Eight German Angels visited this years WhiskyFair in Limburg (GER).

It’s getting bigger and bigger we can say! Everyone who’s been there knows what I’m talking about!

We arrived at 2 o’clock at the fair and the weather was perfect. It was almost too perfect to have a dram! The thermometer outside in front of the entrance shew +30°. As we entered the tent in front of the Josef Kohlmaier Halle we saw Allistair Walker (BenRiach, GlenDronach) behind his stand sweating like crazy. There was no oxygen in the tent. The hosts tried to get fresh air into the tent with help of huge fans but without great success.
So we decided to leave the tent and head outside for a cool drink. We were standing at a table between the tent and the Josef Kohlmaier Halle. The sun was shining bright on our heads so we decided to get a cool fresh beer. Two angels went in to have some whiskies because we were at the WhiskyFair and not the BeerFair 😉

Inside the Josef Kohlmaier Halle it was hot, no fresh air and really crowded. We started with a Bruichladdich, emptied it while heading to the exit and took a WhiskyFair Bottling (Caol Ila ) dram from the WhiskyFair-Stand right next to the exit to enjoy outside. The other angels were still enjoying their cool beer as we came back to report on the conditions inside the hall. Having finished our excellent dram we ordered two beers to cool down a bit. The other six angels went inside to experience the hot conditions and get a few drams while we defended our table outside. It is very important to have a table at the fair because it makes it more comfortable with all your belongings.

We had backbags and jackets (for the night when it cools down) that you can leave at the table. See, it is horrible to walk through the crowd with your backbag. But you know what I mean when you ever been to a crowded place with a backbag =) So our system was that half of the angels stayed at the table outside while the others enjoyed the drams inside. Of course we did enjoy plenty of great drams!!! Worth to mention are Highland Park Thor (16y), Maltbarn Caol Ila 30y, Signatory Cragganmore 26y and Brora 30y.

We left the WhiskyFair in the evening for the Islay BBQ presented by Villa Konthor. The BBQ was set in a lounge close to the train station and like the fair it was crowded again. Three Bruichladdich Whiskies and a perfect Whisky based BBQ were waiting for us. I’ll never forget the delicious whisky-sauces along with perfect grilled meat! In the end the whole day was absolutly amazing! The weather was perfect, the drams worked and we enjoyed a tremendous BBQ.

No question that we’ll attend next years WhiskyFair again!!!

Jens
German Ambassador
www.angelswhiskyclub.com

BLACK BOTTLE STANDS OUT AT WORLD SPIRITS COMPETITION

Black Bottle, the iconic and distinctive whisky, has lived up to its bold, inability to be ignored reputation by taking double gold at this year’s San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Capturing the very essence of Islay, Black Bottle is the only blended Scotch whisky to include all the renowned single malts from the Isle of Islay balanced by the finest Highland, Lowland and Speyside malt and grain whiskies. With its bold taste Black Bottle is one of the most unique whiskies around as there are very few, if any, that come close in terms of style and taste profile. The whisky holds a fresh and fruity nose with a hint of peat that leads to a full yet slight sweet palate and a delightful smoky flavour. The finish is warm and long with the unmistakable smoky, Islay character.

Black Bottle’s unique taste owes its character and heart to the innovation and skill of Gordon Graham, its original master blender. A tea merchant, Graham’s ability to blend tea soon moved to the blending of whiskies in the late 19th century. This particular blend, which he marketed in opaque black bottles imported from Germany, in time became the whisky of choice of the locals of Aberdeen. The outbreak of the First World War in 1914 forced the company to source new bottles and since that date Black Bottle has been packaged in a green glass bottle, retaining the distinctive pot-still shape.

Black Bottle is available, with or without a gift tube, from leading liquor outlets at around R200 per bottle.

Glen Garioch has been part of the Morrison Bowmore group since 1970 and despite being often seen as the quieter of their distilleries it’s evolved and changed a lot over the years. The relaunch of their whisky range in 2009 has breathed new life into the brand and recent releases have shown they’re a force to be reckoned with. We’re very fortunate to be joined by the company’s Malt Master Iain McCallum to lead us through a selection of their whiskies.

The relaunch has firmly positioned Glen Garioch as a connoisseur’s dram, with the standard expressions now bottled un-chillfiltered at 48%. They’ve also complimented their range by releasing a pair of cask strength vintage bottlings each year, some of which we’ll be able to taste on the night.

Iain will take us through the Glen Garioch range, showing the evolution of the whisky over the last 40 years and its emergence as a formidable single malt.

We’ll be starting the Masterclass with the Founder’s Reserve and the World Whisky Award-winning 12 year old, before moving through the 1994, 1991, 1986 and 1978 vintage whiskies, and ending on the excellent 1971 single cask, bottled in conjunction with TWE and launched at The Whisky Exchange Whisky Show 2011.

On top of that we will be continuing our campaign to educate everyone about food and whisky matching by serving a cheese with each of the drams, chosen from the excellent range available from the Neal’s Yard Dairy.

The tasting will take place on Monday 28th May at 7:30pm. Tickets are priced at £25 and will go on sale on Wednesday 16th May at 3pm. As ever, tickets will be sold on a first come, first served basis and are limited to two per customer. You can book your place at the tasting by phoning the shop on 020 7403 8688 or by calling in.

http://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/nlv/nlv_15052012.htm

Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert

Book launch Sunday, May 20, 2012

Britton’s
846 Bank Street (near Fifth Avenue)
Ottawa
tel. 613 237 6116

Join Davin de Kergommeaux in Ottawa at Britton’s in the Glebe as he launches the first comprehensive book ever written about Canadian whisky.

A message from Scotch Whisky Auctions

Hi folks. We thought we would drop you a quick email to alert you to a number of special lots in the next auction. We have a 1969 10 year old Largiemeanoch from a single cask, a second release Black Bowmore from 1964 and the complete Springbank Millennium Collection, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 and 50 years old, PLUS the accompanying miniatures.

We’re still collating and photographing bottles for the auction and we’ll send you another email when we’re about to go live.

Best wishes from Glasgow

Bill, Tam and Mick

www.scotchwhiskyauctions.com

Have you ever been in a shop and you were not sure if you tasted a particular whisky? Maybe you even doubt if you have the bottle at home in your collection. It would also be nice to know if the price is right.

From now on, all these questions will be answered with the Whiskybase Android APP

The Whiskybase Android APP makes it possible to check your own collection and see what you have tasted, anytime and anywhere. The Whiskybase Android APP has the same features as the community website but you can also use it offline.

These are the features of the Whiskybase Android APP:

• Look up verified data from more than 30.000 whiskies
• Make a choice out of nearly 350 distilleries and brands from all over the world
• Select from the long bottlers list
• Searching by vintage is possible too.
• My Collection gives you easy access to the bottle in your own collection
• My Ratings shows a list with the whisky you rated
• My Wishlist shows the bottles you wish to own or taste one day
• My Notes shows a list with your notes
• Top 1000 is a list with the 1000 hightest ranking bottles on Whiskybase
• You can also add notes, rates and bottles to your collection and upload them to the community website
• And much more.

You can buy the Whiskybase Android APP for only 3,95 EURO on the Google Play pages: https://play.google.com/ Or click on this button

The Whiskybase IPhone APP will be ready within a few days. Please check the APP STORE for the Iphone version.

Loch Fyne Whiskies has stocked a new item, ‘Just in: Balblair 2001 46%’

Balblair 2001 46%

Balblair OB 2001 46%alc.

Bottled 2011. Quiet with vanilla notes on the nose, fat and juicy on the tongue. Easy going, with slightly peppery feel to it. On the Flavour map it’s in square D2 on the delicate side of Light and Delicate.

£33.90 inc vat (£28.25 ex vat)

Best regards,
Loch Fyne Whiskies
david@lfw.co.uk

Compass Box Whisky Company Tasting Selection Box

Compass Box Whisky Company Tasting Selection Box. A gift for the Whisky Connoisseur or to give someone a great introduction to this special spirit: a supremely stylish gift box containing five 5cl ‘cigar tube’ samples of the Scotch whiskies produced … Continue reading →

Glenglassaugh 30-plus year old range Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Glenglassaugh 30, 36 and 40/41 year old Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky is the product from casks that have matured at the distillery on the Moray Firth coast for over 30, 36 or 40 years respectively. The casks where refill … Continue reading →

The Society will present 5 of its rare and unique single cask, single malt Scotch whiskies. Dinner will be prepared by Executive Chef Bill Morris and Executive Sous Chef Jim Campbell and paired with our select expressions.

DATE: Thursday, May 17, 2012
TIME: 7:00pm – 9:00pm. Registration begins at 6:30pm.

The Rainier Club
820 Fourth Avenue
Seattle, WA

TICKET PRICE: $100.00 per person
Business Casual. Jackets Preferred. No denim or athletic attire.

To purchase tickets call 800.990.1991

BUFFALO TRACE DISTILLERY RELEASES COLONEL E.H. TAYLOR, JR. BARREL PROOF BOURBON WHISKEY

FRANKFORT, Franklin County, Ky (May 2012) – The latest in the Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. Bourbon Collection from Buffalo Trace Distillery is an extraordinary barrel proof, uncut, unfiltered rye recipe bourbon.

Weighing in at a hefty 134.5 proof, this small batch bourbon was aged for seven years on the sixth floor of Buffalo Trace’s Warehouse C, built by Colonel Taylor in 1881.

When your experience this uncut and unfiltered Bourbon, “an aroma of cooked, berries meets the nose, followed by a rich caramel and slightly floral smell. The taste is bold – full of spice that fills the mouth with a distinct flavor of toasty vanilla, dried oak and pepper. The finish is long and satisfying with a powerful rye character and lingering hints of fruit.”

The Barrel Proof Bourbon is the fourth in the line of the E. H. Taylor, Jr. collection of whiskeys to be released over the next few years. It joins the Old Fashioned Sour Mash Bourbon, Single Barrel Bourbon and Warehouse C Tornado Surviving Bourbon released within the past year. Like the previous three releases, this Barrel Proof Bourbon will have very limited availability and will be packaged in a vintage label and canister reminiscent of Taylor’s bottles nearly one hundred years ago

Taylor 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 the distillery that is known today as the Buffalo Trace Distillery. During his time, Taylor implemented several innovative methods still used today by Buffalo Trace, such as climate controlled aging warehouses. In addition to his bourbon interests, Taylor had political ties. He was the great-nephew of President Zachary Taylor and elected the mayor of Frankfort, state representative to the Kentucky General Assembly and a member of the State Senate.

The Col. E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Bourbon will be available in June. Suggested retail pricing is $69.99 for a 750 ml bottle.

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery is a family-owned company based in Frankfort, Franklin County, Kentucky. The Distillery’s rich distilling tradition dates back to 1787 and includes such legends as E.H. Taylor, Jr., George T. Stagg, Albert B. Blanton, Orville Schupp, and Elmer T. Lee. Buffalo Trace Distillery is a fully operational distillery producing bourbon, rye and vodka on site and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Distillery has won seven distillery titles since 2000 from such notable publications as Whisky Magazine, Malt Advocate Magazine and Wine Enthusiast Magazine. It was named Whisky Magazine 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its wide range of premium whiskies. To learn more about Buffalo Trace Distillery visit www.buffalotracedistillery.com