editions), frequently seen at whisky fairs in Scotland yet curiously difficult to find outside his domestic market it is hoped his inaugural launch on the Canadian scene will be well received. He is at home in independant bottling circles being most commonly found in the William Cadenhead livery where he has enjoyed a 13 year finishing period, however as a stand alone single expression under the Jolly Toper brand he can come into his own while being a fine mixer.
A message from Oliver at the Malt Maniacs world HQ in regards to their latest e-pistle….
“I am happy to announce the first E-pistle of the year. Jacob Krodel is one of our Facebook group regulars, and he has submitted an E-pistle about his experience of starting a whisky club in South Korea where he is currently stationed with the US Army. Nothing too geeky in here, but quite a good advertising to get involved with whisky.
http://www.maltmaniacs.net/E-pistles/Malt-Maniacs-2013-01-Whisky-Clubs.pdf
Cheers,
Olivrer”
